Author: "AUTHOR NOTE TIME! First of all, I wanna do something that I feel bad for not doing in such a long time. I want to thank each and every single one of you for your continuous support; it always summons a butterfly in my tummy when I see that my reviews, followers, and/or favorites number has increased, even if just by one. It makes me feel like I'm spending my time rather than wasting it and it tells me that someone out there thinks I'm entertaining enough for it to be noticed. Again, thanks to all of you.

Also, remember that last chapter I said I was doing something special? Well, I released it, it's on my profile. Lost Origin: Untold Chronicles is sort of like a movie of this, just, well... written. A written movie, cuz those exist. Go ahead and check it out if you want, I think I did a good job on it, but I'd like to hear what you guys think.

K, now the chapter itself. The reference done in this chapter is interesting, but let's see if any of you catch it. Let me give you a hint: Dragon Ball was originally based off of 'Journey to the West.' The reference here is also based off of 'Journey to the West.' Also, even though not Sakura nor Scorzette can fly, they'll find a solution to the problem in this chapter! Aaaand, we will discover the identity of the shadowed men (which is also a reference, bonus points to whoever catches it). DONE. Read, review, follow, fave, do whatchu wanna do."

Lost Origin: A Saiyan's Quest

Shadow #1: "Psst! Bro, how long have we been following those two?"

Shadow #2: "Like, three days, bro."

Shadow #1: "That's a crap-ton of following, bro!"

Shadow #2: "I know, rite-pffthehehehehe-wait, look, they stopped!"

Shadow #1: "Be quiet! They might have noticed us..."

Shadow #2: "Ya think they did?"

Shadow #1: "Ab-pt-DAMN IT, be quiet!"

Chapter 39: Mass in Mystic Gears

For three full days, Sakura and Scorzette had almost endlessly walked west, only stopping to gather food and to sleep. Still unaware of them being followed, the Saiyans seemed to finally be approaching one of the Dragon Balls! However, the two shadowed men kept stealthily stalking our heroes' tails (semi-literally), waiting for the perfect moment to steal the Dragon Radar, and the four-star Dragon Ball! They stopped, though, as Scorzette felt a presence, and Sakura's gut feeling told her something, too.

Scorzette: *looking around* "Hmmm... hey, Litua... have you felt watched recently?"

Sakura: "No, but I have heard some weird noises... maybe it's just an animal?"

Scorzette: "It's just something doesn't feel right in here..."

Sakura: "I know what you mean... but I just can't figure out what it is."

Scorzette: "Not sure if animal... or a really stupid thief, thinking he can mess with us."

Sakura: "More than that, I feel like there's something strange waiting for us up ahead. But we're very close to the next Dragon Ball, so it's not like we should stop now!"

Scorzette: "I guess... well, let's just ignore it for now an-" *stomach grumbles* "... let's... take a quick lunch break, eh, Litua?"

Sakura: "Sure! I'm starting to get hungry myself."

Halted by their empty stomachs, Sakura and Scorzette decided to sit under a nearby tree to take a snack. The two shadowed men followed them closely, climbing on top of another tree and watching the Saiyans from above. This was a fairly complicated task for the thieves, though, as they had barely eaten anything since the moment they began stalking our heroes.

Sakura: "It's a good thing I remembered to bring my travel bag! You should never leave home without one."

Scorzette: "Yeah, that would have been a great tip 73 years ago... anyways, what have we got to eat?"

Sakura: *looking in bag* "We've got beef jerky, avocados, two peaches, croissants, peanuts, coffee beans-COFFEE BEANS?!" *takes coffee beans* "I'll be right back!" *rushes out to make coffee*

Scorzette: *takes bag* "Aaaaand strawberries." *takes strawberries* *om nom nom* "Murrn, tet Lehtua rrlly lecks kuphee [Man, that Litua really likes coffee]." *swallows* "Right, now, how close are we from that Dragon Ball..." *looking at Dragon Radar*

Meanwhile, on the tree tops...

Shadow #2: "Psst! Bro, I'm hungry."

Shadow #1: "Ya think I'm not?! All we've eaten are the remains of those monkey girls' food! A thief deserves more than this!"

Shadow #2: "It sucks, because that is all we've ever received from a girl without having to steal it."

Shadow #1: "I know, rite-pffthehehehehe!"

Shadow #2: "Hey, bro, have you ever dated a girl?"

Shadow #1: "Of course I have! There was this really cute girl back in high school. All the guys asked her out, and she refused everyone. But, with my majestic gentlemanness, she accepted my request in a blink!"

Shadow #2: "But, bro, we never went to high school!"

Shadow #1: "Shut up and just keep watching them! We need to keep our guard up, or they might find out we're here."

Back under the tree, our heroes ended their meal, and continued West, expecting to find their second Dragon Ball soon. As they kept walking, the woods they were walking on started to have less and less trees. Minutes later, there was no sign of trees, but rather metal scraps and pieces of rusted, old machines, laying on the ground. However, Sakura and Scorzette's attention were immediately caught by the sight that would follow!

