TC9078
The Super Saiyan
- Location
- PA-01
She can still wreck face if she wants... but that's a very strong 'if'Ah so AU shenanigans then, sham would have been amusing to have a super badass lady just hanging around ready to wreck face
Rhyme & Reason (Dragon Ball AU)
- Thread starter TC9078
- Start date
- Sci-Fi Action
So she is an elite?She can still wreck face if she wants... but that's a very strong 'if'
Oh well, either way Chichi will hopefully show up for that at some point and there's a few other characters present who could be expanded into that role XD
Going by power levels, even if she was a super weak sauce saiyan of only 300 power. . .that's still more than enough to pretty much utterly destroy any single fighter on the planet.
It was easy enough to tell that she was AU, IIRC OTL Gine disliked having her tail around her waist and preferred to wear it loose.
Ranma-sensei
Sorcerer
- Location
- Citrix Receiver
- Pronouns
- Weatherdependent
That's not a sign of alternate character traits - it could just be her projecting the stern, controlled warrior; a mask, if you will.
Tragically true XD
Interesting I was not aware of this, thanks for the info!
Also a good insight.
TC9078
The Super Saiyan
- Location
- PA-01
Don't assume everything is the same; this is an AU after all.
Ch. 3- The Turtle and his Hermit
TC9078
The Super Saiyan
- Location
- PA-01
Thanks to @Ranma-sensei for editing!
When the sun started to go down, Bulma drove the motorcycle into a clearing and hit down the kickstand. She then got off and walked off the road. Kakarot followed suit.
"So, are we going to camp here tonight?" Kakarot asked.
Bulma groaned in response. "I'm a delicate flower, there's no need to live like savages by sleeping on the ground."
Kakarot chose to ignore that vague insult. "Then what do we do? It's not like there are any houses around here," he said.
"Capsules!" Bulma said. She grabbed out her case and popped it open.
"Wait, your capsules even have houses inside them?" Kakarot asked in disbelief.
"Yep! Now back up a bit, I'm gonna put it right over there!" she called. Bulma activated the capsule and tossed it into the field. After a loud pop and smoke, in the place of the capsule was a round white house. "Now that just looks downright cozy. Way better than a tent. Come on Kakarot."
Tentatively, Kakarot followed her into the small house. She pressed a button and the whole room lit up. Kakarot stared around the room, skeptical of what he was seeing. Artificial lighting? I haven't seen that since... since... Kakarot closed his eyes and remembered.
The small child looked up from his cot, at the staring faces of those around him in a brightly lit room. Looking down at him were a young lady with shoulder length hair and a boy with waist-length hair.
"He looks just like Father and Nini," the boy said. "What's his name?"
"Kakarotto," the woman replied.
"Kakarotto," the boy repeated, leaning over the infant. "So he'll be called Kakarot, then. Will he be big enough to spar with, Mother?"
"Of course he will, Raditz. He's just a newborn now. He'll be big enough to spar with sooner than you'll know."
Some time later, the woman had left, and the boy was left with his little brother. He walked to the door and pressed the button next to it, shutting off the light. The moment little Kakarot began to cry, he quickly flicked the light back on. Once the light came back on, the small child giggled. Raditz flicked it on and off a few more times, causing the child to laugh freely and happily. He walked over to the infant and picked him up."It's the job of the elder brother to watch over the younger one." he said to the baby. "I'll have to go on my next mission soon. Once you're old enough, I'll bring you with me, baby brother. You'll learn to fight beside me, just as our father did with our uncles, Kakarot."
"Ew, Kakarot, you smell." Bulma said, snapping him out of his thoughts. "You need to take a bath before dinner."
Kakarot looked up at her in confusion. "What's a bath?" he asked. Bulma promptly did a double take.
"You've got to be kidding me... you don't know what a bath is? That's disgusting!" she yelled.
Bulma sat on a stool in front of the bathtub. Of course, that kid has no idea what a bath is, this is just my luck. "Kakarot, hop into the tub here." she called. The boy looked apprehensive at first, but then did as he was told, hopping over the side and sitting down in the tub. Bulma turned the knob and soaked the small boy down with the shower head, before rubbing some shampoo in his hair.
"Bulma, what's this stuff your rubbing in my hair? It's burning my eyes." Kakarot whined.
"It's called shampoo, it cleans your hair. You should count yourself lucky, you're being washed off by a pretty girl like me. I don't exactly do this for everyone," she said. She sprayed his hair with the water and washed all the shampoo off. "There, much better!" she stated, delighted at her handiwork, since Kakarot's hair was no longer sticking up everywhere. "Turn to the right, Kakarot, I'm gonna scrub off your back for you." He obliged. She scrubbed off the upper part of his back before coming to his tail. She lightly grabbed it and held it up.
"You actually attached this accessory right to your butt?" she asked.
"It's not an accessory," Kakarot replied. To show her, he waved his tail around. I really should be phased by this... but I've seen far weirder. Wait... I think I saw a woman with a tail working at a bar out in space once! I'll have to ask Tights to confirm, I don't remember that trip very well. Damn it, I wish I had been a bit older for that trip, it would have saved me a bunch of trouble! She allowed Kakarot to finish washing himself off, and then washed herself off. Following that, she grabbed some bread and ham out of her little fridge and set it on the table. Kakarot ate, but after it was all gone, he still complained of being hungry.
"Look, kid," she said, "if you're still hungry, then take your extending stick there and go catch yourself something to eat. Just don't get yourself hurt."
Kakarot glanced back at her. "It's called the Power Pole," he said simply, before walking out the door. He didn't come back for about an hour, but he came back stating that he had eaten and felt full. Bulma had been in the restroom brushing her teeth. Once she finished, she laid out a blanket for him to sleep on. Shortly after he'd laid down, Bulma recalled her thoughts on his tail.
"Say, Kakarot," she began."Are there others like you? Like, people with tails?" I really hope he answers me, my curiosity is going to murder me otherwise. He could be anything from an alien to a science experiment gone horribly wrong!
Kakarot's face fell. He turned to her, looking incredibly wistful. It made her feel bad, she thought she was about to make him cry. "There were," he said. Kakarot said nothing else, he simply laid down and turned away from her to sleep. Damn it! That does nothing to satisfy my curiosity! I should have outright asked if he was an alien! That's what I really wanted to know. There was nothing she could do about it now, so she simply closed her eyes and let sleep come.
Gine was happy to finally have a chance to breathe. With Kakarot off on his little adventure, she could stop worrying about him. She also didn't have to try setting an example, and let her tail hang freely behind her. The boy was a mess and easily the hardest challenge she'd ever faced raising, far worse than his brother. Maybe that's why he's so endearing. Raditz was normal, Kakarot is... I don't quite know, but this planet has influenced him, whether he likes that or not. He might not even recognize that fact, yet. But he will, eventually. That girl seems like she's perfect for keeping a Saiyan under control.
It was at that point that Gine realized that she had no idea which direction the two had gone in. I don't want to spend too much time looking for them and getting lost... I guess I have to use it. Reluctantly, Gine pulled her green scouter out of her armour and placed it over her eye. Glad I removed the long-range communication on this thing years ago. She pressed the button and scanned around. Within minutes, the Power Levels of 15 and 3 were registered. Gine sighed, relieved that she didn't have to spend days looking for them. But no sooner had her relief come than another power level appeared on the map. 170...290... 450... It just kept rising as she watched. 700, 890, 1050!? What... there is no way an Earthling could be that strong! Suddenly, the power dropped off. What the hell could that have been? Curiosity getting the better of her, she floated up into the air and flew in the direction of the power level. I'm likely getting myself into trouble again... I'll never learn, will I? She chuckled to herself. At least on this planet, there was no one strong enough to give her any trouble.
The nightmare came again that night, the first time it had ever come twice in a row. But it was somehow even worse than usual. This time, when the fireball hit the surface of his planet, he felt he could hear the screams of his dying race in his mind. Men, women, children... the screams echoing loudly... then a flash of light... and his home and race were gone. But even after the planet exploded, the screams didn't stop.
Kakarot woke up in a cold sweat, barely managing to not scream. He managed to calm himself and slow his breathing in time before he lost it. Losing it now... I don't even want to think about it. His Master had still been alive last time he'd lost control, and it had taken both him and his mother to get Kakarot back under control again. He had created an entire forest clearing in his emotional state that time.
As he got his emotional state under control, he looked over to the futon, where Bulma still lay asleep. Why did she choose to bring me along? She can't possibly know what I am; to her I'd just be a strange boy with a tail, not a warrior from the stars with a mission to destroy her world. I didn't save her until later... so why did she bring me along? Wait... why did I save her again? He thought back to when he broke the pterodactyl's neck. What had his reasoning been for saving her? He didn't even remember. I hate not understanding, and I hate that I remember all the wrong things!
