Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball.
Betaed by: Zim'sMostLoyalServant and my best friend.
Last time on Dragon Ball IJ:
The hunt for the Dragon Balls moved to a seaside venue, or rather stood poised to go under the sea. After Goku proved unable to retrieve the Dragon Ball the old-fashioned way and Bulma had her way with two Red Ribbon creeps, both sides plotted their next move.
Returning to their old training grounds, the Turtle students and Bulma packed up a submarine from Master Roshi, and their old pal Yamcha took a hiatus from his training to assist them.
The Red Ribbon Army is not idle, though. Not only has the dreaded General Blue set his sights on tracking our heroes to the Dragon Ball; he has also dispatched forces to ambush Roshi and Mai in order to eliminate the competition and capture Dragon Balls in one fell swoop. And the crafty Staff Officer Black is looking to hire a dreaded mercenary known as Tao Pai Pai if Blue is not up to the task.
Events are primed to escalate, today on Dragon Ball: Intended Journey!
Chapter 10
Blue Blazing
Avast Ye Adventurers!
"Well, this is just great, here I am all set for another big adventure, and I'm saddled with getting chaperoned by my ex," Bulma deadpanned as they flew over the ocean in Roshi's craft.
"So, Bulma, guess you're not glad to see me?" Yamcha asked nervously from his spot in the back seat with Lunch.
"No, I am not. And I know the old man only sent you along because he wants this ride back. It's old, but it's a reliable deal, and well maintained."
"Come on Bulma, it's been a while, can't we at least be civil with one another?" Yamcha asked.
"I am being civil. I could have ditched you over the ocean once we were out Roshi's sight."
"Bulma, this is where the Dragon Ball is," Goku interrupted.
"Alright, engaging sub mode, get ready for popping ears, people," Bulma said, flipping switches on the control panel, and when a green light lit up, she pulled into a dive, plunging into the waves and then emerging into the underwater scenery.
"Wow, Master Roshi really had a cool machine," Goku said, staring at the aquatic scenery while still dry.
"Glad you're appreciating technology more, kid. Now keep an eye on that radar, those Red Ribbon jerks may be lurking around, and I don't want an underwater fight with them. This thing doesn't have any torpedoes."
"Think what you will, Bulma, I'm here to help all of you out. Goku's my friend too, and Lunch. I would be less of a man if I didn't offer my help," Yamcha spoke up.
"Last I checked, they'd be rescuing you, as they're the stronger ones," Bulma said. Yamcha flinched at that, but didn't say anything. Lunch put a hand on his shoulder.
"I think it's sweet. Besides, I think help is always nice. Who knows what might be down here. It could be krakens, or ghosts. Or ghost krakens!" Lunch gasped, seeming to have frightened herself.
"But you really think of me as a friend," Lunch practically sparkled at Yamcha, who blinked in surprise.
"Uh, yeah?"
"Oh, that's wonderful!"
"Doesn't take much to get you excited, eh Lunch?" Bulma commented.
"No, not really. Poverty and a fugitive lifestyle on the run hasn't given me the highest standards."
"Poverty? Launch was a successful thief," Bulma pointed out.
"Well, yes, she was. But I didn't get to spend that money even if I wanted to. She liked to go live the high life for a while, and gamble too when she had a big score. Usually that lasted about a week before it was back to outlawry for her, assuming the policemen didn't catch up. Mostly, I got her leftovers when I woke up during her upswings, but even then, it felt like stealing twice to use her money for myself."
"That's kind of sad," Yamcha remarked.
"Oh, I probably make it sound worse than it was! It's like anything in life – you get used to it when you have no choice. Besides, now Launch isn't so mean and switches with me on purpose so much more often. And I have Goku, Chichi and Krillin as friends. Master Roshi's like the wise, somewhat creepy grandpa I never had, and today I found out I have another friend. Life's good," Lunch said, smiling at Yamcha.
"Wait a second, am I not on that friend list?" Bulma demanded.
"This is it! The Dragon Ball is below us!" Goku declared. Bumla activated more lights and switched on a monitor showing the sea floor in front and below them.
"Can't see it. Well, someone was going to have to go out there anyway, but looks like they won't get a quick grab and go. It won't be me, as I don't trust any of you to operate this."
"I'll go," Yamcha spoke up.
"I don't mind," Goku said.
"No, I offered my services, and as Bulma said, I'm probably still weaker than you two. So, this is a way for me to help."
Bulma frowned, but nodded.
"Okay then, the suit's under Goku's seat. We have an air tube, but the suit has a tank good for twenty-two minutes of air if that gets cut. Don't turn the radio off either, even if you have nothing to say."
