Princess Mononoke Fan Fiction / Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Singing Mountain ❯ Chapter 12: Wolf Poachers ( Chapter 12 )

Last time on Singing Mountain…

Cell felt something force his body out of its curled up ball, and straighten him out. He opened his eyes to see Masquerade, dressed in her nightgown, pushing Cell's body straight.

"Hey!" Cell yelped in surprise. "Just what do you think you're…"

"Relax." Masq prompted. "Just lay down and move over." She pushed Cell a little further on the bed, and crawled next to him.

"What are you doing?!" he cried nervously as Masq cuddled beside him, bear hugging his arms to his sides and pinning his legs down with one of her own.

"Keeping you warm." She assured, resting her head on his shoulder. "I saw you shiver in your sleep."

"Go back to your own bed!" he ordered harshly.

"We're not going to do anything. Just sleep."

"Why you little…"

Masq sighed sleepily, and fell still and silent. She had already gone to sleep. Cell tried to struggle out of her embrace, but found it next to impossible. His legs were pinned, everything above the elbow couldn't move, and he didn't want to risk hurting her with his tail. After a few minutes of struggling, he gave up. He carefully lifted one arm out of Masq's arms, and held her back in his own gentle embrace. Soon, he fell asleep, feeling Masq's body warm his own against the cold air of the night.

… … …

"Seru, how rude to read over my shoulder." Eboshi scorned.

"I'm sorry." Cell moaned. Eboshi smiled at him, took off her hat and held the paper out so that she and Cell could read it together. "I can't read it."

"Lady Eboshi! Mistress of Iron Town!" A voice outside the barrier shouted along with the nervous neighing of a skittish horse. "I come with a message from my lord, Asano-sama. Now open your gates so that we may speak with you!"

"We can hear you just fine from down there!" a woman from the watchtower shouted down to the messenger.

"M'lady took this mountain away from the gods, the boars, and the beasts!" another woman shouted.

"And now that it's worth something, you want it." Another scoffed. "Well, you won't get it!"

"You women need to be taught some respect!" the messenger shouted in outrage.

"Respect? What's that?" one of the women laughed.

"We haven't had any respect since the day we were born!" the first woman shouted back. Then all the women blew raspberries through their tongues at the messenger.

"You want some of our iron? Here ya go!" another challenged. Then, a shot rang out, and the skittish horse screamed before galloping away. The women laughed triumphantly, and Jiko laughed in amusement.

"They are really something!" he admitted. "They'll fight forest gods or samurai, it doesn't matter to them. They're a great bunch of girls. They were wasted in the brothels."

"How strange for women to behave that way…" Cell muttered to himself.

"Here, the women can act however they like." Eboshi explained to Cell. "They have freedom here, something they can't get off the mountain."

"Why is that?" Cell wondered. Eboshi seemed to ignore Cell all the sudden, and turned her head to Jiko.

"Impressive…" she complemented, "for a piece of paper."

Wow… déjà vu… Cell thought to himself. What am I doing back here again?

"Well, it has attracted all the best hunters and trappers in the west." Jiko bragged. "After all, we're after a God, not just some beast."

"A God?" Cell asked. "Why are you after a God?"

"Girls, come here." Eboshi summoned two passing women, and showed them the paper. "Do you have any idea where this paper has come from? From the emperor himself."

"Oh, that's nice." One of the women shrugged. "Who's he?"

"Is he suppost to be important?" the other one chuckled. Jiko made a strange face, much like one of someone that got told, then smiled and laughed.

"Yes, they're really something." He concluded. Eboshi thanked the women, and turned to Jiko to give the paper back to him.

"Every day we dig for iron, the forest and its creatures grow weaker." She explained. "In my line of work, there is no loss of life, Jiko." He gave her a sly look.

