Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Crossed Paths ❯ The Arrival ( Chapter 1 )

I would really like to get some feedback on this from my readers. This is a new kind of fanfic for me, as it is not a romance, but an action/adventure. There will be romance, of course, as romance is part of life, and with the characters we're using, romance (or at least sex) is inevitable. So please, feedback is good. Do you like this? Hate it? Are you indifferent? Please let me know! ^_^

 

Oh, and because of feedback from readers of my other fics, I'm making chapters longer in this. I hope it's the length people were looking for! ^_^

 

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Crossed Paths - Chapter 1: The Arrival

By Mia Skywalker and Wataruo

 

PAIRING: None for this part. Although eventually B/V and one other (a surprise, not giving it away yet)

RATING: G so far. But that will change. The next chapter will be at least PG-13 due to graphic violence, and later chapters will eventually have an NC-17 rating.

C&C: I would really like to get some C&C on this. Pretty please! ^_^

WARNINGS: Nothing for this chapter, but a great deal of violence in a chapter or two, and lemon further down the line.

DISCLAIMER: Neither of us owns any of the DBZ characters, but we both wish we owned Vegeta. (We do own Vegeta action figures. Does that count?) These characters are owned by Toei, Viz, Akira Toriyama, and FUNimation, even though the last one is a crying shame. We do own what we've written here, and our specific storyline, just not Dragonball itself. We make no money off of any of these guys, nor off this fic.

SUMMARY: What might have happened if Nappa had been the one sent to Chikyuu to destroy it, rather than Radditz? What might have changed? And how might Vegeta and Radditz have reacted afterwards?

NOTES: I have to thank both Selenity Jade and W-chan for their betas, and especially Selenity for all the help she gave me on this! ^_^ It was her encouragement that got me to start posting this. I hope you enjoy reading this fic as much as we're enjoying writing it.

 

Author's Notes: This is an AU fic with basically one minor and one major change from the original continuity. The minor change will be obvious by the third paragraph; the major change will only be apparent later. There are two pairings in this fanfic - one will be B/V, but the other I'm not going to give away just yet. It's a non-canon pairing, but with canon characters, yet it doesn't break up any canon pairings. And that's all I will say.

 

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The burly Saiyajin stepped out of his space pod and scowled at his surroundings. He wouldn't even be here if it weren't for Freeza's orders. He glared at the peaceful surroundings, trees dotting the lush green hills and puffy white clouds scudding over the deep blue sky, and he felt an almost violent urge to destroy everything in sight. He couldn't stand how peaceful and positively content everything seemed to be. It went against every Saiyajin instinct he had, making him want to wreak havoc and destruction all around, to kill every living being that he came across.

 

An evil smile made its way across his face as he lifted slowly into the air. Actually, there was no reason he couldn't destroy every living being on the planet. He had, after all, been ordered to purge the planet, and Vegeta hadn't given him any orders to dispute it. Well, other than the one... but Vegeta hadn't been terribly specific. He had only stated that Freeza had seemed uneasy about something on the planet. Vegeta had ordered Nappa to find out what it was that had made Freeza nervous, and to see if there was a way to use that against him. How Vegeta had suspected something like that from Freeza's words or actions Nappa couldn't guess, but he hadn't pressed it. He wasn't the sort of person to really try thinking that hard about things; fighting, killing, and raping were about all he found pleasure in.

 

Nappa tapped the side of his scouter, watching numbers spin through it, showing him readings of every major power level on the planet. It didn't take him long to home in on what looked like the strongest power on the planet. His mouth curled up into a sneer at the numbers; that being wasn't any sort of threat to an Elite Saiyajin like himself. Still, it would be fun sport to destroy that person first. Vegeta had always told him that when purging a planet, it was strategic to go after the most powerful beings on it first, then work your way down. Nappa didn't really care all that much about strategy, it was simply that he didn't have a long enough attention span. He wanted to fight anyone worth fighting first, and then once they were done, he would have his fun in raping and destroying everything else.

 

When his scouter beeped again, indicating that he was close to the being with the highest power level, he noted that the native creature was a green-skinned individual hovering over a waterfall in a meditative position.

 

Nappa gave a malevolent grin. So, this was a native of this planet, was it? He was too used to alien races on the planets he had helped purge to wonder about the creature's skin color; after all, he had seen far more alien-looking beings before. He gave an evil chuckle as he hovered closer to the creature, attracting the attention of the meditating being who opened his eyes in irritation.

 

Piccolo was angry - which wasn't unusual for the Demon King, as he could never have been called happy-go-lucky - but the cause of the green man's aggravation was quite simple. He wanted to kill Son Goku but he didn't feel that his newest attack was quite ready. The sheer power of the Makankosappo wasn't the issue; he knew that with one blast it would kill his long-time adversary. Indeed it would most likely splatter his insides all over the surrounding countryside, a fact that appealed to the green man's sense of pride.

 

No, Piccolo's dilemma was the amount of time necessary to charge the attack. It took five whole minutes for the attack to be ready, time he knew he wouldn't have. He needed to cut that period down considerably when he challenged the other man again, otherwise he would never get the chance to use his attack.

