Rose Petals
By Ruki Minamoto
Disclaimer: By, now, you should know. I DO NOT OWN DIGIMON!
Chapter 2: A Strange Diagnosis
"Home!" Mimi cried. "Shopping! Real food!"
Yamato shifted Takeru so his head rested on his other shoulder. He began to whisper into Takeru's ear.
"We're home, Otouto-san." Takeru's eyes fluttered open.
"Odaiba? Home…" Takeru asked before falling asleep again. Yamato tried to disguise the fear in his eyes. He wanted to be strong, but strength seemed beyond comprehension.
He wanted to make his little brother healthy again.
Koushiru looked around him and then down to his watch. He brought up the date feature.
It had been almost two months since they had left summer camp in early July. It was almost September 1st. It was almost the first day of school.
Yamato sighed and lay Takeru down on a bench nearby. He looked down at his little brother. He remembered how in Digiworld Takeru often had colds or something but could they really have anything to do with Takeru's illness? No one else had known about Takeru getting sick except for Yamato because Takeru would always make Yamato promise never to tell. Yamato now regretted it.
Takeru often had colds and the flu and Yamato had noticed that he wasn't well - but he just thought it was because Takeru had been born with - well - complications.
Takeru had been born underweight as well as a cord around his neck. He had been premature and it had been Mr. Ishida who had delivered Takeru because they couldn't get to the hospital in time. With all these factors stacked against Takeru - it was a miracle that he was even alive.
Taichi clasped his hands together and regained his leadership role over the Digidestined.
"Let's get to the hospital…we need help."
Yamato, for once, agreed with Taichi. The big-haired boy was right - they did need help.
"So get Takeru onto your back, Yamato and let's get going!" Yamato nodded and shifted the ill boy onto his back. The group then took off to the hospital.
"Help! Please help!" Yamato screamed as he burst through the hospital doors. Nurses and
doctors were frozen in their tracks. A 11-year-old boy racing through with a sleeping 8-
year-old on his back warranted attention.
"What's wrong?" a concerned nurse asked. Yamato caught his breath before beginning his story.
"My brother's been sick for a little while. We've been trying to get to hospital for a little while, but we haven't been able to. Please help him!" Yamato shouted, almost hysterical. The other five watched in terrified fear. The nurse came over and scooped Takeru into her arms.
"What's your name?"
"Ya…Yamato Ishida…He's Takeru Takaishi…"
The nurse nodded and turned away. When she heard a desperate sob, she turned back around.
"Do you and your friends want to come with me?" Yamato nodded and began to walk behind the nurse slowly. Sora and Taichi came up either side of him. Their encouragement gave him heart - but not enough to make him feel any better.
Hospitals freaked Yamato out. He hated how the whole place seemed so sterile. He hated how big they were. That - apart from anything ever happening to Takeru - was his greatest fear…Hospitals.
They were led to a huge room of white. "More white," thought Matt, "Just great!"
Takeru was laid down on a large bed. The nurse looked to Yamato.
"Use that phone to call your parents…" she apparently hadn't paid much attention to
Takeru and Yamato having different last names. Yamato didn't take much notice of her ignorance and called his mother first - knowing she'd be the most worried.
After listening to her wail and plead with Yamato to tell her the truth', Yamato called his father who was, as expected, more calm and tame. He promised to come over as soon as he could. Yamato finally put the receiver down and returned to his brother's bedside to find a doctor sticking a needle into Takeru's arm.
Yamato cringed. Needles - oh how he hated needles.
The doctor turned to Yamato. He was Jyo's father Dr Kido.
"Yamato, right?" He was answered by a nod. "I'm just taking some of your brother's blood. By this afternoon - we should know whether it is blood related or what. It will probably tell us what it is exactly."
Yamato gulped. He couldn't believe he had ever diagnosed Takeru as having the flu or stomach flu. Not when Dr Kido - a professional - thought it could be much worse. Dr Kido sensed Yamato's nervousness.
"I know this seems terrible, Yamato, but it might not be as bad as you think. I have lost count of the amount of people who come in here thinking that they're on death's doorstep only to find that it's only a very bad flu or something much more minor." Dr Kido wanted to believe that he had calmed Yamato down, but the look of fear in his eyes didn't subside.
