It had taken a little over five days to find all seven Dragonballs. Not bad, all in all, but Piccolo knew that his bad shape had slowed down the search. By now his ki was so low that he didn't even have to bother with hiding it, but he had refused to rest. As long as he was concentrated on flying, Piccolo had at least a slight chance to escape the unabashed waves of resentment that Son Gohan sent into his direction. The fragile telepathic bond between them had always served as a lifeline of sort, boosted open by strong emotions. But now it was a deadly weapon to destroy Piccolo in a very effective way. No matter how far he ran, where he'd hide, Gohan's hate filled thoughts would find him. "It's time. You know what you have to do?"

"Yes. I've done before, you know." Kuririn grinned, then became serious. "Well... good luck, then."

"I'll wish them back. Thanks for letting me do this." Piccolo shot the human a grateful look. Despite all that had happened, Kuririn had helped him, even shown friendliness and concern. Of course, he had no illusions as to what was accountable for this. No Piccolo meant no Dragonballs, and without them no Goku and ChiChi. But the little fact that Kuririn put enough trust in him to let him go alone to New Namek was more than he had dared to hope for. "Now. call the dragon."

Kuririn nodded and soon Shenlong hovered over them in the dark skies. "State your wish. Whatever it is, I'll grant it."

x

"What do you mean, you can't help me?" Piccolo hollered, ready to strangle the Namekian in front of him.

"Uhh... We just used the Dragonballs a few days ago. You'll have to wait until next year..."

"What?" Piccolo stared at Mori, the Namekian Eldest, in disbelieve. "I can't wait a year. It will be too late by then to revive them!"

"Calm down, Piccolo. A year on New Namek lasts exactly 160 of your Earth days," Mori smiled. "And you look like you could use a little vacation."

Piccolo sat down heavily on the bench. Great. He couldn't look at his own reflection without the urge to get violently sick. Gohan's loathing sang through every fiber of Piccolo's being even half across the universe. The Z-Senshi had sworn revenge. Vejita wanted him grilled on a stick with barbeque sauce. And now he was stuck for over five months with the universe's ideal of a perfectly peaceful society. How much worse could it get?

x

Son Gohan ducked Kuririn's punch and ferociously slammed his fist into his opponent's stomach. The older fighter cringed in pain, but just when Gohan thought he'd give up, Kuririn countered with a ki blast that knocked the air out of Gohan.

"That's enough for today," Kuririn gasped and helped him up. "You did very well."

"You weren't bad yourself," Gohan shook the dust out his clothes and followed his new sensei back to Kame House. At first, Gohan had stayed with his grandfather, Gyuumaou. But after Kuririn had brought new senzu beans from Korin's latest harvest, Gohan had wanted to train. More than anything, he wanted to make Daimaou pay for mom and dad's death.

Gohan had stopped calling the murderer Mr. Piccolo. It was just impossible to believe that the sensei he had loved so much was the same person as that... monster. Mr. Piccolo would never do such a horrible thing, but Daimaou would. Daimaou was pure evil, not like Mr. Piccolo. Mr. Piccolo had once told how he had inherited all the memories of his father - Mr. Piccolo called him 'sire' - and that was why he had only known evil until he had met Gohan. Grandpa had told many stories about Daimaou, stories from the time before Gohan was born.

Somehow, Mr. Piccolo had turned back to be the Daimaou from the past. Gohan hated Daimaou. For all he knew, Daimaou had murdered Mr. Piccolo along with mom and dad. But Gohan would avenge them. So he had moved in with Kuririn and Muten Roshi. Grandpa came by every couple of days to make sure he was doing okay. Grandpa looked so old now that mom was gone. It was like if he had stopped living together with mommy. Gohan sighed, then clenched his fists. Daimaou would pay for this.

x

Dende happily ran over the green to tell his brothers the great news. Mori had just given him the permission to return to Earth with Piccolo. Kami, Earth's guardian, needed a successor, and preferably one who was able to create Dragonballs. He was so excited! He'd meet Son Gohan again and in the night, he could look at the stars. On New Namek, it never got dark, but Earth nights were so beautiful. Just sixty more days, and he'd be back on the 'Blue Planet'.

An explosion disrupted the peace of the day, and Dende frowned. That Piccolo again. When he had arrived, the Earth-Namekian had been in a really bad shape, but he had refused help. He had demanded that no one came close to him. Dende was very sad about this, because Piccolo used to be a lot like Nail. But Piccolo had changed. He was all dark inside. No, not evil, just dark. No hope and no happiness was left in the warrior, just deep sadness and guilt. Dende guessed it had something to do with the wishes that Piccolo had requested from Mori. Piccolo also had asked for a lonely spot where he could train. And that was something Dende as glad about, because he couldn't stand the sorrowful sight. No, he didn't even want to think about it. Quickly, Dende continued his way to his home village.

x

The intense loathing that he had felt from Gohan in the first few weeks of his stay had gradually reduced until it was replaced by a numb sensation after the bond had first cracked and then broken completely. Emptiness was all that was left inside him. Piccolo sighed and materialized himself some heavier weights for training.

