Inkaliber: Hello again! It's time for yet another chapter! So far everything has been pretty much the same kind of events, save for some changes like making Bulma agree to help Milla get Gohan back and having certain parts that more reflect the actual series. While this may be the case in some areas, I may change certain things that happened in the original story as this is a rewrite. Now that I've got that bit of news out of the way, time to answer some reviews.
Fregreg- Hey man! Glad you liked the chapter! While they could have all three rode the Nimbus in the way that you descried, it would have possibly negated the Yamcha fight. Yamcha has some important moments of his own in the series, so I didn't want to mess that up.
Inkaliber: That's everything. Let's just get this…
Puar: YOU!
Inkaliber: Puar? What are you… OH CRAP NOT A GORILLA FORM!
Puar: You called me a guy in the story when I'm very clearly a girl! Is it really that hard to tell the difference!? Sure, my voice is a bit confusing, but you could have looked it up!
Inkaliber: Okay look. I had someone message me about that particular fact. I haven't fixed it in the story yet because I thought it would be funny if story you called someone out on it. It would have been awkward for the person and funny for the readers, hopefully.
Puar: Oh… OH! Well as long as you're fixing it. I guess I'll head home then.
Inkaliber:… You came here using a portal, right?
Puar: No. I just flew out here, though I did feel like my energy was sapped along the way. Why?
Inkaliber:… Did anything look weird to you on the way here? I'm worried that this could be dimensional mitosis again. As in dimensional copy and pasting.
Puar: Now that you mention it, I don't remember a small town being in between Yamcha's house and… Oh. Does that mean I'm a clone?
Inkaliber: Technically yes, and I have another headache to deal with. Sigh. I'll just start the chapter. 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."
September 9, Age 749
On this bright and sunny day, Milla and her friends were on their way. Oolong was still perplexed by the noise from the prior night, seeing as it made the ground rumble, but Bulma quickly theorized that it was a desert storm. As Bulma was now more defensive of keeping her capsules safe than ever, they were still riding in Oolong's mobile home. Milla had to go out and hunt some food so that they could restock the fridge. Other than that, everything was fine.
"I still don't like this." Complained Oolong. The only thing that was disheartening was that the pig still didn't like the idea of going to Fire Mountain. It was like Milla knowing the big guy wasn't enough. "Are you sure that the Ox King is the same Uncle Ox that you know?" He glanced in the rearview mirror back at Milla, watching her nod vigorously.
"Yep!" cheered the monkey girl. "Grandpa used to tell me stories about how the big guy would lift me into the air and spin me around like I was a birdie." Oolong returned his gaze forward in order to make a turn.
"What if he doesn't remember you? He's known to kill anyone who dares trespass upon his mountain." Bulma rolled her eyes as she stretched slightly.
"Well, Milla could always beat the memory back into him." Theorized the genius. "The only opponent she had trouble against was that Yamcha guy." The bluenette growled as she crushed a grape in her hand. 'If I ever find that handsome barbarian, I'll see how he likes my pistol.' Oolong still wasn't fully satisfied as he glanced back once more.
"Even if he does remember, there's no way we're getting the Dragon Ball if it's in the castle. The whole mountain is on fire except for the building. Even if you could use that cloud to get there, you'd be baked before you could even find a thing." Bulma growled as she put her hands on her hips.
"I understand that Milla confirmed the place is real, but that has to be an exaggeration. How can a mountain be on fire but not the building on it?" Milla held up her hand, making noises to try and get attention. "Yes, Milla?" The monkey girl lowered her hand as she jumped up and down a bit.
"Magic!" cheered the short girl as an answer. "If Dragon Balls, magic clouds, and shape-changy guys can exist, why can't magic set a mountain on fire that way?" Bulma held her pointer finger in a matter-of-fact way as she tried to find an argument, only to slowly lower it as she hummed.
"I… I guess that makes sense in some childish way. We'll just have to see about that when we get there." Oolong grumbled as he returned his view forward.
"Well, there's no need to wait anymore." Revealed the shapeshifter. "We're here." Milla immediately ran to the front passenger seat as she got a good view.
"Wow!" cried the monkey girl. "The sunset is so pretty!" Bulma furrowed her brow as she pulled out a phone. She quickly opened a compass app, her eyes widening as she closed the device. She ran toward the window with a frown.
"We're going the wrong way for it to be sunset and it's the middle of the day." Revealed the older teen. "That's not a sunset." Oolong nodded his head as he silently reconsidered his life choices.
"Yep." agreed the pig. "That's Fire Mountain." Bulma's eyes widened as it looked like a glowing triangle was in the distance. She was left unable to speak as Milla began mumbling a song about "seeing Uncle Ox" again. The group pressed on, still unaware of the truck tailing them.
Yamcha did his best to keep his pace he set the day he started following the group. He had to make sure that they couldn't see him, otherwise that would open a can of worms he was not ready to deal with. Sure, he was planning on helping them, but he had yet to fight through his fear of women to directly talk to the group. If there was some way he could help in the background, he'd be more than happy to do so. He rubbed Puar's head as the feline slept, wanting to make sure his companion was comfortable.
He returned his vision forward, only to suddenly hit the brakes as a little girl ran across the road. She had long black hair and black eyes. For some reason she was wearing a pink helmet with a metal blade on the top, pink gloves and pink boots, and a blue one-piece swimsuit. Puar was forcefully awakened by the action, mumbling about head rubs. Yamcha was about to honk his horn, only for the girl to ignore him and continue running as a massive T-Rex was chasing after her.
"OH BLEEP!" cried Yamcha. He suddenly changed the gear of his truck as he nodded to Puar. "Buckle up buddy!" The cat did as he was told, having an idea of what the bandit was about to do. The man quickly shifted the truck into a higher gear and drove parallel to the girl and the t-rex.
He quickly put the vehicle into cruise control as he tried to climb into the back. "Take the wheel!" Puar had to change into a derpy version of a cab driver as he took over driving. Yamcha made his way into the back and pulled out an RPG launcher, quickly taking aim at the beast. He whistled in order to get its attention as he found the right angle.
He smirked as it looked his way. "Sorry pal. Humans are off the menu today!" He fired the rocket into the beast's eye, causing a large explosion that made it roar in pain. He chuckled as he nodded his head.
He lowered his weapon as he looked over the scene. "Now that's how you deal with rampaging dinosaurs." To his complete shock the creature suddenly ran towards his truck, a smoking burn mark on its face and its head lowered in a ramming position. Puar tried to drive out of the way, but the t-rex was too fast at this point. "Ah crap."
The dinosaur bashed the truck with its head, flipping it over with the force. Yamcha was flung from the vehicle as it rolled into one of the large rocks. He landed on the ground with a thud, groaning in pain. He propped himself up, watching as Puar slunk onto the ground in his true form. "Puar!"
The bandit crawled over to where the feline was, trying to shake his friend awake. "Come on buddy. Wake up!" His request was heard by the wrong creature as the truck was suddenly smacked away by a massive tail. He looked up to see that the t-rex was still very angry with him.
He did his best to cover Puar as the beast readied to chomp down on him. "NO REGRETS!" The dinosaur roared as it drew closer.
