"Tenchi Muyo" and all related characters are property of Pioneer

"Highlander" and all related characters Davis/Panzer

I hope you enjoy this story.

Kiyone of Zeitgeist

     Kiyone is in her apartment.  She is quickly packing, now she always thought that she was the normal one out of all her "friends."  But her concept of normal changed drastically over the course of one week.

    She had always thought fate had a sense of humor, putting a common Galaxy Police Officer in the midst of 2 Jurrians princesses one of which is a Goddess, a very famous Space Pirate, The Prince of Jurrai and his grandson, the self-proclaimed greatest genius in the universe, and her scattered brained partner who never seems to run out of luck and was also the daughter of the Galaxy Police's Commissioner.  Now, she knew she wasn't ordinary anymore.  She had to leave now to find, a new life, and a new home.  She was sure that in due time she could return to her friends, friends who had long lives, but she knew that it wouldn't be for a long time.  She stopped packing to remember how it all happened.

    Now, Kiyone was a diligent worker, she always strived to be the best at everything, no matter what it was, though all her efforts at being the best were foiled by her partner Mihoshi.  Her new boss (of which she's had many) noticed the efforts that Kiyone put into her career as a security guard at the local mall.  It was this same boss that saw in her the experience of a trained police.  After months of hard work, she finally earned one week of vacation.  She had never figured out how Mihoshi found the time to visit the Masaki's, but Mihoshi seemed as if she was always there. 

    Although there were many things that she wished to do on her vacation, she was first a Galaxy Police Officer, which meant checking up on the Masaki's regardless of want.  But she enjoyed the company there even if Ryoko & Ayeka were blowing things up during their arguments.  Kiyone knew that this was just their form of a sisterly love bordering on rivalry no real harm done.

    Whenever Kiyone had free time she enjoyed visiting Katsuhito up at his shrine.  She never understood why, but she always felt at peace when she was on Holy Ground.  So naturally, that was the first place she headed to if nothing simply to let Katsuhito know that she will be staying over for the night out of courtesy.  Then, she would head over to the house and tell Tenchi.  Especially after a half day of hard work, this would be her first choice since the shrine always calmed her.

    As she climbed the stairs to the shrine, she felt an awesome headache hit her.  In all her career as a Galaxy Police Officer, she has not felt such a horrible headache, especially one that was accompanied with a sense of dread.  No matter how prepared Katsuhito might have been she had to prepare herself to defend him, just in case, so she pulled out her issued pistol and carefully approached the shrine.

    Russell Nash has never been to Japan before, making this his first time there, but Connor McLeod has.  Connor has had taken on many names Russell Nash is just his most recent in his 400 plus years, he is an immortal.  He has been to Japan as a young immortal searching for new teachers, a Captain in the Navy, but this is the first time as an antiques dealer and a martial arts enthusiast.  One of his memories of Japan as the young immortal was finding Nakanno, one of his best teachers after Ramirez's death.  His real reason was to pay respects to his late teacher at this shrine after avenging his death hundreds of years later.

    As he approached the shrine he couldn't help but see a young boy training in an unusual form of martial arts, one in which he was surprised he has never seen before.  This young boy was apparently the grandson of the priest.  As Connor neared this young man and his grandfather was sparring with wooden Katanas while hopping back and forth on little stumps of wood protruding from the ground, vaguely reminding him of the intensive training he received from Nakanno.  He smiled wondering if this young man was as well trained as he though he was, stepping into the clearing he gave a respectful greeting.  Apparently, the young man still has much to learn, because as he spoke, this young man's eyes bulged almost to hilarious proportions, while tripping on a stump and falling on his face, luckily on soft sand.  As he approached, he smiled and gave a hand to the priest's grandson up.  "Hello my name is Russell Nash, Sorry about that."

     The teenager smiled while rubbing the back of his head with the other hand said, "My name is Tenchi and that is my grandfather," with a tilt of his head indicating the priest.  After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence Tenchi said, "Well, you have business with my grandfather, so I'll leave you two." practically running the many steps towards the house near the lake.

