Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The long stream of a waterfall came to rest as it met its end. It was late morning, when the sun began peeking over the horizon, lighting up the water in the lake before it. Birds sang and chirped in the trees surrounding the cliff face. The blades of grass swayed in the wind as they rustled in the gentle breeze. The lake was peaceful; almost tranquil. Two deers wandered down the small mountain trail, stopping once they reached the edge of the river. Their snouts dipped into the water below, flickering their tongues as they drank.

Monkeys jumped from branch to branch. Followed by five other monkeys, each carrying their own load of food. They were laughing loudly and jovially as they made their journey, enjoying themselves as best as possible under such a pleasant day. Squirrels ran along the forest floor, searching for nuts and berries to eat. Their little legs scampered quickly across the ground, looking for all the world like an excited puppy. They had been given an early start this morning, eager to get everything done before nightfall.

Far away from this peaceful sight was the home of Son Goku and Chichi.

Goku zipped around the lawn outside their home on Fire Mountain as he fiercely battled imaginary foes. Feeling stiff, he decided it was time to train, but he lacked sparring partners who could match his speed and strength. So, he conjured up an imagined opponent—ironically, it was his own wife, if only she were as fast and powerful as he was. Though Chi-Chi was known as the strongest woman in the world and a quick fighter, in reality, she couldn't keep pace with Goku.

Chi-Chi held their newborn son close as she watched her husband train. She noticed the way he ducked and weaved, realizing he was envisioning a match against her, which brought a smile to her face. While she hadn’t found much time or motivation to push herself to get stronger lately, she still practiced occasionally to maintain her fitness, especially after spending nine months pregnant with Gohan. Goku often urged her to spar with him, but deep down, Chi-Chi knew he was out of her league and struggled to hold back. She adored her husband and wanted nothing more than to be the perfect partner for him. 

But how could she fulfill that role when Goku seemed to be all about fighting?

Chichi quietly sighed.

Chichi strolled through the grocery store. Her mind was on autopilot as she grabbed a few drinks and vegetables to restock at home. She proceeded towards her next destination, passing by people who were also shopping. She reached another section where different types of sausages were on sale. Chichi gracefully strolls down the section’s narrow path as her eyes sweep across the packages of cold bacon. It was then that Chichi stopped in her tracks and stared down at the floor.

Chichi frowned at the store’s floor. Although she’s happy to be married to Goku, start a family with him by having their first son, there was something bothering the poor woman. Each day Goku spends more time training than he does with his son. Of course, Goku does help her out in caring for their son when he’s finished training. But times like that were rare and Chichi has to take care of everything herself. That only seemed to sour Chichi’s mood even further.

Chichi slightly opened her saddened eyes. Since the day she married Goku, she promised to him and herself that she would do everything to be the perfect wife for him. She did just that by cooking for him, cleaning the dishes, caring for little Gohan, and so much more. But she still faced one big obstacle to her goal: she barley knows anything about Goku. She doesn’t understand why her beloved Goku is obsessed with fighting all the time. She just wished she knew more about Goku.

“Chichi?”

Chichi blinked. She lifted her head and saw a familiar woman approaching her, prompting Chichi to smile. Bulma approached Chichi with a smile of her own. Bulma donned a simple white jacket with a cyan t-shirt underneath, paired with short thigh length black jeans, white socks, and black shoes. Her cyan hair was wrapped in a ponytail and wore pink lipstick.

“Hey, didn’t think I see you here,” Bulma greeted, smiling happily.

“Hello Bulma,” Chichi returned, smiling back. “How are you today?”

“Oh, I’m doing great. I was waiting for Yamcha back at the entrance so we can shop together,” Bulma said, turning away with a scowl on her face. “But he didn’t come. So I decided to go without the jerk.”

Chichi blinked.

“Is this…the first time he has done this?” Chichi asked, perplexed.

Bulma snapped her gaze back at Chichi and folded her arms.

“No, no this is not the first time,” Bulma replied, her tone laced with irritation. “This is the fifth time that jerk has ditched me, and I’m already under the suspicion that he’s hanging out with some girl.”

Bulma shook her head whilst waving her hand dismissively.

“But enough about Yamcha, how are you doing Chichi? You and Goku doing well?” Bulma asked, looking at Chichi curiously.

“Oh, yes. Yes, we’re doing fine…just fine,” Chichi replied.

Bulma blinked. She noticed the change of tone in Chichi’s voice at that last sentence.

“Hey, are you okay? You seemed a bit down today,” Bulma asked gently.

Chichi blinked.

“Hmm? Oh, yea I’m fine. Really, I am,” Chichi assured, a small smile plastered on her lips.

Silence eroded the grocery store’s narrow section as Bulma stare at Chichi. Chichi eventually let out a sigh and her shoulders slumped.

“No Bulma. I’m…not fine,” Chichi admitted, her words slow and unsure.

Bulma’s countenance shifted into surprise and concern. She took notice of the fact that Chichi had lowered her head, and her face held an expression of confusion and disappointment.

“What’s wrong? Are you and Goku doing okay?” Bulma asked, her tone laced with concern.

Chichi smiled sadly.

“We’re great. Really great,” Chichi replied, closing her eyes and slightly lowering his head. “It’s just…I’m confused Bulma.”

Bulma stayed silent and proceeded to listen.

“Everyday Goku spends his time doing nothing but training. Sometimes he’ll do ‘image training’ by fighting that Piccolo monster in his mind. I love my husband, and I want so desperately to be the perfect wife for him, but how can I when all he wants to do is fight? To this day I still don’t understand why he is so obsessed with fighting all the time,” Chichi explained, taking in a deep breath after her rant ended. “I just…I just wish I knew more about Goku. I wish I can understand him better.”

Bulma frowned sympathetically at Chichi. Then she blinked in realization before a smirk spread over her lips.

“Actually, you can,” Bulma offered, her eyes gleamed in anticipation.

Chichi’s eyebrows furrowed in question.

“Huh?” Chichi was confused.

“Yeah, we can use my dragon radar to gather all the dragon balls. Summon the dragon, and wish for Shenron to make us understand Goku better,” Bulma suggested enthusiastically, spreading her arms. “Then we both get what we want.”

The suggestion made Chichi perk up. She cupped her chin thoughtfully.

“Hmm…” Bulma hummed to herself. “Well, he would be able to explain things better than either of us would. It wouldn’t be very romantic, but Goku wasn’t good at that anyway. I guess it’s worth a try.”

Chichi blinked upon realizing something.

“Wait, what do you mean we?” Chichi asked, looking at Bulma bewilderingly.

Bulma rested her hands on her hips.

“Well, let me answer your question with another question: have you ever seen Goku with a tail?” Bulma asked.

“Actually, yes,” Chichi replied. “Although I found it strange that he didn’t have one anymore when we reunited. Why?”

Bulma kept one hand on her hip and raised the other one up as a gesture.

“During my adventures with Goku, me and my friends noted that Goku may not be human. I was reminded of that discussion while watching one of my favorite drama shows, when this girl’s friend revealed themselves to be an alien all this time,” Bulma recounted. “I was shocked but then I was reminded of Goku and his tail again. It got me wondering…what if Goku is an alien?”

Chichi blinked in surprise.

“Goku? An alien? No, no, no, that can’t be. He’s an earthling,” Chichi refuted vehemently.

Bulma chuckled while shaking her head.

“Chichi. If Goku’s an earthling, how come we don’t have tails like he does?” Bulma asked, gesturing to herself and Chichi. “How come every earthling across the planet doesn’t have a tail? Hell, Tenshin-han has three eyes, Korin is a talking cat and Giran was a flying dinosaur and those are just a few things that i would know. You understand what I'm getting at here?”

