Ametsuchi Muyo!



Disclaimer: I don't own Tenchi Muyo or any of the characters. Please don't sue me -.-;;;
Spoiler warning. These events take place after Tenchi Muyo! in Love 2; and therefore may contain spoilers.


Chapter 4

Shuppatsu Muyo!

Ryoko was speechless. Her heart moved faster than she ever thought possible. Tenchi had finally said the words she had wanted to hear for what seemed to her like an eternity. Does he mean it? What should I do now? A million questions flooded through her mind, but Tenchi continued.

"Ryoko, I love you." Tenchi repeated. "I've always loved you, but… I just didn't really realize it until now."

"Tenchi…" Was all Ryoko could make herself say.

"Tenchi-sama…" Aeka was standing at the top of the staircase, and had heard everything.

Tenchi's heart skipped a beat, as he turned his head to see Aeka staring straight at him from above. "Aeka…" This was not good, Tenchi was cursing himself for not making sure he was alone with Ryoko. "I… I'm sorry Aeka." Ryoko could just spit, she knew the normal routine. He'd apologize, and it'd go back to the way it was: him just stringing them along. She couldn't be more wrong. "I'm sorry Aeka." Tenchi continued. "I'm sorry you had to find out this way, but I love Ryoko."

Aeka just stared down at the other two for what seemed like hours. "I know." She stifled a cry. "I've known all along. I just didn't want to accept it… but I knew it'd happen eventually. Even before you were kidnapped by Haruna, I knew. I know it was stupid to just hang on like this, but I don't care. I'll always cherish the time I spent with you, all of you."

"Ryoko" Tenchi turned his attention to the other woman, "Ryoko, please forgive me."

"I don't know if I can, Tenchi." Ryoko floated up into the air, "You might have waited too long." and fazed out; leaving tears left hanging in the air.

Aeka walked down the staircase and stood in front of Tenchi, wiping her own tears from her eyes. "I must return to Jurai."

Fourteen Years Ago…

Word had spread like wildfire that this young boy had killed one of the best and most ruthless swordsman around. Soon every man in and around town stood far away when Ametsuchi came by. Those with enough bravado challenged him to a fight, but always loosing.

Ametsuchi strolled into a dusty town on the outskirts. Hungry was an understatement. Ametsuchi hadn't eaten for days and was famished. After spotting a rusty old inn, Ametsuchi walked in for a meal and some rest. Those inside gave him room when he walked by.

Ametsuchi stepped out in front of the inn, with a full stomach. In the middle of the dusty street ahead stood an old man holding a scythe. "Not again.." Ametsuchi groaned putting his arms over his head, "You guys are so persistent. Shall I just defeat you in the street?"

"Humph," The old man studied the confident nine-year old boy in front of him, "just the opposite of your grandfather."

"Jii-chan?…" Ametsuchi said with stunned disbelief. "How do you know Jii-chan?"

The old man leaned against his scythe, "Because your grandfather was a good friend of mine, and I'm the one that he told to train you."

"Then where have you been the past two years?" Ametsuchi's hand crept toward his sword, ready for anything.

"To see if you could live on your own of course!" The old man laughed, which seemed to go completely against his face. Bald, with a white beard, he stood almost six feet and muscular. His face was serious, almost a permanent scowl.

"Sou ka…" Ametsuchi grinned. "Then prove it." He leapt in the air, sword already out; slicing through toward the old man. The old, smiling man. Within seconds, Ametsuchi was unarmed and on the ground hurting.

"It's obvious your grandfather trained you," the old man grinned, "but he would never attack so stupidly. Never underestimate your opponent." He tossed the sword he had grabbed back at Ametsuchi. "My name is Tesshin. Your grandfather told me you'd be arriving, so I've been watching you. You have amazing potential; your fight with Shinigami proved that. He was very strong, although it seems your will to live was stronger. Come, we must leave now. My camp is a four days walk from here."

After three days of walking, they began to near Tesshin's camp. The pair arrived a small river. Tesshin put down his scythe and sat down on a rock.

"Come, sit" he pointed at a nearby rock. "I have something I must tell you before we reach the camp." Ametsuchi did as he told. "First, this may surprise you, but Shinigami is not dead."

"WHAT?!" Ametsuchi interrupted. "How's that possible?! I know I…"

Tesshin held up a hand to silence the boy, "I'm not finished yet. There's more. The reason he's till alive is because he isn't human. He's an alien, and unless you completely overwhelm him with power. You managed to destroy his current body, but he'll find a new host."

"A 'host'?" Ametsuchi felt a chill run up his spine.

"Yes, he feeds off the power of humans." He said matter-of-factly, "He sucks up their energy and uses that to survive. He can even move from body to body by killing out their spirit and replacing it with his own. After every human he feeds off of, it makes him stronger and stronger. He knows he can't defeat you know, but he'll be back. So you must be ready to defeat him. You have a latent power within you, we must bring it out."

Ametsuchi was stunned, "You're strong, why don't you kill him?"

Tesshin laughed, which didn't suit him at all, "Because I can't. You are the only one. For a simple reason: you have the same power as he."

"What?"

"When you defeated him, I'm sure you felt it. The power, it's not of this world. Both of you are from outer space, a planet called Jurai."

"That's a load of crap," Ametsuchi yelled, "I'm from earth! What's your proof?"

"I have none, except for this power of yours. Soon it will awaken and you will realize it. You are partially true though, you are from earth; but you have Jurain blood in your veins. As does Shinigami and your grandfather. It seems that you may even be powerful than your grandfather. Since you have earthling blood as well as Jurain."

