Risk
Chapter 12
A month passed since Goku and Chi-chi had managed to patch things up. Since then, Goku had grown interested in learning Instant Transmission since he always seemed to arrive too late to most battles. Chi-chi was also interested so she would have an easier time finding her husband if he ran off somewhere and could be at his side. After all, he made a promise to her and there could be a time where he might forget.
During their training however, Chi-chi noticed Goku struggling to pull it off correctly. Most times, he grew so frustrated that he had given up. She grew worried and walked over to where he was standing breathing hard.
"Goku, are you alright?" Chi-chi questioned. After that night, Goku had spent little time alone and there were times he had nightmares that made his hair change to the golden locks. When he would wake, those golden locks would vanish almost though they had never appeared in the first place; however, his eyes held complete shock within them. Chi-chi had never asked her husband what had happened to him after she died and assumed that this special power was the power that Vegeta had spoken of before his death by Frieza's hands.
"I… I'll never get this," Goku muttered in shame.
"You should not give up," Chi-chi folded her hands over his. "I know you can do it if you concentrate hard enough."
"That's half of the problem right there," Goku admitted.
"Concentrating?" It was not something that normally bothered him in the past when he was fighting, so why was concentration an issue now?
"Yes. Chi-chi, ever since we left for Namek, I…" Goku paused; feeling something within him not wanting to share this information with his wife. Yet, he knew he had to be honest with her. "…I've been dealing with something that's trying to ruin our marriage."
'Ha. Just watch. She's not going to want anything to do with either one of us.' The voice warned. 'Maybe you should save yourself the trouble and run away now while you have nothing left to lose.'
"What is it?" Chi-chi looked him over with a worried expression on his face.
"Something's… inside of me…" Goku struggled to say these words; his hair flickering. Chi-chi felt her husband push her backwards as he transformed. She had only seen Goku as a Super Saiya-jin once when he was awake. Now that he was one when he was not asleep, she was curious as to why her husband had been acting weird.
"Goku, are you alright?" Chi-chi stepped forward before she heard a low growl from Goku's throat.
"Stay away…" Goku warned angrily while he backed up slowly. Chi-chi felt hurt by this and didn't listen to this tone of voice.
"Son Goku, I can't let you continue to beat yourself up over what happened!" Chi-chi snapped at the Earth-raised Saiya-jin.
"It… it isn't about your death…" Goku hissed. "It's about the dark voice wanting me to leave you…"
"Dark voice?" This confused Chi-chi further and she wanted him to tell him what was wrong, but he seemed to be trembling.
'I have a name you know…' The voice chimed in.
"Shut-up!" Goku hissed and had forgotten that Chi-chi was there at that moment.
"Excuse me?" Chi-chi felt like she had been offended. Before the female could figure out what was going on, she found herself pinned to the ground with Goku on top of her. She struggled with all of her might as her husband kept her from trying to escape.
"Chi-chi, knock me out…" Goku warned as he felt his hand rip her dress off without any control. He feared this voice was taking control; the same control he fought against while he was on Namek and was helpless to give Frieza the mercy he begged for.
"But…" Chi-chi noticed the fear in her husband's eyes. She had no idea what he might do if he continued. Sadly, she found the strength to flip them over and deliver the blow to knock the Earth-raised Saiya-jin out. Blonde hair flickered back to the dark locks that he was born with and his breathing softened.
…
"Do you have any idea what's wrong with him?" Chi-chi questioned. She was now wearing armored clothing after her dress had been torn off.
"I believe your husband's dealing with a split personality," Kenshu noted.
"Split personality?"
"We can help him get over it, but it'll take some effort on your part to get through to him," Kenshu explained. "We could try hypnotism to see who we're dealing with that's plaguing your husband from being able to control himself."
"I hope it works."
"It will be better than letting him to continue living with this split personality for the rest of his life."
"When will you do it?"
"As soon as he wakes up and we find out more about this other persona that's trying to communicate his needs through your husband."
It felt like an eternity before Goku awakened later that evening. The first thing he remembered was seeing his wife pinned to the ground with fear in her eyes. He jerked and found his wrists bound in chains. Struggling, he could not break free no matter how hard he tried.
"Goku, calm down," Chi-chi pleaded. Upon seeing her, his expression darkened.
"I'm not the same person I once was," Goku spat in irritation at Chi-chi. If he could break her heart further, then he could have said that he hated her; however, those would probably be the last words he would ever say to his wife before she broke down and cried for the marriage lost. He did not wish to say those words since he would only be lying to both himself and to the woman he had devoted his life to.
"I know. That's why I've asked Kenshu to help." Chi-chi replied.
"Like he could do anything to save me." Goku grumbled in irritation.
"You'll never know unless you try," Kenshu's voice carried over to the warrior's ears. His head jerked up to where he was standing with the other Yardrats and noticed one closer to him with a crystal on a string. Goku growled. "Whenever you're ready, Ateru."
"Understood Master Kenshu," Ateru nodded and began to swing the crystal pendulum in a slow and steady rhythm. Goku attempted to look away without much success due to the restraints holding him.
"Goku, please don't resist," Chi-chi pleaded. "It's the only way we can help you."
"I don't need help!" Goku snapped angrily at his wife. He figured that it would be a waste of time to silence the voice when he alone could not do anything against it after months of dealing with its harsh and crude tones.
