Legal stuff : You know what I'm gonna say here by now... USE
YOUR IMAGINATION!!!  Thank you...

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

THE DARKEST HELL : CHAPTER 8 - All good things gotta come to
an end...

	Gillian ran top speed into her room, still clad in her
party dress and makeup, and hid behind the door. 
Nonchalantly, Togusa and Matsui walked in.  They both looked
at Gillian, who was breathing very hard.   Togusa then
looked at Matsui, who merely shrugged.  Gillian looked at
the confused duo and nearly went insane.

	"We nearly got KILLED a few minutes ago, and your
looking at ME weird!?"  She shouted.

	"Well... yeah.  We're used to this type of crap. 
Hell... I've even MET that Nagi woman before.  She's a real
pain in the ass, I tell you what.  You shouldn't be so
frightened... we came back ALIVE didn't we?"  Togusa
reasoned.

	"Yeah... I guess your right..."  Gillian finally
admitted, reluctantly.  

	"Like always... well lovebirds, I'm gonna go out to the
lobby and have a smoke.  I'll be back in a few minutes. 
Ciao."  Togusa said, with a confusing grin on his face. 
Matsui just looked at him as he slowly closed the door. 
Then he shook his head again.  He turned around just in time
to see Gillian undressing.  He couldn't take his eyes off of
her.  She had taken her dress off and wasn't wearing a bra. 
He felt a small trickle of blood flow down his nose. 
Gillian could hear his ragged breathing, but for some odd
reason couldn't smell his hormones in the air.  There was
some... yes, but not very much, almost none.  She just
continued undressing, enjoying the fact that she was getting
so much attention from the young man behind her.  When the
dress came off, it hit the floor.  Seductively, and
jokingly, Gillian bent down and picked it up.  She WAS
wearing panties though, which kind off disappointed Matsui. 
He watched her as she went over to the dresser and pulled
out a really long shirt.  She threw it on and turned to
Matsui, who immediately diverted his gaze.  This only made
Gillian smile even more.  In fact, she was quite turned on
by this.  She walked over to him, swaying her hips in a
seductive manner.  She made her way to Matsui, who looked up
in time to see her coming closer.  Gillian was a little
shocked to see him step back a few steps.  'He must be
nervous...' Gillian thought as she took a few more steps
closer.  Then Matsui tried to turn around and run, but
Gillian teleported in front of him just before he reached
the door.  She gently grabbed by his shoulders and slowly
pushed him back toward the bed.  She was saddened a little
when she saw Matsui try to get away, but she didn't let it
sway her.  She wanted to repay him for all his kindness, and
this was the only thing she could do for him that nobody
else would do.  Oh, sure, Ryoko liked him too, but not as
much as Gillian.  Finally, they reached the bed and Gillian
stopped pushing Matsui.  He gasped as Gillian kissed him. 
Oh, she'd kissed him before, but not like this.  She slowly
and gently pushed him down on the bed and pinned him with
her gorgeous body.  Gillian's super long hair almost served
as a blanket, covering most of the two.  Gillian was still
kissing him when she felt him struggle a little more, but
not as much.  This made Gillian smile.  She began to explore
his body with her hand.  First she caressed his soft face. 
Then she touched his chest.  But something wasn't right. 
She pressed down on his chest some more, but it didn't feel
like a normal chest.  Then she saw Matsui's head turn away
from her as his body went limp.  She got a little worried,
but then realized that he was just letting her do...
whatever.  Slowly, she pulled up his shirt, and for the next
few minutes was shocked beyond belief.  She sat there and
looked, and stared.  Matsui turned his head toward her.  He
had a sad, dejected look on his face.  Gillian had to look
at him AGAIN to make sure what she was seeing was real.  In
the area where his chest was supposed to be, there was
nothing but hard Juraian wood and metal.  She could barely
hear his heart beating.  She touched his cold, metallic
chest and felt the area around his heart.  Using her
heightened senses, she felt for the blood flowing in and out
of his heart.  She found it, but it only went in one general
direction... his head.  Gillian looked at the young man and
then knew why he never even tried to put the moves on her. 
She now knew why he struggled so much.  He didn't want her
to know that he wasn't completely... there.  She felt the
other areas of his body, and they were all the same.  She
looked at the scar on his neck, and then felt it.  She felt
the pseudo-flesh on the under side peel away to reveal that
he was a Juraian cyborg.  The multi-purpose Juraian wood
penetrated into each of his veins and arteries, pumping his
vital lifeblood to the only portion of his body still
belonging to him.  Gillian was so shocked that she refused
to move, but Matsui helped her with this.  He summoned one
of his little laptops and pressed a few buttons.  Suddenly,
a force, not violent, but strong enough to knock her off of
him tossed Gillian onto the other side of the bed that they
were on.  He then got up, leapt into the air and faded into
the air.  Gillian saw this and felt like crying.  She almost
did when Togusa barged into the room.  He took a look around
the room and then looked at Gillian.  

