[Liveman parents, mostly]

[catcameback]

Since Gai started going to school, I've actually started attending most of my classes. I also spend some time in a tree in the courtyard, but it's the effort that counts.

Not today, though, despite all of my best intentions, all I can focus on as I walk past Genta's sushi-cart (all closed up tight, and I haven't seen him in days, which is kind of a shame because fish) is the tiny mewling squeaking sound somewhere behind one of the wheels.

Which turns out to be a new born kitten, all small and spindly and confused and it's eyes aren't even open yet, but when I reach my hand towards it it balls up against the warmth of my palm and closes it's tiny mouth around the end of my pinkie.

It's cold, it's way too cold and shivering and there's no other cats around anywhere and I don't know what to do.

No, wait. Yes, I do. It needs a mom. A mother will take care of it. Or any kind of parent. But there's no cats around.

But I have three. And they always know what to do.

I run the entire way back to the house with the little guy cupped protectively against my chest. It fits easily in one hand but I use both just to keep it a little warmer.

I throw myself in through my cat flap, skid and almost fall over (man, sometimes I miss the grace of my original body). "Someone! Anyone? Is anyone still home?"

Comments

[bluedolphin]

The flap opens. It could be either Kazari or Katsumi, but then I hear Kazari calling. He sounds frantic about something, "Kazari? Darling?" I hurry across and into the kitchen to find him.

[catcameback]

"Mom!" I don't think I've ever called her that before but really, now is not the time for nitpicking semantics. I hold the kitten out to her cupped in both hands and turn on what I hope is a convincing pout. "Please, don't let it die."

[bluedolphin]

My heart skips a beat in my chest. It's so fragile. I so badly want it to survive, but I have very little idea of how to care for it, and the slightest misstep could be deadly.

I think. "Stay there. I'll be right back." I run for an old hot water bottle and wrap it in a towel so the kitten can use it for warmth while we drive to the vet. They'll know how to check the kitten for anything life-threatening and to tell us what to do. I breathlessly explain to Kazari that we are going to the nearest vet, so could he sit in the back with the kitten and try to keep it safe during the trip.

[catcameback]

I knew she'd know what to do. Doctors, of course, not that I have a tendency to trust doctors, all things considered, but maybe animal doctors are less insane and obsessed with the end of the world.

I hope.

I hate cars too, but I'm not about to complain. "Anything." I take the kitten back, along with the towel-wrapped hot water bottle, and it's not making the sad sounds anymore but I'm not sure if that's a good sign. I let it suck on my finger some more even I don't think it's getting anything out of it. Comfort, maybe.

[bluedolphin]

I drive to the vet as fast as I can without going through any red lights or running anyone over. When we get there, I run ahead to ask if someone can come ahead and help us get the kitten inside the building.

I'm not sure the kitten will survive a long wait in the main room, but when I explain it's an emergency, the kitten is borne away from us. Kazari and I will have to face the waiting room by ourselves.

[catcameback]

I'm kind of in a haze of 'don't look out the window' throughout the drive, because, man do I hate cars. But this is for the kitten. I can deal. I am dealing.

Until we get there and some stranger takes the kitten away and I know that it's an emergency and all but can't I be with it? It obviously wanted me to find it, right?

Stupid doctors.

I look at Megumi and try not to start crying. For all my confidence and bravado, I'm still pretty new to this. "Is it going to die?"

[bluedolphin]

"I don't know, but it's in the best hands it could possibly be in. The doctors will do everything they can to save the kitten." I reach out to hug Kazari and murmur against his soft hair how proud of him I am and how much I love him. Even if he has a Switch (we haven't raised that subject with him yet), he cares about living creatures. I feel a horrible touch of guilt that we've neglected him over everything that's happened with Joe and Katsumi.

[catcameback]

I seem to have triggered all kinds of mom feelings in Megumi today, but I don't exactly mind. It feels good to be hugged every now and again.

"I really don't want it to die." I say quietly. I don't think I'm ready for that lesson in humanity yet.

"You're sure? I don't have... like, I don't have a great track record with doctors." Not like Maki would have ever been a veterinarian or anything, but still.

[bluedolphin]

I explain that they are not doctors for humans but for animals, and they are very skilled and do their best for their patients. They have to be, because an animal can't tell you what's wrong.

It will cost us a lot of money to care for a kitten. Somehow we'll work it out, even if I have to start posing for MILF porn.

