Night After the Carnival
Chapter 13

Z sat quietly in the darkened building.

Beside him lay the still unconscious detective first class.

He wondered how everyone else was doing.

A small feeling of guilt came over him at not being next to Ryoko as she faced danger.

But Tenchi was with her so he knew that no harm would come to her.

Tenchi would see to that.

So with nothing more to do he sat about trying to make Mihoshi as comfortable as he could.

After a few moments he managed to find a blanket and pillow for her.

He spread the blanket over her then as gently as he could he lifted her head and placed the pillow under it.

He sat down on the floor next to her bed.

" I am sorry." He whispered.

He reached up and brushed away a small part of honey blonde hair from her face.

He wasn't sure why but he suddenly longed to hear her laughter again.

To once more be able to look into her brilliant blue eyes.

He reached into his pocket and took out his lute.

He placed it to his lips and began to play a light-soothing tune.

It didn't take the people of the planet Jurai long to find out that the first crown prince had returned and saved them.

One by one they dug themselves out of the rubble and made there way to the palace to see for themselves.

Soon the streets where filled with people.

Some of them ran up to the palace when they saw some of the Royal knights once again standing at the front gates.

"Is it true?" they shouted. " Is the first crown prince finally returned to us?"

The knights did not answer but instead they just looked up at the palace.

The Crowd followed their looks to a large balcony.

Standing alone was Yosho.

Down below he could see people pointing up at him he could hear the voices call out

"Look."

Soon the sound of clapping began to grow followed by an ever-growing volume of cheers.

Yosho raised his hand, the now horde of people fell silent.

He looked over the mass of life.

" Our people are once again free! The Greeks have been destroyed."

The crowd erupted in cheers.

In the sky above them the flagship Tsunami lowered down from the stars to hover just over the palace.

On either side of Yosho materialized Washu and Sasami.

Washu surveyed the scene and smiled.

" So things went well I see."

Yosho nodded. " The queens are being treated by the best healers we have they are expected to be just fine."

He turned away from the crowd and started for the door.

" There is still very much to be done, come I am sure you want to see the queens."

Z stopped playing when he saw her eyelids began to lightly move.

He took her hand into his.

"Miss Mihoshi?"

"Are you ok?" she whispered.

Her voice sounded so weak to his ears.

Her eyes had slowly opened to stare into his.

He smiled at her.

" Yes miss Mihoshi you saved us all."

She closed her eyes again.

" I was just trying to save you."

Z felt her hand go limp in his.

"Miss Mihoshi?"

he gently shook her hand.

" Miss Mihoshi??"

He squeezed her hand tighter.

" I am sorry." he lowered his head to cry.

On the other side of the galaxy Tokimi clutched her chest.

A small tear ran down her cheek as a feeling of grief surged thru her.

" Now he has known loss."

The tear fell from her face to disappear in a glittering of lights.

" Just like I have." She looked up for a moment.

Once again looking into the future and once again her visions clouded the outcome of what she had worked so hard to make happen.

Her mind started to entertain the idea that maybe she could not see because the outcome did not hold good for her.

"So what if they kill me, it would still be a release from this."

She phased from sight.

The crowd was still gathered in front of the palace when a large explosion shook the ground under them.

They quickly turned to see what was happening now.

Some screaming and running for fear that there were still enemy troops shooting at them.

Kiyone ran out onto the balcony to see what that explosion was all about.

Her eyes were drawn to a large ball of power heading towards the edge of the crowed.

She put her hand over her eyes to get a better look.

The ball had moved right to the edge of the people.

Kiyone watched as the crowed parted to make room for the power.

Her eyes went wide as she saw the form inside the ball.

"Noooo!" She jumped up and raced off the balcony into the palace below.

One of the Juran's in the crowed slowly stepped back to give the ball of power room move.

He saw inside a knight of Jurai, in his arms he carried the body of a young woman.

He saw that the woman was a member of the galaxy police.

The man looked closer at the knight the dirt had left lines on his cheeks that his tears had not washed away.

He bowed as they passed.

"WASHU!" Kiyone shouted as she rushed into the recovery room of the Queens.

"Mihoshi has been hurt really bad."

Washu quickly followed Kiyone out of the room.

The others closely on her heels.

But when they reached the courtyard he was not there.

"Where is he!" Kiyone yelled,

"Who are you looking for miss Kiyone?"

"Azaka." She hadn't seen the wooden guardian floating there.

" Where did Z go?"

" He went into there."

The log moved slightly to his left.

" That is where Tsunami's tree is." Sasami answered their questioning looks.

Kiyone ran off towards the building.

She raced inside but there was only a long hallway with another door at the opposite end.

