Chi-Chi stood with a relaxed posture, looking out her expansive window through onyx eyes at the sunlit buildings just outside.

The blinding reflection of the shifting sunlight bounced off a line of rectangular windows, causing her to slightly shift her stance in order to avoid the harsh glare. The ice in the glass of liquor she held clanked musically with her movement as she sighed in disappointment at the sound of a newspaper opening behind her.

The little time of tranquility after escaping the courthouse and her trial's resulting media frenzy occurring at the street level down below was being disrupted.

She didn't bother to turn at the inhale preceding the familiar sound of her friend's voice or the words that followed when Bulma began reading, "the notorious Babi Dee was found guilty on several counts of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, grand larceny…yada yada..." Bulma paused to noisily and impatiently turn the page, "…the guilty verdict can be attributed to the formidable prosecuting skills of Ms. Chi-Chi Mao, daughter of the renowned criminal defense attorney, Ox Mao. If not for her well-built case and eloquent summation to the court, Mr. Dee could very well still be roaming the streets along with his elusive and dangerous organization, who still-"

"Alright! Can you just stop? Just. Stop there." The ebony-haired, professionally-attired woman quietly groaned as she swirled the liquor glass in her hand, her gaze still fixed on the view of the calming, picturesque cityscape outside her high rise window.

"This is bullshit, Chi-Chi!" Bulma remarked irately.

Chi-Chi twirled from the window to sight her irate friend, with her paige boy haircut dyed blue, sitting on Chi-Chi's red tufted velvet sofa. Chi-Chi frowned at the other complacently, the stoic look giving a serene air to her fair-skinned, lightly made-up face.

"They know he's going to come after you now!" Bulma continued, "This makes you a prime target! Why aren't there any cops here for your protection?" The indignant woman stood from the couch, slamming the loudly crumpling newspaper into the cushion of the luxe crimson furnishing before she crossed her arms and stubbornly glared at Chi-Chi, awaiting an answer.

"Because I told them no." Chi-Chi firmly replied before sipping the remaining trace of liquor from her glass while coolly eyeing her concerned friend over the rim.

As she swallowed the liquid with a hiss at the burning sensation, she lightly set the glass down on the small marble table behind her. Her friend gawked at her for a minute, her blue eyes wide in shock.

"What?!" The delayed shriek was expected, but Chi-Chi still winced, as did the short, silent bald man who was standing near the door with a professional, dutiful air until the moment that shriek destroyed his composure.

Chi-Chi exhaled a long, heavy breath. "Bulma, I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

"Chi." Bulma stated curtly, dropping a syllable and her chin as she gave her friend a patronizing stare, "you know I say this because I love you..." Chi-Chi narrowed her eyes in annoyance with what she expected Bulma to say next, "but sometimes you can be pathetically naive."

Chi-Chi rolled her eyes as she took a few steps towards Bulma, meeting her near the sofa to boldly confront the elephant in the room.

"I do not need protection. No one is going to 'off' me." Chi-Chi said sternly while Bulma snorted in disbelief at the same time.

"Like I said. Naive." Bulma replied with an arrogant smirk.

Bulma glanced over her shoulder, towards the hired man beside the elevator door while Chi-Chi groaned at Bulma's likely train of thought and annoying persistence. Chi-Chi should have known her friend wouldn't let this go until she had her way. Chi-Chi was regretting opening her mouth and being honest. She should have just lied and told Bulma that her protection would arrive tomorrow.

"It's a good thing I brought Krillin here." Bulma said as she smiled proudly at the startled expression of the guard, who obviously had no expectation of his name being mentioned. "If you don't want the cops, you should at least hire some protection of your own, like I do." Bulma added with a meaningful nod towards Krillin. "Ugh! But how can I leave now? I can't just leave you alone here!" Bulma fretted, raising a hand to nervously gnaw her red lacquer-coated thumbnail.

Chi-Chi tilted her head in considerate observation of the newly acquired mannerism. Bulma was a smoker for years, but recently quit. Still, Chi-Chi noted the worrisome implication of the action.

Out of habit, Chi-Chi nearly offered Bulma a cigarette, which she kept around more out of courtesy to guests like Bulma than for herself, though she did occasionally indulge. She felt fortunate that she was able to stop herself before she uttered what would have been a dangerously tempting offer.