"Listen, we had a deal and I've come to collect. You asked for riflemen and I sent them, and without them you lose Tatara Ba. Oops!" He suddenly laughed, grinning in a friendly type manner. "I'm sorry, did that sound like a threat?" Cell wasn't fooled. Jiko was after the Shishi Gami's head, and he wanted it bad. He saw the trade off between the two. Jiko would get the head, and Eboshi gets the security she needs to keep her investment.

Jiko didn't fool Eboshi either. She smiled lightly at him.

"Does the emperor really believe that old wives tale of the Shishi Gami's head granting immortality?"

"I really don't know what the emperor believes." Jiko simply smiled. "I'm just a humble monk trying to get by." Eboshi stood up, grabbing the straps to her hat. Cell tilted his head to look up at her.

"M'lady?" he addressed her, but apparently she couldn't hear him.

"You will get what you want." She assured Jiko. "I've fought the boars before; they're much easier to kill than Moro and her wolf cubs. So you can call off that shady bunch you have hidden under the cliff."

"What?!" Cell wondered in shock. He looked to Jiko, who blushed and laughed in embarrassment.

"Okay, so I've been found out!" he admitted. Cell gave Jiko a strange look, but the monk didn't seem to know that Cell was sitting next to him. It was as though the android became invisible. Oh well, at least he was getting the information he needed. Jiko was afraid Eboshi would turn on him or something, so he hid a few of his soldiers behind a nearby cliff. Eboshi seemed just as suspicious to Jiko, and was probably preparing herself for a traitorous stab in the back. Cell couldn't blame her. He would be edgy as well if someone he trusted tried to betray him.

As Eboshi got up and began to walk away, Jiko stopped her.

"Oh, one more thing, m'lady. Did a stranger come this way by any chance?" Eboshi looked at him. "He's a young man riding a big red elk."

Ashitaka! Cell and Eboshi thought at the same time. Cell looked at Eboshi for her response. She nodded once, then turned away.

"Came…" she answered. "…and went." She began to walk away. Jiko got up from his seating area and began to head for the heavy gate. Cell got up as well, watching Jiko walk away.

What are you up to? He wondered, watching the short, fat monk. Cell did not like him at all. He was sure Jiko was a likable man to other humans, but Cell felt a strange aura around the man. Is he the villain of this story? Is he the one responsible for the Shishi Gami's death? Or is there something else going on here? Is the real villain using Eboshi and Jiko as his or her mask?

Cell looked back at Eboshi, and was shocked by what he saw! Where the town had once been were the moss-ridden ruins of the buildings and streets. Eboshi walked down them, holding the hand of a small child that walked beside her. Eboshi's cloak was off, revealing…

Only one arm!

Impossible! She had two arms just a moment ago!

Perhaps…

Is this the future of the story?

Holding Eboshi's only hand was an eight-year-old little girl in a tiny sized kimono. The girl seemed to drag her feet as she walked, and bow her head as though she was in shame.

"M'lady!" Cell called to her. Eboshi stopped walking and turned around.

"Seru…" she gasped, then she smiled. "What a pleasant surprise! How are you? It has been a long time."

"Has it?" Cell blinked, then looked around. The whole thriving city seemed to be replaced by the ruins. "What happened here?"

"It all happened a long time ago." Eboshi explained. "The past is behind me, so please don't worry." She began to look a little happier. "Would you like to join Laerrus and myself for a walk?"

"Laerrus?" Cell asked. The little girl turned to him in curious awe. Cell looked into her eyes, and could not believe the resemblance…

"Oh my God!" he cried. "Surreal!"

… … …

A shiver caused Cell to snap open his eyes and jolt out of the dream. He found himself staring up at the dark ceiling of Masq's cottage. He relaxed, and looked to his side. Masquerade was still there, holding his arms to his sides in a bear hug, one leg pinning his two legs to the bed. She was sound asleep. He stroked her hair with his free hand as he tried to piece together his new finds.

That was Surreal I saw…but Eboshi called her…

Does the god of death and Surreal have a connection?

