Takes place about 200+ years after Goku flees off with Uub. GT is scrapped. I hope you guys enjoy it. Criticism is always welcome. I like writing fanfics so...I figured what the hell. Plus, being confined to a chair with the flu didn't help matters either. Sry for the length. God, I should've broken this chapter up. I'll try to shorten the second one if you guys get discouraged from the length. Even if no one reads...I'll probly still write a few just for the hell of it, lol. Thanks for reading, hope to hear some feedback!

Episode 1: Piccolo's new students...

The blow connected to Glass's jaw made the young boy taste the flavor of his own, warm blood. Thick, salty. It stunted him a bit. He had only begun sparring a day or two and he hadn't gotten used to the pain yet. He just numbed it with a deeper pang, one of loss and helplessness. Those two emotions were the only remedies he needed to heal his physical wounds.

Glass ducked. His black hair, spiked with needles, was the only thing struck by Gohan's raging fist, launching at him with the tenacity of any killer. Fire flowed in his eyes and burned Glass's whenever he dared to look into them. Glass tried to retaliate with a fist of his own, cocking it back and launching at full throttle, but Gohan ducked it with such effortlessness he looked like a man dancing. It only took one knee to his gut and....he plopped. He stumbled to the soft grass. And despite that will, that determination to stand, his body was utterly useless. His mind might as well have been inside of an action figure. Immobile, motionless.

He inhaled deeply...and hated it. Each breath caused a muscle to move, and each muscle movement had something ache. An arm, a leg, anything connected to him felt some kind of pain. But nothing was more agonizing than his own pride, his own shame. His gi, a black vest, black pants, matching shoes and blue wrist bands were mangled beyond belief. His skin was marred with cuts, scabs, dust. He looked like he just came out of a coffin.

Gohan looked over at him, wearing the same Gi as Piccolo. INCLUDING the heavy weighted clothing. There wasn't much difference between him and his father, anyway. Nothing indistinguishable. Even their attitudes were in sync. The only difference was that Piccolo had a method to his acerbic nature, this guy....this guy was an asshole for no reason.

"Are you kidding me?" Gohan taunted, "Get the hell up."

"I can't...I can't move." Another spurt of pain shook his body when Glass tried to speak.

"No, no! You promised me a good fight, Glass. Father spent all that time preparing you and THIS is what you amount to? Surely, you can do better than that."

"Can you cut him some slack, Gohan? It's not like he learned how to fight before speaking. Not everyone's like you." Laern said.

Glass forgot he was there for a second. He had been one of the few, pleasant things this place offered. Piccolo provided too much discipline, all Gohan cared about was fighting and becoming stronger than his father, but Learn was different. He could actually be considered a friend. Due to his calm and friendly demeanor, one wouldn't have pegged him to be as strong as he was. Without a doubt, Learn had been the pinnacle of human strength, and he was starting to break the barrier. That seemed to be the only reason he was here. To surpass his god-given abilities, to become more than just a man.

"Shut up!" Gohan roared, "Here I am, expecting a true battle. Something amazing considering who the hell this kid is! Father told me about your kind." he directed his gaze to Glass. "That you guys are supposed to be born to fight! That your ancestors were even more powerful than him! Him!" Gohan rolled his eyes. "He must've been exaggerating."

Laern approached them, wearing the same Gi as Gohan's. Master Piccolo told Glass he couldn't obtain that kind of Gi unless he earned it. Like it was some sacred badge or something.

"Here, let me give you a bean." Laern offered.

"Don't you dare offer him one of those god damned beans!" Gohan yelled.

"You've already beaten him to the point where he can barely talk. Can you let him breathe?"

"Sure. But if he can't survive a SPARRING SESSION with me, while I'm only using less than HALF OF MY STRENGTH, does he really deserve to breathe? Does he....does he really deserve to breathe? You look a little dumbfounded right now. Like I'm speaking another language. Let me save you the mental strain and answer it or you. N.......0!"

The words cut Glass deeply, making him reel with both anger and fear.

"You don't mean that." Laern defended. Glass was surprised he could take Gohan's insults so casually. Matter of fact, he had never been mad at Gohan for insulting or harming him, but whenever Glass was damaged, that had been where the very obscure line was drawn.

Gohan smirked.

"'I don't mean that.'" he mocked at Laern.

Gohan turned to Glass, bent down, and picked him up by his collar. Glass tried to resist but he found himself paralyzed, unable to move a muscle.

