No Need for the Final Bout

Tenchi gritted his teeth and reached for the hilt of Sword Tenchi. His heart
sank. Sword Tenchi wasn't there. Dammit! I left it on the _Souja!_
Ryoko and Washu quickly formed their energy swords and Ayeka produced
her energy scimitar. Tenchi felt so helpless! Even Sasami had a frying pan to
defend herself if she needed too.
Kagato fully emerged and Tenchi could see that evil grin of his again. That
grin quickly faded however. "The boy's alive! I underestimated you, Washu, but
it's really no matter. You see I have what he needs right here." A ball of energy
emerged from behind Kagato. Inside of the ball was Sword Tenchi! "Uh... Master
Tenchi... a little help here," the sword uttered.
Tenchi swallowed hard. What am I going to do?! I can't get anywhere
close to him without any kind of weapon.
Before Tenchi could think any further, Ryoko took the initiative and
attacked Kagato with a horizontal slash aimed for the throat.
Kagato swung his sword, an identical one that he had used before, up in a
wide arc stopping Ryoko's sword from reaching the target. Then Kagato brought
his fist up to Ryoko exposed side, and the sound of cracking ribs echoed through
the lab. Kagato completed the attack by firing an energy blast at point blank range
sending Ryoko flying. Kagato hovered over her and leveled the point of his sword
over her chest, directly above her heart. "I'm going to enjoy this," he sneered.
Without warning, Tenchi rammed Kagato away. Kagato regained his
footing and slashed in the general direction of his assailant. The blade passed two
centimeters from Tenchi face, and Tenchi jumped backwards. His aerial path
crossed right in front of the bubble containing Sword Tenchi. Purely by reflex he
plucked his weapon from the cage. He rammed back first into one of Washu's
machines, stopping his motion abruptly. He slumped to the ground and shook his
head.
Kagato growled, "Foolish boy! You should stay out of matters that don't
concern you or you'll wind up dead."
"I won't let you hurt my friends," Tenchi said, the determination evident in
his voice. He activated Sword Tenchi and took a defensive stance.
Kagato smirked, "Well I guess we could fight here, but there's not that
much room. Ah, I know! I'll make some room." Kagato fired a rapid successions
of green energy bolts at several machines, completely annihilating them.
"Tenchi, we've got to get out of here!" Washu exclaimed. "My back-up lab
is in space! If there's a breach it's all over!"
"What!? That's just great! Everybody jump in the portal! We got to get to
the _Souja_!"
Ayeka nodded and grabbed Sasami. With her sister in hand she leapt blindly
into the portal. Unfortunately, it was not going to be so easy to get Ryoko off.
Kagato hovered directly above her. Tenchi rushed Kagato hoping to provide a
distraction while Washu grabbed Ryoko and made a run for it. Tenchi swung his
sword wildly not taking time to aim. Kagato frowned, "Now are you trying to
make this easy for me?" He brought his sword down hard. Tenchi raised his sword
in defense and Kagato's blade bounced off, the recoil pushing the two duelers
back.
Washu took advantage of the break in battle and attacked Kagato. Tenchi
stared in shock. "Little Washu, get back!"
Washu continued to battle but responded to Tenchi, "Get Ryoko out of here
now! I'll catch up with you guys later."
"But Little Washu..."
"Now!"
Tenchi swallowed hard and nodded. He rushed over to Ryoko as Washu
kept Kagato at bay. Tenchi picked Ryoko up in his arms and head in the direction
of the portal. He looked back one final time, and vaulted through the gateway.
On the other side, Tenchi set Ryoko down on the ground and examined her
wounds. Some of her ribs were broken, and she had a lot of burn marks. "Ryoko,
are you OK?!"
Ryoko took in a shallow breath and responded, "I've seen better days.
Where's Mom?"
"She's still fighting Kagato."
"What?! I've got to help her!" she sat up quickly and screamed in pain.
"Ryoko, you're in no condition to fight. I'll go get Little Washu back,"
Tenchi insisted. He stood up and just as he was about to enter the portal Kagato
leapt out. Tenchi jumped backwards, landing in a defensive stance. Kagato
chuckled to himself and the portal behind him closed. Kagato's laughter soon
filled the room, making Tenchi cringe.
"Mom? Mom! Where is she?!" Ryoko shouted desperately.
