This chapter begins the second section of the story. It's called "Massacre" and as you might expect it's rather grim. It is also quite short and will last for the next 4 chapters. In this chapter we will be formally introduced the story's Big Bad.

Standard disclaimer: I do not own the Happy Tree Friends; they are the property of Mondo Media. I own only my own characters and this story. Now here's chapter 14:

14 – XL-JACK-3

Robot was quite right when he had said that the Marauders had probably already discovered that Metramegopolis had taken off. It is, of course, impossible to move a city of a hundred million souls and think you'll be able to do it without anyone noticing. XL-Jack-3 was well aware that the city might be moved at any time, so when the news came that it had started to rise upward he was not a bit surprised.

There were few things in existence that could startle XL-Jack-3. He was very old and had seen just about everything the world had to offer. Although I've referred to him as "he" it would be more correct to say that XL-Jack-3 was an "it." Not exactly a living being, and not entirely an artificial intelligence either, XL-Jack-3 was a combination of both, something we might refer to as an android, or perhaps a cyborg. But such labels mean very little when dealing with a being like XL-Jack-3. He had been constructed long ago in the Before Times during the Great Wars to be one of a number of ultimate warriors. It doesn't matter now which side originally made him or his fellow XL-Jacks. It was not known how many had been made originally; they had all been formidable forces of destruction – sent into battle by all the various sides in the great conflicts to battle each other. Wherever XL-Jacks met in combat massive destruction and great loss of life always occurred.

XL-Jack-3 was the very last of these beings still walking the earth. He/it (we'll say "he" for artistic reasons) stood ten meters tall. In basic shape he had a vaguely humanoid look, but his body was made of an incredibly durable material (the exact nature of which remains unknown) that was virtually impervious to all harm. It was said that the only way to destroy an XL-Jack was to hit it with an atomic bomb or similar horrific weapon. Maybe that was true, maybe it was exaggeration. What wasn't exaggeration was the fact that XL-Jack-3 had survived for so long without injury. He possessed many weapons built into his body that could fire all kinds of projectiles, rays, gasses – you name it.

He knew no emotion of any kind unless it was the gleeful love of destruction, for when he had been made he had been given one purpose, and one purpose only: Destroy All Things.

Although he had started out as a weapon of war under the control of his creators, as he got older he learned more and more and eventually became self-aware. When the Before Time wars were over he found himself astride the ruins of a world with no one to control him anymore. However that world was not dead. There were plenty of pockets of civilization still in existence. XL-Jack-3 decided that until all civilization was completely destroyed his mission was not finished. Henceforth he would dedicate himself to the total destruction of all life on the planet Earth.

As this was such a big job he moved slowly. For centuries he stayed in hiding watching the shape of the world change and the new cities of the After Times grow. Then, slowly, he began to gather his forces. These were the first Marauders, left over relics from the old days, people who never adjusted to the new order of things, and ancient battle machines that still worked or were easily fixed. Slowly he built his armies; he was in no rush. As detailed earlier there were plenty of marauding bands in the world, many striving to rule the others. With terrible patience XL-Jack-3 played all of his rival leaders against each other until, at long last, he managed to unite all of the Marauders under his command. It was during this long era of consolidation that, as XL-Jack-3 had foreseen, the cities of earth also combined to face these increasing threats until eventually Metramegopolis stood almost alone against XL-Jack-3's full armies. All had gone as he had planned. Now he was nearing the final phase of his plans. First he intended to utterly destroy earth's last, greatest city. After that he would take care of the Animal City. Once those things were accomplished he intended to destroy his own armies. "Destroy All Things" to the last, even his staunchest supporters. Then, as a last act, he would destroy himself, leaving an utterly bare and lifeless planet behind him.

However even the best plans can be thwarted. The one thing XL-Jack-3 had not been prepared for was Metramegopolis' ability to fly. This was a late development in the war that the city leaders had created out of desperation. It had saved the city from massive assault several times already and had been XL-Jack-3's one major source of frustration in recent years.

But no escape plan works forever.

(To Be Continued)