Final Reaction
A Blue Seed Fic by Tobu Ishi
Of course I don't own Blue Seed, you foolish copyright enforcer.
-part 1-
Thump! Whish... Thump! Whishhhh... Thump! Whishhhhhhh... Thump!
Mamoru Kusanagi couldn't help grinning, reveling as he was in the feeling of the wind rushing through his hair. Pushing double-footed off the next roof in his path with another hollow thump, he soared through the air, his trench coat snapping behind him.
If there was one truly cool perk to being part Arigami, it was the jumping thing.
Clearing a small Shinto shrine in a single bound, he ran along the flat roof of an office building and straight out into thin air, falling...then landed in a crouch among the green evening shadows of Mr. Kunikida's garden. Cat-slit eyes glanced up at the second-floor gable window above him, lit from within. It didn't take much juice to leap the distance to the windowsill; he'd done it a thousand times before. Blinking in the light that streamed from the panes, he raised a fist and rapped on the glass...
All stayed quiet on the Momiji front. Frowning, Kusanagi knocked again, harder. No response. With a shrug, he levered up the window frame and slipped inside. Maybe she was downstairs getting a snack.
"Momiji? Are you still here?"
The house was silent, but a light was on in the hall. As he stepped out into the hallway, a soft sound caught his ear, and he turned to his left, spotting a door ajar.
Before he could go toward it, the door swung open, and a tousled-looking Momiji walked out, a near-empty box of tissues under her arm. Her eyes widened at the sight of him, and she broke into a fit of coughing.
"Ku-koffkoff-sanagi!" she spluttered, grabbing a tissue and holding it over her mouth. The coughing stopped, and she wiped her eyes and looked up, meeting his gaze. "What are you doing here?"
"Kunikida sent me to tell you he'll be late coming home," the former Aragami servant said, frowning at the girl's bleary appearance. He'd seen her just a few hours before, on her way home from the TAC meeting that had run late, keeping her surrogate father at the center. She'd begged off on account of a cold; by any appearance, it was getting worse... "Are you okay? You don't look so good."
Momiji shrugged. "My sinuses are a little stuffed up, but I'm fine-" Another series of coughs cut off her voice for a few long second, then faded. "Really," she continued. "I'll be right as rain by tomorrow, once I've had some sleep."
"Are you sure?" Kusanagi couldn't help the disbelieving tone of his voice; far from fine, Momiji looked like she needed a week of sleep. Had she seemed that bad off when she'd left the TAC? He couldn't remember, but it didn't seem likely...if she had, Kunikida would have seen her home, no question.
She flashed him a smile that was sunny despite her tired appearance. "Trust me, Kusanagi. I'll see you at the meeting tomorrow, ne?"
Kusanagi knew a dismissal when he heard one...but something still wasn't hitting him right. He sighed, spreading his hands in defeat. "All right, but I think I'll walk you there, okay? I want to make sure you're up for it."
The girl rolled her eyes, but nodded. "Fine, fine. You know, Kusanagi, the title of "Mamoru" doesn't have to extend to a silly head cold."
"I know," he agreed, turning to head back into her room. "I just figure, better safe than sorry. Later!"
With that, he sprang out the window and into the gathering night. Momiji ran to the window, waving out at him as he vanished between the rooftops.
"Good night, Kusa-"
Her voice broke off into another fit of coughing. Gasping for breath, Momiji braced herself against the windowsill, covering her mouth with her hands as her body heaved. Finally, the spasm ended, and she lowered her hands, breathing thickly. Her hands felt damp; puzzled, she glanced at them.
A dribble of greenish liquid spattered her fingers...
Momiji hesitated, then wiped it away on her last tissue, wadding it up and hiding it deep in her wastebasket. She hurried to the bathroom and looked into the mirror; more of the greenish stuff colored the corners of her mouth.
"I...it's nothing," she whispered, staring at her pale reflection. "Just a cold, that's all. I'd better get to bed."
Briskly rinsing her face clean, she started back toward her bedroom, then doubled back for another box of tissues...just in case.
The next morning when Kusanagi reached Momiji's room, she was curled up in bed...fully clothed. Shoving the window open, he ducked inside, hurrying over to shake her awake.
"Momiji?"
Her eyes blinked open, and he winced at how exhausted they looked.
