Chapter 14

What we become…

'…Trust me…'

Goku eyes fluttered open at the voice to see the shining stars that dotted the night sky. They had left the castle three nights ago in hopes of finding the mysterious army and to no avail. Every night since then he had a dream and every time he woke from it he couldn't remember the slightest detail save the voice saying: Trust me. Goku sat up and looked around the camp at the group of men that walked the line of their camp on watch, until he laid eyes on David.

He pushed himself to his feet and hurried over to the general sitting with his back against a large tree. "Can't sleep?" asked David.

"No" said Goku as he took a seat next to him. "How do we expect to find them?"

"No clue. We've been looking for days for all we know they're long gone, but we will be arriving at the town the soldiers were attacked nearby tomorrow."

"Maybe we can get something good to eat there too!" exclaimed Goku nearly waking up all the sleeping soldiers.

David laughed and patted Goku on the back and then looked up at the sky. "If our enemies were made of food we wouldn't need an army with you around! You could single handily take them out in a few bites" kid David.

"I don't think they would even last a few bites with how hunger I am now" said Goku, earnestly.

"I would think you're from another planet if I didn't know you" David exclaimed. "Let's go grab something to bite."

'Why is your heart so guarded?' the voice sounded familiar but ChiChi couldn't place it.

'I don't want it torn apart' came the reply and she was almost certain it was her voice.

Beautiful purple and brown leaves fell from the trees around her and dance in the wind as they made their way to the floor. There were millions of fallen leaves on the ground floor and a few floated on top of a pond. ChiChi recognized the place; it was the pond in the center of the castle only it seemed much bigger.

She heard laughter from behind her and glanced over her shoulder to see Goku. He was running towards her and she suddenly felt herself jump into the pond moments before he grabbed her. She looked up at him from the pond a smile on her face and as soon as she seen him peek over she grabbed him.

'I got'cha!' exclaimed ChiChi only she now stood in the middle of a barren land. There were no trees, plants, ponds or anything for miles. 'Goku? Where are you? Hello! Is anyone here?'

'ChiChi'

'Hello? Goku is that you? Are you playing a joke on me? Where are you?' she demanded.

'ChiChi'

'I don't like this! Goku if that is you stop it right now! I don't like this I mean it!' ChiChi yelled.

Suddenly the ground became like sinking sand and she was being pulled under and the more she fought the more she was being pulled. How was she going to get out? She was afraid.

Just as her head was completely under the sand and she thought she lost all life left in her she found herself sitting in front of a large tree. It was a beautiful tree with pink blossoms and the most liveliest green leaves she ever seen. A woman stood a little distance off before her. She had her back turned to ChiChi and her long raven mane poured down her shoulders and past her butt only inches from the floor. Her dress was white and flowing with a long train and a bed of rose petals surrounded her on both sides.

Everything moved slowly and the woman stood at the edge of a cliff. ChiChi felt her voice stolen from her as she tried to scream out to the mysterious woman. One step further and the woman would fall over the cliff and ChiChi hadn't the slightest idea of how high it was.

'Will you kill me?'

ChiChi looked around frantically trying to find out who the woman was speaking to but there was no one there but her. Who was the woman?

'You whispered…I'll never love someone to watch them die. You cried I never want to give my heart away….'

Still ChiChi couldn't see anyone around and rose petals of a deep shade of black from an unknown source were now falling around the woman. ChiChi opened her mouth to speak but still no words would come she grabbed at her throat desperately.

'My heart is so cold…I'm so cold…I can't give him my heart…why? Why?'

The woman turned around locking eyes with ChiChi and she knew exactly who she was. A wave of emotions racked her body as she seen the sorrow written on her face and ChiChi wanted to scream but nothing came. The raven hair beauty closed her eyes tightly and spread her arms wide and ChiChi tried to run to even move but she was glued in place and the woman fell backwards.

ChiChi wrestled in her sleep and Launch worried of her condition. She had tried desperately to wipe away the beaded perspiration from her forehead but the more she did the more it came. The physician came earlier that day and checked on her and said her fever was at an all-time high and she might not make it past the night. However she hoped he was wrong because Ox King would be completely torn in pieces if he lost her.

Launch glanced over to the large Ox King who sat twisting a cloth nervously in his hand as he watched. He was in and out of the room every other ten minutes and pacing the halls. Prince Absalom had apologized to him but said he had to return home for some urgent matters but he'd return. He reassured Ox King that he would return and still take ChiChi's hand in marriage if she was alive when he return and if she had passed away by then he'd keep a treaty with Ox King.

Ox King had found Absalom charming at first but the little compassion he displayed in his daughter's illness was leaving a bitter taste in his heart. Had he made the right choice for ChiChi? Had he truly found her someone that would love and adore her for who she was? His heart stung at the memory of her in the throne room yelling out her venomous words of hatred towards him. Her eyes burned with anger but he knew she had said them out of hurt, but what never left his mind was the way she looked at the guard.

ChiChi had looked at him like she did no other man. He tried to believe he was doing what was best for his daughter- but now he didn't know. The gently arm of Launch upon his shoulder stirred him from thought and he looked to the little woman with a welcoming smile.

"I think it's time for you to sleep Ox King" said Launch kindly. "We all need some rest some times."

"I can't bear to part from her" Ox King replied. "I feel I've let her down."

"I felt that very same way" said Launch. "We must not try to live our lives through her anymore. Instead I think we should help her live her own. No matter how little or long she will have left if she wakes."

Ox King placed his large hand over Launch's and nodded in agreement. "Let's both go to sleep tonight and if tomorrow is hers' she will be here. We both need to rest."

Launch would've protested but the stern look on Ox King's face was her answer. She followed behind the sorrowful king closing the princess' door behind her and biding the night guards good night. Rest was well needed and hopefully even ChiChi would receive it.

ChiChi found her voice as she fell backward over the cliff the wind nipping at her skin, screaming. She anticipated the impact of land but it didn't come. For minutes she was falling, and her screams drowned she was certain her death was soon. Her eyes fluttered open for the first time and she noticed she wasn't in the air falling but laying in a large bed.

She heard humming from nearby and sat up in the bed following the sweet sound. After a couple bends in the room she finally saw a woman lying in a bed tossing and turning and a large man at her side. She remembered the room it was her parent's room and she could even remember the moment. She glanced over to the ajar door of their bedroom and seen her two large onyx orbs peering through the crack of the door.

ChiChi walked swiftly across the room unseen by her parents to sit next to her younger counterpart. She listened intently taking in every drag of air, as she tried to stop the tears that fell from her eyes.

'I never want to love…I will never give my heart away if I'm dying or if that person's dying. I'll never do what papa's done, I'll never leave him. I'll never leave him like mama did. I'll never love' said ChiChi fervently.

She said it, she had made a vow. How could it have slipped her mind? The moment she had said it she meant it and she built walls around her heart to keep men out. ChiChi pounded at the bedroom door regretful and screaming out cursing at her foolish vow. 'I didn't mean it! I didn't mean it! Save me, save me!'

She rocked back and forth hugging her legs to her chest. She didn't mean it! She shattered at the words but she remembered them so well. She had meant every word she said when she was younger before she met Goku, before she felt love! Everything faded away and all around her was darkness. She could feel death as it breathed upon her taunting her. It was coming for her.

Thanks everyone for all the review no matter your opinion of choice. I made myself a vow not to read any of the reviews until I complete the story that way I'll be motived to finish. So if you have something to say to me per say, feel free to message you. I always respond. Also by all means PLEASE keep REVIEWING I still look at the numbers and they inspire me that MUCH! :)