"You absolute imbecile! What the hell were you thinking?! Do you know how much covering up I'm going to have to do? Why on earth would you go barging in like that? Ohh I could wring your neck right now, you know? After I give you the perfect safety measurements, this is how you act!"

Floating.

It was dark, just like always. He sat, his knees pulled up to His chest, as He clutched at His pants. Outside, He could hear a thousand noises, none of which He knew. A hiccup ruptured in His chest, and He scrubbed at His eyes. He knew it would get Him in trouble, but…

He dove for phone. The men had shown Him how it worked, before they left Him, however long ago. He couldn't recall how long He'd been in this house - how long He'd been out of the facility. Snot dribbled down around His chin, and He hastily stabbed at the numbers, the plastic cold in His hands.

It rang.

"Daddy's incredibly pissed, you realize that, right? And this woman - she's still giving you troubles? We can't deal with this right now! Once you get back, you'd better figure out why, exactly, this Briefs woman is around! These two…"

Bubbles.

He sobbed, and flattened His ears back against His skull as a nasally, high-pitched voice rang through the receiver.

"What? Are you calling me again?! Do you know how angry you're making daddy?" Freeza was always harsh, but he was always that one that dealt with Him.

"I'm sorry…" He whispered. "It's dark here… Why can't there be lights - like in the faci - ,"

"I told you you're not to speak about that place," Freeza spat, interrupting Him. He pressed His lips together, and choked on more of his sobs. He heard a groan, and Freeza shifted the phone. "Now, listen here - if daddy finds out about how much you're whining, then he'll remove you."

"I want to be removed!" He cried. "I hate it here! It's gross! There's sand everywhere! I want to go back!"

"No, you don't," Freeza said maliciously. "If we withdraw you, then you'll never get your chance to see your father. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes," He said, mutinously. He sucked at His lip, and glowered at the bedspread. Outside, He heard something howl, and he broke off into another cry. "Please! Can't you stay on the phone with me? I'm scared! There's… there's stuff out there!"

"Of course there is!" Freeza barked. "And you'd better get used to it!"

"Wake up, would you? This is no time to be sleeping! You should have fully recovered by now, you inconsiderate brat."

Thumping.

"I'm worried… the people that live here… they don't like me." His lip quivered, and he heard Freeza give a snort of disgust.

"And why would they? You're rather repulsive, aren't you? And besides - you're not there to be friendly with the locals, you're there to get ship parts, and you'd do well to stay focused. The moment we think you're slacking, it's right back."

"Yes, sir…." His voice trailed off, and He furrowed His brow. He wondered if He could get Freeza to stay on the phone longer… "Um, the people… they asked me what my name is…?"

"It's Unit N-002," Freeza snapped.

"But… They said that's not a name." He tightened His grip on the phone, and His claws clattered against the plastic. He hated the moniker Unit N-002. The men in white uniforms had always called Him that. But He knew that wasn't a real name, even before the people of Barren Grove told Him so. He wanted a real name, like Freeza's.

"What does it matter?" Freeza said, wearily. "Do you need a name? Just call yourself something - who cares?"

He jutted His bottom lip out, mutinously. "I can't name myself. Your parents name you. Even I know that!"

"Fine," Freeza snarled, his voice losing its typical, lilting edge. "Just name yourself after you father, you insufferable brat!"

"What was his name?" He asked with baited breath. They didn't tell Him much about His father… only that he had crashed here, but had managed to escape somehow. In the wreckage, He was left behind, freshly hatched. Nobody had told Him why his father had left Him behind, but He could only assume it was because His father knew He would follow - one day.

"Piccolo," Freeza replied, then hung up the phone rather quickly.

Piccolo… his chest swelled with emotion, and he slowly placed the phone back on the cradle.

Piccolo tried to breathe in, but there was something covering his mouth. He fought, momentarily, before someone rapt their knuckles against the glass. He opened his eyes blearily, and watched the world swim hazily in front of him. He was in a place he hadn't seen since he was a child.

