The Eyes of Midnight:  A Gabriel Knight/Tenchi Muyo! Crossover
By Robert Hazelton (nchabrier@yahoo.com)

Disclaimer:  The characters within are used without permission for the sheer non 
profit enjoyment of fans of the Tenchi Muyo! and Gabriel Knight genres.  The 
author claims no ownership.


	A few notes:  This story assumes that Gabriel Knight 3 never happened.  
Instead, the story picks up where my Gabriel Knight series leaves off.  Those 
stories are called 'Collapse' and 'Time Stands Still' (for a synopsis, see my 
web site and check out the stories).  There shouldn't be anything that would 
totally throw you for a loop if you haven't read these but I wanted to put this 
in so that people would know there was somewhere they could go to read up on 
stuff that might not make sense.
	As for Tenchi, this is not a continuation of my story 'Someplace Like 
Home'.  I'm keeping that series as a purely Tenchi chronicle.  It is, however, 
placed during the time period just after the OAV series with Kiyone in there as 
if she had been introduced as in the Universe series.  
	Okay, that's enough preamble I think.  Here we go!!

Chapter 1:  No Need for a Shattenjager

	Rain slapped the branch of the ancient tree, dripping from leaves like 
tears from a solemn face.  The dark clouds blocked out the full moon with a dull 
glow creating a spattered gray upon a sea of black.  Wind cried out a melancholy 
symphony through the bowing tall grass soaked to the roots.  
	Funaho weathered it all with not so much as a bow, the steady roots 
holding against the onslaught of the elements as it had since time began.  For a 
moment, it almost dismissed the strange sensation building in the heart of its 
soul but when it focused, it could tell that something more was happening.  This 
wasn't a typical storm.  No, this was something else.
	Settling down, the Juraian tree braced itself for the remainder of the 
storm and that which would come after.  Once again, the lives of those in the 
Masaki household would be tested though to what end, it could not say.  'Even in 
the darkest night, light will prevail...  Face the coming of luminescence.'  The 
quote mulled over in its mind time and again as if it were comforting itself 
against the corruption en route.  Only a matter of time...

*	*	*

	Gabriel yawned and set his book on the nightstand by the bed in his New 
Orleans apartment.  He had come back to the states to spend a few days relaxing 
amongst the familiar streets where he grew up, visiting with his Grandmother and 
Detective Mosely between writing his new book and the latest Shattenj„ger case.
It had been refreshing for the most part.  The streets of his home town gave him 
back a vitality that he had forgotten existed in him as though the trip was more 
for revitalization than mere relaxing.  He rolled over on his side, closing his 
eyes.  
	He had no idea how long he had been asleep when the phone roused him from 
his slumber.  His hand was on autopilot as it brushed back a long lock of his 
red hair before picking up the phone.  "Hello?"  He muttered quietly, still 
mostly asleep.
	"Gabriel?"  The voice was familiar...  It took him a moment... Grace!  
"Gabriel are you there?"
	"Yeah, yeah I'm here."  He pushed himself up keep awake long enough to 
finish the conversation.  "What's up, Gracie?"  
	"I... I don't know how to... to tell you this, Gabriel..."  She sounded 
distressed, terrified even.  His heart began to pound as all fatigue left his 
body and he focused his attention on her.  
	"What is it Grace?"  His sudden alertness caught him off guard.  
	"I need your help, Gabriel.  Things are turning upside down here."  She 
was crying softly.
	"How do you mean?  Are you still in Japan?"
	"Yes," She acknowledged.  "I'm so sorry, Gabriel.  I wouldn't ask if it 
weren't important."
	"Don't worry about it."  He was on his feet throwing his clothes out of a 
drawer to get ready for the trip.  "I'll leave as soon as I can.  I'll call you 
from the air port with my departure time."
	"Oh, Gabriel... Thank you... Thank you so much."
	"Hey, we're friends, Gracie... Think nothing of it."  He checked his 
watch.  "It's two thirty AM here now, I'll call you soon.  You hang tight okay?"
	"Okay, thank you again.  Good bye."  She hung up the phone and he went 
about getting his things together.  It was rare for her to be so upset about 
anything.  Quite uncharacteristic of the typically strong young woman that had 
been his assistant and partner for the last few years.  They had been through a 
lot together and she had always been the pillar to support his free spirit, 
providing him an anchor to root with.  He would be damned if anything was going 
to happen to her and she wouldn't have called if it wasn't an emergency...
	He paused at the door, his luggage in tow, keys in hand to look back at 
the apartment.  'Just a quick breather before I start the constant running 
again.'  He said to himself with a sigh.  'Now, off to save the world yet 
again.'  

