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Piccolo watched as Goku and Gohan flew down the lookout tower, still feeling the immense power that was now his pupil.
"It was you, you know."
Piccolo turned to see Trunks come and stand beside him, looking down at the trail of ki the duo had left behind. He was smiling knowingly and looked up at Piccolo.
"What do you mean? What was me?"
"In my timeline, Gohan didn't train to become a super saiyan. He told me it was an accident when he did finally transform. At first, I thought it was right after his father died of the heart virus, but he just shook his head…"
"Then what was it Gohan? I don't understand. Didn't you love him?"
"Of course I did, Trunks. But no matter how angry and saddened I was about his death, I couldn't transform. No, it happened when something even worse happened… when it was something I could have prevented if I had been strong enough…"
Trunks shook his head and smiled again. Piccolo stared solemnly at him, not understanding what there was to smile about. Something that affected Gohan worse than Goku's death? It must have been something truly horrible, and he wasn't too sure if he wanted to hear it.
"He said it happened the day the androids first attacked…"
"I was at home when it happened, doing my studies, when I felt a ki rise drastically. And I knew, just knew it somehow, that it was Piccolo's and that this wasn't just one of his usual training sessions. I flew out my window and headed for him as fast as I could.
"I found him in the middle of the ruins that used to be Bay City, a little island town that's completely out of existence now. I landed just as who I now know as one of them, 17 I think, sent him crashing into a building. I was furious. I charged at him and right before I reached him I heard Piccolo yell 'Gohan, no!' But I was knocked out. The last thing I remembered was flying into a pile of rubble.
"They must have thought I was dead, because they never laid another blow to me. I woke up and it was dark. It took me a moment to remember where I was and why my head hurt so badly. And then I felt it. That terrible, horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach when I know something very wrong has happened. It clicked suddenly. I couldn't feel Piccolo's ki anymore. I yelled for him over and over, but the only answer was the occasional rock falling. And then, I saw it. The trail of purple blood. I followed it, hoping beyond hope that maybe, just maybe he had only been knocked unconscious as I had.
"I found him in a pool of his own blood, beaten to almost beyond recognition. I couldn't help myself. I dropped to my knees beside him and shook him again and again, trying to wake him up. All I could think was it was my fault. I was too weak to help him fight. My fault my best friend had died because I was knocked out from a single punch. And then it happened. I screamed and screamed, sobbing for the pain was so great. The loss I felt in my heart was fueling my anger and it just snapped. In a rush of gold and fire I had finally become a super saiyan. But it was too late…"
Trunks paused for a moment and glanced at Piccolo. If possible, the Namek seemed to have paled several shades and had turned his head to the side, his eyes shut and his fists clenched. "Are you okay, Piccolo?" he ventured.
"Yes, I'm fine. I didn't know…" he paused, seemingly at a loss for words.
"That he loved you so much? Piccolo, when we weren't training he went on about you for hours. He always had the best stories to tell. I remember wishing my father was around to love me that much, so that I could have stories to remember him by and laugh upon."
"But I wasn't his father," Piccolo objected rather lamely.
"You may have well been by the way he talked about you. The ironic part is, I transformed the same way. When I found Gohan's body—"
"Gohan is dead?" Piccolo interjected. Even though the Gohan here was still alive and well, a part of him felt a pang of loss. It didn't matter to him that he had never met the future Gohan, it was still him. What could have been him if Trunks hadn't warned them in time.
"Yes," Trunks said, looking down at the floor. I was older than Gohan was when he transformed, but it was like I was reliving exactly what he had told me. When I saw him, I just… snapped. And well, here I am," he finished.
The Namek gave the younger demi-saiyan a little smile. "Thanks for telling me, Trunks. You should probably get into the chamber before Vegeta has a fit about time being wasted." He added something under his breath, but Trunks figured it was something probably derogatory about his father.
"Yeah, you're right," he agreed, headed towards the chamber. Once the doors had closed behind him, Piccolo took off down the tower, headed for the Son home. Now he had to know. He landed softly outside of Gohan's window, who was busy studying, his nose deep in a book.
"Hey kid," Piccolo greeted.
"Piccolo!" Gohan exclaimed, jumping up towards the window. "Whatcha doin' here? I thought you were going to train in the chamber!"
"Yes, well Vegeta threw a fit and I really don't feel like having to kill him right now." Gohan chuckled a little. "Anyways, I'm curious. How does it feel to have ascended? You're so… you're so strong Gohan. I can barely even recognize your ki anymore."
"It feels a little weird," Gohan said, smirking. "I already broke three glasses and a chair since I've been home. Dad hasn't been doing much better though."
Piccolo smiled. "What did your mother say?"
"She had a conniption," Gohan stated matter-of-factly.
"Hm. I expected no less from her, honestly. Gohan, just answer me one thing. What made you transform?"
Gohan looked up at him and smiled broadly. He remembered the incalculable loss he felt at knowing he would be too weak to help his friends if he couldn't transform. How he couldn't bear it if he let Piccolo down again.
"It was you."