Tenchi Muyo!

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Disclaimer: This episode of Tenchi Muyo! is of my own creation. I do not own any portion of Tenchi Muyo. "Tenchi Muyo!" and all related characters, names, etc. are ©1992-2003 AIC Inc. and Pioneer LDC. All rights reserved.

Note: This story line is a sequel to 'The Choices We Make' by C-kun. I recommend reading it, it is pretty interesting.


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The Darkness Within
Chapter 11:
Love and Misery


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"Wake up Ryo-Ohki. Come on now, wake up."

The small cabbit slowly opens its eyes. Everything in its memory banks is foggy and confused. The first thing she sees is a pair of blue and purple eyes. She shakes her head and her vision improves. She is now face to face with a very beautiful woman, fair skin, soft light brown hair, two green stripes on each side of her face and the amazing and intoxicating eyes. Suddenly, the cabbit begins to remember.

'Do you know who I am?' a soft sweet voice asks in her head.

'Yes,' Ryo-Ohki responds to the voice. She looks up at the goddess. 'You are Tokimi, my mistress.'

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Sasami wakes with a start. She is quick to her feet, and instantly regrets it as a spasm of pain flows down her spine. The young princess falls back onto the ground. The last thing she remembers is Tokimi picking up an unconscious Ryo-Ohki and talking to her, and then everything went black.

Tsunami's avatar stands back up, this time slowly. As she straightens out, she notices that she doesn't have on another repressing collar, as she suspected she would. Sasami closes her eyes and calls out to her goddess companion. 'Tsunami, can you hear me?'

'Yes child,' the goddess replies weakly, 'I am here, but I do not feel quite well at the moment.'

The young princess sighs in relief. At least Tsunami is okay. 'What happened to you? You had me really worried for a while.'

Tsunami sighs deeply. 'It appears that somehow, our enemies have managed to drain power from us through our tree. Our strength will come back to its fullest, but it will take time. Until then, I am unable to protect us. I beg of you Sasami, please be careful and try to avoid Tokimi and Tenchi at all costs.'

Normally Sasami would have questioned why Tsunami referred to everything as 'ours', but she has grown much since those days and she fully realizes the extent of her assimilation with the goddess. She and Tsunami are one and the same. Everything that was once Tsunami's is now Sasami's as well, and vice versa. Everything is shared except for their personalities, which Sasami wished to remain separate. Tsunami is now the guiding voice in her head, her conscious. The goddess can also take control of Sasami and speak through her when she needs to speak with others. 'So do you have a plan or something so we can get out of here?' she asks Tsunami.

'Is this a private conversation?' a different voice interrupts, 'or can any goddess join in?'

Sasami turns her head to the sound of footsteps coming near. Tokimi appears from out of the shadows, with Ryo-Ohki in her shoulder. The cabbit is looking at her long time friend with a strange expression, it almost looks like disgust. The goddess reaches up and scratches Ryo-Ohki on the chin, and the cabbit responds by closing her eyes lazily and purring lightly. Tokimi smiles at her. "She is such a faithful and adorable thing," she mutters at Sasami.

"Ryo-Ohki," the young princess calls, "Come on, come here. Get away from her and come here"

The cabbit's hair stands on end as she starts hissing at Sasami. Tokimi pats her on the head and she calms down. 'Do not squander your energies trying to talk to her,' the goddess says to Sasami telepathically. 'I have helped her to comprehend whose side she should truly be on, namely Tenchi and I! The small cabbit is now faithful to us and only us!'

"No," the goddess' avatar whispers to herself. "Why?" she shouts at Tokimi. "Why are you torturing me and my family like this?"

"Because it is so much fun!" Tokimi answers with an evil smile.

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Ayeka groggily opens her eyes. She is unable to immediately tell where she is. It is dark and the air is thick with moisture. She tries to move, only to discover that she is chained to a wall. As her eyes begin to focus to the dark, the crown princess realizes that she must be in a prison of some sort. She us surrounded by stonewalls on three sides, while the fourth is made up of large metal bars, with a metal door in the middle. Ayeka looks around and sees a single window in her cell, with metal bars on it to prevent escape of any kind.

She tries to stand up, but her legs are still weak. The princess notes with some satisfaction that she can move her legs, meaning that she is almost up to her full strength. Ayeka sighs deeply and sits up with her hands in her lap, hoping that she will escape and get through this somehow with her family.

She is suddenly struck with the realization of what she witnessed just before she passed out. Her beloved brother Yosho was slain by his very own grandson, the man who Ayeka once loved with all her heart. Tears start to splash down her beautiful face. The princess pulls her hands out of her lap and covers her face with them, weeping. "Oh Yosho," she cries, "why did you have to die?"

