The sun hung high in the sky, an unrelenting ball of fire that scorched the desert below. The ground was cracked and broken, a barren wasteland that stretched endlessly into the horizon. Waves of heat shimmered in the distance, giving the illusion of water where none could possibly exist. Bulma’s lips were chapped, her throat dry and aching from the oppressive, bone-dry air, and her skin glistened with sweat, the salty droplets trickling down her back and forehead.

“Ugh, I can’t take much more of this heat,” she muttered to herself, her hands gripping the controls of the small vehicle they had been traveling on for hours. The desert stretched in every direction, and the occasional rock formation offered little in the way of shade. The landscape was nothing but an endless sea of sand and dry hills, their shadows growing long as the sun began to inch toward the horizon.

Behind her, Goku leaned against the curved back support, his eyes closed and his arms tucked comfortably behind his head as if lounging on a beach instead of in the middle of an unforgiving desert, completely unaffected by the scorching conditions. The blistering heat didn’t seem to bother him in the slightest. He grinned up at the sky, seemingly fascinated by the endless blue.

“How much longer, Bulma?” Goku asked, breaking the silence with his usual eager curiosity. His eyes sparkled as he squinted into the distance, clearly excited for whatever lay ahead.

stomping down the obvious question she was about to ask as to how he was so nonchalant, she glanced down at the Dragon Radar in front of her, its rhythmic beeping syncing with the faint hum of their vehicle.

Bulma bit back a sarcastic response, suppressing the obvious question of how Goku could possibly be so relaxed in this inferno. Instead, she focused on the Dragon Radar in front of her, its rhythmic beeping filling the quiet desert air. She checked it against her map, one she had practically ingrained in her brain as she tried to estimate their next destination.

"We're heading southwest," she said, "Based on the radar, the next Dragon Ball is near the ocean. Still a long way to go though… maybe another day or two before we reach the coast."

Goku perked up at the mention of the ocean. “The ocean? I’ve never seen the ocean before! Is it big?”

Bulma chuckled despite herself, wiping a bead of sweat from her brow. “Big doesn’t even begin to cover it, Goku. It’s endless water as far as you can see in every direction.”

Goku’s eyes widened, his childlike wonder on full display. “Wow! I can’t wait to see it!”

Bulma sighed. Despite the exhaustion weighing her down, there was something about Goku’s boundless enthusiasm that was almost infectious.

‘He’s like a puppy,’ she thought, shaking her head. “Well, don’t get too excited. We’re not going to make it there tonight. The sun’s setting soon, and I don’t want to be stuck out here when it gets cold.”

She scanned the landscape as the sky began to shift from blinding white to warm orange, casting long shadows across the dunes. Up ahead, two large rock formations loomed, their jagged edges rising out of the sand like ancient, weathered guardians. The area between them looked relatively flat—solid enough for setting up camp.

“There,” Bulma said, pointing. “We’ll camp here for the night.”

She pulled out a small capsule from her bag, pressing the button and tossing it into the open space. With a satisfying pop and a puff of smoke, a small house materialized, complete with a bedroom, bathroom, and everything they’d need for a comfortable night’s stay.

Never before had she run that quickly to open a door. “Shower time!” Bulma said loudly, almost in a singsong voice, desperate to wash the layer of sweat and sand from her body.

Without a second thought, she ran to the run, peeling off her boots and socks as she went.

Goku, as curious as always, followed her, his steps light and casual.

“ooo shower time!” he said innocently, strolling right into the bathroom after her without the slightest hint of hesitation.

Bulma had already stripped down to her underwear, her shirt tossed carelessly on the ground as she prepared to step into the shower. She froze in place when she saw Goku standing there, looking completely oblivious to the situation. Her face turned crimson in an instant. "Goku! What the hell are you doing in here?!"

Goku blinked, tilting his head to the side. “What? What’s the problem?”

Bulma grabbed the nearest towel and held it up to cover herself, her eyes wide with a mix of shock and frustration.

“You can’t just walk in on people like this! I’m half-naked! Ever heard of privacy?”

Goku’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Privacy? But you’re not naked. And why’s it bad to see someone naked, anyway? Grandpa never said anything about this.”

