Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball.

Betaed by: Zim'sMostLoyalServant and my best friend.

LAST TIME ON DRAGON BALL IJ!:

Krillin, Chichi and Ox King arrived in the Land of Fiend to seal the Fiend Gate to the Demon World. But they soon learned they would have to enter Demon World to rescue Princess Misa from Lord Shula's cliche plot to marry her.

Filled with passionate outrage, Chichi and Krillin entered the dangerous new world while Ox King prepared to seal the gate. After fighting and reaching an accord with the two Guardian Demons, the two warriors disguised themselves as monsters to infiltrate Shula's tournament. Between Chichi impressing even Lord Shula with her skill and strength and Krillin reaching the princess, the Turtle students completed their mission, and Ox King closed the gate, resolving the crisis.

As the next generation of heroes begins to write its own legends, we now return to Son Goku and the Twins as they continue their struggle against the Red Ribbon Army for possession of the Dragon Balls.

What dangers await them as the Red Ribbon seeks to press its advantage? Find out now on Dragon Ball: Intended Journey!

Chapter 13

Dreamland Daze

Beware the Lurking Danger!

Commander Red was dining in opulence. His table could easily sit twenty, with only the freshest cut flowers for its centerpiece, and an impeccable white tablecloth with a spread of gourmet food on it. And only one man seated at it, illuminated by a crystal chandelier as uniformed servants in tailcoats placed portions from the spread on his sliver plate at his slightest gesture or refilled his wine at a tilted glass.

The wine was, of course, red.

"Commander, we have a report from Blue Corps," Staff Officer Black said, entering the room. Commander Red paused in cutting a piece of food, his eye sliding over to Black.

"So is Blue alive?" he asked.

"Indeed he is," Black smiled, "Our submarine in the area was able to follow our radar's heading based on the Dragon Ball he secured and found the desert island he's been on. And he didn't only secure the Dragon Ball his corps was searching for, he managed to steal the Dragon Radar the enemy has been using. Apparently, he even found a fortune in pirate treasure."

"…You seem pleased," Red scowled.

"Sir? General Blue is en route in his personal jet with a fighter escort. The mission was a success," Black pointed out.

"Success? We already knew at least one Dragon Ball was on its way back to West City. Now we know it's two! And I assume by your lack of report on enemy casualties, those brats are alive, along with the Briefs heir having escaped?"

"Well, he wasn't certain they escaped his bomb, but we should probably assume the enemy survived and are returning to their base," Black admitted.

"And they'll likely have a spare radar. Which means that in pursuing the Dragon Balls and number secured, we are neck and neck, when we should be dominating. If this is victory, it's the bare minimal. I want Colonel Violet ready to deploy with the radar as soon as Blue gets here,"

"She's currently in West City sir, along with our contractor Hasky, she's on standby to move against the Briefs. Do you wish to remove her from that operation?" Black asked.

"…No. That girl's young and stupid. She'll likely want to go out on the town to feel better after this defeat, with two bodyguards like that on hand. We've been reacting, Black. They won't expect us to strike at them, and Colonel Violet's one of our best. In fact, tell her if she brings the Briefs girl back along with those balls, she'll be General Violet. Send General Copper to take command of Violet Corps' remaining forces and find the Dragon Ball in her sector."

"Understood sir, it will be done," Black confirmed.

X X X

Hasky knew she should finish getting dressed. She'd gotten the word from the Red Ribbon guys, the operation she'd been retained for was a go. A Colonel was even en route to supervise. A woman it seemed, so she might be slightly less insufferable than the usual Red Ribbon jerks.

The motel room was interchangeable with many cheap but not dirty places she tended to stay while working. That was her life in many ways; when she needed to lie low, it was places like this, or sheds rented specifically to people under the radar, or when she had money to burn, she stayed in hotel resorts where money meant she didn't have to worry about the law.

"Highs and lows," she said to herself, studying the grey ceiling above her rented bed.

Not just for where she stayed, but life in general, she supposed. When she was high, she reveled in her achievements, prided herself in her skills, all of which made her arguably the best in her business today, and possibly one of the greatest ever. At the lows, she found herself dwelling on the fortunes that had slipped through her hands as quickly as she got them. The fact that her whole life essentially fit into a capsuled small mobile home that was the closest she had to a regular base/home. Or the simple fact that a few recurring minions or partners aside, there was no one else in her life. Least of all anyone she could talk out highs and lows with.

How old was she, nowadays? She still looked great, but she was old enough to worry the big change might be lurking closer than she thought.

She shouldn't be low now. This was a time to be excited, motivated. Big bucko zeni and a chance to further her credentials with the RRA if they really did end up ruling the world. A challenge with big rewards.

Still, she had a bad feeling about this job. Firstly, the RRA hadn't even tried to haggle this time over her fee. That meant they either wanted this job pulled that badly, or they were scared enough that she'd say no that they weren't worried about the cost.

She'd taken her share of sour jobs in her time. The ones where vital need-to-know information was not forthcoming. So Hasky had done her research.

The Briefs girl was nothing special. Her supposed genius status did not impress Hasky; she'd gotten the better of too many people allegedly smarter than her. Plus, the girl was super rich, so it was even money her parents bought her good grades and she was just another trust fund baby.

But the bodyguards?

Son Goku was an issue, he was a kid. And while she had never been too fond of kids even when she was one, potentially killing a kid still left a bad taste. Should have asked for more money based on that. Though on the other hand it was just creepy he seemed to be that good at martial arts at such a young age. Unlike the Briefs girl, she doubted that was fake.

Then came the primary threat. Launch.

There was no reason to regard that girl who had the same blonde hair as her as anything special. The similar facial structure implied nothing. And that her estimated age lined up with the daughter Hasky had ditched at the kid prison called an orphanage certainly indicated zilch. The fact it was the same name she'd slapped on the wailing brat before ditching her…

"Ah crap, I took a hit out on my own doorstep baby? This was the wrong week to quit smoking!" Hasky whined.

X X X

Lunch finished up her pushup and rolled easily out from under the stegosaurus that had its foot on her back.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Mumbles, that was a good workout," Lunch patted the dinosaur, which regarded her lazily before walking off into the indoor garden of Capsule Corp.

"My goodness, you hardly take a break, do you?" Mrs. Briefs said, approaching Lunch with a tray holding sliced sandwiches and a jug of water with a glass. Lunch ignored the glass to pour the jug of water delicately down her throat. Wiping sweat off her forehead, she bowed to give some thanks for the food and took the first sandwich.

"Well, Launch wants to win the next tournament properly, and we can't expect the competition to be any less fierce next time, can we? So, that means lots of training."

"Oh, I thought you'd be worried about the Red Ribbon."

