c2: Bulma the Nympho
"Are you okay?"
"Bulma!" Li Xu recognized the girl instantly blue hair, a pink dress with "Bulma" stitched across the chest, and a bold, confident expression. At only sixteen, she already had the charisma (and ego) of Capsule Corporation's heiress.
"I'm fine."
Li Xu slowly stood and brushed the dust off his clothes. Thanks to his Auto-Training Plug-In, his combat power had increased to 5, enough to buffer the impact. He suffered only minor bruises, nothing serious.
"So handsome..." Bulma's eyes sparkled with cartoonish hearts, and a bit of drool even slipped from the corner of her lips. She stared at him like he was the last snack in the desert.
"What's a girl like you doing out here all alone?" Li Xu asked, pretending not to know.
Bulma blinked, snapped out of her daze, and flushed slightly. "I'm looking for these!"
She reached into her pocket and revealed two orange orbs, each embedded with glowing red stars Dragon Balls, unmistakably authentic.
"Dragon Balls?" Li Xu feigned surprise.
"Wait... you know about them?" Now Bulma was the one caught off guard.
"Yeah." Li Xu nodded, then added with mock sincerity, "There are seven in total. According to legend, when they're all gathered, you can summon the Eternal Dragon and have a single wish granted."
"You really do know!" Bulma exclaimed with glee. "And I believe the legend is 100% true!"
"But you only have two. Finding all seven won't be easy." Li Xu played along, trying to stay in character.
"That's where you're wrong!" Bulma puffed her chest out proudly. "I developed the Dragon Radar by analyzing the electromagnetic frequency emitted by Dragon Balls. It tracks their location with pinpoint accuracy!"
She held up a compact device a rectangular scanner with a round screen and blinking lights.
"Still," Li Xu said, shaking his head, "traveling around looking for magical artifacts isn't exactly safe for a girl on her own."
"That's why you should come with me!" Bulma proposed eagerly. "You're strong, you seem trustworthy, and I'll pay you!"
"No need for money," Li Xu replied smoothly. "I'm already wandering around, so I might as well join you." He knew he needed to stick with Bulma to complete the system's mission.
"Yay!" Bulma clapped her hands with joy.
Li Xu glanced at the wrecked capsule car, which was still smoking from the collision. "That vehicle's totaled. Do you have another Capsule?"
"Of course." Bulma pulled out a small case containing Hoi-Poi Capsules tech exclusive to Capsule Corp. She chose one, clicked the button, and tossed it.
POOF! With a cloud of smoke and a mechanical hum, a sleek red sports car appeared.
"Let's roll!"
Li Xu moved toward the driver's seat. After experiencing Bulma's reckless driving firsthand, he decided it was safer if he took the wheel.
---
Guided by the Dragon Radar, the two set off in search of the next Dragon Ball.
Their pace was relaxed, turning the quest into a scenic journey. Seven days later, they arrived near Mount Paozu, deep in the East District, where Goku had originally lived alone in the manga's opening chapter.
As they drove along a forest trail, a small boy appeared ahead, balancing a massive fish over his shoulder. His wild hair stuck up like a sea urchin.
"Li Xu, watch out! There's someone in the road!" Bulma shouted.
Li Xu stomped on the brake. The tires screeched to a halt just meters from the boy.
"Monster!" the kid yelled, instantly drawing a Nyoi-Bō his trademark red Power Pole from the strap across his back. His eyes narrowed with primal suspicion.
"Baka! You're the monster!" Bulma snapped back, flinging the door open and storming out.
"Don't try to steal my fish!" the kid shouted, dropping into a defensive stance.
"Calm down. We're not monsters," Li Xu said as he stepped out. The child's unique features tail, hair, and pole confirmed his identity beyond a doubt:
This was Son Goku, raised by Grandpa Gohan, and destined to become Earth's mightiest protector.
BOOM!
Son Goku kicked the sports car twice, each time setting off the alarm with a shrill beep-beep. He pointed his Nyoi-Bō (Power Pole) at Li Xu and Bulma and said with suspicion, "You say you're not monsters, but this thing is making strange noises!"
"That's called a car. Haven't you ever seen one before?" Li Xu replied calmly, fully aware that Goku, raised alone on Mount Paozu, had never seen modern technology or met anyone besides his adoptive grandfather, Son Gohan.
"You're really not monsters?" Goku lowered the pole slightly, his stance loosening just a bit.
"Baka! Didn't you hear? We said we're human!" Bulma snapped, putting her hands on her hips in frustration.
"I'm Li Xu, and this is Bulma. Nice to meet you." Li Xu said with a friendly smile.
"I'm Son Goku!" the boy replied cheerfully. He turned to Bulma. "'Bulma'? What a weird name!"
Bonk!
Before Goku could blink, Bulma smacked him on the head with a clenched fist.
"Ow! That hurt!" Goku rubbed his scalp and glared. "Why'd you hit me?"
"Baka! You don't just insult a girl's name like that!" Bulma yelled, pouting angrily.
Goku's expression softened. "Oh, you're a girl? Grandpa always said I should be polite to girls..." His tone shifted to respectful instantly, and he didn't argue further.
"What a strange kid," Bulma muttered, crossing her arms.
"I just caught a big fish!" Goku said suddenly, dragging the massive blue-scaled catch behind him. "Come on, I'll grill it for you!"
"Li Xu, there's nothing but trees around here. Finding the Dragon Ball might be tough." Bulma frowned, glancing at the Dragon Radar, which blinked steadily—indicating one nearby.
"That's why we should ask Goku. He might know something." Li Xu suggested. He jogged after Goku, and Bulma quickly followed.
---
"I didn't expect a house here..." Bulma blinked in surprise when they arrived at Goku's place—a small wooden cabin nestled beneath a canopy of trees.
"Hey, Goku, we're looking for this kind of ball. Seen one?" Bulma asked, holding out her Dragon Balls—one-star and two-star.
"Grandpa! Grandpa's here too!" Goku gasped, staring at the orbs.
"Grandpa?" Bulma looked confused.
Goku turned to the table inside the house and rushed over. The Four-Star Ball, resting on a cloth, glowed faintly in the sun.
"See? That's Grandpa! He's shining too!" Goku said happily, cupping it gently in his palms.
"The Four-Star Ball!" Bulma exclaimed with excitement and reached forward, but Goku quickly snatched it up.
"Don't touch Grandpa!" Goku snapped, clutching the ball close to his chest. "Even if you're a girl, I won't let you steal him!"
"That's not your grandpa, Goku." Li Xu said gently. "It's a Dragon Ball. There are seven in total. Yours has four stars, so we call it the 'Four-Star Ball.'"
"One, two, three, four... Hey, you're right!" Goku counted aloud, surprised.
"If we gather all seven Dragon Balls, we can summon Shenron the Eternal Dragon and make a wish come true," Li Xu explained. "Can we borrow yours? Just for the wish. We'll return it afterward."
"No way!" Goku said firmly. "Grandpa said to always keep him safe. I'm not giving him to strangers."
Li Xu paused, then tried a different approach. "You're strong, Goku. You're a martial artist, right? Why don't you come with us instead? You'll meet strong fighters, travel the world, and keep the Dragon Ball with you."
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