Chapter 100


Genji sat on the bank in his boxers, washing his face and letting his hair dry out. Yume was in the river, playing in the water, chasing around some colorful ducks.

"Hey, bath toys!" she called to them, splashing as she tried to reach them. "Come back! I'm not going to hurt you! I just want to chew on you a little until you make squeaking sounds!"

Genji smiled as he rolled his eyes at an unpleasant memory.

**Oh no, not the rubber ducky incident again.....**

"I didn't know any better!" Yume whimpered at him, walking away from the ducks. "I was still a pup back then!"

**You're still a pup now.**

"You can be a real jerk sometimes, Genji!" Yume yipped sadly, walking up next to him. Then, she shook herself fiercely, flinging water all over the place. Genji shielded himself with his arms.

**Hey! I just finished drying my hair!**

"But, I'm cold....." Yume whimpered as she shook her paws dry, one by one. Genji put down his arms and huffed through his nose.

**Wolf puppies......oy vey.** Then, he hugged her neck and scratched behind one of her ears. **But, you can't help but love them!**

Suddenly, Yume turned her head to the sky and barked. Genji looked up too, and he saw someone hovering in the air.

**Piccolo-san!**

The Namek landed a small distance from Genji, and walked to him.

"Odd place to take a bath, Genji. You're out in the open where anyone can see and attack you."

**Hey, it's not the first time I washed my hair in a river before.** Genji shrugged. **So, what's up? You're back.**

"I have some senzu for you and Yume. It will heal any more wounds from yesterday."

**Great.** Genji nodded. Piccolo gave him a bean, and let Yume lap the other one from his hand. Genji felt much more energetic after swallowing, and Yume felt her scabs and scars heal and disappear. She licked Piccolo's face in thanks, and he wiped his face clean of wolf slobber.

**Thank you, Piccolo-san.** Genji bowed. **That was very thoughtful of you.**

"You needed it." Piccolo explained. "So did the villagers. I left Murasaki with enough senzu to heal all her people."

Genji frowned sadly as he tied clean bandages around his neck and shoulders, still demon scarred.

**It's......good to hear that........everyone will be alright. I caused a lot of damage yesterday.**

Piccolo gave Genji a serious look.

"Are you alright, Genji?"

**Well, I'm not crying anymore, but I still felt really bad. I wish I could have done something........**

"You were knocked out. You had no control of your body. None of it was your fault. Coming here for help was a good idea....."

**No, it wasn't. Because of this demon, I've suffered so much; but worse, because of this demon others have suffered. Others that didn't deserve it, others who had nothing to do with me......and that really hurts. I let other people suffer.**

"Genji, listen to me, it's not your fault. What happened was beyond your control."

Genji sniffed back a tear as he bandaged his arms.

**I'm leaving as soon as I can. I'm going home, where I can't hurt anyone else. No one lives in my mom's cottage, I'll just shut myself up there until the demon kills me.....**

"Genji, stop it!"

**I don't want to hurt people anymore! I might as well just die right now, and save others the trouble......**

In a flash, Piccolo punched Genji in the face, flinging the boy into the river.

"Genji!" Yume barked in worry. As Piccolo waded in after the boy, Yume grabbed his cape in her teeth, about to maul it. "No! Leave him alone! You hurt Genji!"

Piccolo simply took his cape off and waded after the boy. After spotting him below the water, he pulled on Genji's hair and stood the boy on his feet while snarling at him.

"Don't you ever, ever, EVER talk about or think of reasons to stop living! How dare you call yourself a fighter! How could you possibly protect the lives of others if you want to end your own?!"

He pulled Genji back onto the riverbank, and flung him to the ground. Genji pulled himself up to a sit, slicking wet hair behind his ears and over his head angrily.

**What did you do that for?! Now I have to dry my hair again!**

"Listen to me, Genji!"

**Dammit, I'm listening!**

"Sometimes you can be as bad as your mother with your smart-ass attitude and innocent nature. Sometimes you can be worse than Cell......either you are too stubborn to give up and cause everyone hell, or you give up too easily and all hell breaks loose. Time to start behaving, Genji!"

**What do you want from me?**

"I want you to keep living and not give up. You are still alive, Genji, so it's not too late to be cured. Bring out your stubbornness and refuse to die. This can be done, you just have to keep going."

**Why are you giving me a prep talk?**

Piccolo straightened his back a little.

"I think I found a way to cure you."

Genji blinked in surprise.

**Really? You did?**

"I want Murasaki's opinion first. I'm hoping to speak to both of you about it." Then, he smiled slightly. "First, let's dry you of and put you in clothes."

Yume nudged Piccolo in the back with her nose.

"You have to say sorry for hurting Genji!" she demanded.

Piccolo looked at her over his shoulder.

"No, Yume. I never apologize when handing out punishments."

End of Part 1

Next: The Silent Prince, Part 2