I'm back! It's time to round out the Pilaf Arc of this story! With so many twists, turns, and surprises abound, don't expect everything to turn out exactly the same. This chapter is going to be a coup de grace to the first hunt for the Dragon Balls! Before that, however, let's answer some reviews.
Fregreg: Glad you liked it! An interesting theory, though you'll be waiting a long time on the answer. There was definitely a snowball effect when it came to Milla raging against Monster Carrot. I don't know if you necessarily mean vegetable or not, but Milla's name as Keira is based on the word carrot ironically. The Four-Star ball is currently with Oolong right now, as stated after Mai hit him with the bag that held the Dragon Balls.
That's everyone! Start the music! It's time to rumble! 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 11th, Age 749
Milla groaned as she grabbed at her head, slowly awakening from her forced slumber. She quickly felt a pain in her arm, causing her to reach for the offender. She pulled something out of her bringing it to her face as she slowly opened her eyes. Even through the headache she was currently fighting, she could see that it was some kind of dart. She coughed as her throat felt slightly dry, throwing the dart to the side.
"The truck!" cried Milla. She shot up as she took a look around. She was currently on the ground, Oolong and Puar laying down not too far from her. The Saiyan stood up in order to turn around, gasping as she saw the front of the vehicle dented inwards. "No!"
She quickly ran for the vehicle, checking the main cabin. She was thankful to see that Yamcha and Bulma were not hurt by the crash, quickly yanking the broken door off its hinges. She did her best to carefully move Bulma out first before moving on to Yamcha. Once they were out she quickly moved to make sure nothing was broken. Her Power Pole was still in one piece, not a scratch on it. Soon she looked into Bulma's capsule bag. Her eyes widened as she found that the Dragon Balls were gone.
She couldn't help but squeal in terror as she dropped the bag. This squeal woke the others up, Bulma using her good arm to stand up before pulling a pistol out from her pocket. She looked around angrily as Yamcha checked on the drowsy Puar.
"Alright!" roared the genius. "Who's asking for trouble!? I've got a bullet with their name on it and a lot of pent-up frustration from how this whole week has gone!" She soon looked over towards Milla, noticing the tears that were threatening to leave her eye. The saiyan looked to her companions as she showed them the contents of the bag.
"The Dragon Balls! They're gone!" Bulma quickly put her weapon away as she ran over to the saiyan, quickly retrieving the bag as she shuffled through all of her capsules. "I promised Grandpa I'd take care of his special ball and now it's gone!" Puar quickly flew over to Milla, trying to rub against her for comfort.
"Calm down, Milla." Reassured the feline. "Just pet the kitty while we figure things out." The saiyan gently took hold of the cat as she tried not to cry. "That's it." Yamcha growled as he kicked a rock away from the group.
"I should have moved sooner." Growled the former bandit. "The two that attacked us tried to make that RV you guys were in explode the night after our fight. They were clearly after the Dragon Balls. I bet you they took them as soon as we passed out and pushed our truck into this ditch." Oolong growled as he pounded his hoofed fist into his palm.
"Oh, they did all right." Growled the hog. "A bombshell of a woman had them in the same bag she whacked me with for trying to stop them. It hurt my chin like heck." Oolong looked down as he rubbed the sore spot. He couldn't help but sound his confusion as he saw a large bump in his overalls.
He reached into the front pocket, feeling a familiarly smooth surface. He carefully pulled the object out, his eyes widening as he caught sight of the object. He grinned mischievously as he held the object high in the air. "Oh Milla!" Everyone, including the called out saiyan, looked to the pig in confusion.
Their eyes widened in shock as they saw the Four-Star Dragon Ball in their companion's hand. "Look what they dropped when they hit me!" Milla suddenly squealed in glee as she ran over to Oolong, hugging him as she jumped up and down.
"YAY!" cheered the saiyan. "You're da best piggy in da whole wide world!" Oolong chuckled in response to the praise. Puar huffed in jealousy as she turned away from the scene. Yamcha frowned as he put his hands on his hips.
"Just one problem." Interrupted the reformed man. "They probably have the other six with them. Even if they come back looking for it, they probably won't bring the others with them. If we can't find where they are, we won't be able to do anything." Bulma smirked as she reached into her bag.
"Hold it open please, Milla." Requested the genius. The monkey girl nodded as she kept the bag's face open. Bulma smirked as she pulled out the Dragon Radar. "If they ran past the back of the truck, that means they were heading somewhere around the other direction. If I increase the radar's range to further out…"
Bulma grinned as the grid zoomed out. There was a rather large cluster of yellow orbs a few miles out. She presented the object to the others, the group basically climbing on top of each other to look. "We have our heading." Milla grinned as she cracked her knuckles.
"Leave it to me!" cheered the Saiyan. She suddenly rushed forward, intent on reaching the crooks who attacked them. She was hoisted up by her shirt as Yamcha turned her around.
"Other way, Milla." Corrected the reformed teen. "They're that way." Milla sounded her understanding as she was set back on the ground.
"Thanks! Let's hurry before we lose them!" The group did their best to follow the monkey girl as she took charge, actually outpacing them. She was like a rocket on a warpath. The others began to feel bad for whoever got this child so set on giving them what for.
At Pilaf's palace, the owner of the building was celebrating. He was finally going to get his wish. World domination was within his grasp, all from one simple wish. He looked carefully over the Dragon Balls, his face holding a grin of glee. His grin turned to an angry scowl as he counted the balls again.
