Of Two Hearts
Chapter 3: Disaster Unfolds
"You!"
Goku turned at that voice. He saw several men waving wildly from across the training field, insisting that Goku follow them. Goku knew what they wanted. He knew the other men admired his strength, and wanted him to teach them by the lake, where they could secretly wade.
However, Goku preferred to train alone in this area of the training field. A lord had granted permission for the people to train on his fief, and Goku didn't want to wander off and break any rules.
Goku got on one knee to adjust the laces on his boots, and to catch his breath. He had been training hard all this time, pushing his body past previously set limits, as he had learned.
It wasn't like he could go with the other men anyway. He wouldn't be able to concentrate.
Goku had been thinking of what Wakaru had said to him several nights ago. He had said Chi-Chi was in love with him, and Goku had thought about it for such a long time, wondering what it meant. He wished he wasn't apart from her, so he could know.
He wanted to make sense of everything that was happening.
The first time he went to the Ox-King's castle, it was too confusing to identify. Chi-Chi had been so happy to be with him, but it meant nothing to the cruel words of the Ox-King, who kept him away from Chi-Chi.
Chi-Chi seemed incredibly sad to Goku that day. He had never seen so much sorrow in someone's eyes.
Goku picked up the sword he was training with. It wasn't very heavy to him, and he had pretty much done all he could with it, but he continued to practice anyway. He had to be better than everyone else.
That's what Chi-Chi would want, he guessed.
He remembered how impressed Chi-Chi was with his skills at the Tenkaichi Budokai. Goku had thought he would see jealousy in her eyes, like everyone else, but she merely stared at him in awe. He had a nice feeling, knowing he amazed someone…
He also remembered how worried Chi-Chi was for him as he fought his battles. She didn't want him to get hurt, and wanted his safety. She had wiped the sweat off of him in between his breaks.
Another nice feeling arose when Goku remembered that. It's kinda nice to know that someone worries about you, he thought. Like you mean something to that other person…
Suddenly, an agonizing cry filled the air, and echoed across the land.
Goku became alert, and dropped the sword he was practicing with. He could partially detect where the cry came from, and he yelled for the Flying Nimbus.
Before the cloud came to a halt near him, Goku jumped on it, and ordered for it to zoom across the fields.
Goku knew he had found the scene of pain when he saw the men who had called him before crowd around another man lying on the ground, writhing in pain. Goku jumped off the Nimbus and ran to the men's circle.
"Goku, help!" one man, Hideyoshi, panicked. "We were only swordfighting, but Matsuki was accidentally cut with the sword, and he's bleeding badly!"
Goku looked down at Matsuki's pale face, and the sweat traveling down it. A sword lay in a pool of blood, tainting the grass by his side. Goku took off his shirt to wrap around Matsuki's side, and then he rolled him away from the pool of blood.
"He needs help right away," another man, Daisuke, said. "The nearest place is the hut of the Medicine Woman. Her name is Shi Lu, and she's only about a mile east from here."
Hideyoshi looked hesitant. "But how are we going to get Matsuki there in time? We have no horses, and can we afford to blemish our clothes with his blood?"
Matsuki groaned in a mix of anger, pain, and impatience.
"It doesn't matter!" a third man, Satoshi, exclaimed. He looked at Goku, and then his eyes widened when he saw the Flying Nimbus sitting there. "Um, Goku! Take Matsuki on your flying cloud to Shi Lu's! Make haste!"
Goku nodded, scooped up Matsuki, and jumped on the Flying Nimbus. Matsuki saw he was in the air, and rolled his head back. "Hey, man… I've never been taken in the air like a bird," he mumbled groggily. "Are we going to die? Am I going to fall?"
"You're going to be all right," Goku said, even though a lot Matsuki's blood was pouring onto him. He finally spotted a small hut in the grass, and landed by it.
With Matsuki in his arms, Goku kicked down the door, and stepped inside.
"I'm sorry about your door, ma'am, but please help me!"
***
"All right, already! You don't have to shout," a cranky voice called from the back of the hut. The sound of closing cabinets, and rattling pots was heard, and then a small, elderly woman came to her front door.
"Put him on that bed right over there," she ordered Goku.
Goku placed Matsuki on a cotton futon in the corner, and then looked at the small woman, who was making a mixture in a cup. As she did this, she threw a small cloth, several average ones, and a large cloth in a bowl to Goku.
"Fill the bowl up with water and clean away the blood. Use the small cloth to place on his forehead, and the large one to bandage his side. See to it," she commanded.
