Special thanks to abranca38
|The Watchtower
|June 28th, 1:15 EDT
|2010
Piccolo was bombarded with exclaims and gasping shouts from all the League members while he sat there in stunned disbelief. Batman wanted him to train the children?! The bizarreness and worry about the situation were voiced by everyone in the room.
The ones against him were the most vocal, unsurprisingly, but what was surprising was the others who agreed with them. His own friends were joining in and exclaiming just as loud as his detractors. Sentences were flung around like "you can't be serious!", "are you insane?!" and "no way this is happening!". Piccolo noticed how many of their eyes were drawn towards Dinah more than the Big Three or even himself. Piccolo knew what was about to come, so rather than let the League prattle on with useless cries Piccolo pushed the conversation forward. "You want me to train your whelps?" Piccolo clarified via telepathy.
The sudden mental message halted everyone mid-sentence. Batman capitalized on the sudden silence to take back control of the conversation. "Yes, we do. I understand everyone's qualms about what we propose. I motion to open a dialogue with everyone here and to share said issues, so that I can alleviate them
"Alleviate them?! Like you can just convince us that harming children is the right course of action" Hawkwoman exclaimed.
"And putting them on the frontline and fighting people or events that can cripple or kill them isn't?" Wonder Woman pointily stated
"This is different!" Green Arrow snapped.
"How so?" The sudden question from Red Tornado turned Green Arrow's ire onto him.
Seeing the hostility, Red Tornado defused it. "It's a genuine question. How is Piccolo's training any different from putting Speedy in danger by facing aggressive and unstable individuals?" he asked.
Green Arrow took a moment to wipe the sneer off his face and take up a calm look. He addressed the whole table. "As we've discussed before, it's not morally or ethically right to have children fight alongside us, but we have no choice. We have the choice to dissuade them, stop them and even arrest them, but it won't stop them. Speedy, Kid Flash, Robin and Aqualad. All of them have the drive for heroism" a small smile appeared on Green Arrow's face as he took a moment to reminisce. "I remember arresting Speedy four times yet he always found a way to get his hands on a bow and stop criminals. Doesn't matter how much I try to stop him, he just wants to do what's right".
The smile on his face faded as he retook a serious look to convey his message. "If I truly had a choice, I'd see Speedy put up his cap and bow till he's at least an adult. But I don't have one. The only choice I do have is protecting him. Showing him how to be a hero, how to act in the public eye and how to handle himself in a fight. I can mediate it. This decision- it shouldn't be a decision. You, I and everyone here has a choice now and we need to choose not to put our protégés in danger"
"And what danger could Piccolo possess to them? He does not want to harm them. I understand that Piccolo's training route is severe and highly dangerous but with moderation-"
"Are you just going to gloss over what happened to Black Canary in 2008?" Green Lantern Jordon interrupted
There it was. The main contention and the sole reason for the League's hesitation and borderline refusal for the Big Three's proposal. The reason why Dinah was his ex-pupil. Black Canary flinched at the topic and Green Arrow drove the point home. "Severe and highly dangerous is an understatement! Dinah almost died under Piccolo's supervision! Multiple bone fractures! Torn muscles and scarred skin! Internal bleeding and hemorrhaging in major organs that put her a coma for 5 months!"
"That only happened once!" Zatara quickly defended.
"You're right. Nearly dying and the subsequent coma was one time, but the litany of injuries before that! Some of which are crippling and needed extensive care from STAR and Wayne labs. Some of which were still in the trial phase" Green Lantern Stewart highlighted.
"I'm still standing, aren't I?" Canary clearly pointed out.
"The point being, you almost died. You're survival was a miracle! What does that mean for the children? You barely handled the training and you are a full-grown adult. How would a child fare in this?" Hawkman said.
"We'll moderate it appropriately" Black Canary suggested.
"We?" Green Arrow said.
"Yes, all of us"
"No! We refuse!" Aquaman declared.
