Will to Survive
Chapter two
Changes
Disclaimer: I do not own, nor will I ever own (damn it!) DBZ or any of its characters ::sniffles:: But I do own this story, though I'm earning nothing from it except the gratification of reading nice reviews (hint, hint ^_~)
~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~
Chichi stared at the pretty young rich woman who stood in front of her.
"Do fine for what?"
She shot a glance over at Goku but his expression of surprise mirrored her own feelings. She just hoped that her face didn't look as comical as his did.
"Well, first off, I find that I am in need of servants who have certain connections but who can blend in well with my society. You'd be pretty enough, cleaned and dressed up. Second, I'm assuming that you're pretty used to the hardships of life. I require someone who isn't going to go screaming from the room at the slightest sign of trouble. In short, I want you to parade as one of my servants, you will be required to do some work, and help me when I ask for it. Do you think that you can do this?"
Chichi frowned at the woman for a minute or so before she shook her head.
"I don't know. You haven't really given me much information about what you want done besides which I don't know what kind of servant work I could do."
"We'll find out. But even if you are completely useless to me I think you ought to wash up a bit and stay to think about it. I'll have Goku show you to a spare room that you can use. Would that be satisfactory?"
"I..I guess so."
"Well then, go and clean up and I will see you when you are done."
Having said that Bulma strode from the room leaving a stunned Chichi and a very confused Goku behind.
~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~
As the bathtub filled with water Chichi stood in front of a full length mirror and looked herself over. Her clothing really was beyond disgusting and her hair looked as though rats had spent the last few years rolling in it, although they might have. She couldn't really see what the woman meant by pretty. The blue haired woman, her possible future mistress, was the prettiest woman she'd seen, used, as she was, to the scrubby looking women in the downtown areas.
Her hair, under the grim, was a dark brown or black and her skin might have been light tan if there weren't years of dirt and dust engraved into it. As soon as the water reached the top of the tub she turned it off as she had been shown and shed her ragged clothing. The water was hot but not unpleasantly so. It stung in the small scratches that decorated her limbs and she allowed herself a few minutes to become accustomed to the warmth.
Chichi's hair floated about her as she yanked open the bottles standing on a table by the bathtub. Once she found the one that said soap, at least that's what she was told, she poured a generous amount onto a wash-cloth that had been left for her. The soap stung even more than the hot water had but she scrubbed down hard on the dirt incrusting her body.
Several rinses and a half-empty soap bottle later Chichi was certain that what skin she hadn't scraped off with her scrubbing was clean. She pulled the next bottle to her and opened it. The smell of spring flowers filled her nostrils and she breathed it in heavily. It hadn't really hit her until right then. If she could find something that she could do for this woman, then she could take baths and sleep in a bed every night. She wouldn't have to worry about enough food or being caught by the authorities.
Armed with those thoughts and the full bottle of hair soap she set to work on her hair. She had to scrape her nails against her scalp hard several times and she used most of the bottle but when she finally stepped out of the bathtub her hair fell evenly to her knees. She wrapped herself in a soft bathrobe left to her by another servant and then ran the comb through her hair, standing in front of the mirror while she did so. The comb snagged quite bit but she tugged and ripped at her hair until at last she could run the teeth through it without snagging.
She lay the comb down and put on the dress she was given. It felt strange being in clean clothing, and even stranger being in a dress. Chichi repositioned herself in front of the mirror after she had dressed and slowly opened her eyes, wondering just how she might look.
The girl in that mirror could not have been her! The dress was small and there was no mistaking that she looked thin, too thin. She was a bit underfed. But besides that she couldn't find a thing wrong with the image before her. Her hair hung just past her knees and now that it had been cleaned and combed she could see just how pretty it was. Her skin was still slightly red from the intense scrubbing she had given it but it looked smooth and flawless. She smiled to herself.
'I guess that woman was right. I'm not too bad...maybe even...slightly pretty....possibly.'
A soft knock sounded on the door, drawing her attention away from the mirror and her newfound appreciation of herself.
"Miss? The Mistress will see you now. Oh my, you look nice dear. Much better than in those rags. Please follow me."
Chichi smiled half-heartedly. Maybe she looked better, but she was unused to dresses and wished for her pair of pants, ill fitting and filthy though they were.