"HANG ON ONE MOMENT!" roared the villain. He brought a mic to his face as he took a deep breath. "MAI! SHU! GET IN HERE, NOW!"
The grunt duo ran into the room, serious looks on their faces. The look on his face definitely sent chills down their spines as he gestured to the Dragon Balls. "How many Dragon Balls do you see on the table?" The grunts began to count, angering their leader with their apparent incompetence. Shu gasped as he finished counting, looking more excited than scared.
"Eight dragon balls?" shouted Shu. "I've never been the best with math." Mai sent her companion a deadpanned look.
"Six." answered the human woman. "There are six Dragon Balls." Shu sounded his embarrassment as Pilaf nodded his head.
"Thank you, Mai." Thanked the emperor. "And do you know how many there are supposed to be?" Mai gulped as she knew a punishment was coming. It was very clear they messed up. Shu didn't seem to notice as he tried to answer the question.
"Twelve." answered the dog. "Maybe 13?" Mai smacked him on the back of the head.
"There's supposed to be seven, idiot!" shouted Mai. "That stupid pig! He must have swiped the last one when I hit him with the bag. We're so close to the wish too!" Pilaf growled as he sat down in his chair.
"So close indeed." said Pilaf with a calm voice. "My greatest victory is nearly at hand. Of course, that won't be possible... IF YOU TWO DON'T GET BACK OUT THERE AND FIND MY DRAGON BALL!" Shu looked out one of the windows as Emperor Pilaf took a few deep breaths. He saw a cloud of dust approaching over the horizon, his eyes widening as it was trailing behind a familiar little girl.
"Uh... Boss?" said Shu. "You might wanna…" He was interrupted as Pilaf held his hand up.
"Not now Shu!" scolded Emperor Pilaf. "I'm trying to think of a plan to get the last Dragon Ball from those..." Shu stood in his leader's field of view as he pointed to what he was seeing.
"I think they're here. That girl that was traveling with them is running here at a surprisingly high speed." Pilaf got out of his seat and ran to the window. He saw Milla coming straight for them, her friends trailing behind as fast as they could. Pilaf chuckled in glee as he pumped his fist.
"Yes! The fools are hand delivering the ball to me! This really is my lucky day! Nothing could possibly go wrong!" Shu sounded his doubt as Mai did her best to not correct their leader.
"I think she's gonna ram down the door. She's moving too fast to properly stop." His point was proven right as Milla found herself trying to skid to a halt, though Pilaf laughed at the idea.
"Our door's far too big for that to be possible! Do you honestly expect a little girl to be able to..." The emperor stopped talking as the castle shook, followed by a large bang. He looked at the security footage, squealing like a girl when he saw the damage Milla did. "My door! She actually busted through the door, with her head!"
The video of Milla stumbling around in a daze showed up on his monitor. He slammed his fist into the glass of the window, only to quickly turn towards his minions. "What are you waiting for!? Stop them!" Mai and Shu jerked back a bit before rushing out of the room.
Downstairs, at the entrance, the rest of the gang caught up to Milla. The saiyan slowly backed up in her wobbling state as she tried to regain her senses. She fell backwards into Yamcha's waiting arms.
"You okay Milla?" questioned the former bandit. "That looked like a pretty hard hit. You're our resident Super Girl but even she could take harsh hits." Milla took a moment to let her head get back in the game. She sent her friends a goofy grin accompanied by a thumbs up.
"I'm okay." Groaned the monkey girl. "I ran so fast that I couldn't stop. I feel kinda bad though. I forgot ta knock." Yamcha and Oolong couldn't help but laugh at the monkey girl's goofiness. The sound of a speaker coming to life caught the group's attention, Milla covering her ears from the screeching of the device.
"You think this is funny, jerks!" shouted Pilaf. They looked around before finally noticing the speaker in the back corner of the room. "Do you know how much it cost to put in that door!? Do you even know how much it costs to make a door that big!?"
Milla began to count fingers on her hands in thought, only for the speaker's shrieking to harm her again. "You think you can just barge into the castle of the great Emperor Pilaf and get away with it!?" Yamcha growled as he brought his hand near his sword.
"It's only fair since you stole the dragon balls from us!" shouted the former bandit. "You could call this karma for all the damages you caused. If you don't want us to trash your place, you better return them to us. We'll also take that last one you have." Pilaf's growl returned as the sound of fist meeting wood followed it.
"You think I'll just hand over my ticket to world domination!? The only thing that's owed here is some zeni to replace my front door!? I can't believe the audacity you've shown! I'd have you thrown into a volcano if I owned one. The only other thing stopping me is that you have something I want!"
A mechanical hand that was too small to do any real damage popped down from the roof, palm facing flat towards the group. "Hand over the last Dragon Ball, if you wish to live!" Milla blew raspberries at the speaker, causing Pilaf to gasp childishly.
"No way!" cried the saiyan. "It's my grandpa's and we need the wish to bring him back! We worked hard to help people so we could get them! We ain't given 'em to you or anybody!" Her friends smiled at her, only to frown as small compartments opened up on the roof.
"If that's how it is then you leave me no choice." The same purple mist as last time began spewing out of the vents, slowly encircling the group. Bulma quickly pulled a capsule out of her bag.
"Not letting that happen again." Stated the genius. "Milla, take out those vents! Hit them upwards so they dent in and can't open!" The saiyan grinned as she prepared her weapon. She took aim before taking a deep breath.
"Power Pole, Extend!" cried the saiyan. The weapon grew to hit one of the vents, causing it to dent inward and be sealed tight. She then attacked the other vents in the room. Pilaf pressed a few buttons, trying to get the vents to open once again. He growled as he slammed his fist on his desk.
