Your username is very fitting. Bravo.

"But how am I supposed to afford two at these wages? And with insurance?" SkyCat flipped back and forth through the pages on the clipboard. "I guess I can do without a steady guard, and just hire for jobs as they come."

"That is certainly an option, as article 23 lays out," the union rep responded, guiding her to the right page. "But bear in mind, you do need to pay at least one month's wages, so you'll want to ensure the profits on the job are worth the cost."

"Profits? Cost? Are you trying to make it a business?!"

"Ma'am, I understand this new system can be upsetting—"

"Upsetting is Admiral Art Deco catching you in the middle of a bank robbery. His name is awful and his costume is worse, but he's still a serious threat. No, this... This is an outraged. An outrage! I will have your head on a platter! I will destroy your entire organization and watch it burn."

"You and what army?" No laughter, it was delivered so dry, she almost responded. But then she say his face. The rep gave an amazingly punchable grin, but she somehow restrained herself.

"I stand by what I said. I may need you now, but know that you will rue this day."

"I'm sure I shall, but for now, let's try to see what hiring options can meet your needs."

Absolutely fantastic

"You need at least two henchmen! 'Henchman' just doesn't sound right!"

Jim Bass floated in the amniotic sac filled with a warm green solution—body temperature. He slept soundly in the fetal position, his mind stimulated by the extra terrestrial serum in which he was enveloped. Scenes of his life flashed before his eyes. He recalled every fond memory from his first bike to his honeymoon. He was comfortable. Happy even.

“This is useless,” said General Ax. “The human brain reacts to the serum by saturating itself with dopamine thereby occupying all active neuro receptors.”

“Indeed, Sir,” said Lieutenant Crix. “A clever bio-dynamic defense mechanism. Perhaps we’ve underestimated these creatures.”

“We cannot afford to underestimate such a volatile creature,” said Ax sternly. “No. We need answers,” he paused as considered their next move. “Prepare the Meld Interface.”

“But, sir, it has not been adequately tested on the human species,” said Crix urgently. “We have no way of knowing what dangers you may encounter.”

“The Meld has been utilized for similar species. Remember the bi-pedal fur sacs of Kereon? Its DNA matches that of the human by 75%—that will have to be assurance enough,” said Ax as he began removing his uniform. “The risk these creatures pose to us far outweighs the risk to my mind and the needs of the many trumps the needs of the few. Make preparations.”

The Meld Interface was a large cylindrical tube filled with a blue serum, thicker in consistency than that which filled Jim’s amniotic sac. General Ax climbed into the solution and sat at the bottom of the tube with his six appendages wrapped tightly around his thorax. He nodded to Crix, partly to signal that he was prepared, partly to encourage his Lieutenant to do his job.

Crix connected two tubes between the cylinder and the sac. He returned to his terminal station and input the command to initiate the Meld Interface. With a whir the green fluid from the sac was pumped into Ax’s cylinder just as the blue fluid from Ax was pumped into the sac. In unison the two beings began to thrash and convulse in their respective containers—violent and unnatural.

And then, for General Ax, everything went dark.

Ax opened his eyes and found himself sitting in a small room with limestone walls. The light was dim, but he could see just enough to make out a single door and a humanoid standing beside it. The very human from the sac!

“It’s you!” Shouted Ax. “How—how are you here? The Meld Interface does not allow for simultaneous inhabitance of a mind. You should be within my mine at this moment!”

Jim laughed, a jarringly abrupt and aggressive gesture as perceived by Ax. “Humans are not that simple, Thraxian. We exist on multiple levels simultaneously. We contain multitudes. I am what is called a sub-conscious.”

“How do you know my species? You have no previous experience of my kind,” said Ax with concern.

“For a species with such advanced technology, you sure are naive,” said the Jim directly. “You really think you could observe us without us observing you back? If you can see us, we can see you. Simple as that.

“That you’ve gotten this far tells me that you’ve seen what we spend our time doing. You really thought we’d build such weapons and not have our eyes fixed to the outside? That we wouldn’t find any and all threats in the sky? Come on, Thraxian. You’re smarter than that.”

