by Ariana Aislinn
Disclaimer: The anime Brigadoon is the property of Bandai and Sunrise. All characters are used only for fun and not for profit.
Author's Note: First of all, spoiler warning...if you haven't seen as far as episode 10, you might want to turn back now. This is another "fill-in-the-blanks" story that describes the events of episode 10 in greater detail than in the anime. For Marin's reactions, I drew on the feelings I experienced when my dog unexpectedly died one morning. I felt as if there were many parallels I could use for my writing. I actually wrote this back in April but never got around to uploading it till now. I thought it was about time I gave my readers something new. :P
Marin and Grandma Moto stumbled wearily back to their hotel room, both glad to be back after the day's rather disastrous events. Marin, smiling with the tired good cheer that came of relief, yawned and stretched. "Wow, what a day! I'm so tired! We had a close call, but it was a lot of fun. I really need a bath now, though. Grandma Moto, are you coming?"
The little old woman sank into a chair, clasping the teddy bear Grandpa Gen had given her so many years ago, long before Marin came into their lives. She smiled softly, a bit of a change from her usual spunky grin. "No, no dear—you go ahead. I'm very tired. I think I'll just sit here and rest a minute or so."
Marin smiled a little. "Well, all right. You come join me later, okay?" She patted her grandmother's hand, then rummaged in her pocket, producing three small ampoules—one blue, one purple, and one yellow. She gathered her bath supplies from her luggage and went into the bathroom to change.
Moments later, Marin was wrapped in a fluffy green towel, surveying the bathroom with wide eyes. "Wow! I've never seen such a huge bath, outside the bathhouses!" She giggled, then tossed the blue and purple ampoules to the ground. "Come on out and join me, Melan and Poikun!"
The tall blue humanoid monomakia and the strange, purple turtle monomakia now stood on the floor of the bathroom. Melan Blue looked around with interest at the elaborate furnishings. "This is quite impressive. It's a very large bath."
"Yeah, I know!" Marin went over and turned on the water. A porcelain lion's mouth began gushing water from the wall, and the girl clapped her hands in delight, laughing. "What a strange faucet!" She tested the water with one hand, waiting until it was nicely hot, then let it run to fill up the huge bathtub, which was probably big enough for ten people to relax comfortably. Next Marin poked around in the cupboards, looking for something. Poikun nudged her with his head, squealing happily and curiously. "Poikun, stop it! Let's see now…ah! Here, this will do." Marin pulled a plastic ice bucket from the cupboard and went over to the sink, filling it with hot water from the faucet. She placed it carefully on the ground, then dropped the yellow ampoule into it.
Melan raised an eyebrow. "I do not think Kushiton will come out, Marin. She is far too big for the bath."
Marin shrugged, feeling a little silly. "Well, maybe not…but she can still join us! Who knows, it might feel good anyway."
Melan Blue shook his head, slightly amused. "Perhaps. I do not know." He knelt down and checked the level of the water. "Do you think it is full enough?"
Marin peered over his shoulder. "Sure! Go ahead and get in, Melan. I'll turn down the water a little." She did so, then looked around a bit more, exploring the luxurious surroundings. A showerhead was fixed to one wall. She beckoned to the purple monomakia. "Come on, Poikun! Step out of that shell and come over here. You're filthy! And no wonder, after today's adventures."
It was true that they were all a little the worse for wear. Fortunately, there'd be no serious injuries this time, in the battle with the monomakia at the World Expo. Marin frowned momentarily. No injuries among her own three monomakia, Grandma Moto, and herself, at least. Many people had been hurt, and a few had even died in the attack. Still, there was nothing she could do about that. She sighed. What was she supposed to do anyway, hide in a hole? Melan had tried very hard to prevent more casualties, and that was really all that could be expected.
This is no way to think! We got out of it all safely, and we even found a message left by Grandpa Gen. I had a wonderful time today, aside from the attack, and we're all okay. So it's time to relax!
Grabbing some soap from her bath supplies, Marin began sudsing up the happily squealing turtle, humming a little song to herself as she did so. She glanced to one side, where Melan was about to lower himself into the steaming, hot bath. "Melan! Make sure you soap and rinse yourself before you get in the bath! We don't want to dirty the water, you know."
"My apologies, Marin." The humanoid blue warrior walked over to the showerhead, extending his appendages. Marin obligingly handed over an extra bar of soap so he could clean off the dirt from the day's trials and adventures.
"Grandma Moto?" Marin called. "Are you sure you don't want to come join us? This bathtub is huge! It's really wonderful!"