"Alright then. I guess we're doing things the messy way! Mai, Shu, open fire!" As soon as those words were uttered, the heroes took cover. The two goons began firing in rapid succession at their enemies, their aim being scary good.
"Puar and I will shapeshift and try to get in close!" cried Oolong. "Just keep their attention off of us." Bulma nodded as she began to open fire on Mai. The female goon was forced to take cover herself as the duo found themselves in a standstill.
While this was going on, Oolong and Puar transformed into different kinds of insects as they flew across the room. They did their best to look inconspicuous, though Shu saw through their ploy. The bugs were forced to perform evasive maneuvers as the dog aimed his gun at them.
"FOR EMPEROR PILAF!" cried Shu. He rushed forward as he rapidly fired his gun. Yamcha saw the perfect opportunity as he drew his sword. He rushed towards the distracted canine, cutting off the hammer of his gun and rendering it useless. "Fine then!"
The canine then pulled out his own sword, a katana, standing in an aggressive stance. "Let's do this!" The goon screamed as he initiated a sword fight with the former bandit. They clashed blades a few times, sometimes having the edges bite each other. They growled as they both leapt back, preparing to continue their assault.
Back with Bulma, she kept her aim focused on Mai so that the ravenette woman couldn't shoot Yamcha while he was in this tight predicament. The female goon growled as she was forced to try and deal with the young genius first. Bulma hid as more bullets came her way, grunting as she upset her injured arm. Milla growled as she prepared to use her staff, most likely aiming to harm Mai. The villainous woman saw her move, however, growling at the attempted attack.
"Oh no you don't!" cried Mai. She was about to fire at Milla, only for something to bite her butt. She eeped as she held at the area, looking down as the bug Oolong was running away with a nosebleed. "Why you little…!" The Power Pole came hurtling around before she could finish her sentence, sending her weapon flying to the other side of the room.
"Now!" shouted Oolong. Mai looked to her left as a hammer came flying towards her face. She had no time to react as the tool hit her in the face, causing her jaw to shift. She spun around a bit before falling over, moaning as she passed out. The duo turned back once more, bumping fists as they grinned.
Back with Yamcha, he was actually having a bit of trouble with his opponent. This dog's ninja garb was no joke. If he didn't find a way around this problem, he didn't know how it would go.
'Come on, Yamcha.' Thought the reformed man with a growl. 'There has to be something he can't beat.' Yamcha looked around as he clashed blades with the dog goon again. His eyes soon landed upon Milla, the girl making the Power Pole retract once more. 'Perfect.'
The former bandit ended the clash as he kicked Shu backwards. "Milla! I don't think this puppy is all bad! All he needs is a big hug!" Shu growled as he shook his fist at Yamcha.
"Puppy!" growled the canine. "I'll have you know that I'm an adult! That's speciesist to assume that I'm a…!" The villain cried as he was suddenly squeezed roughly around his waist. He dropped his blade as Milla held him tightly in her grasp.
"PUPPY!" cheered the monkey girl. "Don't worry, Mr. Puppy! I'll hug all of the evil out of ya!" Shu tried to break away from the girl, but her strength was too much for him as he silently screamed. Oolong laughed heartily as he crossed his arms.
"I know that feeling!" chuckled the pig. "Walk it off, pal!" Shu finally passed out as Milla let go, the girl gasping as she realized her mistake.
"Sorry Mr. Puppy! I didn't mean to squeeze you too hard! I mean you were being very mean so… Did I do something bad, Bulma!?" The bluenette chuckled as she shook her head.
"This time, I think you're safe." Reassured the genius. "Just be more careful!" The others laughed as the monkey girl rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment. With her around, these guys were child's play. Up in his office, Pilaf was freaking out.
"Both of my minions, swatted like flies!" roared the imp. "These guys are monsters!" He slumped in his chair as he took a deep sigh. He grinned as he got an idea. "Looks like I'll have to unleash my trump card."
He pressed a button on his chair, causing it to zoom backwards. It then zoomed along a track as it arrived in a hangar of sorts. Standing before him was a grey mech with a grey orb body that had a blue glass on the front, a pair humanoid arms, and a pair of robotic legs. The front of the machine opened up, allowing him to step in. After pressing a few buttons, the mech began to power up.
The castle shook as the machine powered up, causing the heroes to become concerned. A few rocks fell from the ceiling, a possible sign that it could collapse. Yamcha put his sword away as he gestured to the exit.
"Everyone, outside!" cried the former bandit. "Now!" Oolong grabbed up Milla above his head as the group ran out, the Saiyan surprised by his sudden rise in strength. As soon as they were outside, a trap door opened in the ground. The mech flew into the air through the power of a rocket below it, striking a menacing pose.
"You may have defeated my minions, but you'll never defeat me and my Pilaf Machine!" The machine landed before them with a massive thud. "It was built specifically to deal with armies of soldiers. A couple of trespassing, meddling kids shouldn't be an issue! I'll squash you like the bugs you are!" Oolong growled as he gestured to himself and Puar.
"Hey!" roared the pig. "Two adults here!" Pilaf ignored this cry as he rushed towards the group. Everyone did their best to avoid the rush, the mech skidding to a stop with its powerful legs. Milla noticed a container on the machine's back, some familiar orbs trapped within.
