Chapter 17: The Journey Begins

If a traveller had managed to get past the security personal and avoided all the high security measures in place at the Capsule Corporation and on the off chance decided to go to the back lawn behind the main dome right next to the family dome they would see a peculiar sight.

In the middle of the lawn was the newly repaired and significantly upgraded Namekian space ship which up until recently had belong to the guardian of Earth Kami until he relinquished ownership for the remaining Z fighters mission to retrieve the dragonballs of his home planet.

The young genius Bulma had made many adjustments to the ship on of which was to create a second floor percificly for Goku and Piccolo to continue their training while they were traveling through space. With the help of her father Mr Brief's ,Bulma was able to create a device which could increases and decrease the gravity in the training room as per Goku's request. The training room was not the only addition made to the once broken and derelict ship.

The female scientist had decided that a bit of privacy and luxury was in order so as such she built three bedroom attachments a bathroom and a lounge area were recreational activities could take place.

All in all the ship was a magnificent sceptical for any passing traveller to see. Outside this grand stood the many friends and family of Goku son who were seeing the friendly Sayian, Bulma, Gohan and Piccolo off.

"…and you have to do your homework every day and brush your teeth and eat well" Chi-Chi lectured to her son while passing the variety of luggage she had been packing for a week into the strong arms of her husband.

"Hay don't worry so much I'll make sure he does all that stuff" Goku said to his wife with a kind smile.

"I'm sure you will dear but it's in every mothers Instinet to worry about her son" The Son matron replied while rubbing an invisible smug of Gohan's face. "Especially with him around".

It was obvious who Chi-Chi meant all of those gathered were aware of her disliking towards Piccolo and not a single person blamed her for it. No mother was after all expected to forgive their sons kidnapper.

"You don't have to worry about me when Gohan's concerned" Piccolo replied as he stood crossed armed away from the rest of the group.

"Not worried you kidnapped him you monster" Chi-Chi yelled as she launched forward to deliver a jab to Piccolo's face.

The son matron was however stopped in her advance on the Namekian by Goku's gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Calm down Chi-Chi I know your angry with Piccolo but do you seriously think I would let him anywhere near Gohan if I thought he was going to hurt him" Goku asked his wife calmly.

Chi-Chi looked at her husband with a glare of utter angrier before tears began to swell up in her eyes the daughter of the Ox King then buried herself into Goku's chest the latter of whom wrapped his arms around his wife and brought her close to him.

"I know you wouldn't let anything happen to Gohan I know you wouldn't. It's just the thought of not seeing him and you again for another year like last time I can't bear to think about it"

"Hay now don't worry will be back before you know it" Goku whispered into his wife's ear. "I love you Chi-Chi"

Chi-Chi tears burst out louder as she tightened her own grip on Goku before a tug on her shirt. Releasing her grip from her husband the young woman looked down on her son who was looking back up at her concern clear in his eyes.

"Are you ok mom?" The Demi-Sayian asked.

This single question seemed to snap Chi-Chi out of her sadness and immediately the woman gave a warm smile before wrapping her son into a tight hug and lifting him off of his feet.

"Yeah I'm fine just a little upset to see you and your dad go that all"

"Oh"

Chi-Chi saw the guilt in Gohan's face as he looked down away from her and onto the ground. With a deep sigh the son matron placed the boy on the ground before kneeling down beside him.

"I understand why you're going you want to help out your fathers friends. I just wish you wasn't so brave Gohan but you truly are your fathers son he's always helping others. It's just….. Gohan I want you to know that I love you and proud of you ok"

Mother and son the hugged each other for what would be the last time for another year. The crowd around them stood in silence all allowing the two to have their moment while all holding back tears. Some thought however were of Krillin who was still wrapped up in a hospital bed it had been initially said to postpone the expedition to Namek for a week until a senzu bean was ready so he could join them on their travels. However the ex-monk had insisted they left as soon as they could so that they may wish their friends back to life quicker.