Not that it mattered; he was going through the motions without care, a restless routine that he had begun to avoid going insane. Train, meditate, train harder, meditate some more... it was an endless, mindless circle. Piccolo wasn't sure why he even bothered. To beat the Androids, of course. But what other reason did he have to go on?

Well, for once, he had to get strong enough to survive until the machine people would arrive. He knew perfectly well that he was fair game for the Z-Senshi and Vejita once he returned to Earth. And even if they wouldn't kill him straight away for the sake of Kami, even if Son Goku would once again spread his protective wings over the Demon King... what difference would it make? He was back to where he had started from seven years ago. He had lost everything and everyone who ever mattered to him. He had lost Gohan.

x

"Do you think he lied?"

"Huh?" Son Gohan's question startled Kuririn out of his daydreams.

"Daimaou. You think he lied about wishing back mom and dad?"

The boy shot him a query glance, and Kuririn couldn't help but notice how much older Gohan looked. He'd always been very mature for his age, but now all childish softness had been erased from his features. Had Piccolo lied? Kuririn had asked himself the same question again and again. It had been 150 days of watching Gohan's misery, 150 days of seeing how a young boy was eaten by hatred. "No. No, I don't think Piccolo lied. Maybe... maybe he has to wait before he can use them."

"But it has been so long! The Namekian Dragonballs need 130 days to regenerate, so why are my parents still dead? Tell me!"

And then, the tears came. The tears and pain that had had months to built up burst out of Gohan with the force of a gale, unlocked by the realization that there was no hope, that he had fallen for the Demon King's tricks once more. Kuririn could do nothing but hold the sobbing boy in a close hug, try to sooth and be there. He could do nothing but pray for a miracle and curse himself for being stupid enough to let Piccolo go alone.

x

Gohan didn't know how long he had cried out his soul on Kuririn's shoulder, helplessly caught by the strength of his own feelings. Mr. Piccolo would've disapproved the tears, but Mr. Piccolo wasn't here and Kuririn didn't mind. Kuririn had just held him and made him feel not so alone. Gohan sighed. Kuririn cared and listened and he was always there when he was needed. Kuririn was like a big brother, and Gohan would protect him like family.

x

Porunga hovered in the pitching black sky over the small Namekian village like a giant snake over a nest of eggs. The electric white light he emitted cast an eerie shade on the scene. Mori had called the dragon and the magical creature had fulfilled the first wish. Son Goku and Son ChiChi were back at their home, safe and sound.

Now it was time for the second wish. Piccolo looked at him expectantly and Mori voiced the request. The warrior from Earth watched everything with a tense expression on his haggard face.

"Your wish can't be granted. I can't change a person's feelings, it exceeds my powers. Please make another wish."

Mori had expected as much, but he hadn't had the heart to tell Piccolo that wishing for Son Gohan's hate to disappear was impossible. Piccolo had already been disappointed after Mori had already explained to him that Porunga could not kill other beings, not even evil ones like the Androids, without a reason. Not that it was beyond the dragon's powers, but he had been designed to do good things. And as long as the Androids hadn't caused any harm...

x

Gohan's head jerked up. "But... But... That's not possible!"

Kuririn and Muten Roshi gave him a strange look. But he knew what he had sensed, the presence was unmistakable. "Mom and dad are back!"

And without waiting for a reply or finishing his breakfast, he dashed out of Kame House and flew home.

x

Piccolo closed his eyes and sighed. He had put all his hopes into this wish, clinging to it like a drowning man to a straw. But the straw had snapped and Piccolo had been sucked down into the cold depths of resignation. "Dende, it's time."

He listened to Mori wishing them back to Earth, and watched how his surroundings were instantly replaced with Kami's Lookout. Automatically scanning for the ki signatures of the Sons, Piccolo found that all three were there, strong as ever. They were back. Porunga had done it. He audibly let out the breath he had been unconsciously holding and allowed a faint smile to sneak on his lips. Maybe there was hope after all.

"Welcome back." Kami and Mr. Popo had stopped their gardening and came over to greet the new arrivals. "And I see you brought a guest?"

"That's Dende. He's the one you asked me to bring." Piccolo wanted to cut this short. He needed to go to the Sons, needed to see with his own eyes that... that his family was back. That the unspeakable deeds had been undone.

