Chapter 4

Goku flashed a relieved smile as the dust settled and the familiar silhouette of the namekian warrior could visibly be discerned standing across from him.

"Welcome back, Piccolo," the saiyan offered in salute, happy to see him alive and well.

"Yes," Piccolo grunted, a scowl briefly creasing his face at the reminder of having been turned into a giant statue by Babidi's minion, "It's good to breathe a free air again, my friend."

Goku smirked wider, but said nothing more. They had a long trip back after all, and although he could use his ability to transport instantly, Goku craved a bit of cool air blowing in his face to gather his thoughts and decide just how he was going to confront the others with the day's events.

So the two warriors flew back in relative silence, the wind picking up and causing their clothing to flap and ripple against their hard bodies. Piccolo appeared to be just as contemplative and preoccupied next to his flying companion, and neither man saw fit to break the quiet thoughts of the other, each bearing news of recent events that was weighing heavily on their hearts.

So much was running through Goku's mind and the flight back to the lookout had been filled with fear, hesitation, and worry intermingling and causing a churning sensation to coil in his stomach. How would the others react to the death of Vegeta? What would they say? Would they ask him questions he did not want to answer?

Goku was not fully prepared for such inquiries and the one he feared speaking to the most was the man's wife- his very first friend in this world. Bulma was a temperamental but caring woman and she appeared to have loved her husband despite his many faults. How could he look her in the eyes and tell her about Vegeta's death when all he saw and felt in his mind was the man raping and ravishing him, conquering his body like he was the fresh spoils of some barbaric war?

Truly the saiyan people must have been monsters when his home planet still existed to consider what happened to him normal and that part of Vegeta's explanation still baffled and horrified Goku. Yes, he retained the thirst for battle from his saiyan blood among other things, but he never once had the urge to dominate any of his defeated foes in quite the same manner.

Shaking the anxious fears from his mind, Goku looked over at his flying companion and groaned, replaying the rest of their conversation before they had taken flight.

"You are aware of Vegeta's death, are you not?" Piccolo began solemnly, glancing over at Goku for confirmation, but instead observed him stiffen after the name had left his lips.

"I am," Goku tersely replied, turning his head away to avoid the probing gaze of the other warrior.

Narrowing his eyes, Piccolo had a suspicion something bad had happened between the two that his comrade was not too eager to discuss. Yet he had to try to get it out of him, instinctually feeling it was important.

"Goku," Piccolo began carefully, "You know you can tell me anything, right? I'm here for you. Whatever you need to say, I promise, will not leave this circle."

Goku, glancing up into the too knowing eyes of his fellow warrior, exhaled sharply. He should have guessed Piccolo would have picked up on something amiss the moment Vegeta's name was mentioned and he reacted so out of character. The namek was infamous for his inquisitive eyes and strong intuition and this time was no different.

Taking another deep breath and bracing himself, Goku felt he had to reveal to at least one other soul what had happened and Piccolo's words and non-judgmental demeanor had reassured him enough to open up.

"We fought," Goku hesitantly started the difficult conversation, pausing for a second to gather his next words, "We fought and I lost. Vegeta, he-"

But Goku found he couldn't finish his sentence and he choked on his next words, the unspoken truth quickly dying on his tongue. He thought he would be able to confess what had happened but shame was rearing its ugly head to grip at his soul, holding him back.

"Take your time, Goku." Piccolo thought over what Goku had said and wondered about what he was going to say, but seeing the pained expression flashing across the other man's eyes decided not to press the matter further…at least for the moment.

The saiyan warrior to Piccolo's right let loose another sigh, frowned then faced forward again, buried in his thoughts once more.

They came upon the white tiled surface of the lookout thirty minutes later and landed in a more secluded area next to a shower and some changing rooms. Piccolo figured Goku would at least want to freshen up and change his tattered clothing that barely hung on his body and appeared to have taken quite a beating along with him.

But before he could make that offer, Piccolo needed reassurance of something that he had sensed taking place on Earth prior to his arrival.

"He's gone away, hasn't he?" Piccolo asked, staring at Goku's pensive form next to him.

Smiling and knowing just who the namek was inquiring about, Goku replied, "Yeah, Supreme Kai and Kibito took him to their planet for training."

"Good," Piccolo whispered, "That boy has gotten too soft in these times of peace."

Goku humphed, quietly agreeing.

"And you?" Piccolo continued, "What will you do after speaking to the others? Go after Buu yourself…avenge Vegeta perhaps?"

The namek added the last quip without thinking and instantly felt regret at the stiffening shoulders and hard look passing over Goku's features.

"We can talk about that in a bit," Goku forced out, his tone slightly bitter as he hung his head low, obscuring his face partially from Piccolo's view.

The namek, narrowing his eyes, gave his friend a keen once over. "What exactly happened down there, Goku?" Piccolo asked in wonder after the saiyan's unrepentantly hostile response, "You seem so different now."

"Piccolo," Goku's voice was sharp and dangerous in its reprimand, "Drop it."

Even as the words left his mouth, Piccolo observed the agonized expression on Goku's face that he tried to hide, almost like he was reliving some painful experience all over again.

