[Mushverse: For Genta and Takeru]

[interpolate]

We've done a fair amount of research since Hiromu accidentally ran into the Vaglass agent that looks just like me, and what we've found out has been disconcerting to say the least. Troubling enough, especially where a certain previous Sentai team is concerned, that it's back to undercover for me. I need to make contact with my best bet at finding out what's going on there, and the best way to do that is to place me back into class at Amanogawa, so I have an excuse to go to Genta's sushi cart.

Of course, for the first two days the cart is dark and folded up, unmanned. I worry that something's happened to him, until the day he shows up as usual, welcoming the few customers that have time.

I sidle up to the counter while his attention is focused on a dark haired boy with a cat perched on his shoulders. Well, it takes all kinds.

"Salut, Genta."

Comments

[sushisamurai]

I didn't want to return to work, not deeply in my heart. What I wanted to do was stay at Takeru's side forever and always. But... but I think he needs space as much as he needs to be reminded that I will love him until my drying breath. And we have a job to do, as Samurai, as a Sentai team. As heroes.

So I return to my cart, and put on the happiest smile I can manage given the circumstances. It's a shade bit lighter than the last time I saw Etienne and spilled my sorrows to him, but still not as cheerful as I can be.

Kazari visits, this time with a kitten draped over his shoulders, and I serve him a bit more Sashimi than usual, so he can feed his cat while he enjoys his own rather large serving of fish.

I'm lost in thought when a familiar voice greets me, and I jump just a little, only a little, before looking up and seeing Etienne there. I give him a weary, though relatively happy, smile.

"Salut, Etienne. Comment allez-vous?"

[interpolate]

"Bien, merci." I bow to him and take a seat, watching his face all the while. He looks exhausted, and distant. Something's on his mind. All for the better, as something's on my mind as well.

I lean over the little counter to touch my fingertips to the thank housing his Ebi-chan and Ika-chan. Takosawa's not allowed to meet me in the streets anymore, since it does blow my cover just a bit to have a sentient robotic octopus following me around everywhere.

I only miss him a little bit.

"And you?" I ask seriously. "You were gone for some time, I was beginning to worry."

[sushisamurai]

[moved here]

[sonofshiba]

[ooc: commenting down here so as not to interrupt your thread <3]

I'm walking back to the mansion, Shinkenmaru slung over my shoulder. The least I can do for these people is to patrol, keep an eye on the Buglers, the Gedoushuu, all the other beasts that appear here.

I'm breathing hard, but I have only a few small scratches and bruises.

[sushisamurai]

I smile softly when Etienne taps on Ika-chan and Ebi-kun's tank. I don't really have to wonder where his tentacled friend is; his face says enough about his situation, as I'm sure my own says about mine.

I wave a hand in the air, looking down at my cart before glancing up at him, meeting his eyes so he understands the weight of my words. "I was saving the friend I told you about." The someone I love.

I reach out and, even if my eyes are still sad, I manage a genuine, if slight, smile at him. "What can I get you today?"

[interpolate]

He's smiling, so I suppose that's a good thing.

I look into his eyes, and his words are encouraging, to say the least. I smile back at him, and reach across the counter to gently grip his wrist. "And you succeeded, I hope?" This is what I need to hear, plus I was certainly concerned about him on a personal level.

"I'm not terribly hungry, but could I bother you for a cup of tea, maybe?"

[sonofshiba]

I hope that Genta is keeping himself occupied. I will nod to him as I pass his cart, not close enough to be a distraction, not far enough away that he cannot see me. I can do this for him, at least. I can acknowledge him.

He has a customer. Excellent.

No. No. It is that representative of Messiah.

I break into a run, panic and desperation and fear informing my movements. "Genta! GENTA!"

[sushisamurai]

I nod at Etienne, meeting his eyes so he knows my words are honest. "I succeeded. He's still recovering though, which will take time."

I just want him to let me help him.

I nod at Etienne's request, fussing about fixing him a cup of the tea that's just the right heat for the leaves to steep perfectly. I don't generally fuss this much over tea, but Etienne understood what I was going through, have gone through, on a level I wasn't expecting. I own him at least a decent cup of tea.

