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The afternoon sun glowed over Darlinge Polynya. Cascades of diamonds shimmered on the blanket of snow surrounding the lake in its light, but despite its brightness, even the sun’s heat could not cut through the crisp winter air. The forest was still, all of its creatures tucked up against the chill. There seemed to be a consensus: it was too damn cold to do anything. All of them, predator and prey, honored the unspoken arrangement, save for one teenager; a very frustrated, very hungry teenager.
His discarded clothes lay in a pile on the bank of the frozen lake, leaving him in nothing but his soaking undershirt and boxers. His usually wild bangs hung low, water dripping off the strands and freezing before it hit the ground. He took a deep, shaky breath and a dull yellow aura enveloped his body. Before the warmth could even sink into his skin, though, the light extinguished completely.
“Damn,” he cursed. “I am just too hungry!” His pitiful gaze settled on the jagged hole he had punched through the ice, and he saw the outlines of fish passing underneath.The young man sighed. He had already dived twice into the icy waters, and each time he froze upon immersion. His muscles knotted and his skin burned from the cold, his hands too frozen to catch anything. He had automatically jumped out after a moment, leaving only the soles of his feet planted on the ice.
“This would be so much easier with my tail…” He grumbled. He scanned the area around him. Save for a village not too far off, he was alone. Wherever the animals had hibernated, it wasn’t here. That left fish as his only option.
Groaning, the young man began to squat in an attempt to warm his muscles before he reentered the cold hell that held his dinner. His sharp eyes caught sight of two giant fish sauntering lazily under the surface. Cracking his knuckles, he posed above them. He had to focus, he would only get this one chance-
“It seems whenever I see you, you are half-frozen to death.” He straightened immediately at the warm voice. Had he been so focused on his meal that he failed to notice a woman walk up behind him? She was no threat to him, even in his current state; still, he should have sensed her.
Eyebrows furrowed, his gaze flickered to hers. She was bundled up nicely, only her deep brown eyes shone between a black fur hat and a plump scarf. She carried a large pack on her back, and her hand pulled a sled heavily laden with items behind her. His teeth chattered as he asked, “D-do you know me?” He hadn’t been this far north since he was a boy. He doubted he knew anyone in this area, but her warm eyes wrinkled with recognition.
“Your name is Son Goku, right?” He nodded numbly, and she shook her head. “You need to get out of those wet clothes! I was joking about you being frozen to death, but you seem to be moments away from that actually happening.”
Goku waved a dismissive hand before it snapped back to his side. “F-first, tell me who you are.” The brown eyes rolled before two gloved hands worked to undo her scarf. Once it fell from her face and neck, she briefly lifted her hat to allow striking red hair to fall around her face.
“Do you recognize me now?” She asked. Goku’s head cocked slightly. He definitely didn’t know her face, but that fiery red hair… His mind worked to place the contrast between it and the white snow, but he must have taken too long. The woman sighed in disappointment. “Ah, Goku, I am Suno! You helped save my village chief from the Red Ribbon Army after I found you in the forest.”
Goku blinked once. Twice. He gasped and pointed a finger towards the woman. “S-Suno!” He exclaimed. Her smile returned.
“So you do remember me!” She teased and discarded her large backpack on top of the sled. He nodded.
“Yeah, o’course! I didn’t know you g-got so tall!” Suno giggled. Her eyes scanned him up and down, heat rushing to her face as she noticed his black undershirt outlining his torso. She tried not to notice the clear impression of his muscular body under the soaked fabric; instead, she focused on her initial fear of it freezing to his skin. Seriously, hadn’t he ever heard of hypothermia?
Suno approached and closed the distance between them. “Well, you seem to have gotten taller yourself,” she complimented as she reached up to wrap her scarf around his neck, surprising Goku.
“Wha-what are you d-doing?” He flinched when she responded with a sharp glare.
“Warming you up! You have to get out of these clothes before you freeze!” She finished wrapping the scarf around him. “Do you have another change of clothes?”
“Yeah!” Goku breathed out, pointing his thumb behind his shoulder.
