A day of calm sailing through the star-littered void was all Gojo Satoru and Launch had managed since their clash with Bojack's pirate gang. Within Bulma's advanced spaceship, they reclined in the cockpit seats, letting the hum of the engines and the soft glow of passing stars lull them.
Launch, in her docile form with purple hair, looked over the galactic map on a console. She tapped the screen idly, a half-finished cup of tea near her elbow. "We should pick a destination," she mused softly. "Maybe back to Earth, or some planet known for good food?"
Gojo offered a light shrug, arms folded behind his head. "I'm easy—just point and we'll go. Any place with interesting cuisine catches my attention."
Launch brightened a bit. "I've heard rumors that there's a planet called Gourmis nearby. Supposed to have amazing desserts."
"That's all I need to hear," Gojo quipped. "Desserts, here we come."
Within moments, he keyed in coordinates, and the warp drive powered up. Stars streaked into lines outside the viewport, and then, as quickly as it began, the warp ended. Ahead lay a pastel-blue sphere, encircled by a halo of shimmering cosmic dust.
"Planet Gourmis," Launch announced with a small smile. "Let's see what's on the menu."
They guided the ship through fluffy lavender clouds, descending toward a rolling landscape of crystalline trees and lilac-tinted seas. A modest settlement appeared near the shoreline, its buildings of glassy material reflecting the soft sunlight.
When they touched down, they exited the craft to a warm breeze tinged with the perfume of nearby flowering shrubs. A few curious, fuzzy natives peered from behind doors, giving the travelers polite but cautious stares.
"I guess they don't get many off-world visitors," Launch murmured. Purple locks swayed as she scanned the area. She spotted a sign that displayed a swirl-topped pastry. "That might be a café."
Gojo nodded. "Lead the way."
Inside, the café was small and cozy, filled with the scent of fruit-laced sugar. The timid local server approached, providing menus filled with swirling alien script and enticing pictures of pastel confections. It didn't take long for the pair to order.
Launch took a careful bite of a translucent, gem-encrusted cake slice and nearly swooned. "Oh, wow! It's like whipped fruit clouds."
Gojo grinned, tasting his own. "Definitely worth the trip."
They had barely made it halfway through their desserts when the café's doorbell chimed again. In stepped a tall, lithe figure with a lavender mohawk-like hairstyle and a scepter in one hand. He wore flowing attire of blues and whites, and a short halo-like ring encircled his neck. He seemed to glide rather than walk, exuding an otherworldly poise.
He surveyed the cozy room, then drifted toward the counter. "Pardon me," he said in a lilting, polite tone, "I've heard delightful rumors about this establishment's desserts. Might I try your finest sweet creation?"
Launch and Gojo exchanged glances. They felt an immediate pressure from this stranger—something vast, serene, and entirely beyond ordinary power. The café's server hurried to comply, soon presenting him with a slice of the same gem-topped cake.
"Oh my, how lovely," the newcomer cooed. He took a dainty bite, and his face lit with a childlike glee. "Exquisite! I do so enjoy finding hidden culinary treasures."
His gaze then fell on Gojo and Launch, and he offered a congenial nod. "Greetings. Traveling far?"
Launch, feeling a bit shy under his curious stare, nodded. "We… we're just exploring. We heard about this place's desserts."
"Ah, I see," the stranger replied. "What a coincidence. I'm also wandering, sampling delicacies wherever I can."
Gojo tilted his head. "You seem pretty comfortable out here in the middle of nowhere. Not many folks roam the stars just for sweets."
The man smiled, swirling his fork gracefully. "It's a pastime of mine. My name is Whis. A pleasure to make your acquaintance."
Gojo and Launch exchanged another look—neither recognized the name, but both sensed a power far exceeding anything they'd encountered. Gojo cleared his throat. "I'm Gojo Satoru, and this is Launch. We're… well, we get around."
"I can tell," Whis said with a pleasant laugh. "Such intriguing auras, especially yours, Gojo. You possess a fascinating energy."
Gojo felt a subtle stirring in the Eternal Flame within him, as if it recognized Whis's attention. His grip on his fork tightened slightly. "I've got a few tricks," he allowed, keeping his tone casual despite a mounting sense of unease.
Whis finished his cake, setting the plate aside with evident satisfaction. "Marvelous dessert. Perhaps we should step outside? I'm curious about that power of yours."
Launch's expression flashed with caution. "You… want to see it?"
Whis's gaze held a polite warmth. "Only if you don't mind. I'm not looking for trouble. But I rarely pass up a chance to observe unique abilities."
