Previously in Apex AZ:

After the quarterfinals, Tenchi, Taurit, Sasami and Aki were the only fighters remaining. This small list of people was narrowed down even further by the semi-finals, after which only Tenchi and Aki were left. It is these two who will fight each other in the finals. If that didn't take you by surprise, then it shows you're alive. But after this episode is the last one, and a special finishing one after that. I've not been allowed to speak at the start of those, so this is my last little bit of speech. How sad. But perhaps they might explain the way all this has been set out, with the three sagas and all, like maybe they're just being read out as a bedtime story or something. Any way, it's been great to be a part of this, which is I suppose a more livelier part than the preview writer's. He's already been sacked, by the way. Goodbye, and enjoy.

Apex AZ, Part X – The End...

The collective noise outside the window, like waves of sound washing over the people who were making it, rippled back and forwards around the stadium. Most of them were moving around, talking to friends, getting something to eat or drink, or going to the toilet or buying a camera. This next fight was destined to be a spectacular show, and they all knew it.

Katari Midomo was sitting on a soft sofa, watching replays of the fights both Tenchi and Aki had been in to get to the finals. Since he would be facing one of them afterwards, he wanted to know at least some of their strategy and techniques before he was totally wasted by them.

Aki was also sitting on a sofa, meditating. He was collecting all of his energy for the upcoming fight. Fighting Tenchi would be the toughest thing he had ever done, especially now that Tenchi could easily tap into his seemingly infinite energy. It didn't matter how much energy he had, it was still nothing compared to Tenchi's unlimited power. He just hoped that Tenchi would still stick to his word, and match his power level again.

Tenchi sat on another sofa, facing out of the window, flanked on either side by Ryoko and Ayeka, his wives-to-be. Ryo-Ohki rested on his lap, and all three were busy stroking her as they talked aimlessly, Tenchi occasionally waving at someone who had spotted him from the audience.

Nobuyuki was busy with his expensive binoculars, which he had brought along. He was currently busy looking at the crowds of people, watching and examining each different type of person there. He had never seen an alien before, let alone crowds full of them.

Mihoshi was munching an apple while looking out of another window. It was a fairly interesting sight, especially for Nobuyuki, but Mihoshi was a Galaxy Police Detective, so she had already had encounters with these species before.

Yosho sat, sipping a cup of tea, thinking about what he was going to tell Tenchi, and when to tell him. It was important, but he had decided to wait until after the tournament, when the two were alone. It probably had to be soon, though.

All in all, it was quite boring, being in that room at the moment.

--------------------

The crowd outside had roughly settled down again, waiting eagerly for the final round to start. The commentator didn't really need to calm them down; they all wanted to see this. The mere reputations of Tenchi and Aki made this very probably the most interesting fight there would be today.

Both Tenchi and Aki had left the room, and were walking towards the waiting area, from where they would be called in a few minutes.

"Nervous?" Tenchi asked.

"Maybe," Aki replied. "I'm fighting the Universe's most powerful person in a moment. What've I got to be nervous about?"

"Well, I'll hold back my energy to match yours," Tenchi said. "It's about 90-odd million, isn't it?"

"As far as I know, 94," Aki replied. "But you're not going to use any sneaky techniques, are you? You know, the energy suppressing one, or Multiform, are you?"

"Not now," Tenchi said. "I think I can take you without those. Besides, it wouldn't be a good show."

"I guess you're right."

"Hey, Aki?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think they'd allow the use of weapons in the tournament?"

"Anything goes, I think. Yeah, there's pretty much no rules, except about how to win. Why, were you planning to use energy blades or something?"

"I was just wondering," Tenchi replied, stepping into the waiting area. He grabbed a plastic cup of juice from a tray and drank it. "Have a good fight," he said.

"You too."

--------------------

"Ladies and gentlemen," the announcer shouted. "It's now time for the finals. And here are Tenchi and Aki Masaki!"

