The Snow Queen
Heavily based on the fairy tale by Hans Christian Anderson and DBZ-ified.
Starring: Chichi, Goku, Grandpa Gohan, Ox King, King Piccolo, Kami, Launch, Baba, Frieza, Yamucha, Tien and Chiaotzu, Krillin, Vegeta, Bulma

A dramatic Goku/Chichi Fic.

A/N: Requested by The Great Karasu, Rinfantasy, and everyone else who was itching for it.

STORY THE FIRST
The Black Star Ball and the Broken Fragments

You must pay attention to the beginning of this story, for when we get to the main characters, who are kind a sweet and loveable as they should be, you will understand just how very wicked a certain demon was. Truly he was one of the very worst. He was made when a perfectly normal person split himself up into two people. One of the people was very good and protected the world. The other was very bad and wanted to wreck what the good one protected. He was evil in every sense of the word.

One day, when the evil demon was in a particularly nasty mood, he made a magical crystal ball that would grant a wish, but ruin the person that made the wish. It was deep orange, with a black star in the very center. The black star ball caused him much merriment for not only did it grant a wish at a terrible cost, but it warped the world around it to one of malice, greed, and hate. Those with good intentions who sought to use the ball would find their desires distorted. Beautiful and good things were turned worthless in lieu of the ball's power. Honesty and integrity were discarded for power and wealth.

It pleased the evil demon well for now he could show all his fellows what humans were really like. He carried the black star ball far and wide till at last there was neither a land nor a people who had not seen this cursed gem and been corrupted by it. Eventually, the evil demon wanted to fly high above the world to show it to his good counterpart. He knew that it would corrupt his spirit just like it had corrupted all the humans he cared for. But the higher he flew, the more slippery the ball became. Higher and higher he went and it got to the point where he could scarcely keep a good grip on it. Then, just as he reached the home of his good counterpart, the ball slipped from his hands and fell to earth, shattering into millions of pieces.

The evil demon raged at the loss of his beloved black star ball. However, as the days passed, he became delighted by its destruction. You see, some of the ball fragments were as small as grains of sand. They were blown about by the wind into every country of the world. When one of these tiny atoms flew into a person's eye, it stuck there, unknown. From that moment everything they saw was as though looking through the power of the black star ball. Everything was distorted in their sight. Some people even got a fragment lodged in their hearts. Whenever that happened, their hearts became cold as ice. Some fragments were large enough to be repurposed as windows, mirrors, and even glasses. Woe to the person who could see neither rightly nor justly when looking through them.

At all this, the evil demon king Piccolo laughed. It pleased him to no extent to see the pain and wickedness wrought on mankind. There were still a number of fragments of the black star ball floating about it the air and now you shall hear what happened with two of them.

SECOND STORY
A Little Saiyan and a Little Princess

In the country, where there aren't any people for miles but there are fields of wildflowers growing lush in the fields, lived two children. A little boy and a little girl. The little girl's father and the little boy's grandfather had been close friends for years. They were like brothers and lived near each other. Because of this, the two children were extremely close. They were not brother and sister, but loved each other almost as much as if they had been. Even though the little girl was a princess and the little boy a low class saiyan, they were always together, playing in the glen that lay between their houses.

Their names were Goku and Chichi.

In the glen, sweet peas and lilies grew in rows separated by wild cosmos, foxgloves, and gladiola blossoms. The little girl's father had planted beautiful roses there alongside the wildflowers. They reminded him of his late wife. While the roses were the children's favorite flower, they knew they must not pick the roses without help from their parents. They had been pricked far too many times and knew better than to mess with the beautiful flowers. In the winter, they were very sad, for they loved the glen and its natural beauty. True, winter brought its own fun, but they much preferred summer. During the winter they would blow their warm breath on the windows to fog them up and draw faces to smile at each other from across the way. In the summer they'd always run to meet in the warm field of flowers and play, but in the winter it was bundle up, down the steps, out in the snow to play or visit, then come back in before jack frost bites off your toes. Those summer days were what they yearned for in every other season.

One day, in the middle of winter, Goku's grandfather pointed to the snow falling outside the window.

"Look children. The snow looks like white bees swarming."

Chichi laughed. "Bees? That's silly!"

"Do they have a queen bee?" Asked Goku. He knew that real bees had a queen. He knew a lot about animals.

"More like a king bee." Said Grandpa Gohan. "He flies there where the swarm is the thickest. He's the biggest one of them all and never stays on the earth, but flies up to the dark clouds when the snow stops." He smiled at the wide eyed children. "Often at midnight, he flies down to the earth and freezes a fresh layer of ice on all the trees and green things still left, making everything seem like it's covered in sugared icing."

"Sugary icing!" Goku cried happily.

Chichi giggled. "It looks yummy, but it's not really icing."

"Can the Snow King come in here?" Goku asked.

"But he can't!" Chichi protested. "He'll melt if he comes inside."

"Oh yeah." Goku grinned sheepishly. "He'd better stay outside then."

Grandpa Gohan chuckled and told more tales.

One evening after performing his kata, little Goku, only half dressed, climbed up on a chair and drew a face on the fogged window. Through the eyes of the happy face he drew he saw the snow falling. One flake much bigger than the others spiraled down to the front walk. This snowflake grew larger and larger until at last it became the figure of a short, muscular fighter. Despite his lack of height, Goku could tell he was strong and powerful. He looked to be made of ice yet he was alive. His eyes glinted like sharp daggers. There was neither peace nor comfort in their gaze. He looked Goku dead in the eye and grinned, beckoning him out into the snow.

Goku was so surprised that he tumbled back in his chair, knocking the chair and himself over onto the floor. There was a white flash at the window and when he jumped up to look for the mysterious fighter, he was gone. However, on the following day the world looked as if someone had spread a thick layer of frosting over it. But soon the frost melted and the sun shone again. The snow vanished and the flowers pushed through the dirt and summer came again.

"Goku!" Little Chichi greeted at him as they met in the glen. "Look at how beautiful the roses are this summer!"

"Wow!" Goku agreed. "They sure are pretty!"

"Roses are red, violets are blue," Chichi sang, "Goku is sweet, I'm gonna marry him!"

Goku laughed aloud. "That doesn't even rhyme!"

Then they held hands, played among the flowers, looked at the bright sunshine and loved the world. Those were the most splendid of summer days. It was like the happiness would never end and the flowers would never stop blooming.

During that happiness, disaster struck.

"Ah!" Little Goku doubled over, clutching his chest. "It hurts!"

"Goku?!" Chichi rushed over to her friend. "Goku are you okay?!"

"It felt like… something hit me… in the chest…" Goku managed, gasping for breath. Moments later he cried out again. "Ah! My eye!"

Chichi, very worried for her friend, got up to fetch her father for help. Goku pulled her back down.

"No… no it's fine." He said after a moment. He rubbed at his eyes. "It was just some dust. I think I got it out. And my chest doesn't hurt anymore either. I'm fine."

But Goku was not fine. One of the fragments of the black star ball, the one that made all thoughts and desires distorted and wicked, had lodged itself in his eye. Poor little Goku also received a small grain in his heart. The warm, loving part of him quickly turned to a cold lump of ice. He felt no pain, but the fragments were still within him, poisoning his thoughts and desires. Even the purest of hearts was affected when the black star ball was involved.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Sure I'm sure." Goku suddenly looked up at Chichi. He frowned, irritated. "Quit mothering me. I'm not some little kid!"

