Disclaimer: ::sigh:: I really despise these things. insert direction to Chapter I here
I'm really trying to finish this series before school starts up again. I also have an idea for another Dragonball series. There should be only 5-7 more chapters remaining.
The Portal to Beyond: Chapter XIV
A couple of minutes after the hatch closed, ChiChi and Gohan started off to the bridge to familiarize themselves with the controls.
"Hmm," Gohan said thoughtfully "I think that based on Bulma's written instructions will get this ship moving in no time."
"Or," ChiChi cut in. "you could just press the button that has 'Lift Off' under it."
Gohan blushed slightly and coughed nervously. "Um hai. Of course."
Vegeta entered the room and leaned against a wall. "Capsule Corp. ships aren't that complicated. I mean Kakarott flew one to Planet Namek!"
Gohan frowned. "My Tousan is *not* and idiot Veggie Man!"
Vegeta marched right up to Gohan and glared at him. "You wanna settle this then? No spawn of Kakarott could beat me in a sparring match."
Gohan glared right back but his target was a lot lower. "I *was* going to just let your idiotic comment go but you took it too far when you insulted me. Let's go Vegetable Head!"
ChiChi stepped in-between them and pushed against them, trying to move them back. She strained for a moment then sighed and gave up.
Goten and Trunks ran into the room and right up to the confrontation.
"I've got 5 bucks on Gohan!" Goten cheered.
"Me too!" Trunks added.
Vegeta looked at his son. "You would pick this *boy*," he said this with disgust, "over me?"
Trunks shrugged. "Of course. Everyone knows Gohan is stronger than you when he really gets going."
"Yeah and he has his mystic ability! You can't do *that* can you?" Gohan taunted.
Trunks ran over to Nappa and the others. "Who are you betting on?"
"We don't have any money..." Nappa said slowly.
"That's alright. If you loose, you have to give me and Goten part of your dinner for tonight."
Raditz nodded. "Okay. I bet on Gohan."
"As does I," Kakarott said.
"Me too." Nappa added.
"Well I don't know about you third class weaklings but I'm betting on Vegeta!" the other Vegeta proclaimed loudly.
"I'm not third class!" Nappa yelled.
"Whatever."
"What a minute!" Goku came in here and forcefully pushed Vegeta and Gohan apart. The two glared at Goku, angry at him for getting involved.
"Tousan," Goten began, "you want a bet too?"
"Iie. This is wrong! We have a more important problem. Can't this wait until we save everyone?"
Gohan was the first to nod and turn away. Vegeta just stood there a second longer then he stomped toward the gravity chamber. The other saiyans lingered a few seconds until ChiChi waved them away.
"We have things to do! Go fight each other or something." She sat down in her co-pilot chair to turned to Gohan who was still angry.
"C'mon Gohan. We have a job to do." He nodded and she turned on the intercom system. "Going on the current atmospheric conditions, I think that you may need to hold on until we clear the exosphere." She paused and then continue. "Before you ask, that's the layer of the atmosphere that is the closest to vacuum of space. Once we clear it, the conditions will not effect us and we will be free to use the locator."
She switched off the comm system and leaned back into the chair, fastening herself in. Gohan smiled at her approvingly before he did the same.
"I didn't know that you understood meteorology."
She readied the thrusters and checked the gauges one last time. "There's a lot that you don't know about me and I'm sure that it's the same way with your own mother."
***
"Why did they bring us along?" Raditz asked Kakarott and Nappa. "I mean, we aren't going to be helping or anything."
"I think," the younger Vegeta spat out, "that they assume we were going to cause trouble while they were away. I mean we *were* but that's not the point." He paused from where he was lifting weights and sat up. "They're acting as our babysitters you know."
"Well not me," Kakarott said. "I pose no threat. They actually wanted my help."
"Well good for you!" Vegeta said sarcastically. "You win the Goodie Two-shoes award!"
"No he doesn't," a new voice spoke up. The older Vegeta walked into the training room. "That one goes to Kakarott."
"That's what I said retard!"
"Iie not *that* Kakarott! The other one. At least this one still acts somewhat like a saiyan."
"What has niichan told you about insulting my Tousan?" Goten asked as he entered. "He can still kill you ya know!"
"No he can't!" Vegeta laughed. "Your 'Tousan' wouldn't hurt an ant crossing the sidewalk if he could help it!"
Goten growled and that was the only warning Vegeta got before he launched his small body at him. About 4 inches before his fist collided with Vegeta's face, he was stopped by a hand that had him dangling in mid air.
Without turning around Goten began to whine. "Aw Tousan! Why'd you stop me!"
"Because, like the fight with your brother, this can wait until later." After setting him down on the floor, Goku turned and went to get something to eat.
***
The hours went on and the longer the journey lasted, the more bored the young demi-saiyans got.
Gohan had pre-programmed the ships computer to just follow the signal the tracking device was giving off. He and ChiChi were currently involved in a discussion about the joys of cooking french food.
"I can make a mean Filet Mignon in white sauce."
"Yeah?" ChiChi responded. "Well that won't beat my Ratatouille."
"You know, seeing a mighty warrior turned chef is just plain sad." Trunks mentioned. Goten agreed. The purple haired boy finished sharpening his sword and motioned to Goten to follow him.
"PAPA!" he shouted as he neared Vegeta. Flinching slightly Vegeta responded.
"What do you want brat?"
"Are we there yet?"
"Obviously not."
"Are we there yet?" Goten asked, grinning.
"No..."
"Are we there yet?" the two asked in unison.
"NO!"
Trunks cleared his throat and Goten pulled out a kazoo. After a briefly blown note they launched into a song.
"Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Veggie-chan, Veggie-chan--"
"IF YOU TWO DON'T SHUT UP I'LL SHUT YOU UP!!"
The two children broke out into hysterical giggles and ran off back to the bridge.
Now Gohan and ChiChi were engaged in something else.
"1, 2, 3, 4, I declare a thumb war! 5, 6, 7, 8, let's see who can keep it straight!"
Eyes wide with silent horror, the two kids backed out slowly and closed the door.
"Let us never speak of this again," Trunks and Goten shook hands and went off in oposite directions.
***
"Two-thousand, five-hundred and one, two-thousand, five-hundred and two..."
A small group gazed at Goku during his one-finger pushups. "How many more is he going to do?" Nappa questioned.
Raditz shrugged. "I dunno. We'll just have to wait and see."
"Two-thousand, five-hundred and ten..."
"Dinner is served!" ChiChi called from the kitchen. Goku cheered, did a flip that landed him on his feet, and took off.
"Does that answer your question?" Raditz asked as the group followed more slowly.
***
Trunks and Goten were already seated at the table, forks and knives in their hands.
"We wanna eat! We wanna eat!" they chanted.
"Hold on! Hold on! Gohan's not quite done yet."
" 'Gohan's not quite done yet' " the younger Vegeta asked curiously. "Why is he doing a onna's job?"
ChiChi walked up to him calmly. "And why do you say that is a woman's job?"
"Because it is!"
ChiChi smiled gently and then, without warning, she punched him in the nose, breaking it. "And that is what you get for saying that."
Vegeta howled and clutched at his face. The others roared with laughter as he got up and ran out of the room to set it.
"Nice job ChiChi!" Gohan complemented.
She smiled modestly. "It was nothing really."
After they had calmed down, Nappa leaned towards his friend. "Remind me to *never* make her angry."
Raditz nodded. "Only if you do the same for me."