Chi-Chi's Journey
Part Three: Relaxing and an Admirer
Chi-Chi watched the sun rise from her hotel balcony. She checked in last night to a luxurious suite. It had a lovely sitting room, a large, spacious bathroom with a Jacuzzi, and a huge king size bed. It was the finest hotel room she had ever been in. It was like a small apartment.
Though jet-lagged, Chi-Chi wasn't sleepy. She got up by habit near dawn and watched the sunrise over the beach. The light colors of yellow and orange overshadowing the darker sky as the sun began to rise over the ocean waters. She couldn't help but remember to a time where in the early days of her marriage she and Goku got up to see the sun rise. During those times, they would talk about anything and everything and planned their day together.
"I wonder if I should start painting again," Chi-Chi thought aloud for no particular reason. When she was younger, Chi-Chi had a fondness for painting, but like many things in her childhood, she forgot about it when she married.
'Come on, Chi-Chi. Think happy thoughts. Now is not a time to be sad. Listen to Bulma for once and think of yourself. Think about you. Hmm, well that's kind of hard since I've been taking care of others my whole life.' A determined look crossed Chi-Chi's face. 'I'm going to do it.'
Chi-Chi went to take a hot bath in the Jacuzzi. She loved the bubbles massaging her body and the rose scented smell of the water. She never had a hot bath by herself before. Every time she tried, Goku would jump in with her. She never complained though. The thought of what happened each time Goku jumped in the bath with her brought a blush to her face.
She emerged from the bath and ordered room service. It was nice to have someone cook for her and for it to be extremely good. Her husband and sons tried to cook for Chi-Chi on her birthdays, but that was always a disaster and she would end up cleaning the kitchen while Goku left to train by himself, Gohan studied and Goten would go to Trunks house.
After her breakfast, Chi-Chi decided to walk around the island and see what was out there instead of staying cooped up in her hotel room. She put on the outfit Bulma had picked out. It was button down, red halter dress that fell to her mid calf. The back was out and the last two buttons were loose. She put on some red sandals, grabbed her purse and was out the door.
Chi-Chi spent two hours window-shopping. By late morning, she stopped by a shop to get something to drink. She sat in the outdoor café and watched the people walk by. She saw many couples walking by, looking to be in love with each other and frowned. She wished she and Goku were like that. She long to just walk by his side on a warm day like today, holding hands, talking about anything and everything. Those days were gone. Goku wasn't coming back anytime soon.
A waiter came by and placed a drink before Chi-Chi. She looked at him confused. "I didn't order anything."
"It's from the gentleman at the bar."
Chi-Chi looked back and saw a man at the bar smiling at her. He was a little older than her. His salt and pepper hair attest to that, but he was still in good shape for someone his age, nicely built in just shorts and a tropical shirt. He had silver gray eyes and was handsome.
Chi-Chi turned her attention back to the waiter. "No, thank you. Take it back."
The waiter put the glass on the tray and walked off.
Chi-Chi looked back out at the people walking by. 'I wonder how Gohan and Goten are doing. Stop thinking about others, Chi-Chi. You're suppose to think about yourself.'
"Is this seat taken?"
Chi-Chi looked up and saw the man at the bar standing at the empty seat across from her. He was tall, nearly as tall as Goku. 'Might as well tell him I'm not interested.' "Have a seat."
The man sat down. "Thank you. I take it that the drink isn't to your liking."
"I don't take drink from strangers," Chi-Chi told him.
The man smiled. "Good idea. You can't tell how people are these days. I just saw you finished with your drink and thought that I'd send you a refill. I'm Sotoru by the way."
"Hello, Sotoru."
"Aren't you going to give me your name?" Sotoru asked casually.
"I don't give my name to strangers," Chi-Chi replied back smartly.
"Ah, I see." He smiled slyly at her. "I won't be a stranger if you get to know me."
"I don't want to get to know you," Chi-Chi shot back coldly.
Sotoru merely smiled, despite the cold brush. "Let me guess. You're here with your boyfriend."
The comment caught Chi-Chi off guard that she laughed. "Don't you think I'm too old to have a boyfriend?"
