Disclaimer: I don't own the Tenchi cast; I did create
Blackshire, the two universes, The Ebon Shard, and Yosho (that is the son of
Tenchi and Ryoko, not Lord Katsuhito.)
Tenchi Muyo: The Final Saga?!
Chapter 3: Insanity's End
THE LEGEND:
The legend of the two Universes' is an ancient one. These days it is told only to calm
children with nightmares. You see,
in one dimension, called the Universe of Delight, good always triumphs in the
end. Things may not be perfect, yet
in the end justice and right shall never fail. However, the other universe, The
Universe of Torment, is not so fortunate.
It is a realm where evil reigns supreme. In the end the evils that roam that
plane stand triumphant and those with pure hearts must be prepared, in the end,
to die by these monster's hands.
But, that is not the entirety of the legend. For you see, the old legend states that
one day a being of purest evil will leave The Universe of Torment, and wage a
horrible war with the Universe of Delight.
This monster shall be born from love, yet be the bane of all that have
love inside themselves. His hate
and fury will lay waste entire worlds, and all of time will quake at his
passing. If the demon is defeated,
then the Universe of Torment will forever be free of its curse. The curse that evil shall always
prevail. But if the demon is not
stopped, then the Universe of Delight will fall under the same curse as it's
parallel, and every living thing in both universes shall know unending pain and
suffering for all time.
This is the story of the demon's coming, and how it will
affect the people in both worlds.
From Torment comes a young man imprisoned by a black-hearted monster,
called Blackshire, who may or may not be the demon foretold by legend. The ebon knight may merely be the
harbinger of worse things to come.
But this story takes place in the Universe of Delight, where Tenchi
Masaki, as well as all his family and friends, with the addition of his darling
daughter, Mayuka live happily. As
it stands now, Blackshire has captured Mayuka, and Ryoko as well as the others
race to save her from his horrible ship The Ebon Shard. However she is alone and is in serious
physical as well as mental pain. Can even she survive the coming battle?
And Now Chapter 3:
Space:
A large black starship with four large prominent spires and a
ruby colored bridge soared with incredible speed away from the tranquil Planet
Earth. Its destination was
obvious. The mighty ship, known
throughout the universe as Ryo-Ohki, sailed through the vacuum of space toward
an even larger vessel, one whose hull was jet black, almost appearing like a
piece of the night come to life.
Aboard the speeding vessel, Ryo-Ohki, the space pirate Ryoko readied
herself for the firefight that she was sure to come.
The Bridge of Ryo-Ohki:
All right Kagato, or Blackshire, as you call yourself now,
let's stop with the games and fight. To accent her anger the woman in the
red and black outfit brought her fist down hard on the arm of her chair. Let's see what your new ship is really
made of.
As she drew nearer to the ebon vessel, Ryoko glared with all
the hatred inside her at The Ebon Shard, the place where her most hated enemy
had fled when he kidnapped Tenchi's daughter, Mayuka. What is going on here? Why isn't he attacking me? What's his game this time? The
silver haired woman felt a sudden wave of dizziness come over her as she leaned
closer to the holographic console in front of her.
I've been pushing myself too hard lately... I need to
rest, need to clear my head...Shaking her head frantically, the powerful
space pirate shook her personal needs from her mind. I don't have time to worry about
myself right now. Mayuka is in that
place, and it's my fault Blackshire got away. If I hadn't of let myself get hit by
that sword, then maybe...
A scene of Blackshire using his copy of Tenchi's sword
flashed into her spinning head.
Where did he get that?
How can he use it? I don't
buy that Tenchi's grandfather GAVE it to him. There's no way. What really bothers me is that there
were gems on the end of the hilt, just like Tenchi's. None of this is making any sense at
all. Once again Ryoko willed
the thoughts from her mind. I'm
not here to figure out some stupid riddle.
I'm only here to save Mayuka.
Ryoko paused as she remembered her goal. However, numerous other, and darker,
thoughts entered her mind as she thought about the possible aftermath of the
battle. What am I going to do
afterwards? Go back to Earth so
they can all keep laughing, and insulting me behind my back? The
silver-haired space pirate laughed weakly.
Tenchi didn't even have the courtesy to do that. To think he would accuse me of murdering
his child! Why not shoot me
instead, it would have been a lot less painful.
Rage began to build up inside the space pirate, giving her
the fuel she needed to continue.
Suddenly the answer dawned on her, as if it was the most obvious course
of action. Yet despite this
revelation, the golden-eyed woman seemed more heart-broken than pleased.
It's obvious what I'll need to
do. I'm not needed, or wanted
there. Once I save Mayuka from
Blackshire's grasp I'll go back where I belong, back into space.
It's been
fun, Tenchi, but I guess it's time
we went our separate ways. Steeling herself a final time,
Ryoko prepared to give the order to fire at the ebon star cruiser.
Aboard the Ebon Shard:
Well now, isn't this pleasant. Ryoko is already here. I suppose she's going to try and blast
her way in here. How typical and
drool. I can't have that
gem-wearing idiot damaging The Ebon Shard before my guest of honor gets
here. No, that would spoil
everything, and make the welcome I have planned for them all too brief. Blackshire's black arms extended and
a holo keyboard appeared at his fingertips. With astonishing agility, the large
man quickly typed in some commands.
But it would be rude to not greet her, and I think I have JUST the
welcoming that would be suitable for Yosho's mother. Laughing mentally, the
evil monster typed the final keys, glancing out the large window before him to
watch his horrible trap unfold.
Back on Ryo-Ohki:
"Alright, Ryo-Ohki, FIR- huh?" The angry space pirate paused mid
command as something bizarre happened to the Ebon Shard. I had expected him to anything, but
never that. One portion of the
great ship had suddenly lit up with various bright lights, and a landing
platform had been extended. I
guess we are of the same mind, eh Kagato?
No sense having Ryo-Ohki waste your ship. Since I'd prefer to beat you
senseless myself. All right then, I
accept your invitation.
Raising to her feet the lithe space pirate moved the floating
controls nearby to direct her might starship straight at the Ebon Shard. I'm going to enjoy watching the look
on your face when you realize your own cocky attitude cost you
everything.
Moments later on board the evil ship:
The silver-haired woman slowly floated down the dreary
corridors of The Ebon Shard.
Looking around at her surroundings, Ryoko looked at the black walls of
the large, seemingly endless, hallways.
Well one thing is for sure, in all these years Kagato still hasn't
learned how to decorate. Now let's
see, if I was a malicious madman, where would I hide my captives? As she floated quietly down the large
corridor, Ryoko could not help but feel the intense evil that seemed to radiate
from every portion of the ship.
Wrapping her arms around herself, the floating woman's golden eyes
continued to dart about, looking for any sign of her adversary.
The oppressive silence was suddenly interrupted as a sadistic
voice filled the air. "You didn't even wait for me in the hanger. My goodness Ryoko, you're rude no matter
what universe you're in, aren't you?"
Spinning about, the cyan-haired woman saw that standing half
in the wall, and half out, was the man she had raced here to fight,
Blackshire. "Alright, Kagato, the
games up. Now give Mayuka back, or
you'll be sorry."
