The Sereni-Tree and the Shopping Trip
POSTED BY: TheRealMe
UPDATED: Thursday, April 13, 2006 08:44
VIEWED: 24197
PAGE 9 of 19
Needy sat upright on his bed in the room Seryn had set aside for him.
It was a modestly sized room, but he didn’t feel comfortable in there. He felt as if he was stealing – settling in a room he knew wasn’t really his. As a result, he would only lie on the bed, he didn’t feel right in getting into it.
Odd really, since his profession revolves around him getting into other people’s beds.
Actually that wasn’t accurate. Although he had on occasion travelled to see a client specially and spent his time in another person’s bed. He didn’t sleep in it. He only slept in his own – the one at the companion house, where he also had most of his client’s visit him.
As he sat on the bed, with his back to the wall, he read through the pages he had printed off – the records of “his” previous visit to the Sereni-Tree
The records contained not just written files but also photos and video. He studied the photos that showed “him” and Serenity hugging each other upon “his” arrival, and he watched footage that seemed to show “him” sitting by himself, talking to himself.
It was all very bizarre, and offered no real answers other than the crew had been right, Needy had visited, but whether it had been him or not was not clear. He certainly didn’t remember ever wearing a dress… at least not that one.
Then Needy recognised something.
The date of these records, when he was supposed to have visited, conflicted with his birthday.
He knew exactly where he was when these events were supposed to have taken place. And he knew who he was with. He would never forget that day.
These records were a lie. Or at least, the Needy that was pictured was a fraudster.
Serenity had told him that the “Needy” that visited her was slightly odder than usual – and she came to believe that it wasn’t the man she knew.
He now believed her.
He had begun to question his sanity, and it hadn’t helped when he saw the footage of this character talking to himself, but now he knew the truth, or at least a portion of it.
I’ve never been here before… but somebody would like people to believe that I have.
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Needy. Male Companion:
First Boy Whore of Destiny
Incredibly Confused Companion of SereniTree
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www.myspace.com/needsalt
http://needsalt.livejournal.com/ (yeah I jumped on the bandwagon)
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Who was this man that had visited?
An impostor that intended to frame me for something?
Or could it have been something more innocent? Another me – a twin?
No, I’m an only child… but then again, Luke Skywalker thought the same thing.
A clone?
Certainly many have gotten close enough to seize the opportunity to grab a sample of… whatever bodily fluid they need.
But why clone me?
I offer my services freely!
Well, not freely, but... wait, am I too expensive?
Did someone clone me so that they could get their hands on their own version of the Needster?
No, that’s ridiculous… there’s much better specimens out there to clone, why copy me?
That leaves…
Oh no! Evil dopplegangers.
But I didn’t notice a twirling moustache, or even an evil goatee.
Maybe he shaved.
The swine!
This is insane.
What am I talking about?
It's impossible…
But here I am looking at evidence that it’s true.
Hell, I should know over the past couple of days that the impossible can happen, and it has.
Maybe I'm losing my mind.
Maybe I’m dead already and this is all one big dream.
None of it makes sense and I… I still haven’t come to terms with... *whatever* has happened to me.
Am I a mutant, a ghost?
How can I explain it?
I can't.
I’ve been shot countless times but here I am without so much as a scratch.
I caught my leg earlier on a jutting table, scraped it up good – within minutes it had healed over.
That device used on me at Boros might have caused some residual side-effects – maybe that’s the reason for the new me.
I just hope it didn’t change my body too much, I hope I’m still… well, potent.
Needy buried his head in his hands, trying to at once both make sense of these things and forget about the reality of them.
He tosses the papers from his hands, sending them into the air until they fall down again, some on the floor, some on the bed beside him
One catches his eye.
It’s the “Guide to the Sereni-Tree” that got printed due to his name mentioned in the crew list.
He had skipped it by before, ignoring its relevance.
But now in his moment of despair he gazes at it and smiles.
The guide has not brought relief, but escapism.
There in front of him lies a detailed description of the ship and it’s features.
It amazes and amuses him.
He reads about how the Sereni-Tree “folds space-time in higher dimensions” which accounts for the reason why there are so many on board and why it is a lot bigger than it seemed when Safe’s ship approached it.
He reads on.
Chocolate Jacuzzi’s, Piffleponies, the list goes on.
It sounds ludicrous and exciting all at the same time.
Suddenly, the weight of a thousand mysteries is lifted from his mind, as he wonders about the full scope of the ship.
“Forget that” he says, jumping off the bed to his feet. “I’m checking this place out for myself”
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Needy. Male Companion:
First Boy Whore of Destiny
Incredibly Confused Companion of SereniTree
-----
www.myspace.com/needsalt
http://needsalt.livejournal.com/ (yeah I jumped on the bandwagon)
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WSYB walks back over with that trademark smile and a very sexy physique
Engines I can do no problems give me a spanner and a direction and im there.
Doctorin,after a few unfortunate incident with the business end of various weapons i can handle anything that you can throw.
Pirating, well i've never really been a big fan o the law and so i could quite easily do robbin and thevin and possible burglarin.
As for the boy whoarin, well, i dont want to blow my own trumpet but im really good at that!
And sorry overhearin things i aint supposed to is a really bad habit o mine. So? Do i get the job?
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"Hey look at these!" Citizen shouted opening one of the crates. He heaved out an auto-targeting "SMART" rifle. "Locks on to IR signictures and aims automatically!" He said with glee. "Hey, you guys, don't you think these are cool?" He finished expectantly.
