Princess Mononoke Fan Fiction / Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Singing Mountain ❯ Chapter 6: Love for a Monster ( Chapter 6 )

All things DBZ and Princess Mononoke are © their respectable creators.

"The Tatara Women Work Song" is © Joe Hisaishi, and is in Princess Mononoke

"I don't understand." Cell shook his head as Masquerade led him through the forest back to the house. "Why did you do that? Do you have any idea who he was?"

"A vague idea." Masq nodded. "He was at the Cell Game, he participated in the last Budakai, he's a very powerful fighter. He was here to kill you, and I refused to let him do that. You're my responsibility, Seru, and I wouldn't live with myself if I let something bad happen to you."

"Piccolo could have killed you too!" Cell growled through his fangs. "Didn't you care about that?!"

"He would have what?" Masq stopped walking, and looked at Cell. "Why?"

"Anything to kill me." Cell explained. "We've been enemies since day one. I had almost killed him in this form in one encounter."

"Then why isn't he dead, oh great and powerful one?" Masq wondered with her own growling voice.

"I was careless. I was stupid and preoccupied back then."

"You're still stupid and preoccupied." Masq noted.

"Hey!"

"I swear, Seru, you overrate yourself…" Masq sighed, taking his elbow into one hand and leading him onward through the woods. He narrowed his eyes at the back of her head.

"You…" he snarled. "I am perfection. Don't you dare talk like…"

"Don't you dare start with me!" Masq snapped back, whipping her head around to look at Cell directly in his snake eyes. "There is no such thing as perfection. Nothing is perfect, not even you!"

That does it! She dies here and now!

Cell's tail struck at Masq's neck, but she jumped down to the forest floor on her back. She proceeded to kick his shin, and sweep her leg behind his knee and knock him over on his back. She stood up and put a foot at the base of Cell's tail spike, and the other foot on his chest. She glared at him.

"Uncalled for." She called. "And I thought you were polite. A true gentleman never strikes at a lady."

"I never said," Cell mumbled, "that I was a gentleman." He hoisted himself up to a sit, and chopped down on Masq's hip, causing her to falter to the side and land on her shoulder. Cell pinned her against a tree with one foot and carefully stood up so that she wouldn't escape. He arched his tail like a scorpion's ready for the sting, and stared down at her. Cell's three-toed foot held Masq's torso and arms against the tree, and she couldn't free herself. She didn't fear for her life just yet. She still had reason on her side.

"Seru," she called to him, "if you kill me, who will help you get your health back?"

"I don't need 'help.' " Cell insisted. "I don't need anyone. There was nothing you could have done for me from the start. I don't see why stupid creatures like you are allowed to live. I should remedy that right now!"

"Stop thinking so highly of yourself." Masq reasoned. "Take help and advice when it's offered to you. Stop relying on your ego so much. You need help, Seru, you're just too proud of what you aren't to accept it."

"Silence!" Seru ordered, about to stab into Masq's throat and suck her soul away, just as he should have done a year ago. Suddenly, he heard a loud chorus of rattling in the tree branches just above him. He swiftly looked up to see several kodama watching him curiously, rattling to him and each other. Seru instantly lost his nerve, and jumped away from Masq with a scream. He stumbled and fell on his tail base, then scrambled to a tree trunk opposite of Masq. Masq stood up, her arms sore and her ribs aching. She looked up at the kodama, and bid them a silent "thank you." She stood up, and faced the cowering Cell. His tail was thumping the ground in fear and anger. Masq took caution, and walked up to Cell's side, away from the tail.

"Do you want me to help you?" she offered gently.

"NO!" he cried, hiding his face from the tiny tree children. Masq put a hand on his wrist, and he slapped it away stubbornly. Masq shrugged, and went back to her tree, and lounged on its trunk.

"Okay then, you'll have to deal with the scary, man eating, blood thirsty kodama yourself." She kidded, putting her arms up behind her head. Cell shuddered from where he was, and didn't make a sound as the kodama chattered on in clicks and rattles. Masq watched them from where she was, wondering what exactly about them scared Cell so badly. She thought they were cute and funny.

"San!" she heard Piccolo's voice call from the way she and Cell came.

"Oh no!" Cell panicked all over again, crawling to the other side of the tree to hide. Masq walked over to the fleeing beast with her arms still over her head, and stepped hard on his tail spike. "Ow!" Cell flinched, then tried to free his tail. "Hey! Leggo!"

