I don't own DragonBallZ.

A beginning note to any and all expectant readers: I am trying hard to plan this story out so that nothing seems out of place. It has taken much thinking for me just to start.

I had been thinking the other day... 'What if Goku and Demelza (new readers should glance at With Nothing Left to understand) had actually been friends instead of enemies?' Thus, I decided to see...This story will start out in Dragon Ball, and move on to DragonBallZ. I hope all of you find it satisfactory (because I'm sure nervous about this...)!

And the usual note, I love reviews! I try to reply to every one I receive, due to the fact of how much I am grateful for them.

With that said, I will begin...

Goku was searching thoroughly through the reeds in the shallow, muddy pond. He checked behind a thick cluster of cattail plants, rummaged underneath rocks, and lifted up lily pads, all in a frenzied hunt for one of the Dragon Balls.

Bulma was sitting on her motorcycle, watching impatiently as her young friend dived underwater and came back up empty handed. "Well?"

"I don't see it anywhere. Maybe your radar is reading wrong."

She scowled. "My radar never reads wrong. It has to be over there someplace. Keep looking."

He gazed out across the pond to a thick patch of bushes and grass. It was a perfect spot to hide something valuable, like one of the Dragon Balls. "What about over there?" he pointed.

The irritable teenager growled. "Fine. But hurry it up."

Goku leapt out across the still water, and landed gracefully at the other side. "Now where would I land if I were a Dragon Ball?"

Bulma glared impatiently at her wristwatch.

Goku continued his investigation, pushing through a tall clump of grass, when he tripped on a limp form. He got to his feet and glanced back to see what had tripped him. "Huh? What happened?"

It was a girl, sprawled out flaccidly in the grass. Her bruised, bleeding face had sunk into the ground beneath her, and her dark purple hair was coarse and thick with mud and debris.

"Hey, are you okay?" Goku tried sitting her up. Her head rolled to the side groggily. "Can you hear me?"

No reply. She was out cold. Then Goku noticed a bulge underneath her brown jacket - the two-star Dragon Ball.

"What's taking you?" Bulma shouted. Goku returned carrying the young girl. Bulma yelped in alarm. "Hey, what happened?"

"I found her out by the pond," he said. "She's got one of the Dragon Balls. See?"

Bulma grabbed the ball and stuffed it in her bag. "Okay, we have the ball. You can put her back, now."

"Put her back?" He blinked. "We can't leave her out here. She's hurt."

"You've got to be kidding. We're not taking some creepy kid with us just because you found her out by a pond."

"Why not? She needs help. Wouldn't you want someone to help you if you were hurt?"

Bulma growled, agitated. "Of course not...for all you know, she did that to herself. She probably wants to stay out here."

"Oh come on, Bulma. We need to help her."

"Whatever...But she's not coming on my motorcycle," she snapped.

They took off, Bulma cruising on her bike, and Goku carrying the unconscious girl in his arms. They traveled like that until the sun sank beneath the horizon.

. . . . . .

"She's right here." The woman parted some shrubs to find that the spot in which the child had been laying was empty.

Two men followed her. "Hey! I thought you said she was right here."

"She was," the woman snapped.

"Then what happened to her?"

"How am I supposed to know?" She folded her arms.

"You are so incompetent, Leela. I don't understand why anyone would trust you to carry out a job."

"Don't be rude to her, Rail," Pole spoke up. "It's a mistake anyone could have made. Maybe the girl was kidnapped." He smiled.

"Yeah right," Leela rolled her eyes. "Come on. We need to find her, or we're going to be in big trouble."

. . . . . .

"Hey, it's getting pretty dark," Bulma told Goku. "Do you think we ought to stop soon?"

"Sure. I'm hungry."

"Are you ever not hungry?" She shrieked and halted her bike abruptly. Goku stopped a few feet behind her and glanced over her shoulder curiously.

"Excuse me," Leela said. "Have you seen a young girl about so high?" She spotted Goku. "Oh, good. You've found her for us. Thank you so much."

"We've been looking everywhere for her," Pole nodded. "So if you'll be so kind as to give her back."

Goku took a step back, frowning.

"Hey, don't make things difficult," Rail scowled.

"Goku, just give her to them. You're going to get us into trouble," Bulma whined.

"No way. I'm not going to hand my new friend over to these guys," he replied.

"You idiot, she hasn't even woken up. How can she be your new friend?" Bulma was trembling with fear. Who the heck were these strange-looking people?

"We can be reasonable about this," Rail told them. "Hand her over and we might let you live."

The small boy stuck his tongue out defiantly at the three strangers.

"If that's how it's going to be." Rail took out a large, black gun and pointed it directly at Goku's forehead.

"Hey, be nice," Leela said. "After all, they're only kids." She drew a dark metal spear from beneath her long coat and pointed it threateningly at them.

"Goku!" Bulma cried anxiously, gripping the handles of her motorcycle rather tightly. "She's got a spear!"

Goku set his young friend down upon the ground and faced Leela confidently. "If you want to fight..." He retrieved his fighting stick from its strap and aimed it at his rival. "You can't hurt my friends!" Goku shouted.

He leapt up high into the air, lengthening his fighting staff. Leela lifted her spear and the two weapons collided. Goku flew back swiftly and brought the end of his staff down upon her head, stunning her.

She countered with a rapid, furious swipe with the sharp, double-edged tip of her spear that missed Goku by several feet. He charged her and delivered two reprimanding slaps to her face, knocking her off balance.

She tried to counter Goku's attack with the blunt end of her weapon but her target vanished from sight.

"Over here," he mocked, and landed a flying kick to her back.

"Leela's losing her touch," Pole proclaimed. "Maybe she could use some help."

He joined the brawl, managing to catch Goku off guard. He slammed his fist into the back of the young boy's head and knocked him forward.

Leela stood back up, grabbing her back. "Hey, what do you think you're doing?"

"I guess it's like Rail said," he replied. "You're incompetent."

She growled angrily at him and picked her spear back up. "I'll deal with you once I take care of this kid. Just focus on getting the girl back."

"My pleasure."

Bulma screamed, "Look out!"

Leela and Pole chased Goku as he led them around in circles, evading their every move. "Missed me!" he teased, and jumped up high into the air.

They watched, dumbstruck, as he descended swiftly upon them. He crashed down upon Pole's head, turning to Leela and slamming his fist into her nose.

"Why you little...!"

"You're both incompetent," Rail remarked without bothering to help.

Goku landed a double-fisted blow to Pole's kneecaps. He fell to the ground in pain.

Without warning, Goku cringed and froze to his spot. Eyes widened and teeth clenched, he began to shake uncontrollably.

"Oh no!" Bulma was certain that they were all doomed.

Leela started laughing. "Hey, you just have to grab his tail. How easy is this?"

Goku's bulging eye began to dim. His eyelids started drooping. It was as if Leela were using some type of vacuum to suck up all of his strength.

Bulma was furious. Enraged, she cried out boldly. "Let him go, you witch!"

"You don't shut up, do you?"

"Goku...!"

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