***
Jikoken'o Muyo!
Chapter 8
***
Shino sat in the command chair on the bridge of his flagship, Night Runner. The ship, a winged torpedo, cut through the eternal night of space, an assortment of ships surrounding it and moving with the same haste. They were off to Jurai, at the behest of his mother. He hadn't understood why at first, but Washyuu told him that Tokimi was getting ready to lay siege to the planet and they had no choice but to go there. He had to face facts: one, Jurai had been a prime source of income; two, when your mother is one of the three megami, you tend not to question her whims.
Speaking of his mother, he didn't know what to think of her. It wasn't that she had become an imperious pain in the neck like he was afraid she would, but rather that she didn't act like a mother. She acted more like a child, with a constant look of mischief in her eyes. Not that he minded; a young genius was better than an old nag, but it meant that he didn't get to be close to her. He just wanted to be with her, to talk to the woman that had brought him to the world. He wanted to be with someone that he hadn't seen in over 700 years.
Was that too much to ask?
***
It was the middle of the 'night.' The ship was quiet, with most of the crew asleep while the ship computer progressed along the charted course. Washyuu, in child form, stepped out of her lab through the door in her quarters. She shared them with Sasami, Aeka and, wonder of wonders, Ryoko. She was moving as quietly as possible when she noticed Sasami walking out into the halls. Curious, she followed Sasami to the ship's garden, which was full of large versions of bonsai around a sizable lake. Climbing up into one of these, she sat back against a curved part of the trunk, her eyes looking out into the stars.
"What's on your mind?" asked Washyuu.
Sasami started and looked around wildly. When she found Washyuu, though, she relaxed. "Oh, hi Washyuu." She grinned shakily. "Nothing's on my mind, really."
"Is that so?" Sasami tried to affirm this, but she just couldn't and looked away. Washyuu hopped up there and sat down next to her. "C'mon, Sasami, you can tell me."
Sasami didn't talk for a moment, but then she started off in a quiet voice. "It was weird. I didn't have a nightmare or anything, but I woke up like I did. I was filled up with all these weird feelings that I just can't explain. I felt really angry, but I don't know why. It was like somebody had just hurt one of you guys, which makes me real mad." She paused, as if trying to figure out what to say. "At the same time though, I felt really sad. It felt like back when Ryoko attacked and Yosho went away. Everyone thought he was dead, and I feel the same sadness then that I feel now. What really got me, though, was how scared I was, and I couldn't figure out why."
"Well, I think I have an explanation," said Washyuu.
"Would you tell me, please?" Sasami looked at her with hope in her eyes.
"Sure. You know that Tokimi's moving towards Jurai, right?"
"Yeah, that's got me worried."
"And Tsunami too. All the Juraian trees are her children, and they're being sent out to fight Tokimi. But they aren't powerful enough to stand against her, and more are dying everyday."
Sasami gasped in horror. "That's terrible!"
"It is. Tsunami's kind of scared, even if she won't admit it, and you're feeling it."
"You more less hit it on the head." They both turned to see the ghostly form of Tsunami standing on the lake. "I'm truly sorry, Sasami," she said, "but I didn't want you to worry."
"Well, if we're in so much trouble, why not just pop out of space near there?" asked Sasami.
"Because we won't be able to fight Tokimi as we are," replied Washyuu. "With our current numbers and technology, we can't stand up to them."
"The high and mighty Washyuu is admitting to some shortcoming?" They turned to see Kyrin leaning against the door. "This I've got to hear."
"What're you doing here?" asked Tsunami.
"I couldn't sleep and I heard some... talking so... I..." It suddenly hit Kyrin that he was talking to one of the holy trinity. "Oh my..."
"Don't worry," said Tsunami, a friendly smile on her face. "I don't bite."
"But she can wipe out your family and all its ancestors for a hundred generations," deadpanned Washyuu, "so I'd tread a little carefully."
