The Heart of the Adventurers

By LastationLover5000 and Demod20, edited by Firegod00

Chapter 7 - Arrival from Outer Space

Last Time On Dragon Ball The Heart of The Adventurers: Over four years have passed since young Pan was born and brought into the young couple's lives. Forever changed they forced themselves to adapt in order to be the best parents they could to their daughter. From waking up late at night to feed her, to correcting her mistakes and disciplining her they also spent time making her laugh and enjoy life to the fullest. After enjoying a playful bout between father and daughter, the young tailed girl had surprised him with a burst of speed he hadn't expected. Arriving back at home they'd find Bulma planning a reunion of their old friends along with her distant sister, Tights. What will this return of old faces and the arrival of Bulma's sibling bring? Find out, now!

When Yamcha got the call, he knew he had to let bygones be bygones. It had been over four years since he last saw his ex and Goku, enough time for his old grudge to be let go. During that time he kept himself proactive within the sports community, earning himself a reputation as a star athlete. Even apart from that he took up training in his spare time not even making good on the offers of many pretty ladies that he would have died getting attention from. He was a new man and he aimed to prove it at this little gathering.

From the call he got, Bulma was surprisingly mellow and didn't hold an ounce of sarcasm. The fact she went out of her way to personally call him with the invitation instead of any other means lifted his spirits. They were good friends even before they dated so he was happy to revisit her and some old faces. Among that he was told was good old Kuririn, the Turtle Hermit Muten Rōshi, Oolong and Bulma's sister. Not to mention, she informed, that she had a toddler coming with.

"Man, this is going to be a little harder than I figured it'd be," The scar-faced man thought as he drove his Capsule Corp aerial sports car. Emblazoned with red and black, with the license plate reading "TAITANS" on it he drove across the oceanic horizon. As the sea unfurled beneath the sleek vehicle his eyes furrowed behind his dark shades. Even Puar, buckled next to him in the convertible, could tell he was in deep thought. "Will I freak seeing a kid that could have been mine? Will I keep my cool and just play it off? Focus, Yamcha! You're here to make amends and have a good time. This isn't the time to be worrying!"

"You alright, Yamcha?" His Changeling pal asked from his side.

Smiling, he laughed out nervously as he kept his hands on the wheel, "Me? I'm great, fantastic, wonderful, amazing! Definitely all the above and not at all nervous going to see my ex and my friend I tried to beat up in the middle of a wedding! HAHAHAHAHA!"

"...so, that's a no," Puar dryly replied.

Biting his tongue, he kept himself silent and didn't lash out. Instead he vaguely tilted his head in his direction as he picked up the island in the horizon; they'd be there in minutes, "You ever had that feeling where you're going somewhere yet you had a nightmare about it the night before and gave you an incredibly bad omen?"

"Uh...maybe?" His partner weakly inquired with a shrug of his furry shoulders.

"I'm having that in spades. I just...feel like I'm going to screw up, or that Bulma will forget she even invited me," He frowned, huffing as his mouth formed a pouting expression. "And what if Goku's mad at me?"

"Goku never stays mad at anyone," Puar reassured him with a beaming smile. "He even forgave Piccolo, so I'm sure he'll forgive you."

"...somehow, I'm not sure how that's supposed to make me feel better," He weakly slouched forward on the wheel.

"It'll be alright," He encouraged with a nod. "After all, Bulma wouldn't have invited you if she didn't want you to be there. And Goku's nice to all of his friends. I'm sure he doesn't think any less of you for what you did back then."

It was one of the reasons why Yamcha liked having Puar around. Better than the empty silence of doubting or overthinking things, someone like the changeling could easily make him see the bright light at the end of a dark tunnel. While his stomach was still full of knots, they felt less tense and a smile genuinely emerged on his face. A bit of confidence sparked in him and he gave Puar a thumb's up to him.

"Thanks buddy, I think I feel better now," He told his partner in crime and life.

As they approached the island, it looked like only the turtle presided on the beach with no vehicles to speak of. He was relieved he didn't have to barrel straight into a zone of unpredictable discomfort so the parking was done smoothly. Placing the car over to the side, not knowing if Bulma was bringing one of her vehicles he thought about all the potential hazards that'd come with it. A click of a button later with a poof of smoke, he packaged the Capsule into his pocket.

Yamcha didn't dress up too much. He had a simple short-sleeved jacket with the Taitans logo on the back, green with yellow trim and black letters on its back. With a white tank top revealed from his unbutton front he wore a simple pair of blue jeans with sports shoes. Walking alongside his floating companion, he greeted the turtle with a wave and entered the open doorway.

