Trust
Among all the places of the body, the spleen was probably AC's least favourite one, but every erythrocyte had to come here for regular check-ups, to see if they were healthy and functioning. Those who weren't…well, they were taken care of and recycled so there could be new red blood cells. It was of course an unavoidable fate, but everyone hoped to have at least grown old and so face it after a long, satisfying life, instead of being winnowed prematurely because of some defect.
Thankfully her healed scar had proven to be no problem, nonetheless AC couldn't help but feel uncomfortable whenever she came here.
She tensely went through the tests, examining the condition of her membrane as well as her ability to squeeze through even the tiniest capillaries. While her face was still flushed from the latter, the macrophage gave her a thumbs-up, wishing her a good day with a warm smile, before leaving to attend to the next erythrocyte, much to AC's relief. She readjusted her uniform and left the building a little quicker than necessary, glad to be done.
The auburn haired erythrocyte stepped out into the bright open, only to be greeted by a white clad cell waving at her from across the street.
Elated AC jogged over to him, her earlier tension immediately all but forgotten. "4989, what are you doing here?" she greeted her friend; had he waited here for her?
The neutrophil smiled at her in return. "I know you hate the check-ups in the spleen, so when I saw you walk in I thought I'd stick around." He explained, before he held up a little paper bag. "And I may have gotten you a little something to cheer you up."
AC immediately picked up the sweet scent of baked goods and curiously checked the bag, which she found contained several fresh buns, still warm. "You shouldn't have," she told him, but still smiled gratefully.
"Oh, so I get to keep it?" 4989 asked brightly with a wink, reaching for the bag again.
Quickly AC hid it behind her back, now giving him a playful smirk, skipping away just out of reach. "Too late; a gift is a gift," she reminded him merrily. "But you are welcome to have some."
…
The two cells made themselves comfortable in a nearby park, finding a quiet little spot among the trees that provided a bit of privacy. When spending the entire day on busy roads among millions it was nice to get away once in a while, take a breather, and it allowed 4989 to tinker undisturbed on his newest little project.
AC sat facing him, eating her buns, curiously watching him. He however was a little too preoccupied, only having taken a single bite off his one so far.
"Your tea is getting cold," she reminded him, after taking a sip from her own cup.
4989 looked up, momentarily confused. "Huh? Oh, right." The beverage his friend had gotten him on their way here had completely slipped his mind.
"What exactly are you working on this time?" AC asked him as he drank some tea, fortunately finding it still decently warm.
"An upgrade on the spear," He explained as he put the cup aside again. "It's effective, but I think I can make it better." Frankly right now it didn't look like much, as he was still properly attaching his first knife to the pipe. It seemed like an easy thing, but if not done right, the blade would simply fly off at the first strike. The weapon needed to survive the heat of battle; slashes, stabs and parries, no matter the angle or the toughness of the enemy's cell wall.
Thoughtfully the auburn haired erythrocyte regarded the work in progress. "I've seen macrophages carrying lots of two-handed weapons. Why aren't neutrophils equipped with them, if they're that effective?"
4989 shrugged, as he tested the stability of the blade. "Probably has something to do with resources; it's easier to mass-produce knives for a few thousand neutrophils than large pole arms. Plus migrating is a bit easier, trust me I've tried, and we're supposed to get anywhere quickly. And of course you are faster with knifes than with a bulky two-handed weapon, which does have certain advantages, depending on the pathogen."
"Then why make a bulky, two-handed weapon?"
His lips curved into a smile. "Hey, it's my job to defend this world; why not use everything at my disposal?"
"Won't you get into trouble?" The neutrophil could hear concern lingering in her voice.
Frankly he wasn't too worried; he'd been doing this his entire life after all, though admittedly his teachers had always tried to knock that habit out of him. His colleagues in the field were a bit different. "Not as long as only pathogens get hurt," he assured her. "But if I hurt anyone else, or damage something I shouldn't have, I'd get into trouble no matter the weapon."
"Point taken."
"There."
Curiously AC tilted her head a little to the left. "So; your big innovation is one blade at each side?" He had indeed attached a knife to each end of a pipe.
"You don't sound impressed," 4989 noted somewhat disappointed and stood; sure it wasn't anything mind-blowing, but still. "This could really come in handy, when I'm surrounded, or when there's a horde like during a virus infection." He swung his new weapon around, testing it out, after making sure she was out of its reach.
His friend watched him for a while. "I get that," she slowly began, now looking concerned again, which dampened his mood somewhat. "But you just mentioned getting into trouble should you harm anything but a pathogen. So I can't help but wonder what happens if there's another cell nearby, like a fellow neutrophil. I mean at least one of those blades you won't be able to see, and you guys are often fighting side by side. If you swing it around…" She had a point.
4989 squinted his eyes. "You're secretly my conscience, aren't you?"
Much to his delight AC laughed in response. "Yes; I'm so glad we finally get to meet," she joked teasingly. "But seriously, isn't that thing a bit dangerous?"
