It was an odd request, that much was certain. One Gohan hadn't expected from Videl. "A bodyguard job?" The Saiyan teen repeated, turning away from his open locker to stare at Videl with a perplexed look on his face. The girl nodded. "That's right. The CEO of ArmsLab wants the Great Saiyaman to watch his back for a few days or so. Normally, I'd say it was a waste of time catering to some rich bastard's paranoid request, but what with all that's been happening lately..." Videl trailed off there. There was no need for her to finish. Gohan knew exactly what she was talking about. Six months ago, after they had wished that everyone on Earth would forget about the Buu incident, something strange started to happen. Heads of companies and their higher ranking employees began dying one by one. All murdered. What was truly frightening was that in every single murder, there wasn't a shred of evidence linking the investigators to a suspect. Not once. Some of them occurred in broad daylight. No one saw a thing. One was even caught on camera, but, alas, the shooter was out of frame. Even the bullets couldn't be traced. The ballistic markings weren't on any record, nor were the type of bullets. This man, whoever he was, was good. Damn good. Almost like a professional assassin. The CEO of a weapons research and development company wouldn't be an unlikely target.
"Huh... The head of a bank, a hospital, a customs agency, and now a weapons lab..." Gohan thought out loud as he closed his locker and slung his bag over his shoulder. Then, he thought of something. "You'd think a guy with so many weapons wouldn't need a bodyguard, huh?" he joked, letting out a small chuckle. Apparently, Videl didn't think it so funny. She folded her arms across her chest and glared at the Saiyan until he slowly stopped laughing at his own lame joke and stared down at his feet, blushing. "Ahem... Yeah, umm... Sorry..." he mumbled before returning to the subject at hand, his face still a bit red out of embarrassment. "So, anyway... when are we supposed to go over there? After school?"
At that question, Videl raised an eyebrow. "Yes, Gohan. After school. We're going to leave him sitting in his office during the day and at night so you don't miss school, homework, or your precious beddy-bye time." she replied through gritted teeth, her voice practically dripping with sarcasm. Of course, being a descendant of Son Goku, Gohan didn't pick up on it at all. "Wow, really? That's pretty convenie-" His dumb-ass reply was interrupted by a paper being shoved in his face by a very impatient looking Videl. He blinked momentarily before focusing his eyes enough to read what it said. "'Excused for the next two weeks'? B-but I'll miss so much school!" the Saiyan teen whined, knowing his mother would have a cow if she heard of him missing even one day of school. "H-hey, c'mon... Ya really think this is a job for the Great Saiyaman? I mean, it's just one guy. Don't you think maybe the 'Great Saiyagirl' can handle something like this on her own?" he hinted with a small wink, nudging her in the arm a bit. In truth, he'd face an assassin over his angry mother any day, but taking this job meant doing both. Not something he looked forward to. Videl's eye twitched a bit at Gohan's sudden cowardice. "You're going and that's final!" she shrieked, catching the attention of the few remaining students in the hall just before she grabbed his wrist and dragged him up the stairs to the roof.
Once there, she shoved him out onto the roof and pressed the button on her watch to make her Great Saiyagirl costume appear on her body. She then reached over and pressed the button on Gohan's watch, turning him into the Great Saiyaman. The costumed hero let out a groan. "You're really serious about this, aren't you?" he whined back over his shoulder just before Videl placed a good strong kick against his back to send him over the edge of the roof. Gohan let out another small groan as he plummeted to the ground. "This sucks..." he grumbled before taking off into the sky just in time to avoid hitting the concrete below. Videl quickly caught up and the two of them took off to West City to meet with the CEO of ArmsLab.
As they flew, Gohan could be heard grumbling to himself about his mother killing him for this. However, something else was on his mind. There were still a lot of evil people in the world. His and Videl's work fighting crime hadn't slowed down one bit after the whole thing with Buu was over. But hadn't Dende wished that everyone would be brought back to life except the evil ones? Had Porunga made a mistake? Did he have a different view on what is evil or not? Or had he simply chosen to treat everyone as equals and revive them all? "No, that can't be... Bobity's still dead..." he thought out loud, catching Videl's attention. "What was that?" she asked, bringing his head out of the clouds. "Huh? Oh. It's nothing important..."
