Blood Red Moon Resurrection Prologue:
                Forces Awakening

     Hi all.  I'm back again.  Somehow or other, Blood Red Moon
was popular, and I got some requests for a sequel.  Well,
anyway, here's the disclaimers: All characters belong to their
various copyrights, with the exception of Reinhart Masaki and Rosa
Masaki.  Those two are mine.  Beyond their usage in this story,
I claim no ownership, no rights of creation, no nothing.  Please
don't sue me.  Comments, quips, insults, and death threats may
be send to Platinum_Dragon@usinternet.com
     The Tenchi Muyo Characters in this series are based on the OVA
versions, but don't be surprised if there aren't one or two TV
references.  The characters Carrie Fernandez, Alucard, Death,
Dracula, Maria Renard, and Lisa all belong to the Konami
Castlevania series. This cross-over series is placed roughly 16
years in Tenchi's world, 120 years in Alucard's world after the
events in Blood Red Moon.  Reinhart and Rosa Masaki, the children
of Tenchi and Ryoko, are now young teens.

     "To what profit is it to a man, if he gains the world and
loses his own soul?  Mathew 16:26 I believe." - Dracula, as he dies
at the end of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

*****

     High on a cliff, overlooking a calm lake, there came a wind.
It blew across the surface, of the ruins of an ancient castle that
had sunk more than a century before.  As if the wind were a signal,
the castle slowly began to rise; reaching up to a moon that had
begun to burn crimson as blood in the night.  Higher it grew,
stones and towers lifting out of the waters and coming together
to slowly form an ancient, seamless shape.  Like a great finger,
the tallest tower grew, stabbing into the air like a dagger in the
night, stained red by the light of the moon.  Water poured out of
windows long submerged, streamed off steepled rooftops in rivulets
as they emerged from the water.
     Finally, the isle that the castle rested upon crested the
waves, as the huge clock on the tallest tower began to toll the
eleventh hour.  Long and deep, the sound of the ancients chimes
rang pure as crystal, rolling across the land.  In the forest
around the lake, the animals woke.  They remembered the sound,
remembered with a terror that had been passed down to them from
their sires, and to them in turn by their sires.  Predator and prey
alike, all heard the sound and quickly left, running from the
ancient forest.  Crystal pure the sound may be, but the crystal
was of the most evil sort.  The wind, as if afraid of what it had
called forth, gusted away.
     It swept away from the castle, and down the valley that it
found. Reaching a village, it calmed, and whispered its way through
the streets, where people had come into the streets.  They looked
and stared at the castle's silhouette in the night.  The younger
ones, men who had seen no more than thirty years were just curious,
but the elders whispered, of stories that their parents had told
them long ago. Stories of macabre evil, and terrors to wrench the
mind and twist the soul.
     Past the villagers it blew, to an old house at the edge of
town. There too, a villager stood, staring at the castle.  Old,
tired golden eyes looked there, and the ancient woman remembered
a time long ago, when she and three others had gone there, to fight
a hopeless battle against an evil deeper than even the castle
itself.  Memory had faded with age, but her soul shivered in fright
as the deep tolls of the great clock touched her.
     "No...  It can not be..." she breathed.  The wind left her to
her memories, gusting past her toward the open plains.  It flew
over them in haste, stirring the long grasses in its rush, as
though it wanted to make amends for its deeds.
     Finally, it reached a forest, and inside, a clearing.  In the
middle of the clearing, a small building of shining white marble
stood. The wind pushed hard at the ancient door, on which a huge
carving of a bat with the sun on its back stood out in stark
relief.  They held a feeling of great age, as did the entire
building.  Vines crisscrossed the stone, and tall bushes nearly
covered three sides.  But the door, and the steps leading up to it
remained clear of obstructions. Try as the wind might, though,
it could not push the doors open.  The wind faded away, defeated.
     But its efforts were not wholly in vain.  Inside the building,
four torches flared to life, which revealed a raised platform,
on top of which rested an ancient coffin of dark oak.  A long, age
darkened cross was carved on the cover.  The cross began to glow
a gentle blue, and inside the coffin, something stirred.  The cover
was pushed open, and a tall man sat up.  A long mane of white hair
framed a stern face, dark blue gaze looking around in surprise.
Black clothing in a style that had not been seen in more than six
hundred years encased him, and a black cloak with blood red
underlining flowed down his back.
     "I have awoken again?" he asked himself in confusion.
For he was Adrian Farenheights Tepes, also known as Alucard,
son of the evil Count Dracula Vlad Tepes.  Six hundred years
before, he had helped Trevor Belmont end his father's evil reign,
and then placed himself into what he had thought would be an
eternal sleep.  But some three hundred years later, he had awoken
to find Castlevania, his father's evil home, risen once again.
     Determined to end it once and for all, he had entered what had
once been his home, with the intention of destroying it.  Inside,
he had met Maria Renard, and Richter Belmont, the descendant
of Trevor. Richter had been under the control of Shaft, the dark
priest bent on once again resurrecting Dracula, and Alucard had
been able to free him. Shaft had opened a path way to another
dimension, where an inverted Castlevania waited, with new
challenges and monsters, and Alucard had traveled there.  After
a long, difficult battle, he had defeated his father, and destroyed
both castles.
     After destroying the castles, he had found Richter and Maria
waiting for him outside.  Richter had thanked him, and he had taken
his leave, turning to go.  To his surprise, Maria had asked to join
him.  Though he had already decided to return to his eternal sleep,
he found himself agreeing.  In their short time together, they
loved, loved more powerfully than Alucard had ever thought his
cursed heart could.  But it was not to last.  Only ten years after
destroying Castlevania, she had been killed by a rogue pack of
werewolves. In the blood rage that rose in him, he tore them apart,
staining the forest red.  When it abated, and he came to himself
again, he found himself in a town, the bodies of men at his feet,
and streamers of blood running from the corners of his jaws.  In
shock, he had placed himself back into the eternal sleep, as he
knew that he should have done years before, hoping to never wake
again.
     But now he was awake again.  That could only mean that his
father had returned.  But if that were true, than where were the
Belmonts? If he had awoken because his father was back, than the
Belmont line must have come to an end.  That was the only
conclusion he could draw. And yet, he could not sense his father's
dark presence in the world.
     Alucard got out of the coffin, and stretched, wincing as his
muscles complained of long unuse.  Stoic acceptance of his life as
a half-human, half-vampire or not, it was still a pain waking up
after a long rest.  As he massaged his legs back to a semblance
of life, he idly wondered how long he had been asleep this time.
     Alucard finished, and stood, walking over to the wall.  A
table sat there, on which a suit of mail, black with red enamel,
a shield, with his symbol on it, and a helm rested.  He
brushed his hand across the armor, and then raised his gaze.  A
long, thin sword rested in its sheath on the wall.  The hilt was
made of short quillions, worked to look like a braid.  The pommel
had a large, smooth green stone, and metal, shaped to look like
stems extended out, into carefully detailed rosebuds.
     He pulled the blade from its sheath.  It was made of a metal
that nobody could identify, sparkling brightly in the flickering
torchlight. In all the time that it had belonged to him, it had
never dulled, never been nicked.  It could cut through armor as if
it wasn't even there.  The sword, older even than his father,
was the last link that he had to his mother, and it had always
served him well.
     "Mother...  I had hoped that I would never again have to call
on your gift's services, but it seems that I must once again do
battle. Please, lend me strength to do what I must," he said
softly.  Quickly, he donned the armor, and buckled on the sword.
As he settled it around his waist, he felt a familiar and unwelcome
presence enter the room. He turned to face the intruder.
     "Alucard.  So, this is where you have been hiding for the past
two hundred and twenty years," rasped the ancient specter.  Long
black robes covered all but the figure's face and hands.  Great
black feather wings sprouted out from his back, idle now that he
was only standing. A long, curved scythe was clutched in hands of
bone.  His face was a skull, bleached white.  Alucard stared coldly
at Death, his hand going to his blade.
     "What do you want?  I have better things to do than waste time
with you."  Death seemed to grin.
     "Ah, still straight to the point, I see.  I have come to see
if you have anything to do with Castlevania's awakening."
Alucard stared at Death in surprise.
     "Why would I raise my father's evil, when I have already
destroyed it once?  Though obviously not as thoroughly as I thought
I had."
     "Ah yes, I forget that you have slept since then.  Dracula
has disappeared a hundred twenty years gone, when a strange man
from another world came and did battle with him.  He is nowhere
to be found, even in the nether realms.  But Castlevania is risen
again, and only those of his blood have the power to do that, as
you know."
     "My father is missing?  And I assume then that you have not
been able to enter the castle?"  Death nodded.
     "As you are clearly not the one who called Castlevania,
I will leave you to your business, and continue my search for the
one that did.  Perhaps we shall met again on... peaceful terms."
     "Perhaps."  Death nodded, and disappeared.  Alucard thought
about the information he'd gained from the unexpected source.
His father missing for a hundred-twenty years.  Good news,
certainly, but if he hadn't called the castle forth, than who, or
what, had?  It took an incredible amount of power to summon it from
its watery grave.
     Where before he had only thought he had a simple task, he now
found a potentially deadly mystery.  Castlevania returned to the
physical realm, Dracula missing, and the Belmont line likely ended.
What was he to face, upon returning to his ancient home?
     Settling his sword in its sheath, Alucard opened the doors
of his resting place, and stepped into the open night for the first
time in two hundred twenty years.  Looking up, he saw the blood
red moon, floating in the sky once again.  Even as he took his
first breath in the fresh air, the sound of the great clock in the
castle rolled over him.  Twelve deep tolling touched his ears.
     "Land of my birth...  so I am once again allowed to lay eyes
on your beautiful shores," he said, and, for a moment, the ghost
of a smile touched his lips.  Perhaps the night had come, but a
vampire's home was the darkness.
     "I...  Is it really you?"
     "Master Alucard?"  Alucard spun, as two familiar voices
sounded behind him.  One came from what appeared to be a small
woman, save that this woman had four delicate wings, and wore a
flowing dress that fluttered in the breeze.  The second voice came
from a small demon, leathery bat wings flapping up and down in a
constant motion.  He carried a small pitchfork.  Now Alucard did
smile, in disbelief, and joy.
     "It is you, Alucard!"
     "You've come back!"
     "Sheann'a!  Drathar!  But how did you find me so soon?  Are
the others here?"  Sheann'a, the fairy, shook her head, and the
demon Drathar spoke.
     "When Dracula disappeared, there was an uproar in Hell.
Balrin, the ghost, and the soul sword were both destroyed in the
chaos that followed.  The only reason that I survived was because
I had been summoned at the time by a young necromancer.  Brisana
died over a hundred fifty years ago.  She lived a long time, for a
bat."  Alucard nodded.  These were his familiars, friends that had
helped him so long ago when he had gone to destroy the castle.
     "Do you know anything about who has resurrected the castle?"
     "Only that he is of Dracula's bloodline, and that he is very,
very powerful," answered Drathar.  Sheann'a nodded.
     "There is something strange about him.  He has Dracula's
dark powers, but we sensed something akin to the Belmont's blood
in him as well.  The two powers battle for domination inside of
him, much as your human and vampire side battled within you."
Alucard nodded gravely. The mystery only grew deeper.
     "Come, my friends.  We have a long journey ahead, and a longer
battle after."  Reaching into himself, he morphed into his wolf
form, and then dashed away, to the north.  Toward the evil
Castlevania.

*****

     "D3, report."
     "Mistress, D10 reported finding an incredible power source
in his domain.  He said that it was at least equal to the Light
Hawk Wings." The Lady Tokimi, who had been listening to him
with only a hundredth of her attention, now turned in full to him.
     "An equal to the Light Hawk Wings?  Continue."
     "D10's report said that he wasn't entirely certain why he had
not picked up on this power source before, but it was likely to
match Tsunami's alterations to the Light Hawk Wings."
     "Order him to begin efforts to retrieve it.  This comes at an
excellent time, with the attack on her plaything at hand.  I leave
the matter to you.  I must complete the preparations for the
battle."
     "Lady Tokimi... may I ask, what do you intend to do with
Tsunami's avatar?"  Tokimi paused, and activated the display.
A three dimensional picture appeared, of a tall man.  Ten Light
Hawk Wings surrounded him, and two gems sparkled from his wrists.
     "Not just Tsunami's, but Washu's as well.  I'm not certain
as of yet.  For now, he may run free."
     "By your leave, Lady Tokimi."  She nodded, and he phased away.
Tokimi turned back to the display.
     "What are you playing at with this boy, sisters?  He has
enough power to be one of us, and that is before considering
his bondmate, and yet you keep him ignorant of the truth.  Tell me,
Tsunami and Washu, what is your game?"  The goddess stared at the
display, a thoughtful light in her eyes.

*****

     Deep inside, something stirred.  It felt at the edges of its
prison.  They seemed thinner than before, less substantial.
Soon... soon, its time would come again.  It could feel the power,
flowing to it, through the prison's walls.  Slowly, it grew
stronger, as its thirst became stronger.  Thirst for the sweetest
of nectars.
     Satisfied that the walls were still sufficient to contain
it, it went back to sleep.
     Soon...  It had been patient for this long.  It could wait a
little longer.

*****

     The young woman looked out the window, at a peaceful lake and
field.  Outside, a pair of teenaged children laughed and played.
One boy, with black hair, dove to the ground, as a cyan-haired
girl tried to tackle him, literally flying through the air.
     Smiling, Sasami looked away.  Sixteen years, since they had
been born, the twin children of Tenchi and Ryoko.  Reinhart and
Rosa Masaki took after their parents quite a bit.  Reinhart,
who shared his father's black hair and gentle eyes, was generally
level headed, but his mother's quick temper occasionally
shown through with usually embarrassing results.
     Rosa was much more carefree than her twin, but unlike her
mother, she also had a very, very strong sense of duty, inherited
from her father.  Once a promise had been extracted from her, she
would fill it, no matter what the cost to herself.  Sometimes,
that sense of obligation worried Sasami.
     Sasami...  The young woman smiled a little.  She was Sasami,
but she was also Tsunami, goddess of Jurai.  The melding had come
smoothly six years before, on Sasami's eighteenth birthday,
and since they had been one person, shared one soul.  All of
Tsunami's seriousness, powers, and knowledge, combined with
Sasami's love of life, and strong emotions.  They truly had become
one, and it was a decision that Tsunami knew she would never
regret.
     Her smile faded.  Tsunami could feel her sister's presence.
Tokimi was close, no more than a dimension away, too close to the
dimension she had worked so hard to protect and nurture. Looking
back out the window, at the two children, she wondered if Washu
and her preparations had been enough.  Reinhart spun and caught
his sister, laughing.  They would have to be, she knew.  Tenchi,
who had grown to become a handsome man in his prime, came out,
towards the children.
     There was so much that she wanted to tell him, yet she knew
that she had to wait longer still.  Tenchi - and Ryoko as well -
still had a long, and painful road ahead.  Already, her plans had
nearly come crashing down around her when the two of them had
disappeared for three years.  But through a twist of fate she could
have never foreseen, not only had her plans been saved, but their
chances of being successful were greatly improved.
     But she worried as well.  Although he had matured more fully
than she could have ever hoped in his three year journey, and
gained a mastery of both his powers and the ones gained from
Ryoko's gems, he had also gained a dark taint, one that she could
not remove.  Though he had the strength to fight it, she feared
that it would manifest itself at the worst possible time.
     She looked at him again.  The Slowing had already taken
effect, the gradual stopping of the aging process that effected
anybody that used the Jurai power.  Though he was now forty years
old, he looked no different than he had sixteen years before,
when he had returned from his travels.  The effect had been
amplified by the gems - left alone, he'd be lucky to get his first
gray hair in some thirty thousand years.  Almost immortal.  Tsunami
knew that even herself, youngest of the three goddesses, would
likely have long since left this dimension by then.  She hoped that
would be.
     Was she doing the right thing?  She asked herself the question
that she had asked a hundred billion times before.  But she had no
choice, she knew.  She was committed, had been committed millennia
before when she had first began guiding bloodlines to eventually
produce Tenchi.  If one life's sacrifice could save a world,
indeed, an entire universe, than it was a paltry fee indeed, and it
was a price that she would gladly pay.
     "I'm sorry Tenchi.  To save this universe, or any other, I
would sacrifice even myself."  A tear fell, and then she teleported
away, to do what she could to prevent the coming tragedy.

*****

     A face that could only be called young by its appearance
looked down from the tallest tower of Castlevania.  Pale skin,
glittering black eyes, and close cropped blond hair stood out in
the moon light. The man stared into the distance, where he could
feel something approaching.
     "I can feel you.  You've woken, and are coming here.  Come
quickly.  Race like the wind.  The time has come, and I will not
wait any longer.  Come Alucard, come, and let this be finished.
The pendulum has swung between light and dark long enough."
     There was a sound behind him, and he turned.  An old woman,
with eyes of pale gold, and faintly cyan-tinged gray hair stood
there, clutching a staff of dark mahogany.  A large, blue gem held
by a carven hawk's foot sparkled faintly from within.  A humorless
smile touched his lips.
     "I've been expecting you!  I was almost thinking that you
wouldn't make it, but then I forget, the Belnades never did know
when to give up.  Such a strong line, but now there is only one."
The ancient woman's eyes widened in surprise.
     "Are you, then, the one who has brought the castle back?
Dracula is not here?" she asked.  For one as old as she was, there
was no fear, no tremor in her voice.  A strength, a conviction
as there instead. "Who are you?"
     "Carrie Fernandez, descendant of Sypha Belnades, and heir to
her power.  How lonely you must be....  Reinhart dead some ninety
years ago, Rosa not long after.  Their three children, dead in a
terrible and needless war.  Sad loss, that.  The Belmont's glorious
bloodline, come at long last to an end.  Almost.  You've outlived
all your friends.  Now it seems, my dear, that you are the last one
left."  The old woman firmed her grip on the staff, and took a step
forward.
     "You seem to know much.  Do you know your own name, that I may
carve it into your gravestone when I have dispatched you here?"
He smiled again.
     "So, you haven't lost your fighting spirit in your old age!
Very good, I may have some fun tonight after all!  But your
question... What's in a name?  Simply something cowards hide
behind.  But if you must know a name, than let us say simply Cain.
But I do assume that you've come for something more than idle
chatter, no?"  She nodded, and her staff began to glow pale blue.
Folding his arms, he smiled, and waited.  With surprising speed
for somebody of her age, she whipped her staff down toward him, and
a blast of pure light lanced out from the gemstone.
     Calmly, he placed his hand down into its path.  The light
lance touched it, and turned dead black.  The black light raced
back to the staff, and she screamed in pain and threw it away when
his counter blast touched it.  He strode over, and backhanded
her.  She flew across the room, and slammed into the wall,
crumpling bonelessly to the ground.  He walked over, and turned
her face toward his.
     "You are going to return to the village, and wait there.
Somebody is going to arrive there soon, and when they do, you will
take them to the Whip, and retrieve it.  Then you will return here.
Now begone with you!  Pester me no more this night, and I will let
you live a little longer!"  With that, he turned away, and back to
his vantage point.
     "Soon mother...  You will be avenged, and the Pendulum of
Chaos shall stop swinging for all eternity!"  His hand went
unconsciously to the golden cross hanging about his neck.
     "Soon."

Blood Red Moon Resurrection Chapter 1:
        The Devil Inside

     Disclaimers: All characters belong to their various
copyrights, with the exception of Reinhart Masaki and Rosa
Masaki.  Those two are mine.  Beyond their usage in this story,
I claim no ownership, no rights of creation, no nothing.  Please
don't sue me.
     The Tenchi Muyo Characters in this series are based on the OVA
versions, but don't be surprised if there aren't one or two TV
references.  The characters Carrie Fernandez, Alucard, Death,
Dracula, Maria Renard and Lisa all belong to the Konami Castlevania
series. Misato Katsuragi belongs to Neon Genesis Evangelion.
Sorry guys, no fan service. This cross-over series is placed
roughly 17 years in Tenchi's world, 120 years in Alucard's world
after the events in Blood Red Moon.  Reinhart and Rosa Masaki,
the children of Tenchi and Ryoko, are now young teens.

     "To what profit is it to a man, if he gains the world and
loses his own soul?  Mathew 16:26 I believe." - Dracula, as he dies
at the end of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

*****

     "Hey Dad, check this out!"  Reinhart Masaki formed his force
blade, and executed a quick triple strike on Washu's
All-Purpose-Combat-Training-Dummy.
His grandmother's droid registered three debilitating hits, and
beeped loudly in submission.  He grinned, and looked over at his
sister.  And was quite surprised, when the training vest that he
wore beeped as it registered a hit.
     "That was a good strike, but you have to remember that your
enemy might not be alone," said Tenchi, as the glow from his
fireball disappeared from his hand.  The crimson gems in his wrist
glittered darkly.  He looked at Rosa as she giggled.  "I wouldn't
laugh, if I were you.  He at least has his sword forms down.  You
are depending too much on your fireball attacks.  If somebody
were to get inside that range, you would be hard pressed to fend
them off."  Reinhart and Rosa Masaki both sighed as one, and bowed
to their father, Tenchi.
     At sixteen, Reinhart was a tall, lanky young man.  His black
hair was tied into a ponytail in back, and gentle brown eyes, the
same as his father's, held a frown at the moment, but the hint of a
smile danced behind them.  His skin was a pale golden, his muscles
toned, although some baby fat could still be seen on his cheeks.
He wore the training gear that his grandmother had made for himself
and his twin sister Rosa.
     Rosa came toward them, wiping sweat off her forehead with the
back of her hand.  Being his twin, she was also sixteen, although
technically the younger of the two as she had come out second.
She was almost a duplicate of her mother, as tall as he was, with
a thick shock of spikey cyan hair and mischievous golden eyes.  She
was already developing into a full figure just as ravishing
as her mother's, and many a boy at school had meet with a solid
punch to the jaw when they refused to leave her alone.  Her skin
was only faintly tinged gold, and she too was trim of fat.  The
training suit that she wore was molded to her form, and not for the
first time Reinhart wished that Washu wouldn't always be so exact
in her measurements.
     "I think that's enough practice for today.  Get cleaned up,
and change into some semi-formal clothes.  We have guests coming
tonight."
     "Yes father," they chorused.  He grinned at them.
     "Get going you little monsters.  I'll be along once I clean
up here."  Rosa looked at him.
     "Race you to the bathroom," she challenged.
     "No teleporting!" he answered, as he took off like a shot.
They dashed away from the training ground.  Reinhart settled into
an easy lope, conserving energy until he needed it.  Rosa was not
far behind him, but on foot, he was the faster of the two.  As the
reached the lake and Reinhart began to circle around to the bridge,
Rosa laughed, and then jumped into the air.  She flew across the
water, and touched down on the porch just as he reached the
half-way point of the bridge. She waved, and then disappeared
inside.
     "No fair!" he exclaimed, once he made it inside.  She grinned.
     "You never said that I couldn't fly.  I can't help it if I'm
better suited to thinking than you."  He grudgingly admitted
defeat.
     "Oh, don't take it so hard.  You'll get her back for it
tomorrow." Reinhart jumped in surprise as his mother hugged him
from behind.
     "Mom!" he exclaimed, trying to struggle out of her grip,
blushing red as a beet.  Being sixteen and having a mother hotter
than most girls at school did have its drawbacks.  Ryoko let him
go, and grinned at Rosa.
     "He's just as bad as Tenchi was at his age.  He never could
stand all that female attention," she said confidently to her, as
if Reinhart wasn't even there.  Groaning, he slipped past his
sister into the bathroom.  He closed the door, to laughter from
both of them.  Washing quickly, he stopped in his bedroom for a
fresh set of clothes, and then went downstairs, where his sister
was already seated.  When he saw who she was talking to, he broke
into a wide grin.
     "Mayuka!  When did you get back!"  Mayuka Masaki, twenty-one
years old, smiled at him from the couch, Ryo-Ohki settled happily
into her lap.  She was the only girl he knew that didn't make him
feel completely tongue tied.  Two years before, she had left for
America's University of Minnesota, to study at their medical
training center. Shorter than Rosa and himself, she was still quite
beautiful. When she had left, her purple hair had fallen past her
waist, but now it was close cropped in the front, and tied into a
thick braid that hung to just below her shoulder.
     "I just got into the airport half an hour ago.  Mihoshi picked
me up, and then went to go get great-grandpa."  There was a knock
at the door, and Rosa stood to go answer it.
     "Mihoshi is here too?  I thought that she was out on an
extended mission."
     "She was, but her local HQ called off the search, since the
suspect had been caught in another quadrant."  Reinhart smiled.
     "You're here, Mihoshi is here...  Now all that we need are-"
     "Aunt Ayeka!" exclaimed Rosa, as she opened the door.  Empress
Ayeka Jurai, ruler of the Juraian empire smiled, and hugged Rosa.
Ryoko came into the living room, and made a show of rolling her
eyes, and sighing.
     "Well well, if it isn't the little princess...  Things getting
a little dull on the royal seat?" she asked teasingly.  Ayeka
looked at her with mock disgust.
     "Must I put up with this monster woman?" she asked no one in
particular.  The stared at each other a moment, and then laughed.
Ryoko crossed the room, and they hugged.  "I'm sorry that I
couldn't make it to the wedding anniversary.  One of the council
members passed away, and I had to attend the funeral."  Ryoko
grinned, and shrugged.
     "Ah, well.  We managed.  So, I see that you still don't seem
to have a consort?"  Ayeka sighed.
     "No, and the council is beginning to become irritated.
Tenchi spoiled me; none of the men the various houses send to me
even remotely seem as caring as him.  All they want is power, and
a chance to join their house to the royal line."
     "Tenchi spoiled all of us," said Ryoko, and Ayeka laughed,
nodding.  Then she turned her attention to Reinhart and Mayuka.
Ryo-Ohki jumped out of her lap, and hopped over to Ayeka.  She
smiled, and ruffled the cabbit's fur.  She was just the same that
Reinhart remembered her.  She held a calm, dignified air about her
like a shield, and a quiet, unassuming beauty.  Her hair was tied
back into a braid even fatter than Mayuka's and hung down nearly
to her feet. Her headpiece, carved of Juraian wood, rested as usual
on her forehead, and she wore the traditional multiple kimonos
of the Juraian royalty.
     "You've been awfully quiet, Reinhart.  Not happy to see your
aunt?"  He smiled, a little embarrassed.
     "It's not that, it's just..." he started.  She grinned
expectantly.  "I mean, that is..." All four sets of female eyes
fastened themselves to him.  He found himself trying to shrink
back into the wall.  Ryoko looked at Ayeka.
     "Like father, like son..." All of the women in the room shared
a laugh.  Reinhart wished that he knew why, whenever a girl so much
as looked at him, he got tongue tied and butterflies in his
stomach. Especially one girl at his school, Misato Katsuragi,
a short, dark haired, and wild young lady.  They shared a couple
of classes together. Funny, he reflected, but it seemed the second
that she had first started noticing him, all the other girls in his
school wouldn't even hint at being more than just a friend.
     "Come on everybody, dinner is nearly ready.  Mihoshi should
be back with grandpa soon."  Ayeka sighed.
     "Should I have the royal medic on standby to save us from the
poison?"  Ryoko arched an eyebrow at her, but finally grinned.
Reinhart sighed, saved from disaster, and followed them into the
dining room.  Washu and Nobuyuki were already there.
     Washu Hakubi, aged around 20,500 years, give or take a
millenium or three.  Reinhart had seen her in all three of her age
forms - Very extremely adult, when trying to collect samples for
tests, Young Adult, the form that she had began to take when guests
were around, and Child, which he gladly noted she was in today.
Her wild mane of hot pink hair that flowed down her back was so
bright in under the lights that it almost hurt to look at.  He
shook his head.  A grandmother that looked to be ten years younger
than he was.
     Nobuyuki Masaki looked up from the stove, where he was
juggling three pans full of simmering food, and a cookbook.
His hair had long since turned gray, his face wrinkled with age.
The only member of their family to be completely human, he was also
the only one to age normally.  Normally by human standards.
Aged or not, he still remained surprisingly spry for his age, and
a woman that wasn't careful often found herself ogled by him.
     "Lady Ayeka!  Nice to see you again!" greeted the pink haired
scientist.  Nobuyuki waved from the stove.  Even he was smart
enough to not try sneaking peeks at Ayeka.
     "Miss Washu, Nobuyuki.  Where are my brother and Tenchi?
I expected that they would be here."  Washu took a drink of tea,
and answered.
     "Lord Katsuhito is at a shrine keeper's convention.  Mihoshi
left to pick him up not long ago."
     "Did you remember to call ahead and tell the police to clear
the roads?" asked Ryoko.  Washu grinned at her daughter.  "Tenchi,
I believe, is right behind you."  Ayeka turned, startled to find
Tenchi just behind her.  She smiled, and hugged him.
     "I'm glad that you could make it, Empress.  We missed you at
the anniversary," said Tenchi.  She shook her head.
     "Please, please, if nothing else, drop the titles.  It's
nothing but, Empress this, Empress that!  I used to like holding
everybody calling me princess, now I would trade the throne just
to have people talk to me, and not the Empress."  Tenchi grinned.
     "Isn't Sasami with you?"  Ayeka shook her head.
     "She sends her regards, but she had to see to important
business." Tenchi nodded, as Ryoko came over and put her arm around
his waist.
     "I was looking forward to seeing the munchkin again."  Ayeka
nodded.
     "She wanted to come, but her duties as Tsunami out weigh her
personal wishes at times.  It's strange.  I used to envy her
because I thought that she'd never have to worry about placing
Jurai before herself as Empress.  Now, it often seems that she
never even gets the chance to remember what a little girl named
Sasami was, much less be anything but Tsunami."
     They all sat down, the first time that this much of the family
had gotten together in five years.  Today was the anniversary
of Tenchi and Ryoko's miraculous return to this dimension seventeen
years before.  They hadn't all been able to get together in a long
time for various reasons.  Mihoshi had been given command of a
special battle fleet formed to combat space pirates, Ayeka had been
raised Empress when Azusa had passed away of a heart attack.  So
many reasons, yet they still remained a tight knit group.  Reinhart
smiled.  They would always be together, that much he was certain
of.
     About halfway through the meal, Tenchi excused himself.
He had begun to look pale, and said that he wasn't feeling overly
well.  Ryoko looked at him, and he assured her that he would be
fine if her lay down for a little while.  The family watched him
leave with worried expressions.  To Reinhart's memory, his father
had never before been sick, but the meal resumed, if a little
dampened.
     Mihoshi came back, with Katsuhito in tow.  She was still
beautiful, although older now, and the signs of age were starting
to show a little.  Her blonde hair was still done up in a pony
tail, and though she wasn't as ditzy as she once was, it was never
very long before she would make a mistake, and not even realize
what she had done wrong.
     His great grandfather, Katsuhito Masaki, smiled warmly as he
saw Ayeka.  His gray hair was a little longer, and more wrinkles
had appeared on a face already lined with age in the past seventeen
years, but his dark eyes still sparkled with hidden secrets.
     "Brother!" exclaimed Ayeka.  She stood, and embraced him, then
stepped back and looked at him reproachfully.  "I wish that you
would rethink your decision to stay here.  I could truly use your
help on the throne.  Half of the nobles still remember that they
could have been Emperor had they only stepped in a little sooner,
the other half only see a child instead of an Empress."  He smiled,
and shook his head.
     "I'm sorry, but my place remains here.  If I were to return
to Jurai with you, it would only cause an uproar among the council.
Best for both of us if I were to stay here."  She nodded, and they
sat back down.
     When Ryoko suddenly gasped in surprise, and stood, running
up the stairs, they all stared after her, wondering what was the
matter. When they heard her begin to scream, they all dashed up
after her.  They found her, struggling to hold Tenchi away from
her.  Reinhart stared.  His father's skin had become pasty white;
his hands changed into claws.  Seeing them, Tenchi hissed.  Two
long, sharp looking fangs glistened in the light and his eyes
blazed an evil red.
     Washu was the first to react, summoning her subspace keyboard,
and pounding at the keys.  A pair of manacles appeared, and clamped
down on his arms, pulling him away from Ryoko.  A tall cross, made
of light, appeared, and the manacles pulled him to it, attaching
themselves.  He struggled against them, but could not get away.
     "Meet me in the lab," she directed.  Punching in a sequence
on the keyboard, a tall portal appeared, and the cross, with
Tenchi, floated through, followed quickly by her.  It snapped
shut, leaving a panting Ryoko and shocked family.  Recovering
quickly, she looked at all of them, and then brushed by.  They
followed her down, and into Washu's lab.  In the central room, they
found Washu, standing before a bed.  Tenchi rested on this,
apparently sedated.
     "Is it what I think it is, Mother?"  The pink haired scientist
turned to them, and for the first time in his life Reinhart saw a
lost expression on her face.
     "I can't detect any circulatory functions, his pulmonary
tract has stopped, and there is no internal heat being generated.
But he's still alive.  His alpha wave pattern has changed almost
completely," she said.  Ryoko touched his hand.
     "Cold as ice..." she breathed.
     "Mom... what's wrong with dad?" asked Rosa.  Ryoko turned
to them, strangely calm, although in her eyes an old fear danced.
     "Do you remember what we told you about when Tenchi and I were
teleported to Romania?"  They nodded.  "Your father and I decided
to not tell you one thing about it.  That during that time, he was
hurt by a vampire, and the curse was passed onto him."  She paused,
and took a deep breath.  "He became a vampire, but when he used the
Light Hawk Wings, he was cured."  Reinhart stared at his father,
and knew what was coming next.  If anything, the fangs should have
been an obvious clue.
     "It seems that he wasn't as cleansed as we had thought.
He's become a vampire again."  Reinhart heard Ayeka gasp, and
Mayuka, standing next to him, sagged as if she were about to faint.
Reinhart put out his arm; she gladly leaned on it.
     "So...  Is that a bad thing?" asked Mihoshi.  They all looked
at her, and just sighed.  Reinhart cleared his throat, and asked
the obvious question.
     "What brought it back now, seventeen years later?"  Ryoko
opened her mouth to reply, but closed it again as a shimmering
pillar of light appeared.  It brightened, and then Tsunami stepped
out.  Without saying anything, she rushed to Tenchi's side.  A
glowing sphere of light appeared in her hand; she lay that hand on
Tenchi's chest, and the sphere sank into his flesh.  He groaned,
and tried to move away a little, but then settled down.  Reinhart
noticed that a little color seemed to return to his skin.
     "I am not too late, thank the light," she breathed, sighing
in relief.  Tsunami looked up at Ryoko, sorrow in her eyes.  "I'm
sorry that I was not here before... it happened.  If I had of been,
I might have been able to keep it from going this far.  Now all
that I can do is keep it from becoming worse for a time."
     "Why now, Tsunami?"  The goddess shook her head.
     "Foolish hopes," she said quietly.  Reinhart didn't think that
she had intended to speak aloud.  He was proven right when she
continued. "There are forces gathering for an attack.  What better
place to strike, than at the one who stands the best chance of
stopping them?" Ayeka stepped forward.
     "What can we do to help him?"  Tsunami frowned.
     "He is fighting a battle within himself.  I think that he is
strong enough to fight it off, given time and patience.  But there
is no telling when it will resurge again, and next time..." she
trailed off, and Ayeka nodded, understanding.  "I have a thought
as to what must be done, but only two have the ability to
accomplish it."  Ryoko and Ayeka automatically stepped forward,
but were surprised when Tsunami shook her head.
     "No.  Ayeka must return to Jurai quickly.  The attack will be
beginning there, and you must get the people ready for war.  And
you, Ryoko, you must stay by Tenchi's side.  It is only because
of the strength passing between the two of you via the link that
he was able to resist killing you when you first found him like
this.  If you leave now, his chances of beating back the beast will
be much, much less. No, it is Reinhart and Rosa who must go," she
said, looking at them.
     "NO!" shouted Ryoko, drawing a startled stare from all of
them. Not caring, she continued.  "Not there!  Not to face him!"
Reinhart and Rosa started at the force behind her words, and looked
at each other, and then Rosa spoke.
     "Not where, Mother?  If it's something that must be done to
save Dad, then why not?"  Tsunami simply looked at Ryoko.  The
cyan-haired woman met her gaze; luminous golden against gentle
pink, but finally looked away.
     "Romania.  Where Tenchi was first cursed.  The only person
that I can think of that would be able to bring his vampirism
back to the surface is Dracula," she said finally, in a whisper
so low that they had to strain to hear.
     "But you said that he was dead," said Reinhart.  Ryoko shook
her head.
     "So we thought.  The local legend, though, is that Dracula
will never remain in the grave for more than one hundred years.
He must have risen, and with him..." She looked at Tsunami, and
this time it was the blue haired goddess that looked away first.
Reinhart looked at his sister, and they stepped toward their
mother.
     "If we have to do it, than there is no sense in waiting,"
he said. She looked at them in surprise, and then smiled just a
little.  Tsunami, meanwhile, turned to Washu.
     "Can you open the portal there?  I am using all of my powers
to stave off the curse."  Washu nodded.
     "I think so.  The teleporter should still have the
coordinates. I mothballed it after bringing them back."  Tsunami
nodded, and turned to them, from her robes, she pulled a pair of
crosses, made from Juraian wood, and beckoned them to take one
each.
     "I can't promise that these will protect you fully, but they
should help."
     "T... take..." Startled, they looked up to see Tenchi, his
eyes open and back to their gentle brown.  Ryoko went to his side.
     "Shh...  Rest, Tenchi!  Save your strength!" she said,
cradling his head against her breast.  Weakly, he shook his head
stubbornly.
     "T... take s... sword.  Rein...  Reinhart and Rosa...  F...
friends...  help..." His voice trailed off, and he fell back to
sleep. Confused, they looked at each other.
     "Take the sword?  But why?  We already have our powers,"
said Rosa.  Ryoko looked down at Tenchi.
     "What were you trying to tell us, my love?" she asked.
Mihoshi frowned.
     "Well, it seems to me that he wanted Reinhart and Rosa to take
the sword to some friends, didn't he?"  Ryoko looked at her, and
her jaw dropped.
     "What did you do to the real Mihoshi?  How could I not see it!
He wasn't talking about you two, he was talking about Reinhart,
and Rosa and Carrie in Romania, the ones that we helped kill
Dracula when we were there before!  They would recognize the sword,
and might be able to help you!" she exclaimed.  Mihoshi got a wide
grin, and Ryoko kissed Tenchi on the forehead and then teleported
away.  When she returned a moment later, she had Tenchi-ken
in one hand, and a thin golden necklace, with a small blue stone
set in silver in the other.  The sword, she handed to Reinhart.
Very carefully, she placed the necklace around Rosa's neck.
     "I know that you've had your eye on this for awhile Rosa, so
take it with you.  It was a gift from a very good friend.  Show
them both of these, and I'm certain they'll help you."  In the back
of the lab, a loud whirring sound started.  A huge machine
proceeded by Washu, floated into view.  Ryoko looked at Tsunami
one more time.  "You are certain that this is the only way?"  She
nodded, and Ryoko turned to them once again.
     "Listen to me very carefully.  Where you are going, your
nightmares are living, breathing demons, and they are far, far more
deadly than you could ever imagine.  Keep watch on each other.
Remember that you are there together for a reason.  And no matter
what, promise me that you will come back to me."
     "The teleporter is ready.  Take this," said Washu, handing
them each a small cube.  "When you are ready to come back, activate
it, and set it down on the ground, than get back.  I can home in on
the signal, and I'll open the portal."  Reinhart and Rosa hugged
Ryoko, as Washu opened the portal.
     "We'll be back before you know it.  And then we'll be able to
tease dad about his night life," said Rosa.  Ryoko laughed roughly.
They got up to the platform, took one last look back, and then
jumped through.  They were surrounded by darkness, and got a sense
of falling.

