Bulma (Six Months Later) —

*BLINK* *BLINK* *BLINK*

She stared down at her invention in surprise and confusion; her mother, father, and older sister looked on, even more stunned as the radar continued to blink.

Seven signals had been picked up, and she couldn't believe it.

She had done it! She had created a dragon ball radar!

"Y-you…actually did it," Tights said slowly as if she couldn't believe her words, glancing at one of the balls that lay on Bulma's desk. "The dragon balls… are real?"

"Well done!" Their father, Dr. Briefs, cheered.

"My baby is so amazing!" Their mom, Bikini, pulled Bulma into a tight hug. "I never doubted you for a moment, sweetie!"

Bulma caught the quick sideway glance her father and sister shared and knew her mother was talking out of her ass.

"I'm…honestly just glad it works," Bulma said, still stunned by everything. Within her heart, she believed that what she was working toward was a real goal, but her mind told her it was a load of bullshit. She gave a glance at the two star dragon ball on her desk that had started this whole fiasco.

Now, here she was with a perfectly functioning radar, picking up six other balls beside this one.

"Maybe we should keep our hopes down." Tights said, getting over the initial surprise. "We know that the radar is picking up seven separate signatures, but who's to say that these signatures are magical in origin, much less the mythical dragon balls."

"A fair point." Her father hummed in thought.

"And the other balls are really out there, are we sure? What if they're broken or something?!" Tights asked with a nervous frown.

Bulma glared at her sister. Tights had supported her all her life, but right now, she was finding any little way to stop her from getting her wish granted.

"I can go check!" Bulma blurted out faster than her mind could keep up.

Everyone blinked at her before their mother crossed her arms under her bust. "Nuh-uh! You have school, young lady!"

"Mom, what do I have to learn from school?" Bulma asked with genuine curiosity. She was a genius among geniuses. Few minds were brighter than hers in the world, much less at her school.

"Eh, I say let her go." Dr. Briefs shrugged.

"Dear?" Bikini hummed curiously.

"Bulma is right. There's little she has left to learn, and she's obviously enthusiastic about this. When have we ever seen her so driven?"

"You're right about that." Tights said under her breath. "The magical non-existent boyfriend gives her power."

"Whatever works." Their father hummed in approval. "You're free to go out on the condition that you keep in touch and bring a firearm."

Bulma couldn't believe what she was hearing. She could actually go look for the dragon balls?!

She ran into her father's chest and wrapped her arms around him.

"You're welcome, dear."

Even as she and her father hugged, Tights looked on with annoyance before walking away.

Bulma didn't let her sister's negativity affect her, she'd find the dragon balls and then she'd flex her perfect boyfriend over her single sister.

It'd be a perfect day with a perfect man.

Vegeta —

"What does it say, Nappa?" I asked with a hint of impatience in my voice.

"Thirteen thousand three hundred!" Nappa shouted with no small amount of surprise. Raditz recoiled at the number and slowly turned to me, shock and awe dancing in his eyes.

A wicked grin split my lips. A thirteen hundred increase within half a year was perfect. It wasn't quite the growth I needed, but it exceeded my expectations.

"You're amazing, Prince Vegeta!" Raditz clapped.

"You should expect nothing less." I scoffed, walking past the two. Thirteen hundred was great for the time crunch I was on, but honestly, I needed more and sooner rather than later.

I considered going to Earth earlier than planned for one reason: the Briefs.

They could build me a gravity chamber; I knew they could, and I wanted nothing more than quick power.

In the end, I decided against it.

If I'm right, and nothing has changed, the events of Dragon Ball have either just begun or are about to, and I had no intention of messing with the timeline.

The last thing I wanted was time patrollers, or worse, Towa/Fu, to head to this timeline and start fucking things up because they sensed a disturbance.

Yeah, fuck that. They could do that all they wanted once I have Ultra Ego mastered, but until then, I'll keep my head down and only create minimal changes.

There was another reason I decided against going to Earth, which was an admittedly dumber reason.

I wanted things to play out like they did in canon because I wanted to experience those fights for myself.

I knew it was the foolish Saiyan in me speaking, but the thought of fighting the wicked androids, or the biomechanical android, Perfect Cell, was the equivalent of a wet dream for a Saiyan.

Who was I to push away good fights when I could have them and enjoy myself?

I knew this way of thinking would likely come back to bite me in the ass, but I couldn't give less of a fuck. Even if I die, dragon balls exist.

No one ever dies; we will rise again.

"Don't stop, don't stop, we're in luck now, don't stop, don't stop, keep your spirit proud~"

"You say something, Vegeta?"