"Na-uh!" Masq denighed. "If you won't let someone help you, then you have to face your fears by yourself." She glared about him. "What is so life threatening about asking for help anyway? All you have to do is say 'Can you please help me?' and accept the answer in appreciation."

"San?" Piccolo called again, coming into eyesight. "Is everything alright here?"

"Why are you following us?" Masq and Cell demanded the Namek at the same time.

"San," Piccolo spoke to Masquerade, "I really don't want you alone with this creature. He will kill you if you push him too far."

"I'm not that concerned." Masq sighed. "I pretty much know how to deal with people like him. How long have you known Seru, Piccolo-san?"

"As long as he's been on this planet." He admitted, staring up at the kodama in annoyance. One of them hopped from the branch and onto Masq's shoulder. It slid down her back and onto the ground.

"That long?" Masq wondered, watching the tiny creature walk up to Cell's face behind the tree.

"What is that little one up to?" Piccolo wondered, watching it as well. Masq started laughing.

"Oh, Piccolo-san, if you know Seru that well, then you'll love this." She began. "Seru hates the kodama, he goes into hysterics when he sees them. However…the kodama really seem to like him, and they follow him around wherever he goes. Check this out."

"Check what out?" Cell wondered suspiciously, looking around. He stopped looking when he saw the kodama directly in front of him. It clacked in greeting, waving its tiny arm. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" he screamed, jumping up and accidentally landing in Masquerade's arms. Surprised by the sudden amount of weight, she fell over on her back with Cell on top of her. Piccolo surpressed a laugh with his hand to his mouth as Masq shook some sense back into her head. She opened her eyes and found herself locked in Cell's own eyes. They both paused, and they both blushed. Finally, Masq kicked the monster off of her, and she stood up on her own.

"Incredible." Piccolo said behind his hand, sounding very amused.

"Be quiet!" Cell ordered, very black in the face while Masq was a very deep red. "And don't follow us around. I haven't done anything wrong while on this mountain, and I've got another four days with that wench left. After that, I'll just disappear, and you'll never hear from me again. Okay?"

"Not okay." Piccolo shook his head. "You're suppost to be dead. How did you come back to life?"

"Actually, I have no idea. Now leave me alone."

"Piccolo-san," Masq spoke for Cell, "I appreciate your concern, but even if Seru wanted to kill everyone on this mountain, he's not so stupid as to try it. He is very weak, and is barely walking on his own. And if he does try anything, the Mononoke and our wolves can stop him. Please, leave him into my care. Everything is under control."

"Nothing is under control when Cell is around." Piccolo growled. Cell smiled at that as Masq took his elbow and started to lead him away.

"Glad you think so, Namek." He chuckled. "I thought the same way." Piccolo glared back as Masq and her monster walked away from him, and out of sight. He sighed, then stared back up at the noisy kodama above him.

"Shoo." He hissed at them as he walked back the way he came. He was heading for the wolf den, the only place left he could go for now. Soon, he would have to warn the others.

Singing Mountain: Chapter 6

"Listen…18…" Kuririn huffed as he hiked after her up the mountain trail after his wife. "Sweetheart…we've been…on the move…for the last two…days! The dragons…are gone! Can we…go home now?"

"No." 18 insisted, not as worn out as Kuririn as she took point in the walk up. "They're on this mountain somewhere. I know it."

"Well…" Kuririn wheezed, sitting down by a tree. "You go on…if you want! I'm tired."

"You're so weak," 18 pitied as she walked on, "it's pathetic." With that, she left him behind until the path took her from the sloping climb to a flat glen sheltered in leafy canopies and bordered by tall underbrush. She arched her back to snap the cramp out of it, and walked to the edge of the glen. She peeked through an opening between the bushes and the tree leaves to see the opposite mountain ahead of her. She took a map out of her pocket, and unfolded it so that she could see where she was. She was hiking up the Mountain of the Tatara, so the mountain ahead of her was Singing Mountain.

Apparently, the dragons are heading there, towards Singing. She calculated in her head. According to the local villagers on this mountain, Singing Mountain is home to some of their gods. Could those gods be the terrible power Osa was talking about?

