Title: The Last Will: Pilaf Saga
Pairings: canon couples
Genre: Action/Adventure/Humor/Romance
Warnings: none
Rating: PG (K+)
Chapters: 1/?
Status: WIP
Word Count: 2205
Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ nor the characters.
Summary: What if Grandpa Gohan's last will was for Goku to leave the Forest and live with other people? How would it affect the search of the Dragon Balls? And will Earth have more defenders? A What-if rewrite of the original DB(Z) series.
Dedication: This story is dedicated to all Goku/Chichi shippers out there. Thank you all for the support and feedback on my G/CC one-shots (still surprised at the feedback those are getting…), hopefully you'll enjoy this project of mine, as well.
A/N Here is the first Chapter in which Goku meets new friends.
Enjoy!
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Chapter One
A Turtle Way of Taking a Walk
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It has been two weeks since Goku has left Mt Paozu to fulfill his Grandpa's last wish. After the shock had worn off he buried his dead Grandfather near his favorite tree then gathered the remaining clothes, as well as the Power Pole and Si Xin Qui – the Four Star Ball, his two most precious possessions that were left by his late Grandfather. He left in the north direction catching his food whenever he was hungry and sleeping on trees or in the cave if he was lucky enough. He liked the wilderness but now it brought him the painful memory of his Grandpa, for the two of them used to spend their nights outside quite often.
A loud grumbling noise interrupted Goku's musings and he grabbed his tummy.
"You want something to fill ya, dontcha?" he asked smiling. "We'll find ya some good stuff!"
He focused on the noises around him and grinned, happily. Yes! He could hear the river nearby, he could eat a fish! He ran swiftly in that direction, jumping and swinging around the trees, until he arrived at his goal.
The water was crystal clear and Goku could see some big fishes swimming there unsuspectingly. He grinned to himself and put down his small package near the tree then stripped his clothes away. Now, how did Grandpa catch those fishes? He jumped to the water waiting for it to stop shimmering.
When finally the waves calmed enough for the boy to see through, Goku gasped confused. All the fishes were gone! He scratched his head puzzled. Oh, right! He shouldn't have jumped in! He scared them away! Grandpa had always scolded him for doing so. Oh, well; he will have to wait a bit till they return.
It didn't take long for the fishes to be back and Goku grinned seeing a rather large one near his leg. He dived ready to catch it, feeling triumphant as he held it in his chubby hands. But the fish had other ideas and it wiggled and wiggled while its slimy scales slipped from the small boy's hands. Goku frowned. Getting his dinner won't be as easy as he thought at first.
He tried different ways to catch all various sized fishes, either jumping in the water, or hugging his prey afterwards, or catching it by its tail. Finally he caught a rather small one. Oh well, it will have to do. He thought, jumping up from the water. He was starting to feel cold from standing too long in the running spring water. As he ate his modest lunch and vowed to perfect his fishing abilities from now on.
Finally Goku gathered his possessions and started walking once more. The forest cleared and a beautiful meadow stretched before him. He watched everything around him, humming some old song his Grandpa tried to sing to him once. But the old man was a bad singer so now Goku more like improvised then recalled the original melody.
"Upmf." Goku said as he stumbled on the road. "What the-?" he looked up and blinked.
"Hello!"
"Ah!" Goku scrambled away. "A rock is talking to me!" he yelped, startled.
"I'm not a rock. I'm a turtle." The rock, now known as the Turtle, said slowly. "Do you know where the sea is?"
"Sea?" Goku repeated puzzled. "What's that?"
"What?" The Turtle blinked at him. "The sea, well, it's a big water." The Turtle explained. "Do you know where it is?"
"No. I've seen a river that way." He told him. "Is that it?"
The Turtle sighed, resignedly. "No. But the river should end up by the sea." The Turtle said. "Which way it was flowing?"
"The way you are coming from." Goku replied, getting up from his sitting position. "Why are you looking for this sea?" He asked curious.
