I have no excuses for how long this took to come out. I am SO sorry! Over a month... disgraceful.
Gohan cried that first night home. Being home brought both bittersweet and cruel memories back. He tried so hard to be brave, but the scent of his mother's perfume somehow still lingered sweetly in the air, and the family portrait in his room proved to be just too much to handle. Against his better judgment, Piccolo held him throughout the night, the boy falling asleep in his lap near dawn.
As dawn came and passed, Piccolo eased the boy out of his lap and onto his bed. He sighed heavily, having been unable to rest himself. He shook his head and stood from the bed, walking out of the room and down into the kitchen. He poured himself a glass of water, just as Gohan had showed him how to the night before. Listening for Gohan's steady breathing, he carefully opened and shut the door to the outside. Breathing a sigh of relief, he sat under a tree and began a meditation.
Hopefully the boy would sleep for a while. Piccolo didn't even care if they trained today. All he wanted was peace and quiet.
"Sister, Sister, Sister... I am so disappointed in you..."
"You have a lot of gall showing your face after that little stunt you pulled, Amat," Tsuki seethed.
"I did what I had to."
"Had to? Stop meddling with the fates and stick to your job."
"Meddling? I am doing my job, Sister. God of the Sun. Chaos, to you, Tsuki."
"You seem awfully targeted on just one individual for it to be chaos, Amat."
The god's eyes flashed. "You said yourself he has no set fate. I'm trying to help set the path. You should be thanking me."
"You're trying to kill him, Brother. That is not setting a path. That is setting an ultimatum. He is a child."
"He is of my flesh! You should have told me!"
"He is of Saiyan blood and nothing more, Amat. You knew nothing could become of your and West's union. It is forbidden."
"Then what of you and the Namekian?" Amat shot back.
Tsuki stiffened. "First off, if you remembered anything of Mother's teachings to us of the races, you would know Namekians do not feel love, or at least, not that kind of love. Second, I remember the lessons. We are gods, Amat. We are not allowed to fall in love. What I feel for the Namekian is a sense of guardianship and perhaps friendship. And it will never be anything more. Understood?"
"Sure Tsuki. Whatever you say."
"Do not make me send you to the darkness."
Amat laughed, loud and bellowing. "Send me into the darkness? You're going to send a sun god into darkness? It'd be impossible, silly Sister. I am the light. I defeat the darkness. No, no, it is you who brings the darkness, you with the night sky. You'll never be able to banish me, Tsuki. I don't believe Mother even taught you how."
And with that, laughter still ringing, he took his leave. Tsuki was left trying to keep her composure, nearly shaking in disbelief and anger. She let out a huff. Deep down, she knew she did not want to send her brother to the darkness. Not as her mother had done to her father. But somewhere, deep down, she knew there was a high probability she would eventually have to.
He was becoming ever stronger, growing into his powers better than she had anticipated. And he would not stop until young Gohan was dead. With a heavy sigh, Tsuki disappeared.
"Piccolo."
The Namekian jumped so high out of his skin, the goddess could barely contain her laughter.
"Would you stop doing that?" he said ruefully, highly embarrassed. It was a cold day in hell he was startled, usually.
"A bit tired, are we?" Tsuki asked, a tinge of humor in her voice.
"I don't get tired," Piccolo said stubbornly.
"Oh, yes you do. You may be a Namekian, but that doesn't make you immune from fatigue. You're overdue for an actual sleep. Perhaps you should do that tonight, hm?"
"I was resting until you interrupted me."
"Sleep, Piccolo, not just rest," she said dismissively. "You'll need it with this boy."
"Which is, of course, why you're here. What horrible new fact have you discovered now?" he asked dryly.
"Nothing new, really. Just coming to tell you to move the boy's training along. I feel my brother is growing desperate."
"We've only been home a day."
"I know, I know. I want him transformed within two month's time."
Piccolo cocked his head. "Two months? I was figuring closer to one month. Maybe less. He's so close to it."
"Don't push him to it."
"You just told me to move it along."
"Well yes, but two months. Not one. I want him transformed, not dead."
"That's not funny."
"Was I laughing?"
They stood silently for a moment. Inside, Gohan's ki fluctuated slightly. Piccolo instantly perked up, head snapping towards his window. Tsuki smiled knowingly.