He stood up and walked over to the window. Looking out at the clearing, the sun had risen into the sky, and they could likely make good progress in the next day. Yet Bulma was still asleep, as if it were still the dead of night. Hmm... I wonder what will wake her up quickly. Suddenly, an idea came to him. "Bulma!" he called. "The Dragon Balls are gone!"
Instantly, Bulma was out of bed, screaming and rushing over to the table where the Dragon Balls lay, exactly where they had left them the previous night. Seeing them there, she turned and glared at her companion, who was laughing at her expense. "That's not funny, Kakarot!" she yelled.
"No, but your face was," he replied. "In any case, it woke you up, which was my goal. Get dressed, we have a great day ahead of us!" Or at least, that was what he had thought she would do. Instead, she spent an exorbitant amount of time washing her hair with that shampoo, then drying it with some kind of air blower while running a teethed piece of plastic through it.
Exasperated, Kakarot just decided to go outside "Bulma!" he called out. "I'm just going outside. Hurry up! If you move any slower, you're liable to transform into a turtle!"
"Shut up kid!" she shot back. He didn't really care, he just ran out the door. Kakarot stretched, then ran over to a large rock. This one ought to do. He wrapped his arms around the rock and lifted it into the air. Kakarot tried to break it, but it resisted. He grit his teeth and continued squeezing as hard as he could, until the rock finally shattered under his strength. I'm so weak, I can't even break a rock easily. He didn't know why all these feelings had come back after so long of not being there. The feelings had gone away... but now they seemed to be back. He thought as to why they were.
"Are there others like you, Kakarot?"
It was Bulma. She had brought everything that he had been buried deep within him right back to the surface with that single damned question. The memories were bad enough when he wasn't forced to think about them! But instead, she reminded him of the others of his race, and how weak he was compared to them. Eager to force himself to forget, Kakarot ran over the next biggest rock he could see, grabbed it, and lifted it up.
"Woah, Woah!" the rock yelled. Wait, what? Am I dreaming? Did Bulma knock me out for that joke? No, she's too weak, a punch from her would tickle at worst. So... why did- Kakarot looked more closely at the rock in his hands, his previous musings forgotten briefly. Upon closer inspection he realized it wasn't a rock at all: it was a turtle. Sheepishly, Kakarot dropped the turtle.
"That's a new one," the turtle said.
"I'll bet." Kakarot agreed. "What are you doing all the way out here? The river's like seven miles that way." He pointed in the direction that he and Bulma had driven from.
"Before I answer that... could I have some saltwater?"the turtle asked. Kakarot blinked. A sea turtle? Why would one be this far inland? I need some answers... but first.
"Bulma!" he called. A crash sounded from inside, and about 15 seconds later, she opened the door and poked her head out, her purple hair falling loosely from her shoulders.
"What do you want, Kakarot? I'm almost done with my hair!" she yelled. What is her obsession with her hair? I think it looks just fine.
Kakarot pointed at the turtle. "I found a turtle, he's asking for some seawater before he'll talk. Could you oblige him? I'd like to hear what he has to say." Bulma glared at him before sighing. The turtle chose that moment to speak up.
"Excuse me, but can I get some seaweed, too?" the turtle asked.
"Sorry, we don't have seaweed," she replied. "But I'll grab some saltwater, one moment." Bulma disappeared into the house, and Kakarot heard the sound of running water, before Bulma came back with a metal bucket. "Here you go." The turtle immediately rushed to the bucket and began guzzling the water. How long has the turtle been out of the water? I'm surprised it hasn't died by now.
"Thank you very much," the turtle said upon finishing his drink. "The truth is... I'm Kame."
"We can see that you are a turtle!" Bulma yelled at him. Wait, was that Galactic Common? I thought no one spoke that on this backwater! But Bulma seems to have translated it instantly... What is going on with this world?!
He continued, unfettered. "I was gathering mushrooms, and I got lost. I've been trying to find my way back to the sea for a year now."A year?! That's... 549 days? No, no, Earth year. 366? About that, yeah.
"You're trying to get to the sea?" Bulma asked. She quickly ran back inside and came back with a map. "Bad news for you, turtle. The sea is 120 kilometers to the south."
"120?! Gosh, that'll take me forever," the turtle said. South... hmm...
"We can take you there, Turtle," Kakarot offered.
"You mean it?!" Turtle said, excited. Bulma shot him a look of annoyance.
"Kakarot, we hardly have time for this!" she said. I knew she'd say that. But I think she's forgetting something.
"Isn't the next Dragon Ball in that direction?" Kakarot asked rhetorically. I know it is. Now to see if she does. Bulma ran inside again and came back out with the Dragon Radar, checking it carefully.
"Well, whaddya know. It's in that direction, too," Bulma said. "Good catch, kid. I would have missed that." How the hell did she find any of them on her own?
"So? Can we head down there, drop the turtle, and grab the Dragon Ball?" Kakarot asked. I already know she'll say yes. But judging by how she's acted thus far, my phrasing should make it seem like she's the one in control.
"Of course! Let me just get dressed, m'kay?" Bulma said as she walked back inside. She came back out around 10 minutes later dressed in a black jacket, khakis, and riding boots. In her hand she had the Dragon Radar and Kakarot's bag containing the four-star-ball. She had re-braided her hair into the same style it had been the previous day, red ribbon and all. She tossed the bag to him and slid open a panel next to the door. She pressed a button and the house instantly turned back into a capsule. She put the capsule back in her case and unloaded her motorcycle. "Kakarot, you carry the turtle. I don't have any cars that we can use, so I'll just drive next to you. It shouldn't take us very long to get to the shore."
Kakarot nodded and hoisted the turtle up onto his shoulders. Why is she being so complaisant? She was not like this yesterday. He continued to contemplate this as they headed along the road, conveniently distracting him from his earlier brooding. The two went across the plains as the day wore on, with little landscape around for them to see.
Bulma complained, much to Kakarot's shock, very little on the trip, and then only about the temperature. To be fair, it was much warmer that day than it was typically. Must be this planet's warm season. Hope it doesn't get too hot. The two continued following the road until it reached a small pass between two cliffs.
"Bulma," Kakarot stated, "this is a textbook example of a trap. I can almost guarantee some kind of bandit will screw with us here." While he said 'almost guarantee,' Kakarot knew that there was someone there. It was such an obvious ambush point. There were probably weapons buried there from armies ambushed in the past. Maybe not even buried, considering how much of a backwater this world is.
Sure enough, as they entered the pass, a large bear-man thing with a scar over his eye jumped down and landed in front of them. "Oh, that will make a fantastic dinner. Humans give me heartburn, but turtles are a rare delicacy. Hand it over, now!"
"Get off my back, I'll take care of this," Kakarot whispered to Turtle. Turtle nodded and climbed off his back, scampering over to where Bulma had ducked behind a rock. "Who are you to demand anything of me?"
"Kid, you are dead meat! I am the ruler of this land! The dreaded Bear-Thief!" he shouted.
"Oh please, do go on." Kakarot snarked. He drew his power pole out of its case and held it as the Bear-Thief continued his spiel. At the same time, he positioned his tail behind him to use in case he needed to climb the thief's body.
The thief smiled and pointed his sword at Kakarot. He shouted, "the King is far away in his burning castle, he hasn't enforced his rule in this area in a decade! I rule here now. So you should know your place, you damned monkey!"
The moment the final word came out of the thief's mouth, Kakarot's face dropped. He dropped out of his stance and let his Power Pole's front hit the ground. His breathing stilled and his fists tightened, as his body began to shake.
"Aw, what's wrong, little monkey, did I strike a nerve?" the thief taunted. Suddenly, Kakarot looked up at him, rage filling his small eyes.
"SHUT UP!" he screamed, rushing forward. "Power Pole, EXTEND!" Kakarot screamed, swinging it as hard as he could at the thief. It smashed into the side of the thief's head, a resound BOOM shattering through the air. The thief fell to the ground, likely dead, but Kakarot didn't care. He simply picked up the sword and started hacking away at the former thief. "DON'T." smash. "CALL." smash. "ME." smash. "A." smash. "MONKEY!" he jumped in the air and threw the sword as hard as he could at the body. The sword impaled itself in the middle of the largest remaining piece of the body.
Kakarot took a deep breath and looked down at himself. There were a few splatters of blood on his gi, but nothing washing it wouldn't eliminate. Good. This gi is the only piece of clothing I have with me. I'd rather not walk all the way back to Gohan's just to get another outfit. Feeling his face, there was no blood on it either, nor was there any in his hair.
