Princess Mononoke Fan Fiction / Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ The Silent Prince, Perfect Collection 1 ❯ Chapter 26 ( Chapter 26 )

Chapter 26

Genji struggled to get out of the Shikigami's grasp and fight the demon. However, moving at thirty miles an hour and with both his arms and legs held, that was very difficult. He only managed to only free his arms, but that was all he needed. He loaded his bow and quickly fired the arrow at the chasing snake demon. The arrow seemed to bounce off the slimy tendrils and land on the ground. Genji blinked a few times before remembering Miaka's training.

Oh yeah! A scroll must be tied onto the arrow! That's the only way it will work!

He reached into his robes and fished out an emergency Shinto scroll for any heart attacks he could have had. He took an arrow from his quiver and quickly tied the paper onto the wooden shaft.

"SCREEEEEEEEEEEEAAA!"

Genji looked up to see the snake closing in on him. A forked tongue shot out of its mouth and wrapped around one of Genji's ankles. He felt it tighten and try to pull Genji to the demon. Nanja stopped chasing, quickly coiling up and then it drew its head back to pull Genji to its mouth. The Shikigami were yanked off their feet, and dragged with Genji. They quickly got to their feet and grabbed the boy's arms to pull him away from the snake.

Genji was getting mad. Not only had he become the rope in a life-and-death match of tug-of-war, but also his arrow and bow were in separate hands and he couldn't load his bow. He tried to push his arms together to fit the arrow in the bow, but the grip the Shikigami had on his arms kept him sprawled out in the air. His heart was beating rapidly, he could feel his demon growing excited, and sweat was pouring from his forehead and dripping down his chest. His mind was going blank, and he couldn't think of what to do.

Suddenly, the snake lunged its head foreword and bit down on Genji's waist! The boy's mouth stretched open in a silent scream as one of the snake's fangs sunk into his leg. The Shikigami tried to pull him out, but their strength was no match for a god-turned-demon. Nanja shook his head fiercely, shaking off the remaining paper demons and trying to maul Genji. The Shikigami hit the ground so hard that they turned back to paper scrolls, useless and dead.

The boy felt blood seep from his leg and inside his own body. He felt his lungs and inner organs becoming crushed by the demon's jaws. The tendrils on his body slithered over his skin, burning him. The torture drove him off the edge instantly. The pain and agony was too much…

Let me live!

Rage stabbed into his mind.

His aura once again appeared.

**HYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!**

The sickly yellow aura that screamed with thousands of dead souls burned around his body. Anger grew inside of him, taking over his senses and emotions like a weed. With the hand that clutched his arrow, he stabbed into the snake's scar again. He split the previous arrow completely in two!

"SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAA!"

The demon screamed in unbearable pain, gaping its mouth open and dropping Genji. Free of his torment, Genji's aura instantly faded away, and he relaxed.

It's almost over…

He's almost gone…

/|\

Momiji and Ryu rushed to the scene. Momiji skidded to a stop a yard away from the demon, stuffing a Shinto scroll into her blowgun instead of a dart. Ryu quickly ran to Genji's side, and picked up the boy in his arms as he dashed away.

Momiji put her blowgun to her mouth.

"Akurio Taisan!" she shouted before blowing hard.

…pht…

The scroll uncoiled itself to an unwrinkled sheet of paper, and flattened itself against the demon's side. With another ear shattering scream, the demon writhed in pain on the ground as the scroll demolished the evil in its heart. Momiji put her blowgun away and unsheathed her Shinto club. She swung it ceremonially in the air, hearing the rustling of paper tails slice through the wind.

"This evil is offi'chly baanished from this wurld. I, Shotaro Momiji, send this demon baack tu th' relm from wence it came… Tu th' land ove th' dead with yu! Neva cum baack!"

She stopped her swinging and ran for the demon while brandishing her club like a baseball bat.

"SECRET SHOTARO EXORCIST ATTAAK!"

