We materialized in Capsule Corp's backyard. I glanced around and took stock of everyone who had made it back safely. Gohan stood close to Krillin, his expression a mix of relief and lingering sorrow after his death experience. Bulma just looked happy to be back in her home.
Vegeta looked around with his arms crossed, his gaze lingering on Raditz contemptuously. "Oh, I've got plenty of problems with you, 'Prince.' Maybe it's time we settle them."
"Then let's go," Raditz said evenly. He gestured to the sky with a jerk of his head. Vegeta snarled but didn't hesitate to take off into the air. Raditz followed close behind, his aura flaring as the two disappeared into the distance.
"Well, that's one way to deal with them," Nappa said, his gruff voice breaking the silence. His tail swayed behind him, his relaxed posture seemed better now. "Though if I'm being honest, I wouldn't mind knocking Vegeta around a bit myself."
"Raditz will keep him busy, and honestly, I've got bigger things to think about," I said stretching and rubbing where Frieza had hit me. He sure did pack a punch.
Piccolo stepped forward, his piercing eyes narrowing as he crossed his arms. "Like what? You've been odd about a lot since Namek."
"Yeah," Krillin chimed in, scratching the back of his head nervously. "You seem... way too calm about this whole thing. Goku's still out there with Frieza, and we just left him."
I met his gaze. "You really should put more trust into that man, He will be fine."
"You sound awfully sure of yourself," Piccolo said, his tone skeptical but not dismissive.
"Because I am." I glanced toward the sky, feeling the faint remnants of the battle far away in the universe. "Kakarot wont lose. Not at least for now."
Gohan stepped closer, his voice quiet. "Do you really think he'll be okay? Even after everything we saw?"
I crouched to meet his eyes, my voice kind. "Listen, Gohan. Your dad is one of the strongest fighters I've ever known. Frieza doesn't stand a chance. So we're going to let him finish this and trust that he'll come back when he's ready."
The kid nodded slowly, though the worry in his eyes didn't completely fade.
Bulma clapped her hands together. "All right, enough with the brooding. You're all filthy, and I'm not letting you crash here until you've cleaned up. The bathrooms are inside, and I'll have food ready in half an hour."
"Food?" Nappa perked up, his eyes gleaming. "Now you're speaking my language."
As the group filed inside, I lingered in the yard, staring up at the clear blue sky. The Super Saiyan transformation still coursed through me, the memory of that power fresh in my veins. I clenched my fists, trying to hold onto the feeling. Who knew I cared so much...
I hadn't expected to reach that level, to care so much about what happened to Raditz, Tato, Hanasia… even Gohan.
"Don't get comfortable, Frieza," I muttered under my breath. "you won't get killed by that future boy, no I'll take care of you, your father, and your bother."
My breathing steadied, the tension in my body easing. I let myself relax. And so I headed inside and took a bath, after drying myself and getting some intact clothes from Balma to wear, I headed outside. Shame the shirt she had given me was the one that said, blowjob princess.
I leaned against a tree in Capsule Corp's backyard, watching the others. From what I could sense Vegeta and Raditz were almost evenly matched. But it seemed Raditz would win and be back soon, knowing him, he'd use this time to stick around and spend it with Lunch. I smirked at the thought.
The others were scattered around the yard. Nappa was sitting cross-legged on the grass, tearing into a tray of sandwiches Bulma had brought out. Gohan was running circles around Krillin, showing off some technique he'd learned. Piccolo stood nearby, silent and thoughtful as always.
Then, my eyes wandered to the group of Namekians who had arrived with us. Most of them were huddled together, speaking in hushed tones. A few younger ones stared at Capsule Corp in awe, their faces lit with curiosity at the strange new world around them.
I pushed off the tree, my boots crunching softly against the grass as I approached them. "Hey, Namekians," I said, crossing my arms. They turned toward me, a mix of curiosity and caution in their expressions. "How's it feel being on a new planet?"
One of the elders, Moori, stepped forward, his face weary but kind. "It's… strange," he admitted. " But we're grateful to be here."
"Yeah, about that." I scratched the back of my neck, glancing at the rest of the group. "What if I told you there's another universe out there where you could live without worrying about someone like Frieza showing up? A place with no galaxy-destroying tyrants, Just... good food and a chance to rebuild."
They exchanged glances, murmuring quietly among themselves. I could see the wheels turning in their heads, the idea tempting them.
Bulma, who had been nearby listening, practically lit up. "Another universe?" she said, stepping closer. "You're saying you've been to one? You have to tell me everything! How do we get there? What's it like?"
