Goku groaned, feeling like his muscles and joints were achier than normal. Sure Mr. Popo usually beat the snot out of him but normally his body wasn't this sore the next morning! He stumbled out of bed and fell into the door frame, tripping over his own feet.
What on earth was going on with him?
He scratched his head and wandered over to the toilet.
Huh? Had the bowl always been so low? Well, whatever. Either way he needed to take a leak.
He finished up and washed his hands before wandering back to his room to put on his gi except…it must have shrunk in the wash because he couldn't even get it past his chest. Goku hoped Mr. Popo had another set lying around, because otherwise he'd be training in his underwear, which now that he thought of it, were feeling a bit tight too.
"Hey Mr. Popo!" Goku called, wandering out of his room and into the kitchen where he knew the man would be. "Ya got any spare clothes I can change into? I think my clothes shrunk."
"Oh my!" Mr. Popo gasped upon spotting him. "Goku, have you looked in a mirror yet this morning?"
"Huh? Why? Is my hair sticking up or something?"
Goku padded off in search of a mirror and yelped when he found one. He came running back to the kitchen in alarm.
"Mr. Popo! Mr. Popo! I'm huge!"
Mr. Popo smiled that one tooth smile of his and shook his head. "I wouldn't quite say that but you do seem to have grown a great deal overnight. How does your body feel?"
"Like I slept on a bed of rocks!" Goku grumbled.
"Ah! I believe that is what humans call 'growing pains'," Mr. Popo joked. "But in all seriousness, perhaps we should spend the day focusing on meditation. Your body is currently in a transition, it wouldn't be wise to push it right now until it has finished."
Goku's eyes went wide.
"You mean I'm gonna get even bigger?!"
"Who knows?" Mr. Popo smiled as Kami joined them.
"Ah yes. I sensed your body was prime for a transformation of sorts," Kami murmured.
He nodded his thanks to Mr. Popo for the tea he just handed him and took a sip.
"How delightful." Kami set the cup aside and then returned his attention to Goku. "In any case, since the topic has come up, I think, instead of training, it's time we remove your tail permanently."
"WHAT?!" Goku yelped, cradling his tail close to his chest. "Why do we need to do that?!"
He couldn't get rid of his tail! That would be like cutting off an arm or his leg!
Kami took another sip of his tea.
"It is high time I restored the moon to its rightful place in the heavens. But to do that, first your tail must be removed. You can spend the next few days recovering and adjusting to your new height."
"B..but…my tail?" Goku whined, still not understanding. Was this really necessary?
"It must be done. Remember, you agreed to follow my rules when you began training."
"Well yeah…"
But he'd agreed to the same thing with Master Roshi and Master Roshi had never demanded he cut off his tail!
Kami didn't pressure him but his expression indicated he wouldn't budge on this.
Goku's shoulders dropped in defeat. The day had started off so good! He didn't want to lose his tail! He hated when it was gone. But he had given his word…
If this was really necessary to bring the moon back, then he supposed he had to.
Kami gave him a pleased nod at his acceptance and gestured for him to follow. Goku pouted the whole way as Kami brought him to the medical room where Mr. Popo kept all the bandages and ointments that he used on Goku whenever he'd gotten caught being too careless.
The two stood in silence until Mr. Popo appeared, with a steaming tea pot in hand. Some herbal mixture that Goku's nose couldn't quite place. He watched as Mr. Popo poured out a cup before turning and offering it to him.
"Here."
Goku took the cup carefully and gave it another sniff. It didn't smell terrible but it also didn't smell great either.
"What's this for?"
"It'll numb the pain."
He nodded, recalling how much it had hurt when his Grandpa had ripped it off, and downed the drink.
"Woah," Goku muttered, feeling the effects immediately. "This stuff sure is strong."
"Lay down on your stomach. We'll make this as quick and painless as possible."
Goku wanted to know how they could possibly know that unless they had lost tails too but the medicine was starting to get to him and his lids were growing heavy.
His last coherent thought was wondering if he was taller than Chi-Chi now before he finally passed out.
o0o
So…close…she was…practically…there…
"Just a…little…fur…ther…" Chi-Chi grunted. Her muscles were burning but she couldn't stop now! All she needed was to climb over the ledge and…
Chi-Chi heaved herself over the ledge and collapsed on the floor, her chest rising heavily as she struggled for air.
She had done it. Something not even her father had managed.
She'd climbed Korin's tower!
Climbed as high as she could go…and yet she still wasn't close to his level.
