Chapter VI: The Fellowship Sets Sail

"Come on, you lazy slobs, move it!" Vegeta commanded from the crow's nest. Krillin, Chi-Chi, Trunks, and Goten had busied themselves loading supplies into the airship, Bulma was making last minute adjustments, Gohan set the course, and Vegeta from his high perch shouted out orders.

It was quite a nice airship, actually, considering the short notice that Bulma had built it on. With Goten and Trunks providing ample material, Bulma had single-handedly constructed an old-fashioned airship that looked exactly like a pirate ship with propellers. It even had a sail to catch the wind currents.

Krillin, knowing of the unquenchable Saiyan hunger of four of the passengers, had brought abundant supplies of food and beverages. He himself didn't normally eat much; it wasn't necessary to eat in the Next Dimension, but eating seemed to be something that Saiyans couldn't do without, and having spent his whole life and afterlife around Saiyans, Krillin had adapted his hunger.

Vegeta and Gohan, leading the quest, had of course taken control of the expedition at once; and who wanted to argue with them? They were easily the strongest fighters in the Next Dimension and each by himself could take down the other six members, save for the other leader. Vegeta was the captain of this new ship; the Immortals in Death, and had appointed Gohan as his first mate and tillerman.

Now, it had not been easy to convince everyone to join them on their quest, and to recruit these people had been up to Gohan alone. Namely, it had not been easy to recruit Bulma. Goten and Trunks, having been bored and longing for adventure had volunteered their services easily enough. Chi-Chi, upon hearing that her sons were going on a huge adventure, she vowed not to lose them as she had lost Goku, so she decided to come also. Videl's case was much the same.

It was also fairly easy to convince Krillin to come. Since he had taken up residence in the Next Dimension, the afterlife had been fairly dull for him. Almost honored by his friend's invitation, Krillin jumped at the chance to go on any sort of adventure. Gohan could have said that the results of this water would mangle his flesh into a bloody pulp for the rest of eternity, as long as he would get to go on the journey, he didn't care.

Now came the difficult part: convincing Bulma. Since she would be the one to construct the airship, it was absolutely vital that she would lend her company. However, Bulma, in death as in life, was selfish, stubborn, and kept to herself. Gohan could still recall his conversation with her.

"No, no, no!" she cried. "I refuse. If my son and my husband want to go off and get themselves killed, then let them go and do it. They're not my responsibility; they're Saiyan warriors and they can take care of themselves." Her hair had never quite grayed, and although changed by many years on Earth, she retained her basic, usual appearance.

"Bulma, please," Gohan pleaded. "We need your help. This place is going to be quite an odyssey to get to and probably even worse once we're inside. You know that besides you, I'm the only genius. Even then, I'm always torn between fighting and studying. Your help is going to be indispensable, even in getting there. You know that my mother can't fly, and we can't exhaust ourselves. We'll be flying deep into the clouds over Snake Way. Please, Bulma… for me?"

Bulma sighed. "Gohan, please, you know that I love you like my own son and I'd do anything for you, but don't ask me to do the impossible. I don't want to be trusted with everyone's safety. If we all end up in H.F.I.L. or something like that then…"

"Then we'll get out," Gohan interrupted her. "Vegeta and I are the two strongest beings in this dimension. What could possibly cause us any trouble?"

Bulma thought for a second. "Fine, I'll go. But I had better not get stuck anywhere for all eternity or you're never going to hear the end of it… never!"

But that was all in the past now. The Immortals in Death was prepared to set sail. "Prepare for takeoff!" Vegeta shouted from the crow's nest. Bulma dashed to the back of the ship and set the engine. She began to spin the propellers, and, powered with the crystal that she herself had made, they continued to spin.

With what seemed to be magic, the medium-sized airship took off from the head of Snake Way and into the clouds. Vegeta bellowed a deep, hearty, Saiyan laugh. He clenched his fist, and in a voice that only he (and maybe Gohan) could hear, he said: "Soon, ultimate power will be mine. I will be able to train eternally and surpass Kakarot… he'll be in for quite a surprise when he gets back!"

Gohan, meanwhile, was having the time of his afterlife piloting the airship. He too laughed as the clouds parted before them and Snake Way appeared far underneath the airship. He smiled a sly smile and sat in the pilot's chair that seemed to be constructed for no less than a king. "Somewhere in this vastness," Gohan thought, "There must be some clue that will lead us to the Fountain of Revival."

Chi-Chi sat in the back of the airship where Bulma had originally started the engine. She was going to keep a watchful eye on her sons, and that was that. Trunks and Goten, deprived of youth but not of their vigor, flew alongside the airship, looping around and every which way. It was clear that they hadn't had this much fun in ages. Krillin and Videl flew along with them, although they could barely keep up to the two half-Saiyans.

