DEDICATION (29/11/2000) To Quatra-Sama Beauty is everywhere. May you find your solace in a beauty that will never fade, never pass from this world. The easy way may not be the best way. May heaven's blessings shine down on you, always. Sincerely, Zyraen ^_^ Disclaimer : Most characters in this story are property of AIC and Pioneer. They are in such a situation solely because of my imagination. This story was written purely for fun. I would also like to extend my whole hearted thanks and gratitude to Patrick "Seion" Stewart, who gave me permission to use his character Seion in Darkness & Light . Seion, if you're reading this and you find I screwed him up, please do inform me, I'll do my utmost to put him right. Thank you ^_^. Seion's work can be found in Gensao's TMFFA, at www.tmffa.com. DARKNESS & LIGHT - No Need For Kova By Zyraen CHAPTER XVI : No Need for Revelations The incredulity of seeing Kiyone about to fire into Kova’s head almost instantaneously gave way to a sense of fury, of anger, and already she was moving in… Don’t you dare… that’s my man…! Kova started in surprise as he saw the movement in the darkness to the side of the steps. DANGER! Something screamed from within his mind, and he leaped aside and forward towards the emerging threat, a whirl of sable robes that rustled somewhere within the shadows… What the…!? He felt his blood run cold as a golden beam burst out from behind him, just barely passing by his left cheek, before hurtling towards the shadow that had just emerged from under the shelter of the trees. "Stay out of this, Chief Inspector Kiyone!" The figure warned, as it produced a streak of violet energy from nowhere to twirl around its form protectively, and the bright violet lashed out at the golden beam, to send it hurtling up towards the skies. Oh, Kiyone-chan only meant to fire at… He heaved a sigh of relief, then moved so he could keep Kiyone’s line of fire to the intruder open, and out of the corner he saw her lower her weapon uncertainly, from Nagi, her face flickering with doubt and uncertainty. Why is she…? Unless this is… Kova’s eyes widened as he made out, beneath the sable cloth, the flicker of a blue suit, and the glimmer of icy blue eyes within the darkness of the hood, and what was definitely recognisable as a purple laser whip. "Nagi…" he enounced vehemently, and as always, closed his mind from noting that his heart sank at seeing such a renowned adversary, and rather focused on bringing his mind to bear on how to defeat her. "What brings you here, bounty hunter?" I once feared your kind, but… His fingers gripped his weapon, and Nagi’s arched an eyebrow as she saw the long length of blue laser encase the silver rod to form into the scythe. "Impressive." Nagi mouthed, almost sardonically, then gave a mocking, cold laugh. "And really, need you ask, Kashiro?" There was a blur, then incandescent violet and azure sparks flew as the sweeping scythe met the whirling whip. The scythe flashed in and out, battering the wreath of violet energies, and Nagi nodded approvingly to herself. Well, what a night this has been. Ryoko, the princess Aeka, and a GP Special Operative that is also a Torabushi warrior. How fitting I should end it this way by being pitted against a worthy foe, indeed. In close quarters, she quickly realised Kova was too swift and close for her to be able to dodge about freely, and to be able to neutralise the momentum of the lethal sweeps she was having to constantly flick out her whip defensively. Looks like I need more space to seize the offensive… Her cloak billowing in dark clouds about her, Nagi jumped back, and momentarily the wreath of violet about her lashed out like a striking snake in an attack for his head as his sweep passed under her feet. Kova stepped back, and the tip just flicked by his face, leaving a tiny red dot in his forehead where the tip had just grazed his face. Rather than allowing the fright of the close shave to cow him, Kova cursed at losing his advantage, and bounded after Nagi, but she was ready and alert this time. The whip lashed out and the tip curled in a lightning arc with blinding speed. Kova dodged aside but Nagi quickly flicked it after him, and as he righted himself the scythe was held up to ward off the blow. Even as the blow landed Nagi smiled and stepped half a step closer, sending a slight tingle up her weapon, and as her weapon recoiled, as Kova made to surge forward again, the front centre segment curled out of its recoil and snapped back in an almost physically impossible backlash aimed for something… Stinging pain shot up Kova’s left hand as the blow flicked lightly across the back of his palm to open a line of crimson there, before the whip curled around the scythe and the bounty hunter pulled. Nagi’s smile brightened for a moment as she felt him start, losing his grip from the sudden pain Kova’s eyes widened with fear as Nagi casually sent his weapon spinning away diagonally behind her, and he took a fearful step back before her, staring behind as if beseeching aid from… Kiyone!? He thought, genuinely surprised as he noted she was no longer there. In that same instant, Nagi’s smile died, as, instead of pressing on her attack in his moment of weakness, common sense and experience drowned out the satisfaction of cowing her foe … No… he’s NOT that bad, he must have let me strike him, let go of his weapon, and now he’s looking away hoping I’ll seize the opportunity of his distraction… Tilting her head slightly back, she just made out a flicker… Nagi quit the spot, as the keen edge of azure spun in from behind, ripping through the air with deadly speed. A purple lightning heralded the outward lash of the whip even as Nagi leaped away, its tip just catching the scythe in its returning trajectory. Smiling to himself, Kova adroitly jumped back before the blaze of the explosion sundered the darkness with searing cerulean light. ==================================== A while ago… Just as he was about to fall asleep, he glimpsed a little light from the window. Nothing, just a … SHIT! Sitting bolt upright, Seion started to full awakeness as he realised what he had seen, from his position lying on the futon facing the window, was a beam of golden laser streaking out into the darkness of the sky. Gotta nail that frigger mustn’t let him hurt Kiyone! ==================================== Washu’s smile, as she looked at the three comparatively young people staring at the box, facing her, died out as she saw a beam of gold flash out over the dark night sky. Not again… "Washu?" Tenchi, looking up to thank Washu, caught her expression as she hurried over to the window. Instinctively he got up to follow her, and Ryoko and Aeka stared at each other a moment in annoyance, then rolled their eyes. It was quite typical really, the way he suddenly forgot about them… "It’s happening again…" Washu sighed. "What is?" Tenchi hurried over. He just barely registered making out flashes somewhere along the shrine steps when there was a sound, and a shadow leaped out from a window on the side of his bedroom onto the roof. "Huh?" Launching itself recklessly forward, the figure hit the ground running in the direction of the shrine steps even as Ryoko and Aeka joined Tenchi and Washu by the window sill. "What’s going on here?" Ryoko asked. "That," Washu said, and Ryoko’s eyes narrowed as she made out the surges of blue and violet against the steps, then the place sent out an extraordinarily bright flare of blue. "Nagi…" Ryoko growled, and before Washu could stop her, she vanished. "Damn her!" Washu cursed, staring at the spot where Ryoko had occupied, then hurried away from the window. "I don’t understand!" Tenchi exclaimed, turning fretfully to Aeka. "I thought you said…" "I *did*!" Aeka replied, distraught. "I swore it, and she agreed! "Get a move on, you two!" Washu called as she ran out of the bedroom. "I have a bad feeling about this…" Tenchi murmured as he and Aeka rushed after Washu. ==================================== As the blinding blue light cleared, Kiyone brought both her blasters to bear on the direction Kova looked at just as she saw him, almost thirty steps further up the flight of stairs, grip the scythe, and then making out Nagi’s shape, hesitated opening fire as Nagi was technically on her side of the law, and because she still remembered the services rendered by the bounty hunter the year before. Huh? For a moment, she thought she glimpsed some light green amongst the shadows by the side of the trees… Nagi shook her head a bit, trying to clear out the dots of bright light inundating her vision. The explosion had been rather far away from her, but nevertheless she could still feel the blistering pain that had came as waves of heat were sent against her flesh and blackened parts of her blue suit. The bastard… Blue eyes gleamed, and she ground her teeth together. He’ll make a good challenge. The spy raced forward again, even as Nagi made out Ryoko materialising before them. "Ryoko, feel free to join in, although that means I’ll have to forget about what we arranged earlier…" she muttered coolly, parrying a blow from the onrush of the scythe, and exuding confidence even as she knew for sure if Ryoko and Kova were to pit themselves against her at once she would be defeated. "Even if I don’t kill you today…" Kova rolled away beneath the tip of her whip. "I’ll kill you the next time…" Nagi just edged herself away so the blade just missed slitting her belly open. "And I’ll never give up…" The lower handle of the scythe deflected another lethal strike from the bounty hunter. "Until you are dead…" Ryoko hesitated. I have Tenchi’s love now… and Nagi promised Aeka… She looked away, only to see Kiyone some steps below, both blasters held down a little, peering into the forest for a moment, before watching the battle between the hunter and the hunted. The detective was alert and wary, hands gripping her blaster tightly, for if Kova faltered, she would have to open fire… "Ryoko, what’s going on?" Kiyone asked, not taking her eyes from the combat. "Where are the rest of them?" "They’ll be here soon… think you can manage?" Ryoko was no coward, but now that she realised what might be at stake for her, she would rather not participate, although she knew if Kiyone or Kova asked for her aid she would unhesitatingly lend them her might. "If he can, I can." Kiyone replied tersely, as Kova dodged another curling lash. Nagi was twirling her whip about and simply by applying twitches and flicks along the length of the weapon, she was practically attacking all the way. Weaving in and out about the perimeter of her attacks, the spy was fighting futilely to reach her, and was on the defensive already, for now that they were a good distance apart he no longer held the advantage, although the option of retreat was still open to him… ==================================== For a moment the shrouded sentinel within the shadows wondered if it would be wise to reveal itself, then made up its mind. "Mitsuki?" Seion exclaimed in surprise, as he saw his brunette colleague stumble out of the woods some several steps above him, limping painfully in her Galaxy Police uniform. "What happened? Is that bastard trying to kill Kiyone up there?" His hand tightened on the wooden handle of his Trident. Mitsuki, one hand resting on a tree for support, nodded tersely. The operative grimaced like he had been struck a blow. "I’ll be right back, just lie low." Emerald eyes blazing, his green hair seemed to tremble as he spun around. Watching his turned back, for a moment she considered slipping out her weapon, but then she made out the movements of more figures heading in this direction… Best be sure, Mitsuki thought. Then Seion was off like a shot up the stairs, his rippling muscles and his almost feline movements making him seem like a majestic lion bounding up the steps in search of prey. Washu came running up after that, even as Mitsuki gingerly bent down to cradle her twisted ankle. "Oh, it’s you! Sorry, Tenchi will probably help you along…" Something seemed to be gnawing away at her mind, filling her with a sense of urgency, as though she felt something was very wrong… Washu had barely got on her way when Tenchi and Aeka came running up, panting. "Mitsuki, what’s wrong?" Tenchi halted to look worriedly at her, the rational part of him finally deciding that Washu, Ryoko and Kova should be enough to handle Nagi, and he really should have to try to eradicate the part of him that made him start to run when there was someone else in the lead. Aeka hesitated, wondering if she should help Mitsuki. Well, it is best I do not go against Nagi again, or she might revoke that favour, and at least now I’m with Tenchi. "Nothing," Mitsuki mumbled, her voice barely audible. "Just an ankle’s…" pushing lightly off the tree, she tried to move, and fell forward onto the ground with an almost muted whimper. Tenchi felt his heart stir as he saw her look up at him, biting her lips, her eyes filled with a kind of reluctant pleading… Almost instinctively, Tenchi moved over to help her. "Here, let me help you…" As Aeka hurried over behind him, and Mitsuki reached out a hand for him, the other one near her holster, Tenchi blinked as he thought he caught an icy cold gleam in the policewoman’s eye… Huh? He just managed to recall that Mitsuki was last seen by himself wearing this uniform, *wet*, and had been entering Kiyone’s apartment to… Then!? And her other hand… Tenchi had just the sense of mind to throw himself away and aside as Mitsuki whipped out her blaster, and the golden beam burst out from