The characters of Tenchi Muyo! are owned by AIC Pioneer. So I would thank you kindly not to sue me. Thank you. Too Little, Too Late It started as a rumble, reminiscent of the shifting of the earth's crust in preparation of a major disaster. It grew louder as it rose to the surface, gaining in intensity, in volume. When it finally burst forth the rumble had become a roar, the roar of ultimate despair. NO!!!!! ... He held her closely, staring into her face, the perfect face that he had watched and longed after for so long. The moonlight traced out the features that had been so lovingly carved into his soul. It was this night, the night that he had waited for, for so long, the night that he was going to say it, he was going to tell her something, that he loved her. He found her like this, lying alone in the middle of the fields, her blood pouring from the wound in her chest, staining her clothing, staining the shirt that he had picked out especially for this night, this night of nights. This couldn't have happened, how could it have happened, it couldn't be true. He held her closely, cradling her head, trying to staunch the life-blood that was spilling onto the verdant grass, on this beautiful, horrible night. "I'll go get..." He said, starting to stand. "No," came the weak voice from the woman he held protectively in his arms, "Don't leave me, please. It is already too late." He sank back down, unbelieving, unable to believe that this was happening. "What can I do?" he demanded of the uncaring stars overhead, "What can I do?" He asked the dying woman, the woman he loved, lying in his arms. Her face was calm, almost serene, and she had accepted what he still denied. "Sing to me," she smiled weakly, "Sing the song that your mother sang to you when you were little." His eyes filled with anguished tears, another woman that he loved, dying, and he couldn't save her. He cleared his throat, several times, and then began to sing in a soft, mellow baritone. His eyes locked with those of his love as he recreated the words his mother had taught him so long ago. Sleep sweetly, my darling, may the wind bring you away... To fields unending of flowers so sweet. Rest gently, my angel, may the trees cradle you... And sing to you softly of unending days. Of love and laughter and there will I be... To carry you back from the arms of the trees. To bring the wind round to carry you home. Home now, my love, forever will stay... Where I can hold you and take you away. To fields unending of flowers so sweet. He came to a ragged ending, the words torn from his throat with a sob and a gasp. And the dying woman, his love, his all, reached up her hand to gently touch his face. Then she stopped and looked confused, her serenity was gone. "What...what happened?" she coughed weakly. "How did this happen?" "I don't know," he told her brokenly, "I don't know." "Tenchi," she grabbed blindly at his hands, "Tenchi, I'm frightened." "I'm here, don't be frightened." Tenchi said. "Oh god, how could this happen!" He again cried at the uncaring stars. He looked back down at the woman in his arms, "I was going to tell you... I was going to tell you tonight." "I love you, too." She whispered, "Oh, it hurts, it hurts, Tenchi." He started to rock her back and forth gently. And we'll play in the wind as it whips cross our feet... He continued the lullaby, and her eyes fastened to his face as he gave all the comfort he could to her last moments. Forever together, forever my dear... I'll be here for you, I will always be near... To carry you back from the arms of the trees. To bring the wind round to carry you home. He finished the lullaby and looked down at the woman lying still in his arms, her eyes fastened to his face. "My love?" He shook her gently. "My angel!" He cried. She didn't move; her flame, her soul, had been taken on the wind. He mechanically laid her gently on the ground and folded her arms across her chest, no longer to rise with the breath of life. He kissed her gently on the lips. "I will love you forever." Then reached out one hand and gently closed her eyes. It was too little...too late. ... It started as a rumble, reminiscent of the shifting of the earth's crust in preparation of a major disaster. It grew louder as it rose to the surface, gaining in intensity, in volume. When it finally burst forth the rumble had become a roar, the roar of ultimate despair. NO!!!!! Fin. Author's notes: I was suddenly struck by my muse when I was at work today; she usually strikes there, for some reason. I also get my dark ideas there, also for some unknown reason. I thought, what if Tenchi tells the woman he chooses and it is too late? This set off a chain of thoughts which led me, ultimately, to be sitting at this computer screen at one o'clock in the morning, typing up something that will probably keep me in a wretched mood for the rest of the weekend. I also do not identify the woman in this fic, partly because I don't think that this scenario can be limited to only one woman. I felt that I could give you this and you could fill in the blanks with your own names, voices and features. I did have a specific woman in mind when I wrote this and if you guess who it is, e-mail me and I'll tell you if you are right. Or, and this is just a suggestion, you could write your own fic using this one. My only requirements are that you use this dialogue and description in the story. (You can add extra lines and descriptions, too. I would expect nothing less.) My other requirement is that you begin and end it as I have begun and ended it. You can tack on aftermaths too. Any ways, I'm not going to hold my breath, but if you do, that would be great; I'd like to see in what directions you take my work. Well, now my notes are almost as long as my fic, so I'm going to stop now. G'night. Patricia "Kyokki" Lucky Questions, comments, complaints? kyokki21@yahoo.com