Welcome back everyone! It's the month of June, so it's time to work on this story once again. The thrill of combat is at hand! Will Milla and her companions succeed in their mission to collect the Dragon Balls? We'll find out… right after some reviews!
Luceo04: It might be a while, but you'll have to wait and see.
With all of that (meaning the one review) out of the way, let's get started. I don't own Dragon Ball in any of its many forms. I do own original characters, concepts, and ideas unless stated otherwise.
Voices
"Talking."
'Thinking.'
"YELLING!"
"Author/Guest/High or demonic entity talking. Also, big twist at the end of a section."
"AUTHOR/GUEST/HIGH OR DEMONIC ENTITY YELLING!"
"Whispering."
"Author/Guest/High or demonic entity whispering."
The sun stood high in the sky, shining its light upon the earth below. A river flowed across the grasslands, fish sometimes jumping up to catch bugs midair. The creatures dispersed as a squealing sound blared throughout the area. A motorboat came through, moving at a careful yet quick pace. It was not the engine that was squealing, however, but Oolong as the pig tried to escape one of Milla's hugs.
"Let me go you little half-pint!" cried Oolong. "I am not a plush you can squeeze all day!" The monkey girl paid his request no mind as she squeezed him tighter.
"It's okay Oolong." Cooed Milla. "No need to be a grumpy piggy." Bulma chuckled at the duo's antics as she continued to steer the boat. This was better than that water she was going to have the pig drink, Milla being able to find him anywhere due to her sense of smell. She looked back at the duo with a smile.
"That's enough Milly." Chastised the bluenette. "You have plenty of time to hug the piggy later. Otherwise, it'll stop feeling special." Milla bopped her head back and forth, Oolong nodding his head in hopes that she'd accept. He breathed a long sigh of relief, trying to catch his breath as the monkey girl finally released him.
"Okay! Where are we going next Bulma? We only have… uh…" Milla began to count her fingers in order to guess the right number. "Two more to go!"
Bulma chuckled as she pulled out her Dragon Radar. In all honesty she had nearly forgotten about their quest in the midst of enjoying Oolong's suffering. She hummed as she checked the radar data with a map that she had on hand.
"Looks like we're going to a place called… Fire Mountain. We'll have to cut through a dessert but…" Oolong's eyes widened as the name of their destination was uttered.
"Fire Mountain!?" cried out the pig. "Are you out of your mind!? We can't go there! We'll be dead before we even know it!" Bulma shook her head in denial.
"If we want the Dragon Ball, we're gonna have to go there. Is there a problem?" Oolong looked exasperated at first, only to growl in anger as he shook his head.
"You're crazy if you think I'm going to that deathtrap! I'm out of here!" Oolong quickly turned into a fish as he jumped into the water.
"Hey!" cried Bulma. "Get back here!" The boat rocked a bit as a grunt filled the air.
"PIGGY!" cried Milla. The monkey girl jumped into the water, creating a large splash that got Bulma soaked. Milla swam through the water at high speed as she tried to find Oolong. She looked around the area, trying to locate "her Piggy". She soon spotted one of the schooling fish as it bolted from the rest, causing her to rush after it.
'THIS BRAT DOESN'T KNOW WHEN TO QUIT!' thought Oolong in his head. He got an idea as he led the girl around the area. It looked like she was about to catch him when she hit her head on the top of a cave. She floated to the top, lying on her back as her eyes were wide open. Bulma's eyes widened as she steered the boat closer.
"Milla!" cried the genius. "Are you okay!?" Milla brought her hand up to her forehead, feeling a comically large bump. The monkey girl let loose one of her famous growls as Bulma tried to brace herself. "There-there Milla…"
The saiyan didn't respond in the way her friend had hoped as she began to bawl like a child. Oolong irked as he stopped in his tracks, looking back on the scene. He scoffed as he looked away.
'Not my fault she followed me into an underwater tunnel. I'll just swim up the river a bit before surfacing and…' Oolong stopped in his tracks as he bumped into something, or rather multiple somethings. He slowly turned around, only to eep as he saw a collection of angry river animals glaring at him. "Um… Under the River~!"
Bubbles suddenly began to surface in the water, even causing Milla to stop crying as she looked that direction. Oolong suddenly rose from the water with a yelp as several fish were biting him all over his body. He began running across the river as several more fish and even some alligators began chasing him around. He was crying all the while as one of the gators nearly bit off his tail. In spite of the jerk being in danger, Milla clapped her hands giddily with a smile.
"Piggy!" cheered the monkey girl. She quickly followed along, becoming a member of the chasing group. Bulma couldn't look away from the scene, dumbfounded as the pig was chased onto the nearby bank. Oolong tried to crawl away, but his stamina was basically depleted. He heard Milla's approaching stomps as a dust cloud approached him.
"Please… have mercy!" Milla tackled the little pig, hugging him tightly once again. The river animals cheered in success before swimming away as Bulma docked the boat in their place.
"Please don't run away again Piggy! I promise to give you lots of love and let you try pizza with me!" Oolong groaned in the girl's embrace, knowing that he would probably never escape at this point.
"I'm going to die. Between Fire Mountain and this girl's hugs, I won't make it to see the end of the week." Bulma bottled up her boat before running to the duo. Milla had finally let go of Oolong, the pig contemplating his escape. That died as the bluenette and the alligators from before were glaring at him.
"You've got some nerve trying to pull that kind of stunt, Mr.!" roared Bulma. "I have half a mind to tie you up and roast you over a fire!" Oolong growled as he shook his head.
