9/22/15

Spiritual Tuesday

I hesitated to write this one at first. I love the Book of Life movie but I didn't want to be insulting toward anyone who celebrates the Day of the Dead. I talked to my friend Abi, who is Mexican and celebrates, and she said she thought it was fine since these are fictional characters and not anyone in real life making a mockery of it. I also had her read it beforehand to be safe so I hope everyone enjoys it.

The Wager

Though Superman had never visited Mexico in his time, he had an idea of what it looked like and he probably wouldn't have recognized it from the 30th century Mexico now before him. It was as grand as New Metropolis with certain timelessness New Metropolis had lost over the centuries with flea markets and street vendors standing strong besides the towering stores. As well as colors and life among the people and aliens that called Mexico home that New Metropolis couldn't even imagine among the business centric, futuristic stoic atmosphere that had begun to develop even in Clark's time.

All around them there were candles instead of electric lights as all of Mexico prepared for Dio De Los Muertos, or as Superman knew it better as, the Day of the Dead. It felt bitter sweet that among the smiles, candied sugar skulls and joy all around them as people celebrated their departed loved ones that he was there to claim the body of his recently departed friend and former fellow Legionnaire Brainiac Five.

Only a few months had passed since Brainy had become human, or rather a completely organic Coluan, a different entity that further separated him from his cybernetic kin. Months since any of the Legion had seen or heard from him after he disappeared during Superman X's inauguration into the Legion before the clone returned to his own future.

The coroner that had called said Brainiac Five had been there researching the few remaining infectious diseases even though there were no current cases in Mexico it had one of the few remaining institutes with labs dedicated to eradicating them. The coroner had been concerned on what to do with "the body" as he didn't want to be the one to anger the Coluan home world by performing an autopsy on their only organic member. He had contacted the Legion to try to find a way to contact the mostly isolated planet.

It was Lightning Lad that spoke for most of the Legion when he said, "Screw Colu" and that they would be the ones to claim Brainy's remains.

Even with a space craft, the flight to Mexico had been unbearably long. It gave time for the silence to weigh upon them until it had to be broken.

Triplicate Girl was the first to wonder out loud on how Brainy had died. Timber Wolf was the one to suggest maybe it had been a lab accident. Lightning Lad tried to jest that Brainy probably just forgot that he had to stop working to eat but he wasn't able to look at anyone when he said it.

Superman couldn't theorize with them, or offer comfort or even speak at all. All he could do was listen to them and stare out the window during the flight, silently gaze around at the candles as they made their way to the hospital and listen again as the coroner spoke.

Though the coroner still had not done an autopsy, he had done blood work and other non-invasive tests and screenings. He informed them that Brainy had not been in any sort of accident, that he had not been infected by anything or poisoned. The scans showed no broken bones and all of Brainy's organs looked healthy; it was like he had just stopped living, looking like he had fallen asleep in the lab when the other lab techs had come in for work in the morning.

There was more the coroner had to say, electric paperwork to fill out so they could take Brainy home and make arrangements but Superman could not listen to anymore. He snuck away and found the morgue.

Brainy was still lying on the metal slab when Superman found him, covered by an old white sheet, which felt heavier than any building as he pulled it back. The Coluan was still fully dressed in the clothes he had been found in; the purple and black uniform he had left in and a white doctor's coat.

Physically the months did not seem to have done Brainy any harm until this point. He didn't look like he had lost or gained any weight and his clothes were all in good condition. His hair had gotten longer, looking much like the style Brainy had when Superman first met him, though Brainy had pulled it back in a loose ponytail, for work no doubt.

Without thinking, Superman pulled out the hair band, absently slipping it onto his wrist and tucked back some of Brainy's bangs before cupping his cheek. He had expected Brainy to wake up and admonish him for invading his personal space but Brainy didn't stir; Brainy's cheek held no warmth.

"Why did you leave me Brainy?" Superman asked, never thinking he's get an answer.

"From the looks of things his body couldn't handle the strain of being completely organic," a woman's voice made Superman jump and look towards the source.

The red haired woman with shining blue eyes seemed to have just materialized from the shadows in the corner of the room, wearing an old nurses uniform that Superman was sure hadn't been in use since the 1950's, complete with a little white hat embroiled with a red cross. She made herself at home though, hitting buttons and showing Superman the scans the coroner had made of Brainy's insides, looking normal from what Superman's mediocre medical knowledge could tell.

"Coluans haven't been completely organic outside of childhood for centuries," the woman continued. "They've evolved to be depended on their upgrades, even the relatively leisurely life of a researcher became too much for Querl's body to handle and he just shut down," she sighed, "Though he lasted longer here than he would have in the Legion; with that kind of strenuous activity he would have been lucky for have lasted a week."

This all made Superman have many questions but the only one he could ask was, "Querl?"

"Oh sorry," the woman smiled gently at him, with a sort of understanding that Superman felt came from something akin to knowing even more than she was letting on. "You knew him as Brainiac Five, or rather Brainy; such a sweet nickname. Querl Dox was his birth name."

