Final Moments

Puck began pacing back and forth in front of the control area; his muscles were tense as he waited to press a single button. As soon as he heard Ryoko's voice, he promised himself that he would teleport her back onto the ship as quickly as he could. He paced behind his sister, wondering and praying that his Ryoko would be alright.

His sister; who was sitting in her favorite chair sipping some green tea from her flowered-painted, china cup; had a bright smirk on her lips as she watched him pace around the ship. "Why are you so worried dear brother?" Eriko asked in a sly voice. "She will get us that treasure…Do not fret about that…" Leaning back, she gave her brother a smug look from her comfortable chair, "That filthy rat is impossible to kill, she always keeps springing back."

Not listening to a word she had said, Puck continued to pace near the control area of the ship; silently telling himself that Ryoko would be okay. Please let her come back in one piece…The space pirate hovered around the teleportation device, waiting to swiftly press the button to get his love back on the ship. It had already been twenty minutes since she had gone down to the planet; it took them both twenty-five minutes to be outnumbered the day before last. I can't lose her…Puck scowled at the main screen hoping to see something, but all he saw was dust and sand dunes…nothing more.

Eriko was noticing his odd behavior, she was wondering why he was acting so differently now. "What ails you, dear brother?" she could not understand why he was so worried about some treasure. For once, the softer side of her was showing; Eriko gave her only relative a concerned look, "Puck?"

This love is what ails me…and you are just adding to my pain…Puck wished he could tell his sister the truth, but he knew what she would say to this little secret he was hiding from her. "You must let her go after this-she has done all that you have asked, Eriko…" he sighed loudly as he stopped pacing a few feet behind his sister.

His sister's soft look hardened, "What are you talking about?" she half laughed at him. Eriko's eyes widened when she realized what the matter with her brother was, "Do you remember what happened to Charlotte?" she snarled at Puck.

Of course he remembered what had happened to his beloved Charlotte, she was-I won't let that happen again…Puck glared at his sister with hatred in his eyes; he did not reply to his sister's question-she knew that he had gotten her message.

"Lose your attraction to her before she ends up being like Charlotte," Eriko unpocketed a long blade from the side of her right black leather boot and placed it on her lap. "If you don't finish it-I will for you…" she snapped as she drank the rest of her tea silently.

The two remained silent on the ship; not wanting to discuss anything unless they would have to. When forty minutes had passed, Puck was ready to transport himself down there to help Ryoko out. Thankfully, he heard Ryoko's voice on the main screen, "I have the treasure," her voice relaxed Puck's uptight mind.

Twenty seconds later, Ryoko appeared in the center of the ship with three leather bags swung over her back. There was a faint smile on her lips as she dropped the bags onto the floor. From afar, Ryoko looked in pretty good shape-apart from the torn clothing-from being cornered by twenty monsters. But as Puck drew closer to her, he could see the faint bruises and the deep cuts embedded into her pale skin.

Puck was at ease though, she was alive…Ryoko was in fair condition-or so he thought. There was an urge for him to go to Ryoko's side, but he was stopped by his sister when she left her chair to move towards the ex space pirate. In fear, Puck remained behind his sister, watching Ryoko with a faint smile on his lips also.

"So you actually did it…" Eriko sounded half amazed by this feat that Ryoko had performed. "You really are one of the greatest space pirates in the galaxies-well done Ryoko." Eriko's silver sword swiped one of the bags, making it spill all of its contents out onto the floor. "Now we are almost even," she laughed pleasingly as she went over to the control area again.

There wasn't much energy left in Ryoko; her knees were buckling as she used her strength to remain standing; she could barely stay conscious. But rage surged through her body when she had heard Eriko's laughter, "ALMOST?!" Ryoko cried out. "I've done everything-you promised me that I was done after this!!" Grinding her teeth, Ryoko tried to control her surging anger but the pain from her wounds only stopped her from trying to strangle Eriko. Closing her eyes in pain, she could feel herself becoming weaker by the minute. Ryoko's voice wasn't as strong as it used to be, "You promised…Eriko…"

Without turning to face her enemy, Eriko kept her eyes on the main screen of the ship, "Your Tenchi is coming soon to rescue you-or Ayeka…I'm forcing him to choose between you two…" Puck could see the malicious grin on his sister's face; she was not his sister anymore… As if she knew that her brother was watching her movements, Eriko pointed to the cell door with her index finger. "Lock her in with the princess until he comes…" she ordered in a dark voice.

