Chapter 1: Son Gohan! Alive?!

"So, what's your name?" Bulma glanced at the old man sitting in the passenger seat of her car. She wasn't planning on having any company. "Mine's Bulma."

The old man smiled at her. "Son Gohan. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Bulma."

"What were you doing out walking so late at night?" When Bulma had found Gohan, he was out walking in the middle of nowhere. It would take ages for him to get to a town by foot only. She thought about leaving him, even driving past him at first, but one look back at the old man and she immediately reversed and asked if he needed a ride.

What was she supposed to do? She couldn't just leave him out there! Gohan might have been a confused old man who wandered away from home. If Bulma had left him there, then she would only continue to think about him.

Gohan grimaced at the question. It was apparently a tough subject for him. Bulma thought about taking back the question, but decided against it. She was the one giving him a ride after all! She was taking time out of her adventure to help him, she deserved some answers. That wasn't wrong.

It was only fair.

"My grandson, Goku, seems to have run off so I went after him." There was concern in the man's voice, and Bulma was sure it wasn't just out of worry for his grandson. She couldn't quite pinpoint it, but something about the boy being missing made her skin bristle. As if her body was telling her this wasn't right and that something really really bad was about to happen.

But that was ridiculous. It was most likely a rebellious child running away from home. Nothing else.

"What for?" She was fully prepared to hear the normal types of answers. He wasn't happy at home. There's a new baby and he's jealous. He ran off with a girl. But nothing was said. All she could hear was his sigh as he shook his head. "Sorry, forget I asked."

"Ah, I should be the one apologizing. I'm sure you have better plans than taking an old man for a ride." Gohan placed his hand on the door handle, ready to open it at any moment. His seatbelt already unbuckled. "If you can drop me off here I can walk to the closest village myself."

Walk to the closest village? Was the man insane? It was nearly 1200 km to the nearest town! No sane person would even attempt walking..

Bulma kept on driving, shaking her head at the thought. "Don't worry about it. I don't mind!" After all, a dragon ball was in that town. Oh, how she couldn't wait to gather them all! She'll finally get her wish: The perfect boyfriend!... Or a never ending lifetime supply of strawberries!

She'll decide once she collects them all.

"My grandson is quite rebellious," Gohan started to describe the boy. He went on to say how the boy does whatever he wants, but that he's a good kid at heart.

"--No matter what I do, the boy refuses to listen. I worry about him. I try my best to teach him right and wrong but Goku doesn't seem to care. But I suppose that's normal for little boys. Perhaps if he had friends his age…"

It was saddening listening to the old man agonize over his grandson. She was sure he was trying his best, but that child seemed rotten! Jeez, how could the boy run off knowing he was leaving his grandfather to worry about him? At least Bulma left a voicemail letting her parents know what she was doing. Goku didn't leave anything.

"Not even a note was left?"

"No. He took my power pole and dragon ball and left."

!!!

"Dragon ball!" She almost crashed the car at that, forcing a worried grunt from the man as the car was quickly stopped. "He was the one who took the dragon ball?" That must be why it disappeared while was on her way to the mountains. It was running across the radar's screen so fast that she had decided it was better she go gather the other dragon balls first. Following the person didn't seem to be all that great of an idea at the time. What if they were violent?

But now that she knows his grandfather… Well, maybe she could have him deal with him for her.

Gohan looked at her with raised eyebrows, shaken by her sudden shouting. "Well, yes, he did… Why? Is that why you were in the mountains?"

"Yep! I was…was…" She slowed to a stop. What if the man didn't take too nicely about her going after his dragon ball? He knew what it was called, so it was very likely he knew what it was for. What if he was already suspicious? Or he knew that her plan was to steal the dragon ball? He could have planned her finding him on the side of the road and knew she would stop and offer him a ride!

He could have been plotting to kill her this whole time!!

Calm down, Bulma. Think rationally… Or at least think of a way out of this.

She hoped he couldn't see the sweat beating down her face. Or the way her breathing sped up and shuttered. She forced herself to concentrate on figuring out an excuse of why exactly she wanted his dragon ball.

"I was collecting them!" Yeah, yeah! That was it. Her mother collected things, so she had picked up that hobby as well. "They're quite worthless, but pretty. I have a few already." Maybe she shouldn't have told him that, but it's not like she said they're there with them.

The man gave her a slight look, not quite buying her story but he never pushed for more. He simply nodded and accepted it. "You're from the city aren't you?"

"Yeah, West City." They spent most of the car ride chatting away about many things. Bulma complained about modern problems such as school –she was too smart for her classes– and how she wanted the perfect boyfriend. Where Gohan, who found Bulmas "problems" amusing, listened and provided her with advice. Much of it being too old fashioned for her tastes, but she accepted it nonetheless.