Suno nodded, “Alright, you get that shirt off, and I will grab the rest of your clothes.” She moved around him to see orange fabric peeking out of a fur coat. Impressed that he actually protected his clothes from the elements, Suno approached the bundle before stopping, her hands halting in mid-air. The coat was made of white wolf pelts roughly bound together… and it seemed new. Goku cursed behind her as he struggled to lift his shirt away from his skin, but Suno could not tear her eyes from the coat. Those wolves were the most feral creatures on the continent and always attacked in large packs. Many hunter groups had departed from Jingle Village with the intent to hunt their fortune in pelts and meat, only to never return. Just the thought of Goku being able to face them by himself…
He was just as strong as the day he defeated Muscle Tower, most likely stronger. The thought sent a wave of heat crashing through Suno’s body.
His audible shiver brought her back to her task, and she picked up his clothes. She handed him the pants and gi top before turning to shake the snow off of his coat to distract her from his bending form. Finally when he stood tall once more, she threw the pelt over his shoulders. Goku caught and fastened it over his body.
“Hey, thanks! I already feel warmer!” Goku’s smile turned downward, his eyes casted out over the lake. “Still,” he murmured, “I don’t have any dinner…”
Suno’s mouth dropped. “Is that what you were doing?!” She exclaimed, leaving Goku bewildered. What did she think he was doing half-naked by the lake? “The village has plenty of food! We can just go and grab some now!”
Goku groaned as his stomach growled. It was so tempting, but- “No!” The rejection was almost painful, but he made a promise. “No, I am training, so I need to hunt my food. Thanks, though!” His forlorn smile filled Suno with pity. She looked across the lake, noting his large, unstable hole.
“So, you tried to fish by jumping in the lake?” He shrugged.
“I have always fished like that.” He explained. She nodded and turned back to her sled.
“Well, that type of fishing will get you killed in the north.” She thought for a moment. “Are you allowed to use fishing rods while training?” Goku brought his hand to his chin. He did promise Mr. Popo that he would work his way through the mountains without any direct aid from others, but there was no rule against using tools to help him through it.
“I guess that is fine,” he concluded. Suno clapped her gloved hands together with a muffled thump.
“Okay, then! I guess I will have to show you how to ice fish!” Goku’s eyes lit up.
“There is a way to ice fish?”
“Yep! You are lucky, I was coming out here to do just that.” She picked up the pack once more and started to pull the sled behind her. Signaling for Goku to follow, she walked until she was confident they were far enough from his hole to not risk the ice breaking. She carefully stepped out on the surface, thankful for the snow that prevented her need to use her cleats. She proceeded a few yards away from the bank, Goku trailed close behind.
“The ice is getting pretty thick, how are you going to get to the fish?” Goku doubted she could punch or kick her way through like he did earlier. Suno put off answering his question until she found a suitable site. She carefully placed her pack on the ground and turned to her sled.
“You use an auger to drill through the ice!” She said while she picked up a tool as tall as her hip. The metal spiraling down its length resembled a screw bit from Goku’s construction days, but it halted at a sharp blade at the tool’s base. Goku watched as she placed the blade flat on the surface of ice and started to twist the perpendicular handle in a clockwise-circle. The auger sank quickly into the ice, Suno’s face turning red with exertion, until the ice gave way. She pumped the auger a couple of times before she pulled it out completely and grinned at her friend. “See, now we have a hole we can fish through!”
Goku wasn’t impressed. He approached the hole as Suno slowly scooped ice out of it. It was small, not even a foot in diameter. They would not be able to get very big fish through this. Still, he noted the perfect circle cut into the ice was more secure than his. Smiling, he turned to face Suno as she played with her backpack.
“Hey, I am going to make a bigger hole!” He announced. Suno’s face flew up in surprise.
“No! If you make any more holes like the one you made, it could compromise the ice!” She yelled, making Goku pause. She had a point, but she didn’t know how big his fish needed to be, especially if he was going to share it with her.
“Don’t worry!” Goku called behind him as he walked towards the middle of the lake. Suno stood and made her way to him quickly, but Goku was already bending down over the ice. Her voice caught in her throat when Goku’s hand was suddenly encompassed in light. It spread from his fingers and palm into a perfect circle. The circle grew, and to Suno’s surprise, Goku’s hand started to sink slowly into the ice, water bubbling around his hand. Goku waited until his hand was submerged in the ice cold water below before pulling out his arm and smiling at her.