Goku did as he was told, and then cleaned himself of Matsuki's blood. The woman sat by Matsuki's side, watching him drink the liquid she made for him. Once Matsuki finished, he collapsed on the futon, falling into a deep sleep.
"Wow," Goku said, as the woman took the cup to a basin near the back of the hut. He followed her and continued to speak. "You must be the Medicine Woman, Shi Lu. I'm Son Goku. You're amazing. How do you do that?"
The old woman snorted. "Hmph. It's what I do. Never barge in like that. I'm an old woman for Kami's sake. I could've had a heart attack." Goku looked down at her. She had smooth, gray hair, piercing dark eyes, and a short figure. She dressed in an eccentric manner, and carried her wooden stick that served as a cane.
"I apologize," Goku said, and then looked over at Matsuki. Shi Lu looked over at him as well. "Your friend will recover. However, you have a door to fix."
Goku then looked at the large, scattered pieces of wood on the floor, and smiled nervously. "Oh. I'm sorry about that. Tell me what I should do."
Shi Lu used her cane to point at the forest in the clearing. "I know you know how to turn trees into planks. Do it and build me a door with some cattail reeds by the pond near the forest. Bring back a large plank to use as a lock."
Goku nodded. "Yes, ma'am." Growing up in the forest and wilderness, Goku knew how to work with his hands, and how to build things for himself, so building Shi Lu a door would be a fair task.
About an hour later, Goku attached the newly built door to Shi Lu's hut and sat down, panting. He stiffened when he felt Shi Lu's stick prod into his back. "You're tired?" she asked, disgusted. "A strong, young lad like you shouldn't be after only building a door."
Goku looked up at her. "I've been training all day, ma'am. I'm going to compete in the tournament."
"Oh," Shi Lu said, annoyed. "Those silly wars. It's only for the king's pleasure. Oh well. Come with me now, and I'll make you something to drink."
"Thank you."
Shi Lu was using a broom made of a stick with pine needles attached at the end of it to sweep up the floor, as she watched Goku thoughtfully drink. He grimaced at the taste.
"What?" Shi Lu snapped. "Don't tell me you've never tasted sake."
Goku shook his head. "Oh, I have. I just forgot the taste of it…"
The woman rolled her eyes and continued her sweeping. After a few moments, she took the empty cup from Goku and saw him yawning. "You must've had a rough day, child. The sun has hardly gone down, and you're as tired as a newborn. You should go home and get some rest. But first, tell me why you seemed so sad."
Goku shrugged. "I was just thinking about something."
Shi Lu frowned. "Now don't try to fool me with that. I'm old, and I know when someone looks sad. What ails you?"
"Well," Goku started slowly. He looked down at the cloths hanging near the basin, and how it reminded him when Chi-Chi used one to wipe away his sweat at the Budokai.
"I'm not sure how to explain it very well, but I do know that I miss someone who's special to me. I haven't seen her in a long time," Goku explained carefully. "I suppose I think about her when I'm not doing anything else."
Shi Lu snorted again, though this time it was meant to tease. "A sweetheart, hm? You young people are always in a hurry to get into these kinds of things. Well, if you're training for the tournament, you're really not going to see her for a long time. Stay strong about it."
Goku nodded, not really listening. Sleep was about to take its toll on Goku. He nearly swooned. He finally took his body's hint that he was really tired. He yawned once more and headed for the front door.
"Thank you for everything, ma'am," he said in between another yawn. "You're very kind. Farewell."
He opened the door and began to walk in the cool, summer evening. A breeze caused him to shiver, as he had no shirt on. He continued to walk, but his view was starting to become fuzzy.
Goku's instincts told him he shouldn't walk if he could barely see. He started to call for the Flying Nimbus, but he plunged into a world of darkness.
***
Chi-Chi sat back against the wall of the Study Room, looking down at her calligraphy. She was sure she had messed a character up. She wasn't concentrating. Her thoughts were on Goku. She hadn't seen him ever since the day she brought him home, and it was killing her.
She looked down at a paper next to hers, and then at the small hand holding a reed brush as it made its own Chinese characters with black ink. Talim was doing her lessons with Chi-Chi, as usual.
She was copying a saying to write down, so she could hang it up in her chamber.
Talim was humming to herself as she worked, but suddenly, she stopped as she heard a noise. She put down the reed brush and stood up, listening for the noise again.
A fanfare of trumpets, banging drums, and a cheering crowd was occurring outside the castle walls.