"Haven't you been listening to the presentation? The children need this! Ki might be the edge they one day need when a villain more powerful than us comes along. We can help them save the world and themselves. We can moderate Piccolo. Tell him what he can and can't- don't give me that look. All of you, please don't. Don't let what I did cloud you're judgement" Black Canary pled.
The offenders blinked at her words. Hawkwoman softly telling her, "We don't blame you or hold it over your head about what happened to you Canary. We-"
"You sure can, because she was a moron for trying that technique… and I was a fool to even show her it" Piccolo bitterly admitted.
Piccolo mindset at the time was sound. Showcase some of his powers to encourage his pupil to continue with her training so she too can earn them, and to remain her what she was working towards when she struggled to remain on the path. Piccolo was just stupid enough not to see through her star eyed gaze and wonder. To see that she was foolish enough to think she had a chance to use an advanced technique early to impress him. That mistake costed both of them dearly for it.
A few of the members were stunned hearing Piccolo berate his ex-pupil and a person on his side. Stewart took over the reigns during the stunned silence. "Let's forget about the physical ramifications for a moment and talk about the mental and lifestyle side for a moment. A year before the coma, Black Canary was too injured from the training to participate in crime fighting. She even failed her classes in Psychology!"
"The children still go to school and have a life outside of heroism. The training will no doubt ruin both in time. The current years they are in now are important in any person's life. Piccolo's training will ruin the children's livelihoods, just like it did to Canary's" Hawkwoman said.
"My life is not ruined Hawkwoman. Yes, I lost my place at collage and had to redo years of work to get my degree. Yes, my personal life was greatly affected by the training I endured. Yes, I bleed and broke bones under Piccolo's tutelage. Yes, I broke down so- so many times and thought about quitting. Yes, all that happened, but all of you are forgetting what I can do now" with that, Black Canary unleashed only a fraction of her power.
A bight flash and a whirling noise summoned her aura. It surrounded her form and exuded a sudden warmth over each member. Not a temperature heat or anything remotely pleasant, but a starch feeling of intimidation. Canary's aura was her strength personified before their eyes. Canary looked below to her open palm where a soft but bright glow radiated out of. "Piccolo's training gave me power. Actual power" Black Canary proudly announced.
"Before, I couldn't fly, control my Cries, lift a tank or react just as fast as the speed of light. Now, I can do that and more. My body, mind and spirit were reshaped into a powerful warrior of justice. Three years. It took three years to get to the level of a Martian Officer" Black Canary Referenced the Manhunter.
"But it isn't all about that. The other half of the training is spiritual, emotional and mental work. I feel more at peace with myself than I had ever before. I can think on a dime. My body moves near the speed of sound. Knives snap against me and bullets deflect off me. I can do so many things and I only just reached the tip of the iceberg. I can do so much more. None of your release all of Piccolo's powers can be taught" Black Canary explained. "Flight, Ki Sense, Ki Blasts, Mimicry, Kiai, the Makankōsappō and the Instant Transmission. All of it can be taught! The techniques I have now: Ki manipulation, flight, the Solar Flare and the Kienzan weren't learnt in under three years. Piccolo is 38. He spent his whole life training and fighting. All of that culminated in him being the strongest person in the world"
Piccolo said nothing to her claim. She's wasn't wrong to a certain extent but acknowledging that claim in any form would worsen the tension already chocking the room. Piccolo could sense the animosity growing on the Leaguers that opposed this vote. Hearing Canary's claim made a sharp spike of emotion flare from them all. From anger and bitterness to envy and wariness. To say emotions were high was an understatement. "I know that the training is dangerous and debilitating, but the results more than make up for it. The training we're already giving them will suffice for now, but as the statistics has shown, our enemies are only growing stronger. We need something to tip the scales when the time comes. Ki training will give them the edge they need to survive" Black Canary ended her speech with a flare; her aura disappearing in a sudden flash.