"No problem. So, uh, what were we talking about?" Washyuu filled him in on what was up. "Wait a minute. The Jurai military has access to Light Hawk Wings, right?"
"Yes, but Tokimi's breaking through them. Those Wings are from artificial generations, weaker than the original copies. Fortunately the Jurai planet's shield ring is composed of real trees, so they'll hold for a while. However, the only Wings that could stand up to her are those used by Tsunami." She sighed. "As for our fleet, Shino didn't lie when he said the technology employed was fifth rate. I'm working overtime to get these things upgraded, but if the enemy's weapons break through Wings, I don't see how any of my shields are going to do any good."
"Well, don't you have any special powers?" asked Sasami.
"Aside from being the ultimate genius in the universe? No."
"But I thought you were a megami..."
"..."
"Washyuu?" Tsunami asked concernedly.
"WHY DIDN'T I SEE IT SOONER?!" Washyuu cackled gleefully. "I am a megami after all! I can upgrade these ships to use weapons only imagined!"
"Well it's good to know you can but how?" Kyrin sat down cross-legged, and Washyuu leapt down to join him.
"Let's see, I could replace the power cores for one thing. Replace them with copies of the gems, in effect boosting the power levels dramatically. That alone would greatly enhance our chances for survival."
"You mean like these?" asked Kyrin, looking at the emerald green gems on the backs of his hands.
Washyuu nodded in affirmation, then looked at her right wrist. One of Ryoko's - no, hers, she corrected - glowed softly in the light. Speaking of Ryoko, she thought to herself, I've gotta make her some replacements. "Anyway, there's still the issue of replacing weapons and engines and all, but that's not gonna be a problem."
"Well, if you can do all that automatically, then why not just warp us to Jurai?" asked Sasami.
"I don't know why." Now it was Washyuu's turn to be pensive. "It's not like there's a higher authority holding us back or anything. Unless Tokimi's meddling, and I doubt she is, it's logical to warp straight there. But something's holding me back."
"Well, what else could it be, aside from a higher authority?" asked Kyrin.
"But there's nobody else."
"What do you mean nobody else? There's gotta be Somebody else."
"No, I hate to bust your bubble, but such is not the case." Sighing in remembrance, Washyuu continued, "My sisters and myself don't have any memories past the time roughly 3 billion years ago. The universe was already in existence, with life beginning to spring up randomly throughout. After investigating, we came across species that had the relatively immediate potential to evolve. Tokimi began trying to curve the process, trying to make things easier for those that she favored and harder for those she didn't. After 3 million years she had raised a civilization that was physically perfect, morally bankrupt, spiritually decrepit, and utterly wretched. It had no name at first, but after a huge civil war, they migrated to separate planets. One half was called Sodama, the other being Gomu. But it didn't matter because they met the same end."
"What end was that?"
"Their planet was in orbit with a binary star system. A freak twist of chance caused novae to occur on both; thus, both civilizations were destroyed."
"That sounds a lot like the Bible, our Holy Book," said Kyrin. "I've studied Earth's version and it's word-for-word the same, leaving aside trivial details like names and dates."
"That's an interesting coincidence," said Washyuu, "but we're all there is. Fortunately, your books proclaim moral behavior, so we're not against it."
They continued talking for quite some time, but Kyrin participated little. He was thinking about what Washyuu had said. I'm not a fool. I know perfectly well that there's a higher authority. Else, how do you explain such a coincidence?
***
A couple of weeks passed. Every day brought a new ship to the fleet; be it 1, 2, 6, 12, or sometimes even more. Washyuu's upgrades dramatically increased the power of the fleet, though you would never guess it by looking. As the time passed by, the once small force grew into a fleet of formidable size.
Now the people had to be trained. According to Shino's tactical projections, there was a 65% chance that the situation on Jurai would have degraded to the point that shields were gone and army would be fighting army. With this in mind Yosho, Kyrin, and Washyuu instigated training programs to make elites of even the lowest foot soldier. Washyuu's part was in the creation of special rooms in subspace, in which gravity could be manipulated with ease. Kyrin took to training in barehanded tactics, whilst Yosho handled weapons. They progressed rather quickly, the Jenshin soldiers; the two teachers each trained 50, and each of those 50 trained another 50, allowing the army to quickly develop into the force that Shino would need. With this done, Tenchi and his family began to train amongst themselves as well.
