Tales from Singing Mountain
Tale 1: Settling In
"Seru-san, quit it! I said no!"
"San....."
"Leggo and listen to me!"
"Please? Please? Just this once?"
"LEGGO!"
Masq wrestled out of Cell's bearhug, and turned to glare him in his pink eyes.
"I said no, I will continue to say no, and I mean no!"
Cell put his hands on his hips.
"We're not going to do anything, so what are you fighting about?"
Masq groaned.
"How many times do I have to say it?! No, you can't take a bath with me, because you won't fit in the bathtub!"
Cell made the opposite of a half-smile.
"Can I at least scrub your back?"
Masq glared angrily, then she headed for the kitchen.
"You are such a perv....."
"I'm not being a 'perv!' " Cell defended, knowing what she was going to get. Trying to weasle out of trouble, he started to ramble. "Let me remind you, we're a couple in love, and I've never been in love before, and I want to be close to you, and I want to go wherever you go, even if you are going to take a bath, and I thought it would be a great way for us to get more intimate with each other......"
"Seru...."
"Yes?"
Masq was standing before him with a skillit in one hand, with her arms crossed.
"I do love you, more than I've ever loved anyone......." Then, she sighed. "But even I need my private time. I mean...... Just this morning, we defeated Laerrus and brought the Shishi Gami back to life....... That's very exciting. I need time alone to calm down."
Cell lowered his head.
"I.....understand. Fine then, I'll leave you alone."
Masq smiled slightly, gave Cell a kiss on the cheek and headed for the bathroom.
But Cell stopped her before she could close the door.
"Maybe I can wash your hair?"
BAM!
"OW!"
Masq gave a "hmph!" before slamming the door. Cell sat on his bead, rubbing his sore cranium.
"Damn, she almost broke my headcrest off. How could she be so strong?"
/|\
Cell decided to sit outside while his girlfriend took a bath. He closed the door behind him and sat down on the dirt road a few feet away. The first thing he laid eyes on was Masquerade's flower garden. It was in full bloom, and looked very beautiful. A few joyous memories were tied to that small garden, so Cell was attached to the small plot of plants too (he'd be caught dead before he took up gardening, however! How girly!).
He looked up at the sky, noticing the sun was setting. He smiled up at it, remembering the horrifying and exciting events from last night.
'Fighting Laerrus...... Her transformation...... Everyone singing the Tatara work song..... Bringing the Shishi Gami back to life........
'I feel so happy to be here....... And much happier being with San.......
'I wouldn't trade this feeling in for anything in the world.......
'................
'What a beautiful sunset.......'
/|\
The capital town of Eboshi was all abuzz of the recient events. Everyone was celebrating the rebirth of the Shishi Gami and the permanant disapearance of Laerrus. Priestesses were dancing in the streets, people were singing, wolves were howling, townsfolk were fixing victory meals....... The town had turned into a festival lot.
Among the people partying were San Miaka and San Rhapsody. Miaka was happy to be alive, while Rhapsody was happy she got the idea for everyone to gather around the Shishi Gami pool to cheer Cell and Masq on. Both were getting their fill of sake and yakisoba.
Yamcha, Kuririn, 18 and Gohan were also in on the festivities. They were trying what food and drink there was, as well as playing party games and even dancing. Gohan was repeating over and over again that he couldn't wait to tell his mom everything he saw and did. Yamcha had invited the friends to stay at his and his sister's house as long as they liked. Kuririn and 18 had to turn him down, saying that their inn room was fine until they left.
Biso remained a wall flower, leaning against the wall of the town hall. He had a sake bottle in one hand, and a drinking dish in the other. He just watched everything happening around him with a smile. He had decided to stay on the mountain for a while, just to be sure that Masq didn't change his mind about him. If not, then he would arrange for his young son, Satoshi, to come live with him. He poured a little sake for himself in the dish, then raised it up to the sky. He murmered a toast to "San Masquerade, my guardian angel" before downing the drink in his dish.
Piccolo stood on the rooftop of the inn, watching the festival below him, and not interested at all. His head turned to the forests, where he could hear birds singing in praise of being alive and cicadas reacting to the heat of the coming summer weather. He found that to be much more to his liking, and he smiled.
'There are so many ways to celebrate being alive.....'
/|\
Moro-sama's den was bustling with activity from the wolves. All the puppies were happy to have their mother back, and the mighty Moro-sama was even happier to be back. All the cubs from all seven of her litters were there to greet her and give her their condolences. Even her mate for her latest litter, Tamon, came to say hello to Moro-sama.
Of course, Amaroq and his children were there to say hello as well.
Ghen sat next to his mother, so happy to have her by his side. In fact, he was being rather possesive of her.
"Ghen," Moro-sama turned her head to her oldest son, "don't you need to stretch your legs? I'm sure that you're uncomfortable sitting here all day."
"I'm enjoying every moment of it, mother." Ghen insisted, lolling his tongue out of his mouth. Moro-sama gave a growl, and kicked one of her back feet lightly at Ghen's foot. He whimpered slightly, getting up and shaking his fur.
"I thought so." Moro-sama smirked. "Why don't you go give the Shishi Gami your respects? It's been six thousand years since he walked the Earth."
Ghen snarled at his mother.
"I lost you to Laerrus's Death's Light! I lost most of my brothers and sisters! The youngest cubs lost their father! I don't want to leave you or the cubs ever again!"
Moro-sama nuzzled her son under his chin, making him whimper in concern.
"Laerrus is forever gone, no such catastrophie will ever happen again. And when my time comes to die, we will all know. So please, don't worry about me."
Ghen sat on his rear, and growled slightly in depression. Moro-sama batted a paw at his head.
"Ghen, you will one day be head of the pack, and you will have the responcibility of watching over the mountain. You will also need to make sure that the Shishi Gami is not in any danger, or the events from six thousand years ago will happen again."
"Events from six thousand years ago happened last night, mother....."
Then, Tori came into the cave, panting.
"Moro-sama! How good it is to see you in good health!"
Moro-sama turned her attention to Tori and sniffed at her muzzle.
"Ah, Tori-chan, it's nice to see you. It is good to see that you are doing well, also."
Tori yipped, then turned to Ghen.
"It is good to see you as well, Ghen-san. How loyal of you to stay at your mother's side!"
Ghen nervously dropped to the ground on his stomach, and covered his muzzel with his paws. Moro-sama chuckled.
