"...So. Exactly why didn't you tell us that you had a camper capsule this whole time, Oolong?"
"Well ya didn't exactly ask me, now did'ya? Besides, it was supposed ta be for emergencies, and I didn't want those bandits to steal it."
It's now approaching sunset over Diablo Desert, and our main quartet sits comfortably inside a tall, hoi-poi capsule-registered camper owned by Oolong. This is the same capsule that was nearly pilfered by Yamcha and his partner Puar, only to be stopped by Goku, Melita...and in an odd turn of events, Bulma's natural charm.
Munching on her own portion of what appears to be oven-roasted chicken, Melita glances around the interior with a smile.
"W'll, (swallow) ahh, at least now we won't risk getting sunburn in the morning from sleeping out in the open."
Oolong hums at her comment, then glances at Goku as he happily but hastily chews away at his portion of meat.
"Kid, watch yurself; you're gonna choke."
"Mm, th's is good...!"
"How can you eat so much?...!"
"'Cause I'm hungry."
Sighing wistfully, Bulma mutters more to herself,
"I hope I get to see Yamcha again. He was so shy and so handsome..."
Shutting her budding fantasy off, she then turns to the humanoid pig and asks,
"Does this place have a tub?"
"(Point) Yeah, righ' in there."
(...Ka-kilc)
Turning on the light, Bulma walks into the small but functioning bathroom housing a toilet, sink and shower.
"Huh...To tell you the truth, I'm used to much nicer accommodations..."
"Then why don'cha try the luxury hotel down the road? I'm sure there are lots of 'em here in the desert!"
"It's just that it's so small..."
Switching up his sarcasm for pure aggravation, Oolong retorts,
"Well it ain't no palace, but I don't see any royalty, ya get it?...Hm? Now what're you looking for?"
Glancing at a few areas of the shower wall, the bluenette easily replies,
"Peep holes."
"Hey! What kind of place ya think I'm runnin'?!"
She turns around and reiterates,
"Well I wouldn't put it past you. (Walks off) You little perv..."
Gaping at first, Oolong then forms a sneaky smirk as he watches Bulma exit the bathroom.
Heheheh, I'll let you win the battle, sister, but I'm gonna win the war.
Night soon falls over the dry landscape, and despite any minor quarreling, it looks like our main adventurers will be settling down contently in the camper for the evening...
However, while they did shake off the desert bandits, another threat makes its approach.
(Ka-klunk-ka-klunk-ka-klunk-ka-klunk...)
Hopping across the barren grounds are two large robotic suits, which stop behind a tall fungus-shaped rock not too far away from the mobile home. The ones driving these apparatuses are none other than Mai and Shu, Emperor Pilaf's best and most loyal agents.
[Emperor. Spy pods are now in position. We're ready to put Operation: Desert Dragon Bomb into effect. Over.]
[Good. Proceed as planned, Agent Mai. Base out.]
(...Cl-chooooo)
Opening the clear dome doors to their pods, Mai and Shu silently hop to the ground before speeding behind a natural pillar standing closer to the camper. Waiting a few seconds, the pair hurry to the vehicle and hide behind one side. Shu then pulls out the bomb, and sets the timer accordingly.
(Beep, beep, beep)
"Set to go off in four minutes."
He peels off the cover for an adhesive, and prepares to stick the bomb under the camper...
"Hm?"
Mai then spots a shadow or two moving in from a small distance, and taps her partner's shoulder to warn him.
"Shu, somebody's out here. Let's get going."
"...Uhm, Mai? I think we have a problem."
He turns around and shows,
"The bomb is stuck to my hand."
The lady with smoke black hair forms a panicked expression.
"Gyyyh, this isn't good, Shu...!"
"Whaddo I do?!"
"Uuh, y-you better wait here; I'll go get help."
"Hey, wait for me!"
The Pilaf agents take off from the camper, plan botched, just as Yamcha and Puar stop behind a stone pillar of where the former first approached from.
"Mhm, so I was right: a size M capsule, holding a double-decker camper. I'll bet we can get a decent price for a rig like that."
"But what about the girl?...And I mean the one with blue hair, not the tiny blond."
"Heh, easy. All we have to do is find a way to lure her out of there for a few minutes. Then we sneak in and rob them blind."
Though the floating cat creature would have admitted the plan to be decent in theory, their friend's overconfident laugh did put a damper on their belief.
"You're, starting to scare me..."
By this time, dinner came to a close inside the camper, and now the boys are awaiting Melita's return from upstairs as she changes into different clothing for the night. Meanwhile, Bulma entered the shower to figuratively - and literally - wash away the day's stress...
"You think we're safe out here?"
"S'okay. I'm full now, so I can't lose...Plus the worst that could happen is they take our stuff."
"That's it, huh? Well I dunno if you've noticed, but I've got some very serious cargo here. (Mild glare) You're not worried because you don't have anything worth stealin'."
"Ya-huh I do! My Dragon Ball."
An understandably confused expression forms on the pig's face at that retort.
"Huh? Dragon Ball? What's that?"