"Oh...Kusanagi," she murmured. "Did I fall asleep? I was so tired, and I thought I'd lie down for a minute after I finished getting ready..."
A frown darkened the young man's face. "It's almost ten. Are you really that tired?"
Sitting up with a hand to her head, Momiji sighed. "I..." Her voice trailed off, and a stricken look passed over her face, which had gone slightly green.
"Hey, are you-" Kusanagi didn't get any further before the girl suddenly lurched to her feet and rushed out of the room, nearly hitting the doorframe as she went past. Following her out into the hall, Kusanagi heard the sound of miserable retching coming from the bathroom. He groaned and went inside.
True enough, Momiji was kneeling in front of the porcelain altar, getting rid of her breakfast in spectacular fashion. Shaking his head, Kusanagi went to stand behind her, gently gathering her loose hair out of her way and holding it for her as she finished. When her stomach had nothing left in it, Momiji sat up, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand and looking profoundly embarrassed.
"I...I'm sorry..." she whispered, the red blush coloring her cheeks looking stark against her pale face. "I didn't mean..."
"Shh," Kusanagi said, kneeling next to her and handing her a glass of water, which he'd filled at the sink. "It's not your fault that you're sick. Here, I'll get you back to bed."
"Bed?" Momiji stopped rinsing out her mouth to stare at him in dismay. "No way! I have to go to the meeting, Yagashi has a new weapon he wants to showcase and he needs my help-" She tried to struggle to her feet, but halfway up the room swam around her and she nearly fell, quickly sitting down again.
"Koume can help him with anything he needs," Kusanagi admonished her, taking the glass from her shaking fingers and standing to set it on the counter. "Besides, she loves anything that maims. She'll be happy to lend a trigger-finger. You, on the other hand, are going to sleep, and I mean now." With that, he reached down and picked her up, cradling her as lightly as a baby and ignoring all protests as he bore her stolidly back to her room, depositing her on the bed.
"But-"
"No buts," he interrupted, helping her out of her jacket. "Even if I didn't give a flying flip about your health, Kunikida would kill me if I let you go out like this. If you really want me dead, there are kinder ways," he teased.
A weak smile curved Momiji's lips. "I guess you're right," she said, lying back on her pillows. "I'd better stay. Maybe I'll feel better tomorrow." After punctuating that sentence with a spectacular sneeze, she scowled and pulled her blankets up to her chin, turning to face the wall. "I don't know where I picked this bug up, but I wish it would go away already!" she wailed.
Kusanagi shook his head. "I know," he agreed, sitting beside her and smoothing her hair. "Being sick really bites, but I'm sure you'll...hey..." Frowning, he bent closer, parting her hair and giving it a long stare. "Weird..."
"What?" Momiji asked, rolling over to face him.
He was still staring. "Have you...done anything funny to your hair recently?"
"Well...I used a new shampoo the other day, but that's it, I think. Why?"
"You've got green roots."
"What?!" Momiji yelped, reaching up to finger her sleep-mussed tresses. "You're kidding me, right?"
"Nope," Kusanagi said. "That must have been some shampoo..."
A scowl darkened Momiji's face. "Koume gave it to me," she muttered. "I bet it's some sort of prank..." Her voice trailed off into several rattling coughs. Grimacing, Momiji fell back on her pillows with a sigh. "Will you yell at her for me, or something? I have to get to sleep." Glancing up at Kusanagi, she gave him a pleading look. "Oh, and please don't tell Mr. Kunikida, he'll just worry about me...you know how he is."
Kusanagi grinned. "Right. Well, I'd better let you sleep. Get well soon, okay?"
"Okay," Momiji said, her voice muffled by her blankets. "Bye, Kusanagi..."
It was only when he was halfway down the block that Kusanagi felt a shiver of uncertainty. "That was way too easy," he muttered, frowning. Momiji normally did not just give up on a subject like that...was it the cold mellowing her stubbornness, or was something else going on?
"Or do I just worry too much?" he muttered, jumping extra high to clear a tree. "Maybe Momiji's right; the title of Mamoru shouldn't extend to a stupid cold..." Shaking his head, Kusanagi resolved to lighten up a little about non-Arigami issues...
...and back in her room, Momiji dropped off into restless sleep.