Ax knew immediately that Crix had been right, the Thraxian had made that fatal mistake which countless others had made before them.

They had underestimated the humans.

“You’re right, human. We are—“

“Jim,” interrupted Jim. “Call me Jim.”

“Jim,” the word was foreign in Ax’s mouth. It felt less like a name and more like an onomatopoeia for the noise the Thraxians made when they ate. “I am called Ax. But you are right, Jim. We are smarter than that. This is why I am here. I am to learn about your people, I must learn your motivations. This place is,” he paused to search for the proper word, “more barren than I am accustomed to.”

Jim again let out a laugh. Ax wondered if that was a sign of anger or happiness. Regardless, he hated the sound. “Barren. Did you just call me an empty headed dumbass? Where I come from those are fighting words, Ax,” he joked. Ax didn’t understand humor and steeled himself for a battle.

Ax raised two pincers in front of him and spread his other four legs out in a ready stance. “Then a fight you shall have, human!” He roared.

Jim again chuckled. Ax now knew this noise was a sign of aggression. He ran toward Jim who raised his arms quickly. “Woah, woah, woah, big guy,” said Jim. “I was just joking. You know, like, jesting? Joshing? Making humorous words. I wasn’t serious.”

Ax’s thorax burned bright red, apparently the universal color of embarrassment. “I apologize. I misunderstood.”

“The fault is all mine,” said Jim a gracious host. “Look, you’re right. This place is empty. Just this door right here. Your—what did you call it?”

“Meld Interface,” said Ax helpfully.

“Right. Your Meld Interface landed you in a very specific part of my mind. This is called The Region of Repression. This is where we lock away the memories we’d rather not face: the hard truths, the unimaginable sadnesses. I’m here to stand guard.”

“So you’ll not let me pass? We shall battle after all, Jim?” Said Ax, surprised at his own disappointment.

Jim laughed again. Ax again steeled himself for an attack. “Not all all, bud,” said Jim. “I’m not here to make sure you don’t get in.”

“Then why are you standing guard?” Asked Ax.

“I’m here to make sure nothing gets out,” said Jim as he stepped aside and gestured to the door. “By all means, be my guest. But tread lightly; the human mind is a dangerous place.”

More in the next comment. r/InMyLife42Archive

Nice

Lorem's life had never been anything grand.

He'd lived an almost perfectly average existance, with plenty of regrets, and plently joys throughout. He'd grown up in an average family, a mom, a dad, a sister, and various pets.

An average school life and education, and even meeting his first love, and many other firsts, during the long process of growing up in his small town/city life.

Leading on to an even more average job and family life of his own. Indeed, even Lor's ending was average, as he merely passed away in his sleep, at relative peace with his life and how it had all turned out.

But where Lor had perhaps expected a grand nothingness or even a grand biblical heaven and hell waiting for him, instead, something even more unexpected and curious happened.

"GAME OVER". The words didn't appear suddenly in a blue box like a video game screen, nor where they absent from his sight. Like looking at a video screen projected on a wall in 144p these new words, this new reality Lor found himself in was hard to fucus on. All that he could imagine was that he had reached an ending somehow.

He existed around like this for a few minutes, and eventually tried forming a though together, "Okay, now what?"

The thought faded from his head to be shuffled aside for a new one: "Go Again?"

Lor tried poking his own thoughts as to the meaning of these words, but was unable to make any progress along those lines, and thus settled on "Yes Please."

Suddenly, as though being grasped by the neck and pulled out of a lake of maple syrup by some unknown savior, Lor found himself in a much more familiar and comforting, yet completely puzzling reality.

[--- need to step away for a bit will write more on this in a bit.] .

Again nature sleeps,

Blanketed by freezing winds

Waiting for morning.

​

Awakening dirt

Roots stretching, leaves unfurl

Reaching for the sun.