[catcameback]

I'm not sure if that makes me feel any better. I don't think Maki was actually a doctor for people either. But, I guess veterinarians must deserve a bit of respect. It's not easy to understand animals, that's for sure.

I lean against her. I really don't want to be alone right now. I'm worried about the kitten. "If he's okay, I'll take care of him. I promise."

[bluedolphin]

"I know you will." I pet his shoulder. I'm worried about both the kitten, and the effect on Kazari if the kitten doesn't survive.

I look at my watch. I don't like to think about the poor little creature being scared.

[catcameback]

She seems to really care, so I count myself grateful for that. The little guy had been calling for me, after all. I don't know if anyone else would have stopped for him. The tiniest little sounds.

"I wonder why he was alone." I muse out loud. "Why would he... I mean, where's his mom?"

[bluedolphin]

"I guess something happened to her. A mother wouldn't leave her baby unless she really had to." I pet his shoulder, "but we'll take care of the kitten, won't we? None of us has any other family, so we made our own."

[catcameback]

I pout a bit at the floor. "Yeah, of course not." I know that's true, anyway, because Megumi is basically the best mother around. "Yeah, we'll take care of him."

If he's not already dead. I shiver a bit. I don't like feeling these kind of feelings.

Family...

"My other family is coming back." I say softly. I haven't brought it up with any of the other parents yet. I didn't think it really mattered, since I'm still barely on speaking terms with Ankh, and I don't know what the hell is going on in all the Uva-centers of my brain. I still want to pounce on him every time he moves, but for... I think, totally different reasons. "Not like Joe's crazy pirate people or anything. They're like, the worst siblings ever. But I mean." I'm sure Jou's told them everything about me, right? "Other Greeeds. I just. You know, they're out there."

Why am I telling her this? I think I want someone to explain to me about Uva. Or maybe reassure me that the guy who killed me isn't next on the roster to be revived from the dead.

[bluedolphin]

"Other ... Greeeds?" I try to think of what all those people told us about Kazari, but I don't remember it clearly except that he had a Switch. Maybe Jou knows more, "where are they? Have you heard from them?"

[catcameback]

"Yeah, I've seen them. I mean, most of them." I rub a hand through my hair. "I guess Uva and Mezool are living together with some people, like I am with you. Only, you know, not as awesome, obviously. And Ankh's got his OOO... I mean, his Eiji. Or whatever. They're people now, like me." I frown at the floor. "None of us know why were back, though."

[bluedolphin]

"We know a little about you, but not that much." I haven't heard of any of these other people, "Are you in any danger? Did something happen?" It seems most likely to be related to the evil gathering at the school.

[catcameback]

"There's not much to know." I pout a bit. I don't really want Megumi to think cesspool of greed every time she looks at me. I'm trying to move beyond that.

"I don't think I'm in any danger." I admit slowly. "Yet. I guess. It's just... There's another one. Another Greeed. And I don't know if he's going to come back or not, but I... I really don't want him to."

[bluedolphin]

"He wouldn't be human? It stands to reason that if the rest of you are, he should be too."

I wonder where these others are living. If I could only find out-

[catcameback]

I snort at that. Obviously she doesn't know, I don't mean to be rude, but the reaction is completely involuntary.

"That's part of the problem. He started out as human, not like the rest of us. And he was... bat shit crazy before he became a Greeed." I glance up, meeting her eyes for just a moment before looking away again. "I think I'm scared."

[bluedolphin]

Deep breath. Let's think through this calmly.

"Would you know if he were back? Do you know where he'd go? And even if he was human to begin with - it's still possible he will lose his power."

[catcameback]

I huff a little, letting my head roll back so I can stare at the ceiling. "I don't know. That's why I'm scared, isn't it? Because I don't know if he's going to come back, or if he's already back, or if he'd even do anything to me if he came back?"

I have my Switch. The other Greeed have nothing. It stands to reason that if Maki comes back, he'll just be a creepy human again. And without his doll, too. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to freak you out or anything."

[bluedolphin]

"We need to think about this calmly and be prepared. But if the worst comes to the worst ... there are more of you than of him. And one of you has a Switch."

It had to come out at some point.

[catcameback]

"Yeah, I guess I'm over... reacting..." I trail off, sort of sneaking a glance at her and then biting my lip.

"Cat's out of the bag?" My hand sneaks into my pocket, and it's still there. I hold onto it, but don't pull it out. "I don't use it very often."

[bluedolphin]

I examine it warily from a distance. It's covered in ominous-looking spikes, "oh, Kazari. Where did you get this?" At school, most likely.