DISCLAIMERS:
        I Do not own Tenchi Muyo! Or Bloody Roar.  Or any
affiliated characters or places.
Tenchi Muyo! Is owned by Pioneer.  Bloody Roar is
owned by Hudson and Activision.  I did not
create any characters herein.
        Fans of the Bloody Roar series will follow the story
better.  Those of you with a PS2 will
see elements from BR3.
        *THIS IS A LEMON FIC!  IF YOU ARE NOT 18 OR OLDER
TURN BACK
IMMEDIATELY! *

Chapter 4:

"Pain.  It comes in many forms.  And it's always hard
to deal with.  There's physical
pain, like the way Jenny was tortured.  And emotional
pain, such as that when I look at Aeka and
Ryoko when they stare at Tenchi holding Uriko.  But I
don't even pretend to understand what
Uriko suffered.  No pain, physical or emotion can add
up to what my poor sister went through.
One single pain, cutting through her body and her
heart.  The look on her face, it was as if she
lost a part of her soul.  She felt empty, and felt
that she'd let Tenchi down.  And letting someone
down is like betrayal in her mind.  Betrayal is one
thing I know all about.  Abandoned by my
own family, just because I had a little something
extra.  And then my father, not even willing to
help find me when my exile became pointless.  I know
my sisters love me, and so do my brother,
mother and aunt.  But years of that kind of separation
create bitterness.a pain that won't just go
away overnight.  Don't call me Kusari.  Call me Alice.
 Kusari doesn't exist anymore.by order
of the emperor himself.Fucker."
                                                        -Alice Tsukagami
Jurai

