About three days come and pass since Melita, Goku and Bulma's casual meeting through an act of kindness towards a sea reptile, and after some convincing, the little honey-blond integrates herself into the journey to find the fabled Dragon Balls. Currently, they're on the beaten dirt road cutting through a woodland mountain area, heading in the direction of the fifth gemstone identified by the bluenette's special GPS radar.
...Now before we get too far ahead, let's get a better read on her and the boy she first partnered with to have access to his grandpa's Four-Star Ball, otherwise known as Sushinchū.
First is Goku, a boy whom despite his four foot three stature is actually a late tween, his body showing early signs of a meso-ectomorph build and sporting a light warm ivory complexion, a stark contrast to his dark umber irises. His hair is a rich coal black, worn in a rather wild hairstyle which has three bangs hanging to the right of his forehead while two curve left, and the rest stands up with four spikes in the front and three in the back. And lest we forget the deep brown tail protruding from the area just above his rear, a trait which sets him apart from the average boy. For his outfit, he's wearing a steel blue gi with a white tank top underneath, a white obi sash, fire engine red wristbands, and dark blue kung fu shoes.
As for Bulma, she's a teenage girl of about five foot three with robin turquoise-blue hair cut to about the armpit length and currently flowing loosely, azure blue irises, an ecto-mesomorph body with a near-perfect hourglass figure, and a pale ivory complexion. On her body today is a pair of ochre brown short shorts, scarlet red and white converse sneakers, cerise pink slouch socks, a plain white crew neck short-sleeve tee, dark orange driving gloves, and a scarlet red bomber jacket matching her ball cap, the latter accessory having her name printed on the front in black against a sideways oval yellow-orange background.
And quickly touching on Melita, she's now wearing a seaweed green tent dress cut just above knee-length, colour-matching running shorts, and plain black kung-fu shoes. As for her hair, she tied it into a fishtail braid...
Moving forward, she and Goku continue to laugh and giggle without a care as they zoom around atop Kinto'un. Poor Bulma can barely keep up on her mustard yellow cabin motorcycle, glaring up at the pair for practically ignoring her presence and their supposed recklessness.
"Hey, squirts, pay attention to where you're going; neither of you are invincible, ya know!...Nh!"
Unfortunately, the simple act of looking up for too long would cause her to forget about slowing down for the upcoming hill. The bluenette wails as she goes flying from the road, and ultimately crashes at the bottom of the semi-steep incline! Luckily, the bulk of any damage is dealt to her vehicle rather than her body...
"Bulma!"
"Are you okay?"
The tweens fly down to check on their senior as she grits through the pain shooting from her bruised tailbone,
"Does it, look like I'm okay...?!"
"I guess not...Hm?"
Goku's attention then diverts to the Three-Star Ball, noticing a soft, light orange glow emitting from within. He picks it up to stare at with awe, Melita occupying a similar expression as she hops down from Kinto'un to get a look herself.
"Haah..."
"It's glowing...That must mean..."
"Yeah. We're gettin' close."
The boy with the tail turns his gaze to the whining Bulma and holds out the gemstone to her.
"Hey, Bulma, check this out."
Her tears are gone almost instantly, and she snatches Sanshinchū away to stare at with a hopeful smile.
"Oh, wow...You know what this means, right? The fifth dragon ball must be really close by. This is great!"
"...And I think I have a better idea where too."
Eyes fall on Melita as she points to a collection of homes surrounded by a fence and some fruit trees several yards ahead.
"See that?"
"Yeah, a village! Good eye, Melita."
"So does that mean we'll find the Dragon Ball there?"
"Only one way to find out, Goku...Let's go!"
So after setting the motorbike upright again and summoning Kinto'un, the trio make their way to the small populace that'd be identified with a sign over the entrance as Aru Village. Dirt turns into cobblestone upon entry, with capsule homes surrounding our little travel party as they move further in...However...
"Huh?...I don't see anybody."
"That's weird. I wonder where the locals are..."
Parking her vehicle, Bulma sets her feet down on the mosaic of carved rocks, and clicks on her self-named 'Dragon Radar' to confirm the trio's path.
"Let's see what the radar says...Yep. The fifth Dragon Ball's here alright...Hm."
Stowing the device in her jacket pocket, the bluenette then notes with a small frown,
"But it's odd that it's so quiet around here...Maybe this village has been deserted?"
Shaking his head, Goku replies,
"No, people are here. I can feel it."
"Are you sure? Seems like an old ghost town to me..."
Melita also disagrees with the older teen:
"If that were true, everything would be rundown and dirty...and, I can sense it too. There's plenty of ki here. Nothing powerful, but enough for a village of average people."
"Ki?"
"It's another way of saying life energy. See, one of the things grandpa's been teaching me besides basic martial arts is the principles of ki, including how to sense it."
The honey-blond turns to the blackette and asks,
"I'm guessing your grandpa taught you about ki too?"
"Uuhm...I think he mentioned something about it once, but I don't remember paying attention. It's more of a gut feeling for me."
"Oh?"
Melita thinks to herself in mild surprise,
Sounds like he can sense life energy on instinct then. Amazing...
Very few can do that without formal training. Either that, or his survival skills are making up the difference.
Bulma cuts into her thoughts by shrugging,
"Well I dunno about this spiritual stuff, but if you two think people are here, I'll believe you."
On that note, the trio slowly wander about the small populace and try to call out for its locals...
"Hello in there!...Come on out!"
"Hello-ooo? Anybody home?"
"Please don't be afraid! We're just passing through, looking for something!"
...No response is given, but the boy in the gi notices movement in one of the homes nearby.
"Hm?...I think I just saw someone peekin' at us from that window over there."
"This is getting freaky..."
"Something awful must've happened if they're this scared to come out..."
"Hmm...I say we find out what!"
Goku leads the girls to the front door of a home belonging to a 'Sherman Priest' based on the label, and wracks his knuckles on the closed object.
"Hello!...I know you're in there! Hello?!"
Bulma mutters with curious concern,
"I hope they're not in some sort of trouble..."
Sucking back an impatient breath, the boy then thrusts his right fist forward, smashing away the doorknob through the wood to make for easy access!
"Ha! Oh yeah!...That did the trick."
Melita scolds,
"Goku! This is breaking and entering!"
"Maybe, but if this person's really in trouble, we should find 'em quickly."
"Still, you could'a tried using the doorknob first..."
The bluenette watches the tweens argue while hiding an amused smile.
They almost sound like a couple. Too cute...
But the lighthearted affair comes to an abrupt end as soon as the trio takes three steps in, when a figure suddenly jumps out from the shadows with a hand axe!
"Haaaai-ya!"
(WHAP...KRRACK)
It hits Goku straight on his noggin...but through a strange miracle of biology, his body is so durable that the blade shatters upon impact!...Still, a nasty bump is left behind, causing the boy to cry out in pain while the girls scream in fright over the incident.
"Uwaaa-aah!"
"Aaaah! Goku!"
