Chapter 105

Hitting Little Girls To Save the Universe

Sometimes the universe gives you lemons and expects you to learn to make lemonade. Other times the universe seemingly insists you stop everything and help a little girl who is selling lemonade to raise money for a charity. In both cases, you; either as the lemonade creator, or purchaser, feel better about yourself.

Why do I say this?

Why even bring up the image of a cute little girl selling lemonade at a time like this? Weren’t we fighting a universe devouring monster? Shouldn’t we be focusing on the monster, instead of a random girl?

The answers to these questions are of course: Behemoth, yes, and they are one in the same.

That’s right, psychological warfare at its finest.

The Behemoth, a monster made of tissue fibers, wiry muscles, and slimy mucus. That creature now had the form of a little girl selling lemonade.

Just what were the lemons for this lemonade you ask? Why planets of course, a few stars were thrown in for flavoring, apparently.

Of course, I didn’t see this little girl that was apparently everyone’s ideal little kid sister they always wanted or lost. No, thanks to my Mind Shield, I saw the creature for what it was. A planet devouring tentacled creep that was ripping the life out of a galaxy. Fortunately, the creature was still small. Far smaller than the one Alien Jess and I fought.

To put it into scale. The portion, the pinkie finger of the monster we killed. That is how big this little girl was now.

Of course, I use the term little girl loosely, as the creature as still large enough to devour a planet in minutes.

I was part of the vanguard of forces that went through the portal created by Professor Astria. Yep, apparently, she was also a spatial mage here too, but chose to hide it. Apparently, she found out that the less powers she claimed, the less she would be expected to teach. So odd, how one person can be so different in two different universes. Then again, her set of circumstances in this life are likely completely different than those of her other life.

As the vanguard, it was our job to identify the target and begin firing immediately. Which was why, when we first got here, I punched through, targeted the Behemoth, and let loose with our missile payloads. Yes, I managed to score a direct hit at the Behemoth’s core with all five missiles.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Jess screamed at me, as I let the missiles fly.

“What?” I asked.

“You just attacked that little girl.” Jess was livid. She was at that point where she knew she had to be angry but was trying to figure out how angry she should be. At least that was what her body language was telling me.

“What?” Is all I managed, before I was saved by Alien Jess.

“Stop!” Alien Jess said in a voice clearly filled with power.

“Mind Control? Did you just Mind Control yourself? Well Jess?” I asked Alien Jess, after seeing the dazed glassy eyed look that my Jess was now giving us. She was completely comatose with her eyes staring blankly forward.

“Yeah. She was falling for the Behemoth’s Mental Manipulations, so it was clear she would be susceptible to my Mind Control, as well.” Alien Jess said.

With this, I just nodded.

Meanwhile the missiles I fired flew ever onward towards the Behemoth. The Behemoth who was so distracted from slurping on its planetary milkshake, that it didn’t even bother to turn towards me, at first.

BOOM!

Well, there was no sound, this was space after all. But there was a bright flash that filled the darkness of space for a second.

“WAAHHH!” The Behemoth let out an ear piercing, or maybe mind piercing, mental shriek.

At that, the dazed look on Jess’ face dropped, as she was brought back to the present by the shrill cry of agony let loose by the Behemoth.

“Save me, please don’t let the bad man hurt me anymore.” She said, her words sounded the same way a snake who asked for help, while slurping down a villager. Then in a way, I guess that was exactly what this Behemoth was doing. They were devouring planets, while imploring the self-defense forces of that planet to defend her, so she could continue to eat the planet in peace.

The plan was diabolical, and surprisingly it worked.

All this time, who knew that all you had to do to get your way, was to be a cute little girl with pigtails who used the word please? Maybe a few overindulgent fathers.

After that, we had to take evasive maneuvers. No, not from the Behemoth. That creature was still stationary.

No, I had to take evasive maneuvers to avoid all the incoming friendly fire.

For the first time in my life, I was able to prove Murphy wrong. In this one case, friendly fire was not the most accurate. I don’t know if my being their true intended target, changed the variables on that quote, but I was glad I at least got to realize I changed a universal truth before I died.

With everyone firing at me, I did the only thing I could do. Drive us closer to the massive mind controlling Behemoth.

“You bastard! How could you!” Jess screamed.

Right, Jess was still under the influence.