He moved his head, slowly, and saw that a man stood in front of him, clothed completely in white. A helmet covered his features, so Piccolo couldn't see what he looked like. For a moment, Piccolo feared that he'd somehow been transported back in time. When he looked down, however, he saw that he was still grown, and was simply submerged in a tank of fluorescent blue fluid.

The man in white had stepped to a control panel to the side of the circular, equally white room. He pressed several buttons, and slowly, the water began to drain out through the floor of the tube. As it drained, Piccolo slowly sank with it, until his feet touched the ground, and he had to lean, unsteadily, up against the glass. He wished he had clothes, as the man pressed another series of buttons, and the apparatus covering Piccolo's mouth removed itself, and receded up into the ceiling, and the door swished open.

"Unit N-002," the man's voice was muffled, as he made a sharp motion for Piccolo to exit the tank, "Colonel Freeza would like to speak to you."

And of course, when Colonel Freeza wanted to speak to him, that meant sitting in a different circular room, with speakers mounted to the walls.

Piccolo sat uncomfortably on the tile floor, and glowered at the man that escorted him in.

"Can I have my clothes back?" Piccolo snapped. The man dutifully ignored him, and shut the door as he left. Freeza's voice poured over the speakers.

"Ohoho, awfully demanding, aren't we, Piccolo?" Freeza oozed. There was a dangerous undercurrent in his voice. "But, you'll have your clothes back, soon enough. We'll send you back on your merry way… after we talk, of course."

"Lovely," Piccolo snarled.

"I enjoy it as much as you do, I can assure you. Now, here is the thing… you've just ruined another car, have sent in no space ship parts, and now we had to clean up your neighbor's rather sizzled yard."

Piccolo could feel vague recollections of a lizard-lava alien, and Chi Chi killing the damned thing.

"Unfortunately, we've also had to deal with the fact that she's raising… quite the fuss," Freeza's voice halted, and Piccolo couldn't help the smirk that overtook his face. There was no telling what Chi Chi had been doing. "I wanted to eradicate her completely," his grin fell quickly, "but daddy says it's not worth the trouble. Regardless, you're not fully healed yet, but we can't take the risk of her getting anymore… outspoken."

Piccolo glowered up at the speakers. "The hell could she have done that's so bad?"

Freeza pointedly ignored him. "Now, your wounds are fully healed, blah, blah, blah, but you'll be fatigued for a few days. But - unlucky you!" The colonel practically purred, "You'll be doing rather hard labor in a desert. You can't afford to start slipping now."

"Fine. Can I go now?"

"Not quite, dear Piccolo, not quite. You see, there's the issue of… The Briefs woman." Freeza's voice turned sour. "It turns out she's got quite the big nose to go poking around. Keep an eye out for her."

"That's not very specific. What the hell do you expect me to do?"

"Find out what she's doing in Barren Grove," Freeza snapped, harsh enough to make his voice crackle over the speakers.

"She's… looking for something," Piccolo said. "How did she get around the military, anyways?"

"You're not in a position to ask questions," Freeza spat. His voice quavered, and it sounded as if he had slammed his fist into a table near the microphone. "Do as I've said."

"Fine," Piccolo said sullenly. "And what about my car?"

"Yes, that was unfortunate… But alas, not our problem. We just gave you that one. Try getting some actual work done, and then perhaps we can discuss getting you another one." Freeza sounded particularly satisfied. Piccolo could hear Freeza lean closer to the mic. "And now, of course, you know we can't have you see that you're leaving this non disclosed area, so…"

The door hissed back open, and there stood several men in white uniforms once more. One of them held a particularly large syringe, while another had his clothes held in a neat pile. Piccolo cursed under his breath, but didn't fight when the needle entered his skin. He swayed on his feet, and lapsed back out of consciousness.

" - ccolo! Piccolo!"

Piccolo blearily opened his eyes, and immediately squinted them back up as sunlight assaulted his eyes. He waited a few more seconds, before fully coming to. Underneath him, he felt sand and grass, and realized that he couldn't be in his room, let alone his own house. He sat up, and angrily swiped at his tongue where sand had crusted up.

