Adventures in Parodyverse: Universal Joint, Part 6


    Yuki Shiro’s motorcycle did exist, in another form, where Shen Rae came from.  Rather than driving on wheels, it floated on a pressure wave.  In either case, the experience felt similar - a mixture of thrill and fear that you’re going to die horribly.

    That last part was a bit more muted in Shen Rae’s case though - she could take a flying high-speed tumble from that dangerous looking vehicle with barely a scratch.  And on the ride to her hotel, she learned that Yuki was a cyborg, and fairly difficult to harm as well.  Yuki explained that she was actually bored by her relative hardiness, so she was always pushing the limits of safety for her own amusement.

    She explained that as she flew down the road at the absolute limits of that motorbike.

    Finally, Yuki pulled over beside the Granite Hotel and stopped, placing her boot covered toes barely on the pavement to hold the bike balanced.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Take it easy, Shen Rae,”  Yuki said.  “It was great meeting you.  If you ever need anything, call the Lair Mansion and talk to Hallie.  She’ll help you out.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Thanks.”  Shen Rae said as she dismounted the bike.  She turned to watch Yuki drive off, with a roar of the bike’s engine.  Then Shen Rae entered the hotel.

    She heard some of the guests and staff in the lobby still talking about the huge fight and building collapse the day before.  She couldn’t help but listen in to see if anyone spotted her - but it seemed like they were so used to seeing and hearing about Lair Legion battles, that’s what they assumed was behind it.

    From outside, the sound of construction equipment, dismantling and hauling away the destroyed building, could be heard.

    Shen Rae tried to put that out of her mind as she entered the elevator and took it up to the penthouse.  Once she got there, she checked her phone messages.  A soft-voiced woman named Chiaki Bushido called saying she was going to help solve her residential problems.  She almost skipped that message until she heard the end - Chiaki said that Hallie asked her to call.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Hmm,”  she said to herself.  “I’ll have to thank this Hallie.”

    It was just then that the phone rang again.  Shen Rae reached for it but paused warily - she wasn’t expecting any calls.  Something told her she should answer it though, so she did.  It was the same soft voice from that last phone message.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I’m Chiaki Bushido,”  she introduced herself.  “If you can spare some time, I found just the place for you.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Uh--”  Shen Rae started to say.  “Um, how did you know I was here?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I’m calling from the lobby.”  Chiaki replied.  “Don’t be alarmed though, I was sent by Hatman.  He knew approximately when you would arrive here, and I simply got here first.”

    There was something so soothing about her voice, like she talked people into things for a living.  A natural born leader who never had to raise her voice to convince people to follow her.  Shen Rae saw attributes of herself in this woman, and wondered if they could become friends.

    She headed down to the lobby, wondering just who was waiting for her when she got there.  She expected someone exotic and imposing.  Instead, as she stepped out of the elevator, the only thing that really caught her eye was someone with a steel sword hung over one arm, reading a magazine.

    This woman wasn’t overtly impressive otherwise.  She was small, like Shen Rae, and born of one of the countries in Asia that Shen Rae was only vaguely familiar with.  She had long dark hair and eyes, and aside from the sword, her mannerisms and posture weren’t particularly intimidating.

    Chiaki looked directly at Shen Rae and smiled.  She seemed confident, yet friendly as she stood and approached.  Instead of that handshake maneuver that Hatman used, Chiaki curiously approached, stopped a couple of feet away, and lowered her head in a very quick bow.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I have a place to show you,”  she quickly got to the point.  “It’s in the center of the city, as you requested.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“You’re a real estate broker?”  Shen Rae asked.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Investor.”  Chiaki corrected.  “Follow me, please.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“You don’t have a motorcycle too, do you?”  the alien asked.

    Chiaki laughed.  “I do, yes, but not with me today.  I brought a car instead.”

