Princess Mononoke Fan Fiction / Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ The Silent Prince, Perfect Collection 1 ❯ Chapter 10 ( Chapter 10 )

Chapter 10

The forest around them was a tropical forest, and machines buried under the forest floor artificially controlled the environment. The land was simulating a jungle paradise. Genji soon found out why when he and Ryu reached the village of Taj at the crack of dawn.

All the buildings were built from thick bamboo shafts and roofed with an animal hide Genji didn't recognize. There were many people walking around the village who were dressed just like Ryu, only most of the people didn't wear skull helmets. Those that did carried spears, and seemed to be patrolling the edges of the village.

Warriors…Genji realized. I guess this means Ryu is a warrior too…

Then, Genji spotted one of the tiger gods, and he froze in awe. The cat was bigger than Yume, and its orange and black fur seemed to shimmer with its movements as it walked by. Its muscles rippled with each magnificent step. It was a beautiful sight.

Then, it stopped and looked at Ryu.

"Sir Miyamori," it growled with a baritone voice, "why are you here? Your temple service ends in one month, and you shouldn't come back until then."

"Sorry." Ryu bowed his head. "But I have a patient for Dr. Cid. Where can I find him?"

"In his home. He was about to go to sleep."

"Thanks, Kim!" Ryu quickly said, running past the tiger. Yume bounded after them. Ryu headed for the hut closest to the center of town, and barged in without knocking.

"Dr. Cid!" Ryu called into the hut. The hut was one room and circular, no corners. It was mostly filled with pots, crates, and bottles stacked on the floor, but there was one bed and a wash basin. In the bed, an old, black skinned priest sat up and glared at them. "Oh, there you are…" Ryu chuckled at the old man. Genji could see the face of the old man from the light behind them. Anyone could see the man was old by his slightly wrinkled and droopy face. Also, a small white beard was growing from the man's chin, and white hairs also crowned the sides of his head, leaving the very top of his scalp bare and bald. The old man's huge eyes glared harshly with churning fires of red. Genji was a little scared, the old man had red eyes!

"Miyamori Ryusaku…" the old man growled, "…what the bloody hell is the meaning of this?! Not only did you leave your temple duties, but…" He suddenly jumped out of the bed, grabbed a nearby walking stick, and a sound of a swishing wind blew through the room and was followed by a sharp crack and an "OW!" from Ryu. "…you woke me up! In the middle of the night! How dare you!"

Ryu, now sporting a large bump on his head, bowed repeatedly.

"Forgive me, forgive me, forgive me…" he rambled, then he calmed down. "…You've got a patient." Genji blinked up at Ryu. The man was starting to sweat nervously. The old man scared him too. He looked back at the old priests, and assumed that he was Dr. Cid. Cid stared back at Genji, and seemed to calm down.

"Eh? The wolf boy from the temple? What's wrong with him?"

"Well, you know that story of his, about the demon in his heart?"

"Yeah."

"Well, it's been proven true. He had a heart attack, caused by the demon, so I took him here to see you."

There was another swish, crack, and Ryu shouting "OW!" The old man had whacked Ryu again.

"Well, get him off your shoulder! You might give him another attack!"

"Forgive me, forgive me, forgive me…" Ryu pleaded, bowing repeatedly, then he carefully set Genji on the dirt floor. Yume whimpered at the entrance.

"Genji?" she called in worry. "Are you okay, Genji?" Suddenly, Cid went from a yelling grouch to a gentle soul as he looked up at Yume. He smiled warmly at the wolf.

"Come in, young one." he invited. "Your Genji is alright." Yume lumbered into the hut, and lay next to Genji. As she sniffed around the room from where she was, Dr. Cid had Genji take off his shirt for examination. Cid checked for pulse on Genji, and checked his heartbeat and breathing rate.

"Well, you seem normal enough." Cid nodded, walking around to Genji's back. "Now, let's see…GYAAAA!" Cid suddenly screamed at Genji's back.

"What is it?" Ryu asked, looking at Genji's back. On his right side, next to the boy's spine, a large purple mump was growing on his pale skin. Genji looked up at Cid with questioning eyes, not able to see the mark on his back.

"Demon burn…" Cid gasped. "It's spreading from inside his body! Remarkable…"

"Uh, yeah…" Ryu mumbled, then cleared his throat, "well, is there anything you can do for him?"

Cid scratched his bald head.

"I can't cure him." He shook his head. "But I do have a formula that can stop the growth and keep it as it is."

Genji was about to nod in acceptance, but Yume growled at Cid and flashed her teeth.

"No!" she barked. "We want it gone! We're going to the raven clan to be rid of it, if we have to! If you can't cure the demon then we won't take anything!"

Cid growled back at her, flashing his own sharp teeth.

"Why you…stubborn little…young hooligan…"

Genji looked between the doctor and his wolf in worry. He had no intentions to cause trouble for the foreign tribes. He stood up between them, breaking their eye contact. Yume had stopped growling, and yipped once in confusion. Genji gently held her muzzle in his hands, and he looked into her yellow eyes.

**It's okay, Yume. If anyone can do anything to help, we should graciously accept. Any help is better than none at all. The ravens may do nothing for me, and then what would happen?**

"But Genji," Yume protested back, "he can't get rid of the demon, and you can't go back home until it's gone…"

**Then we will keep going until we find a way to exorcise the demon. We need all the help we can get, Yume.**

The wolf lowered her head to the ground and whimpered in helplessness. Genji bent down and patted her head.

**Good girl.**

"Oh, you speak the language as well?" Cid asked Genji. "Well, what's the decision?" Genji looked at the doctor and smiled.

**I humbly accept your medicine, Dr. Cid.**

"Great!" Cid beamed. "But first, I need some sleep. I had a long day today…you should get some sleep too. I'll prepare a bed…"

**Oh, no, no! That's fine! I can sleep on the floor next to my wolf.**

"Well…alright, if you insist."

"And, what do I do?" Ryu asked.

Another swish, crack, and "OW!" from Ryu. Once again, the doctor whacked Ryu.

"You can get out of my house, you lazy bum!" Cid yelled. Ryu quickly ran outside, yelling for forgiveness. Genji looked at Cid nervously as the old man set his stick aside.

Just like San Petunia's club…

**What did Ryu do to you to deserve such behavior, Dr. Cid?** Genji asked.

"Hmph." Cid huffed as he climbed back into his bed. "A lot, if you ask me…the ruffian went and married my daughter…without my consent… Get some sleep, boy. You'll need it."

Genji nodded, lying down on the floor and cushioning his head with his folded arms. Yume settled down next to him. Before he went to sleep, he tried summoning his guardian.

Guardian, can you hear me? Are you okay?

<I'm too weak to talk right now, kid. Get some rest.>

Genji frowned upon hearing that, so he just closed his eyes and quickly went to sleep.