~0~0~
Age 801 B.W. (March 4)
Son Residence. 10 years after the defeat of Omega Shenron.
Chichi placed the last rice ball on the full platter and set it aside. Grunting, she stood on tiptoe, lifted up her arms and pulled down a new silver platter from the shelf and set it down on her table.
Her kitchen was rich with the warm aroma of freshly cooked rice, of the spicy scents of marinated meat and the sharp smells of pickled vegetables. Chichi spooned a scoop of sticky rice into her hand and began to roll and shape it into a ball to start a new platter . It was her grandson's birthday today. Goten's son Fito was turning one and the celebration was taking place at Videl and Gohan's house across.
She scowled at the image reflected back at her from the silver platter. It was the image of an old, worn creature. Her face was set in a permanent scowl that furrowed between lines and lines of weathered wrinkles and her hair ... ugh ... what an ugly mess of gray and fuzz it had become. If he came back now, he'd get the shock of his life for sure.
Ugh, she gnashed her teeth and clenched her fists. There she went again, thinking of him. The him that had missed Goten's wedding. The him that had missed Fito's birth, and today, Fito's first birthday. "Ugh," she uncurled her fingers and stared at the rice ball in her hand with distaste. Just thinking of that husband of hers and she'd somehow crushed the white grains into as useless a paste him! Good for nothing but being tossed away with the rest of the rubbish.
She yanked the spoon from inside the rice bowl and viciously scraped the sticky mess off her hands with deep hard strokes that chafed and left her wrinkled hands red. Then she stomped to the sink and began washing the rest off with warm soapy water.
"Grandma! Grandma!" Pan barreled into the house, taking the door down in her haste. "You have to stop him grandma please!" Her face with streaming with tears, and spotted with blood.
"Pan wha ... what's going on?" Her heart thudded as she raced to her granddaughter's side.
"Please stop Papa grandma," Pan cried. "He's killing him. He's killing him!"
Wha ... Gohan? "Pan wha—"
She didn't get the chance to ask any questions. Pan grabbed her hand and dragged her out her house and ran. Chichi had to follow rapidly or her granddaughter was liable to rip her arm off her body. They moved past the garden chairs and the guests that had started to arrive, past her own house and further on into the forest surrounding the large expanse of Son property.
"No!" Chichi screeched when the first thing she saw was Gohan's boot, stomping down on Trunks' face. All she really saw were the tendons bulging in Gohan's neck and purple and red as Trunks' face got embedded into the grass.
"Son Gohan stop it!" She screamed, marching into the scene. She threw herself between Gohan and Trunks, unable to fathom how Goten was just standing there, not helping his best friend at all. His youngest looked like he'd been fighting too, he had a split lip and a noticeable bruise on his face.
"Get. Out. Of. The. Way. Mother." Gohan glared at her like he had never done before.
"What's the meaning of this Gohan, have you gone mad?" she screamed, shielding Trunks with her body, her chest rising and falling wildly like she had been huffing and puffing all day.
Gohan didn't seem to have heard her. His face was a stony mask as he turned to Pan. "What are you still doing here Pan?" He growled, and Chichi shivered at the sound. There was enough anger there to snuff out Omega Shenron. "Didn't I tell you to go to into the house until I've dealt with him?"
"I won't let you kill him Papa," Pan croaked with a quivering chin. "I know you're angry with us, but I love him, I— "
Videl suddenly marched past Gohan and smacked Pan across the cheek.
Chichi gasped.
"Love him?" Videl's frame shook as she addressed her daughter. "You love him? He's a married man Pan, I know we raised you better than this!"
Chichi blinked, trying to digest the news. Pan and T-Trunks?
"Mama please," Pan held her cheek, Chichi was pretty sure the slap hadn't hurt her with all that rampant saiyan blood but ... the hurt in Pan's eyes ...
"Do you have no shame Pan?" Videl's voice caught. "It's your cousin's birthday for Kami's sake. Instead of helping Gohan Jr. and the twins with the balloons, we catch you out here, with your skirts and legs in the air! Do you have no shame?"
Pan's face crumpled. "Mama—"
"Goten," Videl just shook her head and turned from her. "Take her into the house please. Chichi, you and I should go. This is between Trunks and Gohan."
Chichi could only stare as she noticed for the first time that Trunks' pants were, well … literally down his ankles as he coughed and panted, trying to pull himself up.
"I ... I don't understand Pan," she said weakly. Her chest was tight. Too tight. She had a feeling she wasn't getting enough air inside. "Are you having an affair with Trunks?" It felt vile just saying the words. Pan was always such a good girl, she wouldn't do such a thing with a married man, would she?
"Answer her Pan!" Gohan yelled, his eyes red and wide like a crazed man deprived of years of sleep.
Pan flinched and hiccuped. "H-He's getting a divorce," she wiped her face with the back of her hand. "And h-he ... we. .. I love him," she bowed her head.
Chichi heard it as clearly as if she had saiyan ears, the loud crack of what was left of her heart. How could Pan allow herself to be taken in by a married man? How could Trunks ... who'd always been part of the family do such a thing? Her throat thickened and it hurt to swallow as she turned away, her energy suddenly depleted.
In her prime she would have given her granddaughter a verbal lashing of all lashings, she would have screamed her fury and disappointment at Trunks, hell, maybe even throw in a kick in his crotch for good measure, but ... all she could manage was to rub her temples and turn away from the scene, away from her granddaughter as Goten moved to take her away per Videl's instructions.
"Let. Go. Of. Me!" she barely hear Pan scream through the loud buzzing in her head. "Uncle Goten please! Help Him! Help Him! He's your best friend!"
"That spoilt bastard is no friend of mine Pan. He's as good as dead to me." Goten dragged her away in a voice Chichi had never heard from her cheery son, which made her shrink into herself even more.
"If grandpa were here, he wouldn't let you do this!" Pan thrashed in Goten's arms. "Grandpa wouldn't let you do this! Grandpa!" she writhed and thrashed, but Goten was too strong for her. She couldn't break free from his hold. "Grandpa!"
Chichi sank to her knees, clutching her chest. There were spots at the back of her eyes, she tried to blink them away but—
Colours flashed in bright angry lashes. She closed her eyes and willed them away.
Grunts. Fists. Stomps. Gohan laid into Trunks with relentless fury and Chichi didn't understand why Trunks didn't seem motivated to protect himself. She had to do something or he'd kill him he'd—
A storm broke around her. Wind whipped at the trees, nearly uprooting them from the ground. Vegeta was suddenly there, roaring as he flew at Gohan.
