Chapter 9: Departure

The following morning, or what looked like midday to everyone, the trio were giving their farewells to the people of New Namek… That is, after Bardock went out to get more food for the ship as he decided their filled-to-the-brim-with-no-room-to-spare food supply wasn't full enough.

"Once again, thank you for saving our planet. I hope you have a safe journey to Earth." Tsuburi bowed to them.

"Don't sweat it! It was fun being brought here all of a sudden to fight some bad guys!" Goten gave him a wink and a peace sign.

Meanwhile, Moori was conversing with Bardock. "You have all our respects and good wishes, Bardock. And rest assured, your wish will take priority on the very day the Dragon Balls here are reactivated," he said cordially. He added in a more concerned tone, "If you still have these visions after the Dragon Balls are rejuvenated, then I'd suggest visiting us again post haste, in case something could have gone wrong here for us to somehow not grant your wish."

Bardock nodded and after a few more farewells, he gave the Namekians the same two-finger salute he gave to the people of Planet Plant. As he walked up the ramp of the ship, he was then joined by the two boys, who bounced up to his side excitedly.

Trunks and Goten turned and waved with their arms stretched wide to say goodbye. The Namekians waved back as the ramp closed up.

Inside the ship, the three went to the cockpit and Trunks and Goten looked at the dashboard in awe. Bardock told them, "Don't touch anything in the cockpit throughout this entire journey. Understand?"

The two nodded. "Okay," Goten responded.

The ship set off from the blue grass into the sky, and then space, for Earth.

Bardock informed them, "I double-checked our food supply. There's enough food for all of us for a month. Even though the two of you are only half-Saiyans, I'm assuming your appetite's just like a full-blooded Saiyan's, right?"

The two nodded again while glancing everywhere in the room and out of the window.

Bardock pointed to a screen. "The journey will take 17 days according to the navigation system. I'm sure you'll be able to keep yourselves occupied until we get there. Just don't even think about interrupting my training regime. And don't train at the same time as each other. We can't have the ship imploding on us. Not sure if the 'designer' took Super Saiyans into account. Got it?"

Trunks saluted comically. "I understand, Bardock sir! Hehe… You sound like my dad when he wants to train alone sometimes!"

Bardock frowned. "That so."

Trunks got the feeling that he made him uncomfortable, so he told Goten to check out where they're going to sleep, and that he would be right there in a second.

Goten wandered off, and Trunks set the record straight. "Look, I know you don't exactly like my dad 'cause of what he was like with the Low-class people, but he's much nicer than he was back then! One time, he took me to an amusement park with an all-you-can-eat buffet with my mom! And- And he's saved the world so many times! He… sacrificed himself to save us all at least once, so… just wait until you see him again, okay?"

Bardock looked over at the boy and shrugged. "So he's some hero on Earth now. Hmph, not bad. He and Kakarot get along, then?"

Trunks smiled. "Well, they're not what you'd call typical friends or anything, but they have a huge rivalry with each other. My dad really cares about his power and pride, and he and Goku like to fight to see who's stronger."

Bardock nodded. "Sounds like a typical Saiyan friendship to me. And it also sounds like a match I'd wanna see. So? Who is stronger? Who's won more fights?" 'Because I'm betting it's my son since Vegeta got beat the first time they met,' Bardock thought the last part to himself.

Trunks' face went a tad more sour. 'Well… I can't just lie to him, can I?' he thought. "Um… my dad's lost a couple times more, but he's still the better Saiyan warrior!" He straightened himself to emphasise his point.

"Why's that then?" Bardock crossed his arms.

Trunks responded, "Well Mom said that Goku hit his head when he was little, and he doesn't remember anything about Saiyans because of it, so Dad says he's better because he has more pride as a Saiyan warrior…" Trunks scratched the side of his head.

'Kakarot… doesn't remember the Saiyans…? He doesn't remember Gine and I?' Bardock looked a little disheartened at the fact that his son had hit his head and forgotten them, but he clarified to Trunks, "I suppose Kakarot was too young to know much about our culture when I sent him away, seeing as he was only three at the time. It's a little unfair for your father to claim that he's a better Saiyan warrior just because he's a little older and has more knowledge on what one is."

Trunks' eyes widened at the response he gave. "I… I guess. That's just what my dad said once, though. Maybe he doesn't think that anymore after Lord Beerus came to Earth."

"Lord… who?"

"Hey Trunks! You comin' yet? I already claimed my bed!" Goten called from another room.

Trunks replied, "Goten! I was gonna choose my bed with you! Can we talk later, Bardock?"

Bardock shooed him off. "Yeah, whatever, kid. Go get yourselves organised."

Trunks ran off to Goten, and Bardock went to sit at the dinner table near the ship's kitchenette, resting his chin on his hand.

He had a lot to think about.

…

"Dammit… I forgot to take those scouters I stole with me," he sighed to himself.

On Planet Earth…

"Alright, that's it. It's been too long! I'm conducting a search party, and you guys are getting involved!"

