The RGB Siblings

Chapter 10. Written

"Lloyd was diagnosed with what?"

The Smith siblings, Lloyd and Wu were all sitting in the library, discussing Lloyd's condition that the MRI had brought to light. The name Wu had just presented to the siblings seemed to be entirely familiar to him, but was complete gibberish to the younger ones.

"Oligoarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis," Wu repeated.

"The what?" Nya asked.

Kai too concluded he still understood nothing. He glanced at his brother, who appeared equally clueless.

Wu sighed. "It is a condition that affects fewer than five joints, most commonly the big ones such as ankles and wrists. In Lloyd's case, it is the extended form of the condition. The condition causes stiffness and aching, especially in the morning."

The siblings nodded. However, Kai grew worried.

"It's not dangerous, is it?" He asked.

"And it can be treated, right?" Nya questioned.

"No and yes," Wu responded. "It can be severe, but Lloyd's case seems fairly harmless. It can be treated with exercises and medicine, but it can still last for a lifetime."

The older siblings nodded and looked down at Lloyd, who was by far the least concerned, at least according to what could be told by the exterior. 

"Well… it's a good thing we know what it is now," Nya stated, cracking a smile. "We know how to treat Lloyd's condition and he will be able to attend training better."

"But should he attend training at all?" Kai asked. "I mean, just because we know what's wrong with his joints doesn't mean the problem has magically disappeared. And even with the medication he might be too weak to train."

Lloyd furrowed his brow the second Kai had let the word ‘weak' escape his mouth, but the brother paid no mind to it.

"What if such harsh training worsens the situation?" Kai continued. 

"Kai, I will take Lloyd's condition into consideration," Wu assured. "I will not put him through the harshest training, but will make an entirely different training plan. It will be more flexible and light, at least in the beginning. Besides, complete passiveness would be even worse for his joints."

"But what if—"

"Kai, shut your trap," Lloyd interrupted in an ever so innocent voice.

Nya snorted at Kai's indignant expression. "Greenie's right. Be quiet and let Master Wu take care of Lloyd's training."

"I can assure you, Lloyd will be entirely safe," Wu added.

The eldest brother nodded hesitantly, glancing down at Lloyd, who had already gone back to reading his new favorite book. His reading session had been rudely interrupted by the diagnosis announcement, so he seemed quite eager to end the conversation and continue reading whatever the warrior animals living in a forest were supposed to be.

"So, if nobody has any questions, Kai and Nya could go and join the others on the training course," Wu said, standing up with his hands behind his back. "And Lloyd could come with me to have his first writing lesson."

Lloyd glanced up at Wu in surprise, and Kai could see the unwillingness to leave his book again in his eyes.

"I— my wrists hurt," Lloyd muttered unconvincingly. He had always been the worst liar.

Wu smiled. "It's very unfortunate that your body language resembles that of your father's so much I can tell when you're being dishonest." He got up. "Our writing lesson will begin in five minutes in the sunrise room. "