Kagato's laughter stopped and he turned to face his "visitors", "Yes, Washu
fought valiantly to the bitter end. And I made sure it was _very_ bitter. Being sent
out into the vacuum is a painful way to die."
Ryoko's eye widened, No... NO! "NO!!!" Ryoko shouted. She wept
loudly, sobs racking her body.
Tenchi, however, was enraged beyond rational thought. Sword Tenchi
flared up, the beam brighter than ever. This is all my fault! I should've been the
one fighting him, not Little Washu, and now she's dead! I won't let him kill
another person ever again!
Tenchi rushed Kagato, a mixture of uncontrollable rage and adrenaline
surged through his body pushing him to his limits. The fight had begun again.
The battle raged, neither Kagato nor Tenchi seemed to be gaining an
upperhand. That began to change a few minutes later though. Tenchi's face was
covered with a film of sweat, and his reaction time was getting worse. What's
wrong with me? Why can't I fight like I used to? Then Tenchi remembered. The
virus! It was sapping his energy at an alarming rate.
Kagato took advantage of Tenchi's hesitation and cut downwards. Tenchi
hopped backwards and blocked Kagato's thrust. Kagato reacted quickly by
moving his sword up and around in a wide arc, then quickly snapping it down.
Tenchi growled and pulled back. Blood seeped from his new wound on his left
cheek. He quickly wiped it away and squared of against his opponent.
Tenchi's vision blurred as his invisible attacker continued to deplete his
energy. He fell to his knees using his sword for support. Tenchi growled as he fell
to the ground, still conscious but unable to move. He calmed himself, preparing
himself for his inevitable fate.
Kagato loomed over Tenchi and brought his sword to point at his heart.
"Masaki, you have been fun, but all good things must come to an end." He raised
his sword and...nothing. He turned his head to see Ryoko holding Kagato's hand
in place.
"I _cannot_ allow you to hurt anymore people I care for," Ryoko said, all
emotion gone in her voice. Kagato swiftly turned around and attacked Ryoko.
Ryoko defended herself, her face completely deadpan.
Ayeka knelt down to Sasami and said, "Go to Tenchi and make sure he's
OK."
"Where will you be, Ayeka?" Sasami asked.
Ayeka pulled out the handle of her energy scimitar and answered, "I'll be
helping Ryoko." The energy blade formed, and she sprinted towards the battle.
Sasami watched her sister rush to battle, gulped, and ran towards Tenchi. She
jostled his body and called to him. When his eyes did not even flutter she blinked
back tears.
"Come on, Tenchi. Ayeka and Ryoko are fighting Kagato. You got to help
them!" She propped his head onto her lap and lifted it up. "See? They can't do this
without you."
-A few minutes later...-
Kagato laughed as he beat back his two attackers. "Tell me you two can do
better than that," he taunted. He summoned up a huge burst of energy, throwing
Ayeka and Ryoko back into a wall. That was when he noticed Sasami laying near
Tenchi. No! I have to get rid of that girl. If Tsunami were to join the battle it
would complicate matters. He turned and bolted towards Sasami and Tenchi.
"No! Sasami, watch out!" Ayeka exclaimed. She ran after Kagato
attempting to intercept Kagato, but he had too much of a lead.
Sasami turned to see her assailant and trembled in fear. She calmed herself
down and stood at Tenchi's feet, armed outstretched. "Stay back!" she exclaimed.
It was the necessity to keep Tenchi alive that triggered a transformation in her.
Kagato stopped dead in his tracks and exclaimed, "No!" He growled.
"Princess Tsunami...," he muttered.
The emblem of the tree appeared on Sasami's forehead as she transformed
into Tsunami. A bubble of visible energy surrounded Tenchi and Tsunami. Also
another surge of force blew Kagato off his feet, giving him a taste of his own
medicine. Tsunami turned to Ayeka and said, in a surprisingly adult like voice,
"Ayeka, I cannot do this alone. I need the help of my sister."
Ayeka nodded and closed her eyes, letting everything go hoping that Akeya
would do the rest. She did, and the emblem appeared once again.
Kagato stood back up and glared daggers at Akeya and Ryoko. "I grow tired
of these games," he declared coolly while reactivating his beam sword. "This will
be the final bout."
