A month later...

[lil_tanuki]

*Cough. Cough.*

[What's Hayate doing today? She's laying back, coughing as she leans against the headboard of her bed looking up at the ceiling. Reaching over she rolled on her side and smiled at the camera. Her face is flushed and her skin looks clammy.]

Hi everyone... sorry you had to see me like this, I... *cough cough* I caught a cold yesterday.

It's been a month for me since I last saw everyone. I was getting worried that people had stopped posting, but I was able to read everyone's posts and such. *cough cough* I'll be fine, I just need some rest.

Oh, my birthday is coming up in a few months as well. I'll be turning ten soon. I hope it's a nice birthday...

[With that, she rolls back onto her back and draws her blankets up.] It's cold...

[A readout next to her is literally reading 25C, a sign that this was posted in the middle of August when it was damn hot too. Darn these summer colds!]

Comments

[oceanicbutterfly]

Hayate-chan?

[lil_tanuki]

Karen-san.... hi... [Hayate fumbles for the computer to bring it onto her stomach, fails miserably and paws at the screen ineffectually for a moment before proclaiming,] Nyow.

... sorry you had to see me like this.

[oceanicbutterfly]

Stay where you--oh. [Right. Hayate's not going anywhere, is she?] I'll be over soon.

[lil_tanuki]

Kay, sounds good then.

[How's she going to get here? Well, Hayate'll find that out soon enough. She leans back in her bed, and reaches for her glass. Darn out of water.]

[oceanicbutterfly]

[A few minutes later, something bright happens outside! If Hayate can see out her window right now, there's now a giant free-standing door just standing there.]

[lil_tanuki]

[She can't sadly, her window is right behind herself. But she does notice the light streaming into the room as she slowly gets up and pulls herself up to the window.]

Oh wow...

[oceanicbutterfly]

[Sadly, Hayate does not get to have a magical girl climb in through her window, because there is a perfectly good front door and Karen has a perfectly legitimate reason for using it. So the door will disappear, and a few minutes later, Karen will knock on Hayate's door.

There may or may not have been shenanigans during those few minutes. You'll never know.]

[lil_tanuki]

[With some considerable effort, Hayate'll get into her wheelchair and roll out to the front door, opening it.]

Karen-san I *cough cough*. Hi. It's good to see you.

[oceanicbutterfly]

Oh! [Okay, first of all, Hayate is adorable. But second, Karen really meant for her to just say "come in" or something.] You should be in bed. Come on. [Hope you don't mind being promptly wheeled back over to your bed, Hayate.]

[lil_tanuki]

Okay... [And she was going to be wheeled as Hayate continues to cough.] Thanks for coming to help me.

[oceanicbutterfly]

[As her heart continues to be twisted around into a pretzel, Karen helps Hayate back into bed.] It's fine. How are you feeling?

[lil_tanuki]

A little dizzy. It's my second day of the cold and I think it's turning into a flu.

[If Karen touched her forehead, she'd probably note that the little one has a fever too.]

[oceanicbutterfly]

[Yep.] Oh, you're burning up. Just rest here, I'll see what I can do.

[lil_tanuki]

Okay. Medicine is in the drawers in the kitchen, and all of my cloths are in the one beside it.

[Snuggling down into her sheets, Hayate reflected it was a good thing she made a post on the community, if she was able to get Karen to come and help her. She couldn't help but feel a little guilty though.]

[oceanicbutterfly]

[Karen will allow no feeling guilty! She will instead leave for the kitchen, and return a few minutes later. Medicine, a cloth soaked with cold water, a glass of orange juice (she couldn't find any grape, Hayate must be out, like she seems to be out of a lot of things), and an apple which she intends to peel.]

[lil_tanuki]

[Hayate watched Karen busy herself and smiled when she came back. She really seemed to know exactly what she was doing, and it was comforting to see to be honest. She really was out; doing groceries was tough at best. Especially when she was sick.]

Looks like you've prepared well.