"He was just the first," replies a familiar voice on the other side of the bars. Ayeka lifts her head only to see the very last person she wants to see, Tenchi. "Before this war is over, many more will join him," he flatly states. He opens the door and places a tray with some food and water onto the floor in front of her. Without as so much as a second glance, he closes and locks the door and leaves just as quickly as he entered.

Ayeka slowly leans down to the tray, careful not to fall over, and picks it up. She pulls it up the small bed and places the tray on her lap so she can eat. 'I hope that Ryoko is alright wherever she is,' she thinks to herself. 'If there is one person who can truly put a stop to this, it is her."

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Ryoko quickly opens her eyes. She can't see anything and she is wet and cold. The pirate tries to move, only to find out that she is unable to. She begins to summon the power from her gems, but nothing happens. Light suddenly flows into the area and Ryoko goes wide eyed in horror at where she is. She is trapped once more in the demon cave back on earth.

'No,' she thinks with a shudder. 'I can't be back here, I can't!' Ryoko struggles with all her might to escape, with no luck. It is then that she realizes that she is not alone. Standing by her feet, above the pool she is trapped in, is Tenchi, but something seems different. He looks to be about the age he was when he freed her. He is also wearing his old high school uniform, which he didn't wear on their first 'encounter'. "Tenchi!" Ryoko cries out, "Tenchi please! Help me! Get me out of here!"

The young man backs away a few steps with a disgusted look on his face. "Ugh, it is disgusting! The legends were true! This filthy, ugly demon is actually real!" He holds his hands up to his face, as if to shield himself. The pirate then notices the Tenchi-ken in his right hand, but it is the transformed, evil one he now carries with him.

Ryoko wills her body to move with every ounce of strength in her body. Unfortunately she is only able to move her head slightly. She looks down at her body, and sees not the petrified mummy she was when Tenchi first saw her, but the beautiful, young woman that she is. Tears begin to well up in her eyes. 'He thinks I'm ugly and disgusting? Why?'

She suddenly hears the sound of footsteps coming closer. The pirate's eyes narrow in anger as Tokimi walks up next to Tenchi. For some strange reason, Tokimi is dressed in one of the high school girl uniforms that Ryoko has seen the girls at Tenchi's old school wear. Her hair has also been let down, but it only goes down to her shoulder blades. She wraps her arms around Tenchi's left arm. "Tenchi dear," she coos in his ear. "Let us get out of this stinky old cave. There is nothing here but a rotted old mummy and a bunch of smelly rocks."

The young man smiles at the girl latched onto his arm. "You're right my heart, let's get out of here." They both turn and leave. Within a few moments, silence envelops the demon cave once again. As if to make it worse, the light that mystically appeared suddenly disappears, leaving not even a single ounce of light inside.

Ryoko begins to breath in and out rapidly. Panic floods her systems. Suddenly, she is lifted up out of the cave. The pirate feels herself being lifted up higher and higher off of the ground. Darkness still surrounds her. An evil laugh rings all around her. Ryoko recognizes the voice, and it makes her blood run cold. A green energy shield appears in front of her and it opens to reveal the one man Ryoko fears above all others, Kagato.

He smiles evilly at her. "Well, I must say it is good to see you again Ryoko, I was beginning to miss you." He creates his green energy sword and the Ryoko begins to feel a burning sensation rip through her three gems that suddenly appeared on her. She remembers this feeling: Kagato is trying to take control of her again.

"No!" she shouts, "you can't be real! Tenchi killed you!"

His smile grows wider. "That may have been so, but I have returned and I plan to spend a very long time on you, since you are still so defective and all. I still want the Tsunami unit and I am going to use you once again to help me to achieve my ultimate goal!" His loud, maniacal laughter causes Ryoko to shiver uncontrollably. His laughter is cut short when a brilliant glowing blade tears through his chest. The ruins buster has only a moment to look surprised before the blade is pulled violently upwards, slicing his upper torso un half. Kagato gasps, "How?" just as his body disintegrates.

When his body disappears, it is revealed that Tenchi, wearing his old white and blue Lighthawk armor and sword, is the one who once again sent the evil pirate back to hell. Tenchi looks over at Ryoko, his deep brown eyes shining with warmth and compassion. "Ryoko," he whispers to her.

"Oh Tenchi," Ryoko sobs back, tears flowing freely from her eyes, "I was so afraid." The sound of light footsteps behind her former husband diverts her attention. Her eyes go wide as Tokimi, dressed in her billowing gown and crown, emerges from the shadows. She lightly places a hand on Tenchi's shoulder. All at once, his Lighthawk armor and sword transform into the dark ones he now wears.

