Chibi-Gohan: See? I said I'd update as soon as I could! I was just taking advantage of the nice weather we've been having. But now that is been raining, I decided to come back in and add another chapter. I know it sounds lazy, but its good to relax for awhile!

Vegeta: Will you quit yapping and get on with the damn chapter already!

Chibi-Gohan: Okay ok! Geez! Here, before Vegeta starts bawling.

Vegeta: That's it! lunges at Chibi-Gohan

Chibi-Gohan: fending off Vegeta It was a joke! A joke!

#18 Rice Wars Part 2

"Come on Shao, let me see your wallet." Pilaf said impatiently holding his hand out to the dog.

"What do you want with it?" Shao asked, "I don't have much money on me as it is, it's not like you actually pay us and..."

"Just give me it!" Pilaf yelled, snatching it away from him. He pulled out two dollars and tossed the wallet back to Shao. "Now watch my ingenious plan."

Shao and Mai watched on as Pilaf walked up to the balloon stand and caught the attention of the vendor.

"Hey there little fella!" The balloon vendor smiled down at Pilaf, who glared up at him. "How can I help you today?"

"Give me the biggest balloon that you've got!" Pilaf said, holding up the two dollars.

"Sure thing kid." the vendor said, handing Pilaf a large green balloon.

"Wow!" Shao exclaimed, as Pilaf returned with the balloon, "You got me a balloon! Gosh I don't know what to say!"

"Fool! This isn't yours! I got it for the little monkey boy!"

"Oh." Shao said, face drooping a little.

"Come on!" Pilaf ordered, as he and Mai walked up to where Gohan was.

"Hey kid!" Pilaf said, getting Gohan's attention. "Look what I got!" he held out the balloon towards Gohan, who's eyes got big with excitement.

"You like it huh?" Pilaf smiled. "Well if you come with me, its all yours. Come on I know you want it."

Gohan smiled and started crawling towards it, never once taking his eyes off the large shiny balloon.

"Mai, grab him. I doubt he'll give us anymore trouble." Pilaf said as Mai scooped Gohan up into her arms.

"Here kid." Pilaf said, handing Gohan the balloon, then turning to his minions, "Now all we need to do is find a way out of here."

"It's been over two hours!" Videl said worriedly "I hope something bad hasn't happened!"

"Don't worry Videl, I'm sure Gohan's doing okay."

"Yeah, but maybe we can cover more ground if we go separate ways."

"Sounds good, I don't know when Chichi's supposed to get back, but it'll be best if we get Gohan back before she finds out."

"Lets try this way." Mai said as they walked around a nearby building, Pilaf peered around the corner and froze.

"What's wrong?" Shao asked, looking towards the petrified Pilaf.

"G-Goku's heading this way!" Pilaf shrieked, "Hide! Quick behind the building!"

The three of them quickly ran behind the building, holding their breath as Goku started to walk closer.

None of them were noticing that Gohan was happily hugging the balloon until....

BAM

The three of them quickly glanced into Mai's arms as the stunned Gohan held up the remains of the balloon, and his little lip began to tremble.

"Oh no!" gasped Pilaf, as he heard Goku's voice from the side of the building.

"What was that?"

"Run!" Pilaf hissed to his companions as Mai cupped her hand over Gohan's mouth seconds before the child let out a wail.

The three of them headed towards the aquarium building and hid behind it.

"That was close!" Pilaf said, catching his breath. "We cannot chance another lucky escape like that, I think its time for us to get out of here by any means necessary. Mai open up Capsule #9, and shut that kid up!"

"I could've swore I heard something." Goku said, scratching his head. He walked over to the side of the building where he heard the noise come from, but found nothing except for the remains of a balloon.

Walking back to the front of the building, Goku could hear faint cries coming from the aquarium area.

"Gohan?"

He stood still and listened again.

"That is Gohan!"

Mai had just popped the capsule and released a large robot with three cockpits, while Pilaf tried to get Gohan to stop crying. Suddenly they heard what they had been fearing.

"Gohan!"

"Oh no! He heard him!" Pilaf cried, "get in quickly!"

Goku arrived just seconds as the three of them manned their areas of the robot.

"What the?" Goku said confusedly looking at the robot, then noticing who was operating it.

"Pilaf? What are you doing here? Are you up to something again? You never seem to learn do you?" Goku said cracking his knuckles, ready to stop whatever plan Pilaf had cooked up.

"You know those machines are no match for me, so why bother trying?"

"You think so huh?" Pilaf laughed evilly. "Well shows how much you know!" He bent down and picked Gohan up.

