Sixteen


The bright light in the sky hardly even was noticed by anybody on the ground, especially the group of people engaged in a deadly battle. Much to his dismay, Tenchi has not even made a scratch in Kagato this time, even with the light hawk wings. Something is different about Kagato, he is much more powerful. Just the thought of this makes Tenchi wince and he wipes some sweat from his forehead. Ryoko is on an all out assault with Kagato, but she too isn't making a dent in him, he just dodges and ducks ever one of her attacks, a practice that is really beginning to annoy her. That smug grin never leaves his face either, until his terrible eyes widen and a powerful blast of green energy sends Ryoko flying to the ground with a thud. Ayeka could only watch, trying to keep Sasami safe from Kagato and both police detectives had been knocked out cold, lying on the ground a bit away.

"Ryoko! Urgh, stop it, Kagato!"

Tenchi is almost as surprised at his voice as Kagato was. Those narrowed eyes look at him and he turns from Ryoko, smirking at him, "Well, why would I do that? I have yet to receive Tsunami."

Tenchi clenches the sword in his hands tightly and glares at him, "Kagato, you will never have Tsunami."

Kagato seems nothing more than amused by this and drops his hands to his side, covered by his long cloak, "Is that a fact? Well, I would like to see how you are going to manage that, Tenchi of Jurai." Under his cloak though, a mysterious object appears in his hand. It is almost like a crystal shard, but glows a deep green color. Tenchi sneers and runs right towards him, holding the huge sword ready to strike. Kagato only smiles and waits until he right up to him, before raising the shard from its place at him. "Ah, a new subject for my experiments." The green shard starts to glow before flying at Tenchi. In a flash of an instant, Tenchi falls to the ground, encased in material exactly like the shard. His face is still tightened up, ready for the attack and Kagato laughs softly, "Ah, excellent."

"Hey! He's my experiment! You...you thief!"

Kagato sweatdrops lightly at Washu and it seems someone has noticed the small fireballs falling through the atmosphere to the Earth. Dargon just blinks and stares up, trying to figure out what they are as Kagato looks at all of the fallen warriors, then to the little Washu. "Yes well, you have had your turn, Professor. Now he is mine, though whether or not I will just kill him now is still an option."

Washu crosses her arms like a pouting kid and looks away, just as Ayeka speaks up over Sasami, "What have you done to Lord Tenchi?"

"Oh, I didn't even see you there, Princesses. My apologies."

Kagato bows to them and smiles, but she repeats her question, "What did you do? Let him go!" She still was not going to leave Sasami and could only glare at the moment.

"Oh, he is perfectly fine. Although trying to take him out of the casing will kill him. Only I may take him out without harming him." Ayeka and Sasami gasp, staring at
Tenchi's figure in the casing. "As you can see I am far more powerful now. Now I will show you just how powerful, and nobody will save you this time." Kagato says and smirks evilly at them all. Dargon still looks at the sky with a look of concern. Kagato holds his palms together, a green energy forming around them. Suddenly Dargon realizes what the huge explosion was and his eyes bulge.

"No! Impossible! That can't be the Hexum!"

Kagato momentarily turns away and looks at Dargon, "What are you prattling on about, my dear brother?"

Dargon whips around and clenches his fist, "The Hexum, he destroyed it!"

Kagato laughs loudly, "Oh you are too rich, brother. The Hexum is impossible to destroy, I designed it to rival the power of Tsunami. You worry too much." Slowly
Kiyone and Mihoshi start to stir on the ground as Dargon continues to panic, "Really brother, you must learn to lighten up. Enjoy these moments of triumph." Kagato tries to assure him.

"I tell you Kagato, the Hexum is gone! Jaaku destroyed it!"

"Jaaku? You mean that sniffling child of yours, Professor?" Kagato asks and looks at Washu.

Washu looks back at him and nods, "Yes, the one who didn't like you. I see he had good taste."

A smirk crosses the small girl's lips but Kagato turns back around and shakes his head, "What a noisy child. I thought he was destroyed when the orbs exploded though. So where is the little brat then?"

