A/N: Sorry for the day's delay, I had something on Sunday evening and I struggled to come up with the material for this chapter. Enjoy anyway.
A/N 2: Also, I am aware that in the show, Cus is the oldest Angel. I had already decided that she would be the youngest angel well before this info came to light, and I'm not changing anything about the story.
The following day, with Rummshi knowing that Cus wasn't going to be able to attend to him much, having been completely crippled by the events of the Tournament of Power, he sent a message to Gowasu.
"Gowasu, can you please send some of the attendants over? It looks like Cus isn't going to be able to do much now" Rummshi said.
About an hour later, half a dozen attendants arrive, and start helping both Rummshi and Cus go about their day. As it turned out, four attendants working together were able to move Cus into another position while keeping her in stasis. The changing of positions of Cus is mostly to avoid bed sores.
A few days later, Cus asked Rummshi "Are you annoyed at me that I haven't been able to attend to you?"
"No. I know how hard the events of the Tournament of Power have been on you" Rummshi replied. Cus nodded, then added "I'm surprised that the attendants were able to move me around without taking me out of stasis"
"Yeah, they're very careful. They must, so they don't trigger any response from me. It seems that they're able to be so careful that they can't trigger your Ultra Instinct" Rummshi replied. Cus nodded.
On day six, Cus and Rummshi got a message from Gowasu.
"Hey Gowasu" Rummshi said. Gowasu replied "Cus, can you please come back to the Supreme Kai world of Universe 10, I have a special test I want you to take"
"A test? Why?" Cus asked, puzzled. Gowasu replied "It's called a tea test. Can you please come here?"
"Uh, sure" Cus said, really wanting to just be on her own, trying (and failing), to sort out her mental state. While watching GodTube. Sighing, she cut the communication, then said "I'll probably spend a few days with Gowasu, alright?"
"Alright" Rummshi replied, hugging Cus. Cus then departed, heading towards the Universe 10 World of the Kais.
Soon, Cus arrived on the Universe 10 World of the Kais, and she entered the courtyard where Gowasu was waiting for her.
"Hey Cus" Gowasu said as Cus entered the courtyard, and before she had the chance to reply, Gowasu said "By the way, you've missed multiple calls from your father"
"Oh, have I?" Cus asked, to which Gowasu nodded. Cus then grabbed her staff, and said "Alright, I think it's time I finally taught you how to use the call function on my staff, so you can answer in my place"
"OK, but why don't you want to talk to him?" Gowasu asked, to which Cus replied "I don't want to upset my dad about how I haven't bounced back at all from the Tournament of Power"
"Aright" Gowasu said, then shocked Cus by hugging her.
"Gowasu" Cus said. Then, after they broke apart, they headed for the table.
For Cus, although she had felt slightly better knowing Rummshi and Gowasu hug her, she found it awkward. Rummshi was too large, so it felt like she was suffocating when he hugged her. Alternatively, Gowasu's hugs didn't feel very strong. So, it felt almost insincere. She knew that Gowasu was struggling himself, with both Zamasu and, possibly, worry about her. Soon though, they arrived at the table, and they both sat down, opposite each other.
What Gowasu had planned had been suggested by his kaiatrist.
*Flashback*
"You seem even more troubled Gowasu. What's going on?" the kaiatrist asked, to which Gowasu replied "My attendant, Cus, she's really distressed, I hoped that our return would have an effect on her"
"And has it?" the kaiatrist asked, to which Gowasu shook his head, and replied "If anything, it's made her even more distressed, and I don't know what to do"
"Alright, I have an idea" the kaiatrist said. He then grabbed some tea, then said "Here's what you do. Get Cus to make some tea for you, and see what colour the tea turns as soon as the tea leaves hit the water"
"Alright" Gowasu said. The kaiatrist then added "And when this happens, check the tea colour with this chart" and at this, he grabbed a chart, and showed it to Gowasu.
"So, this is the chart?" Gowasu asked, to which kaiatrist nodded.
*End of flashback*
Gowasu was horrified to see Cus looking like she was about to burst into tears at any moment. She was looking down at the ground, giving off a strong vibe of wanting to be anywhere but here. Gowasu decided to make this as quick as possible, and he hoped that his tea idea would help Cus,
"Alright. Now Cus, see the tea tray next to us?" Gowasu asked, to which Cus replied "Yeah" while barely tilting her head.