"If we go to Fire Mountain it'll probably happen anyways! Haven't you heard of it!? The entire mountain is literally on fire, save for the castle on top." Both girls looked to the pig in surprise. Bulma growled as she crossed her arms.
"Oh, there is no way that's true! It has to be some kind of optical illusion or something!" Milla tapped her chin a few times, ignoring whatever argument her friends had after that moment. Something about that name seemed familiar now that she thought about it. Her eyes widened as she shot up to her feet.
"You mean Frying Pan Mountain!" cheered the monkey child. "We're going to see Uncle Ox!" Bulma and Oolong looked to the girl, each having their own form of expression.
"Milla, we're talking about Fire Mountain. Not…" Oolong shuttered as his face was more of terror than confusion as he took a few steps back.
"Th…that's the original name of the mountain." Gasped the pig. "You… you know the terrible Ox King!?" Milla nodded her head enthusiastically.
"Yeah!" confirmed the saiyan. "Grandpa Gohan used to take me when I was a baby! Of course, Uncle Ox accidentally set his mountain on fire so I couldn't go anymore. Then one day Grandpa stopped going there himself." Oolong gestured to the short teen with a fearful look.
"Probably because he went insane! Anyone who dares approach his mountain is cut down with no mercy! If the heat doesn't kill you, that horrid giant definitely will!" Bulma gulped, actually frightened by the possibility of an actual giant. Milla chuckled as she shook her head.
"Sounds like classic Uncle Ox! Grandpa told me all kinds of stories about how Uncle would beat up anything that hurt his people, especially his daughter." Oolong felt a strange sense of relief as he shook his head.
"Okay. I might live after all. Just throw Milla at the Ox King. If he remembers her, we live and if he doesn't, he kills her and I can run away." Bulma suddenly hit the pig over the head, causing him to comically fall to the ground.
"Don't you dare think like that!" roared the bluenette. "I'll start shooting before I let her get killed! Let's just get on my bike and…" Bulma was about to reach into her capsule bag, only to instead be met by a void of air. She slowly looked down, only to scream as her bag was missing.
"What's wrong, Bulma!" cried Milla. "Are you okay!?" Bulma looked around everywhere for her missing bag, even lifting rocks for some reason.
"MY BAG! IT'S GONE! I HAD IT WITH ME ON THE BOAT WHEN OOLONG… YOU!" Oolong looked around in confusion, only to point to himself with a fearful expression.
"Me?" questioned the pig. Bulma let out a war cry as she rushed at Oolong. The captive didn't even have the chance to shift as the woman picked him up by his collar.
"You stole my bag! Where is it!? I know you have it somewhere! Where did you stash it!?" Oolong gulped as he held up his hoofed hands.
"I didn't have time to grab your stupid bag! I was running for my life! Even if I did, it'd be at the bottom of the river right now! Just live without them would ya!" Bulma growled as she dropped the pig.
"The Dragon Balls were in there, not to mention all my capsules and money! The very reason we started this journey is probably lost in the ocean by now!" Oolong paled in shock, sweat pouring down his brow.
"Oh. That's not good." Bulma looked like she was about to fall to her knees in anguish, only for Milla to hold up a small burlap bag that was tied to her waist.
"The Dragon Balls aren't gone." Revealed the saiyan girl. She opened the bag, revealing the wish orbs in question. Bulma and Oolong's jaws nearly hit the floor at the sight. "I put them in a bag the villagers gave me so they wouldn't get lost." Bulma picked Milla up in her arms as she cheered.
"Look at you, being so smart!" cheered the bluenette. "We still have a chance!" Milla chuckled as she rubbed the back of her head, not used to being called smart.
"Gosh, anybody could have done that. Sorry about your capsules, Bulma. Now we'll have to walk in the desert because I don't think Nimbus can hold all of us." Bulma chuckled to herself as she put the child down. She then pointed to herself with her thumb as she sported a cocky grin.
"I can always get more capsules and I needed to replace my car anyway. I ran a 5k run back home for exercise, so how bad could a walk through the desert be?" Oolong winced as he looked down, knowing where this was going.
Two hours later
The sun beamed down harshly as the heroes were walking through the desert. Milla had been using the Flying Nimbus to scout ahead at one point but decided to walk with the others as Oolong attempted another escape plan. In spite of her earlier proclamation, Bulma was miserable the entire walk. She did not expect how hot things would get in the midst of the day, nor how tiring it was trying to walk in the desert sands.
"Why did I have to lose my capsules at a time like this?" asked Bulma in exhaustion. "This place is a nightmare." Milla slowed down, Oolong being thankful as she was pulling him by the band behind her.
"You're tired already Bulma?" asked Milla in worry and confusion. "We've only been walking for a bit." Bulma growled as she looked up at the sky.
"It's been two hours! I'm going to die in this heat!" The genius looked around for an answer to her dilemma, only to get an idea as she looked to Oolong. "Oolong, can you turn into a bus?" The pig scoffed as he looked away.
"I'm not gonna listen to my captor!" shouted Oolong in defiance. "Find your own way to cope!" Bulma frowned at the pig with her brow raised in interest.
"Oh really? I think your piggy needs a big hug, Milla." Oolong's eyes widened as he shook his head.
"No wait please! Milla I'm good! Stay back! I don't need a…" The pig's pleading went ignored as the girl suddenly lunged at him.
"Huggie!" shouted Milla in utter joy. She wrapped Oolong in a hug, making him squeal like the pig he was. The shapeshifter reached out to Bulma in a pleading manner.
