Chapter 16
-Lost Souls-
.
Washu, with a note of depression in her mental voice, called out to her daughter but didn't receive an answer. They had remained in their positions for the last hour, watching in shock and despair as Ryoko refused to stop.
She was tearing through what was left of the ship, ignoring the searing hot from the explosion or the jagged edges. Her actions spoke of her worry and her face spoke of horror.
Washu watched the painful sight and then turned her eyes away checking her readouts, the explosion had laid waste to almost everything, Washu had erected several shields to protect what she could.
She looked up from her data readouts and looked at the others, they were watching in mute horror; Washu shook her head speaking to them "She's wasting her time." her tone was emotionless.
Aekea turned to look at the red haired scientist, her face clearly looking panicked. Washu nodded slowly answering the non-verbal question and the spoke looking away, to hide her tears "There is no one alive in that wreckage. The bio-scans aren't showing up any traces of Mihoshi, Ukyo, or Tenchi."
Aekea started to cry and turned burying her face into the chest of the silver haired lord who had approached her from behind. He wrapped his arms around her holding her close, his face a mask of concern.
Washu glanced at Kiyone, the teal haired woman was holding Lauryanas hand tightly, her face set into an emotionless expression. Washu, turned looking at the Queen who was still watching the cyan haired pirate.
Aekea let out a loud sob and the silver haired lord lowered his head, obviously out of respect, seeming to whisper a prayer for them. Finally, having nothing else to watch Washu turned her attention back to her daughter and watched as she tore the ship up trying to find some trace of her lover.
Ryoko reappeared, her shoulder slumped forward, her body language of defeat. She sat on the edge of the twisted metal and held a small piece of burnt metal.
It was at this moment that Washu realized that now they both knew the truth. There had been no sudden forming of Light Hawk Wings, or surge of Juraian power. No transdimensonal door opening with Tenchi and the others inside.
No, now it was driven home to both Ryoko and Washu more than anyone, that the truth was Tenchi Masaki, First Crowned Prince of Jurai, the heir to the Throne, the boy who could create the Light Hawk Wings, was dead.
Washu cried.
The air was heavy with heat, not a comfortable heat, but a thick almost hellish heat. A heat that baked the ground solid and seeped into everything with a relentless hunger.
There were low, pain-filled groans in the air. They died slowly, leaving only a silent void of almost unbearable heat. This is what Talisen awoke to. He laid there, his body stiff and sore, his mind unable to hold a rational thought.
He finally pushed himself up onto his hands and knees, then almost screamed out, several sharp pains making themselves known to him. He blinked back his tears of pain.
He had to tend to the others, they were hurt. His oath bound him to do this. He managed to stand up, he nearly screamed in pain, but he remained upright though he swayed badly.
He turned looking around at the war zone around him. The house not to far from him, nor was the ship, he noticed that many of the crew were cast around him, he took a step and almost fell.
He caught himself and then continued on, wincing and almost falling with each step. He saw knights rushing towards them, several were already there helping them up, some of the other medical personnel were crawling around trying to tend to them.
He knelt down, at the first person he reached and found himself looking at a rather attractive nurse, her eyes were empty and her skin pale. He reached over and lowered her eyes and said a brief Juraian pray and then forced himself to stand.
He swayed for a moment and then slowly his mind thought of something Sasami. What if the blast had hurt the princess? He stared around him, many of the medical personnel were working but many weren't moving. The knights were there now, helping.
He reached up rubbing his forehead, feeling the sticky liquid of his blood, he lowered his hand and then pushing that aside he started towards the house. He had to check on her, the others wouldn't think of her for a while.
He stumbled falling forward, but managed to catch himself on the porch. He closed his eyes took several deep breaths and then continued forward into the house.
He saw items laying around, the house was in shambles, but no where near what it should have been from that explosion. He paused and set the small alter that Tenchi had often said a quick prayer before and then started up the stairs.
He heard a soft crying noise and he tried to redouble his efforts, his hand on the wall for support, not thinking about the bloody streak he was leaving. He slid Sasami's door open and entered the room that was filled with beeping machines.
As he approached her bed, the crying became louder. He shook his head and reached the edge of the bed and saw the tears streaking down the smooth cheeks of the young princess.
She wasn't conscious but she was crying, he knew without checking the readouts that she was beginning to come out of the coma. It left a bitter taste in his mouth, the princess was coming back when a small part of her family had just been blasted into oblivion.