How much more of the story do I have left to hear?

What happened on Singing Mountain six thousand years ago?

He shivered again, this time more violently. He felt a strange presence in the cottage. He turned his head this way and that, and darted his eyes in all directions. He found nothing out of the ordinary. What was he feeling?

Suddenly, a strange glowing presence appeared in the bedroom doorway. Cell looked, and he suddenly felt fear well in his heart.

"Akimo…" he whispered. The spirit smiled at him, and slowly approached the bed. A strange instinct urged Cell to get away from the spirit. Cell tried to get up, but Masq had him pinned to the bed. He couldn't move. He tried to shake her awake and shout at her, but she remained asleep and didn't budge from where she lay. He saw Yume asleep on the other bed. He called out to her for her to wake up, but she remained asleep too. The spirit stopped walking at Cell's bedside, and stood still.

"GO AWAY!" Cell screeched at the spirit, then whipped his tail at the boy. The tail slash went right through the boy as though he was a ghost. Cell became terrified, screaming at the boy to stay away. Masquerade and Yume remained asleep through the noise as Akimo leaned next to Cell's face with a smile. "GET AWAY FROM ME!" Cell shrieked. "GO AWAY! LEAVE ME ALONE! SOMEBODY HELP ME!" Akimo blew softly on Cell's face. "GO AWAY! GO AWA…" Suddenly, Cell fell silent, his eyes closed and he lost consciousness. Everything went black.

Singing Mountain: Chapter 12

Surreal kept her eyes on the cottage not too far away. She was sitting on a tree branch, watching the house Akimo walked into. She wasn't so sure why Akimo decided to go there. She saw nothing special about it. Well, there had to be something about it…Akimo hardly ever left the Shishi Gami realm.

After a while, she heard a familiar voice screaming from inside the house. She was surprised to hear it at first, then she smiled as she recognized it.

Cell…so, I finally found you at last. I don't know exactly how you hid from me or who's hiding you, but you have one powerful guardian angel. Well, when the time is right, your time will come to die and go back to hell.

…

You sure are being loud. The demon inside your heart is reacting strongly to Akimo's power. You must have been very evil before you died…

Soon, the screaming stopped and the house was quiet. She waited for a few moments, feeling strong spiritual energy coming from inside the house. Akimo was working some kind of magic inside. After a while, he came out and headed back for the realm. Surreal floated from her tree branch, turned herself upside down, and hovered in front of Akimo, startling him.

"Hi there." She greeted. "Long time, no see, my man."

Akimo glared at her. Surreal frowned at him, and slowly began turning herself back right side up.

"That wasn't very nice." She reprimanded. "I'm a god too, y'know."

Akimo continued his glare. Surreal couldn't help but smile.

"You know why I'm here, right? Well, you don't have to worry about it. It's not time yet, and that's when you can worry." When she was finally right side up, she landed on the ground and put her hands on her hips. "Is there a man named Cell in there? Good, because I want to talk to him too."

Akimo shook his head at her.

"Stuck up, little brat…" Surreal muttered.

Akimo narrowed his eyes at her and clenched his teeth. Surreal chuckled.

"That's pretty big talk for a kid." She congratulated. Then she reached out a hand and scruffed up his hair. He cowered away from her, taking several quick steps backward. "That's right. You're still just a kid, even though you're a thousand years older than I am. I'm the adult of the two of us, so don't you forget it."

Akimo blinked at her in confusion.

" 'Why?' " Surreal mocked, turning her back to Akimo. "Don't ask yourself 'why.' You should be asking yourself, 'What will I do when the time comes?' I suggest you start thinking about it now, and I also suggest that you do the right thing when the time comes. I'll see ya then!" She waved goodbye to the spirit, and vanished. Akimo lowered his head and clenched his fists. He was full of dread. Feeling safer back at the realm, he vanished and reappeared there. He stood in the middle of the lake, and looked up into the starry sky. When the stars were in the correct position, the time would come…

The Night The Shishi Gami Died.