"Well, them too. I wonder what they want the Dragon Balls for? Maybe their leader is bald and he wants lots of pretty hair?" Lunch wondered. Mrs. Briefs sweatdropped a bit at that.

"I think most evil conquerors go for world domination, dear."

"Ohh, yeah, that could be it. Great sandwiches. Can I get the recipe? And where did Goku go?"

"He went off with my husband. Maybe he needs some man talk?" Mrs. Briefs shrugged.

"Not sure what that would be," Lunch admitted, finishing her last sandwich.

"Hey Lunch," Bulma said, walking over the grass to them, hands in the pockets of the shorts she was wearing.

"Oh Bulma, how goes the new radar?" Lunch asked.

"It goes. Dad's latest pet project used up all of a component I need. I put in an order, and we should have it by this afternoon. Then it won't even be an hour before you two have it in hand."

"Oh, so you three can hang out? How delightful," Mrs. Briefs cheered.

"Oh, you wanna train?" Lunch asked Bulma.

"…I was thinking we could go to a theme park, actually," Bulma suggested.

"Oh, how about Dreamland?" Bulma's mother suggested cheerfully.

"You're not coming," Bulma told her.

"Phooey. Planning a little romance, then?" the curly-haired blonde asked, giving a wink somehow with both eyes closed.

"No. And where's Goku? It's time he learned about something else that doesn't have to do with fighting that isn't food. He strikes me as a rollercoaster man," Bulma said, looking around.

"Oh, he's with your father. Some kind of man thing," Lunch said.

"What!? The world couldn't survive a perverted Goku! I must stop this it begins!" Bulma said, dashing off, almost in a puff of dust.

"Where did the dust come fr- fr- fr- ACHOO!" Lunch wondered, before sneezing.

"Hello Launch! I'm afraid your sister ate all the sandwiches."

"Hi Bulma's mom, what's up?"

"You three are going to a theme park!"

"Huh, well, so long as Bulma's buying, I guess," Launch remarked, raising an eyebrow.

X X X

"We weren't talking about anything dirty. In fact, I'd say it was bizarrely wholesome," Dr. Briefs said before Bulma slammed his office door shut behind her, Goku in tow.

"What's a theme park?" Goku asked.

"No need to explain, I'm going to show you. It's a magnificent mix of technology and the boundless potential of imagination," Bulma told him.

"Will there be food?" Goku asked.

"As a matter of fact, yes," Bulma admitted.

X X X

Roshi breathed in the mountain air, before taking a puff on his pipe. He sat on a large boulder, watching Mai spar with Yamcha below. Yamcha was clearly holding back, of course, but he was doing well in pushing her while keeping himself restrained. A good sign; many students sought to attain power, but enthusiasm for restraining it was considerably rarer. It spoke of proper respect for the path of power as more than just a means to an end.

Glancing to the sun's position amidst the majestic scenery, Roshi nodded.

"That's enough for now. Mai, go meditate in the usual place until lunch, Yamcha, walk with me," Roshi ordered, hopping down from the boulder.

"Yes, Master Roshi," Mai bowed, before running uphill past Roshi. There was clearly sweat beading on her face despite the cooler temperature here, but she wasn't pausing for a moment, or breathing hard.

Roshi grinned, making his way to Yamcha.

"Puar is settling in well?" Roshi asked.

"Yes, she's just happy to be back with me, I think," Yamcha said.

"Close companions aren't easily set aside. And it's nice to have someone to take care of house matters and cooking so you two can focus on your training. Don't have four students to share the load this time, after all," Roshi said as they set down the rough goat path leading from the boulder-dotted meadow into the cliffs.

"Master, is there a problem?" Yamcha asked.

"Hmm, now why would there be a problem? Can't an old man want to have a man-to-man chat?" Roshi asked.

"Of course, sir!" Yamcha said quickly. Roshi rapped him on the brow lightly with his staff.

"Don't be so nervous. Ladies respect confidence, men who respect themselves, ya know?" Roshi scolded.

"I suppose," Yamcha sighed.

"I wanted to say you have been doing well, particularly with Mai," Roshi continued.

"I have?"

"Yes. You're being a proper sempai or whatever the kids call it these days. That girl is more anxious than you, and you're helping her get over it. Before, you weren't ignoring her, but your eyes were firmly on the path to greater power. Not much room for anything else in your sight."

"So, I'm slacking?"

"Ha! Hardly. Yamcha, I can teach you how to get strong, but I can't teach you to be brave or to have a caring heart. Those things are much more difficult to get than the strength to carry a boulder up this mountain one-handed. By expanding your vision, you may not grow as quickly as before, but your journey is far richer. Goku may be the most promising student I've ever taught, but it'll be decades if ever before he's ready to teach someone else. The twins, I think, would be too harsh or too lenient for it. As for Krillin and Chichi, I'm not sure if the path of power is really for them in life. But you, I look at you and I see a master in the making. Not necessarily one of overwhelming power, but one whose path is to fill the cup of others. What changed on that trip with Goku and the others?"

"…I came to you to get the girl, Master," Yamcha said.

"Oh yes, it was quite pathetic. Your begging and weeping, I mean," Roshi said, nearly making Yamcha face-fault off the cliff.

"Did I actually weep?" Yamcha asked. Roshi just gave a small chuckle, continuing on. Taking a bracing breath, Yamcha caught up and continued.

"I suppose after being away from Bulma, I was able to see her with fresh eyes. She was my first girlfriend. Something I was starting to think I'd never have. But I realized what I had with her wasn't worth spending years training to get back. And I can admit now I sent Puar away because she had the same opinion. Not that I hate Buma now or anything, but it just wasn't a good thing by the end. Maybe we were very wrong for each other, or maybe neither of us were ready, but I see no point in trying to put that together again."

"Yet still you want to train? Even with no happily ever after on the line? You could leave now and be stronger than most you'll ever meet. Make some money in sports or whatever, get the big zeni to woo the ladies."

"I came back to training for my own sake. I don't want to prove anything to Bulma now, but I still want to prove something to myself. No, maybe it's more I just want to know what I can really do. Launch, Goku, Krillin, and Chichi…"

"Don't forget Lunch," Roshi reminded him.

"Right! Sorry, it's easy to lump them together. Anyway, I want to see if I really can measure up to them. Even if I can't surpass them and I come far only to see they're still a summit beyond my sight, well, I want to know. Not wonder if… As for Mai, I guess I see a bit of myself in her. It just felt right to reach out and help."

"Well, very good then. It seems you've found a nobler heading. I'll do what I can to ready you for the next tournament."

"Jackie Chun," Yamcha said. Roshi tripped, almost pitching off the path into a valley obscured by mist far below.

"What's that?" Roshi nervously asked, righting himself.