"Chichi what on earth is going on?" She thought she heard Bulma's voice but her ears didn't seem to be working, her muscles didn't want to obey her. "Trunks No!"
She tried to open her mouth to speak but it went slack and the next thing she knew she was on her back staring up blankly at the sky.
"Chichi!" Bulma's shrill voice rang in her ears. "Chichi! Say something!"
She tried, but couldn't. Her chest was too tight. It wrung and squeezed and she knew deep in her bones that this was it.
"Oh god! Oh god!" Bulma cried as she crouched next to her on the grass. She could see she was touching her, but she couldn't really feel her hands, she couldn't feel anything at all. "Somebody help!"
Help had never come. She'd faced the explosive after effects all on her own. Trunks didn't survive his injuries and an irreparable rift between the two families had begun. Pan had disappeared, and every night thereafter Chichi would sit on her porch with a shawl draped over her shoulders, praying for Dende to send her husband back home.
Of course, it never happened.
~0~0~
Age 774. A.W (June 1)
Planet Ha-Amethyst. 21 Days after the Defeat of Majin Buu
Goten could taste the air of the strange planet on his tongue. It was wet and thick and there was something ... he took a deep lungful breath, hmm ... something salty about it. He put one foot in front of the other, following closely behind the group as they walked, walked and walked some more. Dr. Doi, Videl and Gohan — who were in the lead— suddenly stopped. Their backs all straight and stiff like they'd just been zapped. Dr. Doi's fingers dove for his video camera. Huh? What was ... Goten pressed his chin forward, and ... his eyes widened when he saw—
"Aliens!" screamed the huddled group of purply, glitzy looking things. They scattered immediately, running as fast as their little legs could carry them. Man, they were quick; they all dashed and disappeared behind the thick trees in mere seconds. "Aliens!" Their voices carried even though he couldn't see their forms anymore. Just the leftover telltale sway of big green leaves from where they'd darted through.
Goten blinked and turned around to check behind him. Aliens? He didn't see anyone there but his mom, his dad and Mr. Vegeta.
"Run for your lives!" he could still hear their breathless and panicked cries even though they were long gone. Man, their voices sounded strange though; twittery but muffled, kinda like birds trying to have a conversation from inside a thick glass box. But more importantly, "What aliens?" Goten turned to ask Trunks who was standing next to him.
His best-friend covered his eyes in that way he did sometimes at his questions. "Goten, sometimes," Trunks shook his head. "They mean us Goten, we're the aliens."
"What?" That couldn't be right. "I thought they were the aliens." He scratched his scalp. He didn't get it at all.
"You're right Goten," his dad smiled. "To us, they are the aliens. But you have to remember, this is their planet so to them, we are the aliens," he chuckled.
Goten pressed his lips together and thought about what his father'd just said. And yeah, he nodded to himself. It made sense. They were saiyans so he guessed they were kinda aliens. Except for his mom. And Videl. And well, Dr. Doi. Hmm...
"But shucks," said his dad tapping his chin. "I think we scared them off. Poor little guys."
Goten nodded, yeah, the purply guys had looked real scared alright. And they hadn't even done anything. They'd just been walking around following the beep-beep-beep of the dragon radar. Nothing scary at all. He looked to the trees where they'd disappeared, kinda hoping they'd pop back out again. He wouldn't mind one more look at them, they looked kinda small and cool.
"Did you see them Gohan?" Standing next to Gohan, Videl sounded breathless. "They were like, amethyst little people."
Goten snickered. Girls were so weird. When they'd first landed, Videl'd been pretty disappointed. She'd said the planet looked like exactly like a rainforest on earth, and that they'd probably find other humans, not exciting aliens. She hadn't looked all that excited about that since she was counting on seeing alien looking aliens. Whatever that meant. But now, by the looks of her, the way her eyes sparkled like those little creatures ... heh ... she was super happy for sure.
"They actually sparkled Gohan, did you see?" she bumped Gohan's shoulder. "Amazing!"
"Yeah," said his brother, "they looked pretty cool. They're so tiny though. You think they're children?"
Goten just shrugged, he had no idea.
"That might explain why they got so scared," said his mom. "Such pretty little darlings."
"Didn't they kinda look like the fairies on your music box Momma?" he asked. If he stuck some wings on them, they'd definitely look like them.
They were small enough, probably just up to a grown-ups knee.
"— at most knee-high," Dr. Doi was talking into that voice recorder thingy of his. "Slim and elegant. Skin a beautiful blend of pink and lilac." Click.
Goten rolled his eyes. Dr. Doi had been at it since he left the spaceship. Writing things down. Talking into that device of his, calling it 'taking notes'. Goten couldn't understand how anybody'd wanna take notes on a space adventure.
"I think I got them on camera!" blurted the note-taker, his blue eyes even brighter than Videl's. "This is soo exciting!" he added. "Real life aliens!" He adjusted all his gear — the man carried a lot of crap. "And sparkling ones too!"
Goten couldn't help but snicker at how Trunks' dad just rolled his eyes at Dr. Doi. Goten didn't think Mr. Vegeta liked him all that much. He didn't think his daddy liked him either. He was always scowling when he looked at him. Only Gohan seemed to like him. He was always talking to him about boring stuff. Maybe his mom too and Videl, he guessed they talked with him some of the time too.
"What does the dragon radar say?" his brother asked Dr. Doi.
"The dragon-ball is straight ahead," he said, eyeing the device. "Just where the native creatures disappeared to. I guess we have to follow them." He bounced from foot to foot.
"Okay, let's go," said his dad. "Remember to be nice you guys, we don't wanna scare them any further."
"Pfft." Mr. Vegeta scoffed. Heh, Goten didn't think Trunks' dad knew how to be nice. Even when he was doing something nice for Trunks, he always did it with a straight face or a scowl.
They all started walking, following behind Gohan and Dr. Doi who were leading them to some big'ol green leaves that looked kinda like they were hiding something behind them on purpose. As they pushed through the leaves, Goten's ears could hear those twittery, voices again.
"But we saw-ww them," a voice was saying. "They were eee-normous and ugly!"
Goten started, there were ugly, enourmous things out there? Oh-oh.
"They were wearing dull clothes, with big patches of fur on their heads!" Another voice wailed.
Someone chuckled. "Monsters with clothes? Really?"
