Dragon Ball Z: Dynasty

Written by: Feraligreater328

Edited by: StevenBodner

A/N: Hey guys. Like, right after I posted Chapter 93, AmaLee released her own version of Daddy Daddy Do. Now, I'm not going to lie, I'm the drizzling shits when it comes to writing/translating songs. So, should I leave the song how it is in 93 or update it with her better flowing version? Obviously, I would credit her if I did that. Please share your thoughts with me through reviews or the DMs. :)

Chapter 94: Gotta Find the Dragon Balls!

At Capsule Corp, Bulma and Vegeta's house...

Vegeta groaned as he walked out downstairs from his and Bulma's bedroom. The Saiyan Prince was wearing nothing but a bright pink bathrobe with "BULMA" written on the back. The Prince had a satisfied smirk on his face after the night he had had. As he walked down the stairs, however, Vegeta heard the sound of something crashing over. Immediately, he was on guard. "Who's there?!"

Vegeta ran down the stairs and came to a stop near the top. He summoned a ki blast into his hand. "I'll teach you to-"

The Prince stopped. He took in the sight before him. Android 18 was crashed onto the ground, a crash toppled over next to her. Shakily, she pushed herself up and glared up at Vegeta. And then, her eyes went wide and her face turned bright red. "Uh..."

Vegeta sighed and quashed his blast. "You. I forgot you were here..."

18 just stared up at him, her face redder than a tomato and pouring with sweat. "Uhhhhh..."

Vegeta sneered. "What?!"

He glared at her, wondering what she was staring at. And then, Vegeta felt a gust of cool wind blow between his legs and he remembered that he wasn't wearing pants under the robe. Quick as a bolt, Vegeta's tail wrapped around the front flaps of the robe and pulled them over his shame. "WHY THE HELL ARE YOU LAYING ON OUR KITCHEN FLOOR?!"

Android 18 shouted back. "I had to pee! So, I stood up to go to the bathroom! I was walking back to my bed and my legs went numb..."

Vegeta grunted in embarrassment. "Bulma...did have to pump a lot of sedatives into you..."

18 frowned and looked away. "L-Look...I know we hate each other...but..."

Vegeta descended the stairs and reached down, heaving 18 onto his shoulder. She glared at him and he glared at her. He motioned to the kitchen island. "Are you hungry?"

18 was silent for a minute, but then she nodded. "A bit."

Vegeta nodded and he walked 18 over to the island, dropping her down into one of the chairs surrounding it and going to the cabinet. 18 rested her chin into her hand. "What are you making?"

The Prince pulled out two bowls and two spoons and set them down onto the island. "Cereal."

18 rolled her eyes. "Lazy-ass..."

Vegeta flipped her off. "Bite me."

The Prince flew upward and a looked through the cereal boxes atop the fridge. He eventually settled on a purple box with a green mascot on the front. He landed, grabbed the carton of milk out of the fridge, and set them both down. "Here."

18 reached out and grabbed the box, opening it to pour the cereal. She looked on and cringed with disgust as Vegeta poured the milk into his bowl. "You pour the milk first?!"

Vegeta glared up as 18 poured her cereal into the bowl. "I hate soggy food."

18 rolled her eyes and handed him the box, grabbing the carton. "Friggin' weirdo..."

Vegeta poured the cereal into the milk. "And people say I'm bitchy..."

The two of them ate in tense silence, gathering spoonfuls of chocolate cereal and green marshmallows of a vaguely familiar-shaped marshmallows. As they ate, 18 sighed and adjusted her hair, which the two Bulmas had done their best to fix up for her. "It's going to take months for my hair to grow back..."

She narrowed her eyes at Vegeta. "Dick."

Vegeta snorted. "You broke my arm."

18 snapped back. "You had magic beans to fix that."

Vegeta chewed a mouthful of cereal. "You wouldn't even be here if I didn't beat you out of Cell."

18 frowned. She glanced away, briefly considering that. No one had told her that Vegeta had saved her. She ate a few more bites of cereal and then sighed. "Fair enough. Thanks."

Vegeta smirked. "I didn't really do it on purpose. But it's not too bad to have saved a life... I guess..."

The two of them looked away from one another, awkwardly eating their cereal and avoiding talking. 18 looked at the cereal box and flinched. "K-King Piccol-O's...?"

Vegeta flinched. "What?"

18 pointed to the box and she and Vegeta both looked. On the front of the box was a cartoonish caricature of Piccolo's father, King Piccolo. And the box itself read" "King Piccol-O's! Wickedly delicious!"

The two of them stared at the box, looking utterly perplexed. Vegeta cocked his head. "Why in the hell do they have a cereal based on the Namekian's father?!"

18 shrugged. "I dunno. When King Piccolo was around, 17 and I were living in a refrigerator box. All I ever heard about the guy was that he planned to kill everyone and Goku kicked his ass. It took me a bit to realize that the Piccolo we fought was even related to him..."

Vegeta reached his hand into the box and dug around. After a moment, he pulled out a cheap, little cereal box toy of King Piccolo. He squeezed it and the eyes bugged out and what appeared to be an egg erupted from the mouth. This put a big, wicked smirk on Vegeta's face. "I am totally bringing this up the next time I see that green prick..."

And then, lumbering down the stairs, came Bulma. The scientist looked tired, but satisfied. She walked with a slightly uncomfortable gait and walked into the kitchen. She sat into one of the chairs and hissed in pain. Vegeta chuckled. "I take it we're never doing that again...?"

Bulma groaned. "Don't talk about our private shit in front of house guests, Vegeta. But...no, we're definitely doing that again~ Harder next time~"

Vegeta grinned. "I'll admit. I didn't hate all of that..."

Bulma put on a sultry smile. But then, she looked over to 18 and flinched. "O-Oh! Sorry, 18..."

18's eyes were a bit wide, but she shrugged. "I, uh, I don't judge...I'm actually, uh, really-"

In an instant, Goku and Raditz both appeared in the kitchen next to Bulma. Goku smiled and waved. "Yo, Bulma~"

18 sighed and glanced away. "Oh, thank God..."

Raditz flinched. "Oh, hey Android 18. Good to see you awake..."

18 waved, not looking at either Goku or Raditz. "Hi."

Goku smiled and slammed his hands onto the island. "Dende fixed the Dragon Balls! They're back up and running! So, now, we gotta hunt 'em down before the Cell Games start!"

18's nosed scrunched up at the mention of Cell. She started to grumble under her breath. Goku look to her. "Oh, hey! 18! Are you gonna come to fight in the Cell Games too?! You're strong~"

The Android answered back. "My legs went numb from me trying to walk back from the bathroom. So, no. I don't think so."

Goku sighed. "Oh well. Maybe next tournament..."