Tokimi takes her hand off of Tenchi's shoulder and waves it at Ryoko. The pirate feels her body begin to move on its own accord. There is a brilliant flash of light and Ryoko appears on Jurai, only something terrible has happened. Buildings are either reduced to rubble or are on fire. The Jurai trees are all dead and rotting. Hundreds of thousands of bodies litter the ground. The Royal Palace is still standing proud. The pirate flies over to it and sees her family and friends all looking at her in utter horror.

Confused, Ryoko looks down, only to discover that she is stained all over in blood, and it is not hers. "No, what's happening?" she yells, "What's going on?"

"Destroy them all," a deep voice commands. The pirate's body obeys and she forms two red energy blades and charges at her family. Within a few moments, they all are slain. Ryoko is suddenly able to control her body. She collapses onto the ground and curls up into the fetal position and begins to rock back and forth. Silent tears flow down her face. "Good work Ryoko," the voice replies.

"What have I done?" she sobs. "Why?"

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Tokimi smiles in a very satisfied manner. In front of her, Ryoko is curled up and sobbing and muttering to herself. "A prisoner in her own mind," the goddess mutters out loud. "She has had so much to fear over her entire lifetime that finding what she fears the most was relatively effortless." Tenchi's bride looks down at herself and frowns lightly. "I can feel that some of the additional power from my dear sister Tsunami has left me. Oh well," she sighs, "it was only meant to be temporary, but I still do enjoy all of this extra power! Perhaps there is a way Tenchi and myself can keep it forever."

She turns and leaves the area where she is keeping Ryoko. Within a few minutes, the goddess has returned back to the main area of her temple. Sasami is sitting down quietly with Ryo-Ohki watching her every move closely. When the cabbit notices Tokimi's arrival, she meows happily and hops onto her shoulder. The goddess scratches Sasami's former companion under her chin and she purrs lazily. "Good work Ryo-Ohki," Tokimi congratulates her.

"What have you done to Ryoko?" the young princess spits out.

"She defied a goddess," Tokimi answers curtly, "and she is being punished accordingly."

'Do not worry my child,' Tsunami suddenly says in Sasami's head, 'we will pull through this somehow. Even as we speak, I can feel our power slowly returning back to us. But...' she hesitates for a few seconds, '...something terrible has happened.'

'What is it?' Sasami asks. She looks over to Tokimi, who is giving her a superior smile.

'Your brother Yosho...Yosho is...passed on.'

Shock.

That is all Sasami feels. She slowly begins to come to. Her beautiful pink eyes swell with tears. "No," she defiantly says out loud, her head shaking back and forth. "He is not dead."

"Oh but he is little Sasami," Tokimi replies sweetly, kneeling down next to her. "You should be able to sense his tree Funaho. It is grieving heavily for him. What a shame," she mocks while placing the back of her hand on her forehead dramatically.

The goddess is suddenly slapped very forcefully on the face, knocking her onto the ground. Sasami stands before her, a look of utmost fury on her elegant face. "How dare you?" she hisses at the startled goddess. "You would dare to make fun of such a terrible situation?" The two circles on her forehead glow brilliantly. It appears that Tsunami is having her say. "Is this how you imagined gaining power, through the blood of the innocent?"

Tokimi gets back on her feet and dusts herself off. "Initially I had no such intentions, but these are the wishes of my dear Tenchi. What will make him happy will also do so for me. Besides," she adds with a sinister smile, "this is very fun!"

Tsunami balls her hands into fists, but then sighs deeply and unclenches her hands. "It is most unfortunate that you have chosen to do this, but could you do us one favor?"

The Goddess of Justice narrows her eyes. "And what, pray tell, might that be?"

Her sister, the Goddess of Light smiles lightly. "Sasami is eighteen years old. She is a woman now and she does not appreciate it when you call her 'little' or 'child' so can you cease to call her either of those?"

Tokimi looks surprised for a moment, then bursts out laughing. "Always the one with the jokes now Tsunami. Alright then, I will fulfill your one request." She looks over at the young princess/goddess thoughtfully. "You have always been the one to be capable of making light of any situation. I admire that about you."

"Yes," Tsunami replies, "and you have always been the one to push my buttons enough to make me angry."

'Yes that is true,' Tokimi thinks to herself while nodding at her sister. 'I will truly miss you when you are gone.'

