Brian Burke
Tenchii@hotmail.com

=-=-=-=-=
Disclaimer:  Pioneer owns these characters.  I don't.

Author's notes:  Is it just me, or are my Disclaimers shrinking?
Anyways, is everyone having fun?  The two groups have met, and now the
war begins.  The main fighting will be between the Misas, Ayekas,
Tenchis and Ryokos.  The Tenchis and Ryokos are forced into fighting.
Washu and Sasami aren't going to fight their counterparts.  This will be
the final chapter.  And, to those who don't like these versions of Ayeka
and Misa, they'll get what they deserve.

Brian Burke

Tenchii@hotmail.com

==========

Tenchi Muyo:  Mirror Image

Chapter three

==========

        Mirror Ayeka sees Mirror Ryoko talking to the other group.  "Do you
know what I do to traitors?"

        "Traitor?  I was never on your side to begin with."

        "You're a traitor to your own dimension," Mirror Misa adds.

        "You shouldn't have done that, Ryoko," Mirror Sasami says.  "Now,
you've pissed her off."

        "They haven't done anything.  Leave them out of this," Mirror Ryoko
says.

        "That is why we need to do this now," Mirror Ayeka answers, "BEFORE
they can do anything."

        Tenchi sees their bickering as an opening.  "Misa," he whispers, "we
need to get out of here.  Hand me your sword."

        Misa takes it out and passes it to Tenchi, and inconspicuously pops out
a gem.  "What do you have in mind?"

        Handing the sword to Ayeka, "there is only one way out.  When I give
the word, everyone head for the back door."  Misa, you might want to
shield Riko.  Tenchi takes out his own sword, "NOW!"  Everyone leaps to
their feet and runs for the back.

        Mirror Misa sees this, "they're getting away!"  As the escaping group
heads for the back door, they are met by a volley of energy blades from
Misa.  As they run, every one of the blades miss, but not by much.

        Reaching the door, Ayeka and Tenchi activate their Sword Tenchis as
Misa and and Ryoko make their own weapons.  Unfortunately, as soon as
they get outside, they see the same six people they ran from.

        "This will all be over soon," Mirror Misa states.  Forming her energy
sword, "now, defend yourselves."

        The Mirror group spreads out, as Mirror Tenchi, Mirror Ryoko, and
Mirror Washu try to escape.  However, their escape is halted as Mirror
Tenchi hits the ground, while feeling Mirror Ayeka's usual field of
pain.

        "You three will fight," Mirror Ayeka commands, "or Tenchi won't live to
see tomorrow."

        Reluctantly, the three move back to where the others are.  As everyone
lines up like football players, several energy weapons can be seen down
the line.

==========

        As the others line up, Sasami leads Riko away from the fighting.
Following them is Washu, Mirror Washu, and Mirror Sasami.  As soon as
they reach their goal, they yell "forfeit!"

==========

        "I'm sorry, Ryoko," says Mirror Ryoko, "I don't want to fight, but my
hand is being forced."

        "Don't worry about it.  I'll make it look good."

==========

        Tenchi meets his Mirror double in front of him.  "Ayeka is that bad?"

        "Afraid so.  But, maybe now I can be free.  If you win, I won't have to
put up with her anymore."

        "I'm not going to kill you."

        "I'm not giving up without a fight, either."  Pulling out Sword Tenchi,
"If I win, maybe I can finally earn Ayeka's respect."

==========

        Sasami meets her Mirror version, unknowing what to do.  "You cut your
hair?"

        "Yeah.  But, it's a long story. I'll have to tell you sometime."

==========

        "You're not a mad scientist are you?" Washu asks Mirror Washu.

        "No.  Tenchi more or less snapped me out of it.  When I saw how Misa
and Ayeka were treating him, I regained my sanity."

==========

        "You really are different, aren't you?" Ayeka asks her double.

        "We are not as different as you think.  We both share the same
bloodlines.  We must have some similarities."

        "I doubt that.  I only see you as cruel and twisted."

        "You are too kind!" Mirror Ayeka says.

