Hitchhiker's Guide to the Dragon Balls

Review responses: none yet… TT

Author's note: I'm typing this up for a friend of mine, and just posting it here 'cause it's easy now that it's typed…If you want to flame, go ahead, just tell me what it is that you don't like. All flames will be consulted, and I will try to fix what you disagree with. If it's just stupid and pointless, I'm giving it to my spiky vampire minion Hiei to play with.

On the last episode of DragonBall GT...the three heroes from Earth were scouring the galaxy for the legendary Black Star Dragon Balls. On the verge of obtaining the first one, space pirates stole the four-star ball. On the planet that the pirates stopped on, they found a mysterious girl named Mist, who also had a grudge against the pirates. Can she help our heroes regain the four-star Dragon Ball and save the Earth from certain doom? Find out on today's episode of DragonBall GT.

Title: Power Revealed

Mist yawned widely and loudly, mouth stretching beyond what you'd think humanly possible. Said yawn lasted for about ten seconds, then the gaping cavern snapped shut. "Go Fish."

"Aww, man," Goku moaned, drawing a card. "Your turn, Pan."

"Kay…you got any eights?"

Mist swore under her breath and handed over three eights. "This is really boring…"

Pan stuck her tongue out. "You just don't like it 'cause you're losing!"

Mist snorted and turned back to the game. "My turn."

Before she could make a move, however, Trunks interrupted from the control room. "Hey!" he shouted. "We're here!"

"Finally!" the three Go Fish players chorused. They crowded through the door and into the bridge, looking at a blue-green planet, speckled here and there with sprawling metropolises.

"That's it," Mist confirmed. "That's Yoshiro."

The ungainly little spaceship pulled in for a landing. The four travelers exited, striding purposefully down the ramp—all except for Mist. She hung back, walking nervously.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Goku asked. "And why're you wearing your bandana over your face? And those sunglasses look silly on you."

"I've got some old…ah…acquaintances on this planet," was Mist's muffled reply.

"Why do I have a feeling this won't end well?" Trunks asked himself.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

The four travelers and one robot exited the ship, Mist still looking nervously about. Trunks beckoned to Giru, and took a look at the radar. "They're that way," he informed them, pointing.

After a minute or so of walking, they were out of the outskirts of the city and in a crowded street. Following the radar, they weaved in and out of passersby, Mist anxiously scanning every face, jumping at every minor disturbance.

"Hey, calm down," Goku advised. "No one's gonna come after you in the middle of a street! I doubt they'd be able to find you in this crazy marketplace, anyway. This city is practically a jungle!"

"Besides," Pan grinned, "no one would dare attack you with us around!" She strutted onward.

"Seriously, though," Trunks said, pulling Mist aside, "what exactly is the nature of these 'acquaintances'?"

Mist sweatdropped. "Oh, nothing, just a couple of people I got into a little disagreement with the last time I was here. Nothing to worry about! Eheheh…" she laughed nervously, eyes upside-down "U"s.

Trunks was still suspicious, but there were more pressing matters at hand, like finding the Dragon Ball—and Goku.

"Where is he?" Pan asked. "He was right with us a minute ago…"

Trunks hung his head in his hands. "Why me...?" he moaned.

"Grandpa!" Pan yelled.

"Go-ku!" Trunks called. "Where are you!"

His question was immediately answered. Over the chatter of the city's residents, they heard Goku's voice. "Hah! Found ya, you dirty thieves! Gimme back the Dragon Ball!"

Trunks, Pan, and Mist looked at each other, then took off in the direction of the explosion.

They found Goku arguing with the pirates in the alien equivalent of a gas station. Although there were many different kinds of gas being sold, the smell of fermenting gas and oil was the same. Trunks, Pan, and Mist (who hadn't been able to see well enough to run with the sunglasses on, so she'd removed them) entered.

An aging, heavyset female pirate looked up. "Mist!" she shouted. "Drat! I thought we'd left you behind on that deserted planet!"

"You did, you meanies!" Mist tore off her handkerchief so she could shout better. "How DARE you maroon me!"

"And how dare YOU shout at me, you little tart!" the pirate lady screamed back.

"Because…because…" Mist struggled to find a creative retort. "Because…I don't like you!" During the commotion, Goku tiptoed into the pirate ship. No one noticed—they were too intent on the shouting match between the two females.

