The van came to a halt and Nobuyuki turned off the engine, while saying, "We're here!" The Hot Springs Inn was before them, a traditional inn, which seemed to sprawl over the grounds. The country surrounding it was a mixture of farmland and wild woods, like a rural jigsaw of earth, tamed by generations of Japanese farmers, mixed with patches of wild forests and shadow filled thickets. "Tenchi and I will unpack," said Nobuyuki, acting like an adult for a change, "why don't you girls say hello to the old woman who runs the inn?" "I'm not so sure she is going to like seeing us again," remarked Mihoshi, as she slipped out of the back seat. "This is where you met Tenchi?" asked Kiyone, as she also stepped out, taking one of the smaller bags with her and brushing her green hair out of her face. "Oh yes," blushed Mihoshi as she stretched, trying to undo all the cramps within her muscles. "Lord Tenchi saved my life here. I told you all about it, remember." "Yes," commented Kiyone, as Washu stepped out of the van, dressed up in a formal black cloak and looking very much like a tiny lady of Victoria England. Ryoko and Ayeka, both glaring at each other, started to unfold themselves from the front seat, where they had been fighting over Tenchi's lap. Princess Sasami and Ryo-Ohki climbed out of the back, digging themselves out of the piles of luggage and suitcases, with the help of the two males. "I don't feel so well," complained Sasami as she blinked up at the sun, rubbing her forehead. "I can't say I'm surprised," said Tenchi as he pulled out one of the bags, "it smells like a bottle of perfume broke back here." "Broke?" said Princess Ayeka, as she rushed over to the back of the van. "Did one of my bottles of Juraian perfume break? Oh no, do you know how much that costs?" "Slightly more than all the panties you bought last week, I would say," smirked Ryoko as she winked at Tenchi. "I was out shopping with my Mom," hissed Ayeka, "and she got them for me after she learned about you taking my old ones." "Hey!" stated Ryoko, "I thought you forgave me? Just like YOU to bring up old news." "At least," murmured Ayeka as she gestured towards one of the bags, "I know how to wear perfume. Last time you wore it, EVERYONE in Japan could smell you." Tenchi turned red and tried not to listen, saying to his father, "We better go put these in the proper rooms!" "Yes," said Tenchi's father as he pushed his glasses up the ridge of his nose, "we must take these bags to rooms. I mean, the right rooms." "You really should teach them manners," said Kiyone. "They act like kids half the time. What? Mihoshi, what did I say that was so funny?" "Nothing," choked blond police woman as she walked away from the van, trying to get to the main hall of the inn without laughing or dropping any of her small overnight bags. "Why are Washu and Princess Sasami snickering?" demanded Kiyone as she followed. "He's here," hissed one of the many shadows that moved among the nearby trees. "Yes," added another shadow, its voice also a hiss, "the key holder is here." "Do we move now?" asked the first voice, as it slithered across the branch it was sitting on. "No," replied a third shadow. The third shadow was larger and the voice was solid sounding. The other shadows among the trees seemed to relax, slinking back into the darkness. "No, the signs are not yet right." "So," said the old woman as she met them at the front door, "you're all back. And with a new girl?" Tenchi and company bowed, as his father stated, "Yes. Her name is Kiyone and she is a friend of Mihoshi." The old woman waved a hand and said, "Greetings. Try not to get into trouble like the rest of these buffoons." "OKkkkkk," replied Kiyone as the rest of the group blushed or stared at their feet. "Luckily," continued the old woman, "the inn is slow this week, so you won't be disturbing anybody with your strange shenanigans. You can call up demons or set fires or peek into the female side of the hot springs all you want." This last statement was directed towards Nobuyuki, who blushed. "Yes, madam," said Tenchi, as he also turned red, bowing again and again. "We just want to relax. I swear." "Right," replied the old woman with disbelief on her face. "You know where everything is. Lunch will be ready at noon. Try not to blow up anything before then, OK?" "Yes, madam," said all, as the old woman withdraw back to her office. "Wow," stated Kiyone as she turned to stare at