Rescue from Limbo
Chapter 2: No Need for Yuunigata!
By claudius
===============================================================
I don't own anything. Tenchi Muyo (created by Masaki Kajishima and Yusoke Kuroda) is owned by AIC. This version of Limbo (created by Chris Claremont) is owned by Marvel Comics.
===============================================================
For the normal eye, there exist barriers that hide away different worlds and dimensions. For one of more phenomenal eyesight, these layers broke down one by one. Such was the ability of the beholder Tsunami. She had to find Tenchi.
She was warned of such a happening. From the beginning of Tenchi's departure for the Terran body known as the United States, the goddess had a strange sense of danger. It happened with most of her visions, subconsciously shared by Sasami. Hours ago, Tenchi was missing from his native plane of existence. The testimony of Washu revealed that the realm of Limbo was now hidden from everyone's view. Whereas Washu, Ryoko, Ayeka, and Mihoshi believed that this cloaked dimension served as a clue to Tenchi's whereabouts, Tsunami felt otherwise. Some inner doubt within her instincts viewed that he must be elsewhere.
So she traveled through the multiverse, looking for her champion. Unfortunately, the search was so far unfruitful; her connections with Tenchi were severed and difficult to reattach. Her knowledge realized that this loss was probably not accidental.
With sudden contemplation did Tsunami wonder why she thought this disappearance was caused and not a twist of fate. Answers were forming in her head from an unknown source. Truth was revealed. Words appeared full of sinister meaning.
Limbo.
Yuunigata...
The breath of the goddess paused in knowledge of that name's possessor.
She must find Tenchi immediately!
===
In what looked like a normal Japanese living room, there was a table. Three girls from outer space ate at one side of it. At the other end of the table was a boy munching his food from a bowl in his hand.
This boy was looked upon by two of the girls, as if his very appearance gave a clue to their pondering thoughts. (Mihoshi was busy chomping food, though this scribe believes that she would probably have looked on as well) All their dark pessimism on what happened to Tenchi had been proven wrong, or it appeared to be. It seemed a new mystery had come to the greater mystery that sent the three girls to this god-forsaken land. Back home, news that Tenchi had vanished led Ryoko, Ayeka, and Mihoshi to teleporting into the dimension called Limbo. They entered a demon war, combating its soldiers. Ryoko conquered one of them, and this critter led them to this facsimile of the Masaki House. Inside this house was Tenchi.
Tenchi was alone. No New Mutants were with him (which meant in the girls' minds there was no Illyana). He ate comfortably, isolated from the apprehensions and worry that marked his friends' emotions. His features gave no evidence of some harrowing experience. That was probably a good thing, thought Ayeka, as well as Ryoko. But it was not enough for them to feel contented security. Progressively, their suspicious stares found some new things about their beloved's appearance.
For one thing, Tenchi's poker face appeared a little too calm. His behavior was also strange. Ayeka and Ryoko remembered well the last time Tenchi was lost to them; their hearts memorized the reunion. Tenchi reciprocated every embrace with warmth and happiness. Never was there a more hearty reunion!
The reunion of the present now contrasted with the one from the past. Tenchi gave no expression to his returning family. No arms to embrace, no hands to hold, no tears to portray love. He gave the same expression he had at present. It was pretty disturbing. The face had no sign of fear, but there was no warmth either. It was cold. He had become a metaphor to this strange replica of the Masaki residence. It looked like their Tenchi, but he lacked something.
Before she wanted to say any questions, Ayeka wished she could speak to Washu. But the lady scientist was absent. She was also out of touch, as no communication could be made. With this advisor missing, Ayeka decided to commit the next priority. She stilled, wondering if it was the right thing. She gained composure. "Tenchi?"
The boy gave no notice, continuing his meal. Ayeka ignored this and resumed her words. "Why is our home here?"
"I thought a setting of familiarity would be nice," Tenchi spoke without looking at the person he was replying toward.
"But how?" asked Ayeka.
"This place is my reality."
Ayeka arose from her seat. Ryoko followed her as well. "There's something wrong here," cried the Princess.
"You're completely right!" Mihoshi was in full support, though she lacked her friends' stance. "Where are the ramen noodles!" she asked Tenchi.
