In Search of Amity


Period 17


Piccolos endless quest for perfection was put on hold, now his meditations were dedicated to probing his troubled psych on a search for the cause of his confusion and self alienation. He felt like his soul was scratching at the inside of his skin to escape him, could he be dying he thought... he had been dead before and the sensation he felt now was all to familiar. He decided to keep his mind active by practicing his gymnastic routines around the ships halls, changing his stride from walk to summersaults, forward rolls and so on in random patterns along the ground at high speed.

As he cart wheeling past the gravity chamber door, Vegeta stepped out almost getting knocked over by the 7 footer. "Watch where you're going you emerald imbecile!" he cursed as Piccolo disappear down the hallway. Shaking his Vegeta continued to the upstairs kitchen, it was lunch time and Bra had cooked for a change instead of microwave sushi, personally he couldn't wait to waft down something that wasn't frozen.

He could already smell the warm scent of roasted meats and vegetables as he jogged up the stairs, his stomach grumbled and bounced with hunger as he reach the kitchen door pushing it wide open. Straight to the table he sat himself down beside Goten opposite Pan. Pan chuckled "Vegeta you could smell it all the way from down there couldn't you?" She giggles "Bra's cooking is some of the best, your all going to find that out today" she added looking to each person at the table.

"I live with the girl, of course I know she can cook" Vegeta huffed, leaning back in his chair impatiently eyeing Bra's back as she finished up in the kitchen, he heard the plates being shuffled and relaxed, turning his eyes to the end of the kitchen bench where Dende sat alone on a steel stool. "I'm relieved you're not hopping around like a horny grasshopper, unlike that other evergreen" Vegeta commented, Dende looked to him with confusion. Gohan overheard the comment and turned to the prince with a raised eyebrow "Come again?" he asked with half laugh from his seat beside Pan.

Vegeta exhaled stressfully "Your mentor has been bouncing around the hallways for almost two hours, my patients with him it is wearing thin" he proclaimed, returning his attention to Bra in the kitchen as she filled plates, from the corner of his eye he watched Savarna stand up to assist his daughter.

Gohan looked from his father to Vegeta and then Dende who sat quietly separated from the rest. "Do you know anything about this?" He asked the promptly. Dende looked up and shook his head "I have no idea about any of this. I haven't spoken to him much over the past few weeks... sorry Gohan" Dende responded, sitting on the kitchen stool with his feet dangling centimeters above the floor. Gohan glanced back at the table shaking his head "What, am I going to do... tell me what the hell do I do to get him to talk about what's going on" he snapped standing from the table and pacing across the room to the opposite wall, his hands placed firmly over his hips.

Pan stood up "Dad, don't expect him to tell you everything that's on his mind, he's not a baby you know" She stated defensively. Gohan turned and eyed her. "Honey just stay out of this ok, you don't know Piccolo like I do" he told her, gazing to the floor he paced back and forth more, feeling everyone's eyes upon him but didn't care. "Your wrong Gohan you don't know Piccolo, he's a grown Namek and doesn't need you to be on his back about everything he does" Goku enforced, aware his son loved his mentor like a father, even so Gohan's constant monitoring of Piccolos actions was something that needed to stop.

"Dad can you see things by my perspective for a second, he sits there staring at and talking to walls, hears voices in his head and has hallucinations about seeing his own death, he even wants to perform a self exorcism, he belongs in a god damn straight jacket!" Gohan shouted, his eyes watering up with faint tears from the pain of hearing the words come from his mouth. Goku stood up from his seat and vigorously approached Gohan till they stood an inch apart. "Quiet, he probably heard every word that just flew out your big mouth, were all stressed right now and I can see he isn't well BUT the last thing I need onboard is a resentful, unstable Namekian warrior with all those problems being provoked!" Goku hissed though thinly parted lips; his eldest son bit his tongue and buried his unsaid comments.

