Chapter 1: The First Trial
A/N: A new update, I hope you guys find this interesting. I know it seems a slow start so give me at least one more chapter.
"Come on now, it's time for breakfast." Leo said spinning around in her dress. "I know you probably have soooo-" Gesturing with her hands, spreading them wide over her head. "many questions, but don't worry, I'll answer all of them. But we really gotta eat, 'cause, man, I'm just starving! Blagh! Hungry!" Leo quickly scampered off towards the doorway where the strange man, Goku, had gone into.
"If you touched my waffles I'm gonna get you-!" Leo screamed as she vanished around the corner.
" Ivvv noot eaaa dmmmm" A muffled cry escaped from the around the corner from a mouth stuffed no doubt with food.
Chi-Chi was left completely dumbfounded, she couldn't fully grasp this. No legend made her believe there was some mystical temple manned by a man and horned girl? They just said climb to the bloody top and get the dragonballs. Who the hell left the most important part out of the legend about these two!?
Releasing a grunt, Chi-Chi was about ready to go back and look at the obvious dragonballs on the pedestals in the center of the room but a heavy rumble from her stomach gave her another answer. She hadn't had a proper meal in several days.
Casting a glance at the orbs Chi-Chi turned and headed towards the sounds of clinking silverware that were in abundance.
A small cut out alcove expanded into a full room. One large table spread out in front of her where Goku was eating almost ravenously.
Grabbing bacon, sausage, and stacks of pancakes he devoured each one with rapt fervor, grabbing a heavy glass of what she could guess was milk and began to chug that down.
It all smelled delicious as she watched Leo, who sat in almost a high chair beside the table and cut her layered waffles with different fruits into pieces before drizzling them with whip cream and maple syrup. Then, just because she was probably a glutton for more sugar, she grabbed a small shaker and added more to the top of her mess of waffles.
Though as Chi-Chi came past, Leo looked towards her and noticed the small wrap on her hand. "Oh my! I didn't see that you were hurt, forgive me for not noticing." Flipping herself upwards and out of her chair just in front of Chi-Chi.
"Oh no this, it's not a big-" Leo grabbed her hand anyway and pulled away the makeshift cover. "I've gotten these before, I'll take care of it."
Shaking her head, "No, no, we can't have this." Looking at the obvious gash in her palm with a look of displeasure as her lips pressed into a frown. "Well, let's make it better then!" She said looking up to Chi-Chi, the girl's smile and appearance making the female adventurer mildly uncomfortable with just how strange and otherworldly she appeared to be.
"Please, heal this hand. Bless its owner with the strength to venture through the unknown and see her through the trials, whether she succeed or she fails. I ask that she be restored to health." With a faint pressure of her fingers Leo gently kissed the injury with her lips.
Her head then looked up and smiled, "There you go, all better! Because we all know that a kiss makes things all better!" With a wink, Leo scampered back up to her high chair to begin eating as Chi-Chi released a sigh and looked back down at her hand.
No… Way. Her eyes looked to Leo who was taking a big bite of strawberry and waffle. "How did you?" The entire injury, gone. No trace, no pain, all of it was as if it had never even happened. She looked to Leo who fluttered her legs as she bit down into her breakfast finding the taste of her food more appealing than Chi-Chi's current confusion.
"Mmmhh?" Goku's muffled mouth spoke as crumbs fell from his lips before leaning his head upwards and with a hefty swallow deposited several cheeks full of food down his gullet. "Oh yeah, Leo can do that, she can heal people, pretty neat, huh?" He smiled, "When I train too much or we get into fights with people coming to steal the dragonballs she takes care of everything."
The skeletons outside? Her mind thinking back to that, "I'm assuming those were the people outside at one point?" How many was that?
"Oh that's alright, they were bad people." Goku stated simply with a smile. "They just wanted to take the dragonballs! I mean they didn't want to do any of the trials and they wanted to kill Leo if I didn't do that!"
"It was terrible, they were all like 'Ragggh give us dragonballs!'" The small girl chided in with a deeper monster like voice. "They were going to hurt me! I mean, come on, I'm just a little kid and they wanted to shoot me because they were so greedy! It's like, whyyyy-? Just do the trials. It's so simple even I know it and I'm a freaking kid!"
"Yeah, those red ribbon guys were really mean, Leo, they tried to just blow up the temple but I didn't let them get a single round close!" Goku said clenching his fist and flexing one arm.
