Bulma sighed as she leaned against the ship's railing, her sharp blue eyes scanning the endless horizon. The sun's scorching heat burned down on her skin, and the shimmering light on the water made her squint. The waves below were restless, slamming into the ship with an unpredictable rhythm that made the entire vessel sway unsteadily.
"This sea is trying to kill us," Bulma muttered, wiping the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand.
It wasn't just the heat—though that alone was unbearable. The weather itself was wrong.
One moment, it was blazing hot, the sun almost blinding her as it reflected off the waves. The next, dark storm clouds would roll in out of nowhere, the rain hammering down so hard that she couldn't even see the bow of the ship. And just when she thought it couldn't get any worse, it would start snowing—actual snow, in the middle of the ocean.
"What kind of messed-up physics is this?" Bulma grumbled.
She was used to strange things. She'd grown up dealing with Capsule Corp technology, helping her father invent gadgets that would make modern scientists' heads spin. But this—this world—felt like a complete rejection of logic. Gravity, pressure systems, magnetic fields—none of it seemed to work the way it should.
Bulma reached into the pocket of her jacket and pulled out a small, makeshift compass she'd put together using parts from her capsule. She frowned.
It was spinning. Completely useless.
"Great." She tossed it down onto the deck with a frustrated huff. "Why do I even bother?"
"Bulma!"
She turned at the sound of Goku's cheerful voice.
Goku was hanging upside down from the mast with his legs as if it was the most natural thing in the world. His orange gi was fluttering slightly in the ocean breeze, and his messy black hair was even wilder than usual. Despite picking tons of clothes for him, the monkey boy seemed to revert to his orange gi instinctively. Well, she couldn't blame anyone. Goku was a dud when it came to fashion and style.
"Come look at this!" he said, grinning.
Bulma crossed her arms. "Unless it's the solution to why this sea is acting like it's having a seizure, I'm not interested."
Goku twisted around, flipping himself upright. "No, really! Look!"
Bulma sighed and walked over to him, following the direction of his gaze.
Out in the distance, barely visible through the hazy heat, was a faint shimmer of land.
Her eyes widened. "An island?"
Goku beamed. "Yup! And it looks close!"
Bulma immediately pulled out her binoculars and adjusted the lenses. Sure enough, there was land—a dark green silhouette on the horizon, fringed with white sand.
"Finally." Bulma exhaled in relief. "An actual break."
"A break from what?"
Bulma's eye twitched as Oolong waddled up to her side. The pig was fanning himself with a piece of paper, sweat dripping from his round face.
"From dying," Bulma replied dryly.
"Yeah, well, let's not get too excited," Oolong said with a sneer. "For all we know, it could be an island full of cannibals or sea monsters."
Bulma narrowed her eyes. "Or it could be the place where we actually restock our supplies and stop starving to death."
Oolong grumbled. "I'm just saying, it's not like this sea's been doing us any favors."
Bulma ignored him, turning to Goku. "We're heading for that island."
"Got it!" Goku said with a grin. He floated upward and shot toward the back of the ship, grabbing the hull and beginning to push with ease. The ship creaked as it surged forward, cutting through the waves with new momentum.
Bulma turned toward the helm. "Carmen! Adjust the sails!"
Carmen appeared from below deck, looking more irritated than usual. She was wearing a red sleeveless dress and holding a fan, which she used to wave the heat away from her face.
"Ugh, why should I?" Carmen drawled. "Goku's already doing all the work."
"Because if you don't, we'll capsize!" Bulma snapped.
Carmen sighed dramatically, flipping her long pink hair over her shoulder. "Fine." She waved toward Leo and Jose, her two assistants, who were slumped lazily against the railing. "You two—adjust the sails."
Leo and Jose jolted to attention.
"Yes, boss!" they said in unison.
Bulma watched them as they stumbled toward the mast, fumbling with the rigging. Leo's oversized head made him wobble awkwardly, and Jose's large nose twitched nervously as he tried to tie a rope.
Bulma rubbed her temples. Why were they like this?
But despite their awkwardness, they managed to adjust the sails enough to steady the ship's course toward the island. Bulma took over the wheel, her hands tightening around the smooth wood as she calculated the angles in her head.
Right 15 degrees. Maintain course. Avoid the rocky area near the shore.
It wasn't perfect, but it was progress.
"Are we there yet?" Oolong whined from behind her.
