A/N Tenchi Muyo! is owned by AIC and Pioneer and not by me. (ending dry and dull disclaimer)
The ideas in this story are mine though and if you'd like to use or borrow them, contact me first at ring_princess@hotmail.com or ring_princess2001@yahoo.com
Thanks go out to JohnnyG who had the massive job of editting this entire story!
Tenchi Muyo Saga One: Fate of Empires
"Interrogations Part 2"
By RingPrincess
*The Same Day*
"Cerulea, as the communications officer you intercept the messages aboard ship?" Kiyone folded her hands in front of her on the taupe table.
"Yes." The Parbuteo ruffled her feathers. "That is my duty."
"Did you intercept the message for this job?"
Cerulea's beak clicked shut. "I intercepted the message," she trilled. "It was plain text, odd in this day but not completely unheard of."
Kiyone adjusted her headband. "Why isn't it completely unheard of?"
"Text messages are generally reports, manifests or occasionally customers that want to conceal their identity."
"Wouldn't the identity be given in the route address?" Kiyone didn't want to think why Cerulea would get messages containing manifests or ship reports. However, pirating and looting as well as bounty hunting were ways the crew made money.
"Not always, a good communications officer knows the ways around it. Some can even erase start points from the routing header or replace them with false."
"Did you check for authenticity?"
"I always check everything three times before informing the Captain of a new message."
"When you received the message what was your reaction?"
"Disbelief."
"Did you open the message?"
"As it was addressed . . ."
"Yes or no?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"It was addressed directly to the Captain." Cerulea's feathers raised in annoyance and she forcibly calmed herself, making them lie flat.
"Who else knew of the messages arrival?"
"Everyone, messages are not a secret and are actually next to impossible to keep secret."
"Their reactions."
"I don't know, it is hard for me to read other species expressions still." Cerulea ducked her head and clamped her beak shut.
Kiyone noted this and proceeded to her next line of questioning. "When you gave the message to the captain, what did he do?"
"He went to the waiting room off the bridge, his office and had the letter dictated to him by the ship's computer."
"Were you there?"
"No."
"Then how do you know that the computer dictated it to him?"
"The Ship's voice is higher pitch than most. I can hear it easily, though not always clearly. In fact it sounds quite a bit like your partners."
"Great," Kiyone muttered. "He's obsessed. Could you hear any of the message?" she spoke up so Cerulea could hear.
"The walls are thick enough to muffle the words."
"Yes or no, Cerulea?"
"No."
"Did you hear any of it?"
"No."
"What happened after he came out from the office?"
"He ordered Leopold to go to the coordinates supplied in the message. Leopold complied and we met a golden crystal ship at them. The Captain transferred over to that to discuss business."
"Away from the crew?"
"Yes."
"Was this safe?" Kiyone adjusted her headband and glanced sharply at Cerulea.
"Of course." Cerulea's pupils went small, "If it had been otherwise he wouldn't have gone."
"How did he look when he came back?"
"Whiter than normal, his pupils were large and he kept ruffling his hair."
"Then what happened?"
"We went to the Nest, where we recruited other Bounty Hunters and Nagi joined us, then we headed here."
"Thank you Cerulea." Kiyone snapped her notepad shut.
"My pleasure. I am always willing to help a friend of the Captain's life mate."
"Duo's life mate?"
Cerulea's feathers flattened. "You are a friend of Mihoshi and Mihoshi is Duo's life mate."
"Life mate? Is that like a spouse, husband, wife thing?"
Cerulea blinked. "Oh yes, it is a pairing that will never be broken."
"Mihoshi!" Kiyone ran out the door.
--
Duo reached up and caressed Mihoshi's cheek. "You're worried again." He couldn't help but admire the way the sun created areas of light and shadow on her face.
Mihoshi nodded and looked away. Her gaze took in the entire room. It had large windows and giant orange cushions in the shape of carrots. "I can't help it. I see their influence everywhere."
Duo didn't move from where his head was on her lap. "You think that the Council even had a hand in bringing Nekoia to choose me to capture Ryoko."
"I am sure of it. We are the Keepers of the Balance, Duo." Her voice rose in distress and tears pooled in her deep blue eyes. Duo sighed.
"You're jumping at shadows," he closed his eyes. "Nekoia is a mystery to them as much as it is a mystery to the rest of the Universe. And the Council and most especially the Chancellor care nothing about whether or not you and I meet again"
"Oh yes they do, Duo," Mihoshi hissed, looking down at him. She narrowed her eyes. "And I know what great lengths you've gone to keep me in control when I'm at Head Quarters. I am surprised my Grandfather hasn't seen the bond lunacy that has gripped me for the last six years." Her features softened. "I am grateful for it as well."
"I think they diagnosed it as work related stress." Duo chuckled, his eyes reopened into slits that barely showed their bright green color.
Mihoshi blinked. "You bastard, you…"
"…changed the records for your protection." He intertwined his fingers with hers, "returning a favor."
"My grandmother," Mihoshi sighed.
"The Chancellor was against my exile from the beginning." Duo frowned. "She knew that I was the only viable heir my family had. So much so that my exile was a farce, for someday they will have to recognize me as their son again."
"I was going to say that my grandmother, as you pointed out, the Chancellor of the Council most likely has seen through your record changing."
"Oh, she is sharp, however didn't it ever occur to you that your grandmother might be happy for us," Duo chuckled.
Mihoshi raised her eyebrows and shook her head, blond hair gliding across her bare shoulders. "I'm not sure what to think then."