*	*	*

	"Sheesh!  That was a hellish storm!"  Ryoko floated down from the rafters 
to kneel beside the table and survey the goods that were breakfast.  Satisfied 
with the array, she took a plate and served herself up some noodles and began to 
eat.  "Did you hear that thunder, Tenchi?"
	Tenchi yawned and filled his own plate with a nod.  "Yeah, it ruined my 
sleep.  I must've woken up five times last night."
	"Not me!"  Mihoshi chimed with a giggle.  "I didn't know there was a storm 
'til this morning..."
	"When we found out that my duffle bag was soaked because you left the 
window open, Mihoshi."  Kiyone shook her head.  "You're so oblivious."
	"Good morning everyone!"  Ayeka sat beside Tenchi and looked over the 
meal.  "Oh, it looks good Sasami."
	"Thanks, Ayeka!"  Sasami took a seat and Ryo-Ohki hopped up on her lap 
with a mew.  The cabbit poked at a carrot set on the floor before diving into it 
with zeal.
	"Don't make a mess now, Ryo-Ohki."  Sasami chuckled, scratching the head 
of the fuzzy little beast.
	"Where's grandpa?"  Tenchi looked around.  "Or Washu for that matter?"
	"Washu was working all night,"  Ayeka replied.  "As for my brother, he 
said that he was going on a trip this morning.  I'm surprised he didn't tell 
you."
	"Yeah, me too."  Tenchi looked at the door absently, a little surprised 
that his mentor would leave without giving him some instructions.
	"So what are we all doing today?"  Ryoko asked between bites, brushing 
back her long, cyan colored hair with a wave of her hand.
	"Why do you bother asking, miss lazy?"  Ayeka scowled at the space pirate.  
"You don't do anything around here anyway!"
	"Oh shut up, princess."  Ryoko rolled her eyes.  "Just because you're 
jealous of what Tenchi and I have doesn't mean you have to get nasty about it."  
She languidly wrapped her arms around Tenchi's shoulders, nuzzling him with her 
head.  
	Ayeka growled.  "Get away from him you hussy!"  She shouted, pulling at 
Tenchi's arm which drew a squeal from the young man.
	"No way!"  Ryoko replied, holding fast to Tenchi.  "Tenchi, tell her to go 
away!"
	"You go away!"  Ayeka cried.
	"There was something awfully strange about that storm last night."  
Washu's voice stopped the argument immediately as everyone turned to face her.  
"Yes sir, strange enough to have Funaho giving off an energy signature large 
enough to power the entire GP fleet for the next two thousand years."
	"What?"  Kiyone leaned forward.  "Why?  What was so special about that 
storm?"
	"I'm not sure yet.  But we should be especially cautious."  Washu sat at 
the table and served herself some noodles.  "These look good!"  
	"I wish grandpa were here."  Tenchi frowned.  "He'd know why Funaho 
reacted the way it did."
	"Lord Katsuhito might have felt an urge to leave prior to the event so as 
to maybe avoid an incident from getting out of hand."  Washu mumbled between 
bites.
	"Whatever it is, we'd better report in, Mihoshi."  Kiyone stood from the 
table and started up the stairs.
	"Now?"  Mihoshi whined.  "I haven't finished my breakfast and I'm not 
really totally awake yet not to mention that-"
	"Now Mihoshi!"  Kiyone ordered without looking back.  Mihoshi sighed and 
followed slowly, head bowed.
	"What should we do, Washu?"  Ayeka asked.
	"I don't know."  Washu shrugged.  "I'm going to go back and continue to 
monitor the situation after breakfast.  Until something else happens though, I 
can't really say what's happening."
	"You should have some help with that, Washu."  Ryoko's tone was 
uncharacteristically sweet.  "Maybe Ayeka can observe with you."
	"No, that's okay Ryoko.  But if I need help, I'll be sure to call for ya."  
With that, Washu left the table, her meal finished.  "I'll be in the lab and 
I'll keep ya all informed."
	Tenchi skillfully detached himself from Ryoko and Ayeka and backed toward 
the stairs.  "I'm going to get to my chores."  
	"I'll clean this up."  Sasami started to collect the dishes and Ayeka 
helped her.
	"I'm going to look around the grounds... See if anything looks out of 
place."  Ryoko disappeared from the table and Ryo-Ohki meowed after her, hopping 
into the kitchen to sit with Sasami.
	'I wonder why my brother left this morning.'  Ayeka thought as she began 
to sweep the kitchen floor.  'Perhaps Tsunami might be able to help us...'  She 
looked at her little sister, fused with Tsunami to keep her alive when Ryoko 
attacked Jurai all those years ago- albeit against her will.  Within her was the 
power of Tsunami, the first royal tree of Jurai and the original source of all 
trees after her.  'Best to ask when it's most needed though...'  Sasami was 
humming at the sink, Ryo-Ohki hopping beneath her happily.  'There's plenty of 
time,'  She paused in her work.  'I hope.'