"He's got the other Dragon Balls in a container on its back." Cried Milla. "If we can break it open, they'll fall right out!" Pilaf growled as he turned towards the monkey girl. He attempted to punch her with his robot's arm, only for the girl to jump up and land on top of it. He spun around a few times, forcing her to jump off before he could slam her into the ground.
Bulma fired her pistol at the mech, creating a slight crack in the front glass. The driver raised its arms in defense, only to lower them slightly. The teen quickly put two and two together, looking down at her bag. The zipper had been slightly opened, revealing the Four Star Dragon Ball inside. She quickly zipped up the bag, though it was already too late as Pilaf was rushing towards her.
"Got ya!" Bulma tried to run away, only to trip and land on her bandaged arm. She cried out in pain as Pilaf quickly gained distance. The villain was almost withing reaching distance when Oolong transformed into a dragon, blocking the way with his tail. Pilaf was forced to skid to a halt as the dragon began charging up a breath of fire.
Oolong released a torrent of flames, causing the metal of the mech to melt slightly. He soon ran out of juice as he turned back, though his attack did cause the container on the back to crack slightly. Milla then jumped between the villain and her friend as she prepared the Power Pole.
"Power Pole, Extend!" The weapon once again obliged, rushing towards the villain. She hit the front glass of his mech, causing it to crack even more.
"Stop that!" Milla used the staff to hit him a few more times, creating dents in the machine's slightly melted hull. The villain then managed to grab the end of the Power Pole, growling in anger. "What is it with you people and breaking all of my expensive stuff!?" Instead of answering the question, however, Milla grinned victoriously.
"Power Pole, Retract!" Pilaf realize too late what was about to happen as the monkey girl was pulled towards him like a cannonball. He let go of the weapon, though at this point she was too close to him.
"Uh oh." Milla rammed foot first into the glass of the mech, causing it to shatter. Thankfully she didn't hurt her foot with all of the shards now in the air. She tucked in as in order to avoid a punch from the machine. She then leapt backwards as soon as she touched the ground.
She was prepared to attack, only to join her friends in dumbfounded silence. With how this man boasted, even she assumed that he sounded like a strong guy. Instead, sitting in the cockpit of the Pilaf Machine, was a little blue imp with pointy ears. He wore a red and blue hat with a button on the top and a yellow sphere icon with an orange star on the front; a green, red and black tunic with a frill on the neck and the kanji for "fried rice" on the front; blue pants; and cream colored shoes. Yamcha and Oolong couldn't help but burst out into laughter.
"Look at this guy!" chuckled Yamcha. "I figured he was compensating for something with that mech but I didn't think it was this! He's just a little guy! He's shorter than Milla!" Milla growled as she turned towards Yamcha.
"Hey!" cried the saiyan indignantly. "I am NOT short! Grandpa always said I'm funs sized!" The duo's laughter increased, causing Milla to blush in embarrassment. "Does that mean the same thing!?"
Pilaf took advantage of this slight at his height, as much as he wanted to bash the duo for belittling him, stretching his machine's arm out towards Bulma. It suddenly extended past Milla, grabbing the bluenette's bag. She tugged against him a bit in order to keep it, only for him to yank it away from her.
"Hey!" cried Bulma. "Give me that back!" Pilaf opened the bag with his small hands as he pulled out the Dragon Ball. He also grabbed the Dragon Radar before tossing the bag onto the ground. He laughed maniacally as he waved both objects at the group.
"Thanks for making it easy, idiots!" cried the imp. He put his stolen goods away as he fired up the Pilaf Machine's rocket. "When I get my wish, you'll be bowing before me like all the rest!" The machine took off into the sky, leaving the group on the ground. Milla growled as she brought her hands together.
"Ka…Me…Ha…Me…" Began the saiyan. The blue energy formed in her hands as she prepared to launch the powerful attack. "Ha!" Milla threw the attack forward, sending a beam towards Pilaf. The move hit the rocket, causing it to explode.
The villain cried as machine spiraled out of control towards the ground. Milla fell flat on her butt as she felt her energy drain. Bulma ran to her side before looking at Puar and Oolong.
"You guys turn into birds and fly after that runt!" ordered the genius. "You have to stop him from making that wish, whatever it takes!" Both shapeshifters nodded as they turned into eagles, quickly taking off into the air. They did their best to pick up the pace, hoping they wouldn't be too late. As they approached, Pilaf was scrambling to get all of the Dragon Balls into proper position.
"This one goes here." Mumbled the villain. "These two go here and… Aha!" The villain took a few steps back as he looked over the mythical orbs. "The time has finally come!"
Pilaf cleared his throat as he adjusted his ruffles. "Rise Eternal Dragon and hear the wish of he who summons you!" The dragon balls began to glow, the sky growing darker as they glowed brighter. All around the world people watched this change in the sky, clouds forming even on the clearest of days. News stations were having a field day trying to inform those in their homes about the strange change.
The Dragon Balls continued to grow brighter in intensity, forcing Pilaf to cover his eyes. A huge glowing entity began to rise from the orbs, shooting high into the clouds. Oolong and Puar were forced to close their eyes and turn their heads away due to the sheer volume of brightness. It was so bright that even the city the group visited recently could see it, people gasping at how brilliant the light was. One of the cops that actually sided with the group in their prior endeavor allowed the contents of his sandwich to fall onto the ground as he gawked at the sight.
The light that was visible took the form of a massive tail, green on the back and cream underneath. The head of a giant dragon soon became visible. It had red eyes, dark brown antlers, some light green hair on the sides of its head, dark brown spines running along its long back, and light green whiskers upon its snout. The beast could be seen for miles, its serpent-like body glowing with energy. Even Muten Roshi, on his island home, could see the massive beast.