​

Summer sun rises

Heat spreads from wildfires

Earth begins to thirst

​

Autumn rain-storms flood

Under thundering gray skies

Nature drinks her fill

​

Tired, she slumbers,

Under a blanket of snow

the cycle repeats.

​

One year at a time.

---------------------------------------

WC - 60 words - edit for formatting

r/Spirited_Words

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This reminds me of when The Onion wrote an article about a the US government faking a military coup on itself to deal with its rising national debt

I second that humble request

"Praetor Naxes! A human armada has just arrived in-system!" the Dralaxian technician cried.

The Praetor whirled on his subordinate. "What? How? They can't have deciphered the quantum encryption codes on our FTL suppression field!"

"I...I can't believe it, but it looks like they traveled to the nearest star system outside the field, and made their final approach at sublight speed." the technician said, with a mixture of awe and horror.

"That...even with ion drives...surely that would have taken them years!" the Praetor exclaimed.

The technician nodded. "Y-yes, Praetor. It seems they were willing to do it anyway." The technician's console suddenly beeped. "I'm receiving a transmission from the human flotilla, Praetor. Audio only."

"Translate and play back." he ordered.

The technician entered a series of commands into the console, and a droning alien voice filled the command center, along with a cacophony of uncanny instruments never before heard by Dralaxian ears:

You've got a friend in me,

You've got a friend in me!

You got troubles, I got 'em too,

There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you.

We stick together and see it through,

Cause you've got a friend in me,

You've got a friend in me!

"By all the gods. Initiate full planetary alert." the Praetor rasped.

The twin suns of Dralaxar were blotted out by the innumerable landing craft from the human armada that filled its skies, as the Dralaxian military valiantly but vainly exhausted directed energy beams and explosive ordinance on the seemingly indestructible human vessels, and government broadcasts warned civilians to barricade themselves in their homes.

Above a quiet suburban street, deserted by the residents now cowering behind the scant protection of their locked doors and windows, one of the craft opened, and a score of massive figures in gleaming powered armor descended on the defenseless neighborhood.

One of them stalked towards a civilian home, their implacable alien eyes hidden behind a polymer visor. They balanced a metal disc covered in strange brown lumps on one gauntleted hand, and drew the other back in a fist as they reached the door of the home.

The alien brought their fist forward...and tapped on the door lightly, loud enough to be easily heard, but not hard enough to do any damage to the structure.

"Hey guys!" the alien said, in cheerful, remarkably fluent Dralaxian. "You wanna hang out? I brought cookies!"

All up and down the street, humans called out similar greetings to the suburb's terrified inhabitants.

"What's up fam, you wanna get a hang going, or what?"

"Hey what's good, Bro-Laxians? I brought some beers and the carcass of one your local birds drenched in buffalo sauce; you down?"

"Dudes, our scientists developed a new kind of edible that's safe for both of our species to consume while we watch cartoons together: let's do this!"

"Listen, I just want you to know I'm not like all those other humans. I know some species find interplanetary social situations difficult, and I respect your boundaries. So I'll just be here on your porch, whenever you're ready to come chill with me. Okay? Or you can call me on my power suit comms, if you want. I'll slip a note with the frequency under the door here, okay? If you could just, you know, knock on your side of the door so I know you heard me, then..."

Behind their closed doors, Dralaxian families huddled together, and they wept.

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The galaxy must search for the metal heads before theyre overrun by the fanatic befrienders

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[deleted]

The newest hero on the scene poses on one leg, the other foot lifted up to his waist, and his fingers wrap around each other into something Micheal vaguely remembers from elementary school ‘magic’ tricks. Something about a chapel? Then he spins around on his heel and bends forward so he’s looking at the villain upside-down, between his knees. His hands weave together and flap like butterfly wings.

“Wait,” he says. He stares at his hands. “Wait, no, that wasn’t right.” He unfurls himself, shakes out his limbs, and holds a finger up. “Just, give me a moment.”

This is the fifth time he’s said this. He has yet to introduce himself; merely showed up and began his convoluted routine.