Silence took over the meeting. The Members were given a lot to think about. Naturally, Green Arrow took none of it in and remained firm to his stance with a crossed arms and a stern look. The Green Lanterns didn't look moved in the slightest but Piccolo always had trouble gaging their reactions. They had perfected their poker faces to an unmatched degree while their Rings protected their thoughts with overwhelming will power. The Hawks looked to be moved while the other Leaguers remined silent but contemplative. All but one…
Flash had his hand raised, looking around the table for anyone to give him permission to say his piece. Superman did so. "Yes Flash? You wish to add to this?" he asked
Flash drummed his fingers on the table as his face scrunched up in thought. "Yeah… I was thinking about all of this. I mean, the powers are cool and all. Wicked as heck, but the training sounds intense. However, I have noticed a bit of a… mishap with this" Flash's word dribbling drew everyone's attention to him.
All were looking at him with raised brows and questioning looks. Having everyone's attention, Flash then juts his thumb over towards Piccolo. "Is Piccolo even up to doing this?"
That question grounded Piccolo's thoughts to a standstill. He had to spent a moment congratulating the Speedster for saying something useful, and thought provoking, for once. Everyone thought so too, include Batman who said, "Good question".
Everyone turned to Piccolo, expecting an answer. Instead, they received silence. Piccolo sat unmoving. His eyes and face not wavering at bit. Just as Flash was about to make a comment about turning him on and off again, Piccolo grunted out. "Show me the children."
Not even a second after the words escaped his mouth, Batman had brought the protégés up on the hologram. Four children in four different poses and uniforms. A red head boy in a yellow suit with his arms crossed with one hand sticking out with a thumbs up. A short kid with a red, black and yellow getup and a mask over his eyes in a crossed armed pose, leaning against something the hologram didn't show. An older teen dressed in an old timey archer costume, standing intently with a bow in hand and an arrow notched. Lastly, a head shaved teen with gills on his neck and tattoos over his arms, standing at attention with his hands behind his back like an officer in the army. The protégés Kid Flash, Robin, Speedy and Aqualad respectively.
Beside them were text boxes filled with their personal information. Age, weight, height, abilities and past combat details filled the space between them and the sidekick next to them. Piccolo read through them all at a blitzing pace. By far, he wasn't impressed. Kid Flash ranked way down the list. His noted attitude was troublesome and his experience was lacking. Being a hero for only two years, the kid's track record was abysmal in the first year and only picking up mid-way through the second. A growth rate that had Piccolo in disbelief. For the fastest kid alive, the brat was pretty slow to learn things.
Speedy was noted to be too overzealous and emotional. Broadline brutal to his enemies, and if Green Arrow's anything to go by, arrogant and hotheaded to any piece of criticism. Getting him to learn Ki was going to be a pain in the neck. Robin was fine considering he was Batman's protégé and his own merit spoke for itself. To handle the cesspit that is Gotham City and their insane and morally bankrupt criminals on a nightly basis was highly commendable. Although his attitude was a bit too similar to Kid Flash's…
Aquald looked to be up there with Robin. Piccolo noted his posture in the hologram. His serious expression and the formal attitude he exuded made him appealing to teach. The notes on him were promising. Only being a student at the time, he had dove head first into battle to fight beside his king. Risking his life, the novice held of the attackers until Aquaman came to his rescue. It was reckless but impressive, yet there was something else. Piccolo noted that men and women with that same essence Aqualad had in his biography had been too rigid in their thinking and acting. They were too "by the books". Piccolo's style required flexibility and on-the-fly thinking. Something Piccolo doubted Aqualad could pull off.
The possibilities of teaching them ran on repeat in Piccolo's mind. Piccolo lent back into the chair. The cheap plastic legs almost snapping from the added weight. He failed to express anything at the moment. Images of the past flashing before his eyes in tandem with imaginative scenes of them repeating again, only worse. These children were not like Canary. Only one had her discipline and resolve. The rest wouldn't even make it to Yamcha's level, let alone his or Canary's. Piccolo's eyes focused back onto the teens then back onto the table. He could sense Zatara and Canary's concern. A mighty feat for himself, as he was drowned in the hope blasting from auras of many of the others. Their hope coming from his hesitation. "Having second thoughts?" Green Arrow said, sounding hopeful.
