Chapter Two

"So, what's the deal with the tail?" Bulma blurted after a minute of silence, finally breaking the ice between herself and her new traveling partner. Sure, Raditz gave off an intimidating presence with his big muscles and soft black hair, but she was Bulma Brief and she was not going to be forced into not talking by anybody! She loved to talk. "You were raised by chimps or something? I never knew that Mount Paozu had its own Jungle Boy," She added, making sure to teasingly flare up the insult.

A smirk replaced the mug on Raditz's mouth as he registered that Bulma was only slightly playing with him. She was smart, it didn't take a genius to register that. She was also delicate but spoke like she could take on a Saiyan like himself… Raditz liked that, it was completely different from what he thought Earthling women would be like. She deserved to know some of the truth though, just as she would have to grow to trust him, he would have to do the same if this would work out best.

"It's part of my heritage," Raditz responded. "Gohan told me that you Earthlings were still early into your intergalactic travels development but I was sent here 12 years ago. Every Saiyan, my planet's Humans, are born with tails and they grow just like the hairs on our heads."

"There's no such thing as aliens Raditz," Bulma retorted, her scientific mind not going for that. Capsule Corp had already begun sending out prototype drones to nearby planets like Venus and Mars and no signs of life had returned in the CTE scans. "You from Neptune or Saturn?"

Raditz growled in annoyance. What business did he have lying about something as simplistic as aliens? Aliens were definitely real… shit, Humans were the dumbest and strangest ones of them all.

"Saturn is a wasteland planet used for its black hole center for waste distribution for thousands of eons before it began pulling in nearby asteroids," Raditz blatantly exclaimed. "I come from a Class-Four planet called Vegeta. We are a group of warriors that get stronger each time we fight… What about you? What's the deal with this blue hair?"

Just as the Saiyan had growled in annoyance, Bulma let off one of her own as her blue eyes flared towards Raditz. Growling she rebutted, "What the hell you say it like that for? I don't know how many blue-haired women you know but I am the only one that didn't have to dye it! Thank my father E.T… Bulma Brief is the sexiest bluehead you'll ever meet," Pursing her lips afterwards, she added a hmph as she continued driving.

In the three hours or so that she and Raditz had known one another, Bulma had only just come to find out a few things other than the shocker that he had dropped on her. Strangely though, she believed him. One, Raditz was not the one to even try to engage in small talk or any sort of meaningless ass conversations that didn't have a point. Not that he was disrespectful, he spoke to her both with respect and diligence that many guys her age took years to grow into. Two… he was almost completely detached from the world, almost broadcasting just how much of an alien he was. He had told her that his entire family had been slaughtered years back and then his grandfather, his last living relative, had died recently. She could feel for him and although it would take time, she would show that she was there for him if he ever needed it.

The pair continued driving down the road for a few hours following their interaction. Bulma kept her eyes peeled on the road, occasionally looking over with gleeful eyes to see her Saiyan accomplice slouched across her passenger seat in a slumber. Then, feeling her stomach bark at her, Bulma pulled over to the side of the road. As she got out the car quietly, catering to Raditz, the Saiyan's eyes shot open as his sensitive ears sensed movement.

"Woman," Raditz spat as he awoke, visibly irritated. "Why did you stop the vehicle? Isn't this treasure hunt of yours time-sensitive?"

Bulma felt the smile leave her face as the Saiyan spoke, irritation and need to relieve herself. That was number four on her list -Raditz was a fucking asshole, even when he showed that he could simply… not be.

"Look here you monkey boy!" Bulma began, snapping at the Saiyan. "I don't care if you came from Jupiter or the vegetable aisle, you see my name on this shirt that I spent 110 zeni on! It's Bulma… B-U-L-M-A… Bulma! Now if you would excuse me, I am going to relieve myself and get two minutes without a stanky attitude and the smell of dew and creek water and when I get back… YOU WILL BEGIN TO BEHAVE LIKE THE GENTLEMAN that your Grandpa Gohan raised you to be," She finished, slamming the door with so much aggression that had it broken off, Raditz wouldn't have even been surprised.

Raditz didn't care to give the girl's sudden temper much attention, it kinda turned him on but he didn't pay that much mind either.

"Fine with me," Raditz grumbled, moreso to himself than to Bulma. "If you have to piss, go piss. I don't think that I could care less if I tried," He added, sneaking a look at the curvy body of the woman as she stumbled off and the turquoise colored hair that draped down her back.

Somehow, as fate would have it, on the same day that Raditz had met Bulma and the two later began their quest for the seven Dragon Balls, another warrior's story was coming to fruition.

Thousands of miles away, in another section of wilderness, Krillin of the Orin Temple had found himself awakening before dawn that morning. He had awakened before everyone else in the room, it wasn't a coincidence. Checking the time on the alarm clock resting on his stand, the bald boy read, 3:58 AM.

'Great, it won't be another hour or so before the others are up,' He thought to himself, packing his satchel. 'The last thing I need is them badgering me about not being good enough for the legendary Turtle Master… I'll be long gone before they can even think to wonder where I've headed.'