its muzzle, streaking by his left side and under his left arm, causing the boy to break out in cold sweat… Whew… he thought. There was a shriek of agony from behind him. What the… *AEKA*!! Mitsuki, smiling evilly as the princess staggered back, loosed another round at Aeka, who, mustering her will despite the pain, just managed to create a forcefield long enough to make out another golden beam coruscating off it before the onrush of pain swamped her, and she could feel herself weakening and toppling backwards. Tenchi-ken shone out against the steps even as Aeka’s forcefield shimmered into nothingness with the evaporation of the princess’ concentration, its blue blade deflecting another salvo aimed at Aeka and Tenchi, while Mitsuki backflipped away, her finger never letting up for even a moment on her trigger. Tenchi’s arm caught Aeka before she fell, pulling her close, even as Mitsuki vanished back into the forest, as his other arm held his sword poised to defend them from any more attacks from that quarter… "I’m here, Aeka, I’m here…" Tenchi felt himself being drawn into the half closed, amethyst eyes. He could feel his fingers sticky with the blood ebbing from her side, and forced himself not to look at the bloodied hole in her lower dress, where the beam had entered her left pelvic bone and burst out behind. "Tenchi…" Aeka managed a weak smile. "You’ll be fine… you’ll be fine…" Tenchi’s voice trembled as his vision blurred. "You…" Aeka murmured. "…mustn’t cry…" "Aeka, NO!" Tenchi found his voice no longer obeyed him. "I love you, love you, please don’t go…" A surge of energy seemed to flow through Aeka at those words, and though she couldn’t reply, she kept her eyes focused on Tenchi. He seems so caring so handsome so worried… "RYOKO, WASHU, somebody, anybody help me!!!" Tenchi screamed at the top of his voice, his words echoing emptily along the hillside like the heartbroken cry of a bereaved man. He doesn’t want me to leave him… "Aeka, Aeka! You’ll be fine…" She dimly felt his free arm pull her close to him, press her upper body tight to him, and her eyes refused to close, refused to leave his face, though the red haze hemmed in… …so I must stay… ==================================== "RYOKO, WASHU, somebody, anybody help me!!!" Washu and Ryoko started and stared back down the stairs. The red-haired scientist, realising Ryoko’s instinctive impulse would be to rush over and help, realised there was no way she could reach Ryoko before she reacted. "Ryoko!" The space pirate just appeared beside Tenchi and the fallen Aeka,as she heard Washu’s voice call from further up the steps. "Get Aeka back! Then get Azaka and Kamadake!" "Ryoko…?" Tenchi’s voice trembled as the space pirate laid a hand on his shoulder, and another on Aeka’s, but the princess seemed not to be cognisant of her presence, her almost closed eyes still staring right at Tenchi’s face. The space pirate did not answer as the three of them dematerialised and vanished from the hillside. ==================================== Even as Tenchi’s cry rang out, Kiyone turned around, and her eyes widened as she saw Seion rushing up the stairs towards her, his face grim and determined as the green tip of his weapon glinted like chill metal in the night. Oh no… Turning back ahead she saw Kova and Nagi locked in desperate combat, two darkened forms whirling about the steps with blue and violet lightning streaking between them like some kind of deadly, tempestuous forcefield. By falling back on defending with the spasmodic assaults, Kova had stabilised the situation into some kind of deadlock, where Nagi attacked, albeit mindful of the possible counterstrikes, and Kova defended, watching eagerly for any tiny gap to exploit. If Seion joins in, Kova-chan will be in trouble… She fired twice with her standard issue weapon, sending her lasers between Nagi and Kova, only to rebound out against the surface of the weapons, and aware that Seion was watching even as he drew nearer, she dared not open fire at Nagi… The grey metal of a barrel glinted, once, as a bright yellow laser streaked out towards the ground between the two combatants. Kova’s grim expression turned to shock and Nagi, catching the change in his demeanour, started too… "Holy shit!" As he drew level with Kiyone, Seion exclaimed as he saw the stairs ahead engulfed in another eruption, only this time it was golden, and greater than the earlier one. "That is some shot!" His Imperial Tiger was more powerful, but… "From a wimpy K-12? Hell, Washu *is* good, I’ll say!" Kiyone didn’t reply, her eyes searching, praying she had not hurt anyone, especially him, inadvertantly. Sure enough, even before the light had died cleared, Nagi and Kova landed on their feet on either sides of the ruined steps, both apparently having reacted on time, and there was the slightest flicker from Kova’s forearms. "There he is!" Seion yelled. Kova, hearing Seion, realised Kiyone’s intention. Thank you… He resisted giving her a thumbs up and melted into the sides of the forest, his scythe flashing out of existence into a nondescript rod, even as Seion and Nagi, with the bounty hunter much closer to him, rushed in hot on his heels and Kiyone loosed two regular shots from her GP blaster at his receding figure. "He’s getting away! Let’s go, Kiyone!" the operative cried, cutting into the forest and running diagonally uphill towards the direction the criminal might have taken. "Yes, sir!" Kiyone, worried what might happen if Seion and Nagi managed to corner Kova, sprinted after Seion into the forest. About twenty steps behind Seion and Kiyone, Washu, huffing slightly from the exertion, thought she made out, a figure on the level where Kova and Nagi had fought, crossing in from the woods on other side of the steps where Nagi had emerged, by strolling out from within the dense smoke of the explosive blast. She just barely made out a white shine of moonlight off the place where the person’s eyes were, before the figure vanished into the gap among the trees in the forest where Kova and Nagi had entered. I have a bad feeling about this… Her heart full of misgivings, Washu cut directly into the forest after Seion and Kiyone, urgency lending her strength. However, while preoccupied with watching the figure cross over through the smoke from the other side, Washu failed to notice another shadow some twenty metres further inside the forest on her own side, passing by her level as it ran extremely rapidly up the slope in the general direction where Seion, Kiyone, Nagi and Kova were heading… ==================================== "What did Washu tell you to do!?" Tenchi asked Ryoko frantically, as he deposited Aeka on his bed. The princess showed no outward sign of consciousness, except that she kept her half opened eyes on Tenchi, who kept his face always in her line of sight. "How the hell am I supposed to know how to get Azaka and Kamadake!?" "I don’t know!" Ryoko shot back. "You’re the Juraian, how should I know?" Tenchi could only look distraught as he saw the blood soaking into and spreading over the bedding. "But I don’t …" He blinked… I am Juraian, I have Jurai power, and Aeka is of Jurai too… Laying his hands on the princess’ shoulders, Tenchi concentrated, trying to reach into himself and to channel the power lying within him into Aeka’s half conscious form. Ryoko watched anxiously, as for a brief moment about Tenchi’s hands, a dim, faint sky blue glow seem to rise up, almost invisible, and the princess started slightly as she felt the pain recede before the warm energy that seem to flow from his hands into her consciousness, giving her strength to move her lips again and raise her eyelids somewhat, but Tenchi did not see it through his closed eyes. "It… it’s not working," with a boneweary sigh, Tenchi’s shoulders slumped forward, his face that glistening with beads of sweat from his exertions, even as his voice trembled. "It’s not healing her…" "Tenchi…" Aeka smiled very gently, and Ryoko’s felt something inside her tremble as she saw the princess’ fragile, almost ethereally so, expression of tenderness and thankfulness. "Are you … all right?" Tenchi started in amazement as his brown eyes gazed upon her, his voice soft with weariness but full of concern as well. "She’s still losing blood!" Ryoko watched as the bloodstain on the sheets darkened and spread some more. "Aeka, get Azaka and Kamadake!" Through the haze of pain, the image of Tenchi looking down upon her with that pleading, hopeful gaze of his, the gaze that forbade her from leaving him, shone through the entirety of the princess’ being, sheltering her mind from the distress of her body even as his energy gave it the strength to transcend the physical weakness of her body… Azaka, Kamadake, come to me… Ryoko moved back as the logs materialised on either side of the bed. "Help them, you two!" "We can’t." Azaka said. Kamadake added. "We can only protect her…" "AEKA!" Tenchi cried, his hands gripping the princess’ shoulders hard, as she was about to slip back into unconsciousness again. "Please, help her!" "Can’t you Knights of Jurai do *anything*?" Ryoko berated them in frustration. "That’s right!" Kamadake’s hollow voice debated thoughtfully. "We could…" Ryoko looked at Azaka in surprise, for even before Kamadake had finished his first sentence, the holographic figure of a tall Juraian Knight, the incarnation of Azaka, clad in his standard dark blue robes, gradually materialised before the log’s surface, and the light from both logs glimmered to almost darkness as they used their energy to open the communication channel between here and Jurai. "What happened!?" The ancient knight exclaimed in shock, as he made out the inert form of the seemingly comatose princess. "Azaka?" Tenchi looked up, his face ashen with worry, and turned to face the hologram. "Please, help me! Tell me how to help Aeka!" "I’m not sure if you can do it… Juraian power hasn’t been used for healing reasons since the advent of modern medicine on Jurai, about two generations after my own…" "I don’t care about that!" Tenchi shouted. "Tell me how to save Aeka!" He ground his teeth together. "That’s an order!" "I’ll try then, lord Tenchi…" Azaka gulped. "Now place your hands on lady Aeka and visualise yourself as…" As a strong blue halo of energy materialised about Tenchi’s forearms, Ryoko was about to watch further when she was suddenly reminded that outside there might still be more trouble brewing… ==================================== Kiyone hurried through the forest, seeing the fleeting figure of Seion rushing through ahead, weaving in and out between the trees. As to how far he saw ahead, she could only guess, but inside she found herself hoping they wouldn’t catch up with Kova… There was a rustle of a movement from somewhere behind, and, sensing movement, she spun around, blaster at the ready. Only to be greeted by a wry smile, azure eyes shining with mischief, his comely, calm face framed by locks almost as dark blue as the night sky itself. Oh, it’s just Kova-chan… Swiftly she waved him away, in the opposite direction, down the hillside, whispering as loudly as she dared. "Get the hell out of here, quick! I’ll lead him away!" Then Kiyone quickly turned around and headed to the side after Seion as the spy nodded tersely in response to her words, half turning as if to go. Quite abruptly, he paused, turning to look at her receding back, then grinned, and his hand reached into his jacket… ==================================== Kiyone? Seion thought, wondering if his team member was following him, and feeling something amiss in not hearing her moving through the woods after him, he turned around slightly. Okay, she’s there, let’s… His eyes narrowed as he made out what seemed like a dark outline of a shoulder behind Kiyone. Is that a figure I see behind her? Even through the shadows of the trees, he realised the person was in a half turn, right shoulder facing them, right hand reaching in to pull out something… Kiyone just turned in front to see Seion frozen, looking back over her shoulder then… "Take cover!" He shouted, his hand moving up in a blur, and as his Trident was hurled towards her, an azure laser was loosed and sent streaking towards Kiyone’s back, even as Kiyone instinctively hurled herself sideways to the ground to avoid the teal metal edge skimming through the darkness at her. As she rolled over onto her feet, she took a sharp intake of breath in astonishment as she glimpsed the Trident fly by her form to deflect the blue beam from its path where it would have struck her in the back, before impaling itself into a tree trunk. "Kova-chan!?" She murmured half in shock, looking at where he had stood, but he was not there... Another blue beam shot out from about ten metres to the side of where Kova had stood, just behind and out of the stunned Kiyone’s line of sight. "Watch out!" Desperately, Seion dived towards her even as he drew his Tiger Cub, firing in the direction of the lasers. Kiyone felt the operative’s body slam into hers from the side, and an instant later there was the blue beam struck his form and a low groan of pain escaped his lips, but even as he landed he loosed two more rounds at the distant figure. Unable to make out in the dark if Seion was hurt badly, Kiyone quickly opened fire in the direction of the shots, and there were several dull booms as the forest shook under her explosive charges, then all was still, before she quickly asked, not taking her eyes off the forest. "You all right?" "Sure I am… just some scratches, ain’t much…" Seion smiled a little on the ground, but she could