"Un-freaking-believable!"
Turned out that Oolong had been holding out on them. He owned a hoi-poi capsule—a house-wagon. According to Bulma, those were a limited-time only series of capsules, so there weren't many out there. It had the same bare necessities the other regular hoi-poi houses held, but it also served as a vehicle, which, in their situation, was a well-marked plus. Downside was the color: bright yellow, which meant they couldn't go anywhere unnoticed.
Goku was sitting beside Bulma at the dinner table. Unlike her, he wasn't angry with Oolong, just glad that he had finally had something to eat. Oolong had baked a turkey for them. First class cooking. The kitchen was in the main entrance of the house-wagon. The bathroom was at the back. Upstairs was a living area/bedroom.
"I can't believe you've neglected to tell us you had this thing," Bulma went on. "You let us pass out from exhaustion and dehydration and hunger. What the hell is wrong with you? What kind of man lets kids—"
"I told you! It's for emergencies only!"
"Right. I guess being stranded in the desert without food or water or shelter is not considered an EMERGENCY ANYMORE!"
Oolong turned to Goku. "How can you stand her?"
Bulma stood up and Oolong winced as if afraid she would hit him. "Where's the bathroom?" she asked. He pointed. She headed there.
Goku who was still shoving unspeakable amounts of food into his mouth. Oolong watched him for a while. He wasn't sure what to make of the kid.
"So," he began, "I gotta ask, kid. What's up with her?" he gestured toward the bathroom door.
"Hmm? You mean Bulma?"
Oolong watched pieces of chewed turkey fly everywhere as Goku spoke. He decided to ignore that. "Yeah. How long have you two known each other?"
"A couple of weeks," Goku said, swallowing. "We're on a quest. You know that."
Oolong leaned forward. "Yeah, but that's about all I know. What is it that you two want so bad you're willing to go to the Fire Mountain to get?"
"One of the Dragon Balls," Goku said absentmindedly. Then he frowned, staring at his plate. He wasn't supposed to tell Oolong that, was he? It was a secret. They had agreed to keep quiet. Oolong was not supposed to know… Or was he? Goku suddenly couldn't remember.
"What's that?"
Goku knew he wasn't supposed to say anything else but he felt the words come out of his mouth all the same. He told Oolong everything — everything he knew — everything Bulma had shared with him.
"So let me get this straight..." Oolong said. "If you can find all seven Dragon Balls, the dragon god will grant you a wish?"
Goku nodded. He felt so sleepy. The world was spinning around him.
"Any wish at all? Anything in the world?"
"That's what Bulma said," he mumbled the words with difficulty. His tongue felt numb and heavy.
"She could be lying, you know. I don't trust that girl as far as I can throw her."
Bulma's many things but she's not a liar. Goku's voice had left him.
"You already have five of them, right?" Oolong pressed on. "The sixth is supposed to be at the Fire Mountain."
"Uh-huh."
Goku's head fell on the table with a loud thud and he slipped into unconsciousness. Oolong was pondering his words. If what they boy had told him was truth, then he had hit the jackpot. He could have the life of a king. Never need anything else. This could be his big break.
And he wasn't the only one who thought so. Outside the wagon, Yamcha and Lady Puar had been listening in their conversation. Needless to say, they were aghast.
"A wish." Yamcha's heart was racing. "You know what that means?"
"That I can be young again?" The woman smiled adoringly at her reflection on the glass. "I was quite a catch, I'll have you know. Brown hair, soft skin..." Her face turned serious. "You know what? Don't need that. I still got it."
"Good," Yamcha said, ominously. "Cause I want that wish for myself."
The woman was lying in bed, a newborn by her side. She rocked the baby slowly, softly humming a lullaby. Those blue eyes were sad again.
He focus on the child shifted when the man appeared.
Where have you been?
I was called forward.
You've just returned from your last one.
A heavy sigh.
I know.
The baby cooed and the woman caressed its head.
When do you return?
Soon. You won't even miss me.
I always miss you, she said, in that funny language of hers. Even when you're here.
Goku woke up disoriented. He wasn't sure where he was. The chamber in his dream still called to him, engulfed him. It felt like the woman had been caressing him. He wanted her attention. Wanted to be taken care of. Embraced.
But that wasn't real. Just a dream.
Images he couldn't shake.
The more he had those dreams, the harder it was to ignore them. The images were getting more vivid, more demanding, and he could remember most of it when awake. For the hundredth time, he wondered what it all meant, why he was being plagued by memories of people he didn't know.
Yes, memories. That's what it felt like.
Yet it couldn't be.
"Monkey Boy, you're awake. Good." Bulma was on the small dirty couch, the Dragon Radar in hands. "Maybe you could explain to me why Oolong seems to think he knows everything about our little quest."
Oolong was perched on the driver's seat, his belly just barely fitting behind the wheel. He had a beer bottle in hand from which he took a sloppy sip. "I don't seem to think, girly. I know everything. The boy told me." He burped to emphasized his point.