The crowd might have exploded for all the noise they were making. The two remaining fighters walked up onto the arena, where the announcer was waiting for them, doubtless with a few more questions.

"How are you two?" he greeted. "Before we start, would you mind answering a few questions?"

"Sure."

"Why not?"

"Great," the announcer smiled. "Tenchi, everyone knows about your fight with Kagato, and with K'oko as well, but what other opponents have you fought?"

"Sel and Aki here," Tenchi replied. "But my toughest fight, I would have to say, was with Sel, the second time. It's the only fight I died in. And then I died twice."

"You've died twice?" the announcer asked.

"Well, three times," Tenchi said. "Against the Borg, as well, you know."

"Oh. Of course." The announcer turned to Aki. "So what challenges have you faced until now?"

"Well, there was all my early training," Aki said. "It was quite tough, but my genetic changes meant I could cope fairly well. The only real challenge, as far as I remember, was against Tenchi here."

"And why did you fight Tenchi in the first place?"

"Several reasons, but I'm not going to say," Aki said. "Tenchi knows, and that's good enough."

"Fair enough. Thanks for your time."

"No problem."

"Have fun, now."

"Ladies and gentlemen, the fight is now about to start," the announcer called. "All we're waiting for is the gong to sound, and then the most anticipated match-up will begin. Tenchi, God of everything, will be fighting Aki, teacher and sensei of most new Saiyans around now."

And the gong sounded.

--------------------

But instead of fighting immediately, they both stood still, casually watching each other. Tenchi reached out both arms and a long wooden staff appeared in each hand. He held them out, offering Aki one. Aki nodded to the right, so Tenchi threw the staff Aki was nodding to over to him. He caught it and swung it around into a strong offensive position. Tenchi just held his in front of him and crouched down slightly, in no particular form.

Aki ran across the arena, swinging his staff around and swinging it down above Tenchi. Tenchi blocked with the middle of his own staff, and swung it sideways to hit Aki in his middle. Aki blocked, and parried back. The two started exchanging blows with the staffs, hopping around a bit.

After a while of this, Tenchi nodded. Aki gave him his staff back, and Tenchi made the two disappear again. Aki jumped back, and Tenchi walked forwards and started throwing punches. Aki was blocking and hit back. It started slow at first, but became quicker, until their arms were little more than blurs. Suddenly, Tenchi grabbed Aki's fists and held them tight.

"Come on," he said. "If you're going to hit me, then hit me."

Aki pulled his arms away and back-flipped across the arena. He powered up to his Saiyan form, and Tenchi did likewise. They both ascended to Super Saiyans and began to form energy blasts.

"Kah meh hah meh," Aki was yelling, the small ball of compacted energy getting brighter in his hands.

"Kah meh hah meh," Tenchi was yelling, no energy in his hands. His fingers were twitching slightly.

"Haah!" they both yelled. A ball of orange energy appeared in Tenchi's hands as he fired it at Aki. Aki fired his blue ball of energy at Tenchi. The beams raced towards each other, before slowing down and bending around each other, being repelled by the other beam. They took new directions and shot at the other person, running alongside the other beam.

As an upsurge of cries rose from the crowd, Aki deflected the blast shooting at him into the air, while Tenchi grabbed Aki's beam in his right hand, containing it. He stopped forming his beam and raised his left hand in the air, moving the other beam back towards him. It shot into his hand, where he slapped the two balls of energy together. Instead of an explosion, nothing happened.

"What was that?" Aki called over the crowd's noise.

"I'm not going to tell the you technical name for it," Tenchi replied, "but it was the opposite to your beam. They repelled each other, and when I hit them together, they just neutralised each other."

"Oh." Aki wasn't sure he understood, but he took that as truth. "Tenchi, I want to fight you at full power," he said, forgetting the energy beams for the moment. "And I mean your full power, too, not just the same level as mine."

"Aki, I really don't think that's safe," Tenchi replied. "But I will fight at your full power, if it makes you feel better."

