Introduction and Disclaimer

The Continuity continues. ;)

This story fits the same progressive timeline as the previous stories, and tacks on to the end of Tainted Spirit.

I was recently told that it's unusual for a fanfiction writer to write sequential stories in the way that I do – which surprised me. There's nothing more fun in my view than writing developments in characters and character bonds, just as you see in the TV series or read in books that serialise the events in the lives of specific characters. For my part, I've always written stories in this manner – although how far they will go and how many more there will be remains open-ended. I literally have no idea if there will be another story until after I finish the one before.

Such is life.

This story focuses in again on a couple of previously visited concepts, mainly of my own devising. In some respects, this story centres on Tokimi, Washu and their Kii heritage. Due to popular demand, a certain Lord of Jurai and a certain Galaxy Police Officer will find their detection team re-united in this fic, also :D. Tenchi and Ryoko are wound up in the midst of it, as ever. And I suspect there will be a role for the Juraian contingent – Sasami at the very least – just from the things I've already thought through.

Also in this story are appearing two characters from the original Tenchi continuities that I have not used before. I won't name names. You'll see who they are soon enough.

Boring Note on Vraie's Linguistics and Kii Names: (Skip this if you really don't care…)

Name suffixes/titles aside, I'm not going to attempt to type Japanese script or Japanese phrases into my work, to represent the language spoken in Japan. Despite the fact Tenchi et al are living in Japan and such like, "Common Galactic Tongue" for the purpose of my writing can probably be seen as English. (This is simply because my stories are written in English…though if you want to imagine them in Japanese, please be my guest!)

However, I must mention the occasional liberty taken in this story with certain words from the Japanese language. My character "Suki Tennan"'s name kanji (for anyone who cares) mean "Revered Spirit" (崇気 Suu Ki). However, the word "好きsuki" in Japanese (or s'ki as it's generally pronounced) actually means "like" (and is often used by Japanese people to mean "love"). (My reason for mentioning this becomes clear as the story progresses. I'm not just a random nutball. Well, hrm, maybe I am, but anyhow - there is reason to my madness!)

Equally, the name meaning given to Tokimi in this story is based on the original three Kanji characters her name has in canon according to my sources – meaning, in sequence: "訪To" (Visit) "希Ki" (Rare or Aspiring) and "深, Mi" (Deep) (at least according to my Kanji dictionary!). I have absolutely no idea why she was given this name or what it is meant to signify, if anything at all. However, I just wanted people to be aware this wasn't just my random babble!

More relevantly, the meaning of Washu's name ( 鷲羽 Washuu) is "Eagle's Feather" – which is why Kihaku's emblem and deity are all based around the Eagle. I never explained that in a story before, but someone asked me about it a while back, so I thought for anyone who didn't know about Washu's name, I'd explain!

Anyone who's discussed Kihaku and the Kii language with me knows that – although it's not intended to BE Japanese, Kii is meant to resemble Japanese in some respects, as a sort of lip-service to Tenchi Muyo's country of origin. Hence this story may have the occasional Japanese reference when talking about the language of Kihaku!

(If you are getting boxes or ?? before the names in bold, your PC is not configured for Japanese characters, hence why I've written the romanised form as well :))

Usual legal junk applies! Now I've bored you all to death with my anal language geekiness – let the story begin!!

Synopsis

It's been more than a year since the destruction of Kihaku marked the end of the planet's dark hold over Tokimi's heart, and the young Priestess is happily enjoying her life on the planet Jurai, blissfully ignorant of the bleak shadows that lurk in her past. The Kii are dead, after all - or are they? As Washu comes back from a visit to Airai, she spots a strange planet glowing in the bleak and as she sets down on its surface, she is startled to find engravings and monuments that appear to be carved in her native tongue. But how can that be?

Meanwhile, Sasami has a strange vision which only Tokimi can interpret, and on the Earth, Ryoko and Tenchi get a surprise when Ryo Ohki returns to the planet - alone! Where is Washu and who are the strange people who have taken her prisoner? Determined to track her down, Ryoko and Tenchi set off to follow the coordinates into space, only to find no trace of the planet when they reach the right sector of space. Is the world real or an illusion? Wanting to help her friend, Sasami sends Seiryo to investigate Washu's strange disappearance, and Seiryo takes a wild gamble, choosing to bring Tokimi along for the ride as he seeks the assistance of the Galaxy Police in his quest.

But Tokimi alone understands the true nature of Sasami's vision, and the words written in the Juraian sands. And as they plunge deeper into space, Tokimi finds herself plagued by images of death and battle. Is she finally remembering her years as Kihaku's Priestess? Can she ever face up to her past - or will the dark thoughts rise up and overwhelm her once again?

EAGLE'S PRAYER: PART ONE
A Tenchi Muyo! Fanfiction
by
VRAIEESPRIT

Chapter One
The Borders of Solar System #9-814

Several Milennia Earlier

The lightning still split the sky over Kihaku.

From the belly of the powerful Juraian war-craft, the huddle of people watched with a mixture of fear and awe as the spinning orb of their planet drew further and further into the distance, still glowing from the wild bursts of the Priestess's magic that struck through the clouded atmosphere.

The World was angry.

In the midst of the ragged, unkempt gathering, a small girl pressed forward, pushing her small pudgy hands up against the glass window as she gazed out across the bleakness of space. Tears touched her eyes and she clasped her hands together, in imitation of the prayers she had seen her parents utter.