The elderly woman was weary, but Marin could hear the smile in her voice. "No dear, you go ahead and have fun. I think I'll just get ready for bed; I'm too tired for a bath."
"All right. I think a nice soak might make you feel better, but if you're sure…" Marin took the showerhead from Melan, who had finished rinsing and was now lowering himself into the hot bath. Turning on the water, she sprayed the soapsuds off Poikun's side. The little turtle cheeped in delight, and Marin giggled. "Poikun, hold still! Hey Melan, isn't this wonderful? I'm so glad we got to come to the Expo, even with all the happened. It's been a lot of fun, and this hotel room is great! It's like paradise."
Melan leaned back, relaxing. "I concur, Marin. It is indeed like paradise."
Giving Poikun one last spray with the water, Marin pushed him to the bath to join Melan for a soak. She then pulled over a screen and set it up so she could wash herself off. They were just monomakia, but after all, a girl had to have her privacy. She stripped off her towel and began scrubbing happily with the sweet-smelling soap.
"Grandma Moto, I can't wait to get back to school! I'm going to tell everyone about all the fun we had, and especially Moe—she'll want to hear all about it. Oh, tomorrow I have to go buy souvenirs! I'll need presents for everyone, too. I wonder what I should get? I have plenty of money, because I've been saving from my paper route. I should buy you a present, too! Don't you think so, Grandma Moto? Grandma? Did you fall asleep? Oh, Grandma!" She grinned. The silly old woman…but the poor thing had looked awfully tired. Oh well, she'd just make sure to wake her when she finished her bath, and get her ready for bed so she could sleep properly.
After scrubbing and rinsing herself off, Marin wrapped the green towel around herself again, then wound her red hair up in a second towel. Coming out from behind the screen, she stepped into the water and slowly sat down, sighing happily. "Oh, this feels wonderful!"
Melan nodded, watching Poikun splash around cheerfully. "Are you having a good time, Marin?"
"Oh, of course! You don't even have to ask." She cocked her head to one side, thinking. "You know, it's kind of funny. It feels as if I'm just getting so used to having monomakia chase me that I'm not really as afraid anymore. I'm sorry about all the trouble I cause, though." She frowned. "A lot of people were hurt today, but I suppose it could have been worse. Things turned out all right, I think, thanks to Kushiton! The whole Expo might have been ruined."
"But it was not."
"No, not really. Still…I feel a little…guilty." Marin frowned. "Do you think maybe I shouldn't have come, Melan? Do you think that if I weren't here, everyone would have been safe?"
Melan stared off into space for a moment, considering his answer. "Would you wish to live your life in an ampoule, Marin?"
She blinked. "Huh? What kind of a question is that?"
"In an ampoule, you would be safe and protected. I go into my ampoule to heal, or to wait. There is not much else to do inside. I am only a monomakia, though. For you it would not be so easy. You are very used to living your life, Marin. I do not know if you could stop, even though there is a risk involved. Besides, if you had been at home in the tenement, people would have been in danger there, too. I do not think you should feel guilty."
Marin smiled softly. "Thanks, Melan. I think you're right. But anyway, it'll all work out, won't it? Somehow, I know it will. We have Kushiton now! That's got to count for something…she's really amazing!"
"That is true, Marin."
The thirteen-year-old closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of the hot water against her weary body, leaching the soreness and exhaustion from her. She was quiet for a long time, pondering the events of the day, thinking of the presents she would buy for Moe and all the things she would tell her best friend about the trip. I hope Moe isn't angry that I didn't take her along, but Grandma Moto really wanted to come, and I know she felt bad about not being able to take me anywhere over the summer. And this way we even got to see Grandpa Gen's mark! Seeing the teddy bear he drew in the pavilion last summer was almost like having him here with us.
Marin let her thoughts wander, thinking of all the good times she had shared with Grandpa Gen and Grandma Moto. The pleasant memories and the warm water made her so relaxed that she opened her eyes some time later with a start, realizing she had begun to doze off. She brought her fingers up out of the water and wiggled them, making a face. She was as wrinkled as a prune. Oh well, time to get out of the water.
Melan and Poikun dried off as Marin went behind the screen to dry herself and change into her pajamas. When she came out, Poikun had gone back into his ampoule and was lying on the counter next to Kushiton's yellow one. Marin poured out the water from the ice bucket and replaced it in the cupboard, then tucked her bath things away on the corner of the counter. She put her glasses back on and grabbed her hairbrush, humming to herself as she opened the bathroom door. Melan followed her out into the hotel room as she brushed her hair out. Marin went over to the bed and placed the hairbrush on the bedside table, then went over to the couch where Grandma Moto was seated. The teddy bear had slipped from her grasp and fallen to the floor. Shaking her head, Marin smiled and retrieved it, then shook Grandma Moto gently by the shoulder. "Grandma, wake up, it's time to get into bed."