Vegeta sneered. "Why the hell are you here?! Didn't I tell you not to come into my house without calling first?!"

Raditz groaned. "I told you he was going to react like this when you said we were coming here. Why did we even want to bring him along...?"

Goku shrugged. "Well, uh...and no offense Vegeta...I didn't come here for Vegeta. I didn't even think about Vegeta living here, honestly..."

Vegeta flinched, looking almost offended. 18 snorted and chuckled. Raditz cocked his head. "Then who...?"

Goku walked forward and leaned over, mere inches from Bulma's face. He had a big, goofy smile on his face. "Hey Bulma~"

Bulma looked tired, her eyes dull and unamused. "Hey Goku..."

Goku gripped his fists and practically bounced in excitement. "Well, why ya still sitting there?! Come on! Get up and get dressed! And grab the Dragon Radar! We have Dragon Balls to find, bud~"

Bulma sighed. "You want me to go on a Dragon Ball adventure...?"

Goku rapidly nodded, unable to hold still. "Just like old times! Me and you! And Raditz too, cuz he asked to come along~"

Bulma groaned. She was tired. Her back hurt from spending so much time in the workshop. And her ass was on fire. But she looked up at Goku's bright, beaming grin and she had trouble saying no. She wasn't up to it, but she didn't want to just hurt his feelings for no reason. The sentiment in his tone was real. He just wanted to spend time with her. Bulma sighed and scratched her head. "Goku...just...take Raditz and wait out front, okay?"

Goku nodded. "Right!"

And then he grabbed Raditz and they Instant Transmissioned away. Once they were gone, Bulma groaned and kneaded her front knuckles into her temples. "Ugh..."

Vegeta glanced over at her. "Are you really going out to hunt Dragon Balls like this...?"

Bulma shook her head. "No... I'm not."

Vegeta was confused. "Then wha-"

Bulma immediately slumped over on her husband, laying the back of her head against his chest and staring up at him with massive, sparkling eyes and a sweet-as-sugar smile. "Vegeta~"

Vegeta glared down at her and his eyebrow began to twitch. "Oh, god damn it..."

Outside of Bulma and Vegeta's house...

Vegeta was stood next to the front door of his house with a massive, annoyed vein bulging out of his forehead. He was dressed in beige sweats and a dark blue muscle shirt. Raditz stood next to him, dressed in a flannel and denim combo with his hair pulled back into a tight ponytail. The elder brother had his face buried into his hand.

Meanwhile Goku, dressed in his brown slacks and orange racer jacket, had his arms wrapped around Bulma in a tight hug. His Super Saiyan hair was bent as he pressed his head against Bulma's shoulder. A comical waterfall of tears was pouring from his eyes. "Are you sure you don't wanna come along? Dragon Ball hunting ain't as fun without you there..."

Bulma had a sad frown on her face. She tried to be encouraging. "Oh, come on Goku. I got Vegeta to agree to go along. You like Vegeta don't you...?"

Goku nodded. "Yeah. I was just...really hoping we'd get to hang out together. We never get to hang out and be buds anymore. One of us is always so busy. And you're my Dragon Ball hunting buddy and all, so I thought..."

Seeing Goku so upset was actually making Bulma upset. But she took a deep breath and put her foot down. "I don't feel like it, Goku. At least...not this time..."

Bulma hugged him back. "But, next year, you and I will go and have a two-person adventure. I'll bring the Capsule House. I'll bring my motorbike. I'll bring you a motorbike. It'll be fun~"

Goku was still pouty. "You promise?"

Bulma smiled and nodded. "Of course, I mean it~ After all..."

She cleared her throat, and then Bulma started to sing. "Find the Dragon Balls~! Look out for them all~! You can search around the world with me~!"

Goku perked up. He smiled at Bulma and she smiled back and, in unison, the two of them started sang. "Gotta heed the call~! Of magic Dragon Balls~! What a great adventure this will be~!"

The Saiyan from Earth leapt into the air, fully reinvigorated. "You can climb on board, cause the Nimbus doesn't wait~! A fantastic journey for your dreams~! A thrilling mystery~!"

Bulma stared up in the air with a smile. Raditz smiled as well, taking to the sky. "This seems like it'll end up being a lot of fun~"

Vegeta grumbled and glared at Bulma. "Why do you insist on making people sing around me?!"

Bulma smiled and leaned over, kissing her husband on the cheek. "Thank you, Vegeta. I promise that I'll get to adding the climate simulators to the gravity chamber as soon as possible~"

Bulma handed Vegeta the Dragon Radar and winked. Vegeta mumbled under his breath and took to the air, knowing that he was in for quite the long trip. After watching the three of them disappear into the distance, Bulma let loose a happy sigh. And then, she limped back into her house.

Through the fires of time, they've waited patiently! With all seven balls you'll find, the Dragon is set free!

Goku, Vegeta, and Raditz ran through an underground cavern as fast as they could, looks of shock and fear on their face and the Seven-Star Dragon Ball in hand. As they ran through, a massive river of lava soon crashed after them. The three of them continued to run, the molten rock nipping at their heels.

And then, Raditz and Vegeta both grabbed onto Goku and he Instant Transmissioned away.

Rising, rising, mesmerizing! Unbridled ecstasy!

Radiant and shining, hidden somewhere in the field!

Luminous and blinding with your true wish revealed!

Goku, Vegeta, and Raditz swam deep, deep underwater, their auras serving to help them preserve a bit of oxygen to breathe with. Making their way through a massive coral wreath, the Saiyan were in search of their latest target. All three of them flinched in shock as a massive shadow suddenly overtook them, the force of the ocean currents it created sending them flying. As the three of them collected themselves, Vegeta glared upward and saw that the source of their woes was a truly massive whale going about its normal business.

Goku and Raditz both observed the whale with a smile, but then Raditz gasped and let the air he was holding onto bubble out of his mouth. Attached to the underside of the whale, amidst a cluster of barnacles, was the One-Star Dragon Ball. Moving quickly, the three Saiyans swam after the beast as fast as they could in order to reap their reward.

Ageless, timeless!

What you'll find is beyond belief!

Goku, Vegeta, and Raditz were stood atop a snowy mountain. Raditz dug in the snow while Vegeta held the Dragon Radar. Goku, meanwhile, was hovering next to a tree, observing a nest full of friendly snow birds.

Vegeta was shivering cold and visibly annoyed when, to his surprise, a hungry polar bear bit onto his head. Vegeta glared up at the polar bear and, with a lightning quick kick, sent it flying into a rocky wall. Vegeta smirked, but then the ground began to shake and he looked up in horror. A massive snowbank crashed down and swallowed up the three Saiyans.

