After a brief explanation on what doorbells were and why they were better than yelling for someone when available, the officer pointed out that the intercom might be even better than that. Kagome's eye twitched. She might have grown up in Tokyo, but she'd also grown up on shrine grounds. Just how much money did these people have?
Ugh, whatever.
The policeman walked over and pressed the button, taking charge of the situation. She was grateful for the help, obviously, but it was a little annoying to be treated like some stupid kid when she was already twenty. "Ah, good day," the man spoke into the mic. "Uh, we're here to speak with Miss Bulma if she's available, please."
There was a slight beep. "Bulma is not on the premises, she has not yet returned from her schooling," a mechanical voice answered.
"Whoa," Goku gaped. "How can that pole talk?"
"It's not the pole talking," Kagome sighed. "It's the speaker that's attached to the pole. It takes sounds from one place to another - like phones, remember?"
He thought it over for a moment before nodding. "Oh."
"Ah," the officer hummed as he checked his watch. "That's right, it's not quite time for school to let out yet. What now? Should we wait here?"
"Yeah, we'll wait," the boy nodded. "But you can go ahead and leave."
"Oh-ho, no!" the man immediately rejected. "How do I know you're really her friend? I'd be in big trouble with the boss if I led a crook to the home of Dr. Briefs."
Kagome very determinedly did not laugh at that last name. But it was difficult.
"We're not bad guys," Goku assured. "You don't have to worry about us."
"Well, anyway," the man continued. "Capsule Corporation is one of the most important companies in the world. The Briefs are very influential. It's hard to believe a strange little fella like you would know them. That's why I thought that maybe it was your big sister there that had a connection to Miss Bulma from school or something. One can never be too careful, you know."
The priestess fought a sigh. "We're not actually siblings," she murmured.
Goku, on the other hand, was already distracted by something else. "Hey, I'm picking up Bulma's scent," he announced.
"Huh?" the officer gawped. "Her scent?"
Kagome just smiled to herself. Yet another reminder that she would find the one little boy in this strange world that was more demon than human - even if her senses insisted that he was neither. "Which way?"
The officer frowned. "I don't know, son, I don't smell anything."
Not even twenty seconds later, a... flying moped? screeched to a stop before them, with a blue-haired girl in the seat.
"Bulma!" Goku greeted with a laugh.
She took her goggles off and glanced over.
"Hi!" the boy grinned.
"Goku!" the girl smiled. "What are you doing here?" She quickly hopped off her ride and turned off her music. "How in the world did you find this place?"
"Well, we almost didn't," he admitted. "But Mr. Police here gave us a ride!"
"Wait, 'we'?" she blinked.
"Hi," Kagome greeted wryly.
The girl stared at her incredulously for a moment.
"Right," the man interrupted. "So are you, uh, actually related to the Dr. Briefs?"
"Oh, yeah," the girl waved it off, quickly turning her attention back to Goku. "He's my dad. So what brings you here to see me? And who's your friend?"
"This is Kagome," he explained, all of them ignoring the way that the officer seemed to be sniffing the blue-haired teen. "I found her in the desert right after saying goodbye to everyone after the tournament, and she's been helping me find my grandpa. We came to ask for help; I'm pretty sure I broke the dragon radar. Do you think you could fix it for us?"
"Well, sure," the girl agreed easily. "No problem. Let's go take a look at it."
"'Kay!" the boy agreed.
"I'm Bulma," the teen introduced herself on their way towards the doors.
"So I've heard," the priestess chuckled. "Kagome."
"Wait!" the officer yelped behind them. "Miss, excuse me! I hate to ask, but do you think you could check out my bike while you're at it? It hasn't been running very well, there."
"Yeah, whatever," the girl agreed flippantly. "Okay."
"Hey, is it a school holiday today?" the man questioned as he ran to catch up. "Did they let you out early?"
"If you don't mind me asking, where do you shop?" the girl questioned with a giggle, very obviously ignoring the policeman. "I've never seen clothes like that before, and I know all the latest fashions."