"Princess, listen!" Talim exclaimed joyfully. "Do you hear that?"
Chi-Chi stood to her feet as well and heard the noises too. She strolled to the stone cutaway window in the wall and looked down. The crowd of people looked like ants, and the noise was even louder than before.
"I can't see!" Talim whined from below.
Chi-Chi lifted Talim up to see the parade below. "Wow!" she raved. "It's beautiful! What do you think this is for? Is it your birthday, Princess? Is that why the King is doing this?"
Chi-Chi shook her head, confused. "It's not my birthday, but I am full of questions like you are. Come now, and let's go see what the commotion is about." She took the little girl's hand and led her to the first floor of the castle.
They squeezed through the crowd and came close to the parade.
"Here he comes!" voices exclaimed.
"He has finally arrived!" more voices rang.
"Hail our prince!" more voices sang.
The Ox-King waited on a platform at the end of the crowd, and commanded the people to make a path for the visitor they were cheering for. Talim and Chi-Chi moved closer to the Ox-King and waited to see whom everyone was so excited over.
At first, it was impossible to see the guest with the crowd moving and being so loud. The Ox-King quieted the crowd and then spread the people apart so the guest could step up onto the same platform he stood on.
Once the guest came up, the Ox-King welcomed him with a firm handshake and then turned toward Chi-Chi. "Ah, I'm glad to see you, Daughter. Look and behold, for this is the man you will call your husband, Prince Vegeta."
Chi-Chi's eyes widened, and she nearly gasped. No! This couldn't be!
She looked down, almost startled, as she felt Prince Vegeta kneel before her and kiss her hand. "Greetings, wife," he said in his smooth voice.
Chi-Chi wanted to yank her hand away. She had to stop herself from doing just that, and suppressing her anger, though she was beyond disgusted. She wanted to run away.
This was all wrong! It was painful enough to be taken away from Goku, but now she is betrothed to this strange man? Chi-Chi should've taken that moment to faint.
She couldn't believe it. This very circumstance was like two strong hands that ripped her heart in two, as if it were paper.
Vegeta stood and faced the crowd, smiling, as he would begin the ceremonial welcome speech.
"People of this Mighty Kingdom," he spoke in a loud, clear voice. "I'm glad to have traveled all the way from my homeland to rule this place. I would take no other offer than to be your king, and—" he paused, and put his arm around Chi-Chi, pulling her close to him.
"To be the loving husband of your beloved princess. I give you my word that I'll care for this woman and be your respected king, who will soon offer a son with the same great traits that I have. I say here and now-"
Suddenly, the noise of yelling samurai and running horses interrupted Vegeta's welcome speech. The samurai skidded to a stop near the Ox-King and looked up at him frantically. "We apologize, Your Majesty, but we have news of two injured competitors for the competition!"
"What?!" the Ox-King roared. "Who? Tell me who they are!"
One samurai opened a scroll and quickly skimmed the writing. "They're Son Goku and Nakaguchi Matsuki! They are located near the hut of the Medicine Woman in the farther country, sire!"
"Goku!" Chi-Chi whispered frantically, worried out of her skin. She didn't see several confused people look at her. Why would she worry about a lowly peasant when she's going to be married to a prince? They wondered.
The Ox-King growled, not liking this. "Fetch them at once and take them to the apothecary on the second floor. Make haste!"
"Yes, Sire!" The two samurai echoed as they saw to the Ox-King's command.
Once they left, Ox-King gave Vegeta permission to continue his speech.
Chi-Chi didn't hear of any of the good things Vegeta was promising, or the applause the kingdom was giving him. She didn't even hear Vegeta speak well of her, as if he knew her his whole life. Only one thought was in her mind.
Goku
Is
Hurt.
She knew this thought would bug her unless she did something about it. And she was going to.
***
The stars were shining brightly when Chi-Chi snuck out into the room where the apothecary had taken care of Goku and Matsuki. Chi-Chi had taken a basket full of items that would speed up the process of their recovery.
Quietly, she softly closed the door behind her and lit a candle. Using that as a guide, she made her way to one of the two beds in the room. She placed the candle, in its holder, on top of a small stand and knelt before the person in the bed.
"Hey," she whispered, and reached out to touch the person. She shook him gently, and he stirred, mumbling something. When he opened his eyes, they widened and he gasped hoarsely.
"P-Princess?" Matsuki rasped.