the group, "what did you do to this inn last time?" "Well," explained Princess Sasami as she tried not to blush, "much of the time, the inn seems to be a turning point in our affairs." "What a nice way of saying that we've almost destroyed this place," said Ryoko as she went transparent and went through the doors into the main hall. "Hey," said Princess Ayeka, as she and her sister entered the main hall, "we didn't ALMOST destroy this inn last time. If I remember right, we helped repair it." Mihoshi and Kiyone followed, while Washu went off for a walk in the woods, leaving behind Tenchi and Nobuyuki. "I got a bad feeling about this," remarked Tenchi as his dad piled bags and suitcases into his arms. "Yes," commented Nobuyuki, "but think of it. She gave us permission to peek. It's a sign from the GODS! I can finally pass on the family skills of the peeking tom." "Right," sighed Tenchi as he turned to face the inn. "Just great." "The red haired one," pointed out a shadow, as Washu moved through the forest. "Yes, Brother," stated another shadow, "the time will be soon. We must wait only an hour." "Yes," answered many, as they moved through the tree tops like dark butterflies, barely disturbing them. Washu picked up a flower and sniffed it. The scent of the flower seemed familiar but was hard to find among her memories, like a candle held before the sun. New ones were always pouring in, day after day, like a river flooding the surrounding hills. Some memories were being washed away by the weird, new information. Washu sighed and stood up. "A person is only the sum of her parts," Washu told the flower. Washu continued to walk, till she reached a point where she could look down on the trees and bushes below. A valley seemed to open up to her, full of colors and sounds, like a scene from an artistic Samurai movie. "What I am, my mind and values, are just the result of my life, my experiences, my memories." Washu started to pull the flower apart. The petals were picked up by the breeze and carried away, floating down into the valley, lost in the blizzard of life. "What happens when my old memories from millions of years start to pour into my mind, causing me to submerge, like mud plains under an advancing sea," demanded Washu, as she tossed the stem onto the ground. "Will I stay Little Cute Washu or will I become something worse?" The stem did not reply. The wind played with her hair as she stood there and waited for an answer. Khasma felt the time coming closer. The river of time was about to reach the sea of decision. Billions of years of insanity and captivity would come to an end in one great burning moment. Gray eyes burned with delight, as Khasma waited, holding back the rage and frustration. The time would come, the time would come when he would release it. He would not waste it here, not in this cold, dark pit. There was nothing to target, nothing to shout at. Nothing to hate. But soon he would be back in the real plane. The plane of his painful birth. The source of his life, the source of his power. The universe he had been ripped out of it by the very people he had saved. He would get the betrayers, then he would get the Goddess and then he will rejoin with the universe. He would bring it back to the way it was. He would bring it back to the beginning and once again he would be the Kami of Chaos. Calm, silent darkness would rule again and all would be as it should. Soon it would not need a form or a voice or even thoughts. All that was needed was the key. "Well," said Sasami as she slipped into the water, looking about, "are we all here?" "I guess so," said the blushing Ayeka, as Ryoko sat in the water next to her. "Calm down Princess," stated the yellow eyed demon, "you called us all here." "Meow!" stated Ryo-Ohki from a nice, warm and very dry rock. "Why call us here anyway?" asked Mihoshi, as she stood in the warm water and massaged Kiyone's shoulders. "Well," said the Jurai Princess, trying to relax in the hot water, "I wanted to chat with you about HOW we should behave in front of Tenchi. I know most of us look at each other as rivals. Normally we would be fighting. In fact, we've already started fighting while getting here in the van." She checked to make sure her purple hair stayed piled on her head, safe and dry. "That wasn't my fact," pointed out Kiyone, "I'm not even interested in him." "Lord Tenchi is so brave and handsome," giggled Mihoshi, "I can't help but feel