Goku and Chi-Chi rose early the next morning to a very foggy day, as if the mountainside knew their destination and was trying to persuade them to think twice about it. Not that either of them would. Goku had been prepared to go the night before but Chi-Chi had deemed it wiser to wait and be completely rested first. There was no need to rush and one night's rest wasn't going to change her mind. She was determined that nothing would stop her.

So despite the fact that a fog so thick they couldn't see a thing past two arms length in front of them had rolled in, Chi-Chi and Goku didn't hesitate to begin their trek up the mountain, nor climb when they were no longer able to walk due to the cliff's steep rise. They kept a steady pace all morning, never out of reach from one another in case they got lost in the fog, and by the time midday rolled around they had nearly reached the peak.

Goku flipped onto a narrow ledge and looked around, noting the air had gotten thinner. They couldn't be too far now. The mountain wasn't nearly as tall as Korin's tower.

Chi-Chi pulled herself up beside him and wiped the sweat from her brow, taking a long, hard swig from her bottle before offering it to Goku.

"Thanks," he murmured, his voice breaking the eerie silence as he took a sip. There weren't many animals that lived this high up and the wind was currently nonexistent. The only noise came from their light breathing and the crackle of the earth as it shifted and groaned beneath them.

"Just a little more," he told her, handing the water bottle back so Chi-Chi could capsulate it.

But Chi-Chi didn't think so. "Actually, I was thinkin' we might try the Fan now."

"Alright," Goku agreed, pulling the Fan from his back and swinging it down in one fluid motion. A small gust of air sliced through the fog, pulling it as it went and twisting it into the shape of a narrow platform situated slightly higher than their current elevation.

Both Goku and Chi-Chi blinked and looked at each other and then back at the platform.

"Is that it?"

"There's only one way to find out."

Goku leapt across the distance and landed easily upon its surface. A few test jumps told him it was more than solid and he turned to call Chi-Chi over just as she landed beside him. He grinned, happy to be on an adventure with her, and then turned his focus on where he should aim next. The platform could form anywhere and he wasn't sure what would happen if blew all the clouds away before they could find it.

With this in mind, Goku did a half spin as he swung, twisting the Bansho Fan around so that the gust of air that sliced through the fog covered a larger area. This time the platform emerged off to the right. Goku and Chi-Chi traded small grins before jumping across the distance and repeating the process again.

They did this over and over, until soon they couldn't even see the mountains anymore and Chi-Chi began to shiver at the drop in temperature, her teeth chattering so violently Goku couldn't help but notice.

"Cold?" He asked. He rubbed his hands up and down her arms quickly to generate warmth but it didn't seem to help. "Oh I know! Climb on my back," he told her, squatting down so she could get on easier. His body heat should be enough until they reached the top.

Chi-Chi was so cold she couldn't even feel embarrassed as she climbed on top of him. She was freezing! Mt. Frypan had never been this bad. Not even after Master Roshi had blown away the inextinguishable fire, returning the land to a more natural climate. She pressed herself close, grateful for his warmth, while Goku did his best to ignore the odd sensation of having Chi-Chi's bumps squished up against him. He swung the fan wide, focusing on the task at hand.

Luckily it only took a couple more swings before they reached the final platform. The next time Goku swung the Bansho Fan, two giant doors—the size of ten houses stacked upon one another—appeared. It looked odd just floating there, with no building connected to it, and Goku had the feeling that brute strength wouldn't make it open.

He shrugged, figuring he had to keep using the fan and lifted it over his head to swing twice, slicing the air in a giant 'X' that struck the golden doors hard.

"Do it again!" Chi-Chi ordered, excitement warming her enough to brave the cold. Goku obeyed, repeating his actions once and then a second time at Chi-Chi's command. Upon the third knock, the right door creaked open just a sliver, but easily wide enough for them to sneak through.

Chi-Chi squealed, squeezing Goku close who just smiled and laughed at her excitement. It had been awhile since he'd been on a good adventure, he'd almost forgotten how fun they could be after having to train on Kami's lookout for the past three years.

