D.D. Diary #1 : Frenching the Beast

Part 10

March 27. Noon. Water Park Picnic Grounds

I found Roscoe where I’d been told to look. He wore an orange garish

March 27. Noon. Water Park Picnic Grounds

I found Roscoe where I’d been told to look. He wore an orange garish hawaiian shirt open over a white undershirt and navy bermuda shorts with green and flourescent yellow outlines of little palm trees. “Liyah, my dear, you do look lovely today. Why aren’t you playing with your little friends?”

I smiled and knew pointing out that I wasn’t six wouldn’t change anything, so I just continued as if he’d asked me a reasonable question. “I had some questions for you.”

“You know you are given the sideTick for a reason.” He replied looking at me like he was measuring me up.

I decided to tease him. “Oh, do you not know? That must be so embarrassing.”

“Of course I know child. Whatever you might ask, I guarantee I know. Would it be smarter for you to get your information from someone who is basically your serf. All but owned by your family line and personally sworn to you. Or someone who is famous as only being interested in himself and his own games of chicanery.”

“Is that like mexican?” I interrupted.

“What dear?” He asked.

“Chicanery, Chicano. Is it like mexican?” I elaborated.

He laughed for a moment. “I’ve actually had a tour guide in Old Town San Diego tell me it was. Some nonsense about the Alamo and hispanics being kicked out and the chicanos were the ones who practiced chicanery by sneaking back in. No Chicano came from Mexicano, which was shortened to jicano. So a boy or young man was a chico jicano which was shortened to Chicano. Chicanery comes from the french word chicanerie or trickery and dates back at least to the 1700’s.”

“Okay,” I said. “I don’t understand the point.”

“In simple words. You have a sworn servant. I am the equivalent of an uncle by marriage. The adult version of an equal rank in the hierarchy who has no blood connection to you. I am fond of you,” He looked me in the eye so I knew he was being serious.  “And I choose to admit that fondness carries less loyalty than I feel to my own amusement. I am equally likely to lie as tell the truth. I will do what I think is best for you unless it interferes with my own plans or I think it’s funny to mess with you. Those are huge unlesses.”

“But because of your position you know information Tick just absolutely does not have.” I said.

“But would you prefer a little information that you can guarantee correct or deeper information that may be fiction?” He asked.

“I choose to trust you Uncle Roscoe.” I said.

“You almost make me want to lie just to teach you a lesson.” He replied.

“But almost isn’t doing it.” I said.

“Just ask your questions.” He finally said after a moment of silence.

“Who is Aradia? Kimmi seems to be pretty sure we’re sisters.” I said, jumping in.

“There are thousands of parallel human worlds.” He began. “Some very similar, some very different. It began with one but frequently there is a question big enough that the world splits creating two worlds. One where the Allies won world war two and one were the Axis did. Although in the time of world war two was important enough there is actually several of each. While the humans are locked to the one they were born to, demis pass seamlessly between. Since Aradia is the daughter of Lucifer who was Samael and Tana the Goddess that became both the Roman Diana and the Celtic Dana. You are the daughter of Samael and Lillith which means your father is closer to the original Samael and your mother is a completely different woman.”