Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Captive Souls ❯ In Enemy Territory ( Chapter 3 )

Captive Souls   Chapter 3   Hours blurred into days. Chi-chi felt sore from the amount of training her son had put her through; however, Gohan did not make her give up. Pulling out of her hammock, Chi-chi yawned before she noticed Goten looking eagerly at Chi-chi.   “Mommy, today’s my birthday!” Goten happily smiled. “Will you make that cake?”   “I’ll have to see if I can find the supplies first,” Chi-chi ruffled Goten’s hair. She wanted to make his birthday worthwhile; especially since he was now ten years old. Picking up the basket, she noticed a few lists from the people in the other room. Some have been asking for extra blankets since the ones that they had were getting moldy. Grabbing her cloak, she clipped it on before picking up the basket.   “Be careful mommy,” Goten waved goodbye before Chi-chi climbed up the ladder.   -o-   ‘So, you’re on the move again Mysterious Nightingale,’ Dusk thought silently while he watched Chi-chi heading down to an old barnyard where she hoped to find some fresh eggs. ‘What is it that you seek tonight?’ Deciding to follow silently and ignore his orders to find their headquarters, Dusk abandoned his post to pursue the Mysterious Nightingale.   -o-   The barnyard had been long since abandoned. The once domesticated chickens became wild and fluttered away when Chi-chi drew near. She noticed egg shells before she noticed a nest with fresh eggs inside. Kneeling down carefully, she plucked a few out before wrapping it in the lists that she had. The last thing she wanted was the eggs to break before she managed to get them back to the hideout   Above her, Dusk looked down at Chi-chi with an emotionless mask. He was perplexed that this female was gathering eggs and wondered what she planned to do with them. He made no attempt to harm or go after her since her defenses were down completely. After all, where would be the honor if he attacked her suddenly?   ‘Now I need to get some milk,’ Chi-chi thought while pulling out an empty bottle. She headed over to the barn where some cow grazed.   ‘Is she planning to make something?’ Dusk landed softly and watched her get milk from a cow. He quickly hid when she finished and walked out. ‘What is it that she’s doing? Why does she need these things from the animals?’   -o-   In one of the few stores left, Chi-chi looked on the shelves for some cake mix that had not long since expired. Dusk accidentally knocked something to the ground thanks to the weapon at his side. Chi-chi’s eyes widened and she quickly grabbed one before running; however, Dusk got in her way before she could make it to the door.   “Move! I don’t have time to…” Chi-chi started to say. The basket trembled in her hands from how upset she was.   “Wait a second,” Dusk countered. “What are you doing?”   “I was going to make a cake,” Chi-chi replied.   “Cake? What is this cake?” Chi-chi stared at this male in utter disbelief. He had never heard of what cake was and she couldn’t blame him.   “Well, it’s a form of dessert…” Chi-chi began to explain.   “Is that why you needed eggs and milk?” Dusk questioned.   “How long were you…?” Chi-chi was interrupted by Dusk when he covered her mouth and pulled her against his body to conceal her. A light shone and only Dusk’s shadow was seen. Fear filled the pit of her stomach. Would he get caught trying to protect her with his back to the soldier?   “Any sign of the Mysterious Nightingale?” A voice called out to Dusk.   “I haven’t seen her,” Dusk’s voice yelled back at the soldier.   “Why are you not at your…” the soldier started to ask.   “Do you assume she might take a different route?” Dusk challenged the soldier. No one dared challenge him since he worked rather closely to Raizen himself and it was almost though he was Raizen’s shadow by the way he acted.   “Y-you’re right. Forgive me.” Footsteps were heard walking away before Dusk released Chi-chi. Despite his abrupt grasp on her, he seemed gentle and did not harm Chi-chi in the slightest.   “Why didn’t you just reveal that I was here?” Chi-chi whispered.   “There’s no honor in that when you are planning to make this cake for some reason.” Dusk spoke in a soft tone.   “Will you help me locate a kitchen to cook this in?” Chi-chi asked.   “Yes, but you’ll have to don some disguise in order to use it.” Dusk threw something to Chi-chi. “Slip that on and follow me.” Chi-chi looked down in her arms and noticed that it was a uniform. What was he planning now?   -o-   Chi-chi almost rebuked at the idea of going aboard Raizen’s ship to make a cake, but Dusk insisted. He had already scared out the cooks due to his reputation so Chi-chi would have enough time to make the cake. She had long since gotten rid of the helmet that concealed her identity while he watched her cook. Something deep within him thought of a woman cooking for him; however, he shook his head to expel that vivid memory. That was in the past and he could not be lulled in a false sense of security; especially with spies being in the midst.   “What is your true identity beneath the mask?” Chi-chi asked Dusk while she touched the ceramic mask. It was cold to the touch and seemed so unlike him to wear after what he had done earlier.   “It’s none of your business,” Dusk growled. “Only Lord Raizen is supposed to know who I am.”   “I see.” A pregnant silence filled the room. “Do you know what happened to a man named Son Goku?”   “I never heard of a man by that name,” Dusk snapped. “So stop asking me questions.”   “Sorry,” Chi-chi quiets again before she looked in the oven. “Do you want to have a bit before I put the rest of it into my basket?”   “What did I…” Dusk realized that Chi-chi had pulled out the cake. The sweet chocolate scent hit his nose. How could he say no? “What about the one you’re making the cake for?”   “I’ll still have some for him. I want to give you some in appreciation,” Chi-chi replied before cutting out a fourth of the cake and putting it on the plate. Dusk lifted the mask so his mouth could be seen. The somewhat tan-colored face was seen and he took a bite of the cake.   “Hm. Your cooking skills seem impressive,” Dusk acknowledged. “Not even the cooks on this ship can make what you have done.”   “T-thanks…” Chi-chi stammered before she mentally kicked herself. She was literally blushing at the enemy’s words! If Piccolo was here, he would have slapped Chi-chi and berated her for trusting him. In the same situation except with Vegeta, he would have probably laughed before killing Chi-chi and attacking Dusk. He ate rather quickly before washed off the plate and settled it back on the tray. His mask slid fully back into place and he stood up.   “Put the cake in here,” Dusk handed Chi-chi a strange box. Chi-chi noticed him press a button on the side of the box before the cake was compressed in a capsule.   “Wait, where did you get…?” Chi-chi did not have time to ask him another question before she felt the helmet put back on over her head.   -o-   Chi-chi soon found herself in the back alley with Dusk yards away from the ship. It felt strange that he had aided her despite the fact that they were considered sworn enemies.   “If you wish to know about Son Goku,” Dusk began, “then I’ll tell you this. The Son Goku you know is dead.”   Chi-chi’s eyes widened. She wanted so much to faint, but she had to fight that sense of distortion in front of Dusk. Tears came to her eyes and she ran away from Dusk with the basket still in her arm. He did not make any attempt to chase Chi-chi to discover the hideout while he sighed from beneath the mask. Would it had been a sin to spare her from those words he spoke?   ‘In time, you’ll understand those words,’ Dusk thought silently to himself before he flew off.   -o-   “Mommy!” Goten threw himself at Chi-chi happily when she came down the ladder. Her tear-washed face was hidden under her hood and she walked past Goten. “Mommy?”   “Goten, open the capsule and get your cake out,” Chi-chi spoke in a calm voice. Despite that calmness in her voice, she felt her heart breaking inside. Her Goku was dead. How could she survive knowing this horrible truth? She walked back to the hammock; her youngest son’s birthday forgotten and pulled the blankets over her head. Tears came spilling out silently while she remained there all alone with the bitter truth. While one celebrated the joys of life, another mourned for the death of another loved one lost.   To Be Continued…