"And," Mist continued, emboldened, "you're just a stupid old biddy, Ushita, who's too blind to tell a monkey from a rabbit!"

"Is that the best you can do?" Ushita asked, a smirk crawling across her features. "You're just an ungrateful little stray! You selfish brat, you attack anyone who shows you any sympathy! You even went so far as to beat up my defenseless grandchildren! You, my dear, are the lowest scum in this universe, you little piece of driftwood! I feel sorry for the next poor creatures you sucker into helping you!"

Mist felt her face grow hot. She frantically tried to avoid the gazes of Trunks and Pan. "You're a liar," she shouted, but it sounded feeble, even to her.

Ushita knew she was winning. "You wretch! We gave you food, a place to live, a family to belong to, and you repay us by almost killing my children and jumping ship the first chance you get!"

Goku stealthily crept back out of the ship, a telltale round lump in his pocket. He sidled back to Trunks and Pan. "We ought to go now," he whispered.

"But what about the Dragon Ball?" Pan protested.

Goku shushed her, then pointed to his pocket. "I've got it taken care of, trust me." Trunks and Pan nodded.

Mist wasn't paying attention. She was rather preoccupied. "That's…not true," she said weakly.

"Lying again?" Ushita sneered.

Mist felt the world begin to swim before her, as her eyes began to water. "No...no...no..." She clenched her fists. "I'm out of here!" she shouted, running blindly out of the fueling station, pushing past Goku, Trunks, and Pan, trying to hide the tears that had begun to escape from her eyes.

Ushita spit after her. "Good riddance." She walked back inside the ship, barking orders.

Pan, Goku, and Trunks looked at each other. "Should we go after her?" Goku wondered.

"I dunno," Trunks said uncertainly. "She was quick enough to switch sides and betray those pirates…what if she does the same to us? We can't trust her."

"Oh, please! Can't you see that she's emotionally torn up?" Pan defended. "Can you blame her for running away? That old pirate lady was ruthless! You could tell that Mist felt guilty about it, and it wasn't even her fault they marooned her! Mist doesn't remember what happened when the kids got hurt, and I believe her! It sounds to me like she's had no real friends for a long time, and I bet she's lonely! We can't just abandon her!"

"I dunno," Trunks grinned. "Seems to me you only want her around 'cause she's the only one worse than you at Go Fish," he teased.

Pan thwacked him on the head. "Shut up! I'm being serious!"

"Pan's got a point," Goku said thoughtfully. "I don't think Mist's a bad person. Besides, she might be able to help us."

"How?" Trunks asked. "We don't need to worry about the pirates anymore, so what else can she do for us? She doesn't look like a fighter…"

"I don't mean fighting," Goku explained, "I mean…it sounds like she's been traveling around the galaxy for a pretty long time, and I bet she's picked up a lot of knowledge of planets and stuff…she could help us, you know, know a bit more about the planets we have to visit…"

"I see what you're saying," Trunks said thoughtfully. "She can help us blend in, be less obtrusive."

"It's settled, then!" Pan declared happily. "Let's go find Mist!"

They turned to go, but Trunks paused, noticing that the bandana Mist usually wore around her head lay on the floor, where it had been thrown during the fight. He considered for a moment, then picked it up and put it in his pocket. She'll want it back...

About half a mile away, Mist was curled up in an alley, nursing her wounded self-esteem. Ushita's right, Mist thought, burying her face in her hands, attempting to stem the flow of tears. I'm so ungrateful...I can see why no one wants me around for long...I'm stuck aimlessly wandering around this wretched galaxy forever...

A small, vaguely ratlike face peered into the alley. It pulled back, beckoning to two other figures, then the three entered the alley and advanced on the crying girl.

Mist weakly tried to wipe away her tears. She had really liked those three Dragon Ball hunters. They had been so nice to her…Not that I'd deserved it, she added bitterly. But...I coulda stayed with them for a while...helped them save their planet...actually gotten to know them...

"Hello, again," a menacing voice growled.

Mist looked up. And up. And up. Oh, crap, I knew I shouldn't have "borrowed" his ship last time I was here...

The man cracked his knuckles. "I've got a little score to settle with you, li'l Miss Mist."

