Princess Mononoke Fan Fiction / Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ The Silent Prince, Perfect Collection 1 ❯ Chapter 23 ( Chapter 23 )

Chapter 23

While Momiji went on about Arangami not being the only ninja in the Yuzuha temple, Genji hopped off Yume's back to walk beside her. His sore muscles were screaming for rest, but he knew that he needed exercise to keep his strength. Momiji stopped her explanation to look down at the boy in fear.

"Genji, dun't!" she scolded. "Yu'll re-open yur wunds! Git baack up here!"

Genji shook his head stubbornly.

"Aw, c'mon kid!" Ryu teased with a mischievous grin. "Do what your girlfriend says!" Momiji blushed at the thought while Genji angrily picked up a rock from the ground and threw it at Ryu with a hard arm. "Ow! Hey, man! I'm just kidding!" Momiji laughed as the natural color returned to her face, but Genji glared angrily at the ground as he walked.

His guardian suddenly whispered in his ears.

<What's that sound?>

Genji blinked in surprise and strained his ears to listen. Momiji, Ryu, and Yume were quiet, and he could only hear them walking through the grasses that came to his waist.

What sound? I don't hear anything…

He tried to keep his reply short, since Yume could hear him. He looked at her, and found her head turned curiously to him.

**Did you hear something, Yume?**

"Like what?"

**Uh…**

<It sounded like a flute playing or something… It was a very low sound…>

**Like…a whistle, or a flute? Did you hear that, Yume?**

"You have good ears, Genji…" Yume moaned as she turned her head away. "I don't hear anything except us." Then, she hacked a nasty cough and moaned again. Her throat was still injured.

Genji shrugged. He didn't hear anything either. He had no idea what his guardian was talking about.

Suddenly, he did hear something…

…hu, hu-hu-hum-hu, hu-hum…

…hu, hu-hu-hum-hu, hi-hi…

…hum-hu-hi-hi-hi-hi-hi, hi-hu, hu, hum…

…hum-hum-hum-hu, hu, hu, huuu…

…It was a low-pitched hooting of a flute, much deeper than the sounds of Aoi and Genji's flute lessons. It was from up ahead, very far away, and rather faint. He almost didn't hear it at all.

And the song it was playing…

…He had heard it before…

…Sung by a beautiful voice…

…In his dreams…

…The words drifted into his memory…

…Haritsumeta yumi no…

…Furueru tsuru yo…
…Tsuki no hikari ni zawameku…

… Omae no kokoro…

The song from his dream!

It couldn't be…

Could it…?

**Mother?**

/|\

Yume heard quick rustling behind her, and she stopped to turn her head. She sniffed the air as Momiji and Ryu looked around in confusion.

"Something wrong, Yume?" Ryu asked.

"We're being followed." She stated. "But I don't smell anyone…"

Genji looked over his shoulder behind him. He didn't see anything except the vast grasslands ahead of him. There was no one suspicious around. He stared out at the grass, still listening to the breaths of the flute.

Suddenly, the flute fell silent. Genji's head snapped back in the direction he was headed. Then, he realized something…

If it was coming from the direction I'm going, then it was probably from West City…is that where you are, mother? Are you trying to tell me something?

The rustling from behind got louder, and Yume began barking in alarm. She sensed danger! Momiji and Ryu hopped off her back while covering their ears.

"Gud shure aare loud!" Momiji shouted her comment as she and Ryu distanced away from the wolf.

Genji could smell the danger now. The scent of snake priests was strong in the air. Genji wondered how those morons could follow them so far away from Pare. He also wondered how they could conceal themselves in such short grass. It only came up to his waist. He would have noticed them by now…

Suddenly, the air was filled with a loud, horrendous noise!

"HSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!"

Yume began whimpering in fear as Genji loaded his bow and aimed at the grasses before him. Ryu braced himself for what the situation was as Momiji hid behind him.

"Oh Gud…" she murmured, "…izza gud! Izza snake gud!"

/|\

The man watching over the boy watched on from the air. He wouldn't intervene just yet. This problem was something the boy could handle alone. Genji didn't need help right now.

I don't know what this foe really is…Or what it wants from you…

But one thing I know for sure about this…

We will see your real power put to the test…

Son of San Masquerade…