The priestess glanced down at her clothes. She hadn't changed since arriving in this world, but she hadn't really thought about it - the haori and hakama were demon-made. They always stayed clean, and they even healed themselves if they got any rips or tears. She just wished that she had been wearing her sturdier set when she got attacked, that way she would feel like she had a bit of armor in case she got into trouble. Again. "These were a gift from my adopted brother, actually," she explained. "He had them made for me after taking me in."
Because apparently her school uniform was inappropriate for a member of the Western House. He'd doused the old thing in acid the moment it was off of her.
"Cool," the teen hummed thoughtfully. "I like the look. I'm home!" she shouted as they entered the building.
"Good afternoon, Miss Bulma," a pink robot dressed like a maid greeted.
A pink robot. Dressed like a maid.
This world was so weird.
Goku got a strange look on his face and approached the machine curiously. "What are you?" he asked.
The thing's head twisted around a few times, finally popping up as its tongue came out.
The boy was not the only one freaked out by that.
"So," Bulma spoke up, "where's my dad?
The robot went back to normal and turned to her. "Dr. Briefs is currently located in the garden," it informed them.
Kagome helped her little friend back to his feet, watching the machine warily.
"Oh, okay," the girl acknowledged, continuing to walk. "I really liked the stuffed quail last night. Why don't you make some more for us again tonight?"
The construct bowed. "It would be my pleasure, Miss Bulma."
Goku quickly stuck his own tongue out at it in retaliation before grabbing the priestess's hand and pulling her towards the teen and the policeman. "Hold on!" he requested with a slight laugh. "We're coming, too!"
Bulma raised an eyebrow at their joined hands curiously, but didn't say anything as she pressed a couple of buttons on a keypad beside the door.
It slid open, and Kagome's eyes widened.
"Whoa, nelly!" the officer exclaimed.
"We're outside again!" Goku gawked.
"Nah," the girl stated laconically as she started walking once more. "We're still indoors. This is our first floor garden."
Oh, dear kami. These were some of those people with stupid money, weren't they?
"There are cats and dogs all over the place," the policeman murmured as they wandered along the path.
"Yeah, my dad rescues unwanted animals," the teen explained. "Mostly dogs and cats and dinosaurs-" Okay, Kagome was officially done with trying to understand this world. Done. "-and gives them a home here."
"Oh," the officer nodded, seeming overwhelmed.
Nowhere near as overwhelmed as the priestess, of course, but she had gone through a kind of transition like this before when she'd fallen through that well... Sort of. She would be okay. Probably.
She still jumped when one of those promised dinosaurs poked its head out of the shrubs and let out a very soft little yip, but she would still be okay.
... Probably.
A man also came out of the undergrowth on a bicycle, drawing their attention. "Oh, don't mind him," he assured.
"Dad!" Bulma smiled. "There you are."
"Hm," the doctor smiled back. "Who're your guests?"
"I told you about him before," she reminded. "This is my friend Goku! The girl is his new partner, Kagome. I don't know her too well yet, but she seems pretty nice."
"She is!" Goku laughed brightly.
"Yes, of course," the man smiled, getting off his bike, going up to the policeman and grabbing his hands. "I've heard a lot about you, but I thought you were just a little fellow! You certainly don't look twelve years old to me."
"Well, you see, I'm not, uh," the officer stuttered.
"No, Daddy!" the teen interrupted, going a bit red in the face.
"Not him," the boy spoke up. "My name is Goku!"
"Oh, so you're the boy!" the doctor laughed.
"That's me," Goku agreed.
"That makes sense, you're much shorter!"
"This is the great scientist who created the dino-caps?" the policeman murmured to the blue-haired girl. "Incredible."
Bulma just gave a little growl.
"You're short, but you look pretty strong," the doctor continued obliviously.
The boy grinned and laughed, getting a bit distracted by the cat that was crawling on the man's shoulder. "Hi!" he greeted the little thing.
It mewed and hid behind the scientist's hair.
"We're going up to my room now," the girl spoke. "Check out the policeman's motorcycle for him, okay? Come on Goku, Kagome, let's go."
"Hey, no smooching up there," the doctor called after them impishly. "Understand?"
"You're so embarrassing!" Bulma screamed angrily.
The man just cackled. "That's my job!"
