Ellery and Bulla played nonstop for most of the weekend. Bulma was surprised her friend didn't grow tired of playing with her youngest by Sunday morning. After their little conversation on Friday however, she could understand why she loved playing with Bulla.
Being a human, Bulma felt exhausted raising two half-Saiyan children. She was thankful for any time her kids had with their father or his friends. Even with all the servants and help Bulma had around the place, Ellery was one of the biggest helpers of all. She played with little Bulla to the point of exhaustion.
Their final game of hide and seek had finally tired the half-Saiyan out. The young woman found the little bluenette hiding in a pile of stuffed animals, sound asleep. Ellery picked Bulla up from her fluffy make-shift bed. She gently laid the little bluenette into her bed, tucking her in for a much needed nap.
Ellery made her way to the kitchen, feeling Bulma's aura there. "She finally tired herself out." The young woman smiled. "I found her asleep in a pile of her stuffed animals. It was probably the cutest thing I've seen."
"I wonder how long she'll be down." The bluenette chuckled. "I'm glad you two got a chance to play, she's been talking about you for a couple of weeks now."
"Really?"
"Yeah." Bulma smiled as she grabbed a few snacks from the counter. She took them into the living room, setting them between her and Ellery. "I think it's because you can play with her until she's tired. Only a couple people are able to do that, and I'm unfortunately not one of them." The bluenette said with a laugh.
"Trunks plays well with her, but they usually end up doing some sort of training. Vegeta is the same way." Bulma chuckled, thinking of the little training outfit Vegeta made for their daughter.
"Now that I've got some time, I'll have to come over here for playdates." Ellery gleamed as she opened the bag of kettle corn. "Lately, I've been using my free time babysitting Pan."
"Oh?" Bulma questioned. "I figured Chi-Chi would be all over the babysitting department."
The corners of Ellery's mouth curled. "Chi-Chi has moved out of Gohan's place. She's living with her partner, Jean. I think that happened about four months ago? Since then, Kakarot and I have been taking most of the babysitting duties."
"I bet he loves that." The bluenette smiled. "I know Pan has her grandpa wrapped around her little finger. I'm just surprised Chi-Chi didn't fight to babysit."
"She did for a while." The Saiyan woman admitted. "However, it seemed we were available every time they called. I remember Videl mentioning how nice it was to have reliable babysitters. I'm guessing Chi-Chi was canceling on them. It was happening when Jean and Chi-Chi started seeing each other. There would be several times I'd get calls from Videl at the last minute, asking to babysit Pan."
"Hmm…" Bulma was a little surprised. Pan was the light of Chi-Chi's life. She remembered when the little one was born, the grandmother went absolutely insane over her granddaughter. Perhaps it was her overbearing nature that caused Videl and Gohan to drift from her as babysitter. "At least you guys get the opportunity! Pan is a wonderful girl to be around."
"It's been great." Ellery beamed. "Seeing Kakarot take on this role has been such a relief to me. I was a little worried at first since he tells stories of not raising his two sons. Watching how Pan and Kakarot are however, really helped ease my anxieties about him being a good dad."
"The only downside of all this babysitting and little Saiyan playtime, is my baby fever has only gotten worse." A saddened look took over the young woman's face. "Interacting with Pan and Bulla brings me a lot of happiness. When I finish my day, I come home to a silence that's deafening. I want to have the screams and giggles of children in my home too."
"MOM!"
"BULMA!"
The bluenette perked up, looking around to find two half-Saiyan boys running towards them.
"Mom," Trunks panted as he rounded the corner in the living room. He was covered in dirt, causing both women to wonder what they were up to. "Goten and I were wondering if we could go on an adventure!"
"What kind of adventure?" Bulma asked curiously.
"We want to find the Dragon Balls!" Goten excitedly clapped. "We've been training all day, and we want to see if Trunks and I can find them faster than last time!"
"Dragon Balls?" Ellery questioned.
"You've never heard of the Dragon Balls? Goku's never told you about them?" Bulma was a little shocked the warrior never mentioned the wish orbs.
The Saiyan woman shook her head. "I don't think so. Kakarot may have mentioned it in passing, but didn't give me any detail as to what they are."
Goten was the first one to speak. "The Dragon Balls allow you to make wishes!"
"Really?" Ellery's interest was completely piqued. "You can make any wish you desire?"