Chichi places a hand on her cheek whilst turning away. She had to admit, Bulma wasn’t wrong. No normal human would have a tail sprouting from their rear. Now that made Chichi wonder herself if her husband was indeed a mysterious alien that she wasn’t aware of marrying to.

“Well, if you’re done standing here.” Bulma stepped up and stood beside Chichi with a smile. “Let’s go collect those dragon balls!”

Chichi chuckled.

“At least let me pay for the food I collected first,” Chichi offered.

Chichi and Bulma paid for the stuff they bought and exited the grocery store.

The journey turned out to be surprisingly brief and quite uneventful. The duo was aboard one of Bulma’s newly completed airships, taking to the skies with confidence. Armed with her trusty Dragon Radar, Bulma and Chichi navigated their way without the uncertainty they had faced previously. Any obstacles encountered along the way were easily dealt with by Chichi. As they soared above the landscape, Chichi relished the stunning views, recalling the breathtaking mountains and scenery of Earth that she had almost forgotten. Remarkably, they managed to gather all the Dragon Balls in just three weeks—one week ahead of Bulma’s expectations. After retrieving the last ball, they zoomed back to Capsule Corp, arriving the following day.

“Alright, we got all the dragon balls!” Bulma exclaimed, happily.

Chichi smiled down at the seven orbs on the ground.

“Thank goodness,” Chichi said.

Dr Briefs and Panchy stepped up beside Bulma.

“So girls, who’s gonna make the wish?” Dr Briefs asked, adjusting his glasses while looking at his daughter.

"I think I'll make the wish," Chi-Chi replied, 

Chi-Chi walked a bit further away from Capsule Corp. She arranged the Dragon Balls into the correct order, and spoke loud and clear.

"Rise Eternal Dragon, Shenron!"

The sky darkened and the seven Dragon Balls began to glow brightly. Moments later a bright flash of lightning appeared, causing everyone to close their eyes. Once they opened them again, they looked up to see the enormous serpentine shape of the Eternal Dragon: Shenron.

"Speak your wish, and it shall be granted." Said the dragon, his voice echoing off the hills.

Chi-Chi hesitated briefly—she had seen Shenron before, but the amazing presence of the Eternal Dragon never failed to intimidate her—but after a couple seconds to compose herself, she looked up at him, certain of her wish.

"Me and Bulma wish to be like Goku, so we can understand him better," Chichi requested.

There was a slight pause.

The Dragon frowned in confusion.

"Um… what about Son Goku you two wished to be like?" The dragon inquired, raising a brow at the earthling. Chichi smiled awkwardly at the dragon.

"You know, like Goku," Chichi said.

Another awkward silence followed after Chichi’s poor explanation.

"So, you two wish to be Saiyans?" Sheron asked, raising a brow.

Bulma shook her head.

“No, Shenron. She's saying that we want to be more like Goku," Bulma interjected, resting her hands on her hips. Shenron blinked in bewilderment.

"So, a Saiyan?" Shenron repeated.

"Yeah, that's what I’m saying, jeez," Bulma said.

Shenron figuratively shrugs.

"Very well." A bright flash of light filled the area, and vanished just as quickly. Chi-Chi and Bulma looked at themselves, not feeling any different. "Your wish has been granted. Farewell."

Everyone shielded their eyes as they watched Shenron fly up into the air and disappear in a flash of light. A moment passed and they lowered their arms. They turned to look around, finding Shenron was gone and so were the Dragon Balls. After a few minutes the area returned to life. They started hearing the nocturnal animals, familiar animals and they exhaled. Chichi and Bulma looked down at themselves, confusion plastered on their faces.

“Well girls, how do you feel?” Panchy asked, tilting her head curiously.

Chichi frowned.

“Honestly, I don’t feel any different,” Chichi replied.

“Neither do I,” Bulma added.

They both sighed, confused and slightly disappointed.

"Well, it was worth a try, right?" Asked Bulma.

Chi-Chi nodded, smiling appreciatively. The wish might not have worked, but the adventure was fun, and she was glad that Bulma was with her.

Chichi and Bulma paused.

A single hair fell from Chichi’s scalp. Almost simultaneously, Bulma felt the same happen in the corner of her eye. One by one, more strands followed suit, until in a panic, both women let out screams of horror as they watched all of their hair vanish. Leaving them completely bald. Soon after, an intense heat radiated from the bare skin of their heads.

Chichi and Bulma threw their hands over their scalp as they screamed in pain. Their heads were suddenly on fire! They could feel the overwhelming heat washing over every pour of their bodies. The pair collapsed to their knees, bowing their heads on the grass. The follicles of Chichi and Bulma’s heads suddenly began to produce hair similar to their original ones, but painted in black and were spiky. The pair lifted their heads and stared forward.

Chichi and Bulma brought their hands up to their regrown hair. They ran their hands through their hair, feeling the hairline through their fingers. They couldn't comprehend what just happened. Chichi and Bulma choked back another gasp as they suddenly felt a surge of adrenaline running down their backs. They looked over their shoulders in time to see a furry appendage sprouting out of their rears. The pair blinked with a blank expression, not comprehending what they were seeing.

It was then that Chichi and Bulma realized: they had a tail… just like Goku used to have before he got rid of it!

Chichi and Bulma screamed at the sight of their fifth new limb. They fell on their rump, shrieking in horror while Chichi pointed at her tail. All the while being observed by Dr Briefs and Panchy who are doing their best to calm them down. Chichi and Bulma choked back a gasp, feeling another surge of adrenaline. It seemed as though their whole body was being peppered with great power; a rush of energy surging through every pore of their bodies.

They felt great beyond comparison.

 But they’re also horrified by what they transformed into.

“WAAAH! What is this?! What happened to us?!”

Everyone was inside Capsule Corp as they tried to wrap their heads around what happened. Both girls realized that their new tail was not only real, but also very sensitive. Chichi and Bulma tried yanking it off in a panic, but trying to do so hurt even more than they thought it would. They left it alone In the end, although they were still sore from trying. Chichi handheld a mirror as she stared at her newly transformed self in her reflection. She didn’t like what she was seeing; not at all.

“I don’t understand. I asked to understand my husband better, not change my appearance,” Chichi said, leaning her face close to the glass. “Oh, and my hair…”

Bulma rounded on Chichi with tears streaking down her face.

“Your hair? What about my hair?!” Bulma yelled, looking back at the mirror she handheld. “What is this, Shenron's idea of a joke?! I did not ask for a new haircut, I didn’t ask for muscles; and I did not ask for a stupid tail!!”

"Well, you girls did wish to be more like Goku,” Dr Briefs stated, stroking his beard. “Whether you like or not Bulma, you got what you asked for.”

Chi-Chi sighed. She slumped down into a chair, careful not to put any weight on the sore spot around her tail. Bulma emulated her friend. With the panic and shock finally subsiding, the pair were actually able to think about what just happened to them. Aside from the tail and their new style of hair, they didn't really feel that different. While weird, these new changes are nothing Chichi can't learn to live with.

She doesn’t know if Bulma feels the same.

Chichi glanced at the ceiling. Her thoughts drifted back to their encounter at the World Tournament. Chichi recalled how effortlessly Goku dodged her kicks and how, with a single punch, he sent her flying out of the ring with an air blast. Normally, her next thought would have been his proposal to marry her afterward. Yet, for some reason, she found herself unable to shake off the memory of that match.

“Hey.” Chichi glanced at Bulma. “Do you feel…anything?”

Bulma wiped away her tears and glanced back at Chichi.

“Honestly, not really,” Bulma answered, then turned slightly away and placed a finger on her chin. “Well, except one thing. For some reason, all I can think about is…training?”

Bulma blinked.

