Adventures in Parodyverse: A Random Shooting, Part 7


    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Hey!  What’s going on here?”  Judge Jupiter called out before he realized it was Lara Night and the Psychic Samurai.  Then he mumbled, “Uh-oh,”  and he ran through a door, slamming it shut as he went.  He was no doubt going to find Hatman.

    At that late hour, the large entry area of the Foundation was empty.  Chiaki was counting on that, to eliminate the possibility of casualties.

    Lara attacked the ninja with a single bolt of lightning, only more controlled this time.  All of them collapsed but one...and that one simply arced the power between his forearms and launched it back at Lara.  That had no effect, since she simply absorbed the energy.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Oh, another elemental, eh?  This should be interesting.”  Lara commented.

    The Psychic Samurai drew her sword.  But once it was drawn, she wasn’t one to simply use it as a threat and make idle chat.  She moved like the wind, and attacked The Solution outright.

    He had a sword of his own, and he drew it to defend himself.  He’d already been caught off guard, however, and Chiaki was relentless.

    She struck at him first with her sword, trying to slice him across the chest, and he blocked it with his own sword.  Since she was in close already, she kicked him hard in the sternum, and then struck again, and again.

    Lara thought she had one advantage over the lightning elemental, that he had domain over all energy.  But the elemental proved able enough to as well - he hurled a ball of lightning at her at impressive speed.  She absorbed the electrical energy, but the kinetic energy of its movement impacted her hard enough to knock her down.

    Chiaki thought quickly and hurled her sword at the elemental.  It pierced his lung with deadly accuracy, and he crackled loudly with electricity before he fell gasping to the floor.

    Now she was unarmed, facing The Solution.  He took advantage and swung at her with his sword.  She stepped back smoothly, matching the movement of his sword, just out of range of the blade...and she caught the center of it between her palms.  

    She then looked at him with cold, angry eyes, and twisted her elbows suddenly, while dropping her knee against the side of the turned blade.  She depended on him resisting her - as he held his sword firm, she got much needed leverage for what she did next.  As she kneeled, the heavy steel blade snapped off against the top of her leg, and fell to the ground.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“How did you...?”  The Solution finally spoke.

    Chiaki didn’t wait for him to finish the sentence, or to reach for the knife or shiruken she knew he carried.  From the same kneeling position she used to snap the blade, she powered upward, her arms pressed firmly together with one hand neatly layered behind the other, and hit The Solution below the chin with the combined force of all of her muscular power and skeletal strength.

    That force was enough to knock him clear off his feet, and he fell to the ground on his back.  He tried to get up, but the shock to his spine, at having his head pulled from his neck, was too much.  He couldn’t move.

    The Samurai then calmly began searching him, and removing all of his knives and weapons.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“You have been defeated,”  she said.  Then she looked at Hatman, who arrived only a couple of seconds earlier.  “I will let Hatman take custody of you.  You won’t like if I do.”

    Hatman frowned, and put a white plastic tie on The Solution’s writs.  He wasn’t going anywhere until his spine recovered, but Jay didn’t want to take chances anyway.

    As Chiaki recovered her sword, from the wheezing and unconscious elemental ninja, Lara noted, “You’re better than I remember from Shee-Yar.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I’m always improving.”  Chiaki responded with a smile.  “That particular move, I learned from Jay.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“From me?”  Jay asked.

    The Asian nodded.  “I’ve been watching you box.  Uppercut to the chin, fast knockout.  I merged it with that kneeling pose to give it more power and overcome my lack of your strength.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Oh.”  Jay said with a laugh.  “Now that you mention it, it did look a little familiar.”  He looked at Lara and added, “Nice job keeping from damaging anything in here, by the way.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Thanks.”  Lara said.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“My snipers and ninja will still get you both.”  The Solution threatened, his voice muted by the floor he was facing.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“No.”  Chiaki replied.  “Because nobody will pay them.  Once you are arrested, your accounts will be seized.  All of their paychecks will bounce.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I’ll find some way to get you.”  The Solution threatened.  “Even the Safe can’t hold me for long.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Couldn’t you have paralyzed his mouth along with his body?”  Lara complained.

