Dragon Ball: A Better Bulma

"Can we get something to eat first?" complained Goku before everyone continued talking, his stomach making an audible sound that indicated his hunger. 

"It's okay, Bikini should be waiting for us with food ready," replied Brief, who had lit a cigarette and was smoking it busily. 

"Would you like to eat with us?" the Doctor asked Kami-Sama. 

Doctor Brief never imagined himself asking such a question to the literal god of this planet, but he felt he should be polite, it was the least he could do, though Kami-Sama shook his head. 

"I only need to drink water to live, that's how it was before I became a god," Kami-Sama said, making Brief's eyes sparkle with interest. 

"Divinity is attainable? No, do you only need water? Do you need sun as well? Are you... a tree?" the scientist asked several times with a strong interest in his voice, even though his last question was a bit childish, he couldn't help but ask it. 

"Yes, yes, no, no, no, in that order, but we'll have time to talk about those things," Kami-Sama skillfully changed the subject. 

Soon, they had reached the place where Tights and Bikini were, who had already used several capsules to make their stay in the desert more comfortable. There was not only a house with all the comforts, but also several large and tall umbrellas to block the sun, as well as a grill that was already lit. 

"You're back at last! How scary it was to see you like this, little Goku, but you looked just as cute," Bikini grabbed Goku's arms and hugged him tightly as she lifted him into the air. 

"Mom, you cut him off," Bulma pointed out in time, but she was caught in Bikini's big hug herself.

"You had me worried, young lady! But you looked so brave," the woman said in a strong motherly tone as she shook Bulma's body.

"But let me go already," Bulma tried to free herself from her mother's grip, but even with her 70 power points, she couldn't free herself from all of Bikini's motherly love, so she just sulked.

"Don't worry about them, they'll be back to normal soon," Gohan said to Kami-Sama, who seemed a little out of place at the moment. 

"Don't worry," the God replied before he looked down and saw a curious Tights approaching him.

"Are you a new alien friend?" the blonde asked, notebook and pen in hand, ready to write down the strange green man's words? 

"I don't know, I'm just Kami-Sama," Kami replied, causing Tights to tilt her head slightly in confusion. 

"Are you sure? I have an alien friend, maybe he knows about you, don't be afraid, we are good people, you don't have to imagine that you are a god," Tights said with a friendly smile, although if Kami-Sama knew the things she wrote in her notebook, he might be quite angry. 

"Tights, if it's Kami-Sama, he came down to give us a little help," Goku said, approaching the blonde to look at what he was writing.

Tights tensed up completely and quickly tore off the sheet almost full of words to crumple it up and throw it into the fire of the grill, he had to destroy what he had written. How was she supposed to know that she would meet God?

Goku wasn't lying, when he said that the old man was Kami-Sama, it was Kami-Sama! Just like that. Kami just smiled when he saw her attitude, she was used to many kinds of reactions, and this one wasn't even the strangest.

"Well, let's get the food ready!" after giving a not-very-happy Bulma a dozen kisses on the cheek, Bikini went to work, helped by the younger members of the family. 

After they ate and chatted about trivial things, getting to know a bit of Kami-Sama's routine, the subject gradually returned to serious matters. The sun had turned red, indicating that night was approaching and the temperature of the desert was getting colder.

"How do you plan to see our reflection?" asked Bulma curiously, causing Kami-Sama to twirl his staff a bit as he organized his words. 

Ki allows us to consciously access our own mental space, I will lead you into its depths and expose you to what lurks within. Each person will find something different, Goku may find himself or, failing that, a version of himself that has turned into that giant ape.

Your duty will not be to fight it or subdue it, but to live with it, to try to connect with this wild side of you, and eventually accept it as a part of your being. 

As for you, Bulma... I don't know what you would see, maybe yourself, maybe something else, you never know when it comes to the mind, but I will make sure that each of you has a safe journey. 

You will then be able to explore the depths of your mind on your own when you have more mastery in meditation," Kami-Sama explained to them, causing the two young men to nod, doing it on your own was always better than relying on others, so they were grateful for Kami-Sama's guidance.

