06

"Chi-Chi, do you hear me?" Bulma Pronounced with anguish while she took the fragile body of the woman in her arms, trying to lift her up. "You can sit?"

Chi-Chi didn't answer, but with Bulma's help, she tried to get up. As soon as her torso was raised at a specific angle, an intense shock of pain ran through her entire body from her right side, coming out of her as a loud scream into the air. Her hands gripped just at that point. Pressing it hurt her.

"Careful, I don't know if you have something broken," Bulma mentioned. "I think we should get you to a hospital."

That meant nothing to Chi-Chi. The pain that oppressed her, the weakness of her body, the dizziness, or the feeling that she would faint at any moment if she did not focus all her efforts on avoiding it... Everything was secondary. The only thought that really meant anything in her mind was her little one, her Gohan, and how that man had just taken him away; without any of them being able to do absolutely anything to avoid it.

"Goku, are you okay?" Master Roshi pronounced, and Chi-Chi reflexively raised her gaze to the front. The master and Krillin were trying at that moment to help Goku get up.

Suddenly, Chi-Chi pulled herself together enough to stand up, completely ignoring the intense pain that, in other circumstances, would have been totally paralyzing.

"Wait, Chi-Chi," Bulma exclaimed with concern. "Don't force yourself..."

She ignored her and immediately began to move towards where her husband lay, limping and with her hands pressing on her aching side.

"Goku!" She exclaimed forcefully, drawing the warrior's attention, who immediately turned to look at her. Master Roshi and Krillin had made him sit up but little else.

"Chi-Chi..." Goku pronounced weakly. His wife continued advancing toward him, but when she was close enough to him, her forces could not take it anymore, and she collapsed. Goku reacted immediately, trapping her in his arms and placing the woman's face against his chest. "Chi-Chi! Are you okay…?!"

"Of course, I'm not okay!" Chi-Chi yelled furiously, taking everyone by surprise, especially due to the strength of her voice despite her condition. "Goku..." she pronounced with a harsh voice, and then she raised her face to face him, her eyes brimming with anger, accompanied by intense tears that began to run down her face. "How could you let that man take Gohan away?!" She exclaimed forcefully, lightly hitting her husband's chest with one of her hands.

"But, Chi-Chi…" Goku pronounced, looking at her in amazement.

"You have to get him back!" Demanded the woman, slapping her chest more desperately. "You have to save our son! You said you would always be there to protect us; have you forgotten? You can't let that man hurt my baby! You can't allow it...!"

Her voice broke, and the only thing that could come out of her mouth immediately was intense and heartbreaking cries while she pressed her face against Goku's clothes, hiding her face and wetting the cloth with her tears.

"Chi-Chi, that's very unfair," Krillin exclaimed reproachfully. "Of course, Goku didn't allow that man to take your son. He tried to protect them and…"

"Shut up, Krillin," Bulma uttered at that moment, sounding clearly like a scold. "I know it's the pain that's talking, Chi-Chi," she added with a much sweeter tone. "None of us could understand the suffering of a mother like you..."

Yes, it was true; the pain made her pronounce those words. Chi-Chi knew that if she stopped at least for a moment to think about it, saying all that was unworthy and unfair to her husband. But she couldn't do it. She was so frustrated and angry that she couldn't help but take it out on her. It was sadly the only thing she could do...

"You're right, Chi-Chi," Goku pronounced seriously. "I should have protected you… I promised it!"

There was determination and fire in his words, and Chi-Chi caught them. She then felt Goku's hands take her gently from her arms and gently pull her away from him, but only enough to lift himself up.

"Flying Nimbus!" Goku yelled loudly once he was on his feet, and instantly the golden flash of his cloud was directed from the sky toward him, positioning itself right in front of him. He then began to move toward the cloud, even though his walk was erratic and leisurely; it was evident that he was not completely recovered.

"Please don't be too hasty," Master Roshi insisted, grabbing him hard to try and stop him. "It is obvious that you will not be able to defeat him alone."

"Master Roshi is right, Goku," Krillin added, still trying to stop his friend from advancing further. "Just look at what happened a moment ago: he defeated you with just one hit!"

Goku's fists and jaw clenched, signifying his tremendous frustration. He knew without problem that their words were true.

Bulma approached Chi-Chi at that moment, trying again to help her up by placing her arm around her neck. For those moments, Chi-Chi had no strength or desire to move, so she let her do what she wanted as if she were a mere rag doll without will.

"There has to be something we can do," Bulma uttered uneasily, but from everyone's stares, this seemed impossible. Suddenly, an idea seemed to cross Goku's mind.

"His tail," he said aloud. "When I was a kid, my tail was my weak spot. When someone held it firmly, I lost all my strength."

"It's true," Master Roshi exclaimed solemnly. "It may be the same for him."

"But Goku," Krillin said, stepping towards his friend, "the problem with that plan is that you'd have to get too close to him to grab his tail. Can you do it with him being so strong and fast?"

Goku lowered his gaze to the ground. Again his fists clenched tightly.