"Hey guys!" He greeted with a broad smile.

"Ah, Yamcha! Been awhile," Muten Rōshi, the Turtle Hermit Sage openly met him from the middle of the floor. He was in the middle of watching what looked like a wrestling competition. He couldn't tell who was who but the one with a blonde dutch cut seemed to be winning with a wicked grappel. Turning his shade adorned eyes back to the television, he began to shake his beer filled mug as the tank top, cargo shorts and sock wearing martial arts master berated the screen. "Come on! Don't lose to that pretender! No! NOOOOOO!"

"And that's it! The winner goes to the legendary John Cena!"

"Oh that's just typical," Rōshi growled as he drowned his misery with large gulps of his mug's contents.

"So," Yamcha awkwardly broke the tension as he scratched his hair covered neck, looking around. "Is anybody else he-..."

He was stopped in his tracks. The sight of something beautiful and foreign made his thoughts drag to a halt and his heart beat increase by three fold. There sitting on the far cushion of the U shaped red seated couch was a woman. Not just any woman but a very cute one at that.

She was typing on a laptop positioned over her legs, brown square lens glasses reflecting the text and images she was working on. Chestnut hair covered her head, designed in a braided plait that hung over her left shoulder; complemented by hazel eyes with a freckled soft complexion under the eyes with a fair skin tone. Her clothes were modest, that of a red over white cardigan-skirt top with the skirt being blue with dark colored stockings fastened down to her feet, not wearing the current slippers. Lithe in the right places while generously proportioned enough to make him forget about Bulma, she was cute and gorgeous in the scar faced man's eyes.

Almost as if she felt him staring at her did the young woman turn and look up with a slight smile, "Hi."

"Uhhhh, h-hi?" Yamcha asked sheepishly, feeling himself redden in the cheeks and down the neck. Scratching his chin he followed up with an equally inspiring line. "W-What's your name?"

"Kashiko," She replied with a grin. Adjusting her glasses she tilted her head to the side and inquired. "Are you here for the reunion party too?"

"Uh...yeah! Yes I am, haha!" He nervously laughed, much to Puar's embarrassment. When he calmed down he thought it better to ask. "So...do you know someone who invited you here?"

"Mhm," The brunette replied with a smiling nod.

"Uh," The raven long haired man began to gulp, stepping forward to ask hesitantly. "A-Are...are you...uh...s-single?"

"What?" The bespectacled woman asked with a forward lean, letting her glasses slide teasingly down her nose; just so her light brown eyes could stare back at his. "Are you flirting with me?"

"Uh, m-maybe?" Yamcha weakly asked. "Is that a yes to the single thing?"

Stifling a laugh, she covered her face as she pulled back and giggled into it. While Yamcha blinked owlishly, he turned just as the sound of the fridge had closed in the kitchen. Coming out with a pair of cooled cans of soda was a dwarf of a man with no nose to speak of with six dots aligned on his forehead. Wearing a white tee with a pair of gym shorts, he tromped in barefooted to slide up next to her laughing self.

When she composed herself, she accepted the can and gestured to Kuririn with tearing eyes, "I'm sorry, I just...um...Kuririn is my boyfriend."

Yamcha couldn't help but fall over with utter embarrassment and flabbergasted disbelief. Not as a disservice to his friend and comrade, he just never viewed the Orin monk as a real ladies man. The fact that he got not only a girlfriend but an attractive cute one was something beyond his understanding.

As Puar patted his back, the ex-bandit weakly propped himself on his hands and knees to look stupified at the pair, "How?! How did you two become a thing?!"

"It was more of luck, actually," Kuririn shrugged lamely, opening his can to sip it before continuing his explanation. "I was on my way to a job interview cause...well, I rather not end up like Oolong and live off of Rōshi's good will like some couch potatoe-"

"Hey! I pay rent! I can snack on all the chips as much as I want!" Oolong called out from the kitchen, making the changeling pal of Yamcha face palm.

"-but I wanted to strike out on my own, seeing that Goku went back to settle down," The shorter man continued, walking over to reach out a hand with a smile. Taking it, Yamcha was helped to his feet while nodding back at Kashiko who simply blushed and smiled back at him. "You see, we were both riding the same train and she recognized me from the Tenkaichi Budōkai. We got to talking and it just happened that she helps market for competitions like the Tournament, not to mention she's an enthusiast for martial arts in general. You can hardly make her go far from her office without bringing her laptop to keep herself busy."

