Author's Note:-
Okay, so I know this chapter is a little short as well, but hopefully the content makes up for it. Let me know what you think! And just to warn you, I kind of left this one on a huge cliffhanger, so I'll try to upload the next chapter ASAP!
There was an awkward silence on Bulma's jet as she piloted herself, Chichi and King Piccolo towards the final dragonball. Bulma looked at Chichi, finally thinking of something to break the silence.
"Hey Chichi, did I tell you about my neighbour?" She said. "He got married."
"Really?" Chichi uttered. "The one with the foreign girlfriend?"
"Yeah, that's him." Bulma nodded.
"I didn't know they were that serious." Chichi gasped.
"Well, they started living together about a month ago." Bulma said.
"Oh really? I didn't know." Chichi replied. "Did you go to the wedding?"
"Yeah, I went to the evening reception – it was really nice, actually. Everybody got along pretty well so the atmosphere was good." Bulma explained. "And her parents stayed for a few days, so that was nice for her to see them."
"Oh, that's nice." Chichi smiled.
Meanwhile, King Piccolo's entire body tensed and he gritted his teeth in frustration. What were they wittering on about now? This was drivel!
"Oh – and hey, she had her dress made by the same designer as me." Bulma said. "And she was at the wedding."
"Did she see you?" Chichi asked.
"Yeah, but we didn't talk much. Just kind of a hello, you know?"
"Yeah, well I guess you wouldn't have that much to talk about –"
"Silence!" King Piccolo roared, glaring at the two women. "I don't want to listen to this crap!"
"What!" Bulma protested. "What is wrong with you! In about thirty minutes you're going to rule over the entire planet, and you can't let us have one last gossip?"
"Hm…" King Piccolo mused, smirking a little as he thought about the dream that was fast becoming his reality. There was no stopping him now, was there? Even this woman knew it. There was only one dragonball left, and King Piccolo was on his way to get it right now. Very soon this entire planet would be his, and nobody could stop him doing whatever he wanted with it. Nobody would ever stand in his way again! Yes, it was beautiful… … Very well. Seeing as these women would be dead soon, along with their entire families… One last trivial conversation wasn't too much to ask for, was it? After all… he wasn't a complete bastard. "Fine." King Piccolo smirked wickedly. "You may proceed."
"Thanks." Bulma growled, rolling her eyes.
She turned back to Chichi. "Anyway – to be honest, I don't think they are that serious, but she was going to get deported."
"So she's only married him for a visa?" Chichi gasped.
"Yeah, that's what I think." Bulma nodded. "I mean, they are a real couple, but I don't think they were ready to get married yet."
"Well… I guess if they like each other, it'll work out." Chichi shrugged.
"Yeah, I hope so." Bulma replied.
"What the hell are you talking about?" King Piccolo snarled in frustration. "What's a visa?"
"It's something that lets you stay in a country you weren't born in." Bulma answered. "That's why my neighbour got married – his girlfriend's visa ran out, so she had to marry him otherwise she was going to get sent home."
"Why does she have to marry him?" King Piccolo frowned.
"Because if you marry someone that was born in that country, you kind of become a citizen by default." Bulma answered. "But… you have to prove you were in a relationship." She looked back at Chichi. "The visa people came and took a statement from me, and my neighbour was telling me he had to send off all these photos and testimonies from people…"
"Do you think that's why they started living together?" Chichi questioned.
"Yeah, maybe. They are in a real relationship though, everyone knows it." Bulma said. "And I guess the more people that know it the better."
"Tch. Sounds like too much effort." King Piccolo grunted. "How can anyone want to live in a place so badly? What is so good about being your neighbour?"
"For your information, it might not be that." Bulma frowned. "Maybe she just doesn't want to live wherever she came from." She smirked slightly. "Although… I think living next door to me would be worth getting married for."
"Shut up." King Piccolo spat.
He looked away, and fell silent. Hm… Now that he thought of it, would that work for Frikiza? If she married someone from this universe, would she still need to go home? Perhaps she would be permitted to stay here indefinitely, if she became his wife… No! King Piccolo almost slapped himself. What was he thinking! That was not happening! No way! He would rather let Frikiza die than marry her; they weren't even in a relationship!
