Knowledge, Knowledge Everywhere and Not a Thought to Think

TENCHIIIII!!!

All of royal blood on Jurai had heard the psychic scream. The force of the yell had rocked the Scared Hall of Trees. Both Funaho and Misaki had been deeply entrenched in a meeting with the High Council concerning the distress signal received from Yosho's ship, when the scream had temporarily paralyzed them. Both women sat staring blankly at an image projected before them. Ryoko appeared amidst a vast torrent of energy, her hair tossed riotously about by an unseen wind. Red, ghostly energy crackled to life around her and streams of power rushed the two queens blasting them with the residual force. In the vision, Ryoko was vastly more powerful than when she had attacked Jurai. This Ryoko could easily destroy anything she willed. This Ryoko terrified the brave queens. This Ryoko was a goddess.

Then, just as startlingly fast as the lone image of Ryoko had appeared, so to did an image of Tenchi. Yet, this Tenchi was not the same as they had met on Earth. No, this Tenchi was much older, wiser and more powerful. Tenchi slowly grasped Ryoko's wrist directly on the gem, and again a great wave of power blasted the staring pair. With eyes wide, unable to look at anything else, the duo watched as the power that flowed from the pair in front of them flashed from red to purple to blue then back to purple. Then together, the divine pair turned to look at one another and with movements that seemed to take years, the pair slowly closed to a kiss. When their lips met, a flash of pure white light surrounded the couple and then they were gone.

The entire council could do nothing more than watch as the two queens first grasped their heads in apparent pain. Then gape as an unknown forced grabbed the queens and shot their chairs across the room. Scared beyond reason, the council stared as a blast of unseen energy shook the two monarchs, lifting them to hover in a gossamer mist above the polished wooden floors.

Then, as an eerie silence settled on the conference room, the pair unfolded from their near fetal positions and opened their previously clenched eyes to stare unseeing at the far opposite wall. As the pair stared, they began speaking in a language similar to Juraian; the differences were slight and gave the council little difficulties with comprehension. The council deciphered that what Funaho said was a chant and the words that Misaki spoke were the reply.

Funaho first issued the words, "I am the Guardian of the Void - all that has existed before time. I am the Child of that which created time."

To which Misaki replied, "I am the Guardian of the Light - all that exists during and throughout time. I am the Child of that which created all life."

Funaho returned, "I am the Protector of the Darkness of the Eternal Cosmos, from which all light is derived and eventually ends. I am the Child of Night."

Misaki's reply, "I am the Protector of the Brilliance of the Heavens, light of the stars which bring life to all that fall under their radiance. I am the Child of the Day."

"I am the Guardian of all that is caliginous and all that is ancient and archaic. I am the Child of the dead and the dying."

"I am the Guardian of all that is luminous and all that is neoteric and primitive. I am the Child of the living."

Then they spoke as one, "Together, we are the Guardians of All, without and within creation. Together, we are the Eternal Protectors of the Cosmos. Chaos and Reason, Light and Darkness we are the Children of all that was, will be and never can be."

With each phase spoken, the royal pair had slowly grown in brilliance. Then with a final blast of blinding white light, which had enough force to thrust all in the room to the walls, the royal pair plummeted to the glossy floor. It had taken several moments for those within the room to gather enough courage to approach the now unconscious pair. Once a brave few were at the queens' sides and had remained unharmed, the rest of the room emerged and rushed to aid the two monarchs.

Hidden within her sanctuary amongst the most powerful of trees, Tsunami set about the arduous task of healing the damage that the psychic scream had reeked upon her progeny. Tsunami could feel it. She could feel it coming with every fiber of her existence. The awakening of both Washu's and Ryoko's powers had issued an unwanted and unknown challenge to all beings of higher consciousness. Wave after wave of power had rolled off the pair and been flung into the deepest reaches of space at the speed of thought; Tsunami had felt the draw their power had. The rest of the cosmos would come for their powers, to control or destroy; the challenge could not remain without answer.

The Queens were Tsunami's two greatest and most powerful players. They would have to be involved. Such intrigue as this was always better left to the craftier minds of women. Somehow, the perceived threat that Ryoko posed would have to be diffused. Another issue to deal with would be the re-emergence of a youthful Yosho - this would present a difficult quandary. Tsunami pondered the many solutions and resulting reactions before arriving at a suitable answer. Finished with her task and smiling knowingly, Tsunami faded out of sight.