 

Piccolo's musings were interrupted rather suddenly by something playing on his senses. Piccolo raised his bowed head and opened his eyes, annoyed that his meditation was about to be interrupted by someone with a large ki heading in his direction. At first he thought it was merely Goku passing by - he had on several occasions passed this general area - but it took only a moment for him to realize something disturbing; the warrior approaching him was NOT Goku and was not passing by. In fact, whoever it was, it was someone that Piccolo had never sensed or seen before.

 

Piccolo was perturbed to note that the ki level approaching was higher than either his own or Son Goku's. That didn't, however, stop Piccolo from glaring death at the individual who had chosen rather foolishly to come and bother him while he was meditating. If his first impressions were correct, then Piccolo knew he was in for trouble. The large bald man in front of him was belligerent and looking for a fight, a fact that mystified Piccolo.

 

"What do you want?" he snapped, as he continued to glare at the intruder. The man floating in front of him was no ordinary man, but Piccolo had no idea who he was.

 

Nappa continued to sneer at Piccolo. "Well, green man. What do I want? It's simple. I want to kill you, and then kill everyone else on this miserable planet!" His eyes gleamed evilly.

 

Piccolo's eyes narrowed as he studied the stranger. "I am sorry to disappoint you, but that is my job."

 

Nappa laughed derisively. "Well, if it is, you're doing a lousy job! This world is just crawling with life and... peace!" His lip curled up in a sneer of disgust. "If you are trying to destroy the world, you need to kill a few people!" He lifted a hand, and a small glowing ki ball appeared. "So why don't I start with you?"

 

Piccolo snorted. "This planet happens to be mine for the taking," he replied as he uncurled himself from his crossed-legged position to hovering upright. "You are out of line." He smirked at the bald interloper and sank into a fighting stance. "Come on then. I haven't got all day."

 

Nappa gave a short bark of laughter. "You've got some guts, green man, considering you don't stand a chance against me!" He powered up as he released the ki blast, grinning evilly when it threw Piccolo up against the cliff behind him. "Come on then, and take your death like the worm you are!"

 

~~~~~*~~~~~

 

Gohan huddled behind his father, his arms wrapped tightly around the large man's waist as the two of them sat on the little flying cloud. He gazed down in wonderment at the fields and trees whisking swiftly below him. It wasn't often that his father took him up on the little flying cloud; more often than not his mother would forbid it, reasoning loudly and volubly that it was too dangerous for someone his age. Her other reasoning - that he needed to stay home and study all the time - seemed less logical to Gohan's father, but he still didn't argue with his wife.

 

But on this day she had specifically told both of them to get out of the house. It was the day she had chosen for her Spring Cleaning. She had made Goku drag all the furniture out of the house so she could clean each piece individually and then scrub the insides of the house from top to bottom. Now she wanted both of them out of her way so she could work. She had told them to be back by sunset so they could move the furniture back inside, but she didn't want them around until then.

 

Gohan guessed that his mother had assumed that they would spend the day fishing, or visiting Gohan's grandfather the demon lord Gyu Mao, but once they had gotten out of visual range of the little house, Goku had told Gohan in an excited whisper that he had a special surprise for him. And then he had summoned the little cloud and climbed up on it with his son behind him.

 

Gohan wondered where they were going. The few times he had gone to his grandfather's the view had been different, and it didn't seem to him that they were heading in that direction at all. When the fields and forests below them gave way to the blue expanse of ocean, he knew he was right; there weren't any large bodies of water like this between their home and Frypan Mountain.

 

He continued to gaze down at the sea in fascination as they flew onward. It wasn't like the vista of water changed remarkably, it was simply the fact that he had never seen water in such vast quantities before, and he couldn't help staring at it. He remembered his father telling him once about the first time he had seen the sea, and the fact that he had been angry that the water had been salty. Gohan had an almost irresistible urge to find out if the water really tasted as salty as his father claimed; he couldn't wait to find out.

 

But he wondered if they were going to land anytime soon, and if they were going to land anywhere near the ocean so he would get a chance to find out. Maybe they weren't; maybe there was another land far away that they were traveling to, and this was just on the way. Gohan couldn't imagine anything quite as *big* as this ocean they were passing over; surely it had to end soon?

 

It was when Gohan heard a joyful shout from his father that he finally looked forward, and then he saw the tiny island in the distance, the pink house perched jauntily on it like a hat. He blinked twice, curious about who lived here. Why had his father insisted on taking him here today? Who did his father know that would live way out here like this?

 

The little cloud seemed to know that this was their destination, and it came to a gradual stop a few yards from the front door. Goku leapt off the cloud eagerly, but Gohan hesitated; he had never met anyone other than his family before, and was alarmed by the idea that someone he didn't know obviously lived here. Who was it? What was the person like? Would he like Gohan, or hate him? Gohan looked pleadingly at his father from his perch on the cloud, wondering what he should do next.

 

Goku couldn't believe it. It had been five years since he had seen all of his friends, but things on Master Roshi's island hadn't seemed have changed all that much. Everything looked exactly the same; the only thing that had really changed was himself. Goku smiled as he hopped off the little cloud and landed on the soft sand. I hope everyone is here. I want them all to meet Gohan.

 

Thinking of this, Goku looked up to see the little boy still sitting on the little cloud. "Come on Gohan, jump down. I want you to meet a few friends of mine." He smiled reassuringly at his son. "I am sure they will like you."

 

Friends? Gohan didn't say it, but he was anxious about meeting his father's friends. He had heard so much about them, and about his father's adventures when he was little. He had always wished he could be like that - brave and strong like his father - but he knew he wasn't. His mother always told him that was normal, because he was going to be a great scholar one day, but he was a little envious of the exciting life his father had led. After all, he hadn't been much older than Gohan was now, when he had first started going on dangerous adventures with his friend Bulma.

 

Gohan reluctantly hopped off the little cloud, which had courteously moved closer to the ground to make it easier on him, and trailed closely behind his father as they headed into the house. He scarcely noticed that his father didn't even knock before opening the door. He was too nervous about what sort of person would be inside, and whether or not they might expect more out of him because of who his father was.

 

The little boy was so distracted that he didn't see the man crouched in front of the television. In fact, if he had looked in that direction, he might not have realized that it was a man; the large purple turtle shell almost completely obscured his form from view.

 

"Hey old man!" Goku yelled the moment he set foot in the living room, only to find Roshi crouched down in front of the television watching a bunch of girls do exercises. Why the old man liked to watch these shows that he claimed to be 'educational' was beyond Goku's understanding. But one thing Goku did realize - it would be impossible to get his attention while the show as on.

 

As Goku pondered what to do about this, his stomach growled loudly, informing him that he had not eaten since breakfast. Goku went into the kitchen and threw open the refrigerator only to sigh at the contents. "Kuso, there isn't even enough in here for a snack." He scratched his head. "Oh well, I suppose this will have to be enough."

 

With Gohan still hovering close to him, he began helping himself to food in the refrigerator without bothering to interrupt the old who that was still in the living room watching the exercise show.

 