"You're just too lazy! A disgrace to your god forsaken family! I haven't eaten one of those beans once, Glass! Once! You can't go on five seconds without them! Stop being lazy and fight me!"

Gohan sent a fist rocketing towards Glass's chin. This time a tooth shook under the weight of Glass's attack. Glass was airborne for a few minutes before landing a few feet away from master Piccolo's cabin, on his front. The only time he moved was when he shook in fear of Gohan's power.

"Gohan!" Laern shouted, his hand glowing, preparing to launch a Ki attack. Gohan turned to him, widened his eyes in a brief stint of shock, before regathering his confidence.

"Father said not to interfere with our sparring match."

"Master Piccolo isn't here to see how you're acting. If anything, I'll just tell him I beat your ass and give the credit to Glass when he gets back."

Gohan smirked.

"Really? You haven't been able to, yet."

"Neither have you."

"I know. I enjoy playing around with you."

"Bull."

Laern moved his feet, about to charge at Gohan, when Glass felt a slight stirring in the air. It was that tense sensation that consumed his body like a wave. He had just learned how to control such an ability. It made Glass feel psychic. The other boys must've felt it too because they halted as if time stopped around them.

"You're wrong, Laern, I've been here long enough to see the three of you make a fool out of yourselves. You're all being extremely disappointing today."

Piccolo descended down from the air, wearing that same, fluttering, white cape that was the equivalent to strapping a boulder over someone's back. He landed right in front of Glass. Always stoic. He didn't look happy, nor mean, but calm. As if he was always on a mission he'd never be able to find. To live as long as he did, it must've taken a lot to shake up his nerves. His green skin had only been crumpled with a few wrinkles, nothing that a regular human being a day over fifty wouldn't show.

The Ki surrounding Laern's hand faded.

"Master Piccolo, I'm sorry, but you saw what he said. What he was planning to do to Glass." Laern defended.

"I gave you specific orders not to interfere with the sparring match under any circumstances! You've been carrying him this entire time, he's never going to learn how to walk as long as he's on your back! What DON'T you understand about that? Focus on your own training. Your potential is incredible, but you'll never even reach a portion of it if you don't focus on the training I've given you. Your value for your teammate is admirable, Laern, but you must find a balance."

Laern narrowed his gaze in shame.

"Yes, sir."

Glass looked in disgust as Gohan snickered.

"And you."

Piccolo walked towards Gohan and backhanded him with such force he skidded. Master Piccolo's power never ceased to amaze him. One shot and Gohan already had a busted open lip. Gohan stumbled to get back up.

"Father...." he whined.

"No! Your tactics are brutal, Gohan, but they border on sadistic. It's as if you enjoy seeing Glass in so much pain."

"No, that's not it. I was..."

"I don't care! That's what it seems like. You need to honor him. Glass is not your enemy, but your peer. You're both learning from one another, you're both a part of the same team. Besides, do you think you'll ever take Dende's place as guardian if you keep up with your attitude?! Do you think you possess the qualities worthy of guardianship?"

"No." Gohan uttered, his head down, face discolored with remorse.

"Then I suggest you shape up."

Master Piccolo turned to Laern and approached him with that same scowl.

"Glass," Piccolo said softly, "how hurt are you?"

"I....can...barely...move..."

"No, Glass. You can. I wouldn't tell you that if you weren't able to."

"You don't know how this feels?"

"To be beaten so mercilessly that it feels like you're on the brink of death?"

Glass reminded himself who, exactly, he said that too and automatically wished he could retract the statement.

"This is nothing, Glass. I saw what Gohan did to you. I understand that you haven't been in any fights. But if you can't get up and continue after a single kick, why even bother staying here? It's pointless. I see a lot of power in you. I feel it. You just need to get over your insecurities, your doubts, and learn how to push yourself."

"But Master Piccolo...."

"Glass, I believe in you. Remember, this pain is nothing compared to what's been taken away from you. Focus on that loss. Focus on it and use it to motivate you. Use that pain as your guide. Imagine him looking down at you right now. What would he say? What would he do? And then imagine the shame you'd feel."

Glass shut his eyes. Piccolo's words still rung loudly in his ears. Soon, he left the dojo, evacuated the island, and his memories took him to a much earlier time. A time to remind himself why he was here, and why, more than anything, he needed to get up. He couldn't believe it had already been five months...five months since everything he knew changed forever.