Erik Tuttle
"Three Gems for Power" part 2


CHAPTER FIVE     "Here Comes Tokimi!"  

	
	The little cottage was located far back in the woods. It was 
old from the looks of it but it had remained in good repair all 
these years. Smoke rose from the small brick chimney in the corner 
attached to an old English shingled roof. While the shingles bore 
a natural wooden color along with the trim, the cottage itself was 
a cozy dull skin color. 
	"What is this place?" Washu asked herself as she stood in 
front of it. "I've never been here before."
	"Miss Washu!" a child's voice called from the inside. As 
Washu watched a small girl with bright blue hair and pink eyes 
opened the cottages tiny door. "Oh Washu!" she said, "You've 
finally come home! We've missed you so much!"
	"Sasami?" Washu asked.
	"No silly who is Sasami? Don't you remember me? I'm your 
sister Tsunami! Come on in Tokimi wants to see you to!"
	"Tsunami! Tokimi! No this can't be! Damn it this is another 
dream!" 
	"Hurry up sister or else you're going to miss the... the... 
th..e...."
	"Huh?" Washu looked up and screamed at what she saw. There 
was young Sasami crumpled to her knees on the ground and behind 
her stood Tokimi with a sword. The same sword that now made it's 
home inside Sasami's chest. Washu screamed again. "Tokimi! Tokimi 
what are you doing!?"
	Tokimi let out a slow deep laugh. "Wake up sister, its time 
to wake up."

	WHAM! Washu was up and out of her bed like a shot. She was 
halfway to her door before she could get a hold on herself. Her 
body shook from spasms everywhere. Probably from the dream, she 
thought. Ah the dream, another damn dream! What do all of these 
mean though? I better figure out soon because I have a bad feeling 
about this.

	"Ryoko! Ryoko!" Sasami called. "Ryoko you really need to 
eat," she said.
	"Actually I don't have to eat Sasami," Ryoko answered from 
her arch beam perch above the living room. 
	"Oh but Ryoko I worked so hard to make all that extra food 
that you usually eat. Will you please come down and eat?"
	"No! Now you go and eat!" snapped Ryoko. Sasami turned away 
looking hurt and disappeared back into the kitchen. Oh what a good 
girl she is, thought Ryoko, I wish I could have one just like her. 
Hey wait a minute what am I doing? "Sasami! Oh Sasami darling 
please come here!" 
	Sasami burst through the kitchen door smiling as if she had 
completely forgotten the incident that took place two minutes ago. 
"Yes Ryoko?"
	"Sasami," Ryoko started, "honey I would love to have 
breakfast. Come on lets go."
	Sasami let out a cry of joy and took Ryoko's hand after Ryoko 
hovered down off the beam. "Come on this way Ryoko!" she said with 
a grin.