"Hey Chichi," Bulma smirked. "Do you ever think, if Planet Vegeta hadn't been destroyed, maybe we could live there? We did marry saiyans, after all."
"Would you want to live there?" Chichi frowned. "That place sounds like it was dangerous – all everyone does is fight. It's no place to bring up a family."
"Yeah… you know, I'd never tell Vegeta, but it does sound like a terrible place to live." Bulma replied. "And I bet the fashion would be awful, and they wouldn't have any decent jewellery stores."
"And I doubt the schools would be up to much…" Chichi sighed worriedly. "Goten and Trunks would become delinquents, and Gohan would be forced to work as a warrior!"
"And you know, as aliens we'd be spoken to like dirt." Bulma frowned. "We'd just be slaves to them."
"Well, you might be okay. You'd be married to the prince, so all the other saiyans would have to respect you." Chichi reasoned.
"Tch. You know, I kind of think that if we ever moved to Planet Vegeta, it'd take like a month before Vegeta got himself a saiyan wife." Bulma growled. "And she'd be a total tramp!"
"No… I don't think he'd do that." Chichi smiled. "Vegeta's difficult Bulma, but he is loyal. I think deep down he really cares about you."
"Aww… You think so?" Bulma smiled back, her eyes glistening. "Thanks, Chichi… That's so sweet."
"Shut up!" King Piccolo barked, sickened by their emotions. Why were they talking like that? Weren't they interested in anything except relationships! "I've changed my mind! You two are to sit in silence – I don't want to listen to any more of this crap!"
"Whatever." Bulma pouted. "You're just jealous because nobody loves you."
"Hmph." King Piccolo snorted. "Well that's where you're wrong, you stupid little witch. Frikiza loves me."
"What!" The women gasped, their eyes widening.
"She… she loves you?" Chichi choked. "Did she… say that?"
"Of course she did, how else would I know!" King Piccolo snapped. "But what does it matter? I don't love her! I don't even care about her!" He folded his arms stubbornly and snorted. "Her feelings are wasted on me – which is exactly what I told her."
"Oh my God – you told her that?" Bulma cried. "What is wrong with you! That's like the worst thing you can say to a girl that loves you! You totally broke her heart!"
"Good." King Piccolo replied, smirking triumphantly. "I like breaking things."
He looked at the women's faces. They looked horrified. Tch. Pathetic. Why were they so emotional? Why did they even care? They didn't know Frikiza! What, did they feel sorry for her? Disgusting.
"I don't know what she sees in you." Chichi snarled.
"I could say the same about Goku." King Piccolo sniped, then smirked. "But then again, he is letting you die."
"Shut up!" Chichi screamed. "He's coming! And when he gets here you'd better pray that he gives you a second chance!"
"Whatever you say." King Piccolo sniggered, relishing in Chichi's agony. She was so delusional…
XXXXX
"He's what!" Gohan screamed, staring at Piccolo Junior with wide eyes. They were in Gohan's house, and Piccolo Junior had just informed him of the hostage situation with Chichi. "How – how could you let this happen!" Gohan yelled, infuriated.
"I didn't!" Piccolo Junior cried. "I didn't even know he was being brought back to Earth – Frikiza must have done it."
"I thought she was on our side!" Gohan protested.
"Look – Gohan, I don't know what's going on, all I know that he has your mother and he's close to having all of the dragonballs, so we need to find him." Piccolo Junior said. "Where's your father?"
"He's on King Kai's planet…" Gohan replied. "I don't get it – King Kai must know what's going on down here, so why hasn't my dad come?"
"I don't know…" Piccolo Junior mumbled. This didn't make any sense… It was as if King Kai was letting King Piccolo gather the dragonballs. Why would he do that? No… That couldn't be right. It was ridiculous. "… Whatever." Piccolo Junior grunted, dismissing the thought. "We don't have time to figure it out – let's just find him, okay?"
"Okay." Gohan nodded. "Let's go." He raced out of the house, followed by Piccolo Junior.
XXXXX
Meanwhile, Bulma returned her jet to capsule form after she, Chichi and King Piccolo had landed in West City.
