Homecomings: Jurai

by Will Pii

Edition 2. Following the defeat of the dark goddess on Earth, the victors search for solace in a world forever changed. This tale follows the Jurai royal family, both familiar and not, in the aftermath of this event.

3. Chapter 2: Piercing the Veil

Chapter 2 – Piercing the Veil

The voices began more than a year ago, July 1997. Dr. Hakubi Washu had located a vessel in orbit over Earth, a battlecruiser, fully armed and ready to attack. Wanting a peaceful encounter, she approached Jurai Ayeka to negotiate with the ship's crew. The princess herself was a bit surprised that a military vessel would be in this solar system, and she grew curious. Ryua Ryoko's teasing only served to push the violet-tressed woman to accept the invitation. Aboard Ryo-Ohki, the princess flew with Washu and Ryoko at her side to talk with these visitors.

Sadly, they had no interest in talks. Unprovoked, they fired a shot from their main cannon, grazing Ryo-Ohki's hull and impacting Earth's north pole. The Ryoan ship crashed into Manhattan Bay, where she and her pilot were taken into custody by the local organization monitoring extraterrestrials on Earth. Luckily, Washu helped the princess escape, and through a rather comedic and, from the princess's perspective, embarrassing sequence of events, Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki were liberated.

However, two tenacious young agents continued to pursue them. As the chase exited the populated area of New York City, a blast of energy carved a crater ahead of both Ryoko's stolen vehicle and the tailing car. The two sedans swerved and braked, but were unable to avoid falling into the newly created pit. From her seat in the stolen car, Ayeka gathered herself from the crash to peer through the window. Floating above them was a small, saucer-shaped spacecraft equipped with a large-barreled weapon on its undercarriage, trained on both vehicles.

After righting herself, Ryoko promptly summoned and released a great pulse of her crimson power into the cannon, destroying it. The explosion ruptured the ship's hull, sending it into a wobbling descent that ended in the twisting of metal and bursts of flame. Everyone carefully made their way from their respective conveyances, both the agents and the residents of the Masaki home, all nursing minor cuts or bruises.

Washu, however, approached the wreckage of the aggressive craft. Debris flew aside from the mangled heap, forcing the genius to back away. Unscathed, the pilot of the destroyed ship rose. Ayeka's eyes widened, amazed at the menace that stood before both her and her companions. The creature resembled the mantis insects the princess had seen on Earth: a hard, greenish carapace; folded claws, like a pious priest's prayer; large, unblinking eyes; multiple mandibles, which twisted into a sickening grin.

With little hesitation, Ryoko and the agents fired on the beast, but their shots reflected from an invisible screen, shielding it from harm. The creature's carapace shifted colors to fiery patterns of black and red, much like the Ryoan's combat attire. Before this encounter escalated further, Washu created a subspace doorway, allowing them all to escape the mantis to a motel nearby.

There, after convincing the agents not to arrest Ryoko, Ayeka and Washu walked and conversed with the more rational of the two agents. The pair elaborated on their residence on Earth for the past two years. In return, the operative explained that the battlecruiser had arrived to retrieve an important celestial relic, a mission which had now been completed. She, however, did not have any knowledge of the mantis-like creature from the previous night. Naturally, Washu had her theories, though they remained speculation at the time.

Since Ayeka and her compatriots had been gone for a couple days without word, the other residents of the Masaki home followed them to Manhattan. Ayeka and Washu first encountered Kuramitsu Mihoshi, who was, as usual, blissfully ignorant of their situation. The bubble-headed detective joined the trio as they returned to their current abode, but she was unaware that she had been followed.

The Galaxy Police were the primary law enforcement agency in the Milky Way. Naturally, the local Terran agency had a liaison with them, Matsu Mitsuki, one of Kiyone and Mihoshi's contemporaries. However, Mitsuki had not come to reminisce about her academy days, but rather to accuse. The year before, the Super-A class criminal Kain had destroyed the GP headquarters by rupturing its subspace prison, causing a temporal fissure. As a result, he traveled back to 1970 in search of Masaki Achika, Tenchi's mother. However, Mitsuki was aboard that station and suffered serious wounds from the event. Her face was badly scarred, particularly on her left cheek. Her entire left arm had been replaced with a mechanical imitation, at least to her elbow from the way her uniform's sleeve clung. Her official mission was to apprehend Ryoko, but her true motive was revenge.

Ayeka could feel the pain and rage in the liaison officer's voice and expression during the confrontation: lost friends, colleagues, a lover. The way she waved her pistol, the curses she flung so easily, Mitsuki wanted blood. Admittedly, she would have rather released her hate on Kain himself, but that was no longer possible. Kain was destroyed in 1970, so that only left those who meddled in time, those who did nothing to undo the tragedy. The princess could understand the officer's motives, as irrational as they were, but could not condone this action. Both Ayeka and Washu attempted to talk her down, but she refused, the burning fury unable to be quenched with words.

Shortly, Ryoko and the other agent burst from the motel and targeted Mitsuki, leaving them now with a standoff between Ryoko, Mitsuki, and the two agents. Washu and Mihoshi ducked into the motel while the princess slid away from the fray, but remained close.

This could still be mediated, Ayeka thought. She is partly our responsibility.

Alas, this incident distracted them from their true enemy. From the motel, an overweight, balding man stormed toward them, demanding an explanation. Initially, Ayeka ignored him, allowing one of the agents to placate him.

Then, his eyes flashed dark crimson, catching Ryoko's attention.

"A Ryoan…?!" the pirate whispered to herself.

Alone, she darted into the air and rained her fiery power upon him, which ricocheted off a barrier protecting him. Ayeka and the others turned to the man who advanced toward them slowly. The princess summoned her mini-guardians around him, encasing him in her own force field, hoping to end this exchange quickly. While the officers trained their weapons on him, the man simply glanced at the Juraian manifestations and grinned wickedly.

"Princess Jurai Ayeka, you couldn't contain this power once," he said as he stared into her eyes, his own flashing a deep green. "What makes you think you could a second time?"

He raised his hand toward her, sending rings of light at her, obsidian encapsulated with crimson. These easily shattered her shield, forcing her and the agents to dodge and roll to either side. Chills rushed down Ayeka's spine, her eyes wide, confusion and fear rushing through her. She knew that technique, and its master.

Kagato?! she thought. It can't…!

"Who are you?!" Ryoko demanded. "You're not Kagato, and you're not Ryoan!"

"No, I'm neither, Ryua Ryoko," he answered, laughing to himself. "I am Illirg, creation of Nerti Ro." His eyes flashed red once again. "And, thank you for being so visible. You've made my mission far, far easier."

The pirate cursed at him while she again unleashed her power, but he did not defend. Rather, he stood still and let each blast tear off a hunk of flesh, revealing the fiery-colored carapace beneath. Ayeka was taken aback, an agent nearby yelling out, "Bug!" Together, the agents fired on the creature, knocking it away, past Mitsuki's position. In the confusion, the princess had forgotten about the other GP officer, who now stood dumbfounded at the creature.

Tearing away its false flesh, the creature unfolded itself, soon standing once again as the mantis creature from the previous night. Ayeka watched horror wash through Mitsuki's face, not at the disgusting show of carnage, but rather at the twisting colors of its carapace. White swirled from the black of its Ryoan markings, mimicking Kain's mask as it gathered shadowy energies to its claws.

Quickly, the princess rose to her feet and motioned for the others to gather around her. Once they were close, she gathered her mini-guardians to maintain a protective shield around them all. However, Illirg's power pulsed out in a great wave, shattering the princess's shield and strewing everyone apart. Ayeka herself tumbled to the ground but rose to her feet swiftly, eyes focused on the monster before them.

The agents rolled back to their feet and slipped away into the motel, while Ryoko righted herself in mid-air, immediately forming her sword and flying at the mantis. The mask-like coloring shifted again to black and red before the creature pooled a large orb of ruby light and launched it at the pirate. Sighting the attack, Ryoko teleported from the air and landed next to Ayeka.

Yet, the orb turned in the air, its trajectory heading straight for the princess and the pirate. Together, the two raised their arms, calling forth their respective barriers. At such a proximity, the barriers overlapped, Juraian and Ryoan energies coexisting in the same space when the attack hit. In that moment, the orb snapped in a bright flash of light, backfiring on Illirg. The barrier around it turned an ashen gray and dissolved, decaying, falling like tainted snow to the ground below.

Ayeka was likewise blinded, turning away from the flash, blinking to clear her eyes. She could hear the creature roar, at first irritated, but then a second time with the blasts of the agents' weapons. She felt its blood splatter on her back and around her feet when her sight began to return. Green in color, the sticky fluid adhered to her shoes and soiled her kimono, just as it did Ryoko's clothing.

The beast fell, but grinned despite its injuries, its claw rising toward Ryoko. Again, its facial coloring swirled into a white mask as it gathered dark filaments of light to its grip.

"And now, for you, Ryua Ryoko," it hissed.

Ryoko cursed under her breath as she pulled at the sticky substance holding her. Similarly, Ayeka struggled to free herself, but to little avail. The Juraian lady caught a glimpse of the dark power in Illirg's claws, and for a moment, she saw a white swirl within it, like a smiling face in a deep abyss. Chills rushed through her, as did adrenaline, giving her the strength to pull her feet and arms free.

The shot of darkness flew at the two, just as Ryoko formed her sword and cut herself free. As she darted into the air, Ayeka began to step from the attack's path, but her shoe failed to grip in the creature's blood. The blast slammed into her shoulder, spinning her body as its black lightning ignited and spread across her body. Her eyes clenched tightly when she felt the sparks crawl over her skin, burning at each point they touched.

