First Meeting with Yamcha

"You didn't know?"

"We Saiyans stop growing taller when we reach childhood. It's how we protect ourselves while we're young."

"Because a child's appearance can be deceptive, we spend the next few years building up strength. Then, when we turn fifteen, we grow into adults all at once."

"Huh? What a strange race!"

Bulma looked him up and down, half-skeptical, as if trying to decide whether he was telling the truth.

"Quit staring. If you don't believe me, ask Goku. He wouldn't lie, would he?"

"Yeah! We're twelve this year!"

In that regard, he was different from Goku in the original timeline. After all these years with Son Gohan, even if he was illiterate, he could at least count.

"Twelve and sixteen... that's only a four-year difference. So... in two years, I'll only be eighteen. I guess I can wait that long!"

Bulma's eyes widened as she seemed to realize something momentous.

A blush gradually spread across her face, making her look especially alluring.

A girl's blush could outshine anything, and Son Gohan now had a pretty good idea how Bulma felt.

They exchanged a quick glance, sharing an unspoken understanding.

"Huh? Bulma, are you hot? Why's your face so red?"

While pondering what having a wife meant, Son Goku happened to glance back and saw Bulma's flushed face. He blurted the question out without thinking.

"H-how could I be? You must be seeing things!"

"I'm sleepy. I'm going back to bed!"

With that, she fled back into the house as if running for her life.

Whether she was really going to sleep was obvious from the way she trembled beneath the covers.

It looked like another sleepless night was in store.

"Hey, Goku, you're going to have no friends if you keep that up!"

Son Gohan glanced at Bulma, who had already gone inside, then at his foolish older brother, still grinning to himself. He couldn't help making a sarcastic remark.

"Never mind. Ribut, go play with Goku for a while. Let him train you."

Ribut had recently begun practicing Martial Arts. Besides carrying them around every day, he had even learned to meditate.

On top of that, every evening at sunset, Ribut sparred with Son Goku to hone his footwork and other fighting skills.

As for Son Gohan, his power was a little too great compared to Son Goku and Ribut.

Sparring with him was too intense. He usually had to hold back when training with them, which made the fights unsatisfying. So after a few sessions, he started training on his own.

"I hope we gather the Dragon Balls soon so I can go train with Master Mutaito!"

With a blade of grass between his teeth and his hands behind his head, Son Gohan quietly admired the starry sky...

"Morning, Bulma. Didn't sleep well last night?"

The next morning, Son Gohan greeted Bulma with a smile when he saw the dark circles under her eyes.

"Y-yeah!"

When she saw Son Gohan, some of the improper thoughts that had crossed her mind the night before flashed through her head again. She answered guiltily.

"Let's get going, Gohan. I'll rest on the dragon's back later, so make sure you hold on to me. Don't let me fall off."

"Sure thing. Let's hit the road!"

They agreed, both understanding what the other meant, and climbed onto Ribut's broad back.

But they had no idea that after they made camp the previous night, scouts in the distant desert had already discovered their whereabouts.

On top of the tallest rock in the desert, a blue cat-like man quickly scrambled down a ladder.

"Young Master Yamcha, another easy mark has come along!"

He hopped onto the table and hurriedly reported what he had found the night before.

Two children and a girl riding a dragon had appeared at the edge of our desert.

They're expected to reach our area sometime today!

"Oh? Children and a woman?"

"Yep, yep! They've also got a pile of Hoi-Poi Capsules. They're easy marks, all right! We're going to make a fortune this time!"

"Puar, get ready. We're heading out!"

Yamcha set down his towel, grabbed his sword, and nimbly climbed onto his Flying Motorcycle.

"Pffft!"

With a burst of exhaust, they sped off toward Son Gohan and the others...

On Ribut's back, Son Gohan looked at Bulma, who was nestled comfortably in his arms, and felt an inexplicable sense of peace.

Maybe it wouldn't be long before the two of them could truly be together.

After all, words could lie, but body language couldn't.

If Bulma didn't like him, or at least feel something for him, she wouldn't be leaning against him, even if she was only half-reluctant about it.

"Hey, Ribut, find a Stone Forest so we can rest for a while. That way she won't wake up again so soon."

It was nearly noon, and the sun overhead was getting fiercer by the minute.

They weren't bothered by it, but Bulma, a young lady from the big city who had never had to suffer, wouldn't be able to take the heat.

"Sure thing, boss!"

The Tool Dragon had no objections. It wasn't fond of traveling beneath the blazing sun, either.

After calling to Son Goku, who was riding his Flying Nimbus, they landed nearby.

Son Gohan took the house out of a Capsule, carried Bulma inside himself, and laid her on the bed.

But before he could take a good look at her sleeping face, he heard a commotion outside.

"Young Master Yamcha, it's right up ahead!"

When Yamcha and Puar saw a house standing in the desert where there had been nothing before, they were overjoyed.

That meant the passersby really were easy marks. They even had a giant Capsule that could hold a house. They must be filthy rich!

After stopping the Flying Motorcycle, Yamcha jumped down, his huge sword strapped to his back.

Only Son Goku and Ribut stood before him.

"Hey, kid! Hand over all your money and Capsules!"

"If the haul's good, maybe I'll let you live!"

He put on a fierce expression, as if waiting for the boy and the dragon to surrender.

Son Goku didn't understand what was going on and looked at him in confusion.

"Who are you?"

"You mean me?"

Yamcha's mouth curled into a slight smile.

"Hard training is my creed; robbing the rich to help the poor is my calling."

"I'm Yamcha, the strongest thief in this desert!"

Yamcha struck what he thought was a cool pose, waiting for the other side to bow before him. Instead, Son Goku and Ribut exchanged a look, both seeming confused by his behavior.

Being ignored finally made Yamcha lose his temper.

"Hey, brat! You don't want to hand over your money? You want a beating?"

"Huh? You want to fight me too?"

The moment Son Goku heard that, he perked up, instantly excited.