"Now that's a sight to behold." Stated the old hermit. "I just hope Milla is the one who summoned him. I'd hate to see what would happen if someone of malicious intent got their hands on those Dragon Balls. This could decide the fate of the world as we know it." Back at the battle site, Puar and Oolong flew in place out of sheer awe as the dragon looked down towards Pilaf.
"You who have summoned me, speak your wish and I shall grant it." declared the mighty dragon. Oolong and Puar quickly regained their focus as they dive bombed towards the area. Pilaf was about to state his wish, only for both birds to cry out upon their arrival. Before they could even attempt to silence him, however, a net suddenly captured them. Mai was sitting on a tank, net gun in hand as the two shapeshifters were forced to turn back to normal.
"Now, Emperor Pilaf, make your wish!" cried the woman. "Before the dragon loses its patience!" Pilaf grinned evilly as he looked to the dragon.
"Oh mighty Shenron, I wish to be the ruler of the world! All shall bow to me and despair!" Oolong and Puar's eyes widened. Did they actually just…
"That is beyond my power." Informed the mighty dragon. Silence reigned over the area, as if the dragon had been talking to no one. Pilaf blinked as his smile of victory still remained.
"I…I'm sorry. I don't think I heard you right. What do you mean… THAT MAKING ME RULER OF THE WORLD IS BEYOND YOUR POWER!? AREN'T YOU AN ALL POWERFUL WISH DRAGON!?" Shenron huffed, apparently not liking Pilaf's tone.
"In order to grant your wish, I would have to make every living creature in the world believe that you are the sole ruler. Even if I could grant such a wish, my creator Kami would reverse the effects of such mental manipulation as he would be unaffected. If you have any other wish, speak now, while I still have time." Pilaf's face fell into horror, unable to comprehend how his wish could be denied. Mai growled as she looked to her leader.
"Just ask to become King Furry!" roared the woman. "Then no one can…" She was cut off as Oolong fought to stand up in the net.
"I wish for Son Gohan to be brought back to life!" roared Oolong. "That better be in your power for all the trouble this blue idiot put us through!" Pilaf turned towards the pig, growling in rage. Not only was this pig denying him his wish, but the shapeshifter also insulted his intelligence. The dragon hummed as he processed this wish.
"That is indeed within my power as the anniversary of his death has not yet passed." Declared Shenron. His eyes glowed as a white ring flowed through the clouds. Once it passed beyond the horizon, the dragon's eyes returned to normal. "The human known as Son Gohan lives again. Farewell." Pilaf reached out his little hands in desperation.
"NO!" cried the evil emperor. "That wasn't my wish!" Shenron ignored the villain as he disappeared in a brilliant flash. The Dragon Balls flew into the air, glowing even brighter before separating to the four corners of the earth. Pilaf growled as he turned to Oolong and Puar, Mai lowering the tank's barrel at them.
On his island, Roshi watched as the sky returned to normal. He saw a few glowing lights pass by, most likely the Dragon Balls. He hummed as he looked around.
"Well nothing major changed and I couldn't hear what that dragon was saying." Stated the old man. "I think everything's okay. Guess I can get back to my exercise videos. Come along, Turtle." The aptly named sea creature sighed as he followed the old man back to Kame House.
Back with the other heroes, they let out a cheer of success. The dragon's words could be heard from where they were. Milla could be seen trying not to cry as the thought of her grandfather being alive again brought a warm feeling to her heart.
"We did it!" cried the monkey girl. "Grandpa's back!" Yamcha smirked as he looked towards the saiyan.
"And we can't wait to meet him." Stated the former bandit. "As soon as Puar and Oolong get back, we'll…" He stopped in his tracks as he felt the barrel of a gun touch his back. He slowly raised his arms, much to Milla and Bulma's terror. Shu huffed and puffed as he kept his weapon on Yamcha's back.
"You people… have serious issues." Growled the canine. "I was almost squeezed to death!" Milla found the strength to try and stand up, reaching for her Power Pole.
"Don't move!" ordered Pilaf. The group looked towards the imp, their eyes widening as he held the net keeping Oolong and Puar captive in front of the barrel of Mai's tank. "You three aren't leaving this place alive. Take them to the dungeon!" The tank barrel was aimed at the girls, causing Bulma to hug Milla with her good arm.
The group found themselves chained up in a building with a glass dome, Milla having the most chains in order to keep her from moving. Pilaf stood before them while Mai and Shu held all of their weapons and Bulma's capsule bag. "Since you fools can't seem to live for my rule, you will die before it! When the sun rises, the glass dome will magnify its power to such a degree that there will only be ashes where you stand! No amount of sunscreen will save you!"
He then held up the Dragon Radar, causing Bulma to growl. "I'll also be confiscating this. Let me guess, this little trinket how you found the Dragon Balls so quickly. I'll consider this an apology for all of the stuff you broke with your little resistance!" The villain laughed maniacally as his minions followed him out of the building.
"Let us out of here!" cried Bulma. "You can't just leave us to die! We… we…" The woman began to sob as she lowered to the ground. "I don't wanna die."
Yamcha looked over to Bulma, feeling pain over her distraught. He moved as close to her as he could, in spite of that voice at the back of his head telling him not to. He put a hand on her shoulder, causing her to look at him.
"We'll figure a way out of this." Reassured the bandit. "If not, at least we did what we set out to do. And hey, there aren't many better people to die with than you. You're an amazing inventor, a beautiful girl, and a good friend." Bulma didn't entirely feel better, though she blushed as she returned her attention to the other side of the room.
