The journey to collect the Dragon Balls on Namek was a quick one. Gohan and Krillin had already gone off to find the remaining Dragon Balls using the radar, and now, as they made their way back to the others, they had a Namekian in tow. The air around them was still buzzing with the energy of victory. The Z Fighters had successfully saved the Namekians from Frieza's wrath, and as a token of their gratitude, the Namekians were more than happy to help with the Dragon Balls.
As they landed back at the camp, the sun hung low on the horizon, casting long shadows over the landscape. Bulma, Zane, and the others gathered near the ship, with Dende, a small, green-skinned Namekian, by their side.
"So, why did you bring him back with you?" Bulma asked, eyeing the young Namekian curiously.
Krillin smiled and nodded toward Dende. "A Namekian is required to speak the Namekian language in order to summon Porunga, the Namekian Dragon," he explained. "That's why we brought him along."
Zane leaned against the ship, arms crossed, looking on with mild interest. He had done what he needed to do, and now it was just a matter of waiting. This entire trip had felt like a sideshow, but even Zane couldn't deny the thrill of seeing Porunga up close.
Dende stepped forward, looking up at the Dragon Balls that had been gathered and set in a circle. He cleared his throat, then spoke in the Namekian language. "Porunga, I summon you."
For a moment, there was only silence, then the ground trembled as a massive, golden figure appeared in the sky. The mighty Porunga, the eternal Dragon of Namek, had arrived.
Its massive, glowing eyes locked onto Dende, waiting for the wishes to be granted.
"State your wishes," Porunga rumbled, its voice echoing like a thunderclap.
Krillin stepped forward, his fists clenched in determination. "I wish for Piccolo to be revived!" His words were clear, his voice unwavering. He had no hesitation in his heart.
Dende turned to Porunga, repeating the wish in the Namekian language. The Dragon's eyes glowed bright red for a moment, and then it spoke again. "It is done."
Krillin exhaled in relief, his shoulders slumping slightly as the weight of his wish settled. The Dragon had granted the first wish. But now, they were left with two more.
"Who's next?" Dende asked, his eyes shifting between the group.
Everyone was quiet for a moment, unsure of what to wish for next. The Dragon Balls had already been used to bring back a powerful ally. But there was still one more wish to be made.
Bulma, ever the practical one, stepped forward with a small smile on her face. "Can I make a wish?" she asked, her tone light and playful.
"Sure, Bulma," Goku said, grinning.
Bulma turned to Dende with a sly smile, the mischievous gleam in her eyes unmistakable. "Alright then, I wish for clear and flawless skin!" she announced, completely serious.
There was a stunned silence.
Zane blinked in disbelief, his brow furrowing slightly. Krillin and Gohan exchanged confused glances. Clear and flawless skin? Was that seriously the wish they were going with?
For a brief moment, the air felt tense with awkwardness. Bulma, oblivious to the stares, continued to smile innocently.
Dende turned to Porunga and repeated the wish in the Namekian language.
Porunga's eyes glowed red again. "It is done."
Bulma beamed, looking at her now flawless skin. "I look great, don't I?" She winked at Zane and the others, clearly satisfied with her wish.
Zane shook his head, trying not to laugh at the absurdity of it all. "If that's what makes you happy, Bulma," he muttered, not able to hide the slight smirk on his face.
Dende then turned to face the group. "For the final wish," he said, his voice softer now, "What do you desire?"
Zane stood up straight, stretching lazily. He had no interest in a wish for himself, he'd gotten everything he wanted already. But for the group to be able to get back to Earth and finish the mission, that was something Zane could work with.
Zane raised a hand, cutting through the silence. "Save us time, Dende. Transport us, and everything we've brought with us, back to Earth. That's all."
Dende blinked at him, but nodded. Without hesitation, he spoke to Porunga, repeating Zane's wish in Namekian.
Porunga's eyes glowed a deep red. "It is done."
In an instant, the world around them seemed to shift, and the group found themselves standing in the backyard of Capsule Corp on Earth. Their ship and everything else they'd brought with them had been transported safely, and just as they landed, the familiar scenery of Earth greeted them.
Before they could fully process what had just happened, a familiar voice cut through the air.
"Now that Kami and I are both back," Piccolo shouted from above, landing with his arms crossed, "we can finally use the Dragon Balls to revive everyone else."
Zane, still lounging lazily, stretched out his arms and yawned. "I've done my part. You guys can handle it from here," he said with a smirk. "I'm done for today. Time to rest."
The others exchanged looks, unsure of what to say. But Goku, always understanding Zane's tendencies, just nodded.
Zane turned to Vegeta, who was standing off to the side, still brooding. "You stay here for now. We'll talk later," Zane said flatly, not even waiting for a response before he began to head inside the Capsule Corp building.
As Zane started walking toward the house, Bulma's voice stopped him.
"Zane!" she called, jogging up behind him and grabbing his arm. "Come on, let's go inside," she said, looking up at him with a soft smile.
Zane, slightly confused but not really caring, followed her inside. "What is it?" he asked, barely paying attention as he lazily entered her room.
Without another word, Bulma led him to the bed and patted it for him to sit down. Zane, not bothering to fight it, plopped down lazily, still not really registering the shift in the atmosphere.
The bed creaked as Bulma sat down next to him, then moved to straddle his waist, sitting on his stomach. Zane, who hadn't expected it, looked up at her, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.
"What are you doing?" he asked bluntly, his tone both lazy and perplexed.
Bulma looked down at him, her face flushed slightly. "I'm tired too, Zane. I'm just taking a break." She smiled, leaning her head onto his chest, letting the comfort of the moment settle in.
Zane blinked, a bit taken aback by her sudden closeness, but didn't say anything. He sighed, looking up at the ceiling. "There's a lot of bed space, you know," he said, his voice a mix of amusement and indifference.
Bulma laughed softly. "That's true, but I like this more." She snuggled closer, her hand resting lightly on his chest as she let out a small sigh.
Zane didn't respond, his mind already drifting as he tried to ignore the warmth of her body against his. He wasn't sure what to think, but for the moment, he didn't care. It wasn't a battle, just a moment of peace.