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 "True Heart's Desire" From space, the planet of Jurai was gray and lifeless. Enslaved Juraians toiled in the cities below, and the great trees of the planet were dying one by one. Ziasha Corodune stood on the bridge of Tokimi's Chariot watching the dying planet through a view screen. A soldier walked up beside the dark warrior's command chair and clicked his heels. "Report," ordered Ziasha. The soldier bowed his head once and spoke. "I have a message from the scientist, sir." He waited a second, and Ziasha nodded for him to continue. "He says that the new ships have matured, and that they are ready to be deployed." Ziasha smiled and waved the soldier away. The man clicked his heels again and walked off. "Excellent," he said to himself. "Captain!" "Yes, Lord Ziasha?" said a pointy eared humanoid not ten feet away. "Bring me the projected estimates for the Juraian rebels' advance towards Jurai." The captain handed him a data pad. Ziasha scanned it for a moment. "Prepare the Chariot for travel. Set jump coordinates for the Vernial system." "Yes, sir!" Ziasha leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. "D3," he called out mentally. "Yes?" replied the demi-god's voice. "Awaken one hundred of the new demon tree ships. Have them follow the Chariot. We are going to set a trap for the Princess and her rebels." "Will one hundred of the demon ships be enough, Ziasha?" "We will have the element of surprise, my dear D3," assured the dark warrior. "That and the power of these ships should be plenty to destroy the Princess's fleet." "As you wish." D3's presence was gone. Ziasha opened his eyes and smiled. "This game ends now, Princess Ayeka. I will crush your pathetic fleet and take your sister to Lady Tokimi. The Will commands it." He pushed several buttons on the right arm of his chair. "Yes, my lord?" came Ortav's voice over the communicator. "Bring yourself and what's left Garthinial up to the Chariot," ordered Ziasha. "We are going on a trip, and your services may be needed." "As you command, my lord." Ziasha turned off the communicator and returned his gaze to the view screen holding the image of the dying Jurai. ____ Washu's red gem ship came out of subspace directly in front of the massive Temple of Tokimi. Washu watched the Temple for a few moments, and when nothing happened, she rose from her chair. "So, you are going to make me come in, eh?" she said to the image of the Temple. "Fine." There was a flash of light, and Washu vanished. When she reappeared, the red headed scientist was standing on a floating platform in the center of an immense chamber. She straightened her back and looked around the room. "I have arrived as the Will decreed, Tokimi," she called out. "Now show yourself and speak with me." The domed ceiling was replaced by a blanket of stars. Washu blinked, and Tokimi's image hovered in the air above her. "Greetings, dearest sister," purred Tokimi. "It has truly been quite a long time." "Why, Tokimi?" asked Washu. "Why have you chosen to do this through blood shed? There must have been another way?" "Always looking for more than one answer," replied the goddess. "That was always your way, Washu." She smiled sweetly down at the genius. "I suppose that is what truly started all of this." Washu scowled. "That is not an answer, Tokimi," she snapped. "Your mind games never worked on me before, and they will have no effect on me now. Now answer me, dammit!" Tokimi's smile vanished. "This dimension must be cleansed before my arrival. I will not be a coddling mother to those pathetic children of Tsunami, nor will I tolerate the irritation caused by your so called children." Tokimi's face grew until it filled the whole ceiling. "Now submit to me, Washu. The Will demands it." Washu's face became downcast. "You will not stop this," she said flatly. Finally, she raised her green eyes to the goddess above her. "Then as the Will commands, I submit myself to you, sister." There was a bright flash. Pain wracked her body, and a scream escaped Washu's lips before she could stop it. When her vision cleared, the genius found herself bound to a ten foot black slab. She nearly cried out again when she saw the still form of Mayuka trapped in a stasis crystal and floating ten feet away. "One piece remains, sister," taunted Tokimi from everywhere. "And soon, Tsunami will join you." The goddess laughed, and it took all of Washu's discipline to hold back the tears of anguish and sorrow. _____ Ayeka sat in the war room of Black Star Alpha with Yosho and Admiral Judroa. Data pads were strewn all over the table, and several screens showing system charts floated around them. Ayeka scanned over a data pad in her hand. "So, what is the total number of systems we have recaptured in the past month?" Yosho looked over a couple of data pads before answering. "Intel has the current total at twenty." He tapped on the pad in his hand and another screen appeared. It was a large map of the Juraian Empire. The original span of the Empire had been huge. The current free Juraian systems were highlighted in blue. Yosho rose and traced a finger down the edge of the map from top to bottom. "We still control all the outer colonies." He traced a semi-sphere extending towards the former center of the Empire. "We have been gaining some ground in the retaking of systems, but as you can see we still have a long way to go." Roughly a little more that three fourths of the map was black. Judroa frowned at the map. "Even if we somehow manage to take back the better part of the Empire, there is no possible way we can hold it with the fleet in its current state." "Then we will proceed with plan B," stated Ayeka. "Since we do not have the resources to take back all the Imperial systems, we will create a safe road directly to Jurai. Once we get to Jurai, we will eradicate the source of all the war." There was a dangerous look in her eyes. Judroa's face was stern with the understanding of Ayeka's words. "Commander, give us a list of systems that will create the best route to Jurai." Yosho nodded silently and shuffled through the pads. Finally, he tapped one of them and the map of the Empire changed. A red line moved straight from the blue semi-sphere to the planet of Jurai. "Here is the best path back to Jurai. By taking back the systems in that order, we can be assured of being able to defend them from enemy forces, while creating a safe and speedy conduit for hyperspace travel." "What is the first system?" asked Ayeka. Yosho looked at the map for a moment. "The Vernial system, Highness," he replied. "It is the best starting point because it puts us on a direct path towards Jurai, and it also allows direct travel between all of our other occupied systems." Ayeka turned her head to look at the Admiral. "What is the current status of our forces, Admiral?" Judroa cleared his throat before speaking. "With the addition of those ships that arrived last week, we are up to roughly three hundred eighty eight ships. Current troop count is over two million. We can now successfully retake several planets at once and still have many troops in reserve." "Excellent," said Ayeka. "Mobilize all troops and ships. We will be leaving for the Vernial system immediately. Our first target there will be Vernial Prime." Both men rose and saluted the princess. "Yes, your Highness." "Dismissed," said Ayeka. The two of them nodded and left the war room. Ayeka sat there alone in the war room for a short time just thinking. She had just given the orders that would bring about the final push towards Jurai. Many brave Juraians were going to die. There was no way she could delude herself about that fact. Then there was another problem to deal with. Ziasha had not tried to counter her force's movements