*****

     Alucard came to a stop, as a wave of exhaustion rolled over
him. Shifting back to human form, he sat down on a nearby rock,
breathing hard.  Sheann'a and Drathar, who had been slowly falling
behind, caught up to him.
     "I must be getting old.  My feet - and hands!  - hurt," he
said, to nobody in particular.
     "What do you expect?  You've been running for a day and a
half. Dhampeal or not, you need some rest now and again."  Alucard
turned his head as Sheann'a landed on his shoulder, panting from
trying to keep up with him.  Drathar touched down on the ground
before him.
     "Thanks for the obvious.  Any more advice?"
     "Yes.  Sleep, or I'll cast a sleep spell on you myself."
He grinned.
     "Are you never going to behave like a normal familiar,
or will you ever be the conscious that I never before had?"  She
smiled.
     "Do you think for one second that you'd be any better off if I
didn't tell you what to do when you need told?"
     "Touché.  Fine, I will sleep, but wake me in no more than four
hours.  We have no time to waste sleeping."
     "And if you reach the castle, without the strength to lift
your blade?"  He frowned at her slightly.
     "How do you do that?"
     "Because the female mind is far better suited to thought
than a man's.  Sleep."  Sighing, he found a reasonably comfortable
position, and feel asleep, trusting his familiars to wake him if
there was danger.
     "He's just as stubborn as always," said Drathar.  Sheann'a
looked at the sleeping form of Alucard with pity.
     "The pain of two lost loves, not to mention his cursed
existence wears on him.  His heart, though pure of the darkness
that he imagines he is, has been obscured by that pain."  Drathar
nodded.
     "When should we tell him... about Cain, I mean..." Sheann'a
smoothed his hair with a tiny hand as he shivered from something
only he could see.
     "Not yet.  He isn't ready for it, not for awhile."
     "He deserves to know."
     "I know.  We will tell him, when the time comes."  Though
he appeared troubled, the demon agreed, as Alucard shivered again.
Sheann'a began to softly sing, a song that the wind itself seemed
to join her in.  The sweet tones drifted over Alucard, and he
stopped shivering, a small smile appearing on his face.  The night
drifted on, her song filling the chill air.

Blood Red Moon Resurrection Chapter 2:
        Old Friends

     Disclaimers: All characters belong to their various
copyrights, with the exception of Reinhart Masaki and Rosa
Masaki.  Those two are mine.  Beyond their usage in this story,
I claim no ownership, no rights of creation, no nothing.  Please
don't sue me.
     The Tenchi Muyo Characters in this series are based on the OVA
versions, but don't be surprised if there aren't one or two TV
references.  The characters Carrie Fernandez, Alucard, Death,
Dracula, Maria Renard and Lisa all belong to the Konami Castlevania
series. This cross-over series is placed roughly 17 years in
Tenchi's world, 120 years in Alucard's world after the events in
Blood Red Moon.  Reinhart and Rosa Masaki, the children of Tenchi
and Ryoko, are now young teens.

     "To what profit is it to a man, if he gains the world and
loses his own soul?  Mathew 16:26 I believe." - Dracula, as he dies
at the end of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

*****

     Reinhart felt himself falling through nothingness, and then
suddenly, he just wasn't anymore, not landing yet at the same time
that feeling of falling stopped.  Sound touched him first, the
music of crickets, and other nightlife.  He blinked a couple of
times, and his eyes adjusted to the darkness.  Slowly, he made out
the fact that he was in what looked like a town square.
     Once his eyes had adjusted fully, he was able to see as well
as if it were day, part of the abilities that he had gained from
his mother. They were in a town square; his sister stood up from
where she had appeared.  Surrounding them were huge, Victorian
style houses, some of which appeared to be very old.  In the middle
of the square stood a tall fountain.
     There were four people carven into the stone of the fountain.
One, a tall man with a serious expression that held a whip at the
ready.  There was a young girl, holding a staff.  Reinhart's
breath caught, as he recognized the other two people.  They were
his mother and father.  The water shot up from behind them, and
then spread out over the four figures.
     "I don't think we're in Japan any more, Toto," quipped Rosa.
Groaning, Reinhart looked around.
     "Mom said that we should find Reinhart and Carrie."  She
nodded, and then abruptly turned toward one of the shadowed alley
ways.
     "Who's there?" she called out.  A rhythmic, singular tapping
sound came from that direction, as they waited.  Slowly, the form
of a slump-backed, bent over person wrapped up in a cloak appeared
out of the darkness.  The person walked with the aid of a tall,
beautifully carven staff, with a small green stone on top; the
source of the tapping sound.  As the figure approached them, silent
except for the click of the staff striking the stone of the road,
Reinhart automatically began to summon the energy for his force
blade.  He jumped in surprise, when Tenchi-ken, at his waist, began
to glow a soft blue.  The figure, now right in front of them,
stopped, and looked up.
     An old, wrinkled face looked out at them.  It might have been
beautiful once; now it held a sort of stern, motherly warmth.
The wisps of hair that could be seen from under the hood were gray,
although Reinhart thought that he saw just a hint of cyan.  But it
was her eyes that drew his attention.  They didn't belong in that
old, weathered face.  In the moonlight, they shone golden, ancient,
and yet young and vibrant at the same time.  Intelligence
and wisdom of the ages danced behind them, just out of reach.
     "Who are you?" he asked.  That gaze took both him and his
sister in.  He could see the old woman weighing them in her eyes,
down to the last ounce.  Leaning on the staff, she reached down,
and touched the glowing Tenchi-ken.  In surprise, he made no move
to stop her.
     "Tell me, young man, how did you come by this sword?" she
asked. Like her eyes, the woman's voice didn't belong to someone
as old as her.  There was strength, conviction to that voice.
Somehow, he realized, she was not a threat to them.
     "It is my father's.  He sent it with us as proof of who we
are," he said.  The old woman looked up, letting go of the sword,
and smiled just slightly.
     "And who does it prove you are?" she asked.  Reinhart drew
himself up proudly.
     "My name is Reinhart, and this is my sister Rosa.  We are
searching for two friends of our father, whom we are named after."
The old woman nodded.
     "Noble names.  That was a long, long time ago.  I was only
twelve. I'm sorry, but Reinhart Schnieder and his wife are dead
nearly ninety years gone."  Rosa gasped.
     "Ninety years!  But its only been seventeen years for us!"
Reinhart stared at the old woman.
     "What of Carrie Fernandez?  You didn't mention what happened
to her yet."  She smiled.
     "Oh, she's still around.  Hanging on by finger nails, but she
was always too stubborn to die."  Now Reinhart understood,
remembering his mother's stories about Carrie, and her golden eyes,
and smiled.
     "Rosa..." he said, turning to his sister.  "Meet Carrie
Fernandez."  Rosa stared at the ancient woman in surprise, while
the older woman chuckled quietly.  She sobered quickly, though.
     "Come.  There are better places than this to talk, and safer
as well, in these times."  She started quickly toward one side of
the square.  They stared at each other in surprise, and then
hurried to follow her.

*****

     "And the curse has returned, at its full strength?" asked
Carrie, taking a sip of tea.  Reinhart nodded.
     "Mother said she thought it might be Dracula, trying to take
revenge," he said.  The older woman appeared deep in thought.
     "Tenchi and Ryoko...  How often I've thought of them both in
the last hundred twenty years.  They were good friends, and we all
missed them dearly after they left.  Rosa was hit hardest of all.
She was sad that Ryoko hadn't been able to say goodbye.  Their
first child was born not long after.  It was a girl, and they named
her Ryoko, just as they had planned.  She was the first of three.
Ryoko, Angela, and Cloud, their only son."
     "What happened to them?" asked Rosa.  Carrie frowned.
     "About sixty years ago, a great and terrible plague came to
this land.  Many people died.  Reinhart found out that the source
of the plague was a dark cave not far east of here.  Together,
he and I went there.  Deep under the Earth, we found an Elder
Demon.  Pooling our powers, we were able to send it back to Hell,
sealing the Gateway it had formed.  But during the battle, he was
badly wounded."  She paused to take a drink of her tea before
continuing.
     "Healing magic was never my strongest suit; the spells in
Sypha's book were mainly to combat the dark powers of Dracula.
I did what I could, and we made it back to town.  He lived a week,
and then two, stayed to his bed as though a giant's hand held him
there.  Much of the time that he was awake, hallucinations
plagued him, but in the few moments of clarity that he had, he was
with his family."  Carrie Fernandez sighed, sadly.
     "On the tenth day of November, in the year nineteen ten,
Reinhart Schneider passed away.  In the end, not even the Belmont
blood that flowed in his veins was enough to keep him alive.  He
was buried in the Belmont family graveyard, as was his right.
     "Rosa tried hard, after he passed away, but slowly, the life
drained out of her.  She rarely smiled anymore; often she would
cry in my shoulder.  For a short time, she began to become better;
than one of her sisters was killed in a house fire and she fell
back into her depression.  One year after Reinhart, Rosa joined
him in the Earth's final embrace.  Her will to go on had simply
left her.  I took the children in, and took care of them as best
I could.  I had never married; most men in that day and age simply
can't deal with a woman who is more powerful than they are.  Cloud
had shown promise as a mage, and I began to teach him what I could.
     "Five years after Rosa passed away, the denizens of Hell, who
had been in upheaval since Dracula's death, found a path here.
Under the leadership of four Elder Demons: Thanatos, Demadred,
Ishmael, and Death, they surged out of Hell, into the Living world.
The Earth itself screamed and bled at that terrible tide.  The
children and myself hurried there, as fast as we could.  The power
that flowed in their blood aided us, and we were able to reach the
leaders.
     "Ryoko challenged Thanatos.  Her blade, blessed by the Holy
Priests of Avalon, bit deeply into his side, but as he died, flames
rose about him and consumed her as well.  The first to be born,
she was also the first to die on that dark day.  Angela, with the
Lance of Gabriel, fought Demadred to the edge of a cliff,
overlooking a river of fire.  With a mighty charge, she pierced
his black heart, and drove them both over the edge.
     "Cloud, the last one to be born, faced the most powerful,
Ishmael. The match seemed a poor one; it took all of Cloud's powers
to simply stay alive.  Suddenly, though, a golden nimbus surrounded
him, and Ishmael stared in surprise.  Above them, the clouds that
blackened the sky parted, and a bar of light, brighter than any I
had ever seen save that of the Light Hawk Wings shot down at them.
     "Blinded, I had to turn away.  When my vision returned,
both Ishmael and Cloud had disappeared.  Death, my opponent,
an old acquaintance from when I battled through Castlevania
with Reinhart and your parents shook his head.  'The fools,' he
said, 'The fools would not listen to me.'  The ancient specter
ordered the hellspawn back, much to my surprise, and then turned
to face me.
     "'Know this, Carrie Fernandez.  The deaths of your friends,
and their children, were not my doing.  There is something of great
power, turning events away from their intended path.'  I asked him
what he meant.  'They were not on my lists for a long time, and it
was not I who guided them to their afterlife, nor are you, Carrie
Fernandez. Remember well: The night comes again.  Prepare.'
With that, he disappeared."  Rosa and Reinhart, who had both been
on the edge of their seats, leaned back as the older woman finished
her story.  Rosa looked at Reinhart.
     "So that's it then.  We'll have to get into the castle
ourselves," she said.  Carrie cleared her throat.
     "No, you will not be alone.  I will be going with you.  I know
the way to your enemy, and I would not be much of a friend if I did
not help."  Rosa looked at her in surprise.
     "But you're so...  I mean, we couldn't..." Carrie laughed.
     "Old?  My child, I take this form merely because it suits my
needs.  I'll likely live to see the end of this century and the
next, if not more.  Being a sorceress does have its advantages."
Reinhart nodded.
     "We need to find Dracula.  Mom said that she was certain
that was who was fueling the curse."  Carrie shook her head.
     "Dracula is dead, now and forever.  Tenchi killed him for the
last time a hundred twenty years ago.  The night Castlevania
rose again, I went there, to find out the same thing.  There were
no creatures to stop me; indeed, the castle seemed to want me to
arrive at the high tower.  When I reached it, I found what appeared
to be a young man.  At first, I thought that it might be Dracula's
son, Alucard, but he named himself Cain."  Reinhart looked up.
     "As in the Christian Bible?"  She nodded.
     "I doubt that was his real name or not, but the connotations
are... chilling, to say the least."  Carrie paused.  "I didn't
notice it at the time, but now that I think about it, it occurs
to me that he resembled Reinhart, just slightly.  The same build,
the same eyes.  When I found him, I could feel now power flowing
from him.  Over confidant, I was still certain to cast a spell that
would have utterly destroyed any normal man."  She scowled.  "He
deflected it back at me as though I had thrown a feather at him,
charging it with his own power.  It fouled my most powerful staff
- your father carved this one for me ages ago - and then knocked
me across the room like I was a day old kitten.
     "He told me to come back here, and wait for somebody - you,
I assume - and then to take you to get the Whip."
     "The 'Whip'?" asked Rosa.
     "The holy whip of the Belmont clan.  He wanted me to have you
get it, and then bring it to him.
     "What are we going to do?" asked Reinhart.  Carrie looked
at him.
     "Exactly as he wants us to do.  I'm going to take you to the
Whip, and then we're going to use it to send Cain happily on his
way."

*****

     "Rise and shine, Alucard.  Four hours, to the second."
Alucard sat up slowly, sniffing at the air.  He picked up the scent
of a nearby deer without trouble, but more than that, he could feel
something moving towards him.  Something that carried the power
of the Belmont clan with it.  Had he been wrong?  Abruptly,
he gained a sense of the distance, a good four or five day's
journey.  Whatever it was, it broadcast the power with incredible
strength.
     "What is it?" asked Drathar.  Alucard looked toward the sense
of power approaching him.
     "I'm not certain.  Somebody with the Belmont blood is moving
this way...  No, not quite this way, he is angling to the east."
He looked up at the moon, almost ready to dip beneath the horizon.
It would be daytime soon, and with it the slight sting of the sun.
     "Are you certain?" asked Sheann'a, and he nodded absently.
     "Wait here.  I must feed, and then we are going to investigate
this.  If there is a Belmont alive, than he might help us."  The
two familiars nodded, and then he followed the scent of the deer.
The doe, as it turned out to be, never stood a chance, bleating
in surprise only once before he caught it.  After draining it of
blood, he walked back towards the small camp.
     "-be Cain?" he heard Drathar say.
     "He can't go after the Whip.  When it was sealed, it was
sealed forever more," answered Sheann'a.  Alucard crept forward,
and peeked through the foliage.  Drathar walked over to stand
beside Sheann'a.
     "We have to tell him.  Not knowing now may lead him straight
into a trap."  Sheann'a frowned sadly, and her wings fluttered
slightly.
     "I had hoped to spare him the pain of knowing."  Drathar
lay a clawed hand on her shoulder.
     "I would have liked none better than to have never needed
to tell him, but we have no choice!"  Standing, Alucard moved out
from behind the foliage.
     "Tell him what?" he asked conversationally.  The two familiars
both literally flew into the air in surprise, spinning to face him.
Sheann'a looked mortified, and Drathar looked away in shame.
Alucard walked over, and sat down on a large rock.  "Well?" he
prompted. Drathar looked at Sheann'a, and she sighed, nodding.
     "As you know, only someone of Dracula's direct bloodline
can summon the Castlevania, but just being of his bloodline
is not alone enough.  That person must also have immense power.
A son, for instance, would have the power, because he inherited
it."
     "Are you saying that another son of Dracula has come forth?
A brother who wishes to carry on my Father's unholy ambitions?"
he asked her.  She shook her head.
     "I said that he was of Dracula's line, not that he was a son
of Dracula, Alucard.  That was merely an example."  He looked at
her, confused.  "The man that has taken over Castlevania calls
himself Cain.  But he was born to the name...  Trevor Adrian...
Renard." Slowly, he understood what she was saying.
     "Renard...  Trevor Adrian Renard...  but how could that be?
Maria was dead when I left her side... before the Rage took me."
Sheann'a looked away, ashamed.
     "Brisana found her, and brought us to her.  She was in a coma,
but by the time that we got there, you had already... left.  I was
able to bring her out of it.  By the time that she had recovered
from her wounds, you were already asleep again.  Eight months
later, she gave birth to Trent, and raised him for seven years
before passing away while trying to save children from a burning
school.
     "Did she?" he asked quietly.  Sheann'a looked at him in
confusion. "The children.  Was she able to save them?"
     "As she pushed the last one out, the building collapsed."
Alucard smiled, and nodded.
     "True to her heart to the last." "Trent was always troubled
as a child, though we didn't realize why until later.  Prone to
mood swings, and violent outbursts, he was also very good hearted,
and extremely devoted to Maria.  Much like another part vampire
I remember."  Alucard raised an eyebrow at her, and she hurried
on, blushing a little.
     "The reason, we found, that there was such turmoil in him was
the fact that the Belmont blood, and the Tepes blood... battled
each other, is the only way that I can put it.  The net result
was a man who was good in nature, but twisted in his motivations
and actions.  We stayed with him as long as possible, but on his
18th birthday, he simply vanished.  We didn't hear from him again
until about a year ago, when Drathar found out that somebody
was trying to find the calling ritual for Castlevania in Hell."
     "Surely, my Father would not have let him raise Castlevania
without a fight," he said.  Drathar shook his head.
     "Your father, Count Dracula, is dead.  The legend came true,"
said Drathar.  Alucard stared at him in surprise.
     "That is not possible, and you well know it.  His curse is
eternal."
     "'Born of blood, beloved of blood, so blood shall you be, till
the day when He who loves one of Hell's children comes with the
light that is not a light,'" quoted Sheann'a.  It was the curse
that had first made Dracula a vampire, millennia ago.  "A hundred
and twenty years ago, a young man, named Tenchi, and a demoness,
named Ryoko, appeared in the silent forest.  Tenchi carried with
him a magical sword, and Ryoko, whom loved him with all her heart,
of course had the powers of a demoness.
     "They found and saved one Carrie Fernandez, descendant
of Sypha, and then joined forces with her and Reinhart Schneider,
the grandson of Richter Belmont.  Together, they breached the
castle.  Dracula's servant, not realizing that Ryoko was not of
this world's Hell, kidnapped her; it only served to fuel Tenchi
and the other's determination.
     "Not long after they entered the castle, Tenchi was slashed
by a vampire, and the curse was passed onto him.  Not being of this
world, he had no resistance, and it took a fast hold."  Alucard
stared at her in stark disbelief.
     "He was turned into a vampire, and you still believe that he
killed my father?"  Sheann'a nodded, and continued her story.
     "The curse took hold with the Rage, but he was able to stay
in control of himself long enough for Reinhart and Carrie to lead
him to a room guarded by a small pack of werewolves.  Once he had
spent the Rage, Dracula's servant appeared to him, and tried to
take control over what he thought was now fully a vampire.  But
somehow, not only did Tenchi manage to resist him, but he altered
the curse, so that he gained all of the benefits, without any of
the drawbacks."
     "He what!" exclaimed Alucard in disbelief.
     "It was his power manifesting itself.  In a last ditch effort,
Dracula's servant sent Ryoko back to them, a spell cast over her so
that at a critical moment, she would attack them.  They battled
to him, and Tenchi then killed him by driving his sword through
the servant's stomach.
     "Dracula revealed himself then, and, with the help of the
magically controlled Ryoko, was able to defeat all three, turning
Reinhart and Carrie partly to stone, so that they could watch as
the world died, and Ryoko knocked Tenchi off of the roof.
     "Things aren't extremely certain on this part, but some how,
Tenchi not only survived the fall, but he cured himself of the
vampirism.  It is than said: 'With a blade of holy light that shone
like a thousand suns, the warrior freed his love, and then did
battle with the Lord of the Night, whose's blade absorbed the light
as surely as the warrior's cast it off.  For one full night, did
they battle, neither drawing blood nor growing weary.  Then, when
the warrior tripped on a stone, and the Master of Evil made ready
to slay him and all hope seemed lost, the sun did rise, and strike
him in the eyes. Tenchi, the great warrior, did deliver Dracula
a mortal blow, driving his blade into the Evil King's breast.
And as they stood there, Light and Dark, the Lord of the Night was
heard to thank the warrior, for his soul had been redeemed by that
holy blade.'"
     Alucard stared at her for a moment, and then looked at Drathar
for confirmation.  The demon nodded slowly.  Alucard drew a deep
breath.
     "In the past half hour, I've learned that I have a son, that
I will likely have to battle him, and that my father is well and
truly dead.  If you have any more surprises, than please tell me
now, instead of later."  The two familiars shook their heads, and
he began to rub his temples.
     "Father... dead.  I had always hoped that someday he might
give up his ambition, and perhaps we could reconcile.  I never held
any real hatred for him, but I could not allow him to destroy
the world."  He paused, and then looked up.  "You believe that
Trevor... no, Cain, as you said, is going after the Whip?"
Sheann'a nodded.
     "Yes.  Being of both bloods, he would need it to gain his full
powers.  I think that the reason he took Castlevania is because
it was the ultimate symbol of Dracula's power."  Alucard nodded,
and stood.
     "Than we must hurry there.  My son or not, he must be stopped
if he intends harm to this world."  Sheann'a floated up to face
level, and looked him in the eyes.  Shame, and pity for him danced
on the surface.
     "I'm sorry.  We should have told you when you first woke up,"
she said.  He waved his hand dismissively.
     "It is of no matter.  Knowing when I first awoke would have
made no difference."  She smiled slightly, and, changing to his
wolf form, he hurried in the direction of the Belmont's power.

*****

     Tsunami looked up from her chair as Washu entered the room.
At her side, Tenchi slept, with her hand still on his chest
maintaining the web of power that was dampening the curse's
strength.  On his other side, Ryoko too slept, her hand entwined
with his.  Tsunami pitied her.  Sasami, who was part of her now,
still thought of Ryoko as an older, wilder sister, and loved her
dearly, and Tsunami shared that sentiment.  The gifts of Sasami's
feeling, hopes, and emotions was something that she knew she would
never be able to pay her back for; the gift of her humanity,
something that was priceless beyond what even she could comprehend.
     "How is he?" she asked quietly.  Tsunami shook her head as her
Sister came to stand next to the bed.  Eight years before, her
memories of being the middle goddess had finally come back to her,
and Tsunami had been glad of the support that Washu had given her.
     "The curse is like a festering sore, trying to spread in all
directions.  I have contained it for now, but it is getting
stronger by the second.  Even I can't hold it forever.  Tenchi
is fighting it as well, but he is not doing as well as I had
hoped."  She paused, and felt at the curse again.  "It's as if it
is being fed power to keep it alive."  Washu nodded.
     "When I opened the gateway, I was able to pick up some sort
of energy that I haven't seen before.  After analyzing it...
Tsunami, it's a ninety-nine percent match for the Light Hawk Wings,
with one key exception: the waveform is an exact inverse."  Tsunami
sighed.
     "Balance...  That is what every world, every universe strives
for.  The Night Hawk Wings are the exact equal and opposite of the
Light Hawk Wings.  When Tenchi described them to me after returning
to this universe, I knew that Tokimi would likely find them."
Washu frowned.
     "A distraction.  That's what all this is.  A distraction
to turn our attention away from them.  Sister is after that power."
     "Most likely.  We must wait, and hope."
     "Reinhart and Rosa will be in more danger than we had first
thought."  Sighing again, Tsunami nodded.
     "What else could be done?  Only they have the power to survive
these trails...  Not even Tenchi has the potential to..." She
pounded her free fist against her thigh.  "Tenchi clearly could
not go, and Ryoko must stay by his side for him to have a chance.
Ayeka is already half-way to Jurai, and Yosho will be following
her soon.  He did not want to go, but he understands that in this
case, seeing the both of them together will help to speed the
process."  She laughed abruptly.
     "Poor Ayeka.  When she sees that Yosho isn't quite as old as
he appeared to be...  She will be irritated with me, to say the
least. Even Mihoshi has already left, to go rally the Galaxy
Police.  Now, it is simply a matter of time."
     "What if they fail?"  Tsunami looked at her sharply.
     "Do not even think it.  They will succeed, they must succeed."
     "What if they don't, Sister," persisted Washu.
     "Than everything that we have worked for, everything we have
sacrificed for will be destroyed."  Next to her, Tenchi stirred
slightly, as if in reaction to the grim statement.  "How is
Nobuyuki?" she asked.
     "Not terribly well, but he's in no real danger.  Mayuka has
decided to extend her stay here until this is over, and is keeping
him company."
     "Did you know that I once considered creating some life water
for him, so that he wouldn't have to watch himself grow old, while
everybody else never changed, to his eyes?  But then I realized
that I have already done enough tampering with these lives.  I
simply can't do it anymore.  Hopefully, soon the children will be
back."  Washu looked toward the transporter.
     "I hope so, Sister."  Tenchi stirred again, and then lay
still, and they waited, in silence.  Tsunami could feel the straw
she was clutching at straining, but if that straw held, than maybe
they would have a chance to save this universe.  And so, with a
hope that could have only been maintained by an innocent child,
she hoped, and prayed that it would hold.

Blood Red Moon Resurrection Chapter 3:
        Changing Faces

     Disclaimers: All characters belong to their various
copyrights, with the exception of Reinhart Masaki and Rosa
Masaki.  Those two are mine.  Beyond their usage in this story,
I claim no ownership, no rights of creation, no nothing.  Please
don't sue me.
     The Tenchi Muyo Characters in this series are based on the OVA
versions, but don't be surprised if there aren't one or two TV
references.  The characters Carrie Fernandez, Alucard, Death,
Dracula, Maria Renard and Lisa all belong to the Konami Castlevania
series. This cross-over series is placed roughly 17 years in
Tenchi's world, 120 years in Alucard's world after the events in
Blood Red Moon.  Reinhart and Rosa Masaki, the children of Tenchi
and Ryoko, are now young teens.

     "To what profit is it to a man, if he gains the world and
loses his own soul?  Mathew 16:26 I believe." - Dracula, as he dies
at the end of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

*****

     Rosa awoke as her brother shook her on the shoulder, and sat
up, stretching.  She grinned mischievously as he looked away in
embarrassment, and then hopped out of the bed, looking around.
They had talked with Carrie long into the night, and had simply
gone to bed when the old woman had led them up to this room, where,
she had said, Tenchi and Ryoko had stayed.
     "Just think bro, this is where we were conceived," she said.
Reinhart humphed non-committaly.  Rosa, seeing the tall, dark-oak
wardrobe, walked over and opened it up to look inside.  She gasped
in surprise, as she saw a tall, white lace wedding dress hung in
the middle.  Rosa reached up, and pulled it out.  The dress seemed
to sparkle faintly in the soft light.  She turned, and held it up
to herself, finding that it would be only a little snug across
the bosom and hips.
     "Isn't it beautiful?" she asked Reinhart.  He nodded at her.
"I wonder if this is Mom's?"  Reinhart shrugged.
     "Could be.  Why not ask Carrie about it?"  Rosa nodded, and
then carefully hung it back into the closet.  The rest of the
clothing in there was more simple, comfortable clothes that a
person could wear during the day, and a few more formal items,
dresses and coats alike.  He joined her, and lifted one of the
shirts.  "We need to find something else to wear.  Somehow I get
the feeling that cut-offs and a tee shirt is going to stick out
like a sore thumb here."  Rosa nodded.
     "These should fit us, although it might be a slightly tight
fit."  They looked through the clothing, and quickly each found
a set that would help them pass off as locals.  Reinhart picked
out a white shirt, light blue coat, breaches, and a pair of sturdy
leather pants. Sorting a little more, he was also able to find a
light blue cape that complimented the rest nicely.  Carrie snorted
as he pulled that out.
     "Well, it might get cold, and this will at least help to keep
me warm," he defended, blushing in embarrassment.  Rosa picked
out a light red blouse, matching short skirt, and thigh-high
pink stockings, and a pair of knee-high boots made of supple red
leather. Pausing a moment, she also pulled out a red cloak, shaking
her head. Now it was Reinhart's turn to snicker, but he quickly
stopped as she began to change without preamble.  He spun away,
already going red to the hairline again, and she giggled.
     "I suppose that you won't bother looking away while I try to
change," he sighed.
     "Probably not, but I'm your sister.  I'm allowed to do things
like that.  Besides, it's in the Sister's Handbook: Must embarrass
brothers at all opportunities," she said, and he sighed again.
Once she was finished, she tapped him on the shoulder.  He turned,
and nodded in approval, and then went to change himself.  Despite
her teasing, she did turn at least part way.  When he finished,
he turned back around.  She had been right; the clothing was too
tight on him, though hers fit perfectly.  The pants hugged tightly
to his legs and waist, and the shirt and coat were a little too
tight across the shoulders, but they would have to do.  He grabbed
a pair of boots and pulled them on quickly, and then they were
done.
     "They're tight, but nothing worse than what Washu would make
me."  Rosa nodded.
     "You shouldn't have any trouble blending in," she said,
reaching forward to adjust the cape slightly.  He nodded.  "I hate
to say it, but I wish that there was someway to dye out my hair.
It really will stand out."  Reinhart was about to reply, when there
was a nock on the door.  He shrugged, and went to open it.  He
opened it, and stepped back in surprise.  Rosa looked up to see him
staring at a golden-eyed, cyan haired young woman.  She smiled
in good humor as she saw them in their borrowed clothes.  She was
quite beautiful, Rosa noticed, if extremely pale-skinned.
The woman was trim, and a little short, her head not quite coming
up to Reinhart's neck.  She had a just a touch of rouge on her
cheeks, but beside that she wore no makeup.  She had a rosebud
of a mouth, and a slightly upturned nose.  Her cyan hair, only a
few shades darker than Rosa's, flowed down her back.
     The woman filled out the turquoise blouse she wore fairly
well - Rosa would have bet that they could have traded clothing
had the other woman been taller.  The blouse stopped a little short
of her waist, exposing her stomach, and then a pair of thigh-length
shorts of matching turquoise.  A thin black belt encircled her
waist, with a buckle fashioned into a dragon.  Many pouches of
various sizes hung from the belt, along with a pair of gold-inlaid
metal rings large enough to fit around one of her arms.  Knee-high
boots, with silver tooling around the tops encased what was left
of her shapely legs.
     "Oh, good, I was going to suggest that you change into some
of those.  I'm glad they fit."  They both looked at her
dumbfounded.
     "Carrie?" asked Reinhart, echoed only a moment later by Rosa.
It was her voice, she was certain.  The woman smiled warmly, and
looked down at herself a moment.
     "Well, the body of an old woman is hardly useful in our task.
As I said, I take that form only because it suits me, and at the
moment, it doesn't really suit me."  Rosa grinned, and joined her.
     "Maybe you could teach me that trick," she said, and Carrie
smiled.
     "Perhaps.  But come.  We should eat, and then we must hurry
to the Belmont family burial ground, which is where the Whip
rests." She led them down the stairs, and to the table.  A large
book, with two rings on top of a crossed staff and sword on the
cover, and a smaller, plainer looking one rested there.  Both
carried an air of great age.  Carrie touched the larger one for a
moment almost lovingly.
     "The spell book passed down in my family from Sypha Belnades.
I've had it a hundred twenty six years, and I still haven't learned
all the spells in it, but I do think that I found a passage that
will allow us to defeat Cain."  She pointed to the other.  "This
is one of Dracula's diaries.  I picked up several of them when I
returned to the castle.  This one in particular is about Alucard,
and says that it was he that cast the locking spell on the Belmont
Tomb.  Dracula ever wished to claim it, so that the Belmont warrior
of the time would have less of a chance to attack him."
     "Alucard?  But I always thought that he was Dracula's son,"
said Reinhart.  Carrie nodded.
     "Alucard is a dhampeal, only half vampire.  His mother was
Lisa, a woman of the Light, and the only woman who ever was loved
by, or held love for Dracula.  He never turned her into a vampire,
though she asked him if he wished to on several occasions.
Nobody is quite sure why.  Alucard, torn between his human and
vampire sides, rebelled against his father, fighting first with
Trevor and Sypha, and then alone, freeing Richter Belmont and his
sister in law Maria Renard.  As it turned out, though, she had the
Belmont blood as well, if I remember correctly, going back in the
family all the way to Sonia Belmont, first of the clan to battle
Dracula.  After that, he disappeared without a trace."
     They ate a quick breakfast; Carrie turned out to be a fairly
good cook, making one of their favorite dishes, pancakes.  She said
that Rosa had taught her at the same time she had taught their
mother, Ryoko.  While they did, she was busy filling them in on
what to expect once they reached the castle itself.  Out of the
corner of her eye, Rosa noticed that Reinhart, try as he might,
couldn't tear his gaze from the now young again Carrie.  Grinning,
she tucked the information away to use for later blackmail and
embarrassment.
     "How many days away from here is the burial ground?" asked
Reinhart.  Carrie looked at him.
     "Three, pushing hard on horseback," she answered.  Rosa looked
at her in delight.
     "Horses?  Mom and Dad told us about the first time that you
tried teaching them how to ride."  Carrie smiled, nodding.
     "That was...  A memorable event.  The stable owner here in
town is a friend of mine, and he'll loan us three horses once I
explain what I need them for.  While I am getting them, why not
take a look around the town?"  Reinhart shook his head.
     "Maybe when we get back, but for now let's not get split up.
You know the area, we don't."  Carrie nodded in agreement.
     "As you say.  Perhaps it is better at this point to stay
together."  They finished the meal, and then Carrie disappeared
upstairs for a moment.  When she returned, she had added a powder
blue cloak and the tall staff from the night before.  With the
added light, Rosa recognized that the staff was carven in a pattern
very similar to Tenchi-ken.  A smooth blue stone was embedded
into the top, in a cap of purple enamel.
     "Tenchi made this... about a year after coming here.  He said
that he had found just the right kind of wood for it, and he must
have.  Until I found the Staff of Ages, only a few years ago, it
was thought to be the most powerful on the planet."  Reinhart
moved to stand next to her.
     "Could I see it a moment?" asked Reinhart.  She nodded, and
handed it to him.  Taking Tenchi-ken off his belt, he touched
the two together.  Tenchi-ken glowed brightly blue for a moment,
and then the staff glowed blue as well.  Rosa and Carrie both
stared at it.  After a moment, both glows died away.  He looked
at Rosa.
     "It's Juraian wood.  But how did he find any here?" he asked,
carefully handing the staff back to Carrie.  She nodded.
     "He said as much when he gave it to me.  He also gave Reinhart
and Rosa a piece each, a cross for Reinhart and an ornamental
headpiece for Rosa."  They looked at each other.
     "He found a Juraian tree here?  But what were the pieces for?"
asked Rosa.  Reinhart frowned, and looked at the staff again.
     "Carrie, how long do magic users usually live?  I mean, in
this world?"  She furrowed her brow a moment.
     "Come to think of it, usually only about a hundred years,
and when they reach the age of a hundred, their body is that of a
hundred year old, unlike mine, which was an illusion."
     "Keys...  He made them keys to the tree," said Rosa,
understanding.  Carrie looked at them, confused.
     "Let me explain," said Reinhart, holding up Tenchi-ken.
"This is Tenchi-ken.  In one respect, it is a sword which uses the
Jurai power to form a blade.  You already know that.  But
Tenchi-ken is also called the Master Key, because it is able to
control the semi-sentient Trees that control Jurai's battle ships.
Lastly, it is a link between a Juraian and their Tree, which gives
them power, and keeps them healthy.  Rosa and I will stay young
for... Millennia, because like our father, we can tap directly
into the Jurai power, instead of needing to use one of the Keys to
draw it through one of the Trees."  Now Carrie began to understand.
     "So, what you are saying is that he wasn't just giving us
these as memento's, he was trying to... link us to one of these
trees, and you think that's why I haven't aged like normal people."
Reinhart nodded.
     "Possibly."  Carrie considered this information.
     "Hmm.  Interesting idea.  In any event, we must get moving.
Time is of the essence."  They nodded, and then followed her
through the door.
     The strange trio were given a couple of curious looks, and as
they passed on of the rowdier taverns, several rather loud cat
calls. Rosa grinned, but didn't follow the temptation to tease them
a little.  She saw Carrie blush, and moved up to her side.
     "I forgot what it was like to have a young body," she answered
when Rosa asked what was the matter.  Rosa looked back to see
Reinhart trailing behind with a somewhat far off stare on his face.
She turned back to Carrie, and looked at her choice of clothing.
     "It looks like you didn't forget how to dress for a young
body, though.  I never knew Dad could carve," she said.  Carrie
looked at her, and smiled.
     "He was very good at it."  She paused, thoughtfully,
and then reached into one of the may pouches hanging at her waist.
"So was your mother, although she only made one thing that I know
of for certain.  She made this for Rosa when Rosa gave her the
pendant that you are wearing."  She produced an age-darkened
ivory bracelet. It had been carefully carven into the form of many
long-stemmed roses, the buds appearing to flower, and the stems
woven together. Rosa looked at Carrie; she smiled, and handed it to
her.
     "My mother... carved this?" she asked in amazement.  Carrie
nodded.
     "She said that Tenchi helped her, but she did the work
herself. Rosa never took it off, until just before she died.  She
gave it to me and asked that I take care of it until I found
somebody that was worthy of it.  I never could put it on myself.
I was afraid that I didn't deserve it."  Rosa went to hand it back,
but Carrie shook her head.
     "Hold onto it.  Rosa said to give it to someone worthy.  I
think I'll give it to you."  She smiled at Rosa, and Rosa smiled
back.
     "Thank you..." she said, tugging it on carefully.  The
bracelet fit well, not tightly on her wrist, but not loose enough
to slip around either.  Carrie looked back at Reinhart. You remind
me a lot of Ryoko.  You both are so carefree, and yet, loyal and
caring. What about your brother?"  Rosa looked back at him, and
grinned. He still looked like he was staring into space. "Reinhart
takes after Dad a lot.  Mom always says that he's as shy around
girls as Dad used to be.  Can't say I blame him, though.  Dad's...
situation was rather unusual, and he was raised to a quiet life
tending the shrine, rather than the excitement he got.  Reinhart's
the same way.  I'm actually pretty proud of him this morning.
He didn't stumble over his own tongue once talking to you."  Carrie
looked at her in surprise.
     "Shy?  I would never have guessed, either him or Tenchi."
Rosa laughed.
     "Usually if a girl so much as looks at him, he's nothing
but blushes and stammering.  The only other girl besides you and
myself that he doesn't get tongue tied around when he's talking
to her is our older sister Mayuka.  It's so much fun teasing him
about it."  Carrie smiled.
     "Is that so?"  She gave him a considering glance.  His
semi-far off stare focused on her, and he blushed slightly.
Carrie smiled a bit wider, and Rosa elbowed her.
     "He's also like Dad in that he draws girls like a magnet."
Now Carrie blushed, as if she was just the young woman that she
appeared to be.
     "I did notice that about Tenchi," she said, and Rosa groaned,
rolling her eyes.  After a moment, though, she paused and looked
at Carrie thoughtfully.
     "What?" asked the other woman.  Rosa shook her head.
     "Nothing.  I was just thinking of the age difference between
Mom and Dad."  If anything, Carrie blushed harder than before,
going scarlet to the hairline.  Rosa acted as if she didn't notice.
     "He is rather handsome, though..." said Carrie, too quietly
to be heard by normal human ears.  Rosa tried hard, but just
couldn't quite stifle her laughter.  Carrie stared at her,
mortified as she realized that she had heard her comment.
Sobering, Rosa put her hand on Carrie's shoulder.
     "I'm sorry.  No matter how sorry I feel for him, I can't help
but laugh whenever he manages to catch the eye of another girl.
It's not his fault.  He's just too cute for his own good."  She
paused. "Although in this case, it seems as though his eye has been
caught too," she finished, grinning.  Carrie stared at her a
moment, and then grinned herself.
     "Apology accepted."  Rosa laughed again, and Carrie joined
her as they came to a stop before a large building.  Rosa sniffed
at the air, and caught the strong scent of horses, could hear them
stamping around inside the stables.  She loved horses, and had had
a chance to learn how to ride a few years before when she and
Reinhart had gone on a foreign exchange to Montana, in the USA.
     Carrie led them around the side of the building, to a side
door. She pushed it open, and went inside.  Rosa did a quick count,
and found that there were some thirty different horses, from high
necked white horses, to deep-chested palominos, and more.  An old,
lanky man that seemed to be built out of knarled old roots hobbled
over to them.
     "Hey, now just who do you think you are, barging in here like
you own the place?"  Carrie smiled at him.
     "Jarl, I'm surprised at you!  Don't you recognize an old
friend?" she asked.  He blinked at her in surprise.
     "Elder?  It's your voice, but... but...  You're so young!"
he exclaimed.  She crossed over to him and patted him on a knarled
old cheek.
     "You should know by now that I always have another trick up my
sleeves," she said.  Sobering, she looked at him with a serious
expression.  "My friends and I have a long ways to go, and not much
time to get there in."  He smiled.
     "Say no more, err...  Carrie."  He turned and shouted into the
stable.  "Parin, Sabin, Edgar, I want Cloud, Morning Mist and West
Wind saddled and in front of me on the double.  If they aren't
ready to ride by the time I've counted thirty, you'll muck out the
stables with your bare hands!"  Looking at the old man, Rosa had no
doubt that he could carry out his threat.
     "Twenty...  Twenty-one..." The first stable hand appeared,
leading a tall black stallion with patches of white on his
fetlocks.
     "Twenty-four...  Twenty-five..." The second horse, a gray mare
with a speckling of darker gray on her face and flanks was led up.
     "Twenty-nine...  Thirty."  The last stable hand came running
up, gasping for breath, and leading a white mare that had a large
splotch of gray on her flank.
     "I had to replace the buckle on the saddle strap," he said,
apologetically.  Jarl frowned at him, but let it pass.
     "Three horses, the fastest that I have.  Be sure to take some
feed for them.  If you'll excuse me, I have to give these boys a
lesson in moving quickly.  God speed," he said, knuckling his
forehead.  Then, he turned back to the stable hands, and started
chivying them back to their jobs.  Carrie watched as he left.
     "I hope that I get the chance to see him again.  He's a good
friend, but getting old," she said.  Stepping over to the gray
mare, she told them the names.  The one that she had selected
was Morning Mist, the white fetlocked black stallion was West Wind,
and the white mare with the gray patch was Cloud.  Rosa walked
over to Cloud, and the horse nuzzled her.  She giggled, and patted
her nose, then mounted up.  Reinhart, left with the stallion,
sighed, and vaulted up, not bothering with the stirrup.  Cloud
pranced a little under her, eager to get moving, and Rosa scratched
her behind the ears to calm her down.
     "There are two towns between here and Rose Wood, on the
outskirts of which is the burial ground.  We'll have to ride hard
to make it to Timberton by morning."  They nodded, and then Carrie
booted Morning Mist lightly.  They cantered out of the town and
onto the road to Timberton, the capes that they all wore fluttering
out behind them.

