Chi-Chi woke with a heavy groan in a very unfamiliar place. An unfamiliar place that was…moving?

"Mornin' Sunshine!"

"Hm?" She rolled over to see Pika sitting in a corner reading a book. "Morning," Chi-Chi muttered, sitting up and rubbing her temples. "What time is it?"

"Almost noon. We should be hitting Port Town in about…" Pika checked her watch, "an hour I'd say."

"It's noon?!" Chi-Chi gasped. How could she have slept in so late!

"What did you expect after drinking so much last night?" the blonde laughed. "But don't worry, me and Veno took good care of you. I'm sure that fella of yours would make quicker work of us than the dinos when he comes back if we hadn't."

Fella? What fe—Oh. She was talking about Goku. Goku who had left last night to stop the tournament from getting canceled. How could she forget? Chi-Chi blinked, fighting back tears. Goku had left last night and the very last memory he had of her was her acting like a drunk! What had she been thinking?!

"Oh my goodness!" she cried, pressing her hands over her face. "I'm so embarrassed!" She'd practically climbed all over him like some harlot! And now he was gone forever and her final moments with him were fuzzy from all the alcohol!

She was such an idiot!

"Hey now, there's no reason to cry," Pika murmured, putting her book down and coming over to join Chi-Chi on her makeshift bed. "We've all gotten stupid drunk one time or another. You were cute! And Goku certainly didn't look like he was complaining."

Chi-Chi sniffled, the tears starting to come down now as reality set in. "You don't understand," she cried. "He's never coming back. That was the last time I'll ever see him and I was drunk!" Her face broke at this and her tears came in loud wails making the other woman jump back in alarm but compared to raging dinosaurs, helping a friend in need was nothing!

Pika scooted closer, and wrapped an arm around the crying woman. "There there," she said, rubbing Chi-Chi's back. "It'll be alright…"

…

"I still think you're overreacting. The boy practically followed you around like a puppy," Kabu argued as she stopped to examine the goods inside a shop window. "He'll be back."

"He totally does!" Pika smirked. "He's always 'Chi-Chi this' and 'Chi-Chi that'. The guy has it bad, even if you won't admit it."

Chi-Chi turned away from the dress she'd been admiring to glare at them. "You two don't know what you're talking about," she muttered. "Goku didn't grow up like you or me. He thought a bride was food and only wanted to marry me to keep a promise. Love wasn't even in his vocabulary! " she turned back to the dress so they couldn't see the tears welling up in her eyes. "All he thinks about is fighting."

"If all he thinks about is fighting then why do you like him in the first place?" Pika questioned, making Chi-Chi turn to stare at her.

Why did she like him? What wasn't there to like? Just because he didn't think about her didn't mean he didn't have any good qualities!

Chi-Chi shook her head at such thinking and then pressed a hand to her face and sighed. "He's just so sweet and fun and adorable!" Being around him just made her happy. "The better question would be what don't I like about him? Which isn't much."

Even his obsession with fighting was charming. How many men truly pushed themselves to excel in their craft? She admired his dedication. And he was clearly talented and clever and oh so confident…

"It looks like Goku isn't the only one smitten."

Chi-Chi glared, feeling her blush out in full force. "He's not smitten," she growled. "And he isn't coming back."

"You know that's not true," Pika argued.

"I know no such thing," Chi-Chi huffed. She turned to walk away only to run straight into Kabu. Why couldn't they just let her wallow in peace?!

"We don't mean to push," the tall woman told her, stepping aside. "We just don't want you to give up so easily when there's no reason for it."

"Yeah what she said," Pika nodded, throwing an arm over Chi-Chi's shoulders. "You know I'd much rather keep you all to myself but Goku's not bad…for a guy."

"What about us?" Jet whistled as he and Jaki walked up behind them. "Don't we ever make you consider switchin' teams?"

Switch teams? Chi-Chi blinked, thoroughly confused. Were they playing a game?

"If anything you two reaffirm my preference," Pika huffed, rolling her eyes as both men acted wounded.

Jaki leaned into Chi-Chi conspiratorially. "Pika just likes 'em a little more dainty. Like the princess of Mt. Frypan."

"What?!"

Chi-Chi stepped back in alarm, afraid they had figured out who she was, but then Pika was there, batting the men away none too gently.

"I may have always dreamed of meeting a beautiful princess but I like my girls strong as well," she told them, winking at Chi-Chi who was finally starting to understand if the heat of her cheeks were any indication.

"But today's not about me. Our girl Chi here needs a little therapy shopping!"