"Not at all. You're beautiful and you're aging gracefully," Sotoru complimented.
Chi-Chi nearly rolled her eyes. 'What a pathetic charmer.'
"You're not married," Sotoru stated matter factly.
"What makes you say that?" Chi-Chi asked.
Sotoru raised his right hand and wiggled his fingers. "No wedding ring."
Oh, right. Chi-Chi never did have a wedding ring. She and Goku couldn't afford one and Goku couldn't hold onto a ring if he had one anyway. It would get destroyed in his training or when he's fighting beings threatening the planet. It saddened her that she never had a ring, something to represent Goku's love for her. Chi-Chi then scolded herself for such foolishness. She didn't need a ring to show Goku's love. She had him. Well, not now since he wasn't there anymore. Chi-Chi frowned. This vacation was getting more and more depressing by the minute.
"I'm sorry," Sotoru said sympathetically.
Chi-Chi looked at the man. "Excuse me?"
"You're a widower, aren't you? And very recent I presume. I'm one myself for ten years now. It's not easy at first. Believe me, I know. I took it hard when my wife died that I drowned myself in my work that I almost killed myself with it." He saw Chi-Chi slightly confused and unbutton the first three buttons of his shirt. There was a mark on his chest where it looked as if surgery has taken place.
"Heart attack eight years ago. Almost died but it was a definite wakeup call. I realized I wanted to live not die. I had children after all. They lost a mother. They didn't need to lose a father, so I got better, sold my business to my eldest child and retired. Never been more relaxed in my life." He smiled happily then looked at Chi-Chi sympathetically.
"The first months or even a year is rough but you'll get through it. You don't have to tell me what happened. Your sadness is all over your face."
All over her face? Great, she was losing her touch. Normally, Chi-Chi could hide her feelings in public and let it loose in private. She saw Sotoru holding a napkin before her. Now she was crying. She quietly took it and blotted the tears out.
"I'm sorry. I have to go," Chi-Chi said quickly rising from her seat and rushing back to her hotel room. She collapsed on her bed crying herself to sleep. Chi-Chi wasn't sure why she started to cry. She knew she wasn't a widow, but not being with her husband for the past fifteen months, she certainly felt like one.
When she awakened, Chi-Chi tried to relax and focus on that by ordering a masseuse. It was one of the best massages she had ever gotten. She was feeling her weary muscles soothe and relax under the gentle ministrations of the masseuse. Somehow that triggered memories of her past. She closed her eyes and thought back to when she got her best massage—from Goku.
**Chi-Chi groaned as she came into the house rubbing her lower back. "Goku, you're bath is ready."
"Thanks, Chi-Chi!" Goku said cheerfully. He saw Chi-Chi rubbing her back. "Hey, are you all right?"
"My back's a little sore from getting that barrel ready. I'm gonna go lie down. Take your bath, Goku," Chi-Chi said and went upstairs.
Goku frowned thoughtfully and went to take his bath. Chi-Chi took a quick shower, put on a nightgown and lied down on the bed on her stomach and closed her eyes. A few minutes later she heard footsteps and knew it was Goku.
She felt him get on the bed, his legs straddled hers. Chi-Chi wondered what Goku was doing. She felt him push her hair back from her neck and placed a kiss upon it. He placed his hands on the straps of her gown and tugged it down to her waist. If he was in the mood, she wasn't up for it, but then again she wasn't telling him to stop either.
She sighed feeling his warm hands massaging her shoulders and slowly working its way down to her lower back. His touch was light and soft.
"Oh, that feels good," Chi-Chi moaned.
Goku massaged even more gently as he got to her lower back where the pain was.
"Oh, Goku. That's great. Don't stop."
Goku smirked and formed a small ki in his hands and continued to work gently at her lower back. Chi-Chi giggled at the tickling sensations on her back that Goku's ki were giving off.
"Do you like it?" Goku asked.
"Yes," Chi-Chi moaned.
"Do you want me to stop?"
"No!" Chi-Chi shouted and thought. "Wait a second. I'm getting a strange déjà vu here. Didn't we have this conversation before?"