"Idle hands are not productive ones, Kuririn!" She chirped proudly as she clicked a few more buttons on the laptop, returning her attention once she finished another task.

"Thing is, she actually came onto me," Kuririn whispered, making Yamcha gawk with shock. Nodding with addendum he waved his hands with summary. "Turns out, other than her coworkers, she doesn't get to see many people because of her job. She was feeling lonely so we shared a few cups of coffee while we talked. Then it became lunches, then dinners, and then you can see we're pretty inseparable now."

"Huh, wow," The taller martial artist blinked, grinning sheepishly over at Kashiko and then at Kuririn. "Y-Yeah, it probably isn't a good time for me to date anyways. Bulma and I kinda broke up a few years ago."

"Is that so? Bulma never mentioned that on the phone," The Orin monk stated with a look of surprise on his face. Scratching his chin he chuckled nervously as he replied. "Gee, sorry man. It must have been tough coping all on your own."

"I wasn't alone," Yamcha smiled, looking over and fist bumping his hovering feline compatriot. "Puar is always with me. He made it a bit more bearable."

"Mhm! We're stuck with each other no matter what!" The changeling insisted with gusto.

As the pair laughed, Kuririn heard the timer echo within the kitchen. At this moment Kashiko chose to close her laptop and head in that direction.

"The others will be here soon. I'll make sure the food is all in the oven and ready for them," She insisted with a smile over her shoulder.

"I'll help set up the tables and get the side dishes ready," Kuririn hurried as he called after his girlfriend. The pair began talking animatedly as they put distance between them and the Turtle Hermit with his former disciple. It was pretty clear to the ex-bandit that they were very much a pair meant for each other and that they both cared for one another. He envied that kind of relationship but forced himself to not dwell on himself in pity.

Instead, he looked to the Turtle Hermit and asked, "So, what have you been up to?"

For a moment, Muten Rōshi sputtered his drink and looked over with blinking eyes behind his shades. Coughing he chukled and waved his hand, "Me? I-I've been up to nothing! Just me and my tube with my booz and guilty pleasures. That's all!"

"O-kay," Yamcha tilted his head, not buying the act but not wanting to pry. Sighing he looked over at the TV and noticed it had switched from wrestling to an exercise channel. Predictably of many girls in tight clothing for the perverted elder to ogle at. Rolling his eyes he motioned to Puar as he headed outside of the house. "I'm going to get some exercise in until they arrive. I'll holler when I see them."

"Can do!" Rōshi called out as the door closed shut. With a weary exhale he walked over to sit on the couch as he watched the channel a bit more soberly than expected. A wry grin fixed on his face belying his true actions in the past few years. "It's not time...not yet, I suppose."

"Son! Are you ready? My sister will be here any minute!" Bulma called out as her lab coat swished across her frame. She had just done running some more calculations on some project she was working on at the time but just realized the time not but an hour ago. They were probably going to be late just because she knew her estranged sibling had a thing of taking her time as well. Her quick call was only left with a modified answering machine that told her she was on the way.

For her, it was just typical of Tights to act this way.

Sighing, she trudged through the corridor till it hooked around to the open kitchen. With no sight of Goku there she quizzically turned to look down the hall. There she saw the door open and the sound of a pair of voices not far away.

Pursing her lips, she exhaled through her nostrils and raised her voice once again, "SON GOKU!"

"AH! Sorry!" He replied from the door, sticking his head out from his daughter's bedroom with a nervous smile. "We're almost ready."

"You're just changing into clothes," Bulma huffed, her lips pouting while her foot tapped in sync with crossed arms. "It's not like I'm asking you to read the encyclopedia."

"Almost...err..no...wait," He briefly paused, more ruffles heard in the background. "It's the other way and...let's see, to make this...AH! Got it! We're good now!"

As soon as he said this, a pair of figures came out that made her almost do a doubletake. There she saw her beloved husband in his old Turtle Hermit gi of blue outlining orange, the latter being the banner of his school. Blue wrist bands with similarly colored cloth boots and a sash with the sign of his school on the upper left of the kosode.

Beside him was their adorable daughter, her slightly disheveled hair on edge as she grinned brightly at wearing something of her father's. A black pair of cloth sandals with a identically colored sash tied around the similarly colored gi deprived of the blue addendum in Goku's apparel. She made up for it by a furred tail swinging behind her happily which her father lacked; as well as a rope slung over her chest, holding a unique item over her shoulders. The red magical staff, the Nyoi-Bo, an old treasure of his adopted grandfather's was worn with its red carrying holster holding it in place on her back; something that truly showed his adoration for his daughter that moved the lavender haired woman.