/|\

Piccolo stood atop the inn roof of the town of Eboshi, looking up at the starry sky, hearing an occasional wolf howl. He seemed to be in thought, but with nothing really on his mind. He was sensing a strange power coming from further down the mountain, and it didn't feel like a familiar ki. It felt something like the power he felt when Cell arrived.

It's a spirit of the mountain working its magick…

Then the power slowly faded away, and he felt Cell's ki slowly rise. Piccolo turned his head in that direction and remained silent as the ki grew in power. He could feel one fourth of Cell's power return, and the ki remained stable.

How odd…

Piccolo made a thinking face as he wondered what had happened. Had Cell recovered from his weakness at last? Worry began to stir in Piccolo's heart. He still didn't trust the android, and was keeping careful watch on him.

However, the girl seems to have him under control. That doesn't mean Cell would try something to escape… He still has that tail of his. God, I don't want to go on another manhunt like that again… How many more people would have to die this time?!

I hope it never happens again.

/|\

Rhapsody stood at the mouth of Moro-sama's cave, staring out at the vast forest below her. Amon walked out to join her. He stood by her side faithfully, and she put a hand on the flank of his neck.

"What's wrong?" he asked softly. "Are you troubled?"

"Akimo left the Shishi Gami realm." She reported. "Why?"

"Tori told me something about a wish San Masquerade made." Amon pitched in an idea. "Perhaps he went to go grant it."

"Perhaps." Rhapsody nodded. "But that girl seems contempt with the way things are. What could she possibly wish for?"

Suddenly, Amon turned his head up to the sky and growled as he caught an unwelcome scent in the breeze. Rhapsody looked at him.

"What's wrong?" she asked him. "What is it?"

"I smell ravens…" Amon growled through his teeth, sniffing the air. "I smell many ravens flocking this way…"

"Damn…" Rhapsody growled, remembering the house sized birds, the sworn enemy of wolves. "What do they want?!"

"Five thousand years later, and you would think they haven't learned their lesson…" Amon shook his head in disappointment. "However, they're too far away to be a threat now."

"They're a threat, nonetheless." Rhapsody insisted, heading into the wolf den. "I'm waking up Moro-sama. She must know about this."

/|\

Morning came at last, bringing light and warmth to the mountain. A bright light from the cottage window flashed into the bedroom and right into Masquerade's eyes. She squinted them shut as she woke up, then lifted her head away from the light before looking around. She was still in Cell's bed, Yume was still asleep on her bed, and Cell was fast asleep underneath Masquerade. She smiled at him, and lay back down to snuggle on his shoulder.

Then she noticed something…

Cell was in his perfect form…

She sat back up and looked him over again. He was in his perfect form alright! Split head crest, shrunken tail, long black wings, boot-like feet, marble white hands, handsome face and all. He looked very peaceful and harmless in his sleep, Masq couldn't help but smile in admiration.

Then she noticed something else…

Around Cell's neck was her crystal dagger…

She timidly touched it. There was no way it could have gotten here, except…

Except if Akimo was here…

Akimo granted my wish! Cell is healthy again! And his perfect form is permanent!

She was so overcome with happiness that she promptly woke him up.

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" she demanded. Cell opened his eyes, mumbling something in sleepiness. Masquerade took his hand and held it before his eyes. "Look! You're perfect again! This time forever!"

"Oh, quit it." He snorted, flicking his hand out of her grasp. "I'll change back again when I get scared of something…"

"Oh yeah?! Well, look at this!" She held up her dagger for him to see. "Where did this come from?"

"The dagger…" he gasped in surprise.

"I left that at the lake for Akimo. No one else touched it. The only way it could have come here was if Akimo brought it here."

"I see." Cell understood, closing his eyes. "He was here last night."

"He was?" Masq asked urgently. "You saw him?! You saw Akimo?!"

