Ichigo's Illness Chapter 36:
Sick
A few hours later, Ichigo woke up and dragged her bucket closer just in time for her to get sick. Kisshu woke up and started rubbing her back. When she was finished, she lay back and said, "Thanks, Kisshu."
"Sure," Kisshu said. "It's my fault you're sick, isn't it?"
"No, Mom said about half the school has it," Ichigo said. "It was just a matter of time. I wonder if the other Mews are sick?"
"You could call," Kisshu suggested. He turned over and threw up after saying that, and Ichigo rubbed his back until he was done. When he turned back, she said, "I think I'll call them, but I'm going to see if Pai and Taruto are okay first."
She got her cell phone off the bedside table, and dialed Pai's number. "Yeah?" Pai answered.
"How are you?" Ichigo asked. "Kisshu and I got the stomach bug that's going around."
"Yeah, so did Taruto and I," Pai said. "Keiichiro's still fine. I'll talk later, I'm about to be sick again." He hung up.
"Pai and Taruto both have it," Ichigo said. "I'll-" she turned over and grabbed the bucket just in time, threw up, then continued, "I'll call the Mews. I hope this isn't something caused by an invasion."
"I didn't even think of that," Kisshu said. He grabbed his bucket and threw up as Ichigo dialed Lettuce's number. When she picked up, she asked, "Ichigo, are you sick too?"
"Yeah," Ichigo said. "Do you know if any of the other Mews are sick?"
"Pudding's sick, and I'm over trying to take care of her and keep her siblings under control until Heicha's teacher shows up," Lettuce said. "It's not easy, and I have to go, I think I'm gonna be sick." She hung up.
"Lettuce and Pudding are sick," Ichigo said. "Mint's next." She dialed Mint's number.
"What?" Mint asked. "I'm feeling awful. And Zakuro's here, and she's feeling awful."
"Everyone's sick, then," Ichigo said. "Except Keiichiro. Thanks, Mint." She heard a gulp on the other end, and then the line went dead. Then she turned to Kisshu, who was throwing up again. She was about to say something, but ended up having to grab the bucket and throw up before she could. When she and Kisshu were both done, they looked at each other. "Do you think this means someone's trying to put us out of commission?" Ichigo asked.
"What about Keiichiro?" Kisshu asked.
"He's not dangerous; if there was another invasion, he can't fight," Ichigo said. "This isn't good…"
"I'll say," Kisshu said, as he turned green again. He threw up before continuing, "If there's an attack, we're all doomed. I hate to admit it, but even I can't fight if I'm throwing up."
"Same here, and I'm sure the others know that too," Ichigo said. "I wonder if Keiichiro's thought of that? I'll call him." She picked up her phone and dialed his number. When he picked up, she said, "Keiichiro, I had an idea about why all of us are so sick."
"ALL the Mews are sick?" Keiichiro asked. "And Kisshu?"
"He's as sick as I am," Ichigo said as Kisshu threw up again. "We think that someone's trying to put us out of commission for some reason."
"You think we might be facing another attack?" Keiichiro asked.
"I can't think of any other reason for all of us to get the same sickness, at the same time, and only you aren't sick," Ichigo said. "I think the reason you're not sick is because you can't really fight the way we can."
"I'll go get on that," Keiichiro said. "And I'll try to come up with a cure for this."
"Thanks," Ichigo said, and hung up right before she got sick again. She quickly put the phone aside before she threw up.
Sakura came in as she was finishing, and said, "I was watching the news. It seems like everyone has this stomach bug! Everything's closed, including the schools, since the teachers are sick, the workers are sick- everyone's sick!"
"That's bad," Kisshu said. "We think that since everyone got sick at the same time, we might be facing some type of attack. All the Mews, as well as Pai and Taruto, are really sick."
Sakura's eyes widened.
"How's Yuka?" Ichigo asked.
"She's fine," Sakura said. "And so am I and your father."
"That's-" Kisshu threw up, then continued, "That's good. Keep Yuka out of here, I don't want her to get sick."
"Okay," Sakura said. "You both take it easy."
"Thanks, Mom," Ichigo said. Sakura smiled and left, closing the door on her way out. Kisshu was falling asleep, and Ichigo wasn't far off. Soon they were both asleep.
The next few days were the same. Ichigo and Kisshu, as well as all their friends, were still sick. Sakura had tried gingerale, and a few types of stomach medicine, none of which worked, and one of which Kisshu turned out to be allergic to, so he got even sicker. Sakura finally managed to get his fever to go away, but that didn't really help the fact that both he and Ichigo were still throwing up a LOT.
Strangely, Keiichiro, Ichigo's family, the other Mews' families, and Yuka weren't sick, even though about half of everyone in Tokyo was sick. Keiichiro was still trying to figure out what caused the sickness, and find out whether there was an attack coming. In the meantime, the Mews and Cyniclons were getting weaker. None of them could eat without being sick, and Kisshu and Ichigo could barely even keep water down. Keiichiro figured since they were the strongest, who or whatever was causing this was trying to weaken them more than the others.
Whatever the case, it was working. Ichigo couldn't sit up, and Kisshu couldn't even push himself up. Luckily they could still roll over, since they still got sick several times a day. They were talking about this one day, since they were still sleeping together.
"What are we going to do?" Ichigo asked wearily. "You and I are getting weaker and weaker from this. I can't even sense my powers anymore."
Kisshu was about to reply, but Ichigo suddenly clapped a hand over her mouth. Then she rolled over and threw up again. When she turned back, Kisshu replied, "I have no clue. My powers are going out too. If Keiichiro doesn't find a cure soon, we'll both be powerless if something comes. Have you heard from the others recently?"
