PICCOLO
It had been a week since Gohan had disappeared.
It's safe to say that Lettie kind of… freaked out. It's safe to say I almost freaked out because we just couldn't find the kid anywhere.
We would spend the whole day looking for him, flying over that entire region, calling his name and trying to track his Ki. It felt like we were trapped in a maze because we felt Gohan's Ki, but its location was very uncertain and confusing.
We both didn't train during that week. Our routine was to just look for him and return to Camp to try to eat something. I say try because Lettie couldn't eat anything, and she would just stare at the fire with a terrified look due to thinking she had lost her nephew for good.
And then, she would lie down next to me, as she had done on the first night we lost him, but who said she could fall asleep? The worst part was that I heard her crying softly in the middle of the night, standing guard in my spot next to the fire, and I felt like the most useless of men.
I tried to hide that I was worried about Gohan's well-being as much as she was. He could be a Saiyan, he could be a boy with spectacular powers and strength, however, the image I had of him was that little child I afflicted in the first two months of Training; the one in which I saw the bruises and wounds marking his entire little body, and fear invaded me at the thought that he was lost out there, alone and without any support.
It was impossible not to think about Lettie's words, that I was practically a father to Gohan. I tried to avoid that acknowledgment, however, the more I avoided it, the clearer I realized how, during these eight months of coexistence, a deep paternal feeling towards that boy gradually filled me.
I felt very strange. Gohan was the son of my arch-enemy, the son of the man that, not long ago, I wanted to overpower, but now, it seemed like such a… pointless ambition.
All that made me think of Lettie, who was suffering in silence, deep down blaming herself for losing Gohan, and day after day of his disappearance, she began to get into an intense state of depressive lethargy.
And seeing her in that state hurt me more than her, but I needed to stay strong. For me, for Lettie, and for Gohan.
Exactly seven days after his disappearance, the two of us were back at the Camp at lunchtime, after searching for him all night and morning. The day was cold and cloudy as if reflecting our spirits, and Lettie was sitting in front of the fire I had lit, wrapped in Gohan's blanket, while I filled a bowl with some soup I had prepared.
Her eyes were swollen and red, with streams of silent tears marking her pale, thin face.
I crouched down next to her with the soup. "Lettie..." I gently brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. "Come on, you need to eat. We'll still look for him some more today."
Slowly, she turned to me with a blank, lifeless look, and my heart ached. I felt a strong desire to hug her, to cuddle her to my chest and tell her everything would be okay. But I didn't. I didn't have the courage.
What was left was the two of us looking at each other for endless seconds, with our minds in a whirlwind full of worry and tiredness.
It was then that, suddenly, our eyes widened and we straightened up.
Lettie threw off the blanket and jumped up. "D-D-Did you feel that?!?!" She looked around.
"Yes!" I placed the bowl on the ground and got up with her. "It's Gohan's Ki! It is... getting closer!"
We exchanged attentive and alarmed looks, and then we heard, "AUNT LETTIE!!!!!!!! MR. PICCOLO!!!!!!!!!"
Someone was flying quickly towards us.
"GOHAN!!!" we exclaimed in unison.
He flew straight into his aunt's arms, hitting her with such force that she fell back with a thud on the ground.
A sequence of crying, laughing and tears followed, coming from Lettie and Gohan, as I watched them, feeling the weight of a mountain lift off my shoulders.
Gohan then turned to me and flew into my arms, also crying into my neck. "M-Mr. Piccolo!" he sobbed. "I was so scared!"
At first, I had no reaction, with my hands raised at my sides. But I couldn't hold it anymore. I wrapped little Gohan in my arms and fell to my knees, hugging him tightly.
Lettie deliberately snatched him from me, to inspect him from head to toe. I didn't like her behavior, but what could I do? It was understandable.
When Gohan stood between the two of us, we could see the real situation of his condition. He was all filthy and disheveled, and his clothes were torn and worn out.
However, there was something different about him. I couldn't quite say what, but it felt like he had somehow grown up a little. Only then did I realize that during the period in which he was lost, he had turned five years old. Now, even though he still looked like a small child, his gaze and posture showed a certain... maturity and determination that didn't exist before.