Nearby:
"Enemy has been holding position for five minutes. Should we move closer?" the captain asked Blue. Blue tapped his chin, but confidently shook his head.
"No. My money is on their radar still having some limits. They've probably deployed a frogman to dig through their area of search. No sense spooking them."
X X X
Yamcha checked the radar again and tucked it into his belt, shining the light into the hand-wide chasm he'd found.
"The radar seems to be pointing to this chasm. But not even Goku can fit in there," Yamcha reported.
"Maybe we could Kamehameha it wider?" Goku asked over the line.
"Hold that thought, Goku," Bulma went, "Okay, I've adjusted the radar. Good news. The Dragon Ball may be underground, but it's in a large cave system. Looks like there's an entrance the sub can fit in. Get back in here, Yamcha, we've got our heading. No wonder the Red Ribbon couldn't find anything. Good thing I'm such a genius."
X X X
"What, they vanished?!" Blue demanded, smacking a hand on the radar.
"They must have gone into the trench, General," the captain said.
"Dispatch the mini subs at once! We can't let them slip away. Prepare the troops for deployment. This could go hot any moment."
X X X
Mai sat on the lawn as the sun set, putting a gun together. It was an old habit of hers, assembling and disassembling mechanical objects. She enjoyed the simple complexity of it. No matter how intricate it was, in the end it just came down to putting the pieces back together in the correct order with the correct method. Follow those steps, and a seeming piece of junk became something useful. It made so much more sense than so many things in life.
"Emperor, I don't think this is going to work. I'm almost dying every other day, and when I'm not training, I'm so hungry and tired I can hardly even think of anything useful to gather as information for your plots. And it's awkward living with a dirty old man and this guy working up a sweat. Could we just call this a wash and I come back to helping you plot to take over the world the old-fashioned way?" she griped. Of course, she wasn't talking to him or even Shu. She didn't have a radio to avoid suspicion, so she was just supposed to take his call every two weeks in the restaurant's public phone.
But if she rehearsed enough, she might get the nerve to actually say it to her boss.
"I hope I don't get girl abs," she thought. The vision of herself as some female bodybuilder made her cringe.
"Then none of my clothes would fit right," she shuddered, before slumping on the white sheet she was sitting on. With a final click, the gun was completed.
"Very nice," she said to herself, picking it up and examining the assemblage for any apparent errors. Her smile turned brittle as she felt something cold and hard pressed to the back of her head.
"Indeed it is. But I'm afraid your day has just taken a turn," a man said behind her.
X X X
"Ahh, nothing like a cold one to top off the evening after another day's training," Roshi said, taking a sip of his beer can as he watched a show featuring lifeguards in bikinis.
The door swung open, and Turtle rushed in as best turtles can.
"Master Roshi, emergency!" Turtle yelled.
"If it's the zoning board again, tell them-"
"No, it's Miss Mai!" Turtle interrupted.
"Eh?" Roshi said, already stepping out the door, "Well dang."
It had been a while since so many guns were pointed at him. More importantly, a pudgy little man was holding Mai in a one-armed chokehold and at gunpoint with a weird-looking gun.
"What's all this? Release my student at once, you hooligans," Roshi commanded, stepping out of the house.
"Ah, ah, ahh. Not another step. Rumor has it you're the Muten Roshi. Those students and the locals seem to believe it. Some stories say you're bulletproof, but every one of these guns is loaded with armor-piercing rounds. And some say you are quick enough to dodge bullets, but I doubt you can reach me before I squeeze this trigger. And all the stories say you are a noble warrior who won't just let an innocent die. If not for that last one, you'd be pretty impressive," the pudgy man said, the setting sun turning his glasses into soulless disks.
"Hmph! That's the impressive one, the rest is all just a bit of training and know-how. What you care about always says more about a person than what you can do. So, judging by those Rs, I'm guessing you guys are the Red Ribbon Army my students have been butting heads with?"
"Correct, we have come for the Dragon Balls left in your care. Cooperate and you can both live."
"Master! I don't want to die!" Mai yelled.
"Smart girl. I'm Captain Dark, by the way. Though I'll surely be promoted for bringing in two Dragon Balls."
"You Red Ribbons are the worst sort. You make messes of people's lives and disrupt the peace for your petty ambitions and pleasures. Nothing respectable about your cause, and you aren't even demons like King Piccolo's spawn of old to excuse or explain your behavior. Somewhere, a great many parents and teachers are holding their heads in shame," Roshi admonished them.
"Nice lecture, but I didn't pay attention to lectures in school, and I'm not starting now."
"What about gym?" Roshi asked.
"What? They are no lectures in gym, you old buffoon!" Dark snapped.