He checked the data and then tapped the data pad on the bed and deactivated the field so that it dissolved. Carefully, with his non bloody hand he reached out and took her small delicate hand and held it.
Her grip on his hand tightened up as she continued to cry, he was in disbelief that a miracle in the mist of this horror could have happened.
Pain. Searing. Blinding. Pain.
The darkness gave way slowly, peeling back to reveal even more darkness. Rolling over the young man pushed himself up onto his hands and knees, he couldn't remember anything.
The ground beneath his hands were uneven and cold, so he wasn't in some dark ether, but it was still pitch black. He sat back onto his legs slowly, his body still sore and filled with pain.
He could taste something coppery in his mouth. a liquid. He couldn't remember what it was, but he shoved that away, there was something more important. He heard a strange sound to his left, he tensed up listening then he crawled towards it knowing instinctively that it was nothing to be afraid off.
He felt his hand touch something soft and warm which caused a groan to drift upwards. He pulled his hand back talking in a rather scratchy voice "Mihoshi?"
He received another groan and blindly he checked her over unsure of what he was doing or who's name it was he had said. The person he was checking on seemed alright and he sat back, the pain still racing through him.
He took a deep breath then let it out slowly as he began to check himself over. He found a tightly wrapped piece of cloth around his midsection and paused trying to remember why it was there.
He closed his eyes and rested his chin against his chest, unthinkingly taking up a meditation position. He could only hope he could remember something soon, like where and who he was.
Aekea stood quietly in the corner of Sasami's bedroom; her mother sitting next to the bed, hold her hand, anxious for her daughter to wake up. Aekea's mind was miles away however, as it had been since the explosion.
She had felt a part of her heart crumble after it happened, the part that still had Tenchi locked away inside. His death had freed her, but it had also made her feel even more trapped.
She had watched Ryoko after she gave up, after all the years of living in the same house she could read the pirates body language, she had expected her to break down and cry.
But the woman just disappeared. Teleported off to be alone, Aekea thought she heard the sound of crying but she didn't dare pay attention. It was a dark time for her family, she could feel it.
Tenchi had been what brought them all together, he had kept them together and it was because of him that they were family. He had been their heart and now that he was gone they had no heart, no soul.
She let out a soft sigh closing her violet eyes, it did not help that Washu had confided to her that her father and mother Funaho had wanted Tenchi and Ryoko to come to Jurai to confront the holy council.
The explosion had ruined the connection and it was still offline, so the Royal family on Jurai were in the dark. She opened her eyes, staring at her sisters face.
She was coming back, it was a matter of time, Talisen had said so. The doctor had been hurt badly and currently was residing in Washu's lab, along with several other patients.
Aekea felt that with Tenchi gone Sasami was the only thing important. So in silence she shoved her feelings and thoughts about everything else to the side and concentrated on willing her sister to wake up.
Chijiro stared at the knights as they went about their jobs. They took up a wide secure parameter around the house and lake. On his orders any and all ships had been ordered to retreat out of Earth's orbit and pull back to the securing positions around the solar system.
He looked over at Bakio who approached grimly, his disposition let Chijiro know that this was not going to be good news. The knight stopped short and preformed his bow quickly speaking urgently ""My lord, the other knights are saying that Prince Tenchi's last order was for them to search the forest for a rogue knight and to keep Lady Ryoko under close watch.""
The silver haired lord felt his neutral face go serious; A rouge knight and the order to keep her under a close watch. Prince Tenchi had been expecting something, no doubt about it.
Chijiro had no trouble believing that the rouge knight had been working for that council member. There had been many things he was just learning and many things he still did not know.
He remained quiet for a moment longer, Bakio waiting patently, then finally he spoke up ""Get the higher ranking knights, tell them I need some of their best men. I want them to try and track Lady Ryoko and watch her, she will be attacked if anyone is to be. Ten take all the men we can spare from the clean up and scour the forest, I want this rouge knight found and brought back alive if possible, but dead is just as good.""
Bakio bowed deeply, speaking in a hard voice ""Yes my lord, they will be found and they will face their judgment by Tsunami's blessed name."" He turned on his heel and marched off, leaving his lord there to watch everything.
Chijiro's jaw tightened his fist clenching. He would bring down Tsunami's punishment on all those involved, he may not have known the prince but he was a member of the Royal family, much like Chijiro was soon to be, and out of that bond he would serve justice for him.
