Risk

Chapter 42

The less-innocent version of Majin Buu wasted no time crossing the gap at Gohan who went into full battle. Even though the youngest warrior on the battlefield was greatly at a disadvantage when it came to power, he made up for it with his intellect and instincts. He narrowly dodged the fist that grazed his cheek; however, he made up for the lack of focus by grabbing the pink creature's arm and pulled him closer. Gohan drove his left knee straight into Buu's face; releasing his arm while the creature staggered back from that cheap blow. A bit of his blood ran out of his bleeding nose; however, he quickly healed, showing no signs that he had been hurt moments later.

"Seems I underestimated you," Buu smirked at the half-blooded Saiya-jin. "Make no mistake I will allow it to happen twice!"

"I wouldn't expect anything less," Gohan shifted his position slightly. Now that the judging of powers was complete, he couldn't afford going easy. He had to ensure that Buu was defeated once and for all.

'I hope for certain she's not pregnant…' Goku thought sadly to himself while being carried silently to the lookout. If the man had managed to bastardize any child, then hell hath no fury even more than a pissed off Super Saiya-jin who would go to great lengths to wipe the monster out of existence if possible. He had also hoped that Shin would be able to undo the damage that tyrant had done to her. 'If we survive this, I swear I will never leave her side again. I will ensure that nothing will tear us apart…'

He was so self-absorbed in his thoughts that he hadn't noticed that he had landed nor did he realize that he was being healed by Dende. Neither of these things pulled him from his thoughts until he felt Gohan's power suddenly plummet. He started to stand when he felt his legs buckle from the lack of energy.

"You may be healed, but your body hasn't recovered all of your chi yet," Dende warned the warrior who attempted to leave the lookout.

'If only Chi-chi were here, she would have healed me…' Goku absentmindedly thought. He remembered the painful look in her eyes when Lamoch had possessed her. What if after all of this, she didn't return to him the same as she did when she came back after what Kirin did? Was he fated to keep losing her time after time?

"…Goku, drink this…"

"Huh?" Goku snapped out of the darkening thoughts and looked at Dende in confusion. "Oh, sorry." He took the glass provided and drank it. Suddenly, he felt total pain and the pressure upon his body grow heavier before he fell backwards; losing consciousness in the process.

A dark void encompassed the area and for once, Chi-chi found it maddening. She ran as fast as her legs could possibly carry her, but the darkened void did not yield any source of light and it was amazing that thus far, she had yet to lose her balance, to fall or even to slide in anyway. Her breathing was heavy and erratic; her body aching for rest that she was being denied along with any source of destination meant for her survival.

'How long must I run alone?' Chi-chi thought before she suddenly felt the world shift around her. She didn't have time to react when she felt herself lift off the ground, starting to free fall into the void that wanted to ensure that she could never be found; never escape what was to become of her.

'NO!'

The nightmare dispelled and she sat up in utmost fear. Though it was dark, it wasn't overbearing thanks to the various moons that were streaming from the satin nickel window frames with soft luminescent curtains. That was when she noticed that this wasn't her room for it never had such luxuries like these. Sitting up, she felt dizzy and had to lie back down from the sudden movement. The soft mattress almost seemed to absorb her form, but she noticed that she wasn't anywhere in Morgorf since Lamoch wasn't anywhere nearby. When she had awakened last time, the demon was practically looming over her like a prized possession.

'But at that time, I didn't have control over myself…' Chi-chi moved her left hand freely for the first time in what felt like ages. Whatever possession she was under seemed to have dispelled itself and that was when her other hand ran down to her stomach. She closed her eyes and focused on that part of her body; trying to ensure that after being taken against her will, she wasn't pregnant. 'I… I don't feel anything… I suppose that's a good thing…'

"It seems you're awake… good… the master's been wondering when you would awaken…" a voice spoke. Chi-chi's blood ran cold just then and she turned to the source before screaming in utmost fear. Rising to her feet shaking, she decided to use what power she had to fight the newest intruder of her privacy.

