And I'm back with a new chapter. It's been fun writing this bit. It's also a pleasant surprise this story reached over 30 followers so I'm very thankful from the bottom of my heart. Enjoy!
Chapter Two:
Bulma and the Dragon Balls
The sun shined brightly upon the forest of Mt. Paozu. The environment had long recovered since the Oozaru's rampaging devastation after many months, having suffered one loss of a resident. Near the lone small house on a towering hill was its newest resident, returning to the hut with a cut tree log after directing it down a taller slope. She had long replaced her old dust brown robe with one of Goku's blue gi jackets she borrowed, retaining her magenta pants.
Caulifla glared determinedly at the log of wood in front of her. Her hands rose to head level before clenching them hard, tensing her arms. With a grunt, her body shifted down as her left knee swiveled to face sideways, bent forward, stretching her right leg before mirroring the action with her left. She calmly released a breath as she straightened, her shoulders lowering.
Caulifla had practiced these stances and breathing exercises since her first few weeks living in these mountains, observing every motion Goku performed when he handled the wood. As she started, Goku showed her the basics, assisting her in executing the proper form. She went on from there once she got Goku's form into her muscle memory.
Taking the log in both hands, Caulifla growled viciously before throwing it above her. She sprang toward it like a missile and pulled back a leg before thrusting a well-placed kick against its center. The log splintered into firewood, each chunk in varying shapes and sizes. She dropped to the ground in a stance with the wood piling in front of her.
The stack itself was imperfect, but it bought her a satisfied grin at the progress she made. She remained nowhere near Goku's prowess, but she could tell she was much better than how she was beginning training.
Her mind rewinded to everything leading up to this point. She couldn't help but be pleasantly surprised by how accustomed she grew to this place. She didn't know how much time had passed since she spent her first night or how many Sadala days it had been. One of the many reasons this place felt like home in such a short time was thanks to the boy named Son Goku.
He showed such hospitality, which Caulifla was grateful for. Goku showed her what he knew about these woods, and she returned the favor by telling him what she knew about Sadala. However, one night during the early days, Goku attempted to sleep with his head on her lap, saying something about sleeping like that with his grandpa. Embarrassment coursed in her as a particular memory came to mind, leading to her insisting they sleep separately. It seemed he didn't understand the concept of personal space or biological anatomy either, so she should have suspected as much.
She could never forget that comment he blurted out. "You have no balls!" That earned him a meeting with a fist to his face that day.
Despite their rough start and as time passed, she grew comfortable with the wild boy enough to recognize him as a friend. Caulifla's lips fell as the word repeated in her thoughts. It was such a foreign thought to comprehend having a friend. It was surreal to think she had someone to get along with after having nobody to call a friend in Sadala.
It was a nice feeling.
Banishing her thought process, Caulifla returned her gaze to the pile of firewood on the ground. Preparing the fire was a great way to pass the time for Goku to return with the meal without boredom. She wondered what animal they would eat today. Last time, they ate what was called a bear, right? The creatures of this planet were vastly different than Sadala's. She could say the same about the taste of their meat; they were just as tasty as her homeworld's meat.
Caulifla hoisted a stack of firewood in her arms before dumping the wood onto the usual spot for the fire and began to work.
The girl clenched her teeth in tight concentration as she steered the wheel to maintain steadiness on her drive up this rough route. Just beside the wheel on a support stand was a palm-sized circular device, the waypoint dot on its screen inching ever closer to the center pinpoint. Besides her wariness in driving along this road in the middle of nowhere, she was excited.
She could almost taste the third Dragon Ball she came to collect after traveling far and wide for weeks. She poured many resources into this project and would not let a bumpy road get in her way to her desired wish. And she was making a sharp turn near the edge of a cliff, causing a rush of chills down her goosebumps. Why did her next destination have to be in a place like this!?
Goku, his gi and hair soaked and dripping with water, wrung over his shoulder was a Paozu tuna fish as he dragged the carcass up the hill. An enormous meal easily over five times the size of the spiky-haired boy. "Hehe, what a catch! What a catch! Caulifla will be so excited when she sees this." He said to himself with a cheer.
Suddenly, Goku paused his trek with a confused frown. There was a distant sound from somewhere, it sounded like a snarling predator but so unfamiliar. He felt a sense of Deja vu as the rattling sound grew near.
Goku spun a look over his shoulder and saw the weirdest creature he had ever seen rapidly approaching from behind. His eyes popped open while he wailed with a start at the strange monster. It was bigger than any tiger and bear he had ever seen. He didn't know what it was, but his instincts shouted that it was storming at him with hostility.
A wave of dust rose as the creature made rough tilts and turns, creating a most ear-stabbing shriek from its weird legs! Goku quickly zipped out of the way in time before it ran him over, the monster halting in unison in his position.
"Coming to steal my prey away, ain't ya'? Well, not on my watch!" Goku challenged. Adopting a defensive stance, he scowled as his onyx eyes met the monster's squarish glowing ones. How ugly it looked up close.