Goku tried to make sense of that. He couldn't remember telling Oolong anything. In fact, now that he thought about, he couldn't remember last night at all.
"Uh…" he started.
"I can't believe this," Bulma cut him off. Goku tried to apologize, but she stopped him again. "Not you. You!" She threw a pillow at Oolong. He spilled most of his drink on himself. "How dare you take advantage of him? Goku was right. We shouldn't have brought you along."
"Hey!" he protested. "I didn't ask to be here. In fact, I told you to let me go."
"Whatever. I guess now we just wait for the moment when you betray us, right?" She scoffed. "As if. You couldn't find the Dragon Balls for yourself if they were left in your yard with a tag."
"You're meaner in the morning," Oolong muttered.
"And you're just as gross. Now get off there." She took the driver's seat from him and turned the ignition.
They drove for hours. The Diablo Desert ended in the outskirts of a town where they stopped for something to eat. Before night time, they took the road to Mushroom Forest.
It was endless. More than that, it gave Goku an uneasy feeling. The place looked familiar, like he'd been there before. Had it been another one of his dreams? Goku took the time during their journey to try and figure out what was happening to him. He guessed it hadn't always been like this. The dreams had to have started at some point or another. But he couldn't pinpoint it. It felt like part of him and he couldn't remember a time before the blue-eyed woman haunted his dreams.
The temperature increased as they reached south. It was worse here than it'd been in the desert. The air was heavy, harder to breathe. Bulma's hair was glued to her face. Oolong was emanating a stank like onions.
On day three, they felt horrible.
"Why is it so hot?" Bulma roared, slamming her hand on the wheel. None of them were in particularly good moods. It had been hart to sleep and eat with this heat.
Oolong made a disdainful sound. "I told you, smart pants. We are driving towards the Fire Mountain. What did you expect?"
"Not this. I thought it was just called that. Are you saying the mountain is on actual fire?"
"Pfff. You two morons really have no clue where you're going."
"Do tell."
Oolong turned to her, looking annoyed. "Alright, blondie," he decided. "But pay attention. It's not a story I like to tell." He made a dramatic pause to make sure everyone was listening. "About twenty years ago, the place was known as Pleasant Mountain."
"That doesn't sound so bad," Goku said.
"Don't interrupt me. So it was called Pleasant Mountain because all living creatures were blissfully happy."
"Bo-ring!" Bulma sang. "Jump to the good part, if there is one."
"If you stop interrupting me, I might be able to get this out!" Oolong exhaled sharply. "Alright. So this guy became king of the mountain all of the sudden, yeah? And he was an okay guy. People liked it. Life was still peaceful. And then about nine, ten years ago—well, no one knows exactly what happened, but it's said that because the king had been selfish and because he had cared more about money than his people, a spirit of fire fell from heaven, murdered his queen and cursed Pleasant Mountain with eternal flame."
Just as Oolong said that, the Fire Mountain appeared before them on the horizon.
Goku could scarcely believe his eyes. He jumped to his feet. "I've seen this!" he exclaimed. And he had. Mushrooms the size of trees. A castle in flames. The images in his head.
"What do you mean?" Bulma asked.
"I… I don't know. I've seen this place in head. Before…" He was aware of how lame his words sounded. He hadn't told Bulma about the dreams. He hadn't share this part of his life with anyone.
He was afraid she would laugh at him.
Even more afraid she would believe him.
He looked in awe at the mountain engulfed in flames. It did go as high as the sky. A small village stretched underneath, but the fire didn't spread, it was magically contained up there. It gave the entire place an eerie aurah.
It was hell.
Bulma stopped the wagon and they dashed outside to look. "Are you okay?" she asked Goku. "You can tell me."
He glanced at her. "I know. I just… I'm not sure yet."
"Maybe we should go back," Oolong gulped. "You know, just leave the Ox-King alone..."
"Yeah, why Ox-King?" Bulma said, turning her attention back to him. "You never said."
Oolong did something that was half a shrug, half a shudder. "I don't know, alright? They also call him King of Demons. I'm willing to bet they have a very good reason for it."
"We're not leaving," Goku told him. This place meant something. He could feel it. This was where they were supposed to be.
"You see that?" Oolong pointed to the top of the mountain where the castle stood ablaze. "That's where he keeps his treasures. If he has a Dragon Ball, that's where you have to look. Except... yeah, it's on fire. So good luck."
"Is he trapped inside?" Goku asked. "The Ox-King?"
"Don't be ridiculous. He would've died. No, he was outside when it happened. Only his wife was inside."
Something occurred to Goku. "I know what we have to do," he said.
His friends glanced at him, confused.
"Goku?"
"I had a dream about this place, Bulma," he told her. "Maybe it wasn't a dream. A vision. Or… a warning. I think… I think I'm supposed to help the Ox-King. I'm going to stop the fire of Fire Mountain."
