Ichigo's Illness Chapter 35:

Uh-Oh… Part 2

Ichigo and Lettuce opened their eyes and looked at Pai, who was waking up. He opened his eyes, and looked surprised to see Lettuce and Ichigo standing there. "Pai, how are you feeling?" Lettuce asked.

"I think I'm fine," Pai said, sitting up. "What happened? I felt awful earlier." He looked at Kisshu and Taruto, then asked, "And why are those two looking so shocked?"

"We originally couldn't figure out what was wrong with you," Lettuce said. "But Ichigo suggested you might have a Cyniclon illness, and Kisshu checked, and said you had something called Toru Fever. He told us the symptoms, and I realized it sounded like a human disease called tuberculosis. So Ichigo-san and I combined our powers and focused on tuberculosis rather than trying to figure out what it would take to cure Toru Fever, and it seems to have worked."

Now Pai looked shocked too. "Y-you two are amazing," he said. "Did Kisshu tell you that there's no known cure for Toru Fever?"

"Yeah, but I figured that there had to be something we could do," Ichigo said. "I wasn't just going to give up and let you die."

"Thanks, Ichigo, Lettuce-chan," Pai said. He looked over at Kisshu and Taruto, and said, "You two look like you're going to start attracting flies."

Kisshu snapped out of shock and closed his mouth. Taruto seemed not to hear, so Kisshu whacked him over the head. "WHAT WAS THAT FOR!?" Taruto screamed.

"So you'd close your mouth," Kisshu answered. "You were attracting flies."

Taruto growled and launched himself at Kisshu, who dodged neatly, causing Taruto to slam into the wall headfirst. "Owww…" Taruto moaned.

"You had that coming," Kisshu said. "Didn't you notice I was basically standing against the wall?"

"Uh…" Taruto said.

Kisshu facepalmed, and said, "Boy, you're stupid."

"I AM NOT!" Taruto shouted. "And even if I was, you'd be ten times worse."

"I'm reckless, not stupid," Kisshu said.

"What's the difference?" Taruto asked.

"Reckless means I'm just not cautious, it doesn't mean I'm stupid," Kisshu said. "Stupid would mean that I'm not intelligent. As far as I know, stupid is not a synonym of reckless."

"Synonym?" Taruto asked.

"You don't know what that means?" Kisshu asked with a smirk.

"Of course I do!" Taruto said. "It means…. um….. something to do with disease?"

"That's 'symptom'," Pai said. "Honestly, you should pay more attention in these conversations. The context alone should have told you that Kisshu was not speaking about diseases."

"A synonym is a word that has the same meaning as another word," Kisshu said. "Idiot."

"I bet YOU don't know the meaning of the word I've got in mind," Taruto said.

"What is it?" Kisshu asked.

"Xylophone," Taruto said.

"HA! That's a musical instrument!" Kisshu shouted. "You seriously believe I'm that stupid?"

"How about quintessential?" Taruto asked.

"Perfect," Kisshu said. "Seriously, you're just making a fool of yourself. You should stop, before I tell Pudding her boyfriend's an idiot."

"AAARRGH! Don't you dare talk to Pudding!" Taruto screamed.

"Are you the jealous type or something?" Kisshu asked. "I'm not interested in her; I love Ichigo. I just thought it would be funny to see her reaction to hearing that you're an idiot."

"She wouldn't believe you," Taruto said.

"Whatever," Kisshu said.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but something's worrying me," Keiichiro said.

"What is it?" Ichigo asked.

"Why would Pai contract a Cyniclon illness here?" Keiichiro asked. "I could understand it if we were on Cyniclonia, but here, there shouldn't be that kind of problem."

Pai started to look worried too. "What if it happens to others?" he asked.

"I'm not so sure it's unnatural," Lettuce said unexpectedly. "What if it has something to do with the smoke you breathed in a while back?"

"That's a possibility," Pai said. "If that smoke was more than just sleeping gas, it's possible that's what made me sick. Sometimes it takes a while before that particular illness is noticeable."