Kyrin moved seamlessly through the forms that he knew, memories tracing their way through his mind. They mostly centered on his memories of the temple he'd been trained in. It had been a Christian temple, a place where the love of God was shown in the Cross. Humans might think that God only cared for humans, but why did He create other races if He meant for them all to die? The monks of that place were called to be like Christ, to show that same undying devotion that had been shown them by Christ. Coming across psychic powers naturally, they had little difficulty justifying their martial arts training, but the monks were called to use their arts only in the last defense of their lives.
Of course, when Kyrin had been sent into exile, he'd basically seen fit to toss that little bit of doctrine out the window. His was a life lived on the cliff's edge, running from his brother, running towards some far-off goal that he had lost sight of ever since Ryoko had tried to kill him. If he didn't tread carefully, he would fall from the cliff and die, sent to Hell where he belonged. That was the only place left for him to belong.
Wasn't it? Christ said, he thought, basically, that in order to be saved, I just have to ask. How absurd! It couldn't be! Nothing in his life had been easy, so how could this be easy?
And yet, the possibility was still there. It gnawed at his mind, making him wonder. Kyrin knew that God would accept him again in his mind, but his heart wasn't listening. Of course it's not going to listen, he realized, because Kain's in there. Now, that made sense. And as he thought more and more, the idea of trying to come back to God was becoming more and more appealing.
Washyuu, who was in another augmented room, noticed the turmoil he was going through. She more or less 'saw' him in her mind, only he glowed with a black flame. The poor guy's getting himself worked up for nothing, she thought to herself, before turning to the task at hand. Pulling up the holo top, she saw that the uplink was working. "All right, Ryoko. We're going to do some practice work."
"You know how to fight?" asked Ryoko incredulously.
"Yeah," replied Washyuu, a little miffed. "Who do you think taught you before Kyrin?"
"I thought it was built in, actually."
"Tut tut, Ryoko. You should know better than that." Washyuu tapped a key and a pair of orbs popped out of subspace. "Try and shoot one down," she said. Ryoko aimed and fired a clumsy bolt of energy. It streaked towards the drone, dead on target - then bounced off. "Those drones," said Washyuu, "are covered in a shield screen, a sort of energy net. If any opposing energy touches a part of it, the screen reacts to catch it and cancel it out."
"Then the only way I can get it through," said Ryoko "is to get an energy beam through a hole in the net."
"Precisely."
"But I can't make these things that small!"
"Precisely. Gems, as I make them, are customized for the specific use of a single person. Others could use them, but how well they could depends on how well that person matches, in terms of energy conductivity and I'm losing you, aren't I?" Ryoko nodded. "Well, then, let me put it this way: you're using gems that weren't made for you, and they aren't achieving the maximum effect. I can make you some, but I need data data I can only get from training you. Do you consent?"
"Sure. We gotta do it anyway, right?"
"No."
"What?"
"Ryoko, you're allowed to have feelings too. Don't let me do this unless you're really OK with this."
"Feelings... damn it, they're such a problem."
"If that were true, I would've put them beyond your ability to perceive."
"What use can they be?! Thanks to them I'm hounding a boy who doesn't like me, disliking a boy who does, fighting constantly with a princess who for all points and purposes should have called the Jurai forces down on me a long time ago..." Ryoko clenched her fists, but Washyuu was able to finish the sentence for her.
"And thanks to them," she said softly, "you're beginning to see a maniac as a mother."