"He's not so bad." Bulma thought to herself. "Just an old man who has some trouble with his grandson."

And she's sure his grandson couldn't be all bad either. After all, he was raised by Gohan who didn't seem to have a bad bone in his body.

How bad could they really be?

—

Kakarot laughed to himself, satisfied by the devastation he's caused. Parents ran to grab their children, putting themselves between him and their precious offspring. They begged and pleaded, even offering him all the riches they had, but he didn't care.

He was a saiyan! A saiyan capable of greatness! This was his ultimate mission! One that would show his people he had a place in their world. They wouldn't dare shut him out, he'll make sure of it.

An old man falls, sick from his age and the dust polluted air around them. Unless someone ran to help, he wouldn't get up on his own. Kakarot felt giddy at the thought of taking his first kill. Many watched as he made his way towards the senile not daring to stop him.

They were frightened of him. No matter what he did they knew they couldn't do a thing. Good. They knew their place already.

Kakarot looked at the man, wickedness flashing over his face. "You should be pleased knowing you're the first I've killed." Not many people got that honor.

The man stared at him, fear on their face until a look of acceptance flooded over them. It startled Kakarot, seeing the sudden change in the man. He wasn't counting on that. He was prepared for them to beg for their life.

"Do it if you must." Their voice rattled with years of use and their eyes stared deep into him. They burned him. It made Kakarot want to kill him even more. He raised his hand, preparing to strike. "I won't beg for mercy."

"How honorable." He gritted his teeth as his grandfather's voice suddenly rang out through his head.

"There will come a time where you're faced with someone stronger than you, Goku." His grandfather always called him by that disgusting earth name. "When that time comes, do not beg. Face them with dignity. There is no honor in a fighter begging for their life."

"Would you call him a fighter, grandpa?" He held his arm up, faltering as he tried to conjure up the strength to kill. "He doesn't beg."

Kakarot gave one last look at the man and struck. His fist landed on the pavement below, right beside the old man. They looked at him with shock and Kakarot felt a twinge in his heart.

He couldn't do it! He couldn't…

"Tch, dammit" He yelled to the sky, inciting many shrieks from the people around him.

Kakarot ran off, pushing many of the scared people around him. They fell with thuds and many ran farther away from him. They cried with relief and fear. He saw someone run to the man's aid.

He felt humiliated, causing even more anger to unleash inside of him. Why couldn't he do it? No one would have been able to stop him! No one! He was unstoppable to these earthlings. His saiyan biology made it easy for him to kill them.

So what was the problem? What's wrong with him?

—

Bulma shrieked as she checked the dragon radar. She raced the car down the path, cursing as it bumped and jolted. Gohan told her to slow down, but how could she? The dragon ball was leaving as they spoke!

She had already lost one, she couldn't lose another!

"It couldn't possibly be your grandson who took it again, could it?"

"Well, possibly, but he doesn't know anything about them."

Then why would he… "Oh, this is horrible!"

"Now now, it isn't the end of the world. If my grandson has them, I'll simply give them to you once we find him."

"If we find him…" She moped, her dreams crashing around her.

Gohan tried his best at comforting her, but he didn't know much about teenage girls and their mood swings. He could barely control his grandsons as it was. "You're able to track them aren't you? I see you using that small machine of yours."

"My dragon radar?" She handed it over to him, who looked at it without a clue as to how to use it. Bulma chuckled, happy to show off her genius. "It's an invention I created that picks up on the subtle energy waves emitting from the dragon balls."

"You're going through quite the trouble for something so worthless, Miss Bulma." Gohan chuckled and Bulma cringed. No use in acting as though they're simply trinkets she's collecting.

She sighed. "Okay, I'll tell you what they're really for."

Gohan looked at her expectantly, giving her back the radar. Bulma sighs one last time before telling him the truth of the dragon balls.

"When you collect all seven of the balls, the god of dragons Shenron appears and will answer one wish. Any wish you want! It's said the last person who collected them became king!"

"Is that your wish? To become a ruler of sorts?" There was some judgment in that question of his. But she assumed that's fair. You'd have to be quite conceited to want a kingdom to worship you.

"No, I want… a boyfriend." She had already told him earlier about her wanting one, but to tell him she was so desperate she'd use a dragon god to help her… Ugh, it's so embarrassing!

His eyebrows raised at her answer, before he simply chuckled. "Harmless enough, I suppose. Well, I stay true to my promise of giving you the ones my grandson took. Though gathering the others might be a little more troublesome. Many ill intentioned people might try and take them from you. Are you sure you're prepared for that?"