	"Are you enjoying your meal Miss Washu?" Sasami asked with a 
large grin on her face.
	"It's wonderful Sasami, as always."
	"Thanks Washu." Sasami thought she felt just a little more 
joy in herself today than usual. How could one help but be 
overjoyed at the way breakfast was going? Ryoko and Ayeka were 
getting along well, Mihoshi hadn't broken or spilled anything yet, 
and to top things off the meal was excellent. One of my best, 
Sasami thought with a smile.
	"Ayeka?" Ryoko asked.
	"Yes Ryoko?"
	"Could you please pass me the milk?"
	"Why certainly. Here you go."
	"Thanks!"
	"Um Ryoko," asked Washu, "might I inquire as to why you are 
feeling so good this morning?"
	"Oh no reason mother its just one of those days!" she giggled 
and looked over at Tenchi. "You know what would make this day a 
whole lot better even?"
	"No, what Ryoko?" Tenchi looked eager to help in anyway he 
could.
	"Well if you actually said something to me Tenchi! You 
haven't spoken to me all day!"
	"Oh I'm sorry. How are you this morning Ryoko?"
	"Fine, just fine," Ryoko sighed. "Oh it's just so great to 
have someone that loves you."
	"Hey wait a minute Ryoko!" called Ayeka. "What's that 
supposed to mean?"
	"It means that Tenchi loves me of course!" Ryoko said 
somewhat puzzled.
	"He most certainly does not love you!"
	"Huh what are you talking about?"
	"Tell her Lord Tenchi tell her!"
	"Tell her what?" questioned Tenchi as he suddenly became 
nervous.
	"Tell her how you feel about her! You don't actually love her 
do you Lord Tenchi!"
	"You love me, don't you Tenchi?" Ryoko asked as she turned to 
face him again. Tenchi could see the tears welling but behind her 
eyes.
	"Of course I love you Ryoko but not like that I, not like, 
oohhhhh."
	"See? There you have it!" said Ayeka. 
	"But Tenchi," Ryoko began to sob, "you, you said you loved 
me."
	"Ryoko I do but it's just, just. Ooohhhhhh! Why do you two 
always put me on the spot like that?"
	"I didn't do it Lord Tenchi she did!"
	"But Tenchi, you told me, that day at the cave."
	"Ryoko I told you that."
	"That what Tenchi? Told me what?"
	"I told you that ooohhhh damn it, damn it, damn it!"
	"Told me that.... Damn you! You still haven't made up your 
mind!?" Ryoko's tears suddenly ceased as she got to her feet and 
walked past Sasami to stare at Tenchi from across the table. Her 
fists were now closed at her sides and her voice took a very hurt 
and serious tone. "Tenchi," she said, "listen to me. I'm only 
going to say this once. You have to make up your mind Tenchi. You 
need to make up your mind about Ayeka and myself, choose one of us 
Tenchi."
	"Ryoko don't do this please," Tenchi began.
	"I just want to warn you Tenchi," Ryoko continued, "You can 
choose me or you can die." Everyone at the table was in complete 
and utter shock, even Nobiuki stopped chewing his food and looked 
up.
	"WHAT!?" shouted Tenchi and Ayeka in unison.
	"Y- you heard meeee," Ryoko began to sob again. "You can 
chose me, OR YOU CAN DIE!" she screamed and stepped forward onto 
the middle of the table and crushed it under foot. "You- you don't 
want t- to die, do you Tenchi?"
	"Ryoko what your saying is making no sense!" shouted Tenchi. 
	"I SAID CHOOSE ME OR DIE!" and with that Ryoko grabbed Tenchi 
by the collar of his shirt, spun, and threw him across the room 
over everyone's head, through the glass door, and out into the 
lake. Sasami, Ayeka, and Mihoshi screamed. Nobiuki gasped and even 
Katsuhito was surprised by Ryoko's attack. 
	"Ryoko? Ryok-? Get her!" cried Washu, but before anyone could 
make a grab for the pirate Ryoko was across the room and at the 
shattered door with her beam saber ignited.
	"TENCHI MUST, TENchI Mu..s.t...." Ryoko released her saber 
and fell to her knees, head in hands. "What am I doing? What am I 
doing?" she wept, and wept, and wept. "Oh no. No, no, no, Tenchi."
	"Oh no Ryoko," sighed Washu. "Oh my little girl."
