Disclaimer- All original characters and previous events in the world of Tenchi Muyo are not mine. They are the property of AIC and Pioneer. The following story and any new characters are mine and mine alone. This story has been written because I love this series and felt that if Pioneer is not going to be prompt with a 3rd OAV then I might as well throw my hat in the ring. This story is just for fun, and I hope that anyone who reads this enjoys it. The following events will take place in the OAV timeline and one year after MNE. Well that's all for my opening rant. I hope you enjoy the show. Tenchi-Muyo!- Will of the Goddesses "Bonds of Emotion" There was a knocking at the door to her office. Ayeka looked up from the data pads she was reviewing. "Please enter," she called out. The door slid open and Yosho walked in. He stopped in front of her desk and saluted. Ayeka sighed. "Please do not do that, brother. We are alone." He lowered his hand and stood at ease. "Proper etiquette must be maintained at all times, Princess Ayeka." He gave her an amused smile. "You are enjoying this too much, Yosho," she scolded. "Well, what is it?" He opened his hand to reveal a data chip. "Our long range scanners just picked this up a short while ago. It's a news cast from the outer regions of this galaxy." "Why on Jurai would you bring this to me?" she asked him. "The war hasn't spread that far, so why are we expending resources to track communications that far out?" Yosho leaned over and placed the chip in the video player on her desk. "I've had our COM techs doing this. I think that this recording is going to interest you more that you think." He pushed the play button. A combination of relief and fear filled Ayeka's heart. She recognized the hooded figure from the battle at the Masaki home over a month ago. It was calling out Tenchi and Ryoko. The video ended, and Ayeka realized that she was holding her breath. She started breathing again and looked at her brother. "At least we know that they are alive, now," she told him. Inside, however, there was a part of her that was fuming at the fact that Ryoko was with Tenchi. "Do you want me to do anything?" He was leaving the next move up to her. She waited a moment before answering. Half of her wanted to lead the fleet out into the rim systems and to Tenchi. Her rational side, however, was telling her differently. It was the side that won out in the end. "We stay with our plans. Even if we had ships to spare, it would be weeks before they made it out there. Tenchi and Ryoko would not even be in the same system, let alone anywhere near there." Yosho sat in one of the chairs in front of her desk. "Tenchi will go after this creature, and Ryoko will follow. You know this." Ayeka gave him an emotionless stare. "Of course I do. Tenchi would never let someone else suffer in his place, and Ryoko will not let him go alone." "It is obviously a trap," said her brother. Ayeka felt fear for the man she loved and her rival. "I know," she whispered. Her gaze drifted away from her brother's burgundy eyes. "We must believe that they will be safe." Ayeka's new inner strength began to reset itself. Her face hardened, and she looked back at Yosho. "Tenchi and Ryoko will be fine. After all, they still have to be here when we retake Jurai." Ayeka gave him a confident smile. Yosho returned the smile and got back to his feet. "What are your orders, Highness?" Ayeka shifted back into a war leader instantly. "Recall all ships patrolling the colonies. With the wall of Jurai Power that I erected, no enemy will be able to pass into our territory. I want our fleet at full strength when we begin to retake captured colonies." She picked up a data pad and handed it to him. "Here is a list of occupied colonies. Give that to Admiral Judroa. I want his advice on where we should begin liberating them." Yosho took the pad and saluted. "Yes, Ma'am." He turned and left her office. Ayeka watched the door slide shut. She sighed and leaned back in her chair. Tenchi and Ryoko were alive, but they were alone together. She knew very well that Ryoko loved Tenchi just as much as she did, and that she would die before she let Tenchi be hurt. No, that was not what was bothering the princess. Deep inside, Ayeka was afraid that Tenchi would choose Ryoko merely because she was the only one there. Ayeka scolded herself for that thought. If and when Tenchi finally chose between her and Ryoko, it would not be a shallow decision on his part. That was not the way Tenchi was. Everything he did was an action based on the feelings in his heart. In the end, it was going to come down to which one of them was in his heart. The princess was pulled from her deep thoughts by another knock on her door. There would be time to think about her emotions later. "Enter," she called out and pushed all thoughts of Tenchi, herself, and Ryoko aside. _____ Washu, Kiyone, and Sasami were all in the Yagami's bridge huddled around Washu's holo laptop. The recording on its screen ended. Kiyone whistled. "That is definitely a