"...Ooh, that's right! I guess we haven't gotten around to telling you, have we?"
Eyes turn to the staircase, fixating on the honey-blond water nymph who's now wearing a seashell white, oversized three quarter-length sleeve tee stretched down to her ankles, with seven sky blue sea stars decorating the front. Running her hairbrush through her hair, she adds,
"Mind you, I suspect Bulma's trying to keep the info to a minimum considering that you haven't given her enough reasons to trust you yet."
"Hey!"
"But personally, I don't think keeping quiet about our adventure's very smart, so we may as well tell you now. (Glance) Goku?"
Nodding, the boy with the primate tail reaches for the cloth bag tied under the right side of his obi sash.
He pulls out the Sushinchū just as Melita comes over to sit with him and Oolong.
"Neat, huh?"
"Whoa..."
The best friend pair then go on to explain the story behind the seven mystical gemstones, using Melita's book about myths and legends as a visual aid...
"So when you get all seven Dragon Balls together, the dragon appears and grants a wish?"
The tweens nod at the humanoid pig,
"Yep."
"That's how the legend goes."
"Any wish you can think of?"
"I guess so."
Skimming over the chapter about the Dragon Balls again, Melita hums,
"There's nothing in my book that says Lord Shenron has limitations, so it's probably not too different from stories about other wish-granting entities like genies...Which means you just have to be careful with how you word your wish."
"Whaddo you mean?"
"Well...say, for example, you wish for a million bucks. Hehee, if the dragon lord took that literally, then you'd just get a giant herd of deer."
The three preteens laugh as they picture the scenario in their heads, and Oolong compliments,
"That's a good one, sprite! I like yur humor."
"Thank you."
"Jokes aside though, how many more of these Dragon Balls do ya need?"
"Two more. Bulma found a pair before she met Goku and discovered he possessed one. Then my grandpa had one, and we got a fifth one just yesterday from one of Aru Village's people."
"Is that right? Guess this explains why y'looked so chipper after you found me out."
...What the trio didn't know was that Yamcha and Puar had caught onto the conversation from just underneath the window. They quickly fall back a small distance away to discuss this newly tantalizing information.
"Well it seems we hit the jackpot!"
"Yeah?"
"Puar, you know what this means, don't you?"
"What, Yamcha?"
The mullet-haired bandit's answer, is an unexpected one...or perhaps it is expected considering his flawed demeanor.
"I can wish to never be afraid of girls again!"
The little cat creature nearly falls over in disbelief, recovering to try and talk some sense into their friend.
"Uhm, no disrespect intended, master...but if you can have any wish, then you could rule the world, or ask for boundless wealth."
A frown replaces the young man's grin as he huffs,
"Come, on! How long have you been with me?"
"It's been two years, one month and three days."
"After all of this time, I really thought you would've known me by now."
"I thought so too..."
Yamcha puts all his honesty into the open as he explains why fortune and fame aren't on his priority list.
"Well, my furry friend, here's how it is: I can steal all the money all want, and I've got no use for the world...but this business of getting all weak-kneed around girls is ridiculous...Hah...Don't you see that one day, I'd like to get married? (...Embarrassed blush) Or least be able to ask a girl out on one, single lousy date!"
Ruling the world's all fine and dandy, but what's the point if you end up all alone?
"I, think I understand...but still, is wishing this problem away really the right way to go?"
Ignoring Puar's question, the taller bandit vocalizes a new objective.
"From now on, we have those Dragon Balls in our sights. We will get them, mark my words."
"...Hah, whatever you say, master."
Looks like my prediction about the road ahead is gonna come true. Kami help us...
Zooming back inside the camper, Melita decides to enact some additional security.
"Hm...Goku, could you please give me your Dragon Ball?"
"Huh? What for?"
"Don't worry, I'll give it back in the morning...I just, have one of my gut feelings..."
She pulls out a hoi-poi capsule attached to a thick drawstring from her gym bag.
"So I'm gonna put all our Dragon Balls into my bag, then into my emergency capsule for safekeeping."
"Isn't that a little overkill, sprite? What's got ya so worried?"
She shrugs at Oolong,
"Nothing really, but my gut's telling me something weird might happen while we're sleeping, and it's never been wrong before, so better safe than sorry."
"Fair enough."
The honey-blond then turns pleading pink irises to Goku's dark umber.
"Pleeeease?"
"U-Uh!...Hah, okay, but just for the night."
Melita beams a thank you to her friend, making him shake his head in amusement over her bounciness before forking over Sushinchū...
"Okay, everything's accounted for. Just gonna pull out my blanket for later...Aaand go!"
(C-Click, BOM)
With one push on the capsule mechanism, the nymph's bag disappears, leaving behind her keychain-like capsule.
Humming in approval, Melita picks it up and tugs it around her neck, then tucks it under her shirt.
"There. Now the Dragon Balls will be super safe for the night."
"Nice work...but if you had a hoi-poi like that the whole time, why do ya carry your bag around everywhere?"
