Chapter 5: Grandson

To the east of Paprika Wasteland…

Piccolo, Gohan, and Krillin were all slowly flying away from the battleground. With a grave look on his face, Krillin stared down at Tien and Yamcha's corpses. "We... We have to go to Kame House and get Bulma and Master Roshi to come and pick those two up. They at least deserve a proper burial of some kind..."

Piccolo sneered. "What are you talking about? The Dragon Balls will be active again in a year. Why bury them when you can just preserve them and wish them back?"

Krillin nodded. "I guess that that's a good point..."

Piccolo turned his attention back at Gohan, who was trailing a bit behind them. "Gohan? Are you okay?"

Gohan nodded. "Y-Yeah... I'm fine..."

The little half-Saiyan said he was alright, but there was something else going on in his head. That guy that showed up and saved them was getting to Gohan. He looked like his daddy but something was harsher about him. His eyes were cold and his voice was different. Who was that guy? Was he really his grandpa? Did he really have a grandpa besides his grandpa Ox?

Gohan continued to fly behind Piccolo and Krillin as the two of them talked. Krillin glanced over at the Namekian. "So... that guy that looked like Goku..."

Piccolo shrugged. "I have no idea who that was. He did look like Goku, yeah, but he felt a lot different. And his fighting style was certainly not Goku... that idiot would've fought Vegeta upfront, fair and square. He wouldn't sucker-punch like that to start a fight..."

Krillin nodded. "So, if that wasn't Goku, then where is-"

As if on cue, Krillin's question was answered as Goku quickly soared up to the three of them. Krillin, Piccolo, and Gohan all reacted to the friendly, familiar face of Goku. Goku smiled at his friend, his son, and his former enemy. "Krillin! Gohan! Piccolo! It's so good to see that the three of you are alive!"

Krillin, ecstatic to see his friend again, flew up to Goku and hugged him tight. "Goku! It's good to have you back, buddy!"

Goku smiled. "It's good to see you too, Krillin. And Piccolo! You're looking great, bud. You got a lot stronger too!"

Piccolo grunted as Goku complimented him, silently intimidated by how much stronger his mortal enemy had gotten in under a year. Finally, Goku looked past Piccolo and smiled at his son. "Gohan! How have you been, son?"

Tears built in Gohan's eyes. "D-Daddy..."

Goku smiled wide. "I'm proud of you, Son."

Gohan started to sob and flew forward at top speed, smashing into Goku's chest. "Daddy!"

Goku hugged his son tight as the little guy cried. "Daddy! I missed you so much! Mr. Piccolo trained me to fight, but I was so scared! Those ugly, green monsters came and Mr. Yamcha and Mr. Tien and Mr. Chiaotzu... they all..."

Goku held onto Gohan gently, but firmly. "I know, Son. I'm sorry. I wasn't fast enough..."

Gohan sniffled and looked up at his father. "And then...a man that looked like you showed up and beat up that mean Nappa guy and then he-"

Goku smiled wide. "Oh yeah! I have to catch up to him!"

Krillin looked up at his best friend. "Goku... who was that guy?!"

Goku smiled and spoke bluntly. "That was my dad!"

Piccolo's eyes widened. "Your... dad?!"

Goku nodded. "Yeah, my dad. His name is Bardock!"

Goku gave his son a gentle pat on the head. "Gohan! Once all of this is over, I have some people to introduce you to! You have another grandpa now! And a grandma!"

Gohan stared up at Goku. "Another grandpa... and a grandma?"

Goku nodded. "Yeah. They're going to love getting to meet you! But for now..."

Goku's turned a bit more serious. "Which way did my dad go? You said that he beat up that Nappa guy, so he must be fighting Vegeta, right?"

Krillin nodded and pointed. "Yeah. He kicked him hard and they both went that way..."

Goku looked to the northeast and nodded. "Got it. I have to go and help him fight. Piccolo! Krillin! Could I ask you guys to watch over Gohan for just a little longer, please?"

Krillin nodded. "Of course! We'll keep an eye out for him, right Piccolo?"

Piccolo grunted and nodded, seemingly shaken by something. Goku cocked his head briefly, and then he smiled. "Don't worry, Piccolo! I'm sure you'll catch up in no time! Then we can duke it out again!"

Piccolo snarled and glared at Goku. "Piss off and don't pity me!"

Goku nodded. "Right, right. Sorry. I'll catch up with you guys later! Stay safe!"

Goku immediately flew off in the direction of the Gizard Wasteland. Krillin and Gohan both stared at him with pride while Piccolo mainly looked angry. Krillin turned and glanced up at Piccolo. "Are you okay, Pic-"

Piccolo sneered. "Shut your mouth before I break your neck!"

