Hello friends and fellow writers! I'm back with a brand-new story, this time taking place in the Dragon Ball Universe!
Now before we get started, I just wanna give you all a heads-up on where my creative process is directing me this round.
Considering how long, complex and incredibly divergent the DB Timeline can be, not to mention how much lore hasn't been explored or truly expanded upon, I'm feeling the urge to play around ;)
It'll likely be much more apparent come DBZ, and as for the sequels that came afterward, i.e. GT and Super...we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. I know the fanbase is rather divided on both of them for similar/different reasons; I'm personally neutral to both, recognizing the good, and the lackluster. At most, I might try to recycle some of the better concepts. Similar can be said about SDBH (from what I've heard, this one's more akin to the 'cash grab' category, but you never know what could be inspired), and I might try to squeeze in highlights from the films and video games. It will mostly depend on how long I want this story to be, but DB and Z will be the primary duo of manga/anime to work with.
(On a side-note regarding Z, I may bite the crazy bullet and watch both the original and Kai, just so my inner researcher is satisfied...Pray for me XD)
In any case, be prepared for Canon Divergence and OOC Moments. Regarding the latter, I feel like almost all of the characters - popular and near-forgotten - in the DB-verse have gotten the short end of the stick in their development during certain plot points, so hopefully, my story can help redeem even some of those forgotten/demoted souls. Hell, I'll be bold and say Goku deserves better character development, not that his innocent, energetic self isn't nice during the good days...I just reeeally wish his dumb naiveté trait hadn't become so, 'domineering' over most of his personality as time went forward. I'm sure this wasn't Toriyama's intent, of course; probably just another side effect of franchise/writer's exhaustion.
...Phew. Anyway, without further ado, here's the disclaimer:
I do not - in any shape or form - own the plot, the music, the lore nor the characters of the Dragon Ball franchise. Rights and ownership belong solely to the original creator Akira Toriyama, Bird Studio/Shueisha, Toei Animation, and in the case of the most recognizable English Dub (at least in my corner of the world), Funimation.
...
Huh?...Where is...
Wait. I'm atop Kinto'un...and we're at the beach...It's night time.
(Cri-BANG)
Ah! A storm?
...Melita Dynameme...
Ah! That voice...It's you again, isn't it? Lord, Shenron?
Indeed, it is I.
I thought so! There aren't alot of dragons in the world, never mind one with a booming voice like yours...What brings you here?
I have come to inform you of your approaching destiny.
Destiny?
Yes. Very soon, you will meet a boy with black hair as wild and curious as his spirit, and the tail of a primate that's as expressive as his eyes. It is imperative that you form a strong bond with him.
Wow...Wait, primate?...Oh, I get it! Like a monkey or a lemur...But, why's it so important to be friends with him? Not that I don't like the idea of finally having someone my age to play with. I'm just curious.
Hehuhuhuhu, it will become more clear as you grow up, child. Just understand that there will be many trials ahead for the both of you, and several other lives you'll eventually bond with.
Trials, huh? Sounds exciting...and a little scary...
Be not afraid, little Nereid. Your potential is limitless and your pure spirit is strong, so long as you believe...
Always know yourself as you know your loved ones, Melita.
"...M-lita...Melita dear!"
"Hrm...H-Hnh?"
"Time to get up; it's a new day!"
(...Blink) Oh. Grandpa.
Fluttering her small eyelashes apart, the recipient of this odd dream wakes to the call of a much older gentleman. Raising herself into a sitting position, she's revealed to be a young girl of approximately eleven years old, with warm vanilla skin, a loose wavy plait of honey-blond hair cut down to her armpits, and cotton candy pink irises.
Watching from the doorway as the young soul rubs her eyes with a yawn, the one who woke her smiles in a mix of amusement and approval. They appear to be a bald elderly man of about five foot five (though looks shorter because of his bent stance), with a thin, round face that makes his thick white fu manchu moustache and beard stand out all the more, narrow but bushy white eyebrows, warm ivory skin, and onyx brown irises covered by a pair of red-rimmed sunglasses. We see he's already dressed in a daytime outfit, consisting of a pair of white Bermuda shorts, a Spanish orange Hawaiian shirt with various black letters and Japanese violet triangles decorating it, light brown flip flops, and a light violet turtle shell worn over his shoulders with twin pieces of rope like a backpack.
"Thatta girl. Good sleep, I take it?"
"Mm, more or less...Had another weird dream."
"Oh? Well, you can tell me more about it downstairs as we eat breakfast. Try not to dawdle."
"Heh, yes, grandpa."
As soon as her parental figure leaves, the one called Melita crawls across her bed, then tumbles to the floor in a somersault. Giggling over her silliness, she lifts herself to her feet - revealing her height to be around the four foot six mark - and turns around to grip the foot-board, lifting the entire piece of furniture with both hands to fold into the wall.
"Hrrr-gyh! Hah, hah...Gee. Murphy Beds are more troublesome than they look..."
The little girl then wanders over to a closet sitting opposite of a plain wooden bed to grab a set of clothes for the day.
She's soon dressed in a knee-length, sleeveless white tent dress with a pattern of golden pansy flowers, golden yellow running shorts, and white gladiator sandals. She also redoes her hair into a set of twin braids, save some shorter strands cut to form long, swoopy bangs parted at the center to frame her heart-shaped face.