strong emotions towards him. His grandfather even asked me-" "I'm not talking about you two," exclaimed Ayeka, drowning out Mihoshi's babbling, "I'm talking about me and Ryoko." "Get to the point," smiled Ryoko as she leaned towards Ayeka, leering. Ayeka crossed her arms in front of her naked chest and added, "My point being that Tenchi is here to RELAX. What we need to do is help him relax. Our fighting does not help him relax. Is that simple enough for you, Miss Ryoko?" "Yes, sure," stated Ryoko with a grin, as she splashed Princess Ayeka. "Hey! My hair!" Mihoshi frowned but was silent, working on the knots in Kiyone's muscles. "What's the old woman's name, anyway?" inquired Kiyone. "Gee," commented Mihoshi, "I never asked." Within the inn, among the ceiling beams and arches flowed an army of darkness. Unholy knights of the Unknown Order poured into the unused rooms, preparing themselves. Swords and knives were sharpened as nets were unfolded. Stars, throwing daggers and darts were dipped in poison. "He is in the hot spring," reported one of the many shadows. "The red haired one is still outside," said another as it prepared a long sword for battle. "Time to strike!" commanded the leader of the Order. Khasma strained at the bonds, testing the limits of the pit. 'Yes, now, my warriors, strike now!' White hair spread out like lightning or a giant spider web. Gray eyes burned brighter and clawed fingers gleamed in the twilight of Khasma's cage. 'NOW!' "Dad!" yelped Tenchi as he watched his father start to climb the wall dividing the male and female sections of the hot springs. "This is how we got into trouble last time!" "Nonsense," replied Nobuyuki as he tested his footing on one of the larger rocks, "you heard the old woman. We can do anything we want now." "I don't think that was what she meant," sighed Tenchi with a shake of his head. Before Tenchi or his father could say anything else, the wall of the inn exploded outwards, burning wood and flaming debris slamming into the steaming water. "What the-" shouted Tenchi before the swarm of warriors splashed into the water. Armed with swords and ropes, wrapped in tight jet-black jackets and harnesses, the shadow ninja seemed to flow through the water like sharks. Tenchi barely had time enough to block the first punch and dodge one of the sword thrusts. Then they were on top of them, pushing him down into the water. He screamed as his mouth filled with water. Washu stared at the flame and smoke that shot up into the air, beyond the trees and shrubbery, framed by a silent sky. Washu started to run, crashing through the dead branches and small brush that grabbed at her cloak. "That came from the inn!" Suddenly dark shapes fell out of the trees like black rain or maybe more like rabid flying squirrels. As they fell, they unfolded, holding flashing knives and knotted ropes. Soft thuds sounded as they landed on their feet, ready for action. Washu slid to a stop and raised up her hands, fingers pointing. "What the heck was that?" demanded Ryoko, as she shot upwards, out of the water. She headed towards the wall that separated the female side of the spring from the male side. "Lady Ryoko," said Princess Ayeka, "don't you dare peek at Tenchi when he's nude." Before anybody else could react, dark blurs appeared over the top of the wall. Black, thin chains moved about Ryoko, enclosing her, trapping her, before jerking her over the wall, into the male side of the inn's hot springs. "Ryoko!" screamed Sasami, as Ayeka, still nude, shot out of the water, force fields rippling about her like a storm. Explosions started to appear on the other side, sending up pieces of rocks and smoking wooden planks. Ayeka closed her eyes while touching a small ring on one of her fingers. Within seconds, with a flash of light, she was in her dark Juraian battle costume and ready for action. 