16
The group decided to spend that night on land and begin climbing the tower the next day after they rested more. Chi-Chi did not know if this had been their plan from the beginning or if it was some courtesy towards her, specifically considering that it would be her first time doing the tortuous journey. If it was the latter, she doubted that the initiative had come from Tenshinhan or that boy, Yajirobe, considering the reception they had given her.
At least it seemed that Yamcha and Krillin were more open to her presence in that place and were especially kinder to her; perhaps too much. Chi-Chi felt a little uncomfortable about this attention, especially coming from Krillin. But this was not because of him, but rather because of herself and all the inconvenience she had previously caused Goku's friend until she had almost forced him to go and save her from dying in Piccolo Daimao's clutches.
Although, of course, Chi-Chi did not forget that he had awfully hit her at that moment to calm her down, which was not precisely a pleasant memory. Perhaps that was what caused the young warrior to feel somewhat sorry for her. Or maybe, with Goku not there, Krillin unjustifiably thought that he had some responsibility to take care of her in his place.
In addition to Krillin and the others, Chi-Chi was surprised to see that a very kind woman named Launch was also there. She remembered seeing her at the tournament five years ago, accompanying Master Roshi, although... Chi-Chi could have sworn she remembered her as blonde. She wasn't sure why Launch was there, although it certainly wasn't to try to climb the tower with them. Whatever the case, she was very friendly with everyone, especially Chi-Chi, and took care of preparing the dinner herself.
At night, everyone sat down to eat around a pleasant fire right at the foot of the tower and in the company of their two hosts: Bora and Upa, two local residents of the Sacred Land of Korin, who, to Chi-Chi's surprise, knew Goku very well.
"It's a real honor to meet you," Upa said enthusiastically, a tall, burly young man with dark skin and dark hair sitting next to her while they both ate from their respective plates. The boy seemed particularly excited when Krillin informed him that Chi-Chi was Goku's wife. "Goku is by far the most amazing person I have ever met. He is perhaps the best friend I have ever had in my entire life. And hearing that he got married and now even has a son fills me with enormous joy."
"Thank you," Chi-Chi agreed, smiling gently at him. "I'm glad to hear more people have such good feelings for Goku. Unfortunately, he…"
She didn't finish her sentence, but Upa had no problem knowing what she was talking about.
"Yeah, Krillin told us what happened," Upa said seriously. "But there is no need to worry because he also told us that Goku will be revived with the Dragon Balls very soon. So, there's no reason to be sad. When I was a child, the evil Tao Pai Pai came here and murdered my father in cold blood without Goku or me being able to do anything."
As he said that, he turned to the large, well-built man sitting next to him, who was silently contemplating the dancing fire of the campfire.
"That's true?" Chi-Chi whispered, surprised by that statement.
Upa nodded.
"But Goku did everything to gather all the Dragon Balls to revive him. He even faced the entire Red Ribbon Army alone to achieve it. He didn't have to; he didn't even know my father or me. But he still did it. He promised me he would revive him, and he kept it."
The boy's eyes shone with excitement as he remembered all that. And inevitably, Chi-Chi felt that the feeling was replicated in herself.
"Yes, Goku was that kind of person," she whispered slowly, her gaze thoughtfully on the fire.
Her husband was definitely someone exceptional who left his mark on everyone he crossed paths with. How many others he would have met throughout his adventures around the world would still remember him with the same joy?
"We owe too much to Goku," Bora said in a deep voice. "If I could, I would gather the Balls myself to revive him, just as he did with me. However, I have an obligation to my people and this land."
"You don't have to worry about that, Bora," Yamcha said solemnly. "Bulma and our other friends will take care of that task."
The dark-skinned man nodded and then added:
"The important thing now will be for all of you to prepare to face the approaching threat. I must confess that I am envious that all of you have been invited to train with Kamisama himself. It is an honor that very few mortals have been blessed with."
"I wish I were strong enough to go, too," Upa said with slight frustration as he focused on the tower above them. "But I still have a long way to go to reach a sufficient level to even be able to climb the tower to the top."
That comment caught Chi-Chi's attention. What Tenshinhan and the others had told her earlier about how it was not easy to climb the tower still resonated in her mind.
"How tall is it?" she asked suddenly, looking up. In the darkness of the night and the starry sky, she could barely make out the long, straight shape lost in the sky. "How long does it take to get to the top?"
"We climbed it about six years ago, before the last tournament," Krillin commented. "Back then, it took us… a whole day to get to the end."
"What?!" Chi-Chi exclaimed, astonished. "A whole day? Non-stop?"
"Maybe a little more," Yamcha agreed, nodding.
"That's why I told you that the first time is too difficult, especially if you're not strong enough," Yajirobe said from the other end of the campfire. "So, you should change your mind while you can."
