The timer on Goten's watch went off, and an image of Chichi glowed above the watch's face.
"Time to take your medicine young man." Chichi's voice said in that strict, but loving tone only mothers used. Her image hovered a moment, then disappeared.
Goten ran to the tree where he left his backpack. It was filled with containers of pills he needed to take.
"Wow, you have like a million!" Bura blurted over Goten's shoulder." Can I try one?"
"Um, actually," Goten started to say, but Bura swiftly picked out a pink pill and tossed it in her mouth. Her nose wrinkled in disgust.
" Goten don't eat this. It tastes like cat poop!"
"It's supposed to taste like a cherry," Goten said. Bura stuck out her tongue, and Goten picked up the pill and put it into his mouth with the rest of his pills, swallowing with a sour face.
"Do you like taking your medicne?"
Goten shrugged." I have to, or else i'll get really sick and die."
" Are you sure it's not the pills making you sick?" Bura joked. She felt sick just thinking of the pill she had in her mouth.
Goten tighty twisted the lids on the pill bottles, securing them inside. He didn't want a repeat of last week when he unzipped his bag to find his pills crushed, broken and mixed together. He crammed them back into his backpack, pulling out two juiceboxes for him and Bura to drink before zipping it up.
"I know how to make your pills taste better!" Bura raised her arm and punctured the straw through the hole in the box. A flood of apple juice splashed on her fingers, which she effectively cleaned up with her tongue.
"I can't dip them in sugar," Goten said, reading his friend's mind. He often watched Bura dip her carrots and celery sticks into the sugar container at mealtimes when her parents weren't looking. " Mom says too much sugar will shrink my brain and make my teeth turn into worms."
"Yeah that's true." Bura agreed.
They stood drinking their apple juices, content with the silence as their eyes drifted across the park. It was a beautiful sunny afternoon, the browning leaves and freezing wind were the only reminders that winter would be upon them, and Goten was destined to spend most of his winter days in the hospital. His body couldn't tolerate the cold.
"What's wrong?" Goten asked, blinking in confusion. For no apparent reason Bura had started to cry.
She bit back her sobs, dismissively shaking her head. She didn't want to admit her fear that he might not survive the coming winter." Would you like to try my chocolate milk?" She held out the apple juice, shaking it lightly so the liquid inside made a splashing sound.
"Bura, that's not - "
"Yes, it is."
Goten knew that Bura didn't have the power to turn apple juice into choclate milk. He took the apple juice anway, gasping in mock astonishment after taking a sip." This is the best chocolate milk i've ever had!"
" Really?"
Goten took another drink and nodded.
"This is great! Goten, for now on you need to tell yourself that your pills taste like chocolate milk." She held up one finger like a teacher." It's a trick scientists have studied. Your pills wont actually be flavored chocolate milk, but that's what you'll taste. You're so lucky. The trick only works on simple minded people, so i've never had it work for me."
Goten sorrowfully lowered his chin, eyes gazing upon Bura's purple boots. " Let's go back to your house." He listlessly strapped on his backpack and didn't say another word. He sensed this made Bura angry, but couldn't bring himself to thank her for teaching him the flavoring trick.