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> Adventures in Parodyverse - Winners And Losers Part 1 (UT#321 tie-in)
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>     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Not fair!”  Lara Night complained as she suddenly found herself transported to a place she knew was familiar, yet confusing since she didn’t believe she was supposed to be there.  At first she was angry.  She kicked some imaginary rocks - there were none, only healthy green grass and colorful plants and flowers, so she kicked open air out of frustration.  At the time she believed that her sudden transportation to her own home was the Parody Master exiling her from the Parodyverse out of some warped sense of revenge, or an expression of his power.
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>     Once she had calmed down she decided it was time to go back.  She was worried about the people she left behind.
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>     Ã¢â‚¬Å“It’s not time yet,”  a familiar, gentle voice urged her.
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>     Lara turned around to face Shema.  The relationship Lara had with the creator, or goddess, or whatever she was that defied description, was more like a grown child to a mother or grandmother than to a boss or queen.  Humans’ greatest asset was the force of their own will, Shema believed, and she trusted even those with critical tasks for the universe, Guardians such as Lara, to follow their hearts.
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>     It is said that people are created in the image of a god.  Shema seemed to take that a little too seriously - rather than appear in the form of a natural spirit as she would be perceived normally, she instead showed herself to Lara as an older version of herself.  Shema truly looked like she could be Lara’s mother.
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>     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Not time for what?”  Lara asked in a tone that was patient, but informal such that it would have been bordering on impudent if she didn’t trust Shema.
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>     Shema smiled at her.  She understood that the question came from someone who was angry and a little confused about what happened.  “I returned you here,”  she admitted.
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>     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Why?”  Lara asked.  She still sounded angry, but less so knowing it wasn’t the Parody Master who did this to her.
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>     Ã¢â‚¬Å“If I didn’t, you would have derailed the inevitable conclusion,”  Shema explained.
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>     Lara sat down quietly on a bench in her back yard.  She was trying to be patient, even though Shema always spoke in annoying riddles like that.  “Explain, please.”
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>     Shema sat down on the bench parallel to the one Lara sat on and began to explain.  She had to, Lara still held on to a lot of anger, and only knowledge would appease it.  “It took him some time to figure it out,”  she said, “But the Parody Master has discovered who you are, and who I am.”
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>     Ã¢â‚¬Å“So?”  Lara asked.
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>     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Lara, you have a dark side.  It’s what’s helped you defend yourself against so much evil.”  Shema tilted her head and asked, “What would you do?”
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>     Lara bit her lip and looked down.  She hated having to think dark thoughts, but they did indeed help her cope with extremes of evil.  That’s how she managed to come to terms with the Parody Master when most of the Parodyverse was terrified.  “Probably...enslave me, torture me until you have to come personally and deal with it.  I’d be...bait.”
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>     Shema nodded, but said nothing.  She could tell Lara was still contemplating the rest.
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>     Ã¢â‚¬Å“And you can’t do that because you’d end up stuck with the Parodyverse,”  Lara noted.  “When the Parody Master is gone and there’s a gap in power you can’t be there or you’ll be stuck with the job.”  Lara sighed and looked up again.  “I’m sorry I got upset about being pulled out.  You were right to do it.”
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>     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Small things can have such a big impact,”  Shema summarized.  “I’m glad you’ve found the balance to understand.”
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>     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Do you think I could have beat him?”  Lara asked.
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>     It was rare to see Shema laugh, but she did at that moment.  When she did, it always make Lara feel hopeful.  “Would it shock you if I said yes?”
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>     Ã¢â‚¬Å“A little, yeah.”  Lara admitted.  She felt a little proud of that assessment, for what little it was.  “Really?”
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>     Shema only said, “The timing was such that you would have been joined by many others.  However, he could have chosen to focus on you, and I couldn’t allow that chance.  He had to remain completely focused on the others.”
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>     Ã¢â‚¬Å“That’s true.”  Lara nodded.  “If he figured it all out he could have decided that forcing you to show was his key to winning.”
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>     Shema nodded encouragingly.