She explains to Oolong as she moves to sit with him and Goku again,
"I like to have my training bag out with me, so like I said, it's just for emergencies. Eheh, plus it sort-of helps me with building my muscles up if I really pack it full."
Goku nods,
"Oooh, I get it! Weight training; that's smart."
"I know, right?"
The humanoid pig in green merely glances between the pair with a slightly nonplussed expression, though has a thoughtful glint in his eyes.
Think I'm startin' to see how these two get along so well. They're almost too pure for their own good...
Which has me wonderin' why they haven't ditched her royal highness yet.
...I better make this move while i' counts.
"Listen, kid, sprite, we gotta talk about something."
"Hm?"
"What now, Oolong?"
"It's about this whole adventure...It migh' be in our best interest to cut Bulma out."
Both boy and girl are taken aback by Oolong's suggestion.
"What?"
"But Bulma's our other partner. Why would you wanna cut her out?"
"It's simple, really: battle of age. The three of us are around the same age group while she's a young adult. Y'know wha' that means?"
They shake their heads, and the pig sighs,
"It means miss high and mighty probably believes she'll have full-access to the wish once all the Dragon Balls are gathered, leavin' us the hapless spectat'rs. And knowin' her, it's gonna be somethin' dumb like, I dunno, all the best clothes and makeup in the world."
Raising a critical eyebrow, Melita argues while tucking her lavender purple blanket around her shoulders,
"Don't you think that you're exaggerating a little?"
Goku nods in agreement,
"Yeah, I mean, Bulma might be a little bratty, but she can't be that selfish."
(Bonk)
"Ouch!"
Said bluenette's fist suddenly comes down on Goku's head, the former having exited the shower around the time Oolong finished explaining his reasons. Her towel-clad form glares at the latter as she scolds,
"How dare you talk behind my back, Goku. (Glance) And Melita, I'm surprised you would as well."
"Hey, we were just-! Oh, never mind..."
The honey-blond looks down in shame after her friend's failed attempt to explain, though thinks to herself,
It's not like we said she's a bad person...but I don't think saying that will help our case.
"Oolong, do you have any extra pajamas?"
He replies with a sarcastic tone but blank expression as he wanders to the fridge,
"Oh, like mine would fit you..."
"Uh! So what am I supposed to wear to bed, then?"
"(Glare) Whaddo I look like, yur butler?"
"Well with that hat, you look like one...Or a limo driver, or something..."
Ignoring the retort, Oolong pulls out two glasses of orange juice and walks over to give Bulma one.
"Here ya go. This cold juice will calm yur nerves."
"Ah, (small smile) you can be a sweet swine, can't you?"
"More than you'll ev'a know."
Thanking him, the bluenette slowly guzzles down the cup, Oolong smirking mischievously all the while...
Not missing the change in his expression, Melita forms a suspicious frown, before grabbing the other glass from Goku's hand.
"Huh? What're you-"
She shushes the boy, and sniffs the contents...letting out a silent gasp when she senses,
A sleeping drug?!...Darn it, Oolong, you're not making it easy to trust you!
It's too late to warn Bulma, but I'm not letting Goku drink this...
"Somethin' wrong, sprite?"
Quickly formulating a plan, Melita puts on an emotional mask of panic, and points at the window in the door.
"Aayh! A velociraptor!"
Much to her luck, her primary targets Bulma and Oolong fall for her white lie, rushing over to look out said sheet of glass.
"What?!"
"Ou' here in the desert?!"
With them distracted, the water nymph sets the glass of tainted juice on the table, then curves her fingers around both sides while drawing a silent breath of concentration.
...Sea Bubble.
The orange liquid jumps and jives a few times within the glass...before shooting upward to form a ball midair, the colour a swirling mix of deep blue and orange. Melita swiftly sends it to the sink, and it pops, the liquid trickling down the drain like bad wine...
"Whoooa. How'd you do that?"
Relieved that Goku is talking in a whisper, she replies just as quietly,
"Manipulating water and other liquids is one of my specialties."
"Ooh...But, why'd ya get rid of the juice?"
"I'll explain later. For now, when I nudge you, pretend to fall asleep."
"Uhm, okay."
Just as the boy with the monkey tail agrees to play along, Bulma and Oolong turn back around after spotting nothing related to a probable predator.
"I didn't see anything..."
"You sure you saw a velociraptor?"
Feigning a sheepish smile, Melita replies,
"O-Oh, uhm, maybe it was just a shadow that looked like one...Sorry."
The bluenette and pig let out exasperated groans at the younger girl's 'goof-up', the former muttering,
"Geez, and I thought Goku's imagination was wild...Huuuah..."
A wave of exhaustion suddenly sloshes over her like a gentle tide.
"Alright, that's enough excitement for one night...So where do I sleep?"
Oolong points towards the steps behind her.
"Just go right up those stairs there."
"Mm, (nod). Goodnight."
...She pauses halfway, shaking off a bit of her tiredness to give a certain swine the following warning.
"And you better not come up here, Oolong!...If you do, I swear I'll give you the worse case yet, if you catch my meaning."
