Chapter 2 – Chiana Diamond

Due to her exhaustion the little girl fell to unconsciousness and felt the world collapse in front of her eyes one last time. In her unconscious state she dreamt of nothing. It must have been her brain that suppressed the horrible fact of loss in those nights – she dreamt of nothing. Unfortunately her memories of that didn't vanish at all. It was still there looming over her head like a heavy cloud, threatening with its upcoming thunders. At first it was her consciousness that woke up, physically she was still sleeping. It feels like it's already morning... I need to get up and go over to- Her eyes flung open and tears tickled down her sides. It was no nightmare... It was reality.

"Oh, dear. Come here. She just woke up," a woman said softly, motioning with her hand for the person to come. At first she didn't react to it as her stomach twisted at the horrible memory, Chi Chi only gazed to the ceiling, unfazed. As a face covered her vision, she glanced at the person confusingly and exhaustingly. She wished she never woke up. It was a woman with kind smile on her lips, her hair tidily pinned into a bun. Black eyes wandered around the room and she noticed that only then that she was in someone else house. A fancy house she never had seen before. Such tidy curtains and the room itself was as big as her hut... Tears stung her eyes again and fell effortlessly down her sides.

"Look, darling," the woman said soothingly. A man approached and reached for the woman's hand, standing beside her. Chi Chi tensed as the man approached, her eyes sharpening but it was filled with fear and horror. The man saw her tensing up and smile reassuringly at the little girl. "Please, feel at ease. We won't harm you, child." Upon her puzzled gaze, he continued, "We found you on the street that night. You were lying behind some barrels and we saw you there, unconscious. We were worried that you may have been hurt, but luckily you weren't."

Just like a child she was, she wanted to hold on to something, hope and trust. Chi Chi sniffed. "You won't sell me off, right? You won't, right?" Her eyes red from crying and she could feel her limps trembling, but she managed to sit on the bed. "I have nothing to give nor offer you... Thank you very much for your help," she said, her head hung low and yet she still bent down further to express her gratitude. A sob slipped past her lips – this much a little six-year-old girl could take.

The couple exchanged a worried look and were disturbed by the fact the little girl mentioned the word selling. Cautiously the woman approached Chi Chi and took in her fragile hand, squeezing it comfortingly. "We would never do such a thing. We don't want to harm you.", the woman said, smiling motherly at her. Chi Chi looked up at her, analysing her sincerity with despair, clinging on it once found. Her smile warmed her heart, "Thank you."

Despite everything that happened and the fear looming in her, she knew now that these people would not harm her. Their generosity the little girl she would never forget, but it was time to part again. "Thank you very much for everything but I should leave now," she bowed, smiling at the couple before walking toward the door.

"No...", the older woman sniffed, a tear tickling down her cheek which confused the chubby girl. "Don't leave," she begged, kneeling in front of Chi Chi and taking her hands in hers, squeezing them. "Why don't you live with us together, huh? We could protect you and give you anything you want. Please...", and then she cried, she cried into her hands and trembled all over her frame. Did I do something wrong? How could a little girl understand or take this as.

Her husband watched the crying with pained eyes, sighing in the process. It was hard for him but seeing his beloved suffer was even harder. As he walked toward them, he knelt next to his wife, placing his comforting hands over her shoulder but his eyes were directed to the confused girl. "If you have nowhere to go, we would love if you lived here with us. Please, child."

It came unexpected. How was she supposed to reply? She was grateful for their help but she couldn't. Not when Chi Chi still had to find her best friend. Let alone figure out where Goku was. Bulma... Goku... Instead the little girl titled her head to the side and looked at the couple with a warm smile. They were really good people. "I thank you for wanting to protect me but I can't. I still have to find my best friend. She needs my help and I–" she got interrupted by the heart-breaking sob of the woman. She couldn't understand why this woman wanted her to stay this badly.

Upon her confused gaze, the man opened up. "You know, my child. We lost our beloved daughter and to our surprise she looks just like you.", he paused, looking down at his crying wife and back to Chi Chi. "Please, we beg of you. Don't leave us, too," he managed to say but the countless swallowing showed how hard it was for him to even say it. Her eyes filled with tears again at the mention of someone's lost. They also lost someone precious to them. Taking her small hands out of the woman's grip, made the sad female cry louder and the man only bent his head down in defeat, holding him back as much as possible. "Alright," she said, putting her hands over the older woman's soaked cheeks. "I will stay here with you, if you allow me. But I still want to find my friends. Is that alright?"

