The characters of the Tenchi Muyo Universe are the creation and possession of AIC and Pioneer --------------- Echoes In The Mist Camille Christansen echoesinthemist@angelfire.com --------------- ~~ Chapter 13 ~~ The moment of pain was brief but intense. When it faded, a tingling spread over Ryoko's skin as if she were shocked by electricity. Before she could even take a moment to breath, something shot out and pulled her back at the speed of lightning. Ryoko sat up straight in her chair, taking deep breaths. Her head felt strangely refreshed for some reason. Not only that, she remembered. She knew everything. At first, she was happy that she did but the memories weren't something to be happy about so her smile faded. Instead, Ryoko glanced at Kiyone. She was sitting straight up in her chair too. Sweat coated her back and she was trembling. Kiyone turned to look at Ryoko too and they both smiled at each other. Washu approached them and Kiyone asked, "Did we make it?" "You made it all right," Washu smiled. "Mission accomplished. That water thing you felt, represented Ryoko's memory `flooding' back. Ryoko remembers everything now, don't you?" Ryoko swallowed hard and nodded. "Let me just take a moment to adjust to this. The memory is just shocking, sorry," she said, tending to sound a bit like Washu. "Oh well, now that you know, let us know what happened too. You didn't put us through all that for nothing, did you?" a new voice said. It was Hakusana. She was only just starting to appear. Ryoko looked her up and down. "Now that's much better," she commented, referring to the Hakusana's new look. Then Ryoko added harshly, "Hakusana." "Why do you keep emphasizing Hakusana's name, Ryoko?" Mihoshi asked, from behind Ryoko. Ryoko turned around to face her. "How come you're out again?" she questioned in disgust. Washu answered, "I let her out. She can't do any more harm." "So what do you know about Desumitsu?" Hakusana prompted Ryoko. They all went over to the table again to sit down and talk. "Well." Ryoko started. Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Everyone groaned. Hakusana mumbled, "Why is it always such bad timing?" Washu scurried to her computer and typed a few things. "Sasami's on the line!" she announced, as she initialized the message transfer. A window appeared on the computer screen with Sasami on it. She smiled, as usual. "Hi everyone!" Sasami greeted. "Hi Sasami!" everyone else reponded. Sasami looked around, at everyone. She glanced at Hakusana's tattoo and frowned. Then she continued cheerfully, "You're all here! But where's Aeka and Tenchi" Her smile faded a little when she said that. Washu said. "Let me check." Scenes from all over the Masaki residence were scanned through Washu's computer. It stopped in a view where they could see Aeka and Tenchi clearly. The two were sitting on the porch talking. "They're there," Washu confirmed. "They're the only ones not sure about what's happening," Sasami sighed guiltily. "Yeah, poor Aeka," Ryoko smirked. Hakusana grinned then turned her attention back on the screen. There was something about the bushes, the way the light shone on their edges. The silhouette wasn't right somehow. "Washu, can you zoom in there?" Hakusana asked, pointing at the side of the screen. "I think I saw something in the bushes." "No problem," Washu replied. "It moved!" Kiyone said, as the view of the bushes slowly enlarged. "I saw it too." "She's right!" Mihoshi pointed, as the picture of the bushes cleared even more. "Those are someone's eyes." "Sharp visions you two have," Washu commented. "You better get there before something happens!" Sasami cried out in alarm. The three galaxy police officers and Ryoko ran out of the lab before Sasami even finished, leaving Washu sitting in the empty lab with the possible exception of Sasami. Kiyone was the first to get to the door. She quietly opened it and crept out, followed by the rest of them. They patted into the darkness of the living room, hiding behind the furniture. All of their eyes were set on Aeka and Tenchi. "I think it's time we made an appearance," Ryoko muttered. * * * * * "Did you ever have a friend whom you could always confide in?" Aeka asked Tenchi. They were both unaware of all the eyes that were watching them. The bad guys in front in the bushes, and the good guys behind them in the living room. Tenchi scratched the back of his neck and grinned nervously. "Well not really." "Me too," Aeka said sadly. "Well, there's a girl in my class named Yui. She's so trustworthy, everyone likes her. She kind of reminds me of my mother in a way." "Sasami's guardian is like that. His name is Amphitryon, though he was transferred to a nobleman in Jurai. He's such a nice person and a great confidant. Quite a gentleman and a excellent swordsman." Aeka glanced at Tenchi. "Still, I never did confide in him or anyone." "I never did with Yui either," Tenchi said. Aeka's eyes lit up. "I know. What if we, just the two of us, would confide in each other. No matter what the subject is." "Oh I don't know." Tenchi started. "Let's just try. We have nothing else to do anyway. We can't explain any of our problems