Down the elegantly spiraled stairs and through several halls that she instinctively knew were never seen by guests.
'The servants rooms must be around here then.'
"Here you go miss. Mistress Bulma is waiting for you inside the green house."
Chichi smiled and thanked the older woman before going through the door that was being held open for her. As she stepped outside she had a thought that she had stepped into a different world. The front of the house had no yard or garden, it was connected directly to the sidewalk and street that paraded in front of it. But the back of the house was separated from the yards of the neighboring houses with beautifully wrought, iron fences. Hedges reached above her head and seemingly delicate flowers grew from among the branches.
Above the hedgerow Chichi could just make out the glass top of what must have been the green house. She had heard of such things but never seen one. She walked about the garden trying to find her way through the thick bushes, admiring the beautiful flowers and the graceful statues that perched among them. Ahead of her she could hear the soft sounds of moving water and wondered if perhaps there was a fountain in the garden as well.
Chichi finally rounded another corner of the bushes and bumped right into the solid front of a young man. He grabbed her arms gently as she stumbled back from him and she looked up into the eyes of Goku. He frowned as if trying to figure out who she was. Once he did a big smile covered his face and he laughed.
"I wouldn't have recognized you like that if I hadn't known you would be out here soon. You look much better."
"Oh well, thank you. I don't suppose...umm...Goku?"
He smiled another goofy grin and nodded at her encouragingly.
"Well, do you think that you could show me around these hedges. I just can't seem to get to the green house that's inside of them."
Goku laughed again and turned around, making sure she was following him back the way he had just come.
"I know it's a bit confusing at first. But you'll get the to know where everything is soon enough."
"I suppose. I mean, I'm sure I will. If I stay that is. I mean, who knows if there's even anything that I can do. I've never really been able to try any domestic skills."
"Oh I'm sure you'll do fine. We all learn our duties easily enough and we aren't ever given any job we can't do."
"Oh....well, then maybe...I could find something. I suppose I'll need to learn where the servant quarters are then."
Goku frowned down at her in confusion.
"Weren't you just there? You were on the third floor weren't you?"
Chichi gaped at Goku in surprise. She had heard that all rich and noble people kept their servants in separate buildings or in out of the way places. And she'd certainly never heard that servant's quarters were that spacious.
"You mean that the servants live in the house?!"
"Of course. Where else would we stay? That'll probably be your room as long as you're working here. Here's the green house. Go on, don't keep Mistress Bulma waiting."
"Oh, umm...thanks."
"You're welcome miss....You know what?! I never asked your name!"
Chichi laughed at Goku's chagrin.
"It's ok. I didn't think to tell you. My name is Chichi. Thanks for helping me Goku. Oh and Goku?"
"Yes?"
"Even if I don't end up staying here. I want a word with you later."
Goku's eyes widened in bewilderment but he nodded his head.
"Sure. I'll see you soon then."
"I'll see you."
As Goku walked away Chichi stood on the green house steps, her hand resting lightly on the doorknob and a small smile playing over her face.
'That man is definitely a bit strange. I can't believe he's so friendly even though I stole from him. He should hate me.'
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AN: Well, that's it for this update. I have another story to update soon or I might get smacked with a broom. ::looks around fearfully for any brooms flying at her:: In the next chapter Bulma and Chichi will have a little chat and the search for Chichi's occupation will begin. What kind of job will Chichi get? (I think we can all guess) And what exactly are Bulma's purposes for having her in her employ? We'll see. ^_^ I have an ml for my dbz fics and if you wish to be on it then just send an e-mail to hibari_heza@fangirl .org or leave your e-mail in a review. ^_^
Lady Nightshade: Thanks! ^_^
Kei: Thank you. Well, I might think about that...although the current title is starting to grow on me. Oh, you'll have to continue reading to find out how he did that. ^_~
Seneca: Thanks. I plan to. I think I'm going to like this fic. ^_^ lol
Tokumei Kibon: lol Thanks! I'm glad you like it. ^_^
JenTrunks: Lol, I was just about to update then I read your review. Thanks. ^_^ I'm hoping this will work out that way I plan it to...so few of my stories do...heh. ^_^
Chapter two
Changes
Disclaimer: I do not own, nor will I ever own (damn it!) DBZ or any of its characters ::sniffles:: But I do own this story, though I'm earning nothing from it except the gratification of reading nice reviews (hint, hint ^_~)
~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~
Chichi stared at the pretty young rich woman who stood in front of her.