Chichi was hurt. "O-oh. Sorry."

Goku huffed. "You're such a worrier. There's nothing wrong with me." He looked back at the roses and scowled. "What happened to the roses? They look gross." Chichi gasped as he grabbed a fistful of the thorny blooms and ripped them from the bush. "I can't believe your dad planted them here. It's not like they're going to bring your mom back."

Chichi was shocked. "Goku! What a horrible thing to say!"

"Whatever." Goku reached up with his now bloodied hand and ripped down another bunch of roses. Chichi let out a soft cry at the sight of his blood. Goku shot her and irritated glance before dropping the flowers and running back to his house. Chichi watched him leave, terribly frightened and confused at the sudden change in her beloved friend.

The next day, when she came to Goku's house to visit, Chichi was astonished to find him hard at work, training like his life depended on it.

"Goku? Don't you wanna go out and play?"

Goku looked at her long-sufferingly. "I'll only go out if you want to spar with me. I've got to get stronger so I can compete in the tournament."

So Chichi begrudgingly went to spar with him. In the beginning their fights were evenly matched. However, Goku's fighting style became more vicious. Soon he was easily overpowering Chichi at every turn. Soon he would turn down her offers to play and instead seek out other boys to spar with him. Those who happened to watch these spars remarked at how strong he was getting. 'That boy will be a great warrior someday' they would say or 'look at how he targets their weaknesses so easily' and 'he shows no mercy'. But it was the grain of the black star ball in his eye and the coldness in his heart that made him act like this. He was even ruthless to little Chichi who loved him with all her heart.

One winter's day while Chichi was building a snowman, Goku, similarly bundled in snow clothes, came up to her with a grin.

"Winter is the best time for training!" He said, smiling in a strange way. "It trains your body to deal with intense temperature changes."

Chichi nodded. "That's neat, but don't you want to play in the snow with me?" She asked hopefully. "We could have a snowball fight… and then go in for hot chocolate and marshmallows?"

Goku looked torn for a moment. Then he shook his head. "I don't have time to play games today. I'll see you some other time."

He turned to leave, ignoring the look of dismay on Chichi's face. They never played together like they used to anymore. And since when did Goku ever turn down a snack? He'd changed. It was always 'gotta train' or 'I don't have time for silly kid games'. It wasn't any fault of Chichi's, but she always felt as though she were lacking something. That Goku didn't like her anymore. It really hurt her.

Goku made his way through the snow to the little town. They lived far enough away from it that regular trips were hard to make. Today though, the snow in the air, the chill winds at his back, Goku found it to be perfect training conditions. So he decided to make the trip alone. He didn't tell anyone about his plans except Chichi, and even then he felt oddly disdainful of that fact. As he walked, he went through a version of his kata he'd been trying to perfect. As he trained, he failed to notice the snowfall becoming harder and harder. Soon he was slogging his way through snowdrifts that came up to his chest. He fought his way through them, but found he couldn't see the road.

Lost in the snow, he started to panic. Goku yelled loudly, trying to call for help, but in the intense snow, every sound was drowned out by the howling of the wind. His teeth chattered. Despite his heavy coat and gloves, the chill winter snow cut straight to his skin. He tried to recall a prayer to Kami, the good counterpart high above the earth, but all he could think of was fighting tactics.

Suddenly a voice rang out high above the wind.

"You have done well to come so far. Why do you stop now? Are you really so weak as to be defeated by snow?"

Goku grit his teeth against the cold. "I'm not weak!" He called out in reply.

He was astounded as a figure appeared before him. He was tall, but not overly so. To Goku, he appeared grand. Radiating power, swathed in white and purple, he could tell that this person was strong. It was in fact, the same person who appeared to him outside the window last winter.

"Come. Challenge me." The snow king said, smiling and showing sharp blindingly white teeth. "Taste my power."

Goku grinned back at the being, springing forth despite his cold numbed body. He had barely gotten within range when a fist whipped out and caught the side of his face. He was thrown back into the snow drift.

"Are you still cold, little warrior?"

Goku was exceedingly cold. So cold he felt he was going to die. But it only lasted a moment, for as he pulled himself out of the snowdrift, he felt nothing and seemed quite glad to be facing this mighty opponent. He no longer noticed the cold around him.

He looked around, seeing that the snow was lightening. He thought that he should go and tell Chichi of this amazing fighter. She would be amazed to know he'd met the snow king.

Suddenly another blow came from the snow king. It caught Goku square in the stomach. "Don't let yourself be distracted." He admonished.

Goku nodded. "I'll remember." He said firmly, all thoughts of Chichi and home forgotten.

"Come. No more of this play-fighting." The snow king said. "Let us return to my palace. There, we may battle to your heart's content."

Goku nodded. He figured this fighter was the perfect fighter. The snow king was far stronger than anyone he'd ever seen. Together they began walking through the snow. As they went, Goku rattled off all the things he had learned about fighting, thinking that the snow king was listening. After all, the snow king didn't look like he was made of ice like the last time he saw him. The king, however, ignored all of Goku's ramblings. Goku was just a child after all. What could he truly know about the world?

There were still many places that needed to be touched by the cold harshness of winter. So the snow king reached out and took hold of little Goku with his long white tail. Slowly, he lifted off the ground, taking little Goku with him. They would move much faster if they flew. Over the frozen meadows and forests they traveled. Over land and sea they soared, freezing the world beneath them under a layer of ice. Wolves howled far below them and the moon shone clear and bright above.

Securely wrapped in the tail of the snow king, Goku asked a question. "What's your name?"

The snow king smiled that cold, cold smile. "My name is Frieza."

And so Goku passed through the long winter's night.

THIRD STORY
The Flower Garden of the Old Witch

Goku was gone for a long time. Longer than he had ever been gone before. Chichi grew worried and at last told his grandfather what he had told her. The grandfather told her father and together with the search parties of the king, they looked for little Goku. Through the snow and wind they searched, but Goku could not be found. He had not reached the town, for no one there had seen him.

The days turned into weeks with still no sign of Goku. Chichi was beside herself with worry and concern for her dear friend. Where could he have gone? At night, when she was alone and could no longer put on a brave face for her father, she wept bitterly for a long time. Yet she still clung to hope that he was alive and safe somewhere.

After a time Grandpa Gohan became sick with worry for his grandson. He wouldn't eat and only slept fitfully in snatches. Eventually he got so weak that Chichi and her father were fearful that his heart wouldn't last. He became bedridden in his own home, wasting away with sadness. Unfortunately their fears were right. Grandpa Gohan died with the first melt of spring.

It felt as though hope was lost.

"Goku is dead and gone." Cried little Chichi one day. She walked through the melting snow and the new grass along the side of the little stream that wound its way around her father's palace. "He drowned in the river and was carried away." She keened sorrowfully as she walked.

"I don't believe it."

Chichi was startled. "Who said that?"

"I did." Chichi looked over and saw a monk, floating in a boat on the stream where the water met the river. The monk leaned on his staff and looked at her intently. "My name's Krillin. I've been on this river since the day I was born and I know that nobody has ever drowned in it."

"Oh." Chichi nodded. "But if he didn't drown, why hasn't Goku come home?"

The monk shrugged. "Perhaps he went on a journey. Who's to say?"

Little Chichi thought for a moment. "Well, if he did go on a journey, where would he go?"

"Oh, I don't know." The monk smiled. "But I bet he probably went down this river to get there."

