Dragonball Divergence by TokiNabi
Disclaimer:Dragonball, Z and GT belong to Akira Toriyama and Toei. Some of the dialogue and plot points in this fanfic are from the Dragonball manga. The rest however, is my own work. This is simply a work of fiction for fun and not for the purposes of profit.
Notes:
Kame house – Muten Roshi's house. 'Kame' literally means 'turtle.'
Gi – Basically, a martial arts training uniform. A notable example is the clothes Goku wears for most of the series.
Cheongsam – Chinese dress. Traditionally, these dresses were quite long and also meant to be modest. Today they tend to be form-fitting, and knee length dresses in this style are available.
Chapter 01: Being Different
~o~o~o~
As far as Chi-Chi was concerned, her marriage to Goku was turning out to be one of the happiest days of her life. The wedding reception party had just gone into full swing, and everyone seemed to be thoroughly enjoying themselves. Goku's friends were mingling with the other guests and most notable were Krillin, Roshi and Yamcha who were shamelessly flirting with every girl who passed them. Bulma had noticed Yamcha's behavior, and unnoticed by the man, was stalking toward him, flaring with barely repressed fury.
Stifling a giggle, Chi-Chi looked for her husband and found him where he had been ten minutes before – at the buffet table. True, she was slightly miffed that her husband had sprinted for the food the second the ceremony officially finished, but he was hers now. She felt giddier than she had in years. Goku was- he was…she tilted her head, frowning as she watched her husband shove food into his mouth at what appeared to be an inhuman pace. She was actually having trouble seeing his hands – they were moving so fast. For the first time, Chi-Chi began to wonder if there might be some things about Goku she would find difficult to live with. She had seen him eat before, but she had never given the implications of his appetite much thought. Would there be enough income in their household to support her husband's eating habits? How much would she have to cook for him every day?
'But Goku's been doin' fine all this time livin' in the woods… so he probably knows how to get all the food he needs without spendin' money.' She decided confidently. 'And he can make meals too, so it's not like I'll have to cook all the time…' Everything would work out somehow and they would definitely be happy together. Of that, she was sure.
"Chi-Chi!" It was her father's voice. Turning to face him, she smiled when she saw his massive form lumber toward her.
"Daddy! Is there somethin' wrong?"
"Kami's here!"
She blinked. "Kami is…?"
"Yes! He's walkin' this way right now!" Her father gestured at the figure approaching them from the hill.
"I wonder what he wants?" Chi-Chi huffed in slight agitation. "He better not be tryin' to steal Goku away again!"
Kami had come to Goku in the past to ask for his help in defeating evils he couldn't subdue alone. He had also recently asked him to become the new Kami of earth upon Piccolo's defeat. Goku had refused the request point blank before making a quick getaway, but it appeared that Kami was returning to ask again. Thus, it came as a surprise when the guardian of earth walked right up to Chi-Chi and formerly requested to speak with her alone.
Seeing his serious expression, Chi-Chi decided not to refuse him despite her annoyance at being pulled away from her own wedding. After informing Goku and her father that she would be having a short chat with Kami and would return in a few minutes, she followed the wrinkled green man to a secluded area a short distance from the party.
"Erm… Mr. Kami...? What did you want to talk about?" She asked, hoping her annoyance wasn't showing through in her voice.
He turned to face her, expression somber. "I'm sorry. I do realize that the timing of this conversation is quite unfortunate…but I don't think I'll be able to find a better opportunity than now…" The old man sighed. "It's a pity, but this issue must be addressed."
"What did you want to speak to me about?" Chi-Chi asked again, curiosity replacing her impatience.
"As you know, Son Goku defeated the demon Piccolo a short while ago, and with that victory he achieved a fragile, temporary peace."
"Goku'll defeat Piccolo even if he comes back!" Chi-Chi declared sharply. "He'll never let himself lose against that guy!"
