The Ox Princess scoffed. Did this earthling officer, probably no higher than a captain, threaten her? Did the other kingdoms truly not know that the ruling Ox Family was half-breed extraterrestrials? Did they not know the reason the Ox Kingdom and Chai, herself, maintained sovereignty for so long? Sure, bloodline put her on the throne, but it was her sister's own spirit ablaze that kept her there. Chai could not be tempered nor contained - unfortunately for Captain Cavalier here, that was something both sisters had in common.
'A princess would make a wonderful hostage.' Pah! Rubbish!
"As would an officer," Tsuchi replied, turning to the taller woman.
"As if," the woman said then stopped several feet away. "Any one of you that would like to gather her for me?"
Another soldier stepped forward. This one relatively young looking. Younger than either of her older siblings. The demi hesitated for just a moment as he walked towards her, mace in hand, then she shot through him just as easily as his comrade.
The officer now sighed. "But of course." She gestured with both hands, starting them with one below and the other towards the side of her face then drew the higher one down into a curved spiral while the other ran upward in a reverse checkmark, ending with both together in a "v".
The trio suddenly started forward, feeling the weight of their gi's.
"Futago-chan," Goten called over. "I feel weaker."
"Me too…" Trunks-kun agreed.
"That's quite a trick you have," the princess spat at the officer.
The girl began to remove the weighted wristbands from her arms, as well as the belt, hoping her over shirt would stay tucked. Should I try to remove the undershirt?
"Ki removal. Many in the Rat Kingdom know the technique. Evens out the fight, don't you agree?"
"You don't seem to fight fair, picking on toddlers and grannies!" the twin boy cried.
"Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" the other boy challenged.
The boys similarly unweighted themselves, including shoes and boots. Tsuchi followed suit, doing away with the shirt as well. She blushed at how much she revealed, showing off her green sports bra for just a few moments then quickly pulling the top of her gi back on. Losing the extra thirty pounds would be worth it.
"Oh? Are you two going to help the princess on her little crusade?" the officer cooed.
"Duh," Trunks replied as the three backed against each other in a triangle.
The officer then looked around at her underlings. "Any ten of you should do."
As ordered, ten soldiers stepped forward in a semi-circle, hosting a variety of weapons.
"And drop your weapons. I would prefer a little show," she continued.
Again, her subordinates followed orders without question, thinking nothing of tossing aside blades and guns.
A soldier came at Tsuchi, his kick high in the air. She hooked her arm around his thigh and tossed him away into soldiers too cowardly to fight. Simultaneously, Trunks leapt and kicked another in the face. There was a slight cracking sound as bones broke and that soldier flew backwards. Goten blocked one that came at his side then pivoted swiftly to punch another in the side of the head.
Another traded blocks and blows with Tsuchi until she caught the female with a chop at the side of the neck, turning towards another for a similar exchange. Her twin, to her right, dislocated a soldier at the shoulder, but when he wouldn't go down, a hit to the face put him down. One soldier got back up with a fist, and Trunks broke his arm when the soldier charged.
Tsuchi elbowed one in the center of the back, hearing the solar plexus snap on the other side of his chest, then rolled away from a soldier that tried to kick her from behind, her friend grabbing that soldier's leg and driving an elbow into his knee. Goten high kicked another soldier under her chin.
The three pushed back together, breathing just a little heavier. All of the opposing soldiers were down, some still conscious - or alive - enough to whimper in pain. To her dismay, she could feel the effort in her muscles, but saiya-jin physiology must have been working in their favor. Naturally, they were still a good deal stronger and faster.
"Amused?" Tsuchi snapped.
"1 million zeni to the soldier that captures the princess and her little comrades!"
The demi-saiya-jins were suddenly surrounded by sixty more soldiers.
"Bet I can take down more than either of you," Trunks-kun grinned.
"Care to load up that mp3 player?" the girl asked.
"Wanna give me another game?" Goten-kun replied, tail swishing momentarily.