What Piccolo needed to find out was what exactly had transpired between Goku and Vegeta to make him react this way, but the namek was already on shaky ground with his moody companion, it seemed.

"Alright, Son Goku," Piccolo gently relented for the time being, "Keep your secrets. But know that I am willing to listen to anything you have to say."

But it was all very odd really and Piccolo was shocked by the drastic change in his friend's usual happy demeanor. How bad had it gone between the two saiyans that made Goku act so solemn and angry? True, Vegeta had murdered all those innocent people at the tournament, but Piccolo didn't think that was the reason for Goku's change.

This time, Piccolo knew he had to get to the bottom of this, and made a resolution to press the other man a little more adamantly later, but first he found himself offering Goku the use of the shower and a set of spare clothes that were kept up here for him.

"Thanks, Piccolo." Nodding gratefully and quickly forgetting Piccolo's earlier comments, Goku passed right by the namek and marched straight to the shower stall a few feet away.

Piccolo, returning the gesture, watched his friend walk the short distance practically brushing against him on his way, and when he did so Piccolo's sharp nose picked up on something very peculiar.

Goku smelled different…and had a spicy scent intermixed with his own earthy one. In fact, the note distinctly reminded Piccolo of another of his kind, of the saiyan prince, Vegeta.

Giving Goku a closer glance, Piccolo noted his makeshift excuse for pants that barely clung to his most private areas. The piercing rays of sunlight cast over the saiyan in that instant, striking his clothing in such an angle that it allowed Piccolo to see through the flimsy material and he was now able to catch the many bruises marring Goku's inner thighs.

But it wasn't that sight alone that held his attention. The scent of semen and blood wafting in the air had hit him like a freight train and caused him to suddenly rear back in understanding.

Vegeta had raped Goku. Piccolo gasped in shock and horror, the glaring truth flooring him.

It certainly would explain the angry behavior from the younger saiyan. It would explain a lot of things actually and it caused a pang of guilt to sweep through him. Goku seemed like a shadow of the bright and happy soul he once was. The angry bitterness did not become such a genial man and it made Piccolo's heart clench painfully to see it. This man, his friend, had endured so much already. Where were they when he needed them the most? Turned into statues because of their own stupidity, he lamented.

Shaking the painful insight from his mind, Piccolo made a decision. Cautiously approaching the showering stall that was occupied by his friend, he peered inside to confirm his suspicions and noticed the bruising up close was even worse. Goku was covered by his own blood and the sticky white substance that must have been Vegeta's release. It had crusted all over his thighs and ass, but centered mainly between the cleft of his cheeks.

Piccolo closed his eyes, trying in vain to compose the emotions that rose up within him. That was a sight he never expected or ever wished to see again. A wave of nausea hit him and Piccolo inhaled sharply as he stepped back once more to give the warrior some much deserved privacy.

The sadness of Kami's soul reverberated within him, combining doubly with his own, and Piccolo inwardly seethed with misgivings toward the older saiyan and what he had done. Remembering their recent conversation before the other lost his life fighting Buu, the namek now understood why Vegeta's behavior had felt so odd to him at the time.

"Namek," Vegeta spoke, looking in his direction.

There on the battlefield stood the lone saiyan, his bloody and bruised face a testament to the battle he had waged with the pink monstrosity known as Majin Buu. Two young demi saiyans lay at his feet in a forced slumber brought on by his fists and at any moment he was determined to embark on a fight to the death.

But before that could happen, he was asking Piccolo for a small favor.

"Give this to Kakarot when he wakes." Vegeta requested solemnly, fishing something from a hidden pocket in his clothing and placing it into the namek's waiting hand.

Piccolo grunted, accepting the item which appeared to be a shard of some kind of gemstone. Pushing it around his palm, he watched as the sun reflected off its surface, refracting a blue-green light right back to him.

"What is it?" Piccolo asked, curiosity piquing his interest.

"That, namek, is a piece of my father's royal medallion," Vegeta started, "Nappa found it aboard Frieza's ship one day and picked it up. He gave it to me immediately afterwards, having guessed my father's true fate upon discovering it gathering dust in some corner of the command room."

"I see," Piccolo looked up in surprise at his fellow warrior.

This item was likely priceless to Vegeta. So why entrust it to Goku of all people? Narrowing his eyes in suspicion, Piccolo suddenly had a feeling Vegeta had deeply wronged their mutual friend somehow, and this was part of his final act of atonement.

"What happened to Goku?" Piccolo seriously inquired, focusing his shrewd gaze on the saiyan prince.

Vegeta, flashing him an irritated look, growled, "That's not your concern, namek. Will you give it to him or not?"

Piccolo sighed, relenting to the saiyan's demand. Whatever it was that happened he could surely extract from Goku later.

"Of course."

"Good. Now get away from here and take the two boys with you." Vegeta commanded, nodding his head toward Goten and Trunks while turning his back to his companion.

"You'll die, you know this," Piccolo uttered as he bent down, scooping up and tucking a demi under each arm.

