Scientists at Science Laboratories were provided a generous number of sick days. Most of the scientists were workaholics who didn't have the healthiest of lives. Getting sick was one of the only things that got them to slow down. And given the weird experiments in the lab, you never knew what super diseases the scientists wound up sick with.

The immune systems of the scientists were likely weak. It was just common courtesy not to come to work sick.

"Common courtesy?" Dr Nemesis repeated, very nasally through a stuffed nose. "BAH! Nemesis is not some common courtesan!"

Then she maliciously sneezed at Dr Careful, sending the poor ferret scurrying away to hermetically seal his laboratory.

The chipmunk had shown up to work looking bedraggled, haggard, and definitely miserable. Her nose was red from sneezing and her eyes were watery. She lurched, not unlike a zombie, barely having the energy to walk. The air molecules felt like tiny bullets striking her skin. But she would not bow to the weakness of her body! She was Nemesis, her mind was mighty! And her spite was mightier! If she had to be sick, she would make it everyone's problem!

The other scientists had responded by sealing themselves in their labs as Careful did. Or by putting on hazmat suits.

"Dr Nemesis!" came the cheery voice of Dr Science, laboratory head. "Not letting the common cold slow you down, I see!"

Dr Science was accompanied by Nemesis' intern Zel Driscoll. Both squirrel and bat were wearing orange hazmat suits.

"Common?" asked Dr Nemesis. She felt a tickle starting in the back of her nose. Good. "Nothing about Dr Nemesis is common! Not even the microbes that attempt to bring me low!"

"That's super!" said Science. "Sick days are available if you want them. But you're a real go-getter. Self-motivated. Always chasing the next discovery. Honestly, your work ethic is inspirational! I wish I had a dozen like you!"

"My superior germs will destroy you," Nemesis said hoarsely. She intentionally pointed herself at Dr Science and didn't even try to cover her nose when a massive sneeze exploded out of her with a HHEEH'KSHIEWW!!

Dr Science just kept smiling, even as Nemesis sneezed all over her hazmat suit.

Cringing in disgust next to her, Zel asked, "Are you sure these hazmat suits are safe? I DON'T want what she's having..."

"Of course, they're safe. They're bright orange and filter the air. Why wouldn't they be safe?" asked Dr Science.

"Um... they don't cover your tail or my wings..." Zel pointed out.

Dr Science considered that. "Huh. Well. I suppose that's what decon showers are for."

"These are hazardous material suits," Zel mused. "Isn't leaving a big part of someone's body uncovered mean they basically don't really protect against hazardous materials?"

Dr Science ignored him.

"hahaah already my invisible assassins infiltrate your allegedly impregnable defenses," Nemesis said.

Then the chipmunk lurched into her lab to build anti-hazmat suit robots. That would show those four Dr Sciences just who was sick.

"Can I have a sick day?" Zel asked Dr Science after Nemesis' lab door closed. "I want to go take many hot showers."

"Nope! Interns don't get any."

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What a character, that Dr Nemesis.

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Dr Nemesis, Dr Science, and Zel Driscoll owned by me
Gift from  Y31
Art by  PupperStar