"You're on!"
One soldier came at the Ox Princess. Five hits to the chest, and two to the face for good measure. She moved out of the way as another lept at her. Trunks punched one in the side and threw him forward then grabbed the extended arm of another to leverage his foot into the back of her knee. Goten palmstruck a soldier to the ground then delivered a series of punches to his chest and face. When the demi rose another came at him with a punch which he caught and punched that soldier in the face, knocking her back.
Tsuchi pulled one so that his arms were twisted behind his back before she kicked him forward by the hip. She thought she heard a vertebrae give but forgot as she ducked out of the way of another soldier before knowingly breaking his neck. Briefly, the princess wondered how well she would sleep tonight.
A female soldier about her age came at the demi, foot high and aimed at her head. Tsuchi flipped her onto her stomach hard. Trunks kicked one soldier in the back, sending them at another three, then turned and elbowed one that tried to lift from the ground, pushing them back into the earth. Again, bones broke. Goten similarly elbowed another in the back of the neck, then spun to punch a second soldier between her shoulder blades.
In a few more minutes, those soldiers were down as well. When the trio regrouped, they noticed that not only did the bodies pile up, but the commanding officer had fled.
Snivelling coward.
"You guys feel normal again?" Trunks-kun asked.
"Yeah," Goten-kun replied while Tsuchi nodded.
She was far more focused on the people here and what to do about these bodies. How was Chai-san doing? Surely she was having better luck, right?
"Are you alright?" she asked the civilians..
"Yeah! You saved us!"
"You're our hero, Your Highness!"
"Let's give it up for Our Princess!"
There was cheering and hooting and hollering, though no one came close enough to get near the bodies that surrounded the demi children. In the distance, Tsuchi could also feel that the fighting nearer the castle had also ceased. More people arrived, some civilians but most being soldiers. They stepped around the fallen to get to their loved ones and then the cries of victory became a mixed chorus of victory and sadness as reports of death on the side of the Ox Kingdom came in from the survivors. One lost her husband, leaving her with three children. Another lost his younger brother. One couple lost their only child - a brave daughter that fought. More similar stories were reported. The princess couldn't help but feel for the losses. She didn't rule yet and hadn't known many of these people long but pain and death were never things to ignore.
Chai's ki erupted again.
It felt as though she had gone Super, the air vibrating just slightly around them. Tsuchi had learned long ago that even from this distance, the saiya-jins were more sensitive to energy fluctuations than normal humans. The people here would not have even noticed a disturbance around them, or the distress of their monarch.
The female demi levitated in the air, finding purchase above the trees. She looked down at the boys who were following below her until they were all together again.
"We're getting in trouble, aren't we?" Goten-kun whined before the three of them flew towards the castle. They arrived within minutes.
What exactly happened here?
Where is the castle?
Everything was gone. If she hadn't spent countless days and nights there, she would not have even known the castle once stood. Where the dining room should have been, both fathers stood several feet away from an equally shocking sight. Chai was crying, her shoulders shaking as muffled sobbing rocked her body. Muffled because older Trunks was holding her as she wept. Rarely had Chai cried in Tsuchi's life. Never had she let a man hold her as she did so. Maybe Papa. Onee-chan had been holding back in her explanations.
"What happened?" Goten-kun asked.
Chai had stopped crying and pulled away from the young prince long enough to explain the civil war in the Rat Kingdom, the agreement between Matei and Rooibos, and the thousands now dead, including all but three members of court. Tsuchi thought her sister looked terrible, eyes so red that they didn't even look brown anymore.
"Can't you use the Dragonballs?" Trunks-san asked.
The young woman nodded her head, creating more distance between them as she stood. "Yeah but not for another eleven months. I have to get my people through until then."
"Did Matei really kill Yerba?" Tsuchi asked, tail dragging behind her.
"Yes." Chai looked her sister right in the face. "I killed him for it too."