since the attempt to take over her troops with the centipede demons. She had a very strong feeling that the dark warrior was not finished with her yet. "If only I could figure out what he was going to do next?" _____ "Attention all passengers. Please remain seated as we begin our landing procedures, and we hope that you have enjoyed your time spent on Air Ukarit." Tenchi smiled at Ukarit's voice as it came over the ship's intercom. He and Ryoko were sitting in the mess hall of the Loaded Dice getting a quick breakfast before the ship landed. A pressure at the back of his mind caused Tenchi to look to Ryoko. The space pirate had moved away from their table and was looking out the window at the blue and green planet below them. By now Tenchi knew that the pressure in the back of his mind was in fact Ryoko's emotions coming across their empathic link. She kept her own side of the link shielded so that he could not read anything she was feeling. The Juraian prince got up from the table and walked over to Ryoko. "Is something wrong, Ryoko?" She jumped slightly at the sound of his voice. Ryoko smiled at him. Tenchi could tell it was forced. "I'm fine, Tenchi. Now come on and let's finish eating. I don't want Ukarit to ditch us and go off into the colony without us." She vanished and reappeared back at the table. Tenchi sighed and walked back as well. He watched Ryoko while she ate. She was wearing her blue and gold dress with the green jacket over it. The demoness picked at her food lightly, not really eating anything. He knew that there was something bothering Ryoko, but the prince also knew better than to try and force Ryoko to talk when she did not want to. The ship began to shake slightly as it began to enter the atmosphere of the Juraian colony. It had taken the Loaded Dice just over a week to make it into Jurai space. This was the first colony that the group had picked up on their sensors. Everyone except Ryoko had voted to make a short stop at the planet to restock on supplies and get some information on the war effort. She had not voted against it, but merely kept silent about the matter. That alone had worried Tenchi. Never in all the time he had known Ryoko had she ever kept her opinions to herself. And now that they were about to arrive at the colony, Ryoko had become very distracted. The ship shuddered as it landed. Tenchi looked out the window to see a spaceport teeming with life. Tenchi got up and motioned to Ryoko. "We'd better get going." Ryoko looked up from her food and nodded. The two of them left the mess hall and headed for the Dice's exit ramp. When they arrived, Ukarit and the others were already there. "Good, we're all here," said the pink man. "Let's get a move on." He tapped a control at his waist and the ramp lowered. The group descended from the ship and was met by spaceport mechanics. Ukarit paid for docking time, and to have his ship looked over and refueled. They all left the spaceport and ventured into the city surrounding it. Juraians happily walked throughout the streets going about their everyday lives. Tall, white buildings with great trees growing out of them spread out for miles around. "We're going to go root around for information on the war," Ukarit told Tenchi. "Why don't the two of you look into buying supplies to restock the Dice." "No problem, Ukarit," replied Tenchi. "When should we meet back at the ship?" Ukarit scratched his chin and looked at his watch. "Hmmm. I'd say about two or three hours." "Okay," said Tenchi. "See you then." He waved at Ukarit, the Twins, and Somar as they walked off. He turned to Ryoko and smiled. "Ready to go?" She wasn't listening to him. The space pirate was gazing at the city laid out before them. Tenchi did not need their link to feel the emotions emanating from Ryoko. He carefully placed his right hand on her shoulder causing her to jump once again. Ryoko's head snapped around to look at Tenchi. "You sure you're okay?" he asked for the second time that day. A cocky smile played across her face. "Of course I am." Ryoko grabbed the collar of his field jacket. "Come on, let's go," and they were off down the busy street. Within the first hour the two of them had found a fairly good supply store and placed an order to be delivered to the Loaded Dice at the spaceport. Tenchi and Ryoko left the store and returned to the street. Tenchi looked at his watch. "We still have a couple of hours till we have to be back at the space port." He stretched his arms over his head and yawned. "What should we do with the time left?" A small alarm went off inside Tenchi's head at his own question. Whenever that type of question was usually posed to Ryoko, it resulted in only one type of suggestion from the pirate. Tenchi prepared to tell Ryoko to get off of him, but suddenly realized that she had not glomped onto him. Instead Ryoko was scanning the street. She raised her right hand and pointed down the street. "There's a bar down the street. Let's go get a drink." The cyan haired woman started moving. Tenchi just stood there with a confused look on his face. Finally, he got his feet to start going after Ryoko. Tenchi caught up and walked along side of her. The bar was not that far away, and the pair was soon seated at the bar itself. Tenchi had to admit that a Juraian bar did not differ much in style from those on Earth. There was the bar itself, tables scattered around the main floor area, and booths lining the walls. Ryoko ordered a drink, but Tenchi elected not to have one. The drink arrived, and Ryoko wasted no time in downing it. She released a satisfied sigh and placed the empty mug down on the table. The bartender refilled it and moved down to serve another customer. Tenchi noticed the bartender's eyes linger on Ryoko for a moment. "Ya know, Tenchi," said Ryoko after she had taken a swig from her refilled drink. "Life is funny. Of all the places to stop, who would've thunk that I'd come back here." Tenchi could tell the alcohol was already taking affect. "What are you talking about, Ryoko?" he asked. She took the remaining liquid in her mug with one gulp. "Forget it, Tenchi." She looked at him with her golden eyes. Her cheeks were warm from the drink, and she smiled at him. Tenchi looked into her eyes. Feelings started to create a warm and nervous feeling in his stomach. Then he noticed Ryoko's pupils dilating rapidly. "Tenchi?" she said nervously. "What's happening?" She lurched forward and then back off of her stool. Ryoko landed on the floor hard. "Ryoko!" Tenchi was about to go to her side, when something hit him in the back of the head. The last thing he saw before blacking out was the floor racing up to meet him. _____ Tokimi's Chariot floated in space surrounded by one hundred demon tree ship. The demon ships resembled the Juraian space tree ships at first glance. When looking closer, however, they were quite different. Their coloring was dark and gray, and their hulls were made of scales. Black veins ran up and down each ship pulsating with life. And so this small fleet sat in the Vernial system waiting for its prey. Ziasha was sitting cross legged in a room deep inside his flagship. His eyes were closed in deep meditation. The fleet had been here for several days now. Ziasha stretched out with his senses. Five black triangles appeared on his forehead. His five black Light Hawk Wings appeared in the air in front of him. Princess Ayeka was near. Her pathetic fleet would arrive in a few hours. The Champion of Tokimi extended the power of his Wings over the Vernial system. The moment the princess's fleet entered the system, it would be yanked out of hyperspace by his version of an interdictor field. "She will be pulled out directly in front of my fleet and blasted into ashes," he said to himself. _____ Ayeka was sitting in