*	*	*

	Gabriel stepped off the plane and tried to rub the sleep from his eyes.  
His first trip to Japan hadn't really started off all that well.  With all the 
flying he had been doing all over the world, he figured he would have been used 
to travel but unfortunately jet lag was as ever present a companion as night and 
day.  More constant for him considering that after a trip it wasn't too 
surprising if he had no idea what time or day it was.
	After the laborious task of getting through customs, he scanned around for 
Grace, hoping he gave her the right flight time when he didn't immediately see 
her.  The last time that had happened he was going to visit her and her parents 
in New York.
	"Gabriel!"  Grace hurried over to him and threw her arms around him and he 
dropped his bag to return the embrace.  "Gabriel, I'm so glad you're here."
	"What's up?"  He asked as he held her, his hand rubbing her back slowly.  
"What happened?"
	"It's-It's my sister...  She's... She's-"
	"She's what?"  He held her out at arms length looking into her eyes, red 
from crying.  
	"She's gone missing and no one knows where she's gone!  It seems that she 
was kidnapped!"
	"Kidnapped?"  Gabriel frowned.  "Do the cops have any leads?  Do we know 
of anyone that might have wanted to kidnap her?  Someone who had something 
against your family?"
	She shook her head.  "Gabriel, we found blood in her room... a lot of it."
	A nervous tension began to rise in his stomach and he did his best to 
quell it.  "I see...  Have you gone to the police?"
	"No... not yet."  She looked down.  "I don't think this is something they 
could help us with, Gabriel."
	He nodded.  "Well, let's get over to the house then and let me take a 
look."  His hand unconsciously rose to touch the talisman as if hoping it might 
stave off the dread in his heart.  He hoped the situation wasn't as grim as it 
appeared. 
	"What if...  Gabriel, I'm really worried."
	"We'll get to the bottom of this, Grace.  Trust me."  
	They collected his bags and headed to the car.  They had remained silent 
for the most part and Grace was the first to break their reticent walk.  "How 
was New Orleans?"  She asked quietly.
	"It was nice... I was glad to see Grandma again.  Mosely and I spent some 
time together, it was fun."  He looked over at her.  "How were things before all 
this happened?"
	"Going great I guess...  This was a sort of family reunion but I was still 
drawn into the same kind of discussions that my parents are always asking about.  
'When are you going for your doctorate?', 'When are you going to start 
teaching?' or my personal favorite 'When are you going to get married?'  I love 
my family but the interrogation gets so repetitive I feel like I'm on a merry go 
round from hell."
	He smiled.  "They just want to see you happy, Grace... Never mind that you 
might know how to make yourself happy better than they do."
	"I know and I respect their opinions, just not their stubbornness."  They 
loaded the bags into the trunk and got in, starting away before continuing the 
conversation.  "You'd think that my degree wouldn't matter to them.  I don't 
complain about not being happy-quite the contrary.  I've loved what you and I 
have been doing."
	Gabriel chuckled.  "Oh, I've loved it to."
	"You know what I mean."  She scowled.  "Anyway, I'm sorry... it's selfish 
of me to complain about all this now or to even be thinking about it."
	"Don't be silly.  There's nothing we can do about it for this very second 
so thinking about something else is going to help.  If you aren't distracted 
during downtime, you're just going to work yourself into a stress that you can't 
work yourself out of when you need to be focused."
	A pause.  "You're getting really good at this Shattenj„ger stuff, you 
know?"
	"Yeah, I was thinking about that just the other day...  Back to the first 
case with the voodoo and Malia.  It seems like forever ago-hell, I don't 
recognize the person I was then.  That two week period surrounding the voodoo 
murders seems like a dream now."
	"Yeah, I remember it clearly enough but since you put it that way, I see 
the point.  It's totally bizarre."
	"Remember the case with the Maliphrae?  That whole fiasco?"
	"Yeah, I remember... What about it?"
	"Well, that was the turning point I think.  I mean, we had solved some 
minor cases before that and after the Von Glower thing but after that case, I 
really started to feel competent for the job."
	"Mosely said something about the night that you, he and Alia took care of 