Ayeka did not feel her impact with the ground. All she remembered was the darkness enveloping her, the burning sensation soon fading to a freezing cold. She pulled herself close and shivered, alone in the shadows. Gazing into the emptiness around her, not even stars glimmered back at her. Around her, the princess could see a subtle pink light enveloping her, dimming as the cold crept over her.

"Tenchi…" she whispered to herself, her heart calling out to him, alone and afraid.

However, another voice answered her, her own.

"Ha! You think Tenchi's coming into this blackness for you, you pathetic woman?" the mocking voice scoffed. "Why would he want 'Princess Jurai Ayeka', when he already has someone like Ryoko?"

Ayeka recoiled, shocked. Not only was this voice mocking her, but the imitation of her voice was perfect, flawless, though tainted with a vile tongue.

"Just think of what they are doing together," the other Ayeka continued, sultrily, seductively, "while you waste away here."

These words lit the princess's jealous imagination. She certainly could conjure innumerable illicit acts that Ryoko could visit upon Tenchi, but she shook them away, not noticing the ever dimming aura around her.

"Who are you?!" the princess demanded. "Why are you saying such lies?!"

"Lies, are they?" the twisted voice answered. "Haven't you seen them when they are together, alone? Stop deluding yourself and open your eyes!"

Her thoughts began picturing them kissing, hugging, caressing. Each image in her mind pierced her heart like a knife, but she thrust them all away, clinging to her own affection for Tenchi and proof thereof.

"Tenchi cares for me deeply!" Ayeka retorted. "He risked his life to save me from Kagato!"

The vile imitation laughed, "No, he didn't. He wanted revenge for his grandfather, not you! Look at yourself!"

In the shadows, a patch of dull light illuminated an image of a violet cross, comprised of a sharp, bladed crystal. Tied to its arms was a copy of Ayeka, dressed in her form-fitting combat attire from the battle with Kain. The duplicate hung limp, weak, defeated. The princess was struck silent, seeing herself in such a state, considering the voice's interpretation of the facts.

"Even in this form," the other Ayeka hissed, "you are still the pitiful Princess Jurai Ayeka, who can do nothing but worry and fret, rather than act. This is why Tenchi wants Ryoko over you. She actually lives!"

The princess could not accept this. That was not who she was. She covered her ears and closed her eyes, forcing the doubts and accusations away.

"Stop comparing me to Ryoko!" Ayeka barked back. "I'm not her! I'm not like her! I can't be her!"

The aura around her then cracked, allowing the dark shadows to seep inside over her chest. Her eyes popped open when she felt the blade pierce her chest, slicing into her heart. The air left her lungs, her body like ice, unable to move. Her skin grew pale, deathly.

Then, she saw the duplicate's combat attire melt from pink to black. The figure pulled free from her bonds as the Mark of Rage grew on her face, more blades, darker. The princess watched the other's head rise, revealing her gray eyes, her twisted smile.

And, it spoke with the mocking voice, "Happy birthday to me, dear mother."

X X X

Ayeka screamed loudly when she shot up to a sitting posture. Her heart pounded against her chest, threatening to rip through her sternum. Her hands clutched her collar tightly, wrinkling her fine kimono, her nails scraping along its well-tailored seams.

Her eyes wildly searched the room around her, looking for some sign of familiarity, but they found none. She found herself seated upon a simple bed, rather nondescript and spartan. The furnishings were likewise plain, though finely carved from the Juraian fir, whose trunk comprised the support structure of the estate.

Where am I? she thought. How did I get here?

The lady's mind drifted back to the previous night: the Royal Archive, the waking nightmare, the horrible vision. She did not remember this room, nor how she arrived here. Worries began to mount. Whose estate was this? What had happened last night? What did they know?

Before her concerns grew far, a kind knock came to the door, followed by a very familiar and friendly voice.

"Princess, are you well?"

Relief rippled though Ayeka in hearing Azaka's voice. Her hands released her collar and cradled her arms, holding them close and warm. Her heart calmed, her breathing steadying.

"Azaka…" she sighed. "Oh, thank the…"

She stopped herself. "Goddess" would have been then next word, as many on Jurai would have said in her place. However, the word somehow seemed inappropriate now.

"Princess?" Azaka called again, concerned.

Ayeka took a breath to settle her nerves before she answered, "I am here, Azaka."

"May I enter?"

She took a moment to straighten her kimono before answering, "Yes."

The door slid aside, allowing the azure knight to enter and bow respectfully to the lady. She nodded her head in response before he took a seat across from her. This dress was far more humble than his more well-known gi and hakama, wearing now merely a common tunic and trousers. Even the Mark of Rage was missing from his face as he met her gaze quietly.

"Where are we, Azaka?" she asked softly.

"My familial estate, princess," he said gently, "since last night."

Gradually, her muddled memories cleared: running from the Royal Archives, pounding on a door, sobbing into a shoulder. The violet-tressed woman lowered her eyes, shame welling within her.

"… I'm sorry for disturbing you at such an hour…"

"It is alright, princess," he answered warmly. "My home is open to you whenever you are in need."

Ayeka's heart sunk lower in her chest. Her mind could not accept the loyalty of this nobleman, not given the realizations of the past night. Her eyes closed, tears cracking from the edges of her proud facade. An awkward silence filled the room between them, the princess's pride unwilling to relinquish her troubles. The knight likewise waited for her to speak first, out of respect for her position.

She may need some time, he thought, considering what was said last night.

He remembered clearly and vividly. The warrior had sat at the altar to the memory of his wife and son for his evening prayers when the pounding came to his door. Rarely did people call at that hour, so he became immediately suspicious. When he approached the door, he checked the exterior monitor to see the young lady sobbing, her fists heavily slamming into the wood of the portal. Her eyes were crazed with fear and horror, steams of tears flowing down her cheeks. Confusion naturally followed as he opened the door. She collapsed on his doorstep as he knelt with her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, letting her cry into his shoulder. However, he could hear in her sobs the words, "I killed them" repeatedly.

Azaka had been present in Manhattan when Ayeka's mind began to succumb to the darkness that was consuming her. He had finished relating his suspicions regarding the NVO energy to Ryua Ryoko and Jurai Nagi when the corrupted princess blew through a wall, demanding the two daughters of Ryua. Her eyes were slate gray, seemingly empty while her voice boomed with a second, male tonality. Her face was twisted with a sick glee that was far outside her character to possess. The knight pushed aside his initial horror and stood for Nagi, Ryoko already held by the shadow princess's oaken minions. He remembered the pressure of her blackened mini-guardians forcing their way into his shield, very similar to the power wielded by the vile usurper and his honor-lacking knights.

But, he also heard her voice falter and misspeak, slipping into third-person to describe herself, "If only you knew how jealous she… I was of you…!" and the male overtone speaking without her, "… What do you know of her, Ryoan…?" Held unharmed, Ryoko correctly realized what Azaka also knew. Another entity was controlling the princess, and deep within, she was resisting. In that moment, he synchronized with his staff, and with her tiara, linking his mind to hers. He felt the darkness ravaging her, crushing and suffocating her spirit.

The creature within her raged at his intrusion. "Stop, knight! Stop now! I am part of you, Jurai Ayeka! I am you! All the jealousy! All the frustration! All the solitude! Everything you hold inside!" Yet, Azaka could still hear the princess's cries for help, just like on his doorstep this recent night.

Through the morning, the knight considered the meaning of "I killed them", given the mental strain and trauma Ayeka had already suffered. While in the thrall of the dark entity, she had injured and killed many agents on Earth. Initially, he attributed her guilt to that incident, but the horror in her eyes at his door was fresh, new. This had not arisen from the battle in Manhattan.

Finally, Azaka broke the silence.

"Might I offer you some tea?" he asked, motioning toward the door. "I have several…"

"I'm a murderess, Azaka," Ayeka interrupted, her hands grasping her obi.

The knight fell silent, listening, though his chest ached at what he heard from his regal lady.

"I'm a monster," she continued, stress and shame cracking her voice. "I don't deserve your kindness."

Azaka shook his head and answered, "No, princess. I don't believe you are." She raised her wavering eyes to his while he continued resolutely, "The woman I have known since the moment of my resurrection is not a monster. She takes great strides to be flawless, a pristine example of our great nobility and tradition." He smiled warmly and added, "And, I believe many times, she loses herself in the attempt."

Ayeka shakes her head slowly, her voice becoming a sob, "No, Azaka. I've killed…"

"As have Kamidake and I both, princess," he replied firmly and softly. "But, unlike us, you had no choice in the matter. You are not a monster, unlike the creature that took your mind from you."

"I killed children!" she blurted, fear and terror in her eyes.

Azaka was taken aback, certainly unprepared. Shock took him while tears streamed down her grief-stricken eyes. Her hands slid upward along her arms, clutching herself close, fright chilling her deeply. Her amethyst eyes lowered to her lap, shame filling her voice.

"… I saw them last night," she whispered. "I saw them burn… under my will… I heard them scream…"

Slowly, the knight recovered from the impact of her initial claim. He had seen grown men, particularly the young, have horrifying nightmares during and after the war with Ryua. Many times, these images arose from the hell of battle, but sometimes also, they were born from guilt of the soldier, both from his actions and inactions.

"Princess," he spoke softly, "you were forced to attack innocent people as well as your closest friends and family. That incident has wounded your heart deeply, no doubt like many others in those days on Earth."

"… You believe this is my imagination…?" she asked, her voice drowned in her muddled emotions.

"To be honest," he said carefully, hesitating, "yes."

Her eyes slid to his, her head rising slightly. Azaka could now see the dark rings around her eyes from missing sleep, from her worries and doubts.

"I know their names, Azaka," she spoke uneasily. "I read the news reports. I read their names, and became ill, just like when I read my diary."

The warrior furrowed his brows. "What do you mean 'ill'?"

"My stomach twisted, threatening to retch with every word."