*****

     "Lady Tokimi.  D10 is reporting difficulties locating the
source of power.  He also reported that two life forms from this
dimension have appeared there."
     "Tsunami and Washu's avatar's?"  D3 shook his head.
     "He is not certain.  The energy signature is correct, but
there is a waveform variance from theirs."  Tokimi nodded.
     "The children.  Likely they are only there by coincidence,
still...  Tell D10 to step up his efforts and avoid contact with
them if possible."
     "If not possible?"  She raised an eyebrow at him coldly.
     "Than destroy them.  Nothing may stand in my way, not even
Tsunami and Washu's pets."
     "Yes, my Lady."
     "Dismissed."  D3 faded away as Tokimi turned her attention
back to the invasion preparations.  She felt a presence enter the
room.  Looking down, Tokimi was momentarily surprised to see a
mechanical representation of Tsunami, her sister.  The automaton
spoke.
     "We no longer have the right to interfere in these people's
lives simply to settle a grudge."  Tokimi laughed, deep and
throaty.
     "What?  These useless beings that only half believe that they
exist?  What use are they, save pawns?  A pity that you noticed
my coming, I had hoped to have the advantage in this little game."
     "The sounds of the multiverse screaming in pain are more than
enough warning.  Stop this madness now."
     "And who are you to order me to stop, Sister?  Do you think
that you now make my choices for me?  I think not."  The
Tsunami-bot frowned.
     "I warn you, Sister.  If you come here, it will be for the end
game.  I will no longer allow you to continue in this."  Tokimi
laughed again.
     "Do you think that I fear your little avatar?  Unless I am
mistaken, his time now is very short indeed.  Why else, then, would
you have had Washu fabricate this... machine, instead of coming
here in person, unless you had need to keep him alive?"  Tsunami
shook her head, and then the robot deactivated.  Tokimi, caught
in a moment of rage at being snubbed by the younger goddess,
hurled a power blast at it, vaporizing the bot into so many
subatomic particles.

*****

     "Is it really necessary for you to remain so serious,
Alucard?" asked Sheann'a.  He glanced up at the fairy, and she
sighed.  "I swear, if it's the last thing that I ever do, I'm going
to teach you to be a little less serious all the time."  As she
said it, Drathar finally cut through the heavy rope holding him
suspended upside down in wolf form.  He hit the ground with a
grunt, and changed to human form.
     "I fail to see what exactly is funny about walking into a trap
that I should have seen blinded and drunk," he said.  The snare,
set to catch the deer that were plentiful in this part of the
forest, had caught him off guard.  He had ended up hanging upside
down, his paws tied together so that he could not move them to
return to human form, while waiting for his familiars to catch up
to him.  Beyond his dignity, though, he was unharmed.  Sheann'a
shrugged.
     "Well... it's just...  kinda funny," she said.  He frowned
at her.
     "Still hanging around, Alucard?"  It took a sheer effort of
will to not simply blast Death back to the corners of Hell with a
burst of magic as the ancient specter appeared before him.
     "Unless you have come to tell me that Castlevania has crumbled
forever more back into the lake, go away, and bother me not."
     "The information that I bring is not quite that, yet I think
that you will be interested, none the less.  Carrie Fernandez
and two others ride as hard as they can to the burial ground of the
Belmonts," rasped the Grim Reaper.
     "That isn't possible.  Tenchi and Ryoko disappeared nearly
a hundred twenty years ago.  You should know that, Death," said
Sheann'a.  The bleached white skull smiled, a truly ghastly sight,
in Alucard's estimation.
     "I did not say that it was Tenchi and Ryoko, irritating
sprite.  These seem to be a brother and a sister, both little more
than children, yet the Belmont power is so strong within them that
I could not get very near them without pain such as only the Whip
can give me."  Sheann'a looked at Alucard and Drathar in confusion.
     "Can you tell us anything else?" asked Alucard.  Death
frowned.
     "The sprite may not have been far off the mark when she
mentioned Tenchi and Ryoko.  Somehow, the aura of these two
children remind me greatly of them, and the two resemble them in a
most disturbing way.  The aura seems the same, and yet, at the same
time, the separate powers flow together into one.  Mark me well:
I believe that joined aura could kill Chaos itself."  The specter
spread his raven black wings.  "You will excuse me.  That is all
that I know, and I must attend to my... duties."  With that, the
specter disappeared.  Frowning, Alucard rubbed his back where he
had landed. When he heard Drathar snicker, he forced his hands to
hand at his sides.  The demon stopped snickering, and began to
laugh outright. A sharp look silenced him.
     "Does it sound like the man could be Cain to you?"  Sheann'a
floated over to him, shaking her golden tressed head.
     "Not if he is traveling with Carrie Fernandez.  She was one of
those to fight with Tenchi against your father, and a descendant
of Sypha."
     "The girl I have not heard of before, but if Death is correct,
and they are brother and sister, than it can't be Cain."  Sheann'a
frowned in thought.
     "I wonder... he said that they reminded him of Tenchi and
Ryoko in appearance.  Could they be his relatives?  Grandchildren,
or great grandchildren?  It might explain why Carrie is with them."
Alucard sat down, and looked up at her.  She landed on his
shoulder.
     "A new clan with the Belmont power, you think?  Or an offshoot
of the original family at some point?"  She nodded.
     "Could be.  They may be after the Whip to use against Cain.
If we keep heading there, we'll meet up with them at the
graveyard." Alucard nodded in agreement, but decided to rest there
for the day. Maybe he would run into the hunter that had set the
trap, and would be able to have a talk with him about leaving
traps without markings for humans so that they didn't stumble
into them by mistake.
     "Tell me what you know about this...  Carrie Fernandez,
you said?" he asked.  Sheann'a looked at him.
     "Let's see...  Well, Carrie Fernandez, as I said, is a
descendant of Sypha Belnades.  Her parents killed when she was only
six, she found Sypha's Book, and began to learn the spells there.
There are those who say that even then, she was more powerful
than even Sypha, and I personally believe that, for she has cast
spells that not even Sypha had been able to manage.  Six years,
she traveled, trying to find the Whip before Dracula awoke.  She
met Reinhart Schnieder in the Belmont family grave, and they formed
a pact there.
     "Not long after, Castlevania rose again.  They met Tenchi
and Ryoko, battled their way inside.  Inside, she met the witch
Actrise. In time, Actrise, who was Dracula's heart, body, and soul,
revealed that she was Carrie's mother.  In a final battle, Carrie
was able to defeat Actrise and take vengeance for her family.
     "Afterwards, Carrie lived with Reinhart and Rosa, and Tenchi
and Ryoko until they disappeared.  She grew, and was the youngest
to ever take the High Seat in the Mage's Coven.  Then, about ninety
years ago, an Elder Demon named Dagamonth appeared, and caused
a great pestilence.  She and Reinhart went to battle him; they
succeeded, but Reinhart died from his wounds not long after.  Rosa,
his wife, also died not long after him, leaving Carrie to take care
of their three children.
     "Four Elder Demons opened a Gateway to the Earth, and led the
Legions of the Damned.  Carrie, with the children, last of the
Belmont blood save Cain, attacked, and were able to kill three of
the Elder Demons, the only one surviving being Death, but at great
cost. The three children sacrificed their lives in saving the
world.
     "After that, she lived alone.  Extremely beautiful, she never
married, or even really let anybody love her, not that I know of.
Time passed, she aged, but her mind remained keen, and her health
remained that of a twenty-year old's.  To this day, she lived in
the home that she had known since Dracula's defeat.  Now, it seems
that she has set out to battle what I'm sure she believes is
Dracula again."  Alucard nodded.
     "Much like Sypha.  It shall be interesting to meet this...
Carrie."  With that, he lay back, and quickly began to sleep.

Blood Red Moon Resurrection Chapter 4:
        Hearts Within

     Disclaimers: All characters belong to their various
copyrights, with the exception of Reinhart Masaki and Rosa
Masaki.  Those two are mine.  Beyond their usage in this story,
I claim no ownership, no rights of creation, no nothing.  Please
don't sue me.
     The Tenchi Muyo Characters in this series are based on the OVA
versions, but don't be surprised if there aren't one or two TV
references.  The characters Carrie Fernandez, Alucard, Death,
Dracula, Maria Renard and Lisa all belong to the Konami Castlevania
series. This cross-over series is placed roughly 17 years in
Tenchi's world, 120 years in Alucard's world after the events in
Blood Red Moon.  Reinhart and Rosa Masaki, the children of Tenchi
and Ryoko, are now young teens.

     "To what profit is it to a man, if he gains the world and
loses his own soul?  Mathew 16:26 I believe." - Dracula, as he dies
at the end of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

*****

     Ryoko looked up as Tenchi stirred slightly in the medical
bed next to her.  But a day had passed since they had sent Reinhart
and Rosa to Romania.  A day since the vampirism had returned,
since she had been alone in her own mind.  Seventeen years, but she
could not feel him in her mind now.  At first, the shock had masked
it, the shock of his attack when she had first lost their link,
the shock of having to send both children instead of going herself.
     But now, after the original shock that had hidden it had faded
away, she could feel it.  An old fear, one that had been weakened
in its long absence, but it was still there.  That fear of being
alone again.  She could feel it, crawling around in the depths
of her soul, heard its almost newborn like cry.  But this child
was one that she did not want to grow within her, did not want to
nurture as she had Reinhart and Rosa.
     Yet she knew that the fear would grow, against her will,
suckling at the breast of her soul.  Its milk would be the very
knowledge that it was there, slowly but surely gaining strength.
It would take time; even though Tenchi wasn't with her, Mayuka,
Nobuyuki, Ryo-Ohki, Washu, and Tsunami were there.  Her family.
The one that she had worked so hard to build around herself.
Maybe she was being selfish in that thought.  But they were still
her family; something that she had never known until a young boy
was taken by his mother and grandmother to her cave.
     Though she would never admit it aloud, she was still very much
afraid of that being alone.  Of not having anybody to talk with,
to touch, to feel.  The loss of that again, she feared, would drive
her mad.  The thought alone terrified her.
     It wasn't as bad as it had once been, what seemed like ages
ago. She had made it to the point where she could enter the cave,
alone, and just sit there.  Of course, she was never really alone;
her link to Tenchi assured her of that; a comforting hand on her
shoulder whenever she needed it.  But it was still a mile stone
for her, a seemingly indestructible wall broken through.  Ryoko
had never thought that she would be able to bring herself to step
inside, much less ever feel at ease there.  To a point.
     The first time had been hard, even though Tenchi had been
right there beside her as she took the first steps inside, and had
been waiting right there when she came back, gentle smile welcoming
her.  The second time had been harder still; she had kept it a
secret from even Tenchi when she had gone there, and forced herself
to go in.  It had just been something that she needed to do, on her
own.
     She stood, stretching.  Tsunami, who was on the other side of
his bed, appeared to be dozing; Ryoko knew better.  Sasami would
never have let her rest in this situation.  More likely she was
simply in a trance to help conserve energy, yet still sustaining
the energy web that kept Tenchi from becoming any worse.
     Ryoko frowned in frustration.  She should have known what was
happening, the second that he left the table, so pale.  She should
have been able to stop it.  It was her fault that she hadn't seen
the signs before hand.  Wasn't it?  She had sworn, so long ago, to
keep him safe, but she had failed, had failed him.
     "Don't even think that, my daughter, or the curse has already
won as surely as if we hadn't been able to slow it down."
Startled, Ryoko turned to see Washu come into the room with a tray
of food, Ryo-Ohki trailing close behind her.  She hadn't even been
aware that she had spoken her last thoughts aloud.  Ryoko's stomach
growled as the scent of curry drifted over to her from the platter,
reminding her that she hadn't even finished her last meal, much
less eaten in the day since.  Even though she didn't really need
to eat, after doing just that for twenty years, she had gotten
used to it and her body complained if she didn't.
     "I should have, mom.  I should have known...  I should have
been able to do something, stop it before it happened."  Washu set
the tray down on a table that appeared besides her, looking at
Ryoko with pity.
     "There was nothing any of us could have done, save Tsunami,
maybe," she said gently.  Ryoko flared at her in a sudden fit of
temper.
     "How do you know?  You've never had anything ripped away from
you that your inventions couldn't get back for you!  Even I'm just
a replacement!"  Flung in anger, Ryoko regretted her words almost
before they were said, and reached out, as if to take them back
before they reached Washu.  Her mouth tightened, but beyond that,
Washu showed no reaction to the statement.
     "I won't hold you at fault for that, Ryoko.  You're wondering
why it had to happen, why to you, and it's making you angry.
You're looking for something, anything to lash out at, something
to take your pain out on."  Washu crossed the room to her, and
placed a hand on her shoulder.  That child's face suddenly
gained...  an age indescribable was all Ryoko could think of.  "We
are here for you. Mayuka, Ryo-Ohki, Nobuyuki, Tsunami, myself...
I know that it's hard for you to open up, but we're all here for
you, when you're ready. We are listening."  Washu nodded back at
the tray.
     "I brought you something to eat.  Tsunami said that she thinks
some sort of power is feeding the curse, making it stronger than
it should be, and I'm trying to find a way to block it off
somehow." Squeezing her shoulder, Washu turned to leave.  Almost
of its own volition, Ryoko found her hand grabbing onto the
scientist's shoulder.  With a surprised look, Washu turned back to
her.
     When Ryoko opened her mouth, she meant to say that she was
just fine.  After all, Tenchi would make it through this, just like
he always did, and the children wouldn't have any trouble
dispensing with Dracula, if it was indeed him doing this.  She was
too tough to worry about something little like this.  But
sometimes, what a person means to say, and what is said are two
different things.
     Ryoko suddenly found herself clutching onto Washu, sobbing
into her shoulder that she hadn't been able to stop it, even though
she should have, even though she had sworn to take care of him.
The pink haired scientist... no, her mother patted her softly on
the back of her head, and let her sob out her emotions, all the
while whispering exactly what Ryoko hadn't even known that she
wanted to hear.
     "Everything that you could do, you did, Ryoko.  You did, and
are doing, more than anybody else could.  Don't let what is
happening take away the happiness that you have gained here.  Or
else, every thing that you, Tenchi, all of us have done and gone
through will have been in vain.  And that would be the greatest
tragedy of all."

*****

     Carrie awoke in a strange bed, and frowned.  Sitting up, she
saw her saddlebags and staff propped up against the wall where she
had placed them the night before.  After a hundred and twenty six
years of traveling, battling against evil, and doing her duties
as High Seat in the Mages Coven, she still just did not like the
idea of sleeping in a bed that was not her own.  It was never
comfortable! Standing, she stretched in front of the mirror, and
looked herself over.
     It had been some time since she had dropped the illusion
of being an old woman, and she had been surprised when she had
looked at herself in the mirror afterwards.  Carrie could remember
when she had been certain that she would never be anything more
than just pretty.  Short, with a fairly plain face, her only truly
defining characteristics had been her golden eyes and cyan hair,
both of which were due to extreme amount of magic that she had
already channeled by the time that she was twelve.  Some would have
considered them to be a curse, but Carrie had welcomed them, as
setting her apart somewhat from the other girls that were merely
pretty as well. A distinguishing factor to call her own.
     But, it turned out that she had merely been late in growing.
In her twentieth year, she had grown nearly a half foot, and had
filled out amazingly well.  Her hips and chest had fleshed out,
while her waist and legs remained trim, giving her an
hourglass-like shape.  Some of the color that she had lost returned
to her, just enough to keep her from seeming to be an albino.
     She had suddenly found that she could barely step outside
without being all but attacked by the men in the village who were
interested in courting her.  At first, she had enjoyed the
attention, but soon realized that most of them weren't really
interested in her, just in laying with her.  The experience
had made her somewhat disinterested in the entire game.
     Not long after, the plague had come, and first Reinhart,
then Rosa had died, two of those that she loved as family after
the loss of her own.  After that, she began to pull back from
relationships deeper than just friendships.  As a child, she had
come to the conclusion that those she loved always seemed to die.
The solution to her had been simple.  Don't let herself really
love anybody, and then nobody she loved would die.  But for a time,
after destroying Castlevania, she had thought that maybe, just
maybe, she was wrong, that it wasn't true after all.  But with
their deaths that old fear returned.  After all three children
died, while she once again survived, she all but withdrew herself
from the world for a time.  She had settled into a deep depression.
     It was a time she would have liked to forget; a time that she
likely never would.  Old terrors began to walk again in her dreams.
She would see Actrise, torturing her father to death, Dracula
rending the world in two with his evil.  There were visions of
Reinhart and Rosa, spanning anything from Rosa, who had been turned
into a vampire when they found her in the castle, turning him into
one as well, while she watched, helpless to stop them, to simple
visions of them staring at her with cold, accusing eyes.
     The worst had been the images of the children, dreams where
they laughed and played without a care, until she appeared into
their lives.  Always, always the Hordes of Hell would come soon
after, and the children would die in ways no mortal mind should
be able to conceive of.
     Two years, she was afraid to go asleep, because to sleep was
to dream, yet her waking hours held no comfort for her either.
The house that was once so full of life was now quiet, an empty
place. Memories met her at nearly every turn, a carving that Tenchi
had done, or perhaps the staff that she had given to Cloud when he
had first started learning the Art.  So many reminders, so many
memories, but none of them comforting, not anymore.
     Sheer stubbornness made her stay, a refusal to run away from
the past, painful as it may be.  Slowly, she forced herself to
return to the world, remembering some advice Ryoko had given her:
'The point is, we are a family.  Things have happened, but we've
stuck together. And although there can be pain involved in it, in
the end it's better to take the chance on being hurt, and get all
the other things that come with it.  I promise you that it's worth
it.'
     Friends who had seen the depression settle over her were quick
to offer their hands, lending as much support as they could, and
slowly, she had pulled away from the mire she was in.  Eventually,
even the dreams stopped coming more often than once in a great
while.
     Carrie sighed.  Now she had another chance, it seemed, and she
wasn't certain if she was really worthy of it.  Reinhart and Rosa
Masaki...  They were already close friends, even though only a day
had passed.  She was fond of Rosa's quick wit, who, like her
namesake, was always ready with a mischievous comment or idea.
     And then there was Reinhart.  When she had seen them, the moon
had provided just enough light for her to think that he was Tenchi.
As she had drawn closer, she realized that the young man was too
tall, and didn't have the gems in his wrists, but then suddenly
Tenchi-ken had begun to glow.  Recognizing the ancient sword, she
had known that these two had to be descendants at least.
     But she was finding herself attracted to the young man.  It
was insane, she knew.  She was over a century older than he was,
and she really wasn't all that interested in relationships.
But like his father, Reinhart seemed to radiate an almost
irresistible pull - as Rosa had said, he was too cute for his own
good.  And somehow, she knew that if she fell, if she hadn't
already, she wouldn't be coming back.
     Carrie sighed again, in frustration.  She did not want the
deaths of more friends, more people that she cared for, on her
hands. The moment that she had seen them, she had known their
sudden appearance couldn't possibly be a coincidence with
Castlevania's return.  She looked at the mirror again, at the girl
that she hadn't recognized when she had dropped the illusion.
The woman that looked back at her had a haunted face, and tired
eyes.
     "I may as well accept it.  I feel damn old," she said to the
room, and then clamped her hands over her mouth in surprise.
What worried her was that she really did.  Sighing a third and
final time, she got dressed, and lamented not bringing along a
change in clothing.  Traveling, especially on horses, was a dusty
thing.
     Hearing her stomach growl loudly, she opened the door to
reveal Reinhart, with his hand raised to knock.  She wasn't certain
what exactly it was; perhaps the surprise evident in his face, but
it struck her as funny, and she broke into laughter.  He looked
at her with a confused expression, which only made her laugh
harder.  Rosa's head appeared over his shoulder, grinning.  Shaking
her head, Carrie's mirth faded, and she grabbed her staff and
saddle bags, still smiling.
     "So what town are we heading for today?" asked Rosa as she
came into the hall.  They moved down into the common room.  It was
early; the sun wasn't much past the horizon, but there were already
a number of people there.  A couple had their faces buried in a mug
of ale, while others squinted into the early morning with bleary
eyes.  A pair of magicians produced semi-random noises as they
prepared for the day.
     "The next town up is Eagle's Point.  It's really little more
than an inn, a blacksmith shop, and a couple of farms, but it
overlooks a small, spring fed lake."  They sat down at a table,
and a pretty young serving girl came over to take their orders.
Carrie grinned as Reinhart stumbled his way through his order.
Rosa hadn't been kidding, apparently.  The waitress disappeared
into back.
     "There's an old legend connected with Eagle's Point.  It is
said that, centuries ago, a young couple who had just been married
lived there.  One day, the man was called to fight against an
encroaching horde that was attacking the northern border of
Romania.  They said their good-byes, and then he left.  Two months
later, a courier came back with a message for the young woman.
The fort that he had been stationed at had been attacked by an
overwhelming force.  He had held the defenses while the rest of the
soldiers escaped, but he never followed, and was presumed to be
dead.
     "The young woman was heart broken.  She followed a path down
to the edge of the lake.  The waves, sensing her grief, parted,
and as if in a trance, she walked forward, into the lake.  After
she had disappeared from view, the waters closed once again.
     "Five years later, a worn and dusty man entered the village.
He was so dirty that his skin was all but black, and his face was
covered by a long, thick beard.  He was badly injured, and had no
memory of his past, save that his home had been near a lake.  They
cleaned him up, applying healing poultices, and once the beard had
been shaven, one of the men recognized him.  It was the young man.
     "Leading him down to the lake, they told him what they could,
and explained what had happened to his wife.  As they reached
the shore, the waves suddenly parted once again, and a vision of
his wife appeared, beckoning to him.  He slowly walked into the
lake, and disappeared under it.  To this day, people still leave
offerings to the couple."
     Their meal arrived.  Steaming hot porridge, with eggs and some
slightly hard spiced apple cider to drink.  Eating quickly, they
paid for their meal, and then had the stablemen saddle up the
horses and bring them around.  The animals whickered slightly
in the bright morning sun.  There were only a few faint wisps of
clouds in the sky; beyond that, it looked like it was going to be
very hot, and Carrie was glad that most of their travel would be
under the cover of forest.  Mounting, she led them out of the town.
The had to move slower today, allowing the horses to recover from
the long run the day before.  Though they had spent the night in
stable, the animals would still be tired.  It didn't help matters
that they had a full day's ride ahead.  Carrie dropped back to ride
next to Rosa.
     "I had forgotten the downside of riding horses.  My behind
hurt so much last night that it's a wonder I ever got to sleep,"
said the younger girl.  Carrie grinned.
     "You'll get used to it pretty fast.  Even I was a little
saddle sore last night, and I ride fairly often."  Rosa nodded.
     "So that legend you told us.  Do you think that it could be
true?"  Carrie looked at her thoughtfully.
     "You know, I've seen things to make a soul cringe in terror
and shake in fright, and yet, I've also seen joy and love powerful
enough to shatter the darkest night.  Maybe the legend is true,
maybe it isn't.  Maybe it's the idea that is more important,
or maybe it's just a nice story to tell.  The thing of it is, it
doesn't really matter if it is true or not, at least not now, so
long after it happened.  What matters is that people can look to it
as an example of something good and right."  Rosa nodded slowly.
     "Something a person could aspire to.  We have lots of stories
like that in Japan."  Carrie grinned.  They talked for a while
longer, as the horses moved forward at a steady walk.  Around them,
the forest started to thin out a bit, as the neared about the
halfway point of their day's travel.  The birds chirped loudly
in the otherwise quiet of the woods.
     As the light of noon filtered down through the green canopy
above, they came to a stop, and dismounted to eat a trail lunch
of tough, dried jerky, cheese and bread, washed down by water from
their waterskins.
     "What about the two of you?  What training have you received
from your parents?" asked Carrie.  Rosa looked over at her.
     "Dad has been teaching us how to use our abilities almost
since we could walk.  Our force swords, fireballs...  how to use
our teleportation abilities to gain a surprise.  Reinhart is better
with the sword than I am, but I have better aim with my fireballs."
Rosa looked at her brother, who was frowning at her.  "Oh, don't
look at me like that, it's true, and you know it."
     "I'm not that much worse at using them."  Rosa rolled her
eyes, and Carrie chuckled quietly.  It was easy to see that even
though they teased each other constantly, they were still close.
Where one sibling faltered, the other picked up the slack.
     "Either ability will serve you well once we enter Castlevania.
The demons there aren't particularly smart, at least, most of them
aren't, but they are deadly, and the castle itself will be against
us.  I sorely doubt that Cain will be letting us walk right up to
him."  They finished the meal, and remounted, Rosa wincing when
Carrie told them that they still had about four hours ride ahead.
This time, Rosa rode somewhat ahead, while she let Cloud settle
in beside Reinhart's black horse.
     "You've been quiet since getting here," she said.  He looked
at her in surprise.
     "Not really much I have to say, I guess.  Rosa is the talker
of the family.  I never know what to talk about, unless I have a
specific purpose, like now," he answered.  She smiled.
     "I know the feeling.  You know that you want to say something,
but you aren't sure if it's the right thing, or the right time,
and when you finally decide to speak up, it's already too late to
say it."  He nodded.
     "Or you think that you'll make a fool of yourself if you try
to say something, so instead you just stay quiet."  Carrie smiled
a little wider.
     "Exactly.  It isn't that you don't have anything to say, just
that you don't know how to say it."  He smiled briefly at her.
"Your mother once told me that you have to take chances.
Sometimes, you might get hurt, or embarrassed, but in the end, it's
usually worth it."  He sighed.
     "I'm not a chance taker.  Just a simple teen growing up to
tend a shrine hidden way back in the mountains."  He paused.
"Well, maybe not quite as simple as that, but still, nothing too
terribly special."
     "Sometimes it's the people that don't think that they are
special that turn out to be the most special," she said quietly.
He looked at her in surprise, and then blushed, looking away.  Too
late, she remembered that they could both hear much better than
most people could.  Time for a chance, she told herself.  "Your
father thought that he was just supposed to be a shrine keeper
too, nothing special, to him, at least.  But it seems to me that
Ryoko found him to be very special, didn't she?"  He turned partly
toward her in his saddle, a confused expression on his face.
     "Well, yeah, I guess."
     "Just because you don't think you're special doesn't mean that
you aren't special to... other people."  He frowned a moment in
thought, and then opened his mouth to speak.  Just as he did,
though, West Wind tripped on a partly upturned stone.  In his half
seated, half turned position, when the stallion stumbled forward,
partly falling, Reinhart tumbled off to land flat on his back.
Ahead of them, Rosa, who had been watching for the past couple
of minutes, started howling with laughter.  Carrie caught herself
on the point of laughing as well, and instead dismounted to see
that he was alright.
     "Ouch," said Reinhart, propping himself up on his elbows to
look sourly at the horse.  Carrie kneeled next to him.
     "Are you alright?" she asked.  He shook his head.
     "Nothing hurt but my pride," he answered.  Standing, he rubbed
at his back where he had landed.
     "So much for grace in the saddle, brother," said Carrie as she
reined in next to them.  He scowled at her, and then walked over
to collect his horse.  He groaned aloud when he found West Wind.
The animal was alright, but he had thrown his front right shoe,
meaning that he couldn't be ridden for the time being.
     "This is getting more and more fun all the time," he said
aloud. Rosa snickered; and Carrie came over to take a look at the
hoof.
     "We can get him reshod in Eagle's Peak.  Until then why don't
you just ride with me?" she asked.  He stared at her in surprise.
Rosa, Carrie saw out of the corner of her eye, now looked to be
doing her best to choke down a new round of laughter.
     "I can just...  I mean, I could just walk or fly along with
you two.  It's really not that much of a bother."  Carrie looked
at him, shaking her head with a secret smile.  Too cute by a mile.
     "Don't be foolish.  Why waste energy.  Besides, even riding
double, we'll move faster than if you are walking along with us.
Unless you intend to jog the entire way there."  Reinhart looked
between her and Rosa, who was doing her best to look disinterested.
She wasn't doing a very good job of it.  He looked at West Wind
again, and then up the road, and sighed in defeat.  Rosa finally
gave up, and laughed again, as Carrie climbed back onto Cloud.
Reinhart gave his sister a warning look as he handed West Wind's
reins to her, and then scrambled up behind Carrie.
     "Riding double isn't quite the same as riding by yourself.
You'll have a lot better chance of staying on if you wrap your arms
around my waist, and squeeze as tightly to me as you can," she told
him.  Hesitantly, she felt his arms go about her waist, and after
a moment, felt his chest press into her back through her cloak and
blouse.
     "Why Reinhart, you're getting awfully fast with the ladies,
aren't you?" said Rosa.  Carrie heard him groan, likely in
anticipation of the jokes that his sister would take at his
expense. Looking at Rosa, she had the sudden feeling that she might
have a few jokes about her, too.  She felt the warmth passing
to her from his body, especially through his arms which were in
direct contact with her stomach, and knew that she was probably
just a bit flushed.
     As she booted Cloud up to a brisk walk, she heard him mutter,
"She's never gonna let me hear the end of this."  Carrie laughed
quietly, and they rode on.

Blood Red Moon Resurrection Chapter 5:
        To the Heart of the Matter

     Disclaimers: All characters belong to their various
copyrights, with the exception of Reinhart Masaki and Rosa
Masaki.  Those two are mine.  Beyond their usage in this story,
I claim no ownership, no rights of creation, no nothing.  Please
don't sue me.
     The Tenchi Muyo Characters in this series are based on the OVA
versions, but don't be surprised if there aren't one or two TV
references.  The characters Carrie Fernandez, Alucard, Death,
Dracula, Maria Renard and Lisa all belong to the Konami Castlevania
series. This cross-over series is placed roughly 17 years in
Tenchi's world, 120 years in Alucard's world after the events in
Blood Red Moon.  Reinhart and Rosa Masaki, the children of Tenchi
and Ryoko, are now young teens.

     "To what profit is it to a man, if he gains the world and
loses his own soul?  Mathew 16:26 I believe." - Dracula, as he dies
at the end of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

