Chapter 116

Me Versus the Universe

You ever have one of those moments, where you intend to do the right thing. You go about your day, the way you think you should. You try to be a law-abiding citizen. Now granted part of my problem was the fact that I intentionally annoyed General Fellina.

Looking back on my life, I realize that many of my worst days could have either been completely avoided, or severely lessened had I obeyed the one simple rule. The golden rule really. Never tick off someone with any form of power or leverage against you.

You’d think that me being an Eighteen-year-old, I would have had this rule hammered home by now. But no, I just had to get into a dick measuring contest with the Endarian General, and worst of all, I found out she was by far the bigger dick of us. I know, who would have guessed.

***

Closing overture to Endar Rising.

I then even focus on drawing out the final note to make sure it resonates with the entire crowd.

There is a silent hush as everyone paused to take in what I had done. I didn’t just play two portions, I played four portions, my superior Agility allowing me to go faster than any human should. I went faster than any known space faring species should have.

Everyone was caught in a daze for a moment.

Rayquel had her hand over her heart as I could tell her vitals were elevated. Fortunately, she was not going to have a heart attack. That or if she did, she was now within my range of my Healing Aura, which should prevent any major damages from occurring, should.

Then the next moment the crowd erupted with a fury I hadn’t felt since the last time I was here. Honestly, this crowd wasn’t as into it as the MAC championship crowd, but I would take what I could get.

Realizing I nailed it, I decided to take a moment to humbly ask the honorable Judge Fellina to resend her vote.

“How’s that miss bitch!” Now granted, I likely could have used nicer words to gain the General’s attention. But my words did their job, as she and everyone around broke from their cheering to stare at me. You know, the young human kid with electric silver hair.

“Young man. I do admit I might have been a bit hasty with my strike against you. That said, I do have to ask you a few questions before I resend my strike against you.”

“First, I wanted to confirm that you do not have any ties to any foreign government, be it as part of the Military, as a Political Liaison, or even a Regional or Tribal Lords nephew, is that correct?”

I paused at the odd question, but then decided to answer truthfully. “No, none of that.”

At this the General nodded. “Very well then. I just have one last thing to say. Guards arrest him!”

Okay, maybe I should have waited to rub her face in her failure, until after I received my reward money.

Realizing that plan A was gone, I went ahead to plan B. What was plan B? I don’t know you, still working that one out.

At this the guards begin to come up on stage. The minute they do, the get flattened to the ground like pancakes as every bone in their body is crushed into the marble flooring of the stage.

Crack.

“First of all, none of you are going to touch me.” I say to the guards. Then I turn to Rayquel and realize what plan B finally is.

“I didn’t want to do this, but Iron Butterfly, yes your ‘special’ guest judge Rayquel that no one knows about. Nor cares. I can tell you why you lost your wings. I can even tell you about that giant hole with massive energy signatures on your home planet. The one that looks like the hole where a world tree once presided. The one that showed up, oh about a week ago.”

“Stop him. Kill the mic.” Fellina began.

At that I just throw the mic at Fellina.

Thump.

I might have made sure Telekinesis-X was thrown in at the end to make sure it hit the intended target.

Fellina just fell over, concussed by the impact, but otherwise fine.

“Rayquel. If you want the answers to these questions and more. Get that,” I say while pointing to the Green Space Explorer. “And have it ready to hand over to me.”

I am about to leave, when I realize I can use this to cause a little more mischief.

“Also, no one go after my family, they are innocent in all of this. My older brother Chet Goldman. Who never Mind Controlled, Mind Wiped, or in any way Mind Raped people on my behalf. That was entirely for himself and his own selfish reasons.”

Then just like most times, I Healed everyone I injured. Then focused my mind on a spot I wanted to go to, then disappeared.

Total Recall.

Poof.

When I next appeared, I was in the park. The one right outside of the Military Industrial complex that had been built around the ancient temple that had been discovered.

At first, I thought I would have to hide my hair, but as it turned out even with the hair I was one of the more normal looking people here.

In the park everyone had different costumes and were running around.

To be honest, even with me just appearing out of nowhere holding onto my violin, I still looked normal. If anything, I looked like a struggling artist who was trying to make ends meet by dying my hair in order to stand out a little more.

Music.

Different bands and people were playing instruments, singing songs, or otherwise entertaining anyone who would stop to listen to them.

For a moment I just stood and listened. But then I too began to play. Nothing so gauche as Endar Rising. That song was apparently banned from this universe for a reason.

No instead, I decided to just let my mind wander while playing.

I used the instrument to drown out other noises and distractions, while allowing me to plan for my future.

Ultimately, I knew that the Rayquel thing coming through with the green Space Explorer would be a no go. Even if it didn’t have any tracking components on it, just appearing in space would be enough to tip people off with where I was going or had appeared.