"Leave them alone, ya big bully!" cried a girl's voice. Yamcha dared to look up from his hunched position, only for his eyes to bug as he watched a flying blade cut the dinosaur into several pieces. The blade finally stopped as the girl caught it in her hands. She put it back on top of her helmet, making sure it was situated. Yamcha couldn't help but feel both relief and dread as the girl ran over to him and Puar.
'What is it with little girls and having monstrous strength? She could have killed us with that attack!' The girl quickly skidded to a stop as she stood before the duo.
"Are you alright? I'd hate it if you and your cute kitty got hurt by saving me. I really thought that dinosaur wanted to play. Then he tried to eat me, so I ran." Yamcha took a moment to collect his thoughts as he shook his head.
"I think I'm good, other than a bruised rib. My friend here hasn't woken up yet, so I have no idea." Fortunately for Yamcha, Puar groaned as he quickly began to rise.
"Did we survive?" questioned the cat. "Are we in heaven or something?" The girl quickly wrapped the cat in a hug, causing him to squeak in shock.
"Yay!" cheered the strong kid. "Mr. Kitty's okay!" Puar huffed as he fought his way out of the girl's grasp.
"Mr. Kitty!? I'm a girl! Why does everyone think I'm a guy!?" Yamcha did his best to look away from the cat, not wanting to remind him… er her of her confusing voice. The little human girl gasped as she bowed respectfully.
"I'm sorry Mrs. Kitty! Your voice sounds a bit gruff and it's hard to tell if kitties are boys or girls." Puar harrumphed as she crossed her arms.
"I am not a boy. It should be obvious." Yamcha chuckled as he shook his head, only to gasp as he grabbed at his ribs. "Yamcha!" The bandit in question sighed as he shook his head.
"Guess my ribs are more hurt than I thought." Groaned the man. "Without a vehicle or a map, it'll take too long to get it looked at." The little girl gasped as she quickly ran to his side.
"Don't worry Mr. Yamcha!" cried the kid. "There's a village nearby. After the doctors look at you, I'll take you to meet my daddy. I'm sure he'll know the best person to ask if the doctors can't help you." Yamcha smirked as he nodded his head.
"Thanks kid. I don't think I got your name." The little girl sent him a small smile.
"I'm Chichi of house Ox. It's a pleasure to meet you." The name of the girl made Yamcha's expression pale in terror.
The RV rode along the path as the area grew hotter and hotter. It became so hot that you could see the heat waves rising from the ground. The vehicle finally came to a stop, its engine hissing from the heat. The vehicle was quickly turned off as Milla hopped out, looking to the mountain with a grin. Bulma was the second one out, her face clearly displaying the horror she felt.
"Welcome to Fire Mountain, girls." Declared Oolong. In front of the group was a mountain covered in flames. Atop this mountain was an intact castle, completely untouched by the heat. Not a single flag or hanging plant was touched upon the castle walls. Bulma grabbed the sides of her head as she tried calm down.
"H…HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE!?" questioned the genius. "BY ALL LOGIC THAT BUILDING SHOULD BE SCORCHED WITH NOTHING ON IT! IT MUST BE AN OVEN IN THERE!" Milla tilted her head, not entirely sure what an oven even is. She shrugged as she looked up at the building.
"I don' know." Answered the little girl. "All I know is Uncle Ox is around here somewhere. I'll try looking at the castle. NIMBUS!" Oolong quickly shushed the short teen as the flying cloud flew down from the sky.
"Are you crazy!?" questioned the pig. "If the Ox King lost his mind and hears you, we're dead!" Milla ignored his whispered complaints as she hopped on her cloud. She willed it forward, flying up the mountain at a safe distance from the flames. Bulma held her hands together as concern washed over her.
"Be careful Milla!" cried the bluenette. Oolong began shushing her too, only for her to send him a glare. "Can it! I'm worried for her safety up there!" Oolong muttered to himself about stupid women as he hesitantly walked out of the RV, only to be bonked on the head by Bulma.
Milla hummed as she reached the top, looking over the castle. It looked like there was no sign of people anywhere, not even her big Uncle Ox. Her eyes widened as she saw something in one of the windows. Upon a desk sat the seven-star dragon ball in its magical sheen. The girl grinned as she made the Nimbus rev up.
"There you are!" cried the little girl. She willed the cloud to fly forward, only for the flames of the mountain to suddenly shoot up in a pillar. "WHOA!" The monkey girl tried to move out of the way, only for the flames to hit the tip of her tail. She cried in pain as the Flying Nimbus began to spiral out of control.
"Milla!" shouted Bulma and Oolong. They watched as the cloud continued its fall, crashing into a nearby lake. Bulma rolled up her sleeves as she prepared to run off.
"Don't worry!" cried the genius. "We're coming Milla!" She was about to make a mad dash for the lake, only to feel Oolong ram into her back.
"GET DOWN!" cried the pig. They both fell into the ground as something large crashed into a nearby wall. Bulma sat up in order to yell at Oolong, only for her voice to die in her throat as she saw the massive axe that nearly took her head off. Soon the ground began to shake as the duo were now sitting up. The rumbling stopped as a massive hand yanked the axe out of the wall.
"Who dares trespass upon my mountain?" asked a thundering voice. The duo slowly looked up to see a giant with tanned skin and a full beard. The top half of his head was covered by a leather helm that had glass over the eyes, a pair of horns, and a blue feather that stuck to the top of it. He also wore a red cape, a purple torso armor with a brown middle section and yellow stars, a light blue belt with a white strap keeping it together, dark blue spandex leggings, and dark brown boots. Bulma stood up slowly as she held her hands up in defense.
"W…we're just tourists." Lied the genius. "I heard about a burning mountain from my guide and just had to see it for myself." She giggled nervously as the big man lowered down towards her.
"You're not here for my treasure, are you?" Bulma and Oolong quickly shook their heads no. "Telling lies!?" The duo quickly shook their heads again. It looked like the giant was actually contemplating their words. It looked like they were going to get away unscathed when Milla returned while rubbing her tail.
"I didn't see Uncle Ox anywhere." Groaned the girl to her friends. "I did see the dragon ball in the window though! Maybe if we ask nicely, he'll let us have it." Bulma and Oolong sent deadpanned expressions at the girl, mentally preparing themselves to have their heads cut off. The giant growled as he prepared his axe once more.
"I knew it! Trespassers and thieves shall feel my wrath!" Milla quickly looked in the Ox King's direction, almost grinning if she didn't feel a need to suddenly dodge the attack.
"Uncle Ox! It's me!" She dodged a few more attacks as the giant let loose a growl.
"You won't fool me, thief! Only one person has ever called me that, and she hasn't been here in years! I shall destroy every last one of you to defend my treasure!" Milla frowned sadly as she dodged another slash. She then growled as she leapt backwards onto a nearby wall.
"Fine! We'll do this the hard way! Sorry in advance, Uncle Ox, but I gotta smack yer noggin like Grandpa used to do!" The girl leapt forward at high speed; her fist reared back. The Ox King just stood in place as he let the punch hit his armored forehead.
He grunted upon impact but remained completely undamaged. Milla then tried a few kicks to the chest, only for the giant to actually smile at the attempt. She leapt back onto the ground as the giant chuckled.
"That tickled! You're definitely stronger than most if you could actually make me feel that!" His smile turned to a frown as he prepared to swing his axe. "I'll have to crush you fast!" Milla frowned as she pulled out the Powerpole.