"Ready?" He asked her, lifting her legs higher on his waist.

Chi-Chi nodded and thrusted her arm forward.

"Let's go!"

The giant door began to shut, meaning it was now or never. Goku crouched for a second and then sprung across the distance, slipping inside just before it could slam shut, the sound echoing throughout the chamber.

He felt Chi-Chi slide from his back as they looked around. It seems the doors weren't the only giant things about this place. All the furniture and decor, even the fireplace looked like they belonged to a giant.

This is Xuan Wu's home? Chi-Chi wondered.

But as soon as the thought crossed her mind, a thunderous stomping could be heard, getting closer and closer until a door she hadn't noticed before opened, revealing a giant ugly looking creature with green skin and rotten teeth who also happened to be holding a…meat masher?

Chi-Chi swallowed but stepped forward to introduce herself.

"Excuse me, are you Lord Xuan Wu?"

The creature—who Chi-Chi was almost a hundred percent certain wasn't Xuan Wu—snarled upon spotting them and struck out with the makeshift club. Goku wasted no time in scooping Chi-Chi up, narrowly avoiding the blow.

"Hey! What's the big idea?" Goku demanded, setting Chi-Chi back down.

The giant, however, didn't understand or didn't care to answer. Instead it struck again, this time driving them apart.

"Goku!" Chi-Chi shouted, ducking under a swipe of the masher, "I don't think that's Xuan Wu!"

It wasn't? Well that made even less sense but god or no, Goku wasn't gonna let this thing attack them and get away with it.

He made a face and stuck out his tongue. "Bleh, betcha can't catch me!"

The giant roared, enraged, and slammed the meat masher down, going straight through the cobbled stones and getting it stuck in the rubble. Which was just what Goku wanted. He hopped on the masher and ran up the giant's arm, jumping on top of its head before leaning over to taunt it some more.

"Toldja ya couldn't catch me."

Abandoning the masher, the giant roared again, this time slapping its head but Goku was quick and easily able to avoid the blow, turning the giant's attempts to catch him into a fun game as he hopped back and forth all over its body, causing the giant to slap itself all over.

Chi-Chi, meanwhile, was busy trying to formulate a plan. While Goku was content to confront the giant directly, she knew she wouldn't do much good in that regard. So instead she stayed out of the way and looked around until she spotted a giant size club hanging just above the doorway. If she could just knock it loose, she was sure it could cause some damage.

Keeping an eye on Goku's antics, she began scaling a nearby tapestry, determined to reach the top before Goku could take the giant out all by himself.

Unfortunately, while she was keeping an eye on Goku, she wasn't keeping an eye on the giant. Chi-Chi was three fourths of the way to her goal when she moved into the light and the giant's beady eyes honed in on her. The giant swung its hand around to smash her like a bug but Goku was quicker, intercepting the strike and getting caught in the giant's meaty fist instead.

"GOKU!" Chi-Chi cried, watching in horror as the giant squeezed him.

"GAAAHH!"

She had to save him! Chi-Chi scrambled up the rest of the tapestry and slipped behind the club, feeling the weight. It was heavy but thanks to Goku's training, she knew she could move it. She just needed the giant a little closer.

"HEY UGLY! OVER HERE!"

The giant looked around curiously at her shout, loosening its grip as it did so just enough that Goku could breathe…or take a really large bite. He stretched his mouth as wide as he could and chomped down on the giant's hand making it scream and wave its hand back and forth, trying desperately to shake Goku loose but Goku wasn't about to let go.

He sunk his teeth in as deep as they would go, tasting blood, and felt the giant stumble back, wailing in agony.

Chi-Chi couldn't have planned it any better if she tried. She waited until the giant fell back against the wall and then shoved with all her strength, knocking the club off and straight onto the giant's head. There was a loud crack and then the giant spun around once, twice, before falling to the ground with a resounding thud.

Goku caught Chi-Chi on their way down and landed gently next to the giant's head. He placed Chi-Chi on her feet and watched as she went to examine the body, but he could tell that it wouldn't be getting up again.

