Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ The Beast and the Beauty ❯ Life at the castle ( Chapter 2 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

The Beast and the Beauty
Part two
By Maria Cline

Goku gazed at the room; it was plush with many pillows and paintings. There were various weapons like swords and knives hanging next to the paintings and suits of armor in each corner. "Hmmm... not bad." Goku commented as he flopped on the soft bed. "A lot nicer than sleeping on the ground, that's for sure."

He gazed up to see a giant mirror on the ceiling and cringed. "Oh man... mirrors." It was one of the things he had begun to loathe after his curse. Seeing his beastlike reflection in the mirror was something he couldn't adapt to. Not only was he frightening in appearence, but it was a clear mark of a crime he didn't commit.

"Hey... Goku..." Ox-King said as he knocked on the door. "How... are you liking the place?"

"Just fine, your madjesty." Goku said as he hopped to the floor and bowed. "But... well... the mirror on the ceiling is a problem." Goku said uncomfortably.

"Oh...I'll see you get a different room until you marry my daughter." Ox-King said as he stared at the beast. He was curious about this new suitor. Goku was frightening in appearence but in reality nice and yet mysterious. He wanted to make sure that this beast didn't do anything that would hurt his precious Chi Chi. "So... Goku... are you human or are your species all like that?"

"Nope... I'm... well... it's hard to explain... let's just say that there's no one else like me."

"Oh..." Ox-King muttered in astonishment. It was strange for him to see a beast that's the last of his kind that seem so sweet and enduring. "And... out of curiousity, why do you want to marry my daughter."

"But... I'm getting tired of traveling around all the time... your daughter looked lonely up there. I thought I should stay here for a while. Besides, the food was great!" Goku laughed as he rubbed his stomach.

Ox-King laughed as well. All his fears diminished about this strange beast. It was strange to meet someone who should be dark and brooding because of his appearance to be so... merry and full of life. "Well... you seem like a good guy... maybe the best for my Chi Chi... she does need someone." He looked at the mirrors and said, "I'll have someone cover those mirrors up until you get a new room."

"Thanks." Goku smiled softly as he nodded.

Ox-King left the room and the beast alone.

*****

"You chose a monster as a new husband?!" Princess Bulma Briefs asked as she poured a cup of tea for Chi Chi. The two had been friends ever since their fathers signed a peace agreement. Bulma was a genius and their kingdom was a master of technology. At first glance, they didn't show anything in common. Chi Chi was a cold warrior woman who had vowed not to love any man. Bulma was a constant flirt and searched for any man to be hers. But they formed a unique friendship that defied logic but was logical at the same time. They see each other every chance they had and talked for hours on end.

"Why not? He's docile and any woman, besides you, wouldn't think about flirting with him." Chi Chi reasoned.

"But, he didn't even want to be your husband... he thought he was in a buffet line!" Bulma laughed.

"Well... another reason... he wasn't looking for a wife. I trust him to keep his furry paws off me!" Chi Chi confessed. "Speaking of which... which guy are you going to marry? That desert bandit?"

"No way! That guy's involved with his kitty sidekick!" Bulma screamed, "No way... I'm going for a prince!" She giggled as she got out a map. "I heard of a sleeping warrior prince in a distant land. This map will lead me to him and he must be awakened by a beautiful maiden, namely me."

"Oh come on... a sleeping warrior prince?" Chi Chi asked, "Why him? You don't even know his name!"

"Duh... it's sounds so dreamy... something that only happens once in a lifetime..." Bulma sighed, "And I'm going to get him!"

"When are you leaving?" Chi Chi asked knowing how futile it was to convince Bulma that she is making a big mistake.

"As soon as I get back. But, I want to meet your future hubby... is he that ferocious?" Bulma asked as she winked.

"I don't know..." Chi Chi tapped her cup. "It's like he's a puppy. I just met him but he's... interesting..."

"I bet he is. Come on! Let me see him!" Bulma urged.

"I'm right here." Goku said as he came forward. He changed into his only other spare outfit. After his transformation, getting clothes had been hard for him since he would scare off any store owners, and sewing was something he couldn't quite handle due to his paw like hands. "Hi... I'm... Goku." He said softly as he tensed. **Oh shit! It's Bulma!** Kakarot remembered Bulma from the times he rescued her from monsters while she was on her 'boyfriend hunting' missions. She even flirted with him once while they were running from a giant dragon. Nothing seemed to faze her; she would just recover and go back to boyfriend hunting.

