1 Fateful encounter

The heat bears down with a fury almost as if it were enraged by the miserable souls who proved to be stupid enough to traverse through such drylands. In the close distance, there is a city to be found, with inhabitants who have long since gotten used to the intolerable heat of the wasteland, making it their own and living as happily as any other. Certainly, the town is seen as a gift from above by any who are unfortunate enough to spend days wandering through the - seemingly never-ending - expanse of sand. With nothing but dirt, heat, and sandstorms the desert is no place to be found in. The only reason anyone would risk passing through is if there are no other options, no other way to get to their objective. With each step, the town appears nearer and nearer, the sight blissful to any weary travelers. A town holds people who need to make a living, vendors, stores, merchants, a conference of people that would happily sell what any traveler would want. It's especially profitable when most travelers are on the verge of death after struggling through the intense heat.

"Finally"

After days of wandering that hell on earth, forcing myself to suffer in an effort to avoid bandits, I have finally found a town. The bustling and chatter of civilization are welcome, if only for the chance to restock on the essentials before returning to the road. The sun burns my eyes when the blindfold is finally removed, eyes having gotten so used to the darkness that the light threatens to harm me. For how long I've been instilling my own blindness, you'd think my eyes would get used to having to adjust to bright spaces. With vision slowly returning to me, I scope out every store in my environs, calculating exactly how much money I'll have to spend in this town if I'm wanting to keep myself afloat for a few more months. Some food, some new clothes, some medical supplies. Perhaps some more capsules, can never have too much of those. Though they are quite expensive, so the purchase of the wonderous devices shall be held for last.

"Clothes first"

A suitable store is just to the left of me, selling light clothing of all assortment, most being what everyone else in this town seems to frequent. Stepping into the store to be met with a girl in a bunny suit and a cowering store owner is rather unexpected, for it is not something you expect to see when you enter a store. Two pairs of eyes immediately travel to me, one confused, the other terrified and hopeful for whatever reason. There's a heavy silence that settles over us, none of us sure as to what's going on, apparently. From a quick observation, I'm left with a rather ambiguous assumption.

"I'm here to buy some clothes"

The tension is high between the teenager and the store owner, my assessment of the situation still not enough to help me formulate something senseful. The man seems afraid of her, something I cannot understand for she is just some teenager in a bunny suit. Though I do question her fashion choice as the bunny suit isn't exactly appropriate, at least it's not something anyone would find me in.

"So am I," says the girl with a furrowed look at the store owner who flinches when she lays eyes on him. Why exactly is he afraid of her? Had she done something terrible? Is she some rich kid who has been tormenting the villagers? Does he have an irrational fear of bunnies?. "But this guy is acting weird"

She's ignorant to his fear which could mean so many things.

"He's afraid" I point out, the man practically shaking when the girl looks at him again, this time questioning. "Have you done something?"

"No? I just need a change of clothes because this bunny suit is a bit...." She trails off, seemingly not knowing what to say or simply thinking of the same word that enters my mind.

"Y-you're not a member of the Rabbit gang?" Questions the man hesitantly.

"What? No, that sounds beyond ridiculous"

Rabbit gang? He's afraid of some rabbit gang? The both of us are unfamiliar with what he is referring to, something he is quick to rectify as he explains to us that this Rabbit gang has been tormenting their town for some time. Threatening and hurting the villagers for no real reason other than their enjoyment. Their trademark is the rabbit ears which is why the store owner had been so terribly afraid of a single teenage girl. The store owner is urging us to get what we need and go before we're unlucky enough to run into them.

"I'll keep that in mind" right now I just need some clothes.

"I just need a change of clothes and I'm out of here"

Seems we have the same idea.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Sometimes life is hard on those who deserve the world and a paradise for those who deserve nothing. That is something I was unfortunate enough to learn at a young age and something I would never in my life forget, something I would not allow myself to forget as it is engraved in my memory, constantly there to remind me of how cruel our world and lives can be. It's not pleasant watching the bad live a beautiful life, it's even worse to watch the good suffer. The unfairness in the world is something I had grown to hate but also accept as it is not something I - or anyone - could change and not something that would ever change. Life and unfairness go hand in hand, after all, that is something that is set in stone.

I accept this, yes, but it doesn't make me any less angry when the innocent are treated poorly and unfairly.

Having heard of this rabbit gang it was easy enough to realize that they were a stroke of terrible luck. The more I heard of them around the town the more that dislike grew until I could hardly wait to see them, ready to teach them a good lesson. Going about town buying what I need, I kept an eye out for bunny ears and an ear for any talk involving them. People of such natures are the ones I can never agree with and I have a lot of experience with such scum. It's not the first I found a town being tormented under one punk or another, won't be the first I picked a fight with them, won't be the last. Getting into fights is a bad habit, I know, but sometimes it can't be helped.