Solemnly, Puck went over to Ryoko to see something he did not want to see…blood was dripping onto the floor from the tips of her fingertips. He gave her a frightened look, but Ryoko mouthed "Do not worry" to him. Carefully Puck helped her to the cell; she could barely make it to the cell door without falling down.

When the cell door was opened, Ayeka opened her mouth to yell at Puck but saw Ryoko, who was badly beaten and bruised, enter the cell with him. Puck had a defeated look in his eyes; he stood at the doorway for a few seconds until he had to close the door on them. That is it…he made a pair of fists with his hands as he watched his sister smugly sit in her chair. This madness must stop here…As Puck went towards his sister, his energy sword appeared in his hands; he would end it somehow… Puck knew that he had two options before him: he would either die trying to save those two girls, or he would triumph over his sister and save the day. He knew what would happen to him, and it would most likely be the former. Still, Puck knew he had to confront his sister sooner or later…before someone he cared about would be killed, when he could have prevented it. "Release them Eriko…" the space pirate snarled at his picturesque sister, "Or I'll make you…"

Ryoko leaned back against the wall holding her ribs in pain; she was dying slowly and painfully. The princess had a pallid complexion as she helped Ryoko onto the uncomfortable bed; she saw blood stains where Ryoko was in terrible pain. "Ryoko?" she whispered to her as the ex space pirate laid her head back onto the hard mattress.

"He's coming…" Ryoko whispered as she closed her eyes; she could finally rest in peace. "Tenchi is coming for you…Ayeka…" slowly she moved her right arm to put pressure on a certain side of her ribs. A cry of pain came from her pallid lips; her ribs were broken and she was eventually going to bleed to death from her wounds; a stream of tears glided down her cheeks.

Even though Ryoko knew that she was going to die, she felt at peace with herself. She had finally found someone who actually loved her in return of her affection, she had accomplished the unbelievable-stealing three times more in one month than her usual, but most of all…Ryoko had realized where she belonged-out in the open, inviting stars of the galaxies. The only regret Ryoko had was that Tenchi should have left for Tokyo sooner; she could have been back in space enjoying the rest of her life. But it doesn't matter now…You can not undue the past.

Ayeka was ready to cry; even though she and Ryoko had always gotten into fights with one another, she was best friends with her. No matter how many times Ayeka had wished for Ryoko to return back to space, she always took her wish back the second she made it. Past all of the fights, they were close friends…who helped each other when they really needed it. Ryoko would never admit that she liked Ayeka even the teensiest bit, but she has saved Ayeka's life many times. When Ayeka was too weak to carry on, there was Ryoko with a headstrong personality charging through life with a drink in her hands. Even though Ryoko did not know it, she had affected everyone's life in different ways…not just Tenchi's normal life. "Lord Tenchi is coming for you too Ryoko," Ayeka knelt down next to her with a smile.

Weakly, Ryoko opened one eye to see Ayeka crying silently next to her, "Just get out of here when you have the chance, Princess…" She smiled painfully to her childhood enemy, "Tenchi has always preferred you more anyways…" Closing her eyes once more, Ryoko's arm fell to the side of the bed as she became unconscious; Ayeka could see blood flowing down her fingers and dripping onto the floor. Ryoko wasn't dead yet, but was just hanging on by a thread… She knew this was the end for her-but she didn't want to let go just yet.

"No…" Ayeka whispered, "Lord Tenchi has always loved you more…" Lowering her head, Ayeka could hear some yelling coming outside of cell's door; in a few moments the yelling died and she heard something slam against the door. "We all love you Ryoko…"

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Ryo-oki soared through the galaxies as fast as she could go; now in ship form, the Masaki household was making their way to where Ryoko and Ayeka were being held captive. Tenchi was controlling the ship; he had a cold look in his eyes as he watched the empty galaxies in front of him. Ryoko was right…I should have believed her. There was something missing in Tenchi's heart now; he felt terrible for what he had done to Ryoko.

In the back of his mind, Tenchi felt as if time was running out for him to save Ryoko; he knew that Eriko would not harm Ayeka until the Juriain family is alerted about their daughter's kidnapping.