Trunks turned his head sharply, looking at him. His eyes going wide. No doubt he'd overheard too. Monsters! His heart quickened. There were actual, ugly, enormous monsters lurking in the forest! Awesome! With any luck, they'd get to kick their asses.
"Careful over here you guys," said his dad as he trudged forth, clearing a path as he went along. "Forest's getting real tight."
Goten had to agree. They could hardly take a step without having to clear off the dense cobwebs of branches and leaves criss-crossing in their faces.
"We're not lying!" His ears picked up that twittery little voice again. It was close, just up ahead if he wasn't mistaken. "We saw them!" the voice wailed. "We all have to hide, now!"
Ugh, Goten ducked a branch, but was slapped by another in it's place. Things were getting real thick in front of them now. The leaves were tightly packed together, the branches stuck on each other like they were shaking hands. It was impossible to see where they were going.
"Dal-bo, enough!" A stronger voice boomed as they finally cleared the branches. Goten's eyes widened at what he saw. Everyone's eyes looked big actually, except for Mr. Vegeta's who just scowled.
It was a village or city or something. It looked like something carved from out of the stone. Or jewel or whatever that shimmering substance was. The little dwellings were all connected, forming a smoothly curved, spiral-like staircase, with walls that were sparkling in dancing colour. It was completely unlike anything he'd ever seen before. If a city could be built out of crystals of jewels, this is probably what it would look like.
What more, there was a big group of the creatures. So many of them, in many bright colours: some were plum-coloured, others more dark like eggplant, some were lighter looking like the nice smelling lavender petals his mom liked the dry and keep. Some looked tasty like blue-berry jam. Man, they made a colourful picture, and they were giving off some kind of light that was so bright it made his eyes hurt.
One of them was yelling at a little one, it was the eggplant-coloured one. She was way bigger than the ones they'd seen before. "How many times do I have to tell you to stop making things— "
She looked up.
— t-things," and stammered as she spotted them, the sunken holes in her skull like face cracking at the corners. The shimmer of her jewel-like skin flickered like a candle being blown but too stubborn to go out. "Run! Run! Aliens!" She screamed, clutching two little ones as she bolted. All the big ones clutched two or three little ones and ran, screaming. Man they were fast, jumped pretty high too with those long thin legs.
The clearing filled with the pitter-patter of fleeing feet. The crack and crunch of fallen twigs and leaves, the panicked cries, "they're gonna eat us!" and all round hysteria bounced from leaf to tree as they made their mad dash.
"Hey! Wait! Stop!" Dr. Doi waved his camera around.
"No. Wait," his brother called out too. "We come in peace!" He waved his hand around like the creatures were even looking. Goten could'a told him that nobody was about to listen. They ran and disappeared into their homes.
Huh, Goten cocked his head. After that mad dash, it was suddenly ... dead quiet. All the little crystalline windows shut closed. No sound, no movement. Everything was as still as a rat hiding behind the fridge.
"Look Out!" His dad, Gohan and Mr. Vegeta yelled at the same time.
Goten froze. Wha ...? His heart went wild. Out of nowhere, Mr. Vegeta snatched him and Trunks and tossed them out of the way. A pink shimmering beam just missing them by the teeth. Oh, god. Oh god. His heart pounded. His brain processing what had happened a second too late.
His dad, Gohan and Mr. Vegeta had flung themselves out of the way. Gohan had gone straight for Videl, tackling her to the ground, the shimmering pink beam missing them by a mile.
His dad had gone for his mom, snatching her out of the way a bit smoother than Gohan'd managed with Videl, and Mr. Vegeta ... he'd grabbed him and Trunks in the nick of time. Holy!
"You two are a disgrace!" Mr. Vegeta glared, "you should have sensed those things coming!"
Goten bowed his head and nibbled on his bottom lip. Yeah, maybe. It's just that—
"Ahhhh!" someone screamed.
Goten whipped his neck up. It was Dr. Doi. Oh, god. He was engulfed by a beam! No one had saved him.
"Ahhhh!" He dropped to the floor. He was in flames; burning up in pink rearing flames that hissed and licked his clothes, his skin. And yet, nothing seemed to be happening. Only his screaming growing louder and—
Whizz! Goten doged. Jumped, ducked to the side. Oh man! A barrage of beams was coming for them from everywhere! He wouldn't dare get caught needing a rescue again. The whizzing pink beams were coming out faster and faster, he shot into the air. It was the only thing he could do 'cause all around them, a shimmering flame of pink was engulfing… everything. The ground, the shrubs, the trees...
Seemed everyone had the same idea as him 'cause next thing he knew, they were all in the air, inside some kind of shield his dad had put up. And—
Oops! They'd forgotten to bring Dr. Doi with them. He was out there, on the ground, screaming, writhing—
"What's happening to him?" His mom cried, and Goten wished he had an answer. Their captain's hands were everywhere. He thrashed, touching different parts of his body. And yet, not one spot of him seemed to be burning. Not his clothes, his equipment, his skin, his hair, it all remained intact.
"Everybody touch!" His dad cried. "I'm getting us out of here!"
Goten went for Trunks' hand, who'd also gone for his hand. And with his dad holding his mom on one side and him on this side, while Gohan held Videl and Mr. Vegeta Trunks, they formed a loopy kind of chain inside the Ki shield. By the time he blinked, his father'd put two fingers to his forehead, disappeared them all and appeared them next to the screaming Dr. Doi.
Goten swallowed, would the pink fire burn them all up too if his dad let the captain into the shield? The way he was screaming, it looked, really, really painful to him. But apparently he was worrying for nothing 'cause his dad didn't let Dr. Doi inside the shield. He just poked a foot outside it, and let the tip of his boot touch the captain's thigh.
Goten held his breath, his heart banging hard in his chest. He squeezed Trunks' hand, biting hard on his lip. He'd just gotten his father back, he didn't wanna have to lose him to—
Oh. They were back in the ship already. He staggered on his feet for a second, as usual, he felt wonky and wobbly after instant transmission.
The shield around them disappeared, and Goten's ears rang with the force of Dr. Doi's screams. He jerked and writhed and screamed like a hot poker was stabbing him all over all at once. Goten swallowed, his stomach not doing too well at all. "What's happening to him Trunks?"
Trunks just stared, his eyes wide. "I don't know Goten. I think … I think he's— "
"Do something!" His mom cried, pushing his father. So Goten didn't catch whatever it was Trunks was gonna say. But it looked to Goten that his dad was just as shocked as everyone else. His eyes were kinda wide and unsure.