anymore. If it doesn't work out, we don't have to push through with it." Tenchi smiled. Aeka was such a nice person. Very beautiful too. "Well, okay," he agreed at last. "You have to be truthful. My first question, who is the woman closest to your heart?" "My mother," Tenchi answered truthfully. Aeka laughed. "I didn't mean it that way but, okay. Don't you wish you could be with your mom again someday?" "Well, I know she's in heaven yet with me all the time. But yeah, if not here, in heaven." Suddenly, there was a rustle in the bushes and three figures moved through the shadows. One pointed his sword at Tenchi. "I'll grant you that wish," he laughed sinisterly. They all stepped forward, into the light revealing who they were. Rosco, Akari and this creature. The creature was the one with the sword. He was huge and muscles rippled his arms. He looked like a cross between a bear and a wolf. His tail was that of a scorpions and he had gigantic leathery bat wings folded neatly behind him. There was a gasp from inside the house. Rosco looked up immediately. He smiled at Aeka. "Seems that you have been hiding someone in there, after all." He took Aeka's hair and pulled a knife out. Then Rosco called into the house, "Come out of there Ryoko." Suddenly, logs circled Rosco. He just laughed as their electric bolts zapped through him like air. "I'm afraid the guardians of Jurai won't work for you this time. And you can tell your precious Asaka and Kamidake that if they even try to help you, your throat will be slit in a blink of an eye." He tightened his grip on Aeka's hair and he cut Aeka neck, ever so slightly. Blood trickled slowly on Aeka's hand. She obediently held her head up in Rosco's hand. Tears were slipping down her face but she made no move to change her expression. Tenchi stood up, despite the sword pointed at his throat. "Damn it Ryoko! Come out!" Nothing. Silence. Tenchi turned to Rosco. "Look, Ryoko's not going to come out just because you're going to slice Aeka's neck. Ryoko doesn't like Aeka at all and would be glad to have her dead. You have the wrong person, it's me you want!" "Then if Ryoko doesn't mind, I'll just slice the princess anyway," Rosco laughed. He held the knife up preparing to strike. There was a loud cry from inside the house. Hakusana rammed Rosco to the ground. Kiyone was the next to leap out from the dark in the house. She knocked the creature to the ground and they started struggling. Akari stared at her two partners, in bewilderment. She held her gun out, preparing to shoot at Aeka when a figure appeared behind her. It grabbed Akari, threw her to the ground and disappeared again. It happened so fast that if you just took a look, you wouldn't be able to identify who the figure was. Mihoshi ran out of the house. "Aeka! Tenchi! Are you okay?" she cried. "I'm fine, it's Aeka. She's bleeding." Tenchi took out a handkerchief and handed it to Aeka. "I'm fine Tenchi." Aeka said, wiping her scar. Kiyone's voice screamed, "Someone help me!" Tenchi ran up to them with his Tenchiken. Before he could strike, the creature kicked Kiyone off of him and jumped up on the roof. Akari got up and followed him. Rosco and Hakusana however, were not unconscious but they were also not struggling. Instead, they were staring into each other's eyes again. Aeka watched them. *What is it with those two?* she wondered. Suddenly, there was a huge thud on the roof. A cry of anger exploded through the night as a lady in white, as beautiful as summer, dropped between the creature and Akari. Blood lust in her deep blue eyes. "Red, you miserable son of a bitch, take your hands off of my Rosco!" * * * * * Back in the lab, Sasami and Washu were exchanging information, updating themselves on what was happening. They were also planning the group's next move. Sasami explained all she knew about Shizuka and the Dark Lord so far. Not everything was clear but what was really bad was the end of the journal. The last few pages had been ripped out. Sasami read the entries before the ripped out pages and it seemed like the Dark Lord had found Shizuka at last and was going to kill him. The last paragraph was, "At last I have the crystal. I don't know how to destroy the Dark Lord yet, if he doesn't destroy me first. Still, I am certain that this crystal." That was it. The rest was on the next pages. And the next few pages were torn. Sasami concluded that Shizuka knew how to kill the Dark Lord but wasn't able to do it because the Dark Lord got to him first. It seemed that someone didn't wast to let them find out what happened afterwards. The pages had to contain how to destroy the Dark Lord or else it Shizuka didn't know what to to do at all. The crystal Shizuka was probably talking about was the one in the chest. What it did was something that still remained a mystery. It was Washu's turn to report that Ryoko now remembered everything. Wasuh wasn't able to do much research, since she was tending to Ryoko, Kiyone, Mihoshi and Hakusana. They had gone out to check on Tenchi and Aeka because they had spotted at least two people there. What had happened, Washu and Sasami still had yet to learn. * * * * * *Red?