Note: This story takes place just before the Cell Games.
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When spelling some names and terms, I used my couple of Dragon Ball Z Hero Collection Cards as a guide.
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If you like this story, please read some of my other stories as well. I put a lot of love and effort into each one ... and I'm happy about your comments! For me you are the best incentive to keep writing hard.
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I don't want to cry ...
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On the western horizon, the setting sun bathed a band of clouds in pink light. Chichi stood at the kitchen window and lowered the knife with which she had just peeled a radish. Tomorrow would be the time.
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From outside she heard the most wonderful sound in the world, Gokou and Gohan splashed around in the big tub, laughed and gurgled like two irrepressible children. Chichi leaned out a little and saw her blond hair dancing up and down over the edge of the tub.Gohan was a bit too big to still bathe with his father, but today was a very special evening.
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"Isn't the water getting cold for you?", Chichi called over.
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"Don't worry, mom!", Came Gohan's reply, "we'll make ourselves hot again."
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Chichi sighed and shook her head. It wasn't easy to get used to the fact that concentration alone could make the water steamy. "Make sure you don't break the tub. Otherwise you can wash yourself in the river!"
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"We'll be careful!" Gokou assured her loudly.
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With a resigned smile, Chichi went back to work. The radish, peeled as thin as paper, had to be cut into fine strips. The roasted sesame seeds gave off a fine fragrance and the rice was ready in three minutes.
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"The food is almost ready!" she called out and inhaled the mild evening air. It had been three wonderful days.They had been going on trips together as a family for a long time. A hiss from the pan with the pieces of meat reminded her that she had wanted to sprinkle some coriander on top.
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Her Gokou had only found the table in town today as compensation for the one who had been broken earlier. They tried really hard to keep their strength in check, both of them.
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Chichi put the bowl with the pickled vegetables between the rice bowls and wondered if she shouldn't have baked another cake.
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Outside, Gohan and Gokou climbed out of the tub and dumped the water. They came in through the front door wearing only towels and slippers. "We should get a really big bath Chichi," said Gokou and reached for the basket where he had left his clothes. Chichi poured the sesame seeds over the meat without turning around.
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"We can still do that. As soon as the two of you are back, we'll see if a bigger house isn't possible.Gohan barely has room for his books and it would be really nice to have a large bathroom. "
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"What is there to eat, mom?", Gohan asked curiously and sniffed curiously.
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"First get dressed, you two, then you can grab it!"
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They couldn't be told twice. Chichi had just filled her bowls with freshly cooked rice when they came out of their rooms. Freshly bathed, their hair brushed (although you couldn't tell from the blond strands) and in clean clothes, the two looked almost civilized. With extreme caution, they sat down at the table. "Let us eat!"
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They had managed to manage their strength carefully after all. Very gently and without even a crack in the new china, they held their rice bowls to shovel their food into their mouths with their chopsticks in the usual haste.
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Chichi had long since given up trying to teach Gokou table manners.But Gohan was still capable of learning, at least that's what she said to herself every day.
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"Don't you like to eat anything, Mom?", Gohan asked and pointed to Chichi's bowl, which was still full to the brim.
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"How? Oh, of course I'm hungry too." Chichi felt caught and hurriedly picked up the meat and vegetables. No, in fact she wasn't hungry, but they shouldn't notice that, the two who would leave the house tomorrow like hundreds of times before. Would you come back too?
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Chichi slowly chewed her bites and gave them time to fight with the chopsticks for the nicest pieces of the pickled vegetables. Before, she would have gone there and eaten the controversial piece herself, just so that there would be peace again at the table. But today she ate her portion slowly without stopping the fight. There was so much life in both of them, so much concentrated strength and energy. Would it be enough?
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The bowls were empty quickly, far too quickly, and Gokou and Gohan assured that they had never been as full as they were now in their lives.Chichi, who had barely emptied her first rice bowl, complained as usual about the mess the two had left and sent Gohan into the room so that he could stick his nose in the books for another hour.
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Gokou had meanwhile started to clear the dishes. "Aren't you a bit strict?" Asked Gokou and looked up.