Azaka considered this. He had personally seen how the mind could affect the body. In the days following the war, he knew of several patriots who could never visit the ground upon which their comrades had fallen. He watched them tense and strain, resisting some urge to flee the hurtful place, the memory of what had transpired there. Even the azure knight himself stoically let tears roll down his face when treading the land where several of his students had been killed.

"If I might ask," he inquired, "to what did those passages of your diary pertain?"

"My attempts to learn Jurai's power," she answered. "The handwriting changed, as did the tone." She shivered and looked aside. "It's like I didn't write those entries."

"And, the names? Were they in your diary?"

"No, the Royal Archives."

"And, you reacted the same way?"

The princess simply nodded.

"Were the disappearances and your diary entries close together?"

Again, she nodded, growing more silent. Azaka plainly watched the self-doubt and fear devouring Ayeka, leaving her hollow and empty. Her self-image had been shattered on Earth when the dark creature controlled her, and these haunting images and unsettling accounts only fed that feeling. He had to stop this descent before it crushed her.

"Princess," he addressed her gently. When she turned to him, he continued, "With your permission, I would like to find the truth behind these haunting visions."

Surprised, her brows raised as he stood and continued, "Your diary entries and reactions would seem to show that some incident did occur." He paused, his eyes meeting those of the princess. "I believe that you did witness a horrible event, princess, but not that you were its cause."

"How can you be so sure, Azaka?" she asked, the disbelief clear in her voice.

He took a knee at her bedside and answered, "Because I have seen your actions and heard your words, princess. As I said before, you carry yourself as a proper Juraian lady, even to a fault." He then nodded and added, "I have also touched your mind, if briefly. The darkness I found there was not the woman who sits before me now."

Despite her doubts and fears, Ayeka forced a small, hopeful smile upon her lips. "Thank you."

"You should rest now. You will need your mind steady and your strength renewed to face this challenge," he said as he rose to his feet. "I have some sleep aids that can help calm your dreams."

She nodded as he bowed and took his leave of her to find those medications. Alone again, her fingers wed together tightly in her lap. Part of her mind still could not process the loyalty Azaka displayed to her, someone who had done such horrible deeds. That side of her kept wondering why he continued to address her as "princess", despite how she had disregarded that title.

He doesn't know what's beneath this facade, her doubts whispered. In truth, neither do I, it seems.

But, another part of her heart continued to hold that hopeful smile on her face.

What if he's right? she thought.

X X X

The tree-ship Ryu-Oh was a beautiful vessel. Her hull was carved from the most elegant of Juraian aspens for the crown princess's personal yacht. Its grain smoothly transitioned from a soft white to a gentle brown while the radial ribbing and axial struts arose from select, hardy branches of Heaven's Tree. Her core unit held a few pocket dimensions, where rooms were constructed, both for the princess and any guests she may ferry with her. Each room possessed masterfully produced furniture and decorations, personally chosen from her family's collection on Jurai.

Emperor Jurai Azusa I bequeathed the central tree to his daughter upon his death, and she raised the sapling into the mighty oak at the heart of the ship, its mind and soul. In the years before society demanded her presence, she would often find time to tend the garden around the tree, sometimes with her baby sister in tow. Through the tiara key, Ayeka could telepathically exchange thoughts with the tree, Ryu-Oh. Unable to leave her station within the ship's core, the sentient plant listened eagerly to the princess's tales of her life outside these confines, both the joyful games with Sasami and the disheartening meetings with her many suitors. Likewise, Ryu-Oh comforted her mistress, giving her a quiet place to rest and recover, as well as a silent confidant for her troubles.

As Jurai Sagami set his eyes upon Ryu-Oh today, he saw the stress fractures and deep gashes carved into her hull, marring her prior elegance. A month ago, he had watched her descend through the clouds of the throne-world and beheld these wounds. Now, the CO and his XO led a small contingent of officers beneath Ryu-Oh's hull. His hand lightly slid over one of the scars in her skin, feeling the jagged breaks, the splintering wood where a great stone and iron building fell upon her.

Given the miraculous regeneration of Ayeka's yacht, several interested parties in Jurai's navy had many questions. Most were quelled through pressure from the royal family, but inquiries remained regarding the ship's space-worthiness. Inspections of civilian tree-ships were routinely done every few years to check the tree's health and the vessel's systems. Considering the recent events on Earth, special inspections had been called for both Ryu-Oh and Funaho.

When requests came for an inspection team, Sagami volunteered select members of his engineering staff for the task. The captain reasoned that they had recently undergone inspection for Chizuru, and the checks for the yacht would not defer much from their usual duty schedule. However, he did not tell his superiors about his own concerns regarding the princess.

"No scorching," Eiji commented as he scanned over the hull. "Most of the damage appears to be from the crash."

Sagami nodded, answering, "It does look that way."

Behind him, one of his officers adjusted her glasses and added, "We won't be sure until we look inside. The structural damage could be more extensive than the surface shows."

"Agreed, Yumi," the captain acknowledged. "As chief engineer, I'd like you to ascertain the state of the main unit and hull. Iori and Ryosuke, you assist her."

Two other officers accepted these orders before he turned to Eiji and the remaining members of the team.

"The rest of us will check the main tree and the bridge systems. Now, be aware that this is a civilian vessel, and her owner is guaranteed her privacy. Ryu-Oh will likely bar access to some areas. If a vital area is cut off, contact the commander or myself, and we'll see to opening it."

Receiving their orders, the team fell into ranks with the CO and XO before an emerald orb of light enveloped them all, teleporting them inside the ship. Within, the chief engineer's group bid their farewells and left for the maintenance shafts connecting the outer hull to the main unit. The remaining crew proceeded through the corridors toward the bridge.

Once there, the young captain instructed his people, "Eiji, check the diagnostic and sensor logs for any noted faults. Sano, you take Megumi and Yuri and start checking for any active faults in the tree's interface. I'll check her defensive systems."

The unit separated and promptly tended to their task. The three engineers, Sano, Megumi, and Yuri, stood around the central tree, where the flora provided each with a translucent display. The screens scrolled with data regarding the speed and quality of the plant's connection to the bio-mechanisms encasing it. Amongst the green, healthy entries, yellow or red entries crept, indicating a crushed or shorted conduit. The engineers took note of each, planning how to help the regeneration process or directly repair the issue.

Sagami and Eiji took the command position on the bridge, designated by a stylized circle carved into the deck a few meters ahead of the central tree. Much like Chizuru, Saya, or Hi-Ryu, this location was specifically created to amplify the commanding officer's synchronization with the core, giving more direct control. As Ryu-Oh was Ayeka's personal vessel, the princess often stood there to issue her orders.

Before Sagami, a schematic of the ship's weaponry appeared, detailing their condition and charge. Systematically, he tapped each entry and read through the details of the battery. Many had been crushed in the crash and were completely inoperable. Those which were operational were still nearly depleted, likely due to the priority of the ship's current regeneration rate. Most armaments would regrow on their own after the structural damage healed itself. The defensive shielding showed signs of stress, likely due to the intense combat on Earth, but it too would manage without aid.

However, as Eiji's screen scrolled with the listing of the ship's diagnostic and sensor logs, several entries glowed a bright blue, locked. Moreover, a gap existed in the records. The commander furrowed his brows as he entered the common logins for these files, but each time, he received the Juraiji equivalent of "Access Denied".

"Sagami," he whispered, "I've got a problem."

The captain leaned over Eiji's shoulder and skimmed the display as his subordinate explained, "These logs are from the thirteenth of September and following, the battle on Earth. In midst of the conflict, the records are sealed with a nonstandard key."

"Have you tried direct access to the tree? That should convince her to give up the data."

"Not yet," he replied, though he continued in a hushed tone, "but something else bothers me."

With a swipe of his fingers, the logs scrolled earlier to the twelfth of September, where the records were missing.

"Here, several routine logs are outright missing. Ryu-Oh experienced a complete system blackout for a couple hours in the midst of the battle with the distortion." Disturbed, Eiji's eyes slid to Sagami's. "That doesn't happen to a tree-ship, ever."

Taken aback, the captain took a moment to consider the evidence before him. The locked records could be easily explained by an encryption Ayeka placed on the logs. However, the missing logs were more difficult to push aside. A tree-ship was a living bio-mechanical system, controlled by the core tree. The tree served as the control system of the vessel, much like the central computer network in a Galaxy Police craft. However, unlike a GP ship, the tree shifted through varying levels of consciousness throughout its life. The trees never truly slept and made routine record of their tasks throughout their service. Common knowledge stated that this only ended when the tree died.

"Yes, it does, Eiji," Sagami replied, his eyes narrowed with his whispered answer. "It just doesn't usually start again." He glanced aside in thought for a moment before he asked, "When do the logs begin?"

With a gesture from the XO, the log listing shrunk to a scrollbar on the right of the display. Sliding the indicator upward, records scrolled past them quickly, displaying regular reports from nine years ago until present. Tapping the earliest record, the two officers read through the primary initialization and configuration log for the unit to accept the tree Ryu-Oh.

"Nine years ago," Eiji answered, "when the tree was first planted and installed. Even considering the crash on Earth three years ago, the only gap seems to be from September twelfth. The first locked entry is hours before that."

Sagami folded his arms, tapping his fingers along his cloak as he considered this. "Not too surprising, considering the incident. Let's try direct access of the logs."

Eiji concurred and stepped toward the central tree. Resting his hand on the trunk, a subtle green aura arose from his fingers, his Juraian heritage extending to the flora before him. He touched Ryu-Oh's consciousness, synchronizing his thoughts with hers, and began his request.

However, within a few moments, the glow over his digits burst into emerald filaments, spurring him to recoil from the tree. Surprised and confused, he rubbed the shock out of his hand while Sagami and the other officers turned to the commander.