'Lucky for me I started wearing an extra ring,' thought the First Princess of the Royal Family of Jurai as she adjusted the fit. Mihoshi seemed to be in shock, as Kiyone lunged out of the water, pulling a pair of pistols from under the towel and other items in her small private bag. "Mihoshi, here!" She tossed her partner the extra gun as she checked her own. Ayeka did not have to fly very far and didn't even reach the wall. Trouble came for her, as a dozen ninja leapt over the wall, with flashing blades and spinning nets. Red light flared as Kiyone took out one of the invaders with a shot. Princess Ayeka yelped, "TENCHI!" at the same time she ensnared two of the foes with tentacle like force fields. Another tried to attack her with a pair of small knives, but knocked himself out when he made contact with the tiny guardians that surrounded the Princess. The tiny logs went snap, crackle, pop and he was down. "Move faster," hissed one of the knights. Down the hall they fled, with the unconscious Tenchi dragged between them, wrapped within chains and nets. Behind them, through the hole in the wall, fought the yellow eyed one. Hundreds of their comrades encircled her, holding her back. Most would die, but they were more willing to die here, a clean death. Failure would bring them worse than death. "They will soon follow," hissed another, as he helped pull the boy along the floor. "Good." In a small living room, with a burning fire and a huge comfortable chair, sat Derek. His eyes were closed and his face pale. He LOOKED dead to the world, yet he was just the opposite. His mind was searching, probing and absorbing the space about the Hot Springs Inn. "I see the problem," said the gnome out loud, as his eyes opened and he shook his head. "I never realized how weak that area was." "The walls there are very thin," whispered a girlish voice. "We should have known. The inn is a maze of weak spots, linking it to hundreds of planes. Even the plane of the mind." "So, you think the Unknown Order is going to try to pull Khasma back to this plane?" "Of course," stated a mixture of voices, "this universe IS Khasma. Once he returns he will be part of it and all things will END. Even the Goddess won't be able to stop him." "It," whimpered the girlish voice. "He, she, it," said Derek as he picked up his forgotten pipe, "kami is the word we should use. Why wait so long before telling me?" "We did not know what or who the key was before this," answered the tiny voice of the girl who seemed to float beyond his vision. "We had to wait for THEM to show us." "Tenchi," murmured the many voices of Derek's race as they started to enter the space around him. "Nice to see you have decided to take an interest in local events," growled Derek to the members of his race. "No time for bitterness," said the girlish voice, "we must fight the darkness, together, as one race." 'Lady, I fear the one thing we can't stop is about to happen.' 'D3, if Khasma returns, we most withdraw at once.' 'Understood.' "TENCHI!" Ryoko slashed a path through the black suited foes, incinerating a dozen and knocking ten times their number into the boiling water. Their death screams filled the air, as others leapt forward, weapons at the ready. They seemed to be a never-ending stream of them, slipping out of the inn's windows and from behind the doors. "Ryoko!" shouted Ayeka's voice as she appeared, the center of whirlwind of power. The dark warriors did not delay or slow, but broke into two groups, each attacking without thought. Ayeka fought back, her fields acting both as shields and invisible hammers, blocking and crushing the attacking intruders. A shriek shook the very inn, as Ryoko became a torch of fire, heat and rage, consuming the remaining warriors, like flames consumed paper. The rocks glowed and the water hissed, as the waves of white energy and walls of yellow flame expanded and cleansed the area, burning away the darkness with an exploding nova of pure emotions. Soon it was silent. Princess Ayeka landed next to the smoking Ryoko, standing on an ash covered rock, still warm from Ryoko's flames. "Ryoko, are you OK?" Ryoko, eyes glowing like twin suns, growled, baring her fangs. "Where did they take Tenchi?" She moved about the air like a nervous humming bird, her red and black outfit giving the impression that she was an unbalanced flying clown. Nobuyuki groaned, as he lifted his head and looked about. He held his head next the water, splashing some of the warm wetness onto his face and asked, "What happened?" Another shadow disappeared as Washu sent the leaping warrior into another dimension of existence with a wave of her hand. She had been forced back, up against a tree, as they surrounded her. Circling her like wolves, zigzagging about her like ghosts. Blocking her from getting to the inn, preventing her from reaching the hot springs and whatever was happening there. No matter how many she sent away, others appeared. 