Jusenko Muyo!
By
BoneparteOzaki
Part 2:
No Need for Vengeance


Some 700 Years ago, give or take...
Two star-ships scream as they pursue each other in the blackness of
space. They were currently entangled in a fire-fight that this area of
space had never seen before. Of course that was normal since this was
the boondocks of space. Single yellow star, nine planets, only one of
which was capable of supporting life. This was as remote as could be by
universal standards. 
That was the reason that Ryoko, one of the most feared space pirates
imaginable was here. She needed a place to hide out and this was it. You
don't attack and raid the planet Jurai and then hang out in space bars
bragging about it. She had to lay low for awhile. She was all for
hanging out in this hick system for a few months until the heat was off.
Hell, the only "intelligent people" hadn't even discovered space travel
yet. The Juraian Navy would give a brief look over and then give up and
go home. 
At least that was what the plan had been. Currently that plan was being
shot to hell along with her ship, Ryo-Ohki. She was being, and had been
for the last several weeks, pursued by a Juraian Tree-ship. A tree-ship
whose occupant was the Crown-prince of Jurai, Yosho. 
Ryoko was now getting very worried. Yosho was still pursuing her and it
wasn't looking like he was going to give up anytime soon. Just her luck,
she had to piss off the "legendary warrior of Jurai, whom no man has yet
to best." Well that was just fine for all she cared. If he was going to
be a bitch about this little raid, then she'd have to be a bitch right
back. "Ryo-Ohki, Prepare to make another attack run!" The ship responded
telepathically to her orders. "Ok Yosho, this is the last dance." Ryoko
gave a wry grin and began to calculate her moves...
Another blast rocked Ryo-Ohki. Ryoko tried to keep her loosening grip on
her chair. She didn't succeed as she was thrown from it as yet another
blast rocked the ship. Fire began to burst out everywhere. Ryoko could
sense her ship's pain. "Sorry friend. Looks like it's the end for both
of us. Sorry to drag you out here for nothing." A solitary tear fell
across her cheek. In a few moments the ship would explode and Ryo-Ohki
would die. As for herself, well she would maybe suffer a few scratches
and maybe a slight singe, but basically she be a little worse for wear.
She could survive the complete vacuum of space as easily as she could an
Autumn afternoon. Unfortunately, the surviving the weapons of one of the
most powerful Juraian Tree-ships was another question. As soon as
Ryo-Ohki was destroyed and she was left defenseless, every gun, cannon,
slingshot, and water-pistol will open fire on her. She was not positive,
but she didn't think that not even she could survive that kind of
onslaught. So it was looking that this was pretty much the end.
Ryoko, stood up and walked around the inferno that was her bridge.
"Well, friend, we've had some memories haven't we?" She tried to keep
her composure, even though she knew it wouldn't do any good. Ryo-Ohki
could sense that this was it, but it would be damned if it was going to
let her only friend down in the end.
"What? You have a plan Ryo-Ohki?" Ryoko asked quizzically. There was no
physical response only a silent telepathic one. Ryoko concentrated as
she heard Ryo-Ohki's plan. "I understand. Thank you." Ryoko bowed her
head in gratefulness to her friend. In the center of the bridge a large,
blue, diamond shaped crystal emerged into the chamber. This was it. An
Escape capsule created by Ryo-Ohki for Ryoko, so she could escape. Ryoko
hesitantly stepped toward the crystal and felt herself being absorbed
into it, like it was melting around her. Suddenly she felt the crystal
shoot out into space.
As she felt the gravity increase on her crystal lifeboat, she decided to
open her eyes. She could make out through the foggy blue crystal around
her the destruction of her ship. Ryo-Ohki had tried in one last gallant,
but foolish attempt to ram Yosho's ship. The cannons easily blasted it
again, but not before Ryo-Ohki got off a few point blank shots. Ryoko
smiled. Least Ryo-Ohki went down fighting. 
Her smile faded as she saw Ryo-Ohki explode into two flaming pieces, one
of which was headed right toward her! Oh SHIT! Ryoko's thoughts screamed
as a large piece of her best friend slammed right into her Crystalline
life boat. Surprisingly the crystal did not shatter on impact, but it
was forcing her into the atmosphere of one of the planets very quickly.
She could feel the heat of re-entry all around her. Another tear rolled
down her eye as she saw the other, much larger, piece of Ryo-Ohki streak
across the upper levels of the atmosphere like a shooting star. She
continued to feel the pressure of re-entry build on her. The pod was
flying towards the surface of the Earth at a mind shattering rate. Then
as soon as the ride began, it ended as a section of Ryo-Ohki, the
crystal pod, and Ryoko slammed into the mountains of Japan creating a
huge dust cloud that locals watched in amazement.
Meanwhile, back in space, Yosho the Crown Prince of Jurai was having his
own problems. His tree-ship Funoho had taken some severe damage. He
would have to give it time to heal itself, but unfortunately,
circumstances weren't going to permit it. He saw Ryo-Ohki explode into
two pieces and enter into the atmosphere of nearby planet. He could not
be positive if Ryoko was destroyed along with it. She was a resilient
one. He couldn't just leave, he had made a vow to his father, the
Emperor of Jurai, that he would take vengeance against the raider who
attacked his homeworld. It basically looked like he didn't have a
choice.
He stood in the center of his bridge and examined the viewscreens. He
studied the trajectory of the descension of Ryo-Ohki onto the planet's
surface. The larger piece has crashed somewhere on a large continent.
The second, smaller piece crashed on a small island. Yosho studied them
both. He knew that he would have to explore both, but which one first?
Yosho felt the presence of Funoho in his mind. He listened intently for
it's guidance had always been fruitful. Yosho... "Yes, Funoho?" Yosho
asked outloud.
You are faced with two choices and even though you know you have to
explore both, you cannot decide which one to choose first...
"Yes, Funoho. Which one should I choose?" Yosho asked.
It would seem that the best decision would be to...STOP STANDING AROUND
HERE AND FLIP A COIN! Yosho face-faulted at that response and the
shouting inside his head. Funoho did have a weird sense of humor. A coin
materialized with picture of the Emperor of Jurai on one side, and the
holy tree on another. 
