Disclaimer: See previous chapters.

Chapter 5: Loyalties

Piccolo was silent for several seconds after Gohan's confession. His eyes, so wide a moment ago, had been reduced to their normal size by the demi-saiyan's words. His entire face had softened considerably, especially when the younger man's head had gone down, his face burning in embarrassment.

The Namekian floated forward and placed a hand lightly on Gohan's shoulder.

"Kid, I'm not mad at you. I just figured you were moving on…"

"Moving on!" Gohan's voice sounded almost strangled. His head jerked up and his cheeks darkened to a healthy magenta to find his former mentor's face so close to his own. "Piccolo, you were my first teacher! You taught me everything! How could I move on from you?"

Gohan realized just how strange that last sentence sounded right after he said it. His face became so purple Piccolo actually began to worry for his health.

"Gohan…are you okay?"

But the demi-saiyan could only mouth wordlessly in return, his face showing no signs of returning to its normal hue. If anything, it was steadily getting darker. The Namekian grew very concerned as he watched this display.

"Gohan…what's wrong with you?"



It was then that the teen remembered how to breathe. He sucked in air so quickly Piccolo drew back in shock, his eyes widening again. Gohan drew in heavy breaths, leaning forward with his hands on his knees in an attempt to regain some form of control over the color of his face. When he finally felt some of the heat leaving his cheeks he looked back up at his friend. Years ago, the expression on Piccolo's face would have been funny to the demi-saiyan. Now it just added to his mortification. He opened his mouth again, determined to say something that made sense.

"Sorry…" was all he could get out, drawing an uncomfortable shift in stance from the Namek before him.

"Right…" Piccolo muttered, his eyes still boring into Gohan's with unmistakable worry. There was another pregnant silence as the two of them gazed at each other, trying to gauge what was on the other's mind. For a moment, the Namek briefly considered peeking into his former student's thoughts. Then he thought better of it. Gohan had always come to him with his problems. He was sure the boy would tell him what was bothering him…

Eventually.

Who would have thought finding a green man would be so hard?

Bulma had checked every place she had known Piccolo to live in, from the Lookout to the waterfall Chi Chi had told her about. Videl sat in the copilot's seat of the small helicopter, looking just as frustrated as the older woman felt.

"Honestly! I can sense ki and I'm not picking him up anywhere!"

Bulma nodded, "The scouter's not picking anything up either…" She glowered at the small blue screen, disappointed. When the Saiyans had landed on the Earth with their scouters, she had decided to make good use of the technology and install it into some of her favorite helicopters and planes. Now, when she finally had the opportunity to use one of them, it failed her miserably.



Videl set her jaw, staring hard at the trees below them, "Well, we can't give up now! Surely he's around here somewhere!" She actually stood up, pressing her nose against the window to get a better view of the landscape they were passing over.

The girl's determination was infectious. Bulma smirked and lowered the helicopter in the air until it was practically skimming the tops of the trees. "That Piccolo can't hide forever!"

There was a long period of silence as both women used their eyes and senses to scan the forest below them. Then Videl spoke again, this time with a hit of uncertainty coloring her tone.

"Isn't…Piccolo a telepath?"

Bulma glanced at her, trying to ignore the sudden sensation of her stomach dropping several inches; "Um…I remember Goku saying something about that…or maybe it was Krillin…" she trailed off, her brow furrowing.

"You don't think that he…knew we were coming?" the teen continued, unable to hide the worry leaking into her voice.

A short pause let both imagine, in quite vivid detail, what Gohan would do to them if they accidentally let his feelings slip with careless thoughts. Bulma giggled shrilly.

"No! Of course not!"

"Yeah, he couldn't…" Videl muttered as she drew back from the window slowly.

They glanced at each other, neither really believing Bulma's words. As a telepath, how could the Namek not know they were coming for him? And even if he wasn't able to read minds, both could remember many occasions in which Piccolo's ears had shown how well they could hear. There was another short silence.

"Maybe we should go back?" Videl suggested quietly, as though afraid Piccolo could hear her. She returned her eyes to the trees below them. Her partner in crime swallowed hard.

"Yeah…"

Vegeta sensed the awkward pair leave the skies above Capsule Corp. about twenty minutes after he had made his exit, leaving them to fumble in the strangeness of their relationship. He was surprised when they stayed together, despite the bizarre fluctuations in ki he had felt over the duration of their conversation. Such irregularities could only mean one thing: it had been an intensely emotional confrontation for both warriors. He grunted in approval. Perhaps they had taken some steps towards…healing.

He had sensed the rift between the two even before Piccolo had arrived. It had been written all over Gohan's face during his attack, the bitter rage that had marred his boy-like features upon the mention of the Namek's name had been quite clear. Something had happened between them, something unconscious, and it was clear that neither had fully recovered from it. And he had a feeling that that something had everything to do with a certain human girl…

Speaking of human girls…

The sound of helicopter propellers broke through Vegeta's musings, prompting him to turn towards the nearest window. He watched as his wife and Videl descended into the large backyard of Capsule Corp. Though he had known they would be unsuccessful in their mission, he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. He could only imagine how uncomfortable the pair could have made it for Gohan, had they run into the demi-saiyan and his beloved Namek on their way to…wherever they were going.

The two women entered the house, conversing in low voices. He had no doubt they were planning their next move. He scowled; they wouldn't be doing anything, not if he had anything to say about it. After all…

He had promised Gohan that he would put a stop to it.

And Vegeta, the Prince of all Saiyans, never broke his word.

A/N: (Gasp) Vegeta's siding with GOHAN?! Yep. I like Vegeta and I think he could be nice if he really tried. But yeah…sadly, it's a short chapter. And sort of a filler, too. But if I'm being honest, it gave me much more trouble than I thought it would…next chapter should be easier…but considering the fact that the easiness of the first week of college is gone and the real workload has descended upon your humble author, I cannot guarantee a fast update. You have my sincerest apologies in advance.