After hearing about what happened, Bulma had let off an exasperated sigh, and assured them that she'd build a radar capable of finding the Super Dragon Balls, but that the problem would be actually gathering them. Beerus assured her that Whis would be escorting her, and she promised that she'd bring along some delicious food to return the favor. After being provided a customary meal for their visit to Earth, Beerus and Whis said that they'd be back the next day.
"And make sure you start looking for fighters," Beerus told Ranch and Trunks shortly right before he took his leave.
"Ugh!" Ranch groaned in lament, banging her forehead on the table.
"Seriously, who are we supposed recruit?" Trunks said.
Bulma looked up at the ceiling in thought, "Well, Yajirobi is still running around out there somewhere, but he's next to useless."
"Oh I know," Ranch said sarcastically, still plopped down on the table, "Dende."
Bulma continued to think. "How about Roshi?"
"Oh great," Trunks said, rolling his eyes, "I'm sure that'll go over well. 'Hi, Roshi, I know you haven't seen us since we were babies, but can you do us a favor by taking part in a petty grudge match between some deities?'"
"And besides, he was already ancient in the past," mumbled Ranch. "He's even older now."
"Hey, don't count him out so easily," Bulma told her. "He did train your uncle after all. And besides, he's been ancient since before I was a kid myself."
Ranch and Trunks looked at each other and heaved a sigh together. "Fine, that's one so long as he agrees," Trunks said.
"I'm sure he will if Ranch promises him a kiss."
"You kiss that old perv!" she snarled.
"I'm old," Bulma said as-a-matter-of-factly. "He won't want one from me anymore. Actually, Launch is too, but he's always had a soft spot for her. How about you try it with her?"
"Great, so I'm either soliciting myself or my mom."
As much as he didn't like the idea either, Trunks said, "Focus. Who will the other two be?"
After a moment of silence where no one had any response, Ranch just looked over at her husband, and said in defeat, "Don't ask questions you already know the answer to."
Trunks groaned. "Yeah, we have no choice do we?"
"Wait, hold on!" Bulma cried in surprise. "You aren't talking about the kids, are you?"
"Obviously," said Ranch. "Like it or not they're the next two strongest people on the planet."
"And Gohan did hold his own against Frieza, even if it was just for a little while," Trunks added.
"Gohan I can understand, but Bulla is seriously pushing it!" Bulma admonished.
"Then who else do you have up your sleeve?"
Bulma racked her brains, trying to think of anyone other than her granddaughter to throw into the fray. But they weren't wrong when they said she was one of the strongest people on the Earth…. It suddenly hit her—they didn't have to be from Earth! She quickly said, "I can ask Whis to drop by Namek! They might have some warriors there that could help us."
"I don't know," Trunks replied slowly. "Based on the stories we've heard none of them could take on Frieza back when he was even weaker."
"You honestly think some of them could have gotten stronger since then?" Ranch asked skeptically.
"Well, let's at least try asking Dende," Bulma pleaded.
"That's actually a good idea," Ranch agreed. "We can have Bulla power up in front of Dende, and he can tell us whether or not anyone on Namek can compare."
Trunks then had a thought. "Hey, yeah! And while we're there one of us can go into the time chamber with Gohan!"
Ranch smiled for the first time since they were given their task. "Good thinking! If you go in with him he'll definitely get a lot stronger!"
"Don't you want to, though?"
She waved it off. "Go and have some father-son time. If he wants to, I can go in with him some other time."
"Are you guys sure about this?" Bulma asked uneasily.
"Why not?" Ranch replied. "Back in the past the Gohan there was about our—uh—this Gohan's age when he went into the chamber with Uncle Goku."
"Setting the bar pretty low if you're using Goku as the standard," Bulma muttered. "Well, what about Bulla? You aren't going to take her, too, right?"
Much to her relief they both shook their heads. "She's still a bit too young and inexperienced to handle that environment," he said. "For now, mom, do you think you can make some battle armor after finishing the radar?"
Bulma just stood up, went to down to her lab, and came back with two sets of blue and white armor. "After that fight with Frieza I figured these would come in handy."
"Wow, thanks mom!" Trunks said gladly, taking the armor.
"You guys go," Bulma told them. "I'll start on the radar."
"Great! So how about we get all this started now?" Ranch suggested, as they stood up from the table.
