Disclaimer: Tenchi Muyo! and its characters, technologies,
etc. are property of Pioneer and AIC. All other characters
and ideas are property of the author and their use is
prohibited except by consent of the author. Any similiarities
to actual persons, events, etc. are purely coincidental and
in no way makes the author liable. To sum up all this legal
stuff don't steal my original characters and don't sue me for
use of ones that aren't.
Lullabye is property of Billy Joel and whatever his recording
company is. I do not own the original lyrics to the song nor
the song itself.

Tenchi Muyo!: Airs of the Past

Chapter 10: The Last Moments of Calm.

Tenchi and Ryoko lay in each other's arms, nearly tore apart on
the inside by what Washu had told them and the awful new prospects
that accompanied that information.

Ryoko continuously tried to force open the mental link that Washu had
assured her that Tenchi shared with her. So far her efforts had
produced nothing but a headache, but she tried again and again to get
something across to Tenchi's mind.

Just when she was about to give up she heard Tenchi's voice, hesitant
and quiet, in her mind, *Ryoko? Is that you?*

*It worked Tenchi!* she sat up and looked into his eyes only to see them
closed. He was asleep. *Tenchi how can you hear me?* she called out across
the link.

She heard his voice in her mind again, *I'm not sure. Washu said it
would be easier if one of us was sleeping though.*

*That's just it though. You are asleep! How can you talk to me when you
are asleep?*

*Hey, if it hadn't happened would you believe we could end up dancing
together when we are dreaming?*

*No. I guess not.*

*Wake me up. I want to see if we can still do this when I'm awake.*

Ryoko nudged Tenchi and he quickly woke up. She called over the link,
*Can you hear me, Tenchi?*

Tenchi sat up and stared into her eyes while calling back over the
link, *I can hear you.*

"You know all the things we can do with a mental link!" Ryoko giggled
as she spoke aloud. "Of course that does mean it will be harder to keep
nasty little secrets from you."

"You want to keep secrets from me, huh?"

She kissed him softly. "Nothing important, just things like when I'm
about to jump on you..."

"Oh? So you can't surprise me anymore."

"Don't worry..." she gave him a sly grin, "I'll figure something out."

The next morning...

After breakfast, Aeka graciously stood and cleared her throat, "Ryoko?
Would you care to join me in the onsen?"

"Uh... okay." Ryoko rose and floated off after Aeka in the direction of
the onsen.

After getting settled into the warm waters of the baths and downing a little
sake Ryoko looked over to Aeka, "So what's up, Princess?"

Aeka sighed. She expected the first real talk she would have with with Ryoko
after Tenchi made his choice would be a tough one. "Do you truly harbor no ill
feeling against me? I kept you from him for so long after all."

Ryoko rolled her eyes and took a long draught of sake. "If Tenchi had fell in
love with you I would have held out any hope I had for as long as I could too,
Aeka. I don't have anything to really be mad at you about. What about you?"

"If you had asked me the last time we talked..." she sighed, "I would have
said yes. I hated you for being Lord Tenchi's lover. I couldn't bear the
thought of it not being me." She paused again and looked apologetically at
Ryoko. "I've had some time to deal with my feelings now, however, and I feel...
that I have come to terms with them."

"Getting over Tenchi that fast? It would have taken me forever and all the
sake in the universe..." She managed a grim half-smile.

"No. I am not over Tenchi. I wonder if I ever shall be. My feelings for Yosho
still haven't subsided after all. They were merely replaced by my feelings
for Tenchi." Aeka tipped back her bowl and drained the sake out of it. "I
don't really know where to go from here though, Ryoko. Ever since I can remember
I've had someone who I thought I was destined to be with, someone to love, but
now I'm alone."

"What about that guard? Two of you seemed awfully friendly... if you know what
I mean." She grined and snickered a little.

"Zari? Well, He's um..."

"Not Tenchi."

Aeka sighed and nodded.

"He seems nice enough though."

"He is nice, but I don't think it would work. He's a guard. Think of what people
would say."

"So? When did that start to matter? Tenchi is just an earthling and you love him."