The young monk had himself quite the journey ahead of himself. He had been given intel on where the Turtle Master now dwelled in solitude and it would be both a hard venture and a tough sea he'd have to cross to find the isolated island. He didn't need to carry a lot of extra weight, so he had packed enough supplies to cater to his needs but little enough to not weigh him down: several neatly folded pairs of clothing, a canteen, three bananas with a few dark brown spots, five ripe mangos, and a few indecent magazines to convince the hermit if it came to that.

"Master Kenja," Krillin said as he turned to leave, coming face to face with another figure, this one burlier than he. Bowing at the new arrival, Krillin allowed the Grand Master of the Orin Temple to speak without interruption. "I leave for the legendary Turtle Hermit's island now… I pray I will see you again at the upcoming 21st World Martial Arts Tournament,"

The giant before little Krillin spoke with a voice much fairer than his bulky stature would let off. He cared for each of the boys as if they were his own son and he could see how Krillin yearned for me. The boy had been at the temple since being dropped off there shortly after his birth. Maybe a change of scenery was what he needed to take the next step is his training as a warrior and a monk.

"Young one, may Kami grant you peace and success in this journey of yours," The man started, hugging Krillin as he escorted him out. "The Turtle Hermit has trained many great warriors. Practice patience and you will reach limits you previously thought unreachable… best of luck, Krillin,"

Krillin's eyes watered as he bid his mentor farewell. He had been doubted, teased and called the most vile of names in the past. He had trained for every year of his life and still been met with failure, but that wasn't the end of his tale. Krillin knew for a fact that he had better coming for him, and he had the moxie to prove each of his doubters were just as wrong as they had been about him being able to make it as far as he had already. The World Martial Arts Tournament was his biggest shot at that and as long as he had something to say about it… he wasn't going to walk away with nothing less than the title as the best fighter under the heavens.

"R-Raditz," Bulma's voice screamed from behind some rocks. However, Raditz had been sleeping so this first time merely half awoke the Saiyan from his slumber. Brushing the woman off as nothing, the voice shrieked out once again a couple seconds later, this time almost screeching. "R-Raditz! Raditz! Help me!" She screamed again, snapping the boy awake.

"What is it?" The Saiyan grumbled, and as he did, Raditz wandered into the woods behind where Bulma had gone to relieve herself. Awaiting him however was greeted to the site of a massive pterodactyl restraining the bluenette in the grasp of its claws. Hoisting the woman tight in its grip, Raditz's teeth clenched as he dropped into a battle stance upon realization that he was being taken as a joke to this overgrown salamander.

"Hey ugly," The Saiyan loudly spat out so that he could be heard, standing fearlessly in front of the dinosaur. He had had his run-ins with dinosaurs as a whole, Mount Paozu were littered with them nowadays, but never had he seen such an obese one. "I know you want to lay off the carbs and all but you better let go of Bulma," Raditz continued, his cold eyes meeting the pterodactyl's golden ones. "Either you go try a salad or I make a few pairs of boots out of you."

"Funny guy, I don't think you understand how this is going to go," Raditz's foe laughed, his voice as deep as his stomach wide. "Blue here is gonna make a good dinner date… and if she doesn't cooperate, then she'll just be dinner. Maybe some pipsqueak would work my appetite back up too,"

Snickering, he tried to reach for Raditz. With malicious intent, the Saiyan shot forward with unforeseeable speed. Launching his fist into the scaly stomach of his foe, Raditz felt skin rip apart as he drug his fist clean through layers of fat. Following up, the Saiyan flipped forward, striking the foe with a kick more than capable enough of breaking apart bones and loosening the grip he had on Bulma. The smile never seemed to leave Raditz's face as his body moved perfectly calculated and before either Bulma or her assailant could even begin to fathom the details.

Grimacing in pain, the pterodactyl spat out a loogie of emerald colored blood. Its entire body hurt, this skinny humanoid had a helluva combination in him, that was true. Without warning he snapped forward, lashing out at Raditz with a beak full of razor sharp canines. The Saiyan pounced backwards, feeling as his arm was nipped by his foe. Scowling at the sight of blood on his mangled wrist, the Saiyan lost his footing as the large lizard launched into the air with Bulma back in its grasp. An obnoxious sneer crossed the pteranodon's face as it added distance between Raditz and itself (and its dinner).

"Good thing for natural selection," It beckoned, bringing Bulma to its face as it continued to fly away, thinking Raditz had been outsmarted and dealt with. Licking its lips at the bluenette, the lizard let out a victory roar before continuing, "Now that the porcupine boy's done for, what were those dinner plans again darli-?"

The pteranodon had not been able to finish its statement before its body went numb. Bulma had not been able to see what had happened in between Raditz being shaken off balance and now, but the sound of flesh ripping apart tore through the skies as a weak cry poured out of his captor's beaked mouth. Delivered by a very irritated Saiyan teen, a mighty uppercut to the windpipe had been more than enough to finish the job he had started. With the single blow, Bulma felt the hunk of flesh grow limp and lose altitude, her with it. Her mouth opened in fright, another of her signature screams ringing through the skies.

