dinohouse | [Mushverse: For Genta and Takeru]

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[Mushverse: For Genta and Takeru]

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."

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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?"

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?"

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?"

"

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."

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."

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?

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.

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?"

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-

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.

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.

...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?"

"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.

"Aa," I say quietly. "I will hand him over to the kuroko, and I will make enquiries. I assume his team will be looking for him."

I bite my lip to keep myself from rambling too much. That isn't the proper thing to do right now.

Once we reach the mansion the Kuroko fuss, gathering Etienne up and rushing him off for treatment. I know his team will need to hear about him before they worry too much.

I know how well the Kuroko take care of people, and I leave Etienne in their careful hands. For now.

My hands are throbbing dully by now, but I don't pay much attention to them, even going so far as to wave off a lingering Kuroko that wants to fuss over them. It's not too serious, and besides, Takeru said he would bind them.

"Take-chan.."

The kuroko take Etienne, leaving an absence in my arms. I am barely holding myself together, and his weight was assisting. Foolish of me.

It takes me a moment to realise that the kuroko can ascertain how to communicate with his team, probably better than I can. Also foolish. I instruct one accordingly, and note that Genta has dismissed another who wished to care for him.

"Come with me, if you will," I respond hoarsely to Genta.

Takeru's voice sounds like hell, somehow worse than it has since I got him back. I nod at his words, following after him where he leads.

I wish I could find words to help him. He's been distant enough as it is, now I'm scared he might withdraw further.

I can't let him. We need him.

I need him.

I take him to the bedroom, invite him to sit on the bed, then I kneel in front of him with the first aid kit.

These wounds are not terrible.

They are, however, caused by my sword. My actions. I quietly begin to bind his wounds.

I'm perched on the edge of the bed, arms resting on my thighs while Takeru kneels and starts to bandage my hands.

He's being careful and gentle, but also focused. He won't look up at me, and that hurts more than the lingering sting of my hands.

"Take-chan," I begin, softly. Then stop. I'm not sure what to say, I've said everything I feel more times than I can count since his return. I don't know how I'll ever reach him.

"Aa," I say softly, as I finish. I close the lid of the first aid box without looking, then take his hands in mine again.

Head bowed over his hands, I can feel myself beginning to shake.

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