Tenchi-Muyo! (No Need For Tenchi!, This End Up) is (c) AIC * Pioneer LDC, Inc.
Aa! Megami-sama! (Oh My Goddess!) is (c) by Kousuke Fujishima, Kodansha, TBS and 
KSS Films.


Aa! Megami-sama Muyo! (Ah! No Need For My Goddess!)
A Tenchi-Muyo! and Aa! Megami-sama! crossover fan fiction
By Luna Hinomura
http://fly.to/Luna's

Chapter 11: The Goddess of Time

	<What?  Where am I?>  The darkness still surrounded him, and he tried to 
reach up a hand to touch his head.  Unfortunately, he could not comprehend 
exactly what a "hand" or "head" was.  He thought about how nice it would be to 
sleep forever, and he felt his consciousness slipping.

	<'Consciousness'?  Am I alive?  Wait -- what does 'alive' mean?  Oh, I'm 
so confused...>

	<<Are you awake?>> he heard a man say.

	<<Awake?>> he replied.  <<I-I think so.>>

	<<Good.>>

	<<Who are you?>> he asked.

	<<I am a humble servant of the Almighty One.>>

	<<'The Almighty One'?  Who is he?  She?>>

	<<You should know *her* very well.  You are friends with her sisters and 
colleagues.>>

	When he opened his eyes and stood up, he could almost see light shining 
around him.  He couldn't understand the scenery around him, either.  He had 
apparently been laying on a smooth, flat, round thing, but it was much bigger 
than he was, almost the size of his house.  He couldn't tell very well, though; 
it seemed his eyes didn't work very well.  They couldn't adjust to his 
surroundings.

	<Uhh...  'Surroundings'?>  He wondered, but ignored the word.  "Her 
colleagues?  What do you mean?  Who *are* you?!" he asked again, but with more 
urgency.

	<<Do you not remember Ayeka?  Washu?>>  A pause.  <<Tsunami...?>>

	"Tsunami?"

	Flashes of images began flowing through his mind, painful memories that 
caused him to gasp and wince in pain.  But others were beautiful, things like 
sitting on a cliff in the middle of autumn, shyly placing an arm around the 
shoulders of the slender young woman beside him and hugging her...  Hugging...

	Hugging Tsunami?  Was she that blue-haired woman?  But then...

	"Tsunami.  That's right; I remember.  I love her.  Wait -- where am I?!  
Where is *she*?!  Let me go to her!  Why are you keeping me here?!"

	<<We are keeping you here because it is safer for you.  We saved you.  As 
for Tsunami...  Lady Tokimi will tell you herself.  Have patience.>>

	"WHO *ARE* YOU?!  SHOW YOURSELF!!"  Now he could see everything; and the 
words he used no longer seemed foreign to him.  He understood.

	<<Very well.>>  An oblong gem shaped like an elongated ellipse appeared, 
and floated in midair.  Gradually, the disembodied head of an old bald man with 
a long beard and long eyebrows appeared behind the gem, floating in the same 
pattern with it, for it seemed as if the gem were attached to the middle of his 
forehead.  From top to bottom, the head was larger than he was tall.  <<Lady 
Tokimi will now descend and reveal herself,>> the man said, and disappeared.

	Strange silhouettes appeared from beneath where the man had been and 
stretched up higher than the boy could see.  Two silhouettes appeared in the 
center, one of Washu facing left, the other of Tsunami facing right.  A brunette 
woman, larger than the old man had been, appeared between them.  Her gown was 
much more elaborate than either Tsunami's or Washu's clothes, with a green 
collar that stretched up past her neck and across her cheeks.  Orange feather-
like appendages were attached to another gem or hair ornament right above her 
forehead, and from the clasp of her gown billowed two long, white ribbons.  She 
radiated more power in her appearance alone than Tsunami or Washu did when 
actually casting spells.  Like Tsunami, she also had two green circles on her 
forehead.  Then, she opened her eyes and looked at him.  Her eerie, blue-violet 
eyes stared with both apathy and concern at the same time.

