For the Love of ChiChi
Part Six
Goku awakened several hours later feeling well rested and warm. He sat up and saw a fire in front of him still burning and a large fish cooked over the fire. He looked around and saw his clothes were gone. Where were they? Goku looked down and saw he was still covered in ChiChi's blue top. He also noticed his neck had ChiChi's sash around it. ChiChi must've used it as a scarf for Goku to keep him warm. Where was ChiChi? She was no where in the cave and Goku didn't like that. He wanted her near him.
"ChiChi? ChiChi?"
"Good morning, Goku."
Goku looked back and saw ChiChi entering the cave holding some fruits in her arms. She placed them before Goku as she sat next to him. "I got us some food while you slept. How are you feeling?"
"Better but hungry."
ChiChi smiled. "I guess that's good timing on me then."
It was then Goku noticed that the only covering for her top was her bra. ChiChi was outside in the cold snow wearing that?
"Weren't you cold outside, ChiChi?"
"No. When I woke up and went outside, the snow was gone. It feels like spring out there. It must be Mara's doing."
"She must be a sorceress to change the weather like that," Goku said stuffing some bananas in his mouth. He looked at the blue top he had covering him. "Do you want this back?"
"No, I'm okay. You need to warm up."
"But I'm already warm," Goku said as he was about to remove it and hand it to ChiChi.
"No!" She stopped him. "You're, um, still naked under that and your clothes aren't dry yet. I have them hanging outside on the branches."
"I don't care if you see me naked. That reminds me. You said you would see me naked on our wedding night yesterday. Why?"
ChiChi felt the blush on her cheeks. "Well, Goku, on our wedding night, we will consummate our marriage." She saw Goku with a blank expression on his face. "Well, it means that you and I will make love." No, that wasn't working either. "We um, do a lot of kissing and touching. We're supposed to like it."
"Are you naked then, too?"
ChiChi's blush deepened. "Yes, Goku."
"Then why do you feel so shy about seeing me naked?" Goku asked. "I'm going to see you naked and I don't think it's a big deal."
"Well, Goku, I've never seen a naked man before and I've never been naked in front of anyone. Only you are supposed to see me naked," ChiChi explained, hoping Goku would understand.
"Why don't you do it now and get it over with?"
ChiChi could feel her cheeks turning red. How could he be so innocent she asked herself. "Maybe another time."
"Okay," Goku said. "Well, I'm hungry." He resumed eating and the conversation was forgotten.
After they ate their fruits, ChiChi killed the fire and removed the cook fish. Together she and Goku ate the fish along with the fruit ChiChi gathered. Afterwards, ChiChi got Goku's clothes and the two dressed; ChiChi had her back to Goku as he dressed.
As they started to leave, Goku suddenly kissed ChiChi. ChiChi was taken back by the kiss, but easily gave in. She slowly found her arms around his neck. She wondered what had happened to cause Goku to kiss her. When Goku pulled back, ChiChi was still puzzled but flattered.
"Why did you kiss me?"
"I felt like kissing you so I did." Goku cocked his head to the side puzzled. "I thought you said I didn't have to ask for a kiss but do it if it feels right."
"It is. I was just surprised you did kiss me. You were so uncomfortable with me whenever I came close to you, I didn't expect the kiss."
"Well, I'm not uncomfortable with you now. Let's go."
ChiChi smiled. Goku was starting to get attached to her. Something good was happening on this adventure after all. "All right." ChiChi latched an arm around Goku and the two walked around the forest looking for a way out.
The two walked around the forest for an hour going nowhere. During this, ChiChi thought about her father. "Oh, I hope my father is all right. With the poison working in on him so fast, he could be near death now."
"Don't talk like that, ChiChi," Goku said. "If he dies, I can revive him by finding the dragon balls."
"I hope it doesn't come to that, Goku," ChiChi said.
Goku stopped in his walking causing ChiChi to do the same. He looked as if he was concentrating on something. ChiChi looked around trying to find what Goku was directing his attention to, but she didn't find anything.
"Goku, what's the matter?" ChiChi asked.
"Can't you hear it?" Goku whispered.
