Princess Mononoke Fan Fiction / Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Singing Mountain ❯ Chapter 9: Night at the Hotsprings ( Chapter 9 )

Don't you wish you owned DBZ or Princess Mononoke? Yeah, me too. But I don't. Both belong to their respective creators. Damn…

Masquerade opened her eyes a few minutes after midnight. Although the room was dark, the faint light from outside could let her see the outlines of several objects. She saw Cell, still siting on the edge of the bed with his gathered hands just under his nose, exactly as she had last saw him. She smiled and shook her head. Was he watching over her as she slept? She sat up in her bed, and looked over her hands and felt her shoulders and stomach. The demon burns were almost gone, but she felt rather stiff. She looked back at Cell; he made no sound or movement.

Wait…no way…Masq grinned to herself. She pushed back the covers, and slowly walked to him so that she wouldn't make any sound. She looked closely at his face, and she discovered that his eyes were closed and he was breathing very slowly. He was asleep. Masq laughed silently to herself, and gently kissed him on the nose. He stirred for a moment then fell silent. She smiled to herself, then walked into the next room for something to help her get back to sleep. Her sprain stung her shin, and she almost toppled to the floor. "Ow…" she moaned, then continued to the refrigerator to get some cold milk. She hummed quietly to herself as she got a cup from the tiny kitchen counter. Then, she sat in a chair by the table to rest her ankle.

Okay, so I'm in love with him… Masq thought to herself, pouring herself the drink. She looked through the doorway and at Cell where he slept. But I can't tell anyone until he says he loves me too. Oh man, this is…something I'm not used to. Men hate me; I never had a boyfriend in my life. Well, not a real one, at least… She lowered her head for a moment. Well, now that I have the feelings for him, what's suppost to happen now? She lifted her head back up with a smile as she had an idea. I'll ask the girls in the morning after I take Cell for a walk. They'll know what to do. Her smile grew bigger, and she poured herself another drink of milk. After she finished her glass, she carefully set it on the counter, and very carefully walked back to her bed.

She looked at the crystal dagger on the bed table next to her. She put her hand on it, and gently stroked it with her fingers. A fond memory was attached to that dagger, and she wanted to share it with Cell. But he won't accept it… She looked at him again. He hadn't moved. She climbed back into the bed and pulled the covers up to her chin.

Doesn't he like me?

I really don't want to be hurt again…

Singing Mountain: Chapter 9

On the training battlegrounds, Rhapsody relaxed by the mouth of Moro-sama's cave den. The sun was out, the sky was cloudless, the priestesses were healing up very well, and everything was pointing in the direction of a good day. Rhapsody closed her eyes and sang a little song quietly to herself:

Haritsumeta yumi no furueru tsuru yo

Tsuki no hikari ni zawameku omae no kokoro

Togisumasareta yaiba no utsukushi

Sono kissaki ni yoku nita sonata no yokogao

Kanashimi to ikari ni hisomu makoto no kokoro wo

Shiru wa mori no sei

Mononoke tachi dake

Mononoke tachi dake

"Hey San!" a black, skinned priestess called from the open plane below. "Will you spar with me please?" Rhapsody stopped her singing, and looked down at her fellow Mononoke.

"Sure." She agreed, stepping down from the den. "San Marlene, right? Have you heard from San Masquerade?"

"Not yet." Marlene shook her head. "Is she the Cell girl?"

"Is that what they're calling her?" Rhapsody sighed.

"So far, yes." The priestess nodded. "Oh, and there's something else you should know. Two strangers arrived at the mountain today."

"Kuririn and his wife, yes I know." Rhapsody nodded. "I gave them an inn room in Eboshi."

"No, I mean today. Two men, from different places. One was a young man, almost thirty I think, and he claims to have grown up here. The other was a very young boy, probably thirteen, and he said that a dream brought him here."

"Hmmm…" Rhapsody thought. "Anything special about these two? Anything in common?"

"I dunno. But I think the boy was the same one in the Cell Game."

"Oh?" Rhapsody was struck hard with the information. "Well, I should tell Masquerade this later. She's the Budakai expert out of everyone here. Where are these men now?"

"The older one is in a village getting breakfast. The boy is headed this way. He should be here pretty soon." Rhapsody smiled.

"Okay then, let's be prepared to meet him. Meanwhile, let's spar."

/|\

Gohan trekked through the forest on foot so that he wouldn't alarm any more women. He saw two of them watching him in confused fear as he flew for the peak. He decided after a while that walking was healthier, and he had a better chance of finding out why the dream pointed him in the direction of these mountains. He heard so much about the mountains and the people on them that he had hesitated for a few hours before he left, and Chi-chi was very reluctant to letting him go.

From what he understood, the Wolf Jaw mountains were also known as the Mountains of Outcasts. Women called the Japanese Amazons lived here, along with giant beasts whom they worshiped as gods. The women dressed in Native American styled masks and wore heavy fur coats, and they were suspect of Wicca practices. A rumor he once heard in school was that the women turned little children into frogs and ate them for supper. Of course, it was just a silly little tale, and it wasn't true.