Giving herself one last check in the full-length mirror hanging on the inner side of the closet door, Melita smiles in satisfaction before jogging downstairs to meet with her grandfather for the morning meal...
Panning down to the main floor, we find the honey-blond sitting opposite of her grandfather at a low-bearing, black ceramic-glass square table. This area is the center point of a mixed living room and kitchen space, with one door in a far corner leading to a small bathroom, and another closer to the home's occupants leading to the outdoors. The meal set on the table for this morning is omurice and berry jam toast, with orange juice and green tea as beverage options.
"...Hm, I see. So that dragon came to you again to talk about destiny."
Swallowing a bite of her own toasted bread, Melita nods,
"Uh-huh. Apparently, things are s'pposed to get exciting once I meet a boy with a tail...Think there's any truth to it?"
"(Sips his tea) Mm, it's hard to say for certain. Sometimes these visions can hold hints of the future, but other times, dreams are just what they are: dreams. It's up to you whether or not it will effect your days ahead."
"Mmm...okay then. (Sips her juice) Aaah. By the way, has Turtle come home yet?"
"Eh?...No, I'm afraid he still hasn't shown his face."
A small frown of worry curves into Melita's lips.
"Oh. I see...He's been gone for so many months now. I hope he's okay..."
"I'm sure that old reptile's fine, dear. Probably got all turned around in a current or something, so it's just taking him longer to get back on the right path."
"Maybe..."
"...Heeeey! Master Rōshi, Melita! I'm back!"
The eyes of said people widen in confused surprise, before they scramble up from the floor and dash outside...
"Ah! Turtle! Is that really you, my friend?!"
"T-Turtle! You're back!"
Casting our own eyes in the direction the pair are gazing, we fixate on a large loggerhead turtle about five feet long, with seal brown and coffee bean brown being the colour scheme of his shell's carapace, cream white for the plastron and part of his neck and lower jaw, light russet brown for his head and flippers, and chocolate brown for his snout.
Bouncing down the steps of the small porch, the little honey-blond hurries across the sands of this small tropic island she calls home, stopping to wrap her small arms around the reptile's upper shell and neck as her eyes release tears of relief.
"You finally came home! (Sniff) I was so worried! Are you okay; did something kidnap you?!"
Lifting his front right flipper, Turtle wraps it around the crying girl's shoulders and chides,
"Ooh, nothing terrible like that, Meli. I'm sorry I was gone for so long and made you worry. Heh, the reason for it is, actually rather embarrassing. All you really need to know is I-eh, for lack of a better excuse, got lost."
Pulling back so she could wipe her face clean of moisture, Melita then asks,
"Y-You got lost?...But I thought you were really good with directions..."
"So did I, but apparently fate decided to joke around with me this time."
"Oh. That's not very nice."
"Nope, not in the least. I actually ended up on land for some time; can you believe it? Luckily, I recently bumped into a nice boy and his-erm, headstrong lady friend, and they helped me get to the shores of the mainland in just a few short hours."
"(Small smile) Oh wow, that's amazing!"
The girl's grandfather - who wandered down just as these two started their reunion conversation - perks up considerably upon hearing a distinct description.
"Eh? What's that you say? A lady~? Is she-ahem, th-that is, are she and the boy still nearby?"
...Neither Melita nor Turtle are fooled by Rōshi's attempt to compose himself, forming nonplussed expressions at the latter's barely-contained fluster.
"Ooh boy. Grandpa's got that look..."
"Haauh, some days I fear his maturity is being sacrificed to prolong his life...On the other hand, I did promise a gift to those kids for helping me, something that only your grandfather would be able to provide."
"Oh? Wha'd you have in mind?"
Melita's POV
After Turtle explains to grandpa and me his intentions, we all prepare to sail away from Kame House to the mainland shores where the pair responsible for bringing my sea mentor home would be. I chose to ride atop my magic cloud friend Kinto'un, while grandpa rode Turtle's back...It wouldn't be long before I could spot two lone figures on the stretch of sand ahead.
Ah! That must be them, the boy and lady.
I catch an echo of the shorter figure greeting us, and I hear grandpa mutter,
"Doesn't he realize that they're the only ones on the beach?"
I reply with a giggle,
"Probably not. Not too many people hang around this area anyway."
"That's true..."
Turtle then calls as we get close,
"Ahoy there! Sorry I kept you waiting; I had to go get my master. Oh! Heh, and my part-time student of the seas."
The strangers look up and down at us, and I found myself doing the same to them.
Hm...She looks only a couple years older than me; teenager, I think. Pretty blue hair, nice eyes and face...
But, why is she wearing a nightgown? Was she in a hurry?
(Looks right) The boy's definitely around my age, maybe a year older. Heh, I like his wild hair, and he's dressed properly...
Wait.
That's when I notice a peculiar feature on the boy.
Hh! Is that...a tail?!
...Wild black hair, and a tail. Just like my dream...
Could he be the one Lord Shenron was talking about?
I barely tune back into the conversation just as grandpa says his thanks to the pair before us.
"Kids, I wanna thank you for helpin' my turtle."
"It was our pleasure, mister."
"(Hops down) I'm Muten Rōshi, the Kame Sen'nin, or Turtle Hermit. (Points at me) The little one atop Kinto'un here is my granddaughter, Melita."