"Oh, my little Jaaku isn't so little anymore."

"It doesn't matter, he is of no bother. Soon all of you will be dead and won't have to worry about it."

"Kagato, when I get my hands on you I'll....I'll..." Ryoko says hoarsely and starts to get to her feet, finally coming around.

"Ah, Ryoko, welcome back. You are far too confident, however. Now it is time to say good-bye." Kagato says smugly and continues to form the energy. He creates a large energy ball and looks at them all, "First you all, then on to the Jurai that can create the Light Hawk Wings." he says and gives trapped Tenchi a glance. He laughs loudly and the energy ball flies from his hand at them all, leaving a clouds of dust in it's wake. The energy ball finds it's target and erupts into a massive explosion. The whole area is filled with a bright light as a wind blows through Kagato's cape, "Well, good-bye Ryoko, Washu, farewell." Suddenly, Dargon takes a step back and his eyes stare blankly into the dust. Kagato looks at him and raises an eyebrow, "What is it, brother?" Dargon doesn't answer, he just stares with a look of panic. Kagato follows his gaze to find a silhouette in the dust. "What?" The figure holds a defiant hilt up that blocked Kagato's whole attack. As the dust clears, the face of Jaaku forms on the figure and he does not look happy. "What do we have here?"

"You know, I never did like you, Kagato. Even as a child I knew what kind of person you were." Jaaku says and slowly lowers his hilt down to his side.

"Oh? Have we met before?"

"Oh yes, we have. My name is Jaaku. That should jog your memory."

Kagato blinks for a moment, then smiles happily, "You are Jaaku?"

"Told you so, Kagato. The orbs had an.....abnormal affect on him." Washu chimes in smugly.

Kagato blinks and smiles, "So Jaaku grew up, how incredible. It is nice to see you looking so well. I see the orbs have made you somewhat powerful also."

Jaaku narrows his glowing eyes, "Somewhat. I won't let you hurt Washu or my sister."

Kagato smirks and holds his hand palm up, "Your sister? That is wonderful, such family ties. I really don't see how you can stop me." he says as another green energy ball appears.

"Be warned, Kagato. I am through kidding around with you and Dargon."

Kagato is angered by this and throws the energy ball right at Jaaku. "Jaaku watch out!" Ryoko yells weakly and holds her side. Jaaku's eyes flash as the energy ball disappears right in front of him into a small vortex. Kagato is taken back and Dargon starts to have flash backs of his early own fights against Jaaku and he raises his hand to the long scar on his helmet. Jaaku's eyes are still locked on Kagato as he calmly smirks.

"Most impressive, I had no idea that you were this advanced." Kagato says and holds his hand out once again. His long green sword appears in his hand and he sneers. "Now I believe it is my duty to show you what league I am in." Suddenly he flies right at Jaaku and raises his sword above his head.

"Jaaku!" Kiyone yells and watches in horror.

Kagato laughs and brings the sword down hard right at Jaaku's head. Just before the sword connects, it is stopped by an unseen force. Kagato gasps and tries to push the sword down but it won't move past the place it has stopped. Kagato is trying desperately to get his sword into Jaaku but with no success. Jaaku gets a smirk on his face as a shockwave of yellow energy throws Kagato back to Dargon. Kagato groans then lands on his feet, peering at Jaaku.

"And now, let me show you what I can do." Jaaku says quietly. A small glow of energy forms at the two crystals on Shibo-Ken-bo. The glow erupts into a long, yellow blade growing two feet long. At the other end a yellow, crescent shaped blade opposes the now fully formed main blade. A truly impressive sight was before Kagato as Jaaku in his full power now stood ready to fight him. His orange eyes were locked on Kagato and that terrible hilt glowed at his command, but Kagato just laughed softly.

"Well, since we are playing all our cards, let me show you mine."

Suddenly Ryoko is jerked straight and she yelps, still sore from his attack. Jaaku lets out a quick breath and his eyes dart to Ryoko, "This is quite a problem, would you harm your own sister?"