Looking through my past knowledge, memories that were fading now that the memory wedge that had been forced in my mind by the Mad Doctor was now missing, there were still a few things that I do recall.

Almost as if in a dream, or maybe they were a part of my Precognition-X finally awakening, showing me hidden gems of the universe. But I do remember gaining visions of where multiple unknown temples existed. Temples that I could explore if I got my own vehicle. No, I still needed to get my own vehicle, but maybe not right now.

No, for now, I think I am going to get a hat, get a job and lay low for a bit.

Maybe I won’t even worry about the job. I still have over a thousand certs. With inflation the way it is for certs, I should easily have enough crypto currency by just selling off a few dozen or so certs.

My only real problem was that I got nostalgic and wanted to keep my old ship, the one that could seat both me and the Jesses. Of course, if both Jesses were up and about, then I would likely only need a two-seater, as 15th Jess would likely want to go back to her own universe.

So, I wasted a trip, and about 500 certs on the trip down memory lane. Yeah, again, going to a couple’s resort as a party of one, is not a party at all.

Finally done getting all my thoughts together, I finally stop my playing, finally feeling much more relaxed.

Clap, clap, clap.

The moment I stop, a few people start to clap, followed by more and more.

Oh yeah, I guess since I happen to be playing here, they likely think I was playing for them. I mean voyeurism is free after all, so in a way I likely was.

I take a moment to pack up my violin, and am about to go, when two women who look oddly familiar come up to me from the crowd of twenty or so people.

It takes me a moment to realize, these two are Nicole and Julie, two of the girls that lived in Herald General Sharma’s underground torture room. Wow, my life sounds like a bad adaptation of a Bond film, when I try to be coherent with everything.

“Please don’t stop, you are amazing.” Nicole asks, pleadingly.

Looking at her, I can’t help but remember the gaunt emaciated face that stared back at me. She was one of the first five that were pulled down to be experimented on.

Just seeing her alive, whole, and happy, genuinely happy, well it caused something in me to shift.

All this time I had been looking at the negatives, the things that were still broken. The things I could never fix or wished to fix immediately.

This moment, these two, this was my first time I ever saw anything I did as a positive.

Seeing the look on her face. I smiled, “for you, anything. Just say it, and I shall make it come to life.”

At that Nicole just paused as a look of awe took her face.

“I know, play something by Space Streamers.” Julie said.

“You wait your turn. This is for her.” I say, gesturing to Nicole.

Nicole just pauses for a moment, a hint of embarrassment coming to her face.

“Tell him to play a love song.” Someone from the group behind calls out.

“Okay, yeah.” Nicole says looking back to the audience member. “Play a love song.”

I just smile, as I think about pieces of every love song I’ve ever heard. Then I focus on one that I can truly relate to now.

In the end I decide to come up with the ultimate love song, dedicated to the ultimate love story. “Very well, everyone. This is an original piece. A love song called, ‘As You Wish.’”

I steal, use, and recompose parts of dozens of songs.

The part of a good song, of a song that truly sings to people is that it must have a tone, a resonance.

This one, unlike all other songs, I actually come up with lyrics. They are simple, but they resonate the true meaning of intent behind the song. Better still, the audience easily picks up on the refrain.

“Take a chance with me, as you wish.

Only your heart can see, as you wish.”

Music.

“Why would I save the world, as you wish.

Who is that special girl, as you wish.”

The song is upbeat and joyous, but I can’t help but feel slightly empty inside after playing it.

I of course was playing for Jess, well both Jesses. In a way I feel that by stopping now, it would be like forgetting them entirely. Though I seem to have reached an impasse currently.

Realistically I know they are safe, that so long as they are both within the temple, they will not die. But that is little consolation at this point. I know that I am powerful enough that I can, could, and likely should move mountains. I could steal a ship now, go to one of the known missing temples and likely run them, right now. But what then? What if that doesn’t work? What if I still don’t get a chance to either find another extra dimensional shop, or more importantly gain the Spirit Healing power?

If that happened then I would be a fugitive, and both Jesses would still be unconscious.

No, this was not going to be an easy fix. At least not with the way I am thinking about this problem.

Maybe what I need to do is take a step back, relax for a moment, then come up with the best course of action.

With that in mind. I finally end song, all to find that it is now dark. There are a few lights on, but we are well away from the main thoroughfare.

As I look around, I see that the crowd of people has grown. Apparently, groups that had been listening to other bands came over when the bands were done.

I see quite a few recording devices and crystals are out recording me.

“Hey, what do you call yourself?” Julie asks.

I pause, never having imagined coming up with my own band name.

I really don’t want to mess this up, as I have had a particularly bad time with getting named by others. The Singing Calf is not what I want to be known as. So, before that or another link to an equally terrible name can be made, I need to strike quickly. That is when I go with the first thing that comes to mind.

“Me Versus the Universe.”