"'Tousan?"
Piccolo opened his eyes and stood up, folding his arms over his chest.
"Kyofu is missing!" Kage shouted as he ran out the door.
"What?!" Piccolo scowled and turned around looking up at the sky, "Damn
child."
Kage was now standing next to Piccolo with his head hung.
"I tried to stop her but she wouldn't listen. She said that she wanted to
avenge Gohan's death." Kage frowned and whispered, "So do I."
Piccolo glanced down at Kage scowling then took off into the sky.
"Wait!" Kage shouted after him but was to late.
Disappointed and sad, Kage turned back to the house. The sound of leaves
crunching caught his attention and on instinct he crouched into his fighting
stance. Silently praying Kage squeezed his eyes shut and waited for the
attack. But when nothing happened he slowly eased open his eyes and saw…
"Sato!!" Kage shouted in relief and then relaxed.
The wolf cub trotted up to the Namekian child and nuzzled his hand.
Kage smiled and scratched behind the pup's ears.
"Good boy Sato."
Sato wagged his tail and backed up.
"Not now Sato. Kyofu is missing and I have to wait here for her." Kage
crossed his arms and sighed. Sato barked once and then laid down putting his
paws over his eyes. Kage smirked and crouched down next to the cub and patted
his head.
"Don't worry Sato, she'll come back."

Piccolo flew through the sky as fast as he could; Kyofu's ki flickered about
in front of him somewhere in the giant forest by Goku's house. Piccolo
relaxed a bit when he felt a familiar ki approach Kyofu's.

Goku looked down at Kyofu and smiled.
"So how'd you get way out here?"
Kyofu raised her eyebrows and twitched her tail.
"I flew." Kyofu answered with a hint of boredom in her voice.
"Piccolo trains you guys hard doesn' he?" Goku asked noticing Piccolo
landing softly behind Kyofu.
Kyofu smirked unaware of the presence of her Sensei behind her.
"Nah. His training is way to easy."
Goku raised an eyebrow and Piccolo scowled.
"I could take on those Awanaijins anytime!" Kyofu jumped up as she continued.
"You think so?" Piccolo growled interrupting Kyofu's little speech.
Kyofu winced and turned around tugging at the bottom of her dark purple gi.
Her large sapphire eyes studied the ground as she kicked at it in
embarrassment.
"What are you doing way out here, Kyofu?" Piccolo asked angrily.
"Uh…" Kyofu cautiously raised her eyes to meet Piccolo's her lower lip
starting to tremble.
"Oh no." Piccolo groaned as Kyofu burst into tears and fell onto the ground
sobbing.
"Aw poor kid." Goku frowned and Piccolo glared at him.
"Don't say another word." Piccolo growled and scooped Kyofu up into his
arms.
"Reminds me of Gohan when he was her age." Goku added silently and turned
away.
Piccolo looked down at Kyofu crying into his gi, then back up at Goku.
"I know how you feel Goku. But we'll get him back don't worry."
Goku nodded and began to walk away.
"I miss Gohan!" Kyofu cried pulling her face off Piccolo's chest and looking
him in the eyes.
Piccolo nodded silently, "We all do."

Kage yawned and looked down at Sato; who was fast asleep on the couch beside
him. The door creaked open and Piccolo walked in with Kyofu asleep in his
arms.
"You found her!" Kage whispered happily and stood up from the couch.
Piccolo nodded and then disappeared up the stairs. A few minutes later he
reappeared again without Kyofu.
"Kimura come back yet?" Piccolo asked as he came down the stairs.
Kage shook his head and sat back down on the couch.
Piccolo snorted and took off his turban and cape and then placed them by the
door.
"I talked to Mirai Trunks though." Kage shifted his eyes to his father who
was staring at him curiously, "He said that Lara called him and said that
they were coming back tomorrow."
Piccolo nodded and sat down at the kitchen table.
"I hope they get back before the Awanai's attack again." Piccolo sighed and
leaned back against the chair and stared at the ceiling. Kage joined him at
the table, laying his chin on his arms.
"Me too." Kage yawned showing of his glistening white fangs.
Piccolo smirked and shook his head clearing his mind.
"Hn… Well it's time for you to go to sleep."
Kage lifted his head to protest but decided against it and nodded.
"Okay. G' night 'tousan." Kage stood up and left the room.
Piccolo watched Kage disappear behind the corner then turned his attention
back to the ceiling. A quiet whimper caught his attention and Piccolo turned
to see Sato sitting in the entryway to the kitchen.
"You too." Piccolo grunted and watched the wolf cub turn and walk away.
A smirk grazed his lips but it quickly vanished, something felt wrong.
Quickly Piccolo stood up and ran out the back door into the darkness of his
backyard. Several bright lights in the sky caught his attention sparking a
slight fear in the back of his mind. Then he felt it, "No, not now!" Piccolo
growled angrily and then ran back into the house to the phone.
A knock at the door startled the Namek and he stopped dialing and hung the
phone up on its receiver. Cautiously he answered the door finding Goku and
the others on the other side.

