Three Rivers of Remembrance

Chapter Six

Piccolo listened quietly to his daughter. "Father, I know you'll be so very disappointed in me, and I ask for your forgiveness." She began, sniffling and wiping the tears, which still ran down her face. "It's about me….and …..and Gowan…….we've….not been…I mean, we have…" Before she could find the right words, she burst into deeper sobs.

However, Piccolo did not need her to draw him a map. He understood perfectly what she was trying to say. He stiffened at first, feeling the first bit of anger crawl up his back. But, he stopped. No, this was his daughter, and he was her only parent. It was time he acted like a real father.

Putting his arms around Rikola, he pulled her close. Instantly, she flung her arms around her father's neck and cried deeply into his shoulder. "I know." He said, hoping that easing the confession process might stop her from crying.

"You do?" She asked.

He nodded. "I should have left Namek earlier, brought you all back to Earth where there would be less temptations. Where I could have more control." He confessed. "But, I was a fool."

Rikola was stunned that her father would say such a thing about himself. "Father, you are not a fool! I am the fool!" She pulled away, staring him in the face.

"No, my daughter. I refused to see that my little girls…..well, were becoming young women. I ignored the signs, refused to speak to you of such issues. Therefore, for the most important time of your life, I did not give you the training you needed." His confession was coming from his very soul, and Rikola could feel his emotions. "I do not hold anything against you." He rubbed her tear-streaked face. "I will stand by you, no matter what life brings. I brought you into this awful, cold world because of my own selfishness. Who am I to condemn?"

"Oh..daddy." She said, hugging him and feeling the comfort of his strong and protective arms around her. "I love you."

"I love you." He said. After a few minutes, Piccolo got control of himself and pushed Rikola away. "Now, am I to assume that Gowan needs to be beaten within an inch of his life….just to get the point across?"

"Father! You wouldn't!" Rikola shouted, stunned.

"Of course I would. That's what father's do." His tone was so serious. "You are not with child, are you?"

Rikola shook her head. "I don't think so. It was only one time….just before we left for Earth." Hanging her head, she deeply regretted what had happened, but had no doubts that she loved Gowan with all her heart.

"Then, we should have you examined." Piccolo said curtly.

"Examined! NO!" Rikola shouted. "NO, FATHER! PLEASE!"

"Shut up!" he said. "If you are pregnant, then we will need to prepare. And the wedding will need to happen immediately. Or else, I will choke the life out of that witless Namekian!"

Rikola begged and pleaded all the way back to the Lookout, but Piccolo did not relent in his insistence. "Tomorrow morning, I will take you to Gohan's mother. She'll know what to do." He said. "Now, go to bed and rest."

Later that night, Piccolo was in deep meditation when Kami interrupted him. "I think you handled yourself extremely well tonight." Kami smiled. "Your daughters love you a great deal, but they are still young."

"Too young." Piccolo pointed out. "Fifteen or sixteen at best, if you go in Namekian years. I should have seen this coming."

"There was no way for you to know." Kami said. "I didn't even suspect. But, if our little Rikola is with child, we will handle it. Gowan is a good man."

"Our?" Piccolo popped open one eye. "If she is our little girl, then where the hell were you when I needed help about the birds and bees!"

Kami snickered. "You are the one who thought they needed to be raised on Namek. Among their people."

"They did." Piccolo told him. "I just didn't realize the effect three females would have on a planet of two hundred males."

"It has been many hundreds of years since a Namekian child was born from the womb of a woman. It will be quite a celebration for our people. Returning to the way things were before our lives changed so. The way things should have been." Kami spoke softly, reflecting on the past.

Piccolo didn't say anything. He was very concerned over Rikola. If she were with child, it might be more painful than anyone ever expected.

Gohan didn't sleep well that night. All he could think of was that Rhyne was on the Lookout, and that Namek boy was with her. Gohan was so jealous; he tossed and turned until the sun rose over the mountains. Immediately, he jumped up and dressed. He knew everyone would be up early, and he had to see Rhyne.

Indeed, morning came and things were being prepared. First, Piccolo planned on taking Rikola to see ChiChi. Hopefully, she would know how to proceed with the matter at hand.

Next, Piccolo instilled additional fear into the boys, especially Gowan. "It has been brought to my attention that my girls' have not always received the respect they deserve. Take this as my last warning. Any further infractions and I will dismember first, ask questions later. Got it?"

A hearty round of yes sirs were echoed.