Chi-Chi's hesitance resulted in her opening and closing her painted red lips like a guppy when she had nothing more to say. She hoped Bulma wouldn't notice her near slip, though Bulma was usually very observant.

Chi-Chi quickly added to the conversation to cover her near slip for good measure. "If you want to stay with me tonight, you're more than welcome." Chi-Chi offered, smirking in amusement at Bulma's visible, predictable reaction, which Chi-Chi read like an open book.

Bulma might have been genuinely concerned for Chi-Chi's safety, but Chi-Chi knew Bulma would never risk her own safety in order to procure protection for Chi-Chi. Bulma, and most people who knew of Babi Dee's organization, must have thought staying with Chi-Chi in the aftermath of that trial would be like walking around with a loaded grenade. Chi-Chi noted with amusement that the bodyguard beside the wall didn't seem too keen on the idea either, judging by the expression on his face.

"I can't impose." Bulma replied with a curt, nervous chuckle, followed by a pretty smile. "But I really can't leave you alone." She firmly added before glancing over her shoulder at Krillin again with a pensive groan. "I know! I'll give you my guy!"

Chi-Chi frowned deeply and raised a disbelieving brow at the suggestion. "You want to leave Krillin here?"

"No!" Bulma replied with a sneer in Krillin's direction and shake of her head.

Chi-Chi frowned apologetically on Bulma's behalf at the guard's wounded expression. She couldn't imagine what gave Bulma such a bad impression of the man. He kept quiet enough and seemed serious about his work, though he was obviously eavesdropping on their conversation. In all fairness, though, he was the topic of their discussion.

"Krillin is just a temporary guy that took over for my regular protection while I'm here in the city. He's not nearly as good as my guard." Bulma added with a teasing smirk in Krillin's direction.

As Krillin lowered his head at the comment, Chi-Chi instantly understood that what Bulma claimed had to be at least partially true, because his body language admitted that he agreed to as much.

"Though, I don't really want to give up my guy. He's the best I've ever had." Bulma added with a fond smile and distant gaze.

Chi-Chi smirked teasingly at Bulma. "Oh? Bulma, have you been holding out on me? What is the deal with you and your bodyguard?" Chi-Chi asked with a shark-like, toothy grin.

Bulma gawked in disbelief at Chi-Chi before shaking her head dismissively. "There is nothing going on, Chi-Chi. Though I do admit, I like a good-looking guard, and among the ones I've had, he's pretty impressive."

Chi-Chi lowered her chin and raised her brows at Bulma as if to say 'I told you so'.

"But," Bulma forcefully added as she scowled at Chi-Chi's look, "he is also the best at what he does, and the only one I've ever hired who hasn't tried to sneak a peek at me when I'm dressing, or tried to steal my shit, or made a move on me, or pestered me for financial favors. He is completely trustworthy." Bulma smiled with a curt nod at her satisfaction with her defense to Chi-Chi's accusation, and then crossed her arms sternly.

"So that is why I'm keeping him. But you can't rely on Krillin and," Bulma quickly pressed her index finger to Chi-Chi's lips as Chi-Chi was already opening her mouth to object, "you can't stay here alone. I will not return to Capsule Corporation knowing you are all alone and vulnerable in this penthouse, no matter how tough you are, Ms. Mao!" Bulma yelled stubbornly.

Chi-Chi groaned and rubbed her forehead in defeat. "Bulma-"

"No! Krillin will stay until I send a replacement. And I will have the same company that employs my guy send their best available trained man to you. I'll even pay his salary, and pay to have him flown over here for you if he's not located in this city. I'll even pay for his food if that makes it easier on you. There is no excuse for you to refuse this, Chi-Chi!" Bulma demanded as she hurriedly crossed the expansive, carpeted room, destined for the coat rack beside Krillin, who stepped aside warily at Bulma's hasty approach.

"How about...I like my privacy? How'sthat for a reason? I don't want to be treated like a guarded criminal, Bulma!" Chi-Chi adamantly objected even as Bulma retrieved her phone from her hanging coat pocket and dialed a number with the press of a few buttons. "Bulma, what are you doing? Don't." Chi-Chi objected as she slumped in defeat and Bulma ignored Chi-Chi's plea.