"Right, so let's stop yakking, and play ball!" Roshi yelled. The can left his hand before Dark blinked, and smashed into his glasses, sending him onto his back and cracking his glasses while beer sprayed through the air in an arc.
Mai hit the deck as guns roared to life around her. When the guns stopped, she was trembling, expecting to hear a wet plunk or something. Instead, she heard someone who wasn't Roshi whisper a cuss word in the silence. As the waves continued to break on the shore, she dared to look up.
And saw Master Roshi standing unharmed, hands full of spent bullets that he dropped to the grass, jangling off one another. Roshi's glasses were off, revealing hard dark brown eyes. He flexed his hands.
"Well, those bullets were a grade above it seems, they may even have drawn blood if they hit. As it was, you really made me dance about to keep you vandals from damaging my house. Now then, you came to fight a legend, didn't you, boys?" Roshi said, casting his coat aside. Leaving only a loose sleeveless white shirt hanging on his elderly frame, the ancient master flexed.
And muscles swelled across his form. Mai wasn't sure if he actually grew in stature or it was just posture and her perspective, but instead of a goofy old man stood a veteran bodybuilder she'd say, glaring at the young men who he looked like he could break in one hand.
"Let's do it," he said. And he moved, a blur of motion; when he came back into focus, four Red Ribbon soldiers were flying through the air, screaming. And again, this time with a protruding elbow, as a wolfman soldier hit a tree hard enough to crack it.
It was over so quickly, mesmerizing as he took them all down before the last could reload and grab her by the hair. With a cry of pain, Mai twisted, lashing out with her foot and knocking the scrawny soldier down. As he landed, she got up and stomped on his wrist before kicking the gun away.
"I surrender," he pleaded as she got ready to stomp his face.
"Well done, Mai, you alright?" Roshi said, walking over, still buff and muscly.
"Yes, somehow," she said, letting out a breath.
"Sorry about that. I know taking him down in that situation was risky, but men like that, in my experience, don't keep their word. I really have gotten old. I should have realized there was a chance they'd track either the Dragon Balls here, or the others. I ask your forgiveness for this negligence as your teacher," Roshi said, bowing deeply to her.
"Uh, it's okay?" She told him, waving her hand awkwardly.
"We'd better suspend training until the others return. Then it might be good to relocate for a while. I can handle myself, but a fledgling turtle like you isn't ready to smack down sharks yet, even petty ones like these," Roshi said, turning his back to her and starting toward the house.
"Hey Turtle, it's safe now, you-"
BANG BANG
Roshi fell forward and Mai felt the breath run out of her. Turning, she saw Captain Dark, hat knocked off and bruise swelling up on his forehead. Turned out, he was bald too.
His face split in a wide grin as he looked to the smoking gun he was holding. Standing up fully, he held up his hands and laughed.
"I did it! Those bullets can punch through plate steel like wood! I, James Thaddeus Dark Junior, killed the Muten Roshi! I'm famous! Songs, stories… no, let's go straight to movies! I wonder who they'll get to play me?"
"You…" Mai fumed.
"Hmm, what, something to say?" Dark asked, tossing the strange gun away to draw a standard revolver.
Mai moved before she realized it. One hand grabbed Dark's wrist, forcing the revolver to point up into the air. The other pulled back and punched him in the face, shattering his cracked glasses and sending him back.
She didn't let him go, punching him in the chest and stomach three times. Panting, she let him fall limp, and kicked his dropped revolver away.
"Captain?" the soldier who'd grabbed Mai earlier squeaked. Mai glared at him, and he practically kowtowed, trembling before her. Spotting a rifle on the ground nearby, Mai walked over to it and chambered a round, coming back over to the man.
"Wait!"
"Did you give Roshi that warning?" she asked him.
"No Mai, no need for that," Roshi said.
"Eek!" Mai fired accidentally, killing some grass next to the soldier, who screamed louder and higher than her. Blinking, she turned to Roshi's corpse, which was sitting up, deflated but alive, rubbing his back.
"Dang, that gun did pack a wallop," Roshi griped.
"But, he said, he said," Mai stammered.
"Heh, guess they don't make steel like they used to, eh?" Roshi chuckled, giving her wink. He got to feet and stretched his back a bit, before walking over and casually taking the rifle from Mai. He snapped it in two with one hand and dusted his hands off.
"Now, young man. You've had a little lesson, are you ready to learn from it?" he asked the last soldier still aware.
"Yes sir! I'll turn over a new leaf! Do charity! Become a monk! Just name it!"