"Hey, buddy, are you okay?"

The person who'd woken him up - it was the bald police officer, the one from Chi Chi's neighborhood meeting. He stared, uncomprehendingly, at the sweating bald man. He was in full gear, and his badge practically blinded Piccolo every time he moved.

"The hell am I doing here…?" Piccolo glanced at his surroundings, and realized he was at the rec center. It was devoid of people, aside from him and the officer.

"I was wondering that myself," the officer said kindly. He picked up his walkie. "I've found Piccolo," he reported into it, and there was a fuzzy crackle in response. "Are you aware that you've been missing?"

Piccolo glowered at him. "Who the hell says that?"

"Uh - well, Mrs. Son, actually," the officer said. He rubbed at the back of his sunburnt neck. "She's kinda leading a crusade down by the local storefronts."

"She's all right?" Piccolo demanded. She'd been fine, last he'd seen her - but that alien had still been in her yard. He was certain that she'd killed it, but…

"Oh - uh, yeah?" the officer laughed nervously. "I mean, last I checked."

"KRILLIN!" The voice on the walkie was no longer a static crackle. Officer Krillin started, and glanced down at the walkie. "DID YOU SAY YOU FOUND PICCOLO?!" There were sounds of distress on the other side, and Krillin pinched the bridge of his small nose.

"Ma-am, please, this is for police use only - ," a voice said, distantly.

"SHUT YER MOUTH, BOY!" Piccolo felt a rush of warmth, as he recognized Chi Chi hollering at the top of her lungs. "KRILLIN! YOU SAID PICCOLO WAS THERE, ARE YOU CERTAIN?!"

Wordlessly, Krillin passed his walkie over to Piccolo. He looked rather put upon.

"I think I'm pretty hard to mistake," Piccolo said, unable to disguise the amusement in his voice.

"PICCOLO! PICCOLO I'M GONNA KILL YOU?! YOU HEAR ME!? - ma'am, please, I need this device - GET OFFA ME! GET YER BUTT DOWN TO THE STORE STRIP! OFFICER KRILLIN, DON'T YOU LET HIM RUN OFF NOW!"

"Roger that, ma'am," Krillin sighed. He stood, and retrieved his walkie from Piccolo. "C'mon. I've got the squad car parked in the lot." Piccolo slowly stood up, and fell into step behind the officer. The man was so short, Piccolo cast a heavy shadow over him.

"Why does she think I'm missing?" Piccolo asked. He crossed his arms, and tried to sound as disinterested as possible.

"Because you were," Krillin said, bemused. "Least, it seemed that way. You disappeared for well over a week. Mrs. Son… well, she was pretty upset about it." They reached the police car, and Piccolo ducked to get in. He saw that adjustments had been made to the seats so that Krillin could easily drive.

Piccolo glanced out of the window as the car thrummed on. It served as a reminder that he was shit out of luck whenever it came to going back out into the desert. He needed ship parts, but that was going to be rather hard to do without a vehicle.

He frowned. A week… had he been gone that long? He had no memory of how much time had elapsed back at the facility. He recalled Freeza complaining about Chi Chi… was this perhaps what he'd meant? He didn't see what she could have done, outside of assault local police enforcement - and he doubted Freeza cared about that.

"Mrs. Son started up this whole… campaign, y'see?" Krillin spoke up. It was a straight stretch to the only shopping area in Barren Grove - barring ones planted there by aliens. "She feels like the government took you, and weren't going to give you back."

Piccolo snorted.

"Either way," Krillin continued, "she's been raising awareness about it, and hosting these rallies. She's been trying to call local officials, but…" There the officer's voice faded away, and his face grew slack. Piccolo stared. "But they must be on vacation!" Krillin suddenly finished cheerily, as if nothing had happened.