"Did you even listen to my hypothesis, Bulma?" Piccolo looked at her, half-lidded.

"We will comb the entire Earth until they're found! I'm not only dispatching you five, but my own surveillance drones. We'll find 'em before we even have to resort to looking into outer space!"

The five in question, Gohan, Piccolo, Krillin, Yamcha and even Videl (who had dropped off little Pan at Chichi's place for the time being), gave uncomfortable glances between each other.

"Um… just how effective are these drones you got, Bulma? 'Cause I'm not so sure us five plus you are enough to check everywhere on just this side of the equator alone…" Krillin told her, full of doubt.

"I'll have you know Krillin, that these are my state-of-the-art heat-seeking, ki-reading, highly manoeuvrable drones developed by me, personally! And they can search independently without my control!" Bulma put a thumb to herself while holding one up for the others to inspect.

"Gohan and I already searched the whole countryside where the kids usually go, so I suggest skipping there entirely," Piccolo stated.

"Right. Yamcha? Videl? How about taking to the city streets to see if they somehow ended up there?" Bulma suggested.

"That's fine by me," Videl said. "I know every corner of Satan City so it shouldn't take me too long to check for them."

"Guess I'll join you. Always good to have a helping hand, right? I'll sweep one half while you sweep the other," Yamcha responded.

"We'll stay in touch!" Videl said as she exited the room followed by Yamcha, who called back to them, "Uh, please don't send one of those drones near me…!" He didn't elaborate as he left.

Bulma sighed, "We could really do with Tien and Chiaotzu's help right about now. Too bad they never bother to use the phones I keep giving them!" she complained.

She turned back to everyone. "I guess you guys better get searching now."

The others nodded and turned to leave.

"Good luck, everyone," Gohan said as each flew in a different direction. Bulma pressed a button on her keyboard and several drones shot up into the air and dispersed in tandem.

She sighed to herself, "I hope this isn't a repeat of what those two did with Monaka. If that's the case, then Vegeta and I would be furious... if Vegeta was here, that is. Ugh."

—

After a good few hours, Videl and Yamcha rendezvoused in the centre of Satan City.

"Nothing," Videl sighed, wiping her forehead.

"Nothing my side either." Yamcha put his hands on his hips in frustration. "Piccolo's suggestion might be true, you know. Did ya think about it?"

Videl gave a thoughtful expression. "Hm, I mean, it's not entirely unplausible… It's just… how would they even get to outer space so fast? And why those two?"

The two conversed with Bulma about their results via radio, and Bulma told them to come back to Capsule Corp.

A couple of hours later, Gohan, Krillin and Piccolo returned with nothing at the end of their search either.

It had been a day, and there was still no sign of them.

"Think aliens might have kidnapped 'em?" Krillin suggested.

Bulma responded, "Krillin, Trunks was in the back garden and he suddenly disappeared! I think my systems would've picked up an alien spaceship in the complex!"

Yamcha asked, "Where's Goku and Vegeta? Aren't they gonna help with the search too?"

Piccolo explained, "They're training with Beerus and Whis. We agreed not to contact them unless it's a world-threatening emergency. We would rather not have those unpredictable gods getting inconvenienced in any way, not with what happened last time on Bulma's cruise ship. And, I know those kids. They could hold their own against Majin Buu together, so wherever they are, they should at least be able to handle themselves."

The others dwelled on his response and nodded in agreement.

"I really hope it's something trivial," Gohan sighed, "But at this rate… we might have to go to New Namek, since it would be quicker to use a wish from those Dragon Balls than the Earth's Dragon Balls right now."

Bulma perked up. "That's a great idea, Gohan! Why didn't I think of that? Let's head down to my space projects lab and organise a spaceship to go there!"

"Wha- Now? Hey, uh, Bulma?"

"What's up, Gohan?"

"Mind if I tell Mom about all this first?" Gohan scratched his head.

"So you're coming, then?" Piccolo smirked.

"Oh, well, yeah! I wanted to." Gohan smiled at him in return. "It's been a long time since the Namekians last saw me."

"I gotta head out and tell my Dad where you're going, Gohan. I don't really feel like going out into space…" Videl added.

Gohan nodded in response, saying, "That's fine, Videl."

"Okay! So me, Piccolo and Gohan are in! Krillin? What about you?" Bulma encouraged Krillin to answer.

"Uh… nope! Going into space brings back bad memories if I'm being honest… And I need to be here for Eighteen and Marron!" He shrugged.

"I'd like to sit this one out too… I hope you guys don't mind," Yamcha said with an unsure expression.

"That's okay. Besides, I'll have all the muscle I need with you two!" Bulma teased Gohan and Piccolo. Piccolo rolled his eyes. "So it's decided!" Bulma had an excited sparkle in her eyes.

"Time for an interplanetary reunion with the Namekians!"

[Author's note: I'm starting to publish chapters on Wattpad too! The first chapter has a few sketches I made to convey the story better. Pictures are seriously hard to insert on there, though. It's a miracle I managed to put in as many as I did.]