"Oh believe me, ya made it abund'ntly clear."
"Good. Also, since you're not doing anything, I want my clothes clean by morning."
"Yeah yeah, whatever."
With that, the bluenette continues her way, oblivious to Oolong's grumbling.
"Boy, with the way she was naggin' me, you'd think we were married or something. Too bad 'er personality's not as good as her body..."
Goku tilts his head in confusion at the other's complaints...only to feel an elbow gently poke his side.
Huh?...Oh, right!
Remembering Melita's odd request, he closes his eyes and slowly feigns sleep, even going as far as emitting a few snores for an extra effect. Smiling in humoured approval at her friend's acting, she turns a more innocent expression towards Oolong as she lets out a tiny fake yawn.
"Hh-hauh...I think I'll sleep down here with Goku t'night. See you in the morning, Oolong."
"O-Oh yeah, sure. G'night, sprite."
With that, cotton candy pink irises shut tight as the owner of these peepers tucks her head beside Goku's, and pulls her blanket over both of them as she 'falls asleep'. Unaware of the feint, the humanoid pig begins to silently gloat over his latest plot.
That sleeping powder works faster than I thought!
Stealin' the Dragon Balls will be a cinch with-...Oh, wait.
An expression of dread forms on his face when he realizes,
"I completely forgot that sprite put those gems into her personal capsule for the night!...Mmh..."
He glances at said honey-blond and ponders,
I could try and slip i' off her neck...but somethin' tells me that might not be a wise move, especially with how close-by the other kid is.
Facepalming, Oolong berates himself over his mistake.
"Man, what a complete waste of sleeping powder...Hm? Ah!"
Or maybe not. I may not be able t' pilfer those gemstones...but there is~ one thing I can get a look at and not ge' caught.
Grinning in a leering manner, Oolong turns around and slowly makes his way to the upper floor.
Melita's POV
...Okay, I think it's all clear now.
I open my eyes once I'm sure Oolong is upstairs, letting out a puff of air before reaching a hand out to gently shake Goku's shoulder. I remember to keep my volume low just incase.
"You can stop acting, Goku."
His 'snoring' ceases instantly, and he opens his eyes while forming a frown over what I'm sure he heard Oolong muttering about. I mean, it doesn't take a genius to figure out what that pig's up to.
"So he was gonna try to steal the Dragon Balls by makin' us fall asleep, huh?"
"Seems so. Luckily, I sensed something off and sniff-tested your juice before making the call. I would've done the same for Bulma, but it was too late by then."
"I thought there was a weird smell in the juice!...Man, Oolong loves to stack up his bad karma, doesn't 'e?"
I let out a giggle and nod,
"No kidding...but it's really gonna pile up now that he's going upstairs."
"Why?"
"Well think about it: who else is upstairs right now with little to nothing covering her body?"
Goku gives it some thought...before the answer dawns on him.
"Oh! Bulma!...Should we go try to stop him?"
Just before I can answer...
(C-Click)
"Uh!"
We both stiffen on alert when we hear something outside the side door.
"What was that?"
"...I think someone's breaking into the camper."
The door begins to open, and I slip under the table while whispering to Goku,
"Quick! Pretend you're asleep again!"
"Huh?! Why?"
"Gut feeling."
"Again?"
"Just trust me. I don't think playing offense will matter this time."
Goku gives me a skeptical look, but lets out a sigh and does as I request. The second he's 'asleep' and I tuck my blanket over my whole body, the door opens and the intruders rush in, revealing themselves as Yamcha and Puar!
Them again?!
...Hauh, I guess it was only a matter of time before they'd make another appearance.
Thanks to a good dose of luck, neither of them pay attention to the fabric under the table, instead focusing on my friend.
"Huh. This kid is really zonked out, cocky fool...I wonder where the other three have gone..."
"I guess they're upstairs..."
"Hm...Alright then. You take this kid's shape, and lure the other three outside, okay?"
"Got it. Presto!"
(POOF)
I watch Puar make their way to the stairs, now sporting a rather poor imitation of Goku's looks.
I had to hold a hand over my mouth to stop myself from giggling out loud.
Heeheeha, oh wow! It looks like Goku waking up with bedhead!
It gets funnier once they come back down with Oolong, he using a very bad disguise of Bulma.
"It, looks, like, Oolong hasn't come back yet..."
"Teeheehe, I, have a feeling he's close-by..."
Heehaha, they're both ridiculous!
Once the pair are outside, Yamcha comes out of hiding behind the stairs with Goku in his hold.
I was quite impressed that my friend managed to stay limp in the other's arms.
"With her out of the way, nothing can stop me. Strange, though: in the daylight, she seemed much prettier."
Sounds like Oolong needs to try harder if he uses Bulma as a model again in the future.
He sets my friend down and makes his way upstairs...
As soon as he's gone, Goku 'wakes up', sitting up while rubbing the back of his neck.
"Urgh, he could'a loosened his grip a bit more. That was not comfortable."
I shuck my blanket off and crawl out from under the table.