What happened to that boy?
Lettie externalized my question.
"After I ran away from the dinosaur in the forest," began Gohan, "I found a gap among the trees and flew out of fear. I'm sorry, Aunt Lettie..."
"It's okay, sweetheart..." She wiped his face, still panting with emotion. "But where did you go to?! We've been looking for you for days!"
"It was very dark, so I couldn't find the Camp, and I flew around until..." He lowered his head. "I got lost."
"Why didn't you track our Ki?" I asked.
"I was terrified, Mr. Piccolo…" Gohan looked at me with shame. "I wasn't able to…"
Lettie sat him on her lap. "Do you know where you ended up? Was it nearby?"
"No..." he denied. "All I know is that my energy ran out and I had to land in a sandy desert. That's when I was swallowed by the earth."
"Swallowed by the earth?!" we exclaimed.
"Yes!" he vehemently confirmed. "I fell into the Nemurien Temple."
Lettie and I exchanged confused looks. For me (and apparently for her too), Gohan was speaking another language. Upon seeing our faces, he explained, "It's an underground archaeological site of a very ancient Temple, hidden beneath the sand. I was scared because it was a dark and quiet place, but I had help from Mr. Robot!"
"Mr. Robot?" Lettie repeated.
"That's right! Inside the Temple, there was a prototype robot from the 3-S series, but it was half buried in the sand, because it was abandoned by the researchers and had not been able to get out for many years. He was as grumpy as Mr. Piccolo!" He gave me a mischievous giggle.
I rolled my eyes as they both laughed at me. At least, Gohan hadn't changed one thing: he was still a nerd.
"I must've been trapped there for more than a day, and I felt very sorry for Mr. Robot for being alone in that place for so long. I wanted to get him out of there, but when I began digging him up, the walls of the Temple weakened and started to collapse on top of us. As soon as Mr. Robot saw a gap in the wall, he forcefully threw me through the hole, and the entire Temple collapsed on him."
Lettie covered her mouth in astonishment. "And what happened to Mr. Robot?!" she asked, so invested in that story as if she were watching a drama movie.
"It..." Gohan was crestfallen, with teary eyes. "It didn't survive."
His aunt gave him a sad look and stroked his hair to comfort him.
"After that," he sighed, "I went to sleep in a cave, and when I woke up, there was a dinosaur sleeping next to me!"
"Was that T-Rex?!" replied Lettie, frightened.
"No... It was a kind species and didn't look well... That's when I realized that it had a huge branch stuck in its belly... It must have suffered some accident and went to sleep in the cave to recover."
"Poor thing!" whimpered Lettie. "Did you help him?"
"Yes! I made a poultice that my daddy taught me once, to heal wounds, and left it to recover while I fetched it some fruit to eat." Gohan turned to me with a smile. "I chose the best fruits, Mr. Piccolo, just like you taught me!"
I found myself feeling a sense of pride. "Good job, Gohan." I blinked, slowly.
"I hope your dinosaur friend recovered well." Lettie stroked his back.
Gohan suddenly showed deep dejection and sadness.
"What is it, sweetheart?" worried Lettie. "Why are you making this face?"
"Wh-When I came back..." Gohan gulped, sobbing softly. "That evil T-Rex that chased us... I-It... It had devoured my dinosaur friend!"
Lettie opened her mouth wide and met my gaze. But what could I say? Gohan, fortunately or unfortunately, had learned the harsh law of nature. It's part of the game…
"Aw..." she said. "I'm so sorry..."
"Thank you, Aunt Lettie..." He wiped his nose with the back of his hand.
We remained silent for a moment, until I asked, trying to maintain a calm tone, "And what happened to you after that?"
"I flew away, but I got even more lost, and I ran out of energy again when I arrived at a beach, and I passed out there. When I woke up, I was in a very old and run-down house, and I discovered that it was a deserted city inhabited only by orphaned children who had lost their parents in a terrible tsunami that happened a few years ago."