"Shin-tou…" Chi-chi began her Shintouka to throw at this pink-skinned male dressed in the oddest red garments when she realized she was unable to summon any chi whatsoever. Instead of trying to confront him head on, she rolled over the very bed she had rose from and fell upon the floor; not caring if she got hurt as long as she got far away from him. "S-stay away!"

"Miss, whatever happened while those demons from Morgorf had you will not happen here," the male spoke in a calm voice.

"Yeah right, you're probably that Lamoch guy wearing a different disguise after what you did to me!" Chi-chi yelled angrily. She was trying in futile to summon any scrap of chi within her body; feeling horribly worthless at that moment.

"If I was really this 'Lamoch' person you speak of, why haven't I attempted to attack you yet?"

Realization dawned on Chi-chi's face. It's true he didn't dare draw any nearer to her, but perhaps this was some sort of trap that he had been setting up to lure her to false safety. She remained where she was; not drawing an inch closer to this stranger who could either help her or… heaven forbid the other choice she had in mind.

"If you hurt me in any way possible, I know Kakarrot and Goku would definitely kill you…" Chi-chi muttered. "Promise me you won't harm me."

"My lady, I wouldn't harm a human of Earth, especially since master was mending your mind after this 'Goku' left you in his care… He was just as upset as you were, if not worse at the idea of you being harmed."

'H-he saved me?' Chi-chi thought silently to herself. 'But I betrayed him… I don't deserve his love and affections… I'm just a whore to him… a dirty, filthy whore…'

"Are you alright miss?" the man was taken back when tears ran down her cheeks unchecked.

"I… I'm not feeling well…" Chi-chi sunk to her knees.

"You're probably famished, come, you should get something into your stomach…" he beckoned her in a very calm, soothing voice. Her legs moved on their own accord towards him. She didn't care what happened to her anymore since she felt she betrayed her husband and mate in the worst of ways possible. How could he want her after what transpired?

'If he doesn't want me, then I rather die…' Chi-chi thought silently to herself. She felt unworthy to consider herself to be her husband's wife, his charming mate and mother of their wonderful children. 'Gohan, Goten… would you still love me if you both knew what had transpired? I don't feel worthy of being called your mother…'

"What did you give him?" Krillin yelled at Dende.

"I gave him a sleeping draught because he used nearly all of his energy during that last attack. He's lucky to be alive…" Dende fidgeted.

"We could have used a Senzu Bean…"

"Actually, I spoke to Korin after you left and he did not have any to spare…"

"No wonder you decided to use the sleeping draught…" Tien confirmed. "Yeah, he did seem eager to leave, but he can't do that yet… in his condition he might die..."

"Healing him wouldn't help matters much either since his body's been under more than enough stress these past 48 hours. The only thing he can do right now is just sleep it off." Dende reassured.

Chi-chi never imagined a place even more divine than her own mountain home, but the minute she entered the kitchen area of the cabin, she was surprised by the glistening glass table that stood in the center of the black and white checkered floor. The walls themselves were a lovely cream color with columns that looked almost though they were meant to be in a Roman era. Red drapes seemed to frame the satin nickel window frames elegantly. If anything, she had died and gone to a world where there was far more riches than one mortal could hardly obtain within their natural lifetime.

The food spread upon the table wasn't much in terms of luxury, but there was bowls of soup, a salad sitting on a side dish and a loaf of wheat bread in the middle of the table. One must wonder what kind of master this man served and pondered silently to herself why he wasn't joining them for the small lunch. There was still one bowl left untouched; almost though beckoning the question of who this man happened to be.

The answer came when a figure suddenly appeared by sheer magic and will next to Chi-chi. She was slightly startled by his entrance; however, she held back a scream while the other man remained utterly unaffected by his surprising entrance.

"Shin, is it really wise for her to stay here?" the pink-skinned male asked.