The assailant - revealed to be a middle-aged fellow with balding black hair, a thick moustache, thin round glasses, tan ivory skin and dressed in a dull yellow sweater under a pair of bright blue overalls - is just as shocked, more so over the fact that the boy's still alive.
"Aah-hh! Aw no, it didn't work...!"
Overcome with worry, the honey-blond clutches one of her friend's arms with a frantic expression.
"Are you okay?! Are you bleeding; how are you still standing; do you need first aid-"
Goku covers her mouth with one of his hands to stop her panicked babble, then grits out with a half-smile for her sake,
"Calm, down, 'm fine. It'll take more th'n that to really hurt me."
"A-Are you sure?"
"Positive...Mmh, anyway..."
He sends a seething glare at the one responsible for his new injury, his right hand stretching over his shoulder for his special weapon known as Nyoibō, or Power Pole.
"Wha'd you do that for?! Grh, (brandishes weapon) that didn't tickle, ya know!"
Cringing in fear, the man then slaps his hands together and bows in apology for his hasty attack.
"Oh please, forgive me, Mister Oolong! I know it was foolish of me to try and attack you, but, I'd rather die than lose my daughter! I'll give you anything! Food, money, but please spare my child!"
Befuddlement spreads over the faces of our trio of travelers, realizing that this man didn't truly mean any ill will.
"Huh?"
"Hang on: I think you got me mixed up with someone else."
"Yes. We don't know anyone named Oolong."
Just then, a young girl in the same age group as the tweens pokes her head up from behind a crate. We see she's wearing a French rose pink shirt dress with a bright saffron yellow waist apron overtop the skirt, light red-brown shoes, white socks, and has dark brown hair tied into two braids with a French rose pink and light persimmon orange headband worn across her forehead, the latter accessory having a feather on the right side.
Giving the new faces a once over, she confirms to her parental figure that they're not a threat.
"It's not him, dad."
Word quickly spreads across this small village, and the locals hurry out of their homes to see what the commotion is about. They gather outside the doorway of Sherman's home as his daughter prepares a cold compress for Goku's bump...
"Here we go; this'll help."
"Careful!...Ow..."
"What a thick head you have..."
Melita smiles at the girl and says,
"Thank you for treating him...Pocawatha, was it?"
"Yep, that's me!"
"Mm...So then, (turns to Sherman) what exactly is going on in your village, and why's it so bad that you'd attack a complete stranger?"
Bulma adds with glare,
"Yeah, what gives? You could'a killed 'im for all we knew! Shame on you, hmph."
Sherman nervously replies,
"I'm so sorry about that, b-but I really thought your friend was Oolong! I was only trying to protect my daughter."
Goku turns to meet Pocawatha's dark brown irises with a curious expression.
"Daughter? Does that mean you're a girl?"
Though a bit confused by the question, she nods with a small smile...Suddenly, the boy reaches out towards her skirt, prompting his honey-blond friend to grab his wrist before he can touch any fabric.
"Huh?"
"Goku! What are you doing?"
"I just wanted to confirm that she's a girl by feelin' if she has no balls."
"...You're serious, aren't you?"
One nod tells all, and Melita lets out an exasperated sigh before gently explaining,
"Goku, if you want to know someone's gender, you just ask. If you try and touch them like, 'that' without any warning, it will be taken as an offensive act, and might cause people to believe you're a pervert."
"Pervert? What's that mean?"
"To keep it simple, it's a word for a type of bad or seriously misguided person who may try to touch, 'certain places' without permission."
"Oooh..."
Turning eyes to the brunette, Goku says to her,
"I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable. I'm still kind'a learnin' how to tell boys from girls."
An awkward smile curves onto the former's face as she replies,
"Uhm, it's, fine..."
What an odd boy.
Clearing her throat, Bulma gets everyone back on the real subject.
"Anyway, what's the deal with this Oolong character? What's he done that's made all of you so afraid of him?"
Sherman cringes, and Pocawatha rushes over to hug him while letting out a few fearful whimpers.
Shaking off his own nerves, the former starts the short tale of the menace terrorizing his village.
"He's our worst nightmare. He's a blackness that's descended on our homes, a monster who treats us like his toys."
"That bad?"
"Much worse!"
"How so?"
"Well somehow, this terrible creature has the power to change into any shape he wants to. Instead of one nightmare, we're cursed by many! No one knows his real identity; we just know he wants our daughters. That fiend has kidnapped three girls from the village already, to do with them who-knows-what...and he's threatened to kill and eat every villager if any of us try to flee or resist him."
Melita murmurs sympathetically,
"How awful. (Looks at Pocawatha) And I'm, guessing he set his eyes on you recently?"
The little brunette sadly nods,
"Afraid so. Yesterday, he came by looking like a big red ogre, and demanded my-(gulp), hand in marriage from my dad. He's supposed to come back today."
"I see..."
Goku slowly forms a frown as he silently takes in this troubling tale, and decides to give these people a helping hand.
"What a bully. Maybe we can trap 'im when he comes back."
Sherman is stupefied by such a proposal:
"How will you that? He's bigger than this house! My word, you don't get it, do you? Oolong would squish you like a little bug! There's no way to stop this monster...But never mind our troubles for a second. Why did you three come here today?"
The bluenette of our trio shifts her orange-red backpack off her shoulders, and opens it to grab out one of the collected Dragon Balls.
"I'll show you. Let's see here...There it is. (Holds it up) We came here looking for a ball that matches this one."
Sherman takes it and looks it over for his own eyes.
"Hm, strange...Yes, it's very beautiful, but I've never seen anything like it."
"Well I have!"
Turning to the doorway, the residents and guests watch as an old woman with a lightly tanned complexion comes out from the crowd. On her body is an ultramarine blue button shirt dress, dark brown loafers, and a light mahogany waist apron matching the bandana covering her hair.
"Young lady, I have the matching one."
"I knew there was one here!...Can I see it, please?"
"Mhm."
The elder reaches into her skirt pocket, pulling out the Six-Star Ball.
"Here it is. A long time ago, my granny picked it up from somewhere..."
"Yeah. The Six-Star Ball, Liushinchū."
Goku and Melita each mutter in their own amazement,
"Wow..."
"What luck...!"
The boy with the primate tail then asks,
"Will you give it to us?"
"I'm not just going to give it away. It's been in my family for generations."
Expecting an answer like that, and thinking about the village's current situation, Bulma offers a compromise.
"Would you, give us the ball if we get rid of that Oolong creep, get the girls back and return your village to a peaceful place again?"
A murmur of awe passes through the villagers, and the old woman replies skeptically,
"Well...it's a lovely offer, of course...but do you really think it's a job for three kids?"
"It may not be that difficult."
Eyes fall on Melita, and she in turn asks curiously,
"Tell me, has Oolong always appeared in a different form when he comes to your village, and does he stick around for very long?"
"Hm...Come to think of it, he has repeated a few disguises, and he usually stays no longer than a few minutes."
