As Goku and Bulma soared through the sky on Nimbus, the urgency in Goku's mind clashed with Bulma's relaxed pace. In his newly transformed teenage body, Goku felt a growing tension—time was ticking. His mind was set on collecting all the Dragon Balls quickly to prevent the tragedies he knew were coming, like the destruction of Ox King's village and the chaos that the Red Ribbon Army would bring. But as much as he wanted to hurry, he couldn't let Bulma suspect his plans, or she might try to slow things down even more.
"Hey, Goku! Slow down a bit!" Bulma called out, holding her camera as she tried to snap pictures of the landscape below. "This view is amazing, and I'm not missing a single shot."
Goku gave a forced smile, nodding even though he wished he could tell her to put the camera away. "Sure, Bulma! Take your time," he replied, though he secretly nudged Nimbus to pick up speed whenever she wasn't looking.
But as they traveled, they noticed something unusual on the Dragon Radar—a new Dragon Ball was on the move, zipping across the radar at an alarming pace. It was clear that someone else was after it. Goku felt his heart race. If the Red Ribbon Army or Emperor Pilaf got to it first, they'd be one step closer to collecting all seven. He had to act fast.
"Bulma, look!" he pointed at the radar, feigning curiosity. "That Dragon Ball is moving! Isn't that weird?"
Bulma raised an eyebrow. "Probably just some animals carrying it off, Goku. Don't worry, we'll catch up eventually." She leaned back, enjoying the breeze, clearly unaware of Goku's urgency.
Just then, Goku's mind drifted back to the village of the Ox King. He'd knew from memory that the Red Ribbon Army's plans involved the Ox King's village. His heart pounded. He had to reach the village and secure the Dragon Ball before the army could launch an attack. But for now, he could only wait and keep his nerves in check, all while convincing Bulma that he wasn't in a rush.
As they traveled, the Dragon Ball moved on the radar. Unknown to Goku, the Emperor Pilaf and his minions had already disguised themselves, impersonating Goku to sneak into the Ox King's village. Pilaf's clever scheme had nearly everyone fooled, and soon, a celebration began under the assumption that Goku had returned to marry Chi-Chi. The villagers prepared a grand wedding feast, not knowing the real Goku was miles away, still racing to save them.
Meanwhile, Ox King, in high spirits, chased down a bird that was carrying a small, glowing orange orb—the missing Dragon Ball. He clasped it in his hands, thrilled to be part of his daughter's "wedding celebration" and eager to present the Dragon Ball as a gift for the occasion. But Emperor Pilaf, disguised as Goku, spotted the orb in Ox King's grasp. Using his deceitful tactics, Pilaf swiped the Dragon Ball from Ox King and made a quick escape before the Red Ribbon Army arrived in search of it.
Back in the skies, Goku checked the Dragon Radar, his brows furrowing as he noticed the Dragon Ball signal had started moving away from the Ox King's village. He clenched his fist, realizing what had happened. "Something's not right," he murmured, feeling uneasy.
"What's wrong, Goku?" Bulma asked, finally noticing his expression.
"Oh, nothing!" Goku replied quickly, attempting a casual laugh. "Just... uh, getting excited for what's next!"
Bulma squinted suspiciously, but Goku's cheerful face eventually convinced her.
As they continued their journey, Goku noticed the radar signal indicating that the Dragon Ball was moving quickly. He recognized the frantic movements that were exactly like the original plot. "Come on, Nimbus! We gotta hurry!" Goku muttered to himself, pushing the cloud to its limit.
Meanwhile, in the Ox King's village, the villagers celebrated what they believed was Goku and Chi-Chi's wedding. Emperor Pilaf's act had been so convincing that even Chi-Chi, who was thoroughly puzzled by "Goku's" strange behavior, believed the marriage was real. But with the stolen Dragon Ball in hand, Pilaf made a swift getaway from the village just before the Red Ribbon Army arrived.
As Goku and Bulma flew closer, they could see Ox King's village on the horizon.
"Almost there, Bulma!" he called, nudging Nimbus even faster. Bulma, clutching her hat to keep it from flying off, gave him a look of exasperation.
"You know, Goku, I thought we were on a treasure hunt, not a marathon!" she shouted over the wind. But Goku just grinned, hoping to keep his true intentions hidden.
The Red Ribbon Army, now fully equipped and ready for a large-scale assault, had set their sights on Ox King's village.
Meanwhile, in a surprising turn of events, Emperor Pilaf and his entourage had unwittingly crossed paths with the Red Ribbon Army. Pilaf, who had been running after snatching Dragon Balls, quickly found himself embroiled in a chase through the skies. Pilaf's air fortress back and forth as General Red's jet tried to catch up with him, thinking he might be an enemy scout.
In the cockpit, Pilaf was muttering, "Of all the rotten luck! Why are they after me? I'm just here for a peaceful Dragon Ball search!"
"Looks like they didn't get the memo, boss!" Shu, his dog-like henchman, barked nervously from the copilot seat, his paws flying over the controls to dodge a few incoming shots.