Adventures In Parodyverse: Time And Honor Part 1

Note: This story was written nearly a week ago, and may be obsolete now. In fact, I almost didn't want to post it at all. I knew that the content would be controversial as far as the characters go, but I'm posting it anyway in the hopes that the lynch mob will be kind. I'm not sure the story will be continued beyond part 1, but the reaction to it will help make the final decision.

Adventures In Parodyverse - Time And Honor Part 1

    It was pouring rain outside the Lair Mansion, and a fireplace was going in the quarters of Jay Boaz, known to many as Hatman. It was the middle of summer - the fire was a courtesy toward a visitor who had been caught outside when the downpour began. She sat close by next to him, wearing a towel around her neck and calmly sipping cocoa.

    "I guess I should have known what I was getting into," he told his visitor, a small Asian woman with dark hair. He felt friendly toward her in spite of her dangerous and deadly reputation because upon his first meeting with her he found her to be intelligent and sweet.

    "Nobody ever truly does," she replied softly. She came at his urging because he needed someone to talk to. Someone outside his usual circle of friends and who had just the right experience to be able to perfectly understand his predicament.

    He looked up at Keiko Takashi, now a police detective in faraway Garden City. So far away, in fact, that it was across a dimension or two, and Jay had to enlist the help of Liu Xi Xian to arrange such a visit. "Chiaki is so complicated," Jay complained. "I thought women in general were complicated but--" He stopped himself and quickly apologized. "I'm sorry."

    "No, I understand," Keiko whispered calmly, her mood not changing in the slightest. "I freely admit to being complicated."

    That made Jay laugh, which was good. He had been a nervous wreck since long before Keiko's arrival. "I...wish I could help her, but I'm afraid to even ask. I don't want to--"

    "You're afraid to hurt her pride." Keiko nodded. "Don't worry. Us proud warriors? We may be fiercely independent, but it's still nice to have offers."

    "I like the independence, though," he admitted. "And I like being special to someone so independent. Seeing the soft side to someone who could probably scare the Manga Shoggoth if she tried. And without super powers."

    "Are you still talking about Chiaki?" Keiko joked.

    "Yes." He smiled again. "See, this is why I invited you to talk to me. You don't bother trying to reassure me, you're just...relaxing and funny."

    "Dream can do that too," she pointed out.

    "Yeah, but he would harass me nonstop if he found out." Jay shuddered. "He would bring April here and start giving me tips."

    Keiko looked at Jay over the top of her cup of cocoa as she took another sip. "From what you told me so far I doubt you need any tips." She smirked at him.

    Jay shuddered again, but then smiled. He wasn't quite used to Keiko's almost brutal level of honesty yet. It was a bit like talking to CSFB! only with more gentle language. "Just...don't tell anyone yet, okay? I don't--"

    "Your friends embarass you." Keiko finished. "I know. I met them." She sat back and added, "Was it worth it?"

    "What do you mean?" Jay asked.

    She smiled. "I don't see you as someone who enjoys keeping anything at all from your friends. Either Chiaki or the sex must have been worth it."

    This time Jay didn't laugh, but his face turned red quickly. He hesitated to reply at first, but her dark eyes continued to fix on him, probing for an answer. "A little of both, I guess," he replied. He gave her a look as if to ask 'how did you know?'

    "When your best friend cheats a lot you begin to spot the signs unconciously," she explained, asking his question before it was asked. She calmly took another sip of coffee, not the least disturbed by the conversation.

    "Oh," was all Jay could think to reply.

    "This isn't awkward for you is it?" Keiko asked.

    "A little," he replied. "I'm not used to discussing these things with someone who's...well...kind of attractive."

    She smiled slightly at that. "Thank you," she replied, staring directly at Jay as she spoke. "And don't worry, it gets easier with time."

    Jay looked confused for a moment, but a slight smile appeared when he noticed her eyes still fixed on him, and he realized he was being complimented too. "I am glad you came here to talk to me," he repeated.

    Keiko took another sip of cocoa and placed the now empty cup on the table next to her. "I'm glad too. This place is almost a vacation spot for me."

    "Even though you got soaked in the rain?" Jay asked. "How did that happen, anyway, since Liu Xi brought you here?"

    She shrugged. "It looked like a nice, refreshing rain shower," she said. "I went outside to enjoy it it."

