The waves lapped softly against the shore as a small yellow capsule pod hummed to a stop in front of a familiar little house painted blue and red. A sign above the door read KAME HOUSE. Palm trees swayed lazily in the sea breeze, and gulls called overhead while sunlight glittered across the surface of the ocean.
The pod's door hissed open, and a young woman with blue hair stepped out, brushing a strand from her face. She shaded her eyes against the sun as she looked around the quiet island.
"Hello? Anyone home?" She called, her voice carrying lightly across the sand.
Inside the small house, an old man with a long white beard and thick sunglasses sat comfortably on a chair, a mug of beer in hand. A large turtle rested beside him, and nearby stood a short bald man in an orange martial arts gi, grinning from ear to ear.
At the sound of her voice, both of them perked up.
"Bulma!" Krillin exclaimed, his smile widening.
"OH-HOO!" Master Roshi laughed, leaping to his feet with surprising energy. "Long time no see!"
Bulma stepped into the doorway, dressed smartly in a white jacket and shorts, her confident smile matching their excitement. "It's been far too long," she said, waving a little.
Master Roshi laughed and raised his mug. "Never coming over unlessweinvite you! I see how it is!"
Bulma rolled her eyes, smiling despite herself.
Inside the cosy little house, the smell of salt and seaweed mixed with something sweet. Bulma set a small box down on the kitchen counter and brushed her hair back with a casual flick of her hand.
"Well, I'm here now, aren't I?" She said, flashing Master Roshi a small smile. "I even brought you some manju buns."
Roshi's sunglasses gleamed as he leaned forward, curiosity overtaking his usual lazy slouch. "Manju, eh?" He said, already reaching toward the box.
"Fresh from West City," Bulma added.
Roshi chuckled, lifting one of the small buns with the delicate care of a man who hadn't eaten a sweet in days. "You know," he said thoughtfully, "I'd have been happy if you'd let me squeeze your—"
Before the sentence could finish, there was a sharpcrack.
Bulma's fist came down like lightning, connecting squarely with the top of his bald head. The old man toppled backwards in his chair, hands flying to his skull as he let out a yelp of pain.
"Now why'd you go and do a thing like that?!" He wailed, rubbing the sore spot.
Bulma crossed her arms, tapping her foot against the wooden floor. "Still just as perverted as ever, I see," she said dryly.
Krillin tried not to laugh but failed, his grin spreading as Roshi struggled to sit upright again. Even the old sea turtle gave a weary shake of his head.
Roshi sighed dramatically, still clutching his head. "Still no sense of humour, I see…"
"Still no self-control, more like," Bulma muttered, turning away with an exasperated sigh.
The tension lasted all of three seconds before Roshi reached again for a manju bun, mumbling something about "forgiveness through sugar." Krillin just chuckled and leaned against the table, watching the familiar exchange with amusement. "By the way, Bulma," he asked, scratching his cheek, "is Yamcha with you?"
"Yamcha?" Bulma's tone snapped like a whip. "That jerk?" Her temper flared instantly, eyes narrowing behind her violet bangs. "Do you think I'd care after what he did to me? Well, think again!"
Krillin blinked, taken aback by the sudden explosion. "Geez, you two sure fight a lot…"
Bulma lifted her chin defiantly, her voice sharp and fast. "I'm better off without him! We all are!" Deciding to change the subject, she glanced around. "But enough about him. Where's Lunch at?"
Roshi leaned back, sighing through his nose. "She went chasing after Tien five years ago. Haven't seen her since."
Bulma blinked, lowering her arms a little. "That long, huh?"
Roshi shrugged, muttering something under his breath.
"Hey there!"
The room fell silent.
Bulma turned, eyes wide in surprise. "Huh?"
Krillin's face lit up, a grin spreading as recognition hit him. "It's Goku!" He exclaimed.
The door creaked open, spilling sunlight into the small house. Krillin was the first to reach it, his grin already spreading from ear to ear. Outside, standing in the warm light, was Goku, same wild hair, the same orange gi, same wide grin that hadn't changed a bit. He had one hand raised in a cheerful wave.
"Hey, guys!" He called out brightly. "Long time no see!"
