Lord of the Demons ************************************************************************** Disclaimer: Tra lala lala! I'm so happy right now that I could hug a thorn bush. Oh well, you know the drill. I never was part of the creation of Tenchi Muyo and probably never will. I am not under employment of AIC or Pioneer. And I am totally broke because...........uhh, I'll get back to you on that one. (PS Please don't sue me!) ************************************************************************** Chapter 7: Returning to the Past Red dust blew through the air as Ryoko stood at the edge of cliff. She watched a large group of soldiers move through a valley at the bottom of the cliff. Ryoko held a small transmitter to her ear and pushed a button on it to turn it on. Static came over the tiny speaker and she pulled the antenna up. She then watched the soldiers move through the canyon a bit longer. She nodded and pressed a button on the side of the transmitter. "Alright, Fox are your boys ready?" she asked whispering into the microphone. A deep and raspy voice whispered back. "Yes, when ever you are." "Okay, I'm getting ready now, just be sure you guys don't hit me, clear?" "Loud and clear," Fox came back. Ryoko turned the radio off and set it on the ground she jumped off the cliff and flew down the side of the valley wall. The soldiers suddenly looked up as she flew over their heads. Some ducked while others fired at her. On top of the adjacent cliff men lined the edge with rocket launchers. "Rockets ready," Fox said lifting his arm. "Fire!" A volley of rockets came flying down toward the bottom of the valley and the soldiers. Ryoko flew as fast as she could so she herself wouldn't get caught by the explosions. She had to dodge a couple of the blasts but she made it out and stopped. She turned around and fired a beam into the chaos, ensuring to kill everyone that was left alive after the shelling. She flew back up to the cliff and walked to her radio. She picked it up and turned it on. "Good job Fox, you managed not to hit me." "I do my best, nice working with the famous Ryoko." "So I'm famous huh?" "Yeah, with both our side and the enemy." "Well, don't forget, you're kind of a legend in your own right." "You're talking about the one hundred and four confirmed?" "Sure am, not even I have broken that record. Lets not forget the countless secret ops you under took while you were with the Gwarvian Underground." "Oh well, all a memory now. I need to be moving on, if me or my troops stay here we'll probably get caught." "I hope to see you again, maybe it'll be sometime after this war." "If that's the case then I'll show you why I'm called "Fox"." "I'm going to hold you to that," Ryoko said and giggled a bit. Fox laughed also and turned his radio off. Ryoko pushed a button and change the frequency on the radio. "HQ this is Ryoko, HQ come back," she said. "This is HQ, what's your status?" a young man came back. "Mission completed, the entire unit was wiped out." "What about Fox?" "He is returning to his camp, he will radio in soon, I promise..." Suddenly the radio went dead. Ryoko turned the switch on and off several times before hooking it on her bandoleer. She looked around and suddenly a bright blue light exploded in the distance. "The hell? That wasn't any type of incendiary device I've ever seen," she said to herself and floated slowly upward until the flash died down. She thought for a bit and flew toward it. Two hooded figures touched down on the red surface. Both had red robes on that were tattered. One of them fell over and kicked up dust. The other put it's hand to it's head and sighed. "Can't you even stand up?" the short one asked. "Well, I'm sorry but I just can't walk in this robe." "Just stay here, I'll be right back," the figure looked up and revealed itself to be Washu. "Okay Mihoshi?" "All right." "You know what to do when I get back?" "I'm to open the dimensional portal with my control cube so that we will be able to get back to your lab and recover Ryoko's memory." "Good, you actually remembered!" "Well, you did repeat it to me six times or so." "Don't remind me," Washu replied and then started to walk away. She didn't get far however when Ryoko landed in front of her. She looked at them and frowned. "You must be special agents, where are you from, 276th, 8723rd?" "We aren't from a unit Ryoko, we are here to help you see the truth," Washu explained. Ryoko looked at her confused before raising her arm and opening her fist in front of Washu's face. Washu stared at Ryoko's eyes through her fingers and Ryoko drew her hand away. It headed for her head as she grabbed it and fell to her knees in pain. "My. . . My head. . . it hurts!" she screamed out. Washu kept staring at her. Ryoko soon lay on the dusty ground in a ball. "You have to free your mind Ryoko, then the pain will stop." "Free. . . my mind?" Ryoko asked in pain. "Yes, you must see past all of this, see the world that is actually here." Ryoko closed her eyes as sweat ran down her face. She slowly opened her eyes and saw grey powdered dust covering the ground around her and Washu. She quickly closed them and got up. "It's not true," she said before releasing energy out in a rage. "IT'S NOT TRUE!" Washu stared at her daughter and sighed. Ryoko settled down and looked at Washu. She pulled her energy sword out and pointed it at her. "I don't know who the hell you are but my orders are to