Disclaimer: DBZ belongs to Toriyama-sensei.

This fic is tilted more to Vegeta's point of view, however, it based on Gohan.

Firestorm

They did not know how this had happened.

Gohan - good-natured, sweet, loving Gohan.

Vegeta should have known. He had seen it before. He just hadn't thought much of it. Why? Why had he been so blind? It was unforgivable - his overwhelming ignorance on the subject didn't cease to astonish him. Why?

Because the boy was like Kakarott.

That was it - Kakarott would never be associated with such callous behaviour; the boy was his copy, his clone. Vegeta did not expect the brat to turn out any different than his irritatingly kind, honourable father. That is why he had turned blind eye. That must have been why.

He shouldn't have been so judgmental.

He had noticed this prominent behaviour when he and Gohan had been sparring in the gravity chamber Bulma had made for him for training purposes. It had been a fortnight ago. That growing force - it had seemed to leak out of Gohan's pores and entice the particles around them to spike and rip into ions. Electrons had travelled through the thread of ions; the bridge. It had caused a wild display of electricity which swarmed around the boy, robbing Vegeta of all senses for one shockingly terrifying moment...

It was not Super Saiya-jin Two. This one was more... wild, uncontrolled. It fed off the air around them and produced a sickeningly hot gas which made the skin tingle, and gradually, burn.

Gohan had stared at him, his eyes blank and unseeing. A spark of electricity had crackled there, right in his left eye. It had spread to his right. His teal eyes had become lighter and brighter, fusing with the electricity and turning a blinding white. Gohan did not recognize Vegeta. Gohan didn't recognize anything at that moment. He had gone, been enveloped by this gruesome power.

The walls had begun to peel and the ceiling to crumble under the roaming energy. Vegeta had just stared in wonder, the skin on his face perspiring due to the circulating heat...

The boy had launched at him. An array of merciless punches and kicks were thrown upon his body, and within mere seconds the pain grew unbearable. This was too much.

"Brat!" he had shouted. Then something seemed to have dawned on him. He said, his voice muffled in pain, "Gohan, listen to me."

Gohan had paused for a moment, his brow furrowed in confusion. His eyes still did not see, however.

Vegeta had grabbed hold of this chance. "I'm Vegeta," he had continued, "and you're Gohan. Gohan, snap out of it."

Pain had racked Gohan's body, consuming his whole being. Something seemed to have clicked. "I am Gohan," he had acknowledged.

"Yes," said Vegeta, thorougly relieved.

Numbness had attempted to recapture him; however, Gohan subdued it with effort. This... power, this growing thing inside him, he stuffed through a door in the back of his mind. He shut the door and the wild animal that he had encased shuddered for a moment, before becoming still. Coughs had torn through him, and he collapsed on all fours, attempting to catch his breath. His hair had spiked, turning black, then yellow once more, then black again. His world had faded to darkness.

This morning, Chi-Chi had called Capsule Corp., tearfully and wildly informing them that Gohan had collapsed and that he was screaming in pain. He was better for a minute, said that his head had hurt, but it was nothing, and that she shouldn't call for help. But then the screaming had started up again.

Bulma and Vegeta had quickly (Vegeta quite relunctantly), made their way to the Son residence, baby Trunks in Bulma's arms. However, when they got there, Chi-Chi was outside the house looking panicky and hollering that Gohan had left.

"I - I tried to get him into bed, but some strange force pushed me away... he looked at me, and it was like there was a fire burning, and it got really hot, and suddenly there was a blinding flash - and - and - he was gone." This narration was preceeded with numerous, heart-wrenching sobs.

Vegeta was still, pondering, looking stoic but feeling nothing less than perturbed. This - was like last time. It was exactly the same.

But what exactly was it?

Gohan's energy was hidden. Vegeta could not trace it. Bulma, Chi-Chi and he had gathered up Kuririn, Yamcha and Piccolo to join the search. When three hours had passed, it was evident that their pursuit was close to fruitless. However, they kept looking. They all joined up to discuss where Gohan might have headed. When noon struck, something terrifying had occurred. A large, frightening energy had spiked up, miles away from their location. Everyone except for Bulma and Chi-Chi flew quickly and rigorously there.

They finally arrived, but the ki had vanished. Piccolo recognized this area as the area he had brought Gohan to when he was four and a half years old. He had kidnapped him and trained him here for a year until Vegeta and Nappa came to Earth.

Was Gohan here for sentimental reasons? No, why would he be...?

It reappeared, although less threatening than before. The Z Fighters' breaths were caught in their throats as their eyes seemed to be obscured by darkness; it enclosed them, reaching out with stony, hostile fingers and capturing them. They couldn't move.

Then, suddenly a light erupted through the darkness, sending a spasm of pain through the warriors. They were freed from the darkness. Bright, silver eyes peered at them; scrutinizing them.

They had found Gohan. Or rather, he had found them.

.- . - . -.

The sky darkened drastically and droplets of water sunk through Chi-Chi's dress; she wrapped her arms around herself to conserve warmth. How could it be this dark when it was only early in the afternoon?

Such a haunting pathetic fallacy.

Or perhaps it wasn't a natural storm?

Bulma opened the door. "Chi-Chi, come inside before you freeze." Her voice seemed to lack her usual cheer.

Chi-Chi hesitated, gazing into the odd, benighted sky, but she obeyed in the end.

The rain continued to fall.

.- . - . -.

Gohan's hair was spiked and silver, like his eyes. His face was different... older-looking. Not that it had aged, but a weary sort of presence seemed to linger around his features. Gohan normally looked older than his age, but never as tired and languid as this. However, the power which seemed to thrive and crackle around him contrasted effectively with his facade.

"Gohan..." Kuririn began, "What..."

"Come home, Gohan," said Yamcha, attempting to sound encouraging, "everything's fine; come home."

They waited in silence at Gohan's response.

He stared at them, and his hair crackled; the rain which swirled about him seemed to rebound off of an invisible shield and splatter to a ground.

"This power..." he began. "It's... wrong. I can't go back."

"There is nothing wrong with you or your power, Gohan," snapped Piccolo irritably. "Just stop it. Stop alienating yourself."

Gohan didn't seem to hear him. The Z Fighters fell into an eerie silence. Gohan continued,

"It's like a growing, twisting serpent, coiling around my heart and squeezing with more vigour every single day. It won't stop. It will never stop. It owns my body, my soul... my life."

Vegeta was going to shout, What? but his voice seemed to be swallowed by something. He glanced around. Everyone else seemed to have lost their voices as well. He stared at Gohan, transfixed. How did he do that?

A pregnant silence rang through the ears of everyone. The rain pounded on the ground, yet it seemed to make no sound. Gohan shifted slightly on one foot, smiling sardonically. His eyes misted, and he continued.

"My body is only half human, and half saiya-jin. I am not a God. I cannot sustain this growing force... this hidden power. It's like a fire, and no one is immune to fire. Fire burns. It tears flesh."

His misty, silvery eyes unfocused for a moment, and his wry smile vanished, leaving a forlorn and almost tender stature to his features. He looked slightly younger, but Vegeta could not say that he bore a resemblance to his rival's son. His eyes were far too daunting, much more so than he could ever remember.

"It is inevitable." Gohan spoke softly; even though his voice was like a thin and soft, it held prominent authority. "One day... this power will tear me to shreds."

He took a deep breath, and Vegeta never forgot his next words, for as long as he lived.

By an unstoppable power... a growing flame... soon to be a firestorm.

.- . - . -.

Ki: energy

It was kind of odd... but please be kind with your reviews. If you flame, say why it's bad.

Samara-chan