Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ The Beast and the Beauty ❯ The Night Before the Tournament ( Chapter 4 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

The Beast and the Beauty
Part Four
By Maria Cline

It was a short journey to the Tournament grounds, which were in the middle of Lord Seru's estate. There was a huge garden with many statues of past warriors lining the path. Goku and the others stared around and noticed a couple of statues of Sir Gohan and Ox-King. Chi Chi stared up at the giant statue of her father and smiled. "My father was a good fighter." She said.

"Yes, he is, but you are better." Eighteen said as she looked around.

"Hello..." A deep voice boomed as the group looked over to see a tall man in black and green armor standing at the door of the stadium. "I am Lord Seru, the proprietor of the Tournament and one of the warriors." His face was a light shade of green and his eyes were dark. He was beautiful in his own way and caused Goku and Krillian to feel pretty ugly.

"I am Princess Chi Chi of the Fire Mountain Kingdom and this is my fiance, Goku." Chi Chi introduced.

"Ah... the beauty and the beast." Lord Seru said as he held out his hand. "I've heard a great deal about you two."

"Beauty and the beast?" Goku repeated, "Ummm... thanks."

Lord Seru smiled predatorily at Eighteen and said, "And you must be Eighteen... where is your twin brother?"

Eighteen found herself shaking in response to the man's glare. There was something about him that made her want to run away and the bodyguard is rarely afraid of anyone. "How do you know about me and my brother?" She asked.

"I have my ways." Lord Seru said as he took the woman's hand and gently kissed it. Eighteen jerked her hand away.

Krillian saw the look of fear in his wife's eyes. How could she be so afraid of this man? There was something deeply sinister around him despite his appearance. "Leave her alone." Krillian warned as he went between his wife and the lord.

"Fine... anyway... you must have a long journey. Tonight, why don't you rest with the other fighters? Tomorrow, we fight." Lord Seru said as he opened the door. "Why don't you come in?"

Goku glared at Lord Seru as he nodded. There was something not right about him. But, what could he do? It was the lord's castle and he was a guest. **Better keep an eye on him.** He thought as he stepped closer to Chi Chi.

*****

Inside, the palace was beautiful with many paintings and suits of armor lining the halls. "This is beautiful." Goku said as he gawked around.

"Much nicer than our palace." Chi Chi admitted.

"Yes... I do like collecting things... it is one of my favorite hobbies." He smirked at Eighteen again and the woman just shivered slightly. She didn't like the way Lord Seru was looking at her.

"Well... I like eating and gardening." Goku spoke up as he tried to get Lord Seru from staring at Eighteen like a piece of meat.

"Gardening?" Lord Seru repeated, "Well... all fighters like to do something... in the main reception room is where the other warriors are at. Eat all you like and enjoy the night..." Lord Seru said as he opened the doors. He walked away thinking, **For it may be your last.**

Goku and the others walked into vast dining room filled with candles and music. All around there were knights, bandits, monsters, demons, sorcerers, and even a few other monks walking around talking and showing off their strength. "Whoa..." Goku muttered.

"I say..." Chi Chi commented as she looked around.

"CHI CHI?!" A familiar voice squeaked.

Chi Chi spun on her heel and saw Bulma running up to her. "Bulma!" Chi Chi screamed as she hugged her. "You're still alive!"

"Well duh! I told you I can handle myself." Bulma bragged.

"And we were there to protect her." Tien said as he, Choutsu, and Launch came up.

"Tien, Choutsu, Launch!" Chi Chi exclaimed, "How was the adventure?"

Tien sighed deeply. "Well... it was interesting... fighting off a group of posing demons who called themselves 'The Ginyu Force'... then there was the dragon... and don't get me started on fighting King Kold..."

"But it was all worth it!" Bulma gushed as she ran to one of the buffet tables and dragged up a short man with dark eyes and spiky hair. He was dressed in a black leather vest and leather pants with white gloves and boots. "This is my warrior prince, Vegita! Vegita... this is Chi Chi... her fiance Goku... Bodyguard Eighteen and..." Bulma glanced at the monk and said, "Who are you?"

"He's my husband, Krillian." Eighteen commented.

"You're married to shorty here?" Vegita asked as he stiffled a laugh.

"Like you could talk about height." Bulma smarted off as she looked down at the slightly shorter man. "Don't listen to him, he has a huge ego."

"If you managed to wake me up, you must have a larger ego." Vegita snapped back.

Bulma glared at him and then Goku spoke up. "Hey! You're that sleeping Saiyan prince?"

"Of course, I am the Saiyan prince!" Vegita boasted, "I am the most powerful of all Saiyans!" He looked down, "Before that Namekian sorcerer killed most of them off..."

"Yeah..." Goku muttered as he looked down. "the past does come back to haunt you."