Goku swiftly rushed to the monster's side. He grunted as he hoisted the beast over his head, feeling its rough and slippery hide while straining his muscles. He heard a high-pitched scream above him, the strangest sound ever from a beast. It sounded like a person. With great strength, Goku hurled the beast several meters, resulting in a loud crash.
Goku grabbed Nyoibo from its hanging position on his back and wielded the weapon, ready to attack. "I'll fight you if you try to steal my food! So get up!" He shouted fiercely.
The downed monster's side opened with a click and a bright-looking figure emerged. Goku gasped in shock. "A-a ghoul coming out of the monster!?" He exclaimed before hardening his youthful face. "Well, whatever you are, I'm still not letting you steal my food without fighting me!"
The girl looked at him with an astonished glare. "Augh! You crazy kid!" She aimed a pistol at the wild boy and opened fire.
Caulifla snapped her attention away from the task. A loud cracking in the air garnered her full alert. Flocks of dozens of birds flew from their cover behind the canopy of the trees. Caulifla looked up distantly, having heard a sound like this before from adult Saiyans when flying at high speeds to break the sound barrier.
"Or was it…?" Her eyes narrowed suspiciously before widening, letting out a gasp. "Goku!"
Abandoning the fire setup, Caulifla spun away and dashed toward the slope of the hill.
Goku sat up with a groan, rubbing at his head. "Ow. What kind of dark magic was that?"
The girl stared in disbelief that the boy came out unscathed from her barrage of bullets. "B-but how did you… survive that?"
Fully recovered, Goku sprung to his feet, wielding Nyoibo in a stance. "You think those weak attacks will bring me down!? It's time for you to be defeated, ghoul!" Goku roared as he was just about to leap at the intruder.
"Ghoul!?" The intruder muttered before dropping the pistol, waving her arms in surrender. "Hold on! I'm not a ghoul. I'm a human being just like you are!"
Goku halted his attack mid-swing, his staff above his head. "Human being? Really?" he asked.
He watched the visitor climb out of the demolished vehicle, slipping off to land lightly on her feet. "Of course, I am, silly. Just see for yourself." She replied, holding up her arms to appear as passive as possible.
Goku hummed as he circled the visitor, his judging eyes scrutinizing her features, tightening his hold on Nyoibo. There was nothing that seemed beast-like or anything horrifying from the stranger. She wore the brightest clothes he had ever seen, with her lavender hair tied in a pink bow, adding more to her vibrant appearance. Her orange shirt reached her thighs, adorning the letters that comprised 'B-U-L-M-A' with a violet bandana tied loosely around her collar.
After a bit of scanning, that skinny, frail-looking body, that high voice, the smooth face, and those long eyelashes around the eyes were very noticeable, but what was odd was that huge butt on her chest. They were called breasts, right?
But he could see now, especially after living with Caulifla for a long time.
"You're a girl!" Goku stated while pointing a finger.
She deadpanned, "Thanks for pointing out the obvious, kid."
Ignoring the sarcastic remark, Goku shifted to inspect the girl from the side. He wondered if human girls had no balls either. He could check, but his eye could still feel the ghostly traces of swollenness it suffered after a particular morning. His eyes fell on her backside. So they didn't have them.
The girl looked at him with bewildered eyes, squinting suspiciously. "What are you doing?"
The boy looked at her blankly. "Just checking to see if you have a tail."
The girl's face dropped when she turned to him, looking nearly speechless. What did he mean if she had a tail? She sighed, deciding to let it slide. He was a kid, after all, with the typical wild imagination like many others his age had.
Goku straightened his posture before bowing. "I'm sorry for being rude. I was startled, so I had to defend myself against this monster you controlled. How did you catch it anyway?" He asked when he pointed his staff at the totaled vehicle.
"This 'monster' just happens to be my car," Bulma stated, placing her hands on her hips.
Suddenly, another short figure swooped down in front of Goku, immediately perturbing the visitor. The lavender-haired girl backed away with a shout at the newcomer's bared teeth, looking like a wild cat defending its territory.
"Watch yourself, Goku." The small girl stated, widening into a stance far more aggressively than Goku displayed. "Is this the intruder? Did she shoot at you with any blaster weapon?"
The human girl flinched, holding out her arms as she crept back. "There's more of you!? Where did you come from!?"
Caulifla grinned wickedly at the frightened girl. So this was a human. She had to admit, she was curious after hearing about them from Goku. Judging by her appearance, Caulifla couldn't say she was impressed. Regardless, this human female made a fatal mistake in shooting her friend. She crouched down a bit, ready to pounce on the human.
"Caulifla, wait!" Goku exclaimed as he appeared between the two, arms spread out protectively of the human. "Don't attack her! She's not a threat!"
She looked at Goku, flabbergasted. "She was trying to kill you. Didn't she fire shots at you? I heard them from the house." She argued with a pointed glare.
