Captive Souls

Chapter 11

The moment she was set down on the decaying earth, the arms that held her firmly from behind left her without a trace. Chi-chi turned to see Goku had vanished from behind her without any warning. Almost calling out his name, she heard the warriors call out her name from behind her. Turning, she saw that they were alive and well thanks to Porunga's power. For a brief moment, she forgot about Goku's disappearance and ran towards her sons. Burying her head in the crook of Gohan's shoulder, she released tears of relief and joy that had been welled up. Goten, being the younger of the two grasped Chi-chi's skirt and reassured his mother that all was going to be alright.

"Is Raizen gone?" Piccolo queried. Chi-chi could only nod. She did not feel up to explaining the situation yet with the others. "What happened?"

"Later… I'll explain later…" Chi-chi sobbed.

"Mom?" Gohan questioned before he felt his mother go slack in his arms. She had fainted for the time being and hopefully when she awakened, she would give the others answers.

Elsewhere, Goku sat on a cliff side thinking of what he had done in over a year. He had emotionally and physically betrayed his wife, family and allies. If they knew what he had done, they probably would have shunned the warrior. In all honesty, he would have been better off dead than alive again and forced to repent for his actions.

'They'll only hate you now…'

"Shut-up…" Goku muttered and dug his fingers into the tuffs of hair. The calloused hands shook nervously; showing a side of the Earth-raised Saiya-jin never witnessed before. This was not fear he felt, rather a painful truth that his subconscious uttered causing him to feel angry towards himself.

'She'll never accept you the same way again. I doubt even your children will.'

"Stop…" The tail that had been resting on the ground became tense and rigid. The fur stood on end; the only sign that one would witness coming from behind a man in such distress.

'I bet even Vegeta would like to kill you now. After all, you damaged his pride deeply…'

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Goku's sudden outburst caused his hair to change blonde for that brief moment. After the moment subsided, Goku muttered a string of curses under his breath for what he had done to those he considered his allies. He couldn't go back expecting them to forgive him. After all, he was the reason they died in the first place at the hands of Raizen's soldiers.

The sunset was considered the most gorgeous thing any human seen that night on Raizen's ship. Since the town was in ruins, the warriors hi-jacked the ship in order to live on it for the time being. It would take time for the survivors of the chaos and the warriors to rebuild and start over from scratch.

It was at that moment Chi-chi began to come to on one of the medical beds. Sitting up, she noticed Vegeta sitting next to her. For an odd reason, she almost expected him to be training or scouting; however, he seemed almost though he wanted to inquire about something.

"Vegeta?" Chi-chi looked at him confused.

"Where is he?" Vegeta questioned.

"Huh? Where is who?" Chi-chi asked.

"Kakarrot," Vegeta growled. "I didn't mention it to anyone else, but I'm sure he's the reason you had us resurrected."

"He… he is… but…" Chi-chi stammered. Her fingers dug into the sheets and honestly, she still did not feel ready to answer any questions.

"That bastard abandoned you didn't he?"

"Abandoned? No…"

"Then explain why he left shortly before we arrived."

"I… I can't…"

"You shouldn't keep answers from us woman. Kakarrot's not going to be found if you keep what transpired to yourself."

"Vegeta… you might…"

"I 'might' what? Spit it out!"

"You might kill him and we won't be able to bring him back again!" Chi-chi blurted out.

"What prattle nonsense is that? We have the dragon balls and…" Chi-chi shook her head at this. "Why do you assume that he cannot be brought back by that method?"

"If… if I tell you, promise you won't think he's betrayed us…"

"What? How could he betray us?" Vegeta was taken back by Chi-chi's words. Did Goku do something he shouldn't have done?

"Promise me!" Chi-chi practically begged.

"Fine, I won't think that." Vegeta agreed. Truth be told, he'd rather rough the third-class warrior before demanding answers from him. However, since he wasn't here, he would have to listen to the woman without harming her. After all, he owed his life to her after enduring nearly a hellish year of torment with very little food or water.

"Well, he's…" Chi-chi started to explain.

"Hey, I just realized that dad's not back," Goten absentmindedly spoke out of the blue.

"Yeah, you're right," Gohan agreed. "I wonder where he is right now."

"I hope he comes home soon. I miss him."

"I hope so too," Gohan ruffled his younger brother's hair before staring out the window at the horizon. 'Dad, where are you and why aren't you here?'

"You mean… that clown…" Vegeta seethed with anger. Had it not been for the promise binding him, he would have gone out and smacked Goku in the face several times before sending him to King Yemma again. "He's the reason that we've suffered? That we were hunted?"

"It is, but he was forced to because of Raizen." Chi-chi confirmed.

"You should go find him before he does anything foolish," Vegeta commanded.

"But I don't know where he is," Chi-chi admitted.

"You're closer to him than anyone else, so it should be obvious where he's at." Chi-chi nodded before rising to her feet. Running out the door, she ran down the hallway towards the entrance of the ship and flew off into the darkening skies.

It was not until the waning moon rose that Chi-chi landed outside the house where Goku spent his first decade. She knew that he would be here before she even opened the door to the house. Upon entering the small shelter, she noticed him curled up on the floor in the ragged clothes he had left from the battle. He wearily lifted his head before looking away.

"Why are you here?" Goku questioned softly.

"To bring you back," Chi-chi answered truthfully. She did not wish for him to continue to run away after his involvement with Raizen.

"I can't go back. I should still be dead after what happened. If I was dead, then…"

"Why would you being dead make things right when it tore up this world? You protected me despite betraying us and following Raizen's orders. Had you not, then none of this, not even the people of Earth, would be alive right now."

"I just wish that none of this ever happened." Goku admitted. Chi-chi wrapped her arms around his neck from behind; startling the Earth-raised Saiya-jin. Her head rested on his left shoulder.

"So do I, Goku. So do I…" Chi-chi murmured before she closed her eyes.

'Why? I would have figured she would have hated me, but why does she act so indifferent?' Goku thought before sleep claimed him and left him devoid of pleasant dreams.

To Be Continued…