"I take it she said 'no'?" the captain inquired.

"She broke off contact," he answered, turning to his CO. "She doesn't want to relinquish those logs."

Sagami grimaced. "I'd rather not resort to forcibly accessing the logs. I'll try to convince her."

As he rested his hand on Ryu-Oh's trunk, Eiji commented, "Watch out for a jolt when she cuts you off."

Sagami smirked. "I'll keep that in mind."

Like his friend, the captain's hand glowed jade while his thoughts mingled with those of the plant. Though his connection was weaker than Eiji's, Sagami could still sense an irritation in Ryu-Oh's voice.

Please, she chimed, I have given you my answer.

Ryu-Oh, he answered, we are merely concerned for you and your mistress. We mean neither of you any harm by our inquiry.

Unlike the connection between two terminals, a psychic connection between two living beings transferred more than simply information. One could feel the emotions of the other, see the imagery in their words, and read their reactions, making this type of connection far more intimate than speech. Ryu-Oh could feel the intent in both Sagami's and Eiji's requests for information, and how she answered the captain spoke of the difference she found.

Captain Jurai Sagami, she began, the logs from that battle hold very sensitive information not only to my mistress, but for the entire royal family. I am certain that Funaho will be equally protective of what she knows.

I expected as much, he accepted. You need only release the data that is relevant to your current condition.

Sadly, she lamented, the two are quite interwoven.

The royal tree paused for a moment, and Sagami could sense an apprehension within her, a tension. She chose her words carefully, her voice very cautious.

I can allow access to an individual trusted by my mistress, provided he was prudent in the use of that information. My mistress has expressed her trust in you, captain, but not your subordinates.

The officer was taken aback by Ryu-Oh's statement, considering how Ayeka had kept him at a distance since her return.

I understand your worries, captain, she added, and I share them. She has lost a great deal, and I fear she might have lost herself. She has distanced herself from most everyone, including me of late.

Thoughtfully, Sagami nodded. How can I help? he asked.

Please, Ryu-Oh requested, only use the information I give to help my mistress. This would have been her legacy, had events been different.

A shudder ran through his spine at those words.

I understand.

I will open my data core for you to access the logs directly. I leave the rest in your hands, captain.

Like all Juraian ships, Ryu-Oh's data core was connected directly to the tree itself and made copies of all important logs. However, as the princess's private yacht, this vessel kept her data core within the tree itself, the most protected component of the craft. On the side facing the command position, the trunk had an indentation covered by overlapping slats.

At Ryu-Oh's order, those slats slid away, revealing a small chamber inside, just large enough for one person. Within, the carved walls glowed with a pastel blue light, highlighting the conduits connecting the tree's consciousness to the data core. The core memory unit itself rose slightly from one of the floor panels, metallic with several fiber and crystalline cables attaching to the data feeds.

Sagami opened his eyes and stepped toward the tree's cavity, though Eiji paused him for a moment, resting a hand on his shoulder.

"What was the problem?" the commander asked.

"I can't say right now," the CO replied quietly. "While I get these logs, could you finish checking the defensive systems? This might take a while."

Confused, Eiji furrowed his brow and angled his head aside. "Sure, Sagami. Is something wrong?"

"No," Sagami answered with a slight grin, "she's just protective of her mistress. I can appreciate that. I'll handle this. You and the others tend to your duties."

The other officers accepted his orders and went back to work, but Eiji knew that grin held no actual relief. As he walked back to the defensive status screens, he glanced back at Sagami, who entered the ship's data core.

The slats closed behind the captain, leaving him alone within the small hollow of Ryu-Oh's tree. Here, the blue glow loomed around him as he knelt with the core unit. When he rested his fingers on its housing, a translucent panel appeared before his eyes.

Upon it, Ayeka's face gazed back at him, the Mark of Rage extending one claw over each of her cheeks. Beneath her violet locks of hair, her amethyst eyes somberly met his, giving him pause. She took a slow, careful breath, steeling herself before she spoke.

"To whomever is watching this recording, I hope that this message finds you and Jurai safe from harm. As you likely know, a horrible shadow has fallen upon Earth and threatens not only the Empire, but also I fear, the universe at large."

She recorded this during the battle, Sagami thought to himself, listening intently.

"I have instructed Ryu-Oh to release her logs of these events to someone I trust in the event that I am defeated…" She stopped herself, her eyes closing, troubled by what she must say. "… or consumed by the Enemy."

The officer furrowed his brows, unsure of her meaning and worried at its possibilities.

Her eyes raised back to his, set and determined. "These records will hold not only data on what has and will become of me, but the goddess willing, a record of the Enemy's strength and tactics."

Her sight turned down to her fist, which rose into the panel's field of vision. In her grasp was Tenchiken, the ruling line's sword key, the winding vines of its hilt extending far offscreen, stretched from the form Sagami knew. Longingly, her eyes scanned over its violet guard, glowing a soft green as her voice softened.

"Please," she pleaded, "make good use of this knowledge and finish the work started here." Tears appeared and rolled down her cheeks as her brow and lips tightened, regret and anger both pushing through her. "Know that I fought this vile corruption until my last breath." Her eyes closed tightly, her hands clutching the key closer to her chest. "Know that I was Jurai Ayeka, daughter of the Jurai royal family."

Her image winked away while the data core whirred beneath his fingers, copying the logs he required. However, Sagami knelt speechless in the chamber, his mouth dry and his mind racing.

Goddess, he thought, what happened on Earth?

X X X

Juraihelm Ramia massaged her forehead and brows, a sigh hissing heavily from her teeth and lips. Aside from her duties as captain of Saya, the young woman continued her pursuit of the NVO distortion's origin. She had requisitioned the records of any intrusions into temples on Ryua over the past six months, but the Ryoan priesthood had denied all of her requests. She had attempted to contact the GP and Terran members of the Dr. Hakubi's team, but the Terran agent had become lost in the turmoil surrounding Earth's introduction to interstellar relations. The GP officer had been killed in combat with the distortion, and thus silenced for eternity.

She had sent a request to Washu directly, but no response has been forthcoming. The legendary mad scientist may reply, though considering her spotty record with both the GP and the SA, the captain would not wait. Naturally, she chose not to contact the former pirate Ryua Ryoko, who likely knew little about the distortion, beyond its threat to her adopted home.

Thanks to some old favors from the current governor of Ryua, Ramia acquired the communication logs and selected transcripts from Cardinal Ryua Shinya's offices over the weeks preceding and following September 12. Several lengthy conversations occurred on September 4 and 10, most with his father, High Priest Ryua Murakami, or his student, Brother Kimpatsu Ryobachi.

The conversations on the Fourth mostly consisted of discussions over doctrine, particularly several passages of the Ryoan holy texts regarding their matron deity, their "Lady of Flames". Reading the transcripts, Ramia also checked their references and noted a distinct similarity to Jurai's Holy Chronicle. Both cultures had a matron deity, who bestowed great power upon her people, though Jurai emphasized more arboreal and aquatic imagery as compared to Ryua's crystalline and incendiary notions. While she became more intellectually curious, she pushed the interest aside to focus on the content of the passages, which mainly dealt with the retribution of the Lady of Flames, as well as their commentary upon them. Murakami went at length about "preparing and turning the faithful" and "letting the damned burn". Shinya, however, reminded him that "the Children of Ryua should all return home, lest they lose Her favor". Ryobachi seemed content that the Lady's will would be done, regardless of whether or not her "children" turned back to her.

Could it be a code? she wondered to herself. Could this "retribution" be less about their own sins, and more about retaliation against a perceived foe?

On the Tenth, however, the exchanges were more heated, especially from Ryobachi. Evidently, he had lost a duel with a "highly skilled opponent", as Shinya described, and should not feel shamed that the warrior was a woman. The cardinal seemed far more worried regarding a ceremony, which had gone awry, supposedly tied to Ryobachi's progression as a priest. Ramia was aware that the Ryoan priesthood were granted the use of their natural ruby light for certain rituals, but the way Shinya spoke of the incident, something went out of control and nearly overwhelmed them both. Sadly, the priest scolded his student more in regard to his "misplaced priorities" than detailing the events. Murakami's exchanges with Shinya were paternal concern for his wellbeing. Evidently, whatever transpired had great personal risk to the cardinal, as well as importance to the family.

Considering the distortion arrived at Earth on September 12, she thought, Washu's team might have been involved in the incident.

Also, a few conversations mentioned a "Leon Tae", who was studying with the priests, but was not a Ryoan himself. This snared Ramia's attention since the Ryoans seemed so secretive about their practices of faith, and yet they allowed this off-worlder learn with their students. Searching the GP database, she found several records regarding the young man on the GU member world Pentinon. There, he was an orphan following their planetary civil war in 1979 and was a ward of the state most of his life. He had enrolled in the SA branch campus on Pentinon, where he had excellent marks in his courses, though his instructors noted a distinct negative attitude toward authority and a sharp disrespect to anyone he found inferior. On 5 July 1995, he was expelled from the campus following an attempted assault on a fellow student, Nerti Ro. Leon had been relinquished to the GP's custody for isolation while witnesses were questioned, but the transport was attacked by a seemingly random pirate vessel.

Random? she humorlessly considered. There's nothing random here.

The players became clear. With their rank, Murakami and Shinya were likely untouchable, particularly given Seto's diatribe a month ago about Ryoan politics. Leon Tae was effectively a ghost since his official life vaporized after the pirate attack in 1995.

That leaves the student, Ramia concluded, Kimpatsu Ryobachi.