She whacked the demons back with the club, and the demon screeched once again. Its body began to melt away and smolder away. Since it was a dead body inhabited by an evil spirit, the exorcism would destroy the whole body.

Momiji stepped away in disgust as the body was reduced to a steaming puddle of black blood. With the demon gone, Momiji rushed to Genji and Ryu's side.

"Genji! Mista Ryusato, izze alright?!"

In the distance and approaching quickly, Momiji and Ryu could hear Yume howling. She was on her way to help…

…and she wasn't alone.

/|\

Genji was in so much pain, he couldn't open his eyes. His hips were sore and swollen, and his bit leg was beyond repair. He was bleeding eternally, and his lungs were punctured. He could feel the blood dripping out of his wounds, and he could hear the wheezing of the holes in his lungs. The pain was steadily growing worse as the precious seconds ticked by.

He could hear Momiji and Ryu's voices close to him. However, they sounded blurry and he couldn't hear many straight words. He could also feel their ki close by. He felt he was in Ryu's arms, lying on the ground. Momiji was standing nearby. She sounded worried and urgent while Ryu's voice sounded quiet and mourningful. Then, Genji could hear Momiji screaming something about "not leaving her behind" and he felt something wrap around his neck.

Her arms.

She was hugging him.

He felt his face heat up. He wished he knew what was going on…

Then, he heard a wolf howl. It sounded like Yume. He tried to smile, but even doing that hurt very much. He was in so much pain…

What is happening to me?

<Genji! Can you hear me? Don't die on me, kid!>

Guardian?

<You're dying, Genji! You're loosing too much blood and oxygen! Please don't die! Just hang on! Help is coming!>

Help…

<Hang on for just a little longer! Don't give up on me! Please, Genji! Please!>

Stop the pain… Just make it stop…

Then, he felt a powerful presence nearby. It was a high ki level, vibrating much more fiercely than anything around him. Ryu and Momiji's ki seemed to just disappear…the universe seemed to just disappear…there was only Genji and the mysterious power.

A voice, loud, clear, and deep, echoed through his ears.

"Genji, can you hear me?"

Genji swallowed, and inhaled breaths through his mouth. The voice seemed to make the pain subside. He felt a thick, strong hand clutch his shoulder.

"Swallow this, and your pain will go away."

He felt something small and hard push into his mouth. It felt like a piece of candy with no flavor. But he couldn't swallow it…it just lay on his tongue. The strong hand left his shoulder, and tilted his head up.

"Swallow it, Genji."

The candy hit the back of his throat, and he gagged. The hand set his head back into place and there was a pause. The candy fell back on Genji's tongue, and he sighed deeply.

I don't want to swallow it…I can't…

"Here. Try washing it down."

His head was tilted up again, and he felt something fill his mouth. Water! Yes, he could swallow water! He eagerly gulped on the drink, feeling the candy wash down his throat. He gagged again, spitting water out of his mouth and coughing. Then, he felt the hand pat his head a couple times and leave.

Almost instantly, the pain was gone. The bleeding had stopped, and his senses came back. He opened his eyes and sat up. He was in the short grasses, and Ryu and Momiji were beside him. They both seemed to be in shock. He blinked at them, wondering what was wrong. Suddenly, Momiji began crying and she hugged his neck gratefully.

"Genji!" she sobbed, rubbing her face on his bandaged chest. "Yu daam bahstad! Yu scae'd mey half ta death! Dun't du anythin like thaat again!"

"Do anything like what again?" Ryu wondered dryly.

"Almost die!" Momiji shouted. Genji, rendered helpless, could only pat the girl's shoulder in comfort.

"But you saved him by destroying Nanja." Ryu reasoned. "You shouldn't be crying."

"Bot I'm soh hoppy!"

Genji sighed. How was he going to tell her he didn't want her for a girlfriend?

"Ahem."

The voice that helped heal Genji cleared his throat. All three humans looked up to the boy's savior. Genji felt surprise jolt through his body. The man seemed familiar, even though Genji had never seen him in his life!