"Not really," Aki replied, powering up to a Hyper Saiyan. "But it's good for a start."

Tenchi powered up to the same power level, but strangely lowering his form first to a Saiyan, then to normal. His long hair whipped around his face in the breeze, and he brushed it back behind his ears.

"Tenchi, I want a proper fight," Aki shouted. "Not just fighting a human. It's better if you go Super Three, you know."

"I know," Tenchi replied calmly. "I'm just thinking about what to do."

"You think," Aki said, "and I'll fight." He fired a quick blast of energy straight at Tenchi's face. It hit and caused a small explosion. It disappeared, but Tenchi was fine. His hair had become shorter, though, like how it usually was.

"Thanks for that," Tenchi said. He jumped and disappeared, quickly reaching a speed that was too fast to be seen by normal eyes. Only by his energy signal being sensed, now, was he able to be found.

Aki could sense it, though, and he shot off too. The fight continued, moving faster than anyone could see, the only evidence of the fighting being the shockwaves of fists being blocked or kicks being diverted, or bits of the arena getting smashed.

Once again, the two slowed down for a breather. Keeping up such a quick speed was a strain on the body, and neither fighter wanted to have their body blow up.

"I was thinking," Tenchi called over. "I was wondering if you wanted to become stronger."

"Way ahead of you," Aki replied, before quickly shifting over behind Tenchi. He grabbed him in an arm lock and held him tight. "Power leech time." He started to drain Tenchi's energy. Tenchi struggled, but didn't escape the hold, all the time having his energy sapped away by Aki's technique. Aki soon let go, leaving Tenchi with a power level of about 200. Tenchi sagged down onto his knees, breathing heavily. Aki hopped away and began to power up. It was incredible. His power level was approaching 190 million. The electricity sparks rushing around his Hyper Saiyan body were dense and powerful, sending little cracks and snaps wherever they broke. Small bits of the ground around him were being vaporised.

Tenchi stood up. "Well, that's one way," he said, looking at Aki. "But I was actually thinking of something else. Now, you can't become a Super Three, can you? Not when you don't really need to, right?"

"And..." Aki prompted.

"Well, there is another form," Tenchi continued. "Another kind of Super Saiyan Three. When I went back through time to sort everything out that I had to, I thought up this alternate form. I designed it especially for you. Only someone who has died, and has a power level over about 30 million can transform, so that's you."

"But I don't need to transform," Aki replied. "I can't advance if I'm stronger than any enemy around, and you're not an enemy."

"But that's what's so good about this alternate form," Tenchi said. "There's no necessity about it. As long as you realise that the path through the Super Saiyan stages is forked just after Hyper, instead of straight on to Supreme, and you have any power level above 30 million, you can advance. Try it."

"So you mean, instead of trying for Supreme Saiyan," Aki said, "I can try for this other form instead?"

Aki glowed a brilliant gold, which brightened to white. The light radiated around him, like a large ultra-bright light-bulb. Inside it, unseen by everyone except Tenchi, who could sense what was going on, Aki was ascending to the next form. The glowing faded and disappeared, and Aki was visible again.

Aki's hair was the main change. Unlike the Supreme Saiyan, his hair was about the same length as before. It was barely sticking up, but it was still in many bunches. It was resting on his shoulders and jutting out beyond his forehead, swept to the side to keep out of his eyes. His eyes were now yellow with the standard black pupils. But that wasn't the biggest difference. Aki's hair was silver.

Tenchi summoned a large mirror from nowhere, like he had the staffs, and offered it to Aki. Aki took it and looked at his reflection, brushing a bit of his hair back.

"My gift to you," Tenchi said. "You can name this form, if you want."

"This is great," Aki replied, his voice slightly deeper than normal, but not as deep as Tenchi's Supreme Saiyan voice. "I thought I was going to be stuck at Hyper Saiyan forever, but now this is much better."

"The name of this form is your choice," Tenchi said again. "It's pretty much on par with the Golden Supreme form. Heh, Golden Supreme. Sounds like a type of butter, doesn't it? Or an apple."