Videl was the first to react. She dashed to the wall and grabbed a fire-extinguisher. Huh. How come he didn't think of that?! Man! She was about to unleash it on Dr. Doi when he suddenly stopped thrashing. The pink flames grew smaller and smaller until they disappeared completely.
Okay...
Goten stood next to Trunks and watched his mom and Videl rush to Dr. Doi's side. He lay on the floor panting, his eyelids flickering up and down super fast. Goten didn't see any burn marks anywhere. Not his clothes, not his gear and definitely not his skin. He looked just fine.
"Sekei, are you okay, are you hurt?" His mom and Videl crouched next to him on each side and tried to help him up.
"I … can't m-move … h-hurts," he stammered, his eyes fluttering wildly.
"Where … where does it hurt?" His mom asked, looking him over. Goten could tell that she was real worried. Her face was all white and she had creases on her face that she only got when she was real upset about something. Together with Videl they sat him up on the couch, feeling him up, checking for burns but Goten could tell by their faces that they hadn't found any. Was he faking?
"I… hhh … hhh … h-hurts," he croaked on a coarse breath.
His mom and Videl looked at each other then. It was clear to Goten that they didn't not what to do.
"I'll go to the sick-bay and get him some pain killers," said his mom.
"Ow, Ow, Ow, Ouwie!" his dad started hopping around on one foot. "You guys, something's happening to my foot."
"This is a waste of my time," Mr. Vegeta growled. "He doesn't have a scratch on him. Neither do you Kakarot."
"Ow!" His father howled his face all tight as he plopped himself on the couch next to Dr. Doi. He removed his boot and—
"Daddy!" Goten cried, his stomach twisting in bendy knots. His foot was on pink fire! His daddy's foot was burning up in pink flames. Everyone crowded the couch, their eyes fixed on his foot. Goten thought it looked soft and a little chubby, but as quickly as they'd seen the flames, they banked out.
"Sweet Kami!" exclaimed his brother with wide eyes. Goten turned away from his father's foot and followed the path of Gohan's wide eyes.
His stomach dropped. Dr. Doi's hands, they were ...
"Look at his hands," said Videl.
Goten was looking. He was looking and he was seeing and the whole thing was making him sick on the inside.
His dad screamed.
Goten snapped his head back in his daddy's direction, his heart in his throat. Oh no. Oh no. His dad's foot was doing the same thing as Dr. Doi's fingers. He pressed his lips together and tried to push down the pressure building in his chest, squirming to burst out of his mouth in a sob. A hot itch burned under his arms and his neck was gathering sweat in its lines.
Dr. Doi's fingers ... his daddy's foot they were—
Trunks squeezed his hand, so he had to swallow it down. He wouldn't cry. He wouldn't dare cry like a baby in front of Trunks. His brother's face was white, his throat working up and down as he too stared at their dad and his mom, his mom's eyes kept darting from Dr. Doi's fingers to his daddy's foot like a yo-yo. She pressed her lips tightly together and began to roll up Dr. Doi's sleeves.
"Oh, Kami, no," her voice shook. His arms, it was on his arms too.
His dad yanked up his pant leg rather roughly, exposing the rest of his leg. Just like Dr. Doi's arms and fingers, just like his foot his leg had turned into a hard pink rocky substance that looked like crystal.
"This is bad," his brother swallowed. "Real bad. How fast is it spreading?"
His daddy pulled up his pants even further, beyond his knees. His eyes furrowed. "I don't know, but my whole leg feels really stiff."
Goten gulped, meeting Trunks' worried eyes. No doubt his best friend was also remembering how Piccolo and Krilin had turned to stone. Meanwhile, his mom and Videl worked together to remove Dr. Doi's shirt. His chest was pure crystal, and the turning from flesh to stone was spreading all over his body real fast.
"That's it." Mr. Vegeta said icily. His face hard. "This could very well be the fate awaiting all of us." His fist tightened. "I'm going out there. I'm getting the dragon-ball, and someone's gonna tell us how to stop this demonic curse." He rose into the air.
"Err… Vegeta," said his dad. "Try not to— "
"Kill anyone?" Mr. Vegeta smirked. "Look Kakarot. The woman will kill me if her precious scientist here dies. I told her I'd keep my eye on him. They'll tell me how to reverse this thing, or I'll see them all to hell." Before anyone could say anything else, he'd shot out the spaceship.
"Gohan," his dad glanced meaningfully at his brother.
"Right," his brother nodded at their dad and then turned to Videl. "Videl. Please stay here," he placed his hands on her shoulders. "I'm going with Vegeta."
Goten rolled his eyes. Why was Gohan bothering to state the obvious? Where else did he think Videl thought he'd be going?
"Gohan," she started too, man they sure knew how to waste time. Mr. Vegeta was long gone already. And the sooner Gohan went after him, the sooner he could ask him mom if he could go too. "I know you can take of yourself but," Videl added. "Be careful." She gripped his forearm, eyes all soft and shiny.
Goten shuffled on his feet, and turned away from their display. Gohan looked like he wanted to kiss her or something. Man, teenagers sure were weird.
"I'll be careful," said his brother, before he finally shot out after Mr. Vegeta.
Goten shared a look with Trunks and just as he was about to ask his mom—
"No!" she cut him off before he could even speak. Oh man.
"You two stay here," she ordered. "You can help Videl and I get Sekei and your father into the sickbay." Drat. Not that he didn't want to help his dad but ... who was his mom kidding? He knew she could lift his dad if she wanted. She was human, but she was strong.
"Don't worry about me Chi," said his dad. "I'll just float, but boys," he said meaningfully. "Just— " he gave them both a serious look. "Carry him gently okay? Don't break him."
Goten didn't know his dad very well, but he'd say he looked worried. Not that he blamed him. Their captain didn't look good. Didn't even look like he was breathing. The only signs of life were the rapid flutter of his eyelids and the panicked darting of his pupils.
Goten nodded. "Yeah Trunks, be careful. You don't wanna break him like you broke— "
"Keep quiet Goten! Jeez, that was an accident!" Trunks hissed at him. Oops! Goten had forgotten that no one was supposed to know that Trunks had broken Piccolo. Oops!
"Grab the legs," Trunks ordered, none too happy. "And I'll grab the shoulders." Obeying, Goten circled round their captain and grabbed his legs. Oh man, he wasn't even heavy. His mom could'a carried him by herself.
"This way boys," said his mom.
And with Trunks holding his shoulders, the two of them followed his mom and Videl into the sickbay. Once there, they laid him on the bed and stared.
