Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction / Princess Mononoke Fan Fiction ❯ The Silent Prince, Perfect Collection 2 ❯ Chapter 54 ( Chapter 24 )

Chapter 54

Piccolo couldn't sleep. He had cleaned the cut on Genji's head and had put an excuse together ("You fell out of the bed and hurt yourself."). However, one thing the demon said made Piccolo worry about the boy's fate:

"His decisions and his actions will soon turn him into one of us…"

What did he mean? Is he saying that Genji will grow as powerful as Cell one day? Or that…should Genji die with fear in his heart, he will be turned into a demon worse than Cell?

He looked down at the sleeping boy, and brushed his bangs off his closed eyes.

Genji… What is happening to you?

A memory from Singing Mountain came back to him. When he had first met the boy…just an infant in San Masquerade's arms…

………

"So this is him?"

"This is Genji. I'm glad you two finally met."

Masquerade was standing in the kitchen, holding the tiny boy in her arms. Piccolo held a hand out to the child, and Genji grabbed two of the Namek's fingers with two chubby fists.

"So, this is my godson…"

"Did you want to hold him?" Masq invited.

"Well…I suppose…"

"Here you go."

Masq carefully lifted Genji into Piccolo's arms, and the Namek held the child carefully, cradling the boy's head in one hand. The baby looked up at him with bright pink eyes filled with curiosity.

"…those eyes…"

"They look just like Seru's, don't they? He must be Seru's son, I know he is!"

"Cell's son? But all the priestesses say that you're a virgin…"

Masq smiled as she sat down by the table.

"Before he left me, Seru gave me a gift."

"A…gift?"

Masq nodded.

"I didn't know what it was at the time, but he told me to protect it, cherish it, and to love it as though it was him. He said if I did that, he would come back to me. Nine months later, I had Genji. So, Genji is my gift, and as I take care of him, Seru will come back. Isn't it wonderful, Piccolo-san? We're going to be a family soon! I can't wait to show Seru his beautiful son when he comes back!"

………

Piccolo looked down at the grown boy, remembering how small he had looked in his arms fifteen years ago.

Poor San, he did come back to you…

…But not in the way you expected…

/|\

Genji woke up that morning to a splitting headache. He rubbed his head, feeling a scar in the very center of his forehead. He sat up and opened his eyes. Daylight filtered from the window and lit up the whole room. He looked around the room and found Piccolo standing near the bed. He looked Genji in the eye.

"Good morning."

Genji nodded at him.

**Except for this migraine, I'd call it a good morning. Hey, do you know if I slept well?**

"I suppose. You were snoring."

**I was? Sorry. Well, I was having the strangest dream… I heard you and my demon saying something about my father…**

"…" Piccolo bit his lip. Genji was quick to notice the Namek's uneasiness.

**Piccolo-san?**

Piccolo sighed, and tried to explain what he could.

"You don't know much about us Nameks, do you?"

**I don't know anything about Nameks.** Genji shook his head.

"Let me explain."

**What does this have to do with…**

"The Nameks came from the planet Nameksei. They were peaceful people who lived in harmony with the land. Although they detested violence, there were warriors of battle arts who protected the villages from natural predators. We are seen as males, although we reproduce through self-impregnation, and there are no female equivalents of our people. Despite our abundance of dedication, determination, and sense of honor…the universe sees us as weaklings and cowards because of our peaceful ways."

**Wow.** Genji blinked. **That's…really fascinating, but what does this have to…**

"Do I sound crazy now?"

**NO, NO, NO! I mean… Of course you don't, Piccolo-san.**

"Good. Now let me say one more thing about Nameks."

**Okay.** Genji accepted, propping a hand under his chin as he listened.

"We do reproduce asexually, but there were those who couldn't reproduce at all. So, a practice was invented. In the Namekian tongue, it is called 'Nemmin tare debidaro' but it roughly translates to 'Soul Fragmentation.' The Namek who wishes to conceive gathers a partner, and…"

**…the bee pollinates the bird's egg, and out comes the baby?**

"GENJI!"

**EEP! Sorry, but you left it wide open!**

"You're worse than your mother! Please try to listen, this is very important!"

**Okay, I'll be quiet now.**

"Now then… The partner will separate a part of his soul from his body and place it into the other's body. That fragment of the partner's soul will grow in its host body until it forms a life of its own. After the gestation cycle, the host body gives birth to a child that was the partner's soul."

