Chapter 31

PICCOLO

"NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!" I shot through the countless rocks, desperately searching for Lettie.

A strange sensation had overcome me seconds ago. A sensation telling me she was in grave danger, and I had my confirmation when I felt her Ki suddenly drop.

There was only one explanation: something terrible had happened to Lettie. "It's your fault for leaving her alone," said my Enemy.

Damn it! Why did I let us get separated?!

I hated being away from her. It was like a part of me was missing.

My heart raced. Sweat dripped from my neck down to my back. If something bad happened to Lettie, I would never be able to forgive myself!

I decided to fly higher to get a better view. Screw it if the Android saw me. Finding Lettie was the only thing that mattered now.

And, to my despair, I found her.

At first, I couldn't believe my eyes. I thought it was an illusion created by my panic: Lettie was lying on a rock, and Android 20 was hunched over her, strangling her and draining her energy.

My blood boiled like lava.

"GET OFF HER, YOU BASTARD!!!" I dove at the Android and kicked him, sending him flying and causing an explosion of rocks.

"Lettie!!!" I ran to her, but froze when I took a closer look: her body and limbs were in strange, twisted positions, her uniform torn and in tatters, and worst of all, her face was completely swollen and deformed.

Her Ki was fading. She was dying, right there, in front of me.

A sudden weakness washed over my legs, and I fell to my knees beside her, my hands trembling as I took in Lettie's morbid state.

"N-No..." It was the only word my dry mouth could manage to say.

"See, Piccolo?" my Enemy hissed. "Didn't I tell you she would die?"

My vision blurred with tears I couldn't hold back as I gently wrapped my arms around her, holding her, feeling her limp and broken body against mine.

This couldn't be happening! Please, tell me it was a lie!

A fog clouded my mind. Time felt distorted. I was stuck, unsure of how to react to the horrific sight of the woman I loved.

"AUNT LETTIE!!!" Gohan shouted from the skies, landing right in front of us, his eyes wide with panic. "What happened??? Aunt Lettie!"

"I-I-I..." I tried to explain that she must have gotten into a fight with Android 20, but I couldn't. My body was numb and cold, with a distressing tingling spreading through every inch.

By this point, Krillin, Tien, and Vegeta had also caught up and landed around us. Krillin and Tien gasped in horror at the sight of Lettie, unconscious in my arms.

Vegeta, however, laughed out loud. "HAHAHA! So this is the strongest woman on Earth?! I knew she was weak! Lettie could never stand a chance against the Android like I did! That's what you get for playing happy family. Congratulations, Namekian! Now you've got a crippled woman! Why don't you just kill her off already, like I did with Nappa? She's useless now! Nothing but worthless trash!"

My Enemy didn't need to say a single word in my mind, because he had already said it all through Vegeta's mouth.

Carefully, I laid Lettie back on the ground, not taking my eyes off that scoundrel, and rushed towards him. I landed a punch square in the middle of his face. It was extremely satisfying to feel his nose break against my fist. My attack sent him flying far away, crashing into the rocks with another explosion.

I quickly returned to Lettie. "We need to give her a Senzu Bean, now!"

Krillin didn't waste any time and handed me one. Everyone gathered around Lettie while I placed the Senzu Bean into her cut-up mouth. Gohan was crying, calling out to his aunt to respond.

We waited through the most agonizing seconds of my entire life, and nothing happened.

"WHY ISN'T SHE RESPONDING?!" I shrieked, desperate.

"Damn it!" said Tien, leaning down beside me. "I think she needs to chew and swallow for it to work properly."

"But that's impossible!" Gohan replied. "She's unconscious and all broken!!!" He turned to me, his face filled with anxiety. "Mr. Piccolo, what do we do?!"

I began looking around, as if I could find a miraculous solution to the problem. Think, Piccolo, think!

Then my hand brushed against the waterskin hanging from my belt.

The Sacred Water.

That was it!!! It would be easier to get a liquid down Lettie's throat than a solid Bean!

I told the others my idea, and for a moment, hope swelled in my heart, knowing Lettie would soon wake up. All I had to do was carefully give her the Sacred Water. Her bones would heal, her face would return to normal, and her beautiful blue eyes would open and see me, right there beside her. Confident, I grabbed my waterskin, removed the cap, and tilted it to pour the liquid.

It was empty.

I... I had drunk it all!!!

Everyone stared at me, perplexed. I could see the despair written all over their faces.

"There is no salvation," said my Enemy. "This is the end."

My head throbbed with pain. Nausea churned my stomach. I wanted to vomit, to throw up all of that gut-wrenching feeling that was tearing through me mercilessly.

More than that, I wanted to cry—cry for the disaster that had befallen the one I love.

Just like in my dream, there was Lettie, dying in my arms.

There is no salvation...

This is the end...

"Oh no!" Gohan pointed in a direction, and we turned. "Android 20 is back!"