the ring that the Maliphrae was attached to.  He said that what you had done 
that night was an eye opening experience, that you got a chance to see just how 
powerful you really were.  He said that maybe you realized that everything you 
had done up to that point wasn't just luck."
	Gabriel nodded slowly with an approving frown.  "Yeah, I wouldn't have put 
it like that but I think that's pretty much accurate.  Not to say that I'm 
arrogant cause I was able to get the job done... But the fact that I really did 
have some reserve of strength to draw upon was a confidence booster.  The whole 
experience changed my outlook."  He brushed back his hair, still fighting the 
fatigue from the flight.  "And now how many cases have we taken since then 
anyway?  A dozen?"
	"One... and I don't really think it counts."
	"Only one?  You've got to be kidding me!  That feels like a million years 
ago that we took care of that ring."
	"The last thing that we dealt with was in New Orleans.  Mosely thought 
that the creature that attacked you guys in his apartment was still alive.  We 
looked into it and it was just rats eating the garbage he had littered all over 
the place.  That was it."
	"Hmm."  He leaned his head on his hand and thought.  "Just seems like I've 
been so busy then...  This book must really be munching away the time."
	"Well, you may feel more confident in your abilities but if anything, 
you're more flaky than ever before."
	"That's not fair, I'm jet lagged."
	She gave him a knowing look.  "Uh huh."
	"I'm serious, I'm very tired."  He feigned a yawn.  "You should find it 
within you to believe me more often."
	She brought the car to a halt before a two story house in a relatively 
peaceful suburban neighborhood.  "Here we are."  Her tone was suddenly solemn 
and he took her hand firmly.
	"We'll take care of this together, Gracie."  They sat in silence for a few 
moments.  "Let's do it."  
	He got out and stretched, scanning the street to get a feel for the 
neighborhood.  No one was out in the late afternoon though the sun was shining 
brightly overhead.  All of the houses were obviously expensive, the cars that 
were parked before them adding credence to his evaluation.  
	The house that Grace's family was staying in belonged to her aunt and 
uncle who lived in Japan still.  She had told him before she left that her Uncle 
owned a photo lab and had written text books on photography.  It didn't seem to 
Gabriel that those two professional accomplishments would afford someone to live 
so nicely in Japan but what did he know of Japanese economy?
	"We'll leave the bags, Gracie...  I have a feeling we won't be staying 
here for very long." 
She nodded and joined him at the foot of the walkway leading to the house.  
"What do you think?" 
	"I want to take a look inside really fast then I'm going to scan the 
grounds, see if I can pick up any clues about what happened."
	"Okay, let's go in."  She took the lead, pausing to unlock the door and 
let him enter first.  She called out in Japanese a string of sentences that 
Gabriel interpreted as pure gibberish.
	"What was that?"  He asked.
	"I was just saying that we were back and that we were going upstairs to 
take a look."
	"I'm not going to do very well here, am I?"  He looked at her gravely.
	"Don't worry about the language, I'll translate for you."
	"At least we've got that going for us."  He motioned.  "You lead the way."
	She took him upstairs to the first room on the right.  Before they reached 
the landing he could smell the blood.  It was a thick smell like rotting garbage 
in the sun and it caked to the inside of his nostrils, making him sneer.  "I'm a 
little surprised this wasn't cleaned up... Or that you didn't call the cops."
	"Like I said, I know that he cops can't help us here."  She bowed her head 
as he reached the door.  "Go ahead, I'm going to wait out here."
	He hesitated at the door, examining the frame and the locking mechanism.  
"Does she sleep alone?"
	"Yes, she was alone last night."
	"It just occurred to me that I know nothing at all about your sister, 
Grace.  Give me the basics."
	"Okay, Lia's twenty two years old, my height.  Her hair's quite a bit 
longer.  She's going to school right now in America.  She's working on a 
computer degree."  Grace placed the back of her hand to her mouth, stifling a 
sob that threatened to shake her.
	"That's enough, Grace."  He steadied her with a hand on her shoulder.  
"I'll be right back."
The room was relatively small with a twin size bed pressed against the corner 
below the window that was slightly ajar.  White curtains danced upon the pinched 