Not long after that, the two of them reached West City, and the Headquarters for ArmsLab. As the two of them landed in front of the main entrance, Gohan stared up at the sky scraper towering before him. "Wow! It's huge!" he exclaimed, shielding his eyes as he looked up, trying to see the top. Just as his eyes could almost catch a glimpse of the very top, there was an explosion of movement around him. His ears caught what his eyes hadn't the time to see; the thundering roar of over a dozen pairs of boots running towards them and shuffling to a stop, the metallic clicks and rattles of firearms being loaded and aimed, and, of course, the same announcement repeatedly shouted from muffled mouths. "Intruders!" Slowly looking back down to the situation at hand, Gohan confirmed what he'd already assumed; they'd been surrounded. Now trapping the two high school superheroes in a loose circle formation was a squad of fourteen men in camouflage uniforms, their faces hidden behind gas masks. They all carried tear gas grenades on their belts, but none of them were wielding the non-lethal weapons at the moment. They all held assault rifles in their hands. You know, of the more lethal variety. All of them aimed for the two teen's heads. Gohan gritted his teeth. This was bad. Surely he'd be able to disarm them without fear of getting hurt by their bullets, but the second he so much as twitched a muscle, he knew they'd all fire, killing Videl in the process. This is bad... Gohan thought. Didn't they know we were coming? This has to be some kind of misunderstanding. Or... Could this be a trap? Could they have lured us here just to get us out of the way? Are they the ones behind all this? These and a million other questions ran through the teen's head as he tried desperately to figure out a way out of this situation. It was all so frustrating! How could they have been tricked like this? As he slowly grew more angry at the situation, as well as himself for being so foolish, he unconsciously balled up his fists and glared at the soldier in front of him. Unfortunately, this registered as a threat to the guards. He could practically hear their trigger fingers tighten. Letting out a gasp, Gohan snapped his eyes shut. There's not enough time! Dammit! What did I do to deserve this? As he thought this, he waited for the inevitable sound of a dozen or so guns firing. However...
"Hold your fire! Stand down immediately!" What was this? The voice of an angel, perhaps? Well, whoever he was, Gohan now considered him to be one. When he heard the sound of several guns being lowered, the Saiyan chanced a peek at his new guardian angel. He looked to be a young scientist in his twenties, though his long hair was already gray. After he jogged his way over and pushed through the ring of guards surrounding the two, he adjusted his glasses and attempted to catch his breath. "M-my word... Such brutes... So eager to pull the trigger, are you?" he managed to gasp out before standing straight and making himself presentable. "Now then... Terribly sorry about that. What with the recent threat, we've had no choice but to put security on maximum alert. It'd be a disaster if any unauthorized personnel were to get their grubby little hands on the experimental technology inside." the man said, shooing away the guards with his hands. Gohan and Videl both let out a sigh of relief as the guards backed off. Gohan looked to the man with gratitude, though he was somewhat embarrassed that he'd jumped to a rather wild conclusion a moment ago. "Thanks a lot. I thought we were goners... So, you must be the CEO, right? I'm-" he paused suddenly, clearing his throat and preparing his superhero voice. "I'm the Great Saiyaman! Defender of justice and all that is good!" he announced, giving a series of ridiculous, unnecessary poses worthy of the Ginyu Force. Videl clapped excitedly at the display while the scientist merely stared, his glasses falling down the bridge of his nose to reveal a pair of bright green eyes. After a moment, he cleared his throat and fixed his glasses again. "Ermm... No, heavens no, I'm not the CEO. I'm merely the chief scientist of this facility. Auguste DeLourme. I'd appreciate it if you called me Dr. DeLourme, however. Formalities, and all that." he explained with a small smile, extending his hand for them to shake, which they did in turn. "Right then, shall I take you to see the boss?" Dr. DeLourme asked, turning towards the building and leading them inside.