At the bottom of the mountain, Vegeta's hand popped out of the snow holding the Dragon Radar. Raditz's hand popped out holding the Three-Star Dragon Ball. And Goku's hands popped out holding the nest of birds.

Let's try, try, try! Look high and low!

Search the sky and the sea below!

Goku, Vegeta, and Raditz were all balanced atop of rather aggressive-looking sharks. The three of them looked focused as they steered their mounts towards a massive hurricane going on in the middle of the water. Raditz looked down at the Dragon Radar and saw that it was beeping like crazy.

Goku squinted his eyes at the hurricane ahead and saw an orange glimmer from within. He shouted to his comrades and pointed. Vegeta and his shark sped ahead and leapt into the hurricane. They crashed out on the other side and Vegeta had the Six-Star Dragon Ball gripped tight.

Let's try, try, try! Seize the day!

And make new friends along the way!

Goku, Vegeta, and Raditz were sat down in a home in a small village. The mother of the house and her son were both teary-eyed. They showed the three Saiyans a picture of the household's missing father, a former Red Ribbon Army solider gone straight. And then they showed the flag of the "Red Pants Army" that was attempting a resurgence, due to Cell's influence.

The boy went into his room and came back holding the Five-Star Dragon Ball, tearfully offering it for help getting his papa back. Goku, Vegeta, and Raditz all looked to one another and nodded.

Find the Dragon Balls! Look out for them all!

Come and hunt those Dragon Balls with me!

Massive, hairy fists came crashing through the sides of a large, brick building. The building crumbled to the ground and three Oozaru all stood tall, roaring against the backdrop of the Full Moon and powered by a Power Ball.

Goku held the boy's missing father in his hand, Raditz smashed a tower with his fist, and Vegeta shot a Mouth Blast down towards the fleeing Red Pants Army executives.

The next morning, the three Saiyans walked away from the house. Goku and Raditz waved goodbye, holding up the sack of meat buns that the wife had made for them. Vegeta remained distant as he observed the Five-Star Dragon Ball.

Gotta heed the call! Of magic Dragon Balls!

What a great adventure this will be!

Goku and Vegeta stood behind Raditz, looking determined as they tried to motivate him. Raditz nodded and stepped into the circle. The elder brother threw off his hooded kimono and revealed he was wearing nothing more than a sumo wrestlers mawashi and a massive top-knot made out of his overabundance of hair.

Raditz took the sumo wrestling stance and stared down his opponent, the sumo champion Doskoi. The judge threw the purifying salt and gave them permission to begin. Raditz blitzed his opponent, lifting him and tossing him out of the ring with ease. The entire hall cheered and Raditz was presented with a bouquet of flowers and the prize, the Two-Star Dragon Ball.

In a forested canyon on the outskirts of the city...

Goku continued to sing. "Set a course for action! Adventure doesn't wait! A fantastic journey for your dreams! A thrilling mystery~!"

Vegeta snapped. "ENOUGH! NO MORE SINGING!"

Goku flinched and Vegeta raged. "YOU'VE BEEN SINGING SINCE WE LEFT CAPSULE CORP! ENOUGH! STOP IT! STOP!"

Goku flinched and nervously chuckled, watching as Vegeta's eye twitched. "O-Okay Vegeta...I'll give it a rest..."

Vegeta let loose a ragged sigh and rubbed his hand over his face. Raditz, snacking on a meat bun, glanced over at him with an unimpressed look. "Feeling good that you killed the mood, bud?"

Vegeta sneered. "Fantastic."

And so, once again, Vegeta and Raditz continued to bicker back and forth. It was during these moments that Goku allowed his mind to wander. Normally, this was something the Saiyan from Earth enjoyed. He could entertain himself for hours just by mentally simulating fights or imagining that mountains looked like butts when upside-down. But, at the moment, the depths of his brain were the last place Goku wanted to be.

He pictured Future Goten desperately clinging to him, begging him for forgiveness. He thought about everything that had gone wrong in the future, how Gohan, Chi-Chi, and even Chika died as a result of him not being there. And then, as his head drifted further and further away, Goku pictured the sight of a beaten and battered Gohan being loomed over by Recoome. The sheer rage that Goku felt in that one moment burned in his chest.

And, finally, Goku pictured the look on Bardock's face when he had told his father the plan he had worked out to beat Cell. Goku had...never seen someone look so disgusted in his entire life.

"Kakarot!"

Goku was snapped back into attention and turned towards Raditz and Vegeta. He saw that the two of them were snacking on meat buns and that Raditz was holding one out for Goku to take. Goku flinched. "O-Oh! Sorry..."

Goku took the meat bun and bit into it with a nervous chuckle. Raditz and Vegeta both cocked their heads and then looked to one another. Vegeta pointed his thumb at Goku and Raditz shrugged.

After a moment of silence, Raditz spoke up. "So, Vegeta, what kind of training have you been doing? I heard through the grapevine that you've taken on Krillin and Yamcha as...students? Punching-bags...?"

Vegeta rolled his eyes. "Going by what Bulma told me, training them should count as charity on our household tax returns..."

The Prince bit into his meat bun. "They only thing they've really managed to do is hold back my attempts to master that Full-Power Super Saiyan thing that Kakarot and his group have adopted. I wasn't able to work as hard as I'd have liked to figure that out..."

Goku chimed in. "The key isn't really hard work, ya know? It's relaxing. You're your own worst enemy sometimes, Vegeta..."

Vegeta growled. "Shut the hell up, Kakarot. Who asked you?"

Raditz shook his head. "Well, for me, Super Saiyan still hasn't been forthcoming. But I can't say I care. I've been working on training with Ranch every night she's been free. We've been trying to keep each other sharp for when the big day comes..."

He turned to his brother. "What about you, Kakarot? Any details you want to share about how you plan to take on Cell?"

Vegeta and Raditz both focused on Goku, hoping that he might finally tell them just what in the hell he was planning to do. They were both painfully aware of the not-insignificant gap between Goku and Cell's power. And, although they'd never want to look desperate, both of them were hungry for some form of reassurance that Goku had some kind of plan.

But, to their dismay, Goku immediately changed the subject. "So, I'm curious. Which Dragon Ball are we missing, anyway?"

Raditz shoulders slumped. He just got stone-walled and he knew he did. Vegeta rolled his eyes and finished his snack. And the he went digging through the bag hanging from his back. "One, Two, Three, Five, Six..."

Vegeta held up four fingers. "Four-Star. We're missing the Four-Star Ball."

Goku smirked and chuckled. "The Four-Star Ball. Of course, it's the Four-Star Ball~ Good ol' Grandpa Gohan, playing tricks on me even now~"

Vegeta looked confused. "...what?"

