Space is too quiet.
It's quiet in that unsettling way where nothing makes a sound unless you make it. Outside the ship's thick metal walls, stars drift by slowly, like watching shooting stars, this was my first time in space, it was soo cool.
Inside the ship?
Absolute bloody chaos.
I learned very quickly that Goku does not understand the concept of "taking it easy."
The first day after leaving Namek, while Bulma was still triple-checking the ship's systems and Krillin was trying to nap off the trauma of nearly dying a hundred times over, Goku turned to me with that dumb silly smile.
"So," he said, stretching his arms, "wanna train?"
I stared at him.
That's my line.
"…Yes..?," I said.
Bulma groaned from the cockpit. " so much for a peasfull sleep."
....
The gravity room wasn't as advanced as Capsule Corp's later models, but it can go up to 100 G, that was good enough. Adjustable gravity, reinforced walls, enough space to move without smashing into important machinery, and barely.
We cranked it up.
Ten times Earth gravity.
Then fifteen.
Then twenty.
Maxing it out at a hundred.
Goku hopped around like he's as light as a feather.
I trained like a man possessed, but bearly moved at all.
Twenty hours a day.
Sleep was optional. Pain was constant. Senzu beans were limited, so I relied more on controlled healing, patching myself up just enough to keep going without completely undoing the damage. King Kai yelled at me for it, it's nice to know he'd cared.
Goku, meanwhile, treated it like the best vacation of his life.
"You're gettin' stronger real fast," he said one day, wiping sweat from his brow. "Not like Vegeta-strong"
"Yeah," I panted. "That's called having telant."
He laughed like that was the funniest thing he'd ever heard.
Basterd, he didn't need to hurt my pride.
We sparred constantly.
Instinct and technique.
Kaio-Ken and Spirit Control.
Every time I tried to keep up with him directly, I lost.
Every time I fought smarter, I lasted longer.
And every time I healed mid-fight, Goku would stop, tilt his head, and say, "Hey, that's not very fair."
I looked at him, like he killed my puppy and said, "Neither is being a BLOODY SAIYEN."
...
(Bulma's POV)
I hated every second of it.
The ship shook constantly from shockwaves.
Sonic booms rattled the walls.
Energy blasts occasionally scorched the ceiling, in this Metal-death-trap.
I tried yelling, at those idiots.
That didn't work.
I tried threatening to throw them out into space.
That also didn't work.
Eventually,
One night, if you can even call it night in space, i stormed into the training area, hair wild, eyes bloodshot, holding a wrench.
"I HAVE NOT SLEPT IN THREE DAYS, YOU ANIMALS," i screamed.
Goku froze mid-punch.
Ben immediately stopped charging energy.
"…Sorry?" Goku offered.
I glared at Ben. "You're worse. You heal yourself so you didn't. Goku at least passes out!"
Ben sighed, walked over, and gently placed he hand on my shoulder.
"That's a good point," I said.
'He didn't argue?'
He channeled his ki carefully, slow, soothing, controlled, easing muscle tension, calming nerves, flushing exhaustion from my body without overstimulating my body.
My shoulders dropped.
My breathing slowed.
"…Okay," i muttered. "…that's actually amazing, i see why you use it."
"Ok, now that's done." he said. "Back to training."
I pointed at Ben. "Fine, you idiot, but you still me."
Goku smiled. "Does this mean dinner?"
I threw the wrench at his head.
(Ben's POV)
Not everyone wanted to train.
Krillin spent most of the trip either talking with Gohan or staring out the window, quietly processing the fact that he'd got out alive.
Piccolo meditated.
For hours.
Sometimes days.
He barely moved, sitting cross-legged, eyes closed, aura calm and steady. His power felt… different now. More grounded. Nail's presence hadn't faded, i think it had settled.
Gohan..?
Gohan mostly slept.
When he wasn't sleeping, he read.
When he wasn't reading or talking to krillin, he asked Goku questions that made krillin choke on her drink.
"Dad," Gohan asked one day, "what's a low-class warrior?"
Goku scratched his head. "Uh… I think that just means Vegeta's mad."
"BU-HAHAHA, *snort*, HAHAHA," I lauged.
...
Months passed.
I felt it in my bones, stronger, denser, more precise. My control over Spirit Control techniques sharpened. Instant Transmission became reflexive. Healing took less effort. Kaio-Ken is still the same and i don't know what to expect form it.
Goku pushed himself too.
I think he is chasing Super Saiyan.
"I felt somethin' when Vegeta transformed," he said quietly one day. "i trying to get the same feeling, But not there yet."
"You'll get it," I said. "You always do.", as i rolled my eyes.
He grinned. "Thanks."
Bulma announced our arrival not long after.
"Earth in sight," she said. "And if either of you break something now, I'm leaving you here."
We behaved.
Mostly.
...
The ship touched down gently.
Earth's sky was blue.
The air felt lighter.
The hatch opened.
And Chi-Chi was already there.
She ran straight past everyone and grabbed Gohan, hugging him so tightly I thought his spine might snap.
"GOHAN!" she cried. "Are you hurt? Are you hungry? WHERE IS ARE YOU NICE CLOTHS?!"
"I'm okay, Mom," Gohan said, muffled. "I think."
She pulled back, inspecting him from head to toe.
"…You're thinner."
Goku leaned over to me. "is he ?."
Chi-Chi's glare locked onto him like a missile system.
"GOKU."
He laughed nervously.
I stepped back.
Way back.
Ben's power level: 185,970 [FIXED]