Micheal is one of a few people still watching this. The villain of the hour is another. The Armory, master of melee weaponry, who has been seen plenty of times hitting heroes built like tanks through multiple brick walls. The property damage from her attacks are always staggering.

Her sword, a bastard sword Micheal thinks, is planted tip first into the street. She rests one elbow on the guard, picking at her nails as she watches the hero.

Micheal has his phone out, recording this to maybe sell to some news site, and he’s starting to run out of battery. Not that he thinks anyone will want to buy this anymore. Maybe for some ‘Funniest Videos’ montage. “This is so stupid,” he mutters to himself.

Armory’s head tilts towards him. Micheal breaks into a cold sweat. He hasn’t found his power yet, and is suddenly aware that Armory could break every bone in his body using a toothbrush if she wanted.

Instead she raises one shoulder in a shrug. “No, no, give him a chance,” she says. “At this point I’m interested in what he can actually do.”

“But you could just end this?” Micheal asks, wondering all the while why the hell he’s still talking. His hands are shaking, the last minutes worth of shots ruined.

“Sure. But I have some sympathy for people whose activation is that ridiculous.” There’s a thud as the hero trips over his own foot nearly four minutes into his routine, cursing under his breath. “Not everyone’s is as easy as mine.”

“What… is yours?”

“I just have to hold the weapon the wrong way,” Amory admits. “First time I did it, I wasn’t paying attention, grabbed a knife by the blade and tried to chop carrots. Shattered my countertop, lost the deposit on the apartment.”

The hero stumbles again and slams into a car. The car alarm blares and he stumbles away, hands over his ears, into another car. Micheal’s ears are ringing, and he drops his phone to cover his ears too. Armory sighs.

“Keep recording for me, okay? I want to see what all this comes to later.” She salutes as she pries her weapon out of the asphalt - indeed gripping the sword by the blade as she does so - and walks towards the nearest used car dealership. “Now, I have to go see a man about a broken cooling system.”

This story and the prompt itself just remind me of Everything Everywhere All at Once haha.

Oh holy shit I need more of this.

May I humbly request that this story be continued?

Thanks glad you enjoyed it.

Mom sighed as I sat down for breakfast in the morning, placing a steaming hot plate of eggs, bacon, and a biscuit in front of me and Dad. She would wake up hours earlier than the rest of us every morning to make breakfast, claiming it was because "her Activation was so embarrassing". I don't think even Dad knows what it is- but, thanks to her, we never have to go out and buy food.

Mom and Dad weren't exactly poor, but they definitely needed her ability to get by. I started scarfing down my breakfast and secretly started poking my finger on each of the fork spokes. I looked around pensively- nothing happened. That definitely wasn't it.

"Thanks, Mom!," I said, grinning through stuffed cheeks. She smiled, and glanced over at the newspaper Dad was reading.

"Honey, is it really necessary to start every day off with doom and gloom like that?" She said. I looked at the headline on the front and saw that another 3 teens had jumped to their death trying to find their Activation just last night. He sighed.

"Darling, I have yet to feel doom and gloom from seeing stupid kids do stupid things. Nick, you know that's the kind of antic you save for when you're 99 and have nothing else to do, right?"

I laughed and grabbed my bag. "Dad, if you ever catch me trying that I expect you to blow me up with your mind powers."

He scoffed as I ran out the door. He still hadn't found his powers yet, and probably wouldn't ever find out. He was completely content with life the way it was, but that didn't stop us from joking about what his powers might be.

I only lived a few blocks away from school, so I usually just walked. Today felt different- there was an energy in the air that I couldn't explain. I often had days like this, where I felt certain that I would find out my Activation and finally get some kind of awesome power. Most of the kids in my grade had already found theirs through insane trial and error- a lot of kids would hold "Activation Parties," where they would set up some kind of deranged obstacle course to try and figure out their Activation. I'd been to a few when I was in middle school, and usually just left with bruised pride- and a limb or two.