Goku turned to Vegeta and Raditz and smiled wide. "Grandpa Gohan's spirit is messing with us. He stayed in the Four-Star Dragon Ball since he died, so it makes sense that it would be the last one we'd fine. He's pranking us~"

A bead of sweat ran down Raditz's face. "Y-You think your deceased caretaker's soul is inhabiting the Dragon Ball...?"

Goku nodded. "Uh-huh~ Of course it is~"

Vegeta looked very confused. "Haven't you been dead before. Y-You know how the afterlife works, right?"

Raditz nodded. "I was there with him. I know he knows how the afterlife works..."

They both continued to stare at Goku in utter exasperation. But, Goku paid them no mind. Instead, the Saiyan from Earth turned around and he began to let his mind wander again.

Decades ago, on Mt. Paozu...

A young Goku leapt from tree-to-tree, scanning the ground for delicious things to eat. The monkey boy's rucksack was nearly filled to the brim with roots, berries, and other such mountain delicacies. Now he just needed some meat to go with them. Hearing a rustling in the bushes, Goku smiled. "There we go!"

He leapt down and pulled his Power Pole from the sheath, turning and pointing it towards his potential prey. But, to Goku's surprise, the sight he came upon was not some large beast destined for a trip to Goku's gut. It was, instead, a baby bear with a sad look on its face. The cub whimpered at Goku's feet and Goku put his Power Pole away. "What's wrong, little guy?"

The cub groaned and growled at Goku, pantomiming an event to him. Goku stroked his chin and nodded. "I see. Well then...come on, little guy~! Let's go find your Mama!"

He turned around and pulled the rucksack off of his back. "I'll even share my berries with you..."

Once Goku turned his back, the bear cub's pitiful expression turned into a massive, vile grin. It stood on its hind legs and transformed into a blue-skinned woman wearing a baggy, pink shirt with a long, black skirt. She grinned from ear-to-ear and pulled out a giant scythe. And then, faster than the eye could follow, she stomped down hard on Goku's tail.

The boy dropped to the ground, instantly paralyzed and the witch cackled. "Looks like you let your guard down, monkey boy!"

Goku struggled to glare back at her. "Y-You're...one of Lord Yao's demons..."

She chuckled. "Exactly right, fool~ I am the great witch Mamba! And I plan to bring you to Lord Yao so that he may consume you and your inner power! Now then!"

She raised her scythe high. "Your head looks too hard to chew! So, let's take that off!"

Goku flinched in fear, but he was unable to move. As the scythe rocketed towards his neck, however, a familiar voice cried out. "Turtle School Four Virtues! Virtue of Holy Light!"

A beam of pure, holy light came shooting through the darkness of the forest and blasted a massive hole through Mamba's chest. And then, Grandpa Gohan came flying in. He kicked Mamba in the face and pressed his middle, index, and thumb to her forehead. "Turtle School Tranquility! Salt Purification!"

An energy flooded into Mamba's head and, in an instant, her body hardened up. Her eyes rolled back into her head and she began to crack and crumble, eventually reduced to nothing more than a pile of purified salt.

Grandpa Gohan reached down and picked up Goku. The boy's legs still felt like jelly. As his grandpa checked on him, Goku was annoyed. "Darn it! I can't believe I let one of the demons get the drop on me like that! I'm sorry to make you have to rush in and save me, Grandpa..."

Grandpa Gohan chuckled and knelt down to Goku, patting the boy on the head. "Oh Goku~ It's the responsibility of adults to battle the evil of the world, not kids. I know you're strong, but you should never feel bad that I jump in to save you."

Goku didn't look pleased by his weakness. But, Grandpa Gohan pat him on the back. "Drop that sour look, my boy. You're plenty strong. But never forget that I am your caretaker and that I am here to keep you safe~"

Back in the present...

Goku was suddenly shocked back into reality by something gripping around his tail. Goku stumbled forward, yelping and finding himself peering into a deep, wide chasm with a raging river below. "Wh-Whoa...where did that come from?"

Goku turned to see Vegeta and Raditz both staring at him, looking entirely baffled. Goku smiled. "Heheh...thanks, Vegeta..."

Vegeta shook his head, yanking on Goku's tail and throwing him back away from the chasm. The Prince and Raditz both looked down at Goku as he sat on the ground. Raditz spoke. "Okay, what's going on with you?"

Goku flinched. "What do you mean?"

Vegeta quickly responded. "You nearly just walked off a cliff, dumbass. And that isn't even the first time something like has happened on this trip!"

Goku was confused. "Whaddaya mean?"

Raditz chimed in. "I've noticed it too, Kakarot. Whenever we haven't been focusing exclusively on the Dragon Balls, you've just seemed...lost. It's actually pretty concerning..."

He knelt down, a big brother speaking to his younger brother. "Is something wrong, Kakarot? Y-You can talk to me, ya know? I'm here if you need help..."

Goku's mouth curled up in a guilty sort of frown. He looked like he was considering saying something, but then simply shook his head. "So, are we getting near the Dragon Ball...?"

Raditz and Vegeta were both taken aback. It was very un-Goku-like to be this unopen with the people around him. For a guy who normally said what was on his mind the moment it popped into his mind, Goku's silence spoke louder than any words could ever. Both of the other two Saiyans briefly considered pushing the issue, but they both decided to hold their tongues. Raditz pulled out the Dragon Radar and clicked the dial on top. "Actually..."

The Radar began to beep and Raditz's eyes widened just a bit. "It says we're standing right on top of it."

The three of them looked around, seeing nothing but flat ground and cliff edges all around. Vegeta scowled. "Well? Where is it?"

Raditz shrugged. "I... uh...I don't know. It doesn't appear to be anywhere in sight. There's no grass tall enough to cover it up..."

He looked down to Vegeta. "Maybe it's underground...?"

Vegeta adopted a sour look. "Moron. Give me the Radar!"

Raditz sneered, holding it out of reach. "Screw you! Why do you need the Radar?! What are you going to do with it?!"

Vegeta leapt onto Raditz like a spider monkey, angrily trying to snatch the Dragon Radar. "I'll use it correctly! My wife is the one that made it! So of course, I would know how to use it better than you!"

Raditz shouted back. "Like hell you would!"

As the two of them argued behind him, Goku stood and walked over to the edge of the cliff that he had nearly walked off of. There was a large, steel railing going all the way down the cliff edge on either side. But, in this one spot, there was nothing. Goku scratched his head. "Huh...?"

He looked behind him, as Raditz and Vegeta horsed around off to the side, and saw a dirt road leading back towards a small city. Goku peered over the edge of the cliff again and, down at the bottom of the chasm, he saw what appeared to be a pile of crushed up metal. "Oh...I think I see what's goin' on..."