“Yeah, I’m thinking the same thing,” Chichi said, looking down at the floor as if her answers were laid there. “Is this what Goku thinks about all the time?”

“Maybe,” Bulma replied, grabbing a handful of her spiky hair. “But one thing is for sure. When I find the answer of whether or not Goku is an alien, I’m gonna gather the dragon balls and wish myself back to normal.”

Chichi’s eyes shot wide when a terrible realization dawned on her.

“Oh my gosh! Goku! Gohan! I forgot about them!” Chichi shouted, starting a sprint towards the laboratory’s exit. “Sorry Bulma, I have to go. I have to cook dinner for my family! Call me when you can!”

Bulma watched in stunned silence as Chichi disappeared from down the winding hall. She then looked down at her tail, and carefully picked it up with her hand. She stares at it with a frown and lets out a soft sigh.

“Well, better get started on my research, then,” Bulma muttered under her breath.

Goku didn’t know what to expect when Chichi returned. He and Gohan expected her to return with the groceries as promised. However, she was away from home for three weeks and that left Goku and the Ox King wondering what she was doing to be gone for that long. Only when the wife of Goku arrived did they have their answer. Chichi’s appearance had changed.

Chichi’s hair was now wild and spiky around the edges. She had grown slightly taller, her muscles well toned, and she had a tail swaying back and forth. Even her energy has changed; it was strikingly similar to his for some reason. Chichi approached Goku until she stood before him while the latter looked at her appearance up and down. Silence eroded the atmosphere as the pair stared at each other.

“Chichi..?” Goku was genuinely surprised and confused.

Chichi chuckled nervously.

“Heh, heh, surprise,” Chichi said.

One thing was for sure at this moment.

Chichi has a lot to unpack here.

With one simple wish, Bulma and Chichi have changed both physically and biologically. In return they’re starting to slowly think like Goku. And while they are unaware of their change of biology, they have yet to learn the truth. They’ll find out more about their new selves on the next Dragon Ball What if!

Chapter Text

Four years had passed since Chi-Chi received her new tail. Through the years she learned to adapt to all the changes that came with it. Although it was inconvenient at first, she quickly mastered control over her new appendage, eventually finding it to be a blessing in disguise. The extra limb proved invaluable in the kitchen, especially as Gohan grew old enough to eat regular food, requiring Chi-Chi to cook more for herself thanks to her newfound appetite. It also came in handy during her sparring sessions with Goku.

The tail altered her center of gravity depending on its position and after a lot of practice, Chi-Chi became even more agile than before—she almost danced around Goku's punches. Another significant change was in her attitude. Her previous reluctance to fight faded away, replaced by a newfound enjoyment for it. She couldn’t quite pinpoint why, but she started to look forward to sparring with her husband, doing so far more often as a result. While she wasn’t as obsessed with fighting as Goku, she found herself eager to train and engage in combat, treating it less like a chore and more like an exhilarating sport.

With her newfound fighting spirit came a spark of competition. Chi-Chi dedicated herself to becoming stronger and faster, determined to outdo Goku in their sparring matches. Initially, she often found herself frustrated after losing to him repeatedly. Yet, Goku was always there to comfort and uplift her, encouraging her not to give up. For Goku, it was pure joy. He always believed that Chi-Chi had the potential to be much stronger than she was, and although she hadn't quite caught up to his level yet, it was clear she was learning to keep pace.

Chi-Chi's kick-based fighting style proved to be a powerful counter to Goku's Kame Style. While Goku relied on his speed and agility, his training focused mainly on punches and palm strikes with a wide stance for stability. In contrast, Chi-Chi utilized her long, muscular legs to deliver powerful kicks and relied on her agility to dodge incoming attacks. Her smaller stature actually worked to her advantage—Goku had been trained by Roshi to take on larger, slower opponents. But Chi-Chi, being smaller than him, leveraged her nimbleness to excel in battle. In the end, Goku not only found his perfect sparring partner but also cherished every moment they spent training together.

It didn't take long for them to realize that Shenron had granted them exactly what they wished for. Chi-Chi had become more like Goku, leading her to understand him better than she ever thought possible. In turn, Goku found himself understanding Chi-Chi more as well. He was able to empathize with her feelings, and he helped her navigate her frustrations. However, they were not entirely alike. Chi-Chi still had her signature temper, and when she lost her cool, she became even more intimidating than before.

Goku learned this lesson firsthand during one of their sparring sessions. Chi-Chi managed to catch him in a chokehold and thought she might finally win for once. But Goku, in a pinch, grabbed her tail and bit down, causing her to flinch and loosen her grip just enough for him to escape. In a flash, Chi-Chi lost her temper and started attacking him with even more fury than before. Although she ultimately lost the match, Goku ended up bruised more than usual. While her technique often faltered when she was too angry, her kicks certainly packed a punch.

It was almost as if she gained a strength boost from getting angry.

Chi-Chi confronted her husband about why he cheated during their sparring match. After she calmed down, Goku explained that his teacher, Master Roshi, had taught him an important lesson: when your life is on the line, there are no rules in a fight. It’s not just about being strong or learning how to fight; you also have to be ready to do whatever it takes to win. This could mean using unconventional tactics, like biting an opponent's hand or poking their eyes. While these actions might seem unfair, Goku believed that in life-and-death situations, anything goes.

Chi-Chi was taken aback by this perspective. She understood that Goku had a valid point—if she expected her enemies to fight fair, it could lead to danger. However, she had always believed in fighting with honor and wanted to win without resorting to sneaky tricks.

One key difference between Goku and Chi-Chi is their motivations for getting stronger. Goku’s main goal was simply to become more powerful because he enjoyed pushing his limits. In contrast, Chi-Chi had more personal reasons for wanting to improve her skills. Years earlier, during a tournament, she faced Goku and was easily defeated. When the powerful enemy named Piccolo showed up and started causing havoc, Chi-Chi felt completely powerless as she watched the battle unfold. Back then, she didn’t think much of it, but now she never wanted to feel that way again.

When Chi-Chi shared her feelings with Goku, he quickly understood and agreed to help her train harder. With Goku’s guidance, Chi-Chi learned how to harness a special kind of energy called ki, which is similar to what Goku uses. This new skill allowed her to better anticipate Goku’s moves and perform more powerful kicks by channeling this energy into her legs and feet. Goku wanted to teach her a technique called the Kamehameha, but Chi-Chi chose instead to focus on creating her own fighting techniques that suited her style.

Which brings us back to their current situation.

Goku, Chi-Chi and Gohan saw many familiar faces as the island house came into view from atop the Nimbus Cloud. Among the people with Roshi was Bulma, the smartest and richest woman in the world; and the former enemy-turned rival of Goku; Krillin. Goku was smiling widely as he waved to his old friends, who waved back when they saw him. Swooping down, the Nimbus came to a halt a few dozen yards from the house. Goku hopped off first, followed by Chi-Chi and finally Gohan, and the three walked over to where the group was waiting. However, the trio stopped when they noticed something.

Two small individuals stood beside Bulma’s legs. One was a boy and the latter was a girl. The boy in question had blue hair, eyes, and tanned skin. He donned a light green long sleeve hoodie with a black short sleeve undershirt with a red collar, indigo blue denim shorts and his golden boots. His tail swayed back and forth behind him.

The little girl looked just like her mother when she was a kid. Same facial features, blue eyes, and hair. She wore a white dress with orange polka dots and her hair is tied in two small ponytails being held by red hairpieces. Unlike her brother, the young girl’s tail was properly wrapped around her waist.

“Bulma..?” Chi-Chi was genuinely surprised. “You…You’re a mom?”

Bulma smiled at Chi-Chi.

