"What planet is this?"
"Planet Earth"
"Then this is were Yosho is!"
"No princess, but we have found Ryoko."
"That wench! She lead Yosho here in the first place. I want her captured and brought up on charges!"
"But princess you have been asleep so long, the statute of limitations is about to run out."
"What!"
Ayeka looked at a small screen with a timer running down to nothing. I don't care, I want her in imprisoned!"
Tenchi and I walked home and found Ryoko watching TV in the living room with grandfather and Nobuyuki.
"Hi Ryoko"
"Oh, Hi Tenchi. Hi Greg"
"Ryoko, I'm sorry. I guess I didn't understand some things. Can you forgive me?"
"All is forgiven."
"Really? No don't talk to me or anything?"
"No, not unless you want..."
"No, no, its fine."
Tenchi pulled me aside, "I'm getting to my room before she changes her mind!"
I returned to the living room and sat down next to Ryoko.
"That was very nice of you."
"What?"
"You let him off easier than I thought you would."
"I have my moments."
There was a long silence and nothing on television.
"Well, I'm going to the porch anyone like to join me?"
I walked to the porch, but kept going on the dock and sat down. Soon after Ryoko walked up and sat down next to me.
"Do you know anyone named Ayeka?"
"Yes, why? How do you know her?"
"I had a vision of space ships coming here and her name."
"She's coming here for me, for the things I have done to Jurai. Things are going to get really bad."
"The things your body has done without your mind are not your true actions."
"But, he..."
"He controlled you. You are now in control of yourself."
"But how do you know about it? I've never told you."
"I know enough."
A large smile appeared on Ryoko's face, like she was becoming conscious for the first time.
"I must wake up Ryo-oki, I have to get away from here. She'll blow-up this place just to get to me."
"Have faith in yourself Ryoko, I have faith in you."
She looked at me with caring in her eyes then gently phased away to find Tenchi and his sword.
"Tenchi? Tenchi?"
"Ryoko what is it?"
"I have to wake up Ryo-oki and to do it I need my gems from the sword."
"Ryo-oki?, that's the other demon from the legend. No-way not to have another demon around here!"
"You don't have much of a choice so give them to me."
"No!"
Ryoko reached for the sword and took it from Tenchi, but the sword reacted and discharged some of its energy into her.
"OWWWWWWW" She was catapulted into the door of Tenchi's room.
"So, you can't touch this."
"Please give them to me."
I walked into the room to see Ryoko laying on the floor. I reached down and took her hand.
"Tenchi, please give them to her."
"But she's going to..."
"Trust me Tenchi, it will be alright"
"Oh, alright."
Ryoko looked up at me and mouthed "Thank you."
"Tenchi, point the sword hilt toward me and pray to have them return to me."
After a moment, a single gem was fastened in her right wrist.
"What? What the...you only gave me one gem!"
"That's right, I'll hold on the others for safety."
"Tenchi, that's not very nice. Will one be enough Ryoko?"
"Yea, it's OK."
Ryoko went into a deep concentration and called Ryo-oki from her sleepy depths in the lake. But by that time Ayeka was entering our atmosphere and heading toward the house.
"Ryoko come out, I know you are in there!"
"Well, here she is! Now what was that you were saying about having faith?"
"Things could be a lot worse."
"How?"
"She could be firing at us."
She fired a shot and I just looked at Ryoko with a wiry grin.
Ryo-oki flew under Ayeka's ship and aimed a tractor beam down to the house.
"I have to get away from here, she'll never understand. I'm really sorry I couldn't stay."
"Wait."
"If you stay or go, she'll want capture us too, so we are coming with you."
Tenchi was just staring at me.
"Trust me."
"OK, but I don't know about this."
Ryo-oki beamed us aboard and started for the sky.
"Look Greg you know and I know what happened on Jurai wasn't really me, but Ayeka will never believe that. She hates me for making her brother come after me and personally, I don't like her either."
"Have you told her about Kagato?"
"Well, no - but miss prissy princess would never take my word for it."
"Ryoko, you are here for a reason, have faith in yourself."
"Ryo-oki?"
"Meow?"
"Please open a communications link between us and Ayeka's ship for Greg."
"Meow, wow?"
"Do it Ryo-oki."