'There must be thousands,' thought Washu as she dodged an arrow that slammed into the tree behind her. She lifted her hands, palms facing outwards, waiting for the next wave. She snarled and said, "You won't stop me." Her cloak, now torn, flapped behind her like broken wings. Kiyone and Mihoshi rushed down the hallway, pistols in hand, robes stuck to wet skin. "The water trail seems to go towards the kitchen," panted Kiyone. "Tenchi must be there!" gasped Mihoshi. They rushed into the kitchen, pushing through the doorway's split curtains, guns at the ready. Before them was a peaceful scene. The old woman, in her kitchen robe, was cooking noodles. Next to her was a large rice cooker and a plate of steamed dumplings. She looked up in outrage. "How am I going to get anything done with all this...what are those? Guns?" "Er," said Mihoshi as she looked about. "Have you seen any ninja around here?" "What?" "Never mind madam," stated Kiyone as she backed out of the kitchen. "Have a nice day," added Mihoshi as she followed her partner back into the hall. 'We have to find Tenchi,' thought Mihoshi as she rushed to follow Kiyone, their feet slapping on the floor mats. 'I can't let him die without telling him how much I care!' They moved silently, heading towards the female side of the hot springs, Tenchi still wrapped tightly between them. Sliding doors were open and shut silently, allowing the party to move without much noise or hindrance. "The females have left the lock," hissed one of the knights. "Yes," said the leader, "now we will insert the key." For the first time the members of the Unknown Order chuckled as they flowed into the female changing room, towards the hot springs. Sasami hid behind the rock, with Ryo-Ohki, as the dark shadows entered the female side of the springs. Between them hung Tenchi, wrapped in ropes and chains. They lowered him onto the walkway, as a few of the ninja moved into the water, searching the air. They did not seem to be alert for any danger from outside the pool, but focused totally on the search. "There," hissed one, pointing. Princess Sasami gasped quietly as she glanced at the point where the man had pointed. It was a dent in the air, a dark spot. A keyhole floating in the air, like a tiny black sun. It seemed not only to release black light, but to suck up sunlight, allowing the shadows to become stronger. The men seemed to become taller and bigger, their motions more determined as they started to move towards the keyhole, forming a circle. Sasami whimpered, as they lifted Tenchi and carried him into the water. "Wake him," commanded the largest, a long katana in his right hand. The sword seemed to also suck up the darkness from under the walkways and between the planks, as if living on it. Flames and smoke came from over the dividing wall of the springs, adding to the shadows. Even the late morning sun which was still climbing into the sky seemed to be hiding itself, becoming dim, as if hiding in fear. It was as if night was trying to cloak the Earth in the middle of the day. Princess Sasami felt the very water and air become colder. Even Ryo-Ohki, with her fur, seemed to shiver. Tenchi was laid down on the rock nearest to the dark hole in the air and one of the warriors gently patted him on the face, as the leader lifted his black blade and said, "Before nature, before order, before thought, even before the Gods of Order and Darkness there was nothing but fire and pain." "Fire and pain," whispered a few of the ninja, as others just bowed their heads. "The fire cooled and formed, pooled into atoms and energy," lectured the leader as he slashed the sword about, seeming to leave behind purple and greens lines in the air. This lines faded, like fireworks, slowly falling towards the water. "The pain NEVER cooled," continued the leader, "but it did congeal into a being." "Chaos," answered the others, as they moved away from Tenchi. The boy's fingers were twitching. "God of Chaos, Goddess of Pain, Kami of the Chasm. Khasma, still young and powerful, a faction of the Universe. A tiny splinter of infinity. It is he, it is she, it is it who defeated the Goddess at the beginning of time. The first great battle, the first in the conflict of forever. Khasma slammed the doorway on the Goddess and the first victory belonged to our Universe." "Then come the fall," hissed the waiting crowd, as Tenchi started to open his eyes, looking about. "The first races, powerful and strong, trapped Khasma in the nothingness, so they may claim