Sorry for the long update! Here it is, although it's not as detailed as previous chapters, it does explain a little. Hope you like it.

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Chapter seven - Intoxicate

Ethan had disappeared with the blue eyed creature almost immediately, leaving Gohan to register his cold words. His dark eyes glanced down, watering with regret as he stepped forward gently. Leaning down, he thumbed the golden trinket with his left hand, smoothing it with his fingers to expose the pure metal. He turned the butterfly over and wiped the blood from the butterfly's wings and read the engraving. He rolled the letters over his lips as he spoke out loud.

"Bulma Briefs"

His eyes adopted a calculating, murderous look when he stood with the butterfly grasped in his hand. Dark eyebrows furrowed with anger and he hastily blinked enraged tears from his eyes. The room was dark and empty, the only light being the moon's white hue funnelling through the door. As he walked forward, he realised that for the first time in his life, he was truly helpless. Bulma was hurt or dead, his friends and family butchered. He was losing Piccolo, and amidst the mess he found himself wishing he could exchange everything just to have them back.

--Woods--

Piccolo's blood was escaping his body in rivets, snaking its way down his forearms and legs, pooling in the earth where the soil hungrily absorbed it. He opened his eyes, the dark making his vision nothing but shadows and the faint glint of light which occasionally touched the trees. Rolling over, he found himself face to face with the closed eyes of Bulma, red tracing her cheeks and lips. He reached out, refusing to entertain the possibility that she was dead, and wrapped his fingers around her delicate shoulder. When he opened his mouth, he was surprised at the vulnerability and emotion shaking in his voice.

"Bulma? Bulma wake up, Bulma!"

She grumbled slightly when he yelled, making the Namek breathe out in relief. He was the reason they were in this situation, and he wouldn't allow anyone the privilege of making him the monster that let them die.

He heard the voice of Goku in the distance, and the harsh responses of Vegeta, who despite their dire condition, was still managing to retort to the other Saiyan. His mind immediately thought of Gohan, who was no where in sight and as far as Piccolo knew, was hurt. He swallowed when he felt his eyes sting, and knowing that now of all times wasn't fit for an emotional outburst he opened his eyes stubbornly and let the moisture dry. He had felt so close to Gohan, but with every passing moment, it diminished more, leaving only tatters of the bond they once had. His irrational and instinctive actions had damaged their friendship, and Piccolo knew that now Gohan would never want to rekindle what they had. He whispered his words as he stared into the constellations that painted the dark sky.

"I'm sorry Gohan"

"You can tell him that when you see him Piccolo, until then, we need you on your feet!"

Goku's loud voice was unmistakably cheerful and optimistic, and with a wide grin he lent Piccolo his hand. Piccolo looked nervous for a moment, heavily aware that the trust the two warriors once had was now fading. Hesitantly, he placed his slender hand in the Saiyan's and allowed the shorter man to pull him to his feet. He winced as pain coursed through his abdomen and chest, alarming him to his injuries. Once stood, he held his stomach while he observed his surroundings.

Chi chi was relatively unscathed, and was seated on the ground holding a bleeding Goten in her hands. The young man was hurt but as far as Piccolo could tell, the wounds were superficial. Trunks and Pan were only a metre away while Krillan and 18 were talking to Goku, questioning their next move and the shortage of supplies. The sound of the group was overwhelming and Piccolo suddenly realised their exaggerated movement and boisterous conversation.

"Be quiet!"

Everyone halted in their steps, even Chi chi silenced her senseless mumbling. Piccolo was motionless, tensed, and listening intently. His ebony eyes darted left and right as his pointed ears twitched, trying to detect any sign of life in the surrounding trees. His shocked expression was first noticed by Krillan, who immediately asked what was wrong. Piccolo didn't have a moment to even consider the small man's question as he raced towards the foliage on his left. His eyes assumed their silver sheen and his fangs extended to their impressive length as he jumped onto the figure that was running towards them.

He collided into the other person, but his wrists were firmly held as he was pushed onto his back. Piccolo's large frame was easily overcome and he growled as his back crashed into the ground. His breath halted for a second when he looked into the dark eyes above him, and he felt himself calm at the sight. Gohan smiled down at Piccolo but his marked face was stern and commanding. Piccolo was taken aback by the half-Saiyan's change in demeanour but was too surprised by Gohan's sudden appearance to contemplate it. His breathing became laboured as his eyes returned to its solid onyx and he weakened under Gohan's grip. His voice was strong but faltered when it whispered.