Yamato stared at his brother's closed eyes. It was easy for Dr Kido to tell him not to panic, but it was different when it was your brother lying on a hospital bed - seeming to be so sick.
"Hang on, Otouto-san. Just hang on." Yamato enthused. Somehow - he couldn't believe that it was nothing. It couldn't just be nothing. There had to be something wrong. Very wrong.
"There! Done!" Dr Kido exclaimed as he took the needle from Takeru's arm. "That wasn't so bad, was it?"
Yamato looked up at Dr Kido and watched him with annoyed curiosity. He hated how he seemed so casual. Dr Kido looked to him and sighed.
"Just a few hours and we'll know exactly where to look for the proper diagnosis. You look tired…and so do the rest of you. Go have a nap and I'll wake you when we know what's going on. Promise."
"Yeah…come on, Yamato. Let's go to the waiting room. Give Takeru a bit of space for a while." Jyo agreed with his father. Yamato nodded weakly and took one last glance at Takeru before leaving the room.
Three hours later, Yamato was awoken by Dr Kido's voice.
"We've got the results back." Yamato watched the man with disbelief. He seemed to move cautiously and worriedly. There was something very wrong.
"Come with me to Takeru's room. I'll tell you then we'll find a way to break it to Takeru."
Yamato watched his parents lead the children. His mother, Ms Takaishi, seemed very nervous. So did Mr Ishida. Did they know something that they didn't?
"Sit down." Dr Kido invited as he sat down on a chair in Takeru's room. The other's joined him. "Like I said - we have the results back and it should come as no surprise to your parents, Yamato."
"Why?" Yamato demanded. He looked to his mother as she buried her head in Mr Ishida's side. So they did know something that he didn't.
"Dad…Mom…What's going on?"
Mr Ishida took it upon himself to explain what he and his wife were distressed about.
"Takeru's always had bad kidneys. That's why he gets sick a lot. Every now and again, they sort of stop working properly. Unfortunately - they're just giving up now and Takeru's got all sorts of toxins in his blood. That's why he's been so sick lately."
Yamato's eyes suddenly filled with previously unseen fear.
"So he's gonna…"
"No." Dr Kido confirmed. "At least, we hope not. For the moment he will need to be
hooked up to a dialysis machine." At the puzzled looks on everyone's faces, he explained.
"Dialysis is a machine that will drain the toxins from Takeru's blood. Basically - it will do the job that his kidneys aren't. However - it is hardly practical or desired for an 8-year-old boy to be dependent on a machine for life. He won't be able to do any of the things he normally does. That's why we'll eventually need a donor."
"What will we be donating?" Mimi asked curiously. "Our kidneys?"
"Just one." Dr Kido said. "Donors usually are 18 or over, but if Takeru's parents don't work out as compatible, then we'll need to resort to younger people. Usually - we test family first then we move onto friends and finally members of the public. Hopefully - one of his parents will be compatible. Then we'll test Yamato. After that - it's open to all that wish to be tested. However, once someone has been deemed compatible, there probably won't be an escape door."
That made Yamato gulp. He would have to confront his fears of hospitals. But it was for Takeru.
"What do you mean there probably won't be an escape door?" Mimi asked. Dr Kido was happy to explain.
"This sort of thing is very hard when it comes to finding donors. If we find one, it will be very hard, especially for Takeru's family, to let them go."
Mimi nodded understandingly. It made sense, even to her.
Dr Kido rose to his feet.
"Send someone to get me when Takeru wakes up. I'll tell him then…somehow."
The people in the room nodded and watched the man depart. As soon as the door was closed, whispered erupted. Yamato rose shakily to his feet.
"I'm going to get some fresh air. I've got my cell phone."
Yamato headed for the park. Once there, he sank into a bench and pulled out his digivice. Man, he wished Gabumon were there with him. He missed how the creature would wrap his big arms around Yamato when he was upset or feeling lonely. Gabumon had always been there and now that he wasn't, he couldn't think of anything else. Not even Takeru could stop his heart from hurting because of leaving Gabumon. Yamato's heart was torn between two feelings of grief.
