Hexagon Village was a fairly obscure settlement, almost completely outside the public eye except for a small soap company whose products were coveted as far as West City. Bulma would send boxes full of those soaps every year for Chi-Chi and Goku's anniversary, always with a note remarking how important it was that Chi-Chi remind her husband to bathe. "He's basically a wild animal," was a phrase that always made it into Bulma's letter.
Chi-Chi hadn't even made the connection that the Hexagon Village was by the Oval Sea until she stumbled upon a roadway with signs pointing in its direction. She could have wept, thinking of having a warm bath and a meal made out of anything other than tough, unseasoned dinosaur meat. She'd been travelling for over a week and a half, and was starting to lose her mind from the lack of civilization.
In any case, she stumbled into the Hexagon Village and immediately began looking around for an inn.
"Uh, lady - you okay?" asked an older man, peering at Chi-Chi from the doorway of a hardware store. "You look… feral."
Chi-Chi tried to give him her most civilized smile. "I've just been on the road for a while, that's all. Say, could you point me to the nearest inn?" she asked.
The man scratched his chin, considering. "We don't get many visitors here in Hexagon. Can't say for sure we have one…"
"Please, you've got to have a spare room somewhere in this town," Chi-Chi said, more intensely than she'd meant if the man's expression was anything to go by. She cleared her throat and smoothed her worn skirt, trying to remember her girlhood lessons on manners and self-presentation. "I just need a place to stay for the night, where I can take a nice hot bath and a proper meal. Are you sure you don't know of anywhere?"
The man seemed to think harder this time. "Er, maybe… The Scrubbs have got the biggest house in town. They might have a room to spare, but…"
Chi-Chi clapped, a sound so abrupt and joyous that the man practically leapt out of his skin. "Great! Can you get me some directions?" she asked.
"I - I was going to say that they might not agree to let you board, seeing as how they're such private folks and all," stammered the man.
"Nonsense! Leave that to me, I just need to know how to get there," Chi-Chi insisted.
Reluctantly, the man explained how to get to the Scrubbs residence, and gave her one last piece of advice before sending her on her way: "Keep an eye out for their son, Giene. He fancies himself a fighter and might not take kindly to a houseguest."
Noted, thought Chi-Chi as she started back down the road the man had directed her to. She didn't think having to fight anyone would be a problem, if it came to it, but it was a different story entirely if Bub and Aqua Scrubb took their son's wishes seriously, and he decided Chi-Chi was unwelcome.
Soon, she reached what could only be the Scrubb residence - a large home comprised of a main hall and several bubble-like extensions, surrounded by a metal fence coated in ivy. A plaque beside the gate deemed it the "Scrubb Hub - Home of the World-Famous Scrubb Soaps & Fragrances".
Chi-Chi followed the path up to the front door, where she rapped the brass knocker twice and waited politely for an answer.
She was just preparing to knock again when someone cleared their throat behind her.
Chi-Chi turned around and saw a rather short, but muscular, young man with dark hair pulled back into a ponytail. He wore a bright red gi and a black sash at the waist, and over it all a studded leather jacket. He couldn't have been older than sixteen, and seemed to be trying his best to look down on Chi-Chi - even though she was taller, and easily older than him.
This must be Giene Scrubb, Chi-Chi thought.
Deciding to make a good impression, she instantly put on her best smile and gave a short, respectful bow. "Good morning! Are you part of the Scrubb family, perchance?"
Giene turned his nose up at her slightly, and said, "I am - what's it to ya, broad?"
If he were my child I would- "I'm a traveller, and was told that I might find a place to stay here. Would you happen to be the head of this household?" Chi-Chi knew for a fact he wasn't, but her question made the boy glow, and she knew it was just the right thing to say.
"Afraid not, lady. Name's Giene - my mom owns the place, and the company. Tell you what? Why don't I introduce you two. You can talk about old lady stuff or whatever," Giene said, feigning a dismissive shrug - but Chi-Chi could tell that he was just abuzz with excitement. "She's around back, in the garden. Sniffing plants for soap stuff or whatever. C'mon."
Why does everyone call me "old lady"? I'm twenty-four…
"Say, you're clothes are interesting. Are you a fighter?" Chi-Chi asked, deciding it was a good idea to keep Giene in a good mood.