Goku leaned forward and tugged her ear innocently with his teeth. "I think it was a month ago, remember?"
Chi-Chi thought for a moment and blushed as she remembered what had happened a month ago. "Oh…that. I remember now." She laughed as Goku tickled her. "Goku, stop!" She laughed and her hips pushed up as Goku continued to tickled her.
Goku pushed her hips back down on the bed. "Don't tempt me."
Chi-Chi blushed again. "Well, don't tickle me. You know I'm ticklish there."**
Chi-Chi smiled at the memory. She remembered she didn't mind making love to him that night either after Goku got rid of the pain in her back. They had some good times together she noted. Goku wasn't always so naïve.
The next day, Chi-Chi decided to really get started on enjoying herself. As she toured the island some more, she bought some painting supplies, took pictures, relaxed at the beach and even took in a few hula lessons. Over the next few days, Chi-Chi decided to go hand gliding.
'If Goku can fly, I can certainly hand glide. I really should have gotten him to teach me how to fly.'
She was standing on the high edge of the mountain with the other students. Below were the rocks and sands of the beach where she and the other students will land after they took off the mountain.
She watched as the student before her leap off the cliff. He glided well as the wind caught him in an updraft. She watch him land safely on the ground. The instructor looked at Chi-Chi for she was next.
"Okay, here goes." 'If I fall, I can always call on Nimbus' Chi-Chi thought. She took off the cliff and caught the first updraft. She went up into the air.
"Wow," Chi-Chi said amazed as she felt herself floating in the wind. "This is amazing." She relished the air flowing through her hair and laughed amazed at the joyful feeling of almost flying. "I wonder if Goku feels this way when he flies." She remembered back when she first married Goku how they would go flying on Nimbus or fly in his arms. She loved flying in his arms the most. She always felt safe there.
Another gust of wind blew by and she went upward again. She laughed blissfully at the feel of gliding in the wind. It was fun and made Chi-Chi wished she could fly. She maneuvered the glider to help her make a bumpy but safe landing.
"Excellent job for a beginner," her instructor told her once all the students safely landed.
"Thank
you," Chi-Chi managed to say.
"You seem to know how to glide in the air, how to catch the wind and use it to your advantage. Have you had previous lessons?"
"No, this is my first one," Chi-Chi said. Flying with Goku helped her learn to control herself with the wind. 'If I told you I went flying with my husband, you might faint,' Chi-Chi thought to herself.
After her lesson, Chi-Chi decided to go back into the city and get her hair fixed for a party. That morning before she left the hotel for her hand gliding lessons, she was handed a flyer about a party in the hotel that was starting at nine that night and decided to attend.
She put on a red floral print dress that just made it to her knees and was sleeveless. With her hair fixed up in a roll with curls on the side of her hair and makeup, she looked younger. Being on the island made her feel different. She felt lighter and more excited about doing fun things that she thought were dangerous like hand gliding, scuba diving, and the planned skydiving lesson she had for tomorrow. She realized it was because she was finally begin to relax and let loose a little. Well, as much as a traditional, conservative woman like Chi-Chi would. She smiled at her look and headed down for the party.
It was lively. People were talking, dancing, laughing, and having a good time. Though dressed for a party, Chi-Chi couldn't help but feel a little out of place. However, she was determined to have a good time. Chi-Chi sat at an empty table, ordered a few nonalcoholic drinks and watched the people danced. She preferred to watch than dance herself.
"I was hoping I'd see you again."
Chi-Chi looked up and saw Sotoru, the man she met a week ago. "Oh, hello."
Sotoru sat down. "You look great, better than before. Did you get a makeover?"
Chi-Chi just couldn't help but think of Goku when he said that. Goku didn't think she needed to wear so much makeup or tons of perfume. He thought she looked and smell pretty when she wore little or no makeup at all. He always liked her natural scent than when she wore perfume. He told Chi-Chi her scent was sweet and comfortable.
Chi-Chi ignored that thought and smiled at Sotoru. "Somewhat. I've decided to pamper myself."
"You never did before?" Sotoru asked as he sat down.
"No, I was busy taking care of my husband and kids."