	"I take it everything didn't go according to plan..." 
Togusa blurted out.  

	Gillian looked at him, angry at first, but then her
eyes began to tear up and she put her head into her hands. 
'Ah, god.  She's crying.  Man... why does this shit always
happen to me... alright, what to do... what to do...' Togusa
thought to himself.  He sat next to Gillian and put his arm
around her.

	"You know that it isn't you.  If he'd been... all
there... he would have jumped on this opportunity."  He
said, as sympathetic as he could get.  Gillian turned her
head and looked at him.

	"Tell me.  Tell me everything that happened.  And DON'T
you DARE lie to me!"  Gillian said, looking at Togusa with
deep, red, angry eyes.  Togusa took a breath and then began
his little story.

	"Well, you know the basic story.  Matsui got injured
severely, and shortly there after we got in big trouble with
the Juraian government.  But that story is all full of
holes, so I'll fill'em in.  Okay... in that damn ship
belonging to Kagato, we stole a shitload of stuff.  And in
the process I accidentally set off an alarm.  I was green
and hadn't done this very much.  I got in trouble with that
damn robot, nearly got my ass dead and Matsui jumped in
front to save me.  He killed the robot, but nearly got his
head chopped off in the process.  Now, one of the things
that I stole was Leo-oki.  Kagato was trying to perfect the
cabbit species or something and he ended up making Leo-oki. 
So, seeing we needed help, Leo-oki transported us to the
nearest solar system, the system of Jurai.  I had him
teleport us directly into the Royal Physicians office.  We
scared the shit out of him.  He tried to tell us to leave,
or he'll call the Royal Guard on us, but I convinced him
otherwise.  Let's just say I gave him a choice between a
laser scimitar and a large amount of Juraian cash.  He made
the right decision.  He told me to wait outside, so I did. 
I came back in a few hours latter, and found that he had
taken my brother's head, which was all he could save, and
put it on a robotic body.  I asked him why he couldn't save
my brother's body, and he said that he detected a large
amount of anti-bodies in his lower spinal region.  He said
he had contracted the same disease that our mother died from
and that it was only a matter of time before he too would
have died.  At least this way he'll live for just about
forever, he told me.  So I scooped up my little brother and
left.  Then, all I could guess is that he checked the back
of those bills and saw that they were counterfeit, and he
had a warrant issued for our arrest.  The good thing is that
they couldn't ever catch us.  We are, of course, the
greatest Space Pirates / Bounty Hunters in the universe. 
And after a while, the statute of limitations took over and
we were cleared in the eyes of the law.  That's our little
story.  Now, answer me this.  How is it that you know my
brother?"  Togusa inquired.

	"Well, it was a LONG, LONG time ago, but I'll try to
tell it as best as I can remember.  I was in a park one day
with my father when I came across a little boy.  He looked
to be about my age, so I sat down and played with him.  He
told me that he had run away from home, that no one loved
him, and that they all loved his older brother more than
him.  So, I took his hand and ran over to my dad and asked
him if he could stay with us.  He thought it over and said
yes.  And he lived with us for a few years before we had
finally tracked his parents down, or more accurately, his
mother.  She had been looking for him as well, but kept
coming up empty.  My father gave her a call and told her
where he was.  She thanked him for hours over the phone and
put so much money into the Galaxy Police, where my father
worked, that they were funded for hundreds of years..."
Gillian began.