Alice, Mitsuko, Yugo, Gado and Long were all staring
at what they had thought never to
see again.  Uriko would be with them on that note, but
she was curled up in a ball, catatonic with
fear.  Washu and Shina were in awe of such a creature
that could frighten the mad Busuzima.
They assumed that it was quite dangerous, and Ryoko,
who had seen it in action, would confirm
their suspicions.  If she hadn't been terrified, that
is.
Busuzima was clawing at the wall, trying to get away
from the horror that had been
unleashed.  He was terrified.  And he had good reason.
 The creature before him was codenamed
Uranus.  Uranus had been a part of Project Chimera.
With the simultaneous deaths of Neptune
and Pluto, Uranus was the most powerful of all the
Chimeras.
*But she shouldn't be alive * he thought.  *I thought
that all of the Chimeras were
destroyed in the Tylon lab.  Even if she got out.how
could she still be alive?  Uranus, Neptune
and Pluto had been more animal than human.  That was
why they were stronger.  That was why
Pluto and Neptune had killed each other.  Uranus had
no survival skills.  No instincts.  All she
knew how to do was kill. *  Busuzima wasn't even sure
if she knew enough to eat.  But she
survived somehow.  She survived for ten years.  And
she had found her way to him.  Her old
master.  Busuzima remembered how all the subjects of
Project Chimera had had to be treated
very roughly, especially the less human ones.  They
had to be forced into submission.because
they couldn't be controlled.  Mars had been
controllable, but then, they had used a child for
Mars.surprised that she survived the ordeal, really.
Busuzima knew that all of his little test
subjects hated him.  And he usually didn't care.
Because he was in charge.  Well, he had
obviously lost control of this situation, and now he
was going to die.  *What a waste of my
genius. *
"Uri-chan?  Uri-chan!  Uriko are you okay?!" Tenchi
yelled, his face a combination of
fear and concern.
Mitsuko shook her head.  "She's not fine, young man.
She's terrified.  And she should
be.  We all should be."
Uranus looked down at all of them.  She had been
supporting Fox's decapitated body
with raw `ki'.  She now let it drop to floor, and
advanced on them.  Her colorless, soulless eyes
fixed straight ahead of her.
Aeka raised a shield around Uranus in an attempt to
contain her.  Uranus stopped when
she reached the shield, looked it over, and struck it
with one had.  A point of pure darkness
emanated from her hand, and from the darkness,
lightning began to emerge.  Aeka screamed at
the power feedback, and the shield dropped.  Uranus
continued her slow advance.  She stopped
over the still form of Kiyone.  The detective was
still alive, but not in good shape.  She raised
Kiyone's body, just like she had Fox's.
"No!" Shina shouted, and leaped forward to protect her
friend.  She and Kiyone had
become good friends in the time they had spent in this
hellhole.  She wasn't about to watch this
monster tear her apart.
Uranus watched with amusement as the mercenary
approached her.  She had yet to come
across any creature that could rival her strength.
There were three things that Uranus knew, and
knew with certainty.  1) Everything could be killed
2) She could kill anything 3) She was
untouchable.  She had yet to be proven wrong.  Thus,
she didn't even block when Shina pulled
back a fist, and threw her whole weight into one
punch.
"Fire!" Shina shouted as she launched her right fist
at Uranus.  It was her father's move.
Shina had learned it from him when she was 15.  It
could send an opponent clear across the
room.  The look of absolute confidence in Uranus'
eyes, just added to Shina's anger, and put
more force behind her punch.
Uranus was not expecting to be moved by the punch at
all.  Thus it was quite a shock
when she collided with a table eight feet behind her.
She hit the ground amid shards of glass,
pools of chemicals, and huge splinters of wood.  She
looked up, murder in her eyes.
Shina dragged Kiyone over to Washu, who put the young
woman into suspended
animation in a pocket dimension linked to her lab.
"I think you pissed her off, cherie." Gado said.
"I hope so" Shina replied.
Uranus stood up, and stared at them for only a moment.
 Then she rushed them.  Reacting
much quicker than a beast of that size might be
thought to, Mihoshi spun around, and swung her
fist at Uranus, catching the woman squarely on the
chin.
Uranus was knocked back, but she didn't fall.  She
rubbed at her chin, and focused once
again on the group.  Her head snapped back as
something heavy struck her in the forehead.  Then
another one hit her stomach.  Another in her shoulder.
 And another one on her knee.  She looked
down to see what had been thrown at her.  Heavy metal
rings.  She picked one up.  *Heavy for a
human, perhaps. * she thought, and crushed it with one
hand.
Long was rubbing his wrists.  He had sworn long ago,
that he would never unleash his
full strength on anybody.  Hence, he always fought
with his training weights on.  But now, it
seemed that it was necessary.  A part of him realized
that it was time to put aside his guilt about
his past, and confront the future head-on.
Uranus was shaking with anger.  She looked like she
was about to lose it.  Then Ryoko
began to hurl bolts of energy at her.  None of them
connected, but they were dangerous enough
that she had to block them.  She was getting extremely
perturbed.
"Ryoko." Tenchi said cautiously.  "That might not be
the best idea.  You're angering
her."
Uranus was well beyond anger.  She was Furious.  She
was.RAGE.  FRENZY.
BLOODLUST.
Uranus transformed.  And it wasn't pretty.
Everyone stepped back as the huge beast thrashed
