Disclaimer: You know what I want to say, don't you?
A/N: Well, again thanks for the reviews… And I promise again, I won't abandon this story! I've started it and I will end it!
Oh, and in case you wonder: In this fic will also be female Nameks.
Chapter 12: "Of Dragonballs and Brothers"
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It was already noon, as the Kintoun finally anchored in the main harbor of the island Namek and Goku, Piccolo, ChiChi and Gohan left the ship. Goku wanted the rest of the crew to stay on the ship and restore their provisions. He even thought that it would be best for ChiChi and Gohan to stay on the ship, but both insisted on coming with him. Piccolo had assured him that most of the Nameks were peaceful people, who lived mostly of fishing, farming and trading their goods, but unfortunately Goku wasn't worried about the Nameks. He was more worried about the fact that they might meet Vegeta and his men. He didn't want the woman he loved and his son to get into trouble, in case their ways crossed, what most likely could happen, since both Goku and Vegeta had the same target. But everyone who knew ChiChi, did also know that you couldn't argue with her, so Goku reluctantly agreed.
"Wow, so many Piccolos!" Goku said excitedly, as they were walking through the streets of the small town, where the harbor was lying. [A/N: Sorry, I just couldn't help myself… *giggles*]
Piccolo ignored that – stupid – remark of Goku and just continued his lead. As brilliant Son Goku might be as fighter and as sailor, there were still times, when Piccolo didn't understand him and his behavior at all. "The sphere is most likely in the hands of the eldest, who is living in this town," Piccolo informed them.
They continued walking, admiring the many different stores and booths on the market, where Nameks praised their goods from fish over clothes to different kinds of fruits. They had to stop quite often, when ChiChi had to take a look at the different things. She had thought that the ravine was impressive, but she had never seen a market like this before. It wasn't often that she was allowed to go to the market at home, but from what she could remember, they were somehow the same and yet different. Maybe the fact that there was a complete different culture on this island made the whole appearance more interesting. Wherever she looked she could see green people, men and women haggling about prizes and also small children playing and running in the streets. And whenever she was stopping at a store or at a booth, the Nameks were really friendly to her, an obvious stranger. But she also noticed another thing - the strange glances Piccolo received from a few of the other Nameks.
After about half an hour of just walking, the small group stopped in front of an old house.
"This is where the eldest is living?" ChiChi asked surprised. "But I thought that he is something like a king here… I've expected to see a big mansion with lots of servants running around."
"Mom," Gohan said. "Nameks don't live like we are used to. Their life is much easier than ours. Rich and poor doesn't exist among them. Every one of them is equal. There are no real ranks or stands, right Piccolo?" he asked his teacher and friend.
"You're right," Piccolo said, ruffling through the boy's black mane. Then he turned to the boy's father, who was studying the map. "Are you ready, Goku?"
Goku nodded and put the map back into his pocket. "The sphere is inside of this house, so Vegeta wasn't here yet. But I have bad news. According to the map, he's already in town."
"Then we have to hurry." The Namek knocked lightly at the door and took a few steps back, waiting for it to be opened.
And they didn't need to wait long until a young boy, a bit older than Gohan, appeared in the doorway. "Can I help you?" he asked politely, when he saw the three strangers, obviously Humans, standing in front of the door.
"I hope you can. Hello Dende," Piccolo greeted the boy, when he stepped into the boy's field of vision.
The boy, Dende, almost couldn't believe his eyes and a huge smile spread across his face. "Piccolo? Is that you?" the boy wanted to know. As the Piccolo nodded, the smile of the boy became even larger. "What a surprise. Oh, please come inside. I'm sure the eldest would be glad to see you. And so would Nail!"
"Nail is here?" Piccolo asked, his voice suddenly becoming colder.
"Yes, he's here. He has become the guard of the eldest," Dende said. "Tell me, what brings you back to Namek? It has been three years since you have left."
"My friends and me are here to talk to the eldest. It's really important."
"Of course. I'll bring you to him. Please follow me."