~~~~~*~~~~~

 

Bulma automatically reached up and brushed a stray tendril of hair that had stubbornly found its way over her eyes. She was tempted to close her eyes and simply revel in the feel of the wind against her skin, but wasn't foolish enough to risk the chance of a crash. Even out here, over the expanse of water with no land currently in sight, there was a chance of hitting something... or even someone. She was too used to creatures that could fly at speeds that could rival or even exceed that of her air-car, and she knew that if she hit one of them, it would probably be her that was hurt, not the creature she hit.

 

Bulma tried to let the feel of the wind and sun on her skin, and the sound of the ocean below her, calm and soothe her nerves. It wasn't easy; she was so angry with Yamcha that it was difficult to keep her anger under control. She couldn't believe that he had done it to her again! It was their anniversary, and of course he had forgotten. He hadn't called or written or anything! She was convinced that he was tired of her; maybe he was even seeing someone else. She tried hard not to think about that.

 

Bulma fought back her tears, blinking them back and letting the wind dry them from her eyes. She wasn't going to let anyone know how upset she was. She had never let them see her crying in the past - well, not often at least - and she wasn't going to start now. She had let them think she was annoyed - angry maybe - but she wasn't going to let anyone see how hurt she was.

 

By the time she could see the tiny island where Muten Roshi had moved back to after he had finished Kuririn's and Goku's early training, she had gotten herself completely under control again, and had even managed to relax herself to some semblance of normality. She knew that most of her friends weren't perceptive enough to see past the outer facade that she exhibited, so they were unlikely to notice that she was upset about anything. She didn't realize that they were also generally too intimidated by her to ask whenever they thought she was upset about something, as well.

 

When the blue-haired genius finally reached the tiny pink house, she leapt from the vehicle and encapsulated it quickly. "Hey old man!" she shouted without ceremony, bursting into the house without knocking. She wasn't surprised to see the hermit crouched in front of his television, the large purple turtle-shell almost obscuring her view of the set. She could still make out what he was watching, and even if she couldn't see it, the sounds would have told her.

 

"One! Two! Three! Four! Lift those legs! Stretch! Stretch!"

 

Bulma rolled her eyes, then walked closer to the old hentai. Roshi was sitting in front of the television, drooling slightly out of the corner of his mouth, staring avidly a number of shapely spandex-clad women in leotards and leg-warmers doing aerobics, and otherwise contorting their bodies into what Bulma considered unlikely positions on the screen. He seemed oblivious to the way Bulma leaned closer to him, as she opened her mouth and shouted as loudly as possible.

 

"HEY OLD MAN!" she yelled directly into his ear, causing his eyes to bug out past his sunglasses and his other ear to go extra large in typical anime fashion.

 

The old man fell over onto his turtle shell, his arms and legs sticking out stiffly in surprise, a look of shock and horror on his features. When he finally managed to right himself, he glared at her in annoyance.

 

"Why did you have to do something like that?" he shouted at her. "I was just watching my...."

 

"I know what you were watching!" Bulma snapped at him irritably. "I also know you would have been staring at that television screen for the next hour! I've come here with what you wanted me to bring, and I'm not going to sit around and wait for you to notice that I'm here!"

