Tenchi Muyo Fan Fiction ❯ Okayama Summer ❯ Chapter 13

*Okay... I have resolved to work on this ficcie until I FINISH IT. ^^;; Yeah. Well. o.o ^^ Yeah. Thanks for all the support...!! ::sobs:: I never would have gotten this far without you guys!! ::is beginning to feel mushy inside:: ... Um... uh... READ!! BAH!! ^^;*

Chapter Thirteen

"Are you feeling any better today?"

Gohan didn't reply; he appeared not to have heard. He lay flat on his back, staring blankly at the ceiling. All of the blankets were drawn up to his chin, though the day was far from cold. The speaker hesitated at the door, wondering if disturbing him had been such a good idea, after all, when the boy turned over onto his side and whispered, "Sasami...?" His voice was wispy and hoarse from lack of use; it barely sounded like his at all.

Sasami stared at him, shocked. Gohan had been sick for a week, and every day she had come to visit him, always with a tray of food he wouldn't eat. But before, he had barely acknowledged the fact that she was there. Always staring at the ceiling or the wall closest his bed, we wouldn't even move when she entered the room. Her heart leapt. Maybe... is he getting better?

She crossed the room and sat down on the side of his bed, trying to hold down her excitement. "Gohan... how are you?"

The boy lifted his head off of the pillow, then let fall back. He looked exhausted -- dark circles had accumulated under his eyes, and his face was very pale behind the tan he had built up in the several weeks he had been with them. "I feel weak." He looked disgusted with himself, and his good reason, Sasami noted. He had been abnormally strong.

Though... it's not surprising, considering...

Sasami shivered, and looked away from Gohan. A Saiyajin... or a half-breed, anyway. Washuu had said that half of the DNA was human. But still...

It was harder to believe now that he had spoken to her again. He looked human enough... not that she didn't, come to think of it. But Washuu, sensing their skepticism when she had first told them, had explained every doubt away.

"He looks like a Saiyajin," the mad scientist said, frowning. "Fairly well-built... and he's got the spiky black hair and black eyes, those are Saiyajin trademarks." She sighed. "And there's also his strength... you all know that his is a race of warriors."

"But Washuu," Aeka had interrupted, "Don't Saiyajins have prehensile tails...?"

Washuu nodded slowly. "Yes, they do... but it's possible that Gohan's was cut off, to make him blend in with the human environment."

Sasami's eyes widened. "Cut off...?"

"That would hurt." Ryoko, who had overheard some of the conversation, was lounging on the couch across the room. She smirked, and said, "So... he's a Saiya-jin, is he? I knew there was something weird about him..."

"Ryoko, you've been against him ever since he got here," Aeka snapped.

Ryoko's face darkened. "I have not! Listen, Aeka, you're from Juraii; you should know about Saiya-jins --"

"Gohan can't be a Saiya-jin!" Sasami cried, interrupting her. The dull ache of panic was beginning to grow in her chest. "He can't be! He's so nice to all of us!"

This was met with a short silence. Washuu broke it with a sigh. "Well, Sasami... he DOES have amnesia..."

"It's not fair," Sasami mumbled. She couldn't imagine Gohan being really nasty to anyone... ever. "He's... he's a good person..."

Though... her eyes widened slightly. Washuu DID find him beat up... and really badly, at that... She gasped, and clutched Gohan's blankets. ... Worse than any human being could do...

"Sasami...?" A hoarse voice whispered. Sasami started, then glanced at Gohan. He was watching her, concerned. He looked incredibly tired. Sasami smiled weakly, and stood up.

"I'm fine, Gohan... I'm sorry for disturbing you. I brought you some food... but I guess you just want to sleep, don't you?"

Gohan shrugged. "I... I don't mind."

Sasami chuckled lightly, realizing he wouldn't want to fall asleep while she was there. Typical boy. "Are you hungry?"

Gohan shook his head slowly. "No... not really."

Sasami frowned. "How long has it been since you ate something?" She would have to make sure he ate SOMETHING before he starved to death... How long does it take for Saiya-jins to starve...?

"I dunno," Gohan mumbled.

Sasami could see he was about to fall asleep. She smiled softly, and stood up. "I'll come again tomorrow, okay?"

"Mmmm." Gohan rolled over onto his side, turning his back to her. Within thirty seconds, his breathing had leveled out, and Sasami knew he was fast asleep. She sighed, headed for the door, trying to decide what to make for dinner that night... though, at the back of her mind, she couldn't help wondering what had really caused Gohan to lose his memory... and what he would be like if he ever regained it.

*Okay, we've got an extremely short chapter here... ^^;; Sorry... ^^ I am getting faster, though. ::waves little flags:: WHEE!!!!*