"WROOOOOOOOOOOOO-OOOOOOOOORRG!"

She heard a dragon roar on the Singing Mountain. She looked to the mountain again and could just barely see the large armada of Higher Dragons and the strange people riding on their backs. The people did have the strange green hair and pale skin as she remembered them to have, but they were dressed in heavy armor made of steel and rubber and they carried large polls made of a metal she wasn't familiar with. She figured there were at least 4,000 warriors climbing up the mountain. She squinted her eyes to see Osa Gami walking along with them, looking like a tour bus sized Shen Long.

She heard Kuririn scamper to her side.

"What was that?!" he asked frantically.

"It's the dragons." 18 explained, pointing out through the opening of leaves. "They're on the move again, and they went over there." Kuririn peaked out of the leaves too.

"Wow. Lookit all of them. Whatever they want, they want it bad."

"It was something that destroyed their islands. A terrible power, they called it." 18 re-explained to her husband. "I think I may know what it is, but it's impossible."

"What is?"

"Never mind." 18 dropped the subject. "We've got to follow them. I want to know what exactly they want." She raced back the way she came, and Kuririn had no choice but to follow her.

"Impossible…" he commented her ability to think ahead clearly.

/|\

As the sun began to set, the people of Singing Mountain had no intention of settling in for the night to come. The wolf gods gathered every San in the area, and began to march towards the mountain's peak. The San's marched beside their beloved wolves, spears in hand, faces hidden under masks, hair and backs covered under their wolf fur shrouds. Moro-sama and Amaroq took lead in the march up as Rhapsody rode on Aman's back. Other Sans either rode on wolves or walked along side them. They all sang a song that counted their marching steps:

"Hitotsu futatsu wa akago mo fumuga
Mittsu yottsu wa oni mo naku, naku
Tatara onna wa kogane no nasake
Tokete nagarerya yaiba ni kawaru."

Masquerade was outside planting a new garden by her front door when she heard the marching San's approaching from the forest. She stood up and watched as Moro and Amaroq marched in front and the San's behind them sang the counting song. Masq spotted Rhapsody and waved to her.

"HEY!" she called over the voices of the singing priestesses, "What's going on, Rhapsody?!"

"We're heading for the temple!" Rhapsody called back. "Care to join us, Masq?"

"Sure!" Masq called back. "I'll go get my fur!" She ran back inside and headed for the closet.

"What's all that noise?" Cell demanded, heading for the window.

"Dunno." Masq answered, reaching into the closet for her shroud and mask. "They're going to the temple."

"Sounds more like they're pumping bellows to me." Cell scrutinized, translating the lyrics in his head. "What are they singing about?"

"It's a counting song for marching." Masq explained, throwing the soft fur over her shoulders. "It was once used by the iron workers on the mountain, now it's a marching song for priestesses. I wonder what the occasion is…"

"Hmmm…" Cell looked out the window to see hundreds of wolves and even more fur caped priestesses marching past the house and towards the village further north. There were wolves of every size possible for the giant beasts and priestesses of all ages from tottlers to old crones. Whatever the occasion was, it was so important that all the Mononoke on Singing Mountain would gather in one spot.

"Hey, Seru, did you want to come with me?" Masq wondered as she slid the clay mask over her face and tossed access hair over her shoulder.

"No." Cell insisted firmly.

"Great, let's go." Masq ignored him, grabbing his wrist and dragging him out the door.

"I said no, you dumb blond!" Cell snapped. "Let me go!"

"You're coming whether you like it or not." Masq snapped back. "I think it's time you got to know the girls better." Cell became very nervous picturing himself in a room full of savage girls. He tried to pry his hand out of Masq's almost iron grip.

I'm still too weak, he thought as he tried to free his wrist, I'm probably growing weaker by the day. I can't take this anymore! I can't spend three more days with this primitive witch!

As Cell started beating himself up mentally, Masq scanned the crowds for Ghen. She called out to him a few times, but got no response. Then, the black puppy with white paws named Kago walked up to Masq.

"San!" he called. "Ghen is with Moro-sama! He can't hear you!"

"Darn." Masq sighed. "Hey Kago-chan, will you be my wolf until I find Ghen?"

"Okay!" the cub agreed with a happy bark. Masq started walking with the puppy and a giant black wolf with a middle aged priestess on her back.

