Next morning...
Khami, Mr. Popo, and Korin had arrived to check on the injured fighters of Earth, having tried unsuccessfully to reach Master Roshi, whose phone was switched off.
They now stood in the shared room of Tien, Krillin, and Yamcha. Krillin had already recounted the entire ordeal to them earlier.
Yamcha broke the silence. "The real question is how we're going to track down where the Saiyan has taken Yajirobe."
Tien's gaze was distant, reflecting the vastness of their predicament. "I don't know, Yamcha. The universe is far from small."
Khami stroked his chin, deep in thought. "If the Saiyan is indeed after Ragon, then I have a hunch about which planet he might visit…"
Korin's ears perked up, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.
Krillin leaned forward, eager. "Which planet, Mr. Khami?"
Khami closed his eyes momentarily. "It's Planet Namek."
Krillin's eyes widened. "Planet Namek?"
Khami opened his eyes, a note of concern in his voice. "But there's a hitch… Piccolo took my spaceship last night."
Krillin's expression fell, disappointment etched on his face.
Yamcha's voice was laced with anger. "That bastard!"
Khami continued, trying to offer a glimmer of hope. "However, Mr. Popo and I have been working on another spaceship, similar in design. We began constructing it as a contingency plan if the Saiyans defeated you. It should be ready in a couple of weeks."
Krillin sighed, the revelation hitting hard. The fact that Khami and his team had already anticipated such a dire scenario made him feel even more isolated.
Korin, usually composed, showed uncharacteristic distress as he grabbed Krillin's collar. "Please, you have to rescue him. Yajirobe never wanted to fight; it's all my fault. I'd never forgive myself if something happened to him…"
Krillin looked at the cat with a mixture of sympathy and bewilderment. "If you're that worried, maybe you should go too."
Korin sweatdropped, realizing that his true concern was not Yajirobe's well-being but the daunting task of managing the Senzu plants alone. Naturally, he kept this to himself.
Krillin sighed deeply. "Alright, I'll go. Now, who's going to accompany me?"
The room fell silent, each person avoiding eye contact as if faced with the impossible task of finding a volunteer to bell the cat.
Krillin's frustration was evident. "I can't go alone…"
After half an hour of intense negotiation, Krillin managed to persuade Yamcha to join him.
Khami addressed the Turtle School fighters with a note of gravity. "You'll need to exercise extreme caution. Avoid any confrontation with the Saiyan. Hide your ki and seize the chance to rescue Yajirobe when you get it. Understood?"
Both Krillin and Yamcha nodded in agreement.
"I suppose it's only best that just the two of you go alongside Mr Popo. Since this is a stealth mission, the less people, the better."
Khami then turned to Mr. Popo. "Popo, I have a message for Guru. Could you deliver it for me?"
Mr. Popo nodded with a reassuring smile. "Certainly".
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Gohan's eyes lit up with excitement as he overheard the plans for the upcoming adventure. The prospect of his father's friends embarking on such a thrilling journey filled him with eager anticipation.
"Mom, can I go too?" he asked, his voice brimming with hope.
Chichi, ever the protective mother, shook her head firmly. "No, Gohan. You have a lot of catching up to do with your studies."
"But Mom, I've never been to space before," Gohan pleaded, his eyes wide with longing.
Chichi's resolve didn't waver. "No means no, Gohan."
Gohan sighed deeply, his shoulders slumping in disappointment. He looked down, the sparkle in his eyes dimming.
From his hospital bed, Goku watched the exchange with a knowing smile. "Good boy, Gohan," he said warmly, his pride in his son's obedience evident.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Two weeks later...
Yamcha and Krillin were devouring everything on the dining table at Kame House, their ravenous appetites leaving Master Roshi staring in shock, his mouth agape. There went his savings...
"Sorry... Master..." Krillin managed to mumble between bites. "But... don't... bother... with... the sweet-dish. We don't have... much room left!..."
