At the edge of a field, a young woman stood, a gentle wind tossing cerulean locks around her face, rose pink lips turned down into a pout. Bulma sighed as she wandered through the field adjacent to her home, seemingly lost in thought. Times were peaceful again, and the demon lord Piccolo’s reign had been soon forgotten like all other bad memories. No one cared to look back on those days and it suited her just fine. However, reminiscing of the prior year still did nothing to cure her insatiable desire for adventure. Goku had gone to stay in the heavens with Kami. She supposed that he was there to have his great power trained and used to its full potential. Soon after he’d left, everyone parted ways to go their own direction. Lately, she’d flown solo. There’d been a bit of a falling out with Yumcha and she knew then, as she watched him leave her home, things would never be the same. That’d been about a month ago.
Bulma knew without a doubt that the young desert bandit was always destined to remain single and she was no sort to change him from what he was accustomed to. Crossing her arms, she looks towards the city, the afternoon sun shining bright behind towering sky scrapers. “Goku, I hope you’re happy…” A single tear slips down a pale cheek and to the corner of her frowning lips. Briefly she parts them, taking a breath and tasting salt upon her tongue. “I wish I were…”
Behind her a small figure stood upon his cloud, observing her in silent confusion, wondering why she seemed so sad. He’d come to visit her in hopes to take a short break from training, only to find her alone with no one nearby in sight.
“Bulma?” he calls to her.
Giving a yelp of surprise, the aqua haired teenager spun on her heel and faced the inquisitive teen, eyes wide and hands clutching her chest. “G…Goku?!” she stammered.
The child smiled upon hearing his namesake, jumping down from his perch to greet her. “Hiya Bulma! Kami said I could take a break for a little while and I thought it would be fun if I came to see you.”
“You frightened me,” came her reply.
Tail twitching, Goku studied her. “You were crying, why?”
Whipping her stinging eyes, Bulma smiled fakely and ran nervously through her hair. “It was nothing. I guess I was just thinking about things and…well… ya know.”
Nodding, the boy embraced her, his arms circling her waist. “I missed you! I thought we could all go on a picnic or something. I’m starved!”
Bulma looked down at the wild haired youth, unable to restrain a giggle. “You and that bottomless pit of a stomach. Don’t you ever think of anything but food?”
Rubbing the back of his head, Goku shrugged and laughed.
Thinking, Bulma returned the hug and stepped back. “Well, we can go to Kamesennin’s and see how Kuririn’s doing. I’ll bet he’d be happy to see you.”
“Alright!!! LETS GO!” Goku cried, grabbing Bulma’s wrist and tugging her towards the waiting kintoun.
Struggling, the capsule corp. heiress could only think of what happened the last time she got on that stupid thing. “AWWW No ya don’t! I AM NOT GETTING ON THAT! You know what happened before!”
Blinking, Goku’s expression became blank. “Oh ya. You fell through. Well, don’t you have a capsule you could use? I’ll fly kinto and you can ride one of those water bike thingys.”
“For you’re Information,” Bulma retorted. “It’s called a Jet Ski! And YES, I’ll ride one of those. I’m not about to shrink myself down and ride in your shirt anymore! I get cramped up that way. Besides, I could use some fresh air.” Fumbling in her pocket, she retrieves a small metal box containing several numbered capsules. “Ah ah! I found it! Come on… the beach isn’t too far from here. We can walk the distance.”
“Nah,” Goku replies. “Let me carry you there…” With that said, he took her by the wrist and rocketed towards the distant shoreline before she could protest.
Although Bulma yelled and carried on like she was about to die, she personally enjoyed the wild ride. Since childhood she’d always been know as one for taking risks, to a certain extent. Even though the ground was far below her, she trusted Goku with her life, believing that he’d never let any danger befall her. Holding on tight to his small hand, she took note on how much he’d grown in the past year. A good bit of the baby fat that he still had when they first met had diminished, being replaced by muscle. He seemed to be made of it now, no sign of looseness being anywhere on his body that she could see. ‘You’ve been working hard haven’t you Goku?’ she thought mirthfully. ‘Without a doubt, you are everything that makes a hero. In a lot of ways, I wish you were a little older. I’d jump you in a heartbeat.’ Giggling to herself she trains her eyes upon the ocean as they quickly began to descend.
Picking out number 8, she pressed a small button with her thumb and threw it towards the water. A great explosion sounded around the two, a thin wisp of smoke rising into the air to reveal a small boat like vehicle. “Okay, you can let me go.”
Complying, Goku released her wrist and watched as his long time friend climbed onto the sleek machine.
Bulma started the engine, revving noisily with the gas and turning her face skyward to where she knows he waits. “Race ya.” With that said, she released the break and sped off at top speed, seawater spraying around her.
~~~~~Deep Space~~~~~
A gloved finger stroked a goateed chin as obsidian eyes studied the vicinity of the room, focusing upon nothing in particular. Thinking hard, the man wondered if it had ever occurred to anyone that perhaps the weakling infant had failed his mission. This knowledge had remained hidden from him for quite some time until a few months prior. The brat had been sent there 14 years ago, to a small blue planet that people of that solar system called Earth. Deciding that perhaps this situation should be investigated, he took it upon himself to go and take care of the personally, bringing him to the present. He made little attempt to rise when there came a knock upon his chamber door, frowning at the wall and barking a short ‘come in’. Swiveling in his chair, the man turned a cold gaze upon the tall figure standing not too far away from him. ‘Whatever you have for me Nappa, it'd better be good. I don’t like having my thoughts interrupted.”
