"Unexpected Romance: Changes"

Chapter 4- "Friendly Advice"

By- Tiny

Chi-Chi had been unable to stay in her house the next day, not with Vegeta there staring at her every time she passed by, her mind heavy with guilt for not only allowing him to kiss her, but for kissing him back! She was a married woman, a woman who had made vows to stay with Goku for better or for worse, and yet she had kissed another man and, had she not pulled away, would probably have lain in his bed. She sickened herself to think of what she may have done the previous night, but at the same time it made her blush like a little schoolgirl to know that another man wanted her.

She had left breakfast out for Gohan and their guest earlier than usual that morning and taken off immediately for Bulma's home in West City, hoping that the older woman could help her out some. After all, Bulma and Yamcha's relationship had been rocky since the dawn of time and yet they were still together, the blue-haired woman having somehow managed to cope with Yamcha's long absences. Maybe she would have some words of wisdom for her friend concerning Goku, but that was not the case once she began talking to Bulma about the situation.

The blue-haired genius had actually started laughing, nearly falling out of her chair and rolling on the ground as Chi-Chi told her exactly what had happened and why she felt so bad about it. Chi-Chi didn't find it very amusing that her life as she knew it was falling apart around her, the love she thought she felt for Goku becoming so distant a memory and her newfound longing for the Saiya-jin prince. Bulma knew it wasn't a funny situation as well but just couldn't help herself as she continued to giggle, wiping a tear from her eye as she looked over the table at her friend.

"Chi-Chi, I don't mean to make fun, but you are so funny!" Bulma giggled softly, sipping her coffee, "Vegeta actually pulled you down to him and kissed you?"

"More like tried to examine my throat," Chi-Chi blushed, but nodded, "Bulma, I don't know what to do. Gohan likes Vegeta and I can't just kick him out, but I'm a married woman! I'm not supposed to..."

"Chi-Chi, I'm one of your husband's oldest friends...hell, I was the first person he ever MET other than his grandfather," Bulma sighed, folding her arms over her chest, "Yet he makes me sick, always running off to play the hero or to train, yet not coming home to his wife and son. A husband isn't supposed to just run off and come back when it's convenient for him."

"I knew when I married Goku that he would be running off now and then to train Bulma, just...not that it would be in space," Chi-Chi sniffled, "Gohan said that he was a hero, that he became some kind of legend and beat Frieza...what kind of hero doesn't come home to his family?"

Bulma didn't really respond to the question at first, getting up from her seat in the kitchen and looking onto the counter at an old photograph, one she had taken nearly a decade ago. It was a picture of the old gang, taken just before the Tenkaichi Budokai where Goku defeated Piccolo, a picture where they all looked so happy and carefree, like nothing else mattered but each other. Goku had met Chi-Chi on that very day, married her within the next one, and taken vows to be there for her and cherish her until death did them part.

And that was when it hit Bulma that death had done the couple part, Goku had been killed almost three years ago when they fought his brother, and ever since had had almost nothing to do with Chi-Chi. The bond that they had apparently formed over their five year marriage had shattered that day, though neither of them seemed aware of it, but to Bulma that meant one thing. Alive or not today, Goku had died and their marriage contract was broken and that meant that Chi-Chi was a free woman, not bound to the man she had thought she loved anymore.

"Chi-Chi...I think that you should move one with your life," Bulma smiled softly, looking back at her friend, "Even if Goku does come back, it won't be long before he takes off again for parts unknown and then...who knows when he'll be back! It'll be better for not only you but for Gohan to have a steady father figure in the picture."

"But...I'm still married to Goku Bulma," Chi-Chi protested, about as red as a tomato, "I can't just..."

"Yes you can just!" Bulma interrupted, holding her friend's hand, "Your vows said 'til death do us part and Goku has died, even if he is alive now! You are a free woman and I'm not going to watch my only real friend pine away for a man who's not worth the trouble!"

Chi-Chi looked ready to cry at Bulma's words, though the tears were not of guilt for betraying her husband or of sadness, but tears of happiness that she had turned to the right person for advice. She didn't even try to stop herself as she wrapped her arms around the older woman and embraced her warmly, tears streaming down her face as she whispered 'thank you' nearly a hundred times. Bulma, embarrassed as she was with another woman hugging her so, could only smile and hug her friend back, both unaware of onlookers just outside the kitchen.