* Kiyone's head snapped around, all the color draining from her face as she met her partner's chilling stare. *Red? The Space Pirate Red? It couldn't be. He had died years ago.* "No, not a he.a SHE!" Kiyone whispered so softly to herself that no one could hear. Aeka's lips trembled. *No. Red didn't dare return. Not after all the vile and monstrous acts that had shattered thousands of lives. A cold-blooded animal and a murderer. Yet, Red had saved me from Rosco twice.* Horrified, Rosco began to struggle for freedom. Shoving Hakusana's punishing grip away. Had he know V was coming, he wouldn't have been staring so intimately at Red. Hakusana's whole body went rigid, shock waves vibrating to her very soul. Reflexively, her grasp tightened, despite Rosco's struggle. Finally, she let him go and he jumped to the roof to take his stand with the others. *My Rosco,* the woman's voice echoed through her mind. Kiyone's eyes swept through Hakusana's features, confirming the truth of the woman in white's words. How could she not have seen it? Only a fool would have missed the resemblance! It was evident in her tattoo mark alone. Red's Pheonix was the ultimate weapon that made him. no, her so powerful. One of the highest ranking space pirates in the galaxy! The tattoo was the only thing everyone knew about Red. It was unbelievable but it was true. Hakusana was every inch the space pirate Red. She matched his moves. The tattoo. Shock was replaced by fury. "Your Rosco?" Hakusana demanded. "Yes, you bloody scoundrel, MY Rosco," the woman snarled. Black fire smoldered in Hakusana's eyes. *What is she talking about? Rosco was mine, and mine alone! Not hers! Mine* she thought. Everyone was watching everyone else and everyone was tense. "I think we finally get to meet each other at last," Ryoko called in the darkness. Her voice was like a thunderclap in the silence everyone. She clapped slowly as if it would taunt everyone. "What's the matter everyone?" Ryoko asked mockingly, though she herself was scared stiff. "Kiyone, Mihoshi, Aeka, Tenchi. meet Red." A wail came from Mihoshi. "We're all going to die! I can't even see where Red is! Where is he! Where is he!?!" Everyone glared at Mihoshi. Then Hakusana spoke, "It's true. I was and will always be Red. But what I want clear is who that woman." Ryoko cleared her throat loudly. "Don't go too over, Red. I like being the emcee here. But I agree that learn who this mysterious woman in white is! Woman in white?" The woman scowled and hesitated. Finally she announced, "My name is V of the planet Cleonith of the Kield System." "Okay V, what do you mean by, YOUR Rosco?" Hakusana demanded. Rosco stared at the two women. "Red, I thought you died and when you did, I moved on. Now, V is my um." "Lover?" Ryoko suggested. Hakusana cringed. *He couldn't have! Not my Rosco!* "I'm sorry it didn't turn out well for you, " Rosco apologized, stepping toward V. V smiled, victoriously. "Besides, it seems like you two are on two different sides now. You're going die you know." "I'll cut your throat and break every single bone in your body, before you do," Hakusana threatened, angrily. "Oh, and my name is Mihoshi!" the blond ditz waved her hands. "And this is Tenchi, Aeka, and Kiyone! I don't know what's going on but I do think you should introduce yourselves. It would be very rude not to." Kiyone clenched her teeth. "Mihoshi! Will you cut it out!" "Thank you, Kiyone." Ryoko was hovering cross-legged above the spot Akari used to be standing on. Ryoko's arms were folded across her chest. A dark smile had spread over her face. "Now, the second thing I want to clear is." Faster than lighting, a ball rose in her hand and Ryoko threw it on the roof. At the same time, she screamed, "What did you do to Akari?!" The energy ball hit a force field in front of the four. Rosco glanced at Akari and smiled. "Well, it's quite interesting. I don't know the whole thing but Akari seemed to have decided to join us." "What did you do to her!" Ryoko yelled furiously. She totally lost it, throwing one energy ball at a time. It was useless. "Akari! What happened to you!?!" "I had a change of mind," Akari replied briskly. "Ryoko! Calm down!" Kiyone yelled, holding Ryoko down. Hakusana went over to help. She said, "You're not going to change anything like that, Ryoko. They have her, okay?" "What about you, Red? You lost a loved one too," Ryoko spat. "I don't know. Maybe I deserved it," Hakusana said sadly. "They'll pay, you know. I promise you. I've kept all my promises so far." "She was my best friend," Ryoko sighed. Kiyone stood up to face Rosco, "Listen pal, I don't know the whole story, but you tell your boss to come down here and fight like the coward that he is!" "We don't need to follow your orders," the creature scowled. "I see. So you only follow Scorpion and do his dirty work." "Tell him to face me and we'll see which one of us falls!" Ryoko challenged. "Oh no, Ryoko. That's TOO easy," Rosco snickered as a dazzling blue flashed upon V, Akari, the creature and him. They started to slowly lift into the air leaving Tenchi and company behind. ------------------- End of Chapter 13