DISCLAIMERS: I don't own Dragonball Z. I'm just 'borrowing'
the characters for a little while for a bit of fun. If the real owners want,
send me an email and I'll get rid of it. But there is something that's mine;
Teshya is my own creation.
Author's Request: Please review. Flame or praise; I don't
care. I want to know what you think. I don't have a very high opinion of my own
writing and I'd like to know if anyone agrees with me.
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Chi-Chi sighed as
she went making a huge breakfast for Gohan. Three weeks had passed since Goku
had died, and she still wanted to cry. When she ended up on Snake Way, she
decided that she'd give Goku a piece of her mind about choosing to stay dead.
It just wasn't fair on her.
She looked around
at the mess of the kitchen she was making trying to produce enough food for
just three people… "I need help," she whined to nobody in particular. "I can't
do this all alone! Goku, why aren't you here?"
There was a knock
on the door. Chi-Chi sighed and went to answer it.
A heavily clothed
and masked person bowed. "Hello. I know this is rather unexpected…but I'm
looking for work of any kind- in return for a place to stay…" By the sounds it
was a woman.
Chi-Chi stared at
her, then mentally sent a prayer- 'Thank you Goku! Perfect timing!'-
before inviting the stranger inside.
"My name is
Teshya." The masked woman introduced herself politely. Only her icy blue eyes
were visible behind the veil that covered her face and hair. "I'm willing to
help in whatever way you need me too…"
"It's not much but
you can stay in the lounge until we get an extension to the house or
something…it'd give the boys something to do…" Chi-Chi agreed. "I need help
cooking and cleaning…my family eats a lot…"
Within minutes the
deal was struck. It was so simple that Chi-Chi honestly believed that Teshya
had indeed been sent by fate at Goku's will.
After dumping
Teshya's bag in the lounge room, she headed into the kitchen with Chi-Chi and
they finished off the feast-like breakfast.
"Alright!" came the
sound of Gohan's voice, as they heard him running down the hall.
"Smells good,
Chi-Chi," said Ox-King as he entered in just behind the young Saiyan boy.
Gohan stared at Teshya.
"Who's this, Mum?"
"This Teshya. She's
going to be living with us while she helps me with the housework and the like."
Chi-Chi informed them in a tone that brooked no arguments.
"Ok." Gohan
shrugged and sat down to the huge plate of food that Teshya set in front of
him. Teshya waited somewhat awkwardly as the family ate together.
"Aren't you going
to join us, Teshya?" Ox-King asked. "You'd better hurry before it's all gone."
Teshya removed the
lower part of the veil from her face, revealing her gentle smile. "Thank you. I
had felt that I would be intruding upon Chi-Chi's kindness…"
"Hey Mum, could I
invite Piccolo, Yamcha, Tien and all the other guys over for dinner?" Gohan
asked.
Chi-Chi frowned.
"Have you finished all your studies?"
"Well, not
exactly…but I can before then." Gohan added hopefully.
Chi-Chi sighed. "Oh
alright. But it just won't be the same without Goku…" Tears welled up in her
eyes.
Gohan lowered his
head. "I'm sorry, Mum."
"Chi-Chi…I don't
think Goku would want you to grieve for him," Teshya said with a mild edge of
uncertainty in her voice.
"You know who Goku
is?" Ox-King queried.
"I know the truth
of the Cell incident." Teshya replied with a mischievous glance at Gohan.
"You're the first of
the non-Z warriors relations that does then." Piccolo remarked walking in.
Obviously, Gohan had left his window open in case the alien warrior wanted to
visit unexpectedly; which Piccolo had.
Teshya chuckled.
"You might be taking that back soon enough."
"Other people
know?" Gohan blinked.
"Those who can see
through Hercule's arrogance formulate the only answer there can be." Teshya
shrugged casually. "Can you pass me the croissants please, Gohan?"
Her change of
subject was subtle enough to fool the humans, but Piccolo sensed that she knew
far more than she was letting on. Not wanting to doubt her too suddenly after
just meeting her, Piccolo made the decision to speak with her later.
"What can I do now,
Chi-Chi?" Teshya asked.
"Ah, well, Gohan's
room needs cleaning, so while Gohan's doing his studies do you think you could
do that? I'm going to do the washing up."
"Sure." Teshya
smiled.
Gohan's face paled.
"C-clean m-my room?" he squeaked.
Teshya laughed and
patted his shoulder, replacing her lower veil across her mouth. Her icy blue
eyes twinkled. "Do not fear, Gohan…I'll make sure you get left with the
furniture…"
Gohan suddenly
forgot his stomach and raced to his room.
Teshya shrugged.
"Ok, Gohan, but I'm still going to clean in there…" she called, strolling
calmly down the hall.
They heard her try
the handle and find it locked. "Gohan, you might be really strong, but anyone
can bust down a door…" The door swung open and then shut.
Piccolo chuckled.
"Good luck, Gohan."
Eight months
passed, and Teshya restored the order to Chi-Chi's home that she'd had while
Goku was alive. Teshya didn't have Goku's innocent ignorance, but she was just
as fun to be with.
As Chi-Chi neared
the end of her pregnancy, which had come as a surprise to all, Teshya became
the cornerstone of the household, keeping everything running just the way
Chi-Chi liked, as well as making sure Chi-Chi had the care she needed even when
Chi-Chi didn't always want it.