"I see," Sotoru said taking that in. "How do you like the party?"
Chi-Chi looked around at the dancing people. "It's very lively."
"Then why don't you get on the dance floor?"
Chi-Chi laughed. "I'm a horrible dancer. The last time I really got on the floor, I threw my back out."
"How about something simple then," Sotoru said as he left his seat. Chi-Chi saw him talk to the dj. Chi-Chi wondered what he was up to. He walked back to Chi-Chi's table and the conga song began to play.
People, who were sitting at the tables or already on the dance floor, formed a line to do the conga. Sotoru stood in front of Chi-Chi with his hand held out. "How about it?"
"Uh, no. I can't. I—Whoa!" Chi-Chi shrieked as she was pulled out of her chair and onto the dance floor. Now she was on the floor, she had no choice but to join in. She had never did the conga before so she followed how the person before her was doing it. She eventually caught on and began laughing as she found the dance fun.
"How is it?" Sotoru asked. Chi-Chi wasn't aware he was behind her until he spoke.
"It's not bad," she yelled over her shoulder. Once the conga was over, Sotoru took Chi-Chi's hands and showed her some island dances. They were fast pace and after a few missteps Chi-Chi was getting the hang of it and liked it a lot. After the fast dances, the dance floor was cleared so guests could participate in the limbo. Chi-Chi laughed and cheered as she saw many people tried to limbo. Some fail as they fell on the floor as they went too low or touched the stick. Some succeeded as they request the stick to be brought lower and was able to bend their body back.
"Want to give it a try? You seem agile," Sotoru said.
Chi-Chi looked at him surprised. "What makes you say that?"
"Your arms and legs are muscular yet feminine. Plus you're in great shape. I think you can do it," Sotoru explained. "How about it?!" Sotoru asked the crowd. "Do you think this lovely woman can do the limbo?!"
The people started cheering. Chi-Chi shook her head trying to get out of it but the crowd cheered louder trying to get Chi-Chi on the floor. Sotoru gently pushed Chi-Chi on the floor. She saw two men putting a long stick on a bar. It came up to above her breasts. The crowd was cheering her on to go for it.
Chi-Chi shook her head. "I can't believe I'm doing this. I hope I don't put my back out. It's been a while." Chi-Chi looked at the stick again. Chi-Chi moved her hand to indicate she will got lower. The men moved the stick below her breasts. Chi-Chi waved it to be lower. They moved it to where it met her stomach. Chi-Chi moved her hand again. This time the stick was at her upper thigh. Chi-Chi took in a deep breath and moved her hand again. The stick was lowered to where her knees met.
The crowd was impressed Chi-Chi was going to limbo that low, and they cheered her on. Chi-Chi started a little dance and slowly lowered her body to go below the stick. The crowd continued to cheer as Chi-Chi got lower and lower. Chi-Chi slowly eased her body below the stick without touching and rose successfully once it was done. The group cheered. They weren't too sure she could do it. They knew she wasn't that young but she knew wasn't that old either.
Two young muscled men picked Chi-Chi up by her arms causing her to yelp and yell in surprise as they placed her on the bar. The people clapped and cheered at Chi-Chi for accomplishing her limbo. Sotoru handed Chi-Chi an island drink, which she gratefully took it and swallowed it in a quick gulp.
"Wow. I didn't think you were that limber. You must be in great shape," Sotoru complimented.
Chi-Chi laughed. "Actually, I haven't done that in a long time. I didn't think I could still do it." The last time she tried it was when she married Goku. She wanted to play a game to see who were more limber they were and so they had a limbo tournament in their home. Chi-Chi won since she didn't have as much muscles as Goku and didn't knock the broom down like he did.
Chi-Chi saw that Sotoru had placed a hand on hers and the feeling was wrong to her. She pulled it away and decided to move the conversation to another topic. "How is it that you get service fast?"
"Owning the building and having a child who runs it, comes to the advantage."
Chi-Chi almost spit out her drink. "You own this hotel?"
"This one and several others on the Iiawah islands. Don't let the shorts and tropical shirt fool you. I used to be a shrew businessman before I retired." He smiled at her. "Still think of me as a stranger?"