Papa looked over suddenly. "Heya Basil! Isn't that my shirt?"
"Hello, m'Lord, and yes. Her Majesty left it when she took Archivist Cinna to the Medical Bay," the steward answered as he approached.
"I keep tellin' ya, 'Goku' is fine," the man chuckled.
Basil nodded, bowing to Tsuchi and Goten as he passed, then finally handing the article to Chai. The woman pulled the shirt back on, barely covering the sai strapped to her legs and regarded Basil with a coy smile, as though her face wasn't red and puffy from crying.
"Do you have good news for me?" Chai asked, her tail rewrapping around her waist.
"No, Your Majesty," Basil answered, evenly.
"Wonderful. Did the Rat Prince decide he's a bastard too? Is the Tiger Kingdom on their way here? Did a giant hole open up on the Earth? Perhaps the sky? I'm not picky at this point."
"No, Your Majesty."
"Oh, come now, Basil. I was hoping to go from shitastic to clusterfuck."
"With all due respect, M'Lady, are you done?"
"Did Godzilla rise up out of the sea?"
"No, thank Kami. However, I was hoping for some orders to move forward."
Chai-chan crossed her arms over her chest.
"You're literally no fun." She then turned to her sister once more. "Princess, what do you think?"
"Oh… What people and infrastructure do we have left? We shall start there." the girl turned to Chai for encouragement who simply nodded her head.
Basil nodded his understanding then glanced at both queen and princess.
"Send to both Duchess Chamomile and Prince Hibiscus to see if we can help each other out. Also, the Snake and Rooster Kingdoms. We are still on good terms with them. Report to me by nightfall, tomorrow," Chai concluded.
Basil bowed and left. Tsuchi sighed at the amount of work this would all take to fix. No amount of books, practice or lectures would have prepared her for all of this if she was the sitting queen. She glanced back over at Chai, who was still maintaining her image of Almighty Ox Queen. Still, she knew that nothing like this had ever happened during her sister's reign. In fact, the last time damage of this magnitude had occurred, it was the night before their parents wedding. Not only was the castle engulfed but several buildings. Only a few people had died, however, not an estimated quarter of the populace.
"Weren't you three told to stay behind?" Vegeta-san asked, suddenly turning to the trio.
They all froze, dropping their shoulders and lowering their heads.
"Aw, c'mon, Vegeta. It's not like there was any real danger here. And besides, didya really expect them to stay away from fighting? It's in their blood, after all," Papa pointed out.
Ojii-san turned to Papa. "I don't know how you raise your brats, Kakarrot and I don't particularly care!" He then looked directly at Trunks-kun, lowering his voice. "I, however, expect my son to listen to me."
"Sorry, Papa," the boy muttered, looking away.
"Go home now. I will deal with you when I get there," the saiya-jin growled.
The little prince simply nodded then took to the sky. Tsuchi watched, wondering how her friend would be dealt with. Sometimes Vegeta-san could be severe. Far more than Mama or Papa was with her and her siblings. The oldest saiya-jin then turned to his other son.
"You as well! We have a bit to discuss."
The time traveler stood as well.
"Otousan, what did I -"
"You think I don't see what you did!? Twelve years ago, Trunks, I told you not to -"
"I know what you said." The younger man's eyes darkened and a small scowl appeared. Tsuchi had seen her friend angry often enough to recognize the expression on his future self. He was much calmer though than this timeline's version would have been. "So are you going to make good on your promise to beat me bloody for disobeying you?"
"No, boy. As usual, you're a glutton for punishment and what you're doing to both of you is enough," Vegeta-san sneered.
A pained look appeared on Chai-chan's face. She suddenly looked no different than she did when the little hybrids first came across them. Trunks-san shifted just enough to be in front of the queen. It wasn't obvious. He wasn't blocking the path to her body, necessarily, but the motion was a touch possessive. Tsuchi wondered if Onee-chan also noticed it.
"I'm not -" he began.