"Okay…" Bulma uttered, zooming in on the dragon radar. The dragonball was on the other side of the city; she had deliberately landed away from it to buy Vegeta more time. She could only hope it was enough. If Vegeta didn't get here before they found the dragonball… Bulma could hardly bear to think about it. It would be the end of the world. Not even Goku would be able to stop it… Shit! She had to stall King Piccolo for as long as possible. Maybe she could find the dragonball before he did. Bulma zoomed back out on the radar, and looked at Chichi and King Piccolo. "Maybe we should split up?" Bulma suggested, praying that King Piccolo would agree. If she could just get away from him long enough to find the last dragonball…
"Ha. Nice try." King Piccolo smirked. "You girls aren't going anywhere. Now give that to me!" He swiped the dragon radar from Bulma's hands, causing her eyes to widen. Oh no… "Hm." King Piccolo grunted, studying the radar. "How do you zoom in?"
"Um…" Bulma uttered, glancing at Chichi worriedly. "You –"
"Never mind." King Piccolo said as he figured it out himself.
Bulma's heart stopped as King Piccolo studied the radar. Oh God… He looked angry… Had he realised she'd taken them to the wrong place? Crap! King Piccolo looked at Bulma, and glared at her. "You stupid bitch." He snarled. "We're on the wrong side of the city! We're nowhere near the dragonball!" He narrowed his eyes at Bulma and uttered a low growl, his anger burning so fiercely Bulma could feel it against her skin. "You didn't know that, did you…?" King Piccolo seethed. "This wasn't some kind of trick, was it?" He stared at her fiercely, his fingers curling as he readied himself to slice open Bulma's throat.
"Um…" Bulma whimpered, trembling slightly. "No, I –"
"Oh, give her a break!" Chichi huffed at King Piccolo. "Where do you get off calling her stupid? She knows this city better than you do – and she knows this is the only place she could land a jet that size! We're not in the wilderness now, you know!"
"… Hm." King Piccolo grunted, seeming to believe her. Well… Bulma was a smart woman. She wouldn't be foolish enough to try and trick him, would she? Although… she did seem to be lacking in common sense.
Bulma breathed a sigh of relief, and looked at Chichi thankfully. "Well then," King Piccolo growled, glaring at Bulma. "If you know this city so well, you really are stupid. Why didn't you land on top of a building, you fool!"
"How are we supposed to get down?" Bulma protested. "We can't fly!"
"I can!" King Piccolo roared. "I could have carried you."
"… Well, I didn't think of that." Bulma replied.
"Tch!" King Piccolo grunted in annoyance. Unbelievable. She was supposed to be a scientist wasn't she? She was a moron! "Whatever." King Piccolo snarled. "Come on." The two women cried out as King Piccolo scooped them up into one arm, and flew off towards the dragonball.
It only took him a minute to reach the other side of the city, and King Piccolo callously dropped the women to the ground, smirking slightly at the loud thud they made as they landed.
"Ow!" The women cried out, and glared at him.
"Are you this rough with Frikiza?" Bulma snapped.
"Rougher." King Piccolo replied with a wink, causing Bulma to go wide-eyed and blush slightly. "Alright." King Piccolo said, looking at the women. "This is what's going to happen. I'm going to start vaporising buildings, and you two are going to look through the rubble."
"What!" The women screamed.
"What the hell are you talking about! There are thousands of people here!" Bulma yelled.
"That's why I said vaporise." King Piccolo smirked. "So their corpses won't get in your way."
"No!" Chichi cried. "I'm not doing that! And neither are you!" She glared at him. "Look. Just give up already. Why do you even want to take over the world? You have a girlfriend now, and your son is a good person – why can't you just be happy living a normal life –" She was abruptly cut off by King Piccolo's hand clasping around her throat.
"How many times do I need to tell you…?" King Piccolo hissed, tightening his grip. "Frikiza is not my girlfriend." He snarled. "And let me make one thing clear about my son – as long as he is a 'good person', he is useless to me. I will give him one chance – one chance to join me, and if he decides to side with you worthless creatures, then he will die along with the rest of you. Do you understand!"
"Y…" Chichi choked, unable to answer him properly. King Piccolo grunted.
"I'll take that as a yes." He growled, and released her. "Now." King Piccolo glared at the women. "You will do as I say, otherwise I will kill –"
"Hey!" A familiar voice stopped him.