"A rich stranger, but a nice one," Chi-Chi told him smiling. Chi-Chi looked at
her watch and noticed it was getting late. She didn't know she had spent three
hours at the party. It was past one in the morning and the party was still
going on. She decided it was time for her to go back to her hotel room.
She hopped off the bar and set her glass down. "I think it's time I retire. I think I should let the young people to continue to party. Thanks for the drink. Good night."
"Would you like me to walk you back to your room?" He saw the death glare Chi-Chi gave him. "I'm not trying to get to your room. I'm just being a gentleman and want to make sure you get to your room all right."
Chi-Chi's expression softened. "Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself." 'I've been doing that for years.' Chi-Chi started to leave some money for the drink but Sotoru said it was covered. "It's nice to see that there are some gentleman left."
"We're a dying breed," Sotoru joked.
Chi-Chi nodded. "Well, good night, Sotoru."
"Can this stranger have your name?"
Chi-Chi looked back and smiled. "It's Chi-Chi," Chi-Chi said and left. As Chi-Chi went back to her room, smiling, she realized she had a good time tonight. She dropped her purse off on the sofa in the sitting room and head for her bedroom. Chi-Chi walked to the balcony of her room and saw the crescent moon in the clear sky. For some reason, she thought of her husband.
'Goku…I wonder what you are doing now.'
****
Goku stepped out of the bathroom, groaning and clutching his stomach. "Oh, man, I feel terrible. First itching for a week and now this."
He collapsed on his bed. The tea Uub's mother gave him to soothe his diarrhea didn't work just like the herbs to stop Goku's odd itches didn't work. Because of Goku's weird problems, his training with Uub was halted for the time being. He couldn't fight because he was itchy all the time and when he started to train the boy his diarrhea would take affect. It all started with that Spirit Bomb. He hadn't a clue where it came from.
Goku groaned as he felt his body acting up again and retreated to the bathroom. When he emerged ten minutes later, he fell on the bed again. "Oh," he groaned. "I wish Chi-Chi was here."
To Be Continued
Part Four: A Husband Return's
AN: And the Goku bashing continues. Hee. Hee. I'm referring to the reviews. I don't know why but I'm laughing at it.
Tonz82: It was abrupt but that's the way Goku is. I think your reaction to Goku leaving was everyone's reaction. Goku can never say no to a challenge. He always loves testing himself.
Lady Athena: You guys are so nice to review. The least I can do is reply back. I don't think Chi-Chi ever forgot her martial art skills. Even after she married, she was able to handle herself. She threw Gohan's tutor out when he insulted Goku and she trained Goten.
GD: Now you know how I am with Goku and Chi-Chi so you already know what will happen between Chi-Chi and the admirer. You hate your own Daddy? Shame on you, GD! Hee. Hee. You know I have to space out my stories and not post them too soon. I haven't finished with this one. Right now, I'm on the conversation between Goku and Chi-Chi.
Dojin: Thanks and continue keeping your husband in check. Hee. Hee.
Tenshi-Chan: Hey, no apologies needed except for me because I think I misinterpreted you. Sorry. I know who you are referring to and it's no big deal. I think I may be able to convince some that Goku does love his wife and he's not stupid, but I doubt if I will convince everyone who reads this. Continue expressing your opinion all you want.
Polka Dot: I think they forgotten all about that incident when they were thinking of a wish.
VegetaGokuLover: Hee. Hee. ChiChi may be old but she'll never forget her martial arts. Goku leaving at the end was really the first time I got mad at him. The other times I weren't and I understood his actions immediately. I think I'm cursed like ChiChi—we both can't stay made at Goku for long. Thanks for the compliment on the characterization. I try. Goku and ChiChi are difficult to read at times, but after watching the series since the beginning in '98, I think I understand their actions and plus they are fun to write about.
Sorceress Fujin: Thanks. Did you enjoy this chapter?
LadyRogue007: Thanks. She may be getting older but she can still fight! I don't think anyone expected that wish! Hee. Hee. I told you all I was having a little too much fun with this story.