"You're going to see a lot of nice things, Bulma, after all, you're my daughter, Hohoho," Bikini chuckled as she covered her mouth with her hand, but Bulma already had an idea of what she might encounter. 

"When you are ready, close your eyes and relax, meditate as you always have," under the words of Kami-Sama, Bulma and Goku closed their eyes when they felt ready. 

"May my power serve as a guide for these minds," Kami-Sama spoke in a language no one had ever heard before, but the meaning of his words was clear to all present. 

From him came an invisible pulse of energy that covered the two young men who had fallen into a deep trance. The world of the mind was confusing, ever-changing, and never still.

Except for a few areas that a trained martial artist could use for mental practice and simulated fights, the rest of the mind was like a giant whirlpool, only what was swirling around were memories, feelings, sensations, impressions, and even ideas.

Goku was unconsciously pulled into this vortex and sank deep into the darkness, his mental body was engulfed by everything his mind had recorded and processed throughout his life, absolutely everything. 

Fortunately, a green light covered his figure, protecting him from the chaotic influence of the vortex, but it also allowed him to see some memories that were particularly blurry before, but now were really clear.

He saw a sky different from Earth's, people similar to himself, a male and female face he could instinctively recognize as his parents. He also glimpsed the figure of an older brother, of whom he had little memory beyond a cold smile on his face. 

He remembered that day as if he were living it. How his parents took him out of the incubator and put him on a ship. How he cried, how alone he felt in the vastness of the cosmos. 

But he also saw himself being taken care of by Gohan, being advised by Bulma, the stories that Tights read to him, the clothes that Bikini created exclusively for him, or the strange toys that Brief gave him, he also saw that friend from school fleetingly, but his impressions were blurred in the depths of his mind, but it was a start, wasn't it? 

Soon he felt himself falling to a ground filled with red dirt and huge rocks. The only illumination was a moonlight-like glow, but his body did not move due to the emotion he felt.

Fear. 

He was absolutely afraid of what was in front of him, the huge body of a gigantic monkey, brown fur, red eyes, and an open mouth as if it wanted to devour him, but strangely enough, it didn't move, it just looked at Goku. 

"Are you me in Ozaru form?" asked Goku with all the courage he could muster, if there was one thing that characterized the Saiyans, it was that they could quickly overcome their fear and fight even if they would lose.

They were a race that was born to fight! 

A growl came from Ozaru as he crouched down until he covered Goku with shadows. His huge eyes served as a mirror in which Goku himself was reflected, his small form in front of him, and he understood instinctively. 

He was weak, so weak that he would not be able to tame or control this beast, but remembering Kami-Sama's words, the boy bravely placed his hand on the Ozaru's nose and gave him a smile that seemed to light up the whole place. 

"Hi, I'm Goku! Or if that's more like it... Kakarot," Goku greeted, even making a gesture of peace with his free hand. 

The Ozaru snorted, the exhaled air shaking Goku's clothes and hair, but he bravely stood still and began to climb over Ozaru's head. 

"Elder Kami-Sama said I should accept you, so I introduced myself. He says you are me, but you are really big, do you think I can be as big as you? I eat my vegetables, Aunt Bikini says it will make me tall and handsome in the future," Goku started to chat idly with Ozaru, who just got up and started to walk around the desolate place. 

"Come on, say something. One grunt yes, two grunts two. Do you like meat?" Goku's question was answered by a grunt from Ozaru, which made the boy smile with excitement.

"Me too! We already have something in common, that means we're friends now, okay? I'll come visit you whenever I can, but it looks like I have to go now," Goku patted Ozaru's head before he felt something pull him up. 

In the red desert, Ozaru sat on the ground, his red eyes full of ferocity a little less bright than before, and even his posture was a little more standardized, similar to how Goku had sat on his head. 

"Kakarot," the creature roared, no, it spoke. 

"You seem to have achieved something, very impressive, little one," Goku heard when he opened his eyes, Kami-Sama seemed to be fascinated by the subtle changes in the child. 

