Sentiments of gip-k: -Hello! Welcome to the 8th chapter of CWF! It's all coming together now. So, I might as well get to the story, 'cause there's no time to waste!

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Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or Dragonball Z… And it's painful.

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---Chapter 8---

Piccolo tapped his foot impatiently outside of the Kame House. What was taking them so long?

The previous five days had been filled with training, packing, and for Bulma, shopping and mechanical adjustments made to the ship. Yamcha had offered to teach Kenshin how to use energy blasts, but he had refused.

"I thank you, but no," Kenshin had said as he shook his head. He smiled. "I would rather not use such… powers- my sakabato is quite enough for me, that it is."…

Piccolo made a sarcastic sound. The man probably still thought that ki blasts had something to do with magic. Just then, Gohan came running out of the house. Piccolo smiled. He was wearing that hideous outfit that Bulma had bought him. Red overalls and a yellow shirt- both disturbingly bright. Piccolo didn't have to ask what was in the travel bag he was carrying. His mother would have told him to take all sorts of things. However, in secret, Gohan removed most of the more frivolous items to make room for his armor. That was what he needed.

"Hi, Piccolo," Gohan said, a cheerful look on his face. Piccolo gave the boy a curt nod. Gohan continued "You're already ready, aren't you?"

Piccolo grunted.

"Five days is more than enough time to prepare," he replied.

"Gohan! Did you remember your toothbrush?" Chi-Chi called from inside the house.

"Yes, Mom!" Gohan called back.

"What about your underwear?" She asked.

Gohan's cheeks reddened.

"Yes, Mom," Gohan replied in an embarrassed voice.

Just then, Chi-Chi emerged from the house, her arms folded.

"Are you sure, Gohan?" she asked reprovingly.

"Yeah, Mom," Gohan said, a little irritated. "I remembered everything."

"Let the boy alone," Piccolo said, though he sounded kind of amused.

"Hey, you don't tell me what to do!" Chi-Chi said. "Mothers always know best! Always! All you do is pollute his mind with fighting! He never studies anymore!"

"Mom-"

"Don't speak, Gohan!" Chi-Chi yelled before her son could finish. She grabbed his travel bag away from him. "That's it! No more! Gohan's not going on this trip!"

"But, Mom!" Gohan protested.

"No buts about it, Gohan," Chi-Chi said firmly. "Get inside the house and start doing your work."

Just when Gohan started dragging himself into the house, a loud sound was heard in the sky overhead. Gohan gasped, surprised. He turned around and looked up. Bulma was bringing the capsule ship to the Kame House to pick them all up. Gohan's face brightened. He saw Vegeta up there. Well, not that Vegeta could help any, but the more people on his side, the better.

"Humph," Chi-Chi said. "They're finally here." She glanced at her son. "Gohan, I thought I told you-"

"I do get to say good-bye, don't I?" Gohan asked.

"Well, I guess so," Chi-Chi said. Shockingly, she handed Gohan his travel bag.

Gohan.

Gohan gave a start. He looked at Piccolo. He answered telepathically.

What is it, Piccolo?

You know what I'm talking about, Gohan. You don't actually think that we're going to leave you behind, do you? Besides, Namek is a good place to train.

But this is New Namek, isn't it?

The two planets are still similar. Right now, you don't need to think about that. We need to find a plan to get your mother to let you out of here.

I already have a plan. I'm just going to sneak on.

Piccolo smiled. Gohan smiled back. Chi-Chi eyed them cautiously.

"What are you two smiling about?" she asked suspiciously.

Gohan immediately changed his expression, as did Piccolo.

"Nothing," Gohan said. "I was just thinking about a bad joke Vegeta made one time."

Chi-Chi looked very skeptical about that, but she did not speak- luckily. Just then, a rough wind began passing through. The three moved back so that Bulma could land the large capsule ship. Kenshin emerged from the house with Krillin, Puar, Oolong, and Master Roshi not too far behind.

"Oro!" Kenshin breathed. He hoped this one had not come from one of those strange beans, too, for that would be too much for him to handle.

"Look!" Puar cried. "Yamcha's there, too!"

Bulma waved to them. She pulled off her voice set. Then she began walking down a flight of stairs and out of the ship. Moments later she emerged, an excited look on her face. Vegeta came out right behind her, his face exactly contrary to hers.

"Hi everybody!" Bulma said, rubbing her hands together excitedly. "The ship's even better than usual. I got to make a lot of repairs and adjustments."

