Disclaimer: *sigh*, do I really need to say it again? It hurts to much. My heart is weak and grieving, I can't say it again! Please don't make me say it! Please!........Alright then, but if I die, it's YOUR fault!.....I…DO…NOT…OWN…DBZ!

"Blah" = talking

'blah' = thoughts

"blah" = duplicate talking

At Each Others Throats

Chapter six: Fall Out Ends in Disaster

The side before them froze them in their tracks, both for a different reason.

On the ground in the middle of the meditation room sat Gohan. His aura was golden and his power rushed around him like a sphere. His hair had grown a paler color, a mixture between black and golden.

It was obvious Gohan was transforming. All five realised that, even before seeing Gohan. His scream combined with his sudden ki increase gave all the proof. However the transformation seemed to be stuck or going very slow.

But that wasn't what shocked the people standing near the door. Not the ki increase nor the transformation. Gohan was……bleeding.

Blood streamed slowly from the corners of his mouth, out of his ears and nose. But what shook them the most was the blood streaming from the corners of his eyes!

Piccolo was the first to react. He rushed towards Gohan and grabbed his shoulders trying to shake him awake. Krillin soon joined him trying to rouse Gohan by screaming.

"GOHAN! Gohan wake up! Gohan!" Krillin yelled panicked. His heart beat was going so fast, it would sound like one long beat, like a beat when you don't have a heartbeat anymore. He watched the blood running down Gohan's face and promptly lost his voice.

"Shit!" Piccolo suddenly shouted gaining Krillin's attention. "Gohan, you didn't" Piccolo thought desperately. But he knew Gohan had, the proof was right in front of him.

Before Krillin could ask Piccolo what to do, the Namek did something unexpected. He sat himself down cross-legged facing Gohan and closed his eyes.

"What are you doing?!" Krillin shouted angrily.

"Saving him!" Piccolo returned harshly before closing his eyes again.

Krillin had no clue what the Namek was doing. He therefore stepped back a bit to leave it to Piccolo. He glanced at the blood running down Gohan's face and felt his stomach squirm. He had seen plenty of blood in his life, but this time it hit him badly.

For one, the blood came out of unexpected places, the eyes for example. It freaked him out a bit. And secondly, it was Gohan. Gohan, his best friend was bleeding and he couldn't do anything to help.

Then he realised something. Dende! Krillin turned around, but before he could call Dende closer, his vision caught something else or…..someone else.

Goku was standing at the exact same place as when he entered. He was staring at Gohan, at least so it seemed. Krillin stepped closer to Goku and noticed the dull look in the eyes. Goku wasn't looking at Gohan, he was looking through Gohan.

Krillin realised Goku was probably lost in horrible thoughts and tried to shake him out of it. Goku remained unfazed. He stared into space it seemed.

"Krillin" A trembling voice spoke suddenly. Krillin swirled around to face Dende!

"Dende! Hurry heal Gohan!" Krillin blurted out completely forgetting Goku for the more urgent situation. Krillin looked flabbergasted when Dende shook his head.

"I would only get in his way" Dende said sadly.

"In who's way?!" Krillin demanded.

"Piccolo's" Came the soft reply. Krillin again swirled around to look at Piccolo.

Piccolo's eyes were closed, but sweat was appearing on his forehead. That normally didn't happen during his meditations. Of course Krillin hadn't seen him meditate often, but he was fairly certain that didn't happen before.

Krillin's eyes caught a movement to his right. Krillin's eyes darted to the right and he watched as Goku fell on his knees holding his head.

"Goku!" Krillin shouted as he reached out to his other best friend. Dende and Mr. Popo followed. "Goku! What's wrong?!" Goku didn't respond as he kept his eyes shut tight and his hands increased the pressure on his head.

Krillin looked worriedly at Dende and Mr. Popo, then at Gohan and Piccolo and then back at Goku. He suddenly felt the need to just break down and cry.

"What's happening around here!?" Krillin's mind screamed.

- DBZ -

Everything was dark, no not dark……black, pitch-black. The air felt oppressive, if there was any air at all. Stern eyes scanned the black surroundings. There was nothing, not even a speck of light.

'Where are you, Gohan?' Piccolo thought as he stared around seeing nothing, not even himself.

Slowly the Namek stepped forward. With no way to see or feel where he was going, all he could build on was a feeling, a hunch that he was going in the right direction. Moving about slow and alert for anything, Piccolo followed his hunch.

Piccolo was glad no one else was here with him. Of course it would be practically impossible for them to get into Gohan's mind, at least this deep would be impossible. Piccolo was able because he trained Gohan meditation, including this deep kind of meditation. It helped when one was beyond calming from reassuring words. Gohan had needed it a few times in the past and so Piccolo had taught it to him.

But Piccolo knew, this time, something had gone wrong. He had recognised the signs, although he'd never see them to such extent. 'Well with that kind of power, what should anyone expect' Piccolo thought feeling proud of his apprentice's power.

