This the epilogue for my story Do Not a Prison Make. So read that one first if you want to understand what's going on. Tenchi and crew belong to Pioneer LDC and AIC. Minagi and everything relating to her belong to Viz Communications, Inc. I only own this story and the extra characters I create to make it work. <Thoughts> 'Mental Link' "Spoken or Audible Sounds" ...Nor Bars a Cage (Epilogue to Do Not a Prison Make) A lone figure wrapped in a long, black cloak entered the bar from the dusty street. On his shoulder sat a black and white furred creature that resembled a cross between a cat and a rabbit. They approached the counter and sat down on an empty stool. "What can I get you?" the bartender asked. "Juraian sake for me, and carrot juice for my friend here," Hakubi answered and pointed to his cabbit. Rye-Ohki jumped off his shoulder to the bar and looked around. The waiter nodded and left to get their drinks. 'Is this the right place?' Rye-Ohki asked. 'This is where we're supposed to meet our contact,' Hakubi answered. 'A guy named Yahichi.' The bartender returned with their drinks and left after setting them down. Rye-Ohki happily hopped to the bowl of carrot juice and lapped it up. Still uneasy with what had happened in the last few weeks, Hakubi decided that it would be good to get away for a while. Tenchi suggested that he go out and meet one of their agents and to get his report. The Juraian Empire had many agents roaming the outskirts of the galaxy, reporting on what they saw and evaluating whether they posed a threat to the Empire. Hakubi agreed and headed out with Rye-Ohki. "Minagi!" a large man angrily shouted as he slammed the door open. "I know you're in here!" The man entered followed by several others. Rye-Ohki shuffled around his bowl to see what was happening. Hakubi ignored them. The gang walked to the back of the bar and stood in front of a table occupied by a single person shrouded in a cloak. "Because of you, my brother's on death row!" the man shouted and slammed his fist down on the table. "It's not my fault he killed that family and burned down the hospital," a very familiar voice replied. Rye-Ohki perked up his ears to hear better. 'That voice sounds so familiar,' Rye-Ohki commented. 'We're not getting involved,' Hakubi ordered. "You're the one who brought him in, so I blame you!" The man reached for his blaster but Minagi kicked the table over and jumped away before he could get a shot. The rest of the gang also drew their blasters and began firing. The other bar patrons ducked under the tables to avoid the fight. Dodging the laser blasts, Minagi ran across the tabletops for the door, apologizing to the occupants as she went. The man reached the exit first and blocked her path. Without a second thought, Minagi leapt at him and knocked him down. She flipped herself over him and out the door. The man managed to grab her cloak and pulled it off as she went over him. 'Ryoko?' Rye-Ohki asked, puzzled. "What?" Hakubi asked in surprise. 'I thought that woman looked like Ryoko,' Rye-Ohki wondered. 'I'm going to take a better look,' Hakubi thought to his cabbit and stood up. 'We're getting involved?' 'We are now!' The man also got up and ran out the door after her. The rest of his gang began to follow, but Rye-Ohki jumped in front of them in his child form, not yet strong enough to manage his adult form after being reborn. He held his copy of the Tenchi-ken in his small hands and ignited it. "Little boys shouldn't play with sharp toys," one of the gang members laughed. "Why don't you give it to me before you cut yourself?" Rye-Ohki shook his head and readied himself to attack. The man raised his blaster and in a flash of blue light, Rye-Ohki cut it in half. The man dropped his broken blasters in shock and backed away. "Why don't we let them work this out in private?" Hakubi asked the men, stepping between them and the door. Another gang member raised his blaster and Hakubi cut it in half with his own energy sword and punched him in the stomach in one fluid movement. The others froze, Hakubi had moved so fast that they only saw a blur. The gang backed down and Hakubi made his way out the door. Outside, the fight was already over. Minagi stood over the man with her energy sword at his throat. "You give up?" she asked. The man let his head fall back to the ground and grunted. In the distance, police sirens could be heard and they were getting closer. Knowing when they had been beaten, the rest of the gang hurried out of the bar and fled. It wasn't long till the local police arrived and Hakubi stood in the shadows and watched as they took the man off of Minagi's hands. After a few words, they shook hands and left. When everyone was gone, Rye-Ohki walked up to Minagi in his child form and mewed a greeting. Minagi spun around and looked at the little child. "Hey there little guy," Minagi answered and patted his head. "Where's your other half?" Rye-Ohki understood that she meant Hakubi and took her hand. He led her to Hakubi who stepped out of the shadows. She looked him over and walked around him once. <She really does look just like Grandma!