He looked back at Bulma and Turtle, only to see them staring at him, wide-eyed and slack-jawed. Bulma in particular looked rather terrified. I guess now she realizes just who she chose to ask to be her bodyguard. Well, not exactly, I guess. If she actually figures out that I'm a Saiyan... I'll teach her how to blast something with her ki. That should be reward enough in that unlikely scenario.
"Come on, we need to move. I doubt he was the only member of his group if he considered himself the 'King.' How much further is it to the sea, Bulma?" Kakarot asked.
It took a few seconds for Bulma to process the question. The little kid in front of her had just turned a feared bandit into bear-chops, yet here he was asking her how far it was to the ocean like nothing had just happened. What happened to this kid that killing could mean so little to him? Wait... monkey... didn't Jaco say that he's been trying to hunt down some 'damned monkeys' for like 12 years now? Kakarot is 12... he must be an alien of some kind. Maybe he's what Jaco was looking for.
As these thoughts rushed through her head, she drew her map from her jacket pocket and unfurled it. They were only around five kilometers from the ocean, almost there! Kakarot walked over to her slowly while she was focused on the map. When she put the map down, she saw the boy looking up at her carefully, with an almost worried expression on his face.
"I don't have to go home, right?" he asked. His eyes shone like that of a small child begging for a toy. Bulma sighed. She didn't plan on sending him home, but he didn't need to know that, might as well make him think that she might have. It might encourage him to not be so wanton with the murdering in the future.
"Sure. Just don't go killing people without permission," she replied. Kakarot seemed to think about it for several moments.
"Um... sure," he replied. He picked up Turtle and the two of them began to head up the mountain pass. No further bandits harassed them as they got through the mountains and followed the trail down to the plains. Another hour and they arrived at the dunes at the edge of the water. The Turtle smiled brightly and laughed as he smelled the ocean. Bulma parked her motorcycle and jogged up the sand dunes with Kakarot.
The boy's eyes widened happily as he saw the ocean. He jogged down the hill and let the turtle down onto the sand. Turtle went to the water and turned around to face them.
"You brought me home. Words alone cannot express my gratitude," he said, tears welling up in his eyes. "I insist on giving you a gift, please wait here, I'll return in a short while." Turtle then turned around and swam out into the ocean, out of sight. Bulma sat down in the sand to wait. They had a few more weeks, and they had 3 of the Dragon Balls. Hmm... maybe strawberries isn't the best plan for a wish... a giant chocolate fountain, maybe? That might be cool. She looked over at Kakarot only to see him sitting on a rock, drawing in the sand with his 'Power Pole'. He seemed to be writing, but it didn't look like either script commonly used on Earth.
"What are you writing there, Kakarot?" Bulma asked. Kakarot looked up at her and sighed.
"My name," he replied. "This the native script of my people." He dropped the stick to below his previous writing and quickly wrote what she presumed was his name in the logographic script of Earth.
"I'm assuming," Kakarot continued, "that you can read that one." Indeed, Bulma could read that script, it was the most common script used on Earth. It was like asking if the grass was green. But this reignited Bulma's curiosity regarding Kakarot and where he came from. She figured that he had to be an alien, but getting him to open up about where he was from or why he was on Earth would be difficult. She still remembered how sad he had looked the previous evening when she asked about it. She had to approach that topic carefully if she ever intended to learn about it. She tried to think of what questions could get him to talk without triggering whatever caused his sadness. However, as she contemplated, Kakarot pointed out to the ocean.
"The Turtle's coming back! And he has a person on his back!" he called. Bulma looked out to the ocean, but all she saw was a faint silhouette in the distance. In fact, even saying that was stretching the truth a bit.
"How can you see that far, kid?" she asked. He didn't answer. Welp, that plan's a bust. Oh well, there are other ones. There is always a blueprint, even when one goes wrong. As the silhouette approached, she could see it clearer; sure enough, it was Turtle and a bald old man with sunglasses, a bright orange beach shirt, and a long beard. Turtle swam up to the beach and the old man hopped off.
"Good Afternoon!" the old man called.
"Um... hi." Bulma replied. She really didn't know what to say to him, after all she had just met the man. He seemed nice enough, but appearances could be deceiving, as her tiny psychopathic companion showed.
"I have to thank you all for saving my Turtle. He's been missing for a while, and I'm a bit less without him." The man explained. "I'm Roshi, the Turtle Hermit." The old man looked down at Turtle. "Which one of these two youngsters helped you?"
Turtle pointed his flipper at Kakarot. "The little boy here," he said. The Hermit nodded and walked up to the little boy.
"I owe you a debt kid. I have a wonderful present for you, to that end," Roshi said. Kakarot looked up at him, then scratched his head with his tail.
"What kind of present?" he asked. Roshi just stared at him for a moment, as if contemplating something. He seemed to be staring at Kakarot's tail. Why would he be staring at Kakarot's tail? I mean, yeah, it's weird... but the King of Earth is a blue anthropomorphic cairn terrier. It cannot be any weirder than that.
"Well, just wait and see," he said. He picked up his wooden staff and threw it to the ocean. "Come to me Eternal Phoenix!" he called. The was a very noticeable silence following the call.
Turtle looked up pensively at Roshi. "Um... Master? The Eternal Phoenix died of food poisoning." The staff drooped as the Hermit looked at the turtle.
"Oh right, it did." Everyone promptly face-faulted. Wait, how did the Eternal Phoenix die of food poisoning?
The old man stood deep in thought for several long moments, muttering as he did so. "Hmm... I could give him the... no, that's at the cleaners. What about the... hmm... well, if he can use it, it's his." He stood up and called, "Come to me, Flying Nimbus!" Once again, there was silence. Bulma could almost hear the crickets chirping. "Where is that damn cloud?" he muttered. Bulma looked up, and saw a cloud moving a bit different than the others, as it began to grow in size. It grew bigger and bigger, until Bulma realized it was just moving closer to them. The yellow cloud overshot them, then turned around and slowly spiraled around them, coming to a stop next to Roshi. "This is the Flying Nimbus, my Kinto'un. Don't be afraid, she's as sweet as candy."
Kakarot in particular was in awe, staring at the cloud with an expression of wonder. "So, can I eat it, or-"
"You don't eat it, you little... um... boy." Roshi said. "You sit on it and it flies you wherever you want."
Bulma stared at him carefully. "Alright, what's the catch?"Bulma had learned a lesson the hard way, being the heir to the richest man in the world. Nothing comes without a catch, especially something like this.
"You need to have a pure heart to ride on it," Roshi explained. And there it was. "Here, let me show you how it works." He crouched down and jumped onto the cloud. It promptly parted and allowed him to fall on his ass. Kakarot frowned, while Bulma let out a few giggles.
"I guess the wise old hermit isn't so pure himself, huh?" Bulma asked. Kakarot sighed and walked up behind the cloud.
"Whatever. Imma try now," he said. He bounced up and his feet touched the cloud... he managed to stand for a little over a second before falling through it just as Roshi did. Unlike the old man, however, the little boy managed to land on his feet. The boy looked up, frowning. He looked at the Turtle Hermit... and then his eyes brightened a bit. "Hey!" he said pointing at Roshi's chest. "I want that!" Roshi looked down and fiddled with whatever was on his neck.
"You mean this?" he asked. Bulma couldn't see what they were talking about, she figured he saw a crystal or something that he liked.
"Yes. Since all you seem to have otherwise is a cloud that I can't use."
"Sheesh! Don't blame Nimbus for your own impurity. I certainly don't. If you want this, you can have it." Roshi took off his necklace and handed it to Kakarot, who promptly ran over to Bulma to show what he had received. Bulma almost couldn't believe her eyes- in Kakarot's hands was the Three-Star Dragon Ball. Bulma looked back and forth between the Ball and Kakarot, until she smiled brightly and hugged the little boy. He squirmed a bit, but then finally stopped.
"You got us another Dragon Ball, Kakarot! I guess you were right to help the Turtle. That one's yours," Bulma said. She walked over to her motorcycle and capsulized it, before opening another one, this one with a rounded top, modeled after a recumbent bike's top. "Come on, then. It was a pleasure to meet you, Master Roshi!" Kakarot hopped on the bike behind her, putting the Three-Star Ball around his neck. Bulma hit the throttle and they drove off. As they started to drive, Bulma checked the Dragon Radar- their destination was to the Northwest, they could reach it by the end of the week. It's not like anything could go horribly, horribly wrong there, right?