King Piccolo looked up to see a woman approaching him. He recognise her… Oh, right. He remembered now. She was the owner of that hotel he and Frikiza had stayed in. What did she want? "I thought it was you!" The woman beamed as she approached King Piccolo. She stopped and looked at Bulma and Chichi. "Um…" She looked up at King Piccolo. "So… I guess these aren't your girlfriend either, right?"
"No!" King Piccolo snarled. "Certainly not! They work for me!"
"Oh…" The woman uttered. "… Are you a pimp?"
"What!" Bulma and Chichi screamed, insulted.
"You think we look like prostitutes?" Bulma cried, her face filling with rage. "I'm the heir to Capsule Corporations, you little bitch!"
"Yeah, and my son is engaged to Hercule Satan's daughter!" Chichi yelled.
"Oh… sorry." The hotel owner replied. "Anyway," She looked up at King Piccolo and smiled. "Are you hungry?"
"What?" King Piccolo blinked.
"Well… you're just in time." The woman put her hand into her bag, and pulled out the final dragonball. "I just found it – I was going to put it on display again, but you can eat it if you want."
Bulma and Chichi's eyes widened in horror as they stared at the dragonball in her hand.
"Oh my God…" Bulma choked. "No!" She cried. "Don't give it to him –" She let out a gasp as she watched the hotel owner hand the dragonball over to King Piccolo, smiling.
"No…" Chichi whimpered, staring at the woman. "You have no idea what you've done! He's going to use it to kill us all!"
"What?" The woman gasped. "Is it a bomb?"
"No." King Piccolo grinned. "Ignore them. Thank you!"
"You're welcome." The woman smiled. "Well, I have to get back to the hotel. Have a good day! Oh…" She looked across the three of them. "And… if you make any new friends, I'm opening up a new honeymoon suite –"
"They aren't my girlfriends!" King Piccolo roared. "Get out of here!"
"Okay!" The woman yelped. "Sorry!" She smiled at the three of them, and darted away.
King Piccolo turned to Bulma and Chichi, and grinned.
"That was lucky, wasn't it?" He beamed. It was lucky… almost too good to be true! King Piccolo could hardly believe that had just happened. It was as if the universe wanted to summon the dragon! It was a sign – a sign that the Earth belonged to him, the great Demon King Piccolo! Nobody could stop him now!
"Please…" Bulma pleaded, interrupting King Piccolo's internal glee. "You don't have to destroy the Earth. You're a namek! Your people created the dragonballs for good! Don't you want to honour them by not abusing the – aii!" She yelped as King Piccolo smacked her across the face, bruising her cheek.
"Shut up!" He snarled. Bitch. How dare she kill the mood! Just for that, she would be the last to die – she would have to watch as King Piccolo disembowelled everyone she knew. "Come." King Piccolo ordered. "Let's summon the dragon." He grabbed hold of Bulma and Chichi, and flew off towards the wilderness.
XXXXX
Over in Otherworld, King Yemma and Fortune-teller Baba watched nervously as King Piccolo landed in an open clearing and threw the women to the ground.
"Frikiza… He doesn't look like somebody that's about to wish for something good." Baba said.
"That's because he won't!" King Yemma growled, and glared at Frikiza. "You have to go over there."
"Yemma, don't worry." Frikiza replied. "Even if he does wish for something bad, it won't be a problem, right?"
"How can you be so sure?" King Yemma argued. "What if we're wrong?"
"Trust me." Frikiza nodded. "Please… just let me see his wishes. As soon as he wishes for something bad, I'll get him, I promise."
"Well… he'll use one to revive himself." Baba began. "And another to bring back his children – so you can go as soon as he wishes for anything else."
"I will." Frikiza nodded, and looked at King Yemma. "Okay?"
"… Fine." King Yemma grunted. "But if he destroys Earth, you're dealing with the spirits!"
"Okay…" Frikiza mumbled.
XXXXX
Back on Earth, King Piccolo set the two women down and started to gag.
"Please!" Bulma pleaded. "Don't do this – … what's wrong?" She blinked at his gagging, then almost threw up as King Piccolo spat out the remaining six dragonballs into his hand. "Ew! Gross!"
"Shut up!" King Piccolo barked. "I've had enough of your mouth." He tossed the dragonballs to the floor, then threw his hand towards the women.