==========

        Misa sees that her opposite is wearing the three gems.  "If you're as
bad as I believe, I should have expected you to use the gems."

        "Wouldn't you?"

        "No.  I have them, but I don't use them.  Haven't you heard the phrase
'power corrupts and absolute power-"

        "-corrupts absolutely.  Spare the lecture.  I saw a way to increase my
powers, so I took it."

        The discussions over, the battle royale begins.

==========

==========



        Ryoko and her mirror self have been flying and trading sword strokes
for the past few minutes.  Although they haven't done any damage, they
do look like they're having fun.

        <Ryoko,> says her Mirror version, <do you have a plan as to what we're
going to do?>

        <A little.  One thing is that your Ayeka must die.>

        <I know that.  But, how?> she says, throwing her energy lance.

        Catching said weapon, <don't worry, I'll think of something.>

==========

        Ayeka is starting to have trouble defending herself.  "You are quite
good," she says.

        "I should be," Mirror Ayeka says.  "I've been training most of my
life."

        "Why?"

        "Where I come from, it is every hope of every person to become a
Juraian warrior.  It is of utmost importance."

        "And those that don't succeed?"

        "You have to ask?"

==========

        Misa, after years of training, is in her hardest battle yet.  "Why are
you doing this?"

        Dodging a slice to the mid-section, "why not?  We gotta do something."

        Locking swords, "you're doing this for fun?  That is the lamest excuse
I've ever heard."

        Pushing her back, "if I can defeat you, we will be that much closer to
our goal."

        "Yeah, yeah.  Take over this dimension.  I heard that part."

        Charging, "and you might get in the way."

        Leaping to avoid her, Misa then gives her mirror self a kick to the
shoulder blades.  "Is that YOUR goal?  Or are you just playing follow
the leader?"

        "I will follow Ayeka's orders, as if they were my father's."

        "You really are messed up, aren't you?"

==========

        Tenchi is having no trouble fighting his mirror self.  Having far more
training, he feels sorry for having to fight him.  "You haven't trained
much, have you?"

        "No.  After Ayeka showed up, she prevented me from training with a
sword.  And, after what Ayeka's done, I can't fight well even if I
tried."

        "She's that bad?  Why?"

        "She saw me as someone to pick on.  If it wasn't for Ryoko, I probably
wouldn't be here today."

        "I see.  This dimension's Ryoko is always causing trouble, so I don't
know what to think."

        "I don't know what I'd do without her," Mirror Tenchi says.

        "You sound like you love her."

        "I do."

==========

        Mirror Sasami finishes her story on why she cut her hair.  "I don't
want to go through that again."

        "Sounds like you've had a hard time."

        "I have.  But, things are looking up.  Now that I'm away from Jurai, I
don't have to worry about people knowing me.  They'll only know me for
that incident."

        "How cruel."

        "I know.  But, look what I have now.  Although I pick on Tenchi a lot,
I'm only doing it to support Ayeka."

        "Then, we really aren't that much different."

        "Not really.  Now do you see why I didn't fight you?"

==========

        Misa is tired, sore, and bleeding.  Her sword flickering, she knows she
can't fight much longer.

        "Why don't you just give up?" Mirror Misa says.  "I can save you a lot
of pain."

        "Never.  There's one card I have yet to play."  Taking out the gem from
earlier, she clenches it in her hand.

        "A gem?" Mirror Misa asks.

        Opening her hand, Misa puts the now glowing gem into her right wrist.
Upon doing so, she can already feel the gem repairing her beaten body
and recharging it.

        "You're too weak to do anything," Mirror Misa gloats, raising a shield.
"Why don't you just give up?"

        Misa ignores her and focuses her Jurai power into the gem.
Concentrating, she closes her eyes.  After a second, a massive amount of
Jurai and gem energy appears in a ball in front of her.

        "There's no way you can hurt me.  Just give up."