"I'll do it! Just make her put me down, please!" Bulma smirked as she waved her hand.
"That's enough, Milla." Ordered the genius. "We don't want to pop him like a grape." Milla reluctantly let go of Oolong, allowing him to breathe as she traveled on ahead. The pig growled in anger as he disappeared. In his place stood a rather large bus,
Bulma smirked victoriously as she snapped her fingers. "See. Was that so hard?" Bulma tried to walk up the stairs of the "bus" only for the object to sag to the ground. Oolong let out a squeal as he reverted to normal with a puff of smoke.
The pig squealed as he hopped on his foot, pain and anger in his eyes. Bulma put her hands on her hips as she growled. "What's the big deal!? You turned into a freaking bus, not a wuss!" Oolong growled as he fought the pain filled tears in his eyes.
"I can't change my mass ya know!" replied Oolong with a squeal of his own. "Plus, I can only hold my transformations for five minutes. Even if you were Milla's weight I'd only be able to carry you for half of that time. Maybe ask about a person's capabilities before you decide to force them to carry you!" Bulma didn't let up as she crossed her arms.
"Well, how about you tell people that kind of thing before you flat out deny it!" The two butted heads as a spark struck between them. This spark fizzled as they heard a sniffling noise. They slowly looked towards Milla, realizing that her expression had saddened. She clenched her fists as she looked to the duo.
"Friends shouldn't fight like this." Began the girl. "Please stop fightin'." The older duo jerked as they felt glares on them. They looked back, finding that the desert animals had returned. Oolong suddenly waved his hands in front of Milla, fearful for his own life.
"E…everything's fine!" lied the pig. "We're just… um…" Bulma got an idea as she bopped Oolong on the back of the head.
"Sparring!" added the bluenette. "I stepped on Oolong's foot by accident, and he got mad." Milla seemed to be looking between the duo as if she were evaluating her words. The desert animals were waiting for the signal to strike, one of them foaming at the mouth. The saiyan suddenly grinned as she tilted her head.
"Don't be mad, Oolong!" cheered the monkey girl. "Stuff like this happens during training. I remember one time when grandpa stepped on my tail by accident. It hurt like heck." Milla resumed her walking as she regaled her companions with some of her training stories, the animals sending the duo "I'm watching you" glares before running off.
One coyote in particular actually did the hand sign before chasing after a roadrunner. The duo sighed in relief as they slumped forward. Oolong frowned as he looked towards Bulma.
"You're despicable." snarled the pig. "That hurt like heck!" Bulma frowned back at him as she huffed.
"You're welcome." responded Bulma. "Let's just hurry up before Milla leaves us behind. That or before those animals come back." Oolong nodded vigorously as he and Bulma ran to catch up to the monkey girl. They didn't want to know what else her animal magnetism could reach.
Soon the sun reached its peak in the sky as the trio continued on their way. Milla had taken to hopping across some big rocks that were sticking out of the ground, humming a childish tune to herself. Bulma stumbled back and forth, the heat of the day weighing on her. Soon enough it became too much to bear as she began to fall forward. Oolong's eyes widened as he watched the scene unfold.
"Milla!" The monkey girl suddenly rocketed from her game to catch the falling genius. Oolong quickly felt Bulma's forehead, hissing as he removed his hand quickly. "She's overheating." Milla quickly scanned the area before stopping her view on a rather large natural stone structure.
"Let's go there!" ordered the saiyan. "That should be shady enough." Oolong nodded as he grabbed Bulma by her feet. The duo carried their friend towards the rock, unaware that they were being watched by something. The little figure quickly left its spot as it flew towards what appeared to be a hut of some form.
"Yamcha!" cried the being in a whiny voice. "Some exhausted travelers ran to the big rock nearby!" The man, apparently Yamcha, chuckled as he sharpened his blade.
"In my desert?" questioned the man. "What an unfortunate turn of events. Just the kind of payday we've been waiting for. Let's ride!" The man walked away from his grindstone, the unknown creature flying behind him.
Back at the large rock, Milla plucked some feathers from some birds she just hunted down and stuffed them into Oolong's old jacket. The pig looked like he had a problem with his property being used as a makeshift pillow, though he'd rather not mess with any animals in the area. Soon Milla laid Bulma's head on top of the pillow, the older girl letting out a sigh of relief. Now all the monkey girl had to worry about was trying to cook some birds she had never seen before. Oolong chuckled as he sat down nearby.
"Look at you, taking care of her for a change." Joked the pig. "Did your mom teach you how to cook too?" Milla looked down at the ground, a slightly sad look on her face.
"I… I don't remember my mom or my dad." Revealed the saiyan. "I don't remember much past a memory of Grandpa Gohan picking me up and reminding me what my name is. I like to think that they were really nice and strong people, but I don't remember if they ever came by to visit or not." Oolong's eyes widened as he joined the girl in staring at the ground.
"Oh. I see. To be honest, my parents kicked me to the curb in my early days of shapeshifting school. I guess we both have absent parents in our lives." Milla looked towards the pig, holding her legs as she contemplated his words.
"Do… do you think my mom and dad dumped me on Grandpa? Is there something wrong with me that made them not like me anymore?" Oolong paused as he thought about that question. It was the same one he would ask himself sometimes when he thought about his situation. His frown turned serious as he matched the monkey girl's glance.