A Blue Seed Fic by Tobu Ishi
Of course I don't own Blue Seed, you foolish copyright enforcer.
-part 1-
Thump! Whish... Thump! Whishhhh... Thump! Whishhhhhhh... Thump!
Mamoru Kusanagi couldn't help grinning, reveling as he was in the feeling of the wind rushing through his hair. Pushing double-footed off the next roof in his path with another hollow thump, he soared through the air, his trench coat snapping behind him.
If there was one truly cool perk to being part Arigami, it was the jumping thing.
Clearing a small Shinto shrine in a single bound, he ran along the flat roof of an office building and straight out into thin air, falling...then landed in a crouch among the green evening shadows of Mr. Kunikida's garden. Cat-slit eyes glanced up at the second-floor gable window above him, lit from within. It didn't take much juice to leap the distance to the windowsill; he'd done it a thousand times before. Blinking in the light that streamed from the panes, he raised a fist and rapped on the glass...
All stayed quiet on the Momiji front. Frowning, Kusanagi knocked again, harder. No response. With a shrug, he levered up the window frame and slipped inside. Maybe she was downstairs getting a snack.
"Momiji? Are you still here?"
The house was silent, but a light was on in the hall. As he stepped out into the hallway, a soft sound caught his ear, and he turned to his left, spotting a door ajar.
Before he could go toward it, the door swung open, and a tousled-looking Momiji walked out, a near-empty box of tissues under her arm. Her eyes widened at the sight of him, and she broke into a fit of coughing.
"Ku-koffkoff-sanagi!" she spluttered, grabbing a tissue and holding it over her mouth. The coughing stopped, and she wiped her eyes and looked up, meeting his gaze. "What are you doing here?"
"Kunikida sent me to tell you he'll be late coming home," the former Aragami servant said, frowning at the girl's bleary appearance. He'd seen her just a few hours before, on her way home from the TAC meeting that had run late, keeping her surrogate father at the center. She'd begged off on account of a cold; by any appearance, it was getting worse... "Are you okay? You don't look so good."
Momiji shrugged. "My sinuses are a little stuffed up, but I'm fine-" Another series of coughs cut off her voice for a few long second, then faded. "Really," she continued. "I'll be right as rain by tomorrow, once I've had some sleep."
"Are you sure?" Kusanagi couldn't help the disbelieving tone of his voice; far from fine, Momiji looked like she needed a week of sleep. Had she seemed that bad off when she'd left the TAC? He couldn't remember, but it didn't seem likely...if she had, Kunikida would have seen her home, no question.
She flashed him a smile that was sunny despite her tired appearance. "Trust me, Kusanagi. I'll see you at the meeting tomorrow, ne?"
Kusanagi knew a dismissal when he heard one...but something still wasn't hitting him right. He sighed, spreading his hands in defeat. "All right, but I think I'll walk you there, okay? I want to make sure you're up for it."
The girl rolled her eyes, but nodded. "Fine, fine. You know, Kusanagi, the title of "Mamoru" doesn't have to extend to a silly head cold."
"I know," he agreed, turning to head back into her room. "I just figure, better safe than sorry. Later!"
With that, he sprang out the window and into the gathering night. Momiji ran to the window, waving out at him as he vanished between the rooftops.
"Good night, Kusa-"
Her voice broke off into another fit of coughing. Gasping for breath, Momiji braced herself against the windowsill, covering her mouth with her hands as her body heaved. Finally, the spasm ended, and she lowered her hands, breathing thickly. Her hands felt damp; puzzled, she glanced at them.
A dribble of greenish liquid spattered her fingers...
Momiji hesitated, then wiped it away on her last tissue, wadding it up and hiding it deep in her wastebasket. She hurried to the bathroom and looked into the mirror; more of the greenish stuff colored the corners of her mouth.
"I...it's nothing," she whispered, staring at her pale reflection. "Just a cold, that's all. I'd better get to bed."
Briskly rinsing her face clean, she started back toward her bedroom, then doubled back for another box of tissues...just in case.
The next morning when Kusanagi reached Momiji's room, she was curled up in bed...fully clothed. Shoving the window open, he ducked inside, hurrying over to shake her awake.
"Momiji?"
Her eyes blinked open, and he winced at how exhausted they looked.