4989 sat back down in front of her, giving her a reassuring smile. "Well, I need to practise of course." He still believed this could work, especially when he was on his own against numerous enemies. What he needed was experience and a good place to train. His mind drifted off as he considered his options.
"Not alone."
Surprisingly quickly, AC suddenly grabbed the spear and pulled it from his loose gasp. "Hey! Give that back!" Alarmed 4989 reached for it, but she was holding his weapon up with both hands, just out of his reach.
"Only if you get your friends' approval and practise with them," she declared, stretching both body and arms as much as possible to stay in the possession of the spear.
Frankly he hardly heard what she said, reaching up with his arms and fingers as far as he could, almost touching the pipe now. "AC-chan!" he pleaded, as she leaned back, determined to keep the weapon out of his reach.
"You have to promise me."
He didn't want to tackle her, or do anything really that could hurt her. But then again maybe he didn't need to. With a mischievous glint in his eyes he lowered his hands again, and instead of going for his spear they now went for her sides. By pure accident had he discovered one day that she was ticklish, a fact that now simply begged to be exploited.
His fingers moved swiftly and AC screeched surprised. Instinctively she pulled her arms down, trying to protect her sides, shield them and…WHAM!
Still holding the spear with both hands, the part of the staff between them crashed down on 4989's head, which just so happened to be in its path. His vision went black for a second and he saw stars, immediately stopping to tickle her, as pain radiated through his head.
"Oh gosh, I'm so sorry!" He heard AC exclaimed shocked.
The neutrophil rubbed his aching head and groaned. "Ouch," he muttered. "Guess I deserved that."
"You're alright?" 4989 opened his eyes and looked up, seeing that she had put the weapon aside on the lawn, one hand now covering her mouth, watching him worriedly and with guilt. He hated to see the latter.
"Yeah," he assured her, remorseful for making her feel bad, and mustered a grin. "Didn't know an erythrocyte could pack a punch like that."
"Well, we do carry around heavy cargo all day long," AC pointed out, though clearly relieved now. "Again, sorry."
"Sorry enough to give me back my weapon?" 4989 asked hopefully, tilting his head sideways.
The auburn haired erythrocyte raised an eyebrow. "You're not gonna use it for now?"
It was disappointing, but she wasn't completely against him using it after all. "Promise."
"And you're sorry for tickling me?"
Innocently he looked away to the ground. "…maybe a little."
"Hachikyu-kun." She sounded quite stern, though as he could see from the corner of his eye, her mouth was curving into a smile, telling him that in truth she wasn't actually angry.
Still, he gave her his best and biggest puppy eyes, lowering his head to look smaller and penitent. "Very sorry." And he so adored that smile he was rewarded with.
The following days were rather calm for the body as a whole, with no major invasions or injuries. On one delivery to a cell in the connective tissue of the shoulder, AC spotted a familiar looking white blood cell overlooking the traffic. It was not 4989 however.
The neutrophil soon spotted her as well, greeting the erythrocyte upon her approach with a smile and a hat tip. "Hi, AC 4293."
"Good so see you again, 2626," she greeted him. "Hope you've been well."
"Can't complain," he replied before starting to chuckle a little. "I'd ask how you're doing, but given that 4989 has been in an almost obnoxiously good mood, I don't think I need to."
She couldn't help but blush a little. "And there I worried that I've been a bit of a spoilsport recently," the auburn haired erythrocyte admitted.
"Why is that?" She wondered if he frowned behind those bangs, covering both his eyes completely, but at least his head was ever so slightly tilted.
AC tugged at one of the wild strands framing her face. "I may have 'discouraged' some of his ideas and…experimental weapons."
"Don't worry about that: we've all done it," 2626 told her with a shrug.
"Really?"
"Oh yes," the neutrophil confirmed. "Remember; the four of us have been friends since childhood and he's been 'improvising' since the very beginning. He may pout sometimes, when he really liked an idea, but he always bounces back as soon as the subject changes."
She chuckled. "True enough." It was an aspect she truly liked about him.
"You should ask him about the time he tried to build a bow."
"I both intrigued and horrified," AC admitted, imagining all the ways that could have gone wrong.
2626 laughed. "Sounds about right," he confirmed. "In any case don't hesitate to rein him in whenever you feel necessary; he may not be as reckless as 1146 can be, but he doesn't always think things through."
"Noted."
...
Meanwhile in an artery along the jaw U-4989 found himself in the company of another of his friends.
"It's been a while, since last we went on patrol together," U-2048 commented as road started to go a little uphill, approaching one of the teeth.
"Yeah, had to do a lot on my own recently," the fluffy haired neutrophil admitted. Aside from the fact that most neutrophils went alone on patrol regularly, only teaming up for the most threatened parts of the body, the E. coli invasion had left their forces somewhat shorthanded. They were recovering, but that meant that more experienced neutrophils were now almost exclusively paired with rookies, rather than with each other.
To his surprise his friend however grinned. "That and you've been running off a lot to go look for your erythrocyte-friend."
"Sorry." He just really liked spending time with her, and unlike 1146 once with AE 3803 he didn't rely on running into her randomly.
