Part Ten
"No!" Chi-Chi cried, lifting Goku's body in her arms. "Goku, don't go! You can't die on me now!"
Her mind went blank with disbelief. This wasn't happening. She had not come all this way just to lose him again. She couldn't let him die thinking that…
Misai hurriedly crawled towards them. "What happened?" she asked Chi-Chi anxiously. Then she looked at Goku. She gasped. "His halo's gone!"
"That's because he's dead," Sita sneered. She played with the sword idly. "He doesn't even have an afterlife now. A pity that I didn't get his last bit of spirit energy… it doesn't make a difference though…
"What a fool he was! He gave up his energy so that you could escape the same fate. You only have a fraction of his spirit energy while I have most of it. I'll crush you easily. He's died for nothing!"
"YOU SHUT UP!" Chi-Chi screamed. "HE ISN'T DEAD! HE WOULDN'T HAVE LET HIMSELF DIE TO A WITCH LIKE YOU!"
"And yet that's exactly what happened," Sita dryly.
Chi-Chi ignored her. Sita was a liar. She couldn't believe it --- she wouldn't believe it. Just because his halo was gone didn't mean that he was dead… Goku couldn't be gone forever; he always came back. Somehow, he always found a way to come back…
What about when Sita killed him? a tiny voice in her head asked. He didn't come back then. There was no way for him to.
Misai stared down at Goku, her eyes wide with astonishment. "He… he did that?" she asked hoarsely. "He gave up his spirit energy for you? But… but why? Why would he do that?"
"He isn't dead!" Chi-Chi shouted, tears starting to stream down her face. She shook the body even harder. "Goku, please wake up!"
Misai didn't hear anything Chi-Chi was saying. It was almost as though she had gone into a state of shock. "None of the men on Vishnu would have done that for their wives, even if they were dying," she whispered, shaking her head. "They never would have done that… Why did he do it?"
"Goku, you can't keep doing this to me!" Chi-Chi hollered. "Please, for Kami's sake, wake up!"
Misai suddenly came to her senses. She lowered her ear to Goku's chest, apparently listening for something. She touched his hand and recoiled. "He's so cold," she murmured. She turned to Chi-Chi. "I hate to say it, but she's right," she said sadly. "He's d ---"
"HE ISN'T DEAD!" Chi-Chi yelled, furious that Misai would even think such a thing.
Denial was her only weapon. Because if she accepted that Goku was gone, that meant that he was really never coming back. There would be no dragon balls to fix this, no Kais to give their lives for him… no other afterlife for him to go to. It also meant that she had been responsible for his demise… and that he had died thinking that she had hated him, never knowing the truth.
And she would never, ever forgive herself for that…
"I'm sorry," Misai said gently, and she truly looked it. She put a hand on Chi-Chi's shoulder. "I'm sorry, I really am… but he's gone."
It's not going to happen!
Chi-Chi told herself firmly, desperately watching Goku's still face. Any minute now, he's going to wake up and be all right. And then I can apologize to him and set him straight…She waited in vain for him to wake up. She knew that he would, Goku couldn't die. Come on, Goku, come on! she silently urged him. You're going to make it, I know you will!
But Goku continued to lie on the ground, pale and unmoving.
"No!" Chi-Chi sobbed, the full weight of the situation sinking down on her, forcing her mind to accept the truth. He really was gone…
She hugged Goku's body close to her, pressing her cheek against his cold one. "No… not again!" she wailed, her tears dripping onto Goku's face. "Oh Kami, not again! GOKU!"
Chi-Chi sat alone in Gohan's living room. Gohan and Videl were upstairs, trying to comfort Pan, whose cries were still audible from anywhere in the house. Chi-Chi could only listen to the devastated sobs, feeling as though they were piercing her heart.
It was late at night. The entire Son family had spent the day at Gohan's house after hearing about Goku's death, trying to cope with the news and be there for each other.
Needless to say, they were coping with it very well. They just all sat together in silent grief, except for Pan, who couldn't stop crying. She really loved her grandpa…
And Chi-Chi was utterly lost. She should have been used to this by now; Goku had died twice already. He left to train Uub, visiting everyone about once every few weeks. So why did it keep hurting so much?
Because she loved him. And, like all the other times he died, so many things were left unsaid between them…
Goten had already gone home. She knew that she ought to go home too, but she wasn't ready to. She wasn't ready to go back to her house, knowing that Goku was never coming back to it.
Just then, Gohan walked into the room and sat beside his mother on the couch. His sad, weary expression made him look older than he really was.
"How's Pan?" Chi-Chi asked softly.