But anything that seems silly or impossible has become a danger these days… Gohan thought as he walked through the trees to a large clearing. Since the Cell Game, everyone has been spooked about the latest unexplained phenomenon. They're willing to believe anything after being scared so badly…

Then, he stopped walking and looked at the scene before him. He was standing on a rolling hill, overlooking a valley with a wide and deep river filling it. He spotted an island close to the opposite shore with old, ruined buildings crowning its muddy soil. There appeared to be no one there at first, then he spotted a boat docking itself on the island's banks. Gohan flew towards the island, and landed next to the boat. There was a young woman on the boat, and swimming next to it was probably the largest wolf Gohan had ever seen. He was more used to that saber-toothed tiger that chased him around every day back home.

"Hi there!" Gohan greeted with a friendly smile and wave. The woman turned to Gohan in surprise. She was about middle aged, with short brown hair and gray eyes. She was dressed in blue pantaloons and a white sleeveless shirt. Painted on her cheeks were two red triangles and she sported another red triangle on her forehead. Her surprise became a smile of greeting.

"Hello there, young man." She said softly. "Are you lost? Where did you come from?"

"Actually, I came here by myself." Gohan explained. The woman looked at him with a lot more surprise.

"And…you came this far…all by yourself?"

"Sure." Gohan nodded, looking up at the buildings. "Hey, uh, where am I?"

"Oh, these are the ruins of Tatara Ba, the Iron Town. They also hold foundation to the first temple to Moro Gami."

"Moro Gami?"

"Well, if you would like to come with me, I'll explain. My name is Miaka. What's yours?"

"Son Gohan."

They shook hands.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Gohan. Follow me. We're going to the heart of the town."

They both walked towards the buildings, and the large, black wolf closely followed them.

"Wow." Gohan gasped up at the wolf, who wagged her tail and panted happily at the boy.

"Oh, that's Tori, a wolf god. Did you want to pet her, Gohan? She seems to like you." Miaka smiled. Gohan reached up a brave hand and gently stroked the wolf's snout. Tori whimpered softly in greeting, and yipped in friendliness. Gohan smiled at the giant beast and patted its muzzle in confidence.

"So, what brings you to the mountain, Gohan?" Miaka asked. Gohan looked at her, taking his hand away from Tori.

"Well, I had a dream that told me to come here." Gohan explained the best he could. "I'm not so sure why or how, but something really bad was suppost to happen."

"Well, the dream may have come too late." Miaka sighed. "A demon attacked us yesterday. Most of us were lucky to escape with our lives."

"Oh my gosh…" Gohan gasped. "Really?"

"Yes. Fortunately, the murdered spirits are resting in peace, and the wounded have been fully healed. My stomach aches every now and then." She admitted, putting a hand to her gut. "However, I'm fine."

"Wow, that's a relief." Gohan sighed with Miaka. "But…I don't think my dream was about that…" Suddenly, he remembered one image from his dream…

…a giant green monster lunging towards him, baring its fangs…

"Was the demon huge, and green, with fangs?" Gohan asked.

"No, not…" Suddenly, Miaka knew who Gohan was talking about. "…not at all. The demon was one of the undead, with slimy worms covering its whole body."

"Yuck!" Gohan stuck out his tongue in disgust. "That's not in my dream at all. But what about the monster I described? Have you seen anything like that?"

"No." Miaka lied. "I'm afraid not."

"Oh, okay."

I have to remain on my guard. Miaka reminded herself. No outsiders must know about Cell…and they especially must not know about Cell and San Masquerade!

/|\

Cell remained asleep, sitting on the edge of the bed. He was dreaming about something from long ago…

… … …

Cell found himself standing next to a river in the open forest. The bank was mostly river pebbles and bordered with giant boulders. The water was a brown, muddy color and had risen several inches than normal from a recent downpour. Several human bodies and carcasses of oxen floated through the current. It was a chilling sight to see.

He walked next to a giant, white boulder and found himself looking at his reflection in the river. He couldn't see his reflection as though he was looking in a mirror, but he could barely make out the familiar silowett of his imperfect form. He quickly felt his face and head, and he found that he was still in his perfect form. Nose, split headcrest, and all.

"How strange." He said aloud. "Why is the reflection different from what I really am?"

"The rivers never lie." A nearby voice told him. Cell sharply turned his head to the boulder, and found that it wasn't a boulder at all. It was a gigantic wolf god bigger than Moro-sama, with the same white fur but a different voice. The wolf slowly and carefully stood up, showing a bloody wound in its furry coat. Cell took a few steps back in alarm as the wolf slowly turned its head to him. "A reflection shows the truth in a man's heart. You may appear beautiful on the outside, but inside you are still a monster."

"Who are you?" Cell demanded in anger.

"My name is Moro Gami. You must rid yourself of the monster, or it will kill you."

"What?" Cell lowered one eyebrow in confusion and blinked a few times. His imperfect form would kill him? That didn't make sense at all. And who was this Moro Gami? What happened to Moro-sama?

"Mother!" a girl's voice cried out in worry. Jumping from another white wolf's back, a priestess girl ran to the wolf's aide. Moro-sama growled in surpassed pain as the girl inspected the wound. "Mother! You have been shot!"