"Not on Grandpa Gohan's name you won't!" Those words made the man suddenly stop in place, though Milla wasn't going to give him time to think. "POWERPOLE EXTEND!" On command the girl's weapon shot forward, smashing into the axe. It continued moving as it removed the axe from the Ox King's hands.
"H…hang on a minute!" Milla wasn't having any of it as she began to spin her staff around, repeatedly hitting Ox King with it. The man was actually feeling pain now as he had to fall back on martial arts. The Powerpole immediately shrunk as its master prepared for one last strike. Milla used the weapon to vault herself towards her opponent.
She reared her fist back in preparation for the attack. "Here's one of Grandpa's classics! Paper…" Milla hit the Ox king in the head with her palm, the man walking back in an attempt to lessen the damage. "Scissors!"
She then poked at the glass of his helmet, causing him to growl as it pushed against his eyes. "Rock!" The monkey girl then raised her fist before striking down upon the giant, this time giving him a headache upon impact. The big man groaned as he fell backwards on his butt. Milla quickly backflipped off his head, landing in her fighting stance with the Powerpole at the ready once more.
"Yeah Milla!" cried Bulma. "Kick his hairy butt!" The Ox King seemed to be in thought as he rubbed his head.
"That staff... That name… That move!" The Ox King suddenly left his weapon on the ground as he rushed forward. Milla was suddenly tackled by the man, causing her companions to gasp in concern.
"Milla!" cried Oolong, "That's it! The dragon's coming…" The pig's threat was cut off as the sound of cheerful laughter rang through the air. The Ox King was dancing around like a child as he had Milla in a bear hug.
"I can't believe it! It's been years since Gohan brought you to my mountain! Doesn't anyone write anymore!?" Milla couldn't help but giggle childishly as she enjoyed the big man's embrace. She grinned up at him in her signature way.
"You remember!" cried the monkey girl in glee. It sounded like the Ox King was saying something, only for something in Milla's head to drown it out. The world suddenly changed shape as she became lost in her mind. She lowered her gaze to see the blurred face of a woman in strange clothes. She was singing some kind of song that made her giggle once again.
The woman then set her down as a man with funny looking hair approached them, his face also blurred. Milla wanted to ask who they were, but her voice wasn't working for some reason. They were soon joined by another blur faced individual, a boy with absurdly long hair. The trio stood together as they looked her way. Milla narrowed her eyes as she tried to see what their faces looked like, only for someone to shake her back to reality.
"Milla!" cried Bulma. "Are you alright?" Milla looked around as she reevaluated the situation. Bulma was crouched down looking her straight in the face while Oolong had a hoof on her shoulder. The Ox King held his hands to his face as he was shivering like the worry wart he secretly was.
"Oh no." began the large man. "Please tell me I didn't squish her in that hug!" Oolong looked to the giant as he shook his head.
"I see where she gets her bone breaking hugs from." Grumbled the pig. The Ox King chuckled as he held his hands up nervously. Milla soon joined as she shook her head.
"I'm good." The monkey girl revealed. "Just… what's it called when you remember something from a really long time back?" Bulma tilted her head in confusion.
"Taking a trip down memory lane?" questioned the genius. "You're saying you remember something from when you were little?" Milla nodded her head excitedly.
"Yeah that! Only I don't recognize the people I remember." The Ox King's eyes widened as he took a few steps forward, causing Bulma and Oolong to step to the side in concern.
"What did they look like?" questioned the big man. "How many were there?" Milla frowned as she did her best to think back on the memory. As soon as she tried to call it forth, however, it was suddenly missing again. She sighed as she shook her head.
"I can't remember it now. There were definitely three of them though. I think one was a kid though." The Ox King sighed as he shook his head. He picked up his axe and put it in a loop on his belt.
"Those could have been your folks Milla. Your family." The monkey girl's eyes widened as she looked down at her hands.
"My family?... OH YEAH!" Milla suddenly shook her head as she got back on track. "We need to revive Grandpa Gohan!" The giant took a few steps back in complete and utter shock.
"Revive!? What happened to him!?" Milla frowned as she shook her head.
"He died fighting a monster because I broke his rule about being out during a full moon. We're trying to bring him back." Bulma nodded her head as she decided to move things along.
"That's why we're collecting the Dragon Balls, seven orbs that can grant any wish." Revealed the genius. "We have five of them right now, but one's inside your castle. We really need to get it. If we could somehow get around the flames, would you mind letting us have it." The giant quickly made an x with his arms.
"I'd give it to Milla anyway if it's for a cause like bringing Gohan back." Revealed the Ox King. "Regardless, there's no way around the fire. Without Muten Roshi's Bansho Fan, I don't think this fire's going anywhere." Milla hummed as she tilted her head. That name sounded familiar to her.
"Who's Muten Roshi?" questioned the saiyan. "Is he a guy with a turtle shell?" The Ox King's eyes widened as he nodded his head.
"That's him, the Turtle Hermit! He took Gohan and I in as his students and taught us martial arts! Have you met him!?" Milla grinned, happy to be right about the coincidence. She nodded her head eagerly.
"We know him!" shouted Milla. "He gave us one of our Dragon Balls and the Flying Nimbus for saving Turtle. We can find him and get the fan!" The Ox King grinned in excitement at the news. He resumed his childish dancing as he held his arms out.
"Oh boy! I'm finally going to go home!" Bulma frowned as she looked at the childish duo.
"We don't even know where he lives." argued the genius. "How are we going to find him?" The Ox King stopped his dancing as he pointed towards the west.
"Just go West from here, in the middle of the ocean. Keep going until you see a small island with a house on it." With that information, Milla instantly jumped into the air.
"Flying Nimbus!" cried the saiyan. The golden cloud flew under her feet, playfully purring like an engine. Bulma dug into her capsule bag in search of a particular capsule. She smirked as she threw the device onto the ground, a biplane appearing in a puff of smoke. She opened the door as she looked back at Oolong.
"Get in, oolong!" cried Bulma. "Milla's not gonna wait up on us!" True to the genius's words the monkey girl quickly willed the Nimbus to take off in a burst of speed. Oolong turned into a toy plane as he flew into the door, changing back as he took his seat. As soon as they strapped in, they took off after their friend, leaving the Ox King alone.
It took them almost an hour of flying before they happened upon the island in question. Upon the front of the pink house, the words "Kame House" were written in the same shade of red as the roof. Milla saw Turtle rush over to the front door to scratch on it. As soon as she and the others landed, the old man walked out of the building.
"What's the matter Turtle!?" roared Roshi. "I was in the middle of my exercise videos! You know not to interrupt me when… Well look who's come to visit!" Milla innocently missed the old martial artist's change in tone as she ran over to meet him.
"Roshi!" shouted Milla. "We came to see you!" The old man chuckled as he shook his head.
"I can see that Kid! Come here!" The old man quickly wrapped the monkey girl in a big hug as he spun her around a bit. For half a second the memory of the trio from earlier reappeared in Milla's head but it disappeared as soon as it came. "Ooh I shouldn't have done that."
Roshi quickly put Milla down as he took a few deep breaths. "What did Gohan feed you? You're such a big girl." Milla couldn't help but chuckle in embarrassment as she rubbed the back of her head. Bulma decided to cut the moment short as she cleared her throat.