Bulma’s frustration boiled over, and she pointed toward the door, her voice rising. “It’s called manners, Goku! Boys aren’t supposed to see girls without their clothes on!”

"Oh," Goku replied, still not quite understanding but stepping out of the bathroom, nonetheless. "Sorry about that."

Bulma watched him go, still fuming but too tired to keep yelling. She shook her head, muttering under her breath. “Unbelievable…” before turning the faucet and entering the tub once the water was hot enough.

After her shower, Bulma emerged from the capsule house, her hair still damp, wrapped in a towel. The desert air was much cooler now, the sun having dipped below the horizon, leaving behind a sky streaked with deep purples and reds. She spotted Goku outside, already in the middle of his training routine, his body moving gracefully through a series of stretches and punches.

For the first time, as Goku stretched and shifted, Bulma noticed something strange—something she hadn’t seen before. Wrapped tightly around his waist, like a belt, was a tail. A real, furry tail.

Bulma’s eyes widened in surprise. A tail? She stepped closer, her curiosity piqued.

“Hey, Goku… you have a tail?”

Goku paused mid-punch and turned toward her, looking as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

“Oh, yeah! Grandpa always told me to keep it wrapped around me. He said it’s safer that way.”

Bulma blinked, completely thrown by the casual way he said it. “Safer? Safer from what?”

“I dunno,” Goku said, scratching his head. “Grandpa never really explained. He just told me to keep it wrapped so I wouldn’t get into trouble.”

“Trouble?” Bulma echoed, more intrigued than ever. “Does it do something? Like… is it dangerous?”

“Nah,” Goku replied with a shrug, still completely unbothered. “It’s just my tail. I can move it around and stuff.” and as demonstration he unwrapped the tail before moving it around.

Bulma leaned in, studying it with a mix of fascination and disbelief. “You really are full of surprises, aren’t you?”

She then added, after a moment of thought, “Wait a minute… how old are you, Goku?”

“I’m 15!” Goku answered proudly.

Bulma’s jaw dropped slightly. “Fifteen?! You’re kidding, right? I’m 15 too, but you’re… so different.”

Goku looked at her, puzzled. “Different how?”

Bulma crossed her arms, her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to piece together the enigma standing before her.

“You’re a freak of nature, that’s what. A tail, super strength, and apparently no clue about basic social skills…”

Goku laughed, clearly not offended.

Bulma just shook her head, still amazed by everything she was learning about him.

‘This kid is something else…’ she thought.

“Well anyway, you can come back in… I’m gonna cook some food.” Bulma said with her back against Goku making the notion with her arm.

Goku's face lit up with anticipation, his eyes widening and a trail of saliva escaping from the corner of his mouth. "FOOD?!" he exclaimed in an almost comical fashion, and followed as fast as he could.

Bulma turned on the stove and prepared a meal. The smell of food soon filled the air, and Goku, sitting cross-legged nearby, eagerly watched as the steam rose from the cooking pot.

When the food was finally ready, Bulma barely had time to hand him a plate before Goku dove in, devouring the meal at a pace she’d never seen before. He tore through bowl after bowl, barely pausing to breathe.

she finally managed to find the time to eat her own food as she had prepared larger meals to keep Goku busy, yet even those were no match for him as he devoured them one at a time.

“How… do you eat so much?” Bulma asked, staring in awe as Goku shoveled food into his mouth. “You’re like a bottomless pit!”

Goku laughed through a mouthful of rice. “I’m always hungry! Grandpa said it’s normal for me.”

Bulma groaned, watching as her carefully rationed supplies vanished at an alarming rate. “Well, if you keep eating like this, we’re going to run out of food real fast.”

Despite the light tone of her words, a hint of worry flickered through her mind. While she had planned carefully for supplies, Goku’s appetite wasn’t something she had anticipated. Still, there was no use dwelling on it now. For tonight, they just needed rest.

As the stars began to twinkle overhead, Bulma stood up, dusting off her hands. “Alright, I need a real bed after today.”

She turned and headed upstairs toward the bedroom, the door sliding open smoothly as she entered. Bulma began setting up the bed, smoothing out a blanket, and preparing for what she hoped would be a good night’s sleep.

A few moments later, Goku poked his head through the door. “What are you doing?” he asked, curious as always.