"Whatever reason they have for not being there, it has nothing to do with who you are. You are one of the most polite and fierce little girls I've ever met. Me, I was nothing but a laze around and a loser. You're honestly a better person than me in so many ways, even if you give bone crushing hugs." Milla chuckled as she tapped her toes together.
"Sorry if my hugs hurt. I'll try to not do it so hard. I just really love cute animals. I always wanted to hug the piggies at the farms Grandpa would take me to, so I got excited when I first saw what you really look like." Oolong chuckled as he shook his head.
The moment was ruined as a rumbling filled the area. It was also accompanied by the sound of a humming engine. Milla and Oolong ran out to the entrance of the rock cavern, watching as a hovering motorcycle stopped just outside. A young man with long black hair and black eyes hopped off of the vehicle, a serious frown on his face. He wore a green gi shirt with the kanji for "comfort" on the front, orange gi pants, blue boots that almost reached his knees, and a brown scabbard upon his back.
"Greetings." Greeted the man. "I am Yamcha, the master of this land." Milla smiled as she bowed her head politely.
"Hello, Mister Yamcha." Greeted the girl. "I'm Son Milla!" Yamcha seemed to be off put by the girl's family name, only to shake his head as he resumed his focus.
"I wish I could say it's a pleasure. Just hand over any food, water, or capsules you have, and I'll be on my way." Milla tapped her lip as she looked up.
"I'm sorry, but we lost all our capsules and I need to cook these birds I found so my friend can have something to eat. Do you have any money, Oolong?" The pig looked like he was about to answer, only for a shrill gasp to fill the air.
"Yamcha!" cried a creature as it popped out from behind the bandit. It appeared to be a flying blue cat with a beige underbelly. "It's Oolong, the guy who would bully me in shapeshifting school! He was so mean!" The man cracked his neck as he glared at the pig.
"Really?" asked Yamcha. "Sorry kid, but I can't let you go if you're with the creep who picked on Puar. Actually, hand him over and I might just spare you. He could make for some good bacon" Oolong gulped as he took a few steps back, only to smirk as a growl was uttered from Milla's throat.
"Oh, you're in trouble now!" jeered the pig. "Milla's the strongest little girl in the world! You don't stand a chance! When she beats the crap out of you, you'll be handing over your…" The girl suddenly leapt forward before Oolong could finish his sentence.
"Kitty!" cheered Milla. Puar gasped as the girl was gunning straight for him. The flying cat tried to get away, only for the girl to catch him midair.
"Puar!" shouted Yamcha. The man turned to the scene with a glare, only to nearly fall to the floor. Puar was at first squirming to get out of the hold, only to melt like butter into Milla's arms as she petted him.
"Ooh~!" purred the cat. "That feels so nice." Milla giggled as she continued to pet the cat.
"There, there kitty-kitty." Soothed the monkey girl. "That's a good kitty. Was mean old Mr. Piggy mean to you?" Puar slowly nodded his head, mostly because he was leaning into her scratches. Oolong felt a bit of his world shatter as he was downgraded to "mean old Mr. Piggy."
Milla continued to pet Puar until she felt something poking her back. She turned to find Yamcha aiming a sword at her back. A spark clashed between the duo as Yamcha gestured to Puar with his blade.
"Let go of my friend now!" demanded Yamcha. "Or else I'll slice off your head!" Puar held up his hand as he tried to get the bandit to stop.
"Give it a few more scratches, Yamcha." Requested the cat. "This is Heaven!" Yamcha wasn't listening as he readied his weapon.
"I said now!" Milla's instincts kicked in as she leaped forward, narrowly avoiding a slice to the back of the head. Puar flew behind Yamcha as the girl landed on the ground, looking to the bandit with a perturbed glare. The saiyan turned towards her assailant, taking on her fighting stance. Yamcha was undeterred by this as he leapt at her.
Milla rolled out of the way of his sword, once again avoiding a gnarly cut. She then sent a kick into his gut, forcing him to take a few steps back. "That actually hurt. I'll give you props for that, but it won't be enough!" Yamcha went for another slash, only for his opponent to catch his blade in her hands.
Milla quickly pushed the man's weapon upwards, forcing him to move his arms with it. She quickly threw some punches into his gut. Yamcha quickly brought his blade down to block the attack, using the side of the weapon. The bandit tried to get in a kick at the monkey girl, but she dodged his attack with a backflip. The duo found themselves in a bit of a routine where they would dodge, block and even counterattack each other.
"Take this!" roared Milla. She tried to break the loop with a strong kick, only for Yamcha to block her attempt once again. They seemed to be locked in an infinite struggle as they continued to try and get a clean hit. Yamcha growled as he blocked a flying kick with the side of his blade. He looked over to Puar, the cat still sulking.
"Get back at that pork chop while I distract Munchkin here!" Oolong, who was sitting down in order to enjoy the fight, suddenly felt a chill run down his spine as he turned towards the Puar. The feline had now directed his glare towards the former bully.
"Let's see if you remember your favorite game, Oolong." Threatened Puar. "Meet Jackhammer!" The floating car transformed into a jackhammer, tearing up the desert as he grew closer and closer to his target. Oolong tried to make a run for it, running as fast as his little legs could carry him. He tripped over a stone, plopping face first into the sand.
"Oolong!" cried Milla. She was about to run towards the pig, only to duck as Yamcha leapt over her. He landed between the girl and the pig with an evil grin.
"Not so fast, kid." Denied the bandit. "Your fight is with me. If you wanna save that worthless pig, you'll have to get through me." Milla growled as Puar inched closer and closer to Oolong. She pulled the Powerpole from its sheath, surprising Yamcha with its appearance.