Lettie placed her hand on her chest, visibly touched. "I remember hearing about this catastrophe on the news..." She looked at me, and, with a nod, I confirmed that I had too. She turned to Gohan, "But, these orphans lived… alone? Was there no adult looking after them?"
"Well..." replied Gohan. "Every day, a woman with a bunch of men went to this abandoned city to try to capture them and take them to orphanages, but the children always managed to escape, because they told me that when they were taken to these places, they were beaten, they suffered punishments and were left without food!"
I noticed that Lettie was quite disturbed by what she heard, and I asked her if she was okay.
"I'm sorry, it's just…" She made a pained expression. "This reminds me of some moments from my childhood..." She gave an embarrassed half-smile. "It's true that there are many good orphanages that help children, but... there are also some horrible ones like these..." She looked down. "I understand their fear, more than I would like."
I felt bad, and the atmosphere between us became a little strange. However, Lettie cleared her throat and undid that expression from before, and asked, "And what did you do when you were with those children, Gohan?"
"Well, I... uh..." He looked embarrassed. "I spent that day with them and... I helped them steal food from the other city..." He looked down at her, fearfully.
I could've sworn Lettie would tell him off for stealing food, but she didn't say anything, just took on a dark, gloomy look. It was then that I thought... Hadn't she done that herself when she lived on the streets at some point when she was hungry?
I couldn't help but create such an image in my head; Lettie, so young, alone and hungry, thrown onto the streets, trying to survive.
My discomfort only got worse.
"Afterwards," continued Gohan, "those guys from the orphanage managed to get the children, but I ran away with the oldest boy and leader of the group with a car that he stole from the men." He turned to Lettie, his eyes full of tears. "Then, he told me that, in the end, those children would have a better future in the orphanage than living alone in that abandoned city, because, for better or worse, they could have a chance to find a new home and a family."
I saw Lettie swallow, clearly holding back a cry stuck in her throat, and I decided to end that conversation as soon as possible. "And how did you find us, Gohan?"
"By some miracle, the leader of the children told me our location, and I discovered that it was very close to my house, and I decided to see my mommy!"
"What?!" I replied.
"Did you go back to your house?!" added Lettie.
Gohan gave us a little smile, which only made us more confused. "Yes, I did. I went to the edge of our woods and even saw Mom standing near my bedroom window, but I left."
Lettie seemed to read my mind when she asked the question that had crossed it, "B-But, why didn't you go talk to her?"
Gohan's smile grew, full of confidence. "Because that was wrong. I really wanted to see my mommy... So much that I cried. But, I'm not a crybaby anymore. I'm a future warrior and I have a mission: defeat the Saiyans and protect the Earth, with my Aunt Lettie and Mr. Piccolo! After I left, I spent the rest of the days looking for you until I found our Camp again! All by myself!"
Wow. That took me by complete surprise.
Now it was explained why Gohan looked different than when we lost him.
Lettie had tears in her eyes, but they were no longer of sadness, but of pride, and she cupped his face, caressing it with her thumbs, "My little boy... you're growing up!"
In response, he threw himself at her and hugged her tightly, and I studied them for a while. Gohan may have grown and matured a little during the week he lived alone, but, deep down, it was clear how much he enjoyed the care, affection, and warmth of his dear Aunt Lettie.
I reached out my hand, stroked his long, disheveled black hair, and said, "Good job, little one."
Gohan turned to me, his eyes gleaming. "Thank you, Mr. Piccolo!"
Lettie then pulled him away and analyzed him from top to bottom with a disapproving and playful expression. "Well, I think that's enough adventures for today." She stood up, taking his hand. "Come on, Gohan, let's take a bath to wash off all this stink!"
"Can we go to the Hot Springs?" he asked.
"Sure... After such a troubled week, we deserve a relaxing moment, don't we?" Lettie turned to me with a smile full of relief.
Returning her smile, I nodded and also stood up, watching them head to the edge of the Camp and fly off towards the Hot Springs. I placed my hands on my hips and reflected on the changes that that boy had shown.
However, when I stopped to analyze, of all the changes that Gohan underwent, there was one that caught my attention:
He was no longer misspelling.
***
That night, we went back to our routine of eating dinner around the campfire, as if nothing had happened.