"Give my reguards to your brothers and sisters, Tori-chan." she told the black wolf. "And to San Miaka as well."
Tori yipped again, then trotted out of the cave. Ghen then stood right back up.
"By your leave, mother." he pardoned, then followed Tori out. Moro-sama stretched out her back, then lay back down while her tail wagged.
"I sence a litter of grandchildren in the near future. My, how these pups make me feel so old....."
/|\
The festivities continued on into the night, until something caused the public to stop and look up at the sky in wonder.
In the forest, the kodama were rattling in masses. The sound was ringing all over the mountain. In Eboshi, the singing, dancing and eating to look up at the sky.
Yamcha and Gohan were also wondering, looking around at everyone.
"What's going on?" Yamcha wondered to himself. "I don't see anything...."
"What's that loud rattling?" Gohan asked.
"Kodama." Yamcha answered. "Little tree spirits that live in the forests. Are all of them making that sound? Whoa...."
Curious, Rhapsody climbed up a house porch and up to the roof for a better look. She looked at the forest canopy, and around the town. Nothing seemed out of place......
......until she saw it.
She gasped and froze in place.
It was a fifty foot tall mass with the body structure of a human. It had a deer-shaped head and spines running from the top of its head to its back. A blue aura surrounded the mass, giving it a moonlit glow. Rhapsody remembered looking at its picture on the temple mosaics, and suddenly shouted it out.
"DIDARABOCCHI! DIDARABOCCHI!" she shouted. "NIGHT WALKER!"
There were some shocked gasps and even some screams. The entire town went into a buzz of amazement.
"Night Walker?" Krillin and 18 asked themselves.
"What's that?" Gohan asked a very shocked Yamcha.
"It's.......It's the Shishi Gami at night...." he answered nervously. "The legend says that it has a form for day and night. During the day, it's the Shishi Gami, the God of Life. At night, it's the Didarabocchi, the God of Death."
Gohan flew up into the air for a look. His eyes widened at the sight of it.
"Whoa! It's huge!"
Soon, it walked close to the town, coming into the view of the people. Suddenly, they started to cheer, raising their hands and praising the god before them. They were so happy to see proof that their Life God was alive again. The festival continued, louder and much more joyously than before.
Piccolo just smiled at the giant deity, raising a hand in greeting.
Even if the giant saw it, the greeting went unanswered, and just continued walking by.
/|\
"San!" Cell yelled, running back into the house. "San, come quick!"
Masq was sitting at the table, enjoying the instant maccoroni and cheese she had just made. Her hair was still a little wet, but was drying. She looked at Cell in surprise.
"What's wrong, Seru? Something bad?"
"It's Laerrus! She's come back, and with a vengence!"
Masq stood up in alarm.
"WHAT?!"
"All the kodama are going crazy! Look! Outside!"
They both ran out of the house, and down the dirt road a little. They could hear all the kodama in every single tree rattling away. Then, Cell picked up Masq in his arms and flew up so that she could see over the tree tops. He pointed to the giant body that was slowly lumbering over the forest.
"There! What do we do?!"
Masq stared at it a moment, then smiled.
"That's not Laerrus, dear." she said calmly. "That's the Night Walker."
"What's the difference?!" Cell demanded.
"Laerrus is still gone, Seru. It's still Akimo in there. See, the Shishi Gami and the Night Walker are one and the same. The Shishi Gami becomes the Night Walker at night, and changes back at sunrise."
Cell started to calm down, and frowned.
"Looks like a false alarm then. He gave me a start."
Masq laughed.
"It's alright. I understand."
"But still, isn't it dangerous?"
"No, it's harmless." Masq insisted. "But it still has Life God powers, so it can give and take life as it sees fit. Other than apperances, the Night Walker and the Shishi Gami are the same person, personality and all."
Both Cell and Masq watched the being walk closer to them in awe. Cell dared to get a little bit closer, and he reached his hand out to the giant creature. He touched it, and his fingers went into its liquid skin. He felt the liquid flow past his fingers like it was water until it had walked past them. Cell noticed the giant god paid no mind to him at all. He looked at his unharmed hand in awe.
"Amazing...."
"Wow..." Masq gasped. "He's so beautiful. I never thought I would actually see it for real....."
They stayed together until it started to walk further up the mountain.
"I wonder where he's going." Cell said as Masq cuddled closer to him.
"Maybe he wants to see the entire mountain. It's changed a lot in the last six thousand years. I wonder what he'll think of the temple."
Cell smiled and hugged her closer.
"I think he'll love it."
Masq smiled back, then leaned her head up and kissed Cell. He held her more tightly, and kissed her back. He started to slowly hover back down to the ground. Their kiss didn't break until Cell's feet touched the ground.
"You smell like cheeze." Cell commented rather dryly. Masq laughed and jumped out of his arms.
"I almost forgot! I was eating dinner! Are you hungry, Seru? I can make more."
"No thank you." Cell shook his head. "I'm not hungry."
They both walked into the house together, Masq's arms hugging Cell's waist. He put a hand on her shoulder as he closed the door behind him with his other hand.
"I love you so much, San."
"Oh, Cell, I love you too."
/|\
They had snuggled in the same bed that night, and Masq fell right to sleep in Cell's arms. Cell stayed awake, holding her close. He was thinking a lot about what had happened during his stay on the mountain.
He told San he wouldn't leave the mountain, and he wouldn't leave her. Simply because he loved her, and he loved the mountain too. He had never been to a world quite like the one that inhabited Singing Mountain. The stories and the mysterious history let him discover new things every day, and the people that lived on the mountain now were the only friends he ever had. Masq was the first and only woman he had ever truely loved, and he wasn't about to let this precious treasure slip through his fingers.
He stayed on the mountain, simply because he loved it........
......and he was happy here.......
......and he made Masq happy too........
He leaned his head close to hers, inhaling the scent of her soft, blond hair. Yes, being with her made him happy, because she was happy being with him.
Was it destiny?
Cell talked often of fate and destiny when he hunted for the androids. He had firmly believed that everything that ever happened to him and his androids happened for a reason, and it would happen so long as he was alive. It was the android's fate to be absorbed, and it was Cell's destiny to become perfect.
But then, he thought back to the day he first met Masq in the woods, about to absorb her and kill her. He didn't, because she had used her language of the Gods to save her life, and Cell had spared her.