the command chair on the Royal Pride. The bridge crew was busily preparing for the battle to come. Flanking her chair were all four of her knights. They were all ready to go as soon as the planetary defenses were neutralized. None of the knights even tried to argue with Ayeka about going down with the ground forces anymore. "ETA for Vernial Prime is five minutes, Princess Ayeka," said the COM officer from his station. "Send the standard orders for colony liberation, lieutenant," ordered Ayeka. "And send orders for Captain Henriz's ships to line up with those ships providing cover for the ground forces." "Yes, Ma'am!" Ayeka was about to send a message to Admiral Judroa, when the whole ship lurched to a stop. Ayeka was thrown from her chair to the floor. Alarms were blaring all over the ship. "What the hell just happened?" shouted Shoytal. "We've been pulled out of hyperspace, sir!" replied someone. "Princess! We've got enemy ships directly ahead of the fleet!" A view screen appeared showing the living nightmare floating in space. Ayeka went pale as she saw the ship that still gave her occasional nightmares. The Souja class battleship hovered like a giant cobra waiting to strike. Then Ayeka noticed the other ships around the battleship. "What are those other ships around that?" she called out. "I'm getting similar readings to a tree ship, Highness," replied a soldier from the sensor station. "Enemy weapons charging! Brace for impact!" he shouted. The huge battleship released a volley of green bolts destroying at least ten tree ships. The other ships had not fired. "Open all Light Hawk Wing Shields!" commanded Ayeka. Wing shields opened all across the Juraian fleet. The battle ship opened fire again, but the Juraian shields absorbed its beams. "Second volley halted," reported the soldier at the sensors. Ayeka climbed back into her chair and slapped a button on its arm. "Captain Henriz! Take your fleet back and flank the enemy ships!" "Gotcha," came a male voice over the COM. "Princess! I am getting a strange energy build up from the enemy fleet," cried the lieutenant. "It is familiar, but the computers are having trouble isolating it." Before Ayeka could respond, black beams of power erupted from the ships of the enemy fleet. The beams tore right through the Light Hawk Wings of each ship. "We've just lost fifty ships, your Highness!" "Break formation and scatter!" ordered Ayeka. "Lower all shields and open fire on the enemy!" What was happening? What weapon could be strong enough to break through their Light Hawk Wings? "Have all ships perform evasive maneuvers! And stay away from the battleship!" _____ "Excellent," said Ziasha. He was watching the battle from the bridge of the Chariot. "The Light Hawk Wing weapons on the demon ships are working perfectly." "The Juraian fleet is breaking up, sir," said one of the soldiers. "What are your orders, Lord Ziasha?" "The none tree ships are going to try and flank us," he replied. "Have ten the demon tree ships take care of them. I want the rest of the fleet to take out the space tree ships one by one. But when they find the flagship, let me know." His red eyes thinned, and Ziasha smiled. "I want to kill that purple haired knat myself." _____ Somebody was slapping him in the face. Once across the right side. Another slap across the left. "Come on, boy. Wake up," came a familiar voice. Tenchi opened his eyes to see Ukarit and Somar standing over him. "Good," said Ukarit. He helped Tenchi to his feet and patted him on the back. "What happened?" asked Tenchi. "When you did not show up, we went out looking for you," explained Somar. "There is some sort of event going on in the center of the city, so it was not that hard to find you." "Ryoko!" cried Tenchi suddenly. He looked around wildly for her. "Where is she?" "You were the only one here, kid," said Ukarit. "Someone gave you a nasty bump on the head that knocked you out." "They took her," gasped Tenchi. His mind slowly began to realize something. "That's what was bothering her," he told the other two men. "Ryoko was nervous about coming to a Juraian colony because of her past actions." Another realization occurred to him. "The bartender recognized her! Somar, where was this event you said was taking place?" "In the center of the city..." His face went even paler than it already was. "Oh no." All three men burst out of the bar running for the center of the city. Spurned on by his growing fear, Tenchi was moving faster than his two companions. It was only a matter of minutes before he reached his goal. Crowds of people were gathered there. There was a large stage in the very center of the gathering. Tenchi nearly cried out when he saw Ryoko bound by Juraian power logs. Speakers surrounding the area crackled and a man on the stage started to speak. _____ Ryoko watched helplessly as the Juraian noble began to speak. "Space pirate Ryoko, you have been found guilty by the holy council of this colony for extensive destruction of Juraian property and murder of countless Juraian citizens." Ryoko winced at his words because they were all too true. "By the power given to me by the holy council, I hereby sentence you to death!" The crowd erupted with cheers. The center of the stage opened up, and a large object rose up through the floor. Ryoko made no attempt to hold back the tears as a device similar to an Earth guillotine came into view. The power logs lifted her into the air towards the execution machine. Memories from her past raced through her mind, and Ryoko could not help but see her fate as justice. "I've hurt so many innocent people," she whispered. "It's only right that this demon finally pay for her crimes." The tears were flowing down her cheeks as the logs lowered her into the machine. "Oh Tenchi..." _____ "Are you crazy, Tenchi!" cried Ukarit as he grabbed a hold of Tenchi's arm. "Let me go!" he shouted. "I have to get her out of there!" "Don't be stupid, boy!" snapped the gangster. "You'll do nothing but get yourself killed as well! This is a horrible thing, but there is nothing we can do about it." With a burst of strength, Tenchi ripped his arm from Ukarit's grasp. "I don't care! I'm not going to let Ryoko die!" Ukarit grabbed Tenchi by the front of his jacket and pulled him face to face. "I know she's your friend, but charging in there is insane!" Tenchi grabbed the other man's wrists. "Let me go, Ukarit," he growled. "Give me one good reason," returned the pink man. "Because I love her, dammit!" shouted Tenchi. The significance of what the Juraian prince had just said caused all three men to pause for a moment. Ukarit released Tenchi and stepped back. Tenchi himself was awed at his own confession. He took a brief second to make sure he had heard his own words. "I love Ryoko," he whispered. Yes, he knew in his heart that he did love her. He turned around towards the stage just as the power logs lifted Ryoko into the air. "Ukarit, go back and get the ship ready." "What about you?" asked Somar. The inner barrier shuddered. "I'll be just fine," answered Tenchi without turning around. "You're crazy, kid," said Ukarit. "But I'll put my money on you. Good luck." Tenchi heard their footsteps as they ran to the spaceport. Tenchi watched as Ryoko was lowered into the guillotine like machine. The prince knew what he had to do, but there was the big question of how? Then the inner barrier around his Light Hawk Wings shuddered again. He pushed, and he felt it weaken. Tenchi closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and gave a strong mental push against the barrier. Three green triangles appeared on his forehead, and Tenchi felt the power of his Wings fill his very being. And with the power finally came understanding. It was suddenly clear as to why he had always had so much trouble