Ryoko rested her head on her crossed arms and raised legs, she wanted to cry needed to cry, but she couldn't. It just wasn't in her to do that, she was lost but she couldn't bring herself to cry.
Tenchi was dead and she couldn't cry.
Why couldn't she cry? Because she didn't believe that he was really dead, even though she knew he had to be. Washu was sure and Washu would know, but Ryoko's heart was sure that he was still alive.
She shivered not from the cold, but from something else, the people here had a saying for the feeling. 'Someone just stepped over your grave.' She shivered again, and lifted her head looking up at the other trees watching the leaves moving in the breeze.
She closed her eyes, she thought she'd hear something. It was just beyond her sense, she felt the rather cold wind on her face, then suddenly she heard it. A soft voice, it sounded like it was singing, but it was telling her something.
She felt a warm tear slid down her cheek "I heard it Tenchi, I heard it." She heard his voice, soft and confident, from just a few hours ago 'You're right, everything will be fine.'
Ryoko opened her eyes, tears streaming down her face and she talked to the air and to an invisible Tenchi that she knew was alive "How can you be so sure?"
She closed her eyes and lowered her head back to her arms, still crying, she tried to listen to the air but she couldn't hear anything. Just the rustling of the leaves in the wind.
Small stinging sensations wormed their way through the darkness bringing reality back. Slow, even breathing filled the darkness.
With a soft crunch of gravel and a groan Mihoshi sat up eyes opening for all the good it did her. It was pitch black, she held her breath listening to her surroundings. She crawled towards it and touched the persons shoulder. "Ukyo?"
She felt him shift under her touch, sensing that he was turning to look at her "Yes," he seemed amused "You know, for a while I couldn't even remember my own name."
Mihoshi let out a relieved sound and embraced him from the side kissing his cheek and crying. But it gained her a grunt from him. She immediately let go trying to see his face in the darkness "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, just sore." He paused as if thinking or listening and then continued "Mihoshi where are we?
Mihoshi felt for his hand and took it tightly "I don't know...Tenchi, he grabbed us and he was shouting something about a trap." She scooted in closer to him "Then he started rambling on in a prayer or something as we tried to get you out of the bed, then suddenly the world went all kapleea and I wanted to throw up."
"What do you mean kapleea?" Ukyo asked holding her hand tighter.
"You know, the room spun, flipped, changed colors...like when Ryoko blew up the TV and we had to use an old one that only showed black and white." She shrugged "Then I woke up here. Where are we?"
"A cave I think. Do you know where Prince Tenchi is?"
Mihoshi shook her head and stood up, hunching in case she hit the roof of the cave. She took a deep breath and then shouted the princes name, it echoed and bounced in the gave.
No answer came and Mihoshi did it again, receiving no answer yet again. She took another breath ready to try again but Ukyo spoke up "He might be unconscious. We'll have to feel around for him."
Mihoshi knelt back down shaking her head "No no, you can't. You shouldn't even be moving." She sensed him about to argue with her and planted a hand on his mouth, only it was his nose "No arguing. I'll look you stay still."
When she felt him nod she let his nose go and began to crawl around in the absolute darkness of the cave the gravel and rocks digging into her palms and knees.
Katushito strode easily into the house, looking around his face expressionless. He had seen and felt the explosion all the way on his mountain, he knew something was wrong when he descended and found a small army of Juraian knights all over the place.
He paused, studying the silver haired young man seated on his grandson couch talking to a knight. He cocked an eyebrow and walked into the room talking as he did so "Excuse me," he stopped looking between the two "But is there a particular reason why you are ruining this yard with all those men?"
The young lord turned, standing, the knight was up and moving putting himself between the two. He was staring very dangerously at the old man, though it didn't affect Katushito.
The silver haired man spoke sounding mildly interested "Excuse me, but you do know that this is highly inappropriate."
Katushito merely shrugged "Yes, I imagine it would be if it weren't for the fact that my grandson owns the house."
There was a moment of silence where the three men stared at each other, then quite suddenly Chijiro spoke "Your grandson? This house belonged to Prince Tenchi."
The old man shook his head "He does not like being called prince. But that is neither here nor there. You still haven't answered my question."
Chijiro reached up and rubbed his forehead and then swept back his hair, deep in thought, then finally came to his decision gesturing for the older Masaki to have a seat.
He merely remained resolutely immobile, and sighing the young lord began the tale waiting for an outburst or some sign of emotion. It took twenty minutes and when they were done Chijiro waited.