"You're free to join us," Chi-Chi offered politely but Jet and Jaki weren't interested, preferring to spend their money getting a bite to eat across the street.

They waved goodbye and then Pika took charge, guiding them from shop to shop making Chi-Chi wish she had been wise enough to think of getting something to eat. She liked therapy shopping as much as any woman but Pika and her second-in-command Kabu took it to another level. By the time they were through Chi-Chi had more clothes then she knew what to do with and several items that made even less sense at all. Why did she need a wetsuit or a hammock? And what would she do with a pair of roller skates? Would she really need a tea set while traveling on a training journey? Chi-Chi hadn't thought so and yet somehow Pika had managed to convince her that everything she purchased was an absolute necessity.

As ridiculous as all her purchases were though, it did distract her from missing Goku and for that she would put up with much worse. However it was after the third such day of this that Chi-Chi decided she needed some space. She wasn't one to bottle in her feelings—her actions at the tournament was a testament to that—but she also didn't want to burden her new friends. So the next day before the sun could rise, Chi-Chi slipped out of the room she'd been renting and made her way down to the sea.

The air was sharp but peaceful and the silence comforted her in a way she couldn't get around so many people. She had always liked the silence when she could get it.

Chi-Chi imagined briefly that to a passerby, she might look like a sailor's wife, wondering if she would ever see her sweetheart again. Except Goku didn't know he was her sweetheart and she knew full well he wouldn't be returning. In that sense, she envied the wives.

But she would get through this. She had survived losing her mother, and basically her father. She would survive this too. It would just take a little time.

o0o

Xue stirred from his slumber, feeling the presence of a lone young woman near his shore. It happened from time to time, though each proved unfruitful. Still, he should do his due diligence. He slithered to the surface to peek and saw a young woman with excellent posture, pale skin and such beauty that Xue knew his hopes had finally been answered.

He could finally be free of this wretched curse!

o0o

Chi-Chi could hear those on the pier, now in full swing of the early morning rush, and realized an hour had passed since she had ventured outside. Such a cloudy gray day had hidden the sunrise from her view.

"I suppose I should get going," she sighed, stretching her limbs as she rose to her feet. Pika and Kabu were probably wondering where she was by now.

Chi-Chi dusted off her dress and made to leave when she heard a groan come from behind her.

"What the…"

She spun around, hands raised in defense, when she noticed a pale man lying face down in the sand, halfway in the water.

"Oh my goodness!" Chi-Chi gasped, rushing to his aid. How long had he been there? And why hadn't she noticed? Had she really been so wrapped up in herself that she hadn't seen a poor man in need?!

She dropped to his side and carefully rolled him over, brushing the sand away from his face as gently as she could. Luckily the man appeared to be breathing easily, so his condition couldn't be too bad. Maybe he was drunk? She bent her head forward to smell his breath but instead of alcohol the only scent she caught was…pond water?

Chi-Chi was so caught off guard by this strange observation that she failed to notice the man's eyes had opened and were staring right at her.

"Beautiful maiden, please grant me a kiss."

"Gah!" Chi-Chi jumped to her feet and scrambled back, feeling a blush rush to her cheeks. "H-Hello. I guess you're fine now. Maybe you should see someone about your drinking problem. Goodbye."

She spun on her heel to leave and ran straight into the stranger who was suddenly there, standing directly in her path.

"Now look here," she growled, pointing at him in an effort to maintain distance. "I don't know what you want but I'm not interested. Got it?"

The stranger smiled, taking her hand in his. "Ah but princess…"

"How did you—" Chi-Chi gasped, looking up into his pale colored eyes. Pale colored eyes that seemed to swirl with a myriad of colors like a bubble drawing her in.

"Just one kisssss," he whispered, leaning closer.

Chi-Chi nodded blankly, slipping her hands around his neck. Isn't this what she'd always wanted? To fall in love and share a kiss? "Just one…" she murmured…just one kiss. If she could share just one with Goku…his pretty, dark eyes growing darker as he slowly moved closer…wait.

"Hey!"

She pulled back abruptly and glared. This wasn't Goku!

But Xue couldn't let her get away. He had waited too long to let her go now! He relaxed his mirage allowing his full hideous form to wrap around her tight.

"You can't escape!" he hissed.

Really? He honestly thought this would stop her? Chi-Chi rolled her eyes, more than a little insulted. Her arms may have been bound tight, but her head and feet were still free. The second the snake leaned in, Chi-Chi headbutted him in the face making him reel back but still he held on tight. Chi-Chi wasn't worried. She raised her foot and then slammed it down, grinding the snake's trailing tail, and forced him to release her completely.