about.  *It looks like some kind of
demonic minotaur. * Tenchi thought.  And he wasn't far
off.
Its snout was more equine than bovine, except that it
was full of razor-sharp teeth.  Huge
horns started at the back of the head curving upwards,
they then curved down, and then forward,
framing the hideous face.  The white eyes were
bloodshot.  No pupils, only white.and red.
Four enormous spikes jutted out from its back.  It was
covered in blue fur, but its fur had red
markings all over it.  In addition to the claws on its
fingertips, it had smaller-but still dangerous-
spikes coming out of its knuckles, making even a punch
deadly.  Its feet were likewise clawed,
although they seemed in little danger of being kicked
by the thing, since it was rather top-heavy,
and probably need both feet beneath it at all times.
That wasn't exactly a comforting thought,
because its torso was enormous.  It was easily capable
of picking up Ape-Mihoshi with one hand,
and launching her clear across the room.  Although at
the moment, it looked more interested on
tearing them all apart, its two tails swishing
violently.
The Beast advanced on them slowly.  Its hunched-over
posture made it look a little bit
smaller, but also more feral.  Yugo immediately
transformed.
Gado, Shina, Alice, Kenji, and Mitsuko immediately
followed suit.
The beast charged.  And was brought up short by a
still-human Long.  He stopped its
charge with an elbow to the stomach.  Then he punched
it in the snout, forcing it back a step.
Long didn't waste his advantage, as he continued to
pound on the beast.  In retaliation, it swung
back its arm and backhanded him.
He was sent flying back, flipping through the air.  In
midair, as he was upside-down, he
reached to the floor with his hands, and stopped
himself.  When his feet came down to the floor
and he stood up, he was already in tiger form.
Uranus was undaunted with the menagerie of creatures
facing her.  She immediately
charged, moving faster than they had expected.  She
found herself in the middle of them, and
began thrashing about.  Gado was the only one who
stood up to more than two hits from the
beast, and soon there was nobody within six feet of
her.
Aeka raised a shield around herself, Ryoko, Uriko,
Washu, Katsuhito, and Tenchi.  The
Beast approached them slowly.  When it reached the
shield, it cocked its head to one side, and
then shattered the shield with one blow.  Katsuhito's
bokken lashed out against the beast.  But it
bounced right off.  The Beast turned to him, and he
struck it on the snout with his bokken.  And
it shattered.  The Beast reached out and grabbed
Katsuhito by the sides with both huge hands.
The sound of his ribs cracking filled the room.
"Yosho!" Aeka screamed.
The Beast began throwing Katsuhito into the air, and
bringing its hands together, as if it
was clapping and he was caught in the middle.
Katsuhito's body was making some sickening
crunching sounds.
Tenchi was paralyzed with fear.  Tenchi-ken slipped
from his hand and hit him on the
foot, jolting him into action.  "Ryoko!" he shouted,
picking it up and pointing the handle at her.
Ryoko felt the other two gems return to her.  Power
surged through her, and she
unleashed a blast on The Beast.
The Beast screamed and clutched at its burning arm.
Then it flexed its arm, which was
already healing rapidly.
"No way!" Ryoko said.  "Nothing can heal that fast."
Uranus advanced on the space pirate, ready to kill.
Then it screamed an inhuman scream
and went down hard on its knees.
Uriko had just come from behind it.  She was
transformed, and had blood on her claws.
She was staring at The Beast, with no expression on
her face.  "The knees" she said quietly.
"The tendons at the back of the knees.  Won't heal as
fast."
The Beast looked at her in rage, then lashed out with
one hand, and clipped Uriko on the
shoulder.  More than enough to send her spinning into
the floor.
"Uriko!" Tenchi shouted.  He turned on The Beast in
total fury.
Uranus was not impressed by the boy.  Her knees were
almost healed, then she'd kill
them all.  Then her eyes were filled with an intense
bright light that made her shy away.
Tenchi's anger had long since given way to blind fury.
 But now, he was calm,
composed.  The Light Hawk Wings seemed always to have
that effect on him.  He felt the power
coursing through him.  Then he felt Aeka's hand on his
right shoulder.  And Ryoko's on his left.
And another pair of hands behind him.  He didn't know
how Alice got behind him, but he could
feel her add her energy to his.  Ryoko's gems coursed
with Light Hawk energy of their own.
The combined power of Aeka, Alice, Tenchi and Ryoko
created the legendary Ten Wings Of
The Light Hawk before them.  Tenchi could see Tsunami
in his mind, smiling at him, and telling
him that he had the power within himself to defeat his
enemy.
Uranus' vision cleared.  She looked to the source of
the light and screamed in rage,
charging towards them.  But then she stopped about ten
feet away.  Something came over her.  A
kind of calm.  Looking into the Light Hawk Wings made
her see something.  Half-forgotten
thoughts, lifetimes away.  A mother.  A father.  A
caring hand.  A world filled only with love.
She lowered her arms.    Still.  A single tear ran
from each of her eyes.  As the tears hit the floor
of the lab, she changed back into her human form, her
gaze never leaving the Light Hawk Wings.
Color returned to her eyes.  A deep blue, they were.
She could no longer support herself above
the ground and fell.  Holding herself up with her
hands, she looked once again to the light, this
time looking right at Tenchi.  A kind of sadness
filled her face, and she closed her beautiful eyes
and nodded.
There was a bright flash.