Chichi's eyes shone with rekindled hope at his words. "Sir, if you could take me down the river, I might be able to find Goku!"

Krillin scratched his bald little head. "I don't know…"

"Please Krillin, I'll give you anything!" Chichi looked about her. She didn't really have much to give except… She reached in her pocket and pulled out a beautiful marble. It was orange, with a red star in the very center. It was one of her most precious things. A memento from her mother. She looked up at the monk, determination settling on her face. She held out the marble.

"I'll give you my orange gem if you will take me to him."

"Wow." Krillin's eyes widened. "It's beautiful." He smiled at the little girl. "But I can't accept this. I am a monk after all." He stepped out of the boat. "I will petition Kami on your behalf. The world is too dangerous for a little girl all by herself." He said and walked off to begin his prayers.

Chichi scowled at his back. Why wouldn't he just go with her? She stomped her foot in a childish display of anger. Goku was alive and she was helpless to go look for him. She thought a moment… Or was she?

Slowly so as not to draw attention to herself, she edged her way to the boat. She gingerly stepped into it and untied the mooring line. The boat didn't move for a moment, as if hesitating before embarking on this journey. In that moment of hesitation, Chichi tossed her precious marble on the bank. Hopefully the monk could use it to buy a new boat. She didn't really want to steal it after all. Then smoothly, as if sensing that it had been paid for, the boat drifted into the current and Chichi was rushed downstream.

At first Chichi was excited. The wind in her hair, the rushing water in the river, the bright sun shining overhead, all these things thrilled her. Then, as the river flowed faster and faster and little Chichi was carried further and further away from home, she started getting a little frightened. Perhaps she had been too hasty in taking the boat out on the river. Her lower lip trembled and her eyes filled with tears, but she did not cry. If Goku could do it, so could she.

She watched the beautiful countryside pass by as she sailed and felt better. The pretty flowers, ancient trees and rolling hills brought a sense of peace to the little girl. The boat floated on for hours, each passing moment bringing even more beautiful sights than the one before. After some time she came to a large peach orchard. The trees were in bloom for it was spring. The whole area was filled with the scent of its blossoms. In the midst of the grove stood a small house with many colored windows. In front of the house were two statues in the likenesses of great warriors. Thinking they were real men from a far off, Chichi called out to them for help. When they did not answer, she realized they were stone and instead called louder to the little house.

There came a little old woman out of the house, floating on a crystal ball. Chichi was about to wonder at this when the old woman spoke. "Quit yelling! I'm old, not deaf!"

"Oh. Sorry."

The old woman clicked her tongue and the boat came to a sudden stop in the middle of the stream. "Now child, how did you manage to come this far on such a rapidly rolling river?" She reached out a wrinkled old hand and the boat floated to the bank as if it was a dog called to its master's side. "Come, tell Baba who you are and how you came here."

Chichi was a little afraid of the strange woman because she remembered the stories her father told her about meeting strangers in the forest, but ended up telling her everything anyway.

"So I am looking for Goku." Chichi finished with a question. "Please, have you seen him pass this way?"

"I'm sorry dear, but I haven't seen Goku." Baba smiled her missing toothed smile. "But don't be sad little Chichi. Even if I haven't seen him, he'll probably be here soon enough." She motioned to the little house. "Come have some peaches while you wait. I have a lovely garden where you can bide the time." Then she took Chichi by the hand and led her into the house. Inside, the windows painted the walls and floor with a myriad of beautiful hues. On the table sat a bowl of juicy peaches and Chichi had permission to eat as many as she liked. While she ate, Baba asked to brush her hair with a golden comb.

"You know, I've always wanted a daughter like you." Baba mused as she brushed the dark hair. The raven strands shone glossy and soft through her wizened fingers. The old woman sighed happily. "You could stay here you know. Live happily with me. After all, the world is far too dangerous for such a pretty little girl like you Chichi."

With each pass of the golden comb through her hair, Chichi thought less and less about her family, her dear friend Goku, and her journey to find him. You see, the old woman was a witch. Not a bad witch, but a lonely one. Visitors were few and far between and she so liked Chichi that she wanted to keep her as her own. So after Chichi had been lulled to sleep by the motion of the golden comb through her hair, Baba crept out to her garden and used her power. Immediately the rose bushes disappeared. They were still there, but now invisible. She knew that if Chichi saw the roses, she would remember everything and leave.

Later, after Chichi has awoken from her nap, Baba took her outside to show her the garden. Chichi was delighted by the many different flowers, all blooming as though spring would never end. She played in the garden for hours on end. Then, as the sun was setting, Baba took her inside for bed. They talked together quite pleasantly before settling the little girl down to sleep in a large plush bed. Chichi had the sweetest of dreams that night. All thoughts of her past gone from her head.

Chichi stayed with Baba for days upon days. Playing with the flowers in the warm sunshine, she hadn't a care in the world. One day, as she smelled the petunias, she thought that something was missing. Yes there were daffodils, crocuses, and sweet smelling lilacs. There were honeysuckle vines and marigold blossoms, but of all the different kinds of flowers she was sure one flower was missing. An important flower. She pondered this as she walked barefoot along the blooms.

Suddenly a sharp pain in her foot made her yelp. Chichi fell back on her rear, holding her foot as tears leaked from her eyes. Gingerly she pulled out a small thorn. She held it up curiously.

It was a rose thorn.

Immediately Chichi realized that the flower missing from the garden was the rose. She ran about, searching hither and thither for the beloved red flower. No sign of a petal. There wasn't even a leaf belonging to her favorite flower. Tears, caused not by the pain in her foot, but rather by the missing memories in her mind, brimmed in her deep dark eyes.

"Where are the roses?" Chichi said softly. Roses were important, but why? The tears fell from her eyes, landing on the invisible roses. They beaded there on the soft petals, outlining its delicate shape. Chichi looked down in surprise. She then leaned down and sniffed deeply. Its delicate fragrance calmed her. In a moment of clarity she reached out and picked the rose from the invisible bush. Immediately the spell fell away and the flower, red as blood, was visible in her hand. It reminded her of the glen next to her house. It reminded her of her mother and her father. It reminded her of the song she sang with little Goku in the middle of summer.

Chichi gasped. "How could I forget so easily?" She berated herself. "I was looking for Goku! I can't get distracted anymore." She sighed. "But it's been so long. Where do I look?"

She looked at the flower in her hand. "Do you know where he is little rose?" She hesitated. "Do you think he's dead?"

Surprisingly, the rose spoke. "No, he's not dead."

Chichi blinked. "You can talk?"

"This is an enchanted garden. Little Chichi, we've been watching you since you arrived. We heard the entire story when you were telling Baba."

"How do you know Goku isn't dead?" She asked.

"We know Goku is not dead because out roots grow deep in the earth where the dead lie. We would know if he was there." The rose answered her.

"That makes sense." Chichi thanked the rose and went on to ask the other flowers in the garden if they had seen little Goku. But the other flowers knew only their own stories. Ones they had told for ages. Stories of wishes granted and beautiful people saved. None of them could tell her a thing about Goku. Instead, she wasted even more time trying to sort out their nonsense.

She ran to the other end of the garden where the gate lay. It was overgrown with vines. The latch itself was rusted over. Undaunted, she pressed hard against the rusted latch until it finally gave way. She tore through the vines and ran out into the wide world. Her bare feet beat the dirt as she ran, only looking back to see that no one was following her. She ran until she was exhausted. She stopped to rest on a stone and noticed for the first time all the beautiful autumn colors around her. The leaves were red and yellow, golden and brown. A chill breeze blew through the air, telling her that autumn was already well underway.