"You are." Vegeta then took to the sky. "I had better see you at the house."
17 Years Ago
No running away.
That was what she and Gohan-kun had agreed on. Of course, that was before Piccolo-san died. Before Krillin-san and Gohan-kun were both beaten pretty harshly by Nappa. And what did Chai do? Talked some smack and got thrown into some rocks.
What good did I think I was going to do?
The past year, besides mourning and trying to stay out of Oka-san's way, Chai spent most of her time reading so that she could rule, and doing her best at blueprinting the new castle. Ox Ojii-san had rebuilt what parts of the village had been damaged and helped out the people that suffered losses, both personal and financial. In actuality, those things were more important, thus why they weren't left to her. And she knew that if any changes needed to be made to the design to the castle, if she forgot anything, or put something in a not-great place, then Ojii-san would take care of it, but she still wanted to do her best.
So if that had been her focus, not preparing for the coming threat, then why did she think she would be helpful? Chai knew in the back of her mind what it was. She missed her brother and father. She was impatient to see them. It was selfish, and she put herself in harm's way, not thinking of the damage her presence would do to others. If she trained though...
Could I make time to train? Would Oka-san allow that?
She had roughly seven years before she would be expected to take the throne. In that time, she needed to be well-educated in all of the Twelve Kingdoms, including the history of her own; etiquette, diplomacy, warfare, domestic and foreign affairs, economics, infrastructure, and so much else.
It was also suggested that she be well versed in weapons-smithing, as that was one of the Ox Kingdom's primary forms of income, and farming. They still grew mostly their own crops in order to keep trading simple and imports low.
And a husband. In two years, Chai would be visiting with the kingdoms to meet with the local princes. Among them, she was to choose a husband. Of course, if a hero turned up that was the caliber of her father, then he was also a viable candidate.
When Papa met Mama, they were both very young teenagers, and he'd saved the Ox Kingdom a few times. He also defeated the Red Ribbon Army before the age of 15. No prince of the Twelve Kingdoms could have held a candle to Papa's accomplishments, and so when Mama set her sights on him, Grandpa was more than happy to approve their marriage.
What would I look for in a husband? Do I even want to marry?
Chai touched down on Turtle Island and waved Kinto Un off. She could still feel Otou-san's ki from here. He was amazing. Sure, the man wasn't always on top of things, and had to have a lot explained to him, but he loved them and he was ultimately a good person. He was the most powerful man on Earth and used all of that power to protect. He was a warrior with a heart of gold.
Would that be too much to ask for?
Inside of Muten-Roshi-sama's, everyone was still there from earlier, gathered around a large crystal ball. It was the size of Roshi's television and nearby was a short woman dressed as a witch, crying for everyone to be careful with her crystal ball.
"Did you see that!? Goku just took that blast head-on!" Oolong exclaimed.
Oh no!
"He's… he's untouched. He's flying upwards!" Ojii-san pointed out!
"Go, Goku! Go! Show them who's boss!" Oba-san shouted, swinging her fights around.
Chai smiled. Maybe things would go well.
"Hello," the girl said, closing the door behind her.
Chi-Chi started up towards her daughter immediately.
"And where have you been, young lady!?" Chi-Chi demanded. She crossed her arms over her chest, glaring down at the princess.
"I went to where Gohan-kun was fighting," the girl answered.
She looked her mother in the face as she did so.
Rule 1 of being queen: You always look others in the face, even if you are scared. Even if you are ashamed. Oddly, she wasn't ashamed of her actions, nor was she that afraid of Oka-san's wrath. For the moment, at least.
"Explains why that dress is so.. so filthy!" Chi-Chi exclaimed. The woman then got on her knees and began turning Chai this way and that, examining her daughter from head to toes. "Yo-you're not hurt are you?" She couldn't hide the tearfulness in her voice.
That made Chai feel a little ashamed. She was honestly sore all over, especially where Nappa had grabbed her tail.