	Ryoko sobbed as Tenchi pulled himself up and out of the lake 
and onto the dock. First he took a battle stance and then looked 
at Ryoko and quickly dropped his guard.
	"Ryoko!" he yelled as he ran to her. "Ryoko are you okay?"
	"Oh Tenchi I'm sorry! So, so sorRY!" she took hold of his arm 
and wept into his sleeve. "I didn't want to hurt you, I didn't 
mean to hurt you! Sometimes I just get like... like that! Oh I am 
so sorry!"
	"Ryoko," Tenchi said. "Ryoko its okay. We're here, all of us, 
and we love you. That's what I was trying to say! I love you Ryoko 
I do! I love you and I love Ayeka, and Sasami, and Mihoshi, and 
everyone! Everyone! Please get a hold on yourself and see that! 
Ryoko you are loved!"
	Washu got to her feet and asked, "Come on you two what's 
going on here?" 
	"It's, it's that Zero woman," Ryoko said and looked up from 
Tenchi's arm. "It's her she's making me do this!"
	"Ryoko I've told you before there is only one you! There is 
no Zero!"
	"But Washu."
	"Come on daughter let's go have a chat down in my lab and 
we'll try to get this worked out."	 Just after Washu was done 
speaking a bold feminine laughter came from above. Washu and every 
one else in the house looked up to see a floating image of a woman 
above them. "Tokimi!" Washu cried. "What do you want?" 
	The goddess smiled and focused her gaze on Washu. "So you 
remember me then sister? Hmm, it must have been Tsunami's doing 
then, no matter. Having trouble with your mannequin I see?"
	"First off Ryoko is not a mannequin and second this is no 
buiesness of yours! Why have you come here anyways!? Tell me!"
	"Why I was just stopping by for a friendly family visit but 
now I see that that isn't possible." Tokimi descended from her 
perch on the roof and set her feet down on the remains of the 
crushed breakfast table. In this form she was about six feet two 
inches tall, her long brown hair swept down past her shoulders and 
to the mid section of her back. Her amulet and ribbons were still 
in their customary place hovering before her neck and she still 
bore the same cold eyes as she always had.
	Sasami stood up and spoke, "Your hostilities are not related 
to any of our doings so I suggest that you either put on a more 
friendly attitude and stay of be gone off back to where you came 
from." As Sasami spoke her voice sounded like that of a much older 
woman and Tenchi recognized it instantly.
	"Tsunami," he breathed.
	"Oh sister!" laughed Tokimi, "you always were the peacemaker 
in our little family of three! I must say that I appreciate the 
invitation to stay but I shall do as I like regardless of what you 
wish."
	"Tokimi," Washu stepped forward. "You are the cause of all 
these strange events transpiring in the past few weeks so off with 
the mask and tell us why you are here and exactly what you hope to 
achieve by doing so."
	"Well honestly sister I can tell you that I have no idea what 
sort of occurrences have been taking place in this house. Now as 
for my appearance here that I can explain but as for your little 
mannequin's behaviors, well. Frankly I believe her to be broken, 
and do you know what we do with broken and useless things were I 
come from?"
	"Tokimi DON'T!" screamed Washu. Yet, it was too late. All 
Washu could do was watch as Ryoko, once held so close in Tenchi's 
arms fizzled, and then dissolved into nothing as if she had been 
completely erased. "NOOOOOOOO!"
	"Wait a moment," said Tokimi, "where did she go?" Tokimi 
turned and looked first to Washu and then to Sasami, whose face 
was a mask of concentration with her arms held out before her. 
"You!" she cried as she drew a bead on the little girl with her 
eyes. Then Sasami I let out a scream that tore at the very fabric 
of the mind. The whole entire scene was washed in an incredible 
white nirvana glow and then it dissipated and faded out into non-
existence.