not see it in the dark, and this time she could hear the pain in his voice rather than the overwhelmingly indignant tone that characterised most of his exclamations about Kova. "Now you go nail him a good one for me," there was another drawing of breath as he sat up, and the last word that came out was weak. "Okay?" Kiyone blinked, and quickly glanced down at him. "Seion?" She quickly bent down by his side, trying to make out in the dark where he had been hit. "I’m all right, Kiyone…" he breathed, trying to force his agonised body to get to its feet, and his Tiger Cub slid into a pocket in his tight pants, which were beginning to soak red. Kiyone’s eyes widened as she made out, on his bared torso, just on the right of and slightly above his belly button, was a bloodied hole two inches in diameter, where the beam had gone through his body… "Oh god…" She brought her left hand up to her mouth in horror, as Seion grunted in pain, nearly falling and catching a tree trunk. "You don’t look good." In fact he should be dead, something said in Kiyone’s mind … Turning to the forest in the direction of the steps. "Emergency! Medical help urgently required!" "Forget me! Just go get that asshole for me, will you?" "Seion… I don’t know how to tell you this, but I don’t think that was him…" Kiyone closed her eyes, and a tear fell from her eye. Whether it was from the sense of betrayal she felt for the person looking like Kova trying to kill her, the gratefulness for Seion taking the shot for her, or sorrow at Seion’s pain, she was not quite sure. "Really?" His voice was subsiding into a whisper already, as he leaned back against a tree trunk, his body screaming at him as he tried to straighten it. "I…" she murmured, then the frustration welled up in her again, and she screamed to the forest. "DAMNIT WHAT THE F*** IS GOING ON!?" Her blasters rose up, taking aim as a short figure emerged from in the direction of the stairs. "Name yourself!" She cried, unwilling to take any more chances. "Don’t shoot! I’m Washu!" Sure enough, she could make out the red shade of the scientist’s hairs, but didn’t she just see Kova just now? As for the voice, she had to make sure. "Describe Mihoshi in your lab!" Kiyone’s mind just latched onto the most identifying statement she could think of. Washu blinked, then "Don’t touch *anything*…!" she announced in clear but strangled tones, put her hand to her head and fell back as though she would faint. As Kiyone lowered her weapons, Washu moved over. "Who’s hurt?" Kiyone pointed at the figure leaning against the tree, "Nice gun, Washu…" Seion answered, weakly, as Washu quickly donned her nightvision goggles, which she had gotten seemingly from out of thin air… "HUH!?" Washu exclaimed. "What the hell!? This guy is TALKING!?" "Just help him!" Kiyone cried, looking around anxiously. "I’ll provide cover…" Looking around, she sensed a movement in the air near the steps, and raised her blasters at the ready as the person materialised in mid air. "Huh?" Ryoko asked the empty stairs, where she had last seen Kova and Nagi fighting. "Anyone here?" She did not notice Kiyone and Washu a good distance into the forest. Okay, Kiyone thought, that definitely is Ryoko… Still tending to Seion’s wound, Washu heard the space pirate… "Ryoko! Over here!" Seion grimaced slightly as Washu let him lean forward on her, and wound the bandage quickly around Seion’s waist, after adding powder that would act both as anaesthetic, clotting reagent and regenerative enhancers over his flesh. Ryoko was peering anxiously about as she flew towards them. "Hey, what’s the big deal?" She asked, looking around curiously, expecting to see Nagi or at least some kind of fight going on, but there was nothing. "Ryoko, get Seion back in the house," Washu ordered. "He’s lucky to be even alive, and needs a good rest. How’s Aeka?" Ryoko’s eyes widened a little as she made out the large patch of blood about the bandage. "Uh, yeah, he looks pretty bad… Tenchi is trying to help her." "Wait!" Seion got out weakly. Washu ignored him. "Ryoko, if Aeka’s condition has stabilised, get Tenchi back out here. We might need his swordarm." She tilted her head urgently in Seion’s direction. The operative gave one last try. "Rat… must catch…" Kiyone glared at Seion, and sternly nodded at Ryoko, who seized Seion’s hand before he could protest, and the pair vanished. Kiyone allowed herself a smile as she thought how he reminded her of Kova, then remembering the strange events of the night… There’s still Nagi… and that strange Kova… She felt a chill run down her spine as she thought what might happen… Washu, watching Kiyone’s expression change, broke out into a run as Kiyone did. ==================================== About the time Kiyone noticed someone behind her… The combatants, their breaths leaving them in ragged gasps, glared at each other once again, giving each other half a second’s respite, before crossing swords again, amidst flashes of light. As soon as he had ascertained pursuit was left a respectable distance behind, at least for the moment, Kova had stopped to engage Nagi again. "Damn you!" The bounty hunter cursed again, as she avoided another lethal sweep of the cruelly curved blade, wielded by her grim-faced adversary. What the hell? Back there I had got him on the defensive, but now each attack of his is becoming more and more threatening! And why can’t I hurt him? The blade arced down towards Nagi’s side, even as Kova exposed his left forearm to the sting of the whip once again. As Nagi leaped away from the strike, the tip of her violet weapon flying straight and true, she once again felt the whip strike something about his forearm, and then there was a brief flash as whatever it was vanished again from existence. Seizing the intiative, Kova followed up with his blade swivelling diagonally upwards towards her, pushing the handle out away as he extended the blade, and as Nagi lashed out to block the blow, Kova jumped forward bringing his scythe in another sweeping curl diagonally from the side. The bounty hunter quickly dived away, her whip flicking out for his right forearm, and again there was a brief crackle of energy, before, as she got to her feet, the curl changed in mid air into a horizontal sweep to the waist. Sparks leaped up as Nagi deflected the attack with the midsection of her whip, while the tip, almost a separate entity under her masterly control, flicked out again, and Kova drew back as she felt another force ward her blow from cutting into his arm’s flesh. He must have some kind of shield about him, a defence that he does not wish me to know about. Deciding thus, she moved in, this time ignoring invitations to attack his seemingly unguarded forearms, only attacking his body and taking care not to open herself too much to assault as she sometimes did when faced by a lesser foe, and the two clashed again, testing their wits as well as pitting their skills in whirls of shining power between each other, ere a cry broke into the fragile equllibrium of their contest. "DAMNIT WHAT THE F*** IS GOING ON!?" Kiyone!? Kova felt his concentration break as he heard her anguished cry of confusion in the darkness of the night, and just barely managed to bring his scythe up to spin in a blur and parry Nagi’s triple strikes with the whip, each to his chest, head, and waist respectively. Nagi smiled as she moved in before he could recover, her weapon snaking out, jabbing viciously in a continuous barrage at his form, as Kova fell back under the flickering barrage. What’s wrong with Kiyone? He slipped, nearly losing his grip on his scythe as a feint by Nagi nearly took him in the shoulder, except that the base of his scythe just managed to fend it off. Concentrate! Or you won’t live to see her again! Several golden beams shot out from diagonally behind Kova, to his right, streaking towards Nagi. The bounty hunter frowned in irritation, flicking her whip twice to deflect the lasers, but by then Kova had recovered from losing his balance earlier. Striking out with his scythe, Kova forced Nagi to back off a little, and seizing the respite he quickly backed away further, as Nagi was fended off the continual salvo being fired at her. "Chief Inspector Kiyone, are you out of your mind!?" She cried out in consternation as she made out the form of the green-haired detective. "If news of this gets back to the Galaxy Police Headquarters, it’s over for your career!" "Thanks, Kiyone-chan," Kova smiled gratefully as he turned to see Kiyone standing there, green eyes fixed determinedly on Nagi’s form, her rapid firing never letting up for an instant, as she moved over to back him up. "And don’t worry… just give the word, and I assure you news of this won’t ever get back to your Headquarters." His eyes gleamed dangerously at the bounty hunter, for much as he respected Nagi’s prowess, being forced back and hemmed in continually was not a pleasant experience, not to mention that she was ultimately, a foe. >From behind them, another figure watched, as Kiyone walked briskly towards Kova while continuing to fire, moving almost too briskly and urgently towards him. There is something odd here, something strange… Unseen eyes narrowed, as swift feet rapidly covered the distance between the watcher and where Kova stood, even as Kiyone drew nearer. Kova waited, watching for when Nagi would either advance to press her attack or back off, or ready for when Kiyone would cease her fire and he could challenge the bounty hunter again. Nagi, only too aware what he was waiting for, found herself caught in the grip of uncertainty, unsure whether to turn her back when she had not been hurt, or to take on what might well prove too much for her to handle. Kiyone smiled crookedly as she saw Kova’s attention intent on his opponent, her footsteps bringing her almost beside him, and her hand twisted slightly, so the barrel was aiming right for… It was at that precise moment, that the shadow leaped out… WHAT THE…!? Kova thought, as for the second time that night, another yellow beam grazed his head, causing him to instinctively execute a diagonal roll, and as the beam sped over to Nagi, he stood up facing the back, his face pale from fright, not so much as for his close encounter with death, but that it was Kiyone behind him… Huh? His eyes widened as he saw Kiyone struggling against a person, gripping her right wrist tightly and aiming her blaster to the sky. Light glinted off the glasses and greying hair, and as Kiyone threw a punch with her free hand at the person while trying to sweep his legs out from under him with her right leg, he stepped back easily to her right, his form, clad in white robes, just avoiding her blow as his legs stepped just over her sweep. "Lord Yosho!?" Kova exclaimed in astonishment, but the emotion rapidly changed to anger as he took in Kiyone’s distraught expression. "Let go of her, you bastard!" An arc of blue flashed through the air, and the ex crown prince of Jurai retreated, as Kiyone half stumbled back towards Kova, cradling her wrist, and her hand held her blaster limply. "You don’t know what you’re doing, boy!" Katsuhito commanded, his face stern with a hint of anger. "Don’t know what *I* am doing !?" Kova countered, his face black like a thundercloud. "*You* nearly got me killed!" "No, I…" Katsuhito tried, then he saw something coming from behind Kova. "Watch out!!" The spy just barely managed to react, as the scythe blocked the main swipe by Nagi at his side, then the whip’s curl drew another shallow line of crimson along his right upper arm. Nagi smiled as her weapon curled out again, then as Kova warded off the blow with his left forearm, she nodded as she saw the laser shield form over his limb from his armlet. So, he really does have some kind of protection… The scythe flew out as he counterattacked almost recklessly, his weapon flashing in and out quickly, and Nagi pulled back a moment from the ferocity of the assault. Kova, face set grimly into a mask of determination, decided to forget about exposing his shields, and his forearms were both encased in blue energy as he prepared to press home against his adversary. Katsuhito nodded at the spy’s prowess, then suddenly remembered, too late… "Unngh!!" Kova exclaimed, as he felt sharp pain explode within him, streaking from his left shoulder and chest to envelope his form, then the golden beam burst out from under his left collarbone towards Nagi. His vision wavered, and he nearly fell to his knees… "Oh no…" Kiyone gasped, but it was not from the hard running, but rather as through the shadows of the trees she made out Kova’s form seem to topple forward, then with an almost superhuman effort he forced himself to stagger around. Looking into the metallic barrel of the blaster and behind it, into cold green eyes topping a malicious smile of triumph framed by long green hair, Kova weakly pleaded. "Why…?" "Because," Kiyone smiled sweetly, her soft, almost sibilant, voice announcing her stand crisply and coldly, taking aim at his head, and Kova trembled as the chill, numbing fear hit him hard, while the pain from his wound stopped him from thinking clearly, letting his misgivings in his heart amplify the impact of the blow… She… wants me… dead!? Then he closed his eyes, resigned to his fate… If Kiyone doesn’t love me, then I might as well be dead. ==================================== "Now slowly, imagine yourself, drawing back gently, returning the power you have embraced to the world about you…" As if in a surreal dream, Tenchi saw himself step back, as the azure wreaths of energy travelled from the