"That's a fact with
pregnant women, they tend to get moody and all…with Goky gone now, so soon
after she fell pregnant again, Chi-Chi's going to feel all that grief over
again," Teshya warned Gohan, Piccolo, Yamcha, Tien, Krillin and Ox-King.
"Wow," Gohan said.
"Are you going to deliver the Mum's baby?"
Teshya froze for a
moment, the laughed weakly. "You've got to be kidding me, Gohan. I know as much
as you do about delivering babies. No…I'm not going to be playing midwife…we'll
have to get in a doctor or something. Or take Chi-Chi to the hospital when the
time is right."
"Oh. Do you think
Bulma could do it?" Gohan asked, intrigued about it all. After all, it was his
first sibling they were discussing.
"B-Bulma?" Teshya's
voice falter momentarily before she coughed and spoke normally again. "What
does Bulma know of these matters?"
"Well, she's knows
lots of science," Krillin volunteered.
"What's that got to
do with it? Tell me, how many times has Bulma delivered a baby before now?"
Teshya countered cynically.
"Well, er-none, but
since she knows science stuff-" Krillin blushed.
Teshya shook her
head. "And I don't think Chi-Chi would be very happy if any of you were to give
it a try either."
"I hope it's a boy-
I really want a little brother." Gohan remarked.
"Yeah, another
Saiyan baby just like Goku." Ox-King added.
Teshya could find
nothing else to say, except "Just be patient with Chi-Chi. That's all I'm
asking." Then left the room.
Outside, sitting
with her legs dangling in the lake not far from Gohan's home, Teshya gazed down
at the water. Piccolo crept up silently behind her, and sat cross-legged next
to her.
"I've been watching
you," he confessed.
"I know," she
replied simply and softly. "Everyone has been watching me closely. A
Kami-sent-gift to Chi-Chi after Goku's death…it's what I wanted to be…it's what
I had to be."
Puzzled that she
would do her own confession without his probing Piccolo asked, "What do you
mean by that?"
"Chi-Chi helped me
as a child. She was all I had. Everything else was taken away from me…my mother,
my brother, my sister, my grandparents…I had nowhere else to go. Chi-Chi…I
don't know how she knew, but she took me in, and taught me everything that I
now know; all this house cleaning and homework and stuff…she taught me. I
wanted so much to give back some of the kindness she had given me. This was my
chance so I took it. You all silently grieve for Goku, but I rejoice in the
peace I've found here. I wonder why…I wonder if I will be allowed to remain
here forever. I feel that I am part of her family- more so than my own. What
will it be that might change my future from this contented life I lead now?"
Teshya reached down and let her bare hand drift through the water.
Piccolo allowed
silence for a moment before asking, "Chi-Chi didn't seem to know you when you
came to her door."
"Chi-Chi doesn't
remember me from when I was a child." Teshya whispered. A tear fell from her
blue eyes and dotted the veil that covered her face.
"I have many
questions," Piccolo started.
"Many of which I
cannot answer," Teshya looked up at him. "But I will answer those I can."
"Why do you wear
that veil?"
"I do not wish to
be seen for what I am; to be recognised for who I am." Teshya answered
cryptically.
It confused Piccolo
but he went on. "You faltered when Bulma was mentioned."
Teshya hesitated.
"I remember so little of her from when I was a child…" She paused and changed
the topic again. "There was no one to protect me from the cruel punishments of
my father."
"That was my next
query. You didn't mention your own father when you said your were separated
from your family…and now you say he punished you cruelly…in what way?"
Teshya lifted her
bare legs from the water and let her skirt cover them as she stood up. "He took
away my family and my life. I hate him for all eternity. He wanted me to defy
the very core of my beliefs. I refused him that. And so I paid dearly." She
left Piccolo in a greater state of confusion than before their conversation.
"AAHHHHHHHHRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGHHHHHHH!" Chi-Chi screamed.
"Chi-Chi!" Teshya
burst into the bedroom. "Don't tell me-"
"It's time,"
Chi-Chi whimpered. "Our baby's coming and Goku's isn't here…"
"He'll be watching
firsthand," Teshya soothed the emotional woman, gesturing for Gohan to enter.
"Get me a bowl of cool water and a cloth," she ordered quietly.
"What can I do?"
Ox-King asked.
"Find somebody who
can deliver a baby," Teshya hissed urgently. "Or else we're in big trouble!"
Gohan returned with
the water and cloth.
"Chi-Chi…you're
going to want to kick me for this, and I promise you can do so after the baby's
born, but I want you to get up and keep walking around." Teshya instructed
gently.
Chi-Chi obeyed, but
she was still crying. "Goku," she sobbed repeatedly.
Teshya patted
Gohan's shoulder. "Make sure she does what I've told her- if she begins to
sweat or get particularly tetchy, damp the cloth and wipe her face and neck…"
"Where are you
going?" he demanded.
"To find someone
who knows what they're doing. I'm guessing here," Teshya admitted.
"Is that all you know?"
Gohan asked desperately, realising that Teshya was going to leave him alone to
take care of his mother.
"Look, I'm not a
whole lot older than you- do you know anything bar what I've told you? No? Then
just pray to Kami that I'm doing this right!" Teshya replied irritably.
Teshya walked out
the front door. "Dende!" she called. "Dende, send Piccolo- I need to speak with
the dragon dude…I promise I'll answer all questions later!" She paused.
"Please? I really need to do this…Chi-Chi, Gohan…it's for them."
Sitting down, and
hugging herself tightly hoping that they'd agreed to it all, Teshya waited, as
inside Chi-Chi cried on Gohan.