2048 chuckled. "I'm sure we'll survive." He looked ahead and frowned. "What's going on up there?"
Curious 4989 craned his neck to see what his friend was referring to, and spotted a group of Thrombocytes up the road, their blue shirts standing out despite them being so small. As they approached, the two neutrophils saw that there had been a hole in the wall and ceiling of the artery, now covered with nets of fibrin and the unlucky erythrocytes trapped in them.
Small injuries in the mouth, especially around the teeth weren't uncommon; they were a regular, almost daily occurrence, so neither immune cell was surprise that they had come across one.
"Hello, Platelets," the fluffy haired neutrophil greeted them warmly upon reaching the site, waving when the children turned around. "What happened here?"
The leader, a girl with waist-length caramel blonde hair, waved back enthusiastically, her brown eyes shining. "Oh, Kōchūkyū onii-san!" 4989 loved how she and the other platelets referred to others as siblings, how unafraid they were of neutrophils. "There was a wound around this tooth, but we already got it all fixed up," she told them happily.
"Good job," 2048 praised them with a warm smile.
"Yeah, and we don't have to spend days in a clot," 4989 noted, grinning relieved and clapped his friend on the shoulder, though feeling a bit bad for the trapped erythrocytes, hearing some of them groan, probably stuck in uncomfortable positions. "Good timing."
"Any germs?" the other neutrophil asked, throwing a critical glance at the healing wound. The mouth was home to numerous bacteria, which were part of the natural flora, but displaced they too could become a threat.
Platelet-leader however shook her head. "One or two, but an earlier patrol already took care of them."
4989 wouldn't have minded some action, besides as of yet he hadn't eaten much today, but if it meant everyone here was save, he certainly wasn't about to complain. "Well, guess we can keep going then."
Suddenly someone tugged at his pants and the fluffy haired neutrophil looked down to a small boy. "Onii-san, could I get a ride?" he asked innocently, with big puppy eyes; 4989 hoped that it looked at least half as convincing when he did it himself.
"Sure," 4989 replied happily, reaching down; it was impossible not to adore the platelets or refuse them. "And up!"
After her encounter with 2626, AC continued to finish her delivery, before heading back to the lungs to have the carbon dioxide exchanged again. About halfway back, not far from the superior vena cava, she encountered another friend, though this time she was seen first.
"AC 4293!" a voice shouted behind her.
The auburn haired erythrocyte turned around, keeping one hand on the cart so it wouldn't roll away and spotted a red blood cell with short brown hair. "Hi, AD. Long time, no see." It was true that it had been some days since their last encounter, likely thanks to deliveries to completely different parts of the body. All the more reason to appreciate this chance to catch up, and from the looks of it, he too was on his way back to the lungs. "How have you been?"
"Pretty good, work's been going smoothly," he told her, stopping by her side, parking his cart right next to hers. Good thing she always kept to the side of the road. "Even had a delivery to the brain during a REM- circle; you should have seen it."
"Damn, I wish I got send up there more often." And with all that had been going on recently, it hadn't exactly been on the top of her mind.
"Maybe you should go in your spare time. I know it's far, but it's honestly worth it."
FP 1564 had given her the same advice once. "So I've heard."
Then his expression suddenly grew stern, worrying the auburn haired erythrocyte. This was not a good sign. Had something happened after all? "Look there was something I've been meaning to ask, actually me and CT."
Somewhere in the back of her mind, alarm bells were going off like a receptor in the presence of antigens. "What about?"
"Are you really spending time with a neutrophil?"
AC froze. They knew? They must have seen her along with 4989 at least at one point, which given how much they'd been hanging out recently wasn't entirely surprising. Still, she'd hoped to avoid exactly this confrontation; she had wanted to be the one to address the matter, though admittedly she had postponed it for some time now. Too long apparently. "I'm guessing you're not too happy about that," she carefully noted.
It was the look of disappointment that probably hurt most, and he had every right to be. She shouldn't have kept such a secret from her friends, people who were very much her siblings like FP had been. "Of course not." AD confirmed. "He could hurt you or worse."
AC's eyes widened. "He wouldn't do that," she protested.
"You were already infected with a parasite; what if next time, which I hope will never happen, he sides with the NK cell." Her friend pointed out. "Maybe he's only keeping an eye on you in case there are aftereffects."
"You make it sound like he's just waiting for the excuse to slice my throat." The suggestion utterly appalled her, plus it was absolutely absurd. Anyone who knew the fluffy haired neutrophil would know that, but that was the issue wasn't it? AD clearly didn't.
"Well, maybe he is."
"What?" This suddenly seemed like a bad joke.
Apparently the brown haired erythrocyte noticed that he wasn't exactly getting through to her. "I'm just worried that's all," he explained, placing a hand on her shoulder. "They are remorseless killers, the whole lot of them."
AC felt her initial shock getting replaced with annoyance. It wasn't the first time AD expressed his low opinion on immune cell, but this time it truly irked her. She jerked her shoulder away from under his hand. "How would you know? All you do is to slight them, without ever having talked to one of them."