Bulma glared at him. "Do you see land beneath your feet?"
Oolong huffed. "No, but my feet hurt!"
"Then shut up!"
Suddenly, the ship rocked violently.
Bulma's eyes widened as the waves beneath them surged unnaturally. The wind howled through the air, and a dark shadow flickered beneath the water.
"What the hell—?" Bulma whispered.
"Something's down there!" Oolong screamed.
Bulma gritted her teeth and yanked the wheel hard to the left. The ship jolted sideways as the shadow beneath the water surfaced.
A massive tentacle rose from the depths, dripping with saltwater and slime. Its thick, purple skin shimmered under the sunlight as it lashed toward the ship.
"Goku!" Bulma shouted.
Goku was already in motion. He shot into the air, his body becoming a blur as he reeled his fist back.
BOOM!
There was a loud thud and Bulma could feel the shockwaves from the punch. She watched in Slowmotion as the Goku's arm speared through the tentacle.
The creature screeched and writhed, its massive limb retracting back into the water with a splash. Thankfully, Goku managed to pull back his arm during that sudden pull
Bulma exhaled shakily.
Carmen flipped her hair. "Well, that was dramatic."
Bulma shot her a sharp look. "Next time, maybe you could help."
"Fighting sea monsters isn't my specialty. I am a cook, captain" Carmen replied with a lazy smile.
"Yeah, no kidding," Bulma muttered.
The island loomed closer now, its sandy shore visible beneath the sparkling waves.
Bulma's grip on the wheel tightened. "Alright, crew! We're landing!"
Goku flew back toward the ship, landing next to her with a bright grin. "That was awesome!"
"Yeah, well, let's hope whatever's on this island isn't worse," Bulma muttered.
Oolong groaned aloud. "Why would you say that?! Now it's definitely going to be worse!"
Bulma smirked. "Relax, pig. What's the worst that could happen?"
The ship drifted toward the shore, the soft scrape of sand against the hull signaling their arrival.
Bulma's eyes narrowed toward the dense jungle lining the beach. The closer they got, the more her unease grew.
The docking area was barely holding together. The wooden planks were blackened with rot, some of them missing entirely, leaving jagged gaps that threatened to snap under the weight of a single step. The whole structure tilted slightly to the side, as though a single strong wave could knock it into the sea.
Other ships were docked nearby—dark and battered vessels with menacing jolly rogers hanging from their masts. Bleached bones, grotesque skull designs, and jagged swords were common motifs on the flags. Some of them even had blood splatters on the sails.
Yeah, not exactly the most welcoming place.
"This… doesn't look good," Bulma muttered under her breath.
"I think it looks cool!" Goku said cheerfully from behind her, his arms crossed behind his head. He was balancing on the railing without a care in the world, smiling as if they'd just pulled up to a resort.
"It looks dangerous," Oolong corrected. His eyes were wide as he peeked out from behind Bulma's legs. "I say we turn around right now before someone decides to slit our throats!"
"Too late for that." Bulma sighed angrily. She really wanted to strangle the damned pig sometimes. "We've already committed."
"We could always jump ship!" Oolong suggested.
"Yeah? And then what?" Bulma shot back. "Drift through the Grand Line in a rowboat until something eats us?"
Oolong paled. "Okay, okay, fine… We'll stay."
Bulma sighed and rubbed her temples. She didn't want to stop here—every instinct in her screamed that this was a bad idea—but they had no choice. She instinctively decided to use her guns and all. Maybe, Carmen, Jose and Leo would be better with guns. She will use her ray gun. Atleast, she could count on that. She knew that if push came to stove, she could tune the laser enough to melt anything.
Their ship was holding together by sheer stubbornness at this point. The waves, the unpredictable weather, and the constant strain of sailing through the Grand Line had taken its toll. The hull was scratched and dented. The sails were frayed at the edges, and their rudder barely functioned anymore. If they didn't stop to repair it soon, they'd find themselves stranded in the middle of the ocean.
And the log pose.
Bulma's hand went to the compass strapped to her wrist. The log pose was still trembling, the needle pointing uncertainly toward the island. They had to stay put until it settled.
"Alright," Bulma said aloud. "We dock, we get supplies, we repair the ship, and we get out of here as soon as the log pose settles."
"Sounds good!" Goku said excitedly. "And if anyone causes trouble, I'll just fight them!"
"Right." Bulma sighed. "Let's try not to start a fight."