accessing his Light Hawk Wings. To use the Wings, one must have inner peace. By constantly pushing away his true feelings, Tenchi's spirit was in a constant state of imbalance. Every time he had used his Wings in the past, with the exception of when Ayeka used the Tree of Light to force a transformation, Tenchi's thoughts had always been focused enough to create a balance within himself. Now that he had admitted his true feelings for Ryoko, there was no longer anything hindering his powers. Three blue Light Hawk Wings appeared and passed over Tenchi creating his white and blue Light Hawk Armor. He saw the blade on the execution machine rise. A blue Wing appeared in his right hand. The blade dropped, and Tenchi threw the Wing at the scene before him. Blue light filled the air. Everything and everyone except for Tenchi was frozen in place. People were crying out in fear and terror because they could not move. Tenchi made a small gesture, and people were moved out of his way as he walked towards the stage. He slowly walked up the steps of the stage. The Juraian noble who had pronounced Ryoko's sentence was standing there stuttering with fear. "What kind of monster are you!?" he cried at Tenchi. "The only monster here is you," snarled Tenchi as he walked past the man. "This woman has been acquitted of crimes that were not even her doing to begin with." "But she destroyed our homes and killed our families!" shouted the noble. Tenchi gave him a glare that could shatter stone. "And she has paid for that in more ways than one. Do you have any idea what it is like to not be in control of your own mind or body?" Tenchi grabbed the front of the noble's robe. "Do you know what it is like to be turned into nothing but a mindless killing machine on the outside, while on the inside you are helpless to watch yourself murder countless people? Can you possibly imagine the kind of personal torment that creates in a person's mind for seven hundred years while they are trapped underground?" Tenchi had now lifted the man into the air. The power of his Wings was filling his entire body. "Before you even dare to pass judgement on others, try and imagine being forced to live a nightmare for thousands of years." Tenchi released the noble who remained floating in the air. Tsunami's Knight walked over to the guillotine like machine. The blade was inches above Ryoko's neck. Tenchi released a small blue bolt that shattered most of the machine. He gently picked Ryoko up in his arms and held her close. Her eyes were closed, but she was mumbling quietly. "Tenchi?" "Shhh. It's all right," he whispered. "I'm right here. No one is going to hurt you. Never again." "MMMMMMMMEEEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!" Tenchi looked up to see Ryo-ohki filling the sky. He looked back at the crowd and took a deep breath to shout. "You're transgressions here will be forgiven only because I want you all to learn what forgiveness truly means. In the name of Tsunami I promise that if any of you ever try to harm her again, I will come back and make you all pay." The two of them were surrounded in a red glow as Ryo-ohki beamed them up. When they appeared in the bridge, Tenchi told the cabbit ship to get them out of there at her fastest speed. "Open up a line to the Loaded Dice, Ryo-ohki," asked Tenchi once they were off the planet. A screen appeared with Ukarit's face in it. "Tenchi? Where are you?" "I'm on Ryo-ohki and moving away from the colony. Get a lock on this transmission and follow behind us. I'll explain everything later." The screen vanished before Ukarit could respond. Tenchi sat down in the pilot's seat with Ryoko still in his arms. With the danger passed, he let the power of his Wings go. There was a blue flash, and Tenchi was in his jeans and field jacket again. He relaxed a bit and realized that Ryoko was awake. She was sobbing into his chest. Tenchi also noticed her emotions coming across the link loud and clear. He started to pet the back of her head. "It's okay, Ryoko," he said in a soothing tone. "It's over." "Oh Tenchi," she sobbed. "I've done so many horrible things." Her arms were wrapped tightly around his chest. "I've destroyed so many lives. I don't deserve forgiveness." Tenchi could feel her tears soaking through his jacket onto his shirt. "Ryoko I..." "You don't understand!" she cried as she lifted her head up to meet him eye level. He suddenly realized how beautiful her golden eyes were. Both her hands were pressed flat on his chest. "I remember that colony." Deep sorrow, regret, fear, pain, and anguish were coming over the link. "I remember every thing I did to those people." Tenchi did not respond to her words. The tears were streaming down her face and splashing against his jacket. "It was shortly before I attacked Jurai looking for Tsunami's tree. Kagato wanted to test out how the Juraian defenses would stand up to my powers and Ryo-ohki. That..." she began to take shallow breaths, "that colony was the first Juraian planet I ever attacked. Kagato sent me there several days ahead of him with orders to destroy everything." She stopped and started to stare off at nothing. "When I arrived, though, the space trees on the planet had an affect that Kagato had not expected. They disrupted the control that he had over me. For the first time in thousands of years I was free in both mind and body. It just so happened that it was Startica when I arrived at the colony. The Juraians welcomed me with open arms. I had no idea what to do, so I just let them take me." A small, warm smile appeared on her face. "I had the most wonderful time. I played with the children, danced with the adults, and enjoyed myself for the first time in forever." Ryoko's features began to go pale. "Then I remember the night that Souja appeared in the sky. Furious at my failure, Kagato reclaimed control over my body, but kept my mind free." The tears started again with a new force. "He...he made me watch myself kill virtually all of them. I watched helplessly as I killed the very children I had just been playing with." Ryoko was shaking violently now. "And when it was all over, he took me back aboard the Souja and tortured me for days because I had failed to do his bidding. After that he turned off my mind completely, so that when I attacked Jurai itself I was nothing but a machine." The tears continued to fall down her cheeks. "I'm nothing but a monster. A demon." Tenchi shuddered as he felt her pain and anguish. Despite everything he had just heard, his only thought was to ease her pain. He gently cupped her face and turned it towards his own. The strong and powerful space pirate Ryoko was shaking uncontrollably. He wiped her tears away with his thumbs and smiled. Tenchi then pulled her close and held her. "It's okay, Ryoko. It wasn't your fault. Kagato made you do those horrible things." He stroked that back of her head again. "I know the real you. She may seem all tough and hard on the outside, but the real Ryoko is a kind and caring person who would do anything to protect those she loves. You're not a demon or a monster. You're Ryoko, plain and simple." He noticed that she had stopped shaking, and that her breathing was even and slow. After a few moments the sobbing ceased, and Ryoko fell asleep in his arms. Tenchi lightly kissed the side of her head without a second thought. "I love you," he whispered. "And I'll never let anything or anyone hurt you again." Tenchi's mind began to think about the last thing he had said. He was very serious about not letting anyone hurt Ryoko, but then there was himself. Tenchi's mind went back over the years he had known the woman who was sleeping in his arms now. He frowned when he realized just how many times he had hurt Ryoko. "If anyone here doesn't deserve forgiveness it's me," he