“I’m getting ready for bed,” Bulma replied, fluffing a pillow as she spoke. She turned to him, hands on her hips.

“Look, Goku, you’re not sharing the bed with me, okay? Boys and girls don’t sleep in the same bed unless, you know, they’re married or something.”

Goku blinked, clearly confused. “Why not? It’s just a bed.”

Bulma sighed, exasperated. “Because it’s weird! Boys and girls just don’t do that unless they’re a couple or married. It’s how things work.” She could see the lack of understanding on his face and decided not to press the point any further.

“Look, you can sleep on the floor or go back outside and train, okay? Just stay out of the bed.”

Goku, ever cheerful and unfazed, grinned.

“Okay! I’ll just train outside then.” Without a second thought, he turned and disappeared back into the night, eager to continue his exercises.

Bulma stood there for a moment, shaking her head. ‘How is he so energetic all the time? She wondered to herself. We’ve been traveling all day, and he’s still ready to go like nothing happened.’

As she finished preparing the bed, she thought back to the brief moments of conversation they’d shared together—how Goku had mentioned his grandfather, how simple and strange his life had seemed compared to her own. He was unlike anyone she’d ever met, and despite his frustrating lack of social awareness, there was something endearing about him.

Outside, under the blanket of stars, Goku was already back to his routine. His silhouette moved gracefully in the moonlight, his body twisting and bending as he practiced his martial arts forms. His movements were smooth, fluid—almost like a dance. His tail, now unwrapped from his waist, flicked behind him as he balanced and shifted, adding to the animal-like grace of his motions.

From inside the capsule house, Bulma watched him through the window, her towel wrapped tightly around her damp hair. She paused, staring for a moment, unable to look away. Despite everything—despite his lack of understanding of basic social norms, despite his obliviousness—there was something undeniably captivating about him.

She had never seen someone so effortlessly strong yet so innocent. His power was undeniable, but it was wrapped in this pure, childlike naivety.

‘How does someone like him exist?’ she wondered. ‘He’s fifteen, just like me, but he’s so different. So... unburdened.’

After a while, Bulma stepped outside, her curiosity getting the better of her. Goku was in the middle of a particularly intricate series of movements when she called out, “Hey, Goku!”

He paused, his body mid-stretch as he looked over at her with wide, bright eyes. “Yeah, Bulma?”

She walked closer, her eyes falling on his tail again. “I’ve been meaning to ask... about your tail. Does it hurt if someone pulls on it?”

Goku straightened up, glancing at his tail before turning to Bulma and scratching the back of his head.

“um, yeah, but it kinda depends on the force and not so much pulling but squeezing,” he answered excitedly with apparent concern in regards to critical information about his weakness.

“But it’s so weird... I’ve never met anyone with a tail before.” Bulma responds, making sure to remember that piece of information without pointing out his error.

“Grandpa said I’m special because of it. I always thought everyone had one until he explained it to me.”

Shaking her head, Bulma couldn’t help but laugh. “You really are something, Goku.”

He grinned back at her, his innocence and cheerfulness making her smile despite herself.

There was something refreshing about him—a simplicity that cut through the confusion and chaos of her own life.

No pretenses, no complications, just... Goku.

“Alright,” she said, finally turning back toward the house. “I’m heading to bed. You have fun training, okay?”

“Okay!” Goku called back, already spinning into another move. “Goodnight, Bulma!”

“Goodnight, Goku,” she replied softly, her voice carrying on the night breeze as she slipped back inside.

“Hey Goku!” Bulma shouted while leaning out through the door.

“What is Bulma?” Goku responded unbothered by her interruptions.

“You do know what you said about your tail is a critical weakness, right? Don’t tell that to anyone.”

Goku grinned sheepishly as he rubbed his head. “Yeah…” he paused. “But I trust you.”

“We’ve only known each other for like a day”

“Yeah, but you seem like a good person.” Goku responded back.

Bulma, noticing a little too much blood flow to her face, quickly went back inside. “Jeez… this guy.” She muttered under her breath before shaking her head and heading back up to her room.

As Bulma lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, she found herself thinking about Goku. He was nothing like anyone she had met before, and yet, she felt oddly comfortable with him.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

‘He’s weird... but he’s kind of sweet,’ she thought, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips as she pulled the blanket up around her.

