Disclaimer:  I do not own any of the characters of Tenchi Muyo!  They are 
owned by AIC and Pioneer North America.  I did not create them, and their 
use here is strictly for the enjoyment of myself and anyone who gets bored 
enough to read this.  In other words: Please don't sue my poor ass.

Tenchi Muyo!
Flow Endless Dreams-- Part 3:  Present Darkness
by the Loneshark

	Again, Mihoshi's attention had drifted away from her endless paperwork.  
The case they had just been on wasn't that big of a deal.  How could she and 
Kiyone have gotten stuck with so much work?  They hadn't been promoted, 
thankfully.  That would take them away from Earth.  She sighed, thinking 
about her second home.  She missed her friends so much that she was having 
trouble falling asleep.  And that was something she'd never had trouble 
with!  There hadn't been any problems on Earth since... well, she couldn't 
remember.  Everyone had been happy for so long, that even Kiyone had begun 
to relax.  And now Tenchi... and Ryoko... and even Akira...
	Mihoshi could feel the tears building up.  She mournfully wailed, and 
buried her face in her hands.  Salty tears ran through her fingers and down 
her arms.  She didn't notice the flashing screen above her desk, heralding 
an incoming call.
	The screen quickly changed, and Shadow Dog found himself looking at a 
sobbing Mihoshi.  "Hey, is anyone... huh?  Mi... Mihoshi?"  She didn't even 
hear him over her own sobs.  Shadow looked to the office door when he heard 
it open.
	Kiyone walked in, and looked from Mihoshi, to Shadow, and back again.  She 
looked at Shadow, and yelled, "What the hell is going on?"
	Shadow's instincts for self-preservation immediatly overrode his 
rationality in the face of an angry Kiyone.  The screen backed away as 
Kiyone approached Mihoshi's desk.  "Hey, I didn't do anything, Kiyone!  
Honest!"
	Kiyone put a hand on her partner's shoulder.  "Mihoshi?  Are you all 
right?"
	Mihoshi looked up at her, her big blue eyes filled with tears.  She 
sniffed, "Kiyone?"  She wailed, and put her arm's around Kiyone's waist.  
"WAAH!  I miss them, Kiyone!"
	"Urk!  Mi... ho... shi!"  Kiyone's face started to turn red from lack of 
oxygen.
	Shadow Dog sighed, and shook his head.  "Mihoshi, normaly I wouldn't say 
this to anyone in a time like this, but: Get a grip!"  Mihoshi looked up, 
her crying having stopped abruptly.
	"Oh, Shadow.  When did you call?"
	"Mihoshi!"  Kiyone's face was now blue.  Mihoshi looked up, and let go of 
her partner.
	"Oh, I'm so sorry, Kiyone.  I was just thinking about Earth, and then I 
started thinking about Tenchi and Ryoko, and..."  Mihoshi sniffed, and 
started to cry again.
	Kiyone straightened out her uniform, and stared at Mihoshi.  She tried to 
be angry, but it wasn't working.  She looked at Shadow, "You called about 
something?"
	Shadow nodded, "We need you to meet us on Jurai."
	"When?"
	"In three days.  It'll take us that long to get there from where we're 
going."
	"And where's that?"
	Shadow paused.  "To see an old friend."
	Kiyone nodded.  "All right.  Three days."
	"Kiyone," She stopped.  Shadow's face was, for once, serious.  "Take care 
of yourself for me, all right?"
	She smiled a little.  "Of course I will, Seayo.  Just look out for Sasami 
and Mayuka."  The screen disappeared.  Kiyone looked down at Mihoshi, who 
was now quietly sobbing.  "Mihoshi...?"
	Mihoshi looked up.  "I... I'm all right, Kiyone."  She sniffed, and wiped 
the tears from her face.  "It's just been a long shift.  That's all."
	Kiyone smiled.  Mihoshi had seemed to... mature in the past few years.  Not 
much, but at least it was an improvement.  "I know, Mihoshi.  I miss them, 
too."  She sighed.  "Well, come on, I guess we'll need to start getting 
ready to leave, if we're going to get to Jurai in time."
	Mihoshi stared blankly.  "What do you mean?  Why would we go to Jurai?"
	Kiyone's eyebrow twitched.  "Mihoshi, did you not just see Shadow call us, 
and tell us to meet them at Jurai?"
	Mihoshi looked up, thinking.  "Um, he did?  Gee, I guess I must've missed 
it."
	Kiyone groaned, and squeezed her fists.
	Okay, so it wasn't even that much of an improvement.