Bulma placed the phone to her ear with a sly grin. "Yes. This is Bulma Brief. Get my assistant on the line, please." Bulma glanced over her shoulder at Chi-Chi with a reassuring smile as she waited. Then she smiled and turned her gaze away from Chi-Chi to resume speaking into the phone, "My plane should be arriving there at 9 a.m. tomorrow. Have my car ready, inform my driver, and tell Goku to meet me at the airport when I arrive. Also," Bulma added with a triumphant smile and a glance in Chi-Chi's direction, "tell the protection service to send their best available guy to this address. I'll be hiring an additional for my friend, Chi-Chi, who desperately needs itright now." Bulma added with a stern glare at Chi-Chi, who stubbornly glared right back at Bulma.

Chi-Chi couldn't believe Bulma was going through with this. Even more so, Chi-Chi couldn't believe that she was allowing it to happen. Maybe, subconsciously, she did realize the true danger of her situation.

After all, if Majin Buu was also behind bars now with Babi Dee, she could sleep soundly. The brains of the operation hardly felt like a threat on his own, but his right hand man, the muscle…that man was a cold blooded killer, and her putting his boss away must've really threatened the monstrous criminal's standing. Ifhe ever attacked her, she did have some doubts about whether her street smarts and lifetime of martial arts training could really keep her safe.

"Yes," Bulma smiled into her phone, "we'll sort out all of those details tomorrow, then. Thank you, Oolong." Bulma turned off her phone with a smug grin before returning it to her pocket.

"So…I'm staying here for tonight, Miss Brief?" Krillin asked hesitantly.

Chi-Chi blinked in surprise at the sound of his nasally voice. Though they'd spent several hours in the same room, those were the first words he'd uttered in Chi-Chi's presence.

Bulma nodded to Krillin. "Yes, Krillin. You'll protect Chi-Chi for tonight. Then it's back to work as usual, I suppose." Bulma added with an indifferent shrug.

Krillin nodded fervently before straightening his posture in a bold display, his professional suit adjusting as well with his straightened posture. "Yes, Miss Brief. Ms. Mao, I promise you are in good hands." Krillin assured Chi-Chi with a slight bow before he walked off, down the hall of Chi-Chi's penthouse.

Chi-Chi stared in disbelief as she watched the man walk himself around in her home without invitation. "Bulma! What is he doing?" Chi-Chi complained.

Bulma waved a dismissive hand before retrieving her ivory wool coat from the coat rack. "He has to check the place first, Chi-Chi. For all we know, Majin Buu could have planted a bomb in your penthouse while you were in court today." Bulma admitted before gasping in realization and clapping a hand over her mouth. "I mean-"

"Bulma, I'm not worried," Chi-Chi interrupted, crossing her arms angrily and glaring down the hall. Bulma pulled her coat over her arms with an apologetic frown as Chi-Chi gritted her teeth and added, "just annoyed. This is exactly what I was trying to avoid." Chi-Chi winced at the sounds of Krillin searching through her things, likely ruining her home's careful cleanliness and organization in the process.

Bulma clapped Chi-Chi on the back unapologetically. "You'll thank me for this when I come back in three months or so, and you realize you're still alive. It'll be all thanks to me and my generosity." Bulma sang with an arrogant smile as Chi-Chi scowled at her.

Chi-Chi kept her arms tightly crossed to contain her fists, because with that smug grin on Bulma's face and the noisy shuffling of Krillin's search through her domain, Chi-Chi was feeling incredibly tempted to punch her well-meaning friend in the smug face for this imposition.

Krillin returned from his searching with a serious expression. "It looks clear."

"I could have told you that." Chi-Chi grumbled, glaring at the shorter man, who frowned apologetically at her intimidating visage. "So now I'm supposed to just let some stranger into my home tomorrow, whoever this service of yours sends?" Chi-Chi asked Bulma, following her friend as she marched towards the front door with Krillin in tow.

"Yes. They'll let you know who he is first, Chi-Chi." Bulma replied with a flippant roll of her eyes. "It's not like I expect you to allow some suspicious stranger in here at a time like this. For now, Krillin will stay here. You know him." Bulma added with a smile at Krillin, who smiled warily back at Chi-Chi, who was frowning dubiously at Krillin.