Was their meeting fate? Was it their desitny to fall in love one day?
Were they fated to save their world together?
Cell started to give himself a headache, so he settled into the pillow and closed his eyes.
As he drifted off to sleep, he started to form an idea. This idea grew into a plan.......
.......and he dozed off with an agenda for all of tomorrow.......
/|\
Masquerade awoke in an empty bed, and sat up in alarm.
"Seru?"
She heard barking from the next room, and leaned over as a familiar wolf puppy trotted into the room.
"Good morning, San-san!"
"Yume? How did you get here?"
"Seru-san brought me here from the den." Yume explained, jumping up on the bed. Then, Masq noticed that there was a slip of paper in her mouth. "He said to give you this when you woke up." Masq took the paper as Yume kept talking. "So, I waited and was really quiet, and I didn't make a noise until you woke up! Aren't you proud?!"
Masq rubbed the top of Yume's head as she read the note aloud. It was handwritten in blue ink, certainly from one of Masq's ballpoint pens.
"San, I need some time alone today. I will be home later tonight, so please don't worry about me. Just relax and spend today at home. I love you, from Seru."
Masq smiled and looked at Yume.
"Seru-san's up to something today." she figured. "I wonder what it could be."
/|\
Cell found himself walking through Eboshi, and heading for the inn. He was rather determined to get his plan into motion as soon as he could. The sooner he got what he wanted, the earlier he could get back to the house.
He caught sight of the inn, and headed for it. He looked up at the windows, and noticed that the one he was looking for was looking out at the street. He waved up to her, and she gave him a look of hesitation. He smiled at her, understanding.
"18? Can I talk to you for a moment, please?" he called. She hesitated again before moving away from the window. He waited by the inn door until 18 walked out of it, dressed in a black shirt with white-striped sleeves, and blue jeans.
"What?" she asked, being rather cold.
He pointed to an object on her person.
"Where did you get that?"
She didn't take her eyes off him.
"Get what?"
"You know......that."
She looked at the object, then looked at Cell, then looked at the object again. She started to piece together what he was after.
"Wait a minute......are you saying you want........are you.....really going to....."
Cell smiled, and nodded his head once.
"Can you help me, 18? Please? I will never ask anything else of you."
18 slowly started to smile.
"Let me get my shoes on, and we'll go shopping."
/|\
After 18 helped him buy what he wanted, he headed for a place where he wouldn't be disturbed. It took a while to think of a place. The Shishi Gami realm was too public, the temple was too crouded, the towns were full of people and priestesses still celebrating the Shishi Gami's rebirth, the wolf dens were too loud.......
..........then, he found a nice secluded island by a wide river of water. There were ruins of a town on them overgrown with underbrush and vines. He didn't see anyone in the town, so he thought it was a nice spot.
He flew across the river to the bank, and landed softly on his feet. As he walked to the town, he noticed a very recient sign posted on a wooden wall. It read that the ruins were the Tatara Ba ruins, and this was a historical site on the mountain.
"Oh, I see." Cell realized. He looked around in awe. "So this is Tatara Ba. I've wanted to see this place for myself." He started to walk into the town, and take in the sights. Many of the buildings, which were office buildings and homes, had been torn down many thousands of years ago, and plants grew over the wreckage. He saw the main forge was still standing, but had holes in the walls and roof, and was also overgrown in plants.
Cell walked inside the forge.
He could see the bellows themselves, completely rusted over time. The giant melting pot also still standing, overflowing in ferns and various mosses. Wooden planks and anvils were also present in the giant forge. Everything was old, and rusted beyond future use. Cell took a seat on a nearby plank, and took a deep breath in. The entire forge smelled of fresh mountain air with a slight hint of soot.
He closed his eyes and started to meditate.
"Now, I wait for twilight."
/|\
Masquerade waited around the house all day, waiting for Cell to come home. She played with Yume, read a book, and studied her demon scroll a little. She decided not to eat anything big, just in case, so she snacked on some toast and penut butter when she was hungry. She also checked on her garden, and played fetch with Yume for a few hours.
The sun was starting to set, and Masq couldn't help but worry.
"He said he would be home late......I wish he said how late....."
She went back inside to keep reading, calling Yume inside with her. She sat on the bed and read while Yume hopped on Cell's bed and curled up.
Masq kept herself so occupied with her book that, a few hours later, she didn't even hear Cell come in.
He walked up to her and tapped her shoulder. She flinched and looked up.
"Seru! You scared me!"
"Sorry." he smiled. "Well, are you ready?"
"Ready for what?" Masq asked timidly.
"For the most incredible night of your life?"
Masq's eyebrows raised. Cell seemed to change suddenly. Before she could even answer him, he picked her up and held her in his arms. She had gasped and dropped her book. Yume looked up in surprise.
"Seru-san! What are you doing?!"
Cell turned to the wolf cub.
"We'll be gone for a while. Do you think you can watch the house for us, Yume?"
Yume stood up on the bed and barked.
"Yeah!"
"Alright. We'll be back."
He started walking out of the house with Masq still in his arms. She started to giggle at the strange circumstances. She almost never been carried in a man's arms before!
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"You'll see." Cell assured, opening the door and walking outside.
/|\
They flew over Eboshi, and Cell brought his ki down and fanned out his wings so they could glide undetected. The town was dark, quiet, and only a few patrolling wolves could be seen in the streets. Everyone else was asleep. Cell glided over to the hot springs and landed softly on his feet.
Masq blinked at their location.
"What are we doing here? The hot springs are closed at night."
Cell pointed to a changing stall.
"Go ahead and change."
"What?!"
"San, please?"
He set her down and pushed her slightly to the stall. Masq put her hands on her hips.
"Seru, this isn't like you at all? What's going on?"
"You trust me, don't you?"
She looked at him in surprise. He just looked back at her in soft anticipation.
"San, I planned this all for you. Please, trust me on this."
Masq gave a more forgiving look to him, and headed for the stall.
"Let's not do anything that will get us in trouble, alright?"
Cell smiled.
"There's nothing to worry about."
He waited until she came out with a towel wrapped around her, and her hair tied into a high pony tail. He smiled at her, and coaxed her with his hand into one of the springs. She timidly walked towards one has he stepped into the spring ahead of her. As soon as she was in the spring, Cell wrapped his arms around her and grinned.