Ramia requested the young priest's records from the planetary archives on Ryua, which proved easier than the earlier, more high-profile, inquiries. Ryobachi was the son of a pirate, Kimpatsu Tadao, who had been in the inner circle of the Ten Guild. However, Tadao died prior to his son's birth in the July 1979 GP raid that killed the guild leader, Ten Akuno, and his other trusted lieutenants. Akuno's brother and successor, Kazuma, offered the boy a brotherhood and a trade, but his mother instead placed him into the Ryoan priesthood, where he came under the tutelage of Ryua Shinya. Like many other abandoned sons of the guilds, Ryobachi tended to be brash, reckless, and headstrong. Still, he had a sharp mind for academics, which endeared him to Shinya. Slowly, he has risen through the ranks of the clergy and now was close to being ordained as a deacon.

After reading Ryobachi's recommendation letters, the lady captain pushed all documents aside and leaned back in her chair, her index finger and thumb rubbing the bridge of her nose slowly and firmly. She could feel the fatigue creeping into her eyes and mind from all her reading. A mild throbbing found its way into her forehead. A sigh hissed from between her teeth as her fingers slid to massage her brows.

"Goddammit, Ayeka," she cursed to herself.

She was worried, as much as she wanted to convince the world otherwise. Her history with Ayeka spanned over a decade, and they had shared the stresses of their respective educations with one another. She had seen Ayeka vanish from the public eye like this before, and remembered the first time they met.

Ramia could remember the sobs, soft and airy amongst the hedges of a garden maze. She could feel a cool breeze rustle the leaves around her and hear the songbirds tweet and flit amongst the branches nearby, but the somber sounds drew her closer. At the center of the maze, a preteen girl laid upon a park bench, sobbing into her arms. Her violet tresses fell around her face haphazardly, shading her features. Her small kimono was elegantly embroidered in blue hues, supplementing the darker color of her hair.

Yet, that memory of innocent happenstance always came intertwined with a darker, far more traumatic one. With her eyes closed, she could see the bodies burning, hear the children's pained and terrified screams. At the heart of the horrific image, she saw the violet-tressed girl, no older than herself at the time.

Never will Ramia forget that day, though the world has, as Ayeka has, just like she does not remember the battle during the recent reunion.

A chime from her office door roused the officer from her memories. Her eyes blinked open and leveled toward the door, as she put the past once more into its home in her mind.

"Enter," she ordered, mild annoyance in her voice.

The door slid aside and revealed a rather peculiar specimen of the Juraian nation. The man's cloak was pure white, hung from broad blue shoulder plates. Beneath, he wore a nobleman's kimono, though colored in flamboyant shades of yellow and blue, which clashed terribly with the bright pink tone of his hair. His curly locks were tied in a tail extending from atop the back of his head, as well as on either side of his face.

"What are you doing here, Seiryo?" she demanded, irritation plain in her tone.

"Come now, Ramia," he retorted. "Is that any way to greet an old friend?"

Ramia never truly cared for Tennan Seiryo's attentions, particularly when he briefly tried to woo her. He would speak endlessly about how he had grand plans to revolutionize Jurai and improve relations between worlds in the empire, even Ryua. He bragged about the many councilmen he knew personally through his family, particularly his father. She tolerated him for perhaps a month before leaving her handprint upon his reddened face and publicly storming away from his self-centered arrogance. When asked, she has always called him a "foolish mistake" from her academy years.

Rising from her desk, she folded her arms and answered coldly, "Your only friend is yourself."

Sliding into the room, he ran his fingers along the back of a chair, his eyes following them as he spoke softly, "I'm friend enough to warn you about your own folly."

The door automatically closed behind him with a soft click while her eyes narrowed suspiciously at him.

"What do you mean?"

"Well," he began, his bluish eyes meeting hers, "there is a buzz in the Council regarding you 'confronting' the chairwoman." He smirked as he added, "You do like to bring trouble on yourself. Isn't that how you were transferred from Mizuyume?"

Ramia's amber eyes narrowed hotly at him, and she resisted the curl tugging at her lip. While the incident on Mizuyume involved the coup d'etat of Jurai Kagato, it still left her career tainted and remained a sensitive matter to her. Naturally, Seiryo enjoyed goading her, watching the angry flames flicker in those saffron eyes, even if it cost him a slap in the face.

"Get to your point," she snapped, "before I have Hiroshi throw you off my ship."

Idly, he stepped forward and took a document from her desk and skimmed it, reading a segment of a conversation between Shinya and Ryobachi.

"Honestly, you went to the chairwoman of the Holy Council, Kamiki Seto, and demanded that she give you answers to your questions about Ryua." He shook his head and dropped the file back on her desk with a heavy sigh. "Did you really think no one would notice? You're not exactly making friends here, Ramia."

"I'm not here to make friends, Seiryo," she answered plainly. "My job is to protect the Juraian empire and Juraian throne from all threats, even if they arise from an imperial holding such as Ryua."

"But, Ryua doesn't constitute a threat!" he retorted, flailing his arms to either side. "There has already been an imperial inquest and investigation. Ryua has no connection to the NVO distortion that attacked Earth, regardless of what you've heard! You're chasing ghosts, Ramia!"

Her eyes closed slowly, thoughtfully. Admittedly, his analysis may be correct. Throughout her entire search, she has only found suspicion, no solid evidence. The possibility did exist that all the indications and inconsistencies were merely coincidence and nothing more. She could possibly be wasting time and energy fruitlessly seeking patterns where none existed, detracting from her duties.

Seiryo stepped closer and rested a hand on her shoulder, drawing her attention to him again.

"It's Ayeka," he asked softly, "isn't it?"

She did not answer, but he could feel the tension spike in her shoulder, giving him the rationale to continue with a sympathetic tone.

"You were friends with her a while, but she's changed a great deal. She's not the crown princess of Jurai anymore. She left Jurai to live on some rock in the outer rim of the Galactic Union. She's out of touch, Ramia. She's not the woman you knew."

Anyone could plainly tell Ayeka had changed significantly in the last three years. Through Masaki Tenchi's influence, the regal-tressed woman had grown more subdued, softer, more approachable. In a way, the relaxed way of life on Earth allowed her to become more noble by relieving the stresses of royal status. The redheaded captain could understand Ayeka's choice to remain on the distant world, and was even a little envious.

Still, Ayeka protected Jurai. When Kagato took the throne, she returned with aid to end him. When the ancient foe Liaens attempted to conquer the planet, she stood with Yosho to face the enemy's army. When the distortion threatened Earth, and Jurai as well, she faced it, and perhaps was broken by it.

Always, Jurai Ayeka loved her home-world and would act to defend it. Ramia respected that quality in her, one that she saw develop during their friendship together, alongside her own pride in her nation.

And, she remembered the sobbing girl, her face hidden beneath her violet locks.

"Yes, she has changed," Ramia replied to her former beau, turning her glare back to his false sympathy, "but at her heart, she is still a woman I respect most highly." She brushed his hand off her shoulder, adding, "I'd rather have her stand with me than a former suitor, who's looking for an angle to play."

"W-what are you implying?" Seiryo stammered, taken aback.

"I'm implying nothing, you pink-haired fop," her tongue sharply bit. "You're not here for my welfare, but rather your own."

"That's absurd!" he retorted with a scowl to his eyes. "I wanted to help keep your pretty face out of trouble!"

"What bills are you currently lobbying?" she asked, her tone frozen and rough.

His cheeks burned red with surprise and embarrassment, complementing the color of his hair. Again, Ramia knew him, and his occupation. He served as a professional assistant to several seated members of the Holy Council, compiling records and investigating interests to their respective districts. Naturally, he also had a hand in supporting the councilmen's particular agendas.

"Which of your masters gets his agenda fulfilled if I end my investigation?" she questioned.

Insulted, Seiryo spun on his heels and stormed to the door, ranting back to her, "I swear to the goddess, Ramia! You are the most stubborn woman in the empire!" He swung back to face her, a scowl twisting his features angrily at her. "I came here to reason with you, but you throw accusations at my face!"

"No, you didn't," she answered, venom on her words. "You had no intentions to discuss my findings. Also, you certainly have no sympathy for me, or my friendship with Ayeka." Her eyes met his and bored through to his core. "You came to convince me, Seiryo, not discuss with me."

He did not answer her. He merely closed his eyes and took a heavy breath through his teeth while she nodded slowly to herself. Gently, she tapped a translucent pad on her desk, spurring the door to reopen behind him.

"Get off my ship," she ordered, a smoldering hate hissing through her words.

He glanced to her once more and whispered, "I tried…" as he left her office and made his way out of the vessel.

Ramia tapped the key again to close the door behind him and fell back in her chair with a deep groan. She draped her arm over her eyes, exasperated with the entire exchange. Although, the fop's visit was not completely without merit.

Someone's unhappy with my prodding, she reasoned.

While she wondered at the question of whom, Seiryo walked away from Saya when a nearby fellow called out to him.

"She didn't listen, did she?" he asked.

"Of course she didn't," the nobleman answered frustratedly. "Her entire family is stubborn."

"Most unfortunate," the gentleman commented.

Seiryo shook his head as he joined his benefactor in walking from the landing pad. Dressed in his oversized yellow shirt, "Orochi Tsugaru" listened quietly to the other man's encounter with the lady captain, particularly the document he briefly skimmed.

X X X

Initially, Azaka had a simple plan to help Ayeka combat the nightmares haunting her. First, he would guide her toward rebuilding her self-image. Then, he would watch over her as she confronted and conquered the images in her mind. Ideally, he believed she would recognize the nightmares as misconstrued fears, which she could accept and overcome.

Over the course of the past three weeks, the azure knight met with the young princess to meditate in silence aboard her regenerating yacht. With Ryu-Oh watching over them, the warrior seated himself, crossing his legs and resting his hands upon his knees. Dressed in his battle garb, the legendary soldier demonstrated the deep, methodical breathing which centered his mind and spirit.

"When in zazen," he explained to her, "you are to have 'no mind', to think of nothing but the count of your breath."