==========

        Sasami is watching one fight after another, and finally sees what Misa
is up to.  <I hope she's not too weak.  She looks pretty banged up.>
Finally, she has an idea.  <Tsunami, can you hear me?>

        <Yes, Sasami.  I can.  What is wrong?>

        <A group of people came from another dimension.  They're trying to
replace us.  I need you to do something.>

        <What is it that you need?>

        <Misa is fighting her counterpart now.  But, I don't know if she can
win.>

        <I understand.>  Tsunami immediately works on the solution.

==========

        Misa, having built up enough energy, releases it at her counterpart,
sending a massive amount of power at Mirror Misa.

        Mirror Misa suddenly feels her Jurai power cut out, leaving only her
shield from the gems.  Having spent too much time wondering about her
Jurai power, she realizes it's too late.  Misa's energy shot destroys
Mirror Misa's shield, and rips a hole in her chest.  Dropping to the
ground, she knows it's over.  <Ryo...> she thinks before closing her
eyes.

        Out of nowhere, the cabbit appears and sees the lifeless form of her
partner.  Mirror Ryo then transforms and steals away the body.  Finally,
she disappears into space.

        Misa, exhausted, gives in to her fatigue as she collapses to the
ground.

==========

        Mirror Ayeka, shocked by the death of her sister, is further enraged.
"MISA!  You killed her!"

        <Ryoko!> says the mirror version, <your Ayeka no longer stands a
chance.  If the Ayeka I know is pissed, people die.>

        <What do we do?>

        Her question is answered as Mirror Ryoko forms an energy lance.
<Interference.>

        Ryoko does the same, <we should disarm her.>

        Nodding, <right.  Go for the arms.>

        Both Ryokos simultaneously send their shots at Mirror Ayeka.

        As Mirror Ayeka prepares to kill her counterpart, she suddenly feels
her arms giving way.  The pain that goes with it is simply unbearable.
Dropping to the ground, she sees a glowing beam in both of her arms.
Screaming with all her breath, she knows she's lost.

        Looking at Ayeka, "finish me.  I cannot fight anymore.  Therefore, I'm
useless."

        Ayeka responds by deactivating the sword.  "I'm not like you.  I don't
kill without a reason."

==========

        Tenchi and Mirror Tenchi walk over to help Misa to her feet.  "Are you
alright?" Tenchi asks.

        Feeling the gem work, "yeah, I'll be fine."

        "What happened to the other Misa?" Mirror Tenchi asks.

        "Don't worry.  She's dead."  <I hope.>

==========

        "Please," Mirror Ayeka states, "if my father finds out about this,
he'll kill me anyways."

        "I doubt that." Ayeka says.  "And," tossing the sword to Misa, "you're
not going to die by our hands."

        Mirror Ryoko appears next to Mirror Ayeka.  "That's right.  You're
going home."

==========

        As everyone gathers in the lab, Washu gets ready to send them home.

        "Maybe now you'll be better off," Tenchi says.  "Without Ayeka to hurt
you, you can go back to your sword training."

        "Yeah, I will," his mirror opposite agrees.

==========

        "Now that Ayeka's less of a pest," Sasami says, "you don't have to
pretend anymore."

        "I know.  Maybe we'll meet again sometime."

        "I'd like that," she says.

==========

        "Tenchi will have it easy now," Mirror Ryoko says.  "Thanks for your
help."

        "No problem.  You take care of him, now."

        "You can count on that."

==========

        "You know," Mirror Washu says, "I never regretted what I did during my
crazy days."

        "Neither do I.  I think it ruins the fun of it."

        "Exactly.  Well, everything's set.  Time to go."

==========

        As the Mirror group disappears, Misa is left to wonder.  <I know I was
doing my part as this dimension's defense, but I feel like I killed part
of myself.>

        Ryo sits on her shoulder, looking sympathetic.  <You did what you had
to do.>

        <I know.  I just can't shake this bad feeling.  As if there's something
I'm missing.>

==========

Epilog

        She hasn't moved in several hours.  After Mirror Ryo brought her
onboard, the ship knew what the outcome might be.

        Suddenly, a bloody hand reaches up and latches on to Ryo's chair.

-End?-