"Bikini, I'm hungry! We're out of food again!"
Goku pulls at the Unicorn's shirt as he rides on the Nimbus with her.
"Bikini, we need new clothes and a car!"
Bulma shouts as she floats in the air annoyed being handled like a pet, at least in her mind.
"I seriously need to take a piss! I don't care if I gotta do it on a rock or the ground, just let me down, before I piss myself!"
Oolong flails about in a frightened frenzy trying to hold his bladder.
Bikini looks ahead as they fly through a valley! She lets out a sigh of relief as they stop at a small town. Oolong rushes into a store market with Bulma not too far behind him. She turns around at the last second and shouts out to her younger sister.
"We'll meet up here in an hour or so, okay? Try not to get into any trouble!"
Bikini chirps back.
"Try not to get hoodwinked by any handsome men!"
As Bulma leaves rolling her eyes, another voice calls out to Bikini and Goku.
"Hey! Heeeyy! I recognize that face anywhere!"
A man with a strong jaw and victorious grin walks up to them. Bikini immediately recognizes him.
"Mark! Aren't you quite far from West City!"
Mark's big grin grows smug having the prettiest girl he's ever seen remember him. Not that he'll tell her that.
"Glad you remember me! I figured I'd follow your example and go travel the world. So far, been pretty rough, but that's how a martial artist lives!"
Goku speaks up, his curiosity peaked at Mark's self-proclaimed title.
"You're a martial artist too? That's cool! Wanna go a round?"
Mark looks down at Goku and shakes his head.
"Sorry squirt, but I don't do street fights for fun, my fighting style and creed is about serving justice to evildoers!"
He then raises a brow at Goku.
"But uh, who are you? I don't think I ever seen you before."
Bikini gestures to the small boy with a glowing smile.
"This is Goku! He's my bodyguard! He's very strong!"
Mark leans back confused, as the boy before him barely came up to his knee, but now he couldn't help himself but grow curious...
"He's pretty strong, huh? Well maybe he can help me save this town from oppression!"
The two tilted their heads at Mark. The fighter smirks shaking his head.
"Yeah, yeah, the town around you seem normal, right? Well there's a terrible gang that's been terrorizing the poor people here! The horrible Rabbit Gang!"
Goku rubs his belly with a dazed gaze.
"Rabbit sounds pretty tasty right about now."
Mark gives another side glance to the monkey boy.
"Well these guys are rotten to the core and they make me sick! They go from town to town terrorizing people for a few days before moving on to the next one! I've been fighting against these no-good villains since yesterday! Almost beat them too!"
Bikini narrows her eyes as she grows serious.
"Well if they're here then we have to stop them! Don't you think so too, Goku? ... Goku...?"
Bikini looks around as Mark rubs his chin flabbergasted. Goku seemingly vanished from thin air.
"I-I didn't even see him move... How did he get away so fast?"
"There he is!"
Goku sits at an open café eating away plate after plate of food. Bikini has gotten a little used to him being able to swallow loads of meals in mere moments. Mark however can't believe that such a small body can practically shovel gallons of protein down his throat as if it were water. Mark, unable to look away, points at the monkey boy as he asks Bikini.
"H-How long has it been since he's eaten...?"
"About four hours ago. He always eats like that, and he always has room to eat more..."
Bikini then goes to sit by him and even gestures for Mark to sit with them. Reluctantly, he does so, even being convinced to order something himself before speaking up again.
"By the way... You and your sister were looking for the Dragon Balls, right? You find anymore?"
Goku swallows a big gulp and beams at the teenager as he holds up his Four Star Ball.
"I keep mine in my shirt! Bulma has the rest!"
Bikini shakes her head holding up the Seven Star Ball.
"I keep the one we got from the Ox King with me. Just in case something happens."
Mark's eyes nearly bug out his head upon hearing the name.
