After all that effort collecting the seven Black Star Dragon Balls, Karnel finally allowed himself a moment to relax. Instead of heading straight back to Capsule Corporation, he made a detour to Kame Island.
The sky was clear and the wind carried the familiar scent of saltwater and sun-warmed sand. Kame Island hadn't changed. It was a comforting constant in a world that seemed to be spinning faster by the day.
As Karnel approached, he saw Master Roshi lounging in his usual beach chair, clutching a suspiciously thick magazine.
"Master Roshi," Karnel said calmly as he stepped onto the porch.
"WAAH!" Roshi flinched and fumbled the magazine, stuffing it behind him like a child hiding contraband. "D-Don't sneak up on an old man like that, Karnel! You'll send me to the afterlife!"
Karnel raised a brow. "You've lived through three alien invasions, an android apocalypse, and the Red Ribbon Army. I doubt my footsteps are what'll kill you."
"Hmph. Doesn't mean I can't enjoy some peace and quiet in my golden years." Roshi relaxed, giving Karnel a sideways glance. "What brings you here anyway? Thought you'd be at Capsule Corp with Bulma."
"Needed some fresh air," Karnel replied. "Everything's moving fast lately. Raditz is coming. Vegeta's power is growing faster than expected. Earth's not ready yet."
Roshi nodded gravely. "It never really is. That's why we train the next generation."
"Speaking of which, where's Krillin?"
"Training with Yamcha up at Korin Tower. They figured I was done teaching them. Maybe they're right."
Karnel said nothing for a moment. Then: "They'll be needed soon. Everyone will."
He turned to leave, but paused. "Thanks, Roshi."
"For what?"
"For staying consistent. The world needs that."
Back at Capsule Corporation, Bulma was pacing the living room, arms folded and brow furrowed. She looked up the moment Karnel entered.
"There you are," she said, letting out a breath. "I was starting to think you'd flown off to Namek without telling me."
"I just needed a break," Karnel replied. "How are things here?"
"Busy. Dad's working on stabilizing the containment field for the Black Star Balls, and Mom's planning another ridiculous dinner party. Oh, and Trunks short-circuited the lab's AI trying to 'optimize' it."
Karnel almost smiled. "So, same as always."
Bulma plopped down on the couch, kicking her legs up on the table. "Honestly, I don't know how we ended up in the middle of all this. You were supposed to be the weird alien brother, and I was supposed to invent coffee machines or something. Now look at us, saving planets, calculating dimensional anomalies, fighting off Saiyans."
"You're doing great," Karnel said quietly. "You always have."
Bulma looked at him for a second, then threw a pillow at his head. "Ew. That sounded way too sentimental coming from you."
He caught it easily. "Sorry. Won't happen again."
"Good." She smirked, then leaned back with a sigh. "Still. I'm glad you're here."
"Me too."