Ryoko nodded and sat down. Washyuu knelt down next to her as Ryoko began to talk. "I don't know why it happened, or when it even started. I guess it's thanks to Zero, damn her. She awakened the emotional parts of my mind, parts that I just wasn't ready for I guess. My mind shut them down, and all was well 'til Kyrin showed up. Now all these weird feelings are part of me, and there's this one part that keeps saying that I should call you mother. But," her eyes glistened with tears, "I couldn't and can't. I just buried myself in fighting everyone else and trying to get into Tenchi's bed, but now thanks to these abominations that we call feelings, I don't know if I even want that."
"All this because you can't admit to the truth?" Washyuu asked, a small amount of incredulity in her voice.
"Truth? What truth? I already know the truth!" spat Ryoko. "You aren't my mother, my mother was a test tube! You just created me to kill a threat to civilization, and I've not been able to, so I'm just a failed experiment to you, my caretaker!" She smiled grimly. "That's why, isn't it? That's why you call yourself mother, but act nothing like it. You think of me like you do everything else - like some machine, some invention, loved if successful, shunned if not. But mothers don't act that way, Washyuu; they act nothing like that at all! I couldn't explain it, but after going back to meet Achika and actually watching the Earthian mothers, I can safely say that the idea is far beyond you."
"You're right, for the most part," said Washyuu, "except for one thing - my point of view."
"What is there to tell?" asked Ryoko, her voice sullen.
"Wars," said Washyuu, "against your own sisters. Watching people that you're supposed to safeguard fall in spite of all you do to stop it. Weeping as your sister falls from the Light and joins the Darkness." Her eyes took on a slight spark. "You speak of the pain of emotions. You speak of how they have hurt you through your friends. What do you truly know of the pain they convey? My soul has sung the songs of lament since before the beginning of humanity." Suddenly, the spark left, and Washyuu looked very tired, her body shifting to her adult form. "And I have yet to cease. I've lost so much. I've lost friends, multitudes, watching them grow old and die while I remained young. I've found my family, but after such a long time apart, I don't know if we can be whole again. But the one loss that hurts me the most stares me in the face every day - you."
"How am I a loss?" Ryoko was shocked.
"Ryoko, when I made you, I'd lost my family. You were always the one person I had, through thick and thin, who could keep up with me in my wildest tangents. While the greatest minds of the galaxy stared in awe at my theories, you put them so simply that a toddler could understand it. After an eternity of loss, I'd finally gained something - a family." A tear slowly traced its way down her cheek. "Of course, I couldn't hold on to that, now could I? No, I had to get locked in a crystal for 700 years and abide while my daughter unlearned all I had tried to teach about life, trading it for the knowledge of death. On top of that, when I get out, you don't even remember me."
"Aw wow..." Ryoko really couldn't fathom it. "But then, why give me feelings if all they bring is pain?"
"Oho, Ryoko," said Washyuu. "Because there are other things to be felt. Before I decided to try a mortal's life, I'd never known the touch of the sun, the kiss of the rain... the warmth of a child. I wanted to give you a chance to feel all these things and more, and I still want you to."
It had never really hit Ryoko, up until that moment, exactly how much her mother had been through. Hiding behind her childlike façade of innocence and immaturity, somehow, had destroyed the idea that she could ever be a mother. But somehow, it was different now. Now her mother was showing her the sore parts, the hurts she had borne for countless millennia. So what do I do now?
As Washyuu stared at the ground, her memories playing before her eyes, Ryoko tentatively opened their link of her own volition. She saw memories at first, of everything that Washyuu had gone through - the war way back at the beginning, the Fall of Tokimi, Washyuu's transition to the mortal realm, and all her life since that point. But as Ryoko went deeper, she began to sense something else. These weren't specific images, so much as feelings. They were emotions, Ryoko realized. These were everything that Washyuu was feeling at that precise moment. No wonder she knows how to push my buttons so well, she thought to herself.
Washyuu's emotions were varied and wild. Happiness at finding her family warred with worry over the coming battle. But there was also pain, an almost immeasurable amount; it was mixed with a pure emptiness that Ryoko could only call loss. And yet, she sensed there was something else there.
