Chapter 67

Genji didn't stop running until he fell into a puddle deep enough to be a lake. He surfaced, and kept Marron's head above the water as he swam for the other side. He spied what looked like a log floating in the water, so he swam to that and sat on it. Marron hugged him tightly with her good arm as she sobbed, and he hugged her back. They stayed that way for a while, as they shivered in the cold night, drenching wet.

**I think we lost them, so let's catch our breath.**

"You saved me…" Marron sniffed. "Thank you…"

**Hey, don't thank me now. We're not out of the woods yet…er, swamp. I still have to get you home.** He looked around. **Uh oh… I think we lost Piccolo too…**

"Can't you just fly me home?"

**What?! Marron, I don't know how! I can hardly hover! Besides, I can't leave Piccolo behind. I want all of us to leave together.**

Marron smiled and snuggled against Genji's neck.

"Oh, Genji…you're so thoughtful…"

Genji frowned in annoyance.

**Marron, not now! We have to concentrate on getting out of here.** He shifted to stand up on the log, but it shifted too. Just slightly. Genji blinked.

What in the…I feel a faint ki from this log…like it has a life force of it's own…

He looked down at the "log" he was sitting on, and noticed the strange texture. It should have been rough and felt like rotting wood. However, it felt smooth and was covered with small bumps and crevices that reminded him of an alligator suitcase.

Wait a minute…

"Genji…" Marron gasped her voice to a whisper. "The log…is looking at us…" Genji turned his head to where Marron was looking, and saw two yellow eyes twice the size of his hands staring at them.

It was starting to click in Genji's mind…

**ISHIMATA!** (OH CRAP!)

Genji quickly jumped off the crocodile's snout as it snapped its jaws at him. He dove back into the water and quickly swam to the shore as the Mononoke crocodile crept after them through the water. Genji pushed Marron onto land first, so that she wouldn't get hurt. As Genji began to crawl out of the water, the crocodile threw itself on top of him. Marron screamed as she backed away, while Genji was being crushed.

The reptile was as long as a school bus!

Genji didn't panic as his face was pushed into the mud. He firmly dug his knees into the ground, and slowly pushed his shoulders up. Using all the strength his strained abs had left, he began lifting the giant crocodile off him!

God, it's heavy…

He could feel the demon burns rippling and breathing along his shoulders, back, and stomach. He felt extra strength and energy flowing into his muscles. The crocodile suddenly didn't feel heavy at all. Almost casually, Genji tossed the crocodile into the water with a huge splash. Genji climbed fully up to the shore, and waited a moment to make sure it wouldn't come back up. When it didn't, Genji crawled to Marron.

**Are you okay?**

She was in awe.

"Whoa…I don't think even mommy could do that… How did you do that, Genji?"

**Look, we better keep going. Can you walk?**

"I…guess…"

**Okay, c'mon.** He looped her good arm over his shoulders, and they continued on in a walk. Genji didn't plan on breaking into a run until he was sure he wouldn't run into any lake deep holes.

He heard one of the dragons' roar from some distance away, and he quickly picked up the pace of his walking. Marron started wincing as her injured arm tugged on her shoulder.

"Ow…ow…ow…"

Genji looked over his shoulder behind them and gritted her teeth. The damage to Marron's arm was so bad, it would fall off without support. He stopped by a tree, then picked up Marron in his arms. Before she could question what he was doing, he jumped into the tree and landed on a sturdy branch. He sat on the branch and sat Marron in his lap.

**No crocodiles up here.** he assured, holding her injured arm to his chest. She leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Why are we stopping?"

**Well, I wanna try and find Piccolo. We should stay put in one spot and hide until we meet back up. Plus, I don't think you should be moving that arm around too much.**

"Okay…" She snuggled into his chest and wrapped her good arm around him. "Wake me up when you see him."

**Okay.**

Marron closed her eyes with a sigh. Genji held her close and looked out at the sinking landscape, listening to the swamp birds around him.

Piccolo, where are you?

/|\

"Where did this river come from?!" Sei cried in disgust as a flash flood flowed past their feet. Don and Po sniffed around, but it was no use.

"Damn…" Don growled. "We lost Genji's scent…"

"It got swept away." Po groaned. "Now, we'll never find him."

"Enough of that." Don reprimanded, slapping the back of Po's head. "He should be nearby. We'll find him."

Piccolo grinned to himself from his hiding place in the trees. He was the cause of the flash flood, breaking a natural dam from the beach and making the water flow in the dragon's path. The new river destroyed Genji's scent trail. So wherever the boy was, he would be safe for now.

Piccolo had also hidden his scent by caking his body and clothes with mud so that the dragons couldn't smell him. It was also great camouflage, so they would have trouble seeing him as well.

He crept through the branches as the dragons kept looking for the boy.

I can just barely sense Genji. His ki went up for a moment, then dropped. He must be close by.