The captain just lay there, his breath hitching, a small cluster of tears gathered at the corners of his eyes. Goten bit his thumb and turned away.
"Videl," said his mom. "Why don't you take the boys to the kitchen for a snack?"
"Sure, come boys." Videl suddenly had his free hand in hers, her other hand on Trunks. Goten didn't hesitate, he followed after her without looking back.
~0~0~
"You should lie down too Goku." Chichi placed her hand on his chest, guiding him down. "You should be lying down when it … when it happens." She found that forming words was suddenly difficult. She had never had tonsillitis before, but the way her throat suddenly felt heavy and burdened, she was pretty sure that this feeling was close.
"It will be okay Chi, you'll see." His eyes lingered onto the next bed.
Right. Chichi was not fooled. Sekei didn't look good. Not at all.
"C-Chi-Chi," Sekei stammered, voice chopped. Raspy.
"M-My mom, tell ... I love— "
"You'll get to tell her yourself. Hush." Chichi placed her finger on his mouth. Instead of sinking into soft tissue, it felt like she was touching glass.
His lips felt hard and dry, completely devoid of moisture. Involuntarily she cast her eyes at where her finger was making contact and gasped, his lips still looked normal, but they definitely weren't. Swallowing, Chichi removed her finger, afraid of what the rest of his face was bound to feel like. But she knew it was only a matter of time before his face was completely crystallized.
"T-Th... t-ther … ss-s … tee."
"Don't talk, Sekei. Save your strength." She touched her hand to his face, trying not to show any panic even though he was cold and glassy to her touch.
"P-P...please, Chi-Chi…the-ther…ss-s…tee."
"I think he's trying to say he's thirsty Chichi." Goku said. "I feel it too."
"Hang on okay?" she told him. "I don't think you can drink like this. I'm going to get a sponge and drop some cold water into your mouth. I'll be right back." She touched his forehead lightly, stood and went for supplies.
~0~0~
"You're not married?" Goku blurted. In his own last moments, he'd always thought of Chichi and Gohan. He'd thought of them in his last breath when Piccolo's beam had killed him and Raditz. He'd thought of her when Freeza's foot drowned him on Namek. He'd thought of her during those painful knife stabs that were the heart virus, and he'd thought of her in his last moments on earth, knowing that his only chance to save her, to save everyone, was to blow himself up.
Surely, if Sekei had a wife, he'd be thinking of her right now, not only him mom.
"No, w-was engaged," he rasped.
"Engaged, oh. That's like a promise right? To get married later?" He was pretty sure it was, but he wanted to make sure anyway.
"H-He .. .h-hee," Sekei tried to laugh at the question.
"So then, what happened?" Goku frowned. "You forgot?"
"No, she ... m-married someone else."
Goku widened his eyes.
"I went away to Burgundese to s-study," he said. "C-Couldn't afford to come home every vacation. I used to write h-her all the time. We t-talked all the time. After four years, I finally completed my undergrad and came home."
"And she was married?" That didn't make much sense to him. "After only four years?"
"We had one amazing night together, but in the morning she told me it was for old times sake. She told me there was s-someone else. T-That it was over for us. She said I was gone too long."
Goku knew that although he couldn't feel anything on the rest of his body, his face, the only part of him yet to fully crystallize was probably in intense pain. But somehow he had the feeling that, that was not the reason he was crying.
"You loved her huh?"
"More than anything," the astronaut blinked.
"Why didn't you fight for her?" he asked in a strangled voice. He had been away from his wife for one year, then seven … then ten … and finally thirty-five. He didn't even know how many times four fit into thirty-five.
"I t-tried. I even gave up my p-place in the graduate p-program for a year, t-trying to…" he choked, and it had nothing to do with the crystallization. "T-trying to change her mind."
A long dead silence.
"In the end, she said I was h-hurting her by not leaving her alone. She said I was— ," tears spilled from his eyes. "— ruining her life." He said, slow and clear.
"So you gave up," said Goku, all quiet and subdued. Honestly, what was 4 measly years? Nothing at all. How could Sekei's finance give up on him after only 4 years? Chichi had waited for him for 6 years to get married. She'd not only waited, she'd come to find him and remind him of his promise. And then, after he'd died that first time she'd waited for him, then waited for him again and then again ...
"I loved her. I had to give her up. She wanted a clean break from me, so I gave it to her," said Sekei.
Goku could see the logic in that. But that thing in his chest didn't seem to agree. It rustled and hissed and roared never. It was at that very moment that Chichi walked. She had a large jug of water, a small bowl of ice water, and a sponge. She moved to his bed first, and set the jug next to him. "Here Goku, drink this if you're thirsty."
Then she walked over to the Astronaut. She sat on the small space next to him, dipped the sponge in the cold water and placed it against his mouth.
Goku could hear as the man sucked greedily at the moisture, his teary eyes staring into her face. He knew it was necessary for her to do it, but he didn't like the way it felt to watch them. So he tried not to. He grabbed the jug Chichi had brought him and began to knock the water down.
It was cold and refreshing, but not nearly satisfying. He was still thirsty. Could probably drink ten more, but he didn't say anything. He chose to lay back with his head tilted towards them, torturing himself by watching as Chichi kindly and patiently saw to Sekei's needs.
His leg was really stiff now, but he could still feel it, so that was a good sign.
More importantly though, it boggled his mind that something as insignificant as 4 years could break an engagement. Four years didn't seem like such a long time to him, especially considering that Sekei was studying, trying to better himself. Probably so he could get a good job or whatever it was Chichi was always going on about.
He had no reason not to believe Sekei when he said that they had talked all the time over the phone, something he had never done with Chichi during his absences. He sighed, feeling sorry for the other man, just as he'd felt sorry for Yamcha. It occurred to him that soon, if he didn't do something to redeem himself in her eyes, he may just find himself on the receiving end of his own pity.
It didn't take long for the rest of Sekei's face to crystallize as well. His eyes glazed over like a rather pretty treasure frozen in time, staring at her face. The man was lucky to have Chichi's face as the last thing he ever saw. It was a nice face, one of his favourite things in the world.
Just then, Chichi covered it with her hands and broke into a silent sob.
She couldn't bear the thought of Goku ending up this way. She could hardly bear it with this new friend she had just made as it was. She pulled up a sheet and covered Sekei up, thinking ahead to the moment when she'd have to do the same with Goku.
"Chichi," Goku's gentle voice did her in.