"She's still crying," Gohan replied. "Videl's still trying to comfort her, only there's not a lot she can do." He shook his head sadly. "She just won't believe that Dad's dead…"
There was silence between the two of them. Finally, Chi-Chi asked, "How are you holding up?"
Gohan sighed. "I just can't believe he's gone…"
"Neither can anybody," Chi-Chi replied somberly. "How could this have happened? The last time he was here, he was fine. Nothing was wrong with him!"
"I know," Gohan said grimly. "But we'll try and find out what happened." He hesitated. "I just wish that…"
"What?" Chi-Chi asked curiously.
"I was really mad at him for leaving with Uub," Gohan admitted. "I mean, it had been ten years since he had come back, and I thought he was home for good. Then he just leaves again. I felt like he didn't care about us, even Goten kept telling me why he left."
Chi-Chi nodded gravely. "I know. We were all upset."
"Maybe deep down, I knew what Goten said was the truth…but I didn't care. I didn't want to see him or talk to him. Whenever he came back to visit, I made sure I was far away from the house at the time. I knew that it wrong and that I should at least talk to him, but I still avoided him."
"And you want to know what the worst part is?" he asked bitterly. "It wasn't until today that I understood why he left…and that he did care about us. Now I can't even apologize for the way I acted because he's gone. I don't know what he must have thought…"
Chi-Chi felt a stab of guilt, remembering her own distant treatment of Goku. However, she kept this to herself; she had to stay strong for her family.
"I miss him," Gohan said quietly. He looked at the floor, blinking fervently. "I know I acted like I didn't miss him when he left with Uub…but I missed him."
"I know you did," Chi-Chi said consolingly, hugging him. Tears started in her eyes. "I miss him too. But we have to be strong, though. You've got to help Pan through this."
Gohan shook his head. "How could I have thought those things? When Dad left all those times before, I understood why he did it. Why was this time so different?"
"I think because this time, the universe wasn't in danger," Chi-Chi said grimly.
"Well, I know why he had to do it now…and on some level, he was right. Somebody had to be around to protect everyone." He paused. "Maybe it he wouldn't have left if I hadn't given up fighting."
"Don't say that!" Chi-Chi admonished him. "It was his choice to leave; it didn't have anything to do with you! And it was your choice to become a scholar too. Your father only wanted you to do what you want. It didn't matter to him whether you were a fighter or not. He loved you. He was proud of you."
"I know," Gohan said heavily. "It's just that…I wish I had a second chance to tell him…"
Chi-Chi felt another pang of guilt. I want one too, she thought ruefully.
"You don't always get second chances," she said wisely. "Besides, it's not like we'll never see him again. You can tell him when you die and go to the Other World."
Gohan smiled sadly. "That won't be for a long time."
Chi-Chi couldn't help but smile back. "Thank goodness for that," she said with a laugh. Looking at the clock, she stood up. "I'd better go home. I'll see you tomorrow." She kissed her son on the cheek and left the house.
As soon as she entered her own house, she went straight up the stairs and into her bedroom. She stretched out on the bed, facing the opposite side that Goku had once slept on…
Just a few weeks earlier, they had been in bed together, yet they slept on opposite sides. She hadn't wanted to be close to him, because it would have made it harder for her to have him leave her again.
Did I do the right thing?
she wondered. It didn't really make it easier for me to let him go. It just made it worse…She sighed. Tonight she would have rather had him back home, holding him close to her, instead of being in their bed alone.
Chi-Chi cried harder as she remembered that night. Her only comfort since then had been that she would be with Goku once she died. Now she couldn't even have that…
And it was all because of her.
"Why?" she whispered tearfully to the lifeless body in her arms, rocking him as though he were a baby. "Why did you do that? Giving up your spirit energy for me… after what I said… what I did…"
Sita snorted. "Well, isn't this typical. Turning on the tears because you can't have what you want. You really are weak."
Chi-Chi looked up at her, enraged. "You killed him!"
"He killed himself," Sita corrected her, smiling wickedly. "It was his choice to give you his spirit energy, pointless as it was. And let's not forget your little part in all of this."
"No!" Chi-Chi shouted, although deep down, she knew that Sita was right. "I didn't --- I never --- you did this!"
"I merely did what you asked me to do," Sita replied simply. "After all, this is what you wanted. He deserved it, and you know it."
"HE NEVER DESERVED THIS!" Chi-Chi cried in anguish. "He never deserved to die in the middle of nowhere! He never deserved to go to Hell! He never deserved to die thinking that his family hated him…" Her voice broke. "You took him away from us… I never even got to tell him that I loved him!"