"Then don't think and kiss me," Duo's green eyes twinkled. Mihoshi giggled and complied.
Mihoshi and Duo jumped apart as there was pounding on the door. "Mihoshi!" Kiyone yelled from the other side. "Let me in."
Mihoshi and Duo stared at each other and Duo shrugged, Mihoshi rolled her eyes. She pushed herself up and walked across the room to open the door. Kiyone pounded on the other side again. "Mihoshi!"
Mihoshi slid the door open a slight ways. "Yes, Kiyone?"
"What the hell are you two playing at?" Kiyone hissed.
Mihoshi sighed and slid the door open the rest of the way. "Perhaps you should come in."
--
Nagi stared upwards, "I know you're up there, Ryoko."
Ryoko grumbled, the cross section where the two major beams met in the living room was considered her space. She rolled over and looked down. "So, what do you want, Nagi?"
"If you aren't too busy," Nagi grinned, hand on her hip.
"She is never busy." Ayeka grimaced from the couch.
"Hey, you're watching soap operas." Ryoko defended.
Nagi rolled her eyes. "I was wondering if you'd like to have a bout."
Ryoko floated downwards and stared at Nagi until they were eye to eye. Ryoko was still upside down of course. "You mean fight?"
Sasami walked in from the kitchen wiping her hands on a towel, a large carrot on her apron.
Nagi nodded. "Yeah."
Ryoko blinked a few times and bit the inside of her lip. "Why?"
"Why does it matter?"
Ryoko laughed. "You're on."
--
Washu grimaced.
::This might not happen in a day, Washu.:: Imp reminded her. ::In fact, I'd be very surprised if it did.::
::I have to know, now!::
::Haste makes waste, Washu.::
Washu glanced behind her as the crab bell jangled. "Back again so soon, Kiyone."
Kiyone was shaking her head and blushing furiously. "Washu, what would you say if I told you that Mihoshi and Duo were in effect married?"
Washu sniggered. "I'd say that I wish Duo the greatest luck in the universe. He's going to need it."
Kiyone was silent and Washu's face stilled.
"They're married?" Washu asked.
Kiyone nodded. "By the rules of their culture, basically."
Washu tapped her lips with a finger. "Hmm, how strange. There is nothing in Mihoshi's records indicating that she is married or otherwise attached to anyone."
Imp was laughing and Washu couldn't even glare at him. ::Hush!::
::She can't hear me, so why should I?::
::You're distracting me.::
"I need to use Yagami. I have things to ask Head Quarters and Intelligence."
"Go right ahead, Yagami is your ship after all."
"Just warning you that I'll be away for a few hours."
"That short?"
Kiyone snorted, "At most a few hours." She twisted her cube and disappeared.
Washu turned to Imp. ::Interesting, Mihoshi married and I know Kiyone is hiding something.::
::Don't dwell on it, we're all hiding something.::
::Even you?:: Washu raised an eyebrow.
::Even me.::
--
Ryoko arched backwards from her waist. Nagi's sword barely missed her torso as she leaned. Instead of pulling back up Ryoko used the energy and momentum she had gained to flip over backwards, kicking Nagi in the chin. The planks of the boardwalk adjoining the house were rough on her hands. Nagi reeled backwards and Ryoko re-lighted her sword as she came back to vertical.
Ryo-ohki shifted in her position at the end of the dock.
::It will help Ryoko:: Ken-ohki added.
::She blocks me out, when she's in pain.:: Ryo-ohki's ears drooped and she huddled into the planks. Ken-ohki nuzzled her dark furred cheek with his chin.
::Perhaps you weren't meant to be as close as you are mind wise.::
::I've never known another way.:: Ryo-ohki nuzzled him back absentmindedly accepting the comfort. ::I'm not really the Ryo-ohki you remember.::
Ken-ohki drew back a little, his own ears drooping. He looked over at where their two mistresses sparred in a manner that parodied graceful dance movements, their swords providing a surreal glow to the scene. One slip in motion and one of them wouldn't walk away from the encounter.
::You were killed before this and regenerated.:: He blinked, a tear falling from his eye. ::Yet, if you don't want to do it, I shall stop mentioning it. This is and must be your decision. I just wanted to remind you of the option.::
::Those crystals, Ken, they are cabbits too, they can change like we can. I've seen them do so.::
::Mirrors, no parts of you, Ryo.:: Ken-ohki hopped away.
Ryo-ohki watched him leave for a few moments. Ken-ohki looked back for a second, passing through Nagi's feet and into the house. Ryoko's and Nagi's blades created a triangle upwards. Nagi spun to get closer to her opponent using Ryoko's sword as a pivot. Ryo-ohki turned and heaved a sigh, staring into the waters of the lake at the bottom rested hundreds if not thousands of blue, diamond shaped crystals. Crystals that had been part of her and if Ken-ohki was correct could be part of her again.
Sasami had her nose pressed to the glass doors, forbidden to go outside by Ayeka who was afraid that she'd get hurt. Ken-ohki had taken Ryo-ohki's accustom perch in between her pony tails and she oohed and aahed as Ryoko and Nagi moved back and forth. Her and Ken-ohki's gazes were in the same direction by they were watching different actions of different people.
Ryoko wasn't going to be able to bring her sword around fast enough to harm Nagi. Nagi's sword was also out of play, though not as far as Ryoko's was and she was too close to Ryoko to use it anyways. Nagi pressed her back up against Ryoko's chest and grabbed one of the girl's arms throwing Ryoko over her shoulder and onto her butt in front of her.
