Disclaimer: Tenchi Muyo! and its characters, technologies, 
etc. are property of Pioneer and AIC. All other characters 
and ideas are property of the author and their use is 
prohibited except by consent of the author. Any similiarities 
to actual persons, events, etc. are purely coincidental and 
in no way makes the author liable. To sum up all this legal 
stuff don't steal my original characters and don't sue me for 
use of ones that aren't.

Tenchi Muyo!: Airs of the Past

Chapter 3: Linked even in Dreams

Tenchi was in Washu's lab trying to make sense of his nightmare as he was poked 
and prodded by Washu's machines. He cringed in pain any time one of the machines 
passed over a scar. All of sores seemed to be quite tender even though they were 
scars and usually something that was healed to that point didn't hurt anymore.

"Well," Washu interrupted his thoughts, "aside from your new scars, you are in 
the same physical condition you were the last time I tested you." Tenchi nodded. 
"Everything is in prime condition, muscle mass, brainwaves, heartrate, every last 
one of your bodily systems is normal. This is one of the only times in my life 
where i've been at a loss for what's going on, Tenchi."

Tenchi knew that was bad. When the self-proclaimed number one scientific genius 
in the universe admitted there was something she didn't know then you could really 
start to worry.

"So is there anything you can do to help me, Washu?" Tenchi asked, a hint of worry 
in his voice.

"Well, for the scars you have now, no. They should stop feeling so tender in a 
few days. As for preventing this occurance in the future....hmm." she hesitated, 
deep in thought, "I want you to wear this bracelet when you are sleeping." She 
handed him an oversized steel ring covered in little blinking lights. 

Tenchi just gave her a funny look, "What is this gonna do? Nothing to painful 
I hope."

"Are you questioning my judgement, Tenchi?" she gave him an evil but not very 
serious glare. "All it does is allows me to monitor your brainwaves and if something 
is strange i will check up on you." she gave him one of those evil smiles and her 
maniacal cackle that only she could pull off just right, making Tenchi wonder what 
demented thing she was planing on doing.

Hesitantly, Tenchi mumbled his agreement. he decided to get out of her lab before 
she got any ideas.

At this point it was already getting pretty late so Tenchi, as worried as he was 
about the nightmares he thought he was sure to have, decided to go to bed. He laid 
in his bed tossing and turning trying to get to sleep. As he glanced out his window 
he saw the same familiar sight he had seen every night ever since he started getting 
insomia. He stared out at the serene trees and the half cresent of the moon high in 
the sky. He tried to focus on the silence outside attempting to fall asleep at last. 

Tenchi lay silent there for some time letting a peaceful void fill his head as he 
slowly drifted off to sleep. 

Tenchi found himself standing in the same dark surroundings he had the night before. 
"This time," he thought as he heard it echo in the darkness like before, "I'm not 
going to die without a fight."

He heard Kagato's voice behind him just like he did last night, "You seem awfully 
confident for one has but moments to live HAHAHA."

Some how this time Tenchi managed to move away and made a move to grab Tenchi-Ken 
as Kagato closed in on him only to find the sword already in his hand ignited.

Meanwhile, Washu was studying the charts of recordings from Tenchi's brainwaves. 
As much as she feared for Tenchi's safety she only needed a few more moments of 
data to analyze. "Just hold on a little longer, Tenchi," she pleaded even though 
she knew he couldn't hear her. 

Back inside his dream Tenchi was managing to hold his own against Kagato who was 
attacking more and more fiercely, hellbent on killing Tenchi. He was swinging wildly 
and Tenchi was having a hard time deflecting his strikes. The aim of the strikes was 
bad though because of the power behind them. Tenchi was waiting for a perfect time 
to counter Kagato's attacks. Kagato lunged forward his blade cutting through the air 
where Tenchi's neck had been. Tenchi made a deft motion to duck under Kagato's swing 
and thrust his own blade forward, finding his mark.

Tenchi stood there in silence waiting for whatever would happen next. Kagato's limp 
form dissapated into the air as the world around him shifted and molded itself into 
what he immediately recognized as the path running from his house down to the bus stop. 
It was dark out so he decided to head towards his house. He deactivated Tenchi-Ken and 
walked up the path keeping his guard up. He was just waiting for the next person to jump 
out and try to kill him. 

As he rounded a corner he saw Ryoko standing there and she looked normal. There was 
no weapon in her hand and a happy look on her face. "Is it over?" he mumbled as 
he cautiously walked closer to her, still on his guard. He started to feel 
apprehensive when she didnt say anything, she wasn't even looking at him. He 
tightned his grip on Tenchi-ken. "Ryoko, are you alright?" he said with a small hint 
of fear in his voice. At this she looked up at him the same peaceful look in her eyes.
Tenchi stopped walking and looked to try and see if she was hiding something. She still 
hadn't said a word to him. He walked closer and then she suddenly flew at him both arms 
outstreched. At this Tenchi felt reassured that she wasn't going to try to kill him. 
She picked him up and caught him in a huge hug. It was at that point that Tenchi 
felt a sharp pain in his back and he saw large beam sword punch through his stomach 
and impale Ryoko with him.

Back in reality Washu had teleported to Tenchi's door to wake Tenchi before 
something drastic happened. She opened the door only to find Ryoko passed out 
on the floor and Tenchi was thrashing violently in his bed. She ran over and 
started shaking Tenchi trying to pull him out of the nightmare.