"We're kind of on a time crunch here, guys." Reminded the genius. "We need the Bansho Fan to put out the fire that's engulfed the Ox King's mountain. He told us you have it, and we need to get the next Dragon Ball out of there. Since he's one of your students, would you mind lending us the fan so we can put out the fire." Roshi gained an unreadable expression as he stroked his beard.
"His castle's on fire? Well, I did warn him about that sorcerer being shady. I might need a bit of convincing if I'm going to part with the fan." Bulma frowned, having an idea of what exactly the old man was getting at. She smirked as she knew the perfect counter to it.
"Oh Milla." The saiyan nodded as she engaged the puppy eyes yet again. Roshi panicked as he took a few steps back.
"Nuh uh! We're not doing this again!" The old man turned around, only for Milla to move just as fast to be in his line of sight again.
"Please, Mr. Roshi?" requested the monkey girl. "Please let us use the fan." The old man tried a few more times to move out of the girl's sight, but she was very persistent. He looked around for some way to get out of it. He grinned as he got an idea.
"Fine then! If you can pick up that rock over there, I'll let you use the fan!" Milla cheered as she ran over to the stone in question. What she seemed to ignore, however, was just how large the rock was. She got some sand in her hands, rubbing them together before attempting the lift.
Roshi frowned as he began to rethink his choice. 'Maybe that's too harsh. She's just a child. When she fails, I'll tell them they can have the…' The old man's inner dialogue died as Milla lifted the large stone over her head with a noticeable grunt.
"I did it!" Milla threw the stone into the ocean with a grunt, causing a massive splash that hit both Roshi and Oolong. She turned to the old man with a grin as she flexed playfully. "The world's strongest girl!" Bulma chuckled hysterically as she shook her head.
"You sure are, Milla!" cheered the genius. She then sent a knowing smirk Roshi's way. "Looks like you owe us a fan. Please and thank you." In spite of the sarcasm sent his way, the old man couldn't help but chuckle.
"That was mighty impressive, Milla!" cried Roshi. "Well, a deal's a deal. Let me see if I can find it. Any ideas, Turtle?" The reptile in question sighed as he shook his head.
"Master Roshi." began Turtle. "You lost the fan in at a casino, remember? You lost it to that woman from the..." Turtle was cut off by Roshi as the old man gestured to Milla. If looks could kill, the old man would have been eating turtle soup at this moment.
Turtle gulped as he tilted his head in mock confusion. "I forgot who you lost it to." Roshi sighed in a mix of relief and dismay as he nodded his head.
"Well, that's gonna be a problem. What to do…" Roshi stroked his beard a few times in contemplation, only to smirk as he got an idea. "Turtle, watch over the house while I'm gone." Oolong raised his brow in confusion as he crossed his arms.
"You're coming with us?" questioned the pig. "What are you gonna do, blow out the fire?" Roshi was about to answer the question, only to gain his own look of confusion at the sight of Oolong.
"Milla? Who's the sassy pork chop?" Oolong growled as he shook his fist at the old man.
"Hey! Who are you calling a pork chop!?" Milla giggled as she shook her head.
"He's Oolong." answered the saiyan. "He's a shapeshifting piggie and my friend." Oolong pulled on the straps of his overalls as he let loose a confident chuckle. At least she wasn't acting like he was her pet anymore. Roshi hummed as he looked over the group.
"Looks like that plane only has room for two passengers. One of us is gonna have to ride with Milla on the Nimbus." He gained a mischievous grin as he looked towards Bulma. "I'm sure the young lady wouldn't mind letting this old man fly with…" The genius tossed the keys to Oolong as she shook her head.
"Good luck, Oolong." Stated Bulma. "He's all yours." The pig grumbled at being left with the old man as Bulma held on to Milla in order to ride the Nimbus. She braced herself just in case the cloud went wild again. The monkey girl had other ideas, however, as she sent a small frown to the cloud.
"Please be gentle, Nimbus." Requested Milla. "Bulma didn't feel safe last time." The cloud seemed to purr in acknowledgement as it took off at high speed, though it avoided making any sudden turns in the air. Oolong grumbled the entire way back as he chauffeured Master Roshi to the mainland. Upon arrival, the Ox King fell to his knees before the old man.
"Master!" shouted the giant. "When they left to grab the Bansho Fan, I never expected you to come here in person! Please forgive me for the mess I've caused!" Master Roshi lightly bonked the Ox King on the back of the head with his cane, only the giant reacted like a normal person would to the act. The giant stood up as the old man let loose a sigh.
"You don't have to be so formal." laughed Roshi. "Right now, I'm just an old friend who came to help, and it's a good thing I did. You're in quite the pickle. I told you that sorcerer was just after your money." The giant sighed as he slumped forward.
"I know. I'll never make that mistake ever again." Master Roshi chuckled as he adjusted his glasses. He was about to try and solve the situation when he noticed something. Chichi poked her head out from behind her father's leg, only to gasp as she hid again.
"Well now. Who's this young lady?" The Ox King chuckled as he stood straight once more.
"This is my daughter, Chichi. She's a little shy when it comes to strangers. It's okay sweetheart. Come out and say hi." The princess slowly walked into view, holding her hands together in front of her.
She was now wearing a blue and pink chipao dress with a floral design near the bottom and black shoes that hand silver anklets. She looked amongst the group, nervous about all the new faces. She bowed respectfully before them.
"H… hello." Greeted Chichi. "My name's Chichi." Milla grinned as she waved to the other girl.
"Chichi!" cheered the saiyan. "It's me! Milla!" Chichi narrowed her eyes as she tried to get a good look at the other girl. Her expression lit up as recognition hit her like a truck.
"Milla!" The girls ran at each other, crashing in a hug. They screeched giddily as they jumped up and down a bit. Bulma couldn't help but coo at the scene as Ox King laughed heartily at the reunion. The duo quickly separated as they looked each other over.
"I haven't seen you since Grandpa stopped bringing me over! You look so pretty!" Chichi smiled as she looked down at her feet.
"Thank you. You look nice as well." Milla chuckled as she rubbed the back of her head, only to quickly notice something. Chichi had bandaging wrapped around her arm, a sign of a wound. The saiyan lowered her own arm as she tilted her head.
"What happened to yer arm? Looks like it got hurt." Chichi smiled as she looked to the bandaging.
"I was bein' chased by a mean old dinosaur. It almost got me once. Thankfully, some nice people came along and saved me. I had to get them to town so they could get fixed up, and the doctor fixed me up to." The Ox king frowned a bit at the story, only to smile as he heard the sound of approaching footsteps.
"Ah!" cheered the giant. "Here are the heroes now." The others looked to the approaching individual, only for our heroic trio to gasp in shock. Yamcha walked out from the shadows with Puar flying next to him. He chuckled nervously as he waved at the group.
"Hey everyone." Greeted the man. "Yamcha here… Can I get a do over? I feel like that one's been done be…" Milla growled as she pulled out the Powerpole.
"You!" roared the monkey girl. She quickly put herself between Chichi and the bandit as she let loose a growl. Yamcha quickly held up his hands in defense.
"Easy kid! I'm not here to fight you guys." Bulma growled as she clenched her fists, earning an eep from Yamcha.
"You think you can fool us!?" roared the genius. "I saw what you did to Milla when you fought her!" Oolong nodded as he contemplated turning into a dragon again.
"Don't be fooled, your highness!" cried the pig in fury. "He's a no-good bandit who attacked us in the desert!" The Ox King nodded as he looked between the group.