    "I would never have figured you for someone who frolicks in the rain." Jay joked.

    Keiko smiled. "I never would have figured you for someone who fancies samurai warriors."

    "Point taken." Jay smiled.

    Now that she felt warmer, Keiko sat up and removed the towel she had across her shoulders. "Thank you for helping me dry off," she said. "So tell me...how did you two end up sleeping together?"

    "It's a complicated," Jay began.

---

    Jay froze as he entered the kitchen at the Lair Mansion and turned on the light. He couldn't sleep, and decided to investigate who else was awake because of a faint light coming from the kitchen doorway. Usually it was Dreamcatcher Foxglove, who never seemed to sleep, or Liu Xi Xian, who kept the hours of an average vampire. He never expected to see...her.

    Chiaki Bushido, the Psychic Samurai, wearing a white robe and barefoot, her medium length black hair cascading over the collar. Her eyes searched the refrigerator out of boredom, trying to find something to snack on. And she seemed to be aware of Jay's presence as he entered. "Good evening, Jay." she whispered in a gentle voice.

    And as she closed the refrigerator and faced him in the newly bright light, he saw her smile. She had been his guest at the Lair Mansion before, but usually only during the day, and she always seemed powerful and confident. They infrequently hung around together to talk. He enjoyed talking to her because she was always calm and relaxed, and it made him feel calm as well. Like visiting a waterfall and listening to the sounds.

    Tonight, there was something in her eyes...a vulnerability, an uncertainty. She was a little afraid.

    "Would you like something?" Chiaki asked softly. It was easy to tell that she was trying to keep talking, to distract herself from whatever kept her awake.

    "No, I'm fine," Jay asked. But then he saw his opening to find out more about what was wrong. "How about you? It looks like something's weighing on your mind."

    A frown flashed across her face for just a moment, and her eyes saddened. "I...have a rather difficult day tomorrow," she whispered.

    "This looks like more than 'difficult' to me," he prodded.

    "I don't want to worry you." she took a bottle of water and quickly closed the refrigerator, and then began retreating toward the hallway.

    "Chiaki, wait," Jay urged. "Talk to me, please."

    Chiaki sighed deeply and bit her lip. "I...shouldn't have spent so much time with you. It's not fair to you...for you to care for me so much." She tried to leave again.

    Jay quickly held her arm to stop her, and she turned around. He could see her sadden further as it was becoming apparent that he was starting to worry now. "You're beginning to scare me, Chiaki. You're not usually so...distant."

    "I don't want you to worry," she repeated. "This is the last time you may see me. And I want you to have only happy memories of me."


---

    "...and so we created one," Jay told Keiko. He was pacing around the room anxiously, while Keiko sat on the floor in front of the fireplace trying to dry the remaining moisture from her hair. "Well, not right there," he added, "First I told her it was too late, that I couldn't enjoy happy memories knowing she would just disappear."

    Keiko turned around abruptly and looked at Jay. "Chiaki told you she loved you," she guessed.

    Jay gave her a knowing smile. "And I told her that I cared a lot for her too...but I wasn't in love with her."

    The Asian assassin looked confused. "And how exactly did that work as a pick-up line?"

    He laughed. "No, no...you see, I wasn't in love with her. I just wanted to be honest. But I did...want her."

    "Ohhh." Keiko leaned on one arm as she watched Jay pace some more. "So how did it turn into...?" She purposely left out the rest of the sentence.

    "It was a very emotional moment," he told her. "To be honest I don't even remember what was said after that. The only thing I remember is feeling the raw emotion of it, and realizing...maybe I liked her more than I was willing to admit to myself."

    She sat up again and stared at him. "It wasn't a one-night stand, though. I know you better than that."

    Jay sighed deeply as he sat down. "It would have been. But once we were in bed together...after we'd...you know. We talked some more. About the past...about old enemies that were supposed to be long gone."

---


    "He worked for the lynchpin," Chiaki told Jay as she lay naked beside him beneath the covers in his bed. She seemed calmer now, more content, and spoke almost hypnotically. "He calls himself Bunker Buster." She nearly giggled and added, "Stupid name, but impressive arsenal."

    "Arsenal?" Jay asked.

