Gipsy felt herself get carried away by the current. She couldn't see, she couldn't breathe. If she didn't act fast, this would be the end. She felt her legs reach the bottom of the creek, and as her legs dragged along the side of river she felt around for something to hold onto. A large tree trunk was sticking up from the bottom and as the current dragged her past it, she held onto it for dear life. She climbed it and finally got a view of everything going on around her. The creek was overflowing with water and debris, in a wild current.

No sight of Ox, everything looked almost pitch black. She saw another larger branch, this time sticking out of the side of the creek and she swam towards it, violently swallowing some water along the way. It was nightfall and the moon was covered up by the storm clouds, even if she tried she would never find him.

"OOOOOOOX!", she shot, desperately as soon as she made contact with the larger branch. "OOOOOOOX WHERE ARE YOU?! CAN YOU HEAR ME?!" She cried. "OOOOOX!", she cried one last time. No answer, only the sounds of the night and the water running through the river could be heard.

Gipsy had to get out of the creek, if she stayed one more minute she'd be swallowed by another current. She continued the climb up the trunk sticking out of the water. When she reached the top she jumped and landed on what she thought was safer ground. As soon as her feet made contact with the ground below, the surface crumbled down and she was forced to join the flow of the river, once more.

"FUUUUCK!", she screamed to no one, frustrated.

She was being dragged further and further away from the Bellypoke plains. Suddenly the river slammed Gipsy's body against a wall of vines. Finally, something to hold on to. She climbed the wall, as fast as she possibly could, but her boot became stuck to the bottom vines. Water had been running through them and they were slimy and fickle.

"This is a fucking nightmare. This has to be my worst fucking nightmare." Gipsy whispered, as she fought her way through the slime. She kicked off her boots and begin climbing up, trying to find stronger vine-rope to hang onto. The river was getting stronger and kept trying to claim her by putting pressure on her side. If she slipped, even briefly, she'd lose balance and fall right back into the river flow.

NO! Fuck you, stupid creek. I'm going to spit on you the moment I get out of you. She angrily thought. Her statement kicked the adrenaline inside her body, her survival instinct and she began to climb the wall of vines, barefoot with animalistic rage.

She finally made it to the top, as it curved onto the ground. She continued climbing vertically and once it was safe, she rolled over to catch her breath. "Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you stupid creek", she said in-between breaths. Awe, shit. Now comes the hard part, she thought. I gotta tell ChiChi.

Gipsy ran barefoot up the river, as fast as she possibly could considering her state. She had made it all the way up the river, she was exactly at the point where she fell. She knew because she could make out Ox's axe still wedged deep into a rock.

In pitch black darkness, she looked for her backpack. When she found it, she felt around the contents inside looking for the emergency radio. She felt a wire antenna with her fingers and grabbed it an pulled out the radio. She took a deep breath.

"ChiChi! ChiChi! This is Gypsy! Do you copy?!", she waited impatiently for an answer... a few moments went by allowing Gipsy to catch he breath.

"This is ChiChi, what's going on Gipsy?! Talk to me?!", answered a frantic ChiChi on the other-side of the radio.

Oh shit, kid. I'm so sorry to be the one to have to tell you this... she thought. Gipsy took a deep breath and she pressed on the large button on the radio, "It's Ox, Chi... I'm so sorry. We've lost Ox."

No answer, only static coming from the radio, then suddenly she answered. "Is my father dead?" asked ChiChi.

"I'm almost certain. Yes", Gipsy released the button.

"How certain? Did you see his body? Explain everything, now!" Demanded ChiChi from the other side.

"Ox, he uh. He wanted to make one last attempt at a peaceful resolution... you know how he is... was... An' none of the guys went along with him. They stuck to your plan, cause we'd already tried to meet for a council and he almost got killed. But Ox, he was convinced that the new Chief Oso, being young an' all... he had a shot of meetin' with him for a peace treaty of some sort... " Gipsy released the button to pause.

ChiChi waited patiently on the other side.

"So he waited until everyone became distracted changing' shifts. And he snuck out, but I saw him, so I followed him and I tried to convince him Chi, I tried my best to tell him he was going to die if he went into the Bellypoke Village all by himself! But he wouldn't listen... and the creek... the creek, Chi. It's wild right now. Just like you said it would get. Cause of all the rain, and he went into the creek... and someone... one of the Bellypoke shot him with an arrow on his back..." Gipsy released the button again, not able to continue.

"Where did the arrow hit him exactly, where exactly did the arrow land on my father's back?" asked an angry ChiChi.

"Right side, under the shoulder..." Answered Gipsy.

"Okay well, then there's hope, maybe... maybe it didn't hit any vital organs... maybe..." ChiChi stuttered.

"ChiChi, the current... it swallowed us whole. I barely made it out alive... I don't mean to be a bitch, but Ox... being wounded ...and shot with an arrow... I just don't think it's possible..." She released the button, she couldn't say it.

"... The arrow that shot him... it was blue." Said Gipsy, not wanting to give any false hope. "Is uh ... is Goku still there? Do you still have him tied up?"

ChiChi never answered.

"Gipsy, I'm coming." Is all she said.

Gipsy's legs gave out and she fell on the ground, she covered her face with both hands and begin to sob.

Meanwhile, in Ox's underground shelter:

ChiChi became sick with anger, she wanted to throw up. Most of all she wanted to slice someone's throat open. She wanted revenge.