"No, Mama. And Gohan-kun is okay too. Papa gave him a magickal -"
"I- " her mother sniffled but tried to look impassive otherwise. "I know your father's back."
The girl nodded eagerly and her mother fell to pieces around her, gripping her little girl and crying loudly. "Goku-sa! Goku-sa! And Chai-chan, you're okay! And gohan-chan will be okay! Your Papa will protect him!"
Chai couldn't move her arms. They were pinned to her sides by her delirious mother but she wrapped her tail around her mama's back and tapped comfortingly on her shoulder. "Yes, Oka-san. Otou-san will protect Gohan."
We can be a family again.
"That… that little guy told the big guy to step aside!" Puar cried out.
"That Vegeta guy just killed his own comrade!" Oolong shouted.
Disgust passed over Chai's face. Yeah, that sounded about right.
"He seems very powerful," Roshi nodded. "Goku might have a tough time with this one."
Chi-Chi began up with a start and rushed over to the crystal ball, shaking it violently for such a petite woman. Roshi, the witch, and Ojii-san were trying to get her to put the ball down while Bulma, Puar, and Oolong fled the immediate area.
"Goku-sa! You better destroy him! Destroy him for trying to hurt our babies! Do you hear me, Goku!?" Chi-Chi screamed at the glass.
"Now you listen here!" the witch shrilled suddenly. "You put my crystal ball down and treat it with some respect or it and I are out of here, and you won't be able to watch the fight!"
Chi-Chi turned towards the woman, still holding the ball in her hands like an oversized laundry basket. Even over their shouting, Chai could hear her Papa telling Krillin and Gohan to leave so they wouldn't get hurt too. She wondered if they were also coming to Turtle Island. She also heard Krillin advise Otou-san to fight Vegeta elsewhere in order to preserve the bodies.
"No, you look here, Uranai Baba! That is MY Goku fighting to save all of us, and I will watch him win!"
"Now, Chi-Chi, dear. It's not unreasonable to ask that you put it down. What if you drop it!?" the Ox King, offered.
"Dad, I am NOT going to -"
The earth shook suddenly, jerking to and fro. Chai could feel the ki that was causing it. Vegeta. With power like that, the bastard truly was the Prince of All Saiya-jins, as he claimed.
Chai fled forward as the crystal ball slipped from her mother's arms, holding her own outstretched. She caught it easily and held it firmly, even as the Earth shook. It ceased as quickly as it came and everyone stared down at her, mouths agape.
The girl got an eyeful of her dad and Vegeta fighting. Her Papa was in midair, his shirt ruined and a wound already bleeding from his head and chest. Vegeta appeared untouched and smug. Papa… Could anyone else see this?
"Say, Baba, how much does that thing weigh?" Muten Roshi asked, rubbing his chin.
"About 50 pounds I think."
She heard her Papa shout something about "Kaio-ken times three" then watched in awe as Otou-san suddenly became larger and bulkier. He glowed red.
"Goku-san's power…" Bulma whispered, the scouter now on her head. "17,000… 19,000… 21,000…" She shrieked as it blew off her face and landed in pieces on the floor.
Maybe her father could win this.
How strong is Papa, exactly? How strong is Mama? Gohan?
How strong am I?
"50 pounds" Chai muttered, bouncing the ball slightly in her arms. Baba's eyes got wide as she did so. "It feels like nothing." She then held it out in one hand and bounced it again, forcing the fortuneteller to rush over and telekinetically snatch it from the girl with a frown.
"Hmmm. Goku was also very strong as a child. I guess it should be no surprise." Roshi added.
Chai set it down carefully on the ground as her grandfather hummed behind her. Everyone seemed to calm down and come closer to observe the fight again.
"Say, does anyone know where Launch is?" Bulma asked.
"She took off to follow Tenshinhan. She was very fond of the young man, both sides. I wonder if he was able to handle her, he-he," Roshi recalled.
"I wonder if she knows," Bulma mused, sadly.