"Does that mean that I'll get sick as well?" Kisshu asked. "I breathed it in too, remember?"

"Pai breathed in more, so maybe, maybe not," Keiichiro said. "But Ichigo and Lettuce figured out how to cure that sickness, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem."

"Okay," Kisshu said. "Ichigo, should we get back?"

"Hai, good idea," Ichigo said. Kisshu took her hand and teleported back to the house.

They landed in the living room, and saw Shintaro reading the paper. He looked up and said, "Where were you?"

"Didn't Mom get the note I left her?" Ichigo asked. "I left a note on the kitchen counter."

"I don't think so," Shintaro said. "You should go find her. I think she's in the kitchen."

Ichigo and Kisshu went into the kitchen, but Sakura wasn't there. "Maybe she's upstairs," Ichigo said, and went up to her room, followed by Kisshu.

Sakura was in there with Yuka, playing some game. She looked up, and said, "Hi, is Pai okay?"

"So you got my note?" Ichigo asked. "Dad seems to think you didn't."

"Oh, I guess I forgot to tell him, I was busy playing games with Yuka," Sakura said. "So how's Pai?"

"He's fine, Lettuce and I healed him," Ichigo said. "He had something similar to tuberculosis, but he's fine now. We're a bit worried that Kisshu might get it too; Lettuce thinks Pai got the illness by breathing in all that smoke a few weeks ago."

Sakura looked worried. "That sounds pretty serious," she said. "Kisshu, how have you been feeling lately?"

"Fine," Kisshu said. "Keiichiro said he's not positive I'll get sick, since I didn't breathe in as much smoke as Pai did."

"Well, just let us know if you're not feeling well," Sakura said.

"I will," Kisshu said. "What's for dinner tonight?"

"Pesto pasta," Sakura said with a smile. "I'm going to go start it; will you keep Yuka company?"

"Of course," Kisshu said. He and Ichigo sat down to play with Yuka as Sakura got up and left to make the pasta.

They all ate together that night, and Kisshu and Ichigo finished up their homework. Then they both went to bed.

The next morning: Ichigo was woken up suddenly by banging on the door. "What's wrong?" she asked, getting up to open the door. Sakura was standing outside, and she said, "I went to wake Kisshu up, but it looks like he's sick. I'm worried he has that illness you mentioned, I think you should take a look."

"On my way," Ichigo said. She didn't bother getting dressed, she simply smoothed her hair a bit and ran to Kisshu's room. She went in, and saw that Kisshu was in pretty much the same condition Pai had been in yesterday. She went over to him, and put her right hand on his chest, then closed her eyes. As usual, she began to glow pink, and the pink glow flowed into Kisshu. Like yesterday, she focused on healing tuberculosis, not Toru Fever. She finally felt the last traces of sickness leave Kisshu's body, and opened her eyes. Kisshu was starting to wake up.

He looked up at her, and said, "I got the sickness, right?"

"Yeah, how are you feeling now?" Ichigo asked.

"I think I'm okay," Kisshu said. "Thanks, Koneko-chan." He sat up. Suddenly he looked puzzled.

"Is something wrong?" Ichigo asked.

"I feel sick, but I don't know why," Kisshu said.

"If you feel sick, I think you should go to the bathroom," Ichigo said. "You probably don't want to throw up on the floor."

Kisshu got up and went down the hall to the bathroom. Ichigo went back to her room, and saw that Sakura was in there with Yuka. "How's Kisshu?" Sakura asked.

"Well, I healed the fever illness, but then he said he felt sick," Ichigo said. "I told him to go to the bathroom, and came back here."

"I heard there's some kind of stomach bug going around, it's possible he caught it," Sakura said.

Ichigo was about to reply, but then heard Kisshu throw up. "Sounds like it," she said. "That's not fun."

"I guess I'll call the school," Sakura said. "He shouldn't go in if he's sick."

"Yeah," Ichigo said. "Should I get a bucket so he doesn't have to run to the bathroom everytime he feels sick?"

"Good idea," Sakura said. "Then you should get ready for school, I'll take care of Kisshu."

