Part 5, Chapter 1: Female Saiyan Caulifla!

So, now that that whole Super Cell Games ruckus is finally over...

We can move on to the next order of business. You all know what you have to do?

You want us to find the source of that dark Ki, right?

Right. I want you to find that wizard... Bobbi Dee? Beba?

...Babidi!

But...we don't know for sure if he's the wizard Ribrianne met.

And that's also why we need to confirm this wizard's true identity.

So what's this Babidi guy like?

Perhaps I can assist here. Allow me to explain...

Babidi was ultimately defeated by one he believed to be under his control, Majin Buu himself.

That sure was an unpleasant shock for me when I first heard about it!

I would've met an untimely death too if Goku hadn't been around. Hmph! Good for nothing Supreme Kai...

Just hearing about it is sending chills down my spine! You're telling me that he's come to our time as well?

Hehehe, don't you worry about Babidi! I can handle him!

I got this covered! I'll just go and...

Cut it out! How many times do I have to tell you? You stay put!

Whaaaat? Again?! C'mon, Bee! When will I get a turn?

Goku...never learns, does he?

Why not let Goku help us search? He seems to know a lot about Babidi after all.

Yeah! I'm practically a Babidi expert! I knew you'd have my back, Bulma!

I'm sorry, Bulma. The risk in involving Goku this time is too high.

That's right! I'm not joking this time, Goku. You aren't allowed to participate. Not that I was joking before, but...

This time? What's different about this time?

This mission's goal is to uncover the one who's been pulling the strings behind the scenes of the survival game.

To put it simply, it's likely that Babidi's also responsible for the interdimensional mess we're in!

Whoa!

...And I'm sure you know what would happen if Goku was involved then.

Goku and Lord Beerus are close. This mastermind surely knows that. Meaning...

...If Babidi and this mastermind are one and the same, Goku moving out in the open will tip him off to our intentions.

And if that happens, his next step will undoubtedly be to kill the Supreme Kai he has hostage. And that'll be it for me as well!

This mission could uncover the truth behind this whole mess. That's why the level of risk this time is too high.

Aw, but we don't even know if Babidi is our bad guy. Don't be such a worry wart...

Worry wart?! My LIFE is on the line. Of course I'm worried!

Umm... So lemme get this straight.

Since you can't use Goku to look for this Babidi guy, you want us to do it?

Oh? You've got it, Shallot! Unusually quick!

You bet! And then we get to smash him around!

Yes, yes, then you get to, What?! No! Of course you don't get to "smash him around"!

But...what the heck else is there to do?

Listen carefully! We need to proceed with caution and gather information this time. DO NOT attack him!

Gather information... That's pretty vague, you know. Where do we even start?

How about we find Ribrianne and get some details from her?

During the Super Cell Games, she said she met Babidi, right?

Yeah, but she could be anywhere by now!

I guess we'll just have to start our search the good old-fashioned way... Until we meet Ribrianne again, that is.

Searching aimlessly without anything to go on doesn't seem very efficient...

Well, then. How about this?

...?

There aren't many strong warriors around now that the Super Cell Games are over...

Hehehe! That means those left are ripe for picking!

Oh! Yes, the ripest fruit saved just for us!

No one can get in our way now! We're the Dried Fruitz, and all these ripe warriors will wither before us!

...Except that golden Saiyan who won the Super Cell Games. I dunno if our powers will be enough to wither him...

Nothing to fear! I reckon that Saiyan won by pure coincidence.

That bit about him turning gold stinks of lies too. I bet he just made that up himself to sound stronger!

Now that you mention it, a gold Saiyan really does sound stupid!

Yeah, I mean, if anyone is gonna turn GOLD, it's gonna be Lord Frieza.

Idiot! A transformation of Lord Frieza's would never have such a crass color!

Alright alright! Enough what ifs! Lord Frieza is a thing of the past! Whose lord is he anyway?! Not mine!

From here on out, this planet, no, the entire universe, shall bow down before the Dried Fruitz!

Raaargh!

Hngaah?!

Gah!

W-Who are you?!

Your conversation was VERY interesting.

Wait, that's a tail! You're a Saiyan!

You got it. So how 'bout we test your theory about the Super Cell Games?

...And find out if my win was a coincidence!

Gah! He's gone gold!

Urgh!

Seems you were the ones who made it through on luck! You wimps were never going to survive the tournament, anyway.

Trouble really does follow you, Shallot. But I guess you couldn't really leave them be like that.

Yeah, yeah. So...Bulma? Just go straight from here?