The ball suddenly glowed, going from red to blue to red and back. It crackled with electricity, so hot it emitted all over the house, blowing up lamps, the television. From within her father screamed words she'd rarely heard.
"Ka! Me! Ha! Me! HAAAAA!"
And with that, the energy from the ball lashed out. Everyone dove away from it, sure it was going to blow up. Mother and daughter held each other, both shaking, both determined to take the most damage if the ball did blow up. The crackling stopped suddenly and they both looked around. No shards of glass sticking out of furniture and the walls.
Slowly Chai crept from behind the couch. The crystal ball was still intact and it was no longer glowing. Roshi and Baba also came out from their hiding spots, followed by Bulma and Chi-Chi, then everyone else.
Muten Roshi-sama studied the ball, adjusting his glasses. "Now didn't I blow up the moon years ago?"
"The-the moon?!" Bulma exclaimed.
It was true. The moon glowed from within the crystal ball. And Vegeta was quickly becoming a large monkey, taller than the mountains. His canines grew large and his eyes glowed red. He could eat Otou-san if he wanted to! One tooth was the size of her father.
It was like watching a human hunt after a fly. Goku zipped around the giant ape, and although Vegeta kept missing him, he was doing a lot of damage to the mountains as he swiped after him. Quickly, Goku was running out of places to hide. How was he going to fight him?
He hopped to another mountaintop. Vegeta then suddenly smacked him to the ground where he wasn't moving.
If Vegeta turned into an ape at the full moon, why hasn't Papa? They're both Saiya-jins aren't they?
'Now, Chai-chan. Remember, you and Gohan-kun can't go outside when the moon is full.
Chai looked up from under her covers as her mother pulled the blinds tightly shut.
'But why, Mama?'
'Monsters come out, baby.'
"Ugh! Yajirobe! Why aren't you helping Son-kun!?" Bulma-san screamed, smacking the ball. It rolled across the house and Uranai Baba chased after it.
"Papa doesn't have a tail. Why doesn't Papa have a tail?" Chai asked.
"He used to," Roshi answered her. "I believe he said Kami pulled it out and got rid of it for good."
"Why?"
Roshi simply smiled and nodded at the ball as Baba brought it back to the group.
We're the monsters. We're the monsters under the full moon.
"All plants and animals and humans of the Earth! Lend me your ki!" Goku shouted from within the ball. They couldn't see anything, however.
"Everyone, raise your arms up and focus on Goku," Roshi instructed, setting down his staff to raise his own arms to the sky.
Chai did as instructed, thinking of Otou-san and all of the memories she had. She thought of how powerful he was. How safe he made her feel. How much she wanted him to win.
This. This I can do to help.
She smiled contentedly, losing herself in the exchange.
There was a sudden scream of pain from her father and the loss of ki vanished, leaving Chai feeling only weak. Another scream of pain erupted.
"PAPA!" Chai screamed at the crystal ball. It was still blank.
She couldn't see.
She could only hear.
"DIE!" Vegeta screamed, then suddenly began screaming in pain.
What was going on!?
"Kakarott! How dare you scar my face!"
"Ha!" Chai laughed until she heard Otou-san's telltale screams of pain. "Papa!"
"Goku-sa! Goku-sa!" Chi-Chi screamed next to her.
"Do something!" Bulma screamed at Baba.
"If you hadn't hit it, we could see!" Baba yelled back.
They couldn't drown out the screams though. They were horrid. Worst than Piccolo's screams before he died. Chai now knew the difference between screams of dying and screams of being tortured.
"Feels like most of your bones broke just now, huh? Does it hurt?" Vegeta laughed in his deepened voice.
Her father simply wailed in response.
Chai fell to her knees sobbing.
Please make it stop. Somebody make it stop.
She stared over to the open window. That urge to go back returned to her.
She couldn't make it stop though. What could she do?
The screaming stopped. Did… did he… ?
"You're just in time," Vegeta laughed suddenly. "He was about to die."