Ryo-ohki hopped off the end of the dock.
Ryoko phased through the gray planks, Nagi's sword digging deep into the wood where she had been. Ryoko shot through the planks behind Nagi who was prying her sword from the wood. Ryoko made a sweeping move with her sword yet Nagi spun and deflected it last second. The swords humming as they came close to each other and crackling as they met.
Ryo-ohki was at the approximate middle of the lake. She had used the surface tension; the skin on top of the water like it was dry land. Looking down it was easier to see the crystals glistening as the sun bounced off them. She closed her eyes and concentrated on arising into the air, a parody of the flying she did in ship form. She flew straight up until she was high above the water for a cabbit where she hovered.
The jewel in her forehead lit up with an inner light, glowing stoplight red, then the light disappeared. The glow pulsed on and off in a steady rhythm as she concentrated.
"Mreow!" A crystal on the bottom stood on its end and tore through the water, creating a splash as it made the transition from water to air.
"Mreow! Mreow! Mreow!" The other crystals came to the surface, shedding water drops that created rainbows above the lake.
Attracted by Sasami's squeals of delight, Ayeka came and stood behind her sister. Washu dashed out of the rounded door under the stairs, sirens hooting and bells ringing abruptly starting and being cut off as the door opened and closed, the sound of the crab door chime lost among the noise.
"The crystals!" Washu cried, her green eyes wide.
Ken-ohki was trembling on top of Sasami's head, jaws pressed tightly together.
Ryoko lunged forwards and snapped back into the regular position as Nagi batted her sword aside. They sparring blocked the view of the lake.
The crystals flew across the lake in mass confusion, as they arranged themselves, none touched Ryo-ohki and none crashed into each other. They formed a series of inset circles with Ryo-ohki as the locus.
"Mreow! Mreow!" They kept crying as more and more still arose from the depths.
"The inner most circle of crystals is different from the rest." Mihoshi observed coming up behind Washu, her clothes were wrinkled and she was trying to get her long blonde wavy locks under control as they were down around her shoulders.
"Ryoko isn't doing anything." Washu hammered her fist into an open hand.
"Ryoko's got her hands full trying to ward off Nagi." Sasami grinned. "Nagi is really good."
"Too bad they aren't really trying to kill each other." Ayeka muttered.
Ryo-ohki's gem flooded with light and stabilized. Her eyes snapped open, liquid pools of amber. Beyond this point there was no turning back. She could let the crystals fall and nothing untoward would happen.
The crystals remained stable.
Humanoid transformation was instantaneous. Ryo-ohki tossed her hair and glanced around the circles of crystals that were about the height of her waist. She still felt top heavy in her adult form but she figured when you were floating it didn't matter. She looked down and noticing her fingernails were digging into her palms she relaxed her hands and then her arms to her side. Her eyes closed and she took a deep breath.
It was time for phase two.
--
The loud crack of electricity rending through the air disturbed Yosho from his meditations. The build up had been so slow he hadn't noticed it until the sound rent the sky and it was close. Frowning he looked out his picture window into a sunny afternoon. There were no thunderstorms predicted that day and Funaho wasn't acting up. The weather outside wasn't right for what he had just heard.
"Tenchi!" he called.
There was no immediate response. Yosho grimaced. "Tenchi," still no response from his wayward grandson. Yosho began to grumble and stood up to find him. The boy had been sweeping the stairs.
There was a faint yet distinct hum to the outside air Yosho felt and heard it as he slid the door open and walked out of the shrine office. The hum was also building, Yosho's arm hairs stood up and his skin puckered.
He found Tenchi at a bend in the shrine stairs, the bend from which you had the clearest view of the house and grounds.
A trail of pale blue electricity jumped with a pop from one crystal to another, fingers branching from the main spar to hit the surface of the lake. Yosho grunted as the thrum died for a few moments smoothing the hairs on his harm. Then it began to start up again building at a louder and faster pace.
The smaller figures of Ryoko and Nagi moved across the boardwalk, indistinct forms could be seen through the windows.
"Well boy?"
"I don't know grandpa," Tenchi leaned on his broom, watching with narrowed eyes and hunched shoulders.
"Hmm, then we watch."
--
Washu was struggling against Mihoshi and Ayeka. "Let me go. I have to get out there."
"You might get hurt," Mihoshi tightened her grip, trying to be reasonable with the scientist. "Look at all that electricity. Washu you can't go."
"I won't get hit," Washu snapped. "I have better shields than that."
"Ms. Washu," Ayeka interjected. "We don't even know what is going on here. Think for a moment, if you open that door the electricity will try to get in here."
::Ryoko! Ryoko!:: Washu pounded on the opaque wall between their minds. ::Stop Ryo-ohki!::
Washu stilled, her eyes focused on the floating nude adult figure of Ryo-ohki surrounded by crystals throwing off colored lightning, but in her peripheral vision was a white fuzzy ear.
She grabbed it.
"Chieoaw!" Ken-ohki screamed as he dangled from Washu's fingers.
"Transform this instant, Ken-ohki and tell me what is going on!" She screamed back trying to be heard over the crackling of lightening. The greatest scientific genius in the universe did not like being out of the loop. After vision trails of bright green and blue swam across her vision as she glared at the male cabbit.
::Put me down then!:: Ken-ohki 'shouted.'