said. Countless times he had yelled at her or blamed her for small, unimportant events flashed in his mind. The time he had yelled at her for ripping his mother's kimono repeated in his memory. He had been shocked at how beautiful she had looked in it, but when she had accidentally torn the first sleeve and then torn off the other he had just reacted without thinking. He had actually said he hated her, when now he knew he felt the exact opposite. And he had never even really apologized for those words. Then there was that horrible night he had actually slapped her. Tenchi's own tears of anguish threatened to start at the thought of that night. How could he have done such a thing to her? There was no possible excuse for that one action. It had all happened so fast, that Tenchi could not even remember what he was thinking back then. All he knew was that it was the worst thing he had ever done. "How did you ever find it in your heart to forgive me?" he asked the sleeping woman he now knew he loved more than his own life. "Meow." "What is it, Ryo-ohki," he asked without looking up. A view screen appeared with Ukarit in it. "Sorry to interrupt you, kid, but I've got something you should hear." He tapped a few buttons off screen. "I just picked this up over a private comlink I have with my fleet." There was a crackling noise and a man's frantic voice could be heard. "I'm sending this distress call out on all frequencies! The Juraian Liberation Force is under attack! We are being attacked by a huge battle ship and lots of ships that look like disfgured Juraian tree ships! We need help! To any ships in the region, we need help! Repeat..." Crackling overcame the voice. "This is not good," said Tenchi. "How far away are they, Ukarit?" The gangster looked off screen and shook his head. "They're in the Vernial system. That's deep into Jurai territory. It'd take us at least three days with a good set of coordinates to get there." "Meow!" cried Ryo-ohki. "I know how you feel, Ryo-ohki," assured Tenchi. "I want to help them too, but even if we could get to them in time, there is only you and the Loaded Dice." "Meooow," replied the ship forlornly. "Heh," huffed Tenchi. "If we only had a whole bunch of you then we'd really have something." A light bulb went off in his head followed by an old memory. It was just after the battle with Kagato. Tenchi was readjusting to his life with his new family. It was in the afternoon, and Sasami had asked him to go get some carrots from the shed. Tenchi had entered the shed only to find no carrots and a large number of cabbits. Then Washu had arrived and sent all the cabbits, with one carrot each, into the lake. Tenchi carefully rose from the chair with Ryoko still in his arms. "Ryo- ohki, beam us over to the bridge of Ukarit's ship." There was a red flash, and they were on the Dice's bridge. Ryo-ohki, as a cabbit, was there as well. Tenchi handed Ryoko to Ukarit. "Take her to her room, please." "Sure," said the gangster. "But what are you going to do?" Tenchi opened himself to the Light Hawk Wings. The green triangles appeared on his forehead. He looked past Ukarit at Somar, who was flying the ship. "Somar, follow me." "Huh?" was all the pale man had time to say. Tenchi vanished from the bridge and reappeared outside in space. He was surrounded in a blue sphere of Wing energy. Tenchi raised his hands and formed three Wings outside the sphere. He willed the Wings to grow in size equal to the ship behind him. The Wings molded together until there was a giant blue circle in space. The sphere holding Tenchi floated forward and into the portal. _____ Noboyuki Masaki was doing something that he had grown to love over the past couple of months. He was enjoying the peace and quite. It was a cool, sunny day, and the owner of the Masaki home was sitting in a lawn chair along side the lake. Noboyuki simply sat there reading one of his "special" magazines in peace. Of course he loved his son and all the beautiful women that had become like family, but they were all very loud and quite destructive. Noboyuki smiled like a kid in a candy store as he opened the centerfold of the magazine. He began to read the likes and dislikes, when the wind started to pick up. The pages of the magazine began flipping wildly. Noboyuki cursed and looked up into the sky. His eyes went wide as a giant blue circle appeared above the house. He fell completely out of the chair when a huge green ship came out of the circle. _____ Tenchi landed in his front yard and looked around. The house looked just as it always did, but there was something missing, his family. "Meow meow," said Ryo-ohki as she hopped over to him. Tenchi kneeled and picked up the little cabbit. He scratched her on the head and smiled. "Okay, Ryo-ohki. I need you to do something very important. Do you know about all the other cabbits in the lake?" She nodded. "Meow." "Good. And you want to help Ayeka and Sasami, right?" "Meow meow meow!" He placed her back on the ground. "Then I need you to go into the lake and wake up all the cabbits down there, and get them to help us fight the people who want to hurt Sasami." "Meeeeow!" Ryo-ohki gave him a strong nod and hopped off towards the lake. Tenchi watched as she jumped into the water and disappeared. The ground shook as the Loaded Dice landed in the yard. The ship's ramp lowered, and Ukarit came running out. He came up to Tenchi and gave him a confused look. "So what's this place?" he asked. "This is my home," replied the young man. "I don't suppose we're here cause you're homesick, huh?" Tenchi shook his head. "What would you say if I could get a whole fleet of Ryo-ohki's to help us out?" He gave the gangster a half smile. "Are you serious?" asked Ukarit with his yellow eyes wide. Just then there was a splash, and both men turned to see Ryo-ohki bounding towards them. She scrambled up to Tenchi's shoulder and started to shake herself dry. "Well?" Tenchi asked. Water filled the air as cabbits started to rise out of the lake meowing repeatedly. They all landed on the shore and surrounded Tenchi and Ukarit. "There has to be at least a hundred of them!" shouted Ukarit over all the commotion. Tenchi looked at the cabbit on his shoulder. "I suppose you promised them a lot of carrots?" Ryo-ohki purred and nuzzled his cheek. "I should have expected that." He quickly grabbed Ryo-ohki off of his shoulder and threw her high into the air. "MMMMMMEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWW!!!!!!" "Get back on the Dice and follow us up to space," he told Ukarit. "I want you to send the coordinates and a system chart for the Vernial system over to Ryo-ohki so that I can use it to create a mental image. Then I am going to make another portal to take us there." "No problem, kid," replied the gangster. "I'll have the Twins charge the Dice's weapons for battle." Tenchi shook his head. "No. I don't want you to take part in the battle." Ukarit crossed his arms. "Why the hell not?" Tenchi gave him a pleading look. "Just do this favor for me. Since Ryoko is on the Dice..." Ukarit understood what he was trying to say. "Okay, Tenchi." The Juraian prince smiled and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. Ukarit smiled back. "Well, come on then, kid. Let's get a move on." "Right." Tenchi looked at the mass of cabbits around him. "We are all about to go into a battle," he shouted. "I promise that after today I'll give you enough carrots to fill several Olympic sized swimming pools." A chorus of happy meows erupted from the cabbits. Tenchi concentrated for a second, and the three green triangles appeared on his forehead. The Light Hawk Armor formed around his body. Tsunami's Knight began to rise into the air up past Ryo-ohki. The blue sphere formed around him as he rose up through the Earth's