"Gohan! So you were the ones who took him!" Goku glared, ready to rip the robot to pieces.

Pilaf saw the determined look on Goku's face, and smiled.

"You should really think before you act." Pilaf said, before Goku powered up.

"I mean with your own son here in the cockpit with us here, you try blasting us out, you'll be blasting him out too. And I'm not sure you wanna to that, do you?"

Goku gritted his teeth and calmed down.

"Now what do I do?" He thought, Pilaf was right, every time they used them robots and Goku destroyed them, Pilaf, Shao, and Mai ended up getting pretty bad looking burns, and he didn't want Gohan to go through that.

Goku was still thinking of a way to rescue his son when he heard something in the distance.

"Oh no, this isn't good." he murmured, as the air car screeched to a halt and Chichi ran out.

"Where is he! Where's my Gohan!" Chichi yelled running up to Goku.

"Goku! What's going on?" Videl called, "You find him yet? Oh Chichi!"

Chichi turned toward Videl, "Don't you "Hi" me! Where is my son?"

"Guys," Goku said, getting the girl's attention. "I sorta found him." He pointed to the robot.

Chichi glanced to the inside of the robot, and saw Pilaf holding her son. "Gohan!" She screamed, "Goku! just rip open that thing and get our son back!"

"Ha! If you want to jeopardize the well being of your son, then go ahead!" Pilaf taunted.

"I can't Chi, he's right, if I break into that thing I could hurt Gohan."

"What do you want anyway?" Chichi yelled up to Pilaf, "And why do you need my little Gohan?"

"Well if you must know," Pilaf said settling Gohan into his lap, "I want the Dragon Balls. Once I get them and am able to become Ruler of the Earth, then and only then will I give you back your precious child. Until then, consider him collateral."

"The Dragon Balls! But they aren't active!" Goku protested. "And why would we give into a demand like that so easily?"

"Hey your the one who wanted to know why, and I can always wait until they are active. Uh how long till they're active anyway?"

"About seven to eight months."

"That long! Well, I guess I'm going to be keeping this kid around for a while."

"Oh no you aren't!" Goku said. "I'm just going to have to take my chances and get him out of there."

"Goku no! Please, we have to try a different way to negotiate. There has to be something that'd change his mind."

"Ha! Fat chance lady!" Pilaf cried out, sticking his tongue out at Chichi. "It's the Dragon Balls or nothing. So I guess that means I win then doesn't it?" He said happily, picking Gohan up and dancing him around.

Gohan had been looking at all the brightly colored buttons when he was lifted up by Pilaf, smiling he reached out and grabbed on to a large purple button, which sent off a loud siren.

Pilaf set Gohan down as the siren blared. "Mai! What happened? What was that he pushed?"

"He hit the self destruct button!" Mai yelled, as Shao started to scream.

Goku watched on in horror as the inside of the robot began to glow a strange color. "Chichi! Videl! Get down the robot's gonna blow!" He yelled as the two women ran for safety.

"Mai quickly the ejection seats!"

The cockpit was launched into the air seconds before the robot exploded. Hurling Pilaf, Mai, and Shao into the sky.

"Whew! We made it!" Pilaf said happily handing Mai Gohan.

"Oh really?" A voice asked, causing Pilaf's face to pale.

Nervously looking under his seat, Pilaf was face to face with an angry Son Goku.

Gulping, he tried to act if nothing had happened. "Oh hi Goku! How've you been these past few years?"

"Nice try." Goku said, setting the seat of the cockpit down on the ground, "Now I'd like my son back if you don't mind."

"Y-yes at once, Mai?" Pilaf nudged Mai nervously, who promptly handed Gohan back to his father.

Gohan smiled at Goku and began babbling to him about his day, as Pilaf and the others tried to get away.

"Not so fast!"

Stopping them in their tracks, the three turned around to see a very angry woman with a large frying pan.

"You actually think your gonna get away with taking my son?!" She yelled sadistically , "Well, your wrong!"

Giving out a warriors yell, Chichi ran past Goku and Gohan and chased down Pilaf, causing Goku to shield Gohan's eyes from the wrath Chichi was enforcing on Pilaf.

"You know Gohan, as bad as Pilaf is, even he doesn't deserve that."

Chibi-Gohan: Ok, all done. Not bad for taking one day to write it huh?

Vegeta: You should've done it a lot sooner, you've kept so many people waiting.

Chibi-Gohan: I know, and I'm sorry. I'm trying to do this as soon as I can. But now I know to not make promises I can't keep, so I'll get the next chapter done when ever I can get time. And that might actually be a while. Until then take care!