Months Later
"So this is what it felt like on Planet Vegeta, huh?" Brussa asked, hopping up and down, amused by the shortened jumps. It had taken several months, but Dr. Briefs and Bulma had been hard at work reverse-engineering the Saiyan technology. With it, they had been able to develop a hardy training chamber for the Saiyans, which could alter the gravity on command, at Meys's request for the possible ship to be more comfortable for his people. Brussa started to hop from panel to panel, timing each jump perfectly already, "Not that different from our quarters."
"WOAH!" Gohan fell to the ground immediately upon entering the chamber, "I'm...So heavy!"
"Pff, c'mon, Gohan, this should be natural. After we found all those Dragon Balls so quickly, I'd expect you to be stronger than that!"
"He's only five, don't be so hard on him," Chi Chi said. Brussa let out a deferring grunt.
"Well, we used the same kind of technology to replicate Planet Vegeta as best as we can, including the rays of its red sun. Every little bit to prevent ourselves from getting weak," Meys said, pulling Gohan off the floor, and helping him to his feet.
"C'mon, Gohan, walk to me! You can do it! You're the grandson of the great Gine!" Brussa cheered, and Gohan took a determined look, pushing himself step by step to walk to Brussa. It took him a few moments, but he managed to do it.
"Good job, Gohan!" Chi Chi applauded, and she took a step inside, and almost fell over, herself. Meys managed to catch her before she hit the ground, "Wow, this is more than expected! Whew! Are you sure this is safe for Gohan?"
"Of course it is! Gohan's a Saiyan, just like me," Brussa pounded her chest, "I sleep in gravity like this! I used to, anyway. He can learn to handle it!"
Chi Chi found her balance, "Well, it's not that different from weight training. I'll master it, too."
"That's the spirit!" Brussa cheered, taking another hop. Gohan started walking toward her, flexing his arms as he walked.
"This is wonderful. Thank you, Bulma, Dr. Briefs," Meys said.
"If you say so. I think you're weird," Bulma said, "But I never understood all that training stuff, anyway. So, knock yourselves out. Just don't get hurt, okay?"
"No promises!" Brussa said, "I'm gonna be the toughest ever! No pains, no gains!"
"Yeah!" Gohan agreed, taking another distressed step towards his aunt.
"We'll sort something out," Chi Chi rolled her eyes, "Gohan, do a lap around, and then we'll do some more studying, okay?"
"Okay, mom!" Gohan agreed.
"Aw, just one? Make it two!" Brussa challenged.
"One."
"Okay, one, but he makes it starting from here!" Brussa pointed to where she was standing. Chi Chi rolled her eyes, but did not object. Taking this as validation, Brussa continued to cheer on Gohan. Chi Chi walked around the outer edge of the chamber, while Meys started in on some lifts.
"When you're done, I'm taking a turn," Piccolo declared.
"All right, everyone gets a turn in the gravity chamber," Dr. Briefs said, shooing the various warriors away, "I've got to shut the door or it could explode from the pressure differentiation!"
"Yeah, buzz off!" Brussa stuck her tongue out at them.
"Buzz off!" Gohan imitated.
"Gohan! Be nice! What's gotten into you?" Chi Chi snapped.
"Sorry, Mom!"
They spent about an hour in the gravity chamber while Gohan and Chi Chi made their lap. When it was completed, over Brussa's objections for Gohan to do another, Chi Chi ushered Gohan out.
"Come on, Brussa, let's go," Chi Chi said.
"I want to train with Mr. Piccolo," Brussa said.
"I've got dinner almost ready," she pointed out. Brussa was at her side in an instant.
"No way I'm missing out on Chi Chi's cooking," Meys said, following them out of the chamber. Piccolo practically dragged Yamcha into the chamber with him. The Dragon Team had made the Capsule Corp compound their effective training grounds, whenever they weren't training with Kami or out doing something specific. Right now, Tien and Chiaotzu were receiving instruction from Kami and Mr. Popo. Roshi and Krillin were at Kame House, trying to find a way to push the limits of Roshi's Enhanced form. Piccolo had slowly warmed up to working with the humans, especially since Chi Chi had landed a defiant punch on him.
In the dining room, Gohan and Brussa sat at the table. Chi Chi put books in front of each of them. Brussa held up hers, and gave Chi Chi a look.
"What's this?"
"Meys told me how smart you actually are, so you're studying, too, young lady," Chi Chi said, "I expect you to keep up with Gohan, all right? Today you're studying atoms."
"Aww, come on, that's baby stuff!"
"Then it won't be too hard, will it?" Chi Chi said. Brussa had no argument, but glared at Meys.
"This is your fault."
Meys gave her a shrug, and tapped his forehead, "A warrior should use every weapon at her disposal. That especially includes her mind."
With a grumble, she opened the book to the same page as Gohan, "You'd better keep up with me. I'm not slowing down for you."
"You're on!"
Meys chuckled, and started to help Chi Chi with dinner. It had become a platonic ritual for them to cook up a storm. Chi Chi was a master of it, and was a great teacher for Meys. Brussa had even stopped complaining about his cooking. They'd gotten quick at it, and had become quite the team. With just a few motions, they filled plates and bowls with rice, dumplings, piles of vegetables, and strips of meat.
"Oh, wow, amazing job again, guys!" Yamcha complimented, wiping sweat away with a towel.
"Nope! Do not stink up my kitchen! Shower, now!" Chi Chi pointed. With a yelp, Yamcha darted off to obey. Piccolo did nothing more than take a bottle of water from the fridge, and leave. A few minutes later, Yamcha came back, freshly washed and in a change of clothes.