***

	"Who the hell are you?"  She was yelling, now.  "I'm sick of this!  Are you 
here to take me, too?"  She felt her power rising inside of her, her hands 
flexing as they sprouted claws, her own clothes changing into the familiar 
purple suit.  She looked around, trying to see him through the black.  He 
emerged from it, his face cold and still.  He walked up to her, unafriad of 
the girl's seething anger.
	He raised an eyebrow.  "Do you wish to know who I am?"
	Mayuka tried to calm herself, and nodded.  "Why are you bothering me?  
Sasami said you're not an enemy, but why are you doing this?"  He was 
motionless.  Mayuka could feel his eyes staring into her.  The sensation 
made her skin crawl.  "Answer me, dammit!"  She lashed out with her claws, 
and they passed straight through.  She tried it again, with the same result. 
  Mayuka growled, and spun around, holding her claws inches from his real 
face.  The illusion behind her dissipated.
	He smiled, slightly.  "You are improving.  But, you still have much to 
learn."  Mayuka put her hand down, and again tried to calm down, taking deep 
breaths.  "I am the Lord of Fallen Leaves.  I have wanted to meet you for a 
very long time, Mayuka Masaki."
	"The Lord of Fallen Leaves?  What... are you from Jurai, or something?"
	He shook his head.  "No.  I am a god, who was once a man.  I am the lord of 
lost dreams, dead hopes, and all things lost and forgotten by time.  I am 
the only one who remembers them."
	Mayuka listened, but only one thing really mattered to her.  "Why are you 
talking to me in my dreams?"
	He reached up, and brushed the side of her face with his hand.  She didn't 
cringe, or back away.  "You are the Light inside the Darkness, Mayuka.  When 
the Shadow comes for you, you must not be afraid.  Otherwise, you will not 
be able to save your family."

	"Mayuka?"  Shadow gently shook the young girl.  She'd been asleep all 
morning, and they would soon be at the station where Bryant lived.  At 
least, Shadow hoped he still lived there.  "Mayuka, come on, wake up!"
	Mayuka's eyes opened up, and she immediatly shielded them from the light.  
She groaned, trying to sit up.  "Ugh, what...?"
	"Wake up, little girl.  It's time for another trip out."  Shadow chuckled, 
and Mayuka sat up, wiping the sleep from her eyes.
	"I hate it when you call me 'little girl.'  It's embarassing."  She lifted 
herself out of the bed, and slowly stood, staring at Shadow Dog.
	He gave her a curious look, "What?"
	"Get out so I can dress!"  She tried to yell in a groggy voice.
	Shadow smiled, "Did I ever tell you that you're just as great a morning 
person as your mother?"  He made a hasty exit before Mayuka could yell at 
him.
	The girl sat down on her bed, holding her head in her hands.  "What did 
that dream mean?"  Was it just a dream?  Or was it real?

***

	Washu stared out at the near-dilapitated space station.  She didn't have to 
look to know that Shadow Dog had walked up beside her.  "Nervous?"
	He looked at the station.  "I'm as calm and composed as ever, Washu."
	Washu chuckled.  "Right.  You haven't been composed since the day you 
showed up, Seayo.  You try, but it doesn't work."
	Shadow's gem flashed briefly.  Washu could swear she heard him grate his 
teeth.  "What makes you think you're right?"
	"Twenty thousand years of experience."  Shadow stiffened, visibly, from the 
wierd feeling of deja vu he was having.  But, this time, the roles were 
switched.
	He started to laugh.  He began to hold his sides, and fell to the floor, 
laughing.  Washu continued to look at the space station, smiling.  Shadow 
finally stopped laughing, and looked up at her.  "Okay... heheh... so... so 
maybe you're right."  He tried to stand up between laughs.  "So, you're 
saying I fail at being calm?"
	Washu sighed, "Basically.  It's more like you're calm because you don't 
take anything seriously.  I could go into greater detail on the 
psychological processes, but we'll just leave it at that."
	Shadow stood up, smoothing out his shirt.  "Yea, well, you've always been a 
short, red-headed pain."
	She nodded.  "Your point?"
	"Is that it?"  Mayuka walked up behind them.  She looked out at the station 
with the same level of amazement she'd shown on Airis.  "Wow.  It just 
orbits around that little moon, all the time?"  She pointed at the 
bluish-gray sphere next to the station.
	Washu nodded.  "Yea, and the rent must be pretty cheap, too.  How could 
anyone live in a place like that?"
	Mayuka unintentionally ignored her grandmother's critisizm, too enthralled 
by the fantastic metal satellite, which resembled a dragonfly.  Shadow 
brushed a bit of hair from his face.  "Just my old partner's style, too."