Goku turned. "Hey guys! I think the Dragon Ball might actually be at the bottom of the chasm. Why don't we-"

Vegeta lunged into Raditz and shoved the larger Saiyan against the railing. Raditz yelped out, nearly tumbling over the side. Panicking, he quickly corrected himself and managed to regain his balance. However, in the process, Raditz's hand fumbled.

Goku, Vegeta, and Raditz all stared in shock, watching in horror as the Dragon Radar went flying over the side. It seemed to float there for a minute, mocking them. And then gravity did its thing and the Dragon Radar plummeted over the side and into the chasm.

Goku pictured Bulma standing in front of him, holding a rocket launcher with a massive scowl. "GOKU!"

Vegeta pictured Bulma standing in front of him, armed with a sledgehammer to destroy the Gravity Chamber. "VEGETA!"

Raditz pictured Bulma standing in front of him, an incensed Blonde Launch next to her and both of them holding machine guns. "RADITZ!"

The three of them all looked to one another, each with a look of primal fear in their eyes. They didn't speak, but their faces all said the same thing. "If we break that thing, she'll KILL us."

And then, without a second thought, all three of them leapt over the railing and into the chasm below.

At the bottom of the ravine...

*POP*

Using Instant Warp, Raditz hit the ground hard enough to make it crumble under his feet. "Shit shit shit shit shit!"

Not even thinking, Raditz began to shovel his way through the piles of scrap metal surrounding him. "Goddammit! Where the hell did it go?!"

Vegeta and Goku landed next, Vegeta instantly running over to a different pile and starting to dig. "Dammit Raditz! This is all your fault, you butterfingered idiot!"

Raditz snapped. "You shoved me into a railing! What was I supposed to do?!"

Vegeta snapped back. "Fall with the Radar to keep it safe! Your skull is obviously thick! You would have survived! If this thing is broken, I'm throwing you to the lions when we get back to Capsule Corp! Bulma can bite your head off!"

The two of them started to bicker again, but then Goku spoke up. "Hey guys...all of this broken metal looks like car parts! So, I think I might have been right. The Four-Star Ball was in a truck or something. And it crashed through the railing up above!"

Raditz cringed, picking up a human skull wearing a trucker hat. "J-Jeez..."

He tossed the skull aside and continued to dig. "This is why they don't let just any idiot have a driver's license..."

And the three of them continued to frantically dig, Goku shoved a semi-truck tire over and noticed something bizarre. He stared at the various seams, some barely wide enough to even stick a hand into, that were spider-webbed across the ground and he cocked his head. "What the heck...?"

Goku poked his head into one of the wider cracks and looked around. "Whoa..."

Beneath the surface of this rockface was a spiraling cavern full of crystals. Goku's eyes sparkling at he looked around. "Wow~! So, this entire chasm is just a giant geode! That's amazing~"

And then, Goku looked over and his eyes fell upon a welcome sight. Sitting on a ledge, with a thin ribbon of sunlight shining on it, was the Dragon Radar. Goku studied the area it was in, seeing that it had fallen through a thinner crack, not even big enough to fit a tail through, directly above it. He also saw a rather unstable rock sitting right next to it, ready to crush it at even the slightest disturbance. The Saiyan from Earth nodded. "Okay then. Let's just..."

He stretched his arm out and tried to reach the Dragon Radar, finding it to be mere inches out of reach. "Damn it..."

Goku popped his head out of the crack and turned to his comrades. "Raditz! Vegeta! I found it!"

Both of the Saiyans ran over and Goku quickly explained the situation to them. Vegeta shoved him out of the way. "Let me try..."

Vegeta stuck his arm and head into the crack and attempted to reach over, finding that the Dragon Radar was even farther out of reach for him than it was for Goku. Pulling his head from the ground, Vegeta looked utterly furious with his smaller stature. The two of them both looked to Raditz and Goku smiled. "Looks like it's up to you, big bro. You have longer arms than me and Vegeta both, so I have faith you'll be able to grab it~"

Raditz nodded. "I'll try..."

The elder brother stuck his head and arm into the crevice. He reached as far as he could, straining himself as he attempted to touch the radar. "D-Dammit...so close..."

Raditz reached even farther, feeling the jagged ground dig through his shirt. "Shit...almost..."

The elder brother's fingers brushed against the Radar, but this caused the opposite of what he wanted to happen. Being poked made the Radar wobble and eventually fall flat, now well out of Raditz's reach. "Crap..."

He shook his head and looked to the rock. "It'll be tricky...but maybe I could use my ki to sheer down that giant rock threatening the Radar so that we could-"

"Giru Giru Giru..."

Raditz flinched. "Huh...?"

From within a small alcove, directly behind the Radar, a right light began to shine. Raditz's ears twitched as he heard metallic footsteps approach. And then, from within the alcove, a small, white robot came marching out. Raditz flinched, staring at the robot. It was a spherical, white robot with thin, three-fingered arms and a bright red eye. The robot stared up at Raditz and spoke in a shrill voice. "Giru Giru Giru..."

The elder brother was genuinely perplexed, staring back at this new, little robot. It was a stare-down for the ages as the two seemed to be waiting for the other to make the first move. But then, the robot's eye shifted down to the Dragon Radar. It picked it up and scanned it with its single, red eye. And then, it turned back to Raditz. "Giru Giru Giru..."

Raditz was unnerved, but he tried his best to put on a friendly smile. "H-Hey, little buddy. Could you please hand me that? B-Be a pal...?"

The robot, wordlessly, lifted the Dragon Radar and held it out flat, as if offering it to Raditz. Raditz smiled. "There we go. I don't even know why I was worried. You seem like a really nice-"

The robot's body split open at the mid-section, the upper half of it flipping back like a garbage can lid. Raditz flinched. "H-Huh...?"

The robot placed the Dragon Radar into itself. Raditz's eyes went wide. "W-Wait...!"

And then, the top half of the robot's body slammed down onto the Dragon Radar, making a sickening crunching noise from the crushing of glass and the twisting of metal. Raditz's eyes went white, his hand pathetically stretching out as he let loose a wheezing gasp. The robot stared up at Raditz, sucking in the Dragon Radar strap like a spaghetti noodle. "Giru Giru Giru..."

Raditz recoiled back, shrieking at the top of his lungs and pushing Goku and Vegeta over as he came flying out of the hole. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Goku and Vegeta both looked to him, utterly confused. Goku shouted. "Raditz! What happened?!"

Raditz was stammering, barely able to draw a breath and totally incapable of forming words. "H... H...H...H... GH...HGHG...HEHEHGEH...HAHGEHBOSEPSNBIHRTBEBNPOIENG..."

Vegeta sneered. "What the hell are you on about?! Speak clearly, dammit! Where's the Dragon Radar?!"