Not looking back while guiding her around the property, Giene laughed. "I guess you could say that. Self-taught, mostly. I'm pretty much the strongest guy around, you could say," he rambled. Giene started babbling about his training regimen and diet and all the fights he'd been in, and Chi-Chi only listened well enough to know when to nod or gasp or say what hard work it must be. By the time they reached Aqua Scrubb's scent garden at the back of the house, Chi-Chi could only think of how much she'd give to see Goku sock Giene in the teeth.
"Hey, Mom!" shouted Giene at the portly woman across the garden. "Visitor!"
Aqua came bumbling over, wiping her hands clean of dirt on her floral apron. She had a round, kind face, and the same jet-black hair as her son - also drawn into a ponytail.
"My goodness, how what a surprise - good lord, girl, what happened to you?" blurted Aqua. She fixed a pair of spectacles onto her face, squinting at Chi-Chi as if the dirt, grime, and bloodstains were some kind of optical illusion she had to decipher.
"I apologize for my appearance - I'm a traveller, and have been on the road for days now without a capsule house or even a proper tent," Chi-Chi started to explain for what felt like the millionth time, though it was only really the first.
Giene suddenly cut in. "She wants to stay the night, some old guy told her we have rooms." Giene snorted. "Figures the first traveller in forever would wind up here. This dumb hick town doesn't even have a hotel…"
Aqua pursed her lips and quirked an eyebrow at her son.
"I'm not sure, we've never welcomed a stranger into our home before - no offense, Miss…?" started Aqua.
"Oh, I'm sorry - I never introduced myself," gasped Chi-Chi, genuinely startled by her own lack of manners. Ten years of courtesy lessons, and she forgot to tell them her name. Beaming, and bowing again for good measure, she said, "My name is Son Chi-Chi, I'm from-"
A few paces away, Giene made a noise between a gasp and a cry, which came out as a strangled choking sound. Both Chi-Chi and Aqua jumped, equally bewildered by Giene's sudden lack of composure. Red in the face and struggling for breath after his impromptu coughing fit, Giene managed to say, " You're Son Chi-Chi? The Son Chi-Chi?"
"Giene, you know of her?" asked Aqua.
"Do I know of her? How could I not?" Giene said as if his mother was out of her mind. "She was one of the quarter-finalists at the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament - her fight with Son Goku went down in the books as the first match to ever end with a marriage proposal, which is the most - er-" Giene blushed, and pressed on, "- a-anyway, she's a fighter, Mom. The real deal."
Chi-Chi had to marvel at Giene's abrupt change of attitude. For the first time, he looked and sounded exactly like what he was - a kid with a passion for martial arts that his mom couldn't quite grasp.
"That's nice, Giene, but I still don't know about letting her stay…" Aqua began, rubbing her chin as she considered and inadvertently smudging her face with soil.
Giene took his mother by the arm and led her away a few paces, furiously whispering something Chi-Chi couldn't hope to hear. She watched Aqua's face switch between exasperation, to impatience, to consideration, and finally to grudging acceptance.
Positively glowing, Giene returned to Chi-Chi with an ear-to-ear grin. "You're welcome to stay as long as you want, Chi-Chi!" he proclaimed.
Chi-Chi had to admit, she was somewhat taken aback by the verdict. "Really? I wouldn't want to impose, if you're uncomfortable with me staying," she said.
"No, please stay! We'd love to have you - you must have so many cool stories about adventures you've been on, and people you've met, and different battles and cool moves and-" Giene was silenced as Aqua put a hand on his shoulder. Blushing, he excused himself and started back off the way he'd come, leaving Chi-Chi behind.
Aqua chuckled once he was out of earshot. "It's rare to see him so excited about anything," Aqua said. "If it wouldn't be too much trouble, Mrs. Son, could you show him a few moves or techniques or whatever you call them? It would positively make his day. He's so thrilled about that fighting stuff."
Chi-Chi could hardly believe her luck. "I'd be happy to, Mrs. Scrubb - it's no problem at all," Chi-Chi insisted.
Aqua laughed, her cheeks turning rosy with her smile. "That's wonderful - now let's get you cleaned up, shall we?"
Staying with the Scrubbs was a welcome reprieve from cold nights on the hard ground, waking every few minutes in case the sound of a snapping twig or rustling bush meant the approach of a predator. They had an ample supply of fragrant soaps, shampoos, bath-bombs, and body-washes - which Chi-Chi took advantage of to the fullest. She came out of the bath smelling like a rose garden. Aqua found some clothes for Chi-Chi to borrow while her own garments were washed properly (with Scrubb Soaps & Fragrances brand detergent, of course) and hung up to dry. She wound up sitting down with Bub Scrubb for lunch, and Chi-Chi considered him a perfect gentleman - if incredibly boisterous.