"No, it was the ghost of Christmas Present. Yes, it was Akimo. I saw him with my own eyes…"

"Ha HAAA!" Masq laughed happily, hugging Cell's neck. "My wish came true! He granted my wish!"

"So…it worked?" Cell wondered in surprise.

Huh! Well, I'll be damned! It worked!

"I'll bet you have your strength back too!" Masq said happily, then she got off the bed, and grabbed Cell's hand again. "Come on outside! Let's see!"

"Outside?" Cell wondered, looking at Masq's clothes. "But…you're in your sleeping gown…"

"I don't care! Now c'mon!" she urged, yanking him out of the bedroom and towards the front door. She opened it and led him outside. Cell had no choice but to walk out with her. "Do something." She continued. "Anything. Fly through the air or throw a few punches…anything!"

"Hmmm…" Cell sighed out of his nose. He gently tugged his hand out of Masquerade's grasp, then concentrated his ki slightly. He hovered a few feet off the ground, and he could sense every animal and person on the mountain. He did have his powers back! He had his abilities again! Smiling, he rose higher into the air until he was at least fifty feet off the ground. He couldn't help but laugh in excitement.

It was good to be in the air again!

He flung a few punches, watching his own arms become blurs in split seconds. He tried a few kicks, noticing his legs move easily and freely with no aches and pains. He powered up as high as he could, increasing his excitement…

…then he noticed something.

True, a good amount of his true power had returned, but not all of it. An emptiness welled inside him where the rest of his power was to be stored. Realizing his new limitations, he powered down, and dropped back to the ground. He landed on his feet a short distance from Masquerade.

"I have some of my powers back," he explained, "but not all of them. I haven't fully recovered." Masq tilted her head, and put her hands on her hips.

"Well, you're making progress, right?" she asked. Cell nodded.

"But I'll be conserving my energy for a while."

"Then…" Masq wondered out loud, turning her head down and looking sad. "…you're healthy enough to leave the mountain…"

"Yes…" he admitted. Masq looked even sadder. Wondering why, he walked over to her and tilted her head level to his with a finger. He could see her eyes watering with tears. He understood. "San, I am not leaving the mountain."

"You're not?" she sniffed.

"No." Cell shook his head with a smile. "I want to stay here…with you."

"Really?" Masq's eyes lit up with hope. Cell's smile grew a little bigger, and he nodded again. Overjoyed once again, Masq hopped once and grabbed Cell's neck in her arms. "I would love for you to stay here. I don't want you to go. And if you do go, I'm coming with you, ya got it?"

"Yes." Cell chuckled. "I would like that." They both looked into each other's eyes, and paused. Masq suddenly received a feeling from Cell.

It's the truth. He's so deeply in love with you. He wants you to be beside him, for him to love, to protect, to be with when he's lonely. He wants you to be his. Will he be yours as well?

Yes… Masq thought to herself as she and Cell leaned their heads to one another. Both were going in for another kiss…Masq trembled, Cell hesitated, and just before their lips could meet…

"EW! GROSS!"

They were startled by Yume's voice. They turned their heads to the front door to see the wolf pup looking at them with a disgusted tongue lolling out of her mouth.

"Yuck!" she continued on. "Kissing! Why do humans kiss all the time?! It's gross!"

"Yume!" Cell snapped angrily. Masq blushed and laughed behind her hand in embarrassment.

"Yume-chan," she said softly, "go back inside and I'll get breakfast ready."

"I'm not hungry anymore." Yume admitted, bowing her head slightly.

"Okay then, let me get dressed and we can go on our walk, okay?"

"Okay!" Yume cheerfully agreed, raising her head back up and wagging her tail. Masq walked away from Cell and headed into the cottage. Cell sighed and decided to follow.