As the lithe space pirate mentioned her former slaver's name,
the ebon monster drew his head back, his voice laced with confusion. "Kagato? Who ARE you talking to Ryoko? The only people on board right now, are
you, me, Mayuka, and Yosho." Under
his black helm, the evil lord of The Ebon Shard smiled, as he fully stepped out
of the wall. "Well...Maybe not
Yosho. He's a little out of it
right now..."
"You talk way too much, Kagato." Ryoko declared delivering a
powerful right cross to the armored man's face, sending him slamming into the
wall he had just walked out of.
"Not only that but you seem to be getting forgetful in your old age. Lord Katsuhito is still on Earth. You hurt him pretty bad." The ebon man slid to the floor roughly,
caught off guard by the agile woman's attack.
"I know what I've done woman. But I'm afraid you are thinking of the
wrong Yosho, but since we're on the topic of wrong people, there is something I
must know. Since I've told you I'm
not Kagato, do you find yourself wondering who I am beneath this helmet? I can tell you this much, the answer
will definitely surprise you. I
know it will cause your son a lot of grief once he finds out." Blackshire stated in his most mocking
tone, as he and Ryoko stared with pure hatred into each other's golden eyes.
"Not only are you forgetful Kagato, you're a horrible liar, and misinformed.
I don't know who you have me
confused with, but even you should know that I have no child." A winning smile
crossed Ryoko's face as she stood straight up, confidence radiating from her
body. "It seems you don't know me
quite as well as you thought, eh?"
Under his helmet the ebon clad titan sneered as he rose back
to his feet. Has no son? Why does she keep acting like she
doesn't know who I'm talking about..?
Oh... Of course, I
forgot! The Ryoko of this universe
is not married to Tenchi Masaki..., which means she never gave birth to
Yosho. How interesting. This raises an interesting question, I
had originally assumed Ryoko was this kids mother, but now I have my
doubts. Who is this girl's
mother? Hm... I will have to investigate this matter
further. "I don't know what
I've been thinking." Blackshire
apologized, before slapping one hand to his helmet. "Ryoko, before we continue this fight
anymore, I think you should at least get a chance to meet your own son, don't
you? As a matter of fact, I'll even
light the way for you." Once
again the metal monster chuckled, revealing he knew more than he was telling
her. Then in an instant he
disappeared.
"Come back here, you coward! KAGATO! I am not in the mood to play mind games
with you!" The furious
silver-haired space pirate stood in the dismal halls of the ebon shard, her eyes
and ears on full alert, as she prepared to attack anything that came at
her. Damn him! What is he up to this time? Why can't doesn't he stay and
fight? Maybe he's not as tough as
he has been letting on. After all each time he was hurt, he ran. I must have done some serious damage to
him. Of course, Kagato is still dangerous, and I have no clue what he's up
to. I'll have to stay on
guard. Now where did he go?
As if in reply the lights above her began to flicker to life,
one by one, lighting up a path.
I see, you want to lead me into another trap of yours. Well, far be it from me to disappoint a
man who waits patiently for me.
With a devil-may-care smirk on her face, the weakened space pirate flew
with all the strength she could muster down the ebon hallway. I just hope you realize what you're
getting yourself into, 'Blackshire.'
Leaving Earth's Orbit:
Tenchi Masaki, now draped in his Jurai battle armor, looked
out the window of the Yagami at the tiny planet before him. I've probably seen Earth from space
more than anyone else. Tenchi
admitted to himself with a slight smile.
I get the feeling I'm about to lose something very important, and
every time I think about it I think it will be Ryoko. Why did I always have to be so rude to
her? I mean sure she's a
little too energetic, but still maybe I shouldn't have always blamed her for
everything. All she's been trying
to do is help me raise Mayuka, and after she risked her life to save my little
Noodles, I go and accuse her of killing Mayuka. Not one of your better moves,
Tenchi...
"Lord Tenchi?" A
quiet voice resounded behind him.
Looking over his shoulder slowly, the young prince saw the other woman
who fought for possession of his heart, Lady Ayeka, first princess of Planet
Jurai. Standing only a few feet
behind her was a teal-haired woman wearing a Galaxy Police outfit, an orange
headband holding back her long hair.
After a few moments, the purple-haired woman once again spoke. "We have
some good news. Kiyone tells me we
may not have to fight to get on The Ebon Shard."
The young man's eyebrow rose slightly at the news. He always preferred to do things without
violence if possible.
The teal haired detective stepped forward, realizing all eyes
were on her now. "We all know that
this new ship of Kagato's, The Ebon Shard, looks almost exactly like this ship,
right?" Tenchi and Ayeka nodded,
beckoning the unlucky detective to continue. Clearing her throat, she obliged
them. "Well, when we got into
orbit, I tried to lock onto that thing, to see if I could detect any
weaknesses. But in the end, it's
too well shielded to be detectable.
What I was able to learn was that it has an energy output identical to
this ship. I also noted that
Ryo-Ohki's energy trail led straight into The Ebon Shard."
"Which means...," the brown-haired young man asked, his
patience not at its usual level.
"It means I should be able to access their main computer if I
transmit a command message at the right frequency. That would allow me to send a subspace
command to that ship, so that it would obey my commands. With its weapons down, we could all beam
over, instead of only a few of us, as I originally thought we would have to
settle for."
Tenchi nodded looking eyes that were very passionate and
hopeful at the lovely young green-eyed woman. "This plan of yours will work? You are sure it can?"
"It's an old trick, not too many people use it anymore. Usually it's only done if someone locks
their keys in their ship, or something like that. I've never tried to take down a weapons
system before, but I ran my idea by Washu, and she said it should work. Isn't that right, Washu?"
At that instant, the tiny scientist's voice crackled into
their ears thought the devices they wore.
"Well, I wouldn't say it's a fool proof plan, but it does sound
promising. Right now I would say
it's your best option. I can't give
you any information on The Ebon Shard, but t must have some awesome shield
system to be able to evade my scans."
Nodding his understanding, the young man nodded his approval
to Kiyone. "Alright then, we'll try
your idea."
"Before I forget," Washu continued. "I've managed to analyze that blood
sample we got from Blackshire. If I
wasn't looking at the data myself, I would have swore this was impossible. Somehow, Kagato has traces of Jurain
blood in him as well as some of Ryoko's DNA. I'm going to run a few more tests, and
open the range of my scans, so I can figure out what to make of all this. I can't help but wonder just what Kagato
has been up to since last we saw him."
"Jurain blood?
But how is that possible?" The purple haired princess asked, her face
broadcasting her concern. "Kagato was not Jurain."
"I know that, as I said I'm still trying to figure out what
this new Kagato is up to. All I can
say is he must have been REAL busy, since genetics wasn't his best point. Of course looking at the butchering he
did trying to meld the DNA, it's obvious he didn't spend enough time practicing
his gene splicing."
"Thanks for the information Washu," Tenchi said suddenly
ending the conversation. "But I
think it's about time we got this battle underway. Don't you agree, Kiyone?"
The green-eyed detective nodded, cast the young man a knowing
look, before turning to head to the cockpit. As she walked, she realized that the
upcoming battle was going to end between Tenchi and Blackshire, and that it was
her duty to make sure the brown haired young man reached the battle field alive
and well. Don't worry Tenchi,
this plan will work. I know it
will.