"Hello Dende." A smile crinkled Kami's face. "So you want to be my apprentice?"

Dende nodded shyly. Kami placed a hand on the young Namekian's head and a soft yellowish light streamed over the child.

"Yes, you are strong and have a pure heart."

Dende beamed.

"Mr. Popo, why don't you show Dende around his new home?"

"Of course, Kami."

Piccolo, who had followed the conversation absentminded, stretched his senses to determine what situation awaited him once he left the sanctuary of the Lookout.

"Don't go yet. It's too early. Give them time."

Kami's voice scrambled him out of his musings. "I don't have time. I need to know..."

He needed to know what path to chose. As long as there was even the slightest chance that Gohan forgave him...

"He calls you Daimaou now."

"W-what?"

"Gohan loved you too much. He couldn't understand why you did something so horrible," Kami explained patiently. "So he decided it wasn't you. He thinks that Piccolo-san died with his parents. And he hates Daimaou."

"No!" Piccolo staggered back a few steps, shaking his head in denial. "I'm not... I'm... I.. I have to talk to Gohan!"

Kami sighed. "If you go now, you'll destroy it all."

x

"Mom! Dad!" Gohan didn't know if he should laugh or cry. He hugged first mom, then dad, then dad, then both. He hugged them tight and never wanted to let go again. "Mommy... Daddy... I missed you so much!"

x

Confusion reigned Piccolo's mind. He had followed Kami's advice and stayed on the Lookout, but he needed to go and see Gohan. Still, a huge part of him was scared. Like so often in the past few months, he had been constantly playing the 'What if' game, knowing that no matter how many different scenarios he thought up, reality would never bend to his will.

With a sigh, he sat down on the bed in the room Mr. Popo had prepared for him. Maybe he should take a short nap to fight the deep sitting exhaustion that just wouldn't go away. It sounded tempting, more than tempting. Still, he opted against it, knowing that he had to stay alert. If Son wanted revenge, not even Kami's presence would provide any protection. No, Piccolo had to remain vigilant.

x

"Son."

The sly Namkian had masked his ki, but for Son Goku's fine tuned senses, he was still obvious on such short range. Besides, he had expected the visit sooner or later. Goku turned around slowly. "Piccolo."

"I came to talk."

Goku studied Piccolo's gaunt features for a long moment, read the truth and hopes in the warrior's restless heart. "You lost control."

A brief nod was the only reply.

"Damn it, Piccolo..." Goku wasn't angry, not any longer. He understood anger, it was what made him a Super Saiyan. But he also knew that with their power level complete restrain was an absolute necessity. "You have more self discipline than the rest of us together, how could you lose it like that?"

A muscle twitched in the Namekian's face. "Gohan... He... he needed help."

Goku smiled. "You really would do everything for my son, wouldn't you?"

"He's all I have..." Piccolo shuddered, then corrected himself. "All I had."

"Yes," Goku acknowledged. No matter what he had tried to persuade his son otherwise, Gohan had sworn to hunt down Piccolo like an animal. "I don't think he'll forget this... or forgive you."

"I don't need forgiveness."

"Don't you?" He recognized the rude words for what they were, the last attempt to deny the inevitable. "Hide your ki. Some of the Z-senshi want you out of the way, and I can't promise I can stop them."

"They better don't cross my way." With his arms crossed in front of his chest, Piccolo had assumed his usual defensive position. "I wasn't idle on New Namek."

Yes, Piccolo had trained, but at what price? Hollow cheeks, tired eyes that were sunken in deep in their sockets and his obvious exhaustion didn't herald any good. "Your death won't help anyone."

"Don't worry, Son. Your precious Dragonballs are in no danger. Besides," Piccolo smiled grimly. "I still want this planet as my own."

x

Piccolo's mood had gone from dark to pitching black in the matter of a few weeks. By now, he didn't trust himself any more. What if he lost that tenuous grip on his evil side again? What if he killed Gohan the next time in a fit of rage? Piccolo had doubled his efforts, but the harder he tried to keep himself at bay, the less he could oppress his feelings.

When he wasn't training on Kami's Lookout, he went to spar with Son Goku. After a few unhealthy run-ins with Vejita, Piccolo had begun to doubt that he'd survive until the Androids arrived. But what was much worse than the arrogant Saiyan's attempts of entertainment was the fact that Gohan had almost blasted him out of the sky twice. The kid was murderously persistent. Gohan wanted revenge so badly that it burned Piccolo's heart. He couldn't allow that Gohan turned into a monster like himself.

x

Son Gohan's trap was set and he waited patiently for his prey. He knew Daimaou's training routine. And even though the demon suppressed his ki really good, Gohan had almost caught it twice.