Katushito walked over to the mantle and then turned back to the two men, he remained quiet for a while and then chuckled "You are almost as foolish as Tenchi is. I would suggest you keep the knights from tearing the yard up even more."
Chijiro began to say something when Katushito started towards the door he had entered not even glancing at him or the knight "I would keep your opinion on Tenchi's condition to yourself, unless of course you wish for Ryoko to show you why she is the nightmare of juraians."
He paused at the doorway and then turned left starting up the stairs to see Sasami.
Mihoshi reached out and touched Ukyo's shoulder in the darkness "I can't find him. Wh-what do you think happened to him?" She felt him shrug slightly and didn't respond.
Mihoshi started to say something Ukyo picked up a rock and hurled it straight head, receiving a clattering sound as it fell to the earth. Mihoshi blinked "Why'd you-"
She was cut off by him hurling another rock at the same spot even though he couldn't see it. He did it once more and then spoke softly in a quiet voice "A cave has an exit...unless it's been sealed..."
Suddenly he laughed throwing another rock "At least we won't run out of air, hear that hollow tone? It means there's a crack in that wall leading out into another cave."
Mihoshi blinked and didn't think that the air was all that good, they were still trapped in a cave.
Washu's hands literal flew over the holographic keyboard, absorbing the information as fast as it came in, she suddenly hit the a button pausing her display and looked up at the various family members and friends gathered around the living room.
Katushito was standing in a corner, it had taken Aekea and Washu both to get him to come back and so far he had yet to say a word. Next to him sat Aekea and her mother and the silver haired lord who's name Washu remembered was Chijiro was located not far from them.
Kiyone and Lauryanas were seated on the couch side by side and Washu noted that Kiyone seemed to be sitting awful close to him. She pursed her lip in thought and then spoke "Well, I've studied the data..."
She was interrupted by Aekea, who spoke in a small voice "Where is Ryoko? She should be here."
Washu sighed and leaned back on her floating cushion staring at the princess "She is in their room and she already knows. Our link was open while I was studying the data." she looked back at the screen talking once more "The explosion was triple the force of this planets most powerful non-nuclear weapon, yet it did very little damage. Which quite frankly I find amazing."
She looked back at the gathered crowd and shrugged "But were more interested in what happened aboard the ship before the explosion. From what records I was able to recover, Tenchi was visiting Mihoshi and Ukyo."
She shrugged and looked over at the door way towards Talisen who had slipped in quietly, his leg in a brace and his wounds tended to, he was leaning heavily against the door frame.
"However, after that the records are non-reliable. But I am sure Talisen could probably tell us what led to the explosion."
The elder doctor shrugged, seeming non-pulsed by all eyes turning to him "Well, I had just spoken with Lord Tenchi and was heading back to my room on board the ship. Then the displays; computer displays, communication displays all changed to the image of a dark clothed man with a mask."
Talisen looked at Washu "It was obviously a virus, it initiated an over load of the engines and self destruct system. It locked us out, I remember Lord Tenchi's voice blaring over the audio communication system telling everyone to escape. I followed immediately after telling them the same thing."
There was silence for a moment and then Aekea stood up, smoothing out her kimono and brushed past him. None of the family or friends raised a question, though many were curious about what she was doing.
Washu shook her head and sighed crossing her arms "Well, I've initiated the tracking system I designed to try and find a trace of Mihoshi...since it's attached to her I don't expect it to report back really."
Katushito shrugged and turned to stare out the window, while Kiyone stood and strode towards the kitchen. Chijiro remained seated and Talisen limped over slowly to stare at the data on Washu's transparent screen.
Lauryanas sat there a moment and then he to rose and followed Kiyone.
Aekea knocked on the door lightly, but didn't receive a response. She frowned and slid the door open, half expecting the security system to still be running.
It wasn't, what she saw was a dark room that looked as if two competing forces of nature had crammed themselves inside. Which of course was what happened.
Her eyes came to a rest on the huddled form of Ryoko, letting out a sigh she took a step across the threshold and then froze as the floor began to burn from the scorch mark.
Aekea stared at the mark and then looked up at Ryoko who was not even looking at her, but her hand was held steady and aimed right at her, she started to speak but fell silent at Ryoko's words.
"Don't you dare come in." They were hard as iron and cold as stone.
Aekea gathered her resolve and took another step, then winced as an orange bolt of energy grazed by singeing her purple hair freezing in her tracks.
