Chapter 24: No Need for Final Battle, Part 2
Ash, Tenchi and Ryoko were enveloped in a light. They were on the verge of rescuing Sasami from Clay and Kagato… and his many clones. Ash's wound started to heal and he regained feeling in the shoulder. On top of that, Pikachu managed to shut down the machine that intended on removing the goddess Tsunami from Sasami's body, sacrificing her. Clay saw what looked to be wings guarding Tenchi, Ash and Ryoko. "I forgot that the young man had the Light Hawk Wings," Clay brought up.
("Try and stop this!") squeaked Pikachu. Clay heard Pikachu and turned around a second before he unleashed Thunderbolt. It shocked Clay, knocking him to the ground. He struck the ground in a harsh thud. As he recovered, Ash looked ready for battle.
"Dr. Clay, it's time to give Sasami back!" he demanded. On all fours, Clay laughed.
"Don't be so naive, kid," he mocked. "Kagato cannot easily be defeated… and neither can the clones I made." The clones began to rise up with Kagato in the middle of all of them. They chuckled, mocking the rescuers' efforts of their attacks. "Not even your Light Hawk Wings will be enough to save yourselves."
"All you have is numbers by your side," Ryoko scoffed. "You rely on quantity over quality."
"That's your opinion," Clay snorted back. That's when Pikachu heard rattling coming from the downed guardians.
("They're okay?") he wondered. Ash heard the rattling as well.
"How about ours that Azaka and Kamidake are still fighting?" he pointed out. Clay blinked before turning to the logs that continued to jostle. Suddenly, the logs shot out, smashing into the clones and flattening them at a wall. Looking back, they saw two figures stand where the logs propelled from. Both wore blue robes with oversize shoulder arches and wielding rods with hoops and protruding spikes at the head. The blue-haired had a goatee and prongs at the top of his forehead like an oversize tiara. He also had a triangular tattoo over his left cheek. The redhead was clean on the face, but did have the same pair of prongs for hair above his forehead and the same tattoo, only on his right cheek. Ash seemed surprised to see what came out of the logs. "Are they…"
"Azaka and Kamidake, yes," Tenchi confirmed. "In Knight form." Azaka and Kamidake leaped to join Tenchi and the others.
"Dr. Clay, this act of kidnapping a Juraian princess is punishable by death," the blue-haired briefed.
"You can make it easy on yourself and surrender Princess Sasami," the redhead added. "We may give you a lighter sentence." Clay scoffed to Azaka and Kamidake's warnings.
"So you don't care what happens to the goddess Tsunami?" he tried to guilt-trip. The guardians didn't bat an eye.
"Wow, you're throwing every excuse at us when we all know the truth," Ash sneered. "You're even more dishonest than Ryoko and Ayeka combined." Clay growled at the insult while Ryoko giggled.
"As much as I want to disagree," she snickered. "The 'combined' part is what kills me." The clones reached the rescuers, but Azaka and Kamidake repelled them.
"Knock them down, stab them, turn them into Swiss cheese if you like," Clay taunted. "These clones won't die, and neither will Kagato!" Facing the clones after hearing the claim made the rescuers doubting the outcome, but Ash wasn't one to give up.
"That's fine," he called out the bluff. "We can take Sasami and leave. You have a lot of those clones to keep yourself happy." Clay cringed at Ash's comeback.
"Insolent Earth simian!" he growled.
"But if what Dr. Clay insists is true…" the redhead pondered.
"We need to hold them back long enough to get Sasami out of there, Kamidake," Tenchi replied.
"Azaka, we'll get Sasami out of there," Ash instructed. "Kamidake, help Tenchi and Ryoko as much as you can."
"Are you sure, Sir Ash?" wondered Azaka.
"It's a much better plan than I got," Ryoko muttered. "Let's hold them back!" Using her own energy sword and Tenchi with the Tenchi Sword, they swung, creating an "X" slash that bulldozed the clones. Ash hopped on Azaka's back before they leaped onto the upper level where Pikachu stood.
("Ash, down here!") he called up. Ash had an idea.
"Sasami, stand back!" he called to Sasami who stood in the back of the container. "Cyndaquil, I choose you!" He threw the Pokéball and released Cyndaquil. Sasami wondered what Ash's plan was. "Cyndaquil, use Flamethrower on the glass!" Flaring his back, Cyndaquil blew flames at the glass. A minute into the burning and Ash and Azaka landed, the glass melted from the fire.
("That's good!") squeaked Pikachu. Cyndaquil stopped where a giant hole of melted and warped glass emerged. Sasami squeezed out of the container where she reached and hugged Ash with Azaka watching.
"Ash!" she cried. Ash comforted Sasami, knowing how scared she was from the experience.