There he was, the bastard, glaring at us with a hateful, twisted expression. My punch had knocked off his black hat, revealing his brain protected by a glass dome.

Vegeta had also returned, cursing at everyone, but I ignored him and held back my tears. Now wasn't the moment to cry. My target was solely Android 20. For the second time, I gently placed Lettie back on the ground. I had no time to waste. There was only one place where she might survive, so I had to act fast.

I floated up until I was face to face with Android 20, my cape billowing behind me as a wind blew between us. The Android and I glared at each other for a few seconds, then he curled his lips into a malicious grin, but his eyes soon widened in terror when he saw that I had grabbed his right forearm.

And I wasn't letting go.

"W-What are you doing?!" he screeched.

In the next second, I clenched my fingers with such force that his forearm snapped in two and crumbled in my hands.

The Android was now left with just the stump of his right arm.

I heard gasps of surprise from the others, even Vegeta, and I believe Android 20 was so dumbfounded that he didn't even notice when I raised both of my fists above my head and, with a furious shout, smashed him in the chest, sending him flying far, far away into a large rock formation that collapsed over him.

"H-How did you get so strong?!" demanded Vegeta. "How did you do that??? ANSWER ME, NAMEKIAN!!!"

But I ignored him again. My focus now was Lettie, only Lettie. Quickly, I rushed back to her and gently picked her up, handling her as if she were made of the finest, purest crystal in the world.

"Mr. Piccolo, what are you going to do?!" asked a confused Gohan.

"I'm taking her to Kami." I looked up at the sky, knowing that somewhere beyond the clouds, his Lookout stood. "It's her only chance."

"Go, Piccolo," agreed Tien. "Leave the Android to us."

"Please," Krillin added with a little smile, "bring Lettie back safe and sound."

"You won't make it," my Enemy said. "It will be a waste of time."

I couldn't return Krillin's smile. Before flying off, I glanced at Vegeta, who was glaring at us with a bitter and disdainful expression, as if my Enemy was scrutinizing me through him as well.

The same chill I felt earlier when I saw him in his Super Saiyan form ran through my body, and the fear that overtook me was the push I needed to finally shoot off toward Kami's Lookout.

"Aunt Lettie!" Gohan called out in our direction. "Get well soon!"

And just like that, they vanished from my view below. I was desperate. The sobs threatened to rise in my throat no matter what, making my eyes burn as I cut through the clouds. My heart pounded in my ears, and my head was on the verge of exploding with pain.

A wave of dizziness hit me. It was strange; I was used to flying at high altitudes, but a sensation of faintness coursed through my limbs, and a surge of anguish and dread crashed over me without mercy.

Everything hurt... Oh, how it hurt!

"E-Everything will be fine..." I kissed the top of Lettie's head, trembling. "We're almost there, okay?"

"No," came the response from my Enemy. "It won't."

I looked at her, and a single tear escaped without my permission. My heart sank, and I sped up.

"HELP!!!" I shouted as I landed in the courtyard of the Lookout.

Soon, a startled Kami and Mr. Popo came running through the halls of the building. The moment they saw me, both froze, shocked to see the state Lettie was in, lying in my arms. With a few words, I explained that she had fought one of the Androids and urgently needed help, as we hadn't been able to give her a Senzu Bean, and my Sacred Water had run out.

"Take her to your room immediately," Kami instructed. "Mr. Popo and I will get more Sacred Water. Go!"

His voice was calm and firm, which surprised me, considering the gravity of the situation. For some reason, I felt like a scared child receiving orders from someone mature, someone who knew how to handle extreme situations. It was good to have someone like that around.

However, the panic quickly threatened to take over again when I found myself alone with Lettie, so gravely wounded, rushing toward my room. I kicked the door open, eager to lay her down on my bed and make her more comfortable.

As soon as I placed her on the mattress, I stood at the edge of the bed and looked at her.

"Behold the death of your wife," my Enemy said.

I covered my mouth with both hands, my eyes wide with horror, but I couldn't resist any longer. I collapsed to my knees and cried, bitterly.

"L-Lettie!!!" I sobbed over her still and broken body. "I-I can't! I can't take it anymore! I thought I could b-be strong, but I c-can't!" I took her disfigured face in my hands, staring at her with deep sorrow. "Tell me!!! Tell me how to make this pain and torment stop!!!"

"There is no way to stop it," my Enemy retorted. "It will only get stronger."

My crying intensified as I realized that this was the worst day of my life. I pressed my forehead against hers, just to feel her warmth, and whispered through my tears, "Please… I can't do this alone…" I swallowed bitterly. Then, with a desperate scream, I admitted what I had fought against for so, so long, "I-I… I NEED HELP!!!"

My voice echoed throughout my room.

"Son?" Kami's gentle voice came from the door.