    Nobody answered her question, as the police entered.  They listened to Judge Jupiter, and then dragged the unconscious ninja and then The Solution outside to a waiting van.  Jay knew how to play sympathies - he didn’t trust the GMY police to listen to retired Lair Legion, but an old civilian caretaker, they would take at his word.

    He looked at Chiaki, and wondered if he was learning a little too much from the Samurai.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I’ll go with the cops and make sure they press charges.”  Lara offered.  “Seeing as how they tried to kill me several times.  Be back soon.”  The blonde went outside, and met with the police to speak to them.

    The Psychic Samurai stared at Hatman, her sword dangling from one arm.  She approached him, and placed the weapon on a table nearby.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Are you okay, Chiaki?”  Jay asked.

    It was one of those moments only the two of them would have believed or understood if anyone else were told about it.  

    Chiaki’s blank expression turned softer, and more morose.  She wrapped her arms around Jay’s neck and hugged him tightly.  He returned the favor, and held her soothingly for a minute or so.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I was so afraid for her.”  Chiaki whispered.  “I didn’t want to tell her, but I knew these people.  They’re relentless, they would have found a way to kill her sooner or later.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Chiaki,”  Jay said, “You don’t always have to be the rock.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I know,”  she sighed.  “But I would feel irresponsible if I’m not when someone else is afraid.  I suppose I like to protect people, especially friends.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“And why didn’t you join the Lair Legion?”  Jay asked with a smirk.  “You sure play the part well already.”

    That finally forced Chiaki to laugh a little, and she gently squeezed his arm.  “You’re so single-minded, Jay,”  she said jokingly.  “You know very well my ties to Akiko would be bad for the LL.”

    He shrugged.  “I had to try.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Yes, I know,”  she replied.  “I suppose I should go and see if those ninja have been removed from my building yet, and what kind of damage they caused.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“You’re not going to wait for Lara to return?”

    Chiaki shook her head.  “She’ll see me later.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Can I get you a cab, at least?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Sure.”  The Samurai nodded.  “I would appreciate that.”


---


    There was the slightest sound of displacing air, accompanied by a muted zap sound, and Lara Night appeared outside of Jay Boaz’ apartment at the Foundation.  She could have appeared inside, but it was far less polite.  She tapped on the door gently.

    Jay opened the door and looked her over.  She looked exhausted.  “You didn’t have to stop by here first,”  he said.

    She smiled, and said, “I wanted to give you some closure so you wouldn’t worry.  The Solution and his ninjas have been locked up.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I trusted you to handle it.”  He smiled.  “But I appreciate the visit.”

    Lara’s smile disappeared then, and she became serious for the next part.  “I know you saved me, Mr. paramedic training.  That’s not something you can keep secret.  I might just owe you my life.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“It’s your amazing healing that did it.”  Jay pointed out.  “All I did was try to slow the bleeding.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Sometimes that’s all it takes,”  she answered.  “And to pay you back, I want to grant you a wish someday.  Just name it, when you decide someday.”

    Jay sighed.  “You’re going to insist, aren’t you?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“See?  You’re getting to know me pretty well.”  Lara smiled and laughed.  “I know I can trust you to think of something reasonable.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Lara, really, my only wish has already been granted.  You’re still alive.”

    She was still smiling after he said that.  She shrugged.  “Okay, but I still want to give you one for yourself.  It’ll make me feel better.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Fair enough.”  Jay nodded.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“It’s a long day, I’m tired.  I need some rest.”  she said to no one in particular.  “But it’s too early to go to bed.”

    Jay looked at his new fold-out couch.  “You can crash here for a nap, I have some more work to go do before it gets too late.  It’ll be nice and quiet in here.”

    She considered that for a moment.  Then finally she shrugged.  “Maybe just a short nap.  I don’t want to stay so long people harass you about it or anything.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Go for it.”  He motioned toward the couch again.  “Take anything you want from the fridge.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“You really are way too kind,”  she accused.  Then she stood on her toes and quickly kissed him on the lips.  Then she put her index finger in front of her mouth and said, “Shhh, don’t tell anyone I did that.”

    Jay laughed, and walked out of the apartment, turning to look at her once more before closing the door.


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