"That old man at the tournament. I've been thinking about him, too. That old, and he was able to overcome Goku. Even Launch said she only won because he was fatigued from that fight. But even he felt at that age and that level of power that he could get stronger by training. He warned Launch that even as she trained to get stronger, so would he. Is that true, can even an old man like that unlock more power, Master Roshi?" Yamcha asked.

"…Hard to say. Time can be cruel; it may be less unlocking new power as reclaiming a portion of what he once had. Whatever your age, your greatest rival should be your past self. Whether it's the fighter you were yesterday, or in his case perhaps the Jackie Chun of his prime. Don't dwell on it too much, though. Your struggles as a young man will be significantly different; contemplate the path of others too long and you'll end up neglecting your own."

"…So, just keep doing what I've been doing?"

"Of course not! If you're comfortable with this, it's time to kick it up a notch! If you want to aim high, you can't just settle. Now, that shepherd I ran into the other day said there used to be a hot spring around here. We're going to see if we can find it and restore it to its former glory."

"I see! You want to test my senses to find it and then apply my power wisely to restore the flow of water. And we'll do the locals a good turn by restoring something they can enjoy for health and relaxation."

"Right you are, m'boy. Right you are," Roshi said, face reddening at thoughts of buxom mountain girls splashing each other in an unfenced hot spring by moonlight.

"I will not let you down, Master!" Yamcha declared, rushing forward, searching for signs of the springs' former site.

"That's nice," Roshi said, letting himself linger in pleasant daydreams just a bit longer.

X X X

Greetings, my name is Mako Honda, it is fake. You may recall never meeting me as the Pink Puma.

Currently, my assignment is a rematch in a battle of cat and also cat with the dreaded Goku, and Lunch the amazing hair color swapper. My assignment has been to watch over the gates of Capsule Corp while disguised as a humble street performer of the silent motion arts. The crowds have not been very generous at all. A sad commentary of our times, where art is unappreciated by the vapid uneducated masses and their educated but still unappreciative peers.

Shortly after a territorial dispute with a nomadic clown, I saw the two subjects and the Briefs heiress drive out in one of those fancy, environmentally-hazardous hover cars.

"Dreamland, here we come!" the heiress declared, before turning onto the road and quickly exceeding the speed limit.

The time has come to give the signal! I did not hesitate to rush to the nearest phone booth. After all, that mustached cop had come back and he'd threatened to arrest me if he caught me accepting money without a busker license, whatever dark and mysterious thing that is.

X X X

"So, it is the tower?" Launch asked, as they got on an epic size escalator. Bulma's newly bought platinum passes got them a much less crowded ride up.

"Cool, isn't it?" Bulma said.

"Meh, seems like just showing off. Lots of land to build a park on the ground outside the city," Launch said.

"Exactly, outside the city. This way, people can enjoy a theme park without going out into the sticks, or worse, suburbia," Bulma explained.

"Ah, so most city folk are also spoiled, that's the reason. Thanks for clearing that up," Launch remarked.

"…Fine attitude for getting treated to a platinum pass," Bulma grumbled.

"…What's the point of this again?" Goku asked, standing between the two women.

"To have fun, stupid," Bulma said, flicking his hair.

X X X

"Ha. As I thought, a girl that age and that rich would of course go to Dreamland to lick her wounds," Colonel Violet said in her cramped command center, a Red Ribbon banner nailed onto the wall behind her. The former janitor's closet had a desk crammed into it, with guns hung on the walls to her side. The Colonel herself was a beautiful young woman with a thick bob cut of violet hair, matching eyes, pale skin, and wearing a dress uniform jacket on her shoulders over a black sleeveless shirt.

"So, will we try and separate them?" one of her men asked, crammed between the desk and the closed door.

"Briefs will clearly ditch her bodyguards at the first opportunity. We have intel the boy is a glutton, we will poison him with vending food."

"Oh, is that why so many of our agents are working part time in concessions?"

"Yes, but also, we needed a cover. Now get Hasky, she'll be securing the Dragon Balls while I see to abducting the heir."

"And the blonde?"

"Beats me, this operation is very on the fly, we kill her if we get the chance. Actually, as she's probably holding the balls, tell Hasky to kill her while she's at it. Now get out of here, I need to get into costume," Violet ordered, tossing her jacket back.

X X X

"Wow, this place is weird," Goku declared as they entered Dreamland. Underneath the dome above, the theme park spread out with towering roller coasters and other rides and broad avenues with twisting paths going between colorful attractions, masses of people flowing along it.

"You're the one who's weird, Goku," Bulma told him, "Now, those passes will get you shorter waits on most anything, and a hefty prepayment on all booths. So, what do ya say?"

"…Uh, roller coaster?" Launch asked.

"Alright, we'll start with the biggest, fastest roller coaster of the lot. Follow me!" Bulma declared, leading them through the crowd dramatically. Unnoticed by them, a fairy mascot watched them go through oversized eyes. The mouth opened wide, and Colonel Violet's head and right arm emerged, letting her talk into a walkie-talkie.

"They're heading for the Plunge and Lunge. Carry out the pat on the back contingency," she ordered.

"Mommy! Why's Lady Celeste eating that woman?"

"Hey, part-timer, get back in costume, I don't care how hot it is!"

"I'd really better make General for this," Violet sweatdropped, popping back into the costume.

X X X

"So, basically we shoot those two in the back of the head with these fancy guns? Then in the confusion the Colonel will abduct the girl?" the scrawny human in a mock military uniform said from their spot behind a shooting booth.

"Yeah, but we need to get a spot behind them on the Plunge and Lunge. No worries, we'll just get in behind them," the boar man with him said, glancing around the booth at the long line to the famous rollercoaster.

Spotting their targets, he nodded, smile raising his tusks.

"It's go-time, we need to time it just right. Act natural."

The two operatives stepped into the crowd, falling in behind the trio.

"Ah man, all that money to get here and still being squeezed by crowds."

"I'll say, it's our day off and I think I'm less stressed at work."

"That's your fault for trying to squeeze everything you can into the trip."

"Well, excuse me for wanting my money's worth."

"Always about the money, can't we just have a good time and enjoy life for a change," the thugs played the part of the average tourist.

"Why'd they come here if they don't like it?" Goku asked Bulma.

"Meh, that's normal, just ignore it," Bulma told him as they reached the back of the line. And then, to their unknown pursuers' shock, stepped past the line, Bulma flashing her pass and the other two following suit. A smiling vested employee unclipped a fuzzy rope, letting them pass down a path with no line on it.

"Hey, what's the deal?!" the human operative demanded.

"Platinum passes, they get the fast track to the front of the line."

"That's not fair!" the boar yelled.

"I suppose not, but neither is my salary. So please take your place in line, because if you cause a scene, I'll have to call security."

