Piccolo roamed the narrow corridors of his spaceship as it hurtled through the endless void of space. Two weeks had already passed since the start of his journey, and the monotony was beginning to gnaw at him.
He had told himself that killing Goku while he was helplessly lying in his bed, unable to move a finger, would bring no satisfaction. No, he needed to defeat him in a proper one-on-one fight, where strength and skill could be truly tested. Besides, there was a darker part of him that craved the sight of Goku's despair when he realized he was truly beaten.
As he walked, Piccolo came across a door and opened it, revealing a room filled with weights and dumbbells. He sneered at the sight. "I can't believe Goku used these toys to get stronger... ridiculous."
With a scoff, he closed the door. Almost ten weeks still remained until he reached his destination, and the passage of time was proving to be a challenge. Sparring with a clone of himself using the multiform technique was out of the question; the spaceship would be utterly wrecked.
Piccolo's mind raced with thoughts of the impending battle and the intense training he would need to endure.
As he stared into the emptiness of space through a small window, a sinister grin spread across his face. The anticipation of not just defeating Goku but breaking his spirit gave him a twisted sense of satisfaction.
He knew Goku was far stronger than him at this point, a fact that gnawed at him. But this acknowledgment only stoked the fire within him. He relished the thought of the struggle, the pain, and the ultimate triumph.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chi-Chi's heart raced as she woke up in the hospital room, realizing that Gohan was missing. Panic surged through her veins, and she frantically scanned the room, calling his name. All that followed was silence.
"Goku! Gohan's gone!" she exclaimed, her voice tinged with worry.
Goku, lying in the hospital bed wrapped in bandages, looked equally perplexed. "I don't have a clue either. And it looks like he took my phone with him too."
Goku's brow furrowed in thought. "Maybe Master Roshi would know. Gohan did say he really wanted to have a look at the spaceship before it left."
Chi-Chi felt a sliver of hope as she grabbed her phone. "I'll call him."
...
Master Roshi's phone rang at Kame House. The old master, lounging in his chair, glanced at the screen, wondering who it could be.
Master Roshi's face grew serious as he listened on the phone. "Gohan? No, I don't think I have seen him around here. Is something wrong?"
The line abruptly cut off, leaving an unsettling silence. Master Roshi's mind raced. Something was definitely wrong...
. . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Vegeta floated unconscious inside the liquid of the healing chamber, an oxygen mask attached to his face and several leads connected to his head and chest. The blue fluid bubbled gently around him, casting eerie shadows on his stern features.
Dr. Broc monitored the Saiyan's vitals on a screen, frowning at the sudden spike in activity. "What is this? His heart rate is increasing."
The doctor pressed a series of buttons on the keyboard, eyes narrowing as the EEG displayed abnormal electrical activity. "He must be having a nightmare... I wonder what could scare him? It must be something intense."
Vegeta's brow twitched, a hint of distress marring his usually stoic expression.
...
Vegeta threw a punch with all his might, but it was effortlessly caught. He followed with another strike from his free hand, only to have it intercepted as well.
His eyes bulged with shock and pain as a fist smashed into his gut, sending waves of agony through his body. He doubled over, coughing blood. It stained the ground beneath him.
It was his blood.
That low-class warrior... He had done this to him!
...
"Ka...ka...rot..." His fists clenched at his sides.
. . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
"Gohan! What are you doing here?" Krillin's voice was a mix of surprise and concern as he stared at the young boy strapped into the spaceship's seat.
Gohan blinked, not really sure how to answer. "Could you unbuckle my seatbelt, please, Krillin?"
"Sure," Krillin replied, pressing the release button.
Gohan let out a sigh of relief as he was set free. He sat upright, rubbing his eyes. "I just came to check out the ship last night and fell asleep. I never thought I would sleep for so long."
Krillin raised his brows. "Actually, we had a change of schedule, thanks to Master Roshi."
Yamcha grinned. "Looks like your wish came true, Gohan. You really are traveling in space now!"
Krillin sweatdropped, thinking to himself, 'Fool.'
Gohan didn't look so happy. "But Mom...she'll be worried about me, and Dad too."