I lifted my head in his direction. There he was, standing with Mr. Popo, holding a golden tray with a pitcher of Sacred Water and a cup, looking at me with a worried but kind expression.

In a final act of desperation, I looked into his eyes and pleaded, "FATHER!!! PLEASE, HELP ME!!!"

Silence fell for a few seconds. However, my anguish was so overwhelming that I didn't even realize I had called Kami "father" for the first time.

Then, his expression softened. Kami closed his eyes and, when he opened them again, he gave me a little, gentle, and reassuring smile.

"Yeah…" he sighed. "I believe the time has come."

My face must have shown that I didn't understand his words, but Kami handed the tray to Mr. Popo and said, "Please take care of Lettie. I need to settle something with Piccolo."

"Yes, sir." Mr. Popo walked toward me, placed the tray on the bedside table, and began preparing a cup with Sacred Water.

"Come with me," called Kami, turning and disappearing through the door. Still confused, I looked at Lettie, fearful of leaving her. I stood frozen for a while, unsure of what to do, but I decided it was best to obey and followed him.

"Where are we going??" I caught up with Kami after running a bit. "What are we going to do?? Wouldn't it be better to go back and stay with Lettie??"

"She is in good hands and receiving the help she needs," he replied, guiding me toward the flower garden in the courtyard. "Now, it's your turn."

I wanted to argue with him, but again, I thought it best to stay quiet and just follow him. Damn, my head hurt so much! But if Lettie needed all the Sacred Water that existed to get better, I would accept living the rest of my days in pain.

We stopped in the middle of the garden, in an area full of colorful lilies, and as if he could read my mind, Kami said, "Your pain will soon pass."

I frowned. He smiled and continued, "I'm not talking about your headache."

My heart skipped a beat. What was he doing??

Kami then took a deep breath with a calm expression. "I really like the scent of these lilies." He looked at me with a smile. "When you and Lettie get married, make a bouquet with these flowers for her."

A deep sadness washed over me, and I lowered my head.

"I…" I sniffled. "I don't think that will ever happen."

"Oh, it will." said Kami. "It's just a shame I won't be here to witness it. I'll miss my daughter-in-law and little granddaughter."

"Wh-What are you saying?" I replied, disturbed by the direction of the conversation.

Kami gazed thoughtfully around. "I never imagined this moment would come so quickly, but the need is greater."

"Be clearer, please!" I started to feel anxious and irritable.

Kami placed a hand on my shoulder, squeezed it, and declared, "It's time for us to fuse."

My mouth fell open in astonishment. "Wh-What…?"

"That's what you heard." Kami nodded with conviction. "You and I are going to fuse now. I will transfer all my power to you. We're facing a situation that demands such action. The Enemy is cunning and is everywhere. You need to become stronger, in every way, to protect yourself, Lettie, Naíma, and, in the future, the twins."

I gasped in shock. How did he know about the twins?!?!

"Oh, Piccolo." He laughed playfully. "I know many things."

Did he read my mind again?!

"B-B-But, how?" I asked.

"My Friend told me."

I paused for a second, utterly confused. "Friend…?"

"Yes." Kami smiled. "And soon, you will meet him too."

I didn't understand anything anymore. Was Kami really going to fuse with me to make me stronger? How long had he been planning this? Who was this "Friend"? And was Mr. Popo managing to heal Lettie??

Kami then gave light taps on my chest. "Your heart is full of doubts and fear, but soon, it will be free. There are other forces at work in this world, Piccolo, besides the will of evil."

"Don't listen to him!" my Enemy shouted. "He's lying!"

"I DO NOT LIE!" Kami suddenly shouted in a booming voice that made me tremble.

Silence.

Kami took a deep breath, as if gathering patience after speaking to someone inconvenient. His behavior was peculiar, and I didn't have the courage to say a single word. Finally, his expression returned to normal, showing the same friendly and gentle demeanor.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

"Are you?" I replied.

"No one ever is."

With that, we placed our hands on each other's shoulders. Kami was just a little shorter than me, considering his old age. For some reason, I felt sorry for him—so old and always so attentive to my needs…

A deep regret washed over me for all the times I had disregarded him. Just like when I mistreated Lettie and Gohan at the beginning of our Training.

"F-Father, I…" I began, and then, just as Lettie and Gohan had done with me back then, he replied, "You are forgiven, son."

My shoulders relaxed involuntarily, and I let out a shaky breath, filled with a sense of relief. I lifted my eyes to him and gave a little, sad smile. Kami squeezed my shoulder with affection.

"Close your eyes," he said, and I obeyed.

A pleasant breeze began to form around our feet, and the sound of our capes rustling filled my ears. Then, I felt it. A vast amount of power slowly entered not just my being but my very soul. For a moment, it was as if I were floating, receiving all that energy that seemed to expand me.

Time and space stood still.

Everything went quiet, and the absolute void consumed me.

When I opened my eyes, I was no longer in the Temple.