"No, he is Jurain royalty whether or not he acknowledges his position. My father
wouldn't stand for a commoner."

"Who cares about him? You know Misaki'll back ya up and Funaho won't be far behind."

Aeka chuckled softly. "I suppose you are right."

"So what do you honestly think of him?"

"Well, I really don't know. I haven't been around him all that long, but he
does have his strong points. I can see that."

"C'mon. You knew you liked Tenchi how long after you met him? Don't give me that
haven't known him long enough crap."

Aeka groaned. "What's that got to do with Zari? Like I said, he's not Tenchi."

"He did practically get himself killed to defend your honor the other day.
He's one of those knight in shining armor types."

"That's enough about Zari."

"You like him don't you?"

Aeka blushed. "Please can we drop this for now."

Ryoko shrugged "If you don't want to share the juicy details I can't force you."

"There are no juicy details!" Aeka yelled, her face red.

The former space pirate broke out laughing "Well I guess things are a little more
normal than I thought they'd be."

Aeka smiled as she calmed herself. "I suppose you are right. So how are
things with Tenchi?"

Ryoko sighed and sank into the water up to her chin. "I've never been so happy.
He really loves me, Aeka. Yesterday he..." She looked over to Aeka and saw tears
falling from her eyes. "Sorry... I shouldn't talk about him around you."

"No. It's alright. If I lack the strength to bear this pain, how could I possibly
bear the burden of Empress?"

"So you're saying you actually want me to try and hurt you now?" She winked at her.

"No! Just don't go out of your way to hide it."

"Alright, but remember you said not to."

*Ryoko dear... come here please* The voice in her head was Washu's.

*Yeah. One sec.* "Washu wants me... You gonna be ok?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Ok geez... thought I'd make sure."

With that Ryoko phased out. She reappeared next to the door to Washu's lab. (fully
clothed you pervert) She swung the door open and strode nonchalantly through. "Washu!
I'm" She stopped as Washu tapped her on the shoulder.

"I know."

"Why do you have to go and be omniscient anyways? Couldn't you settle for all
powerful?"

Washu sighed, "Do you want to hear what I have to say or not?"

"Go ahead."

"Alright. Has Tenchi ever told you what happened to him when Tsunami talked to him
before he saved us all from Kagato?"

"Um... pretty much."

"Well, I'll go over the important part. You know what Tsunami said to Tenchi about
the sword and to a lesser extent what Kagato said?"

"Well, I know Kagato said it was just a tool to activate the ship and Tsunami told
Tenchi to trust in his own power."

Washu nodded sagely, "Bingo. Kagato was right in that it is a tool. It serves to
amplify Tenchi's power in the form of a blade and an item of command for anything
under Tsunami's power. He doesn't need it to fight effectively because of the
Light Hawk Wings, however. Originally she intended it for Kings of Jurai who would
not have access to the Wings."

"Shouldn't you tell Tenchi this instead?"

"This ties into you as well. Tsunami told him not to rely on the master key because
it will only amplify his Jurai powers. You have advantages over Tenchi though. First
off you are my daughter, and, if necessary, my heir. Therefore gems will be more
effective for you than the sword is for Tenchi. You also have more combat experience,
but you both need some training I think."

"Yeah. I've gotten rusty here."

"Before I give you back the gems I need to make sure you understand how to use them.
They work to heighten your powers as does the master key, but you can't rely on
their power. You have to draw from your own energy and channel it through the gems
to get the maximum effect." Washu held out her palm and the gems floated out towards
Ryoko holding in a perfect triangle pattern a few inches from her face.

Ryoko nodded her agreement.

"You should have them. No telling what is going to happen around here," she paused,
"well?"

Ryoko closed her eyes and held out her wrists. The gems obedientely broke from the
hover and attached themselves to Ryoko. One on each of her wrists and the last at
base of her neck. She opened her eyes again and grinned because of the feeling of
powers that were again under her control. "Can you see the future?"

Washu was taken aback by the sudden change of topic. "That depends. I can see some
things, but Tsunami and Tokimi have control over that as well. We can only see what
the others allow us to see."

"You can't tell how this is going to turn out can you?"