There was no answer. That was strange; Grandma Moto was not usually a particularly deep sleeper. A gentle shake was usually enough to wake her up enough to get some sort of response, even if it wasn't a very coherent one. Perhaps the day's events had worn her out more than Marin had expected. Marin took the old lady's hand and pulled gently, trying to rouse her out her seat. "Come on, Grandma, you can't sleep there all night."
Something was wrong; Grandma Moto's hand did not feel quite right, somehow. Marin shifted her fingers and felt for the woman's pulse. A deep frown crossed her face, and her own heart skipped a beat.
"Marin? What is wrong?" Melan frowned, stepping closer.
"I…I don't know. She won't wake up. Grandma Moto?" Marin tried to take her pulse again, but her own hand was shaking too much. "She…she's just asleep, isn't she, Melan? Melan, isn't she?" She could hear the waver in her own voice, and although the surface of her mind was calm in a stunned sort of way, she could feel panic rising from deep within her."
Melan approached, kneeling next to the old woman. He extended his appendages and touched her arm tentatively, then brought his scanner up to his eye and looked her over. Marin anxiously watched as he analyzed sets of data visible only to himself, barely able to breathe. She felt as if she were going to throw up. "Melan? Melan, tell me what's wrong with her," she begged.
Melan's scanner vanished again, and he looked at Marin, his gaze unreadable. "Marin…I am sorry. Perhaps the day was too much for her. She is an old woman, you must realize."
Marin stepped back, shaking her head. "No. Something's wrong. This can't be the way it is! You saved her! You saved her from the monomakia, and we made it back safely! She wasn't hurt!" The sick feeling was rising now, threatening to overwhelm her.
"Nevertheless, she was not young. I do not know what happened, but it is possible her body simply gave out. I am sorry, Marin."
"No!" Marin angrily shoved Melan aside, a tear streaming down her face. The tall blue creature took a step back, more out of surprise than from the force of her blow. "You saved her! She can't die now!"
Marin sank to her knees, the tears rolling down her cheeks now, feeling sure she was going to vomit any second now. Her thoughts roiled, seeking some way out, trying to convince her this was all some kind of huge mistake. Grandma Moto was fine, or she could be made fine, if only they could get some help. There was a doctor nearby, surely…wouldn't someone be able to do something? Yet another part of Marin knew she was not thinking rationally, that she was panicking, and that it was too late. The old woman's heart had beat its last, and there would be no starting it again.
Grandma Moto and Grandpa Gen were Marin's family. The entire tenement was, really, but they were the only parents she had ever known. It had been hard enough, losing Grandpa Gen last year…this just wasn't fair! And on top of everything else, with the strange world appearing in the sky and all the monsters trying to kill Marin. If it hadn't been for that, would Grandma Moto still be all right? If Marin weren't in the way, attracting dangerous killer robots to her all the time, would her friends and family have been safe?
With a cry, she stumbled to her feet and sprang for the door, not sure what she intended to do, but looking for some sort of escape—anything to escape the reality before her. She ran into a firm, blue bulk, and Melan wrapped his appendages firmly around her. "Stop, Marin. You must calm down."
"Calm down?" Marin shrieked. "But…but…Melan! Grandma Moto is…" She let out a wail, then buried her face against Melan's side and sobbed.
Melan stared off out the window, trying to decide what to do. Someone would have to alert the appropriate authorities…perhaps the hotel staff. It was not common knowledge that there were three extra guests in the hotel room, but plenty of people had seen the three monomakia with the girl and her grandmother this afternoon, so it might not raise so many questions. Besides, Marin was in no condition to do anything, and it could certainly not wait. Melan would have to go down and request aid, and perhaps another room for Marin to sleep. The girl would cry herself into exhaustion eventually, and it might be best for her to move to another location for now.
Melan's mind sped through the practical considerations that must be taken care of, but a growing part of him began to ache. It was a strangely doubled kind of pain, somewhere deep inside. Was it what Marin called sadness? He wondered. There were two aches, however, one for the old woman who had been kind to him despite his strangeness, and one for the girl sobbing into him, so strong yet so fragile.
Practical considerations could wait a few minutes more. Melan sighed and continued to hold his charge as she cried the depths of her heart out. He was supposed to be her protector, but there were some things he could not guard Marin from, human things he did not fully understand. No matter what else happened, though, he realized that he did not just want to protect Marin, he wanted her to be happy.
Melan wondered how he would ever manage that now.