"I already said I will do it," Chi-Chi answered firmly... although not as firmly as before.
The mere idea of climbing that all day without rest made her body tremble a little. But she couldn't believe the tower was really that tall. Surely, they were just exaggerating or wanted to scare her.
"And you all have to climb it again with your own hands even if you have already climbed it before?" Chi-Chi asked curiously.
"According to Yajirobe, that's what Master Korin said," Krillin commented calmly. "I guess it's his way of making us train from now on and verify that we haven't lost skill over the years."
Chi-Chi nodded. She was silent momentarily while taking small bites from her plate and looking at the fire. Just as they had said earlier, all of this was a test to gain Master Korin's approval, and without it, they would not be able to train with Kamisama. It sounded logical. As Bora had said, not just any mortal had had the privilege of seeing the Sacred Temple with their own eyes and training with Kamisama in person. And, of course, Goku had been one of those chosen few.
"What is Master Korin like?" Chi-Chi asked curiously. She had heard Goku mention him a couple of times, as had everyone there. But although Chi-Chi had even the opportunity to meet Kamisama during Goku and Piccolo fight in the last tournament, the famous Master Korin remained a mystery.
Chi-Chi knew that he had been one of the many teachers Goku had as a child, that his home was at the top of the tower that bore his name, that he was the one who grew those Senzu Beans that helped recover energy, and Goku ate sometimes. And that he was also the person who had given Goku the Flying Nimbus after the previous one had been destroyed.
But that was basically all she knew. She didn't know everything else: what he was like physically, his personality, or how strong he was. And knowing that he was the one who would give them permission to go up to Kamisama's Lookout made her very curious to know what he was like.
"Well, he is..." Krillin said thoughtfully, looking at the sky. "He's…" He suddenly let out an amused giggle. "Well, you'll know."
"If she manages to reach the top," Yajirobe commented, his mouth full of food as he spoke.
Chi-Chi glanced at him angrily. That individual certainly seemed like a nuisance and a very unpleasant person to her. If he had been able to climb the tower, then so would she. She had a very significant motivation that pushed her to do it.
Although the idea was that they would use that night to rest, Chi-Chi did not have an easy time falling asleep. The truth was that since what happened with Goku, Raditz, and especially his confrontation with Piccolo, she had had serious problems sleeping. And the tension she felt regarding the journey that awaited her the next day did not help her to relax.
Late at night, she sat in her futon and stayed still for a moment, contemplating the shadows. At that moment, everyone was lying around the campfire already in their fathoms, on sheets and blankets that Upa and Bora had lent them. In the darkness of the night, Chi-Chi could not distinguish them all, but their strident snoring made it clear that they did not share her insomnia.
But of course, those kinds of things were the bread and butter for all of them.
Chi-Chi got up quietly and decided to take a walk. She didn't want to go too far because she didn't know if she could find her way back in the dark. She just walked around the clearing of the tower, admiring the stars but especially thinking.
Am I doing the right thing? She questioned herself. I am not a warrior, not like Goku and the others. My failed attempt to defeat Piccolo should have made that clear to me. I told myself I would leave all of this to focus solely on being a wife and mother, and now…
She stopped for a few moments at a point near the surrounding trees. She ran her fingers slowly over the knuckles of her right hand. Beneath the bandage, her wounds still hurt.
But what alternative do I have? I can't leave Gohan with that monster. I blindly trusted that Goku would always be with us to protect us, and maybe that was my mistake. Goku…
She raised her gaze thoughtfully to the sky above her, getting lost among the thousands of bright dots.
"I miss you so much, Goku..." she whispered slowly to herself, but seriously hoping that her words would somehow reach that person.
"As soon as we get up, you have to return to Kame House," she suddenly heard someone say somewhere near her, making her slightly shudder and become alert.
Chi-Chi quickly looked around, trying to detect where that had come from.
"I don't know how long it will take us to get down," the same voice continued, severe and profound. "There's no point in you staying here and waiting for us. You will be safer with Master Roshi. I'll look for you as soon as this is over."
Chi-Chi managed to locate that the voice came from among the trees to her right. Her feet instinctively approached that direction, subtly peeking out from behind a log. When the moon shone enough, she managed to vaguely distinguish between the trees, a few steps away from her, the silhouettes of two people.
"Are... Tenshinhan and Launch?" She thought, surprised when she recognized the tall, burly man with a shaved head and the small, thin woman with blue hair. They were both standing opposite each other, somewhat away from the camp so that perhaps no one would hear their conversation. And, of course, unaware that someone was actually listening to them at that very moment.
"I will do everything you tell me, Tenshinhan," Launch said softly, with a gentle smile. "And I will wait for you as long as necessary. But…" the woman lowered her gaze, looking embarrassed. "I can't promise I will when... well, you know... when I change..."
