It's been thirteen years since Bunshichi came into this world as a baby, with no memories of Dragon Ball and little understanding of where he was. His previous life had ended—he'd been killed. So, when he was reborn as Son Goku, he decided to live this new life as his own. He wasn't searching for a way back. That world was gone.
When the old martial artist Son Gohan found him and took him in, something changed. Through Gohan's training, Bunshichi felt a seed being planted in him—the need to grow stronger. Not just physically, but in spirit. As the years passed, the memories of his old self began to fade, becoming more distant… until the day he met Bulma.
She told him about the Dragon Balls—mystical orbs that could grant any wish. For the first time in years, he was given a reason not to fully let go of his past. A reason to gather the Dragon Balls. A reason to go back.
And so the journey began.
But along the way, as the battles stacked up, as new friendships formed, and strange feelings began to grow—one question kept haunting his mind:
"Do I really want to go back?"
Frypan Mountain
Goku leaned against the car, hands in his pockets, his eyes distant as the breeze rustled his hair. The others were busy combing the area for the sixth Dragon Ball, but his mind was elsewhere.
"What is it that I really want...? When Roshi asked me to come train, I said yes without even thinking—like I'd already decided to stay…"
In the distance, Bulma's voice cut through his thoughts.
"FOUND IT!!!" she shouted, hopping up with joy.
A few minutes later, the group gathered near the car. Bulma practically skipped up to Goku, grinning ear to ear. She held the newly acquired Dragon Ball up between their faces.
"Look!" she said proudly.
Goku, still wearing a weary expression, looked at her. Her infectious smile pulled a grin out of him too, and he gave her a thumbs up.
"One more to go," he said.
Bulma tucked the ball away and pulled out the Dragon Radar, scanning it.
"The last one is here! …Whoa, it's really far away."
Goku turned to the tiny yellow car they'd been using and, with a sigh, kicked it hard enough to dent the side.
"This car sucks. It's slow, tiny, and I don't want to be trapped in it for more than twenty minutes."
Gyumao stepped up, chuckling as he pulled a capsule from his belt.
"If it's a ride you need, try mine. It's old, but fast."
Click. Poof! A sleek, yellow flying car popped out of the capsule—no wheels, just hover pads.
"Waaah! No wheels!" Goku gawked, amazed.
Bulma crossed her arms beside him, smirking.
"Never seen a flying car before? You really are a caveman."
Goku replied distractedly, eyes still on the floating car.
"Flying cars don't exist in my wor—anyway, thanks, big guy!"
He hopped into the back seat, Mai quickly following, with Bulma in the passenger seat and Oolong sliding into the driver's seat. Just as they were about to take off, Master Roshi appeared beside Goku and bonked him on the head with his staff.
"You're not forgetting something," he whispered to him with a blush.
Goku's eye twitched.
"This old pervert…" he muttered.
"Wait a second!"
Goku jumped out of the car, hoisting a confused Mai over his shoulder and dragging Oolong by the collar behind a nearby wall.
"Guhuhu—are you crazy!?" Oolong coughed.
"What is it, Mr. Goku?" Mai asked, adjusting her outfit, concern on her face.
Goku scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"Well... I kinda made a deal with that Roshi guy..."
"A deal? We should honor it, right?" she asked.
He blurted out, red-faced:
"HE WANTS TO TOUCH YOUR—TOUCH YOUR BOOBS!!"
Silence.
Mai and Oolong froze in place, expressions stunned.
"WHAT!? ARE YOU CRAZY?!" Mai exploded, flailing her arms in a frenzy—her chest bouncing with every movement.
Oolong stared, mesmerized. "Touching it…" he muttered, eyes locked.
Mai grabbed Goku by the arms, pulling him in close, their faces inches apart. Tears welled in her eyes.
"WHY?! Why would you do that!?"
Goku gently cupped her cheeks, squishing them slightly as he looked into her eyes.
"Don't worry. I'd never let him touch you. Or anyone else. That's why I brought Oolong."
He pointed at the pig, who was still too stunned to speak.
Mai's brain practically short-circuited.
> "I won't let anyone touch you…"
The sentence echoed in her head, twisting into something far more romantic than intended. She imagined herself in a white dress, standing in a field of flowers. Goku stood before her—tall, muscular, and impossibly handsome. He leaned in to kiss her—
THUD.
She passed out cold, collapsing against the wall in a daze.
"Mai! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to upset you!" Goku panicked, shaking her shoulder.
Oolong snapped out of his trance just in time to protest.
"Hell no! I am NOT letting some old perv put his hands on me!"
"Come on! Would you let that dirty old man touch our Mai?!"
"Don't care!" Oolong shouted, arms crossed.
A sudden zap of energy scorched the ground near his feet. He jumped in fear, turning slowly to see Goku with his arm raised, hair shadowed over his eyes, a faint red glow at his fingertip. Smoke billowed from his lips as he whispered:
"Are you sure...?"
Oolong broke into a sweat.
"My pleasure! I'll do it with pleasure!!"
Goku immediately lit up with a cute, wide grin, eyes closed.