Well, Gohan was more needy of his aunt and was only able to eat while sitting between her legs, praising her soup as if it were the best feast in the world, for he really had missed Aunt Lettie's soup on the days when he had to provide his own food.
"Don't forget to also thank Mr. Piccolo," she said. "He's the one who brings the food. I just put everything together in the cauldron." She gave me a playful wink and I reciprocated, taking a spoonful of my bowl.
"Thanks for the food, Mr. Piccolo!" Gohan raised his bowl in an imaginary toast. He then let out a loud yawn, slowly blinking his red eyes.
"Hmm, I see that someone is going to bed early today." Lettie stroked his arms. "As soon as you finish your soup, off to bed, okay?"
"Listen, Aunt Lettie..." Gohan yawned again. "Back in the children's abandoned city, they used to tell stories around the campfire. Could you tell me a story?"
"Gee!" She laughed. "I'm not good at this."
"Mr. Piccolo," he turned to me, "would you tell me a story?"
"No."
"Aw..." Gohan's shoulders fell. "Aunt Lettie, it's on you now."
"A story…?" Lettie fixed her hair. "Well... Huh... I think I have one, which I heard from that old lady who taught me how to cook."
We got silent. Even the typical night sounds seemed to quiet down at that moment, everyone paying attention to her words.
"There was a man, owner of a field, who, one day, went out to sow his seed." Her calm, soft voice filled the air around us. "Some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Another part fell on rocky ground and soon sprang up because the earth was not deep. When the sun came out, the plants burned and dried up because they had no roots. Another part fell among thorns, which grew, but were choked. However, some seeds fell on good soil and sprang up into a good harvest; thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times more."
With a smile, Lettie touched the tip of her nephew's nose. "Now tell me, Gohan, what kind of soil are you? One that lets birds eat up its seeds; a rocky and shallow ground; one full of suffocating thorns or... a good, fertile soil that brings many fruits?"
"I want to be a good soil, Aunt Lettie!" replied an excited Gohan.
"So," she stroked his hair, "you've got to work hard for this."
Gohan was thoughtful for a while, until he asked, "But if I am a good soil, what are the seeds and the fruits?"
"The seeds are all the skills and teachings you're learning to fight against people who do evil, like these Saiyans that are coming. The fruits are Goodness, Righteousness and Truth, results of the practice of all these skills and teachings that you acquired."
"Oh... I see!" he replied, but then frowned. "Wait… So, who is the sower?"
"Who do you think it is?"
Gohan thought for a few seconds, until he slowly turned to me with a huge smile. "It's Mr. Piccolo! He's the sower!"
I stopped with a spoonful halfway to my mouth when I saw them both smiling in my direction.
There they were again, gazing at me with that intensity of respect that until now I couldn't understand where it came from, and the only question that ran around in my head was: why?
Why did they like me so much?
Why did they see this admirable person in me?
Why did Gohan look at me like I was a superhero?
And why did Lettie look at me as if I were the most honorable man she had ever met, when I had never done anything worthy of honor in my life?
We held our gazes for long seconds, while my chest burned with a strange sensation, stirring me from the depths of my core, until Lettie lifted Gohan from her lap and said, "Enough stories for today. Say goodnight to Mr. Piccolo and let's go to bed."
Gohan ran up to me and hugged me tightly, almost making me drop my soup. "Good night, Mr. Piccolo! I can't wait for us to start training again tomorrow!" He flexed his little arms. "You'll see how much stronger I've become!"
I responded with a shy smile, still recovering from that sudden hug, and watched them walk away. Before going into the tent after Gohan, Lettie looked back and gave me another wink, and finally left me there, alone with the fire, the soup and my troubled thoughts.
How long would I punish myself for the mistakes of my past?
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PICCOLO
I was standing on top of a large rock. My white cape fluttered in the warm evening breeze, and only the desert and stillness were my companions.
My blood then boiled in alert.
Someone was approaching from behind.
I turned around and… nothing.
A shadow covered me on the other side, emerging from behind the rock.
Gohan.
He jumped above my head, ready to strike me with a kick, but I grabbed his foot. However, he spun around and, with his other leg, hit me squarely under the chin.