"I found a bathtub big enough for me. Can I wash your back now?"
What a way to ruin the mood! Masq was about to slap him, but he kissed her on the forehead for forgiveness.
"I can't believe you...." she growled.
"Sorry. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything...."
"Why you....."
Suddenly, she started laughing and leaned her head on his shoulder.
"Seru......sometimes I wonder what you were like before we met...."
He hugged her and started rubbing her back.
"No.......you don't, San....."
They stayed that way for a while, then Masq hugged Cell close to her.
"I.......never had a real boyfriend before. This feels really weird to me........ I just wanted you to know, Seru."
Cell cocked his head to look at her better.
"What about Takeshi, not to bring up an unpleasant subject......"
Masq smiled slightly.
"We didn't make it past two weeks. It was more of a set-up thing than a relationship. He said he got the crystal dagger from his grandmother and wanted to know if I wanted it. I guess he just wanted to get rid of it or something. Well, it turned out he already had a girlfriend, and he was just toying with me."
"I'm glad I killed him."
Masq's smile faded.
"Don't say that. It was nice, how he made me feel. I felt.....secure, that someone would always be there for me, and that someone cared so much for me."
"But it was a lie." Cell argued. "He didn't care about you, it was just a game to him. He was making you feel that way just to hurt you in the end."
"You know what they say," Masq sighed, "it's better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all."
Cell quickly snatched her face in his two hands, making her look at him. He looked deep into her eyes with determination, and a slight hint of anger. He was remembering his awful mistake back at the Shishi Gami realm.....just last night, before Laerrus gained her powers.......
......when Cell had accidently killed Masq.......
"That's not true." Cell retorted firmly. "How could you say that?"
Masq gasped, then closed her eyes as they started to water.
"Seru....."
"Shhh..." He calmed, stroking her cheek with one thumb softly. "San, look at me."
She opened her eyes and looked deeply into his as he continued.
"I will never toy with you. I will never hurt you. I will never leave you...... And I will never, not even under the threat of death, stop loving you. You're everything to me, San. Without you...... I see no reason for me to live."
A tear dripped from one of Masq's eyes, and she put a hand on his shoulder. His eyes were watering too.
"San.......you feel the same way for me, yes?"
"Of course." she whispered, starting to cry.
Cell smiled slightly.
"Then, I know I can live my life happy, knowing that you're by my side, and that you'll always love me. And I want you to be happy too. That's all I want."
Masq jumped up and hugged his neck.
"Seru!"
He hugged her back, knowing that she was emotional. He turned his head to hers and kissed her deeply. She returned it, tears streaming down her face. Cell decided to sit down, holding San in his lap, and broke the kiss slowly.
"I'm sorry." he whispered. "I didn't mean to make you cry."
"It's okay." Masq breathed, leaning her head on his shoulder. "It's........It's just that........I love you so much........Seru, I love you and I always will. I treasure the day we met."
Cell smiled, stroking her bare shoulder.
"Me too."
/|\
When Masq noticed her fingers were starting to prune, she decided it was time to get out. So, the two lovers walked out of the spring, and Masq went straight back to the changing stall for her kimono. Cell didn't bother to dry himself just yet. The night wasn't over.
She came back out dressed in a brown and white kimono, wearing nothing on her bare feet, and she kept her hair up in the pony tail. Cell smirked at her.
"You look strange with your hair pulled back." he commented. Masq smiled and shrugged.
"I'm not getting my hair wet in a hot spring. The smell would linger for days." She put her hands in the front pockets. "So, what happens now?" She paused as she felt something in the right pocket. "Eh? What's this?"
Cell's shoulders hung in relief.
"Oh good. It didn't get stolen."
"What?" Masq took out the object to look at it. It was a very small box. "Seru, did you get this?"
"Open it."
Masq timidly took off the top and looked inside. She immediately gasped. It was a ring with a cloudy yellow gem the size of her fingernail embedded in it, and was surrounded by four smaller crystals. Cell rubbed the back of his head in embarassment.
"I'm sorry it's not a diamond. The girls at the jewerly store said that your birthstone was topaz, so that's what I got. The four other jems are diamonds, I hope that helps."
Masq looked at him in surprise.
"Is this a.......? You actually bought me......?!"
"With some help from 18." Cell admitted, walking closer to her. He got down on one knee, held her hand in both of his, and smiled up at her.
"San Masquerade, will you marry me?"
Masq was frozen in shock. She started crying again, and she lowered her head.
Cell paused, knowing that she was thinking very carefully about this. He knew it was way too soon to propose, but he had to, just to show her that he loved her. He would wait a thousand years or more for a wedding, but he just had to do something to show her. Saying "I love you" just wasn't enough for him, he wanted something more meaningful than words.
He lowered his head, feeling the tears coming down his face too.
"San, I don't care if you say no, I just wanted to show you that I love you......."
She brought her head back up in surprise. She paused before giving her responce.
"Baka."
Cell's eyes almost popped out of his head. Did she just call him a fool?!
"What?" he asked her, bringing his head up. Suddenly she tackled him, knocking both of them to the ground.
"BAKA DA!" she yelled at him. Cell looked at her, noticing that she was smiling very wide. "OF COURSE I'LL MARRY YOU!"
Cell never thought he could feel so happy in his life. He hugged her close, hugging and crying.
"Thank you."
"No." Masq sobbed, looking at him. "Thank you, Seru."
They kissed passionately, hoping the moment would never end.
Unfortunantly......
"Ahem!"
They were interrupted by a very gruff voice and they looked up. Hovering over them was a black wolf the size of Moro-sama. Neither of them recognized him. Who was this?
"I believe," the wolf said in a very deep voice, "the hot springs are closed at night......esspecially to courting couples."
Masq laughed nervously.
"I know, I know. It was HIS idea." she accused, pointing at Cell. Cell quickly got up, helping Masq up at the same time.
"Well, we were just leaving." he insisted.
"I see." the wolf nodded.
"Who are you, by the way?" Masq asked. "I haven't seen you before."
"I am Tamon, Moro-sama's mate. Now move along home before I decide to get you in trouble."
"Yes, sir." Masq nodded. "C'mon, Seru, let's go home."
Cell nodded, picking Masq up in his arms and flying off back for the house. Tamon laughed as they left.
"So, the famous couple are to be married? News of this will spread like wildfire. I wonder what Moro-sama will think when she hears the news."