Oolong and Puar were tied by their necks, the nooses meant to squeeze tighter if they changed shape. Oolong sighed as he looked down at his hoofed hands. He looked to the sulking Puar as he cleared his throat.
"So… this is how it ends." Stated the pig. "I figured I'd settle down with a nice woman and have a family before I ever kicked the bucket." Puar looked to him with a glare.
"Is there a point to this?" questioned the feline. "'Cause if not, then I'd like to die in peace." Oolong cleared his throat yet again as he looked away.
"I just wanted to say, seeing as escape is nearly impossible at this rate, that I really am sorry." Puar kept looking at him as her ears perked up. "I was a total piece of crap back them. Granted I still am one to this day. It shouldn't have mattered whether I knew you were a girl or not."
He returned his gaze to the cat, a sincere look in his eyes. "You were always the better shapeshifter than me and I got jealous. Instead of trying to get better, I put you down without even knowing a thing about you. You deserved, and still do deserve, way better than that. Guess a loser like me never changes in the end."
Puar sighed as she looked down. This was a lot to take in right now. She never expected this level of apology from the pig, as flattering as it partially was. She shook her head as she looked up again. She lightly bopped Oolong on the back with her tail, causing him to let out an indignant cry.
"A loser wouldn't have fought tooth and nail to help a girl get her wish. A loser wouldn't have sacrificed himself to save someone. And a loser wouldn't be apologizing to me in his final hours. You may be a pervert, a womanizer, and a bit of a boaster but a loser? That's something you'd have to shapeshift into, like that emperor guy."
Oolong chuckled at that bit of humor, feeling better than he thought he would. "Thanks for at least making me feel better. You know, before the sun fries us." Oolong nodded his head, happy that he could at least find some closure. He couldn't help but allow his smile to drop as he looked to Milla.
The saiyan's head was hung low, unable to fall forward due to all the chains. She had brought back her grandfather, at the cost of putting herself and the others in this situation. She should have been more careful when fighting the bad guys, maybe even bust out Roshi's move sooner. Milla couldn't help but feel responsible for everything that had was happening to them. It brought down the overall mood of the room.
It didn't sit right with the others, even in this situation, that the girl who usually brought them up was at such a low point. They needed to find something to cheer her up before the end comes. Oolong and Puar couldn't head over for her to hug, Bulma was too down to even think of something positive to say, and Yamcha was deep in thought. Yamcha looked up as his thoughts continued to move a thousand miles a minute, only to stop when he noticed something. He grinned as he kept his eyes fixated on the deadly sunroof.
"At least we get a good view of the moon." sighed Yamcha. "Not every night that you get to see a full moon, right?" Everyone sans Milla looked up, getting a good view of the heavenly body. It did bring some comfort to the others as its reflected light shined down upon them. Milla's chains moved slightly as the girl looked around, never once raising her head.
"Guys, whatever happens next, run." Ordered the saiyan. The others looked to her, confused by her words. "The monster that killed Grandpa, only appears on the night of a full moon. That night when I looked at it, I passed out and it showed up. If I pass out and it shows up, be prepared to get out of here."
Bulma processed this information as she looked down. Passing out when seeing a full moon and a monster only appearing at that same time sounded awfully familiar to her. Her eyes widened as the memory of a certain movie monster popped in her head.
"MILLA!" cried Bulma. "DON'T!" She looked towards the saiyan with pleading eyes, only for it to be too late. Milla's eyes were fixated on the full moon, the wideness of them being rather creepy. The saiyan couldn't help but admire the moon in all of its glory… until her mind went blank.
She began to growl and froth at the mouth as she jerked around, her chains clanking from all the force knocking them together. The girl's mouth began to stretch out as her jaws pushed forward, the skin growing to match this change. Her eyes went completely white as black hair began to pop up all over her body. Everyone's eyes widened as her muscle mass began to form with it. Oolong shuffled a bit as he began to sweat bullets.
"Guys!" shouted the pig. "Milla's starting to scare me!" Bulma nodded as she tried to move further away from the transforming girl.
"I think Milla's some kind of werewolf!" cried the genius. "It's the only explanation!" The monkey girl in question let out a monstrous roar as she reared her arm back. She threw a slap forward, causing the stone that held her chain in place to be broken from its position. It then snapped the chain as it soared directly into the wall, causing the whole building to vibrate.
She continued this movement with her other limbs, saving her tail for last as the wall the objects continuously battered the now cracking wall. She then grabbed at the chain holding her tail and yanked, causing the constricting metal to snap. She then fell forward as the last bits of her consciousness slithered to the back of her head. Her clothes began to tear as her growing continued. She grew so big that not only did her clothes snap, but she was now covering the moon from the others.
Her blank white eyes turned red, adding on to the already mountainous pile of dread the others were felling. The growing girl put her hands on both ends of the prison walls, causing them to crack as she pushed against them. A few rocks fell from the ceiling, heading straight for Bulma and Yamcha.
"Move!" ordered Yamcha. He helped Bulma up as they moved as far as they could. The rocks fell with a thud, smashing their chains in an instant. The duo looked to each other with serious faces as the wall that Milla battered now crumpled into an opening. "Let's untie the others and get the heck out of here."
The duo quickly ran over to Puar and Oolong. They did their best to remove the nooses from the duo as the building continued to crumple around them. They quickly finished their task, only for a much larger rock to come crashing towards them. "Hang on!" Yamcha picked Bulma up bridal style as he and the shapeshifters began running for thee exit hole.