I see Takeru come into view out of the corner of my eye just as I'm handing the cup of tea to Etienne, and I'm about to turn and smile at him, but then he starts running toward my cart, his face a mask of panic, and my blood runs cold.

"Take-chan?" I swallow hard as he draws near, reaching to grip Etienne's shoulder for support. "Take-chan, what is it?"

[interpolate]

I look around when someone starts screaming Genta's name, standing up quickly. I recognize the man approaching, and I can guess, by Genta's reaction, that this is the self-same former Vaglass agent that Genta had just now claimed to have rescued.

I'm about to shove my sleeve up to get at my Brace, but then Genta grips my shoulder and I remember that there's such a thing as a secret identity when one is undercover.

Instead I grip Genta's wrist gently before removing his hand from my shoulder and moving to stand in front of him.

I don't want to doubt that he succeeded in rescuing his... lover, I assume. But Messiah isn't to be toyed with. There's a possibility he's been lost again.

[sonofshiba]

I haven't transformed, but my Shinkenmaru is flaming as I run. "Get AWAY from him!" I shout fiercely, but Messiah's agent is doing just that, and he's-

I stop with my Shinkenmaru in the air between us, perhaps three feet away from him. I am staring at him in horror.

It is not Messiah's agent. It is his double. The one I... hurt.

[sushisamurai]

It's like I'm watching a movie. Watching something that I have no control over. No say in the outcome.

Fuck that.

Etienne steps between me and Takeru, and Takeru has his sword out, blazing brightly.

I don't even register him stopping as I leap from my cart. I don't know what's going on, but I still need to stop this. Need to stop my lover from hurting my friend, and vice versa.

I reach up and grab at Takeru's Shinkenmaru, not even flinching as it cuts at my palms, as the flames singe my skin. I hold onto his blade, both trying to stop him from striking, and stop him from running away.

I'm bleeding. I don't care.

"Tale-chan..." I hiss, looking up at him despite the pain, meeting his eyes as I hold is sword steady.

[interpolate]

I cast around for a moment, startled when he runs at me with a flaming sword, but even more worried when Genta shoves me away, and catches the damn thing with his bare hands.

"Non!"

Sure, he's someone I'm supposed to protect. I have no reason to think that he's in any way safe, even if he does trust his 'Take-chan'.

The street is empty enough, and I don't really have any choice. I have to do something.

I shrug out of my uniform jacket to get at my harness underneath, and especially my Transpod. I might be able to diffuse this situation without transforming, but I'm going to need a Sougan Blade at least.

"Back away from him." I put as much authority into my voice as I can manage.

[sonofshiba]

The flames die out as I let go of my Shinkenmaru then step back, the movement one of the most awkward I have made in my life.

Genta's hands are bleeding.

They were right not to trust that I would stop.

Genta's hands are bleeding.

I take a deep, shuddery breath. "I will not ask for your forgiveness for such an error. For such an act, after everything I have done to you. My only explanation is that I thought you -- I thought you to be your double."

(Genta's hands are bleeding.)

"I will not strike. I panicked. It will not happen again."

Genta's hands are bleeding.

[sushisamurai]

Takeru's Shinkenmaru clatters to the pavement, me letting go of it a half second after he does. My hands are bleeding, yes, but I am so not concerned with that right now.

Takeru is apologizing, and Etienne is... Etienne is outfitted in a Go-busters harness now. Oh.

I hold up my hands, raising my voice so I can be heard over whatever the two of them are saying. "Would you both please calm down and explain to me what the hell is going on?"

[interpolate]

I stare blankly down at the ground where the once-flaming blade is simply lying there now. Takeru, and obviously he is indeed Genta's dear friend Takeru and no longer an agent of Messiah, looks shaken, and it takes me a moment to actually piece together his words.

I lower my Sougan Blade with a little sigh. "Oh, zut." I mutter, glancing at Genta, and back and Takeru, and back again.

"Please, forgive me for believing you weak enough to have fallen again." I say to Takeru with a little bow. "My name is Etienne, and you have nothing to fear from me." There's a handkerchief in my pocket and I turn to offer it to Genta with an apologetic little smile.

"Where would you like me to start?" I ask my confused friend. "The harness, or the double that Takeru mistook me for?"