As they made it through the entrance, Gohan couldn't help but stare straight up again. The core of the main building was hollow. He could see almost halfway up the inside of the skyscraper until he glimpsed the first possible ceiling. It looked a lot like the building in that one movie he saw not long ago. Something about robots and a cop... Wasn't Will Smith in that one? Oh, he couldn't remember. It wasn't important. After getting his fill of the floors above, he then decided to examine the one they were currently walking through. Everything was perfectly white. Sterile. Like a hospital. That fact gave Gohan chills. He wasn't fond of hospitals. One thing did seem out of place in this sea of pristine white. The security guards, the same as the ones outside. Their camouflage uniforms really stood out against all that white, though he figured it was more practical for quickly changing posts from one area to the next if they only had the one uniform. What really bothered him was that a lot of them were staring at the two costumed teens, chuckling and shaking their heads at how ridiculous they looked. Of course, Gohan was oblivious to the real reason they were laughing, as he had no idea it looked horrible to anyone with even a minimal fashion sense.
Eventually the two of them were lead to an elevator by the scientist and were taken all the way up to the top floor. Gohan spent the whole ride with his face pressed against the glass wall, watching in awe as each floor passed them by. Videl let out a sigh and shook her head a bit, having forgotten he was such a country boy. Elevators had stopped amusing her by age eight. Soon enough, the elevator came to a stop at the top floor. A small frown formed on Gohans face, somewhat disappointed that it was over already. As he exited, however, he remembered the real reason they had come and returned to his more serious face. Before them was a long corridor, only one door visible on it's walls; the one at the very end. Lining the walls along the hall were the same guards they'd seen posted both inside and outside the building, only these were equipped with heavier body armor and a different kind of rifle, a type he was sure he'd never seen before. Gohan's brow furrowed in thought as they passed them by, each of the soldiers eyes locked on them as they went. "With all this security, you'd think he was expecting Solid Snake or something... And he still needs us?" Gohan asked in a low voice, leaning down to whisper in Videl's ear. "Don't let it bug you. He's probably just overly paranoid." she replied, thinking that was the end of it. It wasn't, however, as Gohan seemed to have found his brain. "But there's practically an army here! Is this really all to keep one guy out? Just exactly why are we here again?" he retorted, though he seemed to have forgotten how to whisper this time. Dr. DeLourme stopped suddenly and glanced back over his shoulder.
"Surely you are not planning on abandoning your duty to the people... Is this man any less worthy of your protection simply because he has others to guard him? Or better yet, are these guards not worthy of your protection simply because they are here to protect someone else? That's rather smug of you, picking and choosing those you wish to defend..." The scientist narrowed his acid green eyes a bit as he said that, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose once again. Gohan didn't reply. He merely looked down at his shoes, mumbling apologetically under his breath. What the man said was true. This CEO guy had called them for help, and he deserved it, just like everyone else. He just couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong with the whole situation.
Finally, they reached the CEO's office. The door looked just as plain and spotless white as everything else in the building. Sure enough, once Dr. DeLourme opened the door, they were greeted to another room of pure white. Even the furniture was all white. The back wall in particular grabbed Gohan's eye. It was nothing but a large window to the outside. "Wow, this guy sure likes to keep the place clean, huh..." Gohan commented with a nervous laugh. It warranted no reply, however, as the others were too concerned with the man that now approached them from behind his desk. He was a short, older man, wearing a long white coat and a nervous look on his face. His fine, receding hair, like everything else in the building, was pure white. Dr. DeLourme turned to the two of them. "This is the CEO of ArmsLab, Dr. Kaoru Shiroi." he introduced, stepping to the side so that the three could exchange their customary handshakes. "It's a relief to finally have you here, Mr. Saiyaman." Dr. Shiroi said with a warm smile as he shook Gohan's hand. It made the Saiyan teen relax a bit. Well, he certainly seemed like a nice man. He cleared his throat again, preparing his hero voice. "Of course, sir! The Great Saiyaman is always there to help when he is needed!" he announced, causing Dr. DeLourme's eye to twitch slightly in mild annoyance. "Well then... I hate to cut our greetings short, but there is work to be done. I'm afraid both Dr. Shiroi and I must return to our research." the younger scientist said as he lead the two out again. Gohan glanced back over his shoulder at Dr. Shiroi, who'd already returned to his desk, before exiting.