Washu dropped him as if scalded, her eyes wide. Ken-ohki took the chance to get a safer distance away from her. A safe decision he felt in Washu's irate condition and phased through the sliding glass doors.
His vision blurred and there was a feeling of disorientation as he transformed. He glared at Washu and moved out of direct line of site rubbing his ear.
"It's a memory protocol," he shouted through the glass, over the lightning induced thunder and the thrums and crackles of Nagi's and Ryoko's energy swords. Saying that, he headed to the end of the dock, ear throbbing.
Ryoko and Nagi passed before the doors blocking everyone's view of Ken-ohki's retreat but Sasami. She giggled, her fertile imagination comparing Ken-ohki in his black clothing to a dark priest directing an elaborate and evil ritual as he stopped at the end of the dock, arms crossed and legs spread shoulder width apart.
Ryoko and Nagi's blades were locked and they stared at each other, creating their own lightning of gold wrapping around the blades. Ryoko forced Nagi back step by step.
The crystals swung using their fattest parts as a fulcrum, individually wreathed in rings of lightning of blue, green, pink, yellow and purple. They stopped needle sharp ends pointing at Ryo-ohki.
Nagi broke the deadlock, throwing Ryoko and her blade back. Ryoko stumbled.
Ryo-ohki rotated once to see that all the crystals were ready. She saw Ken-ohki on the ground watching her, his teeth piercing his lower lip, blood trickling down his jaw. She looked straight into his eyes and smiled.
'Phase three initiated,' she thought. Then the innermost circle of crystals rammed her through.
--
"Ryo-ohki!" voices cried from various parts of the area.
Nagi leaned sideways and snap kicked high at Ryoko, who caught her ankle and spun her to the ground.
Ayeka's hands covered Sasami's eyes and the crystals poured one circle at a time into Ryo-ohki. All Sasami could do was listen as Washu moaned. Mihoshi and Ayeka's intakes of breath were even less enlightening.
--
'I am a portal, a doorway. I cannot be harmed. I am the path, the way to the goal. Pain and the appearance of pain is an illusion. I scream because it is the only response I can give to what I am feeling.
'I scream as the intensity of this feeling sweeps away what I am, who I am. I have no choice and the darkness...
'I am...
'I am Ryo...
'Ryo-ohki.
'I am a Nekoian cabbit. My job is to serve and protect my sister, Ryoko.
'I am the mate of Ken-ohki, the mother of our children and the love of his life as he is the love of mine.
'I am the creation of Washu, her daughter and child.
'I am Ryo-ohki and I am whole.'
--
Ken-ohki caught Ryo-ohki as she fell from the blue sky and cradled her in his arms. There were no blemishes on her skin or blood drying to show that over a thousand crystals had pierced her body.
Ryoko laid her sword across the prone Nagi's throat. Nagi grinned and grabbed Ryoko's arms again and switched their positions, her own sword now across Ryoko's throat and her legs pinning Ryoko in place.
Ryoko closed her eyes and took deep breaths to try and fill her starving lungs, sweat dried on her forehead.
The door squeaked open letting Washu and the others tumble out from their observation posts. They ignored the two combatants and gathered around Ken-ohki as he glided towards the house.
Washu reached towards Ryo-ohki. "Let me take her."
Ken-ohki brought Ryo-ohki closer to his chest. "Ryo's fine, she just needs a few hours of rest to recuperate."
"Ryo-ohki has been run through by silicon based crystals, of course she needs her rest." Washu couldn't rein in her sarcasm. "I need to run tests to see if she is going to come out of her rest."
"Ryo-ohki," Sasami moaned and ran her hand down the girl's arm.
"This is a reaction that is well within parameters and she should not only remain stable for the next few hours, but improve by significant margins after that." Ken-ohki shoved Washu aside and bumped Sasami ahead of him into the house. "She'll be hungry." He turned sideways as not to clip Ryo-ohki's head or feet as he went across the threshold.
Washu gritted her teeth and stomped in after him. "You may be sure of this..."
"And you should trust me as Ryo does."
"You," Washu accused. "You prodded her into doing this."
"I did no such thing. I gave her the option and the choice was up to Ryo. I would have been sad if my..." He paused, ::word, Nagi?::
::Wife.::
::That's the one, thanks.:: "...wife hadn't decided in this manner, but I've been without her for over 800 years so I guess I would have been without her longer."
Tenchi and Yosho paused at the entrance digesting this information.
"You're wife?" Washu crossed her arms. "Ryo-ohki is supposed to be sterile and I promised the Jurains that I wouldn't help anyone. How can I do that if you two can make little cabbits together!"
Ken-ohki sighed. "Well, extra infusions of MASU tend to change that and they determine our sex. And technically you didn't help us, Ryoko did."
Washu spun and glared at her daughter. Ryoko looked up from her position leaning against the wall. She shrugged and took a sip of water that Sasami had given her. The silence lengthened as Washu switched her gaze between Ryoko, Ken-ohki and Nagi.
Everyone jumped as the sudden scream of engines as Yagami entered its berth under the lake. Kiyone materialized on the dock near the door and slipped between Tenchi and Yosho who were still standing at the door. She was still dressed in her uniform and as she gazed around the room her face became more and more confused.
"I think I missed something."
--
END CHAPTER!
Poor Kiyone... more questions on top of the one's she already have. . . Next Time Interrogations Part Three... does it ever end!
Questions and comments should be sent to one of the emails below! Check out my websites... and tell me what you think please.