"I live there." The Turtle replied then sighed. "If it goes the way I came from, it means I've been going in the wrong direction for the past three weeks…" His shoulders slumped. "I got lost again; Master Roshi will have his day, hearing this." He sighed once more. "Oh, well; I'd better turn around and start walking back, if I want to be home by the end of the month."
Goku cocked his head to the right, watching the strange creature walk away. "Wow, you move slowly." He stated bluntly but innocently.
"I am a turtle, after all." The Turtle replied not stopping in his walk.
"I know!" Goku said suddenly in a bright and excited voice. "I'll help you get there!"
"What?" This time the Turtle stopped to turn his head and stare at him. "How will you do that?"
"Simply. I'll carry you there." Goku said and smiled his trademark, happy smile.
"Whaa-" before the Turtle could question him, Goku had it on his back and began running in the direction the Turtle was coming from.
"Wow. You move fast." The Turtle said over Goku's shoulder, sounding impressed.
"Thanks." Goku huffed. "My Grandpa used to tell me I was too fast for him so I shouldn't run away."
"Oh." The Turtle felt a sudden dampening of the mood. "Did- did something happen to your Grandfather?" he asked timidly.
"He died two weeks ago." Goku replied, a slight frown forming on his face.
"I'm sorry." The Turtle said, remorseful.
"Why? It wasn't your fault." Goku said, puzzled. "He was killed by a Monster of the Full Moon." Goku's voice darkened. "I'll take revenge for my Grandpa when I see him."
"Oh." The Turtle wasn't sure what to say at this, not knowing what the boy was exactly talking about. "Do you live here?" he asked changing the topic.
Goku shook his head. "No. I am on my way to the Fire Mountain. My Grandpa wanted me to go there if something happened to him." He explained.
"Oh."
"Sh." Goku hushed his companion, stopping. "I don't think I hear the river anymore." he said and put down the Turtle. "I'm going to see if it still goes in this direction." He took his Power Pole, put it firmly on the ground then stated in a confident voice. "Power Pole – Exchange!"
He shot up with the exchanging Pole, leaving a startled and gaping Turtle on the ground. Finally the Power Pole stopped its extension and Goku looked around, gasping. "I see it! I see this sea! Whoa! What a big water!" He yelled. They needed to turn a bit to the left, but it wasn't that far away as he thought it would be. He shortened his Power Pole and smiled at the still gaping Turtle.
"We need to go there." Goku said happily, pointing to the left, then put the animal back on his shoulders. "It's not that far." He finished and started running more vigorously.
It didn't take them long to get to the sea. Goku's eyes were big as saucers as he stared at the huge amount of water before him. The Turtle's eyes were full of tears. He didn't think he would see it for a month and here he was in front of it in less than a day! He was so happy!
"Could you wait up here for a bit?" The Turtle said happily hoping into the sea. "I'll bring you back a lovely reward."
"A reward?" Goku asked, cocking his head to the right, but the Turtle was already out of his speaking range.
Goku looked at this sea. It sure looks like a wide river. He thought walking to the water.
"Eww! This water is salty!" he yelled, spitting the water he has just drunk. "Who put all this salt in there?" He straightened looking at the large water. Was it called sea because of that? It was wider than any river he has ever seen and it got salty water. It must be. He concluded with a nod.
Goku walked out of the water and looked around for something to eat. Those strange long trees there had big fruits that looked tasty. He tried to climb up but it was a hard task to do. Frustrated, He punched the tree and one of the big brown fruits fall on top of his head.
"Ow!" Goku yelled, grabbing his head. "That hurt!"
He looked down at the offending fruit. It was cracked and something was leaking from it. He picked it up and sniffed it. It smelled sweetly and so he leaped the liquid with his tongue tentatively.
"Yummy!" He said happily and sucked out all the drink.
He looked at the fruit once more shaking it. He was curious what was inside. He cracked it more, eventually splitting it in half. It was all white inside and smelled like the juice he had just drunk. He bit the white stuff and smiled, finishing this strange fruit quickly. Before he could get another one, he heard the Turtle approaching him once more.
Goku turned toward the sea and blinked. The Turtle was coming back, that's for sure. But there was someone riding on it!