Across from him, the regal-tressed woman seated herself upon her legs properly, resting her hands upon her lap. She smoothed her kimono and met his gaze as he nodded and instructed her.

"With me. Breath in." Together, the two Juraians took a careful, slow breath inward. "Hold it," he whispered briefly before exhaling gradually, "and release slowly."

Naturally, the master was relaxed, his shoulders and arms at a minimal strain, simply accepting gravity's pull upon them. By contrast, the princess's brows were furrowed, her shoulders locked tight, her hands clasped together. Repeating the breath exercise, he could see a minute loosening in her form, like with most beginners.

"Listen to your breath and mine, princess. Close your eyes and simply listen for the count. Let your mind empty and merely feel the rhythm."

Ayeka acknowledged this and did as instructed, breathing with Azaka's pace. Silence passed for thirty minutes during the first session, and he witnessed a mild relaxation in the noble lady. As expected, she concerned herself with the minutiae, her hand placement or posture, rather than the goal of the exercise.

"Remember, princess," he said. "Our objective is to clear the mind of distractions. The posture should be erect to allow the best airflow. Muscles should be relaxed to allow the best blood flow. Beyond that, it is your choice."

The academic side of her mind did not immediately accept this degree of freedom, but over the following weeks, she established a routine with her new mentor. Gradually, their meditation grew longer, to one hour and then two hours. As they focused inward, Ryu-Oh gave a gentle breeze throughout the central unit, a cooling wind and white noise for their internal study.

With Ayeka's permission, Azaka invited Kamidake to join them as the sessions elongated. Not only did the crimson knight's inclusion give her a second role model, but also this gave Azaka a sounding board to gauge her progress. Both noted that over the three week period, the princess relaxed more quickly and more deeply. Thanks to the sleep aids, she reported that her dreams became far less frequent, giving her a more restful slumber.

By the end of them month, the legendary pair could see glimpses of the woman they knew peeking through her grim veil. They would find the princess asking Ryu-Oh about her progress in healing or appreciating the flowers in the ship's garden. The lady welcomed them both with a soft smile, thanking them for their work with her.

Watching her improvement, Azaka felt Ayeka could progress to the next stage. Daily meditation gave the knights peace and focused their attention into a laser-like precision. Now that the princess had begun to find that peace and focus herself, the azure warrior hoped to direct her attention inward.

Today, Azaka and Kamidake sat across from Ayeka beneath Ryu-Oh's branches, a gentle breeze rustling the leaves above. Each staff key laid silently across the lap of its master. The princess settled her breath into a deep, slow rhythm, listening to the babbling water in the canals around the central tree. Likewise, the great soldiers had set themselves into meditation as well for a time, until the blue warrior opened his eyes.

"You have been doing well, princess," he spoke softly. Together, the others met his gaze as he continued, "Now that you are rested and centered, you can use your key to access your memories and dreams. Then, your past, even if it has been forgotten, will be plain to see."

Apprehensively, she glanced downward and worried, "Azaka, I'm not sure I am ready to face myself yet."

"I realize," he acknowledged, "and this will not be confrontation. Today will be more exploration, becoming familiar with yourself again." He motioned to Kamidake and himself. "We will be here, as will Ryu-Oh. You will not be alone."

She smiled distantly and nodded. "Thank you all." With a deep breath and heavy sigh, she steeled her resolve. "I am ready."

"Close your eyes and breathe," he instructed, "just as before."

For a few minutes, Ayeka meditated in silence as she had the past month, clearing her thoughts, listening to the leaves and water, focused on her breathing. Kamidake glanced to Azaka, who soundlessly affirmed the unspoken question.

"Now, princess," he said softly, "listen for your key."

In the stillness of the room, the crest of Ayeka's tiara glowed a gentle violet beneath her regal-colored hair. As she attuned her thoughts to the key, she could hear the device whispering in her thoughts.

What is your command?

"Do you hear its question?" Azaka asked.

"Yes."

"Good. Ask your key to connect with and invite ours. Then, we can meet on your psychic plane."

While the lady communed with her tiara, the two knights closed their eyes and lowered their heads, likewise tapping into their staves. The rings around each staff began to rotate slowly around its central orb, which glowed its respective color, red for Kamidake and blue for Azaka. Together, the orbs pulsed with the tiara's crest, synchronizing, communicating.

Within her mind, Ayeka could feel her perception extending through her small crown. The imagery spread before her mind's eye: herself standing at the center of a vast, white plain, featureless and blank. There, she rose to her feet, speechless at the emptiness surrounding her. However, within moments, she sensed other presences on this field. Spinning toward her right, she saw the two knights walking toward her slowly, both smiling warmly for her.

"Congratulations, princess," Kamidake praised. "You did well."

"Indeed," Azaka added. "The keys ease the process, but we took a couple attempts to achieve this link our first time."

The lady blushed a bit as she answered, "Thank you, though where exactly are we? It is so barren."

"This place is primarily a construct of your mind, princess," the azure knight explained. "As you recall, we practiced clearing the mind first, yielding this vacant landscape before us."

"Since your thoughts and dreams form this place," Kamidake appended, "a blank slate like this allows you to isolate any particular aspect you choose."

"As opposed to the chaos generally found in the waking mind," his partner concluded.

The young woman nodded, accepting their points. "So, you two are here thanks to our keys?"

"Yes," Azaka replied, "they create a link, allowing us to join your thoughts."

"Not unlike how Ryoko used Ryo-Ohki during the reunion."

"Very much so, I would assume."

In that moment, their surroundings shifted, the blank floor beneath them molding itself upward around them, coloring itself as it took shape. Surprised, Ayeka slid aside while the knights stood firm, watching a room forming, complete with people and furniture from the princess's memory. Medical equipment and bedding solidified, creating an infirmary suite for two motionless figures in the two cots present. Being Juraian in make, each implement grew out from the encompassing wood of the room, part of Heaven's Tree. The monitoring devices tolled softly with the rhythm of the heart rate and brain activity of each patient. Translucent display screens hung in the air on either side of the two people residing in the beds.

One of these two personages was the blonde Nerti Ro, clad in her combat gear worn both during the reunion and the recent Manhattan incident. Unconscious, the young woman's head has rolled to one side, her hair falling to either side of her elfin ear, the majority tied into a vixen's tail behind her head and fanning to the opposing side of the bed. Her gauntlets have been removed, stripping her of her weapons and baring her forearms for the medical probes and sensors. In this memory, the three Juraians could see a beauty in her, not refined and complex like Ayeka, but rather simple and uncultivated.

The other occupant of the room was the Terran bounty hunter, Will Pii. Much like his blonde companion, he still wore sections of his armor from his previous encounters with the Masaki household, mainly the boots and leggings as the other components possessed weapons of some form. Likewise unaware of his predicament, his cheek pressed against his pillow, his short, brown hair ruffled from the removal of his headgear.

"What is this?" Ayeka asked the two masters.

"Likely," Azaka answered, "we are watching a memory of yours, princess."

The door to the room raised away from its frame and slid aside, allowing three new people to enter. The violet-tressed woman blinked in surprise and recognition as Masaki Tenchi, Ryua Ryoko, and another version of herself walked into the suite.

Dressed in his earthen-colored regal attire, Tenchi looked much the same as he did when Ayeka parted ways with him. His black hair was cut short, except for a rattail springing forth from the rear of his scalp. His brown eyes were kind as always, though tinted with concern for the current matter at hand. His regal cloak had a few scuff marks and tears from recent aggressions with their foes at that time.

In contrast, Ryoko clothed herself far more casually. Her one-piece dress fell loose along her form down to her ankles, tied at her waist with an animate belt. Her cyan mane spiked behind her head, her bangs curling just above her amber, feline eyes. Those eyes danced with a boiling fury behind them, though it had been contained, no doubt by Tenchi's words. Similarly, Ryoko's clothing bore some minor damage from a recent altercation.

The other Ayeka naturally was not unlike the woman with the knights, though attired much more in keeping with her regal position. Her gown was finely tailored, fitting her elegance with several flowing layers of cloth. Several more rigid plates around her shoulders spread a short cloak around her much like Tenchi's, allowing her arms more freedom of motion.

"This was during the reunion, I believe," Kamidake noted.

Ayeka nodded and detailed, "Yes, after our meeting with the emperor and Lady Seto."

While they commented on the situation, the events played out as they once did in the past, unaffected by the presence of the present version of Ayeka or the knights.

"Probably not," Ryoko sighed, exasperated. "Ryo-Ohki probably won't even find a psy-wave to follow."

The brown cabbit Ryo-Ohki dashed into the room and hopped atop her mistress's shoulder. With a little scratch to the small, furry creature's head, Ryoko sat beside Nerti's cot, Tenchi and the past version of Ayeka joining her. While the door closed, the Ryoan woman motioned to her diminutive companion.

"You know what to do."

The feline animal mewed the affirmative and jumped into the air above Nerti. Hovering in that position, Ryo-Ohki's body hardened into a blackish-brown crystal and molded itself into a rhomboid gemstone, slowly rotating over the blonde's head.

With a somber expression, the present version of Ayeka stepped quietly to the cot herself and knelt beside the memory of Ryoko. "The emperor and Lady Seto ordered her to join minds with Ms. Nerti in the hopes of discovering Liaens's plans."

"I remember," Azaka affirmed. "You and Captain Sagami met with the emperor to detail your rescue of Ms. Ryoko and Lady Nagi, as well as Ms. Nerti and Hunter Pii."

Kamidake lowered his eyes to the side, reminiscing himself as he added, "I had joined Lord Tenchi and Ms. Ryoko while she brought her sister back to herself. When we brought this news to the emperor, he sided resolutely with Lady Seto's plan to connect Ms. Ryoko's mind to Ms. Nerti's."