Ametsuchi stayed silent, and listened to the old man's tale.

"Your grandfather told me this so many years ago… he left his home planet of Jurai for a number of reasons, one being his power. He was not afraid of it, but more afraid of himself. So he left, bound for earth. Upon arriving he found a place much like Jurai, and the people had strong spirits. Unfortunately he didn't realize how much power a hybrid of these two civilizations can possess. He soon found out, as his first son went insane with power and started a killing spree."

"I have an uncle?" Ametsuchi was aghast.

"Yes, and he calls himself Shinigami."

Present….

Ryoko approached Ametsuchi, who was sitting in his normal spot at the lakeside, drinking sake. Drinking, as if he was with some old friends, but alone. Ametsuchi knew of her presence the moment she fazed from behind.

"I see Tenchi finally said what was on his mind," Ametsuchi sipped some sake without turning. "You're shaking like a leaf and your face is red."

"Well…" Ryoko stopped walking.

Ametsuchi patted the ground near him, "Come come, tell me all about it!" He said merrily.

Ryoko slowly sat next to Ametsuchi and stared at the lake, "He said he loves me…"

Ametsuchi chuckled, "I see. As if it wasn't obvious. So, what's the problem?"

Ryoko stared at her feet, forgetting the words she had meant to say. "Well… I don't know if I still love him. You see, I've started getting feelings for other people…. You."

Ametsuchi's merry behavior stopped, "Oh." He sipped more sake, "I'm already taken."

Ryoko looked up surprised and at the same time somewhat relieved, "Eh?"

"Ryoko-chan." It was the first time he called her that, "I see you've taken my kindness and misinterpreted it." He shifted his gaze from his sake cup to Ryoko's golden eyes. "I grew up without a family; well, a real family. I never had a sister, and you were in need of something only a brother can give. I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression. But I know you aren't really in love with me, you love Tenchi. You always have. I can tell."

Ryoko smiled and wiped a tear from her eye, "Arigatou, Ametsuchi-san."

"Saa, Ryoko-chan. What do you say about going back inside?" Ametsuchi said while standing up. "I'm sure you gave Tenchi quite a fright when you ran off."

Everyone stood at the entrance to Washu's lab, awaiting her next 'greatest' invention she had been harping about during lunch.

Kiyone and Mihoshi were in attendance. Since they were short this month, they needed a few free meals.

"Kiyone… I'm hungry." Mihoshi whined tugging at Kiyone's shoulder.

"But you just ate lunch!" Kiyone snapped back.

"All this waiting makes me hungry." Mihoshi started to cry as the door opened up.

Fanfare sounded as they walked inside, where Washu was standing in front of a rather large sized object covered by a sheet. Washu A and B were popping up everywhere, proclaiming Washu's greatness. Confetti dropped from the sky, and rockets went off in the seemingly endless space of Washu's lab.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! I present you with…" Washu paused, 'Crap! I forgot to give it a name with all this work.' "er… my latest invention!" Everyone clapped half-heartily. Washu punched a button on her keyboard and the sheet began to slowly rise up. It was met with 'ooos' and 'aaas.'

Underneath was a space ship, a small space ship. Its front started out slim and then got wider the further back it went. On each side about three-fourth from the front were two wings, and two smaller wings on the nose.

"Great, a space ship." Tenchi said flatly.

Washu ignored the comment and started talking. "I decided I may need to take a vacation someday, so I needed a ship! Not any ship mind you, but a ship worthy of the greatest scientific genius in the universe! It may seem small, but it's very powerful! I've equipped incredible weaponry and shielding capabilities. It's strong enough to take on large GP ships and faster than Ryo-ohki! It sits one comfortably, but my petite figure could fit comfortably just about anywhere," she winked. "I also added a expeditious nutrition generator,"

"A what?" Mihoshi said.

"An instant food maker." Ametsuchi said plainly.

Washu glanced at Ametsuchi and continued, "By just pressing a button, what I want is instantly prepared. Of course, it isn't as good as Sasami's cooking. Yet."

Tenchi scratched his head, "Amazing Washu, how did you do that?"

Washu explained in extreme scientific detail to the confused Tenchi, who didn't understand a word.

"Uh…" Tenchi smiled haplessly.

"She means that by recording the food's molecular makeup, she can generate it by some means that is beyond me. Ingenious." Ametsuchi quietly said to Tenchi, awed by the piece of machinery.

Washu stared wide-eyed at Ametsuchi. "Someone finally understood…" She jumped on Ametsuchi and said in her cute, high pitched voice. "Ametsuchi-kun! Ametsuchi-kun ga dai suki desu!!"

The next day Sasami was in the kitchen, as usual, cooking dinner. Aeka had managed to steal a few minutes with Tenchi to talk about important matters. About a subject that hadn't come up in a while.

"Tenchi-sama, I understand how you feel now," Aeka held up a hand to silence Tenchi. "and I think it's time for me to move. So I'll be going back to Jurai."

"But I want to stay here!" Sasami was listening the conversation and was in tears over what she was hearing. "I love it here! Aeka Onee-sama!"

"Sasami, I've been thinking about that too," Aeka stood to face her younger sister. "You can stay here if you want. Just promise that you'll visit me, I'm sure Kiyone and Mihoshi would provide you with transport. I'll make sure I visit you as well."

Sasami instantly brightened up. "Tenchi-niichan, did you hear that?! I get to stay!" Sasami rushed pashed her sister and hugged Tenchi.

Aeka turned back toward Tenchi and stared at her clasped hands. "I must leave and return to Jurai."

Tenchi looked up at Aeka through Sasami's cheerful embrace. "I understand."