"Yo, Yamato! You're home!" Yamato looked up to see a boy his age standing there. He had transferred to Odaiba Junior High early that year after his father was told by his mother to move their eldest son so that he didn't go to the school next door to the youngest son's elementary school. His name was JJ Kinomoto.
"Hi, JJ." Yamato mumbled unenthusiastically. "Why aren't you hanging with Yuya? Isn't this your day to be together?"
"Yeah…but Yuya is really sick. He's in hospital right now." JJ sat next to Yamato. JJ had taken a liking to Yamato and Yamato liked how similar his family was to JJ's. The only difference was that JJ's family was very religious. His parents weren't actually divorced because they were strong Catholics. They just hated each other's guts and lived apart.
"Really?" Yamato was interested now. Yuya was Takeru's best friend.
"Takeru's really sick too."
JJ was very intrigued by Matt's revelation.
"What's wrong with him? I hope it's not what's wrong with Yuya. He's always had bad kidneys and now they're simply shutting down. We found out yesterday. I was calling your house like crazy but your Dad kept saying that you were still at summer camp."
"No way!" Yamato gasped. "You're kidding, right?"
JJ didn't interpret it the way Matt meant it and thought that Yamato was just shocked that Yuya could be so unwell.
"I'm afraid not. Yuya was just so tired and sick…we took him to the hospital after he kept throwing up and found out after a blood test. I still can't believe that Mum and Dad didn't tell me about Yuya's kidneys."
Yamato passed out at that moment from shock. JJ caught his friend as Yamato's head fell into his lap.
"Yamato! Hey! Wake up!"
JJ sat there panicked for a few minutes before Yamato finally came to.
"Sorry…Just a bit sleepy. I haven't sleep without being disturbed for the last three or so weeks since Takeru's been unwell."
JJ helped Yamato back into a sitting position. The blonde rubbed his eyes.
"Takeru got really sick at…summer camp and it got so bad that he just slept and threw up. I was so frightened. We didn't get a chance to get him to hospital until today. My friends and I raced him there as soon as we got back. With the diagnosis we got, I'm glad we didn't wait."
JJ let his emerald green eyes meet Yamato's ice-blue ones.
"You know…I can't believe what you told me was wrong with Yuya. You want to know why?"
"Yeah…I suppose."
"Cause that's exactly what's wrong with Takeru."
JJ froze up. He didn't hear Yamato calling to him.
"Hello! JJ! Are you OK?" JJ finally snapped out of it and looked to Yamato.
"Yeah…How did both our brothers end up in hospital at the same time with the same disease?"
Yamato shrugged. JJ had always gotten along with Yamato. Their lives were so similar that it wasn't funny.
"Maybe the Lord is trying to teach Takeru and Yuya a lesson?"
JJ glared at Yamato. He hated it when Yamato made occasional jokes about JJ's
religiousness.
"The Lord doesn't punish people who don't deserve it. And to my knowledge, Takeru and Yuya don't deserve any punishment of this scale." Yamato shrugged at JJ's response to his tease. He liked JJ. JJ could somehow make everything make sense. He was one of his best friends.
If anyone had to go through this, why JJ, Yuya, Takeru and Yamato?
JJ and Yamato headed to hospital. When they reached Yuya's room, they noticed it was right next to Takeru's.
"Another act of God?" Yamato teased. JJ folded his arms.
"If there weren't so many laws against it, I would punch your nose in."
One of the only few differences between JJ and Yamato was JJ's resistance to bully.
Sora left Takeru's room when she heard the two familiar voices.
"Yamato…Takeru's awake and Dr Kido explained everything to him. The poor kid is so frightened. Tomorrow, he'll go on dialysis for the first time."
Yamato let one single tear fall down his cheek. It hit the hard floor with a small splash.
Why Takeru? Why Yuya? Why?
Sora then noticed Yamato's company.
"Oh - hi JJ. Here to see Takeru?"
"Well…Yeah. But we were going to see my brother first. According to Yamato, he has the same problem."
Sora looked on the verge of fainting. She had also become very close to JJ and Yuya. She hated the thought that this was happening.
The next morning, Yamato awoke to the normal sounds of a hospital. Nurses and doctors rushing around…basically, he hated it.