trap," she said flat out. "At least we know that Tenchi and Ryoko are okay," said Sasami with an attempt to lighten the mood. Washu nodded, but said nothing. The news that Ryoko and Tenchi were alive and currently fine was a great relief to her. She only wished that she could help them right now. "How did you find that message anyway, Washu?" asked Kiyone from her seat. "I have my computer constantly scanning all galactic communications for any mention of my name," she answered simply. "We just lucked out that this one concerned Tenchi and Ryoko." "Is there anything we can do for them?" asked Sasami. Her pink eyes were wide with hope and innocence. "I wish we could," replied Washu. "We are in the core of this galaxy, Sasami. That message for Tenchi and Ryoko came from one of the edges of the galaxy. Unless I perfected folding space without the space time flow continuing to move while space matter was being taken apart and reformed, I don't think there is anything we can do." Sasami gave Washu an opened mouthed stare. The little princess looked at Kiyone. "We're too far away, Sasami," she said with an understanding smile. Sasami looked disheartened. "Oh." The red headed scientist gave Kiyone a cold glare, but kept her voice soft for Sasami. "Don't worry, Sasami. Tenchi and Ryoko can take care of themselves just fine. After all, Ryoko is the daughter of the greatest scientific genius in the entire universe, and some of that must have rubbed off on her." She threw her head back and cackled. Sasami smiled from ear to ear. "You're right, Washu. Tenchi and Ryoko can beat up anyone." She stood and adjusted her red and green kimono. "I'm going down to the galley to fix breakfast. I'll call you guys when it's ready." The door to the bridge opened, and Sasami ran out. The door closed, and Washu sighed. Kiyone looked at the scientist. "Do you really believe what you just said?" Washu gave the GP a thin eyed glare. "Of course I do. I just don't like the fact that those two are going to run head first into a trap." "But since it's such an obvious trap, won't they at least be prepared?" questioned Kiyone. "I mean come on. No one is that dense except for Mihoshi." "Think of who we are talking about, Kiyone," began Washu. "Ryoko's idea of strategy is to blow everything up and let the rest of us sort it out. Tenchi does have the ability to make a good plan, but he thinks with his heart first and foremost. He'll charge in there with Tenchi-ken blazing in a situation like this before stopping to think." Kiyone frowned. "So what do you think will happen?" "Oh, they'll win in the end," assured Washu. "But they'll be pretty hurt by the time it's all over." _____ Tenchi and Ryoko stood in the middle of their camp sight. Ryo-ohki was a cabbit again and sat watching two of the most important people in her life preparing to go to battle. Tenchi was rummaging through his belongings, while Ryoko sat cross legged in the air just a few feet away. Finally, Tenchi found what he was looking for. He pulled a ring made from space tree bark and slid it around the ring finger of his right hand. He stood and gave it a small twist. A yellow wave of energy passed over him, and Tenchi was wearing his Juraian battle garb. He fit the holster for his blaster onto the suit's belt. He found three slots on the belt for extra blaster power packs. Last he picked up Tenchi-ken and held it in his right hand. There was a small flash of light in the corner of his eye. Tenchi turned and saw Ryoko still floating with her legs crossed, but now she was in her fighting suit. "Isn't this the part where you usually try to talk me out of running into danger?" he asked with a half smile. Ryoko looked at him with a very serious expression. "Considering the situation we're in, I think we are past that." Her mouth curled back into a feral grin. "Besides, I owe that guy one. I've had enough of him bothering us at every turn." Tenchi reminded himself never to really get on Ryoko's bad side. She uncrossed her legs and dropped to the ground lightly. "Time's just about up. We should get going." She looked down at Ryo-ohki and nodded. The cabbit jumped into the air and transformed. "MMMEEEEEEOOOOOOWWWWW!!!!!!!" Everything and everyone in the camp sight was beamed to bridge. "Let's go, Ryo-ohki!" commanded Ryoko. "MEEOOOWW! MEEEOOOWW!" It only took the cabbit battle ship a few moments to reach the city. A view screen showing a large blue walled building appeared in front of them. "That's it," confirmed Tenchi. The screen also showed several craft with police logos circling the building. "Ryo-ohki, beam us down there and lead those damn cops on a merry chase," said Ryoko. "MEOW!" Tenchi felt his atoms separate and reform. He and Ryoko were standing in front the entrance to the media building. The Juraian prince tucked Tenchi-ken into his belt and drew his blaster. Ryo-ohki meowed and led the patrol craft away. The prince and the pirate nodded to each other and charged ahead. Ryoko raised her right hand a blasted the front doors down. They ran