Ayeka deflated after this idiotic remark, but she quickly restored herself. She spoke with a harder approach. "Where are Illyana and Amara, and the other New Mutants?"
Tenchi gently dropped his chopstick. "They're dead." He spoke nonchalantly.
His reaction was strongly contrasted by the girls. Tenchi would not have acted so softly to anyone's demise.
Keeping strength, Ayeka continued. "You don't seem too distressed about it."
Now it would have made Ryoko happy to hear that blond bitch was dead, but Tenchi's cool response to it was so unlike him. This wasn't the boy she loved. She decided to screw Ayeka's subtle approach, slamming her foot upon the table. "Okay, game's over!" she shouted with a command that had to be obeyed. "Where's Tenchi?"
The person they thought was Tenchi stood up. He looked very patient to the potential onslaught before him. "Why Ryoko, I don't know what you mean?"
"Can the bullshit!" Ryoko threw her accusatory finger. "No way you're Tenchi!"
The accused made a breath that was full of boredom. Despite that, his calm face refused to crack. "Well, I guess this dinner is over. To tell you the truth, this reunion wasn't what I thought it would be. Guess I have changed for the better. Too bad none of you have."
At that he began to laugh. This was no resemblance to the cheerful and warm way Tenchi made laughter made in the past. For Ayeka, there was a hint of déjà vu.
The changes they were seeing with Tenchi spread upon the environment, losing all subtlety. The entire structure of the room seemed to dance, refusing to stay the same. Mihoshi stopped eating, moving closely to the Princess, fear growing inside her. The dark and emptiness that marked the surroundings increased to a level that was beyond comprehension. Now it was a large hall. It was not very different from the base of Kagato.
The impostor also went through a shift in form. His hair lengthened to a normal Juraian's hair measure. The clothes grew larger and darker. That didn't upset Ryoko or her comrades at any rate. They waited for this impostor's face to change into some grotesque demonic appearance. Soon any remnants of their beloved's face would fade away from this impostor.
But although the hair grew longer, and a small goatee had lined itself around his mouth, it was still the face of Tenchi.
"Surprised?" asked the dark doppelganger.
"Bastard!" Ryoko snapped at this awful distortion. "Get rid of Tenchi's face!"
"Ryoko," Ayeka began to quiver. "I believe that is Tenchi."
Ryoko looked upon the Princess in denial. She failed to see Ayeka's realization. The Pirate did not share the Princess' trove of memories that entered her mind like a ball crashing through a window. This mixture of evil and familiarity brought back an incident from last year. The dream Sasami had one disastrous night. The illusion cast by the Dani Moonstar. The apparition of Tenchi as evil incarnate. That was like a nightmare. Now the bad dream was truly real.
"Yes I am Tenchi," the person remarked. "At least, I was Tenchi. Now I go by a different name- Yuunigata."
The name whittled into the girls' minds with little comfort. The demons they met gave hints to that name. That the beloved boy of their hearts was these creatures'.
Ayeka pressed her fists to her mouth. Ryoko's teeth clenched with growls. The pirate shared the tear-stricken Mihoshi's denial. "This can't be true."
Finally did a smile curve on Yuunigata's mouth. It looked like much force was given to the curve, as if a smile was never a part of the face for a long time. "Out of old times sake, you can still call me Tenchi."
"Never, dirtbag!" Ryoko shined a sword in her hand. The blade flickered like a dying light. It vanished. Ignoring that warning, Ryoko jumped into the air. Gravity turned against her now, as her feet to return to the ground. "What the?" Surprise morphed upon her face. "My powers!?"
"They are no longer operative," Yuunigata interrupted, walking closer to the girls with smug security. Ryoko kept throwing her arms, unleashing nothing. "The moment you entered my abode," spoke Yuunigata, "I used certain items to help me cast a major spell upon this region, one that gives nullification to any who share your phenomenal abilities. Consider it insurance. Any who face me will have to confront me.without their natural strength."
Ayeka heard this, but it didn't keep her reflexes from going through the motions of creating a shield. Her reflexes materialized nothing. This was proven when slimy tentacles wrapped around her arms. She was pulled backwards, bumping back into something. She flinched as her body rubbed against something organic, moist, and furry.