Goku looked at his wife and child smiling; this was of course the moments that made all the battle to the death and suffering worth it to him. Yes he enjoyed fighting loving the challenge of strong opponents knowing deep down that he would do anything to maintain a fair fight even if it meant risking the world but still these precious moments of peace still meant the world to him. The Sayian raised on Earth glance then turned to Piccolo who was looking down on his wife and son with an expression of confusion.

Noticing Goku's gaze Piccolo looked up at his former foe his normal unreadable face returning to his features as he spoke.

"I don't think I will ever understand these acts of emotion" Piccolo remarked before turning and entering the ship behind him.

As soon as the Namekian's frame disappeared into the bowls of the ship was were upon Bulma appeared from out of her house a trail of luggage hanging from her arms.

"Well I see Piccolo already ready to go you guys set" The blue haired scientist asked her gaze on Goku.

"Almost" The Sayian replied gesturing with his head to Gohan and Chi-Chi who were still hugging each other tightly.

Releasing her grip Chi-Chi looked her son up and down one final time before standing up.

"Well I suppose it's time for you to go now"

"I promise I'll be good and stay safe" Gohan said to his mother while looking up.

"I know you will"

The time had come for the adventures to make their leave. The party gathered wished the hero's a hearty goodbye while they made their way onto the ship before watching the shuttle take off into the sky.

Chi-Chi watched the craft until it was no longer visible in the sky before her strength left her were upon which she fainted.

~DBZ~

Three hours into the flight just outside the Earths solar system.

"Are we there yet?" Goku asked for what was to be the fifth time of asking.

The Sayian was initially excited about the flight rushing around like an hyper child within the first hour before slowly getting bored with the flight and deciding to take a seat behind Bulma as she piloted the craft into the reaches of space.

The blue haired scientist gave an irritated grunt before switching the craft on auto pilot and swivelled her chair around to face Goku.

"I already told you it will be about a month before we get to Namek were only about three hours into are journey we are long way from being even close to getting their yet" Bulma snapped a solitary finger poking into Goku's stomach.

"I know but it's so boring in here can't we make the ship go faster I thought my idea of boasting the ship along with a Kamahamaha!"

"Ok Goku one I have already explained why you can't do that you simple cannot stick your head out of a space ship in space without a space suit on it's not possible also even if you did put a space suit on you could end up knocking us further of course by doing it. Secondly if you are so bored why don't you go play with Gohan? He seems to be keeping himself occupied"

"He can't play at the moment he's doing his homework" Goku said with a sad pout on his face.

"God Goku you're like a child you can be so frustrating at times" Bulma cried out.

But despite sounding angry the blue haired woman couldn't stop smiling to herself. It was just like old times her and Goku off on a grand adventure searching for the Dragonballs.

Noticing the sad look on Goku's face due to her shouting Bulma decided to take pity on the Sayian and come up with a useful suggestion.

"Hay I got an idea why don't you go do some training in the gravity room I built you? You know test it out and stuff. Just don't go firing any blast in their the walls are sturdy but they are not that strong the room is built for physical training only"

Smiling at the suggestion Goku quickly rose to his feet and tightened the blue belt of his orange Gi around his waist.

"You know what that's a good idea I completely forgot about the gravity room" Goku chuckled to himself before racing off up the stairs of the ship. "Thanks Bulma"

The blue haired scientist shook her head smiling to herself before heading on over to the bath room to freshen up deciding to take a nice warm shower before it was over taken by Goku after his training.

~DBAT~

Goku rushed into the gravity room only to find that Piccolo was already in the room. The Namekian hovered above the ground cross legged deep in meditation his white aura expanding and compressing in size in a rhythmic flow before he opened his eyes upon sensing Goku's presence in the room.

The Sayian raised a hand to the back of his head before delivering a trademark Son smile.

"Hay Piccolo you don't mind if I share the room to train in do you?" Goku asked politely.

