The Spirit of De Soth, Part 5 (Conclusion)


    The Psychic Samurai silently and patiently stood in Hatman’s office doorway, watching him tirelessly repair the damage caused by two conflicts in a week with Marvellous Marv.  She waited for him to look her way.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“You wanted to speak to me?”  she asked once he noticed her.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Yeah.”  Jay replied.  He wiped off his hands on an old rag which was on his desk, and then he approached her.  “I...feel kind of bad that I didn’t give you more of the credit.  I wouldn’t have been able to get into Marv’s head if it weren’t for that hat--”

    Chiaki stopped him by touching her index finger to his lips.  “We all played our part.”  she said, looking up at him with a warm smile.  “I am happy with mine.  Besides, it was your words that saved us, Jay, not mine.  I only provided the tools.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I’m still not entirely sure how I did it.”  Jay admitted.  “Still, it was kind of nice, for once, to end a conflict without bloodshed.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“There you go.”  Chiaki encouraged him.  She then turned and headed toward the doorway.  “Enjoy your success, and don’t second-guess it.”

    Just as Chiaki left the office - perfectly timed as usual - Lara Night walked through the doorway.  The blonde turned around and watched Chiaki leave as she entered.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“What was that all about?”  Lara asked.

    Jay smiled.  “She was just being encouraging as usual,”  he said without the slightest bit of sarcasm.  “I wanted to talk to you because I was curious about why I had powers like yours in the dream.”

    Lara’s content smile disappeared, and she seemed surprised.  “You did?  Really?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Yeah.”  Jay replied.  “It was...weird.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Hmm.  I guess that means your mind’s more powerful than Marv’s.”  She sat down at his desk and slouched in the chair.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“You didn’t...do something, did you?”  Jay asked.  “I mean, I know your abilities are kind of...complicated.  And mysterious.”

    Lara shrugged.  “But I can’t invade dreams.  At least that I know of.  Kind of funny how a myth can grow so much bigger than reality, eh?  Twice now, actually.”  That last part sounded a little melancholy.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Twice?”  Jay asked.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Yeah.  The thing with Dream, remember?”  Lara reminded him, but kind of hoped he wouldn’t recall once she said it.  “It wasn’t much, really, but a huge deal was made of it.  It wasn’t nearly the all night orgy it was made out to be.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“You know, myths don’t get out of control if you set them straight right away.”  Jay pointed out.

    Lara laughed slightly.  “That’s not always true, and you know it.  Would it really change your impression of what happened if I tell you the thing with Dream was actually kind of disappointing?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“It might.”  Jay replied, sounding cautiously interested.

    That made Lara shift uncomfortably.  She wanted to be honest, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to cover this ground again.  She closed her eyes and spoke quickly, as if she were trying to get something out before she thought about it.

    She said, “Dream is way more...advanced than I’ve ever dealt with before.  Let’s just say I didn’t have the stamina to really satisfy him.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Oh.”  Jay said quietly.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Yeah, ‘Oh’.”  Lara echoed.  By then she was slouching in the chair, her voice soft, her face a little reddened.  She wasn’t at all comfortable in the silence that followed.

    Finally, Jay broke the silence by asking, “Why didn’t you say something before?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I was...really embarrassed.  I mean, wouldn’t you be?”

    Jay nodded silently.  “I wonder why Dream didn’t say anything to me?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Because he’s really very sweet.”  Lara replied softly, “As much of a prankster as he is, he’d rather take this secret to the grave than make me to feel even worse about it.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“He is like that, isn’t he?”  Jay agreed with a smile.  He looked down at Lara, and briefly, she smiled too.  It was then he realized he just shared a moment with Lara over a side of Dream very few knew about.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“He was so worried about how I felt, he started catering to my every need until I fell asleep.  A massage, a drink of water...”

    Lara shifted in her seat, and sat up straight.  “Anyway...I told you that because...I want you to trust me.  I can tell you feel like I keep secrets from you, and I do.  But it’s not because I don’t respect you, it’s because...I’m embarrassed to tell.”

    Jay gently took her hand and gently squeezed it.  “Honestly, Lara, I got a little more than I ever expected to hear,”  he said with a chuckle.