Bulma quickly led them up to her room, stomping and muttering away to herself. Goku caught Kagome's sleeve once they got there and the teen started tinkering with the radar. "What's smooching?" he questioned.
The priestess blushed a bit. Really? This was going to be up to her to explain, too? She might as well just give him The Talk and be done with it. "It's another way of saying 'kissing'. It's what people call it when they press their lips to someone else's. It's a way of showing someone that you really like them."
He blinked up at her. "Oh. But then why was Bulma so mad? I mean, doesn't she want us to like her?"
Her face heated a fraction more. "Different kind of like, kiddo."
"There are different kinds?" he gaped. "And I'm not a kid!"
She shook her head wryly, deciding to ignore that last part for the moment. "There are all sorts of kinds. You can like someone as a person, or as a friend, or even as family - but the big 'like' that most people talk about really means 'love', as in you see someone as either a mate or a potential mate."
He nodded slowly, seeming to understand. "So like with Chichi wanting to marry me."
"You got it," she affirmed.
The boy seemed to retreat into thought after that, and Kagome watched as the girl fixed the tiny machine. It was impressive.
"Wow," Goku finally spoke up after a couple of seconds, moving up towards the desk and peeking over the edge of it with curious eyes. "That looks difficult. Do you really know what's wrong with it?"
"Yeah," Bulma shrugged distractedly. "It looks like the A2 circuit got knocked loose. This is very delicate, Goku. You have to be more careful with it."
"But I am," he protested, poking at his chest. "I always keep it right here in my shirt."
"Well knowing you, somehow I doubt that's a very safe place," the girl sighed as she sat back and replaced the back. "There. All done!"
"Thank you!" the boy grinned.
The teen stood up and turned it on, blinking down at it for a second. "Goku, you've got two? That's all you've been able to find?" She shot him a look. "Taking it easy, are you?"
Goku laughed, unashamed. "No, the dragon balls just aren't very easy to find."
"Well," the girl huffed as she turned back to the device, "using the radar, I don't see how it could be that hard." She returned her eyes to the boy once more, propping one hand on her hip with a somewhat arrogant look on her face. "With my help, you'd find the rest in no time! You know?"
He frowned. "No, thanks," he rejected without a single thought. "We don't need any help; you would just slow us down."
Kagome flinched a bit, feeling somewhat self-conscious.
"Oh, is that so?!" the teen growled. "I guess next time, you'll fix the radar yourself!"
"But you can't even ride on the Flying Nimbus!" he argued.
Bulma glared at him. "And what about Kagome, huh?!"
The boy crossed his arms over the back of his head. "Kagome can ride Nimbus just fine! It really likes her!"
The teen wilted. "She... can? No, wait, that's not important! I can, too!"
Goku stared up at her in surprise. "So you're saying you're completely good now?"
Bulma snarled. "I am an exceptionally good person!" she screamed, turning away with a more modest expression. "My only crime is being beautiful."
Okay, face and words did not match there.
The boy took a slight step back. "Uh..."
The teen held up her arm, showcasing a pink... wristwatch?
"Watch!" she declared. "This is my newest thing."
Goku blinked at it. "What's it do?"
"It's my own invention!" she bragged. "The microband! When I push this button, I shrink down to a fraction of my normal size."
To prove her point, she pushed it - and did indeed shrink.
It reminded Kagome just a bit of home. More specifically: Myouga.
"Whoa," the boy gaped as he squatted down to stare at the teen. "That is really neat. You're not even as tall as my knee!"
"Sometimes I even amaze myself," the miniaturized girl boasted, propping her hands on her hips. "And as long as I'm shrunk like this, you'll be able to carry me with you on the Nimbus no sweat! Yeah, I bet that'll work just fine! Come on Goku, please? Let's try it just once! I'll take you on a guided tour of the city!"
She was abruptly cut off by someone stepping on her.
"Oh, my, you must be little Goku," an airy voice chirped, dragging their attention up to the face of a rather... filled out... blonde woman. "Hi, there! How do you do? I'm Bulma's mother, Mrs. Briefs."
The blue-haired girl in question gave a muffled squeal, but the older woman just let out a genial laugh - before her daughter returned to her normal size, at least.