"The gun woman did this…" the wolf explained. The girl rushed to the wound and put her hands on either side of it.

"I'll kill her for this…" the girl growled, putting her face to the wound, sucking out the blood, and spitting it to the ground. Cell watched with disgusted interest. What was happening here?

"Who are you?!" a male voice barked behind him. Cell turned to see another white wolf poking his muzzle into the android's back. Cell didn't answer. He just kept his ground as the wolf pushed him closer to the girl. "What shall we do with him San? Shall we bite his head off and feed his body to the Ravens?" The girl looked up from her task, her mouth and nose covered in red blood. She stared at Cell up and down, then spat her mouthful of blood in Cell's face. Cell flinched, and failed to protect himself in time. He wiped away some blood from his eyes and opened them carefully. The girl was giving him a very ferocious look.

"Do not challenge me, San." He warned the girl. She looked shocked and amazed.

"H-how do you know my name?!" she gasped.

… … …

"Seru?" Masq gently called Cell from his dream, making him stand up.

"Hm?" he moaned sleepily as Masq slipped one of his arms over his shoulders.

"It's ten in the morning, and you know what that means." She smiled as Cell slowly opened his eyes. "It's time for our walk. Shall we go?"

"Can I get more sleep please?" Cell requested, groaning in tire. Masq looked over his body to see that some of the demon burns remained on his neck and chest. He was probably very sore. Understandingly, she smiled.

"Sure." She allowed. "But as soon as you wake up, we're taking off."

"Alright." Cell accepted, as Masquerade helped him back into the bed, and pulled the covers up to his shoulders. Cell closed his eyes again, and went back to sleep.

Masq, all dressed and ready for the daily walk, went to the front of her house to check on her garden. She hoped he would get the sleep he needed quickly. She really wanted to take that walk…

…so that she could tell Cell how she felt about him.

/|\

Gohan sat on Tori's shoulders as the wolf and her priestess walked the empty streets of the ruins. Miaka was glad to tell Gohan all about the once thriving city.

"This was once an iron working city. The forge is just up ahead." She pointed to a large, pyramid shaped building a few yards away. It had rusted over, and had moss and ivy growing on it. "In there was where the iron was made. The fires had to be burning at all times, so there was a giant bellow called a tatara that was constantly pumped by some of the working women here."

"Wow." Gohan said in awe.

"But the forge is not our destination. The central chamber of the Moro Gami temple is."

"There's a temple here too?"

"Actually, when the city was destroyed by the Night Walker, the Lady Eboshi turned the remains of the city into an enormous temple for the wolf god Moro Gami. It was destroyed by the raven clan a thousand years later, and a new temple was built on the mountain's peak where priestesses could see the ravens before they attacked again."

"Ravens? Are there raven gods too?"

"Absolutely. The ravens are the rivals of the wolves. The ravens attacked the first temple in anger. They did not want humans to begin worshiping the gods like they did back in the ancient times."

"But why?"

"No one knows for certain except for the descendents of the ravens today. I believe it may have been that the ravens felt betrayed of the humans to first destroy their forests, then change their minds and live in harmony with the forest again. They decided that all humans were traitors to the gods, and constructing a temple for them was a great sin, especially a temple to the wolves. Fortunately, it was the mighty Ashitaka-sama that warded off the ravens before they could kill too many of the Tatara people."

"Who?"

"Ashitaka-sama."

"Who's that?"

Miaka closed her eyes and recited part of a poem in Japanese:

"The youth Ashitaka, delivered by fate

Into the midst of the last desperate battle

Between the humans and the rampaging gods

On a journey to cleanse from his body a scar

And escape its slow curse of death."

"It was Ashitaka-sama who reunited the humans with the forest. Why he did so is anyone's guess. He was a man who had no hatred or greed in his heart, a strong man…a savior of both our peoples."

"Interesting." Gohan bit his lip. "Tell me more about Ashitaka. I think I heard a story about him once…"

"In a moment, Gohan." Miaka suggested. "We're here." They stopped at a large doorway, and Miaka went in first. "You might want to get off Tori's shoulders unless you want a nasty bump on your head coming in."

"Okay." Gohan agreed, jumping off the wolf and jogging in after the priestess. Tori followed behind them. Miaka stepped into a dark room, and took out a match from the folds of her cloth belt. She lit it and looked around. They were standing in a room of orange stone where white etched carvings of wolves, boars, ravens, snakes, tigers, dragons, and apes. Gohan looked around in amazement. "Are these all gods?"

"Every single one of them." Miaka nodded. "These are true gods. As for where I'm standing…" She carefully pointed her match downward. The floor was also carved, but in a gigantic circle. In the directions of north, south, east, and west was a strange creature. To the north was a bird, to the east was a cat, to the south was a fish, and to the west was a dear. All had faces alike a human. "…these are gods of life and death. None of them are around today. All were killed either by the humans or by the gods themselves."

"Oh my gosh…" Gohan gasped in wonder. He had never seen or heard of anything like this… "What does it all mean?"