"I have no doubt about that." Kami smiled. "He's shown me many times, that he has quite the talent for defying the odds, no matter how highly they're stacked against him. But you must know a man like Goku naturally attracts trouble. There will no doubt be a time in the future when he is faced with dangers beyond his capabilities."
"So why're you tellin' me this? Why aren't you tellin' Goku all this?" She asked, frowning.
"Goku will always face each and every danger that arises with everything he has. It is not his resolve I am concerned about. It is yours."
"W-what?" Chi-Chi stuttered, completely caught off guard by his statement. "My resolve?"
"As Goku's wife, you too may be in danger from his enemies and once you start a family, your children may also be targeted by Goku's enemies. There may even come a time when you regret marrying him." Kami said solemnly, expression darkening. "I wanted to know if you had ever given any thought to these possibilities when you decided to become his wife."
"So what're you really tryin' to say?" Chi-Chi asked quietly, eyes narrowed and jaw set. Her arms had straightened at her sides, and her hands had balled up into tight fists. "'Cause it sounds like you're tryin' to break up my marriage."
Kami met her hard stare and calmly returned it with a somber expression of his own. "Suppose what I am saying about the danger you may face as Goku's wife is true. As powerful as Goku is, he will not always be able to protect you or the family you create together. And against an enemy powerful enough to stand against Goku, you would be utterly defenseless – a laughably easy way to hurt, or gain power over the strongest man in the world. This marriage can very well mean that you will live in constant fear of becoming either a victim or a bargaining chip. Is this not enough reason for you to break this union?"
Throughout Kami's speech, Chi-Chi's expression had grown progressively darker and her form had tensed up to the point where she was shaking. Chi-Chi narrowed her eyes at him and lowered her chin aggressively, baring her teeth. "Don't…underestimate me." She muttered lowly.
"I beg your pardon?"
She straightened, eyes burning into Kami's. "Somethin' like that won't scare me away!" She burst out loudly. "I love Goku! I'll do whatever it takes to make this marriage work, and I know he'll work hard too 'cause he's that kinda guy! So what if his enemies come after me? I'll just get strong enough to kick their asses and Goku won't have to do it all himself! So if you're here to try and break us up, don't bother, 'cause it isn't gonna happen!" At that moment, Chi-Chi didn't even care that she had yelled at the guardian of earth, or how powerful and important he was. She was just pissed that he could say such insensitive things, and on her wedding day of all days!
Chi-Chi stood her ground and waited for Kami's reply.
As it was, the old man was giving her a wide-eyed look of shock. He coughed a few times while he composed himself. Once his serene expression returned, he spoke. "Son Chi-Chi," the man began gravely. Chi-Chi tensed, preparing herself for his response. "I think you will make a great wife for Goku!" He laughed.
"Gwah!" Chi-Chi choked, falling over. "Ugh…what!" She asked as she got back to her feet. She anxiously patted off some stray grass blades clinging to her dress, hoping none of the leaves would stain the expensive white lace.
"You are more strong-willed than I gave you credit for. You've proven yourself as a woman worthy of Goku." Kami smiled widely.
"W-well of course." Chi-Chi said, still baffled by Kami's seemingly sudden change of heart. "Naturally I'm the best woman for him! We've been engaged since we were children!" 'Even if he didn't know it at first…' She mentally added.
Kami chuckled again. "Indeed? Well, let it be known that this long awaited union now has my full blessings. Congratulations."
"… Thank you." Chi-Chi said awkwardly. "I…appreciate it. Um…well then. I should be gettin' back to the party…" She bit her tongue to prevent herself from asking Kami to leave. She was sure bad luck would be certain to follow if she did so, and it would be extremely impolite as well. "…Why don't you join the party too? We'd be honored…"
"Son Chi-Chi."
"Yes?" She straightened.