She saw that the other door was slightly open still.

With out missing a beat she ran for the door.

Carefully she entered; she was in awe at the sight before her.

The entire royal trees where alive with lights.

Slowly she walked over to one of the rounded pads that were on the floor.

She felt her body become lighter, then the view around her changed.

She was just behind Z who was bowed down on one knee.

In front of z lay the body of Mihoshi.

She started to walk forward but stopped as Z began to speak.

" Goddess Tsunami I know that I have not followed you faithfully.

But I beg you.

If you can look past my faults and grant me this one request."

He stopped for a moment before he continued.

" This woman is so special the galaxy will be a much darker place without her.

If the gods require a life."

In his hand he formed a small energy dagger.

" Then I offer mine in place of hers."

" No Z you cant." Kiyone stepped forward to stop him.

He raised the blade up to his chest.

" Miss Kiyone I know you do not want her to come back."

She stopped in her tracks.

" You have said several times that just knowing her was one of the worst things that could have happened to you."

Kiyone suddenly felt weak.

She slipped down to her knees.

The tears again flowed down his cheeks. " I do not feel that way."

Kiyone found herself remembering every mean thing she had said to her partner.

For the first time she looked at how her words had always brought such looks of hurt from Mihoshi.

" I was wrong.

I said those things because I wanted to be like her."

Tears started to run down her face.

" No matter how much I yelled at her she was always right by my side."

"Then you do want Miss Mihoshi back?"

" Yes dam it I want her back."

She looked up at the back of Z's head.

"But not at the cost of another life."

She reached out and put a hand on his shoulder.

" She died a hero."

Z's head sank, the blade in his hand vanished.

Again he looked upon her smooth tan face.

Slowly he kneeled closer to her.

He closed his eyes and gently pressed his lips against hers.

" For saving my life I give you my first kiss."

Gently he pressed his lips to hers.

"Jurai will never forget what you have done for them this day...... I will see to that"

"Well at least let me look at her first." Washu broke the silence.

The two got up and moved away from the body.

" Tenchi told me about what happened at the field."

She bent down and started to closely examine Mihoshi.

After a few moments and several pokes later she stood up.

" Just as I thought."

" What is it lady Washu?" Z asked.

" She is not dead."

They both jumped. "What?!" they spoke in unison.

" She used all of her power to save you." She crossed her arms

" Well who would have thought Mihoshi had power."

Washu turned to the rest of the group

" She is going to need to rest."

" But lady Washu I could not feel her heart."

" Z she is very close to death. So I guess that her body shut down to protect itself from further harm."

The words swam around and around in Z's mind.

She is not dead.

"Come on this is no place for her lets get her someplace she can rest more comfortable."

Z picked her back up and followed Washu out of the temple.

Over the next week the planet began to rebuild and most of the gang found themselves swapped with things to do.

Galaxy police headquarters had contacted Kiyone.

She spent the next four days in a room of top police brass being subjected to a very intense line of questioning.

Once it was all over her and Mihoshi where to receive galaxy polices top honor for valor and bravery.

The next couple of days after that she went out to help the people of Jurai in rebuilding.

Late one evening after she had come back from the city.

She sat down completely exhausted.

On the small desk in her room lay the medal she had earned.

She picked it up and looked at it.

There was a time not so long ago that something like this would have meant everything to her.

But now looking at it there was no satisfaction in it.

Her partner......and friend was lying in a bed gravely wounded.

"Mihoshi when you get better we will find your grandfather."

She put the medal back in its box

" I promise."

Funaho and Masaki had recovered fully from there fight with D3.

But their work had only just started.

With the king slain the people looked to them to lead.

They along with Yosho and Sasami were in counsel with the elders of the other families.

The rebuilding process was a monumental task that took up it seemed like every waking moment of there time.

But still even as busy as they were they found a few moments to check in on Ayeka and Mihoshi.

Washu on the other hand was stretched to her limits.

She would go for days with no sleep only to get back up and start all over again.

Her inventions help to speed up the rebuilding of the city.

But most of her time was in monitoring the well being of the two girls.

Of course Jurai had their own healers but she was adamant about being the one in charge of their care.

To put it flatly she just didn't trust anyone to do it better then she could.

In her mind these girls had become her family and she would damn if anyone but her could bring them back.

Inside a small room the two girls lay their beds.

Tenchi sat next to Ayeka and Z was beside Mihoshi.

The two never left their side.

Over to one side was Ryoko; she to hadn't left the room either.

Not because of the two girls be because of Tenchi.

At first she was angry at his devotion to the princess but after some time she began to understand that it didn't matter who was in that bed.

It could be Kiyone or Sasami or even her.

And he would still be there.