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Following the incident with the Pterodactyl, Bulma had proven much more tolerable to travel with. She no longer glared at him for holding onto her too tight, she simply let him know. In addition, she hadn't glared at him much at all since then. Unfortunately, the traveling also made Kakarot incredibly hungry. He had seen several creatures wandering around that seemed edible, but Bulma had consistently told him not to get off the motorcycle. He had obliged, unwilling to be left behind in unfamiliar territory.When the sun started to go down, Bulma drove the motorcycle into a clearing and hit down the kickstand. She then got off and walked off the road. Kakarot followed suit.
"So, are we going to camp here tonight?" Kakarot asked.
Bulma groaned in response. "I'm a delicate flower, there's no need to live like savages by sleeping on the ground."
Kakarot chose to ignore that vague insult. "Then what do we do? It's not like there are any houses around here," he said.
"Capsules!" Bulma said. She grabbed out her case and popped it open.
"Wait, your capsules even have houses inside them?" Kakarot asked in disbelief.
"Yep! Now back up a bit, I'm gonna put it right over there!" she called. Bulma activated the capsule and tossed it into the field. After a loud pop and smoke, in the place of the capsule was a round white house. "Now that just looks downright cozy. Way better than a tent. Come on Kakarot."
Tentatively, Kakarot followed her into the small house. She pressed a button and the whole room lit up. Kakarot stared around the room, skeptical of what he was seeing. Artificial lighting? I haven't seen that since... since... Kakarot closed his eyes and remembered.
--R&R--
The small child looked up from his cot, at the staring faces of those around him in a brightly lit room. Looking down at him were a young lady with shoulder length hair and a boy with waist-length hair.
"He looks just like Father and Nini," the boy said. "What's his name?"
"Kakarotto," the woman replied.
"Kakarotto," the boy repeated, leaning over the infant. "So he'll be called Kakarot, then. Will he be big enough to spar with, Mother?"
"Of course he will, Raditz. He's just a newborn now. He'll be big enough to spar with sooner than you'll know."
Some time later, the woman had left, and the boy was left with his little brother. He walked to the door and pressed the button next to it, shutting off the light. The moment little Kakarot began to cry, he quickly flicked the light back on. Once the light came back on, the small child giggled. Raditz flicked it on and off a few more times, causing the child to laugh freely and happily. He walked over to the infant and picked him up."It's the job of the elder brother to watch over the younger one." he said to the baby. "I'll have to go on my next mission soon. Once you're old enough, I'll bring you with me, baby brother. You'll learn to fight beside me, just as our father did with our uncles, Kakarot."
--R&R--
The memory faded with a red planet cracking and exploding, just as it always did in his nightmares. Kakarot was trying his best to hold back his tears. "Nii-san," he sobbed softly. Kakarot hated remembering it. All it served to remind him of was of the harsh reality that he lived in. He was alone, trapped on an alien world. His mother never showed him any affection... the only thing that mattered to her was his mission. He didn't even have a home to even return to once that was done. His father had died with their planet, and his brother was probably dead, too. He had nothing, no one.
"Ew, Kakarot, you smell." Bulma said, snapping him out of his thoughts. "You need to take a bath before dinner."
Kakarot looked up at her in confusion. "What's a bath?" he asked. Bulma promptly did a double take.
"You've got to be kidding me... you don't know what a bath is? That's disgusting!" she yelled.
Bulma sat on a stool in front of the bathtub. Of course, that kid has no idea what a bath is, this is just my luck. "Kakarot, hop into the tub here." she called. The boy looked apprehensive at first, but then did as he was told, hopping over the side and sitting down in the tub. Bulma turned the knob and soaked the small boy down with the shower head, before rubbing some shampoo in his hair.
"Bulma, what's this stuff your rubbing in my hair? It's burning my eyes." Kakarot whined.
"It's called shampoo, it cleans your hair. You should count yourself lucky, you're being washed off by a pretty girl like me. I don't exactly do this for everyone," she said. She sprayed his hair with the water and washed all the shampoo off. "There, much better!" she stated, delighted at her handiwork, since Kakarot's hair was no longer sticking up everywhere. "Turn to the right, Kakarot, I'm gonna scrub off your back for you." He obliged. She scrubbed off the upper part of his back before coming to his tail. She lightly grabbed it and held it up.
"You actually attached this accessory right to your butt?" she asked.
"It's not an accessory," Kakarot replied. To show her, he waved his tail around. I really should be phased by this... but I've seen far weirder. Wait... I think I saw a woman with a tail working at a bar out in space once! I'll have to ask Tights to confirm, I don't remember that trip very well. Damn it, I wish I had been a bit older for that trip, it would have saved me a bunch of trouble! She allowed Kakarot to finish washing himself off, and then washed herself off. Following that, she grabbed some bread and ham out of her little fridge and set it on the table. Kakarot ate, but after it was all gone, he still complained of being hungry.
"Look, kid," she said, "if you're still hungry, then take your extending stick there and go catch yourself something to eat. Just don't get yourself hurt."
Kakarot glanced back at her. "It's called the Power Pole," he said simply, before walking out the door. He didn't come back for about an hour, but he came back stating that he had eaten and felt full. Bulma had been in the restroom brushing her teeth. Once she finished, she laid out a blanket for him to sleep on. Shortly after he'd laid down, Bulma recalled her thoughts on his tail.
"Say, Kakarot," she began."Are there others like you? Like, people with tails?" I really hope he answers me, my curiosity is going to murder me otherwise. He could be anything from an alien to a science experiment gone horribly wrong!
Kakarot's face fell. He turned to her, looking incredibly wistful. It made her feel bad, she thought she was about to make him cry. "There were," he said. Kakarot said nothing else, he simply laid down and turned away from her to sleep. Damn it! That does nothing to satisfy my curiosity! I should have outright asked if he was an alien! That's what I really wanted to know. There was nothing she could do about it now, so she simply closed her eyes and let sleep come.
--R&R--
Gine was happy to finally have a chance to breathe. With Kakarot off on his little adventure, she could stop worrying about him. She also didn't have to try setting an example, and let her tail hang freely behind her. The boy was a mess and easily the hardest challenge she'd ever faced raising, far worse than his brother. Maybe that's why he's so endearing. Raditz was normal, Kakarot is... I don't quite know, but this planet has influenced him, whether he likes that or not. He might not even recognize that fact, yet. But he will, eventually. That girl seems like she's perfect for keeping a Saiyan under control.
It was at that point that Gine realized that she had no idea which direction the two had gone in. I don't want to spend too much time looking for them and getting lost... I guess I have to use it. Reluctantly, Gine pulled her green scouter out of her armour and placed it over her eye. Glad I removed the long-range communication on this thing years ago. She pressed the button and scanned around. Within minutes, the Power Levels of 15 and 3 were registered. Gine sighed, relieved that she didn't have to spend days looking for them. But no sooner had her relief come than another power level appeared on the map. 170...290... 450... It just kept rising as she watched. 700, 890, 1050!? What... there is no way an Earthling could be that strong! Suddenly, the power dropped off. What the hell could that have been? Curiosity getting the better of her, she floated up into the air and flew in the direction of the power level. I'm likely getting myself into trouble again... I'll never learn, will I? She chuckled to herself. At least on this planet, there was no one strong enough to give her any trouble.
--R&R--
The nightmare came again that night, the first time it had ever come twice in a row. But it was somehow even worse than usual. This time, when the fireball hit the surface of his planet, he felt he could hear the screams of his dying race in his mind. Men, women, children... the screams echoing loudly... then a flash of light... and his home and race were gone. But even after the planet exploded, the screams didn't stop.
Kakarot woke up in a cold sweat, barely managing to not scream. He managed to calm himself and slow his breathing in time before he lost it. Losing it now... I don't even want to think about it. His Master had still been alive last time he'd lost control, and it had taken both him and his mother to get Kakarot back under control again. He had created an entire forest clearing in his emotional state that time.
As he got his emotional state under control, he looked over to the futon, where Bulma still lay asleep. Why did she choose to bring me along? She can't possibly know what I am; to her I'd just be a strange boy with a tail, not a warrior from the stars with a mission to destroy her world. I didn't save her until later... so why did she bring me along? Wait... why did I save her again? He thought back to when he broke the pterodactyl's neck. What had his reasoning been for saving her? He didn't even remember. I hate not understanding, and I hate that I remember all the wrong things!
He stood up and walked over to the window. Looking out at the clearing, the sun had risen into the sky, and they could likely make good progress in the next day. Yet Bulma was still asleep, as if it were still the dead of night. Hmm... I wonder what will wake her up quickly. Suddenly, an idea came to him. "Bulma!" he called. "The Dragon Balls are gone!"