They walked up some stairs until they arrived on the highest floor, where the eldest was sitting on some kind of throne. The three non-Nameks could just stare at him. Compared to the small boy and Piccolo he was huge! They just wanted to come nearer, as another Namek stepped halfway out of the shadows, so that his face was still hidden. "Dende, who is that?"
"Nail, those three strangers and Piccolo want to talk to the eldest," Dende informed him.
"Piccolo," the other Namek said, his voice as cold as Piccolo's had been just a few minutes before and stepped now completely into the light, causing Goku, ChiChi and Gohan to gasp. This other Namek looked almost exactly like Piccolo! "Dende, you know that the eldest is ill."
"But the reason why we're here is important," Piccolo told him. "We need to talk to the eldest."
After throwing a look from Piccolo to Dende and back to Piccolo, Nail sighed almost inaudible. "Okay, but not for long. And not all of you."
Piccolo nodded. "Dende, please bring the woman and the boy downstairs, while my friend and I talk to the eldest."
"Yes!" Dende said excitedly and then led ChiChi and Gohan downstairs.
"Okay Piccolo, what do you and your friend want to talk about to the eldest?" Nail demanded to know.
"Nail," they heard now the deep and tired voice of the eldest saying. "Don't be so unfriendly. I'm sure Piccolo has good reasons for coming back and bringing a friend with him. Come here, Piccolo, and tell me why you're here."
Hesitating Piccolo stepped forwards, until he just stood a few meters away from the eldest and bowed down, showing his respect. "Saichourou, my friend, the brave warrior Son Goku, is in search for the seven magic spheres. He got already one, as well as one of the three magic maps. We know that one of the spheres is in your possession, so we wanted to ask you to give it to us," he said.
"You're here because of what?" Nail almost yelled at him.
He wanted to say more, but Saichourou silenced him with a wave of his hand. "Please Nail, let the young man explain what exactly he needs the sphere for. Piccolo said that you're the great Son Goku. Tell me, son, why are you looking for the spheres…"
Now Goku also stepped forward and bowed lightly. "You see, I need them, because…"
~*~
While Goku was telling the Namek eldest everything that had happened in the last few days, Dende had brought ChiChi and Gohan into a room that in some way resembled a kitchen. Dende had told them to sit down at the table and that he would make them something to drink.
"It's really comfortable here," ChiChi said, as she looked around the room. "But we haven't been properly introduced… My name is ChiChi and that is Goku's and my son, Gohan. And your name was Dende, wasn't it?"
"That's right," Dende said, as he put three cups of tea in front of them. "I'm the great-great-great-grandchild of Saichourou, the eldest."
"What?" Gohan asked surprised. "But how old is the eldest, when you're his great-great-great-grandchild?"
"Very old. No one knows exactly his age, but he's the oldest, wisest and most respected Namek alive," the boy told him. "Unlike you Humans and some other races, we Nameks can become far more than hundred years old."
"Wow," the half-Saiyajin just said, as he took a sip of the tea. "Dende, I have another question. Why did Piccolo and Nail look so much alike and why did it seem to me, as if they hated each other?"
"The first question is easy to answer. Piccolo and Nail are brothers. And to answer your second question: As Piccolo left three years ago, he and his brother, as well as many other Nameks, had not parted under good terms. You must know, Piccolo had not always been the Namek he's now. I don't remember that much, since I was still smaller then, but there had been a time, when Piccolo was torn between the two sides of good and evil. He should've done many terrible things in that time, but in the end decided to go back to the good side. He then left the island to seek redemption and no one of us has seen him since then."
"Oh…" Gohan was speechless. He knew, the first time he had seen Piccolo, as the Namek asked the Lord for a job as guard two years ago, he had been scared of him. First of all, he was green and then there was the fact that Piccolo was unfriendly to everyone and didn't have any friends at the castle. That was where Gohan came in. One day, as he had seen Piccolo again training alone, he just gathered all of his courage and walked up to him, asking him, if he could train him. Piccolo had just stared at him, but reluctantly agreed to train the at this time three years old boy. And Gohan could say that they were more than just teacher and student. They have become friends.