"Oh...Kusanagi," she murmured. "Did I fall asleep? I was so tired, and I thought I'd lie down for a minute after I finished getting ready..."
A frown darkened the young man's face. "It's almost ten. Are you really that tired?"
Sitting up with a hand to her head, Momiji sighed. "I..." Her voice trailed off, and a stricken look passed over her face, which had gone slightly green.
"Hey, are you-" Kusanagi didn't get any further before the girl suddenly lurched to her feet and rushed out of the room, nearly hitting the doorframe as she went past. Following her out into the hall, Kusanagi heard the sound of miserable retching coming from the bathroom. He groaned and went inside.
True enough, Momiji was kneeling in front of the porcelain altar, getting rid of her breakfast in spectacular fashion. Shaking his head, Kusanagi went to stand behind her, gently gathering her loose hair out of her way and holding it for her as she finished. When her stomach had nothing left in it, Momiji sat up, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand and looking profoundly embarrassed.
"I...I'm sorry..." she whispered, the red blush coloring her cheeks looking stark against her pale face. "I didn't mean..."
"Shh," Kusanagi said, kneeling next to her and handing her a glass of water, which he'd filled at the sink. "It's not your fault that you're sick. Here, I'll get you back to bed."
"Bed?" Momiji stopped rinsing out her mouth to stare at him in dismay. "No way! I have to go to the meeting, Yagashi has a new weapon he wants to showcase and he needs my help-" She tried to struggle to her feet, but halfway up the room swam around her and she nearly fell, quickly sitting down again.
"Koume can help him with anything he needs," Kusanagi admonished her, taking the glass from her shaking fingers and standing to set it on the counter. "Besides, she loves anything that maims. She'll be happy to lend a trigger-finger. You, on the other hand, are going to sleep, and I mean now." With that, he reached down and picked her up, cradling her as lightly as a baby and ignoring all protests as he bore her stolidly back to her room, depositing her on the bed.
"But-"
"No buts," he interrupted, helping her out of her jacket. "Even if I didn't give a flying flip about your health, Kunikida would kill me if I let you go out like this. If you really want me dead, there are kinder ways," he teased.
A weak smile curved Momiji's lips. "I guess you're right," she said, lying back on her pillows. "I'd better stay. Maybe I'll feel better tomorrow." After punctuating that sentence with a spectacular sneeze, she scowled and pulled her blankets up to her chin, turning to face the wall. "I don't know where I picked this bug up, but I wish it would go away already!" she wailed.
Kusanagi shook his head. "I know," he agreed, sitting beside her and smoothing her hair. "Being sick really bites, but I'm sure you'll...hey..." Frowning, he bent closer, parting her hair and giving it a long stare. "Weird..."
"What?" Momiji asked, rolling over to face him.
He was still staring. "Have you...done anything funny to your hair recently?"
"Well...I used a new shampoo the other day, but that's it, I think. Why?"
"You've got green roots."
"What?!" Momiji yelped, reaching up to finger her sleep-mussed tresses. "You're kidding me, right?"
"Nope," Kusanagi said. "That must have been some shampoo..."
A scowl darkened Momiji's face. "Koume gave it to me," she muttered. "I bet it's some sort of prank..." Her voice trailed off into several rattling coughs. Grimacing, Momiji fell back on her pillows with a sigh. "Will you yell at her for me, or something? I have to get to sleep." Glancing up at Kusanagi, she gave him a pleading look. "Oh, and please don't tell Mr. Kunikida, he'll just worry about me...you know how he is."
Kusanagi grinned. "Right. Well, I'd better let you sleep. Get well soon, okay?"
"Okay," Momiji said, her voice muffled by her blankets. "Bye, Kusanagi..."
It was only when he was halfway down the block that Kusanagi felt a shiver of uncertainty. "That was way too easy," he muttered, frowning. Momiji normally did not just give up on a subject like that...was it the cold mellowing her stubbornness, or was something else going on?
"Or do I just worry too much?" he muttered, jumping extra high to clear a tree. "Maybe Momiji's right; the title of Mamoru shouldn't extend to a stupid cold..." Shaking his head, Kusanagi resolved to lighten up a little about non-Arigami issues...
...and back in her room, Momiji dropped off into restless sleep.