"Well now, no need to rush into shaving yer head. But you can start with a basic good deed. Clean up this trash all over my lawn. The local sheriff can't handle this load, but there's a town a few miles thataway on the mainland that should be able to handle it. Mai and I will help you cuff the ones that may wake up. After that, it's all you, sonny," Roshi declared, walking back to Kame House and retrieving his glasses.
"Thank you, Lord Muten Roshi! I will do as you ask," the survivor gulped, bowing his head to the ground repeatedly.
"That's the spirit. I tell ya Mai, the tragedy with the youth today ain't that they're hopeless, it's that all they usually need is a nice swift bit of harsh reality to straighten 'em out, but no one seems willing to do it. Such a pity. Now, how about some ice cream? You look like you could use it," Roshi said, opening the door.
"Uh, yes master," she nodded, kneeling to start pillaging and using handcuffs.
'That was amazing. Goku wasn't a fluke. Can I really be something half that great?' she thought, the images of Roshi dropping bullets and surviving a sure kill shot playing through her mind.
X X X
"Wow, we're so far under the water, but it's dry," Goku said, leaping out of the sub onto the rocky shore illuminated by the lights of the sub. Lunch joined him, and with a flick turned on the electric lantern she'd taken from the sub.
"Spooky, the Dragon Ball is in there somewhere?" Lunch asked as Bulma and Yamcha came ashore.
Straightening a backpack, Bulma made a sound of affirmation while Yamcha capsuled the sub, cutting off its light. Bulma lit her own lantern while Yamcha secured a third on his belt.
"Not to worry, the Dragon Radar is also serving to provide us a cross-section of the cave system, so we're not getting lost or groping blindly for a needle in the haystack. With monsters like you two, we should be able to handle anything. And down here, there's no way the Red Ribbon will stumble on us. So, save your worries for our way out, Lunch," Bulma said, marching past the other blue-haired girl.
X X X
"Right, a sea cave. That would explain it," General Blue said. Getting out of the command chair, he nodded.
"Refuel the mini-subs and get as many troops as you can ready to deploy. I will lead them personally. No grenades, no rockets, and no explosives. It wouldn't do to bring the house down on us; a sea cave with all that water pressing down on it ought to be more delicate than even a regular cave."
"Yes sir! My men are already prepping the mini-subs. What shall we do while you are gone?" the captain asked.
"Keep channels open, just in case. And if any other enemies show up, destroy them. We only need the radar and Dragon Balls. It's time to show these interlopers the true strength of the Red Ribbon Army. Watch out, General Blue is coming to get you! Hohohoho!" Blue said, exiting the bridge.
X X X
It was Goku who first noticed the piece of old metal on the wall. Tugging on Lunch's pants, he pointed, and she joined him looking at the switch perched among the cave rocks like it had every right to be there, while Yamcha and Bulma continued down the cave, their lights pulling away.
While Lunch hummed thoughtfully, Goku reached out and flipped the switch before she could object. With a series of whumping sounds, lights came on overhead, revealing hanging hooded lights at regular intervals across the ceiling. The dark cave had just become a stunningly well-illuminated cave.
"What?! What happened!?" Bulma yelled up ahead.
"I turned on the lights," Goku called after her.
"…I wish you'd asked me before doing that," Lunch admitted. Bulma almost bumped into her, skidding after running back down the cave.
"Huh? It is a light switch? What is this place?" Bulma demanded of no one.
"Maybe a secret government facility? You hear rumors of shady parts of the government with secret bases the King himself doesn't know about," Yamcha said, walking back to join them.
"If that's the case, it's been here awhile. None of this stuff is new," Bulma said, peering up at the lights and the electrical ports they were hooked into.
"Think we'll have to fight?" Goku asked.
"Well, if we do, we're ready as anyone could get," Yamcha assured them.
"Right, it's an adventure," Lunch chimed.
"Hmm, I'll feel better when I know who we're dealing with. But still, this way leads not only to the Dragon Ball, but follows the lights. So, like it or not, we'll be finding out," Bulma said.
Soon enough, they were faced with a bizarre sight.
"The cave has a rash?" Goku said uncertainly.
"Even you can't be that stupid," Bulma said to Goku.
"Well, I don't know the smart way to describe this," Goku told her.
"Buttons?" Lunch suggested.
Yes, the corridor in front of them changed abruptly. Stone gave wall to a lengthy passage of plated metal with dots covering the floor, with little space between them and holes across the walls leaving only the ceiling smooth, save for the lights affixed concavely.
"Well, it's certainly suspicious," Bulma said. Tapping her feet, she leaned out, trying to peek into one of the holes before giving it up.
"Careful, Bulma," Yamcha said.