Aboard The Ebon Shard:
Ryoko was
getting furious, she had the feeling that Blackshire's light show had been more
of an annoyance than anything else.
Where are you leading me you black-hearted bastard!? Finally, the light's stopped their
mocking trial markings, and the agitated silver haired woman saw why. Beside her
was a jail cell, the same type used by the Galaxy Police, she noted. Looking at the cell door, Ryoko was
quick to notice that the cell's door circuits had been destroyed, so that no one
could be contained inside. I
wonder who destroyed the controls?
However that question became a secondary concern as Ryoko
stared at the cell's continents.
Sprawled out unconscious in the corner of the brightly lit cell, was a
young man, who appeared no older than Tenchi. The current occupant appeared to
have been there for quiet some time, since his clothing, which at one time could
have been fine Jurain robes, was now merely tattered rags. Near his legs, the powerful space pirate
was quick to note one of his legs had been hastily bandaged, and that spots of
blood, some looking very fresh, had formed in small spots. However, what Ryoko noticed before
anything else was that this young man looked exactly like Tenchi's grandfather
had, seven hundred years ago.
"Yosho...?" The golden-eyed woman gasped as she looked at the
cell's occupant. How can it be
him? Lord Katsuhito never told us he had any other kids, especially any that
would be his exact double. Yet here
is a young man who looks just like him. I must be imagining
things. Shaking her head
in disbelief, the mighty space pirate prepared to turn away, yet some force
within her made her decide to stay.
Steeling her emotions, Ryoko roared a challenge. "Nice try Blackshire, but I am not
falling for your tricks. The real
Yosho is nowhere near this young.
You'll have to do better than that to fool me!"
"Blackshire...," the duplicate of Tenchi' grandfather
muttered as he began to stir. The
silver haired woman returned her gaze to the odd young man in the cell before
her, preparing for the worst.
Suddenly his eyes flickered open, and Ryoko could feel her heart
stop.
His eyes... they're gold. Just like mine! But how is that possible? Unless...
Blackshire's early statement now resonated in her weary
brain, 'I think it's time you met your son, Ryoko.' Shaking her head, Ryoko tried to
dispel the thoughts from her mind.
However, as the golden eyed young man focused on her, his words cut her
straight to the heart.
"Mom? Is that
you?" With what appeared to be
tremendous effort the young man rose to his feet. "It is you!" Ryoko stepped back when the ragged youth
stumbled forward, collapsing in front of her. He looked up at her, a look of pain
mixed with joy in his golden eyes.
"What's the matter, don't you recognize me?" Ryoko continued to stare at him
wondering how this young man fit into Blackshire's evil scheme. A faint chuckled filled his voice as the
young man wiped a single tear from his eyes. "You act as if you don't recognize your
own son. Mother, it's me
Yosho. The son you had with
Tenchi!"
Shaking her head solemnly the silver-haired woman spoke in
whispers. "You can't be my son,
I've never had a child, especially not with Tenchi." Taking a step toward the fallen boy,
Ryoko placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I am sorry that you have been caught up in this evil scheme of Kagato's,
but as I said I am not your mother."
Yosho looked away for a moment confused by what had been
going on. Kagato? Not my mother? Then who is she... Curse me for the fool
I am, she isn't my Ryoko. I'm in
the Universe of Delight. Wait a
minute. If she's here, then that
means, Blackshire must have captured her as well. "Listen, Ryoko, my name is Yosho
Masaki. I am the son of Tenchi and
Ryoko Masaki. I come from another
universe. I can't explain the
details right now, but you must get out of here now! Get Mayuka, and hurry, get away before
Blackshire shows up. Please!"
Jerking back from the urgent sounding commands from the weak
looking boy, the lithe space pirate suddenly felt something bump against her
skin from inside clothes. Reaching
inside and pulling out the odd object, Ryoko saw it was the device Washu had
given her. Suddenly an idea came
over her. "Listen 'Yosho' I think I
have a way to prove to you that we aren't related. This device was given to me by Washu,
and will only work on people of the Masaki bloodline. It will allow us to link our minds, so I
can see into your mind. When this
doesn't work, you'll understand that this has all been cruel joke by
Kagato." The young man merely
nodded looking compassionately at Ryoko as she placed the tiny coin shaped disc
on his forehead, the tiny suction cup latched onto his head.
"By the way moth-, Ryoko, is this safe? I don't want you to get hurt."
With a smirk, the space pirate closed her eyes. "Well, I have been told it could throw
us both into a coma, but I'm willing to bet that it won't. Now let's get this over with, shall
we?" This is probably your
cruelest thing yet, Kagato, trying to make this young man think he's my
son. Well, as I said no one else is
going to suffer by your hands. I'm
going to dispel the lies you've told him.
Calming herself as she let her consciousness feel for his mind, as
she would for Ryo-Ohki or Washu, the mighty space pirate paused. What's wrong with me? For some reason I want to be wrong, so
that he will be my son. Well here
goes nothing...
Ryoko's smirk disappeared as she suddenly made contact with
Yosho's brain, and a surge of his every
memory came pouring from his mind into hers. It was the most intense feeling she had
ever experienced. Everything she
mentally saw, was from his own eyes.
The wave of thoughts began with scenes of Ryoko and Tenchi
holding each other closely, talking in whispers before kissing lightly. As well as images of beautiful days were
she sat next to this young man as they laughed and fished. She saw herself crying as the young man
walked away from the house, to his first day of school. There were also memories of her tending
a cut on his knee, and him giving her a crudely made paper heart on her
birthday. Even though it was
probably the worst artwork ever made, as Ryoko looked at it she saw a
masterpiece. One thing did puzzle
the mighty space pirate however, every time the young man had looked at her she
was wearing a golden heart around her neck, with a silver chain. Before her lips could even form a
question the young man's thoughts changed, becoming darker.
She saw a room in the Masaki house at night, although it was
one she had never seen before. It
was like Tenchi's, filled with a young man's clothes and things, but everything
looked different. Instantly the
memories changed and she saw Tenchi fighting a monster. The young man could do nothing but watch
as the vicious beast slaughtered Tenchi.
Then she saw Tenchi being mowed down by a blast from her own hands. The scene shifted and she saw a blade
from the Tenchi-ken jutting from her throat as her gems were taken. A final time the memories shifted, and
she witnessed Waving goodbye, as the young man prepared to leave Earth on this
ship. But as she saw it happen,
Blackshire attacked. She could hear
the vile monster's laugh in her brain, and could even feel the intense pain that
this monster had caused Yosho.
THE YAGAMI:
"That should do it," Kiyone said looking over the controls,
having just finished double-checking her entries. "Everything is set up. Mihoshi, commence transfer, and keep
your fingers crossed." If this
works, then we'll be able to get on board quickly. I still can't get over how much that
ship looks like this one. I have to
know why.
"But how can I do both, Kiyone?" Mihoshi asked as she began
to transmit the data sequence, a confused look on her face. "I need both my hands to enter in the
coordinates right."
