Khasma, one eye crushed, wings encased in darkness, legs trying to find a foot hold in the murky waters of the springs, the springs which looked more like Dante's inferno or a fresh series of meteor craters than an inn, reared back and let off a roar that shook the very bones of the Earth. Even as he vented his rage, the tides turned against him. White wolves, spirits of snow and ice in living form, sprinted over the broken walls and burning rubble. They circled and snapped at the dragon, fearless and hungry. "Attack my sons!" shrieked the giant falcon as it flew about the conflict. As the dragon fought back with gleaming fangs and curved claws the water started to bubble and steam even more then before. Out of the flame reflecting waves came Greek soldiers, armed with sword and spear, thin and pale. They joined up, single warriors making lines, lines making squares and spears becoming a forest of sharp points. "Go men!" shouted Hades' voice as he moved among them. Khasma screamed, his great tail and legs smashing many of the warriors into a pulp. But pikes and swords thrust forward and found his exposed flesh. Scales, even that of a God, could do little to stop the weapons of the dead. Even as the Greek warriors and howling wolves swarmed over Khasma, Oni started to appear. Japanese Demons, with horned foreheads and furry bodies, this creatures attacked with superhuman strength and a fury that only the wolves seemed to match. The dragon's breath seemed to have no or little effect on them. Even while the wolves died and the Greek warriors fell back to regroup, the Oni burrowed into Khasma's flesh, like ticks or furry worms. The last of the second wave also came out of the water. They came out of the water slowly, broken spears and rusty swords held in bandaged hands, the mummies of Set marched forward, eyes glowing green with magic. They moved towards the wiggling dragon, step by silent step, weapons at the ready. Khasma felt himself falling apart. Not just losing the battle, not just slowly dying as his vital life force was torn from his solid form. His very existence was coming "undone". If something did not end the battle, one way or the other, he would finally meet a true death. The very pattern of will which made up his thoughts and dreams and emotions was already unraveling even as he lashed at his many foes. Derek helped Washu sit up, while Princess Ayeka and Princess Sasami both worried over Tenchi, who was also sitting up, moaning. Kiyone and Mihoshi stood by, holding useless guns in their hands. "What happened?" whimpered Tenchi as he tried to hold his head, cover his eyes and keep his eyes from rolling out all at once. Sasami was too busy crying with happiness on his right shoulder to answer. "You live?" gasped Washu as she pushed wet hair out of her face. Her face was one of pure joy, only matched by the rest of the girls. "On yes," answered Derek, as his tiny hands checked Washu's head, "he is alive again. I can't say how long that condition will last if we don't get Ryoko awake." "Why Ryoko?" demanded Washu as she rubbed her sword hand, which felt numb. "Yes," added Ayeka, her face becoming confused, "why do we need fossil woman's help?" "Because not only has she the genes of the Goddess within her," replied the gnome, as he peeked up at the floating body of the subject in question, "but she knows what Khasma fears most." Darkness. Pain. Sadness. There was many things, but no more fears. Fears could only exist if there was a chance for hope, for escape. One feared the rock which was about to fall or the approaching flood. After the event, after the decision made by a random act of God or Mother Nature there was no fear, only acceptance of one's fate. Ryoko was almost there, almost at the end. All she had to do was embrace it, embrace the cold, the nothing and she could rest. All she had to do was just that last step backwards, to allow the sadness and darkness to win. To allow everything to just go on like it was, forever doomed to be alone. It promised her peace, it promised her paradise. If only she would stop trying to be happy and just allow herself to live. 'Pain is all you have found,' whispered her inner voice, so calm and rational. 'Don't try. You just exhaust yourself and waste energy. Nobody could love you, not a yellow eyed old mummy.' Despair filled her just as she started to disappear, her mind falling apart, her emotions starting to fade into passive nothingness. "Ryoko." Tenchi's voice. Tricks. Daydreams. It was nothing but a pathetic last try by her brain to save her from reality. "Lady Ryoko!" His voice again. No, can't be his voice... "Ryoko, wake up!" This time the voice was right next to her ear. It tickled her ear and she jerked, her eyes trying to open. 'No,' shrieked the voice within her, 'you know better than this. Remember the ups and downs, remember the pain that outweighed the passion? Why bother? WHY? WHY?' 