"Did I really waste that much time?" Exclaimed Chichi. "It's already autumn!" The summer she so desperately craved had vanished. It was likely not to return until she found Goku.

"I can't rest any longer." She said and got up to go on. As she traveled, she winced at the pain in her feet. The run barefoot through the forest hadn't helped them. As she walked on, the world around her got darker and darker. The leaves turned brown before her eyes and rain pattered drearily down on her head. The thorn injury in her foot throbbed. Cold and tired, she trudged on.

Oh how dark and weary the world appeared!

FOURTH STORY
The Prince and the Genius

Chichi had to rest again. The constant rain and pain in her feet was making her weary. When she sat down, she noticed someone walking towards her across the snow. He was tall, dark haired, and had a scar across his face. She watched him come closer cautiously. She remembered all the stories her father had told her about meeting strangers in the forest. So far, they had proven true.

"Good day, little lady." The scarred man said. He meant to be kind to the girl for he could see that she was plainly afraid. "What are you doing out here all alone in the world?"

At the word alone, Chichi became very sorrowful. She knew exactly how it felt to be alone. Suddenly craving companionship, she told the whole story of her life and adventures. He listened quite attentively and she asked him if he'd seen Goku.

"I think so…" He nodded his head gravely. "I think I have seen him."

"No way!" Cried little Chichi. "Please tell me you have!" She leapt up and hugged him almost to death with joy.

"Easy there little lady!" The man laughed. "I said I think I know where he is. It might be Goku but," he grimaced in disgust, "I think he's certainly forgotten you at this point."

"Wh-what do you mean?" Chichi released him quickly, pulling away from him with a hurt look.

The scarred man sighed. "It's… complicated."

"Please, sir…"

"Yamucha."

"Please mister Yamucha!" Chichi begged. "I must know what has become of Goku!"

Yamucha sighed again. "Alright, but you're not going to like it." He settled himself down beside her and told her his tale.

"In this kingdom where we now are, there lives a genius woman." He raised a finger. "This genius woman is so clever that she can build a device that can make any object shrink to the size of a pea and be carried around in your pocket!"

"Wow!"

He nodded. "I know right? Anyway, she is so clever that everything she does apart from inventing tends to bore her after a while." He grimaced. "It's a bad habit of hers to drop everything and start on something new if she gets bored. Well it so happened that this occurred not too long ago. She was sitting in her laboratory when suddenly she sat up straight and declared, 'I need to find a way to control gravity!'. Her father, who was also in the lab at the time, agreed with her. Together they built an incredible machine designed to make anyone or anything become as light as a feather or as heavy as a mountain."

"That's amazing!" Chichi said, awed that someone could be so smart.

"It really was. But they happened upon a problem directly after creating this machine. They had no one strong enough to test it properly. It worked well enough with inanimate objects, but there was no one who could withstand the force. So they sent out word in all the newspapers. Soon guys from everywhere were lining up to try their hand at the machine. Barely any of them could withstand even the lowest setting on the machine and none of them could withstand the genius's temper."

"Is she scary when she's mad?"

"Chichi, you have no idea." Yamucha sighed. "She wanted someone who could stand up to the machine and her ridiculous demands. After all, being a genius she lives in such a grand house with technology beyond what most people have ever seen. Most of the guys who went in ended up confused and dumbstruck. That just irritated her even more." He shook his head slowly. "One guy was flirting with her a little too hard and she tossed him out on the street. It was a shame to see so many guys ripped apart by her fierce tongue. I could barely handle it myself when I was…" He coughed. "A-anyway, this went on for days. Finally there wasn't a person left who hadn't tried the machine. That's when he showed up."

"You mean Goku don't you?! Of course he went to try the machine out! He's so strong and…"

"Wait a minute! You don't know if he's this Goku guy for sure! Let me finish!" Yamucha scolded her. Chichi quieted and he continued. "On the third day of shenanigans, this guy showed up. He had dark eyes like yours and black hair that spiked up in the air without any kind of gel."

"That sounds exactly like Goku! What was he wearing?"

"He wore a strange kind of armor…"

"You mean his gi?"

"Sure kid, but the strangest thing was that when he went inside he didn't get confused by all the technology." Yamucha said, slowly getting more and more irritated by his own description. "He had this arrogant smirk on his face the whole time. He waltzed around like he practically owned the place! It still frustrates me how cocky he was! It was like he was a prince and we were all just supposed to cater to his every whim!" He took a breath to regain his composure, but it really didn't help. "And Bulma didn't say a word about it! She just sat there and stared at him! Like he was a piece of meat or something! It still makes me angry!"

"Why would that make you angry?"

"Because I was her boyfriend!" Yamucha hollered. Chichi held up her hands, a little frightened of the man. At the sight of her hands, he calmed himself. Giving her a sheepish smile, he said, "Sorry Chichi. I guess I'm still not over our breakup." He sighed. "In any case he demanded to see the machine and used it like a pro. He handled levels that any other man wouldn't be able to do."

"That sounds just like Goku!"

"What was even more impressive was the fact that he talked Bulma down! I'd never seen her so cowed by another man before." Yamucha looked vaguely disgusted. "Even I could tell she was smitten with him. They fought like cats and dogs but she gave in to his every wish and in time, him to hers. Even though he didn't come for romance, it's exactly why he stuck around. That's why I said he might've forgotten you by this point. He's obviously tied up with Bulma."

Chichi heard this and was saddened. Perhaps Goku had found love apart from her? "Please mister Yamucha, would you take me back to this place? I need to see him for myself to know that this is true."

He sighed heavily. "I don't really want to go back there…"

"Please mister Yamucha! I beg you! Take me to Goku!"

He smiled at her earnest pleading. "Alright." He replied. "But I won't go in myself. You'll have to go alone at that point. They have really tight security. It might be hard for you, since you're only a kid."

"That's easy enough." Chichi said confidently. "Goku will recognize me and let me in right away."

Yamucha just smiled and shook his head. Then together they got up and started walking. As they walked, Chichi comforted Yamucha by telling him that there were other girls that were sure to like him. Yamucha just sighed sadly and nodded. They walked for a long time until they came to a series of great domed buildings.

"Here we are. Capsule Corps." He turned to her and nodded. "You can't go in through the front entrance. There are too many guards. Instead, you should go around to the back. There's a great greenhouse back there that they hardly ever lock. It should be open."

"Oh mister Yamucha! Thank you so very much!" Said Chichi, bowing low to the ground. "I'll remember your kindness forever!"

"No worries little Chichi." Yamucha smiled. "Just make sure to get Goku home."

"You bet!" Chichi looked up with a fire in her bright eyes. "I'll drag him home by his ear! It's what he deserves for making me worry so much!"

Yamucha chuckled and waved goodbye. Once he had gone, Chichi made her way around the back of the building. The lights in the building had long since gone out. It was very late at night. Everyone was sure to be asleep. Oh how little Chichi's heart beat with anxiety and longing. She could get caught breaking and entering or worse! Goku might not want to see her! Then she thought about their time in the glen and the sweet roses that grew there. She saw in her mind's eye the way Goku used to smile at her. Courage bubbled up from deep in her heart. He wouldn't cast her out! He would be glad to see her and hear of her adventures. How sorry he would be to know how much they had worried over him. How sad he would be when he learned of his grandfather's death.

