Risk

Chapter 13

Months since the incident, Chi-chi and Goku had grown closer to one another. Neither one had brought up Kakarrot since that day since it still seemed to pain the Earth-raised Saiya-jin greatly. Goku had progressed greatly since then in learning Instant Transmission; however, he had not tried to transform into a Super Saiya-jin out of fear that Kakarrot might return. The weather had been getting colder and the Yardrats had been gathering firewood in order to keep their huts warm during what would be their winter months. Their ships had been moved inside to protect them from any further damage until they were finished being repaired.

"You shouldn't go outside," Kenshu warned Chi-chi one morning. "The weather is supposed to take a turn for the worse."

"I will be fine," Chi-chi attempted to reassure Kenshu. "Knowing my husband, he's going to be hungry if I don't gather more food and I do want to ensure we all have enough food."

"If you're in trouble, then flare your energy as high as you can," Kenshu caved in. "I don't know if your husband will be able to teleport since he still seems to have trouble with it."

"Yeah, tell me about it." Chi-chi had noticed Goku's teleportation attempts have been rather rough lately. At one point, he teleported and lost his armor in the process. She knew that he was still learning how to do it and would need more time to perfect it. "See you soon."

"Be careful," Kenshu bade the female as she walked out the door. Goku in the meanwhile continued to doze in bed unaware of his wife leaving to gather what food she could scavenge by herself.

The trees were bare as she looked around the base for any nuts or berries that were edible. She had taken note that there were some poisonous or paralyzing ones from what Kenshu had taught her during her stay. While she foraged for food, she was unaware of a tentacle from a marsh creature was near her ankles. She had been aware that the undrish were a predator that would attempt to eat anything that sets off a nerve in one of its tentacles. As her foot brushed over it, the appendage sprang to life and grabbed Chi-chi by the ankle. With a shriek, she was lifted up in the air upside down as the nuts and berries she gathered went raining down on the ground.

"Let go!" Chi-chi yelled and fired a blast at the creature. A second tentacle wrapped around her wrist and started dragging her towards the marshy waters. As she struggled, she attempted to fly away; only tiring herself out further. The undrish's body emerged from the water. The creature was covered in a moss-type skin and its large beak-like mouth was open wide. 'Oh great… this is a nice way to die…'

A stray chi-blast struck the undrish suddenly and Chi-chi whirled around to see Goku standing there with an irritated expression on his face. His hair was standing on end and she was horrified when she noticed his hair flicker. Was her husband fighting against Kakarrot again?

"Goku!" Chi-chi yelled. "Don't fight it!"

"What?" Goku looked at her like she was crazy. At that moment, the undrish lunged at the warrior and he was forced to fly in order not to be caught by one of its tentacles.

"It's okay. Just let it happen." Chi-chi explained.

"But…" Goku sighed after seeing her looking sadly at him. Without another word, he closed his eyes and a golden light surrounded his body; fully illuminating his darkened hair and causing it to become blonde again. When his eyes opened, he lunged at the moss-covered creature and punched it hard enough to have it release Chi-chi. The female caught herself in mid-air as the undrish went sliding backwards into the marsh where it belonged.

"Goku?" Chi-chi looked her husband over as he breathed hard. Suddenly, he fell against her frame and she caught him before he fully fell to the ground. The golden aura had given out and she touched his forehead before realizing that he had a fever. At that moment, she felt a small piece of ice hit her head and it was followed by more as it came down in the form of hail falling at only a few pieces a second. Holding him close to her, she flared her chi and seconds later, Kenshu appeared and held out his hand.

"Hurry," Kenshu warned as Chi-chi grabbed it. Seconds later, the ice fell at a heavier rate where they once were standing.

"Is he going to be alright?" Chi-chi questioned.

"He's still not used to transforming," Kenshu confirmed. "It would be wise if you helped him figure out how to do it without anger."

"Easier said than done," the female warrior admitted. "I don't know how he would be able to."

"He will have to accept his other half before he tries again." Chi-chi was left alone with Goku as she dipped the cloth into the water. His breathing was labored as he weakly moaned. Eyes opened and Chi-chi jumped when she noticed that they were filled with a slight harshness. She did not have to be told who's eyes were glaring at her with irritation and worry.

"K-Kakarrot?" Chi-chi questioned. Her husband nodded his head to confirm her suspicion.

"You should have been more careful," Kakarrot warned the female. "He's barely calm as it is and the more you put yourself in danger, the more likely he's going to overreact to the situation as a bad thing."

"He's still fighting that state he transforms in…" Chi-chi trailed off.

"Super Saiya-jin." Kakarrot suggested. "He's not used to feeling all of that anger and rage without accepting me. When the weather improves, you will have to push him into that state where he will have no other choice than to transform."

"Is it possible?"

"It is, but you will have to find a way to do it." Kakarrot muttered before drifting off to sleep.

'If… if it will help us get home faster, then yes, I'll help him gain control of that state…' Chi-chi mentally vowed.

Days passed and Goku regained his health. Since then, Chi-chi had suggested that they train to keep up their strength. The Earth-raised Saiya-jin was hesitant at first due to the power gap that built between them after his truffle with Frieza; however, Chi-chi insisted that this would help her get closer to his level. Finally, the Earth-raised Saiya-jin agreed; however, he kept his power low enough so that he would not accidentally harm his beloved.

"Ready?" Goku asked his wife. With a nod, Chi-chi defended herself as Goku lunged at his wife with a fist extended. Chi-chi ducked beneath the punch and raised her leg high enough to kick him in the gut. He went flying backwards as she sent a blast flying after her husband. The Earth-raised Saiya-jin quickly righted himself before vanishing and allowing the blast to hit the cliff's side; causing rocks to rain down upon the ground. Chi-chi was immediately taken off-guard when he tripped her left leg from behind.