"Oh Goku!" she cried, even more when she suddenly felt his arms wrap around her. She didn't understand how she could be so torn up inside at the thought of him ending up in such a state. She had spent so many years, so much time wanting to make him suffer and pay for his crimes against his family, she should be glad that something bad was coming his way, knocking on his door, it was what he deserved, right?
But as Goku circled her in his strong arms, all she could feel was fear for him, and despair for poor Sekei. Why was everything so damn complicated? Why was her heart so damn fickle?
"Goku you shouldn't get out of bed, you should be lying down." She sobbed into his chest.
"I will, I will." Was all he said as he rubbed her back soothingly, her body melting into him, like it always did.
How was it possible that she felt so good in the arms of the one who had hurt her so many times? How could she want to stay forever in the embrace of the one she hated as much as she used to love? Which was a lot, considering how much she had loved him.
"You shouldn't hold me like this Goku. You shouldn't be the one to comfort me." She sniffed, but she didn't move away from his hold. If anything, she burrowed in tighter.
"That's okay," he said. "He'll be fine, you'll see. We'll all be fine. There's always a way to fix things."
"Not everything Goku, not everything can be fixed." She said, thinking of three decades worth of an old woman's heart and mental breakdown.
"They're back! They're back!" Goten and Trunks suddenly rushed into the sick-bay, with Goten triumphantly holding out the five-star dragonball to his parents to see.
Chichi and Goku reluctantly broke apart, with Chichi using the back of her sleeve to wipe the rest of her tears away. She didn't want to frighten her children.
"Wow!" exclaimed Goku, "that was fast!" He grinned, taking the ball and giving it a happy stare, just as Videl, Gohan and Vegeta entered after the two boys.
"How's Dr. Doi doing Mom?" Gohan asked, casting his eyes to the bed.
"Oh," he said, when his eyes fell to the sheet covering his body.
"Did you guys find out anything?" She twisted her fingers together. "About, how to help them?"
"What kind of a question is that?" Vegeta scoffed. "Of course we did."
Chichi grit her teeth and prayed for patience. "Well don't just stand there, spit it out!" She snapped. She was in no mood to be kept in the dark.
"It's okay mom," Gohan placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "It's just a spell," he said. "It will break when the eye of the great mother looks down upon the planet."
"English!"
"I think," said Gohan, "it means when a celestial body, similar to our moon, shines down on them."
"Oh okay," said Goku, all chirpy all of a sudden. "That's alright then," he had the gall to grin. And Chichi just wanted to whack him over the head with something for being so trusting.
"Don't be so enthusiastic Kakarot," Vegeta growled. "This means we have have to prolong our stay in this worthless waste of celestial matter for another 2 nights."
"Two nights?" Goku widened his eyes "Aww man, I can't believe I'll be stuck
like this for two days."
"Um ... Dad," Gohan cleared his throat. "Not quite like this. The crystallization is spreading remember?"
"Aww man!"
~0~0~
"Videl, is that you?" Gohan sat up in his bed and rubbed his eyes.
"I-I um ... can't sleep." She stood just behind his door, which she had just shut firmly behind her.
Gohan sat up and swung his legs on the floor. "Are you having nightmares about the bus explosion again?" He asked, patting the space next to him on the mattress for her to take.
"I-I ... um .. .no. Not the explosion. I just...what if they lied?" She sat down next to him, her eyes staring at her feet.
"Who?" Gohan's tilted her face to face him. His voicy still groggy and husky.
"T-The aliens. What if ... what if they lied? About the spell?" Her voice was soft and uncertain, very unlike the Videl he had come to know
"Well, it's possible I guess. But after Vegeta's demonstration, I doubt it." He tried to assure her. Though he'd tailed behind to ensure that no one was killed, Vegeta had blown up a considerable chunk of their home. He'd used less than subtle methods to interrogate their leader. Gohan could only be grateful that Videl had not been there to witness that side of their nature.
"Oh." She said quietly." I hope so. Things are getting dangerous, and this is only the first planet. We still have to go to six more before we have all the dragonballs. Maybe I shouldn't have come." She scrunched up her face, taking some time before she said her next words "You had to save me today. You could have been hit by that thing because of it."
"Videl." Gohan took her hand in his. "I was in no danger of getting hit. If I had been, it would have me being being sloppy, not because I had to save you."
"Are you sure?" she didn't look like she believed him.
"Very sure. The truth is … I'm glad you came. I think ... I think I never want to be apart from you again." The words came from a place inside him that was ruled by neither his heart or his head, it was ruled solely by pure instinct.
"Gohan ... I like being with you too, but we can't exactly be glued to the hip you know," she smiled.
"I want to be," the words fell out of his mouth.
"W-What are you saying?" There was something slightly fearful in her voice, as she swallowed.
"Honestly, I don't know. I just know that I always want to be close to you, always." He pulled up their joined hands and placed them both against his heart.
She went rigid. "You're scaring me."
"Why?" his eyes searched hers, his eyebrows wrinkling in confusion. He could tell from her body and her Ki that she truly was frightened.
"Because!" she blurted. "You brought me back from the dead at the risk of destroying the planet! At the risk of billions of lives. So when you say always, I cannot help but feel scared that you mean it literally."
"Why is that scary?"
"That's what scares me even more Gohan, the fact that you don't even see the magnitude of the situation. Of your actions, of your … words." She pulled her hand from his.
Gohan didn't understand. "Don't you want to be with me?" He swiped his thumb across her cheek, and dipped his head close to her face. It surprised him that he felt so sure of what he wanted, his heart was beating with something new, something that drew its courage from as deep a place as his marrow. He felt no nerves, no insecurities, only that the one before him was to be protected, kept safe and close, at all times. He wanted her, always. It was so simple to him.
Videl swallowed, "Always is a loaded statement Gohan, we're only eighteen." She breathed in a hitched whisper, her eyes held firm by his searching ones.
"Then we'll just take it one day at a time." He moved his face closer and tenderly pressed his mouth against hers. He held the contact for a few seconds and slowly closed his eyes. Hesitantly he pried her lips open, and held the back of her head with his hand as he kissed her.
The contact made his cheeks burn and his stomach roll and clench. Thank god she didn't pull away. She gravitated closer to him instead, wrapping her arms around his neck, breathing into him.
He pulled away from the kiss and cleared his throat. "One day at a time okay?"
She nodded.
"Sleep with me?" He pressed his mouth against hers again.
She stiffened, pulling back from his mouth. "W-Wha..."
Even in the darkness he could make out the shock written all over her face.