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"You stay out of there," said Chichi. "There's a life after the Cell games, isn't it? It'll be a lot harder for Gohan than the mindless brawl with this monster. You two stole a year from me, it's important that he start catching up right away. "Just pretend everything is the same as it was before, as if it were as solid as a mountain that Gohan would come back. Healthy and ready to face normal life.
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"And you don't have to shirk from it," Chichi said sternly to Gokou. "The newspaper with the job advertisements is over there. It should be easy for you to get a job.We cannot live on my father's gifts forever. "
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Gokou winced and almost dropped the bowls. "Is that really necessary?"
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Gohan sometimes needs other clothes than just combat suits. New shoes are needed next year and the school books will cost a lot again fulfill."
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Gokou sighed and envied Piccolo that he could meditate in peace and quiet somewhere. So while Chichi was washing the dishes, he obediently leafed through the job advertisements. His only qualification was strength and he could also fly and teleport. So good conditions for a back-breaking job in construction, although ... in its current condition, it might bend the steel girders during transport ...
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Chichi wiped the last pan clean and got her sewing basket to sit down with Gokou.The sight of him brooding over the displays made her smile. Although Muten Roshi had also taught him to read and do arithmetic, he was anything but a bookworm. She knew that the brief descriptions in the advertisements alone were not easy for him to decipher. With the remote control she switched on the television. The upcoming fight against Cell filled all news channels, there was another pre-winner interview with Mr. Satan. Chichi could no longer hear his hollow talk about his own invincibility and switched to one of the entertainment channels, where an ancient love story was shown. She took the dress out of the sewing case and began to mend the frayed hem with small stitches. She hadn't bought any new clothes for three years, because the installments for the car and the house, the money for the correspondence school, even if Gohan was not currently taking any exams, and many other things gradually had the prize money from that tournament victory against Piccolo and Chichi's maternal inheritance eaten up.Chichi had never made great demands, she had never wanted jewels or expensive clothes and she hadn't been to the hairdresser's for years either, all the money was gradually spent on daily life and above all for Gohan. Chichi overheard the film text with half an ear. The couple just said goodbye at the airport, the woman sobbed and the man tried to comfort her. * I wish I could cry that easy too *, thought Chichi and glanced over at Gokou. * But it would be free. He would never let it soften him. Saving humanity is of course a priority. * Suddenly she had a bitter taste on the tongue. * As if people were showing something like thanks. Has he died for her before and what was the point? Has anyone thanked you? Of course not. They cheer a false hero like this Satan, make him rich and famous, and the real heroes still have to fish their own food out of the lake. *<br />
With a sigh, she folded the dress neatly and turned off the television. "Found something yet?" She asked Gokou. He raised his head and looked at her with real despair. "I just can't find anything, couldn't you tell me what you think is appropriate?"
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Chichi shook her head. "You are really impossible, Gokou. But well, as soon as you two are back, we'll go through the ads together. Now I'm going to take a shower. Are you that good and check on Gohan? You two should go to sleep this morning so you can be well rested tomorrow. "
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Gokou folded the newspaper with relief. He was very happy that Chichi was taking care of the problems of daily life, otherwise the Son family would have slept in some cave and made their clothes out of bearskins and dinosaur skins.
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So while Gokou released Gohan from studying, Chichi went into the bedroom to get her nightgown and fresh linen.She hesitated in front of the wardrobe, then gave herself a jerk and opened the bottom drawer. There in a flat gift box was the item that Bulma had given her for her birthday two years ago. She had never worn it, it just wasn't her style. Today, however ... Determined, she took out the box and took it to the bathroom. On the top shelf of the bathroom cabinet, another of Bulma's gifts had been collecting dust for years. Chichi wiped away the dust and opened the blue plastic box. The perfume was an absolute hit three years ago, a warm note of vanilla and jasmine. Bulma pulled the needles out of her knot and shook her hair, slipped off her clothes and stepped into the tiny shower cubicle. As the warm water pattered down on her and she rubbed the honey-scented soap on her arms, she wondered why she hadn't been able to fall in love