Gokus Second Son

Chapter 8

Vegeta's fight lingered, a week gone, bruises fading, but my mind wouldn't rest. One eighty thousand, peaked in that ape slog, then boredom hit. I'd cut his tail, let Goku play soft, watched him limp off in his pod. He'd return, nastier, tougher maybe. I needed something sharp, instant movement, no delay. Kai Kai surfaced, the Kai's trick from old manga pages. Perfect. Dragon Balls could deliver. First stop, Bulma.

Capsule Corp loomed, steel and glass slicing the morning sky. My hair spiked wild, boots crunching gravel as I closed in. Bulma had the tech, the radar, the smarts. She'd been quiet since Vegeta, no calls, no drop-ins. Weird for her. I knocked, door swinging open, and stepped inside. A sob cut the air, sharp and raw, echoing from the lab.

I stopped, hair shadowing my eyes. Bulma sat at her workbench, blue hair a mess, face buried in her hands. Tears streaked her cheeks, a wrench idle beside a half-built gadget. She didn't hear me, didn't look up. I cleared my throat, awkward as hell. Five years old, trapped in this small frame, and she's bawling. Perfect.

"Bulma," I said, voice flat. "Need something."

She flinched, head jerking up, eyes red and swollen. "Gotex? Kami, you startled me!" She wiped her face, forced a shaky laugh. "What're you doing here, cutie? Another alien gizmo to fix?"

I skipped the cute nonsense, stepped closer. "Dragon Ball Radar. Need it."

She blinked, sniffed, tried a grin. "Radar? What's a kid like you hunting Dragon Balls for? Big wish?" Her voice broke, tears pooling again. She turned away, shoulders trembling. "Sorry, I'm a wreck. It's… Yamcha."

I tensed, hair flicking. Yamcha. Cocky, weak, always posing. "What'd he do?"

She laughed, bitter, choking on it. "Cheated. Caught him with some tramp last night. After everything—years, battles, all of it—he pulls this!" She spun back, eyes locking on mine. "What do I do, Gotex? Tell me!"

I stared, gut twisting. This was beyond awkward. She's sobbing, asking me, a five-year-old, how to handle her cheating boyfriend. My mind raced. Bulma's stunning—blue hair, piercing eyes, figure that'd stop a train. Absolutely beautiful, even now. But I'm a damn kid, stuck in this useless body. She's got no right dropping this on me.

"I'm a kid," I said, voice blunt, cutting her tears short. "Figure it out."

She blinked, laughed, a real one this time, wiping her eyes. "Right. You're five. Kami, I'm falling apart. Sorry, Gotex, you don't need my soap opera." She stood, brushed her hair back, opened a drawer. "Radar, huh? Got one here. What's the wish?"

"Technique," I said, cool. "Kai Kai. Instant teleport."

Her eyebrows shot up, a spark piercing the gloom. "Kai Kai? That's some godly stuff! You're wild, cutie. Alright, it's yours." She pulled a sleek device, green screen flickering, and tossed it over. "Seven balls, scattered everywhere. Good hunting, little genius."

I caught it, nodded. "Thanks. Deal with Yamcha."

She smirked, faint. "Oh, I will. He's done. Go get your wish!"

I turned, hair whipping, and left. Bulma's beauty stuck, but I crushed it down. Five years old. Pointless. The radar beeped, dots glowing—Dragon Balls spread across the map. Time to move.

First, a jungle south of West City. Humid, vines choking the air, bugs droning. The radar pulsed, one dot near. I tore through brush, hair snagging, spotted it—orange, four stars, half-sunk in mud. I yanked it out, wiped it, tucked it in my gi. One. Power sat at 180,000, no effort. Next, a desert halfway around the world.

Sand blasted my face, wind screaming as I landed. The radar beeped, two stars under a dune. I clawed it free, pulled it up. Two. My hair flared, ki steadying me. Mountains next, high and frigid. Snow stung, radar guiding me to a cave. Five stars, locked in ice. I punched it loose with a crack, grabbed it. Three.