Delving further in, Ryoko was suddenly swept away. Her back stiffened and she fell backwards. She knew Washyuu had grabbed her, or something, because she hadn't hit the ground yet, but she didn't care, because of this awesome feeling she had. It was a warm, tender feeling, overwhelming... love. It was all directed straight at her, never fading, never dimming, and always growing. Tears traced from her eyes as she came back into this side of consciousness. Looking into her mother's eyes, she could tell that Washyuu had had the same access to her.
"Aw mom," she said, her voice sorrow-laden, but Washyuu placed a finger to her lips and smiled warmly. The next minute, or hour, or day for all they knew passed by.
"So," said Washyuu finally, "shall we get to work?"
"On my powers or my memories?" asked Ryoko.
Washyuu grinned slightly. "How about both?"
***
"Legs... hurt....." Nobuyuki was finally using muscles he hadn't used since high school. Of course, after 20 something years of disuse, they were complaining about their abrupt retirement cancellation. Unfortunately, they were being very vocal about it. Nobuyuki, as well as Katsuhito, were doing stance training. The current stance was a basic squat, from which one could transition to other stances or remain securely. Of course, the true benefits of this stance were enjoyed only if you got real low. Added to that, their room had been adjusted to about 4 times Earth gravity. His legs? Forget
that, Nobuyuki was just plain sore.
Katsuhito, on the other hand, didn't show much fatigue at all. He breathed slowly, in the nose, out the mouth. He was even wearing wrist and ankle weights. Looking at Nobuyuki's current state he sighed. "You don't have to do this, you know. I never said you had to train like I do."
"With all respect, dad," replied Nobuyuki, "I'll be damned if I laze about while the fate of all we hold dear is at stake."
"Now that's a change," said Katsuhito, a slight smirk on his face. "You were always content just to sit back and let us do the work."
"That's past tense, as far as I'm concerned."
"What brought about this change?"
"Well, I was thinking about Achika lately. About what she'd think if she could see me now. And it hit me, suddenly, that I've been nothing ever since she died. You know as well as I do that she wouldn't accept that. So I've gotta make something of myself and this is the perfect chance."
"I see." And see he did. Katsuhito knew when his son was fooling and when he was being serious. "You do realize how hard it will be?"
"How hard can it be?" asked Nobuyuki. "All I've got to do is aim and pull a trigger. I'm not good enough to fight down there with the rest of y'all."
"It's not the action that'll be hard. It'll be the result. Killing is not the same as drawing a house, in case you don't know."
"I know, but I--" But what? Try as he might, Nobuyuki couldn't come up with a response. He'd never killed before. That headshot of Arkhan didn't count, because he wasn't a living being. How could he kill? He who had always been a pacifist? "Well, I don't necessarily have to kill my target, do I? I mean, as long as I stop him."
"True," said Katsuhito. His eyes sparkled in delight at the wisdom his son had employed. "All right. If you're going to be in shape, you're going to have to sink lower."
"Lower?!"
"Yes, lower. Come now, you're nowhere near as low as I am, relatively speaking. If you're going to be as strong as me, you're going to have to push harder." So, in spite of all the complaints he wanted to utter, he sank lower. As the fire raced up his legs, he focused on Achika.
I'll make you proud of me, he swore silently, even if I have to die to do it.
***
I can't believe this is happening. The man whose mind was traversed by this thought was one of the most powerful men
in the galaxy. He ruled over the single greatest empire known, with loyal subjects, a powerful military, and the two most beautiful women he could imagine marrying. Azusa Jurai, the emperor of the Jurai Empire, sat leaning forward on the conference table. At his left sat Funaho, at his right, Misaki. Facing him were holographic representations of the top generals in the Jurai army. Each was a Knight, dressed in fighting robes with a colored Jurai Rune on the front to mark who they were. At the center of this group stood Azaka and Kamidake, their faces grave. "So what you're telling me is we're stuck," said Azusa, his voice carrying a hint of weariness.