Piccolo merely nodded indicating that he didn't mind sharing the training space with the Sayian before resuming his own training. The Namekian was currently trying to gain a better control over the Kao Ken technique and as such was rapidly increasing and suppressing his natural Ki in order to get his body use to the fluctuation to his Ki multiplication technique caused.

Humming to himself Goku walked over to the gravity control panel and eyed it curiously. It was a simple enough machine to use just press the arrows up or down till you got the multiplication of Earth's gravity you wanted and then press the green button next to the arrows to get the machine to implement it.

Goku started pressing the up arrow button while watching the number on the screen increases slowly. "Hmm what gravity should I start of at? I know King Kia's planet was ten times heavier than Earth and I've gotten stronger since then from my training with Piccolo. But I don't want to go to high just in case" The Sayian pondered to himself.

Deciding that fifteen times Earth's normal gravity was a safe place to start Goku pressed the green button and stepped back from the control panel as the machine before him sprang to life bracing himself for the extra weight that was about to be put on his body.

Thud! Piccolo being unprepared for the large increases in the rooms gravity slammed painfully and rather embarrassingly onto the floor. The Namekian growled in annoyance as his white aura burst around him he arose onto his own feet.

"I wish you would off warned me that you were turning that dam machine on if I had known you were about to do it I would have been prepared" Piccolo growled.

"Sorry I kind of forgot to tell you" Goku said with a chuckle his hand raised behind his head. "Though you must admit this had to be good for training right I mean we both have to use some of our power to even stand in this let alone train"

Piccolo merely grunted before returning to what he was doing previously. Flouting cross legged in the air the Namekian couldn't help but agree with Goku over how could the room would be for not only his own but Gohan's training. "The extra gravity makes even a simple excise like rising and decreasing the Ki in my body that much harder since I have to focus a lot more of my energy into staying a flout I can only wonder how sparing in such conditions would progress us all" With that thought in mind Piccolo continued his meditation he was desperate to Master the Kao-Ken technique faster than Goku had.

~DBZ~

"98…99…100" Goku stood up after finishing his one handed push up's he had been doing. "Well that's enough of a warm up what's next?"

Both Piccolo and Goku had been in training in Fifteen times Earth's gravity for about half an hour before Gohan entered the room. The young boy having finished his studies for the day had decided to join his father and mentor in their training for the rest of the day.

Upon entering the room the Demi-Sayian was taken quickly by surprised and much like his mentor fell onto his back side. Laughing Goku quickly walked over and reached out a hand to help Gohan back onto his feet.

"Wow dad I feel a lot heavier in here than I did outside that must mean you're using the gravity machine right?"

"Yeah we are but I can turn it down if you like I'm sure you're not use to higher gravity like I am" Goku said with a kind smile.

The Sayian was surprised however when his son shooked his head and smiled back up to him.

"No your wrong I've trained in higher gravity before with Master Roshi in the Room of Spirit and time ….."

Gohan's hand went over his mouth as he said the last words the young boy cursing himself for not being able to keep the secrete away from Piccolo the latter of which eyes had shot upon on hearing details on the young boy's training with Master Roshi. The Namekian had long wondered how the boy had got so strong within six hours of training with the turtle hermit and now he his attention was fully focused on the small boy in front of him.

Goku's expression was one of shock and disbelief he himself had gone into the time chamber many years ago in preparation for the martial arts tournament however the Sayian had only lasted about three months inside the room before being overcome by the severity of the training and forced to leave. He could never have imagined that his son at such a young age could possible train in the room.

"How long did you train inside the room?" Goku asked his face deadly serious.

"About three months but then Master Roshi said we had to leave before Mr Piccolo came back" The young boy replied back his eyes darting back and forth from Goku to Piccolo.

Goku closed his eyes before kneeling down to his son's level while placing a hand on his son's head.

"That's pretty impressive son I'm proud of you" Goku said with a smile.

Gohan smiled back at his father. This father and son moment was ruin however by the gruff tones of Piccolo's annoyed voice.