***

	Tenchi splashed some of the water from the stream onto his face, wiping 
away the dirt.  He had no idea where the stream was coming from; the current 
seemed to change direction every few minutes or so.  Nothing in this place 
seemed to make sense.
	"Tenchi?"  Ryoko walked up behind him.  She knelt beside him, placing a 
hand on his shoulder.  "Hey, are you all right?"
	He nodded.  "Don't worry, Ryoko.  I'm fine."  She stared at the sword in 
his hand, for a moment.  It was his sword, Tenchiken.  He and Ryoko 
remembered little of what had happened to bring them here.  Why would 
whoever did this bother to leave them with a weapon?
	Ryoko stood up, and growled to herself.  "Dammit!  I just don't get it!"  
They had both been having the same problem: they couldn't use their powers.  
Ryoko still had her gems, but she couldn't draw power from them.  It felt 
like there was something else that was... bleeding the power from them.  She 
couldn't even feel her link with Washu and Ryo-ohki.
	And they still hadn't found Akira.
	Tenchi sighed, and stood up, looking around.  The night hadn't gone, yet.  
It was still in the same blue glow of that umoving moon.  He wondered if 
anything changed in this place, if there wasn't something keeping it from 
changing.  Or maybe it just looked that way.
	Tenchi and Ryoko whirled around when they heard it again.  That same dark, 
hideous laughter that had been following them all night.  The blue blade of 
Tenchiken flashed to life in it's master's hands, and he stepped forward.  
"Who's there?  Come out, dammit!"  He could sense Ryoko's own anger.  She 
tried to summon her powers, but they still wouldn't function.  She stood 
beside him, anyway.
	The laughter settled into one place, floating out of a tree from the row in 
front of them.  In the dim light, Tenchi could barely make out the figure 
sitting in the branches of the tree, leaning against the trunk.  The figure 
kept laughing, and a grin of shining teeth split it's face.  Tenchi tighened 
the grip on his sword, and took another step forward.
	"Who's there?"  Ryoko yelled at the figure before Tenchi could.  "Get out 
here, you damn coward!"
	It laughed again.  The figure fell out of the tree, landing on it's feet.  
It rose, slowly, being obviously overdramatic.  "Nock it off," Ryoko said.
	The figure stepped out of the shadows, brushing back his shoulder-length, 
light hair.  His eyes shined in the blue moonlight, sending a chill up 
Tenchi's spine.  The young man smiled, and narrowed his eyes at Tenchiken.
	He raised an eyebrow, "Who do you plan to use that toothpick on, eh?"  His 
body slinked closer, thin muscles stretching under a blue body suit.  He 
walked up to them, grinning.  "Do you plan to use it on me, eh?  Now, why 
would you want to hurt Hellcat like that?"
	"Who are you?"  Ryoko asked him, giving the creep her most intimidating 
stare.
	He looked at her, unmoved.  "I'm Hellcat.  You're Ryoko," he looked at 
Tenchi, "and you're Prince Tenchi.  You're the ones who killed a god."
	"How do you know that?"  Ryoko growled at him.  Tenchi kept his body tense, 
ready to defend himself and Ryoko if this... Hellcat attacked.
	Hellcat didn't take his eyes off of Tenchi.  He stared into Tenchi's eyes.  
"You're god-killers.  You're our friends, not our enemies.  Why don't you 
just relax here, for now?  Let us show you--"
	"Where's my son?"  Tenchi cut him off.  "I don't care who you are, or what 
you want.  Just give me my son back, and let us go."
	Hellcat smirked, "You try and threaten us, Tenchi Masaki?"  He laughed.  
"He threatens us!  He threatens >us<!"  He seemed to find the idea amusingly 
absurd.
	Ryoko lashed out with a fist, moving too fast for Tenchi to clearly see her 
move, before she was already in front of him.  Ryoko, however, felt like she 
was moving through water.  Her movements were slower than usual, almost 
sluggish.  Hellcat had already vanished when her punch should have 
connected.
	"Hey!  Hold still, damn you!"  Ryoko yelled out at the flora around them.  
Hellcat's dark laugh echoed from a neaby tree.  Tenchi and Ryoko looked 
around, and saw him sitting in another tree.
	He laughed, and flashed his bright grin.  "Welcome, Tenchi and Ryoko 
Masaki, to the garden of Lord Tomarou!  I hope you like it here."
	Tenchi watched as a small blanket of mist crawled out from behind the tree. 
  The mist rumbled, and growled.  Tenchi thought he was hallucinating when 
shapes came out of the mist.  A taloned paw, the indication of fangs, the 
brief form of eyes.  The mist broke up into three parts, the forms become 
more static.  Three large, cat-like bodies of fog stalked toward Tenchi and 
Ryoko.  Hellcat laughed from his perch.
	Tenchi's sword deactivated, and he took hold of Ryoko's wrist.  "Ryoko, 
come on, we can't fight him, now."
	Ryoko looked at Tenchi, her eyes full of anger.  He knew it wasn't directed 
at him, but it still made Tenchi gulp.  "But, we have to find--"
	"We won't be able to find him if we're dead.  Now come on!"  Tenchi tugged 
at her arm.  Ryoko stalled for just a moment, looking back at Hellcat and 
the mist-beasts, and followed after Tenchi.

