Mizaru Kikazaru Iwazaru Chapter 5: Chi chi's Death
Goten stood at his mother's bed, holding her hand. Two trails of tears made their way down his cheeks, so he kept out of his mother's main line of vision. He could feel how weak she was with every breath she struggled to take and every tremor that ran through her hand. He knew somewhere deep inside that she wasn't going to make it, but he refused to accept it. There was no way she could die! His dad wasn't even there, and Gohan hadn't come yet, even though they'd called him. She wouldn't die unless they were there; she was just too stubborn.
"Goten," She rasped, pulling him closer with a surprising strength, " love you and I want you to take care of your brother and baka father for me…"
Goten shook his head, the tears coming faster. No Mom! No! You can't die, you just can't!
"I want you to… do good in your studies… and be a good boy while I'm gone…"Chi chi rasped, her breath becoming harder and harder to catch.
Goten nodded, pulling Chi chi's hand up to his face so she could feel it.
"Make me… proud…" She rasped, the wheezing in her voice getting worse as a rattling that Goten hadn't really heard before got louder.
"I wish… I could… hear you… just one… last time."
She brought her other hand up and pressed it, shaking, to Goten's face. As she did so, she pulled Goten up onto the bed where she could see him.
"No tears… Chi chi said. One last rasping, rattling breath broke free from her chest as she brought Goten's head down and kissed his forehead, whispering, "I love you." Then the rattling was gone, and Goten was along in the sterilized, white room.
Sitting in the cafeteria with the nice nurse, whose name was Honda, Trunks and Marron were enjoying themselves. Honda-san had turned out to be an amazing storyteller, and was a fast writer, so Trunks could understand her too. Cafeteria food wasn't bad at the hospital, as Trunks had soon found, and it was free! The Lunch ladies had been shocked at how much the little demi-sayin could eat, and were even more amazed when he actually liked their food. In fact, the whole cafeteria seemed to be having a great time with the chibis and their antics, not to mention Honda-san's stories. In fact, Honda-san's Hobbit story had just gotten to the interesting part when stuff started to go wrong.
Both Marron and Trunks suddenly sat bolt upright as though shocked, and Trunks spoke for the first time, asking to go check on Goten.
Honda agreed, much to her audience's dismay, and led the children back to room 104. Opening the door she let out a scream of her own at the sight of Goten, collapsed beside his mother, clutching her hand. His mouth was open in a soundless scream, and he seemed to be unaware of the others.
Trunks ran forward and grabbed onto Goten shouting, "Goten, Goten talk to me!"
Marron reached forward, shocked at Trunks suddenly leaving her side. "Trunks, where are you?" she asked, "I can't feel Chi chi anymore! Trunks!"
Trunks, unable to hear her, continued to try to get Goten's attention in various ways, from talking to him to shaking him. Nothing helped, and Trunks had no idea what to do next. Honda-san reached down to comfort Marron as Trunks continued his attempt to get Goten's attention.
Someone in the hall yelled, "You can't go in there!" and Marron and Honda-san turned towards the door.
Gohan appeared in the doorway, panting, and started into the room.
"Who are you and what are you doing in here? You can't be in here!" said Honda, stalking forward to stop him while Marron stumbled forward, found Trunks, and turned his attention to the door.
Trunks called urgently, "Gohan!"
Honda turned and was almost run over as Gohan pushed past her to his little brother. He picked Goten up, and held him close, tears streaming quietly down his face. Doctors started coming in and trying to revive Chi chi, but they couldn't get her heart beating. Honda ushered the kids out of the room and down the hall back to Bulma's room where Bulma was sleeping soundly, and never even budged as they entered the room. Gohan sat on the edge of the empty bed with Goten and Trunks pulled a chair up next to his mother and sat there with Marron beside him, clutching on for dear life. Honda just stood in the doorway, unsure of what to do next. A doctor came in several minutes later and told them officially that Chi chi had died. He also ordered Honda to get a hold of a relative and get the kids out of the hospital. Marron gave Honda her parents phone number and Honda went to call. Everyone sat in silence, even Goten who had fallen asleep.
"I could take you guys back to Capsule Corp." Gohan said, breaking the silence and focusing on something else that didn't hurt so bad.
"No one's there." Said Marron, " Vegeta-san brought us here to visit Bulma, and the doctors made him stay."
"We could go back to my house." He suggested.
"Only if Momma isn't home." Marron said.
"Okay."
Moments later Honda came back with the news that no one had answered at Marron's house. She asked for another home number, but Gohan said he could take them to his and Goten's house to stay and he would skip school for a few days. Honda reluctantly agreed and helped them get their stuff outside where they started for a hover vehicle and when Honda wasn't watching, they flew home.
I'd share a smile but I'm too weak,
I'd share with you could I only speak,
Just how much this hurts me…
- AFI
Gohan fixed everyone dinner while Goten slept, and called Krillin a few times as well. He tried to call other Z-Senshi as well, but couldn't get a hold of them. He decided it would be best to go up to the lookout and ask around up there, but he didn't want to leave Goten home alone, or wake him up, so he waited. Gohan played several board games with Trunks and Marron, and even read to them for a while before he got sick of it and turned on the TV. What he saw was the news, and it was very bad news indeed.