"Never mind," the teal-haired detective snarled as she
watched the monitor. "It looks like
it might have worked. Lay in a
course, right where Ryo-Ohki's trail ended. So we can beam over to that ship, that
must be a hanger, or something."
A few moments later, aboard The Ebon Shard:
Blackshire was furious.
The ebon knight had just learned, through a mental link he had with his
ship, that The Ebon Shard's weapon's had somehow been taken offline. Not only that, but four people from the
Yagami had just beamed through his shields. How is this possible! What has gone wrong with the ship's
weapons, and why now! Well I
suppose it doesn't matter, I'll just have to kill them all myself. In a way it's most convenient. I haven't killed in so very long... Before I begin the slaughter. I simply must check in on Yosho and
Ryoko...
Elsewhere on the evil ship:
The flow of memories from Yosho to Ryoko began to slow. Once again Ryoko saw Blackshire from the
young mans eyes, as the evil creature in black armor watched his monitors.
Suddenly another mind entered into the two figure's brains,
it was the monster that Yosho hated more than anything else, Blackshire. Yosho! It is time to... However due to the
intensity of the mental link, when Blackshire appeared in Yosho's thoughts there
was a tremendously painful backlash, which shattered the link between Yosho and
Ryoko. Dropping both of them to the
floor. Blackshire continued to
speak to his prisoners, although his voice now was laced with fury and
pain. How dare you share your
thoughts with someone else boy!
I'll make you pay for that later, but for now, I need you to come to
me. The young man's eyes opened
wide with terror, as pain arced through him, seconds before he disappeared,
apparently transported to another part of the ship.
Shaking her head, Ryoko sat up feeling dazed. "Yosho? Where are you?" Scanning the area the
golden-eyed space pirate found no trace of the strange young man. She did however see the device Washu had
given her, burned to a crisp from the mental backlash, laying on the cold steel
ground. Those last few memories,
they seemed just like Sasami's nightmare.
Does that mean he is my son? Or at least the son of another me? I still can't believe that, even thought
I saw it all with my own mind, but it would make sense. Kagato built his life
around power and tormenting me. It
would only seem logical that he would take great joy in hurting my son as
well. The golden-eyed woman
paused. Did I just call that boy
my son....
Her confused thoughts were interrupted once again as a voice
blared into her mind. Ryoko...please save Mayuka… and get out
of here...
Yosho? With a
look of disbelief, the lithe space pirate looked at the smoldering device in
her hand, but how...? The device
is ruined. How can I still hear him
in my head? I guess it doesn't
matter. Whether or not you are my
son doesn't matter Yosho. I promise
I'll save you, and Mayuka, from Blackshire. Standing up tall, Ryoko began flying
through the endless corridors of the ebon vessel. She wasn't quiet sure how, yet she knew
the way to Mayuka's chambers.
Mayuka's Room:
Blackshire smiled viciously under his helm as he looked at
the sleeping youth. "They think
they can save you little one, but they are so very wrong. In the end all will die by my hands, and
I will rule everything unopposed."
Throwing his helmeted head back in triumph the evil titan laughed
loudly. His mad laughter caused the
sleeping youth to wake.
Mayuka's orange eyes shot open instantly. Fear filled the little girl as she saw
the evil man who had taken her from her home standing over her. In the end the blue-haired infant did
the only thing she could think of, she cried out for help. The ebon clad man before her now seemed
to take notice of her. "Finally
awake, eh, Mayuka. Well good,
please continue to make that lovely noise as loud as you can, draw everyone to
me. Soon the sound of people crying
and dying will fill the entire universe.
This is merely the preamble to my symphony" Turning, his ebon cloak
whirling behind him, Blackshire made his way back into the hallway. "Soon I will be the most feared creature
in any universe!"
Stepping into the corridor, the ebon tyrant was too consumed
with his own joy to notice his attacker.
With tremendous force a powerful fist collided with his face, sending his
hurtling quiet a distance down the endless hallway. A few seconds later, Blackshire came to
halt, slamming into the ground with intense force. Using his incredible speed and agility
the ebon knight leapt to his feet, in time to see his attacker coming at him
once again. It was Ryoko. She now flew , arms out like a battering
ram, at him with all her speed.
Throwing his arms up, Blackshire caught her fists, however the sheer
power of her momentum caused his feet to grind against the black floor, as she
pushed him back.
The ebon titan sneered under his helmet. "That punch was just like you,
Ryoko, cheap and weak!" Ryoko's
feet hit the ground as she continued to struggle with the evil monster before
her. Her eyes were brimming with
hatred as she battled with all her power to overcome Blackshire.
Not Far Away:
"Alright, we're in!
Washu, can you tell us which way to head to find Mayuka or any of the
others?" Kiyone asked as they four of them ran down a hallway.
"I'm detecting a lot of aura's, but from what I can see, if
you take the corridor to the right, it should lead you straight to Mayuka."
Washu informed them.
As the four warriors prepared to make a dash down the black
hallway, a horrible scream filled the air from the left corridor.
"That sounded like Ryoko," Tenchi declared spinning about
quickly. "You three go down that
way, and get Mayuka. If that is
Ryoko, then it sounds like she needs my help."
"Then we better go with you, Tenchi." Kiyone said advancing in the same
direction as the brown haired young man.
"No," he replied.
"This isn't your fight, Kiyone.
This is between Kagato and me.
He challenged me, and I'm here to meet that challenge. You three get Mayuka, and get her back
to the ship. I'll go help Ryoko,
and pay Kagato back for what he's done."
Further down the hall:
Blackshire and Ryoko stood toe-to-toe, hands clasped as they
each pushed with their full fury, each attempting to gain the upper hand. "Why must you always be in my way,
woman! You are no match for
me. I am Blackshire, Lord and
Master of The Ebon Shard!"
The golden eyed woman snarled, before disappearing, causing
the ebon monster to stumble forward as he continued to push forward against
nothing. Now angered, Blackshire
spun around, and once again was hit in the face by Ryoko. "Like I said... cheap
and weak. You want to play games
beaming around, very well."
Blackshire disappeared, forming behind Ryoko. The agile space pirate spun, swinging
her fist at the ebon knight full force.
In spite of her quickness, her opponent still managed to evade her
attack, and vanished once again, continuing to disappear and reappear behind
her, keeping her constantly spinning to ward off his attacks. Finally as Ryoko whirled about one final
time, Blackshire attacked, sending a blast of emerald power into her stomach as
she turned. The force of his shot
slammed Ryoko into the wall of the black corridor, nearly knocking the weary
woman unconscious.
"Play time is over Ryoko. I've wasted enough time on you." Reaching down, the ebon knight picked up
the silver-haired woman by her spiky hair.
Holding her over his head, Blackshire prepared to strike her with a
drawback fist.
"Cheap.. and weak...," Ryoko gasped trying to focus on the
man before her.
Punching her with his full power, Blackshire sent the
golden-eyed woman flying down the hall.
Unlike the ebon knight, the battered space pirate did not spring back to
her feet. The wounds she had been
dealt earlier added to her weariness were now starting to come into effect. "I am neither of those things. My attack was not weak, because it
knocked you down, and I'm not cheap, I'm an opportunist."