With her head bowing, the stranger clasped her hands in a clap, attracting the two kids' attention. "I'm so sorry! I was acting on impulse. I won't do it again!"
Goku turned back to Caulifla with a smile. "See? She even apologized." He vouched. It only prompted a growl out of Caulifla.
"Fine. Do whatever you want." Caulifla retorted, looking away. She made sure to give the human female a final, ever-intimidating glare. "If you try anything, you're dead," Caulifla coldly finished with slitted eyes before turning away with a quiet huff.
The girl looked at Caulifla with wide eyes, her mouth drooping depressingly. "I don't think she'll like me..."
"Caulifla was like this with me when I met her. She's very nice once you spend enough time with her. So you don't have to worry." Goku said with a smile.
A vein pulsed behind the corner of Caulifla's forehead. "Hey, I heard that!" She retorted with a fierce glare as a blush dusted her cheeks.
"Oh," That was all the girl could say as her eyes remained on Caulifla. When they met, he said? So, they were not blood relatives despite their uncanny similar traits—their spiky, wild hair.
"She's even stronger than me, too," Goku said happily.
The teen inhaled sharply, "Stronger than you!?" She blurted out, completely baffled. Goku returned an affirmative nod. She turned to her demolished vehicle with an audible shuddering breath. "B-but you just picked my car up and threw it like a piece of junk!" She exclaimed, internally reminding herself to avoid Caulifla's wrath.
Goku turned to the metallic object. "A car, huh? Grandpa told me about those. So that's what they look like. You're from the city. Aren't you?"
"Let's just say that I'm from way far west." The vibrantly dressed girl replied.
Goku retrieved the fish carcass, hoisting the tail over his shoulder, "Hey, come to my place so I can share this with you since you're a girl. It's this way," he said, pointing his thumb up the road with Caulifla not far ahead.
The girl amusedly raised an eyebrow. This little boy was quite a gentleman. She hummed before taking out a device. 'I'm also going in that direction. Does that mean he has it? These strong kids could be helpful despite their strangeness.' She thought.
She put away the device and nodded at the boy with a grateful grin. "Lead the way, kiddo."
As the girl trailed behind him, she stared at him with curiosity. "So your name is Goku, right? That Caulifla girl called you that."
He bobbed his head up and down. "Yep. I'm Son Goku, she's Caulifla." He confirmed before turning to her with a wide grin. "And what's your name?"
"Eh? Me?" She motioned to herself before looking down. "I'm Bulma," she muttered.
Goku wailed in a fit of chuckles. "You have a funny name!"
Bulma glared, crossing her arms as she faced away, her lavender hair swaying. "I'll have you know that my name is a running tradition in my family." She said before crossing her arms. "It's not like I had a choice in picking it."
"But still…. 'Bulma', though." Goku said as he grinned cheekily at the older teen. He faced forward. "Hey, Caulifla!"
Caulifla paused in her trek, turning slightly with a curious hum as Goku rushed to her side, the fish ground against the dirt.
"Her name's Bulma," Goku said, trying to hold in his laughter, pointing his thumb to the girl behind before finally bursting into light giggles.
Caulifla could only stare at Goku with her mouth halfway parted before smiling slyly at the girl in question with a side glance. "Oh? Why would you travel all the way here?" A devious smirk overtook her face. "Bloomers."
Bulma's face burned red, clenching both fists as she unleashed a ferocious snarl. Oh, how she hated kids. Wait until they see what she was capable of, these uncivilized brats!
After the stroll, the three stopped just before the hut. Goku turned to Bulma. "Wait here." He said. Goku pushed through the doors, getting a good look at the living quarters before the glowing shere across the room caught his attention.
"Grandpa…" Goku muttered in awe.
Caulifla's eyes shined with intrigue at the sight. She had never seen the ball do anything out of the ordinary after all this time practically living here. She was about to comment until Bulma shoved past her.
"Hey!" Caulifla barked.
"That's it! The Dragon Ball!" Bulma exclaimed, pointing at the orange artifact with stars in her eyes.
Caulfila cast her heated gaze on the orb in question. "Dragon Ball?" she perked.
"Yep," Bulma cheered, shoving Goku from the furniture stand. "Oh, how I came all this way to find it! My Dragon Ball radar is right on once again!"
"No!" Goku vehemently called out, snatching the Dragon Ball before the teen could react. "You can't touch Grandpa; this was his last possession! Not even Caulifla is allowed to touch it!"
Bulma flinched in disbelief at Goku, who was possessively seizing the artifact from view. "Grandpa? That?" She asked, pointing at the glowing orb.
Caulifla sighed at Goku's defensiveness over the ball. "Believe me, he's been putting it high on a pedestal since day one. He even talks to it like it's his gramps."
"It's the only remembrance he left me," Goku responded softly, shifting his gaze onto the ball in his hands. Caulifla fidgeted at his tone.
Bulma frowned in concern. "Does that mean your grandpa…?"
"Yes. He died a long time ago." Goku answered before Bulma finished.