"Hmm, we need to test it. Where did Goku and Lunch go?" Bulma asked. Sure enough, the traveling martial artists were nowhere in sight.
"Back down the tunnel, I guess," Yamcha said, looking back the way they'd come.
"Well, never mind, would you step on one of those buttons? We need to see what we have here," Bulma told him, stepping back and pointing to the closest set of buttons.
"Alright," Yamcha said, touching one with the tip of his foot. With a startled cry, he stepped back as a spear shot out of the wall to skewer the stone wall by him and clatter to the ground.
"As I thought, a trap," Bulma sighed.
"As you thought?!"
"Well, what did you think it was, a welcome mat? This is probably someone's back door, and in addition to any alarm function, they wanted to make sure anybody forcing their way in wouldn't get in easy. Anyway, we can work with this. It will take a while, but get some heavy enough rocks and we have a path. I doubt the launchers reload."
"That'll take lot of rocks," Yamcha said, looking down the corridor.
"Good thing I brought some strapping types then, eh?" Bulma grinned cattily.
"Bulma!" Goku said behind her.
"Goku, where EEK!" Bulma cried, seeing a skull with eyes looking up at her.
"Booga booga!" Goku went, dancing about a little. Bulma, red in the face, made to thump him over the head, only for her fist to meet Lunch's palm.
"Sorry, I couldn't talk him out of that," Lunch apologized, before taking the skull off Goku's head. Bulma glared and noted the pirate bicorn hat Lunch was wearing, with a Jolly Roger painted on the black cloth.
"Where'd you two get those?"
"From a dead guy dressed like a pirate. We'll put the skull back and finish burying him now," Lunch said, turning around and taking Goku with her back down the tunnel.
"…I get the feeling it wasn't a guy in a costume," Yamcha said.
"What, real pirates?" Bulma asked. Yamcha nodded his head thoughtfully.
"Apparently back during the Warlord Era, there was a powerful pirate group that operated out of here. Some said the leader was a warlord's son, but instead of ruling over a fief with an iron hand, he chose instead to plunder the seas, stealing from everybody instead. Tall John Gold! That was his name. In his day, he wasn't just known for being successful but for mixing then-cutting-edge tech with a love for classic pirate stuff."
"Great, so we're in a psycho cosplayer's basement," Bulma groaned.
"His treasure hoard was never found, cause he was never defeated; one day, the pirates just vanished," Yamcha continued.
"Treasure? Pirate treasure?" Bulma perked up.
"Uh, yes?"
"Well, this just got more interesting. Goku and Lunch can have the ball, but I'll take the treasure. Well, unless Launch shows up; she'd probably want half," Bulma admitted.
"There may not even be a treasure," Yamcha pointed out wearily.
"Always be prepared, Yamcha! Hey you two, we're also looking for pirate treasure, shove off ye scurvy knaves," Bulma happily cackled as the other two returned, swiping the hat from Lunch to put on her own head.
"That's not nice, Bulma. Also, the Red Ribbon's here," Lunch said, puffing her cheeks out.
"Huh!? How!?"
"Mini subs. Also, that's my booty," Lunch said, snatching the hat back and putting it on.
"This is a disaster!" Bulma cried, "We're caught between a trap and a bunch of thugs."
"What trap, Bulma?" Goku asked.
"The floor in this corridor is boobytrapped, Goku," Yamcha said, "One wrong step and you'll be skewered with a spear."
"Oh, well, that's no problem," Goku said, and with just a short start he leapt clear down the corridor to land on the rocks at the other end.
"See, easy!" Goku called back.
"Keep it down, you want the Red Ribbon to hear you!?" Bulma shouted back, before slapping hands over her mouth.
"I can make that jump. Don't worry Bulma, I'll get you safely over," Yamcha declared boldly. Bulma gave him a frown.
Shortly:
"There you go," Lunch said, letting Bulma down from the bridal style carry.
"Swell, that's great," Yamcha muttered, backing up for his own leap.
Soon, all of them were on the other side and heading down the tunnel. And a Red Ribbon soldier peeked around the wall of the tunnel.
"Hey General, the tunnel changes up here!" the scout said into a walkie-talkie quietly.
"Well, look into it fool, and keep quiet, recon isn't supposed to have a commentary."
"Right sir, I'm starting now- *SHUNK*"
"Private? Private, are you still alive?" Blue spoke over the clutched walkie-talkie.
"I report a lethal boobytrap, sir. Ugh," the grunt reported, before dying stuck to the wall.
"Well, this is why we send scouts out one at a time, people. You there, see if you can find what got him," Blue's voice continued over the radio.
Shortly, Again:
Blue stood before his men, three corpses in front of him nailed to the walls by spears.