tree looming over him back into his body, and he felt a soothing emotion pass into him, as if a satisfied contentment from having done what he had sought to do, even though he felt drained. Aeka lay where he had laid her down, at the foot of the tree, but unlike when she had first been brought here, her breathing was even and restful, rather than tortured and laboured, and her face was no longer pale… As he slowly backed away from the garden, seeing it dissolve away into blackness, he thought he glimpsed an angelic, fairy-like ethereal lady with beautiful blue hair, step out of the tree to comfort Aeka, then all faded into the familiar darkness. Wearily, Tenchi opened his eyes. His entire body felt drained, but he felt oddly serene. Turning to the hologram of Azaka, "Thank you…" he mumbled, softly. The Knight nodded, with something close to incredulity, respect and pride all visible on his face. "Thank Tsunami Princess Aeka has one such as you by her side…" then the hologram shimmered into nothingness… As Tenchi slumped forward he was dimly aware of movement behind him. Gritting his teeth, he gripped his sword and half turned around, half expecting to see an enemy emerge… "It’s me!" Ryoko said, gently laying Seion down on the floor. "Hey… why here?" The operative asked, still weakly, but the his old cheery indignance had returned to his voice again. "Kiyone’s out there…" Tenchi’s eyes widened as he noted the blood saturated layer of material that Washu had hastily put about Seion’s waist. "What happened!?" "Is Aeka all right?" Ryoko asked, urgently. "Are you okay?" "I did my best, it should be working out…" Sure enough, the colour had returned to the princess’ face, and Tenchi smiled a little. "I’m a little tired, but that’s all…" "I’m not tired…" Seion tried to get a word between, but Ryoko ignored him. "Think you have energy to fight?" Ryoko pressed, moving closer to Tenchi. "Washu said we might need your help…" Tenchi sighed in fatigue, then realising he could not bear to leave any of his friends, or even just acquaintances, in the lurch, nodded. "Okay, let’s go then…" "Take me too!" the operative on the ground tried again, and this time his voice was stronger and more spunky already, but as he reached out Ryoko quickly seized Tenchi by the hand. The space pirate took a quick glance out the window at where the flashes of light indicating combat was coming from, then the two vanished. Seion cursed weakly as his hand flailed about empty air… Slow… I’m slow… He closed his eyes and lay back. The pain was subsiding rapidly, partly due to Washu’s help, but not entirely to her credit. Please, let Kiyone be safe… ==================================== As Kova had agonisingly turned around, Nagi had hesitated, wondering if she should take him down… He’s hurt… His bounty is falling! It’s not a fair challenge. He’s not Ryoko… But he’s *very* good. Yes, and therefore I may never get a chance like this. She made up her mind, and dashed forward, violet whip ablaze, as Katsuhito’s bokken lashed out in readiness to knock Kiyone’s aim at Kova’s head awry again, but before it connected, a golden streak shot out of the depths of the forest, and Kiyone started in shock as the beam sliced into her hand, severing it at the right wrist. Seeing Kiyone was no longer a threat, Katsuhito quickly made out the hooded, sable cloaked figure of Nagi racing in for the kill, like a triumphant shadow in the night. The bokken changed direction in midstroke, as Katsuhito stepped forward beside Kova as Nagi’s weapon sliced through the air, moving so quickly and with the bounty hunter so intent upon her prey that she could not react in time. Nagi winced as she felt a numbing sensation shoot through her hand as the wooden sword struck the back of her hand, but her blow was not completely neutralised. "KOVA!" Kiyone screamed as she and Washu burst into the clearing, from the direction where Kova had first seen her imposter appear, only to see the whip lash into the standing yet seemingly comatose spy’s back. There was no cry or exclamation of pain, only a spasm of agony as his eyes shot open in mute testimony to his pain, then he collapsed to his knees, his fingers only loosely holding his scythe, and the light from the weapon seemed to be muted… Nagi was about to strike out again, when a golden and a pink blast forced her back, then blinked as she saw the hand of the Kiyone facing Kova regenerate, complete with the GP blaster. Yosho arched an eyebrow at the move, then quickly turned to try to stop the imposter from firing, and as his bokken was brought to bear, a golden laser sword formed in the pseudo-cop’s left hand to parry his stroke. There was a blur of movement, so fast that it seemed to almost defy the laws of light and vision itself, then the false Kiyone watched with dismay as her right arm and shoulder slid off and tumbled onto the ground. Katsuhito, standing behind her, turned around, bokken at the ready, and his ready and willing combat stance did not change even as the wooden blade quite theatrically fell onto the ground. Nagi blinked again, for the Kiyone before her seemed to feel no pain, only thrust the golden laser sword forward in an attempt to finish the job, but Katsuhito seized her shoulder and pulled her back, as Kova, his eyes wide and unseeing, gently fell back. The cyborg Kiyone, for such as it was, swung around, sword striking out at Katsuhito, but he just calmly stepped away as the golden blade just swept short of his chest, while another series of golden and red beams struck into her torso and legs, ineffectually. The fresh surge of pain as his back struck the ground jolted Kova into semi consciousness, and Nagi was about to surge forward and press home her advantage again, when Tenchi and Ryoko materialised beside her, causing her to start in surprise and wariness. "Tenchi, here!" Katsuhito cried, catching the cyborg in the small of its back with his leg, and its blade just missed slicing into Kova’s prostrate form. Thus distracted by the sudden appearance of Tenchi and Ryoko so close by, Nagi just managed to make out the movement in the air towards her in time to send Kiyone’s yoyo bouncing off her whip… Barely conscious, Kova made out, upside-down, the flicker of yellow laser lines from the yoyo against Nagi’s violet whip, even as Tenchi ran in towards him from the side… Nagi… His eyes narrowed. It’s all your fault… Raw, unreasoning fury and resentment bubbled up from within him, and his right hand flicked up, before falling down limply over his face. Tenchi’s eyes widened in shock as the lethal scythe swept by him, just past his left shoulder, and as Nagi looked up at the whirling blade, the vengeful wrath of the fallen speeding towards her from within the darkness, she reflexively curled her whip up to meet the threat… Kova closed his eyes restfully as the figure of his nemesis was enveloped in the eruption of light blue that seared through the night’s shadows, and he dimly felt the heat from the blast on his face through the pain in his body even as Ryoko dived away. There… I surrender myself… As Nagi’s limp form was hurled away by the force from the detonation, she thought she saw through her blurring vision a line of silver falling forward away towards Kova. Tricked! She berated herself, then her body thudded against the ground, three metres from where she had stood, and she wouldn’t, or couldn’t, get up again… Tenchi felt the heat and light from explosion, but he just ground his teeth together and his steps didn’t slow, as forgetting his weariness, he let his training take over. Just as he drew near the false Kiyone’s right arm grew back, and was about to form another golden laser sword in its hand before Tenchi’s speeding sword hacked its new limb off, and the boy ducked under the sweep of the other blade. Kiyone, rushing in with her blaster firing and yoyo hurtling out, watched as the impact from Katsuhito’s light blow, seemingly just a casual nudge in the side, and from her yoyo striking the right foot of the cyborg, caused it to slip slightly to the side, and Tenchi, almost as though dancing elegantly, slid his sword up and into the cyborg’s left side, then turning slightly, sent its arm tumbling to the ground as the golden laser sword flashed out of existence. The cyborg Kiyone stumbled away, watching with dismay, as Tenchi-ken descended towards it one final time, as Ryoko sped in from behind Tenchi, an admiring smile on her face at Tenchi’s prowess, and these were it’s final thoughts. Capabilities disabled, identity exposed… objective not complete. Targets at hand, six out of ten. Of remaining four, two have been brought down. Initiate termination sequence… "Huh!?" Tenchi breathed in shock as the surface of the Kiyone cyborg split open before his sword to reveal a pulsing energy of blinding white light. Katsuhito stepped back, and Kiyone halted in fear as she saw Ryoko grab Tenchi, then turned her eyes away as the world exploded into a blinding whiteness. In his half conscious state, a distant part of Kova’s mind registered as the explosion enveloped the area within a radius of fifteen metres all around its epicentre, and its searing white light pervaded even the darkness of his own, then there was a brief flicker which dimmed the ivory slightly, before consciousness left him amidst the tsunamis of agony that wracked his body, ere the shadows finally claimed him for their own. ==================================== It was a good while before he stirred, before the shadows started to quiver and flee, leaving his vision clear enough for him to make out colours apart from black. "Ah… he’s coming round…" A very dim, distant voice. It might have been familiar, but he couldn’t be sure. The table he lay upon seemed to move, then its back folded up so it became a chair of sorts, and he was no longer lying down, but sitting. All his limbs seemed to be numb, and he felt as though his head was just floating in midair, all by itself. "Here, have some water." Either his arm was too numb to respond, or he was being restrained in some way, he wasn’t certain. What he did know was that he dimly felt someone gently pouring water, so he could swallow it eagerly in manageable sips, over his cracked lips, leathery-feeling tongue, and down his parched throat. The rest of the world formed up around him, and he realised he was on a metal chair, with his arms and legs manacled to it. The room seemed the typical blue grey colour of the laboratory, and the man so carefully tending to him… oh blessed giver of water the fount of life!… was a rather elderly, venerable looking man with long flowing snow white hair, with an equally spotless moustache and no beard. Silver eyes regarded him, not unkindly, from above the ascetic looking white robes. "Seida?" He whispered, now that he was more conscious and able to speak. He dimly remembered being grabbed from behind as he made his way to his rendezvous point with the contact, and the feel of pain as electricity coursed through his body. "Shhh… relax." Seida smiled pleasantly at him. "I know all about your intentions, and it’s really all right." His hands poured another cup for of water for him. "And I’m sure you understand why I had to do this." Gusechard gave a sigh and lay his head back. "So… I guess this is it." "I’m afraid so," Seida looked upset. "Believe me, no one was more upset than me." The captive gulped eagerly, as Seida gave him another glass, then sighed. "I don’t suppose you could let Belinda and Dechard off?" He tried to smile. "Don’t worry about them… I’ll take care of them." Seida smiled. "Oh and by the way, you forgot to mention your darling little Dorothy." "Please… I beg you…" Gusechard pleaded, almost desperately. "Not even for old times’ sake?" "Well, to be honest, you really should have thought of that before trying to do something like that…" Seida smiled slightly as he saw the man’s face turn ashen. "Just joking… you don’t have to ask me to spare them. I have made arrangements, and I promise you I will make sure they get along well enough. Really…" "Are you… serious?" Gusechard sounded like a man who just had been given a ray of hope where there had been none before. Seida nodded. "I mean it, and you know I’ve always been a man of my word. And it’s not just for old times’ sake." He patted Gusechard’s shoulder. "You’re a good man, and we’re still friends." His smile broadened. "Besides, after this is over, you might get out of this all right, then *you* can make arrangements for them." Seida watched as his captive’s eyes lighted up with hope. "Imagine… next time you visit them, how happy you will be to see their faces again." Gusechard was still wary, despite the emotional roller coaster ride, but for now he was relieved. "Thank you, Seida." "Don’t mention it." The spymaster grinned. "It’s the least I can do for an old friend." "What will the plan be like?" Gusechard queried. "Simple really. See that screen over there? You just read the words out, as you would say it according to the situation given, if any is given." The man strapped to the seat looked surprised. "That’s all!?" "Yeah, I guess so…" Seida looked at the seat. "You will be sitting here most of the time, and all your needs will be taken care of, just need to press these buttons." The man pressed something by the side of the chair and a keypad appeared just under Gusechard’s fingers, with controls for various functions like to provide water or food. "When you need to sleep just lie back, and if you want I think I’ve got some cushions around." Seida picked two off the ground. "Where would you