CHAPTER SIX    "Journey to a New Plane of Stars"


	Are we there yet Tsunami? Washu's thoughts echoed in the 
dark. 
	No not yet sister but we shall arrive soon enough.
	Good, I hope we'll all be ready.

	"Ryoko. Ryoko. Wake up Ryoko." Ryoko opened her eyes to the 
world and found herself in Tenchi's arms. They were still knelt on 
the dinning room floor. 
	"Tenchi?" Ryoko looked up at him.
	"Ryoko!" he said happily. "You're awake!"
	"Yes I heard you calling me," Ryoko said.
	"Calling you<" Tenchi asked. "I didn't say anything Ryoko."
	"You didn't?"
	"No, in fact I think I was sleeping to."
	"Well then what was that warm presence I felt? I said my 
name, it called me and told me to wake up, I heard it!"
	"Well Ryoko I-."
	"We're here!" called Washu.
	
	Everyone gathered at the former site of the Masaki front 
lawn. Instead of standing on the packed earth that they were so 
accustomed to everyone stood on what seemed to be absolutely 
nothing. They were floating in space, along with the house, all 
inside a transparent blue bubble. Nobiuki, Katsuhito, Ayeka, 
Mihoshi, Ryoko, and Tenchi all stood lined up in front of the 
house as Sasami and Washu stood before them. 
	Sasami spoke first. "We now in another dimension," she said 
in the same mature voice she had used back in the dinning room. 
"I'm sorry there was no time to make any other choice. I had to 
bring all of you and the house here otherwise we all would have 
perished on earth by the hand of Lady Tokimi."
	"Sasami," Ayeka spoke up, "you sound an awful lot like 
Tsunami."
	"That's right!" said Washu. "Everyone I would like you all to 
meet my sister Tsunami!"
	"Your sister!" cried Ayeka.
	"That's right Miss Ayeka Tsunami is my sister," said Washu.
	"But what about Sasami? Where is MY sister?"
	"She is here and well," Tsunami said. "She has merely given 
me control of herself for the time being."
	"This isn't permanent is it?" wondered Ayeka.
	"No of course not," said Tsunami, "here." There was a moment 
of silence and then next to Sasami stood Tsunami. She wore a white 
and blue robe and Ayeka marveled at how much alike the two looked. 
Of course Tsunami was in her true form, a tall blue haired woman 
with Sasami's same pink eyes.
	Sasami turned, "Thank you Tsunami!" she said. "You saved us!"
	"You're welcome Sasami," Tsunami answered.
	"What is this?" asked Ayeka. "Have you two split apart?"
	"No," replied Tsunami, "I am just a mental projection from 
Sasami's mind."
	"Oh I see."
	"Anyways!" spoke Washu. "We are here because Lady Tokimi is 
out to get us for whatever reason. Tsunami brought the house with 
us to this new dimension and we are floating in some sort of 
environment bubble much like the one Tenchi created after the 
destruction of Doctor Clay's ship."
	Tenchi raised his hand, "So this Lady Tokimi woman, she can't 
find us here? Is that it?"
	"Welllll...." Washu pretended to think about Tenchi's 
question. "Let's just say that it will take her a little while to 
find us okay?"
	"Unfortunately it won't take her that long," a voice echoed 
somewhere in the distance. Everyone spun to see a man standing on 
the top roof of the Masaki house. He wore black pants suspended by 
a black leather belt with a gold buckle on the front. A dark 
ruffled shirt dawned his midsection, partially covered by a very 
large gray cape that hung down to the man's ankles. His hair was 
straight, flowing, and gray, while his eye's shown brightly like 
two gold coins under a light. He also wore a small circular pair 
of sunglasses that rested on his nose. These glasses were dark and 
so small that it didn't seem possible that he could look through 
them.
	"Kagato! Oh no!" shouted Tenchi.
	"No!" Ryoko grasped Tenchi's shoulder. "No it's not Kagato. 
Who are you!?" Ryoko called up to the figure perched on the roof.
	He rose and lowered himself to the ground before Ryoko. His 
face was chiseled with flat cheeks and a broad jaw that was set 
out from his face. "I'm sorry," he said, "but it has been along 
time. My name is not Kagato you are right. My name is Kentaro. 
	"Kentaro!" Ryoko gasped and took a step back. 
	"Yes it's been along time hasn't it mother?" 

	"WWWWWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
T!!!!!!" Washu reeled back as if struck by an invisible force. 
MOTHER! She felt her heart racing. Oh NO! Kagato that, THAT! How 
could he?
	"Mother?" Ryoko took another step back. "Wha- what do you 
mean? Mother?"
	"We should go someplace a little more private," said Kentaro 
as he looked towards the Masaki residence. "This will do." Ryoko 
followed his lead, leaving her stunned friends behind in a trail 
of unanswered questions.