As soon as they got out, the whole place broke apart, the glass dome shattering upon Milla's head. She finally stopped growing as she stood at the height of Pilaf's castle. The others looked back as the monkey girl, this Great Ape, roared and pounded her chest like a gorilla. The sound could be heard for miles, scaring anyone who heard it. She then turned her attention to Pilaf's castle, her eyes narrowing in unbridled rage.
Inside the building, it would seem that none of the villains actually heard the roar of their enemy. The vibrations of the falling rocks barely registered for them as Pilaf forced his minions to have complete focus on him. He cleared his throat as he prepared a speech.
"Mai, Shu!" began the Imp. "We have had a major setback today. The Dragon Balls won't be active for another year, and we need to be more careful how we wish upon the dragon. Do not lose hope, however, as this radar will be the key to our success. Even if the age of Pilaf doesn't start today, it will still come!"
A sudden thud much stronger than the ones before shook the area, only Mai and Shu registering it. They looked around their leader, only to silently scream as the Great Ape Milla was stomping her way towards them. "Fortunately, I have a plan for success! This time, I will wish to swap bodies with King Fury like Mai suggested." Shu held up his pointer finger as he let loose a nervous cry.
"Uh... Emperor Pilaf?" alerted the canine. "I really think we should…" He received a bonk on the head for his troubles.
"Don't interrupt me! Anyway, after another year passes, I'll pass a law to where I as Pilaf will be the new leader of the world. Then we'll gather the Dragon Balls again and swap back. With those buffoons gone, there will be no one to stand in the way of my glorious rule! I will be the undisputed..."
"Emperor Pilaf!" cried both Mai and Shu. "Turn around!" The evil emperor growled as he got out of his chair, having to hop as it was way too big for a creature of his stature.
"What!?" He walked around his chair in order to complete his minions' request. "What could possibly be more important than..." He stopped shouting as his eyes met the giant red eye of the ape. She blinked at him, and he blinked back.
He turned to the two lackeys, his face pale in color. "Oh… RUN!" The villains quickly began to run away as Milla reared both her fists back above her head. They got into Mai's tank as they tried to get the vehicle to start.
Milla began pounding away at the building, breaking sections apart like toy bricks. She grew closer and closer to hitting the Pilaf Gang barely as Mai struggled to get the vehicle started. The villainess finally got it working as Shu tried to drag the capsule bag and weapons into the vehicle. She put the pedal to the medal, causing the dog cry out in shock. The tank rushed out of the castle at surprising speeds, a bump causing Shu to drop his haul on the ground.
"I dropped the stuff!" Cried the canine ninja. "We have to…" Milla let loose another roar, causing Shu to hold up his hands in defeat. "Never mind!" The cowardly shinobi dropped into the tank as Pilaf looked back with a tear in his eyes.
"My castle!" cried Pilaf. "You'll pay for this! Mark my words!" His words fell on deaf ears as the Great Ape's tail smashed into what remained of the castle. The once great castle was now a ruin as Milla pounded her chest once more.
The others soon arrived at where the Pilaf Gang had taken off from, finding most of their belongings and the Power Pole on the ground. They looked towards Milla, watching as her rampage continued. She would strike at the ground, forcing nearby animals to run away.
"We have to do something." Growled Yamcha. "If we don't, who knows what she'll do to the area. If she really is like a werewolf, or were-monkey in this case, we don't exactly have time to wait on sunrise. I definitely don't want to see this with that red lightning." Bulma hummed as she rubbed her chin.
"Maybe we could squeeze her tail like last time." Theorized the genius. "She might pass out again." Yamcha turned to her with a soft glare.
"Oh right! Because we can all try to hug that MASSIVE tail so tight that she'll just fall over. That thing leveled a building! Unless you know a giant clamp that we can use, it ain't happening." Bulma looked like she was going to turn this into a lovers' quarrel when Oolong suddenly gestured to Puar.
"Puar could do it!" cried the pig. The others looked towards him for his outburst. "If we can distract Milla long enough, she can turn into a huge clamp or something similar and squeeze that tail as tight as possible. Even if you don't trust me on this, trust that Puar can do it." Puar couldn't help but blush at the praise while Bulma and Yamcha nodded.
"It's worth a shot." Agreed Yamcha. "How are we going to get her attention without being squished though?" Oolong cracked his knuckles before hopping back and forth a bit.
"Leave that to me. I just hope this works." The pig ran past the group, visibly sweating as he continued huffing. "I can do this. I can do this…"
The Great Ape looked his way as she heard his huffing. He growled as she fully turned his way. "I'M GONNA DIE!" A massive puff of smoke filled the area as he once again turned into a dragon. He flew a few circles around Mills's head, causing her to huff in annoyance as she tried to swat him away.
"That works." Stated Bulma. She looked to Yamcha and Puar as they were watching the event. "What are you waiting for!? Go!" The duo nodded as they rushed to try and reach the massive monkey's tail.
Oolong tried to keep a safe distance from Milla, not wanting to end up like her grandfather. He even performed barrel rolls if her hands grew too close to him. Yamcha and Puar were forced to hunker down in the ruined castle as they waited for an opportunity to strike.
Milla roared as she grabbed a huge rock from the ground. She threw it at Oolong, forcing him to dodge. This allowed the Great Ape time to swat him like a fly. Oolong thankfully had enough endurance to remain a dragon as he flapped his wings, slowing his descent. He ended up turning back with a poof, causing him to fall flat on his face.