like me to put them?" Gusechard thought a moment, part of him still reeling in shock. "Erm… one behind my head, the other under me." "No problem…" Seida obliged, and made sure the cushions would not slip. "There… that should do it… I hope you understand why I have to keep you in here." He looked a little worried, and Gusechard found himself surprised, and a little touched, that this man would actually care for someone he had completely at his mercy. "No hard feelings?" "None, I think." Gusechard nodded, then there was a pause. "Sorry about this." "It’s okay." Seida comforted. "Besides, if you don’t get the inflection right this chair will give you pain now and then, with some intervals." Gusechard’s eyes widened a bit. "Relax… the current starts out small, and if you get it right quickly, the pain won’t be too much. Just take it easy." Gusechard nodded again, a little uncertainly. Seida sighed. "Come on… just like the old days. Remember, Private?" "Yes," the captive smiled as he thought of the past. "Yes, indeed, Captain." Seida patted the man’s shoulder familiarly again. "I’m still the same Captain, you know. I try my best to make things easy but well…" "Yeah, I know. Discipline and justice." "Maintain order among the men." "Maintain high standards." "Keep the ship in shape." "Keep objective in sights." "Ensure efficiency, safety..." "And fair treatment." "Wow. You still remember my directives placed up on the ship." Seida smiled. "At least now I know you understand." "Well, you *were* one of the best and fairest ship captains and commanders around." Gusechard countered, genially. "I still think it’s a pity you went into this, and let Jocarnes become the Synerean High Command Head." "If it makes you feel any better, that might change very soon." Seida confided, almost conspiratorially. "I need your help though…" "Heh, I understand. I’ll try." Gusechard paused. "Though my loyalties still lie with the Circle." "Don’t worry. That will change very soon." Seida smiled. "I’ll be seeing you…" "Sure, thanks." Then the door closed, and then the man realised he didn’t know what to think. Closing his eyes, he found that he was praying for his family. ==================================== The door opened, and the red headed scientist staggered out, a little unsteadily. "Is he…" a voice asked, soft and tremulous with anxiety. "…all right?" Washu, looking up wearily, made out the green haired detective seated in a chair, who had mustered some effort into bringing her head, buried within her hands which rested on the high back of the chair before this, up. Kiyone’s eyes were puffed up, and there were lines of lighter green through the blackened surface of her ragged long sleeved light green dress, presumably where the tears had cleared away the marks of the blast, and, like almost all of them caught in the blast, there were red burn marks on various parts of her body where the skin was exposed. Her long green hair, usually kept so immaculately tidy, was all over her in dishevelled tresses, and parts of the dark green were blackened from the blast. What a far cry from the Kiyone of old… Washu thought to herself, as she nodded. Feeling her body ache as her muscles worked, Washu knew that physically, Kiyone couldn’t be feeling much better than her. The destructive energies from the blast had been massive, so that it penetrated even her own shields, as well as that of Yosho and Ryoko, though it was painful rather than,as it would be, lethal. "Awake?" Washu shook her head. "He was hurt badly, and would be dead from blood loss if not for the stasis cell or Ryoko." She tried to ignore the fear on Kiyone’s face. "But his constitution is good enough, and his wounds not critical, so unlike Tenchi I could operate on him normally, once I halted his blood loss." Washu knew given her current state, it would be unlikely she could have found the energy to work on him through the stasis cell over such a wide area of wounds. "Can I… see him?" Kiyone stared longingly at the door. Washu nodded again, slowly. "And… Seion?" Washu gave Kiyone an okay hand sign. "He and Aeka were doing okay when we got back, and I’ll be checking on them now." Leaving the door to her lab open, she slowly trudged up the stairs to Tenchi’s room. Kiyone watched her for a moment, then, despite the protestations of her sore limbs, raced into the lab. ==================================== Katsuhito watched, in his lotus position, from his corner, as Tenchi sat in a chair by the bed where the seemingly slumbering princess lay. Ryoko was slumped against the side of the bed by foot of Tenchi’s seat, her eyes for most part staring seemingly into space or closed. Katsuhito noted, that though Ryoko seemed tired and a little hurt from the explosion, now and then she would look to Tenchi hopefully, but seeing only his side facing her, his eyes only for Aeka, would make her face harden just a little, then her eyes would stare resolutely out into space again. The half naked, green haired stranger with a bloodied bandage around his waist, was now stretched out full on the floor between the him and Tenchi, with eyes closed stolidly in restfulness as if he were bent on swift recovery. The only time the man had shown any sign of life was when they had just came in, asking if the battle was over and if Kiyone was all right, then receiving an affimative on both, had returned to resting. Funny, Katsuhito thought to himself. I don’t believe I’ve actually ever been in my grandson’s bedroom. The door beside him slid open. Washu’s gaze went over the room, still and silent as a tomb. The only thing that might have hinted that the people were not totally lost in their own thoughts, contemplating the hectic night just over, was that the gift Washu had fixed was in a corner rather than in the middle of the room, lest someone step on it. "This has been a sorry night." Washu murmured softly, and as her eyes completed their sweep, her gaze came to rest upon Katsuhito. The lips of the eldest, and in fact original, Masaki moved slightly."So I see." "Well, what do you think?" Katsuhito noted Ryoko snatching another hopeful look at Tenchi, only to turn away, crestfallen. "Tenchi’s not helping." Washu snorted in disdain. "First class baka, that’s what he is." Somehow she felt a little riled that she could have congratulated him earlier, but she could understand his worry for Aeka. "But what I mean is… what about that incident?" Katsuhito devoted a moment to contemplation, thinking about the earlier incident involving Kova, before commenting again. "Familiar." Washu felt a little irritated. "Look, last time they took Sasami and something of mine. This time we nearly lost three of us, and that last explosion would have taken out all of us if not for our shields and your Juraian power." "True." Katsuhito noted to himself Washu must be rather annoyed, or she have noticed that Katsuhito was oblivious to the identities of the green haired and blue haired young men, except that both were probably close friends to Kiyone, and the latter had helped them on the earlier occasion. "It’s getting worse each time… And last time they were here to carry out some assignment. The one tonight was here to kill us, and Nagi was around too." "Yes." Katsuhito breathed, a little wearily. "It was." Washu, noting that she had finally elicited some form of response from Katsuhito, waited. Silence reigned for several moments, before Washu finally realised she would have to try again. "*Well*!?" Her exertions for the night made her all that more testy. For a moment Katsuhito considered either playing dumb, or making another comment on Tenchi, then decided against it. "It is getting more dangerous here," he said, and his thoughts went back to when the Juraian ship had appeared from space to bring this very house up into it and imprison Aeka, Sasami and Ryoko. "Do you know where to go?" Washu pursed her lips, noting that at least there was support here in his affirmation. "It’ll take some time, but I know what we will be looking for." "I see," Katsuhito answered. "I will miss this planet." The red headed scientist went over, past Seion to check on Aeka. Standing a distance from the bed so as not to disturb Tenchi’s vigil, she used a biological scanner over the princess’ pelvic area. Well, she’s okay, just need some more rest for her bone marrow to be restored. Washu was glad she remembered the tales of the healing powers of Juraian Knights of old, from way before she got expelled from the Academy and trapped in that crystal cell. Turning to Seion, she scanned his midsection, and looked at the screen. The wound was only about two thirds of its original diameter, and it was barely two hours since the commotion. "Interesting phenomenon…" she noted, as the possibility finally began to take shape, and she felt part of herself become less tired, in the face of something new to learn about a person around her. Moving over to Seion, she casually kept her hand scanner somewhere in the dress, and took out a syringe, before almost cavalierly poking it into Seion’s intravenous vein. Seion’s face twitched, and he opened an eye. "Hey! What’s with the stickling!?" Washu smiled as she drew the syringe out. "Oh nothing." She looked almost mischieviously at the blood sample. Seion made a face. "Sheesh. Hate ‘em pokers." He looked around the room. "All right, break’s over. Should be seeing if Kiyone’s all right soon…" He made to get up, though his torso screamed back at him as he tried to move. "Stay down." Washu ordered imperiously, as she put the blood sample away. "Hmmm?" Seion looked up in surprise. "And just who do you think you are?" Washu blinked, then stared pointedly at him, green eyes flashing with menace. The Operative grinned sheepishly as a sweatdrop formed on his head. "Errr… I mean apart from being the greatest genius scientist in the entire universe, of course…" The professor gave a huff of annoyance. "Well, I may not be your commanding officer, but, I have something for you to know." She grinned wickedly. "Oh, like what?" Seion asked, yawning, turning so a ear was facing Washu. "There’s nothing…" The smiling scientist bent over to whisper into his ear. "… that can possibly…" His green eyes widened into big round orbs. "WHAT!?" Katsuhito raised an eyebrow curiously, as Washu got back on her feet, still grinning like a Cheshire, and probably as content as one too. "You’re… kidding me, right?" Seion asked, weakly. "So what if I am?" Washu winked. "You just stay out of my lab, okay?" "Oh, yeah, sure!" The Operative sweatdropped, as the redhead cheerfully left the room. Having satisfied his curiosity, Tenchi was about to turn back to watch over Aeka, when he saw, out of the corner of his eye, Ryoko’s gaze turn from him to stare back at space again. "Uh… Ryoko?" He asked, uncertainly. The space pirate seemed almost to galvanise herself into action. "Yes, Tenchi?" She replied, eyes twinkling, voice a little too eager. "Well, I… er… would like to thank you for just now…" Tenchi continued nervously. "For helping me send Aeka back here… and taking that blast… and…" He paused, uncertain. Part of Ryoko nearly replied, it’s all no big deal, but for once, she decided to speak up… "Tenchi?" She queried, as she tried to come up with something that he would not think was too extreme. "Could you…" Tenchi winced a little as he thought of Ryoko glomping him onto the bed, onto the recuperating princess, though part of him told him something that insane was beyond even Ryoko. "Uh… what?" "Could I…" Something close to him, but not too extreme… something that won’t get in his way of watching Aeka. "… sit on your lap?" A part of Ryoko wondered if Tenchi would notice that she was being inordinately considerate. The boy hesitated for a while, then nodded, albeit a little uncertainly. "All right, then…" Ryoko gave him a beautific beam as she took his outstretched hand, and he let her settle on to his lap. As he felt her warm presence about him, her body so close to his, Tenchi felt his blood burn for a moment, but then his eyes settled on the princess in the bed, and his heart filled with concern again. Ryoko sighed as she saw his attention divert again. I guess I should be happy, then… Resting within his embrace, Ryoko leaned back on Tenchi and they kept their vigil together. ==================================== A good while later… The darkness receded, as the lightless waters of catalepsy drew back, and he could almost feel himself, rising up to slowly break through the surface, like one returned from the depths of blackest night and darkest despair. There might have been a light, he wasn’t sure if there was, and if he should head for it or not, but then since nothing else mattered, why not? He wondered if he were dead already, if this was what death was. Seems an awfully paltry thing to be frightened of, he thought. The only time he truly learned to fear it was after he had met Kiyone, but since her display of wishing to reconcile him with this end, he didn’t really mind it that much. The light seemed to draw nearer, and he became dimly aware of the slightest pinpricks of pain, all around him, and from within him. So I lied, he thought. I *do* mind. I can’t be dead then. Not with this pain and this ache from deep within. Finding he had stopped drawing closer to the barely visible light, he tried to… Blinding, glaring white light split his vision, causing his optical fibres to scream their discomfiture at the exposure, and he caught himself thinking, almost indifferently, ‘Man, not again,’ as he thought of that final searing blinding light that had