"Forgive me, my lord," said Azaka; his well aged face a study in serene frustration. "In spite of our best efforts, it seems the best we can do is hold the border points. It might not be enough if one of those saboteurs gets through."
"Have we called up the reserves yet?" asked Azusa.
"Being called as we speak, milord," said one of the other knights, a short fellow with light brown hair and dark eyes. "They're being used to patrol the shield rings at the edge of the system. With luck, we'll catch them before they make any moves."
"What about the fleets that were on patrol outside the system?"
"They have been unable to break through," replied Kamidake. His quiet pale eyes narrowed slightly. "We've been watching the skirmishes, and we don't like what we see. The enemy employs weapons and shields that, so far, are beyond the capabilities of the Fleet to handle. We still don't know why they can't breach the shield wall."
"I see. Have we been able to gather any information aside from observation?"
"I'm afraid not," said Funaho. "To let a spy out would mean letting them out through one of the check points. Those areas are heavily watched by the enemy; if we let one of them out, it'd be suicide."
"I see. Misaki, how are the people holding up?"
"As well as they can, dear." In spite of the overwhelming odds, Misaki was still somewhat cheerful, even though it didn't show that easily. The woman just could not be taken down. "They're kind of scared, but they're willing to fight if need be."
"Let us hope there's no need," said Azusa, sighing. "All right, all we can do is what we've been doing. Keep an eye on their movements, and respond on the defense. Try to get a message out to our outside fleets that they need to break off their attacks for the moment."
As the knights bowed and disappeared, Azusa turned to Funaho. "Any word from Earth?"
"None. I've made repeated calls to Washyuu, but we hear nothing. We have no idea where they are."
Azusa sighed. "For the first time in millennia," he said, "I think we're stuck."
"Aw." Misaki leaned over and hugged Azusa quietly. "Don't worry honey. Somehow, I think we're going to be just fine."
"Only through a miracle," replied Azusa as he caught the tactical display out of the corner of his eye. Enemy ships, forming a nebulous cloud of hostility, surrounded the entire border of the Jurai star system. Their own fleets were zooming everywhere on patrols, trying to protect the system. "Only through a miracle," he repeated, softly, to himself.
***
"I tell you, I should have held longer," said Aeka. She was sweating, having sparred against Tenchi for a record 2 hours in 3 times Earth gravity. They'd fought with weapons, without weapons, and were currently wearing weights.
"Aeka," said Tenchi, panting slightly, "I don't think anyone holds it against you. I don't think any of us alone could hold against an army, not right now."
"Your understanding is welcome, but I don't need it. I know perfectly well how weak I am."
"You are not weak."
"Prove it!"
Tenchi thought for a minute, which was all Aeka needed to get into a self-degrading monologue, renewing her assault on Tenchi. "Who was the one who constantly fell under Kagato's blows? Who was the one who couldn't protect you from Dr. Clay?" The rain of strikes increased. "Who fought Kain with everything she had and lost in spite of everything? Tenchi, it was me, it was me!!"
The emotional anxiety made Aeka careless. A punch she made moved right past him, and she wound up with his arm around her neck. Just as she was about to blow him off with her shield, his words stopped her. "Who was it that helped me learn of my inheritance? Who was the one who devoted all her energy to protecting me? Who was it that fought with Kain, knowing she could only lose, yet giving her all anyway? Aeka, it was you, it was you."
"Tenchi, I..." Aeka couldn't form words.
"I'm going to spell it out for you in the best way I can," said Tenchi. "Strength is not perfection, Aeka. Grandpa always said that strength is the ability to act in spite of anything, like you have. You are one of the strongest people." As well as one of the most lovely came the thought, unbidden to his mind. It was a fact that he was forced to notice for the first time, as he held her in his arm.
"I don't know what to say," said Aeka, her voice soft.
"Then don't say anything," he replied, as he tentatively wrapped his other arm around her waist. He brought down the first arm to join the second, noticing Aeka blush most prettily. She followed his advice, though, and neither of them said a word.