"Yeah!" called the smaller figure with the rat face from behind the taller man's legs. "I haven't forgotten how you stole that gold necklace offa me, you filthy rat!"

"An' I'm gonna get you back f'r showin' me up in fronta my own gang," growled a short, stocky, tough-looking alien growled.

Mist looked up and sweatdropped, realizing how carelessly she had thrown her disguise aside. Stupid, stupid, stupid... "Uh…hi guys, gee it's been a while, so nice to see you again…BYE!" She tried to dart out of the alley, but the tall man was too quick for her. He grabbed her by the scarf she wore around her waist and lifted her up into the air.

"Not so tough now, are ya?" the former gang leader laughed.

Mist twisted back and forth, trying to get loose. "Let me go, you dirty pack of losers!"

"Look who's talking," rat-face sneered.

Mist beat her fists in the air. "Let me go!" she screamed.

"Uhuhuhu, not a chance," he said. "Not till we've got our revenge."

"Didn't your mother ever tell you not to pick on girls?" Mist shouted desperately.

"No." The tall one sneered. "But she did tell me once: don't get mad; get even." He held her up, looking into her face. "And I intend to listen to her advice."

Mist closed her eyes tight. She was cornered. There was nothing she could do—no way to save herself. Despair clawed at her heart. How appropriate an ending for a traitor, she could almost hear Ushita say. Mist curled up as tight as she could, and desperately waited for the end to come.

Suddenly, her eyes snapped open, and there was an entirely different expression upon her face. "Let…me…go!" Her voice had changed from a terrified squeak to a low, harsh, grating growl. It wasn't the attractive kind of growl-it was rough, unpleasant, and sounded almost feral, like an injured Tazmanian Devil. Her eyes slowly changed color; going from grey-blue, to orange, to red-orange, and finally to a deep, crimson, blood red.

"No way, girlie," Ratty smirked. "We're gonna make you pay."

Mist let out a harsh, barking laugh. "I warned you!" She raised her fist, and brought it down with an almost unbelievable amount of force.

COMMERCIAL BREAK (no pun intended)

Goku, Trunks, and Pan were searching the city. Well, sort of. Actually, Goku was on his hands and knees, sniffing at the ground.

"Come on, Grandpa!" Pan urged. "Can't you go any faster?"

"I'm trying!" Goku protested. "There are so many different scents…it's almost impossible to track one person in a crowded city!"

"This might help." Trunks pulled Mist's headband out of his pocket.

Goku sniffed it. "Mmm…uh-hm…that way!" he cried, scurrying off in that direction.

Suddenly, a block away, Goku's sharp ears picked up a loud crash, and an evil laugh. "Did you hear that?"

Trunks and Pan nodded. "You think it's…?"

"Those acquaintances."

They dashed off, concern lending them extra speed. When they reached the alley, a strange sight met their eyes. Mist was standing triumphantly over the prone figures of three men. "Well, that was dull," her voice grated. "This entire planet is full of weaklings." She spat.

Pan, Goku, and Trunks stared at her. Mist's eyes were solid red, no irises or pupils whatsoever, her mouth was twisted into a sadistic, insane smirk, and flecks of blood spotted her hands.

"Uh-oh," Trunks muttered, "I think this is what happened to those pirate kids…"

"Mist?" Pan stepped forward. "I-is that you? Ack!" she yelled as Mist shoved her aside. "What's the big idea?"

"Out of my way, silly girl," Mist dismissed her as though she were addressing an insect. "I have business to attend to."

"Just hold on," Trunks demanded, grabbing her by the arm. "You're not attending any business until you tell me what's going on. Who are you, and where's the real Mist?"

Mist laughed. Goku shuddered at the noise. It sounded like someone was dragging a metal ruler over a barbed-wire fence. "I am the real Mist!" she informed them. "At least, the strong part of her." She looked disgusted. "She's usually so pathetically weak. Always whining all the time…I never saw the point of a conscience, anyway. I can only take over when she's in trouble and desperate for any help she can get. I've been with her since the first time she was picked on. Since then, I've grown…absorbing all her dark thoughts, dreams, experiences, desires…all of them fermenting inside of me, thus allowing her to remain pure of thought after doing all the things we've done…" She laughed again at the horrified looks Pan, Trunks, and Goku were giving her.

"You monster!" Goku shouted. "Give us back the good Mist right now!"