His face burned. "Oh! No!" He waved his hands frantically in the dark. Whatever primal part had been driving him, left him in a jiffy. "I-I mean n-not sleep with me. Just, you know, share the same bed with me. That's what I mean, that's what I was trying to say. He heh he..."
~0~0~
Goku sighed rather loudly to the lonely white walls of the sickbay where he was stuck all by himself. Well, okay, with Sekei too, but the man was as good as not there. Trunks and Goten had kept him company after dinner, regaling him with their hilarious stories until they'd started rubbing their eyes. Chichi had come to shoo them to bed, leaving him alone with the crystallized astronaut.
It was ridiculous that Chichi had put him in the sickbay in the first place. He wasn't exactly sick! He was fine, he just couldn't feel his foot, and a small fraction of his leg. It wasn't even impeding him yet. He could still take on Kid Buu.
It's not that he was scared or freaked out or anything; it just felt all quiet and eerie being alone with him. Right now he couldn't help being reminded of that horrible place — the morgue. He shuddered just thinking about it.
He'd watched Gohan break apart in that place when Videl'd died. He hated anything that reminded him of those horrible hours. Five minutes of silence and he'd had just about enough. He'd floated out of bed and into the bedroom he'd been uncomfortably sharing with Chichi, using needing a hot shower as an excuse.
Only the dim side-lamp on her side of the bed was switched on as Goku floated out of their en-suite bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. His hair was slightly flat from the water, but the rest of him was completely dry.
"I guess I'll head on to the sickbay then," he said quietly, floating a few inches from the carpet, studying her face as she sat on their bed, thinking that her hair would be so much richer if it was falling down her shoulders. "Well … goodnight Chichi. I guess I'll see you tomorrow," he bowed his head and made his way out.
He'd sleep in the entertainment area, he decided.
"Goku," she called out to him.
He turned around and looked at her. She was sitting up in bed, her hands clasped together over her thighs.
"You're not exactly sick," she said. "And it's not as if any of the supplies we have in the sickbay can help you. There's no reason to sleep in there." She opened up the bed covers for him.
He couldn't believe it. He closed his eyes and nodded to himself, his whole body feeling wobbly all of a sudden. She'd invited him in! She'd actually invited him in. Oh man, and he really, really liked sleeping with Chichi, even when she wasn't talking to him. Even when she turned her back to him. It was still better than not being near her. "Thanks Chi," he said, floating to the bed.
He kept his smile inside, afraid of what might happen if it broke away to the surface. It was a miracle that she had opened up the bed willingly for him. No need to test his luck. He slipped in, careful to keep a respectable distance between them, as he too sat up, his own fingers twiddling.
Then all was quiet to the human ears.
Goku however, could hear the wind outside, past the Ki shield he'd put around their ship. He could also hear Gohan and Videl whispering, even though he couldn't hear the words. And as the uncomfortable silence continued to stretch between him and his wife, he strained his ears some more, listening to the comforting snoring of Goten and Trunks in their own room. He could also hear Vegeta on the satellite phone, mumbling something about suffering to Bulma who was no doubt on the other end of the line.
"I spent so much time in the last ten years," Chichi broke the silence. Wanting to punish you."
He froze.
"Wanting to hurt you for disappearing on me." Her words were soft, carrying like a feather stroke across the dim lighting. "I was trapped in my own mind I guess, ignoring the life that was taking place around me — the children, the grandchildren." She sighed, "In the end I was a terrible mother and grandmother. I scared them, and made them sad."
"Chi—"
"I don't know how they put up with me in the end. All I did was sit and stew, plotting all the ways I could make you suffer in Otherworld."
Goku bowed his head. "Chi," he began to say, but Chichi wasn't even looking at him, let alone hearing him. She just kept going like he hadn't even interrupted.
"My soul grew moldy Goku, you broke my heart." She unclasped her hands then, swiping her thumb against her wrist. "Hate is a difficult thing to carry Goku. It's like a bitter pill stuck in your throat. You can't breathe. It's bitter taste is constant, and no matter how much water you wash it down with, it just lingers, affecting everything you ever try to taste."
"Chi— "
"All these years, I wanted only one thing — to see you suffer. But—" a bitter laugh, "—earlier, when you were suffering, I would have given anything to make it stop. I'm so pathetic you see, I can't even hold on to my own hatred."
Something hard and heavy was lodged in his throat, making it hard for him to speak. He tried to swallow, but it proved rather difficult. "I don't know what to say," was all he could manage in a dry, hoarse, murmur. It was the hardest thing in the world to sit and listen to his wife of so many years, talk about her hatred for him.
"Say nothing. I'm tired of hating you. I'm tired of being bitter. I'm just ... too old to bear it. I don't have the strength anymore.
"You're young again Chi,"
"Ha!" She laughed. "If Porunga had really wanted me to be young again, he should have taken my memories too."
"Time," he heard himself say. "Time didn't mean as much to me as it obviously meant to you. To everyone. I guess it's one of those things that I never got to learn when I was on my own."
"Time is the only thing we have Goku it's— "
"It's okay Chichi. You don't have to explain. I think I finally understand. I'm sorry I didn't before. I'm sorry that I hurt you." He rolled his hands. "That I hurt our kids. Everyone."
"Time is everything Goku, please make more of it for your children this time round."
"I will," he promised solemnly. He really would.
Chichi nodded. "I'll try not to let the running of the Kingdom steal me from my grand-kids either when they come," she smiled. "I'll be a better grandma too. I owe it to them."
"You'll be great, you're wonderful Chi."
"So wonderful you spent most of our marriage trying to escape me?" she shook her head sadly. "No. Goku. I know I'm ... well, I guess I've been nothing but a trial to you since the beginning."
"I never once tried to escape you," his heart hitched. "I—
"It's okay Goku. Really. Maybe if you had married someone you chose yourself, you might not have wanted to escape them all the time. When our divorce is final, you should settle with someone who'll make you happy. Someone you'll always want to be with."
"I'll never—"
"Don't be so childish Goku," she cut him off, but even as she continued to speak, his ears could only hear the frantic roaring in his chest.
"You just promised that you're going to be there for our kids," she was saying, but he could hardly hear her. He knew what divorce was and he wanted nothing to do with it. Would never agree to it.
"— that means being alive," she said. "Being on earth and actually staying where the kids can have access to you. After a while, even you will get lonely. You'll need someone."