*******************

Kenji woke up and looked around.  He was in human form
again, but he was alive.
Everyone else was sitting up, too.  Everyone was
unhurt.  Not only unhurt, but healed!  Their
previous injuries had disappeared.  Mihoshi, who had
been wearing clothing ill-suited for
transformation, let out a slight "Eeep!" and attempted
to cover herself as she scrambled to her
feet.
Ryoko, Washu and Alice were helping everybody up.
Alice, of course, immediately
went to Yugo.  Kenji smiled.  If there was one thing
Yugo needed, it was the love of a woman.
That was something seriously missing from his life.
He couldn't be a bachelor forever.  Long
had helped himself, and was now helping Washu pull
Mitsuko to her feet.  Shina was hauling up
Gado with one arm, and Ryoko.
"Need a hand?" Ryoko said, looking down at where Kenji
lay.
He was about to demur, but then she put out her hand
and smiled at him.  "Come on, let's
go."
He returned her smile and let her help him up.  He
looked around the room and saw
Tenchi and Uriko holding each other.  He was kneeling
beside her where she sat on the ground,
and while Kenji was sure that she was relieved that it
was over, the tears he saw in her eyes were
those of loss.  He turned away from the sight, and
bumped noses with Ryoko, who had also been
watching, and had turned away at the same moment.  She
put her hand to her nose and smiled.
He smiled back.
Everyone gathered around Tenchi and Uriko.  Realizing
that they were being stared at,
Uriko wiped away her tears and got to her feet with
Tenchi's aid.  Though she was obviously
healed, by whatever force had healed the rest of them,
she leaned against Tenchi.  More for
emotional support, Kenji realized, than for physical.
He put his arms around her and gave her a
kiss.
Then everyone made a circle around where Aeka was
kneeling.  She knelt beside
Katsuhito's still form.  Alice's hand flew to her
mouth, and she went to the other side of him.
Tenchi left Uriko's side, and knelt by his
grandfather's head.
Katsuhito's eyes were closed peacefully, there was no
sign on his face of the horrible way
he had died.  Tenchi reached out with his left hand
and touched Aeka's right.  Then his right
hand touched Alice's left.  They both nodded, and took
each other's free hands.    A glow came
from Katsuhito's body, and the illusion of age was
dispelled.  Tears streamed down Alice's and
Aeka's faces as they touched their brother's cheeks.
Tears streamed openly down Tenchi's face
as well.
Far and away, a goddess wept.
Back at the Masaki residence, Sasami, who had been
sweeping the shrine, suddenly broke
down and cried.
A tree, in a pool behind the Masaki house, covered
with prayer papers.  A holy tree.  A
tree named after its owner's mother, suddenly gave up
its life.  The next day, its leaves would
turn golden and begin to fall.  It would never bloom
with life again.
On Jurai, a searing pain passed through Lady Funaho's
heart.  She sank to her knees
before a group of delegates to Jurai, and wept like a
broken-hearted child.
The emperor inexplicably ordered everybody out of his
courtroom in the middle of a
petition he had been hearing.  When everyone had left,
Misaki went to his side.  When her hand
touched his shoulder, he gripped her hand and cried
into her robes.  Then she felt it.  And tears
rolled down her face, as she comforted her husband as
best she could.
Back in the laboratory, deep underground, Tenchi
spoke, breaking the silence.
"He.he would want to remain.on.on Earth"
Aeka nodded.  She would have rather seen him taken
back to Jurai, but she could not
deny that Tenchi was right.  The three Juraians picked
up his body.  Washu had summoned a
capsule to put him in.  They placed him in it, and it
disappeared into subspace.
Mihoshi, now wearing Long's shirt, touched Washu's
shoulder.  "Kiyone?" she mouthed.
Washu smiled wanly at her and nodded.  Mihoshi
breathed a sigh of relief.
"Very touching.  Very touching." came a rude voice.
Everyone turned to see Busuzima punching in some
buttons on a panel.  Then red
warning lights started to flash.  Sirens blared.  And
a calm, level voice came over the speakers.
"Warning!  This lab will detonate in five minutes.
Get the fuck out of here.  Repeat.
Warning!  This lab will detonate in five minutes.  Get
the fuck out of here."
Busuzima then ripped the panel out of the wall and
pulled out the wires.  "Oops!" he said
sarcastically.
"You bastard!"  Ryoko said, advancing on him.
"No time!" he said, pointing to a side door that had
opened up.  "You all better leave!"
Long looked at him.  "You have another escape plan,
don't you?"
Busuzima smiled his insane smile at him.  "Sure do!
And you can't save yourselves and
stop me at the same time!  Hee hee hee!  I RULE!"
Just then, one of the ceiling panels was ripped out,
and a blue mass fell to the floor.  A
familiar shape.
"Stun!" Uriko cried.
Busuzima went pale.  "S-S-S-Stun?!" he said.  "You
should be deader than that damned
Chimera!"
Stun advanced on him, and Busuzima began to stumble
away.  "Now, now Stun.old
buddy.  Let's not be too hasty!"  Stun never ceased
his advance.  Busuzima scrambled at one of
the tables, and came up with a large vial in his left
hand.  "Look Stun!  Here!  It's the serum you
need, and I can make more!  It's in human blood, Stun!
 Easy to come by!"
Stun reached out and put his hand around the
scientist's left hand.  He squeezed his hand,
breaking the vial, and jamming glass shards into
Busuzima's hand.  The scientist screamed in
pain.
Stun turned to the rest of them.  "Go!.Go!.I
will.stay.prevent.him.leaving."
"No Stun!" Uriko pleaded.  "Come with us!  He's not
worth dying for!"
Stun looked at her, and for some reason, she knew he
was smiling, even though she
couldn't see his mouth.  "N.no," he said.
"Already.dying.Must.put.end.all.of..."  He
grabbed Busuzima, who was trying to sneak away.  He
struggled, but Stun held him tight in a
crushing embrace.  "G.go!" he shouted.
"My.salvation.is.here."
Uriko looked at everyone, and they all nodded.
Everybody ran for the exit as the speaker
came on again.
"Warning!  Your ass will be grass if you don't get it
in gear.  Repeat."