"Remember what I have told you. I was not merely testing your resolve. It will be dangerous to be with Son Goku, but if you are still willing to be with him, then you must be prepared. Become strong, Chi-Chi, and find happiness within the cultivation of your abilities, rather than the suppression of them. Do not fear acting against some of the ideals you were raised under." He winked. "Hmm…and I do believe I will take you up on your offer and mingle with a few of the guests before I take my leave." He remarked as he turned and left the stunned bride staring after him.
"A-ah…" She said, blinking as she absorbed his words. "Okay. Great." And quietly, she walked back to the party, mulling over what had just happened.
"Become strong…" Chi-Chi whispered. She had been taught all her life that a girl could do whatever she wanted, but a woman as a good wife would have to stay at home to do chores and raise her children. If she did that though and didn't get stronger, how could she help Goku keep their family safe? The only way she could help him was if she was able to keep herself safe.
"Well…" Chi-Chi said slowly, tentatively pulling up the idea that had begun to form within her mind, strange as it felt. "Well…Goku's obviously not an ordinary guy, so…so I can't be an ordinary girl either!" Chi-Chi decided out loud, determination pumping through her. She smiled then, finding herself feeling relieved, even though she felt like she was breaking some sort of rule.
In truth, she hadn't wanted to give up training and as much as she liked the idea of being a housewife, staying at home to do housework all the time had sounded awfully boring. She had resigned herself to the idea though, since her teachers and books had insisted on the necessity of such a life for the successful cultivation of a family.
"But that won't work out for the family I'm gonna have, so I just won't be like that!" Chi-Chi declared happily, a slight bounce in her step as she walked to Goku's side.
~o~o~o~
"Hey Chi-Chi. What did Kami talk to you about?" Goku asked curiously, mouth full of food.
Too overjoyed to tell him to chew with his mouth closed, Chi-Chi simply leaned down, and surprised him with a kiss on his cheek. "Nothin' much." She smiled warmly. "I just had to tell him that you're stayin' with me from now on."
Goku couldn't resist grinning back. Something about Chi-Chi's smile made him feel nice and he decided then, that being married to her might be all right after all, even if it was weird when she hugged and kissed him.
~o~o~o~
"Goku! You gotta carry me 'cross the threshold!"
"Threshold?"
"The doorway! You gotta carry me 'cross the doorway, 'cause it's bad luck if you don't!"
Goku shrugged. "Er, okay." And leaning down, he attempted to pick her up, struggling around her puffy dress. Chi-Chi burst out laughing when he gave a grunt of frustration as he tried to figure out where her legs were situated in all the layers of frothy white lace and silk.
"Ahh, hold your arms out!" Chi-Chi chuckled, pushing him back. She wiped away tears that had been pushed from her eyes by the force her laughter. He did as she asked and she jumped nimbly into his arms, holding onto his neck. "K, let's go!" She announced, pointing at the door.
"K." He moved carefully through the entrance of their new home, making sure not to whack Chi-Chi's head or legs against the sides.
"We're home!" Chi-Chi called out once they were completely inside, wanting to make the moment official. Elation rushed through her and she couldn't stop the smile that rolled across her face. Cheeks rosy with happiness, she looked at her new husband. "Goku! We're home!" She giggled.
"Yeah." He smiled back at her, feeling the beginnings of affection for his wife budding within him. "We're home."
And so they began their life together.
* * * Five Years Later * * *
"Hurry up Goku, we've gotta get goin'!" Chi-Chi called out. She frowned when her husband appeared from the side of the house. "Oh Goku, you're really not gonna to change?" She asked, glancing disapprovingly at his traditional orange gi.
He shrugged. "It's not a formal get together. My trainin' clothes are just fine. Besides, we're visitin' Master Roshi. I'm sure Krillin'll be dressed more or less the same."
Chi-Chi sighed, tugging at imaginary wrinkles in her white mini-jacket and pink knee-length cheongsam. "Well if you say so…" She cast her eyes around searchingly. "Gohan? Come on, we gotta get goin'! We'll be late!"