Man! He patted his stomach as it grumbled in hunger. He sure had worked up an appetite. The giant hadn't been all that difficult to defeat but he hadn't had a thing to eat since breakfast!

A scent itched his nose making him sniff the air. What were the chances? There was something good cooking nearby. In fact it smelled nearly as good as Chi-Chi's! He looked back at the fallen giant and then towards the door that now had a bright light coming from it. The scent was coming from there.

He wandered over in that direction—just to take a peek—and found a giant sized kitchen. Was this it then? Had they passed whatever test they'd come there for? Goku looked around for anything that stood out but the only thing that caught his eye was a large pot simmering over a fire. It sure smelled good…and he was really hungry. If there was more to face, it would be better to face it on a full stomach…

…

Chi-Chi stared at their fallen foe in shock. They had done it. They had defeated the giant. Chi-Chi knew she should be ecstatic at their success and yet, something about this didn't feel right to her. For one, where was Xuan Wu? Surely if they had passed the trial he would have made his presence known? For another, she didn't understand why they had been allowed to fight together. According to her Mama's stories, although it was rare for more than one person to attempt the journey at the same time, the few times it had been done, the individuals had always been tried separately. What was going on? And where was Goku? She turned, suddenly realizing that he was no longer in the hall.

"Goku?" Chi-Chi scanned the furniture but she didn't think he was on top of any. "Goku?" she called again. She turned back towards the giant only to find it gone. Oh no. That couldn't be good. "Goku?" Chi-Chi called again. She finally noticed the light coming through one door and hurried over.

"Goku?" She looked around the giant's kitchen as alarm bells began ringing in her mind. "Goku!"

"Over here Chi!"

She spotted him waving at her from a top the far counter, leaning halfway into a large pot, no doubt filled with food. Her eyes widened in alarm.

"No! Wait, don—"

Goku's head dipped beneath the rim, slurping up as much as he could of the tasty looking stew. Boy was it good! And filling too! It was filling him up way faster than any other meal had done, almost like a senzu bean. In fact, tasty as it was, he figured he should probably stop. The memory of what happened to Vlad was still fresh in his mind.

He pulled back and then had to lean against the pot for support, suddenly feeling a bit woozy. "Woah." Goku muttered, putting a hand to his head. Maybe there was more than just food in that stew.

THIEF!

A booming voice rang out, making the entire building shake. Goku and Chi-Chi looked up in alarm and held on to what they could to keep from falling.

YOU DARE STEAL FROM A GOD?

"No, wait please! He didn't know!" Chi-Chi cried.

There was a loud crack, like thunder, that sent Chi-Chi and Goku stumbling to their hands and knees and when they looked up they were no longer in a giant kitchen but on a small platform in a void of darkness.

YOUR LIVES WILL BE FORFEIT.

"Wait!" Goku clambered unsteadily to his feet. "I'm the one you want. Chi-Chi didn't do anything, just me!" He was the one who ate the food. Chi-Chi shouldn't have to suffer for his mistake.

But Chi-Chi wasn't going to sit back and say nothing. "He thought the challenge was over!" She shouted, slipping her hand into Goku's as she joined him where he stood. If anything she was to blame. She should have warned him beforehand not to touch anything. If something happened to Goku…

Chi-Chi gripped Goku's hand tighter as they waited to hear Xuan Wu's response but instead a second platform lit up across the dark expanse. A balcony with three taiko drums, one on either end and another in the middle, illuminated by large lanterns that glowed eerily across the void.

"If it is a challenge you seek, then step forward and spare your lives," came a voice from behind them.

Chi-Chi and Goku spun to find a very tall looking warrior sitting atop a great big turtle and caressing a long and thick yellow python. He slanted his eyes in their direction and raised an eyebrow challengingly. "Unless you do not think yourself capable?"

"I'll do it," Goku said, moving forward and stepping in front of Chi-Chi. "It's my fault, let me do it."

"Done."

Xuan Wu snapped his fingers making Goku vanish.