"Shh," Chi-Chi hushed him, and took out a water gourd. As she did this, Matsuki tried to sit up to see what she was doing. "You shouldn't be here, Princess," he rasped again. Chi-Chi took out a roll of bandages and a mixture of herbs to put on his wounds.
"You hush and lay down now," she said, and started to replace his old, bloody bandages with fresh ones. She brought him an extra blanket to keep him warm, and left a small snack on the stand next to his bed.
She rose to leave, and smiled once Matsuki thanked her for he generosity. "It's nothing. Close your eyes and go to sleep."
Once Matsuki lay down again, Chi-Chi took the candle and looked for the next bed. It was by the window, where the cool breeze would blow the most, and not by the cracks in the walls.
Chi-Chi placed the candle on the stand next to that bed and knelt before it. She heard the person's deep breathing, and was still for the moment she took in the sleeping form of Goku through her eyes.
"Goku," she whispered, and slowly reached out to touch his face. Her fingers pressed against the skin of Goku's cheek, and she was surprised. It was so cold.
"Poor Goku," she whispered once more, and retrieved the second blanket she carried with her. She laid it on Goku carefully, and then took the folded cloth off his forehead. It was hot.
Chi-Chi was worried. His forehead was hot, and he was having chills. She hoped he wasn't coming down with some type of fever.
Chi-Chi put a fresh, damp facecloth on his forehead, and ran her fingers through his hair. How hair so spiky was also so soft amazed her. Goku awoke under Chi-Chi's touch.
When Chi-Chi heard his mumbling, she pulled her hand away, but smiled softly once Goku fixed his eyes on her. "Hey. How are you doing?" she whispered.
Goku blinked as he stared at her, like he wasn't sure what he was seeing was really there. But Chi-Chi was really there, because Goku thought he had never seen anything so pretty than the candlelight glowing warmly on Chi-Chi's soft face.
"What?" Chi-Chi said, as she noticed he was looking at her for so long.
Goku immediately took his eyes off her when she said that. Why did he do that anyway? "Nothing," he whispered. "I'm just really tired."
"All right," Chi-Chi said, and looked through the basket at her feet. "Do you need your bandages changed?"
Goku shook his head slowly. "I didn't get hurt like that. But I am really hungry."
"All right. Wait a minute."
Goku watched as Chi-Chi took out a water gourd and small portions of different kinds of food on a small, wooden plate. She was really careful about doing this right.
"Chi-Chi?"
"Hm?" Chi-Chi mused as she brought the small meal to the stand. She looked at Goku, who seemed rather touched.
"You came here just to see me?" he whispered.
Chi-Chi smiled at his innocence, and felt the blood rush to her cheeks. "Yes…"
Goku smiled and took the facecloth off his forehead. "Thank you." When he sat up to eat the food, Chi-Chi noticed he had no shirt on. Blushing even more than last time, she averted her vision of him.
She forced herself to keep her eyes off his chest until he finished eating, and then continued to look away as she cleaned up.
After Goku finished eating, Chi-Chi came to take away the dishes he used. She looked up at him and smiled sweetly as she saw Goku looking at her curiously, smiling brightly as well.
There were crumbs on his face, which Chi-Chi reached out to brush away. She guessed no one ever really helped Goku with these kinds of things, as she felt his curious eyes on her.
Goku looked down at her, confused. What was she doing?
Suddenly, Goku reached for something dangling from Chi-Chi's neck. He held a sparkling birthstone, embedded in gold, in his palm. He examined it curiously.
"What's this?" he asked, getting closer to Chi-Chi.
Chi-Chi felt her cheeks flame as she felt Goku's bare skin pressed against her own as he scooted closer to her. Extrication followed as Chi-Chi's eyes fell to Goku's bare chest. The sight of it was steadily unwinding a certain emotion…
Oh, the question.
Chi-Chi looked down at the bottom half of the necklace in Goku's hand, ignoring the fact that his hand was near her breast. "That's my necklace," she told Goku. "It was my mother's, and she was supposed to give it to me, but she died. So my father gave it to me when he felt the time was right."
"Hmm," Goku said, looking the necklace over. Chi-Chi took it off for him and let him see it. After some examining, he asked, "Are all jewels as good-looking as these?"
Chi-Chi looked down at it. "Not all, but this one is my birthstone. The sapphire was custom-made, so that's why it looks the way it does. What's your birthstone?"
Goku shrugged. "I don't remember anything except my Ojiisan Gohan, but he did find me in the woods in early June."
"Then it's a pearl. Those are really pretty."