Bulma and Chichi cried out as King Piccolo used his energy to yank their arms and legs together, restraining them. They fell to the ground and started writhing desperately, struggling to break free of the restraints. King Piccolo sniggered as he watched them. Worms. That was all they were, and soon they would die like worms.
"You bastard!" Chichi screamed. "You won't get your wishes! Goku will come before you can even say them, and he'll kill you!"
"Do you really believe that?" King Piccolo sneered. "Don't you think he would have come by now?" He approached Chichi, and smirked down at her. "Sorry." He channelled a little of his energy again, and the two women suddenly found themselves gagged with balls of clothing. They choked and spluttered, trying to cough out their gags, but to no avail. Ahh. King Piccolo smirked. Perfect. The last thing he wanted was for these two to make their own wishes in his place! There was no way he was allowing them to speak, and if gagging them didn't work then he would tear out their voices boxes! King Piccolo snorted at the women, then he approached the dragonballs and called, "Eternal dragon, come forth!"
XXXXX
Elsewhere on Earth, Gohan and Piccolo Junior stopped dead in mid-air when the sky suddenly turned dark.
"Oh no…" Gohan gasped, his eyes widening. "We're too late!"
"We can still find him!" Piccolo Junior insisted. "He's not made his wishes yet – come on!" He bolted through the air, followed by Gohan. "Father, where the hell are you! Do not do anything you'll regret!"
"I wasn't planning to." King Piccolo replied tauntingly.
On the other side of the wildness King Piccolo smirked as he listened to his son's pleading. It was pathetic. Was Junior really going to side with those Earthlings? What was the point? They were as good as dead; there was no way anybody could stop King Piccolo now. Junior wouldn't be able to find him in time; King Piccolo was still supressing his ki, and he would continue to supress it until all of his wishes had been granted. He wasn't taking any chances this time!
King Piccolo stared up, his eyes glowing in delight as the eternal dragon appeared before him, and he eagerly listened as it spoke.
"Who has awoken me? I will grant you three wishes." The dragon uttered.
"Nrrgh!" Bulma attempted to scream. King Piccolo looked over at Bulma, and growled at her sternly.
"Shut up!" He hissed. He looked up at the dragon and yelled, "I want you to restore me to life permanently!"
"Very well." The dragon replied.
King Piccolo gasped as an overwhelming warmth came over him. A sharp pain shot through his heart, as if it had been shocked into beating. A wild gush of air raced into his lungs as if he had taken his very first breath. He felt… different. This wasn't what King Piccolo had expected. He felt more powerful. His senses were heightened. He was… stronger. Was this his true power…? Was this what it felt like to be truly alive? King Piccolo had no idea his temporary life had been so watered down; it had been a mere fraction of what he was feeling now. This was… incredible! Ha! It was fantastic! He was even more powerful than he thought! "Now." The dragon said. "Your second wish."
"Right." King Piccolo nodded. "I –" He suddenly stopped before any other words could escape his lips. No… That wasn't what he wanted to say! "I want you to save Frikiza!" King Piccolo's eyes widened as the words echoed through his head – the words he'd almost blurted out. No… No, he wasn't saying that! He was not using his power wish on Frikiza! No way! "I…" King Piccolo hesitated again. He couldn't stop thinking about it… No matter how hard he tried, he could not stop thinking that this was his only chance to save Frikiza. He could use this wish on her – if there was any way in the world to save her, then surely the eternal dragon would know… No! Why was he even thinking like that? Why was he even capable of thinking like that! Of course Frikiza couldn't have King Piccolo's wish! It was his wish! She'd made her choice – she was the one that had chosen to make an enemy of her family, and now she had to pay the price! It was nothing to do with King Piccolo, nothing at all!
"Speak! What is your wish?" The dragon demanded impatiently.
"I…" King Piccolo uttered. "I want you to save Frikiza!" No… No! No, he couldn't wish for that! She had to die! It was unfortunate, but King Piccolo had waited for this moment for almost three decades, and there was no way he was giving it up for the likes of Frikiza! Why would he? He didn't care about her. He didn't! And he would prove it!
King Piccolo took a breath, then looked up at the dragon and yelled, "I want you to make me the most powerful being in the universe!"