"Now then..." Dr. DeLourme began. "Mr. Great Saiyaman, if you wouldn't mind, we'd like you to stay here, guarding the door to the CEO's office. Ms. Saiyagirl here is needed elsewhere." Gohan looked up again when he heard that. They were to be separated? But that wasn't fair! He had to protect Videl, too! "But wouldn't it make more sense for both of us to stand guard here?" he asked, trying to weasel his way around this guy's planning. Unfortunately, it was no use. Dr. DeLourme shook his head. "I'm sorry, but there is another strategic point I'd like her to guard. You, however, need to remain here." he replied before turning to leave the hall with Videl in tow. The elevator doors closed before Gohan could protest further.
The afternoon dragged on into the night with nothing at all happening. Every now and then, Dr. DeLourme would return to bring something to the CEO's office. The last time Gohan had seen him was when he was bringing him dinner. It seemed Dr. Shiroi wasn't planning on leaving any time soon. He must have been working on something pretty important. It seemed he was the type of executive that still toiled away at projects normally delegated to lower staff members, despite his status in the company. That was rare these days. That, or he was too afraid to leave. Still, there didn't seem to be anything happening at all. Even the guards posted along the walls seemed to be getting bored. The two closest to him had taken up whispering to each other about what they were planning to do with their next days off. Sleeping in sounded pretty good to Gohan, too. At around midnight, the Saiyan teen let out a big yawn, rubbing the tiredness from his eyes under his sunglasses. Honestly, it didn't look like anything was going to happen. He started thinking that perhaps this Dr. Shiroi guy was just being paranoid again.
Another half hour passed before the elevator doors opened again. However, this time it wasn't Dr. DeLourme. It was one of the guards from downstairs, one that seemed quite a bit taller than all the rest. At first, Gohan didn't think very much of it. He figured he was here merely to relieve one of the other guards in the hall. However, that assumption was soon proven false. Just as the guard passed the halfway point in the hall, all of the tear gas grenades attached to his belt suddenly exploded at once, filling the hall instantly with a thick cloud of irritating smoke. The guards, though protected from the effects of the gas by their gas masks, couldn't see through the thick fog that now covered every corner of the hall. They all went into a confused panic, calling for back up on their radios and trying desperately to navigate through the smoke. Gohan wasn't quite as lucky, however. The gas had irritated his eyes to where he wouldn't dare open them. It had instantly filled his lungs when he tried to take a breath, leaving him hunched over in a coughing fit.
As he coughed and wheezed there for a moment, he felt someone push past him, then smelled a sudden burst of fresh air behind him. Someone had made their way into the CEO's office. More out of concern for Dr. Shiroi than anything else, he escaped the gas filled hall into the office, but just a moment too late. The second he ran through the doorway, he heard a shot being fired. Fearing the worst, Gohan tried desperately to open his eyes. Though he managed to keep them slightly open, his vision was severely obscured by the tears that gas had caused to pour from his eyes. He could only barely make out the puddle of red than now stained the pure white of the room, along with the blurry figure standing over it. At that moment, Gohan felt a deep rage building up inside him. That man had asked him to protect him! Asked him to save him! And he failed. Dr. Shiroi had been killed, effortlessly, right in front of him. The unknown assassin instinctively turned his gun on Gohan, but seemed to hesitate. At that moment, the enraged Saiyan sprinted forward and aimed a punch at where he assumed the man's obscured, hidden face was supposed to be. However, he hit nothing. Had he missed? No, despite his impaired vision, he was sure he'd hit his mark. So… He'd dodged? But how was that possible? As Gohan's momentum caused him to stumble forward a bit, the unknown assailant delivered a powerful kick to the back of the boy's head, sending him sailing through the windows, the Saiyan's skull shattering the reinforced glass.