breeze sneaking in and it was somewhat chill inside.  The shelves were empty and 
the sheets on the bed were all that seemed out of place.  It was there that the 
blood resided in a great mass, pooling in some areas where it was thickest.
	He peered over the mattress slowly, careful to avoid touching anything.  A 
duvet cover was half way removed from the comforter and the sheets were bunched 
up from the bottom of the bed, gathering in the middle where the most blood 
resided.  "Grace, we're going to need to get a sample of this blood.  Do you 
have anything that would serve as an instrument for that?"
	"Yeah, hold on."  She called from the hall.
	Gabriel peeked out the window, looking down at the tiny yard below.  There 
was nothing to hold on to for someone trying to escape through the portal and 
the gravel at the bottom of the window would be anything but pleasant to fall on 
not to mention next to impossible to be sure that no blood remained on them.  
'At least there's a possibility that we'll have a lead for once.'
	"Here you go." Grace's voice interrupted his thoughts and he met her at 
the door, taking a small vial and eye dropper.
	"Okay, this is a little too perfect."  He looked at them both then back to 
Grace.  "Where'd you get these?"
	"I don't leave home without the same tools we use on cases.  You never 
know when they might be needed."
	"Prepared to the end."  He tried to be light but the situation wouldn't 
allow his tone to be anything but somber as he turned back to the grizzly scene.  
He collected enough of the gore to fill the vial half way before returning to 
Grace.  "We'll need SYDNEY to examine that as soon as possible.  I'm going to 
check around outside before we ask some questions of your family..."  Noting her 
distracted expression, he paused.  "Is that okay?"
	"Yeah, that's fine."  She looked up at him sleepily.  "I'll get everyone 
together so we can talk to them."
Gabriel went outside and strolled around the house, stopping below Lia's window 
to examine the gravel.  There was a splatter of blood on the wall as well as the 
indent of feet hitting the ground before running off.  It seems that they didn't 
fall when they landed however, as those were the only indents.  He took a rock 
that was covered in blood and pocketed it before strolling to the fence, hoping 
to find more prints but unsuccessful.  
	He went back into the house, taking Grace aside to tell her his findings.  
"I have a hunch... it's not founded on anything yet, but just an idea that 
occurred to me."
	"What's that?"
	"I think that it was after you, Grace... whatever it was.  I think this 
has more to do with me than we had originally anticipated."
	"How do you mean?"  She looked up at him with a mix of shock and fear on 
her face.  "You think that whatever happened tonight is because you're the 
Shattenj„ger?"
	He nodded.  "I think that whatever took your sister, and I believe that it 
took her, was hoping to get to me and if I'm right, it's going to be trying to 
contact me soon."  He thought a moment.  "Or, worse yet, it's going to realize 
that it grabbed the wrong person and try again."
	"At which time, we take care of the bastard."
	Gabriel nodded.  "But before we get to considering that, we have to figure 
out exactly what we're up against.  I know that it's possible for a person to 
run away from a two story jump, but whoever made that jump landed on their feet 
without collecting their balance before running off.  Further, it's pretty 
obvious that they were burdened cause the prints were deep, even in the gravel.  
My guess is that the blood on your sister's bed is whatever that thing was.  If 
that's the case, our research results will hopefully give us a clue as to what 
we're up against."
	"Good...  What should we tell my family?"  She looked toward the living 
room.  "I've assembled everyone."
	"For now, just see if anyone heard anything last night, ask if they saw 
anything peculiar but above all, tell them that they should remain calm.  We'll 
find Lia.  I promise."
	"Thank you, Gabriel."  She squeezed his arm before going to join her 
relatives.  Gabriel watched her go before turning his attention outside through 
a small window in the door.  He inhaled deeply and tried to relax for a moment, 
closing his eyes and stretching.  Moments of silence were always few and far 
between during his cases, one had to learn to take advantage of them despite the 
stress.  Lord knew that there would be plenty of that to follow in the days 
ahead.

