.:: When it all fades to black ::.
The Beginning To The End
By: Erreway
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Disclaimer: Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki trademarks and related indicia are property of AIC and Pioneer Entertainment. This work is not done for profit, and I do not own the series.
Author Notes: Thank you so much for the reviews! I guess I can continue on with this story after all since some people liked the prologue, even though it was extremely short. So the beginning of this story is dedicated to (alphabetical order) JaG (yes, I know what movie your talking about, but believe me, its nothing like that), JDpirate, Jillian, lilyoko, Poncho D and The Rain Child for giving me the will to keep going ^__^ thank you so much!
*...* Thought
"..." Talk
//...\\ Mind Link
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[3:22 AM]
Sasami ran through the forest taking in ragged breaths of the cold air around her, the tears that spilled out of her eyes ran down her face leaving silvery trails down her cheeks. Her vision blurry form all her tears, she ran blindly, her instinct guiding her in the right direction. She wanted to run, run and leave it all behind; leave the world, her life, everything.
The small princess stopped abruptly as her feet splashed into something cold. She looked down. Water. *I should have known* Sasami thought as she took a couple of steps back, her feet slapping noisily against the ground.
Sasami stood before Funaho. She smiled warmly as she felt the aura of the tree soothe her. With a bit of newly found confidence, Sasami straightened her back closed her eyes and started slowly whispering her prayer. She started to rise slowly, a little more after each word.
"By the meaning of my true name,
Please open the path to our ancestors, the space trees.
Heaven to Ocean,
Ocean to Earth,
Earth back to Heaven,
Show me the path engraved by the light"
After the last word of her prayer was done Sasami faded into Funaho as little blue glowing lights.
* * *
[3:31 AM]
Sasami opened her eyes and waited for the haze to clear from her eyes. Once it did, she found herself staring into eyes identical to her own. She smiled and tried to sit up, however she found she was too weak to do so and she rested on the floor again. "Tsunami…" Sasami whispered weakly to the goddess that was leaning over her.
Tsunami smiled at the small princess and slowly rose to her feet. Then she extended a hand, bending forward slightly so Sasami could grip it. She helped the girl up, steadying her when she first stood weakly. Once she was well on her feet, Sasami threw herself into Tsunami as the goddess wrapped her arms around her.
Tsunami stroked the little girls hair patiently, trying to soothe her. She knew something was wrong, she could feel it in the air, and the small girl's fear was almost tangible as it hung thickly in the air. "Relax Sasami. Tell me what happened"
Sasami gave a sob that shook her whole body as she pulled away. Giving herself some time to relax she took a couple of steps back looked around the room. It was easy to recognize where she was. She was inside Tsunami, her ship. The tree stood in the middle, surrounded by a pool of water. Tsunami and her were standing on top of the water, probably Tsunami's doing. The room was lighted in a mythical yet warm blue that gave the room the appearance as if one was standing in water.
She looked at Tsunami again. The goddess was looking at her patiently waiting for her to go on. Sasami shuddered. She didn't know why, but that dream, if that's what you could call it, filled her with dread and fear. "I had a dream Tsunami" She said raising her eyes towards the goddess.
Tsunami nodded "Yes, I know. I do not know what it was about though. Some kind of power unable me to see that part of time"
"I don't know why…" Sasami whispered her eyes traveling forward as she gazed at her reflection in the water "I've had worse dreams before, but I never felt like this afterwards"
"What happened Sasami?"
Sasami looked back up and the goddess and retold the premonition she had witnessed. "Then I heard this voice… A girl. She sounded so familiar, yet I'm not sure who it was. She said 'Tell Tsunami… She must not forget about the stones'. Then I heard the girl scream… and everything went to black. Do you know what it means?". She asked as she looked at the goddess, only to find she was looking away. "Tsunami?"
Tsunami sighed and looked back at the small princess. "Yes I know what it means Sasami"
"I-is it… bad?" Sasami asked slowly not sure if she wanted a truthful answer.
Tsunami sighed and nodded slowly.
Sasami was scared; she wanted Tsunami to just lie to her, to say that everything would be all right. Tears filled up her eyes slowly as she asked the goddess "What does it mean Tsunami?"
"Sasami," The goddess said moving forward slowly, walking on the water effortlessly, her feet causing small ripples on the otherwise quiet water "There is a story I have to tell you, it has to do with your dream."