He seemed stunned for a moment, before he furrowed his brow. "I don't need to. We can all see on a daily basis what they are all about."
"Yeah, when they are risking their lives to save ours, fighting those monsters." The battle against the E. coli was still pretty clear in her mind. "Has it ever crossed your mind that they might be different, whenever they are not in battle? That they are just cells like you and me?"
Now AD looked actually shocked. "What has gotten into you? It's as bad as CT said."
So she had seen them together. "And what does she have to say?"
Her friend sighed, lifting his hands defensively. "Look, we both think it's too dangerous; it's only a matter of time before something terrible will happen. So please, just stay away from him, from all leucocytes for your own good."
"No." That was not an option.
"AC, please be reasonable," AD pleaded somewhat desperately. "Look at it this way; there are only two ways this is going to end. Either something horrible will happen to you or he'll get killed in battle anyway. Neutrophils are not exactly known to enjoy long lives."
He wasn't wrong about the latter, but AC refused to let that affect their relationship. "By that logic we shouldn't be friends either, no cell should have friends. Any one of us could suddenly die one day. I was there when FP was taken from us, remember? But I don't regret having been his friend, his little sister; I'm glad for what time we actually did have." And it wouldn't be any different with 4989.
"You can't possible treat a neutrophil like FP; it's not the same." He sounded almost offended at the very notion, which only served to anger her further.
"U-4989 is my friend; he saved me, helped me when I was at my lowest point…"
And then AD interrupted her. "Are you sure you're not just replacing FP?"
It was like a slap in the face. "How dare you!" She hissed, hurt by his suggestion. "I'm not replacing anyone! How can you even suggest that?!"
"Because you've changed, because you've been keeping things from us," AD 5022 snapped back, angry now as well.
"Well, how could I tell you, if this is your reaction?" Sadness and disappointment dulled the rush of anger that had gone to her head. "I'd wanted to tell you, really I did, but I just didn't know how, how I could make you understand."
"And what if you're wrong?" He pointed out. "You're talking about a completely different cell type; they are literally designed to kill, you can't compare them to us."
"That's ridiculous!"
"Come on; they are separated from us from the start, even though we all grow up in the same bone marrow. Don't you think that is for a reason?" he added frustrated.
"And if I think it's wrong?" she told him, feeling that spark of fury again. "I've been around both red and white blood cells now and you know what? Turns out the neutrophils are a lot friendlier and less prejudiced than many of you guys are."
"AC…," AD began, but this time she interrupted.
"No, and you know what?" Angrily she pulled at her collar, exposing her neck. "If I ever do become infected and a threat to this body, I'll show them right where to strike!"
His eyes widened in horror, as she grabbed her cart and stormed off. "AC!" But she didn't turn around. She just had to get away; she couldn't continue to fight with him. AC bit her lower lip, her vision blurry for a moment.
Fearing he might follow her, the auburn haired erythrocyte decided to take a detour to the vena cava, not wanting to encounter AD 5022 again. The things he'd said….
AC however was not given time to agonize over the argument and its consequences, since she found herself walking past an enormous tree, one of many all across the body and she was yet again addressed by another cell. "Miss Red Blood Cell," a friendly voice greeted her. "Do you have a moment?"
The auburn haired erythrocyte turned around and saw none other than the resident Dendritic Cell, a kind smile on his lips, his expression completely serene. "...sure," AC replied hesitantly, not wanting to be rude, yet wondering what he could possible want from her. Their task was to communicate and relay information to other members of the immune system to help organize a response, which has nothing to do with erythrocytes.
In any case, he was delighted by her acceptance of the invitation. "Wonderful. Please come in." The green-clad cell gestured towards the opened door of his home, apparently wanting her to go first.
AC parked her cart next to the trunk, and entered the dimly lit interior of what she could only describe as a tree house. Everything here was made of wood, with the exception of a few telephones, tableware and the infamous photo albums she'd geard so much about, which stood in neatly ordered rows in numerous shelves along the walls. A latter was leading further up into the tree, and she had a feeling that even more cytokines were hidden there.
Dendritic Cell followed her in and closed the door behind him. "Have a seat," he told her as he crossed the room, nodding at the table close to one of the circular windows. As soon as she sat, he joined her, a small tray in hands. "Would you like some tea? Maybe a biscuit?"
While still confused by everything, she nonetheless appreciated the offer; she really could use something sweet right now. "Oh, thank you." AC took one of the biscuits, while he arranged the teacups, clearly in no rush. When he poured them tea, she couldn't wait any longer. "So, how can I help?"
Dendritic Cell sat down opposite to her and looked at her with a friendly, yet curious expression. "Well, as you know I'm somewhat of an observer, and of course I couldn't help but notice your friendship with U-4989."
"Oh," the erythrocyte muttered weakly. Please, not him too.
But he was still smiling. "Yes, I've seen something similar before with U-1146 and AE 3803, but was still surprised." He reached for something beneath the table. "Not that I'm disapproving, if you are wondering." With a fluid motion he produced one of his photo albums, skimming through it quickly, before handing it to her. "As a matter of fact I think the cytokines will be even more effective, when it comes to your friend."