End of Tale 1
Tale 1: Settling In
"Seru-san, quit it! I said no!"
"San....."
"Leggo and listen to me!"
"Please? Please? Just this once?"
"LEGGO!"
Masq wrestled out of Cell's bearhug, and turned to glare him in his pink eyes.
"I said no, I will continue to say no, and I mean no!"
Cell put his hands on his hips.
"We're not going to do anything, so what are you fighting about?"
Masq groaned.
"How many times do I have to say it?! No, you can't take a bath with me, because you won't fit in the bathtub!"
Cell made the opposite of a half-smile.
"Can I at least scrub your back?"
Masq glared angrily, then she headed for the kitchen.
"You are such a perv....."
"I'm not being a 'perv!' " Cell defended, knowing what she was going to get. Trying to weasle out of trouble, he started to ramble. "Let me remind you, we're a couple in love, and I've never been in love before, and I want to be close to you, and I want to go wherever you go, even if you are going to take a bath, and I thought it would be a great way for us to get more intimate with each other......"
"Seru...."
"Yes?"
Masq was standing before him with a skillit in one hand, with her arms crossed.
"I do love you, more than I've ever loved anyone......." Then, she sighed. "But even I need my private time. I mean...... Just this morning, we defeated Laerrus and brought the Shishi Gami back to life....... That's very exciting. I need time alone to calm down."
Cell lowered his head.
"I.....understand. Fine then, I'll leave you alone."
Masq smiled slightly, gave Cell a kiss on the cheek and headed for the bathroom.
But Cell stopped her before she could close the door.
"Maybe I can wash your hair?"
BAM!
"OW!"
Masq gave a "hmph!" before slamming the door. Cell sat on his bead, rubbing his sore cranium.
"Damn, she almost broke my headcrest off. How could she be so strong?"
/|\
Cell decided to sit outside while his girlfriend took a bath. He closed the door behind him and sat down on the dirt road a few feet away. The first thing he laid eyes on was Masquerade's flower garden. It was in full bloom, and looked very beautiful. A few joyous memories were tied to that small garden, so Cell was attached to the small plot of plants too (he'd be caught dead before he took up gardening, however! How girly!).
He looked up at the sky, noticing the sun was setting. He smiled up at it, remembering the horrifying and exciting events from last night.
'Fighting Laerrus...... Her transformation...... Everyone singing the Tatara work song..... Bringing the Shishi Gami back to life........
'I feel so happy to be here....... And much happier being with San.......
'I wouldn't trade this feeling in for anything in the world.......
'................
'What a beautiful sunset.......'
/|\
The capital town of Eboshi was all abuzz of the recient events. Everyone was celebrating the rebirth of the Shishi Gami and the permanant disapearance of Laerrus. Priestesses were dancing in the streets, people were singing, wolves were howling, townsfolk were fixing victory meals....... The town had turned into a festival lot.
Among the people partying were San Miaka and San Rhapsody. Miaka was happy to be alive, while Rhapsody was happy she got the idea for everyone to gather around the Shishi Gami pool to cheer Cell and Masq on. Both were getting their fill of sake and yakisoba.
Yamcha, Kuririn, 18 and Gohan were also in on the festivities. They were trying what food and drink there was, as well as playing party games and even dancing. Gohan was repeating over and over again that he couldn't wait to tell his mom everything he saw and did. Yamcha had invited the friends to stay at his and his sister's house as long as they liked. Kuririn and 18 had to turn him down, saying that their inn room was fine until they left.
Biso remained a wall flower, leaning against the wall of the town hall. He had a sake bottle in one hand, and a drinking dish in the other. He just watched everything happening around him with a smile. He had decided to stay on the mountain for a while, just to be sure that Masq didn't change his mind about him. If not, then he would arrange for his young son, Satoshi, to come live with him. He poured a little sake for himself in the dish, then raised it up to the sky. He murmered a toast to "San Masquerade, my guardian angel" before downing the drink in his dish.
Piccolo stood on the rooftop of the inn, watching the festival below him, and not interested at all. His head turned to the forests, where he could hear birds singing in praise of being alive and cicadas reacting to the heat of the coming summer weather. He found that to be much more to his liking, and he smiled.
'There are so many ways to celebrate being alive.....'
/|\
Moro-sama's den was bustling with activity from the wolves. All the puppies were happy to have their mother back, and the mighty Moro-sama was even happier to be back. All the cubs from all seven of her litters were there to greet her and give her their condolences. Even her mate for her latest litter, Tamon, came to say hello to Moro-sama.
Of course, Amaroq and his children were there to say hello as well.
Ghen sat next to his mother, so happy to have her by his side. In fact, he was being rather possesive of her.
"Ghen," Moro-sama turned her head to her oldest son, "don't you need to stretch your legs? I'm sure that you're uncomfortable sitting here all day."
"I'm enjoying every moment of it, mother." Ghen insisted, lolling his tongue out of his mouth. Moro-sama gave a growl, and kicked one of her back feet lightly at Ghen's foot. He whimpered slightly, getting up and shaking his fur.
"I thought so." Moro-sama smirked. "Why don't you go give the Shishi Gami your respects? It's been six thousand years since he walked the Earth."
Ghen snarled at his mother.
"I lost you to Laerrus's Death's Light! I lost most of my brothers and sisters! The youngest cubs lost their father! I don't want to leave you or the cubs ever again!"
Moro-sama nuzzled her son under his chin, making him whimper in concern.
"Laerrus is forever gone, no such catastrophie will ever happen again. And when my time comes to die, we will all know. So please, don't worry about me."
Ghen sat on his rear, and growled slightly in depression. Moro-sama batted a paw at his head.
"Ghen, you will one day be head of the pack, and you will have the responcibility of watching over the mountain. You will also need to make sure that the Shishi Gami is not in any danger, or the events from six thousand years ago will happen again."
"Events from six thousand years ago happened last night, mother....."
Then, Tori came into the cave, panting.
"Moro-sama! How good it is to see you in good health!"
Moro-sama turned her attention to Tori and sniffed at her muzzle.
"Ah, Tori-chan, it's nice to see you. It is good to see that you are doing well, also."
Tori yipped, then turned to Ghen.
"It is good to see you as well, Ghen-san. How loyal of you to stay at your mother's side!"
Ghen nervously dropped to the ground on his stomach, and covered his muzzel with his paws. Moro-sama chuckled.