"And whose fault is that?" Sita asked, her eyebrows raised. "Don't blame me for what you asked me to do." She smiled evilly. "Dear, dear, I wonder what his former foes will think when they hear of his demise, especially when they find out he was betrayed by his own wife. They'll have a good laugh about that."
Misai looked at Sita with loathing. She leaned close to Chi-Chi. "You know, there's an old saying on Vishnu," she whispered. "'Women weep for the fallen and men avenge them.' Well, I say, 'Less weeping, more fighting.' Let's kill the bitch once and for all!"
Chi-Chi just sat there, stroking Goku's hair. There has to be a way to bring him back, she thought desperately. There just has to be!
"Snap out of it, Princess!" Misai hissed, losing her patience. "There's nothing more we can do for him, but we can sure that she doesn't ruin anybody else's life!"
Chi-Chi swallowed, nodding. A few more tears fell from her eyes. Reluctantly, she lowered Goku's body back onto the floor, wiping her eyes dry.
Misai was right. There would be time for mourning later. Goku had given her the last of his spirit energy to in order to escape. However, she had no intention of doing that; she was going to use it. If she couldn't save him, she could at least avenge him.
Chi-Chi rose to her feet, and so did Misai. Sita surveyed them with cruel amusement. "So, you're finally getting up?" she cackled.
White-hot rage coursed through Chi-Chi's body, mingling with her sorrow. "I'm --- I'm going to kill you!" she said in a trembling voice.
Sita smirked. "How? I already proved that I'm stronger than you are. Perhaps another dose of pain is order before I kill you…"
"You're the one who's going to be feeling pain!" Chi-Chi snarled.
"Not that I'm not for that, but do you have any ideas how to do it?" Misai muttered out of the corner of her mouth.
"I'm working on it," Chi-Chi muttered back.
Quickly tried to think of a plan. Sita already proved that she was stronger than they were. She had magic, strength, and also the remaining weapon that Chi-Chi had. How could they stop her?
She glanced at the sword in Sita's hand. Perhaps if she had it, she'd fare a better chance. She lunged towards Sita.
Sita immediately caught her by the arm, twisting it behind her back. Dropping the sword, she grabbed her other arm, bending it back painfully. Chi-Chi tried to wriggle out of her grip. Sita's hands tightened, about to break both arms…
Misai quickly ran towards them. While Sita was occupied trying to break Chi-Chi's arm, Misai snatched the sword out from under Sita, and started to thrust it in her chest.
Sita turned her head to Misai before the blade even struck her. Her eyes glowed white. Misai suddenly froze in place.
"I think I've had just about enough of you," Sita hissed. She raised a hand, gathering a large ki blast and fired it at Misai. Misai was thrown backward, smashing right into the wall.
"Misai!" Chi-Chi screamed, horrified.
The ground shook from force of the blast, causing debris to start crashing down from the wall. Sita raised her arm upward. A shield was formed around her and Chi-Chi. The debris bounced off the shield as though it were rubber and landed on the ground, causing it to shake even more.
Sita waved her hand again. The shield disappeared. She glanced towards the hole in the wall where Misai lay, unconscious, one of her hands still clutching the sword. Her body was half covered by debris from the wall.
"Finally," Sita rolled her eyes. "That brat was starting to get on my nerves." She glanced at Chi-Chi wickedly. "Now it's just you and me…"
Sita's eyes flashed again. Chi-Chi tried to get up, but her limbs felt strangely frozen. She couldn't move. Oh Kami, she's paralyzed me too! she realized.
Sita lifted her right arm, opening her hand. Almost immediately, her staff levitated off the floor, flying straight into her open hand. She pointed her staff at Chi-Chi, the crystal glowing brightly.
"Let's see," Sita said thoughtfully. "It took me twenty-five years for me to break the Saiyan… I wonder how long it will take to break you!" Blue and white flames shot out of the staff towards Chi-Chi.
Pain beyond pain consumed every inch of Chi-Chi's body. She writhed on the floor, screaming in agony. Even though it was fire, it felt like more than just a burn --- it was a shock, a cut, and a burn all rolled into one…
Then suddenly, it stopped. Chi-Chi lay on the floor, gasping for air, feeling as though she was about to pass out. Her vision was slightly blurry. She could make out Sita's face, leering over her sadistically.
"You know, I must thank you for permitting me to bring him here," she said sinisterly. "Of all the men I've killed, he was one to remember. All that power… and he had such courage. Well, at least until the end. He was blubbering like a baby, unable to believe that you would do anything to betray him. And he was supposed to be the strongest fighter in the universe!" She laughed mockingly. "What a joke!"
"Don't --- you --- dare --- talk --- about --- him --- like --- that!" Chi-Chi shouted in between heavy pants.