*****

     As they rode into Eagle's Point, Reinhart breathed a deep sigh
of relief.  The past few hours of riding had been only just short
of torture for him.  It wasn't really the physical nearness to
Carrie that had him so unsettled.  Once he had gotten used to it,
he had managed to force himself to relax, at least a little.  It
hadn't been the near constant stream of wise cracks from Rosa,
either. Those, he had heard all his life.  He had even managed
to get her to stop with a couple of well placed comments and
lightly veiled threats to reveal some of her more adventurous
hobbies to their parents. Such as her monthly skinny dip into their
school's pool.
     No, what had been torture had been that he was very well aware
of the fact that he was holding onto a very beautiful girl.  It
didn't really matter that he knew she was quite a bit older than
she looked.  She acted like, spoke like, and looked like she wasn't
much older than him.  He was so afraid of accidentally offending
her that he could hardly think straight.  He had laced his fingers
together so tightly that they had long since cramped.
     He was so close to her that every breath he took came with the
scent of her.  He had had trouble deciding, but Reinhart had
finally come to the conclusion that she used some sort of lilac
scented oil in her hair.  She wore no perfume, but very faintly
he could smell the rose blossoms that she folded into her clothing
to keep them fresh smelling.
     Under his hands, he could feel the smooth, soft flesh of her
stomach.  He thought that she must be a little ticklish there,
because every time he shifted his hands, she would giggle quietly,
little more than a soft shaking of her shoulders, which of course
he could feel because he was pressed against her about as tightly
as he could be.  Her skin was comfortingly warm to the touch.
     He felt her body as she breathed, and had no doubt that she
could feel his breathing as well.  It was a strange feeling,
he reflected; a natural feeling, and yet, very uncomfortable,
for him at least, at the same time.  He realized that this was the
first time that he had been even remotely this close to a girl
other than those in his family, and that was a different situation
entirely.
     So, his state of mind upon entering the town was, to say the
least, somewhat uneasy.  The first signs of the town were the
large, spreading farms.  It was the peak of the growing season,
and corn and wheat stood tall in the fields.  Here and there,
flocks of sheep grazed, bleating loudly now and then.  Farther
in, they came to a small cluster of buildings, including The
Eagle's Nest, the village inn.  The two floored, red-tile roof
building stood on the edge of a cliff.  He saw that the town lived
up to its name.  Several eagles spun and wheeled in the air above
them, and one pair landed on top of the inn.  Rosa looked around.
     "It doesn't really seem too much different from home, does
it?" she remarked.  Reinhart nodded.
     "Except home doesn't have a blacksmith's shop next to it."
From where they were, they could hear the loud sounds of a hammer
striking down on an anvil, a clean, steady ringing.  The smithy
was a flat, squarish building with a large, open pen.  It also had
a corral next to it, for storing horses to be shoed.
     "We have Washu's lab in the broom closet."  He looked at her.
     "Good point."  Reinhart carefully unlaced his fingers, wincing
at how stiff they felt, and then dismounted.  Carrie looked down
at him in curiosity as he walked over and took West Wind's reins
from Rosa.
     "In a broom closet?"  He grinned, running his free hand
through his hair to try and straighten it out.
     "It's a long story.  Grandma was...  somewhat eccentric
in her youth."  Rosa snorted.
     "You could only call Washu young if you were comparing
her to, say, the age of the universe.  She's over 20,000 years
old!"  Carrie did a double take, silently mouthing the words twenty
thousand in disbelief.  After a moment, she shook her head.
     "Let's get West Wind over to the blacksmith, and then get some
rooms for the night," she said, getting down from Cloud's back.
They nodded in agreement, and led their horses to the blockish
building. The blacksmith turned out to be a man with a barrel of a
chest; arms as thickly muscled as most people's legs, and legs that
could have doubled as tree trunks.  Reinhart decided that he
definitely didn't want to get into a fight with him.  The man
looked like he could snap him in two with his pinkie finger.  The
burly man took a look at the horse's hoof, and nodded.
     "I can shoe him.  You're lucky; I'm in between work loads
right now.  A day later and it likely would have been a week before
I would have had the chance to shoe him.  He'll be ready for you by
tomorrow morning."  It took a few more moments to haggle out the
price.  Reinhart watched with interest, as Carrie managed to get
the blacksmith's price down from forty pieces of silver to a mere
fifteen.  The man bowed to her, sealing the arrangement,
and then excused himself to begin working on the shoe.
     The walked their remaining two horses back over to the inn,
and a pair of stablemen came up and led them away, into the inn's
stables.  Carrie led them inside.  The Eagle's Nest was just short
of empty.  A couple villagers sat inside, gathered around one
table. A fire blazed in the hearth, keeping a comfortable
warmth there. Reinhart looked down as a fat orange tabby cat bumped
its head into his leg.  He grinned, and reached down to scratch
it behind the ears momentarily.
     The inn keeper smiled at them from a doorway that likely led
to the kitchen.  She was a motherly looking woman, plump, and with
more gray hair than brown, and warm gray eyes.
     "We haven't had many travelers here lately.  Welcome, welcome
indeed," she said.  Carrie asked her about the rooms she had
available, and the woman smiled.  "Feel free to use them.  It is
the Festival of Lights here, and I don't charge for rooms.  They
are all upstairs."  Carrie smiled at her warmly, and thanked her.
The woman nodded.  "If you need anything, just ask for Marin.  The
baths are down the hall, if you would like to clean up from your
travels." They thanked her again, and split up.  Carrie and Rosa
went for the baths, while Reinhart went up the stairs to find the
rooms, finding himself loaded with all of their saddlebags.
     He set the things into their rooms, and then he too walked
down to the bathing rooms.  Through one door, he could faintly
hear Rosa and Carrie talking, though not clearly enough to make out
what about. He went through the opposite, and found that the bath
consisted of a stool to set his clothing on, and a shallow pool
that was fed by water that poured from a pipe.  The excess ran off
through a small ditch that led to a drain; it had a lever that
operated a sluice gate for draining out the pool.  He opened it,
and watched the water flush out.
     While he waited for it to refill, he stripped down out of his
clothing.  Gingerly touching the water, he found that it was hot,
but not scaldingly so.  Sighing, he wished that there was a way to
take a more traditional Japanese bath, but when in Rome, he thought
to himself.
     Ten minutes later, he had finished, and also managed to brush
some of the dirt out of his bedraggled, borrowed clothing.
Refreshed, and redressed, he exited the room.  He could still hear
Carrie and Rosa talking and laughing in the other room.  He shook
his head, wondering just how they managed to find so much to talk
about.  Entering the common room, he found that now not even the
few villagers were left.  Outside, the sun was all but down, just
nearing the horizon.
     Realizing that it would probably be some time before the girls
finished up, he decided to look around.  The inn keeper smiled
at him from behind a counter top, as he opened the door, and
exited.  The wind was a little chill, and he was glad that he had
brought along the cape.  He walked along.  The smithy shop was now
silent; lights burned in most windows, but there were a couple
people out.  Reinhart walked down the earthen street, until he
found a thin, out of the way path.  It seemed to snake down, and
away from the town.  From where he stood, he could see the lake
that Carrie had talked about.
     He shrugged, and began to walk down.  The path was somewhat
steep, but not terribly difficult.  At some points, steps had been
cut into the earth and stone to aid in the passage.  It led down,
as he had thought, the face of the cliff that the inn stood on.
Looking at how much it twisted and turned, he frowned.  Looking
about to see that nobody was around, he walked to the edge of the
path, and then stepped off.  He floated down the cliff face, and
touched down at the base.  The path arrowed fairly straightly
towards the lake from there.
     Reinhart walked down there slowly.  Above him, the sun had
set, and the moon had begun to rise.  It seemed that the blood
effect was only around the castle.  Half full, it shone a bright
golden in the night, and seemed close enough to touch.  Actually,
he realized, he could touch it if he wanted.  Assuming that he
could hold his breath long enough to reach it and make it back to
earth.
     The lake turned out to be fairly unassuming.  The waters were
still, disturbed only by the occasional breeze of the wind.  It
seemed to be cut off here, probably by the cliff.  Just off to the
side, he saw what had to be the shrine that Carrie had mentioned.
It was a large, white stone, with a pair of crosses carven into it.
Flowers and other small offerings had been placed around it.  He
walked up to the beach, and found a large stone to sit down on.
     "What am I doing out here?" he asked himself.  Beyond the
shrill cry of an eagle far above him, he didn't get any answer.
But he did wonder.  Just to get some air was too easy an excuse
to use.  Looking down at the ground, he picked up several smooth,
rounded stones. Although he was back quite a way from the water,
he began to skip them across.  Most bounced seven or eight times
before disappearing under the surface.  It really was an absurd
situation, he realized, and were it not for the seriousness
of the matter, it would have been laughable.  The moon slowly
climbed up into the sky.
     "Penny for your thoughts?"
     Startled, Reinhart twisted to see Carrie picking her way down
the tail end of the path.  She had a small basket in her hand, and
smiled at him in the moonlight.  Carrie walked over to him, setting
the basket down, and sat down on the rock next to him.  He stared
at her blankly, and noticed that she had left her cape in the inn,
apparently.
     "Huh?"  She smiled, shaking her head.
     "I thought that you might be down here, when Mistress Tiran
said that she had seen you leave not too long ago," she said.
Carrie looked out across the lake, where the moon was reflected
in shimmering detail.  "You seem like the kind of person who
sometimes needs a chance to get away from things."
     "I don't really know why I'm out here.  Just kinda followed
my feet down this way."  She nodded.
     "Sometimes that's best.  I wanted to say that I'm sorry.  I
didn't realize that Rosa would tease you that much."  She grinned,
and he looked at her.  "If it makes you feel any better, she made
a couple of jokes at my expense too in private."
     "I'm used to it.  She was actually being somewhat restrained,"
he said, shrugging.  "I was more worried about embarrassing
you or offending you."  She laughed.
     "So that's why you were stiff as a board all the way here.
I thought...  well, that's beside the point.  Listen, if I hadn't
have thought that I could trust you, I wouldn't have offered.
You don't need to be so tense around me."  She turned more towards
him, the moonlight glinting off her hair and eyes.  "I've often
wondered what it's like to have a brother or sister as close as you
and Rosa are.  My parents died when I was young, and I never really
had any family until after we destroyed Dracula.  Even then,
Reinhart and Rosa were at best close friends, the closest to family
I ever had, and Tenchi and Ryoko too, but I still never really
had that sense of belonging.  What is it like?"
     Reinhart frowned in thought, trying to think of a way to put
it that would even remotely make sense, and realized that he wasn't
entirely certain himself.
     "It's hard to explain," he said slowly.  "It's a sense of
acceptance for what you are...  Of trust...  Rosa may be a little
wild... well, really wild, but at the same time I wouldn't want
anybody more like me for anything.  Mayuka, Mom and Dad, Washu,
everybody really...  We know that if we have a problem, we can talk
to each other about it and get advice.  Maybe we do have our
differences, but even so we stick together."  He paused,
thoughtful. "It's more than just belonging...  it's like we're all
parts of each other."  Carrie nodded slowly.
     "I think I know what you mean," she said.  Reinhart suddenly
realized that during this entire time, he hadn't stuttered once,
or worried about how close she was.  In fact, now that he actually
thought of it, he noticed that she was all but sitting on top of
him in order to fit on the rock.  She looked at him, smiling
slightly.
     "Why...  why did you want me to ride with you?  I could have
walked, or even ridden with Rosa if I had to.  I don't understand."
Carrie blinked, and looked away.  He knew that it was probably
just his imagination, but he thought that he saw a blush rise to
her cheeks.
     "I'll be a hundred twenty seven years old in about two months.
I don't know if that sounds like a long time to live for you, but
for me, it's a very long time.  Every passing year, I kept
wondering why I seemed to have stopped aging.  Friends came and
went; I never really let them get too close, certainly not as close
as Reinhart, Rosa, and the children.  I wasn't exactly a socialite,
even in the best of times.
     "Then, suddenly, you and Rosa appear.  The children of two of
my closest friends.  Without me even realizing it, I found that I
already consider you as close as them."  She paused, and the
silence stretched into something almost uncomfortable.
"And then, I realized something else.  That I want more than just
a friendship, no matter how close it is."  He looked at her, and
was surprised to see a few teardrops glistening on her cheeks.
She turned away from him somewhat, shaking her head.  "So much for
being subtle," she said. Reinhart took a moment to absorb what she
had just told him.
     "I'm... not good with words; certainly not good with emotions.
But I think that... if what you are looking for is somebody to...
care for you, than I think that I would be most honored to try.
You said that just because as person doesn't think that they are
special, it doesn't mean that others don't think that they are.  If
you think that I'm worth being thought of as special, than I will
do my best to live up to that feeling," he said softly.  Slowly,
she turned back to him, tears glistening unshed in her golden eyes.
     "If I wasn't certain of it before, now, I am sure that you
are." She leaned forward, then, and kissed him.  Not on the cheek,
the innocent kiss of a child or a mother.  She gently kissed him on
the mouth, a soft promise of things to come.  He felt her place
her arms around his neck, and hold him to her.  Uncertain,
he placed his own arms around her, drawing her body close to his.
She leaned into the embrace, and lay her head on his shoulder.
     They just sat there, like that, for a time.  Reinhart looked
up to see the moon nearly at its half-way point.  On the point of
saying something, he noticed that she had fallen asleep, a smile
on her face.  He smiled gently, and carefully stood, lifting her.
He looked up the face of the cliff, toward the inn.  Carefully,
he flew upwards, bearing her in his arms.  He reached the inn, and
floated there a moment as he remembered where her room was.
Finally he figured out the location, and then phased through the
wall with her.  He lay her down on the bed, and then pulled the
covers up.  She sighed in her sleep.  He smiled, and then moved
to the door.

*****

     As Reinhart floated away, the sleeping form of Carrie in his
arms, Rosa smiled broadly.  She had followed the sorceress down the
path, and watched the entire exchange from the branches of a tree.
She swung down to the ground, and looked up after him.  He was
moving slowly; she was sure that he was afraid of waking her.
     Although she would have never said anything to him, she was
glad that he had chosen Carrie.  She knew that Misato in their
school was interested in him, but the girl would never have stayed
with him. He was just too unassuming a person for somebody of her
tastes.
     She was just about to teleport back up to her room when she
suddenly noticed that the forest had gone silent.  Automatically,
she formed a fireball, and looked around, hand outstretched.
She saw nothing, yet now that she was aware of the silence, she
could feel hidden eyes watching her.  She listened carefully
to the silence, and heard, off to her right, what sounded like
flapping wings.  Spinning, she released the fireball.  It streaked
through nothing but air, but in its illumination she caught a quick
glimpse of a huge black wolf, and what looked like a small, tiny
girl, with four delicate wings sprouting from her back.  She looked
surprise, and then the wolf flashed away, and she flew quickly
after it.
     Startled, Rosa thought about giving chase, but decided instead
to go back to her room.  She teleported up.  As she appeared,
she suddenly laughed, and then phased through into the hallway.
She got there just as Reinhart was coming through the door to
Rosa's room, and tapped him on the shoulder.  He gasped in
surprise.
     "My, my Reinhart...  Am I going to have a story to tell mom
and dad when we get home?"  He paled.
     "No!" he exclaimed loudly.  Wincing, he lowered his voice.
"I was down at the lake, and she came down to talk.  She fell
asleep, so I brought her back here."  Rosa grinned slyly.
     "Oh, so she didn't kiss you, or fall asleep in your arms?"
she asked innocently.  He went several shades whiter.
     "You were watching us!"  She grinned.
     "Guilty.  Oh, relax.  I won't tell mom or dad.  To tell you
the truth, I think that it's kinda sweet.  She and I had a long
talk today."  She put her hand on his shoulder.  "For a male, you
do sometimes make good choices."  She made her expression more
serious. "She's had a lot of pain through her life.  We certainly
don't have anything to compare to.  Be careful with her.  She tries
to act like she has left her past behind, but she still feels it."
Reinhart looked away, nodding.
     "When I said that I would do my best to live up to her
expectations, I meant it.  You should know that."  She nodded.
     "Good night, Reinhart."  She grinned mischievously,
and added, "Hope that your dreams are... ahem, enjoyable."
He stared at her, startled, and groaned.
     "You really aren't going to give me a break, are you?"
     "No."  Shaking his head, he disappeared into his room.  Rosa
smiled, and then poked her head through Carrie's door.  The woman
was sleeping, a small smile on her face.  Rosa smiled again, and
then retired to bed.

*****

     Alucard caught himself breathing a sigh of relief as the girl
teleported away.  She had surprised him with that fireball,
and he knew that his tail had gotten a little singed in the blast.
He still didn't understand how she had even known that he was
there.  But the blast was too contained to be a random shot.
     He returned to human form, wincing as the transformation
ended, and looked at Sheann'a.  She was examining a trailing
edge of her dress.  Suddenly, he became aware of the constant,
almost too quiet to hear flapping sounds that her wings made as
they moved up and down, keeping her in the air.  But that had to be
too quiet to hear for a human.  But if she had...
     "That was interesting.  A hair to the right, and more than my
dress would be toasted," said Sheann'a, breaking his train of
thought.
     "Do you recognize them?"  She shook her head.
     "The young man and the girl with the fireballs have the look
of Tenchi and Ryoko in them, but the other girl I did not
recognize. The young man and she seemed rather close, no?"  He
nodded absently.
     "But they definitely are the ones.  The Belmont power is so
strong in them that it has left a residual effect.  I doubt that
any demons will ever come near here again."  He walked out of the
foliage, toward the shrine.  Sheann'a floated behind him.
     "I wonder what the people would say if they knew what had
really happened here?  That the woman really just ran away to
another man in the next village up the road when her husband went
to war, and that he really was killed defending that fort, all the
while believing that his wife was being true?" she mused.
     "I doubt that they would listen to you.  They have believed
in the myth for centuries."  He bent down, and picked up one of the
flowers, examining it carefully.  "Perhaps, though, that belief
is truth enough."  He tossed the flower to the water, and it slowly
floated away.  Sheann'a looked at him in surprise.
     "Just when I think you have no surprises left in store for me,
you somehow manage to show yet another facet.  Does it wear on you,
this endless fight against the dark that you have taken on
yourself?" He looked at her, and for a moment, he truly did feel
the years of his constant battle, first with himself, and then
later with his father.
     "It has worn on me since the day I was born, but that matters
not.  I will continue it till I take my last breath.  For me, there
can be no other course."  She nodded solemnly.
     "Where did Drathar go off to?"
     "I sent him ahead to watch for trouble at the Belmont burial
ground."  He looked up at the inn, where all of the lights had now
gone out.  "Tomorrow, we shall reveal ourselves to them.  And that
is when out battle shall truly begin again."

     Tenchi looked about himself warily.  This place... was
different.  In the blink of an eye, a rolling field could become
an asp-filled pit, or worse.  One thing always remained the same,
though.  To the north, he could see an ancient castle, with a moon
of blood hanging over it.  What ever this place was, Castlevania
was the key to it.  He had to get there, he knew.  Where ever he
was, it was evil.  He could not feel Ryoko's touch in the back of
his mind, and it worried him.
     A movement caught his eye, and he turned, red force blade
snapping up, ready to defend or attack, as needed.  He was
surprised to find Reinhart Schnieder standing there.  But something
seemed out of place to Tenchi; he wasn't quite certain what, but it
was making the hair on the back of his neck tingle.
     "How are you, my old friend?  The last that I saw you, you had
returned to your own world!"  Tenchi was silent, studying him
closely.  The height, the voice, the blond hair, the whip, the
black eyes...  Tenchi paused.  The whip, and black eyes?  But
Reinhart had had blue eyes like ice, and they had sealed the whip
away not long after escaping from the castle.
     "I am well," Tenchi lied.  "Tell me, does Rosa still wear the
cross that I carved for her?"  Reinhart nodded, and Tenchi sighed,
shaking his head.  For a moment, he had almost...  "That's
interesting, because I never made a cross for her, I gave her a
head piece."  With startling speed, Reinhart flashed forward,
his hand changing into a heavy, black blade.  Tenchi dove aside,
and then came up swinging his own sword.  The demon's head tumbled
to the ground, and the illusion that it was Reinhart disappeared.
In reality, it was some sort of humanoid demon.
     "Let's see... that makes Reinhart, Clown, and Azusa," he said
to himself.  He wondered when who ever it was would start in with
his family.  He knew, instinctively, that his enemy was trying
to wear down his resistance.  Afraid now of what might come, what
he knew would come, he hurried along his way, toward the evil
castle.  That was the key to what was happening, he was certain.

Blood Red Moon Resurrection Chapter 6:
     Returning Home

     Disclaimers: All characters belong to their various
copyrights, with the exception of Reinhart Masaki and Rosa
Masaki.  Those two are mine.  Beyond their usage in this story,
I claim no ownership, no rights of creation, no nothing.  Please
don't sue me.
     The Tenchi Muyo Characters in this series are based on the OVA
versions, but don't be surprised if there aren't one or two TV
references.  The characters Carrie Fernandez, Alucard, Death,
Dracula, Maria Renard and Lisa all belong to the Konami Castlevania
series. This cross-over series is placed roughly 17 years in
Tenchi's world, 120 years in Alucard's world after the events in
Blood Red Moon.  Reinhart and Rosa Masaki, the children of Tenchi
and Ryoko, are now young teens.

     "To what profit is it to a man, if he gains the world and
loses his own soul?  Mathew 16:26 I believe." - Dracula, as he dies
at the end of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

*****

     Ayeka scowled at the council, as they argued amongst
themselves about her orders to mobilize their fleet and prepare
for attack.  She had arrived on Jurai just hours ago, and, not even
taking the time to refresh herself, had called a quorum of the
council.  The members had been somewhat irritated, as it was the
middle of the night on Jurai.
     Now they sat and squabbled about the orders - her direct
orders! - As if they would not follow them.  Yet she found herself
wondering, as they continued to fight back and forth.  They always
argued to a point, but about something such as this the fleet
should have already been mostly ready.  Her mouth tightened.
     "Enough!  You seem to think that I have given you something
that you can discuss, or have time to decide.  You do not.  Jurai
does not.  I have told you what is to be done, and now it is to be
done!"  Absolute silence followed, and none of the council members
moved or spoke.  Finally, on the far end of the chamber, Arriman
Valadas stood.  Oldest of the council, he also wielded the most
power among them, under her, of course.
     "Empress Ayeka...  Explain to us why exactly you wish the
fleet readied.  So far you have made only vague references
to what this... threat is."  She stared at him, stunned at his
outright challenge, but recovered quickly.
     "A fair question, and one that I will answer simply.  I don't
know.  Tsunami has warned me of this threat."  Arriman frowned.
     "If this is true, than why is she not here herself?  Surely
it is a grave enough matter for her too... grace us with her
presence."  His mouth twisted around that into an ugly sneer for
just a moment.  Ayeka fought to control the rising anger at his
insolence.
     "Tsunami is preparing herself for the coming battle as we
speak, gathering those who will aide us in our battle."  A low
murmur rose in the council at that, and she nodded, satisfied
that they were finally starting to listen.  Across from her,
though, the elderly council man raised a hand.  The other members
hushed.
     "There is another matter to consider.  Why have you still not
chosen a consort?"  Caught off guard, Ayeka's anger finally broke
free.
     "You would speak of matters as unimportant as a royal consort
when I have ordered you to prepare for an attack on Jurai itself!
That is treason!"
     "No, Empress, it is not.  Perhaps if you had not left Jurai
to waste time on some backwater planet with the commoner rabble,
than you would have finished your training.  Even so, you have had
more than enough time to have read the laws."
     "What are you talking about!"
     "Your power as Empress is limited simply to making requests
of us until you have at the least chosen a consort."  Ayeka stared
at him in pure shock.  "Until now, we have humored your 'orders,'
even that foolery about mixing with the commoners.  But this is too
much!  War is not a game for you to play!"  Silence reigned after
his statement, and many of the council members were looking at him
in surprise themselves.  Ayeka composed herself.  Anger and rage
would not serve her now.
     "I see.  Very well then.  Mark my words well, though.  You are
quite likely dooming Jurai.  If you will not get the fleet ready,
then at least warn the people so that they may leave before it is
too late."  Arriman shook his head.
     "Absurd.  Jurai will last to eternity.  Nothing is foolish
enough to attack us directly."  Ayeka stared him directly in the
eye.
     "We said that seven hundred years ago, and yet we are still
recovering from the attack of the space pirate Ryoko."  With that,
she spun on her heel, and left the council chamber.  She stalked
down the halls of the palace.  Servants that saw her bowed as low
as they could, and wondered if they would be allowed to keep their
heads after seeing that stormy face.
     Upon reaching her quarters, she found herself staring at the
back of a young man.  He had long black hair in the traditional
style, and was wearing a kimono that signaled royal blood.  The
young man was looking around himself slowly.  Without even thinking
about it, she hurled Jurai energy at him, binding him into a force
field.  She rotated him about to face her.  The man was handsome,
she had to admit, and his eyes were the color of Royal Teardrops.
     "Most days, an unexpected guest would be welcome," she
snarled.  "Today, however...  GET OUT!"  She hurled the force field
through her doorway, stranger and all.  The resulting crash was
most satisfying.  It was quite to her surprise when he calmly stood
up, brushed himself off, and returned to the doorway.
     "I take it that the council would not listen to you, Ayeka."
     She stared in disbelief.  That voice was...
     "Yosho?"  He nodded grimly.  Ayeka fainted dead away.

*****

     Carrie woke to find herself in a bed, blankets pulled up and
over her, with absolutely no idea how she had gotten there.  She
sat up, confused, and mentally reviewed the night before.  They had
gone back to the inn after dropping off Reinhart's horse, and she
and Rosa had taken a bath, having a long conversation in the
process.  After that, she had found out from the innkeeper that
Reinhart had left not long before.
     Carrie paused.  Did what she remember next really happen the
night before?  If it hadn't, then it had been the most realistic
dream that she had ever had.  She remembered collecting a small
basket of meat, cheese, and bread, and then, on a hunch, going down
the path to the lake.  She had found Reinhart there, alone,
skipping stones across the water.
     She had gone over, and sat next to him.  They had talked for
awhile, and somehow their conversation had turned to why she had
wanted him to ride with her.  Not really thinking about it, she had
told him.  She had been surprised to find tears on her cheeks by
the time she had finished, but his answer had been even more
surprising.  No matter how much he thought he wasn't any good with
words and feelings, he had somehow understood what she herself
had not understood she was saying.
     Carrie remembered kissing him then, and he had held her
quietly.  She had forgotten her cape at the inn, but although
the night air was a little chill, in his embrace she had felt warm,
and safe.  She felt...  Welcome, a soft, gentle peace that she had
seen before, between Tenchi and Ryoko, and Reinhart and Rosa, but
never really felt herself.  It had been so comforting, and she had
suddenly felt so exhausted, and...  then she had woken up in this
bed.
     "Not exactly what I had in mind for the first time that I fell
asleep in a man's arms," she said to herself, and then grinned.
She felt almost giddy, more alive then she had in a long, long
time.  She got out of the bed, and noticed that she was still fully
dressed.  Sighing, she stretched, and grabbed her cape. Her stomach
growled loudly as she went down the stairs.  She found the common
room populated by Rosa alone, at a table with a cup of tea at her
hand, and another resting near her.  Carrie smiled, and went down
to talk to her.
     "You seem happy this morning," Rosa observed with a hidden
smile.
     "I had... a good experience last night," she answered.
Rosa smirked.
     "Oh?  Is that why I caught Reinhart coming out of your room
in the middle of the night?  I wondered why he had such a pleased
expression on his face."  Carrie felt her cheeks go hot, and knew
that she must be scarlet to her hairline.
     "I don't know what you mean."  Rosa chuckled, and placed a
hand on her shoulder.
     "Don't worry.  I'm only teasing you.  I saw you leaving,
and followed you down.  After all, I have to keep an eye out for
Reinhart's own good, don't I?"  Carrie sighed a breath of relief.
Maybe she wouldn't have any jokes at her expense.
     "You're terrible."  Rosa laughed.
     "Guilty as charged.  So.  How did it feel to fall asleep in
his arms?"  Carrie felt her face go red again, and Rosa laughed
again.
     "Honestly?"  Rosa sobered, and nodded, smiling encouragingly.
"I felt like I was in a place that I had always known.  Safe...
Warm... Comfortable...  It was like I really belonged there, more
than any place I had ever been before.  I felt... welcome."
Rosa stared at her.
     "You really have got it bad, haven't you?"  Carrie looked
at her in confusion, and Rosa smiled.  "Never mind.  It's a saying
from where I come from."
     "What does it mean?"  She laughed.
     "It...  would take too long to explain.  In many ways, you've
seen and done so much more than Reinhart and I.  But in others,
you really are innocent."  Rosa grinned.  "I wonder what mom and
dad will say when we come back with you so attached to Reinhart."
Carrie paused, and realized that she had never stopped to think
that after the finished, they would be going back to their world.
That meant that if she wanted to stay with him, then she would have
to go back with them.  The thought of asking him to stay with her
never entered her mind.  It just wasn't something that she would
consider.
     They heard the steps creaking, and turned to see Reinhart
come down the stairs.  Something about the way he moved spoke of
not getting much sleep the night prior.  Carrie looked at Rosa;
as one, they laughed.  He looked that them, and winced.  Carrie
had the feeling that he knew Rosa would be teasing him for the
prior night endlessly.
     He joined them, and not long after Mistress Tarin appeared,
bearing a tray with eggs, pancakes, bacon and more tea.  Setting
them down with a broad smile, the motherly inn keeper disappeared
into the back once again.  As they ate, Carrie noticed that some
of the tension that she had seen in him around her was gone, yet it
was replaced by something else...  And uncertainty of sorts, and an
air of excitement, though outwardly he seemed no different.
     "The ride to Rosewood is relatively short; we should be there
around midday.  With luck, we could be back here by tonight,"
she said.  They nodded.  Thanking Mistress Tarin, they then left
the inn, collecting their horses as they did.  The sun was a little
more than its own height above the horizon as they walked over to
the blacksmith's shop.  They were pleased to find that he was just
then placing the last nail into West Wind's hoof to hold on the
shoe.  Thanking him, they took the horse, and then mounted up.
     "Why the long face, brother?  Sad you can't ride with Carrie
again?"  Carrie shook her head, hiding a smile.  She was surprised,
though, when Reinhart turned to Rosa.
     "Yes, actually.  I enjoyed myself quite a bit, and I hope that
I'll get the chance to return the favor some time."  She stared
at him in shock, and Carrie laughed, as the tables were turned
on Rosa.  For Reinhart's part, he just kept riding along as if
nothing had happened.

*****

     "But how can this be?" asked Sheann'a.  They had arrived
at the burial ground not long before, and then Drathar had popped
out of a small portal near by.  Alucard had not been best pleased
that the demon had not stayed there, but the demon's explanation
had quickly pardoned him.  He said that he had been summoned
to Hell, and that the Armies of Hell were preparing to strike.
Where had been the real surprise, though:  They were getting ready
to attack Castlevania.
     "I don't know.  When I arrived, I found out that since the
castle has reawoken, no fewer than twelve elder demons have
vanished, with no trace left.  The remaining few have hidden
themselves away, save for Death, who goes about his duties as he
always has."  Alucard frowned.
     "At any other time, I would welcome this news.  But this is
too much of a coincidence.  Next you will tell me that they have
sent messengers to Heaven so as to form an alliance."  Drathar
sighed.
     "They have."  Sheann'a gasped, and even Alucard stared at him,
stunned disbelief painted on his usually stoic face.  "Two of the
saints have disappeared as well.  When I arrived, Gabriel was an
honored guest, and the rumor is that He is considering it.
Strongly."
     "The armies of Heaven and Hell marching as one against
Castlevania.  It will be ground to dust.  Not even Cain could stand
against both!" said Sheann'a.  Drathar shook his head.
     "There is one last thing.  Cain has made himself known.
Demonspawn and angels alike are flocking to him.  He has said that
he intends to end the eternal war forever."
     "The Pendulum of Chaos.  That could be his only intent,"
said Alucard.  His familiars looked at him in confusion.
     "Pendulum of Chaos?  I've never heard of it," said Sheann'a.
He sighed.
     "The Pendulum of Chaos is the ultimate representation
of the eternal struggle of good and evil.  As it swings, so too do
the forces wax and wain in power.  As my father first rose to
power, he discovered it in a text older than time itself.  In his
own way, he did try to fight it, but he knew that he could never
completely destroy it.  For if it is destroyed, so too is this
world.  Neutrality between the forces would create a power vortex
that would rip apart this world, perhaps even the universe."

*****

     "I do not understand how this could be," said Ayeka.  She was
pacing before her brother, and knew that she was still suffering
from the shock of finding Yosho as he was: young, and handsome.
Funaho and Misaki had both been called into the room as well, and
were lounging on a couch.
     "Tsunami... hid me, with her powers, not long after I first
came to Earth.  We both understood that something important
would happen there.  That something is Tenchi, as I'm sure you have
guessed.  All along, I have never really been as old as I seemed.
Ryoko's gems, which were in Tenchi-ken, gave power to my tree, and
thus, to me, sustaining me."
     "Why reveal this now, instead of when I first arrived!"
she asked.  He looked away.
     "Because before now, there had been no reason to, and
because... I asked her not to.  I had long since grown to enjoy
my simple life there, and I knew that if I appeared as you see me
now, I would be required to return here.  Even now, were the
situation not this grave, I would not be here."
     "But why?" she insisted.  He shook his head.
     "That... is not important.  What is important is that we get
the council to listen."
     "I doubt that they will.  I found out just this afternoon
on my way here that Arriman is spearheading an effort to choose
a consort for you.  No doubt once he has succeeded, he will choose
one that will only increase his own power," said Funaho.  Misaki
nodded in agreement.
     "And there is nothing that we can do to stop him, because
he is within his rights as a council member," she said.
     "How dare he!" growled Ayeka.  But she knew that he did.
Arriman had been correct in saying that she should have known.
It was her duty to know the laws, and she had failed in that duty.
Misaki suddenly giggled, drawing their attention.
     "If they want my little girl to have a consort, then who
better then the one she started out with?"  Startled, Ayeka looked
at Yosho, who winced.  Funaho nodded.
     "It would make sense... and then we could be certain of his
support..."  Ayeka nodded slowly in agreement.
     "And the 'act' would be very easy to carry off until I had the
chance to depose Arriman from his all too well entrenched seat."  Three
sets of female eyes turned to him, and he sighed, shaking his head.
     "I used to wonder what Tenchi felt being 'guided' by you and
the rest of the girls.  After experiencing it for myself, I have
come to the conclusion that he can keep it entirely to himself!"

*****

     "Fellow council members, this has gone on long enough!  Yes,
we have a duty to the Empress, but she has a duty to the people!
Therefore-"  Arriman paused as the great double doors that the
Empress used to enter the council chambers swung open.  Proceeded
by Funaho and Misaki, she entered, the traditional braid in her
hair undone so that her hair fell out behind her like a cape.  To
her side and behind her, somebody followed, his form hidden
entirely by the cloak that he wore, even his face.  Slowly, the
murmuring died away.
     "Members of the council.  You are correct in saying that I
have no true power until I have chosen a consort.  Very well then.
As is my duty, I choose."  She turned slightly, and the robbed
figure came forward.  He reached up, and drew back the cowl
covering his face.  A collective gasp passed through the chamber.
     "I present Yosho, son of Funaho and Azusa.  This is the reason
that I went to Earth, to 'waste time on some backwater planet with
the commoner rabble,' as I believe it was put."  Arriman stared
at the young crown prince, and saw all of his plans and plots
falling apart in him.  Yosho looked straight back at him, with a
slightly dangerous glitter in his eye.  None the less, he had no
choice but to complete the ritual.
     "Who stands for this man, as proof of his existence?"
     "I, Misaki, wife of Azusa and Daughter of Jurai stand as one
who saw his birth and welcomed him to life."
     "I, Funaho, wife of Azusa and Daughter of Earth, stand as one
who gave him his life and taught him of his heritage."
     "Than we recognize his existence, and bow to his power.  Long
flows the Water of Life, and may he float with it forever."
The rest of the council repeated the sentiment, while he quickly
tried to think of a way to salvage his position.  It came to him
that the fleet could not be brought out unless the one half of the
council
agreed on it, and he knew that he had at least half the council
behind him, even now.  The Empress waited a few moments, and then
raised her hand.
     "Is the council satisfied?  Will you now ready the fleet?"
Before he could speak, one of the younger members, named Sagami
Yoshimoto, glared at him, and stood.
     "Yes, Empress.  The council extends its most humble apologies
for dragging this out as we did.  The fleet will be mobilized
within the hour.  Do you have any other wishes?"  Ayeka nodded
to him slightly.
     "Yes.  As I told you, I do not know exactly what this threat
is.  Not even Tsunami could be very clear to what may be attacking
us.  If the fleet fails, then Jurai may be destroyed.  All of her
people are to be evacuated to a safe location as quickly as
possible.  If we can not hold with the fleet, than Jurai's people
will be safe."  A low murmur rose in the council then, at the
seriousness in her tones.  Sagami bowed low.
     "It will be as you wish, Empress."  Slowly, the council began
to flow out of the chamber, Arriman with them.  Just before
exiting, he paused, and looked back.  Empress Ayeka scowled at him,
and he hurried the rest of the way out as fast as dignity would
allow.

*****

     As they trotted up to the outskirts of Rosewood, Rosa found
herself tilting her head back further and further.  In the center
of the town, a huge church rose high above the plain.  The tallest
two towers almost hurt to look up at.  The sun had just reached
its midpoint, and the ancient church bells rang out the hour.  It
was in many ways the same as Castlevania's sound, deep, powerful,
and beautifully clear, but at the same time, different.  There was
no dread in the sound of these bells, only comfort.
     "For centuries, Rosewood has been considered a holy place.
It is said that the first known Belmont, Sonia, was born here, on
the very spot where the altar in the church is now," Carrie told
them.  She led them through the town slowly.  Everywhere,
people moved and bustled.  They reached the far side of the town,
which overlooked a small valley.
     "I don't believe it!" exclaimed Rosa.  In the center of the
valley, one tree stood high above the others.  Its emerald foliage
spread out above a small, cleared area, in which a large white
building rested.
     "What?" asked Carrie, confused.  Reinhart moved up next to
her, and pulled rein.
     "How long has that tree been there?"  She frowned in thought.
     "I think that the first time I saw it was when Reinhart
was buried there.  Come to think of it, the tree grew amazingly
fast.  The first time I came here, there was nothing but the burial
ground."  Reinhart nodded.
     "That is a Juraian tree, and very likely the one that you are
linked to."  Carrie looked at it again in surprise.
     "That is what has kept me as I am?"  He nodded again, and they
started down the trail.  They were only partly down when Rosa
sensed a presence around them.  She twisted in her saddle, looking
about slowly.  Nothing moved, save the bushes that swayed just
slightly in the wind.  Rosa frowned, and evened up with the other
two.
     "I think that we're being watched," she said quietly.  She
told them quickly about the wolf and small girl with wings from the
night before.  Carrie nodded.
     "A vampire, it sounds like.  But are you certain about the
fairy?  None of their kind would travel with a vampire," she said.
Rosa nodded.  "Well, we know not to be off guard."  Rosa frowned.
     "I thought that vampires couldn't stand sunlight."  Carrie
nodded.
     "Some can't.  Your namesake couldn't when she was a vampire.
But the more powerful ones can, although they are not as powerful
as they would be during the night."  They kept riding along the
trail.  Rosa listened carefully, but couldn't hear the rhythmic
beating of wings that had signaled the fairy's presence the night
before.  She had obviously learned not to fly while spying.
     "We're nearly inside the burial ground.  He won't be able to
follow us in there.  I'm amazed that he is as close as he is."
Reinhart nodded, and then slowly looked around.  Rosa silently
agreed with him.  Where the path had felt safe before, now it felt
almost confining.
     Soon, they found themselves before a tall stone arch.  Great
marble archangels stood to either side of it, huge stone swords
held in a defensive posture, expressions of defiance etched forever
into the stone, huge feather wings seeming almost ready to take
them to the skies.
     "The legend says that the morning after Sonia Belmont was
buried here, these two statues were found as they are now.  The
arch was added later.  It is said that when a great evil has come
to the land, they cry, and that those tears can heal even the
gravest of injuries, or bring parched lands back to fertility
overnight," said Carrie.
     They dismounted, tethering their horses to the trees, and
entered the sacred place.  An almost unearthly calm filled the
burial ground.  The birds chirped quietly.  Tall marble stones,
carven into statues of the people whose graves they marked rose
from the ground.  Carrie led them slowly through, naming each as
they passed by.  Finally, they came to two statues next to each
other.  One was of the man with the whip that had been in the
statue back in Carrie's home town.  The other was of a lovely young
woman with long hair.  The two statues were just under the shade
of the tree.
     "These are the last two graves that will ever be placed here.
Reinhart and Rosa Schnieder, last of the Belmont bloodline to be
buried."  They paused for a moment there, while she paid her
respects, and then they walked to tree.  Reinhart looked at it
closely.
     "May I see your staff for a moment?"  Carrie handed it to him,
and rapped the top against the trunk three times.  Tiny beams of
light shot down from the leaves, forming a shimmering curtain.
     They saw Tenchi appear in the middle of the burial ground,
with Tenchi-ken in hand.  The sword was glowing brightly.  He held
it out before him, and then released it.  The sword remained
floating before him.  He closed his eyes, and the twin gems on his
wrists glittered.  The sword flashed brightly, and then dove into
the ground.  Where it touched, a tree suddenly sprouted out,
growing until it was nearly twice as tall as Tenchi.  After a
moment, Tenchi-ken reappeared before him.
     Taking the sword in hand, he tapped the trunk three times.
Three pieces of wood floated down from above him: A long, straight
piece, a wide, circular piece, and a small block.  He nodded,
and the pieces floated to the ground.  He sat down, picking up the
small block, and raised Tenchi-ken.  A small, knife-like blade
appeared, and he began to carefully carve.
     The scene flickered, and suddenly he was holding the
unfinished form of Carrie's staff.  As they watched, he placed
the last touches into the design, and then stood, stretching.
Turning, he pulled a small, smooth blue stone out from his pocket,
and placed it on the top.  Then he tapped it against the tree, and
the staff glowed blue for a moment.  When the glow died off, the
wood had been darkened, and polished, and the purple metal that the
stone was set in had appeared.  He repeated this process with the
other two pieces, a cross and a headpiece, and then smiled.  He
yawned widely, and then disappeared.  The light curtain
disappeared.
     "What was that?" asked Carrie, as Reinhart handed the staff
back to her.
     "The tree's memory.  In this case, where it came from and how
dad made your staff.  Juraian trees are partly sentiant.  Aunt
Ayeka has a first-generation tree-ship called Ryou-oh.  The ship
is run and powered by one of these trees," explained Rosa.  Carrie
nodded, although by her expression she didn't really understand.
On the point of explaining herself further, she saw a movement
out of the corner of her eye.  She turned, hand snapping up with
a fireball ready.
     A tall man, with long white hair, knelt before one of the
graves.  He wore black and red enameled armor, and had a long,
black cape with crimson red underlining.  On the point of lowering
her hand, she saw, sitting on his shoulder, the fairy she had seen
with the black wolf.  Leaning up against another gravestone,
a gray skinned creature with leathery bat wings, a pitchfork,
and a pointed tail waited.
     For a moment, everything was silent, as the man finished
setting down whatever it was he was setting down.  Rosa noted that
the grave he stood before belonged to that of a woman, Maria
Renard, who had apparently lived about two hundred and twenty years
before and challenged Castlevania with Richter Belmont.  Then,
Carrie stepped forward, staff held in both hands in a defensive
position.
     "Why have you been following us, and why do you travel with
both a fairy and a demon familiar?" she called.  The man was silent
a moment more, and then stood, picking up a shield that Rosa hadn't
noticed before.  Emblemized on it was a bat with the sun on its
back.  Rosa heard Carrie gasp in recognition.
     "No...  It can't be..." she breathed in amazement.  Rosa
looked at her in curiosity.
     "What is it, Carrie?  Do you recognize him?"  She nodded
slowly.
     "Not him, personally, but the seal on his shield is that of
Adrian Farienhights Tepes, or rather, of Alucard, the son of
Dracula."  Startled, Rosa looked back at him.  He cleared his
throat.
     "I've followed you because you seem to be after the Whip,
though none of you are of the Belmont blood."  Rosa blinked at the
deep voice.  He was rather handsome, but there was a coldness
to his voice that gave her a chill.  No, she reflected, not a
coldness... an emptiness.  "You are correct.  I am Alucard.  Tell
me, why do you seek the Whip?"
     "An evil man named Cain has raised Castlevania.  We have come
here because we believe that the Whip is key in destroying
him," answered Carrie evenly.  "I am Carrie Fernandez, and these
are Reinhart and Rosa Masaki, children of Tenchi and Ryoko Masaki."
Rosa noticed vivid shock on the faces of the fairy and the demon
as Carrie named herself.  Alucard nodded.
     "An honor to meet the offspring of the man that finally ended
my father's evil."  There was a dignity, she decided, to him, a
dignity that reminded her greatly of Ayeka.  "I see that you know
of my son, as well."  Now it was their turn to be surprised.
     "Cain is your child?" asked Carrie.  He nodded, frowning.
     "By Maria Renard.  Through... circumstances that I could not
control, I did not know until I woke up.  I went to sleep believing
her dead.  After I awoke, my familiars told me that she had
survived, and had a son.  Now, however, that I know, I too am going
to the castle.  We came here first because I sensed the Belmont
power, and feared it might be Cain trying to retrieve the Whip."
Carrie frowned.
     "Why would he want the whip?"
     "He is of both Dracula's bloodline and the Belmont bloodline.
Already, he has claimed Castlevania, the most powerful symbol of my
father's power."
     "And by claiming the Whip, he would become even more powerful,
because he would be claiming the other half of his power," said
Reinhart.  Alucard nodded, and Carrie shuddered.
     "I've felt his power once already.  If that wasn't his full
power..."  she trailed off, shuddering again.
     "You have been hit by one of his spells and survived?  You
must be as strong as Sypha!" said the fairy in dulcet tones.  She
flew over, and looked at Carrie closely.  "Now that I get a good
look at you, you do resemble her.  But how can you be Carrie
Fernandez?  You'd have to be over a hundred years old, and frankly,
you're just too young to be the woman I saw at the Mage's Coven
a few years ago."  Carrie grinned suddenly, and for a moment,
she was ancient again.  The fairy flew backwards in surprise,
and then Carrie dropped the illusion.
     "A hundred twenty seven, in two months time.  Of all the
magical beings, I would expect you, a fairy, to know that anything
can be illusion.  But I'll grant you are right.  According to my
companions, it has something to do with being linked to this tree."
The fairy nodded slowly.
     "My apologies for my familiar's rudeness.  She is sometimes
a little too frank in her statements.  She is Sheann'a, and the
demon is Drathar," said Alucard.  Sheann'a, as he had named her,
turned to Alucard; was it her imagination, or was the fairy
sticking her tongue out at him?  Reinhart cleared his throat.
     "Not that I'm trying to be rude, but we have need to hurry
on this mission," he said quietly.  Rosa nodded, and Alucard looked
at them.
     "I came here expecting to fight Cain.  Now it seems that I may
have found allies in my fight.  I would consider it an honor
to join with you in our common battle."  Reinhart looked at them,
and they nodded.
     "The honor is ours," he said, stepping forward and offering
him his hand.  Alucard clasped it firmly.
     "The question still remains:  How to get the Whip.  I think
that it will be safer in our hands."  Alucard nodded in agreement,
as she led them over to the huge building.  There were no seams
or windows, and no decorations beyond the gigantic crest of the
Belmonts.
     "When Sypha and I created this spell, it was intended to seal
forever once Dracula was dead forever, as it has."  Carrie nodded,
and looked at the building closely.  Rosa got the feeling that she
wasn't looking at the building itself, but at something around
it.
     "This weave is incredible.   I don't think that it's possible
to slip a thread of magic through to try and open it.  Hmm... both
black and white forms used... wait a moment...  What is this weave
here?" she asked, pointing at roughly the center of the Belmont
crest.  Alucard frowned, and looked at it.
     "That is the remnants of the weave that allowed those of the
Belmont bloodline to enter and retrieve the whip."  Carrie looked
at him.
     "Your weaving, or Sypha's?"
     "Sypha's.  At the time, I did not have the control needed
to weave that form of magic."  Carrie nodded.
     "I think that that is our only chance.  But if only the
Belmonts could pass it..."  She sighed, and then looked at Rosa.
Her eyes widened.  "Your pendant is glowing!"  Rosa looked down.
The small stone was flickering fitfully, but it was glowing softly.
Rosa frowned a moment, and looked around.  Her eyes fell on the
grave stone marking her namesake.  She grinned.
     "I've got it!  Reinhart, do you remember what Ayeka told us
about objects picking up impressions of their owners?"  He nodded,
and then his eyes widened.
     "You're a genius," he said, taking Tenchi-ken off his belt.
Alucard, Carrie, and the familiars were staring at them.  Reinhart
jogged over to the tree, as Rosa took off the pendant.  She held
it out in the air before her, as Reinhart rapped on the trunk.  For
a moment, the tree did nothing, and then slowly, it began to
shimmer.  Softly at first, it brightened.  Rosa carefully let go of
the necklace; it hung in midair, the jewel starting to glow
brighter and brighter.  Slowly, the chain began to spread out,
until it looked like it was being worn.
     With a sudden blaze of light, the tree fired several thick
beams of energy down.  They met at the sapphire, and spread out.
Slowly, the ghostly image of a woman formed.  She was very
beautiful, her hair falling to her waist.  The woman wore a loosely
fitting dress, and a band of gold circled her finger.  Carrie,
not far away, was staring in shock at the image.  She solidified
somewhat, and then opened her eyes.  The woman looked around,
confused.  She saw Reinhart, Rosa, and then, last, Carrie.
     "Rosa?  Is it you?" asked the sorceress.  The woman grinned.
     "In a way.  We've been watching you, for a long time.  The
kids miss you, but they know that it isn't time yet.  Look, I
haven't gotten much time, so I'll try to keep this short.  We miss
you, but don't you dare think of joining us any time soon, alright?
We can wait."  Rosa glanced at Reinhart.  "You've lived to fight
long enough.  Now, live to live."  Carrie nodded.  The specter
moved forward, and hugged her.  Although she was a little startled
at first, Carrie smiled, and hugged back.  The ghost turned to
Rosa, and smiled, as Reinhart walked up beside her.
     "I never thought I'd meet Ryoko and Tenchi's children.
If Reinhart were here he'd probably be wondering where they were.
I wish that we could help more than just this, but...  Well, we'll
do what we can."  She looked at Reinhart, and pitched her voice
so that only they could hear.  "Please, take care of her.  I can't
think of anybody more loving than your parents, and I can tell that
passed down to you.  She's earned it."  Reinhart nodded solemnly.
Rosa smiled, and then turned, to Alucard.
     "I've got one last message, and then I'll open the door.
Maria said... to let go.  She knows it isn't your fault, either...
what happened after she was attacked, or Cain.  She asked me to
tell you that she was with you, and that when the time came, to let
go of her, and move on."   Alucard bowed to her, face impassive,
although Sheann'a and Drathar were looking at him with concern.
     "Thank you, M'Lady.  I...  would apologize for the travesty
that my father committed against you in making you a vampire."
Rosa smiled.
     "It was not your fault, nor his.  His servant captured me, and
his servant was paid back in kind."  Alucard blinked, and looked
at her.  She smiled, and shook her head.  "I am sorry, I don't have
the time to explain."  Rosa turned to the tomb, and walked forward.
She raised her hand, and as she touched the crest, the pendant
blazed to a bright light.  Down the center of the crest, a line
appeared.  Slowly, the ancient seal swung open, to reveal a small,
lighted room.  In the center, the whip rested.
     "Quickly.  I can not hold the door open for long."  Reinhart
nodded, and entered.  He reached the whip, and picked it up.  For
a moment, it glowed white, and then the glow died away.  Reinhart
blinked in surprise, and then turned, quickly leaving.  The doors
swung shut.  The ghost looked at them.  She appeared substantially
less there, but she turned to Rosa again, her hand going to the
necklace.
     "Thank you.  Please, take care of both this and the bracelet.
Ryoko was a good friend.  Please... say goodbye to her for me."
The specter carefully removed the necklace, and then replaced
it around Rosa's neck.  She nodded, and then smiled, then looked
at Carrie.
     "Keep them out of trouble, and remember:  We're waiting,
but only when you're ready."  Carrie nodded, and smiled.  Slowly,
the ghost walked to the tree.  Just before touching it, she turned,
and smiled at them again.  Then, she stepped into the trunk, and
disappeared.  The light that the tree was giving off faded away.
Reinhart looked at them, the Whip firmly held in his grasp.
     "I think it's time to pay a visit to Mr. Cain."