“That’s right,” Bulma answered, getting down on one knee and placing her hands on both their shoulders. “These are my twin babies; their names are Trunks and Bulla.”

Bulla glanced at Bulma.

“Mom, come on. I’m not a baby; I’m a big girl,” Bulla said.

Trunks chuckled.

“Heh, no you’re not,” Trunks said. “You still cry whenever you lose at board games with Grandpa.”

Bulla rounded on Trunks with a fierce glare.

“What was that!” Bulla shouted, clenching her fists.

Gohan approached the twins and slightly bowed his head.

“Hi. I’m Gohan,” Gohan greeted.

Bulla shifted her gaze at Gohan. She studied the son of Goku from head to toe. Everyone watched as Bulla stepped close to Gohan.

“Hey Gohan, you got any friends?” Bulla asked, resting her hands on her hips. Gohan blinked in bewilderment.

“Um, no,” Gohan replied.

Bulla grinned.

“Well you do now,” Bulla said, taking Gohan by the arm and walking forward. “Come on, let’s play tag.”

“Oh, o-okay,” Gohan responded, not knowing how to take this development.

Trunks blinked in surprise.

“Hey! Don’t leave me hanging here!” Trunks shouted, starting a jog after the pair.

Bulma stood upright while resting her hands on her hips.

“Have fun you three!” Bulma shouted.

Krillin approached Goku and Chichi as his eyes fixed on the latter’s tail.

“So, you and Bulma have tails now,” Krillin stated.

Chichi blinked in surprise. She shifted her gaze towards Bulma.

“Bulma, did you…” Chichio trailed off.

“Yeah, I already told them what you and I did five years ago,” Bulma revealed, glancing over at Goku while crossing her arms.

Krillin shook his head.

"Honestly, Chi-Chi, did you learn nothing during our adventures searching for those damn things? You have to word your wishes carefully, or things will go awry,” Krillin said, glancing up at her. “Seriously, what if Shenron made you and Bulma exactly like Goku? Then you'd be spending an entire year in his body, and that doesn't exactly sound like fun!"

Chichi sighed.

"Yes, I know,” Chi-Chi said. "I should have thought it through more. But it turned out alright in the end, and I actually do understand Goku more than I ever could." 

The smell of sizzling beef and bubbling broth filled the air. As the hot pot cooked, everyone began sharing stories about what they had been doing over the last few years. They asked Chi-Chi and Goku to go first because they were eager to hear more about their experiences. Goku took the lead in talking, sharing stories about the changes in Chi-Chi—not just in her appearance but also in her strong personality and competitive nature. She had developed some impressive new techniques that everyone found fascinating.

“So Bulma, I’ve been meaning to ask. Your children—when did you find out that you were pregnant?” Chi-Chi asked, looking at Bulma curiously.

Bulma rubbed the back of her head while chuckling awkwardly.

“The day before you and I made that wish,” Bulma replied.

Chichi briefly looked Gohan and Bulma’s children over her shoulder, then back at Bulma.

“Um, is Yamcha..?” Chi-Chi trailed off, hesitating to finish her sentence.

“Yes, Yamcha is aware of those two,” Bulma said, then shrugged her shoulders. “Not that it matters, we’re not together anymore.”

Everyone blinked in surprise.

“Ouch,” Krillin muttered under his breath.

Chi-Chi blinked upon realizing something.

“What about your research? Have you learned anything about Goku’s biology?” Chichi inquired.

Goku cupped his chin.

“Oh yeah, Chi-Chi did mention something about that,” Goku said.

Bulma honored Chi-Chi’s inquiry with a nod.

“Yeah, I did,” Bulma replied. “And I gotta tell ya Chi-Chi, what I’m about to unpack is…a lot.”

Goku and Chi-Chi exchanged glances before looking back at Bulma. Krillin and Master Roshi emulated the same action. Bulma took a deep breath.

“Now, before I get to the long details, I’ll at least answer the most crucial one,” Bulma said. “Turns out, my theory was correct: Goku is an alien. And yes, that includes me and you Chi-Chi.”

Goku blinked in surprise.

“I…I’m an alien?” Goku was genuinely shocked.

Krillin folded his arms as he glanced at Goku.

“Huh, after seeing what Goku did as a kid, that explains a lot,” Krillin remarked, shifting his gaze back at Bulma. “But what did you do after that?”

Before Bulma could answer Krillin’s question, she paused. She noticed Goku looking over his shoulder toward the horizon, his eyes narrow. Chi-Chi followed the direction her husband was looking as her expression mirrored his as well. Bulma frowned upon seeing that.

"What's wrong?" Bulma asked, looking between Goku and Chi-Chi.

"Something's coming," Chi-Chi muttered.

"Yeah, I feel it now too," Krillin agreed, following Goku's gaze. "You don't think it's Piccolo do you?"

"That feels way too strong to be Piccolo…" Goku breathed.

"What are you guys talking about?" Bulma demanded.

Bulma unfortunately didn’t had the ability to sense energy like the others do. In spite of having the same power as Goku.

"Whatever it is, it doesn't feel friendly," Roshi added, gravely.

Chi-Chi snapped her gaze towards Gohan and Bulma’s children.

“Children, come here! Now!” Chi-Chi ordered. The children immediately complied.

"Get ready," Goku urged, looking up. "There!"

Everyone looked up just in time to see a figure gradually descending from the sky and landing softly in the sand before them. Chi-Chi and Bulma stared at the mysterious man, noting that he was much taller than Goku—standing a head above him with broader shoulders. His physique was incredibly muscular, with muscles defined even in places they weren't sure could be muscles. He wore a black and brown armor that covered his entire torso, featuring large pauldrons that shielded his shoulders. Aside from a pair of black cuffs and boots around his wrists and ankles, his arms and legs were left exposed. His long black hair fell all the way down to his waist, and he sported a noticeable widow's peak—something Goku definitely didn't have. Still, their jawlines and noses looked remarkably similar, hinting at some shared features.

The biggest difference, though, was in their power. Goku and Chi-Chi were strong, but he paled in comparison to the man standing in front of them. Chi-Chi couldn't tell if he was deliberately avoiding hiding his power, or just didn't know how. But his presence was intense—so intense that it increased as everyone who can sense energy felt him approaching.

"Look at you," the man addressed Goku. "You seem to have been busy in your own way, haven't you, brother."

Everyone blinked in bewilderment.

Brother? Chi-Chi thought.

Chi-Chi stared with puzzlement plastered on her face. Did she hear the mysterious man right? She looked over to Goku, but he seemed just as confused as she was.

“It has been many years, Kakarot,” the man started. “I must say, I'm disappointed in you. You have failed your mission. You should have wiped out this planet's inhabitants by now!"

Goku blinked with puzzlement etched into his expression.

“Kakarot?” Goku repeated.

Chi-Chi’s eyes slightly widened when she heard the man’s last sentence. Goku, killing everyone on this planet? Her Goku? She just couldn't see it. There was no way her pure, honest husband was capable of committing genocide.

"Excuse me," Krillin interjected, walking past Goku and Chi-Chi. "But I think you've clearly got the wrong guy. I mean, this guy's name is Goku, and I've known him since I was a kid. If you really think he's some crazy killer, then I think you've had too much to drink. So scram!"

The man glared at Krillin and Chi-Chi sensed murderous intent.

"Krillin, look out!" Goku shouted.

The belt around the man's waist unwrapped itself and struck Krillin directly in his forehead. The sudden assault sent the balding dwarf flying backwards into the wall of Kame House. Chi-Chi looked back to make sure he was still moving, then turned her eyes to Gohan, who was clinging to her leg. Bra emulated Gohan’s actions by clinging to Bulma’s leg. Trunks, while just as scared as his sister, stood his ground with narrowed eyes. A startled noise from Goku caused her to quickly turn back around, and when she did, she also let out a gasp.