Our heroes had entered an abandoned city, with skyscrapers as tall, and even taller, than those seen back on West City. They were all wrecked, rusty, void of any power left going through them. Some plants were even starting to grow on the metal, making way for a new forest to be born. The Dragon Radar showed that the second Dragon Ball was somewhere in the center of the dead city.

Scorzette: "Well... this is certainly not something you see every day."

Sakura: "An abandoned city... what do you think happened here, Scorzette?"

Scorzette: "I dunno. An earthquake, meteor, some sort of invasion, maybe. I doubt there'll be anyone in here that we can ask."

Sakura: "Yeah... it's such a waste, too! Looking at the buildings, there could have lived a massive civilization here, roaming with advanced technology! Who knows, there might be something left of this place."

Meanwhile, behind some rusted metal, the shadowed men began getting tired of stalking. They began thinking it was time to take action!

Shadow #1: "Psst! Bro, I'm tired of following those monkey girls!"

Shadow #2: "So, what do you wanna do?"

Shadow #1: "That's it! I'm going up there!" *jumps out of cover*

Shadow #2: "Alright! Right behind ya!" *jumps out of cover*

Sakura: *heard them* "What? I think I heard someone..."

Scorzette: *turns around* "Looks like we've got company! Who are you two?!"

Thief #1: "Hey, I'm thug!"

Thief #2: "I'm not so thug!"

Both thieves: "And we're the Thief Thugs!"

Thief #1: "Specifically, he's Bam, and I'm Boom."

Scorzette: "... OK, first of all, those are terrible names. Second, what makes you two so special that you call yourselves the 'Thief Thugs?'"

Boom: "We're like dark creatures in the night! No one expects to see us coming! We're the nightmare of every neighbor's backyard! We travel every road, taking treasures for our own!"

Sakura: "So... you're possums?"

Boom: "W-W-What, no! We're not freaking possums, we're the Thief Thugs, damn it!"

Sakura: "But I like possums..."

Bam: "Shut up! We're here to take your Dragon Ball, and that Dragon Radar of yours! Now hand it over, before things get nasty!"

Scorzette: "Oh... I don't think you two get it." *walks up to Thief Thugs* *wiggles tail in front of them* "You see this tail?"

Boom: "Y-Yeah...? What about it?"

Scorzette: "This isn't just any old monkey tail. This is a Saiyan tail. We're Saiyans, the strongest race in the universe. You should have known what you were messing with before. Now... GET LOST!"

Scorzette kicked the Thief Thugs, sending them crashing against a pile of junk. The impact knocked the two out, and it caused all of the junk to fall on top of them. One of the pieces of junk - a long, flat steel plate - caught Scorzette's attention.

Scorzette: "Hmmm..." *picks steel plate up* "You know, this one's not that rusty. I feel like we could... aha! I've got an idea!"

Scorzette rubbed the steel plate with her tail, casting a special rune on it. This rune was a levitating rune, allowing the steel plate to hover over the ground like a jet board! However, this only allowed the steel plate to levitate, but not to move, unless pushed. Seeing that something could be worked out, Sakura walked up to the floating steel plate, and suddenly had another idea, one that could help the two move swiftly across the city!

Sakura: "Good job, Scorzette! Now jump on, I've got a plan." *both Saiyans jump on floating steel plate* "Alright..." *uses tail to electrify steel plate* "Hey, look, Scorzette, it's moving! It's moving faster, and faster, and-" *max speed* "WHOA!"

Trying their best to control the speeding steel plate, our heroes were soaring through the lifeless streets like a jet! Once they finally tamed the steel plate, the two Saiyans looked at the Dragon Radar, and noticed they were just before the center of the city, which is where the Dragon Ball was! As they looked forward, however, they were surprised to see that the city was not completely dead yet!

An enormous, hulking robot rose from the ground, destroying the lonely silence with its loud roaring and shaking bolts and nuts! It seemed highly upset at the Saiyans, as they disturbed its peaceful slumber with their floating steel plate! Even more eye-catching was what the Dragon Radar told our heroes!

Sakura: "Huh?! The Dragon Ball... it's inside that thing!"

Scorzette: "WHAT?! You had best be joking!" *sees Dragon Radar* "Gggrrrrr... Fine! We're going in!"

Sakura: "Wait, WHAT?! Isn't there a better way to do this?! Perhaps talking with it, or offering it some of our foo-" *Scorzette accelerates* "WAAAAHHH!"

With a lack of options, Scorzette decided that they would have to go directly inside the robot in order to retrieve the Dragon Ball! The floating steel plate was going at full speed, as our heroes went into a destroyed building, using piles of junk and partially-stable stairs as ramps to climb up! They did all of this while the giant robot tried to crush them, smashing the building with its juggernaut arms! Just barely able to dodge the robot's attacks, the Saiyans finally reached to top of the building, and proceeded to jump straight at the robot! Conveniently enough, the robot opened its mouth just as our heroes approached, allowing them to get in!