Raditz continued. "HA...HABHAVBREGHEBEH... HEEEEEEEEEEEE..."

Confused, Goku turned to look into the hole himself, but was shocked as he watched a small, round robot come flying out. Raditz yelped, shakily pointing at the robot. Vegeta growled. "What the hell is this...?!"

Goku was much more friendly. "Hey there, little guy! What's your name?"

The robot finally spoke more than a single word. Its eyes looked happy as it took a very rigid stance and saluted the three people in front of it. "Designation - T2006. Rank – Sigma V. Personality Settings: Male. Model: Giru~!"

Goku smiled and saluted back. "Yo! My name's Son Goku~"

Giru nodded. "Son Goku. Yes yes. Son Goku."

Goku pointed to the crevice. "So, you just flew out of that hole in the ground, right? Did you happen to see our Dragon Radar down there?"

Giru cocked his head. "Dragon Radar? Further information requested."

Goku smiled. "It's a device that lets us locate Dragon Balls! It looks like a white pocket watch with a green grid on the front."

Giru nodded. "Oh! Yes yes! Giru has observed the device in question!"

Goku looked excited. "Cool! Did you happen to see where it went?"

Giru spoke cheerfully, patting his stomach. "Dragon Radar Status: Ingested."

Goku's face went blank. "What."

Vegeta's face also went blank. "What."

Raditz wheezed. "HNNNNNNGH..."

Giru danced around in mid-air as his audience watched him with blank, emotionless stares. "Metal quality of Dragon Radar: Hyperoptimal~ Technological quality of Dragon Radar: Hyperoptimal~ Energy Reserves of Dragon Radar: Optimal~ Giru Energy Reserve Status: 275%~"

The robot politely bowed to his three onlookers. "Thank you for the meal~"

And then, turning around and summoning two rocket boosters from his rear, Giru let loose a celebratory hoot and blasted away at top speed. Goku, Vegeta, and Raditz all stood there, dumbstruck, as a cold wind blew over them.

Down the river, in the ravine...

Giru hummed a merry tune. His day was going just swell. Not only had he managed to discover some brand-new knowledge, he had gotten to enjoy a delicious meal as well. All was well in Giru's World.

But then, three rapid streaks went shooting right by Giru, catching the little robot off-guard. He stopped in his tracks and stared at the three, glowing forms that now hovered in his path. It was Goku, Vegeta, and Raditz. And they three of them looked absolutely frantic. Giru addressed Goku. "Hello, Son Goku. Is there something which Giru may assist you with?"

Goku chuckled. "Well..."

Raditz cut in. "Give us the Dragon Radar back! Right now!"

Goku tried to calm his brother, motioning to Giru. "We don't wanna be mean or anything, but we really need the Dragon Radar back, buddy..."

Giru shrugged. "Giru is unable to return the Dragon Radar. It has already been thoroughly integrated into Giru's systems."

Goku's shoulders slumped. "Oh, come on. There has to be some-"

Vegeta lunged at Giru, murder in his eyes. "IF YOU WON'T GIVE IT BACK, I'LL TEAR YOU APART AND TAKE IT BACK!"

Giru shrieked in fear, dodging upwards to avoid Vegeta's attack. The little robot glared down at his three apparent enemies. "If Giru must defend himself, then Giru-"

His bright red eye shot out a scanner, washing over all three of his foes. Giru's brain quickly processed the biorhythms he recorded, and then he gasped in horror. "SAIYANS?!"

Immediately, the robot took emergency action. Summoning two more rocket boosters from his back, he exploded forward in an evasive attempt. Goku shouted. "WAIT! COME BACK!"

As he chased after Giru, Raditz and Vegeta turned to one another. Raditz sneered. "Did you hear what that thing just said?"

Vegeta growled. "It called us Saiyans. How in the hell does it know what a Saiyan is on Earth?!"

And so, they both blasted off and gave chase as well. The pursuit traveled further and further up the snaking, raging river below. Goku and Raditz both lunged at Giru, attempting to grab him. But they both wildly missed. Vegeta fired an energy bolt to stun Giru, but the robot barrel-rolled out of the path of the blast.

Vegeta looked very angry. "It's faster than us! Why in the hell is that thing faster than us?!"

Raditz sneered. "To hell with this!"

*POP*

Raditz appeared in front of Giru, his hands held out. "You stop right-"

Giru freaked out and his chest opened up, firing six bolts out that pierced into Raditz's chest. Raditz flinched and then his body was flooded with tens of thousands of volts of electricity. Raditz fell back, smoke erupting from his mouth, and crashed into the tree lining next to the riverbank below.

Goku and Vegeta both flinched. Goku shouted. "This guy is really friggin' strong! What the heck is he?!"

Vegeta went Super Saiyan and sped up. "A nuisance!"

The Prince shot forward with renewed vigor. His increased speed allowed him to catch up to Giru and throw a punch. Giru dodged upward, but Vegeta's attack still grazed him and made the robot spin in the air. Vegeta lunged at Giru. "Now then-"

Giru's body split in half and he launched a battery of missiles into Vegeta's face that drove the Prince crashing into a rocky wall. As Giru started to speed away again, Vegeta emerged from the rubble with a furious scowl and a ball of energy in his hand. "BIG BANG-"

Giru's arms stretched out and grabbed Goku by shirt. Before the Saiyan from Earth could react, the smaller robot heaved him forward and smashed him right into Vegeta's Big Bang Attack, making the technique discharge on both of the warriors and sending them crashing to the ground below.

As the both landed, they both cried out in pain. And, to make matters worse, Vegeta's bag fell open and the Dragon Balls all went bouncing and rolling away. The Prince was rapid in his response, rolling over and pulling the bag off of his shoulder. "Dammit! Dammit all!"

He quickly gathered every Dragon Ball in sight, putting them all back into the bag. Once they were all thrown in, he peered into the bag and counted. "One, Two, Three, Five, Six..."

He looked around. "Where the hell is Seven?!"

Vegeta's eyes scanned around, looking for the Seven-Star Ball. And, eventually, they did lock right on to it. The only problem was where it was, gripped tightly between Giru's hands. Vegeta narrowed his eyes. "Drop it."

Giru took a frightened step back. Vegeta took a furious step forward. And then Giru turned tail and took off at top speed. Vegeta was foaming at the mouth with anger, his fists trembling as he squeezed them tight. Goku sat up and rubbed the back of his head. "Ugh...that attack of yours is strong, Vegeta. What happened...?"

Before Vegeta could answer, Raditz went flying overhead with his Oozaru Force in full display. He shouted back to the other two. "ARE YOU TWO ON BREAK?! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!"

