So...um... it's been over two months...hi...
Yeah, I really have no excuse other than this just got away from me. I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving! Or, if you do not celebrate Thanksgiving, had a wonderful day anyways!
Gohan pulled away finally after what seemed an eternity. He wiped away some stray tears before setting a firm gaze on Piccolo's face.
"What?" Piccolo asked, feeling defensive suddenly.
"Would you have done it? Take Vegeta up on his offer, I mean?" Gohan asked.
"You heard that, huh?"
"Yeah."
Piccolo sighed. "I don't know."
"You can't."
"Gohan, you're alive. We don't need to worry about it."
"Yes, we do. Because I won't always be here, Mr. Piccolo. I have a god after me. Eventually..."
"Gohan. Neither Tsuki, nor I, will let anything happen to you," Piccolo said firmly, cutting him off.
"It almost did. Now tell me, would you have taken his offer?"
Piccolo sighed heavily. "Yes, probably."
Gohan looked very troubled. "Why?"
"Kid..."
"Why?" Gohan pressed.
"Gohan, when I heard Bulma say you were going to die, I... something inside me snapped. I damn near almost killed her. If Vegeta hadn't stopped me... Kid, if you were to die, I honestly think I'd have turned evil again. Who knows what I would have done. Vegeta likely would have had to take me out anyways. If I chose... I'd go out with my dignity at least."
"But Mr. Piccolo, you didn't snap when I died the first time..."
"I knew you were coming back. But in those short moments before Tsuki told me we could bring you back, I could feel my heart start to harden again. If you pass again, there's no bringing you back."
Gohan looked at the ground for several long moments before lifting his eyes to Piccolo's again. "You have to promise me that if I go, you can't go with me. You have to stay here. Make friends with Krillin, Vegeta, anyone. Anyone who will give you the will to stay here," Gohan pleaded, sounding wise beyond his years.
Piccolo smiled softly at him and placed his hand on Gohan's head. "Alright kid, I promise."
Gohan smiled wildly. "What time is it? he asked suddenly.
"Nearly evening. Why?"
"I'm hungry."
"Not surprising. Come on, I'll carry you downstairs. I'm sure Bulma will have something for you to eat."
"I can walk..." Gohan said, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed to hop down. Upon landing, his knees gave way, and Piccolo caught him before he could hit the floor. "Maybe not... Mr. Piccolo, why can't I walk?"
"You're weak, kid. A virus has been eating your heart. Come on." He cradled the boy to his chest and walked out of the room and down the stairs.
"Gohan!" Krillin said happily upon seeing the pair. "Just in time. I was about to see if you were hungry. Mrs. Briefs cooked up some killer-smelling chicken. I'll get you a plate, go ahead and have a seat at the table."
Piccolo took Gohan into the dining room and set him upon the chair beside Vegeta. Everyone smiled at him brightly, greeting him with cheer. Krillin set a plate filled with chicken and noodles before him and the boy tucked in greedily, earning laughs from the others. Conversation was light with Krillin throwing jokes at Gohan and Vegeta, and Bunny Briefs and Bulma chatting about baby Trunks. By the end of the meal, Gohan was sated and exhausted. Bulma bid him to go back upstairs and sleep. Piccolo picked him up in his arms again, and the two bid goodnight to the others.
Back in the bedroom, Piccolo set Gohan gently upon the bed. Gohan snuggled under the blankets before pulling the blankets before him back from the mattress and looking up at Piccolo expectantly.
"No," Piccolo said shortly.
"Please? I know you're tired," Gohan pleaded.
Piccolo grunted, but relented. He hesitantly slipped into bed, pulling the blankets up over his body. Gohan cuddled up to him as close as he could, slinging an arm over his chest and nestling up against his side. He was asleep almost instantly. Jade jumped on the bed and pressed herself against Gohan's back. Soon, her purring and Gohan's soft snoring bade Piccolo to sleep.
Quiet footfalls approached the bedroom in the morning and the door opened slowly. A snort resounded, stirring Piccolo.
"Quick cueball, go get the camera!" came a hushed voice.
"Are you kidding? He'll kill us!" came the whispered retort.
Piccolo growled low and sent a flung the covers away from his arm, flung his hand out, and sent a weak blast at the snickering monk and Saiyan. Krillin yelped, jumping out of the way, while Vegeta merely caught it in his hand, extinguishing it.
"Don't you dare be throwing that ki crap in my house, Vegeta!" Bulma's voice came.
"It wasn't me, it was the Namekian!" Vegeta shot back.
"Piccolo, please don't throw ki in here. It could damage something," Bulma said, her voice much more relaxed.
"What the hell, woman? I get yelled at and you coddle him for the exact same thing?"
"Piccolo doesn't live here, you do!"
Vegeta harrumphed and crossed his arms, choosing to ignore her. "Wakey wakey, softy," he teased Piccolo.
Piccolo raised his lip at the Saiyan, but said nothing, instead gently shaking Gohan awake. The boy groaned in annoyance and flipped away from him, burying his face in his pillow.
"Aw, Piccolo, let him sleep. He's still tired," Krillin said. "Although how he slept through all that is a mystery to me. Granted, Goku could sleep like the dead too." Piccolo's eyes cut to him sharply. "It's an expression, Piccolo. Yeesh. Here, this'll wake him. Gohan, breakfast!"