through the smoke and scanned the lobby. Two dozen lizard monsters were awaiting them. Tenchi picked off five of them immediately, and Ryoko took out the floor underneath at least ten of the creatures. The remaining monsters hissed as one and charged them. Tenchi holstered his gun and ignited Tenchi-ken. Ryoko's red sword flashed to life, and she began dealing out death to the remaining lizards. Tenchi danced back and forth with two of the monsters. He back peddled as the two of them took turns lunging at him. One creature dove at Tenchi's legs. The prince executed a forward flip over the attacker, slashing its back as he went. He landed and lopped off the second monster's claws as it tried to stab him. It went to bite him, but Tenchi kicked it in the gut and drove Tenchi-ken into its skull. He pulled the blue blade free and looked for his next opponent. That was when Tenchi realized that he was on the other side of the lobby. Ryoko was easily decimating the lizards about thirty yards away. Tenchi started running towards her when a force field suddenly materialized right down the center of the lobby. The young man stopped short and spun around. Hovering in the air about twenty feet away was the demon. It unfolded its wings and landed. "I have been waiting for you, Knight of Tsunami," it rumbled. The demon raised its flaming talons towards Tenchi. "It is time to die, boy." The abomination roared and soared at Tenchi. It swung a talon at him. Tenchi parried the attack, but the force sent him flying through the air and into the force field. Tenchi was back on his feet immediately. This thing was bigger, faster, and stronger than he was. It was going to be a tough fight. Tenchi held his sword in his left hand, drew his blaster, and opened fire. The demon folded its wings around itself and deflected the red bolts of energy. Seeing that the gun was useless, Tenchi holstered it and gripped Tenchi-ken with both hands. Tenchi tried to access the power of his Light Hawk Wings, but once again that inner wall kept him out. He cursed his luck and began circling the monster. The demon spread its wings again and followed the prince's movements. It took to the air and lunged for Tenchi. He dodged and ducked under both talons and then slashed with Tenchi-ken's blue blade. The counter attack scored a wound on the beast's left flank drawing a line of black blood. The demon roared and feinted to the right. Tenchi raised his sword to parry the talons, but he was completely blind sided by the demon's spiked tail. The main spike of the tail drove right into Tenchi's right leg. "Aaaahhhh!" screamed Tenchi as he felt the spike drive right into his thighbone. Unable to support his own weight, Tenchi collapsed to the ground. Tenchi waited for the demon to strike again, but it did not. He raised his head to see the monster circling him and making a horrible chuckling sound. Then the fire in his blood started. Tenchi cried out as the blood in his veins started boiling. He retreated into a fetal position and continued to scream in pain. _____ Ryoko released a spinning disc of energy that sliced through the remaining five lizards. She caught the disc and smiled triumphantly. The space pirate turned to see how her partner was doing and was greeted with his scream of pain. Ryoko saw Tenchi rolling on the ground and launched herself at the demon without hesitation. The space pirate cried out when she slammed into the force field at full speed. Ryoko righted herself in the air and tried blasting the invisible barrier. Her red bolts were merely absorbed. Next she tried teleporting right through it, but there was something preventing her from passing through the field. The demon noticed her attempts to get by the field. "Are you having some difficulty, Daughter of Washu?" it taunted. It walked over to Tenchi and picked up the writhing prince. Tears of rage and fear collected in Ryoko's eyes as he screamed in pain again. "Watch and remember the pain of seeing a loved one die in agony." Ryoko roared in pure rage and soared straight up. _____ Garthinial was puzzled as the cyan haired woman flew straight up and through the ceiling. Then he realized what she was doing. He threw the boy aside and extended his talons. The Daughter of Washu exploded from the ceiling above him still roaring with rage. Garthinial cursed himself for not raising the shield to go past the lobby. With a flap of his wings, the demon vaulted to his left and dodged her first attack. She stopped instantly and soared directly for him. He raised his talons ready to parry her energy sword when it appeared. It never did. Garthinial altered his arms to block the punch just in time. The strength behind the blow sent the demon flying back. He stopped himself and prepared to counter attack. This was new. The bitch had changed her tactics! Garthinial bellowed a roar of his own and charged talons first. _____ Ryoko phased through the first talon that came at her and caught the second with her hands. The flames from the talon seared her hands, but the cyan