"How did you? How did you stop an army?" Chi-Chi asked her surprise and disbelief only further showing on her face. The idea that Goku and Leo stopped an entire army? That these two beings prevented a near invasion alone, how could anyone do that?
"Oh, it's a cool story, why don't you tell her, Leo!" Goku said eagerly, to which Leo stuck another mouthful of blueberry and waffle into her lips and chewed loudly with her mouth open.
…
"I'm commander Red! I know this is the mountain temple that holds the dragonballs! I demand that you open up and give me what is rightfully mine!" A short but stocky man yelled from the door of an open, tan helicopter, a black suit flapping at his back as the pilot descended to the ground.
Goku was already outside, his power pole in hand as he scratched the side of his head. Confused at these new arrivals to the temple.
Several ships were landing on the stone platforms where there were dozens more men, all armed with strange objects. Not familiar with firearms Goku didn't understand the significance of the strange metal and wood crafted items. Other's throwing small little bottles- to which he would discover later would be capsules- and in a plume of smoke were large tracked vehicles.
All of the weapons in the arsenal pointed straight at Goku who was still confused by these new arrivals.
A large skinned black male stepped off the helicopter wearing a suit similar to the man shouting and declaring himself to be commander Red. "Sir," looking to the shorter man who was half his size. "We can breach the temple on your orders."
Commander Red grinned, "Yes, soon the power of those dragonballs will be mine! This temple, this seclusion and the jamming from so many satellites proves the legends right!" Throwing his head back laughing he pointed forwards. "Send them forth, Major Black!"
"With pleasure sir." Bowing his head with a hand over his chest, the man looked to his soldiers. "Alright men storm that-"
The huge temple doors opened up, the golden dragon disc shimmering and splitting into two seperate pieces. Eyes watched as the heavy doors that seemed solid fixtures revealed a most surprising sight. A little girl, wearing a pink dress, a crown of flowers and a stuffed elephant in her hand. Except her obvious differences in her white skin, pupil less eyes. She appeared more alien to most, releasing a big yawn, one hand covering her mouth as she rubbed her eye with the other, the stuffed elephant rubbing the side of her unkempt hair. "What's going on-?" Her voice still yawning, "I'm trying to take a nap."
All of those within earshot looked to each other in complete disbelief.
"Uhh Leo, I think these guys want the dragonballs?" Goku added naively confirming what the soldiers already knew.
"But it's nap time! I don't want visitors, could you tell them to go away please?" Leo said still rubbing her eyes.
Turning back towards the men gathered before him. "Would you guys mind coming back later, you interrupted the Guardian's nap and she gets really cranky if she doesn't get one of her several required naps throughout the day. So if you guys could-"
"Are you an idiot?" Commander Red shouted having grabbed a megaphone. "I am commander of the Red Ribbon Army, I have over two hundred men here and you have the nerve to tell me to go away because of some dumb child's nap! Who the hell do you think you are-?" He shouted a visible vein pulsing on his forehead as he looked to his nearest soldier. "Get them out of my way so I can claim what is mine!"
Major Black cleared his throat to address his commander. "Sir, this is an isolated temple with enough strange happenings and readings before we arrived, perhaps it would be best if we simply-"
Commander Red smacked him, "No delays Black! I want those dragonballs! Soldiers take them both for interrogation, torture them if you have to, I'm tired of waiting and being patient when what I want is right in front of me! Now do what I tell you-!" Too many wasted men, time, material, who cared about a little freak and some type of stick wielding kid! That wasn't the goal, world power and domination at any cost!
"Hey-Hey Don't touch me, I'm a girl!" Leo yelled as several men tried to grab her. But it didn't last for very long as an orange pole flung around like a boomerang and smacked the men in the head with a less than glorious bang atop each of their skulls. Their bodies collapsing down into a pile as Goku caught his power pole back in his hand.
"No one touches the Temple's Guardian! I am its protector, so if you want to get to her," He spun the orange stick behind his back as he spread his legs into a fighting stance. "you will have to get through me!"
The air stilled for a moment, as Goku's focused gaze fell upon the soldiers of the red ribbon army. An army of one versus hundreds.
"You had your chance! Men, open fire!" Red shouted in a fury as every single gun trained on Goku and unleashed a torrent of destructive fire. Everything from rifles, to machine guns, grenades, rockets, and massive explosive shells were released in the direction of the stick wielding man who did not move, the explosions blanketed the air in a thick black smoke as every man fired undeterred until the only sound that came next was the clicking of their weapons that held no more shells.