With this mentioned the couple started smiling and crying again, but those were happy tears. This she understood. It reminded her of her mother and father. How she used to cry happily when her father came back after many days with a single, rare flower he plugged just for her. Her chin trembled, a foresight of her urge to cry but she kept in. Those were happy memories. She needed to smile. Mother... Father... "Anything," the older woman interrupted and pulled the chubby girl into her arms. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

After the acceptance of their offer three months had passed. Chi Chi still hadn't found her best friends, not even got any clues where there could be. How much could a six-year-old girl do? Even with the help of the generous couple, she was still unable to find any tracks of them or the bandits. As if they left any traces on this planet. Doubt filled her heart even though she kept repeating the same words. They are still alive. They are still alive. They are still alive. The couple– Diamond – never pressured Chi Chi by being their daughter by name but mentioned it a few times. They allowed her to take her time and helped her with everything they could and needed. One day when they talked about their deceased daughter, Chi Chi turned to them and agreed to be adopted and take over their name. With hope left, she had no-one on this planet she could family. As sad as it was the little girl only had them left. These two people who are willing to take her in as their own. It was the only thing she could cling to despite the through that Chi Chi would die. Her existence would die. She would be someone else for the rest of her life.

The Diamonds covered over her past and gave birth to their descended daughter again. "Your name will be Chiana Diamond from now on," her mother informed her. Mother. "Nobody should know about your past. Like this we can always protect you, no matter what."

Even though she knew it would have come like this, Chi Chi cried for three days in the nights when everyone where sleeping. Only when she took in the name, she noticed everything in the house. How big the mansion was and the little maids and servants lived together with them. She would wonder why a new face kept appearing but Chi Chi had not put much thought into it as she had been occupied with her own business and problems.

While her last tear rolled down her soaked cheeks, her eyes puffy and exhaustion kicked in, the chubby girl closed her eyes. It stung and was no comfort when closing but she kept it close and let it burn. Revenge... I will revenge them and hunt them down for the rest of my life. She fell asleep. It was sad how a six-years-old girl came to this solution, a reason to keep on living, In her dream she saw Bulma and her again as they talked about crazy invention her best friend always came up with. "A gravity capsule," Bulma said, her eyes shining bright with excitement. Since their fathers would carry them on their shoulders when training or put heavy objects on their back when doing sit-ups. During the observation the albino girl came up with the idea to manipulate the gravity around them which would intense the results. Her best friend used to experiment on the failed invention of her father who's passion was to create everything knew. In their village Bulma was called the prodigy. When Chi Chi woked up, her eyes clear from any emotions, she walked down to their parents chamber in her pyjama and asked for something only a daughter would selflessly. "I want a gravity capsule," she said, on her tip-toes and still holding the knob of the door. Her new parents dumbfounded at the intrusion and out-burst. "Can I get a gravity capsule for my seventh birthday."

It had been ten years ago since she made her first selfish demand. Everyone in the mansion made an uproar about the upcoming birthday of Chiana Diamond. She was getting 16, an age of coming. On her 16th she would be announced an adult, a grown-up woman and legal of age for marriage. The Diamonds arranged a big celebration. With their political and financial influence even royal families were invited and expected.

"Lady Chiana, today will be your big day. I'm so nervous," her maid chirped happily. Chi Chi only managed a tense smile in return. Despite the fact that she was no Chiana Diamond, her birthday or whatsoever, didn't interest her. If she cared about something, it was the happiness of the Diamonds, her mother and father. Even if they only saw her as their deceased daughter they never pressured her to be like their deceased daughter and accepted her as she was. But adapting to their etiquette and manners had been something she struggled with for years. Now she could say she learnt the etiquettes and mannerism and know how to use them.

"Everyone will come just to see you, my lady," she continued to swoon.

"I know. We have to hurry," ChiChi added.

Her personal maid helped her pick up the dress and accessory – a dress of pure rhinestones that hugged her curves, her hair tied up in a bun where a few wavy strains decorated her face and her slender neck covered by a necklace of diamonds, as well as her ears with matched earrings. She had the elegance of a princess, that much was given. Her maid put make-up on which honed her face beautifully. A pink lip gloss and everything was finished.

She sighed, "You're finished." A hand rested on her cheek as she admired her lady dreamingly. Just when her maid had spoken out the words, the Diamonds walked into the room and looked at her proudly, as she was their own flesh and blood.

Everyone awaited Chiana Diamond to come, even the royal families were anxious to see the grown-up lady of the Diamond household. It was time for her to arrive.

How long will this bitch let us wait," Vegeta spat angrily, folding his arms and ignoring the pulsing veins on his temples.

"Watch your tongue, son. The Diamonds served us for generation. Their influence is of great importan–" King Vegeta lectured yet was cut short as everyone in the room started fidgeting and awing, their gazes fixed to the gigantic entrance. At last the person everyone was curious about was about to arrive and to Vegeta's surprise, even he was getting exciting by all this yet due to his stubborn ego, the royal prince refused to look at the entrance like everybody.