"Give my reguards to your brothers and sisters, Tori-chan." she told the black wolf. "And to San Miaka as well."
Tori yipped again, then trotted out of the cave. Ghen then stood right back up.
"By your leave, mother." he pardoned, then followed Tori out. Moro-sama stretched out her back, then lay back down while her tail wagged.
"I sence a litter of grandchildren in the near future. My, how these pups make me feel so old....."
/|\
The festivities continued on into the night, until something caused the public to stop and look up at the sky in wonder.
In the forest, the kodama were rattling in masses. The sound was ringing all over the mountain. In Eboshi, the singing, dancing and eating to look up at the sky.
Yamcha and Gohan were also wondering, looking around at everyone.
"What's going on?" Yamcha wondered to himself. "I don't see anything...."
"What's that loud rattling?" Gohan asked.
"Kodama." Yamcha answered. "Little tree spirits that live in the forests. Are all of them making that sound? Whoa...."
Curious, Rhapsody climbed up a house porch and up to the roof for a better look. She looked at the forest canopy, and around the town. Nothing seemed out of place......
......until she saw it.
She gasped and froze in place.
It was a fifty foot tall mass with the body structure of a human. It had a deer-shaped head and spines running from the top of its head to its back. A blue aura surrounded the mass, giving it a moonlit glow. Rhapsody remembered looking at its picture on the temple mosaics, and suddenly shouted it out.
"DIDARABOCCHI! DIDARABOCCHI!" she shouted. "NIGHT WALKER!"
There were some shocked gasps and even some screams. The entire town went into a buzz of amazement.
"Night Walker?" Krillin and 18 asked themselves.
"What's that?" Gohan asked a very shocked Yamcha.
"It's.......It's the Shishi Gami at night...." he answered nervously. "The legend says that it has a form for day and night. During the day, it's the Shishi Gami, the God of Life. At night, it's the Didarabocchi, the God of Death."
Gohan flew up into the air for a look. His eyes widened at the sight of it.
"Whoa! It's huge!"
Soon, it walked close to the town, coming into the view of the people. Suddenly, they started to cheer, raising their hands and praising the god before them. They were so happy to see proof that their Life God was alive again. The festival continued, louder and much more joyously than before.
Piccolo just smiled at the giant deity, raising a hand in greeting.
Even if the giant saw it, the greeting went unanswered, and just continued walking by.
/|\
"San!" Cell yelled, running back into the house. "San, come quick!"
Masq was sitting at the table, enjoying the instant maccoroni and cheese she had just made. Her hair was still a little wet, but was drying. She looked at Cell in surprise.
"What's wrong, Seru? Something bad?"
"It's Laerrus! She's come back, and with a vengence!"
Masq stood up in alarm.
"WHAT?!"
"All the kodama are going crazy! Look! Outside!"
They both ran out of the house, and down the dirt road a little. They could hear all the kodama in every single tree rattling away. Then, Cell picked up Masq in his arms and flew up so that she could see over the tree tops. He pointed to the giant body that was slowly lumbering over the forest.
"There! What do we do?!"
Masq stared at it a moment, then smiled.
"That's not Laerrus, dear." she said calmly. "That's the Night Walker."
"What's the difference?!" Cell demanded.
"Laerrus is still gone, Seru. It's still Akimo in there. See, the Shishi Gami and the Night Walker are one and the same. The Shishi Gami becomes the Night Walker at night, and changes back at sunrise."
Cell started to calm down, and frowned.
"Looks like a false alarm then. He gave me a start."
Masq laughed.
"It's alright. I understand."
"But still, isn't it dangerous?"
"No, it's harmless." Masq insisted. "But it still has Life God powers, so it can give and take life as it sees fit. Other than apperances, the Night Walker and the Shishi Gami are the same person, personality and all."
Both Cell and Masq watched the being walk closer to them in awe. Cell dared to get a little bit closer, and he reached his hand out to the giant creature. He touched it, and his fingers went into its liquid skin. He felt the liquid flow past his fingers like it was water until it had walked past them. Cell noticed the giant god paid no mind to him at all. He looked at his unharmed hand in awe.
"Amazing...."
"Wow..." Masq gasped. "He's so beautiful. I never thought I would actually see it for real....."
They stayed together until it started to walk further up the mountain.
"I wonder where he's going." Cell said as Masq cuddled closer to him.
"Maybe he wants to see the entire mountain. It's changed a lot in the last six thousand years. I wonder what he'll think of the temple."
Cell smiled and hugged her closer.
"I think he'll love it."
Masq smiled back, then leaned her head up and kissed Cell. He held her more tightly, and kissed her back. He started to slowly hover back down to the ground. Their kiss didn't break until Cell's feet touched the ground.
"You smell like cheeze." Cell commented rather dryly. Masq laughed and jumped out of his arms.
"I almost forgot! I was eating dinner! Are you hungry, Seru? I can make more."
"No thank you." Cell shook his head. "I'm not hungry."
They both walked into the house together, Masq's arms hugging Cell's waist. He put a hand on her shoulder as he closed the door behind him with his other hand.
"I love you so much, San."
"Oh, Cell, I love you too."
/|\
They had snuggled in the same bed that night, and Masq fell right to sleep in Cell's arms. Cell stayed awake, holding her close. He was thinking a lot about what had happened during his stay on the mountain.
He told San he wouldn't leave the mountain, and he wouldn't leave her. Simply because he loved her, and he loved the mountain too. He had never been to a world quite like the one that inhabited Singing Mountain. The stories and the mysterious history let him discover new things every day, and the people that lived on the mountain now were the only friends he ever had. Masq was the first and only woman he had ever truely loved, and he wasn't about to let this precious treasure slip through his fingers.
He stayed on the mountain, simply because he loved it........
......and he was happy here.......
......and he made Masq happy too........
He leaned his head close to hers, inhaling the scent of her soft, blond hair. Yes, being with her made him happy, because she was happy being with him.
Was it destiny?
Cell talked often of fate and destiny when he hunted for the androids. He had firmly believed that everything that ever happened to him and his androids happened for a reason, and it would happen so long as he was alive. It was the android's fate to be absorbed, and it was Cell's destiny to become perfect.
But then, he thought back to the day he first met Masq in the woods, about to absorb her and kill her. He didn't, because she had used her language of the Gods to save her life, and Cell had spared her.