Bowing upon one knee, the burly man places a fist over his heart. "My king, we are approaching Earth's atmosphere. We'll be landing within the hour."
Nodding, the King continued to stroke his goatee. "Very good.”
“Shall I prepare the troops sire?”
“Do as you must. Just be sure that Kakarotto is left alive. I wish to deal with him myself.”
Nodding once, Nappa rose and left as quietly as he came.
Leaning back in his chair, the king smirked, ‘Perhaps, just for the hell of it, I'll allow that pathetic son of mine to join them..’
~~~~~Kami's Lookout~~~~~
Kami stood at the edge of the smooth white grounds of his lookout, his expression grim. He’d known of the dangers that would threaten the Earth for quite some time and that was one of the reasons he’d dismissed Goku earlier. He knew he could only watch, helpless, as fate unfolded her plans for the young man and his friends.
"Is there anything wrong Kami?" Mr. Popo asked, approaching his god while cradling a water canister against his side.
"Yes, the tired namek replied, “A race of beings far stronger than anyone has ever imagined will be arriving soon. I am afraid for the Earth’s defenders. Their power may not be enough to save us this time… I will pray though. To lose hope would be surrendering and that is something I cannot do.”
~~~~~~~~~~
Bulma laughed as the wind whipped through her hair. For quite a while she’d managed to keep ahead of Goku but soon, he proved too quick and flew past her, grinning like an idiot.
“Bulma, look!” she hears her friend call out to her.
She turned her head in the direction that he was pointing, finding the small island that they’d been looking for. There, in the center sat the tiny pink house with the words Kami House written in bold red letters on the side. ‘At last,’ she thought. Regretfully, she began to slow down, riding smoothly against the shallow water’s surface until she slid to a stop against gleaming white sands.
Goku had already landed by then, rushing indoors to greet the others.
She sat still for a moment, holding herself steady as the muscles in her stomach began to constrict. ‘He’s here…’
Launch stepped out, smiling widely. “Hey there Bulma! It’s so good see you again! Come on in I’m sure Yumcha would be happy to see you!”
Gulping, Bulma shook her head, more to herself than Launch’s statement. “No, he doesn’t want to see me. The last I heard, he wanted to be alone. He wanted to fly solo again. He couldn’t handle a girl like me.’ Hopping off the jet ski, she encapsulated it, all the while keeping a fake smile plastered on her face. ‘As long as I look happy, no one will know the difference.’
“Woo, looking better than ever eh?” Master Roshi hooted from the window.
“Put a sock in it old man. I don’t have the time for you today.”
“Feisty too,” he laughs. “Anyway, it IS good to see ye Bulma. It gets kinda lonely out here, but lately Launch and Kuririn have been keepin’ me company. If your wonderin’, Yumcha came by. He’s inside having a little snack. T’was just talkin’ about you.”
“Oh, HAS he?” she scoffs. “The NERVE of that idiot...”
“Uh, you two have a little fight or somethin’?”
“Yeah. In fact, we did,” She growls.
~~~~~Earth's orbit~~~~~
Dressed in a simple fighter’s uniform, he stood before a viewing window, a mirror image of his sire. He turned a harsh gaze to the blue green planet below, his expression unreadable. There was rumor traveling about the royal guard of an outlaw saiyan taking residence on a planet known as Earth. His father had ordered a personal visit to persecute the bastard for treason…or something of the sort. To be honest, the young prince paid no mind to such minorities. They had nothing to do with him and so he’d chosen to remain aloof. That is, until a certain King ordered that he’d be placed in the front line. What play did he have in such things anyway? Of course he enjoyed battle and blood shed, having purged several planets of his own, but he had no desire to be treated as something less of what he was. ‘I am not just a mere elite… I am much more. I AM A ROYAL GOD DAMNIT!!! As the rightful heir to throne, I’ll prove to them once and for all of my power! THIS PLANET WILL BE ASH BENEATH MY FEET!!!”
~~~~~Kami House~~~~~
Bulma stomped past Launch, the ache in her muscles finally easing as her temper flared to dangerous levels. “I’ll beat the livin’ sh--”
The door swung open as Goku stumbled out onto the grass, a rice cake hanging half out of his mouth. He turned to the horizon, his expression stern.
“Goku? What’s the matter?” She asked, irked by his strange behavior.
“Sumfin’ out ther..” Goku muttered through a full mouth.
“I feel it to,” came Yumcha’s reply from behind her.
Bulma turned to her ex, ready to berate him, only to fall short when she spotted a strange formation in the sky. ‘What the…’
Pointing, Kuririn spoke in a wavering voice. “I can feel… a great power…”
Goku swallowed, “I’m gonna go check it out, coz, whatever it is, isn’t good.”
From the doorway, Roshi stood, adjusting his sunglasses. “Go then, you too Bulma. You can fly Yumcha and kuririn on over there and Goku here will take kintoun.”
“Sure…,” she replied, glaring. “Make my decisions for me.” Bulma reached into her pocket, providing a capsule and tossing it to the ground to reveal a small four person aircraft. Without a word, she coldly thrust the door open and stepped into the cockpit, taking a seat and starting the engine with an angry roar.
Gulping, Roshi turned to the sweating desert bandit. “You pissed her off pretty good eh?”
Yumcha flushed nervously, “You could say that. Puar, come on… lets sit in the back.”
“Good idea,” came the shape shifting feline’s squeaky reply.
“M..maybe I’ll join you guys back there too,” Kuririn laughs. “Wouldn’t want to get hit for saying something wrong.”
“Good luck to you all,” Roshi called out as the plane lifted into the air. “You’re gonna need it.”
To Be Continued...