"I know," Tenshinhan whispered firmly. "That's why I want you to let me talk to your other self."
Launch quickly raised her surprised gaze towards him.
"You're sure?" Tenshinhan nodded in response. "Alright…"
Not very convinced, Launch took a lock of her hair and brought it to her nose, brushing it several times until the inevitable sneeze came, loud and very strident. The moment she sneezed, Launch's hair suddenly changed from blue to blonde. Not only that but as soon as she raised her face and looked at Tenshinhan, her entire expression seemed different. It was the same face, but much more severe, harsh, and angry…
"I'm not going anywhere!" Launch exclaimed loudly in a tone of complaint, facing Tenshinhan. "Don't even think you'll hide from me. If you insist on climbing that tower, I will chase you to the top, you hear me?"
"Don't be stubborn," Tenshinhan responded, unmoved by her words. "We already talked about this. The threat approaching this world is greater than anything we have ever faced, more than even Piccolo Daimao. We need to focus only on that."
"I don't care about the world!" Launch shouted with conviction, waving a hand to the side. "And I know you don't either. You said it yourself: you are not a good guy who cares about others. You just want to be the strongest, don't you?"
Tenshinhan was silent for a moment and lowered his gaze to the ground.
"It's true," he said quietly. "What interests me most is surpassing Goku. But these enemies are even more powerful than him or Piccolo. So, I must perform the same training Goku did with Kamisama. It's the only way to get over it once and for all."
"Stop that nonsense already!" Launch yelled at him, clearly furious. However, something besides anger was evident in her voice: frustration, sadness... and fear. "If those guys could even kill Goku, who was the strongest man in the world... I don't even want to imagine what could happen to you if you ever confront them. So please, let's go away together, just the two of us. Let Goku take care of this when he revives, please. We can have a quiet and peaceful life, just the two of us, with all the money I have saved. I will treat you like a king, and you will never have to train or fight again. Just say yes, and I will give you everything you want. Please, Ten..."
Launch's voice broke as she reached the end of her speech until she was on the verge of crying. Chi-Chi immediately recognized the genuine feeling that came over her. She was truly worried about Tenshinhan's safety, the safety of the man she loved.
Tenshinhan watched her silently. Indeed, a thousand things were going through his head at those moments. When he finally managed to react, he approached her and placed his hands on the girl's shoulders with a delicacy that Chi-Chi would never have guessed that such a rough man could demonstrate.
"If those guys invade Earth, there will be nowhere we can hide," Tenshinhan whispered slowly. "And even if it weren't like that, I can't just walk away from fights and have a peaceful life. That's not for me."
"Why not?!" Launch exclaimed, looking up at him pleadingly. "Why are you so hard-headed...?"
Those tears that until that moment had only threatened to come out now began to appear.
"You're wrong about something," Tenshihan said suddenly. "It's not entirely true that I don't care about others. It's true that until recently, I had lived only concerned about myself and becoming stronger. But you, Chaoz, Master Roshi, Goku… you have all become very important to me."
"Me too?" Launch whispered, sounding somewhere between surprised and excited by that.
Tenshinhan nodded.
"I promise you that I won't die in any way. I'll defeat those Saiyans with my bare hands. After that, we'll go wherever you want. But for now, you must go with Master Roshi. Help him gather the Dragon Balls; they will need all the help they can get to get them within a year."
"You know? With those Balls, we could have great wealth, a huge castle, and not worry about anything," Launch proposed with a mischievous smile.
"I know you're joking," Tenshinhan said, smiling too. "I know that just as I changed, you have also begun to care about others."
"Shut up, you don't know anything," Launch said embarrassedly, turning to the side. "But it's okay. I'll do what you tell me... But I swear that if you die, or if you don't come find me when you finish off those Saiya idiots, whatever they are, I won't forgive you in a million years! And I'll chase you to hell to make you pay, you hear?"
"I understand," Tenshinhan replied, still with an amused smile on his lips. "I promise you it won't happen. Just wait a little."
The blonde girl's entire face glowed excitedly as she stared at the formidable warrior before her. Without saying anything, she slowly closed her eyes and raised her face a little more towards him. Without needing to say a word, her invitation became evident, and Tenshinhan apparently understood it very well. Without removing his hands from her shoulders, he leaned towards her, bringing her face closer until their lips met in a small, delicate kiss under the starlight.
Chi-Chi was startled and quickly hid behind the log, taking her eyes off that scene. She felt her own face burning a little, and her heart pounded in his chest.
I think this is something I shouldn't have seen, she thought, completely embarrassed. I better go before they discover me.
She then began to carefully advance back to the camp, making as little noise as possible.