 

Roshi's irritation vanished abruptly. He still looked annoyed to have his favorite television show interrupted, but at least he appeared suitably ingratiating. "You brought them for me? My favorite cookies?" He looked hungrily at the plate in her hand.

 

Bulma tossed her head, gratified by his response but not about to admit it. "Of course. You called and asked for them, and besides, I wanted to see how everyone was doing."

 

She wouldn't admit it, but she was also curious to hear news about Yamcha. She hadn't heard from him since their last break-up a month ago, and she was hoping that one of his friends would have heard from him. Almost masochistically she wanted to know if he was already seeing someone else, or if he missed her. She wasn't sure if she wanted to gloat if he was, or if she was hoping to get back with him, or... she really didn't know at all. But the last thing she was going to do was admit to any of that.

 

"So... how are Kuririn... and the others?" she asked, trying to sound casual. "I don't suppose you've heard from any of them lately?"

 

Just then she heard some sounds coming from the kitchen, and without waiting for the old man's response, put the plate down on the coffee table and headed towards the kitchen. "You have someone over? Who...?"

 

She answered her own question when she walked into the kitchen and saw her old friend Goku looking into the refrigerator, a small dark-haired boy clutching nervously at his leg. "Goku! I haven't seen you in years! And who is this?" She knelt down and looked at the little boy, who looked back at her shyly. "And who are you? Goku, is he yours and Chi-Chi's? What's his name, Goku?"

 

"Yup," Goku said, face filled with obvious pride for his young son. "This is my son Gohan." He placed his hand on the little boy's shoulder. "Gohan, this is my friend Bulma. We grew up together. Say hello."

 

Gohan stepped forward timorously, and then bowed to Bulma. "Konnichi wa, Bulma-san," he said politely.

 

Bulma looked at him in delight. "Oh, he's so polite!" she gushed, her eyes sparkling. "Not at all like you were!" She looked up at Goku mischievously. "I hope he is able to tell boys apart from girls without having to pat them!"

 

Gohan blinked at Bulma, confused by his father's embarrassed laugh. Of course he could tell boys from girls! Who couldn't? This woman seemed very strange to him.

 

It was then that Bulma noticed the tail waving behind Gohan, and her eyes widened in shock. It only took a second to realize that she probably should have been expecting it - there was no reason to think that Goku's son wouldn't have a tail. But it hadn't occurred to her for a moment to expect it, either. After all, how many children had tails? Goku had been the only one that she had ever met, and she knew that Goku was unusual in a lot of ways.

 

"He has... a t-t-tail?" she stuttered, staring at the offending appendage. "But... but...." She wasn't sure what she was going to ask, she was just too shocked to think clearly. "Goku, I don't suppose that he's ever done anything unusual, has he?" she asked cautiously, sounding positively fearful.

 

Goku looked a bit startled. "No, why would he do anything odd?" The young man looked a bit confused, wondering why Bulma looked so worried. "Chi-chi doesn't even let me train him."

 

"You've never seen him... change, or anything? Like at night? During the full moon?" Bulma was afraid to say anything directly. She still didn't want Goku to realize that he had been the one to inadvertently kill his grandfather as a baby.

 

Goku looked, if anything, even more confused. "No... but we tend to go to bed early at home. Why?"

 

"Oh, no worries..." Bulma replied in a quavery voice. "Chi-Chi doesn't let you train him?" she asked, changing the subject. "Why not?" That part made her curious. Why wouldn't Chi-Chi let her son be trained?

 

"Gohan is very bright. Chi-Chi wants him to be a scholar when he goes up," Goku said looking a little embarrassed. "She says that fighting is a waste of time."

 

"I see." There was an odd note to Bulma's voice that neither of the other two understood. She seriously wondered why Chi-Chi would think that. After all, the woman herself had been a fighter, and she had chosen to marry the strongest man in the world. Why would she have done so if she thought fighting was a waste of time? Bulma didn't know the other woman well, but she thought that was definitely an odd philosophy to have, considering the circumstances and her own choices.

 

"I want to be a scholar!" the little boy declared, looking at her solemnly. "My mommy says I'll be a great scholar when I grow up!"

 

Bulma looked surprised. "Hasn't your father been teaching you how to fight at all?"

 

Gohan shook his head. "No, my mommy says that it might hurt me, so she won't let me. And she says I don't have time. If I want to be a great scholar, then I have to study all the time."

 

"I see." Bulma wasn't quite sure what to say to that. He was a bit young to know for certain what he wanted to be when he grew up, but it looked like his mother was influencing him a little too strongly. She didn't understand how he could have been kept so sheltered from fighting when he had Goku as his father. She also was fairly certain that it was a mistake. But it wasn't her place to say anything.

 

"How old are you, Gohan?" she asked him gently.

 

The little boy held up four fingers. "I'm four!" he announced.

 

Bulma looked at Goku, her eyes sparkling impishly. "I see you didn't waste any time, did you, Goku?"

 

Goku smiled a little, placing his hand at the back of his head." I guess," he replied, as the big man ruffled his son's hair affectionately. He didn't really understand her statement. "What about you, Bulma? Have you seen Yamcha recently?"