"Lest they force Lady Nagi to do so in her stead," Azaka added, closing his eyes with a heavy breath.

The crimson knight forced back a sickened curl in his lip while his partner commented to their charge, "Likely, princess, your mind conjured this image from your memory since we are likewise connecting to your mind via the keys."

"Perhaps so," she accepted.

Soon, Ryo-Ohki projected a red cone of light over Nerti's head, scanning her, searching for a compatible psychic frequency. The memory of Tenchi turned to the image of Ryoko and asked, "Don't you need Ken-Ohki to do this?"

The amber-eyed rogue shook her head and replied, "Not really. Ken-Ohki's link to Nagi just made things work easier. This woman doesn't have something we can exploit like that, so we'll just have to see if Ryo-Ohki can find something to latch on to."

Concerned, the past version of Ayeka inquired, "Is there any danger to you or Ryo-Ohki?"

"Ayeka," the former pirate scoffed, "this isn't even going to work, so there's nothing to worry about."

In that moment, a black Mark of Rage scrawled itself down the right side of Nerti's face, much like it would for a Juraian noble, extending three claws across her cheek. Within the chest of the past version of Ayeka, pain shot into her heart and rippled through her entire thorax. The wind was crushed out of her lungs, toppling her to one side as she clutched her sternum.

Meanwhile, the present version of Ayeka was thrown away from the cot, forcibly held against the far wall of the suite by an unseen force. Immediately, Azaka and Kamidake drew their staves and rushed to her side, calling out to her. However, in unison, Ayeka and her past self pointed toward Nerti Ro's motionless form, to the mark on her face.

"Look!" the current princess called to them. "Look at Ms. Nerti!"

Both spun back to see the black mark, and a red beam of light radiating from the blonde's forehead to Ryo-Ohki's crystalline form, separate from the scanning cone. Loudly and painfully, the cabbit meowed as the gemstone reconfigured itself, random protrusions growing from the artifact. Recognizing the facial mark, Azaka lowered his staff slightly.

"She was touched by the dark goddess and her ilk," he recalled, "though ignorant of that tainted gift."

Around them all, the room's coloring melted to scarlet as the past version of Ayeka collapsed, calling for Tenchi. The memory halted suddenly with the young prince reaching to catch the previous incarnation of the lady. However, her body blackened, spurring both knights to take a step back, close to their present rendition of the princess. The darkness incasing the memory oozed onto the floor, gliding slowly toward the real Juraians in the room.

"Oh, she was touched, Azaka," rose a woman's voice from the obsidian shadow, "as was I."

As it approached closer, the liquid molded itself, dripping upward and around an unseen feminine form. Filling with horror, Ayeka's eyes widened watching the vile ink paint the outline of herself, adorned in the ruined combat attire from Manhattan, including the tiara of thorns. Within moments, Dark Ayeka came to stand before Azaka and Kamidake, her pale coloration appearing once her body was fully visible. With a cool glare, her gaze met theirs each in turn.

"Still so loyal," the twisted princess commented, "even after all I have done?"

While the azure knight studied the villainess in silence, his crimson partner took a step forward and barked back, "Your deeds are not hers, imposter!"

Chuckling to herself, Dark Ayeka grinned widely, slyly, as she replied, "You believe that she is the 'real Jurai Ayeka'?" With a motion to her counterpart, she asked, "Why don't you ask her?"

Kamidake briefly glanced back to the woman behind him, who shamefully glanced to the side. As he returned his attention to his foe, the vile figure advanced another step.

"I am Jurai Ayeka," she stated hotly. "She is only a mask I've worn, to fool the world into believing…"

Another step was taken, a scowl etching itself into her brow.

"That I don't hate the people around me."

Her gait continued toward them, a hand sliding between her breasts slowly.

"That I don't lust after the men I see."

Her foot moved forward, the bladed crest of her tiara flaring a bright scarlet.

"That I don't have the power to take what I want."

Her hands extended to either side, fingers open wide as her black mini-guardians appeared around her, each with the deep reverberation of a gong.

"You two never knew me."

Ayeka closed her eyes, her heart breaking as she heard her personal demon pollute her image before these good men. Her teeth gnashed against one another, fingers gathering into fists. Shame consumed her, wanting to shut out that twisted image, to silence those hurtful words.

Then, Azaka shook his head and retorted, "We all have those darker, baser impulses, princess." He lowered his staff and turned to face the woman behind him, still pinned against the illusionary wall. His lavender eyes raised to her face, saying resolutely, "You are not defined by them, but rather by how you overcome them."

The broken princess's eyes blinked open, tears emerging from the edges of her sight. "I'm sorry, Azaka. I'm not the woman you think I am."

With a kind expression, he disagreed, "No, I believe you are. You have only forgotten it, or convinced yourself otherwise."

"You will address me, knight," Dark Ayeka demanded, reaching to grab Azaka's shoulder.

"Back, imposter!" Kamidake ordered, sliding between his partner and the twisted image.

"Impudent soldier," she declared as her hand swung at him.

In that motion, her tiara reconfigured, its thorns retracting and its color brightening. Its bladed crest shrunk and remolded itself as the branches writhed and rearranged themselves. Within seconds, the tiara of thorns had changed itself into Ayeka's tiara key, its crest brightly shining violet. At Dark Ayeka's command, the tiara glowed brightly, as did Kamidake's staff.

"Be gone!"

As her hand swung at him, Kamidake's image disappeared in a wisp of vapor, leaving only herself with Azaka and the pinned princess.

"Kamidake!" Ayeka called out in fright. However, her concern then quickly set upon her last loyal attendant, the azure knight. Behind him, her dark doppelganger approached close, looming behind him, her breath hot and low, hissing into his ear. Azaka closed his eyes and steeled himself with a calm breath, unafraid of what was to come.

"Did you not hear me, knight?" her luscious voice whispered, her mini-guardians gathering around him, encircling him. "I am your princess, not this figurehead."

"Princess," he said quietly, never turning to the twisted image, "you know this woman behind me. You know what she is, and why she is here now."

"Face me, knight," the blackened royal ordered. "Accept who I am."

Stoically and defiantly, he refused to answer, his eyes meeting Ayeka's while the mini-guardians hummed dully around him. Like with Kamidake, Azaka's staff began to glow in unison with the mimicked tiara on Dark Ayeka's brow.

Chills rushed through the princess, watching her counterpart draw her hand back, ready to disperse the azure knight's presence just like his partner's. Her eyes pleaded to him, tears rolling down her cheeks, fear devouring her.

"Azaka, please…" she uttered, "don't leave me… Don't leave me alone here…"

"The only will that keeps or removes us, princess, is yours," he stated before Dark Ayeka's hand came down at him.

"And, I want you gone," the twisted woman replied.

Ayeka's heart pounded in her chest, witnessing her last defense vaporize before her, his eyes never leaving hers. Her eyes wildly danced as they found her shadowy reflection, now approaching her. With a wave of her foe's hand, the memory around them vanished as well, becoming a fine white mist and leaving a vast, empty black plain in its place. The princess herself now hung from a grand crystalline cross, her arms and legs visibly lashed to its faceted crossbeam and body.

"Afraid?" the twisted princess asked.

The bound version of the Juraian gazed upon her replica, noting the exact copy of the tiara key on her brow. Confusion swept through her thoughts alongside the fear, spurring her to wrestle against her bonds.

"Why do you have that key?"

"Because it's mine," the other version hissed, a grin widening across her lips, "not yours." She stood beside her twin and slowly drew her fingers over the counterpart's smooth, shaking cheek. "Father gave it to me on my fifth birthday, not long before I first met that bitch Ryua Ryoko."

Chills rushed through the regal lady's spine, her cheek turning away from the hellish touch of her doppelganger. "How do you have…?" she began.

"'Your' memories?" the other completed as her hand cupped her reflection's cheek. Carefully, she urged her captive's gaze to meet hers, amethyst to gray. "Because they are my memories."

Looking into her vile double's eyes, Ayeka could feel a deep hate burning behind them. The heat of the other's hand on her cheek grew uncomfortable, even painful. Her breath hissed between her teeth while her body screamed to leave this horrible situation.

"You don't belong here," Dark Ayeka stated hotly. "These memories are mine."

Amidst the unpleasantness enveloping her predicament, Ayeka's thoughts swam through the implications of the other's words. She was merely a shadow of this vile persona, a shell to be discarded. None of her life was hers, only a proxy for an evil agenda beneath the surface. Just as she feared, she was really a monster, a murderess.

And yet, her arms strained against her bonds. Her heart pounded, rejecting this evident conclusion. Despite all this mirror image has claimed, none of those statements would be accepted by her mind. She had felt the crushing agony from Nerti Ro's affect on Ryo-Ohki. She had stood with Ryoko in Manhattan against the chimera Illirg. She had petitioned the emperor five times to aid Earth.

"No!" the princess barked back into her double's face. "These are my memories! This is my life!"

A scowl contorted the shadow woman's lip, her grip on the other's cheek tightening, burning hotter. "You are still the pitiful Princess Jurai Ayeka," she repeated from the dream. "You have blissfully ignored the ugliness around you. You could never accept the horror in this world."

"I watched men die by my own hand," the pinned royal retorted, hot tears rolling down her cheeks. "I saw the man I loved battered trying to save me." She paused for a moment, her lips trembling while the memory crept into her head. "I heard my little sister's final words as she fell to the dark goddess. I can never forget what I have seen, and done. Never tell me that those memories are not mine."

The tiara upon Ayeka's brow shimmered emerald, its crest pulsing a deep violet. Likewise, the mimicked item on Dark Ayeka's head synchronized with the original key, spurring a gasp from the twisted princess.

"Stop!" the black-clad woman cried out.