RingPrincess
ring_princess@hotmail.com
ring_princess2001@yahoo.com
http://www.angelfire.com/ny5/ringprincess/index.html
http://www.thetenchireviewer.net
The ideas in this story are mine though and if you'd like to use or borrow them, contact me first at ring_princess@hotmail.com or ring_princess2001@yahoo.com
Thanks go out to JohnnyG who had the massive job of editting this entire story!
Tenchi Muyo Saga One: Fate of Empires
"Interrogations Part 2"
By RingPrincess
*The Same Day*
"Cerulea, as the communications officer you intercept the messages aboard ship?" Kiyone folded her hands in front of her on the taupe table.
"Yes." The Parbuteo ruffled her feathers. "That is my duty."
"Did you intercept the message for this job?"
Cerulea's beak clicked shut. "I intercepted the message," she trilled. "It was plain text, odd in this day but not completely unheard of."
Kiyone adjusted her headband. "Why isn't it completely unheard of?"
"Text messages are generally reports, manifests or occasionally customers that want to conceal their identity."
"Wouldn't the identity be given in the route address?" Kiyone didn't want to think why Cerulea would get messages containing manifests or ship reports. However, pirating and looting as well as bounty hunting were ways the crew made money.
"Not always, a good communications officer knows the ways around it. Some can even erase start points from the routing header or replace them with false."
"Did you check for authenticity?"
"I always check everything three times before informing the Captain of a new message."
"When you received the message what was your reaction?"
"Disbelief."
"Did you open the message?"
"As it was addressed . . ."
"Yes or no?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"It was addressed directly to the Captain." Cerulea's feathers raised in annoyance and she forcibly calmed herself, making them lie flat.
"Who else knew of the messages arrival?"
"Everyone, messages are not a secret and are actually next to impossible to keep secret."
"Their reactions."
"I don't know, it is hard for me to read other species expressions still." Cerulea ducked her head and clamped her beak shut.
Kiyone noted this and proceeded to her next line of questioning. "When you gave the message to the captain, what did he do?"
"He went to the waiting room off the bridge, his office and had the letter dictated to him by the ship's computer."
"Were you there?"
"No."
"Then how do you know that the computer dictated it to him?"
"The Ship's voice is higher pitch than most. I can hear it easily, though not always clearly. In fact it sounds quite a bit like your partners."
"Great," Kiyone muttered. "He's obsessed. Could you hear any of the message?" she spoke up so Cerulea could hear.
"The walls are thick enough to muffle the words."
"Yes or no, Cerulea?"
"No."
"Did you hear any of it?"
"No."
"What happened after he came out from the office?"
"He ordered Leopold to go to the coordinates supplied in the message. Leopold complied and we met a golden crystal ship at them. The Captain transferred over to that to discuss business."
"Away from the crew?"
"Yes."
"Was this safe?" Kiyone adjusted her headband and glanced sharply at Cerulea.
"Of course." Cerulea's pupils went small, "If it had been otherwise he wouldn't have gone."
"How did he look when he came back?"
"Whiter than normal, his pupils were large and he kept ruffling his hair."
"Then what happened?"
"We went to the Nest, where we recruited other Bounty Hunters and Nagi joined us, then we headed here."
"Thank you Cerulea." Kiyone snapped her notepad shut.
"My pleasure. I am always willing to help a friend of the Captain's life mate."
"Duo's life mate?"
Cerulea's feathers flattened. "You are a friend of Mihoshi and Mihoshi is Duo's life mate."
"Life mate? Is that like a spouse, husband, wife thing?"
Cerulea blinked. "Oh yes, it is a pairing that will never be broken."
"Mihoshi!" Kiyone ran out the door.
--
Duo reached up and caressed Mihoshi's cheek. "You're worried again." He couldn't help but admire the way the sun created areas of light and shadow on her face.
Mihoshi nodded and looked away. Her gaze took in the entire room. It had large windows and giant orange cushions in the shape of carrots. "I can't help it. I see their influence everywhere."
Duo didn't move from where his head was on her lap. "You think that the Council even had a hand in bringing Nekoia to choose me to capture Ryoko."
"I am sure of it. We are the Keepers of the Balance, Duo." Her voice rose in distress and tears pooled in her deep blue eyes. Duo sighed.
"You're jumping at shadows," he closed his eyes. "Nekoia is a mystery to them as much as it is a mystery to the rest of the Universe. And the Council and most especially the Chancellor care nothing about whether or not you and I meet again"
"Oh yes they do, Duo," Mihoshi hissed, looking down at him. She narrowed her eyes. "And I know what great lengths you've gone to keep me in control when I'm at Head Quarters. I am surprised my Grandfather hasn't seen the bond lunacy that has gripped me for the last six years." Her features softened. "I am grateful for it as well."
"I think they diagnosed it as work related stress." Duo chuckled, his eyes reopened into slits that barely showed their bright green color.
Mihoshi blinked. "You bastard, you…"
"…changed the records for your protection." He intertwined his fingers with hers, "returning a favor."
"My grandmother," Mihoshi sighed.
"The Chancellor was against my exile from the beginning." Duo frowned. "She knew that I was the only viable heir my family had. So much so that my exile was a farce, for someday they will have to recognize me as their son again."
"I was going to say that my grandmother, as you pointed out, the Chancellor of the Council most likely has seen through your record changing."
"Oh, she is sharp, however didn't it ever occur to you that your grandmother might be happy for us," Duo chuckled.