Dark Mist laughed yet again. "Oh, but I don't want to. I can only stay in control for five minutes anyway, and I don't plan to waste a second." She pulled on the arm Trunks held. "Let go."

"I won't," Trunks said, calmly looking her in the eye.

Dark Mist's grin grew wider. "Do you have a death wish, boy? 'Cause if you do, keep holding my arm like that."

"Death wish or not, you couldn't hurt one hair on my head," Trunks said confidently.

Mist frowned for a moment, the burst into a fit of laughter. "Excellent!" she shouted. "Finally, someone with backbone!" She looked at Trunks. "You look pretty strong to me. You want to fight?" She clenched her free fist.

"Not particularly," Trunks replied. "But I do want you to give us our friend back."

Friend? The word reverberated around Mist's consciousness. Friend...

"Ack!" Dark Mist screamed. "The five minutes are up!" Her eyes squeezed shut, and when they reopened, they were their usual grey-blue. Mist blinked, looked at the three Saiyans, the unconscious bodies, and the inquisitive robot, and then fainted.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

"Trunks, give me your bandana again," Pan commanded. He obeyed. She found a well, drenched the bandana in water, and wrung it out over Mist's face.

She came to with a gasp. "Huh? What? You? What the…why? But…them…what happened?" she stuttered.

"You mean…you really don't know?" Goku asked.

"It was awful," Pan shuddered. "You were all evil…you looked like some sort of demon!"

"…demon?" Mist then began to laugh shrilly. "Hahahaha! A demon! I'm a demon! That explains everything! No one would want a demon around them! Hahahaha!"

"That wasn't very tactful, Pan," Trunks informed her over the insane laughter.

"I'm just a demon…I'm evil…hahaha! Demon, demon, demon! Well, why don't you just burn me at the stake and be done with it?" she asked, voice still unnaturally high. "Burn! Hahaha-ow!"

Pan had smacked her across the face. "You were hysterical," she explained briskly.

"Oh. I'm sorry. I'm okay now, I think…" Mist swallowed. She looked around at the unconscious men, the serious looks on Pan, Trunks, and Goku's faces, and finally down at the flecks of blood on her hands. "It happened again, didn't it." It wasn't a question. "I suppose you won't want to have anything to do with me now." She stood up and tried to walk out of the alley.

Pan blocked her way. "You're not going anywhere until you tell us what happened," she demanded.

Mist sighed and sat down. "After I ran off, I went in here to cry a bit, but those three cornered me, muttering something about revenge. They were about to beat me into a bloody pulp, but the last thing I remember is giving up hope and a dark, clawing feeling. The next thing I knew, my hands were bloody and sore, my mouth hurt, and you guys were staring at me like I was crazy."

Trunks, Pan, and Goku looked at each other. "Mist…"

"Yeah?"

"…I think you have dissociative disorder," Trunks informed her.

"I have wha-?" Mist asked, confused.

"Dissociative disorder," Trunks repeated.

"So I am crazy," Mist sighed. "'Splains a lot."

"No," Trunks sighed, "you're not crazy. It's a mental condition. Basically, you've subconsciously created another personality, a dark one, that occasionally takes control," he explained.

"So she's schizophrenic?" Pan asked.

"It's a kind of schizophrenia," Trunks said, "but instead of hearing voices, the dark side of your mind has formed into a completely different personality from your current state."

"Sounds like insanity to me," Mist sighed.

"It's not. But never mind that now. Why were those guys after you in the first place?" Trunks asked.

Mist sweatdropped. "Um…well…let me see…you know the tall one? Well, he lent me his spaceship a while back, but I…uh…kinda lost it…"

"Lost it?" Pan asked incredulously. "How can you lose a spaceship? It's enormous!"

"I didn't misplace it," Mist defended. "I lost it! In a poker game!"

"Ohh." Pan began to laugh. "But you're so bad at cards!"

"Yeah. That's why I lost," Mist said matter-of-factly.

"What about the other guys?" Goku asked.

"Well…the one time I actually won a poker game, it was against him," she said, pointing at the ratlike one. "He had this absolutely gorgeous gold necklace, and I just had to have it, so I won it from him. I'd told him, truthfully, that I was awful at poker, and he believed me, so he anted up the jewelry. He was a rather…sore loser…" Mist smiled happily. "I think I still have it somewhere…" she began to search her pockets. "Aha!" she cried triumphantly as she pulled out a glittering gold necklace. Its decoration was a knot that looked vaguely Celtic, inlaid with small sapphires.