*******************

The light of day never looked so good.  To any of
them.  But they didn't stop until they
reached the park, a good distance away.
By then, the lab had already detonated, and explosions
rocked the entire building,
bursting all the windows, and creating a huge inferno.
 Sirens could be heard in the distance.
"Poor Stun" Uriko said as she leaned her head against
Tenchi's chest.  He held her to
him, and looked over to Ryoko.  She was watching the
building burn.  She was probably not
aware that she had never let go of Kenji's hand.  But
Kenji didn't seem to mind.  Tenchi smiled.
Gado spoke up.  "The dissolution of the ZLF is not
enough.  Human-zoanthrope tensions
are very high.  The world needs a leader.  Someone to
show people how we can all live in
peace."
Alice nudged Yugo.  "Me?" he said.
"Why not?" Kenji said.
"I am far too old." Gado said.
"And I don't have the patience to put up with
politicians" Shina said.
"It has to be someone here," Gado said, "someone who
has seen the horrors that this
hatred and fear can produce.  You, Yugo, are perfect
for the job."
"I don't." he started, but Kenji put a hand on his
shoulder.
"I'll be right beside you, bro.  All the way."
Alice squeezed Yugo's hand.  "And myself.right beside
you."
Yugo smiled at them.  "All right"
Washu brought Kiyone and Jenny out of her subspace
lab.  They were healed, but Jenny
looked like shit.  She was wearing a robe that Washu
must have given her, but it was evident that
she had scars on her chest.  Her face had a couple of
severe scars on it as well, and there were
surely many more hidden by the robe.  Kiyone looked
fine, no permanent damage done.
Mihoshi greeted her with a hug and tears of joy.  Then
she turned around.  "What
happened to Uranus?"
Tenchi, Aeka, Alice and Washu all shared a glance.
"Don't worry" Washu said.
Uriko stood with her arms around Tenchi and his around
her.  She looked over to her
mother, who was looking at her with a knowing look in
her eyes.  Mitsuko raised an eyebrow at
her daughter questioningly.  Uriko smiled, gave a
little nod, then brought Tenchi's face down to
her for a kiss.  Mitsuko smiled.
Alice, who was quite happy with Yugo's arms wrapped
around her, looked over to Kenji
and Ryoko.  She elbowed Yugo, and he looked over as
well.  They both smiled and looked at
each other.  Then she brought him down for a kiss.
"It's time to go home." Tenchi said.
Gado looked around.  "I guess then we should all say
goodbye"
"Don't get ahead of me," Tenchi said, "You are all
welcome to come to my house for
awhile.  Please.  I would be honored if you would all
come."
Washu looked around.  "Any objections?"  None.  She
opened a portal and they all
stepped through.

