-----
MAGARU: Due to some...some rather strange circumstances, Rayani will not be
able to introduce this chapter with me, so I'll do it with Jakato! What did
Washu say it was?
JAKATO: I think it was--hmm...I don't know what Washu said. Anyways...
MAGARU: All the other chapters seem pretty irrelevant, don't they? Well,
too bad!
JAKATO: Yeah, too bad! On with the chapter!
MAGARU: Always straight to the point, that's what you are, Jakato!
Awww...that's why I love you!
JAKATO: Heh...
-----
Chapter Ten: The Power of Love and Hate
Kagato smiled as Tenchi put Ryoko and Kenny aside. "Kagato, you will pay!" Tenchi growled. He stroked Kenny's sweaty forehead as his unconscious son shivered weakly.
"Prince Tenchi, soon my revenge will be complete. Then I can kill--" Kagato hesitated suddenly and looked slightly uncomfortable. Tenchi thought he saw a brief glint from the shadows of a pillar near the entrance from whence they came. Ryoko narrowed her eyes contemptuously.
"Tenchi, kill him!" Ryoko yelled, pointing to Kagato.
"Stop! No more meaningless killing!" a voice from the shadows croaked. That voice is familiar, Washu thought. Tenchi and Ryoko gasped in shock as Rayani Kitsumuri limped from the shadows, her clothes still ripped from the battle they had with Yume, but the blood washed away from her face and arms.
"You!" Ryoko howled in rage as Rayani gave Kagato an affectionate hug. "You- -you traitor! THIS is why you left, isn't it?" Ryoko clenched her fists as Kagato embraced Rayani with a fervent kiss. Tearing away from Tenchi, Ryoko produced her sword and teleported behind Kagato and Rayani. The space pirate tore Rayani's flesh in pure fury, piercing her chest and stomach. Kagato gasped in shock as he heard Rayani moan and go limp. Ryoko stood, quivering, as Kagato sobbed. He sat on the ground and cradled Rayani's head, regardless of the blood seeping between his fingers and staining his robe.
"No..." he murmured. Rayani smiled feebly.
"I--love--you..." Rayani whispered, raising her hand to stroke Kagato's face. Kagato's eyes welled up as her hand fell away before it reached his cheek.
"No...don't..." murmured Kagato, shaking his head in denial. "Don't die on me...don't go to sleep..." Kagato smiled and stroked her cheek gently. "I know you hate it when I do this..." he said cajolingly. "No..."
He raised his head and glared at Ryoko, his eyes glossy. "So, this is how it is, then, Ryoko? An eye for an eye, is it? I blow up Tenchi all those years ago, and now you destroy Rayani." Tenchi's mouth flopped open in incredulity. Magaru and Jakato stared at Kagato with disbelief.
"Father! You said you already had a relationship with another one, and yet I see you with her!" Jakato said sharply, taking a step forward.
"Foolish boy! I lied! How could I tell you that I created you, using the data from Professor Washu? I didn't want you to turn out like me and wait 5,000 years for someone to make you happy!" Kagato roared, blinking and managing to force his tears back. Jakato took a step back, his mouth hanging open.
"Father really did care about me," he muttered to Magaru. Magaru took hold of Jakato's hand and clenched it tightly. Kagato seemed to regain some of his composure and glared at everyone in pure rage as he continued.
"An eye for an eye! I nearly kill Prince Tenchi, then that cursed Tsunami brings him back! Tell me, Ryoko, would Tsunami do that for anyone other than a member of the Royal Family?" Kagato asked, his voice dangerously calm.
Ryoko seemed at a loss for words. She took a step away from Kagato, who was still glaring at her with a touch of despair. "I--I--" Ryoko spluttered, allowing her sword to fade away. Kagato turned away, allowing a tear to roll down his cheek.
"She took me to a field of grass and wildflowers on Ryuten. I got my first sunburn. Oddly, she didn't laugh at me. She took me to a tree and told me to rest in the shade...she took a nap above me, in some branches."
"All this in just three days?" Ryoko whispered doubtfully to Tenchi as she teleported back to his side. "And wounded?" Tenchi shrugged and listened intently as Kagato continued.
