Tenchi Muyo and its characters are property of Pioneer although any original characters are property of the Author. This fic was made for fun and in no way am I making money out of it.

Aeka: "Don't be silly, Ryoko, Jurai's royal family is everlasting."

: Nothing lasts forever.

What Tomorrow Might Bring

Part 5

Tenchi: …..But how? I defeated you.

John/Kagato: And that you did, but my essence survived in the vacuum of space, where it remained for eight hundred years. That is, until one day, John Evans happened to pass by where I was. His hatred for Jurai was equal to mine, and it allowed us to communicate with each other. He agreed to allow me to share his body with him in exchange for my help in punishing Jurai. I might say I was surprised with his intellect, despite the fact that he is a human from a backwater planet.

Tenchi: I am going to make sure that your death is permanent this time!

John/Kagato: You shall find that it will be more difficult now. You caught me by surprise last time, but this time I am ready for you. And after I am done with you, Jurai is next to be destroyed!

King Azusa: That will not happen!

Aeka: Father, what are you doing here?

John/Kagato: Well well, if it isn't his royal highness. Glad you could make it. But I am afraid you are mistaken; Jurai is going down. One-time allies have turned on your planet, and the remaining allies you do have are in shambles. Of course, the most important factor weighing against you is that you have fallen into my trap.

King Azusa: What nonsense are you babbling about?

John/Kagato: Oh nothing really, just that this attack was just a diversion and you fell for it. You diverted a large portion of you fleet to protect this planet, leaving Jurai vulnerable to the real attack fleet. Those ships will be able to easily break through its defenses, since they come with the modifications similar to those that let Ryo-oky break thru them in the first attack on Jurai.

Everyone: Oh, no!

John/Kagato: Oh, yes! And then we will end this war that you started, your majesty!

Aeka: How dare say this war is my father's fault!

John/Kagato: You mean he did not tell you why he wants Earth under Juraiyan control?

King Azusa: SILENCE!

John/Kagato: Afraid of her finding out that you are a power-hungry man? The reason Jurai wants to control Earth-- and also why the colony my family was living at was destroyed-- is because Earth-based humans are gaining powers while those on Juraia have dwindling powers. If you ask me the reason for that, it must be the inbreeding you Juraians are so fond of.

Sasami: Liar! Our father is not like that!

John/Kagato: How naïve children can be. Why do you think your father came to Earth so fast once he found out about Tenchi and Washu? It was so they could make certain no one else could get a hold of the power that they had.

King Azusa: ENOUGH!

King Azusa takes his sword out and everyone in the room feels his power as he uses it to get ready to fight.

John/Kagato: Prepare to feel the power that you sought to control!

John did not move nor take out his own energy sword to counter, but before the King's sword came down on John, the king was pushed back and flung into a wall by an invisible force.

Aeka: Help him, Tenchi!

King Azusa: I do not need his nor anyone else's help!

John/Kagato: Your ride will be your downfall.

The king, not wanting to hear any more, once more made his move to attack, but before he could get within striking distance, he was suddenly afflicted with pain emanating from his heart.

John/Kagato: What's wrong? All this excitement too much for you? After all, you have been around for a looong time.

The king could not comment due to the pain he was feeling. He just gasped as he tried to continue on, but it was futile. The pain overcame Azusa and he fell to the floor, dead.

Aeka/Sasami: FATHER!

Aeka and Sasami ran to the fallen form of her father and felt for a pulse, but found none. Washu scanned the body to see if she could do anything to help, but after discovering that his death was caused by his heart bursting, she shook her head sadly at both Aeka and Sasami. There was nothing she could do.

Tenchi: You're going to pay for that!

John/Kagato(smirking): Me? I didn't do anything.

Tenchi: I know you did something, and after I get the Tenchiken back, I'll make you pay for what you have done!.

John/Kagato: If that is what you want. Here is your sword back, but I'll hang on to the gems.

Tenchi catches the Tenchiken, but sees that the gems are indeed missing.

John/Kagato: I suggest that you leave now, since it does not matter if you change the past. This reality will still exist as an alternate timeline.

Tenchi: We are not going anywhere until this is settled!

John/Kagato: Then face what your decision has cost you. We all fall down.

Everyone got a confused look as to what John had said. Unnoticed by anyone, Mihoshi suddenly got a blank look on her face and fired her blaster, which she had out, at an unsuspecting Kiyone, killing her instantly. Having done that, she pointed her gun at her head, and before anyone could do anything to stop her, she fired..