"Oh...you two are such a pair," Bulma exclaimed with a teary smile, wiping her eyes as she sniffled slightly. Looking down at the purple haired, onyx eyed daughter of hers she ruffled her head which earned her a giggle. "You look like me if I was your father. That gi fits you alright?"

"Uh-huh! It was a little hard but papa got it on for me," Pan nodded with a toothy smile.

"Sorry it took so long," Goku apologized with a scratch to his angled scalp. "I've only ever changed her diapers when she was a baby, so helping her get dressed was a little-"

"No apology needed," She insisted with a wave of her hand, dismissing the issue as she crossed her arms over her blue topped chest. With only beige shorts to match with a pair of tennis shoes, she didn't think a visit to Kame House required anything fancy. She didn't even think to add any make-up, not that Goku ever seemed to mind, just as a sign for how little she cared. She knew that her sister put much thought into it either, despite how much time she uses to procrastinate.

A sigh was let loose as she looked out the window with a frown.

"Uh, is everything okay?" Her husband asked with a owlish set of blinks.

"Yeah, it's just my sister, Tights," Bulma explained as she turned back to look at him with a frustrated stare that made him grimace. "I mean, she knew it was today, and we planned for it but she ALWAYS has to come super late. Ugh! It's not enough that I had to spend early morning packing some snacks in a capsule, making sure there'd be enough between you two alone and our expected company. But no, I had to manage dad's employees and play boss while working on a project of mine on the side for the whole morning. I wouldn't have been so stressed had he not picked today to be at the opening of his lunar gravity satellite's launch, and leave it to mom to go with so she couldn't help out in the kitch-"

"Bulma," Goku cut her off, his hands reaching out to grab her shoulders as he simply smiled with an optimistic pair of eyes staring into her worrying ones. "It's fine. I'm sure Roshi won't mind us being a little late. We're just meeting with some old friends. It's not like we're going to a party or anything, it's just us and them. No need to get crazy over it."

"Y-You're right," She replied with a nod, letting out a breath of relaxation as her tension left her slumping shoulders. Reaching out she pulled her husband into a hug that he was only too happy to return. Nuzzling into his neck she whispered with a smile. "Thanks, I needed that."

"Of course, Bulma," He chirped, pulling back to give her a chaste kiss. "Anything for you."

"Ew!" Pan gagged as she made a yucky face. "Kissies, bleugh!"

"Haha, that's our girl," Goku laughed along with his wife.

At that moment, the door ringer finally buzzed. While she was happy that she had calmed down, she couldn't help but turn to scowl at the front entrance of their home. Before she left, Goku gave her a look of pleading to not curb stomp her sibling...or something along those lines.

"I'll think about it," She muttered as she stomped towards the door. The bell repeated numerous times immediately marking her with a pulsing vein of anger. When she arrived the door opened swiftly as her angry face barged out. The woman beyond shrank back as she barked out a loud. "YOU'RE LATE!"

"I-I'm sorry," The blonde sister clapped her hands together as she bowed her head. "I really, REALLY tried to get here as soon as I can. I had to take a cab just to get here. It's such a long story that started with a mime bumping into me-"

"No need to finish," Bulma groaned as she pulled back and let her sibling come in. "Dad and mom are away during this site construction being put on display. We're just gonna meet everyone on our own."

"Sounds like dad to pick a bad time to choose work over family," Tights gestured with her hand as she entered the home she had been away from far longer than her sister had in the past. Taking time to soak in the familiarity as she walked allowed both Pan and Goku to get a good look at her.

Like Bulma, she had her hair trimmed short but looked a bit more frazzled than her distant sister. Golden locks complemented dark eyes with a slightly more tanned complexion, a byproduct of her being an extrovert far more due to her occupation swinging back and forth. Though not as generously proportioned as her sibling she possessed a lithe figure, her choice in clothing being that of a pair of blue jean overalls over a black tee with a pair of boots adorned to her feet. A dark brown strap wrapped around her with a satchel over her shoulder, containing the contents of her current profession.

"Hello there," Goku introduced him as Tights did a once-over at the taller man with bedroom hair. "My name's Son Goku. I'm married to your sister, Bulma."