"Don't remind me, Goku." Vegita ordered, "How did you hear about me being a Saiyan?" He asked as he raised an eyebrow.

"I... heard many things while I was traveling." Goku replied and laughed nervously.

"I see..." Vegita said as he stared at the beast. There was something unique about him that he couldn't understand. Of course he was a monster, but Vegita couldn't care less about that. His other senses told him that he was different and yet the same as himself. "Well... you look fairly strong. I hope we get to fight."

"As do I, Prince Vegita." Goku said as he bowed. He looked at the buffet table and licked his lips. "Hmmm... looks good..." He went over to the table and picked up a huge plate and started piling on the food.

"Goku... he always thinks with his heart and stomach." Chi Chi sighed as she shook her head.

Bulma looked at her life long friend and nearly giggled. Chi Chi had obviously changed since the last time she saw her. The coldness was almost gone from her form and spoke almost lovingly. Then, there was the way she seemed to look at her beastly fiance.

"You love him don't you?" Bulma giggled at her friend.

"No, I don't." Chi Chi denied as her cheeks turned red.

"You're blushing!" Bulma laughed as Chi Chi looked down and tried to fight off the blush.

"We're just good friends." Chi Chi insisted as her face turned redder.

"Uh huh... sure..." Bulma said skeptically, "I know how you are..."

"Look... he's sweet... and kind... and he makes me smile but I'm not in love." Chi Chi said as she crossed her arms. "What about you two?"

Bulma glanced at Vegita who was joining Goku back at the buffet and replied, "We're getting to know each other. I know he may seem arrogant and full of himself but... he's great in bed."

"You two..." Chi Chi asked as she pointed to Bulma and Vegita. "Already?"

"Those two were at it like bunnies the first night we left them alone." Tien said as he smirked.

"That's not true! It wasn't the first night!" Bulma insisted. She turned red and added, "It was the second time..."

"I'm getting some funky images..." Krillian said as he turned green, "Eighteen, hon, I'm going to the buffet table... are you okay?"

"Of course, dear." Eighteen said as the monk walked off to the table.

"Eighteen... I've been meaning to ask you, what do you see in Krillian?" Chi Chi asked, almost baffled about the bodyguard and the monk.

"Well..." Eighteen smirked, "He's cute... and he's great in bed, too."

"Krillian?! But..." Chi Chi glanced at the short monk, "he's so shy and quiet..."

"Not when we're alone together..." Eighteen smirked as Chi Chi and Bulma turned red.

"Well... looks like what they say about short men are true." Bulma laughed as Eighteen blushed slightly and nodded. "What about your beast?" Bulma asked Chi Chi, "Did you and he...?"

"No! Not yet..." Chi Chi blushed as she thought of the possible honeymoon. "I mean... well... the marriage is just for convenience."

"Yeah... sure... and I have some desert land in Florida for sale." Bulma commented as she smirked. "Admit it, you are excited about the beast."

"I am not!" Chi Chi denied again as she turned red. **Why does everyone think that I have feelings for Goku? Sure, he's nice... and warm... and he's the first one who could make me feel so... oh damn it... stop thinking about him!**

Meanwhile, Goku, Vegita, and Krillian sat at the table with their plates filled with to the rim with food. "Oh yeah..." Goku said as he took a huge sandwich and stuffed it down his throat.

"Hmmm..." Vegita agreed as he stuffed his food in his mouth. "Not bad." Vegita said as he started cutting his meat. "Much better than the outdoors."

"You said it!" Krillian agreed as they started eating.

After a few minutes, Goku swollowed his food and asked, "So... Vegita... wha'cha think of Bulma?"

"She's okay... she did wake me up from that slumber." Vegita commented, "And... she's great in bed..." He added evilly.

"Yeah... Eighteen's great in bed too..." Krillian sighed, "What about Chi Chi, Goku?"

Goku looked down. "We didn't do it yet. For her, this marriage thing is for convenience... besides, we didn't get married yet..."

"But you love her now?" Krillian guessed and then took another bite.

Goku sighed as he held the food in his hands. "She's wonderful... strong, beautiful, and has that feeling about her that makes you want to follow her to hell... of course, I don't know if she feels the same for me... after all... I'm a beast."

"Well... you're one cool beast." Krillian complimented, "Way nicer than most humans I know. And Chi Chi really loves you... Eighteen and everyone else saw how you changed her. Why... I bet you're the best thing that happened to her!"

"Maybe..." Goku said as he blushed under his fur. He would really like Chi Chi to love him, even as a beast.

Vegita glanced around and stiffened. "Damn it..." He said as he took his knife and held it like a weapon.

"Huh?" Krillian asked as he and Goku looked around. Goku's sharp eyes fell upon one man who was sitting in the corner and he let out a distinguished growl.

"Piccolo..." Goku growled as his fur stood on end. Krillian was confused as the two warriors visibly tensed up and glared at the sorcerer.