Shortly:

"Platinum passes!? Who gets those for just one day at the park, it's only a sensible investment for the whole season!" Violet yelled into her walkie-talkie, sitting in cheaply-adorned green room with other partially uncostumed mascots, "Well, that's a wrinkle. Okay, we can handle this. Hasky, new plan, swipe those passes… What? No, Number 4, we aren't going to use them ourselves. You continue to monitor the Briefs girl. If you can get her alone, use the knockout gas and act in the moment. No, you won't look sexy while doing it."

"Hey, purple hair, it's been fifteen minutes, get back out there and start giving directions and doing photo ops! You're not paid to sit in here!" the middle-aged manager yelled, shaking a fist at her.

"I'm going to be a General. A General!" Violet insisted, pulling the costume back on as her eye twitched.

X X X

Whether I look sexy or not while doing it, the Pink Puma will certainly look impressive.

Enjoying an overpriced flavored sugar water, I waited for the targets to exit the glorified screaming metal on wood death trap. My wisdom would not allow me to set foot on one anyway. I never checked, but I assume it's common sense that the odds of dying on a rollercoaster are greater than on a bicycle. So never ride a bicycle, children, because as dangerous as rollercoasters are, bicycles may be almost as bad.

Anger was abundant amongst the trio of nefarious foes as they exited, the bodyguards discarding towels into a trashcan shaped like a fairy. The boy had his tongue out still; judging by the rich girl's rant, apparently awe-inspiring butt-kicking power does not save you from pitching the lunch monkey on a screaming death trap of a ride.

Declared uncool enough to not hang with her awhile, Briefs stormed off, clearly embarrassed. I can somewhat sympathize. This reminds me of when I was a teenager and my father embarrassed me at a concert by not only chaperoning but impressing my friends with an impromptu cover of a classic band from his youth. There are few greater shames than your date declaring your father being cooler than you.

Concealing my identity with a strategically-placed balloon, I pursued the angry rich girl. She used her pass to cut in line again and devoured three hot dogs in what was essentially one bite. Either she had an eating disorder, or she's an aspirant competitive eater. I was on the competitive eating team in high school, you know? I was famous for almost winning in a large number of contests. My peers called me the Bronze Loser, naturally an inferior predecessor to my identity as the Pink Puma.

The vendor thought the same thing, and suggested she enter an eating contest being hosted by the park in a mere twenty minutes. She seems intrigued; perhaps I will once again enter my old arena, and become at last the Bronze Winner? In the meantime, I must not lose her. Nothing will shake me from this target. With all the power and majesty of the color pink and the mighty puma, I will not falter and I will not lose sight of her.

Oh, she went into the ladies' room. I can't go in there. If I stare at the door, I will likely be accosted by security again. I must blend into my environment by taking shelter in this fairy-shaped trash receptacle.

My brilliance frightens even myself. And why do so many people throw away drink cups that aren't empty?!

X X X

"Gotta say, Goku, you're a champ to get right back to eating after that," Launch commented as Goku walked with her, one arm cradling a stack of park food while his free hand let him eat as he walked.

"What? When you're empty you get full again," Goku said, matter-of-factly.

"Well, anyway, maybe something not quite as fast-paced?" Launch wondered, looking over the nearby attractions.

"That one doesn't look very fast. But maybe it starts to fly?" Goku pointed out. Launch followed his finger and blanched. Swan-shaped boats on an artificial channel entering a heart-shaped tunnel.

"No. Not that one, Goku. Ah, paydirt! A funhouse of horror," Launch declared. Next to the tunnel of raging hormones was a deliberately spooky mansion whose widows were lit up with all sorts of bizarre silhouettes.

"You think that will be fun?" Goku asked.

"You bet. It will be corny and cheesy as all HFIL; hilarious. Now come on," Launch said, dragging him along to the line.

"Miss, he can't bring-" a uniformed employee blocked their way.

"Platinum pass," Launch flashed the card dangling from around her neck.

"Very good, miss, right this way," the attendant dressed like a bloodstained butler said, picking up a Styrofoam grave to show another footpath away from the line.

"No wonder rich people crow about their connections. It's fun," Launch said, dragging Goku down the somewhat hidden path.

X X X

"The funhouse? Perfect," Violet grinned, popped out of the costume's mouth as she hid behind the Falling into Dental Hygiene Ride.

"Contact our three inside men, tell them to eliminate. And Hasky, get those balls," Violet ordered.

"Hey! I see you back there Purple Hair! Break's over, back to work!"

"…I swear to Yenma, someday I will carpet bomb this place."

X X X

"An ice cream-eating contest? Sure, why not?" Bulma said, reading the sign next to the table. Shrugging, she signed her name, while not far behind her an unremarkable man stood holding a red balloon to cover his face.

"I may suck as an adventurer, a girlfriend, and a friend, but ice cream doesn't judge!" Bulma declared, taking a seat at the contestant table. A man took the seat next to her, hiding his face with an unfolded park map.

"That's her. What should we do?" A disguised Red Ribbon operative asked his peer as they stood in the ice cream station, scoops in hand.

"Better not bother the Colonel, she's done with her break. But we can make things easier for Number Four. What's say we spice up rich girl's ice cream?" he said, gesturing under the counter where a mere padlock separated them from the late-night open bar ice cream special's essential ingredients.

"Heh, we'll send her to another dreamland," his peer snickered.

X X X

"BOOGA, BOOGA!" the plastic skeleton yelled, shaking from where it had popped up from an open grave in the attraction. Launch chuckled, rapping her knuckle on top of it.

"Heh, not that I need to touch it to know it's fake, look at those joints; I can see the freakin' pins."

"Why don't they just use real skeletons?" Gou asked by her side.

"Plastic is cheaper. Now come on, I'm betting Finkenstein's monster is next." They moved on, not noticing a man armed with a sniper rifle standing up in another open grave and taking aim at them. And he didn't notice the tombstone behind him shift and then fall forward. With a squawk of fear, he was knocked down and trapped in the capped-off grave.

"Thank Kami they actually spent on real tombstones. Nothing personal boys, but if anyone's going to kill my former parasite, it's going to be me," Hasky said, before putting her shades back in place as part of her tourist disguise, before rushing to the next assassin's hiding spot. A teenage couple passed by shortly.

"Help! Let me out! Let me out!" the trapped assassin yelled, shifting the gravestone barely as he yelled.

"Oh honey, it's so scary," The young lady giggled, leaning into her date.

"Don't worry honey, I'll handle this. You just stay right there, Mr. Corpse, your grave is where you belong!" he yelled, shaking a fist at the prop while smiling.

"…You are horribly insensitive."