Krillin immediately clammed up. Gohan glanced up at the friend he had made over the past year. "Mr. Piccolo?"

Piccolo sighed. "I... I'm sorry. Let's just go. I get the feeling that things are-"

Coming from behind, a shadowy figure smashed Piccolo in the back of the head, sending the Namekian sailing to the ground below. Piccolo smashed into the ground hard, blood gushing from his mouth and his back cracking. He laid still.

Krillin and Gohan both screamed in terror as they stared up at Piccolo's attacker. With a hand guttering with blood and a menacing sneer on his face, Nappa glared at Gohan and Krillin. "Did you little bastards... really think... I'D LET YOU ESCAPE?!"

Nappa reached down to grab Gohan by the throat, but Krillin shoved the boy out of the way. Nappa shrugged. "Ah well. Killing you first won't be a problem!"

Nappa wrapped his massive hands around Krillin's head and began to squeeze. A sickening crunching could be heard as the Saiyan brute's hands squeezed tighter and tighter. Krillin's eyes were wide open in utter pain, but he glared over at his best friend's son. "G-Go-Gohan..."

Gohan was trembling. "M-Mr. Krillin!"

Krillin screamed at the scared, young boy. "GO!"

Tears of fear running down his face, Gohan followed his orders. He turned and attempted to fly away. Nappa snarled. "Like hell!"

He dropped Krillin's limp form and immediately charged up a massive Murder Grenade. He heaved the killing blast at Gohan and smirked as the charged shot made contact. In a mass of flames, a form fell from the sky and collided with the ground. Nappa was raggedly breathing as he followed it. "I'm gonna enjoy this... slowly..."

On the ground, Krillin struggled to get up. He stared over at the burning heap on the ground and heard the sounds of loud crying. He called out. "Gohan!"

Across the field, Gohan's crying continued. But not for the reason Krillin thought. The young boy was burning his hands as he attempted to pat out the fires, tears running down his face as he begged at the top of his lungs. "Mr. Piccolo! Please! Please wake up!"

Laying on the ground, his body still smoldering, Piccolo was barely able to open one eye. "G-Gohan..."

Gohan whimpered. "M-Mr. Piccolo..."

Piccolo took a deep breath and coughed up a spurt of purple blood. "You... You have to run... kid..."

Piccolo's eye was glazing over as life was slowly leaving his body. "Krillin and I... we can't stop him... Krillin's too weak and... I can't... feel... my legs..."

Gohan was sobbing as Piccolo talked to him. "You... You have to stop crying and run... He's coming..."

Nappa quickly interjected. "Wrong. I'm already here!"

Piccolo frowned and pushed himself up with his remaining, good arm. "I... I'll try to hold him off... Just run Gohan..."

Gohan was terrified as Nappa loomed over him and Piccolo. The Saiyan brute had murder in his eyes and Gohan knew he was no match... but the boy put himself in-between Piccolo and Nappa. "I... I won't let you kill Mr. Piccolo!"

Nappa smirked. "Oh really?! Well then, brat, hit me with your best shot!"

Piccolo grunted. "G-Gohan..."

Gohan had tears in his eyes, but he screamed at the top of his lungs. "MASENKO!"

Nappa flinched, but he was unable to dodge as the younger Saiyan's blast smashed him in the face. The Saiyan brute toppled back and flopped onto the ground, skidding back several meters before crashing through a boulder.

Gohan was heaving breath in and out and as he stared at the fallen Saiyan. "Did... Did I-"

Nappa immediately got back onto his feet and roared in rage. His face was burnt and he was missing two teeth. "YOU LITTLE BASTARD!"

Gohan had no time to react as Nappa launched at him, his arm drawn back for a slicing chop. "I'LL KILL YOU!"

Krillin cried out. "Gohan! RUN!"

Gohan screamed in terror and feebly tried to block. Piccolo and Krillin both tried to get up but to no avail. All looked to be lost. But as the massive arm of Nappa came crashing down, it suddenly stopped. Gohan cracked his eye open and looked up. The young boy stared in awe at what he saw. It was a woman. She wore armor like the Saiyans and had a tail just like Gohan used to have that swayed to-and-fro. Her form was much smaller than Nappa, but she was standing strong as she gripped Nappa's arm tightly, making the towering man fall to his knees from the agonizing pain of her grip.

Gohan stammered. "Wh-Who...?"

The woman didn't hear him. Her mind was elsewhere. She seethed at Nappa as she wrenched his arm back. "Don't you DARE harm my grandson!"