"And how did you get to know Piccolo?" Dende wanted to know, so that Gohan started to tell his story.
~*~
"I see…" the eldest said thoughtfully, after Goku and Piccolo had told him everything. He seemed to ponder it for a moment, until he spoke up again. "Son Goku, please come here, son." Goku obeyed and got closer, so that he now stood directly in front of the Namek. Saichourou then raised his hand and put in on Goku's head. "You're in a conflict with yourself. You have doubts. Doubts about who you are, where you belong. But deep inside you've already decided - you just don't know it yet. You love your family and you care about your friends. You've a good and pure heart…. I will give it to you…"
"What?" Nail asked again exasperated. "Saichourou, with all due respect, but they are strangers. You can't just give them what belongs to our people!"
"Nail, please, get the Dragonball and give it to Son Goku… Please, do also get Dende and the young man's wife and son."
"Dragonball?" Goku asked confused, as Nail descended the stairs. "Is it that what you call the sphere?"
"Son Goku, there are many things that you don't know about the spheres. You also have no idea about the power they possess. You may call it the Treasure of Power, as all the other races, but the real name of this treasure is Dragonballs. They were made by one of my ancestors, as well as the three maps. The Dragonballs were the cause of many wars of Lords, who wanted power, so my ancestors decided to spread them and the maps all over the world, so that there wouldn't be any more wars fought over them. Over the years the people seemed to forget about the Dragonballs and they only remained in the memories of the people as a legend. As the legend of the Treasure of Power," Saichourou told him.
"I see…" Goku said, "Will you tell me about the true power of the Dragonballs?"
The eldest shook his head ever so lightly. "No, you're not ready yet to know the truth." At that moment Nail returned with the sphere, Dende, Gohan and ChiChi. "That's the reason why I would like Dende to go with you. Even though he's still young, he has studied the history of the Dragonballs for years and he will tell you everything when the time is right. He's a worth member of the Dragon Clan."
"Saichourou, are you sure?" Dende asked surprised. "You really want me to go with them?"
"Do you think you can do it?" the eldest wanted to know.
Dende thought for a moment before he nodded. "Yes, I think I can do it."
"Then it's decided. When Son Goku and his crew leaves tomorrow morning after a good night's sleep, you'll go with them," Saichourou decided.
"Excuse me please," Piccolo, who had been silent the whole time, said, "Tomorrow morning? You seem to forget that Vegeta is on his way here. It's better for us to leave as soon as possible, as in now!"
"You worry too much, Piccolo. Vegeta wouldn't dare attacking us, when there are so many other people around. Even though we Nameks are mostly peaceful people, we are still known for our strength. And even a Saiyajin doesn't stand a chance against tens or hundreds of Nameks," the eldest told him. "Son Goku, I ask you to spend the night at my house, together with your wife and your son. And you, too, Piccolo."
"Well, I think you're right. Vegeta is smart; he wouldn't do that. Okay, we will stay. I just have to tell my crew, so that they won't be worried…" the Saiyajin said.
"Fine… Dende, please show Son Goku the door and our other guests their rooms."
"Yes Saichourou," the boy said and left the room, followed by the others, except for Nail.
"Saichourou, do you really think it's a good idea to let them stay overnight?" he asked worried. "They are strangers and Piccolo is with them."
"Nail, you are exactly like your brother. Just trust me. They aren't a danger for us. And Piccolo has changed in the last three years. He has decided to walk on the path of light and he hadn't left it once in that time. He's doing everything for his redemption and he had even learned how to care again, even if he doesn't show it. I know, your childhood hasn't been easy, but give him a chance. This young boy, Son Goku's son, has been a good influence on him. Piccolo cares for him as if he was his own son. And deep down in his heart he also cares for you, Nail. Believe me…"
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So… A small glimpse of Piccolo's life and the true legend of The Treasure of Power…
I hope as always that you liked it! Next chapter in about a week! There'll also again be more about Bulma and Vegeta in the next chappie!!
Eternally yours
ChibiChibi