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>     Ã¢â‚¬Å“So...can I go back?  At least say goodbye?”  Lara sounded sad as she asked that question, all the memories of the Lair Legion going through her mind, wondering what happened to them and if they would be okay.  Especially young Liu Xi, who she had become friends with.
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>     Ã¢â‚¬Å“You’ve learned something from your last visit,”  Shema noted.  “When you return to the Parodyverse you will be stronger this time.  You’re braver in crisis, more efficient with your power.”
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>     Ã¢â‚¬Å“But can I go back?”  Lara asked again.
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>     Shema nodded.  “At any time,”  she said.  “But when you do, remember that others will look to you for guidance now.  That you’re no longer the frightened outsider who needs protection.  You went toe-to-toe with one of their worst villains and survived.  You will practically be a legend.  But that also means, Lara, that you’ll be hunted by those who crave your power.  You must be careful, and vigilant.  Some of those who hunt you, they will use magic and energy, and you may have to fight on your own, as they will be too dangerous for the Lair Legion.”
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>     Ã¢â‚¬Å“I get it,”  Lara summarized, “It’s a dangerous place.  You’re right though, I was scared of the Parody Master but I’m not anymore.  Facing him did make me more confident, because I hurt him.  I didn’t even expect that much.”
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>     Shema smiled and nearly laughed again.  “You felt guilty for hurting him, didn’t you?”
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>     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Yes.”  Lara nodded slowly.  “Yes, I did.  And I keep thinking I could have done better if I didn’t.”
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>     Ã¢â‚¬Å“No.”  Shema shook her head.  “You couldn’t have.  Because you feelings...guilt, the need to protect others, the worry about destroying the building you were in, or part of the city fighting someone so powerful.  Those are all things the Parody Master never had, and things he craves and envies.  You kept them in your heart, and you escaped.  There isn’t much that would have made him angrier.”
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>     Ã¢â‚¬Å“He’s jealous of my feelings?”  Lara asked.
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>     Shema nodded.  “He believes what he’s doing is the right thing.  He wants to be loved for it, and doesn’t understand why nobody sees as he does.  When you fought him, Lara, all of the Paodyverse stood behind you in spirit.  It’s what the Parody Master envies most of all.”
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>     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Oh.”  Lara nodded, and finally smiled.  She watched Shema stand as if to leave.  “Are you leaving already?  I wanted to tell you about my new friends and stuff.”
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>     Ã¢â‚¬Å“I already know what’s in your heart,”  Shema noted.  “Besides, the story of the Parody Master is about to come to its conclusion.”  She extended a hand.  “Perhaps you’d like to see?”
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>     Ã¢â‚¬Å“No, not really.”  Lara shook her head, and her smile disappeared.  “The most important thing I’ve learned from my Parodyverse visit is that...as much as I want to see him gone, I can’t bring myself to take pleasure in it.  There’s always a sad story behind it, and his death is a tragic end to that story.”
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>     Ã¢â‚¬Å“I see you’ve spoken to Faite as well,”  Shema said.
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>     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Yes.”  Lara nodded slowly.  “It really can’t hurt to see both sides.  I guess learning that the Parody Master was like a frightened child under all that armor and magic, it both broke my heart and gave me strength.  I knew how to hurt him then, Shema.  It wasn’t about power, it was about looking him in the eye and telling him I’m not afraid.”
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>     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Then you truly have become strong.”  With that, Shema’s voice faded away and she vanished.  And Lara was left with the knowledge that the battle in the Parodyverse was over, and the Parody Master was dead.  Relief and sadness washed over her.
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>     She decided she would return, but not just yet.  She would let the Lair Legion bask in their glory and success.  She would give them at least a little time to rebuild themselves and to heal, and to find their friends.  They would no doubt be worried about her, but they also needed time to come to terms with the ones they lost.
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> TO BE CONTINUED?
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> -- Story written and copyrighted (C) 2007 by Jason Froikin, and may not be 
> --    reprinted without permission.  
> -- Yuki Shiro designed by Jason Froikin, based on designs by Masamune Shirow
> --  Liu Xi Xian and the Psychic Samurai are original design by Jason Froikin
> --  Lara Night is an original creation by Jason Froikin
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