Hey guys, here is the net chapter in the story. It took a different turn than I had expected, but hey it's pretty exciting, and unexpected. Enjoy you guys. Now normally this would be the time I tell you all I don't own DBZ or its characters, but I'm not going to. Maybe tomorrow. Well, On with the fic!

Roses and Swans

A furry gray rabbit darted across the brush, dragging leaves and twigs across the dense forest floor. At its hells was a large dark wolf with large dripping teeth, dying for a decent meal. Its ribcage stuck out sickly, and it looked as if it hadn't eaten in well over a month. The rabbit shot into a leaf-covered den and the wolf stuck its nose inside hoping that it still had a chance to get the tiny sweet morsel. It waited a few moments before perking up its ears. That sound… that horrible…horrible, sound! It sounded like…two members of the Son family… closing in quickly. They were the reason the poor black wolf had yet to receive its daily balance of meat, meat and more meat. Every time they caught sight of him, they chased him away, sometimes the little one did it in glee, other times the female did it in fear, and the largest one…. Ugh... he did it for strength. Before they neared he dodged and hid behind a large oak tree as they happily made their way past.

He waited, and watched behind the hollowed bark of the oak, and suddenly two light skinned humans appeared. The first was a young boy with a relatively shot hair cute. He wore tiny ki of orange, which was held together with blue bands. He was obviously a fighter, but the one behind him did not like so. She was a young woman, who looked about in her late 20s, but walked as if it were her mid 40s. She wobbled slowly behind what had to have been her son, as she made her way more than likely to the tiny duck pond. Her stomach was enlarged and she looked heavy with child. Probably 9th month many would guess. She had long straight black hair, which she left down for the day and a face that looked very pretty… if she had been smiling. This poor woman however was huffing and puffing down the train. Her face was red from exhaustion and straining. It looked as if the large load she was carrying was getting in her way.

Gohan happily jumped over rocks as he carried both his and his mother's bags to the pond. It now more than a few feet away now, but Chichi looked almost like she wouldn't make it. She stopped and plopped down on a rock, sweat pouring down her face and stayed there as Gohan happily unpacked the camp. He pulled out both sleeping tents, his a dark green, Chichi's a heavy blue. Next he opened pulled out her pots and pans, and the wood already chopped up from the house. He set the wood just like his father taught him, circular followed by a square patter on top. He took out Chichi's pots and pans and placed them by the wood. When came time to cook, there were matches in the purse for his mom. Next, there was food. His mom had packed sandwiches for lunch, but nothing for dinner, trusting that Gohan could either catch something, or fly quickly back to the house. Okay, so now he had to go catch something right? Now what would be his best bet? There was that wolf he spotted the way over there, but that animal was already scared witless and it would be cruel to pursue him anymore. He saw a few rabbits, but he never as a big fan of rabbit meat. Too stringy for him. The only thing that was left was fish really. He looked up at his mom, who managed to relocate herself to a large rock close by the wood, and sat wiping profusely at her head.

Mom!

Ugh… yes Gohan?

I'm going to go get a few fish for us for dinner. Think you can handle things up here while I'm gone?

Gohan, I'm very capable of taking care of myself, After all I've taken are of you and your father all this time. I'll manage. But make sure to check back very so often… so I know you're still alive.

All right Mom, be back in a few.

Gohan! Wait!

Huh?

Please! Take off your clothes neatly and fold them. I don't need an extra bag to carry home Gohan and if they stay folded it will use less space all right?

All right, be back in a few.

In less time than it took for lightning to strike Gohan had taken off his clothes, left them in a pile on the ground and slipped through the water's surface. Of course… without folding his clothes neatly. Sighing heavily to herself, Chichi slowly stood and waddled over to the clothes Gohan had left laying on the ground. If she had any breath left she would have screamed for him to come back and picked up his clothes. He would have heard, after all he's got his daddy's Saiyan ears…. That is unless he was in trouble.

Bending down slowly as if she were in yoga she forced herself to pick up the clothes but ended in defeat. Sighing angrily she stood up and decided that maybe she should just take a nap. Gohan could pick up his own clothes when he got back to shore. And she was awfully tired, and the walk over here was… well… longer than normally. Besides, Gohan could take care of himself for just a little bit. And he promised to check in ever so, so she would know he's still alive. Right? Goodness, what a way to think? Leaving her son alone for a bit. The baby must really be taking a lot out of her.

After waddling slowly back to her tent, she climbed in and fell asleep. No sooner had the first snore exited her mouth, Gohan got into some serious trouble. He had been under water for about, 10 minutes now. His father had taught him to hold his breath for that long. He was chasing a large fish, not too big though, only 200 pounds. It was silver and blue, with large red eyes, and nasty sharp little teeth. Its tail was sharp and had left Gohan with 3 nasty cuts on his arm.

