Jungle Boy

A Tarzan AU

Chapter 3: These Emotions I Never Knew

"Uh, do you mind?"

The fourth monkey man she met has extremely long hair, so much so that it covered his bare bottom unlike the others. He had Bardock's face, allowing Chi-Chi to guess that this one was Kakarot's brother. He was standing on the opposite side of the cave and it was a good thing she had noticed him before taking her top off. When he refused to turn around, Chi-Chi did a swirling motion with her finger.

"Turn aroooouuuund."

There was still no movement from him. Chi-Chi growled under her breath and gathered her belongings. She was prepared to find another spot to change her clothes, but Gine had stopped her. Kakarot's mom held up a finger as if to tell her to wait a minute. The human stifled her laughter as the brother was soon carried out by his ear.

Chi-Chi waited a good five minutes and scanned to the left and right of her at the cave's entrance to be sure the coast was clear. She slipped off her tank top and pulled down her shorts, both of which were getting disgustingly crunchy. She switched out of her undergarments a lot quicker than she did when she was in the privacy of her bedroom. It seemed like Gine was doing a good job of keeping the males away from her. She released a sigh before securing an orange skirt around her waist and a white tank top over her chest. Granted the outfit was a little classy for being out in the jungle, but she didn't think she'd end up being here this long.

Two nights had gone by.

Her father was probably simultaneously having a heart attack and putting together a search party at this very moment.

The princess smiled sadly as she bent down to put her dirty clothes inside two doubled up plastic bags and tightened it for good measure. As she placed the bag inside her backpack, she saw the photo of her as a baby sitting on her mother's lap with Ox standing proudly behind them. She removed and rubbed her father's face with her thumb. Her mother had passed a few months after this picture was taken and she couldn't remember anything about her, but she knew her dad loved the two of them more than anything in the entire world.

She gave the picture a tight squeeze before placing it safely inside her backpack. The reason she brought it with her along with other personal documents were just in case the jaguar mauled her to death. That beast clearly wasn't what was on top of the food chain in this jungle.

Chi-Chi emerged from the cave with her backpack attached to her, every part of her determined to make it back home today. It was going to be difficult to say goodbye to Kakarot, especially with the way he was looking at her right now. He had the biggest grin on his face. He was down below the rocks in the nests, just finishing up a game of 'guess-which-hand-the-rock-is-in' with some of the baby apes. She couldn't help but return the smile watching him crawl up to her. She began laughing when he spun her around with his hands on her waist.

Kakarot let go of her to rub the thin material of her skirt. The happy sounding noises he was making let her know he liked it. Chi-Chi blushed and placed a hand on his face. She used her other to hold his hand, and hoped that somehow this contact would help him understand. "Kakarot, I am so thankful to have met you and the fact you saved my life. You are unlike any guy I've ever met. But... I need to go home."

"Home?" Kakarot mocked her. He was putting the full weight of his head into her hand and looking at her like she was the best fruit on the tree he finished climbing. His hand was squeezing hers tightly back.

"Y-yes," Chi-Chi stuttered. He looked like a love sick puppy that was at her beck and call, which made her wonder what she looked like to him at this moment with her burning face and trembling body. "Home. I need to go home."

Would you like to come home with me?

Chi-Chi gasped at her own thought and released her hands from Kakarot. She was still as pink as ever as she pointed at the trees and used her arms to mimic vine swinging. "Can you take me back?" she used a thumb to point back at her backpack. "I'm ready."

Before she could blink, Kakarot was behind her removing her backpack. He dropped it harshly onto the rocks which caused her to wince remembering the framed photo was in there.

"Hey, Kakarot, what did I tell you about personal space?"

He was ignoring her and doing his best to figure out how to use the zipper. Once the bag opened up, he was flipping through the various items as if were trying to find something that he liked. He finally pulled out a green book with a dancing couple on the cover that Chi-Chi had nearly forgotten was in there. She watched as Kakarot traced the figures on the cover and then tilted his head curiously while looking at her for answers.