"Sorry you had to go through that...but I know something that'll make up for it~."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. Heehee, come look out the window with me."
We stand on top of the seats around the table and peek outside, spotting Oolong and Puar a small distance away.
"Huh? Is that, Bulma?...!"
"Heehee, no, that's Oolong in a really bad Bulma disguise. (Points) And I think that's suppose to be Puar's best imitation of you."
"Me?...Hehehaha, that's suppose to be me?! Wow. I look like I got struck by lightning!"
"Hee-yeah, or that you have really bad bedhead!"
We laugh over the silliness of the situation...but stop when Yamcha suddenly lets out a yell from upstairs!
"Huh?!"
"What the-?! Why's he screaming?"
"...Oooh! I think I know."
"Why?"
"Again, who else is upstairs right now?"
"...Ah! Bulma!"
"Uh-huh...Which means if my hunch is correct..."
My guess is confirmed as soon as Yamcha comes staggering downstairs with a dazed and mortified expression, completely ignoring us as he wanders out the door while muttering something about, 'not Dragon Balls' and, 'mounds'...
"Yep. He definitely saw her naked."
And since we didn't hear Bulma scream, that means the sleeping powder's still doing its job.
...Mi~ght be best to keep quiet about this part of the evening.
"Gosh, I don't get it. Why's it such a big deal to see a naked body?"
I turn to Goku and sigh,
"It's, complicated. The easiest way to explain it is that when you get older, your emotions get really goofy at the most random times."
"Oh."
The awkward conversation is cut short before it can really start once Oolong wanders back into the camper.
"It's like a thief convention ou' here...Huh?"
We stare at eachother for half a minute...before he blurts out in shock,
"What the-?! Y-You two are awake?! How?!...Hey wait a second. (Glare) That velociraptor spottin' was a ruse, wasn' it?!"
I don't deny my falsehood:
"Yep. I was onto your little game as soon as I detected something weird in the juice."
Oolong had the decency to look embarrassed:
"O-Oh yea'?"
"Mmm-hm...I'll spare you a lecture since you had your hands full keeping Puar busy, and Yamcha gave himself some bad karma. (Glare) But if you even think about pulling a stunt like this again, I'll knock you silly. Understand?"
Goku nods in a similar fashion,
"Same here," and Oolong cringes before stuttering,
"R-R-Righ'. Never again...Hauh, man. I dunno about the two of you, but I don't think I'm gonna be able to sleep after all that."
"Whaddo you mean?"
"Well think about it: even if that bandit duo doesn' come back, who's to say there aren't other thieves nearby?"
Giving it some thought, I realize Oolong's realm of thought isn't wholly incorrect.
He does have a point. I don't sense anything off right now, but things could shift if we're not vigilant...
"So what now?"
I turn to Goku and reply,
"Well from how I see it, I guess we're all gonna be on guard duty...Oh! Actually, Oolong, there is something you can do to distract yourself and try to get some good karma back."
"What's that?"
"Remember Bulma's final order before she went to bed?"
He thinks back...then forms a disgruntled grimace when he remembers,
"Ugh, you mean doin' her laundry?"
"That's right."
"...Hauh, fiiine. I won't like it, but I'll do anything to avoid gettin' yelled at too much in the morning."
Time Skip, Goku's POV
Aw, man, I'm so tired...
Somehow, Melita, Oolong and I manage to keep watch all night to avoid getting caught off-guard by more thieves like Yamcha and Puar. We did try and take turns by having only two people awake while one takes a nap every hour, but that barely helped...
I rub my eyes as I watch the sun rise over the desert, and I hear a yawn before Meli plops down beside me.
"Mornin'."
"Hauh, g'mornin'...You as tired as I am?"
"Probably..."
Oolong comes wandering over from the driver's seat, setting his shotgun against the fridge before grabbing a coffee pot.
Never would'a guessed he'd own a weapon, but I suppose that's not the biggest surprise he's offered so far...
"Haae-eaaauh, thanks for stayin' up with me, you two. I don't think I would've made it through the night withou' your help."
"Sure..."
"No-hauh, prob..."
"Either of ya want coffee?"
We shake our heads and politely decline:
"No thanks. I don't like the taste and it makes my head feel weird."
"Huah, and grandpa says I should stay away from super-caffeinated stuff...I think we'll just take a nap as soon as we get going."
"Alrigh', suit yurselves."
Just as he turns around to put water in the pot, Bulma comes wandering downstairs with a black blanket wrapped around herself.
She looks a little under the weather, but I think it might be some kind-of aftereffect of the sleeping powder.
Kind'a reminds me of that time grandpa drank too much sake. Fell righ' asleep and didn't wake up 'til almost noon.
"Oouh, I have a terrible headache...Hey, Oolong, did you get my clothes cleaned yet?"
He replies as he finishes getting the coffee started,
"Kind-of. Unfortunately, the dryer's busted, so they're hangin' in the bathroom. Dunno if they're dry yet, but feel free to check."
Bulma does just that...and comes back with an irritated expression.