"Thank you~"
Oolong grumbled under his breath.
"Between you and Bulma, I don't know who the real demon lord is…"
Master Roshi was getting impatient. His face was red, his heart pounding like a drum.
"What's taking so long…?" he muttered, sweating nervously.
"What's wrong?" Gyūmao asked beside him.
"NOTHING! NOTHING AT ALL!" Roshi barked, flailing in panic. Gyūmao and Chi-Chi exchanged a confused look.
Behind the nearby wall, Goku stood with his arms crossed as Oolong tried—and failed—to transform. The result was a short, pudgy, off-proportioned version of Mai.
"Come on! Put some effort into it!" Goku scolded.
Oolong grumbled, then transformed again. This time, it was much better: a nearly perfect replica of Mai—leotard, curves, and all.
"Nice. Now listen—don't drag it out. Just give him a signal, let him cop his feel, and stop. If you make it too weird, he'll get suspicious."
Goku hoisted the still-unconscious Mai onto his back and stepped further out of sight.
Oolong—now looking exactly like Mai—peeked around the corner, gave Roshi a playful wave, and winked.
Roshi's eyes bulged. In a flash, he darted like a man possessed, panting like a beast.
"Y-You're such a tease!!" he gasped, eyes shining.
Oolong leaned forward, fluttering his lashes.
"Sowwy~" he cooed in a high-pitched voice.
Goku, watching from behind the wall, facepalmed so hard it echoed.
Roshi began twiddling his fingers, making obscene motions in the air.
"N-Now then... Please… just let me touch them already!"
Oolong tilted his head, playing it up.
"How innocent… Is touching all you want to do with me~?"
That was the final straw—Roshi started spinning in place.
Then, with no warning, Oolong grabbed the leotard strap holding up the bust and snapped it down—his magically conjured breasts bounced violently in front of Roshi.
"W-W-WHOOOOAAAAA!!!"
"THIS ASSHOLE!!!" Goku growled from behind the wall, clutching unconscious Mai like a hostage.
Oolong smirked and whispered seductively:
"Go ahead... bury your face in them."
"AMAAAAZIIIINGGGG!!!" Roshi shrieked in ecstasy from the other side of the island.
---
A little while later, Roshi returned to Gyūmao with a dizzy, satisfied look on his face. His cane quivered with every step, and he hummed a song no one wanted to know the lyrics to.
In the distance, Goku smacked Oolong on the back of the head while still carrying Mai.
"You made her look like a total degenerate!" he hissed.
Everyone finally piled into the flying car. Goku laid Mai down in the backseat and sat beside her.
She murmured in her sleep, face flushed with a dreamy smile:
"Noo~ if we kiss... I'm gonna get pregnant~"
Goku blinked at her, confused. "...Huh?"
Before he could process it, Chi-Chi leaned in next to his seat.
"Hey... once I'm a little older, you're gonna come take me as your bride, right?"
Goku tilted his head.
"Huh?"
"Oh, come on! You know what I'm talking about~!" she said, batting her eyes.
Goku stared at her, deadpan.
> "What the hell is this little girl talking about...?"
Too tired to argue, he mumbled casually:
"Yeah, yeah..."
He turned his head back toward the road, thinking nothing of it.
Meanwhile, Chi-Chi was glowing with happiness, blushing like she'd just won the lottery.
The car took off again, zooming toward the location of the seventh—and final—Dragon Ball.
In the distance, Yamcha and Pu'ar jumped into their desert jeep to follow the group. But after just a few minutes, it was clear their jeep couldn't keep up.
"…We're gonna need a new ride," Yamcha groaned.
---
After a full day of travel, the group finally arrived at the edge of a vast mushroom forest—where the massive stalks towered like trees, casting odd shadows in the dimming sunlight.
The yellow car came to a slow stop. Bulma and Mai stepped out, still wearing their bunny suits, much to Oolong's drooling delight.
"Goku, put some gas in the car," Bulma said, brushing her hair behind her ear. "Mai and I are going to buy new clothes and capsules."
"No need to change~" Oolong purred, practically foaming at the mouth.
Before he could say another word, Goku grabbed him by the collar and shoved him toward the pump.
Bulma and Mai purchased some new capsules first, then headed toward the clothing store. But just before they arrived, Mai slowed down.
"You go ahead," she said casually. "I want to stop by the drugstore—got a bit of a headache."
"Alright," Bulma shrugged. "I'll meet you inside."
---
Mai slipped into the pharmacy, bought a tin of powder, then walked briskly across the street to a tech store. After purchasing a portable radio, she snuck behind the building, looking around before ducking down and adjusting the dials.
Bzzzt.
"This is Mai to Shu. Mai to Shu—come in!"
After a crackle of static, a high-pitched voice buzzed through. "Mai… It's Pilaf! Do you have the Dragon Balls!?"
"Pilaf-sama! Yes. But I need you and Shu to carry out the plan."
Before the conversation could continue, Bulma's voice called out from down the street.
"MAI! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?!"