*	*	*

	Ryoko was bored.  It didn't matter that there was supposedly something 
about to happen or something happening that was beyond all of them, the fact was 
that there was nothing happening at the moment and Tenchi was busy with chores.  
She had checked out the parameter of the house more than a dozen times and found 
nothing out of the ordinary.  She wondered if a nap was in order...
	Something caught her attention, her lazy demeanor replaced with alertness 
instantaneously.  It was movement in the bushes, someone creeping along near 
Funaho.  Ryoko floated up above the tree, flying slowly over to get a view from 
above.  
	There was a form clothed all in black hovering over the still form of a 
girl in her early twenties.  The black cape protected the majority of the 
features of the one moving but Ryoko could see that it wasn't a woman by the 
form of the body.  He was lithe and athletic, the cloak clinging to his thin 
body while he checked the girl's pulse.  
	"What the hell are you doing down there?"  Ryoko finally asked, causing 
the man to jump in surprise.  He turned his attention upward to her and she 
gasped at his face.  
	He had deep brown eyes and long, black hair loose about his face.  Pale 
skin held tight to high cheek bones and his angular jaw housed small lips, 
pressed together to a fine line.  There was something familiar about him... 
something she couldn't place...
	"I'm talking to you!"  She cried, shaking off the reverie for a moment to 
focus on the situation at hand.  "What are you doing to that girl?"
	"Get away from here, woman."  His voice had a strange accent-Japanese was 
certainly not his first language.  German she decided.
	"You're on my friend's land and I'm not going anywhere. "  She raised her 
hand and it began to glow a light orange.  "Now I'm going to ask you just one 
more time-"
	He gathered the girl up and leaped away, landing on the path and running 
at an extraordinary speed.  Ryoko watched him in surprise for a moment before 
pursuing, flying after him just barely fast enough to gain on him.  "Wait a 
minute you bastard!"  She yelled.  "You can't get away!"
	He dashed past the house, heading toward the shrine with Ryoko hot on his 
tail.  Ayeka came out to see what the commotion was and gasped to see the 
pursuit.  "Lord Tenchi!"  She called.  "Washu!  Something's happening!"
	Sasami and Ryo-Ohki answered her summons.  "What's up, Ayeka?"  Sasami 
asked, looking past her sister.  She was too late to see the man hauling the 
girl over his shoulder but Ryoko was flying high enough that she could see her 
still.  "What's Ryoko doing?"
	"She's chasing a man who was carrying a girl."  Ayeka started off the 
porch.  "I'm going to get Lord Tenchi, you get Washu."
	"Right!"  Sasami nodded and hurried back in the house with Ryo-Ohki 
meowing at her heels.  
	Ryoko teleported in front of the man, pausing a moment before leaping out 
to tackle him.  She connected with his side, sending him off balance.  The girl 
was tossed from his grasp, landing in the bushes and rolling beneath a tree as 
the man began to grapple with his attacker.
	They struggled for a few futile moments before he managed to roll her over 
on her back and use his weight against her.  She was impressed by how strong he 
was but she wasn't about to be fair.  She teleported out of his grasp, appearing 
above him and with a bolt of energy ready to throw.  As if he were precognitive, 
he leaped out of the way of the blast as it struck the ground and landed in a 
crouching position looking up at her.
	"This won't do."  He muttered as he dodged another attack.  "We'll meet 
again!"  He cried, disappearing as he sidestepped into the trees. 
	Ryoko floated down to stair in the direction she was sure he had gone.  
There was no more sound, the forest was silent and she no longer felt his 
presence.  Satisfied that he had left, she turned to find the girl who he had 
dropped when she tackled him.
	"Ryoko!"  Tenchi emerged from the path with Ayeka just behind.  He looked 
around the area defensively before approaching her.  "What happened?  What's 
going on?"
	"I was looking around the grounds and I saw some guy manhandling that girl 
over there."  She motioned to the still form of the young Japanese girl lying on 
her side.  "I was about to see if she's okay."
	Tenchi nodded.  "We should take her back to the house if it's alright to 
move her."
	"Let me take a look."  Ayeka hurried over and knelt beside her, checking 
her pulse.  "Her pulse is a little weak but I think she's okay to move.  Tenchi, 
will you help me?"
	"Right."  Tenchi hurried over and they picked her up carefully to move 
her.  "Coming Ryoko?"  He asked as they got to the edge of the path.
	"In a bit... I'm going to hunt around for our 'visitor' first."  She took 
off above the woods, flying low to peer through the trees.
	"Hurry back!"  Tenchi cried.  "Washu will have questions."
	"She's so impetuous."  Ayeka said disapprovingly.
	"Sometimes."  Tenchi agreed as he adjusted his grip on the girl.  "Okay, 
let's hurry back."
	Ryoko paused as she reached the halfway point between the house and the 
shrine, frowning at her indecision.  Should she try the Masaki shrine or Funaho?  
Her quarry had been near Funaho when she found him... and that's where he 
dropped her off for the moment...
	With a grin, she disappeared, a plan coming to her on how to catch the 
elusive trespasser and be home in time for supper.  Bored was suddenly the 
furthest thing from her mind.


*	*	*