"While I am gone, I expect you to continue your training. One on one, hand to hand, no use of special powers unless I am here to supervise." Piccolo explained. Reluctantly, Rikola left with her father, not sure what was to come.

When Gohan arrived, Rhyne smiled. "Piccolo just left." She told him. "Come on, let's go spar!"

"Wait!" Tekoa said. "I thought your father said you were to go no where without a chaperone!"

Gohan answered curtly. "I'm sure he did not mean me. I am trustworthy. But, perhaps you have not shown the same respect for his daughter."

"How dare you speak to me in such a way!" Tekoa shouted. "How about you and I spar? Here! Now!"

"STOP IT!" Rhyne shouted. "No one is going to fight! You hear me!" She looked at Gohan. "Please, not like this…..let's go and talk."

Gohan looked at Rhyne and felt nothing but love. "Alright." He said. "But, the invitation is open for you, anytime." He directed to Tekoa.

"I'll be ready, Saiyan." He said, as if Gohan's heritage were a slur.

When they were a safe distance from the Lookout, Rhyne finally felt easy. "Gohan, you can't just beat Tekoa up." She said. "He has always been special to me."

They landed in the nearby clearing by the waterfall, which led to the ocean. "How special?" Gohan asked.

Rhyne knew she had to be honest with Gohan "Well, before I came back to Earth, I thought I loved him. And, I did kiss him."

Gohan swallowed hard. "And now?"

"Now, I'm not sure of anything. I know I love you…." Rhyne didn't know how to explain.

"But you still love him?" Gohan asked.

"I don't know. Please, don't' be angry." Rhyne pleaded.

Gohan put a hand to her cheek. "I could never be angry with you. All I want is your happiness." He put his arms around her waist and pulled her into his arms. "I'll always love you, Rhyne." He said, kissing her lips.

Rhyne felt so comfortable with Gohan, she kissed him back freely. Lying in the grass, they continued to kiss, their tongues dancing and their hearts beating wildly. Rhyne loved the feel of Gohan's hair, and he adored the way her body felt next to his. He could feel every curvy contour of her femininity as it molded to his own. And her skin was so soft, very different than he had ever imagined. It seemed like for hours that they lay there, kissing and giggling, talking and feeling the love they shared.

"So, you don't need a chaperone?" Tekoa was very angry as he landed beside a tree, seeing the scene in front of him.

Gohan jumped up. "Get the hell out of here before I wipe up the planet with your face!"

"You think you've got the jump on me? Well, you haven't. I'm sure Rhyne hasn't shared nearly as much with you as she has with me!" Tekoa screamed. "I've touched her in places you can only dream of!"

That was it. Gohan charged the Namek boy and the fight began.

"Pregnant?" ChiChi shouted.

Piccolo cringed at the word and her shrill voice.

"I'm not sure." Rikola said. "But, father thinks I need to find out for sure."

ChiChi glared at Piccolo. "Well, of course you do, my dear." She said more sweetly. "You just go on home, and I'll take care of Rikola." She said to Piccolo.

Piccolo opened his mouth to say something, but ChiChi interrupted. "THIS IS A WOMAN THING! GO HOME UNLESS YOU WANT ME TO EXPLAIN ALL THE DETAILS OF IT TO YOU!"

Piccolo immediately shut his mouth and turned away.

ChiChi brought Rikola into the house. "Now, sweetheart. Tell me, did that boy hurt you? Was he gentle? Cause if he wasn't, I can take care of him myself." She said bluntly.

Rikola put her head down shyly. "Gowan was very gentle. He didn't hurt me…he loves me."

"Good thing for him. Now, I'm gonna make a call to Bulma. She'll use some influence at the hospital and we'll sneak you in so no one will know. You stay put." ChiChi rubbed her hand across Rikola's baldhead and smiled.

Rikola felt so at ease with the woman. Perhaps it was because she asked the right questions and understood so much more than her father could. A part of Rikola had always yearned for the mother that Piccolo could never be. She supposed it would be different if they had all been males. But, she believed her father did the best he could. She loved him no less.

As Piccolo flew back toward the Tenka, he felt the power levels, which were not far away. Immediately he shifted direction and headed that way. One of them was Gohan, and he had a pretty good idea who the other one belonged to.

THANKS FOR READING! PLEASE REVIEW-OH….What's gonna happen? The next chapter is very emotional….but even MORE is to come…..Piccolo finds out that being a father can be the most heart wrenching thing in the world.