* What a strange dream, * Piccolo thought, opening his eyes.
But it wasn't a dream at all. He had been sleeping on a giant mattress-like
pillow, red-purple in color, covered with pillows and blankets decorated
with intricate, impressing designs. It was raised on a platform three steps
above a large, very empty brown-green stone room. In fact, the only other
thing in the room besides Piccolo and the mattress was a gigantic fireplace
housing one of the largest fires Piccolo had ever seen in his life. The
fireplace took up almost the entire wall, and the room could probably hold
the entire World Martial Arts Tournament Stadium inside of it.
"Gohan? Goku?" Piccolo called.
No one answered.
Piccolo carefully got to his feet and shivered under the silk blanket. The room was freezing cold, worse than it had been in the Temple. He could see the fog pour from his mouth and nostrils as he spoke. In a pathetic attempt to warm his body he pulled his cape around his arms and brought the silk blanket closer. His voice trembled and his body shivered violently, "Anyone?"
Piccolo stepped down from the platform and settled himself directly beside the fireplace. Suddenly, a huge metal door on the other side of the room opened.
"Where are the others?" Piccolo asked.
"The others?" a deep, menacing voice repeated.
"Yes, the others I came with," Piccolo clarified.
"You came with no one. They escaped, but they'll be back for you," the voice answered, coming nearer to the Namek and bringing a massive shadow with it.
* Everything is big here, * Piccolo thought.
The large shadow eclipsed Piccolo's light. He glanced up to see a large man, built strong, with flaming red hair. A closer look revealed he had a dull green skin.
"Your skin is as beautiful as mine used to be," the man said, now standing directly over Piccolo.
Piccolo was taken aback.
"My poor Piccolo, you are cold," the man cooed, handing a cup to Piccolo.
The cup was as large as everything else was, made of something like clay, designed with symbols he couldn't decipher. A damp cloth was wrapped around the cup to protect Piccolo's hands from the heat. Inside of the cup was a dark liquid. It had the strong aroma of nature- fresh spring rain, flowers and herbs, trees abundant with sap.
"Drink it, Piccolo. It is Gerudo Tea I made warm for you. We usually drink it cold, but you need it for warmth," the man told Piccolo.
The Namek put his lips to the cup and breathed in the steam before nervously sipping. It was extremely hot; he flinched.
"It's very hot," Piccolo answered quietly. For some reason, Piccolo found it hard to be rude to this man. Perhaps it was the man's frightening size. He was beginning to wonder nervously who this man was.
The man read Piccolo's nervous expression and said, "I am Ganondorf." Ganondorf smirked.
"Are you going to let me go?" Piccolo asked.
"Oh, no, not when your friends are so strong," Ganondorf laughed.
Piccolo wondered what this had to do with anything. Then he announced, "I am strong. I'll fight you myself for freedom."
"There is no need to try. My magic is advanced. It will be a battle between paper and scissors. It will be over before I even warm up. And besides, I don't wish to fight you, beautiful Piccolo," Ganondorf said vainly, sitting on the steps to Piccolo's bed.
Piccolo sighed and sipped at the liquid in his cup. Like Ganondorf had said, it flowed down his throat and warmed him instantly. The fluid was full of flavor. It was fairly thick and strong. Piccolo had never tasted anything like it. He watched Ganondorf for a second.
"How does it taste?" Ganondorf questioned.
Piccolo replied truthfully, "It's delicious, the best I've ever tasted."
"I'm glad you enjoy it. I worked hard on making it perfect for you," Ganondorf replied, beaming madly.
Piccolo took another sip and said, "All right, let me get this straight, I'm your prisoner? Then why are you treating me like an important guest?"
"Think of yourself as a guest I'm using for my dirty work," Ganondorf laughed sadistically. "You are beautiful, too beautiful to treat like a prisoner."
"You are insane," Piccolo retorted, taking a final swallow from his cup.
Ganondorf shrugged and pressed his fingertips together. "You are finished already with your tea? I take that as a compliment. Would you like some more?" he inquired.
Piccolo was on the verge of saying no, but speculated what would happen if he allowed this man to stay in his room any longer. A disturbing prediction flashed through his mind of himself chained to the mattress with Ganondorf approaching him, whip in hand. He shuddered and responded, "Yes, of course."
His answer had pleased the much larger man. Ganondorf took Piccolo's cup and left without another word.
Piccolo got to his feet and walked back to his bed. He decided that this new world was very strange and hoped the others would come to free him soon.