"Oh," Bulma replied with the only response she could think of. The air dropped into a sad state. Bulma felt awkwardness plunge within her, knowing the Dragon Ball once belonged to a now-deceased man.
"I think you should go on to tell us about that orange ball. It seems that Goku's prize is what you came here for, right?" Caulifla cut in with a suggestion to Bulma with an eyebrow raised.
Bulma pursed her lips as she darted her eyes to Caulifla. A smile beamed her features. "That's right! I guess I'll have to let you, kiddos, in on my lil' secret." She said with enthusiasm. She dug into the pouch hanging on her belt, revealing two orange orbs identical to Goku's at first glance. "Look at these!"
Caulifla dropped her face into confusion. "So there's more of them?"
Goku, however, is baffled at the two orbs in Bulma's hands. "You have two more grandpas!"
Caulifla bore her gaze onto Goku, feeling a swell of endearment and affection from his innocent reaction.
"No, silly, they're not grandpas. These are called Dragon Balls," Bulma explained as the two kids listened intently. She proceeded to set the crystalline spheres on a table. "There are seven of them throughout the world. I'm looking to get them all."
Caulifla tilted her head. "So you're traveling across the world for a collection?" She said, giving her a look.
Bulma smirked. "Oh, they're so much more than a collection." She replied before turning to Goku, "Try putting yours next to them."
Goku hesitantly looked at Grandpa's ball before setting it near the other two on the table. The three gathered around the table as the three orbs glowed in unison. Both the kids let out quiet gasps. Caulifla's eyes widened at the phenomenon while Goku's shined with wonder.
"Whoa…" Caulifla muttered.
"See how they're reacting? I found the one with two stars in my cellar. Nobody knew what it was, so I decided to do some research and found this old, old, old legend that described them. It said that there are originally seven Dragon Balls, and each of them glows with the light of the stars inside from one to seven stars."
Bulma held up the ball with five stars. "Just over a week ago, I found the five-star ball in a valley in the northern region. It was a struggle getting this one."
Goku looked at Grandpa's Dragon Ball in thought. "Grandpa's has four stars on it," he commented.
Caulfila crossed her arms, looking at Bulma skeptically. "It still doesn't explain how they're more than a collection. So they're a bunch of old artifacts that glow together, big deal." She commented grumpily, causing Bulma to roll her eyes.
Goku cupped his chin and squinted at Bulma. "She's kinda right. What else would you want them for; make a necklace out of them?" he asked with a shrug.
Bulma sighed in frustration before looking at them sternly.
"Listen, kiddos, an amazing thing happens when you gather all seven together and with the right chant, you get to summon Shen Long—Lord of the Dragons—and he will grant you any wish you desire, but only one!" Bulma finished with a finger shot up for emphasis.
Caulifla froze, dumbfounded at Bulma's absurd claim. A wish granted? Anything she wanted? That sounded too cool to be a reality. However, she couldn't count that out since she was dropped into this world from her home planet in the blink of an eye.
"That sounds awesome!" Goku ecstatically commented.
"The last time someone used the Dragon Balls became a king! That proves the legend is true. You can wish whatever you guys want!" Bulma exclaimed. She turned to the other girl in the room. "Caulifla, what do you think? Didn't expect that, huh?"
Caulifla scoffed, looking away with her eyes cooly shut. "Whatever. Your story sounds like a fairy tale."
Goku grinned, giving Bulma a thumbs up. "She means to say she's impressed." He confirmed, earning a tick mark from Caulifla.
Bulma smiled before steering her gaze to the Dragon Ball in her hand. "I already have a wish in mind. At first, I wanted a lifetime supply of strawberries, but now I think I'm going for a super cute boyfriend!" She said with a girlish squirm as she giggled, a blush tinting her cheeks.
Caulifla raised an eyebrow, 'Boyfriend?' She questioned to herself.
"So that's the deal! Now give me the Dragon Ball, please." Bulma finished, gesturing an open palm toward Goku.
"No way!" Goku denied vehemently, possessively shielding the ball out of reach with his shoulder facing the bluenette. "Grandpa gave this to me!"
Bulma widened her eyes at Goku's withholding resolve to keep the ball. How stubborn! She glared at the boy before an idea flickered within her mind like a lightbulb. "Okay, how about you guys join me to find the Dragon Balls?" She offered with excitement.
"Join you?" Goku asked, his defensive attitude dissipating.
"You guys have nothing better to do, do ya'?" Bulma asked, hands on her hips. "You're a couple of tough kids living in a cooped-up place like this. Doesn't adventure excite you, to see all kinds of places like the ocean and even meet people?"
Goku and Caulfila glanced at each other before the Saiyan girl faced Bulma and threw a questioning glare her way. "What's in it for us?" She asked with her arms crossed.
Bulma returned a look, "You kids must've done quite a workout to be as tough as you are. I'm sure you guys can use this quest to get even stronger. Who knows, you might even learn something." She finished, feigning innocence through a shrug.