Reaching to his side, the black armored monster drew forth
the copy of the Tenchi-ken he had when she fought him on Earth. "Now be a good girl and die..." The
blade of the sword suddenly shot forth, as Blackshire stood over Ryoko,
preparing to finish her.
"Hold it right there!" Tenchi screamed as he ran down the
hall. The monstrous cloaked man,
looked up from his stance, seeing Tenchi coming at him.
"Well, Well, Well, I see you finally made it Masaki. It's about time. Let me just finish off this defective
woman, and we can start having some fun."
"Leave her alone, it's me you want." Tenchi held the Tenchi-ken forward, and
a blade identical to the one Blackshire held appeared in his hand.
"Okay, you can have this woman back, but only if you beat me
in battle."
Meanwhile:
Mihoshi, Kiyone, and Ayeka raced down The Ebon Shard's
corridors looking for the lost youth.
"Where is she?" The purple
haired princess asked as she did her best to stay ready for anything Blackshire
would throw at them. As if in
reply, a faint crying could be heard in the air.
"That sounds like Mayuka!" The blue-eyed detective
shouted. "She sounds scared. We'd better hurry."
Eventually the three women found a room with the door still
wide open. "Looks like a trap to
me." Ayeka declared as she looked
at the open passageway. "I will go
first, my Jurai powers will keep me safe."
The teal-haired nodded.
"Alright Ayeka, Mihoshi and I will watch your back." Ayeka smiled as she blasted into the
room, followed closely by the two Galaxy Police detectives. The three women stood just inside
the room, quickly scanning the area for traps or some other hidden threat. However to their comfort, no such peril
could be seen. The only thing
beside themselves in the large black room, was a tiny white crib, where the
crying came from.
Mihoshi walked quickly over to the crib. There, tears pouring down her face, was
Mayuka, the child of Tenchi Masaki.
The blonde-haired detective gently picked up the crying baby, holding her
the way she had seen Ryoko hold her.
"It's okay Mayuka, we found you.
Now we can get Ryoko and Tenchi and go home." Hearing the ditzy woman's voice seemed
to calm the blue haired infant slightly, as her howling quieted.
Kiyone sighed, shaking her head as she looked around the room
in disbelief. "That monster! Why would he kidnap a baby? This place sickens me, I can't wait to
get out of here." The more I
look at this ship, the more it reminds me of the Yagami. Why is that? "Come on you guys, let's go
find the others. Then we can go
home."
"What about Kagato?" Ayeka asked as she looked over to where
Kiyone stood. "We still have to
deal with him."
"I don't think we'll have to, Tenchi's gonna beat him just
like last time!" Mihoshi
interjected making a swinging motion with one of her fists as if she was
actually fighting. It was obvious
from her voice, and stance that the blonde detective had no desire to rush into
a fight with the ancient evil that Tenchi had ran to face.
Kiyone stormed over to her partner taking the calmer infant
from her. "Be careful with her,
Mihoshi, you nearly dropped her with your antics! Remember, Mihoshi, as Galaxy Police it's
OUR job to make sure guys like Kagato pay for their crimes. It's NOT our job to let Tenchi do all
the work."
"True Kiyone," Ayeka said as they began leaving the
room. "But none of us stood a
chance against Blackshire the first time, and Lord Tenchi does have access to
the Lighthawk Sword. So he is in no
real danger. I'm sure everything
will be fine."
I wish I could share your optimism, Ayeka, but I get the
feeling things are about to get a lot worse. Kiyone thought as the trio of women raced
toward where Tenchi had disappeared.
THE BATTLE:
Blackshire laughed holding his blade, which looked identical
to Tenchi's Master Key, in front of
him, his golden eyes gleaming in the dark hallway of The Ebon Shard. Before him lay a barely
conscious Ryoko, battered and bloody from their battle. Tenchi, wearing his Jurain battle armor,
stood defiantly in front of his adversary, holding the Tenchi-ken fiercely
before him, ready to face whatever attack Blackshire could muster.
"This has all been so very easy for me," the evil creature
from another time and space stated happily. "I mean Yosho was so obsessed with
killing me, he never suspected just what he was unleashing on this Universe."
"If you are as powerful as you claim, then why play these
games?" Tenchi responded trying to display the same level of bravado that
Blackshire radiated. The two men
stood ten feet apart, each eyeing the other, waiting for an opening to
attack. "Look Blackshire, I don't
know who you really are, and I don't care. You could really be Kagato for all
I care. Right now all I want is
Ryoko and Mayuka back. If you give
them back, and promise never to return, I won't kill you."
Blackshire leaned his head back, laughing loudly. "You won't kill ME!" His voice laced with malice and
surprise. "You certainly are full of yourself, Masaki. I'm sure it must help you deal with your
harem, but I'm not so easily intimidated.
As I said before, I am not here for any of you. I'm here because Yosho made a mistake,
and now you're all paying for it.
However, since you seem to want to make deals, I'll make you an offer you
had best not refuse. Come with me
Tenchi, as my servant, and I'll release all these women you care so much about,
as well as your little daughter."
The brown haired youth continued to glare at his enemy. "Yosho always told me you were a wise
man, Masaki, and you yourself can see what I've done to Ryoko, WITHOUT
trying. So be smart, come with
me." Blackshire dropped his battle
stance, holding his sword behind him, extending the other hand out toward
Tenchi, beckoning him forward.
Tenchi paused before responding, he could still remember
Ryoko's painful screams as he had raced to help her. The monster before him supposedly
had powers identical to Kagato's.
Looking up he took a deep cleansing breath prepared to give Blackshire
his answer.
"No deals!" Ryoko roared appearing in front of Blackshire,
crimson power glowing on her fist as she slammed it into Blackshire's face, and
released the power she had held.
Blackshire toppled, dropping his weapon. As be staggered, the ebon warrior threw
his metal clad hands over his face.
"Damn you woman," the angry maniac shouted, "can't you just
die!" Blackshire backhanded the cyan-haired space pirate into the far wall that
she had moments ago launched herself from to attack him. Now Tenchi and Ryoko gazed on in horror
as Blackshire's face was revealed thanks to Ryoko's blast shattering his
faceplate.
"It can't be..." Ryoko said, her words barely audible as they
escaped her hoarse throat, blood trickling out of her mouth..
The face that glared back at them, with a sadistic grin like
a jester in some mid-evil court, was Yosho's. His cackling voice now mirrored
his insane grin, "Oh well, now you know.
Blackshire and Yosho are one in the same!"
"Yosho?" Tenchi said looking at the man before him. "What's
going on here?"
Ryoko looked at the brown haired young man, her heart
breaking as she knew the man she loved more than anything else, was now locked
in mortal combat with her own son.
"That's our son, Tenchi. Our
son from the Universe of Torment."
Blackshire laughed loudly, causing his shoulders to shake up
and down. "Isn't it great? Yosho is a schizophrenic. Yosho never realized that all our
conversations took place in that screwed up brain of his. It's really quiet sad, when you think
about it. The man spent a lot of
time arguing with an empty suit of armor."
"You see, He created me all those years ago to deal with the
pain of losing his parents, that is his Tenchi and Ryoko." The metallic maniac paused, focusing his
golden eyes on Tenchi, "long ago Yosho and Washu discovered the truth between
the two dimensions, and came up with the plan to use the Yagami to find me, and
bring me here, so Yosho could kill me.