"I believe that he is dead sir." Black added rubbing his cheek.
A smug expression showed on Commander red's face. "Of course he's dead no fool would dare stand against the red ribbon army alone." Snapping his hand forward, "Now get that child and get me those dragonballs!"
"Sir!" "Aye" "Yessir!"
Several squads started rushing forwards from their positions, Leo however, had not moved, her expression looking forward as a smoldering black circle remained cloaking a solitary figure. Her eyes could see through that thick smoke and she watched his hand sweep outwards.
The smoke moving with a gust of wind that came from nowhere. Goku's outstretched hand with the power pole now shining as his expression shifted from his naive expression to a more serious and focused.
"Impossible! I know we hit him!" Commander Red gaffed, flipping back to those still at his sides. "Well what are you waiting for? Shoot him!"
Goku however, did not sit back, the orange pole glowed and grew twenty feet long. Drawing it backwards like one would if swinging a professional baseball bat. Goku drew in a breath as he stepped forward.
A thunderous cry ripped from Goku's lips as he drew back and smashed through as many as he could with a single swing. Hitting men, cars, planes, tanks, it all was batted aside as almost an entire cone was smashed within moments.
The air quickly turned back into a sea of explosions and gunfire, Goku becoming a blur as he snapped from point to point. There was nothing but the orange swish of his power pole, as groups of men were smacked into the side of anything solid.
One soldier's head smashed through and entire window, another splattered against the solid road wheels of a tank, a third cut a groove in the side of a parked plane's wing.
Cries of shock, and frenzied screams rose up deafening the orders of those in command as entire areas were laid waste too. Explosions from those firing frantically, the blur of orange turning weapons into one another.
The screams becoming panicked shrieks as bullets cut into soldier after soldier, a spray of red erupted like a volcano from the ranks of terrified men.
"You morons! Fucking imbeciles! Stop killing yourselves and fight him!" Red shouted grabbing his sidearm revolver and lined up a shot as Goku's movements slowed.
The bodies fell into heaps, bullets riddled corpses covering the once pristine temple grounds with screaming dying and the dead. "You're nothing more than a man so why won't you die!" Commander Red fired several rounds towards Goku, but each one was deflected and hit one of his soldiers at his side.
"IMPOSSIBLE!" Commander Red screamed, unable to see the flashes of Goku's movements.
"Sir we should retreat now! We've lost half our men already!" Major Black pleaded, seeing the inevitable already written on the wall. Sweat pouring from his brow, a sharp gasp escaping from his lips as his eyes trembled at the sight before him. "The dragonballs were protected by something beyond mortal! We must cut our losses before we-"
The revolver was turned on him, the crazed look in the commander's eyes, like something had possessed him, turning him from cold and calculating tactician to a man running on sheer emotion, red was showing more in his eyes than in his hair.
"No Retreat! They will be mine! All Mine!"
The major looked back towards the forgotten guardian. The small girl holding a stuffed animal was speaking softly. "Are you a coward? I won't lose!"
He looked back to commander Red and his mouth opened in horror. "She's controlling-," The bang that came next caused the massive second in command to crumble, his face contorted in shock as he realized the truth. So subtle only he had seen it in the confusion, as he was the one with a clear head despite the chaos.
The gaping hole that was large enough for an arm now was all that Major black had to show for his loyalty from his once glorious leader.
"Now attack! ATTACK ATTTACCK-!"
All of the fighting died down in minutes, as Leo smiling and humming a little toon skipped about over the bodies like they were hopscotch. "Dragonballs, Dragonballs you can't have! Just seven in all! First one Greed, Second one is Envy, Then comes Gluttony. Fourth is lust, the fifth comes Pride, Sixth comes Sloth, and the last one is Wrath! Dragonballs, Dragonballs, you just can't have!" Leo jumped up and over as she came to a gasping Commander Red. His body littered with holes.
"But-But I-" Leo shook her head at the commander, "You don't simply take the dragonballs. They must be earned, one who is of the purest heart, mind, body, and will can have them. They are not to be used by the whims of a man whose short stature has blinded him." Her sombering tone and cold stare made the dying man wheeze out in pain. Spinning around Leo skipped back towards the temple singing her little song as she jumped over the bodies and shell casings. Smiling the little girl jumped upwards into the air as Goku moved to catch her atop his shoulder, leaving those outside to their fate.