Instantly, Bulma was out of bed, screaming and rushing over to the table where the Dragon Balls lay, exactly where they had left them the previous night. Seeing them there, she turned and glared at her companion, who was laughing at her expense. "That's not funny, Kakarot!" she yelled.
"No, but your face was," he replied. "In any case, it woke you up, which was my goal. Get dressed, we have a great day ahead of us!" Or at least, that was what he had thought she would do. Instead, she spent an exorbitant amount of time washing her hair with that shampoo, then drying it with some kind of air blower while running a teethed piece of plastic through it.
Exasperated, Kakarot just decided to go outside "Bulma!" he called out. "I'm just going outside. Hurry up! If you move any slower, you're liable to transform into a turtle!"
"Shut up kid!" she shot back. He didn't really care, he just ran out the door. Kakarot stretched, then ran over to a large rock. This one ought to do. He wrapped his arms around the rock and lifted it into the air. Kakarot tried to break it, but it resisted. He grit his teeth and continued squeezing as hard as he could, until the rock finally shattered under his strength. I'm so weak, I can't even break a rock easily. He didn't know why all these feelings had come back after so long of not being there. The feelings had gone away... but now they seemed to be back. He thought as to why they were.
"Are there others like you, Kakarot?"
It was Bulma. She had brought everything that he had been buried deep within him right back to the surface with that single damned question. The memories were bad enough when he wasn't forced to think about them! But instead, she reminded him of the others of his race, and how weak he was compared to them. Eager to force himself to forget, Kakarot ran over the next biggest rock he could see, grabbed it, and lifted it up.
"Woah, Woah!" the rock yelled. Wait, what? Am I dreaming? Did Bulma knock me out for that joke? No, she's too weak, a punch from her would tickle at worst. So... why did- Kakarot looked more closely at the rock in his hands, his previous musings forgotten briefly. Upon closer inspection he realized it wasn't a rock at all: it was a turtle. Sheepishly, Kakarot dropped the turtle.
"That's a new one," the turtle said.
"I'll bet." Kakarot agreed. "What are you doing all the way out here? The river's like seven miles that way." He pointed in the direction that he and Bulma had driven from.
"Before I answer that... could I have some saltwater?"the turtle asked. Kakarot blinked. A sea turtle? Why would one be this far inland? I need some answers... but first.
"Bulma!" he called. A crash sounded from inside, and about 15 seconds later, she opened the door and poked her head out, her purple hair falling loosely from her shoulders.
"What do you want, Kakarot? I'm almost done with my hair!" she yelled. What is her obsession with her hair? I think it looks just fine.
Kakarot pointed at the turtle. "I found a turtle, he's asking for some seawater before he'll talk. Could you oblige him? I'd like to hear what he has to say." Bulma glared at him before sighing. The turtle chose that moment to speak up.
"Excuse me, but can I get some seaweed, too?" the turtle asked.
"Sorry, we don't have seaweed," she replied. "But I'll grab some saltwater, one moment." Bulma disappeared into the house, and Kakarot heard the sound of running water, before Bulma came back with a metal bucket. "Here you go." The turtle immediately rushed to the bucket and began guzzling the water. How long has the turtle been out of the water? I'm surprised it hasn't died by now.
"Thank you very much," the turtle said upon finishing his drink. "The truth is... I'm Kame."
"We can see that you are a turtle!" Bulma yelled at him. Wait, was that Galactic Common? I thought no one spoke that on this backwater! But Bulma seems to have translated it instantly... What is going on with this world?!
He continued, unfettered. "I was gathering mushrooms, and I got lost. I've been trying to find my way back to the sea for a year now."A year?! That's... 549 days? No, no, Earth year. 366? About that, yeah.
"You're trying to get to the sea?" Bulma asked. She quickly ran back inside and came back with a map. "Bad news for you, turtle. The sea is 120 kilometers to the south."
"120?! Gosh, that'll take me forever," the turtle said. South... hmm...
"We can take you there, Turtle," Kakarot offered.
"You mean it?!" Turtle said, excited. Bulma shot him a look of annoyance.
"Kakarot, we hardly have time for this!" she said. I knew she'd say that. But I think she's forgetting something.
"Isn't the next Dragon Ball in that direction?" Kakarot asked rhetorically. I know it is. Now to see if she does. Bulma ran inside again and came back out with the Dragon Radar, checking it carefully.
"Well, whaddya know. It's in that direction, too," Bulma said. "Good catch, kid. I would have missed that." How the hell did she find any of them on her own?
"So? Can we head down there, drop the turtle, and grab the Dragon Ball?" Kakarot asked. I already know she'll say yes. But judging by how she's acted thus far, my phrasing should make it seem like she's the one in control.
"Of course! Let me just get dressed, m'kay?" Bulma said as she walked back inside. She came back out around 10 minutes later dressed in a black jacket, khakis, and riding boots. In her hand she had the Dragon Radar and Kakarot's bag containing the four-star-ball. She had re-braided her hair into the same style it had been the previous day, red ribbon and all. She tossed the bag to him and slid open a panel next to the door. She pressed a button and the house instantly turned back into a capsule. She put the capsule back in her case and unloaded her motorcycle. "Kakarot, you carry the turtle. I don't have any cars that we can use, so I'll just drive next to you. It shouldn't take us very long to get to the shore."
Kakarot nodded and hoisted the turtle up onto his shoulders. Why is she being so complaisant? She was not like this yesterday. He continued to contemplate this as they headed along the road, conveniently distracting him from his earlier brooding. The two went across the plains as the day wore on, with little landscape around for them to see.
Bulma complained, much to Kakarot's shock, very little on the trip, and then only about the temperature. To be fair, it was much warmer that day than it was typically. Must be this planet's warm season. Hope it doesn't get too hot. The two continued following the road until it reached a small pass between two cliffs.
"Bulma," Kakarot stated, "this is a textbook example of a trap. I can almost guarantee some kind of bandit will screw with us here." While he said 'almost guarantee,' Kakarot knew that there was someone there. It was such an obvious ambush point. There were probably weapons buried there from armies ambushed in the past. Maybe not even buried, considering how much of a backwater this world is.
Sure enough, as they entered the pass, a large bear-man thing with a scar over his eye jumped down and landed in front of them. "Oh, that will make a fantastic dinner. Humans give me heartburn, but turtles are a rare delicacy. Hand it over, now!"
"Get off my back, I'll take care of this," Kakarot whispered to Turtle. Turtle nodded and climbed off his back, scampering over to where Bulma had ducked behind a rock. "Who are you to demand anything of me?"
"Kid, you are dead meat! I am the ruler of this land! The dreaded Bear-Thief!" he shouted.
"Oh please, do go on." Kakarot snarked. He drew his power pole out of its case and held it as the Bear-Thief continued his spiel. At the same time, he positioned his tail behind him to use in case he needed to climb the thief's body.
The thief smiled and pointed his sword at Kakarot. He shouted, "the King is far away in his burning castle, he hasn't enforced his rule in this area in a decade! I rule here now. So you should know your place, you damned monkey!"
The moment the final word came out of the thief's mouth, Kakarot's face dropped. He dropped out of his stance and let his Power Pole's front hit the ground. His breathing stilled and his fists tightened, as his body began to shake.
"Aw, what's wrong, little monkey, did I strike a nerve?" the thief taunted. Suddenly, Kakarot looked up at him, rage filling his small eyes.
"SHUT UP!" he screamed, rushing forward. "Power Pole, EXTEND!" Kakarot screamed, swinging it as hard as he could at the thief. It smashed into the side of the thief's head, a resound BOOM shattering through the air. The thief fell to the ground, likely dead, but Kakarot didn't care. He simply picked up the sword and started hacking away at the former thief. "DON'T." smash. "CALL." smash. "ME." smash. "A." smash. "MONKEY!" he jumped in the air and threw the sword as hard as he could at the body. The sword impaled itself in the middle of the largest remaining piece of the body.
Kakarot took a deep breath and looked down at himself. There were a few splatters of blood on his gi, but nothing washing it wouldn't eliminate. Good. This gi is the only piece of clothing I have with me. I'd rather not walk all the way back to Gohan's just to get another outfit. Feeling his face, there was no blood on it either, nor was there any in his hair.
He looked back at Bulma and Turtle, only to see them staring at him, wide-eyed and slack-jawed. Bulma in particular looked rather terrified. I guess now she realizes just who she chose to ask to be her bodyguard. Well, not exactly, I guess. If she actually figures out that I'm a Saiyan... I'll teach her how to blast something with her ki. That should be reward enough in that unlikely scenario.
