Thank you very much to those of you who sent me messages of support after the previous chapter's author's note. It's very much appreciated. I'm a little sad that I stand out so much that it warranted people calling me "brave" for "standing up for my beliefs" over something that should be commonplace, but it did make me happy to see all the same. Y'all are welcome to come to my house for tea any time.

Summary: Goku is hired to teach a self defense class for WCPL's teen program.

"No, see," Goku said, "that leaves you open to an attack here." He swung a hand slowly towards Cabba's side, gently tapping it. At full power, he could've seriously hurt him, maybe even broken a few ribs, but this was a self defense class, not a tournament or a fight for his life. There was no reason to hurt anyone-and if he did, he'd be in serious trouble. "Move your right arm down just-yeah, like that, you've got it."

When Roshi had told him that the public library's youth department had called, asking for someone to teach a class on self defense for their teen program, Goku had been more than a little apprehensive. Teenagers weren't his strong suit-he worked best with kids. That was how he'd wound up teaching all the after-school karate programs that the Turtle School of Martial Arts ran. Besides that, he knew the guy that ran the youth department, and they weren't exactly friends.

So far so good, though. There were only a handful of students, and most of them listened well. Cabba and his two friends, Kale and Caulifla, were the most proficient so far, or at least they made the fewest amateur mistakes. Goku wouldn't have been surprised if they already had some kind of formal training.

As for Piccolo...

When Goku arrived at the library to get ready, he'd been informed that there would be a member of library staff in the program room with him at all times. That was fine by him. As long as they didn't get in the way of the lesson, he didn't mind people watching. And so far, Piccolo had stayed totally out of Goku's way. He hung at the back of the room, leaning against the wall with his arms folded, glaring daggers at Goku the entire time. Goku got the feeling that Piccolo hadn't been the one to choose the Turtle School for the program. He didn't seem to want Goku there at all.

Well, there wasn't a lot Piccolo could do about it, so he'd just have to suck it up.

"Hey, Sensei, check this out!" Caulifla said. She and Kale were squaring off, and as Goku turned to watch she grabbed for Kale, who ducked under her arm and sprinted for the door. Caulifla turned to Goku with a grin. "Nailed it, right?"

Goku brightened. "Hey, great job! Kale, c'mon back now. Let me see that again."

"Here's the thing," Goku continued. He had the teens assembled in a line to address them properly for the end of the lesson. "What you learned here today is only to be used to defend yourself against an attack. Don't think you can go taking down thugs and purse-snatchers just because you've had a single martial arts class. The last thing the Turtle School wants is for anyone to get hurt. Use the techniques I taught you today, and you should be able to defend yourself. But that's the thing: only self defense. Understand?"

Most of them nodded, a few rolling their eyes. Goku resisted the urge to sigh. There were always those few who thought they were too cool for everything, weren't there. "Okay, class dismissed! Remember, you can always check out the Turtle School of Martial Arts if you're interested in learning more advanced moves!"

"You're good with them."

Goku turned at Piccolo's voice. He wasn't looking at Goku, instead watching the teenagers get their things and leave in small groups. Cabba grabbed a pamphlet for the Turtle School on his way out the door, and Goku smiled proudly before answering Piccolo. "They weren't so bad. I'm better with the littler guys, but these ones listened, which was nice."

Piccolo snorted. "For once. I've never seen Caulifla actually give a shit about anything here. I'm pretty sure she only comes because her girlfriend does." He looked sidelong at Goku. "Do you believe that?"

"What?" Goku asked. "That Caulifla only comes to the teen programs because Kale does? Yeah, I can see-"

"Not that." Piccolo closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You give me a headache. The self defense crap. That martial arts is only for self defense. Don't you feel like a hypocrite telling kids that?"

Goku shook his head. "I know what you're talking about," he said, "and to be fair, Roshi told me the exact same thing. I was just a dumbass kid who thought the rules didn't have to apply to me because I was so good."

Piccolo cracked a smile. "And you're so modest, too."

"No point being modest when being honest is better!" Goku laughed. "Besides, it-" He faltered. He'd been about to say that it all worked out, in the end, but Piccolo was the last person he should be saying that to. Back when he was younger, when he didn't have a family to worry about, he'd been a pretty reckless kid. (Roshi and Chi-Chi would probably say he was still reckless, but what did they know?) He tried to do the right thing, but it was always pretty recklessly. And because of his reckless good-doing, Piccolo was alone.

Goku was a lot of things, but he wasn't stupid. He knew what he'd cost Piccolo. It had to happen-Piccolo's family was a menace to society, a bunch of serial robbers and murderers. But he also knew why Piccolo was still so angry at him for it. What he didn't know was what to do about it.

He patted Piccolo on the shoulder and walked away. "Well, see you."

"Wait." Piccolo had his arms crossed, and he wasn't looking at Goku. "I...have been doing some thinking," he said. "I don't...hm. I don't think I blame you as much as I used to. But quite frankly that's the best I can do for now."

Goku beamed at him. "Hey, it's progress, right? And who knows? Maybe someday we'll actually be friends?"

"Don't kid yourself."