I held up a hand, stopping her before she could launch into a million questions. "Not now, Bulma. I'm offering this to the Namekians, I'll tell you later,"
Her face scrunched in a mix of curiosity and frustration, but she backed off for now. "Fine, but you owe me an explanation."
I turned back to Moori. "So, what do you think? I can take you there. It won't be easy, Toriko's universe can be extremely safe depending on where you want to settle down in. And trust me, the food makes up for it."
The elder was silent for a moment, his gaze shifting to the younger Namekians. His shoulders sagged slightly, it seemed like he was getting used to his new role given that their old elder had died and the dragon balls were like stones in front of his feet. "It's a generous offer," he said finally. "But we would need time to consider."
I nodded. "Take your time. No rush. Just... think about it. You don't have to stay here if you don't want to."
Moori inclined his head, a small but grateful smile on his face. "Thank you. Your kindness is appreciated."
"Kindness?" I muttered, almost to myself. "Let's not get carried away."
As I walked back toward the others, I caught Bulma watching me. She walked over to me, arms crossed and a glint of curiosity in her eyes. "Alright, spill it," she said, her tone insistent. "This whole other universe thing you mentioned to the Namekians, what's that about? And don't even think about brushing me off, Celera."
I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. "Bulma, it's complicated."
She rolled her eyes. "Everything with you is complicated. That's not an excuse. If there's another universe out with anything remotely interesting, I need to know about it."
Tato, ever the easygoing one, decided to step in. "She's not wrong, you know," he said with a grin. "It is an interesting place."
Bulma's eyes lit up as she turned to him. "You've been there?"
Tato nodded. "Hanasia and I grew up there, actually. Celera pulled us over before Planet Vegeta exploded. We've lived there since we were kids."
Bulma huffed, clearly annoyed but intrigued. "So, what's this place like? Another universe? How do you even get there?"
Tato jumped in again, his grin widening. "The Toriko universe is… unique. Everything there revolves around food. Plants, animals, everything. And the food there doesn't just taste good, it makes you stronger."
Nappa's brow furrowed as he considered this. "Stronger just by eating, huh? Sounds like my kind of place."
"It's not just the food," Tato added. "The people there are strong, too. Humans, but not like the ones here. Some of them could give even us a run for our money."
Bulma's interest peaked further, and she leaned in toward me. "And you can just… open a portal to this place? Just like that?"
I shrugged. "Yeah, it's easy for me. Barely an inconvenience."
She frowned, clearly deep in thought. "You realize what kind of opportunities this opens up, right? We could exchange technology, study their biology, learn so much from them!"
Her excitement made me wary. "Bulma, slow down. It's not as simple as you think. The Toriko universe isn't all sunshine and rainbows. There are dangers there."
Nappa paused mid-bite to look at me. "Stronger than Frieza?"
"Stronger," I confirmed.
Bulma's brow furrowed. "So you're saying I can't go?"
I sighed, knowing where this was heading. "Not yet. I'll bring you there in a year, Bulma. But for now, I need you to stay put."
She crossed her arms, clearly displeased. "And what if I don't want to wait? I could build a machine, you know. Open my own portal."
I stood and stepped closer to her. "Don't even think about it," I said firmly. "You have no idea what you might unleash by opening a portal to the wrong universe. There are things out there that would make Frieza look like a joke."
Bulma hesitated, her confidence faltering for a moment. "Alright," she relented. "A year. But you'd better not back out."
"I won't," I promised, though my tone made it clear there wasn't room for argument.
Nappa smirked, clearly amused by the exchange. "You've got guts, Bulma. I'll give you that."
She shot him a glare but didn't say anything.
As the conversation settled, Gohan approached, his curiosity evident. "Miss Celera, is it true the food there can make you stronger? How does that even work?"
I chuckled, ruffling his hair. "It's true, kid. The food there is unlike anything you've ever seen. You'll see for yourself someday."
He smiled, though his eyes were filled with wonder. "I hope I can visit someday."
"You will," I assured him. "But for now, let's focus on recovering from all this. We've still got a lot of work to do."
Moori walked over to me "We are grateful for your offer, Celera. However, we believe our path lies in restoring our home within this universe. It's where our roots are, and we wish to continue our traditions here."
I nodded in understanding. "I respect your decision. If you ever change your mind, the offer stands." Shame no dragon balls in the Gourment universe.
I stood off to the side, arms crossed, watching as everyone settled into the moment. It should've been relaxing, but Hanasia's sharp glances in my direction made it anything but.
"Alright, time to wrap this up," I said, stepping forward. "Nappa, Tato, Hanasia, we're heading home. Bulma," I added, turning to her, "I'll see you in a year. Keep an eye on Raditz and Vegeta for me."