Just as I'm leaving another store with a full capsule someone shoves past me, rather rudely, with enough force to send anyone stumbling. Men of conflicting sizes reel on me, scowls on their faces as if I had been the one to make the mistake. What catches my eye are the bunny ears they wear on their head indicating that they belong to the ridiculous gang that torment these poor people.

"Learn to watch where you're going will ya!" The taller one bellows, his breath something horrendous, his teeth that much worse.

They're gone when I won't deign to answer them, likely thinking they scared me mute. Laughing to themselves they go around kicking things and people around arrogantly before one of them bumps into a young boy. They shout at him, belittling and threatening, getting angrier when his mother tries to defend him.

Oh, he's really about to hit a child for his own mistake?

The mother protects her son, jumping in front of him to take the hit for her child, the sight a bit heartwarming to me, reminding me of so much.

"Hey, rabbits!"

My call gets their attention, distracting them long enough for the mother and child to make an escape. They get mad, I only grin in return, smile only growing when they throw a list of insults and threats my way. They'll attack me they say. I'm a fool they say. I won't get the chance to see another day. They say this, they say that, they talk a whole lot of crap.

And then I'm staring down the end of a gun.

"Got anything to say for yourself?" The shorter of the two asks me this cocky smile on his lip, pushing the gun flush to my temple to intimidate me further.

Taking a deep breath, I relax my body, not at all concerned about the gun to my temple or how quickly that bullet can pierce my skull. Panic never helped anyone and panic can lead to one's own demise. Remain calm at all times, focus and assess. Clear all thought from your mind, do not think when you move, just feel.

Instincts.

Their laughing is cut short when my fist sinks into the fat one's stomach with incredible force. The gun drops from his hand, clattering on the floor as the man tumbles to the ground, legs having given out and consciousness fading rapidly.

One

The other is not given time to react. Ducking low I take out his leg with a sweeping kick, standing as fast as I had dropped to strike him in the head.

He hits the dirt with a thud, unconscious.

Two

Crouching down, I retrieve some radio device from them, pressing the button until I hear the scratch of static.

"Yo, I took out two rabbits over here, I would appreciate a visit from the boss if you will"

The device is destroyed soon after.

"Now we wait"

Needless to say, my challenge terrifies everyone around me as multiple doors shut not moments after, leaving me in an empty road. Perhaps it's best they take residence in their houses, just in case this boss man decides to play dirty with me. It's a good thing I bought everything I need already as I'm sure the stores would not want to sell a grain of rice to me. Left to myself I head down the opposite direction from where I had come from, noting that there were still people present. One of them being that girl I had run into, accompanied by a young boy and a.... a pig? A pig...yeah it's a pig alright.

Approaching had not been my first thought, but the young boy is signaling me over with a small smile on his face. He seems rather excited as his tail moves this way and that in a fast pattern. Oh, he has a tail, how peculiar. Not as weird as having a bear as president, but still something to be noted.

"Hello again, bunny girl" she never introduced herself so this will do until then.

"It's Bulma"

"Durian" I inform, taking the offered hand in kind.

"I'm Kakarot" the boy introduced while carefully circling me, that pole of his sometimes pressing into my sides or the back of my legs in his inspection. "You have skill and you seem pretty strong too"

He makes a full circle, ending in front of me and fully taking me in.

"Tiger?"

He's referring to the kanji on my right chest as well as curtly remarking on the incredibly white gi not having a speck of dust on it despite this being the literal desert.

"That's the school I trained under" telling him won't do him much harm.

"Interesting" he seems even more excited. "So you're trained by a master"

"The very best" I assure him as there is no one better than my master, not in my eyes. No one can ever compare to the man he was.

"Great, fight me"

He pounces before he can further elaborate, forcing me to stumble back lest I get hit in the head. He twists his body while in the air with incredible control, changing his position to kick me when his punch had clearly failed. It's easy enough to block, though I'm astonished by the force behind his kick. His ki is higher than the average Joe - about twenty to thirty times - yet his strength is something I was not prepared for. It's strong enough to have me digging my feet into the ground to keep me in place.

He's grinning when he lands back on his feet, his tail slithering around his waist before he dashes towards me with impressive speed. I dodge, maneuvering around him with practiced ease, this having been drilled deep into my bones. He's rushing into empty air when I step aside, leaving him completely open to attack. Wanting to end this as it is, I bring an open palm down on his back, slamming him into the sand.

He groans but does not get back up to fight me.

"You alright?" Did I hurt him?