Was their meeting fate? Was it their desitny to fall in love one day?
Were they fated to save their world together?
Cell started to give himself a headache, so he settled into the pillow and closed his eyes.
As he drifted off to sleep, he started to form an idea. This idea grew into a plan.......
.......and he dozed off with an agenda for all of tomorrow.......
/|\
Masquerade awoke in an empty bed, and sat up in alarm.
"Seru?"
She heard barking from the next room, and leaned over as a familiar wolf puppy trotted into the room.
"Good morning, San-san!"
"Yume? How did you get here?"
"Seru-san brought me here from the den." Yume explained, jumping up on the bed. Then, Masq noticed that there was a slip of paper in her mouth. "He said to give you this when you woke up." Masq took the paper as Yume kept talking. "So, I waited and was really quiet, and I didn't make a noise until you woke up! Aren't you proud?!"
Masq rubbed the top of Yume's head as she read the note aloud. It was handwritten in blue ink, certainly from one of Masq's ballpoint pens.
"San, I need some time alone today. I will be home later tonight, so please don't worry about me. Just relax and spend today at home. I love you, from Seru."
Masq smiled and looked at Yume.
"Seru-san's up to something today." she figured. "I wonder what it could be."
/|\
Cell found himself walking through Eboshi, and heading for the inn. He was rather determined to get his plan into motion as soon as he could. The sooner he got what he wanted, the earlier he could get back to the house.
He caught sight of the inn, and headed for it. He looked up at the windows, and noticed that the one he was looking for was looking out at the street. He waved up to her, and she gave him a look of hesitation. He smiled at her, understanding.
"18? Can I talk to you for a moment, please?" he called. She hesitated again before moving away from the window. He waited by the inn door until 18 walked out of it, dressed in a black shirt with white-striped sleeves, and blue jeans.
"What?" she asked, being rather cold.
He pointed to an object on her person.
"Where did you get that?"
She didn't take her eyes off him.
"Get what?"
"You know......that."
She looked at the object, then looked at Cell, then looked at the object again. She started to piece together what he was after.
"Wait a minute......are you saying you want........are you.....really going to....."
Cell smiled, and nodded his head once.
"Can you help me, 18? Please? I will never ask anything else of you."
18 slowly started to smile.
"Let me get my shoes on, and we'll go shopping."
/|\
After 18 helped him buy what he wanted, he headed for a place where he wouldn't be disturbed. It took a while to think of a place. The Shishi Gami realm was too public, the temple was too crouded, the towns were full of people and priestesses still celebrating the Shishi Gami's rebirth, the wolf dens were too loud.......
..........then, he found a nice secluded island by a wide river of water. There were ruins of a town on them overgrown with underbrush and vines. He didn't see anyone in the town, so he thought it was a nice spot.
He flew across the river to the bank, and landed softly on his feet. As he walked to the town, he noticed a very recient sign posted on a wooden wall. It read that the ruins were the Tatara Ba ruins, and this was a historical site on the mountain.
"Oh, I see." Cell realized. He looked around in awe. "So this is Tatara Ba. I've wanted to see this place for myself." He started to walk into the town, and take in the sights. Many of the buildings, which were office buildings and homes, had been torn down many thousands of years ago, and plants grew over the wreckage. He saw the main forge was still standing, but had holes in the walls and roof, and was also overgrown in plants.
Cell walked inside the forge.
He could see the bellows themselves, completely rusted over time. The giant melting pot also still standing, overflowing in ferns and various mosses. Wooden planks and anvils were also present in the giant forge. Everything was old, and rusted beyond future use. Cell took a seat on a nearby plank, and took a deep breath in. The entire forge smelled of fresh mountain air with a slight hint of soot.
He closed his eyes and started to meditate.
"Now, I wait for twilight."
/|\
Masquerade waited around the house all day, waiting for Cell to come home. She played with Yume, read a book, and studied her demon scroll a little. She decided not to eat anything big, just in case, so she snacked on some toast and penut butter when she was hungry. She also checked on her garden, and played fetch with Yume for a few hours.
The sun was starting to set, and Masq couldn't help but worry.
"He said he would be home late......I wish he said how late....."
She went back inside to keep reading, calling Yume inside with her. She sat on the bed and read while Yume hopped on Cell's bed and curled up.
Masq kept herself so occupied with her book that, a few hours later, she didn't even hear Cell come in.
He walked up to her and tapped her shoulder. She flinched and looked up.
"Seru! You scared me!"
"Sorry." he smiled. "Well, are you ready?"
"Ready for what?" Masq asked timidly.
"For the most incredible night of your life?"
Masq's eyebrows raised. Cell seemed to change suddenly. Before she could even answer him, he picked her up and held her in his arms. She had gasped and dropped her book. Yume looked up in surprise.
"Seru-san! What are you doing?!"
Cell turned to the wolf cub.
"We'll be gone for a while. Do you think you can watch the house for us, Yume?"
Yume stood up on the bed and barked.
"Yeah!"
"Alright. We'll be back."
He started walking out of the house with Masq still in his arms. She started to giggle at the strange circumstances. She almost never been carried in a man's arms before!
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"You'll see." Cell assured, opening the door and walking outside.
/|\
They flew over Eboshi, and Cell brought his ki down and fanned out his wings so they could glide undetected. The town was dark, quiet, and only a few patrolling wolves could be seen in the streets. Everyone else was asleep. Cell glided over to the hot springs and landed softly on his feet.
Masq blinked at their location.
"What are we doing here? The hot springs are closed at night."
Cell pointed to a changing stall.
"Go ahead and change."
"What?!"
"San, please?"
He set her down and pushed her slightly to the stall. Masq put her hands on her hips.
"Seru, this isn't like you at all? What's going on?"
"You trust me, don't you?"
She looked at him in surprise. He just looked back at her in soft anticipation.
"San, I planned this all for you. Please, trust me on this."
Masq gave a more forgiving look to him, and headed for the stall.
"Let's not do anything that will get us in trouble, alright?"
Cell smiled.
"There's nothing to worry about."
He waited until she came out with a towel wrapped around her, and her hair tied into a high pony tail. He smiled at her, and coaxed her with his hand into one of the springs. She timidly walked towards one has he stepped into the spring ahead of her. As soon as she was in the spring, Cell wrapped his arms around her and grinned.
"I found a bathtub big enough for me. Can I wash your back now?"