"Nah, if we go with Nimbus, we'll get there on time." Goku said, sounding much more relaxed than his wife. "'Sides, Gohan's just finishin' up his exercises. We should let him get through 'em before we go."
"Oh, all right." Chi-Chi huffed, hoping her little boy was only doing some stretches. She didn't want him to get all sweaty and stinky before the get-together, regardless of how casual it was. "I suppose I should let him, since I've been givin' him a lot of homework these days. He's been so good about finishin' it all."
"I don't even see the point of givin' him that kind of work…" Goku remarked carelessly. He realized his mistake too late and instinctively held up his hands in preparation for the backlash.
"I've told you so many times already! I want Gohan to be a scholar when he grows up! Fightin' isn't everythin'! These days, it's the jobs that use the brain that brings in the money!" Chi-Chi snapped. "Neither of us makes money, and the tournament money won't last forever!"
"Okay Chi-Chi." Goku said automatically, having learned early in their marriage that it was simply better not to disagree with his wife about subjects she felt strongly about.
~o~o~o~
The first few months of their marriage had been admittedly rocky, with the newlywed couple learning how to live with each other. It had been a little more difficult for Goku, who had been accustomed to living alone and found it trying at times to adjust some of his daily routines and habits to please Chi-Chi, who was quite adamant about getting her way.
Chi-Chi herself had expected Goku to have more sophisticated hygiene and house-keeping skills and thus had been horrified by some of his less than tidy habits. Needless to say, some of their disagreements about living habits ended in full-blown arguments – or at least, with Chi-Chi blowing up at Goku for being a slob and Goku making a quick getaway while wondering what he had gotten himself into by promising to spend the rest of his life with such a volatile girl.
The tense moments where the couple didn't talk to each other did not last long however. Goku, earnestly wanting to follow through with his promise to Chi-Chi, did his best to make things work out by always returning and apologizing to his wife. She was always willing to forgive him after cooling off, and the two would move on from there.
Chi-Chi also had done her best to change some of her own habits to suit her new life with Goku out in the woods. As a princess, she had always been surrounded by people: family, friends or employees and was used to having people do as she wished. At first, it had been a bit of a shock for her be alone so much – Goku had many errands to complete outside the house, and sometimes he just wanted to be on his own. There wasn't anything she could do about that – Goku needed his space. He had made that clear when he left the house for about a day after one of their more serious arguments.
It had therefore been a pleasant surprise when Chi-Chi noticed Goku making an effort each day to spend more time with her, apparently having figured out to some extent how she felt about being by herself for long periods of time. (Most likely she had screamed something about it during their last argument...) Though she did get angry at Goku often, Chi-Chi knew he was doing his best, and that was really all she could ask for in a man, even if he wasn't particularly well-versed in matters of etiquette. If there was anything she learned during the first few years of their marriage, it was that she needed to be less up-tight if she wanted them both to be happy.
Despite all their differences, Chi-Chi and Goku were able to find a few things they both liked. Martial arts was one of them – and quite possibly the activity they spent the most time together doing. Goku wasn't the most patient man, but he didn't mind spending a few hours each day teaching Chi-Chi how to become a stronger and more proficient fighter. He enjoyed their sessions together and though he never mentioned it, Goku thought Chi-Chi looked prettiest when she was flushed and fired up while they trained. She also tended to be in a more agreeable mood after they finished. Thus it seemed natural that it was through training together that Goku became comfortable with being in close contact with Chi-Chi.
With all the time they were spending together, it wasn't long before the couple became intimate. As both were inexperienced, the pair spent many shy, sometimes clumsy and often wonderful occasions simply figuring out what they liked. Goku wasn't much of a post-coital cuddler, but Chi-Chi had expected as much and contented herself with snuggling against him – which he was perfectly fine with. He made up for it however, by surprising his wife with random displays of affection during the day when he remembered to give them.
