Dragonball 1/2

Chapter 10: The Dragon Ball Quest

The forest blurred around Goku as he sprinted ahead, hair whipping behind him. Leaves crunched underfoot, twigs snapping like firecrackers. His senses were on high alert, searching for that familiar energy signature.

"Anything yet?" Bulma called from behind, her breath coming in short gasps.

Goku shook his head, frustration bubbling up. "Nothing. But it's close, I can feel it."

Chi-Chi's voice cut through the air. "We need to hurry. The sun's almost—"

"I know," Goku snapped, immediately regretting his tone. his tail flexing behind him, tensing with the gnawing fear in his heart. He pushed harder, muscles burning.

Suddenly, the trees parted. A wide river stretched before them, churning and frothing.

Without hesitation, Goku leapt. For a heart-stopping moment, he was airborne. Then his feet hit solid ground on the other side. He turned, grinning triumphantly.

on the one hand being male again gave him back his full power, but he was still weak from the Kaio Ken incident. And worse something about the form changes had brought his tail back and that meant...

He looked nervously to the darkening sky.

"Show-off," Bulma muttered, but her eyes sparkled with amusement. She reached into her pocket, pulling out a small capsule. "Chi-Chi, ready for a quick engineering project?"

Chi-Chi nodded, already scanning the riverbank for materials.

Goku bounced on his toes, impatient. "Can't you just throw me a capsule boat or something?"

Bulma rolled her eyes. "And risk losing it to the current? No way. We're building a bridge, genius."

As his friends worked, Goku paced. Every second felt precious. He glanced at the darkening sky, a knot of anxiety tightening in his chest. What if they didn't make it in time? What if he...

"Stop overthinking," he muttered to herself. "Focus on the mission."

A metallic clang rang out. Goku whirled to see a sleek bridge extending across the water.

"Told you we'd do it," Bulma said, wiping grease from her hands. "Now let's go get that Dragon Ball."

---

Bulma's fingers flew over the Dragon Radar, her brow furrowed in concentration. "Got it!" she exclaimed, her voice tight with urgency. "Three miles northeast, but we need to hurry. The energy signature's fluctuating."

Goku's heart raced. "How long?"

Bulma ignored him as they sprinted forward, the terrain shifting beneath their feet. Jagged rocks jutted from the earth, loose stones skittering with each step.

"Watch your footing," Chi-Chi called out, her voice laced with concern.

Goku pushed harder, his breath catching, forcing him to stop, a reminder of the battle he almost lost against himself. "I've got this," he muttered, more to himself than the others. But his confidence wavered as his foot slipped on a patch of loose gravel.

Time slowed. Goku felt himself falling, a cold puddle looming beneath him. Panic flared – water, even a splash, could trigger the change. "No!" he cried out.

Suddenly, a strong hand gripped his arm. Chi-Chi's face appeared, determination etched in every line. With a grunt, she hauled Goku back to solid ground.

"Thanks," Goku panted, adrenaline coursing through him. "I didn't... I'm not used to..."

Chi-Chi squeezed his shoulder. "We've got your back, remember? Now let's go save the world... again."