Gohan's eyes opened immediately and he sat up. "Hm? What? What's for breakfast?"
"Pancakes and orange juice."
Gohan jumped out of bed happily, and this time, his knees held out. He raced down the stairs clad only in his boxers. Piccolo grunted, holding his hand out, clothing the boy as he continued away. "Oh, thanks Mr. Piccolo!" he called.
"Saiyans and their stomachs," Krillin chuckled. "Well, come on Vegeta. Let's grab some food before the kid eats it all. You coming, Piccolo?" Piccolo nodded and followed the two out of the room.
"He's healed awfully fast," Bulma said, coming out of Trunks' room with the baby on her hip.
"We Saiyans naturally do," Vegeta answered.
"Lucky. Most of the humans will be bedridden the next week or so, even after the medication."
"Hey Vegeta, since Gohan almost died, does that mean his power is going to double again?" Krillin asked.
Piccolo hadn't thought about that. Double? At this young age?
Vegeta visibly stiffened. "He better not," he growled.
"Whoa. Hostility. What the hell man?"
But Vegeta refused to answer.
By the time they made it to the kitchen, Gohan was on his second plate of food, perched on the counter next to Bunny Briefs, who was busy making up another batch of pancakes.
Suddenly, something small and black streaked across the floor and began climbing up Vegeta at a rapid pace.
"Scratch, get back here! Oh, you have her, Vegeta. Come on, Scratch," Dr. Briefs said, reaching to take the cat off Vegeta's shoulder. The cat sank her sharp little nails into Vegeta's armor, refusing to be moved.
"We have had this conversation many times, old man. Keep this creature off of me," Vegeta snapped, yanking the cat off his shoulder and thrusting it at Dr. Briefs.
"She just likes you, Vegeta. I think it's cute," Bulma said.
Then, a grey blur came racing down the stairs and into the room, prompting Scratch to pull away from her owner and jump to the floor. The two cats raced around for a moment before both ran up Vegeta's body and onto his shoulders.
"Get the damn cats off me, god damn it!"
Everyone laughed heartily.
"Okay Gohan, now you be sure to let me know immediately if you feel sick. Even if it's just the tiniest bit. Got it?" Bulma said,
"Sure thing, Bulma! I feel great though!" Gohan answered, gathering Jade closely to his chest.
"Alright, see you guys around! Stop by whenever!"
"Bye Gohan, bye Piccolo!" Krillin called, waving as the two rose to the sky and began to rocket away.
Piccolo noticed immediately that Gohan's flight speed was decidedly faster than it had been before the disaster. Gohan seemed oblivious to his mentor's slight difficulty in keeping up with him. Upon landing, Gohan practically yanked the door off its hinges.
"Gohan, easy. About damn near took out the door," Piccolo chided.
"Sorry Mr. Piccolo. I'm just so happy to be home!" Gohan said happily, setting Jade down gently. When he opened the cupboard door, he ripped it off its hinges, and when he took out a glass, it shattered in his hand, bits of glass tinkling into the sink below.
"Seriously?" Piccolo quipped, leaning against the door jam.
"What's happening to me?" Gohan asked, panic lacing his voice.
"Your body just hasn't adjusted to its new influx."
"But...why?"
"You almost died, Gohan. You're a Saiyan. Naturally, your ki is going to rise. Nearly double. We'll just have to train harder until you have a grasp on it. Until then, I'll be getting you things. Can't have you breaking everything in the house."
"When do we start training?"
"Tomorrow. You're fine, yes?"
"Oh, yeah. I don't want to hurt you though, if my ki really has doubled..."
Piccolo felt himself bristling. "You're not going to hurt me."
"Indeed."
Both Gohan and Piccolo whipped around to see Tsuki standing in the room before them. Jade immediately scampered up to her, putting her paws on her legs and mewing. Tsuki bent down and picked the cat up. Jade nuzzled her and purred contentedly.
"Hello, my little one. Watching over my men, are you? Doing a very good job, I see," Tsuki crooned, stroking the cat.
"Hello Lady. What do you mean?" Gohan asked, cocking his head. "Do you know Jade?"
"Indeed I do. Jade is my cat, well, was. Her name was Luna when I had her. She is very special. She has been mine for over two thousand years. Until, that is, I knew you needed her. She was guided to you to watch over you in times when I could not. She is also your protector, for when I cannot be with you immediately, there is a magic within her that can give you a shield until I can. It is why you did not die sooner from your heart disease."
"That's amazing," Gohan said in wonder.
Tsuki smiled before handing Jade over to the boy. "It is, isn't it, young Saiyan? Now, would you give me and Piccolo some moments alone?"
"Of course, my lady," Gohan said, bowing before heading to his room.
"Hello, my friend," Tsuki said as the door closed.
"Hello, goddess."
"We almost lost him."
"Yes, again. Although, his ki has risen dramatically."
"Yes, and I believe that may be exactly what my brother was intending."
Piccolo shook his head. "What?"
"He knew about the egg, my friend. He had to have known its powers, as I had."
"But what could he have possibly hoped to gain from this?"
"I don't know. But we must watch him very closely until the plan reveals itself. He is not to leave your sight."
"He never does."
"Good."