Piccolo wondered what the hell that was, but he was distracted, as the few stores in Barren Grove were already appearing on the horizon. He was surprised to see that there were rather large banners hung across each of the buildings, and that there was a massive gathering of people all over the streets and sidewalks. As Krillin began to slow down as they neared the pedestrians, Piccolo felt his face burning as he realized what was going on.

The banners all had a crudely drawn alien of his likeness on them, and were all emblazoned with - "TAKE OUR ALIEN? PICCO-NONO", and "PHONE PICCOLO HOME". Mortified, he saw that many of the pedestrians were also wearing shirts with similar slogans on them, and in the middle of it all was Chi Chi. She stood on a large podium with a bullhorn (as if she needs that! Piccolo thought viciously).

When she spotted Krillin's car, she gave a rather large crow through the bullhorn. "HE'S BACK!" she shouted, and all around her people parted as she barrelled through the crowd to the car. Piccolo glanced desperately at Krillin, but the bald man was very pointedly looking elsewhere.

Chi Chi got to his side of the car, and ripped the door open.

"Where have you been?!" She screamed in his face. Her hands clutched at his shoulders, and she gave him a rather vigorous shake. "Do you know how worried I was?" she demanded. "One minute, that freaky thing is in my yard, the next, these men show up and take you away!"

To Piccolo, it sounded as if she were scared, but her face was stormy, and her tone malicious.

"Would you calm down?" he hissed, and his ears pinioned themselves back against his skull. "And what is all this?" He gestured at one of the buildings (Denim for Days), where he could see green peering down at him. It was horrific… and then he realized Chi Chi was wearing one of those ridiculous shirts, too.

"I was trying to get ahold of some government officials," Chi Chi snapped, before her eyes glazed over. Piccolo frowned, and saw that it was the same thing that had happened to Krillin. Just as before, she came back around rather quickly. "But they're on vacation! So - instead of waiting around, I decided to launch this effort to get you back from whoever took you."

"My employer took me," Piccolo grunted, unhappy with the amount of people that were gathering around the squad car. "Get rid of all this." In the crowd, he saw a woman staring at him rather intently… he thought she looked familiar…

"I can't just pack all this up!" Chi Chi protested. "Everyone here banded together just for you! Can't you be even a bit grateful?!"

"I don't even know these people," Piccolo hissed. The people were clustering closer than before. From behind Chi Chi, one of the men spoke up.

"Hey, so uh - where the free food? If the alien's back, then…" Several people murmured in agreement. Chi Chi turned a rather severe glare on them all - the likes of which Piccolo could feel even with her back turned to him - and many of the people dispersed.

She turned back to him. "We'll talk about this more, later," she grumbled, and crossed her arms over her hideous shirt. "And then I'll kick yer butt."

"The hell did I do wrong?"

"You worried me!" Chi Chi stomped her foot, and Piccolo gritted his teeth.

"You had no reason to be worried! You worried yourself!"

"Last I saw you - you had a hole in your arm, and were passed out!" Chi Chi screeched, face red with passion as she balled her fists up. People had turned towards them once more, craning their necks to get a better view of the five foot woman chewing out an alien. Chi Chi didn't seem to care, however, as she had angry tears forming in her eyes. "Then you got carted off by those men - and they wouldn't listen to me!"

Piccolo kept his frown in place. "I'm fine," he insisted, in a quiet voice. "But I'm not going to stay here and get gawked at." He turned sharply to Krillin.

"Um, sorry but… I actually need to stay here. This many people in a public setting…" Krillin cast a glance up to the podium where Chi Chi had been, and Piccolo could see a rather winded officer on the ground. "That and… I gotta relieve him."

Disgruntled, Piccolo exited the vehicle, and watched as the gathered crowd retracted backwards. He stared at them all in disgust. Chi Chi grabbed his hand, and jerked him behind her, as he attempted to ignore the hot, itching feeling that crawled around his skin at being surrounded by this many people. He wanted to leave, but Chi Chi was tugging him - and it wasn't like he could walk all the way back to his house.