 

Bulma's face darkened at the question. "No, I haven't!" she snapped acidly. "That jerk! Yesterday was our anniversary, but did he call? No! He didn't even write, or send flowers, or anything! I haven't seen him in over a month! I hope I never see him again!"

 

She wasn't about to admit that they'd had a fight and had broken up about a month ago, which was why she hadn't seen him. As far as she was concerned, a 'minor break up' like they always seemed to have was no excuse for him not to at least acknowledge how long they'd been together. After all, how often had they broken up and gotten back together again later?

 

Goku blinked at the sudden tirade. "Oh well, I heard he is playing baseball or something right? Maybe he is just really busy?"

 

"Too busy to remember our anniversary?" Bulma screeched. "That bakayaro! He always forgets things like that! I swear, he deliberately chooses birthdays and anniversaries and holidays to break up with me, so he doesn't have to celebrate them with me! He always wants to spend time with his friends, but never with me!"

 

Bulma stood up, crossing her arms over her chest and turning away from them with a pout. "Well, this time he's going to have to make up for it even more than all the other times, if he ever wants me to forgive him again!"

 

Gohan shifted cautiously behind his father's leg again, suddenly a little afraid of this pretty blue-haired woman. She yelled almost as much as his mother did, and he couldn't help feeling a little intimidated. Her shouting instinctively made him wonder what he had done wrong, and what he could do to make her not be angry with him. He didn't realize that she was angry with someone else and that it wasn't directed at him.

 

Goku reached down, placing a hand on his son's shoulder, somehow sensing his son's distress. "How's Kuririn?" Goku asked, quickly changing the subject. "I haven't seen him either."

 

"Hmph." Bulma's disdainful expression said exactly what she thought about him. "I haven't seen *that* hentai, either! I'll bet those two bakayaros are together somewhere, probably laughing at me and going out with every girl they meet!" She knew she was being irrational, but she wasn't in any mood at the moment to make sense.

 

"Maybe we could get in touch with them?" Goku asked Bulma hopefully. "I wanted them to meet Gohan."

 

Bulma shook her head. "You do know how to use a telephone, don't you, Goku?" She pointed to the phone in Roshi's kitchen. "I'm sure you can call them. Any of us would have been glad to hear from you, but you never bothered to call." She dismissed the fact that she had never called him either, using the excuse that she had been too busy, and he had been a newlywed and she hadn't wanted to interrupt him. She knew that any excuse she gave could also be applied to him, but she was very good at ignoring those things.

 

"I'm pretty sure that Roshi has Kuririn's phone number on speed dial, and if he doesn't, I can give it to you."

 

"Oh." Goku blinked. "I really don't like to use phones. Can you call Kuririn for me? Then maybe he can call Yamcha, if you don't want to talk to him."

 

Bulma blinked at Goku and sighed. "All right, I suppose." She picked up the receiver of Roshi's phone, and looked at the speed dial number for Kuririn. She tapped it, and waited for him to answer.

 

"Moshi moshi!" She heard his chipper voice on the other end.

 

In a fit of contrariness, Bulma decided to play a prank on Goku. "Hello, Kuririn! Someone wants to talk to you!" she announced, then shoved the receiver at Goku. "You talk to him!" she insisted. "He's your best friend, after all!"

 

Goku made a face at Bulma and took the phone. "Hello Kuririn, it's Goku." He couldn't explain why, but he really hated talking on the phone. "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

 

"Uh... nope!" Even though he couldn't see Kuririn's face, somehow he knew the small man was smiling, with his hand behind his head in embarrassed pleasure. "Goku, is that you? Hey, Goku, I haven't heard from you in years! How ya been? And how's that really cute wife of yours been?" Somehow Goku knew he had a leering look on his face as he said this, even without seeing him in person.

 

"Chi-Chi is fine, Kuririn." Goku paused for a moment. "Bulma and I are at Kamesennin's for a visit. Why don't you get a hold of Yamcha and come over?"

 

"Yamcha?" Goku could hear how surprised Kuririn sounded by that. There was an odd sort of hesitancy, but Goku couldn't tell where it came from. "Sure, man. We'll come over. Is there something wrong? Anyone we have to save the world from?" He was only half-joking with the question. Too often when they had gotten together there had been that sort of necessity, and even though he didn't sense that sort of urgency in Goku's voice, he couldn't really tell.

 

"No, nothing like that!" Goku chuckled a bit. "There is someone I want you to meet, that's all."

 

"Someone to meet, huh?" Kuririn chuckled nervously. "Well, since you're married, I'm guessing you want to introduce me to someone then, huh?" Kuririn could only assume that Goku meant a girl. "Although if you want Yamcha to come as well, then I don't have a chance." He sighed despondently.

 

"Chance?" Goku blinked. " Chance at what?" The big man was a little puzzled by Kuririn's wording. "You'll get a chance to meet him, that's for sure."

 

"Him?" Kuririn laughed in embarrassment, realizing he had misunderstood. "Oh, it's not a girl you have there! That's good, I suppose! Well, then I guess we should come over there and meet whoever it is that you want us to!" He was curious about this now. He had no idea who Goku was going to introduce them to. "Are you going to give me any hints?" he wheedled. "You're not going to keep us in suspense here, are you?"

