Marron arrived at the #17 mansion to find everybody still sitting around. "I'm home," she announced. Noticing that Trunks wasn't around, she asked, "Isn't Trunks back yet?"
"He's gone back to Capsule Corp.," Goten answered. "There was something wrong with the Dragon Radar."
"Oh?" Marron's eyebrow lifted.
"It didn't pick up any signal," Goten elaborated. "So Trunks went back to Capsule Corp. to see if Bulma can fix it."
"I hope it's not anything serious," Marron said rather untruthfully. Inwardly, she cheers. Kami up there must have approved of her plan. This will give her the time she needs to execute her plan. Just a few days, that's all she needs. Now, she needs to think, to formulate a plan to ensure that Kuririn gets to see #18. "I'll be in my room if anybody needs me," she said.
Meanwhile, in Capsule Corp., Bulma was examining the Dragon Radar. She frowned. There didn't seem to be anything wrong with it. "I don't know why it isn't picking up any signal," she said. "I've checked everything and nothing seems to be faulty." She looked up at Trunks who was sitting at the other side of he table, still thinking.
"The only reason why the radar wouldn't pick up any signal would be if the dragonballs are inside a living being or something that simulates the internal environment of a living being. Maybe they've been swallowed by an animal," she speculated.
"But they couldn't all be swallowed, " Trunks said. "The dragonballs scatter all over the planet after being used--" At this, Bulma's head snapped to attention. "Of course!" she exclaimed, checking her calendar. "It hasn't been a full year yet since they were last used."
"Somebody's used the Dragon Radar?" Trunks asked.
Bulma nodded. "Do you remember when the whole planet suddenly darkened sometime last year, Trunks?" she asked him. "Err... I can't quite recall," he replied. He wasn't in this timeline last year, so of course he wouldn't know. "That was the dragonballs being used to make a wish," Bulma explained. "We never did find out who it was," she continued.
"Why didn't you investigate?" Trunks asked.
"The dragonballs aren't anybody's property, even though the Dragon Radar is mine," Bulma said. "Whoever gathered the dragonballs did it without using my radar and had as much right to make a wish as any of us." Actually, Bulma had concerns about the dragonballs being abused, and she had a suspect. But the fact of the matter was, there wasn't any evidence for her to start pointing accusing fingers at Gero. Dr.Gero was a brilliant but mad scientist. He had gotten himself mixed up with the Red Ribbon Army, then succumbed to madness after a mysterious incident at the Red Ribbon Army base which left his face badly disfigured, and his mind worse still. He was institutionalised; then, a day after he reportedly escaped from the mental institution where he underwent treatment for the past 20 years, the dragonballs were used. Soon after that the cyborgs started to appear. Bulma put two and two together, but she still didn't know what Gero's real motives were, and where all this will lead to. After all, she can't tell the future.
"Just like you, Trunks," she said, looking at him. "You never did tell me what you wanted to wish for." Inwardly, Trunks squirmed. "I'm sorry, Bulma-san. I can't tell you."
Bulma looked at him in the eyes. The young man didn't want to have to keep a secret from her, but for some reason, he must. And even though he was acting suspicious, Bulma found that she still trusted him, for some strange reason. Seeing him uncomfortable, she decided not to ask him further. "I understand. I won't ask again." She handed him the Dragon Radar. "It'll be another month until the dragonballs will be regenerated. Can you wait?"
Trunks nodded. "I'd rather use it as soon as possible, but there's nothing we can do about it. I'll wait." He got up to leave and held out his hand. "Thank you so much, Bulma-san. I really appreciate all your help."
Bulma smiled. "Thank me after you return the radar, Trunks-kun," she said, shaking his hand. Trunks looked at her solemnly. "I won't be able to see you again after I make the wish, Bulma-san," he told her.
"Oh?" Bulma sounded disappointed. "In that case, you're welcome to come here anytime in this one month," she offered. Trunks smiled, but didn't say anything. It would be wiser not to get too involved with this world, as it would cause even more changes from his own timeline. He turned to leave. "Goodbye, Bulma-san," he bade her.
Bulma walked him to the door. "Goodbye, Trunks-kun. Oh," she said, remembering something. "Hm?" Trunks turned to her. "Incidentally, the vacancy is still open, although it's just a post for a junior technician. We could use someone like you, even if it's only for a month."
"Thanks for the offer, Bulma-san," he said. "But I don't think I should take it." Bulma shrugged. "Call me if you change your mind."
She saw Trunks off at the Capsule Corp. front gate and only went back in after Trunks left in a taxi he hailed.