"ATTENTION!" Chi Chi had reached the podium, but had mercifully let Piccolo stay lower to the ground, where he attempted to avoid eye contact with all of the people around him. He'd never been in such a high density crowd. "WE HAVE PICCOLO BACK! I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS YOU'VE GIVEN!"

A murmur broke out across the crowd, and people continued to look at Piccolo. He heard a few mutters of, 'God, it's ugly up close', and many comments on his skin. He felt his face burn a deep purple, as Chi Chi clambered down from her elevated podium. She dropped down beside him, and glanced into his embarrassed face.

"I'm sorry if you don't like this," Chi Chi bit out, "but I had to do what I had to do. Now, c'mon." She grabbed at his hand once more, and pulled him along. He remained silent, and turned his harsh gaze on anyone that tried to approach him. They reached the edge of the crowd rather easily, with the two frightening away anyone stupid enough to come close. Around the back of Robo-Arcade, Piccolo saw Chi Chi's car.

Relieved, he clambered into the passenger seat, and Chi Chi quickly joined him.

"I can't leave yet," she said, "I'll have to clean up after all this is done… Officer Krillin made me promise." She devolved into grumbled complaints. She seemed to regain herself, however, as she breathed out, and pushed some of her hair back behind her ears. "Okay… what happened?"

"My employer took me back," Piccolo explained. He crossed his arms over his chest, and sneered at Chi Chi. "That's all that happened. They put me in a healing pod to get rid of my injuries."

Chi Chi stared, disbelief on her face. "Excuse me?" Without asking, she lurched forward, and pushed up his torn shirt sleeve. She glanced quickly from Piccolo's face, to where the wound should have been.

"See?" He batted her hand away. "And that's all. It just took a while. Presumably due to the nature of the wound - acid burning through my entire arm probably wasn't an easy fix. Not to mention any of the bones I broke or dislocated."

Chi Chi still seemed astonished.

"See? I told you that there was no reason for all of this."

"Well, how was I supposed to know?!" Chi Chi snapped, and launched a rather impressive punch to his shoulder. She was practically spitting fire as she slammed her other fist into her steering wheel. "They came down out of nowhere! They took you, and they wouldn't respond to me! I tried to grab one of 'em, but he hit me around the head with a gun!" She pushed her bangs aside to show a rather impressive goosebump on her forehead. "Gohan was so upset…."

Piccolo tried not to look to long at her injured forehead, as guilt welled up inside of him.

"When I came to, that nasty creature was gone, and my yard was completely fixed," Chi Chi continued, both amazement and irritation clear in her voice. "Gohan - being so smart - called 9-1-1, so we were at the hospital and didn't see who fixed our yard." She cut her eyes at him. "Would that be your employer?"

Piccolo shrugged. "I honestly don't know. He just said that you were a royal pain, and to keep an eye on Bulma… also that I won't be getting a car to replace the Pilot," he grumbled.

Chi Chi perked up at that, and swiveled her waist. She reached into the back of the car, and pulled out a small safe that had been tucked under her seat. "It's not going to be enough for a car," she warned, "but I did have people pitch in to help raise some money." She opened the lock, and shoved the safe into Piccolo's lap. "I think we got about three thousand raised."

Piccolo held the safe, stunned into silence. "Oh."

"Yep, well." Chi Chi looked self-satisfied. "It's not the best amount in the world, but it was short notice. The first few days you were gone were spent making phone calls, and then setting everything up." She smoothed out her dress, and gave him the 'ok' symbol.

Piccolo felt as if he should say something, but instead he simply held the safe, mouth devoid of any words.

"I'm just going to pretend you said thank-you, then, you big jerk." Chi Chi went to clamber out of her car, and bent at the waist so she could still speak to him. "You look tired. Why not take a nap in here - but I expect your lazy butt to be helping me out soon. I gotta get all this cleaned up before I go pick up Gohan from school." Before Piccolo could say anything else, Chi Chi shut the door with formidable strength and left.