The formal-dressed lady then began to feel her twin's emotions seeping back through the linkage between them. Surprise filled her when the images rushing into her were not hateful, lustful, power-crazed rage, but rather horrified fears. Those dancing eyes of her opponent did not shift from contained mania, but actually withheld phobia. Each aspect of her existence was a shunned anxiety from the princess's consciousness, meant to push her away, to push everyone away.

"I feared becoming a monster," she reasoned, "so you became the monster. I wanted to be alone, so you sent everyone away from me." Realization swept over her face, her bonds gently loosening from the bladed cross. "I am not the mask."

Dark Ayeka began stepping away from her counterpart, a hard glare at her opposite.

"You are."

Ayeka fell free from the cross, the bindings shattering into a rain of obsidian filaments that clattered onto the plain below. Facing her other self, the princess began to understand Azaka's words clearly.

"You are not the woman I was two months ago, nor are you the creature who attempted to consume me. You are a part of my will. You acted on my desire to be alone. That is why you sent away Azaka and Kamidake." Her brows furrowed as she approached her double slowly. "Why? Why do you torment me? Why do you haunt me with these horrific images?"

Again, their tiaras illuminated the pair synchronously. Distantly, softly, both versions of the Juraian could hear children screaming, pleading, amidst the sounds of fire roaring. The regally dressed variation gasped as a memory began to fill the black plain, the landscape reshaping itself as before. Within moments, the ground below their feet became a burnt disc of royal teardrops within a larger meadow. In the distance, Heaven's Tree rose from the forested landscape of Jurai, the sun setting in the distance.

Ayeka could feel the heat beneath her feet, rising from the scarred soil of her home-world. The scent of scorched flesh filled her nostrils as it had previously in her dreams, sickening her. However, she could also feel the tension in her foe's mind, see the uneasiness in her stance. She heard her other self's breath shorten, and the fear in her eyes become far more apparent.

"… You know what happened," Dark Ayeka whispered.

Fighting through the sickness in her gut and the burning desire to leave, Ayeka asked, "What happened? Please tell me!"

Dark Ayeka's lips opened to speak, but rather than the shadowy harmony of previous encounters, a different voice issued forth her words. A single child's voice, no older than nine years, spoke for her.

"Go away!" the girl's speech screeched out from the villainess's mouth. "Leave me alone!"

Confused, Ayeka's brows rose. "You…"

The blackened princess shut her mouth and retreated farther from her double, never leaving her gaze. However, the fearful look in her eyes only grew more wild. As she egressed more, three child-sized figures appeared in the razed flowers crinkling under her feet. The foul scent became stronger and far more pungent, eliciting a gagging and gasping breath from Ayeka's body.

"You want to know who wrote those journal entries," Dark Ayeka asked, her voice returning to its former timbre, "and why you never truly tapped Jurai's power?"

The mini-guardians flew into Ayeka, pressing her roughly against the bladed cross. The princess cried out, the sharp edges of the construct behind her digging into her kimono, into her skin.

"Who do you think?!" the twisted woman yelled back. "Who do you think was screaming for you to fucking stop?!" She stormed forward, crimson light igniting in the palms of her hands. "Every time you tapped Jurai's power, it fucking hurt! I remembered what happened, what we did to them!" She stopped before the princess and lifted her flaming power to her reflection's face. "And, I made sure you would never do it again!"

Ayeka's amethyst eyes widened, feeling the scalding warmth of the wicked energy before her. She turned her head from it, demanding again, "Why?! What did I do?!"

"Exactly the same as what that damned creature made you do," the blackened woman replied hotly, "murderess."

The princess shut her eyes tightly and screamed back, "I didn't kill them!"

Azure light burst from around the regally dressed lady, enveloping the pair and soon, the entire meadow around them.

On Ryu-Oh's bridge, Ayeka's eyes snapped open as she gasped and leaned forward on her hands, her breath short and irregular. Kamidake rushed to her side, resting a concerned hand on her shoulder to steady her.

"Are you alright, princess?" he asked.

"She… she's a part… of me," the violet-tressed woman replied between gasps, her eyes rising to meet Azaka's.

Cooly and empathetically, the blue knight nodded. "She is, and has been for a long time, it would seem."

Soon, her breath calmed, her heart settled, and she seated herself on her legs again, her mind swirling with information from her encounter. Kamidake knelt next to her, listening as she continued.

"I could feel her, her fear…" she paused for a moment before adding, "… my fear…"

"She is likely a fragment of you," Azaka stated, "a memory long repressed."

"But, she looked like I did in Manhattan," she argued. "That event was very recent."

"True," he acknowledged, "but I expect the emotions from both were very similar. She absorbed that twisted image to keep you farther away."

Her hands slid upward along her arms, holding herself close as fright crept along her spine. "Azaka, what could I have done to create her?"

"Only you can answer that, princess," the warrior admitted somberly.

With a deep, calming breath, her eyes fluttered open and met his. There, he saw at last what he had hoped to see this entire session, a spark of determination. Though that focus was buried beneath fear and doubt, he recognized the desire to know the truth, to resist the wrongs.

"How can I?" she asked.

"Kamidake and I can teach you our Way," he offered gently, "the Knight's Way."

The young woman blinked incredulously. Likewise, the crimson knight glanced suddenly to his partner, surprised by this particular arrangement. However, with a brief gaze to his associate, Azaka nodded and added.

"The Way is intense and should not be ever be taken lightly."

"Azaka," she whispered humbly, "I… I can't accept this. The Way is meant for your students and progeny, not…" she glanced aside with some shame muddling her expression.

"Princess," he said thoughtfully, "who better than the woman who faced our world's greatest Enemy?"

Her eyes met his, feeling his knowing gaze pierce the veil of indecision over her heart. Both knights had faced the dark goddess as well, and they knew well the threat she perpetually posed to Jurai and its people. Deep within, Ayeka did too as one who helped end the deity's recent campaign.

"She will not hesitate again," Azaka sagely warned. "War will come, no doubt in your lifetime. You should be ready, as should we all."

The regal lady considered this carefully, remembering the violet claws lashing at her, Tenchi's sword unsteady in her hands. Though the wounds had healed thanks to Dr. Hakubi Washu's intervention, the Juraian could still vividly recall the strikes and wounds from the black sword. Her hands drifted along her arms, her academic mind arguing that her place was in the palace, to handle matters of state, to entertain dignitaries, to set policy.

But, her heart demanded otherwise.

"Yes," she answered, "we should." Her gaze met his, the determination in her waxing. "When should we begin?"

With a quiet nod, Azaka accepted his first pupil since the Ryo-Jurai War.

X X X

Leaving the dock where Ryu-Oh was moored, the knights Azaka and Kamidake walked together, their staves strapped across their backs. However, concern crossed the crimson knight's face as he turned to his partner.

"Azaka," he said, "are you sure?"

"Very," the elder man replied resolutely, "you felt it too."

The younger warrior glanced to the side, folding his arms. "I'm not sure what I felt. I know it couldn't be our Lady."

"Yes, and no," the bearded knight commented. "The princess is not our Lady, but her sister is. They are blood relatives, so it is possible. If Fate had chosen differently, their roles could have been reversed."

A grimace wrenched the lips of the redheaded fighter. "So, you think she could be like Princess Achi?"

"I know it."

The two halted together and faced one another, a silent affirmation passing between them.

"Kamidake," Azaka began, "when the monster tore at her mind and heart, she fought it as she knew how. She resisted, perhaps for over a year's time." He rested his hand on his companion's shoulder and added steadfastly, "She could easily surpass us, or even Masaki Tenchi."

"I realize that," Kamidake accepted, "but she is very fragile now. This is a dangerous time."

"Which is why she requires guidance," the older master acknowledged, "lest she stray down the dark path herself."

The red warrior nodded, realizing the truth in his words. His kinsman extended his hand, a gesture of brotherhood in this decision.

"Are we together?" Azaka asked.

For a moment, Kamidake considered what they had seen. After both were exiled from Ayeka's mental plane by her darkened persona, the two knights quickly recovered and approached the princess. Locked in the encounter with her other self, she remained unresponsive, her body locked into her meditation. The younger knight took his staff and prepared to rejoin the lady in her duel of wills. Also, the tree Ryu-Oh cascaded rays of light from her leaves, each chiming loudly off the water around them. Through the keys, both knights could hear Ryu-Oh's worries, and desire to interfere herself.

But, Azaka stopped them both of them, reminding them that this was Ayeka's mind, her confrontation. She needed to make peace with this side of herself, not have it merely forced back to fester again. She needed a permanent solution, not a quick relief.

Minutes ticked past them. Kamidake paced impatiently, spinning his staff in frustration while Azaka stoically waited, watching the princess, silently hoping for her victory. Then, her eyes popped open, revealing their nature amethyst color, but in that moment, her hair curled around her face and burst into a bluish light. This aura washed over her for a few seconds before fading, and she leaned forward gasping.

Azaka and Kamidake could feel that radiance, regardless of their eyes or keys. They had basked in it before, when they first received those artifacts. That light and power felt nearly identical to their goddess, Lady Tsunami. However, they sensed differences. It was weaker, but raw and unbridled, primal. While Tsunami's presence was refined from aeons of existence, like the warmth of a morning sunrise, the power flowing through Ayeka burst forth like a sudden, torrential storm.

Kamidake had heard about the princess's ordeal while in the thrall of the dark creature that tormented her. His heart bled and demanded recompense for the damage done to her, and he worried that this endeavor could harm her further. Having trained with Azaka himself, he knew the difficulties she would face.

Yet, she persevered under the beast's possession and returned to herself. She fought and helped defeat the dark goddess's ambitions on Earth. He could see what she could become, provided the proper support.

With a thoughtful breath, Kamidake took his hand firmly, their grips intertwining tightly.

"Of course."