[Chapter Four]

"How's it going?" Vegeta poked his head through the lab door.

"Great." Bulma made one last change on the computer, and swung her chair around. "Are you going to bed soon?"

"Not for a long time, I just came from there." Vegeta smiled. "You've been up all night."

"What?" Bulma checked her watch.

Vegeta chuckled.

"Uh, Vegeta, could I get you to do something?" Bulma asked, reaching for the coffee pot. "Could you go get Piccolo for me? Please?"

"Sure, I--" Vegeta stiffened, and stood back furiously. "Fine, Woman! Don't make me breakfast!"

Bulma sighed, and turned back to her computer.

"Gee, Vegeta. Something up?" Goku asked, padding up the hallway.

"No! Let's just train." Vegeta stormed down to the gravity room.

Goku looked in at Bulma, sitting at the computer.

"Same old Vegeta, eh?" He asked with a smile.

"Yeah," Bulma agreed, turning around.

"KAKAROT!" Vegeta yelled.

"Coming!" Goku called, gave Bulma a small wave, and wandered down the hall.

"I guess Vegeta won't be fetching Piccolo for me." Bulma sighed.

"Are you okay?" Dende asked.

"I sense a great disturbance is about to happen." Piccolo frowned at the horizon. "Something bad is coming. Really soon."

"Really?" Dende looked up at Piccolo.

RING RING!!

RING RING!!

"That's the phone! I'll get it," Dende volunteered.

"Doom is upon us." Piccolo sighed.

"Hello?" Dende's voice filtered through from the next room. "Oh, Bulma! Hi. Hmm? Piccolo? Sure, he's here. Capsule Corp? Right away? Okay, I'll tell him. Bye Bulma."

"I'm doomed, aren't I?" Piccolo asked Dende as he walked back in.

"Yup. Bulma wants you at Capsule Corp ASAP." Dende grinned. "When you die, can I have your stuff?"

"Split it with Gohan." Piccolo materialized his cape and turban and headed for the door.

Dende hummed the death march.

Piccolo walked in the front doors of Capsule Corp and slowly walked towards the back of the complex where the science labs were concealed. Pigging out in the kitchen was Goku, who looked up when his Namekian friend walked in.

"Piccolo?" He asked around a mouthful of Doritos. "What are you doing here? Gonna train with me and Vegeta?"

"I have been summoned by Bulma." Piccolo said gravely.

Goku dropped his food, shock emerging on his face.

"Aw man, sorry dude." Goku swallowed, then saluted Piccolo. "You leave us with honour and pride. Go forth, and fight well."

Piccolo nodded, and continued down the hall.

Bulma was waiting for him when he reached the labs.

"Piccolo!" She greeted him cheerfully. "Good to see you. Come right in, come on!"

Piccolo fought a strong urge to flee.

"He's as good as dead, isn't he?" Goku asked Vegeta, staring down the corridor.

"If the woman's computer screen last night was any indication, he's going to end up worse than dead." Vegeta chewed on a sandwich.

There was a long, silent pause.

"Rematch?" Vegeta challenged.

"You're going down, little man!" Goku raced to the living room.

"You should give up, Kakarot! No-one can beat me at Pong!"