He decided to take her advice. The car was unbearably hot, so he cracked the window, before reclining the seat back. He hid the safe back underneath his seat, and pillowed his head in his arms. As his eyes fluttered closed, he felt a bone-deep weariness. So much was happening, and he was having a hard time keeping it all together.

He wasn't certain how long he'd dozed off for, but when he woke up, it was to several Robo-Arcade flyers flapping underneath the windshield wipers, as Chi Chi angrily swiped them up and deposited them - responsibly - in the nearest trash can.

Piccolo stared blearily up at her as she clambered into the car, her face shining with sweat. She swiped at her bangs as they stuck to her, and he crinkled up his nose.

"You smell terrible."

"I had to clean up all by myself!" Chi Chi groused. "A certain someone didn't wake up and help me! I even slammed your hand in the car door on accident, and you still didn't wake up!"

"You did what?" Piccolo demanded, hastily checking his hand. He couldn't see any bruising…

"You're getting a smaller portion for dinner," Chi Chi decided. He wasn't even aware that he'd been invited. "And don't you complain about it." She started up the car, and the AC kicked on, blissfully rolling over the occupants. "Now, let's go get Gohan."

She started to fiddle with the radio just as she backed out of the parking lot. Heavy metal poured through the speakers, and Chi Chi's brow furrowed as a frown overtook her face.

"What…" She squinted at the radio, and tapped her finger impatiently against the steering wheel. Piccolo occupied himself by thinking about what he would do with the three thousand dollars he was now the proud owner of. He'd never had so much money at one time, and while it wouldn't be enough to replace his car - and he certainly didn't have a steady enough income to take up payments - he still needed to do something useful with it. Bills weren't really a problem - the army took care of that.

He heard Chi Chi make an indignant noise, and he turned to see her fuming face. The radio had started to play a rather explicit rap song.

"When I moved here, I had all the radio stations checked!" Chi Chi snapped. "This is not appropriate music for a community with young children!"

Piccolo listened to the heavy rap, heavy rock, and Chi Chi's heavy breathing.

"Why keep listening to it, then?" Piccolo finally demanded.

"Because," she snarled, as if it should be completely obvious, "I need to learn where they're stationed at. Someone has to talk to the station manager about how inappropriate this is!" She thumped her fist against the wheel, and Piccolo scoffed.

They reached Gohan's school, and Chi Chi hastily changed the station. She was still incredibly furious, even as Gohan clambered into the backseat, and gave Piccolo a rather awed look.

"I thought you were dead," Gohan said solemnly. Piccolo noticed a ridiculous tinfoil hat wrapped around his bowl-cut hair.

"Why are you wearing that?" Piccolo demanded. "You look ridiculous!"

"I do not," Gohan responded. "Anyways, I got everyone in class to wear them! Even my teachers!"

Piccolo glanced covertly out of the window, and saw that, indeed, several teachers were huddled nervously around students - all of them wearing the same ridiculous hats. He groaned, and flopped back in his seat as Chi Chi pulled away, still mumbling to herself.

"I read online that it keeps aliens away," Gohan continued, undaunted. "I was really scared after you were taken away, and momma was in the hospital…" His voice trailed away, and he fiddled with the aluminum hat.

Piccolo's frown softened. "I'm fine, brat. And so's your mom. Obviously." He jabbed a thumb in Chi Chi's direction, who finally snapped to.

"Hm? You talking, green man?" Chi Chi glowered at him.

"About your son's ridiculous hat - yes."

"I think it's wonderful," Chi Chi argued. "It's showing his interest in his community! He was scared, and yet he came up with a solution. Don't bully him."

"I'm just saying," Piccolo protested, "that I don't see how wearing that is supposed to protect you."

Gohan huffed. "But you don't have any proof that it doesn't."

Piccolo opened his mouth, but snapped it shut rather angrily when he realized he didn't, outside of it being ridiculous. Bested by a child, he angrily slumped down in his seat and listened to the rather unfortunate cover music sung by children that Chi Chi had set the radio on.