Trunks hesitated. "Um…how about we go the lookout tomorrow? Right now we can just talk to the kids, and you and Launch can swing by Roshi's."
"Sure, but why?" she asked as they left Bulma to her work. When they were outside Trunks wrapped his arm around her waist and whispered suggestively into her ear, causing Ranch to chuckle mischievously. "Fair point."
Needless to say, when the offer to fight in the tournament was presented to Gohan and Bulla they were all for it. The only caveats were that Gohan had to go into the time chamber with Trunks, and that Bulla had to pass a strength test. Bulla asked Ranch excitedly if they'd get a turn in the chamber, but Ranch told her that she'd have to get older and stronger before she'd be able to handle it. After that, Ranch left for Kame House with Launch.
"My, my, it's been quite some," Roshi said when Launch and Ranch appeared on his island. "And here I thought that I've been completely forgotten."
"I'm so sorry," blue-haired Launch sincerely apologized. "But between the cyborgs, children, and grandchildren we've never caught much of a break."
"Grandchildren? Time sure flies. Last time I saw you, Ranch, you were a baby yourself, and now you've some of your own?" Roshi said to her. He then grew somber. "Before we go further let me offer my condolences since I've never had the opportunity. Gohan was a fine warrior. I still remember how I felt his power suddenly go out on that terrible day."
"I appreciate it, Roshi," she said rather awkwardly.
But then he perked up. "So, what is it that I can do for such lovely ladies?"
Launch looked to Ranch, who began by saying, "So, where do I start…?" From there Ranch just gave Roshi a basic crash course on gods and multiple universes, followed by what transpired earlier that day, and finally the reason for their visit.
"Okay, I'll do it," he plainly stated.
"R—Really?" Ranch asked suspiciously.
"But—"
"There it is," Ranch said to herself quietly.
"—I'd like something in return."
"And what would that be?" Launch asked kindly.
"Well, you see, I'm a lonely old man. I certainly wouldn't mind a kiss, even it's just on the cheek."
After a moment, Launch said sweetly, "Well, since I'm clearly a grandmother maybe you'd prefer Ranch."
"Come on, mom, who'd want to get a kiss from a scar face like me?" Ranch said, trying not to sound too hopeful as she self-deprecated.
"Please, you two shouldn't sell yourselves so short!" Roshi insisted. "How about one from both you? I never got one from a mother and daughter at the same time." And so as dirty as it made Ranch feel, she and Launch planted a peck on both sides of his face, causing him to get a little too excited. "Haha! I haven't felt that alive in years! When is this tournament? I can probably take on anyone right now!"
"Keep that enthusiasm bottled up for now," Ranch advised him. "It won't be for at least five days. We'll keep in touch."
The next morning Trunks and Ranch left the twins with Launch and Chi-Chi, while Bulla and Gohan went with them to the lookout.
"Hello, everyone, how is everything?" Dende asked delightedly, upon their arrival.
"Hi, Dende," Trunks greeted. "If you don't mind we need to use the time chamber."
"By all means," he said, nodding.
"Also, we'd like to get your opinion on something."
"Sure, what is it?" he asked curiously.
"Let me show you. Bulla."
"Right, daddy!" she said enthusiastically, and she and Trunks walked some distance away before standing several paces apart. Like she was told earlier, Bulla yelled as she powered up, giving off an impressive amount of energy for someone her age. As she focused her power more and more, Trunks took a firm stance with his palm out. When Bulla's power supposedly topped out, she shot forward at her dad and threw a punch aimed at his hand. Upon impact a huge shockwave was unleashed, causing Dende to shield his eyes, while Ranch and Gohan just stood there calmly, and Trunks just barely flinched.
"What…What was that about?" Dended asked, perplexed.
Ranch answered nonchalantly, "Basically, we're wondering if there's anyone on New Namek that's as strong as or stronger than her."
"I highly doubt it," Dende told them. "Or they at least haven't made themselves known."
"That settles it then," Trunks declared, shaking the feeling back into his hand. "You're in the tournament, Bulla."
"Yay!" she cried happily, jumping up and down.
Gohan made a face. "I doubt you guys would've let me do it when I was her age," he complained.
"Oh buck up," Ranch said, smacking her son's back. "You get to do special training with your dad. Isn't that enough?"
"I guess," he admitted.