	"<<So,>>" said she, her child-like voice piercing the silence.  "<<You are 
Tenchi.  I have been anxiously awaiting the moment when I would finally meet 
you.>>"

	"Hello," he said when he was certain his voice wouldn't crack.  "It's a 
pleasure to meet you as well, Lady Tokimi.  Where am I?"

	"<<You are on Jurai.  Or, rather, you are actually in my 'office,' if you 
could call it that.>>"

	"Your 'office'?" Tenchi asked, glancing around and noticing more than he 
had previously, when his eyes were only beginning to work again.

	"<<In layman's terms, yes.  This is where D3 and I conduct business,>>" 
explained she.

	"And D3 was that strange disembodied man?"

	"<<Yes,>>" answered Tokimi.  "<<Let me explain to you why you were brought 
here: with Washu gone on an extended leave of absence, I have been monitoring 
both my sisters' activities.  You are lucky.>>"

	"Lucky?  How so?"

	"<<Kagato chose to kill you because he wanted Ryoko back.  He aimed for 
you, Tenchi.  If not for us, he would have succeeded.>>"

	"What do you mean, 'kill me'?  I'm not dead!"

	"<<You are not anymore.  You died, for an instant, before we were able to 
transport you to Jurai.  It was not a particularly long, but it took its toll.  
I am truly sorry.>>"

	"You mean...  I can't go back to Earth?"

	"<<It is more than that, Tenchi.  It concerns your wish.>>"

	"My wish?  For Tsunami to be with me forever?"

	"<<Yes...  It seems that I must be the one to break the news to you.  When 
you died, the wish still bound you to Tsunami, and vice versa.  You have shared 
many happy times with Tsunami, have you not?  Those times add to your wish, 
reinforcing it.  Each time you smiled at her, each time you complimented her...  
The instant before you died, your wish was stronger than ever.  Tsunami is the 
Goddess of Kindness, and thrives wherever kindness lives, just as Washu thrives 
upon chaos.  It is within you, Tenchi.  You have the Gift of kindness.>>"

	"But what happened to Tsunami?"

	"<<When you died...>>"  Pausing, Tokimi seemed as if she were unable to 
continue, or didn't want to continue.  A part of Tenchi screamed and wanted to 
shout at her to stop, that he didn't want to hear it, that he couldn't take it 
if he heard it.  Unfortunately, no words came out, and Tokimi spoke again.  
"<<When you died...  Tsunami died as well.>>"

	Tears welled up in Tenchi's eyes, and he lashed out verbally.  "But 
Goddesses *can't* die!  They can't!  She...  She can't die...  Tsunami..."  He 
collapsed to the ground of the strange circle he was standing on.  "She 
can't..." he sobbed again, but turned back to Lady Tokimi.  "I won't let her...  
Tell me what I can do!  How can I get her back?!"

	"<<As D3 said, you must have patience.  It takes time to gather up your 
strength when you've just come back from the dead.  Normally, Goddesses cannot 
die, as you said, but Tsunami had stated to you that the wishes that Jurai 
grants are stronger than any Goddesses, including me.  And I am the most 
powerful, for I am the Goddess of Time, and I am older and wiser than Time 
itself.>>"

	"But I don't understand -- why are you running a business like this if you 
are the Goddess of Time?  Why do I have to have patience in order to find 
Tsunami?"

	"<<Time is endless.  I am eternal.  However, it becomes rather dull at 
times.  I decided to do this for a millennium or so, and I enjoy it.  When this 
business ends, I will find something else to do.>>"

	No other questions came to Tenchi's mind, but it seemed to him that Tokimi 
didn't expect an answer, either.  While he was still pondering, she spoke again.