"No, I can't. That's one reason I want to make sure you are prepared. If you aren't
this could very well kill one or both of you."

Ryoko rolled her eyes. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"That's not what I meant and you know it!"

She smiled warmly at Washu. "Thanks for everything, Mom."

Washu nodded and wiped a tear from her cheek. "That still gets to me."

"I'm gonna go bug Tenchi. See you later."

Ryoko stepped out of Washu's lab into the Masaki living room and saw Bial Kallia
and Zari Motae screaming at each other in the middle of the room.

She sighed and phased over next to them, "Can't you two keep your egos in check for
five minutes?"

Meanwhile... (Time for a nice violent scene! Finally!)

"ERAH!" Tenchi screamed out as his bokken was barely turned aside by the matching
blade of his grandfather.

"Too slow, Tenchi. You need to move faster." Katsuhito taunted him as he thrust
forward missing by an inch as Tenchi sidestepped him and quickly brought his weapon
back to parry the blow aimed for his right side. He swung his weapon up towards
the younger man's skull.

Tenchi grunted as the blades clacked together right next to his face. He ducked
down to one knee and let his grandfather's blade slide off his past him. He
quickly launched a counter aiming for the other's left shoulder.

Katsuhito jumped backwards to avoid the attack and held his blade pointed towards
his crouched opponent.

Tenchi smiled as he noticed a bead of sweat trickle down his grandfather's forehead
and he then leapt from his knee and swung his bokken in a downward arc aiming for
his grandfather's current position. He cringed as he heard the tip of his weapon
hit the ground.

Katsuhito exhaled loudly as his blade connected with Tenchi's side. He stepped away
and took his customary sitting position on a rock. "You need to move faster and not
over extend yourself in attacking."

Back at the house... (wasn't that last part fun?!)

Bial and Zari both went silent and directed their gaze at Ryoko.

She smirked. "I can't be here all the time to break you two up. I'll have Washu deal
with both of you if you can't. Got it?"

They nodded at her and then turned to each other and stared evilly.

Ryoko shrugged and phased out.

Back at the training grounds...
Tenchi sat on the ground holding his side where his grandfather had struck him rather
hard.

Katsuhito looked down at him from his perch on his rock. "That is why we are training.
Go on. We're done for today. Take care of the bokkens before you go." With that he
jumped off the rock and headed towards the shrine.

Tenchi stood up with a groan and went over to the rock to pick up the other bokken,
but he couldn't find it. Just then he felt what he knew was the bokken against his
back.

Ryoko whispered in his ear, "Wanna fight?"

He turned around and smiled at her. "Not really. I'm feeling sore."

"Oh... Maybe you'd like this better?" She started rubbing his shoulders.

Tenchi smiled at her. "It's not that kind of sore. That feels good though."

"I... I'm scared, Tenchi."

"Why?"

"This whole avatar thing. I don't want to lose you."

"That's why I'm training like this. I want to be around for awhile. I want to
have a child someday."

Ryoko's eyes widened as the realization of what Tenchi had just said hit her.
"You mean it?"

He smiled. "Only if you want to too."

Ryoko kissed him and then nodded. "Do you think I'd be a good mom?"

He nodded. "You'll be a great mom."

Later that evening...

Most of the household had gone to bed BIal Kallia was in the living room watching
tv and idly fiddling with his lightsword. He snorted in derision as he saw Zari
Motae descending the staircase.

"Typical," Zari said as he reached the landing, "a bounty hunter can't go five
seconds without drawing a weapon can he?"

"Watch your tongue or lose it."

Zari rolled his eyes and walked into the kitchen. "I'd like to see you try."

Bial stood up from his position on the couch and a red glow filled the room
as he activated his weapon.

Zari smiled. "I've been waiting for this... She's asleep. No escape for you now."

"We shall see."

Zari pulled a hilt off of his belt and walked out the back door with Bial fast on
his heels.

Zari's blade flared to life and he lunged at his opponent when he stepped out of
the door. He swung his blade straight down aiming for Bial's head.

Bial easily jumped away from Zari's attack and countered bringing his sword
horizontally towards the Jurian's torso. He followed with a swing in the
opposite direction.

