Part 1

Adventures in Parodyverse - Saving the Future Part 28.2


    The Mayor of Paradopolis exited Chez Louis near Off-Central Park and waited in front for his black limousine to be pulled around to the front.  Once it arrived, he waited for the driver to walk around and open the door for him.

    Before that driver did any such thing, two men who were shorter, yet stronger, than he was, grabbed both of his arms and herded him across the street, ignoring his protests.  He looked back to his limousine driver for help, but the driver was unconscious, slumped through the open driver’s side window.

    He was pushed head-first by the two men into a pink limousine.  The two men got in, and closed the door behind them, sitting to either side of him with arms crossed, looking at him menacingly.

    Naturally, though the street was rather busy with foot and automobile traffic, nobody saw a thing.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Good afternoon Mr. Mayor.  Did you enjoy your lunch?”  a polite voice addressed him.  It was a Japanese woman in a pink suit and pink gloves.  She needed no introduction whatsoever.  The car began moving as she spoke.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“What do you want?”  he asked uneasily yet angrily.  He quickly added, “If I would have known you would ask for so many favors I never would have taken that campaign donation from you.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“This is not a favor.”  Akiko Masamune calmly replied.  There was something dangerous in her eyes as she spoke.  And in her voice too, as she said, “You dare to bring harm to one of my trusted friends.”

    The Mayor nodded.  “I see.  You mean the Samurai chick.  Well, you see, I’m a slave to public opinion.  It’s out of my hands.  The Commissioner is in charge now.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Is that so?”

    The car stopped as Akiko nodded at the two men.  They grabbed the Mayor and pulled him out of the car, holding both of his arms until they threw him to the grass.  They were in an empty area of Off-Central Park, surrounded only by trees.  The lights and sounds of the city were distant.

    One of the two men then walked around to the back of the limousine, and opened the trunk, out of view of the Mayor.  The henchman pulled out a grey suited man, who was wearing a black silk bag over his head.  The Mayor suspected who it was long before the bag came off.

    Commissioner Don Graham was thrown onto the lawn with a grunt, right next to the Mayor.  He moved very little, and remained curled into a ball.  His reddened face revealed that he had obviously been beaten thoroughly.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I can replace you.”  Akiko warned the mayor dangerously.  “Do not think because you live in your ivory tower, you cannot be harmed.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“You’re going to kill me?”  the Mayor asked.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“No.”  Akiko looked down at Commissioner Graham.  “Perhaps something may happen to him.  Perhaps his daughter.”  She looked at the mayor again.  “Their lives will be on your head.  And I don’t speak of guilt Mr. Mayor...that’s a concept I’m sure that you are as unfamiliar with as I am.  You will find yourself accused publicly of things...unspeakable things.  Your political career will be over.”

    With that, Akiko began walking back toward her limousine.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“What can I do?”  the Mayor called after her.  “The public already thinks it was her.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“You have all those publicity experts on your staff.”  she replied coldly.  “I suggest you think of something.”  The door of the limousine shut just after the two henchmen got in, and it drove off quickly, leaving a cascade of dirt in its wake, raining on both the Mayor and Graham.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Hold still.”  the Mayor said as he took out a cell phone.  “I’ll get an ambulance.”  

    He heard Graham reply with something but he didn’t quite hear.  He leaned closer.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“You bastard.”  Graham said louder.  “I heard everything.  You did this to me.”


---


    Liu Xi Xian was the luckiest student at Paradopolis University.  She had been given a quite nice apartment overlooking the campus, in a building filled with mostly students.  Her apartment was free of charge...because she was good friends with its owner.  Chiaki Bushido had a side business investing in real estate.

    She was also lucky because moving wasn’t much of a problem.  She simply pushed everything in her room at the Lair Mansion that she wanted to take into the center, and then dropped it all through Void into her new place.  Then she simply rearranged the stuff at her leisure.

    Her first visitor was one she never would have expected.  There was a hard knock at the door, and then silence.  She wasn’t sure at first if she wanted to let anyone in...after all, she didn’t expect visitors.  But by the second knock, she made up her mind to see who it was.

    Danny Lyle was standing in her doorway.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Um...hi.”  Liu Xi greeted him feebly.  She wasn’t sure exactly what to say to him.  Honestly she was hoping she wouldn’t have to see him for a long while.  She tried hard to swallow the lump in her throat.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Can I come in?”  he finally asked.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Oh...yes.”  Embarrassed by her apparent rudeness, Liu Xi stepped aside quickly and allowed him into the apartment.