"Well then Cus, could you please make some tea for me?" Gowasu asked, to which Cus replied "Tea made by one pure of heart is unclouded, and always delicious to boot"
"What does that mean, Cus?" Gowasu asked, surprised to hear his own words. Cus sighed, then said "If the soul of its make is clouded, then the tea will be as well"
Still" Gowasu said. Cus sighed, stood up, then made the tea. As Cus predicted, the tea immediately was clouded by a very dark shade of blue. What Cus didn't see, however, was a slight pink tint inside the tea. Gowasu noticed, however.
"How about you make some tea for yourself Cus" Gowasu said. Cus nodded, then poured the very dark blue tea, and, once again, Gowasu noticed the pink tint to the tea. Cus grabbed the cup and sat opposite to Gowasu.
"Is it grief that clouds this cup? Or is it guilt? Or Despair? Speak, but only when you're ready" Gowasu said. After several tense minutes, Cus finally sighed, then said "Gowasu, it's all three"
"I see" Gowasu said. Cus bowed her head again, then said "I feel guilty for not saying anything about how unwise it is to pick fighters from one world, and therefore the largely low calibre of fighters we picked. I feel grief at everything that had happened to you guys, and to myself during the Tournament, where I also feel guilt for, and I feel despair because I see no way out"
"I see Cus" Gowasu said, standing up and walking around the table and the tea cart to Cus. Putting his hand on her back, he said "Cus. Being gods, or Angels in your case, does not make us perfect. We all must learn, and mature, over time. Relatively speaking, you're still young, and, take it from a senior kai, even older than you, the learning and maturing process is lifelong. Also, you're being too hard on yourself" Gowasu said. Cus replied "It's partially my fault though, I should have said something"
"You and Rummshi had no idea how pathetic most of them were Cus. I know how you feel, I still feel guilty about Zamasu" Gowasu said. Cus' head suddenly flicked up at the name Zamasu, as she had never heard Gowasu mention that name before.
"Zamasu, the apprentice that tried to kill you?" Cus asked, to which Gowasu nodded, and said "Yes, the feelings of failure and regret, it's the same for me as it is for you, though in your case its on an unimaginable scale". Cus sighed, then replied "You can't compare what you've gone through with Zamasu to what happened to me, sorry Gowasu. I know the emotions maybe similar, but, as you said, the scale is not comparable. Also, what I saw, experienced and did after Universe 10 was erased, has meant everything that happened before the Tournament much worse. She then got up, and went to leave, but Gowasu said "I do have one more thing I want to ask"
"What?" Cus asked, to which Gowasu replied "I noticed that there was a small amount of pink in the tea. You seem to have interest in someone. Is it who I think it is?"
"If the person you think it is, is Piccolo, then yes" Cus replied, blushing furiously. Gowasu then nodded, and said "Alright" and at this, Cus left, leaving Gowasu to return to GodTube.
A couple of days later, Gowasu went to check on her, and, once again, found her room empty.
"I think I know where she's gone" Gowasu said. He departed, heading to the planet where all the fighters were picked.
Meanwhile in Universe 7
Piccolo, meanwhile, was sitting on Dende's Lookout, he was meditating, or at least, he would be, but his mind was occupied by Cus. He was still worried about her, he was sure that Rummshi would have no idea how to help Cus, and Gowasu was so occupied by the Zamasu incident. He was also thinking about Videl's words and was embarrassed by his reaction to Videl's half-joking suggestion that he should hook up with Cus.
"Hey Piccolo" came a voice from behind him. He turned around and saw Dende walk up to him. Piccolo asked, "What is it Dende?"
"Just wondering where you were, that's all" Dende said. He then added "You've also been acting strange lately"
"Just, my mind's occupied at the moment" Piccolo replied. Dende then smiled, and said "Cus?"
"Yes" Piccolo replied. He then elaborated with "The only person I have felt similarly to this was Gohan when he was younger"
"Oh, wow" Dende said. Piccolo then added "I don't know what she was like before the Tournament of Power destroyed her, so I have no idea how I'll be able to interact with her after she's recovered"
"Understandable" Dende said. Piccolo then said "To be honest, there's only one person that I have felt this way about, and that is Gohan"
"Well, well, well, it appears that you've developed feelings for Cus, am I right?" Dende asked, to which Piccolo replied "Maybe. I think I should talk to Gohan about what I'm feeling, as I'm still unsure about these feelings", and he then stood up, and departed.
A/N 3: Next chapter, the familial interactions begin. Both between Cus and Obuni's family, and Piccolo and Gohan. Look for that at the end of this week.