"Yeep!" Chi-chi quickly teleported above her husband and was about to deliver a blow to his back when he twirled around and threw a punch. She dodged it as they traded punches and kicks against one another. It was poetry in motion as their spar went from the dusty ground to the heavens. The cloudy skies began to release the hail-like objects as they continued their spar between one another. As it grew heavier, Chi-chi felt her body beginning to freeze up from the ice collecting on her body. Without warning, she fell from the sky as Goku quickly grabbed her. Ignoring the icy chill that threatened to cause his body to shut down, he pulled her closer to him to warm her body.

"Chi-chi?" Goku looked worriedly at his wife. Her skin was becoming blue and if he did nothing, she could… "No…" A low growl escaped his throat as his power climbed. He was unaware that Kenshu had come and changed their surroundings before backing away. With a roar, Goku's hair spiked up and he transformed into a Super Saiya-jin. It was at that moment Chi-chi's eyes opened and she saw that he had transformed. His chi was circulating around them both in an effort to warm her up without killing her in the process.

"Goku, I'm alright," Chi-chi confirmed despite the coldness she felt. Cobalt eyes widened as she pulled out of his arms and allowed him to look her over.

"W-why did you put yourself at a horrible risk? You know if you would have died…" Goku trailed off. He never would have forgiven himself if she died naturally.

"I had to so you could transform into a Super Saiya-jin," Chi-chi answered. Goku blinked in realization as she gently pulled him towards the mirror with what strength she had. Almost though he were stuck in a trance, he let her weakened wife lead her to the mirror held a glowing warrior there. He was awestruck; this was the same warrior he had seen in his nightmares yelling at him never to give Frieza another chance. He always seemed to have assume that this monster was Kakarrot saying these words and never had a chance to see that it was himself until that moment.

"Is… is this me?" Goku stared in awe at himself.

"Yes. Kakarrot told me that you were having trouble transforming since Namek because you weren't accepting him…"

"He's talked to you? When did he…?" Goku was interrupted by a voice that had not bothered him in months.

'When you fell asleep the last time from that fever, I temporarily had taken control of your body to talk to her. I did nothing more and won't harm her or anyone else that you hold high in value.' Kakarrot's voice echoed in Goku's head.

"So that's when…" Goku was still breathing slightly hard since he had thought his wife was in danger. Chi-chi picked up the blanket and draped it around her body before walking closer to the fireplace.

"We need to go home soon," Chi-chi confirmed. "I'm worried that Piccolo's training my boy when he should be studying."

"If it wasn't for Piccolo training Gohan, he wouldn't have been able to fight Frieza off without dying." Goku reassured.

"I never wanted him to fight in the first place because if I lost him, I'm afraid that I won't ever see him again."

"Sure you would! With the dragon balls, we could revive him."

"Once. You can only revive him once. So if he died again, I would lose him forever…"

"Yeah, if you put it that way…" Goku looked away. He never knew his wife had learned that the dragon balls could only revive someone once. Since they were both on their second lives, they were technically at fault if they died a second time. Not knowing about the Namekian dragon balls, they assumed that would be it; they wouldn't get another chance to live and raise their son to his adulthood.

Suddenly, a voice went through both of their heads: "Son Goku and Son Chi-chi, I am Porunga, the eternal dragon. I am contacting you both because a wish is being used to bring you both back to Earth. Will you accept it and return?"

"Should we…?" Chi-chi started to ask; however, Goku shook his head.

"I'm not ready to go back yet." Goku admitted. "You should go back to be with Gohan…"

"And then what? I can't back because you'll be here…" Chi-chi countered. "Besides, I want you to hold to your promise no matter what."

"Then…" Goku trailed off. He felt selfish for considering Chi-chi had no say in the matter of being with their son who had thought that his parents had perished months prior. "Neither of us is going back to Earth yet. I'm sorry."

"Very well, I shall let them know that you will be returning later." Moments later, there was nothing but silence.

"I hope I did the right thing," Chi-chi sadly noted. Goku took her hand in his gently; afraid that he might hurt her in his transformed state. At that moment, he felt that he had made a grave error, but he knew that if he had stayed, he might not return to her side for a bit longer.

"He'll be okay," Goku reassured his wife. "I'll work hard so we can both go home together."

"I would like that," Chi-chi murmured before burying her face in his chest. Goku rubbed her back soothingly and in a comforting way.

Back on Earth, Gohan, who had been eager to see his parents again felt tears stinging his eyes when the dragon had proclaimed that his parents would not be coming home. Had it not been for Bulma's offer to stay at Capsule Corporation, he would not have anywhere else to go and had been thought to be orphaned.

"Stop your crying boy! That is no way for a Saiya-jin to act!" Vegeta snorted at the helplessness that the young half-Saiya-jin was forced to face.

"You cried on Namek when you asked Goku to destroy Frieza!" Krillin countered. He felt like Vegeta had every right to be heartless and not even consider the feelings of another.

"That's different baldy! If they're not coming back to Earth, I'm going to find them," Vegeta growled before heading to the ship before anyone could stop him. The engines roared to life and he left the planet.

"Hey, your mom's with him, so they'll be back soon," Bulma attempted to reassure the young boy. "I don't mind if you stay here a bit longer."

"T-thanks Bulma," Gohan wiped the tears from his eyes. He looked up to the sky where the dragon balls departed. Meanwhile, everyone else celebrated the resurrection of Tien, Chouzu and Yamcha from their deaths months prior to the invasion of the deceased Saiya-jin warrior Nappa and the saibaimen that came with Vegeta. 'Come home soon mom and dad.'

To Be Continued…