"Come on, we need to move. I doubt he was the only member of his group if he considered himself the 'King.' How much further is it to the sea, Bulma?" Kakarot asked.
--R&R--
It took a few seconds for Bulma to process the question. The little kid in front of her had just turned a feared bandit into bear-chops, yet here he was asking her how far it was to the ocean like nothing had just happened. What happened to this kid that killing could mean so little to him? Wait... monkey... didn't Jaco say that he's been trying to hunt down some 'damned monkeys' for like 12 years now? Kakarot is 12... he must be an alien of some kind. Maybe he's what Jaco was looking for.
As these thoughts rushed through her head, she drew her map from her jacket pocket and unfurled it. They were only around five kilometers from the ocean, almost there! Kakarot walked over to her slowly while she was focused on the map. When she put the map down, she saw the boy looking up at her carefully, with an almost worried expression on his face.
"I don't have to go home, right?" he asked. His eyes shone like that of a small child begging for a toy. Bulma sighed. She didn't plan on sending him home, but he didn't need to know that, might as well make him think that she might have. It might encourage him to not be so wanton with the murdering in the future.
"Sure. Just don't go killing people without permission," she replied. Kakarot seemed to think about it for several moments.
"Um... sure," he replied. He picked up Turtle and the two of them began to head up the mountain pass. No further bandits harassed them as they got through the mountains and followed the trail down to the plains. Another hour and they arrived at the dunes at the edge of the water. The Turtle smiled brightly and laughed as he smelled the ocean. Bulma parked her motorcycle and jogged up the sand dunes with Kakarot.
The boy's eyes widened happily as he saw the ocean. He jogged down the hill and let the turtle down onto the sand. Turtle went to the water and turned around to face them.
"You brought me home. Words alone cannot express my gratitude," he said, tears welling up in his eyes. "I insist on giving you a gift, please wait here, I'll return in a short while." Turtle then turned around and swam out into the ocean, out of sight. Bulma sat down in the sand to wait. They had a few more weeks, and they had 3 of the Dragon Balls. Hmm... maybe strawberries isn't the best plan for a wish... a giant chocolate fountain, maybe? That might be cool. She looked over at Kakarot only to see him sitting on a rock, drawing in the sand with his 'Power Pole'. He seemed to be writing, but it didn't look like either script commonly used on Earth.
"What are you writing there, Kakarot?" Bulma asked. Kakarot looked up at her and sighed.
"My name," he replied. "This the native script of my people." He dropped the stick to below his previous writing and quickly wrote what she presumed was his name in the logographic script of Earth.
根 カカロット
"I'm assuming," Kakarot continued, "that you can read that one." Indeed, Bulma could read that script, it was the most common script used on Earth. It was like asking if the grass was green. But this reignited Bulma's curiosity regarding Kakarot and where he came from. She figured that he had to be an alien, but getting him to open up about where he was from or why he was on Earth would be difficult. She still remembered how sad he had looked the previous evening when she asked about it. She had to approach that topic carefully if she ever intended to learn about it. She tried to think of what questions could get him to talk without triggering whatever caused his sadness. However, as she contemplated, Kakarot pointed out to the ocean.
"The Turtle's coming back! And he has a person on his back!" he called. Bulma looked out to the ocean, but all she saw was a faint silhouette in the distance. In fact, even saying that was stretching the truth a bit.
"How can you see that far, kid?" she asked. He didn't answer. Welp, that plan's a bust. Oh well, there are other ones. There is always a blueprint, even when one goes wrong. As the silhouette approached, she could see it clearer; sure enough, it was Turtle and a bald old man with sunglasses, a bright orange beach shirt, and a long beard. Turtle swam up to the beach and the old man hopped off.
"Good Afternoon!" the old man called.
"Um... hi." Bulma replied. She really didn't know what to say to him, after all she had just met the man. He seemed nice enough, but appearances could be deceiving, as her tiny psychopathic companion showed.
"I have to thank you all for saving my Turtle. He's been missing for a while, and I'm a bit less without him." The man explained. "I'm Roshi, the Turtle Hermit." The old man looked down at Turtle. "Which one of these two youngsters helped you?"
Turtle pointed his flipper at Kakarot. "The little boy here," he said. The Hermit nodded and walked up to the little boy.
"I owe you a debt kid. I have a wonderful present for you, to that end," Roshi said. Kakarot looked up at him, then scratched his head with his tail.
"What kind of present?" he asked. Roshi just stared at him for a moment, as if contemplating something. He seemed to be staring at Kakarot's tail. Why would he be staring at Kakarot's tail? I mean, yeah, it's weird... but the King of Earth is a blue anthropomorphic cairn terrier. It cannot be any weirder than that.
"Well, just wait and see," he said. He picked up his wooden staff and threw it to the ocean. "Come to me Eternal Phoenix!" he called. The was a very noticeable silence following the call.
Turtle looked up pensively at Roshi. "Um... Master? The Eternal Phoenix died of food poisoning." The staff drooped as the Hermit looked at the turtle.
"Oh right, it did." Everyone promptly face-faulted. Wait, how did the Eternal Phoenix die of food poisoning?
The old man stood deep in thought for several long moments, muttering as he did so. "Hmm... I could give him the... no, that's at the cleaners. What about the... hmm... well, if he can use it, it's his." He stood up and called, "Come to me, Flying Nimbus!" Once again, there was silence. Bulma could almost hear the crickets chirping. "Where is that damn cloud?" he muttered. Bulma looked up, and saw a cloud moving a bit different than the others, as it began to grow in size. It grew bigger and bigger, until Bulma realized it was just moving closer to them. The yellow cloud overshot them, then turned around and slowly spiraled around them, coming to a stop next to Roshi. "This is the Flying Nimbus, my Kinto'un. Don't be afraid, she's as sweet as candy."
Kakarot in particular was in awe, staring at the cloud with an expression of wonder. "So, can I eat it, or-"
"You don't eat it, you little... um... boy." Roshi said. "You sit on it and it flies you wherever you want."
Bulma stared at him carefully. "Alright, what's the catch?"Bulma had learned a lesson the hard way, being the heir to the richest man in the world. Nothing comes without a catch, especially something like this.
"You need to have a pure heart to ride on it," Roshi explained. And there it was. "Here, let me show you how it works." He crouched down and jumped onto the cloud. It promptly parted and allowed him to fall on his ass. Kakarot frowned, while Bulma let out a few giggles.
"I guess the wise old hermit isn't so pure himself, huh?" Bulma asked. Kakarot sighed and walked up behind the cloud.
"Whatever. Imma try now," he said. He bounced up and his feet touched the cloud... he managed to stand for a little over a second before falling through it just as Roshi did. Unlike the old man, however, the little boy managed to land on his feet. The boy looked up, frowning. He looked at the Turtle Hermit... and then his eyes brightened a bit. "Hey!" he said pointing at Roshi's chest. "I want that!" Roshi looked down and fiddled with whatever was on his neck.
"You mean this?" he asked. Bulma couldn't see what they were talking about, she figured he saw a crystal or something that he liked.
"Yes. Since all you seem to have otherwise is a cloud that I can't use."
"Sheesh! Don't blame Nimbus for your own impurity. I certainly don't. If you want this, you can have it." Roshi took off his necklace and handed it to Kakarot, who promptly ran over to Bulma to show what he had received. Bulma almost couldn't believe her eyes- in Kakarot's hands was the Three-Star Dragon Ball. Bulma looked back and forth between the Ball and Kakarot, until she smiled brightly and hugged the little boy. He squirmed a bit, but then finally stopped.
"You got us another Dragon Ball, Kakarot! I guess you were right to help the Turtle. That one's yours," Bulma said. She walked over to her motorcycle and capsulized it, before opening another one, this one with a rounded top, modeled after a recumbent bike's top. "Come on, then. It was a pleasure to meet you, Master Roshi!" Kakarot hopped on the bike behind her, putting the Three-Star Ball around his neck. Bulma hit the throttle and they drove off. As they started to drive, Bulma checked the Dragon Radar- their destination was to the Northwest, they could reach it by the end of the week. It's not like anything could go horribly, horribly wrong there, right?
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Ranma-sensei
Sorcerer
- Location
- Citrix Receiver
- Pronouns
- Weatherdependent
A solid update, its very intriguing to see old and new world building introduced and clash, such as the presence of Jaco, Bulma having visited outer space and the hint of other Sayians out there.
I am intrigued by those power readings and surprised he can remember stuff from when a baby, Radits was cute XD I'm a bit shocked Kakarot has a complex regarding monkey given he seemingly wasn't raised around the empire but that's just me.