"Well, we can assume this isn't the enemy's hidden base. Or they'd not leave corpses around only to bury it now. Also, clearly this took time to build. My cunning strategic mind says there must be some way to disable or bypass this trap. There'd be no point in a door you can't use, after all. Besides, our prey clearly got around it, not like they could just jump that distance. Even I, the great General Blue, who can plummet six stories to land on my feet without injury, couldn't quite pull that off," he told them.
"Sir, the submarine has a report to convey from Captain Dark's squad," one of the men said, offering a walkie-talkie.
"Very good, now join the search. This is General Blue, Captain. Yes. …I'm sorry, did you say wiped out? How?! One escaped? Played possum and rolled into the brush? Caught how many bullets? I don't care if he had another lady fighter with him! They didn't even unleash the turtle!? …never mind, it's fine. This is fine. Unexpected adversity is just the thing to make a sharp man sharper still. We're going further in; I don't expect to be able to remain in contact. Standby."
Blue didn't bother to address the questions his men clearly had from hearing half that conversation. He didn't chastise them for pausing their search of the walls and floor, stepping over to the wall and, after a few moments, spying a button against the rocks. A section of the wall slid away, revealing a smoothed stone tunnel, poorly lit but clear.
"You see, men, with General Blue's special touch, onerous tasks become quite obtainable. We stay the course. Remember, we need only the heiress alive, kill everyone else," he said, shoving a private in front of him as he grandly led his troops down the secret passage.
X X X
"Yamcha, I'm prepared to concede on the pirate theory," Bulma said.
"It's a bit like West City," Goku said in awe.
"An underground port?" Lunch asked.
"The great pirate's hidden base," Yamcha said in awe. The space was massive. If it had started as a cavern, everything had been built over, with even the ceiling above covered in smooth segmented material, with draft light fixtures built in to make the chamber as bright as day.
A massive sub dominated the channel that split the chamber. With its tower, it stood at least three stories tall, with a wide deck atop its main body and a large cannon mounted there. Lesser subs were anchored along wooden docks and simple motor boats, likely meant to ferry people and material across the water with ease. And upon the concrete-covered ground were piles of crates, forklifts, and other vehicles gathering dust amid oil drums. And at least ten buildings spread out, the largest a five-story tall block of a building that wouldn't look out of place in a small city's center.
"An underground town," Goku said.
"Pretty much," Bulma said, looking around, "With storehouses like that, they could have gone to ground here for months, if needed. Probably fresh water just a tap's turn away, too. And look at those cranes and that dry dock. This Captain Gold wasn't just running a tight ship, he had his own navy, complete with port and yard," Bulma said.
"That fits with the story. He could have had a kingdom, but he invested in this instead," Yamcha nodded.
"Right, let's split up and check for treasure before going on," Bulma decided.
"Wait, what about my Grandpa's ball?" Goku asked.
"And the Red Ribbon?" Lunch asked.
"We'll still get the ball, just a quick look to make sure there's not just a door labeled 'treasury, do not enter' before going to get it. Besides, if the Red Ribbon shows up and things get hairy, you can just sneeze and Launch will take care of them. The hat would suit her better, anyway," Bulma said.
"I think we should just focus on the Dragon Ball. We shouldn't take the Red Ribbon lightly, and who knows what obstacles we might still meet finding the Dragon Ball," Yamcha objected.
"Well, who made you leader? If it's a dispute, we can have a vote. I say we check for treasure, it's an adventure, right?"
"You're already rich, Bulma, let's stay on task," Yamcha said.
"Uh, I don't really get the treasure stuff, so I just want to find the ball first," Goku said.
"Uh, well, a treasure hunt does sound fun. Really fun, but really- Ouch!" Lunch cried as she was shot in the back.
"Fool, I didn't give the order!" General Blue yelled, popping up from behind a crate next to a shocked-looking rifleman. Drawing his pistol, the General shot the man, who fell down. Seeing the quartet looking at him, the General just let out an angry breath.
"Well, nothing for it now! Blue Corps, attack! Take the heiress prisoner! Everyone else…" Blue said, glaring at the heroes as his armed men emerged from the surroundings. He trailed off, catching sight of Yamcha already striking a combat stance, his gi displaying the well-toned arms and short hair complimenting his face.
"…Do not aim for the young man, I will take care of him personally," Blue said, smiling with a slight blush.
"Huh?" Yamcha and Bulma went together. Yamcha then shoved Bulma behind an oil drum, while Blue dashed across the concrete as his men opened fire on Lunch and Goku. Lunch tossed her hat behind a crate and began racing alongside Goku towards the firing line.