    Chiaki nodded. "I defeated him once. He was sent to give Akiko a 'message'. I left a 'message' of my own. He likely still carries the scar after two years in prison. He's out now...and I hear the Lynchpin will fully fund and back his quest for revenge."

    "Which means he's still stupid but has more money?" Jay asked hopefully.

    She laughed. "You're funny, Jay. I like that. No, it means this time he can afford much larger explosives and exotic weapons. I barely survived last time against a machine gun and a rocket launcher."

    "But you're resourceful." Jay ran his fingers through her hair gently. "And very pretty."

    She giggled again. "I am. But my skill may not be enough this time. I'm but a fragile human being."

    "I could help you," he offered.

    Chiaki turned to look at him and sighed. "I can't ask you to," she said. "I am the only one bound by honor to face him again. You have other obligations, Jay...but you've given me reason to succeed tonight." She smiled brightly. "I look forward to another meeting like this."

    And with that she kissed him again, and not another word was spoken for the remainder of the night.

---

    "So you decided to stay out of it?" Keiko asked.

    Jay stared at Keiko, and there was fire in his eyes. "I didn't want to," he replied, "But I didn't have a choice."

    When Jay awoke the next morning, he started out in a good mood...until he remembered last night, and then looked next to him to realize that Chiaki had gone. She left a note pinned to the door telling him that she had a meeting with destiny, and to hope for the best.

    He paced the room frantically while quickly dressing, trying to think, sifting through his mind to try and see if she left some kind of clue he missed as to where she was going. He glanced out in the hall, hoping the Lair Legion would be racing to a new call of a fight in progress.

    But there was nothing.

    Jay raced toward the control center, hoping that Hallie might have heard something on the police bands, but hope was starting to diminish. When he entered the control center, everything seemed so silent and boring...it made his heart sink.

    "What's wrong?" Hallie suddenly materialized in the room, noting his saddened look.

    "Chiaki...I mean, the Psychic Samurai...I think she might be in trouble. But I don't know where to start looking for her."

    "I do." Liu Xi Xian stood behind Jay, eating a sandwich.

    "Where?" Jay asked. He put his hands on Liu Xi's shoulders and looked right at her. He noticed her try to squirm away, and removed his hands as he remembered that she didn't like to be touched. "I'm sorry," he quickly apologized.

    "It's okay." Liu Xi smiled. "You're upset." She swallowed a bite of the sandwich and continued. "Go to the Bean and Donut. Ask Sarah to take the next delivery order and go with her. You will run into Chiaki."

    "How will that work?" Jay asked.

    Liu Xi narrowed her eyes and looked at him sideways. "Do you trust me?"

    He nodded once.

    "Then go. I can't explain it to you, but it will work," She told him. "Go!" she repeated more urgently, "Before you are too late!"

    Jay obeyed the urgency in her voice and zipped out the door of the Lair Mansion.

    When Liu Xi turned around, Visionary stood behind her, looking confused. "Who told you that...?" He stopped himself when he realized he shouldn't say any more in case it was just a coincidence.

    "Sarah always seems to get into the middle of trouble everywhere she goes," Liu Xi explained. "If Chiaki is in trouble I'm sure Sarah will run into it."

    "Oh." Visionary sounded relieved. He thought for a moment, and then asked, "You're not keeping secrets from me are you?"

    "No more than you are from me." Liu Xi smiled cryptically as she finished her sandwich and left the room.

---

    Bunker Buster missed the Psychic Samurai with every bullet from his 9 mm pistol. She definately lived up to her name and reputation. He growled, mentally blamed the misses on the heavy rain obscuring visibility, and ripped a hand grenade from one of the buttons on his jacket and threw it at her, hard...

    ...and watched her move an instant before he threw it, not just deftly stepping out of range of the explosion and resulting shrapnel, but having enough time to cover her ears to protect against the sound. She narrowed her eyes angrily and drew her sword completely from its sheath. The legend of the Samurai - once a sword is completely drawn, someone will die.

    He tapped the electric shield on his belt just in time. The Psychic Samurai was already right on top of him, slamming the blade of the sword down on top of where his head would have been split wide open if not for the shield. The shield arced dangerously against the blade of the sword, threatening to collapse. He took advantage of it by elbowing the Psychic Samurai and knocking her to the ground.

    She stood again quickly and held her sword at the ready, standing her ground and playing defensively this time.

