The Return of Kagato (chapter 8)
Ayeka rushed in to see Sasami. "Are you all right?"
"She can't hear you, Ayeka. She's so fast asleep she might as well be in suspended animation. All of my tests come up normal: blood pressure, heart rate, brain activity, blood sugar. All normal. The only difference is in her jurai energy. It's unusually high, and I can't find out why." Washu's statement did not help Ayeka's mood any. Suddenly, Sasami opened her eyes. She soon became unconscious again, but before she did, she murmured.
"They're coming." This had a profound effect on Ayeka.
"Who's coming Sasami? Tell me. Why are they coming, where are they coming from, what do they want?" The questions tumbled out in a rapid sequence, but it was no use, Sasami could not answer.
"I take responsibility for Sasami's illness." A calm voice spoke. Everyone turned to see where the voice came from. "I have been trying to increase the link between Sasami and myself. She could not handle the increased senses. I shall withdraw my presence a bit."
"One moment, Lady Tsunami. Before she lost consciousness, Sasami said that someone was coming. Who is it?" Now that she knew Sasami was going to be fine, Ayeka wanted to be able to prepare to protect her from whatever was coming.
"Your answer has arrived." Sighed Tsunami as she faded. At the same instant, everyone noticed a loud roar as a jurain warship hovered over the lake. A moment later, the royal family appeared on the shore. A newly awakened Sasami rushed out with the others.
"I see now why the princesses chose to stay on this planet. It does have a certain beauty to it. I believe it will suit me as the new ruling planet of the universe." Azusa spoke half to himself as he took in the surroundings.
"My babies!!!!" Queen Misaki rushed forward and crushed Sasami and Ayeka in a hug.
"Mommy-ack. Please I'm choking." While Ayeka was happy to see her mother again, she still needed to breathe.
"You were saying something when you first landed. What was it?" Yosho's calm voice hid his emotions as he talked to the king.
"Ahh. Very well. I have an announcement to make. First of all, I am sorry to say that Jurai has been destroyed." The king waited for the surprised reactions so he could comfort his daughters and draw them closer to him. He stood waiting for the new to sink in. He took the silence as a sign of shock. "I know this comes as a surprise but-" Ayeka cut him off.
"We know about Jurai." Azusa did a double take.
"What?"
"We already knew about Jurai. All that we want to know is how." Ayeka surprised herself. (I must brush up on civilities. Living with this devil woman has given me terrible manners.)
"I shall relate that story." Lady Funaho calmly began her oration. "The attack was much like the attack by Ryoko seven hundred years ago. However, we have learned from our mistakes and our defenses were designed to detect the differences between her power and the Jurai power. The attacker either disabled this or his power exactly matched the Jurai energy. The attack was over almost before it began. The first blow went to the nursery where our spaceships grow. The damage to the surroundings was evident. Our ships went to meet the assailant in space, but they were destroyed. When the last of them had failed, we boarded this ship and took off to the other side of the planet. As we passed, I noticed a strong green light from the attacker's ship. An instant later the planet exploded, damaging our ship."
"A green light…" Tenchi mused to himself. "Lady Funaho, did the light come from the front of the ship or the whole thing?"
"It started on the whole thing and moved toward the front. Why do you ask?" Lady Funaho felt that Tenchi knew something about the attack.
"Do you know something about the attack?" The king asked in an accusing tone.
"I might. It reminds me of the attack on earth by Kagato a few months ago. The green energy beam was blocked by Tsunami, though." Tenchi explained.
"And why should Tsunami care about this planet? If she blocked the beam here, why not on Jurai. You know something you're not telling, and I'm going to find out what." The king added with an mischievous grin on his face.
"Hey Tenchi, you're not going to let him talk to you like that are you?" Leave it to Ryoko to try to start a fight.
"Actually, I'm not. You can't just come to this planet and take over. I've lived on this planet. I've protected it from Kagato. I've protected it from Ryoko. And now, I'm going to protect it from you." Tenchi's face became serious. Everyone moved a safe distance from the two swordsmen. "Here. Use this. I don't need it." Tenchi threw the sword Tenchi to Azusa.
"I see you raised him like yourself." Lady Funaho commented calmly to Yosho.
"I warn you. I am much stronger than the suitor I brought for Ayeka last time was. And without the Master Key you have no chance." Azusa extended the sword.
"That's what you think." Tenchi stood strait up and the lighthawk wings appeared in front of him.
"What!!? How can you do that? No one with that little Jurain blood should be able to summon any, let alone three!" Directly after he said this, he regained his composure. "Well, I see Yosho has taught you a few tricks. You still cannot stand up to my swordsman ship."
"This "trick" as you call it didn't come from grandpa." Tenchi stated as he made the wings curve away from him at the edges. "I was taught it by Tsunami and this technique I made myself." Tenchi yelled the last part as the wings merged into a half circle and shot toward Azusa.
(That fool. He is leaving himself open to attack. Let's see how he deals with this.) Azusa swung the Tenchi and the blade flew toward Tenchi. The oncoming shield took the blow with out hesitation. (How could this boy form wings that powerful?) He barely had time to think before the wings made contact. As they did, they formed a complete sphere, trapping the angry king and lifting him into the air.
"I demand to be let out of here." He commanded Tenchi after several seconds of trying to slash his way through the shield.
"I don't think so. You will not take control of this planet. You are our guests and will behave accordingly." Tenchi lowered the wings until the king was just over ground level. "Do you agree to these terms?"
"I will never deal with you, descendent of the deserter." Azusa still tried to hold his dignity and control.
"Well, then I guess you have to go back to space." Tenchi sighed sarcastically as he started to raise the prison at a high speed.
"Stop. I accept your terms on the behalf of the Royal Family." Lady Funaho, while not wanting to embarrass her husband too much, she did not want to see him launched into space. (O well. He had it coming to him. He needed to lose a bit of pride.)
"Let's all go inside. I'll make tea." Yosho invited everyone.
"Thank you." Everyone accepted.
***********In Space ***********
"The time draws near for your attack." Lady Tokimi seemed to float in the nothingness in front of the Soja.
"Yes, Lady Tokimi. We will arrive at earth in eight hours."
Sorry about the delay. I was really busy lazy. How's that? You asked for longer chapters: you've got it. You voted for cliffhangers: you've got it. Azusa had it coming. Come on, if I get flames from Azusa fans(as if they exist) I will be very surprised. I will be coming out with a less serious, less clean, funnier version of this story sometime, but probably not before the attack. Tomu-kun