Here's chapter 4! Thanks to CARO, Rawrzx3, DarkReina, dropout-ninja, RoyalBlueRoses and Guest for reviewing chapter 3.
Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or any of its characters, Akira Toriyama does!
A/N: I'm taking the liberty of having Chi-Chi own a phone. This is a fanfic.
...
Chi-Chi hummed a little tune as she gathered a few vegetables from her small garden to prepare for supper. The brunette leaned forward to pull a stubborn carrot from the dark fertile earth. As she did so the Ox-princess stepped into a small hole. Her right foot bent at an awkward angle and she fell to the ground.
"Just great!" Chi-Chi groaned as she eased her rapidly swelling foot from the hole obviously left by a gopher or other pest. She tried to stand but failed.
'How am I going to cook when I can't even stand up?' she wondered.
A fearsome roar resounded and heavy approaching footsteps made it apparent to the mother of Gohan that she had a far greater problem to deal with than her injured foot. One of the huge dinosaurs that roamed the forest was bearing down on her and no doubt it fully intended for her to be its next meal.
Turles was stacking another pile of wood for the outdoor tub when he heard the ear-splitting roar followed by a feminine scream. The log fell from his hands as the Saiyan took to to the sky. One of the huge reptiles that usually kept to the forest was evidently planning to feast on Kakarot's mate.
"Not today lizard!" Turles snarled.
A ki-blast wasn't even worth attempting as they merely bounced off the armored hide of some of the gargantuan beasts. Chi-Chi watched as "Goku" landed on the dinosaur's neck and began to force it to one side. Due to sheer size, the creature lost its balance and broke its own neck. Turles stepped away from the lifeless reptile and looked over the Earth female. The condition of the woman's right foot made it clear that she wouldn't be putting weight on it anytime soon.
"Let's get you to the house," the brigand sighed.
He sucked in his breath as she threw her arms around his neck. Her silken hair and soft skin brushed against his left cheek. It took everything in him not to nuzzle her neck as he breathed in her scent. Scooping her up in his arms Turles took to the skies once more as he carried Chi-Chi to her home.
The Saiyan pirate entered the dwelling and gently set the woman down on what Gohan called a 'couch.' After informing her that her foot was badly sprained not broken Turles immediately put some distance between them.
"I can't just lie here. I have to make supper!" Chi-Chi protested.
"You will stay off of that foot!"
"But Goku you can't even cook!"
"I'm sure we can fend for ourselves!" Turles snorted.
Gohan had previously entered the room and had taken in the entire interaction between the two adults.
"I guess I'll go make some sandwiches," the demi-Saiyan said forlornly. He'd so looked forward to one of his mom's usual delicious meals.
"She's getting a hot meal NOT those 'sand' things!"
"SANDWICHES!" Gohan pressed.
"I could care less if witches initially prepared them!"
Gohan and Chi-Chi stared blankly at each other.
...
Turles gave the 'stove' an irritated glance. He had no idea how to prepare food with the Earth contraption. Food preparation was not an unknown task to him as the lower level Saiyans were apt to be expected to prepare camp sites and the meals for the higher ranks when missions involved a lengthy stay on the doomed planets they purged in Frieza's service. A dubious Gohan watched as Turles took some of the meat from the recently slain dinosaur and a few of the vegetables his mother had gathered and walked outside with a large pot tucked under his arm.
Gohan sniffed the air appreciatively as the contents of the pot were soon merrily boiling away over the fire his 'dad' had set.
"That smells DELICIOUS!"
"A simple stew that will suffice for now!" Turles huffed. He would much rather have something prepared by the brat's mother. But he was pleased that Gohan appreciated his meager offering for the evening meal.
Chi-Chi had fallen asleep out of pure boredom being forced to stay lying on the couch instead of keeping up with her usual household duties. She sat up a bit being careful not to bump her injury. A most appetizing smell had awakened her. Her eyes grew round as she took in the sight of Gohan carrying a tray up to her with a bowl, spoon and a glass of the lemonade she made earlier in the day. A heavenly scent wafted from the bowl. Tentatively taking a bite, the raven-haired woman sighed in utter pleasure. Goku had cooked this?
"Pretty good huh, Mom? Never thought Dad could cook like this."
Gohan rushed over to answer the ringing phone.
"Hey Gohan!"