The man's "belt" wasn't a belt at all. Swaying back and forth was a long, furry, brown tail—like Chi-Chi and Bulmas’. But longer and thicker.

"He's got a tail too!?" Goku shouted, surprised.

"That's right," the man said. "I wondered when you would recognize me."

Goku clenched his fists in anticipation.

"What are you… I… I've never seen you before," Goku said. 

Chi-Chi signaled to the others as she pushed Gohan back. Bulma immediately rushed up to grab him and pull him back, away from potential danger.

"Are you telling me that you have no idea who I am, Kakarot?" The man asked, surprised.

"Who are you calling Kakarot?" Goku shouted, starting to get agitated. "I don't know who that is! My name's Goku!"

"What happened to you here?" The man probed quietly.

Bulma felt her leg slightly tightening. She looked down to see Bra meeting her gaze.

“Mommy, who is that?” Bra asked, her countenance etched with worry.

“I don’t know, sweetie,” Bulma replied.

Trunks slowly assumed a battle stance. Although Trunks doesn’t know how to fight at the moment, he couldn’t help but prepare himself for anything. Especially with what the stranger did to Krillin.

“Well, whoever he is, he’s definitely not friendly,” Trunks said.

"Kakarot," The man called, bringing attention back to him. "Did you ever sustain a severe injury to your head when you were younger?"

"Huh?" Goku was confused. "Yeah. I don't really remember it very well, but I did hit my head once. I've still got a scar from it. What about it?"

"Goku," Master Roshi called. Goku and Chi-Chi turned toward him. "There's something your grandpa Gohan told me that I think you should know…"

Master Roshi began to explain how Grandpa Gohan found a baby Goku in a small pod near a strange spaceship and took him in. How he was a wild and violent baby that wanted nothing to do with Gohan's kindness, and how the baby Goku fell into a ravine and hit his head. Becoming a kind and loving boy after he recovered. Goku and Chi-Chi were both stunned at the revelation.

"I'm from outer space?" Goku asked.

"Yes, Goku," Roshi replied. "You are."

The man shifted his gaze towards Chi-Chi and Bulma.

"And what about you two?" The man suddenly asked. Turning to face him again, Chi-Chi and Bulma realized that he was looking at them. "What are you two doing on this dirt ball of a planet? How did you two end up here with Kakarot? Why didn't you try jogging his memory, or just destroy this planet by yourself? Or did the two of you hit your heads as well?"

Chi-Chi hesitated before answering. If she told him the truth, she’d have to explain the dragon balls and Shenron, and she wasn't sure she was ready to do that. She didn't want to let someone like him in on the secret, since she couldn’t predict what he might do with that knowledge. Would he try to make the same wish again, turning everyone on earth into monkey-people? Or worse, would he just wish for everyone's death? Chi-Chi parted her lips to finally say something, until someone beat her to it.

“Mind your business, stink man,” Bulma replied. Everyone stared at Bulma with wide eyes.

Even the mysterious man was appalled by Bulma’s response.

“What was that?!” The man demanded, glaring at Bulma.

Bulma returned the man’s glare with narrowed eyes. Normally, the old Bulma would've cowered in fear by the look he was giving her. But Bulma firmly stood her ground. Which took everyone, including herself, by surprise. It was almost as if something in her was taking charge.

“You heard me, you stink,” Bulma repeated, her tone laced with a feisty tone. “What’s wrong? You got cotton in your ears? Or do I have to smack you just so you can inhale your own funk for the reality to sink in?”

The man clenched his fist tightly as his glare deepened.

“Wh—How.. How dare you insult me!” The man shouted.

The man paused for a moment. He took a deep breath whilst closing his eyes. He snapped said eyes back open to glare at Bulma one last time.

“I’ll deal with you later,” the man said, his tone laced with venom.

Chi-Chi decided there and then to speak.

"Listen, if you know so much about us, why don't you fill us in?” Chi-Chi suggested. “I'm sure you can explain why a baby would be given a mission to destroy a planet."

The man's smile returned. 

"Very well. I wasn't expecting to give a history lesson when I came here, but I suppose it couldn't hurt." He stepped forward, wrapping his tail around his waist again. "After all, you and your children will be serving under me, and I prefer my subordinates to be well informed." 

Goku and Chi-Chi tense up with expectations of anything to happen. The man came to a stop a few yards away from them.

"The three of you are part of a race from the planet Vegeta. A race of warriors called Saiyans. My name is Raditz,” the man named Raditz introduced himself. “And I'm your elder brother, Kakarot. Which would make me your brother-in-law, wouldn't it?"

Chi-Chi’s eyes widened in shock.

Saiyans? Chi-Chi thought.

Chi-Chi thought she had heard that word before. As she recalled, she and Bulma had first heard it from Shenron! Shenron had asked if they wanted to become Saiyans. So, they essentially became part of an alien warrior race. Chi-Chi glanced briefly at Bulma and blinked in surprise—Bulma didn’t seem surprised at all when Raditz revealed their warrior heritage. Much to Chi-Chi’s confusion.

Does…Does Bulma already know? Chi-Chi thought.

"You see," Raditz continued. Chi-Chi returned her attention back to Raditz. "We Saiyans are what you would call 'planet brokers.' We scour the universe, searching for inhabited planets rich in resources. Once we find one, we wipe out its inhabitants and make the planet… ready to be sold to the highest bidder. Mining corporations, criminal enterprises, traffickers looking for hideouts—all of them are willing to pay good money for a dead planet, so our line of work is very lucrative, and we pride ourselves on how efficiently we carry it out. For example: if we come across a planet with strong life forms, we send in a team of our strongest warriors to crush them. But if the inhabitants are weak—like they are on this planet—then a baby Saiyan is usually more than sufficient."

Chi-Chi felt sick as she heard Raditz talk. He spoke of genocide and conquest as if they were sport. Was this really how Saiyans were?

"There's nothing warrior-like about that!" Chi-Chi yelled, losing her temper. "Warriors have codes, honor, rules! You're nothing more than heartless, genocidal monsters! Space pirates! What kind of disgusting creature sends babies to unknown planets!?"

"Trust me," Raditz replied, unfazed by her outburst. "You're usually more than capable of taking care of yourselves at that age." He then made a face. "Usually. But it seems that you and Kakarot have failed miserably at your mission. You are both a disgrace to the Saiyan name. It should have taken you both less than a year to completely raze this planet to the ground, especially since it has such a big moon."

"Yeah?" Goku said. "Were we supposed to blow that up, too?"

"Idiot!" Raditz snapped. "Surely you looked at the full moon at least once in your life!"

Chi-Chi blinked in confusion. She wondered if that was the reason why Roshi and the others had asked whether Gohan or she looked at the full moon. She always made sure Gohan went to bed as soon as it got dark, usually exhausted from sparring with Goku by then, so she never really went out during a full moon—especially after hearing Goku's story about the monster that emerges on such nights. Glancing back at the others, their nervous expressions only confirmed her suspicions—Goku was the monster Grandpa Gohan had warned her about. 

Chi-Chi's stomach turned at the thought. If that was true, then Goku had been the one to trample over his own grandpa! When Roshi caught her eye, he shook his head subtly—she knew she couldn't tell Goku. It was too risky; she didn't want to break his heart. For all she knew, it might strip him of his will to fight, and she wasn't about to let that happen now that she had found her own strength.

"WAIT!" Raditz shouted. Looking back at him, Chi-Chi saw a look of horror on his face. "WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR TAIL, KAKAROT!?"

"My tail?" Goku asked, briefly looking down at his rear. "What about it?"

"ANSWER ME!" Raditz demanded. He looked like he was about to kill everyone there.