"Nobody has ever watched out for me like that before. This intrigued me, so I activated a camera to follow her around. She wasn't really sleeping. When I fell asleep, a Ryuten brown bear came. She sent it away without hurting it." Tenchi gave him an incredulous look. This can't be Kagato, he thought. This doesn't seem like something Kagato would say. The Kagato that they knew had such good control of his emotions that he never betrayed anything to them, but here he was, allowing himself to cry and reveal his feelings.
"I was going to kill you--" Kagato sighed in despair as he noted the doubtful looks on the others' faces. "Yes, I know you think I can't. She came in from behind that pillar over there. The look she gave me was enough. You took her away..." Kagato sniffed and didn't look at anyone. Ryoko shook her head, not allowing herself to believe her ears.
"I don't believe this. I CAN'T believe this," Ryoko muttered.
"He's honest. I can only understand this as much as you can, but it seems like...like he's not really Kagato, but my eyes tell me that it IS the guy I fought and defeated," Tenchi said. Ryoko looked uncomfortable. "Rayani's gone now...and I'm sure Tsunami won't bring her back, like she did with me. She's not part of the Jurai Royal Family, or even Juraian for that matter." They stopped talking as Kagato continued once more.
"She promised that she would never leave me so long as I never killed again...but I suppose she had no choice..." Washu couldn't resist a small smile.
"That was a touching story, Kagato. A bit TOO touching, actually. Now, tell me, what's with the disguise? What do you really want out of our little visit?" she asked, taking a step closer. Kagato gave her a look of cold fury.
"I am not trying to hide anything! Do not try and mock me!" he snarled. Washu took a step back, not wanting to do anything that will cause Kagato to do something rash. The space pirate got to his feet and picked Rayani up. "Fine. All of you can stay here. I'm going to Ryuten." He glared at them and even his own son. "Ryoko, Professor, I'd apologize, but you don't seem to understand. It's a pity," Kagato said somberly, then teleported away.
Everybody stood, dumbstruck. Jakato had sat down, unblinking, and had to be shaken vigorously by Magaru before he responded to anything. Kiyone could be heard whispering to Ayeka, Sasami was sitting next to Kenny and stroking his forehead, and Mihoshi was gagged and bound by Kiyone to keep her from wailing uncontrollably. Ryoko shrugged indifferently and gently pulled Tenchi towards the docking bay, where Yagami was waiting. "Come, Tenchi. Don't worry about him. Just leave him to go where he pleases," Ryoko whispered in his ear. Tenchi slowly started towards the docking bay, but stopped suddenly.
"Washu, why do you think he'd want to go to Ryuten?" he inquired, taking no notice of Ryoko's pulls. Washu pondered this and smiled.
"I'm guessing that he's going to do something there," she said apathetically. After a moment, her smile faded a little. "Oh no. He may try to destroy it. Even HE has the capabilities of making powerful explosives, even ones that can destroy a planet of Ryuten's size. We have to follow him." Tenchi clenched his fist and tightened his grip on the Light Hawk Sword.
"Okay. But how will we find him? On Ryuten, I mean," Tenchi asked, slightly bemused. Washu grinned.
"You're lucky I'm the greatest genius in the universe! I gave Rayani a necklace that I found in my lab one day, and it was made of a substance that can EASILY be tracked!" Washu elucidated. She accurately read the hesitant faces of the others. "She keeps it hidden in her shirt, so you can't see it. Believe me, she's wearing the necklace." It took a moment for Tenchi and the others to figure out what Washu just explained, but this time, Washu overlooked it.
"Okay, let's go!"
-----
Tenchi and Ryoko followed Washu through the darkness of the night. "Don't worry, we're almost to where the signal is strongest. Just over this hill, okay?" Washu murmured, beckoning for them to follow. Ryoko took a quick glimpse over the hill. She pulled back after a moment with a puzzled look on her face.
"He's sleeping under a tree," she said slowly, pointing over her shoulder as she turned around. Washu smiled.
"Okay, the target has reached destination. Now we only have to wait. He probably won't do anything till morning." Tenchi yawned and stretched out on the grass, looking at the stars.
"The constellations here are so different from the ones on Earth," he muttered thoughtfully. Ryoko lay down next to him and sighed.
"This is so beautiful," Ryoko whispered. Washu cackled gleefully.
"Ryoko? Saying something is beautiful? That's a new one on me!" Washu guffawed. Ryoko turned red and didn't reply. Tenchi got up suddenly.