Blood Red Moon Resurrection Chapter 7:
     Calm Winds, Stormy Clouds

     Disclaimers: All characters belong to their various
copyrights, with the exception of Reinhart Masaki and Rosa Masaki.
Those two are mine.  Beyond their usage in this story, I claim no
ownership, no rights of creation, no nothing.  Please don't sue me.
     The Tenchi Muyo Characters in this series are based on the OVA
versions, but don't be surprised if there aren't one or two TV
references.  The characters Carrie Fernandez, Alucard, Death,
Dracula, Maria Renard and Lisa all belong to the Konami Castlevania
series. This cross-over series is placed roughly 17 years in
Tenchi's world, 120 years in Alucard's world after the events in
Blood Red Moon.  Reinhart and Rosa Masaki, the children of Tenchi
and Ryoko, are now young teens.

     "To what profit is it to a man, if he gains the world and
loses his own soul?  Mathew 16:26 I believe." - Dracula, as he dies
at the end of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

*****

     Ryoko stood up, stretching.  It had been five days, now, and
there had been no word from the children, no change in Tenchi.
Tsunami, still in her trance, was beginning to look haggard,
tired.  Ryoko knew that the goddess was starting to lose her
strength, and wondered uneasily if she would be able to maintain
the energy web long enough.
     Fears had begun to crawl about inside her more boldly.  Losing
Tenchi, and the children.  Her dreams had started to become
troubled.  Just that morning, she had awoken from a nightmare,
where she had been under Dracula's control again.  She still
remembered that short, terrifying time vividly.  In his grasp,
she had thrown Tenchi from the spire of Castlevania.  For two years
after, she had spent some nights screaming in terror as she dreamed
of that, over and over again.
     Now, those dreams were coming back, slowly, but surely.  Only
through an effort of will had she not given into them already.
In her mind, she kept trying to rationalize what was happening,
to try and stop them, but it was no use.  There was no
rationalization to this.  Looking again at her husband, she hoped
that she herself would have enough strength to hold them at bay.
     "Mom?"  Ryoko turned as Mayuka entered the room, and smiled.
What a change from the girl that Yuzuha had sent to them, in order
to trap and kill Tenchi.  She still had the same joy, the same...
pureness was all Ryoko could call it, yet tempered with that was a
real life, instead of just programmed memories.  She had grown into
a strong, fun loving woman, yet one with sense that escaped most,
and deep understanding.
     "What is it?" asked Ryoko, noticing her concerned expression.
Mayuka bit her lip.
     "I don't really know if it's important or not, but last night
I had a very strange, but very real feeling dream.  I saw Reinhart
and Rosa, and a young lady - very beautiful.  They were walking
on a path, and a strange man with white hair joined them.  Half of
his face was lighted, but the other half seemed like it was in a
shadow.  They welcomed him, and together, they continued.
     "Up ahead of them on the path was a castle.  It...  frightened
me, just the appearance of it, but not nearly as much as the figure
before it.  I couldn't make out his face, it was hidden.  But when
I saw him, I saw the path that Reinhart and the others were on
split apart.  As they reached it, another copy of Rosa and the
strange man both appeared.  But Reinhart and the young lady each
went down a different side of the fork, with one of the pairs of
Rosa and the man."  She came to a stop, frowning.
     "Somehow, I'm not sure how I know, but I'm certain that the
faceless man is going to hurt Reinhart and the young woman.  I just
knew it, when I saw them split up."  Ryoko frowned, and was about
to answer, when they heard another voice.
     "A... dream of the... paths that may be..." croaked Tsunami.
They turned, to see the goddess looking at them through tired eyes.
"May I have some water?"  Ryoko filled a glass from a pitcher
that Washu had left in the room, and brought it over to her.
Tsunami swallowed it down quickly.  "Thank you, Ryoko."  She
nodded.
     "What do you mean, 'the paths that may be?'" asked Mayuka.
Tsunami looked at her.
     "The... vision that you described was a picture of what may
happen.  Likely it is a gift from Yuzuha that hadn't manifested
itself until now.  You have been worried about Reinhart and Rosa;
subconsciously, you reached across the dimensional veil and looked
at what might happen."  Mayuka nodded slowly, and Ryoko frowned.
     "Can you remember anything else clearly about the dream?"
Mayuka frowned a moment, and then nodded.
     "The young lady...  Her hair and eyes were like yours.  Cyan
tresses, and golden eyes like a wolf's."  She paused a moment,
and then suddenly lit up.  "And she and Reinhart stayed very, very
close together, actually touching at one point, until they reached
the fork and split up."  Ryoko nodded, grinning.
     "Cyan hair and golden eyes?  That has to be Carrie.  Close
to Reinhart, and he wasn't stumbling over his own feet?"  Mayuka
nodded.  "Hmm...  Close to her and then touching her for a short
time...  I wonder if that means what I think it does..." she mused,
and looked at Tsunami.  The goddess shrugged, shaking her head.
Ryoko looked back at Mayuka.  "But I don't understand the rest of
it.  Are you certain that was all?"  Mayuka though hard for a
moment.
     "There... was some sort of robed figure at the fork.  He had
wings, and a scythe...  There was something uncertain about him,
though...  I'm not sure.  That's all I remember."  But that little
bit was all Ryoko needed to understand the rest.
     "Death...  You saw Death, Mayuka," said Ryoko calmly.  Too
calmly, she was aware.  It made sense.  The fork, Reinhart and
Carrie continuing on separate paths with the others.  Mayuka
gasped, as she came to the same conclusions as Ryoko, and Tsunami
blinked, frowning.  Why was she so calm, she wondered.  Shouldn't
she be a nervous wreak now?  But it wasn't shock, Ryoko knew.  She
didn't understand, even so.
     "We have to do something, Mother!"  Ryoko blinked, and shook
her head.
     "There is nothing that we can do, nothing but wait, and hope.
Wait, and pray that it was just a nightmare."  She looked at
Tsunami.  The goddess looked at her with sad eyes, and shook her
head almost imperceptibly.  Just as Ryoko had known that she would.

*****

     Tenchi stepped into the room slowly.  When the portal had
appeared before him, he had paused, sensing something familiar
there.  Something had drawn him toward it.  Now that he was inside,
he did recognize the room.  Hundreds and hundreds of toys were
piled high against the walls, everything from stuffed bears to
futuristic seeming robots.  In the center of the room, what
appeared to be a little girl with silver hair sat with her back to
him.  He approached her carefully, his energy sword ready.
     "It is hard enough to maintain this shelter without having
to fend off an attack from you," said Yuzuha suddenly.  Startled,
he stopped and looked at her.  She turned toward him, then.  "Most
would have gone mad out there by now, put through this hell.  I
couldn't have come up with something this bad on the best of days!"
He stared at her, raising his sword again.
     "How did you get here?  For that matter, where is here?"  She
grinned, showing her fangs.
     "Where we are isn't too tough, princey-boy.  Inside you.
Sorry to tell you prince charming, but you seem to have contracted
another slight case of vampirism.  How did I get here?  That's
a little tougher."  She gestured, and there was suddenly a chair
next to him.  He looked at it warily, but did finally sit down.
     "As best as I can tell, it was a side effect of using your
Light Hawk Sword against me.  It pulled a piece of me in when you
destroyed my body."  He blinked.  "That Kagato guy is here too -
seems he's helping who ever it is that is running that castle,
and so is a little of Dracula."  She barked out a rough laugh.
"Hope you don't mind, but you're going to have to live with your
past demons."
     "Then why are you here, seemingly to help me?"  She grinned
humorlessly.
     Two simple reasons.  One, it's in my best interests.  Two, if
you die, I die.  Ok, so there really isn't much difference
there, but what are you gonna do about it?"
     "How do I know that you aren't just another of the enemies
here?"  She sighed.
     "Do you really think that the thing running this show would
use me, an enemy you've already killed, to try and attack you?  It
would be a bit of a waste, since you already know that I was
against you."  He nodded.  "I can't say who or what is doing this,
because I honestly don't know.  It isn't Dracula - he entered
the castle not long after it appeared, with the intentions
to stop this.  Kagato is helping it, but he isn't the leader.
And I'm here, as you can see."  Tenchi frowned, and then stood to
leave.  Just before he did, though, she called to him.
     "I really did love him, you know, and I'm glad that you have
taken care of Mayuka," she said softly.  He looked at her a moment.
     "That is the only reason I'm putting any trust in you at all."
Then he stepped back into the nightmare.  Yuzuha looked after him
with an almost pitying expression.

*****

     As they rode back into her home town of Winchester, Carrie
breathed a long sigh of relief.  The traveling that day had been
somewhat slow, and they had left Timberton a little later than she
had hoped.  The sun had already set, and she did not want to be out
after dark, for fear of being attacked.  Tucked safely into her
pack, the Whip waited, safely hidden.  Around them, streetlights
burned cheerily, lighting the way.
     It had been a long trip back.  Alucard had told them what he
could about the danger they faced.  The more he had said, the more
ill she had become.  If Alucard was right, and Cain's target was
this Pendulum of Chaos, then their mission was more important
that she had first thought.  When he had said that Heaven and Hell
were forming and alliance, she had all but fallen from her saddle
in shock.  Reinhart had been close enough to her and had given her
a steadying hand.
     At the thought of Reinhart, she smiled.  Over the past three
days, they had drawn closer in earnest.  The last of his unease
had disappeared, and he was now comfortable being as close to her
as she generally tried to be, which in some cases meant all but in
his skin.  At Eagle's Point, she had packed a second small basket,
and then he had held her as he floated down the sheer cliff.
     It had been one thing to know that he could fly; another
entirely to be carried down in his arms.  The feeling of the wind
rushing against her face had at first been startling, and then
rather exciting.  He had held her with an arm about her waist,
firmly, but not uncomfortably.  They had spent a peaceful,
uninterrupted evening there.
     Which was why she was concerned now.  After returning to their
rooms, and going to sleep, she had had a strange, almost
surrealistic dream.  She had been on the path to Castlevania,
and came to a fork.  Down one path, she had seen the Reinhart
and Rosa that had died so long ago, and their children with them.
The group had been looking at her with pained, but welcoming
eyes.
     Down the other, she had seen herself, Rosa, Alucard and his
familiars.
One by one, they had faded away, until only herself had remained,
facing away so that she couldn't see her face.  Yet, at the same
time, that person hadn't seemed to be her anymore.  She was
shadowy, indistinct.  That Carrie had turned to face her - instead
of her own face, she had seen Actrise.
     The strange dream troubled her, because it had held a feeling
of dread.  She had awoken in a cold sweat, to find that it was only
a short time after she had first gone to sleep.  She had lain
awake, trying to puzzle it out, but to no avail.  Eventually,
she had fallen asleep again, but it had not been a very restful
one.
     She was certain that it meant something, a warning of some
sort that concerned her.  The strange absence of Reinhart from
herself and the others left her chilled inside.  Sighing, she
wondered if she had just been shaken up by seeing Rosa, ghostly
as she had been.  It had been shocking to see her appear, and to
hear her message had been even more so.
     Carrie sighed again, and then looked at their new companions.
Alucard walked alongside them calmly, in his human form at the
moment.  In order to keep up with them, while they rode on the
trail, he would run in wolf form.  It had been somewhat
unsettling, at first, to seem him change, but now it almost seemed
normal.  Sheann'a rode on his shoulder.  The fairy was talkative,
but also deeply cared for him.  She had a good sense of humor,
and Rosa and she had hit it off instantly.  One would finish the
other's thoughts.
     Drathar floated along nearby.  The demon was quieter, more
moody than his fairy counterpart.  For the most part, he let
Sheann'a do the talking - which she all too happily did - but when
he did say something, it was well thought out.  The demon was
rather opposite of most of his kind that Carrie had met, trustable
and honorable.
     In many ways, she had come to the conclusion that they were
as much representations of the two halves of his bloodline as they
were the only family he had.  Sheann'a, his human side, bright
and energetic.  Drathar, his darker side, quiet, and methodical.
     Alucard himself was an enigma to her.  Outwardly, he was
composed, dignified, and serious to the point of being cold.
Almost, she reflected, what she might have been, had it not been
for Reinhart and Rosa's friendship long ago.  He wore his
stoicism like an armor about him, keeping them from coming too
close.  Yet, at times, something would slip through, a faint smile,
or a nearly warm comment.  Alucard was a living legend, yet Carrie
sensed that he much rather would have never been involved.  She
sensed a pain akin to hers in him, of losing those he loved.  They
trotted up to the stables, and Jarl hobbled up to meet them,
grinning toothlessly.
     "Welcome back, Carrie!  I see you seem to have found what you
were looking for."  She smiled, as they dismounted.
     "Thank you, old friend.  We never would have gotten this far
without your help."  He grinned again, as his stable hands came up
to lead the horses away.  Bidding them farewell, she led them back
across town, to her home.
     "We should get as much rest tonight as we can, because
starting tomorrow we likely will not get another chance to sleep."
Rosa, beside her, yawned, stretching.
     "You'll have no argument from me," she said, and then
disappeared up the stairs.  Alucard bowed to them.
     "I must feed, but I will return in the morning.  Good
evening."  He morphed into wolf form, and flashed away into the
night.  Sheann'a and Drathar looked at them, shrugged, and then
flew off after him.  She turned to Reinhart, who was the only one
left.  He smiled gently.
     "What's wrong?  You should be happy to be back home, but you
almost seem afraid of it."  She sighed, and looked away.
     "It's nothing."  He raised an eyebrow.
     "You realize, of course, that by saying that, you're all but
screaming that something is bothering you."  Carrie frowned,
but finally nodded.
     "I should have known better than to have tried hiding
something from you.  I don't know, it probably is nothing, but last
night I had a very strange dream.  Probably just a bad case of
nerves."  He frowned.
     "Were you standing on a path, and just ahead of you was a
fork?  Down one side, did you see yourself, Rosa, and Alucard,
but they slowly faded out until only you were left?"  She stared
at him in surprise, nodding slowly.
     "How did you know?"
     "I had one too.  Only it was more than a dream...  I don't
know.  If Tsunami were here, she could probably explain it to us.
She understands strange dreams."  She moved toward him a little.
     "It worries me, though.  I don't like ominous dreams,
especially when I'm not the only one having them."  She rubbed
her hands over her arms at the sudden chill she felt.  He placed
an arm around her, and drew her closer.  She leaned into his body,
soaking in the warmth she felt there.
     "Listen to me, Carrie.  We don't know what will happen
tomorrow, or any day after that.  Rosa and I came here expecting
to battle Dracula, beat him, and then go back home having stopped
dad's curse.  But it is more than that now.  Your entire world at
stake, if Alucard is right."  She sighed, looking away.
     "We don't have the right to get you involved in this.
Reinhart and I pulled your parents into it when they came here,
and it almost cost them everything.  It's still costing them."
He touched her chin, and gently turned her to face him.
     "Rosa and I came here to save dad.  But even if he hadn't
been hurt, even if we had only ended up here by accident, like they
did, I would still be right here, to fight with you, and so would
Rosa.  If the world is at stake, and we can help, than we will."
Carrie looked at him in surprise.  His words were exactly the same
as Tenchi's from so long before.
     "I..."  she started, but her voice caught in her throat.
He watched her quietly, his brown eyes gentle and comforting,
and she looked away, unable to face that gaze.  "I'm afraid of
it... happening again.  Of losing the ones that I care for again.
Every time I...  I let somebody get... get close, they die.  I
don't want it to happen again!" she said, tears suddenly welling
up from deep within her.
     She suddenly found herself held close to him.  That feeling
of warmth, of being welcome was there, a soothing gentleness
that called to her.  She lay her head against his chest and cried,
long, wracking sobs born of a pain that she had held in for far too
long.  She felt his hand on the back of her head, gently stroking
her hair.
     Slowly, she felt the pain, the fear begin to drain out of her.
It was gradual, a process that she couldn't begin to explain,
but still, she could feel it ebbing out of her.  Every tear drop
she shed rid her of a little more, each sharp sob cleansing
her just a bit.  Through it all, he quietly held her, his presence
calming and reassuring.
     When the tears had finally stopped, all that was left was a
strange emptiness where the pain had been, a hole in herself that
ached to be filled.  She rested her head against his chest,
listening to his heart beat.  His shirt was wet where she had been
crying, but it didn't seem to matter.  The only thing that mattered
to her at that moment was the constant, soothing beat of his heart
and the feeling of his arms around her, cradling her against him.
Slowly, though, she did look up at him, with eyes red and stinging
from her tears.  He smiled softly.
     "Feeling better?" he asked.  She nodded slowly.  "I told you
that we don't know what will happen tomorrow, and we don't.  But I
do know one thing, and that is that I will not leave you, and
neither will Rosa.  I promise you that.  It won't happen again,"
he said quietly.  For a moment, she stared at him, and then,
slowly, they moved together.  Their lips met, and they kissed.
A terrible, burning desire filled her, and she clung fiercely
to him.  The kiss broke, and they looked at each other again.  In
his eyes, a simple question waited her.
     For a moment, she though about what it might mean, what might
come of it.
     She nodded, slowly, her eyes wide.
     They kissed again, and that was the last coherent thought
that she had for the rest of the night.

*****

     Alucard stalked up near the doe slowly.  The animal had
scented him, he was certain, because it had become uneasy in the
past few minutes.  He waited for a few moments, as she decided
that there was nothing to fear, and settled back down.  Then he
jumped out of hiding, and caught the animal.
     As he fed, he considered his companions.  Carrie was much like
Sypha, both in beauty and in intelligence.  But unlike her
ancestor, Carrie was also physically strong.  Sypha, though she had
not been weak, had not been very sturdy, like many mages in that
age.  Of the three, she was the quietest.  A natural strength
ran in her, something that kept her going through the worst.
     Rosa was the trickster of their small group.  She had a razor
sharp wit, much like Sheann'a, and the two were already almost
like two sides of a coin.  But he sensed a deep set honor within
her, a determination.  That determination would keep her going,
he was sure, even through events that would stop many cold.
     Reinhart intrigued him.  The young man carried an air of
ability about him, yet he didn't acknowledge it, almost as if he
didn't realize that it was there.  He fended off joke after joke
from his sister, letting her implications slide past him.  Alucard
respected that ability in him.
     Still, for all of the comments that she made about him,
Alucard could see that the two of them needed each other.  Her free
spiritedness was tempered by his seriousness.  The two of them made
a team that he would be glad to not have to fight.  As Death had
said, the aura around both of them, while separate, seemed to flow
together.  The potential power in that aura was stunning, and they
were no where near their full abilities yet.
     He finished his meal, and lay the drained corpse back down.
Straightening, he turned to see his familiars waiting for him.
Drathar leaned against a tree, and Sheann'a sat on one of the lower
branches, grinning.  He raised an eyebrow at her.
     "Speak your mind."
     "It's you.  I know that you'll never admit it, but you're
almost enjoying this.  Traveling again, with friends."  He looked
at her coolly.
     "This battle is no different than our last.  I do what I
must."  She sighed, her grin fading a little.
     "I will never understand why you refuse to live a little.
You can't tell me that you don't like the idea of doing this with
allies, instead of alone.  You're slipping Alucard; you were almost
nice to Rosa earlier today."  He frowned at her.
     "You are suggesting..."  Sheann'a sighed again, shaking her
head.
     "Never mind.  What do you think of the two young lovebirds?"
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, much to his surprise.
     "I think that is their business, and none of ours."  She
laughed.
     "Not a chance, Alucard.  Thoughts."  He sighed.
     "I hope that they... do what they need to do tonight, before
we enter the castle.  They may not have another chance."  She
nodded, slowly.
     "You're thinking about her, aren't you?"  He nodded, looking
away.
     "The young spirit's message... unsettles me somewhat."
Frowning, he looked back at them.  "But there is a time and place
to consider that, and that time is not now.  Now what must be
foremost in our minds is that attack on the castle, and what we may
face inside."  Sheann'a looked at him sadly.
     "Sometimes, you have to make the time now."

Blood Red Moon Resurrection Chapter 8:
     Heart's Blood

     Disclaimers: All characters belong to their various
copyrights, with the exception of Reinhart Masaki and Rosa Masaki.
Those two are mine.  Beyond their usage in this story, I claim no
ownership, no rights of creation, no nothing.  Please don't sue me.
Comments, quips, insults, and death threats will only be accepted
at Platinum_Dragon@usinternet.com
     The Tenchi Muyo Characters in this series are based on the OVA
versions, but don't be surprised if there aren't one or two TV
references.  The characters Carrie Fernandez, Alucard, Death,
Dracula, Maria Renard and Lisa all belong to the Konami Castlevania
series. This cross-over series is placed roughly 17 years in
Tenchi's world, 120 years in Alucard's world after the events in
Blood Red Moon.  Reinhart and Rosa Masaki, the children of Tenchi
and Ryoko, are now young teens.

     "To what profit is it to a man, if he gains the world and
loses his own soul?  Mathew 16:26 I believe." - Dracula, as he dies
at the end of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

*****

     Ayeka walked slowly through the corridors of the royal palace.
They were empty now, though just a few hours before they had been
full of bustling people, hurrying to gather what they could before
they were evacuated.  The servants had been the last to leave,
finishing up on last minute cleanings and such.  The entire people
of Jurai had been moved to the Naboonian Nebula; there, in the
middle of the seething gasses and new born stars, they had long ago
moved a planet to use as a safe haven in times of need.  Save for
the military forces, who were already on the ships, everything
was gone.  Even the Great Chamber, where all of the Juraian trees
rested, including Tsunami, had been launched to that hidden
location.
     Arriman Valadas had been found that morning in his home,
hanging from the rafters by a length of rope.  Nobody was quite
certain if it had been a suicide or not, because there had been
evidence of an entry into the house, but nothing in the area where
he was found.  The council, shocked, had wanted to pause for the
time needed to give him a proper funeral; after all, he was a
council member, even if he had nearly committed treason.  Time had
not permitted it.  In some ways, she was relieved that she would
not have to argue with him any longer, guilty as she felt that she
could even think that.  It was cold, unforgiving... and, she
realized, part of being Empress.
     She laughed roughly.  It almost seemed a dream, now, the
twelve years spent on earth with Tenchi and the others.  The
simpleness of it all, the reality.  It had been a slap in the face
to return to all of the political intrigue, and another when she
realized just how aloof she had always been before going there,
as she looked at the gulf between herself and her peoples.  She had
instituted reforms, trying to close the gap between the classes,
and they did seem to be helping, somewhat.  Now, though, it all
seemed to not matter.  She reached the transport, and found Yosho,
Misaki, and Funaho waiting there.
     "You have done as you needed to do.  Arriman was a variable
out of your control," said Funaho, guessing at her somber mood.
Ayeka nodded.
     "Come.  We must hurry and join the fleet.  This will either
be Jurai's greatest hour, or the shortest offensive of all time."
They nodded, and followed her onto the transport.  Just before
leaving the atmosphere, Ayeka took another look at the planet.
It was dark.  No lights shone on the surface.
     "Please.  Remain safe until we return."

     Tokimi turned, as the final ship in her armada acknowledged
her orders.  D3 appeared before her, at a summoning thought.
     "Lady Tokimi.  The Juraian battle fleet has been readied.
The agent I had there to slow them has been... prematurely
removed."  Tokimi frowned at him.
     "I do not like surprises, D3, especially now."  He nodded,
in apology.
     "There should be no trouble, even so.  The Juraians are too
proud to ask for help, and though they do have a massive fleet,
if nothing else we have the sheer numbers to overwhelm them.
Tsunami seems to have disappeared."  Tokimi nodded.
     "No doubt my sister has tucked herself away to care for her
avatar, in hopes of using him to try and stop us.  Very well, then.
The attack is to begin now."  D3 nodded, and turned.  Before them,
a huge portal appeared, a mass of swirling colors and forms.  The
armada slowly began to slide through it.  Tokimi smiled faintly.
     "End game, sisters."

     "Look at that!"
     "My god, it's so huge!"
     The bridge of Ryou-oh exploded into activity suddenly,
as before her, a gigantic space anomaly formed.  Klaxons began to
go off, as the ship's scanners began to pull in data from the form.
In the center of the room, a huge tactile display was active,
showing the positions of all their forces.  The entire Juraian
fleet, which had conquered thousands of planets, and defended
thousands more.  The most feared fleet in this universe.  Ayeka
signaled for the alarms to be shut off.
     "What is it?" she asked calmly.  Misaki, Funaho, and Yosho
were in their quarters.  Yosho had asked to be with her, but she
had told him to wait with her mother and Funaho for the time being.
     "Empress, the readings are entirely off the scale.  I can't
even figure out how it appeared, much less what it is."
     "Nothing at all?"
     "Nothing...  Wait, something is changing...  I..." The officer
stopped, and looked up in stunned disbelief.  "It can't be!"  Ayeka
looked at the distortion, and gasped in amazement.
     A huge ship, bigger even then the Soja was slowly coming
though the anomaly.  It was oddly shaped, the corners subtly
twisted so that it was difficult to look at for any length of time.
It just kept coming, growing larger and large.  The metal was
white, but there didn't appear to be any markings to name it by.
There didn't appear to be any real form to the ship, no definable
shape.  Then, dozens of much smaller ships began to pour out of the
portal.  For a moment, everything seemed to hang on a thread,
as they waited for something to happen.
     The lead Juraian battleship exploded in a dazzling burst of
light, as the huge ship fired a lance of light thicker than a tree
trunk.  The detonation shocked her into action.
     "Deploy the Wings, and attack!" ordered Ayeka, as the swarms
of smaller ships began to open fire on the Juraian fleet.  Ryou-oh
was rocked as a small battle cruiser near her exploded, no less
than five strike craft attacking it.  "Fighter squadrons, take out
those strike craft.  Battleship and treeship groups, concentrate
on the mother ship.  All other craft, attack or defend as you can!"
     From the Juraian lines, lances of weapons fire began to blast
out.  Dozens of the strike craft exploded as the tear-shaped
Juraian star fighters began to attack, only to be replaced by
dozens more that poured though the portal.  Behind them, now,
larger capital ships began to come through, extended wedge shapes
that looked to be bristling with firepower.
     One of the nearer battleships began to open fire on the mother
ship.  Ayeka watched, as the laser burst splashed into it, tearing
open huge holes in the superstructure.  For a moment, her hopes
soared, for if the monstrous ship took damage so easily, they would
have little trouble destroying it.  Then, before her astonished
eyes, the holes simply melted away, the hull resealing itself as
water resettled after having a stone tossed in.  The main laser
fired again, and she was nearly knocked off her feet as the battle
cruiser exploded.
     "Empress Ayeka, two destroyer class ships on an intercept
course!"  A new view screen appeared, on which a pair of the
wedge-shaped destroyers, which were nearly as big as Ryou-oh,
appeared.
     "Come about, and prepare to attack.  Charge the forward
batteries, and place top repair priority on the shields!"  The
treeship swung toward the oncoming ships, as outside rows of high
powered cannons extended from their standby positions.  They were
tossed about a bit as the nearer of the two destroyers opened fire.
     "Damage!"
     "None, the shields barely even registered a hit!"  Ayeka
frowned.  Even Ryou-oh should have taken a little damage being
attacked by a capital ship.  "Empress, three new signals, flanking
us!"  She cursed mentally at the obvious reason for not attacking
them at full strength.
     "Plot an escape route, and execute it!  They're trying to
capture us!"
     "No good, they have us surrounded!"
     "Then blast a way out!"  The forward batteries fired, catching
the nearest ship broadside.  It peeled off, explosions racking
its side.  She pointed.  "There!  Go!"  Ryou-oh blasted forward,
slipping through the hole created just before it was plugged by the
other destroyers.  She looked at the tactile display, and her mouth
tightened.  Twenty of the fleet's battleships had already been
lost, nearly a fifth of their star fighters, and though they had
taken down many of the enemy, more ships simply swarmed in to take
their place.
     She was about to order a strike on one of the heavy cruisers
that was pummeling a tree-ship, when the mother ship's main weapon
fired again, this time targeting a treeship.  The Light Hawk Wings
automatically angled to catch it.  The laser smashed into them.
For a moment, nothing happened, and the laser died away.  Then,
suddenly, the wing that had hit seemed to shatter, pockets of the
energy peppering the treeship's hull.  The ship was somewhat
scorched by the destruction of the wing, but it still seemed to be
functional.  It took Ayeka a moment to find her voice.
     "Order the fleet to fall back."  The crew looked at her in
stunned disbelief.
     "But Empress, Jurai will-" She cut him off.
     "I am well aware of what will happen.  But we are overmatched
here, and I will not throw away Juraian lives needlessly.
There will be another chance."  Again, silence permeated the bridge
at her statement.  The communications officer moved slowly.
     "Juraian fleet.  This is a priority order.  Break off of the
attack, and rendezvous at..." She looked at Ayeka for a moment.
     "The Sol system, near Jupiter."  She nodded, and relayed
the information.  About them, Juraian ships began to disengage,
and leap away as their jump engines engaged.  She gave the order
to follow them out, but as they moved to comply, the deck shook
fiercely.
     "Empress, they we've been surrounded again!"
     "Find a way out!"  The tactical display flashed, and showed
a three dimensional of the area around them.  Ayeka's hopes fell
as she saw that nearly a dozen battleships and several groups of
smaller fighters were closing in, leaving no escape.  "Can any of
the fleet help us?"
     "They are already out of range, Empress."
     "We won't be caught easily.  Reconfigure the Wings to attack
formation!"  But just as they were readied, the three nearest
battleships opened fire.  The deck leapt underneath them, and the
lights flickered momentarily.
     "Weapons system off line!" shouted the tactile officer.
Taking a deep breath, Ayeka composed herself.
     "Ramming speed, helm.  We cannot allow ourselves to be
captured."  Ryou-oh's engines whined as they were cycled up to
maximum possible output.  The treeship leapt forward, arrowed
to the widest, nearest possible escape route.  Three battleships
moved to intercept, and Ayeka knew that they would not escape.
The distance closed rapidly, the deck shaking as another burst of
fire slammed into her.
     Just as they were about to collide, the destroyer exploded
in a brilliant blast of light.  A familiar starship flashed by, as
the crew cheered and Ryou-oh made it through the new hole.
     "Yukinojo to Ryou-oh, we'll clear a path, get away from here
now!" came Mihoshi's voice over the intercom.
     "Mihoshi, when this is over I swear I'll never call you a
nuisance again!  Helm, plot a course and go!" exclaimed Ayeka.
The enemy attack group, caught completely by surprise by Mihoshi
and the Galaxy Police force, lost all semblance of cohesion.
Ryou-oh, moving at breakneck speed, flashed away from the battle
zone.  The GP force finished a last few of the enemy ships, and
then flanked her, leaping into quasi-space at the same time as
them.
     "Set a direct course for earth, and send a signal to these
coordinates that we are coming," directed Ayeka, tapping in the
code that Washu had given her to contact her extra-dimensional
lab.  "I will be in my quarters.  Have Misaki, Funaho and Yosho
join me there."