‘And maybe a little too strong for his own good.’

With that last thought, she drifted off to sleep, the soft sounds of Goku’s training outside providing an oddly comforting rhythm in the quiet desert night.

The sun had barely crested over the horizon when the peaceful morning quiet was shattered by the sound of the door being kicked open with a resounding slam.

Bulma stormed out of the house, her face twisted in frustration.

Goku followed close behind, his hands raised defensively, a concerned expression plastered across his face. “But, Bulma, I can’t control myself when I’m sleeping!”

Bulma whipped around to face him, her eyes narrowing in anger. “Then tape your mouth shut, or… or just fucking train yourself to stop snoring, like you train for all the other stuff! I swear, Goku, I think my ears are bleeding because of you!” She placed her hands on her hips and glared at him. “Do you know how many sleeping pills I had to take last night?!”

Goku blinked innocently, trying to grasp what she was so upset about. “But I can’t help it when I’m sleeping. I’m not even awake!”

“That’s exactly the problem, you idiot!” Bulma fumed, pacing back and forth. “You need to figure it out, or I’ll lose my mind!”

“Well… maybe you should try sleeping harder?” Goku suggested, his tone completely genuine.

Bulma froze in place, her mouth hanging open as she stared at him in disbelief. “Sleep… harder? Unbelievable…”

As they continued their bickering, Goku absentmindedly wandered away from the house, his attention shifting to the surrounding desert. He stretched his arms and yawned, “So, where’s the next Dragon Ball, Bulma? You got that radar thing out?”

Bulma was still fuming, shoving her supplies into her bag with more force than necessary. “We’ll figure it out after we pack up. But first, you need to—”

“I was thinking—what if we tried flying next time? It’d be faster than the bike, right?” Goku said, his tone casual, his gaze still directed at the open desert. He waited for her response, but the silence that followed felt off.

He paused, frowning slightly.

“Bulma?”

Nothing. No snarky reply, no irritated comeback.

Just silence.

Goku’s brow furrowed as he turned around, confusion on his face. “Bulma, you okay?”

His innocent curiosity quickly evaporated as he took in the scene of Bulma standing still, wide-eyed, with a man’s arm wrapped tightly around her, a knife glinting dangerously against her throat. The bandit’s eyes were locked on Goku, daring him to make a move.

His demeanor completely changed. “Let her go.” Goku’s voice came out firm as he demanded with authority, his eyes narrowing as he sized up the situation.

The bandit tightened his grip on Bulma, pressing the knife closer to her skin.

“Take one step and she’s dead, kid. You hear me? Hand over everything you’ve got—the capsules, the money, all of it! Or I’ll slit her throat right here.”

Bulma’s heart raced as she felt the cold steel against her neck. "G-Goku!"

Goku stood still for a moment, his eyes narrowing as he processed the situation. The man holding Bulma was tall and muscular, his eyes filled with a ruthless gleam. A flicker of uncertainty danced beneath the surface, causing tiny flinches unnoticed by many but stood out vividly to Goku, revealing a hint of hesitancy in his actions.

Goku would take his time because this bandit would not kill.

And so an unnatural pause came to be as all noise had died down with only the howling desert wind left to fill the void. The bandit had become uncomfortable; his stance betraying his earlier confidence from the unceasing stare of the boy.

"Kreeeek-kreeek-krrrrrreeeeeee!" A sharp, piercing screech rang out brutally interrupting the silence and prompting the bandit to look at the sky in surprise.

With a swift motion, Goku hurled his power pole at the bandit, striking him square in the forehead.

“Acck!” The man stumbled backward, dropping the knife and releasing Bulma with an instinctive reaction of touching his forehead. The bandit had lost his balance and fell down before holding himself off the ground with his left hand.

Goku’s swift action allowed Bluma to scramble away, gasping for breath. She came to surprisingly quick, and stumbled her way back into the capsule house while coughing uncontrollably.

The bandit, regaining his balance, glared at Goku with fury. "You shouldn’t have done that, kid." He began to take a stance

His feet planted firmly on the ground, shoulder-width apart. His body slightly crouched, ready to pounce. His arms raised in front of him, bent at a 90-degree angle, with his fingers extended like claws.