X X X

As the Pink Puma, I naturally have as many talents as I do skills. But my expertise at competitive eating precedes those. From an early age, I always cleaned my plate quickly. Which meant I usually was sent to do the dishes by my mother, the start of the daily exercise routine that grants me power that my frame scarcely hints at to this day.

So, I was undaunted at the prospect of eating an absurd amount of ice cream. And a cash prize was also not discouraging me from doing my duty.

Granted, I would not have expected someone who was handed so much to be such a competitor. The cute heiress put away the ice cream like a middle-aged depressed single. One could feel sorry for her if she wasn't so aggressive.

"What are you looking at, pal!? Ain't you ever seen a girl enjoy frozen dairy treats?" she demanded of me. For unrelated reasons entirely, I averted my gaze. No sign of Colonel Violet or other backup in the crowd.

Ah, another competitor goes down. The ice cream brain freeze has taken them, as it will one day take us all. A pleasant journey, my less than worthy foe, you will not be missed and swiftly be forgotten.

X X X

"Looks like we're almost done. Man, even at a park this fancy, these things are lame," Launch said. Then a man fell to the ground in front of them and twitched.

"Who pushed me?" he asked, before his eyes rolled up in his head.

"See, a classic 'you're almost there' fake-out. Ohh, murder by pushing, so scary," Launch said, faking shivers.

"He seems like he's in real pain," Goku said, poking the man.

"Eh, probably channeling his regret at majoring in drama into his performance," Launch said as they stepped past him down the spooky hallway to the brightly lit exit, where a brunette woman rushed up in a Dreamland blue uniform and bowed to them.

"Congratulations, brave ones. You have survived the Mansion of Impending Doom. Would you please accept this coupon book and fill out these surveys?"

Launch brushed past her.

"You can keep both," the blonde said.

"Oh, I insist," the woman said, grabbing Launch's wrist. Launch slammed her over her shoulder into the ground.

"Ah crap! That wasn't… er, let's go, Goku!" Launch said, running off as the woman's eyes spiraled. Once they were gone, the spirals vanished and Hasky sat up.

"That really did hurt. When they say world champion, they're not kidding. And 'murder by pushing? It's called defenestration, young lady, a career criminal and career hitter of people should know the proper terms for homicide. And how long until you notice these are gone, though?" Hasky wondered, reaching into her uniform's jacket and pulling out two Dragon Balls.

X X X

"Where's my ice cream!? I thought this was supposed to be all you could eat!? Well, I haven't eaten it all yet. What about you, old man? Don't you have to watch your sugar or something?" Bulma slurred, threatening the unremarkable man who was her only remaining competition. She was red in the face and practically slapped the server when grabbing her next bowl.

"I thought you'd been spiking the ice cream from the start?" Violet demanded around the corner of the ice cream booth as the operatives leaned out the back door.

"We did, she's not going down."

"Well, neither is Number Four; he's kept at that steady pace from the start."

"I don't care about his grotesque consumption. It seems I'm down to just you two mooks and Hasky's dumb and dumber, and I think those two forgot they were on the clock; last I heard, they were getting their faces painted. How does a boar man even get his face painted?"

"With fur dye?"

"I didn't ask for a reasonable answer. Just disassemble this knock-out dart and put it in her next bowl."

"Is that safe?"

"It's a risk I'm willing to take."

Pulling the suit back on, Violet took the placard from the other mascot to parade the number of bowels eaten so far.

She smiled in the mouth of the fairy, watching the bowl of doom make its way to Bulma. The bowl clicked onto the stained foldout table and Bulma's bleary eyes focused on it. Letting out a mighty belch, Bulma flipped the bird to the ice cream.

"You know what ice cream, you're nice but too clingy. Imma need some more aloof manly food. Burger time. Goku, we're getting hamburgers, no mayo allowed," Bulma slurred, getting to her feet.

"Miss! Wait, you'll forfeit the contest! You can't just quit after coming so far," Violet pleaded.

"The only thing I can't quit is smoking! Cause I haven't started yet," Bulma declared, stumbling off as the crowd booed.

X X X

Victory was mine, but it was not so sweet as to let good ice cream go to waste. Ah, rich decadent chocolate, one of the three primary pillars of ice cream that uphold the secret sacred order of the world of dairy.

But wait, it seems the ice cream headache has come for me at last. So, this is the end of the Pink Puma? To be a martyr to the cause?

Wait, what was the cause again? Maybe I should have paid more attention in the shift meetings?

Oh, is that you, Kami? Why are you so green and wrinkly?

X X X

Violet walked after the stumbling heiress, who kept talking to an absent Son Goku and occasionally muttering about hamburgers.

"Okay, enough is enough, time for Plan Z," Violet declared. Picking up the pace, she came up behind Bulma and opened the mouth she was looking out of as wide as she could.

"Never get mushed onions on it, either! It's raw onions or nothing!" Bulma told no one. Arms grabbed her by the shoulders and, with strength born of repressed rage, Bulma was yanked back into the fairy costume, her kicking feet vanishing down the mouth before it snapped shut.

"I knew it," a tubby nerd man in gasses said, pumping a fist. Then he remembered what he allegedly knew and fled in terror, screaming about the mascots being monsters picking the humans off one by one.

X X X

"So, you failed?" Hasky asked her two lackeys. They slumped, the very picture of dejection, wearing opened uniforms, while Hasky was dressed like an old Arabian Nights movie harem girl.

"We did like you said and just focused on the kid…" the boar man said.

Earlier:

"Quickly, they're coming!" the man with goggles said, adjusting his paper hat. They were in a food stand, the real vendors bound and gagged under the counter, struggling impotently.

"I'm going as quick as I can. This poison has to be handled delicately; this much could put down a T-Rex in seconds. You know how much it costs?" the boar man said, spreading gunk delicately on a burger with triple-gloved hands.

"Remember, give that one to the kid,"

"Yah, because his gal pal won't throttle us when her buddy drops dead."

"You want to go against Hasky? Hey kid! Today only, kids get a free burger from this stand!"

"Oh boy!"

"Uh, here you go kid, enjoy," the boar man said, awkwardly coming to the front holding the poisoned burger.

"What, nothing free for ladies?" the blonde asked, leaning on the counter.

"Uh, Tuesday is Ladies Day."

"It is Tuesday," she said, smiling nastily.

'She's scary like the boss!'

"I'll get right on that!"

"That was good, can I have another one?" the brat asked, having scarfed down the burger before they even noticed.

Goggles checked his watch, seeing more seconds go by as the spiky-haired kid continued to look up at him expectantly.

"…No, you can't," he said.

Present:

"So, once we served her a burger, we got out of there! I swear I didn't mix it up! They ain't human! They must be children of Piccolo in disguise, or vampires that burst into flame at night instead!"