"He's fine, Piccolo. Just dreaming. Children tend to do that."
"I'm aware." Tsuki nodded and turned to leave. "Wait, Goddess... Vegeta. Should we push Vegeta to transform as well?"
She smiled again. "No. That Saiyan will push himself enough. He needs no help from you. You'll only serve to antagonize him, and Bulma is doing that job well enough on her own. I would, however, like him to have a part in the boy's life."
Piccolo stiffened instantly. "Why?" he practically hissed.
"Don't get me wrong, Piccolo. You're an excellent mentor and caretaker for the boy. The best I could've hoped for. But Gohan needs to spend some time around members of his own species as well. Since his father is dead, that leaves Vegeta. Saiyans have some different needs from your Namekian ones. All I ask is you visit once a month, maybe twice."
"What needs could he possibly have that I don't possess as well?" Piccolo asked, crossing his arms over his chest.
"His anger."
Piccolo's jaw dropped. "How in the hell do I not possess anger? Have you been paying any attention at all?"
Tsuki chuckled. "Of course I have been. But your anger is much different from a Saiyan's. Where your greatest power comes from control, a Saiyan's comes from anger. Vegeta understands that, feels that. And while you can understand that academically, you can't experience it as he does."
Piccolo nodded reluctantly. "Fine. I understand, Goddess."
"Thank you. Perhaps when the boy wakes up, you should take him to the beach. The ocean is sure to be warm enough for a nice swim. He'll benefit from some fun. He's been cooped up on a ship for so long... a swim will do him well."
Gohan woke up soon after Tsuki's departure. When he didn't see Piccolo right away, he panicked slightly, whipping his head around. Piccolo felt the sudden jump in ki and made his presence known, appearing at the window. The boy instantly calmed down, a smile spreading across his face.
"So Mr. Piccolo, what are we working on today?" he asked happily, clasping his hands in front of him.
"We aren't. We're going to the beach."
"The beach? Really? Really?" Gohan asked, throwing his blankets off him and scrambling off his bed.
"Yes, really. Get ready and come out once you are."
"Okay!" Gohan exclaimed, rushing to his drawers and searching for his swim trunks.
Piccolo waited by the tree and soon, Gohan came running out with his swim trunks on and a towel in tow. He rose off the ground without a word, the boy at his heels, happily circling around him. They made quick time, Gohan rushing ahead as soon as he saw the sparkling waves.
Piccolo made his way to the beach, settling himself above the sandy terrain. Gohan skimmed the water with his toes, like a young sprite. He did this for a short time before completely submersing himself. Piccolo watched the surface for him to return. When he did, he visibly relaxed.
Oh Piccolo, how weak you have become...
"Hey Mr. Piccolo! Want to come swim? It's really nice in here!" the boy called, waving enthusiastically. Piccolo shook his head vehemently and shut his eyes, and Gohan shrugged in return, going back to splashing about in the waves. He disappeared for a short time before popping back up.
"Hey, Mr. Piccolo, what type of shark is this?" Gohan called.
"What the hell's a shark?" Piccolo asked, not opening his eyes.
"A type of fish. Look!"
Piccolo reluctantly opened his eyes and was shocked by what he saw. The young Saiyan was hovering over the water, holding a struggling fish with a conical snout and very large teeth in his arms with relative ease, despite its length of ten feet.
"Put that down!" Piccolo snapped.
"You should come touch him! His skin is so rough! Kinda like sandpaper! Not very friendly though. Tried to bite me!"
"All the more reason to let it go."
"But Mr. Piccolo..."
"Now, brat."
"Oh, alright. Bye, Mr. Shark," he said sullenly as he released the fish. It thrashed in the water for a moment, its dorsal fin cutting the surface angrily.
"You really managed to piss it off," Piccolo said, bemused.
"Huh, yeah. Hey Mr. Piccolo, maybe you're part shark!"
"What?" Piccolo asked, befuddled.
"Well sure. Your ears could be like the dorsal fin, and you have sharp teeth...and I piss you off!"
Piccolo put a weary hand to his forehead. "Come here, you little brat..."
So yeah, pretty much just a quick filler chapter while I carefully plan out the next action saga! Should be a wild ride! And hopefully won't take as long to update...