Chichi swallowed nervously as she made it inside the building. Perhaps she wouldn't tell him that right away. She crept through the house, pausing to sneak glances inside darkened rooms. Which room held her beloved Goku? Shadows thrown by the moon caused her to jump from time to time. It was such a big house! Rooms filled with technology that she couldn't begin to understand. It was enough to bewilder anyone! Not just people coming to test the gravity machine.

Soon she came to the end of a hallway and peeked inside the bedroom. A great bed filled the space beside a pair of great sliding doors leading out onto a balcony. In the bed lay two forms. One was obviously a woman. Blue hair lay over a pretty face as Bulma the genius inventor slumbered. On the other side of the woman lay another lump. Black spikes of hair stuck out from beneath the comforter, but no other features were visible.

Chichi thought it must be Goku. The hair she saw certainly looked like his. A burning anger that he would sleep with an older woman filled her from the top of her head to her dirty and wounded feet. Ignoring any noise she might make, Chichi strode defiantly over to the bed.

She grabbed a grabbed of black hair and yanked, screeching, "GOKU YOU BIG JERK!"

There was a yowl of pain and immediately the person whose hair had been almost ripped from his head leapt from the bed. He whirled on Chichi and grabbed her by the neck. She found herself pinned against the wall, looking into a very angry set of eyes. Her own widened at the sight of his face. Sharp features gave him the air of nobility even while his eyes burned in hatred. His hair, though spiky, swept up and together in a flame of midnight.

It wasn't Goku.

"How DARE you!" Growled the strange man in front of her. "Who do you think you are?!"

Chichi started crying. She wept, not just because she was frightened of the scary man holding her by the throat, but because Goku wasn't there. It wasn't him. She had been wrong.

"Vegeta what's going on?!"

The man half turned to look at the woman getting up from the bed. "This wretched girl just attacked me in my sleep!"

"Girl?" Bulma's blue eyes landed on Chichi and she cried out. "Vegeta! She just a kid! Let her go!"

Vegeta dropped Chichi with a growl. Chichi curled into a ball on the floor and sobbed.

"Oh no!" Bulma rushed over and tended her all the while berating her companion. "Shhh… there there sweetie. Vegeta! Why do you always have to react with violence?! I'm sorry mister big bad scary man frightened you. What are you doing here?" Little Chichi was helpless to stop crying, but was able to tell her story to the two of them.

"You poor thing!" Bulma exclaimed. "Yamucha told you that Vegeta was your friend?" She threw her hands up in exasperation. "He knew it was Vegeta! What was he thinking?!"

Vegeta shook his head in disgust. "Pathetic weakling."

"Poor kid, you must be exhausted." She looked at Vegeta sternly. "Help me get her to a spare room. She'll spend the night here and we'll sort all this out in the morning."

Vegeta scowled at her. "Woman, I am not your servant."

Bulma scowled right back. "Do it or I'll take away your privileges."

There was an intense staring match that felt oddly intimate. Chichi was less scared, but didn't want to interrupt whatever was happening between the royal pair. Vegeta finally relented, muttering about it being too late for this. He scooped Chichi up in his arms and carried her to a nearby guest room, dumping her in the bed. He turned to leave, but paused at the door.

"You shouldn't have woken me." He said gruffly before exiting the room. She supposed that was as close to an apology as she was going to get. It was good that they didn't throw her out. Bulma was so nice and that man was… Scary. She crawled into bed and fell asleep quickly. She dreamt of Goku and slept the rest of the night through.

The following day she awoke well rested. Bulma gave her a wonderful breakfast and asked if there was anything she could do to help her on her journey. Chichi begged for only a pair of boots and a coat so the cold would not reach her easily. Bulma went all out, dressing her from head to toe in winter clothes. She was given a pair of boots and a beautiful winter coat lined with fur. She was also given bandages for her foot and food and drink for her journey. The genius also gave her a capsule car. She marveled at the tiny pill like thing that exploded in size seconds after pressing the button on top. The genius helped her into the car, reassuring her that it was like a go-kart at the fair and a child could drive it without getting arrested. Vegeta didn't interact with her, choosing to watch from a distance. He looked as grumpy and stern as ever.

"Take care Chichi!" Bulma cried as Chichi drove off. Chichi cried as well for the genius had been so kind to her. Even the scary man, in a way, had shown her kindness. It was a bitter parting.

FIFTH STORY
The Little Robber Girl

The car drove on through a thick forest. Amidst the trees it shone like a torch because it was so shiny and new. To a large group of robbers, it was a prime meal ticket.

"Look at that fancy capsule car!" They cried, rushing forward and leaping upon the car from all sides. Chichi shrieked and pulled the car off the path in fear. They hauled her out of the car and rifled through all her supplies.

"Such a pretty little girl." One particularly nasty robber said. "She's as tender as a juicy steak and will taste just as nice!" He pulled out a long nasty looking knife. Suddenly, the rat-tat-tat of gunfire caused all the robbers to duck in fear. A lone woman, blonde hair tied back with a red ribbon roared up to the scene in a motorcycle. She hefted an automatic weapon over her shoulder and sneered at the robbers.

"Oi! Who told you scumbags you could poach on my turf!?" She hollered at the cowering thieves. Then her eye caught Chichi and she grinned. "Found something good did ya? I think I'll just take that then." She said, for she was strong willed and obstinate. She hopped off her bike and capsulated the car and its contents. Then she glared at the shaking Chichi. "Well what're you waitin' for girlie? Get over here!"

Chichi got up slowly. She was quite frightened of the entire situation. But what choice did she have? She slowly approached the robber woman. She was shocked to see that the woman was only a little older than she was. Perhaps taller and meaner, but close in age never the less. She was broader about the shoulders and had darker skin, but somehow Chichi could tell. She got up on the motorcycle with the robber girl and they were gone.

Chichi held to the robber girl tight around the waist as they practically flew over the ground. When they had gotten too far away for the robbers to follow, the robber girl stopped and tossed Chichi carelessly off the bike.

"So, you some kinda princess?" She said casually as though she hadn't just robbed a band of robbers.

Chichi's eyes went wide. "H-how did you know?"

The girl shrugged. "I got a knack for stuff like that." She looked at her closely. "Listen, I need someone to keep me company and do my laundry for me. I won't kill you as long as you don't make me angry, got it?" Chichi nodded vigorously and the robber girl grinned. "Name's Launch by the way."

"I' m Chichi." And she told her all that had happened and about little Goku.

Launch listened intently and when she had finished, nodded. "Don't go after him. If a guy leaves you then he's worth less than dirt." She wiped the tears from Chichi's frightened eyes. "Don't worry. I'll take care of you. I won't have my friend cry over some boy!"

They got back on the motorcycle and drove on until they came to a great castle. It looked like it had surely seen better days. Huge and made of stone, the walls were cracked from top to bottom. A tower or two had crumbled and lay in a heap on the ground. They rode the motorcycle right into the main building and stopped next to a roaring fire. There was no chimney; the smoke had to find its own way out of the room. Soup bubbled in a great caldron hung over the fire.