"So, you're the new one?" the priestess asked. "I've been trying to meet you for a while, kid."

"Oh hello." Masq greeted as Cell turned his head away from the two women. "I'm San Masquerade."

"Another nicknamed one." the priestess chuckled. "Just great."

"Well, my real name's Coral, but not too many people call me that. And you are…"

"San Miaka. I'd shake your hand, but I'm all the way up here and I can't reach you."

"Okay." Masq accepted with a laugh. "So, you're the medicine woman, aren't you?"

"That's right. I have been practicing natural medicine and spirit callings for about ten years now."

"Hey Cell," Masq tapped Cell shoulder with her free hand, "you can stop calling me a witch now, cause here's a real one right here."

"Leave me alone." He requested sharply.

"Oh, that's Cell?" Miaka wondered, looking down from her wolf at him. "He looks a lot different than I remember him to be."

"Yeah." was the only thing Masq could say. It was a long story, and she didn't know any of it. Cell didn't feel like talking either.

"So, are you headed for the temple as well?" Miaka wondered, "Or are you just along for the ride like I am?"

"You're not going to the temple?"

"No. I'm headed for Kage's Cave. I finally caught the little pest that has been haunting San Kio's house, and I'm on my way to seal it."

"Oh!" Masq cried out. "That reminds me." She tugged Cell closer to Miaka's wolf. "Seru was attacked by an evil spirit a few days ago. Maybe you can help him catch it."

Who? Surreal? Cell wondered as he turned his head away from Miaka. I don't think Surreal is a spirit. I have no idea what she is at all.

"Sure." Miaka nodded. "If he'll accept my help. Cell, would you like me to punish the spirit that attacked you?"

"What do you plan to do with it?" Cell wondered, not looking at her.

"I'll seal it away in Kage's Cave where it won't bother you again. It'll be gone for at least twenty thousand years."

Cell thought about that for a moment, then finally turned his eyes to Miaka.

"Very well." He accepted. "Where is this cave?"

"If you hop on, I'll show you." Miaka offered. Cell turned his head away from her again.

I'd rather die again than sit on that giant freak of nature.

"Okay then," Miaka chuckled lightly, "you can walk along side us. Is that alright with you, Masquerade?"

"As long as there's someone with him." She nodded. "Since that incident at the pool, I'm scared of leaving him alone."

"You go along to the temple," Miaka said with an assuring smile, "and I'll take care of Cell for you. No need to worry."

"Okay." Masq nodded, letting go of Cell's wrist. She looked down at Kago. "C'mon, let's go to Moro-sama."

"Yeah!" the cub cheered as he and Masq made a run for the front of the march. Cell watched them leave among the singing priestesses.

"Shall we go now?" Miaka asked Cell, lifting her mask over her head in trust. Cell looked up at her.

"Yes."

***

Kage's Cave was carved in a huge bolder that descended deep into the mountain. Circular caverns opened through the long tunnel, and each cavern sported at least a hundred paper scrolls with the ancient character for "banish" painted on them. In the middle of each cavern was a spherical, shallow pool of clear water that ran like a small river from one end of the sphere to the other. Two torches that bathed the room with a red glow lighted each cavern. Cell was instantly fascinated.

"The cave was carved by human hands through this rock." Miaka explained as she walked with Cell through the cave. Her wolf waited outside, too big to enter. "It is directly underneath a river, so that no spirits can escape from the entrance once they have been brought into the cave."

"You believe that old superstition that spirits can't cross running water?" Cell wondered in annoyance.

"It's not a superstition, it is real." Miaka explained. "Anyway, we Mononoke carve small niches in the walls and cover them with sacred scrolls to keep the spirit confined. For each we seal away, we carve a new niche. We always come prepared for a foe or evil power that wishes harm to others."

"I see." Cell nodded. "They're sealed away for twenty thousand years?"

"Yes, at least. The seals are meant to stay there forever, but, as the saying goes, nothing lasts forever. Twenty thousand years is long enough anyhow, so if and when the spirit has broken through the seal, it has learned its lesson and leaves forever."

That's a fitting sentence for Surreal. Cell grinned to himself.

"So, what is this spirit's name?"

"Hm?" Cell wondered, pulled out of his thoughts.

"The spirit that attacked you, what was its name?"

"Surreal." Cell answered.