destroy the enemy and it's pretty obvious you are an enemy," Ryoko explained. She flew at Washu who dodged out of the way and pulled out her own sword. They stood off and looked into each others eyes. "Ryoko, I'm not your enemy, your mind is. It is tricking you into seeing this world as a war torn planet when in reality it isn't." "Why should I believe an enemy?" Ryoko asked pulling her sword up. "Because I'm your mother, Ryoko." "Liar! I've been alone all of my life!" she yelled and flew at Washu. They locked blades as sparks of pure energy came off of where they met. Washu flew back and fired at Ryoko who disappeared. Washu quickly spun around and fired another blast. Ryoko appeared in front of the beam and dodged it. A cut formed on her cheek and trickled blood. She slowly took a knee while panting heavily. "How?" Ryoko asked out loud. "As I told you I am your mother and therefore I am connected with you." "Then were you the one? The one trying to talk to me? The one giving all of these headaches?" "Yes, just as I was the one showing the true form of this planet." "But it . . . cannot be real," Ryoko declared strangely. She rose up and started to move around like a puppet. The setting changed around them to the grey dust. The planet Hades was changed back to the barren god-forsaken place it once was. Ryoko lurched over to Washu and leveled her hand with Washu's head. Then her mouth began to move as if Ryoko had no control over its movement. "Give up Washu," a deep voice said. "You are going to have to face it, I'll always be a step ahead." "Atmos, release her this minute!" "Not a chance." Ryoko fired a beam and Washu rolled out of the way. She jumped back as another beam exploded near her. "Mihoshi!" Washu yelled as she ran to her. "Right away!" she said in panic as she started to twist and turn her control cube. "Incoming!" Washu yelled and threw Mihoshi to the ground. A beam went right past Mihoshi's feet. "I've got it open Miss Washu." "Get in quick, I'll be right behind you!" Mihoshi did as told and jumped into the swirling portal. Washu pulled out her sword and flew at Ryoko. Ryoko brought out her sword also and they clashed. "I thought the Astral tie was cut off, but it seems I was wrong," Atmos said through Ryoko's body. "Always a step ahead, huh?" Washu sneered. "You will not foil my plan to destroy Jurai and deliver you to Tokimi." "And you know what happened the last time someone tried to bring me to this Tokimi?" "Clay was an old fool who jumped the gun and didn't predict the power of the Light Hawk Wings and that boy." "I wont argue the old fool part." "I studied the Light Hawk Wings and the power they can wield, and that is why I kept on top, and why I will win!" he yelled and threw Ryoko's arm to the right, breaking the stand off. Washu stumbled back a bit and then thrust her sword forward. Ryoko deflected it and slashed at her. It cut Washu's robe a little as she fell over. Ryoko smiled evilly and walked to her mother. She pointed her sword at Washu's throat. "Like I said," Atmos said. "Always on top." "What good will I be dead?" "As long as your brain is intact we can revive you and extract the necessary information," Atmos said through Ryoko and began to laugh. Washu closed her eyes and started to concentrate. A soft white light came off of her body and Ryoko watched in confusion. Shortly after Ryoko fell backward and passed out. "Ry --- Ryok ---- Ryoko?" the voice of Washu beckoned. Ryoko lay on a table in the sub-space laboratory of Washu's surrounded by bright lights. She opened her eyes slowly and tried to focus them. Ryoko slowly got up and sat on the edge of the table rubbing her eyes. "Washu, is that you?" she asked. "Yes Ryoko, welcome back." "What happened?" "I'm sorry, Atmos had taken over your mind and body so I had to knock you unconscious." "Wait, where's Tenchi!?" she asked in distress. Washu cleared her throat and began to explain. "Do you remember when we were all on the planet Hades?" "Yeah, why?" "After Tenchi was drained of all his energy, Atmos came after each of you." "Go on," Ryoko said. "Well, thanks to Sasami both Ryo-Ohki and I got away. After we returned to my sub-space lab, I saw Atmos climb into each of your minds and brainwash you all into thinking that these people, places, and things existed." "That bastard," Ryoko replied. "His main plan was to make sure that none of us got in the way of him not only destroying Jurai but capturing me also." "So then what?" "Well, I tracked the positions of everyone as Atmos sent them to each planet, right now Lord Tenchi, Sasami, and Lady Ayeka are all wandering around on Ishtar, the dead planet." "Dead planet?" "Yes, you see, one civilization that tried to get away from Hades headed for Ishtar. But no one ever got off of the planet for you see; they all died, not even after 600 years could anyone figure out what happened." Ryoko gasped and looked at Washu. "Washu..." "We need to get there and save Lord Tenchi before whatever slaughtered those people gets him, Ayeka and Sasami." To be continued... ***************************************************************************** Next Chapter: With Ryoko finally on their side, Washu and Mihoshi travel to Ishtar to save Tenchi and the rest before something gets them! It's a reunion on the next chapter of Lord of the Demons: Chapter 8: Tenchi Redux *****************************************************************************