"You shall sleep here with me and my pets." Launch said as she hopped off the motorcycle. After they had something to eat and drink, she took Chichi to a pile of blankets and pillows. All around the edges of the room were cages of various sizes. Some held pigeons, some held cats and dogs. There was even a cage where a lonely skunk rested sleepily. "Look at them." She said happily. "They'd all run away if they weren't properly locked up. Aren't they neat?" She turned to a particularly large cage and grinned. "And here is my sweetheart, Tien." She reached in the cage and tugged out a young, bald man. He was taller than her, obviously stronger than her by the way his muscles bulged, but had a collar around his neck that she tugged him by. Stranger still was the third eye that rested in the middle of his forehead.

Chichi gasped. "You have a man as a pet?!"

"Not really a pet." Lanch pulled out a gun and held it roughly against his neck. He went very still and she grinned. "I won him in a bet. I have to keep him locked up or else he'd run away just like all men do. We play a lovely game of dodge the bullet every night to remind him who is in control."

"That's…" Chichi gulped at the sight of the gun. "D-do you have that gun with you while you sleep?"

"I always sleep with my gun." Launch said, shoving Tien back into his cage. "It's a dangerous world out there without one." She pulled Chichi down onto the pillows and blankets beside her. "Now tell me again about Goku and why you went out into the world to find him."

Chichi told her story all over again. Soon Launch was snoring peacefully with the gun pressed up against Chichi's side. Chichi couldn't sleep a wink. She didn't know if she would live or die. Having another person chained up was horrifying! Would she end up like that?

"Psst!"

Chichi raised her head and looked towards the cages. There against the bars leaned Tien, beckoning her. She shook her head and pointed to the sleeping robber girl beside her. Tien sighed and spoke softly.

"I've seen him. This Goku you mentioned."

Chichi felt her heart still in her chest. "You have?" She breathed.

"Yes. He was carried off by the snow king. I saw it while I was traveling. The wind blew so fiercely that night that I had to bury down in the snow to save myself." He grimaced. "That's when I was caught and forced into slavery."

Chichi felt very bad for the man. "I'm so sorry."

"Yeah, well then I was lost in a bet by my 'master'." He gestured to Launch. "She treats me far better than he ever did."

"I don't know if…" Chichi shook her head. "Do you know where the snow king was taking Goku?"

"He was most likely traveling to the high north." Tien rested his chin in his hand. "That's where I' m from, you know. The land of snow and ice, sparkling plains and fresh breezes." He sighed wistfully. "If only I hadn't accepted that fool errand from my emperor. In any case, the snow king's castle is at the north pole."

"Oh Goku…" Chichi started to cry.

"Be quiet." Mumbled the robber girl. "Or I shall have to shoot you."

In the morning Chichi told Launch all that Tien had told her during the night. Launch looked at her seriously. "Men like to talk though. How do I know he's telling the truth?" She looked over at the cage and thought hard for a moment. Then she reached over and unlatched the cage, pulling Tien out by the collar. She held her gun up to his chin. "Do you know how to get to the far north?"

Tien looked at her, eyes sparkling. "Who would know better than I? I was born and raised there. I know the snowy plains like the back of my hand."

"Hmmm…" She leaned in close, her eyes challenging his. "How do I know you're not just saying that to escape from here?"

He tilted his head down so that their noses were almost touching. "My honor would not let me. Not until I had repaid my debt."

"There was no debt to repay."

"You freed me from slavery and tended my wounds." He reached up and caressed the side of her face gently. "You fed me and kept me from trouble in this strange land. You threaten to shoot me should I try to leave, but leaving was never on my mind."

"Y-you… didn't want to leave?"

Tien shook his head slowly. The gun Launch held drifted down to her side. A strangely soft expression was on her face.

"I…"

A sudden commotion broke through the tension surrounding them. Launch swore loudly and dashed to her stash of guns. "Someone's tripped my alarms!" She ran to the entrance and fired a spray of bullets, cursing when she recognized the men who threw themselves out of harm's way. "It's those scumbags from earlier! They must've followed our trail!" A few bullets pinged off the nearby stonework and she swore again. She fired another heavy spray into the surrounding bushes and ran back to Tien and Chichi. "I can keep them pinned down long enough for you two to get out of here."

Chichi's eyes widened. "Us? But what about you?"

Launch ignored her. She turned to the three eyed man. "Tien if you want to make good on your debt, you take little Chichi to find her boy!" She reached over and unclasped the collar from his neck. The collar fell to the ground with a clatter.

Tien looked at her with wide eyes. "Launch…"

She winked at him. "Hey don't get me wrong, I'd love to keep you around a little longer, but there's no time for that now." Then she turned to Chichi. "Don't worry Chichi. You know I can handle myself just fine." She grinned. "I can't give your car back; I need the money for a new hideout. But you can have all the food in my pack."

"B-but Launch…" Chichi wept with that bittersweet feeling of joy mixed with sorrow.

"Hey now! Don't cry over me. You ought to be happy. Save your tears for someone who needs them." She turned away from them to fire at the thieves at the doorway. "Now get going! Things are about to get messy!"

Tien didn't hesitate. He reached out and scooped Chichi onto his back. Then he dashed over and snagged the pack of food. He and Chichi made for the secret back door. They reached the threshold and paused. Turning around, they watched Launch barrel into the firefight in a surge of glee.

"Goodbye!" Chichi called out and away they went. If Chichi thought Tien to be strong before, she knew now that his abilities lie in speed. They practically flew through the forest. Around stumps and stones and over marshes and plains nearly as fast as the wind itself. They only stopped to rest now and again, sharing the food that Launch had given them. It grew colder and colder the further north they went. Soon, high above them, color flashed in the sky.

"Look Chichi." Tien said. "Those are the northern lights. See how they dance through the sky? We're almost to my home country."

It was a good thing too. All the food in the pack had been eaten up.

SIXTH STORY
The Emperor and the Pervy Master

Night had fallen by the time they had reached a strange little house. It was strange in the fact that the roof sloped all the way to the ground and the door was so low that they had to creep in on their hands and knees. Inside there was a curiously small man with skin as white as freshly fallen snow. His cheeks were rosy red and he looked very surprised to see them.

Tien broke into a beaming smile. "Chiaotzu!"

The little man grinned back at him. "Tien!" He leapt up into his arms and hugged him. "It's been so long! Where have you been all this time?"

Tien laughed sheepishly. "It's a long story." He introduced Chichi to Chiaotzu, who was surprised to find that this little man was the emperor of the country. Apparently this home was his private estate. Tien then proceeded to tell him Chichi's story after telling him his own story. Chichi herself was so cold that she couldn't speak

"Oh man that sucks!" Said the young emperor. "You have such a long way to go!" He turned to Tien. "You've done an honorable thing, helping this young lady. I'll help you all I can." He went to his desk and began writing a note. "Take this note to Master Roshi. He is wise and lives closer to the snow king's castle than I do. He'll be able to help you further." So when Chichi was warmed and had something to eat and drink, Chiaotzu handed her the note and told her to take great care not to lose it. Then Tien took her on his broad back and carried her at full speed off into the night. The northern lights flashed brightly overhead.

At length they reached the house of Master Roshi. They knocked on the chimney for there wasn't a door above ground. They crept in through a tunnel beneath the snow, but it was so terribly hot inside that when they met master Roshi, he was only in his Hawaiian boxer shorts. Chichi covered her eyes and Tien rebuked the old man.

"Hey! It's too hot in here for clothes!" Roshi protested, ginning lecherously. He was short and wrinkled, with a long white beard and dark sunglasses. "Why don't you join me little lady? You'll die from heatstroke if you're not careful."

Chichi took off her coat and boots with a huff. "Dirty old man."