"O-Ox King...?! You guys met with the King of Fire Mountain and lived!? He's a brutal legend in the world of martial arts, and the second of only two men to learn under Muten Roshi, t-the strongest man on Earth!"
Both simply nod with Bikini gesturing to Goku.
"We know. Goku's grandfather was Son Gohan."
"We met Master Roshi too! He blew up a mountain! It was so cool when he showed this off!"
Goku hops out of his chair and aims ahead at the vacant street as he enters the stance for the Kamehameha.
"Kamehameha!"
Goku fires a more powerful beam than he had summoned before, pushing his arms and shoulders back from the force, but in his excitement he hadn't noticed the oncoming car with rabbit ears on the roof. The Kamehameha sends the car off-road and spinning out of control into a wall. Goku looks at the scene tilting his head.
"Where'd that rabbit come from?"
Mark and Bikini look on horrified. Mark especially caught in a whirlwind of emotions.
"T-T-That was-! That's-! The Kamehameha?! I thought only Muten Roshi could do something like that!"
Bikini runs over to the car using her magic to open the car up and bring out the driver. A rabbit man in a Chinese kempo stumbles out with Bikini helping him out the car.
"Ooh my head... Thank you, lady. I'll reward you for this kindness."
"Please, try not to move too much if it hurts. Look at that big bump on your head...!"
He puts a hand over the large bruise before adjusting his cracked shades with a scoff.
"Oh that? No, that was earlier this morning. Some crazy lunatic attacked me-"
Rabbit looks up with eyes bugging out behind his shades as he sees Mark just across the street. He points at him shouting loudly.
"That lunatic right there! G-Get me away from him, he'll try to kill me!"
"Get back from that freak, he's the guy I told you about!"
Bikini looks between the two caught in conflict. Goku however, takes out his Power Pole and extends it to swing down on the Rabbit's head.
"O-Ow! What the hell!?"
"You're the evil rabbit that's been terrorizing the town, right?"
Rabbit begins to sweat nervously before sighing in disgruntled anger... Then, chuckling, as Bikini turns into a carrot without warning. Mark and Goku both reel back in sheer shock as the Rabbit laughs.
"S-Should've known you'd have annoying back up...! First you hospitalized my men and now you destroy my car! I'll get you for this, Hercule!"
Goku looks to Mark confused as he points his staff at the Rabbit.
"... Oh! So you're the evil guy causing trouble? You're pretty weak... Turn Bikini back to normal or else I'll turn you into rabbit soup!"
Mark thumbs to himself with a boisterous shout.
"And I'll help boil you alive if you don't comply!"
Rabbit begins to sweat profusely with his back against the wall. Mark did a real number on his men, but he still had the advantage, as long as he had a hostage.
"You two can't do anything to me right now. I'll just snap this carrot in half if you even take one step closer! What'll happen to the poor girl after that? Even if you kill me she'll stay a carrot forever!"
Mark, and even Goku, both grit their teeth in begrudging silence. Mark has some tricks up his sleeve but he can't risk Bikini's life. Goku has never had to deal with such a cowardly and conniving figure before. Both completely out of options are forced to lower their stances as the Rabbit laughs in victory.
That is until Goku extends the Power Pole into the Rabbit's face.
"Ugh-! You little! ...? I warned you-! Aghk?!"
He opens his mouth to bite down on the carrot, but gags as the red wood of the Power Pole is forced into the back of his throat instead. From shock, surprise and disgust, the Rabbit drops the carrot as he falls to his knees. Goku repeatedly swings his staff beating the sly conman.
"As long as I don't touch you, then I can beat you, and I won't stop beating you until you return her back to normal!"
"Ow! Ah! S-Stop! I-I'll-! Ow! Agh! Okay! I'll do it!"
Goku ceases his beating yet keeps the Power Pole raised as the Rabbit stands weakly before doing a strange dance. In a puff, Bikini returns to normal, blinking in surprise before she quickly hops to her feet in a gasp.
"Ah! I-I was! Helping someone before I couldn't see or hear anything! What a terrible feeling..."