Days melted together, flight slicing the planet. A swamp, a forest, an ocean trench—each ball a quick grab. Six down, hair matted, gi ripped. Last one, a city ruin, old war scars in the stone. Radar pinged, seven stars under rubble. I heaved a slab, snatched it, finished. Seven balls, glowing in my grip, humming with power. Time to summon.

I flew to a wasteland, flat and barren, dropped the balls in a ring. They pulsed, light flickering. "Shenron!" I shouted, voice firm. "Come out!"

The sky blackened, clouds churning, lightning snapping. The balls blazed, a green serpent rising, massive, scales shining. Shenron towered, red eyes boring down. "You who gathered the Dragon Balls, speak your wish!"

I crossed my arms, hair catching the wind. "Grant me the Kai Kai technique. Instant teleport, like the Kais."

Shenron's eyes narrowed, a rumble rolling deep. "That power lies beyond my reach. The Kai Kai exceeds this dragon's strength. Name another wish, mortal."

I frowned, hair shadowing my eyes. Kai Kai's off the table. Fine. Instant Transmission clicked—Yardrat technique, close enough. Goku snagged it post-Namek, but he's alive here, no trip, no lessons. I'd claim it. "Instant Transmission then," I said, cool. "From the Yardrats. Give it to me."

Shenron paused, nodded, eyes flaring. "This I can grant. Your wish is fulfilled." Light pulsed, a jolt striking me, sharp and electric. My mind buzzed, body tingling, knowledge embedding—focus, lock, shift. Instant Transmission settled in, ready. The dragon's voice boomed. "Your wish is done. Farewell." He vanished, balls scattering skyward, dark lifting to day.

I flexed my hands, hair settling. Tested it—locked on home, ki clicking, and blinked. Air shifted, and I stood in the yard, grass underfoot. Worked. Instant Transmission, mine at 180,000. Vegeta wouldn't slip me next time.

Goku glanced up from splitting logs, grinning. "Hey, Gotex! Where'd you pop from? That was quick!"

"Dragon Balls," I said, flat. "Got a trick."

He blinked, scratched his head. "Whoa, you nabbed 'em already? What'd you wish for?"

"Teleport," I said, cool. "Instant Transmission."

His eyes widened, grin stretching. "No kidding! That's awesome! You're gettin' crazy, Gotex!"

Chi-Chi stormed out, hands on hips. "Goku! What's he up to now? More fighting junk?"

"Aw, Chi-Chi, he got a cool trick!" Goku laughed. "Show her, Gotex!"

I shrugged, locked on the roof, blinked. Stood above them instantly. Chi-Chi yelped, glaring up. "Stop that! You'll break something!"

Raditz lumbered out, smirking. "Teleporting, huh? Nice, kid. Vegeta's gonna loathe that."

"Good," I said, hopping down. "He's sluggish anyway."

Gohan ran up, book clutched, eyes wide. "Gotex! You got the Dragon Balls? That's incredible!"

"Yeah," I said, voice steady. "Done now."

Piccolo landed later, cape snapping, eyeing me. "Heard you called Shenron. What'd you take?"

"Instant Transmission," I said, cool. "Kai Kai was too much."

He smirked, faint. "Clever. You're piling edges. Vegeta's toast."

Krillin flew in, panting. "Gotex! Bulma said you took the radar! What'd you wish for?"

"Teleport," I said, flat. "Instant move."

He laughed, nervous. "Geez, you're scary enough! That's wild!"

Yamcha trailed, sheepish, rubbing his neck. "Uh, hey, Gotex. Bulma's mad at me. You see her?"

I stared, hair flicking. "Yeah. She's crying. You cheated."

His face dropped, red creeping up. "Aw, man, she told you? I screwed up big…"

"Fix it," I said, blunt. "She's a mess."

He gulped, nodded. "Yeah, I'll try. Thanks, squirt."

Tien and Chiaotzu landed, Tien nodding. "Dragon Balls, huh? Solid grab, kid."

"Teleport's useful," I said, cool. "Done."

Chiaotzu tilted his head. "You're fast now. Really fast."