    He looked around a bit before finally saying, “Nice place.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I’m sorry I didn’t say goodbye.”  Liu Xi admitted quietly.  “I should have.  I...didn’t know how to talk to you.”  She looked down sadly.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Liu Xi, Kerry is my...soul mate, I guess.  She’s my happy ending.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I know, you told me.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Doesn’t mean I don’t love you too.  In a different way.”  Danny smiled at her slightly.  “I mean, you did save my life, in a time where everyone else seems to want to kill me.  That kind of makes you one of my best friends.”

    Liu Xi smiled slowly.  She sighed deeply, as if a heavy weight had been lifted from her mind.  “I guess...it’s good we didn’t--”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Yeah.”  Danny replied before she finished the sentence.  “I wanted to...but you kept saying something about falling for the Void Scholar’s plans.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“He kept talking about me giving him grandchildren.  I started to suspect it was very important to him, to his plans.”

    There was an awkward silence for a while.  Then Danny said, “You know, you’re going to make a great girlfriend for some guy someday.  You taught me a lot.  I mean, as much as I love my Firecracker...you taught me some things about living with someone.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“It’s going to be difficult getting Kerry to be more like me.”  Liu Xi pointed out.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“No, not her...me.  I want to be more like you, so I can make her happy.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Oh.”  Liu Xi walked over to the window and looked over the University campus.  “I...really changed you, didn’t I?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I hope so.”  Danny said.  With a laugh, he added, “So I guess you saved the world twice.”

    Liu Xi turned around and gave him a questioning look.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Because if you did change me--”  he explained, “there’s not much chance of me becoming the Moderator is there?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I hope I did too, then.”  Liu Xi said quietly.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Look.”  Danny added as he put his hands in his pockets, “I had to come here and talk to you, because I want you to know you haven’t been left all alone.  I almost was...and I don’t want you to feel like that.”

    Liu Xi nodded.  “Thank you for that.  I think I can live with us being friends.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Cool.”  Danny answered.  He then took a step backward and said, “I hate to visit and run, but Kerry wants me to go shopping with her.  And well...you know how she’ll be if I’m late.  I’d have to bring a fire extinguisher.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I know.  Bring one anyway just in case.”  Liu Xi said with a smile.  “Have fun.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“See you around,”  he said.

    She closed the door behind Danny as he left.  The future was starting to look brighter.


---


    Commissioner Don Graham was sleeping soundly in a room at Phantomhawk Memorial Hospital when he felt like someone was watching him.  He opened his eyes and looked up.

    It was the Psychic Samurai.  She always had a spooky way of doing that.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“How did you get in here?”  he asked, sounding groggy.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Never mind that.”  she said.  

    Meanwhile, outside in the hallway was an unconscious police officer slumped in a chair.  

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I came to apologize.”

    He tried to sit up, but Chiaki Bushido placed a small hand on his shoulder to stop him.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Please, rest.”  she said.  “I’m sorry...I asked Akiko for help.  I love her like a sister, but sometimes she does not entirely understand my wishes.  I didn’t mean for you to be harmed.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“This visit doesn’t change anything.”  Graham stubbornly replied.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I know.”  Chiaki replied dismissively.  “However, you might also want to investigate what happens if someone trips a fire alarm at the Safe.  You may be surprised at the speed at which security breaks down.”

    Graham shifted uncomfortably in his bed, but he said nothing.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“You might also ask yourself where the explosives came from if I didn’t handle them.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“You could have hired someone--”  he started to say.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I work alone.”  Chiaki emphasized.  “I always do.  You know that.  Now if you’ll excuse me, I must leave before your second guard returns from his snack run.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Wait, Chiaki--”  Graham tried to sit up again.  This time he could, because the Psychic Samurai had gone.

    He looked over at the table next to him.  It was his cell phone, taken from him earlier in the day by Akiko’s thugs.  It had been returned.


---

Adventures in Parodyverse - Saving the Future Part 28.3


    Yuki Shiro stood behind Jay Boaz for a moment to watch him.  He was standing in front of a window in a quiet hallway of the Lair Mansion, looking outside.  He looked like a man whose thoughts were in turmoil, who was seeking solitude.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“It really kills you, doesn’t it?”  Yuki asked as she moved closer.

