i don't own Tenchi Muyo

Plz review, i hope you enjoy this chapter.

-slim

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"The only thing that could be seen was the deep pools of the endless reflection of the rain."

With each step uncertainty weighed a little heavier upon the youthful beauty; stopping, she could smell the rain so clearly now, and it filled her mind with ease. There was no uncertainty no insecurity; there was only herself and her salvation. He didn't matter anymore, and with every step she felt like she was regaining what she lost, the one thing that truly mattered; herself. Gracefully placing each step of her slender foot carefully upon the soft carpet, as if on wrong step would end it all. The smell of her favorite flowers mixed with the rain as she elegantly strode past them toward the door. Everything seemed to slow down as soon as the tips of her fingers stroked the door knob. The door lazily opened and her eyes were blinded by a hazy gorgeous white light. Suddenly the light was gone and then all was wrong, her view had changed, as if everything was looking down on her. Sliding her fingers forward she found them placed on a hard wooden surface, as well as the rest of her body; she was on the floor. No questions even entered her mind, all that resided there was the will to be free; free from a second death. All she needed was her salvation; all she wanted was to feel again. The will of her mind overpowered any signals that her body was trying to send. She sat up, with an unnoticed stream of crimson blood plummeting down her side into a morbid pool. The pain was shown upon her face which was dismissing the color until all was left but a pale white figure of her former self. However this pain was never shown in her eyes. The only thing that could be seen was the deep pools of the endless reflection of the rain. Extending her creamy slender arm before her, all that was in thought was if she could just reach far enough and feel one drop. For the first time in what seemed like lifetimes real heart felt tears brimmed in her eyes, and she yearned for them to fall onto her detached face. She reached out further inch by inch, she was so close, so close to feeling, to being free, and happy, truly happy. Her tears never felt the touch of her milky skin, for they were sprung into the air at the shudder of her body. The young man stood in the rain, his arm fixed forward into the same position that caused her body to quiver. Realization waved over his body and all his tensions loosened. The echoing sound of the gun made him sever the gaze his eyes where fixed on. With his eyes descended upon the ground the young man wallowed in his own dissolution. He didn't dare glance back at the scene that lay before him. So with what ever power or will he had left, the young man ran off, leaving only the deep muffled sound of his feet colliding with the mucky ground.

Splattering off the cold wet ground, each drop gorgeously shining in its own radiance mourned its loss. The women's lifeless body lay hushed on the shady wooden floor. Only her eloquent slender arm confirmed what her body no longer could. Extending out ahead of her it reached for her salvation that was just inches away, but for her, salvation would never come, because the fair youthful women was already gone from this world without so much as a single drop embracing her. She was dead, and her solemn arm lay unmoving in her indefinite fatality. All was silence and only the cry of the rain could be heard.

Emotionless tears rolled down Ayeka's silky cheeks.

"I see, I understand everything so clearly now. That was my warning. That was the counsel she bestowed upon me. The rain shall be my salvation. However if I do not let the rain wash over me, my destiny will be hers.

Crossing her arms Ayeka walked over toward the effervescent fountain. Sitting upon its edge her eyes wandered off, until their gaze met the skies'. Being that of Jurai Ayeka was instinctively connected with nature and its spiritual force and presence, but she was obscurely fascinated with rain. Even as a child Ayeka adored the rain, and everything connected with it, it was as if each drop had a life force all on its own and every time it graced you with its kiss upon your skin you where somehow new; purified even. It was very suiting that the same rain Ayeka adored would bring the salvation she always knew it could.

"It's coming"

Ayeka softly announced as she raised her chin, sniffing the air. It became clear to her that the rain would be here any moment now. She had the advantage over the spirit, she was already outside. She could feel the long lost beat of her heart grow faster as she stood in the center of the park. Every hair on her skin was high; Ayeka could feel the emotion rising within her being. The smell of the rain grew and she knew it would be here very soon. Extending her right arm Ayeka could barely wait with the anticipation of her salvation literally looming over her head. The cry of the rain was heard as it collided with the hard cold ground. The warming sound of the rain could be heard with every drop, but there was silence; with this silence came not understanding but emotionless confusion. Half an hour past and Ayeka remained standing in the rain soaked to the core, but there was nothing.

"Why?!!!"

Ayeka roared, while every limb weakened at this unexpected harsh shudder. Without warning she fell upon her hands and knees, screaming out over and over again. How could it not work? She didn't understand. Her screams slowly subsided, and all was silent except for a hum. Ayeka's eyes immediately found the source of this hum; it was coming from the fountain. Curiosity getting the best of her, Ayeka wielded her limbs to move. Slowly walking over to the fountain her eyes found a glow. On further exception this glow was revealed to be illuminating from this single rose. However not just any rose; a white rose. The ominous beauty of this rose was undeniable, and with an almost like trance glare in her eyes Ayeka reached forth and achieved it with a simple flicker of her wrist. The rain grew and every time it connected with the earth the rain's speed increased and its' impact was harder until lightening consumed the sky in a hostile thunder storm. Ayeka almost glided to the center of the park as if she enjoyed this display of destruction as the lightening obliterated everything it touched. However it could be seen in her eyes that this was not the Ayeka that we have grown to love. In this woman's eyes it was like a battle going on within her. Flashes of strange glares scattered across her faded velvet eyes.

"Tarra"

Ayeka softly said reaching out her hand; the rose gently lying in the middle of her palm.

"It didn't work"

She admitted, clutching the rose as she tired to keep from breaking down.