Goku rubbed his hair, his finger brushing its split ends. "I don't know, Caulifla. It sounds like fun."
Bulma smiled and eyed the Caulifla with a glint. "And you, Caulifla?"
Caulifla released a breath, "If he's going, then I'm in, too." She conceded softly. There was no harm in traveling. If she were to gauge the entire scheme, this was a perfect opportunity to get familiar with this planet.
"But you're still not holding Grandpa's ball," Goku warned with a glare.
Bulma snapped a finger. "Great! It's decided, then!" She exclaimed with a wink.
Bulma faced the exit, her blue eyes shooting to the corners of her sight with a smug glint hidden from the two kids. What a perfect exchange! Not only did she acquire two bodyguards, but she purposely left out that the Dragon Balls would scatter across the Earth once she got her wish; they didn't need to know that. These kids would make amazing bodyguards protecting her as long as she gets her wish!
The trio was soon outside, with Bulma taking the lead. Goku looked around aimlessly as they stopped on the hut's lawn. "How will we find the other balls if you don't know where they are?" Goku asks before sending a ponderous frown at the ground. "How did you even know Grandpa was here?"
She returned a proud look. "I'm not just a pretty face, y'know!" Bulma stated, digging into her pouch before bringing a palm-sized circular device from its leathery confines. "This is my Dragon Ball Detector, or you can call it Dragon Radar for short. I constructed this by having it detect the faint electromagnetic pulses the balls give off."
Bulma bent down, revealing its green screen to Goku and Caulifla. "These three dots in the middle are the ones we have with us. And the closest one is about twelve hundred kilometers to the west."
Caulifla studied the device as Bulma explained its functions. It felt so long to see something like this since dropping in on this planet and living in these mountains. This detector seemed similar to the communicators her people use back at home.
"There's no way we'll ever travel that distance on foot. Since you wrecked my car, I'll have to bring out something else; thank you very much." Bulma jabbed at Goku as she swapped the detector for a small case from her pouch. She opened it and hummed as she skimmed through the labels within it. "Ah! Number nine!"
Bulma took out a capsule, pressing the button on the tip that resounded a click. She pulled back her hand. "Stand back." She told them before tossing the object, exploding in a loud poof upon contact with the surface.
Goku and Caulifla's breaths choked at the new vehicle popping into existence once the smoke dispersed. Their jaws dropped so far that Bulma wanted to guffaw at their expressions, but she had to get on the wheel fast! There is no time to waste.
For Caulifla, this alone far outclassed what the Saiyans used on her home planet. How did this human make a mechanism work like that? Her shock soon turned into one of looking impressed. This human proved to be more than dead weight after all.
"What was that, magic?" Caulfila asked, her tone holding a genuine surprise.
"You have to be a witch after pulling this!" Goku remarked, pointing an accusing finger at the teen.
Bulma hopped onto the seat, craning her head to look at her newly found acquaintances as she gripped the handles. "This is not magic; this is just a Hoi-Poi Capsule. Everyone in the city has one. Now get on."
A growl rumbled Caulifla's throat in response. What gave her any right to tell her what to do? She snorted before she climbed to the seat. Goku soon sat behind her after curiously tapping the vehicle with Nyoibo to see if it was an illusion. Soon, a deep rattle resounded within the cycle's engine before they took off down the path, officially beginning their adventure.
Goku was taken aback by how fast the motorcycle moved, "Wow! This is faster than I can run!"
Caulifla frowned at his comment as she clutched onto the back of Bulma's shirt, her hair constantly getting swept under the accelerating winds. It was fast, rivaling her in speed even, but this was nothing. Even the slowest Saiyans from her home planet could run circles around this bike of Bulma's.
As Bulma drove, she glanced at her passengers with a side-eye. "Say, Goku, Caulifla. What's your guys' story?" she asked, hoping to spark a conversation to get to know them.
Goku looked at her curiously. "What? What do you mean?" He replied, trying to maintain his voice above the roaring motor.
"I meant to ask how you guys met. I thought you were a couple of orphaned siblings at first glance, but you told me you met each other at some point." Bulma replied.
"Oh!" Goku grinned in realization. "She fell from the—mmph!"
Caulifla, with her hand against Goku's mouth, quickly cut in. "I fell on top of him on his way home from hunting." She spoke swiftly, leaving no room for objection from Goku.
Bulma squinted another glance behind her before retracting her focus on the trail. "Why would that happen to you?" She replied, not fully grasping her story. She didn't miss the sound of Goku getting cut off so abruptly.
Caulifla mentally cringed for a moment. "Well, I…uh…" She struggled as she blushed before scowling at the bluenette. "Well, I fell, so we can just leave it at that." she retorted.
Goku looked at her with concern, wondering why Caulifla didn't want to tell Bulma the whole story. Was she worried about what Bulma might think? It sounded so unlike her.