A year later, Gohan was born, much to the young couple's delight.
Goku in particular had been both amazed and fascinated by the birth process, having been previously ignorant of how babies came into the world. To think that babies grew inside women's stomachs! He was full of questions during Chi-Chi's pregnancy, ranging from how long it would take for the baby to arrive, and whether she would lay an egg like some of the birds he had observed while in the forest.
Chi-Chi couldn't help but be charmed and entertained by Goku's excitement. Some of her husband's questions about her pregnancy were bizarre enough to make her laugh out loud, which was perfect for the times she felt overwhelmed by a negative mood-swing. She also liked how protective he became of her. Besides being more willing to do even the most pointless tasks for her, he was a bit more affectionate. The number of spontaneous hugs and kisses she received significantly increased while she was pregnant.
Goku liked pregnancies. Or rather, he liked the idea that a baby, a little child that both he and Chi-Chi were a part of, was growing within his wife. "Women sure have mysterious powers." He had remarked in awe the first time he had learned that Chi-Chi had a baby in her. Sure, a pregnant Chi-Chi was sometimes scarier than the late Demon King Piccolo Sr., even before Goku made the horrific error of mentioning how much Chi-Chi had ballooned up (not even telling his irate wife that he honestly thought her adorable had cooled her rage), but Goku figured it would be worth it when the kid arrived.
And when Gohan was finally born, Goku discovered that he had been right. It had been worth enduring all the mood swings, the violent outbursts, bizarre tasks and watching helplessly as Chi-Chi struggled valiantly through physical and mental pains he would never be able to understand. It was worth every moment, because it resulted in the delivery of a very healthy and happy baby boy.
Little Gohan cried most of the time, but he was unbelievably adorable and every so often, he would give signs of being exceptionally smart and strong. Proud parents Chi-Chi and Goku both picked up on Gohan's natural potentials and came to an agreement. Goku would be allowed to train Gohan – not too hard! – as long as it didn't interfere with his studies which Chi-Chi would oversee.
~o~o~o~
"I'm done daddyyy!" Gohan called out, straightening from his crouch.
"K, let's go!" Goku announced happily. "Nimbus!" He summoned the flying cloud.
"Finally!" Chi-Chi sighed. "Wait a sec, Goku… Here Gohan, change into these." She handed him a fresh set of formal robes. "We can't let you go there lookin' a mess and smellin' like sweat."
"K, mom!" Gohan chirped, his tail waving cheerfully behind him.
~o~o~o~
"Hiya!" A beautiful blue-haired woman dressed in an oversized white jacket, blue tank top and white shorts chimed as she walked in through the door of Muten Roshi's kame house. "How is everyone?"
"Bulma!" Krillin stood up, grinning widely. "What a sight! How long as it been?"
"Hehehe- too long!" Roshi declared. "You never call! You never visit! Even a picture would have been nice!" 'Hmm…a picture would have been especially nice.'
"Well, maybe these dumplings will make up for lost time!" Bulma declared, lifting up a nicely wrapped box so that it was level with the old man's eyes.
"Well that's real kind of you, but there's somethin' even better you can offer me…like how about lettin' me get reacquainted with the twins for old time's sake?" The old man giggled, eyeing her chest lasciviously. He leaned forward, intentions clear. "Then we can call it all even!"
"Old pervert, you haven't changed a bit…" Bulma growled under her breath. "So, how have you been in the past few years?" She asked Krillin lightly as she rubbed her reddened right knuckle. A short distance away, Roshi twitched sporadically on the ground, a bump steadily rising up on his face where Bulma had punched him. "Here. You can eat some of these first." She said, handing the box of dumplings to him.
"Uh…I've been okay. The same as before, just training in my spare time." Krillin said nervously, eyes darting to Roshi who was still lying prone on the floor. "By the way, where's Yamcha? I thought you two were going to come together?"