Gohan flinched. "Grandson?!"

The woman kicked Nappa in the gut and, with a mighty swing, she tossed the lumbering oaf across the battlefield. And then with a flourish, she turned and faced the boy behind her. The two of them stared at one another, both of their eyes gently looking over each other. Gohan's jaw trembled as he looked up at this peaceful-looking woman that had saved his life. "Hello. M-My name is Gohan..."

After a moment, tears built in the woman's eyes and she smiled. "Y-Yes... I've heard so much about you... My name is-"

Nappa roared, getting back up and charging from behind. "YOU LOW-CLASS GARBAGE!"

Nappa's charge was quickly stopped short by another arrival. The Saiyan brute snarled. "Wh-What?! Raditz?!"

Raditz smirked. "Hi, Nappa."

And then, with another massive kick, Nappa was sent flying again with Raditz giving a quick pursuit. The older brother of Goku only had one thought on his mind, and that was how sweet revenge would be!

As Raditz used Nappa as a punching bag, Gine turned back to her grandson and smiled. "Gohan... Don't worry. We're here to help. Both your Uncle Raditz, and I."

She knelt down and gently gripped his hand. "You don't know me. But my name is Gine and... I guess I'm..."

Gohan finished. "You're my grandma, right?"

Gine flinched and then nodded. "Yes. I'm your grandma~"

Gohan smiled and nodded. "D-Daddy told me about you when we saw him a few minutes ago. He said that I was going to get a grandma. I've never had a grandma before, so... this is strange... but in a good way."

Gine gently smiled. "Gohan... may I hug you?"

Gohan hesitated at first, but after a moment and a quick look into Gine's genuine eyes, the young boy nodded. "Yeah. That would be nice!"

Slowly, the Saiyan woman wrapped her arms around her newly-met grandson. She held him in a tight embrace, pulling him close and squeezing gently, but firmly. After a moment, Gohan hugged her back with equal joy. Gine closed her eyes and let it sink in, this feeling that she never thought she would be allowed to experience: Gine was officially a grandmother!

The moment, however, was interrupted by a ghastly cough. Gohan and Gine both flinched as Gohan looked over at the dying form of Piccolo. "Mr. Piccolo!"

Separating from his grandma, Gohan ran over to his dying friend and protector and began to sob again. "Why did you do that, Mr. Piccolo?! Why did you jump in the way like that?!"

Gine ran up as well, kneeling next to Gohan. Piccolo coughed again and raggedly answered. "H-How should... I know? My body... it just... moved on its own. I just...I didn't want you... to die..."

Gohan was crying hard, placing his hand on Piccolo's back. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Piccolo... Please don't die..."

Gine laid her hand on his shoulder. "You poor Namekian... You gave up your life to save my grandson?"

Piccolo glared over at Gine. "You're Goku's mother?"

He sneered and rolled his eyes. "I... I see where that idiot... gets his vacant expression from..."

Meanwhile, Nappa and Raditz fought. Nappa roared and screamed like a vicious animal as he attempted hit after hit after hit on his former punching bag, but with no progress being made. Nappa screamed as loud as he could. "GODDAMMIT! WHY CAN'T I HIT YOU?!"

Raditz caught Nappa's fist and slammed his elbow into the side of the older Saiyan's skull. "The days of you hitting me are over, you bald embarrassment!"

Raditz wrenched Nappa's hand and twisted his wrist. "I am no longer weakling fodder for you to scoff at and push around! I am Raditz! And you are nothing!"

With a quick tug, Raditz twisted Nappa's arm further until his wrist and elbow snapped out of the place. Nappa howled in pain and Raditz kicked him in the chest and sent his massive form flying back. Raditz smirked until he saw what he had done. Nappa was flying right towards Gine, Gohan, and Piccolo. Raditz panicked and called out. "Mom! Look out!"

Gine turned and saw Nappa flying at them. She cried out. "Gohan!"

Gine grabbed her grandson, but Gohan was not willing to go along, pulling himself from Gine's grip, the boy launched himself right into the fray. "Mr. Piccolo!"

A loud crash erupted as Raditz quickly ran up to join his mother. "Mom, are you-"

Gine slapped Raditz hard on the arm. "Raditz! You need to be more careful! You launched him right at your nephew!"

Raditz struggled to come up with a response, but he luckily didn't have to. Nappa was more than happy to speak for him. "I'm not complaining!"

Gine and Raditz both glared over at Nappa, but then Gine gasped. Gripped tight in his hand, Nappa was holding Gohan by the throat, choking the boy. The battered Saiyan stepped over Piccolo's body and sneered at Gine and Raditz. "Now, let's discuss how I'm getting out of this. You two let me go back to my space pod, with this boy as my hostage, or I'll kill him right here!"