But sadly, I took control of his body long before that happened and made
him bring me here, so I could start a new."
"So you and Yosho are the same, huh?" Tenchi stated raising
his blade once again in a threatening manner.
"You don't believe me.
Then let me tell you the grand story of my birth. You see, the Blackshire Yosho sought has
been dead for many decades. The
frustration that boy felt began to drive him mad, and he began repressing his
anger, frustration, and hate he felt at being cheated his vengeance, thinking he
could just will it away. In the
end, it was too much for him."
"One day, Yosho worked himself way too hard, trying to find
someone who didn't exist, and blacked out.
While he lay there unconscious I was born, and began taking control. The day he went into space to find
Blackshire, I took over completely becoming the dominant power." Blackshire swooped down picking up his
dropped weapon, as he began to walk toward Tenchi, forming the blade. "I have Jurai's royal family's blood
flowing through my veins, that's how I can hold this sword, but that isn't all I
can do."
"But your powers. How is it you have my powers?" Ryoko asked viciously.
"Yosho has a great deal of power laying dormant inside him,
yet sadly he never spent the time to fully wield it. I, on the other hand, found this power
and exploited it." Blackshire held
his arms out in a self-glorifying manner.
"Yosho!" Tenchi called out, "if you can hear me, then
listen! You've got to stop this
madness. You've got to fight, we
can only stop Blackshire if we work together." Tenchi glared hard at the armored maniac
he faced, hoping he could reach Yosho through Blackshire's seemingly complete
control.
Tenchi's words appeared to strike home, as Blackshire
stopped, placing one arm over his eyes to stop a flow of tears. The black titan's voice became shaky,
and weak as he spoke, the rage and insanity in it melting away, replaced by
tender and mercy. "Father...,
I'm...sorry...I can't believe what's going on... please believe me..."
Tenchi lowered his sword allowing the blade to
disappear. I glad this fight
didn't have to end with a fight like all the others did. With a sight smile, the youngest
Masaki sighed as he approached the crying man in black armor. "It's ok, Yosho,"
Tenchi said holding his hand out.
"It's over. Let's just get
Mayuka and the others, and leave this evil place." Tenchi set one hand on
Blackshire's shoulder, trying to show his support. "We'll get you the help you need, I
promise." A weak smile flashed
across Yosho's face.
"I can't believe how...," Yosho tried to speak through his
tears. Taking a deep breath, Yosho
continued, "I can't believe how pathetically stupid you truly are!" His voice shifted back, becoming full of
maniacal rage once again as he brought the arm that covered his face in a
sweeping arc, colliding with Tenchi's face, and hurling the Jurain warrior
across the hall. "Did you honestly
think I could be stopped with mere words?"
'Yosho' looked at Ryoko grinning triumphantly. "Oh I am so sorry mother, I've walked
down the path of darkness, and unleashed a horrible evil. Can you ever forgive
me?" The tall figure laughed,
finding extreme humor in his own words.
Turning Blackshire returned his golden eyes to Tenchi, who was trying to
regain his footing. Ryoko, now
propping herself against the wall glared at him with all her hatred. "You know if I wasn't so awesomely
powerful, I could have had a promising career as an actor, don't you agree? But seriously, I always found it so hard
to believe that 'father' was so gullible, and even though I just seen it for
myself, I still don't believe it."
"How could you do that to your own father, Yosho!" Ryoko
demanded stumbling forward on battered legs.
"First off, he's not my true father. Second, NEVER call me Yosho. He's gone,
dead and buried forever in my mind.
I am Blackshire, lord and master of The Ebon Shard."
"Now come here 'mother,' come play with your son one last
time, before he kills you." Ryoko
rose to Blackshire's challenge, making one last lunge, however in her weakened
state, she was unable to engage the ebon tyrant properly. With extreme easy, Blackshire caught her
outstretched arm in a vice like grasp.
Laughing, he showed her the master key, seconds before touching the hilt
against her weakened body as he had on Earth. On board the vile ship, her reaction to
the sword's caress was the same.
The battered woman began to writhe in pain as electricity flowed through
her body.
Further down the hall
"That sounded like Ryoko," Ayeka, in her Jurai battle garb,
said as she ran down the hall, just behind Kiyone, who held Mayuka tightly in
her arms, and Mihoshi. "Her and Tenchi must be fighting
Blackshire..."
"Mihoshi," Kiyone said in a very serious manner. "Take Mayuka and head to the
Yagami. If we aren't there in ten
minutes, take off for Earth. Got
it?"
"But, Kiyone, what if you need my help? I can't leave you behind like that. Not when you could need my help."
"I don't have time to argue, Mihoshi! We came here to rescue Mayuka from
Blackshire. Now go, if we aren't
there, contact the Galaxy Police and let them know our situation!" To accent her words, Kiyone handed
Mayuka to her partner.
Swallowing hard, Mihoshi bit her lip, as she headed down a
different hallway, back to the Yagami, as Kiyone and Ayeka raced toward the
battle.
The Battle:
Blackshire released Ryoko's arm, letting her fall, still
writhing in pain, to the floor. "Is
that all? I expected more from the
legendary space pirate, Ryoko!"
Clicking his tongue in his mouth Blackshire squatted to look down on his
fallen foe. "What have you got to
say for yourself!" Ryoko was
breathing in heavy, wet sounding, breaths as she lay face down on the cold
jet-black floor of the hallway.
"Well then..." the ebon titan declared standing back up, "if you won't
even talk back, I'll just have to kill you." Holding out his hand, Blackshire began
summoning his emerald energy for a blast that would finish off the cyan-haired
woman.
Suddenly a voice echoed in his mind. "Stop this madness Blackshire! Leave her be!" It was Yosho, struggling to retake
control of the mind he shared with the evil monster.
Sighing Blackshire closed his eyes, the energy he was
gathering flickering away as he entered into a trance.
Inside the mind of Blackshire/Yosho:
Two men stood in a barren wasteland. Tall red rock formations standing in the
distance, as an icy wind blew the sandy soil around them. One of the figures was a young man with
golden eyes, long white following robes, and long black hair. In his hands was a sword hilt, a master
key from Planet Jurai to be exact.
The other a vile creature standing a foot taller than the young man, and
clad entirely in black armor. Only
it's eyes, which glowed with an evil emerald light, stood out from its shadow
like appearance. "Welcome to our
subconscious Yosho," the armored monster greeted. "It's time I put you to rest. I'm tired of these games. You've gotten in my way too many
times. Now I'll end your pitiful
existence."
"You are right Blackshire, these games must end. I won't let you turn this universe
into as wretched a place as you've made my mind. You must be stopped at all costs, even
if it means my own death. Your
predecessor took my mother and father from me, I won't allow you to take this
Ryoko from them." Yosho roared,
from the sword hilt in his hand a powerful energy blade sprang forth, and the
furious youth rushed the tyrannical monster before him, prepared to end this
terrible battle once and for all.