"Humph! That jackass! Don't even get me started on that loser!" Bulma shrieked, throwing her arms up in anger. "After what he did to me! That bastard should be kissing the ground that I walk on, but instead he-! Ooohhh! Forget him! I didn't tell him about today's reunion, so he won't be coming!" She took a few deep breaths to calm herself. "Haaa…" She exhaled loudly, smoothing her hair back. "Is Launch coming?"
"No idea. Probably not. Last I heard, she went chasing after Tenshinhan. There's been no word from her since."
"I see…" Bulma sighed. "Well I hope she got him. I know she really liked him." She looked around the small, neatly arranged room. Even if he was a horrible lecher, Roshi was quite tidy - she had to give him that. "Goku and Chi-Chi haven't come yet?"
"Nope." Roshi said, appearing to have made a full recovery. "They're a bit late."
"HEYYY!" A cheerful voice called from outside the house. "Anyone home?"
"Goku's here!" Krillin yipped excitedly, rushing out the door. Bulma and Roshi hurried after him, eager to see their old friends.
"Hey you guys!" Krillin greeted the new arrivals.
"Hi!" Goku and Chi-Chi answered simultaneously. Chi-Chi inwardly pouted when she noticed that Goku had been right about Krillin also wearing a gi to the get-together.
"Looking good you two!" Bulma laughed. "So I see you guys are still happily married?"
"Humph, naturally!" Chi-Chi sniffed, standing up straighter with her hands on her hips. "Our marriage is goin' strong and nothin's gonna change that!"
"Ahh…as admirable as always." Master Roshi said, wagging his eyebrows in a way that made Chi-Chi's skin crawl. His hand reached out to slide along her butt. "How about lettin' me become acquainted with-" Chi-Chi's kick sent him in a high arc over the Kame house.
"Pervert…you haven't changed…" Chi-Chi growled under her breath. "Unbelievable…"
"Wow…Chi-Chi you've gotten a lot stronger!" Krillin whistled in awe, wincing when a cloud of sand rose up upon the old man's impact behind the house.
"Hehe…well I did have the strongest man in the world trainin' me all this time." Chi-Chi giggled bashfully. "I mean, we really went at it every day, so there was no way I couldn't get better."
"Wah!" Gohan yelped, when while running to his father's side, he tripped on a large seashell protruding from the sand.
"By the way…" Master Roshi said, hobbling back to where the pair was standing. He pointed at the boy. "Who is that kid?"
"Hm? Oh, this is Gohan!" Goku said proudly. "My son."
Master Roshi choked on his reply and instead a garbled "guwah!" came out of his mouth which had fallen open in shock.
"W-what?" Bulma gasped. "S-son!"
"Son?" Krillin echoed weakly. "Who'd have ever guessed?" Eyes bulging, his head snapped to Chi-Chi then slowly back to Goku. "So you two actually…"
"We what?"Goku asked curiously.
"Nothing!" Krillin said quickly. 'I mean…sure Goku is a little clueless, but of course he'd figure out at least that part of marriage…'
"Gohan, say hello." Goku said, gently pushing Gohan forward.
He bowed. "Hello. Nice to meet you." Everyone did the same, feeling charmed by the boy - particularly Bulma who found Gohan adorable.
"So is Gohan becoming a great fighter like you?" Krillin asked.
"No!" Chi-Chi broke in sternly. "I don't want him to be a brainless fighter!"
"Brainless fighter? Is that what you think of everyone who fights…?" Krillin murmured, looking at Chi-Chi with slight annoyance. "Why are you even bothering to train then…?"
"Oh…well," Bulma said hesitantly, leaning down so she was level with Gohan's head. "What do you want to be then, Gohan?"
"A great scientist!" He chirped.
"Scientist!" Bulma yelped. The little boy nodded.
"Yup!" He crept shyly behind his dad's leg.
Bulma looked at Goku. "Are you disappointed?"