"Power Poll extend!" The pole did what it was commanded to as the girl spun it around. Both Yamcha and Puar were caught by the attack, being carried around by the weapon. Puar changed back in the midst of the attack, but the force kept him stuck to the Powerpole. It looked like a disk was pulling dust in as the scream of both enemies carried through the air.
Milla finally stopped as she aimed the duo towards another nearby rock. The bandit and his cat were sent flying towards the structure, Yamcha crying the entire way. Puar landed with his head stuck in the sand while the main opponent slammed face first into the stone. Yamcha slid down the side of the rock, a bit of blood in the area where his face was. He flopped with his back against the ground as Puar finally popped out of the sand.
"Yamcha!" cried the feline. "Are you okay!?" A stomp caught Puar's attention, causing him to slowly look up. Milla was glaring down at him, her eyes seemingly blank from his position. She pointed at him with a growl, her pupils now visible.
"BAD KITTY! No turning into machines and attacking my friends!" Puar felt his world shatter much like Oolong's as the girl's words set in. He huddled against the rock, his head down. The mutter of "I'm not a bad kitty" could be heard repeatedly as Yamcha rose to his feet.
"That pole, your family name..." bemused the bandit as he stood tall. He turned around with his grin restored, quickly wiping blood from his nose. "It explains your strength and your skill. Are you by chance related to Son Gohan?" Milla didn't let up her glare as she glared back at the big bully.
"He's my grandpa." Yamcha grew silent as the clash of smirk and glare continued. He suddenly chuckled to himself as he clenched his fist.
"So, the granddaughter of the legendary Son Gohan. One of the world's finest martial artists. To think we meet in a place like this." Oolong blinked multiple times, speechless by this revelation. Did he hear that right?
Yamcha quickly took a few steps back before taking on a barehanded stance. "I recognize your strength, Son Milla. I'm going to finish this with my signature attack. Let's see if your grandfather's legendary status means anything for you." Milla growled as she prepared the Powerpole again.
"Grandpa always told me to make my own way! Bring it on!" Yamcha grinned as he suddenly rushed towards the girl. In a moment the tables seemed to turn as he went for a kick that sent the girl's staff spiraling backwards. Milla quickly moved with her weapon as she spun it around.
She spun around with the attack, only for her opponent to catch the weapon with both hands. He winced as his hands were stinging from the force of the attack. He pulled back on the weapon, forcing the girl to move with it. Milla tried to get in a solid kick in with the momentum, only for Yamcha to kick her away himself. He then threw her weapon to the side as he prepared his promised attack.
"Wolf Fang Fist!" Yamcha began to punch and kick at the monkey girl, moving faster and faster with each strike. She did her best to block the attacks, though a few made their way through her defenses. Oolong watched in terror as the girl soon stopped blocking as the attacks kept hitting her. With one final strike that had a wolf moniker forming over Yamcha, Milla was launched into the outer wall of the cavern.
The girl slid down the wall much like Yamcha did, landing face first into the ground. Yamcha smirked as he shook his hands. "Those blocks were definitely unexpected. You're even more skilled than I thought. Still, someone your age wasn't prepared for my full power."
Yamcha was about to walk away, most likely to grab the Powerpole, only for the sound of grunting to catch his attention. His eyes widened as he watched Milla slowly stand up. "It's not possible." Milla growled as she glared at the thief, only to clutch her gut as it grumbled. She was too hungry to continue fighting, the pain clearly visible through her expression.
Noticing this himself, Yamcha chuckled maliciously. "It's amazing that you survived my strongest technique, but it looked like someone skipped lunch." The bandit walked over to his sword, quickly picking it up. He pointed it towards the monkey girl, an evil grin on his face. "Any last words Son Milla?"
Before Milla could answer, however, Yamcha felt dread in the back of his head. He looked to his right, watching as Oolong was in the midst of shapeshifting. In the pig's place now stood a massive red dragon, much like he threatened to do against Milla in their fight. While the former crook did his best to look intimidating, it wasn't him that was causing Yamcha to falter. The real culprit was Bulma, moaning cluelessly as the bluenette walked out of the cave.
"Who the heck keeps yelling out here!?" shouts Bulma in anger. "What's with all the yelling and banging!?" The girl finally became aware of her surroundings, locking eyes with Yamcha. She felt a slight blush creep up her face as, in her eyes, Yamcha had sparkles form around him. The bandit, however, suddenly became red in the face as he hopped back on one foot a few times.
"I…I decided to let you live for now!" cried the thief. "I swear I'll be back!" The bandit quickly grabbed his companion as he hopped back on his hovercycle. "What the heck, Puar!? You know about my fear of beautiful women!"
Without a coherent response, Yamcha sped off in the direction he came. Bulma stood in silence as she was caught in her own world. She didn't even respond as Oolong returned to his normal form.
"Who was that? He was such a hunk! I just want to…" The bluenette turned to where Milla was standing, only to pale as she finally recognized the wounds on the girl. She covered her mouth as the monkey girl looked towards her.
"A thief named Yamcha." answered Milla weakly. She suddenly fell over once again, this time being out for the count. Both her companions running to her side in an attempt to aide her.
"MILLA! OH MY GOSH! DID THEY DO THIS TO YOU!? OH, PLEASE BE OKAY!" Oolong put his fingers against the girl's wrist, sighing as he nodded his head.
