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hiraeth - part one hundred-five

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       "The Dragon Balls?" Bulma looked up to Piccolo in surprise, standing in the midst of her torn apart lab. "Yeah, I just recently gathered all seven, they were just restored. Do you need them?"

"Yeah. Dende upgraded them for me, I need to wish for more strength," Piccolo said. Bulma huffed, crossing her arms.

"Why not just wish away the Androids?" Bulma asked. When she didn't receive an answer from Piccolo, she shook her head. "Of course, you're just like the boys, only worried about your pride. It'd be nice if you worried about the rest of us for once."

Before Piccolo could utter a response, Bulma walked past him, opening up a random drawer and pulling out a sack, the Dragon Balls no doubt inside. Piccolo had wanted to ask why she kept them in such a random spot, but she had already walked past him, taking them outside.

Looking down at the glowing orbs that rest in the grass, Piccolo sucked in a deep breath as he held out his arms. "I call upon you, Eternal Dragon Shenron!"

The orbs released a wave of light, the sky suddenly turning a pitch black unlike no other. The stars in the orbs glimmered in the dark, lightning streaking through the dark sky. Lightning struck the Dragon Balls, pulling forth a snaking being that crawled upwards into the night sky. The light shimmered, fading like a dying star to reveal the dragon, its red gaze falling upon them.

"Who would dare to wake me from my— oh," Shenron paused his greeting, spotting Piccolo as he stood before the dragon. "It's you, Kami. What can I do for you?"

"I need you to unlock my potential, like the Grand Elder Guru did," Piccolo said. The dragon hummed, before his eyes began to glow.

"A simple task, indeed," he said. Piccolo smirked, but his eyes widened as he suddenly felt a jerking sensation, like his whole body was about to be ripped in two. His energy climbed higher and higher, almost out of his own control. "Your first wish has been granted. I also threw in a little bonus."

Shenron summoned a mirror before Piccolo. Piccolo looked down at himself in surprise, noting the almost orange-ish hue to his skin. Not only that, but Piccolo had to wonder if he wasn't pushing himself enough, because the power he gained from his unlocked potential was insane. He was certain he could put up a fight against the Gammas now, or at least one of them.

"This is perfect," Piccolo clenched his fist. "That was all I needed. You can do whatever you want with the other two wishes."

"Really?" Bulma grinned, rushing up to the mirror and pushing Piccolo aside. "Huh, you know, I think this time I might have my buns perked, maybe to about a college girl level."

"Very well," Shenron's eyes glowed. "Your buns have been perked."

"Wait, what?" Piccolo looked down to Bulma with wide eyes, watching as she smoothed her eyelashes.

"And for the final wish, maybe just add a millimeter to my eyelashes, just to round out everything," Bulma said. Shenron's eyes glowed once more, granting her final wish.

"Your wishes have been granted. I shall take my leave." And with that, Shenron's body glowed, disappearing. The Dragon Balls rose into the sky, splitting off in seven different directions as the sun returned once more.