Who is he talking to?
There was a sudden battle cry.
Krillin?
Vegeta laughed again. "You guys were mistaken to have challenged me to battle!"
"Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop!"
Gohan-kun…
"What's wrong? Too afraid to move?"
Not again. Kami above, not again.
"GOHAN! YOU MOVE! YOU MOVE DAMN YOU!" Chai erupted.
Vegeta suddenly screamed out in pain, the voice slowly going from booming to a normal-sized man's voice. Or a short man's voice.
"Why.. why you!? You want to die so badly?!" the Prince cried out.
"Gohan! Get out of there!" Krillin-san cried.
There were grunts and sounds of battle. Fists hitting flesh. Kicks landing. Boulders being broken. She was surprised at how she could suddenly identify different noises.
" Is that the best you can do?" Vegeta snidely said. Gohan suddenly cried out. "I guess the son of scum is scum as well!"
"There!" Baba cried out and an image killed the ball. Vegeta, holding a limp Gohan-kun by the shirt. The man was smiling as bruises slowly became clearer on Gohan's flesh.
There were hisses and groans all around her as everyone took in the scene.
"You… you evil... " Chai sputtered.
"How awful," Oba-san looked away.
Mama was strangely silent.
"How can he be so cruel to a child!?" Roshi exclaimed.
Chai crawled in front of Chi-Chi, waving her hand in the woman's face.
"Oka-san? Did you faint? Mama?"
Chi-Chi's hand slowly came up and gripped Chai's wrist. It wasn't enough to hurt, but it made her stop.
"Fight," the woman whispered. "Fight."
Chai slowly loosened her hand from her mother as an angry look came over Chi-Chi's face.
"Fight! Gohan! Fight!"
The princess scooted away in a crab-like fashion as Chi-Chi got to her feet, voice becoming shrill. "Avenge your father's death Gohan! FIGHT!"
In her frenzy, she kicked the crystal ball away. Uranai Baba ran after it once again, but at least this time they didn't lose the image.
"Fight… hmmm… Perhaps, Muten Roshi-sama, you would take on Chai-chan?" Ojii-san suggested.
Chai looked up with glee in her eyes. Sure, the Turtle Hermit was a bit of pervert, but he wouldn't try that with a student would he? Besides, her mother would kill him if he did try anything.
"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!?" Chi-Chi screamed, planting down her feet.
The girl's heart sunk at the second syllable.
"Now, Chi-Chi, dear!" he put his hands up defensively. "It would simply make sense for Chai to know Turtle Style and you're busy with the house, and Goku-san is..."
Baba got the ball back to them.
"No, Dad! Absolutely not! Chai-chan will learn to rule and that is it! It is not necessary for her to learn to fight!"
"But Chi-Chi, even you know how to fight," Bulma-san pointed out.
Chai shook her head, as much as she appreciated Bulma even ticking up for her, it was pointless. If Oka-san said "no" then "no" it was. And if she wasn't trained, she couldn't fight, and if she couldn't fight then she'd never be able to help if something like this happened again.
"Exactly," the woman nodded, proudly. "Between Goku-sa and myself, Chai-chan does not need to learn how to fight. Even gohan-chan could protect her, if need be."
Father and son were now side by side on the ground. Papa was alive. He was talking quietly to Gohan-kun.
"What did Piccolo teach you? I'm counting on you, Gohan" Otou-san whispered.
Suddenly Vegeta was on the man. He kicked him away from Gohan then began kicking him in the side repeatedly. That horrible screaming began again.
"No," Chai said, suddenly. "He couldn't."
"Now, Chai-chan!" her mother began.
"You weren't there mom!" Tears were now coming down the girl's face. "A blast was coming straight for Gohan and he wouldn't move! I tried to move him and I couldn't! He pushed me away! Piccolo took it for him! Piccolo died!"
"You hated Piccolo so much, Mama! Said he was such a monster! He didn't seem like a monster to me! Does a monster die for Otouto-san?!"