"Anyway, this job's too scary now. Maybe we should just phone it in and nope out?"

"…You two go unwind, enjoy the park. I've still got a move or two up my sleeve."

"What? Really!? Thanks, boss!" they said.

X X X

Hasky cast the beaded curtain to the fortuneteller tent aside dramatically, and almost wiggled her hips, forgetting for a moment that seduction wasn't part of this mission. That would be very awkward, to say the least.

"Greetings, young lady, the stars say today a young blonde can get her fortune told for free," she said with a fake accent. She fluttered her eyelids, before remembering yet again that seduction wasn't involved with this outfit for once, again.

Launch stopped in the lane and looked at her, raising an eyebrow before giving a nasty grin that Hasky recognized from the mirror.

'Well, she's definitely mine, but that's not a good sign there.'

"Oh, a fortuneteller. I love roasting you shysters. But since this is a nice place, I'll only rob you of yer dignity."

"Launch, you don't rob anymore, remember?" Goku said, before eating most of his cotton candy in one bite, "Hmm, the corndog was better."

"It's just an expression, Goku. Now come on!" Launch commanded, grabbing his shoulder.

"Actually, the stars declare fortunes must be delivered in private."

"…Meh, fine, he'll just get bored anyway. Go get more corndogs or something, Goku. This probably won't take long."

Soon enough, Hasky was seated at the table amidst the draped silks and hanging star charts and electric exotic lanterns. Of course, there was a crystal ball on the table.

"Let's start with palm-reading, shall we?"

"Whatever floats your boat," Launch shrugged, placing her hand on the table. The hand had callouses, and the nails were quite short too. It was rough to the touch, unlike Hasky, who despite being in great shape paid a mind to her appearances, like a soft touch.

"You've had a hard life?" Hasky asked, tracing a random line on the palm.

"Yeah, it started out lousy. Guess it's gotten better, though."

"You are estranged from your parents?" Hasky asked, tracing another.

"Can't be estranged from what you didn't have. I suppose there's a woman out there who popped me out. But it may as well have been a crack in the earth for all I care."

Hasky frowned; that was annoying to hear, even if it was kind of true. This girl had some kind of nerve.

"What, done already? Or were you hoping for tears?" Launch asked.

"No, let's continue. You are in danger, the color red is entangled with you, trying to choke you."

"Hmm, lucky guess. And what kind of fortune tells me what I already know? Besides, I can handle those Red Ribbon chumps."

Arrogant – the Red Ribbon might be fools, but Hasky handled them by being useful and, if needed, evasive. It wasn't like you could beat them head on, or the King would have done so already.

"You may find an unexpected ally if you are willing to look," Hasky said. Yeah, she wasn't interested in taking on the Red Ribbon Army, but maybe this girl could be useful, kept alive? A bit of brawn to her style and brain?

"I got all the allies I need. They'd probably come with strings. I've got a good crew, no point looking for more, my luck isn't that good."

Did this girl ever consider anything, Hasky wondered? She'd been cocky in her younger days, but she'd never assumed any team she had was reliable in a pinch. You always wanted a backup of allies for when the go-tos turned sour.

"Place your hand on the crystal ball," Hasky instructed.

Launch did as asked, and Hasky hit a switch with her foot, lighting the ball up. Launch was not impressed. Hasky stared deep into the light, weighing her words.

"You may soon encounter a figure from your past."

"How past, past?"

"More than a decade."

"Pass. No one from back then worth meeting."

"Do you wish to know your origins?"

"…I have a question. But it's not one I need answered. If I find it looking forward, fine, if I don't, also fine."

"Yes, well, fortune over. I'll show you out."

Launch didn't even notice Hasky slip the Dragon Balls back into her pouch as she held the curtain wide for her. Once alone, she put out the standing sign saying the tent was closed. And gave a sigh, settling back at the chair

"I'm done. Once you get mushy, there's no going back. I was ready to reveal myself, and even say I was her mother. What the heck? I was getting paid big bucks to eliminate her and kidnap that blue-haired trust fund baby. But she's really my girl, regardless of never being a mom to her. Heh, dumber and more of a brute than I was. And she seems to have actually made friends? A pro athlete career ain't too shabby, either. What are you thinking, Hasky, it'd be a major D move trying to start something now. Not many take-backs in life, and a parent who ditches has no right to expect something, especially after the kid makes something of themselves. Still, don't want to kill her, and Red's not the type to take no for an answer gracefully. Heh, maybe it's time to take a leaf out of the young people's book. Put Master Thief Hasky to bed, and use my loot to start some legit business somewhere; don't want to end up one of those wrinkly old masters griping about the young competition. Yeah, time to go out on top. Maybe a bar that can serve a dang good burger?" she pondered, taking the headdress off to begin switching back into normal clothes.

X X X

Launch stepped out of the fortuneteller tent, frowning. Goku was waiting where she left him, she was pleased to see, doing some one-finger pushups.

"Making a better use of your time than me, I see," she said.

"Did you get your fortune, Launch?" Goku asked.

"…Kind of, think that teller was off her game. It's no fun to roast them when they aren't in shape to push back. I'm kind of feeling done with this place; let's find Bulma and head back."

"Well, it smells like she's close. But weird," Goku said, sniffing the air.

"Kid, none of your friends are normal," Launch reminded him, as Goku sniffed the air. A bizarre burbling sound drew their attention to one of the park's oversized fairy mascots, that seemed to be randomly bulging as it stumbled along. With a powerful tear, it ripped open, practically exploding in cheap fibers and a shoddy wire frame. Bulma rolled out of the mess, from atop a bruised and battered violet-haired woman in a black tank top.

"Dang, what kind of ride did you go on?" Launch asked, walking up to Bulma, who sat up and hiccuped.

"Shut up, a fairy tried to eat someone who didn't agree with her. But I can pummel a pixie, turns out," Bulma said, getting to her feet unsteadily.

"You know what, my dumb parents may have a point. I should be less picky," Bulma said, giving a lecherous smile. Launch stepped back, hands raised.

"Hey. First, you're drunk, second, I don't swing that way, even when I'm drunk." Bulma stepped past the blonde, to her confusion, to scoop up Goku and nuzzle him.

"You're the only guy I need in my life, you monkey boy," Bulma slurred. Then vomited a bit and fell forward on top of Goku.

"Uh, Launch?" Goku said, awkwardly pinned.

"I'm coming kid, surely these passes can get us a push cart for princess slosh here," Launch groaned, reaching down.

Red Ribbon High Command:

Four jets came in to the landing field, slowing their descent and deploying landing gear. Under the guidance of the tower and landing crew, they came to a textbook landing, the lead jet's canopy popping before the others. Rather than pilot gear, General Blue wore his dress uniform. Taking a look around at the massive base and the arrayed squad awaiting him as an honor guard, he took a satisfied breath.