"Barely." Chi-Chi grumbled peevishly.

"And tomorrow your new guy will keep you even safer. Don't worry," Bulma added, grasping Chi-Chi's wrist as she forced her friend to meet her close, intense gaze, "I'm sure if you could put Babi Dee away, you can get that Majin Buu guy, too. Then you'll have nothing to worry about anymore. You'll be perfectly safe. Until then, I just want to make sure someone is around to keep you that way. And I'll see you again in a few months." Bulma added with a smile before endearingly wrapping her arms around Chi-Chi in a hug.

Chi-Chi hesitantly hugged back and opened her mouth to reply, something she'd been attempting to do the entire time Bulma was speaking, though Bulma wouldn't give her a word in edgewise as she hurriedly pulled away from the embrace.

"Bye, hon." Bulma smiled. "And congratulations again on winning your big case!"

"B-bye, Bulma." Chi-Chi replied, frowning deeply as Bulma slid through the door, allowing it to close behind her. Chi-Chi continued frowning at the closed door as Krillin stood beside her, looking on expectantly at Chi-Chi, for what, Chi-Chi didn't know.

After a while of being on the receiving end of useless gawking, Chi-Chi lowered her brows angrily towards the door.

"What?"

"Uh!" Krillin replied, startled by Chi-Chi's irritated tone. "I can spend the night on the couch if you feel that it's close enough to be safe!"

Chi-Chi frowned at Krillin, shaking her head slowly in disbelief. "That ismore than close enough." She uttered through clenched teeth before heading to her master bedroom and slamming the door closed behind her.

She didn't know how this all had spiraled out of her control, all from winning a successful case she had been working on for months, which should have been a triumphant experience. And now her life was slipping out of her control. She would be babysat by strangers and treated like a pariah by the wary people closest to her until the next criminal on her list was prosecuted.

After pacing in her room for a while in deep thought, the guilty, nagging feeling of being so abrupt with Krillin became too relentless to ignore. Chi-Chi growled with frustration as she swung her door open and stormed into her main living area, to find Krillin watching her television, casually seated on the red sofa where Bulma had been earlier. She stared disbelievingly at the relaxed man, whose gaze averted from his show for only a second to give Chi-Chi a friendly smile.

She was prepared to come out and apologize for her rudeness, to offer him something to eat perhaps. She was expecting to find him standing guard at the door, or observing the street below them through her floor to ceiling, expansive windows, but to find him seated casually on her couch, looking lazy and unprepared when he was being paid to guard her life, Chi-Chi felt infuriated by the sight of it. There would be no apology coming from her now.

"Isn't there something you're supposed to be doing right now?" Chi-Chi questioned as she crossed her arms and assumed a haughty stance.

Krillin glanced from the television again, his big, black eyes immediately widening in alarm at Chi-Chi's angered expression. "Yes, Ms. Mao!"

Krillin shot to his feet, grabbing the remote and clicking off the show before assuming a rigid posture. He resembled a military man in that moment, and Chi-Chi suddenly felt like a drill sergeant as Krillin stood at attention, as if awaiting his orders. A bead of sweat trickled down Krillin's forehead as he continued watching her, fully alert and rigid.

Chi-Chi felt her downturned upper lip twitch into a smile before she laughed aloud. "I'm sorry, Krillin." Chi-Chi apologized, still giggling with a dismissive shake of her head as the man relaxed with a bemused expression on his face, likely having trouble processing her quick change in demeanor.

"Do you want something to eat? A drink, maybe?" Chi-Chi sighed as she walked into her modern, sleekly designed kitchen without awaiting an answer.

She didn't know what came over her when she scolded Krillin. She reminded herself that she didn't even want protection in the first place. What did it matter to her whether the man protecting her did his job well or not?

"Uh…sure. What do you have to eat?" Krillin replied as Chi-Chi opened the refrigerator.

"Well…to be honest…" Chi-Chi admitted as she gazed into the sparse contents of the pristine white box of her refrigerator's interior, "I've been so busy with this case and spending so much time in my office, that I haven't been keeping much food around. I wasn't expecting company." Chi-Chi added tersely as she narrowed her eyes without meeting Krillin's gaze. "Here." She relented as her eyes settled on a bowl of cut fruit. "This will do for now. I have some frozen dinners for later. I'll just have to go shopping tomorrow." She explained as she pulled the bowl from the fridge, swinging the door closed with a smooth movement of her hips before turning around to place the bowl on the granite countertop.