"This was the central chamber of the Moro Gami temple. This room is the only one left standing. It is here where I catch spirits who cause trouble. Today, I'm looking for the spirit controlling the demon from yesterday. According to one eyewitness, I think I know who it could be. Would you like to watch me, Gohan?"

"Sure!" the boy agreed with a nod of his head.

"Please stand outside the circle. Tori-kun, you know the drill." As Gohan stepped towards the doorway, Tori stepped to Miaka's side. Miaka put the match on the ground and knelt beside the quickly dying flame. Tori bore her fangs, standing ready to strike at a moment's notice. Miaka closed her eyes and chanted in Japanese.

"From the land of the living to the land of the walking spirits, I call forth one. I call forth a spirit walking in the land of the living without permission and is causing harm to the living souls . Come forth to the smoke of this flame and reveal thyself. Come…Surreal!"

Surreal? Gohan wondered in his head as he watched on. That's a weird name for a spirit… Miaka carefully watched the smoke from the match's flame, and a soft growl purred in Tori's throat. They waited, watching carefully for a sign.

Five minutes passed…

"Nothing." Miaka sighed as the fire went out and the smoke disappeared into the air. "The spirit was not using her real name. She was prepared for this…"

"This is bad." Tori agreed. "We should ask him what her real name is."

" 'Him?' " Gohan wondered. Miaka looked up at the boy.

"A friend of ours." She explained while keeping Cell a secret. "Well, since I used up all of my matches for the week, how about I give you a tour of Tatara Ba? And if you have time, I could show you the current Moro Gami temple?"

"Sounds good!" Gohan cheered. "I've got all the time in the world!"

"Very well." Miaka nodded, standing up and heading outside. "Let's get started. This way."

/|\

It was noon, but 18 did not want to get out of bed. Her hips were in pain, but that wasn't the reason. Seeing Cell had given her nightmares all night, and she was so depressed that she didn't want to leave the comfort of the covers. No matter how hard Kuririn begged her, she refused to budge. He was afraid to force her out of the bed. He had received a few lessons about making his wife angry, and the lessons were so painful that he couldn't sit down for a whole month. In an effort to try to coax her out of bed, Kuririn went out exploring the town for new clothes for 18 to wear.

She was alone, in the dark bedroom, staring out at the open window at the cheery blue sky. She sighed heavily.

His eyes…were that same color blue…

She was thinking of 17 for the first time in a while. He was almost always smiling, playing dumb sometimes to make her laugh, being playful to annoy her and flirt with death, showing off how strong he was to herself and Gero…she missed all of that. His voice once again echoed in her ears.

"We'll never part, 18. Not in a million years. Nothing will ever separate us."

Then, he was swallowed by Cell, and she never saw him again. The last time she had ever heard his voice was when Cell tried to coax her to him using 17's voice. It was painful to remember that now.

Why did Cell have to come back? Did he come back for me? Or maybe…Her eyes widened at a possibility… Maybe 17 escaped and Cell came back for him! That could be it! Yes! A sudden realization kept her from getting too excited. No, no…that couldn't be it. 17 is dead now. I wish he wasn't…

"Ow!" 18 winced as pain stabbed into her hips. She rolled onto her other shoulder, clutching her sides and gnashing her teeth. "Dammit…why does being pregnant have to be so painful?!" As the pain subsided, she relaxed and closed her eyes to try to sleep again.

My baby…

Has Cell come for my baby?!

Oh God, I hope not!

A single tear fell from her eyes as she slipped away from the pain and into a light sleep.

/|\

"Hellooooo?!" Masq called, storming to Cell's bed. "Time to go for our walk!"

"No, it's not." Cell moaned. Masq angrily flung the covers off of the bed and tugged on Cell's arm.

"I don't get what it is about those kodama that you hate so much! Just come on…" The pulled and pulled, but couldn't get him to budge from where he lay. She let go of his arm, and resorted to pulling on his leg. She tugged and tugged, but he was just too heavy for her. "Come on, come on, come on…"

"No." Cell denighed, putting his hands behind his head in mockery. Masq glared at him, let go of his leg and headed into the kitchen.

"Alright, you leave me with no choice. You know what I'm getting, right?"

"The frying pan?" Cell wondered, opening one eye. "Forget it." He closed his eye. "I'm in my perfect body now. You can't hurt me with that frying pan."

BAM! Something hit Cell really hard in the face.

"OW!" He shot up to a sit on the bed, covering his nose. He opened his eyes and looked to the side to see Masq standing by the side of the bed, holding the frying pan over her shoulder like it was a golf club. He growled at her. "My nose is bleeding because of that…"

"Serves you right." Masq huffed. "Just hold your head straight and plug it with your fingers for five minutes. If it's still bleeding, panic."

"Berry funni." Cell sarcastically commented after he plugged his nose. Masq smiled, and sat on the other side of the bed. "Nhow what arhe yhou dhoingk?"

"Waiting for you to get out of bed." She stated. "After that nose stops bleeding, I'm expecting you to get out of bed and take our walk. If not, I'll whack you again."