Goku's eyes narrowed.

"I had it permanently removed a long time ago," Goku finally replied.

"Do you have any idea what you did to yourself!?" Raditz growled. "Your true power is gone now! Without your tail, you can't transform at the full moon!”

Raditz shifted his filled dagger-glare towards Chi-Chi.

“How could you let this happen to my brother!?" Raditz shouted. "Surely you tried to stop him from giving up his greatest strength!?"

"I wasn't there when it happened," Chi-Chi said, as calmly as possible given the circumstances. "And even if I was, it was his choice to make, not mine. I'd never give up my tail, but I wouldn't force him to keep his."

"Listen," Goku said. "Maybe you are my brother, maybe you're not. But I'm not interested in whatever you're planning. My name's Son Goku, and this planet is my home. Now leave us alone!"

Raditz merely chuckled. 

"So my baby brother and sister-in-law want to be left alone?" Raditz asked, as if they just told him a joke. "Well, I'm afraid that can't happen. Any other time, I would happily leave a pair of failures like you in exile on this rock, but things are very different now. You see, Kakarot, not long after you were sent here, a massive meteor shower obliterated our home planet, with everyone still on it. There aren't many of us left now—in fact, counting your wife and that woman, there's only six Saiyans still alive, and you married one of them."

Raditz looked back at Chi-Chi. The look in his eyes caused her to instinctively enter her opening stance. Then his eyes lowered and landed on Gohan. Raditz looked back at the woman, seeing Trunks and Bra.

“You know, there’s something I’ve been wondering,” Raditz said, pointing at Gohan and Bulma’s children. “Is that your son? And those brats belong to that woman, right?”

Goku clenched his fists tighter.

“No it isn’t,” Goku lied. Raditz grinned in amusement at his brother’s attempt at lying.

“You can’t fool me,” Raditz said, chuckling. “Those brats have Saiyan blood. It’s no use trying to hide it from me, I can see their tails from here.”

"What if they do? Huh?!" Goku shouted, also at the ready.

“I wanted to reason with you but I can see you don’t know what’s best for your son,” Raditz said, smiling evilly at Goku. “So I’m afraid I’m gonna have to take him with me.”

Raditz began to approach Goku and Chi-Chi in a neutral stance.

"Don’t you take one step closer to my son!" Goku shouted, also at the ready. "I don't want to have to hurt you, but I will!"

Raditz was in between the two in an instant. Goku was the first to react, but before he could attack again, Raditz's knee surged upward, slamming into Goku's ribs and sending him flying back at least a dozen yards. Chi-Chi leapt to aim a roundhouse kick at her brother-in-law's left ear, but he caught her foot and pulled her in while ramming his fist into her stomach. Chi-Chi's vision blurred and the air in her lungs rushed out of her mouth, along with the hot pot that she had just eaten. He then readjusted his grip, and threw her over his shoulder and into the ground. She saw stars and her body was stunned to the point where she couldn't move.

"Mommy! Daddy!" Gohan shouted, breaking free of Bulma's grip and running over to his father.

Bulma parted her lips to shout Gohan’s name. But without warning, she felt something hit hard from the back of her skull. Bulma’s eyes rolled behind her head and she collapsed. But Raditz caught her unconscious body in her arms before she could hit the ground.

“Mom!” Trunks and Bra shouted.

Raditz vanished from Trunks and Bra’s sight. Much to the twin sibling’s shock.

“Daddy! Are you okay?!” Gohan shouted, his tone laced with genuine worry.

"Gohan… get away from here!" Goku warned, his voice strained from the pain in his rib cage.

Raditz reappeared behind his nephew. He quickly grabbed his nephew by the collar and lifted him into the air, making sure Goku and Chi-Chi were looking.

"You just had to make things complicated, didn't you?" Raditz scoffed, his grin never fading. "If you want to have your son back, then I suggest you prove your loyalty to me. Let's see… I think killing a hundred earthlings each would be proof enough. Just dump them on this island."

Chi-Chi forced her body to move. She desperately tried to get up and save her son, who was crying in fear. But her lungs still wouldn't take in enough air, and her head was still swimming.

"You have one of this planet's days. Don't waste your time," Raditz said.

Raditz launched himself into the air and took off flying. Carrying the sobbing Gohan and unconscious Bulma with him. Chi-Chi finally managed to get enough air in her lungs to scream as loud as she could.

"GOHAN!"

The mysterious Saiyan named Raditz has taken both Gohan and Bulma as hostages. Even with Goku and Chi-Chi’s combined strength, they couldn’t stop him. It appears their day’s reunion has transformed from happy to terror. How will they beat this strong foe? Will they be able to get their son and friend back?

Find out in the next exciting chapter of Dragon Ball What if!

Chapter Text

Raditz had returned to the field that he had landed in. He was waiting for Kakarot and the mystery woman named Chi-Chi to meet his demands. He had already locked their son in the spaceship he came down in, because the brat wouldn't stop crying. As for the other woman—Bulma, she laid unconscious on the ground next to his feet. Now he was giving a report to his superiors, filling them in on his mission so far, and the unique complications that arose.

"I'm telling the truth, Vegeta," Raditz said over the communicator of his Scouter. "Kakarot was with a female Saiyan, and they both had a son. There was another female Saiyan and she too had a couple of brats as well."

"That makes no sense," Prince Vegeta's voice responded in his ear. "Kakarot is the only Saiyan recorded to have been sent to that planet."

"I realize that," acknowledged Raditz. "But I know what I saw. Unless earthlings also possess tails like us, then these women are Saiyans."

Raditz glanced down at the woman. He crouched down to one knee, and tilted his head to look at her face in a slight crooked angle.

"Could these two have been sent here in secret?" Raditz asked. "Is it possible that their arrival was merely undocumented, and whoever their families were simply didn't want them sent to another world?"

Vegeta was silent for a moment.

"We can't exactly rule out the possibility," Vegeta replied thoughtfully. "But with both of them refusing to talk, there's no way of knowing for certain. In the meantime, continue with your mission, and make sure you collect Kakarot and this new Saiyan woman."

"Understood," Raditz said. "But, in case these two don't cooperate, along with the other Saiyan woman, what should I do then?"

"Kakarot is expendable," Vegeta said matter-of-factly. "If it comes down to it, then you have my permission to kill him—I have no use for Saiyans who can't even wield the power of the Giant Ape. As for the two women, they’re invaluable to the preservation of our race. Capture her by any means necessary. Under no circumstances are you to kill her, or inflict any injuries that would render her barren. As for the other woman, hold your position until me and Nappa arrive on that planet. I will personally pick her up myself."

"Understood. It will be done, Vegeta."

"In the meantime, maintain an open channel. There may be something worth knowing on that planet. Vegeta out."

Raditz folded his arms as he stared back at Bulma’s unconscious body. He couldn't believe how weak his own brother was at first, but the more he thought about it, the more sense it made. The planet's gravity was weak—only a tenth of what it was on Vegeta—and most of the life forms were extremely weak as well. The strongest non-Saiyan life forms he found were on that island with Kakarot, and they only had power levels around two-hundred. Kakarot was only six-hundred-fifty, while his wife was six-hundred-twenty. Maybe if they worked together, they might have been more of a threat to him, but he doubted that they would be enough to beat him.

Raditz tapped the side button of his scouter. His device barely picked up her power level: twelve. It was pathetic. He had never seen a Saiyan with such an anemic power level. This woman had not only neglected reducing this planet’s inhabitants, but her own power as well. Raditz's thoughts kept going back to the woman named Chi-Chi. 

