30 Days

Prologue: Part II

Mito gasps quietly, shocked. Though she is not sure what to expect, she knows it can't be good. "Do you know what could cause this?"

Leorio ponders Mito's question as he puts away his stethoscope. His expression is troubled, and he seems to be unable to put together the words he wants to say. "Gon... he could have a heart disease. After all, there are many types, and he could have any of them. But, 'cause of his drastic personality change and his loss of energy, I think it may be something else. All the symptoms match a certain case. I seriously hope that he doesn't have what I think he has, though..."

"What do you think he has?" Killua retorts stiffly. He wants answers, no matter how severe they might be. "Is it bad?"

Leorio nods slowly. It is evident that he is stalling for time.

"Pretty bad, yeah," he replies grimly, avoiding the family's gazes. "D'you guys know what Pharadoxia is?"

Killua shrugs and glances at Mito. "Mito-san, do you know?"

The red-haired woman nods in confirmation, pursing her lips. "I heard people talk about it while Gon and I were walking around the island one day. Isn't it a water-dwelling parasite that's found in foreign bodies of water, or something?"

Killua noticeably stiffens.

"Yeah, that's about right. Do you know anything else?" Leorio prompts. He doesn't want to explain it himself. If anything, he is physically unable to. He doesn't want to accept it.

"Uh... I'm pretty sure that it enters your system when you swallow it... Then, it makes it's way into your bloodstream and start eating away at your heart, certain parts of your brain, as well as your other vital organs... right?"

Leorio inhales, then gives an indiscernible nod before glancing at Gon, who had fallen asleep on his couch. When he finally speaks, his voice is caught in his throat, and he has to choke out the words: "Yeah. It takes around thirty-five days for it to kill you. I think... I think Gon has Pharadoxia."

Mito covers her mouth, horrified. "Oh no... for Gon to have such an illness... that's horrible!"

Mustering the courage to look at the two, Leorio gave a depressed shake of his head. "I... I'm so sorry. As inconceivable as it is... it's true."

Suddenly, Leorio's head whips to the side to face Killua. He narrows his eyes at the silver-haired boy and adjusts his tiny black eyeglasses in suspicion. They glint ominously in the dim lighting, and Killua knows he is in deep trouble.

"Killua... you said to me some time ago that you and Gon went on a trip somewhere. Where did you go?"

Killua tilts his head, still very tense. "Aradia..."

Leorio's sense of geography is strong enough to let him know that Aradia is, in fact, on a foreign continent. The location is rather remote, and not well managed. He frowns. "Did you, by chance, go boating or something? Canoeing? Swimming? Did you do anything that has to do with the interaction of yourselves and some body of water?"

"Uh... yeah, we went swimming in the Telarei River a week or so ago..."

"Did Gon swallow any of the water? Any at all?"

"Well..."

Leorio's frown deepens, and he struggles to remain composed. "Did he?"

Killua, wearing a very ashen expression, says, "I... er... I splashed him, and he sort of choked..."

The older man sighs in obvious disappointment. "Here's a helpful life lesson," he says. "Be careful next time you go traveling, alright? Do your research. If you don't, this kind of stuff happens."