Chapter 5: While He's Still Naive
Finally, Goku set out with Bulma on their journey to find the Dragon Balls.
However, while Bulma raced ahead on her motorcycle, Goku ran alongside her vehicle, carrying a heavy turtle shell on his back.
After traveling some distance, Bulma couldn't help but ask:
"Hey! Goku, isn't running like that too exhausting?"
"Are you sure you don't want to ride?"
Goku replied while running: "No, I'm fine."
"I need to run more as part of my training!"
"Grandpa said there are many powerful people out there."
"Only by working hard can I become stronger."
Watching Goku training so diligently, Bulma was left speechless.
Because of Gohan's influence, this version of Goku was completely different from his previous incarnation.
Not only was he more sensible, but he also trained much harder than before.
Bulma initially wanted to advise him against overexerting himself.
However, thinking about the numerous enemies and crises that would appear in the future, she decided against stopping him.
Better to sweat now than bleed later.
Besides, this young Goku seemed to genuinely enjoy training, though one thing worried her—he seemed to be training too intensely.
Although Bulma knew that after participating in the World Martial Arts Tournament later, he would do something as outrageous as swimming across the ocean.
Seeing such a young Goku pushing himself so hard made her concerned.
She wondered if his Saiyan bloodline could withstand such intense training at such a young age!
As they traveled further, Mount Paozu soon disappeared from view.
After sunset, darkness quickly fell.
Bulma stopped her motorcycle.
"Goku, are you hungry?"
"It's already dark. Let's camp here for tonight!"
At the mention of hunger, Goku finally stopped and rubbed his stomach.
"Gurgle, grumble grumble..."
Sure enough, once he stopped running, his stomach began to growl.
Goku scratched his head sheepishly: "After running all day, I forgot about something!"
"I was so focused on keeping up with you that I forgot to eat..."
Bulma smiled faintly, got off the motorcycle and stored it in a capsule.
After surveying their surroundings, she said:
"Hmm, good. This area is flat enough for a house."
"Goku, stand behind me. I'm going to throw it."
Knowing it was a capsule house, Goku obediently moved behind Bulma.
With a "bang!" as Bulma opened and threw the capsule, a large dome-shaped house appeared before them.
Bulma looked at Goku.
"What do you think?"
"Isn't the capsule house I brought amazing?"
Goku nodded.
"Yeah, it's really great. So impressive."
Bulma asked curiously: "Huh? You don't seem surprised at all."
"Did you know about capsule houses?"
Goku nodded: "Yes, when Grandpa took me to the city, we saw them at a portable housing store."
"Unfortunately, we didn't have enough money, otherwise we would have bought one for the mountain."
"Later, Grandpa and I bought some materials, cut down trees ourselves, and built our own house."
Hearing this, Bulma suddenly understood.
"Oh, I see."
Bulma continued: "Alright, come inside. You've been running all day."
He was drenched in sweat and his clothes were filthy.
"There's hot water in the house. Come take a bath and wash your clothes while you're at it!"
After saying this, Bulma walked straight inside.
Goku blinked.
Living on the mountain with Gohan, he had abandoned many of his particular living habits to free up more time for training.
However, when traveling outside, it was better to be clean.
Just as Goku was still pondering this, Bulma at the doorway started urging him.
"Hey, hurry up and come in!"
"Coming!"
Goku nodded in response and followed Bulma into the house.
"Wait a moment, the bathwater is already drawn. I'll prepare dinner first, then take you to bathe."
Goku nodded and curiously examined the furniture and decorations in the house.
Bulma knew Goku had a big appetite.
So, to satisfy Goku's hunger, she didn't mind using up a month's worth of emergency rations in one day.
After all, as long as she had money, she could easily restock once they reached the city.
Bulma took out a lot of frozen meat from the freezer, prepared it simply, and placed it into over a dozen different types of pots.
She added some seasoning to each pot and started stewing them.
Bulma lightly clapped her hands and turned to look at Goku, who was standing there dumbfounded.
"Alright, I'm done. The stew should be ready in about an hour. Let's go take a bath first."
As she spoke, Bulma walked over to the washing machine, opened it, and poured in a scoop of laundry detergent.
Then she continued, "Also, take off all your clothes here. I'll help you throw them into the washing machine to wash!"
Goku pointed at himself in surprise.
"You mean, you want me to take off my clothes here?"
Bulma was taken aback.
This seemed different from the Goku in her memory. He was only this tall, yet he already had a sense of shame.
Bulma raised her eyebrows again and said disdainfully, "Come on... you're just a kid! You're only as tall as my butt. Why are you so shy? Hurry up and take them off!"
Goku was indeed a bit embarrassed.
Although he was currently a child, his soul was that of an adult.
In this child's body, perhaps because dick hadn't developed yet, the current Goku lacked hormonal impulses and didn't have much of that kind of desire for Bulma.
But how could he possibly undress in front of a girl?
Seeing that Goku hadn't undressed, Bulma immediately said, "Hurry up and take them off! Your clothes stink! If you don't mind the smell, I do! This is my house. If you're sleeping here, you have to listen to me!"
Goku looked at Bulma and said somewhat conflicted, "Then turn around! Don't look at me!"
Bulma smiled and touched the tip of her nose, turning around somewhat disdainfully.
"Alright, alright, you're actually embarrassed. You're just a kid! You don't even have any hair down there yet; I can't be bothered to look! Hurry up and take them off! After you're done, go straight to the bathtub naked. I've already drawn the water."
Goku wasn't just shy; he was also curious.
Because this Bulma was different from the Bulma he remembered. She wasn't as boy-crazy or as silly as the Bulma from the early Dragon Ball days.
Goku continued, "Then... then you better not turn around and peek!"
"Got it, got it!"
Bulma waved her hand dismissively, showing no intention of turning around at all.
After all, she wasn't the original Bulma. She had lived two lives and had been a mother in the apocalypse.
Even though she had missed Goku for 20 years in that post-apocalyptic world...
But facing this not-yet-grown Goku, she still couldn't summon much of that romantic feeling.
She only wanted him to bathe quickly so they could have dinner.
However, thinking about meeting Chi-Chi in the future, Bulma decided that after getting familiar with Goku over the next couple of days, she would make him promise to marry her when he grew up.
Yes, she must take advantage of his innocence to secure him in advance.