…
"And no one… came back," Her voice dropping down into a deep whisper. "ALIVE-!" Her hands throwing up in mock horror as she burst into laughter.
Chi-Chi felt her stomach twist in knots as the childish Leo grinned down at her. Goku however laughed it all up, finding it entertaining. I wonder if these two have been locked up here for too long?
"But that's alright for you, Chi-Chi, because you passed the first trial!" Leo applauded her, with her hands.
Her eyebrows winged upwards in surprise and her mouth twisted as she tried to ask questions but she couldn't form the words to begin.
"Don't worry about it," Jumping down from her high chair, Leo walked over and gently patted her arm. "You have nothing to fear about here, so I want you to eat and rest up. Once you're healthy we can begin the rest of the trials and see if you are worthy of the dragonballs." Putting her finger to Chi-Chi's lips before she could even ask. "And don't worry, I will explain everything and Goku will take care of you while I'm away."
"What me?" Goku said setting down his plate, crumbs peppering the ground and his bare chest.
"Yes, you! Ugh, I'm not doing everything, I'm like seven years old here!" Leo groaned as she threw her hands up heading towards the door. Muttering and grumbling things as she went.
"You're like seven hundred, you're far older than me." Goku whined, "I've also never been with an older girl so how-"
"Figure it out, sheesh!" Her small form disappearing from view.
His shoulders and head dropping, the spikey haired protector looked to Chi-Chi with an uneasy smile. "Well you can eat then I'll show you to your room, Leo's going to spend the rest of the day preparing for your tests."
Chi-Chi had to stop him, "Hold on, just give me a minute to think first."
"I suppose that's fair," Goku laughed, putting his arms on the table. Smiling, "I'm not much one for talking. Especially with girls, but I'll help you out. It is my job after all."
Okay Breathe, one, two, three. Rubbing her face for a moment, Chi-Chi looked squarely at Goku. "What is all of this? You, that girl Leo, this temple? I thought this was just a place that kept the dragonballs for those that who scaled the mountain. So what is all of this talk about tests, and trials? What exactly have I gotten myself involved with, all I want to do is wish that my mother isn't sick. Isn't that a good enough reason to let me have my wish?"
"Not really." Goku admitted and Chi-Chi let her head fall onto the table. "Are you alright?"
"This stupid temple, why did I have to go and believe those dumb rumors? I thought if I had a pure heart and noble intentions that would be enough… Mom will probably die before I even get a chance to make the stupid wish!" Covering her head in her hands, Chi-Chi just let out another heavy groan of frustration. Climb mountain, get dragonballs, make wish. Simple! But no, Kami says that's not enough!
A hand touched her head, a gentle roll as fingers swept along her hair. "I don't think that it's a stupid wish. You're a very good person, Leo watched you climb that mountain all the way from the start."
Lifting her head up she looked at Goku's shining teeth and gentle eyes. "You went for longer and harder than anyone else before, normally she'd only have it last a day and a half, but you almost went three whole days! That's really impressive Chi-Chi!"
His honest praise made her spirits lift slightly but as she felt herself beginning to perk up she quickly made that feeling drown. "Thanks but, I have a mother whose going to die if I don't get those dragonballs. Doing these tests or trials and whatever are not going to help me. What point will there be if I wish her to be cured only to find out she died while I tried to get the dragonballs?"
"If she's strong like you I don't think that will happen, but you can't spend your time here worrying. Come on let's find you a room to rest up in. I'm sure Leo will have everything ready for you tonight." Goku got up from his seat to walk around towards Chi-Chi. "Come on, you just spent days climbing a mountain are you really going to give up after this?" He pressed leaning down to look at her.
She blinked, her eyes looking up at him from the table. "You're right, I didn't spend all this time to get here only to quit now." Closing her eyes and taking in a full breath. "You know you're not as naive and dumb as you look, Goku."
"What? I'm not naive." He countered, looking offended but she could see the playful glint in his eyes.
Standing up she gave him a playful tap on the shoulder, "Oh you totally are," He laughed and gestured out towards the main chamber. The two walked out together looking towards the seven pillars where Leo was currently kneeling down, her fingers interlaced in some type of prayer or meditation.
Goku's arm pulled Chi-Chi close to him as he covered his mouth to speak. "She's setting up the ritual, we have to be quiet." A shallow whisper, his voice a strain for even to hear. "She'll be like this for a few hours. Come on." Tugging at her side Chi-Chi followed him but looked back as the little girl looked to be offering a prayer.