"She's just passed out." Revealed the shapeshifting pig. "All she needs is some rest." Bulma sent a glare at him as she picked up the short teen.
"With these wounds!? We need a first aid kit!" Oolong growled as he walked back and forth, only to remember something as he reached into his overalls pocket.
"I wasn't gonna bring it up unless it was necessary, but I have a capsule with a mobile home inside it." Bulma's glare towards him grew, an aura of betrayal accompanying it. "Yell at me later! There's a first aid kit inside." Bulma bit down her anger as she nodded her head.
"Anymore funny business like this and you'll be needing that. Just get it open!" Oolong nodded as he activated the capsule. In an instant the promised mobile home appeared before the group. They quickly ran inside, tending to Milla's wounds.
Soon nightfall befell the desert, the mobile home remaining where it was. Bulma washed off some glasses with a somber look on her face. This was the first time she had ever seen Milla physically harmed, and the genius didn't like the thought of a child being hurt like this. She silently resolved to do something about it as she finished scrubbing the last dish in the sink. Soon Oolong walked over from the kitchen, some rolls and fish on a large plate.
"This is all I have at the moment. I found an oasis nearby and used your boat to go fishing. You won't believe what I found in your seat." Oolong then produced Bulma's bag that she lost, causing her eyes to light up. The rich girl cleared her throat as she took a seat at the table.
"I… owe you an apology, Oolong. I wrongly accused you of stealing it. You also were about to try and help Milla when I woke up. Thank you for not running off in the moment." The pig chuckled as he took a bite of a roll.
"Well, she kinda grows on you when you actually take time to get to know her. Thanks for the apology though." Bulma nodded her head before taking a roll of her own. The duo sat in silence as they tried to find something to talk about. Neither of them noticed one of the seats being moved as a harrumph rang through the air.
"Can I have some too?" asked a weak voice. "I'm starving." Oolong nodded his head with a grin.
"Sure thing, Milla. You can…" Both compatriots slowly turned towards the seat that was now occupied. Milla suddenly began wailing on the plate in front of her, moaning happily as she chewed on a roll. The girl took a drink of water before looking towards the duo.
"What? Do I have something on my…" Both of the older members suddenly moved towards her with excited smiles.
"Milla!" cheered the duo. The monkey girl had no choice in what happened next as the duo began looking her over. Bulma gently grabbed the girl's cheeks as she looked her in the eye.
"You're awake!" cried the bluenette. "You had me worried sick! You should have called down so I could bring food up to you! You shouldn't be up and about right now!" Milla rested her face from Bulma's grip as she puffed her cheeks childishly.
"But I'm fine! Grandpa raised me so I could take a licking and keep on ticking! I always wondered why he used that expre…exper…saying." Bulma rolled her eyes as she chuckled, remembering that she needed to have Milla keep up with her personal studies. Oolong suddenly got up from his seat as he ran over to the kitchen.
"You definitely need more food than this!" cried the pig. "I'm taking those birds you grabbed earlier and putting them through the works. We are eating well tonight!" Milla let out a cheer as she raised her fist into the air. Bulma quickly made her put her fist down in order to be better examined for opened wounds.
Nearly an hour later, Yamcha slowly drove his bike closer to the vehicle. He chuckled to himself as he and Puar snuck around the stone pillars. The bandit was about to move to the next stone when he noticed something. He turned around, only to become surprised by something in Puar's hands. He gestured to the cat with an angry frown.
"PUAR!?" questioned the bandit. "WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING WITH THAT!?" Puar smiled as he held up knitting supplies, along with a half-completed glove.
"I'm knitting mittens!" cheered the cat. Yamcha shushed his companion rather aggressively. "I want Mrs. Milla to see that I'm a good kitty so she'll scratch behind my ears again!" Yamcha ripped the supplies from his companion's paws, growling all the while.
"Forget about that! It's revenge time!" Puar harrumphed as he crossed his arms, Yamcha ignoring this as he turned back towards the mobile home. "Hurry up and follow me!" The bandit made a more secret agent-like maneuvers as Puar carelessly floated behind him.
Yamcha finally came to a stop under the window of the living room area. Puar lowered to his position, his ear up to the side of the vehicle. "Listen. I think they're in here." His prediction turned out to be correct as he heard the sound of footsteps.
Milla was walking down the steps in Bulma's spare clothes again. She hated that her fighting clothes needed work again, but she liked the way the shirt and shorts allowed air to flow. At least it wasn't a dress or anything. Bulma was sitting on the couch while Oolong was washing the dishes from their large supper. Milla came to a stop at the bottom of the steps as she looked down at her borrowed outfit.
"Sorry you had to lend me these again, Bulma." Apologized the monkey girl. "I promise once my clothes are fixed, I'll stop using them." Bulma chuckled as she shook her head.
"You don't have to apologize, Milla." Revealed the genius. "Once we get to a proper town, we'll find you your own pair of pajamas to wear." Milla rubbed her foot against the ground as she held her hands together.
"Can they be flowy like these? I don't want a dress or anything but…" Bulma chuckled as she nodded her head.
"Of course. Money is no object in this equation." Oolong rolled his shoulders as he finished the last dish.
"I say save the money." Interrupted the pig. "It's just one of the many things you could wish for once you have the dragon balls. Magical wish orbs are a big boon there. The possibilities are endless." Yamcha's eyes widened as he looked towards Puar.
"Did you hear him!?" questioned the bandit. Puar nodded in response, though he felt like it was going to be mentioned again. "Magic wish orbs! I could wish to lose this stupid fear of women!" He heard a chuckle inside the building, most likely Bulma's.