Yamcha had been standing there for nearly the whole conversation, starting when Chi-Chi mentioned her budding feelings for Vegeta, as had the three-eyed human Tien, both of whom had just finished training. Both were slightly stunned by Bulma's advice to Chi-Chi, having expected her to say that she needed to stay with her husband and kick the prince out of her house like an overgrown pest. Still, they had to admit that Bulma made some good points, as Goku never wanted to come home when, for the rest of them at least, home was exactly where they wished they were.

"Do you think we should tell Krillin about this?" Yamcha asked, looking up at his more powerful friend, "I mean, he is Goku's best friend and is very close to Gohan..."

"No, he would react badly and end up getting himself killed," Tien shook his head, "The best thing to do now would be to wait it out and see what happens."

"I hope your right Tien," Yamcha nodded, stepping away from the kitchen, "For the sake of everyone involved."

"That makes two of us Yamcha..."

The human woman had not been the only one who couldn't stay in the house due to uncomfortable circumstances, with Vegeta sending Gohan off to train with his old mentor earlier and then taking off himself. His wounds had not fully healed when he left, though they were not severe enough to cause him much more pain, and the prince had decided to return to his training. He had been out there since the early morning, just after eating his breakfast, and his gaping blister wound had sealed up now, fully healed and causing no pain whatsoever.

Sweat poured from the Saiya-jin man's body as he pushed his limits against an invisible opponent, trying to put the image of the human woman out of his mind but ultimately being unsuccessful. It turned out to be a good thing, however, as every time he would see her falling into Goku's arms upon his return his blood boiled and his rage came out as raw energy. The plain he was training in actually shook violently under the prince's power as his body became enveloped in a reddish-orange aura, shooting his power level higher than ever as he trained.

He wanted his rival's wife badly, his body aching to hold her in his arms again though he would never admit as much openly, but he just knew that it wasn't ever going to happen. Her husband was a Super Saiya-jin, after all, his power was so much higher than that of the prince that there wouldn't even be a contest of he challenged his rival for the woman's hand. The man who had been born a third-class loser would wipe the floor with Vegeta, prince of the Saiya-jin race, and take the woman the prince wanted back to his bed once again.

Vegeta's anger was so all consuming that he hardly noticed that as he was training his power continued to rise higher and higher, the formerly reddish aura brightening to a brilliant gold as his eyes turned teal. His muscles were bulging with nearly every punch that he threw, his hair flashing between it's normal dark brown and a golden blonde, but never quite making it. He might have completed the change had it not been for a large power crossing his senses, distant, but still strong enough for him to feel it and suddenly forget about his training.

The power was tremendous, rivaling even the power he had felt emanating from his rival during his fight with Frieza, but the Saiya-jin man simply couldn't place where he had felt anything like it before. It didn't feel like Frieza or his lackey's, nor did it feel like King Kold or Koola, though the power was certainly high enough that it could give the overgrown lizards a run for their money. A lesser man would have shaken in his boots and thought the situation lost, but Vegeta was a warrior and turned just in time to see a small boy and a very large Nameksei-jin standing before him.

They both looked as stunned as he felt, their eyes wide as saucer plates and simply staring up into the sky, trying to get a feel for how far away the energy was and, more importantly, who it was. Piccolo seemed a bit more in the know than the small boy beside him, his eyes narrowing and calculating, though Vegeta chose to ignore this for the time being as he hovered over towards them. His power had dropped back to normal now, excited at the prospect of a good fight but dreading a defeat at the hands of a superior opponent once again.

"Get yourselves ready and gather your so-called friends," Vegeta ordered, taking off for his temporary home, "We have training to do!"

"So...he has made his way here after all," Piccolo mused, his eyes never leaving the sky above, "But why is he coming here?"

Updated Power Levels

Vegeta: 3,200,000

nearly SSJ: 11,000,000

Author's Notes: Chi-Chi has come to terms with the fact that her marriage is a farce and that she can actually move on with her life, be it with Vegeta or not, but does not know that two of her husbands friends know of this. Meanwhile, Vegeta is drawing closer and closer to the power of his ancestors, but had much more on his mind as he wrestles with his feelings for the human woman and the incoming danger. All of this will make for one hell of a climax later on, but for now let's just leave it where it is.

The next chapter will feature the Earth's warriors beginning to prepare for a conflict with an enemy that they know almost nothing about, save that they are nearly as powerful as Frieza and just as dangerous. Piccolo, however, seems to know exactly what is coming for our heroes and Vegeta wants to know what it is, even if it means he has to take on the powerful Nameksei-jin. To see how it all plays out you'll have to stay tuned, so until then, read and review!