After his fight, Tenchi went straight to his room and prepared for a relaxing soak. Using the hot waters of the Onsen to wash away his stress, Tenchi closed his eyes and rested. Timed slowed for Tenchi in the soothing waters. Slowly, he began pondering the many recent changes in his life. Letting out a frustrated sigh, Tenchi sunk further into the water. How could Ie have let my anger get so far out of control. Great, the one time I actually beat grandfather and it's purely out of anger. It was not done out of skill or with reason, but simply and solely for the emotional release. And in the end, there had been no release.

Shame pushed Tenchi further into the water. What am I going to do now? Honor demanded he fight his grandfather again. The power that Tenchi had used was well beyond what his grandfather was capable of. The match hadn't been fair or equal. Tenchi's sense of justice demanded that he give his grandfather the opportunity to fight in a fair match. Okay, so come morning after chores and checking in on Ryoko and Washu, I'll would swallow my pride and ask for forgiveness from grandfather.

One worry down, a million more to go. What am I going to do about Ayeka? The bond with Ryoko was not going to make her very happy. How would she take it? How do I tell her? Rolling his eyes, Tenchi felt like sinking completely under the water's surface and never rising again. And, as if concerns over Ayeka, Ryoko and grandfather weren't enough, school would be starting soon. Where did that leave the burgeoning romance with Ryoko? Where did that leave anything?

Frustrated and even more confused, Tenchi slipped below the surface of the pool; hoping to drown his concerns in the water. When finally the call for oxygen was greater than the need for escape, Tenchi surfaced. Gasping for air, Tenchi stared blankly across the water. Finally, with a great sigh, Tenchi rose from the water and dried himself off. It all seemed too overwhelming. What am I going to do about the girls? What am I going to do about school? I just can't leave now, can I? Shrugging his shoulders and deciding on giving up for the time being, Tenchi dressed and exited.

::Mom?::

::Ryoko?::

::Mom?::

::Little Ryoko?::

::Mom, I can't see you! Where are you?:: Panic was slowly filtering into Ryoko's voice.

::Shhh, it's okay. It's all going to be okay.::

Ryoko felt the comforting warmth of her mother's psychic embrace. In a matter of moments, the panic dissolved into a mild feeling of concern. ::Mom?::

::Yes, my Little Ryoko?::

::Where are we?::

::I'm not exactly sure.:: Washu mentally winced, the second the words were issued. Ryoko would begin to panic again.

::Are we alive?:: Amazingly enough, Ryoko remained calm.

::Yes, I think we are. Just not where we use to be. I don't recognize this place.::

::Mom? If I can't see you and I can't see myself does that mean we're asleep?:: Taking a moment to ponder the question, Washu's silence caused Ryoko a small amount of anxiety. ::Mom?:: Ryoko questioned apprehensively.

::Hmm?:: Washu replied absently.

::Nothing.:: Ryoko replied meekly.

::No, sweetie, please tell me. What is it?::

::Mom, is it possible that I...That we...That I no longer exist?::

::What do you mean?::

::Remember, Mom? Just before we got here? I was disappearing. Now I can't see or feel anything. Usually in my dreams I can at least see. Maybe I'm only inside your head?::

::No, you still feel like a separate entity. I'm positive that if we were merged physically, your mind would feel like a physical presence in mine. No, something else happened. But what is the question?:: Lost in thought, Washu unconsciously called to the power of the gems again.

::Mom, what are you doing? I feel funny...::

The next morning, Tenchi arose from his bed and began his day much like he had for most of his vacation. Suddenly, a faint and unusual, yet familiar, sensation rolled through Tenchi. Huh? Oh no! Tenchi raced from his position just before his bedroom door, through the hall and down the stairs. Approaching the kitchen, Tenchi scoured each room he entered for Sasami. She'll know what's happening. By the time he rounded the corner from the stairs to the living room, he saw Sasami making her way to the broom closet. By the time Sasami had arrived at the door, Tenchi was right at her heels. Both entered and raced through the lab to the bedroom where mother and daughter rested.