Vegeta erupted with rage, going full Super Vegeta. He took off as fast as his could, screaming at the top of his lungs. "I'M GOING TO MURDER THAT LITTLE BASTARD!"

Goku sighed. "I guess...unleashing a bit of Full-Power Super Saiyan here wouldn't hurt..."

The Saiyan from Earth gripped his fists and let the flood gates on his true strength open just a little. A tiny bit of the energy held within spilled out and Goku took off like a rocket, immediately catching up to Raditz and Vegeta. The three of them nodded to one another and then focused their attention back on the fleeing Giru. They couldn't let him escape!

Giru was panicking. He was pushing his systems as hard as he could, but the Saiyans were right on his tail now. Escape was becoming less and less viable. Running out of options, the little robot summoned a minigun from his chest and began spraying bullets towards a rocky outcropping above. It fell down towards the Saiyans, but a furious scream from Vegeta made it crumble into mere gravel.

Giru yelped in fear and retracted his minigun. He summoned two laser blades from his wrists and used them to slice apart a giant root. The root fell towards the three Saiyans, but Raditz caught it as it fell and speared it towards Giru.

Giru barely managed to dodge with a shrill scream. He looked back at the Saiyans and saw the absolutely terrifying looks on Vegeta and Raditz's faces. He murmured to himself. "S-Saiyans gain power from the feeling of rage. And all I am doing is making them angrier..."

He looked up into the sky and saw a winged dinosaur flying through the air. Panicking, Giru launched a harpoon from his left hand, spearing the creature through the heart. With all of his strength, Giru heaved the dinosaur back at his pursuers. Raditz and Vegeta both managed to dodge, but the dinosaur hit Goku dead on.

Both Goku and the dead creature were knocked from the air, crashing into the jagged rocks below and being belted down the stream. Goku attempted to right himself, but a particularly sharp rock smashed right into the back of his head and knocked the Saiyan out cold, allowing the water to swallow him up. Raditz came to a stop, calling out. "Kakarot!"

Vegeta shouted back at Raditz. "Don't stop now! He'll be fine! We have to catch this little pest before he gets away with the Dragon Ball!"

Raditz seemed reluctant, but he sighed and nodded, turning to follow Vegeta and continue the chase.

Decades earlier, on Mt. Paozu...

Goku remembered being in pain. He laid on the ground, watching as Grandpa Gohan fought against Lord Yao, a massive, demonic boar. The fight had been going on for hours, Lord Yao's broken axe laying in a puddle of Grandpa Gohan's blood.

"Turtle School Four Virtues! Virtue of Holy Light! Virtue of Solid Earth! Virtue of Flowing Water!"

It had been ages since the young Goku had seen his Grandpa use the "Four Virtues" this much. He had always wondered about where his grandfather had learned these techniques and it was an amazing sight to see them used in such a way.

Grandpa Gohan clapped his hands and unleashed another fearsome attack. "Turtle School Four Virtues! Virtue of the Raging Flame!"

A wall of flames, strong enough to set an entire mountain on fire, engulfed Lord Yao. The demon fell to his knees, if only briefly, but then stood right back up. He cackled. "Old fool! You can't protect that boy forever! I shall devour him soon enough!"

Grandpa Gohan looked back at the young, injured Goku, and then he turned back to Lord Yao. "Then...perhaps it's time I stopped using these old hat Virtue moves...and started using a move of my own creation..."

?

Goku awoke with a throbbing pain in the back of his head and wet pants to boot. The Saiyan from Earth looked down and saw that half of him was still submerged in the water, the other half laying on some unknown shore in near-complete darkness.

Goku stood, rubbing his head, only to crack his head on a low, jagged ceiling. "Ow! Damn..."

Looking around, Goku had no clue where he was. The only thing he could really make out was a warm, orange glow in the distance. Goku squinted his eyes. "Is that a fire...? Well, I guess I could use the warmth of a fire to dry off..."

Goku began to march toward the flames, feeling a sense of warmth the closer he got. Eventually, as he got closer, he saw that the fire wasn't untended. Sitting next to it, on a log, was the form of some old codger. Goku waved. "Yo! Can I sit down and warm up for a few minutes?"

No response at first. Goku tried again. "Uh, hey, Mister...?"

Finally, the person responded in a voice that was unmistakable to Goku. "My boy...you should know you always have a place at this fire of mine~"

Goku gasped, a smile on his face. "Whoa~!"

He sat on the log and turned to the old fella, looking excited. "I knew I'd find you if I looked around here hard enough..."

The old man turned his head, removing his mask and smiling wide. He looked at the fully-grown Goku with wistful, proud eyes. "You make a good blonde, my boy~"

Goku chuckled. "So, how have you been, Grandpa?"

Grandpa Gohan chuckled, rubbing his finger underneath his nose. "Oh, you know. Dead as always~"

Goku's smile turned into a frown. "O-Oh yeah...after Vegeta transformed into the Oozaru for the first time, I realized what I had done. I'm...I'm sorry, Grandpa. You don't hate me, do you...?"

Grandpa Gohan laughed out loud. He stared at Goku with the warmest smile a long-passed old soul could muster. "Goku, my boy, I could never hold a grudge against you over something so trivial. Especially not when looking at how much you've grown~"

The old man held out his hand and placed it on Goku's shoulder. "So big. So strong. So much more mature than last time I laid eyes on you."

He smiled. "And yet your heart has remained just as honest and gentle as it was so long ago..."

Goku chuckled. Grandpa Gohan frowned. "And yet...there's so much doubt within your heart as well. That's very unlike you, Goku..."

Goku frowned and hung his head. Grandpa Gohan sighed. "Does this doubt have to do with that horrid creature that I sense?"

Silence for a moment. And then Goku spoke. "Grandpa Gohan...I can't beat Cell. I know I can't. His power is so much higher than mine and he has the powers of everyone I've ever fought against. I spent so much time training and training in the Time Chamber, but I knew that when I stepped out, I would find myself utterly outmatched..."

Grandpa Gohan nodded. "And that is where my namesake comes into the picture, yes?"

Goku flinched. Grandpa Gohan chuckled. "It seems so easy, doesn't it Goku? Knowing the potential that the youngin' you're watching has and knowing how much stronger than you they'll be one day..."

He leaned back. "But, even knowin' that...you still can't bring yourself to throw all the responsibility at their feet. It just...ain't right..."

Grandpa Gohan smiled at Goku. "Fatherhood is a blessing and a curse, huh?"

Goku clenched his fists. "If...if Gohan were to snap...like he did against Raditz, Nappa, and so many other enemies...and if he were to get the boost in power that came with that, then Cell wouldn't stand a chance. He'd lose and this would all be over...but..."

Goku remember the look of utter disgust on Bardock's face. "Over the past few days..."