[oceanicbutterfly]

I've had some practice. [Karen carefully places the wet cloth on Hayate's forehead, being sure to brush her bangs aside first, and starts peeling an apple. Most medicines aren't meant to be taken on an empty stomach, after all.]

[lil_tanuki]

Are you planning on going into medicine later on? [Hayate enjoyed the cool sensation of the cloth on her head as she sighed happily.]

[oceanicbutterfly]

That's what I'd like to do, yes. Here. [Apple slice!]

[lil_tanuki]

You'd be a great doctor, I can tell. [And she took a bite of the apple, making a delighted noise.] It's good!

[oceanicbutterfly]

[Aw, hearing that makes Karen happy.]

Enjoy it, because the medicine won't taste as good.

[lil_tanuki]

Okay! [And chewing carefully, Hayate will finish her apple slice.] Right, I'm ready for the medicine now.

[oceanicbutterfly]

Already? Shouldn't you have a little more to eat first?

[lil_tanuki]

Hmm, you think so? Okay, I'll have another then. [Trust Hayate to not know how to self-medicate properly. Nine and all.]

[oceanicbutterfly]

Hayate-chan. You need to eat or you won't get better. [Here's slice #2. But surely even a nine-year-old should know she needs more than this, right?]

[lil_tanuki]

Mmm, I guess so. Okay. [Takes the slice and munches on it.] Sorry I just... I hadn't had anyone but my personal doctor look in on me in a while so it's kind of nice you're looking out for me now.

[Hayate's probably being brave. Foolish, but brave.]

[oceanicbutterfly]

[In response, Karen gives her a decreasingly-rare Karen Hug(tm).]

It's perfectly all right.

[lil_tanuki]

[Karen Hug yay! Hayate hugs her back and leans against Karen's shoulder briefly.]

I think I'm a little hungry. I can definitely have the rest of that apple.

And um, is it okay if I call you Karen-oneechan? Since you're older and all, and girls my age get away with it all the time.

[oceanicbutterfly]

Eh? [Karen blushes. She doesn't think anyone's ever called that.] If you'd like to, I don't mind. [Excuse her, she'll just focus on slicing up that apple the rest of the way.]

[lil_tanuki]

Okay! Then it's Karen-oneechan! It's decided!

[Giggling, Hayate smiled up at Karen as she took a bite of her apple slice.]

[oceanicbutterfly]

[Karen melts into a puddle. Hayate so cute.

Though...]

When you say "it's decided" like that, you should point into the air.

[lil_tanuki]

Really? So like this? [And Hayate assumes a mostly-correct Nozomi pose.]

[oceanicbutterfly]

That's perfect. [Adorable! Everything she does is adorable!]

[lil_tanuki]

[Hayate giggled and nodded.] Okay then, when I say it, it'll be like this! It's decided!

[Arm in air, pointing at the sky!]

[oceanicbutterfly]

That's the technique used by somebody I know who's a master of deciding things.

[lil_tanuki]

Oh really? Is he or she good at deciding things?

[oceanicbutterfly]

She's very good at deciding things.

[lil_tanuki]

That's amazing. I'm glad to have adopted her technique then! Can I meet her some day?

[oceanicbutterfly]

She'd like to meet you, too, I'm certain. So it's definitely possible.

[lil_tanuki]

Okay! You know, I've never traveled to another world before. Last time, Sena-nee came here.

[oceanicbutterfly]

[Karen considers this for a moment, then sighs.]

Unfortunately, I don't believe today is the day, either. My worldhopping method is rather strenuous. [And, more to the point, not wheelchair-accessible.]

[lil_tanuki]

Oh... oh well, when I get better, maybe I could come visit then? I know not now, but later.

[oceanicbutterfly]

Of course! Once you're better, I'll take you wherever you'd like to go.

[lil_tanuki]

[And Hayate will grin and hug Karen tightly for a moment.] Thanks Oneechan. Really. It means a lot to have people looking out for me...

[A little tear rolled down Hayate's cheek. Clearly she's a lonely little girl.]