However, he had explained exactly how dangerous certain actions could be with this kind of meditation. Either this was beyond Gohan's control or……..Gohan had thrown a blind eye to the dangers of his actions.

If that was the case, Piccolo couldn't imagine what Gohan was dealing with. For Gohan to ignore the effects of his actions, it meant he was dealing with something bad or……someone was in danger.

Piccolo shook his head. He needed a clear mind if he were to find Gohan. That was what he came to do. Find Gohan and bring him back.

- DBZ -

"WHAT! Take that back!" Goku shouted angrily.

"Why should I! I'm telling it as it is! Your son crossed a line and it will be his downfall!"

"No, Gohan will be fine! He's gonna be fine! He wouldn't do anything dangerous! He wouldn't!" Goku shouted back at his duplicate.

"Really" The duplicate said with a tone that clearly stated he didn't believe a word of what Goku had said.

"Of course! Gohan won't do anything reckless!" Goku responded.

"He wouldn't, he? Then why didn't he leave during the fight against Vegeta, like you told him to? And why didn't he leave Namek, but came back for you? And why didn't he finish Cell off when you told him too? He knew damn well what you asked him to do and he knew what problems he might cause with his behaviour! Still he did what he did! Isn't that reckless behaviour!!" The duplicate responded angrily.

Goku was silent. He stared at his duplicate in silence. He definitely hit the situation spot on. Gohan wasn't reckless unless…..someone he cared for was in danger. Did that mean one of them was in danger. Gohan wouldn't react with such power if it were only him in danger, that became obvious during the Cell Games. Were they in danger? If so, from what?

"You better get back in the game, Goku" The duplicate spoke the name with disgust. "Keep up this merciful game and you'll find your own downfall very soon and maybe…..your son will too"

Goku felt his anger rising, but before he could respond the duplicate was gone. Light started to shimmer through the dark, blinding Goku completely.

"Remember who you are! Remember who you're supposed to be! Remember…..Kakarot!" the duplicate's voice echoed behind Goku.

Then the light increased tremendously and Goku shut his eyes waiting for the blinding light to go away.

- DBZ -

"Aaaaaaahhhhh!!"

Gohan continued to scream as his power increased and with it his pain. No matter how much it hurt, he couldn't stop his power coming out. It was just like when Cell pushed him over the edge. It could be compared to stepping down a cliff. Once you start to fall, you can't get back up so easily.

'Where are you, Gohan?'

Gohan's eyes snapped open. The power was still rushing out, but Gohan could concentrate better on his surroundings now. It became less painful, but Gohan knew it was only temporarily.

'Where are you, Gohan?'

Again that voice. Gohan locked what little of his mind he still controlled on that voice. It came rushing to him as quick as his power started coming out.

Piccolo!

Piccolo was here, inside his mind. Gohan could now feel the gentle but urgent tug at his mind. Piccolo was trying to find him, he was trying to pull him back out.

"Forget it! He can't help you! He'll only get killed himself killed if he doesn't leave! And it'll be your doing, Gohan!"

As much as Gohan hated to admit it, his duplicate was right. Piccolo would get hurt if he remained here. He had to stop him from getting hurt, even if it meant, hurting himself even more.

Gohan concentrated on his painful mind, doubling the pain by his action. His mind was already in pain from the transformation, but now that Gohan asked more of his own mind, it became practically impossible to withstand the pain.

Still Gohan did what he had to do. Protect Piccolo, protect his mentor, protect his friend.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!" Gohan screamed as if he were being burned from the inside or something much worse.

His eyes were closed so he didn't see his own hands disappearing. He didn't see the darkness engulfing him, making his whole body disappear leaving no trace of Son Gohan's mind ever having existed.

- DBZ -

Piccolo continued walking, each step taking with precaution. He kept his senses on high alert for any sign of Gohan. He was in the boy's mind, he had to be here somewhere!

Then he felt it. The smallest of signals he ever felt, but he felt it. Gohan! He was getting nearer. Piccolo broke into a run, desperate to save his apprentice, no his friend.

He kept running through the darkness, no longer careful. He had locked onto Gohan's mind signal, no matter how weak it was and intended to get to him as fast as possible. Then……

WHAM!!

Piccolo's back hit the blackness that represented the ground. He looked up confused until he noticed the slight shimmer of a glass wall in front of him. It disappeared immediately for there was no light to make the glass shimmer.

Piccolo quickly got back on his feet and approached the wall. He moved one hand forward. It connected with the glass. There was really a glass wall here. Something was blocking him from Gohan!

Piccolo didn't waste a second and slammed a fist straight at the glass. It didn't budge. Piccolo looked confused, until he noticed what the wall was really made of. It wasn't glass…..it was crystal.

Not many people, who were capable of meditation, possessed crystal mind walls or blocks. Most had either glass or a real concrete or stone wall. Crystal was shining and transparent, like a child. It represented innocence, a child's sort of innocence.