*******************

Sasami was alerted to their return by a jubilant
Ryo-Ohki.  She ran down to greet them
happily, surprised at how many people were coming
through the portal.
"Wow," she said.  "I'm gonna have my hands full with
dinner."
"I'll help you" Uriko and Mitsuko said together.  Then
they both laughed.
There was plenty of room in the house, if one included
the couches, so everybody had a
place to sleep that night, and Noboyuki didn't mind
all the guests.  He trusted his son when he
said it was important.
Everybody was properly introduced.  Gado and Mitsuko
were initially skeptical about the
whole Jurai thing, but a small demonstration suspended
their disbelief.
There were several private little reunions that night.
 The five who had invaded Tylon
caught up with each other, and Kenji and Uriko went
outside to talk quietly.  Kiyone and
Mihoshi had a little talk about keeping big
secrets-like being a zoanthrope-from each other.
Aeka sat down with Sasami, telling her all about
Kusari.
Tenchi sat down on the roof.  Ryoko was with him, but
he hadn't said anything to her.
"Tenchi."
"Yes, Ryoko?"
"You love her, don't you?"
"Ryoko, I."
"Yes or no, Tenchi?"
".Yes, I do"
Ryoko looked up at the sky.  "I.I told myself I
wouldn't cry."
"Oh, Ryoko," Tenchi said, putting his arms around her.
 "Don't think that this means I
don't care about you.  I do.  I always will."
She smiled at him.  "I.I know, Tenchi.  But.could
I.could I.?"
"Yes?"
"Could I stay, Tenchi?  With you?  With both of you?
I mean.it's hard for me to just let
go.and."
Tenchi smiled at her and hugged her again.  "Of
course, Ryoko.  Wherever I am, you're
always welcome."  He kissed her forehead.  "And, in a
way, I do love you.  It's not the same way
I love Uriko, but."
"Like Uriko and Kenji?"
"Yes, like Uriko and Kenji."
She smiled and looked down.  Tenchi followed her gaze
to where Uriko and Kenji stood
by the lake, talking.
"You know," he said, "I think you and Kenji have a lot
in common."
She raised an eyebrow.  "What, heartbreak?"
"Well, yes, that too.  But think about it.  Both of
you really lost your childhood.  Both of
you were pretty much used as a tool by an evil person.
 And.you were right.  You're both in the
same boat as far as matters of the heart go."
She smiled slowly.  "Well, yes.  I guess he would be
someone who could understand."
"Plus," added Tenchi, "I think he's kind of sweet on
you."
She looked at him.
"No, really," he said.  "I talked to Uriko, and she
said he usually doesn't let people touch
him.  And he held hands with you all afternoon."
Ryoko blushed a little.  Tenchi smiled a knowing
smile.  "Let's go in" he said.

*********************

The next day, the reunions weren't quite so happy.
The gray sky reflected the mood of
the day.
Uriko's mother had been distinctly unhappy when she
learned that Uriko had gotten
pregnant.  But when Uriko followed it up with the
story of her miscarriage, Mitsuko was
immediately forgiving and comforting.
Sasami cried when she was told of Katsuhito's death.
"I knew it," she cried, "I felt it.  Right when it
happened."
Then her, Tenchi, Aeka and Alice went out to Funaho,
Yosho's tree and stood in silence.
As they stood there, the earth began to shake, and a
huge Jurai ship appeared overhead.  The four
royals looked up.  Alice's eyes narrowed.
Everyone went out to greet the emperor and his wives
as they left the ship.  Alice kept
her eyes downcast.
"Now Alice," Tenchi said, "this is not the time for
hostilities.  Please.  This is.difficult
for all of us."  She nodded.
Misaki held both her children in her arms.  There was
no trace of her usual exuberance in
her greeting this time.  She was relieved to have her
children alive and in her arms.  Funaho's
eyes searched, perhaps in the hope that she was wrong
about her son.but as Tenchi approached
her, she saw in his face that such hope was futile.
"Grandmother" he said softly.  She threw her arms
around him.
Azusa looked at Tenchi, and Tenchi returned the man's
stare.  There was an unspoken
question in the emperor's eyes.
"He would have wished to remain here" Tenchi said.
"And I will honor that."  Azusa
nodded, and turned away, but not before Tenchi saw
that his eyes were brimming with tears of
loss.
"Mother," Aeka said as Misaki let them go, "there is
someone.who would like to say
hello."
Misaki, Azusa and Funaho all looked at each other.
Then Alice raised her head, and
looked into her family's eyes.
"Ku.Kusari?"  Misaki said in disbelief.  "Kusari?"
She ran to her daughter and threw
her arms around her.  "Oh my baby!  You're here!
We've found you!"  She began planting
kisses all over Alice's face.
"My, how you've grown" Funaho said.
"Misaki!" Azusa said sharply, and Misaki stopped
kissing her daughter.  Azusa walked
up to Alice.  She stared at him with contempt.
His eyes searched hers, and found no forgiveness.  He
stood there for some time.  He
lowered his eyes.  He got down on one knee.  "I.I am
sorry, Kusari.  I.I was wrong."  She
looked at him in disbelief.  She had not expected
this.  "I had thought you lost forever.and I."
Tears welled up in his eyes.  "I cannot lose another
child.  Forgive me, my daughter.  Please.
please do not be dead in my heart again."
Alice was touched.  And speechless.  She opened her
arms and threw them around her
father.  He picked her up and held her close.