Bulma crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. "You better not forget. I'm serious about this. If I see even the slightest hint of hesitation next year, I will build a machine to get myself to that other universe."
I smirked, shaking my head. "I wouldn't expect anything less from you. Just don't blow up the planet trying."
She scoffed. "Please, I'm not that reckless. Besides, someone's gotta keep those two Saiyan hotheads from killing each other."
"Good luck with that," I muttered, turning back to the others. Nappa was already grinning like a kid about to open a present, while Tato had his usual laid-back smile plastered across his face. Hanasia, though, was quiet, too quiet.
Nappa's voice broke through my thoughts. He rubbed his hands together, his grin widening. "About time I get to see what all the fuss is about. Heard Fasha's husband is pretty tough."
I raised an eyebrow. "Mansam? You really think you can take him?"
He snorted, his tail flicking behind him. "Guess we'll find out. Can't be that strong, right? I mean he's just a human."
That made me pause. Could I beat Mansam now? It was a question I hadn't considered in a while. "Don't get cocky, Nappa. Mansam's is strong. Don't expect an easy win."
"Yeah, yeah," he said, waving me off. "Still looking forward to it."
Tato chuckled, leaning against a nearby wall. "Nappa's excitement aside, it'll be good to be back. Been a while since we've had a proper meal." I know what he meant, the food here wasn't doing it. It didn't taste the same and honestly left me feeling hungry still.
Hanasia's voice cut through, sharp and cold. "Some of us don't feel the same way."
I turned to her, frowning. "What's that supposed to mean?"
She crossed her arms, glaring at me. "You didn't even let me fight Frieza properly. Do you have any idea how humiliating that was? Standing there, watching while you let everyone else but me and Tato have a go?"
I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Hanasia, it wasn't like that, I-."
"That's not the point!" she snapped, stepping closer. "We're Saiyans. Fighting is what we do. You robbed me of that. Tato feels the same way, even if he's too relaxed to say it."
Tato raised his hands defensively. "Hey, while she's not wrong, don't drag me into this."
I opened my mouth to argue, but Nappa's booming laugh interrupted us. "This is rich," he said, shaking his head. "I knew you two would butt heads eventually. About time, honestly."
I shot him a glare. "Not helping, Nappa."
Hanasia's tail flicked behind her, a clear sign she wasn't backing down. "When we get home, you're fighting me."
"Fine," I said, my tone firm. "If that's what it takes to settle this, then so be it. But don't come crying to me when it doesn't go your way."
She smirked, her eyes glinting with determination. "We'll see about that."
With that, I opened the portal. The swirling energy lit up the backyard. One by one, we stepped through though I did catch a glimpse of Balma with a device in her hand looking over at me as I stepped through.
When we landed in the Gourmet universe. Tato let out a low whistle, stretching his arms above his head. "Now this is what I missed."
Nappa, for once, was silent, his eyes scanning the strange landscape. "Alright," he said, cracking his knuckles. "Let's see what this place has to offer."
Before I could respond, Hanasia stepped forward, turning to face me. Her expression was hard. "fight me now."
I exhaled heavily, rolling my shoulders to loosen the tension building up. "Alright, Hanasia. Fine. You're going to get it."
Tato, watching from the sidelines, took a cautious step back. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed Hanasia his knocking tool. "Hope you know what you're doing," he muttered.
Hanasia caught the tool effortlessly, her lips curling into a confident smirk as her aura surged to life, swirling and snapping around her. "Oh, trust me, I know exactly what I'm doing."
Without missing a beat, she turned, her other hand shooting out to grab something Nappa had thrown her way. A small orb, glowing faintly, and pulsing with a familiar energy. She hurled it skyward with all her strength, her voice cutting through the tension like a lightning strike. "Burst Open and Mix!"
The orb erupted into a brilliant artificial moon, its silver light bathing the battlefield. Hanasia's eyes locked onto it, pupils narrowing as her body began to tremble. Her transformation had begun. The knocking tool in her hand flared with energy as she gripped it tightly, then slammed it into her own body.
The effect was immediate. Muscles surged and swelled as the power of her Ikari form began to take hold, but this wasn't the natural course. This was forced, controlled chaos. Her body fought the transformation, but the knocking tool forced her frame to hold steady even as raw power coursed through her veins. She gritted her teeth, sweat beading on her forehead. I'd be a dick if I attacked her now, plus I wanted to see just what she was up too.
Her aura roared, now fiercer than ever, and her eyes gleamed with a wild, untamed light.
"Thank Balma's dad for this," Tato said.