Goku smiled at her. "A lot of things are pretty." He opened the overlapping material at the chest of her kimono. Chi-Chi's face began to color red slightly as he her hands slowly reached for his. Umm…what was he doing?
Blithely, Goku placed the necklace in the material, so it wouldn't fall out of place. He patted the material to make sure the necklace was secure, and he gave Chi-Chi a look that confused her, but there was something else…
Now really wasn't the time to give her a certain look. It must've come from when he patted her… Chi-Chi looked away, denying admission to displays of affection.
"Um, aren't you tired, Goku?" she asked, changing the subject. "It's well into the night, and people are going to wonder whether you're better or not."
Goku gave her a curious look before settling under the blankets. That was funny, he figured. Why did she seem embarrassed?
Chi-Chi didn't want to leave, but the candle's flame was starting to dwindle.
"Chi-Chi?" Goku whispered before she could leave.
She turned back and looked at him. "Thanks," he told her again, and Chi-Chi could see sincere gratitude and, she almost swore… affection.
It made her glad to know that Goku didn't see her as just 'the Princess' but as a person, a human with feelings… It only made her desire to connect with him ache with more intensity than before.
Chi-Chi smiled. "You're welcome. Get some rest now."
***
Very early the next morning, Chi-Chi was ready to see Goku again, to see how he made it through the night. She could hardly sleep, wondering about it. However, the moment she stepped out of her bedchamber, her heart nearly jumped in her throat.
Vegeta.
He stood there, crossing his arms. Chi-Chi was afraid now. Firstly, how did he just appear there? Second, why was he looking so… mean and demanding?
"V-Vegeta," she stuttered, confused. "What are you doing here?"
Vegeta's fiery eyes looked right through her. "Where were you last night?" he demanded to know.
Um, in my bed? Chi-Chi wanted to tell him, but before she could say a word, Vegeta smiled a bit. "Out in your garden, weren't you? The Ox-King told me you loved the flowers you grew over the summer."
Oh, that was a relief. Chi-Chi nodded to assure Vegeta.
"Hmm," Vegeta said, and then turned his back. "Follow me." Chi-Chi obeyed, to not cause any trouble. She and Vegeta retreated to the garden outside, and Chi-Chi sat on a wooden bench near the marigolds.
"What is it?" she asked Vegeta, who looked thoughtful.
Vegeta looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "You deserve to know a little about the man you're going to wed, don't you think? We didn't have the chance to greet each other properly yesterday."
That's what you think, Chi-Chi thought, but nodded in agreement.
Vegeta looked up at the sky proudly as he crossed his arms again. "You have no idea of the worlds out there, or the people out there. It's a good thing you have me, Prince Vegeta, son of King Vegeta from Planet Vegeta."
Chi-Chi blinked.
Vegeta continued, "My home is a far away land, and just so I don't confuse you, just think of my land as a reservation for a very special people on the other side of the world. Our people have always been strong warriors and rulers, and we're also peaceful and tolerant of most other nations.
"We like to form alliances with other kingdoms, so there is more to rule, and more royal children to be born. This is why I came to this kingdom. Of course, your father and mine had a very deep talk about this first. It had taken years for an agreement to be made, due to some foolishness."
He sighed. "But please don't think I'm like my father. I am serious about you and me… You're the only one for me, Chi-Chi, and no one else. If someone else even tries to look at you, I'll be sure to have his head."
Vegeta looked at Chi-Chi to see her reaction. She had on a straight face, but Vegeta also saw something else. It seemed as if he looked right through her.
Another man…
There was another man she cared about. He could see it in her eyes.
He nodded at her. "As you know, you won't have to worry about all that because we will be wed soon."
Vegeta picked a daisy from the garden and tucked it in Chi-Chi's hair. His hand patted her cheek softly. "Stay sweet." He turned to leave, but Chi-Chi objected for him to go.
He turned back, and Chi-Chi nearly sighed. She had noticed his concentration. She knew the way he looked at her. He might've known about Goku. In order to deem this as false to Vegeta, Chi-Chi spent a few more hours with him, showing him around the kingdom and talking to him.
And it tore her apart, knowing she was lying to herself and to him.
After breakfast, Chi-Chi retreated to her bedchamber and moaned softly, never feeling anything so good as her soft bed. She was so tired after being with Vegeta for hours before the crack of dawn.
She hated the fact that she was too tired to go see Goku, besides the fact she now knows her chances of getting caught are higher.
