Chapter Nine: When Your Dragon Balls Are Stone

Bulma was sitting in hospital with her son, who was still recovering from his battle with the alien saiyans. In another bed in the same hospital room was Krillen, also recovering from his injuries he received when the others were killed. The TV in the room was the only thing making any noise. Bulma watched the news intrigued by the story that they were showing. Someone had managed film footage of when the saiyans they had blown up East City. Bulma had found out the name of the saiyans from Krillen. She was intrigued by the actions of the one named Vegeta. As she watched the footage he seemed to become angry that Nappa had blown up part of the city. If they were as ruthless as they thought he shouldn't have been concerned with the deaths of the people in the city. In their fight the only one that Vegeta had killed was Nappa and Piccolo whom all of the Z Gang had tried to kill on a couple of different occasions in the past. Vegeta killing Nappa had also confused her. Why would he turn on his own team?

Bulma sighed and looked down at the four-star dragon ball of Gohan's which she was holding in her hands. The Dragon Ball's had all turned to stone. Bulma had never felt more vulnerable in her life. If anything ever happened in the past they always had the Dragon Balls to rely on. She didn't know what to do; she missed her friends so much. She missed Yamcha, but she also hated him at the same time for dying.

Bulma heard a knocking on the window. She looked over and saw a strange black man standing outside, she thought that she must have been dreaming as they were on the 17th floor of the hospital. It was then that the scientist recognized the man that was standing at the window, as Mr Popo, Kami's assistant. She walked towards the window causing Krillen to stirred. As Bulma opened the window, Kami's assistant spoke "Hello I am Mr Popo a friend of Kami, my I come in?" Bulma nodded her head and moved aside, she saw that Mr Popo was on a flying carpet. Krillen looked at Mr Popo a couple of times thinking that he was still asleep.

"You're probably wondering why I have came. Well, as you probably already know, the Dragon Balls have been turned to stone, and they will remain stone as long as Kami is in the other world. We need Kami back as he is Guardian of the Earth. The Earth is in grave danger while we have no Kami. Being a friend of Goku's you two already know that Piccolo and Kami are the one in the same, so if one dies they both die. I'm requesting that you go to planet Namek to collect their Dragon Balls and wish Piccolo back, then you can wish the rest of your friends back with the Earth Dragon Balls" Mr Popo told the two stunned Z Gang members as Gohan remained sound asleep.

"But what about Chiaotzu? He'sbeen dead before" Krillen asked Mr Popo "and can't be wished back by the Dragon Balls."

"And how are we going to get to planet Namek?" Bulma asking Mr Popo at the same time. After Bulma finished her question she saw the alien's space ship that the military where able to obtain. "That's it I will get there using the saiyan space ship!" Bulma said with excitement. When Krillen and herself where still at the battle scene that had taken a good look around, they found Yamcha's mobile phone, a remote of some type and Vegeta's tail. Bulma went through her handbag until she found the remote. "Now if I press this button I should be able to get the ship to come here" Bulma stated as she pressed the big red button on the remote. A loud explosion can be hard through the television startling Gohan awake.

Krillen yelled "BULMA YOU PRESSED THE WRONG BUTTON! Now how are we going to go to Namek?"

Bulma yelled back "WELL THIS IS NOT ONE OF MY INVENTIONS KRILLEN! HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW THAT IT WOULD SELF-DESTRUCT?"

"What's happening Mummy?" asked the small child who had just woken up.

"Gohan are you ok? Are you hurt! Do you feel any pain?" Bulma asked her son with concern.

"I'm ok mummy; I'm just a little bit sleepy and hungry. But who's that man?" Gohan asked pointing at Mr Popo"

"That Gohan is Mr Popo. He is a friend of Kami. Do you remember me telling you about them?" Bulma asked Gohan.

"Yes mummy, Kami is the guardian of the Earth who my daddy once trained under. He also trained under Mr Popo before he could train under Kami. Kami is also joined to Mr Piccolo somehow but I don't understand why." Gohan told his mum.

Bulma was always amazed at the things that Gohan would remember, considering who his father was. But then again Goku did live on his own in the wilderness before she met him on her first trip looking for the Dragon Balls and was not aware of normal society. The only other person that Goku knew at that stage was his grandpa Gohan who had died a few years before she met Goku, though she did have the privilege of meeting Goku's dead grandfather once.

"That's right Gohan and Mr Popo was just telling us that they have Dragon Balls on another planet called Namek, I thought that we could use the saiyan spaceship to travel to planet Namek, but it unfortunately exploded" Bulma explained, Krillen rolling his eyes at Bulma's explanation.

"Does that mean that we can wish everyone back?" asked an excited Gohan before his mood became serious. Bulma looked at her son wondering what he was thinking. "Even Piccolo?" Gohan started to ask. "Because I know that it was wrong for him to kidnap me after I got kidnapped by that man Uncle Raditz and keep me away from you for a long time, but he was kind to me. Well sometimes and he did let me escape so that I could talk to you on my birthday."

"Yes Gohan even Piccolo" Bulma smiled at her son proud of the fact that he was concerned for some one that separated them for quite a few months. Krillen was not happy that they would have to wish back Piccolo because he still remembered when he'd been quiet the enemy once.

"But we don't have a way to get there because the saiyan ship was destroyed and it would take me a long time to build another ship for us to go to Namek in."