Crossing her fingers, Washu tapped diligently into a keyboard trying to find Ryoko's trace in the galaxy. She had determined which galaxy her daughter was in, but not the exact area or planet region. Eriko had covered her tracks quite nicely, but Washu would soon crack the code to find out where Ryoko and Ayeka were being kept.

The younger Juriain Princess watched Tenchi with a different expression; Sasami was confused, frightened, and worried about her sister and Ryoko. What Tenchi had said earlier to Sasami earlier made her think of what would happen to the two; if Tenchi chose to save one…the other would die. Sasami wanted her sister to be saved, but she knew this was going to be the hardest choice for Tenchi…he wanted to save them both so badly. Ayeka had a family, and a sister to spend the rest of her life with, while Ryoko had no one but Tenchi.

Tenchi didn't know who he was going to save; he just couldn't think straight right then. All he was worried about was getting there in time-to save at least one of them. "Keep going Ryo-oki!!" he growled under his breath as he concentrated on finding the planet.

"THERE! I FOUND HER, TENCHI!" Washu called above Tenchi's head from an invisible second floor of the ship. "Ryoko and Ayeka are another twenty minutes away from here! Straight ahead, Tenchi!" Washu's fingers began to burn as she tried to get more details on Ryoko's position on the planet, but the signal on Ryoko was suddenly cut off. "That bitch cut me off…" the mad scientist yelled at her mini computer to try to find the signal again.

A small flame of hope burned in Tenchi's heart, he was going to save them both…no matter what. I owe it to them… "GO RYO-OKI!!" Grinding his teeth, Ryo-oki picked up even more speed to get to the planet before it would be too late.

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"Oh no you don't…" Eriko hummed to herself pleasantly as she pressed a button on the ship's main control panel, "No cheating Tenchi…" Twirling around in her seat, singing softly, she caught a quick glance of her brother in the background behind her. She had obviously not heard her brother the first time, so Puck decided to make his final stand against her.

Puck finally had enough with this game, "You release them right now, Eriko…" he snapped at her with his energy sword in his hands.

She began to laugh, "Did I hear you correctly, dear brother?" Eriko turned her head slightly to see him holding his energy sword. "So you want to play, do you?" she snarled unhappily as she faded away from Puck's sight.

Glancing around, Puck waited for her to pop back into sight; he knew that she would eventually come back. Do this for Ryoko…Puck kept telling himself that to boost his courage.

"Fine…let's play…" Eriko appeared to the right side of Puck with her energy sword in her hands also.

Before Puck could react, Eriko embedded her sword deep into his shoulder. With a twist of her wrist, the energy sword caused even more pain for her brother. After this, the energy sword disappeared from Puck's shoulder, leaving a gaping hole where the sword had been. Eriko expected her brother to stop his rebellion and slink back into a corner of the ship like a wounded dog, but he knocked her back into her chair with a right hook from his good arm.

"I'm not playing this time Eriko!!" Puck snarled back at his sister as she gracefully jumped back up on her feet with her energy sword back in her hands.

Blood was coming from the corner of Eriko's bruised lips, "Well…in that case then…" In a flash, Eriko kicked Puck into the cell's door as hard as she could. Instantly Puck was knocked out when he hit his head on the door; his silver hair began to turn a dark brown at the back of his head. Bending down, Eriko lifted Puck's head up slightly with two of her fingers under his chin, "Unconcious…" she muttered as she quickly lowered his head back on the ship floor. "I'll deal with you later then…"

Stepping over him, the space pirate opened the cell door with her energy sword pointed at Ayeka's pale throat. Ayeka saw Puck's limp body on the floor in front of the cell doorway, tears formed in the princess' eyes. "That's your own brother!" she cried in anger at Eriko, "Your own flesh and blood!"

"Save the lectures for someone who cares, Princess," Eriko snapped as she grabbed Ayeka by the hair and pulled her out of the cell; locking the cell door behind them. "You and I are going to go take a trip to a nice planet, then I'm going to go and grab your friend…" she hissed as the two disappeared from sight.

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"So, this is where you got the last signal?" Tenchi asked Washu as the three stared at a bright, rusted-colored planet.

Washu nodded silently, That was the last signal before that bitch Eriko cut me off… "Yes…" she muttered unhappily.