    By ‘car’ she meant a very sleek looking one with a large cat logo.  Shen Rae didn’t know until she climbed into the passenger seat that it was called a Jaguar - the name was printed out inside in English.  It was also very comfortable.

    Chiaki drove the two of them only a short distance, so there wasn’t much to talk about on the way.  She was indeed honest about the location of the place near the city center - it was only a few blocks from the hotel.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“We could have walked,”  Shen Rae pointed out.

    The Asian woman smirked.  “That would not have been very stylish, would it?”

    Shen Rae laughed - Chiaki was right.  Being a trader at heart, the former Captain knew the value of showing off a little to make a sale.

    The building was designed more like a hotel than a condo.  It had a towering lobby with a skylight at the top, lined by the open corridors to the units on the upper floors.  There was a pair of glass elevators at the far end of the lobby.  A doorman waited between the pairs of double entrance doors - the outer one to protect him from the weather, the inner for security.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Afternoon.”  the doorman greeted them.

    Chiaki nodded to him very slightly, and led Shen Rae on to the glass elevators.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Is it the penthouse?”  Shen Rae asked.  “I hear those are expensive.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“While I’m convinced you can afford that,”  Chiaki replied, “This building has no penthouse units.  It does, however, have several roof access units so you can park your spacecraft up there.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“How did you know...?”  Shen Rae paused mid-sentence when she realized the Asian was incredibly clever.  Chiaki had guessed, and Shen Rae had just accidentally confirmed it.

    They stepped out of the elevator and entered the condo unit.

    Roof access in that particular condo complex meant that the unit had a outside deck that faced the edge of the building, covered in large concrete tiles.  In that particular unit, one side had a concrete block wall that reached up to the roof overhang above the sliding glass door accesses to the living room and master bedroom.  The wall presumably kept each unit private from its neighbor.

    The entire two bedroom condo unit was carpeted in a beige color.  It was fully furnished with black themed couches, shelves, beds, and chests.  Because it was on the corner of the building, the sliding glass doors weren’t the only source of light - the living room also had an additional fixed window on its other side.  The kitchen was enclosed, but open to the living room and dining room over the top of a bar.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“This journey I’ve been on has been a lot to get used to.”  Shen Rae admitted.  “Lived on my ship for quite a while, then started to adapt to the simplicity of life on Caph.  And now this planet.”

    She looked warily at Chiaki, knowing that she shouldn’t have said anything about Caph.  But there was something about the Asian that seemed to be very accepting and trustworthy.  Like she was used to keeping secrets for people.

    Chiaki listened sympathetically before speaking up.  “If there’s anything I can do to make this place more comfortable--”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Plants,”  Shen Rae said.  “It was the one thing I really took a liking to on Caph.  I never had them on Reyas, or on the ship.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Plants,”  Chiaki repeated.  She looked around the living room, nodding.  “I think I can do that.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Are you the Lair Legion’s secret weapon?”  Shen Rae asked.

    Chiaki shook her head.  “That’s Lara.  I just try to be a friend, and get them things or locate things they have difficulty finding.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Thank you for helping me find this.”  Shen Rae told her.  “I think this is going to be home.”

    The Samurai half nodded, half bowed in response.  “I’m glad you’re happy with it.  Can I make one small request?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Sure.”  Shen Rae replied.  “Since you’re going to get me plants.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I’d like to see what it’s like to ride in your space craft as you move it here,”  Chiaki politely asked.  “I’ve never been in one before.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“It’s very small.”  Shen Rae pointed out.  “It would barely hold the two of us and my stuff.  You might have to hold some things on your lap.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I don’t mind,”  Chiaki replied.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Okay, sure.”  Shen Rae offered.  “You can ride in the Fighter Wing.”

    The alien tried hard not to laugh when she saw the smile and the enthusiasm with which Chiaki took the news.  It was as if the self-assured, very grown up Samurai was a kid again.


TO BE CONTINUED?


-- Story written and copyrighted (C) 2011 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