"Thanks." Krillin replied, taking a seat at one of the wrought iron barstools across the countertop from Chi-Chi.

She handed him a fork and a plate, and he helped himself as Chi-Chi grabbed another set, doing the same. They ate quietly for a moment, curiously inspecting one another.

"So…you've worked for Bulma before?" Chi-Chi asked conversationally.

"No. This is the first time I've worked for Bulma Brief. I already knew of her, just never met her before." Krillin explained with a dismissive shrug.

Chi-Chi shrugged to herself as well. Bulma was the heiress to the world renowned billion dollar corporation, Capsule Corp, hence her need for bodyguards. It figured that someone in Krillin's line of work should have known of her, especially when she was already being guarded for the past few years by someone from his company.

"And how do you and Miss Brief know one another?" Krillin questioned curiously, raising his gaze from his food to smile amicably at Chi-Chi.

Chi-Chi smiled before poking her fork into another piece of fruit. "Bulma and I go way back. We went to school together." Chi-Chi explained indifferently as she lazily waved her loaded fork in the air. She then bit the fruit with a snap of her teeth as Krillin lowered his head and resumed eating. A long silence ensued as the pair finished their snack in silence.

"She means well, by all of this," Chi-Chi finally added quietly as she stood to clear the mess from her kitchen, "but I really can protect myself." Chi-Chi spun around with the fruit bowl in her arms and was startled when a gentle hand landed on one of her arms. She stopped abruptly and shifted her gaze to meet Krillin's serious expression.

"Hey. I don't doubt you, but you really need to let me do my job. And the guy that comes to replace me tomorrow, I'm sure you can manage to get along with him if you can find a different way to look at this. Your friend did do this because she cares, so you don't want to let down the people who care about you by refusing help, right?"

Chi-Chi sighed in defeat, rubbing her forehead with a massaging motion of her fingers. She knew Krillin had a point. If anything ever did happen to her, her father, Bulma, and her other close friends would be devastated. She had a responsibility to take what help she could get.

"Maybe you're right. But I don't have to like this." Chi-Chi added stubbornly as she resumed cleaning the kitchen.

The evening finished uneventfully, with more small talk, much in the same way as that afternoon had gone.

Krillin told Chi-Chi a little more about himself, informing her that he had a wife and a young daughter. He explained that his wife used to be a big name in the fashion industry when Krillin was assigned to protect her, which was how they met, but now she stayed home to raise their child.

Chi-Chi couldn't help developing a growing fondness towards Krillin. She was almost sorry he had to be replaced in the morning. Though, after what she'd witnessed through the day, she did see Bulma's point about him not being the best at what he did. Krillin seemed like he could be a great friend, but a great bodyguard, she highly doubted.

The next morning, Chi-Chi awoke to the startling bell-like ringing of her cell phone. She rubbed her eyes as she stretched towards the nightstand and reached her free hand toward the electronic glow of her ringing phone, which contrasted with the shade-darkened atmosphere of her room.

Holding the phone in front of her face, Chi-Chi recognized the caller's name and groaned it aloud as she placed the phone to her ear.

"Bulma?"

"Chi-Chi…are you alright?"

"I was until someone called me at," Chi-Chi craned her neck towards the fluorescent red digital display of her alarm clock to check the time, "nine a.m. on a Saturday."

"Oh. Well, it's really not that early, Chi-Chi. Anyways, I just got in to West City and you'll never believe what happened." Chi-Chi opened her mouth to reply, but Bulma hardly paused before animatedly continuing, "You have no idea how much you owe me now. I mean, you better really appreciate what I am sacrificing for y-"click.

"Bulma?" Chi-Chi waited a tick and then sighed with exhaustion as she set the phone back on her white lacquer nightstand. Whatever Bulma was dealing with, Chi-Chi decided Bulma could wait until later to share.

Chi-Chi laid her head back on her fluffy, down-filled pillow, yawning in contentment before that disruptive ring sounded again. Her eyes widened at the disruption as she swiped the phone from the nightstand and lifted it above her face in her reclined position, before she tapped the little round, red phone icon on the screen and placed the phone back on the dresser.