‘Wolf Fang Fist!!!’ the bandit’s body coiled and ready for attack, lunged forward, his hands blurred with such speed that they appeared as sharp claws poised to strike.

Goku's eyes lit up with excitement as he recognized the stance. His grandfather had taught him about various martial arts styles, and this one was unmistakable. The Wolf Fang Fist, a technique known for its ferocity and speed.

As the bandit lunged forward, Goku's muscles tensed, his body instinctively shifting into a defensive posture. The air around them seemed to crackle with energy, the desert sand swirling in tiny eddies at their feet.

The bandit's hands, blurred with speed, slashing through the air like phantom claws. Goku ducked and weaved, his smaller stature allowing him to slip under the first volley of strikes. The whoosh of air above his head was a testament to the power behind each attack.

Goku countered with a swift uppercut, his fist shooting upwards with surprising force for such a young boy. The bandit, caught off-guard by the speed and strength of the counter, barely managed to lean back, the punch grazing his chin.

The two fighters separated, circling each other warily. The bandit's eyes narrowed, reassessing his opponent. This was no ordinary child.

"Not bad, kid," the bandit growled, a hint of respect in his voice. "But let's see how you handle this!"

He launched into another flurry of attacks, his hands moving so fast they left afterimages in the air. Goku blocked and parried, his forearms absorbing the impact of each blow. The sound of their exchange echoed across the desert, a rapid-fire staccato of flesh meeting flesh.

Goku felt his blood singing in his veins, a wide grin spreading across his face. This was what he lived for—the thrill of a fight. He began to push back, his own attacks becoming more aggressive.

The two fighters began to dance around each other, switching between nimble and fierce footwork and transitioning from attacking to defending as if engaged in a game of tug of war. Even with such focus on the battle, they did not stray far from the origin of the confrontation.

The battleground quickly became littered with deep furrows in the ground, marking their pivot points and demonstrating the power behind their movements

The bandit managed to land a solid hit on Goku's shoulder, sending the boy spinning. But Goku used the momentum to his advantage, turning it into a roundhouse kick that caught the bandit in the ribs.

The fighters separated again with the bandit breathing heavily. He wiped a trickle of blood from his lip, his eyes wide with a mix of surprise and grudging admiration. But, any excitement that had built up withing soon came crashing down once he laid upon the boy. There seemed to have been no apparent damage on him, he held the same rhythmic breathing since the beginning of the battle, and …

‘is that a tail?’ The Bandit thought to himself questioning his own sanity.

"Who... who are you, kid?" he panted.

Goku straightened up, adopting a serious expression with his tail dancing behind him. "My name is Son Goku, honored grandson and pupil of the late Son Gohan, and proud user of the Turtle style." he said proudly.

"Wait, you tellin me that you know Master Roshi?" The bandit exclaimed, taken by surprise. "How old even are you, kid?"

Goku relaxed his expression with his body slightly drooping down, “15, but uhm…who’s Roshi, wait… who are you?” he asked confused with a tilt to his head.

‘fifteeeen?!’ The bandit thought himself, his eyes widening in wonder.

stammering through his words he tried give an answer, “ I’m…t-the name’s Yamcha, and I…”

bang

silence took over once again with both the fighters eyes wide with surprised, shocked at the turn of events. Yamcha looked down upon himself before discovering a gaping hole upon his chest. there was no blood as whatever projectile had pierced him, had also fried what it came in contact with.

Yamcha, his body going rigid with his face frozen in shock was overcome with fear before opening his mouth to say something.

“…”

yet nothing could come out and soon after his eyes rolled back before his body fell forward hitting the ground with a loud thwack.

A figure came to Goku’s focus originally blocked by Yamcha. Bulma stood at the entrance of the portable house, breathing heavily with a gun in her shaking hand, her face pale but resolute, and her eyes somewhat bloodshot making her look almost mad.

Goku stared at her, his expression forming into anger before. "Why did you do that?!" He did not shout yet his tone was filled with fury.