As predicted, it came flying by low over the ground. When Daimaou passed over him, Gohan catapulted himself up straight like a living cannonball. At the same time he had readied his ki for an attack. He shot. He heard the monster scream in pain. He grinned.

The force of impact knocked Daimaou out for a few seconds, and Gohan used the time to unleash a first assortment of powerful punches and kicks. The demon was still too dizzy to react, and Gohan sent him flying straight down into the ground with a mighty double-slam on the neck. But it wasn't over, not yet. He glared at Daimaou, charging another ki blast. "So I finally got you!"

"Gohan..." Daimaou got up from the pile of rocks that used to be a hill. "Please, let me explain..."

"Shut up," Gohan growled. "You'll pay, Daimaou."

The demon winced. "Please listen to me. You can't..."

"Oh, don't worry, I won't kill you. I know about you and Kami." Gohan sneered. He had been looking forward for this a long time. "I want you to suffer just like my mom and dad did..."

Daimaou sighed. "Go ahead. I won't stop you. Just make sure you punish the right person."

"Wh-what?" Gohan shot his enemy a confused glance. What was the evil creature trying to do? "You can't confuse me. I saw how you killed mom, Daimaou."

"No," the monster stated softly. "You saw me killing your mom, not Daimaou."

Gohan gasped at the blatant lie. The nerve of that creature to even suggest that he was Mr. Piccolo! "You can't fool me! Piccolo-san would never..."

"Damn it, kid! I lost control. There is no Daimaou, just me! Don't you understand?"

"Lies!" Gohan screamed and launched himself at the tall creature that looked so much like Mr. Piccolo. He had heard enough of the monster's lies.

x

Piccolo's hopes died an agonizing death. He had counted on Gohan's love for his sensei, but he had underestimated the strength of the hatred the kid harbored. A hatred that would destroy Gohan sooner or later if he didn't let it out... Piccolo knew just too well what could happen, his own life was a perfect example for it. No, he couldn't allow that the child suffered the same fate. Piccolo would gladly give his soul if only Gohan would be the happy, carefree kid again he had been only a few months ago.

Daimaou didn't fight back. At first, Gohan had not paid attention to it, just dealt out viciously, enjoying to hear ribs break under his kicks, gleefully sending punch after punch into the demon's face until it was nothing but a bloody mess, swollen and torn beyond recognition. But now, with his hatred spent, with even the anger depleted, Gohan realized that not once Daimaou had put up even the slightest bit of resistance.

He had not expected this. Why didn't the creature defend itself? It was confusing. But what was even more confusing was that Gohan felt no victory, no satisfaction. He had thought he'd feel better after this, but all there was left was a hollow nothing. Gohan nudged the barely conscious demon with his foot. Daimaou only groaned in pain. Gohan frowned. Pity. He pitied Daimaou. After all the horrible things the demon did, Gohan still felt sorry. Sorry that... sorry that no matter how much he made Daimaou pay, it would not bring back Mr. Piccolo or stop mom from having bad dreams. "You're disgusting... Crawl back to your hellhole, demon!"

"G-Gohan..."

It almost sounded like Mr. Piccolo. Memories flooded through him and he wondered if maybe somewhere deep inside the creature a trace of Mr. Piccolo remained. "Don't come near me or my family again if you know what's good for you."

x

Piccolo quietly lay on the ground long after Son Gohan had left. He did no longer feel the cold of the winter day, nor did he bother with his multiple injuries. 'Daimaou', Gohan's voice sneered.

Daimaou.

'Keep me around and I'll destroy all you care about.'

Alone, he was so alone.

Daimaou.

He once had a family, but it was gone now. There would be no happiness for Daimaou. He was evil to the core of his being.

Monsters don't need a heart.

Daimaou.

His goal was world domination. His goal was to destroy and kill. He was Daimaou. He was... tired, so tired of it all.

Darkness embraced him and he gave up the fight for his life. The world had no mercy for Daimaou. He was Daimaou.

Maybe hell would be more forgiving than Piccolo or Gohan.

The Bad End

x

Epilogue:

"Well done, Dende," Kami commended. "That was just in time."

"I healed him, but..." Dende frowned. "Piccolo doesn't have the will to get better. I can't help him."

"Don't worry. Everything will be fine. See, this is just an alternate ending."

The young Namekian shot him a bewildered look. "An alternate ending?"

"It's nothing but a bad dream. Something that happens if you challenge the Moose."

"The Moose? That's a cow with antlers, isn't it? How can a moose do this?"

Kami chuckled. "I'll explain it to you later. Now, let's return to Lookout. Piccolo needs to rest."

The END!