Mai's eyes widened. She hastily cut the transmission and bolted out from behind the building.
"There you are!" Bulma huffed. "What took you so long!?"
"I… I couldn't find the store," Mai replied, forcing a nervous laugh.
They finished shopping for clothes and returned to the car. The group hit the road again, the giant mushrooms blurring past them.
---
Oolong leaned back in the driver seat. "So… what's your wish?"
"Mine?" Bulma beamed. "A boyfriend! A super hot, amazing boyfriend~"
Oolong nearly choked. "What?! A boyfriend!? We're risking our lives for a stupid boyfriend!?"
"It's not stupid! Pfft! You wouldn't understand—kids like you never do!"
In the back, Yamcha and Puar jumped into their jeep to follow the group. But their jeep couldn't keep up, so they decided to change their approach.
After one day of travel, they arrived at the mushroom forest—a strange place where mushrooms stood tall like trees, their caps forming a canopy overhead. The car pulled up to a gas station where Bulma and Mai sat waiting, still wearing their bunny outfits.
"Goku, put some gas in the car," Bulma called out. "I'm going to buy some clothes and capsules with Mai."
Oolong drooled as he stared at them. "No need to change..."
Goku grabbed him by the collar and pushed him toward the gas station. "Got it, but don't take too long."
After Bulma and Mai bought new capsules, they headed to find clothes. Before they reached the clothing store, Mai stopped.
"Go ahead first," she said, avoiding Bulma's eyes. "I want to stop by the drugstore—I have a headache."
"Okay, I'll meet you at the clothes store then," Bulma replied, continuing on her way.
Mai entered the drugstore and bought some powder, then slipped into a nearby tech store to purchase a small radio. She hid behind the building and fiddled with the device before speaking into it.
"Mai to Shu, Mai to Shu!"
The radio crackled to life, and a high-pitched voice responded. "Mai... It's Pilaf. Do you have the Dragon Balls?"
"Pilaf-sama!" Mai's voice trembled with relief. "Yes, but I need you and Shu to execute my plan."
They spoke for several minutes before Bulma's voice echoed from the street: "Mai! Where are you?"
Mai quickly cut the communication and ran toward Bulma. "Sorry! Why did you take so long?" Bulma asked, looking suspicious.
"I... I couldn't find the drugstore," Mai laughed nervously.
After buying clothes, they returned to the car and continued toward their destination. Yamcha still followed at a distance.
As they drove through the mushroom forest, Oolong turned to Bulma. "So what's your wish going to be?"
"Me?" Bulma's eyes sparkled with a dreamy expression. "A boyfriend! A wonderful, perfect boyfriend!"
"What?!" Oolong nearly choked. "A boyfriend?! We're risking our lives for a stupid wish like that?"
"It's not stupid!" Bulma pouted. "Kids like you wouldn't understand."
In the back seat, Goku watched the giant mushrooms pass by the window. Mai sat beside him, lost in troubled thoughts, habitually clutching him against her—so tightly he could barely breathe.
Goku turned his head toward her, noticing her distant expression. "Why the long face?"
"W-What? Nothing in particular! Hohoho!" Mai responded with forced laughter, her voice shaking.
"Okay..." Goku said, still watching her carefully.
"B-by the way, are you thirsty?" She pulled out a bottle with trembling hands.
Goku looked at her with an intense stare, studying her nervous behavior. Mai began to sweat under his gaze.
"You..." Goku said slowly.
Mai twitched, fear flashing in her eyes.
"How do you know me so well?" he finished with a warm smile, taking the bottle from her hand and drinking deeply.
Mai watched him with a pained expression, her face a mask of suffering. A few minutes passed before Goku began to feel dizzy, his vision blurring. He didn't understand what was happening until he glanced at Mai and saw the tears forming in her eyes.
"You..." he began weakly.
Before he could finish his sentence, his eyes closed and he began to fall. Mai caught him, pulling him against her one last time. She squeezed him tightly in what she knew would be their final embrace.
"STOP DOING THAT, YOU DEGENERATE!" Bulma shouted from the front seat, turning around. "PLUS YOU'RE TOO OLD FOR—"
A rocket slammed into the side of their car, cutting off her words. The vehicle flipped and crashed, breaking apart in a shower of metal and glass.
Bulma and Oolong lay on the ground, shocked and terrified. A massive robot landed with a thunderous crash in front of the wreckage. Through its cockpit window, they could see Shu at the controls. The robot's mechanical arm reached down and grabbed the briefcase containing the Dragon Balls.
"Don't touch my Dragon Balls!" Bulma screamed.
"Goku, take them back!" She turned desperately toward where Goku lay unconscious in Mai's arms. "Goku?! Mai, wake him up!"
Mai slowly stood and walked toward the robot, her face emotionless.
"What are you doing? You're going to get crushed!" Oolong shouted.
The robot's hand lowered and opened. Mai stepped onto the palm and turned back one final time.
"Goodbye," she whispered, so softly only the wind could hear.
The robot's thrusters ignited, and it launched into the sky like a rocket, carrying Mai and the Dragon Balls away into the distance.