swept over him as he lost consciousness. It could have been a while, or forever, before the light died back down to a more acceptable level, he could make out that he was lying on some kind of examination table, and except for the light above him the rest seemed to be darkness, but as he realised this his nerves finally started kicking in, and his body seemed to be slowly catching fire, especially his lower limbs and back, but nothing seemed quite so bad as that agony welling up from deep within, agony that constricted, tightening and crushing one’s heart into a shapeless bloodied pulp… Oh damn. I thought I was done with this already. He tried to move a little, and became aware of something resting on him, then would have looked up but for his muscles’ refusal to kick into action. Kova gave them a little mental frown, then they finally obliged, and he raised his head slightly. And stared. His head sagged back as his neck muscles gave out before the realisation, his eyes still wide with disbelief. No… it can’t be… His left hand moved slightly, and sure enough, there was something, or rather, someone there… His mind searched questioningly, if he dared believe the flame yet burned, trying to find to that spark of hope that he just might have within him, and though whether it was pleasure or pain, something he welcomed or denied, and whether he looked back with joy or bitterness, he wasn’t completely sure. Taking one or two deep breaths, he concentrated on feeling if she were truly by his side, unsure if he wanted to believe his eyes had cheated him, or curse if it should be but a phantasmal phantom that his beleaguered mind was conjuring. Sure enough, the gentle up and down motion by his hand, the long, silky tresses along his arm, the touch of her forearms resting on the top, lower side of his chest, the warm, even breathing that escaped her lips, and the cool feel of moisture from teardrops soaking through the white sheet and onto his skin. He found he didn’t dare move, didn’t dare to believe that this was real. It was almost as if he had been offered a fragile vision of what might have been, a vision that would shatter if he made a wrong move. It was after some more time had passed that he finally brought himself to ask, softly… "Kiyone?" There was no response. Gently he shifted a little, to the protest of his back and shoulder blade, and he thought he might have felt a quiver from the person, then she stirred, and ever so slowly lifted her head up… For the briefest moment, he might have been glad, but then he almost angrily hurled the emotion aside, and he could hear a word echoing like a death knell within his skull. ‘Because…’ ==================================== "Kiyone?" The distant yet loud sound pounded on her eardrums. Huh…? Her body, still aching from the concussions of the blast as she came to her senses, Kiyone felt her eyelids weighing down incredibly heavily on her, and it was as though through a haze that she managed to recognise the voice behind that intrusively loud sound. Kova-chan? She opened her eyes and tried to turn and look… Owwww… my head hurts… For a moment she thought her head might have been hit by a lead pipe, and as she tried to remember if that was what indeed had happened another throb of pain struck her and she decided to let the question lie. Awake? The dull pain continued as she strained to see if he had indeed stirred. Sure enough, his eyes were looking at her, and she thought she saw his eyes shine for a moment, before their light died to emptiness, and had that stern line his lips were formed in indeed been there all along, or only just? "KOVA-CHAN?" Why am I talking so loudly!? For a moment there was a spinning, disorienting feeling as she turned and moved just a little too fast, and it seemed like she was about to fall out of her chair. Then her eyes focused on him, and the cold glare he gave her jolted her senses so much the importance of her headache and vertigo receded into the background. "Kova-chan?" She could have sworn she was whispering, but her voice was still rather louder than normal to her own ears, and if he heard, his icy, cutting, stony gaze did not let up, nor did he seemed at all cheered to see her. Her head was heavy and throbbing, and she was beginning to consider if it were a sledge hammer that got to her rather than a lead pipe… "Better?" His lips curled up slightly into a smile as her left hand caressed his left and her right hand, trembling somewhat, reached over to smooth back his dishevelled hair, but the smile was as frosty and frigid as his gaze, a sneer of derision. There was a jerk as her fingers were about to close about his, and a brief spasm distorted his face into a visage of dreadful wrath. "Wha…?" Kiyone started, her brows furrowing as her headache intensified and she tried to make sense of what was going on. Something gripped her right wrist, hard, and she could feel his fingers grinding painfully against her wrist. "Kova-chan?" Now only his eyes, cold and dark, were visible from behind the wrist before his face as he restrained her. She couldn’t see his left hand, but she felt it move with painful slowness by her lower body, and she felt it wander into a pocket. She was too confused to think, her wrist hurt, her head felt heavy, she couldn’t make sense of things, something was wrong and she didn’t know what. "YOU’RE HURTING ME!!" She didn’t know how a plaintive cry became such a loud scream, and though there was no change in the spy’s demeanour, the pressure might have reduced a little. Then a handle of cold metal was pressed into her right hand, and her fingers convulsively and instinctively closed and settled in around the handle of the GP blaster. "End it…" The words echoed in her ears, though his lips seemed not to move, and she winced as his right hand tilted her hand up somewhat, so her blaster was aiming right between his eyes. "Huh?" Her mind reeled from incredulity as well as the intensifying, throbbing ache. What’s wrong with me!? What the hell did I do to deserve this damned headache!? "I said…" He murmured, but already loud his voice rose somewhat in volume. "…END IT." His hand forced the muzzle of the gun against the bridge of his nose, and his eyes bore into her like unyielding daggers. "WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO!?" She cried out in frustration and distress, her left hand reaching over to try to pry his fingers off her wrist, while his left hand was clasped around her right, so she could not let go of the blaster. The visible part of his face betraying no emotion, no twitch of effort, yet his fingers clung on with the frozen, immovable, tenacious grip of death himself. "STOP IT!" Why is he treating me this way!? "End it…" His voice was softer now, even to her ears, but no less steeled. "You have had your fun with me… now end it." "WHAT FUN?" Kiyone cried out. Her head was a whirl of confusion and agony, she didn’t understand anything, and tears were running freely down her face. "LET GO!" "Stop pretending." His brows wrinkled slightly as she continued trying to pry open his hands. "You want me dead, so here you are…" If she were less distraught, Kiyone might have noted his voice sounded old and sepulchral now. "Just shoot. And that will be the end of it…" "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!?" For a moment, she remembered seeing herself firing a golden beam into Kova’s back. No! I couldn’t have…! She blinked as her head spun in confusion, and the events within the forest were a chaotic jumble of sequential occurences that were just not falling into place. "I *DON’T* WANT YOU DEAD!" She pleaded. "I…" Her voice softened. "… love you…" "STOP LYING!" His hands shoved her back from him, causing the blaster to fall to the ground between them, and through the blur of her confused tears she thought she saw him trying to blink away his anger and sorrow. "Love me!?" He spat the phrase out as one would a curse. "Like THIS?" His right hand reached over and pulled the sheet back from over his left shoulder, now swathed in dressing stained reddish brown with dried blood. Kiyone grimaced at his accusation, and the pain within her head seemed to intensify, so she could almost feel her blood hammering on the insides of her skull, as though it would split her head open. "I DIDN’T DO THAT," her reply sounded unnaturally loud to her ears, though she only spoke it normally, and was trying desperately to keep her voice level. "You know I would never hurt you…" Softer now. "I thought I knew…" Kova grimaced weakly, full of misery, pain, uncertainty, fear and also anger. "But I was wrong." He moved his left hand, and as always, his shoulder blade sent out shrieks of distress that never showed on his face because the emotions and knowledge that froze it held too much precedence. "Though I’d rather have died on the spot, in blissful ignorance." "I *TOLD* YOU, I DIDN’T HURT YOU!" She screamed, and the sound was deafening. He closed his eyes in response, like a man resting within a coffin, awaiting eagerly of the restful slumber from which there would be no awakening. "Kova-chan?" She whispered. If Kova heard, he didn’t react. "That wasn’t me…" she murmured softly, even to her own ears. "It really wasn’t…" She reached out gingerly for him as he lay there still as a corpse, she closed her eyes, trying to fight the throbbing ache both from her head and heart, and gently let her fingers trace the outline of his skin, smoothing away the lines of fatigue and strain, then to run softly through his hair. She started, her eyes opening as she felt warm moisture trickle down from his eyes through her fingers. "Why?" She just managed to hear him breath, in strangled tones… "Why are you doing this…?" There was something about the way he said it, somehow tender, yet vehement as though she were trying to torture him, that made Kiyone flinch. "I DIDN’T DO ANYTHING!" "There’s a HOLE in my left shoulder. Now, do you think I could have imagined THAT!?" His voice was loud to her ears, hovering on the verge of painful to her ears, though his mannerisms seemed his usual urbane self, before slinking back down to a softer level, for clearly even. "Maybe you could try to explain from there…" "WELL, I’M HERE BY YOUR SIDE! YOU’RE ALIVE! ISN’T THAT ENOUGH!?" Kiyone’s pitch and volume would have hurt her ears except that she was too flustered to note the pain. "IF I WANTED TO KILL YOU YOU WOULDN’T *BE* ALIVE!" "Well, I can understand you have someone else in mind." His voice was gentle, almost fatherly, but she still trembled as his eyes bore mercilessly into her again. "What I don’t understand is why won’t you end my torment…" She could almost see the dark fury flash across his face. "Let me go… kill me like you wanted to." A groan of pain escaped her lips as her headache battered harder, cutting off her plea. "After all, I’m sure ‘Seion’ will be taking good care of you…" His head lolled back into restfulness again, as his eyes closed. "Send me off when you see fit." SEION!? Another pulse of pain broke off her train of thought. "WHAT IS *WRONG* WITH YOU!?" she burst out at him. "I *DON’T* LOVE HIM!" There was a brief silence, then Kova’s calm and even voice came out again. "Yet." Kiyone ground her teeth hard against each other, and just barely stopped herself from reaching up to haul the conceivably incapacitated spy up from the examination table. Her body shaking from anger and frustration, as well as weariness, pain and the ever insistent headache that would not be shaken off, and she stood up in a burst of anger, but though he heard, he never moved. There was a voice from behind her. "KIYONE!?" Someone cried, in surprise. A high pitched voice of astonishment and anxiety, and still inordinately loud to her ears. "HOW… HOW DID THIS HAPPEN!?" Kiyone looked to her left towards the door, taking care not to lose her vertigo again by moving too fast. "SASAMI?" The little blue-haired girl hurried over as the door to the lab dematerialised behind her as it closed. "OH NO!!" The princess cried in fear as she drew closer. "WHAT HAPPENED TO KOVA!?" She cast her eyes frantically around. "WHERE’S WASHU!? HAS SHE SEEN HIM YET?" "Yes," Kiyone blinked as she heard his voice echo her reply simultaneously and softly, and deep within her something nodded in relief. Good, he hasn’t stopped caring completely yet… it’s all just a front… I hope "Will he be all right?" Sasami’s voice lowered so it was audible but not loud anymore by Kiyone’s reckoning. What followed was a suffocating, smothering silence. Sasami, having not completely lost her wits, quickly realised the light she saw glisten off both their faces were those reflected from teardrops, and she thought she saw Kova’s eyes smoulder with rage and fury as anguish and sorrow welled up in Kiyone’s. "Uh, sorry…" Quickly and discreetly, the little princess withdrew from the lab. ==================================== "Is she in there?" an anxious voice greeted her as she left the lab. Sasami blinked in surprise, stunned for the moment, then she remembered as she looked up at the man lying on the ground opposite the door, wearing an extremely tight fitting set of pants that looked like it came out of Tenchi’s wardrobe and with a fresh set of bandages swathed about his waist. Oh, it’s Seion. Grandpa said he was a friend of Kiyone’s… "Yeah…" Sasami nodded, solemnly, her appearance still sober as she wondered what might have happened to Kova, and to stir up another altercation between the two. What could have happened? Ryoko and Tenchi, both half asleep and sitting beside Tenchi’s bed