Bulma stared at the beast before her. There was something oddly familiar about his eyes that she couldn't quite place. A deep urging in her insisted that she had seen him before somewhere. "Have... we met?" Bulma asked in a genuinely curious tone.

"I don't think so..." Goku shook his head.

"Hmmm... oh well..." Bulma muttered as she stared into Goku's dark eyes. "I guess..." **Chi Chi's fiance looks so familiar! I don't get it! I'm a genius! I should remember a beast like that!** "I... better get going." Bulma said as she stood up. "I'm going for that sleeping prince and get myself that boyfriend!"

"Good luck." Chi Chi said as she hugged Bulma. "Be careful!"

"I'll be fine... I may not be the most feared human in the world but... I can handle myself." Bulma said as she smiled confidently. "Nice meeting you, Goku."

"Nice meeting you too." Goku sighed as he bowed. He wanted to follow Bulma to make sure she stayed safe. Bulma had this uncanny ability to get into trouble, but she was smart. Maybe she wouldn't need Kakarot to protect her. Besides, he promised he would stay with Chi Chi.

Bulma left and Chi Chi glanced at her fiance. His clothes were torn and patched in many places. His long fur was greasy and clumped together in knots. "When is the last time, you had a bath?" Chi Chi asked as she glared at her fiance.

"Well... it's kinda hard to take a bath sometimes..." Goku replied as he laughed softly.

"Oh brother! I know I wanted a monster as a husband but I have to have one that's presentable! Come on!" Chi Chi grabbed Goku by the paw and dragged him out of the room.

*****

Goku's sensitive nose tingled as Chi Chi filled the bath with warm soapy water. Chi Chi glanced at the beast. **This beast probably never took a bath before in his life.** "Do you know how to take a bath?"

Goku flinched at the remark. "Of course I do! I'm not an animal!" The beast snapped. He may be appear clueless at times and right now he looked more like an animal raised in the wild rather than a respected knight of a powerful kingdom, but he knew how to take a bath!

Chi Chi blinked as she turned red at the fact that she underestimated the creature's intelligence. She turned around as she crossed her arms. "Sorry." She muttered. **Wait... why did I just apologize to this creature?! He's not human.... he's going to be my husband only because I forced him to.** Chi Chi rationalized in her mind. **I must be losing it...** Chi Chi thought as she took some robes and tossed them at Goku. "Here! You can change into these after you clean up, those clothes look awful and use the shampoo too... got it?"

"Yes, Chi Chi." Goku said as he gulped. **Wow, she is frightening... but pretty too...** He shook his head as he noticed his reflection in the water. The beast stared back at him, almost tauntingly. **No! She can't love me... she chose me because she didn't want a husband that's attractive to other girls!** Goku thought sadly as he nodded.

"I have to go... I have training to do. You can go whereever you like... just don't scare anyone off if you can't help it." Chi Chi warned as she walked away.

*****

Goku shook off the water from his drenched fur as he put on his nice clean clothes. One of the problems of having a fur-covered body was the hardship of wet fur that was next to impossible to dry quickly.

He glanced around to see he was alone and put his hands together. A faint fire flowed around his form and quickly dried him out. It was a technique he learned to burn ropes but it could be used to dry fur. It was a spell learned only by Kame Knights, a small technique that was effective for him. That small technique was one of the few things he still can do as a beast. "There..." He sighed in relief as he put on the loose robes and walked down the hallway.

It was vast, like the rest of the castle, obviously built for the Ox-King's giant size. He looked around to see the servants staring and then going back to work.

"He's so hairy..." Someone whispered.

"Look at those teeth."

"I don't know if I want to marry someone like that..."

"I hope he doesn't hear this."

Goku marched down the hall as he closed his robe closer to his body. They had no idea how sensitive his hearing was or how hard it was for him to block out the murmurs. "I hate this..." He muttered when his ears picked up the sounds wooden swords clashing. "What's that?" He wondered as he let the sounds lure him down the hall.