	"So THAT'S what happened to my college fund..."
interrupted Togusa.

	"Hey... did I interrupt you?  No.  I didn't.  Now let
me finish.  Anyway, we kept in contact ever since then. 
He's even visited on several occasions.  As a matter of
fact, I believe he was on his way to visit me again, only
his older brother just HAD to tag along.  And that's when I
got into... trouble... with those weird cult guys."  Gillian
added, not liking all of the memories that were dragged into
the light.

	"Shit yeah, trouble.  Since when is it a religious
custom to take hopeful neophytes, strip them down, and try
to sacrifice them.  I mean, wouldn't that thin the
prospective joiners herd just a tad?"  Togusa said.

	"They didn't want her to join..."  a voice came in from
behind.  After Gillian and Togusa came back down from
leaping into the air, they turned around and saw Washu.  She
was in her Adult form again, wore a robe, and was carrying a
towel and a bottle of sunscreen.  She smiled a bit.  

	"I kind of guessed that..." Gillian added.

	"Me too.  They don't recruit women.  They sacrifice
women virgins though..." she said as she walked off down the
hall, cackling.  Togusa looked at Gillian for a second, then
tried to suppress his laughter.

	"You're... a virgin..." he said as he tried to keep
from laughing.

	"Yeah!?  SO!?  What's so wrong with THAT!?"  she
exclaimed.

	"HOW old are you?  Shit man, I lost it when I was
Sixteen!  I'm over ten thousand years old now!"  Togusa said
as his will faded and he began to chuckle.

	"Up yours!  So I never had sex! Big deal!  It's a
species thing!  My species doesn't make love unless it plans
of propagating.  Okay!?  HAPPY!?"  She shouted as Togusa
briefly stopped laughing.

	"Does that mean you were gonna propagate with my
brother then?" he asked, curious.

	"Well... no... I was going to do... other... things..." 
Gillian stuttered.

	"YEAH!  ALRIGHT!"  a second voice came in from outside
the open door.  Togusa and Gillian turned their heads
swiftly and saw Ryoko, peeking in and smiling brightly.  She
was wearing a lovely blue two piece bathing suit that didn't
leave much to the imagination.

	"Just wanted to know if you guys wanted to join us at
the pool later."  Ryoko asked.

	"Wait... wasn't it just night!?"  Gillian asked.

	"Yeah.  But you forget, this is Orion.  They have three
stars.  It's never night more than an hour here at a time."
Ryoko informed the confused Gillian.  Gillian turned toward
the window and saw the light of the stars of Orion peering
in.  

	"Oh..."  Gillian said.

	"Well?"  Ryoko asked.

	"Fine.  I'll be there in a second."  Gillian said.  

	"Okay! Great!  Oh, and Gillian..." Ryoko added.

	"What?"  Gillian returned.

	"Guys like a girl who swallows.... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" 
Ryoko said, laughing as she walked back down the hallway,
towards the pool.  Angry as hell, Gillian went over to the
open door and slammed it shut, unaware of the small group
that had formed outside, who were enjoying listening in on
their conversation.  They all let out a disappointed sigh
and a few "Awe"s.  They began to go away when the door
slammed open again and Gillian, red with anger, energy
arcing in her hands, glared at the slow moving group.

	"Get the FUCK out of here!!!!"  She shouted as the
entire mass of people ran away at top speed.  She was
beginning to close the door when Togusa began to walk
through it.  Gillian looked confused.  

	"Where're you going?"  Gillian asked.

	"I'm going to go down to the pool, meet some women, get
some sun, go swimming and have fun.  Grab your bathing suit,
strip down and join me!  Come on.  It'll take your mind off
of the shrimp."  Togusa suggested.  He watched as Gillian
walked back into the room and a minute later, came out
wearing a skimpy two piece bathing suit.  Togusa couldn't
stop staring at her supple form.  Gillian slapped him, just
hard enough to get him out of his trance, which, in other
words, was very hard.  

	"Oww.  Hey, how come you came back so quick?  It takes
you forever just to put on a t-shirt and a pair of shorts. 
I would have though I was gonna stand here for a hour!" 
Togusa blurted out.  