Bulma frowned in confusion at Caulifla's desperate response, rather rudely, she would say. But she could tell Caulifla was not intending to elaborate. It was fine. She had only met these kids. Caulifla's unwillingness to disclose any details to strangers was only natural. She'd find out soon enough once she became familiar with them.
Time passed, and the sun was creeping over the horizon almost unnoticeably. Their day-long trip did not go uneventful, with Bulma nearly being abducted by a giant pterosaur when she went to do her business. Goku and Caulfila, hearing her cries, dispatched the flying reptile in quick succession, rescuing their purple-haired guest. But not without Bulma wetting her clothes during the skirmish, forcing her to switch to a pair of khaki pants and a jacket.
Goku gazed at his stomach, feeling an aching rumble within it. "I'm starvin'," he complained, gingerly caressing his belly.
Bulma looked above, noticing the stars becoming prominent in the twilight void. "It's getting dark, too. Let's call it a day, and we'll be back on the road tomorrow morning."
"Sounds like a good idea," Caulifla commented, eager to stretch her itching muscles.
Bulma hit the brakes and shut off the bike. She took out her capsule case again, skimming through the selection of capsules.
Goku rests his hands on his nape, wandering his stare around the darkening area. "So, are we going to camp out here or what?" He smiled, "If so, I get the softest leaves we can find for my bed."
"As if…" Bulma immediately replied. "You expect me to sleep outside? Please."
Caulifla looked at her with confusion. "What's so bad about sleeping outside? Me and Goku would sleep on the branches sometimes."
"There's a lot of-" She began before cutting off her voice in a scoff, reminding herself of their lack of comprehension of living cleanly. She could practically smell nature's stink that clung to them during the ride; it burned her nostrils. "Oh, who am I kidding? You kids live in the middle of the wild."
"Got a house stashed in one of your little gadgets?" Caulifla replied sharply.
Bulma smirked, causing the younger girl to part her mouth. "Actually, I do. Capsule time!" She picked a capsule from the case and casually tossed it toward the flattest space of land she could find. "That looks like a nice spot!"
Goku was baffled again in a childish manner at the structure materializing in a pop from the outspreading smoke of the capsule. "No way! You can fit in a house, too!"
Bulma smiled at the dome, exhaling a relieving breath. "How lovely," She muttered. Bulma glanced at the shock-still kids over her shoulder, stuffing her hands into the pouch in her jacket. "Still itching to lay on those branches and leaves? If not, then you're welcome to make yourselves comfortable." She said before disappearing into the entrance.
Goku turned to Caulifla with a smile after a brief period of silence. "So, what do you think of Bulma?"
"She's…I don't know if I can trust her." Caulifla mused, bringing a gaze to her feet. "Is this what humans are like?"
Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully. "Bulma complains about the forest, so she's not like Grandpa. She seems nice enough, though," Goku answered with a smile.
He then turned his head, blinking curiously at his friend. "There's something I don't get."
Caulifla looked up to meet his blank stare, his eyes reflecting puzzlement. "What?" she responded.
"Why didn't you tell Bulma you fell from the sky?" Goku asked bluntly.
Caulifla blinked a few times before breathing a sigh. She flicked her attentive eyes to the open door. She grabbed Goku's wrist, dragging him further from the dome-like house. "As I said, I don't trust her," Caulifla said in a lowered voice, out of earshot. "If she finds out we are not from this world, she might tell her human friends about us."
"Really?" Goku responded bewildered, cocking his head to the side for a moment. "I don't know. I think she can keep it a secret if we tell her not to tell." He assured with a smile.
Caulifla wished she shared Goku's optimistic way of thinking. "I know, but I'm not taking any chances. Just not yet." She replied in a grumble before walking to the entrance.
Goku's smile fell before following her closely to enter the doorway. Awe seeped within him once more at the sheer brightness within these walls. Caulifla told him somewhat about technology, describing them like tools, but he never knew it could turn daytime inside. He glanced at Caulifla beside him to see her expression matching his awe at the lights.
Bulma smiled with a roll of her eyes from her spot on the table. "You kids never seen electricity either?" She asked. A thought formed within her mind as she observed the wild pair of kiddos wander through the living space. A mischievous smile stretched her smooth lips before the teen stood up from her chair and approached a square-like device.
"Look at this!" She called out, punching the big button, and the window flashed to life.
Caulifla's eyes widened slightly, recognizing it to be a device similar to the ones King Sadal would use to record himself for announcements back home. Only the authorities had any use for these things. What was that man doing with those strings attached to the staff, producing these ear-stinging noises? What a strange human custom.
"Is that small man trapped in there?" Goku innocently asked and swiftly pulled out Nyoibo in a readying stance. "We should rescue him!"
"No, he's recording himself," Caulfila answered before frowning. "But why is he making these goofy noises?"
"That would be a TV; it's broadcasting a performance to play music," Bulma answered matter-of-factly. Her nose began to wriggle, catching the stench in the air. "Yuck! You're stinking up the place…" She started with a gag, quickly shielding her nostrils. "You need a bath before we eat!"
