~*****~

"Honestly, I don't know how we're going to recover from this," Lola mentions as she follows after me in the hospital the others were at. "Those boutiques were our main source of revenue!"

"Relax, Lola-- I've signed a contract with Capsule Corp to begin collaboration on some items, that funding will get us through the rest of the year, and then some." I explain. Lola halted for a second before hurrying after me. "I'm going to be busy these next few weeks. Anything you need, refer to my sketch book in my office-- here's the key to it. Now, make sure that no one has access to it. It's my personal sketches of new outfits I'm thinking of planning."

"M-Mara, I don't think I can--" Lola stammers.

"I have full trust in you. Whatever decisions you make while I'm busy, I'll back one hundred percent. Unless it's a resignation, then I'll have to insist you stay on board." I explain happily.

Lola tears up and hugs me tightly. "Th-Thank you so m-much, Mara!" She stammers. "I promise, I won't let you down!"

I salute her and leave her in the lobby. I quickly hurry to Goku's room and push the door open. "Hey! Turn on the TV! Quick!" I exclaim loudly.

"Oh, it's Mara! I thought it was a hot new nurse!" Roshi exclaimed.

"Shut it, ya windbag, and turn on the TV!" I shout. "Jeez, be serious." I grimace as I grab the remote.

"I was serious..." Roshi whined as the TV flickered to life.

Nappa's space pod was shown on the screen. "I am now standing in front of the alien space craft that was removed from the ruins of East City late last night!" The newscaster explained. "For our safety, it has been placed inside this isolation chamber!

"The Saiyan Spaceship!" Krillen shouted.

"Right!" I nod.

"I can't see," Goku complained, wiggling around in his bed.

"Eyewitnesses at the scene reported a second space craft lifted off and flew away during the recovery operation..."

"What do we do now?" Roshi asked. "They're got that ship under lock and key!"

"But.... we need it." Krillen hummed.

I produce the remote. "If I'm doing this right-- and I'm ninety five percent that I am-- I'll fly it out of there."

"So, you know how that thing works?" Krillen asks.

I shrug. "I've been messing with it all night. And I think I've figured it out. Let me... put in the coordinates.... And--" The remote beeps loudly, and the pod on the screen explodes. I let out a blood curdling shriek. "I'M SORRY! GOD, I'M SO STUPID!" I shriek. "N-Now we c-can't get to Namek!" I cry. "There's got to be another way!"

"Just calm down, Mara. I'm sure that we can come up with something." Goku reassures me.

"If we don't figure something out soon, we'll never get everyone back!" I whine.

"Maybe we should ask Mr. Popo what he thinks." Krillen suggests plainly.

"Mr. Popo, what does he--"

"Hello." Says a deep voice behind me. I shriek and topple onto Goku's bed.

"HAVEN'T YOU HEARD OF DOORS?!" I shriek.

"Hey, Mr. Popo!" Krillen laughs.

"Did I hear that you're looking for a space ship?" Mr. Popo asks.

"Yeah. You don't have one, do you?" I ask.

"Maybe." He retorts.

I hum irritably. "Okay... So where is it, then? The spaceship."

"If it's a spaceship... I'm not quite sure what it is..." Mr. Popo answers. "But, I... I know that it's not from this planet... If it would help, I could take one of you with me and show you where it is..."

"Well, since you blew up to the other one, I think you should go!" Krillen mentions to me.

"Wouldn't it be the opposite?" I ask irritably.

"No way! You and Bulma will find a place to work on this thing if it's a spaceship!" Krillen suggests.

I gaze at Mr. Popo again before sighing. "Okay, sure. Yeah." I say shakily and climb onto his carpet.

"Good luck, Mara!" Roshi cheers.

"Don't go too fast, okay? I don't want to mess up my hair." I mention.

"All right." Mr. Popo nods. Just as I settle onto the carpet, we're already gone. The wind is howling loudly, and the sky is dark. "We're here."

"That... that was fast..." I stammer as I gaze around. "Are you sure it's here?"