"I'm sure Ayeka and Sasami want to see these flowers. I'll go get them, okay?" Tenchi called, running off and not waiting for an answer. Washu turned to Ryoko to say something, but Ryoko was already snoring gently, so Washu didn't want to disturb her.
"This is all so confusing," Washu thought aloud. "All of my experience with Kagato doesn't add up to what he's doing now. I wonder what's gotten into his head. Perhaps he'll reveal himself tomorrow..." Ryoko stirred and grunted, silencing Washu.
-----
"What's he doing?"
"He started digging two hours before dawn."
"Why? Why's he just sitting there, like he's mediating? And why the heck does he have a body now?"
"I have no clue..."
-----
Kagato had discarded his tiny glasses and taken off the top part of his robe, revealing his badly sunburned back. He sat in the shade of a tall tree, his eyes closed, as beads of sweat broke out on his face. Washu peered over the hill and sighed. "He's been sitting there for three hours. It's almost lunchtime!" she said incredulously. The genius grinned when she saw Mihoshi sneeze and scatter the petals of a yellow flower. Tenchi was slowly moving among the flowers with Ryoko. Ayeka sat down next to Washu, sniffing a flower.
"What's he doing, Washu?" the princess asked, shuddering in delight as she continued sniffing the flower she had picked. Washu snatched the flower from Ayeka's hand and sniffed it.
"Whew! I wouldn't be surprised if you get drunk from this! This is a kind of flower that intoxicates you, like an alcoholic drink. Lay off of these flowers!" Washu added, annoyed, as Ayeka picked another of the stimulating flowers. Suddenly, there was a great tremor, unsteadying Tenchi, Ryoko, and Mihoshi. The Galaxy Policewoman wailed and fell over as she scattered the petals of another flower.
Washu scrambled up the hill and peered over, pulling blades of grass and flower petals from her pink hair. Kagato was standing up, stretching and smiling. She pulled a mystified face. His smile seemed quite different from his usual smug one. Tenchi and Ryoko popped up next to Washu, interested. Ryoko shrugged apathetically and made her way down, but Tenchi held her shoulder down. "Wait," Tenchi said tersely. Ryoko gave him a confused glance and reluctantly stayed down.
Kagato laid Rayani's body across his legs as he lifted her head. "I understand now," he muttered. Kagato bent down and kissed Rayani, disregarding the stinging cold in her lips. When he pulled away, he blinked slowly and looked across the field again. As he sighed, he felt a soft hand place itself on his left cheek. Kagato gasped and looked down. Rayani was smiling weakly, her green eyes glistening.
"Love at it's deepest can work miracles," Rayani whispered. "Do you understand now?" Kagato sobbed and hugged her tightly, nodding.
"Yes," he managed to say.
Tenchi couldn't take it anymore. He wasn't satisfied with watching. He need to KNOW what Kagato was going to do, and he didn't want to wait for it, either. Tenchi scrambled up to his feet and trotted down the hill, paying no attention to Washu's protests. When the genius found Ryoko following Tenchi, she sighed and got to her feet, following the others.
Tenchi nudged Kagato with his foot. "Are you okay?" Tenchi asked quietly. Kagato jumped and turned around, his eyes shimmering. He smiled and sobbed, then hugged Rayani, his back quivering. The prince's eyes widened when he saw Rayani smiling at him, her green eyes twinkling. "Ra--Rayani? How--what- -" Rayani tried and failed to hold up a silencing hand.
"Ow--Don't worry about it, Tenchi," she managed to say loudly enough. Washu smiled.
"What did he do to you?" she asked, crossing her arms.
"He loved me," came the soft reply.
"He must have done something," Washu said stubbornly. Rayani laughed and winced.
"Let's just say that I don't know what he did in particular." Washu looked at her thoughtfully.
"That's not logical," Washu began. Rayani shook her head weakly.
"Of course not. You can't always reason things out like an equation, Washu. Kagato," Rayani groaned, "that hurts." Kagato blinked and smiled as he strived to control his breathing.
Ayeka came down, followed by Sasami. "What's everyone doing here?" she asked, perplexed. Ayeka caught sight of Rayani and cocked her head. "What? I don't understand." Sasami pulled her sister's sleeve and gave her a meaningful look.