Mihoshi raised her eyebrows and shook her head, blond hair gliding across her bare shoulders. "I'm not sure what to think then."
"Then don't think and kiss me," Duo's green eyes twinkled. Mihoshi giggled and complied.
Mihoshi and Duo jumped apart as there was pounding on the door. "Mihoshi!" Kiyone yelled from the other side. "Let me in."
Mihoshi and Duo stared at each other and Duo shrugged, Mihoshi rolled her eyes. She pushed herself up and walked across the room to open the door. Kiyone pounded on the other side again. "Mihoshi!"
Mihoshi slid the door open a slight ways. "Yes, Kiyone?"
"What the hell are you two playing at?" Kiyone hissed.
Mihoshi sighed and slid the door open the rest of the way. "Perhaps you should come in."
--
Nagi stared upwards, "I know you're up there, Ryoko."
Ryoko grumbled, the cross section where the two major beams met in the living room was considered her space. She rolled over and looked down. "So, what do you want, Nagi?"
"If you aren't too busy," Nagi grinned, hand on her hip.
"She is never busy." Ayeka grimaced from the couch.
"Hey, you're watching soap operas." Ryoko defended.
Nagi rolled her eyes. "I was wondering if you'd like to have a bout."
Ryoko floated downwards and stared at Nagi until they were eye to eye. Ryoko was still upside down of course. "You mean fight?"
Sasami walked in from the kitchen wiping her hands on a towel, a large carrot on her apron.
Nagi nodded. "Yeah."
Ryoko blinked a few times and bit the inside of her lip. "Why?"
"Why does it matter?"
Ryoko laughed. "You're on."
--
Washu grimaced.
::This might not happen in a day, Washu.:: Imp reminded her. ::In fact, I'd be very surprised if it did.::
::I have to know, now!::
::Haste makes waste, Washu.::
Washu glanced behind her as the crab bell jangled. "Back again so soon, Kiyone."
Kiyone was shaking her head and blushing furiously. "Washu, what would you say if I told you that Mihoshi and Duo were in effect married?"
Washu sniggered. "I'd say that I wish Duo the greatest luck in the universe. He's going to need it."
Kiyone was silent and Washu's face stilled.
"They're married?" Washu asked.
Kiyone nodded. "By the rules of their culture, basically."
Washu tapped her lips with a finger. "Hmm, how strange. There is nothing in Mihoshi's records indicating that she is married or otherwise attached to anyone."
Imp was laughing and Washu couldn't even glare at him. ::Hush!::
::She can't hear me, so why should I?::
::You're distracting me.::
"I need to use Yagami. I have things to ask Head Quarters and Intelligence."
"Go right ahead, Yagami is your ship after all."
"Just warning you that I'll be away for a few hours."
"That short?"
Kiyone snorted, "At most a few hours." She twisted her cube and disappeared.
Washu turned to Imp. ::Interesting, Mihoshi married and I know Kiyone is hiding something.::
::Don't dwell on it, we're all hiding something.::
::Even you?:: Washu raised an eyebrow.
::Even me.::
--
Ryoko arched backwards from her waist. Nagi's sword barely missed her torso as she leaned. Instead of pulling back up Ryoko used the energy and momentum she had gained to flip over backwards, kicking Nagi in the chin. The planks of the boardwalk adjoining the house were rough on her hands. Nagi reeled backwards and Ryoko re-lighted her sword as she came back to vertical.
Ryo-ohki shifted in her position at the end of the dock.
::It will help Ryoko:: Ken-ohki added.
::She blocks me out, when she's in pain.:: Ryo-ohki's ears drooped and she huddled into the planks. Ken-ohki nuzzled her dark furred cheek with his chin.
::Perhaps you weren't meant to be as close as you are mind wise.::
::I've never known another way.:: Ryo-ohki nuzzled him back absentmindedly accepting the comfort. ::I'm not really the Ryo-ohki you remember.::
Ken-ohki drew back a little, his own ears drooping. He looked over at where their two mistresses sparred in a manner that parodied graceful dance movements, their swords providing a surreal glow to the scene. One slip in motion and one of them wouldn't walk away from the encounter.
::You were killed before this and regenerated.:: He blinked, a tear falling from his eye. ::Yet, if you don't want to do it, I shall stop mentioning it. This is and must be your decision. I just wanted to remind you of the option.::
::Those crystals, Ken, they are cabbits too, they can change like we can. I've seen them do so.::
::Mirrors, no parts of you, Ryo.:: Ken-ohki hopped away.
Ryo-ohki watched him leave for a few moments. Ken-ohki looked back for a second, passing through Nagi's feet and into the house. Ryoko's and Nagi's blades created a triangle upwards. Nagi spun to get closer to her opponent using Ryoko's sword as a pivot. Ryo-ohki turned and heaved a sigh, staring into the waters of the lake at the bottom rested hundreds if not thousands of blue, diamond shaped crystals. Crystals that had been part of her and if Ken-ohki was correct could be part of her again.
Sasami had her nose pressed to the glass doors, forbidden to go outside by Ayeka who was afraid that she'd get hurt. Ken-ohki had taken Ryo-ohki's accustom perch in between her pony tails and she oohed and aahed as Ryoko and Nagi moved back and forth. Her and Ken-ohki's gazes were in the same direction by they were watching different actions of different people.