 

Goku couldn't help laughing softly. "No, I am not giving you any hints. You'll have to wait until you get here to find out."

 

Kuririn nodded, even though he knew his friend couldn't see it. "All right, we'll be over in a jiff! Yamcha's got a really cool new ride, and he'd love to show it off, I'm sure!"

 

Goku handed the phone back to Bulma after Kuririn had hung up. "Kuririn says that he and Yamcha will be over. It sounds like he bought a new car."

 

Bulma placed the phone back on the hook while staring at Goku in blank confusion. "Who bought a new car? Kuririn? I didn't think he could afford something like that! Or do you mean Yamcha?" Her face darkened again. "That jerk! I'll bet he bought it so he could show it off to all the girls! All he ever wants to do is flirt, he doesn't care about me! His first chance at another girl and I'm sure he'll leave me!"

 

"Umm, Bulma maybe..." He trailed off uncertainly. If there was one thing that made him nervous it was an angry female. "Well, it will be great to see everyone here again. I have missed all of you."

 

"I suppose." Bulma sighed. She didn't want to admit it, but she wanted to see Yamcha again. She was glad that she had dressed nicely and put her hair up in an attractive way, especially if she was going to see him again. She wanted him to realize what he was missing out on. She couldn't admit to herself that she was jealous and wanted him back. She also couldn't admit that neither of them had been happy in their relationship for the past year, possibly longer. She wasn't sure what was missing between them, but there was definitely something. She had tried desperately to get that spark back, but lately it seemed hopeless.

 

That thought depressed her more than she wanted to admit. She was no longer the sixteen-year-old girl that she had been when she had met him. She was almost ten years older now, and past what was considered marriageable age. She knew that if she didn't do something soon that she would be quite firmly on the shelf for the rest of her life, and she was getting desperate. She was starting to believe that Yamcha was it; that he was all she would ever have in life, so she had better make things work between them or she would be alone for the rest of her life.

 

"Well, if everyone's coming over, then I guess you'll need something to eat," she stated, trying to be practical. "Although how Chi-Chi ever manages to keep up with you, I'll never know. I'm just not that good at it, so you boys are going to have to put up with that."

 

Goku stomach growled. "If you don't mind?" he asked, smiling sweetly at her, reminding Bulma of that twelve-year-old boy that she had met all those years ago.

 

Bulma sighed. She didn't enjoy cooking, but she knew how to do it. She might not be as good as Chi-Chi, but no one had ever complained about her cooking before. Mostly, though, she baked sweets, like cookies and cakes, even though she did have a few other specialties.

 

"I suppose it depends on what Roshi has in his cupboards and refrigerator, doesn't it?" She made a shooing motion at Goku and his son. "Why don't the two of you get out from underfoot while I try to whip up something that will satisfy your appetites? Maybe... maybe teach that son of yours a few moves. Certainly he can't be completely incompetent in that area, can he?"

 

"I don't think Chi-Chi would like it," Goku said thoughtfully. "But I can take him out on the beach for awhile. Come on, Gohan!" He gestured for his son to follow him.

 

Gohan trotted after his father, automatically taking Goku's hand as the large man led him out of the house. He couldn't help feeling more than a twinge of curiosity and longing at the idea of learning some of these 'moves' that his father knew, and couldn't prevent the disappointment that his father was going to continue to heed his mother's demands. Sometimes he wished that his father would disobey her, that Goku would go ahead and train him anyway. But he didn't have the courage to ask his father to do so, and he didn't think that Goku would do it on his own.

 

Bulma was surprised at Goku's comment, but decided it wasn't her business to interfere. Instead she turned her attention to the contents of the refrigerator, pulling various foodstuffs out of the cupboards in preparation to beginning a meal.