As she entered the hidden chamber, Sasami gasped at the sight before her. Mother and daughter lay on the bed, obviously still sleeping deeply, but the pair was completely sheathed in a faint, diaphanous, almost ethereal flame. Not seconds behind her, Tenchi felt, rather than saw, the events happening before him.

Knowledge. Unbounded and limitless, knowledge flowed into the pair. Everything and anything; future, past and present combined in a fabulous deluge of information. People, places, planets, civilizations, galaxies; moment after moment in time flowed in a cacophonous stream of erudition.

Somewhere deep within the inundation, Ryoko faintly felt the constant noise of Tenchi's mind. Like a lifeline, Ryoko followed the thought stream back to its source. Once there, Ryoko psychically pushed through the barrier of Tenchi's conscious mind.

::Tenchi?::

"Ryoko?" Tenchi looked around the room searching for the source of the sound. It hadn't come from the body that lay prone before him.

::Tenchi, can you hear me?::

"Ryoko, what's going on?" Tenchi looked confused. Ryoko's lips hadn't moved, yet he could hear her perfectly, as if her lips were right next to his ear.

::Tenchi, are you there?:: Ryoko's voice was starting to become agitated.

"Ryoko, I'm right here." Tenchi tried to calm her. Why couldn't she hear him?

::Tenchi?:: Ryoko's voice was soft and held the tremble of tears.

"Ryo...." Sasami tapping him on the shoulder, cut off Tenchi's words.

"Tenchi, why are you calling out to Ryoko?" Sasami was pretty sure of the answer but wanted to make certain first.

Distracted by Ryoko's calling, Tenchi turned blank eyes to Sasami and half-heartedly answered, "She keeps calling me."

Hoping her suspicions were correct, Sasami tried to give Tenchi advice, "Maybe you should try answering her the same way she's calling you?"

"I am." Tenchi looked confused.

"No, I do not think you are."

"But I can hear her."

"Where do you hear her?"

Tenchi looked around for the exact location of the voice then shut his eyes to gain focus. With his eyes shut, the answer seemed clear. "In my head." Tenchi's voice held a note of wonder.

"Then reply to her there."

With eyes closed, Tenchi began to concentrate, trying to focus all his attention on the thread of his bond with Ryoko. Channeling his attention to the bond he called out again. ::Ryoko?::

::Tenchi, is that you?::

::Yes, its me. Where are you?::

::I don't know. I feel like I'm losing myself. There's so much to learn, to know, to see. Its all there for me to have. Everything, I don't even have to ask. Its just there, for the taking.::

Confused by her rambling, Tenchi questioned, ::What is, Ryoko?::

::The knowledge. Everything. The answers to every question. Its all there; but I'm afraid, Tenchi. I don't think I'm supposed to know all of that. I don't want to know. But I can feel Washu calling me back to the stream and I want to go back to her. Help me, Tenchi. I don't think I can resist going back to her. And if I go back I don't think I'll ever be myself again. Not truly, not like I was.::

::What can I do?:: Tenchi was worried, Ryoko's voice seemed so soft and faint now. She seemed to be fading away from him.

::Just hold me.::

Opening his eyes, Tenchi moved to Ryoko's side. Despite Sasami's warning, Tenchi pushed through the shrouding flame and delicately wrapped his arms around Ryoko. As his presence filled Ryoko's existence physically and mentally, the cocoon engulfing the pair gently subsided. After a few breath-halting moments, Ryoko's eyes slowly fluttered open. Rich, flaxen-colored eyes settled on Washu's face and a gentle smile spread across her lips.

"So Tenchi, I guess you'll be able to tell all the guys that you managed to get two girls in bed at once."

Washu's eyes flashed open at the comment. Looking at her daughter's wide grin, Washu rose slowly to rest on her elbow and peered over her daughter's shoulder. Only to see a deeply embarrassed Tenchi trying to stammer a reply to the saucy comment. It wasn't until she looked up at the shocked look on Sasami's face that Washu barked out a laugh.

No pre-chapter rant. Saved it for the end. Thank you Chris and Oni-ken, you guys are great. Thanks for all your help and input. Oh yeah, sorry about the title, not original nor witty, but serviceable.