"Gohan"

He stared down at his mentor with a soft expression once Piccolo had succumbed to unconsciousness, the obvious threat of the large Namek now minimal. He leant down and moved his cheek next to Piccolo's, opening his mouth to whisper into the elegant Jade ear.

"I'm going to take care of you Piccolo"

With that, he leant back and looked at the group, relief washing over him at the sight of his friends moving and talking. He smiled when he saw them, and grinned when his mother yelled his name in glee. He looked back at Piccolo, and stroked the Namek's cheek with the fingers of his right hand as his eyes adopted their usual gentle look. He leaned on his knee and stood, moving towards the others to make sure they were alright. His head was reeling with the thoughts which raced through it, clearly aware that they had been lucky this time.

--Sun rise--

The soft light streamed onto the Z senshi as they tinkered and spoke, planning their next move. Scientific equipment cluttered the grass as Bulma organised her thoughts before experimenting and theorising. They knew that the creatures would not leave the safety of darkness and day light was the only relief they had. Using the time to his advantage Piccolo crossed his legs when he sat, closing his eyes. He had meditated for only a few minutes before Gohan interrupted his thinking, with a hesitant look in his eyes.

"Piccolo? Is it ok if I speak with you?"

The Namek smirked, comforted by Gohan's expected curiosity.

"I can't remember a time when you asked for my permission to speak Gohan"

He chuckled slightly at his emerald coloured friend, but the kind sound was soon replaced by Gohan's certain words.

"I know that you and Ethan have some kind of connection. You must have an idea why we can't use our Chi?"

Piccolo seemed to judge the question for a moment, and considered deceiving the half-Saiyan and claiming he didn't know. He wondered that if the information he knew fell into the wrong hands it could be used against them and he was well aware of Gohan's trusting nature. After a few moments, he reasoned that Gohan deserved to know.

"The race intoxicated the water supply, before they attacked, with a chemical which suppresses energy. Despite their animalistic tendencies, they're quite clever"

"So we were drugged? How long will the effects last?"

"He didn't say"

Gohan's feet nudged the grass beneath him, his dark hair illuminated by the sun. He continued his line of questioning, but this time with a different matter in mind.

"Are you okay?"

Piccolo didn't respond, and simply looked at the demi-Saiyan with the answer written in his expression. He was far from alright, and was going to need a great deal of support when the night falls again. Gohan stepped closer to Piccolo, forcing the Namek to stand in order to face him. Suddenly suspicious, Gohan asked his mentor another question.

"How are you able to be in the sunlight, while the others can't?"

Piccolo smiled at Gohan's words, proud of the half-Saiyan's perception.

"They can survive in the sun, but are more suited to the darkness. Here, we have the advantage"

Gohan narrowed his eyes at his mentor's use of the word "we" and contemplated Piccolo's perspective. He was infuriated with his friend's situation and felt compelled to take action. 'I can't believe what they've done to you Piccolo. It's not fair.' He wanted to be close to his Piccolo but kept his distance, knowing it wouldn't be well received, 'I wonder if there's a cure', his thoughts stumbled on as he stared into Piccolo's obsidian depths.

Piccolo placed a hand on Gohan's shoulder, disturbing his wandering mind, and spoke with a deep, resounding quality.

"Thank you Gohan"

"No problem. Just promise me one thing"

"What?"

"Next time you think of joining the other side, reconsider"

Piccolo's sharp teeth could be seen when he smiled, making Gohan grin with him. Their conversation was soon interrupted by Bulma's bright and supervisory voice, as she exclaimed to the group.

"Right! I think I've found a way of detecting them. Their energy signature is significantly different from ours and once one of those signatures enter within half a mile of us, they will appear on this radar!"

Goku congratulated her on the invention and asked her to test it first, suggesting Piccolo as a test subject. Once the device was switched on, the black screen remained blank for a few seconds before one dot of light flashed, in the middle. Goku yelled in surprise at the success and his cheeks spread in an effort to move out of the way of his characteristic grin. Chi chi joined in the small celebration and announced that she was going to cook a hot meal, knowing that all of them could do with some decent food.

