Skyborn

Chapter III: Ka Taea Anake Kinto'un

There was something to be said about regret.

She hated it. She hated letting him go. It wasn't so much about being right anymore. That didn't matter. They had started something together – a friendship of sorts, fragile and indulgent. They were both lonely, she realized. In a way, they needed each other.

And, it occurred to her, perhaps being correct shouldn't be as important as being considerate.

Yeah. That was the core of the issue.

She was proud; sometimes a bit too proud. She didn't like being told she was wrong. She especially didn't like being shown up by fifteen year old boys with tails. It hurt her pride to admit that he might've had a point.

She was in one of her moods, she knew. She had been woken up by a sharp pain on her back and she had been cramping ever since.

The turtle hadn't earned her sympathy because... well, first it was a turtle. Secondly, genetically engineering animals was a forbidden practice that could render real jail time to everyone involved.

However, Goku was annoying, weird and stupid, but he was her friend. The only one she had. And she wasn't ready to let him go. 

Bulma mounted the scooter and went after him. Soon she had caught up. Goku was carrying the blasted turtle with short strides. There were beads of sweat on his forehead. Bulma matched his pace with the scooter.

He didn't say anything when he saw her. He didn't tease her or bring up the argument from before. But she thought she saw a tiny smile on his lips.

Bulma wasn't sure, but she guessed there was a lesson to be learned here.

So she followed him South, suddenly certain that only someone really stupid would abandon this kid.

It was, without a shadow of a doubt, the most beautiful thing Goku had ever seen.

The beach went on forever in both directions and he couldn't see the end of it. The sand was soft and warm under his touch. The water's edge was clear and he could even spot little fishes swimming in it. The sea went on forever as well—all the way South where it met the horizon.

Goku set the turtle down on the sand and stared amazed at the blue infinity. He had the sudden thought that if his journey ended here, he wouldn't be disappointed. He had always wanted to see the ocean. They had often made plans of going together, but never quite gone through with it. Goku couldn't think why.

"I'm almost home," Umigame told them. "How will I ever thank you? Oh, I know! Can you wait here for a moment? I will go and fetch my master so he can reward you. I am sure that he will."

Before any of them could speak, Umigame disappeared into the ocean.

"Wait!" Bulma shouted after it. "We don't have the time. We can't—aaaaand he's gone. Great."

Goku gathered some water with his hands and brought it up to his mouth. He drank it, and quickly spat it back out. "Ugh—Gross."

Bulma sat on the sand, shaking her head. Goku joined her. The hours went by. They watched the sun go up and down the sky. To Goku's surprise, Bulma remained silent the entire time, so he did the same, enjoying the nice day.

They were about to give up on the turtle's return when Goku spotted Umigame coming out from under the sea. The turtle swam toward them carrying an old man on its hull.

It was a very odd sight. The man had a bald head and a thick, white, fu manchu mustache and beard. He wore beach clothes — a palm tree printed shirt and khaki shorts, with flip flops and sunglasses. When Umigame reached the beach line, the old man stood straight with the help of a hard oak walking stick. For unknown reasons, he wore a turtle hull strapped to his back.