Piccolo knows he's dreaming. He doesn't care. He hears the laugh of his father Goku as they roll around in the dirt. The surreal trance only intensifies his desire to make it real.
"Tickle fight!" Goku's hands lunge for Piccolo's exposed and vulnerable stomach.
Piccolo tries to fight him off but it's too late. Soon both father and son are caught in a storm of laughter.
"Oh you two, don't get too dirty or I'll have to give you both a bath!"
Piccolo recognizes the voice of his mother Kami. "Ah mom, you never let me rough house with dad!" He looks up, but something is wrong with the image he sees. "Mom?"
The face is that of his mother Kami, but somehow he doesn't recognize it. Or more accurately, it unsettles him. Piccolo reaches his arm around Goku for comfort, but in his hands is only his father's orange blood stained uniform. Piccolo recoils in shock and leaps to his feet.
"What's going on here!" He turns back around to where his mother was standing but sees something far worse. It is a person he has never seen before, yet knows instinctually. "Wa! What are you doing here!"
The Namekian in front of him begins to laugh maniacally. It's a laugh Piccolo knows too well. It is the laugh of Piccolo, King Piccolo. The Namekian grows in size until he engulfs the entire sky. His wicked laugh does not cease. The giant's arms grasp Piccolo and raise him to an open mouth that is ready to consume him.
"Nooooo!" Piccolo screams. He finds himself on the bed of an unfamiliar room. "That's right, it was only a dream." He pats his cheeks and leaps to his feet. It's then that he notices that his clothing has changed. He now sports a skin tight spandex blue uniform just like the ones worn by Slug's soldiers.
The large metal door to the room swings open. A strange looking alien eyes him sternly. It's then that Piccolo notices how cold the room is. It's like a harsh winter day on earth.
"Follow me, boy." The alien addresses him.
"Huh, okay." Piccolo obeys the command.
They walk down a narrow dark and curved hall. The walls are covered with eerie etchings and random flashing technology. When Piccolo looks up he cannot see a roof, only darkness.
Piccolo almost bumps into the alien who had come to a stop. "It's right behind this door. Beep boop." He presses buttons on a panel and the door in front of him swings open.
Inside the dimly lit room is a grand and eerie conference table. Sat facing away from Piccolo on the near side of the table is the obvious Silhouette of Slug.
"Well well-" Slug cuts himself off, realizing Piccolo had unexpectedly come in from behind him. He snakes his head around with an elastic neck. His dilated pupils and irritated scowl met those of the soldier who had brought Piccolo in. "You idiot! I told you to come in through the other side!"
The alien hesitates, sweat dripping down his brow. "Uh, no sir I think you're sitting in the wrong chair." He scratches his head absent-mindedly.
"That's preposterous! Are you calling me stupid!" Slug gets up from the chair violently, causing his seat to topple.
"No, I didn't say anything sir." He snorts his nose rudely. " It's just that you got the layout confused. Heh." Those were the alien's last words. Slug's laser eyes had disintegrated him before he could beg for forgiveness.
Piccolo gasps in shock. "Hey, that's evil! You're evil! Stop doing evil things!"
"Slug-jin aren't worth mourning, son. Trust me." Slug stomps his way over to the opposite side of the table and sits. "Come, take a seat. I've been wanting to discuss things with you."
Piccolo complies with some hesitation. "Slug-jin, what does that mean?"
"Members of the Slug Demon Clan!" Slug proudly exclaims. "My Demon Clan! Hahaha!"
"Demon Clan! Then you really are a monster!" Piccolo leaps back agasp.
"I'm the devil himself, and don't you forget it!" Slug lifts himself from his chair with his palms planted on the table. His aged face is covered in a wide toothy grin.
"Grrrr! As a hero of justice and Satan I'll take you down!" Piccolo readies himself for epic battle.
"Not so fast son." Slug snaps his fingers. "Wouldn't want anything to happen to your pals." The door Piccolo had come in from opened.
A voice nearly identical to the slug-jin who had been fried speaks from the entryway. "Huh? Sir weren't you supposed to be sitting on the other side of the room?"
"Ahh Dammit! I knew I was right! I'll kill that idiot twice!" Slug slams the table in two in a burst of frustration.
Piccolo turns to face the newcomers. To his horror, he sees familiar faces. "Videl! And… that guy!" Held hostage by slug-jin and shivering are Piccolo's good friend of five months Videl and the space fish Cui. The sight falters Piccolo.
"Oh good, you recognize them. Now, let's discuss-"
"Why is the fish guy naked?" Piccolo points to Cui, stripped down to his boxers.
The slug-jin grasping him answers. "The crybaby kept telling us he was 'cold'. 'Give me a blanket' he said. 'I have powerful connections' he said. We helped him understand his place a little better, hahaha."
"Ahem." Slug returns attention to him. "As I was saying, I have things to discuss with you. A simple request actually. One that you cannot refuse. Serve under me, loyally, and without question."
"That's absurd! I'll never join you!" Piccolo grimaces to assert his refusal.
Unphased, Slug taps a button on his wrist.
At that moment: "Gwaah! Gwuhaah Kaaaaa!" Cui lights up like a fish on the wrong side of a toaster. His limbs flail spectacularly and the pain is clearly visible on his terrored bulging eyeballs.
"As you can see by the state of your purple turd friend, I've installed preventative shock collars around their little necks. With the flick of my finger, I can fry your chums like a cornball."
"Darn, you're so horribly wicked!" Piccolo sorrowfully declares as he drops to his knees in anguish.
"So have you changed your mind? Or do I need to finish off the little one before you get the point?" Slug raises his finger, ready to unleash his horrible torture.
"No! Please don't!" Piccolo Pleas with praying hands.
"I don't hear absolute loyalty coming out of your mouth."
Piccolo hesitates in horror. He looks Videl in her fearful eyes and chattering teeth. He grits his teeth remorsefully. "Absolute loyalty, I promise you!"
Slug ceases to hover his finger over the button. He puts his hand forth toward Piccolo. Stunned, Piccolo looks at the gloved hand in front of him. Remembering the words he'd just spoken, he clasps the hand. To his surprise, Slug pulls him to his feet, placing them on even ground.
"I'll be needing your strength too kid." Slug locks eyes with Piccolo. "You'll soon find I'm not the only demon you need to worry about."
He pats the boy on shoulder before turning to the exit. "I have some uniforms for your friends as well. I can tell that they are exceptional warriors in their own right." Slug stops just as he reaches the doorway. "And one more thing, Welcome to the Slug clan, Kiddo."