Kagome shook her head and sighed. This day was getting... loud.
"Bulma, darling, you scared me!" the blonde gasped. "What are you doing underneath my foot?"
"Mom, you stepped on me!" the teen screeched.
"Well I don't understand why you wanna shrink yourself anyway," the woman defended.
"Watch your step when you come in my room!" Bulma snarled.
"Hey!" the priestess finally cut in, stepping up and smacking the girl upside the head. "There is no reason to speak to your mother like that!"
The teen gaped at her disbelievingly. "What... did you..."
"Don't. Talk. To your mother like that," she repeated. "If it was my mom, I would've been grounded for a month."
"Well maybe you should just go home and let your mom ground you then, so you'd stop butting into other people's business!" the girl retorted sharply.
Her fist clenched at her side. "... I would love to," she stated flatly. "But she's dead."
Bulma's mouth immediately snapped shut, her eyes going wide.
"Oh, dear," Mrs. Briefs murmured.
Kagome sighed and looked away. "Look, it's no big deal. There was an accident four years ago, there's been plenty of time for me to get used to it. Just... be nicer to your mother, okay? You don't know if she's always going to be around
The blue-haired teen's face colored with remorse. "... Sorry, Mom..."
The blonde smiled at her gently. "You're forgiven, dear."
Goku glanced up, seeming to remember something. "Hey, where are Oolong and Yamcha? Do both of them still live here with you?"
"Well, yes," the woman assured as she set the tray that she was carrying down and crouched just a bit closer to Goku's level. "Yamcha and Oolong should be around here somewhere, but Yamcha and Bulma are having a little-"
The blue-haired teen quickly covered her mother's mouth. "Mom!"
"-a teeny little lovers' tiff," the blonde continued, pulling the hand away.
"We don't need to talk about this," the girl groaned pitifully.
"Hm..." the boy just blinked. "A tiff?"
"An argument," Kagome explained automatically when he glanced up at her.
He frowned. "Oh. Are you okay?"
She glanced down and gave him a weak smile. "I'm fine."
He obviously didn't believe her.
xxxx
"So what are you fighting about?" Goku questioned, deciding to ask Kagome what was wrong later. She might have said that she was fine, but he knew her better than that.
The blonde just smiled at him. "You see, Bulma doesn't like it when-"
She was interrupted by a bunch of voices suddenly rising up out of nowhere.
"Ueh," the boy shuddered, glancing around to try and find the source. "Who's making all that noise?"
"Well yep, they're back," the woman sighed, pointing towards the window. "That gaggle of screaming girls is Yamcha's fan club."
"What?" Goku questioned.
Bulma gave a short, frustrated growl.
The boy opened the window and glanced out, shivering. His ears felt terrible! "I wish they'd be quiet... Hey!" he shouted down at them, cupping his hands around his mouth. "Stop yelling! Yamcha's not even here right now!"
They immediately got disappointed and started talking to each other.
Goku turned to Kagome, feeling very much out of his league. "Is there something wrong with them?" he asked, pointing below.
"Why?" the blonde questioned before she could answer.
"I don't understand why they're acting like that," he explained.
"It's because they like him," Kagome cut in. "As in that big kind of like that I was telling you about earlier. Some people do really stupid things in the name of love."
Bulma just snarled to herself, finally stomping over to the window right as the boy was about to ask more. "SHUT UP!" she shouted at them. "GO AWAY! THERE'S NO TELLING WHEN YAMCHA WILL BE BACK!"
The girls glared up at her and she turned around angrily.
"Hey, let's go," she barked at him. "I'll take you sightseeing in the city."
"So, do you see now?" Mrs. Briefs asked him as her daughter stalked further inside. "Yamcha's what they call a catch, you know. He's good-lookin' and rich, too. That makes him popular with the girls, and Bulma doesn't like it."
"Understandably," Kagome sighed before the blue-haired girl could explode again. "No one wants to see the guy that they love surrounded by other women."
Bulma stared over at the other girl for a long moment before relaxing a bit. "Thanks."
She just shrugged. "Trust me, I've been there. Only, I was the rebound while the jerk was still running around with his ex."