Oh, now Piccolo wanted to train the whelps just to spite the Archer, but then his distaste for him had its limits. He wasn't going to risk the wellbeing of children unfit to handle what Piccolo needed of them. At the same time though, Piccolo did think of the same when Canary accepted his offer to train. She wasn't fit for his tutelage either, yet she came far from when they had started. She blew all expectations and managed to survive and come out better in the end. However, she may had been a lucky one-off, and Piccolo did not want to risk testing the boys' luck. Coming at an impasse, Piccolo only had a few words to say. "You've all given me a lot to think about. All of you, to some degree, are right. I need time to think about this."
It was considered a suitable answer to the members. Superman, Wonder Woman, Canary and Martian Manhunter all looked disappointed in some way while the rest were begrudgingly accepting of his offer. "I move for a recess. I think its best if we all sleep on it" Aquaman motioned.
"Agreed. I'll arrange a date suitable for everyone in the near future. In the meantime, read and study the facts, make your conclusion, then prepare to argue whether this is the right course of action or not. Dismissed" Batman curtly said.
Without a moment's hesitation, Piccolo pressed his fingers to his brow and focused on home. He won't stay here unless it was an absolute necessity. With no parting words, Piccolo teleported himself back to his abode to brood and reflect on what had transpired.
|Piccolo's homestead
|June 28th, 1:43 EDT
|2010
Piccolo returned home in a blink of an eye. Just in time to see that same goat from before slowly encroach on his garden. One furious glare later set the goat packing. Walking into his home, his annoyance at an all time high. Piccolo sought to send the rest of the day meditating and mauling his thoughts over the League's divisive proposal. Barely five minutes had past before Piccolo's Zeta-Tube received a request to send a Leaguer over. Removing his cape and turban, and settling them down on his chair, Piccolo walked over to the Zeta shed and towards the console. The League I.D belonged to Dinah. Transferring his Ki into the machine, to whirled to life and spun to develop the Zeta particles needed to successfully teleport Dinah here. While the machine churned to life, Piccolo took the moment to prepare some tea. Venturing to his house, Piccolo prepared the tea in his kitchen. After placing down two cups, Piccolo filled a pot with water. Placing a small ball of Ki inside, the energy heated the water instantly. Placing the tea bags filled with chamomile, poured in the boiling water just as Dinah stepped out of the Zeta-Tube.
He took his seat and placed the two cups down just in time to see Dinah walk through the door. She looked a bit blindsided by Piccolo simply sitting in his chair, rather than his usual cross-armed stance. She didn't look destressed or mad with him. She was abrasive and nervous as she walked towards the guest chair Piccolo had just summoned. Taking her seat and her tea, she gently settled down. Leaning in her chair and taking gentle sips, she allowed herself to relax before facing their argument. "Do you know why I struggled with training you?" Piccolo suddenly asked.
Dinah arched a brow in question. "You did?"
Piccolo nodded his head. "Yeah. I've had four pupils in the past, and all of them weren't humans. At least part of them weren't. Three were half human while the last one was three-quarters human. Their fathers were an alien race that thrived on martial combat and discipline. It was in their very nature, and thus they could handle some things a person, a human, cannot" Piccolo took a sip of his tea. "Training you had been much of a struggle for me as it was for you learning the basics of Ki, and the Demon and Namekian Warrior school of martial arts" he admitted.
Dinah looked spellbound. "Well… you hid it well" she said.
Piccolo huffed out his nose. "I made too many mistakes. I was stupid to assume this humanity had the same potential and grit like mine back home."
"And I'm not proof of the contrary?"