"I want you," the thing in his chest stirred awake as his chest tightened. "Not someone," he added as it rustled, sending quivers that pressed his insides like a million needles. "I want you Chichi, please Hon. This trip is supposed to be for all of us as a family. But you," his breath hitched as she began to shake her head. Needles really were stabbing him from the inside. "You're already planning on doing like Bulma did to Yamcha."
She lowered her head, her neck appearing to shrink into her shoulders."I would never do it behind your back Goku," she said softly. "But," she turned up and looked him in the eyes, "if 35 years of being alone has taught me anything it's this: I don't want to grow old alone, again."
"You won't," he said, meaning it. He wouldn't let it happen, not this time. Not when he knew, really knew how hard she'd taken being alone. He'd be there this time, every step of the way. She merely shook her head and rubbed her temples like she'd suddenly remembered something she wished she hadn't.
"You're thinking about Yamcha huh? The way he died? I saw from your memories how close you guys became. I wish he'd married someone after Bulma, then he wouldn't have died all alone like that. He kept saying I'd come," he held his stomach. "But I guess I never did."
"No, I wasn't thinking of Yamcha." She shook her head. "He's sweet," her mouth curved into a quarter of a smile. "He just didn't know what to do with a broken heart. When we get back to earth, I'll make it my personal mission to reunite him with Minnie. He spoke of her in regret in his last days."
"If not Yamcha then what were you thinking about just now?"
"Fito's first birthday."
"Oh." He had her memories of that day. He couldn hardly believe everything that had happened. The way Gohan had gotten so angry and out of control ... he didn't understand it at all. Maybe if he'd been there he could have ... well, he didn't know what, but he never would have let things go that far.
He understood a bit better now that a husband or a father or even a friend was needed for more than the saving of the world stuff. Sometimes people needed to be saved from the everyday stuff as well. He'd failed at that, he knew that now. "I'll be a better husband Chichi I swear," the words came out of his mouth so fast he hardly had time to process what he was saying. He was desperate to make her understand that things would be different. "I won't go away for long periods of time. I'll be like Vegeta with Bulma. I'll follow you around like a shadow until you're sick of seeing my face, what do you say huh?" he leaned across and playfully bumped her shoulder with his.
She laughed, a hollow sort of laugh with no real laughter inside it.
"I swear Chichi," he sobered. "Whatever comes at our family, we'll face it together. All that stuff with Pan and Trunks," he rubbed his chin. "I guess they got kinda close during our trip in space. Though," and this was the part he really didn't get. "I don't understand why Trunks bothered to marry that other girl if he'd wanted Pan all along."
"I don't think it had anything to do with that trip Goku. Pan was still just a child then."
"Maybe," he said. "But we know what will happen now, so we can prepare for it, together. Just ... don't give up on me," he dared to put his hand on top of hers.
Chichi let her eyes wonder to his hand; that was the problem with Goku, he was always so damn sincere and honest, right to the very second that he'll do something stupid like sacrifice himself or take off to the unknown on the back of the dragon.
She sighed, finding that his touch was far from repulsive; in fact, it felt good to be talking to him this way. She felt sturdy and assured to have their hands touching like this. "I wish I could understand you Goku, but even now, after 70 years of marriage, I still don't get you, not at all."
"What does that mean Chichi?"
"Goku, out of the 70 years we've been married, we only spent 18 of them together. Think about it, that's not even half. So I'll ask you, what on earth do you even want to be married for?"
"I-I ... I don't know. I like being with you. You know that."
"Yes, I know. But Goku the difference between us is that you're equally as happy even when you're not with me. You don't miss me."
"Only because I know that you're there. That when I finish doing whatever it is that I'm doing, you will still be there. That no matter how far or how long I've been gone, you'll be there when I come home."
"Oh Goku," He was such a child, such a dear, adorable and frustrating child. Selfish to boot as children were prone. "That's not fair to me Goku. It's very selfish of you to think that way."
"It is?"
"I'm afraid so." She placed her hand on top of his. On top of the hand that was covering hers. "I deserve more than just waiting around for you Goku. I deserve to be happy."
"I know you do. I can make you happy."
"You can," she agreed readily, which made him so happy, until—
"When you were around," she added. "You made me very happy. Mostly anyway," she grinned.
"Aww come on," he said sheepishly. "You know I don't always know what I'm doing."
"I know," she agreed without any anger, which was a relief. "But ... it's late now Goku, and my arthritis is really painful. I need to get some sleep."
He gaped at her. "You don't have arthritis anymore Chichi. You know that right?"
She laughed. A real laugh. A laugh he felt down his stomach and all the way down to his toes. "I know I don't," she said. "But I still feel it," she added with a grin. And Goku couldn't believe his heart. This was the first time since he'd come back that she was acting like this. So easy going, care-free and not spitting mad at him. Well, without the influence of the red-pipe.
"If you say so grandma," he dared to tease her.
"Grandma?" She jutted her chin and tsked. "And yet, I'm not the one who's going to need a walking stick to walk tomorrow, great-grandpa," she pulled her hand from underneath his and grabbed her pillow, throwing it at him.
He laughed. "I guess you're right. I almost forgot about that," he scratched his head, moving his hand to feel his foot. It was still stiff, but it had not crystallized any further. When his eyes turned back to her, she had slid down under the covers, contentedly snuggling into her pillow.
"Chichi," he called her name in the quiet.
"Mnn?" she adjusted her neck to a more comfortable position, her throat releasing a relaxed sigh.
"I saw the bruises on your wrists when you were giving Sekei water."
She stiffened.
"I have no excuse. I don't know what got into me. I'm not like that. You know that right?" He placed his hand on her shoulder and held his breath. Up till now, she had absolutely refused to talk about it. And he would never feel right about what he'd done but—
"You scared me," she admitted quietly.
"I'm sorry."
"No matter how strong you became, or how many times you accidentally hurt me in the past. I was never scared of you. Not ever, not even for a second."
"I know."
"I think … I'm a little scared of you now."
"Don't say that," his voice cracked.
"Sleep Goku," she shifted to the edge of the bed. "We can talk again tomorrow."
She reached out with her hand and switched off the side lamp. It was pitch black, and quiet.
"I'm a little afraid to sleep," he whispered.
"You're worried you'll crystallize completely?"
"No. I'm worried I'll remember even more about my parents, about Vegetasei and being Kakarot."
"Y-You remember all of that?" she asked in a small voice. "Since when?" she clutched the bed covers closer to her body, her eyes straining to see his face.
"Since I kissed Shinganga," he confessed. His troubled voice bouncing against the walls of the ship.
~0~0~