"Kami!" Goku shouted at the top of his voice as soon as he materialized at the Lookout. The wrinkled green Namekian came hurrying over, his face tense with strain.
"Oh, my," he murmured. He took Krillen from Goku and cradled him gently. "I'll do as much as I can," he promised. Goku barely heard him.
"I'm going to kill the thing that did this to him," he vowed in an uncharacteristically vengeful tone. His fingers met his forehead to leave, but he paused as Mr. Popo stepped in front of him and raised a hand to stop his departure.
"Goku, there is something more important you must do," the monkey said gravely. Goku itched to be on his way, but the earnest appeal in Mr. Popo's eyes made him lower his hand.
"What is it?" he asked, somewhat impatiently.
Mr. Popo's gaze locked with his own. "We have no senzu beans."
"What?" Goku exclaimed.
"There will be no way to save your friends unless you can find more," Mr. Popo continued with utter solemnity. "You are the only one who can use Instant Transmission. Only you can bring help fast enough."
"But . . . but . . ." Goku sputtered, "but Korin has always kept the beans. Doesn't he have any left?"
"Master Korin has exhausted his usual supply," the ape explained heavily. "And the trader who usually supplies Master Korin has none left to offer." He waited expectantly, seeming confident that Goku would come up with an idea. But Goku couldn't begin to know where to look for senzu beans. His mind raced. He could go to Korin's Tower, ask the cat where his supplier lived, travel to the supplier's home planet. . . even as he planned it out in his head, the solution sounded ridiculous. Assuming he managed to reach the distant planet—which would be a terrific feat in and of itself—where was the guarantee that there would be senzu beans there at all? And if there were beans there, would anyone be willing to give him a few? Not likely. He would have to trade for them and travel back to the Lookout. But there was no time—he needed a healing source now. And then it hit him.
"Dende!" he shouted. The little green Namekian had the ability to heal wounds almost instantly.
"I beg your pardon?" Mr. Popo asked, his eyebrows raised.
"I'll be back, Mr. Popo!" he promised, taking off at top speed. "I've got to go to Namek!"
The dumfounded monkey stood staring after him, murmuring in confusion, "Namek?"