"Okay." Miaka nodded. "I can call it and seal it away now that I have his name."

"Uh, her name, you mean." Cell corrected. Miaka just nodded, and traveled further down the cave, looking for an empty niche to work with. She stopped in one cavern, and went to one of the seals.

"Oh, this one is broken." She took note. "Hmmm…not very recent."

"So a spirit has escaped?"

"Yeah, but that spirit left a long time ago. I'd say…maybe a few months ago…a whole year most likely." She looked at some small lettering underneath the seal. "Well, well…it was Laerrus."

" 'Lar-us?' " Cell blinked.

"The god of death." Miaka explained. "She was locked away when she abused her powers, releasing demons and killing innocent creatures. That was about six thousand years ago, but she's gotten out." Miaka shrugged. "Oh well, as long as she's behaving herself, I won't go hunting her down."

"Can we use that niche to lock away Surreal?"

"Certainly." Miaka nodded. "But I'll have to take the broken seal off first or else the process won't work. Then I'll have to go find and trap Surreal and bring her here. That could take a couple of days. Is that fine with you?"

I don't know. I'll be around here for a couple of days more…

"…" Cell decided to shrug at her, saying that it didn't really matter.

"How odd…" Miaka muttered to herself, examining the broken seal. "…it didn't age and break like it should. Something broke the seal…or someone…"

"???" Cell wondered, examining over her shoulder.

"It looks like it had been cut, but I've seen no knife or cutting utensil make a mark like this. The break is jagged rather than clean. What could have possibly broken the seal like this?"

Cell wished he knew. He started noticing how most things on the mountain happened about a year ago, when he was around. He remembered one thing Surreal had told him…

Thanks for releasing me from my confinement last year!

Was Surreal one of the spirits confined in here? If so, then how did Cell release her? He had never ventured on this mountain before…

He decided to ponder it later. His recovery was more important than that dumb spirit. She was as good as gone. He needed to focus on getting his strength back.

***

The Moro Gami temple sat on Singing Mountain's peak. It looked golden in the light of the yellow sunset. Masquerade was awed by its unique architecture and massive size. It was large enough to fit the entire wolf tribe. She and Kago walked inside along with the rest of the precession. The priestesses had stopped singing on arrival and were chatting with one another merrily. Their voices bounced on the massive walls upon entering the temple.

"Wow." Masq breathed as she entered the main chamber. The walls and ceiling were carved and painted, creating 3-D mosaics of forests, creatures, and gods. Masq was very impressed with the painted carving of the vagabond on a huge, red elk. He looked so life like that he could just walk out of the picture with his steed. The ceiling depicted large birds and colorful, palm sized butterflies. She felt like she had walked into an indoor forest.

"Everyone be seated." Rhapsody called among the chattering priestesses. The women hopped off of their wolves and walked around for a seating arrangement. Masq wandered by the elk rider, and sat next to it. Kago joined her, and so did Ghen.

"Found you at last." The wolf panted. Masq patted his muzzle gently, and the wolf laid on his stomach next to her. Little Yume trotted up to Masq with lots of spunk and excitement in her eyes.

"Hi San!" she called happily. "Where's Seru-san?"

"He didn't want to come." Masq shook her head. "Sorry." Then she smirked mischievously. "He misses you a lot. He wants you to come and visit him sometime."

"Really?" Yume asked in surprise, wagging her tail. Masq nodded, and Yume jumped in her lap with happy barks.

"Are you the popular one?" a familiar voice asked her. Masq didn't even need to look up to see that it was the stranger, Piccolo.

"Not exactly." She answered. "I'm new here."

"Where's Cell?"

"He's with San Miaka. She should either bring him here or take him back to my house."

"You shouldn't be so trusting of him." Piccolo ordered sharply. Masq looked up at him. His arms were crossed and he looked cross too.

"You shouldn't be so suspicious of him." Masq suggested. "He's too weak to attack any of us."

"That doesn't mean he won't try."

"Piccolo-san?" Moro called from one side of the chamber where she, Amaroq, and two more giant wolves sat. "Are you ready to begin?" The Namek gave Masquerade a stare of warning before turning away from her and walking towards the wolf gods. Masq scratched behind Yume's ear just to keep herself calm. She didn't like this Piccolo so far, and there were rumors that he would bring other fighters to the mountain, possibly other contestants of the Cell Game. All the concerns and talk were about Cell and how he could turn on the Mononoke and kill them all.