"Shenron, the Dragon, is limited on his powers." Bulma continued where the young Saiyan left off. "The Eternal Dragon's powers have changed over the years as well. In the beginning, only one wish could be granted. Now that Dende is the Guardian of the Earth, Shenron is able to grant three wishes at a time, depending on the amount of strength the wishes take.
"Among his many powers, Shrenron also has a vast knowledge of many of the species in this Universe. The Dragon was a big help when we were trying to figure out the whole Super Saiyan God fiasco. Even though his powers are vast, they do have a limit as well. Shenron doesn't know much about things that are outside of his jurisdiction. When we searched for the Super Dragon Balls, Shenron knew of their existence, but didn't have any further intel on them.
"Of his many wish granting abilities, Shenron cannot kill an enemy that is stronger than him or his creator. However, he is able to revive multiple people at once who've lost their lives in battle. This wonderful power can only work once though, since the Eternal Dragon can't make the same wish twice. Shenron unfortunately can't revive someone who's died of natural causes, or if they've passed over a year ago..
"There are seven orbs in all that need to be collected. After each summon, the Dragon Balls are scattered across the Earth. They're inactive for a year after a successful summon. Once the year is up, you're free to start looking for them again."
"Wow Bulma! You sure do know a lot about the Dragon Balls!" Goten smiled. "Can we borrow your Dragon Radar?"
"I don't see why not." The bluenette smiled. Although she was worried for the boys, she knew most threats they could handle themselves. "It's in the top left drawer in my desk. Make sure you're careful, okay?"
"Duh Mom! We're always careful. We'll be back before Monday, I've got a good feeling about it this time!"
"Boys?" Ellery piped in, everyone turning to her.
"Yeah El?" Trunks asked.
"Do you mind if I go with you?" Ellery asked. "I've never seen these Dragon Balls before. After the week I've had I could use a little adventure. The only thing I ask is I get one little wish for myself."
Trunks and Goten look at each other, taking it into consideration. "Okay!" The boys say in unison.
"We can each have a wish, it'll be perfect! Trunks looked at his friend excitedly.
"With your help, we should find them in no time!" Goten happily jumped, pumping his fist in the air
Ellery beamed at the two boys. "Awesome! I'll get my stuff ready!"
With the Saiyan woman's help, Trunks and Goten were able to find all seven orbs before the night was over. Although they couldn't count it as a win to their official record, it was nice to have the Dragon Balls so quickly. The trio sat on Bulma's lawn, arranging the orbs in a pattern. Ellery watched with fascination.
"So what are you gonna wish for, Ellery?" Goten asked.
"You first." The Saiyan woman looked at the younger version of her mate, not wanting to tell him what the wish was going to be used for. She felt it was a little selfish to wish for such a thing, when she could have almost anything she wanted.
"I think I wanna do something nice for my mom." Goten mentioned with a smile. "I know she's moved in with her new partner. Jean is very nice, but her place only has one bedroom. I want to get them a new house, big enough for everyone to visit."
"That's a fantastic wish, Goten." Ellery gleamed at the younger Saiyan before turning to his purple haired counterpart. "What about you, Trunks?"
Trunks looked conflicted as he took his time answering Ellery. "I'm not really sure. I was doing this to help Goten, but now I kind of want to help my Dad."
"Your Dad?" Ellery questioned.
"I know it's something he would never think to summon Shenron for when he's home. Dad talks about his tail sometimes and how he thought it made him a better fighter. I want to give him his tail back."
The young woman's eyes widened. Could that be the key to helping my problem as well? Ellery thought to herself. "Are you going to ask for just your father's tail?"
"I think so." Trunks thought out loud. "I don't remember having my tail, and I think it'd be irresponsible to give tails to any of the little Saiyan's. Bulla and Pan don't need to wreck the house just because they looked at a Full Moon. I know my Dad would handle it just fine."
"I was thinking." Ellery looked at the violet haired Saiyan. "You could frame your wish in a certain way."
"What do you mean?" Trunks' brow raised.
"If you were specific with your wish, you could make it so Kakarot and your Father get their tails. Wishing for only full-blooded Saiyan's to have their tails rules out any of you kids from the equation."
"Wouldn't that give you a tail too?" Goten asked curiously.
"It would." Ellery could feel the corners of her mouth turning up. "I don't have much memory of my tail, but I know it would bring me closer to my Saiyan heritage."
"That's not a bad idea." Trunks smiled. "Now, tell us your wish, and we'll get this show on the road!"