As Gohan hung there in mid-air for a moment among the shards of glass, he tried as hard as he could to make sense of what had just happened. Had that assassin really just overpowered him? Had he really gotten that slow? It all happened so fast, he thought it impossible. And he could do nothing about it. As he plummeted to the ground, he became lightheaded. It wasn't fair. How was he to know he'd be facing someone like that? He thought it was going to be just a normal human, if anything at all. His eyes slowly began to close. That man was still out there, though. He'd continue killing like this. But he had to stop him! He just had to! He couldn't fail another person... Gradually, everything became black as he passed out in mid-air. The last thing he could remember was coming to a sudden, abrupt stop.
The only sensation Gohan felt after that was a sharp, stabbing pain in his head just intense enough to pull him back into consciousness. He pressed a hand against his forehead in a futile attempt to stop the throbbing. Of course, in a way, he was glad. Pain meant he was still alive. As he opened his eyes, he expected to see the bright red and blue lights of police cars and ambulances flashing off every surface around him in the night air. He didn't see any of that, nor did he see the accompanying paramedics that would have surely been hovering around him, cleaning his splattered brains off the pavement. So, it wasn't that soon afterward…
What he did see was a solid white ceiling with a fan directly above him. He was lying in a bed somewhere. The hospital? No, it didn't smell quite so sterile. It smelled more of… Well… He couldn't quite place it, but the room held a very familiar scent to it, especially the pillows his head was resting on. Whatever it was, it had almost a calming effect on the young Saiyan, and even seemed to dull his headache slightly. He even unconsciously rolled over on his side so he could bury his face better in the pillowcase and almost fell back asleep.
Suddenly, just before his mind slipped away from him again, he sat bolt upright, remembering what had happened. "Dr. Shiroi!" he shouted, his eyes darting around as if looking for the executive. Of course, he saw no one. The room was empty except for basic furniture, all other items having been neatly put away. It was a plain room, but nowhere near the almost blinding sterile white of the ArmsLab facility. It wasn't his own room either, so the chances of all that just being a dream were probably zero.
Coming to that realization, Gohan shoved his face into his hands. Dr. Shiroi was gone. He'd been murdered. And what's worse, it was right in front of his eyes. He was right there! Yet… He'd been absolutely useless to stop it. He let out a heavy sigh. It was all his fault… He'd been so naïve, so cocky… And that assassin took full advantage of it. It was almost as if having "The Great Saiyaman" there wasn't even an inconvenience to him.
"'Great Saiyaman', huh? What a joke…" he grumbled, reaching for the collar of his costume. Did he even deserve to call himself a hero after all that? He was almost tempted to rip off his beloved costume when his hand touched bare flesh where there should have been a shirt. Wait a minute… He glanced down at himself, hoping he was just imagining what he'd felt. He saw only his naked skin until it disappeared beneath the covers at his waist. All the color seemed to drain from Gohan's face at once. Letting out a small gasp, he quickly pulled back the covers. Much to his relief, he wasn't completely naked. He was wearing a pair of plain blue jeans, though he was certain they weren't any of his own. Of course, knowing that only caused his anxiety to return. Had someone undressed him from his Saiyaman costume and put him in this while he was unconscious? So, not only was he in some strange person's house, sleeping in a strange person's bed, but this same strange person had undressed him from his superhero costume and put him in their own clothes? Well, that certainly gave him more than enough reason to freak the fuck out! Not even wanting to fathom what sort of person now held him captive, he jumped out of bed and scrambled for the nearest window before…
"What do you think you are doing?" Gohan froze just before he had the chance to swing his leg out of the now open window. Ah, so close, yet so far. Letting out a small groan, the Saiyan teen grudgingly turned to face his captor. Well, if he wasn't dead already, surely he would be now… However, the person his eyes met wasn't who he expected at all.