where Aeka herself slept… grandpa sitting by the door, telling me to go out and leave them alone… and no sign of Washu whatsoever. "Why are you looking so upset?" Seion felt concern hem in on him as he took in Sasami’s solemn expression. "Is she all right? Is she okay?" Sasami bit her lip in anxiety. "She’s just… upset." Sasami tried to lose her fretful expression, but she never was one for dissembling. "Other than that she’s just fine…I think." "Look, if she’s not well just tell me. I *need* to know." The operative looked suspiciously at her. "And I sure as hell ain’t gonna believe you looking like that for no good reason." "You’re right." Sasami sighed in weary resignation. "Kiyone is probably more upset than me about his condition, and I think they had an argument again…" "Huh!?" Seion’s eyes opened wide in confounded perplexity. "Whose condition? Who are they?" Sasami looked curiously up at Seion. "Why Kova’s, of course…" *KOVA*!? The flicker of horrified realisation within his eyes at the revelation, was followed by complete stupefecation as utter incredulity pervaded the man’s dark green eyes in an instant. The little princess regarded him questioningly, especially given his reaction… "What’s wrong?" She asked, as the wheels of her mind turned of their own accord. Anyway why didn’t he go into the lab himself, but asked me to go in on his behalf? There was a blur of speed, then the door of the lab slammed shut. Sasami blinked, and she felt a sinking realisation well up from within… Of course! Washu must have told him not to… oh *NO*! ==================================== Katsuhito watched as the figure on the bed stirred a little, and he finally deigned to stand up from his lotus position. Oh that was something last night, oh yes… He thought as he felt tiny twinges of protest from his legs. Either that or I’m getting old… Moving over to the chair by the bedside, he looked at the slumbering figures of Tenchi and Ryoko on it. The space pirate had turned to face Tenchi and hugged him, probably as he fell asleep, and now her body was pressed close to his, with both their heads resting insensate on one another’s shoulders, while her legs were curled on either side of Tenchi’s hips, almost entwining completely around his torso, as though she were straddling him. Katsuhito shook his head. It would never do to let Aeka wake up only to be greeted by *this*. In fact, he himself might have been tempted to believe something *might* have happened, except that, the boy in question being Tenchi, this would certainly be wishful thinking, a lesson Nobuyuki has learnt so well. He would certainly have used his bokken to hit Tenchi soundly on the head, but he didn’t have one handy, so he had to improvise a little. "Ouch!" Tenchi exclaimed as something hard hit him on his forehead. Reaching up with on hand to rub his latest acquisition to his collection of pains, he heard himself mutter. "What the…?" "Rise and shine, Tenchi." Katsuhito intoned, as he watched, from over Tenchi’s bed, to out beyond the window, where the skies were still dark, except for the faintest rays of brillliance shining from behind the hills, gathering its strength to shatter the night, and turn darkness into light. "Grandpa! I…" Tenchi’s eyes widened as he felt the velvety warmth he was still being held in, the soft texture of Ryoko’s body around him. "Uh…Ryoko?" Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the figure on his bed stir. "Aeka?" He whispered, fear and hope intermixing within his one simple articulation. "Tenchi…" the princess murmured, as she turned over slightly and reached out a quivering hand. "Aeka!" Tenchi cried in joy, almost leaning forward, except for the weight of Ryoko’s body on him. "Let go, Ryoko!" Then he realised his situation. "Uh…ulp…" His eyes widened and he swallowed as the nasty nature of his predicament dawned, and he nearly shouted at Ryoko and maybe try to struggle out of her embrace, except that the violent actions might rouse Aeka even more rapidly. Help… need help… "Grandpa?" He whispered, imploringly Katsuhito paused as he was about to commence returning to his corner, then turned to regard Tenchi, amusement written all over his face. "Yes, Tenchi?" "Help me grandpa!" "Well… that’s what comes of having no discipline over one’s heart, Tenchi." "Grandpa!" Tenchi cried again, and Aeka stirred a little more, the increasing strength of her movements compounding the crescendo and staccato of Tenchi’s heartbeat. Katsuhito made as if to move away, then quite suddenly thwacked Ryoko hard on the back of her head with the clotheshanger in his hand. "OW!" She cried, her muscles loosening from Tenchi in readiness to pay the person back an eye for an eye. "Who hit me!?" "Huh?" Aeka murmured, more audibly now. "Tenchi? Tenchi!?" Katsuhito took a step back, as he flicked the clothes hanger so the metal hook snagged neatly inside the back of Ryoko’s collar as she half turned around, and then he gave a quick sharp jerk. "Whoaaa!" Ryoko, still groggy from just being waken up, cried as she was dragged back and sideways off Tenchi to land unceremoniously onto the ground, who just managed to lean forward as Aeka’s hand reached over, just in time to quickly seize it as her eyes opened… "Tenchi?" Aeka’s eyes glimmered as they opened, her mouth moving slightly and slowly into her typically splendid, petite, reserved smile. "What’s that about?" "Oh don’t worry about it… welcome back Aeka." Tenchi gave her a brief smile then quickly tried to balance the other side of the scale. Ryoko cursed out aloud as she sat up, but she felt someone gently take her hand and help her up. "Tenchi?" Her brows narrowed as she looked into Tenchi’s worried brown eyes. "Your grandpa’s too… !" "Look, I …" Tenchi flashed Aeka a nervous glance, but the purple eyes reflected only understanding at his distraction and joy at being able to see him again, and he decided to take the risk. "Well… I needed to get you off me… it would never do to let Aeka see us like that…" Ryoko glared at him, her cyan eyes round and menacing, and Tenchi flinched a little. "Oh it’s that, right? So now it’s all Aeka, huh? And you said I could sit in your lap, didn’t you?" "I did, but…" Tenchi tried. Aeka listened, keeping to herself, just watching Tenchi. She would watch Ryoko too if she could see her, but she was on the ground by the bed. Once upon a time she might have been tempted to push that little edge in, and maybe, just maybe, get Ryoko to break with Tenchi. Now, she realised she was just watching, and she was uncertain what outcome she was hoping for, even if she had the energy to actively work towards that end. "But what!?" Ryoko retorted. Being awakened by being hit on the skull then being dragged from the best place in the whole of existence to the cold hard floor was not exactly the ideal start to a morning in Ryoko’s mind. "I didn’t know at the time you were going to fall asleep that way…" Tenchi said softly, for fear of letting Aeka hear it. "I don’t want to upset her… After all, we’re supposed to be watching over her right?" Oh… Aeka thought. It’s about me again, isn’t it? Ryoko sighed, and nodded. "Yeah… I guess so. After all, I owe her." Her face breaking into a smile that was too happy, Ryoko popped her head over the side of the bed. "Why hello there princess! Nice to see that you are awake!" Tenchi blinked, and Aeka restrained the impulse to laugh, at Ryoko’s poor effort of trying to hide her perturbation. "I’m fine, thank you." Aeka returned. "Thanks especially to you as well as Tenchi." Her heart seemed lighter than it was the night before, as though someone, or something, had entered therein and cut the ropes that left some rocks clinging to her soul, and the colours of everything seem to shine brightly in her eyes. "Are you both all right?" Her eyes rove over their slightly battered forms and appearances. "We… we’re fine…" Tenchi mumbled, himself astonished. Ryoko remained silent, biting back the impulse to reply that she *was* feeling sore and testy, courtesy of Katsuhito’s disposal of her beauty sleep, as it wouldn’t help anything, and might make Aeka feel upset… "Ryoko… you don’t owe me anything… and you never did." Ryoko blinked, but Aeka continued as if she had not heard anything. "Tenchi, you and Ryoko better go ask Washu check on both of you." "Eh…" Tenchi gave nervous laugh. "She said we’re both okay already." "Oh really?" Aeka replied. She seemed strangely serene and at ease, it actually unbalanced Tenchi and Ryoko. "I’d think I’d want to sit up now…" Tenchi and Ryoko looked at each other in surprise, then they quickly obliged. Katsuhito nodded to himself as he watched the two bustle about gently moving the princess to a more upright position, then slid the door open and walked out, heading towards the stairs. As he did a figure was walking up behind him and… "Mihoshi?" He whispered, not bothering to look around. "Uh hi, older Mr Masaki!" The blonde detective greeted. "This is strange… you are not usually up at this hour, are you?" "Um… no. I don’t think so." "So, what brings you up so early?" Katsuhito asked. "Well… Washu promised me she’d help me with something this morning, so… here I am!" Katsuhito, still not turning around, arched an eyebrow to himself quizzically. "I see." Quite abruptly, he turned into the bathroom, and the door slid shut behind him. Mihoshi blinked. "Oh." Then, after letting herself get away with a yawn she had been trying to hold back, she hurried onward, towards the steps. ==================================== Some while before all that… "KIYONE!?" She started in bewilderment as she heard the voice ring out, shattering the stony silence. Seion? DAMNED IT! "Well." She heard Kova enounce softly as he closed the one eye he had just opened, his every word dripping with derision. "If it ain’t loverboy, coming to gloat." There was a soft rattling chuckle, like that of a death rattle. "What are you waiting for? Run to him… although I’d prefer it if you finished me first, I doubt you’ll let me the luxury." Kiyone snarled, turning on him, her eyes burning in anger, her face wild, enraged and embittered. "SHUT THE F*** UP!" Kova gave the impression of shrugging, though he couldn’t have, at least not without great pain. "Fine. I’m just the invalid convict." "I said *SHUT* *UP*!" Kiyone screamed, and the pounding inside her skull seemed to intensify, while the blood drawn from her heart sent a fresh stream of warm salt tears cascading down her cheeks. "What the HELL is going on here!?" Seion was running over, not daring to believe his eyes. Sure enough, there was no mistaking the person on the examination table, covered in the white sheets, with light shining down onto his face. The sharp chin, the long face and nosebridge, high cheek bones, and night blue hair, all were there. "Why isn’t this guy taken under custody? Who…" He froze. Kiyone was smiling at him. It wasn’t pleasant. It was a smile of utter desperation, the smile of a cornered animal, with nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. Her eyes burned with wild fire, crackling with hot tears, her hair strewn about her form in chaotic tangles. Her grimacing lips were dry, cracked and tremulous, and dark rings surrounded her eyes. She seemed ready to crack, to break under the stress, except for her right hand. The right hand that held her GP blaster that she had snatched up from the floor was aiming the weapon for Seion, aiming for his left chest, aimed unwaveringly and unshakeably. "Ki… Kiyone?" Seion ventured softly, his voice quavering. He had faced death in many forms before, and he had never feared it. Blaster fire was one of the least of his worries, even at such close quarters, and although his injury would make avoiding it extremely painful, it was not the weapon facing him that he feared. It was the idea that Kiyone could, and would, open fire on him. "Please… I beg you… leave here… get out." She pleaded, but though her voice was plaintive, the desperate determination had not faded from her eyes. "I… don’t want to hurt you…" "What ARE you DOING!?" Seion gesticulated wildly, as he vividly recalled his encounters with Kova… the one on one duel in the city at night, holding Kiyone hostage, firing on Kiyone from behind. "He frigging tried to kill both of us just now!" "He *DIDN’T*! That wasn’t him!" she returned, quaveringly. "Please… I can explain it later… just go. Please…" "He’s our quarry! Our objective!" Seion tried again, his hands spread out pleadingly in front of him. "Remember? Our assignment?" "Stay back! Don’t make me do this!" "What’s wrong with you!? He’s the enemy! He’s…" Seion took a step forward. There was a golden streak, and Seion winced as the beam just missed his left shoulder. Well, at least she’s not really trying to kill me… or it wouldn’t have missed. "Stand back! Keep away…" Kiyone pleaded, her body leaning close over Kova’s inert form as if to protect him. "Please… stay back…" The operative took a deep breath, trying to overcome the sinking feeling inside him. "Okay, okay…" He took a step back, as he spread his arms in a gesture of supplication. "I’m leaving, all right? Don’t shoot." Cautiously, he withdrew from them, not taking his eyes off Kiyone for a moment, then he reached the door way, and was gone. Emitting a sob of relief, Kiyone’s form crumpled forward, her head coming to rest against Kova’s form, then she felt something squeeze her left hand. "I think… you owe him an explanation." Kova smiled weakly, and she realised he had been holding her other hand since she had drawn the blaster on Seion. "Go to him." There were