More insane ramblings by the people who brought you beeeer milkshakes!
No beast so fierce but knows some touch of pity. But I know none, and therefore am no beast.
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"Oh, no more! I was kind of kidding. You're in, I never really had a say in the matter no how. If the rest of the crew can stomach ya, then welcome aboard. Kelly could always do with a hand on high days, and you heard all the other stuff SR said."
Looks back at the box agan, and mumbles a thank you at SR, then clicks her fingers in a gesture for the store clerk with the cart to follow her.
"I have to get back to the shuttle, I'm expecting a delivery of bed linens to replace the ones the rabbits savaged, and a lifetimes supply of vitamins and supplements,which I have to sign for. Plus supplies for the infirmary which I figured we needed.
And if you're wondering where the money is coming from, i'm signing it all to my mother-in-laws account, so if you want anythin' just let me know."
*grins*
*rolls eyes at SR disapproving look*
Back on the shuttle, she picks up the communit and dials the hangar on Garrison.
"Jadehand? Jade? You there? Hello?"
**********************************************************
Hodgins: Your robot reminds me of you. You tell it to turn it stops. You tell it to stop it turns. You ask it to take out the garbage it watches reruns of Firefly.
FozzieWash, You know what I always say: sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug!
KermieMal, I never Know what the heck you're talking about.
FozzieWash, Hey, look! They're sending us free lumber!
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You've...been expecting me? Why?
Other PR: I'm you future self...I've done everything you've done. I've been in the situation that you're in right now. With a future version of me telling me that he's been in the exact same situation that I was in then...or...now I suppose.
*PR blinks as he stares at future PR and takes in what he's saying.*
*Blink.*
Now I know why I confuse other people so much.
Future PR: It's okay, you'll understand. Here, sit.
*PR sits down opposite future PR.*
Thanks.
Other PR: You see...a while back...I learned that I needed to travel to a certain time in the past. To a place...the SereniTREE.
PsychicRiver
"Two by two, hands of blue." 
"We'll take care of each other. I'll knit!"
"I swallowed a bug."
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Uh oh. *senses time travel paradoxes ahead*
I can tell just finding the right tenses to use is going to give me a headache.
*activates scanning device to detect problems in the space/time wotjamacallit*
I'm detecting multiple fluctuations; some minor discrepancies like people meeting their future selves, information being given about yet to happen events, nothing that would cause a prob...
My gosh.
I've just picked up something... this can't be right... two women in a shoe shop for less than twenty minutes... and they actually bought not one but several pairs of shoes? Without planning to return them later? This breaks every law of time known to man! I fear something terrible is going to happen.
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Quote:
Originally posted by Bride2:
“Oh. A plan? See, I’m not that good with plans. I mostly let my Sensei figure that part out, then I help him kill things.” Deuce thinks. “Well, Quincy has always liked snazzy places. Classy guys. Rich ones. When we visited Rukus, she spent all her time with the Simonclones. Wouldn’t touch a Jayneclone. Uh, well she did touch one that once. I mean, all us Brides tried to compare…”
Deuce’s face reddens.
“Well, anyway, then at the Black Diamond resort, when she got all dressed up like that she stuck to doctor and lawyer types. So, I guess we should start looking in the bedrooms of rich and powerful guys. Or in five star hotel rooms.”
Deuce gets a concerned look.
“Probably a lot of those. I bet it’d be easier to track down a cyborg walking around town.”
Deuce pulls a chainmail vest over the t-shirt she is wearing, then the top of her gray sweats over that. She grabs her pair of sheathed katanas in her left hand.
“I’m ready!”
Deuce starts walking to the hanger exit.
Bride2
Following Duece out of the Hanger. He suddenly has an idea. Turning to Shadow he simple states "Think you can find her buddy?" and Shadow bounds off, jumping his way to the rooftops
Seeing Dueces raised eyebrow, N0Skillz quickly explains "He's a predator, I think he can track something as easy as us Humans. Now lets find that Cyborg."
-------------------------------
RAF Lakenheath
Security Deputy of the Sereni-Tree
"I can't feel my Danger Zone" Jayne Muppet!
http://walkerboh.deviantart.com/
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*twg watches SW fiddle with his wotjamacallit. He didn’t get a drop of chocolate sauce on it...impressive. She dives under the surface and gulps down some of the chocolate goo. She bounces to the surface*
Whoa...I think...*she takes a mouthful again...and another...then she just keeps slurping it down. Simon is watching her. She smiles at him.* I think someone made some changes to the chococuzzi. There’s vodka in here.
*she takes a few more swallows, working up her nerve to accost him in front of Ath, Kelly, and MG, then paddles over to Simon. She reaches forward to brush his hair back from his face, leaving a small trail of vodka flavoured chocolate.*
Ooops. Silly me. *she leans in and slowly licks the chocolate from his forehead and cheek*
Splashy splashy?
www.thatweirdgirl.com
---
"...turn right at the corner then skip two blocks...no, SKIP, the hopping-like thing kids do...Why? Why not?"
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I am giving you a choice. Kill yourself or someone you love.
*lmd's head snaps forward.
No! Not mai!
*SR gives lmd a questioning look
Oh, sorry...must have fallen asleep waiting for our beloved indulgent shopper types...I thought you'd said something.
*elemdee looks down sheepishly
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http://www.xffx.net/blog <-inching towards daylight
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