Ryoko wasn't going to be able to bring her sword around fast enough to harm Nagi. Nagi's sword was also out of play, though not as far as Ryoko's was and she was too close to Ryoko to use it anyways. Nagi pressed her back up against Ryoko's chest and grabbed one of the girl's arms throwing Ryoko over her shoulder and onto her butt in front of her.
Ryo-ohki hopped off the end of the dock.
Ryoko phased through the gray planks, Nagi's sword digging deep into the wood where she had been. Ryoko shot through the planks behind Nagi who was prying her sword from the wood. Ryoko made a sweeping move with her sword yet Nagi spun and deflected it last second. The swords humming as they came close to each other and crackling as they met.
Ryo-ohki was at the approximate middle of the lake. She had used the surface tension; the skin on top of the water like it was dry land. Looking down it was easier to see the crystals glistening as the sun bounced off them. She closed her eyes and concentrated on arising into the air, a parody of the flying she did in ship form. She flew straight up until she was high above the water for a cabbit where she hovered.
The jewel in her forehead lit up with an inner light, glowing stoplight red, then the light disappeared. The glow pulsed on and off in a steady rhythm as she concentrated.
"Mreow!" A crystal on the bottom stood on its end and tore through the water, creating a splash as it made the transition from water to air.
"Mreow! Mreow! Mreow!" The other crystals came to the surface, shedding water drops that created rainbows above the lake.
Attracted by Sasami's squeals of delight, Ayeka came and stood behind her sister. Washu dashed out of the rounded door under the stairs, sirens hooting and bells ringing abruptly starting and being cut off as the door opened and closed, the sound of the crab door chime lost among the noise.
"The crystals!" Washu cried, her green eyes wide.
Ken-ohki was trembling on top of Sasami's head, jaws pressed tightly together.
Ryoko lunged forwards and snapped back into the regular position as Nagi batted her sword aside. They sparring blocked the view of the lake.
The crystals flew across the lake in mass confusion, as they arranged themselves, none touched Ryo-ohki and none crashed into each other. They formed a series of inset circles with Ryo-ohki as the locus.
"Mreow! Mreow!" They kept crying as more and more still arose from the depths.
"The inner most circle of crystals is different from the rest." Mihoshi observed coming up behind Washu, her clothes were wrinkled and she was trying to get her long blonde wavy locks under control as they were down around her shoulders.
"Ryoko isn't doing anything." Washu hammered her fist into an open hand.
"Ryoko's got her hands full trying to ward off Nagi." Sasami grinned. "Nagi is really good."
"Too bad they aren't really trying to kill each other." Ayeka muttered.
Ryo-ohki's gem flooded with light and stabilized. Her eyes snapped open, liquid pools of amber. Beyond this point there was no turning back. She could let the crystals fall and nothing untoward would happen.
The crystals remained stable.
Humanoid transformation was instantaneous. Ryo-ohki tossed her hair and glanced around the circles of crystals that were about the height of her waist. She still felt top heavy in her adult form but she figured when you were floating it didn't matter. She looked down and noticing her fingernails were digging into her palms she relaxed her hands and then her arms to her side. Her eyes closed and she took a deep breath.
It was time for phase two.
--
The loud crack of electricity rending through the air disturbed Yosho from his meditations. The build up had been so slow he hadn't noticed it until the sound rent the sky and it was close. Frowning he looked out his picture window into a sunny afternoon. There were no thunderstorms predicted that day and Funaho wasn't acting up. The weather outside wasn't right for what he had just heard.
"Tenchi!" he called.
There was no immediate response. Yosho grimaced. "Tenchi," still no response from his wayward grandson. Yosho began to grumble and stood up to find him. The boy had been sweeping the stairs.
There was a faint yet distinct hum to the outside air Yosho felt and heard it as he slid the door open and walked out of the shrine office. The hum was also building, Yosho's arm hairs stood up and his skin puckered.
He found Tenchi at a bend in the shrine stairs, the bend from which you had the clearest view of the house and grounds.
A trail of pale blue electricity jumped with a pop from one crystal to another, fingers branching from the main spar to hit the surface of the lake. Yosho grunted as the thrum died for a few moments smoothing the hairs on his harm. Then it began to start up again building at a louder and faster pace.
The smaller figures of Ryoko and Nagi moved across the boardwalk, indistinct forms could be seen through the windows.
"Well boy?"
"I don't know grandpa," Tenchi leaned on his broom, watching with narrowed eyes and hunched shoulders.
"Hmm, then we watch."
--
Washu was struggling against Mihoshi and Ayeka. "Let me go. I have to get out there."
"You might get hurt," Mihoshi tightened her grip, trying to be reasonable with the scientist. "Look at all that electricity. Washu you can't go."
"I won't get hit," Washu snapped. "I have better shields than that."
"Ms. Washu," Ayeka interjected. "We don't even know what is going on here. Think for a moment, if you open that door the electricity will try to get in here."
::Ryoko! Ryoko!:: Washu pounded on the opaque wall between their minds. ::Stop Ryo-ohki!::
Washu stilled, her eyes focused on the floating nude adult figure of Ryo-ohki surrounded by crystals throwing off colored lightning, but in her peripheral vision was a white fuzzy ear.
She grabbed it.
"Chieoaw!" Ken-ohki screamed as he dangled from Washu's fingers.
"Transform this instant, Ken-ohki and tell me what is going on!" She screamed back trying to be heard over the crackling of lightening. The greatest scientific genius in the universe did not like being out of the loop. After vision trails of bright green and blue swam across her vision as she glared at the male cabbit.
