By: ani
Disclaimer: it's Toriyama-sensei's universe, I'm only playing in it. )
Chapter 1- No Hiding From the TruthAN: This tale is your basic what-if set in the mirai timeline. (Simply because I like what the great Toriyama did with Gohan in that line better.) The tale has a lot of the same stuff, but about the only thing that stays the same chronologically is the first and, within my story the third, time trips.
She was out gathering more plants for her herbal medicines when she felt it: a slowly dying ki and a barely formed one about twenty feet away. She ran through the forest, preparing herself for whatever the situation could be. Nothing could have prepared her for what she found.
A green skinned, bald man on his hands and knee;(his right leg was gone) badly injured, spitting out a large green-gray egg that rolled to a stop between them. The man suddenly fell to the ground and before she knew it, she was rolling him over.
"Just hold still sir. I cant heal all this completely..." she started.
A taloned green hand suddenly grabbed hers, "You can heal..." he coughed, "…strong ki too, knows how to hide, good. Take the kid." Her mind was suddenly bombarded with proper care and knowledge of the egg. "Take it and go." He tried to order.
She went to the egg, bringing it back to him. She ripped what was left of his cape off, and then turning to her deep gathering basket, buried the egg and cape within her pickings.
She suddenly felt another ki approaching so she quickly masked the eggs as she heard him say, "Don't tell him."
She turned just in time to see a tall muscular young man land at the green mans other side. He was in better condition, but she could tell he was fighting to stay conscious. She turned back to her first patient, "If youll just stay still, I can..."
He swatted her hands away and turned to the other, "This is it kid, they finally got me."
"No Piccolo let her fix you."
"Too late kid, it wont be enough. Its just you and Vegeta's brat now. I know you guys can defeat these two." He paused, the two staring into each others eyes. She could sense all the memories and emotions passing between them, the green mans form started disappearing as he spoke again, "Gohan, don't avenge me, thats a suckers game I tried to play. It wont help. Train the kid, you two together can do it," his form as barely there, "Remember I'm proud of you Gohan… my son." And he disappeared.
She sat there, staring at the now vacant place where the green one, Piccolo, was lying. A sound somewhere between pent-in rage and choked-on sobs made her look at the young man. His pain and anger was so clear on his face as he levered himself up. One good look at his left leg showed why, a long gapping cut ran from mid-thigh to inches above his ankle. She hopped to her feet as he attempted to bow to her, "Thank you for your offer. If it would have..." he spaced out, turning to leave the same way he came.
She reached for him, trying to stop him, "Wait, at least let me..." she didn't get to finish, he fell forward, unconscious. She quickly rolled him over, checking for any worse injuries before turning to his leg. She practically ripped off his pant leg, trying to clear the area. She opened her canteen and slowly washed it, making sure there was no debris. She quickly sat the canteen aside, and placing her hands over the worst points of the cut, allowed her healing abilities it work, her hands taking on a strange green glow that expanded to his whole leg.
Her patient suddenly grunted in pain as she realized he was healing faster than he should, So he's not completely human either, she thought as she finished, leaving nothing but a few light scratches under her hands. He slowly opened his eyes, and she almost smiled, realizing how handsome he was.
"Wha-what happened?" he groggily asked.
"Your body decided it had to rest, whether you like it or not." She replied, wiping her hands on her jeans.
"What was that strange sensation?" he asked, curling his legs under himself to get up.
"Just fixing your leg, Halfling." She answered, rising as well.
"Wha..." He responded as he rose, watching his leg and the injury that should be there. "I... I can't believe it. Wait a sec, how do you know I'm half human?"
"For one thing, you heal too fast."
"My father was a Saiyajin." He answered in a low whisper.
"That…?" she asked.
"No, Piccolo wasn't my real father. But I always considered him one." He whispered in reverence. "He was there for me when my father died."
"Lucky dog, getting another after you loose the first." she mumbled, turning away.
Unfortunately, he heard, "You've lost yours too?" he half-asked, half-stated.
She nodded slowly, "Considering I hardly knew him, it shouldn't hurt as much, but it does," she paused, "Hes the one I got the healing from."
Gohan moved closer, tempted to console her, "What was he? What was his name? Umm..." he paused, his left hand moving behind his head, "and umm...whats yours?" he asked, embarrassed.
"Its Zandre, um.. Gohan?" he nodded, "My father had no knowledge of where he was from. But the monks told us he was from space: him and his little companion. He had a third eye is the middle of his forehead. His name was..." she paused, trying to steady her voice.
"Tienshinhan," Gohan muttered in amazement, "Tien had a daughter! The others would have been amazed."
"None were to know. No one was." She mumbled, tears starting to fall.
Gohan was so tempted to push her to tell more, but he also knew how that pain feels and how you've got to work through it yourself. His hands slowly went out, turning her around and he was amazed at how beautiful she was. He shook the inappropriate admiration and asked, "Would you like to visit his grave Zandre?"
She looked up into eyes full of a similar pain and understanding. She nodded as she wiped her tears, his right hand helping out. He moved in extremely close, about to wrap his arms around her, when she suddenly remembered the egg. "Wait I have to get my things," she stated, quickly pulling away and going to the basket.