"GOKU!" Chi-Chi cried as Xuan Wu snapped again. Goku reappeared in the middle of the balcony and stumbled forward, his balance thrown off by the strange clothing he now wore and the odd weight on his back. He rolled his shoulders, noting the weird shoulder neck piece restricting his movement while a thick layer of cloth draped around his waist restricted his legs. Goku patted the clothes and then reached behind his head, feeling the two heavy poles strapped to his back.

"What the…?" He said, pulling one out and nearly dropping it. For something so small it was really heavy! He needed two hands just to lift it!

Xuan Wu snapped a third time and now there were two faceless figures behind the drums on either end wearing outfits identical to him. What kind of challenge was this? Did he have to compete with those faceless guys using the drum? Goku didn't know much about music but he was confident that he could keep up.

Unfortunately his vision chose that moment to blur slightly, reminding him that he still felt woozy from the stew.

Well…even if he wasn't up for the task, at least Chi-Chi was safe. He tried to smile down at her so she wouldn't worry but it was as if Xuan Wu had read his thoughts because this time the god clapped and it was Chi-Chi's turn to vanish while a large platform—ten times the size of the tournament arena—and with very odd markings appeared between him and where Chi-Chi had stood.

Oh boy. He had a feeling he wouldn't like where this was going.

"No, I don't think you will."

Goku stiffened and whirled around to face Xuan Wu who was suddenly right beside him holding a small drum…a small drum whose pattern looked exactly like that of the platform below. His eyes darted to the platform and back again. Clearly they were connected.

"So you are smarter than you look," Xuan Wu mused, drumming his fingers along the edges of his instrument as large shadow hands came down to mimic the movement on the platform below.

There could only be one reason Xuan Wu was showing him this. "What have you done with Chi-Chi," Goku growled.

Xuan Wu grinned and snapped a final time, making Goku spin back to the railing.

Chi-Chi was there—in the center of the drum—now clad in her own unusual outfit and struggling to stand but Xuan Wu kept drumming the edges, his shadow hands copying his movements and knocking her over every time she managed to right herself.

"What are you doing?!" Goku demanded, turning back round to face Xuan Wu. "Leave her out of this!"

Xuan Wu's grin morphed into a smirk as he turned to caress his python. "Did you really think that she could remain just a spectator?" He glanced back in Goku's direction with a cruel smile. "Or perhaps you thought to endear her to yourself by playing the hero."

"It wasn't her fault," Goku insisted, grinding his teeth. Xuan Wu could say whatever he liked about him but Goku couldn't let Chi-Chi come to harm because of his actions.

"Well then, you best not fail."

With those words Xuan Wu disappeared, leaving Goku to figure out what he meant. His eyes darted to the two faceless figures dressed similarly to him, now holding their sticks out in front of them. Was that it then? He just needed to keep up with them? But what did Xuan Wu mean about him failing? Was Chi-Chi's fate tied to his success? Goku pulled the second stick off his back and again nearly dropped it. How would he be able to drum when he couldn't even lift the damn thing?

He cursed and threw both sticks aside. He'd just have to use his fists, even if he had to beat them until they were bloody.

…

Chi-Chi struggled to her feet, finally able to stand now that the strange surface had stopped bouncing, although the odd weight wrapped around her hips made it difficult. She looked herself over and was shocked to find she was wearing a silk sheath dress with a dark sleeved shawl over her shoulders and a long heavy sash wrapped tight around her waist. It was like something she might wear at an important dinner with her father and just as restrictive. There was no way she'd be able to face a challenge from Xuan Wu dressed like this, especially not on such an unstable surface.

"No?"

Her head snapped up at the sound of Xuan Wu's voice, putting Chi-Chi suddenly on edge.

"Is this not what you wished for princess?" he asked, with a hint of a sneer.

But for some reason, Chichi felt no malice from him. She knew his words were meant to intimidate her, to make her full of self doubt. How foolish and reckless of her, rushing off as she had, to challenge a god. And yet his reminder that this is what she wanted, what she had sought, produced the opposite effect.

'He's right,' Chi-Chi thought.

