Ichigo's Illness Chapter 25:
Fun and Games
After Pai left, Ichigo took Kisshu back to her house. Pai had had him and Taruto pack some of their stuff, since they'd be staying on Earth. He also gave both of them a bottle of pills that would change their ears if they wanted to go somewhere. Pai had said he'd be back in about three days, so they had to wait for news.
Ichigo and Kisshu walked back to her house. "I think when you start living with us full-time, you'll need some different clothes," Ichigo told Kisshu.
"Why?" Kisshu asked.
"Boys don't usually wear shirts that show their stomach," Ichigo said. "Knowing my mom, she'll be signing you up for school too, so you'll need to get used to human clothes. My school requires uniforms."
Kisshu sighed, but they had reached her house, so he didn't say anything. Ichigo went and opened the door, and called out, "We're back!"
Sakura came to the living room as they walked in and took off their shoes. "I got a call from Keiichiro," she said. "I started getting the guest room set up for Kisshu already."
"Thanks, Sakura," Kisshu said. "I have my stuff with me, and Pai gave me some pills that make my ears look human, too."
"I'll take you up to the guest room," Sakura said. "Ichigo, do you have homework?"
"Not this weekend," Ichigo replied. "The teachers were happy with my work during my absence."
"Good," Sakura said. "Do you want to get some of the pound cake out for you and Kisshu?"
"Sure," Ichigo said. She put her stuff away and went to the kitchen as Kisshu followed Sakura upstairs.
Ichigo looked around for the pound cake, and found it on the counter on a cutting board. She cut two pieces, and got plates. Then she poured two glasses of milk, and set them on the table as Kisshu came back downstairs. "Your mom gave me the tour," Kisshu said. "You've got a nice house."
"Thanks," Ichigo said. "I like it here. I cut us some pound cake, do you want some?"
"What's poundcake?" Kisshu asked.
"It's a type of cake. It's thicker than most cakes, and my mom puts chocolate chips in hers," Ichigo replied. "It's really good."
Kisshu sat down at the table with Ichigo, and tried some of the pound cake. "You're right, this is really good," he said. "I like things with chocolate."
"I don't think I know anyone who doesn't like chocolate," Ichigo said. "What else do you like to eat?"
"I like a lot of things," Kisshu said. "There wasn't much food on our planet, so coming here and finding all kinds of food was really cool. I like most things except bananas and raw vegetables. And I hate carrots."
"Me too," Ichigo said. "My parents finally gave up trying to make me eat carrots last year. It was such a relief when Dad said, "We won't make you eat carrots anymore." But then he went into a rant about how other vegetables were good for me, and started listing the best vegetables. I just tuned him out, so I still don't really know what vegetables are good for me."
Kisshu laughed and said, "I don't understand why grown-ups are so dead set on making kids eat vegetables. And I will never understand the appeal in carrots."
Ichigo laughed. "Neither will I."
Sakura came in and said, "I finished setting up the guest room. What were you guys laughing at?"
"Kisshu hates carrots too, Mom!" Ichigo said excitedly.
"Is that a good thing?" Sakura asked.
"Yes, because now you and Dad will have to admit that I'm not the only person in the world who hates carrots," Ichigo said.
Sakura sighed. "Kisshu, is there anything else you don't like?" she asked.
"I don't really like raw vegetables, and I'm allergic to bananas," Kisshu said. "I'll eat most raw vegetables if they're put in front of me, but not broccoli."
"Ichigo doesn't like raw broccoli either," Sakura said. "And you're allergic to bananas?"
"Yeah, found out the hard way," Kisshu said.
"Do I want to know?" Sakura asked.
"I got pretty sick," Kisshu said. "Although part of it turned out to be a stomach bug, but Pai said that it was caused by the bananas."
"I think I'll go get rid of the bunch I have in the kitchen," Sakura said. "And I'll let Shintaro know too."
"Thanks," Kisshu said. Sakura left a minute later with the bananas.
"Do you have any other allergies, Kisshu?" Ichigo asked.
"Not that I know of," Kisshu said.
"Do you like fruit?" Ichigo asked.
"Yeah, can you guess my favorite kind?" Kisshu asked.
Ichigo smiled and said, "Strawberries?"
"Jeez, I'm really predictable, aren't I?" Kisshu asked.
"Sometimes," Ichigo said, still smiling. "Would you like to play a game?"
"What did you have in mind?" Kisshu asked.
"How about Twenty Questions?" Ichigo asked.
"What's that?" Kisshu asked.
"You pick a category, like animals for example, and the other person has twenty questions to guess it," Ichigo said. "And you can only ask yes or no questions. Want me to think of something first?"
"Sure," Kisshu said.
"Okay, I'm thinking of an animal," Ichigo said. "Now you have to ask a bunch of questions to figure out what animal I'm thinking of."
"Is it a cat?" Kisshu asked.
"No," Ichigo said.
Kisshu thought, then asked, "Is it brown?"
"No," Ichigo said.
"Is it gray?"
"Yes."