Goku's power pole extended, letting him take down a line of the Red Ribbon soldiers, while Lunch evaded a walrusman sailor's rifle to punch him clear off his feet into a pile of dusty crates, kicking up a cloud of dust.
"Achoo! Dang, I woke up in a party," Launch said, emerging from the dust cloud to disarm a charging soldier of his oversized knife and sheathe it in his thigh.
"Bulma Briefs, nice to meet you. On behalf of Commander Red, allow me to extend an invitation to our High Command. We can offer the poshest dungeon while ransom demands are ongoing," Blue said, reaching Yamcha and spotting Bulma's rear sticking out from behind the drums.
"Ack! It's the classic kidnap and harass! Do something Yamcha, this handsome, chiseled, with soulful blue eyes…" Bulma said, peeking over the drum.
"Bulma?" Yamcha glanced to her, confused by her ebbing panic. And getting punched in the chest for his trouble. Recoiling, he took the follow-up kick to his side, sending him to the ground.
"Tsk, tsk, handsome. Getting distracted by a woman of all things in a fight? Even if you weren't facing the glorious General Blue, that would be the height of folly."
"I've heard of you, they never said you were so pretty," Bulma said airily. Yamcha cringed on the ground, looking up as the confused Blue watched Bulma get up close to him, practically glowing.
'Good job Bulma, pretend to be swayed by his good looks and get the drop on him like you did those thugs with planes you told us about.'
Blue frowned, and from virtually no stance, lashed out with a kick.
"Wait your turn hostage to be, I'm busy," he punctuated the blow with. Only to blink in confusion, realizing he had missed. Crouching on the floor under his leg, Bulma smiled wide and grabbed his leg.
'She got him!' Yamcha thought, getting to his feet. But rather than use that hold, she held on as Blue pulled his legs back, leaving her rubbing her cheek against his pants leg. The enemy actually looked up to him with clear distress in his eyes.
"Uh, Bulma?" Yamcha asked.
'She is pretending to be attracted to him, right?!'
"Take me away and we can have some cuffs and coils interrogation. You might have to go deep though if you want your prize," she purred, face reddening as she grinned.
"Gah! OFF! OFF! OFF!" Blue said, punching down on her head and kicking her away, shaking his leg while hopping on the other foot. Bulma slid to a stop at Yamcha's feet, eyes unfocused, gave a lecherous chuckle, then passed out, tongue sticking out.
She had never looked less sexy.
"Yeck! Now I'll have to have these pants burned. I always knew teenage girls were dangerous, but like a cobra they just strike unexpectedly, no? Heh, such are the perils of being beautiful men, no?" Blue said, collecting himself and rubbing at his pant leg with a handkerchief bearing the Red Ribbon seal.
"Uh, I guess?"
"You're a new face. I know I'd remember if I'd been told we were being attacked by a strapping handsome young man. You her bodyguard?" Blue asked, his casual smile turning to a frown as he looked at Bulma sprawled on the floor.
"Her ex-boyfriend, actually."
"Ugh, I know she's rich, but really? That's no excuse to settle," Blue visibly shivered.
"Hey, she's not that bad!" Yamcha blurted, before he could think.
"Then you admit it wasn't good. Well, fortunately, you are about to upgrade. I don't have any orders regarding you. Swear allegiance to the Red Ribbon Army, and me personally, and I can get you the rank of Captain from the word go. And if you've got some of those Muten Roshi skills, Colonel shouldn't be far behind. Of course, in exchange, I would expect your gratitude, on a recurring basis," Blue said, wiggling his eyebrow and casually flexing his pecks through the uniform.
"…Are you flirting with me?" Yamcha asked, pointing to himself. Blue practically fell backwards.
"Seriously? Don't you understand the art of subtlety? You don't just come out and say it. You build up to it like a shark circling is prey for hours, luring them into a false sense of security, then WHAM!"
"Uh, did you have to use a predator as a metaphor? That's some unfortunate implications."
"The most unfortunate implication is that you have yet to agree to my offer. Fair warning, while I can see the glory in a town surrendering without a shot, I will not hesitate to conquer by brutal overwhelming force to get what I want. I trust that isn't too subtle for you, pretty man?" Blue said, not noticing the gunfire dying down nearby.
"Not at all. But fact is, I've put my bad guy days behind me, so even if I was interested in you, it'd be a nonstarter," Yamcha said, resuming his stance.
"Such a shame. Except not really! Hohohoho!" Blue laughed haughtily. Bulma's eyes snapped open, and she sat up.
"Yamcha, don't you dare hook up with another man after our breakup! Just think what people would think about me then!" she yelled, then collapsed onto her back, groaning.