At the Son household, Chi Chi's mood was still sour as she made dinner. Gohan cleaned himself up, and was put in charge of making sure Piccolo was also satisfactory, as Chi Chi was busy on the phone.

"Hey," Gohan said over the faucet water, his tiny hands lathered, "you wanna see my solar system? I've been working on it!"

Piccolo remembered having seen it in Chi Chi's sewing room, and agreed to follow the boy. They tiptoed on socked feet, so that Chi Chi wouldn't be angry that they were "messing around" - which is what Gohan assured Piccolo would happen.

In the sewing room, Gohan led him to the little solar system. The boy had made it all out of wire, and he spun it rather eagerly, showing Piccolo all the mechanisms. Piccolo gave it a rather bored flick, and wondered where his home planet would be in relation. Then he looked at the orange-painted sun, and remembered the strange ball he'd found at the site. He hadn't been able to find it, and remembered that he'd dropped it in this very room.

Chi Chi hollered from downstairs, and Gohan hastily stood up. "C'mon!" he said, enthusiastically. "Don't wanna keep her waiting!" He hightailed it downstairs, but Piccolo crouched down and peered underneath the dressers and tables. He didn't see the strange ball, and pulled himself up. He supposed it didn't matter what became of it, but he had wanted to run some tests on the thing.

He trudged downstairs, and saw that Chi Chi had stood true to her word. He had a smaller serving, and he gave her a rather dour look as he shoveled some food into his mouth.

Chi Chi flopped down in her chair, and jabbed her chin into her palm. She ate as if the food had personally offended her.

"I don't understand!" Chi Chi huffed. "That radio station - it's like it doesn't exist! None of the local broadcasting towers know anything about it!" She furrowed her brow, and continued to munch angrily away. "You don't think it's…?" she trailed off, and looked meaningfully to Piccolo.

He shrugged. "Only one way to find out."

Gohan glanced between them. "Wait, what's happening? Are there more aliens?"

Chi Chi bit her lip. "I sure hope not…"

After dinner, Gohan told Piccolo in a whisper that he'd gone into the attic, and had stuffed aluminum all along the beams.

"You've got a tin roof," Gohan pointed out in a hushed tone, "so I think the theory is true."

Piccolo wanted to tell the kid to get a grip. "If any aliens do come, I'll take care of them," he grumbled.

"Last time you didn't come out looking to good," Gohan said, dark eyes looming up at him. "And momma got hurt."

"Not every alien is a lava shooting beast, all right?" Piccolo spat. He saw the reproachful look Gohan gave him, and his ears pinned back against his head. "Sorry, kid…" he mumbled.

Gohan stuffed his hands in his pocket, and fiddled with something. "It's all right."

"Piccolo." He looked up, as Chi Chi reentered the kitchen from a phone call she'd been having. "I want to talk to you in private."

Gohan took the cue, and quickly hurried away, only pausing to snag a book on his way up the stairs.

"Officer Krillin says he knows who could help us with this radio station business," Chi Chi said. Her mood was dark, and angry, so Piccolo kept his mouth shut about the stupidity of saying 'us' when it was just her that had a problem. He supposed if it was another freak alien coming into the city, it would be up to him. "Unfortunately… he recommended me to Bulma Briefs."

Piccolo stared. "You want me to go talk to the woman who said she'd have no problems blasting me?" he snarled.

"No," Chi Chi snapped in return. "I think having you go would be incredibly stupid. However, I'm not taking Gohan over there…" She paused to rub at her arms. "That tiny ape she keeps… I don't want Gohan anywhere near him or her!" Her jaw jutted out, and she leveled her gaze with Piccolo. "I want you to babysit Gohan while I'm gone."

"The hell would I do that for?"

"Because… if you do, I'll be your ride out to your crash sites." Chi Chi looked terrified, but determined. Piccolo wondered why the hell she cared so much about this, enough to risk driving out towards something she was obviously scared of.

But… she was afraid it might be alien intervention, or a threat to her precious community. And… he needed a ride.

"Fine."