Somehow that made Superman feel even worse; he hadn't even known what name Brainy had been born with until it came time to put it on a grave marker.

"It's too bad too," the woman continued, stepping closer and playing a bit with Brainy's hair as Superman was sure a real nurse would not have done. "If he had paid attention to his own body this could have been prevented; he could have lived a full life."

"That's not fair," Superman hadn't meant to snap at her but the words came out before he even fully thought them. He wanted to scream, demand why Brainy, who had so much taken from him hadn't been given something as simple as a chance.

"Life isn't fair boy," a man's voice came that made Superman switch his gaze to the other dark corner of the room.

This time the obvious disguise the man wore was that of a janitor, using a mop that Superman knew didn't even exist in this time anymore. He wondered if this man liked to change his appearance, why he didn't do anything about the fairly large and almost twisted nose springing out from his face.

"But that doesn't mean things can't be changed," the man said more to the woman than to Superman, smiling crookedly.

"What did you have in mind?" the woman asked, turning her attention to the man.

"A wager," the man announced. "I bet that this boy, even if taken to the Land of the Remembered would not be able to find his beloved before the end of this Day of the Dead, let alone convince him to return."

The woman turned and looked Superman over, Superman feeling her gaze as if something was gently sweeping over his body, trying to see how he worked, before she smiled and returned her attention to the man.

"I bet that he can," said the woman, "But what are the stakes?"

"Relatively simple ones for this one my love; if this boy can find and convince his beloved to return to the land of the living then his beloved shall live again. If he cannot then they shall both stay dead," said the man, "But the boy cannot tell his beloved that he will die if the beloved does not return; that would just be cheating."

"Yes and we certainly would not want cheating," smiled the woman as if it was an old joke between them. "But you know who this is; if he dies then the land of the living will be greatly altered; possibly destroyed."

"Do you really believe time in so inflexible my dear?" the man waved his hand dismissed the notion, "If he falls, another will rise to be the savior of his time."

The woman paused, only briefly, before she nodded, "It's a bet," and they shook hands on it.

Now the man turned to Superman again, "What do you boy? Are you willing to risk your life to bring back your beloved?"

Though Superman did not understand why this man kept referring to Brainy as his beloved but he could not help but think of the fear factory, when he thought he had failed Brainy before and caused him to die. When he held what he thought of was his friend's body and how, if he did nothing, how he would have to do the same again.

"I am willing to risk anything for Brainy to come back," Superman agreed, though he didn't know how these two could make such a thing possible or what to make of any of their conversation when they had spoken as if he wasn't there.

Superman blinked and there was no longer a fake nurse or a fake janitor before him. Now two figures towered over him; the man endowing darkness despite the glowing green candles on his shoulders, looking like he was made of tar with his black feathered wings, purple double headed serpent's staff and eyes like the candle's flames that peered at him with little red skulls instead of pupils. Beside the darkness was the glow of true candle light, soft and warm in the form of the woman that sparkled like sugar crystals, beautifully and brightly painted as she seemed to float instead of walk in her red gown and candled hat, adorned by flowers.

The woman came over to Superman like a gentle autumn's breeze and raised both of her hands to touch Superman's forehead. He could feel something form and be left behind as she grazed her fingers from the center of his forehead, up and outward before cascading down his temple and cheeks to his jaw line.

"These Sugar Skull markings shall allow you into the Land of the Remembered even though you are still alive," the woman explained, her smile not only gentle but encouraging now, "You only have until midnight to find Brainy and convince him to return; if you can do that you will both awaken here."

"And if you cannot, staying dead with your beloved is very Shakespearian isn't it?" the man tapped his fingers on the heads of his serpent staff.

"Why do you keep calling Brainy that?" Superman finally asked.

The man laughed, "So willing to die for him and yet not understanding why."

"You must go," said the woman before Superman could question the man further and suddenly shoved him, causing Superman to fall further than to the ground.

Before Superman opened his eyes again he could hear music, much like he heard on the way to the Coroner as they passed the Sugar Skull candy and candles along the street. When he opened his eyes he saw lights and balloons, confetti and floats all together in a party like he had never seen before. All around him people in skeleton costumes were eating, drinking, dancing, singing and celebrating with such joy that was almost unreal.

Only a moment passed though before Superman realized that even the animals were skeletons and none of the people were wearing costumes. Panicked, Superman tried to fly above them but only fell to the ground, the music around him never ceasing.

"Easy there newbie," a new man's voice admonished him and offered him a skeletal hand to help him to his feet. "Take your time to take it all in."

Superman almost wanted to refuse this hand but took it and stood, a bit shakily but at least he was on his feet again.

This skeletal man looked like he had been a soldier with a blue uniform shirt covered in metals. He had short brown hair, a mustache and instead of eyes he had an empty socket, one eye covered by a patch, but somehow the uncovered eye had a glowing yellow pupil gazed at him.