The water nymph places a finger under her chin with an inquisitive frown.
"That's what I thought...I've read that the Art of Shapeshifting takes years to master, but with enough experience, a person should be able to hold any shape for a long while...But if Oolong's been leaving almost as quickly as he arrives, that tells me he doesn't have enough experience to shapeshift for more than a couple minutes at a time. Well, that, and his imagination's a bit limited if he's repeating forms."
Goku catches onto his friend's line of thinking:
"So if we could find a way to distract him long enough..."
"Yeah. We might be able to force him back into his true form...Either that, or we exhaust him to the point where he can't shapeshift anymore. Both plans would work since it sounds like Oolong has a tight power cap."
Once again, the villagers are amazed by the two tweens as they strategize. A man with a cowboy hat asks,
"Do you really think you and your friends have a chance to beat Oolong, miss?"
Bulma replies with confidence,
"Yeah, I think we have a good chance. Goku's a little on the puny side, but he packs a wallop, and Melita's fairly smart for her age. Right, kiddos?...I'm Bulma, by the way, the leading brains of our group."
Sherman hums in thought, before turning to ask the boy,
"Would you forgive me for hitting you? We'd appreciate your help."
"Sure."
The man with the cowboy hat mentions,
"There's a legend that speaks of a young boy and girl who would come to liberate our people, but we always thought it was just folklore..."
The old lady with the Dragon Ball nods in confirmation, and another middle-aged woman dressed in lavender pleads,
"Bulma, it would be the answer to my prayers if you brought my baby back."
Another man dressed in the garbs of an aboriginal chief then rushes forward to give his support to Goku and Melita.
"You have my blessing, young warriors. Your courage stands like a great monument for my people."
"Heh, thanks."
"We'll do our best."
The bluenette feels a grin form as a plan sparks within her own mind.
"And I just thought of a brilliant idea. (Glance) Say, Pocawatha? Do you have some spare clothes we could borrow?"
"Huh? Uhm, sure."
...
...
"Alright! You look great, kid. You'd be just as charming as Melita if you smiled a bit more."
Goku - now wearing one of Pocawatha's spare dresses overtop his gi and a carnation pink kerchief with muted red polka dots to hide his hair - only deepens his unimpressed scowl.
"There's not much to smile about. Can't we come up with a different plan, Bulma?"
"Sorry, no time, kid...I mean, unless you want Meli to go out there and play live bait all by herself."
The boy turns to look at his partner in this quickly-crafted plan, she also borrowing a dress from the targeted brunette over her clothes, except in baby blue, and has her honey-blond locks hiding under a lemon yellow scarf.
"Hm..."
"If you really don't want to, Goku, I'm okay with going on my own."
"Hrrm...Hah, alright, I'll do it, but only 'cause I won't be the odd one out in a silly disguise."
"Eh-heh, right."
Once again, Bulma hides a smile behind her hand, a knowing glint in her eyes as she silently gloats,
Ha, so my hunch was right: he's already feeling protective of Melita. He just doesn't know it yet.
Clearing her throat, the bluenette then goes over the plan with her 'actor' and 'actress'.
"Alright, now remember, you two, don't blow your covers. He has to think you're Pocawatha, and her cousin from out of town, Paige. The most important thing is to find out where he's keeping the girls. After that, handle it however you please."
Goku replies with irritated exasperation,
"Okay, I get it, but I'm goin' on record saying that I won't like this part of the plan one little bit."
(...THMP, THMP...)
"Huh?!"
Suddenly, large footsteps come stomping into Aru village, the source easily recognized by Sherman and his daughter.
"Hoh no...!"
"It's Oolong; he's coming!"
Outside, everyone else making up this small populace yells with fright as they hurry back to their homes for their own safety. Getting a gander at the source of the panic, we see a large red-skinned humanoid demon with a pig snout and horns, dressed in a white suit and carrying a bouquet of flowers for his latest 'bride'...
One brave soul stops by Sherman's place to warn him, his daughter and their soon-to-be-saviors of the approaching danger.
"Oolong's in the village and he's on his way here!"
"Good job! Make sure that everyone gets into their houses safely."
Nodding, the man runs off to make his final rounds while being careful not to get spotted by Oolong.
Bulma then turns to wish the tweens her best:
"Okay, Goku, Melita, I'm counting on you two."
"Say, since you claim t'be the main brains of our trio, you're gonna help us, right?"
Taking the left hand of her friend into her right, the honey-blond leads him forward while quietly sighing,
"Somehow, I doubt that..."
"Why?"
(Ker-kmk)
Turning back to the now closed door, the tweens meet eyes with their senior as she peeks at them through the hole created by Goku's fist.
"I'll be here rootin' for you both."
Harrumphing, the blackette whispers to the blond,
"Now I see what you mean..."
"Oh well; at least we'll be helping eachother...By the way, it might be best that I do most the talking."
"If you say so. But next time, I'm comin' up with the plan."
Their conversation comes to an end as soon as Oolong reaches their proximity.
His grin of anticipation grows slightly as soon as he spots 'Pocawatha' and 'Paige'.
"There's my cute lil' bride. I brought you some flowers. I hope you like them, sweetheart...Oh, what's this? You brought a friend with you, how nice! And what's your name?"
Melita clears her throat and chirps out with a much shier pitch,
"Oh, th-th-thank you, for the flowers. M-My name is, Paige; I'm P-Pocawatha's cousin, f-from outta town. Uhm, p-please, e-excuse my stutter. I'm super shy."
Goku side-glances his friend in astonishment for the acting.
Wow, she's good...
"Ah, Paige, a cute name. And don't worry about the stutter; it's actually kind-of charming...Hm."
Oolong eyes Goku's magical pole-arm for a moment, mistaking it as something else.
"Packed your rolling pin, eh, Pocawatha?...And I see you put on a little weight..."
Feeling slightly bristled by the comment, Goku barely manages to disguise his voice with a higher pitch as he retorts,
"Y-Yeah, well, look who's talking!"
"You scamp! A little feisty today, are we?"
Bulma quietly mutters a critique over her younger friend's lack of manners.
"Goku, where did you learn how to act?! If you don't shape up, you're gonna blow this thing big time!"
Melita's POV
A small part of me wants to laugh at Goku's smart retort, but another part of me is close to slapping a hand over my face.
Agh, should've known better. Just because Goku's dressed like a soft-spirited girl, it doesn't mean he'll know how to act like one.
I better come up with a good excuse...
"U-Uhm, sorry. Poca's, b-become rather sensitive, a-about her sudden, w-weight gain."
Thankfully, Oolong didn't seem bothered by the tactful comment or my shy explanation. If anything, his impression of us grows more positive.
"It's cool. I like 'em a little feisty. I wouldn't change anything about you except maybe that ugly scarf. (Glances at me) Yours is a little better, Paige, but it doesn't go with your dress too well."
What, is he a fashion expert in his spare time?...Hm?
That's when I notice Goku fidgeting while wearing a slightly panicked expression. I ask in a whisper,
"Hey, what's wrong?"