********************

Inside, the whole story was related to everyone.
Starting with the Tylon incident, then
Uriko's nightmares, then everyone's account of the
recent events.
"What shall happen now?" Funaho said.  "I suppose,
Tenchi, that you would rather take
your grandfather's place here, at the shrine?"
"No" Tenchi said.  Aeka looked up at him sharply.
"I.have been talking with Long.  He
is more suited to the life of a shrine priest than I
am, really.  He has offered to take grandfather's
place."
"Where will you go, Tenchi?" Aeka asked, trying not to
sound too hopeful.
"I.I will go to Jurai."
"Wh-what?!" Uriko said.  "You're.you're leaving me?!"
"No, no," Tenchi said, going to her.  "Far from it."
He pulled something out of his
pocket.  The ring that his father had given his
mother.  "Uriko Tsukagami, will you marry-"
"Yes!" she shouted, and threw her arms around him.
Ryoko looked away, and Kenji, seeing her, placed his
hand on hers.  She looked at him
and smiled.
Alice stood up.  "I, however, will remain on Earth."
"What?" Misaki said.  "You don't want to come back?"
Alice smiled at her.  "It's not that, it's just."  She
looked at Yugo.  "I have a life here.
I'm happy here.  And.I have a responsibility."
Azusa nodded.  "If.that is your choice, we will
respect it, my daughter.  You have
obligations to which you must attend."  She nodded.
Misaki spoke up.  "But.could you at least come with us
when we go back?  Just to
visit?  Your boyfriend can come too, if he likes."
Alice looked to Yugo.  He smiled and shrugged.  Alice
smiled.  "Okay"

**********************

Katsuhito's burial was short.  And private.  Only the
family was allowed to attend.
Tenchi insisted that Noboyuki be able to attend.  And
Long, who was the new priest.
His ceremony was short, but his memory would always
endure.

**********************

Later, Tenchi and Aeka were walking through the woods.
"Lord Tenchi," Aeka began, "may I inquire as to who
you intend for your second wife?"
"No, Aeka, you may not."
"Oh" she said, turning away.
".Because I haven't asked you yet."
She turned to him.  "Tenchi.?"
He smiled at her.  "Aeka, I do love you.  And I
promise you, after I am wed to Uriko, you
will be my second wife."
Aeka's eyes lit up.  "Oh, Tenchi!"  She threw her arms
around him.
Meanwhile, in the house, Funaho was explaining things
to Uriko and Mitsuko, while
Noboyuki sat nearby.
"Two wives?" Mitsuko said.
"Well," Uriko said, "as long as I'm with Tenchi, I'll
be happy."
Mitsuko shrugged.  If her daughter was happy, she
would be happy.  Although she was
going to feel.
"All alone" Noboyuki said.  "I'm going to be all alone
in this big house."
"Aw," Mitsuko said, "All you need is a woman's touch
around here."
"But this is the middle of nowhere," Noboyuki said.
"What kind of a woman would want
to live way out here?"
Mitsuko smiled at him.  For some reason, he reminded
her of her late husband, only not
as skinny.
Outside, Ryoko and Kenji were both sitting on top of
the Shinto shrine gate.
"So what will you do?" he asked her.
"I.I don't know.  I was going to stay with Tenchi,
but.if he goes back to Jurai.he
will have to be the next emperor.  And marry Aeka.
That doesn't leave a whole lot of room for
me.  Besides, they hate me on Jurai."
"Well, we could sure use you here."
She turned to him.  "Really?"
"Well, yes.  I mean.we have a lot of work ahead of
us.and a woman of your
talents.could.be a lot of help."
"I'm not a zoanthrope, Kenji"
"I.I know, but."  He looked down.
She turned his head to face her.  "Kenji." she said.
He sighed.  "It's just that.you.you understand.  What
it's like.  To not have a lot of
memories.to feel.trapped inside your own mind.I don't
know where I'll ever find someone
else.who understands.  I."  She stopped his lips with
hers.  He put his arms around her.

*******************

>From her lab, Washu watched her daughter.  She smiled.
 It was nice to see her daughter
so happy.  Then she returned to her work.
Rehabilitation was hard enough, but her patient had
very little in the way of normal human experiences.
"I.I'm sorry, Miss Washu" her patient said.  "It.it's
so hard for me."
"Don't worry, don't worry.  I'm not mad."  Washu
smiled.  It would be like raising a
child again.