"I don't know what to call it," Aki said. "I can't think of a name that suits this transformation."

"You did suggest Extreme Saiyan for the Golden Supreme form," Tenchi said. "How about that?"

"Well, I wouldn't really say it's extreme," Aki replied, giving Tenchi his mirror back. Tenchi made it disappear. "What about Silver Saiyan?"

"You know what, it's not important," Tenchi said. "Let's just leave it to later. We've still got some fighting to do, you know."

"Well, unless you've got some snazzy trick," Aki said, "it looks like I've got the upper hand."

"No tricks," Tenchi said. "Just this." He powered up, quickly becoming a Hyper Saiyan. He pushed his level higher and ascended to Supreme Saiyan, his power level closely equalling Aki's. "Infinite energy," he explained. "Didn't I tell you?"

"But Tenchi, "Aki said. "I still want to fight you at your full power. If we're equal, it's just going to drag out, and neither of us'll win. Just use your best."

Tenchi breathed heavily, as if preparing himself for something. "Okay, if you say so. You're not going to like how easily I'll beat you, though."

"Just do it."

Tenchi shrugged and his power level increased again. Past 200 million, beyond 500 million, and suddenly, it disappeared. Tenchi was standing where he was, but Aki, nor anyone else there who could, could sense Tenchi's energy signature.

"Wha, what happened?" Aki asked.

"My energy's just too great to be contained now," Tenchi replied, the ground around him melting due to the lightning crackling around him. "It's all around you now. And just so you know, this still isn't my full power."

It looked like Aki just disappeared and instantly collapsed on the ground outside the arena, but Tenchi had actually moved so fast, throwing him out of the tournament, that it looked as though he, Tenchi, hadn't moved at all.

Tenchi quickly powered down, and descended to his normal form, before hopping over to help Aki up. Aki was fine, now with a normal power level too. They walked back over to the waiting area, but before they reached it, Tenchi was called back by the announcer.

"Tenchi Masaki, the winner of the tournament!" he was shouting, for the benefit of the audience. "Tenchi, how does it feel to have won?"

"Not bad," Tenchi replied, scratching the back of his head. "A bit disappointed, now it's over."

"Now, you have one challenge left," the announcer said, his voice lowering to normal. "Katari Midomo, the previous Galactic Champion, is waiting to fight you. You've already won the money, but this fight is to see who will be the Champion for the next year. Do you want to rest, or are you ready to fight now?"

"I'm fine now," Tenchi said.

"Very well then." The announcer turned to the waiting area, where Katari was waiting, still breathless from watching the fight. "Mr Midomo, we're ready for your fight with the winner now."

Katari whimpered slightly as he stood up and walked slowly towards the arena. "Have fun," Aki called after him, a smile on his face.

Oh, I'm gonna die, he was thinking as he walked. There's no way I'm going to survive, let alone win. Still, at least I can go out like a true fighter.

Tenchi was watching his curiously as Katari climbed up the stairs onto the arena. "Hey, Katari," Tenchi said, quiet enough for only the Champion to hear. "You okay?"

"I can't believe I'm gonna die," Katari was still whimpering, not daring to look remotely at Tenchi. If he had, he would notice that Tenchi was looking at him, not with menace, but with a blank stare.

"Katari Midomo had been the Galactic Champion for the past three years," the announcer was saying, as the Champion was threatening to do something nasty in his uniform. "He has become an icon for the rest of us. But will this be the time he'll be replaced?"

The crowd cheered, both for Katari and Tenchi. The gong sounded. The fight had begun.

Tenchi just watched Katari, who looked like he was struggling with himself. "Umm..."

Katari looked up, pure concentration in his eyes, not thinking about anything else but looking good when he went. He charged at Tenchi, who was still standing still. He swung his fist around and caught Tenchi straight in the chest.

Tenchi flew backwards from the impact, straight across the arena and hit the ground outside. He rolled over and was stopped by the barrier between the audience and the fight.