Sakura: *eyes closed* "WAAAHH!" *opens eyes* "Uh...?! Hey, we're in! If the radar is right, the Dragon Ball is down in its stomach!"

Scorzette: "Its stomach... alright! Hold on tight, Litua, this is gonna be rough!"

Sakura: "Rough? But we just have to droooooo..." *notices millions of rotating cogs and burning tubes* "Wait, wait, wait, WAIT, WA-" *Scorzette accelerates* "AAAAAHHHH!"

Scorzette was now in charge of controlling the steel plate, as Sakura was terrified by all the machinery surrounding them, unaware that she was still powering the plate with her electrically-charged tail. Scorzette had already gotten the hang of the floating steel plate, so she was able to graciously and rapidly dodge all of the obstacles. As they approached the robot's stomach, they noticed a bright, gold-shining sphere, which turned out to be the two-star Dragon Ball, powering the titan. In a quick move, Scorzette took the Dragon Ball, turned, and began flying up again, towards the robot's mouth! Before they knew it, the two Saiyans were almost to the robot's head, but it had closed its mouth! Quickly, Scorzette used her technique, Scatter Pulsar, to break a hole on the robot's head, allowing them to escape! Still at full speed, our heroes flew through the hole, and were now hovering in the air, 400 meters above ground level! They looked back, seeing as the giant robot slowly fell to the ground, powerless.

Sakura: "Whoa! We're REALLY high up, Scorzette! Are you sure we'll have a safe landing?!"

Scorzette: "No?! Whatever, we have the Dragon Ball, and we need to get back down! Litua, CHARGE IT!"

Without any time to question her friend's request, Litua gave the floating steel plate a massive charge! The steel plate went flying down to the streets like a meteor, with our heroes on top of it! Just before hitting the ground, Scorzette kneeled down to feel the levitating rune, and heavily increased its power, allowing the steel plate to sustain itself in mid-air. Instead of crashing down to the surface, the floating steel plate continued hovering over the ground, and the two Saiyans continued further west once more, now at a much higher speed!

Sakura: "Phew... we made it. Yay, Scorzette, you're the best!"

Scorzette: "Yeah, I've been told. Only five more Dragon Balls to go!"

Sakura: "Hey, look, the Dragon Radar says that the next Dragon Ball is really close to this city! With the Wind Shark, we might make it there before the next morning!"

Scorzette: "The... what?"

Sakura: "The Wind Shark! You know, the steel plate we're on! I gave it a name!"

Scorzette: "Oh... Wind Shark... I like it! Alright, full speed ahead!"

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city...

Bam: "Psst! Bro, you know how to ride this thing?"

Boom: "Of course I do! You just... ummm... move this thing, and... press that... and then move that other thing around... and... yeah, I know what I'm doing!"

Bam: "Great! We're so lucky to have found this conveniently placed motorcycle in that garage! You gotta love sun-powered machinery!"

Boom: "I know, rite-pffthehehehehe! Alright, now get on, and I'll drive."

Bam: "OK, Boom! Man, we're gonna be rich once we steal dem Dragon Balls!"

Boom: "Alright, now I'll just pull this thing an-" *motorcycle goes at full speed*

Thief Thugs: "AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Our heroes continued to fly west, towards the fading sun on the horizon. Following behind, still unnoticed, were the Thief Thugs, not willing to give up on their evil deeds! They were rapidly approaching the third Dragon Ball, and yet another challenge! What awaits Sakura and Scorzette on their odyssey to the west? Will the Thief Thugs manage to snatch the Dragon Balls and the Dragon Radar away from them? Find out next time on Lost Origin: A Saiyan's Quest!

To be continued...

Bonus Skit

As Sakura disappeared from Scorzette's sight while going out to make coffee, she revealed her desperation for the drink to Mother Nature.

Sakura: "COOOOOOOFFEE, COFFEE, COFFEE, COFFEE, COFFEE, COFFEE! I need water, I need LOTS of water. Waaaaateeeeeer~! Where aaaaaare youuuuuu~?" *eye twitch* *notices lake* "AHA!" *rushes towards lake* *jumps real high* "YOU'RE MINE!" *dive bombs lake, making all the water splash everywhere* *fishies in lake begin dying* "Yaaaay! So much water! This'll make for a lot of coffee!"

Meanwhile, in Capsule Corp...

Bulma: "You know, Krillin... I have the weirdest feeling that we did something really, really, REALLY bad to Sakura..."

Krillin: "Huh? Like what?"

Bulma: "When you went to get coffee for them the other day, what coffee did you use?"

Krillin: "The coffee we were using before was only enough for two, so I used some other coffee that I found on the table for the third mug."

Bulma: "Krillin... that was experimental coffee..."

Krillin: "... oh... well... hehe, isn't that funny? Eh... yeah... I'll go to my room now..."