I fell back with a thud. Gohan jumped again, ready to punch me in the face, but I rolled to the side and got to my feet. A tearing pain emerged from my stomach. He had given me a right hook punch, and I was left breathless.
I looked at him, and I got a cheeky little grin in response.
That nerdy...
I dashed forward to hit him in the side, but he disappeared, quickly, and reappeared behind me, ready to kick me head-on.
Not today!
I blocked his blow with my forearm and threw him to the ground. HA! Who was down now, boy?!
In the next second, I fell again due to the sweep kick he gave me.
Damn it!
Gohan flew above me, crossed his palms in front of his forehead, and shouted, "MASENKOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!"
A yellow ray of light shot out from his hands.
I only had time to jump off the rock before it exploded into a thousand pieces. I landed awkwardly on the dry, stony ground, my chest rising and falling as I stared at Gohan still floating in the sky, now laughing in triumph.
Unintentionally, I smiled at him.
That was my biggest failure.
"TENKOCHI!" I heard someone else scream.
Lettie.
I turned around, and there she was, just a few meters away.
Lettie extended her arms in front of her body, opening her hands parallel to each other, and from her ten fingers, ten balls of energy shot out like homing missiles directly at me.
I tried to dodge, but Lettie was controlling the track of the energy balls. I managed to repel five of them, however, the other five hit me straight.
Silence.
There I was, fallen for the third time, my clothes ragged and the dust from the impact floating around me.
Then, I heard Lettie and Gohan celebrate, "WE DID IT!!!!!!!"
Lying on the ground, I smiled to myself.
Yes, they did it. They successfully knocked me down.
And I couldn't be more proud.
I sat up with a grunt, feeling all my muscles ache, and watched them approach.
"Nice attack, Aunt Lettie!" exclaimed Gohan.
"Thanks," she smiled. "You were excellent, causing that distraction and– OH NO!" She suddenly acquired a look of horror and ran to kneel beside me. "Master, you're... you're hurt!"
Gently, she held my right arm, where a deep cut was tearing my skin.
"Mr. Piccolo, are you okay?" Gohan took my white cape stained with blood.
"Oh, no..." Lettie was devastated, analyzing the wound. "It was my fault, I'm sorry... I didn't mean to hurt you..."
She was unconsciously stroking my arm, and I had to contain myself as much as possible so as not to show how much I was shaking with all that proximity.
Come on! Why was I shaking? Get a grip, Piccolo!
"I-It was nothing..." I faked a cough, rubbing my free hand in anxiety. "It means your attack is efficient." I tried to smile, but I think a ridiculous face came out in place.
Lettie shook her head and took off the belt from her kimono. "Let me take care of this..." And she started wrapping the belt around my arm, covering the cut, never stopping to stroke me for even a moment, which only made my stomach feel more butterflies. We remained silent as Gohan watched us. He then giggled, and we turned to find out why.
"Hihihi…!" Gohan covered his mouth, alternating between looking from one to the other. "I think Mr. Piccolo is a bit needy!"
I held my breath and stared at Lettie.
"Why do you say that, Gohan?" she questioned.
"Well, Aunt Lettie..." he chuckled. "Mr. Piccolo doesn't need you to take care of his wound. He can regenerate himself, remember?"
It was her turn to stare at me. "Oh!" Lettie blinked at me several times. "Yes..." She then smiled. "I had forgotten."
"Have you forgotten too, Mr. Piccolo?" asked Gohan.
Now, I was the one looking from one to the other.
Had I really forgotten one of my primary skills? Or did I just… pretend to forget? Just to… just to feel Lettie's gentle, caring touch?
I wanted to find a hole to hide myself in and never come out.
I pulled my arm away from her hands, more brutally than I should have, and brought it to my chest, while I felt their confused gaze on me.
"Argh!" I grumbled. "Stop talking nonsense." I got up awkwardly, almost tripping over my own feet, and transfigured my clothes into new ones and also a new belt for Lettie. "Stand up now, both of you! In front of me. I have an important announcement to make."
They obeyed me, attentive to my words.