"Bath? But I just had one in the river this morning." The short boy replied.
Bulma blanched at the young boy, recoiling back as her nerves spiked. "EWWW, YOU'RE KIDDING!"
Caulifla stiffened her jaw, her fists tightening until they shook. This girl was starting to annoy her. No, she was pissing her off, and she didn't know how much of that snobby voice of hers she had to hear before setting off. Were all humans this obsessed with being clean?
Bulma dragged Goku into the bathroom and taught him the basics of scrubbing and rinsing, ensuring he understood the process. Bulma walked out of the bathroom, her shoulders slumped. She turned to find Caulifla sitting on the recliner chair, watching the television with boredom. The teen sighed tiredly, reminding herself to spray the cushions later.
Bulma collapsed her haunches onto the bed, promptly plucking her feet out of her boots. Silence flowed between the two as they observed the events through the screen. Bulma couldn't tell what to say to her. The girl's hard attitude was intimidating, but Bulma was glad Goku had been right about her with enough time passed since their meeting that morning. However, it was almost impossible to read her, and whatever went through the younger girl's mind was a mystery.
It was until Caulifla shifted her dark eyes to look at Bulma, lazily leaning her cheek against her palm. "So…" She began, garnering Bulma's attention the instant. "How much longer will it take to find this next Dragon Ball?"
That was a question Bulma didn't expect from the younger girl, but it was better than that awkward silence. "We're already over halfway there, so we should be there by tomorrow," Bulma explained with a smile.
Caulifla grunted in response, "And the rest?"
Bulma's lips formed a thin line. "Now, that depends on how scattered they are. It should take over a week if the others are over a thousand kilometers apart," she replied, half musing to herself.
Caulifla cast an absent look to her knees. "I'm not sure if it's worth it if it turns out to be a fake tale. It still sounds hard to believe that they grant wishes."
"I'm positive they do." The lavender-haired teen said with a confident grin. "And I'm going to wish for the perfect cute boyfriend for myself." She proclaimed, her eyelashes fluttering dreamily.
"Boyfriend," Caulifla muttered musingly. "Is that supposed to be a friend who is a boy?"
Bulma looked at the girl in blank disbelief before blowing up a bang from her eyes. "You kids don't know the social life, huh?" Bulma then smiled. Well, this should be an easy fix. It would be a shame if she failed to spark any 'girl talk' with the only other girl in the group.
"Well, a boyfriend is someone that a girl wants to be close with. He'd treat you like you're the only girl in the world. You might even find him to be your potential life partner." The teen said giddily with a girly giggle escaping her.
Caulifla furrowed her eyebrows in thought as she listened before her sharp eyes shot up. "You want to wish for a mate!?" She spurted out, her cheeks exploding pink.
Bulma blushed as well, a sweat drop slipping from her brow. "Uh…if that's what you call it…" She trailed before a smile beamed her face, her eyes reflecting a gleeful glint. "Hold on. The way you're looking, I think you must have thought about it before." The teen said before she let out a light gasp, her palm hovering over her lips. "It's Goku, isn't it?"
Caulifla, her flush reddening, refocused her attention on the screen. "Don't get the wrong idea. Like I'll ever fall for an idiot like him."
At that moment, Goku emerged from the bathroom draped in a towel, leaving a mess of wetness on the tiled floor in his exit. He stared blankly at the two girls. "Why would you fall for someone? It's bad when you hit your head on the ground." The boy chastised with a childish tone, his finger shooting upward.
That cued Caulifla's turn to get washed, not without sending a scathing look at the older teen before Caulifla got up to enter the restroom, stomping past Goku without sparing a look, and slammed the door shut. Goku looked over his shoulder in confusion as the sound of running water switched on.
"Why did she look so mad?"
"It's nothing to worry about," Bulma replied, waving her hand offhandedly. "That's on me."
"If you say so," Goku murmured, unsure of what was said. "Will you help her scrub? She'd yell at me whenever I caught her naked." He suggested innocently.
"She'll be fine on her own if she'd listened to what I told you." Bulma smiled at the spiky-haired boy. "Good thing you know the concept of privacy, at least."
Goku laughed lightheartedly in response. He then allowed the towel to fall to his feet and reached for his gi to pull them on, causing Bulma to drop her shoulders in response. It wasn't long before it was Bulma's turn in the tub, and afterward, it was soon time to eat.
"...No, it's my turn to hunt!" Caulifla argued, fists clenching as she faced Goku in the center of the room. "You've already had yours this morning!"
"But that's not fair! We didn't even get to eat the fish I brought!" Goku shouted back.
"If that's how you feel, let's get on with this…" Her eyebrows furrowed, a certain glint glistening from her dark irises.
Smirking, Caulifla raised a balled fist, with Goku following suit. Both reared back into stances, looking as if they were ready to charge forward. Dressed in an oversized shirt that touched her shins, Bulma paled at the sight from her seat on the table, her mouth parting in the middle of chewing her bread.
