The girl's eyes darted between Goku and Haruko.
"You… both have tails?" Bulma asked, disbelief plain in her voice.
Goku shrugged. "Of course. Don't you?"
Bulma blinked. "No! Most people on this planet definitely don't. Maybe you're from… another race or something. There are alien races out there, you know—this planet isn't the only one with people."
Haruko stayed calm. "Maybe." He wasn't planning to explain who—or what—he really was. "Name's Haruko," he added simply, before looking toward the hills. "You said something about food?"
Goku grinned and nodded. "Let's hunt!"
The two boys headed down a dirt slope toward the river.
Goku bounced forward with carefree energy, but Haruko's mind was already calculating.
In his own world, his current strength would have been overwhelming—20,000 in pure Battle Power, thanks to his awakened bloodline, stronger even than the average early Saiyan elite. The direct, legendary descent from Akumo, the first who fought Zeno and the Angels.
But here… it was different. The Dragon Ball world's energy and laws reshaped him completely. Despite the same bloodline, his power level read closer to 10—just shy of Goku's own.
Not weak, he thought, just… reset. Adapt, grow, and the laws here will give it back.
At the riverbank, Goku dropped to his knees.
"Watch closely, Haruko. This is how you catch a big fish!"
He unwrapped his tail from his waist and let it hang in the water like a lure. Almost instantly, small fish began circling it.
"Why's that work?" Haruko asked.
"They think it's food," Goku said with a grin. "But the big ones—"
Before he could finish, a shadow moved under the water. The water swelled. A massive fish lunged, sharp teeth ready to snap down—
Goku's fist shot forward in a blur. BAM! The fish went stiff before floating to the surface.
"Your turn!" Goku said, hauling his prize up onto the bank.
Haruko sat down and dangled his tail into the water. Within moments, a smaller shadow grew into a giant shape. He let it get close—then yanked it from the water with a quick twist of his tail and caught it mid-air.
Goku's eyes widened. "Whoa! You're good!"
"I learn fast," Haruko said, holding up his own catch with a small smile.
By the time the sun began to dip, they were carrying a fish in each hand, laughing as they climbed the slope back to Goku's home.
But when they reached the small wooden house, the front door was open.
"…Bulma?" Haruko called out.
Goku walked inside and froze. His hands trembled as they lifted the small orange ball from the table. A red star inside caught the light—then another—four in total.
"This… this was Grandpa's," Goku said softly. His voice broke, and his eyes began to water. "It's all I have left of him."
Haruko's eyes moved to the open doorway, then the faint tire marks in the dirt leading away from the house.
"That girl," Haruko said. "She took it."
Goku's head snapped up. "Bulma? You think she—"
"I know she did," Haruko cut in. "She's smart. That ball's important to her. And your house was fine when we left."
Goku's tail flicked behind him, anger mixing with confusion. "Then what are we waiting for?"
Haruko stepped outside, looking down the dirt path leading into the forest. "We go after her. Now."
Goku nodded sharply, gripping the Four-Star Ball tight for a moment before setting it back down gently on a shelf. "Let's go catch her before she gets too far!"
The two boys took off at a run, tails swaying behind them, their fresh-caught fish forgotten on the ground.
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