***
Ryoko grinned slightly at Kyrin as he knelt, his sword laid down beside him, his hands clasped in prayer. Washyuu had told her about this. Although they were both convinced it was absolute foolery, his return to religion was enough to stave off the suicidal urges. It would have been much better to have Kain gone, but they'd take what they could get. She watched as he picked up the sword in two hands and held it before him, like he was offering something. His mouth moved in silent prayer, and then he rose up and resheathed it. Something seemed different about him, as she looked. She couldn't place it, though. The thoughts vanished when he looked at her, and a quiet smile graced his lips.
"What can I do for you, Ryoko?" he asked.
"I was wondering if we could go back to the whole memories discussion," said Ryoko.
"Why doesn't Washyuu tell you?"
"She said she wants to work out the attack plan with Shino and Genjo." That was partially true. The full truth was that Washyuu really, really wanted to help her with her amnesia, but she had said that it might be better for Kyrin to do so. They had to do something, anything to divert his concentration away from killing himself.
"Well, okay. But be warned, I don't know much about the early parts of your life."
"To be honest, I don't know if I ever had any early years."
You did SO have early years! came Washyuu's indignant reply. Believe me, you did have early years!
"In any case, I'll be glad to tell you what I can."
"Cool. So, uh," she thought for a second, "what was I like? I mean, before Kagato?"
"Well, from what I saw, you were always kind of quiet, but not because of stupidity. If anything, you were smarter than most of the professors. You were kind-hearted and exceptionally gentle."
"That's kind of hard to believe," Ryoko replied.
It's true you know, said Washyuu.
Kyrin shrugged. "Take it as you will, I merely offer my perception of what was. Let's see, what else?" He thought for a minute. "It's hard to speak of you without saying anything about fighting prowess," he finally said. "Between Washyuu and I teaching you, as well as your own gems, you became one of the best fighters in the school. In fact, you were probably a better fighter than either of us imagined, as Kagato eventually proved."
"How was it that he was able to take control of me?"
"One of Washyuu's devices, I think. He used it to override your sentience program and tear up the Academy."
"I see. Then answer me this: what happened to my own gems?"
"Kagato didn't understand exactly how they worked. He only knew that Washyuu's appeared to have more power, so he replaced yours with hers."
It was in this spirit, that they continued to talk. And, in spite of them, a connection was slowly beginning to form.
***
Knight: Oh darn, I'm good. Managed to get a halfway-decent chapter out before the deadline was up. How sweet is that?
::the Knight is currently sitting cross-legged on the bow of the Yagami::
Knight: Let me answer a few questions. One - my religious standing. Yes, I'm a Christian, or I think I am. I believe in one God, one Savior who died for my sins, that His Word is in the Bible, all that. I also believe that, if there are other races in space, surely He has the mercy to reach out to them as well. And as for the megami? Let's just say they're in for a bit of a shock.
::he winks and takes a sip of tea::
Knight: Next issue: Aeka, Tenchi, Kyrin, and Ryoko, and how that's all going to work out. I hope that I'm doing them correctly. I write real hard to do them correctly, because I don't want to blow their characters out of proportion. I've seen fics where that happens, and the results are most frightening. So far, y'all seem to think I'm doing good, judging from the kind words you bestow upon a most undeserving author. But if I'm doing something wrong then by all means, tell me! I might not directly respond like other authors do. But I listen. I really do.
::he's about to say more when he's blown off the ship screaming into space::
Kiyone: There. Looks like we managed to get that weird rock off the Yagami!
Mihoshi: I dunno, wasn't it screaming as we shot it off?
Kiyone: You must have been hearing things. Sound can't travel in space....
Tenchi Muyo and all related paraphernalia are copyrighted to AIC and Pioneer.
The only things that are mine are those things that I perceive as original, and thusly are mine. If you recognize an idea that you came up with first, all credit goes to you.
You can contact me at: KnightOfCyril@aol.com