***

	Mayuka covered her mouth, trying not to gag as the recycled air filled her 
lungs.  She looked at Washu, who was faring little better.  Her grandmother 
was a shade of green that Mayuka swore could not be natural.  She looked at 
Shadow Dog, who seemed to be doing fine.  "How much longer are we gonna be 
here?"
	Shadow took a breath.  The sight almost made Mayuka gag.  "Don't whine.  
We'll try to get out of here as soon as possible."
	"This place should be condemned," Washu muttered.  "The water's probably 
worse than the air.  Cheap recyclers, bad lighting..."
	Shadow ignored them, and looked at the door to his old partner's apartment. 
  He hadn't seen Bryant in six years.  The last time they had spoken, Shadow 
told him that they'd never see each other again.  How would Bryant take it 
when he showed up again, asking for help?
	Shadow knocked on the door, and waited.  A gruff, scratchy voice crackled 
from the speaker next to the door.  "Who is it?"  Shadow looked up at the 
camera above the door, and cocked an eyebrow.
	"What, you've forgotten me, already?"
	There was a moment of silence, and the Shadow heard the locks on the door 
being opened.  Washu and Mayuka attempted to stand up straight, the 
scientist wiping her brow and the girl shaking her head, trying to clear it.
	No one expected to see the wrong end of a very large gun when the door 
opened.  Shadow felt a small bead of sweat form on his forehead, but stayed 
calm.  "Who the fuck are you?"
	Shadow kept his eyes on the gun barrel in front of him.  "You did forget 
me, didn't you, Bryant?"
	The barrel pressed against Shadow's forehead.  He could see the gun was 
being held by a middle-aged human, his face covered with two scars: one over 
his left eye, and the other traveling along his chin.  He was dressed in 
old, unwashed, dark clothes.  His dirty gray hair hadn't been washed, and 
Shadow could smell the small amount of deoderant that tried to hide the 
man's body oder.
	Bryant hadn't changed a bit.  He was still crude, and dirty, and paranoid.
	"You look like a damn ghost, but I only get fooled once."
	"You just can't stay out of trouble, can you Bryant?  Who's after you, this 
time?"
	Bryant pressed the gun a little harder against Shadow's forehead.  "If 
you're not Shadow Dog, then I'll kill you right here and now."
	Shadow took the cue.  "Mayuka, Washu, move."  Before either of them could 
move, Shadow twisted his body.  As he turned around, he grabbed the gun 
barrel in one hand, pulling it over his shoulder as his back turned to 
Bryant.  Mayuka and Washu jumped out of the way in case the gun went off, 
and Bryant was pulled forward, trying to keep a grip on his gun.  A bolt of 
pain shot through his gut as Shadow's elbow slammed into him.  He fell 
backward, and landed hard on the floor of his own apartment.
	Shadow threw the gun on the floor, and turned around.  He held out his hand 
as Bryant shook his head and tried to sit up, laughing.  Mayuka and Washu 
peered around the doorway.
	Washu frowned, and looked at Shadow.  "What the hell was that about, 
Shadow?  Someone could've gotten hurt!"
	Bryant laughed.  "Relax, lady." Washu frowned at him. "It's the exact same 
thing he did to me when we first met."  Shadow helped Bryant to his feet.  
The two men hugged, patting each other on the back.  "Damn, it's good to see 
you."
	Bryant turned back into his apartment.  "Come on in, but watch your step."  
They followed him in, Mayuka almost tripping over some small piece of junk.  
There was more littered around the floor of the place.  Cans, boxes, and 
some things that she didn't even really want to name.  Shadow sat in a chair 
across from the one Bryant sat in.  "I'd thought you'd eventually died, ya 
know?"
	Shadow nodded.  "I'm sorry, Bryant.  If I could help it, I wouldn't have 
put you through that."
	There was a moment of silence.  Mayuka stood next to Washu, who carefully 
watched the two men talk.
	"You wouldn't believe that someone tried to impersonate you, once.  That's 
why I was so paranoid when you answered the door; I'd almost bought it, that 
time."
	Shadow smiled.  "You never could stay out of trouble."
	"Yea, neither could you," Bryant laughed.  "Shit, it's been a long time.  
So, who's yer friends?"  He looked at Washu and Mayuka.
	"Bryant, this is Washu, and her granddaughter, Mayuka Masaki."  Shadow 
pointed to them.
	Washu nodded at Bryant.  Mayuka waved at him, "Hi.  I'm Mayuka."
	Bryant looked back at Shadow, "What the hell where you doing on Earth, eh?  
Whatever happened between you and that target... what was his name?"
	Washu cleared her throat.  "That is a very long story.  One you know we 
don't have time for, Shadow."
	He nodded.  "Relax, Washu.  I know; we need to get to the point."  He 
looked at Bryant.  "The target's name was Tenchi Masaki, Mayuka's father.  
He and Mayuka's mother, Ryoko, and their son were kidnapped two weeks ago.  
I tried one of my contacts in the smuggling ring around Airis, but that 
didn't help."
	Bryant sat, thinking.  "So, you need me to use the resources in the Hunter 
Guild's archives, is that it?"
	Shadow nodded.  "I'm sorry to use you like this, Bryant, but Tenchi and 
Ryoko are friends of mine.  I'd very much like to see them, again."
	Bryant looked over at Mayuka.  "And that little girl is their daughter, 
huh?"
	Mayuka answered.  "Yes, sir.  And I'm not a little girl, so don't call me 
that."
	Bryant chuckled, "All right, Shadow.  What the hell, I don't have anythying 
better to do."
	"Mayuka."  Mayuka's muscles froze for a moment.  She heard his voice.  The 
Lord of Fallen Leaves.  "Mayuka, you must leave.  There is little time for 
you to stay here.  Your enemies are coming fast."
	"What do you mean?"  Mayuka could feel her voice inside her mind.  The 
others around her continued to speak, but she couldn't hear them.  She only 
heard his voice.  "Why are you helping me?"  She looked down at the pouch 
holding her ring.  It was tied around her wrist, and gave off a soft, blue 
glow.  She could feel the warmth of it inside.
	"I suggest you go, Mayuka.  The Shadow is calling you."
	"... go to Jurai?  Who the hell is this kid, a prince?"  The rest of the 
world came back into Mayuka's perceptions.  She was still looking down at 
the pouch on her wrist.  The glowing had stopped, and she could hear 
Bryant's voice raise, slightly.
	"Actually..."  Shadow looked at Washu, who sighed, and nodded.
	"Tenchi is the grandson of Prince Yosho of Jurai.  Yosho imprisoned Ryoko 
there about seven hundred years ago, and eventually Tenchi was born.  He 
released Ryoko, and..."  Washu shrugged.  "The rest can be explained onboard 
Tsunami, if you'll come with us."
	Bryant raised an eyebrow, "And if I don't come with?"
	Mayuka spoke up, "Then you've done nothing but waste our time."  She was a 
little shocked to hear her words.  So was everyone else.  She regained her 
composure, and pressed on.  "Please, Mr. Bryant.  We don't know what's 
happened to my parents, or my brother.  I need to find them, and if you can 
help at all, then that's all we're asking for."
	Bryant looked calmly at her for a second, and said, "Shadow, you pick some 
strange company."  He smiled, "All right, kid.  I'll help you.  And call me 
Bryant, okay?"
	Mayuka smiled, "Okay."  She noticed her grandmother smile at her.  Washu 
turned around, and whispered to her.
	"Good job, Mayuka."