Dinner was had with the whole family, and Giene could finally contain his excitement no longer.
"So, Chi-Chi, you really married Son Goku after the tournament?" he asked.
Chi-Chi chewed and swallowed her food before answering. "Of course - he was my dream boy since I was a little girl, and no one in their right mind would turn down someone so handsome when he's practically begging for your hand," she said with a grin. She caught the look in Giene's eye, and realized he was hoping for more of a story. Knowing he was practically the only reason she'd been granted a room for the night, Chi-Chi went on, "Though, I suppose to say we got married right after the tournament isn't quite true. You see, my father and I agreed that I had to get married in my mother's dress, but the day of our wedding, a fire erupted around my father's castle on Fire Mountain…"
The story of her and Goku's days-long quest to save the Ox King and the wedding dress from the fire lasted all the way through dinner, and well into afternoon coffee. Giene hung onto every word and detail, perfectly enthralled.
"I'm sorry to say I haven't got many stories besides that one," Chi-Chi explained after she'd finished, sipping her second cup of coffee. "Shortly after we married, I became pregnant with my son, Gohan, and Goku and I decided to take things easy. These last few days have been the most adventure I've had in years, and it hasn't exactly suited my tastes, to be honest."
"Speaking of, dear," started Bub, "what brings you all the way out to Hexagon? We're not exactly easy to wind up at, if you know what I mean."
Chi-Chi didn't even pretend to consider giving them the full story of her business there. "I'm just on my way to the wastelands further north of here," she said evenly. "It's a… training thing."
Aqua and Bub nodded knowingly, although Chi-Chi had a feeling that they barely understood a word of what she'd said - which was fine - but she caught Giene squinting at her.
This kid might be more trouble than he's worth, Chi-Chi thought. She didn't exactly want to regale him with tales of her husband's death and son's abduction just for his amusement.
Luckily, he didn't push it, and before long Chi-Chi was comfortably cocooned in blankets and duvets in one of the Scrubbs' spare rooms. She slept through the night for the first time in over a week, and woke with the sun and the sound of birds chirping.
Breakfast with Aqua and Bub was pleasant enough - Chi-Chi told the two all about how her son was going to be a physicist, and Aqua bemoaned her own son's lack of interest in the company, and Bub began telling jokes about dairy farming - but it came to an end when Giene stopped by the table to speak to Chi-Chi.
"I was wondering if you and I could have a fight today," he said, trying to come off as easy-going, but his fidgeting betrayed him.
Bub gasped. "Giene, that's not any way to talk to a lady-" He was cut off by Aqua stomping his foot under the table, which somehow their son missed completely.
"I'd be happy to," Chi-Chi agreed, remembering her promise to Aqua to show Giene a few techniques. A fight was just the same, wasn't it? Her debt to the Scrubbs would be paid and she would be on her way later that day.
Giene couldn't contain his glee. "Great! Meet me outside in an hour - I'm gonna do some warm-ups!"
"Thank you for this, Chi-Chi," said Aqua once Giene was out of earshot. "It's been so long since I've seen him this excited about anything."
"He's been trying to look cool for years, and you know cool people - they never smile," Bub added. "I love him, but that boy's gotten just a bit too big for his britches since learning those little tricks of his…"
Aqua nodded in agreement. "But this will be good for him. Maybe a fight with Chi-Chi here will be just what he needs to work off all of his extra energy so he can focus on more important things," she said.
Chi-Chi chuckled with them, and enjoyed the rest of her breakfast with Aqua and Bub. As the end of the hour drew closer, she excused herself to her borrowed room, where she changed back into her own, freshly-washed clothes and packed her things up into a capsule. She then went outside to meet Giene for their fight.
She found him beyond the scent garden, standing with his back to the house in the middle of a grassy field.
"Hey, Giene!" she called as she approached.
He glanced at her over his shoulder - trying to come off as casual, she was sure - and waved lazily in her direction.
"Are you ready to begin?" Giene asked once Chi-Chi was close enough, not wasting any time.
Chi-Chi bristled. "Not so quick, we have to go over the rules, first," she said.
That got Giene's attention. He turned around, confused, and said, "Rules?"
"Yes, Giene. Rules," Chi-Chi said. "You know, win conditions? Disqualifiers? Are we going to have a time limit, or multiple rounds, or any of that?" She and Goku always used the general rule that whoever was forced outside of a certain perimeter would be the loser, but that didn't mean those rules would work for Giene.