"Alrhite! Alrhite!" Cell gave in. After a while, his nose stopped bleeding and he got up from the bed. He followed Masquerade outside and into the forest, not needing any support from her to walk. Now that he was walking on his own, he was well on his way to leaving the mountain behind forever. He looked very foreword to that.

Their walk through the forest was unusually quiet. There were no kodama to greet them. There was no sightings and not one clicking or rattling sound. Masq theorized that the cause may have been the negative energy from their existing demon burns. Cell just nodded, but he was mentally celebrating.

Masq kept staring up at Cell's face throughout the whole walk. He did not look at her. After looking up at him for a while, she would stare down at her walking feet and think to herself. She was waiting for the right moment to tell him how she felt, that her heart was set on him, but it was hard. She remembered the last time she tried doing this with another man, a long time ago…

It's been so long since I felt like this about a guy. It kinda hurts…but I don't want that to get in my way. I want to tell him, but I don't know what he feels about me. If I tell him, and he hates me, he'll just hate me even more and my heart will break. Again…Oh, get a hold of yourself, Coral. You've done this before, just say it already!

"Seru…"

Cell, without turning his head, glanced down at Masquerade out of the corner of his eye. Masq didn't like that response. He just glanced at her without a sound like she was the most horrible person in the world. She looked away from him, and shook her head in disappointment.

"Never mind. Forget it."

"Stop it."

Masq stopped in surprise. Cell stopped with her, the still expression on his face unwavering.

"Stop what?"

"Stop holding back what needs to be said. A wise man told me that once. If you have something to say, you shouldn't be afraid to say it." He turned his head to look at her. "So, what was it you wanted to say?" Masq looked into his eyes, and suddenly the answers to her questions were clear.

He neither hates you nor loves you. He hardly thinks anything of you. Telling him you love him now will only discourage him. He will not love you back if you give him your heart right this minute.

Masq looked away from him.

"Just forget about it. It's nothing really."

"Very well…" he accepted. "Shall we continue on?"

"Sure." Masq nodded, and the two of them resumed walking. The whole way, Masq squinted her eyes shut, mentally kicking herself. She was being such an idiot…but she was determined not to give up and have her heart broken a second time. When the time was right, she would tell him that she loved him.

/|\

It was a long peaceful walk for both of them. As soon as they reached the house, San Rhapsody and Aman were by the front door to greet them. Cell pretended not to care as Masq greeted her two friends happily.

"Hey Rhapsody! Hi Aman-san!" she called as she approached. Aman nodded his head with a small yip while Rhapsody slid her mask over the top of her head to reveal her face.

"Hello Masquerade. Hello Cell." Rhapsody greeted. Cell turned his head away. "We have some news we are spreading to the other Sans on the mountain."

"We're all ears." Masq spoke for herself and Cell.

"San Miaka recommended that Sans that were burned by the demon get soaked in some hot water for a while to soothe their sore mussels. She suggests the Eboshi hot springs just outside the capital."

"Oooooooo!" Masq cooed. "Hot springs! I didn't know there were hot springs on this mountain!"

"Certainly." Rhapsody nodded. "The Mountain of the Tatara is actually a volcano, and some of the hot air and waters flow over here. So, there are hot springs on the mountain, but the springs at Eboshi are the only safe ones to bathe in."

"Oh, okay." Masq nodded.

"Of course, no one is forcing you to go. You could just soak in a bathtub of hot water if you wish."

"Actually, the hot springs sound really good right about now." Masq smiled. "Seru and I will see you there."

"Hm?" Cell blinked at Masq, not liking what he heard.

"Great." Rhapsody beamed. "I'm headed there tonight, just to chat with the other Sans. The girls would love to have Cell there, they would be thrilled to meet him." Cell began sweating in nervousness. An unwelcome picture of him in a hot spring with hundreds of girls wearing either a towel or nothing at all popped into his head. He felt so nervous, he started blushing and his cheeks turned black.

"See you there, then." Masq nodded. "But, if you'd like to come inside for some tea or anything to eat…"

"Sorry, but there are a few more Sans up the mountain I need to talk to." Rhapsody shook her head as she jumped onto Aman's shoulders. "I'll see you at the springs."

"Okay." Masq smiled as Aman trotted away up the mountain and towards the village. "See ya there!" Then, Masq opened the door and she and Cell entered the house.

"I'm not going." Cell firmly stated. Masq looked at him with a strange look.

"Why not?"

"I'm not going." Cell said again.

"What? Are you scared of a bunch of girls in a hot spring? Izzat it?"

"Of course not." He snapped. "I just don't want to go."

"I really want you to meet the rest of the girls before you go." Masq insisted. "So don't think I'm preparing a hot bath for you. Besides, you won't fit in the bathtub."

"Be quiet." Cell ordered, turning his back to her.

"Don't make me get the frying pan back out, Seru. I'm serious, I really want you to go."

"No force on heaven or earth will make me go to that hot spring!"

"How about hell?" Masq dared with an evil smirk. "Cause that's where I'm from."

"You don't say." Cell growled, seeing the potential joke.

BAM! Masq's frying pan came into hard contact with Cell's head!

"OW!" Cell yelped, flung to the ground by the force of the blow.