A short silence followed, the air filled with tense foreboding, before Vegeta spoke once more.

"There is one thing I'd like to know. Tell me, namek," Vegeta began ruefully, "Will I meet that clown Kakarot in the otherworld?"

Piccolo heard regret and sadness reflected heavily with the question, but found he simply could not lie to the other just to save him grief.

"Goku devoted his life to protecting the lives of others." Piccolo affirmed, "Because of his sacrifice, when he died, he was allowed to keep his body and reside on King Kai's planet. You, on the other hand, have spent your life in pursuit of your own selfish desires. You've caused too much pain and suffering. When you die, you will not receive the same reward," Piccolo finished in a firm tone as he fixed the saiyan's back intently.

"Oh well," Vegeta nodded in understanding, "So be it."

Piccolo, taking a deep breath, lingered for a moment longer, but the voice of the forlorn prince traveled to his ears urgently.

"That will be all. Now get out of here…Hurry."

Piccolo turned to leave with his two charges, but was halted by Vegeta calling out to him one final time. It seemed he had one more favor to ask. Piccolo listened, nodding in agreement before lifting off and flying away from the impending scene of battle.

Piccolo felt the weight of the gift still hidden in his pocket, far greater than what was actually due to the item itself. Memories of the last goodbye were still playing in his mind and he agonized over the choice that he had to make.

Should he give it to Goku? After it dawned on him just how savagely Vegeta brutalized the other saiyan, Piccolo wasn't so sure that it was a good idea. Yet he remembered the sincerity of the words Vegeta had spoken before he marched off to his doom.

"Namek…tell him I'm sorry." It was Vegeta's final message to his rival Goku, the person he wronged greatly, and the last words the older saiyan spoke to him.

Piccolo had agreed to deliver the message, unconsciously feeling its significance. "I'm sorry" was not a phrase typically found in Vegeta's vocabulary and the only other time Piccolo remembered him voicing that sentiment was when Gohan had saved him from Cell seven years ago.

Making a difficult decision, the namek grasped the shard in his pocket and finally pulled it out into the open. Remembering how reflective its surface was, he turned it back and forth, watching the sun bounce back perfectly its brilliant sea colored hues.

"What do you have there, Piccolo?" Goku asked, giving his startled friend a funny look when he jumped back in surprise.

So distracted was Piccolo pushing the gift around his palm and brooding over the inevitable, he did not hear Goku exit the stall fully dressed in his new gi and walk right in front of him.

"It's a gift for you," Piccolo replied with uncertainty, bringing his troubled eyes down to meet the ones belonging to his friend.

"Oh?" Goku remarked, his curiosity growing.

Piccolo sighed. "It's from Vegeta, Goku. He asked me to give it to you along with a message."

At that mention of his rapist, Goku paled and stood impossibly still. What did Vegeta mean by leaving him a gift?

"It is a piece of his late father's medallion," Piccolo continued unabated, placing the bright shard into Goku's hand, "and it seemed to be one of his most valued possessions."

Goku's hand instantly grasped at the item, bringing it up to stare hard at its gleaming surface. And in its reflection, he could almost see the fiery, teal eyes of the late prince, whose face he would never forget as he pounded into his unwilling body with such brutal ferocity.

Goku breathed heavily. He wanted to hate the other saiyan for what he had done and in his heart he almost did, but there was another part of him that felt honored by the gift. That the man would give him the last remnant of his childhood was astonishing.

"What was the message?" Goku whispered, his voice coming out soft and vulnerable like a child's, as he lost himself in the hypnotic reflection of blue-green light.

Piccolo hesitated a moment, but quickly gathered his courage and answered, "He said he was sorry."

Clutching the shard in his palm tight, a single tear escaped and slid down Goku's cheek, "I see."

"You need not keep it if it upsets you, Goku," Piccolo suggested, deeply affected by the sadness emanating from his friend, "Give it to Bulma or Trunks if you prefer."

Goku thought over what Piccolo had said and it made sense logically since they were his family, but some instinct told him the gift was meant only for him – something the older saiyan would leave only to another of his kind. Despite what Vegeta had done, Goku decided to hold on to it, and taking out a small brown bag, he placed the shard carefully inside.

"I'll keep it," Goku resolved, "You are right; it was probably precious to him…and meant only for me."

"As you wish," Piccolo conceded.

Goku flashed his friend a brief but sad smile. "Thanks, Piccolo."

"Hn," the namek muttered, inclining his head in acknowledgment.

"Well, I guess we should head off to speak to the others," Goku offered reluctantly, his glowing eyes practically screaming dread.

"Yes. They are still waiting for us," Piccolo said, mentally preparing for what had to be done.

In his heart, the namek vowed to do whatever he could to help ease his friend's discomfort. He had yet to confront Goku about what he had seen while the other warrior was in the shower, but Piccolo intended to do so very soon.

A pregnant pause soon followed but it proved to be short lived and Piccolo heard the voice of the Earth saiyan addressing him once more.

"I'm ready, Piccolo," Goku indicated, and now both warriors were heading off together to face their closest friends and family.