Bulma routinely went down into the cabin to check the infrared scanner for any clues that they might find, and repaired any minor flaws that the airship might encounter. The journey continued like this for many days. At night, when it was dangerous to fly, Bulma set the airship to a neutral mode and activated a force field around it. This power crystal that she had created had almost infinite energy, made from draining some energy from all life-forms on the ship. However, the energy drain was barely noticeable, and as long as they kept eating well, there was no problem in keeping the ship aloft.

Although it had been almost a week of what seemed like flying through endless clouds, Vegeta above all others never lost hope. His customary smirk never left his face, and all he could think about was defeating his archrival Goku.

They circled the area many times until Gohan finally had an idea. He suggested that they should go to the Temple of Shenron to ask Shenron. Although it wasn't a surefire idea, it was better than mindlessly scouring every area of the sky. And so it was settled that they would seek entry to the Temple of Shenron. Gohan adjusted course and they were on their way.

***

"Ah, yes," said King Yemma to the spirit. "You have been a good person… no real flaws… you may proceed. An attendant will be around to help you shortly."

"Thanks," said the newly bereaved spirit, and was on his way with an attendant.

There was a new voice from King Yemma's phone. "King Yemma?" said one of his attendants through the speaker.

"Yes, what is it?" he asked.

"Goz and Mez are here to see you, sir. They say it's urgent," the attendant explained.

"All right," replied King Yemma. "Hold all incoming spirits for a few minutes and send those two in."

The two ogres, head of the H.F.I.L. entered into his office through the passage that led through his desk. At once, they hopped off of his desk and stood before him.

"King Yemma," said Mez, "We have a small… well… rather large, really… problem."

"That's right," Goz concurred. "Without our permission, and somehow escaping through the clouds, two inhabitants have escaped."

"Escaped!?" exclaimed King Yemma. "This is terrible. Which two inhabitants escaped?"

"That's the real kicker," Mez explained. "We don't know! We just two saw figures that looked like bolts of light bust through the clouds. We have no idea who they were or where they were going."

"It is imperative that we find them!" King Yemma said. "Goz, Mez, I wish I could send you, but you have the rest of H.F.I.L. to worry about. I suggest you get back before anyone else tries to escape."

"Can do, King Yemma," Goz nodded. The two ogres hopped back into King Yemma's desk and returned to the Home for Infinite Losers.

"I must dispatch someone to search for them," said King Yemma. "But who is available?" He mentally scanned the area to find… yes! Perfect!

***

"Gohan! Vegeta! Crew!" The whole crew of the airship heard the telepathic message and recognized it as the voice of King Yemma.

"King Yemma!" Gohan exclaimed. "What do you want?"

"I come bearing bad news, I'm afraid," they heard King Yemma continue. "Two evildoers of origins unknown have escaped from the H.F.I.L. Seeing as you have some of the strongest beings in this dimension onboard with you, I was wondering if you could take a detour from whatever you're doing to look for these fiends."

This time Vegeta answered. "We're not letting up our quest because your two ogres decided to take a lunch break! Get out of our faces. We're heading to the Temple of Shenron, and not you; not anyone can stop us!"

"I understand," replied King Yemma, disappointed. "At least keep an eye out for them."

"That we can do," Gohan answered. "We'll keep a lookout." With that, King Yemma broke the telepathic link as the airship continued on its way to the Temple of Shenron.

***

King Yemma sighed. "It's no use. Vegeta is too stubborn and Gohan has been absorbed by his own sense of adventure. I can't risk sending someone less strong than those two!"

"You won't have to," replied a mysterious voice. King Yemma turned around to see the Grand Kai and another Kai of some sort standing behind him. This other Kai wore a black robe with the Kai symbol, a white shirt of which the sleeves protruded down his arms, black boots, sunglasses, and a black skullcap wrapped around his hair. Between the neutral clothing, the sunglasses, and the skullcap, it was difficult to determine anything about this Kai: facial features, bodily features, even gender were disguised by this costume.

King Yemma tried to sense who it was, but to no avail. He wore a black shroud around him like a cloak of invisibility; blocking everyone out. "Excuse me," the Grand Kai continued, "But perhaps you'd care to listen to me instead of stare at my compatriot?"

"Oh, yes, I'm sorry, Grand Kai," King Yemma apologized. "What have you come here for?"

"The two who escaped from the H.F.I.L. pose more of a threat than you may think," the Grand Kai told him cryptically. "I think that my new recruit here may be of some help to you."

The other Kai nodded. "Who is he?" asked King Yemma.

"Oh, this fellow?" asked the Grand Kai, motioning towards his partner. "I've trained him and done him a few favors, and in turn, he's going to help us out when we need it. Notice that he has no ring," said the Grand Kai, motioning to the absence of a halo over his head.

"Anyway," the Grand Kai continued, "I call him the Fighter Kai, trained to do just as his namesake suggests. I'll send him to go after your escapees."

The Fighter Kai looked at the Grand Kai and nodded. With that, he took off like a flash of lightning and was already flying out over Snake Way. King Yemma and the Grand Kai watched as the amazing warrior moved forward to track the two who had escaped.