Sita raised her staff, and the blue and white flames struck her again. It was even worse than the last time. Chi-Chi clenched her teeth, willing herself not to scream aloud. No matter what happened, she would not give Sita the satisfaction of knowing that she was suffering. She was tough… she could handle it…
"How can you keep on going?" Sita wanted to know as Chi-Chi lay twitching on the floor. "You don't have anything to live for…"
Don't listen to her,
a voice in Chi-Chi's head ordered her frantically, trying to fight the pain. She's trying to get into your head again!"You think you can beat me?" Sita went on disdainfully. "Look at yourself! I have you at my mercy!" She pointed to where Misai was lying. "There's no one to help you. You're going to die… and for what purpose? To save him?" She indicated Goku. "He's already gone…
"You spent twenty-five years waiting for him, searching Other World for him… even braving the depths of Hell for him, only to fail because of one mistake?" She laughed as though it were a hilarious joke. "I think that's the worst thing I ever heard. How delightful!"
Sita watched her for a few more minutes before releasing her from the flames. Chi-Chi moaned and coughed out blood.
"Maybe I could let you go," Sita said on a sudden thought. "After all, emotional pain is much more terrible than physical. If I killed you, it would just bring you peace."
Tears of fury and pain welled in Chi-Chi's eyes as she looked back at Sita defiantly.
Sita looked at her, deep in thought. "I have seen your entire life," she mused. "We have much in common, you and I. We were both royalty, yet we gave all those riches up to be with men whom we deluding ourselves into loving. We would have done anything for thing, and in the end, they forsook us. Very curious, indeed…"
"I'm… not like you!" Chi-Chi said weakly.
"Come to think of it," Sita continued, "your husband reminded me of Rama too. He cared more about fighting than he cared about you, just as Rama cared more for his honor than he cared about me…"
"That's not true!" Chi-Chi said vehemently, glaring at Sita. "Goku was nothing like that!"
"Please," Sita scoffed. "Just because he refused to believe that you were responsible for his demise when I told him, doesn't mean he would have believed it when someone else told him."
"You don't know that!" Chi-Chi yelled.
"Deny it all you want, but you know it's true," Sita pressed. "I saw your journey in Hell; I know that Misai told you all about me. Why, you even felt sorry for me. I wonder what your precious Goku would think if he knew that you actually pitied the sorceress who tortured and murdered him? Would he be so eager to defend you then?"
Chi-Chi was filled with fury at those words. "You're right," she growled. "I did feel sorry for you. Not anymore, though."
"Why, because I'm so evil?" Sita asked monotonously. "Or is it because I destroyed your husband?"
"It's because you're weak!" Chi-Chi spat.
Sita laughed mockingly. "And yet I am the one who has power over you."
"You are weak!" Chi-Chi said fiercely. "After Rama deserted you, you didn't have anybody. So you resorted to selling yourself to dark forces for powers to kill him! But that wasn't enough for you, was it? You had to make everyone as miserable as you are by taking advantage of women who were in pain…"
Sita rolled her eyes. "Is this how you try and make me feel bad? By listing my achievements?"
"Misery loves company," Chi-Chi said bitterly. "You didn't have anyone to take comfort in, so you had to take comfort in revenge! I, on the other hand, actually had people I loved aside from my husband!"
Sita stared at her, her face emotionless.
"I had a family!" Chi-Chi shouted, her own words giving her strength. "I missed Goku and wanted to be with him, but I was able take comfort in my family and friends! They were there for me when he was gone! I didn't take mope around or take pleasure in revenge; I went on living --- because of them! They helped me be strong!
"So who's the weaker one? You had to resort to killing other men to make yourself feel better! You didn't have anybody! Let me tell you something, you're not just weak, you're pathetic! And even you do kill, nothing is going to change th---"
Chi-Chi broke off as Sita kicked her hard in the face. It hurt, but she wasn't deterred. "I guess I've found your weakness!" she said triumphantly.
Sita forced a smile. "I guess you and I weren't as alike as I thought. You're of no use to me; nevertheless, you have given me something to do. Yes… why not? I've already killed your husband and I'm going to kill you, so why don't I finish the job?"
Chi-Chi's stomach sank. "What --- What do you mean?" she asked fearfully.
"Once I break out of Hell and into the living realm, I think I'll pay a little visit to Earth," Sita breathed. She took up her staff again. "Yes… I'll kill every single member of your beloved family. And don't even say that I'm no match for them, because with Goku's strength, I'm more than a match."
"No, you can't do that!" Chi-Chi cried frantically. "I won't let you!"