"They're still damp! Ugh, great, so I don't have any clothes to wear yet. That's just perfect..."
"Hey, you're lucky sprite here reminded me to at least clean 'em! Besides, we had our hands full keepin' your keister safe from Yamcha and Puar, then stayed up all night so we didn't get jumped again."
"Huh? Yamcha? (Smile) Oh wow, he came back! Were ya nice to him? He's real shy, ya know..."
I feel an indifferent frown form as I muse,
Shy, huh? Not from my experience...but maybe that's 'cause I'm not a girl like Bulma.
Oolong's opinion seems similar to mine as he mumbles,
"I guess ignorance is bliss..."
"Wha'did you say?!"
"Nothing...and if you're really dead-set on dry clothes, there's one outfit in the chest on the second floor."
"Why didn't you say so already?!"
"It's not like ya gave me the chance to, toots! And another thing-"
"Aaaaagh, will you two please shut up?!"
...We all turn stunned expressions towards Meli, she sporting a majorly ticked off expression that could send a whole herd of dinosaurs running.
"Seriously, do neither of you have anything better to do first thing in the morning than start a pointless argument?! Bulma, just go upstairs and find that outfit if you're that impatient for a dry set of clothes! Oolong, I get you're tired, but that's hardly an excuse to forget about not rilin' people up! If I even hear one more spat out of the two of you this early in the day, I'll send both of you flying into the nearest sand dune! Do, I, make myself perfectly clear?"
...Whoa...
She's left puffing for air after that outburst, and all Bulma and Oolong do in response is nod their heads in a cautious manner, before one heads upstairs, and the other for the bathroom...I wait a couple more seconds before I gently ask,
"Uhm, are, you okay?"
"Hah, hah, hah...Haaauh, not really, but I don't feel angry anymore. Just irritated."
Meli turns to face me with an apologetic expression.
"I'm sorry you had to see that. If it's, not already obvious, I can get a little cranky if I don't sleep well."
"Heha, 'a little' is an understatement. You could scare away a pack of wolves with outbursts like that!...But hey, don't feel too bad about it. Those two were lookin' for a lecture since we first got together. I just didn't expect it to come out of you."
"Me neither...Sometimes I wonder if we're the true adults and they're the kids."
We laugh a little at the thought...and that's when I feel a rumble from my stomach.
"I'm hungry."
Melita giggles,
"When are you not hungry? That's what I'd like to know...O-Oh."
A second rumble sounds, and she's the one grasping her stomach.
"Aheh, I, guess I am too."
"Heheh, well that might be another reason why your temper's shorter than usual."
"Maybe...Hah, well lucky for us, I have been learning how to cook, so I'll get started on breakfast. It might help me get in a better mood."
"Really? Awesome!"
...A little while later, the whole lot of us except Bulma are sitting at the table chowing down on a big plate of scrambled eggs with some veggies and cheese mixed in, some roasted dino meat, and toasted bread slices with a crushed fruit spread called jam on top. Oolong came out and handled cooking the meat while Meli made the rest...For reasons I can't really explain, her half of breakfast seemed to taste better.
"(Munch, munch) Oh wow, d's is grea'! (Swallow) Aaah~, thanks for cookin', Meli."
"Hehee, no prob. Glad you like it, Goku...but don't just thank me. Oolong did handle the meat after all."
"Oh yeah. (Glance) Thanks, Oolong."
He nods with a humph, then focuses on Meli while commenting with a mildly surprised expression,
"I definitely didn't expect ya to be an expert in the kitchen, sprite."
"Aheh, thank you, but I've still got a ways to go before I can be considered an expert...I'm sorry I yelled at you, by the way. I know you technically didn't start that spat with Bulma."
"Hey, forge' about it. You didn't get alot of sleep, so it's understandable that you'd be moody...At least now I know to be careful with tickin' off gentle souls like you."
"Heehee, well I can promise you that I don't get that angry on a regular basis. If anything, I hate yelling and being angry when you can easily talk out your problems calmly."
I nod in agreement as I swallow some of the eggs,
"(Gulp) Haaah...I don't like pointless anger either. It's a waste of energy."
Sipping his coffee, Oolong comments,
"Then you two are more sensible than I thought, but I'll warn ya right now, sensibility is scarce in today's world."
"...Grrrh! Hey, what is this, Easter?!"
We all look up from breakfast, and see Bulma is now dressed in a strange costume. She basically looks like a black and blue rabbit standing up with a bow tie, but the clothes hugged her body. There's even a fluffy tail on the butt end of the black piece.
Now that, is a weird outfit.
"This is no outfit; it's a costume, and I look ridiculous in it, Oolong!"
"Certainly didn't stop ya from puttin' it on, now did it?"
"Hmph!...Yeesh, what does a parent have to do to end up with a kid like you...?"
Melita walks over to Bulma with a plate of food in her hand.
"It's probably for the best that you don't think about it...Anyway, here's your share."
"Huh? O-Oh, thanks."
"You're welcome...I'm sorry I yelled at you earlier. I get really cranky if I don't sleep well, and I hate arguing during the time of day better spent on eating and prepping."