"Are you crazy?!" Oolong shouted.
Goku ignored him. He had a good feeling about this. It could be the way. A trade. The Dragon Ball for his help.
A small part of him also thought that maybe if he changed the vision, if the fire was put out, the images might stop.
He was willing to do anything for that chance.
They crossed the path of Pleasant Village toward Fire Mountain. There were a few peasants on the streets, going about their business, not caring much about the newcomers. They seemed to be mostly gardeners and farmers. Land workers. They were working hard to plow the desert land.
Halfway through the path, Bulma let out a grunt and shouted something like 'stinking hot!'
"Lower your voice, you idiot!" Oolong snapped. "You wanna get us killed?" He was shaky and jumpy, looking over his shoulder every three steps.
"Oh shut up," she retorted. "What about you call your happy cloud, Goku? Fly into the mountain and find the Dragon Ball so we can leave this hell hole before my skin starts to act up."
"Right now?"
"No, junior, next year. Go!"
Goku was hesitant, but he did as he was told. He called Kinto'un — "Please, stop yelling!" — and flew toward the top of the mountain. The flying nimbus, however, didn't manage to go far. Goku urged Kinto'un forward, but the cloud smartly refused to get close to the fire.
"I told you," Oolong said, "no one can enter here."
Bulma wasn't happy about it. "Oh bummer, I guess we're gonna have to—" An iron ax came whistling by her head and lodged itself on the brick wall of the house behind her. Oolong's eyes widened in terror and he screamed.
The man responsible was easily six feet tall. Facial hair covered most of his face and a horned helmet lay on his head. He looked down on them with black almond-shaped eyes. He wore steel made armor and the largest pair of combat boots Bulma had ever seen. When he spoke, the ground rumbled.
"What're ye doin' in mah land?"
Bulma took a step back and swallowed hard, trying to process the figure in front of her. "We're just… just passing by, uh..."
"Aimin' to swipe mah treasure, ain't ya?" the man growled.
"N-no!"
Goku spoke. "Are you the Ox-King? We're here to help."
There was a moment in which the Ox-King simply stared at him. Then he shouted: "Ye, boy! That's Kinto'un!"
Goku wouldn't be more surprised if he had broken into a song. "You… you know it?"
"Know it?! Ha! Where'd ye get it, uh? Ye stole it? No, ye couldn't have stolen it—ye'd not be able to ride it if ye had..."
"Muten Roshi gave it to me," Goku told him.
"Roshi?"
"He wears a turtle hull," Bulma quickly supplied. "You can't mistake him."
The Ox-King grimaced as if he was trying to smile. "Ay, ye can't. That's mah ol' master! Say, do ye know where I can find him, boy? Tell me or face mah wrath!"
"I don't know where he is, but I can help you find him," Goku offered.
The Ox-King seemed relieved by that. "Ay. I shall finally be able to return to mah home! To give a proper burial to mah wife and a roof over mah lass' head! Oy, boy! That on yer back! That's the Nyoibo, no less!"
"Yeah, it was a gift from my grandpa."
The Ox-King's black eyes sparkled. "Old Gohan? Son Gohan was yer grandfather?"
Goku was taken aback. "You knew him?"
As a way of answer, the Ox-King bowed to him. "'Tis an honor an' a privilege to meet Gohan's grandson. We were the best of friends, learning from Master Roshi together."
Goku felt elated. His grandfather's best friend. The Ox-King could probably tell him so much about Grandpa Gohan.
"Listen," Goku said. "We are here to help you. I'm going to put out that fire for you."
The Ox-King studied him for a second as if considering his chances. "If ye were a nobody, I wouldna believe ye. But ye are Gohan's grandson. So hear me out. One may be able to put out that great fire with a device called Bashosen. Mah ol' master's supposed to have that. Mind ye, there are the magical spheres, but I don' have the means to search for 'em again. So ye, boy, ye will go and bring the Bashoshen to me. In return, I'll give you anything you desire."
"Even this?" Bulma brought out a Dragon Ball from her backpack and showed it to the Ox-King. "You are in possession of one, whether you realize it or not. We seek it."
The Ox-King gaped at the globe. "Blimey, I'd forgotten how beautiful they are. Ay, I know this. I do own one. Found it by chance. A second time; who woulda thought. It's yours. As soon as the devil's fire is extinguished."
"Do we have your word?"
"Don't ye doubt me, lass. And because I know of this, I also offer a bit of advice. Hare mahik ture levhik — all magic comes with a price. Whatever it is ye wish for; think again. It might not be worth the trouble it'll bring ye. Look at me. King, they call me! And I can' step into mah castle!"
"I'll remember," Bulma said.
The Ox-King nodded. "I've another request to make of ye, boy. My lass is out in the field. She knows the Bashoshen. Take her with ye, she will help."
"Okay. But how will I know her?"
"The name's Chihiro," the Ox-King informed him. "Princess Chihiro Rahula-Thuat."