She had wanted a chance to prove herself, to grow stronger. And she had known that it wouldn't be easy. Now that she was here, she would finally see if she was up for the challenge. She wouldn't shy away from this opportunity.

"What are the rules?" Chi-Chi asked, standing tall despite the weight still pulling her down.

Xuan Wu smiled and gave her a small nod.

"Simple young one, survive. And pray that your companion does not make your task more difficult."

"He won't." Of that she was sure.

"Very well, then let us begin."

And then he was gone and Chi-Chi could hear the drums begin. Hastily she leaned over and tore long slits on either side of her dress and threw off the shawl around her shoulders. She then began to remove the weighted sash but hesitated after taking a closer look. It was long, longer than what she was used to and had sharp pendants for tassels. Perhaps she could use this…

She examined it closer, twisting the excess length of the sash to the side, when she noticed a small folding fan tucked underneath.

Chi-Chi blinked. A fan? She looked closer and noticed a small red feather and tassel tied to the bottom. Could it be…?

She didn't have time to finish that thought though because the challenge had begun and a large shadow hand came slamming down knocking her to the ground. Chi-Chi rolled to her hands and feet, waiting for the next rebound to aid her in jumping back up. The hand struck once, twice and then she was on her feet, wrapping the end of the sash around her arm and running, doing her best to keep her eyes trained above her for the next wave.

She wouldn't let her journey end here.

…

Goku snuck glances down to where Chi-Chi jumped and dived whenever the beat changed and his timing failed to strike in time with the others. Spread out as they were, it was hard to judge the speed and pattern of the faceless men but he had to try. Chi-Chi had managed this long but who knows how long she could keep it up? The flashes he caught told him her movements were awkward and stilted. Her outfit probably made it as difficult for her to move as his did for him.

At least she hadn't had any of the stew.

He wiped a brow and slammed his hand back down in time with the others, a weary feeling settling over him. He'd told Chi-Chi he'd never been sick before, and while that was true, he'd forgotten about the few times he'd eaten poison. One time it was berries, another time some mushrooms he'd found in the woods. His Grandpa had always told him his stomach would get him into trouble. He just hadn't thought it would come from something heated over a fire but there was no doubt that the strange feelings making him sluggish and hot were exactly like those bad times before.

Goku didn't know how long he had until he succumbed to whatever poison he'd ingested but he knew he had to hang on. Chi-Chi was depending on him.

He caught the speed change and adjusted his fists in time, slamming it down. One, two, three, one, two, three. If he could just keep this up…

"Hmm…" came Xuan Wu's voice beside him. Goku flinched but kept his attention on his task. A hard thing to do with a threat breathing down his neck.

"You are doing well…a little too well, would not you say?" mused the bored god.

A little too well? Were they looking at the same thing? Goku frowned but did his best to ignore Xuan Wu. He couldn't afford to pay attention to anything but the drum in front of him. One, two, one, two, one, two, three, four. Goku swallowed, feeling the sweat trickle down his face. One, two, one, two…

"I think you need something a little more challenging."

Goku didn't have a chance to even guess what Xuan Wu might be planning. He heard the snap and then something was swinging down at him in his peripheral. Without thinking he jumped sideways, just barely missing the blow.

"Hey, that's cheating!"

Another blade came swinging at him, making him duck, and soon there were multiple blades and fists and he was dodging this way and that as more of those faceless drummers circled him for a fight. He kicked, once, twice, he even tried a sweep to knock them off their feet but every blow he landed barely made a dent and made dodging all the more difficult. He'd have to think of something quick—

"Forgetting something are we?" Xuan Wu called, his voice coming in loud and clear even over the thundering of the taiko drums.

Goku's eyes widened in alarm.

The drum! Chi-Chi!

He leapt to the railing just in time to see Chi-Chi on her knees as the largest shadow hand he'd seen yet came down, flattening across the entire surface.

"CHI-CHI!"

…

Chi-Chi was hurting. Her lungs were burning and her muscles were growing weaker. It was all she could do to use the extra weight of her sash and the momentum gained from each rebound of the shadow hands' strikes to get out of the way in time. If only she could discern a pattern but the strikes seemed to be made at random.