***

	"Do you honestly think this will work, Tomarou?"  He heard the man's voice, 
again.  That cold man with a cold face, framed by white hair.  Tomarou 
looked up from the book, and frowned.
	"I thought you would have more taste than to harass me in my private study, 
in my own home."  He stood up, and walked around the desk to where the man 
was standing.  The man remained unmoved, which only made Tomarou angry.  
Tomarou could not feel fear.
	"Still looking for a way to break the Seal?  You honestly think the boy 
will be able to do it?"
	Tomarou walked up to him, looking the man in the eye.  "It does not matter 
what I 'think.'  Either the boy can do it, or he can not.  What concern is 
it of yours, anyway?"
	"I know what you are, Tomarou."
	"Indeed?"  Tomarou raised an eyebrow.
	The man nodded.  "I know a great deal about you.  All the things you lost, 
everything you gave up on.  I see it all in what you have left of a soul."
	Tomarou sneered.  "You know nothing of me, coward.  The force I serve could 
destroy you in an instant.  It probably will, if I do not."
	The man smiled, "Ah, I see.  You're trying to find out who I am, aren't 
you?  Searching through all of your precious books just to learn my 
identity.  How cute."
	Tomarou growled, and his sword rose out of the folds of his cloak.  The 
strike should have split the man in two.  Instead, he remained unmoved, not 
even so much as blinking.  "You can't kill a dream, Tomarou.  You can try to 
forget it, but it never dies."  His expression changed suddenly, and he 
growled at Tomarou, "You will never break the Seal of Eternity.  I swear it. 
  You will never get your hands on the Talon.  I will send the Shadow to 
stop you, no matter what."
	Tomarou bolted upright in his seat.  His face hurt from being pressed 
between the pages of the book in front of him.  What was that?  Had he been 
asleep the whole time?  If so, had the man really just been a dream?
	"You can't kill a dream, Tomarou."
	Tomarou cleared his head, taking deep breaths.  Too many things were going 
through his mind right now for him to act properly.  He opened his eyes, and 
looked around the library.  "Mina?"
	She appeared in front of him, kneeling before her master.  "Yes, my Lord?"
	"Where is Kenji?"
	"He is still in his labratory, my Lord, as you instructed."
	He nodded, and stood.  "Thank you, Mina.  You are dismissed."  She vanished 
in a blink.  Tomarou walked out of his study, and found Kenji in his lab, 
just as the servant had said.
	The scientist had his back turned, staring intently at a monitor screen.  
Tomarou could see past him, looking at the images of the boy's parents.  
What were there names, again?
	"Kenji," the man stiffened at the sound of Tomarou's voice.  "I thought you 
were instructed to inform me when you finished your analysis of the boy?"
	The young man turned around, sweat visible on his forehead.  The man had 
been hard at work.  "Of course, Lord Tomarou, but I am not finished with the 
study, you see."  He looked back at the monitor.  "I have been examining the 
boy's parents while my equipment pulls all the data on the boy that it 
possibly can.  They are very interesting specimens.  Tenatious, to say the 
least."
	Tomarou walked up beside him, looking at the people as they ran.  "You've 
placed them in my garden, I see."
	Kenji nodded.  "I hope you don't mind, but I decided to let Hellcat play 
with them a bit.  I thought that since he is merely an illusionist, he could 
not possibly do them any serious, physical harm."
	Tomarou nodded.  For a scientist, the man had good forethought.  "Very 
well.  With the void-field over my garden, they will not be able to use 
their full strength, if any."  He looked down at Kenji.  "Now, about the 
boy..."
	He nodded, and stood, "Yes, of course, sir."  He led Tomarou into another 
room.  In the middle of it, the boy lay strapped to a table, sensors running 
over him, wires and clamps attached to the boy's skin.  If the blood in 
Tomarou's body had not already chilled ages ago, he would have shivered.  
"I've been looking over the data, but there's an extreme amount.  The boy's 
power is huge, to put it bluntly.  I'm sure that he will have more than 
enough power to break the Seal, but..."  Kenji trailed off as he looked at a 
reading on one of the many screens.
	Tomarou's eyes didn't leave the boy.  "But?"
	"The boy's power has not awakened within him, yet.  He has no concious 
control over it, but it is defending him on some subconcious level.  All my 
attempts to gain control over his mind have thus far failed."
	Tomarou nodded.  "So it was wise of you to suggest we keep his parents as 
bargaining tools."  He walked up to the boy, looking him over.  Compared to 
Tomarou, the boy was frail, weak.  They were seperated by centuries, even 
millenia, of experience and the hardening that comes with life.
	And yet this boy held enough power within himself to wipe Tomarou from 
existance, possibly make it that Tomarou had never been born.
	A perfect tool for the glory of--
	"Wake him,"  Tomarou commanded.
	Kenji paused for a moment, and then pressed a key on the keyboard in front 
of him.  The space around Akria... rippled... and the boy slowly opened his 
eyes.
	"Huh...?  Wha...?"  He opened his eyes wider, shaking his head to clear his 
vision.  He saw a tall, dark-haired man standing over him, a dark cloak 
draped over his shoulders, with black clothing beneath it.  Akira looked up, 
and gasped at the man's eyes.  They were pure black orbs.
	"Who are you?"  Akira looked around, finding himself in a lab of some kind. 
  It reminded him of his grandmother's lab at home, but this one was more... 
primative.  And it wasn't nearly as cool.
	"I see you're awake.  That's good.  Tell me, what is your name, boy?"
	Akira tried to stay calm.  He looked around the lab, trying to see his 
parents.  All he could see were machines, and another man in the back, 
dressed in clean, perfectly cut clothes, with his hair set and parted down 
the middle.  It was clear to Akira that the young man was far to concious of 
his image for his own good.
	"My... I'm Akira Masaki.  Now who are you?"  Akira looked at the man 
defiantly.
	Tomarou could have grinned at the boy's bravery.  "How couragous for one so 
young.  Tell me, Akira, do you have any idea as to the power within you?"
	Akira paused.  What was this guy talking about.  "Who are you?"
	Tomarou sighed.  "I suppose you should know my name.  I am Lord Tomarou Kai 
Aisani.  I am the last of the Priests of the Void."  He recognized the look 
of confusion on the boy's face.  "I will ask you again, Akira.  Do you have 
any idea as to the power you could wield?"
	Akira swallowed the lump in his throat, and shook his head.  This man 
seemed to him to be quite insane.  "What are you talking about?  You mean, 
like my dad's power?  Like the Light Hawk Wings?"
	"Well," the other man spoke up, "I believe that it comes from the same 
source, but yes, like the Light Hawk Wings."
	Akira didn't pay attention to him, his attention captured by Tomarou.  
Tomarou turned to the man behind him.  "Kenji, show Akira his parents."
	Kenji pressed a button, and a screen appeared over Tomarou.  Akira could 
see his parents, running through a forest or garden of some type.
	"Mom!  Dad!"  He struggled against his bindings, and growled.  "Let them 
go, dammit!"
	Tomarou waved his hand, and the screen disappeared.  "I will, Akira, in 
good time.  First, you must listen to me, learn from me, and do as I say."
	Akira tried to stay calm, and brave, but he couldn't.  He could feel the 
fear in his chest, coiling around his heart like a serpent.  He said a 
silent prayer to himself.  "Mayuka, where are you?  I hope at least you're 
okay."