I wave a 'hello', and the boy with the tail wanders closer to me with a smile of wonder.
"Wow! Are you actually floatin' on that cloud?! That's so cool!"
I nod with my own smaller smile,
"Uh-huh. Her name's Kinto'un, and they're a special nimbus cloud blessed with magic. Only those with pure hearts can fly 'er, or so grandpa says."
"Huh. Weird...Sooo if your name's Melita, does that mean you're a girl?"
His question is a rather confusing one to say the least, especially if you factor in the random topic change.
"Uuhm, yes, I am...Do you not see alot of girls where you're from?"
"Nope. Actually, my friend Bulma here's the first girl I ever met."
"Hah?!...Oh wow, you must've been living a really lonely life for some time..."
"Eh, it's not as bad as people might think. The animals in the mountains kept me from feelin' too stir-crazy...Oh! My name is Goku, by the way."
Goku, hm?
Clearing his throat, grandpa gets us all back on topic.
"So then, which one o' these kids helped you?"
"(Points) It was that little boy there."
"(Walks over) Well, m'boy, we owe you one. I have a little gift to give you as a token of our gratitude."
"Oh? What kind of gift?"
"You'll see."
Grandpa then turns so he's facing the ocean, and raises his walking staff into the air to call for the item he plans to give these people.
"Come, Magic Carpet!"
I hear the one called Bulma gasp,
"A magic carpet?!"
Goku, on the other hand, is puzzled:
"What in the world is a magic carpet?"
I explain,
"It's kind-of like Kinto'un, but instead of a cloud, you're flying on a carpet...Hmm...That's strange. It should've come by now..."
That's when Turtle remembers,
"Uhm, Master, hold on: you took the Magic Carpet to the cleaners."
Aw, really?!
"Eh?! Oh, that's right! You've got a good point there, Turtle...Hm..."
Bulma mutters in some disappointment,
"I knew it; they aren't real. (Looks at me) I mean, I'm already having a hard time believing there's a such thing as magic clouds..."
...Ah! That's it!
"Grandpa! We could give him Kinto'un!"
He looks at me with surprise reflecting off his sunglasses.
"Eh?! Kinto'un?...Are you sure, dear? I know how much fun you have floatin' around on that little cloud..."
"Yeah, but it'd be more fun to share that experience with a new friend."
"Hm...Well, why not? (Looks at Goku) If you can ride it, it's yours."
Taking the hint, Kinto'un floats downward so we're close to touching the sand.
I hop off, nearly tripping on my toes until the boy catches me.
"Ah!"
"Whoa there!...You okay?"
"Y-Yes, thank you."
Oh, wow...I can sense a great deal of dormant power within him...
"Don't be afraid. She's as sweet as candy."
Focusing from me, Goku gives Kinto'un a once-over in a way that reminds me of when I saw the voiceless entity for the first time as a tot.
"...It's so light and fluffy...Mind if I have a little taste?"
"Ya don't eat a magical cloud, you little baboon!"
Heehee! Okay, maybe not exactly like me...
I let out a few giggles as Bulma asks grandpa,
"So is flying people around about all this little cloud does?...Actually, scratch that: why does a 'Turtle Hermit' have something as illogical as a magic cloud, anyway?"
"Heheh, it's a long story; perhaps I'll tell you sometime...Anyway, flying Kinto'un is one thing, but actually sitting on her's another."
"What's that mean?"
"Well y'see, only those pure of heart are able to ride 'er. This cloud's got standards."
I feel a familiar flipper pat my shoulder as the source comments,
"That's why Melita's able to ride no problem. She has one of the purest hearts of any little girl I know."
My face heats up with a modest blush, and I shyly hide it in my hands...
"Alright, let's go!"
I peek between my fingers to watch Goku hop upward, and he lands on Kinto'un with no problems whatsoever!
Ah! He did it!
He seems just as surprised, but quickly forms a proud grin and exclaims,
"Yeah, I did it, I did it, I really did it! I'm on a cloud! Alright!..."
It isn't long before Goku's flying around like a pro, something that's both shocking, yet, not shocking to me.
Must be a quick learner...or maybe Kinto'un just really likes kids...
After a few minutes, he parks midair in front of all of us to thank my grandpa, and me in a sense.
"This is great! Thanks a billion!"
"Y'make it look like it was meant for you, m'boy. (Glances at me) Heh, almost reminds me of little Melita when she flew on the ole cloud for the first time."
I feel another sheepish smile and blush erupt...just as Goku suddenly directs himself in front of me.
"Huh?"
"...Ya wanna fly Kinto'un together?"
"Ah! Really?"
"Yeah! It'll be fun!"
His grin is infectious, and I found myself mirroring it as I bop my head up and down eagerly.
He chuckles and reaches a hand out to help me on board, then I position myself behind him...
"All set?"
"Yep! Let's go!"
We turn to the others and say,
"Be back in a bit," before taking off to fly above the world for a short while...
"Hehaha, this is great! I haven't gone this fast on Kinto'un in forever!"
...I don't hear a response from my fellow passenger, so I look back in front of myself away from the landscape, only to see him staring at me with a curious frown.
"...Say..."
"Hm?"
"We, haven't met before, have we?"
"Whaddo you mean?"