There was pure silence. No-one could believe Tenchi had been knocked out of the arena, especially by the first punch.

Tenchi picked himself up and looked over at Katari, waving him over. Stunned, Katari walked towards Tenchi.

Tenchi held out his hand, his other hand sweeping his long hair back behind him. "Well done," he said. "You've won." He held his hand out for a moment longer, but dropped it to his side as it wasn't taken. "You've won. Go and enjoy yourself."

"You mean I've really won?" Katari asked.

"Really really," Tenchi replied, before smiling at him and turning and walking back to the waiting area to meet Aki.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I don't believe this," the announcer said, his voice just as stunned as everyone felt. "Tenchi has lost. Katari is still the Champion for another year."

"Tenchi, what was that?" Aki asked as Tenchi approached.

"What?"

"You lost," Aki said, looking at Katari. "You lost to that weakling."

"I deserved to lose," Tenchi replied. "That man knew full well he didn't stand a chance, but he fought anyway. It takes more than strength to be strong, and that man is brave. And besides, he's apparently a hero of some kind, an icon for the people. What would it look like if he lost a fight as quickly as I could have beaten him? It just wouldn't be right."

"That's not the whole reason, and we both know it," Aki said, walking next to Tenchi as they went back to their room.

"You're right," Tenchi said. "To be honest, I didn't feel like being the Champion. I've got enough popularity as it is, and that's good enough for me. I've helped a lot of people, and I'm fine with that. That's mostly what I wanted to compete for, anyway."

"The rest?"

"It's a bit of fun, isn't it?"

There was quiet for a bit.

"Tenchi, about our fight..." Aki said.

"Oh yes. I won," Tenchi replied. "Don't worry, the MAGI'll get the prize money. I did say it would."

"Thanks, but it's not that," Aki said. "Did you want your energy back? After all, it was yours."

"So was the energy you took from me the other time," Tenchi replied, looking sideways at Aki. "No, I'll take it back. You can keep all the energy you had before our match, even though it is about a third mine."

"Thanks," Aki said again. "Umm, how...?"

Tenchi reached out and placed his hand on Aki's shoulder. Aki felt a strange tingling sensation, mixed with a cold wave that spread out from his shoulder. Tenchi removed his hand.

"Done," Tenchi said. "I've taken my energy back."

"Good."

They reached the room and entered.

--------------------

The rest of the day was spent explaining to everyone why Tenchi had lost the fight, but some of them didn't really get it. And after the award ceremony, where Tenchi received his cash prize and a golden medal, which he subsequently gave to Aki to use for the MAGI, and after the feast for the sixteen fighters and their friends and families, during which Tenchi made some promises to visit some people later, such as Qeltor, who was going to learn how to fly, the extended Masaki family went home. Since the feast had been a big one, dinner was cancelled, and everyone relaxed for the rest of the day.

Yosho had hung around for a short while, and then went back to the Masaki Shrine. After about an hour, now being about five o'clock, Tenchi went outside by himself. He walked around for a while, slowly making his way up to the Shrine. He reached Yosho's building and knocked.

"Come in," Yosho called from within.

Tenchi slid the door open and went in, closing the door behind him. He sat down on the floor in front of his grandfather, who had been sorting through some papers.

"Tenchi, what do you want?" Yosho asked. "You hardly ever come here by choice any more. What is it?"

"Grandpa, there's something you want to tell me," Tenchi said, stating a fact rather than asking a question. "Well, something you want to ask me."

"Then you already know?" Yosho asked.

Tenchi nodded slowly. "But you ask," he said.

"Very well," Yosho said. He cleared his throat.

"It'll make it easier," Tenchi said.

Yosho nodded. "I've been having my anxieties," he said. "I know that since I'm much older than you, I shouldn't be saying I'm worried, but you are a special person."

"Very special," Tenchi smiled. "Go on."

"I was wondering," Yosho continued. "What is it like?"