Piccolo was warmed by the apparent happiness of his friends, but knew it would be short lived and would probably come to another abrupt and bloody end. He watched Gohan walk towards his mother, who was gathering food capsules, and saw that his student was content. He felt absurd in the scene of smiling people, and was unimpressed with his alien energy signature.

His thoughts took a more serious route once he remembered the events of the previous night, 'I wonder what Ethan is planning? He could have easily killed us all, so why leave?' His spine tingled when he thought of Ethan, memories of their intimacy overwhelming his thoughts. The other man's hands were so soft, his skin unscathed and creamy in colour. His silver blue eyes were intense and crystal like in detail, making Piccolo want to stare and eventually fall into them. They had been in the soil, after the chase, and Piccolo had wanted nothing more than to be close to the other man.

Piccolo became angry at his own indulgence, his desire for Ethan making a mockery of his determination. 'Gohan is the only person I care about, the only person I-', he stopped himself before he committed himself to those words. He wouldn't be subject to such an emotion and was in no position to feel. 'I have no right to feel'.

--5 pm--

They had travelled for hours but hadn't covered as much ground as they intended as several of them were injured and all were tired. They had reached the end of the woods and with Piccolo's help, had navigated themselves to a place where they creatures would be reluctant to near.

The ocean was typically calm, with only a few waves crashing at the shore, a small demonstration of its splendour. The setting sun painted the moving water, leaving the sea a mixture of blue, red and orange. Birds were encircling far into its depths, and the sound of wildlife echoed in Piccolo's sensitive ears, reminding him of his love for the Earth. 'Nature will find a way of pulling through this', he slid the equipment he carried along the black sleeves of his shirt until they awkwardly fell to the floor. The sand was warm, he could feel its heat radiate through the air, and the sea was unusually spectacular. They all settled down by the safety of the water, setting up their new defences and placing sensors further away, effectively forming a two wall barricade.

Although Piccolo was confident that the creatures wouldn't venture near such a vast expanse of water, he knew it wouldn't stop Ethan. Their leader was not vulnerable to such insecurities and would easily disable Capsule Corp's technology without being detected. He had not told anyone, knowing that if they felt secure it would ease their minds, 'after all, it's not like they can stop him.' He looked towards Gohan, and watched the young man help out, his strong arms flexing with his movement. Piccolo could tell that Gohan was being secretive about something, and he was certain it concerned Ethan.

The sun was setting as they settled down for sleep, taking turns to ensure their safety. Piccolo was seated with his legs crossed, quietly observing Gohan fiddle with something. It glinted in the light, arousing Piccolo's curiosity, causing Gohan to retract his hand at the slight movement. The half-Saiyan looked at Piccolo nervously, but with a serious expression, silently informing the Namek that he wasn't going to speak about it. Piccolo made a noise of disapproval and returned to his attempts at meditation, which were becoming increasingly difficult.

--11 pm--

Gohan was awake, his eyes unnervingly wide and observant, in comparison to Vegeta's hooded ones. The rest of the Z senshi were asleep, leaving the two warriors to raise the alarm if necessary. His fingers fidgeted with thought as he rolled the golden butterfly in his hand, wondering why Ethan had given him the trinket and effectively lured him to the safety his friends. His dark eyes were concentrated when he placed the butterfly in his pocket but softened when he turned to look at his mentor.

He had found it quite amusing when Piccolo had literally fallen on his side when meditating, exhaustion claiming the Namek, forcing the large man into slumber. His arms were still fluid green in colour, the pink armour had not returned, and the same was evident on his shoulders. The dark jeans Piccolo was wearing fitted him well, and Gohan thought that the outfit complemented the emerald of his skin. Lying on his side, the contours of the man's physique were illuminated by the fire's soft light, showing him to be more slender than Gohan had imagined. 'He's quite slim, I wonder if he's drinking enough', he looked at Piccolo's face and saw the calm in his features, his antennae delicate against his skin. 'He looks so…beautiful, a little like those creatures I've seen in fantasy books. I wonder what he'd say about that', he smiled to himself as he imagine Piccolo's reaction. 'I think I'm falling in love with you Piccolo'.

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