Karin led the young people into his house, which would be their home for the duration of their training. However, since the Immortal Cat didn't have many decorations, the whole place seemed unusually empty, creating a strange feeling.
"Bulma... how about we decorate this place?" Goku whispered to Bulma, feeling a bit uneasy about the lack of decorations, especially given how spacious the room was.
Goku was experiencing something instinctive: a fear of liminal spaces. A place so large and empty with few traces of activity is the perfect setting to induce this feeling in humans.
Simply put, this feeling of apprehension did not come from some terrifying creature, but from the absence of things we are accustomed to seeing and hearing: decorations, sporadic sounds, and the occasional person.
That's why late-night streets, abandoned buildings, and nighttime hours provoke this feeling. Goku, a child who had spent months flying through space, had a hard time with this situation.
It reminded him of the oppressive emptiness of the universe! The Saiyans were a warrior race renowned throughout the universe for their intense desire to fight, keen combat instincts, and resilience. They could withstand considerable damage and recover over time, gaining new strength.
They were also one of the few races capable of transforming into a giant ape called Ozaru. This was well-known throughout the universe, even though the Saiyans had become extinct, leaving only a few specimens alive. If you saw a humanoid being with an ape's tail, you would know exactly what species it belonged to: the Saiyans!
However, not many people were aware of one thing: Saiyans had excellent memories! This allowed them to not only learn many enemy techniques by observing them, but also remember their past battles and learn from their experiences.
This detailed memory allowed Goku to remember his parents, his older brother, and his terrible experience traveling through the void for months, during which time he was silent and only cried.
That's why he hated needles; he had to receive special nutrients through injections on the ship he was traveling on. That's also why he disliked the strange atmosphere in Karin's house.
"Goku..." Although Bulma didn't know much about these things, her empathic ability allowed her to feel all the emotions her younger brother was experiencing. She put her hand on his head, trying to comfort him through touch.
"First, we'll have to ask the owner of this place for permission, don't you think?" Bulma replied to the Saiyan before looking at Karin. Karin was still walking comfortably, but he had already noticed the blue-haired girl's gaze on his body.
"That would be fantastic! I've always wanted to decorate, you know? But inevitably, everything ends up mysteriously falling on the floor and breaking." Karin laughed softly, thinking about his habits; after all, he was still a cat.
"Wait, you say you play RPGs and buy decorations. How do you earn money?" Lazuli asked, curious. Did an immortal like Karin have a mundane job? Wouldn't that be too demeaning for a being like him?
The blonde inevitably imagined the cat in a suit and tie, carrying a briefcase on the subway before arriving at the office building where he worked. He would have to deal with his boss scolding him and complaining that there was no more coffee in the coffee maker...
Lazuli shook her head, trying to shake off the daydream. As if sensing someone was thinking something offensive about him, Karin turned around and looked at the four young people several times before answering the blonde's question.
"Because I'm immensely wealthy! If you live for 800 years and live in poverty, you might as well throw yourself into a volcano. I've collected treasures. Some things I've kept for centuries are now antiques. The land I've bought in some places is now prime real estate." Karin replied with a proud smile. After all, it was those random actions in the past that brought him the comfort he now enjoyed.
No matter how big the immortal's house was, it had become small for martial artists like them. In a short time, Karin stopped before opening a heavy stone door with many carvings on it.
Each carving told a famous story that took place on Earth, mainly about heroes of the past. Bulma found one depicting a figure resembling Mutaito standing with his hands outstretched in front of the Great Demon King Piccolo.
"This is where we store an artifact that could be considered divine, even from the Other World. It's a fish tank divided into two parts. The water on the left side allows you to explore moments from the past.
The image on the right shows the present." Before, to overcome my boredom, I spent hours looking at these waters. Now, with television, the Internet, and video games, I spend my time better," said Karin, pointing to the large fish tank on the white rock shelf.
"Oh! That's interesting! But can you see other places outside of Earth?" asked Goku, who was calmer now and filled with enthusiasm.
"No, I'm sorry. The fish tank connects to one world. It can only generate the corresponding waters that allow the user to see the present and the past if it is taken to another planet," replied Karin. Goku became discouraged, but he still approached the left side of the fish tank.
"If you want to see something, just touch the glass and think about what you want to see," Karin said, seeing the young Saiyan's interest. She told him how the fish tank worked, prompting Goku to try it out.
Soon, the water on the left side began to ripple before losing its transparency. It revealed a blue sky covered with white clouds and birds flying peacefully, a typical Earth scene.
This peaceful scene was suddenly interrupted by an incandescent object piercing through the clouds and scaring away the birds. It was spherical, covered in flames, and left a trail of smoke in its wake.
Bulma, who had taken things like this apart and put them back together several times, quickly identified it as a spaceship. Specifically, it was the ship on which Goku had descended to Earth.
The Saiyan had decided to relive his first moments in this world. Soon, the spaceship landed on Mount Paoz, where an old man named Son Gohan found the small crew member of the vehicle.