Chi-Chi crouched in front of her daughter, pulling her closer as the girl continued to wail.
Inside the ball, Gohan was being beaten bloody by Vegeta as the saiya-jin used both fists to pound the boy into the Earth. Sure, he was fighting now. Now when it was too late.
"You see!? You see how much Gohan can defend!? And me?! I could do nothing! Nothing! I was useless! Ten-san died! Krillin got beaten up! Gohan took hits to defend me!"
After a few more moments Chai's crying came to a halt. She simply sniffled and whimpered into her mother's shoulder.
Gohan was back on his feet. He was bloody and heaving but he was fighting. Immense pride welled in the girl's chest.
"Let me learn to fight, Mama."
"I can't, Chai-chan. I can't! What if you go to fight and don't come back?!"
"But you're encouraging Gohan to fight! And he can't take Vegeta!"
"He-he… Gohan-chan…" Chi-Chi began shaking suddenly as well. Now it was the daughter's turn to hold her mother as she cried.
"They vanished!" Roshi shouted.
Chi-Chi and Chai looked up, dark watery eyes staring in the crystal ball. They heard Gohan shout out a Kamehameha. Chai's heart turned upwards. She didn't even know her baby brother learned that. The hit missed but he was holding up, fighting with everything in them.
"Where's Krillin?" Bulma asked.
"You didn't see?" Roshi answered.
There was a blinding light as Vegeta released multiple blows at the demi saiyai-jin. It was smoky and bright. Small eruptions went off and Vegeta laughed.
"Think you can get away?"
That must mean he didn't hit -
Gohan screamed. His ki was still there though. He was still alive. The smoke cleared inside the ball and they were faced with Vegeta charging at a kneeling Gohan.
"AHHHHHH!" Krillin shouted. "HIT HIM!"
Vegeta stopped, and stared behind him as a large blue blast came at him. The man ducked and but where it went they couldn't see. Instead, they watched as a crack formed in the ball. It spread slowly over Gohan's image as he looked up in fear, then shattered.
Chai stared down at the pieces and her broken image stared back. She carefully fingered at the glass, even tried sharing her ki with it like she did for the genki dama but it did nothing. It was just glass.
"How could my crystal ball crack!?" Uranai Baba cried. The witch then suddenly began to frantically piece it together as though it were a thousand piece puzzle rather than a large glass sphere.
"G-Gohan-chan," Chi-Chi whimpered.
Roshi-sama sighed, shaking his head. "That was the Genki Dama Goku created earlier. He gave what remained of it to Krillin, and the boy missed."
Chai could still feel the blast. It had a unique sense - it was everything and nothing. She felt Gohan's ki rise then she felt as Vegeta's ki rapidly began to decline as well as the energy of the blast. Did it hit him? Did they bounce it back somehow?
The atmosphere calmed. Uranai, miraculously, was holding the ball together with her hands and magic, awaiting Roshi-sama to return with glue.
Glue…? Are you serious?! The secret to divine balls is cow marrow?
"Baba!" Chi-Chi rushed to the woman, gripping her dress and allowing the ball to shatter once more. "Please! Show me Gohan-chan!"
And of course my mother is the bane.
"Chi-Chi, stop!" Ojii-san shouted. "How would we get to him anyways?!"
The woman then stopped suddenly, turning to stare at her father with understanding.
"I'll take you, Chi-Chi, and you Chai!" Oba-san offered. "I have an airship!"
Everyone had loaded up, including a fat, white cat called Karin-sama. He had arrived moments after Bulma offered to fly them there. It was large and sleek, big enough to fit 20 people.
They were silent as the ship took to the air but Chai couldn't hold in her question any longer. She wasn't leaving this alone.
"Mama, please let me train," she softly asked.
"Chai-chan. Please. Put fighting out of your head," Chi-Chi firmly answered.
I can't.
"Okay, Mama."