Big fish
Gohan, Krillin, and Yamcha landed at the site where they had left the spaceship. Without hesitation, they darted into the crevices of a massive boulder, seeking cover.
"Hah... hah... hah..."
All three panted heavily, their breaths ragged. Krillin and Yamcha collapsed to the ground, completely spent.
"I think we did it, guys," Yamcha managed between gasps.
"Yeah..." Krillin replied, his voice weak.
For a moment, silence hung in the air, broken only by the labored breathing of Earth's warriors.
"Guys... isn't this where our spaceship's supposed to be?" Gohan asked, a note of concern creeping into his voice.
Krillin, still catching his breath, waved him off. "Relax, Gohan. It's here somewhere. Just take a minute."
Gohan shook his head. "I don't need a break, Krillin. You two are the ones who took a beating. Let me grab some bandages and food from the ship, okay?" Without waiting for a response, Gohan sprinted off.
Krillin smiled as he closed his eyes. "Smart kid..."
A minute later, Gohan returned, his face tense with worry.
"Krillin! Yamcha! The spaceship... it's gone!"
"What?!"
Meanwhile, far away in the vastness of space...
Mr. Popo reclined comfortably on the sofa as the spaceship sped through the void. In just three days, he would reach Earth, thanks to the shortcut through the warphole. With the ship fully fueled, he didn't expect any trouble navigating the turbulence.
"Haha! I wonder how those kids are handling the Yajirobe situation. Maybe I should've left them some food... oh well. A little hunting won't hurt them."
Guru's place...
"NAIIIL!"
Nail rushed in immediately. "Yes, Master Guru?"
"I forgot to give this to Khami," Guru said, gesturing toward a set of clothes in the corner of the room. "These are my old garments. They don't fit anymore, but I think the son of Katas would appreciate them."
Nail nodded. "Shall I have Dende deliver them? I know where Mr. Popo usually parks his ship."
"Wise as always, Naiil," Guru replied, his voice warm with approval. "Yes, send Dende. I doubt Mr. Popo has gone far."
Dende flew swiftly, his aura trailing behind him like a shimmering tail. A bag was strapped across his back, and he clutched a large map in his hands. As he soared through the air, he muttered under his breath, 'Why do I always get stuck with these errands?' He couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. 'All my friends are probably out fishing right now...'
As Dende flew over a series of islands, his attention was drawn to several massive craters that pockmarked the landscape. They looked fresh, as though the land had recently witnessed a fierce battle.
"Whoa..." Dende whispered as he descended to get a closer look. One of the craters was particularly enormous, its edges jagged and raw.
He stared at it for a few moments, awe-struck. 'What could have caused this?'
Shaking off the distraction, he sighed. "I better hurry. I can't afford to miss Mr. Popo."
Meanwhile, on Earth...
Goku was busy packing his luggage for the upcoming trip, while Chichi worked diligently beside him. "Chichi! You done with those clothes yet?" he called out.
"What's the rush, Goku?" Chichi replied, carefully ironing a shirt. "Just give me a minute, alright?" In her distraction, she accidentally scorched the fabric. "Argh! Look what you've made me do!"
Goku blinked, confused. "What did I do?"
Upstairs, Tien lay on his bed, listening to the commotion below. They still had a couple of days before the trip, and he couldn't quite understand the urgency.
"Well," he muttered to himself, "maybe I'll get it once I become a family man." He glanced over at his own small pile of clothes—just a few pairs of trousers and vests. "Doesn't take much to pack when that's all you own."
In a way, Tien appreciated the simplicity of his life. No burdens, no responsibilities to weigh him down. His days were filled with training and meditation, allowing him to focus on what mattered most to him: self-discipline and strength. It suited him.
But things had changed in the past year, ever since he'd been staying at Goku's place. From time to time, he'd help out on the farm or accompany Goku to the market, selling the produce they'd grown. It was a small price to pay for Goku's generosity—after all, Goku never asked for anything in return. Yet, the more he helped, the more distant that old life felt, slipping further into memory.
As Tien lay on the bed, a heaviness pressed against his chest. 'I miss you, Chiaotzu,' he whispered, his voice soft, almost as if saying it any louder would break something inside him. The weight of those words lingered, thick with years of unspoken bond.