“Stop that. Look at her. Truly look at her and see her for the monsters she is. Look past the illusion before you and see the real her.” Alien Jess spoke, and for once I was not mad that she decided to speak over me.

As I was busy trying to steer our slightly over sized spaceship in the electric neon-shoot-me-green paint job.

Yeah, mental note: consider neon green to be a death flag when it is on future vehicles.

Pfft. Pfft. Pfft.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

Flashes of light streak out over and around us. The good news is, that all the stray shots look like they will mostly be absorbed by the massive size of the Behemoth.

The bad news, well pretty much everything else. The defense forces of the planet are now being scrambled to join my Endarian forces that are here. Alien Jess has her attention fully on stopping my Jess from doing anything stupid. My full attention is on trying to avoid constant barrages of incoming projectiles. Oh, and did I mention the Mind Controlling Behemoth that was currently slurping down a human colony world?

So yeah, that’s where we stood. Hey Prime. When the end of the universe happens. Can you kind of remember this moment? I think to myself, hoping that Prime will pick up on it.

“For you father. I will. You know you could end it all right now if you just used that necklace, right?” Prime offered.

Sighing, I knew Prime was right. Even now, I could feel the necklace glowing warmer. It was so intense that I could almost feel it burning my skin. I assume this was some way of letting me know the bauble, or artifact around my neck was ready to go. But I paused.

“But you aren’t going to use it are you?” Prime asked, a note of acceptance in his voice.

No, I am not. I thought back. The two Jesses were talking, and I didn’t want to disturb them by having my own personal thoughts exposed. As it was, I was happy that Prime chose to make this conversation private.

“You still think you can pull off your crazy scheme to save all the universes?”

At that question, I snort. No. Not really.

“Well at least you are honest with yourself.” Prime offers.

Then like that I have an epiphany. This might cost me my ship. Well, no might. This will definitely cost me my ship, but I have a crazy idea that just might work.

“Jess. Do you trust me?” I ask.

“You just hit a little girl.” My Jess states.

“I trust you.” Alien Jess says.

So, fifty percent, yeah. We can do this.

“Make sure your space suits are sealed.” I say, as I begin checking my seals and detaching myself from the main console of the ship.

“What are you doing?” Jess demands.

“Check your seals and make sure you are safe for extraction.” Alien Jess cuts in. Hearing her words, even with my Mind Shield up, I almost want to follow her command. Well, follow her command more. I already was doing the commands before she said them.

I maneuver us so we are on final strafing run, right for the heart of the Behemoth. This is a silvery orb that seems to glow with dark malevolent power.

Then not for the first time, but maybe the first time on purpose, I line my vehicle up and then reaching out with my hands let go of the steering wheel. Yes, not even the Jesses have the wheel. Then I quickly swipe my arms out clasping the two Jesses, before we all disappear.

Total Recall.

Poof.

We appear a few hundred miles away, back towards where our fleet first entered this particular galaxy. Fortunately, our black suits blend in nicely with the open space around us. We get a firsthand view of a small green dot being chased by dozens of angry black dots that all follow the green vessel doggedly towards the very heart of the Behemoth.

With my hands on the two Jesses, I try my idea.

“Super Butterfly Powers Activate!” I shout, before I focus on my connection between the two women.

“What?” They both say in unison.

This is perfect, as it means my they are too distracted to stop me from what I am going to do next. Focusing on the two of them, I focus my energy into and through their bodies. They are magnifiers in this attack. Their entire purpose is to take the power I channel into them and amplify it, until it can obliterate the Behemoth.

There are two of them, the Behemoth is still in its infantile stage, it is already injured. If there was a way this could work. A way that I wouldn’t have to sacrifice either Jess, this would be the time.

How can I do this? How can I remember how this attack is supposed to take place? Simple Total Recall.

The power is more than just a way to teleport around. It is a resonance reminder, a way to remember where I went and what impact I had on an area. That is why I can use it now, to help me remember how Alien Jess and I first made that connection. How I can mirror that same connection with my Jess.

The minute I use the power, I feel a flood gate open up from within me. Power that was raw and unchained came out of me, poured into the two Jesses. Then just stayed there. Well at least that was the case with my Jess. Fortunately, Alien Jess already knew what she needed to do.