Neat shift with the Nimbus not working and Roshi not being as on good terms with them, also I like Bulma's curiosity and adaptability and Kakarot's surprise in regards to stuff like language raises many questions, kudos and good luck with the next one!
I am intrigued by those power readings and surprised he can remember stuff from when a baby, Radits was cute XD I'm a bit shocked Kakarot has a complex regarding monkey given he seemingly wasn't raised around the empire but that's just me.
Neat shift with the Nimbus not working and Roshi not being as on good terms with them, also I like Bulma's curiosity and adaptability and Kakarot's surprise in regards to stuff like language raises many questions, kudos and good luck with the next one!
TC9078
The Super Saiyan
- Location
- PA-01
I figure that if Saiyans are sent around to kill stuff as babies, they have to have very good memories that start when they're babies.
On the rest, no comment
Fair enough, I just assumed the machine did it and that giant monkey thing helped XDI figure that if Saiyans are sent around to kill stuff as babies, they have to have very good memories that start when they're babies.
On the rest, no comment
Fair enough!
Fabula Amanti
I want a Grimoire, but I got books.
- Location
- Singapore
It's a little sad to see Goku so emo. I think I watched to much DBZ abridged to take other versions of Goku too seriously.
TC9078
The Super Saiyan
- Location
- PA-01
I'm surprised more discussion hasn't happened, especially given this:
Was expecting that to generate at least a bit of discussion.
Ranma-sensei
Sorcerer
- Location
- Citrix Receiver
- Pronouns
- Weatherdependent
Problem for me is, I'm still thinking about who could have that kind of power, this early on.
But I'm impressed her scouter took that rapid increase so well - must be a command model.
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- Location
- Academy City
- Pronouns
- They
A power level of 1000 on earth doesn't leave many options, so I was mostly just confused. My guesses, in order of probability, are:
1. Mr. Popo (Never had his PL measured by scouter in series, so possible)
2. Babity Minion Scout (We know their timetable is imprecise, as we see the differences in future timeline arrival time vs present timeline arrival time)
3. Time Patroller / Xenoverse Baddy (Plausible but requires them to be canon here)
4. Kami (Somehow, maybe scouters don't account for degradation of power do to age or smth)
5. Maijin Buu (Scouter detecting part of the energy through the seal, but intermittently?)
6. Freeza Force Scout (Timetable moved up?)
7. Something completely else from canon
8. Something plausable that didn't appear in canon
9. Muten Roshi's charge effect??
Most of these are distinctly implausible or nonsensical, so all I can really do is wait and see.
1. Mr. Popo (Never had his PL measured by scouter in series, so possible)
2. Babity Minion Scout (We know their timetable is imprecise, as we see the differences in future timeline arrival time vs present timeline arrival time)
3. Time Patroller / Xenoverse Baddy (Plausible but requires them to be canon here)
4. Kami (Somehow, maybe scouters don't account for degradation of power do to age or smth)
5. Maijin Buu (Scouter detecting part of the energy through the seal, but intermittently?)
6. Freeza Force Scout (Timetable moved up?)
7. Something completely else from canon
8. Something plausable that didn't appear in canon
9. Muten Roshi's charge effect??
Most of these are distinctly implausible or nonsensical, so all I can really do is wait and see.
I have two main theories, well one was more of a concern hence me not bringing it up.
The concern "its Kakarot" my theory is that something, possibly Gine's presence set off a butterfly effect leading to other powerful characters being present or getting higher in their training earlier.
Ch. 4- The Village
TC9078
The Super Saiyan
- Location
- PA-01
Thanks to @Ranma-sensei for editing!
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The moment their bike arrived in the village, Bulma could tell something was wrong. Despite the village having a sizable number of houses, paved roads, and painted signs, it looked like a ghost town. As if they vanished only days ago. She parked the bike and stepped off, looking around.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"You think that bandits abducted the town or something?" she asked. Her small companion curled his tail behind him as he thought. That's adorable. He's crazy, but right now I can really tell that he's a kid... it even looks like a question mark!
"Nah. There're people here." he said. "I saw some shadows moving in that house." Kakarot pointed at the house directly in front of them. Bulma nodded and the two walked forward to the door. She knocked on it lightly.
"Hello? Is anyone home?" Silence. "I know you're in there, I saw you through the window." Well, no I didn't, but Kakarot did, and his eyesight is far better than mine. Still, there was nothing. She didn't even hear a rustle of movement inside the house. I really don't have time for this. Bulma turned to look at Kakarot. "Can you open it?" He nodded. Kakarot walked up to the door and pulled his hand back for a punch- "Hold on!" Bulma said. She quickly pulled out a capsule and opened it, revealing her Walkman and headphones. She quickly tossed on her headphones and pressed the button on her Walkman, motioning for Kakarot to continue as she bobbed her head along to the music.
Has he lost his mind?
Can he see or is he blind?
Can he walk at all
Or if he moves will he fall?
Bulma looked to see if Kakarot was done yet, but he was just standing there, staring at her. She crossed her arms and looked at him expectantly. Unblinkingly, he pointed his palm at the door... and it began to glow. A few seconds later, the glow shot from Kakarot's hand. It hit the door and blew the handle and part of the frame off the wall. Bulma immediately hit the stop button and put her headphones around her neck.
"What the hell was that?!" she shrieked. Kakarot rolled his eyes.
"The future."
"But what was it?"
"You impress me, and I'll tell you."
"What's that supposed to mean?!" He didn't answer, he simply grabbed the door and pulled it open.
"It means-" Kakarot was interrupted by a loud yell as a man swung an axe at him. Bulma quickly pushed the boy out of the way, but in the aftermath, she felt a sharp pain in her right arm. Looking down, she saw a large gash in her jacket, with blood spurting out. Well, that's not good. Nearly instantly, Kakarot had his Power Pole out and pointing at the man. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" he screamed.
The man charged unfettered. The boy sidestepped the next axe swing. "Power Pole, extend!" he called. The Pole hit the man in the stomach, forcing him to his knees. He attempted another swipe at Kakarot, but the boy simply grabbed the man's wrist, before decking him in the face. The man's hands released the axe and went to his nose, which was now bleeding. Kakarot quickly spun, hitting the man in the back of the head with his Power Pole, sending his face directly into the ground. Kakarot retracted his Power Pole and walked over to the man. Picking up the axe, he held it above him.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't end your life for this offense." The man looked up at him worriedly, saying nothing.
"K-Kakarot!" Bulma called. Kakarot quickly turned to see his companion holding up her arm for him to see. Her blue jacket had a slice in the sleeve, and within he could see deep red blood running out from it rapidly, and dripping onto the ground.
"Shit!" Kakarot tossed the axe into the wall and ran to his companion.
--R&R--
Once Kakarot had finally gotten Bulma's wound bandaged, she glared at the man, who was scratching his head, clearly ashamed of himself.
"Where the hell do you get off?! You swung an axe at a little boy, and nearly took my arm off! Since all I have are normal bandages, I'm probably going to have a scar there for the rest of my life! Not only that, but you ruined my jacket!" she screamed.
Kakarot giggled. "You know, all scars tell a story. Telling yours has to interest some people."
"You are not helpful right now, kid!" she turned back to the man. "Now, would you mind explaining why you attacked me after spilling your tea?"
The man shook his arms. "I didn't spill my tea! The demon who keeps kidnapping girls from the village calls himself Oolong. He transforms, and I thought you were him!"
A shapeshifting demon? That's new. "If you're fighting a shapeshifting demon, I can help," Kakarot offered.
"But Kakarot-" she began.
"No 'buts,' Bulma. Besides, you need to sit here and rest for a bit, you lost a bunch of blood from that wound."
"You would help us?" an old lady at the door said.
"If I was compensated for it, yes."
"What would you want in payment?" Kakarot grabbed the bag he had tied to his sash and pulled out the Three-Star Dragon Ball, holding it out to the woman.
"We're looking for relics that look like this," he said, pointing at the ball. "There are seven of them, we have four so far. We have a radar that tracks them, and it pointed to this village." The old woman fumbled with her pockets, before pulling out another one.
"This what you lookin' for?" she asked. Bulma moved closer to get a better look. Indeed, it was the Six-Star Dragon Ball. Her enthusiasm returned suddenly.
"Yes! Yes it is! In exchange for that, we'll get rid of Oolong for you!" she stated. The villagers gathered and spoke for a bit before seperating again.
"But even if you manage to defeat Oolong... we still don't know where the other girls he took are," the man with the axe said.
Bulma had seemingly already though this through. "The girl, Pochawampa, was it?"
"Pocawatha."
