Liar, Liar, the Mage's Desire Vol. 1 (A New Oumeno)

Kokichi In the Hospital

     It was in the middle of the afternoon during lunch, and the dining room in Casa V3 was abuzz with chatter and laughter. The only ones who weren't joining in the chatter were Kokichi and Himiko, who was listening to the former's "evil" scheme that he had just hatched. 

   "Nee-heehee...I'm gonna slip some pepper into Kiyo's food," he was whispering. "That way, when he sneezes, his snot will fill up his mask." 

   "Eww," Himiko whispered. Then, a mischievous grin crossed her face. "Do it." Kokichi had the same mischievous grin as he nodded at her. He reached for the peppershaker and shook it over Kiyo's food. He put the pepper back just in time as Kiyo opened his mask to eat his food, and closed it back up. Kokichi and Himiko waited with anticipation. Kiyo suddenly felt a tickling sensation in his throat and nose.

   "Ah...Ah...AHCHOOOO!!" As Kokichi had predicted, Kiyo's mask had filled up with snot, as evidenced by the green goo flowing from his mask. "Uh...excuse me," he said, and abruptly left the table. Kokichi burst out into laughter.

   "MWA-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!! he laughed. "I got him good!" 

   "What did you do, Kokichi?" Kaito demanded.

   "All I did was slip some pepper into his food," Kokichi shrugged. "So he sneezed, big deal. It's not like he got anyone else's snot in his mask, which would have been waaaay nastier!"

   "You shouldn't have done that, Kokichi," Shuichi scolded, glaring at the little troublemaker. 

   "Nee-heehee...relaaaaax, Shuichi," Kokichi said. "You act like I committed a crime. You wouldn't be so uptight if you'd just-" Suddenly, Kokichi felt a sharp pain in the right side of his lower abdomen. "Auugghh!!" he groaned, clutching his side. 

  "Nyeh...Kokichi? Are you okay?" Himiko asked with concern.

   "Yeah...yeah, I'm fine," Kokichi strained. Suddenly he cried out in pain and fell out of his chair and onto the floor.

   "KOKICHI!!!" Himiko shrieked, jumping from her chair. She cradled him in her arms.

   "Don't even bother, Himiko," Kaito said as he casually took a sip of his drink. "He's probably faking it just to get out of trouble." 

   "He's not faking it!" Himiko insisted. "Something is wrong with him!" She looked back at Kokichi, still wrapped in her arms. His eyes looked desperate. "Something's wrong!!" Himiko shrieked at the others again. They stood up and looked at Kokichi, now with concerned faces. "Kokichi!! Kokichi!!" Himiko shook him, but Kokichi was unresponsive. The last thing he saw was Himiko's frantic face before he completely blacked out. 

   ***

   Kokichi slowly woke up to blinding white. His eyes adjusted until he realized that he was staring up at bright lights on the ceiling.

   "Where...Where am I?" he muttered weakly. He looked around him and realized that he was lying in a hospital bed, and wearing a hospital gown.