	"I wasn't wearing... much... underneath the shirt.  I
wasn't planning on wearing THIS much by now..."  Gillian
said, a little sadly.

	"Yep, if my brother had all his old... equipment...
then we wouldn't be standing here talking right now."

	"Hey, aren't you gonna get on a bathing suit too?" 
Gillian asked Togusa.

	"Watch this..."  Togusa said as he jumped in the air
and disappeared, and then, a nanosecond later, reappeared in
a pair of swimming trunks that showed off his ample form,
two towels and a bottle of sunscreen.  Gillian was
impressed, to say the least.  The two began walking down the
hall, towards the pool.  When they passed an intersecting
hallway, they didn't notice the small figure running at top
speed toward the exit.  He didn't even use the door.  He
just pressed a button on a small laptop under his hand and
simply faded away...

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

	The pleasantly warm rays of Orion's three suns beat
down on Ryoko as she sighed in contentment.  'This past few
days have been SO relaxing.  I don't want ANYTHING to spoil
this moment.' She thought as she readjusted her fairly large
sunglasses.  She smiled a content smile and purred for a
moment.  Then, a shadow loomed over her, blocking the
sunlight.  At first, Ryoko thought she was having that dream
again, but, as she opened her eyes and took off her
sunglasses, she saw that that wasn't the case.  Before her
stood Ayeka, dressed in some Juraian ceremonial garment. 
Ryoko let out another sigh.

	"I thought we cured you of your anal retentive-itsis. 
What's wrong now princess?"  Ryoko muttered, unhappy at this
intrusion.  

	"The citizens of Jurai have demanded a funeral service
for the Emperor.  And Mother wishes us to do one for Tenchi,
also.  We are required to attend..."  Ayeka said sadly.

	"Maybe your required, but I'm not."  Ryoko said, a shot
of her old self peeking through.

	"I though you were going to say that.  I told mother
you wouldn't come, but she said that 'If you loved Tenchi,
you would be there.'  I'm sorry to see that she was
wrong..."  Ayeka said as she turned around.

	"Wait."  Ayeka heard as she took a few steps forward. 
Ayeka turned around to see Ryoko sitting up, her head low. 
She then grabbed her towel and sunscreen and walked up to
Ayeka.  She never looked sadder in her whole life.

	"Who gets to do the Eulogy?"  Ryoko asked, almost at
the point of tears.

	"We.. we don't know yet.  Nobody's volunteered and
there isn't much time to put together an effective one.  I
was going to ask that the whole group join me in the hotel's
dinning area so that we can discuss the situation.  I would
appreciate it if you would join us."  Ayeka said, very
depressed.  

	"Su...sure princess.  I'll be there."  Ryoko said,
stifling her sadness.  Ayeka merely nodded and walked back
into the hotel.  Ryoko turned and looked at the pool, and
saw Togusa, Gillian, Washu, Kiyonne and Mihoshi ( Who were
just granted leave ), Ryo-oki, Leo-oki, Yosho, Keiko, and
Takeshi splashing around and having fun.  Ryoko sighed as
she walked over to the pool and told them about what was
going on.  Yosho, Keiko, Washu, Kiyonne, and Mihoshi got
really quiet and still.  Togusa and Gillian saw their
reaction to the news and stopped splashing.  Takeshi was
really confused by this.

	"Who's Tenchi?"  He finally asked.  Then he received
glares from just about everyone, except Ryoko.  

	"Just the greatest guy I ever knew..."  she said as she
walked back into the hotel, towel draped around her waist. 
Ryoko looked back over at the pool for a second.  'It's
almost as if someone's missing...' she thought as she
continued on her way.  Takeshi looked at Ryoko and swore
that she was crying.  He felt stupid for asking that
question.  

	"Damn Right, you should!"  said Togusa as he slapped
Takeshi upside the head.  Now Takeshi was REALLY confused.

	"How did you..." he asked.