*****

     Carrie signaled them to a stop as they reached the entrance
to the Forest of Silence.  She looked around, as memories of the
past came back to her.  Not far ahead was where she had been
attacked by skeletons, and had first met Tenchi and Ryoko, as they
came racing down the hill to her rescue.  She still vividly
remembered her shock upon seeing his sword, and he distrust of
Ryoko because of her appearance.  The light weight of the Belmont
whip hung at her side.
     "This place...  Feels different.  The Forest of Silence has
never been a welcoming place, yet today it seems to be... waiting."
Alucard, not very far away from her, nodded.
     "It knows that we are here.  Always has it stood as a trap for
unwary travelers, but today...?  I honestly can not say if it
intends to bar us, or let us pass with no trouble.
     "I thought that Washu's training forest simulation was
creepy," said Rosa, tugging her cape closer about her.  This place
makes that look like a picnic ground."  Reinhart nodded in
agreement, looking around.  The trees were twisted, knarled things,
nearly as old as the castle.  No wind moved there, yet the entire
forest held a sense of being alive, of watching.  Creepy, to say
the least, Carrie thought to herself.
     That morning had been a study in awkwardness.  She had been
surprised when she had woken with Reinhart spooned in with her, an
arm draped over her waist.  There had been a moment of confusion,
as she tried to push through a sleepy haze over the previous
night's events.  Then, as the memory of the night prior had become
clearer, a strangely warm feeling had come to her.  Reinhart
had woken then, and had pushed through the same haze as her.
Kissing her, they had lain there for a little longer before getting
up.  Smiling at her, Reinhart had teleported into Tenchi and
Ryoko's room to get dressed before Rosa woke up.
     Alucard had rejoined them just as they had started breakfast.
She wasn't certain, but she thought that he knew, or at least
suspected.  He had a keen mind, but was honorable not to say
anything straight out as some might.  She had caught Sheann'a
looking at them out of the corner of her eye once or twice, a
considering expression on her tiny face.  If Rosa knew or
suspected, she wasn't displaying any knowledge of it, for which
Carrie was glad.  After eating, she had taken her spellbook,
and activated the dweomer that made it shrink down to a more
portable size, added it to her pack, and then they had left.
     The previous night burned in her mind.  The feelings that she
had experienced; of his gentle touch, careful manner, of an amazing
completeness.  In some ways, the pleasure of it had reminded
her of spell casting, the flow of raw energy that burst through
her veins when she summoned up the power for a spell, the feeling
of pure life that accompanied it, yet in so many other ways it was
so very much different.  It was... indescribable.  She really
didn't have anything save spell casting to compare it to.
     "Hello, earth to Carrie?  You still with us there?"  She was
startled away from her thoughts by Rosa, and realized that they had
been trying to get her attention.  She and Reinhart both wore what
they called Juraian armor.  Carrie didn't really understand
how the strange clothing could be armor, but she remembered
well Tenchi's and that suit had seemed to be all but impenetrable.
She herself wore a light mail, enchanted to hold strong against
even the most powerful of attacks.
     "I'm sorry, I was thinking of the first time that I went
through here."  Rosa nodded, and they entered the forest slowly.
An eerie quiet filled it, from which the forest took its name.
Legend held that the only sound that would ever fill it was the
unheard wailing of souls that had wandered in and become trapped
there.  As they rounded a bend, they saw a glimmer of light.  It
stretched into a line, and then opened into a square of swirling
darkness.  Three forms fell through it, their bodies misty seeming,
but recognizable.
     "It's mom and dad and Ryo-Ohki!" said Rosa.  They watched
as Ryoko pushed herself off of the ground, and dusted herself
off, then woke up Tenchi.  The figures faded away, then.  Carrie
looked at Alucard, and he shook his head.
     "Who were they?"  Reinhart looked at him.
     "Our parents...  Hey, Carrie, where did you get attacked
by those skeletons?"  She led them a little farther up the path.
Sure enough, as they arrived the ghostly forms of Tenchi and Ryoko
attacked a group of skeletons that were after a young, cyan haired
girl.  Carrie nodded, beginning to understand as she saw herself
picking off a couple of the skeletons with magic blasts.
     "Pictures of the past.  But why?  Is it trying to tell us
something?"  The ghost Tenchi grabbed the tail off of Ryoko's
dress as the ghosts of herself and Reinhart Schnieder prepared
to attack who they had thought to be an enemy.  She had been so
quick to judge, back then, at a mere appearance.  Suddenly she
blinked, as the five ghostly figures walked deeper into the forest.
A figure moved out from behind one of the trees, and stared after
them, frowning.  He almost looked familiar...  She gasped in
recognition.
     "Cain!  He was here even then?"  Alucard frowned, and walked
around the figure, studying him.
     "Is this my son, Sheann'a?" he asked.  The fairy nodded.
"He takes after Maria quite a bit."  With the two next to each
other, Carrie could see the resemblance.  Cain shared his father's
facial structure, and his stature.  There was much the same air of
reserve about them as well.  The ghost frowned again, and then
disappeared.
     "Why were we shown this?" asked Rosa.  Alucard looked up at
the castle, which rose above the forest, thoughtfully.
     "I do not know.  But I do not think it was the forest's
doing, at least not entirely."  Carrie led them still deeper into
the forest, following the twisting, winding trail until finally
the great castle loomed before them.  She had a queasy feeling
of déjà vu, as she looked up at it, with the crimson moon hanging
huge in the sky.  But when she had come as a child, and only a week
before, the drawbridge had not stood open, as it did now.
     "I think that we're expected."  They looked at Sheann'a
flatly, and she shrugged, grinning weakly.  Slowly, they crossed
the bridge, into the castle.  The main gates stood open.  Carrie
looked around.  When she had come a week before, she had not taken
the time to really look at what she found there, only hurried
to reach Dracula's chambers.  It was just as she remembered.
To their left, the door that led to the East Tower lay splintered
and shredded, destroyed by Ryoko more than a century before.  To
their right, the tower that Ryoko had been kidnapped from.
     They walked in, unchallenged by anything at all.  Nothing
moved, save the trees which were stirred by a gentle breeze.
Alucard walked with his hand on his sword pommel, and a fireball
glowed in each of Rosa's hands.  Light poured down from the moon,
bathing the courtyard with a crimson glow.  Reinhart looked around,
at the rubble strewn about the place.
     "The ambiance definitely fits the place," he said.  Alucard
picked up a small stone, what appeared to be a piece of a nearby
statue.
     "When a castle falls back into the lake whenever its master
is put to sleep, then it becomes somewhat pointless to keep the
castle in one piece."  He tossed the stone away; when it landed,
it broke into three smaller pieces.
     "Good point."  Still unchallenged, they approached the villa,
and entered.  The same gaudy golden scroll work met them, with the
brightly burning chandelier above them and gilt torch stands
providing ample light to see by.  On the walls, golden candle
holders held long, tapered candles, all of which burned.  A red
carpet stretched out before them, and up to the stairs.
     At the top of the stairs, they saw Cain.
     "Ah, welcome at last my friends, to my humble abode," he said,
opening his arms wide, and smiling cheerily.  As one, they readied
their weapons, and dropped into battle stances.  He only smiled
wider, and slowly came down the steps.  "So good to see you again,
Sheann'a, Drathar.  It has been a long time, hasn't it?  Nearly
two hundred years, I believe.  And I assume by the way that you are
floating so close to him that this is the fabled Alucard!"  He
closed his eyes a moment, and took in a deep breath.
     "Yes, grandfather's blood is impossible to miss.  So strange
and yet still human in a way, and of course Lisa's blood is strong
in you, such a sweetly beautiful scent.  Pity I never got to meet
either of them, but oh well.  Perhaps you and I shall have time for
a father-son chat before this is over."  Before Alucard had the
chance to reply, Cain turned to Reinhart and Rosa.
     "And you must be the children of Tenchi and Ryoko that I've
heard so much about.  I can't really say what an honor it is to
finally meet you.  My apologies for your father, I do hope you
won't hold it against me.  After all, I had to get your attention.
Perhaps we shall have a chance to become friends, no?"  His gaze
swung to Carrie, and he smiled his widest yet.
     "Carrie my dear.  Now, I must admit that you have surprised
me.  Had I known you were such a lovely young lady, I wouldn't
have played so roughly when you came to visit me before.  Pity,
and I had so hoped to be friends."  She stared at him, confused.
"Unfortunately, I'm afraid that you won't have the time."  He raised
his hand suddenly, where a sphere of dark power formed.
     It suddenly came to her what the dream had meant, as the
sphere was launched at her.  Eyes widening, she swung her staff
down and to the right, and cast a shield spell, just as Reinhart
crouched to leap between her and the sphere with a shouted NO!  He
bounced off of it, as the sphere crashed into her side, shattering
the light mail she had worn.  Pain like she had never before known
raced through her, but upon looking down she found that her skin
was unblemished.  Cain was suddenly beside her; she tried to move
her hand to stop him, but it hung at her side, lifeless.  He took
the whip.
     "Thank you for retrieving my property, dear, and as a reward
you will not suffer as long as these others will.  No hard feelings
now!  You understand, it's just business!  Ta-ta!"  With that, he
disappeared, and she slowly sank to the floor, her shield faltering
as her strength faded.  Reinhart, freed of the obstruction,
slid into place beside her on his knees, cushioning her fall.
     "Why did you stop me!" he asked, as Sheann'a flashed over his
shoulder.  She felt a tingle of magic run though her.
     "The... dream...  I figured it out...  The reason that...
you weren't there was... because you were dead...  We all faded...
away without... you there."  He stared at her uncomprehendingly.
     "There's nothing I can do to counter the effects of Cain's
spell.  It's too strong," said Sheann'a softly, just as Carrie
had known that she would.
     "Carrie...  I promised you that we wouldn't leave you, now
damn it, don't leave us... me."  She smiled at him weakly.
     "I... don't think I have... a choice.  Don't...  mourn me.
I've had my... fair share, and then... some."  His eyes grew hurt.
Struggling with what little energy she had left, she managed to
raise a hand to his face, and touched him lightly on the cheek.
"Thank you... for being with me... when I needed you to be."  She
smiled again, and breathed her last, as she felt a hot tear splash
onto her cheek from his eyes.
     Her hand dropped to the ground, lifeless.
     "CARRIE!!!"

Blood Red Moon Resurrection Chapter 9:
     Pain of the Heart, Poison of the Soul

     Disclaimers: All characters belong to their various
copyrights, with the exception of Reinhart Masaki and Rosa Masaki.
Those two are mine.  Beyond their usage in this story, I claim no
ownership, no rights of creation, no nothing.  Please don't sue me.
Comments, quips, insults, and death threats will only be accepted
at Platinum_Dragon@usinternet.com
     The Tenchi Muyo Characters in this series are based on the OVA
versions, but don't be surprised if there aren't one or two TV
references.  The characters Carrie Fernandez, Alucard, Death,
Dracula, Maria Renard and Lisa all belong to the Konami Castlevania
series. This cross-over series is placed roughly 17 years in
Tenchi's world, 120 years in Alucard's world after the events in
Blood Red Moon.  Reinhart and Rosa Masaki, the children of Tenchi
and Ryoko, are now young teens.

     "To what profit is it to a man, if he gains the world and
loses his own soul?  Mathew 16:26 I believe." - Dracula, as he dies
at the end of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

*****

     Alucard stared impassively as Reinhart's cry slowly faded
away, the echoes bouncing off the walls. He recognized the spell
that Cain had used; the sphere of destruction was relatively
untaxing to magic reserves, yet absolutely deadly.  The power of
the spell still shimmered in the air.  Cain had taken no chances,
and charged it heavily to make certain that it would get through
any shielding.  That made Alucard wonder if Cain had as much
strength yet as his familiars thought.  Sheann'a slowly floated
back to him, face filled with sorry.  He looked at her; she shook
her head, and settled onto his shoulder.
     Rosa moved to Reinhart's side, and placed a hand on his
shoulder.  He didn't move, except to brush it away.  She said
something to him quietly, too quietly for him to understand.
If he answered, she didn't make any sign of it.  Alucard looked
at Sheann'a, and spoke quietly.
     "You and Drathar are to take her from this place.  Her body
is not to rest here."  On the point of replying to him, she blinked
in surprise.
     "No, Alucard.  Your familiars will stay with you.  I will see
to it that she does not stay here."  Alucard looked in surprise
as Death appeared before them.  The specter turned to the fallen
form of Carrie, as Reinhart and Rosa looked at them.  Rosa raised
her hands, fireballs ready, but Alucard forestalled her.
     "What do you play at, Death?" he asked.  Death looked at him.
     "If Cain succeeds in destroying the Pendulum, then all is
lost.  You will fair better in your fight with their help than
without.  That, and the fact that I owe her a debt."  Alucard
frowned.
     "I do not believe you."  The specter frowned irritably.
     "Do you think for one moment, that if I did not wish you to
succeed, I would be here to help you now?  Or, for that matter,
that any of the Belmonts to the beginning of time would have ever
made it to Dracula?  I have been as much of a balance as you and
the Belmonts have ever been.  The dead are my realm.  Carrie
Fernandez will not rest here.  I swear this to you."  For a moment,
Alucard stared at him, and then Reinhart spoke softly.
     "You will swear to me that she will not stay here?"  Death
turned to him, and nodded.  Alucard looked at Reinhart, and saw,
in his eyes, the anger, and the loss.  He recognized it all too
well.  It boiled just under the surface, just short of bursting
through.  Rosa was looking at him in surprise, but he ignored
her.
     "Then take her from here.  I don't care if you are the devil
himself, if you have sworn that she won't stay here, I'll trust
you."  He raised his hand, and pointed at Death, his eyes going
hard.  The expression looked so wrong in that face, to Alucard's
eyes, yet after a moment he realized that it was fitting.  "But so
help me, if I find that you have lied, nothing will stop me from
finding you and taking you apart."  Death nodded, slowly, and there
was no doubt in Alucard's mind that Reinhart would fill that
threat.
     Reinhart turned back to Carrie's lifeless form, and gently
smoothed a hand over her hair.  He bent down, and kissed her
carefully on the cheek.  Then, slowly he picked up her staff, and
stood.  For a moment, the carven staff glowed brightly blue, and
then the light disappeared.  Death moved forward.
     "Wait," said Alucard.  "Reinhart... I believe that she said
she had found a spell that may help us.  If I can study it, I may
be able to cast it myself."  He looked at him.
     "What do you need?"
     "Sypha's spellbook."  He nodded, and retrieved it from her
pack.  The book glowed brightly to his eyes; so charged with
magical power that it had achieved a form of sentience.  Then,
Reinhart moved aside, holding onto the staff so tightly that his
knuckles were white.  Death carefully lifted her body.
     "Do not worry.  I will see to it that she goes to where she
belongs."  Reinhart nodded, and made a visible effort to loosen
his grip on the staff.  Alucard caught the ancient specter on the
shoulder before he disappeared.
     "You have never before acted this concerned over a mortal's
life or death."  Death looked at him for a moment.  There was an
almost sorrowful expression there, a sense of great age.
     "Even I can become tired of my existence.  You, of all beings,
should understand that."  The ancient specter shrugged him off, and
disappeared.  Reinhart drew near, that seething rage burning in his
eyes, and handed him the spell book.  Alucard wondered if he would
be able to control that anger when the time came.
     "Reinhart... I-" started Rosa.  He shook his head, looking
at her.
     "Later, Rosa.  After we have finished what we came to do.
Then, when we have time."  She frowned at him sadly, but nodded.
Alucard thought about saying something, but realized that to do so
would likely, only add to the pain.  Instead, he opened the spell
book.  The words swirled about for a moment; magical protection
from unwanted readers.  He frowned, and sensing his mood, the book
stopped trying to hide its secrets, and the spell came forward.
Sheann'a leaned forward.
     "I remember when Sypha penned this book.  She was always so
protective of her more powerful spells," she said, looking over
what had appeared.  "Hmm...  This looks like a summoning spell."
She pointed.  "See, there is the activation dweomer, and the
summoning name...  Oh my god."  Reinhart and Rosa looked at them,
as Alucard slowly closed the book.
     "What is it?" asked Rosa.  He looked at her.
     "A spell which would have summoned one of the most powerful
beings to ever live.  My father, Count Dracula."  Reinhart and Rosa
looked at each other in surprise.
     "Would it have worked?" asked Reinhart slowly.  Alucard
frowned.
     "I do not know.  For sheer power, certainly, but the trade
off would have been Dracula's return to life."
     "The lesser evil.  By a hair," said Drathar quietly.  The
nodded.  Alucard carefully tucked the book away, as Reinhart
looked at him.
     "You know where we need to go from here."  Alucard nodded,
and then led them deeper into the castle.

*****

     Tenchi found himself before Castlevania, finally.  The dark
castle rose up from the ground, an ancient monolith of evil.  The
great drawbridge stood open, leading into a dark nothingness.
Slowly, he went inside.  The darkness was almost palatable,
as he crossed into the villa garden.  He felt eyes on his back,
and gathered the power for a fireball, drawing it from the gems
within his wrists.
     "Well now, isn't this a surprise...  The boy has grown up a
little."  Tenchi turned toward the source of the voice.  At first,
he was little more than a shadowy form, and then the form slowly
began to take a shape.  Tall, wearing an enveloping tunic, and
carefully styled hair.  The man's face was cold, held a calculating
expression.
     Kagato stepped out of the shadows, a mirthless smile on his
face.
     "My, what an interesting situation we have here, no?  I must
say, I was quite surprised to find myself here, in this place,
instead of oblivion."  Tenchi stared at him coldly.
     "Let me pass."  Kagato only smiled a little wider.
     "Very good, still straight to the point, I see."  He looked
around himself a moment.  "Impressive, isn't it?  The form of the
soul, eternally changing, and yet always the same.  Such an
interesting paradox.  Pity that I don't have any of my equipment
here, so that I could study it.  Ah, well."  Tenchi raised his
hand, where a fireball glowed brightly.
     "Let me pass, Kagato.  I don't have any interest in wasting
time with you," said Tenchi.  Kagato smirked.
     "One thing that I have learned about this place is that
thoughts hold much greater power here.  Tell me, boy, were you
planning to tickle me to death?"  Tenchi blinked, and realized
that the fireball he had been holding had become a feather.
Dropping it, he instead summoned his sword, and rushed him.  Kagato
didn't even move as Tenchi leapt up and slashed savagely downward.
The blade slide through him with no trouble.
     Kagato split apart, and both halves grew into an exact copy.
They smiled evilly, and each summoned a green force sword.  Tenchi
stared in shock, while they began to circle around him slowly.
     "An interesting question, isn't it boy?" asked one.
     "Which one is real, which one is fake?" asked the other.
     "Or are we both as real as the other," they both said
together.  Tenchi dove to the ground, as they both swung their
blades at him.  Rolling away, he brought up his sword to defend,
and parried an attack from both.  In a moment of inspiration,
he formed a second blade.  Both Kagatos now watched him with an
identical smirk.
     Charging again, they slashed and sliced at him.  Somehow,
Tenchi was able to keep from being killed outright, but none the
less, he was soon bleeding from a dozen wounds.  A slice over his
eye dripped blood into it, causing a painful stinging, and a thin
slash down his arm burned with pain.  Minor alone, added together
they taxed upon him.  He was being overwhelmed, he knew, and he
could not hold out forever.
     Suddenly, both Kagatos stopped moving, and laughed.  Tenchi
tensed to leap at them, and attack while their defenses were down,
and found that he could no longer move.  He looked down in
surprise, and found that he was stone to the waist, and had begun
to slowly sink into the ground.  Before him, the twins merged into
one form again, and laughed.
     "End game, boy.  It shall be a pleasure to take over your
body, and slowly tear apart the little sanity that Ryoko has built
back up."  He raised his sword to strike, an evil light glowing
in his eyes.  Struggle as he might, Tenchi couldn't move to block
him.  Kagato began to swing the blade down.
     Abruptly, the end of a black sword protruded nearly a foot
from his chest.  Kagato blinked, as his sword disappeared
just short of chopping into Tenchi's neck.  He looked down, at the
blade, in surprise, and coughed, green blood spilling onto his
tunic.  The blade was slowly withdrawn, and Kagato fell to his
knees.  He stretched his hand out toward Tenchi, and then fell on
his face, dead.  Tenchi suddenly found that he could move again,
and automatically dropped into battle ready stance.
     Out of the shadows walked the cold-faced form of Dracula,
holding the bloody black sword.

*****

     "We estimate the armada capability to be down by five percent.
We have lost track of the flagship; it passed out of range not long
after jumping into pseudo-space," said D3.  Tokimi nodded.  It was
as she had expected.
     "Tsunami was better prepared than I had thought.  If not for
the Galaxy Police force, we would have been able to capture the
Empress.  Very well.  Take Jurai as our base of operations
here.  What is D10's status in finding the power source?"
     "D10 has reported that he has located the power source, and is
closing in on it at the moment.  He also said that the avatar's
children appear to be after it as well."  Tokimi nodded again.
     "I am certain that they are only their because of their
father.  Tsunami still not appearing is all the more proof of some
injury to her avatar.  Tell him to complete the retrieval operation
as soon as possible."  D3 nodded, and disappeared.  Tokimi turned
to the technical readouts.  Her ship, the Shiboo, had sustained
some minor damage; the self sealing skin had already repaired
itself.  It had gathered information from the blasts, and the hull
had been reconfigured to be impenetrable to the same attack.
     She had been quite happy when the ship's main weapon had
shattered the Light Hawk Wing.  Even if they could not be
permanently destroyed, perhaps they could be breached long enough
to destroy the ship using regular firepower.  A technical scan
flashed up before her, showing a power readout of Ryou-oh, the
Empress's ship.
     "Hmmm...  Nicely designed, sister...  But I believe that I see
the flaw in your handiwork."  Laughing softly to herself, she began
to program in a firing sequence for the next time they ran into the
Juraian fleet.

*****

     Reinhart slowly followed as Alucard led the way through the
ancient castle.  His mind was reeling.  Barely twenty four hours
before, he had experienced the greatest feeling of love and life
there could be, had shared it with one that he already knew he
loved with all of his heart.  Though they had only been together
for a short time, he was certain that he couldn't love another
as completely as her.  Standing out most in his mind had been the
almost child-like need she had had to be held tightly, all through
the night.
     All of it, ripped away in the space of moments.  Ripped away
by a man that thought of her death as 'just business.'  Ripped
away for nothing more than the reason that in that man's mind, she
had filled her purpose.  Not a thought of her death more than that.
Reinhart felt his grip tightening on her staff, and forced himself
to ease up.
     She had had her reason for stopping him.  It all seemed
perfectly logical, from one point of view.  Down the path where
he hadn't been, they had all faded away.  It all made perfect
sense.  It was so damn perfectly sensible that he didn't know
whether to laugh or to cry.  Over and over in his mind, that short
moment had replayed itself.  Wasn't there a way he could have
gotten around the shield?  Wasn't there a way he could have stopped
the sphere before it touched her?  The question spun round and
round in his mind, and he couldn't find another answer, no matter
how hard he tried.
     Alucard raised a hand, and brought them to a stop.  They stood
before a huge, arched double door.  On each one, a tall cross stood
in stark relief on the door.  He turned to them.
     "This is the Royal Chapel.  This is the quickest way to the
clock tower; but there is a long climb, and afterwards many very
powerful, very deadly enemies.  We must be careful."  They nodded,
and he swung the doors open.  Before them, a tall, wide staircase
waited, leading upwards.  They slowly began to climb.
     "How is it that there is a chapel in Dracula's home?" asked
Rosa.  Alucard glanced at them.
     "Castlevania was not always as you see it now.  Long, long
ago, it was the seat of power for miles around, and Vlad Tepes was
a very respected man, holy and devout to an extreme."  He gestured.
"Priests from miles around would come here to abstain from their
guilt and sins."  They continued to climb.  On the walls, tall
mosaics depicted English knights carrying injured peasants,
or holding up crosses.  Above them, huge stained glass windows
showed images of the crusades for the holy cup, of the Virgin Mary,
and more.
     "What happened to turn him into Dracula?"  Alucard sighed.
     "It was found that he had one simple, but unforgivable
flaw.  He enjoyed the taste of blood.  It didn't matter what kind;
human, or animal, he thirsted for it equally.  A great curse was
cast upon him.  It changed him into the first vampire.  But,
instead of running to hide from what he had become, he instead
wished vengeance against those who had cast the curse upon him.
One by one, he hunted them down, and killed them.
     "But when it was over, he found that he could not stop.
Slowly, bit by bit, he became more and more evil, until finally
he decided to embrace what he had become.  Slowly, Castlevania
became charged with the dark energy that he had begun to radiate.
He started using black magic, and the castle absorbed that still
more.  It began to change.  Soon, between one visit and the next,
the castle itself would be different.  The villa would led directly
here, to the church, instead of, say, to the garden.
     "This ancient church changed as well, absorbing the dark power
as readily as the rest of the castle.  But here, instead of making
it change its form, it made it so that it could be inhabited
by both holy and evil creatures, a sort of breeding ground.  In no
other place in the castle can you find demons working along side
of angels."  As he finished, they reached the top of the stairway,
and he swung open the huge doors that they found there.
     Slowly, they stepped inside the huge chapel.  Long rows of
pews stood there, empty for centuries, under the view of a huge
crucifix.  A wide altar stood beneath the crucifix, and before
it, knelt a man.  From that distance, Reinhart could see that it
was not Cain, yet he noticed that Alucard tensed, his hand dropping
to his sword.  Sheann'a, who had been sitting on his shoulder,
had flown up, a look of pure shock on her face.  The man, who
appeared to be praying, finished, and slowly stood.  He turned.
     He had a fairly handsome face, marred by two crescent shaped
scars, one on either cheek.  His eyes were intense, and his hair
raven black.  He appeared young at first glance; upon looking
again, Reinhart realized that he couldn't affix a real age to him.
He wore clothing that looked to be of soft velvet and silk, a black
coat, white shirt, and black pants.  The man smiled slightly
as he saw them.  Slowly, he waved his hand across the expanse
of the chapel.
     "Well, my young friends.  I would welcome you more in style,
but I'm afraid that my abilities just are not what they used to
be," he said.  His voice, a strong tenor, reverberated through
the steepled chapel.  "Forgive me for not introducing myself.
It has been awhile since I had to entertain guests to this cursed
place.  I am Count Vlad Tepes, and this is my prison."  Reinhart
looked at Alucard in surprise; the dhampeal was staring in shock.
After a moment, though, he shook it off.
     "How is it you are here, Father, when I have been told you
were destroyed a more than a century ago, freed by Tenchi?"  The
man barked a hoarse laugh.
     "Freed.  Only from the curse, Adrian.  Only from the curse.
This is my penance.  To walk the dead halls of a dead castle for
the rest of my eternal afterlife.  You don't look pleased, my son.
Is this not what you always wanted for me?"  Alucard looked away,
and Dracula laughed again.  "Well, time enough to speak of that
later.  For the time being, feel free to rest here.  Nothing will
attack you.  The demons and angels that have come to serve your son
still fear me."  Reinhart frowned, and spoke.
     "Why offer us help?"  Dracula laughed.
     "You resemble him, amazingly well.  For a moment when I first
saw you, I thought that you were Tenchi.  His son, I take it, or
perhaps his grandson?"  Reinhart nodded.  "In a way, I owe your
father a debt.  He released me to my own private hell."  He once
again gestured at the chapel.  "A fitting end, after my life, or
rather, unlife.  But he did free me from the curse.  Perhaps I
shall never leave these walls, but no longer shall I have to answer
to that painful song again.  For that, I will do as I can to help."
Alucard looked at them, and, frowning, looked at his father.
     "I would speak to you alone, if I may."  It was hard to say
who was more surprised, Alucard's familiars, or Dracula himself.
But slowly, the Count nodded.  He looked at Reinhart and Rosa.
     "As I said, you are safe enough here.  Safe to rest.  The
other creatures that Cain has gathered will not come here, nor, I
think, will Cain."  Alucard looked at Sheann'a and Drathar; they
nodded, and Sheann'a flew off his shoulder.  Then, slowly, Alucard
walked toward the other man, and they disappeared into an adjoining
room.  Rosa looked at him, and then sat down on one of the pews.
Sighing, she stretched out, and closed her eyes.
     Reinhart walked over to another, and sat down with his pain,
to try and sort through it.

Blood Red Moon Resurrection Chapter 10:
     Two Faces, One Mind

     Disclaimers: All characters belong to their various
copyrights, with the exception of Reinhart Masaki and Rosa Masaki.
Those two are mine.  Beyond their usage in this story, I claim no
ownership, no rights of creation, no nothing.  Please don't sue me.
Comments, quips, insults, and death threats will only be accepted
at Platinum_Dragon@usinternet.com
     The Tenchi Muyo Characters in this series are based on the OVA
versions, but don't be surprised if there aren't one or two TV
references.  The characters Carrie Fernandez, Alucard, Death,
Dracula, Maria Renard and Lisa all belong to the Konami Castlevania
series. This cross-over series is placed roughly 17 years in
Tenchi's world, 120 years in Alucard's world after the events in
Blood Red Moon.  Reinhart and Rosa Masaki, the children of Tenchi
and Ryoko, are now young teens.

     "To what profit is it to a man, if he gains the world and
loses his own soul?  Mathew 16:26 I believe." - Dracula, as he dies
at the end of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

*****

     Dracula looked down at the body of Kagato with a distasteful
smirk.  He lowered the end of his sword to the scientist's
tunic, and cleaned it off, and then resheathed it in the scabbard
at his side.  Tenchi stared at him warily, holding his force blade
at the ready, and mentally prepared to fight.  The ancient vampire
looked at him, coolly raising an eyebrow.
     "Surprised?" he asked.  Tenchi shook his head.
     "Not really."  Dracula laughed, and Tenchi let the force blade
dissolve, confident that he could summon it again if he needed
to.  The vampire king smiled just slightly.
     "Were this my world, doing that would have cost you your
life."
     "At least you're honest about it."  Dracula laughed, although
his mirth didn't touch his eyes.  Tenchi frowned.  "Why help me?
You could have killed me, and then him."  Dracula shook his head.
Next to him, the image of a pretty young woman with golden hair and
dark eyes appeared for a moment.
     "I have no interest in destroying you.  Fate bound you to
defeat me, and I consider it a blessing.  Here...  In this place,
I can be with her again.  Perhaps this Lisa is only the shadows
of my memories, but it is still her.  For that, I will help to keep
you as you are."  Tenchi nodded, and looked up, at the tower.
     "It's him, isn't it?  The man that called himself your
servant.  Yuzuha gave me the clue, when she said that you had gone
to stop him."  Dracula nodded.
     "Baranabas was loyal to me in my world; here, he has gained
great power.  When you destroyed him in Castlevania, his essence
flowed through your vampirism, and hid, biding its time.  He is
getting stronger, fed by something in my world."  Tenchi nodded.
     "Well, then, the sooner we start, the sooner we get there,"
he said.  On the point of walking forward, Tenchi paused, and then
invited Dracula to lead the way.  The vampire smirked, and entered.
Sighing, Tenchi followed him in.

*****

     Alucard slowly followed his father, as he led him into,
fittingly enough, the confessional room.  His mind was spinning
now.  This was the final proof.  His father truly was dead, and his
battle over, once they stopped Cain.  Castlevania, as he had said,
was a fitting punishment for Dracula.  The vampire himself seemed
real enough; not ghostly or unreal.  He appeared to be a young and
vibrant man.
     "Ironic, isn't it Alucard?  Just as you turned against me and
my ideals, so too has your son turned against you.  And for much
the same reason!" laughed Dracula.  Alucard frowned at him.
     "What do you mean?"  Dracula laughed roughly.
     "Please, Adrian, spare me the 'for the good of the human race'
routine.  Perhaps it was part of your decision to fight me, but we
both know that you blame me for Lisa's death, just as Cain blames
you for... Maria's, I believe it was?  That has long been your
motivation in your endless battle with 'the night.'"  Alucard
nodded absently.  Cain blamed him for Maria's death?  He looked
at Dracula, frowning.
     "What would you know of such matters?  A creature of evil for
more than a thousand years."  Dracula looked away.  Was it simply
his imagination, or had there been pain in that gaze?  The silence
stretched out for a moment, and then Dracula spoke quietly.
     "By the time that I found out, it was already too late, and
she was already gone.  Not even Death could bring her back, though
I would not have allowed him even if he could have.  Yes, I swore
revenge against the 'human race.'  But that was my decision,
and no one else's."  Alucard frowned again, and slowly turned to
go, but his father stopped him.
     "It is your right to judge me, by my deeds and actions of the
past.  But if you must judge me, then at least honor me enough
to judge me fairly, by all of my life, instead of only a part of
it.  Humans made me a vampire; I embraced it, instead of bemoaning
my fate, just as I shall not complain to be imprisoned here, for
the rest of eternity.  This is what Fate has delt me, just as you
were delt your role."  Alucard looked at him for a moment,
considering his words.
     "Humans may have made you a vampire; does that then mean that
you had to become evil as well?  You were the first; you were the
one to set their role."  Dracula sighed, but in his eyes Alucard
could see that his words had stung him.  For a moment, he
considered softening them; then he realized that it would make no
difference.  The words of truth were often the most painful words
of all, and nothing could change their bite.  This, Alucard knew
well.

*****

     Rosa woke up suddenly, startled awake by something.  She
opened one eye, and looked around.  Sheann'a was dozing not far
from her, and Drathar leaned against the end of the pew, keeping
watch.  Across from her, Reinhart appeared to be sleeping, Carrie's
staff resting across his lap.  His head was down; it almost looked
like he was praying.  She paused a moment, and realized that he
just might be.
     It had happened so suddenly, it had taken her a moment to
understand that Carrie had been hurt.  By then, Cain had already
taken the Whip, and disappeared.  Then Reinhart had caught her, as
she had fallen to the ground.  Carrie's last words had been too
soft for even her to hear.  Then, just like that, she had been
gone.
     Part of her wanted to scream with the wrongness of it, and
yet, at the same time, she knew that Carrie had had a long life.
There had been so much pain, for her; Rosa simply couldn't imagine
losing her parents, or others that she loved.  Carrie was free,
now.  So, for Rosa, it came to the fact that while it hurt, while
it was wrong in the way that she had died, it was something
that Carrie might have welcomed, hard for Rosa to understand
as that might be.
     Looking at Reinhart, she sighed.  She pitied him, both for the
pain that he was in now, and the scars it would likely leave on him
for the rest of his life.  She knew that he would hold it in,
refusing to talk about it.  She also knew that he could usually
handle pain.  He never was very vocal about hurts, either physical
or emotional, always better at handling it by himself.  He had once
broken his arm, when they were very young, but never even
complained.  He had just held it all in.
     But this...  She knew that he hadn't slept in their room the
night before.  She had woken in the middle of the night to find
that he wasn't there, and had been awake when he had teleported
in, though she had acted as though she was asleep.  The reason
why had seemed obvious enough; even she wouldn't say anything
to him about it, in public or otherwise.  She knew that Reinhart
wouldn't have done that unless he truly did love her, and she had
wanted it.
     She knew that he shouldn't hold this in, but she just didn't
know how to get him to talk.  It was ironic, she reflected.
She really was the talker of the family; not even Mayuka could keep
up with her at times.  But Reinhart really was a private man; even
as his sister, there were things about him that she didn't know,
and when he closed up, nobody could get through the defenses
that he put up.  So, when he had told her that he would deal with
it later, she had let the matter drop, hoping that he would be able
to deal with it in his way.
     She wondered why he had taken the staff.  A memento, perhaps?
It didn't make sense to her, only made more questions.  Yet, she
was certain that he had taken it for a reason.  Frustrated
by the entire ordeal, she sat up and pounded a fist into the pew.
Sheann'a, who had been sleeping curled up against an armrest,
was startled awake as the bench jumped under the blow.  She frowned
at Rosa sleepily, stretching.
     "I was just having the most interesting dream.  Why is it I am
always woken just before anything fun can happen?"  For a moment,
Rosa considered asking just what the dream had been about, but
before she could come to a decision, Alucard reentered the chapel.
The dhampeal had a somewhat stormy expression on his face, the
first time, she realized, that she had really seen an expression
on him at all.  Dracula followed slowly after.  There was an almost
defeated air about him.
     From what their parents had told them, Rosa had expected
to meet the devil himself when they found him.  Yet this man seemed
resigned to his fate, and almost sorry for his deeds.  She
remembered the ghostly Rosa saying that she didn't blame Dracula
for what he had done, but his servant.  She wondered what it was
like to be able to forgive a thing like that.
     Reinhart looked up; his expression unreadable.  Though his
eyes were still pained, he somehow seemed less angry than before,
more at terms with what had happened.  That worried her more than
anything, because she had never known Reinhart to let go of anger
quickly.  Sheann'a flew over to Alucard, as he spoke.
     "We must move on.  I do not think we have much time left,"
he said.  There was an almost icy chill to his voice, and it made
her shiver slightly.  Reinhart stood up, nodding, as she stretched.
Alucard began moving toward an exit opposite of where they had
entered.
     "Hear me, Alucard.  Cain's goal is the destruction of the
Pendulum, but he holds a wish for vengeance against you for Maria's
death.  Be wary of him... my son," said Dracula suddenly.  Alucard
paused, and turned to arch an eyebrow at him.  Then, cape swirling,
he led them out, and into a long hall.  Rosa fell into step next
to Reinhart.
     "Penny for your thoughts, brother?"  He looked at her for a
moment, with a thoughtful expression.
     "I was wondering if it was just chance that mom and dad came
here, or if they had to, because of fate or whatever," he said
slowly.  Rosa frowned.  She was certain that it was an evasion,
but is was still a valid question.
     "Who can tell?  If it wasn't fate, then what chance that they
be here just when they needed to be?  And if it was fate, then is
it fate that you and I are here, now, as well?"  She let the
thought hang, unfinished there, because she suddenly found herself
uncomfortable with it.
     "Fate.  She is at best a cruel mistress.  Sometimes she will
give you what you desire, but always she take it back from you
in the end," said Alucard suddenly, and she looked at him in
surprise, as he halted them.  He gestured at the door before them.
It was fairly unremarkable; not even the heavy gilt seen throughout
the rest of the castle was evident there.  "Of all the traps that
the castle holds, perhaps the most deadly are the Corridors
of the Mind.  For each of us, it will draw out our most painful
memory, and force us to relive it.  Many can not stand it, and try
to stop it from happening.  That is their final, fatal mistake."
They nodded, and he pushed open the door.
     Almost instantly, Rosa recognized the scene that was presented
to them.  It was of an elementary school; students were pouring
out of the doors as the final bell rang.  The sky was a little
overcast, but all in all it didn't look like a terribly bad day.
Reinhart stepped next to her, looking around.
     "This is where we went to second and third grade."  She
nodded, as Sheann'a looked at them.
     "It doesn't look like they enjoyed themselves very much here,
considering how fast they are running away.  What is it, some sort
of giant torture chamber?"  Rosa laughed in spite of herself.
     "Something like that, Sheann'a.  Something like that."  They
continued on their way; the children didn't seem to notice the
strange group, although they flowed around them in a milling
throng.  Rosa frowned, trying to figure out what memory this would
be.  It had to be one of hers; she was certain that Reinhart's
would be Carrie's death, and of course neither Alucard nor his
familiars had ever gone to a school in their world.  The whole
scene tickled at her memory, but nothing clear surfaced.
     The flow of students finally came to a stop, as the neared
the entrance of the school.  As they drew near, they began to hear
the sounds of children, shouting and laughing.  Then they heard
a terrified cry for help.  Looking at one another, they hurried
toward the sounds.  Rosa rounded the corner first.
     She saw, before them, a circle of perhaps ten children.
They were standing around another, smaller group.  Five children,
all looking to be in about fifth grade, were attacking a sixth,
younger boy.  He was small, and frail looking.  He couldn't have
been in more than third grade.  As they got there, one of the older
boys punched the younger one hard in the stomach, and he doubled
over in pain.
     Even as she finally understood what the memory was, her eyes
widening, a much younger form of herself suddenly dropped into the
circle from thin air.  She looked to be in second grade, and all
knees and elbows, as tall as the older boys, and thin.  The outer
ring of students scattered as she grabbed the nearest of the
bullies by the scruff of his neck and threw him away from the area.
He landed on the pavement some ten feet away with a dull thud,
struggled a moment to get up, and then passed out.  The other boys
turned to her, grinning darkly.
     The first just rushed at her, intending to knock her down and
then go back to what they had been doing; moments later, he
stumbled away, blood pouring from his shattered nose.  Two more
flanked her.  She watched them both closely; the one on her left
jumped at her first.  She spun, catching him by the shirt, and
threw him into the other boy.  They slid backwards a few feet, and
then remained still, one of them moaning in pain.
     The last one produced a small gun from under his coat.  Rosa
knew what happened next, and had to force herself not to squeeze
her eyes shut.  Her younger self instinctively raised a hand.  As
the other boy was still aiming, a fireball formed, and blasted
out at him.  His eyes widened in shock, and he leapt out of the
way.
     The fireball slammed into the younger boy, who had been
standing right behind the bully, and he was thrown into the wall.
He crumpled to the ground bonelessly, a small amount of smoke
rising from his clothing.  The boy with the gun stared between
him and her younger form, and then tossed the weapon away, running
as fast as he could.  Her younger self stared, shocked at what had
happened.  Rosa remembered that that was the first time that she
had ever thrown a fireball; their parents hadn't yet started
teaching them about those abilities, beyond their teleportation.
Suddenly, Reinhart appeared, running around a corner that he had
teleported behind, and grabbed her, pulling her away from the fight
scene before any teachers came.
     "He was in a coma for five years," she mumbled.  Reinhart
looked at her in surprise.
     "You followed what happened to him?"  She nodded.
     "None of the other boys ever said that it was me that did it;
they were all afraid that I'd come after them if they did.  He was
in a coma for five years; when he finally woke up, he couldn't
even remember how to speak."  She laughed a little raggedly.
"The last that I knew of him, he had just finally passed
kindergarten again at age fourteen."  She sighed.  It had taken
her a long time, but she had finally managed to put that day behind
her, even manage to forget it.  Now it seemed that the wound was
reopened.
     "Why did they attack him?" asked Sheann'a.  Rosa looked at
her.
     "He turned them in for trying to sell drugs - a sort of
poison.  If I hadn't have stopped them, they probably would have
killed him anyway."  A medical team had just finished putting
the boy on a stretcher, and loaded him into a waiting ambulance.
Two other medics were checking the bullies that she had stopped.
     "You fought in his defense, and your spell was in your own
defense.  Why take pains for doing as was right?  You owed him no
debt for his being injured; it was an accident," said Alucard.
She looked at him for a moment, and smiled sadly.
     "It doesn't matter.  It was because of me he was in a coma.
My 'spell' as you put it, isn't exactly the norm in our world.
So, I am the one who has to deal with it."  He nodded, though he
frowned in thought.  As he did, the scene changed.  One moment,
they were standing on the school grounds, then next, they stood
in a town square, under a heavily over cast sky, in a town square.
They were surrounded by villagers, who seemed angry at something.
The houses about them were Victorian, painted in reds and browns.
     Alucard looked around, and sighed loudly.  From his reaction,
Rosa assumed that thus was his memory.  Looking around for herself,
she saw that the villager's anger seemed to be directed toward
a pretty young woman who was held spread-eagled on a tall wooden
cross.  Below her, a carefully constructed pile of wood waited.
She was pretty, her hair a light blond.  Rosa couldn't see her
face, turned down as it was her hair hid it from view.  As she
watched, four villagers bearing torches appeared, led by a
black-robed man holding a book and a cross.  Rosa suddenly realized
what was happening, and automatically moved to try and help the
woman.  Alucard stopped her with an outstretched arm, shaking
his head.
     "The past is set in stone.  Nothing you would do here would
effect the present, beyond earning you your death."  As he said it,
another Alucard ran into the square.  Although he appeared no
different from the man that stood next to here, she had the sense
that this Alucard was much younger.  The man ran toward the crowd,
pushing his way through.
     "Mother!"  The woman on the cross looked up as the younger
Alucard shouted.  Her features were delicate; her dark eyes sad,
and yet brave.  She looked as if she were ready to accept what
might come with open eyes and arms.  Rosa looked at the Alucard
they had come with.  As he watched the unfolding events, his lips
moved in time with the words spoken by the images.
     "Watch me die, and remember my last word always:  You have the
power to set him free.  He has been punished for long enough,
suffered long enough.  Set him free of his chains."  He blinked
in surprise, as the woman looked not at the Alucard of the past,
but of the present.  But before he could react, the four villagers
each set fire to a point of the pyre.  She didn't scream in pain,
didn't shout in terror.  Instead, she held Alucard's gaze until
the flames had shot too high to see her anymore, that same sad
bravery never leaving them.
     "Those were not her final words to me.  She said, 'Do not hate
humans. If you cannot live with them, then do them no harm, for
theirs is already a hard lot,'" said Alucard slowly.  He stared
at the flames, as they roared high, his expression completely
unreadable.  Sheann'a and Drathar both had puzzled expressions
as well.
     "Why did they do that to her?" asked Reinhart.  Alucard looked
at him.
     "She was a doctor, and healed many, many people.  But the
church thought that she healed them through witchcraft.  She was
accused with such, and they burned her at the stake for it.  Father
swore vengeance against the entire human race because of it, not
knowing her final words."  Rosa suddenly thought of something.
     "What if that really was her, and she was trying to tell you
something?"  Alucard raised an eyebrow at her, but Sheann'a nodded
thoughtfully.
     "It could be.  A message important enough to her that she was
willing to go through the pain again to get it to you.  And I can
think of no other place beside the castle where something like that
could happen."  Alucard frowned, turning the thought over.
Whatever conclusion he came to, though, he held his own council.
     The scene faded away, to be replaced by the castle's villa.
Rosa gasped, as she saw herself enter the foyer, just as she had a
few hours ago.  Carrie followed behind her, and Reinhart, then
Alucard, bringing up the rear.  She looked at Reinhart; he was
clutching tightly at the staff, his head bowed.
     As they watched, Cain suddenly appeared at the top of the
stairs.  He walked down them, just as he had before, speaking
to Sheann'a and Drathar.  Rosa's gaze swung between what was
happening before them, and Reinhart.    Her brother stood as still
as he could, but slowly raised his head.  In his eyes, fury began
to rage as Cain stopped, looking at Carrie.  The staff suddenly
began to glow, softly at first, and then brighter and brighter.
     "Reinhart," she said softly.  He looked at her, and shook his
head.  The staff stopped glowing, as Cain finished his speech.
     "Unfortunately, I'm afraid that you won't have the time."
Once again, Cain raised his hand, that sphere of darkness forming
so quickly.  She watched as Carrie, with a sudden expression
of understanding, swung her staff down, forming a shield even as
Reinhart leapt toward her.  He bounced off the shield, and the
sphere smashed into her side.
     Rosa couldn't understand why Carrie smiled as it did.
Reinhart was at her side just after Cain disappeared with the whip.
Reinhart frowned, and moved toward them.
     "Did you see it, Alucard?" he asked.  The dhampeal looked
at him, curious.
     "See what?"  Reinhart smiled just slightly.
     "Cain.  He winced as he threw the spell, and again as he took
the Whip.  Just slightly, barely enough to notice... but he did."
Alucard frowned, clearly thinking.  Slowly, he nodded.
     "When you point it out, I realize that you are correct.
I thought that he placed more power than he needed to into his
Sphere."  Rosa looked at them, confused.
     "What are you talking about?"  Reinhart smiled a little wider,
but his eyes were cold.
     "Cain winced when he threw his spell, and when he touched
the whip;  Alucard thinks that he put too much power into his
spell...  Cain might be bluffing in his abilities."  Rosa frowned.
     "Or he could be trying to trick us into thinking that, and
underestimating him," she said.  He frowned, but Drathar cleared
his throat.
     "It is possible.  His blood, being both Belmont and Tepes,
fought itself.  It may also fight the powers each side gives him.
The Belmont blood fighting the Sphere, and the Tepes blood fighting
the Whip."  Alucard nodded slowly, understanding what he was
getting at.
     "So while his powers are not weaker than we thought, he must
put more effort into using them."  Reinhart nodded.
     "Exactly.  That might an edge that we can use against him."
Beside them, Death knelt and picked up Carrie's lifeless form, and
then disappeared after Alucard spoke to him.  The castle seemed
to lurch, and the scene faded away, to reveal a plain, empty
corridor.  It had no decorations, was completely seamless except
for a second plain, wooden door before them.  They had passed
through the trap relatively unscathed.
     "We are nearly there.  Only the castle's keep and the clock
tower remain."

