Chapter Two

He always gave it 110 percent.

-Piccolo

I've made some bad decisions in my life, I admit.

I mean, for half of it I was planning on taking over the world. Heh, those memories seem so distant now. That was when I first met Goku for the first time. At the world tournament when we both made it to the end. We fought. He won.

The memories after that were kind of blurry. I left and vowed to pay him back but all Goku had for me was a smile and a "See you later" attitude. Ugh, he was such a carefree kid sometimes. Sure enough, he did see my later. I aided him when his brother, Raditz, came to Earth and kidnapped his son. At that time, I had no feelings for Goku or his son, Gohan. All I wanted was someone with me to take down Raditz. His power had been substantial and way above Goku or mines.

That was also the first time I witnessed his kindness. With the help of Gohan of course, we took down Raditz but at the expense of Goku's life. Even then I must admit, I was astonished. Risking his life for Planet Earth? I used to ask myself why so many times. He risked his neck countless times without a moment's hesitation. I was amused for a while, thinking to myself that this guy had to be a lunatic. A very strong lunatic, to give him credit, but a lunatic nonetheless.

Whilst Raditz was slowly dying he had made a threat about two other Saiyans arriving later on. It had concerned me. It had concerned us all. So I took it upon myself to train the small, meek child of Goku's. I mean, he had to have potential. He had head butted Raditz so hard that the man could hardly stand up right.

That was how I became so close to that little kid. He was so much like Goku yet so very different. He had fierce determination but he acted out of blind anger. So much power yet so little control. Gohan looked up to me like a father figure for that year. I hadn't thought much of it at that time but now as I recall I'd do anything to see him again in his youth.

So yeah, Goku was many things as I'm sure you all must know.

He was a fighter, no doubt.

He was a friend and a hero to us all.

He was a husband to Chichi and a father to Gohan and their second born, Goten.

He was a man with determination and stamina and a "never give up" attitude.

It was rare to see a combination like that in a guy that powerful. He took down numbers of opponents and helped us through our darkest days. He even saved a few of us from the bad side, including myself, The fearless Prince Vegeta and Krillin's wife Eighteen.

I wasn't there when Goku left with Shenron but Dende had informed me of it. Actually, my last day with the guy had been on Earth, a few seconds before it exploded into a giant, hot, white ball of fire.

Some would have said that I saved Goku. Some might have said that I risked my own neck for the kid.

But I simply repaid him.

I repaid him for the rescues, for the fighting, for the pain and the suffering, for the happiness he brought, for the protection and the comfort.

And even if I would have known that I'd have to spend an eternity in HFIL beforehand, I would have went and did the whole thing again. I didn't think twice about it and I didn't second guess my decision. I acted out of what Goku would call love. He had been a friend to me as he was to everybody else and he had saved me more times then I could count.

I use to ask myself over and over why Goku desperately protected the Earth with his life. I use to wonder why he cared so much.

I know now.

The Earth gave him a home. And the home he resided in was with a family. And across the Earth, many people had homes and families of who they loved. And their friends, who they loved, had families of their own and friends of their own. It was a cycle. Kill one then you kill them all. It was like a never ending chain.

So now I know.

He didn't save the Earth just to live on the actual planet.

He saved the Earth to live with the people he cared about on the planet.

My decision didn't leave me with that joy though and neither did Goku's. I was stuck down here and he was with the Dragon and the Dragon balls going wherever for however long.

Irony.

I still don't think that that's the last of Goku though. It can't be. Someway and somehow he'll return to us.

It might be tomorrow. Or two weeks from now or 5 years or even a century. But he will be back.

And I'll be waiting for him, right here.