Goku raises his staff ready for any more tricks the Rabbit may have had left, but the furry gangsters passes out from exhaustion and stress, prompting Goku to tilt his head in surprise.
"This guy was way weaker than Oolong, and even more annoying. We're not taking him with us, are we?"
Bikini shakes her head as she and Goku start to walk away.
"No way. I was going to scold you about firing beams recklessly, but it turned out for the better. Let's go find Bulma and Oolong."
Mark, left alone with the unconscious criminal, uses his belt to restrain the Rabbit and brings him into the town center for all to see. For the first time in his life he's celebrated as a hero...
Oolong grumbles as he drives the party down a desolate road surrounded by giant mushrooms. Some the size houses, others even as tall as skyscrapers!
"We coulda bought a whole new car instead of using my mobile home..."
Bulma adjusts her clothes with a disgruntled huff.
"Because we're low on funds and you had this on you the entire time! When are you going to stop being so selfish?"
Oolong shouts from the drivers seat indignantly.
"YOU'RE MORE SELFISH THAN ME!"
Goku gulps a large mound of food down before speaking up. Something he learned from Bikini to do as she'd scold him each time he spoke with his mouth full.
"You're both pretty selfish, really."
Oolong growls looking ahead before a new sight distracts him from his constant suffering.
"Hey... Is there someone in the road? What're they thinking!? They'll get ran over by some nut job!"
"What's a nut job?"
"Shut up, Goku!"
Ahead stands a muscular giant of a man with a broad frame and stoic cold face. Piercing ice blue eyes that contrast the deep scarlet mohawk. He looks off to the side, atop one of the giant mushrooms is a woman in a military coat and rocket launcher in hand, and a dog in a ninja gi. She waits until the giant nods for her fire the rocket! It hits the side of the van sending the party right off the road!
Oolong lays in the driver's seat out cold with Bulma laid out on the window due to the vehicle now being set on its side. Bikini comes to in time to see Goku look around confused.
"What just happened? Did Oolong crash into that person? Does that make him a nut job?"
"Goku, w-why don't you go look outside? I think we're being attacked..."
Goku raises his Power Pole in the air triumphantly.
"On it! I'll beat them up!"
Goku leaps out of the windshield and heads out for the road, but is stopped short by the quiet giant. The two stare each other down until Goku readies his staff.
"Did you attack us?"
The man nods.
"Yes. I am Gebo. I will be taking your life now."
"I don't plan on giving it to you! Power Pole, extend!"
The red staff shoots out like a bullet for Gebo. He surprises Goku by not just catching it with his palm, but doing so with no effort, not even leaning back as Goku pushes with all his might. However, unable to move the red-head, the Power Pole extends backwards! Pushing Goku away and into a boulder! It crumbles and crashes on top of him upon impact.
Goku pulls himself out of the rubble looking up to see Gebo holding the Power Pole out.
"Extend."
The staff does as its new master commands and fires off once more to attack Goku! Goku narrowly dodges out of the way, leaping forward in a single bound, a fist ready to send this thief flying.
"Take this!"
The fist is parried by Gebo as he swings his off-hand to the punch, leaving Goku open for another swing, this time he's sent hurtling down to the ground so hard that he bounces off the ground. Gebo takes this chance to kick the boy back to the wrecked van. He tosses the Power Pole away and folds his arms.
"Please stop. It will hurt less for us both if you let this happen."
Goku stands to his feet grunting before running for Gebo with his fists up once more.
"Like I'll let myself be killed! Rock!"
Goku punches with all his might, which is met with Gebo's own punch. The giant raises his brows feeling a sharp pain run through his fists, but as far as Goku is aware his attack failed, this man is way too tough... But he has to keep trying!
"Scissors!"
With Gebo so close now, Goku tries to poke his eyes with two fingers with his own off-hand, yet Gebo catches them between his own fingers and grabs Goku's previous offending fist.
