Chapter 8: The First Meeting Goku Meets Bulma

(The morning sun rose high in the sky, bathing the mountains and forests in a golden light.)

(Goku, sitting by the riverbank after finishing another morning of intense training, stretched his arms high over his head and let out a satisfied yawn.)

(Today felt different.)

(For some reason, he couldn't shake the feeling that something important was about to happen.)

(And then, it hit him.)

(Today was Year 749 September 1, the day he would meet her.)

Goku: "Bulma!"

(he shouted to himself, suddenly standing up.)

Goku: "I almost forgot! She's supposed to show up today!"

(Excited, Goku jumped to his feet and

looked down at his trusty four-star Dragon Ball hanging from his belt, the only keepsake he had from Grandpa Gohan.)

Goku: "This little ball is gonna change everything soon."

(he grinned, remembering how important it would become in the adventure ahead.)

(But for now, he had to make sure his meeting with Bulma happened just like in the anime.)

(Goku raced through the forest, moving effortlessly through the trees with the grace of someone who had spent his entire life here.)

(He knew that somewhere nearby, Bulma was on her way, driving that crazy car of hers.)

(And, as luck would have it, he didn't have to wait long to hear the distant sound of tires screeching through the woods.)

Goku: "Here she comes!"

(Goku smirked, leaping up into the trees to get a better view.)

(Through the thick foliage, he spotted her Bulma's bright yellow car tearing through the forest at top speed.)

(dodging rocks and bushes as she zoomed along the uneven terrain.)

(Goku's eyes widened in amazement.)

Goku: "Whoa, she really does drive like a maniac!"

(he said, scratching his head.)

Goku: "How does she not crash?"

(He thought for a moment, then grinned mischievously.)

Goku: "Well, I can't just let her drive past me like that. Time to give her a real introduction!"

(With a swift leap, Goku soared into the air and grabbed a nearby giant fish he had caught earlier from the river.)

(Swinging it over his shoulder like it was nothing, he plummeted back down to the road, landing directly in Bulma's path.)

(Screeeech!...)

(Bulma slammed on the brakes, her car skidding across the dirt road, and barely avoided hitting Goku though her car ended up ramming straight into the fish he was holding.)

(The car came to a shuddering halt, and steam began rising from the engine.)

Bulma: "What the- what just happened?!"

(Bulma yelled, stepping out of the car, looking absolutely livid.)

(Her once pristine yellow car was now a crumpled mess, and Goku stood there with the fish in his hands, looking completely unfazed.)

(Bulma, her blue hair bouncing as she stomped toward him, pulled out a small handgun from her bag, pointing it directly at Goku.)

Bulma: "Alright, buddy, you've got three seconds to explain why you wrecked my car, or I'll fill you full of holes!"

(Goku blinked, confused.)

Goku: "Uh... what's a 'car'?"

(Bulma's jaw dropped.)

Bulma: "What?! You don't know what a car is?! Have you been living under a rock?"

Goku: "Actually."

(Goku replied cheerfully.)

Goku: "I've been living on top of a mountain with Grandpa Gohan!"

(Bulma groaned and lowered the gun slightly, already regretting this encounter.)

Bulma: "Great, just my luck. I crash into some weird mountain kid who doesn't even know what a car is."

(She sighed and looked around.)

Bulma: "Okay, fine. Where did you even come from? And what's with the giant fish?"

Goku: "Oh, this?"

(Goku held up the fish like it was no big deal.)

Goku: "I was just about to eat it for lunch. It's really tasty when you roast it over a fire."

(Bulma facepalmed.)

Bulma: "Unbelievable..."

(Suddenly, her eyes landed on something much more interesting the Dragon Ball hanging from Goku's belt.)

Bulma: "Wait a minute! Is that what I think it is?!"

(Bulma exclaimed, her frustration vanishing in an instant.)

(She pushed past Goku and snatched the four star Dragon Ball from his waist.)

(She held it up to the light, her eyes sparkling with excitement.)

Bulma: "No way! It's a real Dragon Ball! I can't believe it!"

(Goku, a little taken aback by Bulma's sudden excitement, scratched his head.)

Goku: "Uh, yeah, that's my Grandpa's Ball. Why do you want it?"

(Bulma practically beamed.)

Bulma: "Because! With all seven of these, you can summon the Dragon and make any wish come true!"

(She quickly pulled out two other Dragon Balls from her bag and showed them to Goku.)

Bulma: "See? I already have two, and now I just need yours to get closer to finding all seven!"

(Goku tilted his head.)

Goku: "A wish? Like, any wish?"

(Bulma nodded vigorously.)

Bulma: "Yep! You could wish for anything you want! Money, power, the most delicious food in the world or perfect boyfriend..."

(For a moment, Goku thought about it.)

Goku [in mind]: "what should I wish for?"

(But then he shook his head.)

Goku [in mind]: "That would ruin all the fun of the journey."

Goku: "Nah."

(Goku said, smiling.)

Goku: "I'm not interested in wishes. I think I'll hold onto Grandpa's Dragon Ball."

(Bulma pouted, crossing her arms.)

Bulma: "Ugh, come on! Don't be such a kid! I'll let you come with me on my adventure! We'll find all the Dragon Balls together, and it'll be a lot of fun!"

(Goku, still holding his giant fish,

considered it.)

(He didn't really know much about adventures outside his mountain life, and this could be the start of something exciting just like in the anime.)

(Plus, he already knew how things would unfold, and he couldn't help but chuckle at the idea of going along with the whole act.)

Goku: "Well, I guess if you're looking for more of these balls, it wouldn't hurt to tag along."

(Goku said innocently.)

Goku: "But you're gonna have to explain what a 'car' is and why you keep pointing that weird thing at me."

(Bulma sighed and put the gun back in her bag.)

Bulma: "It's called a gun. And seriously, what kind of kid are you that you don't know any of this stuff?"

(Goku grinned, playing up his clueless act.)

Goku: "I dunno, just a mountain kid, I guess!"

(The two of them set off together, Bulma explaining the basics of motorcycle, guns, and modern life while Goku nodded along, pretending like he didn't already know everything.)

(It was hard for him to keep a straight face when Bulma got overly technical about stuff, but he managed to play the part of an ignorant mountain boy perfectly.)

(As they walked, Goku couldn't help but be excited.)

(This was just the beginning of his adventure.)

(With Bulma by his side and the Dragon Balls on their radar, things were about to get a whole lot more interesting.)

(But first, he had to figure out how to ride in that weird 'motorcycle' without causing another crash.)

(Maybe he could carry it on his back instead?)

(And so, Goku's journey with Bulma began full of excitement, comedy, and a whole lot of crazy driving.)

(As they set off into the distance, Goku knew one thing for sure: this was going to be one wild ride.)

[To Be Continued...]