Patreon or PayPal Me keeps this site and its author alive. Thank you. |
Stories from the Verse
Con Version
Chapter 176: Brown 347
Table of Contents
Previous chapter: Cooper 56
After sharing stories over dinner late into the evening, Derek and Vashti went to bed and slept late in the morning. Their hosts were gone, but a note in the kitchen said to make themselves at home and help themselves to food, so Derek scrambled up some eggs with a bit of cheese for the two of them, and then gathered all their laundry and headed for the basement to teach Vashti how to use the washer and dryer. These were a bit of a challenge, as Derek had grown up with laundry machines that were computer-aided, and these, being either older or newer than anything he had previously used, required setting everything by hand, but he worked it out. They were washing everything, beginning with their bedding, so they were working most of the afternoon.
They talked about some of the adventures Brian and Tommy had shared with them, then she turned toward him with a raised eyebrow. He responded, “Less experienced, but well grounded, smart, capable. That fact that the girl was an ally of Lauren speaks well for her. Plus, I like them. They are both very hospitable, although I think we should not over-impose on their kindness.”
“A guest is like a fish,” Vashti said, folding some clothes.
“What?”
“Oh, um, it means that like a fish a guest starts to stink after three days.”
Derek nodded. It seemed a good goal to him. Get their footing, find a job and another place to live, and by the morning of the fourth day be gone before they annoyed their generous hosts.
Then Derek said, “Apparently our hosts think I should be a superhero.”
“They used that word a lot,” Vashti replied. “What is it?”
“A superhero?” Derek hesitated, considering. “That’s someone who has special abilities or powers who goes around fighting crimes or evil stuff simply because it’s the right thing to do.”
Vashti laughed.
“What?”
“Well, that sounds like you. In fact, you could be three superheroes.”
“How do you figure?”
“Just as you are you’re a Throne World Champion. You are also the Sprite who saved the Sprites, and you could easily be the Avenging Angel.”
“You didn’t mention Ferris.”
“Oh!--well, I don’t really know him. He doesn’t do much.
It occurred to him that it was Ferris who got the Calipha out of the tower, but in general she was right.
“You don’t really know Michael, either; I’m not sure I do. But I see your point. The question, though, isn’t whether I could be a superhero in this world, but whether I should be; is that why the King brought us here? And if so, what are you? Are you a sidekick, or a dependent character?”
“Excuse me?”
“Of course. In superhero comics, a sidekick is a weaker hero who fights alongside the main one. A dependent is an ordinary person who matters to the hero, whom the villain can threaten to coerce the hero, and the hero has to rescue.”
Vashti frowned. “Those can’t be the only options,” she suggested, and Derek thought again.
“Oh--well, there are supporting characters, people who do things for the hero that he can’t do himself.”
“I could be that. I just have to think of something you can’t do.”
“Play the ney?” he suggested.
And they both laughed as she added, “Stitch and sew.”
There is a behind-the-writings look at the thoughts, influences, and ideas of this chapter, along with eleven other sequential chapters of this novel, in mark Joseph "young" web log entry #519: Versers Congregate. Given a moment, this link should take you directly to the section relevant to this chapter. It may contain spoilers of upcoming chapters.
As to the old stories that have long been here:
