Skyborn

Chapter II: I'll Probably Regret This

What an odd feeling, leaving was. Goku could barely wait to go and, at the same time, longed for the day he would return. If he ever did. If the immensity of the world didn't swallow him whole.

More to see than can ever be seen. Yes. 

What if Goku never ran out of things to discover?

What if he wasn't meant to stay in one place for long? Forever moving? He liked that idea.

Still, he would miss home.

He had packed a light backpack with a change of clothes and a few personal items, the Sushinchu and his Nyoibo. The Power Pole had been another gift from his grandfather. 

He joined Bulma outside. She had gone to retrieve her Jeep but had returned empty handed.

"Your big head did some damage," she told him. "But it's fine. I put it away. For now, we can use the scooter."

He listened with curiosity but understood very little of it.

"Uh... Bulma? How do we find the Dragon Balls? If they can be anywhere, how do you know where to look?"

She scowled at him. "Don't make the mistake of underestimating me, Monkey Boy," she said, hands on her hips.

"I wasn't–"

"This is how." She reached into her pocket belt and brought out a round object. She handed it to him.

Goku studied it. It was white and metallic, no bigger than a Dragon Ball, but flat, and it had a single button at the top. Bulma pressed it and immediately a greenish screen appeared revealing a map, focusing on three golden points that were agglomerated together.

"This is the Dragon Radar," she said, voice full of pride. "My design. While doing my research I noticed that the Dragon Balls release a strong electromagnetic force, so I built something that detects said force even if they happen to be immersed into the deepest ocean or under the thickest rock. You see here," she gestured at the three golden points, "it's showing our three Dragon Balls. But if you press this twice,"—she pressed the top button again—"it shows the other ones that we don't currently have. The closest one is 1200 miles west."

Goku realized his mouth was hanging open so he closed it. "Cool," he said, wishing he was smarter and had more to add.

Bulma reached for her pocket belt again and took out a small white box. Inside there were several mini capsules. She casually chose one and said, "Step back." Then she threw the capsule a few meters away. Within seconds, before reaching the ground, before Goku's very eyes, the mini capsule transformed into something he assumed to be a scooter.

He couldn't help himself. He screamed.

"Keep your pants on," Bulma chastised. Goku didn't think that was fair. He had given no indication that he would be taking off his pants, he was just surprised. "These are hoi-poi capsules. Everyone has a set. But only I have the real great ones. My dad is the creator. His dad was the founder of Capsule Corporation. It's a family business," she said with a shrug. "You'll get used to it. Shall we?"

They mounted the scooter and were off. The thing moved fast! Trying not to fall off, Goku wrapped his arms around Bulma's waist, holding tight to her. He felt her stiffen at his touch, but she didn't say anything, which he was thankful for.

It was very late in the night when she stopped. It was a sudden decision, one she made on her own. Goku didn't mind it much. The scooter wasn't comfortable and his butt was numb. He fancied a break. They both climbed down.

"Are we camping here?" Goku asked. It was the first time either of them spoke since the beginning of their journey.

"You got a problem with that?"