"Hear what?" ChiChi whispered back.
"There's a hissing noise. Listen. It sounds like a snake."
"A snake?" ChiChi said worried.
ChiChi became quiet as she concentrated on listening for the hissing sound. A few moments passed before she heard a hissing noise. It did sound like a snake. ChiChi tightened her arm around Goku's.
The hissing grew louder and louder as it got closer to the couple. ChiChi became more worried. "The snake is getting closer, Goku."
Goku could sense it as well. He stood in front of ChiChi. "Stay behind me," he warned.
The hissing grew louder and louder until it suddenly appeared in front of them knocking back the trees with its great strength. ChiChi and Goku looked on surprised at the large anaconda towering over them.
"I didn't know snakes were this big!" Goku said and pushed ChiChi back.
Just as he did so, the anaconda wrapped himself around Goku, squeezing him tightly in an attempt to break Goku's bones and get him in his mouth.
"Goku!" ChiChi screamed out as she stepped toward him to help.
"ChiChi, stay back!" Goku ordered. "I'll handle him!"
ChiChi did as Goku said, stepping back from Goku and the anaconda. She leaned back against a tree and it magically turned into a cobra, wrapping itself around ChiChi. ChiChi screamed and struggled against the snake but her cry was unheard as Goku dealt with the anaconda. The cobra silenced ChiChi by biting into the flesh of her arm.
Meanwhile Goku struggled out of the anaconda's grasp. The more Goku struggled, the more the anaconda squeezed Goku. He screamed out but grunted as he was able to break out of the snake's grasp. As Goku freed himself, the anaconda proceed to swallow Goku whole. Goku stopped that as his feet and one of his hands held the snake's mouth open so it wouldn't close in on him. Goku created a Kamehameha Wave with his free hand and fired it in the snake's mouth. Goku flew back as the snake's entire body burned from the Kamehameha Wave.
Goku landed happy with his success of the defeating the snake and the smell of cooked snake. It would make a tasty snack. He turned around to check on ChiChi and saw her slumped on the ground unconscious with a cobra wrapped around her.
"ChiChi!" Goku rushed to ChiChi and snatched the snake by the neck and pulling it out of ChiChi's grasp. The cobra only smiled wickedly before turning into a large tree bark. Goku tossed the bark aside and went to ChiChi's side.
Goku gently lifted ChiChi off the ground and saw bite marks all over her arms. "ChiChi, please wake up. Say something."
ChiChi's eyes slowly opened but it was glazed over. "Go..ku?"
Goku smiled. "Hey, you're alive."
"I think a snake bit me," ChiChi said weakly.
"It did. I need to find an antidote."
"Where?" ChiChi asked as her vision of Goku blurred.
"I don't know but I'll find it, ChiChi. I promise," Goku said seriously. "And I always follow my promises just like my promise to marry you."
ChiChi smiled slowly at Goku before she closed her eyes, drifting off to unconsciousness.
"ChiChi? ChiChi!" Goku cried holding her. "Just hold on. I'll find that antidote for you."
Evil laughter was heard and it came from above as Mara's image appeared in the sky. "Only I have the antidote."
"Then give it to me so I can save ChiChi," Goku requested.
"No," Mara answered.
"Why not?" Goku asked growing impatient.
"Because you've haven't showed me what I want to see."
"What is it that you want to see?" Goku asked.
"Like you would know."
ChiChi groaned in pain as the poisoning was taken affect. Goku looked back at her worried and then back at Mara angry. It was upsetting to Goku that he could save ChiChi but Mara was too stubborn to give the antidote because she didn't see what she wanted in Goku. "I'm tired of your stupid games! ChiChi is dying! She's going to die if she doesn't get the antidote!"
Mara snorted. "Ask me if I care."
Goku growled angrily and his fists clenched in anger. He looked up at Mara, eyes glazed as steel full of anger.
"How dare you do this to her?!" Goku roared angrily. "ChiChi has done nothing to you! All she wanted was to cure her father from his poison and you won't grant her that! You think you're so tough with all your magic!" he gently placed ChiChi on the ground gently and stood up facing the sky bravely. "Well, fight me and when I win, you'll cure ChiChi!"