haired warrior ignored the pain. She was no longer just fighting. She was the spirit of vengeance. Ryoko twisted the demon's left arm upside down, and brought the talon across her knee breaking it in half. The demon roared in pain this time and drove its tail at Ryoko. She shifted her torso slightly and caught the tail in her hands. A brief look at the dripping spike confirmed that it excreted poison. She gripped the tail so hard that her fingers broke right through the scales. Then the space pirate started swing the tail and the demon with it over her head. Ryoko screamed in rage again and slammed the monster into the floor of the lobby several times. Still screaming, Ryoko released the tail, dove on top of the demon, and started pummeling it with all her might. Punches rained down on its chest cracking scales and the bones beneath them. "YOU SON OF A BITCH!!!!" she was screaming. It tried to knee her in the back, but Ryoko phased three feet up and drove her foot right down on the demon's knee. The bones snapping were quite audible. Ryoko followed by driving both her knees into its gut, followed by repeated punches to the face. "I'LL KILL YOU!!!" continued to shout Ryoko. "YOU PIECE OF SHIT, BASTARD!!!!! YOU HURT TENCHI!!!!! I'LL BREAK EVERY DAMN BONE IN YOUR BODY!!!!! I'M GONNA BEAT YOU UNTIL THERE'S NOTHING LEFT BUT A STAIN ON THE FLOOR!!!!!!" She repeatedly pummeled the demon all over its torso. "DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!" Somewhere in her berserk rage, Ryoko was able to hear Tenchi groaning behind her. The sound of his voice immediately brought her back. She stopped pummeling the demon, vanished, and appeared next to Tenchi. He was covered in sweat and holding Tenchi-ken in a vice grip with his right hand. Ryoko gasped at the sight of his wounded right thigh. Blood was pouring from the wound, and there was a green film around it. Tenchi started coughing spazmatically. Ryoko panicked when she realized he was having trouble breathing. Ryoko took him in her arms and started rocking back and forth. "Don't die, Tenchi," she pleaded. "Please hold on. I'll get some help, and you'll be fine." The wall behind her exploded. Ryoko looked up as four figures walked into the lobby. Ukarit, blaster drawn, scanned the area and whistled. He winced at what was left of the demon. "Boy, you people sure know how to party." He looked at Ryoko holding the now limp Tenchi. "He looks pretty bad. Somar! Get your pale ass over here!" A pale skinned and haired man Ryoko remembered from the bar ran over to them. He pulled a medical scanner from beneath a gray coat and waved it over Tenchi. "I can fix the leg wound, but I'm not sure about the poison in his system," he said in a light voice. "I won't know until we get him up to the med bay on the Loaded Dice." Ukarit nodded grimly and looked around the lobby again. "Twins! What's the count?" The two bearded twins ran over to the pink man with their weapons still in hand. "The whole building..." "...is filled with dead bodies." "Humph," grunted Ukarit. He looked back at Ryoko. "The cops will be back any second. They've figured out your ship was a distraction. The kid never agreed to a deal, but I think things have changed since these bastards just toasted one of my buildings." "Deal? What deal?" asked the now weary Ryoko. Ukarit smiled despite the situation. "He didn't tell you about our meeting?" She shook her head. "Well, we'll take care of that later. Now, you comin' with us or what?" "Can you save him?" she asked with all the hope in her heart. "I can do my best if we get him up to the Loaded Dice, now," answered Somar. Ryoko nodded and picked Tenchi up. She quickly contacted Ryo-ohki and told the cabbit ship to just keep a lock on her and follow when the coast was clear. Ukarit punched a code into a control pad on his wrist and the six of them were beamed away. When she rematerialized, Ryoko found herself and Tenchi in a medical bay. She deposited him on a regeneration bed and stepped back. The cyan haired woman watched numbly as the pale man called Somar went to work on Tenchi. She could feel the ship lurch as it went into hyperspace. There was a mental tug at the back of her mind as Ryo-ohki confirmed that she was following this new ship. Ryoko dimly acknowledged while continuing to watch Tenchi. A half an hour went by before Somar stopped his work. He stepped back, and Ryoko moved forward closer to Tenchi. The thigh wound had been cleaned and closed. Tenchi was hooked up to an oxygen mask to help him breath. Ryoko looked at Somar, and he just shook his head. "I'm sorry. The poison is unlike anything I've ever seen. There isn't anything else I can do." Cold. That was all that Ryoko could feel. There was only the cold feeling in her heart. If this had been a year ago, Ryoko would have throttled the pale man for not succeeding, but she knew that he had tried his best. "Can I be alone with him?" she asked in a quiet voice. Somar nodded and left the room. Tears started falling down her face. She reached out a shaky