atmosphere. Tenchi saw Ryo-ohki come up behind him. He teleported to her bridge and took a moment to look at the star chart for the Vernial System. It took only a thought to form the portal again, although it was twice the size of the first one. Tenchi looked over his shoulder to see the Loaded Dice and a fleet of cabbit ships lined up behind him ready to go. "Okay, Ryo-ohki!" he ordered. "Let's go!" _____ Noboyuki opened his eyes and slowly got back to his feet. The yard was empty, and he was all alone. "Maybe I need to go on a real vacation." _____ The Juraian flagship Royal Pride shook violently as another volley of green bolts rebounded off of her Light Hawk Shield. Ayeka's circlet was glowing blue as she stood at the weapon's console. She focused the power of the Shield into an energy ball and released it. The yellow ball of power slammed into what could only be described as a nightmarish version of a tree ship. The enemy ship exploded, but three more took its place and started firing. "Get us out of here!" shouted Ayeka. Shoytal, who had taken over the helm, nodded and the ship went through several evasive maneuvers. Black beams of energy streaked past the Pride. "I can't avoid them for much longer, Princess! There are just too many!" "Dammit!" cursed Ayeka. The fleet was being massacred, and there wasn't a damned thing she could do to stop it. With her jaw set, Ayeka jumped over the weapon's console to the helm. She shoved Shoytal aside and took the helm. "If we are to die, then at least I'll take that bastard with us!" She turned the ship and aimed it at the Souja class battleship. Shoytal clicked the communicator on his wrist. "This is Captain Shoytal. All hands brace for impact." "Princess Ayeka!" called someone from the sensor station. "What?" she called over her shoulder. "I'm getting a very strange energy reading from coordinates 8853!" Ayeka turned to look at the soldier. "It seems to be something akin to our Light Hawk Wings." "On screen," ordered the princess. A smile slowly spread across her face. "I don't believe it," she breathed. _____ Ziasha felt the power surge before the portal even appeared. He cursed loudly when the large blue portal appeared in space. "Impossible!" he screamed. "Sir, something is coming out of the portal!" Ziasha watched the screen as a ship came out. "It's the Ryo-ohki! There's another ship following it." The soldier looked up with disbelief etched on his face. "I...it's the Ryo-ohki again! And another Ryo-ohki! And another!" Power was flowing all over Ziasha's body. He could feel the boy's power emanating from the portal. "Damn him," he cursed. Ziasha watched as the newly arrived fleet tore into his demon ships. The cabbit battle ships fired blasts of energy that smashed right through the demon tree ships' scales. And when they didn't fire, the black spiked ships rammed into and destroyed his fleet ship by ship. "Lord Ziasha, we are losing ships fast," called one of his men. "The demon tree ships are unable to block the attacks of these new ships. If we don't call for a retreat we'll risk the chance of being destroyed ourselves." The dark warrior hated to lose, but he was smart. Defeat stung, but he knew when a strategic retreat was necessary. Better to suffer a small loss than lose the war. "Full retreat," hissed Ziasha. "This is far from over, boy," muttered Tokimi's Champion as he left the bridge. _____ "The enemy is in full retreat," announced a soldier from the sensor station. The bridge of the Royal Pride erupted in cheers. "Tell the fleet to stand down," ordered Ayeka with a smile. "Princess, one of those ships is hailing us?" Ayeka took a deep breath and straightened. "On screen." A view screen appeared with Tenchi's smiling face in its center. Ayeka could see by the triangles on his head, that he was using his Light Hawk Wings. Even though she was in full war leader mode, Ayeka's heart began to beat at the sight of him. "Hey, Ayeka," he said with a sheepish grin. "I hope I wasn't too late in getting here, but I kinda got held up." She smiled back warmly at him. "No, Lord Tenchi. You were just in time. Stand by, and I will have the coordinates to our base sent over to Ryo-ohki. We need to leave here immediately and regroup back at Black Star Alpha." "Oh, I already have them," he said quickly. "Washu sent us a message with the coordinates attached. I'll open another portal and get us over there right away." "Another portal?" said Ayeka with a confused look on her face. "Are you sure, Tenchi?" He gave her a reassuring nod. "Yeah. I'm a little tired, but I think I can pull out one more. Just follow my lead." Ayeka watched another screen as an immense blue portal opened in space. The fleet of cabbit ships started to fly into it. "Give the order for all ships enter the portal," Ayeka told anyone who was listening. It only took a few minutes for all the remaining ships to fly through the portal. Ayeka was amazed to find Black Star Alpha at the other end of the it. She immediately contacted the base to alert it of all that had transpired. The Royal Pride was one of the first ships to dock at the base. When Ayeka entered the docking bay, she instantly noticed the green oval ship docked on the other side. Flanked by all of her knights, Ayeka walked directly over to the new ship. As she neared it, Ayeka could see a small group of people standing just beyond it. There was a pink skinned man in all black, a pair of bearded twin humanoids in green cloaks, and a pale skinned man in a white jump suit. Standing between them was Tenchi. He was wearing his old field jacket, and Ayeka also saw that he was holding something. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw that it was Ryoko he was cradling in his arms. "Tenchi," the princess called when she was close enough. He turned towards her and smiled. "What happened?" she asked with a gesture to Ryoko. "Is Ryoko all right?" "I'll explain later," said Tenchi. "She just needs to rest for a while. Is there a room we can give her?" Ayeka nodded. "Of course, Tenchi. I'll have Verka take Ryoko to a room immediately." "Uh," stammered Tenchi. "I think I'd better do it myself. Can you just show me the way?" A cold feeling started to edge its way into Ayeka's heart. "Certainly," she said. "Verka, please escort Lord Tenchi to a room on level fifteen." "Yes, Princess," replied the large knight. "Lord Tenchi, please follow me." Tenchi started after the large knight, but stopped and leaned close to Ayeka. "Ayeka? Can I come and talk to you a little later?" Ayeka felt a pit growing in her stomach. "Yes. Why don't you come by my quarters after you have had a chance to freshen up and get something to eat. I'll send Sasami to Ryoko's room, immediately. I'm sure she will be most pleased to see you both." Tenchi smiled at her again. "That's sounds great." He began walking to catch up with Verka. "I'll see you later then." Ayeka turned to the pink man. "You must be the Mr. Ukarit Washu told me about. I would like to thank you for all of your assistance." "No problem, Princess," he said with a green toothed smile. "Mind if I take a tour of your place?" "Not at all," she said. "In fact, I will show you around myself." The truth was that she needed time to steel herself for what she suspected was going to come later that day. _____ She was warm and safe. At least that was the last feeling she remembered before falling asleep. Ryoko opened her eyes and found herself in a bed. "Where am I?" "You're in a room on a starbase," said a familiar voice. Ryoko turned her head and saw Sasami sitting by her bedside with Ryo-ohki in her lap. The space pirate smiled. "Hey, kiddo." Ryo-ohki jumped onto the bed and nuzzled Ryoko's cheek. "I'm so glad you're okay, Ryoko," said Sasami. The little princess leaned over and hugged