This is a new Tenchi Muyo! fic.  It is in no way related to Bushido Muyo!, my 
other fic.  As you already know, it is on a western theme.  Even so, I have not 
changed any of the names involved in the storyline.  The locations, although 
they are described in a purely fictional way, have the same names as their real 
life counterparts.  Have fun reading!

  By the way, Tenchi Muyo! and all the characters contained therin are the 
property of Pioneer and AIC.  So, I give up all claims that this is all my idea.
The theme and story are mine, but the characters and their personalities are 
not.  So, should Pioneer or AIC get their hands on this, I ask them not to sue 
me into oblivion.  All right?  Let's get going!

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				  Saddle Up, Tenchi!
					   by
				Jeremy "Kraken" Acord
				azhrei701@hotmail.com

		Episode 5

The wild light from many torches danced on the unconscious Ryoko's face.  She 
sat, tied to a pole, atop a pile of logs and kindling, with a layer of hay on 
top.  Around this pyre, and angrily shouting mob had gathered.  Torches and guns
were waved in the air.  The time was ripe for the good old fashioned witch 
burning.

On the outskirts of this crowd, a man leaned against a post, fingering the 
trigger gaurd on his rifle.  He grinned at the spectacle, and he could smell on 
his own breath some of the liqour he had drank when the bar was raided.  He took
a moment to think about what a shame it was that the whole bunch hadn't been 
cought, but a grunt from behind him drew his attention.  

When the man turned around, a dark shape crouching on the ground leapt up at his
face.  He toppled over with a confused half yell.  He felt the ground moving 
underneath his body as he was dragged into the adjacent alley.  He struggled 
desperately against his shadow-assailant, but it pounded him mercilessly and 
repeatedly in the face, until he gave up and passed out.

Before everything went black, he saw a gangly, limping figure, dragging the 
rifle behind it, moving toward the orange lit end of the alley.

A man stepped forward from the mob, put a foot on the pyre, and prepared to 
speak.  He wore a modern single action pistol of reasonable quality.  In one 
hand he carried a burning torch, and in the other hand rested a nearly empty 
bottle of bourbon.  Warped reflections of firelight jumped and spun in the star 
pinned to his long coat.

"Ladies and Gentlemn, Ladiez 'n Gentlmn," he began, "Court is now in session.  
But, seein' as that the defend-ant aint awake to testify, we'll just forego the 
trial then, won't we?"  He paused to take in the affimative cries from the 
audience.  "So, though the defend-ant is..." He looked Ryoko up and down, "...a 
fine specimen of womanhood, as the bible commands 'thou shalt not let a witch 
live' and so she must indeed die.  Thus, by th' power vested in me by this here 
city, I condemn this witch to die, burned at the stake!"  He motioned for 
silence from the frenzied crowd.  "So if y'all'l just settle down a li'l bit, 
I'll comence the lightin'."  He bent, slowly bringing the torch closer to the 
hay.  

A mighty crack sounded from the fringe darkness around the pyre as the torch was
violently ripped from the sherrif deputy's hand.  The torch was extinguished by 
the sheer speed of the spin it was thrown into, and landed some distance away.

The sea of heads around the stake turned in unison to watch the tencrils of 
shadow peel back as Tenchi stepped into the light.  He held in his hand a 30-30 
carbine rifle.

"I don't think I need to explain to you why I am here."  The boy began solemnly.
"And if we all don't act to quickly, no one will die tonight," he paused, then 
gestured toward Ryoko, "Least of all her."

Tenchi took a few steps forward, and the crowd backed down, giving him a wide 
berth.  The boy scanned the crowd, making eye contact when he could, trying to 
with every action convey his seriousness.  Suddenly, he stopped and trained his 
rifle on the drunken deputy.  "Deputy Allen," he said, "I may not want to kill 
you, but you know I won't hesitate.  Come on, you're not that drunk."  He then 
swung it towards another man, whose torch was inching toward the pyre.  "Light 
it and you won't be the only one who I kill.  Back off."  When he hesitated, 
Tenchi drew a bead on the man's right eye.  "NOW!"

The crowd seemed to flow backwards down the street leaving a few burning 
torches, dropped in a hurry to get away, in the street.  Tenchi stepped slowly 
up to the stake, and surveyed Ryoko.  She was in fairly bad shape, cut and 
bleeding in a few places, clothing ripped and burnt.  A trickle of blood inched 
down her chin.  Tenchi frowned.  At least they hadn't beaten her to death...

He quickly pulled the knots that bound Ryoko upright, and caught her as she 
began to fall forward.  He heard a slight moan from her; she must be coming to.

Tenchi hoisted Ryoko over his back in a fireman's carry, and, one-handed, 
trained his rifle on the crowd.

"I'm going to leave now.  If you're lucky, and none of you are stupid enough to 
follow me, you'll never see her or I again..."  He took a few steps back, then 
stopped.  "By the way, should any of you decide to follow me, I should warn 
you..."  He grinned, "...I'll reduce you to a feast for the crows."

He once again began to slowly back down the wide main street.  Seeing a woman 
standing on the boardwalk, he called to her.  "May.  Tell Joeseph that whatever 
is left of the bar is his.  If he runs it well, and he keeps his head clear of 
the merchandise, you'll have more than enough money to raise a family together."
He continued down the center of the street.

"Ugn." Ryoko groaned.  Tenchi stopped, and put her on her unsteady feet.  
"Ryoko?  Are you all right, Ryoko?"

"Uhmm," she mumbled, head tilted back, throat exposed.  Her head rolled around 
and her eyes, half lidded, looked into Tenchi's.  "I wish everything would stop 
spinning like that."  She blinked, her misty eyes clearing.  "What's going on?  
What are you doing here?"

"You were about to be burned at the stake, Ryoko." he explained.  "I came to get
you."

"That's very nice of you." she slurred, but her speach was becoming as clear as 
her eyes.

"Can you walk at all, Ryoko?"

"Maybe not very well, but-"

"Good." Tenchi interrupted.  "We'll just get out of here then..."  He paused.  
"Say, Ryoko," he held up the 30-30, "Think you can handle this?"

Ryoko grabbed the gun from Tenchi.  Cocking it, she said "Don't insult me."

Tenchi reached into his pocket and drew the Patterson.  Holding it ready, he 
said to her "Now that that's taken care of, we'll go."

Together, they hobbled down the street.  Eventually, they turned around and 
broke into a shuffling trot, Tenchi trying to ignore the pain in his left leg, 
and Ryoko just concentrating on walking.

"Tenchi?"  She said to him as she limped along, dragging the rifle behind her, 
"Why did you come?"

"When we had that shootout in front of the bar, you thought I was on Aeka's 
side."  Tenchi explained.  "I didn't want you to die until you knew you were 
wrong."

"Oh.  Well, thanks for the rescue."

"Not a problem."

There were a few moments of silence, and then Tenchi felt Ryoko slide her left 
arm around his shoulder, gripping him firmly.  He chose to say nothing.

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Send all comments, complaints, etc. to azhrei701@hotmail.com.  Have fun reading!
-Kraken