His mind drifted back to simpler times—days of endless training with Chiaotzu by his side, his unwavering presence always a comfort in the harsh, lonely world of warriors. Chiaotzu had been more than a friend; he was a brother, a companion in the battle against the isolation that Tien often imposed on himself. They had fought together, suffered together, and shared quiet moments of peace that no one else could understand.
Now, that closeness felt like a distant echo. The farmhouse was quiet, but it was the absence of Chiaotzu's laughter, his small but determined voice, that made it feel so much emptier.
'You were always there,' Tien thought as his eyelids grew heavy with the pull of sleep. 'Now, it's just me.'
Dende was flying with his arms forward, the map now safely tucked in his bag. He could see a huge boulder come near. The kid dissipated his aura. "Yes, he should be around here somewhere."
Dende flew above the boulder, carefully examining it. However, there was no sign of Mr Popo or the spaceship.
Meanwhile, Gohan observed, as a little green boy flew above them, going back and forth as if searching for something. The boy was left in wonders. "Gosh. He looks just like a miniature Piccolo!"
Dende meanwhile was done searching. 'I think he's already left.' He sighed. What a waste. 'No need to spend more time out here,' he thought as he turned around and prepared to leave.
"Hey! Wait up!"
"Huh?"
"Here! Down here!" shouted Gohan, waiving his arms.
Dende followed the sound to find a little boy in purple clothes waiving at him from below. "Who are you?" he asked.
"We are visitors! From another planet!" Gohan shouted. "Right now we are in urgent need of some help!"
Dende descended apprehensively, careful to remain on his gaurd.
"You better be saying the truth," said Dende.
"Huh? Of course I am!" Gohan replied.
"I would have you know, my brother's the strongest fighter on the planet. If you try anything, he would surely break your bones."
"Whoah," Gohan mouthed, sweatdropping. "Calm down there, little guy," he said, chuckling nervously.
"Tell me what you need."
"Well actually, we came here from Earth. And we have been left stranded here because our friend left with the spaceship."
"What?! " exclaimed Dende. "You don't happen to be friends of Mr Popo, do you? "
"Yes, we are! You know Mr Popo?"
"Everybody here knows Mr Popo. I am so sorry for my behaviour! You should have told me earlier, " said Dende.
"How would I know?" replied Gohan, chuckling. "What I really am worried about right now, is my friends' health. They are in really bad shape. Could you please guide me to a hospital around here?"
"You don't need them stupid places on our planet," Dende replied, smiling. "Just take me to them."
"Huh?"
Gohan lead Dende to his friends. Both of them were lying unconscious on the blue grass under the shade of the huge boulder. Multiple leaves were wrapped around their wounds.
Dende stood over them, examining them carefully. The namekian boy then pushed his hand down into the ground and dug out some earth.
"Woah," Gohan said, leaning over him. He could make out some beans in Dende's palm.
Dende proceeded to pick the beans one by one and put them into his mouth. The namek then chew them for a few seconds before spitting them back.
Gohan cringed. That was gross.
Dende kneeled down beside Krillin and opened his mouth.
"Hey! What do you think you are doing?"
"Keep quiet, kid," Dende replied before pushing the bean down into Krillin's throat. He then did the same with Yamcha.
Dende knelt down, examining them carefully. Without a word, he plunged his hand into the soil and unearthed several small beans.
Gohan leaned over, intrigued. "Whoa, what are those?"
Dende picked up a few beans and, to Gohan's surprise, chewed them slowly before spitting them out. Gohan cringed, visibly disgusted.
"What are you doing?" Gohan asked, uneasy.
"Stay quiet," Dende replied firmly, before gently pushing the chewed-up bean into Krillin's mouth. He repeated the process with Yamcha.
Not even a minute passed before both fighters stirred. Krillin's eyes flickered open first, blinking against the sunlight. His breath caught as he shot up, feeling the smooth skin where his wounds had once been. He gingerly touched the spots where bruises and cuts should have been, his face a mixture of disbelief and awe.