"Ah, nothing like a triumphant return to the seat of power. Once Commander Red takes his rightful place in the Royal City, perhaps I'll command a base like this myself. Preferably even bigger, hohoho," Blue said, returning a salute as the honor guard welcomed him back and escorted him into the base.

Rather than being shown to the Commander's office, Blue was surprised to be shown to the command center.

The Commander was seated in his proper place, and Staff Officer Black was also in his proper place at the Commander's right hand. Though Blue couldn't help but note Mustard was lurking around the far wall. He'd never liked the unattractive sneak. At least the Commander had rank and money to make up for being so subpar physically. He'd never hire someone like Mustard himself; even evil armies needed standards, in his opinion.

"General Blue reporting my return from the field, Commander Red, Sir!" Blue said, snapping a picture-perfect salute to his master. Red didn't return it, but he rarely did, just scowling as he puffed on his cigar. Blue resisted the urge to wrinkle his nose. Filthy habit, and a horrid smell. He'd never understand why people couldn't just obey their junior high health classes and not smoke. What was so appealing about bad teeth, stinking, and dying of cancer?

"Well, you made it back. I suppose that puts you ahead of Silver and White," Red stated. Blue noted their ranks weren't mentioned. Even in death they were dishonored, stripped of all standing. Which was appropriate; failure carried a price, after all.

"I am pleased to return in victory, my commander. First, of course, the Dragon Ball my corps was dispatched to secure," Blue said, producing the orange ball from his inside pocket. That lit up the Commander's eye. The greed was almost tangible; Blue shivered in excitement at it. What must it be like to know you would soon hold the power of a wish in your hand?

"And secondly, the enemy radar. I have confirmed its functionality. With its zoom capability, retrieving the remaining balls will be a walk in the park compared to our own efforts," Blue said, pulling the device from another pocket. Red barely looked up from the ball now in his hands. Black, though, stared at it, eyes widening slightly.

"So small. Ours is almost the size of a house. How did our technology fall so far behind?" Black questioned. Unmanly words aside, the tall man was steady enough in body, stepping forward and holding out a hand for the radar. Blue would far sooner give it to the Commander personally, but no sense provoking the staff officer, so he complied.

"We should have the research department look at it at once," Black said, turning it over in his hands. That broke the Commander from his focus on the ball.

"No. Send it to General Brown in Violet's former sector. And after him to General Copper. We can tinker later; I want those balls in our hands ASAP."

"But sir-"

"That's an order."

"Yes sir, of course Commander," Black said, sweating slightly.

'Remember your place,' Blue thought with satisfaction. He knew the staff officer had a bit more influence than his rank warranted, but subordinates could never be allowed to forget the pecking order.

"And finally, Commander, I present you the once lost treasure of Tall John Gold," Blue said, tossing the capsule to reveal the treasure chest which he proceeded to open, displaying it like the new car prize in a gameshow.

"So I see."

…

…

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Commander Red demanded.

"Uh, well sir, Commander. In light of my victory-"

"Victory, you call this a victory?" Red demanded, eye narrowing.

"Um, well…" Blue stammered, glancing to the side. Black's expression was unreadable.

"You only brought back one of three Dragon Balls. You failed to kill any of the enemy operatives that have been making trouble for us. And we have no leverage on the enemy since you let the Briefs girl escape. You may have avoided defeat, but to call this victory is the very minimum of victory. I ought to execute you for the sheer impertinence of patting yourself on the back like this."

Blue couldn't find any words for this stunning turn.

"But it seems my officer corps has gotten a mite thin lately. So, I'll let you off the hook this time. We may have use for you in an operation coming up to eliminate those brats, so remain here on standby."

"Yessir, thank you, sir," Blue saluted. He waited until he was in his own quarters to scowl.

"That ungrateful…" Blue fumed, but didn't allow any treasonous words that could be overheard. The sheer audacity of that one eyed imp!

The great General Blue would remember this day.

X X X

*SNAP*

Dr. Briefs lowered the camera, smiling. His wife plucked the picture as it printed out and gushed.

"Ah, another Bulma milestone preserved for the album. First time brought home drunk in a wheelbarrow," she said, as Launch sweatdropped, holding the handles of the wheelbarrow, a snoring Bulma inside.

"Yeah, could you just put her in her room and we'll be back when she's slept it off?" Launch asked.

"Nonsense, you know the way. It's a fine way to cap off a date for you three."

"What's a date?" Goku asked.

"Never you mind, kid. Now call a robot or whatever, I don't want to be around when she wakes up with a hangover/ice cream headache combo."

"Oh, but you can't just run off," Dr. Briefs said, walking to a nearby folder on a table in the inner garden of Capsule Corp.

"Goku, we got your request through," he said. Mrs. Briefs positively wiggled in excitement.

"Oh, it's so adorable!" she squeed.

"Huh? Goku, what did you do?" Launch asked. She took the offered papers like they were going to explode.

"It's a surprise. Surprise!" Goku cheered. Bulma's bloodshot eyes fluttered open.

"Enough already, Godzilla!" she snapped, before slumping again to start snoring.

"Oh, penny for her thoughts," Mrs. Briefs giggled.

"It's all set Goku, all you need is her, er, their signatures? Which of you legally exists again?" Dr. Briefs asked.

Launch was tired of waiting, so opened the envelope and was met with a packet of forms. Some of which she saw Goku had signed.

"I can't tell what this is," Launch told them.

"Adoption papers!" Mrs. Briefs squeed again.

"…What?" Launch demanded flatly.

"You said that you wanted to be adopted. So, I did," Goku said.

"He adopted you two as his sisters. My legal department made it happen – turns out sibling adoption is legal under certain circumstances. Incidentally, you're either a baroness or a countess now; it doesn't really affect much else, and which it is seems to depend on the outcome of an ongoing zoning board ruling."

"…Huh? Okay, I'm sneezing; this is too weird to deal with right now." Launch stated rummaging in her pockets.

X X X

"Oh, Goku! What a wonderful gift! I always wanted a little brother. Well, family in general, I suppose, but that includes a little brother," Lunch said, glomping Goku and rubbing her cheek against his hair.

"Great! I'm not sure if Launch likes it, since she wanted to sneeze."

"Oh, she's probably just not dealing well with being happy. And speaking of sneezes… Goku! How could you go to a theme park and never tag me in once! That's mean!" Lunch wailed, switching to shaking Goku.

X X X

What might have been an angry cat that was also half bear wailed and whimpered in pain. Bulma rolled in her bed, bloodshot eyes staring at nothing, pillow pulled around her head.