	"This will do nicely," said Kentaro as he opened the door to 
the Masaki living room and took a seat on the blue couch. Ryoko 
followed and sat beside him. "I know what you are wondering," he 
said his face a wall of stone as he stared down at the coffee 
table. "How am I your son? Do you remember?"
	"No."
	"I didn't think you would."
	"BUT!" the cyan haired woman began to cry. "I remember.... I 
remember a boy." Kentaro leaned forward interested. "Kagato used 
to free me from his mind control at night so I could sleep and 
there was a boy. I have very few memories of him but sometimes. 
Sometimes he would come to me when it was dark and I was alone. 
Somehow he managed to get past Kagato unnoticed and he would talk 
to me. He was no more than five years old. I didn't see him much 
but then... THEN!" she began a fit of uncontrollable weeping and 
threw herself into Kentaro's chest. "Then one night the boy and I 
where there in my room. He had brought a ball and we were bouncing 
it back and fourth. I, I can barely remember being so happy. It 
was over soon though, Kagato came. He was furious I believe I 
have, or had, never seen him so angry before. He hit the boy and 
tossed him out of my room. He shocked me for along time with 
energy bolts, and then he- he crushed the ball before my eyes. I 
think that was what hurt th!
e most. That was the last time I ever saw that boy. After that, 
there is nothing. Just empty space waiting to be paved over inside 
my head." Kentaro continued to stare at the coffee table before 
him. "Kentaro?" he looked down into Ryoko's eyes. "Are you him? 
Are you that boy?"
	"Yes," he responded. "My father never let me see her, my 
mother that is. He never even told me that she existed but somehow 
I knew. There was a woman on our ship; father called her the 
servant. He would summon her and she would go out and do his 
bidding, sometimes if I got lucky, father would let me watch her 
work. Being so young, I did not like to see these things. Killing 
and destruction but my father told me that it would make me strong 
someday. I always wondered about that woman so one day I went to 
see her and I found that she was more of a child than I. She was 
frightened and alone she wanted me to give her a hug. So I did and 
we talked. We talked about math and about the stars. When I would 
mention sports and games she would give me a puzzled look and say 
'What does that mean?'. That was you mother. It has been over 900 
years ago."
	"I never knew," Ryoko said more to her self than Kentaro. "I 
don't ever remember him-"
	"No of course you wouldn't. He had power over your mind you 
couldn't do anything for yourself you could bearly hold memories 
and all of them that you held were of death and fire. Except for 
those of me. Eventually as I grew older, I found out about you. It 
wasn't that hard really. Sometimes my father would slip up and 
spill the slightest bit of a clue and it wasn't hard to put that 
together with what I already felt. He taught me in his ways and 
tortured me as he did you. He said that with the servant gone he 
needed a new warrior to serve him. Sadly, that warrior happened to 
be me. So one day as he came down on yet another planet I used my 
mission as a portal to escape. I ran away never to return. Then it 
wasn't until after his death that I found you still alive. I knew 
that I must return to you but I knew not when, and then you and 
your friends appeared here. Therefore, I came. You realize at the 
time of my conception you still had all of your gems so the blood 
of the god's f!
lows through my veins. I can span space and time just as the three 
sisters can, and as can you." A door shut and the two of them 
looked towards the noise.
	"I don't mean to interrupt," said Sasami, "but I've got to 
get dinner on."
	Ryoko sat up and looked at her son, "Please stay," she said.
	"I will there is much that we have yet to discuss."    