    Lara shrugged, and did her best to nervously smile, under the circumstances.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“How about your abilities?”  Jay asked, doing his best to alter the topic.  “Anything I should know about them?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“What you see is what you get.”  Lara replied with another shrug.  “I mean, I’ve only tried to push my own limits once, in a reality that doesn’t exist anymore.”

    She noted the look on Jay’s face, and quickly rephrased.  “No, no, I didn’t destroy all of reality.  Just part of a city.  And...I’m not proud of it.  I’m not nearly as powerful as you can be though, Jay.  That Serious Matter in your head, I don’t think even you know what it can really do.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I don’t think I know either.”  he admitted.  “Just when I think I do, I’m surprised again.  Sometimes it honestly scares me.”  He sighed just then and looked at Lara.  “I guess that’s something you can understand, being scared by what you can do.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Yeah.”  Lara admitted with a nod.  She stood quickly, and then smiled warmly and quickly hugged Jay.  “That was for sharing with me, and being supportive.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I should finish fixing my office up.”  Jay said, sounding exhausted.  “I really don’t want to come in here tomorrow morning and still have it be a wreck.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Can you use some help?”  Lara asked.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I’d love some.”  he said.

    Without another word, Lara rolled up her sleeves, and began helping to pick up books that were lying on the floor.


---


    Ã¢â‚¬Å“You’re keeping something from me.”  Liu Xi Xian squinted as she tried to interrogate Vinnie De Soth.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Like the thing in Vegas with Kerry?”  he quickly asked.  Liu Xi’s reaction showed that she wasn’t so easily misdirected.

    She replied, “I know about that already.  I meant something else, something about Marv.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Will it make you feel better if I say you shouldn’t know?”  He looked unintentionally sad as he added, “Nobody should have to.  Not even me.”

    Liu Xi hugged him gently, and leaned her head against his shoulder.  She whispered to him, “It will hurt you less if you share it with someone you trust.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I trapped his soul in an object and cast it into the water.”  Vinnie said with a sigh.  “I guess it wasn’t a nice thing to do--”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Your ring.”  Liu Xi took his hand and began examining it.  “You were wearing a ring before.  You trapped him in it, didn’t you?”

    Without waiting for a reply, Liu Xi finally smiled slightly.  “I suppose we all have our things we have to live with.”

    Vinnie knew what she meant.  Liu Xi knew what it was like to kill someone.  Trapping someone who was supposed to be dead already in a ring wasn’t quite as painful.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“So...what will you do about Kerry?”  Liu Xi asked, changing the subject suddenly.

    He looked behind him.  He was talking to Liu Xi in the Library, and Kerry was sitting at one of the tables listening to music on headphones.  

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“It’s kind of a dilemma, Liu Xi.  I mean, if the quickie marriage is annulled, how will Kerry feel?  I don’t want her to feel rejected.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Did you talk to her about it?”

    Vinnie nodded.  “She’s as confused as I am.  She just says ‘I don’t know.’”

    Liu Xi looked at Kerry, and then she nodded too.  “Yeah...I think the decision should be mutual.  As weird as the thought is of you married to Kerry, neither of you should be left with a broken heart.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“But Danny Lyle would be.”  Vinnie pointed out.  “And he’ll probably hurt me.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Let me deal with Danny.”  she replied.  “He needs to learn more patience anyway.  Just...don’t wait too long to decide, okay?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I’ll try my best.”  Vinnie responded.  “I’m having dinner with Kerry to talk about it.  I hope.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Good.”  Liu Xi nudged him.  “I’ll see you later, then.  I’m going to talk to Danny.”


---


    Anna turned around after looking through the cabinets in the Lair Mansion kitchen.  She was hunting for a specific kind of tea Hallie told her tasted good.  But she got distracted when she noticed a forlorn young man sitting at the breakfast table, doing nothing but staring at its empty surface.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“You’re Danny, right?”  the android asked.

    Danny Lyle looked up, staring for a second or two before replying plainly, “Yes.”

    Anna then noted, “You seem unhappy.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Maybe it’s cause Kerry married someone else.”  he sounded muffled when he said that, as his face was buried in his arm at the time.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I’m sorry to hear that.”  Anna replied.  She sat across from him at the table.  “But from what I hear, it might not be that way for long.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Not the point.”  Danny complained further.  “She chose someone else over me.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“She chose nothing.”  Anna pointed out.  “It was one of Marvellous Marv’s stupid pranks.  Can I tell you a little story?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Fine.  Whatever.”  Danny said.