"You do," Ateru spoke in a serene voice. "Otherwise, you would not be having the problems you were with your partner."
"I have no reason for you people to save me from this voice within me!" Goku hissed. "It's always been plaguing me ever since I left Earth."
"Then we'll listen to that inner voice and find out what's going on," Ateru encouraged. "Just let yourself continue to follow the crystal until you feel the voice become a part of you and don't fight against it."
Goku wanted to deny this; however, he saw the saddened look on Chi-chi's face and remembered the promise he made to her. Unwillingly, he surrendered himself to the voice; allowing it to take over his consciousness. His eyes, which were clenched shut during this, had suddenly opened. They seemed unfamiliar and cold as he gazed down at the Yardrats and the woman he was used to seeing from within.
"You wanted to speak to me?" Goku's voice gruffly questioned.
"Yes, who are we speaking with? Goku or someone else?" Ateru asked.
"That's a stupid question. First off, I am not the one known as Goku. I am called Kakarrot." The Saiya-jin acknowledged. Chi-chi knew there and then she wasn't talking to her husband anymore, but the voice that had bugged her husband for months and had not been heard by anyone else until now.
"Kakarrot?" Chi-chi repeated softly that the warrior did not catch her utter his name in both utter shock and within fear. She wondered what kind of warrior would fight from within her husband's mind and cause him so much trouble and torment.
"I see. Anyway, why are you pushing Chi-chi away?" Ateru asked the possessed warrior.
"I caused her death and she shouldn't be alive anymore." Kakarrotto admitted rather easily. He could not hide that truth even if he were still imprisoned within the Earth-raised Saiya-jin's body. "I can't bring myself to accept that she's alive and I hate myself for letting her die in the first place. She should hate me for causing her death and find someone else because I failed to protect you."
"What if I said I still love you?" Chi-chi asked. Kakarrot looked over past Ateru at the female with tears in her eyes.
"Are you sure you can love us the same way as you did before you even knew I was a Saiya-jin?" Kakarrot questioned rather cryptically. "I might cause more pain and misery than anything else."
"I never really had the chance to get to know you Kakarrot, but I love Goku and I should love you just the same." Chi-chi reassured the darker half that had not really had much interaction with the world since he was a baby that would have destroyed Earth had he not struck his head.
"Is that so? Tell me then; were you terrified of what we've become? We could easily harm you if we're not careful. That's one reason why 'Goku' has struggling to reach Super Saiya-jin: because he fears that I might end up harming you if he gave up control in order to transform again."
"I was at first, but somehow, I knew it was you inside trying to protect me. I just wish that he didn't fear you. He should embrace who you are and stop fighting against it," Chi-chi assumed.
"Indeed. I have done all that is within my power to protect you. When Frieza had fired that blast and caused your death, I wanted nothing more than to justify his actions so if you were brought back, he would never do that again."
"And you have been doing a good job doing that." Chi-chi reassured the powerful warrior. "I only ask that you stop fighting against my husband to the point where he's having nightmares each night about what had happened."
"He only did what we both wanted to do: kill Frieza. Ever since then, he thinks Frieza deserved a second chance to reform when all he would do is just kill more people."
"Is that why you encouraged him to destroy Frieza?"
"That and your death played a part." Kakarrot's expression lightened softly. "I hate the idea that it was you who managed to tame us, but I cannot deny the fact that I deeply care for a mate like yourself."
"M-mate?" Chi-chi blushed deeply at this odd term of affection. Despite how it applied to a more animalistic nature, it seemed to fit him rather well. "Is that your term of affection towards me?"
"Pretty much," Kakarrot shrugged. "In either case, your husband will learn to control the power of a Super Saiya-jin easier once he gets used to me. I won't nag him too much anymore unless it's needed. From now on, he will be Son Goku unless your life is threatened again."
"I wish there was a way you two could just co-exist with one another…" Chi-chi trailed off sadly while stroking his cheek softly. A low purr escaped Kakarrot's throat as he nuzzled against her hand with affection and bliss. It was surprising to her that the supposed 'dark' side actually loved her despite how he actually reacted when she was murdered. Maybe there was a way to tame this beast that was within her husband that valued her more than the very air he breathed.
"Maybe someday, but not now," Kakarrot smiled softly before his eyes closed and the Earth-raised Saiya-jin fell out of the trance he had been in.
"Kakarrot?" Chi-chi questioned when he noticed her husband's head lift slightly.
"What happened?" Goku questioned. Chi-chi immediately threw herself at her husband and kissed him softly.
"Don't worry, you'll be alright now," Chi-chi reassured. "We managed to convince Kakarrot not to bother you."
"Huh?"
"Your split-personality," Kenshu answered the Earth-raised Saiya-jin's question.
"Oh." Goku nodded. It was then a loud growl filled the air. "I'm kind of hungry after all of that." Everyone except for the chained up Goku face vaulted.
"Typical," Chi-chi gathered herself up and helped Goku out of the chains he was bound in. "Let's get you something to eat."
That night under the starry skies, Goku sat outside attempting to reach the power of a Super Saiya-jin again. No matter how hard he tried, he could not even reach the power like he could hours earlier. Something within him was missing the vital part of his transformation.
'What's happened to me?' Goku thought silently before he went back within the hut to join his wife in sleep.
To Be Continued…