The snake fell to the ground in a quivering heap, shrinking until he was no bigger than a garden snake but Chi-Chi wouldn't let that stop her. She moved to strike again but he threw himself at her feet, cowering in fear.

"Wait! Please!" he begged. "All I need is a kiss!"

"What? Why?" Chi-Chi asked, lowering her fists..

"My name is Xue and I've been cursed," the snake hissed. "To this hideous form! Only a princess can break the spell!"

"How did you know I was a princess?" Chi-Chi demanded. Could Pika or one of the others have figured it out and gone telling everyone?

"It was your beauty and elegance that gave you away," Xue answered, putting her fears to rest. "Please fair maiden, take pity on this wretched creature."

Chi-Chi blushed and pressed a hand to her face. Well she supposed it couldn't hurt…

"Alright, but just on the cheek," she told him to which Xue happily agreed.

He slithered up her arm and then extended his neck, making Chi-Chi feel a bit flustered. She had never imagined she'd kiss a snake but if this is what it took to break the spell…she leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to his scaly cheek.

All at once he began to glow, his form unraveling from around her arm, growing brighter and brighter. Chi-Chi shielded her eyes until the glow finally dispersed but when she could finally see the only thing in front of her was a frog.

"Er…are you…?"

"I am!" ribbeted Xue, jumping into the air and kicking his hind legs together. "Thank you fair maiden, for finally setting me free!"

"Happy to help," she muttered as she watched the formerly cursed frog jump away.

She stared after him for a moment before deciding that maybe some human company wouldn't be so bad after all and began heading away from the beach in search of her friends, never noticing the white fox disappearing behind the wooden pier.

…

Chi-Chi found the others in a quiet little cafe far enough away from the pier that they weren't too busy at this time of day and—after ordering a rose tea—slipped into a seat at their table.

"There she is," grinned Pika, while Kabu gave a friendly nod. "We went by your room earlier but you were already out. Do anything fun?"

"Oh I had quite the adventure," Chi-Chi smiled, though she didn't elaborate. "Speaking of, I think it's about time I moved on."

"What? But what about Goku?" Pika asked worriedly, sharing a concerned look with Kabu.

Chi-Chi thought the two were really very sweet but she couldn't keep waiting for Goku. She had done that once as a child and now that she better understood the kind of person he was, she couldn't go through that again. She may not be able to stop loving him—he just had a charm about him that would always hold her heart—but it would do her no good to keep uselessly hoping for his return.

Enough was enough.

She was Mao Chi-Chi, daughter of the Ox-King and the strongest woman in the world. She was on a journey, had already gone through one of the four trials and survived and she wouldn't waste time sitting around feeling sorry for herself. It would hardly help her through the remaining trials and it certainly wouldn't make her feel any better. If Goku somehow returned…well she'd be overjoyed, but until then she wouldn't waste away pining over someone who didn't return her feelings. Not that she expected him to but it was the principle of the matter.

"It's time Pika, Goku's not coming back. He's a free spirit," Chi-Chi told them sadly, "I can accept that. But I will not sit around doing nothing when I have plans and dreams of my own."

"Not even just a few more days? I'm sure he'll show up soon. Aren't the tournaments hosted on one of those southern islands? It'll probably take him some time to get there and back again."

If only Chi-Chi could believe that but she remembered how fast they'd gotten to Master Roshi's from Mt. Frypan.

"No," she said, shaking her head. "His Nimbus is faster than even a capsule corps jet. He would have been back by now if was gonna return."

"When will you leave?" Kabu asked.

"Once I finish this tea," Chi-Chi answered, taking a long sip. She had already packed her things and checked out of the hotel room. She hadn't been able to use her capsule home because of all of the memories of Goku but now that she was at peace with her decision, it wouldn't bother her so. "You've both been so supportive, I couldn't ask for better friends. Which is why I feel I should be honest with you."

She had never thought much about being a princess. Her kingdom wasn't very big and the villagers had always treated her like one of their own but she was still raised with expectations, one of them being to keep a low profile when not out of the kingdom on 'official' business. But how could she keep her identity from the two who had done nothing but be her friend? Well in the spirit of friendship, she could be honest with them about this.

"I'm the princess of Mt. Frypan."

"We know," both Pika and Kabu grinned.

Chi-Chi blinked. "What do you mean you know?"

"Oh come on," Pika laughed. "You don't honestly think we believed that excuse of yours when Goku told us we'd already met you!"