"Nii-san!" Takeru cried as he forced himself to sit up. Yamato jumped up and hugged his little brother close to him like he would never let go. Part of him considered that idea.
"Otouto-san…Do you feel OK?"
Yamato drew back a little so he could see Takeru. The little boy nodded. He seemed so small in the huge hospital bed. So helpless - so out of control.
"I feel better than before. I'm sorry that I made you leave early. Are Mummy and Daddy OK? I hope that they aren't hurting."
Yamato didn't like Takeru blaming himself. He began to wonder what factor of Takeru's birth contributed to his kidney problem. Being premature? Having that cord wrapped around his neck? Being underweight? Or was it something else?
"This isn't your fault, Otouto-san. I wish there was someone to blame, but there isn't." Yamato hugged Takeru tight to him again. "When they come to hook you up to a machine, I'll be here. Maybe later on, when you're a little better, you can go see Yuya."
"Yuya?" Takeru asked curiously. "Why can't he see me?"
Yamato tried to find a way to explain this to Takeru.
"He has the exactly same thing as you. He's in the room next door in fact…Oh, hi, JJ." JJ came walking past and saw Yamato draw back from Takeru. He smiled weakly.
"Yuya's first time on dialysis today." JJ commented. Yamato nodded.
"Takeru's too."
Takeru watched the two boys. He was confused, sad and worried at the same time.
"JJ? So Yuya is sick."
JJ nodded sadly. He wished that he were shaking his head though, flatly refusing the notion of Yuya being ill. However, he couldn't do that.
"Takeru - Yamato and I might go to the café and get some food. We'll bring you back something nice. Is that OK?" JJ suggested. Takeru shrugged and burrowed down into his bed. Yamato and JJ took that as a yes. "Come on, Yamato. Let's go get some food into us."
"I'll have two lamingtons, please." JJ asked the lady standing behind the counter in the café. She happily complied and handed JJ a bag with two large lamingtons in it. Yamato walked long, looking at the different types of food. Lucky for him and everyone else, Odaiba General actually had decent food.
"Uh…Could I have two slices of chocolate cake, please?" Yamato asked. The same lady that served JJ fulfilled Yamato's request and handed him a bag. "Thanks."
"Anyway," the lady said, trying to initiate conversation. "Why are you in hospital?"
JJ and Yamato tried to think of a good way to phrase the worse thing that had ever happened to them or their families.
"Both of our little brothers have kidney problems. We're just getting them some nice food to cheer them up." JJ explained.
"If they have kidney problems, then how can they eat?" asked the lady. "At least how can they eat lamingtons and chocolate cake?"
"They're both going on dialysis today. That will get rid of all the toxins." JJ tried to joke, but Yamato didn't laugh. "Uh, we'd better be going."
"Bye." The lady returned to her job.
"Yuya, we've got some food…" JJ said as he popped his head around the door. When he saw a nurse putting new sheets on the bed, he panicked. "Where's my brother?"
The nurse tried to be nice, but the news still stung.
"He passed away a few minutes ago. His heart suddenly went into cardiac arrest because the toxins reached his heart. Sorry, JJ."
JJ dropped the bag of his brother's favourite food and ran, leaving Yamato with the idea that Takeru could die in his head.
"JJ!"
Yamato finally caught up to JJ who was a soccer player and therefore faster than him. He grabbed JJ's shoulder, which made the boy freeze.
"JJ…I'm so sorry."
"You don't understand! My brother's dead!" JJ sank to his knees and began to cry heavily.
"Yuya's dead!"
Yamato simply stood there stunned. What if the same thing happened to Takeru? Could he cope? Could anyone cope?
"What do you Catholics believe happen to the dead?" asked Yamato. JJ turned to look up at him.
"Good people go to heaven and bad people go to hell." JJ sobbed into his hand. "I just hope Yuya's in heaven right now."
"I got a feeling he is." Yamato comforted, kneeling down next to JJ and hugging his best friend. "I bet he's watching you right now."
JJ nodded between his teary fits.
"Yeah…I'm gonna test to see if I'm compatible with Takeru as soon as possible. I can't let the same thing happen to you as what's happened to Yuya and I."
Matt nodded and responded.
"Thanks, man."