"Wow…" Pan breathed, "it's beautiful! Why don't you wear it?"

"Are you kidding me?" Mist laughed. "I was living with pirates, remember?" She was feeling a lot better. Something just felt right about these three. She was having more fun talking, joking, and laughing together with the three strangers with odd names than she'd had in her whole life, even back at home before her parents had left.

"What about him?" Goku inquired, interrupting her thoughts as he pointed to the final guy.

"I'm…not really sure," Mist said, biting her lip. "After I had won the necklace, I was dumb enough to wear it. He and his gang tried to mug me for it. I wasn't ready to give up the jewelry I had worked so hard for, and I got really mad…I don't remember exactly what happened, but next thing I knew, he had turned tail and was running away. I think this 'other personality' you were talking about took over, because he was pretty beat up, and my clothes were all ripped…" She shrugged. "So that's my side of the story. What next?" These words reminded her: no one had ever wanted anything to do with her after she had lost her temper. These three probably just pitied her. She'd be a burden, a hindrance to them, if she really had a mean, nasty side to her. She sighed, and stood up. "I'd better go now."

"Wait! Where are you going?" Trunks asked.

Mist shrugged. "Wherever the next ship willing to take another passenger is going." She walked out of the alley, shoulders slumped, a gloomy note in her step.

Pan ran after her, blocking her way. She put her hands on her hips, and stared down the girl only an inch taller than she was. "Now, wait just a minute!" she demanded.

"Why?" Mist asked, depression settling in once more. "I'm leaving you three to your quest. I'm not too good at heroism. I'd only get in the way." She brushed past Pan. "Good luck with it. I really hope you can save your planet. 'Bye."

Goku flew up into the air, coming down in front of the departing girl, blocking her way once more. "What are you talking about? We want you to come with us!"

Mist looked at him skeptically. "No, you don't. Trust me. I don't want to make friends with you guys, only to be left behind again as soon as you figure out that I'm good for absolutely nothing." She kept going.

"But you can help us," Trunks argued, catching up to her and putting his hand on her shoulder. "We can really use your knowledge of the planets around here." He handed her the purple scarf she usually wore. "Please. Believe us. We'd never abandon you."

"Besides," Pan grinned cheekily, "you're the only one I can beat at Go Fish! It'd be boring without you around!"

Giru, who'd been hiding in Pan's bag up until now, poked his head out. "Please come with us?" he asked. "Giru like Mist, even though she doesn't like Giru."

Mist looked around at the four space voyagers. "Are you…really serious? You want me to come with you?"

Nod, nod.

"This isn't some sort of cruel joke?"

Nod, nod.

Mist looked at them, at the scarf in her hand, then back up at them. Their faces were sincere, showing no trace of deceit, malice, or cruelty—not even the robot. She swallowed, then briskly tied her headband back on. She looked at them, a half-smile on her face. "Okay, then," she finally answered, "you've got yourself a navigator."

"Yay!" Pan cried, jumping into the air. "Finally, another girl to hang out with!" She hugged Mist. "Welcome to the crew!"

"Awesome!" Goku said happily. "Can you fight at all?"

"Not…really…" Mist sweatdropped as Pan began to drag her back towards the ship.

"Well, that's okay, I'll teach you!" Pan grinned, not letting go of Mist's wrist. "Can you cook?"

"Nope," Mist answered. "Just so you know, I can't cook, clean, or sew. I'm rather what you'd call domestically challenged…"

"That's okay," Trunks smiled, "as long as you can tell us about the planets the balls are on."

"Sure, I can do that no problem," Mist said confidently. The five headed back to the spaceship, laughing happily, confident that they'd be fine.

On the next episode of DragonBall GT...Goku, Pan, Trunks, and their new companion, Mist, track down the six-star Dragon Ball. However, there is a naitive creature on this planet with the incredible power to cause earthquakes. With the local village under his thrall, our heroes and heroines must defeat this beast, involving some indignity on Trunks' part. Will Trunks be able to stand the humiliation and successfully infiltrate Zoonama's lair? Find out next time on DragonBall GT.