"I know." replied the man. The heroes blinked a few times in response to the reveal. They looked to the giant with widened eyes.
"What!?" cried the group. The Ox King grimaced as he looked towards Yamcha with a look that said, "what did you do?". The bandit in question raised a finger in response to the shock.
"Former bandit by the way!" informed the man. "His highness has given me a hand in leaving that life behind me." Milla tilted her head as she looked between her uncle and her enemy… former enemy?
"Say wha?" questioned the saiyan. "I'm confused." The Ox King sighed as he nodded his head.
"Let me explain." said the giant. "It all started when you left to retrieve the Bansho Fan." The Ox King had to think a bit to remember every exact detail.
Flashback
Ox King's POV
I was waiting for you to return when I realized that Chichi hadn't returned yet. I went looking for her, but I couldn't find her anywhere. I called out for her several times, but she didn't answer. I decided to go into the nearby village, praying that nothing bad happened to my little girl. I asked around and someone directed me to the local medic.
"Chichi!" I cried as I looked around. "Where are you!?" I heard the sound of a door being flung open behind me.
"Daddy!" I heard Chichi shout. I turned around, expecting to see her run towards me like when she'd normally come home. Instead, I saw her holding Mr. Yamcha's hand while Puar floated next to her. I was furious when I saw Yamcha, recognizing him as a criminal with a few wanted posters. I readied my axe to cut down the elusive thief where he stood.
"Let my daughter go, thief!" Yamcha did as I commanded, letting Chichi run to me. I dropped my axe as I scooped my child up into my arms. That's when I saw the bandage wrapped around her arm. Ooh boy, you could bet I was seeing red when I saw that.
I put Chichi down and picked my axe back up. "You hurt my child! I'll kill you and your floating cat!" Yamcha grabbed Puar as I prepared to swing my axe. He found the moment to dodge my attack, my axe becoming lodged in the awning of the building.
He let Puar go as he pulled out his sword, which I saw as a threat. I dislodged my axe as I prepared to start our fight anew. Something I noticed was that he was only using his sword to block as I pressed my assault. At some point I finally knocked his blade away, forcing him to fall onto the ground. I was about to unleash the finishing blow when Chichi stood in my way.
To say I was shocked would be an understatement. "Get out of my way Chichi! He's a no-good thief that hurt you! Get inside!" She stood her ground in spite of my command and actually glared at me.
"Daddy stop!" My little girl cried. "He didn't do this to me! A mean old dinosaur tried to eat me, but he saved my life. He got really hurt in the process, so I brought him to the doctor, and he fixed all of us up." I couldn't help but frown as I looked over the group.
I had just then realized that both Yamcha and his companion were bandaged up more than Chichi was. I also saw no deception in their eyes, something my training had helped me to pick up on. I reluctantly put my blade away as I approached the duo.
"Forgive me young man. With your reputation, I assumed the worse." Yamcha sighed as he nodded his head.
"It's alright." answered Yamcha. "I guess I deserved it. I used to be a bandit before a few days ago. That day I was just going about my own business, trying to get by in the desert due to my unbearable fear making it hard for me to function in modern society. That's when I met this little girl and her friends."
Yamcha looked to his hands as his frown darkened. "I fought with the little girl and hurt her greatly, but my fear took hold thanks to one of her companions and I bolted. That night I snuck over to their RV in order to find any weaknesses I could. That's when I learned the truth about why they were in the desert. They were after the Dragon Balls, magic orbs that could grant any wish.
For me, it was like fate had finally smiled upon me. I actually planned to steal the dragon balls they collected so far, but then I kept listening. When I heard the little girl say her wish was to bring her grandfather back to life, I just couldn't bring myself to take that chance from her. Goodness knows she deserves that more than I deserve to get over my stupid fear. That moment made me reevaluate my life and decide to turn things around."
Yamcha then smiled sadly as he looked me in the eye. "I actually saved their lives without them even knowing it a few nights ago. Knowing that those same people could attack them again, that gave me a thought that I hadn't considered before. I decided to start helping people instead of stealing from them. That's why I went looking for them, which led me to meet your daughter."
The young man sighed as he looked away again. "Here we are now, and I still feel like I'm worth less than trash." Yamcha's story moved something in me. I saw no deception in his words, and I even saw his eyes light up when the thought of changing his life for the better crossed his mind. It reminded me of myself before I began training under my master, which led me to my own big decision.
I decided to listen on as the man looked my way. "Let me ask you this. Could you ever forgive me? A stranger who made you worry." I decided to stop him as I placed my hand on his shoulder.
"I didn't ask for a life story boy." said the Ox King. "I asked for your forgiveness. You haven't done anything wrong to me or my daughter, so you don't have to apologize to me. As for your problem, I do believe I owe you my thanks for saving my child's life." My offer seemed to impact Yamcha greatly as he shed a few manly tears, Puar rushing to wipe them from his eyes.
End Flashback
3rd POV
"I talked with some officials that were able to get his name cleared in an instant." Revealed the Ox King as he continued his story. "I think they were rather scared of me coming to see them as they just did whatever I asked. I gained quite the reputation due to this whole fire incident." The giant couldn't help but chuckle in embarrassment as Roshi sent him an unreadable expression. Yamcha cleared his throat as he approached Milla, actually finding the integrity to ignore Bulma's lessened glare.
"Look, Kid?" began the former bandit. "I really am sorry for how everything turned out. I'm also sorry about what happened to your grandfather. I know we don't know each other that well, but could you find it in you to forgive me?" Milla had her head down as she remained silent.
No one could tell for certain what was going through the little girl's mind. It was obvious that she was putting a lot of thought into this, right? This notion was smashed as the girl suddenly tackled Yamcha with an excited cheer.
"Of course!" cried the monkey girl. "Grandpa always said to turn bad guys into friends whenever you can! He might have said it in a more adult way though." Yamcha chuckled in response as he noogied the girl on the head. He stopped in place and released the girl as Bulma walked towards him, her frown still intact.
'Stay calm Yamcha. You're trying to be better now.' He still couldn't get the fear out of his head as the genius looked like she was on a warpath in his mind. "Um… I-THINK-I-SAW-SOMETHING-NEAT-OVER-THERE-BE-RIGHT-BACK-BYE!" The bandit then ran to hide behind a boulder, earning a confused look from Bulma and a sad sigh from Puar?
"What's his problem?" asked the older girl. "I just wanted to talk to him." In the genius mind it was a concerning sign. It was quite possible that he wasn't being entirely truthful. Puar flew over to her with a small smile on her face.
"Please forgive Yamcha." apologized the cat. "It's nothing you did. He's just crazy scared of women he thinks are beautiful." Bulma thought over this excuse for a moment, only for a huge blush to appear on her face as she let out a cry of confusion. Yamcha peeked out from behind his hiding spot with a look of horror.
"Puar!" shouted the former bandit. "You weren't supposed to tell anyone! I have a manly image to uphold and I'm working on it! Geesh!" Milla suddenly tackled Puar with another grin on her face.
"I get to pet Mr. Kitty again!" cheered the Saiyan. Puar was happy to receive more loving scratches, only to groan as she registered what Milla said. She floated out of the kid's grasp as she groaned.
"I… AM… A… GIRL! I was born a girl! It even says so on my birth certificate! Why is that so hard to understand!?" Milla gasped as she held her hand in front of her face.