Masq wished the mountain would be a bit more trusting like the wolves were.

What happened to the "forgive and forget" way of life?

***

Miaka's wolf was named Tori.

Cell learned that Miaka and Tori met in a city outside the mountain range. When she was young, Tori wandered off the mountain and headed into the open planes. In a city called Jinn Town, Tori witnessed a woman being hit by a car. Tori made the driver of the car pay for his crime by ripping the car in half with her jaws and chomping off the driver's right arm. Tori then dragged the woman to the Mountain of the Tatara, where the villagers gave her treatment and care for two weeks. Tori stayed by the woman's side, growing to love and trust the human. The woman's name was Miaka Takeuchi. The two became friends, Miaka became a priestess and a medicine woman.

He learned all of that not because he wanted to. It was because Miaka was trying to familiarize herself to Cell and get him to talk about himself. He refused to talk. He didn't like this woman, and he especially didn't like the wolf. He just walked along side of them, listening to her talk. He was busy longing the day when he would finally get away from the Singing Mountain and everyone on it. He wanted nothing more to do with this accursed place.

They began to pass by the pool of the Shishi Gami, but tried to avoid it. Moro-sama did ban Cell from ever going there since that day Surreal attacked him. Cell sighed to himself, and refrained from looking at the lake by staring down at his walking feet.

That water made me perfect somehow…or was that the work of Surreal? I wish I knew. Well, I shouldn't worry about that just yet. Masquerade said she would help me become perfect again…but she doesn't seem to be doing anything now! She said she would, and all she's doing is playing with these stupid wolves and the damned kodama. Oh God, how long am I going to put up with this crap?!

"Cell! Look! Quickly!" Miaka called, pointing out to the lake.

"What is it?" he wondered, looking at the pool. He could not believe what he saw! It looked like a human boy walking across the surface of the water with no effort. The boy walked slowly, in no hurry or panic, as though he walked on water all the time. Cell looked closely at the boy's face, experiencing a strange form of déjà vu. He had seen that face before, but not that boy.

"It's Akimo-chan." Miaka explained quietly. "He was the reincarnation of the Shishi Gami six thousand years ago. That's his spirit. It's a rare sight for outsiders. I thought you might want to see him."

"You mean…that's a ghost?" The forest was full of surprises. Akimo looked up at the two travelers curiously. Cell felt a shiver run up his spine. Does it see us? Miaka bowed politely to the boy, and Akimo smiled at her before continuing on his way. Cell watched the boy go as the human spirit walked onto the bank and into the surrounding trees. "What was he doing?"

"This is his home." Miaka explained. "When the Shishi Gami died, Akimo-chan was born and took his place. All the forest gods respect him just as they did the Shishi Gami itself."

"Interesting." He commented. Indeed, very interesting. One surprise after the other.

***

Masq walked away from the temple in a very bad mood. The gathering was Piccolo's idea. He wanted to express his concerns about Cell staying on the mountain, and had suggested that Cell be put to death before he caused anyone any harm. Masq had started an argument to keep Cell alive. Both of them yelled at each other over Cell's life until Moro-sama ordered them to be quiet. She, Amaroq, and the two other giant wolves discussed the matter among themselves, and so did the other priestesses.

The decision was to keep Cell in the company of a priestess and wolf at all times. Piccolo decided to remain on the mountain just in case. Masq was afraid that Piccolo would summon the other people to the mountain and they would destroy Cell together. If that happened, then Cell would die and the clan would have no choice but to slay the fighters immediately. All the powers that be seemed to be against Masq, and that made her edgy and angry. She felt that she would snap at the first person that talked to her.

Ghen and Yume walked along side her as she headed back to her house. Everyone was leaving the temple, and Rhapsody had agreed to give Piccolo a room at the village inn for as long as he liked. The priestesses were heading home and the wolves' back to the forest. Masq was heading home to get some sleep immediately. She needed the nap, and twilight was upon the land.

"I can smell Cell." Ghen announced as they walked up to her small house. "He is home." He sniffed the ground again. "Tori and San Miaka were here…"

"Good." Masq sighed in tire. "She brought him back." She headed to the door and Yume followed obediently. "Thank you for walking me back home, Ghen. Are you sure you don't want to stay here?"

