Constantine's Birthday Visit To Barefoot Tefé.

Today was John Constantine's 53rd birthday. He took some time off from his mission in Glasgow, Scotland to visit Barefoot Tefé here in Louisiana. Barefoot Tefé was hold up in a diner in Metairie trying to catch a bus back to Houma to see Barefoot Zaina, because of the heavy downpour my powers have brought about. I'm using my powers over nature to bring down heavy rain to stop the fires raging in Houma. But my control of the realms beyond the Green are not as well established as they once were. The rains are too indirect to do any good. And if I push too hard, another ecological disaster such as the last terrible hurricane to damage New Orleans might take place. So I have decided to simply wait this out like everyone else, watching Tee-Tonti load up his shotguns for tomorrow's hunt for King Toad, while I was listening to old Schiller and Barefoot Marcel talk. Meanwhile in Metairie, Barefoot Tefé was watching the news on the diner's television. The previous evening, Booster Gold was responsible for a minor incident by assaulting a newspaper reporter at Superboy's second funeral in Metropolis, for which our family had no wish to attend. This report was interrupted by breaking news of yet another disaster in Star City, California. Doctor Light's struck again, despite the Villains United Society's crushing defeat in Metropolis. Soon after Green Arrow and Black Lightning's defeat and capture of the Mirror Master and the Barefoot Lady Killer Frost in a surprise attack, a terrible blow was struck. Doctor Light, Merlyn, and Deathstroke are still at large, having exacted terrible revenge upon Green Arrow and his partners earlier this morning. Star City's now suffering the same fiery nightmare as Houma. Doctor Light's no different than King Toad. They're both equally monstrous and must be stopped. But how? Before Barefoot Tefé could think on this on my behalf, she was approached by Constantine who asked her "Who's your daddy?" Barefoot Tefé said not him and to get lost. Constantine said she should be more grateful, as he was the one who kept Lex Luthor's White Kryptonite [a radioactive alien material that kills all forms of plant life upon contact] from entering into the Battle of Metropolis. Constantine claimed he saved the lives of the Barefoot Black Orchid and myself by doing this. For Constantine knew full well of the weakness imposed upon me by Doctor Light at the time, which would have made me vulnerable. Barefoot Tefé asked where the White K was now? Constantine said this was his little secret to keep. Barefoot Tefé said he should have used the rocks to kill the Floronic Man and Barefoot Poison Ivy. Constantine said Woodrue and Barefoot Ivy were being guarded by way too many other supervillains for him to try to pull a stunt like that. He said he wouldn't want to push his luck. Constantine offered to take Barefoot Tefé and Barefoot Zaina back to Scotland with him, insisting the dire situation in Houma was only going to get worse. Barefoot Tefé wanted nothing to do with a man who would keep such things from her, and joked darkly about not wanting to sleep on a bed in the U.K. that probably had White K under it. Constantine said the Kryptonite could not harm Barefoot Tefé's human form now. She didn't believe him. Constantine laughed, and he said he loved the fact he played surrogate father for such a trusting family. Barefoot Tefé asked him what he was doing in our country. Constantine said he claimed Alex Luthor's body in Gotham. He saw to it the young man had proper funeral arrangements. Barefoot Tefé asked him why he would do a stupid thing like that. Because no one else was going to bother, Constantine said grimly. Since Conner Kent could have two funerals, then Alex should at least have one, he insisted. Constantine favored the young Luthor, and didn't fault him for wanting to create the perfect Earth, only his way of going about it. Barefoot Tefé said Constantine was insane, to which he replied that we all are crazy, every single one of us, to some degree. Constantine started to say things to console Barefoot Tefé, for his empathy's still in effect. This started to soften Barefoot Tefé's feelings toward him. Barefoot Tefé said he'd better watch out, or she might start caring for him. Heaven forbid, Constantine said. He told her today was his 53rd birthday and he couldn't think of anyone he wanted to spend it with more than Barefoot Tefé. Constantine told Barefoot Tefé to take care, and she hugged him with a sigh to relieve her tension. Constantine left, and Barefoot Tefé came out to the swamp to tell me personally of this encounter. She claimed to have confused feelings about it. I told my barefoot daughter that if she wanted to accept Constantine into her life, then she was welcome to. No harm can come of this, that I can see. Barefoot Tefé thanked me with a friendly embrace. The storm's getting stronger, but it is not going to put out the fires in Houma. We have to count our blessings here, however. Barefoot Tefé's keeping me company here at the cabin for the rest of the day. I feel so much more at ease than I did before. Perhaps I too will someday come to accept Constantine into our family, in time.


Next:
The Hunt For King Toad.
http://swampthingblog.blogspot.com/2006/05/hunt-for-king-toad.html