Gohan spent most of the day in the garden behind the house. Watching nearby birds from a bench. He wanted to remember as much as he could as soon as possible. He kept a pocket watch on hand in case he lost track of time as he did that morning. I'm not a good character to have in your life. He muddled the words over and over and yet in each memory he only saw Piccolo as a good friend. Because of the one thing I didn't want to know, he's a bad man? I can't believe that so easily.

"Afternoon Gohan." Krillin joined Gohan on the bench. He was dressed more casually in a white shirt with simple matching gray vest and pants.

"Hello. I apologize for running off on you yesterday." Gohan's voice was soft and distant.

Krillin, having been invited to stay in the house, was aware of the days events. He knew what Gohan was facing and what the boy hadn't been told yet. "It was a matter of when you would run off, not if and I understand. I should really be the one to apologize to you."

Gohan thought for a moment. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anytime." Krillin grinned.

"Has Piccolo ever done anything bad in the past?" Gohan looked hopeful to his friend.

Krillin frowned. "That's a bit hard to explain."

"It is?" Gohan scrunched his brow.

"Well you see… He came from a difficult past, and was raised to see things different than we do." Krillin started. "I shouldn't say too much as it's not my tale to tell. In my perspective though, I don't think he ever did anything horrible. Nothing to label him a villain or something. I think he just made a lot of hard decisions and to some people it might seem like he's a bad guy."

"I see." Gohan pondered the answer.

"Why do you ask? You know as well as I that he's safe to have around." Krillin inquired.

"I… guess I wanted to be sure I wasn't the only one." Gohan replied, forcing a smile. But Piccolo doesn't seem to agree.

"Mr. Piccolo, we'll always be together right?" a younger Gohan asked looking up to Piccolo, who instead of his purple shirt and black trousers wore a purple gi.

"Why would you want that kid?" Piccolo huffed, casting a glare down to the child.

"Because you're my best friend. Best friends always stay close." Gohan answered happily.

"Best friend huh?" Piccolo couldn't hide the small grin as he scoffed. "You don't make very smart decision do you?"

"Don't you want to be best friends?" Gohan asked.

Piccolo was silent for a moment as he closed his eyes. "You're supposed to be meditating, or would you rather we start training again right now?"

"I'll meditate." Gohan declared with a chuckle.

…

Gohan was running through the forest, leaves slapping his face and legs as he pushed branches aside. He wasn't much a child anymore but still hadn't reached his teens. He only halted once he spotted small yellow flowers. "He's usually around these ones."

The 10 year old peered around and after looking past a few bushes found who he was looking for. A tall green man in a purple gi, practicing fighting forms in the air. After a few weeks he had gone unnoticed by the man and today he felt would no different as he snuck into a good seated position to watch.

The man then halted a kick and in an instant stood before the kid. "What are you doing here?! How did you find me?!"

Gohan was startled by the man's sudden presence and yelling. Yet he also expected it from the grumpy mood he always saw the man in. "H-hi. Could you teach me some of those techniques?"

"Go home kid!" The man growled and turned to walk away.

"Wait!" Gohan ran up to stand before him. "My father and uncle Krillin are the only people I know who can fly. Please teach me?!"

"Don't you know who I am?" The man asked as he glared down at Gohan.

"No. Should I?" Gohan tilted his head to the side.

The man watched him for many moments, clearly considering something. He then sighed and began walking once again. "It's not safe to be near me. Go get your father to teach you."

…

Piccolo straightened up and pressed his head against the wall behind him as a long and heavy sigh escaped him. It was weird to watch himself from Gohan's perspective and even from such a shortened height. "He's remembering me."

"You're watching his dreams aren't you?" Kami spoke up softly from the doorway to Piccolo's room.

Piccolo closed his eyes tight. "So what if I am?"

"I understand if you are. You're worried about him." Kami grinned. "I just wanted to come let you know, you shouldn't worry too much about him hating you. He's going to remember everything soon and, having seen into his mind myself, he's only going to forgive you."

"What do you mean soon?" Piccolo's eyes glared sharply at his uncle. "You kept some of them locked didn't you?"

"I tried to leave untouched what I could but it's difficult when most of them still give enough information for anyone to make to connection." Kami explained.

"He didn't want to know what Goku and I did to him!" Piccolo barked.

"What? You said Goku didn't tell him. I assumed you both decided that." Kami said.

"No, we wanted him to know. Goku wanted to be the one to tell him so I didn't say anything last night. I found out this morning that Gohan asked him not to and the idiot complied!" Piccolo explained.

"I apologize for the confusion. Either way though, I did the best I could. Most of it was already wearing off these last couple weeks. I also believe that despite neither of you telling him you both expressed your guilt and he doesn't seem the kind of man who would hold a grudge." Kami replied.

"How could be so sure? We didn't see him as he grew. We can't possible know what kind of man he's really grown up to be nor how he'll react." Piccolo sighed.

"He's not like other people Piccolo. He's never even feared you once in his life like they have." Kami stated a bit more stern than he intended. "You spent years wishing to see him again and now that you can, you're preparing to lose him all over again."

