It's Still Raining

I've been sick before, but not like this.

TW: SICKNESS, VOMITING

The rain had stopped, and Arle had just woken up. Her head hurt. It really hurt. She started making kicking motions, groaning in pain. She wasn't sure if she could get up. Carbuncle hopped onto the couch, licking her cheek, which tickled her a bit. She started giggling. She turned to face Carbuncle. "Silly you!" She picked him up and petted him.

"Hey Carby, are you hungry? Because if so, I can cook you some curry."

Carbuncle hopped happily. "Gu gu gugu! Gu gu gu!"

"Just as I thought." She got up and walked to the kitchen. Her pace was slower than usual, and Carbuncle noticed. "Gu.... Gu gugu?"

She looked at him. "I'm okay, just tired. Though.... I'm not usually this tired...... Maybe I should talk to someone. What do you think?"

Carbuncle made a nod of agreement.

"Yeah... I'll do that.... Amitie and Ringo seem like good choices......"

She reached the rice cooker and put some rice in it. As she set it up, she rubbed her head, her brain throbbing. She held her forehead, trying to get the throbbing to stop. "I think the steam coming from the rice cooker is giving me a headache.... Uhm....." She grabbed a pot and turned on the oven before putting the ingredients needed for curry in the pot. "Okay.... If the steam is giving me a headache, perhaps I should leave.... I'll ask someone to watch it for me....."

She walked over to the living room, where her telephone chilled on the coffee table. She picked up the phone and dialed Ringo's number.

Ringo can cook, and she's made us dishes before. I think I can trust her to watch my curry.

She waited for a couple minutes before Ringo picked up. "Hello?"

"Ringo....."

"Arle?"

"I'm not feeling very good...... Can you come over and watch my rice and curry? I think the steam from the rice cooker and curry is giving me a headache...."

"Okay, I'll come over. Anything for my best friends!" Ringo smiled.

"Thank you....." Arle held her chest, feeling like she was going to faint again.

"I'm on my way. How about you go rest for a bit?"

"Will do..... Bye......" Arle slammed her phone back onto the base, hanging up on Ringo. She felt the same feelings like she did yesterday. She rubbed her head, her brain still throbbing. Suddenly, she fainted, in front of the coffee table.

It didn't take long until Ringo arrived. She walked into the house, and was going to enter the kitchen to see how the rice and curry were doing, but then she noticed Arle on the floor, still passed out.

"Arle? ARLE!" She ran over to her. "Arle... Please talk to me...."

Carbuncle also ran over to her.

"Oh, hi Carbuncle. Do you know anything about this?"

Carbuncle shook his head.

"Ah. Don't worry, Arle.... I'll keep an eye on your curry..... But I think I should take you to the doctor." She got up and went to the kitchen to start monitoring the curry. She checked the rice every 5 minutes and continuously stirred the curry.

As Ringo took care of the curry, Arle woke up, her head throbbing. She smelt the curry being cooked, and felt like she was going to vomit. She got up and ran to the bathroom as fast as she could before she started vomiting.

Ringo kept stirring the curry and checking the rice until they were fully cooked. She set the two compartments on the plates and placed them on the table that was in the kitchen. The curry and rice together smelt really good to both her and Carbuncle. But to Arle, it made her even more sick, so she kept vomiting.

The physics expert could hear the apprentice magician's vomits, so she followed the sounds and went into the bathroom. "Arle? You al-" she stepped back. "Oh my god....! Did you eat something bad? Overeat, maybe? Was there salmonella in the food you ate.....?"

Arle looked at her. "I don't think it's any of those..... I think it's either the steam from the food or the way the curry smells is making me sick..... I mean, I've been sick before, but not like this....! I don't think I can eat curry anymore...."

"Don't worry, we'll figure something out. Here." Ringo grabbed a paper towel and handed it to Arle. The other then started wiping her mouth before throwing it in the trash.

"You're definitely going to the doctor. I mean... Look at you! You passed out near the phone, you're vomiting, and you got even sicker from the smell of the curry. And you loved curry! Come on. We HAVE to see what's wrong with you."

"No. No doctors. I'll be fine..... Plus medical bills are expensive...."

"Every bill is expensive. Come on, you're going to the doctor, and that's final."

"No." Arle shut the toilet lid and flushed it.

"Don't worry, you don't have to eat the curry. Carbuncle and I will."

"Thanks, but don't worry. Like I said, I'll be fine. It's probably a brain virus or something."

"That sounds pretty serious to me." She picked Arle up. "I'll set you on the bed, and I'll call a doctor and book an appointment."

"Fine. Guess I can't get you to not call a doctor, huh?"

Ringo chuckled. "Not at all." She walked out of the bathroom and went into the bedroom before placing Arle onto the bed. She then walked out of the room and into the kitchen. Carbuncle was by one of the plates. He appeared worried.

"Hm.... I can tell you're worried about Arle. She keeps insisting that she'll be fine but.... I really don't think she will be fine unless she gets taken to the doctor, so after eating, I'm booking an appointment." Ringo started eating when she suddenly felt her mental light bulb light up. "I have an idea! I'll tell her that if any further symptoms show up, I'm definitely taking her to the doctor, as those symptoms could be temporary, though you can never be sure."

Carbuncle seemed to like Ringo's idea, hopping a couple times on the chair he was sitting on.

"Good! I'll tell her that." She ate the rest of her curry and got up before walking to Arle's room. "Arle. I changed my mind. You don't need to go to the doctor. But if any further symptoms show up, we're definitely going."

"Can we not go at all?" Arle asked.

"No, you have to go at some point."

"But..... Medical bills are expensive and-"

"Expensive or not, we're going. I'll pay the bills. If I'm too poor, I'll ask Amitie so she can see if someone she knows could pay them."

"Oh.... Why didn't I think of this sooner....? Fine, I'll go if I get any more symptoms."

"That's what I'd like to hear!"

Arle giggled.

"Okay, I'll leave you alone. Let me know if any further symptoms show up."

"Okay."

Ringo hugged Arle. "I love you, Arle."

"Please get off. I don't want you to get sick."

She broke the hug. "Sorry."

"But seriously, I love you too."

Ringo giggled and left the house.