Piccolo looked up at Nozomi after she'd been humming constantly for half an hour, seeing she was laying on the couch upside down, looking at something in her hands.

x

"Here," Tholi said, putting an amulet around Nozomi's neck, "I've been meaning to give this to you for a while. This is the amulet that was around your neck when I found you."

Nozomi looked at it and then at Tholi, unable to hide her tears, "It's from- you mean-"

She smiled and cupped the girl's face in her hands, trying to imagine her as she would be, and finding it hard to see past the child she loved, "It's yours now. It will protect you."

"Tholi," Nozomi choked, throwing her arms around the woman, not realizing she was taller.

"I've got to go before the moon reaches its zenith," she said, swinging gracefully onto the large warhorse, "I'll send someone for you before the festival. Ohan na lo."

"Ohan na lo," Nozomi watched Tholi ride away, and looked up at the moon, only a small sliver of it still visible. She felt someone next to her and turned her head, surprised to see Gohan instead of Piccolo.

x

She turned the amulet in her hand again, looking in wonder at the beautiful symbol on it. She'd seen it before; the open lotus with the rising sun, five hands above it like rays. The symbol of Solaria. The lotus represented life and rebirth, night and day, and the hands above the sun represented the hands of Solaria. There were only five, because it was said she held the world in her sixth hand.

There was some sort of writing around the edge of the sun, but she couldn't see it to make it out, and it occurred to her that whoever had made it had immense skill. She realized Piccolo was staring at her and she looked up, blinking at him, "What?"

"Do you have to hum?" he asked, trying not to notice her could see right up her shirt.

She rolled over and sat up, shrugging, "Sorry. Didn't realize I was. How long have you know all of them?"

He raised a brow, "All my life."

"Really? How old are you?" she asked, cocking her head to look at him, "You don't look as old as them."

"I'm four years older than you," he said, watching her eyes widen, "Nameks age differently."

"Oh," she said, then, without skipping a beat, "When's your birthday?"

He sighed, "If you're that bored, find something else to do besides interrogate me."

"Piccolo, stop being a grouch and answer the question," she frowned, crossing her arms, "It won't kill you to answer a few questions. Heaven knows I've answered all of yours."

"I was born in May," he said, "And I'm not answering any more asinine questions."

She gave him a look, "Well, forgive me for wanting to know you. And to think I actually defended you."

"Defen- What do you mean?" he asked, looking interested.

"Nothing, if you're going to be a horse's ass," she said, taking the book off the coffee table and opening it angrily.

He stared at her for five minutes, "I know you're not reading that."

Her knuckles went white, "And how's that?"

"The book's upside down," he smirked, thinking she could be as dumb as Goku sometimes.

She looked over the top of it, her eyes narrowed, "Maybe I like reading like this."

"May ninth," he said, "Now, what did you mean?"

She shrugged, "I told them I liked you, and that it was easy living with you when they asked me about it. Chi Chi looked at me like I'd grown horns."

"She would," he growled, looking at the floor.

"Is it because of Gohan?" she asked, catching him off guard, "He told me about when you trained him."

"I was a different person then," he said softly, closing his eyes.

She gave him a concerned look, "Piccolo. . ."

She got no response and got up, going into the kitchen and beginning to cut vegetables, not really focusing on making anything in particular.

x

He walked into the kitchen and looked at all the chopped vegetables, watching her pull over another zucchini, going and taking the knife out of her hand, "Have you looked around?"

She looked at him and then at the neat piles of julienned carrots, diced onions, and other various cuts and kinds of veggies. She suddenly threw her arms around Piccolo's waist and felt him tense up, "I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings."

He looked down at the top of her head and felt his heart melt a bit more, and he cleared his throat, "You finished?"

"Sorry," she said, pulling away from him, her cheeks pink.

"Quit apologizing," he said, watching her open her mouth and shut it with a snap, a sheepish smile forming on her lips, "What are you going to do with all this?"

"I have no idea," she said, "Would you-"

He sighed, one corner of his lips turning up, "If you cook it, I guess I could eat it."

She smiled broadly and got out a pot, and he watched her, not realizing his cheeks were slightly flushed.

xxxx

Summer faded to autumn, and one day Yume showed up at their door, and Nozomi looked suddenly nervous.

"Come on No-chan, you'll do fine," she prodded.

"You're coming aren't you?" Nozomi asked, looking at Piccolo.

"Of course he's coming," Yume said, seeing Piccolo give her an incredulous look and raising a brow.

Nozomi and Piccolo looked at each other, and she smiled, "You really don't have to go."

"You're not missing any training time," he said, not seeing Yume shake her head, "You're beginning to get lazy."

"Lazy!" she yelled, watching him fly off and ignoring Yume's snort of laughter, "I am NOT!"

x

He landed and looked around at the hundreds of prayers tied to the branches of the trees around the public entrance as he walked into the cool interior of the Temple. He watched Tholi smile as she looked over and spotted him, and then saw Otaka, resisting the urge to glare at the younger man. Otaka spotted him and walked over, almost stepping in front of him.

"Where's Nozomi?" he demanded, remembering all the hang ups Piccolo had put him through.

Piccolo ignored him and headed to his room, not wanting to deal with him.

x

"Why doesn't he just admit he likes being around you?" Yume asked when they'd slowed the horses down to a walk.

'Who, Piccolo?" Nozomi asked, and then shrugged, "You've been around him, he just isn't that expressive."

"That's a real understatement," Yume said, "Otaka talks about you all the time. It's starting to get annoying."

"Really? I think he's starting to annoy Piccolo too. I can't tell you how many times I've had him tell me that Piccolo hung up on him."

"Otaka's not his biggest fan," she said, deciding to be honest, "He thinks he's some kind of demon and-"

"Stop right there," she said, looking angry, "I think I just may have to have a little talk with him."

"So what is Piccolo exactly?" Yume asked.

"A Namek," she replied, "Whatever that means. I've never seen anyone like him."

"Tholi said she's seen someone like him before, but she wouldn't go into detail about it. What's it like living with him? Have you ever seen him na-"

"Yume!" she cried, turning red, "What in the Nine Hells!"

The young priestess grinned, "You've got a crush on him. Won't Otaka be mad."

"I don't have a crush on him," Nozomi spat, spurring Kumori into a gallop.

"Hey! Wait!" Yume called, urging her horse into a fast lope, watching Siren pass her, Guess I hit a nerve.