"Gh, I-I...I have to use the bathroom real bad."
"Uh! Seriously?! Now of all times?!"
"I can't help it if my bladder has a mind of its own!"
I barely contain a whine of worry as I think to myself,
This couldn't possibly get any worse...
"What're you two whispering about, and what's with the trembling, Pocawatha? Are you cold?...Oh I get it: you're scared of my looks, huh?...Then how 'booout...Presto!"
(POOF)
Uh! Uh oh, I forgot to keep track of the time before he transforms!
Once the magic smoke dies down, I get a better look at Oolong's new disguise. How do I know it's a disguise?...Because there's no way a traditionally good-looking man with a mustache and a soft blue-gray trench coat with matching top hat would ever try to catch the attention of two young girls.
This is waaaaay too unrealistic, even for worst-case creepy situations...
"What do you think of this? Suave, debonair, handsome? If you don't like it, I can change into something else. Perhaps a younger man?"
Getting my composure back faster than Goku, I cough out,
"U-Uhm, actually, I-I would be most interested to see-"
"Haaaaaah~!"
I'm cut off when Bulma suddenly pops out of Mister Sherman's home, with eyes all sparkly and a goofy smile on her face similar to the ones grandpa forms when he sees a pretty lady, though not in a perverted sense (...at least I hope not...).
"Why hello~ there, stranger! My name's Bulma, and I'm sweet sixteen~. I don't think we've met."
Hooooh boy...Wait. Actually, this could work.
A new plan forms in my head, and I hurry to quietly pull Goku away from Oolong's eye of sight towards a tree.
"Ah! H-Hey, what's going-"
"Shh! You said you need to pee, right?...We'll let Bulma keep Oolong busy for a minute."
"...Oooh, I get it! Good thinking."
"Right. You just focus on doin'...well, what you gotta do. I'll stand guard."
"Okay."
I move to stand in front of Goku's form so he's mostly blocked from view, but with enough space between us to avoid accidentally getting...you know, 'splashed by the waterfall'...Anyway! I keep my eyes forward on the scene a couple feet away.
If we time this right, we'll catch this faker in his true form.
"My, can such beauty be real? You must be a dream...!"
Bulma opens her jacket to show off her upper figure more through her tight tee shirt as she coyly replies,
"Nope! I'm all, woman~."
...If she's what all girls are like at that age, I don't think I wanna grow up.
Shaking my growing concerns of getting older away, I ask Goku over my shoulder in a whisper (being careful not to look, of course),
"Are you done yet?"
"Almost...Hah. Okay, I'm good."
I let out a sigh of relief, and wait until the sound of ruffled fabric passes before turning around to face my friend again...As I turn, however, I spot something sitting atop the roots on the left side of this tree.
"Huh?"
Leaning down to pick it up, it's revealed to be,
"A, bottle of hand sanitizer?"
...Y'know what? I'm not even gonna question this, 'cause I know someone who needs it right now.
Shaking off the absurd randomness of the find, I turn back to Goku and say to him,
"Hold out your hands."
"Uhm, okay."
I squeeze a bit of the clear liquid onto his palms...
"What's this stuff? Soap?"
"Kind-of. It's a type of disinfectant travelers use when they don't have access to soap. Just rub it all over your hands until it dries."
Though a little confused, he does as he's told, cringing slightly at the semi-strong chemical scent.
"Urh, it smells weird..."
"Yeah, it'll tone down after a bit, but best to use it now after your-erm, bathroom break."
"Oh yeah? Is it 'cause I touched-"
"Don't say it out loud!...Hauh, good grief, Goku, surely your grandpa taught you the basics of personal hygiene."
"Of course he did! Gosh, Melita, I wasn' that wild before we met."
"Could'a fooled me..."
"Hauh?! Wha'did you say?!"
Our focus turns to Oolong, he staring at us with an expression of shock and barely-contained anger.
"Did, you just, call yourselves Goku and Melita?...D'you mean to tell me, you're not Pocawatha and Paige?!"
Dh! Oh shoot, we must've gotten louder without knowing it!
Goku isn't half as worried as I am:
"Aw, what gave us away? It was my tail, wasn't it?"
Oolong's eyes glow a scary red as he proclaims,
"How dare you try and deceive the great and terrible Oolong! Presto!"
(POOF)
Next thing we know, he becomes a giant bull!
"Man, that's one big cow."
"No kidding..."
"I am not'e cow; I am a bull! Can't either of you tell the difference?! And I'ma pretty mean one too."
Shaking off her earlier affections, Bulma mutters something about the other disguise before quickly ducking back inside the house...
"Goku, Melita, the plan's off! It's time to take this bull by the horns!"
Taking that as our signal, Goku and I shuck off our disguises and ready ourselves into fighting positions.
"...Hah, feels good to get that dress off. All those layers felt too warm."
"Yeah...Now let's see how tough Oolong really is."
Bulma reminds us in a call to make Oolong cough up the location of the missing girls...and to, stay alive.
I take a deep breath in to calm my nerves, and tighten my fists for battle.
Well so much for the sneaky approach. Guess we're using force from here...
"Say yur prayers, chico; your time has come, hehahahuhuh!...Of course, I migh' be willing to go easy on you if ya let me take tha' pretty amiga of yours. Getting a better look, she's quite the catch."
I shift a little in disgust, and Goku didn't seem to like that comment either, his glare hardening slightly with an emotion I can't quite describe.
"You can forget it! I won't stand by like a dummy and let my friend get stolen by some bully coward who refuses t' face me in his real form!"
He emphasizes his point by blowing a raspberry, and I almost giggle at the action just as Oolong retorts back,
"Tch, have it your way then! A li'le monkey boy burrito migh' hi' the spot anyway. Sounds yummy!"
Frowning, I exclaim,
"Didn't you hear him? He's not gonna be scared by some jerk trying to act tougher than they really are, and neither 'm I! If you're half the man you claim, then show us your true form!"
"How c'n you be so sure this isn' my true form?!"
"I just know! Now tell us where the other girls are, (cracks knuckles) before things get ugly."
Oolong is silent for a little bit...then glances at the village clock, before making a break for it!
"Yaaa! It can't be! Time out, time out!"
Goku and I watch his cowardly retreat for a few seconds, then snap back to reality and begin chasing after him.
"Hey you, come back here! No time outs!"
"You're not getting off that easy!"
(...POOF)
"Ah! There! He'll be in that spot where the smoke is!"
"Right!"
We reach the entrance and turn down the left corner...meeting eyes with a pig person almost a foot shorter than we are, and dressed in a dark green suit with a matching driver's hat.
Huh?...Is that Oolong's true form?
Goku wonders the same thing, leaning closer to my left ear to quietly ask,
"Y'think that's him?"
"Hasta be. This is the spot where the transformation smoke came from."
"Huh...So what now?"
"Hm...I'm gonna try something..."
I walk closer to who I'm sure is Oolong, and ask with a polite smile,
"Excuse me. Did you see a large bull charge by here?"