Zari quickly parried the Bial's swings and thrust his blade forward through
his opponent's left arm.

Bial Kallia phased behind Zari and let out a feral growl.

"What?! You can't move like that!"

Ryoko was stirred from her sleep by the yelling. She glanced out the window
and saw the glow of the two swords.

Bial Kallia held his hand over the hole in his limb for a moment and when
he pulled it away there was no more wound. "I didn't want to do this yet,
but I've had enough of you." He strode forward with an evil grin on his
face.

"What are you??" Zari's voice betrayed his fear.

Ryoko stuck her head out the window and seeing Bial and Zari fighting
phased down to them. "You two are at it again?"

Bial Focused on her for only a second, "Shutup, Bitch."

Zari saw his opportunity and dove at the other man. He swung his blade
downward going from Bial's right shoulder across his torso. Bial forced
the blade through knocked it out of Zari's hand. Zari's eyes widened as
he saw the wound instantly close and felt his opponent's blade slash
across his chest.

Zari clutched the wound and his mouth hung open. He dropped to his knees
and then fell face forward on the ground.

Bial turned back to Ryoko who stood there shocked at what had just
happened. He still wore a grin. "He deserved it... Don't feel bad. You
and the Prince are next."

"You won't hurt Tenchi." She called mentally through her link to
Washu *Bial just stabbed Zari. I think he's dead*

"Go ahead and call them all. They can't help you."

"How did you just?"

He interrupted her "I can read your thoughts. I can read his too. Want me
to call him for you?"

*Wake up... Get up Champion of Tsunami*

Tenchi shot out of bed at the sound of the voice in his head. *Ryoko?
What's going on?*

He heard the same voice in his head. *I'm going to kill your whore* He
grabbed tenchi-ken from his desk and quickly charged outside.

"Ryoko!" he shouted as soon as he got outside.

He saw Ryoko and Bial swinging at each other, and ignited the master key.

Bial grinned as he saw Tenchi come out of the house. "Perfect!"

Tenchi jumped and swung his blade at the bounty hunter. His eyes widened
in shock as a dim grey shield formed and blocked the blow.

Bial phased away from the two. He was twenty feet away and threw the
light sword on the ground. "Follow me if you dare. You know where I'm
going." With that he disappeared.

"Ryoko! Are you all right?" Tenchi wrapped his arms around her and pulled
her to him.

"Yea. I'm okay. Zari's not though."

They both looked over to where his body lay and saw Aeka Crying and holding
his limp body to her. Washu was also there sitting on her floating cushion
and typing on her holo-laptop.

She looked to Aeka, "I need to get him to my lab. I might be able to save him."

A couple of worker droids came out and picked up Zari's body and quickly took
it to the lab. Aeka and Washu quickly followed.

Ryoko looked back to Tenchi her voice conveying her anger. "We need to make
him pay for this. Nobody lies to me like that and hurts my friends and gets
away with it."

Tenchi nodded. "We will. We will."

To be Continued...

Well. That took way too long. A lot longer than I had expected. My mind set has
really changed since I started this story. I've changed a lot since I started
writting it almost a year ago now. I hope I haven't disappointed anyone with how
this is shaping up to finish. I'm happy with this how it is or I wouldn't have
posted it yet. The thing I think is really hilarious is I'm the only one who knows
just exactly who and what the villain is... at least nobody else has taken a stab
at it yet (hint hint) My goal is to finish this by May 29th. I only have two chapters
to go and know exactly what I'm going to do. Also, I'm going to continue To Love
as promised when I am done with this. I'm also going to start a mailing list of
sorts just to let people know when I've updated my works. For now I'm going to
include anyone I know who has read Airs. If this includes you and you don't want
me to email you then just drop me a line and tell me to leave you the hell alone.
If you want to be added then just let me know.
I have also opened a website. It's not much and it's not done, but you can check
it out if you wish. www30.brinkster.com/studio7/index.htm
As always feel free to send all hate mail, accolades of praise, letter bombs,
or just plain crap to: kemanorel_7@yahoo.com