    Jay reacted only subtly to Yuki’s presence.  He blinked, shifted his weight a little, but he didn’t turn around.  “If you don’t mind Yuki--”  he began quietly.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Yeah, I know.”  she interrupted him with.  She put her free arm over his shoulder - the other was holding a closed laptop - and spoke close to his ear.  “I wouldn’t have bothered you except that I have news.  And I thought you’d be a lot less annoyed  if I walked up here and told you myself than if I sent Dream bouncing after you.”

    Jay stifled a laugh at that picture, trying to remain serious instead.  He asked almost emotionlessly, “What’s the news?”

    Yuki opened a laptop computer and held it in front of him.

    The Paradopolis Times website had breaking news.  The headline read:

    Recently Fired Security Chief Says Prison Not Safe

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I can’t believe it.”  Jay mumbled to himself.  He looked at Yuki, hoping she didn’t hear, only he was sure she did.  He skimmed through the article.  Undersized security force.  Lack of proper procedures.  And an unconfirmed sighting or two of Hatman, now assumed to be a Space Fandom, during the massive prison break.  It looked like Chiaki was actually trying to change public opinion.

    A smaller article beneath that announced that the Mayor hadn’t rescinded orders passed while he was replaced by a Space Fandom.  There was going to be a City Council committee investigation.  Then beneath that, a mention that Commissioner Don Graham was in the hospital after being assaulted by unknown thugs in Off-Central Park.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Feel better now, Hatty?”  Yuki asked cautiously.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Not really.”  he said quietly.  And then after a pause, “Do you think Chiaki caused the Safe breakout?”

    Yuki shook her head and sighed.  “You know, this is why you’d never make it as a boyfriend of mine, Hatty.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“What’s that supposed to mean?”  Jay responded angrily.

    She hugged him with the one arm she had across his shoulders.  “No grey area,” she explained.  “Cause some of the things we’d do--”  She tilted her head menacingly, and then let go of him and started to walk away.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I just wish she would have thought about what this would do to us.  The Lair Legion.  To her friends.  To me.”

    Yuki crossed her arms then.  “You think this is about you?  How can you be so selfish?”

    Jay turned around and raised his voice a little.  “Chiaki was selfish when she released prisoners from the Safe, Yuki.  It put the city in jeopardy, and us too.  She only cared about saving herself.  Whatever happens to her because of it, she deserves it.”

    Just when Yuki was about to argue with Jay some more, another voice interrupted them.

    A soft, sad sounding voice.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I’m sorry you feel that way.”  the Psychic Samurai whispered.

    She was holding her sheathed sword, gripping it nervously at arm’s length with both hands, dangling it so it nearly touched the floor.

    Yuki held up her hands as Jay looked at her, expecting backup.  Instead, the purple-haired detective glared at him, and said, “You’re on your own on this one, Hatty.”  With that, she walked around the corner.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I came here--”  Chiaki continued, her voice a little shaky, “--hoping to appeal to you for help.  I tried convincing Graham, but I failed.  I narrowly escaped the hospital...the officers guarding his room proved to be highly perceptive.”

    She frowned as she went on, “Now you’ve made your opinion abundantly clear.  If I can’t even convince you, then I completely failed in my mission.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Chiaki--”  Jay said.  He kept one hand close to his belt, where his hats were stored.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Let me tell you what I would have to look forward to.”  Chiaki interrupted him, swallowing the wavering in her voice and trying her best to speak clearly.  “I can afford lawyers...so I asked questions.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“People love to see a hero fall.  Especially an anti-hero.  Whichever I may be, I’m an excellent scapegoat.  That pretty much guarantees me a long prison sentence, Jay.  With people who know who I am...want me dead...and have more than enough power to kill a small defenseless human girl.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Look, I promise I’d do my best to--”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I’ll be dead!”  Chiaki spoke louder suddenly.  Then softer, as her eyes began to tear, “I’ll be dead, Jay, within a month from right now, unless I can take my own future into my own hands.  You understand how I know that.  It will be too late for you to ‘do your best’.”

    Jay didn’t say anything in response.  He felt all of the blood running out of his hands and feet, as if he knew something really bad was about to happen.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I’m scared.”  she admitted in a shaky whisper.  “I...I thought I was ready to die.  But I’m not.  I’m scared.”