	"I can hear your thoughts.  Most of you people think so
loud I can barely get to sleep.  And SOME of you have REALLY
disturbing dreams.  If your heads weren't such a cluttered,
loud ass bunch of garbled shit, then maybe I couldn't hear
you.  So far, the only ones who I CAN'T hear are Yosho,
Keiko, Ayeka, and Mihoshi.  Besides, I saw into your head,
and I saw your thoughts about certain people... who shall
remain nameless for the time being... you sick fuck..." 
Togusa mocked, laughingly.  Takeshi began to turn red as he
summoned a small, thin, weaker version of the light hawk
sword and began to chase Togusa around the pool.  Once
again, innocent bystanders got up and ran into the hotel
screaming.  The rest of the group, unimpressed, nonchalantly
left the pool, dried off, and walked silently back into the
hotel.  Laughing, Togusa leaped out of the pool, and ran
into the hotel, soaking wet.  Takeshi followed seconds
afterward totally enraged.  

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

	"I thank you all for coming.  This is a matter of
extreme importance."  Ayeka said in her most depressed
voice.  Ayeka was joined by Gillian, Togusa, Matsui, Keiko,
Yosho, Takeshi, Washu, Nobiyuki, Kiyonne, Mihoshi, Misaki,
Funhao, and Ryoko.  They all sat silently and looked at
Ayeka.  None of them looked the least bit happy.  

	"I think we all know why we are here.  We must decide
on certain things about Tenchi's... funeral."  Ayeka managed
to choke out.  

	"We need to decide who gets to do his Eulogy."  Ayeka
added.  

	"I think Ryoko should do it," Togusa suggested, "from
what she tells me, she's known Tenchi the longest, besides
Yosho and Nobiyuki."

	"Then why don't they do it?"  Gillian asked.

	"Because I don't think that I can.  I thought about it
and I just can't do it."  Nobiyuki said, his hands finally
unbandaged.  He looked really upset and sad.  Everyone
looked at Yosho, he had his head down on the table, wrapped
in his arms.  This made the group even MORE depressed.  If
something can effect even YOSHO this much, then it must be
harder than it seems...

	"Well, then why don't YOU do it Ayeka?  He WAS Juraian
Royalty, you know."  Misaki said after a long period of
silence.  Ayeka looked at her mother in surprise.  Ayeka
merely lowered her head.  

	"Well, then.  This really is a predicament." Washu said
with a hint of depression.  Then her eyes lit up slightly.

	"Why don't you all do one?"  she suggested.

	"What?"  they all said in unison.  

	"You guys really got to stop that..." Washu said.  

	"I think she has a point... good idea... mom."  Ryoko
said.  Washu couldn't believe her ears.  Ryoko had called
her "mom"  without an inch of sarcasm in her voice.  It was
almost enough to drive her to tears.  

	"Who here seconds that motion?"  Ayeka said, somewhat
happy that a conclusion has been reached without an
argument.  Everyone in the group raised their hands.  And
with that, Ayeka breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed. 
Finally, they would be able to say goodbye to Tenchi the way
he would have wanted.  

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

	That night, or one of the times of day that could be
considered night, the funeral for the Emperor of Jurai
began.  All of the Juraian Refugees attended, and so did
hundreds of universal celebrities.  Soon, the reception had
to be taken outside, due to the great amount of attendees. 
Banners, with the picture of the Emperor, flooded the area. 
People hugged, and cried and paid their respects to the most
powerful man in the universe.  Misaki, Funhao, and Ayeka
finally attended after a while.  While in preparation,
Misaki posed an interesting question.  

	"Ayeka, where's Sasami."  She asked.

	"Oh, my!  Sasami!  I forgot about her!  How... could I
do such a vile thing...?"  Ayeka pondered, totally upset at
herself.  

	"Don't worry.  She was on Jurai, with Yosho.  When you
get a chance, ask him.  Maybe she's here in the hotel, but
kept herself hidden."  Misaki hoped.

	"That doesn't sound like Sasami... Oh, I hope she's
alright..."  Ayeka muttered, extremely worried.