AC wasn't sure what he mean by that, but the question that was on her lips was swiftly forgotten, when she saw the photos. "They're all of us!" Every single photograph on the two pages before her had been taken in the last few weeks, every single one showing her and 4989.
As the erythrocyte viewed the images, Dendritic Cell continued. "All immune cells fight for this body with all they have, but I like to think that additionally having something, or someone, specifically to fight for might provide even greater determination and ferocity."
"That still doesn't explain why you wanted to see me," AC noted, looking up again.
The green-clad cell sighed. "Well, I couldn't help but overhear you talking with your friend AD 5022."
She couldn't help but flinch. "I suppose nothing that happens in this body escapes your notice."
"Little I would say," he admitted, before tilting his head a little to the side. "What he said upset you greatly, did it not?"
"Of course it did," she all but exclaimed with a tight chest. "He was always fearful of immune cells, but that he would insult my friend like that, and simply disregard everything I had to say. I thought he would at least listen to me, but he almost acted as if I was delusional."
"He certainly is struggling with these new developments."
Self-doubt snuck into her thoughts and voice. "Have I truly changed that much?" she asked quietly, hands clutching the album.
"Actually you haven't changed at all." Dendritic Cell replied, taking a sip of tea. "You are still the same, as are your friends, but what has changed is your perception of leucocytes, and so now your views on this specific issue clash. You have lost those fears and prejudices."
"But how have I never noticed they hated immune cells that much? I mean I always knew they disliked and feared them, but…hate?" That it ran that deep and was that strong.
The green-clad cell refilled his cup. "I suppose it never was something you truly discussed before. You all did your job, never had anything to do with our body's protectors…until the parasite."
AC's eyes wandered to the bracelet 4989 had given her and back to the photos. "Do you think they could be swayed?" She asked, though she didn't have much hope. "That I could convince them to at the very least give 4989 and his friends a chance?"
"Frankly I'm not sure."
"Then what?" She felt so frustrated, helpless. "I don't want to choose between my friends." Sure she was angry at AD, but they went way back; she wasn't willing to give up so easily on their friendship.
Dendritic Cell shook his head, putting his cup down. "Of course not, but it might come to that. Sometimes people drift apart, for myriads of reasons beyond our control."
She sighed. "That's not exactly comforting."
He gave her a sympathetic smile. "No, I admit it's not, still you might want to prepare yourself for just that eventuality." She already dreaded it, but the immune cell hadn't finished yet. "Whatever path you choose in the end, if it comes to that, just remember that there is no right answer. Though may I say that I believe you have gained a wonderful friend." From his jacket he pulled a handful of photographs and handed them to her, winking to her surprise.
Confused AC took them, but then her eyes widened. "What? You were there?" Her cheeks flushed immediately.
Dendritic Cell chuckled and smiled. "I get around."
Not long ago the sprinklers at the intestine had leaked alcohol into the bloodstream. Having unfortunately been there just when it started, AC had quickly found herself drenched, yet continued to work. After managing to finish her delivery however the alcohol had truly taken affect, forcing her to lay down and rest. That was until 4989 had found her, and brought her to the liver. She had fallen asleep on the way, her friend having carried her, and when she had eventually woken up, tired but completely sober, he'd still been there, using his break to make sure she was recovering. But she hadn't known that Dendritic Cell had taken pictures.
Her eyes lingered on the first photo, showing the moment 4989 had found her.
"Wakey wakey."
"Hmm?" AC blinked, her eyes opening only slowly as she woke from slumber. "Hachikyu-kun?"
4989 smiled apologetically, kneeling next to the bench she had lain down on. "Hi; sorry to wake you, but I couldn't help but notice that you're soaked," he told her quietly, nodding at her wet clothes once. "Got hit by the sprinklers earlier, huh?" Her jacket was all but clinging to her membrane.
With one hand she rubbed her cheek, still not entirely awake. "Had picked up some nutrients, when it started," she began to explain. "It was okay at first; with all those widened blood vessels I finished the delivery really fast, but like right after…I just suddenly felt so tired."
"How about we get you to the liver?" the fluffy haired neutrophil suggested; she knew that she really needed some enzymes that would break down the alcohol, the kind only hepatocytes provided.
Still, his suggestion wasn't met with much enthusiasm. "Five more minutes," AC pleaded, closing her eyes almost completely, pulling her knees closer to her body. It would be such a long way.
Through slits she saw 4989 smiling mischievously. "I could tickle you," he chirped.
"Don't you dare," she merely muttered, but otherwise made no move.
Apparently he didn't have the heart to tease her like that, not in her state, as he opted for a different solution. As carefully as possible he picked her up from the bench, one arm around her back, the other under her knees.
Once again AC opened her eyes, momentarily confused by his unsuspected action. "What?"
"You can keep sleeping," he simply assured her, even as she felt herself drift back into slumber. "We'll be in the liver before you know it."