	"<<Kagato killed you, Tenchi, and therefore Kagato killed Tsunami as well.  
I believe that by destroying Kagato, Tsunami will reappear.  Do you still have 
the sword, the Tenchi-ken?>>"

	Tenchi looked down at his hand and was startled to see the hilt of the 
Tenchi-ken still clasped within his fist.  "Yes," he answered without looking 
up.  "I still have it."

	"<<Then watch,>>" said she, closing her eyes.  A circle beneath his feet 
appeared, then focused on a battle.  A battle between Kagato and the adult 
Washu.  "<<There he is, Tenchi.  But you are not yet fully recovered.  You can 
only watch for now, and I am afraid we will be unable to hear any sounds.  That 
is why you must have patience.  Save your stamina for your battle with 
Kagato.>>"

	Bending down on one knee, Tenchi leaned in to watched the ensuing battle 
between the Goddess and Demon.

*	*	*	*	*

	Washu screamed and struggled to release herself from the grip Kagato had 
on her Life-force Energy.  "Stop, Kagato!"  She lashed out with her right arm 
and dissipated the force he'd used to attack her with.  "What do you want from 
us?!" she screamed.

	"I believe it should be obvious to you, Washu.  I want the secret to the 
power of Jurai.  I *want* the power of Jurai," he replied, attacking again.  
This time, Washu was able to erect her Life-force shield in time.

	"Why?  And how do you plan on being able to obtain it?" she asked, 
gritting her teeth.

	"At first, it was easy, really.  Our son, Yosho."

	Washu winced, but her shield remained in place.  "How could you use *me* 
like that?  How could you use your *own son*?!"

	Shrugging, Kagato only replied, "Feh.  I knew Yosho would be given a link 
to Jurai to enhance his power, and I believed he had a power of his own."  
Kagato looked down at Ayeka.  "He's not half-mortal, *Princess*, he's half-
Demon, half-God."

	The realization came to her swiftly, and Ayeka pushed herself back up.  
"Then his appearance as an old grandfather is merely a farce.  I see, now, but I 
don't care."  She ignited her sword and leapt at Kagato, her navy-blue blade 
blazing.  Kagato merely parried with his own green sword.

	"Such child's play," he quipped.  "Come, Ayeka, don't be so hostile.  You 
and I must have a talk.  But first..."  He threw her back down and pointed his 
palm at Washu.  Green lightning began engulfing her body, even with her shield 
in place.  She screamed, a long wail of pain and torture, pain worse than she 
had ever known.  When Kagato finally released her, she was back in her 12-year-
old form; Little Washu.  She lay on the floor where Kagato had released her, 
panting from the exertion.

	"Isn't that enough to send you back to Jurai?" Kagato asked.  "I must say, 
20,000-year-long grudges are quite unbecoming of you."  He snapped his fingers, 
and Washu seemingly melted into the ground.  "Now, it's your turn, Ayeka..."  He 
walked over to her.  "Tell me, what is the secret of Jurai?  What is *your* 
link?  I bet I know."

	Right before he reached her, Ayeka rose up and stuck at Kagato with her 
sword once more.  Unfazed, Kagato merely scoffed and slashed at her with the 
sword that he'd never released.  Suddenly, Ayeka's sword disappeared beneath her 
fingers.

	An instant later, her crown clattered to the floor, sliced neatly in two 
halves.  She clutched at the pieces with trembling hands and stared at them in 
disbelief.  "Oh, no..." she whimpered.  "No, no, no, no, no..."  She raised the 
pieces up and tried to match them together again.  Her entire body began to 
tremble violently, and she clutched the two pieces so hard that they began to 
cut into her hands.  Her crimson blood dripped to the floor.

	In response to Ayeka's display of weakness, Kagato swiped at her with his 
sword again.  Before his sword could touch her, she melted into the ground as 
Washu had before.

	"Clever, clever, Funaho," he said, smiling.  "You've discovered the secret 
to Souja.  Even *I* can't reach Ayeka now that she's on the reverse side with 
you.  But I still have your daughter, and if you take her there, too, there's no 
one left to fight against me for Jurai, except your sister, Tokimi.  Will you 
forfeit Ryoko's fight?"