"Ok, heads I'll check out the first crash site. Tails, I'll check out
the island crash site." JUST FLIP THE COIN ALREADY!!!, Funoho screamed
in his head. Yosho's thumb sent the coin into the air and he watched it
as it crashed to the surface. Face up, a picture of a tree glared back
at him. "Funoho! Take us down onto that small Island." The ship
responded and Yosho began to enter the atmosphere.
Back on the surface of the planet, the locals began to explore the huge
crater that was created by the tremendous explosion. They stood in awe
around the edge of the crater and looked at the smoking remains of
whatever it was that had caused the explosion. Something was moving down
there.
Ryoko felt the crystal begin to melt from her body like ice on a stove.
Eventually the crystal lifepod became nothing more that a puddle of blue
gunk. She stretched her arms. She looked around and examined the large
crater she was standing in. "Well Ryo-Ohki, you did always know how to
make an impression." Ryoko mused to herself. Ryo-Ohki! Ryoko stopped
cold at her last thought. Ryo-Ohki had given it's life in order to save
her. She looked at what was left of the piece that had brought her here,
wherever that was. It was not part of the heart of the ship. No, all
this was, was a section of one of Ryo-Ohki's pylons. 
Ryoko then went very cold. She perked her ears for a second. No, it
wasn't a sound. She closed her eyes and concentrated. It was Ryo-Ohki!
Ryo-Ohki was alive, but she was very far away and in pain. Terrible
pain. Ryoko felt more tears well up in her eyes. Her friend was
suffering and she was far away. Ryoko knew that she had to find Ryo-Ohki
and help her. 
Ryoko turned and began her ascent up the crater, floating like a
balloon. She then noticed the several people who were standing on the
edge of the crater. People who had looks of abject terror on their
faces. Ryoko wondered what they were so afraid of and looked behind her
to see what they were looking at. She didn't see anything and she turned
again to see some of these locals fleeing in fear and panic.
"It's some kind of Demon!" Screamed one villager. 
"A horrible monster from hell!" Shouted another.
Monster? Demon? Where? I don't see any...OH, I get it. Ryoko smiled as
she figured it out. "I'm the terrible monster." She said with a large
grin. That grin turned into an even larger frown. "WAIT A DAMN MINUTE!?!
Who are you calling a monster?!?" Ryoko screamed at the fleeing peoples.
She flew in pursuit. Someone was going to have to set these people
straight. 
The people continued their frantic fleeing from the crater. They ran
down the path toward the village when they saw someone on the path. A
new stranger, wearing beautifully ornate robes and had long flowing
hair. That combine with his youthful looks stopped the villagers cold
and made them forget for the moment the demon they were fleeing from.
"Is there something wrong?" The stranger asked.
The leader of the village stepped forward. "A terrible demon is coming.
Sent by hell in a fiery explosion. We Must flee! It is coming this way!"
Yosho stepped aside and motioned the villagers to pass. They warily went
by him. "I will help you." He said in a gentle voice. He turned his
attention to the road again and he waited. Something was definitely
coming.
Ryoko continued to fly down the path, levitating a few feet from the
ground. "How dare they call me a monster!" They had a good head start on
her, but she knew that she was closing in. She looked up the path and
saw a form in the distance. She sped rapidly toward it and stopped dead
in her tracks as she saw what, or rather who, it was.
"Well, Well, Well. You don't give up do you Yosho?" Ryoko grinned as she
stared at her adversary, resplendent in the magnificence of Jurai. She
looked him over from head to toe admiring his young looks. 
"You knew that I would come to bring you to justice, Ryoko. I have made
a promise to Jurai." Yosho Replied.
"Well then, I guess we have no choice then, do we?" Ryoko said with a
smile.
"No, I guess we don't." Yosho said with a slight sadness.
Ryoko's eyes went a brilliant opaque yellow. Pinkish energy crackled in
her finger tips. A very gruesome smile formed on her lips, revealing her
fangs. She began to levitate slightly. Yosho stood steadfast. He reached
inside his garb and pulled a small wooden object. Suddenly a shaft of
Blue energy sprang from the object resembling a blade. He took a
defensive position and waited.
"You know that since you destroyed Ryo-Ohki, I must do something first."
Ryoko growled. Yosho's eyebrows arched in a quizzical expression. 
Ryoko suddenly shot straight up in the air like a arrow. Stopping high
in the air and appeared to be scanning the local area. What is she up
to? Yosho thought to himself. Suddenly a bright flash of pink energy
began to surge in the sky where Ryoko was. Forming into a giant ball.
Suddenly with a primitive scream, Ryoko unleashed the ball onto the
earth. Yosho instinctively ducked, but then realized that the attack
wasn't targeted at him. He heard a huge explosion somewhere off to the
distance, though he couldn't quite place where. Ryoko flew back down and
had her arms crossed.
"There, now that that's settled, shall we?" Ryoko said with a huge
cat-who-ate-the-canary grin.
"What was that all about?" Yosho asked, not changing his stance.
"Oh you'll find out soon enough. Now are we going to stand here all
day?" Ryoko said impatiently. She then uncrossed her arms and began to
make a pair of fists. Suddenly in each hand a pinkish Saber of energy
formed itself in her hands. Yosho noticed something from this display.
Every time she manipulated energy, the gems on her wrist and one foot
grew brighter for a moment.
"So That's the source of your power." Yosho whispered to himself.
"What was that?" Ryoko shouted back.
"Oh, you'll find out soon enough." Yosho said with his own cat/canary
grin. Ryoko grew enraged at that and charged in reckless abandon. Taking
wild swipes at Yosho who dodged each easy enough. Yosho found his
opportunity. He drove his blade straight at Ryoko when she was at her
most vulnerable. The blue energy blade dug inself into her chest. 
Ryoko let out a shrill scream of rage and pain. Her swords vanished and
she tried to swipe at his head with her claws but she was no where near
him as the sword kept her back. Ryoko began to feel drained and
extremely tired. She looked down and noticed that her gems were fading
from her. "You bastard!" Ryoko screamed. The gems faded completely and
she noticed that they had rematerialized on that damned sword of
Yosho's. She was starting to feel the tiring darkness overcome her. She
felt the sword release her and she fell to the ground. Her vision was
blurred and her breathing grew ragged. She made one last attempt to get
her gems back and grabbed the hilt of Yosho's sword. The second her hand
touched it, she was shot backward from extreme pain. She then realized
that she could never get her hands on them again. The blackness finally
engulfed her and she went still.