It was an old man, older even than his Grandpa had been, with something dark on his nose that hidden his eyes. He was holding a long walking stick and had a turtle shell on his back.
"Aloha!" The Old Man said, rising his hand.
"Sorry to keep you waiting." The Turtle added, sounding happy.
"So you helped my friend here?" The Old Man asked, looking down at Goku.
"Who are you?" Goku asked, watching the Man before him carefully.
"Me?" The Man puffed his chest. "I am the Kame Sin'nin! The Turtle Hermit, Master Roshi!" He stated proudly, then he turned to the Turtle. "He really did help you? He looks small."
"He did, Master." The Turtle nodded. "He took me here all by himself."
"Well, we owe you one." Master Roshi turned to Goku. "And I'm paying up… with a mighty reward."
"Not again…" Goku muttered. He wasn't so sure he wanted to meet another old man…
The Old Man named Roshi turned to the sea, deep in thought. He stretched the hand, that was holding the wooden stick, and opened his mouth ready to yell, than stopped, muttering. "Damn, that tainted seed of the Phoenix! What to give? What to give? Oh! I know!" he paused, straightening up once more and bellowed in a firm voice "Come to me …Kinto'un!"
A swishing sound, which got louder with each passing second, came at them from the sky where a yellow cloud appeared, heading their way.
"Whoa!" Goku exclaimed, not noticing the relieved sigh coming from Master Roshi. "It's a cloud!" He said surprised.
"It's not an usual cloud!" Master Roshi said. "It's Kinto'un. The Flying Nimbus." He explained, without explaining anything to Goku.
"The Flying Nimbus?" Goku asked puzzled, looking back at Master Roshi.
"Aye." Master Roshi said, leaning on his wooden stick, as Goku turned toward the cloud once more. "And I give it to you." The Old Man stated.
"How do you eat it?" Goku asked, turning to Master Roshi once more.
"You don't eat a magical cloud!" the Old Hermit yelled, then added in a calmer note. "You ride it. And it will take you wherever you'll desire."
"Really? Then it can take me to the Fire Mountain!" Goku replied happily, turning toward the cloud.
"That's the ticket, boy." Master Roshi nodded, then raised his crooked finger. "But! …unless you are of pure heart, it'll never even let you on! This cloud got standards!" He finished, then bent his knees. "Here, let me show you."
Goku watched in anticipation as the Old Man jumped in the air clearly aiming to land on the yellow cloud in front of them. He descended onto it perfectly …only to fall down through it with a loud clank.
"Master Roshi!" the Turtle said embarrassed. "Really! I say! What have you been up to?"
"No, no." Roshi said, getting up and stroking his sore hip. "It clearly is defective. It needs some magical tuning or something."
Swish! Something ran past them and both the Turtle and its Master looked up.
"Let me try!" Goku yelled excited, jumping up.
"Huh?" Roshi asked as the boy landed perfectly on the cloud.
"Whoo!" Goku yelled exuberantly. "I'm on a cloud!"
"It seems …fixed, sir." The Turtle said, flatly.
"Maybe it needed a power surge." Roshi mumbled.
The Turtle just send him a knowing glance.
"Nimbus! Go!" Goku yelled happily getting ready for a ride.
The cloud seemed to hum happily before it took into the sky with the little boy laughing joyously. The unusual pair made whirls and zigzags in the air, flying at a mind-blowing speed. Finally they stopped in front of the Old Master and his Turtle.
"This is the greatest!" Goku yelled happily. "Thanks a lot!"
"Hm, you make it look as if it was meant for you, boy…" Roshi mussed, as the boy left on the cloud, leaving the Old Man and his Turtle behind.
Goku laughed aloud as the wind blew his hair away. "What a great reward!" he shouted. "Now it won't take me long to get to Grandpa Gohan's old friend! Nimbus! Let's go to the north, to the Fire Mountain!"
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End of Chapter One
TBC
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See all next week with a chapter called First Meetings – First Impressions in which Goku arrives at Ox's King land.
Don't forget to review, it certainly fuel my muse to write more!