**Okay, so this is all very interesting, but why tell all of this to me?**

"Where do you think you came from?"

**WHAT?!**

"Think about it, Genji. Even you know having a virgin mother is impossible, especially since San lived with a man who loved her."

The information began to fall into its respective holes. His mother…a virgin…Cell's lover…and Piccolo…knew them both…

Genji's eyes watered.

**Is…is that what happened to me? Is that what mama did to have me?**

"Genji," Piccolo consoled, "please understand. No human knew of this practice, and it is highly unethical among Nameks. No one on Singing Mountain knew what had happened to your mother. They only knew that she bore a child without mating with a man, so they believed it was a miracle you were born."

Genji leaped from the bed and grabbed Piccolo's shirt desperately.

**Please say you did that to her! Please say you made me! Please say you're my father, Piccolo-san!**

Piccolo put on a concerned face as he looked into Genji's eyes.

"Why do you want me to lie to you?"

**Please don't tell me Cell made me! Please, Piccolo-san! PLEASE!**

Piccolo closed his eyes and sighed.

"I will not lie to you, Genji…"

Genji leaned forward, into Piccolo's face, anticipating the answer…

"Cell was very fond of Namekian practices…"

That was all Genji needed to hear.

**NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!**

Tears streamed down his face, and he started pounding angrily on Piccolo's chest. The Namek wasn't even hurt by Genji's blows. Piccolo quickly grabbed Genji's wrists to stop the attacks, and forced Genji to look at him.

"Why are you acting this way?!"

**He can't be my father, he just can't be!**

"Who?"

**Cell! He's not my father! Not that evil, cold man! There is just no way!**

"Genji, please listen to me…"

**What?**

"You think the truth hurts? It's the lies that mask it that hurt even more, especially when you put that mask on yourself. You have to stop lying to yourself, Genji, and face the truth of your birth."

Genji's legs felt weak, and he fell to his knees. Piccolo stayed standing as the boy bent his head and cried.

"Genji." Piccolo began softly. "Denying the truth will just be another one of your weak points. If you don't accept your past, you will never understand why you have so many enemies."

"…" Genji did nothing. He just sobbed.

"You have enemies because other put the crimes of your father on you, like Vegeta did. If you don't accept the fact that Cell is indeed your father, your enemies will use your denial against you, and you could be possibly be driven insane or killed."

"…"

"Do you understand?"

Genji slowly nodded. Piccolo helped the boy up, and dried his tears.

"This is going to be hard to live with, but you can do this. You have your mother's inner strength, your father's wit, and your own gifts from the gods. You can survive the truth of your heritage, you can't let it be the death of you."

The door creaked open slightly. Piccolo turned his head to the door, and found a teary blue eye watching them. Noticing that she had been found out, she pushed the door fully open and came out of hiding.

"18…" Piccolo murmured, seeing the android walk into the room. She walked up to Genji and dried his face softly with the back of her hand.

"You never knew?" she asked the boy. "No one on the mountain told you?"

Genji looked at her.

**They all knew… None of them told me… Not even Moro-sama…**

18 smiled sadly.

"Well, now that you know, will you be okay?"

**…** Genji hesitated. **I think so.**

"If you want to talk about it, Piccolo and I are right here. Your secret will be safe in this house with all of us."

**Thank you.**

"18," Piccolo growled, "how long have you been eavesdropping on us?"

"Since last night. I heard you and someone else shouting, so I'd thought I'd listen in."

"I see…I thought someone would have heard…"

18 smiled a cheer-up smile.

"Well…now that the grief is over…let's put this behind us. So, Genji, your training with Roshi starts today. How about coming downstairs and eating breakfast? Do waffles sound good?"

Genji's face brightened a little (just a little), and he nodded.

"Good." 18 chirped, putting her arm over his shoulders and patting his back. "Now get dressed, and it'll be ready to eat by the time you get downstairs." She gave him a soft kiss on the temple, just above his eye. "You're a good kid, Genji, no matter who your father is." She walked out of the room and closed the door.

Genji looked up at Piccolo.

**Promise you won't tell anyone else…**

"I won't tell those who don't need to know." Piccolo grunted. "Your friends will want to hear this when you see them again."

Genji bit his lip for a moment.

**I can worry about that later. Right now, I have a training regimen to do.**

"Better get dressed then." Piccolo suggested, turning modestly to the window.