"It was just foolish wishing! I know better than to expect things to turn out perfect and happy. Life doesn't like me enough for that." Piccolo growled as he turned away from Kami.

"If you feel so." Kami muttered before leaving.

Gohan sat at his desk and sighed. Books and documents on how the tax system worked splayed before him. He had spent all morning trying to decipher them as his mother had asked. At least she remembered he was supposed to take things easy and wasn't forcing him to finish, which was fortunate as he kept slipping in and out of memories and sensations.

He turned his eyes to the small clock on the corner of his desk. Nearly one. Videl and her father should be arriving soon for tea.

Chichi spent every effort to have well-to-do company over to become acquainted with Gohan and build strong business ties. She seemed to invite Mr. Satan and Videl more often due to Goku's history with Mr. Satan. Gohan also had suspicions of her trying to guide Gohan and Videl into a courting arrangement.

He could mostly understand it but he wasn't in the search for that and didn't feel he'd want that with her. He wasn't some statesman or prince; just the grandson of a bank owner. There wasn't need for him to marry to secure success for that was there?

Before thinking further on it, Gohan stood and stretched. He found his mother downstairs preparing treats. "Mother, I don't think I should join everyone today. I'm still having trouble controlling when memories present and when they don't and I would rather not be distant in front of them and cause worry."

"Are you sure?" Chichi frowned. "That's a shame."

"Yes. Tell them I'm sorry to miss out though would you?" Gohan nodded.

"Of course." Chichi smiled.

"I'll be in the garden if you need me." Gohan made his way to the peaceful maze of plants. It was the closest he could feel to his old home and now he realized to the best moments of his life. The freedom of the days with Piccolo were now fresh in his mind and with each memory he realized how he missed him despite being forced to forget him. It explained his old urges to escape to the forest though it never solved the bewildering itch. Explained why he always felt calmer when he saw that vivid purple; why silent windy afternoons tugged at his heartstrings as if something vital were missing.

He could now see the stark contrast between his life with his parents and the life he was given with Piccolo.

"Gohan?" Videl spoke up from behind him. She had on a lovingly made sunset orange dress adorned with delicate lace. Her hair had been tied back with matching orange silk ribbons.

"Videl, good afternoon. My apologies, I wasn't in any condition for tea today." Gohan said.

"Yes, your mother had said. I came to see if you were doing alright." Videl stood beside Gohan. "She said you might be distant and needed a friend. Is this about your nightmare?"

"Well… yes and no." Gohan admitted. He had almost forgotten he told her. "Turns out I did know Piccolo, since I was very young, and I kept having the nightmare because my mind was processing memories that were blocked away."

"Oh my, that sounds intense. Must have been traumatic if your mind locked those memories away." Videl blinked her wide surprised eyes.

"What I remember was." Gohan sighed as he ran his hand through his hair. "And yet both my father and Piccolo keep telling me there's more."

"They're hiding more from you?" Videl asked.

"Oh, no. They wanted to tell me." Gohan assured. "I just don't want to know."

"Why not?" Videl tilted her head slightly, a few curls of hair betraying her ribbons.

"When I saw how serious and sad my dad was because of it..." Gohan took a deep breath. "It suddenly felt like too much. Everyone has something wrong in their life, and everyone has a limit to how much tragedy or sorrow they can take in a lifetime. Some people spend their whole lives hungry or homeless. Some will never find love. My life was saved by my best friend who had to live alone so that I could forget what happened instead of reliving the nightmare. I didn't want to know what else there was, maybe I'm not really my father's son. Maybe I was a risk and danger when around other people. Maybe I caused something too horrible to tell a child but now I'm old enough to be responsible an-"

"Stop! Stop. Gohan you need to stop." Videl interrupted as she pulled on Gohan's shirt, forcing him to straighten and look at her. He was suddenly aware then of the tears staining his cheeks. "Breathe alright?"

"I'm so sorry." Gohan pulled away and wiped his face. "I didn't mean to just pour out like that."

"I don't think you realize that by not knowing you're putting yourself in more pain." Videl frowned in a bitter concern. "You trust them correct?"

"Of course." Gohan replied.

"Then let them tell you. I have no reason to believe it's anything as bad as you fear. Especially with how cheerful your father is all the time and how your mother brags about you." Videl tried a smile at the lighter comment.

Gohan considered the suggestion. "Maybe I will."

"I think it will be better for you to know. It sounds like their having trouble keeping it from you if it made your dad serious and sad as you say. Piccolo even seemed much more sullen than usual when I stopped by the coffee house earlier." Videl said.

"He did?" Gohan asked.

Videl nodded. "Clear it up with them and I'm sure everything will sort out for the better. Now is there any other life advice you need?"

Gohan chuckled. "No, I'll be fine."

"You're one of my best friends now you know, I like to help when I can." Videl grinned brightly. "If you need to have an ugly breakdown or just scream about something, I will always be on call."

"Thank you Videl." Gohan smiled.

"You're most welcome."