In the hallway:
Ryoko looked up at the ebon monster that argued loudly with
himself, his voice switching back and forth from Blackshire to Yosho. From the sound of it, Yosho is
putting up a good fight, but I don't think he can stop him, not alone at
least. If only there was some way
to help him... Shifting slight,
trying to rise back to her feet, Ryoko felt a slight tingling at the back of her
head. That's it! Yosho and I are
somehow still connected, which means I might still be able to help him. Calming her thoughts, the valiant space
pirate made an attempt to reach out to her son from another time and space's
mind. This could very well kill
us both, or at least put up us in a coma.
But if that's what it takes to save Mayuka in the others, then so be
it. Ryoko smiled broadly, as
she was able to establish a connection with Yosho's mind.
Back in Yosho's mind:
The vicious demon made a quick sweeping motion with one of
his monstrous claws, knocking Yosho to the ground. Slowly the gargantuan monster stalked
over to stand above his fallen foe.
"As I said Yosho. It ends
now!" Rearing back, Blackshire
prepared to deliver the killing stroke that would cleave his beaten adversary in
two. "Say hello to your mother and father for me." A vile chuckle escaped his demonic lips
as the emerald blade began it's decent.
Suddenly something struck the ebon warrior in the back,
causing him to lurch, and allow his sword to disappoint. Spinning about as quick as he could,
Blackshire's emerald eyes glowed like twin green suns. "YOU! How is this possible!?"
Ryoko smiled, even her mental projection still appeared
battered and on the verge of collapsing.
"It doesn't really matter, does it Blackshire? All you need to know is that you hurt my
son, stole from my Tenchi, by kidnapping Mayuka, and for that you will
pay."
"You think I'm afraid of you? Just like Ayeka, you are a big
talker." With unbelievable
quickness, the ebon warrior quickly raised his arm toward Ryoko, firing an
emerald ray straight at the silver haired woman. Ryoko's shield absorbed the brunt of the
blast, however the sheer impact of the force sent Ryoko hurtling backwards. Before she hit the floor of this
astral realm, her body disappeared.
"Mother!
NO!" Yosho screamed. Not again! I won't allow you to take my family
again, Blackshire!
Summoning all his strength, the young man rose to his feet, and thrust
his blade at the cackling madman's back.
The horrible scream that erupted from Blackshire's maw echoed
for what felt like an eternity inside Yosho's mind. Pulling the blade from his foe's body,
Yosho stepped back pleased with his handy work. The evil monster slowly turned, looking
at the gaping hole that now filled his stomach.
There was a look in the armored beasts eyes that Yosho had
never seen before, and would always remember. It was the look of fear. Suddenly white light began to erupt from
the sword wound in Blackshire's stomach.
Instants later, another ray of white light shot out of his right arm,
followed closely by another coming from his hands.
"It appears I'll be leaving you now, Yosho. I knew this would happen one day. Parting is sad, isn't it?" As the vile
beast spoke, his usual malicious tone crept back into his voice. "Just remember this...
Where there's day there will come night; when there's smoke, you will find fire;
wherever there is Yosho, there will always be a Blackshire! " The ebon armored
knight tensed as if trying to pull himself together, even closing his eyes from
the tremendous strain. A few
moments later, the armored monster's emerald eyes shot back open, just before he
erupted into several black bolts of lighting.
Outside:
Kiyone and Ayeka could only watch in stunned silence as the
man in black armor suddenly began to writhe as jet-black energy crackled around
him. Eventually the surge of power
stopped, and the black-haired warrior fell to the ground lying very still.
Despite her severe beatings and the severe headache she was
experiencing, the silver haired space pirate was the first to reach the fallen
young man. "Yosho!" Using what little strength she had left,
Ryoko propped him up, his head falling limply into her lap. "Yosho, are you alright? Can you hear me?" For a reason she could not place, the
powerful space pirate felt a wave of terror pass over her as she continued to
try and get a reaction from the still youth.
With tremendous effort, the young man's eyes flickered
open. Wincing from the throbbing
pain he felt, the black haired young man smiled weakly at Ryoko. "Thank you, mother. You saved my life. Blackshire was going to kill me. If you hadn't been there, he would have
killed everyone again..."
"Sh! Don't try
and talk, son. You need to save
your strength." Ryoko said shushing
the young man as she brushed her fingertips over his lips gently. "I promise
I'll take you to Washu, and she will fix you up, good as new. Just don't go..." The young man took her slender fingers
in one of his hands, an amused smile covering his face.
"Aw mom...I'm not going anywhere. I just need to rest for awhile." The young man's head flopped to one
side, as his strength began to fade once again. His golden eyes rested on Kiyone and
Ayeka, who still looked at him with very confused looks. "Aunt Ayeka! Aunt Kiyone! I see you're here too. I guess that means you found
Mayuka. Good..." Yosho's words began to become labored as
he spoke in a raspy voice. Smiling
once last time, the young man's eyes shut, and he went limp in Ryoko's arms.
"Yosho!
YOSHO!" Shaking the black
haired young man violently, the mighty space pirate continued to scream his name
over and over, tears pouring down her face.
Seeing her friend in such agony snapped the teal-haired
detective back to her senses. In a
few steps she closed the gap between where she had been, and where Ryoko was.
Slowly the first class detective
reached out a hand picking up one of Yosho's arms, checking for a pulse, while
Ryoko cradled Yosho's head to her chest.
After a few moments, Kiyone smiled, placing a hand on the wild space
pirate's arm to comfort her. "It's
okay Ryoko. As far as I can tell,
he's still alive. It appears he
took some serious damage from that electricity, but if we get him to Washu's
soon, he should be fine."
Ryoko said nothing as she gazed up at the teal haired
detective, yet the hope that sparkled in her golden eyes spoke volumes to
Kiyone. Taking a deep breath, Ryoko
held Yosho close, and then in an instant, the two figures were gone.
"I imagine she's gone back to Ryo-Ohki, with that strange
young man." Ayeka declared as she tried desperately to make any sense out of
what she had just seen. "Lord
Tenchi, I feel we should also leave.
Maybe you can explain this whole thing to us once we are back aboard the
Yagami?"
Tenchi nodded, as he leaned against the wall for
support. His hurt all over, but
then again he usually did after an epic battle. "It' a long story, and I don't think I
know much of it. I think to get the
whole tale we need to talk to Ryoko, and Yosho." The brown haired man shook his
head. "All I can say for sure is
that boy's name is Yosho, and he is the child of Ryoko and me, but he comes from
some other Universe."
Ayeka moved to support Tenchi as the three of them headed
back to the rendezvous point. Lord Tenchi and Ryoko's son? How can this be? It's just like Sasami's dream, however
in this outcome no one has died.
Earth:
One hour later in Washu's lab:
Ryoko sat beside a med tube. Inside the glass cylinder floated a
young man from another time, her son, Yosho. The others were all having dinner at
that time, but for some reason she could not tear herself away from his
side. Despite how completely
drained she felt, and how badly wounded she was, the mighty space pirate felt as
if some all powerful force was holding her to that spot. It's kind of funny really. I mean I barely even know you, and I
can't stop worrying about what will happen if I look away. I know it sounds dumb, but it's
what I feel.
Suddenly the figure in the tubes eyes shot open, and he looked at
Ryoko with a terrified look on his face.