"Did I knock any teeth out?" Masq wondered, looking down at Cell.

"No…" Cell groaned.

"Good. I don't wanna use my full strength on you. That would knock out every tooth in your jaw."

Frightened at that thought, Cell bolted to his feet.

"Okay, okay, you win, I'll go."

"Great." Masq beamed. "Sorry to have to force you, but it's for your own good."

"I see…" Cell growled, rubbing the back of his head.

/|\

The capital of Eboshi was buzzing with priestess activity that starry night. Many were in their kimonos, but a shy few were fully dressed but had brought towels with them. They were all headed for the hot springs under Miaka's advising. The springs were going to be very busy, as were the hotels and some of the bath shops and sake stalls.

The springs were fashioned into separate baths, each half the size of a community swimming pool. There were built in stone seats under the four-foot deep waters. Each spring was bubbling at a constant and challenging eighty-five degrees. Anyone, man or woman, could sit in the baths for free. No wolves attended, they preferred the cold waters of the mountain's lakes and rivers. The springs were for anyone needed relaxation and were usually recommended treatment by the mountain's many doctors and healers. It was also popular for young couples. It was the "hippest" spot on the whole mountain.

Masq and Cell arrived at the hot springs while the crowds were still gathering. There were six different springs to choose from, and Masq was looking for the one with the most familiar faces in it. Meanwhile, Cell followed her around like a puppy on a leash, with a very guilty look on his face.

I absolutely do not want to be here. He assured himself. If only I knew how I get myself into these messes…Finally, Masq found a spring where San Rhapsody and other young Sans sat in and soaked in the pleasantly warm water. She quickly undid her kimono, revealing her towel wrapped body, and hung her kimono on a nearby coat hanger in a changing room. She immediately took Cell's hand and ushered him towards the warm water.

"C'mon, you'll like it." She urged.

"What if I don't?!" he growled.

"You will. Sure, you'll whine and complain now, but you'll enjoy yourself once you step in, now come on." She pulled him towards the pool while he tried to stand his ground.

"He doesn't have to get in if he doesn't want to." One San suggested.

"I rather he did." Masq insisted, stepping into the water, still pulling Cell towards the water. Being stubborn, he just stood at the edge of the spring. All of the women were making him nervous. "C'mon, Seru!"

"The water's fine, Cell." Rhapsody coaxed, holding up a sake bottle. "Would you like to join us?"

"I'm sure those burns made you sore and stiff, Mr. Cell." A red head with freckles giggled. "The water will relax you. Would you like to come in with us?"

"We don't mind. Really, we don't, deary." A cute, British San with short, black hair insisted, sipping at her sake dish. "Please, do join us and have a drink?"

"Uh…" Cell hesitated. Many of the younger Sans began to giggle, or hide their smiles behind their hands. Slowly, but surely, Masquerade got Cell to step into the water and sit down next to her.

"There." Masq sighed in relief. "Feel better already?"

"Far from it." Cell sighed in embarrassment. His cheeks were very black, and he felt very hot in the face, and none of it was caused by the water or sake. Rhapsody passed the sake bottle and a couple dishes for Masq and Cell. Masq poured herself some of the sweet alcohol, but Cell politely turned it down.

"I don't drink." He insisted. Masq gave him a "suit yourself" shrug, and began downing the sake like it was water.

"This is some good stuff." Masq beamed at the sake, pouring herself another dish before passing around the bottle. "What kind is this?"

"The best." A purely Japanese girl said to Masq, turning red in the cheeks. "Brewed in Asago, Japan."

"I thought they made beer…"

"Yeah, that too."

"Oh." Masq giggled. She participated in more girl gossip with the other Sans, getting to know them and who their wolves were. She was especially getting close with the red headed San Kaede. Cell tried to avoid the talk, but it was hard not to pay attention or overhear something he was happier not hearing at all. Some of the priestesses tried to get him talking in some form of conversation, but he only gave one sentence responses (two sentences if what he had to say couldn't be summed up into one). He refused to talk about where he came from and what happened in the Cell Game. He just wanted it to end soon.

About an hour after Cell got into the spring, San Miaka came to join them. She was wrapped in a towel when she arrived, but as soon as she got into the water at a respectable depth, she took of the towel and flung it out of the spring. Cell wasn't exactly phased by that. He didn't mind the human female body at all, but it was what they planned to do with it that bothered him. Some of the more drunken Sans, bewitched by sake, flashed him or tried to make out with him (what he was afraid would happen), and that made him all the more ready to leave.

"Sorry I'm so late." Miaka pardoned herself. A sake bottle and dish were passed to her and she declined. "No thank you. See, a little boy showed up at Tatara Ba, and I gave him a tour of the ruins and the temple at the peak…"

"Just one dish?" Masq pressured Cell in a drunken daze, holding a sake bottle and dish to him. "Just one? That's all?"

"Oh alright, but just one." Cell growled, snatching the drink and dish. "I'm not ending up like a drunken bum like you."

"I ain't drunk." Masq insisted, giggling. "I only had ten dishes."

"…" Cell didn't comment as he poured a very small amount of alcohol into his dish and began sipping it.