Yosho stood over the fallen Ryoko. He closed his eyes in sadness. He
picked up her body and hunched it over his shoulder. From out of the
surrounding trees, several villagers warily approached him. They looked
at Ryoko's body in utter amazement. 
"He slayed the demon!" One villager shouted.
"Who are you, He who have saved us?" The leader asked.
"I...um...am...er...Yosho." Yosho stammered in surprise. 
"Well Yosho, you are a great warrior. Come with us and we will bestow
the honor you deserve." The leader said with his head bowed.
Yosho simply shook his head. "I would be honored, but I cannot. I must
return to my home and take this 'demon' with me." Yosho hoisted Ryoko
again on his shoulder to better position her and turned and began to
walk the path to where he landed Funoho, leaving the villagers standing
there. 
Yosho made his way down the makeshift path he created. The air began to
have a singed flavor to it. Yosho's nose perked at it. It was growing
stronger as he approached Funoho. Finally he broke into the clearing and
he was ready to finally go home. He stopped dead in his tracks instead.
He dropped Ryoko's body onto the ground. He stared at the large crater
that was there now instead of his ship.
Yosho thought back to the battle with Ryoko and how she had sent a large
fireball not directed at him. So that was what you were up to. Very
clever, Ryoko. Strand me as well. Yosho gave a half groan-half laugh. He
began to examine what was left of his ship. As he began to explore the
very epicenter of the explosion, he found what he was hoping for. 
In the very center of the new crater, a tiny seedling was growing.
"Funoho's child." Yosho said outloud. "Well, I'm going to be here for
awhile, at least until Funoho can grow into a tree-ship again. Now what
do I do?" Yosho said outloud, hoping it would help him think better. He
looked down at Ryoko who suddenly convulsed as sparks of pinkish energy
course up and down her body.
My you're a resilient one aren't you. I'm going to be here awhile, so
what am I going to do with you? Yosho thought to himself. He sat down
and thought out his options. 20 minutes later he dusted himself off and
went back to the seedling Funoho. He cleared an area around it and
marked off a circle around it. Then he went back to Ryoko's body,
hoisted it over his shoulder again, and began his trek back down the
path he came. He headed in the direction of the little village he passed
earlier... 
11 Years ago...
Katsuhito Masaki unlocked the iron gate inside the cave near the Masaki
shrine. His hands trembled as he placed the key in the lock . They
trembled due in part to fear, but mainly due to sadness. 
Katsuhito felt another tear well up in his eye. Achika...why... That was
all his thoughts would allow. He felt like cursing whatever power
controlled the universe. He felt like screaming and ripping the iron
gate right from it's anchoring, but finally he resigned himself to
softly weeping for his lost daughter.
It had been 2 weeks since the accident. The boy, Tenchi, was currently
living with him since now he was Tenchi's legal guardian. He had begun
the boy's training a scant few months ago. The last few days had been
furious with training. Anything to keep his and the boy's mind off his
daughter's, and the boy's parents, deaths. It wasn't working. Everywhere
he looked, he saw a rock that Achika tripped over as a child, a stump
Achika would sit and watch him train, the path that she would carry the
infant Tenchi up to the shrine. He found himself unable to continue. He
realized that his home had become a source of pain. If he and the boy
were to continue on, they would have to leave.
Which had brought him here. He thought back to a long time ago...
700 Years prior...
After having quite a scare, life for the villagers returned to normal.
The village leader looked around and saw the lightened mood and eased
tension. Then he glanced over and saw Him again. The mysterious stranger
who saved them all.
Yosho walked into the village clearing, He noted their disdainful looks
Ryoko's body slung over his shoulder drew. He waved the leader toward
him.
The village leader bowed "Yosho, what has brought you here? Have you
accepted our invitation?"
"It appears I may have no choice." Yosho said in his soft tone. "I may
be here for a long time."
"Is that so?" The Elder asked.
"Yes." Yosho replied. A crowd was beginning to gather. "Is there
someplace we can talk in private?"
"Hai!" The elder bowed, and waved Yosho toward a small wooden shack.
Yosho followed, with Ryoko still slung over his shoulder.
Yosho entered the small shack and took in his surroundings. Sparsely
furnished, very cramped, but still there was something about this place
that he rather liked, though he couldn't quite place his finger on it.
The elder closed the door behind him and motioned Yosho to sit. Yosho
gingerly placed Ryoko's body to the floor. "Now, please, speak your mind
brave Yosho. What has brought the hero back to us?"
Yosho paused. How should he put his situation in terms that these simple
people could understand? They thought that Ryoko was a demon and as far
as he could tell, these people had no way to travel space. He would have
to be discreet in his story. "I come from a far away land. Very far
away. Unfortunately, my transportation..."
"You mean, the dragon?" The elder asked.
"Dragon?" Yosho queried.
"Well, some of the villagers said they saw a radiant dragon in the sky.
It was slightly before your arrival." The elder answered.
Dragon?!? Could he mean Funoho? Well it could have looked like a strange
creature to them. Yosho thought to himself. "A dragon, yes, my 'dragon'
had been slain by the demon..."
"And now you have no way to return home. Is that correct?" The elder
asked.
"Yes, that is correct." Yosho replied.
"Well, you need not worry. We would do anything to help the hero who has
saved us. I shall make preparations for you to stay with us as long as
you like." The elder sat up and began to make his way to leave the
shack, but Yosho placed his hand on the elder's shoulder. 
"Wait. Before we leave, there is another matter we must discuss." Yosho
explained.
"Hai? What is it Yosho?" The elder asked.
Suddenly as on cue, Ryoko's body began to convulse again as sparks of
energy surged through her body. The Elder leapt back in terror. Yosho
placed his hand to calm him.
"It isn't dead?!?" The elder asked is disbelief, he himself had seen
Yosho drive his sword straight into the monster. 
"She is dead, or at least as close to dead she can possibly be.
Unfortunately, I cannot be sure that she might not return. Until I can
take her body to my homeland, I must keep her someplace safe, to protect
everyone here." Yosho explained.