"…'kay," she managed to yawn as her eyes shut, her head falling against his chest, sound asleep within moments.
Dendritic Cell's voice tore her from her memories. "As I've implied, I believe these pictures will be of great value, when I have to activate my fellow immune cells again."
She barely listened as she went through the other photos, stopping at one in particular. "I don't remember this one. It's inside the hepatocyte establishment he took me to, but..."
He looked and nodded. "I believe he woke you so you could drink the enzyme," Dendritic Cell recalled, which explained why 4989 was holding her, helping her sit up, her body leaned against his for support. "You probably don't remember because you were completely inebriated at that point." His smile returned. "But he was very gentle with you."
Warmth was rising in her chest and to her cheeks. If only she'd had this photo earlier, when arguing with AD. Eventually AC looked up meeting Dendritic Cell's curious gaze. "You are a slyer cell than I gave you credit for, Jujō Saibō-san, if not a subtle one."
The green-clad cell chuckled again. "I seem rather bias don't I?" he noted, but then looked at her thoughtfully. "Well, I've spent a lot of time observing other cells, their interactions and I like to think that I've gained a certain…intuition for what others sometimes need to see or hear. If you believe I'm pushing you one way, please, take a look at those pictures again, but this time, take a good look at yourself, literally."
AC frowned, not sure what he meant, but did as he asked. She checked every photograph carefully, finding nothing unusual or special about them, though seeing herself in an intoxicated state made her feel a little bashful. Judging from 4989's expressions however, he thankfully hadn't been bothered; in fact on most images he looked amused or caring, sometimes both. She too smiled, on every single picture actually, even in her sleep…she just looked happy, content.
When she glanced up, not sure if she'd found what she'd been meant to, Dendritic Cell gave her another warm smile. "Whatever you decide to do in the end, whatever happens in the future between you and any of your friends, may I just advise you go with what feels right to you, regardless of reasons and arguments. You have to be happy with it."
After finishing her tea, AC finally made it to the lungs after all, thankfully not running into someone on her way there yet again. It gave her some much needed time to think about everything, even in the tightly packed heart chamber, though it wasn't easy to ignore that elbow in her side at one point.
Still contemplating she exchanged her carbon dioxide for a new batch of oxygen, eventually deciding that she wasn't really getting anyway and probably should get a decent meal before going all the way down to the shank for the next delivery. The biscuits had not exactly been filling.
Like most days she went to one of the many vendors by the side of the road back to the heart, getting herself some daifuku, before searching for an empty bench. It took her some time to find one, as numerous other red blood cells evidently had had the same idea too.
Eventually however the auburn haired erythrocyte did find a nice place away from the main road in the shadow of a tree, and feeling rather exhausted, all but sank down on the bench. She placed the bag containing her lunch beside her, before running both hands over her face, fingers massaging her temples and the area just beneath her eyes. When she lowered her hands again, there was suddenly a cup of tea dangling in front of her face, by the scent her favourite kind, jasmine. Surprised AC leaned her head back and looked up into 4989's brightly grinning face.
"Hi there."
…
As soon as AC lifted her face, he knew something was wrong, she wasn't just tired. "You seem troubled," 4989 noted worriedly, his smile fading. "Everything alright?"
The erythrocyte briefly bit her lower lip. "It's just my friends…."
He placed both their cups on the bench, before stepping around it. "Argument?"
"You could say that." He was about to sit down, when AC rose, standing now directly in front of him, taking a deep breath. "They are not too happy with us being friends."
"Oh." He lowered his head and pulled at his cap, guiltily hiding his face from her. "I'm sorry."
"What?"
"It's my fault," he claimed distressed. "I never wanted to drive a wedge between you and your friends. You guys have known each other since childhood and now I'm just barging in…" He should have known something like this would happen, especially considering her friends' reaction to him even after he'd saved CT 2980.
But AC suddenly grasped one of his hands, his head jolting up again. "No, no, no; it's not like that!" she quickly assured him, giving him a keen look. "You did nothing wrong."
"You can't deny that it's kinda about me," he pointed out.
She frowned. "Do you think I'm angry with you?"
4989 hesitated, feeling he could only answer wrongly. "Well,…maybe?" He did make life more complicated for her.
AC however only shook her head. "We may have only become friends rather recently, but you're just as dear to me. I don't favour anyone because of the duration of our friendship or something like that. And right now it's my other friends who frustrate me, not you."
"How so?" It sounded like there had been more to the argument than a simple case of erythrocytes being afraid of leucocytes.
Gently she squeezed his hand. "Well, you made the effort to approach and comfort an erythrocyte, who was irrationally afraid of the very cell who saved her, helped her see what an idiot she was." The smile she gave him made his all his mitochondria skip a beat, before her next words made it falter again. "Meanwhile my other friends won't even consider the possibility that immune cells can be anything but killers, and refuse to listen to anything I have to say about it. They even think that I'm just using you as a replacement for FP, or that you're sticking around to make sure I'm not defective after the parasite-attack. So no; I don't blame you for anything."