"Do fine for what?"
She shot a glance over at Goku but his expression of surprise mirrored her own feelings. She just hoped that her face didn't look as comical as his did.
"Well, first off, I find that I am in need of servants who have certain connections but who can blend in well with my society. You'd be pretty enough, cleaned and dressed up. Second, I'm assuming that you're pretty used to the hardships of life. I require someone who isn't going to go screaming from the room at the slightest sign of trouble. In short, I want you to parade as one of my servants, you will be required to do some work, and help me when I ask for it. Do you think that you can do this?"
Chichi frowned at the woman for a minute or so before she shook her head.
"I don't know. You haven't really given me much information about what you want done besides which I don't know what kind of servant work I could do."
"We'll find out. But even if you are completely useless to me I think you ought to wash up a bit and stay to think about it. I'll have Goku show you to a spare room that you can use. Would that be satisfactory?"
"I..I guess so."
"Well then, go and clean up and I will see you when you are done."
Having said that Bulma strode from the room leaving a stunned Chichi and a very confused Goku behind.
~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~
As the bathtub filled with water Chichi stood in front of a full length mirror and looked herself over. Her clothing really was beyond disgusting and her hair looked as though rats had spent the last few years rolling in it, although they might have. She couldn't really see what the woman meant by pretty. The blue haired woman, her possible future mistress, was the prettiest woman she'd seen, used, as she was, to the scrubby looking women in the downtown areas.
Her hair, under the grim, was a dark brown or black and her skin might have been light tan if there weren't years of dirt and dust engraved into it. As soon as the water reached the top of the tub she turned it off as she had been shown and shed her ragged clothing. The water was hot but not unpleasantly so. It stung in the small scratches that decorated her limbs and she allowed herself a few minutes to become accustomed to the warmth.
Chichi's hair floated about her as she yanked open the bottles standing on a table by the bathtub. Once she found the one that said soap, at least that's what she was told, she poured a generous amount onto a wash-cloth that had been left for her. The soap stung even more than the hot water had but she scrubbed down hard on the dirt incrusting her body.
Several rinses and a half-empty soap bottle later Chichi was certain that what skin she hadn't scraped off with her scrubbing was clean. She pulled the next bottle to her and opened it. The smell of spring flowers filled her nostrils and she breathed it in heavily. It hadn't really hit her until right then. If she could find something that she could do for this woman, then she could take baths and sleep in a bed every night. She wouldn't have to worry about enough food or being caught by the authorities.
Armed with those thoughts and the full bottle of hair soap she set to work on her hair. She had to scrape her nails against her scalp hard several times and she used most of the bottle but when she finally stepped out of the bathtub her hair fell evenly to her knees. She wrapped herself in a soft bathrobe left to her by another servant and then ran the comb through her hair, standing in front of the mirror while she did so. The comb snagged quite bit but she tugged and ripped at her hair until at last she could run the teeth through it without snagging.
She lay the comb down and put on the dress she was given. It felt strange being in clean clothing, and even stranger being in a dress. Chichi repositioned herself in front of the mirror after she had dressed and slowly opened her eyes, wondering just how she might look.
The girl in that mirror could not have been her! The dress was small and there was no mistaking that she looked thin, too thin. She was a bit underfed. But besides that she couldn't find a thing wrong with the image before her. Her hair hung just past her knees and now that it had been cleaned and combed she could see just how pretty it was. Her skin was still slightly red from the intense scrubbing she had given it but it looked smooth and flawless. She smiled to herself.
'I guess that woman was right. I'm not too bad...maybe even...slightly pretty....possibly.'
A soft knock sounded on the door, drawing her attention away from the mirror and her newfound appreciation of herself.
"Miss? The Mistress will see you now. Oh my, you look nice dear. Much better than in those rags. Please follow me."
Chichi smiled half-heartedly. Maybe she looked better, but she was unused to dresses and wished for her pair of pants, ill fitting and filthy though they were.