******************

Everyone was invited to come to Jurai for Tenchi and
Uriko's wedding.
In the two weeks before they all left, however, Long
began to settle himself in as the new
priest.  And his second official duty as a priest was
the small, private wedding of Kenji and
Ryoko.  Alice, Uriko, Yugo, Tenchi and Mitsuko were
the only ones invited.  And Washu, to
give away the bride.
The day that everyone was to leave, Sasami
disappeared.
Everyone looked for her frantically.  Then, around
noon, a blue light appeared at the top
of the shrine.  Everybody rushed up there.
Sasami was there, but she was not alone.  Tsunami had
completed the union, and Sasami
was now a full-grown woman.  One with a shocking
announcement.
"I'm staying on Earth"
"What?!" Misaki said.
"I.I don't want to leave the Earth.  I went to see
Tsunami.and she agreed to merge
completely with me, so I could make my own decisions.
And I want to stay."
"But.but why?" Misaki said, looking ready to cry.
"Because, mother, I love the Earth.  I love Jurai,
too, but Earth just feels.right for me.
You don't have to worry about leaving me alone,
because I'm not a little girl anymore.  And
Long has agreed to let me stay with him."
*Who wouldn't? * Noboyuki thought, looking at the
beautiful young goddess.
Azusa was a little surprised.  "I.I'm losing all my
children at once."
"You're not losing me, father." Aeka protested.
Azusa looked to Tenchi.  "Oh yes I am, Aeka.  You will
be too busy for your father when
you are empress."
"You know what, Azusa?" Funaho said.  "After we get
Tenchi settled into the throne,
let's retire to Earth."
"What a wonderful idea!" Misaki exclaimed.  "Aeka will
be too busy to spend much time
with us, and we have two daughters here on Earth!  Oh,
don't worry, sweetie, we can come visit
Jurai anytime!"
Azusa shrugged.  Arguing with a woman is futile.
Arguing with two is pointless.

************************

Almost the whole planet turned up for Tenchi's
wedding.  The people of Jurai had a lot of
changes to adjust to.  Yosho's death, the return of
Kusari, Tenchi's wedding and coronation, and
Azusa's abdication, was all quite a load for the
people to accept all at once.
Long gave Uriko away, as he was the closest thing to a
father that she had.  As they said
their vows, Tenchi hid a smile as he saw his father
and Mitsuko sitting next to each other.  His
father was a lonely man, and he hid his pain and loss
behind hentai behavior.  Mitsuko liked to
be needed.  It set Tenchi's mind at ease knowing that
his father would be taken care of.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Washu.  Behind
her, with both feet on the ground,
and in a blue dress, was Uranus.  Uranus smiled at
him.  Washu had made a lot of progress with
her, and emotions came freely to her now.  And she was
happy for him, truly happy.

*********************

Years pass, as they are wont to do, and people move
on.  On Earth, Yugo's human-
zoanthrope peace corps gained huge popularity.  He
eventually married Alice, and the two of
them led the Earth into a new era of peace.
Kenji and Ryoko, two wild spirits long kept chained,
decided to explore.  They traveled
the Earth for a few years, then took off in Ryo-Ohki
to traverse the stars in the same fashion.
In the country, stories were told of a shrine priest
who could bring instant peace of mind
to people, and of his beautiful wife, who had the
power to mend the body.  The shrine grew in
popularity, and Noboyuki and Mitsuko turned the house
into a hotel, for people waiting to go
into the shrine.
That is not to say that the world was perfect,
however.
"That was perfect!" the punk said as he and his
friends gathered in the alleyway, each
removing their masks.  "We just run in with these
masks, shout `Zoanthrope!', and people just
hand over their cash."  There was a noise to the side.

"Wh.what was that?" another punk asked fearfully.
"A zoanthrope." came the voice from the shadows,
before the shadows swallowed them
all.  ".But you may use the term `vampire' if you
wish."  Stun let the drained humans fall from
his grasp.  Another night, another evildoer.
Far above him, a spectator watched.  She sat
cross-legged on the edge of a building,
watching for authorities.  Her scars had vanished,
thanks to `Dr. Goldberg', and she was
eternally in his debt.  *The vampire and the bat. *
Jenny thought to herself.  *How perfect. *

Safe beneath their watchful eyes, the world slept.