"Ahhhh...I see. This is truly a powerful demon. Hmmm...well, it seems
that fate has smiled down on us today." The elder said with a broad
smile, much in contrast to his previous facial expression of terror.
"Hmm?" Yosho gave a raised eyebrow in curiosity. 
"While we may not be able to fight demons, I can however protect us from
them." The elder said still with his smile.
"Protect people from demons?" Yosho asked.
"There is a cave a small distance there, come with me and we will
begin." The elder made his way out of the shack.
Yosho sat up, threw Ryoko over his shoulder again, and bolted out the
door to catch up with the man. "A cave?" He said with a confused
expression.
"You must have faith Yosho. I've been doing this for a very long time,
though I must admit that this is the first actual demon I've seen." The
elder said as he quickened his pace up the path.
"Can I ask you something," Yosho began, "Who are you?"
"Oh, where are my manners? I never told you my name. It's Hichiro
Masaki, I'm the village priest." Masaki said with an informal bow.
11 years ago...
Katsuhito Masaki had now opened the gate as walked inside the cave. It
had changed little since he had last been there. That had been a long
time ago for he rarely liked to venture inside. Well, there had been
that time a month ago with the boy, but he hadn't actually stepped
inside.
He began to have self doubt again. Why was he here? If he was leaving
the shrine, then he and the boy should leave. No point to bringing back
old ghosts. Looking over the very old Shinto wards on the inside of the
cave, he scanned then he saw it again. The old encasement.
He walked over to it and slowly opened the rotting, little, wooden door.
Inside lay it. The hilt of the sword that defeated the Demon Ryoko, the
Master Key. His Master Key. 
He reached out to take it from its encasement, but his mind drifted back
to when he had first placed it in there. When the First Masaki priest
put it there...
700 years ago...
Yosho and Hichiro stood outside the cave entrance. Yosho looked over at
Hichiro who had opened the sack he grabbed when he left the shack. He
was pulling out prayer wands and various other things. He went inside
the cave and Yosho followed. 
They walked into the depths of the damp cave. Finally they came unto a
lower chamber. Hichiro began to dig a slight trench, while Yosho looked
on in curiosity.
The square trench was finished and Hichiro motioned for Yosho to come
forward. "Lay the demon here." Hichiro stated. Yosho complied. Hichiro
began to recite many incantations and prayers. Yosho continued to look
on in interest. 
Finally Hichiro turned to make his journey back to the cave entrance.
Yosho continued to follow. When they had returned to the main entrance,
Hichiro began to place many prayer strips and warnings on the cave
walls. He went back to his sack and pulled out a wooden box. He set it
up in front of the entrance to the chamber where Ryoko was lain. He
motioned for Yosho to come over.
"I have set up a spiritual barrier to seal this demon inside the cave. I
need one more thing. This demon is very powerful, but there was
something I saw that held her at bay." Hichiro stated.
Yosho grasped what Hichiro was saying. He reached inside his robes and
pulled out the wooden sword hilt, now encrusted with three round gems.
"You mean this, don't you?" Yosho asked.
"Hai, the magic sword you possess. She was unable to go near it. With
this sealing the entrance, she should be unable to ever escape, if she
were ever to return." Hichiro said in a grave tone.
"Are you sure?" Yosho asked.
"Hai. I believe so. Since you said that you plan to return one day, then
these should be reasonable measures to protect us." Hichiro smiled,
eyeing the Master Key.
"Well, we'll have to do something about the cave entrance." Yosho said
as he handed the Key over to Hichiro.
"You know, I was thinking the exact same thing." Hichiro laughed as he
placed the Key in the wooden box and closed the small door. Placing
another Shinto ward over box. He then walked out the cave entrance. 
The pair walked down the path. Hichiro turned and spoke. "I'll start
making preparations to block the cave entrance."
"Fine, fine. You have done more than enough for a stranger. You will
always have my, and my family's, gratitude." Yosho said softly.
"We each have repaid each other." Hichiro smiled.
The pair rounded the path down back to the village, then Yosho turned
and led Hichiro down another path. Hichiro was confused, but he trusted
Yosho even if had only known him less than a day. Hichiro began to note
the charred odor the air took. Then exited into a clearing.
Hichiro was stunned, the destruction, the burned ground. "What did
this?" Hichiro asked Yosho.
"When I came here, I left my Dragon Funoho here. Unfortunately, The
Demon slayed him and I cannot return home." Yosho said with a genuine
sadness.
"My sympathies Yosho." Hichiro placed his hand on Yosho's shoulder.
Yosho walked toward the center of the destruction and bent down. Hichiro
drew his attention toward the small seedling Yosho was watching over.
"What is that?"
"This is Funoho." Yosho said gently.
"But, I thought Your dragon's name was Funoho?" Hichiro asked very
confused. 
"It was and still is. When a royal Dragon dies, it is reborn into a holy
tree. This little sapling will grow until one day, when he is needed,
the Dragon Funoho will return. I must keep it safe until that day."
Yosho explained.
"I see, a holy tree. Very well, it will be our duty to protect the holy
tree" Hichiro replied.
"Thank you my friend." Yosho said as he bowed in gratitude.
"Shall we return? It has been a very long day and you will be with us
for a long time I think." Hichiro said.
"Yes, a long time. But, I don't think I'll mind." Yosho laughed. The
pair started to make it's way to the village.
11 Years Ago...
Katsuhito removed the Master Key from the box. He held it in his hand
and paused for thought. Could she really be alive after all this time?
It has been 700 years. Even her physical body has decayed and withered
now. If she really was going to return, she would had done so...wouldn't
she?
Even these thoughts couldn't quiet the self doubt, but he knew however
that since he was leaving the shrine, he couldn't leave a priceless
artifact for so long where thieves would take it. No, he had to keep it
with him for self keeping, and maybe let the boy know his true heritage.
He placed the Master Key in his robe and turned to leave the cave,
knowing that he may not return for a very long time.
Deep inside the cave, an awareness flickered. After being paralyzed in
the cold dampness of the imprisoning cave for so long, her shackles were
finally removed. 
Unfortunately, the spirit was willing, but the flesh was weak. The
physical prowess was now long condemned. But that was fine. She would
need time to prepare her revenge, and apparently, time was the one thing
she had plenty of.