Noticing how she seemed to be falling for just a few seconds too long, Bulma opened her eyes, against her own judgment. She noticed she wasn't falling anymore… the clouds around her were moving but she was still. Feeling something snug around her chest she felt around, feeling sheets of what felt like metal. It was this moment she realized that these had been Raditz's arms and that she had caught her… midair. First he had caught bullets and disappeared like a ghost… of course he could fly too. Still… that didn't make this whole thing any less of a spectacle.

"How?" She began, questioning her savior as soon as they touched down back on the dirt road, something she was all too thankful for. Was it some kind of trick? If it was, could she learn it? "N-Nobody can do that… fighter or not, flying isn't possible! Not even my favorite action movie star, Pamput, can!"

"Believe it or not, flight is one of the simplest tricks in the universe," Raditz responded as his boots touched the ground too. Unflaring his aura the Saiyan started again. "It's common for many Class-One planet inhabitants to be unaware of it though I've seen a few Kynians learn how to after some training,"

"English?" Bulma said, confusion written over her face.

"Long story short, you can learn," Raditz shot back, looking back to see just how quickly her blue eyes widened in excitement.

"I-I can learn?" She said, almost laughing as she said it. She could learn to fly? Coolest vacation ever.

Following their encounter with the pteranodon, the pair of adventurers had decided to settle for the night. Being a Saiyan, and one that hadn't eaten much all day, Raditz had elected to cook the creature over a flame he had created. This had come to Bulma's disgust, who swore up and down that doing such could result in a stomachache and maybe even poisoning. She had tried chicken, lamb, hell, even alligator at one point but "pteranodon'' with a side of "trying to kill you" that was where she drew her line in this conversation. Raditz offered once again, only to be yelled at by his Earthling companion. The Saiyan was hardly phased though, all this meant was that there was much more meat to go around for him and this pleased him as a Saiyan.

After dinner the two had finally settled for the night. Bulma had introduced Raditz to some more modern technology, stunning the lad when she'd used her Dynocaps to make an entire RV home appear. Raditz was then introduced to the luxuries of television, indoor showering, and a refrigerator -the last of which was definitely his favorite by far. Then, after a light training session Raditz had laid in the comfiest bed he could remember and fallen asleep, Bulma following suit -almost falling asleep in the Saiyan's arms after a scary movie that Raditz considered "almost enough to consider a horror movie".

The sun arose the next morning as our two adventurers enjoyed a good night's sleep. Bulma found herself getting out of bed slightly after eight o'clock. Stretching, she looked out of the window to find Raditz was already up and active, lashing out at an imaginary opponent with relentless kicks and punches in the clearing. 'Sheesh, that guy's something else,' She thought to herself as she entered the bathroom and ran the faucet on warm.

Outside, Raditz continued his morning workout, flipping backwards to avoid what he imagined to be a leg sweep. He wore a thin black spandex jumpsuit and his moves weren't limited, the Saiyan pouncing to and from with relative ease. These were the same moves he and Gohan had worked on for years, a mixture of his father's Oozaru fighting style and Gohan's refined turtle style, so they came as second nature to the young male. This continued for another twenty minutes before the boy came to a halt, choosing to instead work on something that he actually needed to train.

Gohan had shown him basic ki manipulation years ago, so Raditz knew how to harness it slightly to fly and launch small ki blasts. Ki was a concept that was easy to grasp though and much harder to master, so Raditz was still working on harnessing large concentrations of energy into powerful attacks like the powerful Kamehameha Wave he had seen his grandfather use. Over the years he'd spent in isolation though, Raditz had been working on his very own signature energy attack, a move he titled the 'Saturday Crush'. It took a large surplus of ki buildup though, so the move wasn't exactly one that he could pull out when he wanted.

Knowing that improving his spiritual control over his ki would prove nothing but beneficial towards molding him into a more superb fighter, Raditz sat on the ground and began to meditate. Inhaling and then slowly exhaling, the Saiyan cupped his hands in front of him. In a matter of seconds, a small ball of white colored ki began to manifest in his palms. Bringing his energy out, he thrust his arms forward. This flung the ball of charged ki towards a nearby oak sapling. In a blast of flames, the seedling was blown out of the ground and into nothingness. As sweat poured down his face, Raditz felt a smirk tug at his mouth. This was good, he was improving.

"That's a pretty nice trick you have there, young man," A calm voice bellowed from behind, distracting the young Saiyan's focus. As his concentration was cut off, the ball of energy in his hands faded to nothing. "I've seen my master do similar things, oh how I miss him." The voice added as Raditz turned around to see who was speaking to him, pouncing into his battle stance.

"A turtle?" Raditz grumbled, coming face-to-face with a large brown sea turtle. He didn't know that sea turtles could talk but with Bulma, it seemed like he was discovering a new phenomenon every thirty minutes. He checked his scouter, this turtle had a battle power of .001… pathetic.

Power Levels

Raditz: 71

Bulma: 3

Pterodactyl: 11

Krillin: 39

Turtle: .001