Replacement? The idea made his lysosome twist uncomfortably, though he couldn't believe that. AC wouldn't, he wasn't…he only needed to remember that one time she'd been drunk; sure she' been intoxicated, extremely tired, but also so very sweet and uninhibited. He just hadn't told her what she'd said to him in that state, not wanting her to feel embarrassed.
4989 looked to her hand, still clasping his. "So,…what now?"
AC hesitated. "I don't know, frankly I'm stumped," she confessed and shrugged. "Maybe one day I can try to address the subject again, perhaps with CT first, now that I have soured things with AD. But in any case I don't want this to change anything between us, okay?" And she squeezed his hand yet again.
Gratefully he smiled at her. "Right."
She too smiled again, but there was something else, something that kept her from being at peace. The fluffy haired neutrophil wanted to ask what it was, when AC spoke, sounding surprisingly nervous. "4989; can I asked you something?"
"Of course, shoot." Anything to ease her mind.
She inhaled deeply, only now letting go of his hand again, which didn't exactly reassure him. Had she kept the worst for last? "During the argument something else came up, and I couldn't quite shake the thought," she slowly began, eyes lingering on the bracelet he'd made for her. "Just hypothetically, should ever something happen to me…should I actually ever become harmful to the body…"
"What are you saying?"
AC gulped, her entire body language betraying just how tense she was. "Well, it's your job to keep the world safe, and I don't want to hurt those I care for. But if I…as unlikely as it is, do get infected by something again, become a threat myself, I harm this body and everyone in this world." The auburn haired erythrocyte lifted her head, meeting his gaze. "So, would you...take care of me?" and touched the hilt of one of his knives.
If he could have turned any paler he would have in that moment. Was she really asking him to…his body felt cold at that very thought, almost sick and he needed a moment to find his voice again. "Can I…can I still try to save you first?" 4989 asked her timidly, a flicker of hope in his pleading look.
For a moment she just blinked, perhaps surprised by his response. His cheeks grew warmer the longer she stared, making him start to wonder whether he'd said the right thing, when her lips finally curved into a soft smile. Then AC reached up, wrapping her arms around his neck for a tight hug. Before he knew what was happening, she pressed her lips against the corner of his mouth for a peck. "Yes." She whispered and squeezed him. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." He mumbled somewhat flabbergasted, though not quite sure why she thanked him; still, his cheeks were certainly all but glowing now. When she detached herself, all too soon, 4989 pulled down his cap again, hoping to hide his pink cheeks, though given the way she smiled he hadn't been fast enough.
Of course he would always try to save her.
The neutrophil could still feel where she'd given him that peck, not quite sure how to react to it. Should he acknowledge it? Act like it didn't happen? Suddenly he wished he could asked 1146 or AE 3803; surely they had been in a similar situation.
It was however eventually resolved after a few awkward moments, when his receptor suddenly went off, reacting to the presence of an antigen. Or maybe it had panicked and wanted to get out. AC actually jumped in surprise, while 4989's eyes widened, an electric shock-like sensation rushing through his body, as if he was suddenly experiencing an adrenaline rush.
"Go get them."
For a moment his expression softened, when he heard her speak, and he gave AC a quick smile. "Don't get into trouble while I'm gone."
She chuckled a little; he adored that sound. "Oh, don't worry; I'm sure AE 3803 and U-1146 are keeping it well occupied."
"Could be," he laughed, suddenly feeling so much lighter upon hearing her jest. "I'll be back."
She just kept smiling. "Counting on it."
And with that 4989 dashed off, back into the bloodstream, eyes peeled for any sign of a pathogen. Erythrocytes immediately started to jump out of his way, as he headed towards the heart, the still ringing receptor telling him that he going the right direction.
What had managed to get this far into the body? Sure there were a lot of new band cells around, but that something had found its way to the heart? That was troublesome.
As he kept running 4989 heard another receptor to his right and soon spotted U-2048. He wasn't surprised to see his friend, after all they had finished their patrol mere minutes before his encounter with AC.
"Seen it yet!" 2048 shouted across the heads of several red blood cells about to enter the left atrium.
"No!"
"Hey guys!" Both neutrophils turned their heads, and saw U-2626 catching up with them. "1146 called in, said he was pursuing something into the heart!"
"Of course he's the first on the scene," 4989 couldn't help but remark. It looked like AC had been right, but then again it was no secret that 1146 was some sort of trouble-magnet.
Together the three entered the atrium, pushing past the red blood cells around them, which now had some trouble making room, some even flinching when they made contact with the immune cells. This time however 4989 had an easier time ignoring it. His mind was too focused on finding the invader.
Instead he found another white cap in the crowd ahead, and it moved rather swiftly. Seconds later he got a glance at the face. "U-1146! Where's the antigen?!" the fluffy haired neutrophil shouted.
"Up there!" his friend replied, lifting an arm to point towards the ceiling.
And there it was. The ceiling and roof were supported by numerous wooden pillars and beams, creating something of an open framework. On one of said beams sat what looked like a Streptococcus pyogenes, but instead of pink, its cell wall was orange with green accents and it had clawed hands rather than blades. And it carried an unconscious platelet under one of its arms.