Yes, she would get her revenge on Yosho. If not him, then his
descendants would pay for imprisoning her. Yes, they would definitely
pay...
The Present(Finally)...
Tenchi snapped her head up from her curled-up position. She looked
around and saw it was now very dark. "Damn, I slept the whole day away.
Grandpa and the Tendos are probably wondering where I am. Oh well, I
might as well get myself home." Tenchi reached for the doorknob of the
stairwell and she realized that it wouldn't turn. "Dammit! They must
lock it at night. Now, how am I supposed to get down?" Tenchi walked to
the edge of the roof and looked down. It wasn't too high for her. If
push came to shove, she could climb down. It wouldn't be easy, but it's
not impossible either. Suddenly Tenchi felt a presence that she couldn't
quite place. 
She heard a faint jingling of a bell from somewhere above her. Tenchi
looked up and saw a young spiked blue haired woman dangling a small
ball-like bell on her finger. She flicked the small bell toward Tenchi.
Tenchi caught it easy enough. The woman smiled and said one word in a
soft girlish voice. 
"Ryoko."
Ryoko? Now where have I heard that name before?, Tenchi thought to
herself.
11 years ago...
"Tenchi! Boy! Why have you come here when I explicitly told you not to?"
Katsuhito shouted to his 6 year old grandson standing next to the iron
grates. The time was a month prior to the death of Tenchi's parents.
"But why is that Grandpa? Why can't I come here?" Tenchi asked in the
childish whiny voices most 6 year-olds have.
"I'll tell you why boy. It's because a demon sleeps here." Katsuhito
said in a very dark grave voice, perfect for scaring impressionable
youth, the same kind of tone that you use when you threaten punishment
in three seconds unless obedience is immediate.
"Wow! A demon? Really Grandpa?" Tenchi asked with his young eyes
brightening up.
"Boy, do you know about our ancestor Yosho?" Katsuhito asked, now using
a tone requesting to see what the boy knew.
"Uh huh! Yosho was the great warrior from a far away land who became the
second Masaki priest!" Tenchi said, with pride in his knowledge.
"And do you know why he was a great warrior?" Katsuhito asked,
requesting more information.
"Well...um...it's...er..." Tenchi stammered.
Katsuhito gave a deep belly laugh. "It's OK Tenchi, we cant' expect you
to know everything today. I'll tell you, shall I?" 
"Oh please do Grandpa!" Tenchi pleaded.
"Fine, Fine. A long time ago, a terrible demon came to Japan in a fiery
explosion. The explosion was so large, that now the crater is where the
lake is." Katsuhito explained.
"Wow!" Tenchi said in youthful amazement.
"but, back then it was only a crater. This demon terrorized the poor
villagers who once lived here. Then, upon a brilliant dragon came Yosho!
He defeated the demon and brought peace back to the land. Unfortunately,
during the battle the demon had slain the dragon, and Yosho had no way
to return to his far away home. But, then from the body of the slain
dragon, came a tiny sapling that contained the dragon's spirit, until it
was needed again." Katsuhito explained.
"You mean the Holy Tree, Grandpa?" Tenchi interrupted. 
"Yes I do. Very good Tenchi, you have been listening to my lessons. So
in order to protect the peoples from danger, Yosho and the First Masaki
Priest, Hichiro Masaki, sealed the demon in this cave to keep it from
ever bringing harm again." Katsuhito finished.
"And what happened to Yosho? Did he ever return home?" Tenchi asked.
"No, Tenchi. He decided after living with the people there for so long,
that he didn't want to leave, so he took over the duties of the shrine
and became Yosho Masaki, the second priest of the Masaki Shrine and ever
since that time, every Masaki priest still tends to the holy tree, and
keeps the seal on the cave." Katsuhito explained.
"Grandpa, can I ask you something?" Tenchi asked.
"Ok Tenchi, but only one more question, your mother is looking for us so
we can have lunch." Katsuhito replied.
"What was the demon's name?" Tenchi asked.
"The demon? Well, Yosho recorded that the demon's name was Ryoko."
Katsuhito answered.
The Present...
"Ryoko?" Tenchi asked the cyan-haired girl.
"Hmm-hmm. That is what I said. My name is Ryoko." The girl stood up form
her perch and looked down on her with a cat like grin.
"Wow. A girl up here with the exact name as an ancient demon who did
battle with my ancestors, it seems so impossible, but it must mean..."
Tenchi pondered out-loud.
"It must mean what? Hmmm, Little girl?" The girl said with her pursed
lips.
"It must mean...It must mean, that This is one INCREDIBLE COINCIDENCE!"
Tenchi shouted in beaming triumph, slapping her fist in her open palm.
The girl face-faulted and fell off her perch onto the rooftop where
Tenchi stood now. "What!?!?" The Girl Shouted.
Tenchi gave a half smirk/half frown. "Please, you don't expect me to
believe that some ancient demon who my ancestor defeated centuries ago,
has decided to settle some old beef with me do you?" 
The girl sat up and gave a larger grin that before. "That, little girl,"
The girl started. Suddenly, her arm began to glow and a brilliant pink
saber formed in her right hand. She pointed the tip in Tenchi's
direction, "is exactly what I expect you to believe!" 
Tenchi's life in the last year had given her an open mind to many
things. Gaining the ability to lose your manhood in a spring shower will
do that to you. This, however, was not something she really expected to
see on this evening. Ryoko was able to surmise this as well from the
fact that Tenchi's jaw was drooped and her eyes were very wide.
Ryoko took a step closer to Tenchi, who stood there with a slight twitch
in her eyes. "I sense that you are the one that I want. The one whose
family has wronged me grievously."
"What are you talking about?" Tenchi said trying, unsuccessfully, to
keep the quiver out of her voice.
"You are a descendant of Yosho. Do you know how cold it was in that
cave? How lonely it was?!?" Ryoko shouted to the stunned girl.
"But that wasn't my fault! It was Yosho's, and he died over 700 YEARS
AGO!!!" Tenchi shouted back.
Ryoko gave a little snort of contempt. "I don't care. Sadly, even though
we just met, it's time for you to die now." 
