Disclaimer: I don't own…so please don't sue. Okay? Okay.

Chapter 4: Conversation

Gohan's face went from flushed with anger to pale as death in about ten seconds. Vegeta smirked and closed the distance between them to mere feet.

"Something wrong, kid?"

Gohan's breathing became uneven. He stared at the older man with panicked eyes, "I…how…?"

"That insolent ex girlfriend of yours was planning some ridiculous match-making scheme with my mate not a half hour ago," Vegeta practically purred in response, his smile rapidly turning sadistic. Oh how he loved to watch Kakarrot's brat squirm.

Gohan looked like he was about to become physically sick. He started forward again. He had apparently forgotten about the Saiyan Prince in his horror and proceeded to push right passed him, bumping slightly against his shoulder. Vegeta scowled and latched a hand around Gohan's upper arm.

"Did I not just say you weren't leaving until I'm satisfied?"

For a moment, Gohan didn't look at him. He didn't even move. Then, slowly, dangerously, he turned his head. Burning emerald eyes fixed on Vegeta's own as the teen powered up into super saiyan. To Vegeta's disappointment, that was where Gohan chose to stop, but he wasn't worried. A few more jabs about the Namek should get the boy up to the level he wanted.

"Let go!" the demi-saiyan snarled, his energy spiking a bit as he spoke. It was clear he was in a full blown fit of panic and rage. A very dangerous combination. Vegeta smirked again.

"I may be convinced to stop them myself. Then you wouldn't have to get involved and look like a fool and I would get what I want."

"And what is it you want?" Gohan spat back at him, wrenching his arm free, his energy spiking yet again under the stress.

"A fight. And not one of those pansy spars you usually give me, boy. A legitimate fight. Right here, right now."

For a moment, Gohan had a look of genuine shock on his face. It didn't last long, however, and within seconds the rage was back. Then, without so much as a word of agreement, or even a warning, he attacked.

It started as just a flurry of kicks and punches. Vegeta could block many of them with ease. Then it escalated. Gohan had clearly let go of any inhibitions he had started the day with. Blast after blast, each growing stronger than the one that preceded it, blew passed Vegeta, some coming so close they burned his clothes. He cursed himself for not thinking to put on Saiyan armor before picking a fight with the unpredictable teen.

Gohan stopped his barrage of blasts momentarily to flare up into his ascended form. Vegeta transformed himself, into his not as strong and not as reliable counterpart to Gohan's transformed state. He scowled as he compared the two of them.

It was clear that Gohan had the upper hand. Anyone with eyes could see that. His energy was twisting violently in response to his rage and his emerald eyes had a glow that was unnatural, even for a Super Saiyan. His mouth was set into a snarl.

"You wanted me, Vegeta?" He hissed, his face contorting in a way that truly began to scare the older man, "HERE I AM!"

Gohan flung himself forward, blue electricity flying from his body, and began to slam his fists and his feet into the Saiyan Prince. Vegeta floundered to block the attacks, but they were coming far too quickly for him to keep up. Blow after blow landed. Vegeta was now just struggling to defend himself.

Then, as abruptly as the enraged attack began…it stopped. Gohan froze, his glowing fist inches from Vegeta's bruised and battered face. His eyes were not on the Saiyan Prince, but on something a few feet behind him. His expression was difficult to read. It looked like a mixture of shock, horror, and…delight?

Slowly, Vegeta turned his head so he could see who had come to his rescue. His own eyes widened slightly and, to his disgust and shame, he felt a twinge of relief.



Piccolo hovered a few feet away, his arms crossed and his expression blank.

There was no way Gohan would continue on his path towards murder with his beloved Namek there.

"You should have known better than to pick a fight with Gohan, Vegeta," he murmured. Because he was so close to Gohan, the Saiyan Prince sensed the shiver that wracked him when Piccolo spoke. For one brief moment, he considered saying something compromising about the half-breed beside him.

Then he remembered that barely seconds ago Gohan had been an inch away from killing him.

So instead, he grunted and withdrew from the now powered down teen. He turned a mild glare on the Namek.

"Just wanted to see. After all, he has spent most of his time running around with that baka human girl lately."

Piccolo's entire body tensed at the mention of Videl. Gohan too seemed suddenly more on edge. The two of them carefully avoided looking at each other, instead focusing the power of their glowers at Vegeta. He couldn't help the slight smirk that inched its way onto his face at their reactions to the slightest mention of Gohan's former squeeze.