"Oh! They're dancing!" Chi-Chi smiled as sweetly as she could while Kakarot stood up from his crouched position. She placed one hand on the shoulder of her imaginary partner and then outstretched her other to hold his imaginary friend. She started swaying from side to side, looking the woman on the cover of the romance novel she read while on the drive to Mount Paozu. "See? Now I'm dancing!"

Kakarot's eyes lit up once more as he dropped to book so his hands could be free, but not before taking one last glance at the man on the cover. He surprised her by placing his hand on the small of her back and used his other to grab hers that was outstretched. The way he swayed and jumped around with her wasn't as calm as the ballroom dancing was for the couple in the book, but it still made Chi-Chi's heart swell with emotions like when she finished the story. Despite her legs feeling weak, the rest of her calm and centered. Something about him made her feel warm and cozy, like cuddling in her bed during a cold night.

The sound of apes clapping their hands in excitement as the sight filled her ears, and the two looked to their left to see the infants trying to copy their movements. They both laughed their own unique laugh, a universal language that couldn't be mistaken for anything else but pure joy.

Bardock shook his head at the sight of his son moving in such proximity to the human. They were so into each other that they didn't notice there were two pairs of eyes observing them. The father ran a hand through his messy hair. "This won't end well for him."

Gine rolled her eyes at her mate's negativity. That's all he ever was since the day Kakarot brought her here. Despite her husband's complaints, she sighed lovingly while looking at her son dance. "You seem to have forgotten what it's like to fall in love."

Bardock scoffed. His eyes had switched from the couple to the profile of Gine. "Don't be an idiot. That's not love."

The mother glanced in his direction after feeling his gaze on her. She placed a finger under his chin and scratched the rough skin gently. "You really have the nerve to judge your son on who he wants. I recall people being mad at you for wanting a mate weaker than you. Now you're the happiest man in the world. Just look at that smile you wear so nicely!"

The former warrior was fighting the corner of his lips from twitching upward. "Dammit!" he cursed when Gine laughed after he failed briefly to contain it. "Have I ever told you you're a pain in the ass?" He pulled her close to him and kissed the top of her head. They stayed connected to one another as they sat on the rocks to watch the teenagers.

Gine's tail was rubbing against her own back while she tapped her knuckles against the rock's surface. "I decided that I'm going to tell Kakarot about Planet Vegeta today. He really thinks he's a human."

Bardock looked down at her. "There's really no point when there's nothing left."

"I know, I know. But it's better for him to know your truth too instead of thinking you're just an asshole who hates outsiders."

"That's who I really am, though?"

He chuckled when Gine punched his shoulder lightly. The parents sat in silence for a little while longer to watch Chi-Chi interacting with the apes in their nests. They were investigating her hair for any snacks while the infants were fighting for a cuddle space in her lap. Kakarot had finally notice Bardock and Gine were watching and he gave them a wave. His mother was the only one who waved back while Bardock narrowed his eyes.

"I think I'm going to give her the test."

Gine was still waving at her son as she spoke through clenched teeth. "What test?"

The silver back who had been observing the human as well had stopped moving once he approached the mates. Instead of answering his wife, Bardock and Zaire reluctantly nodded at each other. They had silently forgiven each other.

"The human," the leader of the ape troop grunted. "Friend or foe?"

Bardock took one last glance at the female in question. She was allowing an infant to kiss and nuzzle her forehead while she laughed. Kakarot was staring at her like he did those stars every night. "I'll find out for you tonight."

Kakarot was still holding onto the picture frame as he made his way to the cave. His mother had asked to speak to him in private, and about what the conversation would be didn't really matter. He had found the image of Chi-Chi with her father and mother. She had pointed at the man and said, 'Bardock' and it gave him all he needed to know. She had a father out there who wanted her home. Someone wanted her and they were going to come for her or she would leave for them.

Chi-Chi didn't want to come back home with him that first day they met. She wanted to get back to her own home before it was too dark. He hung his head, feeling a different kind of emotion this time. It hurt and made him feel empty and cold.