"..." I turned around to see both of them following me. My entire face morphed into the deepest glare I had ever given in both lives, and I powered up, radiating killing intent. "Never speak of this."

"As you command, Prince Vegeta," Raditz said instantly with a bow.

"Speak of what, my Prince?" Nappa rubbed the back of his bald head nervously.

"Good."

We continued our walk to our space pods in silence. We had another planet-clearing mission, this planet being much further than the last at around three months' distance from our current location.

Now I understand why canon Vegeta didn't grow in strength as fast as he potentially could.

I sat in the pod and initiated forced sleep.

This was my life for the foreseeable future, and I couldn't wait to drive a ki blade into Freeza's heart and end this master/slave relationship once and for all.

Bulma (Three Months Later) —

"What the hell are you!" Bulma shouted, looking at the gun she just discharged three bullets from.

"Ow, that hurt!"

A kid, no taller than her waist, stood up, clutching his head in pain.

"I put three bullets in your dome; how are you alive!"

"That hurted!"

"Hurted isn't a word!" Bulma shouted, both terrified and annoyed by the persistence of this child. She quickly shook her head and pointed the gun at the kid again. "Not a step closer, or I'll give you another plate of bullets!"

"I don't like bullets, they hurt!" The kid roared, grabbing her car from the bottom and picking it up.

It was at this moment that Bulma lowered her gun. She realized quickly that the kid could kill her with ease if she decided to keep pissing him off and wisely decided to go for another approach.

"Wait!" She called out just as the kid was prepared to rush her.

The kid paused, tilting his head. "Are we not fighting?"

"Not anymore; I changed my mind." Bulma laughed nervously.

"...Okay."

"Okay?"

"Mhm."

Holy shit, this kid is dumb as bricks!

She could use this!

"Now that we're not fighting, why don't we get to know each other? My name is Bulma Briefs, and I'm sixteen years old."

"Oh, okay, hi Bulma!" The kid beamed, putting his power pole back on his back. "My name is Son Goku, and I'm-" The kid, Goku, began counting on his fingers and stopped at ten. "Bulma, what comes after ten?"

"...Eleven."

"Okay, thanks!" He paused, waiting for a moment. "And what comes after eleven?"

…This kid wasn't just as dumb as bricks; he was undoubtedly the dumbest person she's met to date.

"Twelve."

Another moment passed, and Goku smiled. "I'm Son Goku, and I'm twelve!"

She shook her head, deciding not to comment on his lack of common knowledge.

"You're stronger than I thought; how did you gain so much power?" She asked, genuinely curious.

"My grandpa Gohan taught me how to fight!" Goku smiled brightly.

"Your grandpa?" Bulma asked curiously.

"Mhm!"

"Is he around here now?" This was exactly what she needed, someone smart that she could speak to in hopes of getting the dragon ball Goku had. She has one, the two-star dragon ball from her basement, but she needs the four-star dragon ball Goku currently has tied to his hip.

"No…he died two years ago." Goku frowned deeply and for a moment Bulma realized she overstepped.

"I'm sorry to hear that." She walked over to him and crouched to his level, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"This orb is all I have left of him."

Oof, now that was bad.

The dragon ball and Goku were inseparable, which means there was only one way she was getting that ball, and honestly, it might be her best bet.

"I'm sorry for your loss. I think I know a way we both can be happy."

"How?" Goku asked, sadness still plaguing his young face.

"The dragon balls are wish-granting balls, but after a wish is made, you keep them, so if you come with me, you can guard your dragon ball until I make my wish, and then you can take it back home!"

"Really?!" Goku asked with childlike wonder.

"Yup, and if you help me, I'll be sure to keep you fed every day."

"Let's go!" Goku grinned, grabbing her hand and pulling her up to his house atop the mountain. Goku ran so fast that her feet left the earth. Finally they stopped and Bulma had never in her life been so thankful for sweet Earth. "I need to grab my things, then we can go!"

Bulma waited patiently for Goku, all the while feeling bad. She didn't know what happened after the wish was granted or if these balls even had the potential to make a wish, but if the balls really did summon a dragon, she could ask before she made a wish.

Hopefully, asking didn't actually take up a wish.

"I'm ready!" Goku cheered, a bag tied to a stick slung over his shoulder.

"Then, let's be on our way!" Bulma smiled. "This is the start of a great adventure, I can feel it!"

"MHM!"

Chapter End —

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Basilisk

Dragonboy1

Author's Note: The Greatest Adventure. I recommend it if you haven't watched or read the original DB series; it's quite good.