"I know, I heard about that," She acknowledged with a slow nod, her mouth agape. When she broke out her reverie, she whispered not too quietly as she nudged her sibling. "You didn't tell me he was a hottie!"

"Your expression was priceless," Bulma commented with a raspberry wink.

"Still mischievous as usual," Tights pinched her lips together. When she felt a tug on her leg she turned to look down at the lavender haired girl below her.

"Hiya, Auntie," Pan introduced herself with a formal bow with hands clasped together, still beaming with a bright smile. "My name's Son Pan. I'm happy to meet you!"

"Awwwwwww," The relative of the tailed girl gushed, pulling Pan to hug her tightly as she scruffed her spikey hair. "You're so adorable and polite! You're the spitting image of your parents, I can't believe such a well mannered girl can be their kid."

"HEY!" Bulma snapped while her husband simply laughed.

"You haven't seen her when she was younger. We could barely keep her from causing trouble," Goku admitted with a wink aimed at Pan who simply stuck her tongue out at her dad.

"I did NOT," She harrumphed with a pouted lips, her tail whipping at her father's direction with disapproval.

"Haha! Sounds like you, sis," Tights laughed at that, releasing her neice as she stood to her feet. When she caught sight of the tail she raised a brow and then looked at Goku. Tilting her head to the side she saw no tail emerging from his clothes. Turning to look at Bulma she did the same before she looked pointedly down at face pulling daughter that was exchanged back by her father who made his own silly expressions. "So, that tail-?"

"Long story, but that's an expected trait," Bulma replied with a wave of her hand. "Trust me, I've taken care of everything so we wouldn't have an incident like the one with her father."

"Oooooh!" Tights raised her hands into fists, leaning towards her sister with a starry eyed stare at her. "You must tell me! That sounds like a story I can use in one of my books!"

"Later, not now," Bulma shot down earning her sibling's soured expression. Wrapping her arms around her chest she decided to ask. "Is writing not going well for you?"

"Paco the Space Cadet didn't get that many hits," She admitted with a roll of her eyes. "I'm leaning more towards the martial arts side of things. I mostly agreed to step away from my other side job to get me inspired. Meeting a legend like Muten Roshi and from what you told, your husband and a number of others who are martial artists might give me ideas as what to write!"

"Temper your expectations," Bulma chuckled as she unfurled her arms. "It's not like they're going to fight Daimao Piccolo anytime soon. Anything short of aliens falling from the sky and challenging them won't exactly get them in the mood to show their stuff. They're just quirky guys, some more odd than others."

"HAHAHA! Papa, that face is too silly!" Pan cried out as the two women looked over to see her father pulling a face. His tongue was circling while his eyes seemed to dance in opposing directions, all while he made a odd warbling sound from his mouth. The sight was enough to make both of them to giggle and snicker at the ridiculous sight.

"Yeah, well," Tights began with a hopeful grin and a wink. "Who knows what might happen? Inspiration can come from the least expected places."

"That, I can agree with you," Bulma replied with a nod.

Yamcha was now contentedly resting. It had been well over an hour since he just did some basic exercises while he watched out for incoming. Knowing the others could have called them numerous times, he gathered they were running late. Pulling up a lawn chair he was now reclined fully on the beach with his hands resting behind his head. Eyes closed behind his shades while legs were crossed over one another.

The wind was gentle and the gulls cawing was a nice addition to the rolling waves. It couldn't have been a better moment of just relaxing bliss.

That was rudely interrupted as a rumbling roar was heard as a hovercraft impacted the beach with a loud crash that shook the house and threw Yamcha off his chair. Finding himself head planted in sand, his upright legs fell flat as he pulled out to spit out grains. Twitching with aggravation he let out a loud groan.

"If anyone didn't catch the sound of that comet hitting our planet, Bulma is here!" Yamcha cried out to the house as he forced himself to his feet.

The screen door of Kame House opened as if someone had been waiting by the door; the first one to spill out was Kuririn, quickly followed by Kashiko, and Oolong soon after. Yamcha, having the advantage of being outside before the rest of the group, he hastily began cleaning away the lawn chair as Bulma's carrier came to a complete stop, the door opening with a loud hiss.

The hiss transformed into a whirring noise as the door began to move upwards, revealing the orange-clad figure of Goku, the casual form of Bulma, and two figures that the Dragon Team neither knew nor recognized. Bulma was the first to greet them, the lavender-haired woman striding out of her Capsule Corporation hovercraft with a broad smile, one arm behind her back.