"It will help if she remains safe since we will be in need of her power Kibito," Shin explained.

The spoon fell upon the floor and Chi-chi backed out of her chair, staring at them both in shock and complete horror on her face. "How can I help you when I can't even summon chi at the moment? I feel almost worthless right now!"

"You are stronger than you make yourself to be," Shin explained. "Why are you so upset?"

"Because I betrayed my husband, my children, even those who fight with me to protect Earth!" Chi-chi ranted, tears falling down her cheek. "Y-you're… you're expecting me… to… to just save the world? Forget it! It's going to be destroyed and it's my fault!"

"Miss…" Kabito began to say.

"My name's Chi-chi," the woman stated.

"Sorry… Chi-chi, your husband's unable to fight right now after fighting possession and having to save you," Kabito explained the situation to her.

"Possession?" Chi-chi's eyes widened slightly. "How was he possessed?"

"It was out of his anger when you were mortally wounded. He thought you had perished and thus became an easy target for Babadi to use his spells upon."

The wooden chair scraped against the floor and Chi-chi clamored to her feet; shock apparent on her face. "What? What did he do to my husband?"

"Calm down Chi-chi," Shin attempted to calm the woman. "There's nothing you can do right now to help him… so please sit down…"

"No, he… this is all my fault…" Chi-chi muttered weakly. She was coaxed to sit back down at the table; unable to stand.

"First off, the only thing you can do to restore your strength is eat what's in front of you. Once you are able to summon what strength you have, we will start your training," Shin stated.

"Training? Why do you wish to train me for? I'm nothing compared to my husband and my children…"

"That's not true, if you were truly unworthy, I wouldn't have brought you here to purify your body of what Lamoch had left upon your body…"

"Am… am I pregnant with child?"

"Thankfully, you're not, I destroyed what life would have grown inside of you; however, you are no longer going to be able to bear anymore children."

Years ago, when Chi-chi was younger, she had dreamed of a large family with various boys and girls running around the countryside; however, after learning of her husband's alien heritage and other issues regarding such a thing, she was grateful for what family she had with her beloved. It was better she had two strong sons over a husband who would have left her and never remembered to come back home to her awaiting arms.

"It's alright, I think I can manage," Chi-chi smiled rather calmly. Though the tears were in her eyes of losing a chance to have one more child before she was too old, she knew there wasn't a likelihood she would have survived the birth after what transpired with Goten. The doctors had warned her about having anymore children due to the high-risk pregnancy she went through with her youngest and it was a miracle she survived it well enough to bring the child into the world.

"Very well, let's eat," Shin stated and without another word, the only sound that transpired was the sound of two dynasties and an earthen woman dining at the same table under unusual circumstances.

Gohan felt himself punched through another wall. He had to get back up, to fight Majin Buu a while longer. However, before he could concede defeat, a figure got into his way.

"Stand down spawn of Kakarrot, it's my turn now," Vegeta growled before transcending into a Super Saiya-jin before Gohan's eyes.

"He's too powerful for you Vegeta!" Gohan yelled his warning too late as the Saiya-jin prince flew into battle against the pink-skinned titan. Piccolo landed beside Gohan.

"Kid, we're clearly outmatched, we really need to retreat and come up with a plan," Piccolo suggested.

"If we retreat now, we might as well be allowing Majin Buu to destroy this world…" Gohan chuckled before coughing up a bit of blood. "If only mom and dad were here, they could have easily taken down this beast…"

"Shame both of them are incapacitated at the moment," Piccolo shook his head. "We can't depend on the previous generation forever, it's time for you to take charge and lead the new one."

"Piccolo…" Gohan's eyes shut before the Namekian could continue. Deciding to use the distraction Vegeta was providing, he picked up the last survivor of Chi-chi and Goku's union and flew off to the lookout with him. For now, the hope to destroy Majin Buu laid in his arms if no one else rose to take this threat seriously enough.

To Be Continued…