Bulma’s eyes flickered with uncertainty, but she held her ground. "Why the fuck are you so buddy buddy with him, I almost fucking died"

“He wasn’t going to kill you! and I had it under control”

“Oh I’m sorry mister I have everything under control, was I supposed to read both your minds? I’M FAR AWAY FROM MY HOME WITH SOME RANDOM SOCIALLY RETARDED SUPER TEEN AND ONE SWIPE AWAY FROM BLEEDING TO DEATH IN THE MIDDLE OF FUCKING NOWHERE!” Bulma argued with rage while heaving every so often.

“but… but…” Goku was taken aback by her response before thinking up a counter. “you’re the one who decided to leave your home on some adventure, looking for some ultimate reward to satisfy whatever your desire is.”

Bulma narrowed her eyes before responding, “You don’t know shit about me or my life, so you should shut the hell up!”

The eerie silence that followed weighed heavy in the air, the tension between Goku and Bulma thick enough to choke on. But it was quickly shattered by a soft, mournful sound.

"Rrrrawrr... rrrrrr..."

Both of them turned, startled by the noise, their eyes falling on a small, blue feline creature that had emerged from the shadows. With her sleek, panther-like body—covered in soft, midnight blue fur that shimmered faintly in the desert light—she was unmistakably feminine, yet her powerful limbs and graceful movements showed the strength she possessed. Her large, expressive eyes shimmered with emotion as she moved slowly, hesitantly, toward Yamcha's body, her gaze locked on the lifeless form of her companion.

She let out another low, trembling growl, almost like a whimper.

"Rrrrawrl..."

The sound, though quiet, was filled with heartbreak. She nudged his limp body with her nose, trying to stir him awake, her wide eyes glistening with desperation. She pawed at his back gently, as though afraid to hurt him but still hoping—still believing—that he might respond.

"Rrrrrr... rrawwrrl..."

Her sounds grew more frantic, her tail flicking back and forth in anguish as she pressed closer to Yamcha, her small form curling against his side. The dust stirred around them as her paws scuffed the ground, her movements becoming more frantic, more desperate. The soft nudges turned into firmer pushes as she tried again and again to wake him, her head rubbing against his cheek, her eyes filled with something raw and tragic.

But Yamcha didn’t move. His body remained still, lifeless, his expression frozen in shock from the fatal blow that had ended his life so abruptly. She let out a sound—half a whimper, half a wail—that was filled with unspeakable sorrow, her ears flattening against her head.

Goku, watching the scene, felt a knot tighten in his chest. His gaze softened as he took in the sight of the feline creature mourning her fallen friend. She nudged Yamcha once more, this time more feebly, as though the energy had been drained from her body.

"Kreeeee! Krrrrrhhk! Keeek-keek-krrreeeee!" came chorus of sharp, piercing cries, cutting through the tension.

Bulma looked up with her eyes going wide at scene. “Velociraptors!” she shouted after a slight gasp.

It seemed the first one was a scout, so it had called upon its tribe, and they had all answered its call.

The feline’s growls turned into high-pitched, terrified yowls as she stood over Yamcha’s body, her wide eyes flicking back and forth between her fallen companion and the predators descending upon them. She let out a desperate "Rrrrreeek!" as she crouched low, her tail lashing behind her, torn between staying with Yamcha and the overwhelming terror that came with the realization of her own impending death.

Goku could see her trembling, her small body quaking in fear. He felt the urgency pounding in his own chest now as the raptors came closer.

"We have to go, Goku!" Bulma yelled, her voice trembling as much as the feline’s body. She was already pulling at him, trying to drag him toward the motorcycle.

Goku hesitated for a moment, his gaze flicking between the devastated creature and the oncoming raptors. The creature gave one last desperate look at Yamcha, her eyes filled with grief, before she bolted toward them, her soft paws making no sound as she raced away from the approaching danger. Goku instinctively reached out to catch her, scooping her up into his arms as she leaped toward him.

Without another word, Goku leapt onto the motorcycle behind Bulma, the creature held tightly against his chest. Her body was tense, her wide eyes darting between them and the incoming pack of velociraptors. She made a small, fearful sound, and Goku could feel her heart pounding against him, racing with fear.

"Hold on!" Bulma shouted as she revved the engine, the bike kicking up dust as they sped away from the scene. The wind whipped against them as the motorcycle tore across the desert, but the sound of screeching raptors grew louder behind them.