    "I knew you wouldn't try that twice," Bunker Buster said with a wide grin. He took a remote control off of his belt and pressed the button on it. Nothing happened...at first. But then there was an unmistakable buzzing overhead. A fleet of four miniature bombers were closing in fast.

    Chiaki quickly sheathed her sword and turned to retreat, but there was no way she would be able to outrun the tiny bombers. She could hear Bunker Buster laughing...but that didn't hurt as much as Jay's voice echoing in her head from last night, offering her help. She wished that she'd told him 'yes', that she'd set aside all of her proud values and begged if necessary.

    As she heard the planes directly above her drop their payload, she stopped, turned around, and looked skyward. She closed her eyes and drew her sword with one smooth motion...bombs or not, she could at least seem to go fighting. "I'm sorry, Jay," she whispered to herself. "I'll miss you."

    "I missed you too," a voice replied. She could swear it was Jay...

    ...and when she opened her eyes, Hatman rocketed past her wearing a Rockets cap and sharply turned upward, smashing through the small bombs as they dropped with a large baseball bat that had a nail in it.

    "Why can't you mind your own business?" Bunker Buster fumed.

    He was completely unprepared when the Psychic Samurai flipped her sword over and hit him hard enough with the dull edge to knock him off his feet. And he was so dizzy from the impact that he fell again as soon as he tried to stand.

    But then he found himself pulled to his feet by Hatman, now made completely out of steel. He wore a cap that said 'Steelers' on it.

    "I hate cheaters," Hatman said. He stared at Bunker Buster for a moment, leaving uncertainty of whether he was going to hurt him...but then simply shoved him lightly and let Bunker Buster's own dizziness collapse him to the ground again.

    Chiaki stood, bewildered but grateful, in the midst of the raining bits of the planes and bombs formerly overhead. Her sword dangled from her right arm at her side. "I owe you a debt," she spoke softly.

    "No, you don't," he told her. "But I do owe someone a debt."

---

    "Who did you owe the debt to?" Keiko asked.

    "Liu Xi," he replied. "For so many reasons."

    Keiko raised an eyebrow and stared at Jay, urging him to continue.

    "Well, most obviously she helped me find Chiaki," he replied. He paused for a moment and smiled. "But...there was this amused tone to her voice when she told me how to find her. Like she knew something...something I didn't really know myself yet."

    "Which is?"

    "I...think I might be falling for her," Jay said, with an distant, almost childlike optimism. "I mean...why else would I lose it so easily because she was missing and in danger? I've rescued people in worse situations before."

    "So now we get to the heart of things." Keiko smiled. "Did you tell her as much?"

    He nodded once. "She told me I must be crazy to like her." He laughed.

    "And how did you pay the debt to Liu Xi?" she asked.

    "I haven't yet," he replied. "But I'm working on it. I think I'm going to train her for a pilot's license so she can fly the lairjet. She'll have fun with that."

    "I bet. And she won't crash it either since solid ground doesn't mean as much to her."

    "Yeah," Jay laughed. "I didn't even think of that." He sighed deeply and looked at Keiko. "But what's really strange about all this is...why I like Chiaki so much. Strong, self sufficient, yet sometimes she sets all of that aside and lets someone close to her. And I can't help but feel special because of that."

    "That's very sweet." Keiko stretched out and then stood. "I suppose I should be going. I'm sure she'll be back soon."

    "You don't have to run from her," he joked. "She knows we're friends."

    Keiko gave him a sly smile. "I know. But from what you've told me so far I'll become something of a silent wallflower once she arrives. Where did she go, anyway? Nothing dangerous, I hope."

    "She went for a walk with Sir Mumphrey," Jay told her. "To discuss philosophy." He smiled proudly. "Chiaki's thoughts can be very deep."

    "Sounds interesting. Perhaps I will meet her."

TO BE CONTINUED

-- Story written and copyrighted (C) 2005 by Jason Froikin, and may not be
-- reprinted without permission.
-- Keiko Takashi (C) 2005 by Jason Froikin, all rights reserved
-- All other characters property of their respective owners

Post By Anime Jason is unsure about this one Sat Sep 03, 2005 at 07:23:34 pm EDT	Subject Adventures In Parodyverse: Time And Honor Part 1

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