Chapter 9: The Power Pole Saves the Day
The sky was clear as Goku and Bulma sped down the winding dirt path, with Bulma confidently steering her motorcycle through the rugged terrain. Goku, sitting in the back with the wind whipping through his hair, looked around in awe at the new sights. He had never traveled this far from his mountain home before, and everything was an exciting new experience.
"This is so much faster than walking!" Goku exclaimed, gripping the sides of the bike. "I could get used to this!"
Bulma smirked. "Well, if you think this is fast, just wait until we get on a real road! This bike isn't even going full speed yet."
Goku's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, you mean this thing can go even faster? Wow, I gotta get one of these for myself! Do they run on fish?"
Bulma rolled her eyes. "No, they don't run on fish, you dummy! It uses gasoline, like normal vehicles! Seriously, do you live in the Stone Age?"
Goku scratched his head. "Well, Grandpa and I didn't really have 'gasoline' or whatever that is. But we did have lots of fish! That's gotta count for something, right?"
Bulma let out a groan but couldn't help chuckling at Goku's genuine cluelessness. "Ugh, you really are something else. I've met country bumpkins before, but you're on a whole new level!"
After a while, they decided to make a pit stop near a large boulder. Bulma was busy setting up some snacks and taking a break, while Goku eagerly climbed up the boulder to get a better view of the surrounding area. It was peaceful… until a sudden gust of wind stirred up the leaves.
Bulma was about to take a sip of her drink when she felt a huge shadow cover her. "Huh? What the—"
Before she could react, a massive Pterodactyl swooped down out of nowhere, grabbing Bulma with its giant talons! She screamed at the top of her lungs as the monster lifted her high into the sky, its giant wings flapping as it carried her away.
"Goku!! Help me!" Bulma shouted, thrashing wildly in the pterodactyl's grip.
Goku, still standing on the boulder, blinked in confusion. "Huh? Bulma, where are you going? You're not supposed to fly without a plane!"
Bulma's face twisted with panic and frustration. "I'm not flying, you idiot! I'm being kidnapped by a dinosaur! DO SOMETHING!"
Goku, finally realizing the seriousness of the situation, jumped into action. "Oh! Right! Don't worry, I've got this!"
He reached to his back and pulled out his trusty Power Pole, extending it toward the sky. "Power Pole, extend!"
The pole shot out like a rocket, growing longer by the second, until it reached the dinosaur and wrapped around its tail. With a powerful tug, Goku yanked the creature downward, forcing it to lose balance and let go of Bulma. She screamed as she plummeted toward the ground.
Thinking quickly, Goku leapt into the air, catching Bulma mid-fall and landing gracefully back on solid ground. The pterodactyl, meanwhile, flailed in the sky before flying off, defeated and embarrassed.
Bulma, still shaken, tried to compose herself. "I… I can't believe that just happened. I almost became dino dinner!" she huffed, brushing dirt off her clothes.
Goku smiled, casually putting away his Power Pole. "That was fun! You really should've seen the look on that dinosaur's face when I yanked its tail! Haha!"
Bulma glared at him. "Fun?! I was about to get eaten, Goku! You can't just act like it was some kind of game!"
Goku scratched his head, genuinely confused. "But you weren't eaten, right? So everything worked out fine!"
Bulma crossed her arms, clearly still annoyed but unable to argue with his bizarre logic. "Well, I guess… but next time, could you rescue me before I start falling out of the sky?"
Goku grinned. "I'll try my best, but it worked out this time, didn't it?"
After the brief drama with the flying dinosaur, they continued on their journey, speeding down the path on Bulma's motorcycle once more. The wind blew in their faces, but this time Bulma was much more cautious, constantly glancing up at the sky to make sure no more surprise dinosaurs were lurking.
"Do you think there are more of those giant bird-lizards around here?" Bulma asked nervously, still shaken by her close encounter.
Goku shrugged. "Probably! But don't worry, if any more show up, I'll just whack them with my Power Pole again. Easy!"
Bulma let out a sigh. "Of course. I should've known your solution would involve that stick of yours."
"Well, it works, doesn't it?" Goku said with a wide grin, waving his Power Pole in the air like it was the greatest invention ever. "Grandpa always said it could solve any problem!"
Bulma rolled her eyes. "Yeah, except maybe your lack of common sense."
As they traveled, Bulma began explaining her plan to gather the Dragon Balls. Goku listened carefully, even though he already knew all of this from the anime.
"So, once we have all seven Dragon Balls, I'm going to make my wish," Bulma explained. "It's gonna be amazing! I'm gonna wish for the perfect boyfriend!"
Goku blinked. "Boyfriend? What's that?"
Bulma nearly fell off the bike. "You don't know what a boyfriend is?!"
Goku shrugged. "Nope. Is it something you eat?"
Bulma facepalmed. "No, Goku! A boyfriend is a guy who, like, stays with you, takes care of you, and… well, you wouldn't get it."
Goku's expression brightened. "Oh! You mean like a wife?"
Bulma's face turned beet red. "No! Not like a wife! Ugh, just forget it."
Goku, still confused, decided not to push the topic. "Okay, well, if it's anything like eating fish, I'll try it one day."
Bulma groaned loudly. "This adventure is going to drive me crazy…"
As they continued down the path, Goku couldn't help but feel excited about the adventure ahead. Sure, they were speeding toward danger, running into dinosaurs, and having confusing conversations about "boyfriends" and "wives," but that was all part of the fun. He had a feeling that traveling with Bulma was going to be full of surprises, and he was looking forward to each one.
"Hey, Bulma," Goku said after a while. "Do you think there's a Dragon Ball that can teach me what gasoline is?"
Bulma groaned again. "Ugh, I'm so done…"