"No, you're the foundation of it. Your martial prowess was on par with the warrior humans back home, but your Ki development was far too slow. Not to mention it was twisted in a… no, too harsh of a word. It was… formed into something else. Your lack of Ki growth created an imbalance in your training. The martial and the Ki, the body and the spirit respectfully, had to grow together as one. That's why you almost died when you tried the Kio-Ken."
Dinah grimaced. Being reminded of what she did made her uncomfortable. Good, Piccolo thought. It kept her in check and made her second guess doing something that stupid again. Piccolo continued. "You're still finding it difficult with focusing normal Ki blasts out your hands, aren't you?" Piccolo's words more a statement then a question.
Canary nodded. "Yet you're finding it easier to form and deliver them from your mouth, and to use them in tandem with your Canary Cry" Piccolo said, repeating the same tone as before.
Canary nodded again. Piccolo took a sip from his drink and took a few seconds to highlight how important his next words were. "It is the Meta-Gene. That's what's throwing a wrench into all this. It's a part of you, thus a natural focal point for your Ki. Issue is that most of the techniques I can teach you are tied to posture positioning and movements. Not many Ki techniques are tied to the mouth other than inhale and exhaling exercises. It took you and I years to discover this fact and then work with it. It took years for it to work for you and that took my sole attention, now you want me to work with four children, two of which have vastly different Meta-abilities, on training them with Ki and martial arts. All of them human to some degree" Piccolo explained.
Dinah set her tea down and brought her hands up to emphasize her next words. "Alright, then we'll work on it. As you know all too well, not everyone is built the same. We'll test them. See who needs what needed where. Trial and error. It's be slow but it'll be worth it."
"Dangerous experimentation. You of all people know that Ki is dangerous in the inexperienced hands"
"Then we can moderate it. Both you and I, we can work together and help these kids prepare for the future as heroes."
"Trust me Dinah, if it were another group of kids, I'll be inclined to take you up on your offer" Piccolo admitted.
Dinah froze in her tracks. Her mouth agape and her hands still before her. "What do you mean? You're… not going to teach them… why?" she asked.
Piccolo only gave her a look. One that didn't need further explanation on his reasons. Dinah was in disbelief, "You are refusing to train them because of who they are?"
"That and the dangerous they'll go through, yes. I'm willing to teach Robin and Aqualad, but I'm not wasting my time and energy teaching runts like Kid Flash and Speedy."
"Why not?"
"Attitude and discipline" Piccolo spoke like it was the end-all-be-all of his explanation.
Dinah shook her head as if it would rid of her shock. "Really? You haven't even met them! What, are you judging them based on their mentors? You're letting personal bias dictate whether or not you'll give them a chance? To give them the skills that may one day save lives?!" Dinah said a gasped.
Piccolo simply nod his head. "Yes. I haven't met them but I saw their statistics. Robin and Aqualad can just make it as my students, but Speedy and Kid Flash? Not even close. Speedy is too aggressive and headstrong. There's no room for flexibility or restraint. Green Arrow is doing nothing but enabling him. Green Arrow will be his downfall sooner or later… no offence" Piccolo quickly quipped.
Dinah huffed and threw her hand up. "None taken. I agree he's a bit of a push over but Ollie won't hurt him or lead him to his downfall! You're overexaggerating" Dinah exclaimed.
"Not for Kid Flash I'm not. The runt runs his mouth more than his legs. He thinks all of this is a game. A happy pass time to show up and preen like a peacock. This training will be a wake up call that I don't think he'll handle. The Flash is more interested in cracking one-liners than helping his sidekick learn and adapt to being a real hero. You say I can give them the skills they can to save lives, but how can I do that when the foundations and fundamentals that are there are so wrong that I'm better off saving the lives of the four of them instead by not training them?" Piccolo grumbled.
Dinah huffed and shook her head. "So teach Robin and Aqualad then" she offered.