"That's not how they worked Oolong." chastised the genius. "They only grant one wish. Then they scatter across the globe, and you have to wait a year before using them again. We can't just waste them on a pair of pajamas." The pig shrugged in response to the news.
"So, I was wrong." Bemused Oolong. "I'm entitled to get things wrong sometimes." Bulma rolled her eyes with a chuckle. She patted to the seat beside her, prompting Milla to take the spot. The monkey girl giggled as the older girl rubbed her hair.
"I can't wait to tell Grandpa about this whole thing once we bring him back to life." revealed Milla with a happy face. "I really want you guys to meet him. He's the bestest grandpa in the whole wide world! He could even help you two with your sparring!" The older duo chuckled awkwardly as they shook their heads.
"I can't wait." replied Bulma. "I'm sure he'll be happy with how strong you've gotten." Milla beamed at the prospect as she looked up to the ceiling of the mobile home. Bulma sent a soft smile at the monkey girl as she thought back to how far they had come. Truth be told, she had decided that she could wait on her wish for a year if it made a little girl so happy a few days ago.
Looking back on her life, she wasn't the most generous person. She had hated the thought of not getting those strawberries at first. She transferred that hate over to her new wish for the perfect boyfriend after seeing Oolong's prince disguise. She thought she'd blurt out her wish and apologize to Milla saying she didn't mean to steal the wish. That all changed thanks to Milla's overall influence on her.
Said monkey girl suddenly let loose a yawn as she rubbed her eyes. "Uh oh. Sounds like it's bedtime for little monkeys." Milla groaned in an attempt to object, only for her to slump forward slightly. Oolong shook his head with a smile of his own.
"We'll head out in the morning." Revealed the pig. "You girls take the bed. I can sleep on the couch with a shotgun at the ready if someone tries to sneak in. I won't run on you this time." Bulma grinned mockingly as she stood up with Milla in her arms.
"You better not. Otherwise, some creatures of the night will run you down." Oolong scoffed playfully as he looked away.
"Don't remind me. I still have bite marks from the fish." The duo chuckled at the pig's expense, something Milla didn't join in as she was too groggy. Bulma started to walk up the steps, Puar lowering slightly to remain out of sight. The genius stopped partway up as she slowly turned back towards Oolong.
"Say 'night-night piggy', Milla." The monkey girl raised her head up slightly to look at Oolong. The girl slowly waved her hand at the former crook.
"Night-night Piggy." Mumbled Milla. Oolong nodded as the girls made their way up to the bedroom. The pig quickly grabbed a shotgun from the side as he began to clean it. Upon finishing, he propped it against the corner of the couch. He took a deep sigh as he prepared himself for a long night, suddenly passing out from all the stress.
"Now's our chance." Began Puar. "We can break in there and steal the Dragon Balls. The ultimate wish is in our grasp, right Yamcha?... Yamcha?" The cat turned towards his companion, only to become confused by what he was seeing.
Yamcha was sitting with his back against the RV, contemplating his life choices. He was the great Dessert Bandit, a man feared by many who call these wastelands home. In all of his time here, he had never felt so selfish and disgraceful. Everything piled on all at once as he looked down to his hands. He sighed in exasperation as he allowed his arms to drop to his sides.
"I can't do it Puar." whispered Yamcha. He stood up as he walked away from the window, holding his head at the same time. He pulled at his own hair as he looked down. "I just can't do it." His companion's eyes widened as he tried to understand what was going on.
"Can't do what Yamcha?" inquired Puar. "You're missing the chance to wish all of your troubles away. You can't just get cold feet now. You can finally move on with your dream to get married and…" Yamcha sent his companion a glare, something he rarely did.
"I can't steal the wish from them. I can't break that little girl's heart just to get over a stupid phobia that makes no sense. If I did, I'd be nothing more than a coward. If I have to give up what little honor I have as a bandit, then it's not the way for me. Besides, can you honestly say you'd feel good about taking this chance from her?"
Puar tried to find the right words to say, only for there to be none. The feline sighed in resignation as he nodded his head. Yamcha looked back to where the bike was with a sad sigh. "Let's just get back to the bike and…" He was cut off by a crashing sound close by, the people in the mobile home oblivious to it.
The bandit duo took a peek around the vehicle, trying to get a closer look at the origin of the noise. To their surprise it looked like two strange figures were arguing over a dropped toolbox. One appeared to be a bipedal dog in purple ninja garb while the other was a woman with long black hair wearing cold weather gear. They picked up their toolbox as they approached the mobile home. The ninja dog was about to pull something out of the box when a loud shrieking sound pierced the air.
"Be careful you knit wit!" shouted a voice. It was obviously over some form of radio communication as the dog held his ear in pain. The canine nodded his head as he finally fought off the pain.
"Sorry Emperor Pilaf, sir." apologized the dog. He reached into the box once again, this time pulling out a small device. "I'm placing the bomb now. With any luck it will go off in about thirty seconds." Yamcha grabbed Puar's mouth as he was about to squeal.
"Good. They won't know what hit them. The Dragon Balls will belong to the great Emperor Pilaf!" Yamcha growled as he felt anger swell up in his chest. He had to do something and now. He slowly reached for his sword in preparation for combat.
"Time to scare them off." whispered Yamcha. He was about to attack when Puar flew in front of him. The cat grinned as he winked at his companion.