Bulma paled at the thought. She didn't really think much about the dangers of collecting the dragon balls. Only about a few thugs here and there. But true bad guys? "I have a gun for my protection."

"A gun might not be enough. Many people know how to evade a bullet or two. You might want to rethink this little adventure of yours." He paused. "Or at least gather a fellow who could protect you."

Her eye twitched at that. "Hey, just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I can't protect myself!!! I know self defense, I've taken classes."

"And I'm happy to hear that, but know that there are people out there stronger than you. Those who have spent years training and aren't afraid to kill. It wouldn't be in my good nature to allow you to run and get yourself killed."

The sudden seriousness had taken her aback. Gohan seemed like such a sweet old man. She had thought he was just a country bumpkin who preferred to isolate himself from the world, but here she could see a guy who knows a thing or two about a dangerous world. Yes, this man has seen things. Indescribable things that he was trying to protect her –and possibly his grandson– from.

But Bulma wasn't one to back down. She wanted these dragon balls and she was going to get them. She wasn't going to allow herself to give up at the thought of danger.

"I appreciate your concern, Gohan, but I'm not giving up."

For a moment, she thought he would try discouraging her once more but instead he nodded in approval. He stared for a while in thought, their car ride completely silent as he contemplated.

It was quite a while until he came to a conclusion. He shouted in agreement with himself as if it was a brilliant plan. "I'll simply join your little adventure!"

"Huh?!" He wasn't talking to her? Surely he wasn't!

"I'll have you know I'm a martial artist. Quite a skilled one I might add." And quite proud of it too.

Bulma stopped the car, turning to face the old man. Her arms waved around as she tried to convince him she'll alright by herself. Now, if it was a hunk of a man telling her he was joining to protect her, she'd be quite alright with it.

But Gohan wasn't that hunk. He was an elderly man she had picked up from the side of the road. She wasn't going to let him join her on an adventure that might take weeks for her to complete! If she wanted a chaperon she would have had her dads security join her!

Gohan wasn't having none of it. Content with his idea. "I'll simply be there to watch over you and make sure you don't get hurt. Besides once my grandson joins you could have a friend your age to talk with! Won't that be fun?"

Great, now he's probably going to try and set her up with that grandson of his!

"Though he's not all that great at conversation, I admit. And I've mentioned his temper–" Bulma began the car again, silently crying to herself as he continued speaking about Goku. As soon as she meets that little punk she's going to give him a piece of her mind!

As she drove, her eyes felt heavy. She could feel herself falling asleep. The bumps on the road doing nothing to keep her awake. Bulma swerved a bit as she fell deeper into exhaustion.

Deciding she couldn't fight it anymore, she parked her car in an opening and got out. Gohan following her.

"Tired, eh? I am a tad myself." He stretched from the car ride, complaining about modern contraptions and how lazy young people were these days to be relying on vehicles to get around. Though Bulma hadn't heard him complaining when she offered him a ride. "Are we going to camp here?" He surveyed the surrounding area, finding it to his standards. But really anything is to his standards. He was used to roughing it.

Bulma cringed at the thought. "No way, here!" She threw out a capsule smirking at the satisfying hiss as her family's product did its job. A nice big house appeared, surprising and shocking Gohan. Before he could even ask, she explained. "Dynocaps! They could hold anything no matter the size. My father invented them."

"Amazing what can be done these days." Bulma shook her head as she imagined how else he's going to react once he gets out into the real world. She knew he was a country bumpkin, but she'd at least thought he'd know about dynocaps like everyone else in the world.

She opened the door, inviting him in. "Well, come on. It's getting late and I want to get up early tomorrow."

They spent the rest of the night getting ready. As Gohan washed in the bathroom, Bulma couldn't help but think about what was to come.

"Hopefully Goku won't be too terrible to be around." Despite Gohan warning her of his terrible behavior, he had told her that he was really a sweetheart once you got to know him. And with a grandfather like Gohan she's sure he is. "I'll need someone sensible to talk to."

With that, Bulma laid down in her bed finally letting exhaustion take over.

—-

In the middle of the night, screams from a pig broke out. There were oinks and squeals as they tried to get away from their captor, but it was of no use. The boy simply took them by the arm, dragging them back.

"Don't make me kill you!" Their hands made their way to the pig's throat who yelped in fear. They batted their hands at him and Kakarot tightened his grip in annoyance. "Will you stop running?"

They nodded and Kakarot let go. The pig dropped to the ground, shaking. "Please," Their voice wavered and rasped. "Don't kill me, I'll give you anything you want."

Kakarot bent down, looking them right in the eyes. "Name?"

"Oolong!"

"Well, Oolong, how'd you like to help me on my mission?"

"Mission?" They squeaked.

"Yes," A sinister grin spread across his face. "My mission."