"Well...y'just-You look like someone from a weird dream I've been havin' these last couple months."
Hh! A dream...Could he also have...?
"Did, this dream involve a dragon with a big voice?"
"Yeah! He was huge, and it was always stormin' outside when he came. He'd then describe someone who's s'ppose to be real important to me later in life, and...well, the way he described them looks alot like you."
"...Incredible..."
"Huh?"
"I've, had similar dreams. The dragon lord said I'd meet someone important to my own destiny. A, boy with wild black hair, and a monkey tail..."
I glance down at said appendage:
"Like the one you have."
"Really? Wow...That's crazy..."
"I know, right?"
"...Heeey, Goku!"
We pause our cruise at Bulma's call, and she adds,
"C'mere; I've got something to show you!"
"Okay!"
A small part of me is almost disappointed that our conversation is being interrupted, but I guess it can't be helped.
We stop in front of Bulma, and she holds up grandpa's necklace with an excited smile.
"Look! It's another Dragon Ball!"
Dragon Ball?...Oooh, I see! They must've heard about the legend and are trying to collect them.
"You know the legend, Miss Bulma?"
She and Goku turn to me with their own curiousity.
"Yeah. Actually, that's kind-of what drew me and Goku together...Do you know about the Dragon Balls?"
"(Nod) There's this old book of legends that Turtle saved from a storm one day and gave to me as a present. It has a whole chapter about the Dragon Balls, with pictures and everything."
I glance at the orange ball in my new friend's hands as I add,
"I quickly figured out that the jewel grandpa wears around his neck sometimes is one of the seven balls of legend, more specifically, the Three-Star, Sanshinchū. Heh, though I've, neglected to actually tell him it was that special..."
Grandpa forms a lightly bristled expression and scolds,
"You silly girl; haven't I always told you to tell me the important stuff right away?!"
"Sorry, grandpa."
"...Haauh, oh never mind. I guess it doesn't really matter now."
I listen as Goku and Bulma say to eachother,
"Bet you're glad we decided to help the turtle now, huh Bulma? It paid off!"
"I sure am, and you were right! Just three more and then, wish time!"
"What a great day!"
I smile at their happiness, and Bulma turns to give her thanks to grandpa.
"Thank you! We really love our gifts! You're a kindhearted and generous old timer; thanks so much!"
"Now hold on! I never said I was gonna give you the ball."
"But you said you were gonna give me a gift. Can I have it, please? Awe, come on..."
That's when she does something I never thought any girl would do: she lifts the skirt of her gown, and flashes her lower area at my grandpa!
Oh my kami!?
For rather, 'obvious reasons' even this eleven-year old can understand, my guardian is easily subdued into giving her what she wants.
"Daaiiiyyh! I-I-I give up! It's yours; take it!"
She drops her skirt and celebrates her victory, telling me that she has no idea she's not wearing any-erm, undergarments.
Oooh, that poor girl...
"Well, I guess this is where we get going."
I turn to meet Bulma's eyes as Kinto'un lowers, almost as if the cloud herself is expecting me to hop off.
"It was nice meeting a sweet girl like you, Melita."
"Uhm, yes, it was nice...meeting..."
I can't finish my sentence, my heart growing heavy at the prospect of my new friends leaving...especially the boy.
I...I don't know what it is...but I don't want to be apart from him. Not so soon.
I dunno if this has to do with, what Lord Shenron's been telling me in my dreams...but still...
"Hey, is something wrong? You look sad..."
...I've made up my mind.
Forming a newly determined look, I raise my head and say to Goku and Bulma,
"I want to join you guys!"
"Huh?!"
"Wha-?!"
"I wanna go with you and help find the other Dragon Balls! I...I want to finally see the world beyond this sea and these islands."
I turn to my grandpa since it's really him that will need convincing.
"Please, grandpa? Can I go with them?"
"Eh?! What's that?!...Where in the world is this coming from, Melita?"
"I know what you're probably thinking, that I need more training and I'm not old enough...But, you've been training me in self-defense since I was a tot, and I'm already eleven. Training Island and the underseas here just isn't enough for me anymore. I wanna finally see the world, or a small part of it at least! Plus, no offense to you or Turtle, but...I've been feeling kind'a lonely without someone my age to play with or, even just be around."
"Melita..."
"I think it could be fun!"
We all turn heads to Goku, he smiling at me like my proposal is just like asking for some candy.
"I can already tell by just lookin' at ya that you're pretty strong. Plus, what we were talkin' about earlier...I kind'a wanna see where bein' together will take us."
"Y-You do?"
"Definitely! I dunno if it'll effect destiny or whatever, but...I already like you, and I don't wanna lose this weird happiness I'm feelin' from just sitting beside you."
Oh my...
"Whaddo you think, Bulma; can we take her with us?"
We send pleading eyes her way, making her almost trip backwards with an expression of someone ready to buckle under.
"Ah! D-Don't make those faces!...Haaaauh, well...okay. As long as you're not gonna slow us down, I guess it wouldn't be a bad idea to bring you along. Plus it sounds like you know some stuff about the Dragon Balls, which could help us greatly."
Yay, she says yes!...Now there's just grandpa.
I wasn't too worried about Turtle's opinion to be perfectly honest, because deep down, he knows I've reached a point where my curiousity and wonder can't be easily grounded like it used to...Anyway, I turn to meet grandpa's eyes, and we have a real intense staring contest for what felt like an hour (but it was actually one minute).
