A/N: This will finish up the fic. I would like to thank Davner for allowing me to finish this fic, and to you readers who slogged through my chapters. Thank you for your support and I hope you'll enjoy the other two parodies I'm working on (Indiana Jurai fanfics based on "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and "Temple of Doom") so enjoy this last chapter. I do not own Tenchi or Indiana Jones.
Ch. 6 Three trials and a conclusion
The ride over to the valley of the crescent took longer than expected due to the camels and the fight with Z. Surprisingly, they weren't ambushed by any Kawazis. Indiana rode at the front of the group with her fedora low over her face. Misaki pulled up along side her, "A penny for your thoughts?" "Geez, could you get anymore cliché mom?" Misaki's eyes narrowed, "What?" Indiana quickly rephrased that, "The phrase is a bit…overused, mother dearest." "Well, soooorry." "We're not really getting anywhere with this discussion." "We would be if you would just answer the question." "Fine, fine. I don't like anything about the situation. We haven't been ambushed by any Kawazis, I'm not counting Z because he was a dhagas, and the fact that Tenchi is probably with the group at the temple." Misaki looked at her daughter as a decidedly wicked smile slid onto her face, "My, my are you saying that you like the Masaki boy?" Indiana looked over, irritated, "No shit." Nobuyuki's voice cut through any retort that Misaki might have prepared, "we've arrived."
Inside the Kawazis were not having fun. They had entered the main part of the temple with no problems only to hit an obstacle. There was only one tunnel that led further into the temple, and any man sent in there had been apparently beheaded, as only their heads rolled out. The leader of the expedition was a man by the name of Dr. Clay, an older archaeologist with one eye and a beard that looked like octopus tentacles. Tenchi had accompanied the expedition and was now standing at the back of the room watching yet another unwilling soldier get shoved into the tunnel, only to have his head roll out a minute later.
After Nobuyuki had tethered the five animals Indiana headed straight for the entrance. Nobuyuki yelled out, "Indy, what are you doing?" She turned around, "They know we're coming anyways, so why not just march in?" The others looked at each other and moved to follow her. Their entrance wasn't noticed until they were practically in front of the group. Clay turned, "Well, well. We are graced with the presence of both Dr. Jurai's how very convenient." Tenchi looked up at Indiana, a shocked and slightly relieved expression on his face. Indiana nodded her head slightly in acknowledgement. Clay continued, oblivious to this, "Since the elder (Misaki glared at him the minute he said that, causing most of the Kawazis to quail) Dr. Jurai, has provided us with the location of the master key, I believe the younger Dr. Jurai should help us retrieve it." Indiana snorted derisively, "And what would possibly make you think that I would help you?" "This." Clay calmly pulled out a gun and hit Misaki in the stomach. "Mom!" "Dr. Jurai!" (Mihoshi: "She died! I thought this was a kids flick!" Ryoko: "She forgot what we're watching?" Tenchi: "yeah...")
Nobuyuki helped Indiana lay Misaki down on the floor. The bullet hadn't gone in too far, so she would be okay, if she didn't die of blood loss first. Clay laughed, "As you know, Dr. Jurai, the Master Key has the ability to heal all wounds. If you hurry, you could save your mother's life." Indiana glared at him for a moment, but turned back to Misaki, "I'll be back mom. Hang on until then." Misaki nodded and squeezed Indiana's hand. Indiana got up and moved into the tunnel. Looking around warily she thought, The swift shall pass…hmm A dull grinding of metal on stone caused her to duck. A large metal blade embedded in the rock flew over her head. She rolled to the left in time to avoid one in the floor and pulled on a lever. Both blades ground to a halt.
Tenchi stared down the hall, expecting to see Indiana's head roll out the door any minute. He'd overheard a few of the Kawazis talking and, apparently, his grandfather had escaped. He'd been hoping that Indiana's appearance here could free him as well. He was jerked out his thoughts by Indiana's voice echoing down the tunnel, "I'm through!" Tenchi smiled, that is, until he felt a gun muzzle in the small of his back. Clay poked him with the muzzle, "Get going, whelp. We're following her."
Indiana was now in an octagonal room with eight identical doors. The walls and ornamentation was all the same except that a small dragon engraving had its head pointed towards one of the doors. Indiana looked at the door The Dragon will guide, very clever, one more trial to go." The next room contained a wide variety of swords, from Scottish claymores to Stilettos (A/N: The shoe name comes from a sword, pretty cool no?). In the middle sat an elderly looking man, wearing clothing similar to that of the remains of Sir Kamidake. He was sitting in the middle of the floor meditating with a staff by his side. Indiana walked over to him, and moved back in time to avoid getting hit with the staff. The man tried to attack a couple more times, ending with a downswing. Indiana caught it over her head and disarmed him. He sighed, "I yield. You are strong, Lady knight. What is your name?" "I'm Indiana Jurai." "That's an odd name…" He poked her whip with his staff, "And an odder weapon, lady knight. I an Sir Asaka, and I have guarded this hallowed spot for centuries."
Indiana looked around the room, "What is this?" "This is the final resting place of the Master Key and also the final test." Indiana looked around, "I think I understand." "Well then, why don't you explain it to us." Asaka and Indiana turned to see Clay and Tenchi enter the room, Clay's gun muzzle firmly in the small of Tenchi's back. Clay pushed his gun further into Tenchi's back to make a point and said, "Now, one of you better explain, or it's the end for Masaki here." Indiana snorted, "You'll play dirty to the end, won't you Clay. I've heard about your previous exploits." Asaka stood beside her, "Using another man as your shield is the act of a coward." "Yes, yes I'm a terrible person and I'm going to hell, blah, blah, blah. Now start talking." Asaka gestured around the room at the various swords, "You must discern which blade is the Master key, you will be judged the minute you touch a hilt."