"Hey, you forgot to tell her about the cookies your mom baked," Yamcha said in an amused tone as he stepped out of the ship.

"Yamcha!" Puar cried in delight.

"Hi, Puar," Yamcha said. "How's everything going?"

"Good," the small creature replied a bit sadly. "I'm going to miss you, Yamcha. Be sure to take good care of yourself while you're gone."

"I will," Yamcha replied, smiling. "Don't worry about it."

Puar's eyes shone with tears of bitter-sweetness.

"I tire of this useless waiting," Vegeta said impatiently. "If the three-eyed weakling man and his powder-faced adopted child would hurry up, maybe we could leave!"

"That powder-faced adopted child has a name, you know."

Vegeta's eyes roved to the door of the Kame House. Tien walked out, dressed in his usual green training suit and red belt.

"His name is Chiaotzu," Tien said firmly.

"Whatever," Vegeta said, his tone of voice edged with sarcasm.

"And I am not a child!" Chiaotzu retorted angrily. "I am as old as Tien!"

"ENOUGH!" Vegeta said. "Bickering with you would be like doing so with a mere babe. Let us go."

"Not until I know why Gohan's looking so down," Bulma said with an angry glare for Vegeta. She turned back to Gohan.

"Gohan can't go," Chi-Chi said. "He has to stay home and do his homework."

"Excuse me?" Kenshin said, shocked. "Gohan was… accompanying us?"

"Us? Who said anything about you going?" Tien asked.

"Fool," Vegeta said. "He is only accompanying us to take away his shame for the loss that he experienced when racing me."

"I don't see any reason why Kenshin shouldn't get to go," Bulma said, smiling. "He'd be nice company, anyway. Speaking of which, my dad made some armor for him. Yamcha, be a sweetheart and go get it for me."

Yamcha said something that none of them could hear and went back into the capsule ship. He handed Bulma a medium-sized white box. She walked up to Kenshin, and opened it. There was a set of bronze and black-colored armor.

"It's extremely light, and quite thin," Bulma said. "It protects only vital areas, like your shoulder blade and side. That's the only drawback."

"I see," Kenshin said. He smiled. "Give your father my greatest thanks."

"Hey, I helped, too," Bulma said.

"Really?" Kenshin said. "Well, er, thank you."

"You're welcome," Bulma replied. She turned to Vegeta. She glared at him, her azure-colored eyes flaming as she spoke. "I suppose that now we can go."

"Be careful," Master Roshi said. Even with his dark glasses on the Z-fighters could see concern in his face. "Remember, Frieza could still be out there."

"Sure, Roshi," Yamcha said, grinning. "I'm sure everything will be fine."

"Yeah," Tien said with equal confidence. "Don't worry about a thing."

After saying their farewells, Bulma boarded the ship. Yamcha waited for everyone to go in before entering himself. Then he stopped.

"Hey, GOHAN!" he called. "Come on!"

"He's not going," Chi-Chi said, her arms folded. "He's already gone into the house to do his homework."

"Come on, Chi-Chi," Yamcha pleaded. "You're not going to let the kid go see his own father?"

"You think I don't want to go see my husband?" Chi-Chi asked irritably. To Yamcha's surprise a solitary tear rolled down her cheek. "I love him with all my heart, but I have to stay here so that I'll be here for him. Gohan can do the same."

"Hey, Chi-Chi," Yamcha said soothingly. "Gohan's a strong kid. Anyway, I'll make sure nothing happens to him."

"That's not the point!" Chi-Chi said heatedly. She once again got back her old resolve of steel. "Gohan needs to do his work! Do you think I want him to depend on going to tournaments to make his money and to support his family? He's a strong boy, but he's my boy! And he's not going!"

"Wait," Yamcha said slowly. "I know what you're doing. You… don't want to stay here alone, do you?" Chi-Chi didn't answer. "Come on, Chi-Chi-"

"Oolong and Master Roshi are not enough," Chi-Chi said. "I don't want to lose Gohan, too. BESIDES… he still has his school. He's not leaving!"

Yamcha sighed. He heard Bulma calling him.

"All right, Chi-Chi," Yamcha said, giving up. "If that's the way you want it to be, it's fine. I just want to tell you that you're not helping him."

Just then, something unexpected occurred. Someone started calling them. Yamcha and Chi-Chi turned towards the direction of the sound. They saw a short, chubby man wearing orange clothes and a sword running towards them. His long, unruly black hair was simply worsening on account of his hurry.

"Hey, wait up, guys!" he called.

"Yajirobe?" Yamcha asked uncertainly.