When he sat on his bed, the pillows cushioned his muscular body. He buried himself under the blankets and made himself comfortable. Above him, the ceiling was glass, the sky above him was twisted black and purple.
* Night time is strange here, * Piccolo thought.
He corrected himself- "Everything is strange here."
"Gohan? Goku?" Piccolo called.
No one answered.
Piccolo carefully got to his feet and shivered under the silk blanket. The room was freezing cold, worse than it had been in the Temple. He could see the fog pour from his mouth and nostrils as he spoke. In a pathetic attempt to warm his body he pulled his cape around his arms and brought the silk blanket closer. His voice trembled and his body shivered violently, "Anyone?"
Piccolo stepped down from the platform and settled himself directly beside the fireplace. Suddenly, a huge metal door on the other side of the room opened.
"Where are the others?" Piccolo asked.
"The others?" a deep, menacing voice repeated.
"Yes, the others I came with," Piccolo clarified.
"You came with no one. They escaped, but they'll be back for you," the voice answered, coming nearer to the Namek and bringing a massive shadow with it.
* Everything is big here, * Piccolo thought.
The large shadow eclipsed Piccolo's light. He glanced up to see a large man, built strong, with flaming red hair. A closer look revealed he had a dull green skin.
"Your skin is as beautiful as mine used to be," the man said, now standing directly over Piccolo.
Piccolo was taken aback.
"My poor Piccolo, you are cold," the man cooed, handing a cup to Piccolo.
The cup was as large as everything else was, made of something like clay, designed with symbols he couldn't decipher. A damp cloth was wrapped around the cup to protect Piccolo's hands from the heat. Inside of the cup was a dark liquid. It had the strong aroma of nature- fresh spring rain, flowers and herbs, trees abundant with sap.
"Drink it, Piccolo. It is Gerudo Tea I made warm for you. We usually drink it cold, but you need it for warmth," the man told Piccolo.
The Namek put his lips to the cup and breathed in the steam before nervously sipping. It was extremely hot; he flinched.
"It's very hot," Piccolo answered quietly. For some reason, Piccolo found it hard to be rude to this man. Perhaps it was the man's frightening size. He was beginning to wonder nervously who this man was.
The man read Piccolo's nervous expression and said, "I am Ganondorf." Ganondorf smirked.
"Are you going to let me go?" Piccolo asked.
"Oh, no, not when your friends are so strong," Ganondorf laughed.
Piccolo wondered what this had to do with anything. Then he announced, "I am strong. I'll fight you myself for freedom."
"There is no need to try. My magic is advanced. It will be a battle between paper and scissors. It will be over before I even warm up. And besides, I don't wish to fight you, beautiful Piccolo," Ganondorf said vainly, sitting on the steps to Piccolo's bed.
Piccolo sighed and sipped at the liquid in his cup. Like Ganondorf had said, it flowed down his throat and warmed him instantly. The fluid was full of flavor. It was fairly thick and strong. Piccolo had never tasted anything like it. He watched Ganondorf for a second.
"How does it taste?" Ganondorf questioned.
Piccolo replied truthfully, "It's delicious, the best I've ever tasted."
"I'm glad you enjoy it. I worked hard on making it perfect for you," Ganondorf replied, beaming madly.
Piccolo took another sip and said, "All right, let me get this straight, I'm your prisoner? Then why are you treating me like an important guest?"
"Think of yourself as a guest I'm using for my dirty work," Ganondorf laughed sadistically. "You are beautiful, too beautiful to treat like a prisoner."
"You are insane," Piccolo retorted, taking a final swallow from his cup.
Ganondorf shrugged and pressed his fingertips together. "You are finished already with your tea? I take that as a compliment. Would you like some more?" he inquired.
Piccolo was on the verge of saying no, but speculated what would happen if he allowed this man to stay in his room any longer. A disturbing prediction flashed through his mind of himself chained to the mattress with Ganondorf approaching him, whip in hand. He shuddered and responded, "Yes, of course."
His answer had pleased the much larger man. Ganondorf took Piccolo's cup and left without another word.
Piccolo got to his feet and walked back to his bed. He decided that this new world was very strange and hoped the others would come to free him soon.
When he sat on his bed, the pillows cushioned his muscular body. He buried himself under the blankets and made himself comfortable. Above him, the ceiling was glass, the sky above him was twisted black and purple.
* Night time is strange here, * Piccolo thought.
He corrected himself- "Everything is strange here."