Piccolo barked out a bitter laugh. "And have them teach the other two runts? Batman has told me they're in a tight knit friend group. If two of them get special treatment, then the other two will start pestering them. Before we know it, we'll have those two's deaths on our conscious" Piccolo explained.
Dinah did not say a word. Her silence was telling. She believed the brats would do that. She shook her head and regained her thoughts. "What about in a few years. Let them have more experience-"
"No. I won't. Not with the way they're heading. Aquaman is too beholden to his king and following lockstep with a limited fighting style and mindset. Robin is desperate to stray from Batman's path to the point of self-destruction. Speedy is too emotional and arrogant. Kid Flash is too immature and isn't ready to handle what is needed to be done."
"So intervene and help them" Dinah said.
Piccolo went silent, clicking his tongue and refusing to look Dinah in the eye. "The others in the League who are against this, they're right. This will be dangerous. My training will hurt them and those around them. It isn't safe for them" Piccolo said with his voice weary and remorseful.
Dinah's face softened with her eyes full of sadness. "I know what I did hurt you. Betraying your trust like that and trying the Kio-Ken in order to impress you and prove you wrong was a mistake. I'm sorry, but please. Please don't let my mistake hurt these children. Please just give them a chance…" Dinah went quiet for a moment, contemplating something before continuing. "I'm not ment to tell you this, but the others came to me first" she admits.
Piccolo snapped to attention. They asked her first?! It made sense since all of the League were on good terms with her as she was their resident psychologist. They would be more comfortable with her handling the children, but why did they propose the same offer to him? "Then why did you reject the offer?" he asked.
Dinah shook her head. "I didn't. Not yet at least. I counter offered. I said they should ask you instead because you're the expert- no, the only one on this planet that has any concrete knowledge on Ki and how to manipulate it to one's advantage. I left you just as I was beginning to understand the fundamentals of Ki. I'm still a notice Piccolo."
"Yet you're still willing to train them? Even if you still struggle to grasp the basics? Even if you haven't learnt everything?" Piccolo pressed.
"When do we really stop learning anything in life?" she said sagely.
"Dinah…" Piccolo said in an irate tone.
Dinah huffed and gave him a serious look. "I see the writing on the wall Piccolo. These kids need this. Whether you or they like it or not. If I can give these kids a change to help save the world and themselves, I'll gladly do it. Regardless of risks, but you said it yourself. I don't know everything nor do I have a grasp on the basics. I'm not the right person. I am the safe choice Piccolo, but you are the one they need."
They stayed seated for a while. Piccolo digesting her words and playing them repeatedly in his mind. He was so preoccupied with her argument that he unknowingly downed his tea in one go. Taking a moment to savor the taste and feel the calming brew settle his nerves, Piccolo tried to form some semblance of a response to address Dinah. Nothing could come to mind. Dinah wasn't affected by the silence in the slightest. She seemed to understand what her words had on him. They reminded seated and quiet for what felt like ages. Dinah eventually moved. Settling her empty tea down, she rose from her seat and moved towards the door. She opened it but didn't walk through it. He looked back to him. "Thank you for listen to me. I apricate it. You know, I miss it up here. It kind of feels like a home away from home" she admits.
"Then why don't you stay for a bit?" Piccolo asked.
His question was genuine and not to distract from the mental turmoil he was experiencing. He won't lie; it was dreadfully lonely. What with Dinah spending a few years up here, Piccolo was beginning to miss having someone else up here with him. Dinah smiled but shook her head. "Thank you Piccolo but I'll have to take a rain check on that offer. Besides, Ollie doesn't like the cold" she snickered.
Piccolo huffed but nod his head. It wasn't his business anyway to comment on Dinah's intimate life but, as much as he disliked the Archer, Oliver did make Dinah happy in his bumbling buffoonery. Seeing Dinah happy with him was enough for Piccolo to be satisfied for Dinah wellbeing. Dinah made a move to exit the house. She took a step outside. "Thanks for the tea Piccolo" she said just as she closed the door.