“What do you think? We can definitely fit some large fish through this hole!”
Suno’s hands hung at her side, her chin slightly lowered. She walked closer and inspected the ice under her feet. It was completely solid. ”Y-yeah, I guess!” She conceded as Goku stood.
“Okay, what is next?” Suno shook her head and turned back to her sled to drag it to their new spot.
“We set up the tent!” Unfolding the pack, Goku watched in wonder as she connected rods together and stretched fabric. He had seen and used tents before, but unless they came out of a capsule, they were very small. Suno’s tent was gigantic and almost magically appeared from her hands as she worked. Once Suno had anchored the last rod in place, she stood, dragging the tent until it barely covered the hole. She huffed. “This is a four person tent, but with the hole you created, we will be lucky to fit in it with all of the equipment.”
Goku rubbed the back of his head. “Yeah, maybe I got a little carried away, but we will fit! It will just be a tight squeeze!” Suno’s stomach suddenly lurched, a vision of tight abs underneath a soaking wet tee flashed in her mind. Goku didn’t notice her choke on her breath as he bent down and picked up the equipment and sled. “Is this all we need?” Suno nodded mutely, and Goku carried the items into the tent.
Suno ducked under the entrance and zipped it closed, leaving Goku and her alone in the cramped tent. Both stared into the hole that took up the majority of the space before her unexpected partner turned, a goofy grin growing on his face. “I told you we would fit!”
Suno’s face broke into a smile before she rolled her eyes. “Barely.” She reached past Goku to pull the equipment towards her side of the tent. As she prepared her pole and hooked the bait, Goku slid the sled until both he and Suno could sit comfortably off of the ground.
“Ahh, thank you,” she stated. Suno swung the loaded pole around and motioned for Goku to take the handle. “ Have you ever fished with a pole before?”
Goku thought back. “Not really. Yamcha made me try once, and it is not much different than tail fishing, I guess.”
“Oh!” She exclaimed, looking behind them. “Where is your tail anyway?”
Goku shrugged indifferently. “Kami told me that he could restore the moon if I had it removed.”
Unable to understand a word of his explanation, Suno moved on. “Well, it is similar to normal fishing, but the pole is much shorter. Here,” she took off her gloves and placed her warm hands over his. His skin burned underneath hers, and Suno cleared her throat. “You need to cast the line until you hit the bottom and then pull up a foot or two to allow the bait to drift. The pole is shorter so that you can sense more of what is happening.” Tightening her hands, Suno guided Goku to cast off the line, the reel of the rod spinning as it descended deeper in the cold depths underneath.
Suno continued to instruct him, but Goku barely listened. Instead, he could not stop focusing on her soft hands encompassing his. Her fingers twitched slightly when the hook hit the bottom of the lake, causing Goku’s breath to catch. She guided his hand until he firmly grasped the reel and lifted the line up about 12 inches from the ground.
“Alright,” Suno announced, Goku filled with disappointment as she let go of his hands. She reached for her pick and carved a divot next to the hole, and Goku placed the rod handle within it. “Now we wait!”
Goku crossed his arms and leant on his bent knees. “How long does it take to catch one?”
Suno shrugged. “Not very long usually. I normally stay here for a while, though, so I can take some extra fish back to the village.”
“Oh,” Goku responded. He looked down and saw shadows of fish forms heading towards the bait. Well, if things kept going this way, Suno would be right! Suddenly, a sweet smell permeated the air. Goku sniffed loudly and noticed a thermos in Suno’s hands.
“I made hot chocolate to drink while I fished.” She filled the lid almost to the brim before offering Goku the thermos. “Do you want to split it? I am not sure if this counts against your training...”
The chill still residing in Goku’s bones prevented him from refusing. Instead, he flashed her a bright smile in thanks before taking the thermos and drinking deeply. Suno laughed.
“Goku!” She exclaimed between giggles. “That is supposed to last the entire time we are fishing!”
Goku pulled the almost empty can away from his lips and grinned. “I know, I was just so cold! And this is the best hot chocolate I have ever had!” Suno blushed at his praise and started to sip her own cup.
They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes, before Suno’s gaze lifted back towards Goku. “By the way, how did you create the hole, Goku? It looked like you just used your hand to melt the ice.”