I cleared my throat and put my hands behind me, with my wound already healed, and looked at them with a serious expression.
"Today, it has been exactly eleven and a half months since we started our Training to fight against the Saiyans who are arriving at Earth. During this period, you've learned about the fundamentals and control of Ki, attacks and fighting practices, levitation and flight techniques, as well as undergoing intense physical training to strengthen and prepare your bodies and minds. You've practiced combat simulations and, ultimately, you've created your own special techniques, as we have just seen. And, above all, you both managed to defeat me." My mood improved a little when I saw a gleam of pride in their eyes as I talked about everything they had been through, and I couldn't help but smile. "Therefore, I declare that your Training has been completed successfully. Congratulations. To celebrate it, we'll have pizza for dinner tonight."
They stared at each other, mouths agape.
Gohan then burst into a sequence of joyful hops, which made the earth shake so much that Lettie lost her balance and fell sprawling on the ground while he dashed off running around and kicking up dust, with his arms raised above his head as he screamed, "YAYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!! PIZZAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!"
I went to Lettie and held out my hand to help her. "This kid will never learn..." I wrinkled my nose as I analyzed if she had been hurt.
"It's okay." Lettie brushed the dirt off her clothes. "He's just happy."
"How about you?" I swallowed nervously. "Are you... happy?"
In response, she floated till she reached my height, gazing her intense blue eyes into mine, slowly approached me, and hugged me. "I've already told you that I'm the happiest woman in the world, remember?" Lettie squeezed me a little tighter.
It was impossible for me. I couldn't help myself and I hugged her back, hoping she wouldn't feel my heart jumping out of control as I pressed her against my chest.
I would be able to stay all day with her like that, smelling her natural scent, so refreshing for the desert environment we lived in, with light sweet floral notes.
She then gazed at me, resting her hands on my shoulder pads, smiled and said, "Regardless of the outcome of the battle that awaits us, whether or not we will die at the hands of the Saiyans, I want you to know that this year I spent with you and Gohan was the best year of my life."
Everything around me seemed to go numb, like a dream. With my shaky breath, I ran my gaze over every detail of her face, until I stopped at her lips, and I had a sudden urge to kiss her.
To kiss her until someone tells me to stop.
It was then that the sky darkened, and large, heavy black clouds appeared above our heads.
A chill ran down my spine, and Lettie shivered in my arms, probably feeling the same, staring at those strange clouds in the sky.
Lightning and thunder roared through them.
Gohan ran towards us, but this time, out of fear, and jumped into his aunt's arms. I slipped my arm around Lettie's shoulders, leaving them half-hidden under my cape.
"What's happening?" Gohan whispered.
"That doesn't look like a storm..." Lettie showed a worried expression. "Where's the water?"
"No..." I replied with a serious look. "It's not rain... These clouds, I know them..." I widened my eyes when I realized the truth and exclaimed, "Shenron! He has been summoned!"
"Shenron?!" Lettie repeated. "The wish-granting dragon?"
"Yes… Bulma must've managed to gather the seven Dragon Balls, and now… they're making the wish to Shenron!"
"Does that mean they're resurrecting my daddy?!" asked an alarmed Gohan.
Lettie and I exchanged tense looks, and I replied, "Yes. It's very likely so…"
"But, that's good, isn't it?" she asked. "It means my brother will come back to help us, right?"
"Yeah..." I analyzed the density of those clouds, with dozens of purple rays lighting their interior. "But we don't know how long it might take him to find us. However, Shenron's appearance also means that–"
Before I finished speaking, we jumped in fright as we felt a distant but intense presence and a sinister power reaching us in such a way that we shuddered.
"Wh-What was that???" Lettie hugged Gohan close to her and curled up against me.
I looked up at the dark, gloomy sky and replied, "It's them... The Saiyans. They're coming, sooner than we expected."
***
Our pizza night wasn't as good and fun as I planned, even though I brought a surprise small chocolate pizza to please Lettie.
An atmosphere of tension hung in the air as we ate around the fire, in a mix of silence, anxiety and restlessness, as if, at any moment, the Saiyans could appear right there, in front of us. Any nocturnal noise was a reason for us to straighten up in a state of alert.
