TSG chapter 10

Epic 2 part 3: Ick! Ill-Mannered Inarizushi

It was the morning, and Koukou (and the Amachi residents) were all awake, ready to enjoy breakfast. As Koukou is vegetarian, she consumed a raw egg over a bowl of piping-hot rice, known as tamagokake'gohan. She stirred the egg into the rice, softly cooking it. Everyone else also consumed T.K.G., but they also had turkey sausage, fresh veggie juice, and pickled daikon radishes. Koukou was still hungry after eating T.K.G., so Moune made her some scrambled eggs with cheese.

Everyone seemed happy. Professor Shuchiro and Nozomu upgraded their telescope, and Koukou gained a lot of new skills. Alata, Hyde, and Moune were still sad about Eri and Agri's deaths, but they didn't dwell on it. Gosei Knight was reading books in the living room, mostly reading about astronomy.

"Since you have supernatural powers," Nozomu asked Alata, "can you resurrect Eri and Agri from the dead?"

"Maybe, but not without the assistance of Master Head," Alata replied, after swallowing some veggie juice. "By ourselves, we couldn't. What's up, Nozomu?"

"Me and my father have upgraded our telescope," Nozomu replied. "Now, we can detect planets outside our solar system. You have to zoom in, by rotating a specialized ridged button. The button facilitates magnification."

As Koukou finished her breakfast, she went into the living room, wanting to interact with Gosei Knight. She sat down on the couch, right next to him. She accidentally bumped into him.

"Oh, I'm sorry Gosei Knight," Koukou blushed, bowing in apology. "I'm just curious. What are you reading about?"

"Ever heard of a Biibii Zombie?" Gosei Knight asked, displaying the article to her. He handed her over a demon beast encyclopedia, on page 204. "These are created by a combination of black magic, IOT-connected microchips, and robotic parasites."

Everyone become anxious, and Datas suddenly became very worried, shivering and moaning in fear. Alata and Hyde held Datas by the arms, trying to soothe him.

"UGH…" Datas grunted in fear. "I feel very frightened and ill, guys! Biibii Zombies! Biibii Zombies! Those words bring chills to my cords!"

"Is Datas having a seizure?" Hyde asked Alata. "He is definitely not feeling his best, and he is twitching and convulsing a lot."

"I think he is," Alata replied, as they held onto their robotic pal. "Seizures aren't limited to fleshly beings. Datas has a mind, metallic body, and spirit very much like ours. If his systems are malfunctioning, especially his brain or nervous system, he might display epileptic symptoms."

Datas was still having a seizure, involuntarily twitching and stuttering, but he managed to tell them what was wrong. "B-b… Biibii Z z z… zombies!"

"Biibii zombies?" everyone said simultaneously.

"Datas is having a seizure, and we'll have to give him medicine immediately," Alata said. "He is having technical difficulties. Gosei Knight, can you clarify what Datas said?"

Gosei Knight nodded, and he invited everyone to view that same demon beast encyclopedia page - page 204. "Everyone, these are Biibii zombies. Through black magic, IOT-connected microchips, and robotic parasites, they manifest into reality."

"IOT?" Hyde asked.

"Internet of things," Gosei Knight replied. "When someone eats food contaminated with a B-Z microchip, electromagnetic radiation activates fatal and pervasive symptoms."

"B-Z microchip?" everyone asked.

"B-Z microchip," Gosei Knight nodded. "Fatality usually occurs from cardiac arrest, or sudden grand mal seizures. After the host dies, robotic parasites and IOT reactivates the host by stimulating the nervous system. The host's DNA and neurology is manipulated into that of a Biibii foot soldier. They become zombies. After the zombie dies, the microchip programs the victims' souls to be sent straight to hell, regardless of beliefs."

"Sent to hell?" Alata asked, furious.

"Regardless of beliefs?" Hyde asked, enraged.

"Yes," Gosei Knight nodded again. "It is a beast microchip. Approximately as small as a grain of sand. It contains a gene-warping virus, which produces the gene "Luci" and inhibits the VMAT2 gene of the brain. The only way to save the victims from hell… is to destroy the microchip and regain the VMAT2 gene."

"Is this what happened to Eri and Agri?" Moune furiously asked. "They both died from that damned inarizushi, just yesterday."

"Possibly," Gosei Knight replied. "I'm not sure, but these aren't fake."

In another room, Datas was being treated for his seizures, and Alata, Shuchiro, and Hyde took care of him. "Datas, this is anti-epileptic medicine," Shuchiro said, giving Datas 2 blue-colored pills. He carefully put them into Datas' food slot, and Alata and Hyde held Datas still by the arms, helping to hold him still.

"Hyde and Alata carefully put Datas into a soft, comfy bed, with his charger plugged in, so he could refuel and rest. Hyde gave him a weighted blanket, a warm duvet blanket (flying crane and ocean themed) and an ice pack, so his system stopped overheating. Shuchiro gently stroked Datas arms, as he calmed down.

"Will… I I I be a a alright?" Datas asked, recovering from his seizure, still stuttering.

"Yes, Datas, we won't let you die nor be neglected at all," Alata nodded, giving him a soft teddy bear, scented with orange and pine essential oils. Datas always had all 5 senses, even smell, so the scents calmed him down. "Even if you are too ill to fight, we won't ever let Japan - or the world - be destroyed by demonic forces. Ever. We'll never quit."

"I love you very very much, guys," Datas whispered, sleeping in bed, sick with an apparent flu. Hyde took the robot pal's temperature, and indeed, Datas had a fever. Datas, in sleep mode with a mysterious sickness, could not disclose any further details about world news or Warstar locations. Thus, the Amachi residents had no choice but to browse news on the internet.

"Numerous deaths, seizures, and heart attacks from all flavors of Kenjinchiro's Inarizushi," Moune read aloud to Nozomu and Gosei Knight. "Cause still unknown. Over 150 consumers have died, since yesterday morning. Mass burials in our area of Hokkaido. Victims as young as children."

"Obviously, this is all very tragic," Gosei Knight stated.

"How many victims included my friends?" Nozomu asked. "Some of these victims photos are children, and a couple of them resemble my friends in second grade."

"The story doesn't end there," Moune said, scrolling down. "The Inarizushi was an example of "smart food" with IOT technology. Kenchinjiro said his food products had the abilities to install songs, games, knowledge, photos, even entire movies into peoples heads, especially when the consumers sleep. The material behind this brands foods is unknown and unlisted."

"This dangerous food brand is banned now, right?" Gosei Knight asked.

"In our area, yes," Moune answered. "However, it's still allowed everywhere else in Japan. It just debuted a week ago. Even worse, it's still being sold in Korea, mainland China, the USA, Canada, even European countries, especially England and Germany. Deaths have been mistaken as flu or other illness. Hokkaido may soon be in lockdown, and the first deaths in Tokyo, New York, California, Seoul, and England just happened a minute ago."

"Lockdown?" Nozomu sniffled, wiping tears from his eyes. "What if I want to play soccer or baseball with my friends?

"We have indoor activities to stay occupied, such as origami, painting, you name it," Gosei Knight calmly replied, comforting Nozomu. "We also have plenty of food. That is important. Soon, the grocery stores may run out of food, or be inaccessible to us."

Moune pulled out the Amachi's origami storage box. "Look, Nozomu," she said, smiling, "Why not make some origami?"

Nozomu smiled as well. Koukou also agreed to make origami cranes, in hopes of Datas becoming healthy. But, later that day, the Goseigers must return to their duties. Kenchinjiro won't stay cute forever. And, it's not just one demon beast they must defeat…

TBC