Bulma cringed. "Ouch. Tell me you dumped his sorry butt."
The raven-haired girl shook her head wryly. "Oh, I dumped him alright," she chuckled. "And then I went and got adopted by his estranged, totally gorgeous half-brother."
They held each other's gazes for a long moment before both grinned, nodding to one another in agreement on something. A strange, wordless understanding seemed to have just snapped into place. Goku didn't really understand what was going on, but he wasn't so sure that he wanted to either.
"Come on," the blue-haired girl offered, seeming less stressed. "I know some awesome little boutiques downtown."
"That sounds nice. I haven't gone shopping in forever!"
"Oh, I know just the place. Hurry it up, Goku! We're going to leave without you!"
The boy followed them cautiously out of the room.
"Bulma!" Dr. Briefs called out as they walked past him and the policeman. "Where are you off to?"
"Just around, Daddy!" she shouted back over her shoulder.
Kagome giggled, the sound light and tinkling, and the girls hooked arms. "Just around," she agreed. "And maybe a little bit of retail therapy somewhere along the way."
"Always!" Bulma laughed.
Again, Goku had no idea what was going on - but he was too scared to ask.
"Okay!" the blue-haired girl announced once they'd gotten outside. "What do you say we get moving? You guys have the whole city to see!"
"Great!" the boy grinned. This he understood. "Oh, Nimbus!" he shouted.
The cloud swooped down in front of them quickly.
"Guess that's my cue!" Bulma declared brightly, pushing that button that made her shrink down again.
Goku picked her up and hopped up onto Nimbus, tucking her into the front of his shirt as Kagome settled in behind him. "So," he glanced between the two girls with a wide grin, "ready to go?"
"Do you really have to ask?" Kagome teased.
"Let's do it!" Bulma announced excitedly.
They took off like a shot, darting into the air and up over the buildings.
"How cool!" the blue-haired girl gasped.
"I love it up here," Goku sighed, happy to once more be moving.
Kagome gave a soft sigh of her own, and it was easy to hear the smile in her words. "I've done a lot of things, but flying will probably always be my favorite."
He glanced back and grinned at her, in complete agreement.
"Look!" Bulma called, pointing down. "Over there!" The other girl leaned over so that she was looking over the boy shoulder to see what she was pointing at. "That's the biggest shopping mall in the city."
"Let's go, then!" the boy offered.
"Oh, Goku," Kagome cackled. "You have no idea what you've just gotten yourself into."
They swooped down before he could ask what she meant by that, and he felt his eyes go wide at all the different stuff all jumbled together in one place.
"This street is busy," he chuckled to himself as they darted back out.
"It's not really a street," the black-haired girl told him, sounding amused.
His nose wrinkled in confusion and he glanced back at her. "Then what was it?"
She shook her head. "I'll tell you more later. For now, let's just have fun."
He thought it over for a second, but had to agree with her - especially when he saw this really strange dome rising up into the sky. "What is that?"
"That's an amusement park," Bulma explained. "It just opened; I've never been there. Hey! Why don't we go?" she suggested excitedly, drawing their attention down to her. "Oh, it looks like so much fun! Oh, yeah. Let's spend the whole day up there!"
Goku grinned. "Great!"
"Sure!" Kagome also agreed.
A familiar scent reached the boy's nose and he glanced down. "Yamcha!"
Bulma let out an angry sound, but he didn't pay her much attention.
"Nimbus, go down there!" he requested.
"Hey, wait!" the blue-haired girl shouted. She crossed her arms over her chest sourly when it became obvious that he wasn't listening. "Stupid Yamcha..."
"Yaaaamchaaaa!" he called as they swooped down. "It's Goku!"
As soon as they were close enough to the ground, he jumped down.
"I'm here!" he announced.
"Goku!" the older boy greeted, together with Pu'ar's own cheer of welcome.
"Hey, kid!" Oolong chimed in. "What's shakin'?"
"Hey, Oolong!" he grinned. "Hey, Pu'ar!"
"What brings you here?" Yamcha questioned.
"Dammit, Goku!" Kagome huffed, breaking into the conversation as she also stomped over. The Nimbus, having let her down, went ahead and flew off again. "You know it freaks me out when you do that."