She quickly gulped down the remaining crumbs and instantaneously waved her hands forward. "W-wait, hold on! Don't fi-"
"JAN! KEN! PON!"
Caulifla thrust her arm forward, holding out Rock, only for her face to fall at seeing Goku revealing Paper. Goku pulled back his hand with a toothy grin, waving his arm victoriously.
"Haha! I win!"
"Fine!" Caulifla exasperatedly relented, her arm falling loosely to her side. "I'll go set up the fire…"
Goku craned his neck to the lavender-haired teen as he marched to the entrance. "I'll be back for some real food!" He waved before exiting the door with a grumpy Caulifla trailing close behind.
Bulma wordlessly looked at the door in dumbfounded amazement; this was all because they didn't like the available food in this portable house. It wasn't her fault that this house didn't have anything else. But these were the most unusual kids she had ever met, and she realized that the house was quiet now that they were out. She might as well read something to pass the time.
Minutes later, she was reading a light novel as she rested on her recliner chair, skimming her blue eyes across the paragraphs in interest.
"I'm back!" Goku's voice cut away her attention from the story on her lap.
Bulma hummed and closed the book. 'That was quick.' She thought.
She went to open the door, the scent of smoke filling her nostrils, noticing Caulifla crouching down near a fire with stones in each hand. Bulma's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets at seeing a wolf carcass dangling from Nyoibo's tip over the boy's shoulder. Goku waved at Bulma in greeting with a laugh before dropping the carcass to the ground with a thud.
"I caught a wolf!" He exclaimed, holding out a helpless bug between his fingers. "And a centipede for flavor!"
Bulma's face turned green, and a gag soon choked out of her throat before she shrieked in disgust and slammed the door shut. Goku and Caulifla faced the house in confusion. Caulifla shrugged at Goku, and they prepared to roast the canine. The wolf quickly cooked, and the kids were ready to guzzle on some juicy meat.
Bulma watched in shock from the window at how quickly they devoured the meat like a pack of wild carnivores. She had never seen anyone, let alone kids, eat in such an animalistic manner. Even a man with an unreal appetite would immediately barf out his food at that rate. What a wild day this was, one she hadn't experienced in a long time, not since meeting that weird alien years ago when she was in pre-school. The one whose spaceship she repaired!
Bulma squinted her eyes open and rubbed out the blurriness. She pushed her back off the mattress, dazed from sleep. The walls trembled with vibrations, causing the teen girl to look on with worry. In an instant, her eyes swept over to the two futons on the floor, covered in blankets tossed about carelessly by their former occupants. She spun around to face the window that hung above her bedside.
'They're up already!?' She mentally screamed.
Her thin lavender eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she observed them picking up random boulders. She jumped off the mattress and put on a pair of slippers. Before anything else, she needed her morning coffee.
Goku hefted the rock over his body with extra exertion, grunting as he did it, crushing the stone into crumbles with his pressuring grip. Caulifla lifted one boulder and tossed it into the air before jumping and pounding a shattering kick, exploding the stone upon impact.
Caulifla growled lowly at her hands. Even after months, she made little progress with power training. Goku was still far behind her, which wasn't good. In their sparring, she could hold back her strength and speed for an even match with Goku or let loose and knock him out in one blow. Neither approach had done any favors for either of their growths. Besides, it was getting boring.
'What the hell are we not doing right?' Caulifla thought frustratingly.
Goku spun around to a spotted, brownish stone and charged at it, flexing his arms out in the air. He wrapped his arms tightly around the stone and began to lift. It felt weird how smooth it felt.
That 'rock' turned out to be a giant turtle, alarming the pair and interrupting Bulma from her coffee. After giving the shelled reptile a bucket of salt water and some seaweed he requested, he introduced himself to the group as Turtle, a sea turtle. He explained that he wandered far from the sea and got lost for at least a year, aimlessly finding his way to return to his home.
To the turtle's chagrin, Bulma pointed out he had gone in the wrong direction. Goku kindly offered to take him back to his home, which the turtle was grateful for. Bulma argued it was a waste of their time, even trying to get Caulifla to convince him, but the girl only shrugged, saying that Goku was too stubborn to change his mind.
And now they set for a course toward the sea down south with a reluctant Bulma.
And that's the chapter with the mystical adventures on the way. And I appreciate the reviews in all their honesty, I wouldn't have them any other way. Be sure to point out any grammar mistakes or typos of any kind if you find any!
I'll be responding to several reviews.
WyrmTheFrostDragonSwordsman: Thanks a lot for your praise! Though I'm doing my best, I don't expect to write an all-perfect story. :)
Gilgamesh50: If you meant the Saiyans not keeping their tails, I already considered that. No promises, though. Thank you.
Neoverna636: Now this was an interesting read. I was already in the middle of writing when you posted. I'm kind of a slow writer and it naturally takes a while to write and plan how the story advances for many reasons. Thanks for the review!