Ishibashi looked down.
Aaron let out a breath, cringed, and finally turned to Alex again. He shook his head, resigned. Then he bent down and grabbed his bag. “Come on,” he said. “I’ll go with you.”
Alex’s eyes flickered. “You don’t have to do that.”
“It’s okay,” Aaron said, lifting his chin stoically. “Let’s go back to Artimé. Quickly now! We need time to prepare. Besides,” he admitted, “I wouldn’t be any good sitting here worrying. I’ll be there with you through it all. You can take me back here after we win the battle.”
Alex could only stare at his brother. There was no way for him to express how deeply he appreciated Aaron’s willingness to sacrifice all plans to go back and help Artimé once more. “Thank you,” he murmured.
Aaron turned to Ishibashi. “I’m sorry. I hope you understand why I have to go back.”
The old man nodded, but his face was awash in agony. He was acting very strange.
Alex noticed the look on Ishibashi and regarded him with growing concern. “What’s wrong, Ishibashi-san?”
Ishibashi gulped, then clung to Aaron’s shirtsleeve, a battle raging behind his eyes.
Aaron became alarmed. “Is something the matter? Are you ill?”
The scientist shook his head. “I am ill with guilt,” he whispered.
“What?” asked Alex.
Ishibashi let go of Aaron and covered his face for a moment. Then he looked up. “There is something I must confess to you before you go, Aaron. Something that may be crucial to you in battle.”
The boys stared. “What is it?” Aaron asked.
“The medicine that Henry has for the giant crab—I know what it is. I gave it to him.”
Alex shifted impatiently.
“Yes, and?” prompted Aaron.
“It’s a magical seaweed that will allow Karkinos to live many years . . . perhaps even forever.”
“That’s great,” said Alex. “But we really need to go. . . .”
“Shh,” said Aaron, touching Alex’s arm. He narrowed his eyes at Ishibashi. “Go on.”
Ishibashi’s look turned helpless. “I told Henry that whenever one uses that medicine on a human, he must have their full understanding and permission to do so.”
“That makes sense,” said Aaron.
Ishibashi nodded sorrowfully. “But I did not heed my own instructions.”
Both boys were still now. Staring at the little man.
“When you landed on our shores, Aaron, I thought you were our new friend Alex. You were so near death—there was nothing we could do to save you . . . except for one thing.”
Aaron’s bag dropped to the sand with a thud. “What are you saying?” he said harshly.
Alex’s stare moved from Ishibashi to Aaron as the truth came to him. “You gave him that?” he whispered. “So he’s . . .”
Ishibashi nodded, and a tear slipped down his cheek. “Unbeknownst to Aaron, and without his permission, I gave him the seaweed. And now he is like Ito, Sato, and me. Immortal.”
Ishibashi faced Aaron. “I am very sorry I didn’t tell you this news before. I was afraid to. But you deserve to know the truth.”
Aaron just looked at him. “Immortal?” he breathed.
Ishibashi nodded. “Obviously we are not fully sure that we, and you, will live forever, because forever hasn’t come to pass. So there is no way to test the theory. But from our best scientific deductions to date, we’re quite certain. You won’t die, Aaron.”
The brothers were dazed, too blown away by this news to say anything.
Ishibashi touched their shoulders and spoke gently. “And now you must go. Take this news and ponder it. If you are angry, I am the one to blame.”
Aaron put his hand to his head as if to stop it from spinning.
Alex recovered from the shock and gave Ishibashi a meaningful look. “Thank you for telling us,” he said. “We’ll talk it through on the ride home.”
“Please tell no one, not even your friends, for we don’t want word of the seaweed to get into the wrong hands. It could be very dangerous if that happens. The fewer people who know of it, the better.” Ishibashi gripped Aaron’s shoulder. “Are you all right?”
Aaron nodded dumbly. He reached out for the man and embraced him. “I’m okay,” he said. He released the scientist and picked up his bag again.
“We will talk more when you return,” said Ishibashi. He whisked away a tear. “If you are not too angry to return, that is.”
Aaron just shook his head. “I don’t feel anything right now,” he said. “But this island is where I belong. This news doesn’t change that. I don’t think so, anyway.” He nodded at Alex. “Let’s go.”
Alex hugged Ishibashi. “Thank you,” he whispered to the scientist, though he wasn’t sure why. Perhaps because it was he who Ishibashi initially intended to save.
Alex picked up Aaron’s trunk and followed him to the white boat, both minds whirring. Ishibashi Junpei remained on the shore, wondering if he’d ever see them again.
Aaron Immortal