"Oh, sorry Kagome," he apologized immediately. "I just got really excited!"
The three others gaped at her dumbly.
"Well, hello there!" Oolong finally broke the silence, scurrying over to the girl. "You look like a gal who appreciates the finer things in life! What's your opinion on swine, doll?"
The girl stared down at him, face blank and unimpressed. "I prefer canines."
He wilted.
"Guys, this is Kagome," Goku introduced. "She's my new friend! We've been looking for my grandpa's dragon ball together."
"Nice to meet you," she smiled at them politely.
"First Bulma, now this chick," Oolong grumbled to himself. "Some guys've just got all the luck... Hey, speaking of Bulma, did you come here to see her?"
"Yeah!" the boy admitted. "I've got her right here," he explained, pointing to his shirt.
A jolt of pain suddenly when through his chest, causing him to cringe and glance down at his passenger. She just held a finger up to her lips and shook her head, signaling for him to stay quiet about her being there. He tilted his head uncertainly.
"What was that?" Yamcha asked.
He turned his attention back up to the older boy, wary of another pinch. "... Nothing."
Oolong moved over to his side, seeming to recover from Kagome's dismissal. "You, uh, hear about Bulma and Yamcha?" he asked, elbowing the boy suggestively. "She's got this kid sleeping in the doghouse if you know what I mean!"
"I guess," Goku agreed slowly. "I mean, I... I sure got the feeling that Bulma didn't want to see him."
The older boy cringed. "Did... she say that?" he asked, right before sinking to his knees.
"Are you okay?" Pu'ar questioned worriedly as he gave a pitiful groan.
"So, it's... just like I thought," he whined. "She really doesn't like me anymore!"
"Don't let it break your heart," the pig sighed. "As much abuse as that girl gives you, you're better off without her."
"I agree!" the cat joined in. "Don't tell anyone I said so, but I think she's a spoiled brat!"
"Everybody says so!" Oolong snorted. "And she's too sensitive. Look, you've put up with her long enough."
Kagome shot them both a terrifying glare, but Yamcha spoke up before she could.
"Oh, I suppose you're right," the older boy sighed miserably. "She does get mad a lot. She's thoughtless... She's hard to handle... But still... she's the only-"
"Well, I'm so sorry I'm so awful!" Bulma finally exploded, climbing out of Goku's shirt and pressing the other button that made her full-sized again. She looked more than just angry this time, she looked hurt, too.
"Uh, Bulma?" Yamcha yelped. "Bulma, wait... I'm sorry!"
She swiveled on her heel and turned back to Goku. "We've gotta go right now!"
"Where?" the boy questioned.
"Where were we going before?" Kagome sighed, walking up to the girl and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Come on, let's get over to the amusement park."
He brightened and hurried to follow the pair. "Sure, okay!"
"Hey, wait!" Yamcha called out behind them, a strained look of excitement coming over his face. "We're going to the same place! Wow, how strange - what a coincidence! This is just so odd!" he turned down to the other two. "I-isn't it, guys?"
"Huh?" the shape-shifters squeaked at once.
"Ooh!" Bulma growled as they continued walking. "It is so rude to talk badly about a girl behind her back!"
"I'm sorry!" the older boy rushed to apologize. "Wait! Bulma!"
"I have been meaning to go and check this place out," Pu'ar chirped, the trio catching up with them.
"Ice cream!" Oolong cheered in agreement.
"This is gonna be so fun!" Goku laughed excitedly.
Kagome sighed and nudged him with her hip. "I would hold off on saying that until we get there, kiddo," she murmured.
The both of them suddenly came up short, glancing over their shoulders.
"What's up, you two?" Oolong questioned.
They shared a glance, the boy quickly shrugging it off. "Oh, it's nothing," he assured.
The older girl bumped him again as they all continued walking, but didn't argue aloud.
xxxx
A/N: Wow, coming up on the end of this saga pretty fast. Luckily I've got a good bit already written, so that means that updates will be pretty consistent for a while longer. Again, thanks so much to everyone who's reading this!
Edit: 7/01/16