*****

     Ryoko looked up as Tsunami sighed, and saw her remove her hand
from Tenchi's chest.  So she had finally run out of the energy
needed to sustain the web.  The goddess was very haggard looking,
her hair standing out at random angles from her scalp.  She looked
as though she had aged a few years over the past week.
     "It is up to Tenchi, now, and the children to stop whatever
is feeding the curse.  My powers have reached their limits,"
she said softly.  Slowly, she stood up, moving stiffly, which
wasn't surprising considering that she had been sitting in the
chair for the past week.  She looked at Ryoko.  "How are you
holding up?" she asked.
     "I keep asking what is taking them so long.  I'm scared,
Sasami.  Mayuka's dream scares me.  Last night I dreamt that Rosa
came home a vampire, and told me that Reinhart was dead before
tearing me apart.  No, before you ask, it wasn't that sort of
dream."  She laughed roughly, and ran a hand through hair as messy
as Tsunami's.  "Forget scared, I'm completely terrified.  The only
reason I haven't gone mad yet is because you and the others are
around to keep me company."  Tsunami sighed.
     "I'm not certain I'm not going mad myself.  I could have sworn
that I felt somebody helping me for the past few days.  If I hadn't
have known better, I would have said that it was Yuzuha."  Ryoko
laughed, only partly hoping that she was just joking.  After a
moment, Tsunami laughed as well.  There had been little enough
to laugh about, and it felt good to do it.
     Their mirth subsided as Washu came into the room, a short
printout in her hands.  The scientist wore a concerned expression,
and Ryoko immediately wondered was on the paper she held.  She
didn't have to wait long to find out.
     "This just came from Ayeka.  The fleet was engaged about six
hours ago.  The got beat pretty bad.  The fleet lost twenty-five
percent of its non-treeship forces, and one of their treeships
was badly damaged when the enemy mothership 'shattered' a Light
Hawk Wing.  She's enroute here, now."  Tsunami nodded, unsurprised.
"She says that Mihoshi got there just in time to keep her from
being captured."
     "Captured?  But why, aside from the fact that she is the
empress?" asked Ryoko.  Tsunami looked at her.
     "Just as striking at Tenchi was meant to help ensure their
victory, the capture, instead of outright death, of Ayeka would
set us off balance."  Washu nodded.
     "I wouldn't be surprised if their next target isn't the Galaxy
police.  They are nearly as powerful as Jurai, and for more diverse
in abilities."  Ryoko nodded, having experienced that power first
hand, and Washu grinned suddenly.  "Our enemy will have a nice
surprise when they attack the Galaxy Police."

Blood Red Moon Resurrection Chapter 11:
     Dances of Light and Shadow

     Disclaimers: All characters belong to their various
copyrights, with the exception of Reinhart Masaki and Rosa Masaki.
Those two are mine.  Beyond their usage in this story, I claim no
ownership, no rights of creation, no nothing.  Please don't sue me.
Comments, quips, insults, and death threats will only be accepted
at Platinum_Dragon@usinternet.com
     The Tenchi Muyo Characters in this series are based on the OVA
versions, but don't be surprised if there aren't one or two TV
references.  The characters Carrie Fernandez, Alucard, Death,
Dracula, Maria Renard and Lisa all belong to the Konami Castlevania
series. This cross-over series is placed roughly 17 years in
Tenchi's world, 120 years in Alucard's world after the events in
Blood Red Moon.  Reinhart and Rosa Masaki, the children of Tenchi
and Ryoko, are now young teens.

     "To what profit is it to a man, if he gains the world and
loses his own soul?  Mathew 16:26 I believe." - Dracula, as he dies
at the end of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

*****

     Tenchi slowed as they reached the great doorway that sealed
away Dracula's chambers.  Beside him, the vampire king smiled
darkly, slowly drawing his blade.  The weapon whispered softly,
as it left its sheath, the rasp of metal on hardened leather.
As they had passed through the castle, Tenchi had gained a grudging
respect for him.  As nearly as he could tell, they were perfect
equals in abilities.
     "He waits for us here."  Tenchi nodded.
     "I can't say it's been fun getting up here," he answered.
Tenchi bled from numerous cuts and scratches, as did Dracula.
They had been attacked by nearly every demon, evil creature,
and malign spirit that Tenchi could think of, and then some.  He
shuddered as he remembered the strange, purple dinosaur-like
creature that had attacked as they entered the castle keep.  Even
Dracula had appeared to be shaken by that one.
     "I shall be more than happy to give him a fitting reward for
disturbing my rest," said Dracula.  Tenchi smirked, and together
they through open the doorway.  The room was just as he remembered
it, holding a stiff, simple plainness.  A wide red carpet, with a
thin line of gold on each edge, led up to a raised dais, where a
long coffin rested.  As they entered, a beam of light from the moon
came through the window, and touched the coffin.
     The lid exploded off, flying high into the air to land with
a crash off to the side, and Dracula's former servant sat up,
laughing.  Standing, he looked at them.  Down the center of his
face, a long, thin scar, straight as an arrow, ran.  It continued
past his face, and down his neck, to disappear beneath his shirt,
ending, Tenchi was sure, just above the center point of his
stomach.  Beyond the scar, he looked exactly the same.  Wrinkled
face, evil eyes, well trimmed beard, and dark clothing befitting
a king.
     "Very good!  I would have expected no less from Tenchi and
Vlad!" greeted Barnabas.  Dracula stepped forward, rage dancing
on his face.
     "You would dare to invoke my name, you filth!"  The vampire
laughed.
     "The balance has shifted, 'my lord!'  You are nothing here!
I am the one with the true power now!" he said mockingly,
gesturing.  Out of the shadows stepped the forms of Ryoko and
Death.  Ryoko sneered evilly at Tenchi, while Death spun his scythe
into battle stance.  "I think that they want to play with you!"
Tenchi and Dracula looked at each other; the ancient vampire
smirked, and Tenchi nodded.
     Dashing forward, Dracula lashed out at Ryoko.  She put up her
own blade just in time to block the attack, stunned surprise
on her face.  At the same time, Tenchi flung nearly a dozen
fireballs at Death.  The ancient specter was caught off guard,
and only just managed to deflect the attack.  Tenchi formed his own
blade, and charged in for the kill.
     They had known that Barnabas would likely try to stop them
with something like this, sending the ones that they were closest
to after them, in the hopes that they wouldn't be able to deliver
a killing blow, and thus die.  The obvious solution had been to
fight the other's opponent.  Tenchi knew that he couldn't have
fought even the image of Ryoko, but Death was just another enemy
to him.  The opposite was true for Dracula, unable to fight his
longtime companion Death, but against Ryoko he would have no
compunctions.
     Even as Barnabas realized what they were doing, Tenchi sliced
savagely across, directly through Death's scythe and then his own
body.  The ancient specter howled in rage, and vanished into motes
of air.  A scream of pain from Ryoko almost made him turn, but
Tenchi forced himself not to look.  A moment later, he heard
Dracula laugh triumphantly.  Tenchi looked toward the former
servant, as he laughed.
     "Very good!  I had thought that they would keep you busy
longer than that, but clearly you were expecting them."  Dracula
frowned, and looked at Tenchi.
     "I am beginning to understand one of the reasons that I was
stopped so many times."  Barnabas looked at him, caught off guard
by the strange comment.
     "And why is that, 'Master?'"  Dracula looked at him, and
laughed.
     "Because I talked too much!" he shouted, dashing forward,
his sword aimed to the other vampire's heart.  Catching him by
surprise, Dracula was able to drive it in to the hilt.  He jumped
back, leaving the sword implanted there, and then made an unusual
gesture with his hands toward the hilt.  Four thick bolts of
lightening blasted down through the roof, meeting at the sword.
Barnabas screamed as the energy coursed through him, and Tenchi
had to shield his eyes from the brightness of it.
     When his vision cleared, he was amazed to see that the man was
still standing.  Slowly, he reached up, and withdrew the sword from
his chest.  Laughing madly, he looked at Dracula, who was staring
at him in astonishment.
     "I am the master now, old man!  You are less than nothing!"
With that, he hurled the blade at Dracula.  It caught him in the
stomach; he was thrown across the room, into a marble pillar.
With such force the blade had been thrown, it was driven into the
stone, and there, nearly three feet off the ground, Dracula hung,
impaled by his own blade and held up by it.  He still seemed to be
alive, clutching weakly at the hilt.  Tenchi stared at Barnabas,
frowning.  The vampire smiled evilly, and came forward, a blue
force blade appearing in his hand.
     "Oh, I've waited  long time for this, Tenchi.  My vengeance
will be complete.  I'll let just enough of your spirit live that
you can watch as I drain each one of your precious family dry, and
then rape their rotting corpses.  Their souls will only be the
first.  You should consider them lucky...  Their suffering will
only last a short time.  Yours shall be legendary, even in Hell!"
     With a wordless roar, the vampire leapt forward.  Tenchi
reacted automatically, bringing up his sword to block, and then
counterstrike.  Barnabas easily stepped aside, and Tenchi's attack
went just wide of removing his head.  Following through, Tenchi
spun to block a sideways strike, and then swept a foot under the
vampire.  He leapt over it, but that gave Tenchi an opening.
He pressed it hard with a series of fast, lightly powered strokes,
and was able to push Barnabas back.
     Getting a second wind, Barnabas executed several complex
sword strikes, and succeeded in drawing a long, deep gash down
Tenchi's shoulder.  The vampire laughed, as blood welled up from
the injury.
     "I still remember you giving me the same wound.  Delicious
pain, isn't it?"  Now, all of Tenchi's energies went into simply
holding his ground, but slowly, he was pushed back.  The evil
vampire was able to push a second hit through Tenchi's defenses,
drawing a shallow line across his ribs.  Shocked by the pain,
Tenchi desperately leapt backwards, flinging a line of fireballs
at Barnabas to hold him back.
     As he landed, he slipped in a puddle of blood; whether it was
his or not, he didn't know.  Tenchi fell, losing the concentration
needed to hold his blade as he did.  Barnabas cackled in triumph,
raising his blade high over his head.
     "You are mine!" he shouted, and thrust his blade down.  Tenchi
screamed in pain as he felt it begin to bite into him, sinking
in almost too slow to believe.
     The pain suddenly stopped, and Tenchi blinked as a huge sphere
of dark energy blasted through the vampire, leaving a gaping hole.
The ancient vampire looked down in shock, and stared at the hole.
Then he suddenly laughed, and looked at Tenchi.
     "The destiny of darkness, to destroy itself."  The vampire
fell to his knees, and seemed to melt away, his body losing shape
and form.  What was left dropped to the ground, and seemed to
simply evaporate.  Painfully, Tenchi pulled himself over to the
column that Dracula hung from, and propped himself up against
it, panting.
     "My, wasn't that fun?" gasped the ancient vampire.  Tenchi
laughed raggedly, fingering the wound in his chest.  Another inch
deeper, and Barnabas would have pierced his heart.  Entirely
too close for comfort.
     "Oh, yeah, just a barrel of laughs," he replied.  Dracula
barked out a hoarse laugh, and then began to cough violently.
Groaning, Tenchi forced himself to his feet, and grasped the hilt
of the sword firmly.  Dracula nodded at him as the coughing fit
subsided, and Tenchi pulled the sword out.  The vampire dropped
to the ground, blood pouring from the wound.  Slowly, though,
he pushed himself up, to lean against the pillar.  Tenchi had to
concentrate hard to keep from simply dropping to the ground next
to him instead of sitting down.
     "I haven't felt this bad for centuries.  Given the choice,
I think that I'll skip it on the next opportunity."  Tenchi
laughed.
     "This is nothing compared to getting caught between Ryoko and
Ayeka when they used to fight.  Even you couldn't beat what they
can do."  Dracula smirked.
     "Don't tempt me to try."  Tenchi looked at him.
     "You couldn't even stand up to do it if you wanted to."
     "You're probably right."  Tenchi snickered.
     "Shouldn't be long now.  I'll wake up, and you can go back to
your 'rest.'  You're welcome to it."  Dracula laughed raggedly,
and Tenchi joined him.

*****

     Ryoko was sitting beside Tenchi's bed, reading a novel.  Bram
Stoker's Dracula, to be exact.  She had no idea why she had picked
it up.  She had read it once, a long time ago; afterwards,
she had sworn to never touch it again.  She was frightened
enough as it was.  But, surprisingly, it was having an almost
soothing effect on her raw nerves.  Maybe it was just that she knew
what was happening there hadn't really happened, at least not in
this world.  Other worlds, she knew, where an entirely different
matter.
     At first, she didn't really notice it; a presence that joined
with her mind.  It was too soft to feel more than slightly,
and she was deeply into the book.  A feather touch, nothing more.
Then it came again, a little harder, and she looked up, blinking,
wondering what had disturbed her.  Nothing was in the lab, save
herself and Tenchi; Tsunami had left to stretch out her legs after
holding off the curse.

     She looked at Tenchi; most of the lights in the lab down
fairly low, save for one that she was using to read the book by.
There didn't appear to be any change in him, and she lightly
smoothed a hand over his hair.  His skin was still chilly, but he
was breathing.  It made no sense to her.  How could he be alive,
but feel like he was dead? Ryoko settled back to her book, thinking
that it had just been her imagination.
     When she felt a hand lightly touch her on the arm, she jumped
in surprise.  Slowly, she turned, toward Tenchi's bed, not daring
to believe, and found him, head turned toward her, his beautiful
gentle brown eyes open.  He grinned a little weakly, as she felt
the presence of him suddenly reform in her mind.  They simply
stared at each other for a moment.
     "Any... calls while... I was out?" he croaked.  She looked
at him, and just started laughing.  She jumped out of the chair,
and hugged him tightly; he returned the hug, albeit weakly.  They
separated as Washu came in the room.  The scientist stared in
amazement as they looked over at her.  Blinking away her confusion,
she hurried over, producing some sort of medical scanner.
     "Brain waves normal...  Body temp rising...  circulation
restored...  How do you feel, Tenchi?"  He looked at her.
     "Like I got caught between Ryoko and Ayeka, beyond that, not
too horrible."  Ryoko looked at him flatly, and he grinned
defensively.  Washu, meanwhile, summoned her keyboard, and called
everybody into her lab.  Moments later, Mayuka, Nobuyuki, and
Tsunami all rushed in, laughing in joy.
     Tsunami quickly moved to his side, and lay her hand on his
chest, energy already making it glow.  He frowned, as she closed
her eyes, and seemed to draw in on herself for a moment.  Abruptly,
she laughed, and then kissed him lightly on the cheek.  Ryoko
grinned, and let the 'transgression' pass.
     "Gone.  The curse is completely gone, Tenchi.  Welcome back."
Tenchi looked at her, and frowned again.
     "Are you certain?  That's one trip I'd just as soon not go
through again."  She nodded, as Tenchi slowly pushed himself up on
his elbows, wincing.  He looked around.  "We're a couple short...
Where are Reinhart and Rosa?"  Ryoko blinked, and looked at him.
Tenchi's brown furrowed, as he saw her expression go from joy at
his return to renewed worry.
     "They are in Romania, husband."  He looked at her in surprise,
and Tsunami cleared her throat.
     "It was my doing, Tenchi.  When the curse resurfaced,
I wasn't certain you would survive unless it was eliminated
at the source.  They were the only ones that could go."  He nodded,
slowly.
     "I believe you, Sasami.  But I also need to speak with both
you and Ryoko, alone, for a few moments."  She looked at him,
confused, but Ryoko nodded, and began moving everybody out.
Quickly enough, the lab was empty, and she went back to his side.
He gave her hand a quick squeeze - she noticed that while he was
still chilly, he was warming up - and then began to speak.
     He pained a picture of a terrifying journey, frightening
in and of itself because it had happened, more so because of what
he told them he had been through.  Tsunami gasped when he told them
that he had found Yuzuha within himself, and Ryoko stared at him as
though a viper was in his lap when he told her that he had found
Kagato.  Dracula appearing to save him at the last minute was the
greatest shock to her of all.  As he finished, she shivered,
but Tsunami nodded slowly.
     "I had thought that somebody was aiding me.  This would
explain a great deal."  Tenchi nodded.
     "So, that bastard is in you?" asked Ryoko dangerously.
She wasn't sure if she meant Dracula or Kagato.  Tenchi sighed,
nodding, and trying to smile comfortingly.
     "Kagato is dead for certain.  Dracula killed him before it was
too late; as for the vampire king; when I left him, he was bleeding
from a gaping wound in his stomach.  If he made it, I don't mind
him resting... in me.  I know what he did to you, but he helped
me...  Without him, I wouldn't have woken as myself.  I'll
understand if you can't forgive him, but I have to judge him
against everything that he has done, not just part of it."  Ryoko
frowned at him irritably for a moment, but slowly it softened.
     "Damn...  I will never understand how you always manage to
find some good in everybody," she said.  Sighing, she kissed him,
and smiled.  "Of course, I suppose that I should consider that a
good thing, or you might never have seen the good in me."  Tenchi
smiled gently, and then stretched.
     "Well, there is nothing that we can do but wait for them to
come back."  He winced.  "I am starving.  How long was I out?"
     "A week," laughed Ryoko.  Though she was still worried about
the children.  A good deal of the fear that she had been feeling
had evaporated away.  Grinning, she helped him get up, and they
left the lab.  As they exited, Washu came over, and told them that
Ayeka's ship had just landed.  Tenchi asked what they meant, and
she and Washu began to fill him in on what had happened while he
had been asleep.

*****

     Tokimi smiled faintly, as her armada dropped out of
quasi-space roughly forty-thousand kilometers from the Galaxy
Police Central Head Quarters.  Immediately, swarms of fighter
craft poured from the bays of her destroyers, and sped toward the
huge station.  Though still dwarfed by her own ship, the head
quarters was heavily fortified, and heavily guarded.  Dozens of
huge planetoids and asteroids floated around in the area.  Even as
the first blasts of laser fire began to lance out at the station,
several heavy battle cruisers moved in, and began to attack.
     Smiling wider, she targeted one of the nearest, and fired.
The laser blasted into the ship, and there was a bright flash of
light...  When it disappeared, the battle cruiser was still there.
Her eyes widened, as she saw the fighter fire pass directly though
the station.  Quickly, she punched up a scan of the station.
     The energy readouts were correct; there were massive life
signs and other activity as well, all consistent with a major,
busy station.  Her main weapon had recharged; she targeted the
station, and fired.  The laser blasted out, slammed into the
station... and right through it.  Tokimi screamed in rage, as the
station shimmered, and became Washu's face, sticking her tongue
out at her, and then disappeared.
     Suddenly, she was surrounded by explosions, as Galaxy Police
ships began to pour out of cover from behind the planetoids,
weapons blazing.  Dozens of her starfighters, caught by complete
surprise, were destroyed almost instantly, scattering their ranks.
     Following the first wave of Galaxy Police, heavier
dreadnoughts and space carriers followed, concentrating
their heavier firepower on her destroyers and battle cruisers.
The Shiboo was rocked as lines of the ships were destroyed.
Scanning the fleet, Tokimi was pleasantly surprised to find a
familiar ship.  The leader of the group that had saved the Empress
from being captured.  She smiled mirthlessly, and targeted it with
the main weapon.
     She fired, and laughed as the ship exploded in a brilliant
blast of light.  Her mirth was short-lived, though, as a much
smaller craft streaked away from the explosion.
     Before she could react, her ship was shaken violently,
and klaxons began to sound off.  She silenced them with a thought,
and frowned as a tactile readout came up.  One of the nearby
planetoids had collided with her ship.  There was a fair amount
of damage on the ship's right flank.  The auto-repair quickly
began to take care of the damage, but even her ship's ability
to survive massive hits was a little strained, but she dismissed
it as a simple accident.
     Just as she was about to attack one of the heavy carriers,
her ship shuddered again, and the klaxons buzzed louder.  Now, a
second impact on her right flank had occurred.  She punched up a
map of the area.  No less than seven of the meteoroids and
planetoids in the area were on a direct course with her.  Even as
she watched, an eighth suddenly changed course, and accelerated
towards her.  A third and fourth impact shook the ship, and a new
klaxon sounded.  The ship's auto-repair had been overloaded,
possibly well beyond repair.  Growling, she sent an order to her
shattered forces to fall back to Jurai.
     "You will pay for this, Washu!  You will pay!!!"

*****

     Mihoshi gasped in relief as Yukinojo's fighter module detached
from his main hull just as the mega laser crashed into it.  She
pushed the power up to full, and they flashed away as the hull
exploded in a blinding blast of light.  She almost lost control
as the blast wave washed over her.
     "Mihoshi!  We are being targeted again!" cried the ship's
AI.  She gasped, and whirled the ship into a twisting tailspin.
The ship shook, as several lasers flashed by, just barely grazing
Yukinojo's midsection.  She bit back tears, and turned the ship
toward one of the nearest enemy battleships.
     "Under jurisdiction of Galaxy Police space laws, I have to put
you under arrest for firing on Galaxy Police property..."
she started, beginning to sob as it started to open fire on her.
She wondered why they weren't listening to her, and warned them
that if they didn't stop, she'd have to open fire.  They didn't
stop, and she began fire randomly.  Her first volley destroyed
the weapons banks on the near side, her second blew out the engine.
The destroyer exploded in a brilliant fireball.
     "Mihoshi, it seems as though they are pulling back.  The
mothership appears to have taken major damage from the planetoids
thrown by Washu's machine."  She sniffled, and looked at the AI
module.
     "Really?"  Yukinojo affirmed it and she sniffled again.  They
headed back toward the real HQ, which had been pulled behind a line
of gigantic planetoids.
     "Well, at least they don't seem to be too angry for our
tricking them!"  Yukinojo sighed in exasperation.

Blood Red Moon Resurrection Chapter 12:
     Between Morning and Night

     Disclaimers: All characters belong to their various
copyrights, with the exception of Reinhart Masaki and Rosa Masaki.
Those two are mine.  Beyond their usage in this story, I claim no
ownership, no rights of creation, no nothing.  Please don't sue me.
Comments, quips, insults, and death threats will only be accepted
at Platinum_Dragon@usinternet.com
     The Tenchi Muyo Characters in this series are based on the OVA
versions, but don't be surprised if there aren't one or two TV
references.  The characters Carrie Fernandez, Alucard, Death,
Dracula, Maria Renard and Lisa all belong to the Konami Castlevania
series. This cross-over series is placed roughly 17 years in
Tenchi's world, 120 years in Alucard's world after the events in
Blood Red Moon.  Reinhart and Rosa Masaki, the children of Tenchi
and Ryoko, are now young teens.

     "To what profit is it to a man, if he gains the world and
loses his own soul?  Mathew 16:26 I believe." - Dracula, as he dies
at the end of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

*****

     As they finally reached the top of the clock tower, Reinhart
smiled slightly in anticipation.  They knew Cain's secret, now.
Maybe it wasn't much of a trump card to play, but even the lowest
trump could take the pot.  It might just be enough, if they could
find a way to exploit it.  Before them, a long stairway led into
darkness, parts of it crumbling, and one huge section missing
entirely.
     "You've got to give the guy credit...  Dracula always did know
how to set a mood, and slow you down at the same time," said
Sheann'a, shattering the silence grown thick around them.  The
moon, crimson and full, shone through huge holes in the ceiling,
providing an eerie glow that suffused the hall.  Rosa started
walking upwards.
     "The quicker we get going, the quicker we can get outta here,"
she said, grinning.  Reinhart and Alucard looked at each other,
and were turning to follow her when she screamed.  They looked
back just in time to see Cain laugh, and throw two spheres of
darkness at them.  They dodged aside, as Cain disappeared,
taking Rosa with him.
     "Rosa!"  Reinhart began to run up the stairs, barely conscious
of Alucard moving right at his side.  The dhampeal spoke bitterly.
     "We have played right into his hands.  How couldn't I have
seen it before, his intent?"  Reinhart glanced at him.
     "What do you mean?"  Alucard winced.
     "No matter how powerful he is, he would need to have more in
order to destroy the Pendulum.  That is why he needed both the
castle and the whip.  But it wasn't enough.  So, he now will take
more power, in the order of sacrificing someone with great power,
like your parents."  Reinhart finished the thought.
     "Or us!  That's why he needed to get us here!"  Alucard
nodded.
     "And we have blindly given him everything that he needed!"
They reached the gap, and leapt as one.  Reinhart simply flew to
the other side; Alucard morphed into a huge bat as his feet left
the ground, glided to the other side, and then reassumed human
form.  They hit the ground running, and dashed up the remaining
steps.  Reinhart raised his hand, and blasted through the door with
a fireball.  They came to a quick stop as they entered the throne
room.
     "This is... new..." said Sheann'a slowly.  The room that they
had entered could hardly be called a room; more of a vast empty
void.  Above them, and to their sides, there was nothing but
emptiness.  The ground appeared to be simple granite stone, gray
and lifeless.  Although there were no lights that they could see,
an odd, filling glow that seemed to come from everywhere,
and yet nowhere, provided ample light.
     Not far away from them stood Cain, wearing a long black robe,
which covered all but his head and hands.  To his right, a tall
pedestal stood.  There were two items on it, one large bowl made
of crimson crystal.  The other was a long, curving knife with a
blade that looked to be made of silver and a hilt of gold. To his
left, a small urn with strange and evil looking markings waited
on a second pillar.
     Behind him, stripped of her clothing and stretched out
horizontally, with her hands folded at her waist, was Rosa.  She
floated nearly four feet above the ground, just about waist level.
From where Reinhart stood, she appeared to be sleeping.  Reinhart
guessed that she was in a trance.  Cain looked up, and smiled as
they arrived.
     "Ah!  So you made it to the party after all!  Time here does
tend to stretch out a bit from the rest of the world, so we've been
waiting for some time...  I was beginning to think that we'd have
to start without you!"  He gestured, and suddenly Reinhart found
that he couldn't move more than his head.  A glance to his right
showed him that Alucard and his familiars were similarly frozen.
He smiled at them apologetically, and then closed his eyes, and
began to chant.
     "Powers of Heaven, powers of Hell, I call you as your master!"
He reached over, and picked up the urn, and then smashed it to the
ground.  A cloud of ashes billowed up, half black, half white.
"The souls of twelve of Lucifer's Elder Demons, and twelve of God's
Saints I give you in penance.  Hear me now, throw open the Gate of
Chaos!  Reveal to me the ancient sign, and let the end begin!"
His voice, normal at first, had slowly risen until it seemed to
echo in the void.
     They watched, in stunned amazement, as behind Cain and Rosa's
prone form, a tall bar of light appeared.  With the added
illumination, he was able to make out a huge double door.  On one
side, the huge image of an old man with flowing robes and a long
beard stood, the sun shining brightly behind him.  The man's eyes
were hidden from view by a cloud.  On the other door, a younger
man, with long horns on his forehead and severe clothing stood.
Behind him, fires raged in a bias that looked so real Reinhart
could almost feel their searing heat.  Then he realized that the
bar of light was being produced by these doors slowly opening.
     Cain laughed almost madly as they slowly swung wide.  For a
moment, the light was so bright that it was blinding.  Once
Reinhart's eyes had adjusted to the light, he was able to make out
the form of a huge pendulum.  At the far edges of its slow,
sweeping swing, stood two tall clocks.  As the doors finished
opening, they struck twelve.  The ground shook, as an impossibly
loud tolling called out the hour.
     "Impressive, isn't it, Father?  I'll bet you never even knew,
the entire time that you and grandfather lived and fought here,
never knew what Castlevania really was.  Not the incarnation
of evil that you always assumed it was, though once you were close
in your description of it.  You once told mother that it was a
creature of Chaos."  He laughed again.
     "Not a creature, Father.  The guardian!  And Dracula, though
he didn't know it, was its greatest warrior."  He swept his hand
out at them.  "Such a delicate balance...  Dracula could not be
allowed to gain too much power, else he might threaten the Pendulum
himself.  So, the Belmonts were created.  His balance.  They, they
ultimate light, him, the ultimate dark, even beyond Lucifer.
Did you know, Father, that each time a threat came to the Pendulum,
he was reborn just in time to block its destruction, and then in
turn was put back to sleep by the Belmonts?"  He laughed, and
approached them.
     "And then I was born.  A balance between the Tepes and Belmont
blood.  I threatened the Pendulum by my very existence, for how
could the Belmont blood kill itself?  If it did, there would be no
one to put Dracula back to sleep.  Yet, so long as I lived, the
Tepes blood would never sleep.  Pity I didn't find out about the
Pendulum until about a hundred years ago, before which it had been
weakened by bringing you back to fight Dracula.  It would have made
things so much simpler..."  Cain looked at Reinhart.
     "The Pendulum summoned what it knew could defeat me, at that
time - your father.  But by mistake, it also brought along your
mother, and when Dracula's servant kidnapped her, he was turned
away from his true purpose.  Yet at the same time, he filled the
prophecy, and Dracula was destroyed forever."  Reinhart forced
himself not to look at Alucard as Cain let that slip.  If he didn't
know Dracula was here, in the castle...
     "Pity that I didn't have the power to destroy the Pendulum
then.  I tried, but Tenchi unwittingly protected it when he used
his powers as he, and Reinhart and Rosa Schnieder escaped the
castle.  I myself was injured in the destruction as the castle
collapsed, and I could not raise it again when I finally healed."
He stopped, and then grinned, looking toward Rosa for a moment,
his gaze seeming to drift off to someplace else.
     "Then, twenty years ago, I ran across a relatively simple
spell that I knew I could use to gain enough power to destroy
the Pendulum once and for all," he said, and then giggled suddenly.
"Such an enjoyable one, too...  Take of a virgin goddess her
essence and blood, and her power would become mine...  How
convenient!  I happened to have access to someone with the powers
of a goddess!"  He looked at Rosa again, and Reinhart understood
how she had come to be stripped of her clothing, what he meant by
'her essence.'  Shouting in rage, Reinhart struggled to move.  The
staff, held tight in his hand, began to glow brightly, seeming
to pick up on his anger.  Cain laughed as it did.
     "As I had thought!  She joined with the staff!  Impressive,
even I must admit that I wouldn't have the power or ability to do
something like that!"  The impact of Cain's words stopped Reinhart
cold, and he stared first at Cain, and then at the staff.  Was he
suggesting...
     "No, Reinhart.  He is trying to trick you.  I can already
sense the mind weave that he is using!  Ignore it!" shouted
Alucard.  Reinhart shook his head, frowning.  No!  It was too close
to what he wanted to believe.  Slowly, Reinhart forced his hand to
open, even as Cain frowned, and then gritted his teeth.  Painfully
slowly, his fingers uncurled.  With a sudden snap, he felt the
field binding his entire arm snap, and he dropped the staff,
raising his hand and loosing a fireball before Cain could react.
The projectile slammed into his chest, and the man was thrown
across the room.  He came up laughing, smoke rising from his cloak.
Underneath, smooth flesh had been revealed.
     "Very impressive, very impressive indeed!  You managed to
break through the spell, for all the good that it did you."
Reinhart found that his arm was already frozen again.  Cain walked
over, and picked up the staff, smiling.
     "Ah, yes, the ornaments that Tenchi carved for his dear
friends.  You must be wondering why he did that."  He laughed,
and tapped his head.  "Even the strongest of men is vulnerable
in his dreams...  One dream, suitably horrifying, can convince
him to do anything.  And once he made these, he left a link to
himself that I could feed anything through, should I ever need to."
He dropped it on the ground, and turned to go back over to Rosa.
     "My friends, I tire of this game...  I think that it is time
we ended it, yes?"  Reinhart watched, helpless, as Cain slowly
picked up the dagger, and raised it over his head.  "Ah, my dear...
We had fun, but I'm afraid that I mustn't let pleasure come before
business!"  Laughing again, he began to slowly lower the blade
toward her breast.
     "Rosa!  No!" shouted Reinhart, struggling again to move, but
no matter how he tried, he couldn't even twitch a muscle.  Then,
suddenly, a Sphere of Destruction slammed into Cain from behind.
The dagger went spinning away to clatter against the ground, and he
was thrown forward, over Rosa's prone form.  Reinhart looked in
stunned astonishment in the direction that it had come from, as did
Alucard and his familiars.
     Larger than life, the vampire king Dracula stood there, in
armor resembling Reinhart's father's, and holding a sword and
shield that matched Tenchi's Light Hawk Sword and Shield perfectly,
save that these were black as the emptiness above them.  He had a
grim expression, and his eyes smoldered coldly.  Cain slowly
turned, fury dancing on his face, fury which turned to shock as he
saw who had attacked him.
     Cain laughed, suddenly, laughed as though he had heard the
funniest joke in the world.