"

[sonofshiba]

I take in a deep, trembling breath, and manage to compose myself enough to respond. "On the contrary, I am indeed sufficiently weak. This has proven that to me, and I will leave before causing further harm."

[sushisamurai]

I accept the handkerchief from Etienne with a small nod of thanks, wiping the blood from my hands and doing a brief inspection of the wounds. Not too bad. I've certainly had worse in my time as an honorary Samurai.

"Etienne, what... what double? What are you..." I'm about to ask him some questions that are foremost in my mind, but then Takeru...

"Take-chan," I shout at him, my voice serious and maybe just a little stern. I stomp my foot, and grab at him to keep him from running away. My blood, not flowing ass freely now, but still coming, smears his arm when I grab him tight, and I don't let go. "Don't you dare run away from this. Don't you dare run away from anything."

[interpolate]

I bite my lip at Genta's confusion. It's hard to explain, since I don't even know the whole story myself yet. I pull my uniform jacket back over my harness, just in case of unsavory passers-by.

I wince a little when Genta shouts at his Takeru, but I can't help the fond little grin that tweaks at the corner of my mouth. I should probably get this Takeru together with Hiromu, I think they could learn a lot from one another.

"Please, ShinkenRed-san, please don't blame yourself for this." I say quietly, hoping he has the sense enough to listen to Genta, but offering my opinion at the same time.

"Genta, I..." How do I explain the self-proclaimed right hand to Messiah masquerading around with my face?

[sonofshiba]

Genta grabs my arm. His blood is slick on his palm and... and on me, which pushes the metaphor to the point of emotional collapse.

I look at my arm, then I look up at his face, all defences down. I shake my head wordlessly. I do not know what I am negating, just... just all of it. This is not right.

"If one has a faulty weapon, a faulty tool, that continually causes harm, then disposing of it is not 'running away'," I say at last, voice hoarse.

[sushisamurai]

I keep my hold on Takeru's arm steady, despite the sting this causes my wound. The pain is nothing compared to the pain I felt while he was under Messiah's thrall, nothing compares to how much my chest aches when he talks about leaving.

"You're not a tool. You're my best friend. My Lord. My..." My voice is low, loud enough for Takeru to hear, and maybe loud enough for Etienne to hear too. I know he already has an idea of the bond between me and Takeru, I doubt he'll be put off by my words. "My lover."

There is so much more to say between us, but not here, not out in the open.

I look over at Etienne, offering him an apologetic smile. "Maybe we should talk someplace more private?"

[interpolate]

I can't help the look of absolute disgust that flits across my face at Takeru's statement. If faulty weapons are something that need to be disposed of, then the Go-Busters would have been eliminated a long time ago.

I clear my throat and shoot a sheepish grin at Genta. "You're right, unless-"

Oh, speaking of faulty and broken. It's just about the worst possible time, all things considered, but I've never been able to anticipate it or stop it from happening. When my Weak Point hits, it strikes me like a poorly timed train.

I feel myself start to crumple before the darkness clouds my mi-

[sonofshiba]

He looks appalled, as well he should when faced with one who has hurt him and hurt him and attempted to hurt him again. He collapses, and I move to catch him.

I sigh.

My intentions must wait. "To the mansion," I say quietly.

[sushisamurai]

I'm about to move to catch Etienne as he suddenly crumples to the ground, but then Takeru steps in before me, gathering the poor kid up in his steady arms.

I nod at his instructions, taking a brief moment to close up my cart before I rush off after Takeru.

I fall into step beside him, wringing my hands together despite the sting. I am worried about Etienne, and still worried about Takeru. I am worried about the state of the city, the country, the world.

[sonofshiba]

...I wish Genta would have more care of his hands. "I will bind them once we have cared for him," I say quietly. "Does he often pass out?"

[sushisamurai]

"Huh?" I blink at Takeru once, twice, then look down, finding my hands being wrung together. They aren't bleeding as bad as they were, but with my worrying them, they haven't exactly stopped bleeding. "Oh."

I shrug, and look up, as far as poor Etienne. "I don't know. He's always seemed fine when he's visited my cart."

I hope he'll be okay.