Sita snorted. "You can't stop me when you're destroyed. But before I do that, I think I should let you know that I'm going to what happened to Goku, and how you were responsible for it."
"There's no way they'll believe you!" Chi-Chi said furiously.
"They'll believe anything I tell them," Sita said smoothly. "Especially since I can be whoever I want to be."
As she said this, she changed back into the replica of Goku. "I'll tell them every single last detail," Sita-as-Goku hissed. "I'll make them hate you for what you've done to him…"
"You'll never get away with it!" Chi-Chi said incredulously. "They'll know that you aren't him!"
Sita changed back into her normal form. "I can imitate his ki," she said silkily. "No one would be the wiser."
"There are people in Other World who know what you've done!" Chi-Chi said quickly, thinking of King Kai and Baba. "They'll stop you!"
"Let them try," Sita said arrogantly. She raised her staff, shooting the blue and white flames at Chi-Chi's body once more.
This time, Chi-Chi was unable to hold back her screams. The flames attacked her already-weakened body. No more! she thought madly. Let it stop, I can't take it anymore! I can't do this! I'm not strong like Goku, Gohan, and Goten…
"Take as much time dying as you like," Sita sneered, raising her voice so that it could be heard over the screams. "I'm in no hurry. Too bad you won't be able to warn your family of what's going to come. For what it's worth they'll be joining you soon…"
It seemed as though all hope was lost. Thanks to Sita's paralyzing spell, there was nowhere for Chi-Chi to escape from the severe pain. She gasped for air, her vision steadily going hazy. After everything that she went through, she was going to die --- again!
I'm sorry, Goku, she thought miserably. I tried. I really tried…
To be continued…
Mujitsu: Goku gave his energy so that she could get away, but close enough. I will not confirm his fate. You'll just have to wait and see what happens. No, I don't have any new ideas at the moment.
Caryl Mc: I'm glad I stirred those emotions in you :) Yeah, I did feel sad about doing that to Goku. He's my favorite character and I love him, only you usually have to torture the favorite character in fanfics.
VidelChan313: I'm glad; this is my first DBZ fanfic that I've written action scenes, and I wasn't sure if I could do it right. You trust me? Well, you're in the minority ;)
Lady Gwenlian: I hope you did well on your theory exam!
Carrie2sky: My Internet's been on and off this week too. It's irritating, but we're getting it fixed next Monday. No, I'm not collaborating with Sadako, but I do think that we both delight in torturing Goku, which has gotten Chi-Chi looking over our backs. Chi-Chi is smart. She had to have been to home-school Gohan during his childhood, which I'm certain that he did, since he didn't attend school until he was a teenager in the Buu saga. Sita, a hellcat? That's a new one. LOL!
I won't tell: Friends had a semi-sad ending, seeing as how everyone left the apartment and the foosball table was torn down, but still a happy ending. Oh, that reminds me, Angel is ending this week! Everything's ending… what am I going to watch on the WB aside from Smallville (which I'm sure is ending next year since the show is running out of original plots and is becoming a ridiculous cross between Dawson's Creek and Roswell)?
Jessica C: Things can always get worse. No, this isn't an angst fic in general, although there's much more angst fic to come. ::laughs evilly::
Misao: It seems like Misai's beginning to come around, doesn't it? I like Goku too, which is surprising because of everything I've put him through. If this keep up, Chi-Chi won't let me anywhere near him…
Lady Athena X: Isn't Finding Nemo great? Yep, it's right up there with Aladdin, Shrek, The Lion King, and Beauty and the Beast, and all the other Disney and Pixar collaborations. Too bad Pixar doesn't work with Disney anymore, because most Disney cartoons these days aren't that good :( Marlin did remind me greatly of Chi-Chi because she worries about her family and was a little overprotective of them. Remember what she was like up until the Cell Saga. Goku reminds me of Dory, because Dory was naïve and happy-go-lucky. I've seen a little bit of Inuyasha, but I never can catch the whole show. That monk guy (forgot his name) reminds me of Roshi, except Roshi never asked a woman to bear his child. ::shudders:: Gross! I bet you hate Sita even more now that she's torturing Chi-Chi. If I may quote Eric Cartman, Sita's a Super King Kamehameha biach!
Lady Thundera: More bittersweet moments in the next chapter. Giving up his life for others is something that Goku's done all his life, since those are the ways that he died. I put in Sita-as-Goku during the transformation scene so that people wouldn't get confused, though it is clear that Goku would never, EVER say all those horrible things. I think highly of Goku, as you can see. Tee hee. Sita is a bad girl, all right. She and Frieza would make a pretty gruesome team, but Sita works alone.
Candy: I don't know if this chapter made you happier, but I updated!