***

	"Okay, now how do I do this again?"  Bryant sat at Washu's computer, the 
red-headed scientist looking over his shoulder, her arms crossed in 
frustration.
	"It's simple.  We'll just waste time by going straight to the Hunter 
Guild's archives, so all you have to do is enter your passcodes, and we'll 
be able to access them from here."
	Bryant shook his head, "That's not what I'm having trouble with."
	Washu raised an eyebrow, "Oh?  What is it, then?"
	Bryant looked at the computer.  "How the hell am I supposed to see the 
buttons on this damn thing?"
	Washu pushed him away.  "Move.  Just give me the passcodes."  Bryant stood 
up, and Washu took her seat back.  Bryant looked around the ship, and leaned 
over, whispering the passcodes in Washu's ear.  She nodded, and began 
typing.
	"Well, how is it going?"  Shadow Dog walked out of the shadow of a tree.
	Bryant shrugged.  "Ask her, I ain't the scientist."  He backed away, 
looking around the ship.  "Damn, this thing is impressive.  This is the 
Tsunami, you say?"  Shadow nodded.  "But, I thought that was the flagship of 
Jurai?"
	"I am."  Sasami appeared almost out of nowhere, walking up behind them 
without making a sound.  Bryant felt a chill go through his body, and then 
immediatly calmed when he saw the goddess.  She bowed her head to him, 
"Hello, Bryant.  I am Tsunami, the ship of Jurai, but, you can call me 
Sasami."
	Bryant nodded, and smiled.  "Well, is this the reason you stayed on Earth, 
Shadow?"
	Shadow shrugged, "One of them," he grinned, and turned away.
	Sasami smiled, and looked at Bryant.  "I thank you for helping us, Bryant.  
Tenchi and Ryoko mean very much to me."
	Bryant nodded, "So everyone keeps telling me, but Ryoko... she's not the 
same Ryoko who attacked Jurai, seven hundred years ago, is she?"
	Washu nodded, "Yep, that's the delinquint.  It wasn't her fault, of 
course."
	"You'd better sit down, Bryant," Shadow said without turning around.  "This 
is going to be a very long explination."
	"I am going to check on Mayuka," Sasami started to walk away.
	"Is she all right, Mistress?"  Shadow's voice echoed through their link.  
"She's been acting strangely.  I'm worried about her."
	"That's nice of you, Seayo, but don't worry.  I'll look out for her.  After 
all, that's what you've done for me for so long, isn't it?"