A screen appeared showing a beautiful young princess.
"Ayeka, First crown princess of Jurai?"
"Yes? Who are you? Are you held captive on Ryo-oki?"
"No Ayeka, but thank you for asking. I was wondering if I may speak with you privately about our current
situation. I promise no harm will come to you."
"This is highly irregular, but I will grant you an audience; however, the rest of your party with be in the security cells! Azaka, Kamadake...go...capture them!"
A moment later Azaka and Kamadake were aboard Ryo-oki. I was beamed aboard the Ryo-oh. But Ryoko and Tenchi were "captured" and taken to the security cells, which actually looked more like tightly wooded forest. Tenchi-ken was now in Ayeka's hands.
I was standing before a beautiful woman dressed in the finest of clothing and what looked like her smaller sister - I bowed.
"Your highnesses."
They both returned my bow.
"What is your name?"
"Greg Masaki, Your highness."
"Why did that Earthling have this sword?"
"That sword belongs to Tenchi."
"No, this sword belongs to Yosho, my brother."
"An Earth legend says Yosho died on Earth long ago, but you will find whom you seek in time."
"What? Why were you with Ryoko?"
"Tenchi and I freed her from the depths of a stone shrine on Earth."
"Do you realize you have freed a wanted criminal?"
"I know it was under Kagato's control Ryoko was doing those horrible things. She relives those moments every night in her dreams."
"She must be punished for her crimes!"
"Ayeka, please listen to her before you make your final judgement."
"I am not sure why I should, but I will do as you ask."
Ayeka's sister wandered up to me.
"What's it like on earth?"
"Sasami, you shouldn't be talking to him."
"Oh, that's all right. It's a beautiful place with lush forests and lakes. You would love to see it change colors with the seasons Tsunami."
"Did you just call me...?"
"Sasami, why don't you look at the Earth more closely through the screen over there."
"OK, wow it is beautiful, Ayeka can we go?"
"Maybe Sasami, maybe."
We slowly walked toward the forest security cells.
"Greg, how do you know of Tsunami?"
"I'm not sure, but Sasami has a great kinship with her."
We hardly spoke until we got to the forest cells holding Ryoko and Tenchi.
"Ryoko, you have been found guilty of many crimes against Jurai and other planetary systems. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"
"Yes I do."
Ryoko looked at me, then looked down at the floor.
"Ryoko has nightmares about the crimes you speak of."
"Is this true Ryoko?"
Ryoko then began to tell Ayeka how she really felt.
"Yes. I am truly sorry about doing those things, but I wasn't in control of my body. Kagato had me under his power and was commanding me to do all of those horrible acts."
"It is true your crime file has been erased by the statute of limitations and I have found more information on this man Kagato in the data banks since being brought out of cryogenic sleep."
"Ayeka, does this mean you forgive her?"
"No. This means I must do more research, but until then - release them."
The detaining vines and trees spread wide and let Ryoko and Tenchi out of their captivity.
"Thank you for listening Ayeka."
"Great now we can go home!"
Ryoko took Tenchi's and my hand and lead us to Ryo-oki. We phased right through to the command center.
"Ryo-oki lets go home! Full power!"
"Ryoko, Why is Ayeka's ship still attached to Ryo-oki?"
"Huh?"
"Ayeka let go! Can't you see were trying to go home?"
"I don't have anything to do with it, the security mechanism for the detaining device is jammed. Stop immediately!"
"We can't, were already in Earth's atmosphere. Were in the gravity pull!"
"Ryoko please stop this!"
"Ryoko is there anything we can do?"
"Pray."
The next thing we knew we were spinning out of control, Then BOOM - we hit the Great Seto bridge
destroying it.
Tenchi sat at the table with his thoughts until his dad spoke up.
"You should be glad your alright. If I wasn't at the office all the time, maybe I wouldn't miss big things like this."
I sat on the second balcony porch. Was this just coincidence, or was this part of the dreams I had. Either way here we are, both ships were destroyed and no way for Ayeka to communicate to her planet.
I am still asking why I am here, but I'm sure the answers will come eventually.
"Greg"
"Yes grandfather?"
"Are you going to sit there and think of the ways lives are put together or help with the fields?"
"Lives are put together strangely sometimes."
"Yes but things always work themselves out."