Damn. So close…

I swear, there's some supernatural force keeping me from getting romantic with Masquerade…

/|\

Moro-sama lay on her belly on her den, looking up at the sky. A couple of the smaller puppies were taking naps under the shade of her head between her front legs. Moro-sama was taking watch, keeping an eye on the scent of approaching ravens. She had sent Ghen to the temple to keep guard and howl in warning should the ravens decide to head there. San Rhapsody and Aman had gone off to warn the Battle Masters of the mountain to prepare them for possible combat.

The great wolf god could smell her enemy many miles away, possibly on the Mountain of the Tatara. They were in wolf territory, so someone or something was keeping a careful watch on them. Moro-sama couldn't help but sense trouble.

There has been nothing but trouble since…

Her mind slowly wandered to Cell.

Since he came here, many bad things have been happening.

I doubt he is the cause of them…He has no suspicious intentions…

And he has nothing to do with the ravens. He didn't know the gods existed until he came here. This isn't his doing…

Either way, it would probably be best to remove him from the mountain soon.

/|\

Cell found out something interesting during his morning walk with Masquerade and Yume:

He was building a tolerance to kodama!

But the process was very slow…

Damned little things…Cell spat in his mind, keeping his eyes closed as he walked. I don't mind them when they're far away, but when they're in my face…

"What's wrong?" Masq asked, seeing his eyes closed.

"Nothing." Cell insisted.

"The kodama again?" Masq wondered, seeing the many friendly spirits sitting in the tree branches and clicking happy "good mornings" to the hikers. "Well, at least you're not jumping ten feet in the air screaming like a baby like you usually do."

"…" Cell chose not to reply.

Yume barked happily at the kodama, putting her front paws up the trunk of a tree and wagging her tail happily. A few more appeared on the ground, and Yume was quick to notice. She began to chase them, and they ran with huge smiles on their faces. Masq smiled as well, the sight of them was just so cute. Cell tried not to notice.

As Yume distanced herself from Cell and Masq, Masq wrapped her arms around one of Cell's and leaned her head against his shoulder. He opened his eyes and looked at her. She seemed so happy just to be around him, that he couldn't help but smile. He leaned his head against hers and kept walking. He was happy to be around her too.

"Yume!" Masq called after the wolf cub. "Don't go too far!"

"Leave her alone." Cell said to her. "She's fine." He watched Yume look back at the two of them, and she yipped once.

"I'm fine!" she called back, then she trotted back to them. The kodama she was chasing followed her, clicking with the demand to keep playing. Masq smiled at the cub.

"You just never know what's in these woods." She warned. "I promised your brother and mom that I would keep you safe."

"I'm just fine." Yume insisted, standing up on her hind legs and waving her paws in the air.

"Okay. Go play." Masq nodded. Yume ran for the kodama again, and they ran away from her merrily. Masq went back to snuggling Cell's shoulder.

The two of them couldn't have been happier.

/|\

Yume chased the kodama through the woods, watching some of them climb into their mother trees to be safe. Yume barked at them.

"Hey! No fair! I can't climb trees!" she whined. "Come down!"

The kodama clicked at her, laughing.

"You're no fun!" she whimpered, backing away from the tree. Looking back the way she came, she noticed that she couldn't see Masq or Cell.

Uh oh…she thought, her head hanging low and her tail sifting between her legs. I went too far. I'm going to get in trouble. She started walking back, whimpering sadly.

"Don't yell at me…" she began sobbing as she headed back down the trail. "I'm coming back. I'm sorry."

Suddenly, she caught the scent of two unfamiliar humans nearby.

Then there was a loud sound of thunder.

/|\

They heard a gunshot, and their heads shot up in shock.

"What the…" Cell wondered.

"A shot?" Masq wondered. "Just up the trail…" Suddenly, she gasped. "Yume!" Letting go of Cell's arm, she took off running down the trail. Cell stopped walking and wondered what was going on. Then, he jogged after her. Soon, he and Masq came to a hateful sight. Two unfamiliar men clearly not from the mountain, armed with guns, were hovering over Yume's fallen body. Masq stood horrified for a few seconds, then she charged for the men.