	"That is interesting," Tsunami said as she turned around to 
face Washu. "I did not expect the boy to be here as well."
	"The boy?" asked Washu as she looked at Tsunami. "Is what he 
says actually true?"
	"Yes it is," said Tsunami.
	"And you knew about him?"
	"Yes he is demi-god and he can travel as we do."
	"DEMI-GOD? Travel as we do? Tsunami why have you left me in 
the dark until now?"
	"I was going to speak with you earlier but your powers had 
not been re-engraved yet so it would have been pointless. Then as 
I was going to tell you sister Tokimi arrived and surprised us 
all."
	"What are you saying about my powers and how can this boy be 
a demi-god much less Ryoko's child? Come on Tsunami let's put all 
of our cards down on the table!"
	"Very well. I shall begin with you sister. In the beginning 
of time, there was a single being. This being was nothing special 
but since she was the only thing in existence anywhere, she was 
all-powerful. I say she because she gave birth to everything in 
this and other universes. She would constantly bicker and talk to 
herself about one thing or another so one day she split into three 
parts all female. These parts were not entirely equal and so they 
varied in power. The first and strongest one chose a form and 
named herself Washu, the second followed suit and called herself 
Tokimi, and I also chose a name and form of my own. These named 
forms were what remained of the first goddess creator of all 
things and they had split into three because of various disputes 
that one form could not handle. Therefore, they all went their 
separate ways. Through one dimension that they had made and the 
next. Whatever they wanted to do was up to them for the choice was 
theirs. Then one day a sud!
den shock ran through our telepathic network. One of our 
dimensions had been completely obliterated so Tokimi came to me. 
She said that it was you who did it and that we must punish you 
for your deeds. I told her that if it really was you then we must 
find you. So we called you through our minds and you came. Then 
surprisingly when sister Tokimi asked you if it really was you who 
destroyed the dimension alpha one you said yes, that it was you, 
so we had no choice but to punish you. That is how your powers 
were taken and placed inside of the three red gems housed within 
the sword Tenchi. After this, you were sent off to the Terra 
dimension where you began school at the royal science academy. 
Many years had passed and soon you graduated and became a 
professor then.... Then something incredible happened. You created 
Ryoko and called her your daughter. You built her to be compatible 
with the energy from your gems. So she arose with incredible and 
unmatched powers in the universe. !
You had built another goddess. That's when Kagato came along and 
abducted you. He took you and using your mind took control of 
Ryoko. However Kagato never knew the extent of Ryoko's power and I 
believe that the universe is very thankful of this. Yet, 
regardless of what Kagato knew Ryoko still had the power of the 
gods running through her. So when her son Kentaro was conceived he 
was also granted that power but unlike Ryoko, the power runs in 
his blood. Never did anyone realize that this boy and Ryoko had 
such incredible powers. However, many years passed and your 
birthright grew inside of you. Tokimi and myself believed that we 
had sterilized your power but we were wrong. It grew and continued 
to grow inside of you until on night it was ready and came back to 
you."
	Washu looked at Tsunami, "You mean?"
	"Yes Washu you are once again the most powerful being in 
existence, you are a goddess. I am still curious though. Even with 
your full power restored, the gems are still alive and active as 
well. It is most curious."
	"So what you're telling me Tsunami," Washu wondered aloud. 
"Is that if Ryoko was given all three gems then there would 
actually be four goddesses instead of three?"
	"Your guess is as good as mine sister but it does seem to be 
that way."
	"Interesting," thought Washu. "Very interesting."
	"Mihoshi! Grandfather! Nobiuki! Tenchi! Washu! Tsunami! Time 
for supper!"
	"Well Tsunami," Washu smiled, "it looks like you are invited 
for dinner."
	Tsunami giggled and then spoke. "Its all right lady Washu 
tell Sasami that I'm sure it's wonderful."
	"Well okay but I really think that you'll be missing out!"
	"Oh Washu!" Washu turned back around to face Tsunami.
	"Yes?"
	"Let me show you how to use your power, 20,000 years has been 
a long time."
	"Okay," said Washu and Tsunami took a step forward. Placing 
her hand on Washu's shoulder, she mumbled something. Washu felt 
the same pain she had 20,000 years ago. She screamed, she writhed, 
and she cried out. "TSUNAMI STOP IT! STOP IT TSUNAMI! PLEASE 
STOP!!!" and then it did stop. Washu fell to her knees gasping for 
breath.
	"I'm sorry," Tsunami said, "but that is a lot of power to be 
reawakened."
	"Yeah," said Washu as she got to her feet and brushed herself 
off. "Hey Tsunami," she said. 
	"Hmm?"
	"Why did you came here and tell me all this and show me how 
to use my new powers if I destroyed an entire dimension?"
	"Washu," said Tsunami turning away, "you're a smart girl. I'm 
surprised that buy now you haven't figured out that it was sister 
Tokimi who destroyed dimension Alpha One 20,000 years ago," and 
with that Tsunami faded from site leaving Washu alone in space.


