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> Part 1
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> Note:  Next week I'll be in Florida, so no new story posts from me.
> Adventures in Parodyverse - End of the Reign Part 2
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> Yuki pulled up in front of Akiko’s home and quietly stepped off her motorcycle. The home was surrounded by a wall and an iron gate. She pushed the gate open - it wasn’t locked, and it closed itself as she stepped through. There was a very nice garden hidden from the street by the wall, and Akiko’s home was in the center of it.
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> There were two muscular Asian men with swords and guns both guarding the front entrance. Yuki approached them, and tried to be patient at first. “I need to speak to Akiko,â€Â she demanded.
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> The two guards looked at each other, and one of them chuckled and said something humorous to the other in Japanese. He then looked at Yuki and said, “Go back to your island.â€Â
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> “Oh yeah?â€Â Yuki suddenly grabbed the one guard and pushed him hard into the other, so they were left stunned on the ground. She pushed her way into the house, breaking the hinges of the locked wooden door.
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> The entire ground floor was a reception area. There were four more guards, but no Akiko - she guessed Akiko’s actual living space was upstairs. But first, she had to deal with the guards, which had all drawn their swords after the commotion outside. One of them pressed what could be a panic button next to the stairs.
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> “I don’t want any trouble,â€Â Yuki said. “I just want to talk to Akiko.â€Â
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> As she spoke, a few more guards piled in through the front door. She began to get the impression that a lot more were on their way. So much for not wanting trouble. She plowed into the first four guards, surprising them with her mechanical strength by slamming them into the back wall.
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> More guards poured in. They started to pile on her and overwhelm even her mechanical body. She reached for her Lair Legion Comm Card...
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> ...and then there was a voice. A firm, angry female voice, that sounded like it was strained by speaking louder than usual. Yuki didn’t hear what the voice said, but the guards recognized it immediately. They let go of Yuki and moved away from her, bowing low as they did.
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> A hand was offered to her. Yuki looked up and saw Chiaki standing over her. She took the hand and watched with a little amusement as Chiaki had to lean back to pull Yuki to her feet.
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> “What are you doing here?â€Â Yuki asked.
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> One of the guards said something to Chiaki. Yuki recognized the two Japanese phrases Chiaki replied with firmly. The first was ‘shut up’, and the second was ‘get out’. The guards all struggled to file outside quickly.
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> Then Chiaki turned her attention to Yuki again. “I thought you might get into a little trouble.â€Â She slowly began to smile weakly, an embarrassed kind of smile, which is how she felt getting involved.
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> “Are you going to take me to see Akiko?â€Â Yuki asked.
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> Chiaki frowned again, and then sighed. “I knew what Akiko was doing,â€Â she said. “I didn’t approve, but I didn’t think it was my place to tell her how to do business.â€Â
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> “Business?â€Â Yuki sounded angry as she repeated that word. She didn’t expect that her tone would cause Chiaki to lightly cringe for a moment. Not because of the volume of her voice, or because she was threatening. It was the Psychic Samurai’s own conscience. Yuki almost thought about apologizing for being so short with Chiaki...
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> ...but then Chiaki simply waved for Yuki to follow, and she opened a paper and wood door that had a cleverly hidden stairway behind it. The Asian samurai seemed saddened as she led Yuki upstairs, but she didn’t speak a word.
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> Yuki stopped her just before they reached the top of the stairs. “For the record, Chiaki,â€Â she whispered, “you’re doing the right thing--â€Â
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> “I don’t like to choose between friends,â€Â Chiaki admitted sadly as he looked at Yuki. Her eyes cast down then, and she continued up the stairs.
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> Chiaki slid open another paper and wood door and looked around before gently striding into what looked like the entry hall of a private home. She walked through the hall and into the living room slowly. “Akiko,â€Â she called out quietly.
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> An Asian woman older than herself, dressed in a pink suit, looked up from her newspaper at the living room table. “Chiaki,â€Â she greeted her friend with a smile. “Welcome. Would you like some tea?â€Â She frowned and looked around suddenly. “You weren’t escorted up here? Are my guards slacking off?â€Â
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> Chiaki went straight to business. She had to, because with Yuki following her closely, she could easily guess that Akiko was quickly becoming suspicious. “Why do you work to discredit Yuki? It’s making things difficult for me, maintaining friendships.â€Â
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> Akiko’s expression mirrored Chiaki’s seriousness. “I have my reasons,â€Â she said firmly. “You needn’t concern yourself with it.â€Â
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> “I might have a few issues with it, though,â€Â Yuki spoke up.