"Hm? Oh yeah, (points) went that'a way."
"Oh? (Smirk) Then how come I don't see any hoof prints goin' that direction?"
An expression of panic rises on the pig's face, confirming my suspicions...
"Now Oolong, we can do this two ways: either you lead us to wherever the girls are being held right now, or, I'll let Goku take over the interrogation process. I'm sure he'd be delighted, considering how annoyed he was over wearing a dress just to lure you out, only to be dealt some mean comments."
Catching onto my hidden message, Goku pulls out Nyoibō and taps it against his opposite palm with a well-practiced mean smirk. Oolong cringes and waves his hands out in front of him while stuttering,
"N-N-N-Now let's not do anything hasty!...Hauh, okay, you two win; I'll show you, (...grin) assumin' you can catch me!"
"Huh?"
"Presto!"
(POOF)
"Agh!"
Suddenly, he shifts his appearance so he's a big bat, and he starts flying away!
"Farewell, suckers!"
"Oh no, he's getting away again!"
"Not for long...Kinto'uuun!"
The cloud arrives in due time after Goku's call, and we hop on just as it zooms pass so we can continue the chase...
We're not giving up that quickly. Prepare yourself, Oolong, 'cause here we come!
Goku's POV
So that guy thinks he can bug off, huh? Heh, not while we have the fastest cloud around!
It didn't take long before we catch up with Oolong's bat form somewhere above the mountains...
"Arrgh! How embarrassin' can ya get? I'll never be able to terrorize that village again!...Those kids were a royal pain in th' keister. Too bad they don' know how to fly."
Grinning, I call out to him, making him turn around and panic when he sees us.
"Wak!"
"Where do you think you're goin'?!"
"Come back here, coward!"
"Nh! P-P-Presto!"
(POOF)
He tries to out-fly us again by transforming into what I'd learn later is called a rocket, but we were able to keep him in our sights thanks to Kinto'un...
"We're gaining on ya, Oolong!"
"Also, you might wanna consider how much time has passed?"
(...POOF)
And just as Meli makes that remark, his magic wears off and forces him back into his normal form.
"Gh!"
(Shoooooooooooooo...)
"Aaaah, I'm not ready to diiiiie!"
We dive after him, and each grab an ankle before he could plummet any further.
Hey, he might've been a jerk, but even he doesn't deserve to fall to his death...
"Y'know, this pointless chase could've been avoided if you had just surrendered earlier..."
"She's right. Bein' bad doesn't add up to alot of success."
"And who the heck are you two suppose ta be, my guidance counselors?!"
We hurry back to Aru village, and grab a length of rope near the entrance to tie around Oolong's waist as a warning to avoid running off, then wander inside to meet with Bulma and the villagers...
"This is the terrible Oolong? Huh...Well now, porky, whaddo have to say for yourself?"
I suggest after Bulma,
"An apology would be nice."
"...Alright then, I'm sorry."
An old man mutters in disbelief,
"I can't believe I was scared by a pig," and the old lady with the Dragon Ball gets straight to the point.
"Now, where's my granddaughter and the rest of the girls? They better be alive and well!"
"...They're, home."
A man with a cowboy hat asks,
"What home," and Bulma says to Oolong with a sterner tone,
"Look, pal, your reign of terror is over, capiche? Now tell us!"
I couldn't help but comment,
"Gosh, Bulma, you sure got tough all of a sudden..."
She just looks away innocently, and our troublemaker lets out a sigh before finally agreeing to lead us all to the place...I warn him part of the way,
"If you're thinking of turnin' into a bug, forget it. I'll squash ya."
He looks away in embarrassment for having his escape plan thwarted before he could put it to action...
"So how come you kidnapped those girls in the first place, Oolong? You don't seem like someone who actually wants to cause harm."
He looks at Melita and replies,
"And I'm not. I swear I didn't hurt any of the girls; I just, needed some help takin' care of the place."
"Is it that big?"
"...See for yourself."
We all stop, and I gape slightly when my eyes lock onto this really big house, almost as big as the shrines grandpa used to show me pictures of.
Whoa...
Bulma is certainly impressed:
"Awesome! You don't see places like this very often. What a palace...!"
I ask the owner,
"How'd you get such a big place?"
"Well, it wasn't easy, kiddo. I had to rip off alot people."
I raise an eyebrow at how prideful he sounds in his statement.
"And you're proud of that?"
"Erm, depends on yur definition of proud..."
Three of the villagers hurry inside the palace to find their missing daughters.
We go after them...and find them standing in the doorway of a room made for the rich life.
Huh. So this is what alot of money can get you...
Seems a bit, much...
Oolong greets the three girls, who look like they're okay, but they each reply with words that make them sound way more spoiled than Bulma, and that's saying something.
"Oh hi, schnookums! Before I forget, I'm totally out of pink lipstick and red nail polish."
"And I need a new hairdryer."
"Did you bring the diet drinks that I asked you for?"
...We all turn to Oolong, and he sighs out an explanation.
"I was hopin' these girls would cook and take care of my house, bu' they won't! All they do is lay around."
Meli giggles,
"Well with how luxurious this lifestyle looks, can you blame them? Maybe you should'a used your 'found wealth' to hire a cleaning service."
"I know that now, smarty!...Hauh, take them off my hands, pretty please?"
The adults can only gape, but the old lady with the Dragon Ball keeps to her word and presents the Six-Star Ball to Bulma.
"Well this belongs to you, Melita and Goku now."
"Oh, thank you! You made our day!"
Sweet! Now all we need is two more!
With our job done, we leave Oolong's place so the parents can take their time coaxing their daughters back from the rich lifestyle. But, instead of continuing our adventure right away, we go back to Aru Village for the night, staying at Pocawatha's place upon her and her father's insistence...
As soon as morning comes, we say goodbye to everyone and head out. Surprisingly, Bulma manages to convince Oolong to come with us, and we head down a path for a while before hopping into a boat she pulls out of her hoi-poi capsules.
We'd then travel down this big river, and I learn our next destination is a place called Frypan Mountain, home to a super strong guy called the Ox King. I also learn that Oolong's a sneakier coward than I thought, but Bulma has him under control now thanks to some weird candy that-heheh, to put it as politely as I can, will make him run to the bushes whenever someone whistles a certain way (like this: "Sweeee-swee-swee-swee"). Once I stopped believing she was a witch, I thought her trick was kind-of funny. Melita didn't share that opinion, and scolded our older friend for using such a dirty scheme - figuratively and literally - to exploit. Even so, she couldn't be too mad at Bulma, since it was partly the pig's fault for trying to run and continue his swindler ways...
Let's see, what else?...Oh, right: somehow, Bulma lost her capsules during the boat ride. Bad for her, but it just made me glad we moved the Dragon Balls into Meli's gym bag before we left Pocawatha's and went to invite Oolong.