>>CHAPTER SEVEN<<    "I Love Ryoko"


Tenchi was surprised at how normally his life continued in the 
outer space of a new dimension. It was like another summer, with 
different scenery of course. Grandfather continued to train Tenchi 
in Juraien sword play for the up coming battle, Sasami continued 
to make wonderful meals for everyone to eat, Mihoshi kept messing 
things up, and Washu still spent a lot of time down in her lab. 
Yet, one thing Tenchi did notice amiss was that Ryoko seemed 
distracted from him at times. Sometimes to distracted. She didn't 
bother him as much as she usually did and half the time she didn't 
even notice if Ayeka made an advance on him. Well she did just 
become reunited with a son she never knew she had, thought Tenchi. 
Still inside he missed Ryoko's playfulness and attention. Oh well 
she'll come around, he thought. Much to Tenchi's surprise, Kentaro 
began to fit in quite well with the rest of them. Most of his time 
was spent with Ryoko, catching up on lost time, Tenchi figured but 
he even he!
lped around the house. However, if there was one thing Kentaro 
liked best, aside from spending time with his mother, it was 
engaging Tenchi in a good bout of sparing. Kentaro wielded a large 
and broad energy sword like his father but the color of the sword 
was orange like Ryoko's. Kentaro usually had the upper hand and 
won all of their mock combats but occasionally Tenchi would pull 
though. Yes it was becoming all the more obvious to everyone that 
Kentaro actually was the son of Ryoko. Well in that case, Tenchi 
told himself, this guy has at least seven hundred years on me so 
really I'm not doing all that badly. I wonder who his father was.

	Tsunami, Washu called using her mind to summon her sister's 
voice. 
	Yes Washu?
	Tsunami why are we waiting? Sister Tokimi surely must be 
stopped and why wait for her to come to us?
	The time is not yet right sister Washu, so have patience it 
will come. I assure you it will come.

	It was mealtime once again in the Masaki household but this 
time the air held a sort of forbearing silence in its unusual 
stillness. Ayeka and Ryoko haven't fought yet, Tenchi privately 
thought. This isn't good. He was well and relaxed after a hot 
shower pending yet another with Kentaro. Tenchi was really 
starting to like the 'youth' well. I just wonder how Ryoko and him 
are taking it, Tenchi wondered. It seems that they haven't said 
much. Oh well everything seems fine. They sure do spend a lot of 
time together. Ryoko cries a lot more now but maybe that's just 
because of that Zero woman Washu put inside of her. It's kinnda 
nice to see how she really feels sometimes though. She just seems 
a lot more... well... human! Tenchi smiled and griped a piece of 
sushi with his chopsticks.
	"Excellent meal Sasami!" he said.
	"Thanks Tenchi!"
	"Whoops!" Ryoko said as Tenchi felt something fall into his 
lap. He looked down and saw a piece of Ryoko's sushi sitting 
there. "Sorry Tenchi," Ryoko blushed. "Here let me get it."
	"Now hey Ryoko wait a minute!" but Tenchi was surprised. He 
didn't feel Ryoko brush in to close, she didn't try to show him 
any of her cleavage, and she didn't' even give his crotch a 
squeeze. She simply picked the piece of sushi off him and set it 
back on her own plate. Unfortunately given the fact that Ayeka 
didn't share the same point of view as Tenchi she believed Ryoko 
was up to her usual capers again.
	"Hey Ryoko leave Lord Tenchi alone!" she shouted to loud and 
to close to Tenchi's ear.
	"What I was just getting my sushi this time honest!" said 
Ryoko on the defensive.
	"I'm sure," grumbled Ayeka. "Just getting your sushi along 
with another guilty pleasures you could along the way!"
	"Hey! I was simply picking my spilt food off of Tenchi!"
	"Oh sure you were! That would be to unlike you Ryoko!"
	"Yeah Ayeka? Well I've been ignoring what you've been doing 
to Tenchi for the past week and you should be thankful for this!"
	"Are they always like this?" whispered Kentaro to Washu.
	"Always," Washu replied.
	"Like you've never hit on Tenchi before!" Ayeka commented.
	"So what's the big deal?" beckoned Ryoko.
	So the fight went on and on like this for about five minutes 
until Ayeka moved in for the killing blow that she never met to 
throw.
	"If I REALLY wanted this thing to be over it would be," said 
the devil caller to the princess. "I could nab Tenchi like that!" 
and she snapped her fingers.
	"Get Tenchi!" Ayeka was furious and then she calmed down and 
took on a sligh voice. "You know Ryoko dear I'm going to have to 
ask that during all this time that you've been hitting on Tenchi 
have you ever even thought about your husband somewhere out 
there?" 
	Ryoko said nothing and was up as if a starting gun had 
sounded. Instead of teleporting as she normally did she raced out 
the back door as if she was an animal freed from a cage. A single 
tear landed on Kentaro's shoulder where he knelt beside his 
mother's former position. 
	He looked at the wet stain on his cape and then to Ayeka. "Oh 
no what did I do this time?" Ayeka asked with genuine concern 
creeping into her voice. Kentaro stood up and looked down on 
Ayeka.
	"Princess Ayeka, he said. " That 'husband' that you speak of, 
his name was Kagato." this spoken he turned and walked out after 
Ryoko.
	"Oh no," said Ayeka. Tears began to form up in her eyes, "Oh 
no, oh no," she said. "I've really done it this time haven't I?"

