As the gray clouds gathered overhead Kaiosama's palace, a slight breeze blew through the air, sending a chill down Chichi's spine. Goosebumps formed on her arms and she rubbed them, supplying a little warmth. She felt a soft hand place gently on her shoulder. Chichi looked to the side and saw Bulma's round face giving a sympathetic smile. Despite the pain in her heart, Chichi felt the support of a friend in her time of despair.

"Thank you for coming to us," Kaiosama greeted. His voice, although unnaturally high pitched, bore a tone of dread. "The two of you must be well aware of the situation on earth." Kaiosama paused for a moment, thinking hard about which words to use to tell this devastated woman that her son was… "Goken."

"What?" The two women, with Bulma's arms wrapped protectively around Chichi's waist and shoulders, turned to face the North god directly. Their undivided attention focused on him through their wide, tear filled eyes.

"You may not know this, and I regret having to break this news to you," Kaiosama continued, stroking his blue fat chin. "The creature causing all this destruction is none other than your son, Chichi."

A moment of disbelief flashed through Chichi's mind. "…What do you mean?" she asked. Her mind couldn't grasp the concept of her own Goken being a cold blooded murderer. "I don't understand. Are you trying to tell me my son…" Gohan fell through the window. He told me he was going to speak with Goken. Could… could he have done this? But they're brothers… "It doesn't make sense. He… he would never do something like that." Her tone was definitive, firm. She stamped her foot on the ground to place emphasis.

Kaiosama's palm circled the space in front of him, and a spherical window through space and time appeared. Inside was an image of the creature, blasting energy beams through his palms mercilessly at the population of Satan City below. On his face was a crazed look, that of a maniac who took pleasure at slaughtering other people. He salivated at the mouth as an unnaturally long tongue slipped between his lips and licked off the saliva on his face. They recognized the creature as Goken, but there was something very inhuman about him; the crazed look, the snakelike tongue, the very act he was performing…

"Goken has been possessed by a demon that calls itself the Firebird," Kaiosama explained. "The most disturbing fact is that at this moment, the boy has the power to resist the demon."

The words shattered Chichi. She could literally feel her heart ache, as if something inside her was eating her from the inside out. She started blankly at the floor, hands grasping the sides of her shaking head. She bent forward and knelt on the floor, continuing to shake her head in disbelief. "That's not my son…"

This is turn brought tears to Bulma's eyes, who continued to try and soothe her friend. Her efforts were in vain. "Kaiosama, please stop," she begged, sniffing back tears. "This is killing her. We can't… can't continue."

"That's NOT MY SON!!!" Chichi screamed, wrongly directing her frustration and heartbreak at the North god. She continued to moan in despair on the floor while Bulma stroked her back. She made eye contact with Dende, hoping the Namek child could help cure Chichi.

He looked down towards the floor in shame. While he could heal physical wounds, he didn't have the power to heal Chichi's heart.

"Let her rest," Kaiosama suggested. "She's been through enough suffering for a lifetime in these few days."

Walking out of the palace itself, a well rested Vegeta winced at the tight bandages wrapped around his ribs and leg as he approached the group. He spotted Chichi lying on the ground with a tear streaked face mumbling "That's not my son… not my son…"

"What's with her?" he asked casually.

"She found out about Goken," Bulma explained. "I assume you have too?"

"I fought the damn kid, Bulma," he spat. "And look what happened to me! Of course I knew. Something's definitely up with him."

"He's not resisting the Firebird," Kaiosama repeated. "I don't understand why."

"Why don't you ask the deluded woman?" Vegeta suggested, pointing at Chichi, smirking at his comment. Bulma shot frowned at him, unimpressed by his attitude.

"This isn't the time to be joking around," she scolded.

"We need the Z Soldiers to gather," Kaiosama said. "We're going to figure out a way to defeat the Firebird without harming Goken."

"I say if the kids not fighting the thing, he's obviously in favor of the creature and against us," Vegeta said. "Why should be bother worrying about scratching him when he doesn't give a damn about killing us?"

Kaiosama shook his head. "There must be some reason. I don't believe that boy is evil. He's probably being manipulated." Vegeta snorted in response. "It doesn't matter right now. We need to get the other Z Soldiers here; Kuririn, Piccolo, Yamcha, Jyuuhachi Gou and Tenshinhan. We need to get Gohan out of the hospital first. We need him to help us defeat the Firebird."