her tightly "Tenchi said you just needed to rest, but you've been sleeping for while. I was worried." "Thanks." Ryoko eased Sasami back and hoisted herself up on her elbows. She was still in her dress from earlier. "What's going on, Sasami? How did I get here?" Ryoko listened for the next several minutes as the blue haired princess explained the events of the battle as she knew them. "That many cabbits, huh?" Sasami nodded with a huge smile. "Yeah. They're all so cute. Ayeka had them all taken down to an empty storage bay. She's having the kitchen prepare a whole lot of carrots for them to eat." At the mention of her one true love, Ryo-ohki hopped off the bed and ran for the door. As usual she thumped against the door once while trying to phase through it. After a successful second try, the cabbit was off and running to join her mates in feasting. Ryoko and Sasami laughed at the little creature's actions. When the laughter started to lessen, Ryoko looked around the room. "Sasami, do you know where Tenchi is?" "Nope. Sorry, Ryoko." She got up from her chair. "I'm going to go and tell everyone that you're awake. Now you stay right here and get some rest." Sasami waved goodbye as she left the room. The cyan haired woman sat in the bed for a few moments thinking. She remembered pouring her heart out to Tenchi after he had saved her. Ryoko had been convinced that she deserved the worst punishment. He had heard all the horrible things she had done, yet Tenchi had still held her close. He had not run away. Then she remembered him saying that she was not to blame. That was the last thing Ryoko had heard. She had fallen asleep surrounded by his warmth. "I have to talk to him," she said in a determined tone. "No more running from fears and feelings and no more games." Ryoko jumped out of the bed and phased through the door. Since she had never been around the base before, Ryoko could not just teleport around it looking for Tenchi. Then she felt a tingling in the back of he mind. Ryoko realized that she could track him through their link. Over the past couple of weeks, they had both discovered that the link acted as a warning system when one of them was nearby. With her mind set, the space pirate began to search the base. After about ten minuets of searching, Ryoko could tell that she was moving deeper into the instillation. She arrived on another residential level, and the pressure in the back of her mind increased. Tenchi was somewhere around here. Ryoko floated around a corner and stopped in mid air when she saw her target down the hall. He stopped at a door and knocked. It slid open, and Ryoko saw Ayeka appear. Feelings of nervousness, anxiety, but a hint of happy giddiness came across the link. Tenchi said something, and Ayeka invited him inside. He walked in, and Ryoko's heart shattered. With a suppressed scream of despair, Ryoko teleported away. _____ Tenchi knocked on the door and waited. It slid open to reveal Ayeka. Tenchi was slightly shocked to see her in one of her old kimonos with her hair down. He had just gotten used to the idea of her as a war leader, and now she looked all normal again. "Uh, hi Ayeka. May I come in?" "Please enter, Tenchi," she answered with a smile. Tenchi walked into room. He was so nervous that he did not notice the pressure in the back of his mind. Ayeka lead him over to a small dining area with a table and chairs. Sitting at the table was the man Tenchi remembered as Captain Shoytal. Tenchi walked over to him and extended a hand. "I'm sorry, Captain, but I didn't get a chance earlier to thank you for protecting Ayeka." Shoytal stood quickly and bowed to Tenchi. "No need for thanks, my Prince. I was just doing my duty." Tenchi was turning a bright red. "Please, stand up. You don't need to do that." Shoytal stood up straight. "And please, just call me Tenchi." He extended his hand again. Shoytal took it this time and smiled. "As you wish, Tenchi." Ayeka cleared her throat, and both men looked to her. "Captain, would you mind leaving for a short time. Lord Tenchi and I need to discuss some things." The knight started to protest, but the princess raised her hand to stop him. "Do not worry. I am perfectly safe with Lord Tenchi here." Shoytal nodded. "Yes, your Highness. Call me when you are finished." He nodded to Tenchi and left. When the door closed, Ayeka offered Tenchi a seat. The prince took one of the chairs at the table. Ayeka sat down next to him. Tenchi took a deep breath to steady his nerves. This was not going to be easy. "Ayeka, I need to talk to you about something." Ayeka raised her hand to stop him. "Please stop, Tenchi. I too wish to say some things, and I believe it will be easier if I go first." Tenchi closed his mouth and nodded in agreement. "Over the past few months now, a lot of things have changed. I, myself, have gone through many personal changes." She folded her hands in her lap. "War will do that to people." She took a deep breath and continued. "I have learned not to hide behind false pretenses or excuses." She lifted her dark pink eyes to meet his brown ones. "Life is too precious to be wasted. Tenchi, I am going to be very straight forward, now." There was a small pause. "I want you to answer me truthfully." He nodded again. "Do you love Ryoko?" Silence floated between them. Only a couple of seconds had passed, but it seemed like so much longer. Finally, Tenchi spoke. "Yes." Ayeka released a long breath and leaned back in the chair. "When I saw you holding her in the docking bay, I began to suspect." She chuckled lightly. "I've been preparing for this possibility for the past two months, but I never thought it would actually come about." "Ayeka, I'm sorry," whispered Tenchi. "I never meant to hurt any of you. I'm sorry that I kept you waiting for so long. Look at all the time you've wasted waiting on me." Ayeka leaned forward and took Tenchi's hands in hers. "Don't ever think that, Tenchi. I have treasured all the time I have spent in your home." Tenchi turned his head away. "But in trying to protect your feelings, I have done nothing but cause pain. I've been leading both of you around by strings. I feel so ashamed." "Now you just stop this," ordered Ayeka. She smiled at him. "Members of the Royal family do not pout in such a way." Tenchi was forced to smile at her mirth. "That's better. Tenchi, I do care a great deal about you, and I must admit that I am sad that your feelings towards me do not run as deeply." He started to speak, but she stopped him. "But I will be fine. I have grown stronger over this ordeal, and I have learned what it is like to truly have people look up to you and believe in you." Tenchi could see the strength she was talking about in her eyes. He watched her trace a scar running down her left cheek. "When I realized how good it felt to lead my people, to have them believe in me and stand behind me of their own free will, I knew that I would be all right." Tenchi was listening very carefully to her. "And all of this happened because of you, Tenchi. You were the first person I had ever met who saw past my crown to the woman beneath. You treated me as a real person and welcomed me as a friend without desiring anything in return." Tenchi was blushing at her words. "It was you who enabled me to find the inner strength I have now," added Ayeka. "So don't you dare say I have wasted my time with you." She slapped him lightly on the arm. The princess released his hands and leaned back in the chair. "Now, I want you to tell me what happened to knock Ryoko into such a fragile state? After all, even I never got her that worn down." Tenchi chuckled and proceeded to tell of the events that happened only hours earlier. When he finished, Ayeka had her hands over her mouth. "Oh my, that's horrible. Poor Ryoko. Have you talked to her yet?" Tenchi shook his head. "I came here first. I wanted to talk with you first because I felt I owed it to you." Ayeka raised an eyebrow at him. "That's not the only reason, is it?" Tenchi did not answer. "What's the matter?" He wiped a hand across his face. "After she fell asleep, I had a few minutes to think about things. I thought about all the times I yelled at her, and even the time I...hit her." They were both quiet for a second. "I don't feel worthy of her feelings." Tenchi looked up and saw Ayeka straining for an answer. "Dammit," he hissed. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be bothering you with this." "No, no," she assured him. "It's all right, Tenchi. I really wish that you had talked to Ryoko first, though. If she finds you here, the base will most likely be turned to ash in seconds." He smiled at that. "Now, Tenchi, I want you to listen to me. Ryoko told me something very important a long time ago. She loves you for the same reasons I do. You saw past the outer persona to the real woman beneath. The first time you saw her, you did not see the demon but the woman." "What do you mean?" asked a confused Tenchi. "The first time I saw her I ran from the cave, and then she blew up my school." Ayeka was shaking her head. "I do not mean that. When you were growing up, why did you always go to the cave?" He thought about that for a moment. "I guess because I always felt safe there. Like there was something watching over me and keeping me safe." His eyes widened at what he just said. Ayeka smiled at him. "Yes. Ryoko watched you grow up. She was able to project her astral form outside the cave." The princess laughed ironically. "It seems that she has been the one guarding your heart from the very beginning. She was always there first." Tenchi rose from the his chair. "I've got to go and talk to her." He was about to move for the door, but stopped and stepped towards Ayeka. The princess rose to stand before him. Tenchi quickly embraced her in a tight hug, which she returned. "Ayeka, I do love you," he whispered in her ear. They released each other, and Tenchi took a step back. "You are a part of my family, and I have never been more glad that you are a part of my life." Ayeka was starting to rub her eyes. "Will you get out of here already, you big fool. I'll be all right. Now go." Tenchi gave her another quick hug and exited the room. He wasted no more time and headed for the room he had placed Ryoko in. He knew something was wrong when there was no pressure in the back of his mind. Just to be sure he opened the door, but the room was empty. Tenchi immediately turned around and ran down the hall. Using the link as a compass, Tenchi went all about the base looking for Ryoko. He was not surprised one bit when he finally tracked her down. Tenchi took a deep breath before he opened the door to the room he had been given. The door slid open, and Tenchi saw her. The lights were out, and Ryoko was standing in front of the window. The window presented a perfect view of the black hole. Tenchi entered, and the door closed. Ryoko didn't move at all. "Ryoko." "I just wanted to say goodbye before I left," she said in a trembling voice without turning around. "I'll be leaving as soon as Ryo-ohki is ready." Tenchi was moving slowly towards her. "Why?" he asked quietly. She released a strained laugh. "I'm a wanted space pirate again. This army doesn't need my bad reputation plaguing it. Besides, I don't want to be in the way." Tenchi was now only a couple of feet away. He frowned when he saw that Ryoko was shaking all over while hugging herself very tightly. "What are you talking about, Ryoko?" he asked while trying to keep his own voice steady. "I don't want to get in the way of you and Ayeka." Tenchi went cold. She must have seen him enter Ayeka's room. Ryoko continued speaking. "I know you love her, so I'll just bow out and not cause you two anymore trouble." Before his doubts could stop him, Tenchi reached out and took Ryoko by the shoulders. She stiffened under his touch. Slowly, very slowly, Tenchi turned her around to face him. Tears were flowing down her cheeks, and her golden eyes were red rimmed. The prince moved his right hand up and carefully wiped the tears away. She was still shaking like a scared animal backed into a corner. Tenchi looked into her eyes and fully realized how much he loved her. He wanted nothing more than to make all her pain go away. When the tears had stopped, he cupped her face in his hands. "Ryoko, listen to me," he said with a confidence he didn't know he had. "I do care about Ayeka." Pain flashed across her eyes. "But," he looked even deeper into her, "you are the one that is in my heart." Instinct completely siezed control of him. Tenchi drew her face close to his and kissed her. Her soft lips pressed against his, and Tenchi felt warm all over. He let go of her face and wrapped his arms tightly around her. In response, Ryoko wrapped her own arms around his neck and pulled him closer. Then it happened. Tenchi felt the barrier that Ryoko kept around her end of their link disappear. All at once their emotions mingled into one. The sheer force of their feelings for one another made each one hold the other even tighter. The kiss ended, and Ryoko leaned into Tenchi. She laid her head on his chest and sighed with content. He held her close and rested his chin on her on top of her head. "I love you, Ryoko," he whispered. "I love you, too, my Tenchi," she whispered back. Tenchi lifted her chin up and kissed her again. It started out as tender, but passion soon overcame tenderness. Once again instinct took over, and Tenchi scooped his love up into his arms. In three quick steps, they were at the bed. Tenchi gently placed Ryoko on the mattress and sat down next to her. His right hand caressed the left side of her face. She smiled up at him with pure joy and love. Suddenly, Tenchi wondered why his nose wasn't bleeding? As if that thought was the trigger, he felt the blood start to rush to his face. Seeing his moment of indecision, Ryoko quickly reached up, grabbed two handfuls of his short spiky hair, and pulled him down into another kiss. Then in one deft motion, she managed to reverse their positions so that she was lying on top of him. Ryoko pulled away from their kiss and looked down at him from between her cyan bangs. She grinned at the man she dearly loved, and her fangs gleamed in the colored light coming from the window. Tenchi could see and feel the fire of desire burning in her golden eyes. His hands seemed to move with minds of their own as they ran through her mane of cyan hair. Unable to deny his own desire any longer Tenchi moved up, and they shared a their most passionate kiss yet. Clothes soon piled on the floor, and the two of them proceeded to express their feelings as only lovers do. To be continued... Notes- Well I went ahead and did it. If it has not been plainly obvious for the entire story so far, I am a fan of the Tenchi+Ryoko pairing. Just so I keep things in order: the scene where Tenchi discovers all those cabbits is from OAV episode 7. And if we are wondering why Ayeka did not have a break down, it is because I believe she has become a stronger character by now. She still cared about Tenchi, but she knew it would never go beyond family love. I do like Ayeka, so I did not want to demonize her in order to have Tenchi and Ryoko be together. I just used evidence from the OAVs and MNE that I though helped my case. And as far as Tenchi's romantic actions near the end, I think I made it clear that natural human instinct played a large role there. I hope that I did a good job with the whole last part of this chapter. Please send any comments to Roas1@hotmail.com. Thanks and please keep reading if you are enjoying this fic.