"There you are, Kakarot!" Gine gathered her youngest into a tight hug but pulled him away when he wasn't returning it. His hands were occupied with something. "What's wrong, honey? What are you holding?"

Kakarot slowly flipped the frame over so she could see the image of the humans on it. There was a small baby, a woman who looked like an older version of Chi-Chi, and a large man. He was tapped the large man with his index finger. "That's Chi-Chi's dad. She misses him. She has a home. I was wrong..."

Gine frowned and gently removed the picture from him. She leaned it against the wall of the cave and motioned for her son to join her on the ground. When he did, she squeezed his broad shoulder. "Oh sweetheart I'm so sorry... You know humans are a lot like us when it comes to family. I really do like her, and I know you do too, but she has a place of her own. She'll have to leave before they come looking for her."

The son knew she was right, but didn't want to accept the fact that he'd be losing her so soon. He decided to drag the conversation in another direction. "There you go saying we're like humans again. Are you sure-"

Gine laughed and pushed him a little. "Yes son, I'm sure you aren't human and that's what I was going to talk to you about. We are a species called Saiyans, from a planet different from this one."

Kakarot turned his entire body towards her as his mother revealed their history. Everything about it. She explained about her childhood on Planet Vegeta (which now made sense that everyone called Vegeta the prince), to the day this evil guy Frieza took over and everything changed, to her meeting and falling in love with his dad, to the births of the brothers, and finally how Bardock managed to save the remaining Saiyans from the explosion of the planet that was originally their home. His dad never wanted them interacting with anyone but the apes or revealing their 'true power' (whatever that was) in fear that Frieza would find them one day. It made a little bit of sense, but Kakarot still scratched his head at the end of it all.

"So Dad doesn't want Chi-Chi around because he's afraid she'll tell that Frieza guy about us?"

"Ehhh," Gine shrugged. "In a way, I guess. He doesn't want her to expose us to others. If we need to defend ourselves somehow if the situation called for that, our power will definitely reveal where we are hidden. Your father risked a lot to save our lives and keep us alive. He's been a bit of a jerk lately because he doesn't want anything to happen to you, the family, or the troop who allowed us to stay with them. Understand?"

Kakarot exhaled deeply and nodded. He really did understand. Knowing that Chi-Chi had a home now, it should make it easier to let her go. But it didn't. "Chi-Chi won't tell anyone. I know she wouldn't."

The mother rubbed her son's face affectionately. He was so love-struck and didn't even know it. She knew the words that he needed to hear. "There is one thing that I know is for certain. Chi-Chi needs to return home," she tightened her grip when he tried to look away. "Ah, ah, ah! Let me finish. She needs to return home to either stay there, or to be able to let her dad know so she can stay here with you. It's better that way instead of him coming here."

Kakarot's trademark grin plastered over his face for the first time that month. He squeezed his mother tightly and held her by the shoulders. "This is great! Chi-Chi will get to stay with us and..." his voice became quiet and he frowned, realizing something that made his stomach churn. "Wait. What if she doesn't want to stay?"

"Well," Gine smiled sadly. She always had to be the one to have those tough conversations. "That will be her decision. You'll have to find a way to tell her how you feel."

"How I feel?" Kakarot blinked. He released his mother and held onto his hard stomach. "She makes me feel sick to the gut!"

Gine sweatdropped. "Maybe you shouldn't tell her that..."

"She makes me feel sick to the gut," Kakarot continued and pointed at the various body parts that the princess affected. "When she looks at me I feel like my heart is going to die! She makes my skin crawl when she talks to me all close and she makes me sweat too! She scratched my tail the other day and I almost fainted! When she touches my hand I just...what?"

His mother was holding her little clasped hands to her mouth and her eyes were larger than usual. "Oh my gosh I was right! You are in love!" she gasped and then grabbed her son's shoulders a little too tightly. "I didn't know it was this serious! You need to tell her how you feel! Right now!"

"But...we don't speak the same language!" The poor jungle boy's mouth ruins what his heart wants to say, but his mother quickly assured him with a little pumping of her fist in the air.

"We'll just have to find a way to show it!"