"The Epidemic currently known only as the fever is still running loose over the globe. No one who has contracted this disease has survived it, which has left many children, the only ones immune to it, homeless. Shelters are being put up, but those who are running the shelters are dying just as fast as they can be hired, forcing children all over the globe out into the streets. A theory sent out by Professor Sullivan of New York City putting the blame on the children has called up many riots in the cities and killed hundreds...
Gohan looked at it, shocked. Apparently, people were dying from exposure to children, which was definitely something new. He turned to see Marron openmouthed at what she had heard. It had not said the true extent of the damage, but it had given a pretty good idea. Just then, interrupting Marron's thoughts Goten walked quietly around the corner from where he had been listening. Gohan quickly got up and announce that they were going to Kami's lookout to get the real news on what was going on.
Up on Kami's lookout they found Dende up to his pointy green ears in work. He was trying to find a way to cure all of the infected before the epidemic could kill them. He hardly noticed the kids, but Piccolo was there to greet them.
"Piccolo, what's going on?" asked Gohan.
"It's a long story kid." He said.
"We've got a while."
"It turns out that a dark energy was released on the world. Deep in an unnamed temple a statue stood as the seal to keep this evil in check, but it has been stolen and hidden. The darkness has since been let loose around the earth killing all of the adults, but leaving the kids untouched."
"But how do we stop it?"
"Goku was sent to put a stop to it, if he lives long enough."
"What do you mean?" Asked Gohan.
"Goku's sayian blood will hold off the disease for a while, and staying away from the general population will too."
"So I have longer than most too?"
"Yes, though you have less sayian blood in you, if you stay up here you should be okay for a while."
"Alright. Where's Dad now?"
"Looking in the temple for anything that might help."
"I want to go after him, but… Can you look after the chibis? I don't want them to be alone right now, especially after seeing Chi chi die…"
"Sure kid." Piccolo answered before giving Gohan directions to the temple.
Gohan went over to the chibis and told them they were going to stay on the lookout until he got back from finding the cure. Last of all he turned to Goten, who hadn't made any attempt to communicate since the incident.
"Goten, I'll be back soon okay? I'll bring Dad with me and we can use the cure on Mom okay?"
Goten did nothing but stare at his brother.
Gohan hugged his brother goodbye and flew off, feeling horrible about it, but knowing he had to do something.
Trunks looked at Goten, who stood motionless staring at nothing, and asked, "What's wrong Goten?"
Goten looked at him, but said nothing.
"Come on Goten, say something!" Trunks said, worried about his friend.
"Please Goten," said Marron, "I can't take it if you're silent again." She reached out and took his hand to make sure he was there, as she had before she could hear him.
Goten didn't talk, he just wandered silently to the room Gohan had decided would be his. Once there he grabbed some toiletries, took a shower, and then went out to train. Before long Piccolo was out working with him and teaching him several new styles to work on, which Goten worked on relentlessly. Through the day he did nothing but train, until he collapsed from exhaustion. Piccolo put him to bed and sat outside to meditate. All the while Marron and Trunks sat in Marron's room discussing ways to get Goten to speak to them again. Nothing came to them that night so they both went to bed and decided to start new in the morning. The next day Trunks went out with Goten in the morning and trained with him, Marron joined them later, and Piccolo was impressed by the power the little threesome held. After a few months of training they were actually proving a challenge to fight weighted down. No word came back from Gohan and Goku, and Goten still refused to communicate, until, that is, one extra hard training day when he came up with an idea. Why not ask the dragon to let them put off their wish for another year in order to freeze all the adults on the planet so they wouldn't die until a solution could be found.
Going to Trunks after that training session, Goten made his suggestion, and Trunks agreed, glad to hear his friend's "voice" again. They went to Piccolo that night and gave him the idea. He liked the plan, but he asked that they train with him for a full day in the room of Spirit and Time before freezing everyone. Everyone agreed and entered the Room, working as hard as they could to learn to fight. Goten slowly started talking to Marron and Trunks again, before quietly allowing Piccolo to hear his thoughts as well, since Piccolo was strong enough as a psychic to hear Goten's thoughts. As their time in the room of spirit and time came to an end, Piccolo started teaching them basic survival such as cooking, scavenging for food, whatever they needed to survive.
Leaving the room, Marron flew unaided alongside Goten and Trunks to find the dragonballs while Piccolo went and checked on Dende.
"How bad is it?" Piccolo asked.
"Since last month over half the population of Earth had died. The remaining few won't last much longer."
"What about Goku and the kid?"
"Goku is still okay, but Gohan has been fighting the fever."
"You know about the request with the dragonballs?"
"Yes."
"Are you susceptible to the sickness?"
"No, I will be able to keep an eye on Earth for now."
"Good." Piccolo said, going off to meditate for his last few conscious minutes.
AN: And there is the latest chapter. Thanks for reading.
- T.K.