"Hey, everyone!" She waved in the direction of Kuririn, Yamcha, and the others, just as Muten Rōshi made his way out of his own front door. "Long time no see!"

"Says the girl who never shows up unless we invite 'er," crowed Rōshi. "To be honest, I'm surprised you called this little get together...even if you decided to host it on my island!"

"Now now, don't be like that," Bulma admonished the elderly man, and quickly pulled a package out from behind her, handing it to him. "Look, I even brought you some nikuman!"

"Nikuman, eh?" Rōshi reached for the wrapped box, a grin forming on his face as he chuckled. "You didn't need to go out of your way like that when all you needed to do was let me squeeze your boobs a li-!"

There was a resounding thwack! as Bulma's fist came down hard on Rōshi's head, causing the old man to wince and rub a newly forming bruise.

"Still no sense of humor, huh?"

"Still the same lecherous pervert, huh!?"

"Come on now, let's not get violent," Goku walked over to his wife, carrying his daughter in his arms. The lavender-tressed girl was clinging to her father's neck, looking around at the new arrivals with wide-eyed curiosity and an innocent smile. "How're ya doin', teacher?" He asked, grinning at his former teacher who was still clutching his forehead and shooting Bulma quite the offended look.

"Oh, Goku," Kuririn looked at his best friend, and then over to Bulma, and then finally a third time as the blonde girl who was following after. "You picked up Goku on the way here, and...someone else?"

Remembering his self-assertion to be on his best behavior, Yamcha sighed, arms crossed. "Did you keep them out of the loop, Bulma?"

"Well, it wasn't that...I wanted it to be a surprise at the right time, and we never really got the right moment before now...!" Bulma hastily defended herself, hands raised. "Kuririn, Muten Rōshi, Goku and I are married!"

"An' this little one is our kid," Goku chimed in, accompanied by a cheerful wave from Pan.

"MARRIED!?"

"WITH A KID!?"

Rōshi, Kuririn, and Oolong all practically jumped, while Kashiko merely stood there and looked puzzled for a moment.

"Say hey, champ," Goku knelt down, putting Pan on the ground and she walked over towards the others, grinning.

"Hi! I'm Pan!"

"Well, she's an adorable tyke, isn't she?" Kuririn knelt down to reach eye-level with Pan — admittedly not a difficult feat, due to his less-than-imposing-height — to get a better look at her. "...Yeah, she's definitely your kid; same wild hair, same eyes, and even the strange t-tail!?" Kuririn's voice pitched immediately the sight of the tail waving behind Pan, and everyone present that remembered Goku's own tail eyed Bulma with shock.

"It's fine, it's fine!" Bulma knew what they were getting at, and immediately tried to reassure everyone. "We take the necessary precautions to make sure nothing acts up, and there's nothing to worry about with the moon, we put her to bed pretty early!" Seeing Yamcha and Kuririn's eyes in particular, she added, "The tail is here to stay, guys," as she had no intention of cutting anything off of her precious daughter.

"Still, this is a surprise," Muten Rōshi smiled, leaning on his cane. "Goku, with a child of his own...never thought I'd see the day." Adjusting his shades briefly, he continued. "So, Goku, is she strong? I see you both are wearing my colours...has she begun formal training?"

"Not just yet, she's only four," Goku replied. "But we go through the motions and keep her active; I think she's got more energy than I do!" As he laughed, Pan had just noticed Turtle, Rōshi's ever faithful companion, and was currently trying to balance on his shell.

"I'm gonna be real strong!" She added, grinning. "I wanna be stronger than Papa!"

"Bulma's looks, Goku's gung-ho attitude. Seems we've got quite the combination," said Rōshi. "And who's th-!"

"Cutting you off right there, geezer," Bulma sidelined Rōshi's comment as the elderly man turned to look at her older sister, his face already beginning to flush. "This is my older sister, Tights, and a pensioner isn't high on the list of things she's looking for."

"Hey, I'm still quite svelte for my age!" Rōshi interjected angrily.

"About a thousand years ago, maybe!"

Tights couldn't help but giggle at the exchange between her younger sister and the elderly master, before walking ahead of the lavender-hued genius, giving her own cheerful wave so reminiscent of her sister and niece. "Ignoring my sweet little sister for a moment, I'm happy to meet you, Muten Rōshi. I'm a novelist, and I was hoping to speak to a legitimate martial artist such as yourself to get some first hand experience."