...So once she finally accepts the idea of walking, we continue our trek on foot, and eventually enter the dry, sandy lands of a place called Diablo Desert. Something about the name seems familiar, but I'm not too sure.
Didn't Grandpa mention Diablo Desert in his stories once?
Hm...Can't, quite remember if this is the same desert 'r not...
"Hah, hah, oh wow. I thought it got hot on the island, but this is crazy..."
I turn to see Melita sweating a little more than I probably was, and looking a little red, but not because of a sunburn.
"You okay?...Oh, wait! You're a water nymph, so I guess deserts aren't really a good place for ya, are they?"
"Hah-h...On the contrary: with the right amount, of training, a nymph, can survive in alot of climates. Just, hah, need to, ge' my bearings...Oh! I know what'll help."
I watch her stop so she can take her shoes off and store them in her bag.
Then, she draws in a big breath while closing her eyes in concentration and clapping her hands together.
Huh?
"Mmmmm...Hah. Okay, I can feel the groundwater. As long as I sense its vibrations and visualize water flow, I should be fine."
"Is that really all it takes?"
She relaxes with a smile and shrugs,
"Heh, sort-of. I just feel the earth move better with my shoes off than with them on. The rest is using my imagination to make a difficult situation easier to deal with...Using the 'mind over matter' technique can be very useful when you need to adapt to a new environment quickly, or at least that's what Turtle and Grandpa have told me since I was little."
"Huh...Sooo what you're sayin' is that by thinkin' cool, you stay cool in hot places like this desert?"
"You got it."
...That's when I remember our other two party people, and I turn behind myself to see them struggling worse than Melita was a minute ago.
Ugh, really, guys?
Frowning, I call to them,
"Hey now! We gave up riding Kinto'un to walk with you two, so try and keep up. Maybe you should try visualizin' like Meli here."
As I expected, Bulma has a bratty retort ready for use.
"Just remember, you and Melita aren't city kids, Goku. You guys are used to the wilderness, or at least trained to handle harder travel, but I'm not. I should be pampered!...Gosh, look at this place. I never knew there was this much desert..."
Oolong nods at he looks around,
"Yeah, somethin's not right. I keep getting the feeling that we're bein' watched. It's giving me the creeps..."
They both drop to their butts, and Bulma wheezes,
"Can't, take it-hah, anymore...! Not, another, step today...!"
How pathetic...
"Isn't there-hah, a hotel, or an inn-haeh, hah, around here somewhere...?"
Oolong had a sarcastic reply ready despite being just as tired.
"Yeah-hh, sure...the Sheraton Wasteland."
And on that note, Bulma explodes into a full-on tantrum, once again making me question who the real adult is in our group.
"Nooooo! It's not fair, it's not fair! I'm hungry; I need a bath; I need air conditioning; I don't wanna be stranded in the desert without a boyfriend or my capsules anymore!"
Oolong mutters as we watch her shimmy and thrash under a weirdly-shaped giant rock,
"Spoiled rotten, isn't she?...Gosh, her passion for self-centeredness inspires even me..."
I give him a look and say,
"You sure are strange, Oolong," and he gives me a look in return that says 'And you're normal?'...
Anyway, once her tantrum ran its course, Bulma would be too tired to stay awake, and she falls asleep...
"I say we let her rest for a while."
Meli and Oolong agree with my suggestion.
"Yeah..."
"Suits me."
We all sit down to wait out Bulma's nap...and I feel a quiet rumble from my tummy.
"Mm...I sure am hungry. Say Meli, you wouldn't happen to have something to eat, would you?"
"Uuhm, lemme see..."
She pulls her bag into her lap and starts rummaging her hands inside it...
"Oh! Here they are."
She then pulls out these skinny bars wrapped in a shiny plastic.
"It's not much, but we can each have one."
"What is it?"
"Granola bars."
Tilting my head in confusion, I grab one from her and unwrap it the same way she does before giving it a try.
"(Munch, munch...) Huh. No' bad. Is it s'ppose to be this sweet?"
"Heh, yeah, that'll be the chocolate chips and honey you're tasting, but it's balanced with whole grains, tree nuts and oats...Do you want one, Oolong?"
"Sure, what the heck? Pass i' over, kid."
I finish up my bar around the same time Oolong starts his, and now my tummy's not rumbling like it was earlier...
"Feel better now with something in your stomach?"
"Mm, for now...but somethin' that small's not gonna satisfy my appetite for very long."
She nods at my words, and says while putting the wrappers into a small pocket inside her bag,
"That's true, and not just for you, but all of us...I do have the big bag of trail mix Pocawatha gave us before we left the village, but even if we ration, it's only gonna get us so far."
She pulls out a water canteen, pouring some into the wide lid like a cup before swallowing it, then pouring some more and offering it to me.
"But our biggest problem's gonna be our water supply."
I swallow down the water as Oolong nods,
"Yeah, a little water while walkin' in the desert's definitely gonna be bad sooner than later, (glance) especially if we factor in sleepin' beauty over there."
He's given some water too, swallowing it as Melita concludes,
"Which is why we should concentrate on finding resources now before we wander too deep into this place...If I follow the groundwater flow, I should be able to locate something like a small oasis or even some cacti."
I stand up and stretch while replying,
"Sounds good...but wouldn't summoning a rain shower or somethin' be a bit easier? You can do that with your special powers, can't you?"
On a side note, watching Bulma and Oolong's reactions when they learned Melita is a Nereid was pretty funny. It looked like their eyes were gonna pop out of their skulls...
But getting back to now, she turns to me after closing her canteen, and shakes her head while explaining,
"I wish it was that simple. First of all, using magic to control weather is already hard since it's not really supposed to be controlled. It just does what it does...And second, (looks around) even if I did try my song magic, considering how dry the air is, the best I might get is a thunderstorm."
I wince at the same time Oolong does, and he mutters as he moves to his feet,
"Y-Yeah, a storm's definitely gonna be less than helpful...You sure know your stuff for a preteen, don'tcha, Melita?"
She nods with a wise sort of smile,
"Knowledge is often more powerful than actual power, and if you don't know your limits, you'll only run into more problems than solutions."
"I hear that. Just look a' me and my shapeshiftin'...Hm?"
Oolong suddenly turns to look behind us, causing us to do the same.
"What is it?"
"I think I hear somethin'..."
"Maybe we're not the only ones in this part of the desert?"
...After another minute or two, we're greeted by the sight of someone atop a weird-looking motorbike that can float above the ground. From what I can tell, they appear to be a guy around Bulma's age, with long black hair and dressed in a way that seems right for the desert. He's also got a sword on his hip, telling me he might be a warrior, or a self-taught one at least.
Who's this stranger?
He gets off the bike and says with a seemingly friendly tone,
"Greetings."
"Who are you?"
"Me? I'm the king hyena in a land of scavengers. The name's Yamcha."
Another person pops out from behind his leg, a small cat creature with teal blue and light brown fur.
"And I'm Puar!"
I frown slightly as I think to myself,
Scavengers, huh? So are they tryin' to say they're thieves?
