Better Eight Than Never

Chapter 15: Humuhumunukunukuāpu-uh oh

(The following chapter has a gif)

The next morning, Bato was trying his hardest to wake up Hachi, a task which he was quickly learning was easier said than done. "Hachi, it's time to get up." He said, lightly shaking her shoulder, which all he got in reply was a very quiet groan. "C'mon, let's go, we'll need to check on your back before we head out." He was about to shake her shoulder again when he noticed that her tentacles were rather still and dull, much different from the day before, when they'd been actively fighting him off. "... Are you feeling okay?" He asked hesitantly. When she still didn't reply, he put his hand on her forehead. It was very warm, as were her cheeks. A fever. He should have guessed, it always got worse before it got better... "If we didn't have to be at the plaza when we do, I'd let you sleep in longer, but... You need to get up." He said, gently shaking her shoulder again. He'd let her sleep in a bit as it was, they couldn't delay any longer.

"Please no..." Hachi whimpered, voice hoarse and weak.

"We don't really have a choice, I'm afraid." He muttered. "Um... I can get an orange peeled for you, does that sound good?"

"I'm not huu–" She mumbled, too quietly to understand.

"I... didn't quite get that last part." He said, then made a guess. "You're not... hungry?"

She gave a tiny nod.

"You're going to have to eat something before we go..." He glanced at her tentacles. "... Do your tentacles normally look like that when you get sick?"

Hachi groaned and peered open one eye, then nodded slowly and closed her eyes again.

Bato sighed in relief. "Good." He thought for a moment, then got an idea. "Hold on, I'll be right back." He knew perfectly well that there was a good chance she'd fall asleep again by the time he got back, but this was worth a shot.

---

"Alright, so don't laugh at me if you have, but have you had tea before?" Bato asked as he came back into the room. If there was going to be something both of their kinds had, he was going to guess that tea would be one of them.

Hachi opened one of her eyes a little bit... then made a slight nod.

"Well there's something." He said with a brief smile. "Having something warm to drink helps sometimes, at least in my experience." He paused. "... You're going to have to sit up, though."

Hachi groaned, then after a few moments sat up and took the cup, looking into it cautiously. "... No leaves." She whispered.

"It's a ginger tea." He said, pausing briefly before adding. "It helps when your stomach's upset."

"Then why didn't... yesterday...?" Hachi mumbled, slumping against the wall.

"It didn't occur to me then..." He muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "It probably should have, sorry."

Hachi hesitated, then stuck her tongue into the tea, only to recoil and make a face. "This isn't tea." She hissed.

"There are different kinds of tea." Bato said. "What kind do you usually drink?"

"... My own?" She muttered.

He blinked. "Thaaaat doesn't really help me." He admitted. "Well... You could come see what we have?"

"Mmppphhh..." She shrunk down a little bit, pulling the blankets up weakly with her tentacles. "I... don't want to stand..." She coughed several times. They were rather deep and sounded painful.