Tenchi Muyo: Accelerator! Prologue 2: "The Night Train." (Information and disclaimers at end of file) ---------------------------------------------------- "Terror is a tool of the truly afraid" -unknown ---------------------------------------------------- blood soaked paths in silence the time goes on forevermore i hear you, i hear your hate, your pain your sorrow no love would let you live death is your choice I bring it to you. ---------------------------------------------------- In the dream, Tenchi stood in a place he did not know, yet seemed hauntingly familiar. The train station was well lit, the steam escaping from the hoses between the cars, the sound of people boarding or disembarking filling the background of his mind. He stood in a nice striped suit, charcoal gray with an equally nice tie, shirt and shoes along with it. His fedora fit him perfectly, and he felt rather refreshed. "Your ticket please, Sir." the Porter asked. Tenchi handed him the ticket, noticing the destination upon it: it read "Eternity" Momentarily confused by this, he did not notice the Porter's surprise, nor his gasp at seeing the ticket. Having had his ticket returned to him, the Porter led Tenchi on board and to his compartment. He came in and saw a woman, her Brilliant red hair flowing down her back and over her dress. Her beauty amazed him, and as he sat he took his hat off in respect for her. Next to her sat a man, his eyes covered by a pair of dark glasses, even though it was nightime. "Ah, greetings Tenchi." the man said. "Excuse me, Sir?" Tenchi replied, rather taken aback. "You have not met me, but we know eachother." "We do?" "Yes." The porter returned and told Tenchi that dinner in the dining car awaited. As he turned back to the couple, he realized they were not there. Momentarily confused, he got up and went to the dining car. -- -- Traveling through the train, he was amazed at what he saw. The wood used for the interior was of the most amazing grain he ever saw, almost like there were whole worlds inside it, stories waiting to be told forever inscribed into each line like the thoughts of the Gods. The lamp which lit the corriders of the Cars were like small suns, suspended in the air beneath the shade. They shone with the warmest light he ever knew, and small stars seemed to revolve around them. Finally arriving at the dining car, he sat at his table. The candle was lit, the Rose next to it such a brilliant red that nothing in the car seemed to compare. No, he corrected himself, the woman's hair was far more brilliant. Bending over, he inhaled the Rose's intoxicating scent. As he did so, he felt he was on the edge of something. Not a cliff or ledge, but on the verge of some impossible understanding. He looked at the center of the Rose and his breath left him. Inside span a small cluster of lights, revolving in a spiral shape, a galaxy. He fell into it, seeing everything within, his mind overloading in sensory input. He quickly shut his eyes and sat up. Taking a deep breath he opened them once again. Ryoko sat across from him. "Tenchi?" she breathed. "Ryoko?" "What are you doing here?" they said together. "I was asleep. My dream started on the train platform, and I boarded." Tenchi said. "Go on." "I went to my compartment, and this man and woman were there. The woman had this incredibly brilliant red hair, moreso than Washu's. The man was in a black suit, with black hair and dark shades. He knew my name and said we knew eachother." Ryoko's eyes widened at this. "I saw the same thing Tenchi. Then the porter came and had me come to this car, but they had dissapeared." Before Tenchi could respond, he saw something that sent a chill up his spine. A man stood at the end of the car, unnoticed by the patrons. He had some sort of body armor on, and shades covering his eyes. The man looked at Tenchi, his hidden eyes seeming to bore into his soul, the faintest light coming from them, like miniature suns. But these suns were not warm. They filled him with a coldness that seeped into him. The cold had something else with it, like a fleeting sadness, or loneliness. He wanted to turn away, but could not. He sat riveted, the man's eyes boring into him, filling him with the most helpless feeling he ever knew. He cringed inwardly, cowered in fear. The man knew. The man knew. He could see Tenchi. Tenchi felt naked, exposed to the cold of the night, his body frozen, his soul shattered. He saw his past, his life, all the things he did, flowing past him into the man. He felt his hatred, his self-hatred exposed like nothing else. Tears fell unnnoticed down his cheeks, his eyes unblinking, his breath caught in his throat. One image flew past him. Ryoko. He reached out and held it. He refused to give that up, he would not let all of himself be lain bare before this man who opened his soul like book, reading the pages outloud for all to hear. He held onto the love he felt towards her. The man stopped. Finally Tenchi collapsed onto the table, Ryoko crying his name, trying to help him. He heard her voice distantly, like a shout on a summer breeze. The warmth in her voice and her feeling penetrated him, waking him up from the daze. As he rose his head, he saw the man once again. Fear took hold of Tenchi, as did anger. How dare he take all that was him. How dare the man take the part of him he held so dear! Tenchi felt the power of the Light Hawk Wings begin to fill him, yet before he could do anything, an unbidden thought ran into his mind. 'I know Tenchi. I *know*.' The man gone, the coldness was no longer there, yet Tenchi was chilled to the bottom of his soul. ---------------------------------------------------- Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters created by AIC and Pioneer. I do own those I created myself, and they are Copyrighted 2001, all rights reserved, but they are only derivative characters from Tenchi Muyo. As such, permission from me is required to be able to use any of my characters for any purpose at all, as well as creating stories led off from this one. This is only the beginning of the series "Tenchi Muyo: Accelerator". Look out for more from me. Besides, there is no point in suing me cuz I have no money and the DA sold me his soul for an enchanted twinkie (I am sneaky, heehee ;). 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