There was a beeping sound from Washu's computer just as a small screen appeared in front of their faces. "You decided to come after all…" Eriko smirked pleasingly as she coughed some sand out of her mouth. "Here is the deal Tenchi… You pick one of these lovely gals, and you can go back to Earth. I will never come and darken your doorway again…"

Something didn't feel right to Tenchi about Eriko's promise, "What happens to the other one if I don't pick her?!" he wasn't liking this one bit.

"Oh…Silly me," Eriko giggled, "The loser you might say…loses their head…" Her emerald-hued eyes glowed brilliantly as she watched Tenchi become frustrated with her.

"You won't get away with this…" Sasami was on the verge of tears as she clung to Washu, frightened to death.

Beaming, Eriko winked to Tenchi, "Don't bring anyone else with you when you come down, or I'll kill them both-" With that being said, Eriko cut off the connection with Ryoko's ship. She glanced over her right shoulder to someone kneeing on the sand with their hair covering their face, "I think that went well…don't you think, Ryoko?"

The rough, rusty sand around Ryoko was no longer that color, it was black and wet. "Let Ayeka go…she has nothing to do with this Eriko…" Ryoko did not move from her position in the sand; her hands were tied behind her back, her legs were tied in three places, and Eriko had her energy sword pointed in her direction. At least let her live this ordeal…

"Hmm…them me think about that for a moment…" Eriko tapped her index finger on her porcelain-like chin, "No thanks." Slashing the air with her sword, Eriko began humming to herself as she waited for Tenchi to come for the girls. "If Tenchi chooses Ayeka, he won't be able to protect her from thirty of those creatures…and if he chooses you-he'll have to get through me. Either way, Tenchi will die and so will you…"

From far away, Eriko and Ryoko could hear Ayeka's screams across the rusty sand dunes. The princess was tied to a post, an inch off of the sand, waiting to be eaten by those dog-like creatures. "SOMEBODY HELP ME! THIS IS RUINING MY DRESS!!" Ayeka cried out to anyone who would listen to her pleas.

Ryoko lifted her head slightly; she saw Eriko's bruised and bloody chin and lips. So Puck tried to attack you too…A tear rolled down her cheek, Puck…Turning her head away, Ryoko just wanted Eriko to end her life right there. It wasn't worth living when all her loved ones are gone…Ryoko did not want to be all alone again. Just end it now…

"In about thirty seconds your precious Tenchi will be coming down here to save one of you….and in that same time, I'll release those creatures on Ayeka and chop your head off. How does that sound?" Eriko took a step closer to Ryoko, and then paused for a moment before the space pirate kicked her in the back.

Coughing up sand, Ryoko continued to let Eriko push her around without thinking about it. Finally Eriko became bored when Ryoko did not try to fight back or scream in pain, she dropped Ryoko back onto the sand just as Tenchi Masaki appeared a few feet away from them. "Took you long enough…" Eriko mumbled under her breath as she smiled brightly to Tenchi.

Glancing around, Tenchi spotted Ayeka off in the distance screaming about her ruined dress. The Light Hawk Wings sword appeared in Tenchi's hands, the shimmering blue energy sword glowed brighter due to Tenchi's overwhelming anger. "Release them Eriko!!"

The space pirate snorted with laughter, "You have no idea how many people have said those exact words to me this week!" Her emerald-hued eyes shined as she took a step towards Tenchi, "Like I said earlier…you have a choice between your princess or your space pirate. If you don't choose quickly enough, they both will die by my hands or theirs."

Theirs? What in the world is she talking about?! Tenchi suddenly heard Ayeka let out a high-pitched scream. "LORD TENCHI!!" Swiftly, Tenchi turned to see horrid dog-like creatures off in the distance heading directly towards Ayeka. "SAVE ME LORD TENCHI!!" This just got terribly worse than I had planned for…

"Tick-tock…" Eriko gave Tenchi a menacing smile as she turned back on Ryoko, aiming her sword at Ryoko's neck. Effortlessly, Eriko snatched Ryoko up by the neck, slowly choking her in the process as she raised her energy sword to make the final blow.

Tenchi's mind was racing, SHIT-SHIT-SHIT! THINK TENCHI! THINK! Just as he took a step towards Ryoko, Ayeka let out another scream for Tenchi-forcing him to stop in his tracks.