Mr Popo who had stayed quiet for quite some time spoke up. "As I was going to tell you before you blew up the saiyan ship and Gohan woke up, the Namek Dragon Balls have different rules to the Earth Dragon Balls, I'm not sure what the exact rules are, only what Kami would tell me. The Earth Dragon Balls you only have one wish, they can revive a whole planet of people and people whom died of natural causes or have been dead before cannot be revived. The Namek Dragon Balls grant three wishes and they can only revive one person at a time and people who have been dead before can be revived by the Dragon Ball, so your friend Chiaotzu can be revived. As for the rest of the rules I'm not sure, I don't even think that Kami knew."

"But we still have the problem of getting to planet Namek" Krillen stated.

"That is also what I came to show you. If you would come with me you will see" Mr Popo said before hopping out of the window onto the carpet.

"Krillen can you watch Gohan while I go with Mr Popo" Bulma asked her bald friend

"Sure Bulma, Gohan and I are not yet recovered enough" the bald headed ex-monk replied to his friend, actually relieved he had a legitimate excuse for not going.

"But mummy I want to come see I am fine" Gohan pouted, as he tried to get out of bed.

Bulma got in the way of the boy getting out of bed. "Look Gohan I want you do a very important job for me and keep Krillen safe in case more aliens come ok. I will be fine I have Mr Popo to look after me"

"Ok mummy I will keep Krillen safe. Love you" Gohan smiled as he gave his mum a hug before she left.

"Love you too Gohan." Bulma said and returned her sons hug as well as a kiss on the cheek.

Bulma then walked over towards the window and looked down, she was a little scared when she stepped onto the carpet as she expected the carpet to fly off, but instead it disappeared. As the Capsule Corp heiress climbed out the window, a nurse that had just come in to check on the two patients. Thinking the worst she screamed and ran towards the window to try and save the girl but and passed out from the shock of seeing the young mother disappear from sight.

"What's her problem Krillen? Mum just went with Mr Popo she'll be back soon" Gohan asked, not understanding why the nurse was so upset. Krillen didn't know how to explain to the five-year-old that the nurse thought his mum was a jumper, he decided to just leave it up to Bulma to explain when she returned, and he hoped it was before the nurse woke up.

LCM

When the carpet reappeared Bulma and Mr Popo where in a canyon. Mr Popo explained a story of how a Namekian came to Earth a long time ago and that he would come back to the same spot every year. Bulma guessed that the Namekian that came to Earth was Kami. As the scientist inspected the ship she discovered a few things that needed tweaking on the ship, but besides that it was fine. After diagnostic, Mr Popo helped her get the space ship back to Capsule Corp. by the same way he brought them to the canyon.

"What have you got there dear" her father asked, he just happened to be in the gardens with his wife at the time of Bulma's sudden appearance. He didn't seem to be fazed at all by the appearance of the space ship and neither did her mother, to them it was just like it was a normal occurance.

"It's a space ship dad. I need it to go to planet Namek." Bulma told her dad. "Do you think that you could fix it up for me?" Bulma then asked.

"What do you need a space ship for dear, there is lots of free space available in the buildings" Bulma's ditzy mother pointed out.

"Um, it's to travel to other places very very far away mum" Bulma explained to her mother in as simple terms as possible. "I really need to get back to the hospital, so I will see you two later"

"Are you hurt?" Bulma's father asked concerned.

"No dad, Gohan is. I already told you what happened and I need to get back ASAP." Bulma told her dad, wondering how her dad was one of the best scientists in the world.

"But you haven't had tea yet, and Gohan needs some cup cakes" Mrs Briefs said as she pulled out a tray with tea, coffee and cup cakes on it from nowhere.

"Maybe when I get back mum." Bulma replied to her mum. "So can you have the ship ready by the time that I am back?" Bulma asked her dad. Dr Briefs nodded. "Ok good I'll see you two later" Bulma walked over to Mr Popo who then transported her back to the hospital.

LCM

When Bulma got to the hospital she saw a nurse on the floor and Krillen trying to wake her up. Gohan run up to her and gave her a big hug

"Mum your back" the five year old said to his mother.

"Of course, but what happened to the nurse" Bulma asked looking over at the nurse.

"She fell asleep when she saw you climb out the window" her son said with innocence.

Bulma considered what the nurse thought she saw, she probably would have jumped to the same conclusion.

"She's starting to wake up" Krillen notified everyone.

"Oh no the lady jumped out of the window!" the nurse exclaimed as she woke up proceeding to burst into tears.

"Which lady?" Bulma asked giving a look to her son not to mention her climbing out of the window when she went with Mr Popo.

The nurse looked at Bulma and thought she was seeing a ghost and passed out again.

LCM

A few days later Gohan and Krillen were released from hospital. They hadn't seen the nurse since. "Mum when you and Krillen go to Namek can I come with you? Please!" Gohan asked looking at his mother with puppy dog eyes.

"I don't know Gohan, Namek might be dangerous and I would hate it if you got hurt. But I also don't want to leave you here because it could be a long time before we see each other again, and I already missed enough of you growing up when you were kidnapped. Look how tall you grew during that time" Bulma pointed out, considering her options and weighing the positives and negatives of both situations. "I guess that you can come, but you will need a hair cut first, it's grown really long in the last few months." Bulma said looking over at how shaggy his hair had gotten.