Giene was somewhat flustered. "Oh yeah, win conditions, um-" After a brief moment of panicked consideration, he went on, "First blood. Whoever gets a scrape or a cut or something first is the loser."
Chi-Chi shrugged. "Sounds good to me. Just don't go crying to your mother once I make you bleed, got it?" she said.
Giene looked startled, and Chi-Chi realized it was the most frank she'd been with him since they'd met. She couldn't help but smirk: he'd let the sweet, mild-mannered housewife bit fool him. Even if Giene didn't learn any new techniques from their battle, he'd certainly learn to better assess his opponents. He'd said so himself - Chi-Chi had been a quarter-finalist at the World Martial Arts Tournament. She hadn't gotten there by being pleasant.
"Just say the word when you're ready to begin," Chi-Chi said, walking around the meadow and taking her stance several paces away from Giene.
Having regained his composure, Giene assumed his own formation: a mockery of the stance learned in the turtle school, likely copied from inaccurate illustrations and grainy footage of the World Martial Arts Tournament. Chi-Chi smiled slyly. This would be a humbling experience for Giene, that much was certain.
"Ready?" he called from across the clearing.
"Born ready," Chi-Chi replied.
Giene charged at her across the clearing, letting out a battle cry on the way. He reached Chi-Chi in moments, aiming three rapid-fire punches at her head, chest, and ribs - all of which Chi-Chi could see coming a mile away, and dodged easily.
Chi-Chi dropped low to the ground and kicked out, her shin colliding with Giene's ankles and knocking him off balance. She used the momentum to hop to his side, and landed another kick against his back.
Giene stumbled forward, nearly falling over. He whirled around, eyes wide and grin wider.
"That was so fast - you dodged each of my punches like they were nothing," he marveled.
Chi-Chi smiled sweetly. "They were."
Giene's grin slipped a bit, replaced by a look of determination. "Alright, let's go again."
Giene rushed her again, this time raising his leg as if to knee her in the stomach. Chi-Chi fixed his form with a glare, and like she suspected, there was no impact. Giene's visage shuddered before her eyes before dissipating entirely - the after-image technique.
She felt the air shift to her left and Chi-Chi stepped back just in time for Giene's fist to fly by her face. She brought her knee up in a quick, jerking motion, landing it in Giene's abdomen and knocking the wind out of him.
He collapsed, clutching his stomach and wheezing.
"You're sloppy," Chi-Chi remarked. "You can't use the after-image technique against any warrior worth their weight in salt and only use one layer. You have to fake them out at least twice to land a hit."
From his spot on the ground, Giene chuckled. "Honestly, I'm not good enough at that technique to plant more than one image of myself," he admitted. "I do have a few other tricks up my sleeve, though."
Chi-Chi crossed her arms, still smirking. "Well, let's see them, shall we? I've got a lot of ground to cover today, get to it," she said.
Giene grinned and picked himself up. He took a few steps back and resumed his stance, crossing his forearms over his head and chest and breathing deeply.
The hairs on the back of Chi-Chi's neck stood on end as a strange energy began to permeate the air, accompanied by a low growl from Giene.
Is he preparing to use an energy attack? Chi-Chi realized at just the right time. Giene let out a loud, furious cry as he thrust his palms out towards Chi-Chi. A wide blast of energy shot out, and Chi-Chi only stayed upright from digging her heels into the dirt and bracing herself.
She barely had time to fully register what had happened when Giene landed a wild kick to her abdomen.
Chi-Chi let out a cry - more of surprise than of pain - as she was sent flying backwards from the impact. She got her bearings at the last minute, spinning around in the air so that she landed on all fours with her eyes fixed on her opponent. Giene didn't give her a moment of rest, though, and was throwing hit after bone-cracking hit at Chi-Chi in the blink of an eye. She stayed low to the ground, dodging backwards and baring her teeth like an animal as Giene's blows met only with dirt and wheatgrass.
His form was sloppy, and his strength was nothing Chi-Chi couldn't handle, but he fought with a ferocity that was difficult to combat - and besides that, he could control his ki well enough to fight with it, a feat even Chi-Chi had never learned.
Finally, Chi-Chi spotted an opening and tried an upward punch at his ribs. Giene switched moves at the last minute and caught Chi-Chi by the arm as soon as her fist impacted.
If he was winded, he didn't show it, and instead moved to spin her around and use the resulting momentum to send her flying through the air. Chi-Chi grit her teeth, refusing to let it happen. As Giene yanked her off of the ground, Chi-Chi kicked out and landed both feet squarely in his face, and pushed with all her might.