"What the...?" Krillin muttered, wide-eyed. He twisted his arm and felt his side, as if waiting for a hidden pain to resurface. "I... I'm completely healed! How's that possible?"
Yamcha groaned and sat up next, clutching his head as if shaking off a dream. "I thought... I thought I was done for..." He ran his hand along his ribs, where he remembered a sharp pain had throbbed only moments ago. Now, there was nothing. His fingers trembled slightly as he touched his skin, still expecting the sting of his injuries.
"What... just happened?" Yamcha asked, his voice shaky with disbelief. He glanced at Gohan, then at Dende, his eyes wide. "I could barely move before... and now I feel... like I haven't been in a fight at all!"
Krillin exchanged a look with Yamcha, then turned to Dende. "What kind of magic is this? Did you just...?"
Dende stood calmly, wiping his hands on his robes. "It's a special kind of healing. Something available only on our planet." His voice was matter-of-fact, but there was a quiet pride beneath it.
Gohan grinned, feeling relieved as he saw his friends' energy return. "I told you, he's a Namekian. They're full of surprises."
Frieza's ship...
Frieza frowned as Zarbon and Dodoria spoke. The tyrant floated in his hoverchair, staring out the large window of his spaceship, his two subordinates standing rigidly by the door.
Zarbon shivered in the heavy silence that followed. With Frieza's back turned, he couldn't see the tyrant's face, making the tension even more unbearable.
"You'd better make Vegeta's friend talk about the Syanide," Frieza said coldly, his voice dripping with menace. "Or you'll regret not bringing Vegeta to me alive."
Zarbon swallowed hard. "Y-Yes, sire," he stammered. "We'll make him talk, I promise."
Frieza's silence was suffocating.
"You'd better. Now, leave me."
Zarbon and Dodoria wasted no time, quickly exiting the room. As the door slid shut behind them, Frieza smirked, his reflection visible in the glass before him.
"Impressive, Vegeta. After all your years of service, you save your best for the end. How thoughtful of you to find the Syanide for me... hm hm."
Yajirobe's eyes flickered open. His vision was blurred, everything tinged in an eerie blue. Bubbles drifted lazily in front of him, rising from the mask strapped tightly to his face. He felt weightless, suspended in liquid. It took him a moment to realize—he really was submerged in some sort of tank.
The faint, rhythmic beeping of machinery echoed in the background, unnerving in its calmness. Panic bubbled in his chest. His breathing quickened inside the mask as the realization of his situation settled in. Suddenly, the door in front of him slid open with a metallic hiss.
Yajirobe's heart froze. Standing there, framed in the doorway, were the monsters—the ones who had faced Vegeta.
Dodoria, the pink brute, lumbered into the room, his heavy footsteps vibrating through the floor. Yajirobe's stomach churned with fear. Dodoria moved to a control panel, his thick fingers tapping a series of buttons. The liquid surrounding Yajirobe began to drain, and the glass in front of him lifted with a hiss. He collapsed forward, gasping for air as the cold hit his skin like a slap.
Zarbon, the green-haired one, lingered in the doorway, a cruel smile tugging at his lips. "Enjoy yourself, Dodoria," he said, his voice dripping with malice. "But don't ruin him completely. I'd like my turn."
Dodoria cracked his knuckles, the sound echoing ominously through the room. "Don't worry. I'll leave enough for you."
As Zarbon left, the door shut with a foreboding thud, leaving Yajirobe alone with Dodoria. The room felt suffocating, the weight of the situation sinking in. Yajirobe backed away, his legs trembling uncontrollably. "W-wait, what do you mean by—"
His words were cut off as Dodoria's massive fist rammed into his mouth. Yajirobe's eyes bulged in horror, his jaw forced wide open, pain shooting through his skull. He gagged, trying to breathe, but Dodoria's fist blocked his airway. Panic consumed him. 'I can't breathe!' His hands clawed weakly at Dodoria's arm, but it was like trying to move a mountain.
Dodoria's laughter rumbled deep, sadistic. "Pathetic," he growled, twisting his arm sharply. With a brutal yank, he swung Yajirobe around and slammed him into the floor. The impact reverberated through Yajirobe's body, his vision exploding into a blur of black and white. His body crumpled like a rag doll.