> Hakubi thought to himself. Minagi nodded a few times and stood in front of him with her hands at her hip. "So Sasami's little baby boy is all grown up now!" Hakubi almost fell over. "Um, excuse me, but who are you?" he asked. "What? Your parents didn't tell you who you're supposed to meet?" Minagi asked in surprise. "They just said to meet someone named Yahichi." Minagi smiled at the mention of the name. "Those jokers. Yahichi was the name of the character I played when we went to Ryuten," she explained. "I'm your grandma's half sister Minagi." "Grandma never mentioned she had a sister," Hakubi wondered. "It's a long story. Let's get a cup of tea and I'll tell you about it," Minagi suggested as she wrapped her cloak around herself once again. "And the last time I saw you parents was when you were just a little baby," Minagi told Hakubi at a café across town. "So what brings you all the way out here? Tenchi told me you had something on your mind." "It's complicated," Hakubi sighed. Rye-Ohki was sleeping on the chair next to him and he reached over and gently stroked him. "I've lived a very complicated life. Why don't you tell me about it?" "It all started a month ago..." Hakubi began. "So what's the problem? You stopped Tokimi, saved the universe, and everyone's still alive. Why aren't you living happily ever after?" Minagi asked after hearing his story. "I did some terrible things under Tokimi. I still have nightmares about it," Hakubi answered quietly. "And now I'm supposed to act like nothing happened? Innocent people died at my hand. How can I lead anyone now? How can I say what is right and what is wrong when I have done so much wrong in my own life?" "Those are some tough questions and I can't give you a simple answer," Minagi replied. "But let's make one thing clear. YOU did not do those things. It was Tokimi. Don't blame yourself for something that you had no control over. No one has forgotten what you did, but they understand that you were not responsible. They may act like nothing happened, but that's because they do not blame you." "I keep telling myself that, but it doesn't help." "Give it some time. In the meantime, no one said you have to rule over anyone. Tenchi's grandpa decided not to take the throne and you can do the same. Heck, you can hang out here with me for a while." "I don't think Kiyone would like that," Hakubi mumbled. "Kiyone eh?" Minagi asked and looked at Hakubi slyly. He blushed and Minagi laughed. "So she's a woman after all! Good for you, good for both of you!" Hakubi blushed deeper as Minagi patted him on the back. Kiyone placed their last box down on her new desk. She took a moment to look around her new, smaller office on planet Jurai before she opened the box and began to unpack. "You didn't have to do this," Kiyone said to Mihoshi who was unpacking another box. "You didn't have to give up your position at Headquarters." "Don't be silly," Mihoshi replied cheerfully. "I don't care about promotions or positions. I just want to stay with you." Kiyone smiled at her long time partner. Despite their rocky beginnings, she had grown fond of Mihoshi and although she wouldn't admit it, she would miss her if they were separated. Kiyone turned back to her box and pulled out a photo frame. Inside there was a picture of Hakubi with Rye-Ohki sitting cheerfully on top of his head. She smiled again and placed the photo where she could see it. There was quite a ruckus when Kiyone had gotten back to Headquarters. Her chief was furious that she had gone behind his back and tried everything to get her court marshaled for high treason. Commander Karacus valiantly defended her throughout the whole ordeal, but Kiyone unexpectedly gave up her case. The Galaxy Police was her life, and she felt that life end on the cold floor of Tokimi's prison. She believed