Down the elegantly spiraled stairs and through several halls that she instinctively knew were never seen by guests.
'The servants rooms must be around here then.'
"Here you go miss. Mistress Bulma is waiting for you inside the green house."
Chichi smiled and thanked the older woman before going through the door that was being held open for her. As she stepped outside she had a thought that she had stepped into a different world. The front of the house had no yard or garden, it was connected directly to the sidewalk and street that paraded in front of it. But the back of the house was separated from the yards of the neighboring houses with beautifully wrought, iron fences. Hedges reached above her head and seemingly delicate flowers grew from among the branches.
Above the hedgerow Chichi could just make out the glass top of what must have been the green house. She had heard of such things but never seen one. She walked about the garden trying to find her way through the thick bushes, admiring the beautiful flowers and the graceful statues that perched among them. Ahead of her she could hear the soft sounds of moving water and wondered if perhaps there was a fountain in the garden as well.
Chichi finally rounded another corner of the bushes and bumped right into the solid front of a young man. He grabbed her arms gently as she stumbled back from him and she looked up into the eyes of Goku. He frowned as if trying to figure out who she was. Once he did a big smile covered his face and he laughed.
"I wouldn't have recognized you like that if I hadn't known you would be out here soon. You look much better."
"Oh well, thank you. I don't suppose...umm...Goku?"
He smiled another goofy grin and nodded at her encouragingly.
"Well, do you think that you could show me around these hedges. I just can't seem to get to the green house that's inside of them."
Goku laughed again and turned around, making sure she was following him back the way he had just come.
"I know it's a bit confusing at first. But you'll get the to know where everything is soon enough."
"I suppose. I mean, I'm sure I will. If I stay that is. I mean, who knows if there's even anything that I can do. I've never really been able to try any domestic skills."
"Oh I'm sure you'll do fine. We all learn our duties easily enough and we aren't ever given any job we can't do."
"Oh....well, then maybe...I could find something. I suppose I'll need to learn where the servant quarters are then."
Goku frowned down at her in confusion.
"Weren't you just there? You were on the third floor weren't you?"
Chichi gaped at Goku in surprise. She had heard that all rich and noble people kept their servants in separate buildings or in out of the way places. And she'd certainly never heard that servant's quarters were that spacious.
"You mean that the servants live in the house?!"
"Of course. Where else would we stay? That'll probably be your room as long as you're working here. Here's the green house. Go on, don't keep Mistress Bulma waiting."
"Oh, umm...thanks."
"You're welcome miss....You know what?! I never asked your name!"
Chichi laughed at Goku's chagrin.
"It's ok. I didn't think to tell you. My name is Chichi. Thanks for helping me Goku. Oh and Goku?"
"Yes?"
"Even if I don't end up staying here. I want a word with you later."
Goku's eyes widened in bewilderment but he nodded his head.
"Sure. I'll see you soon then."
"I'll see you."
As Goku walked away Chichi stood on the green house steps, her hand resting lightly on the doorknob and a small smile playing over her face.
'That man is definitely a bit strange. I can't believe he's so friendly even though I stole from him. He should hate me.'
~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~
AN: Well, that's it for this update. I have another story to update soon or I might get smacked with a broom. ::looks around fearfully for any brooms flying at her:: In the next chapter Bulma and Chichi will have a little chat and the search for Chichi's occupation will begin. What kind of job will Chichi get? (I think we can all guess) And what exactly are Bulma's purposes for having her in her employ? We'll see. ^_^ I have an ml for my dbz fics and if you wish to be on it then just send an e-mail to hibari_heza@fangirl .org or leave your e-mail in a review. ^_^
Lady Nightshade: Thanks! ^_^
Kei: Thank you. Well, I might think about that...although the current title is starting to grow on me. Oh, you'll have to continue reading to find out how he did that. ^_~
Seneca: Thanks. I plan to. I think I'm going to like this fic. ^_^ lol
Tokumei Kibon: lol Thanks! I'm glad you like it. ^_^
JenTrunks: Lol, I was just about to update then I read your review. Thanks. ^_^ I'm hoping this will work out that way I plan it to...so few of my stories do...heh. ^_^