"That's what puzzles me," Ichigo said. "Mint called and said she's starting to feel better, but Zakuro's still really sick. And Pudding's starting to get better, while Lettuce is actually still at her house, since she's so sick she couldn't get home without throwing up."
"I-" Kisshu barely made it to the bucket before throwing up again. When he was done, he said, "I wonder if it has anything to do with how strong they are?"
"Maybe…" Ichigo said. "But why would Pudding be getting better? For someone so small, she's dangerous."
"Beats me," Kisshu said. "If Mint's the first to get better, it's probably because she's the weakest Mew."
"Much as I hate to say it, you're right," Ichigo said. "And Zakuro's really strong, so she'll probably still be sick."
"Maybe whoever's causing this thinks that since Pudding is still a little girl, she won't be as big a threat," Kisshu suggested.
"That could be it," Ichigo said. "But if they only let the ones they think are weak get better, you and I are going to be sick a looong time."
"We'd better hope Keiichiro finds something soon," Kisshu said.
Ichigo nodded, but then threw up again. Unfortunately, her cell phone rang at that moment. Kisshu answered, and Keiichiro asked, "Where's Ichigo?"
"She's throwing up," Kisshu said. "Please tell me you have good news."
"I've got good and bad," Keiichiro said. "The good news is that I think I found a cure."
"Great," Kisshu said. "What's the bad news?"
"We're getting attacked in about two days' time," Keiichiro said gloomily. "And the cure I found doesn't work very fast. At this rate, the only ones who will be able to fight are Mint, Pudding and Taruto."
"Taruto's better?" Kisshu asked.
"He's getting there, like Mint and Pudding," Keiichiro said. "Which is more than I can say for Pai."
"He's still sick?" Kisshu asked.
"Yeah," Keiichiro said. "Will you let Mrs. Momomiya know I'll be over later? I want to give you two the medicine I created."
"Okay," Kisshu said. "See you later."
"Will do," Keiichiro said, and hung up.
Ichigo was finished, and she asked, "What's up?"
"Keiichiro thinks he found a cure, but we're apparently getting attacked in two days' time," Kisshu said grimly.
"That's BAD," Ichigo said. "I don't suppose he had any ideas on what to do?"
"Apparently Taruto's getting better, along with Mint and Pudding," Kisshu said. "They're our only hope at this point."
"Great…." Ichigo said.
"Keiichiro said he'd be by later with the c-" Kisshu broke off as he threw up.
"Okay," Ichigo said, rubbing his back.
Sakura came in a while later. "How are you two doing?" she asked.
Ichigo was throwing up again, so Kisshu answered, "Not much better. Keiichiro thinks he found a cure, though, so he said he'd be by later."
"Okay, thanks for letting me know," Sakura said. She looked at the buckets, and said, "Can you two hold out for a few? Those buckets are pretty full."
"I think so," Ichigo said as she finished. Sakura took the buckets and went to empty them. She came back and asked, "Do you need anything?"
"Water would be nice," Ichigo said faintly.
"Okay, I'll go get some," Sakura said. She left as Kisshu threw up again. Ichigo rubbed his back until he stopped.
Sakura came back with two glasses and a pitcher of water, then helped them both drink some. She put the water glasses on the tables next to the bed, and said, "I'll be back later. Try to get some rest."
"Thanks," Kisshu and Ichigo said. They were both asleep soon after.
Later that day, they were woken up by the doorbell. "I'm guessing that's Keiichiro," Kisshu said sleepily.
"Yeah, probably," Ichigo said.
They were proven correct when Sakura knocked and called, "Are you awake? Keiichiro's here!"
"We're awake," Ichigo called. Kisshu was throwing up again.
Sakura came in as Kisshu finished, followed by Keiichiro, who was holding two small bottles. "I brought the medicine I made," he said, holding up the bottles. "I tried it on Pai and Taruto, and they're feeling better already."
"Good," Ichigo said.
"You have to drink it, so I'll give it to both of you," Keiichiro said. He started to hand them the bottles, but Ichigo said, "We still can't sit up yet…."
"Okay," Keiichiro said. He handed a bottle to Sakura, who helped Ichigo drink it, while Keiichiro helped Kisshu drink the other one. When they were finished, Keiichiro took the empty bottles, and said, "Okay, the medicine takes about five hours to take effect, and I designed it to stay in your body no matter what, so if you feel sick, don't worry about the medicine not working. I'll keep you guys posted, but I have to go to the other Mews as well, so I'll see you hopefully when you're better. The medicine will stop you from throwing up once it takes effect, but you're going to have to get over the weakness on your own. You also shouldn't eat anything till tomorrow, and you can't drink anything but water for the next 24 hours." He turned to Sakura and said, "I'll give you some instructions on what to do for them, so you shouldn't need to call me unless it's an emergency."
"Okay," Sakura said. "Why don't you tell me downstairs, we can let the kids rest."
"Thanks," Ichigo and Kisshu said together.
Keiichiro smiled. "Feel better," he said, and left with Sakura.
Kisshu and Ichigo lay back and looked at each other. "I hope this helps," Ichigo said.
"Me too," Kisshu said. "Too bad it takes five hours to take effect, but at least he said throwing up won't stop it from working."
"Good, cause I'm feeling sick- AGAIN," Ichigo sighed as she turned over and threw up. Kisshu rubbed her back until she finished, and when she was done, he said, "Let's get some sleep."
Ichigo nodded and laid back. Soon she and Kisshu were asleep again.
I know this chapter was boring, but I wanted to put in a little more before I actually get to the attack part. Review, or I won't update. I still want one more guess on who's causing this.