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

	Ryoko and Washu sat next to each other in the other
room reserved for a funeral.  Everyone was here, except for
Ayeka, Misaki, Funhao, Keiko, Takeshi, and Yosho.  They
needed to be at the funeral for the Emperor, but at least
they stayed for a while and said their own personal
eulogies.  'But just about everyone who really counts is
here' thought Ryoko.  On the table in front of her was a
small holographic picture of Tenchi.  Next to the table is a
podium. She began to let out all the tears that remained
inside her.  She felt Washu's comforting arms surround her. 
They stayed there and mourned, totally unaware of the
strange figures walking past their open doors and down to
the Imperial Funeral service.

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

	Ayeka finally finished paying her respects to her
father, which took much longer than she expected, and went
about seeking Yosho.  She found him, near the other side of
the large table that the massive holopicture of the Emperor. 
Ayeka quietly and demurely walked up to him, ignoring Keiko,
who stood right next to him.  Yosho looked at her and new
what she wanted to know. 

	"Yosho...?" Ayeka asked.

	"I know what your going to ask me, Ayeka.  And the news
isn't good."  Yosho said sadly.

	"What happened to her...?"  Ayeka said as she began to
think of the worst.

	"They took her."  Yosho said, his voice deep and dark.

	"Why didn't you TELL ME!?"  Ayeka shouted at him,
gaining the attention of a large group of people.

	"I wanted to wait for the right time to tell you.  I
WAS going to tell you earlier today, but then this funeral
occurred.  I'm sorry, Ayeka.  I want you to know that I hurt
as MUCH as you do.  I love her like a brother, like a father
even.  And I swear to you Ayeka, we will get her back." 
Yosho swore in the most serious voice Ayeka has EVER seen
him use.  Ayeka was dumbfounded, and surprised when a hand
came up from behind and touched her shoulder.  It was
Funhao.

	"The reporters wish to have a statement, Ayeka." 
Funhao informed the distressed young woman.

	"Don't worry about it, Ayeka, I have something I wish
to say to the universe."  Yosho said to her as he walked to
the massive podium, which was draped in Jurai's Royal
Banner.  Yosho cleared his throat as the reporters turned on
their cameras and recorders.  

	"Today, we pay tribute to a great man, the Emperor of
Jurai.  He died to save us from the vile menace of the Dark
Juraians, a most powerful enemy.  His sacrifice was made so
that we may live a little longer.  Let us not forget this
once great man."  Yosho began.  A small applause flooded the
room.

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

	Gillian watched Ryoko, Washu, Kiyonne, and Mihoshi cry
their eyes out.  But she felt something in the back of her
head.  She turned around and noticed several strange figures
walk toward the Royal funeral.  They seemed to pulsate with
a familiar power.  Soon, Ryoko felt it too.  She lifted her
head up, her eyes red from crying, and walked toward
Gillian.  They nodded at each other and followed the
figures, soon followed by the rest of the group in the room. 
Soon the room was silent, except for the hum of the
holoprojector.  

	Gillian and Ryoko watched as the small group of four or
five, hooded, monk looking guys walked into the Royal
funeral room...

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

	"Now, I have an announcement to make.  The planet of
Jurai may be gone, her Emperor dead, but the Empire will
live on.  I now announce that I will assume the role as
Emperor."  Yosho continued.  The crowd was a roar of
comments.  Finally, Yosho held up his hand to silence them.  

	"We will crush the Dark Juraian empire, even if we have
to destroy every hell in existence!" Yosho commanded.  

	But, before the crowd could cheer, someone within the
crowd walked up toward the podium.  Then they said their
peace.

	"You just might, Yosho.  You just might.  But I doubt
that you will prevail, for our empire is vastly greater than
you can even imagine."  Said the black robed figure.

	"You DARE walk in here, you Dark Juraian scum!"  Yosho
yelled, visibly angered.

	"Oh, I dare.  I dare."  The robed man laughed.  Yosho
recognized that hideous laugh.

	"You are the Demon Warrior!  Vile creature!  Prepare to
DIE!"  Yosho vowed. 

	"I don't think so..." the robed warrior said as he
levitated onto the stage.  

	"...for you cannot kill what does not die..."  The
warrior said as he turned to Yosho.

	"...isn't that right..."  The warrior said as he took
off his hood.

	"...Grandfather?!"  said Tenchi, wearing the black
robe, his eyes glowing bright red.

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

This ends chapter eight.  Email me at ruby@pa.net  seeya!