"That's impossible he couldn't have trained for three months I only left him with the old man for six hours"

Goku's face turned serious as he stood up to face Piccolo the former enemies meeting each other's gaze.

"You don't know about the time chamber?" Goku asked inquisitively.

The Namekian crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyes at the Sayian in front of him.

"Does it look like I know what it is?" He replied.

Ignoring Piccolos attitude towards him as to not cause an argument with the Namekian in front of his son Goku instead decided to explain what the chamber.

"Well you see on Kami's look out theirs a door that leads you into a room were time moves much quicker than it does outside it. I think it was called another dimenceion thingy"

"Dimension" Gohan corrected his father trying to help.

"Yeah that's right Dimension" Goku nodded with a smile before continuing. "Well anyways I'm not sure how it works but basically for every day that passes out here a year passes in the room. It's a useful place if you need extra time to train up for threats and if I remember correctly it was a really intense place to train. Its gravity got larger the further you went in I think I could only stay by the side of the steps because I weighed twice as much when I stepped out"

As Goku finished he couldn't help but notice the angry glares Piccolo was sending Gohan's way and instinctively stood in front of his son.

"Why didn't you tell me about the room Gohan?" Piccolo finial asked after a long silence.

The young boy looked back at his teacher from behind his father's leg's and moved forward towards the Namek.

"I'm sorry but Mr Kami and Marster Roshi made me promise not to tell you they said you would be angry" Gohan meekly tried to defend his actions.

Piccolo stared down at the boy as a new emotion flooded though him for the first time in his life the Namekian felt betrayed. It pain unlike any other he had felt not physical yet it hurt far beyond any punch he had ever been dealt in his life time. He had trusted Gohan more than he had trusted any other person he had in his life and the boy had shattered that trust by keeping a big secrete away from him a secret that could of cost him his life.

Piccolo turned away from both Gohan and Goku getting back into his meditative stance before continuing his training in silence.

The Demi-Sayian moved to go over to his teacher to comfort him and apologising for keeping the secrete from him. Gohan was stopped however by the strong grip on his shoulder looking up he saw his father shake his head before motioning Gohan to follow him out of the gravity.

Reluctantly the young boy left with his father leaving his mentor behind as the latter stewed over his feeling of betrayal.

~DBAT~

A week after Piccolo found out about Gohan's training in the hyperbolic time chamber and the Namekian still hadn't moved from his meditative position in fact the only difference that had appeared was on the third day was when his aura changed from white when it expanded to a deep shade of red and back to white again when it was supressed again. No doubt the Namekian was trying to Master the Kao-ken technique by constantly using it in short spurts so his body got use to it. If Piccolo hadn't had his regenerative ability or his mental discipline he would not have been able to perform this level of stressful training but since he had both he could.

Goku had questioned Gohan about his training with Master Roshi and found that his old teacher had taught his son most of the turtle hermit fighting style and the Kamahamaha wave technique but wasn't able to teach him his thunder flash surprise technique to Gohan due to time restraints. A sparing session with the young boy showed the Sayian that Gohan used a mixture of Piccolo's demon style and Master Roshi's turtle hermit style during combat which Goku named the demon turtle style.

Father and son trained together while keeping a watchful eye on Piccolo. Goku was constantly reassuring his son that his mentor would be ok and that Gohan should stop worrying about it since Piccolo would forgive him soon.

But the young Demi-Sayian could no longer wait for his friend to forgive him and as such got up early one morning before his father was awake and set out to talk to Piccolo alone.

Entering the gravity room Gohan released a small span of white hot aura as he drew out some of his Ki in order to with stand the twenty times Earths gravity of the room. The boy was sure that his father would have been able to with stand a much higher gravity but was currently stunting his own training to help his son. But that didn't matter now what mattered to Gohan was getting his friend back.

Timidly and slowly Gohan walked up behind Piccolo getting as close as two feet away before the Namekian sprung round and stood to face him. Piccolo had felt the boys presence ever since he entered the room his keen Namekian hearing picking up every foot step the young demi-Sayian made.