"Yes, I'm positive." Mr. Popo nods. I rub at my arms desperately and run after Mr. Popo.

"Where is this?" I ask.

"Yunzabit Heights." Mr. Popo explains.

"WHAT?!" I yelp. "That's on the other side of the world! Why don't we just use your carpet to get to Namek!" I joke.

"Follow me, this way." Mr. Popo ignores me.

I follow close behind. Through the rocky terrain, we finally found what we'd been looking for. It looked like a giant egg on legs. "This... Is definitely a spaceship." I explain as I run my hand over the leg. "This is... Kami's ship, isn't it?"

Mr. Popo nodded and began telling me the story behind it. "Piccolo." Mr. Popo recited calmly, and the ship opened up.

"If it opens it up..." I hum as we step onto the platform. "Piccolo." I stumbled a little as the platform began to rise up again.

"If this is some sort of space ship, then how did it get here?" Mr. Popo asked.

"Well, Kami is Namekian. So, my guess is, all that time ago, when Planet Namek was destroyed, Kami must've fled the planet during that time." I explain as I peer at the console controls. "And if that door works, then that means this ship must still work, too." I hum delicately as I pry open a panel. "Hey, Mr. Popo? Do you know any Namekian language?" I ask.

"Well, I don't speak the entire language, but I do know a word or two." Mr. Popo nods.

I pop the panel back into place. "If we can just figure out one or two simple commands, we'll be out of here in no time! Do you know any words that might resemble move?"

"I can say fly," Mr. Popo nodded.

"Then let's try that one... See if you can tell it to fly us to Jupiter." I suggest.

"Topurukuppa Jupe!" Mr. Popo recited.

The ship responded immediately. It rumbled violently and I tumbled back into the seat, my stomach sling-shoting into my throat as we ascended into the sky. In a few seconds, we arrived just outside Jupiter. "Oh-- Oh my god!" I scream as I bolt to the large window. "That-- That's a six year trip cut into ten seconds!" I exclaim. "WE CAN GET TO NAMEK!" I keep screaming as I hold onto Mr. Popo's hands.

"Oh, Kami... You'll be with us again!" Mr. Popo muttered through his tears.

~*****~

I gazed at the large ship Dr. Briefs and I had worked on tirelessly for the past ten days. "She's ready for the trip." Dr. Briefs explains as he lights up a cigarette.

I nod happily. "I need to make a request. I want another ship built, on a smaller scale." I explain.

"Another ship, you say... Hm... I think I can manage something, but it'll take a while." Dr. Briefs explains.

"I know. I'm not asking for it immediately, but it'd be a good project we can work on together when we get back from Namek." I explain.

"Then I'll very much look forward to it, my dear!" Dr. Briefs laugh.

"One other thing. I've been talking with Goku, and he said he was able to train at ten times earth's normal gravity." I explain. "Do you think you can come up with a gravity machine? I'm starting to dig into the training gear at Lush, and I need to create more durable materials-- what better way than to have them tested against heavier gravities?"

Dr. Briefs rubs at his chin. "I'll figure something out. You and Bulma need to get going, don't you?"

I flinch and nod. "Yes! Thank you for everything, Dr. Briefs!" I quickly kiss his cheek before hurrying towards the spaceship where Bulma is waiting, tapping her foot impatiently. "Maybe you shouldn't wear that."

"We're going into space, Mara, you're the odd one right now." Bulma retorts as we board the ship.

"Okay~" I coo.

~*****~

"Are you sure this thing can make it there and back in one piece? It doesn't look very big." Krillen mentioned as I patted at my shorts gingerly.

"Are you saying I don't know my way around machinery?" I ask angrily. "And besides, I wouldn't be complaining about a free ride!"

"Yeah, you're lucky!" Bulma added. "I was gonna put you with the luggage! You think I'm joking, but I'm not!"

"Did you do something with your hair?" Krillen asks, trying to diffuse the situation. "Looks really good."

"And don't try to win me over with cheap compliments!" Bulma barked.