Yeah. Go straight, and let's see where Whis' advice takes us!

I recommend gathering information about the dark Ki before you begin your search for Babidi.

Even if it doesn't lead you directly to the little wizard himself, you might gain a useful clue!

You mean we should look for people giving off dark Ki?

That's one way to do it...

But also, someone who previously had a dark Ki might have left behind some valuable information.

Uh... Huh? Oh, you mean, wait, what?

Oh! I get it...!

...Dr. Gero!

There might be some clue about the dark Ki left in his laboratory!

I see! There's a good chance he left something behind!

Plus, we weren't able to investigate all of Dr. Gero's laboratories during that whole mess with Cell.

...Okay! That battle sure was a good warm-up! Let's do this!

It's good you've warmed up, Shallot! Hehehe...

Nothing better than a good warm-up! ...Especially considering where you're going, Shallot!

Huh? Where am I going?

C-C-Cold...!

Well, you did just travel north. Very far north...

Just looking at you is making me cold! How are you okay in such thin clothes?

Y-Y-You told m-m-me to fly here!

This was the best clue we had, so you'll just have to tough it out.

Knowing Dr. Gero, though, it's likely he has even more laboratories hidden on Earth somewhere...

N-Never mind! Just gimme the location! B-B-Before my tail freezes off!

Phew! Thanks! Now this level of cold ain't so bad!

Okay, go ahead and begin your searc...

Hey, who are you?!

Huh? Is someone there?

A girl?! What's a girl doing here?

Could she be another one of Dr. Gero's Androids?

No... Her Ki feels like...

...You're a Saiyan!

You too are a Saiyan? Hmph. Didn't quite expect to meet one here. Talk about unlucky...

But my name isn't Caulifla for nothing! This is the end for you!

...What the?!

You're wide open! Take this!

Tch!

Geez... That sure came outta nowhere!

(She's stronger than she looks! But...)

That all you got?

Cause there's no way you'll win like that!

What?! You...

You can transform too?

Hm? "Too"?

Fine by me! Warm-up time finished! Let's get this over with!

Haaaa!

Wha?!

Heh heh! Now we're even!

What?! You can go Super Saiyan too?

Heh. Scared? Feel free to run away with your tail between your legs!

Scared? Hah! I'm just getting started!

Here I go!

Hmph! Not bad!

I thought this was gonna be a boring old laboratory, but now things are getting interesting!

...

Hm? C'mon, what's wrong?

I...can't...

There's something strange about her...!

No! Could it be...?

...The dark Ki?!

...I can't go on! I'm so hungry!

...WHAT?!

So hungry... I need a break...! You got lucky this time!

H-Hey! ...What's up with this girl?

Hm...

Okay! Scan complete!

You finished, Bulma? So how do things look?

There doesn't seem to be any info related to the dark Ki left here.

So I'm freezing over here for nothing?

...Hehe. But I guess #17 would just say something like, "It's not about the results, it's about the journey!"

Anyway... Bulma! Jaco!

What should we do about this girl standing here glaring at me?

...

Well, it looks like she's irrelevant to our mission... What should we do?

Um, Caulifla, was it? What brought you to this place?

Hmph! Why bother explaining myself to you? We're enemies in this tournament. Only one way this can end.

Haven't we heard that line before, Shallot?

Didn't you say the same thing when you met Zahha for the first time?

Huh? I don't remember that! Did I?

Hey! Don't pretend things are all hunky-dory here! Are you making fun of me?!

Ah! S-Sorry! Anyway, we don't have any intention of going up against you.

Tch... Well, it looks like you're telling the truth about not wanting to fight.

I've got a question for you then...

Huh? What is it?

Have you come across a Saiyan named Kale?

Kale?

Yeah. Black hair, kind of a pushover, always putting herself down. Ring any bells, muscle-head?

Pushover?

...

Nope, can't say I've met anyone like her! All the women I know are as stubborn as mules!

Hey! You better not be lumping me in there!

That's precisely the attitude he's referring to, Bulma.

And? Is that why you're here? Because you're searching for this Kale girl?

Yeah... We should've been sent to this era together, but when I arrived, it was only me...

I looked all over but couldn't find her, so I'm searching every last crevice and corner of this planet until I do!

That's what brought me here, but...it's so cold, and I'm starving...

I wandered over here now to find something to eat and a place to rest!

...Isn't that trespassing?

Well...it is, but we're not ones to point that out.

So, this isn't your place, either, is it? What are you doing here then? What even IS this place?