"I'm….I am so sorry"

She strained to get the words out and she re-extended her arm with her hand out flat. She honestly hand no idea why she was doing this, it was as if it was something her mind was already programmed to do.

"Wait!!! Ayeka no!!"

The words cut through Ayeka as she saw the mouth the words escaped from. Soaked from head to toe Tenchi stood before her; clutching the rose toward her as if trying to protect it Ayeka acknowledge his presence with a dead stare.

"You're here, interesting. So who forced you to come?"

She said with a sarcastic cruelty dripping from every word she said.

"I bet you're wondering why it didn't work."

"And how may I ask do you know anything about that"

Taking a step toward her Tenchi could feel the negative energy rise; did she really hate him that much?

"Are you willing to die for a second time?"

Thinking back to her vision Ayeka remembered what the young woman's last moments were like. The guy in the rain, her salvation, however none of these matter because he killed her.

"So Tenchi, have you come here to kill me?"

Tenchi shuddered for a second thinking back to his conversation with Washu.

"If real death is anything like what we've both been through, Ayeka then maybe I'll welcome it, and I think you would too. However I am not willing to die for a second time, are you? We both know what I'm talking about, and you know I can not kill you like that, only you can. The question I am asking is; are you ready for that, because that is what will happen if you go through with this."

"Am I supposed to believe you? Do you honestly think me that ignorant? You all betrayed me, all of you! With your lies and deceit, every single one of y'all are responsible for her death!"

Tenchi was definitely taken aback by this. He had to make her see the truth before it was too late.

"Ayeka, wait!"

Tenchi yelled out as he leaped forward, grabbing Ayeka's shoulder and swinging her around.

"Do you even understand what your doing?"

Tenchi yelled with his hands firmly gripping Ayeka shoulders, making sure that paid attention.

"Do you! You stand here acting like you know what I went through, when you yourself don't have the guts to say that it still hurts! It'll never stop hurting I know that! I just want to feel again!"

Ayeka screamed out in Tenchi's face staring at him in disgust with hatred burning in her eyes.

"And you think I don't understand that?! Of course I understand that my mo-"

"Then why didn't you tell me?! Why couldn't you save me when you could?"

Ayeka mockingly cutting him off as a deceitful smile crept its way onto her features.

"You know why"

Tenchi said softly unable to look at her sneering expression.

"Yeah I do, but do you?! You talk about dying again when you haven't finished dying! You still have your chance! I'm already dead; all I want to know is all this bullshit you're spitting out making you feel better?!

"You have no idea! I have died; I died the day she left me."

Tenchi said softly starring straight into her emotionless eyes.

"If that's so then say it! Admit the truth!

"You want the truth! I love my mother, and when she left I hated her for it! But I hated myself for hating her. I lost myself and every hour without her was like I was dying, dying away into a false reality, a dream that I could not escape from. It took a long time but it faded everything faded and I was content. But that doesn't mean that it didn't hurt. I couldn't save you because I didn't understand how I saved myself, and if I didn't understand, I was afraid that maybe I wasn't saved. Maybe I was still stuck in the dream. I was afraid that you would have to go through what I went through and,"

Looking over her every feature as her spoke Tenchi could almost she Ayeka, the real Ayeka. As he slowly caressed her check he found that he'd stop talking, and all that was hanging between them was silence.

"Let go of me"

The words hung in the air, he would never let her go, and he would never let her fall by herself. His attention was suddenly consumed by Ayeka eyes; they were turning black.

"Your eyes"

Tenchi's grip moved down to Ayeka's wrist as she struggled to free herself.

"Let go of me"

Ayeka growled her eyes fully black now. The spirit was trying to change her, and Tenchi knew she would try and drop the rose. The last thing that connected her to Tarra; when she dropped it, she would be lost to him.

"I hate you! Let me go!"

Tenchi's grip tightened as he stared at her, trying to find a way to her soul.

"I'll kill you! All of you!"

"No one lied to you Ayeka."

"Damn you!"

"There was no deceit"

Tenchi calmly stated as he started to make her knees buckle from the pressure he was putting on her.

Get the Fuck off of me!

She cried out as her knees gave way from the pressure and both of them fond themselves kneeling on the cold wet earth beneath them. She quickly freed her hand with a slap to his face and released the rose.

"I love you"

All feel silent as he stared at the rose on the ground, Ayeka screams faded in the back ground as he eyes just stared into an oblivion of pain that was this rose. No, he wouldn't do it. Clutching Ayeka to him he felt his finger digging into her soft flesh as he restrained her.

"Silly girl, I love you. Can't you hear me? I said it once before, and I'll gladly say it again if you ask it of me."

His eyes filled to the brim as her screams grew dull; he knew what he had to do.

"You fell once before but this time not alone."

He reluctantly whispered to her. Unsheathing a gorgeously long sword, Tenchi held onto Ayeka with his other hand. The moonlight shined through the endless rain onto the sword making it appear light, like the salvation she so desperately wanted.

"Ayeka, I love you, more than I love myself, I would die for you, and I would live for you too. You are a part of me forever, and we will always be connected. I love you so much; you are my life, and my only love. You- my Ayeka, you are the one thing that is precious in this life, and the next. And I love you enough to let you go……..to let you……die."

And with those words the sword came down with a graceful speed.

"Wait!!"

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sorry i took so long updating but some idiot messed up my computer.

but as you can see it's fixed now so i'll try to keep updating as fast as i can. Plz Review.

-slim