Tenchi Muyo Fan Fiction ❯ Okayama Summer ❯ Chapter 9

*>^^< Well, here's the next chapter! I was listening to the song that plays in the Japanese version of DBZ during the fight between SSJ2 Gohan and Cell while I was writing this... so... yeah! It's a great (and rather addictive) song; get it. ^_^ ANYWAY!! If anyone has any tips or ideas for me, don't hesitate to e-mail me or say so in a review, or something. I'm open for them. ^_^*

Chapter Nine

After dinner, Sasami tiptoed upstairs, intent on seeing Gohan. It couldn't have been the food; he didn't even eat... maybe Ryoko was right...

She told herself this, but was quite sure she believe it: there was something not quite right about this whole thing, a sort of ugliness lurking beneath the surface.

What if...

She found the door to his room in the dark, and knocked.

What if there's something really wrong with him?

There was no answer, so Sasami, determined, pushed the door open. By the moonlight, streaming in through the open window, she could see Gohan, curled up on his side on the bed. She took a hesitant step forward, and whispered, "Gohan?"

"I'm here." His voice was low, and sounded somewhat flat. Sasami walked over to him, slowly. "Are... are you all right? I mean, you left so suddenly..."

"My head hurts." His voice was still flat and emotionless.

Sasami hesitated. "Well... I could get Washu to get you some medicine..."

"I'm fine." He sighed, and rubbed his eyes. "I... just need to be alone for a while, okay?"

"You're sure?" She didn't want to leave him alone; not when he was acting so strange...

"Yes." He turned over, turning his back to her. "I'm fine, Sasami, really. Now please, leave me alone."

"A-All right..." Sasami turned around and walked out, closing the door softly behind her. She frowned to herself, putting her fingers to the green caste mark on her forehead. "That's so strange... I wonder what's wrong with him?"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Gohan wrapped his arms around himself, shivering. He hadn't meant to push Sasami away, but he didn't feel like dealing with anyone right then. He shivered again, sitting up, and stared out the window. The moon -- half-full this particular night -- rose in the night sky, giving off an eerie off-white glow. H heard no noise from downstairs, though it couldn't have been that late -- perhaps Ryoko wasn't drinking tonight. He sighed, and covered his face with his hands, blocking out the moon and everything else.

What happened...?

He had been watching that news piece on Cell, when... his head started to throb. It had been getting steadily worse since he came up here. And his stomach kept rumbling, though not from hunger -- he was sure he would have vomited by now, had he anything to throw up.

Gohan bit his lip, and crawled under his blankets, a horrible exhaustion settling into his bones. I'm fine. It's probably just some weird 24-hour bug. I just need some sleep.

If it isn't better by morning... I'll go see Washu.

He pulled the covers over his head, curling up into a ball, and fell asleep.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Sasami?"

Sasami started, and turned around slowly, her eyes wide. She was dressed for bed, donning Juraian pajamas and her hair up in buns. Tenchi stood behind her, frowning slightly. "Did you see what was wrong with Gohan?"

"I... no." Sasami shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant. "He asked me to leave him alone. He seemed sort of preoccupied..."

Tenchi scratched his head. "Well. That's kind of weird."

Sasami sighed. "Tenchi..."

Tenchi glanced at her. "Yeah?"

"... Never mind." Sasami turned and walked into the room she and Ayeka shared, closing the door behind her."

Tenchi stared at the door, still frowning. "That's weird, too..."

Ryoko drifted up the staircase, and stopped on seeing Tenchi in the hallway. She floated down to the ground, and leaned against the wall. "Hey. What are you doing just standing there, Tenchi?"

Tenchi started, and turned around. "Oh. Ryoko." He sighed. "Having you noticed how oddly Gohan's been acting?"

Ryoko snorted. "Since when isn't he?"

Tenchi's eyes narrowed. "Ryoko..."

Ryoko crossed her eyes over her chest. "Tenchi, I told you there was something weird about that kid. We really don't know anything about him."

"Washu said he was almost dead when she found him," Tenchi said hotly. "And he doesn't even know where he comes from, or if he has any family. For God's sake, Ryoko, he doesn't even know his own last name! Are you saying we should have just turned him out on the streets?"

"What I'm SAYING is that you shouldn't take in every person that turns up on your doorstep!" Ryoko hissed.

"Doesn't that include you, Ryoko?" Tenchi snapped.

Ryoko's face paled, staring at him. "I... that's..."

"It's different now, isn't it?" Tenchi said in a low voice, and sighed. "Listen... I -- I just don't want to hurt anyone, okay? I think... I think I've done enough..." He fell silent, and the tension grew. Ryoko stared at his back, regretting everything. It's not just you, Tenchi...

What you've done is nothing compared to me...

She closed her eyes, trying not to remember. Her eyes opened again, as if of their own accord, and she bit her lip hard, tasting blood. It would do her no good. It never did.

Tenchi shook his head slowly, and turned back around. He was smiling now, if only weakly. "Come on, Ryoko... we don't have to fight. I'll... I'll talk to you in the morning, all right?"

Ryoko nodded slowly, and floated past him, waving slightly as she passed. "Yeah. See you then, Tenchi."

Tenchi grinned, and disappeared into his room. Ryoko grabbed an extra blanket from the closet, then went back down the stairs again to settle into her couch. She was asleep within minutes, and the house was quiet.