"Oh gosh! I'm so sorry! I'm not good at telling boy kitties from girl kitties. Grandpa never let me have any pets." Puar curled up midair as she began grumbling about the constant misidentification.
Master Roshi ignored the moment as he returned his gaze to the flaming mountain. There had to be some way to put out that fire. There was something he could do but… Hopefully it wouldn't be too destructive. The old man took a deep breath as he entered a fighting stance, both of his palms facing forward.
"Now let's see if this will do the trick." said Roshi. The Ox King looked at his master, only to panic in recognition of the stance the man took. He cried in panic as he picked both Chichi and Milla up.
"Find good cover!" cried the giant. "Master Roshi's going to use his signature technique!" Milla's eyes sparkled like stars as she fought to stand on her uncle's shoulder.
"No way!" cried the saiyan. "I wanna see it!" She never left the big guy's shoulder as she kept her eyes on the old man. Everyone found a good place to take cover, sav for Oolong who was hiding behind a rock half his size. Master Roshi pulled his hands back to his chest as he turned slightly.
"Ka...Me..." Energy soon began to fluctuate around him, sending waves of pressure flying towards the others. The pulses were so strong that Oolong went flying into another rock, becoming knocked out when his head hit the stone in question. Milla's smile grew bigger and bigger as she seemed to be absorbing every detail about the attack. It was like watching Grandpa Gohan show her a new move all over again.
A blue ball began to form in the old master's hands, growing larger and larger. "Ha...Me..." The Ox King shielded the remaining members of the group as he held tightly to Chichi. "Ha!" At that last shout, Roshi fired a large laser at the mountain.
The force blew the flames away before hitting the side of the mountain. In a massive explosion the top half of the massive mountain hung in the air by itself. Master Roshi finally stopped his attack as he turned away from the crater he made. The rest of the mountain fell into said damaged zone, making it look like there was nothing below it before. A few bricks and flags fell from the castle, though it remained otherwise undamaged.
"My castle!" shouted the Ox King in glee. "We can finally go home!" He danced around with Chichi in his grasp, his daughter cheering about the occurrence herself. Bulma and Yamcha were both dumbfounded by the incident as their jaws were hanging in place. Puar nearly fainted but stopped as she pushed her friend's jaw back into place.
"Whoops." said Roshi. "Guess I over did it. At least the castle's intact." Milla jumped from the Ox King's shoulder, rushing at high speed towards Master Roshi. She skidded to a stop in front of him, the pressure from her deceleration making his beard wave back and forth a bit.
"That was so awesome!" shouted Milla. "Can you teach me that? I wanna shoot cool hand beams! Could Grandpa do that!?" Roshi laughed heartily as he shook his head.
"It took me years to master that little move I just used. It took Gohan years to even learn the basics. Heck, even Henry here can't use it yet to my knowledge. I'm afraid someone who's untrained could never use the move." Milla grumbled as she turned away from the old man.
In her mind she could use the move if she wanted to. How hard could it be after seeing how it's done. She decided to try her luck as she turned in a random direction. She brought her hands to the proper position, quickly pulling them back. "I just said it's impossible for you to…"
Roshi shut up in an instant as a small blue ball formed in Milla's hands. It was very clearly the Kamehameha, but it looked rather unstable with a tinge of red. The girl threw her arms forward with a huff.
"Kamehameha!" The attack soared forward at a fast pace, lighting coming off it and striking the ground. "I'm doing it! I'm…" Milla realized too late where she was facing as the attack rammed into Oolong's RV.
The second it hit the vehicle; it exploded in a small sphere of energy. As the attack subsided, the RV was nowhere to be seen saved for some melted tires. Bulma carefully felt around in her bag, thankful that the Dragon Balls were in there. "Oops." Roshi gawked at the damage the little girl dealt, shaking his head as he tried to process what he saw.
"How did..." The old man stopped mid question as he stroked his beard. 'This girl used my signature move only moments after seeing it. Not only that, but it also looked like some kind of unstable variant. There's no doubt in my mind that she's got a talent for the art of battle.'
Milla looked amongst the group as she tried to think of what to do. Her panic grew as she heard Oolong groan from his spot on the ground. The pig sat up as he rubbed his head.
"What happened?" questioned Oolong. "I remember watching the old man take a stance and…" The shapeshifting hog's eyes widened as a shard of his RV's shell landed in front of him. He slowly turned towards the wreckage that once was his vehicle. "The RV!"
He stood up as he grabbed his head. "I just paid it off last month! What the heck happened!?" Milla gasped as he suddenly looked her way.
"I'm sorry Oolong!" apologized the girl in her panicked state. "I was just trying to use Roshi's cool move because he said I couldn't and… and…" The girl sniffled as the pressure of her actions weighed heavily on her. She suddenly bawled as she rubbed her eyes, her apologies drowned out by her sobbing. Oolong shivered as he felt animal eyes on him once more.
Several dinosaurs were standing behind him, ready to attack at a moment's notice. The Ox King growled in preparation to fight the beasts, only for the target of their anger to suddenly rushed forward. He grabbed at Milla's face as he tried to dry her tears.
"I…It's okay! I'm not too mad! The important thing is you're not hurt, and we can get the Dragon Ball, so please stop crying! I'm begging you to please stop crying!" The dinosaurs growled as they prepared to strike.
Milla's sniffles lessened, prompting them to stop. Oolong sighed in relief as the girl looked him in the eye. It was obvious that she was still upset by her own actions.
"P…promise?" Oolong quickly nodded his head, earning a bone crushing hug in response. The dinosaurs began to retreat, only to take a moment to growl at Yamcha. The former bandit yelled once again as he hid behind the same rock from before. Bulma sighed as she shook her head, thankful that the massive reptiles were walking away. The Ox King decided to end the chaotic atmosphere as he gestured to the group.
"Why don't we all go inside and eat!?" offered the giant. "It'll be my treat!" Milla released Oolong as she cheered in excitement. Yamcha popped out from behind his hiding spot at the prospect of food. It wasn't long before the Ox King had a feast fit for him ready for the group.
The man smirked as he removed his helmet, revealing that he had a full head of hair and looked like a rather normal guy. He put on a pair of round glasses before gesturing to the meal. "Dig in, everyone!" Milla once again went ham as she stacked up a massive plate of food. Bulma groaned as she covered her face, embarrassed by her friend's antics.
The Ox King leaned towards her with a cheeky grin on his face. "Don't feel bad. I know about her eating habits and made this much food because of them. Just enjoy the meal." Bulma removed her hand from her face as she sent the giant a grateful smile. Soon everyone had a plate and was digging in.
Yamcha tried his best to be calm whenever he'd lock eyes with Bulma, though it was harder now that she knew his embarrassing secret. Chichi sat next to Milla the whole time, already used to the saiyan's quirks ever since they were younger. Roshi did his best to be cordial in his student's castle, though it was hard to keep his instincts in check. Soon evening turned into night as the meal was finally finished. The Ox King looked outside, staring hard at the moon.
Happy to see that it's not a full one, he sent his smile towards Milla and his daughter. "Why don't you two head on to bed? We have a big day tomorrow." Milla moaned in sadness, only to yawn in exhaustion. Chichi smiled as she grabbed her childhood friend by the hand.