"What the-" grunted Giene from under Chi-Chi's boots.
"You asked for this, kid," Chi-Chi said, before lifting one foot and bringing it back down as hard as she could.
Giene made a noise and lost his grip on Chi-Chi, and she landed on her feet. Giene, meanwhile, clutched his face with both hands.
"Blood?" asked Chi-Chi, not relaxing her stance.
Giene removed his hands from his face, revealing the bright-red boot print that stretched from his temple to his jaw. "You wish," he spat. He'd turned his head at just the right moment to avoid breaking his nose or losing any teeth.
"Soon, you will too," remarked Chi-Chi.
This time, she took the offensive. She charged at Giene at top speed, running in a circle around him, focusing as she altered her pace periodically. The look of utter shock on his face told her that her trick at worked - Giene was seeing ten Chi-Chi's from his perspective, the after-image technique done right.
" What's the matter, kid? You look confused," jeered Chi-Chi, delighting in the mixed expression of panic and frustration.
Giene's face quickly turned to rage, and he puffed his chest out and threw his head back and screamed - but it was no mere temper tantrum. The ground shook and the air vibrated with energy as Giene mustered up all of his power for another attack.
I have to make my move now! Chi-Chi lunged at Giene, her hand poised so that her nails would cut him on the shoulder, drawing blood and ending the fight. But before she could even reach him, a blast of ki rippled off of his body and smacked into Chi-Chi, full force.
She cried out and was sent sprawling, landing gracelessly on her back.
Her vision was made fuzzy by the blast, which had singed the grass in a near-perfect circle with Giene at the center of it.
"How do you like that?" asked Giene. His voice was muffled and far-away sounding, and almost inaudible over the ringing in Chi-Chi's ears. "It took me, like, three years to figure that out. But I haven't lost a fight since, and there's no way I'm losing this one either!"
Chi-Chi grunted as she picked herself up, unsteady but hardly ready to concede defeat. If nothing else, she figured this fight was a testament to Goku's gentle nature - he'd only hit her with enough energy to knock her off of the platform, like being caught in a strong wind. Giene's energy blasts were like being hit by a bus.
She studied Giene's posture, trying to guess at how exhausted he was from his last two energy blasts. Even breathing, straight spine, wide grin - it looked as though he was perfectly fine. Chi-Chi didn't know if she could hold out long enough to draw blood if his last two attacks had scarcely winded him. Chi-Chi cursed herself for not having Goku show her how to use her ki while she had the chance. If she'd known it would ever come in handy…
"That's a neat trick," Chi-Chi said. "How do you even learn to do that without a master to show you?"
Giene swelled with pride. "What can I say? I'm just really talented," he said.
Chi-Chi laughed. "I'm serious," she said, realizing that Giene might actually be dumb enough to fall for her ploy. "I mean, it's not like you figure that sort of thing out by accident. Goku had to train for years with some of the most powerful fighters in the world to learn to do it, and even he gets tired if he uses too much energy like that."
The look on Giene's face told her it was exactly the right button to push.
"Honestly, I picked it up by watching old videos of the World Martial Arts Tournament," admitted Giene. "It freaked Mom and Dad out when I first started practicing, but I'd train all day long and then climb on the roof and copy the stances the fighters would use and just think of nothing but the strength I had gained that day. I'd let it consume me, and I'd focus on it and nothing else, and one day I let it all out in one big scream and blew a hole in the roof over the upstairs bathroom. It was great!"
"Interesting," murmured Chi-Chi, trying to unravel what Giene had told her to figure out if it was what she needed to know. Gathering of energy through contemplation, and then projecting it outward as a blast… It could take years of practice.
Or it could take five minutes. It all depended on whether or not Chi-Chi could pull it off.
"Anyway," Giene said, realizing the fight had been derailed, "let's get back to business. There's still more stuff I wanna try out."
Chi-Chi didn't wait for Giene to make his attack, instead taking off at top speed and only slowing down long enough to plant an after-image millimeters behind him, making Giene scream and stumble before he realized what it was. He looked wildly around the meadow, searching for Chi-Chi, but she was too fast to follow.
"I'll use another blast if I have to," he bellowed, but Chi-Chi didn't slow. "You asked for it!"
Giene resumed his stance and began gathering energy for another attack. Chi-Chi stopped immediately and took on a similar, if more stable, pose.