“Nah, I used my ki!” Goku corrected. He raised his hand to her eye level. Suno’s eyes widened as it started glowing. She had never seen anything like this! Without thinking, Suno reached out to touch his palm. As soon as they connected, Suno’s fingertips were overwhelmed by the heat and almost vibrated in place. It felt incredible.
Goku sat frozen, unsure of what to do. He wanted to withdraw his hand from her reach, but another part of him felt compelled to let her fingertips trace his palm, shivers being sent from it throughout his body.
“This is amazing,” Suno complimented, her eyes still fixed on his hand. Goku, suddenly feeling too warm despite being cold only a moment ago, pulled his hand away with a breathy laugh. Before Suno could react, the rod suddenly jerked once, their attention snapping towards it. They stared intensely until it gave a second jerk. A third jerk.
“One is on the line!” He exclaimed, popping forward onto his knees. He grabbed the pole and put his hand on the reel. “So I just turn this until the fish comes through the hole?”
Suno nodded, clapping her hands together. “Be sure to not go too fast, we can lose them if we rip the hook from their mouth!” Goku flashed a thumbs up and started to reel in the fish with a steady, moderate pace. Both waited with bated breath until finally it broke the surface. Suno gasped as Goku pulled it from the hole: it was the largest turquoise trout she had ever seen! That fish would be enough for her neighbors and her to eat for a few days! Her excitement, though, was not shared by Goku.
“Dammit, this isn’t nearly big enough!” He moaned, removing the hook from its mouth.
“Wh-what?” Suno shouted, causing his head to jerk backwards. “How much do you eat?”
“Oh, I could eat five or six of these easily.” Suno felt like falling over. She watched as Goku placed the fish in a bucket in the corner of the tent and started to bait the hook once more. He glanced at her before he flashed her a handsome smile. Her shock melted, and she smiled as well before resting back on the sled. They were probably going to be here for a while.
Suno’s prediction was correct. It was dusk turning dark when Goku finally decided they had enough. Suno exited the tent and frowned at the low sun. She was never going to make it back to the village before nightfall. Goku stepped out of the tent, struggling to keep all of the fish together within the bursting bucket.
“Hey, you alright?” He asked. Suno shook her head.
“I am going to have to run home before I get caught out here. You can come with me if you want, but I am going to leave the equipment here,” she explained. Goku dropped the bucket on the shore.
“How about I just take you home?”
“What?” She asked. He shrugged his shoulders.
“I am not cold anymore, and thanks to you, now I have some dinner. I could take the equipment back as well. I just need to eat first to regain some strength!” He shot a weak beam of energy towards the ground, just enough to clear a space for the tent and a fire. “I can cook the fish for both of us. It is the least I can do since you helped me.”
Suno stared at him. True, he was the strongest guy she knew, even stronger than Eighter, but he wouldn’t be able to pull all the equipment through the snow and make it to the village before midnight. ‘Well,’ she thought to herself, ‘even if we leave now, we still wouldn’t get back until long past nightfall. We also have the tent if it gets really bad.’
This wouldn’t be the first time she was caught outside for the night. In fact, all the people of her village always packed overnight gear in case something went awry and they got caught in the elements; however, Suno only brought enough supplies for herself. Her cheeks flushed at the thought of sharing a sleeping bag with Goku, a twinge deep in her stomach causing her to blush harder. She definitely wasn’t ready for that.
Goku, carrying back all of her belongings from the lake, paused. He saw Suno’s face was almost as red as her hair, before he wondered why he noticed. “Well, is that okay with you?” He asked, pausing.
Knowing she really didn’t have any other options, Suno relented. “Okay, but I am going to get everything packed and covered just in case.” Goku nodded and placed the items down next to her.
“Great! I’ll get the fire going!” Goku practically skipped into the forest, leaving Suno alone. She breathed for a moment and turned to sort through her things. She had just finished covering the fishing equipment when Goku emerged from the forest carrying enough wood for three men.
“You really have gotten a lot stronger since I last saw you,” Suno commented in wonder. Goku’s heart suddenly skipped a beat. His lips pressed into a thin line at the sensation, but he recovered quickly, sending Suno another of his signature smiles.
“Thanks! I have been training a lot!” She could hear the excitement lacing his voice.