"They're stronger than ever now." Mirai Trunks whispered as he stared in
horror at the sight in front of him.
Goku, Vegeta, Mirai Trunks, Trunks, and Piccolo all gaped up at the bright
glowing dots in the sky.
"I estimate about 3 more hours until they arrive." Goku estimated his face
emotionless.
Piccolo gave him a sideways glance and sighed.
"When will Kimura and the others be back?" Piccolo whispered and looked back
up at the sky.
The lights danced on all the fighters' faces for a while then suddenly
everything went black. There was no light except for the lights on in the
house, the stars, and the moon. Everyone gasped slightly and Vegeta swore
out loud.
"Where'd they go?!" Vegeta shouted angrily.
"They're messing with us. Just like the androids and…." Marai Trunks trailed
off and all eyes shifted to him,
"Like they did in my time."
"We have a chance don't we?" Trunks asked feeling like all hope was lost.
"I don't know you guys." Goku whispered.
Everyone turned to Goku, mouths hung open and eyes wide.
"But Goku!" Mirai Trunks shouted in disbelief.
"We barely made it against Cell you guys." Goku whispered, "What makes you
think we'll win this time?"
"You're not the same anymore, Goku. I noticed it when Chichi died but now
it's clear now that Gohan's dead. You've lost all hope of everything."
Piccolo folded his arms over his chest and continued, "But I'm not going to
lose hope. We're going to win. We have too. Not for us or for the humans, but
for them." Piccolo turned to the house and took a step forward, "I don't know
about you guys but I'm not going to give up. Not yet."

Kage yawned waking up from a restless nights sleep; he had heard everyone in
the kitchen during the night and had listened in on the whole conversation:
"We should attack tomorrow when the others get back." Mirai Trunks whispered
"Why should we have to wait?" Vegeta snapped at his future son.
"I think we should Vegeta. They might have become twice as strong as you."
Kage sat up in his bed and silently got down and made his way to the edge of
the staircase.
"Ha! NO one is stronger than me! I am the…"
"Shut up Vegeta! No one wants to hear that crap anymore."
"Namek, how dare you talk to me like that." Vegeta snarled angrily.
"Kage?"
Kage winced and looked down at Kyofu who was rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
"Why is everyone here? And why are they fighting?"
Kage looked back to the stairs, "I don't know Kyofu. But you should go back
to bed now."
Kyofu looked up at Kage and nodded, to tired to protest she went back to her
room.
"Fine! We wait for the women! I would kill you now Namek but those brats of
yours need you and I don't feel like making a mess."
Kage shook his head and turned back to his room.