She tried to focus on her strength, her ki - the fire deep in her belly that flared up whenever she fought or argued or watched the night sky thinking of all that had been taken from her. She let it spread upwards from her gut, to her chest, limbs, fingers and toes.
Chi-Chi fixed Giene with a glare. He was roaring into the sky, his energy shaking the earth around him, preparing to send every loose object in a fifty-foot radius flying.
Chi-Chi slid her feet across the ground so that her left side faced Giene. She took a deep breath, raising both arms to the right, feeling her bones vibrate with energy that itched to be released.
With a swift motion, Chi-Chi whipped her arms around to her left, towards Giene - with them, a controlled blast of ki whipped out of her arms and rattled the earth as it rippled towards Giene.
Not a moment too soon, it smacked into Giene's face and sent him flying - ten, twenty, thirty, fifty feet backwards. Chi-Chi gasped, fearing he'd land on the metal fence and stab himself, and she chased after him.
Luckily, Giene landed in the middle of Aqua's scent garden, ruining a flowerbed but still in one piece. The sound of his impact rattled the windows of the house, and Aqua and Bub came running out, both white in the face and flustered.
"Giene!" gasped Aqua, seeing her son laying, semi-conscious in her garden.
"What happened?" asked Bub, his gaze shifting between his son and Chi-Chi as she hopped the fence and ran to help him up.
Chi-Chi hoisted Giene to his feet, grinning at the stream of red oozing down his face from his nose. "Look at that, Giene - it looks like I drew first blood," Chi-Chi said.
Still looking unsure of what was going on, Giene grabbed clumsily at his face, alarmed by the sight of blood on his hand when he pulled it away. "Oh," was all he said.
Aqua bristled. "Is no one going to explain to me what the hell is going on?" she demanded. "I thought you two were just having a friendly fight!"
Chi-Chi turned to Aqua, and bowed her head respectfully. "I have to apologize," she said. "When you agreed to let me stay the night, I promised to show your son a new technique or two as a favor. But it looks as though he taught me something instead."
"What?" asked Bub after a beat.
Chi-Chi laughed, a high, jingling sound that she only let loose before losing consciousness. Then, the exhaustion of using an energy attack for the first time ever caught up to her, and she promptly collapsed.
"Do you really have to leave so soon, Chi-Chi?" asked Giene, frowning as he walked Chi-Chi out of Hexagon Village.
Chi-Chi nodded solemnly. "I have to. Like I said, I have important things to do in the wasteland, and as much as I've enjoyed staying with your family, I can't afford to waste anymore time," she explained. It had taken two days to recover from her fight with Giene, but now she was finally ready to continue her quest to save her son.
Giene humphed, popping up the collar of his leather jacket in a transparent attempt to mask his disappointment. "Well, come back and see us again sometime, anyway," he mumbled.
Chi-Chi laughed. He really is a dorky kid, trying to look cool all of the time, she thought.
They reached the northern gate, and came to a stop.
"I hope you keep getting stronger, Giene," said Chi-Chi. "And I also hope you find a master to whip you into shape. Your poise is absolutely atrocious. I've seen kindergarteners with better form than you."
Giene chuckled, going red in the face just a bit. "Sure, and I hope you can learn to use ki without fainting. Doesn't do you much good in a fight if you need a three-day nap right after, right?" he said.
"Right, I don't intend to be a novice forever," said Chi-Chi. She placed a hand on Giene's shoulder, and said with earnest, "Take care of yourself. And quit calling your mother old - she doesn't put up with your terrible teenage attitude just so that you can insult her for trying."
Giene blushed openly, and cleared his throat. "Er, yeah. Sure. Goodbye, Chi-Chi," he said. "And… I'm sorry about Goku, too."
Chi-Chi's blood ran cold. "What?" she said.
"I'm sorry - I kinda figured, since you were travelling alone, and you always referred to him in the past tense… and you also kinda got a look in your eye. I'm sorry," blabbed Giene. "I don't know what happened to him specifically, or where your kid fits into all of it, or why you need to go to the wastelands, but - well, good luck, basically. I hope it works out for you."
Chi-Chi smiled, her heart warming up. "Thanks, Giene," she said softly. Her hand slid off of his shoulder, and she started up the northward path.
Honestly, she wasn't sure if she'd ever return to Hexagon Village to visit Giene or the other Scrubbs again - whether because the wastelands would kill her, or just pure, uncaring circumstance - but she knew she'd never forget her days there. Every time she fought henceforth, she'd have a reminder, after all.