"There's no sense praying to the World now." A man jostled her, shaking his head in impatience at her behaviour. "Kihaku has forsaken us – all of us. Tokimi-sama is angry – the World has not forgiven us for making treaties with Jurai. We should have expected retribution – this is our punishment. Our World has abandoned us. We are nothing more than Juraian prisoners, now."

"Refugees." A woman objected. "Jurai have taken us to save our lives, Masoto. Not to hurt us."

"Then you're naïve, if you believe that. As bad as this stupid child." Masoto shook his head, clenching his fists as he considered the situation. "We never had troubles till the Settlers came, you know that good as I do. The Lord Priest, Tokimi-sama's father, he knew we shouldn't trust their strange machines and false manners. Their Goddess sought to banish our own and the World is cross with us for even considering such things. We will be Jurai's slaves now. On a strange land, speaking a strange language – we are all that is left of Kihaku. Even the Priest's true heiress abandoned us. We have betrayed our World and we have only ourselves to blame."

"Such bitterness." Another man sighed, stretching out against the glass as Kihaku became no more than a distant blip on the horizon, one of many dots that marked the planets in that solar system. "Why not do something about it then, Masoto? You complain much, but do little to help our situation. If Ameki's prayers to the World are useless, you're scarcely any better. Let the child pray, and leave the rest of us in silence."

"No, Masoto has a point." A second woman pursed her lips, drawing herself into a sitting position as she contemplated. "We are all that is left of Kihaku's people. We have been subdued and imprisoned by the Settlers – can any of us really believe their intentions towards us are good? They've surged into our world, stolen the heart of our planet and driven the holy tribe against us. The true heiress has disappeared, driven away by tainted magic. Tokimi-sama is the World's will and she seeks to rid Kihaku's surface of Juraian influence. Surely that should be enough to tell us what the World truly wants? The Juraians should never have come to Kihaku. And if we continue to believe in their false goodwill and their apparent generosity, we will all be subjugated under their laws for all eternity. That is not the way of the Kii! We are not so easily beaten down. Why should we speak their language, wear their clothes, eat their food? We are not of Jurai. Why should we forget the World's way, even if the World is angry at us? Perhaps, if we show how penitent we truly are, there might yet be hope for us all."

"The Hakubi tribe no longer holds sway over the World." Masoto said firmly. "Tokimi-sama was forced into the World's service because of the threat to Jurai. She was not worthy blood and yet our people initiated her as Priestess anyway. Tokimi-sama is an Inoue. Not a Hakubi. A survivor of a tribe wiped out by famine and inter-familial squabbling. The World is not fooled by her, even if she did call the old Priest "Father"."

"What else could we do?" The first woman objected. "There was no other. Tokimi-sama knew the ritual. Who else could we choose?"

"The Priest's daughter, perhaps?"Masoto suggested. "You must realise, Rei, that we only have rumour to suggest that Washu-sama is dead. She disappeared. Perhaps swallowed by the World in sacrifice or punishment for our deeds – noone really knows. But if we could find her…"


"If we could find her, what?" The other man demanded, sitting upright against the window as he glared at his companion. "We're on our own. We're miles from Kihaku now, on this devil-contraption of theirs. What do you suggest we do about it?"

"Ah." Masoto's eyes narrowed, and he cast a gaze thoughtfully out of the window. "We are not weak, are we, my brothers and sisters? We are of many tribes, true, but we are all Kii, are we not?"


"Yes." The man acknowledged warily. "But what of it? The World no longer protects us. What can we do, trapped out in space?"


"We can stand up for ourselves and show those Juraian heretics what's what." The second woman got to her feet. "I understand your meaning, Masoto. You think that we should band together. Forget our tribal rivalries and tensions and combine our wills into one end – gaining freedom from Jurai whilst we have an opportunity. We are not locked in, after all. We are refugees, as Rei said. Not prisoners of war – not yet. But many of us are fighters. Most of us have some training in defending our land and our property from unwanted Settler attention. If we were to work together…"


She trailed off, and Rei's eyes opened wide with alarm.


"You think we should attack the Settlers? On their own ship?" She whispered. The woman nodded her head.


"Precisely that." She said firmly. "And avenge our World's disgrace, once and for all. We may be all that's left, but if we go to Jurai, we will be swallowed up by their world and their culture. The Kii will cease to exist altogether, our planet dead, our Priestess forced into dormancy and decay. Our lives are never going to be the same again, true, but we can still keep our values and know our own minds. Or do you wish to be subjugated before the Goddess of the Tree? Serve her will – the will of the Hawk, instead of that of the Eagle?"

"Amari is right." Masoto agreed. "The time for action is now. While they don't expect it. Kill the Settlers and take control for ourselves."

"And how will we get back to Kihaku? None of us understand how this Settler technology works." Rei objected.

"We'll manage." Masoto said grimly. "For the sake of the World, Rei, we must do this. We must liberate the last of our people, and keep the Kii spirit alive."

"Yes." Amari murmured. "After all, better to burn out brightly than flicker and fade into oblivion. Enough of our people have already betrayed us. Some have already chosen Juraian names, and married into Juraian families. We are the last hope for Kihaku, and we must do all we can to maintain that ideal."

Her eyes narrowed.

"Even if we die, such a fate is better than being forced to betray the World yet again. Come, my brothers and sisters. Let us join forces and forget our differences in light of a greater, truer ideal. In the name of the Eagle of Kihaku – in the name of the World which our people have always served – let us fight for our freedom – or die in the attempt!"