They reached the dock. Bulma extended her hair, her long strands twisting like vines around the splintered wooden posts. Her hair coiled tightly and anchored the ship to the dock.
"Alright," Bulma said. "Let's go."
Carmen emerged from the lower deck, looking unimpressed at the island. Leo and Jose stumbled behind her, looking nervous as well.
"Ugh," Carmen sighed as she took in the state of the dock. "I hope this place has somewhere to eat. I refuse to die on an empty stomach."
"Right. Food. Priorities," Bulma said sarcastically.
"Isn't that why we have a cook?" Oolong pointed out, immediately taking Carmen's side.
"Yes, but even I need ingredients, pig," Carmen replied smoothly with a sneer. She was absolutely annoyed by the Pig's advances recently. The pig was a leeching pervert. There was no other way to put it. She had forgotten the number of times, she had seen him peeking at her chest and ass by now.
They stepped off the ship onto the dock. The wood groaned under their weight, but it held. For now.
The place was eerily quiet.
No one was around, but they could feel eyes on them—shadows flickering behind dark windows, the occasional metallic sound of weapons being sharpened. The air was thick with the salty stench of the sea and the lingering rot of stale rum.
"I don't like this," Oolong whispered. "It's too quiet."
"Stay close," Bulma said, keeping her head high and her eyes sharp.
They walked toward the village. The buildings were old and weather-beaten—salt-stained wood and crumbling stone held together by rusted nails and desperation. Torn pirate flags hung from poles, and broken glass crunched under their feet.
A few figures lounged outside a tavern at the edge of the street. Dirty men with missing teeth and mismatched clothes. One of them was sharpening a jagged knife. Another had a scar running down the length of his cheek. They all looked up as Bulma and her crew passed by.
"Newcomers," one of them muttered.
Another one chuckled. "They won't last long."
Bulma's eyes flicked toward them. She forced her expression to stay neutral and continued walking.
Goku, naturally, didn't notice the tension. He was looking around in fascination, his eyes wide and taking everything in detail.
"This place is weird!" he said. "Hey, Bulma, do you think they've got good food here?"
"I think you'd get poisoned before you could take a bite," Oolong muttered from besides him.
Bulma stopped as they reached the center of the village. There was a large open square lined with wooden posts. Ropes hung from some of the beams—too thin and frayed to be decorative.
"Gallows," Carmen said quietly.
Bulma's jaw tightened.
A small group of pirates gathered nearby. They were whispering to each other, glancing toward Bulma's crew with thinly veiled interest.
"Don't engage," Bulma said under her breath.
"Why not?" Goku asked innocently.
"Because if you hit one of them, we'll have the whole town on our backs," Bulma replied.
Goku's eyes widened. "Oh."
"Bulma…" Carmen's voice was low.
Bulma followed her gaze. A figure had stepped out from the tavern.
He was tall and gaunt, with greasy black hair falling over one side of his face. His clothes were dark and tattered, a heavy sword hanging from his hip. His eyes—sharp and bloodshot—fixed directly on Bulma.
"Well, well," the man said, his voice gravelly. "Fresh blood."
"We're just passing through," Bulma said coolly.
The man's lips twisted into a crooked smile. "You don't just pass through here."
Bulma's gaze narrowed. "We're not looking for trouble."
The man's smile widened. His hand slid toward the hilt of his sword.
"Maybe trouble is looking for you."
There was a sudden movement.
Before the man could draw his sword, Goku was in front of him, one hand raised. His fingers closed around the man's wrist like an iron vice.
"Hey," Goku said cheerfully. "Bulma said we're not looking for trouble."
The man's eyes widened.
"Let go," he hissed.
Goku's grip didn't budge. "Only if you promise to be nice."
The man's hand trembled. Goku wasn't even trying, but his strength was undeniable.
"Fine," the man growled.
Goku released him, and the man stumbled back, rubbing his wrist.
Bulma stepped up beside Goku. She had immediately gathered her courage after seeing Goku overpowering them. This was a great chance to show her assertiveness and maybe, show domination. Showing assertiveness and domination would surely make them back a little. "See? That wasn't so hard."
The man glared at her and turned away, disappearing back into the tavern.
Bulma sighed. "This is going to be a long stop."
Carmen smiled faintly. "At least it's not boring."
Bulma rolled her eyes. "Yeah, lucky us."
They walked toward the nearest supply shop, leaving the hostile stares behind them.