"I have a better idea." denied Puar. He transformed into a bird and flew towards the duo. The ninja dog was about to place the explosive when the shapeshifter swiped it out of his hand.
"Give that back!" shouted the dog as he chased Puar. The woman pulled out a gun in preparation to shoot, only for her companion to stop her. "No! We could set it off or wake them up! Just help me catch it!"
The duo quickly chased after Puar, ignoring the obvious signs of danger. At a safe distance, Puar landed on the ground. As a bird he quickly pecked a button, starting the countdown. He then continued to fly as the villainous duo continued to chase him. Once he deemed the distance safe enough, the disguised cat dropped the bomb.
The dog caught it, a smirk on his face. "Aha! Got it!" His companion smiled as she stood beside him, only for a beeping noise to go off. They looked down at the timer, finding that it was nearly complete. As it reached the number 2, they looked to each other.
"Crap." Muttered the duo. The bomb finally detonated, catching the villains in the blast. When the dust settled, both of them were still standing while charred all over. Oolong suddenly woke with a start as he grabbed his shotgun. Yamcha quickly hid on the other side of the mobile home as the door was kicked open.
"Eat lead!" roared Oolong. He looked all around for someone to shoot, only to find no targets. He hummed to himself as he scratched his chin. "I could have sworn that I heard something." Feeling no need to stand outside in the cold desert air, Oolong walked back inside and slammed the door.
As daybreak came Oolong decided to drive away from the area before the girls could wake up. He really didn't want to find out if he was hearing things last night or not. He'd probably receive an earful for it later, but he didn't want to take any chances. Of course, it still made him uncomfortable the closer they got to Fire Mountain. Unknown to him, someone was trailing behind at a safe distance.
Yamcha carefully maneuvered a red truck so that the driver of the vehicle wouldn't see him. He couldn't help but feel a weight off his shoulders due to the actions he and Puar took last night. He found that the hovercycle was running out of fuel, so he had to stop momentarily to swap over to the new vehicle. Luckily the group hadn't moved too far before he got the vehicle started. Puar was humming to himself as they rode along, only to stop as he smiled at Yamcha.
"You were right, Yamcha." praised Puar. "Doing that one good thing felt so nice. You should be proud of yourself. I can't help but wonder though, why are we following them?" Yamcha frowned as he kept his eyes on the road.
"I can't help but feel like those idiots are gonna come back again." Revealed the bandit. "I don't think even a descendant of Son Gohan would be able to take on an emperor on her own. I can't just leave them to face this on their own. That's why we're going to help them however we can." Puar sent him widened eyes as he tilted his head.
"But what about your fear of women? How are you going to work around that blue haired girl?" Yamcha shivered at the mention of Bulma. It was true that she was rather beautiful in his eyes, which would make things difficult. He shook his head in defiance of his fear.
"I'll cross that bridge when I get there. Right now, I'll just have to roll with whatever comes our way." Puar sent him a smirk and a smile as he returned his attention forwards. Whatever Yamcha decided to do from here, the plucky cat would do his best to support him. He just hoped those idiots from before would wait a long time before showing their faces again.
Speaking of the villainous duo, they could be found trekking through the desert much like the heroic trio were before. Some animals had taken the time to steal supplies from them, thus leaving them rather parched and hungry. The woman of the duo looked to her partner with a huff.
"Remind me to shoot any birds in the area from now on, Shu." Requested the woman. "After that one stole the bomb, I now have a hatred for all things feathery." The ninja dog sighed as he nodded his head.
"You and me both, Mai." Agreed Shu. The duo stopped suddenly, sighing in relief as they saw the plane. "Finally! Right where we left it! I'm just glad Emperor Pilaf isn't here to punish us!"
Mai nodded in agreement, huffing all the while. It was also fortunate for their ears that their communication devices were destroyed in the explosion. All their hopes were dashed, however, as the speakers for the aircraft suddenly went live.
"You think just because there are no earpieces, I can't shout your ear off for such a humiliating failure!?" shouted Emperor Pilaf. "You both should be ashamed of yourselves for failing so spectacularly!" The duo bowed their heads in anguish.
"Sorry sir!" shouted the duo. "It won't happen again!" A huff was heard over the speaker, the emperor not entirely pleased.
"It better not! I want you to find that vehicle and get those Dragon Balls, now!" The duo saluted as they stood in attention.
"Yes sir!" The goons were about to run into the vehicle when a dust cloud ran past them. The coyote from before also ran past, only to double back at the sight of the plane. The creature rubbed its hands together giddily as it ran into the aircraft. The villains tried to stop the canine from taking their only way out, only for said vehicle to explode in an instant. A piece of one of their spare bombs landed on the ground next to the charred coyote, Shu groaning as he nearly fell over.
"Let's just keep walking." Groaned the dog. "Maybe we'll find an abandoned car or a town where we can get help. I mean, what are the odds that no one will be out this far?" Mai smacked him on the back of the head for testing the universe in this way. With no other options, the villains were forced to resume their trek across the scorching desert sands.
There's the chapter, folks! Milla apparently has an effect on animals around her, her sadness being a trigger for their aggression. She also has a heart to heart with Oolong about the absence of her parents, finding something she surprisingly has in common with him. Then she has her first loss of the story to Yamcha. In the end, he turns over a new leaf when hearing about her desire to have her grandfather back.
Things are only going to get wilder from here! What did you think of the overall chapter? Did you like how the battle between Milla and Yamcha went? Let me know what you think down below, and I'll try to get back with you ASAP. This is Inkaliber, signing out.