The Velociraptors gave chase, their powerful wings cut through the air like knives and propelling them forward at terrifying speeds. Their sleek bodies seemed perfectly designed for high-speed flight.

Bulma pushed the motorcycle harder, and she glanced back, her heart sinking at the sight. The beasts were gaining. There were at least a dozen of them now.

“We won’t outrun them for long!” Bulma cried, the panic clear in her voice.

“Then I’ll fight them!” Goku said, his hand gripping his Power Pole.

Bulma’s eyes widened in horror. “Are you crazy?! Not on the bike!” she yelled, swerving sharply to avoid a large rock jutting out of the ground.

Goku held on tight, the feline creature nestled against him, its body still trembling with fear. He turned to Bulma, confused. “Then what do I do?!”

Bulma’s hand fumbled with the gun at her side again. She ripped it from its holster and shoved it toward Goku. “Here! Shoot them!”

Goku stared at the gun, blinking in confusion. “Shoot them? With this?”

“Yes! Shoot!” Bulma snapped, her hands shaking on the handlebars as they weaved between rocks and dips in the desert terrain. The velociraptors were close now, their sharp claws slashing at the air behind them, some close enough to scratch its back.

He looked at the gun, confused by its unfamiliar weight. “But I don’t know how to—”

“No time!” Bulma screeched, hitting a button in swift motion before taking her hands off the handles and attempting to stand on the right side.

“Balance it out!!” she shouted, and shoved Goku before he could react and grabbed the gun from his hand. However, Goku understood her goal and stood on the left side with the foot support

“You drive! I’ll shoot!” she demanded

“I don’t know how to-!” Goku exclaimed before being shut down.

“Then learn!”

Goku carefully grabbed the handlebars as he adjusted himself in the seat before pressing on the highlighted button, allowing him to gain control over the bike and roaring forward unexpectedly fast. The desert blurred around him as he steered, the bike bouncing over rocks and dips. His superhuman reflexes allowed him to navigate the rough terrain, but his control needed much improvement.

Bulma fired shot after shot, the energy-coated bullets crackling through the air. She hit a few, sending them crashing to the ground, but more always appeared behind them. The beasts moved as a pack, their deadly coordination allowing them to avoid most of her shots. One of them leaped dove at great speed, but Bulma fired just in time, the shot hitting it square in the head and sending it tumbling into the ground.

“We can’t hold them off for too long!” Bulma shouted over the roar of the engine, the tension in her voice sharp as the beasts closed in, barely slowed by her shots. Her hands trembled, though she kept firing, each shot a precise burst of energy aimed at the creatures. But for every raptor she felled, another seemed to take its place, their numbers overwhelming.

Goku, his face etched with concentration, steered the motorcycle, weaving between jagged rocks and dips in the desert terrain, his enhanced senses keeping them one step ahead of the raptors. The creature—now nestled in Goku’s lap—whimpered softly, her wide blue eyes flicking between the predators and the humans in front of her.

One of the raptors, quicker than the rest, lunged forward, its jaws wide open, snapping at the rear of the bike. Goku jerked the handlebars to the left, narrowly avoiding the creature’s deadly bite as the motorcycle swerved wildly.

“Whoa!” Goku exclaimed, his body swaying with the momentum as he brought the bike back under control.

“They’re right on us!” Bulma shouted, her voice cracking with panic as she fired again. The blast hit the raptor square in the chest, sending it crashing to the ground. But there was no time to celebrate as the remaining raptors drew closer.

Up ahead, the landscape began to change. The flat, dry expanse of the desert gave way to towering rock formations and narrow crevices. Jagged cliffs rose from the earth like giant, sunbaked teeth, forming a canyon that stretched deep into the ground.

“The canyon! Head for the canyon!” she shouted, grabbing Goku’s shoulder and pointing ahead. “We might lose them in there!”

Goku nodded, his face set with determination as he veered the bike toward the rocky canyon entrance. The sun glinted off the stone walls, casting long shadows into the deep gorge as they sped forward. The velociraptors screeched louder, sensing the narrowing escape route. Their wings flapped furiously, pushing them faster, closer.

