Azule-san
This story is based on the time after the Bebi Saga. Piccolo is dead, having gone with the Earth when it exploded.
Gohan sat in the tall grass just outside of his home, gazing up at the stars that were beginning to dot the dusk sky. A gentle breeze ruffled his work suit and short, spiky hair. He remembered when he used to look up at the sky all those years ago, but he wasn�t alone. Before making camp on occasions, Piccolo would stand with the five-year-old on that cliff, taking in the beautiful scene. It was during that time that their bond was slowly beginning to form.
The young man felt his throat close up and his eyes start to burn. How could he have betrayed his best friend like that? Sure, Piccolo had never said a single thing to suggest that they had drifted apart, yet after all those years of minimal contact; it had all ended with Gohan being possessed by Bebi. Though he was unaware of his own actions, he�d nearly killed his mentor who tried to talk Bebi out of him.
Now he was gone and never to return. He�d dedicated the last moments of his existence to reassure Gohan that he would never leave him and that it wasn�t his fault at all. Yet, the demi-saiyajin still felt so guilty, just like when his father had teleported Cell and died all those years ago. But at least Piccolo had been there as a source of comfort. Now, there was little to turn to. Goku and the others just didn�t get it. Though, Piccolo�s reputation of a monster was long gone, they just didn�t view him to Gohan�s extent.
�Papa?� a voice ventured.
Gohan turned and forced a smile as Pan, his 14-year-old daughter walked up to him. �Hey, Pan-chan.�
�What�re you doing sitting here all by yourself?� she asked, plopping down beside him.
The demi-saiyajin took a deep breath. �I was just thinking about someone.�
�Let me take a guess,� she cut in. �Uncle Piccolo?�
Gohan chuckled. It was amusing on how she referred to everyone as uncle or aunt. The smile faded and he looked down. �Yeah.�
�What was he like? I mean through your eyes?�
More chuckling. �Pan, I�ve already told you about him! More than once!�
�I know, but I like it when you tell me about him! Tell me the whole story!!�
�Okay.� Gohan lay back in the grass, folding his hands behind his head.
�It all started when I was 5. Grandpa Goku was killed in a big battle. With two more saiyajins on the way, Piccolo sort of �kidnapped� me for training. During the time we trained together, we sort of became friends, but he still was too proud to admit it.�
For a moment, he hesitated, as if not wanting to remember any further. But Pan, being as persistent as she was, didn�t suggest he end there.
�During the fight against Nappa and Vegeta, he protected me the whole time. Each time, though, he came up with some excuse about it�at least until��
�Until�� Pan was anxiously awaiting the rest of the story.
�He actually sacrificed himself to save me. You see, Nappa fired a huge blast at me and being a little kid, I was too shocked and scared to move. So, he took the attack for me. That was when he told me everything�but you probably wouldn�t care to hear it, huh?�
�No, I want to hear all about it!� Pan responded, fed up with his constant reluctance.
�Well, he first told me to run, but I knew that if I did, Nappa would certainly do something unspeakable to him. I didn�t think he would actually die right then and there. I just sat there beside him. He then told me that I was his first true friend and that he was proud of me. He apologized for being so hard on me during the training and he died telling me to get those saiyajins.�
Pan watched her father�s face as he tried to shake the terrible memory out of his head. His face brightened slightly as he went on. �Anyway, when it was time to fight Freeza, we managed to bring him back to life with the dragonballs of Namek. He pretty much was the same as always, but he wasn�t hesitant to protect me in front of the others. He didn�t even come up with excuses. I saved him from Freeza, got Dende to heal his injuries, and prevented him from his body being possessed. In return, he kept me out of the way of blasts, made sure I didn�t go flying during a huge explosion, and even protected Grandpa Goku a little bit.�
�Wow, papa!�
�When your Grandpa was forced to stay in space after nearly dying, Piccolo almost sort-of raised me as his own. We even fought this immortal guy, Garlic Jr. together, but this time, I was doing most of the work. Still, he and Kuririn helped me through it and rooted me on.
�When Grandpa came home, we all had to prepare for the androids that would arrive in three years. Piccolo was asked to be our sparring partner and was a big help in training me. Those days, though they were thick with tension, were some of the happiest years of my life.�
�So you�ve always had basically two papas, right?� Pan asked.
�You could say that. We survived the big battles against the androids and Cell, though Grandpa didn�t make it. With your grandma making me study and go to school so much, I wasn�t able to get out to train or visit Piccolo at Kami�s Lookout.� Just then, Gohan burst out laughing. �I remember this one time, I brought Goten up to meet Piccolo. Your uncle wasn�t even 6-months-old at the time, and he gave Piccolo quite a scare. He thought I was his father and scolded me about that, then Goten threw up all over his arm!�
Pan was rolling around in the grass, laughing hysterically, �I can only imagine!!�
The humorous moment was short-lived, however, and Gohan�s smile disappeared as he went on. �We didn�t see a lot of one another during the big fight with Buu. He and the others all thought that I�d died in battle, when I was in training in the Other World. He told me later that he�d been stuck with Trunks and Goten, who were giving him a hard time about learning to fuse. He had to whack them upside the head a few times. They were a couple of brats back then, that�s for sure. Piccolo said that compared to them, I was a saint.�
�But Trunks and Uncle Goten aren�t that way anymore.� Pan pointed out, giggling. �I�m here to replace them!�
�And you�re doing a good job!� the demi-saiyajin told her. �So after I saw him at Bulma�s party after the big fight, I almost never saw him. I did bring you up to the Lookout to see him though.�
�What�d he say about that? Did he give you a tongue-lashing?�
�Nah, he figured I was old enough then. He said you would become a great fighter since I am your father and Videl is your mother.�
�I guess I haven�t made a liar out of him!� Suddenly, her face turned serious. �So how come he�s dead? You never actually told me.�
Gohan gazed up at the sky, praying that he wouldn�t break down in front of his teenage daughter. �Well�he was supposedly wounded by me when I was under Bebi�s spell. I guess I blasted him because when he teleported his voice to me through the mental link we shared, he told me that my kamehameha wave was very strong. I still remember that day unlike any other.�
Gohan turned around and looked about, thinking someone had just called his name. �Piccolo-san?�
Yes, it was the namekian, but something was wrong.
�I have chosen to stay on Earth.� Piccolo�s astral voice told him, blunt as always. In mere moments, Gohan�s shock was replaced with grief, as tears began raining down his cheeks. He was not only ashamed of that, but also because he had pretty much shut his old mentor out of his life. All those years of such distant contact�Gohan knew right then and there that it was his entire fault.
Just then, a mirage appeared in front of him.
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