    Turning to the priest, he bowed and headed towards the shrine, but before he could take a step the priest stopped him and said, "Please no weapons, I know you have a sword."  Surprised Connor reached into his coat and withdrew the Masamune Ramirez gave him, and heard a gasp.  Although he never really took his eyes off the priest, he now focused his attention on him now hearing him gasp.  Looking into this priest's eyes told him he was talking to one who has years of life like himself, yet he never felt the "buzz" of another immortal. 

    To Katsuhito he knew instantly that this "young man" was armed, at least with a sword the moment he approached but ignored him until Tenchi fell.  When he offered to help Tenchi up, he felt relieved that at least this man seems kind.  Katsuhito never let go of the wooden katana, made of one of a fossilized Jurrian's sentient trees, knowing it would withstand just as well as any sword he might produce.  What shocked him was the Masamune he saw withdrawn.  It was the first and only sword that his only student on Earth produced with the combination Jurrian magic, but what shocked him even more was the fact that this "Unbreakable Sword" was broken and repaired.  Legends claimed that only a power stronger than the three Goddesses combined could break this type of sword.  In fact even the technique itself is supposed to be lost to all but the royal family, and even it had to be produced with techniques his student had learned from legends.  Katsuhito knew he would never be able to recreate another one even if he desired, even after the many years he spent on Earth, until he settled down, to guard Ryoko's tomb.

    After a few seconds regaining his speech, managed to say "How did that sword break?"  "Why?"  Connor answered carefully.  Katsuhito realizing that honestly was the only way he could get a straight answer from this man introduced himself.  "My name is Katsuhito, and I helped create that sword.  How did you get it and how did it break?"  Connor could tell that this man was telling the truth, and introduced himself as well, "I am Connor McLeod, of the Clan McLeod, and I received this as a gift from my first teacher, Ramirez.  It broke as a result of a battle on Holy Ground."  Katsuhito felt that there was still a bit that was left out but felt it was enough, though he was not sure how a battle over holy ground could have enough energy to overcome the power of even the Goddess Tsunami, though he did admit it must have to be powerful to in order to Kain.  Wondering how much this man knew about sword fighting, Katsuhito, smiled.  "Connor, would you like to spar?" waving his free hand over the pit that Tenchi was just in. 

    A quick wave of nostalgia hit Connor, reminding him of Nakanno, but it left as soon as it hit.  Smiling he picked up the wooden Katana, adjusted his grip, bowed with a flourish, and stepped onto a stump.  Connor hopped from stump to stump awkwardly, but slowly muscle memory returned from the depths, buried under hundreds of quickenings, and began to hop with grace.  Katsuhito was surprised at the speed at which he learned to adjust to the stumps, and attacked.  For Connor it was a true workout, he has not sparred with anyone with such grace, not even Duncan could compare, but he knew a few other tricks.  After an hour of sparring, both combatants decided that it was a fairly even match, and decided to call this a draw.  Putting away their swords, Connor felt the tell tale buzz of a near by immortal coming near the shrine from the steps, since receiving the quickenings of Nakanno and Ramirez, their knowledge of the manipulation of the quickening was his as well, among them the ability to distinguish quickenings and the direction they are coming from.  Looking intently at the steps, and withdrawing a step or two into the shrine's ground, he watched carefully as a young woman cautiously walked over the horizon of the steps with what looked like a phasor from the first star trek TV show.  Her hair was black with a hint of green, Connor wondered if she dyed it recently, and a red headband, and casual jeans and t-shirt.  "I am Connor McLeod of the clan McLeod, and we are on Holy Ground" he said, waiting for a name.  Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Katsuhito slightly wave his hands and this young woman put her gun away.

    Kiyone warily entered the clearing seeing a man take two-steps back, he looked as if he was sparring with someone, and then she noticed Katsuhito.  Suddenly she heard the man announce, "I am Connor McLeod of the clan McLeod, and we are on Holy Ground" as if it was a challenge, although it was strange, she though, that he mentioned the shrine.  Glancing over to Katsuhito for his assessment she saw him wave indicating it was ok, and slowly holstered her weapon.  Kiyone thought it also odd that the moment she saw Connor the dread and headache seemed to fade to an annoying buzz, as if it was trying to tell her of his presence.