Goku got up from the floor and tried to place his hand on her shoulder, but ChiChi jerked it away. He took a deep breath, "I'm sorry ChiChi, but if there's hope I want to help you, I'm a damn good tracker, I can help you."

ChiChi didn't respond. A million things were running through her mind. She felt stupid and guilty, but most of all she had to get the hell out of there and look for her father. No time for self-pity. No time to analyze anything having to do with Goku. She didn't even want to think about the stupid blue arrow, but there it was in the back of her mind. She grabbed all the hoi-poi capsules she could find and begin to climb up the ladder to exit the bunker.

Goku didn't know what to do or say, ChiChi was in some kind of trance and she definitely wasn't listening to him. He wanted to help, he wanted to help her so damn bad, if only she'd let him. "ChiChi, I can help."

She didn't respond. She continued climbing up the ladder distraught, she missed one step but quickly regained her balance. Goku tried to help her by securing her leg with his hand, but she kicked it away. She opened the heavy door, and walked into the night.

Goku followed behind, observing her, trying to help her somehow. He never felt so helpless his entire life.

It was night time, ChiChi couldn't see what hoi-poi capsule she was holding so she begin to click them all open and threw them away from her at random. Like some kind of magicians act, poof after poof! Gray clouds appearing and disappearing all around her, revealing objects she didn't need.

"I can take you on Kinto-Un... it'll be much faster." He offered, slowly walking up from behind, observing the show.

"I don't need your fucking cloud" said ChiChi under her breath, clicking and tossing more hoi-poi capsules in the air.

He wanted to be sensitive, he really did, but he could help her and time was sensitive damn it! He could save her father if only she'd let him. "C'mon let's go, I'm helping you whether you like it or not." He grabbed her by the arm. BIG MISTAKE.

ChiChi twirled around and kicked him, right in the face with all her strength. Goku fell on the ground like a puppet that just got his strings cut off. He didn't defend himself, he let her vent her anger and frustration on him. She took out her Ox-tail Dao and stroke him across the face drawing blood. It was a strategic shallow cut, meant to intimidate more than it meant to hurt. "Stay the fuck away from me, Goku or I'll fucking kill you", she said seething in animalistic rage.

It amazed Goku. Just a few moments ago this woman was planting soft kisses on his face, making him the happiest being alive and now... she was drawing blood as if he was her mortal enemy. "Why? Why do I have to stay away from you?" he demanded, he was done being sensitive. He wanted answers.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a dirt-bike appear out of the smoke. She ran up to it, go on it, and turned the engine on, ready to get the hell out of there.

Goku almost fought against himself for his next insensitive, slightly selfish move, but he had to know. Why the hell was she so angry at him all of a sudden? What did he have to do with her father's demise? He dashed in front of the motorcycle and placed both his hands on the handles, stopping ChiChi from taking off.

"WHY?" He shot. Furrowed eyebrows, blood running down his cheek.

Furiously she stared off, heat coming down from her temples. She got up from the motorcycle and grabbed him by the collar and rammed her face against his making him fall backwards. She tried to take off, but Goku quickly got up and grabbed her by the waist taking her out of the bike.

"WHY?" He shot again, trying his best not to crush her with his anger. Gods, she drove him crazy. "WHY?!" He shot as he fell on his knees still carrying her in his arms... "Why..?" He asked one more time, even though he had her in his arms, he felt her slipping away. He pressed his face against her back in agony. Why was she pushing him away like that?

ChiChi's eyes teared up. Tears started falling against her will, "Because... that was a blue arrow, Goku. That was Chief Kuma's arrow... the only person with access to that arrow is your fiancé... Bear..."

Goku felt his heart sink, "I had nothing to do with it, I swear... I swear it!" He said desperately. His hold on her soften into a hug and he further pressed his face against her back, "I swear it. Please believe me".

She wanted to believe him, she wanted his help. But she couldn't. She couldn't let her guard down again, look where it got her? She has to go back to being a Warlord, she needed to keep her people safe. She needed to find her Pa! She needed to fight for him. She took in a deep breath, "Are you going to let me go?"

Goku tightened his grip on her, "I want to help you. I can help you!"

"I don't need your help, Goku. I need you to let me go." She answered as she gently tried to pull his arms off her, but he wouldn't let her go. She took in another deep breath, "Goku, I want to go find my father. Please let me go, please", she pleaded.

And he released her.

ChiChi quickly got on the dirt-bike and took off speeding away into darkness, making her way back into the valley.

Goku felt miserable. He'd lost her. Somehow, he did something wrong along the way and lost her. He punched the ground in anger.

He stayed silent for a few minutes taking everything in, then he quickly got up and called out his cloud.

"KINTOOOOOO-UN!", he was going to help her, damn it. He was going to help Ox, all he needed was a heartbeat. If he could find Ox with a heartbeat, he could change their story. He would talk to Chief Oso, workout an agreement and everything would be okay.

He made up his mind, he was going to help ChiChi, never-mind his promise to Bear or the Bellypoke.

Forget promises, or honor. Goku was in love, and he was about to lose the woman he was so desperately in love with.

His golden cloud landed next to him, and he hopped on and zoomed off into the dark skies determined to win her back.


You guys are getting spoiled with all these new chapters! ;)

As always, reviews are kindly, and very much appreciated! 3

Ps, Ah my heart breaks for everyone in this one! :(