Episode four of the Ancient Empire Saga:











Gohan and his girl, Videl sat together side by side in the outdoor dining area of a taco stand in a tiny Mexican village. A large pile of empty taco wrappers, he started on the stack of burritos.





"Oh, Gohan you know those things give you gas."



"Well, your eating them too."





Videl shot him a dirty look.





A greasy- looking local approached them from the nearby sidewalk. "Hey, are you kids looking for a bargain." He pulled open one side of his dirty trenchcoat. It was lined with nice looking watches.





"Oh, uh mister, I don't know about that." Gohan stammered.





Videl had a knowing look on her eye. She loved to drive a hard bargain. "What do you got?"





"Follow me miss, that is, If you want to see the real merchandise." The greasy lowlife walked towards his van.





* * * *





"Uhhh. I'm never drinking again." Yamcha held his head in his hands.



"Ha Ha.." Trunks laughed, "That's what you get, a hangover. You jerk."



"Trunks! Thats enough of that talk, young man. Yamcha is a lot older than you. Show a little respect." Bulma scolded.



Trunks looked down. "Sorry, Yamcha. I didn't mean..."



"That's ok, kid. You could make me feel any worse than I do right now."



Bulma moaned, "Oh, my feet are killing me. Stupid strap sandals!" She looked up and used her sweetest voice. "Yamcha, will you rub my feet please?"



Yamcha suddenly broke out into a cold sweat. Oh no he thought, anything but that. Not those big smelly dogs of hers. He shifted nervously as Bulma sat waiting.





Fortunately, Yamcha's life parner Gwar bounced in through the door, leaving the professor to continue working on the Vegeta crisis. The little fuzzy creature held an icepack to its forehead with its little fuzzy mitt. He announced, "I'm never drinking again."







* * * *











"So how are you feeling?" Tien asked 18.





"Much better now. Thanks a lot for leaving me unguarded, Tien. I could have been killed."





" The last time I was around you, I wouldn't have made a difference. You used to be a lot stronger than me, whats wrong? Have you've gotten rusty?" Tien became defensive."





"Screw me over again and I'll show you just how much I've improved." Android 18 threatened.





Tien just stared at his former nemesis. He wasn't to worried about her. Tien knew, although, he had not been around for a while, he trained continuously. He was at his peak, his skills honed in the arctic mountain passes of his homeland.





Eventhough Tien made no apologies, he didn't regret leaving her while she slept. Krillen came through for her.







Krillen remained leaning against the mystic tree. The all-white blossom on the branches reminded him of the particles of ki or lifeforce that had healed and accelerated his power. "When I got pulled under and the tree began to heal me I felt connected to something." Krillen spoke aloud. "It was like a collective mind, a spirit of nature. The closest thing I can relate it to is the gathering of the spirit bomb lifeforce. It was the same kind of experience. Very spiritual. Tien, you can understand that."

"Yes, I know what you mean. I've done some exploring and I'm pretty we're still on planet Earth but it's all-different. I sense the amount of ambient energy here too." Tien paused. "Also, when I was scouting I sensed that diamond thing that got us here. It's back in the direction of that stone city."





* * *





Videl and Gohan stood at the back of the local's dented van's open doors. The Mexican guy set up an elaborate display of presumably stolen goods over a red velvet square. He smiled a greasy smile as he presented his trinkets.





Gohan stood with his mouth wide open.



Among the merchandise, grouped together on the velvet cloth were six shiny orange dragonballs. A folded paper sign read,



*** SET OF SIX = only 29.99(crossed out with red marker) Only 17.99 (written in)***