A hand came down and she dodged to her left only to realize she had jumped into the path of incoming blow. Chi-Chi didn't think, she just moved, bringing her ki to her hands and striking the ground to send her flying out of the way just in time. She struggled to her hands and knees, knowing that she had to keep moving but when she looked up to gauge where the next strike would be, she knew there would be no avoiding it. It was too big. Too wide. It would cover the entire surface and then some.

So she did the only thing she could. She rolled herself off the platform, praying that there would be just enough space to hang on, but the shock from the strike was too much. Her grip failed her and she started to fall. In a last desperate act Chi-Chi slammed the sharp pendant end of her sash into the platform's frame, praying that it would somehow catch as it dragged down before finally coming to a jarring stop halfway down the side.

It was enough.

Chi-Chi dropped her head against the platform and giggled to herself, tired beyond belief. It worked! She was alive! When this was over, she was going to sleep for days. But until then…she reached down and snapped off the folding fan tied to her waist. It was time to see if her theory was correct. She twisted it open and waved it towards the vast darkness below. A large gust burst forth sending her flying back up to the top of the platform with ease.

She laughed, giddy at her discovery, and then looked back up, to ready herself for another round.

…

"CHI-CHI!" Goku cried, watching her disappear under Xuan Wu's shadow hand. He waited, foolishly praying that she had somehow survived but when the hand pulled away she wasn't there.

She was gone. She'd been squashed like she was nothing at all.

Goku swallowed—feeling like his heart was in his throat—when a hand yanked him backwards.

Too bad he was done with this game.

He flipped his attacker over his shoulder and then snapped up the drumstick he'd abandoned earlier to swipe his opponents over the railing in a single blow. All except Xuan Wu who stood there smirking as he watched Goku rage.

"You'll pay for that!" Goku growled, his eyes blurring, from sweat or tears he didn't know. All he knew was Chi-Chi was gone and it was all because of this bastard!

"Do you not wish to finish your trial?"

Did this guy honestly think he still cared about a dumb thing like that? "To hell with the trial." All he wanted was to get out of here to get Chi-Chi back. But would the dragon balls even work if a god was the cause? Goku shoved that thought aside. It didn't matter, he had to try.

"It would not," Xuan Wu answered, but before Goku could call him a liar, he pointed down towards the surface. "Since she is not dead."

"W-What?" Goku stammered in shock. Chi-Chi wasn't dead?

He turned automatically, his heart thundering against his chest, and stumbled over to the railing to spy Chi-Chi standing along the edge, looking tired but otherwise unharmed.

His strength seemed to leave him all at once after that, dragging him to his knees, but Goku didn't care. All that mattered was that Chi-Chi was alive. He smiled, breathing heavily as he leaned against the bars.

"Chi-Chi…" Goku sighed as he crumbled to the floor.

…

Xuan Wu watched the young man curiously. Mortals had always fascinated him and he had never had two quite like the pair that was now before him. They were such persistent little beings.

"You can't keep them," stated a bored looking fox, though he could tell by the way she watched him that she was wary.

Xuan Wu smiled. Yue Lao was such a busy body. As if sending his pet Hushen could stop him from doing what he wanted.

He waved her off and snapped his fingers, vanishing their surroundings and returning them to the entrance of his domain, the two challengers side by side on the rug before the fire. He watched the woman run to the young man's side and felt something stir in him curiously at the sight. Such devotion was touching, he supposed.

"Your master may relax," Xuan Wu eventually told the eight-tails. "They have earned their right to walk away. Although it may be some time before that one can," he said pointing towards Goku. "For he has indulged in sustenance of the gods."

"Yue Lao has seen their success. He won't be down for long."

"Excellent. It has been too long since we have had something so entertaining."

Hushen huffed but did not respond, amusing Xuan Wu further. It was always fun when he could ruffle her fur.

He flicked his hand, sending both the challengers and Hushen out of his domain, and then snapped the door shut.