Before she could react, Ryoko saw the liquid siphon out, and the young
man be sucked into a portal that opened immediately after the emerald portal had
disappeared.
Shooting up from her seat, Ryoko felt a sudden surge of power
flow through her. "He's awake!" she
trumpeted, making a mad dash for the door.
"YOSHO'S...," the silver haired woman never finished her ecstatic
sentence. As she took the next
step, it felt as if someone had taken every last bit of her strength, and she
fell into a heap on the cold laboratory floor.
The Onsen:
The quiet scene of the hot bath was torn asunder as a gaping
hole opened in the air, and a large object fell from it. With a thunderous splash, the object
became noticeable as a young man.
Spitting water out of his mouth, Yosho struggled desperately
to take in his situation. What
in the? What's going on here? Taking a deep breath, the young man
from another universe looked around.
I'm in the Onsen, but how did I get here? The last thing I remember was talking to
mother, before I passed out, and then... Of course! She must have brought me home, or rather
to her home. I must have been in
one of grandmother's medical devices.
I've heard her say she sometimes dumped people in the Onsen if she
thought they could use a bath after treatment. I suppose I would be no exception, after
all I spent a month on that ship, and never once did I have a chance to
bathe. The naked young man
slowly turned from side to side, taking in the sights around him. Amazing! It looks identical to the one back
home. This is incredible! I wonder what other things are the same
in this world? Making an
excited dash for the door, the time lost youth's mind filled with all the
wonderful things this universe would have to offer. Suddenly he stopped, noticing that he
was not wearing any clothes at all.
Whoa! First things first,
I probably should take a bath, and find something to wear, before I go walking
around.
Sitting back down Yosho sank into the warm water, feeling his
aching muscles relax. This is
great. Just like back home. Looking at his chest, Yosho suddenly
realized something was missing.
MOTHER'S PENDANT!
Jumping to his feet, the young man began scouring the Onsen in vain for
his missing heirloom. Where is
it!? It has to be here
somewhere!
Stopping himself the young man tried to think the situation
through calmly. Okay, I don't
see it around here, so that means it's either in Grandmother's lab or on The
Ebon Shard. I just need to go ask
Washu if she's seen it. Taking
a deep breath, the young man stepped out of the water, forgetting about the
bath, Yosho looked around for something to wear. As his gaze settled on what he was
destined to wear, he moaned. I
can't believe my luck...
A short time later:
Now wearing a fluffy white robe with frilly laces, that
apparently had been designed for someone with much a much more feminine physic,
Yosho walked quickly toward the Masaki house clutching the robe around him
tightly. Brrr.. It's kinda
chilly out here. Wish I had some my
clothes. Well, maybe someone will
loan me some. Excitement as well as
dread filled the young man as he walked.
To think after all these years, I'll get to see my aunts and father
again. Sure it's the ones I knew,
but still seeing them will be great.
I hope they can forgive me for the pain I've caused. The first thing I need to do is talk to
mother- I mean Ryoko, and thank her for all her help.
Looking up, Yosho saw someone blocking his path. "Hello, I see you're up and about, and
very well dressed I might add."
Washu smiled looking at the full grown youth wearing one of the robes
they left at the Onsen for these fairly chilly summer's nights. "I think Tenchi may have some clothes
that will fit you, if you want them."
"I most certainly would grandmoth-, Little Washu. But before that I would like to see
Ryoko. Would you please tell me
where she is? I want to thank her
for saving me from Blackshire, that is myself." The young man smiled, placing a nervous
hand on the back of his head as he thought about what he was saying.
"HELLO!" Washu
said leaning toward him. "Uh.. You
might want to close that robe of yours fella."
Slowly looking down, Yosho was horrified to notice that the
robe he wore had opened when he released his hold on it. The black-haired youth now stood exposed
before the diminutive genius. With lighting quick speed, the young man closed
his robe, and his face took a deep red tone.
Clearing her throat, a mischievous smile on her face, Washu
answered his question. "About
Ryoko, I'm afraid talking to her right now is impossible. You see, when I went back into the lab
to check on your progress, I found Ryoko laying in a heap on the floor right by
your empty tube." The red-haired
scientist paused, noticing that the golden-eyed young man appeared terrified by
this revelation. "Don't worry, she
just passed out from exhaustion." The young man in the bathrobe appeared to
relax slightly at this news, however he still appeared tense. "I told her to get into a Med Tube
as soon as she got in, but that fool daughter of mine had to continue to push
herself. She should only be out
about a day or so. My daughter is
too stubborn too hurt badly for long."
The two stood looking at each other, each noticing how much
Ryoko's injury affected the other.
After long moments, Yosho spoke up breaking the long
silence. "How is Lord
Katsuhito? Is he better? I hurt him pretty bad, didn't I?"
"I don't know what YOU did to him. BLACKSHIRE hurt him pretty badly, but
thanks to me he's up and kicking once again."
"What about Mayuka, and the others? They all made it off The Ebon Shard
safely?"
The woman with the mane of red hair shrugged off his question
quickly as she spoke. "They're all
fine. Now, I have a few questions
for you. For starters who are
you? Ryoko's thoughts were a mess,
so I couldn't scan them for the answer.
All I know about you is she cares for you deeply, maybe even as much as
she loves Tenchi."
Yosho opened his mouth to reply, unsure where to begin.
Before he could reply, Washu interrupted him with yet another question. "Plus I have to know, what is
this?" She asked holding up a tiny
necklace with a silver chain and a golden heart pendant. On the pendant was an inscription: To
Ryoko, The most beautiful 'monster' I ever met, Love Tenchi. "It has a picture of Ryoko and
Tenchi in bed together inside. I'd
like to know where you got this."
Yosho sighed deeply, he glad to see someone had found his
lost pendant. He also sighed
because he knew the story she requested was a long one. "That was my mother's. My father gave it to her long ago on her
birthday. I know that doesn't
explain much, but it is a long story, and I really am not dressed to tell you
the whole thing. Perhaps we could
go inside, I could burrow some clothes, and then I could tell the story to
everyone at the same time."
Washu nodded her head in agreement. "Alright, Yosho. I believe that's what Ryoko said your
name was. Have it your way, we'll
go inside, but remember I want the full story. Not to mention I want to run some tests
on you. I found some interesting
data when you were in the Med Tube, and I want to confirm my theories." Nodding his understanding the young man
with golden eyes walked beside the red-haired super genius as they headed back
to the Masaki house.
Next Time:
Blackshire is gone, but the problems are far from over. Can Yosho live with Tenchi and the
others? If he stays, how will Yosho
affect the Tenchi, Ayeka, and Ryoko triangle? How will everyone react to his story?
What will Kiyone think of what The Ebon Shard is? Will Ryoko be up soon, and will
something develop between her and Yosho? To make matters worse, a simple
statement gets taken the wrong way, and the repercussions will make your head
spin.
Try not to hate me too much...
In One week: Yosho's Grief (It's not what you're expecting!)
Special note: I have basically written the entire 26 chapters
that this story entails. If you
would like to make a guess in your review as to what it is, please do. I always like hearing other people's
theories. Also new additions for
this story will be put up once a week, until it's over. So it should be done by Nov 5. I usually shoot for Monday as my posting
day.