Kings, Tyrants, and Demons

Chapter Four: Repercussions


“Piccolo!” Gohan breathlessly addressed the Namekian warrior who had all but appeared before him causing him to wheel backwards in mid-air.

His mentor, however, said nothing.

The demi-saiyan wavered under the piercing stare boring through him. His search hadn’t lasted two minutes; in fact he could still see his father’s house in the distance.

Looking over the man before him, he expected him to be worse for wear, yet he looked fine, glowing even. He waited for the Namek to say something, an explanation perhaps for his almost month-long hiatus. But none came.

“We’ve been looking everywhere for you,” Gohan began after a lingering moment hoping to urge a response, “I was really worried about you.”

The black eyes penetrated his own, shining like pools of ink. They stayed fixed on him, alive with…something. Gohan didn’t know what, but it unnerved him. He felt small and vulnerable like a mouse caught in a feline’s gaze. He fidgeted.

“Um, well everyone’s all right, I don’t know if you know that or not,” he stumbled over his words like a flustered child, “but, uh, Dad’s recovering quite nicely,” he nodded his head indicating the house far below them.

Piccolo finally turned to follow Gohan’s line of sight. He narrowed his eyes and cocked his head as if he was looking at some oddity. After studying it for a whole 30 seconds a bizarre grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. He raised his hand and pointed, as if to confirm what the youth was talking about.

A coldness ran up Gohan’s spine as he realized his beloved mentor might have possibly lost his mind. He knew Vegeta had done something to his mate, but he wasn’t exactly sure what. Their bond was different from the one he had with his wife. He did know it was much more mentally driven than the purely Saiyan bond, but he wasn’t certain how much more. Was it possible that Vegeta ripped away his lover’s sanity?

He scrutinized the questioning look on the warrior before him, a knot forming in his stomach.

“Yes,” he said slowly and very carefully, “that’s my father’s house.”

A smile spread slowly across the Namek’s lips, fully exposing his fangs.

“Not anymore.”

Before Gohan could react to the softly spoken statement, a bright yellow beam shot from the palm of his sensei’s hand soaring towards his childhood home at lightning speed. He watched in incredulous horror as it connected and blew the house to bits in a massive mushroom cloud that bloomed towards the heavens.

Instinctually he covered his eyes from the blinding light and flying debris, the backlash causing his hair to fly wildly back.

“W-Wha” The demi couldn’t form words, his mouth working like a landed fish. Once the dust had settled his eyes darted frantically back and forth over the wreckage not believing what he had witnessed.

His reaction was cut short and he cried out in pain and alarm when a hand twisted in his hair, jerking his head backwards.

“Traitorous little shit!” a voice hissed in his ear, “I ask one thing of you, ONE,” he shouted, “and you couldn’t abide by my request.”

A knee connected with his gut painfully. He lurched forward but the hand entwined in his hair wouldn’t allow his body’s natural reaction to double over. Blood welled up in his mouth; he coughed, choking on it until he managed to force it past his lips.

“After all that I’ve done for you, all that I sacrificed. How many times have I risked my neck to save yours?...Your worthless, weak carcass,” he spat in disgust, “And for what?” The question hung in the air, unanswered. “You ungrateful little worm.”

Light exploded behind his eyes and he heard a ‘crunch’ as a fist rammed into his face, breaking his nose. Gohan could feel the blood oozing down his face and dripping down his chin; his eyes watered but it wasn’t due to the pain alone.

“Pi...Piccolo.”

“Shut-up!” A vicious snarl was the only warning he received before he was backhanded, snapping his head to the side so hard he tore some tendons in his neck.

A vice like grip tightened on his chin and wrenched his face back forward. Gohan regarded his attacker with a kind of pleading terror. But the Namek wasn’t about to relent.

“You couldn’t wait for three days! WHY!?”

“Piccolo—”

“I said, shut-up!” Another vicious blow, “You ruined it!!” he screamed. “For the first time in my life I was truly content.” His voice was thick with emotion, “I was fucking happy. Do you understand, that? Happiness.” His voice wavered, “The one emotion I thought I’d never experience.” He growled in his throat. “It’s gone now!” He shook the man in his hands roughly, “Do you know what you’ve helped to take from me? Do you!?”

“I’m sorry,” Gohan rasped, tears trailing down his face.

“You’re sorry,” he mocked, “what good is sorry going to do me? It’s not going to make things the way they were. No, your depraved pervert of a father had to go and run off with my slut of a bond son. And you,” his eyes narrowed, “you couldn’t wait three days before running your mouth off, could you?”

Any response was cut off with the hand wrapping around the demi-saiyan’s throat, “No amount of apologies are going to compensate for what’s been stolen from me.”

A blast hit the Namek hard in the ribs causing him to loosen his grip on his quarry. He turned to find the blond android floating above the debris, her palm raised. Her husband was at her side a look of shock on his face.