	Nothing happened.

	"Good," Kagato said, striding over to Ryoko instead.  "You know, I helped 
you create Ryoko as your husband, Isamu.  You Goddesses are much too easy to 
deceive!  So gullible!  I wanted Yosho, first, because I knew he and I would be 
linked by blood, and therefore I could reach Jurai through him.  He knows that 
he is half-Demon, Washu.  He was able to block me.

	"That's why I gave Ryoko those gems, the gems meant to enhance a Demon's 
power.  Ryoko may look like you, but her blood is completely Demon.  She was to 
attack Jurai and discover its secrets, but Yosho stopped her.  And now, you've 
taken Ayeka from me.  Though Yosho still exists, I cannot use him to overtake 
Jurai.  But I have Ryoko again, and you cannot come back into this plane to stop 
me.  Your pathetic Yagami cannot match up to the power of Souja.  Nothing stands 
in my way now."  He broke off into his menacing, evil laughter.

	"Come, Ryoko," he said.  "Let us destroy Earth, and then I'll take over 
Jurai."

	"No!  I won't let you!" Ryoko screamed, jumping up suddenly and flying 
towards Kagato with her red-orange sword scintillating.  She met his blade and 
shoved him back a few feet, but he resisted her.  While she was still in the 
air, he grabbed her foot and slammed her into the ground, creating a crater in 
the floor.  He stabbed his sword at her abdomen, but she disappeared into the 
ground as Ayeka had.

	"Have you gone mad?!" he bellowed.  "Washu, you can't take Ryoko from me!  
She rightfully belongs to me!  I helped you create her, and I can destroy her as 
well!  Do you want that?  Do you want me to destroy *your daughter*?"

	Suddenly, a giant gray fist rose up from the ground, and encircled Kagato.  
A stone Ryoko came out, and the hand began to crush Kagato.  "I'm going to enjoy 
doing this, Kagato," the statue said in Ryoko's voice.

	"You can't be serious," Kagato said, breaking free of the grasp.  The 
statue shattered, and the actual Ryoko whom had encased herself in stone fell to 
the ground.  "Your tricks are nothing compared to what I could do to you!" he 
declared.

	Her energy spent, Ryoko fell to the ground amongst the slabs of stone left 
from the statue she'd created.  She felt something pulling at the gems embedded 
at her wrist, and she felt her energy surge through her being and drawn out 
through the gems.  She screamed in pain as both Washu and Ayeka had done before 
her.

	"With this power, I will first destroy Earth, and then I will conquer 
Jurai.  Marvelous power!  The gems are mine!"  He turned an eager face towards 
Earth, but then glanced back at Ryoko.  "You're holding back, aren't you?  This 
isn't all the power there is!  There *must* be more!  Ahh...  Well, even if 
you're dead, I can still extract the nessessary energy to destroy Earth.  So if 
you don't want to die, give in to me."

	Ryoko looked at Kagato with a pleading look that implored him to stop.  
"Please...  I don't have the real gems.  The one on my left wrist is a 
replacement, and it only has half the power of the originals.  The Tenchi-ken 
holds the other two gems, but you killed Tenchi.  You killed Tenchi!!"  Kagato 
sneered when Ryoko raised her voice at that last sentence, but he was unmoved.

	"I see," he said.  "I do believe you're lying, Ryoko."

	"No!  Please--"

	"I'll just kill you, too," he said, converging the energy from Ryoko's 
gems towards her, a perverse manner of killing Ryoko with her own power.

	A flash shot past him suddenly, and the energy dissipated.  Kagato took a 
step back and tried to see what had stopped him.

	Ryoko felt someone's strong arms embracing her, and she opened her eyes 
and turned to look at her rescuer.  "Ohh..." she gasped.  "Are you real?"
 
	"I'm no ghost," Tenchi replied, smiling.

End of Chapter 11