"A little boy?" Rhapsody wondered, then looked back at Miaka. "He arrived this morning?"

"I believe so…" Miaka nodded. "He came here all by himself."

"He didn't say that he was with a Yamcha, did he?"

Cell stopped in mid sip, and looked at Rhapsody over the side of his dish.

Yamcha? What does he have to do with this?

"Nope. Who's Yamcha?"

"Apparently, he grew up here. He's in the city, reuniting with his sister, San Rice. Who knows, they might stop by here. I heard he's a cutie."

"Yamcha…" Masq ran through her mind, but she was a little too drunk to think clearly. "Yamcha, Yamcha, Yamcha…where have I heard that name before?" Cell shrugged at her, and continued sipping his sake.

"So," Rhapsody smiled at Miaka, "did the little boy have a name?"

"He said his name was Son Gohan." Miaka nodded.

WHAT?!

Cell did a spit take with his sake in shock.

"Son Gohan?!" he gasped at Miaka. "Is that what you said?!"

"I knew it." Miaka smirked. "He was the boy from the Game. And he was the one who defeated you, and not Mr. Satan, right?"

"Where is he?!" Cell demanded.

"He's at my house, I'm giving him a room there for the night."

Cell dropped his sake dish, and a nearby San grabbed the bottle before he could drop that too. Masq looked at him in concern. His black blush was fading away. He was going pale in fear.

"Seru…" she began to comfort him. He wouldn't hear any of it. He jumped out of the spring, quickly shook himself dry, and then took off running. Masq quickly jumped out after him, holding her towel up with one hand. "Seru!"

"San Rhapsody…" Miaka looked to the high priestess, "how much did Masquerade say she had to drink?"

"I can't remember really?" Rhapsody shook her head.

"Oh no…" Miaka moaned, jumping out of the spring, and wrapping her towel around her body tightly. "Excuse me a moment ladies, I'll get Cell and Masquerade back." She ran off after them.

/|\

Cell quickly began to tire as he came upon a lake not too far away from the springs. He stopped and propped himself on a tree trunk with one hand to catch his breath. He stared out at the tranquil lake, noticing that it reflected the stars above in the black sky. He could hear crickets and some kind of night cicada buzz and chirp into the night air, and a few small frogs could be heard burping their croaks on the other side of the lake. The scene helped to calm down his excited heart. He lowered his head in thought.

Gohan is here…He has come for me…I don't want to die again…

I must kill him before he kills me…

I don't want to die…

"Seru!"

Masquerade's voice. Cell sighed, and stood straighter as he heard her bare footsteps run to him, then slow down as she came to a stop by his side.

"Seru, are you alright?"

"…"

"What is it about that boy that scares you so much?" Masq asked innocently. Cell closed his eyes, and blew a sigh out of his nose.

"A boy, you say? I wish that was all he was." He began. "Just a small, young boy. No, he's not a boy…he's a monster."

"And you're not?" Masq challenged, putting her fists to her hips. Cell let that slide because she was drunk and didn't know what she was saying.

"I'm not a monster." Cell insisted. "I'm…a murderer." He took his hand off the tree and looked at it. He stared at it for a while, and smiled weakly. "These hands are dirty…"

"I can clean them for you if you want." Masq offered innocently. Another drunken remark, so Cell let it slide.

"No, I mean dirty with blood. I have so much blood on my hands… Long ago, when I was young and stupid, I was proud of them. I was proud to be who I was. A young, stupid murderer who's whole purpose was too kill others for food and pleasure. But…" He sighed again before he continued. "I look around here, and I see…beautiful young women who don't care about my dirty hands. They look at them, and could care less. They look and say that the blood is dry and can be cleaned away. It's…remarkable."

"I'm in love with you, you know that?" Masq giggled, touching his other arm. Cell shook his head in disappointment.

"You didn't listen to one word I said, did you?"

"I did, I did. I'm not as drunk as you think I am, but I'm just saying it right now. I'm in love with you."

Cell blinked a few times and looked at her in surprise.

"You meant that?"

"Yes. Being able to look at yourself like that separates boys from men. I've always wanted a man. Just listening to that made me decide…Seru, I'm in love with you." Cell looked into her eyes, and saw nothing but truth. She seemed to sober up a bit just by talking about that. She really meant that…and apparently she had given these feelings a lot of thought. He should have given those feelings some thought as well. He looked away from her for a moment. Then, he decided to tell her about the encounter in the forest.

"San…can you remember back a year ago? When we first met?"

"What?" Masq blinked. "I first met you last week right here on the mountain. I never met you before then."

"Are you sure?" Cell asked, looking back at her. "You don't remember being attacked or saying that you knew where…"

"I remember…that you killed my parents…" Masq said slowly, looking down at the ground.

"…" Cell was silent for a moment. He had what?! Her parents?! "Would you mind telling me about that? I wasn't aware…"

"No, you weren't." Masq shook her head, fighting back any sobs. "Serial murderers never take the names of their victims. My parents and I lived in Sancho City, and we were happy. I was out of town visiting a few friends when you attacked. My mother, father, and little sister were taken away from me."