"I've seen pigs lie better," Kabu added with a smirk.

Chi-Chi blushed but admitted she had never been very good at lying. Well at least she no longer needed to feel guilty about keeping the truth from them. She took a long sip of her drink and then stood and stretched her limbs. It was probably time she got going.

"Well, if you ever find yourself in those parts, please make sure to look me up. You'll always be welcomed in my home." Assuming she finished the journey in one piece. "Thanks for keeping me company the past four days."

"You know spending time with a pretty girl is hardly a punishment for me," Pika joked, giving Chi-Chi a strong hug. "Especially when the other option is running damage control with Jet and Jaki."

"They're not that bad!"

"They are! They were just on their best behavior since you both were new!"

"Then I better not linger!" Chi-Chi giggled, feeling a little better despite her conflicting feelings. She hugged Kabu goodbye—and gave one last goodbye hug to Pika—and then stepped outside and tossed the capsule containing her airbike. Tomorrow she would resume her training but today she just wanted to feel the wind in her hair and the engine purring underneath her.

…

It turns out, traveling without Goku was simpler in a lot of ways. For one it was easier to keep everything tidy. Goku was a lot of things but clean was not one of them. For another she didn't have to cook as much, although since Goku often provided the meat, she now had to hunt or fish in addition to cooking, so she supposed it was an even trade off. One downside though, was that she no longer had his guidance for training. Instead she was forced to rely on the bits she learned from him and her previous teachers, but since she'd never used a weapon quite like her sash blade before, it was more trial and error than anything, particularly since its weight was unlike weapons she'd used in the past. No matter how much she trained with it, it never seemed to get any lighter. She would have worried that she wasn't training right, except she knew that god items could have special traits. Perhaps this was just another way to help her get stronger? Either way it was a challenge.

Chi-Chi kept to the schedule she and Goku had established, dedicating her past few mornings to trying to master the sash, and she felt she was making good progress. She only wound up tangled in it a quarter of the time, usually when she started getting tired and became unable to endure the weight. Using her ki could help with that but Goku had explained that it was better to strengthen the base form on its own, which would in turn strengthen her ki for when she needed it.

Still, it was difficult training alone and she wished he would come back just so she had someone to spar with. Goku was so clever, sparring with him constantly forced her to think on her feet.

Chi-Chi sighed and dropped her weapon.

Who was she kidding? Even if Goku never sparred with her, she would have been happy just being near him. She might have honestly believed that she was ready to move on while in the presence of friends but out here on her own she was missing him something fierce again. But she was okay. She would be okay. He had left before she could get her hopes up—although she could admit that she had started to…just a little—and now she could move on just like she had planned to do before he'd chased her down after the tournament. She was strong and independent and capable of handling anything that came her way.

And maybe if she was lucky…maybe she'd find someone new? The best tales always had their heroes and heroines finding true love along the way. It would be so romantic training on her journey, only to come across a mysterious stranger along the way! Although realistically she expected no such thing. She had been hung up on Goku for seven years. It was unlikely that someone would come along and sweep her off her feet. Especially while she was in the middle of nowhere, traveling off road.

At least…she hadn't thought she would meet anyone until a man appeared from a small cluster of trees one morning and greeted her warmly.

"Pardon me for interrupting your morning exercise," greeted the man as he bowed respectively at the waist. "My name is Hou Yi. I saw the smoke from your fire and grew curious as I have not seen anyone else in these parts for some time." He stretched out his hand. "May I have your name, beautiful lady?"

Chi-Chi blushed and placed her hand in his automatically, having grown up with the formal gesture.

"My name is Chi-Chi."

She hesitated for a moment and then asked if he would care to join her for breakfast. The stranger had clearly been raised with good manners, no doubt he would have his own expectations of her, and sharing a meal was a basic courtesy.

He accepted and she quickly fetched a spare plate, pausing only slightly when she realized it was Goku's. Well he wasn't around to use it. At least this way it wouldn't go to waste!

"Still as kind as ever I see."

Chi-Chi looked up from the plate she was fixing, confused. "What was that?"

Hou Yi smiled mysteriously but didn't answer, instead asking a question of his own. "So why would a woman as delicate looking as yourself be traveling on her own amidst such rugged terrain?"

Rugged terrain? Chi-Chi noted the gentle forested hills and the pebbled beach a mile off. If he thought this was rugged, she wondered what he'd think of the Tiānshàng mountains or Dino pass. Still…it wouldn't do to be rude.

She handed him the plate and explained that she was on a training journey.

