Tired, I feel so tired… A cold chill engulfed Gohan's body, but he was too tired to even shiver. His limbs were too heavy to move. His head throbbed while his stomach turned. He tried to wake up, maybe to get a little fresh air to get the nausea to pass. But he didn't even have the energy to open his eyelids. Another chill, forming goose bumps all over his body.

Gohan lay there, in the middle of a vast, cold darkness unable to move, too weak to do anything about the cold, the nausea, the throbbing… As he fell deeper into unconsciousness, the feelings recessed. Or am I becoming numb? Is this what it feels like to die?

"Gohan!" A authoritative voice jerked him back to reality. He opened his eyes and saw giant, dark ominous clouds overhead. Lightning flashed dramatically while rain poured down in sheets. It soaked the dusty ground, turning it into mud. Gohan's clothes were soaked right through. "Now isn't the time to be lying there!"

The voice, although ringing with a strict tone, was so familiar, so warm that it made Gohan want to cry. "Dad? Is that you, dad?" Gohan could see a faint image of a man. Locks of black hair stood out from his head and framed his face. He was surrounding by a white light, appearing almost angelic if it weren't for the look of desperation on his face.

"Get up, Gohan," Goku said with tears forming in his eyes.

In all his years, Gohan had never seen his father even come close to crying. He'd always been strong, all the way to his death. But considering the circumstances, he couldn't blame Goku. "Dad, what's wrong?" Gohan asked, even though he could safely guess what was bothering him. After all, Goku valued his family and although he'd never met his son Goken, Gohan their father would be watching over them. And now he didn't like what he saw.

"It's not too late to do something about the Firebird," Goku said. "He has inherited a lot of power from Goken and he is only beginning to discover what he can do. The Firebird isn't at full power yet so this is the best time to kill him."

"Dad, Goken's in there," Gohan retorted. "Listen to what you're suggesting!"

"I'm suggesting we save the world," Goku replied. "It was Goken's irresponsibility that brought the danger of the Firebird into this world. I don't blame Goken completely for his wrong doings. It's sad he never knew that he was so different from everyone else. But there are more important things at hand than to worry about the emotional stability of one person. If to kill the Firebird we have to kill Goken, so be it. The bottom line is he's partly responsible for all that's happened. And though it hurts me to say this, he cannot be allowed to live anymore, even if he is my son." Goku bit his lip. His eyes squeezed shut and tears began spilling from them. His teeth began to cut the lip and dark red blood made it's way down his chin, mixing with the salty tears.

It pained Gohan to see his father like this. He couldn't imagine a father having to tell one of his children to kill the other. Worse yet, it was his own father telling him to do it. "Dad, I… I don't know if I can kill Goken…"

"I'm asking you to kill the Firebird," Goku said. "And if that means you have to kill Goken, not only do we not have another choice, but rightfully Goken doesn't deserve to live either." Gohan was still reluctant to even consider the thought. "Think of your mother," Goku continued. "Look at the pain she's going through. Think of the other Z Soldiers, Kuririn, Yamcha, Piccolo, Vegeta."

Images of the warriors flashed through Gohan's mind, each one bruised, bloody and beaten up. The expressions on each of their faces showed pain and suffering. Behind it all, he could hear the laughter of the Firebird, and Goken's own suffering, imposed by Gohan himself.

"I can't do this anymore," Goken said, collapsing in a heap on the cool grass. "I can't transform into a Saiyan. It's too hard."

"You're just not trying hard enough!" Gohan insisted. "I have to keep training you until you get it right. And I don't want you giving up!"

"It's useless!!" Goken shouted. "Of course I'm trying hard enough. Can't you see nothings coming out of it? I can't do this! I'm tired, I can't move, I can't do this!!"

POW!! Goken felt his body sail helplessly through the air and felt the wind leave his body as it came into contact with the ground again. His face burned with the power of a backhanded slap from Gohan.

Goken held a hand to his face, minimizing the pain. He sat up and started at his brother wide eyed. Although tears flowed from Gokens eyes, he wasn't crying. He couldn't cry. Gohan was standing there looking down sternly at him. Not even a hint of remorse in his eyes.

He said coldly, "Get up and try again."

Gohan shook the unpleasant memory from his mind. It was his fault that Goken had brought about the Firebird. If anyone wasn't allowed to live, it was Gohan himself.

"I know there was no way you could've known Goken wasn't a Saiyan," Goku said, trying to encourage Gohan. "But you can't blame yourself now. There are more important things to worry about, like the lives of everyone on this planet. The Firebird poses a threat to that and we need to eradicate that threat. After all, that's what the Z Soldiers are for, right?" Goku wiped an arm across his face, removing his own sadness and fixing his gaze upon Gohan. "I won't allow the earth to be in danger of any force, and I know you won't either."

"You're right, dad," Gohan said. He couldn't look Goku in the eye, although he understood what needed to be done. "The earth needs us. And if the Firebird thinks I'll just sit by and let him do as he wishes just because he's hiding behind the shell of my brother, he's wrong. Dead fucking wrong."

* * *

"Then come to me," the Firebird taunted, silently reading Gohan's thoughts. "Goken has warned me about how powerful you are and I wish to test my new powers against you. Do not disappoint me."