'Because,' Ryoko's soul replied as she started to fight to the surface again, 'the pain is worth the passion, even if only for the moment.' Tenchi smiled at Ryoko, as Ayeka held him up, her hands under his armpit, the shields keeping both aloft. "Thought we lost you," he pointed out, as he stroked her face, his wet fingers tugging on her light-blue hair. Ryoko couldn't help but hug Tenchi, almost pulling him out of Ayeka's hands and dropping him to the battle raging below. "Hey!" yelped Tenchi as the woman he had known for so long, had been strong for so many adventures, cried against his chest. His naked chest. His wet naked chest. His nose started to leak blood. Tenchi blushed, while Ayeka just growled and said, "HELLO. We have a slight conflict to end. HEY! Ryoko, we need you. TENCHI needs you!" Ayeka glared at Ryoko, her own battle costume soaking wet and badly wrinkled. Ryoko, her face turned red from crying, pulled away and curled her hands into fists. "Where is that piece of SHIT?" she demanded, as she twirled about, body tight with angry. Khasma lifted his head and roared in amazement, as the forces of Goodness fell back, the Oni and wolves, the dead and the mummies, the very Gods scrambled out of the range of his claws. 'I will win!' thought the Kami of Chaos, as it stared about with its one good eye, the hind legs preparing to launch it into battle again. "DIE!" shrieked Ryoko as she slammed into the dragon, hands burning with red energy, raking the scales, cooking the flesh as Khasma screamed in horror. "NO!" "YES!" responded Ryoko as Set stepped forward and cloaked both of the combatants in total darkness. "Why don't you help her?" demanded Princess Sasami, as she stared at the globe of darkness that dominated the hot springs. "Won't want to get in her way," commented Lucifer, as he handed Washu a towel. 'NO, NO, NO, NO!' thought Khasma as the God, the Goddess, the form of chaotic energy tried to rip itself out of the darkness. The choking, clogging veils of night. The dragon roared and spat fire, trying to bring light, light to fight back the fear. It never planned to go back to the pit, the hell of nothing. It could not break out of the darkness, nor could it fight against the piece of the Goddess. It could not absorb, it could not think, it could not do anything but one thing. Die. Ryoko embraced the fear, fueling her rage. She attacked, her nails like claws, slicing, digging, pulling the oblivious dragon's body into pieces. She went insane with old nightmares and new phobias. It burned within her, her arms like pistons, covered in black blood up to her elbows. The scent of ozone filled with the air as her glowing hands beat the rhythm of death into the darkness. Two creatures of power trapped in the darkness they both feared, both feeling the despair of the hopelessness. Suddenly it was over. Khasma laid there, blood dripping out of gaping wounds, flesh scorched and hanging from broken bones. Ryoko stood over the large corpse, blood covered and exhausted. Ryoko stared at her hands, the sticky blood clinging to the fingers and felt cleansed. As the darkness fell away and Tenchi stepped over the crushed rocks and muddled water to hug her, Ryoko started to cry. It was a great, body racking sob. Katsuhito watched as the van pulled up. Behind him the house had been repaired and repainted, making it as close to perfect as any home could ever get. He pushed up his glasses, noticing that everyone in the van seemed less than rested. As the van doors opened and the group poured out, he frowned, noticing a newness. "What happened?" grandfather demanded as they approached, carrying their luggage. "Well," said his son-in-law, Nobuyuki, "the end of the universe almost came about." "I was killed," added Tenchi as he dragged a large bag. "Don't forget I lost my fear of the dark," stated Ryoko as she gave Tenchi a gentle hug. "I have a date with Loki next week," continued Washu with an impish grin, as she spun about in her cloak. "I could never resist tricksters." "I hathe fa kold," whimpered Ayeka as she hugged herself. "She means, she has a cold," giggled Sasami as she ran inside to make some tea. "Meowl!" "I burnt out my gun from overuse," grumbled Kiyone. "I got split ends," complained Mihoshi as she fingered her hair. "I see," replied the old man, deciding it was best to kept most of his thoughts to himself. "Oh," said Tenchi, "we're not allowed to visit the inn again." "Not that there's much left this time," joked Ryoko. Epilogue: If there was ever going to be a World War III, there is very little doubt it might look like the Hot Springs Inn after a visit from Tenchi and friends. The old woman stared at the wreckage, the bodies and the slayed dragon and couldn't even start to understand what had happened. "Weirdos," she babbled as she entered what was left of her poor inn to get a drink of something slightly stronger than green tea.. Seconds later a boy appeared out of no where and entered the dirty water, bending down to blindly search with his hands. He moved about, touching this and that, his face calm and sure. Suddenly he smiled. He pulled the black sword out of the water and nodded. "This will be a great help during the final conflict," said Lucifer before disappearing. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------- Tenchi Muyo! characters and settings are owned by AIC and Pioneer. Everything else is mine. Don't sue me.