"I don't usually prey on kids, but if you hand over your money and any capsules you may have, I will let you pass in peace."
Guess that answers my question.
All I do is stare at this guy, but Oolong does voice a response towards the cat.
"Puar...? You don't mean, 'Crybaby Puar'?"
"Gh! Oolong?!"
Huh? They know eachother?...Small world.
Yamcha seems just as curious:
"You know 'im?"
"S-Sorta. In my first year of shapeshifter school, he used to pick on me all the time...until he got kicked out for stealing the female teacher's undies!"
Melita exclaims Oolong's name in a scolding manner, giving him a stern glare while he nervously laughs,
"Aheh-heh, heh, i-it wasn' as bad as it sounds..."
I just sigh,
"You haven't changed much, huh," while Yamcha doesn't seem bothered by our friend's flaws.
"Panties, huh?...Well, it's not my place to judge others, only to steal their valuables."
Oolong senses a fight coming, and he asks me in a whisper,
"This guy looks pretty tough, kid. Think you can take 'im?"
Just as I'm about to nod, Puar suddenly exclaims,
"It's just like in the old days! The swine still hides behind someone whenever he's afraid."
"Not much courage, huh?"
"That's right! Not an ounce of courage on that porker!"
Puar then blows a raspberry, ticking Oolong off.
"Puar...! If I ever get my hands on you...!"
Melita shrugs,
"Well, this is what can happen when you don't fight your own battles..."
I nod in agreement, noting,
"Yeah, you only got your own past actions to blame for how someone migh' look at ya."
He just glares at us, and Yamcha calls us back to attention.
"Okay, kids, that's enough talk. Either hand over your goods or prepare to fight me."
No POV
Letting out a loud huff, Melita sends a glare at the desert bandit and puts her hands on her hips in defiance. Speaking of the latter, let's quickly get a more detailed look at him and his companion.
First is Yamcha, a young man around Bulma's age but taller, standing nearly six feet with a lightly muscular mesomorph-built body, and a light rose beige complexion contrasting his dark coffee brown irises. Like Goku, his hair is black but in a more licorice shade, and cut much longer to resemble a casual mullet with slightly feathered bangs for the front and the back locks going past his shoulders. As for his outfit, the young man is sporting a forest green sleeveless top with vermilion red trimming and the kanji for "comfort"/"easy" printed in the middle, an egg white obi sash, rusty brown pants matching a kerchief tied around his shoulders, light blue boots matching his wrist bands, and a pair of motorcycle goggles around his neck.
Then there's Puar, a floating cat creature barely cracking above the two foot mark, with ears that would make one think of a rabbit rather than a feline, and a long tail. Cerulean teal blue dominates their fur colour, save the fawn brown for their face, stomach, palms and tip of their tail.
...Getting back to the scene before our eyes, the little water nymph calls Yamcha out on his actions.
"As far as I'm concerned, we owe you nothing. Whatever conflict Oolong and Puar have is strictly between them, and shouldn't give you another reason to bully us beyond petty theft."
"Gyh...!"
"Now if you don't mind, we have more important things to deal with."
She then turns to her friends and says more gently,
"Come on, guys. Let's forget about these two and focus on finding more water and food."
"Uuh, sure."
"Okay, I guess."
Choosing not to argue, Goku and Oolong follow Melita as they begin walking away...
(Shing)
"Hold it!"
They stop when Yamcha calls them, and turn around to see him gritting his teeth indignantly while holding out his scimitar-style sword.
"Don't think I'm letting you three get away with treating me like a joke, even if one of you is a girl. Now, prepare to defend yourselves!"
Puar cheers,
"Yeah, give 'em a good spanking, Yamcha! They can't treat you like that!"
Being the most cowardly out of the three, Oolong quickly rushes behind a rock to hide.
"Dayh!...Guess we're not gettin' off as easy as I thought. Alright, give that guy a good wallop, Goku! Oh, and you too, Melita."
...Looking at eachother with straight expressions, the boy and girl then slump their shoulders and let out matching sighs while muttering,
"How'd we end up in this mess?"
"I blame bad luck...but I guess there's no turning back now."
They refocus on the young man opposite, his cat companion already standing clear of the improv battlefield.
"Look, we really don't wanna fight ya,"
"But if we have to defend ourselves and our friend, so be it."
"Hmph, (light smirk) I admire your bravery, kids...but bravery alone won't save you! Eee-yah!"
Throwing his sword's scabbard into the air to be caught by Puar, Yamcha then charges forward with the intention of swinging the weapon downward in a cleave, more so at Goku rather than Melita. Nevertheless, both tweens hurry to jump high in a dodge, front-flipping onto the bandit's back and nearly knocking the wind out of him, before jumping again to land in a slide against the dusty ground. They barely recover quick enough to dodge again, causing Yamcha to almost bring his sword down on Puar! Luckily, he stops the trajectory in time...
After another swipe and jump, Goku decides to go on the offensive by grabbing out his own weapon, and brings it down against Yamcha, forcing the bandit to use his sword to block. They both leap backwards from the impact as Melita jumps a few feet to the side, but the boy with the monkey tail had another move to add.
"Nyoibō, extend!"
The pole-arm magically lengthens itself, punting their target in the gut hard and sending him flying to the dirt. Puar mutters in amazed disbelief,
"Unbelievable," and Oolong cheers,
"Believe it! The kid's winnin' this one, ain't 'e?...Heh, and it looks like sprite's got the right idea too."
He's of course referring to the water nymph, who hurries to grab Yamcha's sword and toss it far away like a javelin.
"H-gyh!"
(Shooooooo...ting)
"There! Now the odds will be even!"
As he gets his breath back on the rise, Yamcha comments to Goku,
"You and your friend have great power and brains for little ones."
"Thank you. Our grandpas taught us."
The bandit then fixates on the weapon in his opposite's hand.
"...Ah. That pole. The Extending Power Pole, Nyoibō. Only one man could've given that to you. Who is this grandfather of yours?"
"His name was Son Gohan...and he died a long time ago."
Melita adds as she places herself at Goku's side,
"And my grandfather, Muten Rōshi, taught his grandfather, and has been schooling me since I was a tot."
"Ah yes, I've heard of him as well. Both he and Son Gohan are said to be unrivaled in a host of martial art disciplines...So, they each have a grandchild. Now I'll remember to avoid lowering my guard."
Yamcha moves halfway into a fighting stance, setting his sights on a new goal.
"Heh. It's been too long since I faced real competition..."
Oolong mumbles worriedly,
"Uh-oh, we're lunch meat now," but Goku's attention diverts towards his stomach.
"Hm...Yep, I was right: that granola bar wasn' enough."
Melita nudges,
"Try and stay focused, Goku," just as Yamcha finishes his stance.
"Hope you kids'r ready...!"
He curves his fingers so his hands represent something akin to clawing paws, his right arm extended while the left sat at his side on standby. Similar can be said about his legs, his left one bent for low-bearing balance...