"Come on!" cheered the princess. "You can sleep with me! I have some pajamas you can use and everything!" Milla grinned ear to ear as she let loose a cry of excitement. The two girls ran away from the room, leaving the older members of the group by themselves.
Bulma sighed with a smile, happy to see that her young friend was happy. It made the craziness of the day almost disappear on her. This feeling died as the Ox King looked towards her and Oolong with a frown.
"Tell me, has she mentioned any memories that she suddenly remembered prior to today?" The duo shook her heads in denial, causing the man to hum. "I see. So, she's only recently getting better." This caused Bulma to grow concerned, something her frown showed prominently.
"Recovering?" questioned the genius. "What's going on here?" This time both the Ox King and Roshi look to make sure Milla and Chichi are out of earshot. This was something they both knew about. The king of the mountain sighed as he looked their way.
"What I'm telling you, does not reach Milla until she is ready. Either when she's 18 or when she's strong enough to take on one of us and win. Do you understand me?" Yamcha and Puar joined in the nodding this time, all four people out of the loop gulping in fear. This was a very serious threat.
The Ox King nodded his head as he lessened his frown. "Gohan… is not Milla's birth grandfather. From what he told me, he found her while walking in the bamboo forests of Mt. Pazao. No one here knows anything about her before she was found. She has amnesia when it comes to who her family was or where she came from."
The group looked to the man in shock, Roshi's nods confirming this knowledge. "Sometimes, when she and Gohan would stay over on long nights, she'd have nightmares where she'd call out for her father. Unless 'Papa' is the actual name of someone else she knew for some reason. We always hoped that she'd remember something so we could try to find her parents." Roshi nodded as he let loose his own sigh.
"Gohan would sometimes leave Milla with Henry here and come see if I found anything." Revealed the Turtle Hermit. "Until he stopped visiting me all together, I scoured the globe for any signs of humans with monkey tails. I would sometimes hear rumors of someone matching that description, only to turn up empty. I'm sure someone was just trying to get a rise out of me for some sick game on some of those days." The Ox King decided to take over once again as he raised his pointer finger towards the group.
"I only have one request. Please try to help Milla with her memories. Everyone deserves to remember something from their past, even if it wasn't the most ideal. I can't imagine what life would be like if I never knew where I came from." Bulma felt a sad smile spread across her face as she nodded her head.
"I think Milla's helped us work through somethings ourselves without directly trying to do so." Guessed the genius. Everyone on her side of the table nodded in agreement. "We'd be more than happy to help her since she changed our lives for the better." Roshi smiled at this statement, though the Ox King kept his serious frown.
"There is one more thing beyond the same moon warning Gohan gave Milla. Be wary of her fury. If you think she's strong now, you never want to push her boundaries." This warning even confused Roshi, who had heard nothing of this warning from Gohan. Someone finally felt the urge to ask the question on everyone's minds.
"Why's that?" questioned Puar. "Sure, she's protective and emotional but she's such a sweet girl." The Ox King cleaned his glasses as he looked down somberly.
"When her fury reaches its boiling point, she becomes an unstoppable warrior. Gohan never saw it, and it's the reason he stopped bringing her here. One time, back when she and Chichi were six, a pack of small dinosaurs attacked them. Milla tried to hold them off so Chichi could get me or Gohan to help. By the time I arrived, one was carrying her torn blanket in its mouth.
Something about the garment being destroyed the fury I'm warning you about, causing her to go on a rampage. Red lightning emanated from her as she literally tore the dinosaurs into pieces. When they were done, she began to take her fury out on the land around her. I had to hold her still until I could find something to calm her down. That was the closest I came to death in years."
The quartet were stunned into silence, not able to imagine the sweet little girl they knew acting like a bloodthirsty monster. "Finally, I used her blanket to calm her down. She passed out soon after and I had to bring her back to the castle. When I arrived, some of her power was still leaking from her. That is what caused the fire on my mountain to spiral out of control.
I told Gohan what had happened, though he only believed me on her rage filled frenzy. I told him that he had to help her control this incredible power. He refused, saying that if she wasn't old enough to handle his warning about the full moon, she would never be ready for this. The argument got so heated that Gohan decided it wasn't safe for Milla to return. Unable to change his mind, we agreed to blame the fire on why she could no longer visit and went our separate ways.
I never got to talk to him about that day, and Chichi never knew the truth about why she could never see her best friend again." The entire table sat in shock at this story. To think the monkey girl had such a power in her that it would cause magic to go haywire. It was a stark contrast to everything the girl seemed to represent with her life, like her childish purity and her goofy demeanor. Even the normally stoic Roshi had to process every single word of the story.
The Ox King sighed as he shook his head. "I wish Gohan would have listened to me. I would have done everything I could to help her grow into a wonderful young lady and a powerful warrior. Now she's out traveling the world, and she has no family to fall back on." Oolong suddenly stood on the table as he pointed to the king.
"Now just wait one moment!" roared the pig. "You're a fool if you think she doesn't have anyone! Do you know how long she repeatedly sang about meeting her 'Uncle Ox' for the first time in years!? Gohan may have kept her away, but he never stopped her from seeing you as her family! She loves you so much she was willing to beat you back to your senses if you had gone insane."
The Ox King remained silent as Oolong then gestured to the others. "Not to mention she has all of us now! Once we bring her gramps back, she'll have him too! If he makes a stink about all of this, then we'll pitch in and give him what for! If I hear you talking about her not having family again, we'll see if I can breathe fire as a dragon!
You wanna sulk all day about a fight that happened years ago? Do it on your own time! Make the most of these moments where you can show her how much she means to you!" Bulma, Puar, and Yamcha couldn't help but smile at Oolong's little speech. The Ox King couldn't help but shake a bit before letting out a boisterous laughter.
"Guess you have a point! If you were yelling about anything else and we'd be having pork for dinner!" The man's hearty laughter did nothing to calm Oolong's nerves as the pig slowly returned to his seat. "Anyway, it's getting late. We should all get to bed at this point."
The people at the table nodded as they quickly went their separate ways, Yamcha upset with himself for not having the courage to say goodnight to Bulma. In Chichi's chambers, Milla could be seen wearing an actual set of pink pajamas with golden trimming on them. A small hole was made in the pants to where the girl's tail wouldn't be forced upwards. She and Chichi were currently looking over a book while the princess tried to braid the saiyan's hair. Said local giggled as her friend's hair was fighting back against her.
"I missed this!" cheered Chichi. "Your hair fights back like it's an animal. I can never get it to be in a new style." Milla chuckled sheepishly as she closed the book she was reading. It honestly embarrassed her how stubborn her hair can be sometimes.
"Sorry." Apologized the monkey girl. "It just likes to be the way it is. Even Grandpa couldn't make it do what he wanted it to. I don't think I could make it do anything." Chichi giggled once again as she sat down beside Milla.
"It's okay! I like your hair just the way it is. It's just fun to try things with it. Maybe if I was stronger, it would listen to me." Chichi sighed as she looked down at her bed mat, causing her friend to roll onto her side to get a better look at her.
"What's wrong Chichi? You look sad?" The princess smiled sadly as she looked to the amnesiac saiyan.
"I wish I was as strong as you. Maybe then Daddy would let me do things more. Maybe I could be brave and fight mean dinosaurs that bully others. Not every girl gets to be born with a monkey tail I guess." Milla looked away in thought before returning her gaze to her friend.
