Adventures in Parodyverse: Two Spirits, Part 1


    It has been said that the measure of a man’s importance is how many people rush to his aid when he falls.  There was a great rush indeed the morning that Hatman was killed.  His end came swiftly, and defied all prediction.  There was no dramatic last stand in battle - he was simply a victim of bad timing.  

    He arrived at the scene of a battle after Yuki Shiro.  Yuki tended to allow a lot more collateral damage than he did, and it was one very large piece of collateral indeed that crushed the taxi Hatman arrived in.  The driver narrowly escaped.

    His importance that day was measured by the breadth of the entire Paradopolis Fire Department and Police Department heading to the scene.  They led a procession miles long, closing down every street between Midtown and Phantomhawk Memorial to make way for the ambulance.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“No,”  Faite declared as she arrived at the Intensive Care unit where Lara Night was in the midst of sobbing when she discovered that she couldn’t save him.  The doctor had just declared him deceased.

    The Psychic Samurai perked up at the sound of her voice.  She had previously been hanging her head in sad contemplation.  Yuki Shiro had covered her eyes and run from the room.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“No!”  the teenage Faite repeated again, louder, as the doctor ignored her, and ordered the time stamped to the paperwork.  “No, this is wrong.  This is not supposed to happen.”

    Lara noticed the insistence in her voice, and stopped crying.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Someone tampered with events, someone set this up!”  Faite tried to explain quickly.  “I...I have to fix this.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“But--”  Lara started to say.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“You, come with me,”  Faite told Lara.  Then she quickly added, “I need something you have.  Two things, actually.”

    There was a terrible rushing of air in that hospital room, which violently tugged furniture, and anything else loose or mobile, into the center of the room.  And then Hatman, Faite, and Lara were gone.

    Of course, the doctor looked bewildered.  He looked at Nurse Grace O’Mercy.  “Call security?”

    Grace shook her head.  “They know what they’re doing,”  she replied calmly.


---


    Lara Night awoke lying on a narrow, high bed that felt like comfort foam covered in leather.  It gently glowed blue beneath her, and as she sat up, the glow faded slowly.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Lay back down,”  Faite asked her.

    The blonde nodded, and did as asked, dropping gently into the comforting soft blue glow again.  She turned her head to see Hatman, stripped completely naked, lying immersed in a transparent pool of nearly clear liquid.  There was a blue glow beneath that, too.

    As she looked up, Lara recognized the cornerless clean white wall and ceiling panels with hidden soft yet dim lighting.  She guessed that they were aboard Shen Rae’s ship.  But that wasn’t a guess for long.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Is there anything else I can do to help?”  Shen Rae asked.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“This gel will keep his body in suspended animation,”  Faite explained to Lara.  She moved over to the blonde, where she stood over her.  “I’ve traded something in you.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Huh?”  Lara asked.  She indeed felt something was different, but she didn’t know what.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I’ve taken your healing power...for now.”  Faite explained.  “I need it to restore the damage to this body.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Body?”  Lara asked.  She didn’t like the phrasing of that.

    Faite nodded.  “Right now it’s just a body.  I’ve moved his spirit to another, you see, so he won’t disconnect and move to the next plane.”

    The blonde sat up again to look around the room for who Faite meant.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“You, silly,”  Faite explained.  “I transferred his spirit to you, Lara.  You will have to keep it, and yourself, safe for a few days.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“What...?  How...?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Spirits are just energy, you know.  Since your body can trap and store energy, his spirit will be trapped in you until I release it.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Oh.”  Lara pressed her hands together into a ball, and stared at them.  “So he’s just like...sleeping in me somewhere?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Right now, yes.”  Faite said.  “But he will wake up soon.  And I need you to quickly get to surroundings familiar to him, so you can keep him calm and explain what happened.  He’ll be able to see with your eyes, and if you let him, touch and move with your body.”

    Lara then guessed, “I should let him take control sometimes, so he doesn’t get too disconnected, and feel like he’s lost in a dream.”

    Faite nodded in agreement.  “Now go, you don’t have much time.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Just a few days?”  Lara asked.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Yes.”  the teen replied quickly.  “Myself and Shen Rae will guard and restore his body.  You do the same for his spirit.  Now go!”

    There was a sudden flash of light, and Lara disappeared.  She was headed to her own room at the Lair Mansion, to try and keep him as familiar as possible, but also not leave him wondering how he got home without remembering going there.


---


    Jay Boaz opened his eyes and looked up at the ceiling.  He felt paralyzed at first, but everyone had dreams like that sometimes.  After a few seconds, he felt like his body started to obey his commands again, so he sat up.  He felt hair draped over his face, so he brushed it aside.  It was very long.  His heart sped up for a second, as memory of recent events came back, and he wondered his how long he’d been out.

    Don’t panic, he heard a familar voice whisper in his mind.  He knew Lara’s voice anywhere, but a quick look around the room revealed nothing.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Are you energy?”  he asked, figuring she was playing a prank.  But his voice was wrong, it sounded like hers.

    Look in the mirror, the voice said, and try not to panic.  I promise I’ll explain.

    He rose quickly and walked over to the mirror.  He was definitely wearing a very feminine body with long blonde hair, and wearing pajamas.  It was Lara’s body, actually, and it responded to his movements.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“If I’m in your body,”  he asked in her voice, “Where are you?”

    I’m in here too, she replied.  I’m going to explain everything.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“What if you have to shower?”  Hatman wondered, still in her voice.

    Then deal with it, she responded.  I know I’m not the only woman you’ve seen naked.  We have to share this body for a few days.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I don’t want to steal your body away for days...that’s cruel,”  he said in her voice.  “And I don’t think I can get used to....you know...being you.”

    Think of it as getting to know me way better, Lara replied.

    Jay felt as if he was losing feeling in his limbs suddenly, and like he was being disconnected from sensing the world.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Because there’s no other way, Jay.”  Lara said with her own mouth and voice.  She had taken control of her body again.

    What do I do while you’re in control?  Jay asked within her mind.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Enjoy the ride, I guess.”  Lara shrugged.  “Look, I know it’s scary being trapped in there.  I’ll try as much as I can to let you interact.  The good news is I think you can feel what I feel.”

    I can.  He confirmed.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Let’s get that first shower over with,”  Lara told him as she headed into the bathroom.  “It won’t be such a shock to you after that.”

    Jay could see those clear very light grey eyes and a feminine face staring back at him in the mirror.  Can you cover up the mirror, maybe?

    Rather than answer, Lara quickly undressed, and then looked in the mirror again.  She could feel the shudder and shock that he felt, but she ignored it - even though it made her feel a little self-conscious, like he was in the room with her.  

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“We’re super-heroes,”  she said, swallowing hard, and convincing herself as much as him.  “We were bound to get into a situation where we see each other undressed sooner or later.  May as well get over it now.”

    You’re right, Jay replied as she left the mirror and turned on the shower.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Of course I am,”  she said.  “Now I’ll teach you how to shampoo and dry long hair.”  She closed her eyes, stepped into the stream of warm water, and sighed.  The warmth of it made her feel normal again for a moment.  But that was shattered by another thought from Jay.

    You’re um...really beautiful naked, by the way.  he said.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Thanks,”  she replied with a smile, feeling glad that he felt able to be so honest without fear.  “I think we’ll be okay.”


TO BE CONTINUED?


-- Story written and copyrighted (C) 2011 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