 

~~~~~*~~~~~

 

After putting the phone back on the cradle, Kuririn turned to look at Yamcha hesitantly. "I know you heard everything we were talking about. So... do you want to go over there, or not?" He was hoping Yamcha wouldn't back down, even if he were reluctant. He had promised, after all, and he didn't like going back on his promises.

 

Yamcha sighed deeply. "It's not fair, Kuririn. I don't think I am ready to see her yet. I know it has been a month but...." He ran a hand through his long black hair and sighed again. "She'll want to pick up from where we left off. And yesterday would have been our anniversary. Bulma will have a fit."

 

Kuririn scratched his head and nodded. "Well, dude, I can understand that. But I think you have to. And besides, we haven't seen Goku in five years! You want to see him, right? And he seems to think it's important."

 

Kuririn walked over to the couch and sat down across from Yamcha, looking at him sympathetically. "But you really should talk to her anyway. And I'll be there, you know. So will everyone else. You don't have to be alone with her if you don't want to be. But you're going to have to face her sometime."

 

Yamcha's features brightened when Kuririn mentioned Goku. He had heard that the younger man had gotten married and was curious to see how he was doing. He also wanted to see how much stronger Goku had become. "Well, I do want to see Goku," he agreed with a small nod.

 

Kuririn smiled at Yamcha, looking relieved. "Well then, why don't we go? We really should find out what Goku wants, at least. We owe him that much." He didn't say it, but they both knew that they each owed Goku their lives, several times over.

 

Yamcha smiled at Kuririn. "All right, let's go! I do want to see him again, and I can also show off my new car."

 

Kuririn grinned mischievously at his taller friend. "I knew you'd want to do that!" he chirped. "Well, it's not getting any earlier!"

 

The two of them seemed almost to compete for who could get to Yamcha's car the fastest. As always, Kuririn won, but only by a little bit. Neither of them was really trying to beat the other too much, it was just a game they liked to play.

 

As the car sped towards Roshi's, Kuririn closed his eyes and let the wind wash over his head. He had no idea what it felt like to have wind running through his hair, since he had been shaving his head ever since he was a tiny boy. He still liked the feel of it on his bare scalp, however, and couldn't help smiling as Yamcha spun the car into a higher gear, revving the engine and going faster than he really should have.

 

It didn't take long for the two of them to arrive at the turtle master's small island. Kuririn smiled happily when he saw Goku on the beach, although at first he couldn't make out what he was doing. Then he saw the small form near him, a tiny being that darted out from under Goku's feet, heading towards something that Goku seemed to have thrown. Kuririn wondered who that was and what that person was doing there, but didn't have a chance to say anything, as Yamcha landed the car at just that moment.

 

Yamcha jumped out of the car, smiling as he spotted the younger man. "Hey, Goku!"

 

Goku looked up when he heard his name being called. He didn't even have to see who it was to know that it was two of his oldest friends; he had sensed their ki a ways off. "Yamcha! Kuririn! Hello!!!" He waved at them cheerfully as they approached.

 

"How have you been?" Yamcha asked him, noticing the little boy who had made his way over to Goku and was gripping his leg.

 

Goku smiled. "I've been great!"

 

Yamcha eyed the young boy curiously. "Who's the kid? You babysitting?" Though the thought of Goku babysitting was mind-boggling, what the young man told them next had the baseball player's eyes bugging out in shock.

 

"He's my son, Gohan," Goku explained.

 

Kuririn stared at Goku in surprise. "You're kidding! The little squirt is yours?" He didn't have to crouch to be almost at eye level to the little boy, but he did stoop slightly, not wanting to frighten the obviously timid boy. "So, how old are you, kid? You can't be more than...." He looked at Goku and did the math. "You can't be more than four, I guess."

 

The little boy solemnly held up four fingers, and Kuririn smiled. "That's kind of what I guessed." He grinned wickedly at Goku. "You didn't waste any time, did you?" he asked, unconsciously repeating Bulma's question a while earlier.

 

Goku shrugged. "I guess. Bulma said the same thing." The big man scratched his head. "She's here, by the way, making lunch in Muten Roshi's kitchen."

 

"Lunch?" Kuririn blinked at him. "Bulma's cooking?" That was a surprise to him. In all the time he had known her, she had never wanted to cook for them. Goku had mentioned that when he was little and the two of them were hunting dragonballs that she had cooked for them then, but Kuririn himself had never eaten anything she had made. He was under the impression that she would avoid a kitchen like most people would avoid a swamp.

 

He glanced at Yamcha, and automatically said the first thing that popped into his mouth, without considering the consequences. "At least you don't have to see her right away." He immediately snapped his mouth shut and flushed in embarrassment. "I didn't mean it that way," he said hastily to Goku, afraid of how his best friend might interpret that statement.

 

Goku eyed Yamcha curiously. "You broke up with her again?" he asked.

 

Yamcha's mouth dropped open in surprise. "How did you know that?"

 

"She told me you did."

 

"Oh." Yamcha looked down at his feet before looking back up at Goku. He wasn't about to explain to one of his oldest friends that he was having serious problems in that regard. Lately Bulma had been hinting at marriage, and though this had been what he had wanted when they were younger, something about it didn't seem quite right anymore. Yamcha still loved her, of this he was certain, but it wasn't the romantic love of their youth. Now he found himself thinking of her more as a sister, and it puzzled him.

 

The fighter was completely convinced there was something wrong with him. Bulma was an extremely beautiful girl, yet he still couldn't bring himself to touch her. He had gone to talk to Kuririn, thinking that maybe his childhood problem of being afraid of girls had come back, but the bald monk, while he had listened, hadn't had an answer for him either.

 

"It's ok," Goku said, drawing Yamcha's attention from his thoughts. "I mean, you two always break up and get back together, right?"

 