So she instead settled herself to just waiting like they where.

The two men never left their side they even ate their meals there.

Of course Sasami insisted that she be the one to cook for the three.

The two boys spent most of their nights in silence.

One such night Tenchi decided that he had thought about it enough and now was as good as time as any.

He looked over at Ryoko once more to make sure she was sleeping.

"Z? Can I ask you something?"

The knight looked over at him. " Of course Lord Tenchi."

Again Tenchi looked over at Ryoko.

" How do you know if you are in love?"

At first Z wasn't sure what to say, " It is hard to say my lord."

"Is that why you came here to find Ryoko?"

Tenchi did not take his eyes off of the knight.

" Yes at first it was."

"Oh then how did you know?"

" Well all the time I was away from her all I could think about was getting back to her.

She was the first thing on my mind when I woke up and she was the last thing I thought about when I went to sleep."

Z could see the disappointment in Tenchi's eyes.

"Have you told her yet?"

Z waited for a moment. " Yes lord Tenchi I did."

"So then I guess."

" Lord Tenchi." Z interrupted him.

" I found out something very important when I told her."

Tenchi just stared at him.

Z smiled " she has already given her heart to someone."

Tenchi's breath stuck in his chest.

" So I guess to answer your question, if you wake up and find that your life is not complete without this person. Then you know you are in love."

Tenchi's eyes came to rest on the still sleeping form of Ryoko.

A small smile began to come over his face.

" So what are you going to do now Z?"

"Lady Ryoko is happy so for me that is all I can ask."

He looked down at Mihoshi " I am sure one day love will find me again."

He took out his lute.

" Z?"

"Yes."

" Do you think it is possible to love more then one?"

Z thought about this for a few minutes.

" Anything is possible after all the king loved both his Queens of that I am sure."

Z began to play the tune Tenchi remembered at the picnic.

He got up and went over to Ryoko.

Trying not to wake her he pulled the blanket over her.

Washu had fallen asleep on one of the beds in the many guest rooms in the palace.

She had just finished putting in a machine to restore water to one part of the city.

With a quick look in on the girls she had found a nice quite spot to catch up on some much needed rest.

But her sleep was short lived.

"Washu." She slowly opened one eye.

" Go away I am trying to sleep."

" Washu."

She slowly opened up her other eye with every intention of giving this person a very nasty piece of her mind.

But instead she swallowed her irritation when she saw Tsunami standing before her.

Tsunami's eyes met Washu's and she smiled.

Washu stared back for a moment, when the realization of why the goddess was there set in Washu smiled back at her.

"Ok show me what it is you need to show me."

It wasn't long before Washu found herself standing deep into the heart of the Jurai palace.

The multi generation of Royal trees where spread out all around her.

Tsunami moved to the trunk of her great tree.

" When we first arrived in this universe we were both very weak.

We had to hide our powers so she would not be able to find us."

She turned to look at Washu " you sealed yours into three gems."

Washu just looked at her, none of this she could remember,

" Why do I not remember any of this?"

" It was your idea to block your memory so no one would find out."

Tsunami opened a portal into the trunk of the great tree.

Both ladies stepped thru the portal and into the chamber beyond.

It was single room with only a short slender pedestal in the center.

On top of the stand was a ruby red crystal; in the heart of the crystal a small glow of light pulsed.

Tsunami stood next to the glowing object.

"You locked your memories, like your powers in a gem."

Washu walked up to the pedestal, without knowing how she knew she reached into the crystal and removed the glowing gem inside.

The gem sensing its owner reacted with a burst of dazzling red light

Washu screamed out, as a lifetime of memories was flooded into her mind.

When the gems light finally died out Washu was on her knees.

She was no longer in her younger form instead she was a full-grown woman.

Several minutes passed while Washu slowed her breathing and started to regain her composer.

Slowly she stood up " we have got to get everyone together."

She laid the now dull dead gem back on the stand

" We are all in very grave danger."

So we have come to the end of another chapter. First off I would like to apologize. I said this was going to be the last chapter, which is started out to be. But once I wrote it I soon realized that I could not wrap up everything and it not looked rushed. So I guess you will be treated to a few more chapters. Oh and if anyone would like to volunteer to proofread for me I would really be thankful. My other proofreader has not returned any of my work in several months so I take it that he has either become to busy or just decided that he did not want to do it any more. But I am glad for the help he did offer while he could. Oh yeah and you thought I was going to kill off Mihoshi didn't you??? He he well ya did didn't ya. Well I happen to really like Mihoshi so like z I really feel that the Tenchi world would be a much darker place without her. So until the next chapter happy reading.

Like always any comments go to animal20200@hotmail.com