"(Lunge) Rōgafūfūken!"
"...Ka!"
(Whk)
Melita barely reacts in time, meeting Yamcha's kick with her own!...However, the block is short-lived, and it leaves the former's left side wide open to being harshly smacked by the latter's right palm.
(WHAP)
"Agh!"
The water nymph goes flying and lands in an unpleasant side-roll a couple feet away. Goku cries out her name, forgetting his hunger, but also forgetting to duck from the incoming flurry of palm thrusts against his own body! It ends with a double-palm smack against his chest, and the boy receives a harsher crash-landing through several natural rock poles before getting buried under the rubble...
"Mh, nyh..."
Melita struggles to get back up, cursing her weakness as she shakes off the desert's dust.
Now I see why, grandpa always stresses for a balance of speed and power...Uh!
Remembering that she's not the only one battling for her side, she looks up and watches the last few seconds of her fighting friend's fate.
"Goku!"
She runs over to help him out of the broken rock pile.
Meanwhile, Oolong panics over the sudden mismatch of strength.
"Aw, man, why do I always back the losers?! Why this way?! Ugh, as if watching poor Meli getting swatted like a bug wasn't already bad, now I'm gonna be next...!"
He yelps when he sees Yamcha turn his way to the tune of a knuckle-crack.
"Uh, gee, I'd love t' stay and chat, but I gotta fly!"
(POOF)
The humanoid pig literally shifts into a common black fly and attempts to escape...
"Now's your chance, Puar; get 'im!"
"He's got!"
(POOF)
His disguise proves to be a poor choice when his old rival transfigures into a flyswatter, smacking him to the ground with enough impact to force him back into his original form!
(POOF)
"Gyh! Rrh, you mangy mongrel! Why'd you hafta go and do that?! Don't ya have any sense of loyalty towards yur former classmates?!"
"Like I'd be loyal to a perverted, dropout bully like you, Oolong!"
The humanoid pig wouldn't have time to steam over his botched exit strategy, when Yamcha comes wandering over to demand valuables once again.
"Now then, my worthless adversary: either hand over what you have or join your friends."
"That's a choice, huh?...Mmh..."
Seeing no other options, the academy dropout starts digging into his coat for his personal items.
"There's absolutely nothin' worse than getting ripped off. Rgh, and it's my emergency capsule too..."
"Make it snappy, pig. My patience with you is wearing thin."
By this time, Melita finishes shifting the marble-like rock out of the way as best she could, and pulls Goku out to sit him atop the rubble.
"Are you okay?"
"Mrh, like I, said yesterday: takes alot to seriously hurt me...but now my tummy's really talkin' to me."
"Well it's gonna have to wait a bit longer, (points) at least until we get rid of that blockhead."
"Hah, alright, I'll try and make due...What about you? Are you hurt bad?"
Rubbing her right side after they both hop to solid ground, the honey-blond nods,
"I'm fine. Just got caught off-guard, is all. (Slight smile) It's kind-of impossible to avoid bruises in a fight, anyway."
"Well, if you're sure...Okay. Let's you and me take 'im together this time."
"Right."
They turn to glare Yamcha's way, and stomp over to put the breaks on Oolong's surrendering of a single hoi-poi capsule.
"Here."
"Oho! A size M capsule, eh? Not bad for a little punk like you, heheh. This should bring us a nice chunk of change..."
"Hold it!"
Eyes turn their way, and the boy and girl each state in an aggravated manner,
"We've had just about enough of you,"
"So knock it off or face our fury!"
"Ha! If it's gonna be like what happened a few seconds ago, you two are better off sleeping by the rubble."
Neither tween is deterred by the bandit's comment, instead forming proper fighting stances. Goku's resembles Yamcha's, except with proper fists and both arms raised with the right extended. Melita mirrors her partner, but with her left fist and leg extended instead of the right.
"Come on!...We're just gettin' warmed up."
"Plus we're coming for you together, so it's twice the trouble."
Yamcha only sneers...before charging forward with the intention of knocking a fist against Goku, and kicking Melita's side. This time, the latter pair are ready, the boy meeting his opponent's fist while the girl uses a cross-block against the leg. Caught in an awkward hold, the bandit is left vulnerable to getting his eyes poked, then receiving a palm thrust in the face and gut! The impact from both youths knocks him high, and he bounces off the highest point of another odd rock formation before plummeting to the ground...
"Grrrh! That's it, you twerps...!"
Bursting out of the little crater he made, Yamcha makes a mad dash towards his opponents, mind deep in a blind rage. Wincing, Melita suggests,
"I think we should get ready to duck...!"
Goku grabs his gut while lamenting,
"Urh, that's assumin' I have the energy to duck..."
Oolong calls out to them,
"Duckin' ain't gonna do squat with a raging bull like him! Run!"
"...Mm, m-mh?"
It's at this time Bulma finally awakens from her nap, and she sits up while rubbing one of her eyes as her ears tune into the sound of Yamcha's battle cry.
"Gee whiz, y'guys, what's all the screamin' about? You're makin' so much noise, I can't sleep-...Huh?"
In that moment...a bizarre miracle occurs: the young bandit stops dead in his tracks, enthralled by the fellow older teen's natural beauty.
"Uh-h!"
She's, gorgeous...!
A steamy blush as red as the setting sun erupts onto his face, and he falls over in a limp, much to Puar's worry.
"Master! You okay?!"
Barely shaking off some of his stupor, Yamcha sits up and hastily whispers to his companion,
"Puar, you know I have trouble around beautiful women...!"
"I know..."
"T-Time for a strategic withdrawal."
"Y-Yes sir."
Seeing no alternative, the thieving pair decide to make a tactical retreat, hurrying to the hoverbike and making their getaway.
"We'll be back for those capsules! Just you wait and see!"
...Tilting their heads, Melita and Oolong each comment,
"Well that was weird..."
"Yeah, I, guess we put 'em on the run, somehow..."
Bulma is more pressed with learning the identity of the 'mystery man'.
"Hey you guys, who was that hunk?! He was absolutely dreamy...!"
The pig only grumbles incoherently, while the honey-blond shakes her head and sighs,
"That's a matter of opinion, Bulma..."
Goku tiredly asks for his stomach's sake,
"Can we eat now," prompting a small smile from his fighting partner.
"Yeah, sure, I'll get the trail mix out."
Still, even though we won...I get the feeling this won't be the last time we'll see Yamcha and Puar.
Speaking of the desert thieves, we catch up with them after they return to their stone hideout as the young man with the mullet berates himself over his forced exit from the fight...
"A warrior toppled by a girl is humiliating!"
"Yamcha, I wish you'd get this problem looked into."
"Mh!...I know. I just never know what to say to girls. They're just so darn scary!...Hah...but I will overcome my fear of women! Those fools have not heard the last of Yamcha!"
The cat creature can only stare at his determined friend, mentally sighing,
Hoh boy. This is the start of a long, bumpy road, I just know it...
Oh well. At least we might get out of the desert for once.