He could see why Kakarot chose her. Not only was she the second only other Saiyan on the planet, but she was fairly strong, strong-willed, and quite beautiful—in a very un-Saiyan way. She had her tail, as well as the common black eyes and spiky hair of a Saiyan. But she was also fairly gentle, despite her clearly short temper. Another thing that bothered him was how her power level would fluctuate. While she was normally slightly weaker than Kakarot, her power level would suddenly spike to over eight-hundred, before going back down. 

Could it be a result of her anger? If it was, then she seemed to have difficulty tapping into it. In the end, he decided to drop the thoughts and focus on the mission. If Kakarot, his wife and the other woman regain their Saiyan bloodlust, then he would take them to Vegeta and Nappa to plan their next move. If not—well, he would still be returning to Vegeta and Nappa. Just with less cargo.

Raditz turned away from the woman. He walked towards the edge of the crater his space pod created and sat down, doing his best to ignore the brat's sobbing. He activated his scouter as it barely picked up the child's power level: nine.

Pathetic, Raditz thought.

Raditz had never seen a Saiyan with such an anemic power level. Kakarot had not only neglected his mission, but his own son as well. This made him even more glad that he took his son. If his failure of a brother won’t whip his son into shape to be a true warrior, then maybe he should. That will show him who’s the better warrior here.

Raditz paused.

Was that groaning he heard?

Raditz looked over his shoulder. He saw the other saiyan woman regaining consciousness as she slowly propped herself up with the support of her hands. She looked around with confusion etched on her face, until her gaze met Raditz’s eyes. Raditz grinned and stood upright.

“Enjoyed your nap, woman?” Raditz taunted, fully turning his body to face her.

Raditz stalked towards the woman as she quickly got up on her feet.

“Where am I? Where did you take me?!” She demanded, narrowing her eyes at Raditz.

Raditz chuckled at the woman’s outburst. Despite trying to be intimidating through his approach, the saiyan woman wasn’t scared.

“Never mind where we are, woman. Instead, let’s get to business—you and me,” Raditz replied, stopping in front of the woman. “I recall that I asked you and that other saiyan woman how you got here. Like I said, I don’t remember other saiyans being sent to this planet. What’s your story?”

The woman stepped up to him. She placed one hand on her hip while raising the other. Pointing her finger on his chest.

“First off, big guy, my name is not ‘woman.’ It’s Bulma,” the woman named Bulma corrected him.

Raditz arched a puzzling brow at Bulma.

“Bulma? That’s not a Saiyan name; and yet, you have a tail,” Raditz said, cupping his chin while slightly turning away from Bulma. “Hmm, this is quite the mystery.”

“Bulma!”

Raditz and Bulma snapped their gaze towards the voice. The pair saw a trio of individuals landing a few feet away from them; three that Bulma recognized immediately. Goku, Chi-Chi, and Piccolo stood in unison. But their arrival was not what made Bulma pause.

Chi-Chi was glaring hard at Raditz. The mother of Gohan was angry.

Really angry.

A few minutes earlier…

Goku looked down at the Four-Star Dragon Ball that had fallen off of Gohan's hat as he was taken away. He was completely powerless to stop his brother and save his own son. After all the training and sparring with Chi-Chi, it wasn't enough to even land a single hit on Raditz. Chi-Chi had fallen apart as her initial breakdown had caused notable damage to Kame House before the others managed to calm her down. Now she was on her knees, crying as Trunks and Bulla did their best to comfort her. 

Goku watched the saddening sight with a frown. He had never seen her like this before, and while he had understood more about her than ever, he still didn't know what to do when she was like this. What made this situation worse, was that Bulma—his best friend—got captured along with his son. And he couldn’t even save her!

"Hey, buddy," Krillin greeted gently, walking up to Goku with a concerned look on his countenance. "You okay?"

Goku sighed. 

"Not really, Krillin," Krillin responded.

"Listen," Krillin started. "I think you should go talk to Chi-Chi; she really needs you right now."

"I know," acknowledged Goku. "I just don't know what I can do to help her."

"Goku, you've got to get her head straight,” Krillin said, placing a hand on Goku’s shoulder. “If you and Chi-Chi are gonna have any chance of getting your son and Bulma back, she can’t fight by thinking with her emotions.”

Goku glanced at Krillin. He was right—if Chi-Chi didn't calm down enough to think straight, they might not be able to save Gohan. Taking a deep breath, he stood up from the ground and walked over to his wife. However, before he could extend his hand towards her shoulder, he paused. He sensed a familiar energy in the area. Chi-Chi sensed it too as she snapped her gaze towards the same direction Goku was looking.

Emerging from the shadows of Kame House was a tall individual. Both Goku and Chi-Chi recognized the man from the World Martial Arts Tournament. They saw the green-skinned, goblin-like Piccolo staring at them whilst approaching slowly. The two immediately went into defensive mode, thinking Piccolo was up to no good again. The last time they saw him on Papaya Island, he swore revenge against Goku for beating him.

"Get out of my sight, Piccolo," Chi-Chi growled. "I am not in the mood for you and your petty squabbles right now."

Piccolo merely looked at Chi-Chi curiously. 

"I remember you," stated Piccolo. "You're that loud angry woman who lost to Goku in the tournament. It seems you've improved on your fighting prowess, somewhat."

Chi-Chi gritted her teeth angrily. She parted her lips to say something until Goku interjected by extending his arm to block her from getting close to the latter.

“Why are you here Piccolo?” Goku asked, narrowing his eyes at him.

Piccolo turned his attention to Goku.

"You have to know that the two of you won't be enough to stop that monster,” Piccolo said, folding his arms. “If he has his way, he'll destroy this entire planet unless we stop him."

"We?" Goku and Chi-Chi repeated in unison.

"Yes. We." Piccolo looked like he wasn't enjoying this idea any more than they were. "If he isn't stopped, there won't be an Earth left for me to conquer. I'll be perfectly honest with you: this is for completely selfish reasons. I couldn't care less about what happens to you, your son, or your friend, but I need that Saiyan out of the way."

Neither Goku nor Chi-Chi said anything—Joining forces with Piccolo was the last thing Goku expected, and the last thing Chi-Chi wanted. But eventually, Chi-Chi stepped forward.

"I want your word that until Raditz is defeated, you won't try to harm or kill us," Chi-Chi demanded.

"Chi-Chi!" Goku protested, his tone laced with a hint of awe.

Goku never expected her to even consider working with Piccolo. Neither did Piccolo for that matter, who was staring curiously at her again.

"That seems reasonable enough," Piccolo finally replied. "You have my word. Until we take him down, I won't attack you, as long as you don't attack me."

Chi-Chi took a deep breath and steadied her nerves. She hated this, but saving Gohan and Bulma was all that mattered.

"Alright," Chi-Chi said. "Let's go."

Chi-Chi glanced at her husband. She nodded at him firmly, and he returned with the same gesture. Goku turned away towards the sky as he called for Nimbus. As quickly as he called, the puffy yellow cloud descended towards the island and hovered before both Goku and Chi-Chi. The pair embarked on the cloud in time for their puffy transport to fly high into the sky. Chi-Chi held on tight as the Nimbus Cloud zipped through the air. 

She was doing everything she could to focus in order to locate Raditz's energy. Beside her and Goku, Piccolo was flying through the air, unaided by any vehicle. Chi-Chi knew that she had to learn how to fly on her own—Goku could do it, but he still wasn't very good at it. Chi-Chi still couldn't believe that she had agreed to work with Piccolo. The words came out of her mouth before she had time to think about them. There was no guarantee that he wouldn't stab them in the back as soon as Raditz was dealt with, or that he would keep his word. 

All she could think about was saving both Gohan and Bulma. If this helped her, then she would go through with it. But she wasn't going to take any chances around him. This was the monster who flattened Papaya Island during the World Martial Arts Tournament, killing most of the spectators just to beat Goku. They had to use the Dragon Balls to reverse the damage he caused. She wasn't expecting him to hold back against Raditz just because her son was in the area.