Streptococcus sanguinis
A common resident in the human mouth, this bacterium can be found in dental plaque, helping to keep others like Strepococcus mutans at bay, an important causer of cavities. After getting into the blood stream however, following oral surgery for example, they can colonize the heart valves, causing endocarditis using platelets and fibrin to attach to the tissue and protect themselves from phagocytosis.
4989 recognized the girl from earlier today at the mouth, the leader of the little group of constructors, the sight only serving to fuel his bloodlust.
"Quick; get up the wall!" 2048 shouted, 1146 already pulling himself up onto a beam.
Realising its worsening odds, the bacterium deftly climbed higher, reaching the ceiling. Its claws cut through the tissue, creating a large enough hole for it to get through and onto the roof itself. The neutrophils followed, 1146 being the first to make it given his head start.
The other three were not far behind however, reaching to top mere seconds later, 4989 finding himself briefly blinded by the bright light, after the dimly lit interior of the heart.
His eyes quickly adjusted and he looked across the giant temple-complex, its vast gable roofs just steep enough so one could still run across most of them. The bacterium was having no difficulty traversing the one they were on, its claws finding purchase on the smooth tiles, even as it moved along the edge. Only on second look did the fluffy haired neutrophil saw that it was actually using bits of fibrin, seeing the pink substance at the sole of its feet.
The four neutrophils pursued, not as quickly as they would have liked, having to make sure that they kept their balance on the tilted surface. Still, they managed to gain on the bacterium, as the fibrin, while providing purchase, was only reluctant to detach again, making the escape rather strenuous on the germ.
"It's headed towards the aortic valve!" 2048 suddenly realised, looking to the building ahead.
Hearing the shout the Streptococcus turned its head, seeing how close the immune cells were; if it hadn't been holding a hostage, there would already be several knifes sticking in its back. However now it was getting desperate.
It suddenly threw the platelet away, flinging her off the roof. "NO!" Without a moment of hesitation 1146 jumped, actually grasping her, pulling the girl close to his chest.
"1146!"
The three slowed down, watching their friend fall. Back first he landed in a tree, a few branches breaking upon impact, while he covered the platelet with his arms, but it broke his fall. "We're fine! Get the germ!" They heard him shout from below, freeing himself from among the broken tree limbs and twigs.
"Roger!" 2626 replied and they picked up the pace again.
The Streptococcus was now panicking and tossed something else at them, a bluish orb. 2048, closest to the germ, lifted his right arm to shield his face, the orb shattering on impact. 4989 heard his friend scream, steam rising from his arm, accompanied by a hissing sound. Nonetheless the straight haired neutrophil pulled something from one of his pockets, and threw a NET at the invader, even as he stumbled to his knees.
The net didn't manage to capture the bacterium completely, but it did wrap itself around its leg, causing it to fall face first onto the roof. 4989 rushed past his friend and drew his weapon. "Die, germ bastard!" and his blade cut across the back, finishing it off.
Catching his breath the fluffy haired neutrophil turned around, seeing that his crouching friend was cradling his injured arm, the fabric of his uniform eaten away by the corrosive substance the bacterium had used.
"Well, that was some hunt," 2048 noted with a pained smile.
"How's your arm?" 2626 asked as he kneeled down next to him.
"Burns," 2048 merely replied, removing what was left of the sleeve to reveal a severely blistered membrane. "Damn that hydrogen peroxide."
"Good thing it only hit you there," 2626 pointed out, examining the injury. He was right; they had all heard stories of other neutrophils, who had been so injured that they had resorted to committing suicidal NETosis, hoping to take the germs with them. "You better get that looked at though."
"Guess that means I won't be going on patrols for a while," 2048 said, sounding not too happy, carefully testing the mobility of his arm only to flinch.
Glad that his friend was doing alright, or at least wasn't in any immediate danger, 4989 was about to put his knife away, when the bloodied blade caught his eye. With his bloodlust gone, AC's question was suddenly ringing in his mind. Could he…take care of her? Could he do what he had just done to this pathogen to her? His organelles twisted painfully, his hand clutching his weapon tightly. That the bright red cytoplasm dripping from the knife could one day be hers. No,…even though she'd asked him to, he couldn't, he…
"Something wrong, 4989?"
2626's voice brought him back to reality. "What?" Putting on what he hoped was his usual smile, 4989 looked up to his friends; he didn't feel like talking about it, not right now, not here. "No, I'm fine; just lost in thought for a bit there."
Fortunately they seemed to accept this without further questions and turned their attention to the dead germ, 2626 getting out his enzyme spray; with the net covering half of it, eating it would be a bit troublesome. Frankly 4989 wasn't exactly feeling hungry anyway. Briefly his eyes wandered back to the knife. She was right; it was his duty to protect this body, even if that meant eliminating other cells. But her? He sometimes felt guilty just for accidently spooking her whenever he showed up using the ventilation and sewer shafts, so how could he even harm a single hair on her head, much less…kill her?
There really only was one option: keep her safe.