Ryoko charged and that was the moment that Tenchi's brain went into
reflex mode. She dodged out of the way of the floating Ryoko and spun to
face her as Ryoko flew past.
Ryoko rose up in the air and floated several feet above Tenchi. Ryoko
gave a hearty laugh. "So you wanna try to make this sport, do you?"
Tenchi vigorously shook her head in protest, as Ryoko continued to
guffaw at her. A blazing pink sphere formed in Ryoko's hand and Ryoko
launched it at Tenchi.
Tenchi dodged again and scrambled to get back up from the floor of the
school roof after throwing herself out the path of the pink energy ball.
She managed to get herself up and into a sprint as another pink energy
ball exploded where Tenchi had just been. Ryoko continued to throw the
missiles as Tenchi ran with no real priority as pertaining to direction.
Ryoko continued to just barely miss the darting Tenchi and she continued
to worsen the condition of the Furikan HS roof.
One particular blast blew open the entrance to the stairway down. Tenchi
immediately changed her goal and ran in that direction. Tenchi, however,
was stopped short by Ryoko who landed right in front of her. Tenchi took
a few steps back. Ryoko's saber immediately reformed itself into Ryoko's
hands. Ryoko took an step toward Tenchi advancing in on her helpless
prey.
"Wait! Wait! I'm...er...not ready! Give me a sec!" Tenchi stammered as
she padded the front of her jacket in hopes of finding something,
anything, that would help her right now. Ryoko Paused in amusement.
Tenchi's hands wrapped itself around something she had long forgotten
about this afternoon. She pulled her bokken from her belt and went into
a defensive stance. Her hands tightened around the taped handle and the
wooden blade pointed outward. "Now, I'm ready." She said in a cracked
voice.
Ryoko blinked in surprise. She didn't really expect the girl to fight
back. 
"Hey, didn't you hear me?!? I said I'm ready!" Tenchi shouted again.
Ryoko's smile returned. "So you say." She charged in a hazy blur. Tenchi
couldn't make out the blurred movements of Ryoko and she could barely
make out the blur of the pink saber as it flew all around her. Ryoko
appeared again standing where she once stood a moment earlier.
Tenchi was surprised. What was all that about? Tenchi tightened her grip
on her bokken and as she did the blade fell apart into 8 or so evenly
cut pieces. All Tenchi held how was the hilt. Tenchi gasped in horror.
That was it, now it was all over. Ryoko charged again and Tenchi, now
weaponless, did the only thing she could so. Tenchi successfully SLID
under Ryoko as she charged and Ryoko wound up flying over and past
Tenchi.
Tenchi picked herself off from the ground and now had a clear path to
the stairwell and she dove into the stairwell. This was a mistake. Not a
tactical mistake, since the stairs had been a sound goal in the fact
that they would help her escape the demon currently trying to kill her.
The mistake had been Diving into the stairwell as this meant that she
held no control on her landing and Tenchi found herself roughly tumbling
down the steps. Tenchi opened her eyes to find herself at the bottom of
the steps in the hallway of Furikan High. Tenchi picked herself up
gingerly, feeling out to see if there were any broken bones. Luckily it
appeared there were none. 
Tenchi's ears perked as she then heard the laughter of Ryoko from above
her. Tenchi began to grow panicked again. Oh Man...Oh man...Oh man! If
this isn't the worse day in history, I don't know what is... Tenchi
thought to herself. Well, there was that damned day in China, but this
is coming a very close second!
Tenchi heard Ryoko's giggle come closer. Tenchi panicked. She went into
a sprint down the hall. 
"Oh...you don't wanna leave yet..." Tenchi froze. She turned around
slowly and looked at Ryoko as she floated down the stairway. "The fun is
only beginning little girl..."
Tenchi began to back away one step for every step Ryoko made toward her,
trying to keep her at a distance. Finally, Tenchi bounced her back off a
wall. She was trapped! Ryoko now stalked nearer, closing in on her prey.
Soon she stood only half a foot from Tenchi who was trying to push
herself through the wall in hopes of escape, her knuckles whitened as
her grip tightened around her useless bokken hilt.
"So now, are you going to stop being difficult and just die like a good
girl..." Ryoko grinned. Tenchi swallowed. This was it. She was the
unluckiest person in the universe, and this was the universe's final
kick in the ass. 
The pink energy saber flashed into existence. Ryoko laughed triumphantly
as she brought the sword down for the coup de grace. Tenchi screamed in
abject terror and threw her hands up in a pathetic and futile attempt to
block the deathblow. 
A few seconds passed. Tenchi was starting to wonder if she was dead.
Funny, she didn't feel dead. She gambled and opened her eyes. She was
surprised to see the pink blade mere millimeters from her face, it's
progress was stopped cold by a blue shaft of light. Tenchi followed the
source of the beam and was surprised to see it emanating from the hilt
of her ruined bokken. 
"Hey you bitch! No cheating!" Ryoko cursed.
"What?!? Come on, give me a break. Do you I would fight a monster like
you if I had a choice!??!" Tenchi shouted back.
Ryoko's eye twitched. "Monster...?" The sword disappeared. Ryoko's hand
instead went flat and she delivered a slap right across Tenchi's cheek.
"You little bitch! What gives you the right to call me a Monster!?!"
"You fly in the air, you throw fireballs, and you're trying to kill me!"
Tenchi shouted back.
"Very good reasons, but not good enough." Ryoko brought her saber back
into existence. She began to attack again. This time however, Tenchi
defended herself with her blade of blue light. 
Tenchi's mind went quiet. The only thing she concentrated on was her
opponent. She studied her approach. Ryoko came running in screaming.
Tenchi saw her opening and brought the blade in for her counter attack. 
Ryoko's hand went flying from her arm. The pink gem that was attached to
the hand caught fire and turned the appendage into ash before it hit the
ground. Ryoko looked at the stump of her arm in shock. Tenchi was
surprised as well.
"Oh well, another battle lost. First Ryo-Ohki, then Yosho, then that
damned cave, then China, and now this. If I'm not the most unlucky
person in the galaxy, then I don't who is..." Ryoko sighed.
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to cut off your hand, it's the sword's
fault..." Tenchi stammered.