Sasami nodded slowly as she listened to the goddess begin her tale.
"At the beginning of time, the universe was a chaos. There were no planets, there were no living creatures, there were no stars, and there was no space. There was no time. This universe was just a battlefield, where higher entities quarried over who should rule.
One day, a goddess appeared from a parallel time. She was powerful and very caring. She was both saddened and angered when she found such a beautiful universe put to waste. Therefore she started to work to straighten it up.
After a couple of hundred years, the goddess had done remarkable progress in this universe. She had created the first planets, placed stars in space, gave birth to the first living beings. But the goddess was needed back in her own time. Having no one to leave in charge of the universe, the goddess created four stones and placed a certain bit of her power in each of them.
The stones were Fire, Water, Earth and Wind. Even though they only possess a bit of the goddess's power, they are extremely powerful. Therefore, they were spread over the universe in order to stop them from falling into the wrong hands."
Tsunami paused for a second and Sasami used this time to let out a sigh "Well, this doesn't sound too bad" The small princess sighed as she relaxed a little.
Tsunami shook her head "After her duty was done, the goddess left, never to return. But not before she had one last prediction, a warning to the people. 'Evil will visit this place sometime. If that ever happens get the stones…' She explained what to do but it got forgotten along the way.
What is known thought is that the stones must be reunited and a boy and a girl will hold the key to salvation."
Sasami slowly put the pieces together and gasped. "So…"
"Yes Sasami, your dream was right. And the voice you heard is probably that of the goddess."
"And the boy and the girl…"
Tsunami sighed. "You know them very well"
"So… so…"
"Yes, Tenchi is the boy."
"And the girl?"
Tsunami looked down into the water her reflection staring back at her "I don't know. There are too many factors to figure that out Sasami but… its one of the girls in the house"
Sasami smiled a little, trying to ease her nerves. "How do you know about this Tsunami?"
Tsunami smiled she lowered herself so she could see the little princess in the eyes. "I was there when the goddess, predicted this. So was my sister Washu, and my other sister, Tokimi."
"What?" Sasami asked but then she felt herself slowly fading form the room.
"You can't remain here any longer Sasami. The evil is threatening this place already, even though it is still far away." Tsunami said rising up and slowly moving backwards. "You must go now"
"But how will we know what to do?"
"First, you must tell Tenchi and the others about this, then everything will be revealed to you in its right time"
Sasami was about to open her mouth to ask something but she faded completely from sight before she could even begin.
Tsunami was left standing in the water, alone. She sighed. *I am sorry all of you girls, and Tenchi. This will probably be like nothing you have ever experienced… I just hope your feelings for each other will be enough to pull you through this one… because the future of this universe rests in your hands*
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[4:54 AM]
Sasami re-appeared at the edge of Funaho's pool, facing towards the forest. She turned around and looked at her brother's tree. She turned towards the path again, wondering how she would have to break the news to the family. She kept thinking about it as she ran back to the house. Before she knew it, she was crossing the doorway into the house, to find the entire Masaki household in the living room, waiting for her.
* * *
[5:09 AM]
"Sasami!" Ayeka exclaimed moving towards her sister wrapping her up in a hug "Where were you? We were so worried…"
Sasami pulled back from her sister's grip and looked at the family before her. She looked down and sighed. "It's the beginning" Sasami whispered.
"The beginning of what Sasami?" Ryoko asked floating towards the small princess.
"The beginning to the end…" She said, her voice coming out muffled.
Washu gasped. "You don't mean…"
"Yes Washu, the stones"
Washu sighed and hung her head "Did Tsunami tell you everything?"
Sasami nodded.
"What's going on Washu?" Tenchi asked the minute scientist.
Washu sighed. "I didn't think this would come so soon… everybody, come with me into my lab"
Everybody thought that this was serious so they followed Washu into her lab. Once everyone was inside she closed the door which disappeared seconds after.
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Ok. That was chp. 1. Hope you liked it!. As you might have noticed, time is a factor in my fic. Not a lot right now, but it will become more important as we go along. I need a couple more reviews, that's it. About 10-12 hey I'm not asking for a lot. So just review ok? What did you think about the goddess story? It took me relatively short to write this chapter so I'm sorry if its not that great. It will get better as soon as we get to the action part. Till then review so I keep going. Later!