John/Kagato: It is amazing what a post-hypnotic command can do.

Tenchi: YOU BASTARD!

Tenchi, igniting the Tenchiken, launches himself towards the possessed John, who takes out his own energy sword in time to block the attack.

John/Kagato: I did give you a chance to walk away, but you wanted to be a hero. And now you must live with the fact that it cost you two of your friends' lives.

This comment, along with watching his friends being killed, caused Tenchi to attack with the Tenchiken. John/Kagato blocked the attack with his now-ignited sword.

Washu: Be careful, Tenchi! I examined King Azusa's body closely and found that a telekinetic attack killed him.!

John/Kagato: That's right. I do not have to touch you to kill you… but don't worry, I have other plans for you.

Aeka: I WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO HURT ANY OF MY LOVED ONES ANYMORE!

Before any of the others could stop her, Aeka attacked once more, but this time an invisible force grabbed her and flung her violently into a far wall. The force of the impact was so great that is shattered her skull immediately, staining it with red with blood and brain matter. Her lifeless body then fell to the ground and was then crushed by the falling wall, causing a wet squishing sound to fill the room.

Everyone: AEKA, NOOOO!

Sasami ran to where her sister was and tried to dig her out, even despite the cuts she was getting from the effort. Before she hurt herself even more, she was stopped by Washu. Sasami tried to protest, but she gave up and cried on Washu's shoulder.

Ryoko: BASTARD!

John/Kagato: Why, Ryoko? I thought you would be pleased. After all, I just removed your competitor for Tenchi's affection.

Ryoko: Despite our bickering and fighting. I thought of her as a friend and would not have wanted her to die in that manner! And most of all, you have hurt Sasami by killing Aeka, and for that I am going to make you pay!

John/Kagato: I do not think so. I do hope you enjoyed your time away, Ryoko.

Ryoko tried to fight the sudden mind control she was being afflicted with, but it was no use, for Kagato's ability to control her will had become stronger. From where Tenchi was, he could see that Ryoko's eyes had a green tint to them, just as she had when he had first seen Kagato take control of her.

Tenchi: Release her, you coward!

John/Kagato: I do not think so. She will be under my control from now on.

Tenchi changes into his light hawk wing form.

John/Kagato: You will find that I am ready for that this time around, boy.

John/Kagato motions as if he is going to attack, but sidesteps out of the way in time to escape Tenchi's counterattack. Before Tenchi realizes what has happened, John/Kagato pulls out a grenade and throws it at Tenchi. A bright light explodes out of the grenade, which blinds Tenchi.

John/Kagato: You should have been prepared for anything, boy.

Tenchi, despite his power given to him by Tsunami, is powerless to do anything as he is cut down by John/Kagato.

Sasami: TENCHIII!

John/Kagato: Fool.

Washu protectively gets in front of Sasami, intending to shield her from any danger that would come.

John/Kagato: Now, now-- I am not interested in hurting you, Professor, or the young princess. However, I cannot say the same for Ryoko...

Washu: Damn it!

Her attention being distracted by the fight between John/Kagato allowed a controlled Ryoko to phase behind Sasami, her energy sword at Sasami's neck.

John/Kagato: If you surrender yourself I'll leave her unharmed—otherwise….well, you get the idea. Oh, and please do not try that Washu doll substitution trick, or try to break my control over Ryoko—otherwise, they will both die.

Seeing no other option, she complied with his demand as she is once again enveloped in a greenish crystal.

John: And now for you, young princess. I did say I would leave you unharmed, but I did not say anything about keeping you prisoner.

Sasami could do nothing as a green crystal engulfed her as well when he finished saying this. A expressionless Ryoko watched this happening, but did nothing.

John/Kagato (smirking): Now that there is no one who can stop me, the fall of the Jurian Empire is ensured!

John's/Kagato's figure faded from view as Tsunami viewed the last of a possible future—possible, since it is hard to see the future, due it always being in motion, always changing. She thought that it would be better to play it safe by putting things into motion that would prevent this future from coming to pass, just in case. The rest would be up to Tenchi and the others she knew, but she had faith that they would find a way to succeed. The outcome would depend on how things were handled, and only time would tell how things would turn out in the end.

Author's Note:

I would like to apologize for taking so long to finish this fic. A lot has been keeping me busy and the fact that I lost the notes for this fic also added to the delay. Due to this, I could not think of an original way to end it without them. In the end, I had to settle for an ending that I was not happy with but I chose any way just so that I could conclude it for those who read my stuff.