After Trunks and Gohan changed into the matching battle armor they brought along, Ranch gave Trunks a goodbye kiss. When she tried to pull away, though, he clung on tightly to her, causing both kids to act grossed out. "And here I thought you had enough after last night," she said quietly to him.
"That's impossible," he replied, kissing her again.
When they finally separated, Ranch managed to sneak a kiss on Gohan's cheek, causing him to wipe it off and grumble, "Mom!"
"Don't say you won't miss me in there," she chided, while Trunks and Bulla hugged.
After Gohan and Trunks disappeared behind the doors of the time chamber, Bulla begged Ranch, "Mommy, do we really have to wait?"
"You won't be able to handle it in there," Ranch told her, patting her head. "But don't you worry; you'll be ready before you know it."
"Okay," she said, still clearly annoyed.
But Ranch just smiled. "C'mon, let's go see your grandma."
They arrived at Capsule Corp just as Bulma was finishing up her radar, which was much bigger than the normal one. She pressed the buttons on either side of the radar and got…nothing. Bulma pressed them again, and still got nothing. After a few more presses she finally got a blip right on the edge. "Given how big the universe is we should consider ourselves lucky that the nearest one is only several galaxies away," she moaned.
"Whoa, galaxies?" Ranch asked.
"Yup. And we have two universes to search."
"Well, Vados is able to travel between universes, so it stands to reason Whis can too."
"Speaking of which, how about you come with me?" Bulma asked her. "Having just a normal dinner with Whis is fine, but I'm not so sure about spending who knows how long searching for these Dragon Balls with them alone."
"Actually, Bulma, I was thinking of spending the time before the tournament training up Bulla."
"So you're actually going through with it?"
Ranch quickly pulled Bulma aside, and quietly said to her, "Trunks and I talked about it already. Roshi is going first and then Gohan so they can do whatever they can. After them it'll be me followed by Trunks to clean up whatever's left. Bulla's last, so with any luck it won't get to her."
"That's good to know, but how much good will training do?" she asked. "Come on, Ranch, I really want someone else to come along."
Ranch buckled under Bulma's earnest gaze, and caved. With a heavy sigh, she said, "Fine, I'll ask mom and Aunt Chi-Chi to watch Bulla, too. I can't say I blame you, though, these gods are frickin fickle." Then she thought of something. "Hey, where's that notebook from past you? It might have something on Champa we can use."
"Way ahead of you," said Bulma, taking the notebook out of a drawer and handing it to her. "But there's really nothing much on here other than how he and Beerus are really similar."
Ranch flipped through the notebook, found the only page the talked about Champa, and saw Bulma was right. She turned to the next page, and read a few lines about someone named Zeno. Apparently he was the ruler of the multiverse, and was capable of destroying all twelve universes on a whim. Ranch made a face. They'd have to steer clear of that guy if they ever had the misfortune of meeting him….
Later that day Whis and Beerus arrived with what looked like a large cube. Whis explained that it would make their trip much more comfortable, and that they could eat as they traveled. So Bulma and Ranch went inside, and the cube took off into space with Bulma giving telling Whis which way to take them. Ranch and Bulma expected they would just have to sit back for an hour or two before they got anywhere, but according to the radar they were rapidly approaching the first blip.
Fifteen or twenty minutes after they started they already began to slow down. The mortals all looked around in awe as they saw nothing but empty space around them. And then off in the distance the orange star that they were approaching grew bigger and bigger. Bulma and Ranch just stared in amazement as they got close enough to make out the stars in the planet sized Dragon Ball.
"Holy crap, they're frickin huge!" exclaimed Ranch as it just kept getting bigger and bigger.
Finally, they came to a stop in front of the Dragon Ball, Bulma placed her hands on the wall, and cried in amazement, "This is a Super Dragon Ball? I knew they were big, but I had no idea!"
Whis then casually waved his staff, causing the Dragon Ball to disappear. "That's one down," he said casually. "Where to next, Bulma?"
"Oh, uh, right?" she said, looking at the radar. Bulma kept on pressing the buttons but got nothing. "I guess we're too far from the next one. I think we should head towards the center of the universe for now to try and pick one up."
Beerus groaned. "This is going to be such an annoying chore," he complained. "I should have just stayed home."
"How about we have a snack as we go?" Bulma offered, taking out a capsule. Beerus readily agreed.