This is Dr. Gero's laboratory. He was a scientist. And we're here to...

Dr. Gero?

...?!

...

That's not Dr. Gero... It's a Saiyan!

Who're they?!

Huh? Are you the owners of this place?

Owners?

...

...Heh.

A-Are you laughing at me?! I'll give you something to laugh at! C'mere and, huh?

Target acquired. Exterminating.

Raaargh!

Grgh...!

...!

Data doesn't match... This is not Goku.

(Did he say Goku?!)

Prioritizing mission. Vacating the premises.

Hey! Get back here! You're not getting away!

...Were they talking about Goku just now?

Are they after him? What was with those guys?

They had the Red Ribbon Army mark on their clothing. I wonder if they're more androids Dr. Gero created.

Tch! The nerve of those two! Their boneheaded creator isn't even around anymore.

Do you think they came to the laboratory for maintenance?

Even if that's the case, all these bad guys sure have a beef with Goku.

Everyone we met are after him... Do you think he'll be all right?

He'll be fine. The likes of those guys could never dream of defeating Goku.

You're talking about the Goku of this era, right? They wouldn't go after the young Goku, would they?

Well, as long as they're not after him as a tiny tot, I'm sure he'll manage.

Damn! They're too fast!

Argh! All this running around using up my energy for nothing's made me even hungrier!

Don't overdo it.

But if those guys weren't the owners of the place, who were they? Do you know them?

A sec... Who even are you guys?!

Grr! It's not fair that you ask me all these questions and don't tell me a thing about yourselves!

Unfair? Hmm... She's got a point.

Yeah, yeah. All right. Let me give you the rundown...

...Hmm. A wizard and dark Ki, huh?

Have you seen either? A wizard named Babidi or someone giving off dark Ki?

I can't say that I have. I couldn't care less, anyway!

I see. Well, if it were easy to find them, we wouldn't be here in the first place.

There's no use in looking for someone who's not here. We oughta head back.

If you're looking for your friend, I suggest you go elsewhere. I doubt she's here.

Yeah? And how do you know that?

My nose. It isn't picking up the scent of anyone in this area. That girl is nowhere nearby.

Whoa! You can tell just by smelling?!

Well, yeah.

(Is he serious?! I could use that nose of his!)

For now, I'll take you to some eating place on our way back. Let's just hightail it out of here!

Wait!

What is it this time? There's no point in staying here, I'll catch a cold! Let's go somewhere warmer.

Hey, you like fighting, don't you? You're a Saiyan, after all!

Huh? Well, yeah, sure... Why bring that up now?

Heh heh! Then why don't I introduce you to a formidable opponent?

Her name is Kale!

Huh? The girl you talked about? Is she a pushover or not, eh?

I wouldn't underestimate her if I were you. She's usually pretty timid...

...But when she means business, she's super-duper strong!

Super-duper? Seriously?!

Yes! He took the bai...

I mean...Uh...

Yeah! Kale is much stronger than you! How 'bout it? You intimidated?

Heh! Yeah right! How could I be intimidated by an opponent I've never even met!

*sigh*

I don't like where this is headed...

Sniffing Kale out with that nose of yours should be a snap, right?

If you manage to find her, I'll let you battle her as a token of appreciation!

A token of appreciation?

You bet! So, how 'bout it? Not a bad bargain, is it?

What kind of "appreciation" is that?! Cut it out!

You got yourself a deal! I'll find this Kale for you and settle who's stronger once and for all!

Whaaaa?!

But on one condition. If she turns out to be a "pushover", I won't accept the battle as payment for finding her!

Heh, no need to worry about that. But if that's the case, I'll fight you myself at full power!

W-Wait a minute! Shallot?!

Y-Yes! What about our mission?

Heh! Relax! I haven't forgotten this time!

We can just search for the dark Ki while looking for Kale!

Oof! You're treating our mission like a second priority here!

Then it's decided! You're not half-bad. I like a guy who can spot a good deal when he sees one!

Looks like he's fallen for smooth talk again...

He's not cut out for this kind of mission. *sigh*

I guess there aren't any clues around here anyway... Looks like our investigation's back at square one.

Let's hope we get lucky and find some information on the dark Ki in the process of searching for Kale.

Well then, let's head somewhere warm first! We'll come up with a plan there!

Yeah! All I want right now is to get out of this frozen wasteland!

Don't tell me... These two have good chemistry?

Interesting.

What an unlikely partnership.

(This shouldn't prove to be problematic... But just to be safe, I should report this to Lord Babidi...)