It wasn't something physical, but on a mental level, the boy seemed much calmer than before, but Kami-Sama's experience told him that underneath that calmness was a wild creature, conscious but wild. 

"I feel comfortable," Goku said before shaking his body. 

His power hadn't changed, but he felt that his Ki control was much better, and his tail felt much better, like a third arm instead of an appendage that he had to actively control. 

"But... Wasn't Bulma supposed to wake up early?" Goku asked curiously, and they all looked at the meditating blue-haired girl who would have caused quite a scene if outsiders had been watching. 

The place where the two chose to meditate was a small rock in the desert, but while Goku's side had not changed, near Bulma everything was different. Plants, flowers, and even a small stream grew around the girl. 

"Bulma... what a strong breath of life," Gohan muttered when he sensed the state of his apprentice, fortunately, everything was fine. 

"Truly incredible, all this happened so naturally, without any transformation, without any conscious effort, it's as if... "Kami-Sama paused, searching for an appropriate metaphor, but it was Tights who came up with it.

"As if renewing the resources of the desert," just as the blonde said these words, Bulma's eyes opened, but what was in them caused fear. 

Completely white eyes that glowed a little, as if she didn't understand where she was or what she was doing, Bulma's body sat up with difficulty, as if it was the first time. 

"Possession?" asked Gohan unsure, ready to fight, but Kami-Sama stopped him with a gesture. 

"Is Bulma evil?" asked Goku curiously, but his body had already tensed in case a fight was necessary. 

"No, I'm just a Plant," a soft voice came from Bulma's mouth, it was the same tone but with a completely different feel. 

"I just... temporarily agreed to something I shouldn't, I'm sorry if I scared you," Bulma's eyes returned to normal and her body almost fell over if Goku hadn't held her up. 

"Your Ki looks exhausted," Gohan said, approaching his apprentice with concern.

"Yes... I'm hungry," this time it was Bulma's stomach that growled loudly, for the first time in a long time, the girl felt a strong hunger. 

"While I'm cooking, tell us what you saw," Bikini said, staring at her daughter who looked more and more rebellious and wanted to refuse her mother's request, but her mother had her eyes open and that look... .... Bulma shuddered, and began to tell. 

As Goku fell into the mental spiral, Bulma also explored her mental passage with curiosity, the scene before her was more than anything else very strange. It was like being in a large technological facility, the walls glowed with different lights and there was only one corridor to follow. 

For every step she took there was a new door, each with a name on it, memories, emotions, intrusive thoughts, and she even saw a door with the words 'Ideas' written on it. 

Her journey ended in a wide place where there was a small crystal floating next to a large glass sphere containing...

"A version of you in adult form with white wings and a halo of light on your back?" asked Tights, interrupting the narrative, she even made a quick sketch in her notebook and showed it to the others. 

"Something like that, but add a pair of wings at the wrists and ankles, they were more like energy than flesh or feathers, whatever..."

Bulma touched the crystal for the first time, realizing it was her natural ability to sense and interpret emotions. She fiddled with the crystal for a while before going to the glass jar that guarded her adult version. 

Out of curiosity, she placed her hand on the orb and felt as if she knew its meaning. This was a natural limit to her abilities as a plant, which she would gradually unlock when she reached a certain level of physical, mental, and energetic strength. 

Her ability to feel emotions was something that came from inside the sphere when she was born, so she was curious to see if she could go inside. Yes, she could, and she did, but it caused her Ki to be completely depleted, but in return....

"In return, you brought a breath of life to a dead place like this," said Kami-Sama, who held a white flower in his hands, it was the kind that grew where Bulma sat meditating.

"What a beautiful power," Gohan said, glad that his apprentice was well, such a kind power would not harm anyone. 

"The experience was short, but it made me understand a lot about myself, many of my past ideas now have a path to follow," said Bulma, who wanted to accomplish something significant in this world.

The stars in the desert are a beautiful thing, and Bulma was now even more eager to reach for them.