"Actually, it really does look amazing, Bulma," I retort.

Bulma hummed. "Well, thanks. I cut it to fit into my space helmet."

"That reminds me," Krillen trailed off. "I wanted to ask you if I'm gonna need a space suit. 'Cause I don't have one. It's not something people keep in their closet, you know."

"You'll be fine without it." Bulma retorted.

"Yeah, not like I was gonna fit my fat ass into one of those anyways." I mention to Krillen with a firm pat to my hip.

Krillen flushes and rubs at the back of his head. "Look, there's Gohan now!" Roshi exclaimed.

The red ship I'd associated with Chi-Chi zoomed over the water and settled down onto the beach. "Come on, Gohan," Chi-Chi ordered as Ox King unloaded heaps of luggage. "Everyone's out here waiting for you." Gohan remained still. "What's wrong, Gohan? Why won't you come out?" After another moment, he comes out, and I could see why. He wore an ugly little suit that I wouldn't get caught dead making, with an out of style bowl cut. His cheeks were flushed in embarrassment. "Are you feeling okay? You sure you wanna go?"

He hummed miserably as Krillen began to cackle. "I was worried about not having to wear a space suit... At least I don't have to wear a little uniform!"

"Yeah..." Gohan whined. "Dad thought it looked pretty funny, too..."

"I don't know why, I think it makes him look like the cutest thing... Well, don't you think so, Gohan?" Chi-Chi asked her son. "How about you, Mara? Isn't he adorable?"

I force a smile. "He's the cutest~" I coo through my teeth. "Anyway, what the hell is all this?" Chi-Chi begins listing off a long list. "I think... we got the picture..." I murmur, cutting her off.

"Can we go now? This suit is heavy." Bulma muttered. "I'm looking forward to zero gravity."

"Careful out there!" Roshi stated. "You never know what you might come up again."

"Right," Krillen nodded as he shook Roshi's hand.

"Piccolo," I recite, and the platform lowers. We all stepped on. "Piccolo," I recite again after Ox King sets all of Gohan's luggage onto it. I release a loud sigh. "Welcome to Air Mara, please remember to keep your hands and feet in the ride at all times." I chirp enthusiastically.

"So, where do I put this?" Krillen asks.

"Set it anywhere," I recite as I get into the pilots seat. "We need to get into the air, so buckle up!"

"And you better hold onto something!" Bulma barked.

The ship began to shake as I tapped through the console. "Wait, Mara! We're not strapped in yet!" Krillen yelped.

"5.... 4.... 3.... 2.... 1!" I counted down.

The ship rocketed off of the ground and into the sky. "Guys! I think I might have left my stomach back on earth!" Krillen exclaimed.

Everything evened out once we got into deep space.

Bulma growled. "It'll be smooth sailing from here. So how about cleaning up this mess!" Bulma shouted back at the boys as I stood up and stretched.

"Sorry about the rocky take off-- I really wanted to get this show on the road." I apologize as Krillen slumps out of his seat. "Anyway-- you got anything else to wear, Gohan? That outfit is kinda...."

"I know..." Gohan whined as he grasped at his shorts. "But I brought a different outfit!" He began rooting through his bag. I gave him his privacy as he changed into an identical outfit to Piccolo's.

"Oh, you're are just too cute!" I coo as I latch onto the boy. "I could eat you up!"

Gohan laughs and rubs at his head bashfully. "You really respect Piccolo, don't you?" Krillen asks.

"Yeah... About as much as I do my Dad!" Gohan states happily.

I begin rubbing at his hair. "I wish Chi-Chi would've let you keep those beautiful long locks." I mention. Gohan giggled as I continued to mess with his hair. "Anyway, I'm gonna go take a bath. So, I'll probably see you guys in... I don't know. An hour?" I shrug. "Have fun~"

The hot, sudsy water felt heavenly as I relaxed in it. I grasped at a small mirror and gazed into it, my free hand gently tugging at my pointed ears.

"Empathian... I wonder if I could get more information about that..." I mutter softly to myself.