"My head hates me! I just need a guillotine to chop off my head and I'll be good," she griped.

"Oh sweetie, you don't get rid of your head, your head gets rid of you," her mother assured her, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"What does that even mean? I feel like a giant axe monkey is tapdancing all over my brain. And he brought a friend. Make the brain monkey go away, Mom," Bulma pleaded.

"Your father's on it," her mother assured, giving the suffering teen the thumbs up.

The door swung open, and the doctor walked in, carrying a steaming beaker with a thickly gloved hand.

"The traditional Briefs family hangover cure. Liver potion! Made with ten different kinds of liver from across the animal kingdom. Fish liver, goat liver, chicken liver, ape liver, fox liver-"

"It stinks."

"Well, of course it does, and it's heated enough to ensure your throat will hurt. And the taste is positively vile. That's how you know it's good medicine."

"…Imma going to drown the monkey in garbage," Bulma declared, swiping the beaker as she sat up on her bed.

"Excellent, now slowly sip it, take your time-"

"What now?" Bulma asked him, eyes lidded, wiping the residue from her lips with the hand holding the empty beaker.

"She guzzled it in record time, dear."

"Oh my. Unless you brought a poncho, you might want to get clear, honey."

"…Hey, I think it's working. GAH The brain freeze! Why now!?"

"Clearly, there wasn't room enough before, but now there's free retail space in your pain centers."

"That's not science!" Bulma protested, rolling on the bed in pain and anger.

X X X

"Anyway, Bulma's being a bit dramatic now, but she wanted to get to work on your radar to distract herself from agony, she said."

"Hey Lunch, maybe we can go to that dream place you missed again while we wait?"

"Oh, that would be wonderful; just one or two rides? Surely, we can get that in."

"Done," Bulma said, ripping the nearby automatic door open, "Hey guys, here's your new thing, it's better than the old thing. I gave it gold and black trim."

"Oh phooey, you're done already?"

"I may not be hungover, but I am certainly on my game. Gah! Ice cream, why have you betrayed me! All I did was eat you and all your kin!" Buma yelled, clutching her head with one hand.

X X X

Soon enough, Lunch, Goku, and the Briefs family were seated in the parlor around a table with atlases spread out between them.

"Here it is, Jingle Village. Eighter should be nearby at Muscle Tower," Goku said, poking one of the maps. Bulma nodded, noting the spot.

"Air travel can be a bit hazardous in snowy mountains like that, but my Mega Death Wing should be up to the task. And here, where we see two Dragon Balls practically on top of each other, that's the Red Ribbon Army's High Command," the teen bluenette said, pointing to another open atlas. Dr. Briefs nodded at that.

"I've seen pictures of that place. It's a modern castle, defensible, administrative, and industrial all rolled into one, with a corps worth of troops stationed there at all times. The royal army isn't even thinking about trying to crack that nut, even with the Red Ribbon causing so much trouble."

"Oh my, so it could be quite hard to take them on in their home turf," Mrs. Briefs said, holding the radar in one hand while checking another book.

"I don't really care about collecting all the Dragon Balls. But if we don't teach the leader of the Red Ribbon a lesson, he may still make trouble for Eighter and the others," Goku said.

"Okay, one ball is in the scrublands by a big desert. Quite a trip; I think the other one is closer," Lunch said. Mrs. Briefs nodded and set down the radar to turn her atlas around and point to what she'd found.

"Looks like the other ball is in the middle of some very big wilderness. Not much on the map there; even little villages aren't showing up. There's no local kingdom, so it's supposed to be directly ruled by the royal government through the province. Doesn't look like much though, it's not even a park, it looks like."

"Is it closer?" Lunch asked.

"Uh huh," Mrs. Briefs confirmed, Bulma checking and nodding agreement, before cringing and rubbing her head.

"Hey Goku, let's go camping," Lunch said.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Good to be back at this. Sorry for the hiatus. I hope to update regularly until we get to the end of Season 2; which has all been written in drafts.

Now in light of the fandom's loss I would like to share my own thoughts:

I am sure most of you have heard of the Death of Akira Toriyama the creator of Dragon Ball, along with Dr. Slump and and other manga.

A lot of the tributes say things like how Toriyama's work was a big part of their childhood, but that was not he case for me. While I was aware of Dragon Ball it was mostly through reputation. I recall watching an episode of Z as a kid, part of the Raditz fight at my Grandma's house, but it didn't impress me much then. Over the years I caught other snippets and the rare episode particularly as my interest in the Big Three anime, ultimately settling on One Piece, and others grew; but it never really caught on for me.

Indeed I came to regard Dragon Ball Z with a cynical view of it being a poor standard that made it harder for 'better' anime to be taken seriously.

It was the random that started to change that view in my late twenties. I had gotten into amusing parody comics on another site and found one series that parodied Dragon Ball Z. It was called "SPAM", for "Super Psycho Alien Monkey", that focused mainly on Vegeta and his family but also had pieces with other characters. It was a hoot, and lead me to Team Four Star where I discovered DBZ abridged.

Those times binge watching it were good times. And it was something I shared with my best friend trying to lift his spirits during a rough time in his life. We were hanging out and appreciating the comedy and getting together to watch new episodes when they dropped. It was through TFS I first learned Toriyama's name even, but still I was certain this was a case of fanwork upgrade.

Still it raised the brand in my mind; so on an extended family outing I found a good deal on buying two manga I decided to purchase some Dragon Ball, the original series. I felt that after all the enjoyment I'd gotten from the Abridged Series some support for the official release was warranted and perhaps my collection should include some entries such an iconic series, even if it wasn't my cup of tea.

It was wonderful. I was stunned tearing through the two purchases. Even though they were three-in-one volume collections I was hungry for more and read them multiple times. Despite being hungry for more, I resolved to hold out and wait; purchasing the Dragon ball collections one at a time drawing out the enjoyment.

My arrival to the fandom was late affair compared to so many, but I am so happy to have arrived. I am very grateful to Akira Toriyama for his stories, and was charmed by hat I learned of his method and descriptions of his personality. His seat of the pants style encouraged me to loosen up a bit myself on writing and get back in touch with the comedy of early writing before I turned toward serious drama despite do many in my life saying my comedy was good.

So Dragon Ball to me, wasn't my childhood. Rather it speaks to me of how no matter how old we are we can still have wonderful surprises; discovering unexpected joys that brighten our lives. And leave us a bit more optimistic in general. The idea that maturity does not mean the end of the sense of wonder and happiness of our younger days, but brings greater appreciation for it when those experiences come.

Rest in Peace Mr. Toriyama, as Mr. Oda so elegantly put it "May heaven be the joyous place you hoped for."

Thank you for the journey.

XXX

See you next chapter. Long days and pleasant nights to you all.