Roshi pushed himself up from his chair, eyes hidden behind his sunglasses, but even he couldn't hide the smile tugging at his mouth. "I'll be," he murmured. "He hasn't changed a bit."
Bulma stepped up beside Krillin, folding her arms with a smirk. "Of course, he hasn't. It's Goku."
But then she noticed something.
A small figure stood beside him, a boy, no more than waist-high to his father, dressed in a tiny orange gi of his own. The child peeked around Goku's leg, clutching at the fabric nervously. His hair, though softer and less spiked, bore that same unmistakable shape.
Bulma's expression froze.
Roshi's jaw dropped.
"Wait," Bulma said slowly, pointing. "Is that—?"
Roshi blinked rapidly, leaning forward as if the angle might change what he was seeing. "A kid?!"
Krillin was grinning now, trying not to laugh at their faces. "Told you," he said. "I told you Goku had a kid!"
Bulma whirled on Krillin. "Of course, we thought you were lying! You can't just say something like that and expect us to believe it!"
Goku laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, I guess I didn't exactly make it easy to explain, huh?"
Before anyone could reply, Roshi burst into laughter, the kind that made his shoulders shake. "Hahaha! My boy Goku's gone and become a man in every sense of the word!" He clapped his hands together, grinning from ear to ear. "Oh, I'm so proud! Truly, my greatest student—"
He didn't get to finish.
Bulma's fist came down like a hammer on his head. "You're disgusting!"
Roshi yelped, toppling backwards with a thud, his sunglasses askew. "Ow! What was that for?!"
"For beingyou!" Bulma snapped, though the edges of her anger softened as she looked toward Gohan again. The boy was still half-hiding behind his father, wide-eyed at all the shouting. Bulma crouched down a little, her expression softening into a friendly smile. "Hey there," she said warmly. "I'm Bulma. I used to travel with your dad back in the day."
Gohan hesitated for a moment, then stepped out just a little. "Oh… hello, Miss Bulma," he said quietly. "It's nice to meet you."
The politeness in his tone caught her off guard. "Wow," she said with a small laugh. "You're a lot more polite than your dad. That's definitely Chi-Chi's doing."
Goku just grinned, scratching his head. "Heh, yeah, she's done a great job with him. But I've been helping too!"
Krillin crouched beside Bulma, studying the little gi Gohan wore. "Wait a second… that outfit. You've been training him?"
Goku's grin brightened. "Yup! He's been doing great, too. Strong, fast, and learns quick. He's almost as strong as I was when I fought King Piccolo."
The words hung there, just long enough for them all to register.
Roshi's glasses nearly fell from his face. "Come again?"
Bulma blinked, her head turning sharply toward him. "You're kidding."
Krillin's eyebrows shot up. "Almost as strong asyouwere back then? But he's—" He turned to Gohan, who was watching them curiously, a little confused by the attention. "Uh, how old are you again, Gohan?"
The boy raised his hand, holding up four fingers shyly. "Four."
Roshi and Krillin exchanged looks, the kind of look only martial artists could share, one that mixed awe with disbelief.
"Four…" Roshi repeated slowly, lowering his sunglasses just enough to peer over them. "Good grief, Goku. You really don't do anything halfway, do you?"
Krillin shook his head, laughing a little. "Man, I thought you were exaggerating."
Goku just kept smiling, the pride in his voice easy and unfiltered, one hand resting on Gohan's head, ruffling the hair lightly, causing Gohan to giggle. "Nope! He's really something else. He's got this energy inside him; you can feel it when he fights. I've never seen anything like it."
Roshi chuckled softly, though the amazement still flickered in his expression. "You sure it's not just a proud dad talking?"
Goku shrugged. "Maybe. But I know power when I feel it."
Bulma watched the exchange quietly, her initial surprise fading into a thoughtful smile. Seeing Goku like this, relaxed, cheerful, completely at peace, was something rare. She'd seen him save the world, fight monsters, and defy death. But standing here with his son at his side, laughing and grinning like this, he looked… happy.
"Wow," she said softly. "You really have grown up, Goku."
He blinked, looking confused for a second. "Huh? I have?"