"Ouch." Growled the pig. "I think I'm getting better at shapeshifting. That slap didn't kill me." He slowly turned around, only to see Milla rearing back her massive fist. "But that might!"
The ape roared as she prepared her strike. "Please no!" Oolong hunkered down in fear as the huge attack came his way.
"MILLA!" The giant fist stopped just short of Oolong, the force from the attack nearly sending him flying. The Great Ape stood up as she slowly looked in Bulma's direction. "Please stop! I know you're in there somewhere!"
The beast didn't respond, as if sizing up the little thing yelling at her. Then something unexpected happened. The Great Ape narrowed its eyes as if trying to get a better look.
"BUUUUULLLLLLMMMMAAAA?" questioned Milla in a monstrously deep voice. The beast lowered down on her hands and knees as she tried to get a better look. Bulma became hopeful as she held her hands together.
"Yes! It's me Milla! Just try to breathe!" The ape seemed to be assessing her situation, only to roar as she grabbed at her head. She lowered down onto her elbows as her roars became more guttural.
"Puar!" shouted Yamcha. "It's now or never!" Puar nodded as she soared towards Mills's tail. She turned into a massive clamp as she forcefully clamped onto the monstrous appendage. The ape gasped as she reared her head towards the sky.
A massive beam suddenly formed at the end of her snout as Puar squeezed tighter and tighter. The beam was unleashed, sending a brilliant light through the sky. It ended up crashing into a small meteor, vaporizing it in an instant. Milla suddenly felt drowsiness take over her as she fell forward. Bulma had to back up so that the huge monkey didn't squish her.
The giant creature began to shrink as she fell into full unconsciousness. Her snout and muscles also began to revert as she got to half of her huge size. Yamcha ran over as fast as he could, quickly removing his tunic. Bulma also ran over, quickly pulling out a capsule with her capsule house inside. Puar flew over to the wreckage of the dungeon, quickly finding Milla's now stretched out headband.
"I found her headband!" cried the feline. She quickly flew over to the others as the group converged. Milla was in Yamcha's arms, wrapped up in his tunic like a blanket. "Do you think she'll be out for long like last time?" Bulma shook her head in denial.
"I'm not sure, but we can't stay out here." Stated the genius. "If the authorities come here they'll ask questions, and I don't want to know what that Pilaf creep will do to us if he comes back and we're still here. Let's find a better spot to set up the capsule house, then we'll figure out what to do." The others nodded before the group left in a random direction. They quickly found a secluded spot to drop the capsule house, allowing them to rest for the time being.
Sooner than anyone expected, Milla began to stir. She found that she was wearing her pajamas, her hair also feeling recently cleaned. The saiyan groaned as rubbed her tail, the appendage feeling a bit bruised. She then tried to rub a headache out of her head, only to frown as she was met with bare skin. She grumbled as she looked around, trying to find the missing piece of her normal outfit.
"Who took off ma headband?" asked Milla. She tried to sit up as the others looked her way. They ran over as she nearly fell backwards, catching herself on her arms.
"Try not to move." Ordered Yamcha. He held the girls' headband out towards her. "We got it from the rubble. It got stretched by a huge stone, but it's starting to go back to its normal size. Whatever this thing is made of, it's some stretchy and durable stuff."
Milla quickly took the cloth, hugging it like a security blanket. Her tail started to wrap around it slowly, only for the girl to hiss as the bruised area was still sensitive. Oolong decided to answer the question before it could be asked.
"Another rock that fell landed on your tail, knocking you out." Lied the pig. "Thank goodness it didn't break the skin, or any bones for that matter. You're more durable than that blanket." Milla chuckled as she blushed from embarrassment. A thought suddenly crossed her mind as her smile disappeared.
"What happened to the monster?" questioned the Saiyan. "Did you see it?" The others looked to each other with concerned faces. How much should they tell her? Bulma decided to speak this time as she tucked Milla back in.
"We don't know." Stated the genius. "When the sun came up it just vanished. We were more focused on getting everyone out alive. Now you rest up and let your tail heal more. In the morning, I'll make your favorite foods for breakfast."
Milla hummed, the thought of food somehow lulling her to sleep. The others left the girl to her slumber as they tried to find it in them to get some rest themselves. What they did not know, however, was that the saiyan girl was dreaming. Her dream was filled with a huge desert, some mountains, and a collection of moons in the sky. She was not alone though.
A huge shadow hung over her as the three moons were in alignment. Floating in front of this beast was the glowing red shadow of a man with teal eyes. By the time morning came, Milla had completely forgotten the details of this strange dream.
That's a wrap! I told you there would be some big changes this time around. Grandpa Gohan lives! Also, Pilaf was not careful with the wording of his wish, thus being denied by Shenron. I heard something about Shenron not being able to grant his wish without mental manipulation, which Kami would have just undone of Pilaf was a bad ruler, so I thought it would be a good tool to use in bringing about the ending.
If I have the wrong information, a source for the truth of Shenron's capabilities in the OG Dragon Ball would be nice and help me to prevent more mistakes in the future. I'll try my best to see if I can get another chapter out before the month ends next weekend. Otherwise I will be switching my attention to next month's dedicated story, Tail of Two Heroes: Switched at Tragedy. I hope you'll enjoy both stories either way. It's just a matter of whether I can finish the next chapter in time or not.
Anyway, what do you think about the chapter? Did you like the massive changes that were made from the original episode? How about Gohan actually being revived? Let me know what you think in a review or comment down below and I'll try to get back to you ASAP. This is Inkaliber, signing out.