Kage yawned again and went down stairs where he found his 'Tousan sleeping on
the couch with Sato curled up at his feet. Sato looked up at Kage as he
entered the room smiling.
"Shh.." Kage put his finger to his lips and silently walked into the
kitchen.
A minute after Kage disappeared into the kitchen the front door opened
silently and in walked Kimura. Kage walked back out of the kitchen at hearing
the front door open and gasped at seeing Kimura.
"Kimura!" Kage whispered and trotted up to her.
"Where's your 'Tousan? Still sleeping?" Kimura whispered with a slight grin.
Kage nodded and pointed to where Piccolo was sleeping on the couch with Sato.
"Aww..." Kimura suppressed a laugh and followed Kage into the kitchen.
"So was your training successful?" Kage asked hopefully as he poured himself
a glass of water.
Kimura nodded and sat down at the table smiling.
"Yea I sure hope so."
Kage smiled and put his glass down on the table as he sat down.
"So where's Kyofu? Shouldn't she be up yet?" Kimura shifted her eyes to the
living room.
"Um… Pretty soon." Kage looked up at the ceiling for a moment then back at
Kimura, "I don't think she got much sleep last night."
Kimura looked back at Kage and nodded a slight smile creeping onto her lips.
"You've been training quite a bit, haven't you?"
Kage smirked proudly and nodded.
"Yep! 'Tousan's been training me. Kyofu wants to train also, but 'Tousan
wont let her."
Kimura quirked an eyebrow in surprise.
"Really? Hn…"
Kage nodded again, "Yea. But she's real stubborn and has been learning on her
own. She even taught herself how to fly!"
Kimura laughed and combed a hand through her hair.
"Yes she's very stubborn isn' she?"
Kage nodded and grinned, "Smart too."
Kimura nodded and grinned, "Say… Let's go wake up your 'Tousan, 'K?"
Kage nodded grinning evilly and stood up from his chair silently exiting into
the living room.
Kimura smirked and stood up following him into the living room. Sato lifted
his head when the two entered and wagged his tail excitedly. Both Kimura and
Kage silenced the dog and slowly crept behind the couch. Kage snickered and
kneeled onto the floor. Kimura's grin widened and she shushed Kage with her
finger pressed to her lips. Slowly they stood, peering over the top of the
couch at the sleeping Namek. Piccolo's mouth hung open a little as he slept
unaware of what was being plotted against him. Kimura looked at Kage and
nodded, Kage grinned and nodded back clasping both his hands over his mouth
to keep from laughing. Kimura reached over the couch and gently flicked
Piccolo's forehead, then quickly crouched back down behind the couch. Kage
fell backwards and landed on his butt with a soft thud and then quickly
looked up at Kimura who was grimacing. Piccolo stirred but didn't wake up.
Kimura and Kage both sighed and then continued to grin.
"Stubborn isn' he?" Kimura whispered to Kage as she looked at Piccolo again.
Kage nodded and clasped his hands back over his mouth again.
"Let's try this…" Kimura grinned evilly and moved silently to the front of
the couch. Carefully she whispered into Piccolo's ear, "Hey Piccolo, Kyofu
found your secret stash of Sake."
Piccolo swatted at Kimura still fast asleep. Kimura scowled then added with a
smirk, " And she's pouring it down the sink."
"WHAT?!" Piccolo shouted as he bolted forward knocking Sato onto the ground.
The wolf cub yelped in surprise and ran off into the kitchen. Both Kage and
Kimura erupted into laughter.
"You're up!" Kimura laughed as she hugged the Namek around the neck.
"What? Kimura? You're back!? My Sake is down the sink?!" The disoriented
Namek scrambled to his feet looking around in confusion.
Kage and Kimura continued to snigger and laugh as Piccolo ran into the
kitchen then walked back out scratching his head and scowling.
"Funny you two." Piccolo growled then loosened up a bit, "When did you get
here?"
Kimura stood up smiling and ran a hand through her hair, "About an hour ago."
"What's all the noise about?" Kyofu yawned as she rubbed the sleep from her
eyes and sauntered down the stairs.
She stopped at the bottom of the stairs and turned to everyone, a smile
quickly lit up her face and she ran to Kimura.
"Mama!"
Kimura caught Kyofu in her arms and lifted her up and hugged her.
"I missed you!" Kyofu smiled up at Kimura.
"I missed you too." Kimura smiled back and sat Kyofu down on the floor.
Piccolo smirked and folded his arms over his chest then became solemn.
"We need to talk."
Kimura looked up at the Namek, her smile disintegrating.
"Okay."
Piccolo looked down at Kage, "Take Kyofu and go spar with her outside."
Kage nodded and took Kyofu by her hand and lead her outside.