Leading them to another wing of the temple, there wasn't a door but another small room. Chi-Chi's eyes roamed all over the small living space, there was a bed, a shower, and a cut out desk. The materials not like modern day features but made out of the same marble as everything else, except the bed having an actual mattress and sheets. A low light came through an opaque window with light brown drapes.
"You can stay in here, my room is just next door so if you have any questions you can just come over and ask me." Goku let her walk inside.
"Is this it? No phone, or television?" Chi-Chi asked, wondering if this place had any true modern features. Though it's an isolated mystical temple atop a mountain, I shouldn't be surprised, right?
"What are those?" Goku replied his eye cocked upwards and a puzzled expression showing on his lips. "Never heard of them, we just have beds, showers, books up here. Though, I don't read very well." He admitted with a guilty blush, his eyes looking up towards the ceiling.
"You can't read?" Chi-Chi asked stunned, a grown adult who had no idea how to read.
"Nope, Leo tried teaching me but gave up in frustration. I prefer to just spend my time training outside and flying around on Nimbus." The freedom of being outside meant so much more to him. He hadn't really had a life outside of the temple.
Taking a seat on the mattress of the bed Chi-Chi looked up at the strange man in her room. "So how long have you been here? Did you try and get the dragonballs and just end up staying?"
"Me?" He pointed to himself. "Well most of my life really, I had a grandpa when I was younger but he died." A sobering tone and expression dropping over him. "But people really didn't like me, I was different."
"Well, I've never heard of a man fighting an entire army with a stick." Chi-Chi added trying to bring a little bit of levity back. Goku chuckled for a moment. "So how did you end up here?"
He shook his head, "I don't really remember. It was a long time ago, I think I was only five or six, and one day I just woke up here. It was strange… that night I just remember being so tired, so exhausted that all I wanted to do was just sleep forever. But then, I'd woken up by Leo poking me in the shoulder. She healed me, and brought me inside, gave me a place to eat and sleep, then before I knew it I became the protector of this temple. I think I kind of owed Leo for all that she did for me that I kind of just agreed to stay up here and keep the dragonballs safe. I've helped her a lot by stopping all kinds of bad people from getting them and keeping her from harm."
"Well, you told me the story about the Red Ribbon Army, other people have come to take the dragonballs?" Chi-Chi asked curiously, she couldn't imagine who else would've made that type of climb.
"Oh yeah, a lot of bad people think they can just climb up here and take them. Even when they do have everything right they just can't pass the trials and they try to take them by force which is impossible, so long as Leo is alive." Goku said casting a glance back towards the door. "She protects them with some kind of magic or strange power and they won't come down from those pedestals unless she lets them."
"How's that possible?" She asked, astonished.
"I don't know," He chuckled, "but she promised me an entire years worth of desserts if I could pull one off, and I tried for an entire week to lift one but they wouldn't even budge. It was like trying to lift the whole temple at once with my hands… But she gave me a dessert for a night for trying." Goku smiled, thinking back on that week with some fondness.
"But you should probably get some rest, you're going to have a long day with the trials." Knowing that he probably should get back out and clean up the mess he had left in the kitchen. "We'll come get you when it's time for the trials or dinner first!"
Chi-Chi nodded, perhaps that would be good, she really hadn't taken a break in awhile and with what she's was learning about this place it would probably be in her best interests to be prepared for what was to come. "I guess that sounds right, I'll probably shower and get some sleep." Chi-Chi relented as she stood up.
"I'll be in the next room over if you need me, after I clean up my mess. So if you have any questions ask me, though I probably won't be able to answer them like Leo can." He gave her a smile and a wave as he turned to leave.
"Wait." Chi-Chi said as Goku's head looked back towards her. Taking a breath she bowed her head slightly. "Thank you,"
"Not a problem, I'm happy to help! It's been awhile since we've had company. Perhaps you can tell me about the rest of the world? Sounds like I've been missing out on a lot."
She gave him a smile and nodded, taking a hand to brush back her hair. "Sure, I wouldn't mind."
"Great!" Goku said leaning into her cheek and pressed his lips softly against her cheek. The warm feeling of his mouth stunned Chi-Chi and made her face go red. "Thanks Chi-Chi!" then before she could even form a word to respond he disappeared in a flash.
R&R
Kerghan