Ryoko lay sprawled face down with her arms outstretched and 
pressing on the enviro-bubble as she wept uncontrollable amounts 
of salty tears onto the translucent floor of the strange place she 
and everyone else was in. "oh why? Oh why, oh why, oh why?" she 
asked herself over, and over, and over, and over, and over again. 
"Kagato you heartless, you heartless, YOU HEARTLESS BASTARD!" 
Ryoko screamed and pounded her closed fists on the enviro-bubble's 
blue walls. She was so busy venting her range that she didn't 
sense Kentaro approaching from behind.
	"Mother," he said and she turned.
	"You!" she cried angrily. "You! I," her voice cracked and the 
anger subsided. "I love you," she said. "My son I love you with 
all my heart. You care so much!"
	"Yes mother," he said. "I do care and I love you to."

	That same night Ryoko couldn't help but fall asleep the 
minute her head hit the pillow. What she didn't realize was that 
this was bad, very bad. Thoughts of Kagato continued to fill her 
head. While she did not actually remember these things that she 
saw happening all her dreams had to do was imagine and that was 
bad enough. "Kagato! Kagato NO!" she screamed in the dark. "No, 
no, NO! NO! Stop it please! NNNNOOOOOO!!!"
	"Mother! MOTHER!" Kentaro shook her and shook her but nothing 
seemed to work. Then slowly her cries began to subside, and slow, 
and decrescendo until, all at once, they stopped. A burst of 
electricity ripped up and down Ryoko's body with such force that 
it their Kentaro back and into a nearby wall. The space raider's 
body spasmed and contracted as the energy washed her over. Kentaro 
quickly got up and ran to be back beside her. "Mother no!" he 
shouted. "It's okay! It's just a dream! Stop this it's nothing 
more than a dream!" no matter how loud her yelled nothing seemed 
to work and Ryoko continued to seizure in his arms. Soon though 
her jolts began to cease and her body calmed down. Calmed down 
until it stopped. "Mother? Oh no goddamn it mother!" but his words 
went by unheard. She's dead, he thought. No why? That dream and 
that energy, damn it no! My mother, she really is dead. She 
destroyed herself just to escape a dream. Just to escape.... Oh 
father how I hate you, and how I!
 hate this blood within me. He lowered his head and began to cry.