Ichigo's Illness Chapter 29:
Back to School
The next day, Ichigo and Kisshu went back to school. Kisshu was nervous, but Ichigo told him it would be fine.
She turned out to be right. In their first class, the teacher picked up a paper on his desk and said, "I received a note from the principal and a few other teachers, saying that the girls in their classes are spending too much time daydreaming and staring at Kisshu. I have been told to tell all of you, that if I catch someone staring or daydreaming, that person will be in detention for a week. Kisshu doesn't need to be distracted, and frankly, I think some of you could use this as an opportunity to work harder. Especially you, Miss Kairi."
The rest of the students edged away from a red-faced girl in the back row who had been snickering through the announcement. The teacher continued, "If we all are clear on the new rules, I would like to start the lesson."
"Sensei, I have a question about the new rules," a girl said.
"Go ahead," the teacher sighed.
"Who brought this issue up?" the girl asked.
"I don't believe that's any of your business, Miss Akino," the teacher said. "Can we proceed with the lesson, or does anyone else have questions?" His tone made it clear that further questions were not welcome.
No one commented, so the teacher began the lesson.
At recess, though, things started to heat up. No one had been staring at Kisshu, but both Ichigo and Kisshu could feel the negative energy. None of the girls were happy, except for Moe and Miwa.
Moe and Miwa were ecstatic that the girl who their history teacher had humiliated was now in detention. Now they were gloating about it quietly, as Ichigo and Kisshu went to eat under their favorite tree. "So, what's got Moe and Miwa so happy?" Kisshu asked.
"The girl who our history teacher humiliated this morning is Miwa's archenemy," Ichigo explained. "She's in detention for a week, and Moe and Miwa are gloating about it over there." Ichigo pointed to another tree, where Moe and Miwa were sitting, cackling about their archenemy's humiliation.
"Do you have an archenemy?" Kisshu asked.
"Now that you and I are a couple, no," Ichigo said with a grin.
"What about Moe?" Kisshu asked.
"I'd guess either the girl they're cackling about, or Morina Tsuki," Ichigo said. "Although currently, everyone in the school avoids Tsuki, because Moe and Miwa beat her up. That's the girl they told you they beat up because she was bad-mouthing me. No one wants to get beat up, so they avoid Tsuki and anyone else who hurts me. Moe and Miwa are overprotective of me."
"Like your dad?" Kisshu asked.
"Not that bad," Ichigo said. "They're overprotective in the sense that anyone who hurts me gets hurt, but they don't limit what I do or who I'm with unless they know the person is bad news. They hear more gossip than I do, so they tend to be up-to-date on who's bad and who's not."
"It's great that you have friends like that," Kisshu said.
"Don't be surprised if they act like that in your defense either," Ichigo said. "They'll attack anyone who harms their friends. The captain of the martial arts team, this huge guy, called me ugly one day, and ever since then, he avoids Moe and Miwa like the plague. They really let him have it. Apparently they actually made him cry- in front of his teammates. But instead of taking revenge or hurting me, people who run into Moe and Miwa's bad side stop hurting me, and others as well. I think the school lives in fear of my friends."
"Well, as long as you don't get hurt, I'm happy," Kisshu said. "I hope they and I don't have to beat anyone up though."
"I hope so too," Ichigo said.
Kisshu looked over at a group of girls and boys, and said, "Why are they surrounding that girl?"
Ichigo looked, just as the shouting started. "That's Momo!" she said, worried. "She seemed really nice, I wonder what's going on. She's the one I was talking to that day I was supposed to meet you in the park."
"Should we help her?" Kisshu asked.
"Yeah, but let's tell Moe and Miwa first," Ichigo said. She went over to them and said, "Guys, those girls are attacking Momo!"
"Oh not AGAIN," Miwa said.
"What's up with that?" Kisshu asked.
"Momo stood up to Tsuki when she was bad-mouthing Ichigo, and that got her into heaps of trouble with the other girls," Miwa explained. "And she has an awful home life, so she doesn't know how to stand up for herself. We've been trying to help her, but she just shuts everyone out now."
"Let's at least go stop them from hurting her," Ichigo said. Her friends nodded, so they went over to the group. "HEY!" Ichigo said. "Leave Momo alone!"
The girls turned, and one said, "Why? She insulted Tsuki, so she's getting what was coming to her."
Kisshu snarled and said, "Ganging up like that is what people who have no self-confidence do. I bet you all just beat on Momo because it makes you feel like you have power, when you really are a bunch of good-for-nothing lowlifes."
"We aren't lowlifes, but you certainly seem to be," the girl said snidely. "Maybe we should beat you up too?"
"I'd like to see you try," Kisshu said. To Ichigo, he whispered, "Don't worry about me, just get Momo out of here." Ichigo nodded as the girls all launched themselves at Kisshu. Ichigo wasn't surprised to see Moe and Miwa go to stand with him, obviously ready to fight.
Ichigo slipped around the fight and went over to Momo, who was hunched on the ground. Ichigo knelt next to her, and said, "Momo, let's get you out of here." She held out a hand to help Momo up.
Momo looked at her, and asked, "Why are you helping me?"