Ryoko was just as surprised. She too was jumped by a demon out of nowhere. This one had four arms. Two of its appendages clamped Ryoko's hands, while the other two secured her feet. The demon spread those arms wide, while her legs were closed together.
And Yuunigata did nothing. In fact, he was tranquil to see these two girls neutralized.
The only one left unattended took out her gun. Mihoshi's aim was upon the target, but a solid stance was not within the blonde's ability. Rather, a jiggling motion had taken over her body, with a face that streamed with tears. "Please, T-Tenchi!" she cried to the man she loved. "D-Don't make me hurt you!"
Yuunigata gave no attention to the police officer. With a snap of his fingers, a flood of demons came between him and her, all directed to the latter. At that moment, Mihoshi's courage also took a departure, leading her to a speedy retreat.
Her ghastly following also went after her. Of this group, a winged demon flew closest to the retreating girl. It looked like a vulture, with a bat's face in place of a bird's, with scales instead of feathers. Its talons made a quick and forceful grab upon the poor girl's shoulders. The grab was so great that Mihoshi's legs left the ground, flying straight into the vulture-beast's head. The metallic shoes on her feet made impact with its face, which must have hurt a lot. Now devoid of all consciousness, the vulture-demon remained fastened to Mihoshi, but lost its ability to keep afloat. As it so happened, when the demon took Mihoshi from the ground, it flew through a hole in the wall, hoping to return. The accident had changed that course. Ryoko and Ayeka could only listen as their friend screamed as she fell to her possible end.
"Please!" Ayeka cried mercy to Yuunigata. "Save her!"
Yuunigata pondered the events a little. "Mihoshi.dead?" It ended quickly. "Oh well." He went on to other priorities that suited him better. Without one look at his Pirate captive, Yuunigata asked for Ryoko's keepers to leave him. A portal ripped open through the reality. The horde marched into it, removing their struggling captive.
Despite every reluctance, Ayeka screamed out her rival's name. Then she saw the hand of Yuunigata ram into her face.
===
Ayeka awoke. Moving, she found herself retrained. Her arms and legs were chained to a floor. Getting a closer look at the platform, Ayeka saw the floor was marked like a pentagram. The metal links clicked and clanked, as her manacled wrists and ankles pulled against the chain.
At the other side of her view, Ayeka saw her captor. "Tenchi? Why are you committing this?"
Yuunigata stood over her, with no happiness or sadness for his actions. "Because I have use for Ryoko. You are more expendable, though no less important to me."
Words like that would have warmed the Princess' heart, had they came from the boy she knew and loved. But this Tenchi made it sound like a joke. "Please stop this! If not for me, then do it for yourself."
Yuunigata yawned. "Ayeka, I'm much better now. Please don't make me remember those times of embarrassment."
"Those times.but I loved you!"
These words did not harm Yuunigata. He just moaned. "Ayeka, your ideas of love are illusory. Your feelings for me were based on nothing more than unrequited love for Yosho. You were unable to have him, so you chose me as a substitute."
"That's not true!" Ayeka protested, pain rushing into her for saying those words. "I love you.despite Yosho."
Yuunigata kept his bored face, but a tense emotion came through his eyes. "Feelings like that are dangerous. Pain will only be the sole result for such a path. You must learn your errors!"
His hand took a spidery gesture over the sacrifice. Ayeka could see a great sword appear in Yuunigata's grasp. At first she recognized it as the Tenchi-ken. But it had new properties forged with it. The sight of the weapon picked into the captive Princess' mind, calling out a lost memory. It looked like Illyana's blade.
And it was this weapon that Yuunigata aimed before Ayeka's bosom. "I need a new bloodstone."
Yuunigata dropped his sword on its living source. "And you will give me that."
If the caverns had ears, they would recoil at the sharp scream that occurred.
===
At the bottom of his fortress, a blonde officer was wandering. It was so fortunate that the poor demon that grabbed her also proved a convenient fall breaker!
Now Mihoshi was not one to run away or abandon her friends. Her tear-soaked eyes, and terrified posture would give evidence of the contrary, but she had not made a departure to prove cowardice. However, she knew the trouble in her situation. It was just like being in Soja, where Ryoko and Ayeka were captured while trying to stop Kagato, with herself the only hope! Now Tenchi was against her; her destiny had become a threat to everything!