Somehow, refusing didn't even cross Gojo's mind. He glanced at Launch, who gave a small shrug. "If he's not looking for a fight, maybe just a demonstration?"
Whis inclined his head. "Precisely. A demonstration."
They left the café behind, moving to a wide meadow near the lilac sea. The local inhabitants peeked from a safe distance, obviously worried but too fascinated to miss whatever was about to happen. Whis stood serenely, scepter in hand, the light of the planet's sun glinting off his strange halo.
"Don't hold back," Whis said, voice gentle.
Gojo hesitated just a moment, then let Infinity envelop him. Air shimmered around him, the space bending. Launch, standing off to the side, felt her nerves spike—she'd never seen Gojo so uncertain.
Starting small, Gojo sent out Reversal Red, a shockwave that flattened the surrounding grasses. Whis raised a single finger, and the shockwave seemed to vanish, as though compressed into a single point of light before dispersing.
Surprise flickered across Gojo's face. Without missing a beat, he switched to Cursed Technique: Blue, creating a gravitational vortex. The ground tore under the force, swirling toward Whis. But Whis lifted off the grass with effortless grace, letting the pull swirl harmlessly below him.
"Interesting," Whis murmured, "but I sense you can do more."
"Fine," Gojo answered, forcing calm. He loosed Hollow Purple, the unstoppable merging of attractive and repulsive energies. A swirling void of violet tore through the meadow, warping reality. Yet Whis simply twirled his scepter, and in a dazzling swirl, the technique unraveled upon contact, its energy dissolving into harmless sparks.
Gojo's breath caught in his throat. No one had ever so casually negated Hollow Purple. Launch watched, her purple hair swaying as a chill rippled through her. This Whis wasn't just strong; he was operating on an entirely different plane.
Lowering his hand, Gojo let Infinity subside. "That's… I've never seen anyone brush aside my abilities like that."
Whis landed lightly, offering a polite, almost apologetic smile. "You have remarkable skill, manipulating space in such elegant ways. But there are forces in this Universe that can circumvent such techniques. I'm afraid I'm one of them."
Gojo exhaled. His heart pounded, but not just from fear—there was a certain awe. "Clearly."
From the edge of the meadow, Launch ventured a step forward. "So you're… just that powerful?"
Whis chuckled warmly. "Yes, in a sense. But do not fret. I'm merely traveling, enjoying life's culinary wonders."
Gojo tried to gather himself. "You… must have some big responsibilities, though. Right?"
One corner of Whis's lips turned up. "In my own sphere, yes. But for the moment, I'm on a personal excursion. Tasting the Universe's finest sweets is a hobby of mine."
Launch and Gojo couldn't help a sense of relief that he had no hostile intentions. The gap in their power was immense—far beyond Bojack, Cell, or anything else.
Whis lifted off the ground once more, scepter cradled lightly. "I won't keep you. Just know that, impressive as your abilities are, there's a wide cosmos out there full of surprises. I suspect you'll continue to find new heights if you remain open to learning."
Gojo nodded, still grappling with the humbling experience. "I appreciate the advice. And the… demonstration."
Whis bowed his head gracefully. "It was my pleasure. The dessert here alone made the trip worthwhile. Well, I'll be on my way—there are rumors of a pastry festival on another world that I simply cannot ignore."
Before their eyes, he vanished in a swirl of light, as though space itself had folded around him. The meadow fell silent, the only sound the rustle of grass and the distant lap of the lilac sea.
Finally, Launch let out a shaky breath, turning to Gojo. "That was… intense."
He ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah. I've never felt outclassed like that. It's almost refreshing to know someone that high up exists."
She managed a small laugh, nodding. "And at least he was friendly about it. Could've been a lot worse."
They returned to the café, finishing their sweets in thoughtful silence. The locals resumed their daily routine, though they kept a cautious distance. Launch paid for the meal—generous in case the staff was still rattled—then followed Gojo back to their ship.
Even once aboard, they both lingered near the viewports, gazing at the pastel world. The memory of Whis's effortless power lingered like an echo in Gojo's mind. For the first time, Infinity felt… finite.
"Well," Launch murmured, buckling into the copilot seat, "I guess we've got our heads on straight now. There are bigger fish in the sea."
Gojo chuckled softly, starting the engine sequence. "Definitely. But maybe that's a good thing. Reminds me we've got room to grow, and more reason to keep exploring."
As the spaceship rose into the lavender sky, both felt a renewed sense of wonder—and a touch of humility. The Universe was vast indeed, filled with hidden delicacies and unimaginable powers. And for two wanderers like them, there was no shortage of horizons to chase.