Chapter 11: A Desert Missed Opportunity

Author's Note: If you're a fan of Yamcha, please forgive me for what happens in the following chapter.

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As they continued their journey across the barren desert, Bulma's bike started to sputter and slow down. She glanced at the fuel gauge, realizing with frustration that the gas tank was almost empty. The bike soon came to a halt, leaving them stranded in the middle of nowhere.

"Ugh, this stupid bike! We're out of gas!" Bulma groaned, kicking the bike in frustration. Oolong, sitting nervously in the sidecar, looked around the vast, empty desert. He was clearly uneasy.

"We have to keep moving," Oolong said, his voice tinged with fear. "This desert is crawling with bandits, and I don't want to run into any of them!"

Goku, who had been floating nearby, glanced at the bike and then at Bulma. "Why don't we just fly? I can take both of you with me."

Bulma hesitated, eyeing her bike with a mixture of frustration and attachment. "But my bike…" She sighed, realizing there was no other option. "Fine," she relented, "but this better not mess up my hair, and I expect you to remember where we left my bike!"

Goku grinned. "I'll carry it for you if it's that important!"

Bulma blinked, surprised. "You'd carry it? Just like that?"

Goku nodded enthusiastically. "Sure, it's not that heavy!"

Oolong, still grumbling, piped up, "Let's just get out of here before any bandits show up!"

With a smile, Goku floated down, lifting Bulma effortlessly into the air by wrapping his arms around her waist. Bulma felt a jolt of surprise at how strong Goku was despite his small size. Oolong, still complaining, was grabbed by the collar and lifted off the ground as well.

As they soared into the sky, the desert stretched out beneath them like a vast, golden sea. The wind rushed past, and for a moment, Bulma forgot her annoyance, enjoying the exhilarating feeling of flight. Oolong, however, was less thrilled, his eyes squeezed shut, and his hands gripping his shirt collar for dear life.

As they flew, Bulma took out her Dragon Radar and began scanning for the nearest Dragon Ball. The radar beeped, and a blinking dot appeared on the screen. "There it is!" Bulma exclaimed, pointing toward a distant mountain range.

Goku looked in the direction she pointed and nodded. "What's that place called?" he asked, curious.

Oolong, who was slightly less terrified now that they had a destination, piped up. "That's Fire Mountain. It's supposed to be cursed and surrounded by flames. No one's been able to get close to it."

Bulma frowned. "Cursed or not, the Dragon Ball is up there. We have to get it."

Goku smiled confidently. "Don't worry, I'll get us there."

As they flew over the desert, Goku's thoughts briefly wandered. "Weren't we supposed to meet someone here?" he wondered aloud.

Bulma glanced at him, puzzled. "What are you talking about?"

"I dunno," Goku shrugged. "It feels like there was something important here, but I can't remember what."

The truth was that they were supposed to encounter Yamcha, the desert bandit who would have been a significant part of their journey. However, in this timeline, things were different. Goku's focus on his training and his new knowledge from the Super Technic Creation System had changed the course of events. Yamcha, a once-fated ally, was left to his desert hideout, completely unaware of how close he had come to meeting Goku and Bulma.

Goku furrowed his brow slightly, trying to recall the fleeting thought. "Maybe it was just my imagination," he murmured before dismissing it entirely.

As they flew, Bulma clung tightly to Goku, still a bit uneasy about soaring through the air without any support. Goku, on the other hand, was completely at ease. He had flown many times before, and carrying two people was no big deal.

"So, we're headed to Fire Mountain?" Goku asked, glancing down at the landscape below.

"Yeah," Bulma replied, looking at the radar. "The Dragon Ball should be somewhere on top of that mountain."

"Fire Mountain?" Oolong squeaked, his voice trembling again. "Isn't that place supposed to be really dangerous?"

Bulma rolled her eyes. "Everything is dangerous according to you, Oolong. Just relax, we've got Goku with us. We'll be fine."

Goku smiled at the reassurance. He was confident in his ability to protect his friends, and nothing in this desert seemed particularly threatening. As they approached the looming figure of Fire Mountain in the distance, the excitement of the adventure began to grow.

Bulma pointed ahead, spotting the dark shape of the mountain rising against the horizon. "There it is!"

Goku nodded and began to descend, bringing them closer to the ground as they neared their destination. The air around the mountain was noticeably hotter, and Goku could feel the waves of heat emanating from the rocky surface below.

When they finally landed at the base of Fire Mountain, Bulma stepped away from Goku, straightening her clothes and brushing her hair back into place. Oolong, still trembling slightly, hurried to get his feet back on solid ground.

"Well, that was a bit much," Oolong muttered, dusting himself off.

Bulma ignored his complaints and turned her attention to the mountain. "So, where do we start? The Dragon Ball should be somewhere up there."

Goku gazed up at the towering mountain, flames licking at its summit. "I'll check it out," he said confidently.

With that, Goku leaped into the air, flying upward toward the fiery peak. Bulma and Oolong watched as he quickly disappeared from sight, his figure swallowed by the heat waves and smoke rising from the mountain.

As they waited for Goku to return, Bulma and Oolong found some shade at the base of the mountain. The heat was intense, and they could feel the sweat starting to bead on their foreheads.

"I hope Goku knows what he's doing," Oolong said nervously, glancing up at the mountain. "This place gives me the creeps."

"He'll be fine," Bulma replied, though she couldn't hide the concern in her voice. "He's strong, and he's gotten us this far, hasn't he?"

Moments later, Goku returned, flying down with ease. "I didn't see the Dragon Ball, but I did find something interesting," he announced as he landed.

"What is it?" Bulma asked, intrigued.

"There's a huge castle up there, but it's completely surrounded by flames," Goku explained. "I couldn't get close enough to see inside, but I think that's where we'll find the Dragon Ball."

Bulma frowned, thinking it over. "We'll need to find a way to get through those flames."

Oolong, always quick to panic, began to mutter about the dangers of fire and how he wasn't cut out for this kind of adventure. But Goku remained unfazed. He was already thinking about the next step, his mind focused on the challenge ahead.

"We'll figure it out," Goku said confidently. "Let's head up there and see what we're dealing with."

With that, the trio began their ascent up Fire Mountain, ready to face whatever dangers awaited them at the top. The journey so far had been full of surprises, but Goku was determined to stay on course. Every step brought him closer to his goal, and he knew that with each challenge he overcame, he was growing stronger.