*****

Chi Chi's heart pounded as she held her twin blades in her hands. She was dressed in a purple tank top and shorts. Her long hair was tied up in a pony-tail. Her body was tense as she stared at her trainers. They were exhausted but still standing. Her father had hired the best warriors in the kingdom to battle her and to keep her sharp.

They attacked her at once, like they always did to not give her an advantage. They were paid to make her strong, even paid extra if they managed to hurt her.

In a few swift blows, Chi Chi slashed at her attackers and dodged their strikes. In the end, Chi Chi stood over her 'assailants' rubbing her bruised shoulder.

One of her 'attackers', Tien the powerful triclops, stood up and said, "Princess, you were distracted today."

From the door, Goku gasped in shock at the woman's fighting technique. She was strong, swift, and merciless. Her attacks were fluid like water and feirce like fire. "Whoa..." He muttered. **If Chi Chi did this good distracted, I wonder how good she is if she was focusing completely?**

"I'm fine." Chi Chi commented as she rubbed her bruise. "You did well in hurting me."

"Well... it's our job." Tien said as he and his partners Choutsu, the psychic, and Launch, the chaotic warrior, bowed. "We must get going. My partners and I were hired to escort another princess off to a distant land so she could awake some sleeping prince."

"Bulma." Chi Chi half laughed. "Thank you."

"Your welcome." Tien replied as they left the room. Goku gulped as he rushed behind the door and let the three out.

Chi Chi wiped the sweat off of her brow and glared at the door. "You can come in, Goku."

Goku meekly came in and said, "Sorry... I just heard you training and... well... I thought I could... watch..."

Chi Chi scowled at the beast and the beast backed away. "Don't do that!" She warned, "I don't like it when other people watch me fight! It gives them a chance to observe my techniques and weaknesses!"

"But... you were great... I'm not an enemy." Goku explained, "I'd... never try to hurt you."

"Why? Because, you know I would kill you?" Chi Chi asked as she turned her back.

Goku tilted his head and cautiously put a gentle paw on Chi Chi's shoulder. "Because you're going to be my wife. No man or *ahem* beast has a right to even try to hurt the ones they care about."

Chi Chi flinched at the touch but didn't try to move away. "You just met me... how can you care about me?"

"Because..." Goku trailed off as he tried to think up a good reason. "I... just do..."

"For no reason?" Chi Chi whispered as shocked filled her face. She had never met anyone who actually cared for her like that. Ox-King, her beloved father, cared for her as well, but just because she was his daughter, and only family.

"Yeah..."

The two stood there for a long moment when a loud rumble filled the air. Chi Chi jumped and spun around to see Goku holding his stomach. He laughed a little at Chi Chi's expression and said, "Ummm... I'm hungry, where's the kitchen?"

Chi Chi sighed as she grabbed Goku by the paw again. "This way..." She sighed as she led Goku out of the room. "You love to eat, don't you?" She asked.

"Oh yeah! Eating is one of my favorite hobbies!" Goku gushed, "I have a big appetite..."

"What do you like to eat?" Chi Chi couldn't help but wonder what would this beast eat. Does he eat much meat? Or does he like eating humans?

"Oh... chicken... fish... dragon... fruits... vegetables..." Goku counted out and then added, "I don't eat humans or anything intelligent... for some reason, most people think that I do..." Goku trailed off as he looked down. He knew exactly why most people would think that way. He was a monster to any human and monsters were known to eat humans.

Chi Chi patted him on the paw. Again, she felt guilty for thinking that this beast would do anything like eat humans. "Okay... I'll see if I can get our cooks to get you something."

*****

Chi Chi and the other servants watched in horror as Goku gobbled up plate after plate of food. Small bits of food flew from his mouth as he guzzled down a large glass of root-beer.

After a loud belch, Goku rubbed his stomach. "Ahh... that hits the spot..."

Chi Chi's jaw dropped as she looked at the empty plates. "GOKU?! DON'T YOU HAVE ANY MANNERS?!"

Goku took a napkin and wiped his furry face. Then he looked at the empty plates and the shocked look on everyone's faces. "Oops..." He squeaked. Ever since he transformed, his eating habits had degraded, especially since most of the time, he ate in the woods away from humans.

"I know... you are a beast... but next time... don't wolf down your food like that!" Chi Chi screamed at the top of her lungs.

"Yes, Ma'am." Goku gulped as he shivered.

To Be Continued...