Back in Tenchi's dream the sword had been removed and Ryoko slumped to the ground. 
Tenchi drew Tenchi-ken from his belt, ignoring the pain, determined to stop the 
assailant. He whirled around to see Aeka holding Tenchi-ken ignited and pointed at 
him. Try as he might the pain was to much and he fell down to the ground. He passed out.

Back in reality Tenchi woke up from his dream from Washu's shaking. He moved his 
hand down to see if the scar was there. He let out a yelp of pain as he slid his fingers 
over the fresh scar. Then he saw Ryoko on the floor and noticed she looked exactly as 
she did in his dream. He rushed over and put his hand where he guessed the sword 
had hit her. A look of terror passed over his face as he fingers found blood on her. 
He stared off into space as he realized it was all his fault this had happened to her. 
He picked her up and laid her on his bed.

Washu stood there as events progressed and finally pulled Tenchi out of his worry 
long enough to find out what had happened. She would have been worried but she examined 
the wound and found Ryoko was regenerating it to the point where it wasn't a problem. 
Now Washu was throughly puzzled. Tenchi had been the only one getting hurt in dreams 
like this that she had ever heard of. When he woke up the wounds were already scars. 
Now Ryoko had been injured in Tenchi's dreams and she was hurt in reality. On top of 
Ryoko just being hurt, the wound Tenchi had described should have in all probability
been beyond her regenerative ability and would kill her, but there she was regenerating 
it and by morning no one would ever know she had been stabbed there.

"Tenchi, stay up here and watch Ryoko to make sure she doesn't get worse, unless you 
want to go back to sleep, in that case don't worry about Ryoko she should regenerate 
fine on her own," Washu told him before she turned to go back to her lab.

Tenchi sat there in silence. He couldn't get over that he had almost killed Ryoko. 
He couldn't decide what to do now. He knew he couldn't sleep until he got some 
answers. So he sat there watching the sore regenerate slowly trying to stay awake.

Tenchi suddenly found himself laying in the woods. He knew immediately he must 
have fallen asleep. He quickly looked around to see where he was. It was right 
where he had fallen before he woke up. He looked next to him and noticed Ryoko 
laying there bleeding from the hole in her stomach. He looked closely at it and 
noticed that it was regenerating even in his dream. He touched his own stab wound
only to find the scar. The only other difference between when he had fallen and now 
was Aeka was no where to be seen. 

He decided he had no where better to go than home. He picked up Ryoko and a 
slight shiver went down his back when he found that she was cold. He quickly 
checked her pulse only to find there was none. "I killed her," Tenchi slumped 
down to the ground. It was at this point Sasami came walking into view down the 
path. She saw Ryoko lying there bleeding and then saw Tenchi crying next to her.

Tenchi stopped crying and shot straight to his feet, Tenchi-ken came flaring to 
life in his hands. Sasami let out a gasp as she saw the fear mingled with anger 
in his eyes. Tenchi stood there just staring at Sasami, waiting to see if she was 
going to try to kill him or if she was normal. They stood in silence, just staring 
at each other, for what seemed an eternity. 

Sasami finally worked up the courage to talk, even though it came out as a whimper, 
"Tenchi, are you OK?"

Tenchi heard Sasami's quiet and concerned voice and knew she wasn't there to hurt them. 
He whirled around and looked around just to make sure there was no one trying to sneak 
up on him. Then he deactivated Tenchi-ken and turned back around. Sasami was on her shins 
cradling Ryoko's head in her lap crying softly because her friend was dead. After 
explaining what was going on to Sasami, Tenchi carried Ryoko back to his house with 
Sasami walking next to him. 

When they got to the house Washu was standing outside waiting for them. "Tenchi, I don't 
know how, but i believe every one of us has been forcibly pulled into your dream. Anything 
that happens to us could very possibly have a corresponding effect to our real bodies. As 
with you and your scars. As far as Ryoko goes, here she is comatose where in reality she 
is just resting and recovering from that wound."

Both Tenchi and Sasami were very relieved by Washu's last remark. Tenchi asked, "Washu, 
I don't understand one thing."

Washu interrupted him. "I know, why did Aeka attack you, and how did she have 
Tenchi-ken when you had it?" Tenchi just looked at her not all to surprised that she 
knew what his question would be. "This is a dream world, Tenchi, there could be 
duplicates of items or it could have been a fake. As far as Aeka goes, I do not know 
why she attacked you, but I intend to find out."

To Be Continued.....

Author's Notes: This Chapter was a little short for my liking but right here was 
a perfect place for me to stop. If any Aeka fan reads this dont stone me until you 
read the next chapter. Now I actually have some questions for use in this story or 
one in the future. So my Readers (its plural now! I have 2 LOL) are just like market 
research hehe Do you think i am taking to long building the story or should i drag it 
out further? I've centered my story around the OVA, so should I work in Mayuka or 
Kiyone one way or another? Go ahead and answer my questions or tell me if you think 
there is something else i should do that i might not be thinking of. Aside from the 
main plot and certain points of the story this is a day to day thing so im open to 
suggestions. As always all comments, questions, suggestions, flames, death threats, 
or money for the get-this-lowlife-a-job-so-he-doesn't-have-time-to-write-anymore-
fanfiction fund (jk) can be sent to: kemanorel_7@yahoo.com