"I'm glad that you're okay," he eased. "But now, you need to get to Ryo-Ohki."
"But Ash!"
"We'll protect you. All I need to worry about is your safety." Azaka came to Sasami and palmed her shoulder.
"I trust Sir Ash will make sure Dr. Clay will not harm you again," he assured. Sasami wasn't sure about stepping away from her boyfriend while Ash looked to the side.
"Azaka, get Sasami back to Ryo-Ohki," he urged. "I have-" Kagato emerged, ready to strike.
"You will not leave with the princess!" he urged. Cyndaquil belched out smoke, clouding the others. Kagato swung, but nothing but smoke was touched. Then again, his sword was missing from his hand. Suddenly, he felt something pierce him. Ash stole his sword and stabbed him from his hip up through his body and an upward angle.
"All of the times Team Rocket tried to steal from me, I kinda wanted to do it to know what it feels like when I do it," Ash grinned. "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt! Cyndaquil, oen more Flamethrower!" Pikachu and Cyndaquil used their attacks as Ash unsheathed Kagato's sword from his body before being burned and shocked heavily. The flaming body fell onto the lower levels and landed on the clones, setting them on fire. Tenchi, Kamidake and Ryoko watched, a little puzzled.
"Fire?" questioned Tenchi.
"So, these clones do have a weakness," Kamidake awed. Clay freaked out, thinking the secret came out.
"I don't understand!" he shrieked. "How!? They can't be flammable!" While distracted, Ash found a path for Sasami to escape.
"This is your chance!" he urged. "Take Pikachu and get out!"
"But Ash!" gasped Sasami. "What about you!?"
"I'm going to make sure Dr. Clay won't do this to anyone," Ash promised. Azaka had Pikachu on his shoulder and Sasami in his arms.
"Come, Princess," Azaka urged. They leaped to the lower levels as Kagato began to rise. Some of the clones weren't caught in the blaze and tried to attack. However, Tenchi used the Tenchi Sword to deflect their strikes while Ryoko volleyed energy shots that knocked the clones down, but not before the Tenchi Sword was knocked out of Tenchi's hands. Carrying a sword and recalling Cyndaquil, Ash leaped down and started to reach.
"Hurry!" urged Kamidake. Recovering from the stabbing, Kagato hurled a dead clone at Ash, knocking him down and burning him.
"Ash!" cried Sasami.
("Come on!") shouted Pikachu. Ash started to push off.
"Just go!" he ordered. "I saw another pod! I'll make it!" Tenchi hurried the others to Ryo-Ohki. Ash got out from underneath the clone, but his arms and back were burned.
"I'll admit, you little sapling," Kagato grunted. "I didn't think you'd be this much of a problem. I could've had immortality by absconding the goddess and getting back at those who done wrong to me."
"Yeah?" doubted Ash. "Any other reasons you want Tsunami? You've already given me a lot, not that I buy any of it." He struggled to stand.
"Figures that you won't accept any answer except to have the goddess for yourself," Clay muttered.
"At least she accepts me more than you two," Ash sneered. As they stared down each other, Ryo-Ohki escaped from the flagship. Tenchi appeared on screen in the Galaxy Police vessel and Azusa's ship.
"We have Sasami back," he reported. Ayeka sighed in relief.
"I knew Ash could pull it off!" cheered Washu.
"Ash couldn't have done it alone," Mihoshi giggled.
"Obviously…" shrugged Kiyone.
"Well done, Sir Tenchi," Azusa complimented. "We can proceed with ridding this menace to the galaxy." Sasami broke to the screen.
"Don't!" she pleaded. "Ash is still inside! Don't destroy it!"
"As long as you're safe, nothing else can be held back," Azusa dismissed.
"Don't do it!" a flustered Sasami shouted. "If you kill Ash-" Azusa cut the connection as Ayeka turned to her parents.
"I have no reason to believe Sasami's lying!" she protested. "What will you tell his mother if you carry out this plan!?" Azusa stood silent as Funaho and Misaki watched in concern. Washu cringed at the thought of Azusa sacrificing Ash to protect the royal family.
"Even if his reasoning is sound," she mulled. "I wouldn't forgive him at all!" Inside the flagship, Kagato charged at Ash as he held the similar energy sword from one of the clones as he struggled with the injuries. Kagato overpowered Ash and slashed. Ash fell back and the blade tore through the shirt, but just grazed his flesh as he fell back to the Tenchi Sword.
"You're weak," Clay mocked. "You may have used some intellect to free the princess, but that's all it is." Ash found the Tenchi Sword. He grabbed it, only for the sword to shock him. He yelled as the sword electrocuted him.