"Mother needs all the help she can get to take care of the cubs, and my other brothers and sisters have left the den to have cubs of their own. I must help my mother and her latest litter…" He tilted his head, which made him look like he was glaring at Masq. "…which gives me concern of letting Yume-chan stay here."

"She'll be fine." Masq assured, patting Yume's fur. "I promise, I'll look after her."

"I'm trusting you, San." Ghen growled as he began to walk away.

"And I trust you like a friend." Masq nodded. "Good night, Ghen. And wish your mother good night for me, okay?" Ghen didn't respond as he walked away into the forest. Masq opened the door, and Yume bounded inside.

"Seru-san!" the pup called into the home. "San said I can stay here with you!"

"Oh God…" Cell moaned in the next room.

Laying on the bed like a goddamn cat, I'll bet. Masq thought, shaking her head as she closed the door behind her.

"Seru?" Masq called as she walked towards the bedroom. "How long have you been here by yourself?"

"A couple hours." He answered. "Nothing happened. I was almost asleep until you two came in." Masq looked at his bed, and her guess was confirmed. He was curled up on the bed like he always was, trying to sleep himself to health. She sighed heavily.

"At least you were walking around with Miaka, right?"

"Yes." Cell growled through his fangs as Yume jumped on his bed.

"Good. I still need to get you to move around. You can't get your strength back just by…"

"You keep telling me that!" Cell snapped.

"Don't yell at me!" Masq snapped back, about to take off her fur shroud. "I've had enough of being yelled at today! That 'friend' of yours gave me an earful about you at the temple. No wonder why you two hate each other…"

"Piccolo was there?" Cell wondered, uncurling himself and sitting up. "What did he say?"

"We were called to the temple because of him. He said he wanted you dead, but I said you weren't going to die as long as I'm around. So we argued about it, and…"

"You said what?"

"I said that I wasn't going to let him kill you." Masq repeated, looking at him as she took off her mask and shrugging off her shroud.

"Why? Why would you stand up for me like that?" he wondered. "Aren't I being a handful for you? An inconvenience?"

"Yes, actually, you are." Masq answered, laying the fur shroud down on her bed. "But you're not that big of a pain to me. I told you before, you're my responsibility and I'm not going to let that bigger pain who calls himself Piccolo kill you. If he did kill you, I'd probably kill myself. I would never let you die."

"But why?" Cell demanded.

"Damn you! Pay attention!" Masq snapped, about to rush over to him and pound the answer into his face with her fist. Cell and Yume shrank their heads away from her in fear. Masq calmed down when she saw their scared faces, and grabbed her nightgown from under her pillow.

"I'm getting something to eat before I go to bed." She announced. "Does anybody want anything?"

"No." Cell answered, curling back up.

"No thanks." Yume shook her head. Masq nodded, and went into the bathroom to change clothes. She heard Yume trying to talk to Cell as she undressed in private. She didn't hear Cell's voice at all. He was probably annoyed at the wolf cub because he wanted to go to sleep and she wouldn't let him. Or did he even like her at all. Poor Yume, usually everyone loves that little puppy when they see her.

After changing, she walked out of the bathroom and towards the refrigerator in the next room. Yume was chirping away about her day to Cell who had his hands over his ears as he tried to sleep. Masq chuckled as she opened the refrigerator door.

"Yume!" she called. "Let Seru get some sleep. And it's late, you should go to sleep too."

"But I'm not tired, San!" Yume called back.

"Yume…" Masq called back in warning. She looked back in the next room to watch the puppy jump off of Cell's bed and climb up to Masq's bed, whimpering. Masq grabbed some left over apple pie and a fork and began eating away at a slice. She set her plate of pie on the table and peeked into the bedroom to see how Cell and Yume were doing. Yume was stretched out on Masq's bed, looking across the room at the monster. Cell was staring through the doorway at Masquerade, but quickly put his head down and closed his eyes as she looked at him. Masq smiled. He was growing curious of her, and that was a good sign. Hopefully, he would grow to trust and like her. She would have liked that…Cell would be a great friend to have.

His perfect face jumped into her mind as she turned away from the doorway. His smooth skin, his pretty eyes, his beautiful face… She smiled and blushed. Maybe if I'm lucky, we'll be more than just friends…