"No more."
Gebo goes to headbutt Goku, which the young boy retaliates with his own, the two bashing their skulls against each other repeatedly to the point that blood is drawn from the both. Eventually, Goku lifts his leg to kick Gebo in the chin and free himself, a delirious smile on his face as he watches the adult stumble back just as disoriented as himself.
"... You hit harder than anyone I've ever faced... But no one has a harder head tham me!"
Gebo frowns, not an angry scowl nor an annoyed glare, but a saddened face.
"So it would seem, Saiyan."
"Huh...? Saiyan? That's not my name!"
"Your name is Goku. I will be sure to write that above your epitaph."
"I-I don't know what that is either but...!"
Goku grits his teeth unable to say more without getting angrier, but his Grandpa's words of wisdom and lessons slowly return to him, if one means of attack doesn't work then try another.
"You won't win this! Get ready to lose!"
He edges towards Gebo with careful steps... The slightest twitch, the most subtle of breathing, Goku looks for any and all tells he can for the next attack.
Gebo simply waits until Goku is close enough before entering his own stance, his right hand blurs in the eyes of Goku, who is grazed on his cheek after tilting his head in the nick of time to avoid a jab to the nose. A few more close calls as Gebo continues to send relentless jabs for the smaller fighter until Gebo's head tilts up from an uppercut.
"Guh!"
Goku snickers until he is winded from a swift kick to the gut. Gebo shot his foot out shortly after falling back from the punch, and sent Goku once more flying away. He now lands into the van leaving a Goku-shaped dent into the wreckage. Goku gets up as well, but even slower with harsh breathing, cheeks swollen and a bump growing over his eye. His gi ruined and his arms feel like lead.
Even blocking in their previous exchange hurt badly for the young fighter, and he truly was giving it his all, but nothing was working.
That's when it hit him. One last technique up his sleeve. He cups his hands together and forces himself to gather what little reserve energy he had left.
"K-Ka... Me... Ha... Me...!"
Gebo glares ahead unsure of what Goku could be plotting... Until an old memory surfaces. That night that led him to right here. A power of legend he had never seen before nor after until now.
"When did you learn to-?!"
"HA!"
Goku unleashes the powerful beam ahead right for Gebo. Gebo can barely react in time, unable to move to dodge, he brings his arms up blocking the attack as it sends him hurtling to the base of one the larger mushrooms in the area. A house sized fungus collapses falling to the side and brings up a thick dust cloud. When it dies down, Gebo stands with the sleeves of his uniform burnt away with severe burns on his arms.
"L-Lieutenant Gebo! You're alive after that!? I mean thank goodness, but how!? Th-That was similar power to my missile!"
Gebo looks to the side as his associates, the woman and the dog, approach in their car. He looks ahead to see Goku, beaten and utterly exhausted, passed out from exerting all his energy into a last ditch effort. He can tell the others have either passed out or perhaps even died from the initial crash alone. He sighs shaking his head.
"Mai. Shu. Take any survivors to Emperor Pilaf's Castle. Take the Dragon Balls they have collected to as well. I shall report back to the Red Ribbon Army."
The ninja dog, Shu, holds up a bag proudly.
"Already done, sir! Er, halfway! Shouldn't you take the Dragon Balls?"
Gebo raises his hands to show the burns much to the squeamish displeasure of the duo.
"I am unable to be trusted with such valuables in this condition. I must receive treatment soon. However, I must be certain of one thing. Mai, hand me your pistol."
The woman blinks at the request before obeying.
"H-Here sir! What would *you* need a gun to be sure of?"
Gebo, with gun in hand, marches over to Goku's body and turns the body from face down to face up with a gentle kick.
"The safety of this entire world."
He takes aim and fires right for Goku's heart. He returns the pistol to Mai with a solemn tone.
"It is cruel world we live in that to achieve our goal, people must die, even if they are monsters."
He turns to walk away, but stops facing the duo.