When we were done eating, Lettie addressed Gohan, "Sweetheart, say 'good night' to Mr. Piccolo. You've got to rest."
He just nodded and came to me. Then, once again, I was surprised to receive a tight hug from him. "Good night, Mr. Piccolo. I want you to know that if my daddy couldn't be resurrected, I wanted you to become my new daddy."
That hurt me more than a blow to the chest. How could Gohan want that, when I was to blame for Goku's death? The only thing I could do was stroke his hair with an uncomfortable lump in my throat. "G-Good night, Gohan. See you tomorrow."
In silence, Lettie took him to the tent to put him to sleep. Meanwhile, I added a few more sticks and dry leaves to increase the fire, and walked to the edge of the Camp, with my arms crossed and scrutinizing the surrounding landscape, not letting go for a second of feeling the strength and presence of the Saiyans that were getting closer and closer.
I heard footsteps, and Lettie stopped beside me. "I have a bad feeling."
My heart sank, and I replied, "So have I."
Silence.
"I-I..." she said, softly. "I'm afraid we're going to… die."
My heart sank even more, and I replied, "So am I."
Lettie let out a shaky sigh and turned to me, "Do you think this is... being selfish?"
"No." I frowned. "The only selfish one here is me."
"Why do you say that?"
It was my turn to sigh, and I looked at her sideways. "If you or Gohan die, we can resurrect you with the Dragon Balls." I looked away, not having the courage to face her. "However, if I die, the Dragon Balls die with me, and then… it's over."
Lettie frowned, perplexed. "Huh?! What are you talking about?!"
"If I die, Kami-sama dies too," I said bitterly. "He's the creator of the Dragon Balls. Without our presence, they disappear."
I dared to look at her again, who seemed confused by what I said, and I wet my lips. "Lettie, I thought a lot about what you told me about me being an alien, too. For you to understand in a few words, Kami-sama and I are of the same race." I paused for a second. "A long time ago, Kami-sama kind of... extracted the bad part of himself, giving rise to my father, Piccolo Daimaoh." I took a deep breath. "Because of this, our lives are, in some way, connected. If something happens to one, it happens to another."
Lettie looked shocked, her eyes teary. "So..." she said, still staring at me. "You stay."
"What?"
"You will not join the battle against the Saiyans." She panted. "You'll stay here, in safety."
"No way!" I turned to her. "I'm not going to sit here with my arms crossed while you and Gohan are in danger with these maniacs. I need to go... to protect you."
"But who's gonna protect you?!" Lettie rose on tiptoe, and we stared at each other for a moment. She then lowered her head and leaned on my arm, looking suddenly weak, and said, "Master..." A tear ran down her face. "What will happen to me if you go away?"
I pressed my lips together when I felt her touch. Why was she doing that to me? Why was she making me suffer more?
"Please," I said, "don't call me Master anymore."
"Huh?" She pulled her arm away, confused.
"Your Training is over. There's no need for you to call me Master anymore. Just call me Piccolo. No more 'Piccolo Junior', much less 'Piccolo Daimaoh'". I turned forward at the landscape again, with my nostrils flared and my voice full of disgust. "I don't want to be involved with anything else related to my father."
There was silence.
"Okay." Unlike mine, her voice was soft and calm. "If that's what you want, then I'll do it. However, do know that this doesn't change the respect and admiration I have for you."
I turned to her and shook my head, irritated. "Respect?! Admiration?! How do you say such a thing, Lettie?! What kind of respect or admiration can you have for me? Have you already forgotten everything I did?!"
"I already told you that you've changed." Her intonation was still low, but firm. "Why do you keep insisting on this?! Why do you feel so… resentful towards yourself?!"
I leaned down to her height and replied, through gritted teeth, "Do you want to know why?! So here it goes: because every time I look at you, I see someone I can never become. Since the first time I saw you on Master Roshi's island, I noticed something different about you. Your eyes had such an intense gleam, that I had to look back at you just to check if I hadn't seen things. And there it was, that gleam again." I paused, gazing intensely at her. "Do you have the slightest idea of the effect you have on people? Did you forget that Raditz said that even your mother softened after your birth and wanted to save you? And I'll say more: do you want to know why everyone on that island was surprised when you got onto Goku's Flying Nimbus?" I approached her until we were face to face. "Because only the pure of heart can do it."
