A/N:
Dreamwraith: Ah, I didn't even notice I did that. I think I was still thinking Piccolo Damaio, not Piccolo Jr… Gah. Lol. Thanks for pointing that out, I don't think I'll have anymore trouble with that…
Thank you for the review:D
Daffodil: Gotta love those cliffhangers, huh:) Thank you for the review!
Piccolosdragon: The answers are in this chapter. Most of them anyways. :D Thank you for reviewing!
Volcanic: I know, I always write myself into situations like this… Thanks for the review!
Miroku-has-darkness: Here you go :-D Thanks for reviewing!
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Deafening silence engulfed Ganjo with the light; his eyes instinctively closed, but still burned from the intensity of the light. His blood pounded in his ears like a loud rhythmic drum. It drowned out the screams of his father, uncle, and Piccolo making them blend in with the white noise consuming his body. His mouth opened, his screams were torn from his lungs and pulled away with the explosion.
'Is this how it feels to die?' He thought allowing the blast to carry him away like it had his voice.
"Ganjo!" Gohan screamed turning his head away from the light, his arm moving in front of his face to shield himself.
Piccolo was still turned towards the blast, both his arms shielding his face and eyes, "No!" He shouted feeling the force of the ki push him back through the air and into Gohan and Goten.
Goten clenched his jaw shut, the air around them crackled with electricity sending pins and needles through their bodies, it was like his body had suddenly fallen asleep.
"Oh Kami-" He gasped dropping to the ground; his body feeling so numb he didn't even feel the impact when he hit.
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Kage stumbled back feeling his energy suddenly drop. He looked around dazedly, the buildings were completely gone leaving only Ganjo and everyone lying somewhere unconscious in their wake. There was silence in his head for once, it was a refreshing feeling. He sighed letting his eyes roll up into the back of his head as he fell forward.
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Gohan rolled over onto his stomach and pushed himself up; blood dripped from a gash across his forehead to the desert sand. His eyes slid over to Piccolo lying a few feet away from him, his cape having been torn from his body along with his turban. The dust scratched at his eyes as it settled making them water.
"P-Piccolo." He coughed clearing the dust from his lungs as he struggled to get to his feet.
Something, or someone, stirred behind him. Gohan tore his eyes off Piccolo's still form and looked over his shoulder at his little brother lying on his back gasping for air.
Goten gritting his teeth together; his eyes, bloodshot and watering, stared straight up at the sky as he forced in another raspy breath. Gohan stood up moving to his brother in alarm and nearly fell as he knelt down by him.
"Hey 'ten, can you hear me?" He rested his hand on Goten's chest finding several of his ribs shattered, quickly he removed his hand.
"Go…ha…n." Goten gurgled, blood drooling down his chin as he gasped.
Gohan swallowed dryly, "Just stay calm, you'll be okay. I gotta check on Piccolo and find Ganjo, 'ten." He carefully brushed back Goten's bangs, "Breath slowly, I'll be right back."
Gohan climbed back to his feet trying not to look back down at Goten as his brother's fear filled eyes followed him. Piccolo was in worse shape than he had thought; Gohan breathed in sharply through his nose as he knelt down by Piccolo's side. The Namekian's gi was torn and bloodied from numerous cuts and scraps.
"Piccolo," He gently shook his former sensei's shoulder, "Piccolo wake up. I need your help, Goten's hurt really bad and-" His eyes darted around the one time thriving city now reduced to rubble and sand, "I… I don't know where Ganjo is- Piccolo wake up!" He shook the Namek's shoulder harder finding it limp.
"Oh Kami," Gohan whispered rolling Piccolo over onto his back, finding the front of his gi completely soaked through in blood, "P-Pic?" He felt for a pulse then raked his hands through his hair, "No… no, no, no… This can't… this can't be happening."
The whites of Piccolo's eyes showed under his half opened eyelids.
"You can't be…" Gohan sucked in a deep breath and stood up looking around. He couldn't look back down at Piccolo's lifeless body; he couldn't pull the blood soaked gi away in fear of what he'd find. So he left them there, left him dead in his own blood and didn't even look back once.
His eyes traveled along the ridges in the dirt, over the large rocks that had somehow managed to escape the blast. And then they fell on a smudge of green mixed with purple and orange. Anger seethed through Gohan, his lips drew back in a snarl as he approached the body of Kage.
"Dear Kami, you better hope you're dead Kage." He growled looking over the boy.
None too gently Gohan nudge Kage's side and then stood back waiting for a reaction. Kage remained still, his features remaining peaceful as though he was sleeping and none of this was real. It was all just some horrible nightmare.
Gohan dropped to his knees grabbing Kage by the collar and shook him, "Wake up you bastard!" He found himself shouting words he had never thought he'd be saying to the son of his sensei, "Look what you've done! Thousands of people gone, including your father! Are you happy now?" He shoved him back into the ground and growled climbing to his feet, "We gave you a chance…"
Kage's chest raised and fell.
Gohan snorted turning away from him and began walking away in search of his son.
He had to be alive still.
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Everything's gonna be all right
Rockabye, rockabye
Everything's gonna be all right
Rockabye, rockabye
Videl sang softly with the song, it wasn't slow, it wasn't fast, but it made her feel more relaxed. She put in the CD after the radio broke in with reports of North City disappearing in an explosion so large nothing remained but dust and gravel. She couldn't listen to it anymore knowing who was behind the destruction.
It was unnerving to know that the once sweet, good tempered little boy she had allowed her son to play with since he was 4; was some kind of evil monster. It seemed like yesterday the little Namekian boy was knocking on their front door, wearing a bright red hat he had found somewhere along the way. He would grin up at her turning the hat backwards so he could see her better and say-
"Videl!" Gohan shouted throwing the front door open, "I need a sensu now!" He called out nearly collapsing under Goten's weight as he dragged his brother into the house.
Videl appeared in the hallway, "Oh Kami, Gohan what happened?" She gasped helping him carry Goten into the family room and lay him down on the floor, "Where's Ganjo? Where's Piccolo? Where's-"
"Videl!" Gohan cut her off as he sat down next to Goten who had fallen unconscious during the twenty minutes it took Gohan to carry him home, "Please, I need the sensus!"
Videl nodded disappearing into the other room in search of the small brown burlap bag.
"I couldn't find Ganjo." Gohan said softly once Videl returned with the bag, "I looked everywhere… I…" He paused taking out the three beans from the bag and put one in Goten's mouth and rubbed his throat gently, "Swallow 'ten." He whispered then sighed when Goten responded and swallowed the bean.
Videl sank down onto the floor by them, "Gohan what are you saying?" She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes; she could feel her heart breaking.
Goten winced opening his eyes and looked around.
Videl grabbed Gohan's arm, "Gohan, where's my baby?"
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A/N: The song lyrics I used are by Shawn Mullins and is called Rockabye.
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