"Ah yes. One of the girls has strange powers as well. The information on which is vague, so I leave that discretion to you. Take care."
Gebo now leaving Mai and Shu to take the others, the two look at each other confused when they happen upon Bikini and Bulma, unaware of the younger sister's horn as a hat had fallen over it in the crash. After a game of Eeny Meeny Miney Mo, they leave with their hostages except, unaware that Goku continued to breathe even if weakly...
Hours would pass and Goku would wake up to a deep orange sky, and someone calling out to him...
"H-Hey! Monkey Boy! D-Don't go dying on me yet! C'mon kid, wake up!"
Mark helps Goku up by his torn gi pale as a ghost. Goku weakly opens an eye looking to Mark.
"W-Where's...? Bulma? B-Bikini? Oolong?"
"We'll worry about that later! Y-You got beaten to crap and even shot! Good thing that ball saved you by stopping the bullet!"
"Huh?"
Goku looks down at Mark's hand holding the Four-Star Dragon Ball.
"Grandpa's treasure saved me...? He's.. He really is still with me...! I can't give up now...!"
Goku stands on his own forcing himself through the pain and glares towards the wrecked van. He rummages through it while Mark voices his confusion.
"Hey-! Hey! Don't move around all suddenly! Your head is busted and you can't even see out your left eye!"
"Then I'll cut the bump and get the blood out!"
"H-Huh...!?"
"I don't have time to wait for it to go away. That's what Grandpa taught me to do if I need both eyes in a hurry! I need to save my friends!"
Mark is stunned. He saw how strong this kid is, even clever, yet to be beaten so bad and continue on... It was utter insanity. Foolishness. However, it is also admirable, and Mark couldn't find it in himself to abandon Goku.
"Alright, Monkey Boy, we can use my car to get around! What're you looking for?'
Goku holds the Dragon Radar hidden under toppled pillows.
"This! That bad guy that took everyone must have the Dragon Balls, so we can use the radar to find them!"
"Not just the Dragon Balls... But our friends too!"
Goku tilts his head at Mark but smiles as he remembers.
"Oh yeah! You knew Bikini too! Let's get going!"
Bikini wakes up rubbing her eyes groaning.
"Why is the bed so hard...? Ah! Wait a second!"
She jumps to her feet looking around at the stone walls the surround her. Oolong sits in the corner waving at her.
"Yo. We got kidnapped."
Bikini gasps and starts searching the room.
"T-There must be a way out! Help me find it!"
Oolong points above at a vent.
"We got air but, that's about it. Haven't you noticed anything else though? Your sister isn't here with us!"
Bikini stops dead in her tracks before she grows pale.
"N-Neither is Goku...! Did they get away? They might be out getting help!"
Oolong shrugs and lays on his back.
"Then all we gotta do is wait! That Goku, he's hard harded, but he's also real strong and dependable. I bet there's no one on the planet that could stop him!"
"As much as I'd like to believe you, we wouldn't be here unless Goku... I hope he's okay wherever he is."
She then turns to a wall as her horn begins to glow brightly from under the hat.
"I'll try and get us out of here, Oolong. Keep an eye out for anything weird!"
Oolong jumps to his feet eager as he watches Bikini slowly drill a hole through the stone with her magic.
"I can't believe I'm saying this but Thank God for your freaky magic powers!"
In another room, Bulma wakes up herself behind a glass wall.
"Wh-Where am I?"
"Had a good nap, girl? I am Emperor Pilaf, the ruler of this castle and soon-to-be King of the World! I heard about the Dragon Balls and see you've collected six out of seven... Would you happen to know where the last one is? If yo I refuse, I'll have no choice but to force you to cower, to quake beneath my towering power!"
Bikini jumps at the voice as Mai and Shu walk out in front of the other side of the wall, with their leader in front, a tiny man with pointy ears and blue skin. Bulma looks at him and points.
"But I'm twice your size..."