Kisshu smirked. "Is it a Finless Porpoise?"
"HOW DID YOU KNOW THAT?" Ichigo shouted.
Kisshu just smirked.
"You do know that mind-reading is against the rules, right?" Ichigo asked. Kisshu drooped.
"Is it my turn?" Kisshu asked.
"Yes," Ichigo said.
"Okay, I'm think of something scary," Kisshu said.
"A ghost?" Ichigo asked.
"They don't exist," Kisshu said.
"Is it human?"
"Yes."
"Is it a guy?"
"Yes."
"Does he have black hair?"
"Yes…"
"Is he my dad?"
"AAARGH!"
"Don't feel bad, I'm just really good at this game," Ichigo said. "Okay, I'm thinking of a holiday, and NO mind-reading this time."
Kisshu sighed, but asked, "Is it in summer?"
"No."
"Is it in winter?"
"Yes."
"Is it Christmas?"
"Jeez that was fast."
"My turn!" Kisshu said happily. "I'm thinking of a holiday too."
"Is it in winter?"
"No."
"Summer?"
"No."
"Spring?"
"Yes."
"Hana Matsuri?"
"No."
"Kamakura Festival?"
"What's that?"
"A big festival. Is the holiday Japanese?"
"No."
"Is the holiday someone's birthday?"
"Yes."
"Is it April 19th?"
"Yes."
"So it's my birthday?"
"Yep. That took you a while."
Ichigo sighed and tried to think of something when her parents both came in. "How's it going?" Sakura asked.
"Great, we were playing Twenty Questions," Kisshu said.
"Who's winning?" Shintaro asked.
"We're tied," Ichigo said.
Shintaro looked at Kisshu and asked, "She hasn't beaten you yet? She creams me in every game I play with her."
"Really? This is the first time I heard of this game," Kisshu said.
"Dad's just not good at guessing," Ichigo said. "I'm too smart for him."
"HEY!" Shintaro said indignantly. "Is that any way to talk about your father?"
Ichigo smiled angelically and said, "It is if it's true."
Kisshu and Sakura were snickering at this exchange. Finally Sakura collected herself and said, "I'm going to go make dinner, and let you two work this out."
"What are you making?" Ichigo asked.
"Chicken katsu," Sakura said. "And a salad."
"Great, I love chicken katsu," Ichigo said. "Kisshu, do you like it?"
"What is it?" Kisshu asked.
"It's fried chicken strips sliced really thin," Ichigo explained.
"I LOVE fried food," Kisshu said. "I don't usually eat it though; Pai's a disaster in the kitchen. And Taruto and I aren't great cooks either."
"What makes Pai a disaster in the kitchen?" Shintaro asked.
"He either leaves something in the oven too long, or he accidentally poisons it with something," Kisshu replied. "I prefer the smoke alarm to what happened the last time Pai cooked."
"What happened?" Ichigo asked.
"We all were throwing up all night," Kisshu said. "It's a good thing we have more than one bathroom. And because Taruto gulped half of his before realizing it was actually poisonous, he got the worst of it. I didn't fare too badly, because I took one bite and that was it, but that was also the time I ate a banana after dinner, and that made things worse."
"And Pai?" Shintaro asked.
"He got pretty sick too," Kisshu said. "And after that, we told him he couldn't cook anymore. Instead, we went and stole a bunch of ramen and a few other easy things, like bread and cheese, and we basically eat mainly ramen, grilled cheese, and cereal. Oh, and whatever vegetables we find in the fridge."
"That doesn't sound very healthy," Shintaro said.
"That's why we get a lot of exercise," Kisshu said.
"Sakura informed me that you're allergic to bananas," Shintaro commented.
"Yeah, I get pretty sick eating them, so I avoid them," Kisshu replied. "Pai never stocked the ship with them again."
"Can you eat other fruits and vegetables?" Shintaro asked.
"I prefer fruit to vegetables, and I hate carrots and raw broccoli, but yes, I can eat basically anything besides bananas," Kisshu said. "I like strawberries a lot."
"I think I know why," Shintaro said. "Ichigo, right?"
"Yup," Kisshu said.
Sakura came in and said, "Dinner's almost ready, who wants to set the table?"
"I'll do it," Kisshu said. He went back to the kitchen with Sakura.
"He's polite, at least," Shintaro said after Kisshu left.
"Yeah," Ichigo said. "I think Kisshu's awesome."
"I'm aware of that," Shintaro said. "I guess I won't get anywhere objecting, will I?"
"Nope," Ichigo said sweetly.
Kisshu came back with a bunch of chopsticks and napkins, and said, "You think I'm awesome, Koneko-chan?"
"Didn't you already know that?" Ichigo asked. "And don't eavesdrop."
"I can't help having amazing hearing," Kisshu said, smirking as he started setting the table.
I thought this chapter was really fun. I know it has a bad ending, but I like it. And I know Twenty Questions is only supposed to be Animals, Vegetables or Minerals, but that's not what I grew up with, so I put my family's version in here. Review plz!