"Yeah," Yamcha agreed with a shrug. "That's true." But since I know I can't marry her anymore, it isn't fair to her, either. I need to tell her that it's over.

 

Kuririn had the feeling that Goku assumed this was just another temporary break-up, but like Yamcha, he sensed it was more serious. He also knew Bulma could be fairly stubborn and insensitive if something wasn't working the way she wanted or expected, so she was probably being subconsciously or even deliberately oblivious to the signs.

 

He didn't really understand it entirely. He knew that if he were in Yamcha's place, he would never let a girl like Bulma go. She was the most beautiful girl that he had ever known, and to top it off she was smart and rich. Plus she also knew what all of them were and didn't have a problem with it, unlike a lot of girls that he had met. No, if he were Yamcha, and he was dating Bulma, he would never even consider breaking up with her.

 

But he knew that his friend was unhappy, and he suspected that Bulma might be as well. He knew her volatile nature, and suspected that Yamcha wasn't the one for her. He didn't know if his friend would be able to keep her attention and interest forever. He wasn't entirely sure why she stayed with Yamcha, unless she was simply afraid to look for anything else.

 

The short bald monk sighed. He didn't like seeing his friends hurt, and he suspected there would be a lot more hurt before this was resolved. He hoped he wouldn't have to get in the middle of it, but had the feeling that it would be inevitable. Bulma was too temperamental, and she would run roughshod over Yamcha if no one interfered. Goku was too innocent, too simple, to really understand it, and Roshi would either not care, or would egg them on. No, it would be up to him to try to keep things leashed and under control, although he didn't know how he would do it. It was ironic that the person he was most afraid of was a blue-haired girl who didn't have the smallest bit of fighting power, but that was just the way it was.

 

"Well, I guess we should get it over with," he said with a sigh of resignation, not realizing how that sounded.

 

Yamcha sighed. "I suppose." He looked as despondent as he sounded. "But I have to do it. She isn't going to like it, but for once I have to tell her the truth. "

 

"About what?" Goku asked puzzled.

 

Yamcha simply smiled at his friend. "It's ok." He looked over at Kuririn with a resigned air. "If you hear a crash, come and save me."

 

"Save you from what?" The feminine voice coming from the front door made all of them turn to look.

 

"Uh oh," Kuririn muttered. "Look out." But his warning was unnecessary. Yamcha paled under Bulma's withering stare.

 

"Well? What do you have to say for yourself?" Bulma demanded angrily, her blue eyes snapping with fury. "Our anniversary was yesterday, but I'm sure you knew that. You always break up right before anniversaries, just so you don't have to deal with them, don't you?"

 

"Bulma, we really need to....." Yamcha stopped in mid-sentence and frowned, looking out over the distance as a sudden familiar feeling hit him in the stomach. "What the hell?" he asked, looking at Goku. The look on the larger man's face told him that he also felt the power.

 

Goku frowned looking off into the distance, knowing that the others felt the ki blast as well. "That feels like Piccolo's ki."

 

"PICCOLO!?" Yamcha shouted. He remembered the last fight with the green demon king and he wasn't about to get involved in whatever it was he was doing. "No way. That's not possible." He turned away from Bulma, their conversation forgotten, and demanded of Goku, "Isn't he dead?"

 

Goku nodded. "Well..." he looked away again, apparently sensing something he didn't like.

 

"Oh man!" Kuririn exclaimed, slapping his forehead. "We really don't want to get involved with anything that has to do with him, do we?"

 

"What are you guys talking about?" Bulma demanded furiously. She was convinced that they were faking this in order to get Yamcha out of talking to her. She didn't know why Kuririn and Goku would be involved in something like that, but she couldn't believe that just when she was going to get the truth out of Yamcha.... Not that she knew what that truth was, but she knew that something had to be resolved, she just wasn't sure what. "If you're just making this up...."

 

Goku shook his head. "Piccolo is out there."

 

Yamcha studied the horizon for a few moments before frowning. "Goku...."

 

"I felt it." Goku looked worried. "I think we need to go."

 

Kuririn sighed. "I knew you were going to say that."

 

"Wait just a damn minute!" Bulma marched towards them angrily. "You are not about to go traipsing off and leave me here! Not after I made you lunch! If you're going, you are NOT leaving me behind!" She poked one finger into Yamcha's chest. "Especially not until after you've talked to me!"

 

Yamcha held up his hands. "Trust me, Bulma, this is probably something I should have done a while ago. I won't go anywhere until we have our discussion."

 

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You're right about that, because wherever you guys are going, I'm going with you!" She pulled a capsule out of her pocket and tossed it, where it exploded into a sleek air car. "Well? Are we going to whatever you guys are so fascinated about, or not?" she demanded with her hands on her hips.

 

Yamcha glanced at Goku. "Bulma's car may be faster."

 

Goku nodded his agreement and moved towards the car along with Yamcha. "Coming, Kuririn?" It was at this point that he noticed Gohan standing silently and watching them. "Gohan maybe...." Chi-Chi would kill him if he took Gohan to a fight with him but he didn't want to leave him behind. "Bulma, can you keep an eye on Gohan for me?"

 

Bulma's eyes gleamed dangerously. "I'm going with you, you know. None of *you* are going to drive my car!" She smiled at the little boy, her face softening. "I'll watch him. I'll make sure he doesn't get into trouble." She cast a sardonic look at the house. "He'll be safer at the fight with me than he would be if you left him here with that hentai Roshi! Especially if your wife found out!"

 

She lifted Gohan onto Goku's lap, then hopped into her car and revved the engine, waiting for the other warriors to climb into the back seat. She smiled at Goku as he sat next to her with his son on his lap. "Buckle up!" she ordered the men, doing so herself. She didn't wait for them to respond as she took off abruptly.

 

To be continued....

 

~~~~~*~~~~~

 

And in the next exciting episode of DragonBall Z: Crossed Paths... The battle against Nappa.