When Yajirobe finally reached them, he was panting and gasping for breath.

"Jeez!" Yajirobe said. "Were you guys actually going to leave without these?" Yajirobe held up a small brown bag. "Master Coron told me to give you these."

"Hey, thanks Yajirobe!" Yamcha said, gratefully.

"No problem," Yajirobe said with a sheepish smile. "We make soup out of these at Coron's Tower- literally!"

"Hey, since you're hear, how about coming with us to New Namek?" Yamcha asked. "I'm pretty sure Goku would be happy to see you again."

Yajirobe's smile faded immediately, as did his kindness.

"No way," Yajirobe said. "I'm never going on a trip with you guys again. I supply the senzu beans, and that's all!"

"Oh, come on-"

"No thanks!' Yajirobe said. "You guys always get into trouble every time. I'm not going to be a part of it."

Soon, Yajirobe was already half of the way back to the forest before Yamcha could even say good-bye. Yamcha shook his head. Then he turned back to Chi-Chi.

"Well, bye Chi-Chi," Yamcha said, getting up into the ship. "Tell Gohan we'll miss him."

"Sure," Chi-Chi said with a tight smile.

With that, Yamcha quickly boarded the shuttle. Almost immediately, the ship blasted off. Those boosters must have been ready for a long time.

Chi-Chi waved good-bye. The passengers on the shuttle all waved back.

Chi-Chi slowly walked back into the house, where she found everything strangely quiet. Suspicion immediately settled in.

"What's going on?" she asked. Everyone pretended to pay attention to the TV. "Where's Gohan?"

Chi-Chi stormed into her son's room. She found it neat, yet empty. The window was open. The piece of paper that was on her son's desk fluttered to the ground as a rush of wind blew through. Chi-Chi hurried over and picked it up. Her eyes scanned it slowly. It was Gohan's handwriting for sure- sloppy and neat all at once.

Dear Mom,

I'm sorry, but I just had to go. Everyone needs me. And I didn't want to let Dad down- sorry. I'll try to be home soon. I just had to go. Take care of yourself, Mom.

Sincerely,

Gohan

Chi-Chi re-read the letter three more times. Take care of yourself, Mom… Had he really meant that? Wait… how did he expect her to take care of herself when he was gone? And she had specifically told him not to go!

"GOOOOOOOHAAAAAN!" Chi-Chi yelled at the top of her lungs. She yelled so loudly that even far, far away- she was heard…

* * *

Gohan sat bolt upright from his bent position. Krillin's eyes widened.

"Did you hear that?" Gohan asked, the clean white boot that he'd been putting on dropping from his hand.

"Yeah," Krillin said. "It sounded like-"

"Mom," Gohan said. He looked a shade paler than before.

"Yeah," Krillin said. He scratched his head. "That's weird."

"Yeah, really weird," Gohan said. His face looked highly disturbed.

"Maybe it was just the engine of this shuttle," Krillin.

"No. It sounded like Mom."

Krillin gave Gohan a sympathetic smile.

"Hey, maybe it's just your conscience," he replied. "Maybe you're feeling bad that you left your mom back at home."

Gohan frowned. He stared at Krillin, charcoal eyes smoking.

"No," he said. "It's definitely not my conscience. It was Mom who wished Daddy away. I didn't want to stay behind with her, and have Daddy wondering where I was. I don't want to be like her- I want to be there for Dad."

Krillin was shocked at Gohan's attitude. In so few words, he had expressed his inner feelings.

"I don't think you're mom meant to do that, Gohan."

Gohan cooled down.

"Well, I guess not," he said softly.

"Do you still feel like training?" Krillin asked.

"Well, since I already have my armor on, I might as well," Gohan replied glumly.

"That's the way," Krillin said smiling. "I'll meet you in the training room in a couple minutes, okay?"

"Sure."

Krillin walked out of Gohan's room and closed the door softly behind him.

* * *

Meanwhile, Kenshin sat in one of the main rooms of the ship, right outside the control room where Bulma worked away. She wanted to set a fixed-course for auto pilot mode to follow, which she would engage later in the evening, or when she needed a break.

Kenshin sat still and frozen. His lavender eyes were directed outside the window he was now sitting outside of. There were more stars than he could ever possibly count, and the pattern and various colors of them all intrigued him greatly.

"Enjoying the view."

Kenshin's red-haired head flipped around. Before him he saw Piccolo- the tall green man, of whom he was unsure was even a human at all. Kenshin composed himself. Piccolo had startled him, which was unacceptable. He should have sensed- or even seen him walking up there. The way the man spoke, speaking a question as though it was not a question- as though he expected an answer.