Focusing her accumulating power on the Behemoth, she focused her mind. Then directed the force down to an intense beam of energy. Before letting the pulse fly forward.

Pfft.

Well, no sound, but something flashing that brightly should have a cool sound effect. Stupid space, being all quiet like the grave.

Alien Jess’ pulse of energy is bright. Brighter than a blue star bright. The beam races forward, striking the little girl illusion right in the chest.

“Wha?” Cries go out over the main communications channel.

At first there is confusion, before the beam cuts through the outer illusion and pierces right into the monster’s core. Even from this distance, the core of the Behemoth is huge. Almost the size of the planet she is consuming huge. Oh wait, exactly that same size. I blink as I just realize how large that circle was. Again, it is not like the creature was small. It was large enough to devour both a planet and a star at the same time. So the size of its heart? Being the same size as a planet shouldn’t be too big of a deal.

I am so lost in this that I almost miss the moment Jess, my Jess is filled with too much power.

“AHH!” She cries out. Instantly I let go of her. Bad move, as she begins to drift, this is space after all.

With a quick move I reach out for her, but I refuse to cycle any more energy through her.

“It was an illusion. Everyone strikes at the Behemoth with everything you’ve got.” General Fellina says on the main channel.

With that the tiny black ships and slightly larger silvery-black ships begin firing in mass at the fully revealed Behemoth.

Everything is so odd due to how large everything is.

Alien Jess flaps her wings. As she goes around me and then gets close to my Jess.

“I, I’m sorry…” My Jess says, as tears begin to form in her helmet.

“Don’t worry, just kill that thing.” I say.

With that both Jesses turn their full attention to me, and I suddenly feel my blood run cold. How do they do that? Do they practice when I’m not looking? That is creepy.

“They are forming a unique version of the pair bond father.” Prime offers.

“Just relax, and focus.” Alien Jess says, as she holds my Jess close to her, like they are about to dance.

Then when Alien Jess grabs her arm and holds it out to point towards the giant Behemoth. They stop for a second, turn towards each other and lock gazes.

I am not going to say I was captivated by the two. No, my reason for staring was the fact that this had to rank up with likely one of the top ten most awkward moments to watch.

Sexy Alien Jess was holding my Jess in what could only be described as a dancer’s pose in space. One arm extended towards the universe destroying Behemoth off in the distance. My Jess had her right leg back, in that weird flamingo stance she sometimes does when she is nervous or waiting. While Alien Jess just had her left butterfly wing back straight, while her right wing also seemed to point, in the same direction as their arms. All while floating in space.

It was beautiful, sensual. Then completely scary as a death ray shot from their combined hands and flew forward towards the Behemoth. I watched as the two fired all the energy they had, then collapsed.

Only once I saw the two bodies going limp, did I even realize what had happened.

“Shit!” I screamed, as I ran over to the two floating bodies.

Or at least I tried to run, stupid space not allowing for traction. Fortunately, I quickly remembered to use Telekinesis-X.

“Only after I reminded you, father.”

“Well yes, I didn’t say how I remembered. But I just said I remembered.” I spoke back while the two Jesses were in my arms. I instantly began applying liberal doses of Healing-X to them.

For a moment I didn’t breathe, until finally, I felt their life energy slowly coming back. It had worked. They still lived. I vowed right then and there that I would use the necklace if the Behemoth didn’t fall from that one attack.

SCREEECCHHH!

There was a sound of fingers on a chalkboard, that was fused with the sounds of screws being diced in a blender. That was the sound the universe ending monster made a minute later when the final burst of energy hit the Behemoth.

I watched as the Behemoth melted the same way marshmallows do in the microwave. Never seen it? You should. Not as interesting as Alien Jess and my Jess doing the dance of death in space, to kill a Behemoth, but I might be a bit biased when it comes to looking at my Jess.

For a minute we sit there, floating in space. Well, I sit there, the two Jesses are still completely passed out.

“Confirmed dead. I repeat, confirmed dead. We did it. We prevented the apocalypse.” General Fellina said.

At that, I waited a few more minutes. I watched as the marshmallowy goodness of what remained of the Behemoth slowly melted away into space. Then, and only then, did I decide to get out.

Total Recall.

Poof.

Then we appeared to see a tree that had seemed to grow close to a hundred meters tall.

“What the fuck Prime?”