"Kagato, you slime." Washu growls and glares at him, which only fuels his laughter. Ryoko winces in pain as one of her arms raises up and holds an energy blast towards Jaaku. Jaaku just stares at her for a moment and then slowly back to Kagato, a dark glare in his eyes.

"I'm...sorry, Jaaku. I can't stop him." Ryoko cries out and tries to stop her arm, but the energy just gets stronger and stronger. Kagato tilts his head a bit and laughs softly but Jaaku just smiles a bit himself and speaks to his sister.

"I know it's not you, Ryoko. Just let me protect you this time."

"Well, what wonderful sentiments. You almost brought a tear to my eye. I'm afraid I must cut this magic moment to an end!" Kagato quips and smiles a bit. Suddenly the energy blast from Ryoko's hand fires at Jaaku, cutting through the air quickly. Just as the bullet arrives at Jaaku's position, he lunges at Kagato and bring his blade down at him. Kagato simply blocks his blade with the large green sword and smiles at him, "This is very amusing. Can you really defeat me and avoid Ryoko's attacks?" A deep laugh escapes his lips once again as Ryoko lets loose another attack, just as Kagato pulls his sword back to strike him. Jaaku winces a bit and suddenly disappears in a flash of blue light, letting the attack slam right into Kagato. Kagato's image yelps and fades away in a puff of smoke just as Jaaku reappears on the ground a bit away.

"Something like that." he says with a little bit of a smirk and stands normal. Suddenly, a dark green sword pierces through the middle of his body and sticks out the other side, much to the horror of the others.

"Jaaku!"

Ryoko's eyes start to fill with tears at her inability to help him and on the ground nearby, Kiyone is just starting to come around also. The sight she first sees is one she could never forget. Her first breath only seems to freeze her lungs as that sword protrudes from Jaaku's chest, twisting his face in pain and shock.

She is almost shocked at her own voice as she only barely mutters the name, "Jaaku?"

A few labored breaths escape Jaaku's mouth and he closes his eyes. Soon both blades in Shibi-Ken-bo fade away and the hilt could only hang loosely from his hand. Then Kagato spoke quietly from behind him, "To think, you fell for the same trick your sister did. My shadow is a very useful thing." After laughing at his victory, he quickly pulls the blade from Jaaku's body and lets him fall to his knees. The others could only watch in shock, except for Washu. For once, Washu shows her emotions and starts walking towards Kagato and her fallen creation. Ryoko holds back her tears and blinks as the small girl walks by her. Kiyone leans over to Mihoshi to see if she is okay, but her eyes never move from Washu as the small girl slowly makes her way towards Kagato. Ayeka and Sasami watch from the distance and Ryo-oki lets out a few protests at this move from atop of Sasami's head. Dargon is still in his place behind Kagato and watches the small scientist in curiosity also, but only Kagato seems amused by this. Even as she arrives at him, he just smiles and the large sword disappears from his hand, "Well, Professor, I seem to have damaged your experiment. I do hope this doesn't set back any data you were collecting."

Washu only stared at him for a moment, then shook her head and spoke very softly, "Not my experiment." She slowly looked down to the gasping Jaaku, and smiled weakly, "He's my son."

Upon hearing this, Jaaku slowly opened his orange eyes and looked up at his small creator. It was something he had never just thought about. All his anger towards her and he never had thought she could just love him like a son. Did it have to take this to make him see the light? Just as this connection is made, Washu's expression is frozen in a casing of crystal, the same which houses Tenchi. Jaaku takes in a labored breath and slowly looked up at Kagato, who is holding his hand above the small girl.

Kagato smiles a bit and lowers his hand from her, "And I once again have what I want."

Jaaku growls at him but suddenly Dargon is next to him and clubs him to the ground with a large hand. His beaten body bounces slightly on the ground and Shibo-Ken-bo makes a dull thud also. Just like that, the fight is over. The small Professor and the warrior from Jurai encased in crystal, the two Galaxy Police officers badly beaten, the two Princesses staying back to protect the power of Tsunami, the demon unable to move under her own will, but still having to watch her brother lie unconscious on the ground before Kagato and Dargon.