Yamcha kept smiling. "Don't worry, we can take care of that." He turned to the driver's seat. "Mr. Popo!"
The turbaned man lowered his newspaper and turned his head to face them. His eyes fell on Gohan. "So...the little boy's decided to join the adventure as well."
Krillin grinned nervously. "It's not that. Actually, it was an accident... Could you direct the spaceship back to Earth so we can drop off Gohan with his parents?"
Mr. Popo shook his head. "Take-off and landing consume a major chunk of the ship's fuel, I'm afraid. And the fuel for this spaceship is not available on Earth but rather on the planet we're headed to. So the boy may just have to come along."
Krillin looked irritated. He couldn't believe it. "Oh, come on."
Mr. Popo did not reply.
Yamcha sighed. "At least you could arrange a video call with Khami so that we can inform him of the situation. He can then inform Gohan's parents."
"That, I can do," said Mr. Popo.
.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chi-Chi read the message sent to her by Khami. "Gohan...is...in space?"
Goku heaved a sigh of relief. "At least now we know where he is. I'm sure Mr. Popo, Krillin, and Yamcha will look after him," he said reassuringly.
Chi-Chi nodded, tearfully. She just hoped he would remain alright.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The trip to Namek was underway.
What was originally a four-month journey had now stretched to a year, as Mr. Popo had informed them. They had to travel at submaximal speeds to conserve the limited fuel they had onboard.
Their biggest worry was the slim chance of finding the Saiyan and Yajirobe still on Namek by the time they arrived. Unfortunately, they had no other options.
Currently, Gohan, Krillin, and Yamcha sat on the floor of the spaceship, engrossed in a game of carrom.
Yamcha was lining up his shot. With a flick of his finger, he sent a white striker into one of the four pockets. "Hah! Did you see that rebound shot?"
Krillin smirked. "Just wait until it's my turn."
Sure enough, when his turn came, Krillin aimed carefully, only to accidentally send the striker into a pocket.
Gohan laughed heartily, the sound filling the small cabin with warmth.
Krillin looked momentarily agitated, but Gohan's laughter quickly lifted his spirits. It felt good to have a kid like Gohan with them—it reminded him of the old days when he and Goku were just children themselves.
"You know," Krillin said, "it's just like old times. Gohan reminds me so much of Goku when he was a kid."
Yamcha smiled, ruffling Gohan's hair affectionately. "He sure does."
Gohan chuckled. "Hehe."
Meanwhile, Mr. Popo sat nearby, engrossed in a book. He loved to read whenever he wasn't busy tending to his garden back on Earth.
The spaceship hummed softly as it journeyed through the vastness of space.
. . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . .. . . ...
Yajirobe lounged in the chair of his small, sparse room, staring at the bland walls. The monotony of his situation was interrupted by a small tiffin being tossed in through the window.
He lunged at it eagerly, hoping for something more exciting than the usual fare. But as he opened the tiffin, his hopes were dashed—it was filled with space vegetables... again.
"Can't you guys get some mutton around here?!" he bellowed in frustration, his voice echoing in the empty room. But his complaint went unanswered. With a resigned sigh, Yajirobe begrudgingly began to eat. It was all he had, after all.
As he chewed, his thoughts wandered. 'I wonder if Krillin and the others are worried about me...' The loneliness and the endless diet of vegetables was too much to bear.
. ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2 weeks later... (one month post the fight on Earth)..
Dr. Broc stood attentively, eyes fixed on the screen beside Vegeta's healing chamber.
BEEP! BEEP!
The doctor's eyes widened with satisfaction. "He's healed!"
He swiftly pressed a series of buttons, initiating the draining of the chamber's fluid. As the liquid receded, the chamber door opened with a hiss.
Vegeta's eyes snapped open. With deliberate movements, he removed the oxygen mask and the leads attached to his body. Stepping out of the chamber, the Saiyan prince surveyed his surroundings with a cold intensity.
Vegeta clenched his fist in front of him, feeling the renewed energy surging through his veins. His lips curled into a smirk, which quickly transformed into a chilling, triumphant laugh.
"Prince of all Saiyans, and soon… the ruler of all who dared oppose me! "
To be continued. . .