He remembered Future Goten's emotional breakdown. And the feeling of holding both Goten and Chika in his hands. "...I just..."

Goku teared up and pressed his hand to his face. "I can't do it, Grandpa. And I know that if I don't do it, Cell will kill us all and we'll lose. But, even still, I just...I can't do that to him..."

Goku gripped his hand. "Gohan never wanted to be a fighter. He wanted to grow up to be a scholar. He got involved in all of this to impress all of us. But he doesn't like it...and with what I heard happened to the Gohan in the future..."

Goku looked angry. "I can't let that happen here. I just can't."

Grandpa Gohan smiled. "You really have grown up, Goku. To think, my little monkey boy is such a caring father now..."

Goku nodded. "I don't understand how everyone else thinks sometimes. I don't get just wanting to live a normal life, wanting to be a farmer, wanting to be a scholar, or anything like that. I've only ever really, fully grasped how my own head works. But, now...faced with everything that's going on...all I want to do is make it to where everyone can do those things that I don't understand..."

He looked over to Grandpa Gohan. "I don't wanna fight Cell because he's strong. I wanna fight him to make him leave all of my friends alone..."

Grandpa Gohan nodded. "You want to be a hero?"

Goku shook his head. "No. I want to go out there and stop an evil monster that was made by someone specifically to get revenge on me. I don't want fame or glory or recognition, I just want to fix something that's my fault..."

He buried his face in his hands. "But I know I'm not strong enough to do it and it's frustrating..."

Grandpa Gohan smiled and stared down into the glowing warmth. "You have no idea how happy it makes me to see that you've forged such bonds in your life..."

He stared into the glow and saw all of Goku's friends, quite a few of them former enemies. "I wish I had been able to stick around and be a part of the little family you've made for yourself, my boy..."

Goku looked over to him. "Grandpa, you're always a part of-"

Grandpa Gohan held out his hand, a glowing power rippling in his palm. "It's not much, but I want to give you this to help you. It's the technique that I used to defeat Lord Yao and rid Mt. Paozu of evil so long ago..."

He smiled. "I used it to protect you, even though you had so much more potential than me. So, please, use it just the same to protect everything that you hold dear~"

Goku looked at Grandpa Gohan's hand. "Grandpa..."

Grandpa Gohan smiled. "You need not fear, Goku. Everything will work out in the end..."

Goku nodded. And then, he took Grandpa Gohan's hand.

Sometime later...

The ground in the chasm, not too far from the crashed truck, cracked apart and Goku's hand shot up into the moonlight. With little effort on his part, Goku yanked himself out of the ground and into the air, landing on his feet in a wide stance.

The Saiyan from Earth turned and looked into the hole he emerged from, seeing the log that he and Grandpa Gohan had sat on and talked for so long. He looked down at his hand and felt the warmth of the fire, in the form of the Four-Star Dragon Ball, gripping tightly in his fist. It felt to Goku as if he were holding the warmth of the Sun itself.

Goku took a deep breath and sighed. "Thanks, Grandpa. I think I know what I have to do to win now..."

And then, Goku pressed his fingers to his forehead and Instant Transmissioned away.

Farther up the river...

Goku appeared in an instant and found Raditz and Vegeta both gathered around a crackling campfire with several speared fish roasting over it. The two of them looked up at him and Raditz breathed a sigh of relief. "Good to have you back, Kakarot. I was getting worried..."

Goku chuckled. "I'm fine. You don't have to worry. I even found the Four-Star Ball~"

Raditz nodded. "That's great. We managed to get back the Seven-Star, ourselves."

The elder brother motioned over to Vegeta with his thumbs. The Prince was sat on a rock with a pissed off expression on his face, his boot planted firmly atop the squirming Giru's back. Giru yelped in fear. "Giru Giru Giru!"

Vegeta spoke in a cold, sadistic tone. "If you don't stop squirming, I'll rip your arms and legs off!"

Goku chuckled. "Vegeta's in a bad mood, huh?"

Raditz sighed. "Well, he has every right to be this time. That little creep wasn't lying, he really can't spit up the Radar. It's gone."

Goku shrugged as he sat next to the fire. "Oh well. Bulma's smart. She can make another one."

Vegeta scowled, closing his eyes and rubbing the palm of his hand over his face. "Idiot. You're not the one who has to live with Bulma when she gets pissed off."

Goku reached out to the fire, grabbing a fish and trying to hand it to Vegeta as a peace offering. Vegeta took it with a scowl and began to bite into it. Goku and Raditz did the same and the three Saiyans just sat there, eating and staring at the night sky.

Eventually, Goku finally spoke up. "Look...I'm not really up for sharing exactly what's been bothering me, guys. But...I think I've figured out a way for me to beat Cell..."

The two of them both snapped their attention towards Goku. Goku sighed. "All I need...is for the two of you to help me for the next few days to try and master this new technique. If I can get this down...this I can defeat Cell, no question."

He looked to each of them. "Will you guys help me?"

Vegeta was still for a moment, but then he gave a firm, silent nod. Raditz smirked. "We're in, little brother."

Later that evening, in Bulma's workshop...

The entire building shook as Bulma studied her new captive closely. Giru struggled against the bolts keeping him pinned down, but was utterly helpless. Bulma stared at him coldly through a desk mounted magnifying glass. "You want to be let go?"

Giru rapidly nodded. "Y-Yes please..."

Bulma slammed her hand on the table. "Too damn bad! You ate my Dragon Radar, you little jerk! That took months to properly calibrate when I made it! MONTHS!"

She slammed her toolbox on the table. "So, for the next couple of days, I'm going to try my damnedest to learn how you work-"

The building shook really hard. Bulma grumbled and tried to continue. "-how you work-"

The building shook again. Bulma scowled. "-how you-"

An even bigger tremor that time. Bulma groaned and rolled her eyes, slapping her magnifying glass aside. "Ugh, screw this. Those men are being too damned noisy. I'm going to go get wine-drunk with 18 and then go to bed..."

Bulma glared at Giru, pointing her middle and index fingers to her eyes and then at him. "I have, like, thirty cameras trained on you. Don't try any escapist shit. I'm going to come back tomorrow morning and either you're going to tell me how I can get my Dragon Radar back or I'm going to tear you apart..."

Giru flinched, terrified beads of sweat running down his face. The building shook again and Bulma screamed in frustration as she stomped out of her workshop. "WHY CAN'T THEY GO DO THIS SHIT IN THE TIME CHAMBER?!"

The door to the workshop slammed shut and the lights went off, leaving Giru alone in the dark and nailed down to Bulma's work-table. The robot sighed and his glowing red eye shut off, as if he were going into a sleep cycle.

...but then, Giru's voice echoed out one more time, at a slightly deeper register. "Transmitting."