Goten
Time passed I guess. It wasn’t till it was over until I realised how happy we were then… We taught Kisora as well as we could, in both knowledge and fighting. It wasn’t until Kisora was seven that I realised how much things were changing.
Misaki was getting sick… We kind of felt it was coming. I just didn’t realise it would be so soon…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Daddy? What’s wrong with Okaasan?"
"She’s…sick, Kisora-chan, she’ll be better soon."
"Daddy, why are you crying?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I just couldn’t tell her that her mother was going to die. It was hard enough on us already. Kisora’s never even seen daylight… I loved her so much. The thought of how things were going to change… Misaki…
We didn’t know what it was… we still don’t. Sensu beans didn’t work. Kami-sama, even with everything we’d worked for…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Misaki stared up at the ceiling. The soft beeping that indercated her heart beat was kind of comforting, even above the pain in her chest. It felt strange, knowing that she was going to die. She felt ashamed for not feeling afraid and saddened by leaving this world. Something told her that her time had come. She just felt glad that she was dying this way, rather than at the hands of an enemy.
This time, there was no way she could come back. Even if Dende-san was still alive, this counted as natural causes. A tear rolled down her cheek. She was going to miss them all. Goten, Kisora, all of her family and friends.
It had been three days now… since it had really started. Now she could hardly move. It hurt so much… she could feel herself getting weaker. Her chain of thought was broken by another splitting bout of pain. She cringed, the red hot sensation of blood welling inside of her started again. Goten…!
Most of the group stood around, waiting, knowing that this would probably be her last day… Kisora sat in Goten’s lap, not quite understanding what was going on.
Goten squeezed her hand, Don’t worry, Misaki, I’m here. Moisture welled in Misaki’s eyes as she tried to focus on Goten’s blurred face.
Gomenasai, Goten-san… raise Kisora well……thankyou everyone… see you in heaven…
Misaki’s hand went limp and slipped out of Goten’s. Trunks shook his head and leant over to carefully close her eyes.
Goten stared, unable to comprehend what had happened. He gripped the sheets with his hands. "Mi…Misaki…"
"Otousan? What’s wrong with Okaasan? Otousan?" Kisora pulled on Goten’s shirt, "Otousan?"
Gohan picked up Kisora and held her in his arms, despite his own tears, "Best to leave Daddy alone now…"
"What’s wrong with Kaa-chan? Why’s she closed her eyes?! Why?"
"I’m sorry Kisora… she’s gone to heaven."
Goten collapsed down onto his knees, sobbing uncontrollably, "Misaki…Misaki!"
"Why? Why’s she gone? I don’t want her to go!"
Gohan put her back down, "Kisora…"
Kisora slowly shook her head, turning from her ‘sleeping’ mother to sobbing father. "No…"
Goku knelt down beside her, putting a hand on her shoulder "It’s okay, Kisora. It’s okay to cry."
Kisora squinted her eyes shut, shaking her head, "Kaa-chan!" She shook herself out of her grandfather’s grip, running out of the room.
"Kisora!"
Kei-juu stood outside. Kisora paused looking up at him, wondering if he would try to stop her. He bowed his head, letting her leave. Tears rolled down Kisora’s cheeks as she ran down the hallway.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kisora watched the fountain spread ripples across the pool. She sat, knees to chest, on the bench she and her mother had sat on years before. The park. Despite the rusty roof above, Kisora felt she could almost imagine what it would have felt like. The smell of the ferns and flowers… if not drowned out by the cold, mechanical lighting and dark roof above. In the distance she could hear voices. Probably looking for her. She hoped they wouldn’t find her.
Tears dripped off her chin. She let them flow freely now. Still not untirely understanding, she lay back against the bench. Her mother… her father... everything was going to change, she knew that much, and her mother wasn’t coming back. She knew she would never see her again.
She looked up, feeling someone watching her. The android, Kei-juu. She watched him in confusion as he soundlessly sat down next to her.
"Are you alright?" He said finally.
Kisora didn’t answer, tears dripped onto her T-shirt.
"Mommy’s not coming back is she?"
"No."
Something inside Kisora snapped at those words. She lay down and started sobbing in Kei-juu’s lap. The android placed a hand on her shoulder.
"It wasn’t within my power to protect her."
Kisora opened her eyes, looking up at him, "Why did she die?"
Kei stiffened at the word.
"I’m not stupid. Everybody dies one day, Kaa-chan said."
Kei-juu looked down at her apologetically, "That is true."
"But ‘Tou-san came back when he died. Is ‘Kaa-san going to come back?"
"No."
Kisora lay there for a while, wiping away tears, but thankful that someone was there. She’d never talked to the android before, but he’d always been there, fighting or just patrolling. She didn’t even know where he’d come from. He was just there.
"Why does ‘Tousan call you jinsouningen Kei-juu?"
"Because that is my name."
"That’s not a good name."
"Isn’t it?"
Kisora gave a snuffle, Kei-juu stroked her hair out of her eyes.
"Can I call you Kei, then? Jinsouningen’s too long."
"If you wish. I am a jinsouningen, that cannot be changed, but you may call me what you will."
"You don’t look like one. Like Jyuu-baa-chan."
"I was never human, I’m sorry."
Kisora closed her eyes and smiled a small, sad smile. "It’s okay. I don’t care."