Chapter 2.
It was about 10 P.M. right now and Bulma was tired of her six hours ride. She was far away from home. Very far. From everything. From civilization, family, friends and especially far away from Yamcha.
"At least." she said to herself with a little relief in her voice. He was her first real guy… But at the same time he was too… nice, too sweet… that's not what she searched in her future 'partner'. Unfortunately she needed 9 years to figure it out.
Shivers went trough her spine once again since the beginning of this journey. It scared her a little, but Bulma wouldn't admit it. Never.
She rubbed the goggles on her eyes, it was getting hard to look trough them because of the sand and all the dust in the air. Searching for some shelter in this emptiness. Dressed in a white bikini top, already dirty; jeans shorts, really short ones, and high black military boots, that reached her knees and had no laces, only five buckles. 'What if I met someone? I still have to look good, right?' she laughed quietly to herself.
Finally Bulma stopped. The sun was high above the earth, it was burning. She took off the goggles and looked around. There was nothing that could gave her some shadow. She reach into her pocket and took out some sort of a radar and a map. The radar showed her the way to the nearest fount.
"Okay... That way!" Pointing she put the goggles back on and drove into the right direction.
After another hour of driving, the place of destiny showed up. She turned the engine off as she saw the mere in the center. Without a second thought she quickly run up, kneeled in front of it and splashed the water against her face. It was cold. Cold because of the palm trees which made some sort of a roof. It was then that she finally saw beauty of this oasis. High palms, white sand, green grass, crystal blue clean water.
"Oh… my… God…" Bulma said quietly delighted by the view. "It's gorgeous!" She squealed happily. "I will definitely spend the night here. Definitely."
She encapsulate a large desert tent, for at least two persons, with big wide bed and of course wardrobe. She thought that because it's her first "free day", away from civilization she could learn something about her new home and the surrounding environment. That was her obsession – Bulma was always prepared. Always. At least that's what she thought.
Walking up to her new bed she sat on it and took out some capsules with old books from her backpack. They were all damaged. Rough yellow pages with big black letters in simple font and that old foul smell. They were published before the war. She slightly caressed cover of the one she already held in her hand and after few minutes of silence opened it and started to read.
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Back in the Capital. Bulma's mom started to wonder where her daughter was, she never sleep this long on the day of work. It was very strange. The elder woman decided to check if she was okay. She made it trough the stairs and opened the door only to see her room in a total mess.
"Oh my..." she whispered. "What happened here? Bulma? Bulma what is---" her eyes widened. Bulma wasn't in her bed, she wasn't in her room. Not even in this house. The blonde woman spotted a piece of paper lying on the bed. 'A note? Oh my God... Did she...' She took it. After few seconds she let out a horrible shriek. Mr. Briefs was on the floor in no time.
"What happened?! What's wrong?!" he studied the room "Where's Bulma? Honey...?" he saw his wife. She was terrified. She wanted to say something but she passed out. Before she hit the floor her husband caught her and saw a small note in her hand. It was from his daughter. A good-bye note. She ran away.
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"WHAT!?" Yamcha screamed with disbelief. "What do you mean she ran away!? ... Where!? ... Oh God... Uhhh... I uhh... I don't know. I'll have to go to The Desert and look for her, she shouldn't be far right now. I—what? No! I don't have any other choice! I'm going first thing in the morning! If you want you can come with me! Alright. We'll meet at your door at 5:00. See you then." He hung up the phone. Still in shock after the conversation with Chi he ran a hand down his face, slide on the wall and sat under it. His eyes wide and tears forming in it.
"Why?" he whispered and buried his pale face between shaking palms.
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Bulma stretched her arms. She was a little tired because of the reading and her whole trip, she started hours ago and it was getting dark already.
"I better lit the fire." She got off the bed and went to the edge of her tent. Kneeling she made a circle in sand and prepared the fire-spot. She got up and walked over to the nearest tree for some wood for the fire. She found some palm leafs and pieces of wood she brought over to her spot. The girls light it up with an old petrol lighter. Soon the fire was burning and she got ready for sleep. Searching trough the capsules she found her food stockpiles she made before leaving the house. Unfortunately Bulma forgot one of the most important rules of this Desert…
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Far away from Bulma's camp, two figures were observing the Desert trough a special pair of binoculars.
"See anything?" asked the first man.
"Not yet…" said the other.
"Villagers became more careful than few years ago." The first man started while walking up to his partner who was sitting on a damaged quad. "It's starting to get more and more difficult to get stuff on the Dessert."
"That's exactly why we need to be more precise in searching the Dust." He saw a light far away and smirked. "Got one."
"Really?" the other's smile grew wider.
"Yup. Tomorrow."
"At?"
"At 5 AM, before the sun become hot."
"Alright." The first one said while taking out his Walther P38 out and checked if it's loaded. "Can't wait."