Piccolo knew of only one person, to have crystal mind blocks. That person happened to be full of innocence, even after fighting and even killing. After all, Nimbus had never thrown the kid off ever.

"Gohan" Piccolo whispered to himself. Gohan made this mind block. Gohan was trying to keep him away, keep him……………..out of danger!

"Shit! Come one, Gohan! Don't do this! I can handle whatever gets thrown at me! Let me in!" Piccolo yelled as he continued to try and break the crystal wall.

But just as crystal represents innocence, it is also practically unbreakable. Gohan's mind blocks were impenetrable as long as Gohan wanted them too be. And Piccolo felt deep down, that was exactly what Gohan wanted now. To keep him out.

"GOHAN!"

- DBZ -

Krillin, Dende and Mr. Popo watched the three strongest people in the room nervously.

Gohan was still stuck in his transformation causing the air in the room to get chilly and oppressive at the same time. Not to mention the kid was in constant pain, even if he weren't screaming anymore. His breathing was ragged, the blood streamed endlessly and his ki was quickly decreasing, yet his halfway-transformation didn't falter.

Piccolo was facing him. He was breathing heavily, but nothing to bad. He was sweating more and more with each passing minute, but that was about all.

Goku was still on his knees holding his head, although now his nose almost touched the floor. He was obviously in pain, although Krillin doubted it was physical pain. The way Goku's face grimaced and the sound of his moans….it seemed more like emotional pain.

That was all they had done and could do. Watch their friends suffer. Krillin suddenly slammed a fist into the ground hard, leaving a significant hole in its place.

"Damn it!" He cursed angrily and irritated. "There must be something we can do!?" Krillin yelled angrily as he turned towards Dende.

Dende shook his head sadly. "We really can't. I do not know what is wrong with Goku nor can I reach him. Piccolo is trying to get Gohan. If we intervene with any of them, we might make things worse" the young guardian of the earth explained, again.

Krillin opened his mouth to argue, again, when a gasp of air came from Goku. All three turned to the warrior aiming to help him. But none got a chance to react when a loud yell interrupted them.

"GOHAN!"

Three sets of eyes snapped to the older Namek. Piccolo had his head thrown back when he had yelled and now he was panting as if he had fought for days on end.

"Piccolo?" Dende asked softly. The Namek didn't respond, but he moved his head back down.

Krillin waited for a reaction from his green friend when he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. "Aaaahhh!" Krillin yelled as he jumped several feet in the air. "Goku!" Krillin spoke loudly when he noticed his extremely pale friend beside him.

Goku tried to smile in reassurance, but failed incredibly. The grim smile did nothing to reassure him, but instead freak him out greatly. When he noticed Goku wobble a bit on his feet, he rushed to his aid and helped him sit down.

With Goku secured safely back on the floor, the monk turned back to his other friend.

"Piccolo?" He questioned the silent Namekian. Piccolo finally looked at the other occupants of the room and his grim expression said it all. He had failed.

A strong intake of breath drew everyone's attention. All eyes were on Gohan and watched the halfway-transformation disappear. Black hair returned and the rushing power decreased.

Before they could relax, the noticed the power kept decreasing, beyond the normal level. Gohan's power was dropping too far!

"Gohan!" Krillin and Dende yelled in panic.

Piccolo, who was seated in front of Gohan, reached the young boy first. He grabbed Gohan by the shoulders and instantly the body went limp. Piccolo gently brought the boy to the ground as Dende rushed over.

Several minutes of haling later and there was no change. Gohan was unresponsive, but breathing. The five other occupants waited nervously for Dende to speak up. The young guardian turned to his mentor, Piccolo, with sad eyes.

"I can't heal self-induced injuries" The words stung like a sword in the gut. Gohan had done this to himself?!

"Damn it, Gohan" Piccolo spoke softly. The others heard him though and turned questioning eyes to him.

"I found Gohan, in his own mind" Piccolo started. "But, the moment he sensed me…..he blocked his mind from me and probably everything else as well. His mind was aleady assaulted by something and add to that mind blocks…..I think he overdid it and his mind couldn't handle the stress anymore. I think he redrew completely, hasn't he?" Piccolo directed his question to Dende.

All eyes turned to Dende hopefully. What the young guardian said next, was anything but hopeful. It sounded…disastrous.

"Yes sir" Dende responded sadly. "I believe Gohan is in a coma"

Well how's that for a cliff hanger!? I'm really sorry for making such cliff hangers, but I don't plan them, honest. I start writing a chapter and they just kinda end like this. I have no control!!

Well anyway, let me know what ya think, please. R&R!

Next Chapter: Piccolo explains what exactly happened to Gohan (the meditation and pain). Goku goes to see his son. What'll happen and will Gohan wake up again?

Find out in the next chapter!

p.s. I changed the chapter title, you may have noticed. Fall Out with the Injured will be used eventually, either next chapter or the one after that. Ciao!