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Azusa wakes up. He is lying down in a flimsy bed of some sort. His two wives are already awake and sitting on his side. They both notice that he is awake and lean in and hug him tightly. He returns the hug and sits up. The emperor takes in his surroundings: stone walls, one wall made up of metal bars, a door on the side with all the bars, one window that is also barred up. The air is slightly foul and moist. "Where are we?" he asks.

"The Royal Prison dear," Funaho responds. "If you look out of the window, you can see the palace to the right. We are prisoners in our own prison," she finishes, looking utterly depressed.

Misaki and Azusa place a hand on each of her shoulders. "Do not despair now sister," Misaki starts lightly, her cheery attitude thoroughly gone, "we will make it through this somehow."

"That you will," Tenchi says from the other side of the bars. "I assure you that you three will survive this ordeal."

"And what about the others?" Azusa asks.

Tokimi's husband smiles widely. "Whatever happens to them happens. They might live, and then again, they might die. It will most likely be the latter."

"But why spare us?"

"I have never had any problems with your wives," Tenchi answers calmly. "They have been very polite and caring to me. They have never done anything to hurt me, so I have never had any inclination to do anything bad to them. That is why I am sparing you Azusa. Although you would think of me as worthless and good for nothing, even though back then I was already the most powerful being in the universe, your death would cause great sorrow to Ladies Misaki and Funaho, so for that reason and that reason only, I am sparing your life." He stands up and turns around to leave. "Be glad that I am being merciful to you, your children and the others will not be so lucky!" He slams shut the cell door. "Take heart, this will all be over very soon."

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"This can't be real. This is just a dream. This can't be real. This is just a dream..."

Ryoko continues to stay curled up into the fetal position and muttering nonstop. She knows that this has to be a horrible nightmare, but she is unsure as to how to escape from it. Every terrible thing that she has ever done or had bad dreams about are now playing constantly through her mind, and she is trapped.

The pirate inwardly sighs deeply. She has finally calmed down enough to try to think logically. 'That bitch really did a number on me,' she thinks to herself. 'She must've gone through my memories somehow. That's the only way she could've known about all of this stuff that I'm afraid of.' In the nightmares, she stands up and looks around. 'Hmm...everything is sorta calming down. I must be winning!'

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Tokimi frowns lightly. "Her mind is a good deal stronger than I anticipated. She is pulling out of the nightmare dreadfully quickly." She shrugs her shoulders. "No matter, everything has been positioned into place. All that remains now is the last pieces of the puzzle."

The goddess holds out her hands and concentrates some of her powers. A portal suddenly appears in front of her. A small figure with long red hair emerges from the portal and lies motionlessly on the floor on her stomach. Tokimi kicks her lightly so that she is now on her back. "It is good to see you once more Washu," Tenchi's bride proclaims.

The little scientist does not respond in any fashion. Tokimi frowns at her and leans over. 'Still unconscious,' she examines. "My Tenchi, you sure struck her reasonably hard now you naughty man!" she chuckles out loud.

Suddenly, Sasami walks in with Ryo-Ohki escorting her. The young woman sees her old friend and cries out as she runs up to her. The princess lifts up Washu's unconscious form slightly and cradles her in her arms. "What did you do to her?" she hisses out at the goddess standing before her.

"I did not lay a single finger on our dear sister," Tokimi responds with true sincerity. "Tenchi is the one who injured her. Do not worry, she will awaken shortly, though that is the least of your concerns now."

"What are you talking about?"

"As soon as Washu and her dratty, no good daughter awaken, the final battle win begin, and believe me, Tenchi and I will be the ultimate victors!"

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Meanwhile, Ryoko stirs slightly. An audible moan escapes her lips as her eyes flutter open. She slowly sits up while placing a hand to her forehead. "Oh my head," she groans. Her eyes suddenly shoot open. "Wait a minute! I'm awake!" She floats up several feet and stretches widely. "Oh that feels good!"

She then notices her surroundings. The pirate is no longer trapped in Tokimi's temple, rather she is on a desolate planet of some sort. The forest she is in is full of dead or dying trees. Far ahead, Ryoko can see a city of sorts, but it looks like it has been attacked. Many buildings are on fire and there are areas that looked to once have buildings, but are now nothing more than rubble. Thick, black smoke floats up into the atmosphere. Ryoko decides to investigate closer. When she reaches the destroyed city, she instantly recognizes some of the buildings and their architectural structure. There is only one planet that has designs of this sort. The pirate and former wife of Tenchi is only able to mutter out one word, "Jurai."


To be continued...

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Author's notes: This is it! Two chapters to go! Next Chapter: "Showdown!" Don't miss it! -- lighthawkdemon

Questions or comments? E-mail me at: lighthawkdemon@yahoo.com