"Hmm...I can tell that you're serious about this decision despite the hasty nature of it, and it is true you'll only have so much experience by just hangin' about this area."
"Sooo..."
"...Haaaeh, my old heart's probably gonna regret this later...Very well. If you really want to and these kids don't mind, I suppose it's time you get a taste of the world beyond our island."
Gasping, I jump off Kinto'un and rush over to hug my parental figure in joy.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!"
He hugs me back and chuckles,
"Alright alright, you little ball of energy. Now, I expect that you'll continue practicing all that you know, and be prepared for whatever dangers may come your way."
"Of course!"
"Also, be on your best behaviour when meeting new people..."
"Unless they're mean and rude?"
"Precisely!"
I giggle a little as we part, and grandpa wanders closer to Goku to say,
"And you, young man: I'm counting on you to look out for my granddaughter. Keep her safe, and always have her back when the battles get tough."
"Uuh, sure, no problem. (Smile) I've got her back if she's got mine."
"Good."
Bulma frowns a bit and almost whines,
"Heeey, is that really a responsibility you should be putting on his shoulders? I'm technically the adult of this new trio."
"Well ya sure don't act like it from what I've seen so far."
She directs a glare at Goku and snaps,
"Watch it!"
I fight to contain some more giggles as I think to myself,
Well it's certainly not gonna be boring running around with these two.
No POV
So with everyone agreeing to little Melita's request, the new traveling trio, hermit and reptile turn ship for the labelled Kame House so the girl can pack a travel bag...
"Are you doing okay down there, Miss Bulma?"
The bluenette looks up from her position behind Rōshi atop Turtle, locking her uncertain expression with that of the innocently neutral honey-blond sitting with the blackette on the magic golden yellow cloud.
"As long as we don't hit any waves, sure..."
Can't believe I'm actually riding a turtle with this old lecher...
At least I was smart enough to board behind him rather than in front.
"Uhm, you're pretty strong for a turtle, if you don't mind my saying so."
The loggerhead replies to Bulma,
"Well thanks, and you're rather light for a teenager. Almost lighter than Master...Then again, I have trained myself to carry very large loads over the many years I've been alive, so two humans is nothin' on my shell."
"Heh, you're quite the confident one."
"...Oh! Hey, is that your house there?"
Looking into the distance, one could see the place Melita, Rōshi and Turtle call home, namely, a prefabricated two-story house with a carnation pink body and crimson red roof matching the name Kame House written on the upper front. Other features include about four windows of different sizes, including one leading to the attic bedroom, and a small porch leading to the robin egg blue door.
Rōshi replies to Goku,
"Yep, that'll be it! Home sweet home...Hm? What's this?"
The Kame Sen'nin then spots something that shouldn't be on the island's sandy shore, namely, a bulky aircraft.
"That's strange. I don't remember owning a plane..."
"Maybe someone's come to call on you, grandpa?"
He looks over at his granddaughter as she and Goku bounce to the ground, and shrugs as he and Bulma do the same,
"I suppose that's possible..."
The group passes the large vehicle and moves in towards the home...only to discover that the front door is wide open!
"Uh! Hey, I'm sure we locked the door before we left!"
"What is going on here?...!"
"...Darn it, where is that Dragon Ball?!"
Peeking in from both sides of the entrance, the quintet spots the source of the scraggly male voice that echoed from within. They appear to be some sort of humanoid imp with light capri blue skin, big eyes with dotting pupils and pointy ears. On his body - which is barely taller than your average preschooler - is a tunic of India green, true black and bright red with a thick white frill around the neckline and the kanji for "fried rice" printed in the middle, Persian blue pants, ink black shoes and a sapphire/fire engine red cap with black on the rim and a little star in the center-front.
"Uh! The house is a mess!"
"Who is that little blue pudge ball?"
"Shh!...Let's just see where this goes for now."
The imp is then approached by a humanoid canine coming down the stairs after poking around the upper floor. Getting a quick look at the latter, we see they stand a few inches or so taller than the former, has light ginger brown fur save for his creamy white muzzle, and is dressed in a plum purple shinobi uniform with a sunny yellow shirt underneath, a pale baby blue obi sash, black tabi socks and straw brown waraji sandals.
"It's not up there, sire."
"Hmph!...Or down here..."
"...It's not in the kitchen either, emperor."
Turning to the area in question, the first two members of this invading party meet eyes with their third. She's a young woman of roughly five foot four, with long smoky black hair that's styled with semi-wispy blunt bangs, dark blue eyes, a fair complexion, and dressed in a teal trench coat with dark red stars on either shoulder, a deep brown belt with a right-bound pistol holster matching in colour to her combat boots, and light beige slacks.
"It's possible someone tipped him off."
"I wonder...Wait here."
The apparent emperor rushes out of the house, prompting the silent observers to scramble behind one side to avoid detection. The imp's focus ultimately goes to an infrequent guest of Kame House - a saltwater crocodile - relaxing on a folding lounge chair.
"Hey there. Nice day, isn't it?"
He then brandishes a pocket knife at the reptile!
"Ah-h!"
"You better tell me what I want to know or I'll make a green handbag out of you!"
"O-Okay!"