"What makes you think you will win?" Mara asked.
"I will not let ChiChi die!" Goku said seriously.
Mara carefully studied Goku. He was so angry with her. Mara focused on his eyes. She saw how intense they were. They seem so different since the last time she looked at them. She searched on into Goku's eyes and into his heart and gasped as she found what she was looking for.
"I'll be…" Mara couldn't believe she see that in Goku and so soon. She snapped her fingers and the scene changed around Goku and ChiChi back in the foyer of Mara's castle. Mara still stood on her staircase. She pointed a finger at ChiChi and she glowed. Goku watched as the bite wounds on ChiChi's arms heal as if it was never there.
Goku was at ChiChi's side as she awakened. Her eyes fluttered before it focused on Goku. "Goku?"
Goku smiled down at her as he helped ChiChi sit up. "How do you feel?"
"A lot better. What happened?"
"Mara cured you."
ChiChi looked at the old woman puzzled. "Why?"
"Because I saw what I wanted to see. In both of you, there is a strong love inside waiting to burst out. Forgive me for what I've done," the old woman requested, "but I had to see for myself. I was once in love but the man I thought I loved me betrayed me and I've become bitter and my own bitterness has prevented me from leaving this world since I haven't found peace. My own powers and love for him blinded me from seeing the truth in his heart."
"Wait," ChiChi said as things began to come together in her mind. "You're that young queen Baba was talking about?"
"That was a long time ago and bitterness and hatred I've had for the feeling love killed my youth and my chance to leave this world, but you two have proven to me that deep, true love does exist. Keep true to yourselves and each other and you will surely make it. There will be obstacles in the years ahead that will test your love, but have faith in the love you share and you can withstand anything."
The Jeras flower appeared before Mara and she gave it to ChiChi. "Take this to save your father and thank you for helping me."
"Thank you," ChiChi said gratefully holding the flower as it was the most precious thing to her.
Mara smiled as she faded away. The whole foyer began fading away around Goku and ChiChi into nothing. When it was over, Goku and ChiChi found themselves outside in the gardens where Mara's castle once stood.
"We're outside?" Goku said looking around puzzled.
"Her spirit must have wondered here all this time, waiting for someone to free her," ChiChi guessed. She looked at the flower in her hands. "Now that we helped her, we must help my Dad."
"Right. Nimbus!" Goku called.
Nimbus landed before them. Goku put ChiChi on Nimbus and the two flew off. ChiChi held onto Goku excited as she and Goku were flying to her home with a mission accomplished. They got the flower to save her father and they had grown closer. ChiChi knew Goku didn't love her but she did know, thanks to Mara, the feelings of love was there and will open soon enough when Goku realized he loves her.
Still, ChiChi wondered in the back of her mind what Mara meant about obstacles she and Goku would have to face.
'Whatever it is, Goku and I can face it.'
It was just after sunrise the next morning when Goku and ChiChi returned. After Nimbus dropped Goku and ChiChi off at the castle, Goku and ChiChi raced in the castle happily of what they accomplished and knowing everything was going to be all right. ChiChi held onto the flower tightly as she ran to her father's room laughing excitedly as she got closer to the doors.
"Dad! Dad! I'm back!" ChiChi yelled as she and Goku headed for the doors of her father's room. "I've got the flower!" ChiChi said and opened the door. She nearly froze at what she saw.
Ox King was sitting up in bed happily eating. He looked completely healthy. His face wasn't pale. His eyes full of life, his cheeks rosy. Besides, Ox King beside was Takashi, but ChiChi didn't care about that. Her father was alive! She rushed to his bedside and hugged him. "Papa? Papa, you're well again!"
Ox King embraced his daughter. "Yes, I am and it's all thanks to Takashi."
"Takashi?" ChiChi said surprised and looked at the man on the other side of the bed. "How could he?"
"He went hunting for the Jeras flower, he found it and gave it to the doctor to heal me," Ox King explained.
ChiChi was still confused. "How could you, Takashi? Fortune Teller Baba told us the flower was on the other side of the world. Where did you find yours?"