"Oh hi Krillin! Mom got hurt today and..." the phone immediately went dead. The puzzled youngster shrugged his shoulders and placed the phone back on the receiver.
"CHI-CHI'S BEEN HURT!" Krillin shouted.
"I KNEW IT!" Piccolo bellowed.
"We tried to warn her!" Tien sighed.
"You sure did!" Chiatzou commented.
"We've gotta save Chi-Chi!" Yamcha fumed.
The Z-fighters flew to Mount Paozu at top speed...
...
Gohan answered a loud knock on the door and was surprised to see his father's friends burst into the door as if they were looking for a fight. A dumbfounded Piccolo rushed in first to find Chi-Chi resting comfortably on her couch.
"Gohan! You said your mother was hurt!" the confused Namek protested.
"That's what you told me!" Krillin added.
"She was!" a flustered Gohan insisted.
"Let me handle this Gohan!" Chi-Chi declared.
The Z-fighters listened in disbelief as a beaming Chi-Chi explained to them how her "Goku" had gallantly saved her from a hungry dinosaur, tended her injury and even prepared a delicious meal. She even added how he'd recently surprised her with a spotless kitchen.
"My sweet Goku's just spoiling me!"
Krillin and Yamcha eyed each other nervously. Maybe Piccolo and Tien were right to be suspicious. Although both of them certainly held Goku in high regard, this "Goku" didn't sound at all like the one they were familiar with. The dinosaur rescue was plausible but from there...
"Chi-Chi, this might be difficult to hear but we have reason to believe that Goku IS NOT Goku!" Piccolo stated.
Chi-Chi tittered at the very suggestion.
"Piccolo, I know my own husband!"
"We need to go see Bulma!" Krillin whispered.
"Yeah!" Yamcha agreed.
.
Turles sat on the porch holding a glass of a citrus beverage the spawn of Kakarot called 'lemonade.' The sweet-tart taste of the liquid had quickly became a favorite. A maelstrom of emotions whirled within the confused Saiyan. Kakarot rarely made his presence known now. It seemed that Turles had effectively blocked him from his thoughts for the time being. Though he had fought it with ever fiber of his existence, Turles grudgingly admitted that he had developed a very real emotional tie to the pair of humans he presently resided with. How could he not have?
The child was bright, obedient and eager to please. And the woman...the planet marauder let out a ragged sigh. Not only was she visually appealing but she possessed an utter sweetness about her despite her often sharp tongue and quick temper. Saiyan men appreciated fiery women it was in their very nature. And to complicate things further the meals crafted by the Earth female were simply heaven on a plate. What Saiyan wouldn't consider that utter bliss?
Turles snickered as he recalled his total embarrassment when he was enjoying the outdoor bathing facilities and the female had boldly come up behind him and proceeded to scrub his back as if it were a usual thing for her. Truth be told he hadn't actually minded as he was without a tail at the moment to handle the task. But the semi-intimate contact had thoughts cross his mind which were inappropriate to even consider about another Saiyan's mate...
...
The Z-fighters had gathered at Capsule Corps to inform Bulma of the strange behavior Goku was exhibiting.
"It's weird. I mean Goku's roasted a fish or two but that's about it for "cooking" far as I know. Now he's gonna fix the meals until Chi-Chi gets over her sprain?" Krillin commented.
"And cleaning up the kitchen on his own? GOKU? Seriously?" Yamcha cut in.
"I sense something inherently evil about whoever that is claiming to be "Goku", Tien said gravely.
"I've felt the same thing, " Piccolo mused.
The Z-fighters further discussed other actions that just didn't "fit" Goku.
Bulma sat at her desk and pursed her lips, "Well the "Goku" you all are describing certainly doesn't sound like the Goku we all know and love. But are you sure it's not just Goku trying to be more responsible? And if he isn't "Goku" who else could he possibly be?"
"Turles!" Tien and Piccolo echoed.
The heiress gasped, " That monster?"
After thinking a moment Bulma shook her head, "I don't know about this. I mean wouldn't Chi-Chi know if the man in her house wasn't her husband?"
"He all but challenged me to prove he wasn't Goku!" Piccolo growled.
"Maybe I should pay Chi-Chi a visit. If you and Tien are right about this then Chi-Chi and Gohan could be in very real danger, " Bulma said worriedly.
"Turles is up to something I just know it!" the Namek pressed...
...
Until the next chapter!
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