"Where did this Muten Rōshi the Turtle Hermit go?"
Watching the scene from behind a corner of the house, said old man hums,
"Hmm...I'll be right back, kids."
He then starts walking over to where the blue imp is, much to his granddaughter's worry.
"Grandpa, wait-"
Goku hurries to cover the girl's mouth and pull her back, whispering,
"Shh! Don't."
"B' G'ku-"
"I promised your grandpa I'd keep you safe, so that's what I'm doing. Besides, that weirdo doesn' look very strong even with the knife. (Smile) I'm more than sure Master Rōshi can take 'im."
Goku...
"Muten Rōshi? H-He's right there, buddy."
"Right where? (Turns around) Daaauh! Shu, Mai!"
The stranger's companions hurry outside to meet with him.
"What is it, sire?"
They position themselves on the defense as soon as they meet eyes with the Kame Sen'nin, who in return forms a glaring frown at these intruders like they're just ill-mannered kids.
A rather sad-looking bunch, I must say...
"I don't think we've met. What brings you to my island?"
"Hmph, (sneer) I think you already know based on that expression, hermit. Now hand it over, the Dragon Ball."
"Hm? What ball?"
"Don't play coy!"
"Mm...Ah! You must mean that orange ball with the stars on it. Heh, sorry to disappoint you, but it's long gone. I gave it to a pretty girl on the beach."
"Are you kidding?!"
"Seriously. She wouldn' leave me alone until I gave i' to her. She was nuts about that ball because of some crazy wish. (Small smirk) In other words, you lot have no reason to disrupt the harmony of my home, so off with ya."
A gasp of indignation escapes the imp-like creature, and he moves in front of his subordinates before demanding,
"Where is this girl? Tell me!"
"No idea. Not like I asked where she was going..."
"Drh!...She couldn't have gone far. Come on, let's go!"
"Right."
"Yes, Emperor Pilaf."
The trio hurry into their multi-functional plane, and with a click of a button, it modifies itself for aquatic travel...Of course, this would require the plane to actually be in the water, forcing the tiny blue nuisance to poke his head out and call for assistance.
"Uh, hello there, yoo-hoo, can you give us a little push?"
"Anything to get you off my island, you blue-faced dwarf."
"Hurry up!"
"Yeah yeah, keep your hat on..."
Goku and Melita barely contain themselves to avoid laughing loudly, opting for muffled giggle fits instead. Bulma and Turtle would have scolded them, but any stranger could easily tell they were ready to lose their own composure. The quartet then watch Rōshi use his staff to nudge the submarine-like plane deeper into the water, and his granddaughter doesn't miss the grin when he punts a hole through the metal.
Ooooo, sneaky...!
"Goodbye, bon voyage! Enjoy the bottom of the sea, heheheh!"
The tweens, teen and reptile wait until the vehicle is gone before emerging from their hiding place, and the girls compliment Rōshi for his tactic.
"Good one, grandpa!"
"That was really somethin', old timer!"
He turns to them all with a smile and cheekily comments,
"Those three deserve the hole in their side. Too bad. It was a nice plane."
With that minor threat gone, the group proceeds inside the house to clean up the mess left behind...
"Well this is a little discouraging. I guess Goku, Melita and I will need to keep an eye out for those three as we go forward with the hunt."
So notes Bulma as she finishes putting the kitchen area in order, while Rōshi and Turtle work on the lower space acting as the living room. The Kame Sen'sin says to her,
"I'm surprised you kids have gotten this far without runnin' into other greedy souls looking to make a wish on those 'Dragon Balls'. I can't imagine you'll be that lucky goin' forward, so you best keep your wits abound. If you'd like, heheh, I could teach you some basic self-defense before you go..."
Spotting a leer in the grin, the bluenette politely declines with a half-smile,
"Ah-heh, sounds, tempting, but I think I'll pass."
Especially since I have this distinct feeling you'll be trying to do more than teach...
Heading upstairs, we catch up with Melita and Goku after they straighten up the bedroom, and now the little honey-blond is busy deciding on what to bring for this new trip...
"Whaddo you think I should take along, Goku?"
"I dunno, but I wouldn't take too many things. All I got is the clothes on my back, Nyoibō and grandpa's Dragon Ball. Of course, Bulma's able to carry lotsa stuff thanks to those-uhm, wha'd she call 'em again?...Oh, right, hoi-poi capsules!"
"Hoi-pois, eh? Hm...I do have an emergency blank one, but I think I'll try to keep my training bag out."
By training bag, Melita is referring to the tiger's eye orange/dark blue gym bag sitting on her grandfather's bed...
"Now then, a few clothes, hairbrush, soap, journal, blanket...Oh! Right, and that book."
Scrambling over to a small bookshelf, the blond with pink irises removes a thick piece of literature with some wear and tear in the edges.
"This is it, the book that has a section about the Dragon Balls. Can't tell ya how much work it took to prevent the brine from ruining the text..."
She sets it on the floor as the boy with the monkey tail comes over for a closer look, mirroring her kneeling position.
"Huh. 'Mysteries and Myths of Earth, Volume One'. Does that mean there's more than one book?"
"That's right, but I haven't come across the rest of the series yet. It's got all kinds of stories in it from around the world...And here. (Flllp) This is the chapter I'm talking about, pictures and everything."