"What do you want Gohan?" Piccolo asked with a scowl his arms crossed as he looked down on his old student.

"I-i j-just w-wanted to see if you were ok" Gohan replied stuttering a little as his nerves began to show.

"I'm fine. Now leaving me alone to carry on my training" Piccolo spat angrily before turning his back on Gohan.

The Demi-Sayian complemented his friend wondering what to do next. It was obvious to Gohan that Piccolo was still upset with him over the time chamber incident and would probably react badly if he kept asserting himself onto him but that didn't matter. No all that mattered was getting his friend back again.

"Mr Piccolo I'm…."

Boom! A hot red aura exploded around Piccolo the force of which was so great it knocked Gohan flying backwards for two feet before the young Demi-Sayian could reignite his own aura and steady himself in the air. Piccolo didn't bother turning around instead he turned his head slightly back to look at Gohan with one eye and eye that was sending daggers at the boy.

"I told you to leave me alone" The Namekian warned again bearing his teeth before his aura disappeared and he yet again faced the wall.

Flouting back down the gravity room floor with a small tut Gohan eyed his friend tears beginning to form in his eyes. The Demi-Sayian turned his back on the Namekian beginning to take the short journey back out of the gravity room.

"No…" Gohan thought to himself "I can't go I have to be brave"

Turning around the Demi-Sayian took a few calming breaths before closing his eyes. Gohan rushed forward at Piccolo Ki signature all the while shouting out an apoligy.

"Mr Piccolo I'm sorry about not telling you about the room on Kami's look out but I promised not to tell you and I have to keep a promise"

A sharp strong tug of his shirt lifted Gohan off the ground. The young boy found himself being turned knowing full well Piccolo was probably turning him around to face the Namek face to face. Slowly but surely the Demi-Sayian opened his eyes to see Piccolo glaring back at him.

"Your stubborn just like your father" Was all Piccolo said before tossing Gohan on the ground.

Now sitting up on his bum the young boy looked up at the green man in front of him fully prepared to take any beating Piccolo seemed fit to dish out. But the beating never came instead the Namekian looked the young boy up and down as if he was contemplating something before speaking in his normal gruff tones.

"How are you supposed to train seriously without any weighted? Your dad has been too soft with his training I guess of just got to re-take that softness out of you"

With that Piccolo extended a white beam of energy shooting out hitting Gohan in the chest before it flashed around the young boys body. In a matter of moments the clothes he was wearing had vanished being replaced by a smaller version of Piccolo's own outfit Turban and all. The extra weight nearly caused the small boy to fall over before he could steady himself. But despite all this the young boy couldn't help but smile up at his tall friend.

"I don't know why your smiling" Piccolo snapped though a small smile had found its way on the Namekians lips. "The first thing were going to do is spar and I got a technique I've been dying to test out. Kao-Ken"

Goku watched from the door way of the room as his son and former enemy spared a small smile was on the Sayian's face. He had kept his power suppressed as he watched the exchange between Piccolo and Gohan his presence was their just to make sure no ill will would happen to his son. But seeing Piccolo forgive the boy and start training him again. The Earth born saying turned away from the door walking away down to have a big hearty breakfast all the while thinking one thing.

"I'm proud of you Gohan".

~DBZ~

Krillin was on the floor of his hospital room his right arm was still heavily bandage and so was a lot of his body. But despite this the ex-monk was performing one handed push –up's with his good left arm.

"Come on ten more remember Goku probably would do hundreds of these things" The obnoxious pig Oolong said while sitting upon the Earthlings back.

"Y-you know if you keep t-talking like that I'll make pork chop's tonight" Krillin panted in between push ups.

"Hay don't threaten me cue ball you're the one that asked me to keep count while you this"

"Who you calling cue ball…."

The brief argument was interrupted when Krillin's door swung open revealing an angry doctor accompanied by an even angrier nurse.