No matter! Mihoshi composed herself (at least in her mind; her tears were making a waterfall look puny!). She was a Detective of the Galaxy Police, for crying out loud. It was up to her to save everyone from.Tenchi.
She pondered this fact deeply and emotionally. Then, after slapping her face a few times (making her cry "ouch!" a few times), Mihoshi felt herself ready for anything.
And then the space in front of her ripped open. With a trigger-happy reflex, Mihoshi pulled out her blaster. She looked away. "Halt! Don't make a move.or I'll hurt you!"
She heard some moans. Her fearing eyes taking on curiosity, she looked at her new opponent.
Lying on the ground was a woman. She had long blond hair. Her only garment appeared to be a long green-blue shirt that had been torn to shreds. The freedom of this lady's bare legs contrasted with her hands, imprisoned by a glowing block. She looked very beautiful, though her eyes appeared to give out a truer ugliness.
Groaning, the blonde looked at Mihoshi. Her face grew angry.
"Make haste, dolt!" screamed the woman. "Destroy these restraints!"
Mihoshi followed suit. Her blaster made short work of the chains.
The woman flung her arms wildly, celebrating her freedom with orgasmic fervor.
"Excuse me," Mihoshi decided to interrupt this dance. "Who are you?"
The emancipated woman made no attention to those words. However, she expected attention from Mihoshi. "Tell me of this abode," she spoke with rude arrogance.
"Limbo."
The woman's cruel eyes grew pressured. So she had not escaped this hell as of yet! At least she was now free of that witchchild's humiliating hold. "Time doth not give me advantage. Tell me then of this realm's lord."
Mihoshi gained some courage. "W-well, I thought it was Tenchi, but now its someone who once was Tenchi, or is Tenchi?"
By the arrival's impatient expressions, it appeared she understood what kind of a person Mihoshi was. "No matter!" interrupted the new rival. "Shall you acknowledge me your person?"
With a flicker from her eyes, Mihoshi asked a different reply. "What did you say?"
The arrival glared at her new companion. She spoke again with great composure. "I meant what is your title?"
"Huh?"
The woman kept a straight face, which was now right next to the detective's face. "What.is.your.name?"
"Oh, my name is Mihoshi!" She smiled with a giggle.
The arrival had a repulsed look on her face. What Norn brought her with this one of low quality? Quickly did the woman choose resolve instead of revulsion. Considering the demonic forces that inhabited this realm, having one ally was her best chance.
"Well, dim one of golden hair, know me as Amora, the Enchantress!" The woman then threw her arms upwards. Her fingers dappled for mystical energies to link with. Nothingness was what she tapped into.
"Odin's beard! What madness is this?!"
"Oh, I think Tenchi neutralized anyone's power from this world," explained Mihoshi.
Amora made a very sullen face. "Incompetent Norns." she slurred.
She began to move, her movements did not escape the notice of the girl who granted her freedom. "Wait!" cried the detective. Mihoshi darted after the Enchantress, tears splattering her face. "Please! I need your help!"
The Enchantress groaned. Lost in this mad dimension, with powers alienated from her being, and she had to rely on this blockhead for help? This must have been a joke of Loki's. Oh, how that shame of a Frost Giant's child was going to pay.
===
Yuunigata shared the eyes of every demon under his control. The ones that he ordered to reclaim Mihoshi's corpse were no exception. They found nothing. This meant she had escaped. His servants would pay. Literally did his thoughts create a punishment to those failed demons. He mourned nothing from them.
This woman was an unknown factor in his plans. Her luck may play a dangerous effect. But she cannot escape. Escape from the realm was impossible. This place could be their only whereabouts.
This prediction contented Yuunigata. He had other matters to attend to. Already his dark conquest of this alternate version of his kingdom was pressing smoothly, his demon elites massacring and overthrowing Illyana's maladroit subjects. Now he had a new bloodstone for his medallion. Once both these plans were completed, this Limbo's Earth will be under his authority. Then his Earth will be next.
===============================================================
TO BE CONTINUED
===============================================================
NEXT TIME: The origin of Yuunigata!