"Hitting the books, too, huh, Brussa?" Yamcha asked, taking a seat.
"More than you've ever read!" Brussa huffed.
"Why is everything a competition with you?"
"Because I win them."
"Right," Yamcha rolled his eyes, "I've got to say, ever since I started using weighted clothing and bats for my baseball games, it's been harder to make home runs like usual. I thought it would make things harder, but attendance is actually up! And, I'm still making gains in my training. Meys, you should join the team, you'd like baseball!"
"You've mentioned it before, but I still don't understand," Meys admitted.
"How about, after dinner, I'll get some equipment, and we'll hit some home runs in the park? I'll teach you the rules!" Yamcha offered.
"Never thought of using games to train."
"Oh, mom, can I play, too?" Gohan asked.
"When you've finished your homework," Chi Chi said.
"Brussa, we gotta hurry!" Gohan declared, writing on his paper furiously.
"Huh?" Brussa looked around.
"I said we gotta hurry so we can play baseball with Yamcha!"
"Where are you?" Brussa stood, still looking around.
"What? I'm right next to you, Brussa!" Gohan said.
"Well, if you're Raditz, tell me something only Raditz would know," Brussa said, crossing her arms, "And where are you?"
"You like to steal Scouters from other teams to hack into their feeds, so you can spy on warriors you think are cute when they're out on the field," Raditz said, his hand on King Kai's back.
"RADITZ?! How did you find out about that?" Brussa shrieked, her tail bushing out and her face turning pink.
"I'm the one who taught you how to do that," Raditz pointed out.
"Brussa, what's going on?" Chi Chi asked.
"Uh...I think I'm talking to my brother? Hold on," Brussa said, "Raditz, how are you talking to me?"
"I'm at King Kai's with Kakarot. Listen, Brussa, I know you and Meys have been on Earth for a few months now, but you need to listen to me: Kakarot's friends aren't enemies."
"I know."
"...What?"
"We're just about to have dinner. Miss Chi Chi has cooked up a storm. You'd like her! She's almost as good of a cook as mom!" Brussa said. Chi Chi harrumphed.
"Oh. Good. Because Kakarot and I are going to train together with King Kai. So when his friends get the Dragon Balls-"
"We already have them! We're waiting for mom and the others to get close, and then we're gonna bring both of you back! You're gonna love Earth! The food here is great! And the people can actually be tough, did you know that? I mean, not THAT tough, but still pretty good!" Brussa bragged.
"I can broadcast to more people," King Kai said, "And you can both talk."
"Oh! Can you find all my friends?" Goku asked, putting his hand on King Kai's back, "Hi everybody!"
Everyone stood still at the sound of Goku's voice in their head.
"...Goku?" Chi Chi started to cry.
"Dad?" Gohan clutched his mom's hand.
"Yup! I just got to King Kai's place! His training's pretty intense!" Goku said.
"Goku, it's so good to hear your voice!" Chi Chi said.
"Yours, too, Chi Chi. There hasn't been a day that's gone by that I haven't thought about you and Gohan. I want you to know, I love you very much, and I'll see you in a couple of months, okay?" Goku assured them.
"All right, Goku. Do your best, all right?"
"You bet!"
"HI KAKAROT I'M YOUR SISTER BRUSSA IT'S NEAT TO TALK TO YOU!" Brussa barked out as quickly as she could.
"Hah! It's good to talk to you, too, Brussa! Are you taking care of Gohan and Chi Chi for me?" Goku asked.
"UH HUH, MEYS IS HERE TOO, HE HELPS."
"You don't have to shout, Brussa," Raditz said.
"I'M NOT SHOUTING!"
"Well, I'm sure grateful to you, too, Meys," Goku said.
"Your family has been extraordinarily kind to me, Kakarot. It's been an honor getting to know them and training with them. You have a wonderful family. I'm sorry everything has turned out this way," Meys said.
"Yeah, well, not much we can do about it now. I'm glad to know the Earth is in good hands until we get back," Goku said.
"When this is all over, we're having a rematch, Goku," Piccolo said.
"I wouldn't have it any other way," Goku chuckled.
"To all of you, I'm sorry for all the suffering I've caused. This should be a time of reunion and joy, and I was too short-sighted to realize that," Raditz admitted, "I'll find a way to make it up to all of you, I promise. And Brussa? I'm proud of you."
Brussa just started to cry, and blubbered out a 'Thank you'.
"Hey, Goku? Kick butt up there! We're doing our best down here!" Yamcha said.
"Roshi and I are working on something you won't see coming!" Krillin added.
"Hey, Raditz?" Tien said.
"Yes, uh...Kakarot, which one is that?"
"That's Tienshinhan. Hi, Tien!"
"Hey, Goku. Raditz, I just want to say, good on you realizing you made a mistake. Your brother's a good man. He helped me change my ways, too. It's worth it. It really is."
"I believe you. We'll get through this together. The Earth will be safe, so long as we're together," Raditz said.
"I REALLY WANT TO MEET YOU IN PERSON KAKAROT WE'LL SEE YOU SOON OKAY?" Brussa shouted.
"I'm looking forward to it. We've got to get back to training now, okay?"
"Bye, daddy!" Gohan waved to the sky.
"I'll see you soon, Goku! I love you!
"OKAY BYE KAKAROT BYE RADITZ I LOVE YOU!"
Everyone made their good-byes to Goku. Meys looked down to the stove.
"The fish is burning!" he yelped, pulling it off the stove.
"That went well!" Brussa said, wiping her face and sitting back at the table.
Yamcha chuckled, "You're something else, girl."
"I've eaten bigger people than you," she warned.