"P-Piccolo-san?" Gohan stammered out with an utterly bewildered look on his face. Could it really be him? He rubbed his eyes, just to make sure they weren't still clouded from the tear gas. Sure enough, there stood his old mentor, staring back at him with the expression of a parent watching their child doing something asinine. As the Namekian shook his head a bit and walked past to place a glass of water on the nightstand beside him, Gohan couldn't help but stare. Piccolo wore a plain black sweatshirt tucked neatly into a pair of blue jeans. Human clothes? That was strange… He couldn't remember the last time Piccolo wore human clothes of his own free will. Of course, It was certainly better than what he'd been forced to borrow from his father that one time.
The relief of the moment was short lived, however. "What were you doing at ArmsLab?" The question caught Gohan a little off guard. Had he heard that correctly? Looking up, the young Saiyan met Piccolo's deadly serious gaze. Yes he had. Wait, did that mean…"Piccolo-san, you were there?" Gohan asked, raising an eyebrow. Before he could speculate as to why his old teacher was at the scene of the crime, Piccolo nodded in admission. "Of course I was. I was watching the whole thing. How else could I have caught you before you hit the ground?"
Gohan nodded slowly, rubbing the sizable lump on the back of his head. He'd almost hoped he had hit the ground. Otherwise it just meant that assassin's single kick was completely responsible for his still pounding headache. Of course, Piccolo would have seen that part too, wouldn't he? Letting out a heavy sigh, Gohan plopped back down on the bed, staring down at his feet. "I-I'm a complete failure, aren't I?" he began as tears started to well up in his eyes. "I tried to protect him…I promised nothing would happen to him, but look! He's dead now because of me!" Gohan sobbed, unable to contain himself any longer. Piccolo placed a hand gently on his student's shoulder. The young Saiyan looked up at him, tears streaming relentlessly down his cheeks. Piccolo's face remained unchanged, stern as ever, but Gohan was sure he was about to offer him some comforting words. He'd tell him that it was okay. He'd tell him he'd done all he could…
"You will no longer act as the Great Saiyaman. Understood?" Gohan's eyes widened a bit. This was some kind of joke, right? It had to be! But… Piccolo's expression never wavered. He seriously intended for him to retire? He couldn't do that! It wasn't in his nature to just stand by while others needed his help. That's why he needed the Great Saiyaman, to keep his true identity a secret while he did his job. He was like Batman, and the world was his Gotham! "B-but I can't! What if someone needs my help? Everyone forgot who I really was when we wished that they'd forget about Majin Buu! They still don't know it's me!" Gohan protested. The reply came far too quickly, however.
"All the more reason for you to stop now." Piccolo retorted as calmly as ever. He'd forgotten just how hard it was to argue with a Namekian. If his superior knowledge didn't win, his stubbornness certainly would. Before Gohan had the chance to argue further, Piccolo had quickly left the room. The young Saiyan gritted his teeth. Was he just planning on walking away and leaving it at that? He wouldn't let it end like that! Just as he stood up to pursue his mentor out to the hall, Piccolo returned with a newspaper tucked under his arm, tossing it on the bed without saying a word. Even from a distance Gohan recognized the picture of Dr. Shiroi on the front. He immediately picked it up and read silently to himself.
'Dr. Kaoru Shiroi, CEO of the major weapons research and Development company ArmsLab, was murdered early Wednesday morning at his office in West City. The cause of death was a point-blank gunshot wound to the head, resulting in immediate death. While police have not released any official statements regarding possible suspects, they have revealed that the ballistic markings from the bullet indicates that the murder weapon was a sidearm belonging to an ArmsLab Security Officer. However, just minutes after the shooting occurred, the Security Officer in question was found unconscious in a janitor closet, stripped of all equipment.