"Ayeka, what don't you understand? Through the power of love and hate, we have befriended a foe and kept three of our friends." Ayeka looked startled at Sasami's remark, but smiled and looked at everyone happily.
"Sasami is right. Love and hate are truly amazing."
-----
Chapter Ten: The Power of Love and Hate
Kagato smiled as Tenchi put Ryoko and Kenny aside. "Kagato, you will pay!" Tenchi growled. He stroked Kenny's sweaty forehead as his unconscious son shivered weakly.
"Prince Tenchi, soon my revenge will be complete. Then I can kill--" Kagato hesitated suddenly and looked slightly uncomfortable. Tenchi thought he saw a brief glint from the shadows of a pillar near the entrance from whence they came. Ryoko narrowed her eyes contemptuously.
"Tenchi, kill him!" Ryoko yelled, pointing to Kagato.
"Stop! No more meaningless killing!" a voice from the shadows croaked. That voice is familiar, Washu thought. Tenchi and Ryoko gasped in shock as Rayani Kitsumuri limped from the shadows, her clothes still ripped from the battle they had with Yume, but the blood washed away from her face and arms.
"You!" Ryoko howled in rage as Rayani gave Kagato an affectionate hug. "You- -you traitor! THIS is why you left, isn't it?" Ryoko clenched her fists as Kagato embraced Rayani with a fervent kiss. Tearing away from Tenchi, Ryoko produced her sword and teleported behind Kagato and Rayani. The space pirate tore Rayani's flesh in pure fury, piercing her chest and stomach. Kagato gasped in shock as he heard Rayani moan and go limp. Ryoko stood, quivering, as Kagato sobbed. He sat on the ground and cradled Rayani's head, regardless of the blood seeping between his fingers and staining his robe.
"No..." he murmured. Rayani smiled feebly.
"I--love--you..." Rayani whispered, raising her hand to stroke Kagato's face. Kagato's eyes welled up as her hand fell away before it reached his cheek.
"No...don't..." murmured Kagato, shaking his head in denial. "Don't die on me...don't go to sleep..." Kagato smiled and stroked her cheek gently. "I know you hate it when I do this..." he said cajolingly. "No..."
He raised his head and glared at Ryoko, his eyes glossy. "So, this is how it is, then, Ryoko? An eye for an eye, is it? I blow up Tenchi all those years ago, and now you destroy Rayani." Tenchi's mouth flopped open in incredulity. Magaru and Jakato stared at Kagato with disbelief.
"Father! You said you already had a relationship with another one, and yet I see you with her!" Jakato said sharply, taking a step forward.
"Foolish boy! I lied! How could I tell you that I created you, using the data from Professor Washu? I didn't want you to turn out like me and wait 5,000 years for someone to make you happy!" Kagato roared, blinking and managing to force his tears back. Jakato took a step back, his mouth hanging open.
"Father really did care about me," he muttered to Magaru. Magaru took hold of Jakato's hand and clenched it tightly. Kagato seemed to regain some of his composure and glared at everyone in pure rage as he continued.
"An eye for an eye! I nearly kill Prince Tenchi, then that cursed Tsunami brings him back! Tell me, Ryoko, would Tsunami do that for anyone other than a member of the Royal Family?" Kagato asked, his voice dangerously calm.
Ryoko seemed at a loss for words. She took a step away from Kagato, who was still glaring at her with a touch of despair. "I--I--" Ryoko spluttered, allowing her sword to fade away. Kagato turned away, allowing a tear to roll down his cheek.
"She took me to a field of grass and wildflowers on Ryuten. I got my first sunburn. Oddly, she didn't laugh at me. She took me to a tree and told me to rest in the shade...she took a nap above me, in some branches."
"All this in just three days?" Ryoko whispered doubtfully to Tenchi as she teleported back to his side. "And wounded?" Tenchi shrugged and listened intently as Kagato continued.
"Nobody has ever watched out for me like that before. This intrigued me, so I activated a camera to follow her around. She wasn't really sleeping. When I fell asleep, a Ryuten brown bear came. She sent it away without hurting it." Tenchi gave him an incredulous look. This can't be Kagato, he thought. This doesn't seem like something Kagato would say. The Kagato that they knew had such good control of his emotions that he never betrayed anything to them, but here he was, allowing himself to cry and reveal his feelings.