"You're even more foolish in trying to take the Tenchi Sword when you're not worthy," Kagato taunted. "If you wanted to die, you could've given yourself to me and I would've gladly removed your pathetic head from your shoulders." Despite the sword shocking him, Ash clutched the Tenchi Sword with his other hand and stood up. "Interesting… Despite the rejection of the Tenchi Sword, you have enough strength to stand and face me."
"That's because… I have… a reason… to fight," Ash grunted. He fought through the sword's rejection.
"And your reason is fruitless!" snapped Kagato as he charged at Ash. The trainer saw something in his sight.
"Speaking of fruit!" he started before Kagato cocked his arms back to slash at Ash. Sasami's boyfriend hopped forward before jamming the Tenchi Sword into Kagato's crotch. The sword shocked Kagato, prompting him to scream in righteous pain.
"Kagato!" gawked Clay. Blood seeping from his mouth and chest, Ash stood.
"Let me make this clear for you," he scowled. "My power… has muscle behind it." He got to the front of Kagato before delivering an uppercut while jumping. He dropped the Tenchi Sword before his fist caught Kagato's face, shooting him back up the upper level and into the equipment that held Sasami. There was an explosion which caused heavy debris to be launched and fall onto Clay who was on the ground. The concussive blast knocked Clay onto his head. He was seeing stars when the debris fell onto him. His legs were crushed and severed from the rest of the body. He screamed in pain while Ash fell unconscious. To him, Clay and Kagato, not to mention the clones, were no longer a threat to Sasami. "Watch… over… Pikachu… for me… Sasami..." Out of nowhere, Azusa arrived. He stepped over to Ash and the Tenchi Sword nearby. Picking up the Tenchi Sword did nothing.
"Ash, you are a knight of Juraian honor," he announced as he lifted the unconscious boy. Clay crawled, blood spurting from where his legs once were.
"King… Azusa…" winced Clay. "You… don't… know… the damage… Tsunami's… absence… has brought…" Azusa scoffed to Clay's information.
"You've lost your credibility when you assaulted my family," he dismissed. "I hope you like your accomplishments. They're the last ones you made." That's when he and Ash vanished. Explosion after explosion made Clay more and more worried. Azusa's ship fired a concussive beam that engulfed Clay's flagship. A large explosion came from the midst of it.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" cried Sasami. Tenchi, Ryoko and Pikachu watched aghast. Washu teared up, thinking Ash was killed.
"No…" she whimpered in disbelief. "Not him… Anyone but him…" Sasami collapsed onto her knees as Ryoko palmed her back and Pikachu embraced her, upset at King Azusa's execution to destroy the ship while Ash was still onboard. Azaka and Kamidake bowed their heads.
"I'm sorry, Pikachu!" she cried. Ryo-Ohki mewed somberly to Ash's fate. That's when Ayeka appeared.
"Sasami…" she called out. Tenchi and Ryoko looked, finding Ayeka not bothered by what happened to Ash.
"Drop the smile, falseness!" snapped Ryoko. "We just lost someone. Wouldn't you feel the same way?"
"If you mean Ash, our mothers are taking care of him," Ayeka reported. Everyone stopped crying and looked. Ayeka stepped aside to show Misaki and Funaho working on Ash with glowing hands. A veil of light had encircled Ash as his bruises and wounds started to mend little by little.
"He's okay?" a tearful Sasami asked.
"Mother reasoned with father, saying that his friends and family deserve to have Ash in their lives," Ayeka explained.
"And the Tenchi Sword?" asked Tenchi.
"I have the sword," Azusa announced. "I may hand it back to you when we return to Earth." Washu sighed in relief, knowing Ash was okay.
"Trust me, I don't want to bury Ash this early in his life," Kiyone sighed. On Azusa's ship, Funaho and Misaki hovered their hands over the wounds.
"How is he?" asked Azusa as he came over to see the boy.
"We should be able to complete triage by the time we return to Earth, dear," Funaho observed. "His worst injuries are a concussion and lacerated liver."
"I've also corrected an irregular rhythm to his heart with ease," Misaki added. "He must have been fighting on a lot of adrenaline."
"It doesn't matter," Azusa scoffed. "Anyone who fights to protect the Masaki royal family is worthy of being a Juraian Knight… maybe in a decade, it can happen." The crisis had ended. The royal flagship, the Galaxy Police ship and Ryo-Ohki were returning just as they left with one additional passenger: Sasami.
"Maybe I should make something really special for Ash when he recovers," she giggled.
"Hey, he's earned it," Ryoko agreed as she looked up. "Don't you think so?" Ryo-Ohki mewed excitedly. Ash would be in for a celebration back on Earth.
TO BE CONTINUED...