"Yes," Kenshin said, staring back at Piccolo with equal gravity. "It is quite beautiful, I say. I doubt that I have seen so many stars before- and of such variety, that I have not."

Piccolo grunted.

"I did not come here to talk about stars," he replied. "You know that."

"My pardons, but then, what is your reason for approaching me?" Kenshin asked.

"If you can really sense ki, why didn't you say something when Vegeta cheated in the race?"

Kenshin blinked. Then his eyes lighted up with remembrance.

"Oh," Kenshin said. "The race." He smiled. "I find Mr. Vegeta to be, in the heart, a very broken and hurt person. He hides behind his pride and strength, from which he has built a highly tall wall. My pardons, but why would I disturb such a wall at all without any need? It would be quite rude, and furthermore, it would just give Mr. Vegeta more of a reason to dislike me, that it would."

To Kenshin's surprise, Piccolo smirked. He once again grunted.

"You're a strange man," he replied.

"I am what I am, though at times I do not take pride in being so," Kenshin replied.

Piccolo walked away without another word. He seemed satisfied with Kenshin's answer, of which cause Kenshin had to be happy. At one point he had thought he was going to have to defend himself with his sakabato. That was a thing that he would not have relished.

Kenshin casually turned back to the window, and gazed out for a few more moments. In the highly polished window he saw a reflection of himself. He was surprised at how much he'd changed from since he'd been wished away from Tokyo. His hair was neater- shorter. He wore the purple shirt that had the woman that looked like Kaoru embroiled on it, and some Khaki pants. He wore his old slippers, though, for he saw no reason why he should not. He wondered what Miss Kaoru would say if she saw him like this. Kenshin smiled faintly. She would probably like his clothes, though they might shock her, and she would certainly like his hair, though would wonder who could have convinced him to cut it.

"Kaoru," Kenshin breathed softly. He hoped that she was all right. He hoped she would not be too mentally wounded by his departure. She probably would not- she was a strong young woman. He did not even know how she felt about him, for she had never said anything about liking him more than she would a close friend. She had never said anything, but there was something in her eyes when she looked at him that he could not yet decipher. He really needed to get back to the dojo. He could not yet bear to call it home. He reminded himself that he was a wanderer, and some day he might have to wander again. He did not want his friends to become too close to him- to expect him to stay. He had to somehow get it across to them that he might have to leave at some point in time, though he would rather stay with them forever.

Kenshin became alert to someone walking past him. Even without looking he knew it was Gohan. Furthermore, through peering casually at the translucent reflection in the window he could see that the boy was upset.

"My pardons, but are you all right, child?" Kenshin asked, turning around.

The boy stopped. He was dressed in his armor and was probably going to train. He did not explode in a fiery rage when Kenshin called him "child", but his eyes showed that he was displeased with it, and anxious to get where he was headed to.

"Yes," Gohan said glumly.

"That does not sound like a very positive 'yes', I say," Kenshin replied, smiling warmly. "Is something bothering you?"

Gohan stared at Kenshin for a long while.

"No," Gohan replied flatly. His darkly eyes looked irritated, now.

"I presume you are going to the training room," Kenshin said. Gohan nodded slightly. "My pardons, but how are you to train if you lack concentration? I am sure, my pardons, that your father, taught you just the same, I say." Gohan's eyes widened slightly, but then his face darkened. Kenshin decided to continue. "My pardons, but I am also aware, my pardons, that you desire very much to be like him, my pardons for saying so. He must be a very good man, I say. It is a pity that I will never have the chance to meet him, I say."

The boy's face brightened.

"You want to meet my dad?" Gohan asked.

"Why yes," Kenshin replied. "I know his son, and his son seems to be as good a man as him, I say."

Gohan reached into the back of his training suit. He brought out a small piece of paper. He walked up to Kenshin, and handed the paper to him. It was a small, wrinkled up picture.

"Well, that's my dad right there," Gohan said, waiting anxiously for Kenshin's response.

Kenshin's eyes scanned the picture.

"You resemble him greatly, that you do," he said in a cheerful voice.

"He's a lot stronger than I am, though," Gohan said. "He's a super Saiyan, and he saved the world from Frieza!"

Kenshin looked up at Gohan, giving the boy a quizzical look.

"A super Saiyan, you say?" he asked.

"Yes," Gohan said. "My dad was not born on this planet. He's not human. He's of the Saiyan race. I'm a half-Saiyan, because my mom is human."