***

	Mayuka sat against the wall, looking down at the ring in her hands.  It had 
been glowing, only a little while ago.  And the ring was never cold, like 
every other metal.  It was always warm, and had been even warmer when it was 
glowing.  What did it mean?  What kind of ring glows?
	She felt something, and looked up.  Ryo-ohki hopped toward her from the 
darkness of the hallway, miyaing at Mayuka.  The cabbit hopped up into her 
lap, purring.  Mayuka giggled, and petted her friend.
	"How are you doing, Mayuka?"  She looked up at Sasami, and tried to smile.  
She couldn't, distracted as she was by the aura of Light around her aunt.
	"Aunt Sasami, who is he?  Why do I keep seeing him in my dreams?"
	Sasami sighed, and looked out at the space outside the ship.  "I only know 
very little more about him than you do, Mayuka.  He is the Lord of Fallen 
Leaves, like he said.  The caretaker of all lost things."  She looked down 
at Mayuka, and saw her staring at the ring in her hands, her face full of 
sadness.  "Gods like him are meant to be ambiguous, Mayuka.  But, I am 
certain of one thing," Mayuka looked up, "Whatever his reasons, he is trying 
to help.  Otherwise, he would never be able to get past me."
	Mayuka smiled, and looked at the stars.  "We'll be at Jurai soon, won't 
we?"  Sasami nodded.  "I've always wanted to go there.  Mom and Aunt Ayeka 
used to tell me about it, even though it probably hurt Mom to remember.  
She'd never show it, though.  She'd always try to be tough, and never let me 
and Akira see her in pain.  I used to think she couldn't feel it."
	Sasami looked down at Mayuka, again, and could see tears welling in the 
girl's eyes.  "Ryoko has always been like that.  She always tried to act 
like she was made of stone, just as your grandmother meant for her."  Sasami 
knelt down beside Mayuka, and held her niece's face in her hand.  She 
smiled, gently.  "But, she was never very good at it, being such a bad liar, 
and all."
	Mayuka smiled, and wiped her eyes.  "Thanks, Aunt Sasami."
	She nodded.  "I know it is hard to be strong, Mayuka.  I had to do it, many 
times."  She paused, "You're so much like her."
	Mayuka nodded.  "I know.  Everyone keeps reminding me."
	Sasami sat back against the wall with Mayuka.  Sometimes she seemed very 
elegant to Mayuka, like the goddess that she knew Sasami was, and other 
times, like this one, she was just like a normal person.
	"It's not a bad thing, you know?"  They both giggled.  "Mayuka, can you 
keep a secret?"
	She nodded, "Yes."
	"I'm afraid for them, too."

***

	Ingeni grunted as he pulled the blade of his kusarigama out of the man's 
chest.  He hated it when his work got unnecessarily messy like this, but the 
bastard just wouldn't let him look at the security videos of the station.  
He pushed the crumpled waste of flesh off the chair, and sat down, scrolling 
through the logs.
	Kujato said Shadow Dog would come here, to find his old partner.  Ingeni 
spat at the memory of both Shadow and Bryant.  They'd given him no end of 
trouble in the old days, always getting in his way, stealing his bounties.  
And then that damn girlfriend of Shadow Dog's-- a bloody cop!-- destroyed 
his ship.  And the bastard had still lived.
	Ingeni sat back, looking at the security tape of Bryant's apartment.  He 
hissed when he saw Shadow Dog walk in, after knocking Bryant on his ass.  
The bastard still looked the same, and his behavior hadn't changed, 
apparently.  He was still an obnoxious little shit.
	Ingeni leaned forward, looking hard at the two girls with him.  The one 
with a lot of red hair seemed to be the professional type, confident and 
hard-headed.  The other one, the young one with blue hair, seemed distracted 
by something for most of the conversation, and then she finally spoke.  
Whoever these women with Shadow Dog were, they were strange.
	Ingeni shrugged.  It didn't matter who they were, to him.  The only thing 
he cared about was taking Shadow Dog's head to Kujato on a platter.
	He turned up the volume on the recording.  Now all he had to know was where 
they were headed.  He'd follow them into the pits of the hells, if that's 
what it was going to take.

