The Big Book of One-Shots

Cells at Work, Remember the Marrow

For anyone who knows the show Cells at Work. I think we all know U- 1146 was the Myelocyte who saved AE1803 when she was an Erythroblast. There are two things that I want to see now. His perspective of the event, and his reaction to finding out that it was her. So, here goes.

Neutrophil was taking a break drinking tea in the bone marrow. Watching the young blood cells in training, he couldn't help but be reminded of when he was growing up. In particular, as he watched a little girl in red run around, he remembered the first time he'd protected another cell.

He was just a boy in training. He still thought a white blood cells job was all about the hatred of germs, the thirst for their blood, and the joy of battle. It wouldn't be until later that day that he would discover that this was all secondary to his primary purpose, his true reason for being.

It wasn't the lesson he was expecting to learn when he stepped into the classroom that day. They had been working knife drills when their teacher had to step out to visit another class. He said he would only be gone for a few minutes, but it felt like forever. He was bored out of his mind, and when he went to take a walk out in the hallway, none of his classmates cared enough to stop him.

It was there, wandering in that hallway, that it happened. Around the corner, he could hear screams, and then just quiet sobs, as if the one making the noise had given up on anyone coming. It sounded like a kid, maybe even younger than him.

The sounds sent chills down his spine, but not chills of fear. He was almost vibrating with rage and concern.

The screams brought him running, but the hopelessness of those sobs made him want to tear  their cause to shreds. He wanted to be able to comfort the kid and tell  them the danger was gone.

He came around the corner and saw a girl in red being tossed around by a huge green germ. He could feel fear set in as he stared at the giant monster. For half an instant, he was frozen. But then, the girl whimpered. He turned his eyes on her and something deep down, something in his very DNA, told him that she was his responsibility.

Holding up his fake rubber knife, he ran in front of the Erythroblast. No matter how big and scary the germ was, every fiber of his being screamed that the girl was not to be hurt. "Leave her alone, you darn germ! Don't think you can hurt a blood cell in this body and get away with it!"  

He was shaking in his boots but, "Target sighted."

The germ was unimpressed. "Who are you?"

"I don't need to waste another breath on a filthy germ!" he shouted. Translation: I'm terrified enough as it is and I don't want to admit that I'm not qualified for this.

The germ was amused. "I'll wager you're just a little Myelocyte, a white blood cell in training. Do you really think you can kill me?"

Shut up. This is hard enough as it is. "I don't think, I know it."

"Oh, I'm so scared!" it taunted. He attacked, but his training knife simply bounced off and it wacked him away. It started picking him up and tossing him around. 

"Oh, what fun!" it cooed, "Little known fact, there's nothing more fun than torturing the weak and the helpless." As he hit the floor again, he could feel the girl crawl over him, begging him to get on his feet. He could hear her shout at the germ to leave him alone.

The germ laughed "I'll tell you what, I have a soft spot for brave kids. Hand over the little Erythroblast without a fight and I'll let you go. So, what's it gonna be little boy?"