Self consciously, Chi-Chi wet her face with the river's water. For some reason, Kakarot had Raditz and Vegeta escort her instead of himself. He had to talk to his mom about something, at least that's what she put together. Still, why not send one of the apes? Why send hairjob and flame head? The sight of an alligator opening its mouth in the distance answered her question.

She chuckled nervously and backed away from the water like a crab. She bumped into the legs of Raditz and bent her head back to look up at him. "I think after seeing that," she pointed at the alligator. "I'm ready to go."

The one named Vegeta was licking his lips like he was eyeing dinner but he didn't move from his spot on the mud. Chi-Chi sighed knowing these two weren't going to help her up. Once she was standing she rubbed her hands together until the mud fell off. Her skirt from her knees on below were dirtied up as well, but she didn't feel like jumping into the river to clean herself off.

"Well," she motioned towards the direction of the cave. Another nighttime had approached and she still wasn't home. Kakarot had kept her occupied all day that she didn't even realize how late it had become. This little vacation was going to end badly for her. "I think it's time to hit the old dusty-"

Chi-Chi had stopped herself when she noticed a little infant had crawled up to the river yards away from where they stood. She had never seen a young ape so far from its mother before. She forced herself to get a better look with squinted eyes. It was either her impeccable eyesight or the stars were powerful that night, but she saw the black paw of a beast poking out from a rock.

"Oh, no!" Chi-Chi against her better judgment began pounding on Raditz's chest. "That panther is going to kill that poor little baby! Do something!"

Raditz merely flicked her fist away from him and shrugged his shoulders. In disbelief, she turned to Vegeta who was too occupied eyeing the alligator still out in the river.

"Seriously!? I thought they were your family!" she threw her hands up in the air and then placed them over her mouth so she could scream. "RUN, LITTLE MONKEY, RUN!"

When the infant continued to drink, Raditz watched her run towards the small animal. He released a brief snort. "Look at that, she's actually going to save him. Maybe she is one of the good ones," he glanced at the prince and rolled his eyes. "You beat my ass for one earlier. Your addiction is going to make them go extinct."

"Better them than us," Vegeta commented but finally looked at the woman. She was unknowingly wrestling with an already dead panther. "Huh. At least the clown didn't pick a coward. Surprising for someone so soft and a complete imbecile."

Raditz, feeling second-hand pride for his brother, placed his hands on his hips and laughed. There was only a slight twinge of jealousy over the fact that Kakarot had finally found someone to mate with. There wasn't even an option when it came to women of their own kind. There was only Fasha, who was older than his mother. That definitely wasn't going to happen. "Maybe I'll kidnap a woman of my own one day."

"Ha," Vegeta snorted cruelly. "One look at your ugly mug and she'll head for the hills."

Raditz was about to deck the prince in the face and the prince was ready to block it to go for the jugular, but the sound of Chi-Chi's victory had distracted them. She was holding the panther's body high above her head, completely oblivious to the fact its fur was full of dried blood. She shook it like she got a championship belt in wrestling.

She was shouting into the stars about her victory but was startled when Bardock, who had initially been controlling the panther's paw and threw it at her when she came charging towards it, emerged from the bushes. The little monkey, Congo, snickered deviously as he ran away. He was in on the plan.

"You see that!?" Bardock called out to the other Saiyans. Chi-Chi had dropped the panther and screamed. "Kakarot's girl didn't even hesitate!"

Vegeta rolled his eyes. "Yeah, let's see what she can do with a real one, then maybe I'll be impressed-" he bit his tongue as Chi-Chi's fist connected with Bardock's jaw, causing him to stumble backwards. "Alright. I'm impressed."

As the prince laughed, Chi-Chi covered her mouth with her hands with her eyes closed and lowered herself to Bardock's level. He had completely startled her. "Oh my gosh I am so so so sorry...please don't kill me!" She opened her eyes slowly, expecting to see him ready to go in for the kill. To her surprise, he was smiling.

A/N: Last chapter will be up tomorrow for GoChi day - not sure what time but it will be there!