Kenshin seemed greatly shocked by this revelation. He spoke with Gohan some more, that was, until they heard Krillin calling.

"Oh yeah!" Gohan exclaimed. "I forgot! I promised Krillin that I'd train with him. I've got to go. See you later, Kenshin."

Kenshin gave the picture back to Gohan and he put it in its trusted spot.

"Remember to concentrate, Gohan!" Kenshin called after him.

"I will!" Gohan said cheerfully.

Gohan rushed off to the training room. Kenshin smiled. He hoped that now the boy did not hold him in such suspicion anymore, for he was a nice child.

Kenshin turned back to the window. After gazing out for a few more minutes, he decided to go to his room, where all was quiet and the sound of Bulma's continuous button pressing was nothing but a distant beep.

Kenshin stood and walked through the ship and into this room. He carefully pressed a red button. It was beyond him how the door managed to open, and then stay open until you got through.

Kenshin let out a tired sigh. He sat cross-legged on the carpeted ground and folded his palms, one against the other. He needed to relax- to think.

About an hour later, Kenshin heard the door open. The footsteps were soundless, but he could feel the vibrations they were making on the floor. Kenshin opened his eyes. He sensed something wrong. Kenshin stayed in the same position, but readied himself to leap. The person sneaking up on him probably thought he was still sleeping. And Kenshin knew exactly who that person was, which was the more cause for him to be weary.

"DIE!"

The moments- seconds- between the time Vegeta created the small bluish blast in his hand and the time in which he thrusts it forth were enough for Kenshin to straighten up his legs, stand up, and leap out of the way without any problem at all. Vegeta did not pause. He looked up at Kenshin, who was now in the air. In the blink of an eye his slippered feet were pushing back against the ceiling, he was drawing his sakabato, and after the eye, opened, he had smashed deep into…

…The ground.

Kenshin's alert violent eyes roved to the right side, where a grim-looking Vegeta stood, arms folded in front of his chest. Kenshin, sensing that the assault was finished, smoothly slid his sakabato back into its sheath. He stood up just as smoothly to stare at his attacker with chilly amethyst eyes.

"Humph," Vegeta said. His mouth twisted into a sickly smile. "You missed, weakling."

"As did you," Kenshin replied dryly. "We are even, Vegeta."

"No we are not," Vegeta replied, tone ironic. "You are far below me. I tire of your blasted eyes. You stare at me like you know me- and you do not."

"I do not know you, but I know your intentions, that I do," Kenshin replied icily.

"I didn't miss because you were too fast for me," Vegeta retorted. "I missed because I did not care to kill you in the first place. Had I wanted to, you would be dead right now! How dare you think that you are as fast as I am? How dare you!"

"You're only motivation for the last few days has been only to make me fear you," Kenshin replied. "And I do not."

Surprisingly, Vegeta laughed a bitter laugh.

"You will fear me one day, weakling," Vegeta replied. "If Kakarot cannot stand before me, you're like a bug writhing under my boot."

Just then, the door opened, admitting Bulma and Yamcha.

"What's going on?" Bulma demanded.

"Nothing," Vegeta replied with a glare for Kenshin. He walked to the door, and shoving Yamcha out of the way quite rudely, left.

"Hey!" Yamcha yelled. "Watch it!"

"What's going on, Kenshin?" Bulma asked, noticing Kenshin's grim face. Then she looked at the big gash in the floor, the dent in the ceiling, and the charred carpet in the center of the floor.

"Goodness," Yamcha said. "What happened in here?"

"Vegeta decided to test my strength, that he did," Kenshin replied grimly.

Bulma frowned angrily.

"I don't know what we're going to do with that man!" she said, exasperated. "He really needs to learn some manners!"

"You said it," Yamcha replied.

"It's all right," Kenshin replied, smiling. "He means no harm, I say. He simply wants to prove to me that he is stronger. He seems not to know that I am already aware of that."

"So then what's he want?" Yamcha asked.

"If you ask me," Bulma said dryly. "I think he wants all of us to kneel down and kiss his boots. Something I'm certainly not going to do!"

After a little more disputing about Vegeta, the two left Kenshin's room, stating that later they'd help repair it.

From then on, Kenshin knew that convincing Vegeta that he was not his rival would not be an easy thing.

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gip-k's Post chapter statements: -End of chapter, people. How'd you like it? Um, allow me to just guarantee you one thing. If you're sick of waiting to see what happens when the fighters arrive on Namek, you won't have to wait TOO much longer. C 'ya!

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