"An admirable pursuit," Hou Yi grinned. "I have known only a few men to be so dedicated. Perhaps you would honor me with a spar after our meal?"

"Oh that would be wonderful!" Chi-Chi beamed before remembering that most men weren't as strong as Goku and couldn't handle her strength.

"Actually…maybe we better not. My weapon is quite heavy and I'm still learning, I would hate to injure you by mistake."

Hou Yi laughed so loudly she jumped, and then reached down and picked up her sash like it was nothing at all.

"This?" He weighed it in his hands and then put it back down. "I can tell the weight is such that an average man might struggle but it is nothing to me." He grinned and leaned in close. "I think you will find not many can say the same."

Chi-Chi smiled, actually a little impressed, and wondered how he would fare with Goku's new staff. Would he struggle as Goku did? Or would that be nothing to him too?

"Well then, I'd be happy to spar with you," she told him.

"Excellent."

They finished their meal quickly and soon stood several feet apart facing each other, Chi-Chi's sash around her waist while Hou Yi's bow was slung over one shoulder, his quiver resting against a nearby tree. Raising her fists, Chi-Chi decided to stay on the defensive. Hou Yi seemed possibly as strong as Goku, in which case it would be better to let him make the first move.

She didn't have to wait long.

While Goku often seemed content to react to her attacks, Hou Yi was quick to strike first. His fist shot out, forcing Chi-Chi to block and jump back, her arm aching from the hit. She didn't know if he was stronger than Goku or if Goku had just been pulling his punches but whatever the case, Chi-Chi knew that too many of those would end the fight much quicker than she was prepared for.

Luckily, though Hou Yi was strong, he wasn't as fast as Goku nor was his technique as good. Chi-Chi landed several blows in rapid succession and then jumped away before he could touch her but Hou Yi wasn't going down yet. He stomped his foot once, splitting the ground into large jagged segments and then smacked it again on the fragment she stood on, catapulting Chi-Chi right at him. With her in range, Hou Yi landed several blows forcing Chi-Chi to use her ki to keep up her defense.

Thinking fast, she blasted it outward—the most she'd ever managed under Goku's tutelage—blinding him long enough for her to recover her strength and get away to a safe distance.

This time, she stood beyond the broken earth, unwilling to be flung again, and considered her next move. Using her sash could prove risky since it would wear her down faster but getting in range for her fists would put her at risk of being catapulted again. There was no way she'd survive another round of that.

"Give up?" Hou Yi smirked, looking too smug for Chi-Chi's liking.

She huffed and unraveled her sash from around her waist. "I'm just getting started."

Chi-Chi whipped out her weapon, slicing through the air and cutting through Hou Yi's sleeve before he could even think to dodge. Feeling pleased, she snapped the blade back and wound it around her fist while Hou Yi fingered the opening in his sleeve.

"If you wanted me to take off my shirt," he grinned. "All you had to do was ask."

"Be serious," Chi-Chi growled before shooting her blade out once more. She threw out several strikes but he deflected them all with his bow, forcing Chi-Chi to look for openings which Hou Yi blocked with ease. Several minutes passed with them dancing around each other but unfortunately Chi-Chi couldn't keep it up. Her weapon was too heavy and her speed was slowing with every second that passed until Hou Yi finally caught her sash and ripped it from her, slicing her palm with the blade on the other end.

She hissed automatically and dropped to her knees, cradling her hand, before remembering she needed to move but her delay cost her. The second she leapt away she felt her weapon wrap around her ankle right before Hou Yi yanked it tight and dragged her to the earth.

Chi-Chi groaned and rolled onto her back, her throbbing ankle beating in time with the stinging sensation in her hand.

"You did well for a woman," said Hou Yi, making his way over to her. "Not many could last as long against a man such as myself." He held out his hand to help her up.

Chi-Chi frowned but took it, only to wince when she stood, her weight putting pressure on her sore ankle.

Unfortunately Hou Yi noticed. "Allow me," he murmured, before sweeping her up into his arms.

"What are ya doing?!" Chi-Chi demanded, blushing and shoving against his chest. "Put me down this instance!"

"Nonsense, you are injured."

"I can still walk!"

"And aggravate your ankle more? I think not. Now behave."

Chi-Chi glared, quickly losing her patience. She appreciated that he was trying to help but she didn't know him well enough for him to take such liberties! And even if she did, she'd said no! She opened her mouth prepared to yell or curse, probably both, when a voice she never thought she'd hear again spoke.

"Chi-Chi?"

Her head snapped in his direction, shocked to see a confused and unsure looking Goku just staring at her and Hou Yi.