*****

     Alucard stared as his father slowly entered the room.  How
could this be?  Dracula was bereft of his powers, was he not?  But
he thought for a moment of Cain's words, that Dracula was
Castlevania's ultimate champion.  Was it possible that the castle
itself had returned Dracula to his full abilities?  Cain laughed,
long and hard, as he turned toward the ancient vampire.
     "Not as dead as you appeared to be, Grandfather.  Is this
Chaos's last defense?  Castlevania's last attempt to bar me from
ending it all?"  He laughed, as Dracula set himself to fight.
     "Perhaps you don't know much about me, Cain," said Dracula,
twisting his name sourly.  "You call yourself of my bloodline,
yet you would seek to destroy all, instead of simply humans?"
Cain laughed.
     "Oh...  That was so cutting...  I think...  I think that I
almost didn't care."  Smirking, he raised a hand, and formed a
Sphere of Destruction.  "I've taken my licks...  Can you take
yours?"  Laughing, he launched it.  Alucard watched as Dracula
brought up his shield, and the sphere splashed against it.  His
father was blasted across the room.  He hit the ground, and slid
several feet before stopping.  Slowly, though, he got up, pausing
to spit out some blood.
     "I've... taken harder hits... from the Belmonts."  Cain
laughed.
     "I am a Belmont, old man!"  He produced the whip from under
his robes, and charged Dracula.  His father raised his shield to
block, only to find that Cain was no longer there.  Cain teleported
behind Dracula, and lasted out with the whip.  It went around
Dracula's neck, and began to glow white.  Cain hauled savagely
back on the handle, and the vampire king stumbled backwards.
Cain pulled him close, and placed his hand into Dracula's back.
     "Guess what, Dracula...  This time, it's forever."  Alucard
felt rather than saw Cain form the Sphere of Destruction;
Dracula screamed as it blasted out his stomach.  He fell to the
ground, the Belmont whip still wrapped around his neck.  Cain
laughed, and teleported back over to Rosa, raising his hand.  The
dagger flew back to it, and he once again brought it over his head.
     "No...  Stop him...  My son..."  Alucard looked back in shock
as Dracula feebly raised his hand, and pointed toward Alucard.
There was a small spark, and suddenly Alucard found that he could
move.  Wasting no time, Alucard summoned up his own magic, and
flung a volley of fireballs at him.  They slammed into him, and
once again the dagger went flying away just before it bit into her
breast.  Cain turned once again, frowning.
     "Will these interruptions never cease!  Faugh!" he said
impatiently.  Alucard slowly drew his blade.
     "Where did you come from truly, Cain?  No child of Maria's
could be as evil as this."  Cain frowned for a moment, looking
down.
     "I... honestly don't know.  Maria was my mother, just as
surely as you are my father.  But perhaps I am of neither you nor
her, merely some nightmare you've dreamt as you sleep?  Fears can
be so alluring... so seductive...  Maybe this is only a figment
of your imagination, and you are still in your coffin, dreaming.
But when you die here, will you wake up?  Will Death come to carry
you away?  Or will you be eternally lost, as the succubus was?"
He laughed suddenly.  "Who can say?  Why don't we find out?"
     Alucard dove aside as Cain flung a Sphere of Destruction
at him, and morphed as he came up, dashing toward the man as a
wolf.  He leapt up, maw wide to grab at his throat.  Cain caught
him, and threw him away, to sail far through the air.  In
mid-flight, Alucard righted himself, and changed into a bat, diving
at Cain again.  He brought up his hand, face full of fury, and
formed another Sphere; reacting automatically, Alucard drew on his
own magic, and spat a ball of flame toward him.  The two spells
met between them, and detonated with a terrific blast.  Alucard
was shaken by the shock wave, and dropped to the ground, morphing
back into human form.
     He brought up his shield in just enough time to block another
blast from Cain; the ancient heirloom was knocked out of his hands
with the force.  Cain smiled grimly, and raised his hands.  Alucard
brought up his blade to try and block what ever might come at him.
Cain laughed.
     "The last stand, Alucard.  After this, nothing can stand in my
way.  Mother will be avenged, the Pendulum will be shattered,
and the pain will go away.  Nothing can stop the pain but this...
You should understand that.  I might have even asked you to help
me, but you just left Mother...  Do you think I'm mad?"  Alucard
frowned.
     "No.  I know the pain you speak of.  As my father said to me,
I will now say to you.  Fate delt me my role, just as you were delt
yours."  Cain grinned.
     "So touching...  Dracula always had a flair for the obvious."
Quicker than the eye could follow, a Sphere of Destruction
formed, and was launched at Alucard.  On instinct alone, Alucard
swung at it.  Only then did he notice that his sword was blazing
with a bright light.  He suddenly sensed her, with him... Maria,
could feel the touch of her hands around his, guiding the arc of
his blade.  The spell touched it, and was reflected back at Cain,
the sphere of darkness changing to a sphere of pure light.  Cain
gasped in pain as it slammed into him, knocking him back.  Alucard,
taking no time to marvel, dashed forward.  His blade was aimed
true, and it plunged into the dazed Cain, piercing his heart.
     Cain blinked in surprise, and looked down, at the sword that
now extended a foot and a half out his back.  Father and son looked
at each other for a moment.  Cain blinked, and coughed.
     "I...  would have...  liked to spend... a day with you...
once."  Slowly, Cain slipped off the blade, but just before it came
completely out of him, the metal snapped in two, leaving Alucard
with half of the sword, and half a foot of the broken blade
sticking out of Cain's chest.

*****

     Reinhart stared in dull amazement as Alucard batted the Sphere
of Destruction back at Cain.  For a moment, he had almost been
certain that he had seen the image of a woman there, holding the
sword with him.  But he wasn't certain, and the vision had been
brief.  Then, suddenly, Alucard's blade had been driven though
Cain's back, and he had found himself free again.  He had
immediately run to where Rosa dropped to the ground.  She moaned
quietly as she hit, but remained in the trance.  Reinhart removed
his cloak, and quickly wrapped it around her.
     He looked up as Cain fell to the ground, the broken end of
Alucard's sword still through his heart.  The dhampeal was staring
at his sword in shock; Sheann'a finished checking Rosa, and told
him that she would be fine, but the trance would remain on her for
a little while yet, and then she flew over to Alucard.
     "She was here...  She turned back his spell," Reinhart heard
him say, with wonder in his voice.  Sheann'a said something
to him; he nodded, and slowly sheathed what was left of his blade.
Reinhart looked at Rosa once more, and then walked over to where
he had left the staff.  Slowly, he picked it up, and smiled.  She
had been avenged.  Reinhart dug into his pocket, and pulled out the
small cube that Washu had given him.  He turned to Alucard.
     "What will you do now?" he asked.  Alucard frowned.
     "This world holds nothing for me now.  Not even my father."
Alucard laughed suddenly, though the sound was cold, barren.
Strange, Reinhart reflected...  A few days ago, he would have been
chilled by that laugh.  Now he almost felt like joining him.  "He
broke the chains that he had made for himself.  In the end, had I
had the chance, I would have forgiven him."
     The words were barely out of his mouth, when suddenly a pillar
of light shot down from above them.  Automatically, they dropped
into battle stances, ready for a fight, no longer caring.  Reinhart
realized that they had both lost what they had come to protect.
But slowly, Alucard straightened, as Sheann'a and Drathar gasped.
Out of the light stepped two ghostly forms.
     One was Rosa, the Rosa that had opened the Belmont tomb for
them... what seemed ages ago to Reinhart.  She smiled at him, and
walked over, knelt by his sister.  Gently, she touched her
forehead, and seemed to dim for a moment.  Then she stood, and
looked at Reinhart.
     "Cain was bluffing; trying to set you off balance.  She will
be fine, but will have no memory of anything that happened after
you first arrived within the tower."  Smiling again, she backed
away, almost to the pillar of light.
     The other woman was the woman that they had seen in Alucard's
memory, the one that he said was his mother.  She walked to him
slowly, smiling.  He stared at her in disbelief, his mouth working.
The ghost came up to him, and hugged him.  He blinked, and slowly,
returned the embrace.
     "I'm sorry... that I was not there when you needed me to be.
But you have lived up to every hope that I could have.  Thank you,
my son.  Now, I've come to finish what you have began."  She
smiled, separated from him, and then slowly walked over to
Dracula's corpse.  She knelt there, and gently turned the body
over.  They all watched in amazement as she took his hand, and
smiled.
     "Arise, my love.  Arise.  You have served your penance...
Proven yourself once and for all.  Alucard has forgiven you, and I
have always forgiven you.  Arise."  She slowly stood, then, and as
she did, a faint, faded image of Dracula stood with her.  His eyes
seemed full of wonder.  She kissed him tenderly, and they embraced.
Dracula looked over at Alucard, in surprise.  Alucard looked away
for a moment, but then slowly looked back.  There was a faint smile
on his face, and he nodded to them.
     Alucard's mother slowly led Dracula towards the shimmering
light.  As they reached it, he stopped.  Raising his hand, he
touched it lightly, and then slowly put a hand in.  Drawing it back
out, he looked at Alucard again, and then suddenly laughed, and
stepped in.  Rosa slowly approached Dracula's body, and carefully
unwrapped the whip from his neck.  It glowed faintly in her hands,
as she rolled it up.  She looked at them once again, a little
sadly, and then stepped into the light herself, raising a hand in
farewell.  The light slowly faded away.  Reinhart smiled, but it
was empty.  He looked at the staff again, and then set the cube on
the ground.
     "Wait."
     Reinhart turned around at the voice of Death, frowning.
The ancient specter slowly came toward them from the shadows.
Oddly, he wasn't carrying his scythe with him.  Beyond that, he
seemed no different from before.
     "What do you want?" he asked coldly.  Death looked at him long
and hard, frowning.
     "Balance...  This is what I have been, since the beginning
of eternity.  This is what I shall always be.  The balance has been
shifted, here."  Death looked at Sheann'a.
     "It is much your fault, though you could not know it.  Cain
was never meant to be; you saved her from what had been her time
to die.  If she had died when she was supposed to, then none of
this ever would have happened.  That the disaster was averted
was only the purest luck.  Even now, the armies of heaven and hell
march here, to destroy the castle once and for all."  He looked
at Alucard.
     "Fate.  My long time ally betray me this time.  For that, I
could do nothing.  Almost, I would have let Cain succeed in his
plan, if for nothing more than an end to my own eternal pain.  You
were woken just in time to help save all, though Cain brought
his own downfall by forcing Tenchi's children here."  Death looked
at Reinhart, then.
     "Death.  I am, and always shall be a great judge, eternally
deciding if it is someone's time or not.  That is my Fate.  But my
role was tainted by Cain.  First Reinhart, then Rosa, then all
three of their children, though I told the fool Elder Demons not to
start that war, all five of them were killed long before their time
was due.  That shifted the balance.  It became weighted to the side
of darkness, and would have shattered the Pendulum by itself,
had the balance shifted far enough more...  One more loss of a soul
before its time.
     "But when the last soul was lost, this time I was able to be
there in time to preserve it.  Balance.  That is what I am, what
I always shall be.  The balance must be restored."  Death raised
his skeletal hand, and gestured as though he was picking something
up.  He brought his hand up, and from the ground, a tall crystal
grew.
     Inside, the body of Carrie waited, hands folded neatly over
her stomach, unclad as Rosa had been.  Death sighed, as the crystal
stopped growing.  The ancient specter looked at Reinhart, and put
out a hand.
     "The staff.  When I saw that you were going to take it with
you, I sealed her spirit there, knowing that Cain would think her
harmless.  While you were here, fighting him, I was purifying
her body of the last effects of his spell, that it would be ready
to receive her soul again.  Give it to me, and I shall finish the
process."  Reinhart frowned, and looked at Alucard and his
familiars.
     Alucard frowned, but slowly nodded.  Sheann'a smiled at him,
while Drathar looked at Death for a moment.  Shrugging, he nodded
too.  Reinhart looked at Death, and then slowly handed him the
staff.  The ancient specter took it from him, and carefully
stood it on end.  Letting go of it, he looked down, and began to
chant quietly.
     "As the rising sun eventually sets, so too does the setting
sun rise.  As a newborn life will eventually fade, so too will a
faded one be reborn to shine anew.  I call this spirit; you have
passed from life to my breast, now pass once again from my breast
to life, and with your return, set the balance once again.  Return,
Carrie Fernandez, and take your rightful life among man."
     As he spoke, the staff slowly began to glow, brighter and
brighter, until it was almost painful to look at.  But Reinhart
forced himself to keep watching.  There was a bright flash, and a
strange, disembodied seeming orb split away from the glow, and sank
into the crystal, splitting apart as it did.  The larger sphere
by far settled into her chest, the smaller, drifted to her stomach,
and disappeared inside. She took a sudden breath of air, as the
crystal shattered, and fell to the ground, as did the staff.
Reinhart was at her side almost before she hit the ground; Alucard
took his cloak off, and handed it to Reinhart, and he wrapped
her in it.  Death spoke quietly.
     "She sleeps.  She will be weak for some time; do not push her
limits.  What I have undone once, I can not undo again."  He turned
to leave, but Alucard caught him on the shoulder.
     "Why, Death?"  Death looked at him, and seemed to smile
slightly.
     "I was once told that my fate was to never touch life, only
see it fleeting from my grasp.  Perhaps that is my penance, and
perhaps one day I will join your father, my old friend."  The
specter stepped away, and slowly disappeared back into the shadows.
Reinhart carefully placed his arms under Carrie, and stood.  Then
he realized that he wouldn't be able to get them both through
the gate.  But almost as if reading his mind, Alucard spoke.
     "I will take Rosa.  There is nothing left for me here.
Perhaps my Fate lies in another land."  Sheann'a and Drathar looked
at him in shock, but Reinhart just nodded, smiling.  The dhampeal
walked over, and knelt, gathering Rosa as Reinhart had picked up
Carrie.  Sheann'a looked at Drathar.
     "Are you sure that's the same Alucard we came with?"  Drathar
shrugged, and dropped down to pick up Carrie's staff.  Reinhart
looked at the fairy.
     "There is a button on the top of that square.  Could you
please press it?  Then get away from it as fast as you can."  The
fairy grinned, and nodded.  She dropped down, and pressed it.
Seconds later, the portal opened.  As it did, the castle began to
shake.
     "The armies are here," said Drathar.  Reinhart looked at
Alucard.
     "Go through, I'll follow you.

*****

     Ryoko blinked as an alarm went off from Washu's watch.  Her
mother looked down, and laughed.
     "They're signaling!" she exclaimed, and ran toward the lab.
They all got up and followed her in, Ryoko and Tenchi at the head
of the pack.  Ayeka, Yosho, Misaki, Funaho, Mayuka, and Nobuyuki
all brought up the rear.  They reached the main room of the lab
just as Washu opened the gate.  A wide portal appeared, that
strange shimmering darkness.
     The first thing to come out was what looked like a flying
doll.  Ryoko blinked, as the little creature grinned sheepishly,
and waved at them.  Next out of the portal was what looked like a
gargoyle, complete with pitchfork, and holding the staff that
Tenchi and made for Carrie while they were in Romania.  He looked
around, and shrugged, then turned back toward the portal.
     The first part to appear was Rosa, wrapped in a cloak,
seemingly floating in mid air.  Ryoko resisted the urge to run
toward her, to find out what had happened.  She was followed
by her bearer, a tall man with a long mane of white hair, a stoic
face, and body armor.
     "Oh my..." she heard Ayeka say quietly.  Ryoko looked at the
Empress, she was staring at the man with a rather unusual
expression.  Ryoko blinked, and looked at the man again.  His gaze
swept over all of them once, and then he slowly walked forward,
looking about himself.  She looked at Ayeka again.  Her gaze was
locked onto the man.  Ryoko winced mentally.  Now she knew where
she had seen that expression before.  She had seen it when Ayeka
had first met Tenchi.  She nudged Tenchi, and pointed to the
Empress, he glanced at her, and grinned.
     Before she could ask him who he was, and why he was carrying
Rosa, a second person being carried through the portal began to
appear.  She had long cyan hair, which hung limply back, and was
wrapped in a black cape.  Her eyes were closed, but Ryoko blinked.
If her face had been a bit more pale, and younger... She blinked
again as the woman slowly opened her eyes and looked around in
confusion.  Her golden eyes.  It was Carrie!  Reinhart, who was
carrying her, stepped the rest of the way through.  As he did, the
portal snapped shut.  He looked down as she stirred in his arms.
     "Dad!" exclaimed Rosa, from the strange man's arms.  She
looked around, suddenly confused.  "How did I get here?  And why
are you carrying me, Alucard?"  She looked at herself.  "AND WHERE
ARE MY CLOTHES!"  The man looked at her apologetically,
and Ryoko was certain that she saw a grin tug the corners of the
flying girl's mouth.  Ryoko cleared her throat.
     "A question I'd like to know for myself, Mr..."  She trailed
off, raising her eyebrow.
     "Alucard, mother.  I'll explain in a little bit, but first,
we need to get them into some clothes?  I'm sure Rosa and Carrie
are already confused enough as it is?" said Reinhart.  Ryoko looked
at him in surprise; he wasn't usually the one to take the lead,
but nodded reluctantly. She wanted to hear what had happened,
but that could wait.  Tenchi moved forward, and took Rosa from
Alucard; the man nodded to him, a thoughtful look on his face.
     "You are Tenchi?" he asked.  Tenchi nodded.  "I believe that
you knew my father."  Tenchi frowned a moment, but then suddenly
he raised an eyebrow.  "Yes, I believe I did.  Perhaps we could
talk at a later time?"  Alucard nodded; Ryoko wondered what the
entire exchange had been about.  Instead, she moved over to
Reinhart and Carrie.  The woman looked up at her.
     "It's... been a long time... Ryoko.  Rosa... said to say
hello..."  Ryoko smiled, and looked at Reinhart.
     "I have the feeling that you are going to have a very long
story to tell me.  But for now, take her up and get her some
clothes.  I think that Ayeka left some that should just about fit
her," she said.  Ayeka looked up at the mention of her name, and
nodded.  Carrie smiled weakly.
     "My... staff.  Where is it... Reinhart?"  He smiled at her,
and called over the gargoyle like creature; naming it Drathar.
He smiled, and handed it over.  Taking it, she looked much better.
     "Come on, first things first.  Let's get you and Rosa
dressed," Reinhart said, and then looked at Ryoko.  "And then I get
to see if I can explain just what happened."  Ryoko blinked.
He hadn't stumbled even once.  As he moved away, carrying her, she
noticed that he didn't seem tense in the slightest.  For a moment,
she wondered if she had been right, and they really had...  She
shook her head.  Reinhart took after Tenchi more than her.
     "He is... handsome, is he not?"  Ryoko jumped as Ayeka came
to stand next to her.  She looked at the Empress.
     "I thought that you said Yosho was your consort now?"  Ayeka
looked at her, frowning.
     "You know very well that was only to trick the council."
Ryoko laughed.
     "I thought you said Tenchi spoiled you."
     "And you said that Tenchi spoiled all of us.  Besides, I was
just remarking that he was handsome.  Nothing more."
     "Yeah right."

Blood Red Moon Resurrection Epilogue:
     The Eye of the Storm

     Disclaimers: All characters belong to their various
copyrights, with the exception of Reinhart Masaki and Rosa Masaki.
Those two are mine.  Beyond their usage in this story, I claim no
ownership, no rights of creation, no nothing.  Please don't sue me.
Comments, quips, insults, and death threats will only be accepted
at Platinum_Dragon@usinternet.com
     The Tenchi Muyo Characters in this series are based on the OVA
versions, but don't be surprised if there aren't one or two TV
references.  The characters Carrie Fernandez, Alucard, Death,
Dracula, Maria Renard and Lisa all belong to the Konami Castlevania
series.  This cross-over series is placed roughly 17 years in
Tenchi's world, 120 years in Alucard's world after the events in
Blood Red Moon.  Reinhart and Rosa Masaki, the children of Tenchi
and Ryoko, are now young teens.

     "To what profit is it to a man, if he gains the world and
loses his own soul?  Mathew 16:26 I believe." - Dracula, as he dies
at the end of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

*****

     Reinhart squirmed somewhat under the unforgiving gaze of his
parents.  He had just barely gotten Carrie up the stairs when she
had fallen asleep again.  He knew that Death had said that she
would be weak for some time, still, it was a little startling
as she nodded off in the middle of asking him how they had gotten
there.  Carefully, he had carried her into his bed room, and placed
her on the mattress, pulling the covers up so that she wouldn't
take a chill.  Before leaving, he set out a shirt and pair of pants
on a chair; the shirt would probably hang past her knees, he was
sure, but it would do for the time being.
     Then, he had quietly closed the door, and turned to find his
father right behind him, having apparently already taken Rosa to
her room.  They had shared a long, wordless look, and then, slowly,
Tenchi had smiled at him, with a knowing expression.  Reinhart
blushed slightly, but smiled in return; it was nice to know that
at least one person stood with him.  They had moved back down the
stairs, and found Ryoko with her arms crossed beneath her breasts,
not best looking pleased.
     Now, they were sitting around the table, Tenchi and Ryoko on
one side, Reinhart and Alucard on the other.  They had just
finished telling them everything that had happened, save a couple
things; that Alucard was Dracula's son, for one, and Reinhart's...
evening with Carrie.  Sheann'a was lounging over by the couch,
chatting with Mayuka, Rosa, who had just come down the stairs,
and Tsunami; the goddess seemed to be quite interested in whatever
the sprite was saying.  Drathar, on the other hand, was keeping
a close eye out for Washu, who had already developed a healthy
interest in the little familiars.
     Reinhart frowned, and wondered why Rosa wasn't over with them,
explaining away what had happened while they were in Romania.
She was the talker, not him.  He still wasn't quite certain of what
to think of Carrie's return.  Thanks, obviously, he was more
thankful than for anything else in his life; yet, he wondered
why Death had done it.  The reason that the ancient specter had
stated should have been enough, yet for some reason it didn't quite
make sense to Reinhart.
     Sighing, he blinked as his mother asked him a question,
and realized that he hadn't been paying attention.
     "Huh?" Ryoko frowned, and repeated herself.
     "I said, just how close to Carrie are you, Reinhart?"
He blinked, and knew by the sudden gleam in her eye that he was
blushing somewhat.  Her frown slowly spread into a grin, as he
raced to find the right words, a task that was never very easy for
him.  Tenchi nudged her lightly in the ribs; she looked at him, and
he smiled, and shook his head slightly.  Ryoko sighed, and looked
skyward.  "Yeah, I know.  But can you blame me for wondering?"
She fixed him with a razor sharp stare, and Tenchi shrugged to him,
as if to say, 'I tried.'
     "I... We are very close, mother.  Very," he said, slowly.
The admission to her came out almost as if dragged, and he wondered
why.  With most anybody else, he was certain that he wouldn't
have had a second thought.  His mother, though...  For a moment,
he thought that she was going to press the point, and realized
that at the least, she suspected, but then, she slowly nodded,
and smiled.  Before any more could be said, Washu came out of her
lab - pausing to stare hard at Sheann'a and Drathar - and then came
over to them, with a slightly mischievous expression.  Reinhart
wondered what she was going to drop on them.
     "No ill effects to anybody that I can detect, although Rosa
and Carrie both should be in bed for a while," she said, looking
hard at Rosa, who shrugged, grinning.  Coughing, Washu continued,
"including our esteemed guests."  Alucard nodded to her coolly
as she grinned, that mischievousness suddenly more apparent than
before.  "Yup, all seven are just fine!"  As one, Tenchi, Ryoko,
Reinhart and Rosa all blinked and looked at each other.  Ryoko
slowly raised an eyebrow at him, and Reinhart swallow.  That
couldn't possibly have happened... could it?
     "I only counted six out of the portal, mom...  What do you
mean, seven?  Are you certain that your scanners are working?"
Washu smirked, and looked at Reinhart.
     "Do you mean to say you think that the universe's greatest
scientist would ever let her scanners fall out of calibration?
There were seven distinct life forms to come through the portal."
Reinhart thought a moment, about Carrie's resurrection,
about the smaller orb that had split off disappeared into her
stomach.  He glanced up, feeling the blood drain slightly from his
face as he saw Carrie come slowly down the steps, looking about
herself in curiosity.  He noticed, suddenly, that he had been
right; the shirt hung to just below her knees.  She leaned heavily
on her staff, but she looked much better than she had a few hours
before.  Washu grinned a little bit wider, looking at them.
     "Tenchi, you do still have the cribs in storage, right?"
she asked him, in a whisper that could have been heard halfway
to Tokyo.  Reinhart swallowed, as every last set of eyes save
Alucard's swung to him in surprise.  Carrie herself held a shocked
expression; it was clear that she understood what Washu meant.
Beside him, Alucard slowly stood, and looked at his familiars.
Reinhart wasn't certain, but he could have sworn that the slightest
smile tugged at the corners of the dhampeal's mouth.
     "I believe that now would be a good time to explore our new
surroundings, Sheann'a, Drathar," he said quietly.  They nodded,
and Alucard excused himself from the living room.  The door slid
open, and then closed, and Reinhart found himself wishing that he
could go with him.  For a moment, everybody was silent, and then
Rosa slowly stood, and spoke.
     "I think, everybody, that this is their business, and that you
shouldn't have done that, grandma."  She walked over to Reinhart,
and grinned, putting a hand on his shoulder.  "That having been
said, bro, congratulations, 'Daddy,'" she said, smiling.  Washu
shrugged sheepishly in apology, as Carrie came over slowly, staring
at Reinhart.  Shock, surprise, amazement, wonder; they all rolled
behind her eyes, yet she stayed composed.  He stood, and gave her
an arm to lean on, which she gladly took.
     "How can you be certain of that?" she asked Washu, confused.
Washu grinned.
     "Well, as you came through the portal, some of the machines
that I have set up in there sent out an energy wave, which
reads..." she trailed off, as Carrie stared at her in complete
incomprehension.  Washu sighed.  "Think of it as a sort of magic,"
she said, almost pouting that she hadn't been understood when she
tried to explain it scientifically.  Now Carrie smiled, and nodded.
     "Oh, you're a sorceress, then."  Washu blinked, and appeared
to be about to launch into a long speech about who she was, but
before she could, Reinhart chuckled and quickly drew her attention
away.  Washu all but deflated, just on the point of starting
her tirade, and frowned at him.
     "Kind of...  I'll try to explain later."  She looked at him,
and smiled.  Reinhart looked around.  Mayuka was grinning slightly;
Rosa, next to them, put a hand on both of their shoulders.
Tsunami's eyes were sparkling with barely contained laughter,
and Washu, who for once actually looked sorry for her mischief,
stood with her arms to her sides, smirking slightly.  His mother
looked like she didn't know whether to be shocked, proud, angry
or joyful.
     Slowly, Tenchi stood, his expression unreadable.  He looked
at Reinhart, and then at Carrie, and then at everybody else around
them, deeply in thought.
     "Well...  If there is a child on the way, then we have a lot
of work to get done, don't we?"  Rosa, Mayuka and Tsunami laughed
in delight, as Ryoko moved around the table, her expression
settling on joy and pride, and hugged Carrie.  Releasing the
embrace just slightly, she looked her in the eyes.
     "There has always been a place waiting for you," she said
softly  Carrie looked at her in surprise, and then slowly smiled.
     "Thank you, Ryoko...  Or should I maybe say, Mother?"  Ryoko
laughed, as Reinhart blinked at Carrie.  She smiled, and then
turned to him, hugging him closely.  "And thank you, Reinhart...
For making me feel welcome."  Reinhart decided suddenly that he
didn't care if the entire family was watching; he leaned down and
kissed her, and then picked her up laughing.
     "A father...  I guess dad is going to start getting his
revenge for raising Rosa and I."  Tenchi laughed at that, as
Reinhart carefully set her down.  She leaned against him, giggling
quietly, partly in disbelief.  Reinhart looked around at his family
again, and, swallowing, bent to one knee before her.
     "Carrie... will you marry me?"

*****

     Alucard slowly moved through the forest, automatically
making note of various landmarks and taking in his surroundings,
making a mental map of the area.  Given a few weeks, he would know
the exact location of every tree, stone, half-buried rock in the
area.  He had already found a small clearing that he thought would
do well for a small cabin.
     Though it held a beauty different from that of his homeland,
there was a peacefulness here that was comforting to him.  He
already felt more at ease here than he had at almost any other
place in his entire, long life.  Sheann'a was sitting on his
shoulder as usual, and Drathar walked just off to the side.
     Such unusual circumstances to bring them all here.  It had
been clear, once Death had resurrected Carrie, that Reinhart
would not be able to get them both away from there, nor that he
would leave either of them there if he couldn't.  It had occurred
to him that he truly didn't have anything left, but also that he
could not simply go back to sleep.  His mind had still been
slightly reeling from his father's redemption.  So, he had decided
to go with them.  It was the honorable thing to do.
     Here, he realized, he started with a clean slate of sorts.
Apparently, there had never been any vampires in this world, beyond
myths and legends of one Vlad Tepes, from more than a thousand
years before.  The thought brought the hint of a smile to his face;
perhaps things would not be as different as he had thought.
     He became aware of another blood scent nearby.  Pausing,
he inhaled deeply, taking in the scent.  It smelled... high.  Set
apart, and yet at the same time together.  There was a pureness
to it that reminded him slightly of his mother.  Alucard wrinkled
his nose.  There was also a hint of nobility.  He had developed
a healthy distaste for nobility at a young age, though he himself
was a noble.  He didn't like the idea of lording over others simply
because of what blood flowed in their veins.
     He began moving again, not wanting his watcher to realize
that he knew, mentally running through the small group that they
had met as they came through the portal.  There had been too many
there to define individual scents, but he was certain that he could
match the scent to the person.  All of the males he immediately
ignored; this was a feminine scent.  It wasn't Carrie's; in any
event, she would likely still be back at the house with Reinhart
and the others.  It didn't match Ryoko.  There was a strength
to this blood, but one hidden under velvet, and Ryoko's strength
was hidden by nothing.
     It came close to the tall, freckled woman with the pink eyes;
he wondered for a moment if all people in this world had such
unusually colored eyes and hair.  If he had to guess, he would say
that this scent was a close relative's to her's, yet she seemed
too high for even this scent to belong to her.  He was certain
that it was neither Reinhart and Rosa's older or younger sister.
That younger sister was entirely too interested in his familiars;
her eyes held a light beyond her years.
     Which left only the purple haired one with the reddish pink
eyes.  He compared that scent to her.  The way that she held
herself; straight back, eyes forward, chin tilted slightly up spoke
of a royal upbringing, as did the way she held her composure
like a shield about her.  Though she seemed the most unlikely
member of the group, she most definitely belonged there, with the
others.  He had noticed her watching him when she thought that he
could not see until she had left, a curious light in her eyes.
     "This place is charged with holy energy," said Sheann'a
suddenly, startling him from his thoughts.  He nodded, having
noticed it almost as soon as he had left the house.  He thought
that Maria would have liked it.  The blood scent came closer;
looking around, he was fairly certain that she was not far behind
him.  Clearing his throat, he spoke aloud.
     "You may as well come out.  I do not take well to being spied
on."  He turned as the bushes rustled behind time, raising an
eyebrow.  She was much closer than he had thought, just close
enough to touch him.  There were not many that could get that close
without him realizing it.  The young lady stepped out, her
expression carefully composed, though her eyes spoke of surprise
at being caught.  He studied her for a moment circumspectly.
     She wasn't tall, although she wasn't really short, either.
Her hair was pulled into a tight braid as thick as his forearm,
and was decorated with a long, winding golden ribbon that was woven
right into it.  She wore a simple seeming robe; the edges were
lined in red, and the rest was white, save for an embroidered
tree that flourished upon her breast, likely her house sigil.  At
her waist was a wide belt of crimson, which was tied into a
complicated knot.  She held her hands folded at her waist, and
looked at him calmly.
     Sheann'a hopped off his should, and flew around, looking
to see if anybody else was there, while Drathar planted his
pitchfork into the ground and leaned against it.  Mentally sighing,
he spoke.
     "May I help you with something, M'Lady?"  She blinked in
surprise, and then nodded.
     "You are a vampire, are you not?"  Alucard, caught completely
off guard, knew that his expression betrayed the surprise he felt
at her bold statement.  Just behind her, Sheann'a was looking
at her with a considering expression.  Schooling his expression
back to blankness, he nodded.
     "My father was Dracula, my mother, Lisa, a human.  I am only
half vampire, though I retain the full abilities and most of the
curse."  Now it was her turn to stare in surprise at his frankness,
and quickly school herself back to serenity, nodding slowly.
     "I ask only because once your kind were highly respected
and trusted on my world, Jurai.  Unfortunately, the last
disappeared nearly ten thousand years ago."  He raised an eyebrow.
A world on which vampires were respected, not feared.  Another
time, he might have been intrigued, now, he was somewhat
suspicious.  None the less, he kept his tone mild and respectful.
     "Perhaps some day I shall visit there," he said evenly.  She
smiled slightly and nodded.
     "Allow me to assure you as the Empress, you would be welcome
at any time.  For the aide you have given my niece and nephew,
I will swear it."  He had to fight hard to keep his face from
showing his shock as she named herself Empress; this young slip of
a girl?  Behind her, Sheann'a mirrored his astonishment,
staring at the young lady.  Slowly, he nodded slightly, and allowed
the barest ghost of a smile touch his lips.
     "You do me too much honor, your highness.  I did as I did
because to do any other would have dishonored them, and myself."
Sheann'a frowned at him, and shook her head, but the young lady
smiled.
     "Please, you must call me Ayeka; more than enough honorifics
in Court."  He nodded again, slowly.
     "As you wish, M... Ayeka."  She smiled again, and looked like
she was about to say something more when suddenly a strange
creature pounced on her from above.  It looked like a too-large
rabbit at first glance; as she gasped in surprise and grabbed
the furry creature, he realized that its face was that of a cat's,
and that there was some sort of stone embedded in its head.
     "Miya!  Miya mi miya!"  Ayeka blinked and set the anime down,
obviously knowing it.
     "What is it, Ryo-Ohki?  You know that I can not understand
what you are saying in that form."  He blinked in surprise as the
creature glowed for a moment, and changed into a tall, willowy
fur-covered woman.  He hastily averted his eyes as he realized
that the fur was her only covering.
     "House!  Miya! Tenchi say come!" She blinked, as the strange
girl glowed briefly again, and changed back into her original
form, flashing away in the direction that they had come from.
Ayeka started to move in that direction; Alucard looked at her for
a moment, frowning.
     "There is a quicker way, M'Lady," he said.  She looked back
as he changed into his huge wolf form, and blinked in surprise
as he trotted over to her.
     "You want me to ride you back?"  He looked at her, nodding;
Sheann'a caught his eye with an amused expression.  Ayeka gasped.
"Oh, but that wouldn't be proper!"  He stared at her flatly, and
she sighed.
     "Oh bother, I suppose even I can not be proper at all times."
Tentatively, she placed a hand on the long hair of his neck, and
then swung a leg over, pressing herself flat against his back.  He
caught Sheann'a's eye again; she looked like she was about to
explode in laughter.  He would have to have a word with her later.
     As soon as she was securely on, he dashed off.  She was a bit
heavier than he had guessed; still, more than light enough to carry
for the short distance they had to go.  He heard her laughing
as he flew over the landscape, his memory warning him where the low
hanging trees had been, and the rocks he might trip over.  Not far
behind, he sensed his familiars.
     They broke into the clearing where the Masaki residence
rested, and Alucard noted that everybody was outside, and seemingly
in a good mood.  Rosa pointed, as she saw Ayeka and himself.
He slowed to a trot as he neared them, and then stopped entirely
just before them, waiting patiently as Ayeka climbed off.  He
noticed Ryoko hide a grin, as he changed back into human form.
     Two women he hadn't seen before had joined the group; one, a
tall, dignified woman with long dark brown hair.  The other was a
shorter one with cyan hair that beamed at Ayeka with motherly
pride.  He nodded to both of them, as the more dignified one
blinked in surprise.
     "A vampire?  I did not know that your kind still survived."
The other one stared
     "A vampire, sister?  Are you certain?  And my little girl was
riding him?"  He blinked as she turned a weighing stare on him.
Alucard's shoulders itched as he saw he measure him down to the
last hair in her eyes.  He noticed Ayeka's eye twitch, as she
introduced them.
     "My mother, Misaki, and Yosho's mother, Funaho.  Mother,
Funaho, allow me to introduce Alucard, son of Dracula and Lisa."
He blinked again as all eyes save Reinhart, Rosa, Carrie, and
Tenchi's swung to him in surprise.  After a moment of silence,
Tenchi cleared his throat, drawing the attention away from him, for
which Alucard was thankful.  Grinning, Tenchi spoke up.
     "Now that everybody is here, it seems that we can share some
good news.  For those of you that don't know, this is Alucard;
he helped Reinhart and Rosa a good deal," he said, smiling.
Alucard nodded quietly, and Tenchi turned to Reinhart and Carrie.
"And this is Carrie, who helped not only Ryoko and I, but Reinhart
and Rosa.  And now for the good news.  She and Reinhart are getting
married, and Carrie is pregnant."  Alucard smiled slightly as
everybody else applauded.  His familiars joined him; Sheann'a
landed on his shoulder, looking at him.
     "I thought that you said you didn't like being around others."
He looked at her, and laughed suddenly.
     "Maybe I decided to listen to my conscious." She blinked,
and then laughed.

*****

     Tokimi scowled, as she saw the extent of the damage to her
ship.  The right flank had been nearly obliterated; the front and
left had both taken heavy damage.  To top off matters, the repair
system had been completely destroyed.  Though the outer shell of
the ship was made to be a secondary armor for the real ship, with
this much damage, it would be too much of a hindrance to carry.
Sighing, she jettisoned the outer shell, and watched as it impacted
the fourth moon of Jurai.  It was a dead moon, and good thing,
for as the shell slammed into it, the moon was pulverized.
     The core of the ship was smaller by far, though still bigger
than any other ship in her armada.  The lines were rounded, and it
resembled nothing so much as a huge dolphin, slowly swimming
through the sea of space.  Turning away from that council, she
frowned, as D3 phased in before her.  He blinked in surprise
as he saw her in physical form.  It had been a pleasant surprise
to find a Juraian still on the planet that was suitable for melding
with; she had done so, and now for the first time in several
eternities, she had a flesh and blood body.  Recovering quickly,
he began his report.
     "The fleet has been decimated.  70% of our starfighter
resources were destroyed, and half of our capital ships, with the
bigger numbers among our star carriers and heavy cruisers.  Of the
ships that we have left, 80% have taken serious damage.  Estimated
repair time to bring them back up to full effectiveness
is roughly a year."  Tokimi scowled, but nodded.  Here, her Sisters
held much greater sway, and she would need all of her forces to
take this universe.
     "Take what cruisers we have left, and begin to fortify Jurai.
Tsunami will not remain idle while I am weakened.  Also, send four
destroyers to begin recruiting replacements, and getting supplies."
He nodded.
     "What is D10's status?"  D3 sighed.
     "He failed in his mission.  Just as he was about to claim the
energy source, it was eliminated by a being from that dimension."
Tokimi scowled again, and he hurried on.  "But he did manage to
claim one thing."  There was a shimmer, and a robed man appeared.
A foot and a half long piece of metal stood out from his chest,
yet he appeared to be calmly sleeping.  She nearly gasped as she
recognized the metal, and very carefully withdrew it.
     "What is this?"
     "D10 reported this as the being that destroyed the power
source.  He thought that he could be useful."  Tokimi nodded,
and looked at the metal carefully.
     "Strange...  Sa-rokan is very rare, yet this seems to only be
a part of something bigger."  She looked at the man.  "Very well.
Repair the damage to his body, and then bring him to me when he has
reawoken."  D3 nodded, and disappeared with the man.  She examined
the metal, albeit very carefully.  Sa-rokan had been created in the
chaos before the multiverse existed, the same chaos that she and
her sisters came from.  It was the only metal that could deal a
fatal blow to one such as herself.
     "Interesting, Sisters...  End game, indeed."

*****

     Ok, ladies and gentlemen.  For those of you that have stuck
around this long, thank you for reading this.  Special thanks go to
Veggitto, of #TenchiFF on Dalnet IRC, and K'Thardin, the immortal
fanfic reviewer/destroyer.
     Yes, there will be a third series, but it will not be for a
little while.  Two, maybe three months.  The BRM story arc has
taken more than enough of my time!  In the meantime, enjoy the slow
boil wondering just what I'm going to do with them.
     Thank you again.