A&L v 2.0 Ch 9

Some larger changes in this chapter. I want to try to stick closer to the actual storyline, but I like the parts that don't stick close to the storyline so much... well, we'll see. The Ashleve actually belongs to GOPWA, but oh well. :D

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Poor Robin needed more Advil again. Her headache was back. Doujima had temporarily adopted Robin, and was now doing her makeup.

"Um... excuse me, Doujima..."

"...And then I told him that if... What?"

"Do you have any painkillers?"

"Painkillers? Are you okay? I have... let me go see!" She got up and ran to the kitchen. Robin heard a cabinet opening as Doujima began reciting medicine names. "...Ibuproden, Madol, Addil, aspirin, Mootrin, Ashleve, Tealennol..."

"Addil is fine."

"...ten kinds of cough syrup, three rare herbal supplements from Indonesia..."

"No, just the Addil."

"Leeks? Soothing music? Miso soup? Epsom salts? Spot on the couch? Whiskey?"

"Just... I just need to lie down a while, please."

"I'll come sit with you!"

"No, no, please..."

"It always makes me feel better to have somebody to talk to when I'm not feeling good..."

"I'll bet it does."

"Bepsi always soothes the stomach. Do you want one?"

"No! My stomach does not hurt! I just want to lie down! And an Addil!"

Doujima stuck her head around the door. "You don't have to snap at me! I'm just trying to help! You really must not be feeling good."

Robin had found the makeup remover and was busy scrubbing her face down in a most disgusted manner. "No. I am not."

"Miho has scry-induced flu! I didn't think it was contagious, but maybe it is! Do you need me to call the hospital? Ooo! I could ride in the ambulance!"

"I just need Addil and a glass of water!"

"Filtered, purified, carbonated, flavored, spring, or tap water?"

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At Doujima's insistence, Robin was being forced to lie down on a couch in some random room (Robin had finally just given up on resistance, and let herself be led around like a robot.)

"There! See, I got you a whole bunch of pillows, and..."

Robin tuned Doujima out and set her cell phones on a side table well within reach. She hoped that Amon or somebody would call her to go on a Hunt and she could get out of Doujima's apartment. The talking, the choices for absolutely everything...

"Here you are! I got you a blanket! See, isn't it cool? Once when my father went to America, he went to this really cool place called..."

Robin tuned out Doujima again, took her hair down, and collapsed on the pillow.

"...and see, I picked you out some pajamas, do you want to put them on now? Oh, never mind, you're already lying down... you aren't asleep are you? Anyways, I brought you a Bepsi, they always make you feel better when you're sick!"

Robin was instantly awake. Her hands quickly shot out and claimed the precious caffeine and sugar laden beverage (complete with ice, little umbrella, and twisty straw.) Of course, caffeine usually makes a headache worse, but...

"Oh! That's right! Pizza!" Doujima said. "Do you like just cheese? Or sausage and pepperoni, or maybe veggie? Or..."

"Cheese. That's all. I don't want anything else. At all."

"Well... okay then. If you're sure."

Doujima picked up her Very Cute Orange Cell Phone With The Key Chains (VCOCPWTKC) and dialed the originally named Pizza Palace. "Hello, yes? This is Doujima Yurika. I want to..." There was a long pause. "No, sorry, I don't... No... um... Excuse me, sir? OK, excuse me Biff, then. Um... No, I'm sorry, I really don't remember you. I just want a pizza. Yes... One farouke, but can you make that half cheese?" She paused again. "Look... er, Biff, I don't want a personal 10 discount. It'll be charged. Um... I should be in the computer... No, you cannot have my phone number! I just want the pizza! OK, GOODBYE!" She flipped the phone closed. "Robin, from now on I am ordering from Little Caesar's."

Robin groaned and rubbed her forehead. She never wanted to see another dratted piece of laundry in her entire life. Ever. Inauspicious things, laundry.

"Robin? Are you okay? You're not saying much tonight."

"I'm fine."

"How's the Bepsi with the twisty straw?"

"It's fine."

"Are you really hungry?"

"I'll be fine."

"Do you need anything? A heating pad maybe?"

"I'm fine."

"What is the nature of God and Man?"

"It's fine."

"Hah! Gotcha!"

Robin sighed. It was going to be a long night.

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"I mean, just because I show up late once..." Doujima was saying as Robin drifted in and out of sleep, occasionally slipping into strange dreams where random people with Doujima's voice were constantly talking and beating her over the head with twisty straws.

