Reading of dispair
Chapter two: Moon
Disclaimer: I do not own DB, DBZ, or DBGT.
The flight to Jasmine's house was slower than usual. Normally Gohan couldn't wait to get to her house but, his slow flight wasn't the result of hesitation. He just didn't have much strength to fly any faster. His body ached all over with the feeling of an eighty year old man. To be honest Gohan didn't understand why he felt the way he did.
"I'll just ask Aunt Jaz to check me over before I leave there. After all she was a military physican. That does account for something right?" He wondered as he watched the scenery pass him by.
The wind ruffled at his clothing as he flew past a sign that read "welcome to Anchor town" on it just before the city limits. Gohan was beginning to regret waring the outfit he picked out. He wore a red, short sleeved, hooded shirt with a pair of white shorts that stopped at his knees. The shirt was thin and form fitting, not offering any warmth from the chilly air in the town up north. He decided to ware a pair of red and white tenis shoes instead of the sandals he picked out earlier. To top it off a pair of white wrist bands clung tightly to his wrists. He had forgotten how cold it gets up north and begain to shiver.
"Maybe I'll ware pants and a sweater when I fly here next time." he mentally noted as Jasmine's condo came into view.
Jasmine had a medium sized condo that sat in the center of Acorn avenue. The grass was always trimed neatly and the trees and bushes were always pruned to perfection. She had a mimiture rose garden all around the front portch that had a mosaic walk way that lead to the road. There wasn't much decoration to it but, her home was modest and comfortable. Gohan landed on the portch and knocked three times on the door. He immediately heard foot steps make their way to the door as Jasmine opened it. She looked down to see him standing there and with a cheerful smile she greeted him.
"Hey there buddy, how've you been?" She greated as she let him in her home.
"Okay I guess. I just wanted to visit seeing as you just came home from that mission on planet Yabe last week." Gohan replied as he entered her condo and removed his shoes.
He tossed his shoes in the shoe box next to the front door and sat down on the couch in front of the television set. He made himself comfortable as he always did when he came over for a visit as Jasmine came out with a plate of chocolate chip cookies. She sat them on the coffee table and sat next to Gohan wrapping her arms around him.
"I've missed you so much." She said as she placed an affectionate kiss on his fore head.
Gohan giggled as he returned her hug "Same here Aunt Jaz."
They stayed like that for some time, Gohan hadn't want to let go because he felt secure with her. However, Jasmine stayed like that because she immediately notice that something was wrong with him. His torso felt thinner than usual. And Jasmine was the type of person to know when something was wrong with someone or something. She knew Gohan for his whole life to know when something wasn't right with him. That was when she would probe for answers.
"Gohan, what's wrong? You feel thin, is everything okay?"
Gohan looked at her, shock eveident on his child like face.
"How does she always know?" Gohan asked himself.
He decided to just come out and say it sense she was already on to him. When Jasmine found something out about him, there was no sense hiding it. Plus it was kinda the reason why he came up there to visit.
"I...haven't been myself lately." Gohan muttered.
"Yeah I can tell. I knew something was up the moment I saw you. You look awful, you're pale." She stated in a matter a fact like tone of voice.
"I kinda came over to talk to you about something. You probably want to know what happened with the androids sense you weren't here to partake in the battle." Gohan continued.
"Yes I would like to know what happened. After all, the Lycianese Empire Military (LEM) sent me on another assignment while you and everyone else was dealing with that whole mess. Would you believe that mission took me two whole weeks to complete?" Jasmine sighed.
"Alright, I'll fill you in and leave nothing out." He replied.
Gohan had spent the last three and a half hours filling Jasmine in on the androids, the Cell games, and regretfully Goku's choice to stay in otherworld. Jasmine couldn't believe that a situation they all knew about prior to it's happening had spiraled so far out of control. It was like being in a twilight zone. She was then taken back to a flashback of a time shortly before she left for planet Yabe.
Flashback
Jasmine was in her garden watering her roses when she heard Goku and Gohan land in her front yard. She rose from her kneling possition th greet them as she always did.
"Hey Jaz!" Goku exclaimed in his usual cheerful demeiner.
"Hi Aunt Jaz!" Gohan greeted as he walked over to give her a hug just as he always did.
"Hey you two! How are you?" Jasmine asked.
"Good we just wanted to stop by to visit." Goku answered.
Just then Gohan cut in jokingly,"Don't let him fool you Aunt Jaz, dad's in hot water again with mom."
"Oh is that right," Jasmine responded,"What'd ya do this time Goku?" She continued in a what did you do tone of voice.
"Well I kinda tracked mud on the floor as I was coming in from trainning and Chichi had just finished mopping. She got mad at me and told me to go do something while she cleaned up the mess and start dinner." He answered scratching the back of his head like he always did.
Jasmine sighed as she replied,"Goku, I know you mean well but you have to watch what you're doing. You know she cleans that house on a daily bases."
"Yeah I know. But the house always looks perfect. Why don't she just take a break. She does enough cleaning. She can afford a day off." He sighed in defeat.
"Hey Gohan, why don't you go inside the house and watch TV while I talk to your father? It's a private conversation." Jasmine asked.
"Okay Aunt Jaz." Gohan smiled as he obediantly walked inside.