She knew Bulma would take the hint. Chi-Chi didn't want to talk right now. She was tired. Chi-Chi rolled to her side, wrapping the plush comforter in her fists and humming serenely at the comfortable, relaxing feeling, until that shrill ring haunted her for a third time.

"Dammit, Bulma!" Chi-Chi yelled, slapping at her blankets before irately spinning towards her nightstand. "What is it?" Chi-Chi asked as she placed the phone to her ear.

"-eeee! Chi-Chi Mao, you Nazi!My friend that I just visited! I'll be on the phone for a few minutes! Go wait in the car!"Bulma yelled loudly as Chi-Chi grimaced at the noise and pulled the phone from her ear until Bulma addressed her in a lower and calmer voice.

"Bulma, what is going on over there?"

"I've been trying to tell you, Chi." Bulma huffed, her voice laced with irritation. "I talked to the protection service last night, and they placed you with a guy who they assure me is the best available at what he does."

"Well, that sounds promising." Chi-Chi replied. She really didn't like waking up to the reminder ofthat situation.

"Yeah. I hope so." Bulma grumbled dubiously.

Chi-Chi quirked a brow at the unexpected response. "Bulma?"

Bulma sighed loudly over the phone before groaning at something. "This professional they found refused to leave West City. He apparently has something against Satan City."

"So they have to find someone else."

"No. Actually, Goku knows the guy and owed him a favor, so they worked it out between themselves, without my knowledge, that they would trade positions."

"Goku?" Chi-Chi questioned as slowly sat up in bed and knitted her brows pensively at the vaguely familiar name.

"My guy, Chi! MY great, reliable guy is on a plane right now, headed for Satan City for your protection, while I'm stuck with the stubborn asshole who better be as good as they say, because this guy is really pissing me off already and I just met him!"

"Really?" Chi-Chi questioned dumbly.

"Really." As she tiredly ran her fingers along her scalp and through the length of her hair, Chi-Chi couldn't help snickering in amusement at Bulma's deadpanned tone. It really sounded like Bulma was in for a rough ride with her new protection. "It's not funny, Chi-Chi."

"So…you're telling me that I have this excellent guard coming here who you didn't want to share?" Chi-Chi asked with a wide smile as she fell back into her soft mattress. Her loose silky, ebony locks cascaded across the pillow as she stretched languidly on the bed. "I guess this won't be so bad after all." Chi-Chi teased, not that she felt any more comfortable about the whole idea of being protected by someone that would be intruding in her life, but she enjoyed getting a rise out of Bulma. "Then again, if you still want to keep him to yourself, we can forget about this whole terrible idea of yours, Bulma. I can just send him right back to you." Chi-Chi offered with a glimmer of hope.

"No way." Bulma stubbornly replied. "I'll just have to deal, but like I said, you owe me."

"It's hardly fair that I should have to owe you for something you're forcing on me, Bulma." Chi-Chi replied into the phone with a petulant frown.

"This is what friends are for, Cheech." Bulma replied cheekily. When she spoke again, her tone had returned to one of irritation,"When Goku gets there, you let him know how pissed I am about this. He's going to be so sorry when he gets back here. He had no business making that decision without me. This jerk friend of his is going to make my life miserable for the next few months! I can see it now!"

"I'm sure it's not that bad. You probably have to get to know the guy." Chi-Chi said consolingly. She narrowed her eyes perceptively as she listened to the sound of another, deeper voice in the background through the phone before Bulma growled audibly into the receiver.

"I have to go. My new guard insists we need to leave the airport now." Bulma said with such a cynical tone that Chi-Chi could practically see her friend's eyes rolling. "Bye, Chi."

"Bye, B-"click.–ulma."Chi-Chi huffed at the abrupt ending to their conversation before tossing her phone on the nightstand again and throwing her blankets aside. She was wide awake after ending that conversation.

Chi-Chi laid awake in bed with no idea what to expect when Goku would arrive that day. She had no idea what to expect over the course of the next few months, even. She only knew her life would be much different than it was before that guilty verdict of Babi Dee's trial put her life in a tailspin, one that would change her life in more ways than she knew.