Yamcha nodded in agreement, too busy shoveling food into his mouth to speak.
Master Roshi let out a sigh of relief internally. 'Thank God,' he thought. At least he wouldn't have to worry about dessert expenses.
Outside, the now-ready spaceship gleamed in the sunlight, standing tall and ready for departure. Yamcha and Krillin had planned to leave the following afternoon, embarking on their urgent and perilous mission.
. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Frieza Planet 327
Crab and Brob, technicians in the PTO, stared intently at the monitor in front of them as new information flashed on the screen.
"Vegeta and Nappa are back," Crab announced, eyes wide with surprise.
The two immediately rushed outside to greet the arrivals.
Soon, two space pods made a soft landing on the special circular pads designated for such purposes. As seconds turned into a minute without anyone emerging, Brob dared to approach Vegeta's pod. Peering inside, he exclaimed, "Why! He's using his life support system!"
Meanwhile, Crab approached Nappa's pod and was even more astonished by what he saw. "No! Nappa! What have you done to yourself!? How many times did I warn you not to use that hair-growing cream but you didn't listen to me!"
Brob walked over to where Crab was standing and slapped him on the back of his head. "Fool! Can't you see? This isn't Nappa. Look closely."
Crab scratched his head, puzzled. "So where is Nappa?"
"Prince Vegeta would know, but we should admit him to the healing chamber first," Brob replied.
Crab nodded. "Right."
...
Vegeta floated in the greenish-blue liquid of the healing chamber. 'Kakarot...' His brow twitched, even in unconsciousness, the name echoing in his mind.
...
Yajirobe slowly opened his eyes, finding himself in an unfamiliar, sterile white room. Sitting upright, he cautiously looked around, seeing no one else present. Quietly, he tiptoed towards the door.
"Where do you think you're going?" a voice called out.
Yajirobe froze. A purple-skinned, well-built man in Saiyan armor sat on a chair nearby, watching him closely.
"Just wanted to relieve myself. Could you point me to the washroom?" Yajirobe asked, forcing a grin.
Brob pointed his thumb down the corridor.
"Thanks... hehe," Yajirobe muttered, nervously making his way down the hallway. As he walked, he encountered various strange-looking individuals, each one staring at him as if he were the oddity.
Leaving this place wasn't going to be easy.
. . .. . . . . . . .
Back on Earth...
Gohan tossed and turned in his narrow hospital bed, the stiff sheets rustling with each restless movement. Moonlight streamed through the half-closed blinds, casting pale stripes across the tiled floor.
Sleep refused to come. His father's friends were leaving tomorrow afternoon, and Gohan's mind kept circling back to one thing: the spaceship. What did it look like up close? What secrets did it hold? He had to see it before Krillin and Yamcha took off.
With a cautious glance toward his slumbering mother, Gohan slipped out of bed and tiptoed toward the door. The floor was cold beneath his bare feet, and each step felt thunderous in the otherwise silent room.
"Ill-mannered kids..." his mother mumbled in her sleep, shifting slightly beneath the blanket.
Gohan froze.
But her breathing soon slowed again, deep and steady. He exhaled quietly and gently shut the door behind him with a soft click.
...
The hallway stretched out before him, dimly lit and eerily quiet. Gohan held his father's smartphone tightly in one hand, its screen casting a faint bluish glow on his face. Thankfully, Goku had never bothered setting a password; he always said it slowed things down.
Navigating the phone with swift fingers, Gohan pulled up the saved locations. His heart leapt when he saw it—Master Roshi's island was marked clearly on the map.
With a glance around to make sure no nurses were wandering the corridor, he padded over to a nearby window. The wind was brisk as he pushed it open, and the salty scent of the ocean breeze rushed in, mingling with the sterile air of the hospital.
Then, without hesitation, he climbed onto the sill and leapt into the night sky.
...