    Anna continued anyway.  “Since I moved here I’ve been worried about how long Hatman would let me stay here.  Whether I was useful, or helpful, to anyone in the Legion.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I worried until an hour ago, when Jay stopped me and thanked me for all my help,”  she said.  “He said I was a valuable member of the team.  He said I was valuable.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“What does this have to do with me?”  Danny asked.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“You’re like me.”  Anna concluded.  “When I first got here, they thought I was dangerous, that I was a threat.  Some were afraid of me.  Now...I’m valuable.  I think you’re the same way...they thought you were dangerous.  Now...you’re here, in the Lair Mansion kitchen, and they consider you a friend.”

    Danny looked up finally, but didn’t say anything.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“And if they think you’re a friend,”  Anna added, “They will work to try and make you happy.”  She motioned with her chin as she spotted Liu Xi entering the kitchen.  “And it looks like it’s about to begin.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Danny.”  Liu Xi announced as she entered the kitchen.  “We need to talk.”


---


    Liu Xi closed the door to the comfortable lounge that she built long ago in one of the Lair Mansion’s towers, once she and Danny were inside the room.  He seemed nervous, so she kept her distance out of respect.  

    She offered him a seat in the recliner, and she she sat on the couch, legs crossed beneath her.  She brushed back her hair.  “You know what I’m going to talk about?”

    Danny shrugged.  He sat staring directly at Liu Xi without speaking.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“You cannot be the jealous boyfriend.”  Liu Xi explained, leaning toward him as she spoke.  “Kerry is very sensitive.  If you want to hurt Vinnie, or you react with anger, she won’t want you back.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“That’s what you wanted to tell me?”  Danny finally spoke.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Yeah.”  Liu Xi shrugged.  “More importantly, I wanted to listen.  And...maybe help.”

    He looked up, and he could see Liu Xi’s dark eyes watching him.  There was something about that which made him feel a little better already.  Maybe it was the memories of the Void Scholar’s place, when she would speak to him softly and caringly, and give him long massages.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I miss Kes.”  he said quietly.  “I’m thinking maybe I should...you know...let go of her.  But I’m afraid, I haven’t been alone for so long.  What should I do, Liu Xi?  Should I let her go?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Yes.  But keep her in your heart.”  Liu Xi suggested.  “If she comes back, welcome her.  I think she wants you to be sweet but independent.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I miss the sex, too.  We had really great sex.  Now Vinnie is--”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Stop right there.”  Liu Xi warned him.  “Don’t let it transition to jealousy.  Savor the memory instead.”

    He nodded sadly.  “When was the last time you did?”

    She smirked, and looked away in response, seeming embarrassed.  “It’s...been a little while.  I’m not the topic, though, Danny.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Yeah,”  he agreed with a shrug, “But just because I told you I’m not in love with you doesn’t mean I don’t care if you’re happy.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“That’s very sweet.”  Liu Xi answered with a shy smile.  “I’d like to help you first, though.  Then you can worry about me all you like.  After all, you’re a lot easier to help, it may be a while before...the rest happens.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“You have helped me.”  Danny told her.  “It was pretty lonely worrying to myself, and wondering if anyone cared.  Now I know someone does.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Tomorrow.”  Liu Xi reached over and gently took his hand.  “Vinnie promised to talk to Kerry tonight.  Tomorrow, I think we’ll know what will happen.”

    Danny nodded.  “Okay.”  he said quietly as he held her hand momentarily, and then released it.  “Um...can I...?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Hang out here for a while?”  Liu Xi guessed.  “Sure, okay.  It’s been a long time since we hung out together.”

    She giggled and then moved over to the recliner, squeezing in next to Danny.  It was something she used to do the last time they were together, trapped in the Void Scholar’s complex.  It had its intended effect - he smiled briefly too, and put one arm across her shoulders.

    Liu Xi then reached for the remote control and turned on the television.  It would be another interesting and confusing day tomorrow.  The best thing to do was try to forget about it, and enjoy the moment.


-- Story written and copyrighted (C) 2009 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