"I was going to kill you--" Kagato sighed in despair as he noted the doubtful looks on the others' faces. "Yes, I know you think I can't. She came in from behind that pillar over there. The look she gave me was enough. You took her away..." Kagato sniffed and didn't look at anyone. Ryoko shook her head, not allowing herself to believe her ears.
"I don't believe this. I CAN'T believe this," Ryoko muttered.
"He's honest. I can only understand this as much as you can, but it seems like...like he's not really Kagato, but my eyes tell me that it IS the guy I fought and defeated," Tenchi said. Ryoko looked uncomfortable. "Rayani's gone now...and I'm sure Tsunami won't bring her back, like she did with me. She's not part of the Jurai Royal Family, or even Juraian for that matter." They stopped talking as Kagato continued once more.
"She promised that she would never leave me so long as I never killed again...but I suppose she had no choice..." Washu couldn't resist a small smile.
"That was a touching story, Kagato. A bit TOO touching, actually. Now, tell me, what's with the disguise? What do you really want out of our little visit?" she asked, taking a step closer. Kagato gave her a look of cold fury.
"I am not trying to hide anything! Do not try and mock me!" he snarled. Washu took a step back, not wanting to do anything that will cause Kagato to do something rash. The space pirate got to his feet and picked Rayani up. "Fine. All of you can stay here. I'm going to Ryuten." He glared at them and even his own son. "Ryoko, Professor, I'd apologize, but you don't seem to understand. It's a pity," Kagato said somberly, then teleported away.
Everybody stood, dumbstruck. Jakato had sat down, unblinking, and had to be shaken vigorously by Magaru before he responded to anything. Kiyone could be heard whispering to Ayeka, Sasami was sitting next to Kenny and stroking his forehead, and Mihoshi was gagged and bound by Kiyone to keep her from wailing uncontrollably. Ryoko shrugged indifferently and gently pulled Tenchi towards the docking bay, where Yagami was waiting. "Come, Tenchi. Don't worry about him. Just leave him to go where he pleases," Ryoko whispered in his ear. Tenchi slowly started towards the docking bay, but stopped suddenly.
"Washu, why do you think he'd want to go to Ryuten?" he inquired, taking no notice of Ryoko's pulls. Washu pondered this and smiled.
"I'm guessing that he's going to do something there," she said apathetically. After a moment, her smile faded a little. "Oh no. He may try to destroy it. Even HE has the capabilities of making powerful explosives, even ones that can destroy a planet of Ryuten's size. We have to follow him." Tenchi clenched his fist and tightened his grip on the Light Hawk Sword.
"Okay. But how will we find him? On Ryuten, I mean," Tenchi asked, slightly bemused. Washu grinned.
"You're lucky I'm the greatest genius in the universe! I gave Rayani a necklace that I found in my lab one day, and it was made of a substance that can EASILY be tracked!" Washu elucidated. She accurately read the hesitant faces of the others. "She keeps it hidden in her shirt, so you can't see it. Believe me, she's wearing the necklace." It took a moment for Tenchi and the others to figure out what Washu just explained, but this time, Washu overlooked it.
"Okay, let's go!"
-----
Tenchi and Ryoko followed Washu through the darkness of the night. "Don't worry, we're almost to where the signal is strongest. Just over this hill, okay?" Washu murmured, beckoning for them to follow. Ryoko took a quick glimpse over the hill. She pulled back after a moment with a puzzled look on her face.
"He's sleeping under a tree," she said slowly, pointing over her shoulder as she turned around. Washu smiled.
"Okay, the target has reached destination. Now we only have to wait. He probably won't do anything till morning." Tenchi yawned and stretched out on the grass, looking at the stars.
"The constellations here are so different from the ones on Earth," he muttered thoughtfully. Ryoko lay down next to him and sighed.
"This is so beautiful," Ryoko whispered. Washu cackled gleefully.
"Ryoko? Saying something is beautiful? That's a new one on me!" Washu guffawed. Ryoko turned red and didn't reply. Tenchi got up suddenly.
"I'm sure Ayeka and Sasami want to see these flowers. I'll go get them, okay?" Tenchi called, running off and not waiting for an answer. Washu turned to Ryoko to say something, but Ryoko was already snoring gently, so Washu didn't want to disturb her.