    He took a step forward.  She abruptly took a step back.  That made him even more worried.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I know...I know I’m defeated if you decide you must to take me in.”  she said.  She knelt on the floor, holding her prized sword across her lap.  “You would simply reach for your Steelers cap--”

    Jay jerked his guilty fingers back.  They were indeed resting on the bill of his Steelers cap.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“--and I will not be able to harm you.”  she said.  “But I would not try.  I wouldn’t want to harm you.  It would be wrong...and I have wronged you enough already.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“If you know you can’t harm me...and you can’t win--”  Jay asked cautiously, “why did you come here?  Why force me to bring you in?”

    Chiaki looked upward sadly.  Tears began streaming from her eyes.  “Because I have disgraced you, and myself.”  she whispered with a sniff.  “Because if my future says I must die...honor demands that I choose how and when.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I will not die cowering in a cell.”  she whispered determinately.  Then she drew her blade from its sheath.

    Just then, Jay realized he made a bad choice of hats to keep at his fingertips.  He let go of the Steelers cap so it dropped to the floor, and he moved toward Chiaki quickly.  She was pointing the blade at the base of her own rib cage, her eyes closed like in prayer...

    ...and there was a loud electrical hum, as a previously invisible Yuki flickered twice, and then appeared in full view.  Synthetic blood oozed from her right hand as she held on to Chiaki’s ultra-sharp steel blade, preventing it from moving even a centimeter.  Her other hand carefully pinched a spot on the back of Chiaki’s neck.

    She then used her superior strength to pry the sword from Chiaki’s fingers and drop it to the floor, just as the Samurai lost consciousness.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“No!”  Yuki ordered Jay, pointing two fingers of her left hand in his direction.  “No, wait there.  Don’t touch her.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I have to--”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Don’t argue with me just now!”  Yuki looked right at him this time, her eyes cold, and he could tell that her usual playful nature played no part in what she said.  She then propped up Chiaki and carried her, holding the Samurai up by her arms.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“If you touch her now,”  Yuki explained, “She will feel obligated to serve you, even if it means rotting in prison the rest of her life.  I just denied her what she believes to be an obligation of honor.  That’s a huge no-no.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“You...you think she’ll try it again?”  Jay asked, sounding shaken.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“No, she won’t.”  Yuki replied quietly.  She moved Chiaki to her own Lair Mansion quarters, and lay her down on the bed.  Jay followed, carrying Chiaki’s sword gingerly.

    She then looked at Jay and explained, “According to her tradition, I own her life now.  And I intend to make the most of it.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Yuki, I still have to take her in.  She still has to answer for--.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Find another way!”  Yuki retorted angrily.  She looked down at the sleeping Samurai.  “Because of what I did, she’ll feel bound to do pretty much anything I ask her to, once she wakes up.  But I won’t ask her to go to jail.  Not in the terrified state she’s in.”

    Jay gave her an angry look.  She didn’t seem to acknowledge it.  “Yuki, I’ve never had to pull rank on you before--”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Fire me, then.”  Yuki threatened calmly, and stubbornly crossed her arms.  “Jay, if you honestly can’t find another way...if you honestly have to be Graham’s blind puppet...then fire me.  Because I thought you were smarter and more creative than that.  If I was that far off...maybe I don’t want to be a blind puppet too.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Now out...last I checked this was still my room.”

    Without a word, Jay stepped out into the hallway, and watched Yuki shut him out of her room.  Just as he was about to walk away, she stuck her head out again.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Jay, you know--”  she said, her calm tone stopping him in his tracks.  “--Mumph would have figured this out already.  You have some big shoes to fill.  I don’t want you to fire me...I want you to show ‘em what you can do.”

    Jay Boaz nodded.  “Hey Yuki?”  he added just before she shut the door again.

    Yuki paused, and stuck her head out again.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“You were a real hero back there.”  he said quietly, looking down as he did.  “You saved her life.”

    The purple-haired Legionnare looked down at her now bandaged artificial hand.  “I know.”  she said.  “But it means nothing if you can’t do your part.  Understand?”

    He nodded sadly as Yuki shut the door, and then he turned to shuffle back toward his office to think.  He had a heavy weight on his shoulders.


TO BE CONTINUED?


-- Story written and copyrighted (C) 2008 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