“Put him down, Piccolo,” 18 demanded.

A sinister smile.

“If you insist.”

In a move that would have killed a human a hundred times over, Piccolo hurled Gohan towards the ground. His body penetrated the earth quick and deep like a grisly foreshadowing of his burial. And knowing Piccolo, perhaps that was the intention: a symbolic homage to the death of the mentor/student, father/son relationship between them. Gohan never had the chance to find out.

“What in the fuck is your problem!?” 18 all but screamed.

“I’m simply collecting what’s due to me,” the Namek replied coldly, turning to regard them both, “This doesn’t concern you, I suggest you leave.”

“Gohan didn’t do anything to deserve that, Piccolo.” Krillen said evenly to serve as a distraction while his wife flew to assist the fallen demi-saiyan.

Piccolo followed her descent with his eyes but made no move to stop her.

“I need not explain my reasons to you,” his lip curled arrogantly, “but rest assured he did deserve it. He should be thankful that I spared his life. Now,” he intoned gravely, “where have you hidden them? And I know you have, so don’t lie.”

Krillen bravely stood his ground under the intense stare, being careful not to divert his eyes as he answered.

“Goku used instant transmission. He took Trunks—”

“Bullshit!” Piccolo snapped, “I know Goku is far too weak for that. Now, I repeat, where are they?”

“What’s wrong with you?” Krillen asked quietly instead of answering the question, “Why are you doing this? I thought you tried to defend Trunks and Goku, you’re the reason they’re both alive right now.”

“A failing on my part.” He crossed his arms, “As to what’s wrong with me, let’s just say I’ve undergone a massive change in my outlook on life.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means, my dear friend, that if you don’t tell me where Goku and Trunks are immediately I’m going to get quite nasty. And considering I have no quarrel with you or your lovely wife I’d rather not.”

The air of superiority and veiled violence surrounding the tall warrior was one Krillen had seen before. But that had been years ago, long before the battle with Cell or even Frieza; he wondered what had happened to cause Piccolo to revert to his old ways.

“I don’t know,” he said finally, “I didn’t see where they went.”

“Do not force my hand, Krillen.”

“I’m not,” the monk insisted, “Trunks took off with Goku at the last second. It happened so fast.” He narrowed his eyes at the man before him, “We were too busy avoiding the blast, all I saw was Trunks grab Goku and go, I don’t know to where.”

Piccolo seemed unconcerned by the barely concealed contempt directed at him. Instead he examined the man in front of him before turning his head with a disgusted snort. His eyes scanned the area, his senses fanning out.

“They couldn’t have gotten too far,” he murmured. And then he felt it; a very brief flash of ki to the east. “Ah,” he chuckled coldly, “there you are.”

He prepared to take off but Krillen intercepted him.

“I won’t allow you to hurt them.”

Anger flared up within the Namek, even though he knew he should have expected this.

“Get out of my way. I won’t say it twice.”

“I don’t think so,” a woman’s voice said behind him.

He turned his head to deliver a nasty smile to the android behind him.

“We can’t let you, Piccolo,” Krillen said suddenly a thread of apprehension in his voice, “I don’t know what’s gotten into you. But we’re not going to let you hurt anyone else.”

Piccolo laughed. It was a cruel sound that sent shivers up the monk’s spine and even unsettled his steel-nerved wife.

“Little man, you’re no match for me.” He regarded the woman, “And neither are you. With Vegeta gone and Goku incapacitated I’m the strongest warrior on the planet. Even with your combined forces you’re easy game. But if you insist on martyring yourself, I’m not going to argue.”

They didn’t move. Their faces were dual portraits of grim determination, and a hint of fear but it was decently masked. There was also a disappointment or grief in their eyes, but they were resolute.

He shook his head and shrugged carelessly.

“So be it.”

******************************************************

Wow! Look at all those hits!
over 100 a chapter *blushes* thankyou.

Well I\'m going to be in Africa for a week or so and then when I return I have a crap load of course work due in a month...so it may be awhile, (no longer than June) until I can get much more out. But I AM still working on this, but sadly school must come first...damn the luck.

Before I get power level nit pickers banging on my door about Piccolo\'s power level; I will refer you to the last story, Uncharted Waters. In my fic he\'s been training non-stop along side Vegeta and after years of this has nearly caught up to the Saiyan Prince...that was until the elite had a sudden \'outburst\' in the last chapter of the story. hee.

Anywho, on to thank you\'s

Thank You\'s!! to...

Lee: lol...you really didn\'t care for chapter 2 did you? oh well I hope that you found this one more to your liking.

Dania: I like 18 as well...really good under-used character. And as for sanity...who needs it right? ;) I will let you know when I will update again.

Yuurei: There be some Piccolo action for you, :) Goten and Vegeta will be coming up soon...well as soon as I get a chance :s

Jaygoose: You should be accostomed to my meaness by now as it is one of my best traits. ;) But at least there was some action in this chapter.