"I tracked down a renowned horticulturist and he had one so he gave it to me," Takashi lied. "It was a good thing I found him when I did. I arrived back a day ago where Ox King was on his last leg and the doctor was able to administer the medicine."
"I just recovered and I'm slowly getting my energy back, but the doctor promised a full recovery," Ox King explained.
ChiChi hugged her father again. "Oh, that's great."
"Well, I guess it doesn't matter that we got the flower, too since the Ox King is well again," Goku said making conversation.
Ox King looked at the new stranger in the room. He stared at him as if he had seen him before. His eyes widen as he recognized the young man. "Goku? Goku, is that you?"
"Yeah. Wow. You're the first person besides ChiChi to recognize me. Everyone else had trouble believing it was me," Goku said impressed.
Ox King laughed joyously. "You're certainly Goku. Who else has that wild mop of hair or that power pole," Ox King said happily. "So what brings you here?"
"I've come to marry ChiChi," Goku said wrapping an arm around ChiChi's shoulders. ChiChi happily leaned against him.
"Marry?" Ox King questioned.
"Yes, Dad. Remember you promising Goku to me as children that we'll get married." ChiChi looked at Goku smiling. "Now it's time."
Ox King smiled. "Oh, yes, of course. So, Goku you remembered and came back to marry my daughter?"
"Actually, I forgot all about ChiChi until she came to the tournament to find me and remind me of my promise to marry her," Goku admitted.
Ox King looked disappointed. "You didn't come for my daughter? She had to find you and remind you of the promise to marriage? You forgot all about her?"
Goku didn't noticed the disappointed tone in Ox King's voice. "Well, yeah, but I remember and I'm going to own up to my promise to marry her."
"That's the reason you want to marry my daughter--because of that promise?" Ox King asked.
"Well, yeah," Goku said. "I always follow on my promise."
Ox King didn't like this. He didn't want Goku to marry his daughter because of a promise. He wanted to marry her for love. "Do you love my daughter at all?"
Goku thought quietly for a moment before answering. "No," Goku said slowly. "I've only known her for a few days and I don't understand all about what love is but I do like her. I'm sure I can love her. I like hanging around her. I like kissing her."
ChiChi blushed at the compliment while Takashi gritted his teeth in anger.
He's sure he can love her? Ox King really didn't like Goku's answer to that question. "Can you at least provide for her? Do you have a home? Money?"
"No, not a home. Ever since I left my grandpa's home, I've been living with other people, or in the woods and anywhere else I make a home for."
He's a nomad! There's no way I will allow my daughter to have a life like that.
Goku continued on answering Ox King's question. "As for money, no. I have no need for it. Why would I need it? I can get my own food and I'm fine with the clothes I wear. I don't get why people make such a big deal over money."
That was it. Ox King had heard enough. There was no way he was going to allow this man, no boy, marry his daughter. Ox King looked over at her daughter who was smiling happily as she stared at Goku like a naive young woman.
"Goku, I'm sorry, but you're not marrying my daughter."
Takashi held back a smile while ChiChi looked outrage and Goku was confused.
"Papa, no!" ChiChi cried. "How could you say that?"
"ChiChi, Goku doesn't have a home or money. He can't provide for you and what's worst, he doesn't even love you. He only likes you. How can you possible consider marrying a man like him?"
"I love him, Dad! He makes me happy. Isn't that enough?"
"ChiChi, you're so young and innocent. You don't know the hardships that lies for you if you marry Goku."
"I don't care! I want to be with him! Papa, don't do this," ChiChi begged as she knelt at her father's bedside. "Please don't refuse Goku."
"I'm sorry ChiChi, but I must do this. Goku isn't the right person for you, but Takashi is."
ChiChi looked at Takashi horrified. "No!"
Goku just stood there puzzled. Takashi was going to marry ChiChi and not him? So what if he didn't have the things Ox King wanted, what does that have to do with him not marrying ChiChi? He made his promise and he was going to honor it. "But I want to marry, ChiChi," Goku said.
"Son, you don't understand what marriage is."
"Sure I do. ChiChi told me. She said we will be living and doing things together."