The Sayan woman looked down, her hands touching her abdomen. "I don't have a wish, per se. I would like to ask Shenron everything he knows about Saiyan conception."
"Contraption?" Goten asked. "Isn't that something you build?"
Ellery chuckled, looking at the young Saiyan. "Yes, you do build contraptions. But conception is… when two people try to have a baby together." Unable to keep the gaze, Ellery looks down once again. "We've been trying for some time. Since neither of us have any memory of our home world, I was wondering if there was a piece to the puzzle we were missing. I think he can help us."
"So… You're telling me I might get a baby brother or sister?" Goten questioned excitedly.
Ellery was surprised at how elated the younger Saiyan was about the news. "Hopefully in the future, you will have a little brother or sister." She mentions with a gleam on her face.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Trunks smiles. "Eternal Dragon, Shenron. By your name, I summon you forth!"
The sky turns black, devoid of any stars as lightning begins to encase the Dragon Balls on the ground. Ellery watched in fascination as a green Dragon appeared from the base of the orbs. He spanned well over one hundred feet. All the Saiyan woman could do was sit in awe in front of this incredible creature.
"I am the Eternal Dragon. State your first wish, and I shall grant it." Shenron asked flatly.
Goten was the first to speak. "I wish for a nice house for my mother!" The young Saiyan spoke loudly to the Dragon. "Her and Jean are living in an apartment, and I want something better for them. Something with lots of room!"
"An easy request." Shenron stated. "Your wish has been granted."
From the sky above, a small capsule drops in front of Goten. Looking at the contraption, it almost looked like one of Bulma's capsule homes. The young Saiyan quickly picked it up, placing it in his pocket for later.
"State your Second wish." The Eternal Dragon mentioned.
Ellery gestured for Trunks to speak next. The young Saiyan looked nervous, almost as though he'd never spoken to the Dragon before. The purple-haired boy glanced at his feet as he spoke. "Shenron, I wish that all full-blooded Saiyan's could get their tails back."
"Are you sure that's what you want to wish for?" Shenron asked. "Saiyan's use their tails in combat as a way to gain the upper hand on an enemy. Just giving that immense power to people of a warrior race could be dangerous."
"Yes." Trunks nodded in affirmation. "I know my Father, Goku, and Ellery are responsible enough to handle the power that's given to them.
"Very well." Shenron sighed before blinking.
Within a few moments, Ellery felt a tingling sensation originating on her lower back. As the young woman turned around, an ebony colored tail emerged from her. Suddenly, Ellery could feel her balance shifting as her tail instinctively wrapped around her waist. She could also feel her aura pulsating. Her new appendage had a lot more effect on the Saiyan woman than she originally thought it would.
"State your third wish. I don't have much time." Shenron stated.
The two boys looked at Ellery in anticipation. The young woman became nervous in an instant.
"Any day now." Shenron said impatiently.
"What can you tell me about… Saiyan conception. Please, tell me everything."
"A strange request." Shenron's brow raised. "But very well. I shall tell you everything I know. Saiyan's residing on Planet Vegeta have a specific mating cycle. Saiyan's can only mate during a Full Moon cycle. The chances of conception in between those times are slim to none. Certain cases have occured, but doing so can be detrimental to the life of the child and mother."
"Only two Saiyan's who have completed the Mating Ritual are able to conceive children. This was to stop the Planet from running rampant with Saiyan's. Two Saiyan's who wish to conceive children must give in to their natural instincts in front of each other. In showing their mate their true desires and fantasies, the two Saiyan's become closer as a couple and the result is the conceiving of a child. This process can become dangerous for the Planet, since Saiyan's have a habit of transforming during a Full Moon.
"This is all of my knowledge on the subject. Your three wishes have been granted. Farewell"
Shenron dematerialized into a golden dust before the seven orbs flew into the air. With a loud bang and flash of light, the Dragon Balls scattered themselves across the Earth.
The two boys looked at Ellery, who had a new glow about her features. The tail she just acquired made a home wrapped around her waist. Trunks was the first to say something. "Shenron wasn't very clear on what you needed to do…"
"Yeah.." Goten agreed. "I barely understood a word Shenron said."
The Saiyan woman could barely contain her happiness. Unlike the two boys, Ellery soaked up every word from Shenron. She knew exactly what her plan of attack was going to be. "It's okay boys. I think I got something from what he said. Now, why don't we do some training?"
"Sure!" Trunks and Goten yelled simultaneously.