Gine was cowed. Raditz was furious. "Put the boy down, coward!"

Nappa snorted. "Like you're one to talk, weakling! You took this brat hostage just as easily as I did. Now, start flying in the other direction! I don't want you f-"

"SPECIAL BEAM CANNON!"

Nappa screamed in pain as blood erupted from his mouth. The purple drilling beam flew through his body like a knife through warm butter and staggered the brute. Piccolo, nearly out of life, called out. "Krillin! Do it!"

Krillin leapt up, still heavily damaged, and tossed his Destructo-Disc as hard as he could

The flying disc of cutting energy soared through the air and sliced through Nappa's remaining good arm, robbing the Saiyan of the ability to grab at all.

Piccolo caught Gohan mid-air and tossed the boy away. Knowing that his time was basically up regardless, Piccolo stretched his arms and wrapped them around Nappa, holding him in place before turning to Raditz and Gine. "Kill him, dammit!"

Raditz didn't hesitate, charging up a massive blast. Gine briefly did, sadly glancing at Piccolo and mouthing a silent "thank you". And then, mother and son both launched their blasts towards Nappa.

"DOUBLE SUNDAY!" "MOTHER BLAST!"

The two massive blasts went flying right at Nappa and Piccolo. Nappa screamed in terror, but Piccolo merely closed his eyes and smiled. The blast engulfed them both and, once all was said and done, there was nothing left of either of them. Nappa and Piccolo were both dead and reduced to ash.

Gine sighed in relief and immediately ran towards Gohan. She and Krillin both arrived by the boy at the same time to check on him.

Raditz stood stalwart, watching from a distance. He flinched and sighed as, once they had finally noticed him, Gohan and Krillin both scowled. Raditz nodded. "I guess I deserve that..."

The Saiyan turned and looked towards the bevy of explosions erupting on the horizon. His father, Kakarot, and Vegeta were having a war. Raditz glanced over his shoulder and called to his mother. "Mom. I'm going to help Dad and Kakarot in their battle. Are you going to-?"

Gine waved at him. "I'll catch up in a moment, Raditz. I just need to check up on Gohan!"

Raditz nodded and sighed. "Right..."

The brother of Goku then took off, leaving Gine alone with Gohan and Krillin. Gine knelt down and placed a gentle hand on her sobbing grandson's back. The boy whimpered and wiped his eyes. "Mr. Piccolo..."

Gine frowned and tried to gently comfort the boy. "I'm so sorry, Gohan..."

As Gohan continued to cry, Gine turned to Krillin. "Excuse me, would you mind taking my grandson to safety? I don't wish for him... or you for that matter... to be caught in the crossfire..."

Krillin was trying to fight back tears himself. Piccolo was gone. As far as he could think, there was now no way for them to wish any of their friends back. Vacantly, Krillin placed a staying hand on Gohan's back and nodded. "Of course, I'll watch him... but I need you to do me a favor too..."

Gine looked at Krillin and Krillin stared back at her. "I've watched all of my friends die today...please don't let Goku die again too..."

Gine swallowed a lump in her throat and nodded. "I promise you that, as long as I can fight, my son will not die again."

Krillin nodded and Gine nodded back in solidarity. Knowing she was heading for a war, Gine took a deep breath and then flew off. Once she was gone, Krillin helped Gohan to his feet, groaning as his own back popped. "Let's get back to Kame House, little buddy."

But, as the two of them were about to take off, another voice called out. "Wait a minute, Krillin!"

Krillin and Gohan both turned and Krillin flinched in surprise as the very familiar sight of a certain rotund ronin. "Yajirobe?!"

Meanwhile, on the far, far side of Gizard Wasteland…

Vegeta was livid as he angrily loomed over Bardock. The lower class Saiyan was powerful, yes, but Vegeta still stood above. The prince was dirty and scuffed, but he glared down at Bardock with prideful contempt. "I will give you this, trash... you are certainly a lot stronger than Nappa."

Vegeta stepped forward and aimed a charged blast at Bardock. "Now, I give you an option as the second strongest being on this planet... you can either join me, the strongest Saiyan of them all, or you can die!"

The Prince snarled at Bardock, his patience wearing thin. "Make your choice!"

Bardock, bruised and battered, stood up and glared at Vegeta. No matter what the prince thought, this fight wasn't over yet. Vegeta roared at Bardock. "Well?! Speak up!"

Bardock glared up at Vegeta and gave a blunt response. "Kaioken!"