Ox King shook his head at Goku's naivety. He wasn't sure how he could make Goku understand. "It's more than that and you're just not ready, but Takashi is. He even saved my life," Ox King pointed out unaware of how that comment hurt his daughter. "I owe him and he has been asking for ChiChi's hand for some time. He does love ChiChi and can provide for her. It is by my decree that ChiChi will marry Takashi."
"No!" ChiChi screamed.
Ox King looked at his daughter sternly. "That's my final word on the matter, ChiChi and you will obey it."
"What about me?" Goku asked.
Ox King looked at the young man. "I'm sorry you came all this way for nothing, Goku, but I can't allow you to marry ChiChi. I will grant you this last day to be together but after that, you will no longer be allowed to stay, hence you interfere in the upcoming marriage of my daughter and her fiancé."
ChiChi tried desperately to think of something. It couldn't be over between her and Goku. Not like this. "But Goku and I are married, Dad."
Takashi looked outrage and he rose from his seat angrily. "What?! That's impossible!"
"It's true!" ChiChi argued. "At the tournament when Goku proposed to me and I said yes we were married right then and there!"
Takashi frowned. ChiChi was right about that. It was an old fashioned tradition in their society and it was still acceptable even now after official weddings became the norm.
"It doesn't count," Ox King interrupted. "That was only by word of mouth. You didn't have an official ceremony and my daughter will have an official ceremony. Now, if there are anymore interruptions, I decree that we get this marriage arranged as soon as possible."
"But father," ChiChi argued.
Ox King shook his head. "I won't allow anymore interruptions. Now say goodbye to Goku."
ChiChi looked at Goku with tears in her eyes. She didn't want this. She didn't want to say goodbye to Goku. She loved him. ChiChi left her father and took Goku's hand. The two left the room together. As ChiChi lead Goku to her room to talk, she began forming an idea in her head. She wasn't going to let it end like this. She and Goku have been through so much and gone so far and risk their lives to save the Ox King and be married officially. It wasn't going to end now.
Upon entering ChiChi's room, ChiChi locked her door. She marched over to her sofa bed and rolled up her futon and comforter. "Goku, open up the top drawer of my chest. You'll find a case of capsules. Open up the capsules labeled 'Blue 7' and 'Yellow 9'."
Goku did what he was told and the capsules opened up to be a large storage boxes. ChiChi put the futon and comforter there. She then started going in her closet and tossing out her clothes and putting them in the boxes.
"ChiChi, what are you doing?" Goku asked.
"I'm packing," ChiChi answered.
"Where are you going?"
"With you."
"To where?"
"Anywhere you want to go. I'm going to stay with you." ChiChi walked over to her drawers, putting more of her clothes in the boxes as well as other things such as her knitting supplies and yarns. "I bought these capsules in preparation for when I move out and we get our own home. I didn't think I'd have to use it like this."
"You're not going to stay here?" Goku asked still confused on what ChiChi was doing.
"Why would I want to stay with my father after what he did?"
"But he's getting over his illness," Goku said.
"And that gives him the right to not allow me to marry the man I love?! How dare he do this to me after all I've done for him?!" ChiChi closed up one of the capsules. "I'll let my father cool down and think reasonably and when he does, he'll see I'm right and he's wrong and he'll let us marry officially."
ChiChi closed the other capsule and put it along with the pack of capsules in her purse. "We're going to need some money, Goku. I can get some from my Dad's treasury." ChiChi smiled as she realized something. "Hey, what about your tournament money? We could really use that."
"I didn't get it. After the tournament, I left."
"We can get that and… you really don't have a home?" ChiChi asked a bit worried about where they would stay.
"No."
"My Dad told me your grandpa was a bit of a hermit living out in the country. If it was just you two, it's probably too small for us, not to mention worn down since no one had lived there in years. We can buy a capsule home." She waved a hand as if dismissing the matter. "We can work that all out later. Let's go."
"Are you sure about this?" Goku asked.
"I've never been so sure about anything else in my life." ChiChi put on her cloak while Goku called for Nimbus. The cloud arrived outside ChiChi's balcony. Goku helped her on Nimbus and the two flew off.
To Be Continued