"I should have asked this while I was on the phone, but I suppose it slipped my mind," Bulma eased towards her sister, eyes narrowing with suspicion. "My dear husband is a martial artist — and the strongest person on the planet — so why didn't you talk to him if you wanted a martial artists opinion?"

"I'm sure Goku is strong, no offence, but I figured the best source would be one with experience," Tights shrugged.

"Yes, because your other sources are oh-so-reliable," shot back Bulma.

While the two sisters began to bicker, Kashiko stepped toward Goku. She smiled, and made a slight bow, her faced flushed, and fixed her hair while hastily adjusting her glasses. "H-Hello, Mr. Son. I-It's an honor to meet the Champion of the 23rd Tenkaichi Budōkai and the man who defeated Piccolo Daimaō."

Goku blinked, first once, then twice, then rapidly. It wasn't that a cute girl talking to him was a surprise — first, he was married to Bulma, and two, Goku didn't process things like that — but the fact that she seemed to remember the incident with Piccolo Junior that threw him for a loop, given how many people seemed to be blissfully forgetting it.

"Oh! Right, that did happen. Sorry it's just been so long that even I'm starting to forget I did that!" Goku replied with a palming fist, following with a jovial chuckle as he scratched his head due to his own embarrassed forgetfulness. It had been true, over six years since the Tenkaichi Budōkai happened and his subsequent victory in it. He hadn't seen Piccolo since the green-skinned antagonist swore he'd come back for revenge; only now did he wonder what happened to his arch-rival. "But...who are you exactly?"

"I-I'm Kuririn's girlfriend," replied Kashiko nervously, fidgeting. "I saw him compete in the Tenkaichi Budōkai, and I was quite taken by his efforts. N-Not that you weren't fantastic as well, you were!" She added hastily, as if hoping to not be offensive.

Ever helpful, Kuririn gave Goku the run down of how he met the girl, filling him in on the same details he'd given Yamcha earlier. "...and eventually, we pretty much became joined at the hip."

A grin and chuckle escaped Goku's lips, happy that his best friend had finally found some one like he had. He could remember Kuririn's women woes, even if they weren't something he'd ever needed to relate to. The reason he'd even trained under Muten Rōshi was to become popular with the girls, though he'd grown out of this over time. Kuririn extended a fist, grinning, and Goku returned the fist bump.

"I never expected your friends to be quite so...animated, Kuririn," said Kashiko smiling earnestly at the others.

"Yeah, we're quite a crowd." Kuririn replied sheepishly. "But still, I wouldn't trade these guys for anyone else."

Over head, far above the island, something streaked through the skies of Earth. Igniting the atmosphere, the object picked up speed and raced downwards like a falling meteorite. The flaming object drew nearer, seeing the island within its sights. With a resounding crash, the object hit the water, sinking to the bottom of the ocean and creating a not-so-impressive wave upon entry.

The sound shook the gathering party, with everyone craning their heads to see where the object and explosion had come from. Yamcha was the first to run towards the shore, an exclamation of disbelief coming from his lips, and look at the impact zone. Instinctively, Bulma and Tights stopped their arguing, but rather than seem paranoid, as the others did, they flashed each other a knowing look and sighed. Tights herself planted a palm firmly onto her face, sauntering over to the shore with a quick movement and a shake of her hips.

"Here he goes again..." the blonde girl chuckled.

"Here...who goes again?" Oolong was blinking rapidly, still shocked from the impact. He didn't have the nerve to approach the water like Yamcha and Tights, lacking the former's strength and the latter's self-confidence.

"An old family friend," replied Bulma as something bobbed to the surface. It wasn't a bird. It wasn't a plane. But it was, however, a craft of some kind. The craft was slick, and though turned upside down, revealing the black underbelly, still showed shades of red and white, as well as gold. It wasn't of any make that the Dragon Team recognized, but it clearly looked like some form of aircraft.

"Perhaps someone lost control of their hovercraft and crashed down here?" offered Puar helpfully.

"No, trust me, it's him," continued Tights. "Give him a minute, he has a knack for—"

The hatch at the bottom of the vehicle exploded, and a figure launched out of the craft, landing onto the white sandy beaches of Muten Rōshi's island. The figure was rather short, having purple skin with a noseless, pale blue face, and bulbous yellow eyes. He wore a white vest, gloves, and boots, and on the vest was a logo. He bent forward, arms raised to his side, before sliding into a new pose; an angular lean to the right, with his enclosed hands pointing the forefingers towards the sky.