"See I told you doctor Cooper he won't listen he keeps on doing this despite my warnings of what damage he could be doing to himself "The big nurse said while her hands were placed on her massive hips.

The doctor twiddled his grew bearded while looking down on Krillin who continued his training work out seeming to ignore the two new arrivals.

"I see what you mean Nurse Joy it is quite a remarkable sight" The doctor replied to his colleague before crouching down in order to face Krillin. "Please do tell me what gym you go to my wife wants me to gain a bit more muscle"

The nurse's mouth hung open in absolute horror as Krillin stood up to respond to the doctor.

"Oh well you see I don…"

"DOCTOR!" The nurse roared causing the old man and Krillin to back away slowly. " He's are patient how could you be more concerned with what gym he's going to than his actual well fair."

"errrmm w-w-well y-you see" Doctor Cooper began nervously twiddling his thumbs as the huge woman began to draw closer to him.

"Hay am I interrupting anything" A voice called from the window.

All eyes turned to see the owner of the voice to see Korin the white cat flouting on a soft puffy yellow cloud just outside the window.

Thud! The Earth shook as nurse joy fell back to the ground unconscious. Krillin was ecstatic and quickly rushed over flinging Oolong across the room to open the window to let the cat in. Now in the warmth of the hospital room the cat upon up a paw to Krillins face revelling five small beans.

"Here you go just plucked them off the tree this morning don't go around using them all at once they take a hell of a lot of time to grow you know" Korin warned.

"Hay don't worry about it" Krillin replied happily sweeping the senzu beans out of the cat's hand. "I'll be sensible"

With that the ex-monk threw a bean in the air catching it in his mouth as it fell before swallowing. Immediately his body expanded the magic bean restoring the broken bones and organs in his body in an instant.

"Man I do love those Sensu beans" Krillin chuckled happily while he set to work getting his martial arts Gi back on. "Thanks' Korin you're a life saver"

"No problem" The cat replied with a smile. "So what you going to do now"

Krillin looked back as if he was contemplating his next move before a new smile resumed itself on his lips.

"I'm probably going to go stay at Master Roshi's place to keep turtle company while he's away. While I'm their I'm going to train Goku's really gotten a whole lot stronger since coming back from Otherworld and if I'm not carful I may never catch up" The ex-monk said with a smile before taking a running jump out of the window and taking off into the sky. "Anyways see ya later!".

Korin watched Krilin fly towards the horizon next to both Doctor Cooper and Oolong before he shook his head ittitatedly.

"Kids" He muttered "Always running off"

Hay folks! Hows everyone? Just wanted to say I've got some big news for you Timmylaw has agreed to become my beta so lets all give him a big warm welcome :o) he's already re-done the first chapter for me and will most likely be going though my old ones first and then once he's caught up will beta the new chapters before they go out.

Now IMPORTANT MUST READ IT WILL CHANGE THE STORY FOR EVERYONE.

One of my reviewers asked if I will be having Goku's mother in the story now I'm not going to lie originally I was planning not to have her in the story since she was never in cannon and I don't want to cause arguments. But I will reconsider this if enough people want Goku's mother to be in a story so please vote in the reviews and tell me if you want here in the story or not. I must warn you though she will be weaker than Bardock since I don't want to make Goku's parents to strong overwise it would ruin the whole from weak beginning to ultimate super power trait that Goku's has. I just want you guys to know this is the sole reason why since I don't want to be excused of being sexist since all woman's sayians have been weaker than males so far but don't worry I will change that soon. ;o)

Anyways I hope you liked this chapter please tell me what you think of it :o)

Q and A

Q: Is it cyborg Frieza that you are using?

A: No it's just his right hand that is metallic a present from the Southen Ruler you might say.

Q:How old is Bardock?

A: He's about Fifty years old he's still in his prime thanks to his Sayian genetics he had Goku when he was twenty six years old and Raditz when he was eighteen the age difference is really huge due to the fact Bardock was busy with his missions and so didn't have much time to procreate if you get what I mean.