tears of gratitude in his eyes, but even still, the sheen of separation was still standing. "Kova-chan…?" "It’s okay to have a change of heart." He whispered, gently, as his hand left hers again. "I think I’ll rest easy knowing you are in his care." Kiyone ground her teeth together once more. "What’s wrong with you!? Why do you keep on hurting me like this!?" Her head was still reeling, and though her own voice still thundered in her ears, the mild undertone of his reverberated more loudly within her. "Perhaps…" He arched an eyebrow, almost sarcastically. "…because I’m fine?" "I DIDN’T HURT YOU!" She screamed back. "You’re not being reasonable!!" Kova took a sharp intake of breath. "Just… GO." He shot back, almost in anger. "Leave me…" She stood up, as the stress and strain of the recent events, combined with the headache that was a result of her extreme alcohol intake earlier last night, exacted their toll, and dark anger flashed from across the tumultous surface of her somewhat bloodshot green eyes. "FINE! I’ll GO!" Snarling, the detective turned her back on him and he watched, his eyes half opened as she stormed out of the room amidst a flurry of tears and anger. The room feels so dark, so empty… the light, so glaring, so piercing… the table, so hard, so cold… and I, so lost, so alone… Kova sighed, then rested his head back on the the table, his eyes closing once more, as he breathed softly. "Bless you, Kiyone-chan…" The knuckles of his right hand whitened as his finger gripped tightly about his silver rod. "Bless you." Unknown to him, the darkness of the lab was not entirely devoid of occupants. There was one more, one who heard his words, one who had slipped in after Seion for fear something bad might happen. One look at Kova’s despairing anger and corpse-like pallor decided her that she would not gain anything by trying to talk to him. Washu… must find Washu! The slight figure hurried off into the darkening recesses of the lab. ==================================== "Seion." With a sigh, the officer turned around. "Yes?" His face was pale, and his broad shoulders were slumped down, and he seemed as if he had been defeated. "I suppose you have something to say?" Kiyone bit her lip. "Would you like to ask anything, then?" The man turned around to look at her, his green eyes piercing and full of uncertainty and questions. "Firstly… who is *that* man lying there in the lab?" Kiyone steeled herself, then answered, keeping her voice from quavering. "Kova Kashiro." Seion closed his eyes. "Kova Kashiro. I see." He gave a bitter, skyward laugh. "*The* Kova Kashiro? Or is maybe it’s just a coincidence, and my eyes are just pulling my legs, huh?" "No… it’s no coincidence. He’s the man you’ve been hunting for." There was another burst of forced laughter, and Kiyone would have had the impression Seion was bubbling on his own blood, except that her pounding headache deprived her of her usual mental faculties, and her whole body still ached. "Maybe… we should sit down and talk…" Kiyone ventured, uncertainly, but a quick look to the couch found Nobuyuki snoring there. Seion didn’t reply, just leaned against the nearest available wall, and slumped down against it to a sitting position on the ground. "Why?" He asked, almost angrily. He had been hoping… hoping so much for a chance… "Of all people… why him!?" Seion raised his chin, glaring up into her eyes. "I don’t know…" Kiyone breathed, her eyes full of worry, as her right hand slid her blaster back into her pocket. "I just did…" "Of all the F***ING people," Seion’s voice rose in volume. "…in this whole GODDAMN UNIVERSE!?" "LOOK!" Kiyone screamed back. "It’s NOT my fault! I didn’t ask for this! And if I have to pay for it I am paying for it right now, just like I’ve been paying for it every moment for the whole of the past evening with my own frigging BLOOD!" She stepped towards Seion, her shadow looming over him, to cover his face in darkness, then she slowly stooped down, bringing her face and her glowering eyes closer to his. "Do you realise what kind of a position you’re putting me in!?" Seion returned, the castigating tone still present in his voice. "Or worse yet, what kind of a position you’re putting *yourself* in!?" Kiyone curled her lip up in determination, as she steeled herself to be strong, for herself, and for the one who lay within the shadowed confines of the lab. "I do, and I don’t regret paying the price. Every single drop of blood, every single drop of tear, that I’ve shed, was worth it. I don’t regret, not now, and not ever." Her face was almost level with Seion’s, the raging fire in her eyes matched by the cool anger of his. "And if *you* have a problem with *that*, then cut the crap and order me around like the Commanding Officer that you are!" Face to face, nose to nose, the shapes of their faces looked uncannily similar, just like two identical sets of emerald gemstones, only that behind Kiyone’s fire uncertainty and determination held sway, while behind Seion’s there was surprise and… another emotion. He closed his eyes before her relentless, sighed again, like a man defeated. "Does this criminal really mean that much to you?" "Yes." Kiyone’s voice boded no opposition, no doubt. "I’ll be perfectly honest with you, Kiyone." Seion opened his eyes, and looked up, and she saw the anger and antagonism had left them, but within was an earnest, genuine concern and care for her. "But I want you to be honest with me too." Kiyone drew back, her face slightly further from his now, and she relaxed slightly. "I will be, then." Her voice was cold, but it had softened. Seion’s gaze met hers again, level, and even. "Do you truly think… you can find happiness with this man? That he will see you through your darkest hours?" "I don’t know." She answered. "But I do know, like me, he will try his best to find happiness for both of us, and he would give his life and more, to see me through my own hour of need." "Oh, really?" Seion answered. "It certainly didn’t seem that way back there…" Kiyone bit her lip, but kept silent. "The picture I saw back there ain’t that nice… there was an ungrateful bastard biting you back even though you later defended him." He looked back at her, and this time it was he who held the conversation. "I heard you cry out, felt your pain as I went in. He’s hurting you now… are you sure he even wants you at all, much less to make you happy? How do you know, he’s not just using you, and playing with your emotions, waiting to throw you off at the most opportune moment?" Her body trembled, as she once again felt Kova’s steely grip about her wrists, locking her blaster into position in front of his face. But then she remembered her other moments with him… singing together in that Karaoke room by the riverside, holding him close as they tumbled together into the river, seizing her as she fell down the elevator shaft, twirling her about him on board the Comet after Seida was secured, and more… "He’s not like that, Seion. And he never will be." "Are you sure!? He tried to kill you back outside there, twice already…" "That wasn’t him. And earlier… that was staged." "Well then, what about now?" "He’s… upset." Kiyone swallowed. "He thought… I tried to kill him." It was unwise, she decided, to let Seion know Kova was jealous of him too, so she left it at that. The operative sat there quietly a while more, before he tried again. "You absolutely sure this will be the path for you to take? No regrets?" "No regrets." Kiyone nodded, determined. "Not now, not ever." "I can’t say I agree entirely with your course of action, but since your heart is so set, so be it. I ain’t one to be standing in your way." He sighed once more, before continuing. "I hereby renounce class A GP Criminal Kova Kashiro as my quarry." He seemed to be speaking more to the heavens than to her as he said that, but then his gaze returned to Kiyone. "But I wish to warn you, Kiyone, just because he ain’t my foe any more, it does not mean he’s my friend." "Wait… wait a minute!" Kiyone asked, perplexity and surprise overtaking her, as she finally took her right hand out of her blaster pocket. Unbeknownst to Seion, she had been aiming the gun at him all along, just in case he refused to cooperate, whereupon she would have unhesitatingly shot him down where he was. "Why are you doing this? What about your career, your job, your assignment?" Seion smiled again, sadly this time. "So what about them? Big deal." "You… you don’t have to do this!" Kiyone’s face drew near his again, as she tried once, sensing something was amiss, something was afoot. "This is my problem, not yours! You don’t have to give up everything just for this! It’s just… pretending! Pretending you never saw him, that’s all!" He reached out, and his hand landed comfortingly on her shoulder. "Don’t worry. The path you choose, is the path I choose." He smiled again, only this time, Kiyone found herself caught up in his appearance, and she found herself thinking how splendid he looked. "I guess that’s why heaven let us meet." "But I… I am still a Galaxy Police Officer!" She tried again. "You love kidding yourself, don’t you?" Seion laughed heartily. "Sure you are now. But once the Headquarters know about this, and what you, and now I, have done, they might decide we ain’t the right people for them no more." He shrugged. "Might as well as get it over with. This way, I think we both know, here and now, that the way this is going, we’re both willing to stick to our guns, and to hell with our badges." The words Seion spoke, voiced the words that had long been buried deep within her heart, words that now resonated to her being, and Kiyone knew now, with certainty, that she had indeed been kidding herself all along. I must have made that decision, so long, so long ago, but I can’t remember when… "Well… we’re in the same boat now, your boat." Seion added. "So tell me, captain, where are we going?" Kiyone blinked, shaking herself out of her reverie. "I… don’t know for sure." "I understand." His hand patted her shoulder once more. "Captain." She smiled back. "Oh Seion…" And was about to reach forward to hug him when... Huh!? She blinked, and just stopped her own impulse. That was close! Kova was right, what is happening to me? She could see, in her mind’s eye, Seion’s radiant smile, and she could feel felt his proximity, his kindness, and most of all, his sacrifice… Was Kova-chan right all along!? Am I really, really falling for Seion!? NO I can’t… I love Kova-chan… Quite suddenly, Kiyone jerked herself backward, away from Seion. "Kiyone!?" Seion reached forward and seized her around the shoulders. "What’s wrong? Was it something I said?" "No!" She struggled, and pulled both his hands away. "Why are you doing this, Seion!?" She suddenly blurted out. "Why are you ready and willing to throw a job you’ve been working at for over five years down the drain just for this!? Just for me!?" Seion opened his mouth as if to speak, but nothing came out of his mouth. "And just now, in the forest… why did you throw yourself in the path of the beam? Why did you take the shot for me!?" All the misgivings, all the intentions, all the talks between her and him came back to her, as she remembered the concern prevalent in his exchanges between him and herself, especially with regards to Kova. "You care a lot about me, don’t you!?" She pressed him harder. "Don’t you!? "I… it’s not what you think!" Seion tried, with little success. "Why do you treat me this way? What is your intention!?" She probed, her voice full of suspicion. "Who *are* you!?" She drew menacingly closer to him. "Are you trying to break me and *him* apart!?" "NO NO! I’m not! I don’t mean any harm!" Seion burst out. "I didn’t even know about *him* till just now!" "So why are you doing all this for me, huh? What’s so special about me that you have to do this?" "Kiyone… I don’t know if I should say this…" He licked his lips nervously. "I… don’t know if you will believe me." "Oh?" Kiyone smiled sarcastically. I’ve been knocked around, bruised, hurt, struck, gripped, manhandled, tossed about, and basically have been through the worst this past night, and he’s worried about telling me something!? Oh please. "Try me." She continued drily. Seion licked his lips again. "Promise me though… that even if you don’t believe it… you won’t order me away, or lose your temper at me over this…" "Right." Kiyone answered evenly. "Come on, out with it." Seion leaned forward, so that it seemed to a distant onlooker, that they were about to kiss, and said three very simple words. "I’m your brother." === End of Chapter === PLEASE send COMMENTS & CRITICISMS! (C&C) IMPORTANT : I know now for sure I will never finish D&L b4 Jan 2000, so I was hoping to set up some kind of mailing list for D&L. Basically just to tell u when a new chapter comes out. Please mail your Name & Email to zyraen@yahoo.com, no other data is reqd. If u like u can provide your age, sex, and readiness to C&C. NOTES: Kova is in a way, an SIed character. Pls include him in your comments, whether I have portrayed him as a person, as a friend or foe, as one of the gang, and most importantly, as a human being. I have some pictures of him, not too good pencil drawings, if you wish to take a look pls mail me. I hope you have enjoyed this Fanfic as much as I have typing it. If there are any more grammar errors, I beg your forgiveness, as my sole proofreader is myself, and Serajadeyn ^_^. This is my first FF, so go ahead and mail me at zyraen@yahoo.com with comments, especially on character portrayal, realism. PLEASE send COMMENTS & CRITICISMS! (C&C)