"Hate to tell you this, except I don't Miss Briefs, he really doesn't get a say in the matter," Blue chuckled, menacingly taking a step toward Yamcha, before Launch stepped into his line of sight, followed by Goku.
"Well, just when I think you guys might have a real fighter, turns out he's just a predator. Disappointing," Launch said.
"What, but, my men…" Blue gasped.
"We beat them up," Goku said, pointing. Blue followed the finger and cringed at the sight.
"So, you did," he gulped.
"You're a General, what do you say to three on one?" Launch said, taking her own stance.
'Looks like I'll need to use my trump card. I've caught as many as three at once in it, but even for me that's not easy. Right, no fooling around, cruelty is for less risky situations; whoever I catch, I go straight for the killing blow. Maybe break that slut's legs too, in the bargain. Make her a less bothersome prisoner.'
No one expected a new challenger to crash out of the large building, guns blazing.
"Crap, they had more!?" Yamcha yelled.
"Idiots! Never fire at your commander!" Blue yelled, beating a hasty retreat as his opponents scattered, Goku dragging Bulma by a foot as she screamed.
"YOHO, YOHO, BLOW THE MAN DOWN," a mechanical voice said. Having taken cover behind some crates, the team looked out and saw a robot shaped like an alien with a machine gun for one hand and a sword clasped in the other, while its long, segmented tail whipped about behind it and treads carried it forward.
"A monster?"
"An alien?"
"A robot?"
"A pirate?"
"A monstrous alien-like robot pirate," Bulma concluded, "Launch, go try and talk to it."
"Huh, why me? And what the heck, anyway?"
"It's clearly programmed to fight off intruders, maybe with that hat it will think you're part of the crew and stand down."
"What hat?" Launch asked.
"Lunch left it over there so it wouldn't get full of holes," Goku reminded them and told Launch.
"I don't see that Blue guy, he must have escaped."
"He doesn't seem the type to give up easily, so he's hiding here, waiting to strike," Yamcha speculated.
"Probably, glad you could join us, bandit," Launch said, glancing around as the robot continued to search.
"You think you guys can handle that robot?" Yamcha asked.
"Heck yeah, we finished off a new killer robot at Muscle Tower, this museum piece won't be much of a much," Launch grinned.
"Maybe we should see if the robot wants to be friends? Like Eighter. Maybe he's just cranky from being alone down here?" Goku suggested.
"DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES. DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES, DEAD MEN…" the killer robot with the large head said.
"I kind of doubt that, Goku," Bulma remarked.
"Right then," Yamcha nodded, "How about this? Goku and Launch, you work together to take that robot down; let's not take risks. While you are fighting, I'll get Bulma out of here and we'll resume the Dragon Ball hunt."
Bulma got out the radar and checked it.
"That's a doorway over there. Of course, it's over open ground," Bulma groaned.
"Not to worry, that tin can won't have a second to spare for you guys. Come on Goku, let's get that hat, and if that don't work, we'll take him down."
"Okay, I'll distract him and you get the hat," Goku agreed.
"I can run myself, don't think I need you to carry me like some damsel," Bulma told Yamcha.
"Noted. We'll mark the path for you two. Be careful out there," Yamcha said.
"Ahh, worried? Want a kiss for good luck?" Launch chuckled, winking at him. Yamcha flushed and Bulma's eyes bugged a bit.
"Ha, just kidding, let's go, Goku!" Launch said, dashing out from cover. The robot immediately pivoted to face them, its gun primed.
"WALK THE PLANK."
He opened fire, eyes glowing red. Goku went high with his power pole, while Launch propelled herself to the side with her special attack. Goku retracted the power pole as he reached his arc and brought it to bear.
"Power Pole Extend!" he yelled, swinging it down. The robot saw the attack coming and dodged to the side, taking aim at Goku in the air.
"Rocket Launch!" Launch called, punching the robot in the face. Its face didn't crack, and she watched as its eyes shifted to her.
"Well built, aren't ya?" She sweatdropped.
Dancing frantically around its sword swings, Launch fell back as Goku leapt into its side and kicked it with both legs. That sent it back a ways and dented it some. But it was still coming.
"FIFTEEN MEN ON A DEAD MAN'S CHEST."
"We may need a new strategy," Launch said.
"Hit him harder?" Goku asked. Launch grabbed him by the collar and ran as the robot rolled after them, spouting cliche pirate lines.
"Maybe we should get the hat after all?" Launch wondered.
Author's Note:
And another one down. Hope you are still enjoying this tale here. Gibing lines to the Pirate Robot really helped me write this part, hope you enjoy that bit of tweaking.
Long days and pleasant nights to you all.