The midget leans back with a clenched jaw before raising his voice.
"SHUT UP! You will address me as Emperor Pilaf! You'll also be a guest at my castle for some time now."
Bulma looks around now able to see most of the room.
"There sure are a lot of consoles and screens... This is more like a laboratory than a castle!"
Pilaf laughs haughtily gesturing to a screen with Oolong and Bulma on it.
"There are many rooms all with a specified purpose and theme! Take for instance this dungeon your friends are in! With one button I could crush them with the walls closing in! And that glass cell should stop you from using your odd powers!"
Bulma tenses up and throws herself to the glass in a vain attempt to stop the blue devil.
"What!? You can't-! Please, don't hurt them!"
Pilaf snickers until he sees Bulma panic turn to a smug sneer.
"That's what you'd like me to say, right pint-size? As if! Look at the screen yourself!"
Pilaf grows red with embarrassment.
"P-Pint-Size...?! Why you...! Who do you think you are!? Nyeeh!~"
Pilaf sticks his tongue out at her, to wich she responds in kind with her own.
"Jokes on you, you blue dimwit! I'm not the one with powers!"
Pilaf steps back in surprise before looking back to the screen. Bikini can be seen creating a hole in the wall with her horn. Pilaf snaps at his henchmen with his face turning red.
"H-How could you dolts make a mistake like this!? This is unacceptable!"
Mai and Shu lower their heads fearfully.
"W-We're sorry, my lord!"
"She had a hat on a-and everything! We didn't see a horn so we just... Guessed?"
Pilaf groans rolling his eyes before looking to another screen in annoyance.
"Oh now who are these two clowns?!"
Bulma gasps in delightful surprise before snickering smugly. Goku and Mark pull up in front of the castle looking determined.
"That's my bodyguard, Son Goku! You'd be wise to let me and my sister go! And the pig too!"
Pilaf scowls pointing to Goku.
"I heard that our Red Ribbon partner killed him but he's still here...?"
Mai's face becomes snow white upon seeing the boy still alive.
"Lieutenant Gebo shot him...! I saw it myself! He even beat the kid half to death!"
Shu nods repeatedly as his tail tucks between his legs.
"B-Boss that kid may have lost to Mr. Gebo but he's no joke! H-He has crazy powers too!"
Pilaf grins and waddles over to a stool.
"Then it is a good thing that an Emperor like myself has an army for this sort of thing. Thirty men should be more than enough!"
He then stands there for a prolonged moment before coughing loudly. Mai and Shu look at each other, then to Bulma, who only shrugs in confusion. Pilaf then turns around shouting loudly.
"I CAN'T REACH THE MICROPHONE YOU DOLTS, HELP ME UP!"
The henchmen quickly hustle to their emperor's side and hoist him atop the stool. Bulma looks at the screens with worry. She's never seen Goku in such a state, and Bikini looks to have made little progress.
"C'mon you two..."
Goku hops off the Nimbus as Mark gets out of his car staring at the floating cloud in disbelief.
"Geez, to think stuff like that is real...! And get a gander at this castle!"
Goku and Mark eye the large structure before them. The boy holds up the Dragon Radar and nods before pocketing it.
"They're here. If my friends aren't here, then at least the Dragon Balls will be, and I can use them wish for everyone to be safe with them."
Mark rolls his head and arms nodding.
"So either way it's a win! That doesn't sound too bad! Look, they're even opening the door for us!"
A large platoon of masked men run out into the front yard, immediately surrounding the two, and making Mark sweat with fear.
"A-Although I guess we aren't exactly welcomed here, huh...?"
Goku enters his fighting stance looking past the group.
"It doesn't matter how many there are! Never again... I won't lose ever again, not until I find my friends, they're counting on me!"
Mark looks to Goku in sheer shock... And admiration. Unable to stomach the idea of being shown up by a mere child, Mark enters his own stance.
"Then let's get busy! You hear that you punks?! Here we come!"