"Dinah…"
Piccolo's voice was barely a whisper yet Dinah stopped in her tracks. She peered back in to look at Piccolo. He was gripping his armchairs in nervousness and apprehension. Again, words escaped him. He wanted to say that he was swayed by her words. She was obviously upset by his non-answer before up in the Watchtower. Saying he agreed with her would make her happy yet that would be lying to her. He was still apprehensive. One student from this dimension almost died under his tutelage. Could he handle four others possibly hurting themselves or worse? Piccolo needed to meditate. He needed to do something. "… I'm still deciding" Piccolo said through gritted teeth, pained and frustrated that it was all that he could offer her.
Dinah didn't seem to taken aback by another maybe answer. Instead, she gave him a kind look and cheeky grin. "I know. Don't take too long. These kids grow up fast after all" with that, she walked out of the house.
As soon as the door closed, Piccolo let out a long breath and slumped into his chair. The past hour's events leaving him sapped of energy. He allowed himself just this once to enjoy his chair. Uncomfortable as it was. Suddenly the door flew open, forcing him to snap back to his serious posture. Dinah looked at him with a mused and surprised face. "Since when did you get a pet goat?"
There were only a handful of times when Dinah saw Piccolo truly enraged, and she had the pleasure of seeing this rare sight. Piccolo exploded off his chair and flew through the door to chase after, of all things, a goat with 100% of his full power.
|Piccolo's homestead
|July 4th, 12:45 EDT
|2010
The days rolled by like the usually do in the alpines: cold and windy. Perfect distractions to train one on mediation. The chill that the howling winds carry shook the body and force the mind to seek warmth and shelter. It was a testament to have one ignore the brittle conditions and focus. Mind over matter. Like waves beating across a cliff face, they unmoved Piccolo as he floated firmly atop the highest peak around his homestead. However, much like waves eroding and seeping into the cracks of the rockface, the chill was testing Piccolo's fortitude.
It shouldn't be like this but the subject constantly on Piccolo's mind made him unstable. To think training brats would make him this decisive. He wasn't like this with Gohan, Goten or Pan. He threw Gohan out of the pan and into the fire after all. Stright into the jaws of dinosaurs to be more exact. Yet he knew why he was so hesitant. Gohan showed amazing potential at that young age and was his father's son. Pan likewise was the same with her human side not weighting her down one bit. None of the protégés shared this amazing potential. They had it but not to the level Piccolo was use to dealing with. If he made one wrong move, what happened to Dinah could happen again tenfold. But, the children needed this. Batman had predicated such and it was already coming to fruition. More and more, Piccolo was called on to help the League. This year he was called 29 times. Last year it was 12 then the year before it was 3. It seemed like every other day there was some world ending threat that needed everyone to pitch in and help. If Piccolo were to train the kids, it could tip the scales…
Piccolo picked up the sudden blare of a phone below him. It was the phone to his house, the one the League only uses in cases of emergencies. With a huff, Piccolo flew down to his house. Entering and picking up the phone, he heard the voice of Zatara come through. "Piccolo, we need your help. Wotan is planning of blocking out the sun with the Amulet of Aten. The fool seems to have teamed up with a vampiric cult. I've call all available Leaguers to lend a hand but I fear it might not be enough!"
Piccolo noted how Zatara sounded panicked and even could be heard struggling. Still, Piccolo pondered loudly. "Do you really need me or are you blowing this out of proportion?" he asked.
"I am serious! Thgil enihs! There are five elder vampires here and Wotan! We are in a fortified castle! The place is crawling with the undead! I wouldn't ask if this wasn't serious" Zatara sounded, with panic pulsing through his voice.
Piccolo wised up to the situation and affirmed with a solid response. "Copy that. I'll be there" Piccolo hung up the phone. Locking onto Zatara's signature, Piccolo flew out of him home and raced to once again to save the League.
Merry Christmas everyone! I hope everyone is having a great holiday this year!