I walked for about ten minutes, stepping on every crack I could see for a while, then ignoring every crack, and at one point I even stopped to do a backbend- of course, I immediately fell over and nearly busted open my head.

As I walked past my friend Timothy's house, his door flew open and he dashed outside.

"Hey, Nick!" He called. I waved back, and he grinned at me.

"Tim, you gonna walk with me today?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"Hell no dude!" He said, sitting down on his driveway. He started scooting forward with his legs, like a dog trying to wipe its ass. I could never get over his Activation. Every night I prayed to God that I wouldn't get something that looked so stupid.

After a few scoots, Tim slowly rose about 6 inches off the ground. His grin widened, and he "stood up" from his previous, less-than-dignified position.

"Later nerd!" He yelled, floating away from me at an alarming speed. I groaned and flipped him off.

"You found out about your dumbass power like 5 days ago!" I shouted, and just barely heard his crazed laugh as he zoomed away. Whatever- I kept walking, knowing I'd figure out my Activation enough. Even Tim's stupid antics couldn't keep my mood down today.

I finally arrived at class. First, second, and third period all passed by in a flash. Fourth period began, and I barely paid attention to what Mr. Leck was saying as I tried as many discrete Activations as possible.

Come on! I thought to myself. One of these stupid Activations had to work. I ate a piece of paper, put my notebook on my head when Mr. Leck wasn't watching, and even crumpled up a piece of paper and threw it at Tim. That part was just for fun. He scowled at me and I hid a smile, innocently turning back to face the front. I picked up my pencil and remembered seeing that some kid on TV had found his activation while twirling a pencil around his thumb. I sighed, decided to try it out, and immediately dropped it on the ground. Feeling my cheeks get hot, I looked around to see if anyone had noticed.

Everyone was frozen. Mr. Leck was in the middle of writing something on the chalkboard, Tim was picking his nose, and my pencil was floating in the air, just inches away from the ground.

My heart lept. No way that actually worked.

I looked around a bit longer, my heart racing as the implications set in. I have the power to stop time.

Even better, God must have heard my prayers- my Activation had nothing to do with scooting around like a dog. All I had to do was (fail) at twirling a pencil.

I lept out of my seat, ready to go and do something fun all day before coming back to class to resume time.

Suddenly, a chill went up my spine. The energy that I had felt earlier was gone. I looked up again, and saw something that I definitely shouldn't- couldn't have missed earlier.

Mr. Leck was gone. In his place, there was a- a monster. It had horrible, gnarled fingers, a pale and twisted face, and didn't seem to have any eyes. It towered over everything else in the room and had to crouch in order to avoid hitting the ceiling. I couldn't see anything else- it was shrouded in an impossibly dark robe. The room suddenly smelled of a sharp, twisted scent.

"D-did you do this?" I asked, my voice quivering. "Did you f-freeze everyone?"

The creature's mouth twisted into a crooked smile. One of its hands was raised, and it was holding up two of its tree-root fingers. With a crack, its middle finger snapped down. A raspy voice called out to me, and its words nearly made me retch. It laughed- a sound more horrible than anything I had ever heard.

"Nick, did you have something you wanted to say?"

I blinked, looking at Mr. Leck. The creature was gone.

"Um... No sir, sorry. I just, uh, dropped my pencil." I quickly grabbed my pencil off the floor and sat down to the tune of Tim's snickers.

I forced myself to glare at him, and when he turned away I quickly sat on my shaking hands. Something horrible was about to happen. Something absolutely terrible was happening tomorrow, and I was the only one who knew.

I thought carefully, trying to keep the panic at bay. Its words rang out to me once more, that broken voice echoing in my head.

"The. world is going. to end. Tomorrow."

Mr. Lecks droning voice faded away as the panic began to overcome my defenses, and something horrible clicked in my head. A terrible weight came down on my shoulders.

My activation had nothing to do with that stupid pencil.

My Activation was the end of the world- and my power was to save it.

Love the ending.

I could see this as a fun short story!

Fantastic prompt