"You're still alive," the skeletal man did not release Superman's hand.

"I need to find my friend," Superman managed to pull his hand away. "I don't have much time before we're both stuck here."

"Sounds like La Muerte and Xibalba have another wager going," a skeletal woman joined them, long brown hair in a high ponytail with the same glowing yellow pupils. Her skull was painted similarly to the woman back in the morgue while the skeletal man only seemed to have carvings on his face.

"Who," Superman asked, "Do you mean the tarred man and the sugar woman?"

The skeletal man and woman before him laughed and Superman watched, fascinated, that their skulls moved like faced with expression and smiles.

"That would be them," the skeletal man confirmed.

Another skeletal man joined them, looking like a bull fighter but with a guitar on his back as he asked, "What was the wager?"

Superman explained it to them and the skeletal trio introduced themselves. The solider was Joaquín, the woman was Maria and the musical bull fighter was Manolo. They volunteered to help Superman find Brainy and with a declaration of, "never give, never surrender" they were off helping him explore this vast after life.

None of Superman's powers worked in this world. He didn't know if it was due to the magic that brought him here or if his abilities would have been considered cheating in the wagering deities' wager.

Hours passed and there was no sign of Brainy. Many new people had arrived that day and scattered all around, making finding each one all the more time consuming.

"We're running out of time," Maria lamented. "We need more help."

"Let's ask my family; it will at least help us search more ground quicker," Manolo suggested, leading the group towards a line of floats.

On the floats were more bull piñatas and dancing and many members of Manolo's family, many of them also bull fighters. Among the dancers were twin soldier sisters, seeming to be sharing the same dance partner, making him go back and forth between them as they seemed to be teaching him the moves.

Even without flesh Superman instantly recognized Brainy.

For some reason Superman had thought Brainy's bones would be green but his skeleton was white like any humans but instead of carvings he had green swirls painted on his face with yellow flowers, one of which sat on his forehead where the bottom circle of his Brainiac emblem used to be. That yellow flower was rounder than the others with black dots inside, reminding Superman a bit of the Legionnaire crest. The white lab coat Brainy's body had been wearing was gone, leaving only his Legion uniform, and his hair was down as he attempted to dance with the sisters.

"Brainy," Superman rushed towards him.

Brainy looked up, visibly startled even with his glowing yellow pupils. He stepped back from the twins and toward Superman in a perplexed fashion, "Superman?"

Once close enough Superman took hold of Brainy's hands, "Brainy you have to come back with me!"

"Go back?" Brainy questioned, "I can't; I'm dead."

It was said so acceptingly that Superman had to restrain himself from yelling at him, "You don't have to be! You can come back with me like, like Orpheus went back to the underworld to bring back his wife; I came here for you!"

"That didn't end well Clark," Brainy said in a way that sounded fond.

"There's no stipulation like Orpheus though," Superman tried to explain. "I can look at you all I want; all you have to do is agree to come back."

Brainy was silent, looking at Superman before moving to slip his hands away, "There's no reason for me to go back Clark."

"Of course there is," Superman held onto Brainy's hands. "The Legion-"

"Is better off with me gone," Brainy cut in. "My home world wants nothing to do with me and much of the United Planets hate me for what I tried to do."

"What Brainiac tried to do; none of it was you," Superman protested.

"I still allowed him to do it," Brainy argued. "I thought I could redeem myself but there's nothing I could ever do to make up for even a fraction of it."

This time Brainy did slip away and turned his gaze to the world around him, "And I don't think I would be lucky enough to get into this kind of afterlife a second time."

"But what about your life," Superman asked, wanting to take hold of Brainy's hands again. He wanted Brainy closer, not further away.

"I already said there's nothing for me to return to," Brainy reminded him.

Superman remembered Xibalba referring to Brainy as his beloved and took Brainy's hands again, this time pulling him closer, "What about me?"

Before Brainy could question him, Superman leaned in and kissed him softly, the bone feeling odd against his lips but he couldn't find it in himself to care. He wanted to do that, at least once, while he still had lips to kiss with.

Brainy stared at Superman a moment before protesting, "That's not fair" in a tone Superman had never heard from him before, "I don't have lips right now!"

Despite himself, Superman laughed and pulled Brainy closer, embracing him closely, "If you come back, you'll have lips."

"Well, that would certainly be fairer," Brainy reasoned, leaning against Superman a bit before the music faded away.

Superman woke up back at the morgue, holding Brainy's cold hand. He sat up and squeezed the hand but got no response.

Had it all been a dream?

Brainy gasped and bolted up right on the slab, warmth rushing into his body and life pulsing under Superman's fingers.

"You're alive," Superman said slowly, standing and stepping closer to him.

"I am," Brainy panted before frowning, "How are we going to explain this?"

"Who cares?" Superman grinned and took no time wasting, not taking advantage of the return of Brainy's lips.