Akeya and Ryoko reanimated their weapons. Ryoko nodded, "I agree. This
ends now!" They redoubled and stormed Kagato one final time.
As the battle raged Tsunami kneeled over Tenchi. "All right, Tenchi. Let's
see what you're made of." She spread her arms out before her and began chanting
in the native tongue of Jurai. A ripple of energy emanated from her palms and
covered Tenchi's body in an eerie blue light."
Tenchi's eyes suddenly snapped open as he was rejuvenated. He quickly sat
up and stared at Tsunami. He recognized the mark on her brow and asked, "You're
not Sasami, are you?"
Tsunami shook her head, "No, I am the Second Crowned Princess, Tsunami.
I am also a healer. You're body has been purged of the virus that Kagato's sword
infected you with."
Tenchi gawked in wonder at Tsunami. Tenchi suddenly heard the sounds of
battle and his head jerked towards the source. "Ay- I mean Akeya and Ryoko...
they're fighting for me." He gritted his teeth, "I've got to help them!" He
attempted to run to his friends' aid when he slammed into Tsunami's force field.
"OK that was pretty dumb." He shook his head and faced Tsunami. "You've got to
let me help them!"
Tsunami stared blankly at Tenchi and said, "Tell me, where you able to beat
Kagato even before you got the virus?"
Tenchi remained silent, staring out at the battle. "How can I help?"
"You can't," Tsunami replied.
"What?! I have to!" exclaimed Tenchi.
"But you can't. It's simply not possible."
He turned to Tsunami and glared daggers at her. "Nothing's impossible!"
"How very naive."
"Big talk from a nine-year old. Now let me out!" Tenchi demanded.
Tsunami sighed, frustration evident. "Tenchi, if you want to help, then listen
to me. Yosho is the only one who can defeat Kagato, because he is the only one
who can fully utilize Sword Tenchi."
"But I don't know how to bring Yosho out! God, all I wanted was to be a
normal kid not a reincarnate of some prince."
Tsunami eyed Tenchi coolly and said, "It is nothing you can change now.
You must embrace your destiny."
"But my destiny is going to get people killed!"
"Not necessarily. Watch the battle, Tenchi. It will become clear to you
soon," Tsunami instructed.
Confusion flashed across Tenchi's face, but he did as he was instructed.
Ryoko was putting an unbelievable fight considering several of her ribs
were broken, but it still was not going to be enough to beat Kagato. Kagato
slashed upwards, breaking Ryoko's grip on her sword leaving her totally helpless.
Akeya quickly stepped in slashing away. The effort proved to be ultimately
futile as Kagato took the offensive. What was originally graceful dodging became
desperate reflexes to stay alive. As soon as Kagato got a chance he fired an energy
blast that blew Akeya back several feet. Before Akeya could react, Kagato
launched an even more powerful blast. Its diameter was six feet across and it
completely engulfed Akeya. The blast faded away leaving a severely burnt Akeya
in its place. She fell to the ground motionless.
Tenchi repeatedly pounded on the force field, "AYEKA! RYOKO!
Tsunami, let me out now!" A symbol seemed to glow faintly.
"Yes, that's it, Yosho... now come out!" The symbol glowed fiercely and
then solidified, Yosho had emerged.
Tsunami let down the shield, and Yosho grabbed Sword Tenchi. He rushed
Kagato, who was ready to deliver the final blow to Akeya. Yosho arrived not a
moment to soon, using Sword Tenchi to deflect the stab. He looked up at Kagato
and smiled slyly. "Remember me?"
Kagato's eyes widened as he realized the symbol on Tenchi's hairline. "No!
Prince Yosho!" He quickly pulled back, putting as much distance between him and
Yosho as possible.
Yosho frowned, "Kagato, your pirating days are over." Tenchi squeezed
Sword Tenchi. A light, originating at the three gems, moved up the weapon,
changing it. The wooden hilt became golden and the blue energy of the blade
became steel.
"So the beam sword isn't the 'Holy Sword' at all?" Kagato noticed.
Yosho nodded, "The 'Holy Sword' is what you see here. It will be the last
thing you'll ever see." Without another word, Yosho became a blur of movement,
his sword slicing clear through Kagato's chest. Black blood stained the "Holy
Sword" as well as Kagato's chin. He slowly disintegrated away. The battle had
finally ended.