***

	Tenchi looked down worriedly at Ryoko's sleeping body.  She'd just 
collapsed while running, mumbling something about her power.  He could feel 
his own power weakening, slowly.  There was something about the garden they 
were in... he just couldn't put his finger on it.
	He whirled around, hearing them approach.  The blue blade of his sword 
flashed to life, and he held it out in front of himself.  The beasts Hellcat 
had conjoured out of the mist walked through the bushes now, snarling and 
pawing at the ground.
	Tenchi stood firm, watching them.  They began to pace back and forth in 
front of him, hissing.
	"Now, are you willing to listen to me?"  Hellcat appeared out of the fog, 
smiling.
	Tenchi eyed him, "Where is my son?"
	"Put the blade away, and let's talk."  Hellcat looked around him.  "And as 
a show of good faith..."  The mist--beasts disappeared with a wave of his 
hand.  "There, better?"
	Tenchi stood still and ready for several more seconds, with Hellcat 
patiently waiting.  The blade of Tenchiken disappeared, and he lowered the 
hilt.  "All right.  Now, what's going on here?"
	Hellcat raised an eyebrow.  "What do you mean?  There are many things going 
on, Lord Tenchi Masaki.  Plots within plots, dreams within nightmares.  
Where could one begin?"  Hellcat plopped down onto the ground, crossing his 
legs in front of him.
	Tenchi squeezed his fists.  "Don't give me riddles.  I want the truth."  He 
tried to stay calm, sure that this man would call his demons if attacked.
	Hellcat laughed, "Very well, Lord Tenchi.  It seems you do wish to settle 
this like a civilized man!"  He motioned to a large stone near Tenchi.  
"Please, sit."
	Tenchi looked from the stone, to Hellcat, and back again, then sighed and 
sat down.  Hellcat leaned back, looking up at the dark sky with the blue 
moon.  "Where to begin, where to begin, where to begin," he chanted.
	Tenchi spoke.  "You said this was someone's garden.  Lord Tamaro?"
	Hellcat snickered,  "I'll have to remember to use that one!  But, no.  Lord 
Tomarou, He Without a Soul, the Last of the Great Priests of the Void.  A 
very brilliant man.  A visionary, I dare say.  He was the one who found the 
prophecy, and found the Key to the Seal.  He's also the one who will find 
the Talon."
	Tenchi shook his head.  This man was making less sense than the garden they 
were in.  "This is his garden?"  Hellcat nodded.  "Then, is he the one who 
kidnapped us?"
	Hellcat looked to the side, "Kidnapped?  My, what an ugly word.  He may 
have kidnapped the Key, but he did not kidnap you!"  He pointed at Tenchi, 
giving a twisted grin.  "Kidnapping would imply that he wants you for some 
purpose.  You, however, are worthless to his plans.  Maybe."  He snickered.
	Tenchi gritted his teeth, but tried to stay calm.  "Then, does he have 
Akira?  Does Tomarou have my son?"
	Hellcat bobbed his head from side to side, "Ah yes!  The Key is your son, 
isn't he?"
	"What do mean?  What Key?"
	Hellcat, stopped, and looked directly at Tenchi.  "The Key to the Seal of 
Eternity."  He voice was low, and serious.  At least, he appeared to be 
serious.  Tenchi couldn't tell if the man was still being ridiculous.  "You 
don't know the prophecy of the Seal of Eternity, do you, Prince?"  Tenchi 
shook his head.  He wasn't sure he wanted to know.  "The Seal of Eternity 
was put in place by the gods, long ago, to hide away something very 
terrible.  To hide away the Talon of Fate."

***

	"What the hell are we supposed to be doing on Jurai, anyways?"  Bryant 
turned to his old friend.
	Shadow Dog opened his eyes, and looked over at Bryant.  Both of them were 
lounging under trees, and Shadow had almost fallen asleep before Bryant had 
asked the question.
	"Ayeka has been trying to get help from the Supreme Council of Jurai to 
find Tenchi and Ryoko.  But, despite being the First Princess, it hasn't 
been easy."  He sat up, scratching his head.  "Juraians are notoriously 
prejudice and elitist.  They nearly spilled their own blue blood when Prince 
Yosho was revealed to be  half Earthling.  Do you really think that they'll 
divert so much of their resources to find his grandson, and the same woman 
who destroyed half their planet?"
	Bryant leaned back, and whislted.  "Well, damn.  How is it going to help 
with us there?"
	"To help Ayeka convince the Council is only half the reason.  The other 
half is to go back to the City of Twilight."
	"You're cooking up another half-assed plan in that bejeweled head of yours, 
ain't ya?"
	Shadow frowned at him.  "So?  They've always worked before."
	Bryant was tempted to contradict him, but decided to let is pass.  "Things 
are looking pretty damn dark for this mission, ain't they?"
	Shadow looked out at the stars.  "Yea.  But that's nothing new, is it?"
	Bryant chuckled.  "Heheh.  No, it ain't.  Just like old times."

Author's Notes:  And another chapter ends.  Could it be that there is 
actually a plot emerging in this fic?  Who the hell is this Lord of Fallen 
Leaves?  What's up with Mayuka's ring?  And why the hell hasn't Washu blown 
up anything yet?!  Great, now I'm starting to sound like a bad 'Batman' 
episode.  I just hope this series isn't.  As usual, the complaint department 
is killersquid@ticnet.com

-----------

Mayuka:  Washu, is it just me, or does this seem to be going nowhere?
Washu:  Well, only for our characters.  Apparently, the author has lost all 
sense of characterization and plot flow.
Loneshark:  Hey!  I resent that!
Mayuka:  Yea?  And I resent being jerked between "psycho-bitch" and 
"frightened little girl!"
Loneshark:  Ah, shut-up!  I'm busy trying to finish this--
Washu:  You're not going to do anymore damage to this thing!
Mayuka:  Not if we have anything to say about it!
Loneshark:  Hey... hey!  What are you doing?!  Put that down!
(sounds of terror and homicide echo throughout the land... once again!)