::Put me down then!:: Ken-ohki 'shouted.'
Washu dropped him as if scalded, her eyes wide. Ken-ohki took the chance to get a safer distance away from her. A safe decision he felt in Washu's irate condition and phased through the sliding glass doors.
His vision blurred and there was a feeling of disorientation as he transformed. He glared at Washu and moved out of direct line of site rubbing his ear.
"It's a memory protocol," he shouted through the glass, over the lightning induced thunder and the thrums and crackles of Nagi's and Ryoko's energy swords. Saying that, he headed to the end of the dock, ear throbbing.
Ryoko and Nagi passed before the doors blocking everyone's view of Ken-ohki's retreat but Sasami. She giggled, her fertile imagination comparing Ken-ohki in his black clothing to a dark priest directing an elaborate and evil ritual as he stopped at the end of the dock, arms crossed and legs spread shoulder width apart.
Ryoko and Nagi's blades were locked and they stared at each other, creating their own lightning of gold wrapping around the blades. Ryoko forced Nagi back step by step.
The crystals swung using their fattest parts as a fulcrum, individually wreathed in rings of lightning of blue, green, pink, yellow and purple. They stopped needle sharp ends pointing at Ryo-ohki.
Nagi broke the deadlock, throwing Ryoko and her blade back. Ryoko stumbled.
Ryo-ohki rotated once to see that all the crystals were ready. She saw Ken-ohki on the ground watching her, his teeth piercing his lower lip, blood trickling down his jaw. She looked straight into his eyes and smiled.
'Phase three initiated,' she thought. Then the innermost circle of crystals rammed her through.
--
"Ryo-ohki!" voices cried from various parts of the area.
Nagi leaned sideways and snap kicked high at Ryoko, who caught her ankle and spun her to the ground.
Ayeka's hands covered Sasami's eyes and the crystals poured one circle at a time into Ryo-ohki. All Sasami could do was listen as Washu moaned. Mihoshi and Ayeka's intakes of breath were even less enlightening.
--
'I am a portal, a doorway. I cannot be harmed. I am the path, the way to the goal. Pain and the appearance of pain is an illusion. I scream because it is the only response I can give to what I am feeling.
'I scream as the intensity of this feeling sweeps away what I am, who I am. I have no choice and the darkness...
'I am...
'I am Ryo...
'Ryo-ohki.
'I am a Nekoian cabbit. My job is to serve and protect my sister, Ryoko.
'I am the mate of Ken-ohki, the mother of our children and the love of his life as he is the love of mine.
'I am the creation of Washu, her daughter and child.
'I am Ryo-ohki and I am whole.'
--
Ken-ohki caught Ryo-ohki as she fell from the blue sky and cradled her in his arms. There were no blemishes on her skin or blood drying to show that over a thousand crystals had pierced her body.
Ryoko laid her sword across the prone Nagi's throat. Nagi grinned and grabbed Ryoko's arms again and switched their positions, her own sword now across Ryoko's throat and her legs pinning Ryoko in place.
Ryoko closed her eyes and took deep breaths to try and fill her starving lungs, sweat dried on her forehead.
The door squeaked open letting Washu and the others tumble out from their observation posts. They ignored the two combatants and gathered around Ken-ohki as he glided towards the house.
Washu reached towards Ryo-ohki. "Let me take her."
Ken-ohki brought Ryo-ohki closer to his chest. "Ryo's fine, she just needs a few hours of rest to recuperate."
"Ryo-ohki has been run through by silicon based crystals, of course she needs her rest." Washu couldn't rein in her sarcasm. "I need to run tests to see if she is going to come out of her rest."
"Ryo-ohki," Sasami moaned and ran her hand down the girl's arm.
"This is a reaction that is well within parameters and she should not only remain stable for the next few hours, but improve by significant margins after that." Ken-ohki shoved Washu aside and bumped Sasami ahead of him into the house. "She'll be hungry." He turned sideways as not to clip Ryo-ohki's head or feet as he went across the threshold.
Washu gritted her teeth and stomped in after him. "You may be sure of this..."
"And you should trust me as Ryo does."
"You," Washu accused. "You prodded her into doing this."
"I did no such thing. I gave her the option and the choice was up to Ryo. I would have been sad if my..." He paused, ::word, Nagi?::
::Wife.::
::That's the one, thanks.:: "...wife hadn't decided in this manner, but I've been without her for over 800 years so I guess I would have been without her longer."
Tenchi and Yosho paused at the entrance digesting this information.
"You're wife?" Washu crossed her arms. "Ryo-ohki is supposed to be sterile and I promised the Jurains that I wouldn't help anyone. How can I do that if you two can make little cabbits together!"
Ken-ohki sighed. "Well, extra infusions of MASU tend to change that and they determine our sex. And technically you didn't help us, Ryoko did."
Washu spun and glared at her daughter. Ryoko looked up from her position leaning against the wall. She shrugged and took a sip of water that Sasami had given her. The silence lengthened as Washu switched her gaze between Ryoko, Ken-ohki and Nagi.
Everyone jumped as the sudden scream of engines as Yagami entered its berth under the lake. Kiyone materialized on the dock near the door and slipped between Tenchi and Yosho who were still standing at the door. She was still dressed in her uniform and as she gazed around the room her face became more and more confused.
"I think I missed something."
--
END CHAPTER!
Poor Kiyone... more questions on top of the one's she already have. . . Next Time Interrogations Part Three... does it ever end!
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