"The elite member of the Galactic Patrol, Jaco, has arrived!" Jaco spoke in a young, rather nasally voice, announcing himself.

"—very flashy entrances..." Tights continued, her expression weakly amused. "Everyone...this is Jaco Teirimentenpibosshi."

"He's a family friend," Bulma volunteered again. "A rather old acquaintance we met when I was around...five?"

"Hold up a minute," Kuririn looked at the strange individual, confused. "He said 'Galactic Patrol'. What, is that some sort of exclusive club? Like an astronomers group, or something?"

"No." Tights asserted honestly. "He's an actual alien."

"ALIEN!?" Yamcha, Puar, Oolong, and Kuririn jumped, while Kashiko's glasses slid down her face as she took in the news.

"An alien..." Muten Rōshi leaned on his cane. "Live as long as I have, and I guess you really will see everything."

The only one unfazed by this was Goku; he could remember a discussion he had with Bulma a few years ago, before they had gotten married. "I've seen an alien as a child, so it's not like they don't exist." That's what she had told him. Walking over to Jaco, Goku looked at the alien, poking him in the chest. "So you're a real live alien, huh? Bulma mentioned you once; I didn't think you actually existed. Hmm...are you strong?"

"Of course I am!" Jaco replied indignantly. "I rank among the elites in the Galactic Patrol; the best of the best, even! I'm a super-elite, chosen among the ranks of the Galactic Patrol, those who protect the peace of the galaxy!"

"Oho?" Goku's eyes flashed a glint. "You don't seem like much, though. What do you say we spar? If you're an alien from another planet, it could be real fun! I'm gettin' excited just thinking about it!"

Leaning towards Jaco, Bulma whispered. "Watch it, Jaco. That's my husband, and he's quite the muscle-brain. If you say you're strong, he will want to fight you and if you want to make it back your headquarters in one piece, it's in your best interest to make an excuse!"

The Galactic Patrol agent went stiff as a board; he preferred to avoid conflict, and his life motto was more or less to run away to do the same another day. The prospect of getting into a fight with a man who looked like he could bench-press the island they were standing on didn't appeal to Jaco in the slightest. Hastily, the agent tried to excuse himself. "So sorry, regulations prevent me from engaging in activities like that with the natives of other planets! I could get into heaps of trouble back home!"

"Quick on his feet, as always," Tights thought to herself as Goku hung his head in disappointment. "So, what is it, Jaco? You rarely show up now unless you need something or I'm calling you for a favor. And I doubt you came all this way just to exchange greetings; that was quite a hurried landing you made there."

Jaco was silent for a moment, and then his mouth dropped down, jaw agape in a comedic fashion. "Of course! I forgot! I don't have time for idle chit-chat! Tights! Bulma! There's an emergency and Earth is in danger! Saiyans are on their way towards Earth right now!"

A/N:
Demod20: And we made it in the knick of time! But, since we're extra nice guys we talked it over and plan to take what was originally going to be a slightly longer chapter and split it into two. You all know what's coming since 'dat cliffhanger' and I'm REALLY excited. But I did enjoy writing what I did here; between introducing Kashiko, Kuririn's girlfriend, and developing Yamcha a bit more along with Tights' introduciton to her neice and brother-in-law it was loads of fun. I liked what my co-author did as well so this was an all around funny and enjoyable chapter. Our series finally gets serious by the next update so get ready for a early one-time-deal update this June! Until then, see you all later!

LastationLover5000: So this chapter was released far earlier than the traditional Heart release — about a month early in fact, but that was due to our schedule delays. We promised you a May update, and to those of you who expected early May, that was the plan but we got sidetracked. But we STILL made it for the May deadline, barely by like a day! So this still qualifies as a May update! All in all, I liked this chapter; the introduction a new character, the introduction of two characters from new canonical supplementary material into the series, and now, the arrival of the Saiyans! I bet we had you fooled, didn't we? No one expects the Galactic Patrolman! I was very happy to have brought both Tights and Jaco into the series, because yes, we pay attention to Toriyama's supplementary material whether people like it or not. Also, Kashiko, Kuririn's girlfriend: Kashiko literally means 樫粉 acorn flour, carrying on the "nut" pun from Kurririn's name, which means chestnut. "ko" (子) is also a term attached to female names, similar to how "maru" is attached to male names. I think we tried our best to make her cute, so look out for more of her in the future! We'll be updating one more time in June before returning to our normal schedule, so stay tuned! As always, thanks to Firegod00 for helping us edit!