Lettie widened her eyes upon hearing that revelation, filled with tears.
With an expression of pain and anguish, I continued to speak. I needed to get that out of me, "I will never be able to get onto the Flying Nimbus." I hit my chest. "And the fact that I know that there could still be something rotten and filthy here inside... freaks me out."
Silence.
Still gazing at each other, my lips trembled, betraying my state of mind, and I had to clasp my hands to my sides to control the crying that emerged from my core. Damn it. I didn't want her to see me like that. What would she think? That I was weak?
However, in response, just as she did earlier that day, she floated until she was at my height and gently cupped my face. "Look at me," she asked. "The past only keeps us from the good future that lies ahead. What you need to do now is focus on what you want, on what you wish, and on what you dream of.
I lowered my head, allowing myself to be supported by her warm and welcoming hands, and finally I let a tear fall, which was lovingly wiped away by her thumb.
I couldn't understand... Lettie told me to focus on my dream, but... what dream?
The only dream I had throughout my life (if I could call it that) was to continue my father's rubbish idea of world domination, but now...
"I have nothing left to dream about, Lettie... And I don't even deserve it."
She landed on the ground and placed her hands on my chest, gazing deeply at me. "You do have a dream, and you deserve it. It is right here." She touched where my heart would be and gave me the sweetest smile. "Seek, and you will find."
I squeezed my eyes shut to stop any more tears from flowing and opened my mouth to confess a guilt trapped in my heart, "Lettie, I..."
She put her index finger on my lips and said, "I know what you're going to say. Yes, I forgive you for everything you did, including killing my brother. And know that Gohan forgives you, too."
I gasped as I was completely surprised by her statement. How was it possible for her to know what I was going to say?
Lettie then lifted my chin and made me look at her. "Now, what about you?"
"What about me?" I replied in an incredulous whisper.
She curved her lips in a sad half-smile and asked, "When are you going to forgive yourself?"
I froze. I simply froze with that question to which I feared knowing the answer.
Lettie blinked slowly with a little smile and gave me one last affectionate squeeze. "Good night, Piccolo. Thank you for everything, including the pizzas." And she walked to the tent and got in.
When I found myself alone there in the middle of that Camp, I felt such weakness in my legs that I fell to my knees on the ground. The stars twinkled overhead, and I couldn't help but think that two of them, in fact, could be the two Saiyan Space Pods coming toward us.
Now, looking at the tent, I thought about the other two Saiyans there inside, and my weakness gave way to strength.
I might not have a dream or prospect of happiness given everything I've done in my past, however, just as Lettie and Gohan showed during the Training, I now had a goal:
I would protect them. Even if I had to lay down my life for them.
And to the great Piccolo Daimaoh, my father and predecessor, I have a message for you:
I have always known you. You have always been there in my mind.
I know who you are now, and all that you've made of me.
But now I understand you, and I will not be part of your designs.
I know who I am now, and I name you my enemy.
Because I want to be more than this devil inside of me.
Thanks for reading another chapter!
Today, I brought two trivia:
The first one is about Lettie's "TENKOCHI" attack. I wanted to create a unique technique for her, just as all Dragon Ball warriors also have theirs. With the help of my dear friend ChatGPT, we came up with "Tenkochi (天候地)", a combination of "Tenkou no Chikara (天候の力)", which means "Heavenly Power" or "Strength of the Heavens". It's as if Lettie borrowed a little bit of God's power and launched them like stars (the 10 energy balls).
The second one is that this final statement from Piccolo to his father was taken from a song by a Christian band that I love. The song is called "Dear Wormwood", by the band The Oh Hellos. I strongly recommend that you listen to it, it's beautiful!
Thanks for reading another chapter!
Comments are always welcome :)
Don't forget to follow the official fan page of this story on Instagram (@lettie_dbz.oc)
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