He shrugged. "I can still train Gohan, so it doesn't really matter what he decides to be. His potential isn't bein' wasted at least."
"How old are you Gohan?"
"Um…" He counted on his fingers. "I'm four!" At the same time his tail flicked out.
"A TAIL!" Bulma shrieked. Gohan flinched back and Goku chuckled, patting his son's head.
"Yea, just like I used to."
The group looked first at Gohan, then at Goku and finally at Chi-Chi. "So…nothing…weird has happened?" Bulma asked hesitantly.
"Specifically during the full moon?" Krillin added fearfully.
Goku blinked, looking up thoughtfully. "Er…no? We usually sleep too early to see the moon anyway."
Everyone gave a sigh of relief.
"Why are you guys so interested in that?" Chi-Chi asked suspiciously. "Is there something we should know?"
"Nope!" Bulma said in a too-cheerful voice. She giggled to help cover up her lie and pinched Gohan's cheek. "You're so adorable!" Gohan blushed.
"Thank you." He said in a tiny voice.
"So polite too." She smiled. "A lot more well-mannered than your father, that's for sure."
"I've been teachin' him manners." Chi-Chi said. "After all, I don't want him to turn out as uncouth as his dad."
"Hah! Well I can't argue with your logic there." Bulma grinned. "I still can't believe he was able to land a girl with HIS manners. But then I suppose you two country bumpkins were just too perfect for each other."
"Country bumpkin?" Chi-Chi echoed indignantly. "I'm a princess!"
"Hey, hey you too, let's keep things friendly! It's a reunion!" Krillin said, holding his hands up in a peace gesture.
"Yea, we-" Goku suddenly quieted and snapped his head around to look into the sky.
"…Goku?" Chi-Chi frowned, noticing his tensed form. "What's wrong?"
Her husband's eyes narrowed. "I sense a huge power…" Chi-Chi's eyes widened when she noticed his body begin to noticeably tremble.
"Goku?" She repeated in a more urgent tone. She put a hand on his shoulder and pulled back, shocked. 'He's sweatin'…he's really nervous… just what's comin' this way?' Chi-Chi nearly bit her tongue in shock when the enormous power signature slammed into her like a sledgehammer blow. "What is that?" She whispered.
"Shit…I've never sensed something like this before… Who is that coming from?" Krillin hissed.
Moments later, a tall, thickly muscled man with the longest, wildest hair Chi-Chi had ever seen, landed on the island before them. The man strode toward the group, eyes fixed on Goku. The stranger was clad in a strange black armor with dark orange shoulder and leg guards. He moved gracefully for one wearing such bulky-looking armor. Goku swiftly moved into a defensive stance, acutely aware of the danger the man presented.
"Kakarrot! I've finally found you! What kind of joke is this? Why have you not killed everyone on this planet!" The man demanded. "You received orders twenty years ago to destroy all life here! Even a weakling like you should have been able to accomplish that by now!"
Everyone stiffened in shock at the man's words. "Destroy the planet?" Goku echoed. He bared his teeth. "I don't know who you're lookin' for, but this Kaka- whatever guy isn't here. It sounds like he was into some real messed up work though."
"Don't play stupid. You think I don't recognize you? You look exactly like father!" He snarled. "Now explain yourself!"
"I have no idea what you're talkin' about." Goku said lowly.
"What the hell are you saying? Kakarrot!" His frown deepened when the blank look didn't disappear from Goku's face. "Damnit…" The stranger clenched his hands into tight fists and silently regarded him for a brief moment. "Could it be possible that you…? Shit." He hissed. "Hey! When you were a child, did you ever receive a massive blow to your head?" he demanded, pointing to his head.
"Why does that even matter?"
"TELL ME!" He bellowed.
"…I did. I don't remember it, but I was told that I fell and hit my head very hard when I was little." Goku admitted. "But why should it matter?"