"Who's he?" Krillian asked as he looked at a green man wearing a turban and a strange purple outfit with a white cape.

"That bastard put me to sleep." Vegita explained as he held his knife tighter. "I'm going to kill him."

"No!" Goku spoke up as he put his paw on Vegita's hand. "He's powerful... if he could kill almost every Saiyan in the kingdoms, just think how easy he could do the same to you."

Vegita growled as he gripped the knife tighter. Blood slowly dripped down the knife, Vegita's blood. "Damn it..." He grumbled as he released his grip. He hated it when a stranger was right. He was no match for the sorcerer. For some reason, he had the power of three Namekian sorcerers and he wasn't sure why. "If he touches Bulma... he will pay." He vowed.

Goku nodded in agreement as he glared at the man who took away his humanity. He couldn't help but feel angry at the sorcerer. After all, Piccolo blamed him for crimes he would never commit. It was unfair for Piccolo to transform him into this beast form he had adapted to.

Piccolo looked up and Goku growled slightly. The sorcerer scowled back at the beast and the prince, stood up, and left.

"Weird." Krillian muttered as he glanced at Goku. While he didn't know Vegita or Saiyans, he knew Goku and he had never seen Goku so angry in his life. Of course, there moments when Goku would have a fit about people calling him a monster but this time, the beast glared at Piccolo like he wanted him dead. "Goku? You okay?"

"Yeah..." Goku said as he shook off the anger and smiled slightly at the monk. "I'm fine... let's eat the rest of this."

*****

After a hardy meal, the group gathered again. "Full?" Bulma asked as Vegita put away his plate.

"Very..." Vegita agreed.

"That was good." Goku complimented to one of the servants.

The servant didn't say anything. Instead, he just picked up the empty plates and walked away.

"These servants are quiet." Eighteen commented as they walked out.

"A little too quiet." Goku added, "You would think they would talk to the guests or about the guests..."

"There's something I don't like about this place..." Eighteen admitted, "Lord Seru and this place... it's... not right..."

"Well... we don't leave each other alone then. Tonight could be deadly." Vegita said as he looked around for Piccolo. "Bulma... do you know the sorcerer that put me to sleep for all that time?"

"Yeah..." Bulma said as she nodded slightly almost dreading what her prince had to tell her.

"Well... he's here." Vegita whispered, "Keep a good distance away from him."

"Maybe he's done with his vengeance." Goku suggested, "I mean... how long have you slept?"

"Five long years..." Vegita said as he looked down. He didn't let anyone know that he was fully aware of the long painful sleep. Every day on that bed was like an eternity to him. Not being able to move or even to open his eyes was hard on his pride. He didn't want to go through something like that ever again.

"Okay... why don't we dance for a while?" Goku asked as he glanced at Piccolo, who was just sitting in the corner meditating. "We can't show him how nervous we are tonight."

"Dancing sounds good." Chi Chi agreed as she stared at the warriors started to dance together. She looked up at her fiance and Goku stared at the floor.

"Want to... dance?" Goku asked awkwardly as he held out his paw.

Chi Chi stared at the paw and then at his face. Quickly she put her hand in his and said, "Of course."

The two walked hand in hand to the dance floor.

"And now... here's the group Backstreet Boys with the song... 'The One'!" A young woman who seemed to be the announcer said as a group of teenage boys came up on stage.

(I'll be the one...)

Goku and Chi quickly went into position as the group sang.

(I guess you were lost when I met you
Still there were tears in your eyes)

Goku found himself deep within those lyrics. It was like when he first saw Chi Chi. When, he saw the loneliness within the proud woman's heart.

(So out of trust and I knew
No more than mysteries and lies)

Chi Chi was entranced by Goku. He was mysterious but she could trust him with her life. His strong yet gentle hands held her so comfortably.

(There you were, wild and free
Reachin' out like you needed me)

**Who needed who?** Chi Chi thought as she danced alongside Goku.

(A helping hand to make it right
I am holding you all through the night)

(I'll be the one
Who will make all your sorrows undone)

The two wondered if the other was the key to their happiness.

(I'll be the light
When you feel like there's nowhere to run
I'll be the one...)

(To hold you and make sure that you'll be alright
'Cause my faith is gone
And I want to take you from darkness to light)

The darkness from Chi Chi's heart had lifted since she had met Goku. It was a comforting feeling.

(You need me like I need you
We can share our dreams comin' true
I can show you what true love means
Just take my hand, baby please)

Goku stared down at Chi Chi's hand in his. It was true that they need each other. She needed him for his warmth and he needed her for her courage.

The boys sang on as Goku and Chi Chi held each other close, both absorbed into the song.

(I'll be the one) The boys sang as the warriors applauded the strange melody. Goku and Chi Chi didn't applaud, they just held each other close.

To Be Continued...