Clay pulled the gun away from Tenchi's back and began roaming around the room examining the hilts. He stopped at a large ornate broadsword, with gold inlay running down the blade and a large green stone mounted on the pommel. "This is it! Something so grand could only be the Master Key" He reached out for the hilt and pulled on it. The minute he tried to remove it, though, his hand began deterioration into sand. Pulling his had away, Clay saw that his arms and legs were melting as well. Tenchi and Indiana watched in horror as Clay's entire body dissolved into sand. Indiana turned to Asaka and said, "What was that!" "He chose poorly. Now you must choose." Indiana looked around the room and stopped at a wooden hilt. It was skinny, but the wood had been woven together in an intricate pattern. The blade itself was a simple katana. "This looks like a fairly simple design…" Indiana grasped the hilt and lifted it. She stood there, holding the sword, waiting for something to happen. She turned and looked at Asaka, who simply smiled and said, "You have chosen wisely. The goddess prefers humble things. You may take the blade as far as the great seal, but no further." Indiana bowed, "Thank you." She turned to Tenchi and nodded, sword in hand, then ran back down the path with Tenchi following.
When they reached the entrance, Indiana stopped for a moment to note the location of the seal that Asaka spoke of. It was right in front of the doorway, and consisted of a metal disk in the floor. Engraved in it was the design of a Celtic tree similar to what Kiyone had tattooed on her. Indiana moved towards her mother, who was still alive, barely. She'd been laid out on the floor and Nobuyuki and Mihoshi sat on either side of her. There was a lone surviving Kawazi sitting in a corner watching them warily. Indiana knelt down by the wound and placed the sword hilt over it. Tenchi looked over at the Kawazi for a minute before he became aware of a light coming from the sword hilt. As the light faded, Indiana pulled the hilt back to reveal the wound area, which was healed. Indiana set the sword down, sighing in relief, "We made it, Are you alright mom?" "Yes, I'm fine so was that-" Suddenly the Kawazi bolted from his location and grabbed the sword. He ran towards the entrance calling back to them, "Than you for retriveing the Master Key for me, I'll bring this to the Head and I'll be rewarded above all others." Nobuyuki moved to follow him, but Indiana stopped him and said, "The sword can't pass beyond the great seal, don't worry."
As soon as the Kawazi made it to the threshold, the ground began to shake, and the ground split underneath the Kawazi, swallowing him and the Master Key. Luckily, it was still small enough for a person to jump over. Misaki stood up, "This place is going to collapse if we stay here much longer, come on!" She ran over to the rift and jumped it. She was followed shortly by Nobuyuki, Tenchi and Mihoshi. Indiana moved to jump, but turned around and saw Sir Asaka standing in the tunnel. He saltuted her, and she bowed in response. Mihoshi broke the moment, "Indy hurry! The gap is opening." Turning her back on the guardian of the Master Key, Indiana jumped the gap.
The group made it outside before the building completely caved in. (A/N: It couldn't really collapse because it's built into the side of a valley, savvy?) They moved to the horses. Misaki looked up at the sun and said, "Ah, crap, I lost my hat. Hold on a second." She bound a white cloth on her head Sikh style. "I'm ready, let's go, Ayeka." Nobuyuki looked at her, "Why do you call her 'Ayeka'?" "That's her name, Ayeka Misaki Jurai." Indiana pulled her horse up next to them, "I prefer 'Indiana'." "We named the dog 'Indiana'." Nobuyki snorted, "The Dog!" "I happened to have really liked that dog, and dad called me that." "Well, your father was always a little odd." Mihoshi said, "Come on you guys, let's go!" With that she spurred her horse down the ravine. Indiana stared, "Oh my god, I swear she has ADHD. Would you believe she has no idea where she's going?" Tenchi sighed, "Very easily." (Kiyone: "The more things change..." Ryoko: "You have my sympathy Kiyone.") Misaki nodded, "Well, we best go after her." Nobuyuki and Misaki headed down the ravine in pursuit of Mihoshi.
Indiana moved to follow them, but noticed that Tenchi, who was riding the extra camel, wasn't following. She pulled back over to him, "What's the matter?" "Well…are you sure you want me in the group, I mean…" "After what you did at castle Rosenburg?" "Yeah." "I heard about the extenuating circumstances, so I'm not going to blame you for trying to protect family. I would have done the same thing." "But…" "Don't worry about it, but after we get back, do you have somewhere to work?" "Not really…" "Interested in a partnership? I could use the help." "Are you serious?" "Do I look like I'm kidding? Don't answer that. What do you say?" "Yes, definitely." "Great. Now don't you think we should catch up with them?" "Not really, but I guess we have to." Indiana only laughed. And with that they headed after Mihoshi, and after that, back into civilization.
Back in Washu's lab, Ayeka began stirring on the clinical table. Sasami ran over to her sister, "Ayeka you're alright! I was worried." Ayeka smiled, "I'm fine, Sasami. I just…have a bit of a headache that's all." Ryoko floated over, "well, well princess. You have interesting dreams do you know that?" "Ryoko, what are you talking about? How you know-" Ayeka stopped and pulled the device on her head off. "LADY WASHU!" "What? I was just experimenting with the device and they happened to be in here-" "I can't believe this!" "Lady Ayeka, calm down…" "And you Kiyone, you and Lord Tenchi were party to this?" "Not really, Lady Ayeka. Washu just wouldn't take no for an answer. And Ryoko was really enthusiastic about the idea." That response resulted in Ayeka chasing Ryoko around for the remainder of the evening, and everything was back to normal. Or as normal as things get in the Masaki household.
There you go, the final chapter. The other two are under progress so keep your eyes peeled. Comments are welcomed and appreciated.