Out of no where, someone appeared right behind Eriko and tried to take a swipe at her with their energy sword. In an instant, Eriko dropped Ryoko onto the sand and turned to defend herself from her attacker. A silver-haired pirate glanced over his shoulder to look at Tenchi, "Save Ayeka from those things-I'll take care of my sister…"

Without another word, Tenchi bolted across the sand dunes to go and rescue Ayeka from the blood hungry creatures. "I'M COMING AYEKA!!" Tenchi yelled as he slid down a sand dune and landed a foot in front of her. A moment later, two creatures lay dead on the desert sand.

"I should have just killed you!!" Puck's sister snarled as she dodged a strike made by her younger brother. With her emerald eyes shining darkly, Eriko lunged at her brother-barely missing his throat by a few centimeters. "Then I wouldn't have to be bothered by your stupid fickle heart!!" she panted a few feet away from him with a sneer on her lips. Puck did not reply back, he was no longer related to Eriko…she was his only enemy in this universe.

The two stood there panting in the sand, waiting for the other to make a foolish move. Being impatient like the other had expected Eriko went at Puck with all of her energy and strength. Sidestepping to the left and smoothly sticking out his foot, he tripped Eriko with a faint smile on his lips. After spitting out sand, Eriko jumped back up and took another swing at Puck. Luckily Puck was prepared for her attack; he leaned back and went to the left of his sister.

His sister paused in the sand with a dazed look, "You've been going easy on me this entire time?!" she yelled at him stubbornly. Shaking her head, Eriko regained her composer, "No matter…I'll kill you anyways…"

"Not if I know all of your moves…" Puck growled as he blocked his sister's frenzy attack. Slightly smiling, Puck took a step back away from his sister as she panted and coughed up more sand.

Narrowing her eyes at him, she pointed her sword at him, "I know all of your moves also, brother…" Eriko's face turned sour when Puck began to laugh loudly at her statement, "What is so damn funny?"

"Do you really know all of my moves? Because, you were right about me going easy on you before…" he mocked Eriko as he went at her without warning.

"TENCHI! BEHIND YOU!" Ayeka yelped in her usual annoying voice as she tried to help Tenchi dodge the attacks of the creatures.

Tenchi had taken out many of the creatures, but they just kept coming and coming from out of nowhere. When he thought he had killed his twentieth monster, Tenchi glanced around to count how many more were left. Two times more than what were here originally…he sighed unhappily. It wasn't that Tenchi was tired; he was just hoping that he could go help whoever was battling Eriko.

There was a scream from behind Tenchi; it did not belong to the monsters either. Just as the scream died down, the monsters began to back away from Tenchi and Ayeka whimpering in fear. Ayeka glanced up to see three ships above their heads, "Kiyone and Mihoshi!!" she cheered as Tenchi quickly untied her from the post that was lodged in the sand.

Dropping from the air, the Galaxy Police landed softly in the sand and charged at the monsters-driving them away from attacking the two any longer. Kiyone and Mihoshi were the last to drop onto the planet; they ran over to their friends with their guns in their hands. "Are you two alright?!" Kiyone called over the loud sound of guns firing and the creatures' cries of pain.

"How did you find us?!" Tenchi yelled back, he was still confused about this entire situation.

Just as Kiyone and Mihoshi were about to answer, Ryo-oki appeared from out of the sky and landed close by. After Washu and Sasami were out, Ryo-oki changed back into her space rabbit form. "Someone sent us a message with the locations to this planet…" Mihoshi stated innocently as Washu, Sasami, and Ryo-oki joined them.

Across the sand dunes, Puck felt someone touch his hand after he had collapsed into the sand. Barely lifting his head up, he found Ryoko reaching out to touch his bloody hand with hers. "I guess this means no vacation to the beaches-then…" Puck coughed weakly as he looked into Ryoko's yellow eyes. The grip on Puck's hand loosened as Ryoko began to slip away, the last thing she saw was Puck's loving smile. "My yellow eyes…"

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Note: I'm still debating over whether this is the end of my Yellow Eyes fanfiction or if I'm going to write one more final chapter to this. It really depends on everyone's reviews and comments about this chapter, so you better review it if you want one more chapter!!