The man was very tall, had green skin, pointy ears, and dark black eyes. On his head he wore a white turban. His clothes were made up of a one-piece gi and blue obi. A cape shrouded his shoulders but left room for his arms. And his aura was…a strange mix of peace and aggression…wisdom and pride could easily be felt from the man's ki. Genji felt that the stranger was a true warrior.

Momiji gave out a worried cry and started bowing to the man.

"Thank yu, thank yu, thank yu! Thank yu for yur kindness N mercy, Daimao…king of demons! I am yu're humble servant…"

Ryu and Genji blinked.

" 'King of demons?' You've got to be kidding!"

The man ignored the boys, giving Momiji a flat face.

"Spare me your favors." He said in a soothing yet commanding voice. "You don't owe me anything. I just wanted to save the boy. And please don't call me that. I'm not a demon or a king. My name is Piccolo."

Genji's heart skipped a beat.

Piccolo…he knew that name…

But how?

He stood up on his uninjured legs, trying to look the tall man in the eye. Yume came up from behind him and nuzzled his side. He scratched behind one of her ears as he stared into Piccolo's eyes. Piccolo stared back.

**Hello Genji. Do you feel better?**

Once again left in surprise, Genji slowly nodded.

**Do you remember me, Genji?**

Genji hesitated. Everything about the man named Piccolo seemed familiar…the voice, his face, his presence…

With no other response to use, he nodded "yes."

**I knew your mother… I checked on her often after she had you. I even held you in my arms once.**

Again, surprise jolted through Genji. Was it possible…? Was this man…?

**Are you…by any chance, my father?**

**No. I am not your father.**

Genji bit his lip. Maybe this man knew something…

**Do you know who my father is?**

**No. I haven't a clue.**

Genji's heart sunk a bit. Would he ever find out?

"So…uh…" Ryu began, standing up along with Momiji. "Piccolo…sir… Uh, perhaps you can tell us why you're here and what the hell you used to heal Genji?"

Piccolo nodded.

"His mother decided to make me Genji's godfather, and she made it my duty to watch over him as he grew. So, I watched him from my home, the Tenkai, as Genji was raised by his mother. However, after San Masquerade's death, I couldn't find Genji. He seemed to vanish from the face of the Earth. I found him again, just as he was leaving Singing Mountain, and I decided to descend to Earth and guard him from the dangers and people who want him dead. Therefore, I have decided to join your band and escort him to the Emishi village in China.

"As for the healing… It's called a senzu bean. It grows in a secret location, and can cure everything other than death."

"Wow." Ryu blinked in surprise. "That's all pretty incredible…"

"Soh…" Momiji wondered with a little worry in her voice, "Yu'll cum with us tu China?"

"Every step of the way." Piccolo nodded. Momiji sank back to her knees with a cry.

"HOYEEEEEE! Travlin' with th' demon king 'imself! It'll be such aan hona!"

"Please don't call me that…" Piccolo asked politely in annoyance.

Genji smiled. His memories of Piccolo were extremely vague, but they were there. He wouldn't mind having the man accompany him. So, he gave a polite bow to Piccolo.

**I welcome your help, Piccolo-san. Please come with us to China.**

Piccolo smiled, his way of saying "You're welcome."

/|\

Then, Genji heard the flute again. He turned his head towards the city where the sound beckoned. Everyone else turned their heads too. It was close enough for all of them to hear it now.

"Where is that coming from?" Ryu wondered.

"Is that the flute you asked about, Genji?" Yume asked.

Genji narrowed his eyebrows suspiciously, and took off running for the sound. He stopped very shortly, seeing the flute player walk into view.

He saw a young woman in a straw cape riding on an elk the size of a horse and with fur the color of an early sunset. She was flawlessly playing her flute in the tune Genji's mother sang. Genji breathed in and out a couple times as he remembered his studies with San Sakuya…

A red elk…A straw cape…And raven black hair…

This woman is an Emishi…