Chapter 123

17 froze with a gasp at what he saw. Just as the boy fell limp, he saw two beatle-like wings and a snake-like tail emerge from Genji's back. And from Genji's stomach came two marble hands with black claws.

"Oh, God." He finally whispered. "What in hell....."

Eboshi was surprised as well.

"Two seperate bodies...."

Indeed, two creatures exited Genji's body, both of them ghostly figures. One was Cell's Imperfect form as 17 remembered it, the other was....

Masq froze in her ceremony, not believing her eyes. It was a face she hadn't seen in sixteen years. She felt ready to cry, her body was already shaking.

"S.....Seru?"

Cell was looking himself over, not believing he had his own body again. When he heard her voice, he looked up with a smile.

"San..."

Before the two could look at each other lovingly any longer, the demon tackled Cell to the ground.

"NO!" It yelled. "She's mine! How dare you!"

"How dare YOU!" Cell yelled, kicking it off him. "She was never yours, you demon!"

"You're the demon!"

"You aren't fooling anyone!"

"HSSSSSST!"

Masq watched in concern and confusion.

"Seru?"

Both forms of Cell stood in front of her, talking frantically.

"San! It's me! Don't you remember?"

"Coral-chan, it's your Seru. I've returned."

"Don't listen to him. It's me, Seru."

"I'm the one you fell in love with! Ignore that demon, he's trying to trick you!"

Masq looked between the two. Fortunantly, hearing "San" and "Coral-chan", it was no contest.

She walked towards Perfect Cell.

"Seru." she choaked back with a sob.

"San." he smiled at her.

Before they could interact, the demon roared angrily. His aura flared in rage. Several onlookers backed away in fear.

"How dare you! How dare you desert me, you bitch!"

Masq hid behind Cell with a whimper, and he sheltered her with one arm. The demon's gaze went from the couple to Genji. His body hung from the alter, not conscous, not moving, only breathing. The demon advanced towards the boy.

"Coral-chan, you and yours will suffer. I'll take away everything you ever held dear! I'll start with your only child!"

"No!"

Cell pulled the demon away from the alter. The demon fought back, kicking, screaming, and hissing. It arched its tail and swung it, sticking the sharp syringe in the back of Cell's neck. Cell winced in pain, and let the monster go. The demon turned, forming a ball of ki in its hand.

"Fool! You of all people should know that evil always triumphs over the weak hearted. Like the love-sick, weak hearted fool you have become!"

"Archers ready!"

Hearing the unfamiliar voice, the demon looked around frantically. It saw the other Mononoke warriors aiming various weapons at it. Bows and arrows, spears, swords, and some had guns. Eboshi was aiming her rifle while 17 cracked his knuckles.

The demon laughed.

"Fools! All of you! Your sticks and stones won't even scratch me! You will all end up killing yourselves!"

"Our gods will not forgive us if we let a monster like you kill one of our own." Eboshi spoke up. The demon laughed again.

"Your gods are freaks of nature! They care not about your dead souls! No one does!"

It looked back at Genji, and raised its arm to throw the ki blast.

"And this bastard will join you!"

"Genji!" Masq shrieked.

The demon started to laugh......

....then it was kicked in the head by a black-booted foot. It fell to the ground, negating the ki in its hand.

The warriors lowered their weapons in shock.

"...what's HE doing here?" 17 wondered in annoyance.

"....is that...." Masq wondered from behind Cell.

"...Son Goku." Cell said simply, seeing the orange clad Saiyajin looking down at the demon.

Author's note: Yes, Goku is important in this story...... just not too important right now. Bear with me, this is almost over.