hand and started to caress his ashen face. "I'm sorry, my Tenchi," she whispered. "I should have been there. I should have been the one to take the hit. Not you." She collapsed and started weeping onto his chest. "Not you." If only there was a way to stop the poison. Her tears suddenly stopped as a thought raced through her mind. The demon had resembled the lizard creatures in some aspects. If they were both the same species, then wouldn't the poison be the same in both of them? "And I have the anti-bodies to the poison in my system," she breathed. Hope started to make its way back into her mind and heart. If she could somehow get the anti-bodies into Tenchi's system, then he might have a chance. "But how? It will have to be done so that it goes right into his blood." Ryoko ticked through different possibilities, but none of them would be fast enough, except possibly one. She leaned over his face and caressed it lightly. "This is not how I wanted our first one to happen, Tenchi, but I have no choice if I'm going to save your life." She carefully removed the breathing mask and placed it next to his head. Ryoko slowly moved her face over Tenchi's. With tears of desperation running down her cheeks and splashing onto his, she kissed him. The cyan haired woman slid her tongue into his mouth so that her own saliva could mingle with his. It was then that the gem on her left wrist began to glow in unison with the two in Tenchi-ken's hilt. Ryoko was putting all of her emotions into the kiss that she hoped would save her only love's life. Ryoko was so focused on the action, that she did not notice the amount of power building around the two of them. Finally, she noticed the burning feeling growing on her left wrist. Ryoko slowly broke the kiss and lifted her head away from Tenchi's. As she did, all the gems stopped glowing. Tenchi's face was back to its normal coloring, and he was breathing easily. Escalation filled her very being. Tenchi's eyes opened slowly, and he looked up. That's when Ryoko noticed a string of emotions that were not her own. It was kind of like sharing Ryo-ohki's thoughts, but different. This was not just looking, but instead she was feeling these other emotions from someone else. There was relief and curiosity pushing at the edge of her mind. Ryoko looked down in shock when she realized where the emotions were coming from. She was feeling exactly what Tenchi was feeling! There was no mind reading going on. Ryoko was sensing Tenchi's emotions at that very moment. His eyes fell on her, and a strange expression came over his face. "Ryoko? Why are you so scared all of a sudden?" A gave her a stunned look. "How do I know that you're feeling scared?" Ryoko's mind was in chaos. What had just happened? This was not supposed to have happened! Yes, she was connected to Tenchi, but it had been an accident. He had never really asked for it. And worst of all, now he could look past any false sense of security she put up and see right into her soul. Of course she had dreamed of something like this, but the reality scared her past rational thought. The space pirate instinctively threw up a psychic wall between her and Tenchi. There was no way she could let him see past the tough exterior. If he knew about all the things she had done in her past... He propped himself on his elbows and gave her a questioning look. "What's going on, Ryoko?" he asked calmly. "Where are we?" She knew that he could not feel her emotions, but his were still coming in loud and clear. His curiosity was very strong, but there was also a sense of worry because she was acting strange. No words would came out of her mouth. Ryoko was too shocked to even think straight. Only one thought broke through the haze of confusion, run away. She needed to get away from him for a while and sort out what had just happened. The space pirate concentrated on her link with Ryo-ohki. The cabbit ship was flying along side Ukarit's ship. Not even explaining anything to Tenchi, Ryoko teleported onto Ryo-ohki's bridge. Ryo-ohki meowed at the distress she picked up from Ryoko, but her mistress did not respond. She merely sat down in a corner of the bridge, drew her knees close to her, and stared out at hyperspace. _____ Garthinial was beyond feeling pain. How could he have known the woman would do that? There was no way he could have known that such a rage existed. His body was virtually dead. His spirit was just preparing to leave the mortal plane, when a subspace portal opened and a small humanoid stepped out. He was shaking his head. "You underestimated them, didn't you?" The demon would have crushed the little man if he had any bones left to move. "I know you probably want to kill me right now just out of your own rage. However, that would be no way to treat the man who is going to give you a second chance to kill the Daughter of Washu." Garthinial started to mentally laugh as several steel tentacles shot out of the portal and dragged him in. To be continued... Notes- I got nothing to say. Send comments to Roas1@hotmail.com.