One year later…

He didn't even want to be wished back, how could he want to stay dead and live with King Kaiou and his monkey and cricket? "Doesn't he want to spend time with his family?", Gohan mused as he approached his mentor Piccolo.

"I didn't understand it either, Gohan", said Piccolo, "But Goku is dead and wishes to stay that way, and he often has good reasons for his decisions." Gohan looked at Piccolo with surprise. "Now don't get me wrong kid, I don't completely agree with your father, but it was not my decision to make, and as long as I am here Gohan, I will look after you and you family." Although Piccolo's face was granite, he showed only a twinkle in his eye that Gohan immediately saw that showed his concern for the hybrid youth.

"I know Piccolo, but it still frustrates me, mom and I need him here, alive." Whined Gohan. He fell silent. "I struggle with my saiyan emotions, Piccolo my mother wants me to study all day long and my father wishes me to train and fight." Gohan stated plainly,

"Well look where fighting got my father, and I can't study all day and let my abilities go to waste." "I will be the balance of the whole, and I must protect everyone I love even if my father isn't here for me to depend on, I must depend on myself and those still with me"

Piccolo said nothing more but clapped Gohan on his shoulder, "You show great wisdom, but that just comes from good teaching," he said with a smirk. "Let's see what else I can teach you."

Piccolo got into a fighting stance as he flew back from gohan a few yards.

"Teach me? You must be out of your mind old man." Shot back Gohan as he too grinned and tool on a fighting stance.

"Hey I'm (Even though he fused with Kami and Nail he still retains his youth and is essentially the same body) only about three years old than you, but enough talk let's go!" shouted Piccolo as he sprang forth seeking to get in the first attack on the powerful youth.

Gohan waited for Piccolo get close enough then he zanzokened (after-image attack) above him, but Piccolo anticipated the move and extended his arm up snagged Gohan's leg and threw him down, hard.

Gohan rolled out to absorb most of the impact and was once again in Piccolo's face, he feinted with his left leg and punched Piccolo hard with his right hand. He followed it up with a roundhouse and knocked Piccolo back into some rocks. "Masenko-Ha!" screamed Gohan as he fired off his blast. Piccolo caught of guard, used his split form technique to barely evade the blast. "Solar Flare!" growled Piccolo. He took advantage of Gohan's momentary blindess and powered up to attack him, he shot straigh ahead while his counterpart came from behind Gohan.

Gohan regained his sight right before Piccolo could punch him and dodged, but was hit with the trademark elbow from the other Piccolo from above. They flew down and double-teamed Gohan with a flurry of punch pouring it on and not letting Gohan breathe. Gohan was taking a beating and he had had just about enough but Piccolo was strong and he couldn't escape at least not in his current form. "HAAAA!" yelled Gohan as he became a super saiyan and blew the two piccolos off of him with his enormous ki. "Damn!" yelled Piccolo, "I almost had you!" "Yeah right, Piccolo" smirked Gohan. Piccolo's two halves reformed back into one. Gohan flew forward faster than Piccolo could sense and punched him in the gut, then followed up with a flurry of punches and kicks before charging a small ki blast and blew Piccolo away about a mile away into the side of a mountain. Gohan grinned, "after all those years when Mr. Piccolo beat me senseless while training me, I finally get payback", thought Gohan.

"Hey Piccolo you had enough?" shouted Gohan. Then he realized Piccolo hadn't returned from the rubble to finish fighting. "Oh man I hope I didn't seriously hurt him" thought Gohan, as he flew to the ground near where he sensed Piccolo. But Piccolo's energy wasn't fading, it was growing! Gohan didn't realize this until he heard "Makankosappo!" Piccolo's spiraling beam came at Gohan fast and Gohan had no way to move. He powered up to SSJ2 and took the blast head on with his arms crossed in front of him. It sent him reeling back as Gohan used his energy to try and stop it but it was burrowing through his ki shield with amazing speed. "Darn you Piccolo, you must have been charging it the whole time I was gloating", thought Gohan. Gohan finally stopped being pushed back by the beam as it grew weak and he pushed it to the side and let it plow through the mountainside. "Whew" said Gohan the transformation was new and took a lot out of him, but he felt Piccolo behind him and ducked just in time to catch Piccolo's arm and twist him into a full nelson. Gohan powered up more and held Piccolo tighter,

"Ok ok I give up" Piccolo said in a strained voice. "You are truly a seasoned warrior now Gohan, I am proud to say I was your sensei." Gohan powered down and flew back to the waterfall to meditate with Piccolo. After calming himself greatly he said goodbye to Piccolo as he had to go home and eat, he was starving and it was almost nightttime.

"Saiyans, " grumbled Piccolo and he flew off toward Kami's lookout and Gohan flew home.

"I sure hope mom cooked that huge fish I grandpa and I caught earlier." Gohan said, licking his lips and increasing his speed. But food wasnt his only thoughts.

'Ive been so distracted since dad's death but even more so since Goten was born', he thought, 'he looks so much like dad and I know its breaking mom's heart that he's not here'. "Why did you have to stay dead!" he yelled to the sky. He spiked his ki and lit up the sky like a comet as he flew faster immersed in his thoughts, and didn't notice a small ki gather slowly in a clearing near north city.

DJ had figured out that he was actually growing. His body was that of a 5 year old childs, but he was slowly getting larger. 'It must be something about my physical makeup,' he thought. He had been practicing in the mountains and hoping to raise his power level. Since he could feel ki he stopped when he felt a large power sail past him above. 'its that damned saiyan kid' he thought ' he's so much more powerful I need to follow him and find a way to gain more power'

Gohan got back home in no time and went inside. His mother had just put Goten to sleep and scowled at gohan for leaving so late. She couldn't yell at him because of Goten, but he knew he was in for it tomorrow. Luckiily she had left some of the fish out for him to eat, not as much as he would usually eat, but it would have to be enough until morning.

Gohan lay in bed with his stomach grumbling, thinking of the good times he had while training for the androids he made a decision. 'Im using the dragonballs to bring dad back whether he wants it or not. I need him, we need him, everyone'. While he thought it over he drifted to sleep.

In Other World, Goku had just finished listening in on his son's disturbing thoughts. "I can't really be that horrible of a father can I?" thought Goku. Something else was also bothering him, he detected something different about Chichi's ki signature right before he had died but now he could faintly sense it. Being dead and in another dimension kept Gokou from sensing much of anything happening on earth, but he hoped his family was ok.