Jane Brigid and the Monsters of Paris

Jane knew where she was only because of the Eiffel tower. She very much did not enjoy where she was in her life at the moment. Being chased by a koala-headed whale shark with alligator legs was less than ideal. Having the statues of naked women throwing rainbow spears made of light at her was even less so. Then there was the giant chicken, and on top of that, the police were after her as well. The police chief was a swan-headed demon in disguise and was sending the cops in at full force.

This was a bad day.

It all started with a stupid essay question.

“Who are the people you love most?” Peter asked.

Jane’s class had been assigned an essay the day before on Friday and it was due on Monday. The essay was supposed to be about her loved ones. She hated school, and the only person she even remotely liked in any way was her best friend Peter.

The kids at school always asked her, “Why do you write so sadly?”

Jane couldn’t tell them that she felt alienated by her family because of the way they showered her older sister, Willow, with praise. If she did tell them she would be bullied even more.

Now it was Saturday morning and she sat under the big tree in Peter’s backyard, with a piece of paper and a pencil in front of her.

“This is like asking someone what they miss about the hospital. There’s nothing to say in answer to it,” she said.

“Just make something up,” Peter said.

“I don’t think I’m capable of making up a believable story about it seeing as I don’t have any loved ones to base it on.”

“Well you can’t just not do it. Your grade is bad enough as it is.”

At that moment, what appeared to be a split in the air appeared and widened to reveal her sister Willow, Willow’s friend Stephanie, and a man wearing a deep black cloak with the hood pulled up and a tall wizened black staff made of what appeared to be stone. A Bright Purple gem was glowing at the top of the staff.

“I am Lork!” said the wizard dude. “Come quickly, children! We don’t have much time!”

“I’m not a child! I’m twelve!” Jane said indignantly.

“Whatever you are, come!” said Lork. Jane got to her feet.

“How do I know I can trust him?” she said.

“Jane!” Willow exclaimed.

Jane walked reluctantly through the rift in the air. Peter followed her and the rift closed behind them. She found herself in her dining room. She set her pencil and paper down on the table and turned to face Willow.

“Explain,” she said. “Why is there a wizard in our dining room?”

“Reality is in danger! I have foreseen you four saving your whole Universe! In fact, I have seen that you will save the entire Multiverse if we win!” said Lork.

“Who are you and what the heck is the Multiverse?” Jane asked.

“I am Lork of Yaucarro! The Multiverse is an infinite realm of universes all with different things happening. There are several alternate Earths as well as several different Yaucarros and the Earths are the ones that always seem to not know about the multiverse! There are a few that know of it, but not many! If you are having difficulty understanding it, it is like this!” said Lork. Lork lifted his staff and the purple gem glowed brightly. He drew 5 horizontal lines of glowing purple light. “The Multiverse is made up of Dimensions and Dimensions are made up of Universes. Each of these lines represents a dimension and each Dimension stretches infinitely from the ends of the lines and is made of universes that are connected! If we were standing outside the Multiverse, these five dimensions would stretch out towards this room’s walls and past them infinitely and and would be made of Universes. However, the dimensions would not stretch towards us. If this layer of Dimensions were a piece of paper, there would be no other papers sitting on top of or underneath it. The Multiverse would extend infinitely toward the floor and ceiling with its many Dimensions!”

Lork pointed at the middle line.

“If we say that is the Dimension that holds all the Earths, then the one above it is the Yaucarro Dimension, and Below the Earth Dimension is the Wormulon Dimension and below that is the Zenn-La Dimension! And the Dimension above Yaucarro is the Moozar Dimension!”

“What can two teenagers and two kids do to save the Universe?” Stephanie asked.

“Two preteens!” Jane said indignantly. Stephanie ignored her.

“All will become clear soon enough!” said Lork. Before anyone could say anything else a loud crashing noise came from the front of the house.

“Quickly! We must go!” said Lork. He swept his staff through the lines in the air and they disappeared.

“What about Mom and Dad?” asked Willow.

“It will leave when we do!” said Lork, “Now let’s go!” He slashed his staff through the air and another split appeared and widened.

On the other side, Jane could see a forest.

“Quickly!” said Lork.

Peter jumped through first, followed by Stephanie and then Willow. Jane was about to go through when a large 6-legged light blue lizard crashed through the wall. Its skin was covered in thick, coarse scales. It had a long, narrow mouth that opened to reveal rows of sharp teeth and a large green tongue. It had large round eyes, a tiny nose, and tiny, almost hidden ears.

The lizard squealed very loudly at a very high pitch.

Toby

The sun shone down on the little grassy area next to the Cathedral of Learning. A bus made a loud hissing noise as it came to a stop and the birds chirped in the trees. A few humans walked on the foot paths on either side and one sat on one of the stone benches on the bigger path that led to Heinz Chapel.

It all seemed peaceful, but in the grass, on the strange sand-like dirt, a great battle was unfolding. Toby ran among the grass, dodging around little skirmishes. In the thicker areas of grass, there was less fighting because there was less mobility.

Toby burst out into a small clearing. A human wouldn’t call it a clearing because a human couldn’t see it. The surrounding grass arched overhead. It was only about two inches long and an inch wide, but that was enough room for 3 separate fights. Members of Toby’s colony and two allied colonies were there. There were also members of the native colony, and two colonies that were also enemies.

Toby wished he could stop and help, but he had to get to General Meyers and reinforcements for their right flank as some of the enemies were circling around on the path with the benches.