Dodoria lifted Yajirobe's limp form, disappointment flickering across his face. Yajirobe dangled from his grip, unconscious, his face streaked with blood.
"That was too easy," Dodoria muttered, irritated. He pulled his fist out of Yajirobe's mouth, ripping several teeth free in the process. They clattered to the floor, blood dripping from his lips and staining the cold metal beneath him.
"Ugh, can't have you dying on me yet." Dodoria tilted Yajirobe's head forward, letting the blood spill out onto the floor in thick, dark drops. He didn't want the fool choking on his own blood, not when the real fun hadn't even begun.
With a grunt, Dodoria slung Yajirobe's unconscious body over his shoulder. "Back in the pod you go. We'll do this again, nice and slow."
Krillin clenched his fists, the frustration boiling inside him. "Damn it! We were so close!"
Yamcha, sitting beside him, stared at the ground in defeat. They had lost Yajirobe again, and now the sickening thought gnawed at him—was Yajirobe even alive? He couldn't shake the hopelessness creeping in.
Dende, standing nearby, lowered his head. "I'm really sorry about your friend. I wish there was more I could do." His voice was heavy with guilt.
"If only my dad were here," Gohan muttered, his voice quiet but full of longing. "He'd know what to do."
Yamcha scowled, frustration bubbling over. "That idiot, Popo! What was the rush? Why did he have to leave so soon?"
Krillin glanced at him, trying to keep a level head. "Look, don't you want Goku here as fast as possible? That was the whole point."
Yamcha shot back angrily, "Of course I do! But he could've waited, at least until we were all together! We're stuck here for six days with nothing to do except get ourselves killed!"
Krillin chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head. "Don't remind me... You're making me feel even more useless, Yamcha."
Gohan, his head hung low, chimed in quietly. "Yamcha's not wrong, Krillin. I hate to admit it, but we're in way over our heads here."
Yamcha slammed his fist into his palm, his voice rising with anger. "We couldn't even scratch that pink monster! And his buddy—and Vegeta—they're on another level entirely!"
Krillin stayed silent, a pit forming in his stomach. Yamcha wasn't wrong. But then there was Vegeta... "Hey, Yamcha," Krillin began, his voice low. "When we ran, Vegeta was fighting that green-haired guy, right? We saw him again when you dropped Yajirobe, but... I never felt Vegeta's energy. Not even a trace."
A cold silence followed as the truth settled in.
"Which means..." Gohan started, his voice trembling.
Krillin nodded, his face pale, sweat trickling down his brow. "Yeah. We might have seen the last of him, Gohan."
The air was heavy with the weight of that thought—Vegeta, gone. As much as they despised him, Vegeta was still one of the strongest beings they knew. If he was gone... what chance did they stand?
Suddenly, Dende snapped his fingers, breaking the tense silence.
Gohan turned toward him, hopeful. "What is it, Dende?"
A spark of excitement lit up the young Namekian's face. "I've got an idea! If I take you to Guru, he can unlock your hidden powers! You'll be stronger—strong enough to save your friend!"
"Hidden powers?!" Krillin, Yamcha, and Gohan exclaimed in unison, their eyes wide with disbelief.
Dende nodded eagerly. "Yes! Guru can bring out the potential inside you. It's your best chance!"
For the first time since their arrival, hope flickered in the eyes of the Earth's fighters. Maybe, just maybe, there was still a way out of this nightmare.
Meanwhile,
Meanwhile, near the shore, a group of Namekian kids excitedly approached the water's edge.
"Let's see what we caught today!" one of them said with a grin.
"Yeah!" his friend laughed, eager to see the haul.
The boys worked together to pull the net from the water. It felt unusually heavy today, and their excitement grew as they imagined a big catch. When they finally pulled the net onto the shore, their eyes widened in surprise.
"Wow, look at that!" one exclaimed. "It's an alien!"
The boys gathered around the net, fascinated and curious.
To be continued...
Author's note: Sorry for the long wait! Been busy lately.
Thanks 'Randomdood' and 'Memo'. The feedback you guys serves as fuel for the writer.