Goku… Chi-Chi thought, concerned. Please get better. You need to. You have to. Not just to compete in the tournament… but for me.
***
It was midmorning when Goku was checked on again, this time by several people in the Slave Headquarters. They had crowded around Goku's bed as a skilled female peasant, Hanako, checked on Goku.
She pulled her head away from Goku's chest and faced the other men who had trained with Goku the day before.
"His heartbeat is regular, but his breathing is slowing down, as if he were struggling to breathe. The thing is, I don't hear any wheezing."
Hideyoshi swore under his breath. "Are you positive, Hanako? It sounds like you've diagnosed him with a life-threatening ailment!"
Hanako frowned. "I'm positive. Why would I lie? Goku's not going to die. He just needs lots of rest."
Daisuke sighed. "Well, I hope he gets better. You know what the lords do to slaves who prove useless to them. A useless man is like a lame animal they say, so they just kill him. But we can't let that happen to a good man like Goku. Where could we hide him?"
Hanako shrugged her shoulders. "I'm honestly lost… Goku's fever has returned as well. Why does he do this to himself? He wins the praise of our lords for the work he does, but it's because he works harder than everyone else, pushing himself…"
Hideyoshi nodded thoughtfully. "Now that you mention it, Goku always did seem unusually strong…"
"And," Daisuke added. "He hasn't woken up for the morning meal. He's always the first to hop to meals."
"Oh!"
Hanako gasped as she inspected Goku's pillow. She heard Hideyoshi and Daisuke crouch to where she was. "What is it?" Hideyoshi asked. Hanako seized something shiny protruding from under Goku's pillow.
"I knew it! I knew it, I knew it!" she exclaimed.
"Knew what?" Daisuke asked. Hanako looked at him brightly. "Don't you see it? I thought something was wrong when I examined Goku this morning. He had an extra blanket, fresh bandages and there are crumbs on the wooden stand. Someone was here!"
Hideyoshi snorted. "Don't be a fool, Hanako. The apothecary always checks on the ill folks every few hours."
"Oh?" Hanako asked, and held out something in front of him. "Explain this."
A golden necklace with a sapphire stone attached to it hung from Hanako's fingertips.
Hideyoshi gasped. "Huh? Alas, it is the princess's! What…?"
Daisuke blinked. "No, that can't be… That can't be the same necklace. The King gave Princess Chi-Chi that necklace on her eighteenth birthday, passed down from her mother who received the same necklace on her eighteenth birthday. Could it be…?"
Hanako nodded and held the necklace tighter. "It is the same one. The princess was here last night, checking on Goku."
"That foolish girl," a new voice spoke.
Hanako, Daisuke, and Hideyoshi turned around to see another slave glare at the necklace in Hanako's hands. "Han Wong," Daisuke chided. The tall, dark-haired stranger left the Headquarters and stepped outside.
He looked up into the sky, wondering…
To be continued…
Chapter Four: Pressure Ensues
A/N:
(1) Yes, I had to make Vegeta the prince and Chi-Chi's fiancé. Sorry if it was predictable! I should write more about Veggie anyway and I kinda (just an teensy little bit) like the idea of V/CC, even though I'll always love G/CC first.
(2) About the birthstones and stuff… I'm positively sure that Grandpa Gohan found Goku in early June and gave him an adoptive birthday around that time. I remember reading the manga and watching episode 274, He's Always Late.
I'm guessing Goku's adoptive birthday is June 2-10, even though he was actually born like a week earlier or something.
(3) Still about the birthstones and stuff… I'm not sure when Chi-Chi's birthday is, so I just gave her my birthday month (September). ^_^;
I'm not even going to try and give her Virgo traits. It's more fun when you can give a character a personality.
Lady Kouga: Thanks.
Gogirl: Yep, but I can't say who it is just yet. Wow, I didn't even think about that scene until you told me. It IS like Aladdin, and I didn't even mean to write it that way! Two points for you!
Chief316: Thanks. This is an AU fic after all. I didn't water Goku's power down tremendously, but I'm not making him the strongest man in the universe here either. You'll see how it develops over time.
Kiona: Wow, thanks a lot! Well, the next chapter is here.
Lady Athena X: Thanks. Yes, Chi-Chi's just like that and she's only going to get even sneakier.
Jessica C: Yep. It was supposed to be wedding preparations before Chi-Chi brought up the idea of the tournament. It will still go on, but when the wedding finally happens, the tournament will be put on hold.
Carrie: Thanks.
No name: I can't reveal it just yet.