Adventures in Parodyverse: A Random Shooting, Part 2


    Chiaki Bushido strolled calmly into the compound of the Pink Gangster, Akiko Masamune.  Her armed bodyguards, standing just outside, seemed jumpy as she entered, but then quickly recognized her and bowed submissively to their boss’ friend.  She returned the bow.

    They also completely ignored the mysterious figure who entered behind her, draped in a long cloak and hood.  She bowed too.

    More bowing to more bodyguards as soon as they entered the ground floor of the building.  It had been designed with wood and paper grids on the walls, darkened lighting, and a large lighted koi pond in the center.  The two of them had to walk around the pond to reach the elevator.

    Both of them entered the elevator, and Chiaki eyed the man who pretty much stayed in there all the time as a security measure.  He bowed to her politely, and she bowed too.  The robed figure mimicked Chiaki again.

    Once they stepped out of the elevator, Akiko’s male personal assistant, summoned there by the guards downstairs in the case of Chiaki’s unannounced visit, met them.  There was another exchange of bows.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“The Mistress is ready to see you now.”  the assistant said, and then bowed again.  “Follow me please.”

    As Chiaki and the hooded figure followed Akiko’s assistant, the unmistakable scent of green tea wafted from the room at the end of the hall.

    When they turned the corner, Akiko Masamune was sitting on a cushion at a low table.  The floor was plushly carpeted in a dark color, matching the dark red wood grid and white paper walls.

    On the light colored wood table were three small empty cups, and a tea kettle on a tray.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Welcome.  Sit, please.”  Akiko urged the two of them.

    The hooded figure finally lowered the hood, as she sat on a cushion at one end of the table.  It was a blonde that Akiko recognized.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I apologize for the secrecy.”  the blonde said.  “Someone seems to be trying to kill me.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“This is Lara Night.”  Chiaki introduced her.  She sat directly across from Akiko.  She waited for tea to be poured for her, and then she took a sip.  “We need to know if you heard anything about...perhaps a professional contract on her?”

    Akiko looked up while she poured the tea, and her eyes were forbiddingly dark.  “There is one.”  she plainly said.

    Lara stared down at her cup of tea warily.  She then looked at Chiaki, who sipped her own tea fearlessly.  The blonde took that as a sign that the tea was okay, at least, since it all came from the same container.  She tasted it, too...it tasted good.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I take it this means you don’t know who ordered it.”  Chiaki challenged Akiko.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I’ll tell you all I know, and trust you to believe me.”  Akiko responded a little coldly.  “The assassins are government, the best available worldwide.  There are local assassins who are very upset they did not get the contract.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Government?”  Lara asked.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I agree.”  Chiaki echoed.  “I wasn’t aware they did this sort of thing at all.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Things have changed.”  Akiko whispered.  She motioned to Lara with a nod.  “Lara is too powerful to be dealt with, and too smart to be fooled.  This plan is for her to either be killed, or be forced into hiding.  Either way, they will keep her from interfering when the heroes are hunted.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“So if I go into hiding...the hunt begins?”  Lara asked.  “But if I don’t, they’ll keep trying to kill me.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“It would seem so.”  Akiko replied.

    Lara looked at Chiaki.  “That’s a terrible choice.  There’s only one thing I can do.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Go into hiding, yet be seen everywhere.”  Chiaki guessed.

    The blonde nodded.  “Exactly.”


---


    Lara Night and Chiaki Bushido took yet another taxi, this one going a much longer distance.  Chiaki was curious about this newly rebuilt Foundation, a facility that was thought to be all but shut down until Jay Boaz reopened it.  Lara wanted to see it as well, so she was happy to go along.

    After a long drive to Gothametropolis, she exited the taxi wearing the black cloak again, with the hood pulled over her head, and she followed Chiaki in.  

    There was a crowd in the lobby, and some of them turned to look at the two women as they entered.  It was a loosely formed line of people waiting their turn for help, and they looked a little annoyed that they had more competition for the staff’s time.

    It made Lara nervous that there was a regular stream of people pouring in, and she knew none of them.  They were all strangers.  She wouldn’t normally have been afraid of them, except that she had been shot at earlier.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Come here, quick.”  Chiaki called to Lara.  The Samurai was standing next to a door that she was holding open.

    Lara lowered the hood to see better, and made her way quickly to the door.  She followed Chiaki through, and felt grateful that the bustle and noise of the lobby was behind her.

    Beyond the door was a long, narrow hallway, and there was another door at the other end.  It was a conduit between sections of the building.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“That’s much better.”  Lara said, her voice echoing off the walls.  “What?”  she said, as she noticed Chiaki staring wide-eyed back at the door they just came through.

    There were two loud bangs before the man known as Judge Jupiter subdued a man in the first doorway by slamming him against the wall.  The noise echoed off the walls so loudly that Lara threw herself against one side instinctively, and also covered her ears to defend against the noise.

    She then felt weak suddenly, and she collapsed to her knees, her back still against the wall.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“You’re bleeding.”  Chiaki observed.  Then, louder than Lara ever heard her speak before, she called to the man at the other end of the hall, “Get an ambulance!”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I’ll be okay.  I heal quickly.”  Lara spoke shakily looked down.  She was streaming blood...something wasn’t right.  She was shivering, and she felt herself going into shock.  “God, this hurts.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“The bullet has to come out first, or you can’t heal.”  Chiaki warned her.  The last part faded out.

    Lara Night passed out a couple minutes before the ambulance arrived.


TO BE CONTINUED


-- Story written and copyrighted (C) 2010 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