Bulma's taken aback by the apology, but then smiles reassuringly as she takes the plate.
"Ooh it's okay, Melita. Thinking about it now, I probably shouldn't have gotten so irritated. If anything, I'm sorry for pissing you off that much."
Wow. Bulma apologizing? That's a bit rare...
They share a quick hug before wandering over to sit with Oolong and me at the table to keep eating...
"If it helps, I don't think the bunny outfit looks bad on you. Plus it beats wearing the bed sheet like a toga."
"Heha, I guess that's true!"
Oolong and I look at eachother in surprise at the sudden mood change.
"Do all girls change their moods that fast?"
"Oh you better believe i', kid, and this is just the tip of the iceberg."
"How so?"
"Lemme put it to ya this way: we're really lucky tha' sprite isn't Bulma's age, or we'd be neck-deep in trouble."
"...What're you two whispering about?"
We stop whispering and quickly answer,
"Nothing!"
"Nothin' important!"
The girls give us a confused look, but then go back to eating...I let out a sigh and think to myself,
I have alot more to learn about girls than I thought.
...
...
"So why am I driving?...Rh, I just hate driving!"
"Oh quit your complaining. I'm putting on my makeup."
"And the fact I haven't slept...means nothin'. Cruelty to pigs, that's what it is..."
We're soon on the move again, this time riding in the camper instead of being forced to walk, which means less bellyaching from the ones who aren't used to harder travel. Oolong's at the wheel because Bulma still has something about her face to fix up, and Melita's currently having a nap on the soft bench by the table.
She definitely deserves some sleep after all she's done last night and this morning...
"Kid? This girl's a pain in the neck."
I turn to Oolong and ask,
"You don't mean Meli, right?"
"Sprite? Nah, she's 'n angel. I mean the tall bunny."
"Oh..."
We hear Bulma request,
"Tell me if you see Yamcha," and Oolong calls back with an irritated expression,
"Yeah, we'll keep our fingers crossed, Bulma. Oh we can't wait to see him..."
...Hm?
I hear something rumbling outside the camper, and look out the window to see a car with two familiar figures inside.
"Uhm, (points) is that him?"
Oolong looks, and cringes fearfully, confirming my guess.
Bulma on the other hand is excited to see Yamcha.
"Oh, wow~! He's such a hunk!"
Uuh, does she not see the weapon in his hand?
"Ooh! He's looking right at me!"
Guess that's a nope.
Yamcha then takes a shot at us with the big gun, and hits the left front side of the camper!
"Ah-h!"
I fall to the floor from the impact, avoiding the glass shards from the newly broken front window. Oolong barely keeps his steering under control so we don't topple over to the right and possibly roll. Instead, we screech to a halt on an angle, and I fall outside with him through the broken door...
"Goku! Oolong!"
Meli comes rushing out, thankfully unhurt but still dressed in her giant tee shirt and barefoot.
Right. She hasn't taken her bag out of her capsule yet.
I send a glare towards Yamcha and Puar as they stop their car a couple feet away.
And for now, that might be a good thing with these two around...
I focus on Melita again when she kneels by us and asks anxiously,
"Are you guys okay?! What happened?!"
Oolong groans a little as he sits up, then points ahead while shouting,
"Ask the sniper over there!"
"Sniper? (Looks) Uh-h! Yamcha!?...What in the name of Leviathan is wrong with you?! You could'a killed us!"
I add just as angrily,
"Yeah, what's the big idea?! Are you two nuts?!"
They don't exactly answer our questions, but their goal becomes clear in a few sentences.
"You're in luck, master! It seems the problem girl has fainted!"
"Indeed! (Looks at us) Alright, kids, listen up: hand over the Dragon Balls peacefully, and you won't get hurt again."
Oolong shuffles closer as he asks us in a low whisper,
"You two got any ideas over how that goon knows abou' the Dragon Balls?"
Meli guesses,
"Maybe they were in the area earlier last night than we thought, and eavesdropped on our conversation."
Sounds about right...
"Stop your gawking and hand them over, now."
I jeer back,
"I'll hand over this!"
I then stick my tongue out at Yamcha, before making my charge forward.
This time, I'm taking the victory.
Oolong calls in warning,
"Goku! He's got a gun," but I hear Meli cheer confidently,
"It'll take more than a gun to slow him down, trust me...Still, be careful, Goku, and knock him silly!"
I call back with a smile,
"You got it," and just as I guessed he would, Yamcha decides to ditch the gun and fight fairly.
"I couldn't possibly turn down a fight with Gohan's grandson, Puar."
He gives the weapon to his friend, and prepares his stance.
"So, little runt, you want another spanking from my Wolf Fang Fist?...And what about your friend; is she not gonna join in?"
I slow down and prepare my own stance a few feet away, smirking as I retort,
"I didn't have a full stomach last time, but thanks to Meli's awesome breakfast, I got enough energy for both of us to take ya down myself! (...Lunge) Haaaa-ah!"
