Disclaimer - Hi there! Me again. Guess what? I still don't own Piccolo, Gohan, the Dragon Ball Z universe, or Akira Toriyama!
Isn't that amazing? No? Well, what do you know?!?! Absolutely nothing! That's what! ...j/k, Love you all.
Chapter 3
Memories
Piccolo hovered in front of the waterfall, he closed his eyes and began to breathe in the routine he had created for his body over the years. First came his heart, he slowed it's beating from the roar it had been to a slow, nearly silent thumping. Then he focused on his blood, it rushed through him steadily, it's purple hue causing a bluish blush under the jade skin on his highset cheekbones and it whirred in his ears making it hard to concentrate. He slowed it as well, calming himself to the point where his skin regained it's normal color and composure. Then he set to the task of clearing his mind. It was more disorganized than he had ever allowed it to become in his entire existence. Everywhere he looked images and half-completed thoughts of Gohan darted, demanding his attention. Piccolo sighed inwardly, this would take work. He started moving his thoughts. Pushing mental pictures of Gohan farther and farther from himself. His task was exhausting, it took him much longer than usual, he had nearly finished clearing his mind when he stumbled across his most recent memory of the Sayin. Gohan lay on his bed, blissfully asleep and unaware of Piccolo's gaze. His blankets tossed haphazardly to the floor, moonlight splayed across his bare chest. His mouth slightly parted, hair tangled from moving in his sleep. His long lashes fluttered lightly, "Piccolo-san..." His tongue flicked out over his lips moistening them. Piccolo's breath caught in his throat. He hadn't thought he'd paid so much attention. Every memory of Gohan flooded Piccolo's mind, unbidden. He shuddered, meditation had failed him. He remembered Gohan's insults. The boy had called him a coward. Piccolo huffed, his energy flared and he screamed in fury, the waterfall behind him parting in several places. "Piccolo-san..." Piccolo stopped, he wheeled around looking for the source of the words. No one could be seen. He clutched at his head, shaking it madly. "Imagining things..." He sighed, bowing his head. 'What do I do when meditation fails, Kami?' There was no answer, he hadn't expected one. He floated over to a nearby tree and leaned against it, covering himself with his cloak. "I'll never understand what humans see in sleep..." He muttered as his world faded to blackness.
It was well after dawn when Gohan woke, he sat bolt upright just as Chi Chi walked into his room carrying a tray layden with food. "MOM!" He shouted exasperatedly. "Oh, hush dear. It's just breakfast." Gohan grabbed at his blankets covering himself. He groaned as he lay back onto the bed. He had been enjoying a rather inticing dream before his mother had interrupted, though, now as he lay awake he couldn't recall it's contents. She sat the tray down on his nightstand and walked out. "Remember you need to drop off Goten at Capsule Corp today!" She called over her shoulder as she shut his door. Gohan grumbled. He'd forgotten that his kid brother had been training with the arrogant jerk and his son. He dressed quickly, pulling on the orange gi that mirrored the one his father used to wear. He yelled down the hall as he slipped on his boots. "Goten, you'd better be ready to leave soon!" "I've been ready for EVER!" Was the answer Gohan got. He muttered as he set off down the hall. Goten met him by the front door, smiling brightly. "Come on then." Gohan was fully awake by the time they were half way to Capsule Corp, and had become much more talkative. Goten looked sideways at his brother. "Hey Gohan?" Gohan answered cheerfully. "Yea?" Goten grinned mischievously. "Did you have a dream last night?" Gohan eyed his brother cautiously. "Why?" The smaller sayin let out an evil giggle. "You kept talking about Piccolo-san in your sleep..." He flew sideways avoiding the incoming fist of his bigger brother. "That's not nice, geeze... do you have to get so defensive over it?" Gohan began to descend, ignoring his kid sibling for the rest of the trip. Stewing in his own thoughts he didn't notice the dark clouds forming overhead, or the strange lightning that jumped from cloud to cloud, unaccompanied by any thunder. It wasn't until they had landed and he saw Vegeta, Trunks, and Bulma standing outside staring at the sky, that he noticed anything was amiss. He turned looking up in the direction all of them faced. His eyes widened in horror as the realization hit, someone had summoned the Eternal Dragon.