"Hey, you're right! There's the balls and-...Isn't that...?"
Goku points to an ink-sketched picture depicting a great dragon with antlers for horns, super long whiskers and glowing eyes.
"I feel like I've seen this dragon before..."
"Me too. I think this suppose to be the anonymous author's depiction of Lord Shenron, the dragon that's been popping into my dreams here and there."
"Mine too!...Is he a part of the Dragon Balls or something?"
"Could be. I guess we'll find out for sure when the time comes."
Closing the book, Melita then gets up to put it in her bag.
"...That should be it, I think."
"Great. Let's go meet with Bulma."
"Okay."
Grabbing her carry-on by its short straps, the young blond follows the blackette as they make their way out of the room for the stairs. Pausing for a moment, she turns to glance at the space one more time with a wistful smile.
Guess I won't be seeing this place for a while...
Pretty soon, the quintet is back on the mainland shore where Bulma's motorbike would be waiting, and Melita shares one more hug with her grandfather and the reptile before readying herself atop Kinto'un with Goku...
"Goodbye for now, grandpa! See you soon! You too, Turtle!"
"Have a good journey, dear!"
"Be careful out there, little nymph!"
As he watches the young souls leave for the thicker green, Rōshi smiles and thinks to himself,
I should be worried, but I know Melita can hold her own when given the chance.
...And Turtle and I would expect no less from a Nereid.
Small Time Skip
After a few hours of racing across the beaten path, the two girls and one boy arrive at the capsule house Bulma had set up for temporary lodging. The building is rather simple in design, with three white metal dome shapes put together horizontally, the two end pieces having two windows each (the left one also having a round cylinder piece sticking upward), and the large middle section having an opening for the door...
"Oh wow. You have a really nice house, Miss Bulma."
Getting off the motorbike, the bluenette says to the honey-blond,
"Thank you, and please, just call me Bulma, Melita. After all, we are gonna be teammates...Man. I never thought things would be going this well! We only need three more Dragon Balls. I guess it was just meant to be, kiddo-heh, or rather, kiddos."
She heads into the portable dwelling, leaving her two younger companions to float atop Kinto'un. They quickly have the same idea to flop against the cloud on their backs with satisfied sighs, using Melita's bag as a pillow...
"I wish grandpa could see me now..."
"Your grandpa?"
"Uh-huh. His name was Son Gohan, and he was the greatest martial arts master I ever knew...I'm not really sure what happened, but he found me all by myself in the mountains when I was only a baby, and decided to raise me as his own...Unfortunately, he, died a long time ago."
"Oh. I'm sorry for your loss..."
"It's okay. Most of the sadness is gone now, and I know grandpa would tell me to keep goin' with a smile."
"Mm..."
"What about you? Do you have any family besides Master Rōshi?"
Humming with a frown of thought, Melita replies,
"Not that know of...According to Turtle, one of his siblings found me in a basket protected with magic charms drifting over the ocean when I was only a baby. Then they'd carried me to him, and he in turn carried me all the way to grandpa. After that, I was raised by him...My best guess is that any blood relatives I do have are, already gone from this world."
"Oh..."
"I'm sure I'll learn the whole story eventually...though I have learned one really important thing. (Smile) See, I'm not a normal little girl. I'm a water nymph, or Nereid to be more precise."
"Whoa! Seriously?!...Wait, what's a nymph?"
"Heehe, well to put it as simple as I can, nymphs are minor deities that have connections to nature. We're not up there with major gods and goddesses, but our power can be great in the right situations and with enough wisdom and practice. As a Nereid, I have ties to the sea."
Goku sits up with an intrigued expression:
"That sounds so weird and awesome. Does that mean you're immortal?"
"No, but I do have a very long lifespan and will age slower than most humans. Turtle's explained alot of things to me since he and his family are well-acquainted with water nymphs."
"Huh, well how 'bout that. (Smile) So what kinds of things can you do? Can you control water?"
"To an extent. The most I can do right now is make short rain showers and create balls of water to throw at targets. Grandpa says I should develop stronger abilities as I get older and keep training...But my most powerful ability, is my voice."
"Your voice?"
"Uh-huh. According to grandpa and Turtle, my voice is the kind that can make an angel weep with tears of happiness. Hee, I dunno how true that is, but, so far, I've helped large sea creatures calm down from rampages, and can make raindrops almost dance to my songs...There's also been signs that I, might be able to heal injuries in the future."
The boy with spiky black hair can only stare at the girl beside him in wonder, feeling strange emotions churn in a pleasant sort of way deep within his heart.
Whoa. All of that with just her voice, and she's bound to've trained in the martial arts with the hermit too.
(Grin) Now I'm really glad she's comin' along with me and Bulma. I wanna learn all I can about this girl!
"What's with the grin, Goku?"
"Heheh, nothin' important...I'm just really happy you're comin' along, Melita."
"Really?"
"Yeah! We might'a only met today, but I can tell we're gonna be the best of friends."
The blond with pink irises is taken aback by how quickly the boy wants to form a bond that strong...But that surprise is almost instantly replaced by a warmer feeling that causes her to form a sincerely happy smile in return.
"Yeah...Best friends."
"...Huwaa-aaaaaaah!"
Their conversation is suddenly cut short when Bulma lets out a screech from inside the capsule home, prompting the tweens to jump off of Kinto'un and storm inside.
