Disclaimer: Insert standard disclaimer here I do not own DBZ, as ever I am only borrowing the settings and characters. We all know this all ready don't we?

Author's notes: This is the revised version! For those who reviewed thank you. To the lovely person who helped with the punctuation thanks. It's been a long time since I've written anything and I finished high school in 1995 so I am rusty oh well. On aside note bear with me for a while I'm still getting the hang of up loading. Please note I use Australian /U.K. English spelling not American because of this some words will be spelt differently aside from which even with spell check I'm a crummy speller at best. At any rate I am pleased that there are people enjoying this.

"Double quotations indicate conversations."

'Single quotations in italics indicate thoughts.'

Glossary:

Ohayo: Good morning

The afternoon sun was pleasantly warm; it seeped through her skin warming bones that had long ago surrendered to a permanent chill. Content she sighed and settled more comfortably against the tree eyes closed, completely relaxed.

The old bay mare repeatedly nudged Maya's hand in a vain attempt to get at the chocolate bar in her lap. After a few fruitless minutes the mare changed tactics. Long, curved yellow teeth gripped the shirt cuff and lifted.

"Moussa!" The mare's eyes widened to ridiculous proportions her furry, greying ears pricked sharply forward in indignant surprise; she did not let go. Maya tried not to laugh at the mare's expression; instead she gently tapped her fingers against the mare's soft almost completely grey muzzle. Moussa released her victim with obvious disgust; she snorted her displeasure and stormed of to the other end of the paddock.

For a month, Maya had lived in this place of life, light and water. It had not been without difficulties that she was not too proud to admit were mostly of own making. A combination of restlessness and guilt made her far more sensitive that usual. Which had resulted in several run ins with Yajarobe and a heated argument with Korin. It amused her in a somewhat sardonic way that the only mortal human who had ever gotten away with arguing with a deity was a certified atheist. She understood that she had been on her own too long and that her chronic mistrust would not help her here. So now it was time to let go to be at peace. For now she stayed at Kami's tower, she wanted independence, needed it her fragile self-esteem suffered with out it, but she had no where else to go. Now after all she had seen, felt or understood she had to start again in an unfamiliar place with customs she did not know. She felt older, far older than she was, tried and worn after a lifetime of fighting in one sense or another, of death and destruction. She was strong in mind and body that was the pay off. War and disaster had made her strong, wise and tolerant. No longer did she grow impatient at other people's shortcomings. Not any more, she had her own shortcomings after all. 'Oh, indeedy do bright bloody spark you are.' She shook her head and tried push the negative thoughts aside, all that was past unchangeable. Her heart ached, far too much blood had been spilt in humanity's endless pursuit of more and she had been incapable of changing it. Watching the horses, she wondered when mankind had changed, animals never performed acts of genocide so why did humans?

Maya was quite a good rider partly by necessity but mostly it was a hangover from happier days. Since earliest childhood she had loved all things furred and feathered, from the smallest mouse with their tiny translucent ears, to the large graceful whales that had once populated the sea. For her troubles always disappeared at least for a while in the company of her horses. She had always had a strong bond with animals and these last few animals were as she was, survivors. This bridle was old; it's soft tan leather comfortingly familiar in a world where nothing was. She moved between the horses speaking quietly, stroking a liver chestnut neck here and a black shoulder there. Saffron was as always grazing beside her mother Moussa, her creamy coat shining, her black forelock dangling over one eye. At Maya's approach Saffron lifted her head, whickered and walked over.

The ride was wonderful and as always it had lifted her heart. The brush swept across muscular quarters smoothed ruffled fur into shining silk. Maya did not hear Chichi's silent approach from her position half under Saffron's belly.

"Hello." Feeling dizzy she stood up and saw beautiful young woman, who was very obviously pregnant. She smiled a bit feeling faintly embarrassed and confused.

"Hello." Maya responded her cheeks stating to redden ' hell I'm 40 for god's sake I'm to old to . . .'

"I'm Son Chichi, Gokou's wife."

" Oh, oh I'm sorry I..."

"That's okay we just wondered if you'd like to come to dinner." Chichi said giggling. 'Hmmm. I don't like the sound of that. Watching Gokou eat is enough to but anyone off. Besides.' Maya looked down at herself in dismay her trousers were liberally coated in horsehair and sweat, several long wisps of hair fell a round her face and her long plait was a damp ratty mess. She was a little self conscious in front of this beautiful young woman with her long black hair and bright eyes.

"Well, thankyou. But I'm not really. . ."

"Don't be silly you can go home and change can't you, good we'll see you at 7 okay, byes." Maya blinked at the rapidly departing figure and sighed. ' So much for that'.

Finding something suitable to wear was the biggest problem; everything else went with out a hitch. She was however very tried and a little down by the time she returned. Maya was annoyed with her self for feeling jealous of Chichi's ability to bear children when Chichi had done nothing to her. The evening it's self was fine it was just that Chichi's pregnancy was constant reminder of her own mortality and how much of her life had been taken up by the nightmare that had destroyed her planet and all it's living things. Except her of course, why she had been spared she did not know. Whether it was a punishment or a reward, a fluke was more likely. She did not think a lot of herself and blamed her self for things that she could not have changed. Perhaps that was why she did not see that it was her integrity and loyalty that had insured her survival when man kind reverted to their most base instincts.

Soft, white curtains fluttered in the barley discernible breeze, brushing the floor silently as the breeze sighed. Moonlight and starlight solitary illumination, frosty bright caught warm falls of chocolate to honey and gold. Twinkled off every hair swirling out over the pale coverlet and down on to the soft floor rug. Vibrant against the washed out colours of night. Tiny hands folded across a convex belly, blue rimmed brown eyes gazed unseeing upwards to the ceilings fanning white ribs. Silent unmoving without anger or hate only regret, with her pale skeletal form and large bat like wings, remained.

(2002)

It's a bit sorter than the last chapter isn't it don't worry I know exactly what I'm doing. Although this thing is starting to take on a life of its own. If you see some thing that is not right or have any questions please put them in the review. A tiny monument in the city of Adelaide where I was born in spired the epitaph in the previous chapter. On the out side it doesn't look like much just a fountain but in the tiny space inside is the name of every Australian who died in conflict, including my great grandfather.