With grace the awaited host entered the fall, their eyes only on her and watching every step she was making. The tension urged her to look on the ground and avoid everyone's glances but with years, she learnt to step on her own feelings and steady herself, like now, Chi Chi held her head high and focused on her goal. As her vision got intruded by unfamiliar faces, she returned their gazes and presented her kind smile. After all, these people came for her be it out of curiosity or not. With everyone's pleasant whispers, the excitement never far away, Vegeta got impatient and became more and more curious about the woman who held the attention of everyone. Even King Vegeta looked at her as bewitched, the pleasure written across his stoic face.

Sharp black eyes widened at the sight of the beautiful host and his normally annoyed glance completely wiped off of his face – she was astonishing. Vegeta was unable to form words of disapprove or disinterest, he could on held his eyes fixed on her.

Chi Chi went to her parents first and greeted them in respect. With this everyone started to turn toward their partners and talked about all kind of affairs. It was a relieve for Chi Chi to had survived this tension if there was not this strange feeling in her stomach. Something made her uncomfortable. Still by her parents side, she roamed her eyes over the hall and recognised some of the guests but most of them she had never seen before. Then upon all the guest there were a pair of black orbs staring at her. At first she didn't recognised the person, a man. But with further observation the raven-head knew it must be the prince and the King next to him. Pretending not having seen them would bring an uproar for her parents, a disrespect toward the royal family. Chi Chi steadied her figure and walked toward the royal family, her eyes locked into the prince's with hope this would make him lose interest in her and look away. It could also be counted as come-and-greet-us-you-despicable-servant kind of gaze, yet rudely and stubbornly she kept her gaze, too. Stubbornness was something she couldn't grow out after all this years.

"I'm honoured, my King," the elegant lady turned over to the prince, "my Prince, to share this memorable day with the two of you. It is a great honour and joy for my family and me, of course." She regarded them with a sweet smile of hers and hoped with this her obligation would end. Now the prince had nothing to make her – But why was he still looking at her! Why is he still looking at me? It made her frustrated. Her smile started to stiffen but she would not lose this battle. It made her think various assumption toward the royal family and how much she hated them. But Chi Chi wasn't in place to even think this herself. She, too, was now part of a rich family who could bring her anything she wanted. Money always played a role in their world but never this frighteningly. While others work hard for each thaler, she only had to mention something familiar to what she wanted and it was hers. I'm not better than him... For a split of a second sadness covered her lovely features and before she could recover Chi Chi noticed the gaze of the prince again. He saw.

"Please enjoy the party, your majesties. I must excuse myself," Chi Chi bowed with grace, returning to the other guests and parents.

One thing the adult woman had learnt during the past years at the Diamond estate was how to act despite the revolting emotion she felt within herself. If she needed to smile, she smiled. If she had to act like a lady, she did. Life can change someone drastically and Chi Chi was the one to experience it by person. Her memories of the past felt like a sweet dream or a fairy tale her parents used to tell her as a child – a distant memory.

"Father," the prince began to speak, his eyes still following the lady in front of him. How captivating she was.

"What is it, son?"

"I want her," he said. The King turned to look at his son unbelievably, his eyebrow narrowed. Vegeta looked up at his father and repeated his words once again. "I want her."

Her normal routine took over and she spent most of her times in the gravity capsule with training. On her free times Chi Chi would always spent with training. She had not forgotten about the revenge she promised herself that night. It was just matter of time for her to bid goodbyes to the Diamonds. Just when she took a break to drink and wipe her sweat over her face, the raven-haired woman saw her personal maid, Asue, ran through the garden directly to the gravity capsule.

"My lady! My lady!" Asue called her, breathless from the run, her face was flushed from the exercise. With an raised eyebrow Chi Chi walked toward to the maid and friend to lighten the run for her.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"You–" she paused, taking a deep breath. "You have to come with me!" Asue exclaimed, catching her breath again as she knelt down, supporting her head by leaning it over her knees.

"Just calm down and tell me what happened." Chi Chi suggested, kneeling down to her friend and placing a hand over her shoulder.

Breath in. Breath out. Breath in. Brea– "THE PRINCE WANTS TO MARRY YOU, MY LADY!" she screamed, her excitement overwhelming her once again. Chi Chi threw her off guard by the loud exclamation and fell on her butt. "WHAT." It was her time to shout, the shook written all over her face. As if she clue searched for some clue, Chi Chi looked at the ground in disbelief. Asue had not taken this as negative as her lady did and continued to talk. "The master and the mistress wants to see you right now. You have to come quickly!"

"Th- this can't be..."