the Universe as their own," continued the leader, as he lifted the sword into the air, "taking away a part of him, taking her body, its life." "Now we have the key," added the members of the Unknown Order, as Tenchi got to his feet, still naked and looking confused. "Where am I?" demanded Tenchi as he looked about. "HEY! What did you do to the girls? Where is Ayeka and Ryoko? Why am I naked?" "Dead," said the leader, as he pointed the tip of his sword at Tenchi, "as you will soon be." "NOOOO!" screamed Tenchi, his eyes filled with hate and fear. "That was Tenchi!" stated Ayeka, as both she and Ryoko responded by launching themselves towards the top of the wall. "TENCHI!" yelled Ryoko, her hands becoming fists of glowing red power. Washu felt something about to happen. Something that had to be stopped. "No," she shouted, as she blasted the last wave of attackers, sending them flying backwards in a wave of smoking bodies. "NO!" Sasami realized what was going to happen, even before the three glowing fans of energy appeared before Tenchi's hands. The Light-Hank Wings seemed to push back the darkness, causing even the Unholy Knights to fall back a couple of steps, many trying to sink into the water to dodge the pulsing light. Tenchi was consumed by two of the fans, as they traveled up his arms, to his body. Within seconds he stood before the Unknown Order in the white, crisp, clean battle costume. Tiny fans of the Light-Hawk Wings appeared on his forehead, as the third wing pulsed and turned into the sword. He held it in both hands and lifted it about his head, giving off a battle cry of anger and pain. The edges of the bunt sword seemed to glow, sharp and unforgiving. "No, Tenchi!" shouted Sasami, but it was too late. Even as Ayeka and Ryoko seemed to bounce over the wall, both prepared for battle, it was too late. Kiyone and Mihoshi appeared in the hole, both armed and were helpless to do anything. Even Tenchi's face showed he had recognized something was wrong, but his body was already responding, the arms striking out with his Light-Hawk sword. Tenchi's straight sword clashed with the dark one's katana, a perfectly aimed swing met with a well timed parry, directing the tip of Tenchi's sword right into the keyhole. There was a crack of thunder and for one long moment the very air seemed to hum with a thousand bees. Then there was a loud click as a door, a true to honest DOOR, appeared to open up right in the air above the water. Khasma screamed in delight and rushed towards the doorway back to his body. There was pain, the pain of being reborn, but it seemed right. It seemed correct. It seemed to complete Khasma. Washu's horrified moan filled the pathway. She fell to her kneels and started to weep. Above her the sun started to fade, to die, as the very clouds seem to grow, spreading across the sky like swarms of locust. The dark shadows moved past her, moving across the soft ground towards the inn, forgetting their victim. Washu was no longer important to them. Anyway, the Kami of Chaos already had plans for this fragment of the Goddess. Khasma appeared, surrounded in spinning darkness and sparks of light. Long white hair swirled about a tan oval face and burning gray eyes. The body was slim, almost feminine, wrapped in a white toga and with a purple slash around the waist. The appearance was that of a Greek deity, pure beauty but for the smile. It was cruel and failed to hide the fangs that dimpled the lower lip. The eyes locked onto Tenchi and the smile grew bigger. Even as Sasami watched the door seemed to melt, as the tiny universe that had acted like a cage was destroyed by its lack of demand. The shadows seemed to grow stronger, their eyes glowing with energy, even while they all bowed towards the new comer, the newly born God. Ryoko and Ayeka seemed to look ill. Ryoko glared at her own fists and noticed the energy seemed to be slowly drained, threads of red being pulled towards Khasma's person. "Ryoko," whimpered Ayeka, "my shields are growing weaker..." "Thank you," said the leader of the knights with glee. "Thank you for unlocking the door for us." Suddenly the leader twirled, black sword flashing under the larger one and Tenchi crashed into the water, blood seeming to explode out of his chest. "NO!" cried Princess Sasami. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------- Tenchi Muyo! and related characters are owned by AIC and Pioneer. Khasma is all mine!