"Shit… You really have lost all your memories then. You're a mess…and a true disgrace." He eyed Chi-Chi and Gohan with pronounced contempt. Noticing the man's line of vision, Goku's eyes narrowed and he shifted his footing so that his family was completely blocked from the stranger's sight. The man made a noise of disgust, shaking his head. "Fine, let me refresh your memory, starting with introductions. Your name is Kakarrot and you're not a human. You're a saiyan – a member of a proud, race of warriors who live for fighting."
"You've got to be joking. Why the hell would I believe somethin' like that?" Goku demanded.
"Simple, you have one of these, don't you?" The furry object that Goku had previously assumed was a belt unfurled itself from the man's waist.
"A tail!" Goku gasped. "Just like-" He gritted his teeth. "Then you're tellin' the truth?"
"Of course I-" His eyes darted about Goku's waist and widened when he detected nothing. "Kakarrot! What happened to your tail?"
"It was permanently removed years ago." Goku answered.
"You fool! It's our greatest source of power!" The man gave a snarl of disbelief. "It allows us to transform into our most powerful form! Our power is increased ten times in that state! You…You really did forget everything, didn't you! You completely failed to follow the simplest of orders, mutilated yourself, took a human as a mate, even sired a hybrid brat…" He spat. "Disgusting! How could a saiyan like you even exist?"
Goku's eyes narrowed. "It seems you're beginnin' to understand that I'm not interested in what you have to say to me. I'm no saiyan, I'm an earthlin'! And you have no say in my life!"
"Shut up insolent brat! How dare you speak to me in such a way? I'm Radditz! Your brother!"
"What!" Goku gasped.
"Brother!" Chi-Chi squeaked, still reeling from all the things she had learned about her husband. 'My brother in law! Gohan's uncle!'
"Then it's true that Goku's not human!" Krillin yelped.
"No way…" Bulma shook her head. "It can't be…"
"…Somehow I get the feeling we shouldn't be that surprised." Roshi said weakly. "It does explain a few things…I mean, the tail and the turnin' into a giant monkey during the full moon? I thought it was all a little weird…"
TO BE CONTINUED
~o~o~o~
Author's Notes:
Well, seeing as DBZ was given the shameless money-milking "remake" Dragonball Kai (no it's not really a remake… and it has some problems, but it's quite nice not waiting six episodes for someone to power up) I decided to make an AU fanfiction which gives the girls some more spotlight. This is a Chi-Chi-centric fanfiction and it's really all in the name of having fun.
That being said, I've always wondered why all the girls who are able to fight suddenly seemed fine with giving up everything else and doing housework and child-rearing for the rest of their lives, despite exhibiting adventurous personalities. Well okay, I never actually REALLY wondered, since it's just obvious that Toriyama is a product of Japanese society which is pretty damn sexist even today. I'm not joking either. It's a documented fact that in Japan, when a woman reaches a certain age she is expected to just drop her job, regardless of how much she loves it, get married, have children and become a full time housewife. It's horrific, how much pressure is put on women to conform to this life plan…
ANYWAY! Before this descends into angry ranting… Chi-Chi DOES actually express frustration from time to time at not being able to attend group get-togethers and her inability to be particularly helpful when her family is in danger. This fanfiction takes place in an alternate universe, wherein Chi-Chi decides to pursue martial arts despite starting a family with Goku. I will warn all of you now: while many events will coincide with those in the series, there will definitely be significant changes to the storyline – particularly much later. If this bothers you because you prefer to see the canon storyline in DBZ rewrites, I would press the back button now.
Also, please keep in mind that the opinions of the characters are not my own. Some of the characters may hold and express ideas that are offensive, but they are merely my interpretations of the characters. I'm not trying to make any political or life-changing statements here. I just want to entertain myself and my readers.
For the most part, I'll be using the Americanized names, but as a subtle nod to Dragonball's origins, I'll be using the Japanese order of names, so last names will come before first names when the characters introduce themselves, eg. Son Chi-Chi.