"Poachers!" she screamed, tackling the closest one to the ground. Both men screamed in surprise.

"A priestess!" the still standing one gasped.

"Shoot her, Jack!" the fallen one screamed in fear as Masq took out her knife. "Shoot her! Hurry!" Masq quickly looked up and the still standing one as he aimed his rifle for her head.

"Stay out of our business, bitch." Jack chuckled, about to pull the trigger. Then, a marble white hand with black claws grabbed the barrel of the gun and squeezed it so hard it broke in half. Jack stumbled away in fear, seeing the most feared man standing before him and turning his gun into scrap metal. Screaming in fear, he ran away.

Before Masq could stab into the second man, he pushed her off of him and was about to shoot her too. Masq thought quickly, and jammed her knife into the barrel of his gun and slashed down on it. The barrel snapped off the handle. Another swipe of the knife, and the gun was no longer in his hands. The man stumbled backward…and felt his back come in contact with another person. He turned to see Cell standing behind him. Before the man could even scream, Cell closed his hand around the man's throat and hoisted him up into the air.

"Don't kill him!" Masq ordered sternly. "He has some explaining to do!" She rushed to Yume to help her. The wolf cub had been shot in the side, but she was still breathing. She used her knife to dig the bullet out of her flesh. Yume whimpered softly as Masq carefully operated on the cub.

"Who are you?" Cell asked quietly and sternly. The man shook under Cell's grip.

"A-a-a-aha-ha-ha-ha…" The man shuddered nervously. He couldn't answer in his fear.

"You would kill a person to get what you want?" Cell gritted his teeth. "She's only a girl."

"Don't kill me." The man squeaked. "I just drove him here."

"Who's him?"

"Who shot her?!" Masq demanded angrily when she removed the bullet and flicked it off her knife blade.

"He did!" the man screamed hysterically. "I just drove him up here! He said we were going deer hunting! I didn't know nothing about this!"

"Yeah right." Masq snorted at him, walking up to him. "Everyone knows these mountains are not hunting grounds. This is a protected reserve!"

"Uh…" the man shuddered again.

"She's just a puppy, but you didn't care." Masq growled. "You just wanted that beautiful fir of hers. How would you feel if I shot and killed you for your shirt?! Would you like that?!"

"Eeeeeeeeek!"

Cell looked at Masquerade.

"Should you be the one telling him this?" he asked.

"Huh?" Masq wondered, looking at him.

"Shouldn't you take him to Moro-sama or someone like that?" he suggested.

"No." Masq shook his head. "He looks like he learned his lesson, and he doesn't have his gun anymore. Let him go." Cell really wanted to kill him for trying to kill Masquerade, but if she really wanted him to leave…

Cell took his hand off the man's throat, and the man ran away immediately. Masq carefully picked up Yume in her hands.

"I think she'll live." She estimated. "We got to her just in time."

"What do we do now?" Cell wondered, gently putting a hand on Yume's head. The cub whimpered softly in pain.

"We better take her to Eboshi." Masq suggested. "They have a vet there that takes care of the wolves. We better run fast or she might not make it. C'mon." She started to take off running when Cell stopped her.

"Why run?…" he asked. "…When we can fly and get there faster? I have some of my powers back, I should be able to take you and her to Eboshi."

Although I wish I had enough power to use the Instant Transmission…

"You can fly us there?" Masq asked. "Great! Let's go!" Cell nodded with a smile. Masq made sure she had a strong hold on Yume as Cell picked up the priestess and held her in both arms. He fanned out his wings and jumped into the sky with a burst of ki. He flew in the direction of Eboshi as fast as he could allow himself.

Hang on, Yume. You'll be just fine. He prayed for the cub.