"Goku," Chi-Chi whispered in Goku's ear. "I know Piccolo said he'd help us beat Raditz, but I don't want to give him the chance to hurt Gohan. As soon as the two of you attack Raditz, I'm grabbing Gohan and Bulma before getting out of there."

Goku nodded ever so slightly. He didn't fully trust Piccolo either, and the sooner Gohan and Bulma was out of danger, the better.

"You do know I heard all of that, don't you?" Piccolo asked, causing Chi-Chi to jump. "Do whatever you want, because then you won't get in my way."

Chi-Chi shot daggers at Piccolo. She had completely forgotten about his telepathy.

"I won't get in your way if you stay out of mine," Chi-Chi said. "As soon as Gohan and Bulma are safe, I'm joining the fight. Nobody takes my son and gets away with it!"

"Hurm!" Piccolo grunted again. "I guess Shenron didn't get rid of your temper when he gave you that tail."

Chi-Chi gritted her teeth as she tried to calm herself down. Piccolo was a monster, but she knew she couldn't kill him. His life was tied to Kamis’, so if Piccolo died, Kami would as well, and the Dragon Balls would cease to be. That didn't mean she couldn't hurt him. But that didn't matter. All that mattered to her was rescuing Gohan and Bulma.

Gohan, Chi-Chi thought.

Chi-Chi kept mentally kicking herself for her decisions over the years. She should have started teaching him the basics of martial arts earlier, like Goku said. It might not have been much, but it would have at least taught him to be more careful. She knew now that if she didn't let Gohan train after they got him back, she'd never hear the end of it from Roshi or Krillin. Forcing herself to think of the upcoming fight, Chi-Chi started making preparations. She started lifting the legs of her pants and started undoing the training weights she had strapped to her ankles and lower legs. 

Then she reached under her cheongsam and removed a belt with even more weights strapped to it. By the time she was finished, she had removed up to two-hundred-thirty kilos of heavy weights from her body. The weights were Goku's idea—that way, Chi-Chi could build up strength in her lower body while doing everyday housework, and the sparring sessions were also more intense with the heavy weights slowing her down. He had offered to have some weighted clothing made for her. But she declined, instead focusing on using old-fashioned methods. Besides, the weighted clothes were more focused on the upper body, and her fighting style was predominantly kick-based.

Goku noticed what she was doing and decided to follow suit. He slipped off his weighted boots and the heavy shirt from under his orange gi. He wore slightly heavier weights than her—around two-hundred-fifty kilos instead of Chi-Chi's two-hundred-thirty—but he was also stronger than her, so he needed the extra weight. He had a feeling that his wife was ready for heavier weights, but they'd cross that bridge when they came to it. With all the weights now gone, Chi-Chi began her stretches, loosening the tendons in her legs and lower back. Raditz had caught the two of them off guard, but this time they were prepared. 

Chi-Chi’s lips subconsciously curled into a confident smile. It was strange, but there was a side of her that was actually looking forward to the upcoming battle. All the training and sparring over the last four years was for this specific reason. She wasn't going to let her brother-in-law get the better of her again. She wasn't going to be a spectator again.

Piccolo watched Chi-Chi curiously as she stretched out her legs. He could definitely tell that the wish she made to Shenron had caused some drastic changes to her. He remembered her from the tournament eight years ago, but she was a weakling back then who didn't even like fighting. He figured she had potential, since she survived an energy explosion from him that leveled Papaya Island, but her lack of fighting spirit kept her from realizing it. Now, she was anticipating the upcoming battle with a hint of excitement, as if the old version of her was gone. It was enough to spark his curiosity and make him think. 

This woman didn't seem scared to see him. Could she actually have a technique that would be enough to defeat him? He wasn't sure, but with the speed that she improved over the last few years since he saw her, he didn't want to take the chance. After all, Goku had defeated him twice—first when he punched a hole right through him and forced him to reincarnate, and then when he headbutted him in the side at full flying speed, nearly killing him again. Piccolo's connection to Kami and Goku's sense of mercy were the only reasons he was still alive today, and he hated that. He hated that Goku spared him, he hated that he now owed his worst enemy, and he hated that Goku's wife was also strong enough to potentially challenge him now. It felt like the entire universe was trying to deny him the kingdom he was rightfully owed.

Chi-Chi eventually felt Piccolo's eyes on her. But she did her best to ignore him and focus on finding Raditz. Clearing her mind, she started searching for his power level, remembering the same intensity she felt from him when he arrived. If Goku was right, then Raditz didn't know how to hide his presence and he should be easy to find. Eventually, she opened her eyes and pointed slightly to the left of her.

"That way, Goku," Chi-Chi said. She could feel Raditz's malice in the pit of her stomach.

"Really?" Goku asked. He still couldn't sense him, but turned in the direction that Chi-Chi was pointing, with Piccolo following close behind. A couple of minutes later, they sensed Raditz as well. "Wow, Chi-Chi. You're getting better at that than me."

Piccolo remained silent but he also didn't sense Raditz until after Chi-Chi did. It seemed that her control over ki was even more refined than his. Eventually, they got close enough to know exactly where Raditz was waiting, and could see that the saiyan was standing in front of Bulma. The pair seemed to be talking about something. Piccolo began shrugging off his pauldrons and cape before removing his hat as well. The thud that came from when they hit the ground told Chi-Chi that they were weighted as well. 

"So, how are we going to get your brat out with Raditz around?" Piccolo asked, glancing at Goku.

"Gohan knows how to fly the Nimbus Cloud," Goku replied. "Me and Chi-Chi will keep Raditz distracted while Bulma will get to Gohan. If Bulma can get him on it, Gohan can fly to safety by himself. How does that sound, Chi-Chi?"

Chi-Chi pondered this carefully. Goku was correct: Gohan could use the Nimbus, but he preferred not to go at high speed. If he became nervous and slowed down, Raditz would have more opportunity to attack. However, if she and Goku kept Raditz occupied, they could buy enough time for Gohan to escape. Raditz wouldn't be able to grab or jump onto the Nimbus, as only those with pure hearts like Goku, Gohan, and herself can ride it.

"Alright," Chi-Chi sighed. "I think that should work. Just make sure you keep Raditz distracted long enough."

Goku nodded while Piccolo was indifferent. The trio descended towards the earth’s floor and landed a few feet in front of Raditz and Bulma. Chi-Chi glared hard at Raditz, feeling her blood boil at the sight of him. Raditz parted his lips to say something, but Chi-Chi immediately launched herself at him with a war-cry and began delivering volleys of kicks and punches in his way. Piccolo leapt after her while Goku started a short sprint and stopped at Bulma’s side.

“Bulma, get to my son and get him out of the pod,” Goku ordered, briefly observing the battle between Chi-Chi and Piccolo before looking back at Bulma. “Once you do, tell Gohan to call Nimbus and use it to fly back to Kame House. We’ll keep Raditz distracted long enough for our son to escape.”

Bulma blinked before nodding firmly.

“Okay, Goku,” Bulma responded. “Be careful.”

Goku nodded before sprinting towards the battle. Bulma watched Goku join the fight with Raditz as she clenched her fist tightly. She could feel her saiyan instincts building up in her in the form of self hatred; hate for being weak and not able to lend a hand. She knew in her heart that even if she tagged in, she'd only get in the way.

Bulma turned away and sprinted towards the crater.

The battle between the trio and Raditz has commenced. But will it be enough to take down this strong foe and get Gohan to safety? All will depend on who’s side will claim victory.

Don’t miss the next exciting chapter of Dragon Ball What If!