Fur Elise done in some peculiar tempo rent the air. Robin could hear Doujima rocketing out of her chair and storming in the general direction of the front door.

"Who is it?"

"Pizza delivery from Pizza Palace!"

"Come in! I'll be there in a second!" There was a pause and Robin heard the delivery guy's heavy footsteps.

"Oh. Biff. How lovely to see you again." Doujima's voice was dripped sarcasm. Biff seemed not to notice.

"I delivered it myself, Miss Doujima!"

"That's nice. But do we really need the four free liters of Coke?"

"It's a present!"

"Er... that's nice. And what's this?"

"It's free breadsticks!"

"There's just me and my friend Robin. We don't need breadsticks! Think of all the carbohydrates!"

"But they have extra cheese sauce..."

Robin felt rather good about this turn of events. Doujima being irritated instead of her... sweet, sweet revenge. But she immediately felt bad. Doujima was just trying to be helpful... but still...

"Here's your change, Miss Doujima!"

"Yes, thanks, see you later, come again, GOODBYE!"

Dee do dee do dee do dummm... sang the doorbell.

"What now, Biff?"

"Did you really mean the part about coming again?"

Robin could hear Doujima slamming the door closed quite firmly, and muttering something in an unknown language. (It was actually a rather nasty Bulgarian swear word. Doujima's smarter than we think...) Robin had just managed to drift off to sleep again when Doujima bustled back in and flopped down in a comfortable armchair.

"Now we need to get up at least by 9:00 so that we can pick out your outfit!"

Robin abruptly sat up.

"What? No, Doujima!"

"Oh c'mon! It'll be fun!"

Robin gave up on ever sleeping again.

"Um... can we talk about this tomorrow? Hey, I'll help you rebuild your playing card house. I'm good at that."

"Sure! It's a tower, though. I'm going for the world record...."

At that precise moment (Robin thanked the Powers That Be, also known as The Authoress) the strange rendition of Fur Elise began to play again. Doujima rocketed out of her chair and skidded down the hall.

"Who is it?"

"Floral delivery for a Miss Yurika Doujima!"

"Ooo! I'll be there in a minute!"

Robin flopped back on the pillows again. She had never gotten flowers. Life was cruel.

"A flower arrangement sent special rush delivery for you, Miss."

"Thank you! Let me get my purse..."

Robin pulled up the blanket to her chin. Humph.

"Oh good, there's a card! 'To Doujima-chan with a real big lot of love. Bet you'll never guess who it's from! Love, your very, very, very, very, very secret admirer, Biff.' WHAT?"

Robin smiled vaguely. Sweet revenge... no, don't think that way... but it is, anyway. As she slipped away into a very brief but still rather pleasant nap, she vaguely heard Doujima in the background.

"Oh my God, he did not just call me 'chan!' He did not! That creep... who does he think he is? If he ever does anything even resembling this again, I am so calling the police! That..."

Here Doujima slipped into an old southern dialect of Welsh, and Robin gave a small, vague snore.

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Yeah. Keep in mind this was written at two in the morning.

AnimeGirl190: Gets worse, don't it? Poor Robin...

Carri: Well, short, meaningless chapters are sort of my specialty... .—hides from minions—

Prospero53223: Ack! Posting! Posting!

CrazyTomboy: Yes... I know... I'm a little scared myself...

Fiery Demon Fox: Thanks, as always, Thou Faithful Reviewer!

Venus Smurf: Thank you very much!

Evilteddybear: Thank you very much for the long review! –appreciates-- I wish I could reply here, but I think if I don't have another procrastinating streak I'll email you, because that was a LOOOOOONG review.

St Earns: The white flag has been flown, the war cry is shouted, IT HATH BEGUN!

Slow Motion Runner: Why thank you. I run rather in slow motion myself.

youkai Draconas: Thanks, I try! Although the revising takes a long time, so updating is generally sporadic.

TheUniverseBeyond: Hmm, this Jeremy sounds interesting...thanks, btw!

Celestial: Ooo! Like the name! And... well... I don't post that much... so... don't kill me! Please?

Meow-Bloossom: Confuzzuledness. That's what it is. :D

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Is that everybody? Apologize if I left you out. I'm kind of all over the place. As usual.

May you never eat barbecued pizza,

Ais