Chi-Chi smiled sadly. To train with Kami…Goku was someone very special indeed, but at least she knew he was somewhere safe after that whole King Piccolo fiasco. And even though he may be miles beyond her skill level, she hoped, at least with this, that maybe she had managed to shrink the gap just a little.
"You'll need a lot more than love to get anywhere close to his level," said a not unkind voice.
Chi-Chi blinked, staring up at the white cat looking down at her.
"If she's looking for love," snickered a stinky, round looking fellow who stepped up beside him. "Then I'd be willing to help her out."
He looked her over with a leer, making her skin crawl, but she wouldn't be cowed.
Chi-Chi frowned and clambored to her feet, rising above them both, which was saying something considering she was short for a woman. One of these two had to be Master Korin…she only prayed it wasn't the one who looked like he hadn't bathed in some time.
"You would be correct," smirked the cat.
Chi-Chi gasped, not having expected him to read her mind, but then smiled relieved. "Thank goodness. Master Korin, I presume?" She bowed low. "My name is Mao Chi-Chi."
"So you've heard of me…then you know the secret?"
"I do."
She'd overheard her father and Master Roshi discussing Korin's tower and challenge while they'd been up late drinking one night. It was what had prompted her to make the trip in the first place.
"And yet you still came anyways," Karin stroked his chin, chuckling. "Very well, but don't expect to get it in three days like your fiance."
"Fiance?!" the foul, dirty looking man groaned and turned away with disgust. "Go figure."
He walked off, no longer interested, scratching his belly.
Chi-Chi blushed but ignored the man, choosing to focus on the happiness she felt at hearing Master Korin's words. She'd considered Goku her fiance for years but it was another thing entirely to hear someone else describe him as such! It made her heart flutter…but she had come here for a reason, and that was not it.
"I understand. My Goku's exceptional." She raised her hands and stretched back her leg, settling into a fighting pose. "But you'll see I'm no slouch either."
Korin smiled.
"Well by all means then…"
…
Chi-Chi collapsed against the pillar with a smile and brought the jug to her lips.
One month had passed. One full month of jumping and chasing and twisting and diving but she had finally done it. Tap water had never tasted so good.
"What will you do now?"
She wiped the water from her mouth and turned towards Korin. "Well first, I'm gonna find the nicest hot springs I can find and have a good, long soak."
Korin smiled, envying her. The tubs on his platform were nice but nothing compared to a natural hot spring.
"And after?"
Chi-Chi's smile turned wistful as she stared off into the distance. All she could see were clouds but she knew there were beautiful sites to see beneath them. As much as she would love to travel and explore those landscapes, she owed it to her father to spend this remaining time with him.
"Papa's waiting for me. And there's so much to do before the wedding!"
"About that…his training won't be finished until the next Tournament."
"I figured as much," Chi-Chi sighed, disappointed. It had been so long already. "But this'll just give me a little more time to prepare."
Korin nodded. "Very well. Take care of yourself."
"I should be saying that to you!" Chi-Chi smiled, hugging the wise old cat, giggling when he started to purr. After all, Yajirobe was more of a nuisance than a helper, and Korin wasn't getting any younger.
"Goodbye Master Korin."
"Oh! Wait a second, there's one last thing before you go." He turned and gestured towards a conspicuously large cloud that seemed to stand out amongst the rest. "Nimbus has been getting rather restless, seems that fella of yours has been neglecting it lately. Care to cheer an old friend up?"
"Really?" Chi-Chi beamed. "Can I?"
When Korin nodded, she leaned over the ledge and yelled.
"NIMBUS!"
Out shot the little, yellow cloud from among the pack and up to her side, zooming around her excitedly and making her giggle. "I'm happy to see you too. Care to keep me company?"
The cloud did a loop as if to say 'YES!'
Chi-Chi's smile widened. She gave the little cloud a hug before hopping on.
"Bye Master Korin! I'll come back soon and bring you some treats!"
"Ooh boy!" Korin stroked his whiskers. Hopefully she'd bring some of those lemon bars he'd heard so much about.
He watched her fly off, disappearing in a flash, looking surprisingly confident on the cloud though he knew they hadn't interacted much. In truth, he should have offered her her own cloud—she'd certainly earned it—but he knew Nimbus was lonely, and he imagined its connection to Goku would also perk her spirits up.
That Goku…he sure was a lucky guy. He somehow caught himself one hell of a woman.
Yajirobe padded out of the private rooms, scratching his butt. "Aw man, I thought I'd never finish that dump."
He frowned, noticing something was off.
"Huh? Where's the broad?"