"I'm ashamed to say it, but I don't think I can do it. At least not by myself."

Saying that last, he instinctively looked up at Master Roshi and Krillin, and the latter, in particular, seemed horrified by the silent implication of that.

"I understand," Master Roshi said quickly. "Krillin and I will do everything we can to help you, Goku."

"What? Me?" Krillin exclaimed with his voice almost trembling.

"Of course, you will," his teacher replied sternly. "Neither Tenshinhan nor Yamcha is here, and the situation is critical as we take the time to look for them. Only we can do something."

"It's... true..." Krillin whispered with more resignation than conviction. "If the three of us fight together, we can do something... I guess."

The truth was that all this was a desperate measure but necessary. Complying with that individual's orders was not an option, and the longer they waited, the more risk they put Gohan. So there was no choice but to go, the three of them, and do the best they could... even if that ended in the inevitable death of one of them...

"You guys won't be able to do anything, you useless duo," a voice boomed out, deep and powerful as thunder, right from the top of their heads.

Instantly everyone looked up, even Chi-Chi in her weakness, and everyone could clearly see the silhouette of the turban and long white cape that levitated several meters above them, which none of them had noticed until that moment. And even at that distance, everyone managed to recognize him.

"It's Piccolo!" Bulma pronounced horrified, taking a step back with everything and Chi-Chi, who she was still holding on to keep her standing.

It's Piccolo Daimao, Chi-Chi thought, at that point so stunned that she could only feel surprised, more than scared.

That green-skinned individual quickly descended towards them, stopping right in front of Goku and the others, who, by mere reflex, adopted a defensive posture. For her part, Bulma pushed her and Chi-Chi back further along with the old turtle.

"But you… what are you doing here?" Goku questioned firmly.

"I was following that guy," Piccolo replied with amazing calm, taking them by surprise.

"Did you already know him?"

"He took me by surprise with his incredible powers," the green-skinned being muttered, quickly noticing the rage that accompanied it. "It's humiliating, but that man called Raditz far exceeds my powers. And also yours. Even if you were to fight with those two as support, they wouldn't be able to do anything to him; they would just be a nuisance."

The comment clearly did not please Krillin and Master Roshi, but neither said anything to deny it.

"If you want to have a chance, you'll need a lot more help," the newcomer said fiercely.

"What are you proposing, Piccolo?" Goku inquired, instantly adopting a slightly more relaxed stance.

"I'll go with you," he exclaimed without hesitation. "We will fight together against that man, and we will defeat him."

"What?!" Krillin, Master Roshi, and Bulma exclaimed in unison. Goku remained silent, and Chi-Chi, apparently having heard, was unable to react either.

"Fight together?" Goku repeated, incredulous. "But… Why do you want to help us?"

"Make no mistake," Piccolo snapped harshly as if spitting out the words. "I don't want to help you, and I'm much less interested in your son's life. My only goal is still to kill you and conquer this world... But, as long as there is an individual as strong as him, that will be impossible. It is evident that neither of us could stand up separately, him or his other two companions he spoke of, if they were equally strong as him. But by joining our forces, we may have a chance, especially if we take advantage of his weak spot. If you think about it, it's the smartest strategy."

As he spoke, he slowly inched towards Goku. Her other friends recoiled apprehensively at his closeness, but Goku held firm to his position, holding the gaze of, until then, his sworn enemy.

"So you and I will team up to take him down," Piccolo said, "and the other two. And once that happens, you and I will settle accounts once and for all. Is it clear?"

Goku was silent for a few moments. If he was considering whether this was a good or bad idea, his serious and firm expression did not make his position very clear. Chi-Chi, for his part, looked at both men, and the idea floating in the air caused her concern like all the others but also a certain amount of conflict.

She knew very well that in terms of strength, the only other warrior on Earth that could rival Goku was Piccolo Daimao; she had seen them fight in the last Martial Arts Tournament. If anyone could support her husband in saving their son, it had to be him. But… would it be worth the risk? Was she willing to risk losing not only Gohan but Goku as well by putting their lives in the hands of that monster...?

How come they had come to such a desperate situation?

"Okay," Goku answered suddenly, startling everyone else a bit. "It seems I have no other choice. I must save Gohan by any means, even if it means fighting by your side, Piccolo."

"Goku..." Chi-Chi uttered in a low voice, slightly stunned. Would he really…?

Piccolo smirked.

"Who would have thought you would become a loving father? Let's go then…"

Piccolo's body slowly rose into the sky, and without waiting, Goku jumped into the Flying Nimbus before anyone could tell him or do anything to stop him. Before leaving, however, the warrior quickly turned to Chi-Chi; his eyes radiated conviction and confidence, the same one that she so much needed to perceive in those moments.

"Chi-Chi, I promise I'll bring Gohan back," Goku declared with firmness in his voice. "Wait for me here, please."

"Yes," Chi-Chi agreed weakly. "Thank you, Goku. Thank you…"

The Flying Nimbus rose into the air until it was at the same height as Piccolo, and a second later, they both shot off, disappearing into the horizon.