'Unofficially, the police are believed to be tracking down what may be their only lead: The Great Saiyaman. It has been confirmed by numerous sources that the vigilante superhero had been asked to guard Dr. Shiroi on the night of the shooting. However, many eye-witnesses claim they saw a figure wearing a red cape fall from the top floor of the building. While it is not yet confirmed that what they witnessed was indeed the Great Saiyaman, it is doubtful that even he could survive such a fall.'
Gohan didn't read any further. There was no need. It was clear they assumed him to be dead. And what would happen if they found out he was alive? He'd be the prime suspect. They'd drag 'The Great Saiyaman' through the mud until they figured out what happened, weather it was the truth or not. There's no way anyone would trust him after that, even if he was found innocent. Gohan felt absolutely hopeless.
"Do you understand now? It's in your best interest." Piccolo said once he was sure Gohan was finished reading. When he got no response, he let out a sigh. He'd done his best to resist until now, but that miserable look on the kid's face really got to him. Reaching into his pocket, the Namekian retrieved an odd looking watch and tossed it on the bed. Gohan recognized it immediately as the one containing his Great Saiyaman costume. "I'll leave it up to you. You may stay here as long as you like. Come find me if you need anything." And with that, Piccolo left the room for the second time, though it was clear he didn't intend to return a third. Alone once again, Gohan sat back down on the bed and stared at the watch for a long while. So… Was he really just going to let him choose?
After leaving Gohan to his decision, Piccolo made his way down the hall towards the backyard. Some fresh air after all that would do him some good. Suddenly, he came to an abrupt stop halfway down the hall. There was a door to his left, same as all the others in the house, but he stared at it with a contemplative look on his face. It was probably best to keep it locked while Gohan was there… He quickly waived a hand over the doorknob, which clicked in response, before he made his way out to the backyard.
It was a pleasant evening outside, the air growing ever cooler the lower the sun sank behind the trees. Piccolo would sit on the edge of his wooden deck, watching as darkness fell over the vast forest surrounding his secluded home. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. Normally, he wouldn't do this in front of anyone that knew him, but he was certain Gohan wouldn't come looking for him for at least long enough for him to have one. He placed one on his lips before forming a tiny fireball in the palm of his hand. The second he lit it, a thin stream of pale blue smoke drifted from the tip, carrying with it an odd but sweet scent. However, he had barely exhaled the first puff of smoke before he heard the door sliding open behind him. He didn't bother hiding what he was doing. It wasn't really that big a deal. He waited until the footsteps against the wood floor came to rest beside him, but when his guest didn't take a seat next to him, Piccolo looked up.
The setting sun cast a dark shadow over Gohan's down-turned face. He was still looking over that watch in his hand, as if he was still second guessing his decision. Piccolo could see the reluctance in the young Saiyan's face even through the shadows. Suddenly, there was a flash of light in the boy's palm as the watch exploded without warning. Gohan let out a heavy sigh and dropped his hand to his side, letting the remains of his life as a superhero slip through his fingers.
"The Great Saiyaman is dead… I suppose…" he said rather glumly, watching for a brief second as the ashes were carried away on the wind. It was much like a funeral to Gohan. Saiyaman had quickly become a part of who he was. Committing to bury him once and for all felt like ripping out part of his soul. Gohan glanced down towards his old mentor, who offered him a rare smile and nod of approval. He was glad the boy had made the right decision, no matter how painful it may have been. Of course, his smile faded as quickly as it had come.
"The offer to stay still stands. As I said before, you may do as you like." the Namekian reminded, earning little more than a nod from the half Saiyan. "I'm going back to bed now…" he added in a barely audible mumble as he turned away from the sunset and starting towards the door. Piccolo raised a brow, glancing over his shoulder. "Oh? But you've just barely woken up."
"Well, I've had enough of 'today' already… I eager for 'tomorrow'…" Gohan retorted before proceeding inside.