Everyone sat in silence and Bra stood stunned with two plates full of hot food in her hands, beside her with a fork in hand Vegeta reached out grasping one and started feeding himself. Gohan nodded faintly to himself as he eyed the floor "Put mine in the fridge Bra" he uttered, walking around his father and through the nearest exit, closing the door behind him. Those left inside slowly returned to their normal activities, Goku took his seat and Bra started serving food. "Sav get him a glass of water will you please" Goten request, pointing out to her its recipient sitting across the room. Savarna retrieved a tall glass from under the cupboard and filled it with water from the purifier; walking to the end of the kitchen bench she held it out to Dende.

Dende looked at the hand holding the glass before looking to her eyes; to him they looked calm yet occupied, probably from the argument that took place between Goku and Gohan that left everyone shook up. "Thank you" he said taking the glass gently from her hand and keeping vigilant eye contact with her throughout. "Your welcome" she responded calmly, breaking eye contact with him she returned to her seat.

Looking up momentarily from her plate Pan realized there was an empty seat between Bra and Vegeta with a full platter of food set at it " wait, whereas trunks?" she asked looking around. Bra looked up "He's in the gravity chamber but he shouldn't be long, he wont resist when he finds out freshly cooked food is on" She joked lifting putting another fork full of food to her mouth. "Oh... alright" Pan said, internally wondering why he never showed much of himself lately, she missed seeing him around.


Relaxing a moment to catch his breath, he heard unusual sounds and vibrations coming from the engine-room on the bottom floor where he stood, following the direction of the sound, Piccolo came to a platinum bolted door that has rust collecting around the edges, stepping closer he placed his ear against it and closed his eyes. The sound was crystal clear yet unidentifiable, stepping away several feet he fired a small ki blast at the lock melting it instantly. Pushing his way inside he found the air within the room hot and reeking of petroleum fumes.

Glancing around in detail at the mess of moving parts, barrels and pipes he spotted a probably cause in one corner, a thick vein of black liquid flowed from a thin slice at the base of some rusted fuel drum, coming to it he knelt down and dipped his fingertip into the fluid, rubbing the sticky thick substance between his fingertips. "Damm" he cursed in a low grunt, his eyes followed the vein to where it led behind a set of other drums, glancing behind it he found a large black pool of fuel gathered around exposed wires and chipboards.

Lifting the left corner of his left lip he hissed "Shit" avoiding the puddle he kneeled down to analyze the extent of damages with his untrained eye, in his humble opinion the outcome wasn't good, everything the fuel had touched had melted. Standing he hurried out the room shutting the door behind him, in a swift leap he flew up the length of two floors to land just outside the kitchen, pushing the door open he entered to find everyone still eating.

"We have a big problem" he announced, before anyone could ask he left he room to head back down, Goten stood up and jogged out after the Namek followed closely by Goku, Bra and Pan. Savarna also wanted to follow but hadn't finished placing dishes in the sink and from her hurriedness she unwillingly dropping one to the ground where it smashes apart. "Dammit girl use your head" Vegeta snapped, the sharp ear piercing sound irritating him. Savarna bit her lip placing the other plates in the sink gently, tucking her hair behind her ears she eyed the smashed remains and dropped to her knees to pick them up, as she checked under the table she heard a light thump beside her and looked back to find Dende picking up pieces along with her.

A short pause ensued "Thank-you" she uttered elegantly yet vulnerable, placing each porcelain chip in her cupped hand as she found them while Dende gathered the larger pieces up and placed them on the bench above him. When all were found they stood and dusted off their clothing "Don't inhale whatever emotion it is your feeling, let it go, it's just a plate" Dende expressed with a slight smirk, he then heading out to follow Piccolo. "Oh you're welcome" he called back then disappeared through the kitchen door and over the railing.

After he was gone she found him gone she still felt the mixed feelings of letting herself speak to him more openly and stepping out of her comfort zone, she remembered the personal note she made, to try and get along with him because they were going to train together sooner or later.


Thank-you for reading.