"Haaaaah!"
Our fists meet in a clash for the first move, then I use my arm to block another fist, and jump up to counter, only for him to use his palm to avoid damage...
He's as fast as last time...but if I time it right...There!
I dodge a middle sweep-kick, and land my own foot against the side of his jaw!
Yes!
"Thatta boy!"
"Yeah, wayda go, Goku!"
I smile for a few seconds at my friends' cheers, then switch to a frown as I land on my feet while Yamcha drops on his back...
"Have you had enough yet?"
He sits up with a groan as his cat friend rushes over to check on him.
"Yamcha, let's get out of-Gah! Oh, no! Look at your teeth!"
(POOF)
They turn into a hand mirror similar to the one Bulma uses sometimes, and Yamcha looks himself over...before letting out a wail over the fact that I knocked a tooth out...Or maybe I chipped it?
"Aaa-hh! Auh-aaah, aauoh no, look at me! Now I'll never get a date!"
Uhm, whoops?
Covering his swollen jaw, he vows in an insulted manner,
"You vile, little-J-J-Just you wait...!"
And just like that, the bandits leave in their car...
"That was strange."
But it looks like I won.
Oolong and Melita come over and praise me for my win.
"Wow, Goku, you were phenomenal! You really showed 'im!"
"Yes, you really put what you learned from the last fight to good use."
"Thanks, you guys."
Melita's smile becomes a bit sad when she mutters,
"I only wish I thought quick enough to join you..."
"Aw that's okay; there's always next time. Besides, you were still doin' somethin' important."
"What's that?"
I reach over and lightly tug at the drawstring around her neck.
"Keepin' the Dragon Balls safe, silly."
"...Ooh, that's right! They're still inside my capsule with my stuff."
Oolong comments,
"Man, between your brawn and sprite's brain, those punks didn't stand a chance."
I shrug,
"It was actually a closer fight than it looked. I just got lucky this time...Anyway..."
We all turn our attention to the wrecked camper.
"I, think we better go check on Bulma."
"Hope she's in better shape than our ride, aheheh..."
"I think she only bonked her head on the table last I saw, but we better go make sure it didn't turn into anything worse."
We head into the camper to fish Bulma out, and thankfully, it's only a bad bump on the head and nothing else. In fact, somehow, that whack from the table sent her into dreamland, and we found her snoring near the table...After checking her over and doing a last-minute search for anything we could take, we then abandon the camper and start a new walk into the desert. I volunteered to carry the sleeping Bulma, while Oolong and Meli stay close on either side...
"I wonder how Bulma ever stayed outta trouble before she met me..."
"Hey, why don'chya let me carry her, little buddy? I'd be happy to give her-uhm, I mean, you a hand."
Melita scoffs with a smile,
"Sure, Oolong, with your herculean strength? We'd hafta carry you and Bulma right after."
"You tryin' to say I'm weak?"
"No, but I am saying your strengths aren't physical."
"...Hey, you guys! Over here!"
"Huh?"
We pause and turn around to the distant call, the source being Yamcha and Puar!
Ugh, again?
They stop their car beside us, wearing much more friendly expressions than we've seen the last few times.
"Wait-wait-wait! Uh, hello there; we were talking, and-uh, oh, we, really don't want any hard feelings between us, heha, heh, haha. It was a fair fight, so, here ya go."
(Toss...BOM)
And just like that, he gives us a small car!
Whoa...
Oolong didn't trust it, and considering the last few encounters, I can understand why.
"Heeeey, what's the catch?"
"There is no catch, my friends. Goodbye! Heheh, have a good day!"
Their car drives off again, leaving us to process what just happened.
"...Man, what's with him?"
I smile as I think aloud,
"I guess deep down, he's really a good guy."
"Hm...yeah, baloney. I don't buy it. I, better check this thing for bombs..."
I say to Oolong as he moves to do just that,
"Sometimes you just have to trust in people."
"Yeah, right..."
Letting out a sigh, I turn to ask Meli,
"Whaddo you think, then? You believe Yamcha's good deep down, or is he faking it?"
"Hm...It's hard to say. I mean, he's been trouble, but there was something genuine in his generosity just now...I think that he and Puar are more misguided than malicious, and they don't have alot of good people to turn to."
"So, maybe we could be those good people?"
"It'll depend on whether they wanna be our friends, (small smile) but if they don't try and blast us to kingdom come again, I don't see why not."
A smile curves onto my face at her belief, just as Oolong calls us to attention after finishing his search for anything bad in the car. He deems it safe, so we all pile in, with me and Oolong sitting in the front, while Melita sat in the back with the sleeping Bulma...
"Hey, sprite, you got the bunny's radar, right? Can ya see which way we need t'go?"
"I'll give it a try."
(Beep, bee-beep...)
"Hm...Looks like it's Northeast from here. Not really sure how far, but probably outside the desert."
"That far, huh?...Halright, let's hope there's enough fuel. Here we go."
He starts the engine, and we're on our way again in style...
Okay! Next stop, the sixth Dragon Ball!