Ryoko shushed Tenchi. She covered the stump with her good hand and when
she removed it, a new hand, minus the gem, was in its place. Ryoko took
a bow and sank into floor. Tenchi continued to stand there dumbfounded. 
"China...?" was the only thing she could think to say. Tenchi realized
that she was alone. She decided that now would be a good time to walk
home and have a long, long talk with grandpa.
Tenchi made her way down the streets of Nerima. She continued to stare
at the bokken hilt she held in her hand, the instrument of her
salvation. The frayed tape on the handle was beginning to unravel.
Tenchi tore it from the handle and was surprised at what she found. 
The hilt of her bokken was far from ordinary. She marveled at the finely
carved handle and she looked at the three pinkish gems embedded in the
base of the handle. Where had she seen those before? They looked
familiar. "Why did grandpa have this covered up? And why did he insert a
wooden blade and give this to me? What is going on?" Tenchi said
outloud. She definitely was going to have a long talk with
grandpa...after a hot bath. Tenchi broke into a sprint for the Tendo
Dojo. The faster she got home the better. 
Meanwhile, as Tenchi was running down the back alleys of Nerima, two
forces were at work. The first was in a tree watching Tenchi run. The
second was farther away, in fact the second force wasn't even in
Tokyo...yet.
"I'm home!" Tenchi shouted as she slid the Tendo's door behind her. 
"Where have you been? It's so late." Sasami asked.
"It's been way to long of a day to go into that now. I'm going upstairs
to get a bath." Tenchi sighed. 
"Ok. We already ate, but I saved you something. I'll heat it up for you
after you've bathed." Sasami beamed.
"You don't have to do that for me." Tenchi answered.
"I do that for everyone in the family." Sasami smiled.
"Family?...er...thanks Sasami...I think you just made my day." Tenchi
smiled back and went upstairs.
After Tenchi had gone up Sasami went to the fridge, blissfully unaware
of the presence inside her home. 
Tenchi slid the bathroom door behind her and began to fill the tub. Soon
all her troubles would disappear like her girl body in the sea of warm
water. After scrubbing herself and washing off the soap with frigid
water, she took the plunge into the hot bath. As Tenchi emerged back up
from under the water, he leaned back against the tub and sighed. Well,
at least nothing else can happen tonight.
>From across the hall from the bathroom, the presence waited. Ryoko saw
the little blue-haired bitch walk into the room across from the
hall...Now she would get her revenge the old fashioned way...she would
tear her limb from limb...Ryoko giggled in morbid ecstasy. She quietly
crept across the hall and phased herself through the bathroom door...
"Surprise!" Ryoko shouted as she leapt through the door into the Tendo
bathroom, "You thought you would escape my
wrath....so....easily...er..." 
Tenchi was so startled by the demon rushing into his bathroom that he
leapt up and pushed himself back against the bath wall. 
Ryoko looked very confused. Something was very, very wrong here. "Excuse
me, have you seen a blue-haired girl around here? I saw her come in this
way, but...er..." 
Tenchi just shook his head dumbly and hoped that she would go away. Then
he realized that Ryoko had moved closer in and was now examining him
closely, particularly his nakedness. "Um....do you mind?" Tenchi asked
dumbly as he tried to hide his exposed nakedness.
Ryoko grinned. "No, I don't mind at all." 
"Um...that's not what I meant." Tenchi replied dumbly.
"Hmmm...I think I like you." Ryoko smiled.
"Oh...Great." Tenchi replied unenthusiastically .
"Well, I've got to be going. Got this girl to find and kill, so maybe
I'll see ya around. Hang lose...er...um..." Ryoko giggled at her choice
of words. She took a bow and once again sank into the floor underneath
her. 
Tenchi had made his way back downstairs, where he saw a plate of food on
the table where Katsuhito was now sitting. "Grandpa! You're just the
person I wanted to talk to." 
"I thought you might. So Tenchi, what can I do for you?" Katsuhito
answered back.
Tenchi pulled out the wooden bokken hilt from his belt and laid it on
the kitchen table. "Let's start with this. This isn't a normal bokken is
it?" 
"You could say that. This is a very long and complicated story. Should I
start now?" Tenchi nodded and took the plate that had been neglected and
began to take Sasami's cooking into his mouth as Katsuhito began the
story that would completely blow his mind... 
Two Hours later...
The plated had long been cleared of food long ago. It was as blank as
Tenchi's expression. "Were you ever planning to tell me?" Tenchi
stammered.
"Eventually. I felt that you deserved to learn about your heritage. It's
just that there never seemed to be a good time."
"Never a good time?!?" Tenchi shouted as he leapt from his seat at the
table. 
"Tenchi, calm down!" Katsuhito reprimanded.
Tenchi sat back down. "So I'm part alien." 
"Yes, but that doesn't change who you are." Katsuhito reminded.
"So the legendary 'Yosho' has been you all along, Katsuhito Masaki"
Tenchi said out loud.
"No, 'Katsuhito Masaki' has been Yosho all along. I'm still the same
person I was 700 years ago." Katsuhito corrected.
"So who or what exactly is this Ryoko person?" Tenchi asked nervously.
"A marauder." Katsuhito answered.
"Come again?" 
"A space pirate." 
"Ahhhhhhh..." Tenchi understood. "But...but...how is she alive now?" 
"She was never dead. Only drained of her power." 
"But...but...how did she get here now?!?" Tenchi stammered.
"You have your answer right here." Katsuhito answered as he held the
Master Key in his hand up to Tenchi.
"This?" Tenchi said with skepticism as he took the key from Katsuhito's
hand.
"You see these gems?" Yosho pointed to the three round pink orbs at the
base of the key. Tenchi nodded. "These are the source of Ryoko's power.
When I removed them she became powerless. Since they were her gems, she
is attuned to them so wherever they go she can find them." 
"But, if she was trapped in the cave back home, how did she escape?"
Tenchi pondered.
Katsuhito lowered his head. "That is my fault. I removed the Key before
we left the Masaki Shrine." 
"But how is that important?" Tenchi demanded.
"The Key was the thing that was keeping her at bay. I never believed
that she could really come back after so long, but I see that I was
wrong. With the key gone, she must have been able to create a new gem
and she followed us."
"She mentioned China." Tenchi stated.