The bike barreled toward the canyon, the wind howling around them as they reached the mouth of the gorge. Goku navigated into the narrow space between the towering cliffs, the walls on either side of them rising up, casting them in deep, cooling shade as they entered. The ground became rockier, more uneven, but Goku surprisingly kept them steady, even as the path twisted sharply.

The velociraptors, undeterred, swooped down into the canyon after them. Their large wings struggled to navigate the narrowing space, but they were persistent, folding their wings slightly to avoid crashing into the rocky outcroppings. The sound of their talons scraping against stone echoed through the gorge, making the narrow canyon seem even more claustrophobic.

“They’re still coming!” Bulma’s eyes widened as she looked over her shoulder. A raptor swooped down low, its talons grazing the back of the motorcycle, sending a shower of sparks flying. She turned and fired at it, the bullet hitting the creature in the chest. It let out a shriek, flapping its wings wildly before crashing into the canyon wall.

Goku’s eyes darted between the path ahead and the sky above. The canyon was getting tighter, the walls closing in, but there was still enough space for the raptors to pursue them.

Bulma’s sharp eyes scanned the rocky landscape for any potential escape route. “There!” she pointed, spotting a narrow passage between two cliffs. The gap was barely wide enough for the motorcycle, at least she thought, but it might be their only chance.

“Through there!” she yelled, gripping Goku’s shoulder tightly.

Goku nodded, his eyes locked on the gap. He tightened his grip on the handlebars and revved the engine, sending the bike speeding toward the canyon mouth. The raptors screeched in fury behind them as they charged forward in a desperate bid to catch their prey.

Bulma fired another shot, hitting one of the raptors in the side, but her gun sputtered as the last round fired. She looked down, her heart sinking as she realized she was out of ammo.

“Shit! I’m out!” she screamed, her hands trembling as she clutched the now-useless weapon. The velociraptors were still gaining, their feral eyes glowing in the shadows of the canyon as they closed in on the fleeing bike.

“Hang on!” Goku shouted. The walls were closing in, narrowing even further, and the gap ahead looked impossible to navigate. Bulma’s breath caught in her throat trying to calculate the rate of survival.

“We’re not gonna fit!” she cried, but Goku’s expression was one of pure determination.

“Yes we will!” he yelled, his voice filled with excitement more than fear.

As they hurtled toward the narrowing gap, one of the raptors dove again, its maw open and reaching for Bulma. Time seemed to slow as the creature’s breath brushed the back of her neck, its growl vibrating through her bones. She screamed, her body instinctively curling away as the raptor was within inches of her.

But Goku pushed the motorcycle forward with a burst of speed. They shot through the narrow gap, the walls of the canyon just inches from scraping the sides of the bike. Bulma squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for impact, but guided them through with precision.

Behind them, the raptors weren’t as lucky. With the closest along the first few slamming into the canyon walls, turning to mush, their massive bodies crushed by the unforgiving stone. The sound of their impact echoed through the canyon, followed by a series of pained screeches as the remaining raptors crashed into the bottleneck.

The bike sped onward, leaving the chaos of the raptors behind them as the canyon walls widened once more, and the open desert stretched out ahead. Bulma, panting and trembling, looked over her shoulder, expecting to see more raptors giving chase.

But the canyon had swallowed the beasts whole.

They were safe.

Bulma let out a shaky breath, her hands gripping Goku’s shoulders as she tried to steady herself.

“I… I can’t believe we made it,” she whispered, her voice raw from the adrenaline.

Goku, still grinning, slowed the bike to a safer speed, the wind whipping through his hair.

“HAHAHAHAHA, that was awesome!” he exclaimed, his excitement undiminished. “We gotta do that again!”

Bulma groaned, slumping against him. “You’re insane…” she muttered, her body finally relaxing as the danger passed.

The feline creature—still clutched tightly in Goku’s arms—let out a soft, relieved purr, her trembling subsiding now that the danger had passed. She looked up at Goku and Bulma with wide, grateful eyes, her sleek blue fur rippling in the wind.

“Don’t worry,” Goku said to the creature, his voice soft and reassuring. “You’re safe now.”

Bulma, still catching her breath, glanced down at the blue feline, her eyes softening. “Yeah… we’re all safe. For now.”