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Bulma eyes shot open suddenly as she heard an engine going off in front of her tent. 'What's that? Who is it?'. Quietly she moved out of the cover, putting her shoes on and slink to see who it was. She saw two men getting off of their machines and going straight at her, holding guns in their hands. Bulma covered her mouth with a shaking palm 'Oh no, please don't! It can't be happening!' she shook her head 'No! I have to think straight! How to get out of this! Quickly!' she looked around the tent searching for something to defend. Voices of her attackers started to get more clear and loud – they were near, just behind the material. Not thinking much now she grabbed a knife and hid it in her high shoe 'Hope this will do it…'. She jumped behind the bed and observed the entrance.
The two men walked into the tent and looked around. One of them sniffed the air and smirked wildly.
"We have a pleasure to 'work' with a lady here, my friend."
"Now that's something new." The other one smirked and moved ahead "A woman all alone in the Dust? That's a little… dangerous…" he quickly dived his hand behind the bed and dragged Bulma out by her shirt "… isn't it?"
Bulma clenched her teeth and swallowed. She knew there was no sense in struggle. First of all there were two of them, and second they had guns and were definitely much stronger and experienced in the 'desert life' than she was. 'So much for my big adventure, eh?' She laughed sadly in her head.
The man threw her out into the sand and watched her, while the other one begun to search her stuff. 'Please God… Don't let me die here… not like this!' she closed her eyes.
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Somewhere in the Dust…
"Not good." Said a man while shaking now empty canteen. "The nearest oasis should be somewhere here…" He looked around and after a minute saw palm trees. There it is." He smiled, jumped on his quad and speed off…
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"Alright! You got what you wanted! Now leave me alone!" Bulma screamed with a knife pointed at her attackers. One was searching trough her stuff while the other got her out of the tent.
"You and I both knew you wouldn't get away anyway, so stop acting like that." One of the man smirked and was getting closer with each word.
"Go away!" her straight thinking has been shoot off now, she was frightened and couldn't control her emotions.
The man finally was close enough to reach her and grabbed Bulma by the neck. Because of the shock she let go of the only tool that could save her. She could feel as she was threw on the ground and one of the men tried to get to her by pinning her with his weight. She closed her eyes…
And then suddenly the other one screamed, and the guy that was sitting on her disappeared. It all happened very quick. 'What's going on?' Bulma asked herself but was still to scared to look. Then she heard a voice.
"Still alive?"
Cracking one eye open she saw some guy standing above her. It wasn't any of the attackers. He was smiling. The heaven above them making an aura around him.
"Goku…?" she whispered quietly.
"I asked if you're okay?" he repeated.
"Y-Yeah."
"Good." Her 'hero' helped her up and the turned to the oasis.
"Thank you." She said with a small smile.
"Not a problem. Oh, and there is your stuff." He pointed on the bag her attackers left behind.
Bulma could now see the man clearly. Tall, handsome, dark hair, maybe 20 or 21 years old. And of course a cute child-like smile.
"Ummm… What's your name?" she asked a bit shyly.
"Kakarotto" she heard after few minutes of silence. "And you are…?"
"Bulma." When he didn't respond she thought of another question "What are you doing here Kakarotto? Are you lost?"
"Me? No! I'm here for some water." He showed her the canteen.
"Okay… Well, where are you from?"
"Around."
"Around?"
"Around." Kakarotto said again.
"What? You mean… you live on the Desert?" She saw him smirk in reply. "You do?!" Bulma squealed happily.
"And what are you doing here?"
"I… I… Ummm…" she looked in other direction.
"Refugee?" Kakarotto took a sip of water.
"No."
"Than… a runaway. Right?"
"Well…" she begun. "I had some problems…"
"Parents?"
"No… with my life. Besides it was my greatest dream to experience a true adventure."
"Though one, aren't you?" Kakarotto laughed "But how were you planning to survive if you can't defend yourself?"
"For your information – I'm a genius!" she titled her head up proudly.
"Really?"
"Of course! I invent things!"
He thought for a moment. "You know how to repair an engine?"
"I construct engines." She smirked.
"Hmmm… And you want to experience a real adventure?"
"Exactly."
He studied her for a moment with a smile. "Do you have any plans?"
"Plans?" Bulma was confused.
"Where are you heading?"
"I… I don't really know…" The last part was almost a whisper, but Kakarotto heard it.
"A lonely fragile girl leaves her home in search for adventures without any fight skills, massive weapons, or even a guy to protect her, with no experience in living on a desert, no hunting skills as well AND in a unknown direction. High chances to survive you got there." He smiled and winked at her mockingly.
"I can take care of myself!" she screamed, her face red with embarrassment.
"Okay, in that case," He attached the bottle of the oasis water to his belt "farewell." He saluted.
When he begun to walk away the girl thought for a moment, biting her bottom lip. 'It's hard to say it for me but… he's right…' she saw him slowly becoming smaller as he was walking to his quad.
"HEY!" Bulma screamed. He stopped and looked back at her. "CAN I… CAN I COME WITH YOU?"
The guy smiled and waved at her to come. With a big bright smile she squealed and ran to pack her things. 'That's where my adventure begins!' she thought to herself.
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Walther P38 - a 9 mm service pistol of the Wehrmacht at the beginning of World War II.
Goku – It's used same way old grandpa Gohan used it. "Ku" is for heaven as we see it.
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I would like to thank my first (and only right now;D) reader - Morgain Croix for... for reading and for the comment xD Thanks.