“You must have! Do you think you will participate in the next World Martial Arts Tournament?” Suno’s innocent question made Goku freeze. A green, twisted face entered his mind, and both anxiety and excitement flooded his system. He didn’t understand his reactions lately. When he was a boy, everything seemed so simple. He ate, he trained, he fought. Since he started his training with Kami and Mr. Popo, though, he had noticed a change within himself.
It started with a growth spurt. Over a few months, Goku grew from a short little guy to a head taller than Mr. Popo. His legs and arms always ached, not to mention he started to eat a huge amount of food that even he would gawk at at the end. His body reacted in differently as well, which led to a couple of biology lessons from Mr. Popo. Now he fully understood why some people get into relationships and where children come from, albeit he already had an idea about that. He had seen enough mating through the years in the forest to put two and two together.
The final change Goku had noticed was how bored he was. The World Martial Arts Tournament was only six months away, but it might as well have been six years. He was never as confined as he had been on the Lookout, and he longed for some space and independence. The agitated teen to practically begged Mr. Popo to let him go to the surface. Mr. Popo relented, as long as Goku did not rely on the comforts of society to get him through his travels. He was actually due to return to the Lookout soon but had put it off for as long as he could.
Suno cocked her head. “Are you alright, Goku?”
He looked over to find her chocolate brown eyes filled with concern, and his heart skipped once more. “Sorry,” he apologized, “I am fine, just thinking about how much fun it would be to participate again.”
Suno studied him for a moment before sending him a soft smile. “I am sure you will win this time!” Goku’s chest puffed slightly at her words, and he turned back to his task of setting up the firepit. Suno got to work descaling the fish, and as soon as the fire was blazing hot, Goku came and helped her gut them. The two worked swiftly as they sharpened sticks and skewered their meal, placing the fish over the fire to cook. Suno laughed as Goku’s knees bounced while he turned the skewers.
Watching him eat was a sight to behold. Suno thought Goku was exaggerating when he stated he could eat five or six trout himself, but he finally forced himself to stop at seven to save some for her neighbors. Looking up at the stars while rubbing his stomach, Goku had asked if she wanted to go home yet, but Suno declined. She didn’t want this night to end quite yet.
Now both sat on the log, talking as if they had never been apart. “I haven’t met anyone who is as adept at living outdoors as you,” Goku commented, causing Suno to turn his way.
“Well, it is necessary in these parts, I guess. We have no access to formal education here, so a big part of our lives is learning to outlive the winter. We are even expected to leave the village and spend a week or two surviving on our own once we come of age to be considered full-fledged adults. It is sort of a graduation for us, I guess!” Suno explained. Goku nodded thoughtfully.
“I never went to school, either, but I learned a lot of things from Master Roshi and Mr. Popo. Neither of them really ever taught me anything about living outdoors, though. That was all Grandpa!” Goku’s face brightened. “And now you! I would have never learned about ice fishing if you didn’t come along!”
Suno’s face blushed a deep red once more, to Goku’s delight.
“I am astounded at how little an eye you have for gals!” Master Roshi stated. Goku looked up in confusion.
“You think so?”
“All right, then, let’s test you.” Master Roshi reached down and placed two photos in front of Goku. “Which one of these is the pretty gal?”
Goku paused, his brain hurting. He hadn’t even noticed that they were girls! Looking from side to side, Goku knew that he was expected to prefer one over the other, but he struggled to find characteristics that he cared for more. They both looked fine to him.
“That’s a hard one…”
“Don’t struggle over something so easy!” Master Roshi desperately called out.
The memory flashed in Goku’s mind as he examined Suno’s face. He still didn’t understand what Master Roshi was trying to say with the photos, failing to recall any features that made either one of the women more attractive. Staring at Suno, though, he noticed her red hair framing her oval face. Her lips were fuller than his and her cheeks rosy and full. Finally, his eyes drifted to her large, dark brown eyes shining back at him. ‘Suno is pretty,’ Goku decided in that moment.
Suno stared into Goku’s intense eyes, wondering what was running through his mind. She looked down to his lips, and that burning sensation in the pit of her stomach returned. She had wished to see Goku again since the day he flew off on that yellow cloud, dreaming that she would one day be able to fly through the skies with him. Now that he was back, if only for a night, she wanted so much more. She leaned forward slightly until she could feel Goku’s breath on her lips but was forced to pause as Goku gripped her arms gently.