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> “Your thinking is short-sighted.â€Â Akiko smoothly replied.
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> “Please, Akiko,â€Â Chiaki pleaded. “It saddens me when I am trapped in the middle and must choose between loyalties.â€Â
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> The pink gangster sighed. “Very well. I’ve simply arranged for several of the detectives at our police force to be delivered clues that will keep them busy on old cases for a few days. To...redirect their attention.â€Â
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> “From what?â€Â Yuki asked.
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> Akiko smiled then. “You’ll just have to wait and see.â€Â
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> “Yuki, please,â€Â Chiaki urged her, sensing Yuki’s building anger. She looked at Yuki, who relented. “I cannot stand in the middle and keep silent anymore.â€Â She then looked at Akiko and plainly said, “I demand you leave this alone, and stay out of Yuki’s life. And Visionary, and others you know that I’ve come to call friends.â€Â
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> Akiko had begun frowning even before Chiaki finished speaking. The atmosphere in her home had started to feel suddenly colder. “You demand?â€Â was all she said, but the words sounded dangerous enough that Yuki thought about backing up a little.
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> Chiaki looked more humble than aggressive or dangerous as she bowed her head for a moment. But her voice betrayed her movements, sounding patient but laced with anger. “I have never asked anything of you,â€Â she said. “And I know asking you to do this is too much. So I don’t ask...I demand. And I hope as a friend you respect me enough--â€Â
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> “Then why do you speak to me like this?â€Â Akiko rudely interrupted her.
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> That finally prompted Chiaki’s anger to boil over. Akiko wasn’t even listening, she was dwelling on her own damaged ego instead. Chiaki slammed her hand down on the living room table, hard enough to make Akiko blink, but not to be threatening. ÂÂ
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> “You will listen to me!â€Â Chiaki said, her voice suddenly much louder. She thought about pleading with Akiko, pointing out that she worked hard to get to this point in her life, but it still seemed like Akiko wasn’t listening. “And from now on when you make plans that will affect me you will ask me first! You should be ashamed, displaying such rudeness to a friend!â€Â
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> With that, Chiaki turned to leave and motioned for Yuki to follow. Yuki complied, unsure whether gloating at this point was such a good idea - she was more afraid of Chiaki than Akiko at this point.
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> “Okay.â€Â Akiko finally agreed with a nod, causing Chiaki to pause. “I will cease Yuki’s involvement in this. I’m afraid most of the damage is done, though.â€Â
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> “I can deal with that,â€Â Chiaki replied.
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> “There will be a price, however.â€Â Akiko expected the angry look Chiaki gave her at the mention of a price. She continued quickly. “You may never ask anything of me again.â€Â
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> Chiaki simply stared at her. She didn’t have to speak for Akiko to realize she felt she was owed an explanation.
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> “You see, you demanded something of me.â€Â Akiko explained, sounding firm, almost angry. “Nobody demands anything of me. It’s because we are friends that you are still alive.â€Â Her voice relented when she realized she was showing off in front of someone who wasn’t at all intimidated. “I have to save face now,â€Â she admitted. “That means there has to be a price.â€Â
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> Thinking for a moment first, Chiaki finally nodded. “It’s fair, I suppose. But I would like you to...think about why this was necessary. Why you thought my needs were so unimportant to you that you didn’t speak to me first.â€Â She gave Akiko a saddened look, and she sighed before she turned away. “When you thought about it give me a call. I’ll be waiting, because that’s what friends do. I’ll be waiting to forgive you.â€Â
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> While Chiaki walked through the doorway without looking back, Yuki did. She saw Akiko still sitting at her living room table, head bowed, looking saddened like she might cry.
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> “Chiaki,â€Â Yuki whispered as they arrived outside. Chiaki stopped walking, but didn’t turn around. Her head was hanging, and it was quite likely she was trying not to cry. “I’m sorry I lost my temper with you. You’re a real class act.â€Â
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> The Psychic Samurai took a deep breath and sighed. “Thank you,â€Â she said. “That means a lot coming from you.â€Â
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> TO BE CONTINUED?
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> -- Story written and copyrighted (C) 2007 by Jason Froikin, and may not beÂÂ
> --  reprinted without permission. ÂÂ
> -- 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
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