"Unfortunately, no-one can be told what it's like," Tenchi said. "It's something you have to see for yourself."

"Oh." Yosho thought of something else. "Can you tell me when..."

"No," Tenchi said abruptly. "No, I'm sorry. I do know, but I can't say. It would just complicate things."

"Will it hurt?"

"Of course not." Tenchi paused. "I'm going to say this much: it'll happen in your sleep. You'll fall asleep, and the next thing you'll know, you'll be surrounded by darkness. You'll try to move, and end up rising out of your body. What you'll be then is just your mind and soul. You'll have no physical presence, and be unable to feel anything as such, but the experience is unlike anything else you've ever known." He paused again. "It's going to be the best thing that ever happens to you," he said. "I know how it sounds, but you'll feel like that. Trust me, you'll be fine."

"So that's how I'll die," Yosho said. He looked down at the small pile of paper. "I thought I'd sort some things out before I do, you know. To be honest..." He closed his eyes. "...I'm worried."

"You really shouldn't be," Tenchi replied. "I've died three times, and I've experienced the same thing you will once. Speaking from personal experience, you'll be fine. I promise."

"From what you've said before," Yosho said, "I take it I'll still exist afterwards, right? I'll still be here. It seems like it would be lonely."

"I can speak to dead people," Tenchi said. "Well, more correctly, I can hear dead people. Dead people still hear everything around them, people speaking and so on, but only I can hear what dead people say. You can still talk to me."

"You can hear dead people?" Yosho asked.

"Sure," Tenchi nodded. His face became serious and he looked straight at his grandfather. "Do you want to speak to your wife?" he asked. "She's here. She wants to talk to you."

"Itsuki is here?" Yosho asked.

"That's right," Tenchi replied. "You talk, and she'll hear you." Tenchi turned his head and looked an area of space slightly to his right. "You can tell me what to say, okay?" he said. He smiled and nodded.

"She's there?" Yosho asked, nodding at the space Tenchi was just talking to.

"Yes," Tenchi said. "I know it's tough talking to something you can't see, but you can try it."

"Okay," Yosho said, shifting his posture, thinking of something to begin with. He cleared his throat, but said nothing.

"Itsuki says that she was kind of shocked to learn about your real past," Tenchi said, "but she understands how that kind of life doesn't appeal to some people. She is glad you stayed on Earth instead."

"You know about all that?" Yosho asked his wife.

"Yes," Tenchi replied. "She asked me some questions a while ago after she realised that I could talk to her. She says that you two have had a fine daughter, and an amazing grandson. Oh, thanks, grandma."

"Were you listening to my conversation with Tenchi just now?" Yosho asked.

"She was," Tenchi nodded. "She says that she too was worried about death, but she now knows there's nothing to worry about. She wants to get rid of your fears. In some ways, death is actually better than life. The only drawback, as far as she knows, is that you can't talk to or affect anyone except me. You just watch on as things happen around you. That's true," Tenchi added. "But you can also talk to Aki, if you want. He can speak to dead people too."

Tenchi listened for a moment, and thought. "Okay," he smiled. "Come here, grandma, into my hand. How long do you think you want?" He paused again. Yosho watched on, puzzling over what was happening. "You've got it," Tenchi said. "It won't come for a moment, but I'll leave before then. Enjoy yourself, grandpa," he said to Yosho. "Just stay tight and wait until I've gone out." Tenchi stood up and walked out of the building, sliding the door carefully shut behind him. As he started walking back to the house, he heard a gasp of shock and joy. He smiled.

"They should both be happy for a while," he said to himself. "Now that I've given grandma a spiritual body, even though it is just for a while, they'll be able to talk in private. That should be nice."

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Tenchi awoke with a start the next morning. With Ryoko sleeping with him, who was still fast asleep at the moment, Tenchi didn't move. Of course, Aki had moved back to the MAGI to continue teaching, so Tenchi was allowed the comfort of a large bed, only to have it accommodated by the pirate.