"You don't have to be born with a tail to be strong. Grandpa never had a tail and he's the strongest grandpa I know. Uncle Ox is really strong, and he doesn't have a tail either. I think if you work really hard, anyone can do anything they set their mind to. That's why I want to be the strongest little girl."
Milla suddenly hopped to her feet as she began to act like she was walking on a tightrope. "No one to tell me I can't do something. I can fight to protect people like Grandpa Gohan can. No bad guys will stand a chance!" Chichi giggled as she changed positions to sit up, watching the saiyan be her goofy self.
Milla turned back towards Chichi before running over to her. "Tell ya what? Let's promise both to work hard. Between the two of us, we'll become the strongest girls on Earth! Then no one will think twice about messing with our home!"
The saiyan held out her hand to her friend, a grin on her face. "I know you can do it!" Chichi looked hesitant to take the hand, only to grin as she used the grip to stand up.
"Okay! We'll be the strongest anyone has ever seen! The house of Ox and the Son family, the strongest families ever!" Both girls remained silent for a moment before letting out a burst of laughter. Soon the pressure of the day caught up to them as they finally went to sleep.
The next day came too soon for the childhood friends. The group needed to get back on the road in their quest to claim the Dragon Balls, Yamcha happily offering up his truck as a ride for the group. Master Roshi also needed to get back to his island, Bulma letting him have her plane to do so. The old man had a lot to think about thanks to the info dump last night. Milla walked up to Roshi with a sad frown.
"Are you sure you have to go, Mr. Roshi? We could take you home once we're done." The hermit couldn't help but chuckle as he ruffled the saiyan's hair.
"This old man would only slow you kids down, especially you ya little monkey." Joked Roshi. Milla playfully cried in protest as she pushed the man's hand off her head. The master suddenly got an idea as he stroked his beard. "How about this? As soon as you're done here, I'll train you just like I did Gohan before you."
Milla's eyes shined like stars as she began to shake in place. "Of course, if you just want to get back to Gohan I under…" The monkey girl jumped mid-air as she extended her limbs to their full extent.
"Yes!" The girl quickly landed on her feet before bowing respectfully to the hermit. "I'd love to learn from you Mr... I mean Master Roshi. I'll even bring Grandpa along so you can say hi!" Roshi ruffled the girl's hair yet again as she stood up straight.
"Enough with the formal stuff okay!?" Milla giggled as she vigorously nodded her head. Roshi released the girl as he threw the capsule on the ground. He got in the plane and went on his way, leaving the group behind him. Yamcha threw his capsule on the ground, revealing his truck as promised.
"Don't forget our promise, Milla." Said Chichi in a teasing manner. Milla turned around to find Chichi standing with her father, still wearing her outfit from their reunion yesterday. "If you forget, I'll leave you in the dust! I can't be the best without you." The saiyan smirked confidently, unknowingly resembling her father as she clenched her fist.
"I never forget a promise." Declared Milla. "Next time we meet with nothing big going on, let's see just how strong we grow up to be." The two girls bump fists like boxers, earning a chuckle from the Ox King.
"Looks like you two are rivals now." Stated the giant. "Don't let that get in the way of your friendship now. As the old saying goes, 'Iron sharpens iron. Friend sharpens friend.'" The two girls giggled as they stood up straight, only for Milla to tackle her uncle with a hug.
"I'll miss you, Uncle Ox. Please don't set your mountain on fire again while I'm gone." The Ox King did his best not to cry, having missed these hugs very much. It looked like everything Oolong said last night was true. Henry chuckled as he soaked up any tears that might have tried to fall.
"You better hurry now. Your friends are waiting for you. Just remember that you're always welcome here. Never forget that okay?" Milla parted from the giant as she nodded her head.
"Come on Milla!" cried Puar. The girl turned around to see that the cat and Oolong were sitting in the bed of Yamcha's truck. "We gotta go! We'll need to get some gas in the next town before we look for the last Dragon Ball!" Milla grinned before looking back at the duo of house Ox.
"By guys!" The girl quickly ran over to the truck, jumping in before it could take off. She sat down in front of the open back window, Puar curling up in her lap. She chuckled as she petted the shapeshifting cat, earning a rather strong purr as a result. Oolong grumbled in jealousy as he braced himself against the side wall.
Inside the cabin of the truck, Yamcha was doing his best to focus on the road. Why, you might ask? Because of all people to ride beside him, Bulma had to be the one who just couldn't ride in the bed of the truck. It took all of his pride and endurance not to pull over and make someone else drive. Bulma decided to be the first to speak as she looked to the former bandit.
"Look, Yamcha, let's make something clear." Began the genius. "Milla's giving you the benefit of the doubt and you helped that girl back at the castle. This is your one and only chance. If you do anything to hurt Milla again or you stab us in the back, I will give you a real reason to fear me. I may be a city girl, but I can invent anything I need to make you suffer."
Yamcha looked her way in response to the threat, instantly regretting it as her glare was more frightening than anything he'd ever seen. For all the fear it was giving him, however, he couldn't help but find it extremely attractive. Something about her eyes just stared right into his soul, picking him apart for any weakness. "Do I make myself clear?" For the first time in a long time, Yamcha felt no fear in the face of a woman's promised fury.
"As crystal as your eyes." Answered the man. He blushed at his own words, Bulma reflecting his shade of red as she looked away. They settled for an awkward silence as they concentrated on the road ahead. Things became increasingly awkward as the air grew thicker between them. Bulma suddenly thought of something as she looked in the direction of the former bandit.
"Why are you so scared of girls? There has to be a story about that." Yamcha sounded his discomfort as he tried to find an answer. He wasn't expecting to be put on the spot there. Milla seemed to be listening to the conversation as she tried to make her face seen.
"Maybe he just doesn't know what to say!" offered the saiyan. "Maybe you're so pretty that it scares him when he can't think of the right words!" Bulma chuckled at the idea, surprised by the mature insight the monkey girl was able to ascertain. Yamcha finally buckled under the pressure as he moaned.
"CAN I JUST FOCUS ON DRIVING!?" cried the former bandit in desperation.
Inkaliber: So that's another chapter rewritten and ready for your reading pleasure! I was pleasantly surprised myself by how I evolved the original chapter into this beauty that is more in line with the original episode it comes from. I also was able to help Yamcha have a clean slate to start from. Not to mention a new kind of promise Milla has with Chichi, one of camaraderie and rivalry rather than marriage. What did you think of the chapter, Puar?
Puar: I think it was really cool! While I understand story me's gripe with people thinking I'm a guy, you handled the truth in a funny way that even I can't help but laugh at when reading through it again. I wonder what this Milla girl's got that makes her so different from Goku.
Inkaliber: Well, you'll be sticking around here with Chaotzu so you'll definitely find out. Speaking of, he should be back here soon. I have to finish the chapter, but he can show you to one of the few spare rooms I have left.
Puar: Okay! It'll be nice to see him again!
Inkaliber: And that's another satisfied reader… that I have to house. When I find the guy forcing Dimensional Mitosis, I'm making him feed the Saibamen without any protection for months. Even then that might be too nice.
Anyway, what did you think of the chapter? Did you like the changes made to the original episode? How about Milla's unknown power? Will Milla ever remember who her family is? Let me know what you think down below, and I'll get back to you ASAP. This is Inkaliber, signing out.