that she had been given a second chance and it completely changed her priorities. No longer would her job dominate her life. She decided that position was not worth losing Hakubi and told the judges that she would accept any punishment they decreed. Fortunately, they ruled that Kiyone had acted appropriately considering the delicate situation, but agreed that she was no longer suited to be the ambassador to Jurai. From a last minute suggestion from the Emperor of Jurai, she was demoted to liaison officer as punishment. "I think I'll like it here," Kiyone said to herself. "Now we can go see Tenchi and everyone everyday, right?" Mihoshi asked excitedly. "Yes we can. It's part of our job description." The cut in pay didn't bother Kiyone; they had, after all, worked three jobs at the same time to stay afloat on Earth. A bonus perk was that she could continue her relationship with the Prince of Jurai and no one would care. "I'll definitely like it here," she added quietly. "Feeling better?" Minagi asked Hakubi as they walked towards her ship. Rye-Ohki ran playfully ahead of them in his child form. "A little," Hakubi replied. "It was good to talk to someone about it." "You should really talk to Ryoko," Minagi suggested. "Grandma?" "Yeah. Kagato controlled her for many years and made her do some pretty nasty things. You don't get the reputation of the most feared space pirate for being polite, ya'know. If anyone knows what you're going through, it's your grandmother." "I never really thought about that," Hakubi replied thoughtfully. "It took her 700 years to find herself again after being freed from Kagato, and even then it was hard for her." "She's never told me about any of this." "She hasn't told anyone. I pieced it all together from many years of being partially connected to her. I'm sure Washu has all ready figured it out as well." Hakubi continued to walk on silently so she continued. "She may try to give off the impression that she's a tough-as-nails space pirate, but she's really quite sensitive. What she'd done under Kagato's control tore her up inside and she probably would have killed herself to escape the memories." "What stopped her?" Hakubi asked curiously. "It was Tenchi and Sasami. She felt drawn to Tenchi ever since the first time he visited her cave. And when she was freed, being with him drove those unhappy times away and finally gave her peace." "What about my mother?" "Sasami was the first person to treat her as a normal person. Even Tenchi was scared of her at first. Sasami considered her a new sister and had complete trust in her. Ryoko found another reason to live besides Tenchi. She appointed herself guardian over Sasami and would do anything to protect her. You mother had also changed my life, and I know exactly how Ryoko feels. The entire Juraian fleet couldn't control Ryoko, but if Sasami cried, she would move a planet to make her happy." Hakubi continued walking. His problems paled in comparison with what his grandma had gone through. Rye-Ohki turned back and ran up to Hakubi with his arms outstretched. With a little hop, Rye-Ohki jumped into Hakubi's arms and hugged his neck. 'Hey, by now Kiyone would've been reassigned to Jurai. If we leave right away, we can make it back by the weekend,' Rye-Ohki thought happily to Hakubi. 'Why are you always so happy?' Hakubi playfully asked back. 'Cause I was created for the sole purpose of keeping you safe, and now that you're safe and sound, I'm happy!' Rye-Ohki thought back with a triumphant "Meow!" Rye-Ohki's happiness was contagious and Hakubi began to smile. 'It would be fun to take Kiyone out on the town this weekend,' Hakubi thought back. "You guys want a lift back to Jurai? It's about time I dropped in on those jokers and paid them a visit," Minagi asked as they approached her ship. "Yeah, that would be great," Hakubi replied. <Things are starting to look up,> Hakubi thought to himself. <If Kiyone and Rye-Ohki can forgive me after what I did to them, then maybe I can live "happily ever after," after all.> The End. (For good this time.) Stone walls do not a prison make Nor iron bars a cage; Minds innocent and quiet take That for an hermitage. - Richard Lovelace ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ That's it! That's the end of the Hakubi series. His number is retired, so to speak. As always, please send all comments, good or bad, to tm_fan1023@hotmail.com. I have more ideas for new fics, so keep and eye out for future works.