Tenchi let his head lean to his left, to see Ryoko sleeping on his arm, a hand next to his body that had slid off his chest. He looked up and whispered.

"It's okay," he said quietly. "I don't mind."

With his free arm, he moved the covers to cover Ryoko's sleeping body, and then looked up into the air. He raised his eyebrows in a "now look what's happened" way.

You knew, came the voice.

"Are you mad I didn't tell you?" Tenchi asked.

No, was the reply. But thank you for letting me speak to Itsuki one last time.

"No problem," Tenchi smiled. "So what will you do now?"

I don't know, Yosho said. I haven't been dead before.

"Any special requests for your body?" Tenchi asked quietly, careful not to disturb Ryoko.

Just to be buried next to Itsuki, if you can.

"Sure thing. The others are going to be sad, though."

I know. And I also know you can handle it.

"I think I'll go sort out your body now," Tenchi replied. "You know, make some sort of coffin before the others wake up. They might not want to see your shell."

Whatever you think is best, Yosho said.

Tenchi nodded slightly, and looked over at his trapped arm. He moved it down through the bed, like Ryoko's phasing ability, and rose up into the air. He pulled on some clothes and disappeared while flying through the wall, heading for the shrine.

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He told the others after breakfast. Everyone was in shock. How could Ayeka's brother have died now, after living for seven hundred years?

"It's Funa-Oh," Tenchi explained. "It kept its powers those seven hundred years because it was drawing energy from Ryoko's gems. The tree created the special water that sustained him. But once the sword was pulled out, the tree became powerless and normal. It was only a matter of time, then, before this would happen."

"But you pulled the sword out," Ryoko said. "So you killed him."

"I've talked to him, and he really doesn't mind," Tenchi said, laughing slightly. "He said he'd lived long enough, anyway. He's sorry for upsetting you all, but he really is fine now."

"Is... is he here?" Ayeka asked.

"Yosho?" Sasami asked.

"Not at the moment," Tenchi replied. "But he will be at his funeral later. You can talk to him then, through me."

Ryoko was taking it harder than some would have thought. They were enemies, and he had sealed her in a cold, dark cave for seven hundred years, and yet she was still sorry he was dead.

"Oh, lighten up, everyone," Tenchi said brightly. "Don't be sad; he's not. He gets to have more fun now than ever."

Eventually, over the hours that followed, everyone saw that Tenchi knew what he was on about, and cheered up. It wasn't as though Yosho had really gone anywhere; he could still communicate through Tenchi, and probably through some machine Washu had stored in her lab.

The funeral was held, but it wasn't as sad an affair as other funerals. Everyone spoke to Yosho via Tenchi, and were all cheered up. He was lowered into the ground by Tenchi, who then moved soil to fill the hole.

A month later was Tenchi's twentieth birthday. As he celebrated with his friends and family, he reflected back over his life.

Becoming a Saiyan at the age of eleven.

Advancing to a Super Saiyan at age seventeen.

Meeting his friends and future wives a month and a half later.

Fighting and defeating Kagato without using the powers he had come to rely on in the past.

Facing death in the form of a supposed heart attack, and revealing his heart to those closest to him.

Fighting both his clone and an ultra-powerful Slider in quick succession, and evolving in the process.

Losing all his powers two and a half months later.

His search for the DragonBalls, and the fight through time against Rytel the dark wizard, which, of course, never happened.

Encountering the Borg and becoming a mindless drone, but fighting back and sacrificing himself.

Watching as Sasami grew so powerful that she became the third ever Super Saiyan.

The Galactic Martial Arts Tournament, which he won easily after using some of his full powers.

The death of his grandfather.

Tenchi had had quite a full nine years, come to think of it. But now, as he drank to his survival of twenty years, despite dying three times, and the fact that he was actually chronologically quite a bit older than twenty, he knew all that was coming to an end. There would be no more adventures, no more threats. No more fun.

Well, not for a while, at least.

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end...