"This is all so confusing," Washu thought aloud. "All of my experience with Kagato doesn't add up to what he's doing now. I wonder what's gotten into his head. Perhaps he'll reveal himself tomorrow..." Ryoko stirred and grunted, silencing Washu.
-----
"What's he doing?"
"He started digging two hours before dawn."
"Why? Why's he just sitting there, like he's mediating? And why the heck does he have a body now?"
"I have no clue..."
-----
Kagato had discarded his tiny glasses and taken off the top part of his robe, revealing his badly sunburned back. He sat in the shade of a tall tree, his eyes closed, as beads of sweat broke out on his face. Washu peered over the hill and sighed. "He's been sitting there for three hours. It's almost lunchtime!" she said incredulously. The genius grinned when she saw Mihoshi sneeze and scatter the petals of a yellow flower. Tenchi was slowly moving among the flowers with Ryoko. Ayeka sat down next to Washu, sniffing a flower.
"What's he doing, Washu?" the princess asked, shuddering in delight as she continued sniffing the flower she had picked. Washu snatched the flower from Ayeka's hand and sniffed it.
"Whew! I wouldn't be surprised if you get drunk from this! This is a kind of flower that intoxicates you, like an alcoholic drink. Lay off of these flowers!" Washu added, annoyed, as Ayeka picked another of the stimulating flowers. Suddenly, there was a great tremor, unsteadying Tenchi, Ryoko, and Mihoshi. The Galaxy Policewoman wailed and fell over as she scattered the petals of another flower.
Washu scrambled up the hill and peered over, pulling blades of grass and flower petals from her pink hair. Kagato was standing up, stretching and smiling. She pulled a mystified face. His smile seemed quite different from his usual smug one. Tenchi and Ryoko popped up next to Washu, interested. Ryoko shrugged apathetically and made her way down, but Tenchi held her shoulder down. "Wait," Tenchi said tersely. Ryoko gave him a confused glance and reluctantly stayed down.
Kagato laid Rayani's body across his legs as he lifted her head. "I understand now," he muttered. Kagato bent down and kissed Rayani, disregarding the stinging cold in her lips. When he pulled away, he blinked slowly and looked across the field again. As he sighed, he felt a soft hand place itself on his left cheek. Kagato gasped and looked down. Rayani was smiling weakly, her green eyes glistening.
"Love at it's deepest can work miracles," Rayani whispered. "Do you understand now?" Kagato sobbed and hugged her tightly, nodding.
"Yes," he managed to say.
Tenchi couldn't take it anymore. He wasn't satisfied with watching. He need to KNOW what Kagato was going to do, and he didn't want to wait for it, either. Tenchi scrambled up to his feet and trotted down the hill, paying no attention to Washu's protests. When the genius found Ryoko following Tenchi, she sighed and got to her feet, following the others.
Tenchi nudged Kagato with his foot. "Are you okay?" Tenchi asked quietly. Kagato jumped and turned around, his eyes shimmering. He smiled and sobbed, then hugged Rayani, his back quivering. The prince's eyes widened when he saw Rayani smiling at him, her green eyes twinkling. "Ra--Rayani? How--what- -" Rayani tried and failed to hold up a silencing hand.
"Ow--Don't worry about it, Tenchi," she managed to say loudly enough. Washu smiled.
"What did he do to you?" she asked, crossing her arms.
"He loved me," came the soft reply.
"He must have done something," Washu said stubbornly. Rayani laughed and winced.
"Let's just say that I don't know what he did in particular." Washu looked at her thoughtfully.
"That's not logical," Washu began. Rayani shook her head weakly.
"Of course not. You can't always reason things out like an equation, Washu. Kagato," Rayani groaned, "that hurts." Kagato blinked and smiled as he strived to control his breathing.
Ayeka came down, followed by Sasami. "What's everyone doing here?" she asked, perplexed. Ayeka caught sight of Rayani and cocked her head. "What? I don't understand." Sasami pulled her sister's sleeve and gave her a meaningful look.
"Ayeka, what don't you understand? Through the power of love and hate, we have befriended a foe and kept three of our friends." Ayeka looked startled at Sasami's remark, but smiled and looked at everyone happily.
"Sasami is right. Love and hate are truly amazing."