"Sancho…" Cell thought back. "Yes, we met in a small woodland just outside the city limits."

"No." Masq shook her head. "I would have remembered that. We clearly did not meet until last week close to my house."

Was it another girl? Cell looked at her face carefully. It has to be. Masquerade looks and sounds just like that girl…He let it drop for now.

"Sorry. It must have been someone else."

"You just don't care, do you?" Masq sobbed, grabbing the top of her towel in comfort.

"What?" Cell wondered.

"You don't care about the ones you kill, do you?" Masq said, letting a tear fall from her eye to her clutched fist. "It doesn't matter who they are, what race they are, how old they are…how important they were! You didn't care, you just killed them!"

"Masquerade…" How long has she kept this a secret from me?

"You killed them all!" She began to bawl. "Mom…Dad…Jennu… … …Takashi…"

"Who's Takashi?"

"…" Masq clutched her teeth in mixed feelings, and found herself so weak in the knees that she fell over. Cell rushed to her, knelt on one knee, and supported her on one arm. She reached one arm up and around his shoulders and cried on his chest. He looked down at her, wondering why she was getting emotional about the whole massacre one year later. She had gotten over it, right? Perhaps it was the sake, or maybe it was him… But then again, opening old wounds was always a bad thing. He did panic when he heard about Gohan…

How strange… His mind wandered to an earlier subject. Has she fallen in love with the one she must hate the most? Will she still be in love with the one who ruined her life? What am I thinking?! If she hates me, then I hate her too! I was set on killing her, and as soon as I get the chance I will. But…but what if she loves me? What if…

Do I love her?

I don't know…

"Seru…" Masq moaned into Cell's chest, not lifting her head.

"Yes?" Cell asked, cocking his head to try to see her face. She lifted her head and looked into his eyes. Her face was tear streaked, and her lip was quivering in emotion. She seemed so completely wrapped in sorrow and anger, that she had lost all control over her reason.

"Thank you." She whispered. "Thank you…for listening to me. I never told anyone any of this before. I think I can trust you, Seru." He smiled slightly at her.

"You can trust me, San. I'm a good listener. Whatever you have to say, I will listen and keep your secrets."

"Thank you…" she whispered again, this time her voice was a squeak. She sobbed again, letting tears flow from her eyes. Cell's smile faded, and he gently wiped a tear away from Masq's cheek with one finger. Then, he put a hand to her face, ever so carefully tilting it upward towards his face.

"You're welcome." Cell whispered back, gently putting his forehead to hers. Masq leaned her face close to his, their lips about to touch for the first time…

Suddenly, Cell's body rocked with pain, and his head jerked away from Masquerade's face. He dropped her and fell to the ground, clutching his sides as a painful, squirming sensation he vaguely remembered slithered up every part of his body. Masq quickly got to her feet, and ran to his side.

"Seru!" she cried in alarm, kneeling down to him and holding his shoulders to keep him still. She gasped in fear as she saw what was happening to his body. "Oh no, not again! Seru, you're body is changing again! You have to try to fight it! Please, Seru, fight it!"

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Cell screamed into the air, and his voice suddenly warped from his deep purr to a hard rasp. When it was over, he was in such pain that it hurt for him to breathe in and out. He laid flat on his back on the forest floor, knowing what happened to him. "Not again…" the raspy voice groaned as Cell slowly covered his face in despair. "Not again…"

Masquerade sighed in and out a few times, then bent over Cell's body and hugged him hard across the waist. Cell was still for a few moments, finally letting all reality sink in and rip his hopes apart. This was just going to go on until he died. Perfect, not, perfect, not…he was being driven insane! Whoever was doing this to him was trying to get him to commit suicide!

Then, he realized that he was being hugged.

He lifted one hand off his face to see for himself. He saw Masquerade tightly latched to his waist, once again sobbing into his chest. He was awestruck. Why would she do this? Did she really mean it when she said she loved him?

She did. Now what do I do?

Momentarily forgetting his pain, he reached his arms to her and held her body to his. She calmed for a minute as Cell made himself comfortable by sitting up and letting her lean on him. She looked at his face.

So different from his perfect form…

"San…" Cell sighed, "…now that you know who I am and what I did, do you still love me?"

Masq looked away from him, and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"I still love you." She whispered.

Cell made up his mind then and there. He affectionately nuzzled her forehead and put a hand to the back of her head.

"Then…I love you too, San."

No, I won't kill her.

She is my reason to live.

/|\

Miaka watched from some nearby shrubbery at the two budding lovers. She smiled in her hiding place as they embraced and confessed what their hearts knew all along. She found the situation to be a strange resemblance to a very well known story she had memorized with all her heart. A story about a man and a woman torn between two societies at war, but let their love bring their peoples together. But, in this case, there was no war, or opposing peoples to unite.

She mentally recited the poem in her head:

"Ashitaka and San,

Met in the midst of the carnage and chaos of battle.

What hope could there be for feelings of love

Born in a place steeped in hatred and killing?

In the weaving of this epic tapestry,

Which current will prevail.

The battle between forest and human

Or the love between a warrior and princess?"