"Because you're a good person, and you don't deserve to be hurt," Ichigo said firmly. "My friends will hold those girls off, so let's go get help."
Momo stood up, and the girls ran off to find a teacher. They found one, and Ichigo said, "Tokaida-sensei, the girls outside are attacking my friends because they were beating up Momo!"
"I'll handle it, go tell the principal," Tokaida-sensei said. Ichigo and Momo ran off as Tokaida-sensei ran outside.
The girls reached the principal's office, and ran in. "What's wrong?" the principal asked.
"The girls outside are attacking my friends because they stopped them from beating up Momo," Ichigo said. "Tokaida-sensei told us to find you."
"On my way," the principal said. He ran out to the schoolyard, followed by Ichigo and Momo. They found Tokaida-sensei standing in front of Kisshu, Moe and Miwa, holding back the other girls. Kisshu was clutching his right shoulder. Ichigo and Momo ran to him as the principal briskly walked to stand with Tokaida-sensei. "I will not tolerate bullying in my school," he said sternly. "All of you except Kisshu, Ichigo, Moe, Miwa and Momo are now suspended for the next three weeks. And I'm going to be making phone calls to all your parents as well. Those of you not named are coming with me. Tokaida-sensei, please stay here, I'll handle this."
"Of course, sir," Tokaida-sensei said. The principal nodded, and led the girls away.
Tokaida-sensei turned to Ichigo and the others and said, "Glad that's over. Kisshu, are you okay?"
"My shoulder really hurts," Kisshu said. "One of the girls had a knife."
"Which one?" Tokaida-sensei asked.
"Kairi Anko," Moe said. "She stabbed Kisshu with her lunch knife."
"Let's go see the school nurse," Tokaida-sensei said. "Then I'll go to the principal, and have him call the police. That's illegal." He led the way back to the building, and took them to the nurse's office.
The nurse looked up and said, "I heard about the fight. What happened?"
"Kairi Anko apparently stabbed Kisshu with her lunch knife," Tokaida-sensei said. "I need you to have a look while I go to the principal."
"Sure," the nurse said. She turned to Kisshu and said, "I need you to take your shirt off, and I think you should sit down, you're looking a bit pale."
Kisshu nodded, and took his shirt off. Ichigo was getting used to this, so she didn't blush, but Moe and Miwa did. Ichigo was more concerned about the cut on Kisshu's shoulder.
The nurse looked at the cut, and said, "I can clean this out, but I think you need stitches, it's pretty deep. I'm going to call your parents, so they'll be able to handle this, okay?"
"I live with Ichigo's parents, they adopted me," Kisshu said. "Do you have their number?"
"Yes," the nurse said. "I'll call them." She went to the phone and typed in a number. There was a brief pause, then she said, "Mrs. Momomiya? Yes, this is Yuki, the nurse at Daikon Middle School. There was a bit of an incident at recess, and one of the girls stabbed Kisshu in the shoulder. Can you come get him? I think the injury needs stitching. When? Okay, thanks." She hung up and turned to Kisshu and Ichigo. "Your mom says she's picking up both of you, so you should probably go wait out front. Just let me bandage that injury, Kisshu."
Kisshu nodded, and winced as the nurse cleaned it out, and bandaged it. "You're all set for now," she told him. "You can put your shirt on."
"Thanks," Kisshu said. He got his shirt and put it back on, then stood up. Then he and Ichigo went outside. Moe and Miwa said goodbye at the door, and Sakura pulled up soon after. Kisshu and Ichigo got in, and Sakura said, "Kisshu, what happened?"
"I was helping Moe and Miwa try to stop a bunch of girls from beating up another girl, and one of them stabbed me while Ichigo got the girl they were beating out of there," Kisshu said.
"Do you want me to take you to the hospital, or do you want to see if that healing thing Ichigo did before works?" Sakura asked.
"If Ichigo doesn't mind, I'd prefer her trying to heal me," Kisshu said.
"I don't mind," Ichigo said. "We should get home first, though, I don't want to be seen."
"Good idea," Sakura said. She drove them home, and they all went to Ichigo's room. Kisshu sat on the bed, and took his shirt off again. Ichigo laid a hand on Kisshu's shoulder, and like before, she began to glow pink, but stayed in human form. The glow moved to Kisshu's shoulder, and focused on the injury. Then it flashed, and faded. The injury was completely gone. "I think you'll have to act like you still have the injury for a few days, but then you should be good," Sakura said.
Kisshu nodded, and said to Ichigo, "Thanks, Koneko-chan."
"You're welcome," Ichigo said. "I'm tired now, though."
"So am I, actually," Kisshu said.
"You've both had a pretty stressful day," Sakura said. "Why don't you both go to sleep, and I'll wake you up for dinner."
"Okay…" Kisshu and Ichigo said tiredly.
"I still think it's better if you go back to your room, though, Kisshu," Sakura said. "Shintaro's going to be home soon."
"K…" Kisshu said.
Sakura smiled and helped him up and back to his room as Ichigo fell asleep.
Don't worry, Kisshu's fine. Ichigo's healing powers are great! Review and plz don't flame.