"Master Roshi, we came for your help." Tien said after taking his own coat off. Chichi pulled out the note and handed it to old man. After he'd read it three times, he knew it by heart and placed it on the desk to re-use. Paper was hard to get way out in the middle of nowhere. Then Tien told his story and Chichi's story. Behind his sunglasses, his eyes twinkled, but he didn't say anything.

"Master Roshi, you are the wisest master I know." Tien said. "I know you know the technique to fire ki from your hands. You have a golden cloud that can fly faster than the wind can blow. Can't you teach little Chichi a technique that will make her as strong as ten men to overcome the snow king?"

"The power of ten men?" Roshi said. "That would do her little good. The snow king is far more powerful than anyone on earth." He walked over to the television in the room and turned on a ladies workout video. As he watched from behind his dark sunglasses, Tien pleaded with the old master to help Chichi. Chichi herself pleaded with him. She beseeched him with such tearful eyes that his own seemed to twinkle again behind his sunglasses. So he stood up, went to the refrigerator and pulled out cold juice for his guests. "Goku is with the snow king right now. I'm sure that he hasn't come out because he finds everything there so much to his liking. He thinks it's the finest place in the world." Roshi took of drink of his juice. "Though from what you told me, I think that really isn't the case. He's probably got a bit of black star ball in his eye. Probably some in his heart as well."

"Black star ball?"

"Yes. It distorts the thoughts and desires of the heart, making everything ugly and useless apart from those warped desires. These must be taken out or Goku will never return to what he was before."

Chichi swapped a worried look with Tien. Tien gazed at the old master intently. "Please master Roshi. Can't you give her something to help her fight this power that has Goku gripped so tightly?"

Roshi looked at Chichi soberly. Then he motioned to Tien, pulling him aside into a corner for a whispered conversation.

"I can give her no greater power than she has already." He said to the three eyed man. "Don't you see how strong she is? People and animals are obliged to help her. She came through the world barefoot and suffered no lasting damage. Her purity and innocence of heart is her greatest power." He folded his arms behind his back. "If she herself cannot get into the castle of the snow king and remove the glass from Goku, we can do nothing to help her."

Tien was troubled by this. "Then what can we do, master? We cannot leave her like this."

"Listen Tien, two miles from here is the courtyard of the snow king's castle. You can carry little Chichi so far and set her down at the edge of it. But you can't stay there long. You must come straight back here as quickly as you can." Tien nodded and set his jaw. Without a word he swept Chichi up in his arms and ran out into the bitter cold of winter.

"My coat and boots!" Chichi cried as soon as she felt the cutting wind. But Tien did not stop. He ran faster and faster until he reached the edge of a courtyard ringed with holly bushes. There, among the red berries, he set Chichi down. He looked at her with sorrowful eyes. "Good luck." Then he left her, running back as fast as he could.

There stood poor Chichi, without shoes, without a coat, in the midst of the cold, dreary, ice-bound land of the far north. Her breath hitched in confused sadness at her friend's abrupt leaving. She swallowed her tears and ran forwards as quick as she could. All around her, as she ran through the courtyard, snowflakes blew in from all directions. However, these large flakes did not come from the sky. The sky above was quite clear and dancing with the bright northern lights. These snowflakes ran along the ground from the castle. The nearer they came the larger they looked. They took on fearsome shapes. Grand beast-men with horns and spikes. Men with oversized muscles and fearsome scowls. All of them were guards of the snow king. Living snowflakes, dazzling white and fearsome.

Little Chichi was so very frightened of them. She clasped her hands together and prayed fervently to Kami. The cold was so intense that the words came out of her mouth like a cloud of steam. She kept praying as the living snowflake monsters came closer, till the steam that came from her prayer formed into shapes itself. Amazed, Chichi watched the steam become the form of a fearsome dragon. The dragon tore through the living snowflakes as though they were paper. His long body wrapped itself around Chichi, blocking her from the wind. She looked into the dragon's eyes and they seemed to smile at her so kindly. She thanked the dragon protecting her and walked on in courage and in safety.

But now we've got to see what Goku is doing. In truth, he didn't think at all about little Chichi. He never supposed that she could be standing in front of the palace.

SEVENTH STORY
Of the Palace of the Snow King and What Happened There

The palace walls were made of snow. The windows and doors made of ice; clear and strong. There were more than a hundred rooms in it all formed with drifted snow. The largest of them extended for miles and all were lit up by the northern lights. In every room they could be seen dancing in the heavens. It was beautiful, but a cold and impersonal beauty. Everything was so large and empty. No people lived there. There was no music, no laughter, and no warmth. Neither pleasant games nor pleasant talk was there. Just the empty vast coldness of ice.

In the very center of this vast emptiness was the throne room. It sat on a frozen lake whose surface had been splintered into a thousand forms by the force of the punches thrown there. It was the perfect training ground and the snow king, Lord Frieza, thought it to be the best.

Goku was blue with cold, nearly black with frostbite on his fingers and toes, but he did not feel it. The snow king had beaten away the icy shivering and now he felt nothing. It was just as well for his heart was already a lump of ice. He stood there on the perfect training ground and went through a complex kata, watching his reflection in the mirror like ice. He was remarkably good, as if he was dancing to a hidden tune. His face, however, held no joy. Instead he looked intensely concentrated. This kata was of the most importance to him; this opinion owed to the piece of the black star ball still in his eye. He went through many forms. Gracefully leaping about and throwing punches. But there was always a problem; he could not complete the kata for there was a move he could never do. The 'transformation' that Frieza told him about. The snow king had said to him, 'When you find your transformation, then you shall be your own master. The strongest in the world. And I will give you a feast beyond your imagination, with cakes and crèmes and good things to eat.' But he could never manage to do it.

"Now Goku," said Frieza, "I must be off. I need to visit warmer countries to cool them off. Remind them that winter holds sway above the other seasons. I must dust the tops of the mountains that they may look frosted with sugar. It will be good for them and make the people pay me respect." And away flew the snow king, leaving little Goku alone on the lake of ice. And he stood there for the longest time until his knees buckled and he sat. He was meditating so deeply and sat so still that anyone would have thought him frozen stiff.

Just at that moment, little Chichi came in through the great door of the castle. The dragon around her held her safe against the raging winds until the door was shut. Then he dissipated like smoke. She went on through the castle until she came to the throne room and caught sight of Goku. She recognized him immediately and ran to him, slipping all over the place in her bare feet.

She reached him and threw her arms around his neck. "Goku! Oh Goku I've finally found you!" She hugged him tight, feeling such an immense relief she could hardly stand it.

But Goku didn't move. He sat quite still, stiff and cold and unfeeling.

"Goku?" Chichi pulled back and looked into his eyes. "Goku it's me! It's Chichi!"

Goku's eyes were blank, his mind far away from Chichi's words. After an agonizing moment he finally focused his eyes on Chichi and spoke.

"Who are you?"

Chichi felt as if her heart would break. Tears of anger and of sadness sprung readily to her eyes. "You don't remember me? Oh how could you! You… you…" She beat her fists on his cold chest. "I searched the world for you! I left home and father for you! I was almost killed, robbed, and frozen to death to find you! You can't forget me!" When she spoke again, her voice was quiet, all anger gone. "I thought you loved me. That we would get married when we grew up." Tears, hot and sorrowful fell from her eyes to splash on his breast. "I love you so much Goku… please remember me…"

While she spoke, the hot tears she cried onto Goku's chest warmed him. Slowly the warmth sank deeper and deeper. Finally it penetrated straight to his heart. The ice surrounding it melted away and washed out the fragment of the black star ball that had stuck there. And as he looked at Chichi his heart began to burn in his chest while she sang –

"Roses are red, violets are blue, Goku is sweet, I'm gonna marry him."