"You never know, making out could have made him weaker."

An ugly look appeared on Piccolo's face. Gohan's head went down, but the part that Vegeta could see was glowing like the setting sun. He allowed himself a brief grin, before beginning his slow descent towards the Earth. He offered them one more little gem before he left them to the awkwardness that was sure to follow his departure.

"But I guess it built up his stamina."

When his feet hit the ground in the Capsule Corps' enormous back yard, Vegeta began to laugh. So what if he couldn't beat Gohan in a fight yet…that had been more satisfying than a physical victory could ever be.

As soon as Vegeta left, an awkward silence rose up to take his place. Gohan squirmed, unable to look at his dearest friend after the embarrassing words the Saiyan Prince had intentionally left them with. He made a mental note to beat the life out of Vegeta as soon as he regained the feeling in his face. Piccolo hadn't spoken since Videl had entered the conversation, but Gohan could tell by the way his ki had flared up that she was not a topic he cared to discuss. He groaned inwardly.

When had his relationship with Piccolo become so…complicated?

The downward spiral had begun as soon as he started dating Videl. The Namekian seemed to withdraw from him as soon as Gohan told him the news. Even during sparring sessions he seemed less passionate than before. Hell, he even seemed unwilling to punch Gohan, simply because it brought him too close. They rarely even spoke to each other and then, when he and Videl hit the four month mark, the conversations stopped altogether.

Gohan had thought that after the relationship ended things would get better. He had hoped that Piccolo had just wanted to give him space, give him time to be with his girlfriend. At first, it seemed like he would get his wish.

When he had gone to tell his teacher that he had broken up with Videl, Piccolo had had a strange reaction. The Namekian man had seemed genuinely happy. He actually smiled, though he tried to hide it, and sounded less than sincere when he told Gohan he was sorry his relationship had ended. But then, within a few days, they were back to where they were at the romance's peak, with Piccolo silent and withdrawn and Gohan awkward and unsure of how to make it better.

There was no doubt in Gohan's mind that his fling with Videl had permanently altered his relationship with Piccolo.



He didn't tell Videl this, of course. The girl was already obsessed with getting them together and he had a feeling telling her his suspicions would only make things worse. She would think that it was because Piccolo had feelings for him. Gohan had another theory, however.

Piccolo had always been slightly obsessed with protecting Gohan and keeping him happy. He had always been there when the demi-saiyan needed him. But now it seemed that Piccolo thought Gohan didn't need him anymore and apparently he had had his suspicions confirmed by the relationship with Videl.

Gohan sighed. It was time for him to let Piccolo know exactly how wrong he was. He wouldn't tell him the full truth, he would never risk his friendship with the Namek, but he would let him know enough.

He looked up to find his friend facing away from him, "Uh…Piccolo?"

"Yeah?" His voice was rough, colder than Gohan had expected. For a moment, he found himself unable to speak. Then the idiotic question flew from his mouth before he could stop it.

"Are you mad at me?"

Piccolo spun around, his cape flapping wildly. His eyes were wide with suppressed horror.

"Mad at you? Why would I be?"

His voice had become softer, kinder, even in his shock. Gohan stared at him nervously. He hadn't been exposed to the full power of Piccolo's voice for months and was having a hard time readjusting to it.

"Well, you haven't been talking to me. Half the time you won't even spar with me. You avoid me. It just…it seems like I did something that really upset you…and I don't like it."



"Gohan…I…"

The demi-saiyan shook his head, "Whatever it was, Piccolo, I'm so sorry for it. Please…please forgive me."

Piccolo looked as though he was at a loss for words. Gohan took a deep shuddering breath.

"Please, Piccolo…I need you."

A/N: No, that is not a love confession. You didn't think it'd be that easy, did you?

Anyways, sorry for the shittiest fight scene in the history of shitty fight scenes. You can tell me if you think it's terrible because trust me, I already know. This whole chapter is pretty bad, actually, but I can't figure out a way to fix it. AND I really want to write the next chapter so I'm gonna post it now and revise it later…probably. Please don't hate me.

OH YEAH!! I almost forgot…a thing about the plot…this story takes place in a sort of AU. Meaning that it assumes there was more time between the day Goku came back to life and the World Tournament. So Gohan is still reigning as the 'most powerful guy on Earth'. Yeah. Just thought I'd let you know. Oh yeah...and he's 17 in this one. Just so you know.