"Oh, so you're from another world?" Many visitors to Earth have blended in with humans, so their features are almost indistinguishable from the usual population.
I used to think your tail was just another curiosity. Surely Kami-Sama knows this and didn't tell me, making me curious now. Is he getting back at me for using his staff as a scratcher?" Karin muttered the last question under his breath, but everyone present was strong enough to hear him clearly.
"Does anyone else have anything else to explore?" Karin asked, noticing the mocking looks the four young men were giving him. He decided to change the subject.
Thus, scenes from the past and present appeared before their eyes, revealing incredible moments that gave rise to the legends haunting the population.
...
"BULMA BRIEF! HOW IS IT THAT I AM ALREADY A GRANDMOTHER? AND YOU HAVE ONLY NOW DECIDED TO TELL ME!? AND THROUGH A PHONE CALL! AFTER SO MANY DAYS WITHOUT COMMUNICATING!" Bikini's powerful and dignified voice emerged from a projected image in front of Bulma.
It was already nighttime in the area where Karin Tower was located, so Bulma innocently decided to call her mother after a long time to have a conversation with her. However...
"But I sent Dad a message in time to get some things ready. I also mentioned Letty..." Bulma tried to justify herself, but no matter how powerful she was, she could never free herself from her mother's suppression.
"I did not give birth to you carelessly, nor did I raise you without love so that you could hide my dear granddaughter from me in this way! So please, Miss Bulma Brief, introduce me to little Letty. Grandma wants to meet her.
We'll have a serious conversation when you deign to return home." Bikini's expression quickly changed from anger to calm, but Bulma did not look up because she did not want to see her mother's deep blue eyes staring at her.
Yes, her mother opened her eyes! She only opened them when she was angry. With her current mood while shouting, it was clear that Bikini had opened her eyes, waiting for her beloved daughter to show her granddaughter.
Was she adopted? Do you think Bikini cares about such trifles? Knowing her family's technology, it wouldn't surprise her if, at some point, they gave her the genetic markers necessary to consider her part of the Brief family.
If that were to happen, why couldn't she treat Letty as her beloved granddaughter from now on? Under her terrifying gaze, Bulma went out to look for her daughter. When she returned, she lifted the Bio-Warrior by her arms as if she were a little cat.
Letty, with a strange expression on her face, found herself looking into Bikini's gentle, smiling face. Knowing her family's technology, it wouldn't surprise her if, at some point, they gave her the genetic markers necessary to consider her part of the Brief family.
If that were to happen, why couldn't she treat Letty as her beloved granddaughter from now on? Under her terrifying gaze, Bulma went out to look for her daughter. When she returned, she lifted the Bio-Warrior by her arms as if she were a cat.
Letty, with a strange expression on her face, found herself looking into Bulma's gentle face. Her eyes were closed, and she had a big smile on her red-painted lips. Her palms were together, full of emotion.
"Hello, dear Letty! I'm Bikini, your beautiful, forever-young grandmother! Come on, say Grandma.~" Bikini introduced herself before clapping constantly and urging the Bio-Warrior on.
Letty looked to the side as if she wanted to see one of her mothers. But with Bulma holding her up behind her and Lazuli deciding not to be present while her mother-in-law yelled at her, the young woman could only turn her attention back to Bikini.
"Grandma?" Letty said doubtfully. Bikini let out a cry of excitement and moved aside as if looking for something.
Soon, Doctor Brief appeared on the screen with a cigar in his mouth. His eternal cat companion, Tama, sat on his shoulder and looked curiously at Letty before casually licking one of his paws.
"Did you hear that, honey!? She called me Grandma! Come on, little Letty, do it again!" Bikini said as she wrapped one of her husband's arms around her and clung to him tightly.
"Grandma!" This time, after Bulma whispered to Letty to respond more energetically, she blurted out the word loudly. Bikini jumped with excitement and nudged Doctor Brief constantly.
"She said it again! She's so smart. I want to hug her!" Bikini exclaimed. Then, she stared at the cigarette in her husband's mouth. With a quick gesture, she snatched it from his mouth.
"There's a little girl in front of us. You can't smoke." The woman's energy disappeared in an instant. She said this to her husband, barely opening her eyes, which caused him to sigh.
"It wasn't a tobacco cigarette; it was a candy cigarette..." Like his daughter, Dr. Brief tried to defend himself but soon fell silent. He looked at the screen projecting Letty's image, and his incredible brain came up with one of the best ideas he had ever had.
"Letty! Say 'grandpa' now! Come on, say hello to Grandpa!" Dr. Brief urged, drawing his wife's attention to this matter and leaving the cigarette issue behind.
"Grandpa!" While Letty was causing a stir with her parents once again, Bulma was desperate to start the arduous training. At least she wouldn't have to think about her mother's reaction when she returned home.
Luckily, training starts tomorrow!