This time when Ryoko spoke she did so in Juraian ""Are you happy? This is what you wished for isn't it? You take another step and I will kill you where you stand."" she fell silent and Aekea continued to stand there unsure of what to say.
""I never wished for anything likes this."" Aekea said slowly, staring at the cyan haired woman.
""Yes you did, how could you not? I was with Tenchi, you wanted him. So you wished that I would suffer." Ryoko's voice didn't betray any of her emotions. Ryoko's eyes never wavered from the picture on the dresser top.
""Maybe, but I did not want Prince Tenchi to die.""
There was a sudden orange build up of energy around Ryoko's hand and a low growl escaped her throat. Then suddenly it was released, completely obliterating one wall and a good chuck of the door frame. Just barely missing Aekea ""Go away Aekea, your not welcome in this room now.""
Aekea stood there a moment longer and then backed out of the room, feeling very hurt, but she knew Ryoko was suffering. She took barely three steps before she heard a very odd sound.
Ryoko was crying.
Aekea hurried off down the hallway, not wanting to be near that sound.
Mist hung against the ground, dew drops twinkling in the early morning light. The air had a certain amount of chill to it, but it would be burned away by the strength of the sun.
Not a creature stirred, or made a noise, hiding in there chosen sanctuary. Sleep hung heavy on them, the only noise was the gentle movement of leaves and the rippling of the lake in the wind.
The pale red of the morning poured through the window and onto a simple bed and two forms. One stirred, it's black hair shaggy and looking wild, they shifted the blue and brown blankets to the side waking up slowly.
Coca colored eyes scanned the room, taking in the familiar sights and smell of the bed room. Suddenly an arm tightened up around their waist and a soft voice whispered into their ear "Morning my Tenchi."
Tenchi smiled to himself and snuggled back against the familiar warm body "Morning my Ryoko." He yawned "I had the weirdest dream."
She made an hmm sound, signaling for him to continue, which of course he did "I dreamt our family was in trouble and I was in the middle of an explosion."
Ryoko gave a sleepy laugh then rolled him over onto his back straddling his waist, her only cover the blanket which pooled around her waist "That was a bad dream, was our honeymoon really that bad?" She gave him a wicked smile her fangs gleaming slightly.
Tenchi laughed looking up at her, taking in her beauty "No, my memories foggy, but I am quite sure it was anything but bad."
Ryoko smiled, making a purring type noise as his hands found her special spots and she leaned down to share a passionate kiss. Whatever dreams or nightmares that clung to Tenchi's memories evaporated just as the mist did before the rising sun.
But still, some nagging part of him wouldn't go away. Right then though it was quiet easy to force it out of his mind.
Ryguy5387: Thank you, I'm glad to hear that it was Amazing and that you couldn't put it down. Well this chapter answers your questions, maybe.
MasterWraithe: thanks
nssatomic: Thanks, I actually enjoy writing those battle scenes so I'm glad you enjoyed it. And for every step forward there is always five steps back.
bizoitnott:Always glad to serve the masses of slacking students. I'm going to take the fact I almost made you cry as a badge of pride. (Well it's short for me, normally my pages are well over the 20 page mark)I don't want you to die, so I'm updating as quickly as I can and I'm glad you like it even if T/R isn't your favorite pairing.
Rockie-chan: No, not that I know of. But I felt that it was indeed less than my best. I'm glad to have given you something worth reading TM fiction for again. And yes four years, four very long years, I can't stop till I'm done. It's a promise I made myself. Trust Bakio...as far as you could throw him. As for all your other questions everything is answered.
mikethebigW: First off, I can be that cruel because, well, actually I don't know how I can be I just manage it. Anyway, yes I have seen Cowboy Bebop, I know the song and it fits what happened very well I must say. But the overcast and snowing bit is just...freaky.
I'm glad that you managed to get through the rest of the fic, even if it did take some help.
Specter Von Baren: Well I'm sorry to hear that, but you have to do what you think you have to.
AN:
Heh I thought I would update sooner than this...sorry about that. Now then, two things: This isn't up to my standard (which is set way to high) but even so this is probably below yours but I couldn't in good consciousness make you wait any longer for this update, if enough fans say take it down I will…or if I get no reviews, I will….either way I am now looking for a new job so you will have to wait even longer for update than normal. Anyway, I hope this wasn't to bad, and that you'll leave me a review.
Sincerely,
Geor-sama
A Nekoshipper