What a way to ruin the mood! Masq was about to slap him, but he kissed her on the forehead for forgiveness.
"I can't believe you...." she growled.
"Sorry. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything...."
"Why you....."
Suddenly, she started laughing and leaned her head on his shoulder.
"Seru......sometimes I wonder what you were like before we met...."
He hugged her and started rubbing her back.
"No.......you don't, San....."
They stayed that way for a while, then Masq hugged Cell close to her.
"I.......never had a real boyfriend before. This feels really weird to me........ I just wanted you to know, Seru."
Cell cocked his head to look at her better.
"What about Takeshi, not to bring up an unpleasant subject......"
Masq smiled slightly.
"We didn't make it past two weeks. It was more of a set-up thing than a relationship. He said he got the crystal dagger from his grandmother and wanted to know if I wanted it. I guess he just wanted to get rid of it or something. Well, it turned out he already had a girlfriend, and he was just toying with me."
"I'm glad I killed him."
Masq's smile faded.
"Don't say that. It was nice, how he made me feel. I felt.....secure, that someone would always be there for me, and that someone cared so much for me."
"But it was a lie." Cell argued. "He didn't care about you, it was just a game to him. He was making you feel that way just to hurt you in the end."
"You know what they say," Masq sighed, "it's better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all."
Cell quickly snatched her face in his two hands, making her look at him. He looked deep into her eyes with determination, and a slight hint of anger. He was remembering his awful mistake back at the Shishi Gami realm.....just last night, before Laerrus gained her powers.......
......when Cell had accidently killed Masq.......
"That's not true." Cell retorted firmly. "How could you say that?"
Masq gasped, then closed her eyes as they started to water.
"Seru....."
"Shhh..." He calmed, stroking her cheek with one thumb softly. "San, look at me."
She opened her eyes and looked deeply into his as he continued.
"I will never toy with you. I will never hurt you. I will never leave you...... And I will never, not even under the threat of death, stop loving you. You're everything to me, San. Without you...... I see no reason for me to live."
A tear dripped from one of Masq's eyes, and she put a hand on his shoulder. His eyes were watering too.
"San.......you feel the same way for me, yes?"
"Of course." she whispered, starting to cry.
Cell smiled slightly.
"Then, I know I can live my life happy, knowing that you're by my side, and that you'll always love me. And I want you to be happy too. That's all I want."
Masq jumped up and hugged his neck.
"Seru!"
He hugged her back, knowing that she was emotional. He turned his head to hers and kissed her deeply. She returned it, tears streaming down her face. Cell decided to sit down, holding San in his lap, and broke the kiss slowly.
"I'm sorry." he whispered. "I didn't mean to make you cry."
"It's okay." Masq breathed, leaning her head on his shoulder. "It's........It's just that........I love you so much........Seru, I love you and I always will. I treasure the day we met."
Cell smiled, stroking her bare shoulder.
"Me too."
/|\
When Masq noticed her fingers were starting to prune, she decided it was time to get out. So, the two lovers walked out of the spring, and Masq went straight back to the changing stall for her kimono. Cell didn't bother to dry himself just yet. The night wasn't over.
She came back out dressed in a brown and white kimono, wearing nothing on her bare feet, and she kept her hair up in the pony tail. Cell smirked at her.
"You look strange with your hair pulled back." he commented. Masq smiled and shrugged.
"I'm not getting my hair wet in a hot spring. The smell would linger for days." She put her hands in the front pockets. "So, what happens now?" She paused as she felt something in the right pocket. "Eh? What's this?"
Cell's shoulders hung in relief.
"Oh good. It didn't get stolen."
"What?" Masq took out the object to look at it. It was a very small box. "Seru, did you get this?"
"Open it."
Masq timidly took off the top and looked inside. She immediately gasped. It was a ring with a cloudy yellow gem the size of her fingernail embedded in it, and was surrounded by four smaller crystals. Cell rubbed the back of his head in embarassment.
"I'm sorry it's not a diamond. The girls at the jewerly store said that your birthstone was topaz, so that's what I got. The four other jems are diamonds, I hope that helps."
Masq looked at him in surprise.
"Is this a.......? You actually bought me......?!"
"With some help from 18." Cell admitted, walking closer to her. He got down on one knee, held her hand in both of his, and smiled up at her.
"San Masquerade, will you marry me?"
Masq was frozen in shock. She started crying again, and she lowered her head.
Cell paused, knowing that she was thinking very carefully about this. He knew it was way too soon to propose, but he had to, just to show her that he loved her. He would wait a thousand years or more for a wedding, but he just had to do something to show her. Saying "I love you" just wasn't enough for him, he wanted something more meaningful than words.
He lowered his head, feeling the tears coming down his face too.
"San, I don't care if you say no, I just wanted to show you that I love you......."
She brought her head back up in surprise. She paused before giving her responce.
"Baka."
Cell's eyes almost popped out of his head. Did she just call him a fool?!
"What?" he asked her, bringing his head up. Suddenly she tackled him, knocking both of them to the ground.
"BAKA DA!" she yelled at him. Cell looked at her, noticing that she was smiling very wide. "OF COURSE I'LL MARRY YOU!"
Cell never thought he could feel so happy in his life. He hugged her close, hugging and crying.
"Thank you."
"No." Masq sobbed, looking at him. "Thank you, Seru."
They kissed passionately, hoping the moment would never end.
Unfortunantly......
"Ahem!"
They were interrupted by a very gruff voice and they looked up. Hovering over them was a black wolf the size of Moro-sama. Neither of them recognized him. Who was this?
"I believe," the wolf said in a very deep voice, "the hot springs are closed at night......esspecially to courting couples."
Masq laughed nervously.
"I know, I know. It was HIS idea." she accused, pointing at Cell. Cell quickly got up, helping Masq up at the same time.
"Well, we were just leaving." he insisted.
"I see." the wolf nodded.
"Who are you, by the way?" Masq asked. "I haven't seen you before."
"I am Tamon, Moro-sama's mate. Now move along home before I decide to get you in trouble."
"Yes, sir." Masq nodded. "C'mon, Seru, let's go home."
Cell nodded, picking Masq up in his arms and flying off back for the house. Tamon laughed as they left.
"So, the famous couple are to be married? News of this will spread like wildfire. I wonder what Moro-sama will think when she hears the news."
End of Tale 1