Once Gohan was out of sight and hearing range she decided to break the ice with Goku. She had recently heard about Goku returning from planet Yardrat and needed to talk to him about his son. Appairently Gohan had came to her house to spend the night after the Nameks summonded their dragon Parunga to wish Goku back to life. Goku was alive and didn't want to come back just yet. This worried Jasmine, for she started to believe that Gohan would end up resenting his father for the choices he made. She came to this conclusion the night Gohan stayed with her. Gohan seemed distant that night after he filled her in on what happened on planet Namek and about Goku. And Gohan is usually never distant when he was at her house.
She decided to speak.
"I gotta talk to you about your son Goku."
"Huh? What about?" He questioned in confusion. She sounded concerned.
"Goku, you remember how you didn't want to be brought back home right after the fight with Freeza on Namek?"
"Yeah, what about it?"
"Well, Gohan had spent the night at my house that night to get me to help him study and, he told me something I thought I'd never hear." She informed.
By then she had Goku's full attention,"What did he say?" He wondered.
Jasmine took a deep breath,"He told me that he wish you cared a little more about your family than the planet. He said it's good that your a selfless person in all but, he wishes you wouldn't cut your family out so much and then he started crying." She notified in a voice full of concern and sadness.
Goku's facial expression changed from a one of confusion to a one of sadness.
"I, had no idea he felt like that. I should talk to him in private later on tonight after dinner." He decided.
"Yes, you should. I don't like seeing Gohan upset like that. You know I love that child to death. My point is Goku, you should really keep your family in mind when you make these kinds of choices. Because if you don't, then you might end up digging yourself in a hole and not being able to climb out of it." Jasmine advised.
"But I'm not digging a hole, and I can fly out if I do." Goku innocently replied.
Jasmine face palmed. He took another figure of speech out of context, it went completely over his head.
"No Goku, taht's not what I mean. What I mean is that you have no idea how much that boy idolizes you. It kinda concerns me. Hero worship is so unhealthy. What I'm trying to tell you is if you keep leaving your family out of you decision making for your future then Gohan might end up resenting you for it. I don't what him to start hating you like my sister Artamisia does her biological parents. That isn't healthy on a child, espeaically one his age. Do you understand now?" Jasmine pointed out.
"Yeah, I do thanks Jaz." He replied.
"Hey, it's what I do."
End of flashback.
Jasmine remembered that conversation all too well. She hoped that Goku would heed her warning, but unfortunatly he didn't. This left her worried about Gohan's state of mind. She looked down at Gohan, his face was starting to redden. Then she knew what was coming next. Jasmine scooped him up in her arms and held him close to her chest. Just then he burst into tears. She held Gohan and rocked him back and forth allowing him to sob in her tank top. Then just as she was about to stroke his hair, she felt something fuzzy wrap around her bicep. Her gaze taveled down to her arm only to see a brown furry tail wrapped securly around it.
Jasmine decided to leave the questioning about the tail alone for a while in order to focus on Gohan's mental instability. She brought her crimson and white, bushy, fox tail up to his and gently twined it with hers in a comforting gesture. She massaged his scalp and sang to him to calm his shaking body and mind. Gohan's body slowly ceased it's trembling as he begain to purr. He loved hearing her sing to him when he was upset. He sighed contently as he focused on listening to her heart beat.
"I hate him for hurting me and mom. I listen to her cry herself to sleep every night. It's not right." He muttered full of sorrow.
Jasmine's heart retched, she was right. And she knew it too. She let out a heartbroken sigh. Gohan had looked up at her, his face still wet with tears.
"What's wrong Aunt Jaz?" He asked concerned.
"Remember that private conversation I had with your father in my front yard a while ago?" She recalled.
"The one where you told me to go into the house? Yeah, why?" Gohan questioned.
"Yes, well I warned your father about this. I knew you'd end up hating him for the choices he made about the future. I've seen it before. That's why I want to tell you that you shouldn't let that hate consume you. If you do, it could ruin your life, your family, and your relationship between you and your father. It's not the best COA. (course of action)" Jasmine advised.
"I know, but I can't help it. It makes me sick, literally." He sighed.
Jasmine continued,"Now, you know I'm not choosing sides here. I'm just letting you know. And I'm guessing Piccolo already knows about this too?" She reasured.
"Yes, he knows. I was afraid that if I told Krillin or Yamcha this they'd hate me and stick up for my father." Gohan informed.
"Well, I guess I fit the bill for this mess huh?" She smile ruffling his hair affectionately.
"Yeah, you did. I gotta get going, mom's expecting me at dinner time and I don't want to make her mad. You know how she is." Gohan chuckled.
"Oh I know sweety, but she loves you. And she doesn't need any more stress." Jasmine stated.
"Exactlly!" He agreed.
He got up out of Jasmine's lap and walked to the door. For some odd reason he felt dizzy right when he stood up, but he brushed it off.
"Thanks Aunt Jaz. I only wish my father was here as much as you, mom, and Piccolo are." He thanked her sadly.
"Hey are you gonna be alrig...
Jasmine stopped in mid sentance as her eyes widened in horror. Gohan had passed completely out and begain to fall to the ground. At this moment, Jasmine was greatful she was as fast as she was or she wouldn't have caught him before he hit the floor.
Alrighty then! An evil clift hanger!
Stay tuned!
AN: As some of you might have figured out. These chapters are named after tarot cards. What happens in each chapter is what the card means. Wheel of fourtune means unpredictability and the moon meand unseen trouble. This story is set up to be a tarot card reading. That is the reason of the title. "Reading of dispair"