"I'm fine" he jumps up, simply dusting himself off and still smiling, now more than ever. "You're stronger than me"

And that makes him happy?

"You beat him so easily" Bulma marvels with wide eyes. "This is the first time I've seen anyone beat him"

"He is quite strong, but he was not very serious" had he been more determined the fight could have lasted longer until I got tired of it and forcefully end it. He's right when he says I'm stronger, though not by an incredible margin. His strength is impressive, though he doesn't seem to be too aware of ki.

"You still would have beaten me, I'm sure"

He's completely right. Strength is not all that matters, for skill and technique can change the flow of the battle as quickly as the wind blows.

"Great, another super-powered little boy" snarks the pig.

Boy?

Does my appearance resemble that of a male? Is it the hair? Perhaps I should not have cut it so short, but it would be a hazard if it constantly got into my eyes. I had it cut to just nearly above my ears even having considered shaving it down a bit, but deciding against it. Though short hair shouldn't just automatically make my appearance masculine. How come no one ever said this before?

Ah, I haven't taken the time to get this far into a conversation with another person in three years.

My musings are interrupted by the sound of a car's engine getting rapidly closer. The sound attracts the attention of the present group, all of us watching the small car until it comes to a stop not too far from us. The boss of the rabbit gang for sure. There's a tense silence as we wait for the big boss to emerge, only to be met with an actual rabbit. The silence ranges longer as he approaches as I'm sure the others are just as stunned as me. That explains why the gang has such a ridiculous name; the boss is a rabbit.

"Who is the one who took out my men?"

His voice is a bit annoying.

"Guilty" smiling, I eye the hand he offers me upon my admittance.

"Let us shake hands"

His tone of voice gives nothing away, but it's clear to me that he has something up his sleeve and the shaking of his hand is not something I should mindlessly do.

"It's only polite, yes?" I imitate his voice and his manner of speaking while clasping his hand in a firm shake. The polite smile on his face turns to one menacing before that look fades to surprise and shock.

Upon contact I had felt a familiar sense run up my arm and through my entire body, recognizing the use of magic easily. One thing I know is that the person with the more potent magic can cancel out the weaker. So far I only know of one being that possesses potent magic far exceeding my own.

"You use magic, eh?" I shake his hand energetically, gripping him tighter when he tries to pull away. "While I'm not skilled enough to perform marveling acts, I do possess a great level of magic myself"

"I-I-I..."

He's a stuttering fool now that his magic is of no use. Without it, he's simply an overgrown rabbit no stronger than bunny girl and no threat to anyone.

"What should I do with you?"

^^^^^^^^^^^

With a few well-placed words here and there, an underlying threat subtly added to the mix and a good old scare, the rabbit is successfully taken care of. He'll never step foot in this village again lest he wants me to hurt him more than I already have. With broken hands that won't be better for months, I'm sure he's learned his lesson. If not, well, he'll have a worst fate awaiting him if I hear anything about him bothering the villagers. With that taken care of, I have no reason to stick around this village anymore so the road is where I go.

"Where are you headed?" Kakarot asks me when I toss a capsule to the floor, stepping aside when a sizable car materializes before him.

"Nowhere in particular," I say shrugging. "I just don't stay in one place for too long"

"Want to come with us then?" Kakarot proposes. "I wanna fight you again, you know"

"I'm a total stranger buddy" I pat him on the head, ruffling his hair a bit before hopping into my car.

"I don't mind, you don't seem so bad" Bulma assured with a sweet smile and the smallest hint of a blush and I wonder if my appearance is attractive to her, because that would be a situation.

"Are you two crazy?" The pig exclaims angrily. "We don't need another person tagging along, that's one more person who could want the dragon ba-"

He stops himself but it's too late. He clearly said dragon ball which just makes this group far more interesting.

"Dragon balls?"

"No! I di-"

"Haven't heard about that in a while" how long has it been? Three years - four?

"You know about them?"

"Yeah, I know about the whole myth or whatnot and had been quite interested in finding them, but they're all over the world which is very much a problem"

There's no telling how long I would have to be searching to find just one of those things, much less all seven. So that quest of mine ended before it could even start.

"Well, we just need to find one more" comes the sweet words from Bulma as the girl seems oh so happy with herself. "All thanks to my genius creation" she then holds up some odd device that's constantly beeping and looks very much like a radar.

Is she saying she created a dragon ball radar?

"Oh"

I'm interested now. Just one more and the set will be complete, confirming if this legend is true or not.

"Well, I would like to see a dragon" this is really tempting. Do I go with a group of people I just met or do I continue to roam the earth with no clear destination?

An endless journey or a mystical adventure, as short as it may be?

"Yeah, I'll join"