/|\

Piccolo watched in small amazement as he spotted Cell flying in the distance. Cell landed in the city streets, surprising most of the townspeople. The Namek saw his old nemesis holding the priestess San Masquerade, and one of the wolf cubs with a large spot of blood blemishing its snowy white fur. Masq pointed to a nearby building and Cell lowered her to her feet. She quickly ran into the building while Cell walked behind her. She disappeared through the door, and Cell stood next to the door and began to wait.

Piccolo couldn't help it; he hovered down to the android to see what was going on.

"So, you're flying now?" the Namek asked.

"Found out that I could this morning." Cell nodded.

"So, what happened? What's wrong with the wolf cub?"

"Wolf poachers. San explained it to me on the way here. They hunt the wolf gods for their fur to make coats and rugs and the likes. She even explained to me that they even took the skull of a cub and turned it into an ashtray. A disgusting thought."

"Agreed." Piccolo nodded.

"Personally, this is a reason why I was never fond of humans. They have no respect for the land they live on, and they take the gifts of God for granted. They see all things in nature as a moneymaking opportunity. It is both pitiful and grotesque to me."

"I felt the same way." Piccolo nodded. "Will the cub be okay?"

"I hope so." Cell sighed, lowering his head. "She's so young…" Piccolo looked at him curiously. Seeing Cell so full of sadness and shame was a noticeable surprise to the warrior.

He looks so sad…

I've never seen him like this before…

It's strange…

Within his heart, he felt Kami-sama smile.

He reminds me of you when you felt love for the first time…

Piccolo looked away from Cell and towards a building at the opposite end of the street. He ended up staring into space as he remembered a starry night a long time ago…

… … …

"Piccolo-san?" Little Gohan looked up at the Namek from his sleeping bag. Piccolo's skin seemed to turn red by the light of the campfire.

"Yes, Gohan?" Piccolo asked back, glancing down at the boy.

"How come you and my daddy would fight all the time?" the boy wondered curiously. Piccolo looked away from him.

"Feh." He growled. "It's a long story, and Goku and I won't be doing a lot of fighting for a long time."

"Oh!" Gohan happily chirped. "Cause…I wanted to invite you to my birthday party…but I don't think my mom would let you come, cause she doesn't like fighting…"

It was the most ridiculous thing Piccolo ever heard. He gritted his teeth in embarrassment. Not even looking at the boy, he yelled at him.

"How dare you, boy!" he snapped angrily. "I am a warrior, and I will not participate in such thing! Understand!" Gohan shrunk under his blanket in fear, and whimpered like a frightened dog.

"I'm sorry." He squeaked. "I was just asking…" Piccolo looked at the boy, seeing his large, frightened eyes look at him. Piccolo blew a sigh out his nose.

"Just go to sleep, Gohan." He insisted. "Tomorrow is going to be a very hard day."

"Okay." Gohan agreed, resting his head on his arms since he didn't have a pillow. Piccolo bowed his head and closed his eyes to meditate himself to sleep. After a half-hour of coming close then snapping out of sleepy trance, he opened his eyes to see the fire starting to die out. Gohan was fast asleep, breathing peacefully as he dreamed of his father somewhere far away.

This boy has no idea what kind of crisis this world will soon be in, Piccolo thought to himself, he has never known a danger this great…

He will in just two more months…

He looks so innocent like that…Sleeping away and dreaming into the starry night…

Soon, this innocence before me will be gone…

Or his boyhood cowardice will be the death of him…

"Death?" …

Piccolo reached out a concerned hand to the boy. Gohan stirred, causing Piccolo's hand to freeze in the air. When the boy was quiet again, Piccolo touched the boy's head and stroked his hair carefully.

No child this young deserves to die…

Don't worry, kid. I won't let anything bad happen to you.

I promise…

… … …

Piccolo smiled slightly at that memory.

Gohan had taught his heart how to hold love, trust, friendship, and loyalty…

In a way similar to that, Masquerade was teaching Cell how to do the same thing.