Videl thought she could handle a newborn, she really did. But she forgot that Pan wouldn't be fully human. It was hard to remember, sometimes, that someone was an alien or part alien when that species looks exactly like yours. And she'd often forgot the stories of Goten and Goku being criers when they were babies.
Videl sighed as she closed the door to her and Gohan's house behind her; Pan still crying loudly. Nearby, Piccolo sat meditating under a tree while Goten and Goku sparred a bit away from him. Smoke rose from the Son household, indicating Chi Chi was likely inside. They'd already planned on having tea together while the boys did their thing, however Pan had been fussy and crying most of the day. Nothing Videl did seemed to calm her, not even food! She assumed that Pan would eventually cry herself out -- but Videl should have known better, she later realized. Pan was part Sayain, after all.
Videl let herself into the unlocked house, the smell of food instantly hitting her nose. It seemed like there was always something ready to be ate here, but then again Sayains were a hungry group of people. Videl even knew better than to not keep enough food in the house for Pan, even though she was still quite young.
"Another one of those days?" Chi Chi hummed as Videl walked into the kitchen to find her mother in law cleaning up after a recent meal.
"Yeah," sighed as she sat down at the table. She began rocking Pan, which seemed to make her ease up on her crying a little bit, at least. "I've been trying for the last few hours to stop and nothing's worked," Videl continued with a sigh. "I just hope she stops soon. I don't think me or Gohan can handle another late night with her."
Chi Chi paused for a moment, then sighed. She quickly finished her cleaning as Videl continued to rock Pan. Once finished, Chi Chi dried her hands before quickly approaching a tired looking Videl.
"Here, let me see her," Chi Chi instructed with her arms outstretched.
Videl obliged, if only for a moment of peace. Oddly, instead of trying to soothe Pan, Chi Chi turned and headed towards the door. Only when she stepped out did Videl register what was going on and stood up to follow. Stepping out of the door and closing it behind her, she quickly spotted Chi Chi walking swiftly towards Piccolo. If he noticed she was heading in his direction, Piccolo didn't visibly show it. All the while, Pan was still crying loudly, causing Goten and Goku to pause their sparring to also watch Chi Chi with curiosity. Curious herself, Videl slowly followed. How was this helping, exactly?
It was only when Chi Chi stopped directly in front of him and cleared her throat, that Piccolo actually opened his eyes. His brow furrowed as he seemed to realize Chi Chi held Pan, and tilted his head in question. Without a word -- though a rather stern expression did adorn her face -- Chi Chi held out the crying Pan to Piccolo for him to take. The Namekian stared back for a long moment, only taking the crying child when Chi Chi gestured Pan to him wordlessly --
And then Pan went completely quiet even before Piccolo shifted so he could properly cradle her while returning back to his meditating. It took Videl a second to even register it, and by then she could also hear Goku laughing -- perhaps at the sudden cease in crying. Videl was in shock as she shuffled next to a satisfied looking Chi Chi, unable to believe her ears.
"No way," she chuckled more to herself than anyone around her as she approached the Namekian. "How'd you do that? She's been crying for hours!"
Piccolo shrugged, still meditating. "Thing that happens," was his curt reply.
"Come on," Chi Chi said, patting Videl on the shoulder, "let's go finish our tea."
Videl nodded, turning to follow as Goten and Goku continued their sparring. All the while, Pan didn't continue crying. In fact, Videl was sure she had fallen asleep by now. But Videl wasn't going to be the one to complain.
"Chi Chi," Videl asked as they entered the son home, with Chi Chi starting the water, "how'd you know that would work?"
"I'd had the same problem with Goten," Chi Chi said matter of factly, "and it'd been one day when he was a baby that Piccolo was coming to ask Gohan to train. Gohan had to finish studying before he could go, so of course I told Piccolo to watch Goten for me so I could at least clean the house while he was there. Soon as I handed Goten over, he just -- stopped crying. Any other time after I handed him over to Piccolo while he was crying, he'd keep stopping. So I just kept inviting him over to get Goten to stop whenever I couldn't get him to."
Videl smiled warmly at that. The cups clinked together as Chi Chi retrieved them from the cabinet. Before moving to the kitchen to help get the tea, Videl peered out of the window. Goku and Goten were more wrestling around and goofing off than sparring. Piccolo still sat meditating with Pan now resting in his lap as she slept -- though Videl was confident she saw a small hand gripped tightly around a long, green finger before she decided to continue on.
Considering hers had been small before marrying Gohan, Videl was rather grateful for now having such a large family -- even if most weren't related.
