Disclaimer: Pioneer owns these characters. I'm just using them for a time. Brian Burke Tenchii@hotmail.com Appearing from nothing, the lone woman looks down to the beaten form. Bending down, "such a tragedy," she says softly. "You were taken far too early." Picking him up, "come, my friend. Let us depart. You have still have much to do." Wings of light unfold from her back, and fold around them. Glowing brightly, they signify the departure of the two. ==-==-== Misa Part Four Misa Unleashed! ==-==-== As the lone ship flies furiously, the ship itself is almost in fear of her pilot. Standing at the controls, the woman looks to the planet ahead. Dressed in Juraian battle gear, she prepares to start a one woman war. "I swear I will kill you," she mutters. For the person known to this time as Misa, nothing is more terrifying than herself at the moment. As the ship enters the atmosphere, Misa holds her sword ahead of her. "This is for you, Tenchi. I will avenge you." Overhead the palace, Ryo-Ohki spins slightly as she stops. "Ryo-Ohki..." Misa stammers, grabbing the main control crystal. "Thank you for everything." "Meow..." she says solemnly, looking at her lone passenger from the crystal. "I hope to see you again," she concludes, giving the crystal a quick kiss on the "forehead." "Meow," she blushes. Stepping back, "wish me luck!" she requests, holding her key to her chest. A moment later, she disappears from view as Ryo-Ohki sends her to the desired location. ==-==-== Kagato, obviously upset over losing his captives, walks through the halls in search of his new objective. What he finds instead are two combat ready Juraian knights. "Kagato," Azaka addresses, "I thought we'd seen the last of you." "You won't get past us," Kamidake adds. "Oh, my. Should I be scared?" Calling his sword, he sends a shockwave at the pair. Although shaken and pushed, the pair are no less affected. "You'll have to do better than that, Kagato," Kamidake states. Concentrating, Kagato focuses his Jurai power, cracking the very floor his advesaries stand on. Seeing them off balance, the once emperor sends the pair of warriors halfway down the hall, where they fall unconscious from the power that hit them. "Don't mess with me, children," he says mockingly. Walking on, he sees two giant doors. "This looks promising," he smiles. Opening the doors, he sees hundreds, if not thousands of trees, each on a separate platform. The room is simply gigantic, meant to hold an entire fleet of tree ships. The ceiling of said room is high enough to be clouded by shadow. The floor is likewise unseeable. "You damn butcher," a familiar voice says. Looking ahead, his eyes meet the girl she saw only recently. "You again?" he asks the woman. "Who are you?" With her sword ready, Misa drops her disguise, but otherwise is motionless. "I am Sasami Jurai. I came from the future to stop you." "Well, if it's so important to you," he says, smiling, "let's see you try!" Charging, "gladly!" ==-==-== As he awakes, Tenchi notices his surroundings are very different. "Where am I?" he asks groggily. In the immediate area, he can see very little, due to the limited light. "You are alright now," a soft voice speaks. Looking to the source of the voice, "Misa? Is that you?" "No. I am not Misa. I am Tsunami. Do you remember what happened?" "Yeah, I was fighting Kagato, when..." he trails off, as he can't recall the rest. "I don't know what happened after that." "Do not worry. It isn't important right now." "Kagato. He's still after the tree...Tsunami..." he says, trailing off. "Are you the one he's looking for?" "Yes. The tree he is looking for is one of my many forms." "I have to stop him. Can you send me back?" "I can, but you are not ready." Gliding across the water between them, she moves next to him. "Be careful. Kagato is very dangerous." "I have the sword," he says, holding it up. "That has to be enough." Touching his forehead with her fingers, she makes the symbol of the Light Hawk Wings glow. "The sword is useful, but not powerful enough. You have a power that you haven't used yet. And, only that can destroy Kagato." "A power? Washu was saying something about that, months ago." "Do not worry. You will know when the time comes. Good luck." The room fades, and Tenchi is returned to reality. ==-==-== For the past hour, Misa has been fighting constantly with Kagato. Although she's good, she cannot stop Kagato's advance. "You will not get Tsunami." Stabbing with his sword, "If only you had given up. You could've been spared all this pain." Blocking the attack, "I will never give up. I will make you pay for what you've done." "You mean in the future?" "That's right. You destroyed everything. I will not forgive you for that." Slashing with her sword, it is blocked just as quickly. With a quick move, Kagato disarms her, sending the sword across the room. "You lose," he states, sending her a blast of Jurai power. The result sends Misa back, slamming her into Tsunami. "Now, Tsunami, you are mine." Misa looks up, ready to accept defeat. Any moment now, it will all be over. She knows she's lost. She couldn't defeat Kagato. In her mad quest for vengence, she has gained little, but lost much. As she looks to the vibrant greens of Tsunami, she sees how lively they are compared to the grays of her world. "NOOOOO!!" she shouts in defiance, standing once more. "I will not accept defeat!" "So, you're not giving up? That's good. I hate quitters." "Oh, I'm not quitting. Not by a longshot." Crossing her arms ahead of her, she starts to levitate off the floor. "I haven't given up. I swore I'd kill you." Three pairs of wings of light sprout from her back, and a seventh drapes behind her. The wings fold over her body, and flash briefly. When the light fades, her body is covered by a blue bodysuit, with metal plates on her chest, hips, and arms. Taking the seventh light construct, it forms a sword, with curved wings for a hilt. "Impressive. Only a Juraian ship can produce Light Hawk Wings. How are you able to use them?" "That's my secret." Charging, her fight is renewed. Swinging, her attack is met by Kagato's own blade. "Why don't you just die?!" "I have so much to gain, though." ==-==-== Appearing nearby, Tenchi can hear the sword clashing ever so clearly. Energizing his sword, he runs to help. Seeing the combatants, he charges "KAGATO!" Blocking a strike from Misa, Kagato sees Tenchi running towards him as well. Grabbing the planted Tenchi-ken, he uses it to fend off Tenchi's like sword. "This is unfair," he says, fighting both of them. Using yet more of his power, he sends both of them back once again. "This is getting old," he sighs. With both fighters ahead of him, he sends a pair of lethal blasts at them. Misa blocks her incoming with her sword, but is unable to defend Tenchi. The impact kicks up a cloud of smoke. "You're finished boy. Stay dead this time." "Not yet, you monster," he says coldly. The smoke clears, and three Light Hawk Wings float in front of him, waiting for his command. "Tenchi?" Misa wonders. Two of the wings flow over him, changing his battle armor into a Light Hawk outfit. Taking the third wing, it transforms into a glowing sword. "Now, let's finish this, Misa." Nodding, "yes. Let's do it." Charging, "you will never beat me!" Kagato screams. Returning the favor, Misa and Tenchi silently run towards him. As they run, their swords hang on opposite sides. As the fighters collide, Tenchi cuts high, his sword ripping through Kagato's with ease. Misa cuts low, further shortening Kagato's blade. Her cut across his stomach leaves a considerable trail of blood from the wound. Tenchi's cut strikes his chest, cutting into Kagato's black heart. As the Light Hawk wielders pass, they don't even look back as they listen to Kagato's dying breath. Shortly afterward, his body disintegrates. "It's over," Tenchi says, releasing the Light Hawk Wings. Misa likewise releases her wings, and looks at Tenchi almost fearfully. Never has she witnessed such power in him. She wonders if this is all he has been hiding for so many years. "Let's go, Misa. We're finished here," Tenchi says softly. Nodding slightly, she agrees. "Let's go home." --End Four--