"Are you sure I can't stay with him?" Ichigo asked.

"I think you should go to school," Sakura said. "Don't worry, I'll take good care of Kisshu."

Ichigo sighed, but went to the hall closet and got a bucket, then put it next to Kisshu's bed as her mother went downstairs to call the school. As she started to go back to her room, she saw Kisshu come out of the bathroom. "I feel awful," he said when he saw her.

"I can tell," Ichigo said. "I put a bucket next to your bed, so you won't have to keep running to the bathroom."

"Thanks," Kisshu said. Suddenly he clutched his stomach and went back to the bathroom. Ichigo noticed he left the door open, and went in as he started throwing up again. She knelt next to him and started rubbing his back, trying to help him feel better. Finally he stopped and asked, "Do you have to go to school today?"

"Mom said yes," Ichigo said. "I guess I have no choice. She said she'll take care of you, though."

Kisshu sighed. Ichigo smoothed his hair back and said, "Come on, let's get you back to your room." She helped him up and walked back with him. Just as he was about to lie down, he clapped a hand over his mouth. Ichigo grabbed the bucket and handed it to him just in time.

While he was throwing up, Sakura came in and said, "It sound like half the school has this stomach bug. I told the principal that Kisshu was sick, and he said that I really shouldn't send either of you in."

"That's fine, I'd rather stay with Kisshu anyways," Ichigo said.

"Alright, let me know if either of you need anything," Sakura said.

Ichigo nodded and sat down next to Kisshu as he stopped throwing up. "Is there anything you can do about this?" he asked. "I feel really sick."

"Unfortunately, I used up my power on the Toru Fever thing you had this morning," Ichigo said reluctantly. "I'll be back to full strength tomorrow, though."

"Okay…." Kisshu said. Then he swallowed hard. "Uggh… I feel si-" he broke off as he threw up again. Luckily he still had the bucket on his lap. Ichigo rubbed his back till he stopped, and said, "You should go back to sleep, it'll help you heal faster."

Kisshu put the bucket on the far side of the bed, and laid back. He slowly fell asleep, and Ichigo picked up a book.

She continued to read for most of the day, and only stopped for lunch, which she ate far away from Kisshu, so he wouldn't get sick from the smell. She went back upstairs after, and went back to reading. Kisshu woke up a few times, mainly from feeling sick again. He woke up for real that night, and said, "Are you feeling okay, Koneko-chan?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Ichigo said. "I don't usually get sick."

However, the next morning…. Ichigo woke up suddenly and ran to the bathroom, just before she threw up. Luckily she made it to the toilet. I guess I jinxed myself last night, she thought. Now I feel awful too. And that means I can't heal Kisshu. Great….

Sakura knocked on the door, and said, "Did you get sick too?"

"Yeah, I caught the stomach bug," Ichigo said gloomily.

"I think I'll have you ask Kisshu if you can sleep in there; I don't want Yuka to get sick," Sakura said.

"Okay…" Ichigo said- right before she threw up again. When she finished, she went and got a bucket, then went to Kisshu's room. He was awake and throwing up again. When he finished, he looked up and said, "Hey, what's up?"

"I caught the stomach bug," Ichigo said gloomily. "Mom says she wants me to sleep in here so Yuka doesn't get sick, is that okay?"

"Yeah, sure," Kisshu said. He moved over on the bed, but suddenly said, "The bucket you gave me is pretty full, I'm going to empty it."

"Okay, I brought one in too," Ichigo said, grabbing it as she felt sick again. Kisshu teleported out to empty his bucket. He came in through the door a minute or two later, and said, "That's done. How's your dad going feel about this?"

"As long as it keeps him from getting sick, I'm pretty sure he won't care too much," Ichigo said.

"Good…" Kisshu trailed off as he grabbed his bucket and threw up. When he was finished, he and Ichigo got into bed together. They put the buckets on opposite sides of the bed, and started to fall asleep.

Why do you think so many people have the stomach bug? I have a reason, which will be revealed if two people try to guess the reason. And NO, this has nothing to do with my usual fluff excuse.