“Suno, what are you doing?” He said quietly. She looked directly into his eyes and knew he was just as new to this as she was.
“C-can I show you something else?” She whispered. He cocked his head slightly but did not move back. “A kiss,” she clarified. Goku’s brain searched for the word, but he couldn’t for the life of him remember where he heard it before: maybe with Oolong when he talked about Bulma and Yamcha? Deciding she hadn’t led him astray yet, Goku let his body relax, although his chest was still tight with suspense. It wasn’t a bad feeling, though. He nodded and released her arms from his grip.
Taking a deep breath, Suno leaned forward slowly. She gauged his reaction, but finding no hesitation, she closed her eyes and pressed her lips against his. Blood rushed to her head as adrenaline pumped through her veins. Pulling away, her shy eyes glanced at Goku’s face desperate to determine if he felt anything as well. She sucked in a breath when she met his pinpoint eyes.
Goku hadn’t expected the electricity that shocked his core the moment their lips had touched. He felt excited and confused at the same time, both wanting to pull away to clear his suddenly full head but wanting to press further into the kiss to keep feeling these bewildering emotions alive. He was thankful when she pulled away but grabbed her arm once more to prevent her from moving far. He couldn’t help but lick his lips, his vision suddenly fascinated with her own. Moving forward this time, he captured her in a kiss again, reveling in the excitement once more.
Her hand came up to hold his neck while his snaked behind her head. Their lips separated only to join again and again. Suno felt Goku’s tongue dart out and taste her. She was lightheaded and overwhelmed, but she opened her mouth and allowed her tongue to meet his. She moaned softly when his tongue entered her mouth, his free arm pulling her closer as they experimented further.
Both lost track of time, but Suno finally pulled back completely when falling snow was melting on her face.Goku’s eyes opened and he struggled to look at her as the snow started to fall even harder. He jumped up from the sled and grabbed her hand to pull her up as well. “We should get you home before it gets too bad out here!” He said and started to haul her equipment easily onto his shoulders.
Suno stood, her lips full swollen and tingling. “How? We will never be able to make it to the village through the forest in this weather.” Goku finished strapping her gear to his body before his hands cupped around his mouth.
“Nimbus!” His voice called over the snowy landscape. Suno’s eyes widened before she beamed. The yellow puff zoomed down from the dark sky leaving a clear golden streak in its wake until it approached the pair, halting immediately. Goku patted it affectionately.
“Hey Nimbus! We need to get to Jingle Village! Do you think you can do that for us?” The cloud shimmied its approval before Goku turned to Suno. “Do you think you can ride it? Only those pure of heart can ride on Nimbus.”
Suno smiled nervously. “I am not sure what the conditions are, but I don’t see why I couldn’t.”
“Don’t worry!” Goku’s bright voice tempered her anxiety. “Even if you can’t, I can fly you home instead. Nimbus can be a picky one, so I don’t blame you if you can’t ride it.”
“Hold on,” Suno raised her hand, “you can fly?”
“Yep!” Goku started to levitate a few inches off the ground. Suno stared at his floating form, unmoving. “I learned it a year or two ago. It is actually called the Sky Dancing Technique!”
Suno watched as he lowered himself back to the ground and looked for her reaction. “You are the most amazing person I have ever known.” The surprising compliment threw Goku off.
He laughed, scratching the back of his head. “I am not sure about that! There are lots of people out there who can do more stuff than I can!” Suno’s mouth turned upwards in a small smile. She stood on her toes to give him one more peck on the lips.
“You definitely are a catch, Son Goku!” Goku did not understand what that meant, but he felt his neck flush. Suno turned and put her hands on Nimbus. It felt soft like a pillow, and, to her delight, her fingers did not fall through. Encouraged that she would not be humiliated, Suno hauled herself up until she sat crossed legged on the cloud. Goku grinned.
“I knew you could ride it!” He jumped on and sat right in front of her. He placed her items on either side of his legs and arms. “Hold on tight!” Her soft hands wrapped tightly around his torso from behind. “Nimbus! To Jingle Village!” Goku wrapped a free hand around her own to secure her and the cloud took off, flying at incredible speeds through the falling snow.