First Transmutation

[watersprout.insanejournal.com]

[As the small boy wakes up, dressed in his green jumper and hat, he shivers slightly and notices all the snow around. Standing up, he tugs on one of his ear flaps and slowly looks around the island. Clearly, he was lost. Was he alone?]

How did I get here? Or rather, where is here...?

[He'll be walking around with no real destination in mind.]

Comments

[watersprout.insanejournal.com]

[Even though Russell wasn't around, he couldn't just pass a chance to do something right to make up for his guilt.] I think its a good idea. My brother and I worked a lot with plants before. I'm not as good as him, but I should be able to do something.

Um...how long has he been sick?

[upsideyourhead.insanejournal.com]

[Scratches the back of her head and frowns a bit.]

Oh geez.. Uh... Long before I was around.... Probably more than a millennium...

[As she completely forgets she was avoiding the subject of being a ghost.]

[watersprout.insanejournal.com]

...

[He knows far too well about people being sick. It still bothered him.]

[upsideyourhead.insanejournal.com]

Half my job these days seems to just be keeping him in bed. It would be easier if he wasn't as stubborn as I am.

[watersprout.insanejournal.com]

He probably doesn't want you all to worry about him so much.

[upsideyourhead.insanejournal.com]

But see, the problem is, that it just makes us all worry more than if he'd just spend a day or two in bed! We can't trust him to take it easy when he really needs to!

Captain's real important to all of us. We don't want anything to happen to him...

[watersprout.insanejournal.com]

I see...He must be a really good captain.

[He could see how important he was to her] Don't worry, your Captain is strong just like you, right? Then I'm sure he'll be just fine.

[upsideyourhead.insanejournal.com]

He's kind of like a father to all of us. The 13th is like one big family. Even with how much I didn't really want to be what I am when I started, I felt at home pretty much right away once I joined.

Heh... Yeah. I just wish he'd listen to reason more often.

[watersprout.insanejournal.com]

A father...

You didn't want to be what you are? Do you mean a fighter?

[upsideyourhead.insanejournal.com]

My job... The people who do it... They're not generally looked upon very fondly by the people who don't. I had a few friends that were -- those two I mentioned earlier what I plan on beating up -- but even now, on the whole I don't like most people outside of my own division.

I just wanted to stay home and make fireworks with my brothers. But Kaien thought it would be good for me. He was right, of course. He always is. But still, I was pretty resistant in the beginning.

[watersprout.insanejournal.com]

I get it, you and your teammates were disliked because of what you do. But, you said you're doing it to protect people, right?

I think...maybe he wanted what he thought was best for you.

[upsideyourhead.insanejournal.com]

Yeah.. well, a few bad apples spoil the bunch and all... Some people are assholes and like to abuse their power and privileges and it makes the rest of us look like assholes.

'Course he did... He's my brother. Me, him, and Ganju were all each other had. Hell, he'd probably planned to send Ganju off to the academy too when he got a bit older... Though I doubt he will now.

[watersprout.insanejournal.com]

Oh...I'm sorry. Its too bad people are like that.

Why not?

[upsideyourhead.insanejournal.com]

Yeah... It really is a shame, but it can't be helped. You get a big enough group together and you're bound to have a handful that ruin everything for everyone else.

Well.. After what happened to me and Miyako... [She frowns a bit and scratches the back of her head anxiously.] ....I'm sure he wouldn't wanna lose Ganju too.

[watersprout.insanejournal.com]

[What could that...] Lose? But...he can still see you and miss Miyako whenever he wants, can't he? [Well, maybe not here but still]

[upsideyourhead.insanejournal.com]

[She frowns and shakes her head.]

Remember those monsters I talked about? You were right about thinking it was dangerous.

[watersprout.insanejournal.com]

[At first, he gives a puzzled look, but after thinking about it a little longer, his expression becomes one of disbelief.]

...
...
[...!] Y-you don't mean that...but...[his head was spinning so fast he couldn't even form a full sentence.]

[upsideyourhead.insanejournal.com]

[She sighs and pats him on the head.]

Yeah. Miyako first, and then me, trying to avenge her.

I don't quite understand how I'm here and unharmed, but I don't know what'll happen when I finally get back...

[watersprout.insanejournal.com]

[Something pinched at the back of his eyes and he looked at the ground as his shoulders trembled.]

...I...I'm sorry...

[upsideyourhead.insanejournal.com]

[Oh god this is why she'd originally been trying to avoid this. She kneels down and places her hand on his shoulder. She'd have done both if she had another hand.]

Hey... Hey, c'mon. Look at me. Don't cry over my stupid mistakes.

I went out fighting. Protecting. Even if I messed it up really badly, It was better than just doing nothing.

The mosnter's dead now. Ru killed it. It can't do to anyone else what ti did to my family. So I did my job. And I can be proud of that.

[watersprout.insanejournal.com]

[Why did he always get emotional and cry so much? Maybe that was why he had such a hard time getting through to his brother. That time, he cried too. He was ashamed of how he was acting. He managed to stop himself and brought an arm across his face before he looked at her. Don't think any less of him Shiba.]

Y-yeah...

[He had noticed, but didn't want to say anything about it yet.] Your arm...you lost it doing your job too?

[upsideyourhead.insanejournal.com]

[She can't really think less of him. She's reminded all too much of Ganju and part of her is really worried about what will happen when he finds out.

He'd already had to watch the fight between her and Kaien over the fact that she wasn't going to let Kaien come help fight the hollow that killed his wife. They hadn't exactly parted on the kindest words... It made her chest ache to think about all of it.

She seems to snap out of it when he mentions her missing arm and forces a grin.]

That? ... nah. Not fighting monsters or anything.

[She lifts her hand off of his shoulder and pats the hilt of the sword tied to what's left of her other arm.]

This idiot's just a little temperamental, and when I was learning to use here, there was an accident. That's all.

Even with only one arm, I'm no less of a badass!

[Not going to mention that at the time of said "accident" she was very hung over.]

[watersprout.insanejournal.com]

[He manages a weak smile. She surely wasn't one to let things keep her down.]

You're really brave, I wish I could be like that.

[upsideyourhead.insanejournal.com]

[She's a Shiba. Getting knocked down is just an excuse to get up again. This is something he will come to learn about her.]

Let me tell you a secret kid. People who don't know fear aren't brave. They're idiots.

It's being scared do damned bad you can't move and still getting up to do what you've got to that makes you brave.

[watersprout.insanejournal.com]

Is that true? I didn't know that.