Zandre almost laughed at the look on his face as she returned. Gohan had turned to pick up the canteen and took a drink without thinking. "What is that stuff?" he said wiping off his tongue. She stifled the laughs and said, "Its rubbing alcohol. Being the closest thing to a doctor out here, I have to stay prepared for anything."
He sobered quickly, "So what's that for?" he shook it off, nodding at the basket.
"Medicines, I come out her weekly," she replied, stuffing her jacket in on top and around it and the egg. She stood, taking the straps and putting them on her back, "Is it very far?"
He gave her the canteen, moving in just as close as before, "Not really, but its easier to get there if we fly. Can you?"
She only shook her head, repressing the truth as she felt his big muscular arms wrap around her waist, just under the basket, "I've got to go slow, that battle wore me down," he mumbled to her as they slowly started rising.
Zandre looked up into his face, "That's okay," and slowly wrapped her arms around his neck. She felt him tighten up little, watching her as they slowly rose above the tree line. She turned to place her cheek against his chest, catching a slight blush creep into his cheeks from the corner of her eye.
He slowly took off, staying above the forests, moving to the east, along the mountains. He was trying to... she realized, the tears getting ready to pour forth. She turned her face against his chest, could feel him stiffen more, but his hold on her became more gentle, more caring. They soon landed in a tiny little clearing; two stones and a giant willow tree the only occupants. Zandre slowly pulled away, turning around and falling to her knees.
"He took them both on while Chaotzu and I tried to get the people out. He was pretty badly beaten when we joined in, but he kept it up, just as hard and true. No one realized how bad he was until they left and he flew away. He could barely stay airborne. Chaotzu helped, I followed." Gohan started explaining how.
"They landed here, Tien rolled onto his back and told Chaotzu to look out for them, then said good-bye and died. Chaotzu joined him about a week afterward. That was about..." Gohan paused, the pain playing with his memory.
"About fourteen years ago. Mama and I were out in some recently rampaged town, trying to find any survivors, scavenging what we needed when I felt it. I could tell he was... Then we heard it, he called out to us. Mama ran in the direction it came from, right under a collapsing building." She finished. "I just sat there and cried, knowing I lost both parents, when I remembered something he'd told me once. 'If anything happens to me, go to the Capsule Corporation Headquarters. Ive got friends there who can help.' So I raided the Capsule Corp. warehouse there, getting the whole place down to twenty packets I kept in my backpack and came here, staying in the forest." She added, tears silently falling down her cheeks.
"Why didn't you come to us?" Gohan asked, confused.
"I can't fight. I found I could help more healing people, so I set up shop and have been living out here for thirteen years." She paused, looking back and forth between the two stones, "If there's one thing they taught me, it's do whatever you can to help others." She stopped as her sobs broke free. Gohan knelt in front of her, placing his hands on her shoulders. Zandre looked up into eyes that told her they understood her pain, and before she knew it, she was clinging to Gohan for dear life. He held on in return, showing her there was someone who knew, who wanted to help her through.
She slowly pulled away as she stopped, realizing she was desperately clinging to a near-complete stranger. She tried to pull herself together, watching as he hesitantly wiped her tears away. He rose, slowly helping her up and asked, "Exactly where do you live?"
"Answer me first, have you noticed the red light up in the mountains?" she asked sheepishly.
"Yeah, its said that the healer has it on when she'll..." he paused, taking a serious look at her, "That's you!" he said shocked.
She giggled, "You sound surprised."
"Well, I thought she'd be older and..." he stopped himself, blushing.
"And what?" she pressed.
His gaze fell, "I never thought she'd be so beautiful." He replied, turning beet-red.
"Why thank you," she replied, a slight flush in her cheeks, "Just head in that direction, you'll probably see it flying in from here."
He slowly picked her up, flying low but a little faster. After a few minutes she heard him yell over the wind, "Is that it?"
Yes she replied mentally, shaking him a little.
They landed on the edge of a short wide cliff, a medium-sized capsule house about fifty yards from the edge, partially hidden in the forest. They pulled apart and just stood there. She slowly removed her basket from her back and turned to the house.
"I should get going. Mom, Bulma, and Trunks are all probably paranoid by now." he half-stated.
She turned to him, then what's left of the city, "Your mother is, the others realize you're okay."
He stared, "You really are..."
She nodded, "Another gift from Papa," she paused, hefting the basket, "This was from Mama."
"Listen, I want to thank you for everything you've done or couldn't today." he said, a hand floating to her shoulder.
Zandre smiled weakly, "It's what I do, and don't ever hesitate about coming again. You're welcome anyway," she paused, "Anyway, I should thank you for giving me what you did."
Gohans hand slid from her shoulder to her arm, "I know what that pain feels like, I'm only glad I could help you with it. You're also welcome." he turned to leave, slowly floating away.
"Until next time." He couldn't bring himself to say good-bye.
"See you then." She replied, watching him fly toward the city.
It made her remember... I miss you Papa. She sent the thought to him, wherever he was. She started to the house, trying to figure out how to incubate the egg.
Just a note before you ask: Zandre's mother is not Lunch!!!! I didn't find out what had happened to her until after I'd stared this!!!!! (meaning I haven't seen/read Dragonball)