Gohan paddled his arms, and laughed in his head as the fish quickly swam, dodging him and running into things with its head. It swished right, and Gohan was right behind it, as they swam through donut shaped rocks, and past not too kind mermaids. He looked behind him at the mermaids and one seemed to laugh at him. She had hot pink hair and a blue fin. Her eyes were a magical purple, and her lips an icy pink. He was mesmerized for just a few seconds, but that was long enough for the large fish to make his retaliation on the young Saiyan.

With a quick swish of his tail he hit the young boy forcing the air out of his lungs and into the pond. Next it slashed across Gohan's chest, causing an inch deep cut from one half of his chest to another. Gohan struggled for breath and tried to swim to the surface, but the fish was way ahead of him. It butted its head into his sending him sprawling backwards to the bed of the pond. Gohan then broke free and struggled and struggled to get to the water's surface. After a few moments, he had lost all oxygen and now had water flowing into his lungs. All his energy was depleted and soon, he began to slowly sink to the bottom.

His arms and his legs spread and his hair gently touched his face as if it were begging him to awaken. He slowly drifted and fell until he hit the water's bed, and lay upon the sand. He opened his eyes once more and stared at the water surface above him. The sun was looking upon him, unsteadily and danced upon the surface. He closed his eyes once more but not before her saw a figure. It was a mermaid coming towards him. It had… black hair and peachy pale skin. Its tail was…something of an orange color, and its face, well, he never did get a chance to see its face.

The mermaid Gohan saw swam down and quickly picked the young boy up. Pulling him close to her chest she swam up quickly. As she tried to pass, two mermaids stood in her way, hissing at her. Pulling the boy closer, she lifted one hand and shot at the two mermaids, throwing them out of the way. Then, the mermaid hurriedly made her way to the shore, and deposited the tiny boy on the bank.

Chichi was sitting near the surface with a now worried look on her face for her son. She couldn't sleep knowing Gohan was somewhere away from her, so she climbed out the tent and decided to heat the water as she waited. She had known that Gohan couldn't hold his breath for more than 10 minutes, so she counted each minute waiting. When she didn't see Gohan break the surface, and 5 extra minutes passed, she became worried. When she finally saw her son, he had been pushed on the shore by something from behind. He was blue in the face and had been surrounded by something black. She stood up quickly and ignoring her large stomach ran to him as fast as she could. She knelt by his side and began doing CPR. For 5 minutes she sat, trying to revive her tiny son, and for 5 minutes, his body ignore her pleas. She pumped his heart as hard as she could, and yet he remained unresponsive. After the 5-minute mark… she sat on her heels and buried her face in her hands. Did… Gohan really die? No...no...he as just a kid right? He couldn't have died. She looked again into her son's face, and it was turning purple. She tried again, pumping his heart, and blowing air until his lungs. A little water gurgled up, but he still remained purple, so she kept going. She pumped and breathed and screamed and cried, and finally she scrambled away from her son, and found herself running alone through a forest. She ran screaming and crying, hoping to find anyone, anything to help her. But she found nothing. She ran nearly a mile until she fell to her knees and began clawing at the fallen leaves in pure anger and pain. Gohan was alive! Her little boy couldn't die! He should be okay! Why isn't he getting up! Why is he turning purple. She screamed and cried and begged and pleaded.

After 20 minutes of pleading for something she knew would not happen, she slowly made her way back to the camp. Her legs were cut and lightly bleeding from running, and her hair was tangled with leaves and twigs. Her maternity dress was cut in a few places, but all of that seemed oblivious to the poor aching mother. First her husband… and now… her son? Could she have really angered the Gods so? Were they misleading with her, and saw it fit to rip one of the last sunshines in her life? Slowly she walked, and the closer she got, the more hurt she felt. She didn't want to be around there, but she knew she had to take his body to be properly prepared for burial. God and that cut? What was that that was across his chest, what could have possibly given him that? Her mind was racing a mile a minute, and she saw an opening to the camp. Stepping through the brush she continued and then suddenly stopped, after a black feather floated by. She wanted to lift her fingers and reach out to grab it. Before she could move her fingers to it, it floated into her hand and caressed her fingers gently, before sliding to the ground. It was almost like it was comforting her. The thought to pick it up entered her mind, but then it flashed to her, that Gohan was still on the shore, and she needed to get her son. She made her way over the feather to the camp and towards her Gohan. The feather… was not far behind.

Hey you guys! Here is the next chapter in my little ficcy. What do you guys think? Love it, hate it? Let me know okay? For everyone review, id like to I've a special hanks to all of you! I'll be sure to at the end of the next chapter okay? Well, I have other's to update! Hope you enjoyed. See ya --