"Right. If he's looking for you, then he'll be looking for your clothes. Can I have them?" Kakarot giggled at Bulma's request.
"Bulma, no offense to you, but this plan is a bust. You're far too big to wear her clothes," he said. Everyone turned and looked at him. Suddenly, Bulma smiled wickedly. Kakarot's face changed to one of confusion. "What?"
--R&R--
Kakarot had expected her to do something. Something like using Pocawatha as bait. Not dressing him up in the girl's clothes.
"You look absolutely adorable, Kakarot," Bulma said. "Though, your tail is a bit of a dead giveaway." Kakarot sighed, pulling his tail inside the dress, and wrapping it around his waist just like he'd seen his mother do. It feels a bit... odd... but I could get used to it eventually. Walking is gonna be a challenge, though.
"You're lucky I'm getting a Dragon Ball for this," he muttered.
"Alright! Now you can get taken away by Oolong, beat him up, then come back here!" Bulma cheered. Suddenly, a man with a shotgun ran up to the door.
"He's here! That bastard Oolong is here!" Bulma quickly sprung into action.
"Everyone, hide in your homes! We'll take care of this!" Everyone obliged, shutting themselves inside. Bulma grabbed Kakarot's hand and walked him outside. "Alright, good luck, Kakarot. I'll find you if you don't come back quickly." She turned around and shut the door. Of course, I'm left to do this. Damn it. I would be mad at her, but no one can heal from an injury that fast. But why do I have to be captured? Couldn't I just beat him first, then beat the information out of him? Or if he's a coward, I could just imply I'll beat him up and he should cave. Suddenly, Kakarot felt heavy footsteps on the ground. He turned his head and saw a large demon man in some kind of formal attire walking with a bouquet of flowers.
"Hello little lady," he said, "I've come for you." How to best... I know! I'll quiver and shake! That should imply fear. And explain why I cannot turn around and face him directly. He began to do just that. "Oh, I'm sorry, are you scared? It must be because of how I look, isn't it? I'll just transform then." A puff of smoke went up around him, and in place of the demon man, there was a human man with the same voice. "I'm actually a very nice guy. Is this okay, or would you prefer a younger man?"
I really, really don't like this, I really want to just fight this idiot! Wipe that smug grin off his face. If only Bulma could fight, I would love someone to help me teach these idiots a thing or two. Then again, she is pretty smart, she could catch on pretty quick. Well, I guess I could think that up... while I beat up this wanna be casanova! Kakarot elbowed Oolong in the gut. Damn, that felt good. He tossed off his disguise and unfurled his tail, kicking Oolong in the stomach and throwing him back.
"You!" Oolong snarled, "you dare deceive me?! Lord Oolong the Terrible?! You're dead meat, kid!" A puff of smoke went up around him with a pop. When the smoke cleared, the finely dressed man was gone, and in his place was a large cow. "I'll kill you, kid!"
"Frankly, I think that's..." Kakarot paused for dramatic effect, "...bullshit." Hearing nothing but crickets chirping, Kakarot just sighed. "Fine. Don't laugh." He put his hand out in front of him. "Now tell me where the girls are, or I'll beat it out of you." His face twisted into a wicked smile. "Personally, I'd much prefer the latter, but I'll give you a chance here."
"Oh, cocky one, are you?" Oolong asked. "Well then I guess I'll have to put the m-" he looked at the clock, and his face turned to one of panic. "H-Hold on one minute!" Oolong yelled, running away at full speed. Kakarot stood flabergasted for a few seconds, before coming to his senses and giving chase to the bull. He ran out the gate behind Oolong... and he was gone. The only thing there was a small anthropomorphic pig in a dark green uniform.
Kakarot ran in all directions and couldn't find him anywhere, so he returned to the village gate, before turning around and shouting, "Oolong! Get back here this instant or I'll turn you into steaks when I find you!" Yet nothing appeared. Kakarot frowned, walking back into the town. Suddenly, a pop sounded behind him. He turned around, and in front of him was a large suit of armor holding chopsticks and broth.
"You think I'd actually run away, twerp?!" Oolong shouted, "Now surrender or I'll dip you in this broth and eat you!" Kakarot stared at him confused. Then he started laughing. A full, hearty laugh, fully fueled by the fact that this... whatever this thing was... couldn't seem to understand just how outclassed he really was. Then again, he probably thinks the same. Time to see.
"So, you ever gonna stop just transforming and fight me already? I'm really bored," he complained. Oolong got flustered and shook his hand, scalding his thumb with the hot broth. He screamed in pain, then glared at Kakarot.
"You... you twerp! I'll end you for this! You won't like me when I'm angry!" Oolong shouted.
"Yeah yeah, can we just fight already?"
"Oh, sonova- YES!" Oolong yelled as he threw a punch at Kakarot in his rage. But Kakarot was already out of the way.
"Wow! You're really weak," Kakarot said. Oolong swung his arm angrily at the boy, but he continued to dodge every swing. Every time Oolong came close to hitting him, the boy moved just enough that he missed. Other times, he just caught his arms. Kakarot wasn't even trying, this was very easy for him.
Suddenly, he was just gone. Oolong looked around but couldn't find him anywhere, before suddenly feeling a slight weight increase on his shoulders and neck. "Like, any of these weaklings could beat you with ease. How the hell did you scare anyone?" Oolong growled and grabbed the kid by the tail and threw him into the air. The boy stared down at Oolong with a glare of pure malice.
Then Kakarot cocked his arm back and swung it, shooting a blast of light from it. The ground in front of Oolong exploded from the impact, causing the creature to scream and jump backwards. Kakarot then drew out his Power Pole and extended it to the ground, using it as a recoil. He flew feet first into Oolong's head, smashing into it with a sound like that of a gong.
He dropped to the ground and grabbed Oolong's wrist, holding it in a vice grip. "Now," he said, "tell me where the girls are."
"And if I refuse?" Oolong replied. Kakarot's eyes seemingly lit up.
"Have you ever heard of Beowulf?" Oolong shuddered and began to shake. Just as suddenly tears pooled in the eye slots and water began to gush out.
"Please, don't hurt me anymore! I'll tell you, I'll tell you!" he sputtered. This guy is pathetic. Oolong the Terrible? More like Oolong the Terrified. Kakarot loosened his grip slightly.
"And? I'm waiting."
"They're... They're..." A pop sounded and the suit of armour was gone. In its place was the anthropomorphic pig that Kakarot had seen earlier.
"Wait... you're Oolong?" Kakarot asked, dumbfounded. He just couldn't believe that the person terrorizing this town was this tiny thing. Kakarot looked up from Oolong, keeping a tight grip on the pig's wrist. "Hey! I beat Oolong, you can come out now!" Slowly, the villagers and Bulma filed out of the houses and gathered around the two. All were surprised to see that the demon who had terrorized them for so long was a small pig. After everyone finished gawking, Kakarot looked Oolong dead in the eyes.
"You will lead us to the girls. If you turn into an ant and try to escape, I'll crush you. Then, when your broken carcass turns back to normal, I'll chop you up and turn you into bacon." Oolong gulped and nodded. Oolong led them through the plains and off the road a small ways. Within minutes, they reached an elaborate palace. Bulma walked up next to Kakarot and Oolong and looked at the two of them.
"So," she said pointing at Oolong, "what's with the PLA uniform?" Oolong looked at her side-eyed.
"They're easy to find. There are literally millions of them," he replied. The villagers all surged towards the palace and raced inside, calling out for their daughters. However, when they arrived, they found their daughters, one was leaning against the wall staring off, one was in exercise clothes, and the third was sitting on a lounge chair sipping a smoothie. As it turned out, Oolong had wanted a timid girl, or at least one who wasn't so demanding. I guess you don't always get what you're looking for in life. Oh well. I still want a sidekick, though. Kakarot sighed. I just wish there was another Saiyan on this planet that isn't my mother.
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Interesting things to note, same for the uniforms, and good divergence with Bulma's injury, did not see that coming. Fun chapter, well described, I like that Kakarot's issue was with behaving scared and submissive over anything else, he's so edgy with that future line XD
TC9078
The Super Saiyan
- Location
- PA-01
Many of these lines I loved writing, this has by far been my favourite chapter to write.
I saw it less as edgy, more avoiding answering the question.
- Location
- Madrid
Well, Shenron is always there to help you if you really need it.
That's fair, thanks for the response
Kakarot: I wish there was another Syaian here!
Shenron: Your wish is granted!
(Baby Sayian appears in Kakarot's arms)
Kakarot: This is not what I was thinking.
Shenron: No take backs!
Bulma: The crap!? We had a deal!
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