The ocean sparkled under the moonlight as Gohan descended onto the tiny island. Waves lapped gently against the shore, and the palm trees swayed softly in the wind. Kame House stood silent, its windows dark and its lights off; everyone was asleep.
And there it was.
The spaceship stood just outside the house, hulking and alien, its smooth silver surface gleaming faintly under the stars. It looked like a sleeping giant; quiet, mysterious, and full of hidden wonder.
Gohan crept closer, his fingers brushing against the cool metal. He remembered the instruction manual his mother had once left lying on the hospital room table...
"Piccolo," he said clearly.
With a soft hiss, the ship's door slid open, revealing a shadowy interior.
His pulse quickened.
It was just like the one his parents had traveled in. He stepped inside, the air stale and heavy with disuse. Stretching out his hand, he summoned a small ki orb, its warm golden glow illuminating the narrow hallway.
"Wow..." he whispered, eyes wide as he took in the smooth walls and faintly humming panels.
The boy wandered deeper inside, peeking into different compartments until he stumbled upon a reclining sofa, strangely out of place but impossibly inviting.
He jumped onto it, the cushions letting out a soft whuff beneath him. "This is fantastic!" he laughed, bouncing slightly. The upholstery was smooth and springy, like a cloud wrapped in fabric.
Lying back, Gohan gazed at the curved ceiling above him. His ki orb flickered gently, casting dancing shadows on the walls. The quiet hum of the ship cradled him like a lullaby.
His eyelids grew heavy. The boy yawned, curled up on the sofa, and slowly drifted off.
. . . . . . . . . . .
The next morning...
Krillin and Yamcha were yawning on their beds when Master Roshi shouted at them to wake up.
Grudgingly, they obeyed and stumbled out. After refreshing themselves, they walked down to the dining room.
Master Roshi had ordered breakfast for them. As the three began to eat, Master Roshi's brow twitched. He watched both his students munch away at an astonishing pace. Their appetites had increased vastly compared to last year. The old man simply couldn't afford to let them stay until lunch. They had to leave now.
"Ahem." Master Roshi cleared his throat. "I don't find any reason for you to delay your trip until the afternoon. Yajirobe is in urgent need of your help."
Yamcha looked at his former teacher. "But master..."
Krillin added, "We thought of making a trip to South Carifa City's pizza restaurant with you. For a nice good-bye meal, you know."
Master Roshi fumed. These audacious little brats. "YOU WILL LEAVE AFTER BREAKFAST! AND THAT'S FINAL!"
Yamcha and Krillin were left stunned.
...
Soon it was time for them to leave. Mr. Popo had arrived as well. Krillin had alerted Mr. Popo about the change in schedule, and he had duly arrived. The two Turtle School students bid farewell to their master before getting into the ship along with Mr. Popo.
Krillin gave the old man a thumbs up, standing at the ship's entrance. "Wish us luck, Master Roshi."
Yamcha, standing alongside him, grinned. "Yeah, we still got to make that trip to South Carifa, you know."
Master Roshi huffed. "Yes, yes. Just leave alright. "
Mr Popo faintly smiled as the door of the spaceship started to close.
VROOM
The ship's engine roared to life as it slowly began to levitate. With a thunderous sound, it blasted off, disappearing into the sky.
Master Roshi heaved a sigh of relief. Now with his wallet safe, genuine concern began to creep into his mind. 'I hope you stay safe, both of you.'
...
Krillin and Yamcha relaxed as the ship completed its take-off. The two unbuckled their seat belts and began to look around.
Mr. Popo remained seated, having taken out a newspaper from his pocket to read.
They were in space now, having escaped Earth's gravitational field. The trip to Namek was going to be a long one.
Krillin wondered why Khami had not come with them. Surely he would have loved to visit his home planet after such a long time.
It was then that their eyes fell on someone lying strapped onto the reclining sofa. And boy, were they surprised...
"Gohan? What are you doing here?"
Gohan blinked with widened eyes.
To be continued...