Adventures in Parodyverse: Adventure in Babysitting Part 6


    Anna approached Vinnie in a darkened room in the Lair Mansion.  He was lying on his side, facing away from her.  When he rolled over, his eyes were glowing red.  She held out an ice cold bottle of water.

    Vinnie reached out almost instinctively and swiped at the bottle, so it flew across the room, and bounced off the wall.  Anna flinched, and stepped back.

    Then the glow in his eyes faded away, and he saddened.  He whispered weakly, “Anna...please kill me.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Why would you ask something so horrible?”  she asked.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I can’t be like this,”  he said.  “I...can’t.”

    Anna was inexperienced, but quick and very smart.  She went through several scenarios in her electronic mind, before coming up with a question.  “Before turning yourself into a demon, why didn’t you prepare a counter-spell first?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I didn’t have the time,”  he replied.  Then he cleared his throat and made a choking noise while he fought back his demonic tendencies again.  “Please, kill me.  Each time it comes back stronger.  I won’t be able to fight it forever, and if it wins...everyone is finished.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“No.”  Anna kneeled on the floor beside him.  “Tell me how to prepare a counter-spell.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“It’s lengthy and complicated--”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I will remember it,”  she insisted.  “I remember everything.  I will remember, and if I can’t complete it myself, I will find help.”

    Vinnie nodded.  “Whatever happens,”  he said, “I thank you for taking care of me.  You’re the only one the demon doesn’t hunger for.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I know.”  She smiled.  “I’m going to save you, Vinnie.  Just tell me what I need to do it.”

    Vinnie leaned over and whispered to Anna, “I need you to take my place.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I...don’t understand,”  she replied.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“The demon can’t be killed, by me, I can only suppress it.  I need to transfer it someone who can destroy it.  If I transfer it to you, it will die of starvation, because you are not flesh.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“But...what if I can’t control it?”  she asked.

    The door to the room opened, and Lara Night entered, closing it behind her.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“No...no, get out quickly!”  Anna stood and raced over to force her out of the room.

    Lara raised her hands to urge Anna to stop.  “Anna...Anna, relax.  Liu Xi told me what I need to do.”

    Vinnie sat up, making a choking noise again as his eyes briefly glowed red.  “Do what’s necessary,”  he said.  “Please, just make it quick.”

    Anna’s eyes widened, and she screamed, just as Lara’s eyes lit up and her hands fired white-hot lightning bolts across the room.

    Vinnie made a horrible ‘unh’ sound as the electricity hit him, repelled him off of the bed and into the opposite wall, leaving an ugly burn mark in the plaster.  And then he lay motionless on the floor.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“What did you do?”  Anna yelled as loudly as she cold.  “What did you do?  I was going to save him!”  And then the android crumpled onto the floor and began sobbing.

    She looked up again in time to see Lara was now next to Vinnie’s lifeless body.  She had pulled up his shirt, and her hands touched his chest ever so gently.  There was a faint bluish-white glow emanating from them both.

    Then Vinnie gasped, and opened his eyes.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I’ve never done that before.”  Lara whispered to him.  “I’ve never been able to bring anyone back from death.”

    Anna realized what was happening then, and she leapt over the bed to wrap her arms around Vinnie and hug him.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Easy, Anna, easy.  I’m still weak.  And smoking.”

    Lara turned her hands over and showed them to Vinnie.  There was a silver sparkling material applied to her palms, and it was now on his chest as well.  

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“What’s this?”  Vinnie looked closely at the blonde’s hands.  “No, it can’t be.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Fairy dust.”  Lara replied with a laugh.  “Apparently my elemental power magnifies it.  So you have a little girl and her brother to thank for saving your life.”

    Vinnie looked over her shoulder, and Magweed and Griffin were in the doorway looking like they were afraid to come in.  Faite stood between them.  Around Magweed’s neck was a necklace with the tiniest metal vial hanging from it.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“You could have told me,”  Anna pointed out.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“There wasn’t time.”  Lara replied.  “Besides, if you started behaving differently, the demon would have been on to us.”

    By then, Liu Xi was in the doorway too, standing beside Faite and the kids.

    Vinnie looked at everyone and said, “Do you all mind giving me some time with Liu Xi?”

    Lara nodded, and stood.  “Come on, everyone.  We have to figure out how to get the fairy dust off my hands anyhow.”

    A moment later, the Chinese girl was staring at Vinnie.  She crossed the room slowly, climbing over the bed to reach him.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Need some help getting up?”  she asked.

    He nodded, so she threw his arm over her shoulder, pulled him up, and then led him to lay down on the bed.  Then she sat beside him.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“So you’re still married to Pandemonica?”  she asked.

    He nodded, and then hung his head sadly.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I kind of understand why you’re sticking with her now,”  she said.  “She’s lonely, and needy, and you think you can turn her into a decent person.  And you feel like if you abandon her you will destroy her.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Kind of,”  he answered faintly.

    Then Liu Xi smiled.  “Just as I thought, she needs you more than I do.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I don’t think she’ll want to stick with me, though.”  Vinnie told her.

    Liu Xi stopped him.  “Don’t tell me anything like that,”  she said.  “Just help her as best as you can.  And we’ll see what happens after.  Okay?”

    He nodded.  “Okay.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I’m still your friend and assistant though, right?”  Liu Xi asked.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I dunno,”  Vinnie said.  “Magweed was pretty good tonight.  You might have some competition.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Haha, very funny.”  The elementalist laughed.  “I’m going to send Pandemonica in now.”  She stood up.

    Vinnie grabbed her arm gently.  “I really miss sleeping with you.”

    Liu Xi leaned over and kissed him once on the lips.  “If nothing else, we have the memory of it.  Good luck, Vinnie.”

    With that, she left the room.  Maybe a little too quickly, because his last comment saddened her, but she wanted to stay strong for him.

    Vinnie sat up as he saw Pandemonica in the doorway next.  She shut the door behind her, and entered the room.  She never really smiled like Liu Xi did.  He thought he might start by changing that.


Story written and copyrighted (C) 2012 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