Immediately Goku burst into tears. His heart was far too warm in his chest. Memories that he had forgotten burned there to the tune of her little song. He wept so much that the splinter of the black star ball swam out of his eye. He gasped and rubbed at it. Then he looked at Chichi in amazement.

"Chichi!" He lifted his cold arms and pulled her close in a hug. "Chichi! Where have you been all this time?"

"G-Goku?"

He pulled back and looked around. "Actually, where have I been? It's really cold in here. Is it winter already? This place looks like it's made out of snow! Wow it's huge! Did you build this castle Chichi? It must've taken you a long time to build it. Gosh it's freezing in here!" His stomach rumbled and he smiled sheepishly. "Hey Chi, you don't have any snacks on you, do you?"

Chichi's face broke into a smile. "Goku! You remember me!" She threw herself into his arms and held him tight. "You're okay! You're back! Oh Goku I missed you so much!" She laughed and wept for joy. It was so pleasing to see them like this that the northern lights above danced for them.

"I missed you too Chi." He hugged her tight. "I'm sorry I made you worry."

Little Chichi beamed at him. She leaned in and kissed his cheek. Immediately he blushed, the whole of his face turning red and warm. She giggled and kissed his hands. They became warm as well, pink and healthy as they had ever been. She leaned down and kissed his knee and his entire leg all the way down to the toes warmed up and tingled.

"Wow Chichi!" Goku exclaimed. "I'm all warm again! You must have magic lips or something!"

Chichi laughed again. Then she blushed and leaned forward, pecking him gently on the lips. Goku blinked. Then a fierce heat burst from in his heart. It overtook all his other senses until it poured forth from him in a golden light. His black hair stood on end and turned gold. His eyes turned blue-green and powerful. Chichi gasped at the look of him.

Goku looked down. In the reflection of the lake he saw himself transformed. "Wow." He said softly. Then he smiled. "I did it. I transformed. Now I'm my own master, strongest in the world with a feast fit for the snow king." He looked at Chichi happily. "But who cares about any of that? I have you and that's all I could ever want." The snow king could come home whenever he pleased, for now Goku was stronger than him and had his freedom.

Then they took each other by the hand and left the great palace of ice. The icy land outside suddenly didn't seem as cold. They talked of Grandpa Gohan and the Ox King, of the roses in the glen and of the warm summer sun. Goku was very sad to hear that his grandfather had died. Together, they wept tears of sorrow as they walked. However, the tears were soon forgotten as Chichi told her story of how she came to find him. They had just arrived at the holly bushes that surrounded the courtyard when a voice called out to them.

"Chichi!"

Chichi turned and smiled. "Tien!" The three eyed man ran up to her, out of breath. "It's good to see you!"

"I came as soon as the storm stopped." He panted. "Master Roshi said that you had found Goku. Otherwise the storm wouldn't have ended."

"I did!" Chichi beamed at him. "And here he is! Goku, meet Tien. He helped me to find you."

"Nice you meet you." Tien said.

"Nice to meet you too." Goku replied, grinning. "Thank you for helping Chichi. You look pretty strong. We should spar sometime!"

"Goku." Chichi gave him an admonishing look. "We've got to go home first. Father is probably worried sick by now."

Goku laughed sheepishly. Tien laughed along with him and pulled the pack from his back. Upon opening it, they saw it was full of food. Goku was immediately delighted and set to the meal like he hadn't eaten in weeks. After they had shared a meal among the holly bushes, Tien walked with them, guiding them back to the edge of his country so they could find their way home. They stopped along the way to visit Master Roshi and Chiaotzu who were overjoyed by Chichi's success. It was a tearful goodbye each time.

Soon they had reached the borders of the country and stopped to bid farewell to Tien. All around the trees were putting out green young leaves and the birds were singing among them. The three were enjoying the peaceful moment before they had to leave when suddenly the roar of a motorcycle cut through the quiet. Out of the woods rode a woman with blonde hair tied back in a red ribbon. Tien and Chichi recognized her immediately.

"Launch!"

"Chichi! Tien!" Launch jumped off her bike and ran to meet them. "You jerks! You're alright!" She hugged Chichi and tried to hide the tears of happiness from her eyes. "It ain't right to make a lady worry." She released Chichi and hugged Tien as well.

The three eyed man blushed heavily. "Wh-what are you doing so far out here Launch?"

"Well I got tired of waiting around for something to happen, so I figured I'd go out and see the world for myself like Chichi. I figured on going up north first since that's where you're from." Then she noticed Goku for the first time. "I guess you're the guy she went after." She sized him up and pulled out a gun. "I should like to know whether you deserve rescuing from my dear friend Chichi." She aimed it carefully at his head. "You ain't gonna leave her, are ya?"

Goku, oblivious to the gun, smiled brightly. "No way! Not in a million years."

Chichi bopped Launch on the arm lightly, gaining a laugh out of the feisty blonde. Then she asked her about the prince and the genius.

"Them? They've gone to a foreign country on some sort of vacation." Launch shrugged. "Yamucha told me so. Said he was going back to his hometown to train or whatever. But that's all talk, tell me instead how you managed to get Goku back."

And so Goku and Chichi told her all about it.

"Wow! What a story!" She said, marveling. "Everything's set right at last."

She took both of them by the hand, promising that if she ever came their way to stop by and visit. And then she offered to give Tien a lift home. Chichi looked at the wide eyed man and gave him a gentle nudge of encouragement. Tien looked startled, but only for a moment. He ran to her and hopped on the back of her motorcycle. Together, grinning in a way unbefitting a robber girl and the emperor's bodyguard, they rode off into the wide world.

Hand-in-hand, Goku and Chichi started back home. As they walked, spring appeared more and more lovely. The weather got warmer and warmer until Chichi thought that summer must be upon them. Soon they recognized the little town where Goku had sought to travel that cold winter's night. They looked at each other, grinned widely and started running up the road to where their homes were. They reached Chichi's house and went inside. Chichi thought to go talk to her father right away, but as they caught a glimpse of the glen outside, both immediately wanted to go play among the flowers. They rushed down the hallway to the back door. But before they made it outside, Goku paused.

"Chichi, wait a second."

Chichi looked at him behind her. "What is it?"

"Come look at this." Goku gestured to the hall mirror. Chichi came up beside him and gasped aloud. A man and a woman looked out at them from within the mirror. The woman was tall, beautiful and shapely with long black hair and shining eyes. The man was taller, built powerfully and handsome with the same shining eyes as the woman.

They had grown up.

"Oh wow. When did that happen?" Chichi breathed, amazed that they'd become so big.

Goku smiled tenderly. "Come on. Let's go to the glen."

They went outside and walked among the flowers. They sat there amidst the roses like they had as children. Memories assaulted them and they sighed in happiness. Chichi admired the flowers in full bloom and Goku admired Chichi. Then he smiled and softly sang to her.

"Roses are red, violets are blue, Chichi is sweet, I'm gonna marry her."

Chichi looked at Goku with love in her eyes. They kissed there among the flowers, both grown up yet children at heart. And it was summer. Warm, beautiful summer.

THE END