(Ka-Chank)
"Bulma! Are you okay?!"
"What's going on in here; what's wrong?!"
She barely manages to stutter out a reply as she holds a pair of her panties to herself with an expression of horror.
"M-M-M-M...M-My, underwear was here on the floor...Hrhhh...I'm afraid to look..."
Instead, the bluenette feels herself overtop her nightgown, and a mortified blush forms when she realizes...
"THEY'RE NOT THEEEEEEEERE!"
Th-Then that means, on the beach; the old man...Hoh boy...
Melita frowns in a mix of sympathy and slight guilt as Bulma silently clues into the reality of her earlier demonstration.
Oh dear. I should've said something before...
"Ooooh, is that all? Well that's okay, Bulma; that's right where I put 'em!"
...What?
The girls look over at the innocently-smiling Goku in bated confusion.
"Go-ku...?"
"Wh-What're you talking about?"
"After I took 'em off this morning!"
Melita's eyes widen with shock:
...Oh kami, he's not joking! Is he that dense to basic social norms?!
She gets her answer quickly enough as Bulma interrogates him.
"Y-You mean, to tell me, that you took my underwear off while I was sleeping this morning?!"
"I sure did."
"These underwear?!"
"Yep! They're the ones...Huh?"
Goku pauses when he sees the young woman prep a machine gun of all things, and that's all Melita needed to see before grabbing the boy's hand to drag him back outside as fast as humanly possible!
"Gah-hey! What's wrong?!"
"Trust me; I'm saving your life!"
They barely make it out the door and shut it in time, plastering themselves to one side away from the entrance as bullets go flying, some of them creating a couple new holes in the door...
"You really don't know much about girls and etiquette, do you?"
"Uhm, not exactly...but I'm guessin' I did something bad, right?"
"Big time."
Hoooh brother. Looks like searching for Dragon Balls won't be the only thing I'll be doing on this journey...
Making a mental note to slowly teach her new friend the basics of everyday social ques, Melita would then patiently wait for Bulma to calm down and re-emerge from the house. Rather than a nightgown, the bluenette changes into an actual daytime outfit, specifically, a tan green spaghetti-strap jumpsuit and copper brown boots that match her belt...
"Ready, and, presto!"
(C-Click, BOM)
The house suddenly disappears, leaving behind a hoi-poi capsule about two and a half dimes high to land on the ground!
"There. Now that's what I call 'house cleaning'."
"Don't scare me like that, Bulma!"
Smiling jokingly at the startled Goku, the bluenette chides,
"Okay, I'll warn you next time."
He may as well consider that payback for his little stunt...
Then again, I have to remember that he was practically raised in isolation and has been alone for at least a couple years, so he's bound to be backwards on alot of unwritten social norms.
As the older girl contemplates her companion's lack of tack, Melita wanders over to lift the tiny capsule off the ground in wonder.
"Said it before and I'll say it again: hoi-pois are an amazing invention."
"Is this your first time seeing them in action, Melita?"
"(Shakes head) Uh-uh. It's just been a while. Sometimes during longer training sessions, grandpa relocates the house to the mainland or one of the bigger islands because our isle's too small for any real action beyond warmups and katas."
"Huh. Interesting...Anyway..."
Bulma looks over at Kinto'un:
"I guess we could all ride the cloud. We'll make better time that way."
"But, didn't Master Rōshi say you hafta be pure of heart to ride Kinto'un?"
She glares at Goku and exclaims,
"What's that suppose to mean? I don't believe anyone's heart is purer than mine!"
"Hmm...I dunno. I think Meli's got you beat."
Said girl with the honey-blond locks blushes at the half-compliment as the one who voiced it silently signals the golden yellow cloud to lower.
"But go ahead if you think you can do it."
"I can and I will! Watch."
Bulma hops into the air at Kinto'un...and ends up falling through the collection of aerosol like a rock to water...
"Heh, pure, huh?"
"Auh! But, but, why?! Whyyyy?! Is it a sin to be too beautiful?!...Dooh, and now my clothes are dirty! Darn it, I didn't even wanna ride that stupid cloud anyway!"
Melita watches her elder complain and thinks to herself with a head tilt,
I, think her pettiness and vanity may be outweighing her purity...
Oh well.
Shrugging off the behaviour, the younger girl then follows her fellow preteen's step in hopping aboard Kinto'un, sitting herself behind the boy with her training bag in her lap before they take off with a whoosh. Meanwhile, Bulma resides with following close behind them on her motorcycle...
"Kind-a slow, huh?"
"Oh just hush up! Nobody likes a showoff, ya know!"
Melita softly cuts in before a debate can start.
"Please don't argue. At least both ways are faster than running and walking. Can't we be happy about that?"
The other two glance at her for a few seconds...before turning to face frontwards again and nodding,
"She's right."
"Yeah, I guess..."
"Good. And, hey, (smile) thank you both for letting me come along. I promise I'll work hard and help in every way I can."
"Sure thing!"
"That's appreciated, Melita...Okay! Next stop: the fifth Dragon Ball!"
The trio cheers at the prospect, and the girl with cotton candy pink irises found herself raising her arms in excitement for the new adventure beginning.
I dunno if this is what you meant by destiny, Lord Shenron, but I'm already having the time of my life!