Katsuhito raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Now that Is interesting."
"I'll say. That means that she's following us for a while. The question
is, why wait until now to show herself?" Tenchi pondered out loud.
"Maybe she was always one step behind." 
"That makes sense." Tenchi agreed. "So, now what do we do?"
"Do about what?" Aeka asked as she peeked her head around the kitchen
entrance. Tenchi jumped from his seat. 
"Aeka!? How long have you been there?" Tenchi stammered.
"I heard someone talking down here so I decided to see who was up. You
two are up late." Aeka replied.
"Hmm..We had much to talk about. It is late. Tenchi you should go to
bed. You have school tomorrow." Katsuhito said.
"Speaking of school...Tenchi, where were you this afternoon? We had
detention and I couldn't find you so now we have detention for another
three days." Aeka stated.
Tenchi groaned. "The day from hell that will never end. Sorry about
that."
"It's OK. Goodnight Tenchi. Goodnight Grandpa Masaki." Aeka left the two
alone. 
"Grandpa..." Tenchi started.
"You should sleep now, there will be time tomorrow to talk. Goodnight."
Katsuhito interrupted Tenchi.
"OK Grandpa, tomorrow. Goodnight." Tenchi went up to the guest room. He
unrolled his futon and laid down. Tenchi stared at the ceiling above
him. He looked over at the digital clock. It read 2 AM. He was wide
awake. He wasn't the only one.
Ryoko sat in a tree in Aeka's Garden, Funoho to be exact(Whom of which
is of no relation to Yosho's Funoho, it's just one of those coincidences
that make life so interesting) Ryoko was having two thoughts. One was of
deliciously and slowly killing the blue-haired girl and the other was of
the young man she "made acquaintances" with in the Tendo Bathroom.
Ryoko's primary thought of killing that girl was being replaced more and
more with the thought of the boy. She closed her eyes and sighed then
shivered slightly from the wind. He was cute, but how could she get to
know him better? The moonlight glistened off the pond by the garden.
Ryoko giggled. She knew how to get closer to him and how to get some
shelter. Ryoko floated from the branch. A few seconds a splash was heard
from Aeka's pond. 
Tenchi bolted straight up. A light went on in the hall. Tenchi's door
slid open and Aeka and Sasami peeked their heads inside. "Tenchi, did
you hear that?" Sasami asked nervously. Tenchi nodded.
The trio walked out of the hall. They walked slowly and quietly down the
steps. Downstairs they saw Katsuhito and Soun. "You too?" Soun asked.
Tenchi nodded. 
All five made their way to the back door, someone interrupted them. "Hey
gang, let's not rush into this, if someone is out there, then we need to
be prepared." It was Kiyone and she had a gun pointed upward.
"You know that I don't like you keeping that in this house." Soun said
sternly.
"Father, I do have a permit for this and I am trained, and it is under
lock and key. When the thieves have guns, your martial arts swordplay
won't deflect bullets." Kiyone answered calmly. "Besides, when I'll be
working on the force, I'll have to keep one, so isn't better that I know
how to use it responsibly." 
"We can have this discussion later, are you forgetting why we are all
here at 2:30 in the morning? Something or someone is outside." Aeka
interrupted. Suddenly, there was a scratching at the door. Everyone
except Katsuhito jumped slightly. Kiyone motioned everyone from the door
and approached the knob cautiously as if it may burn her. Kiyone jerked
the door open and looked into the darkness. Nothing was there. Suddenly
from below came a noise."
"Miya!" Everyone crowded into the doorway and looked down. 
"Kawaii!" Sasami shouted.
"What is it?" Tenchi asked.
"Do I look like a veterinarian?" Kiyone snapped back. She put the safety
of her gun back on. "It's way too late for this, I'm going back to bed."
Kiyone said tiredly as she walked back up the stiars.
Everyone turned their attention back to the small object who had now
wandered into the Tendo kitchen. "Adorable!" Sasami gleefully beamed at
the furry object.
"Miya!" The furry object replied. There it stood. Brown fur, whiskers,
and big floppy ears. Small paws on the forefront, and big feet on the
hind. 
"Like I said, what is it?" Tenchi repeated.
"I don't know, but It's soooooooo cute!" Sasami picked the furry
creature up and scooped it into her arms.
"Sasami! You don't know where that's been!" Aeka stated in worrry.
"Oh sister!" Sasami pouted. Sasami hugged tighter. A scrap of paper fell
from the creature's fur. Tenchi picked it up and unfolded it. 
"Hey! It's a note!" Tenchi said.
"What's it say Tenchi-sama?" Aeka asked as she moved in closer, making
Tenchi even more uncomfortable. "Um...It says 'My name is Ryok Ryo-Ohki.
Please take care of me and treat me kindly until my master returns.'
That's it." Tenchi looked down at the creature in Sasami's arms, "Guess
we should call you Ryo-Ohki then."
The small creature Miya'd in agreement and leapt from Sasami's arms and
rubbed herself against Tenchi's leg, purring contently. "Can we keep
her? Please!" Sasami asked pleadingly as she looked to Soun. Soun
nodded. Sasami jumped up and down excitedly. "You hear that Ryo-Ohki,
you can stay with us!"
"Miya!" The creature piped in. 
Sasami wrapped her arms around the creature and started to take her
upstairs. "You're sleeping with me tonight!" Sasami said excitedly.
"Miya?" The creature replied looking at Tenchi's direction before being
taken out of site. "Miyaaaaaaaa!" Ryo-Ohki whined as Sasami carried her
upstairs. 
"Guess the emergency is over." Tenchi shrugged.
"Guess so." Soun agreed. 
Tenchi looked at the kitchen clock and groaned. "Oh man, it's 3 AM. I'm
gonna be a wreck tomorrow." 
"Hey, at least you won't be alone." Aeka smiled. "Come on, let's get
some sleep." 
"OK." Tenchi agreed and the pair went upstairs to their respective
rooms. Soun and Katsuhito sat alone in the kitchen.
"Well Katsuhito-sensei, they seem to be getting along." Soun started.
"Hmmm." Katsuhito agreed. 
"You tired?" Soun asked. Katsuhito answered by pulling out a go board.
The two began a late night match. Elsewhere, Tenchi continued to stare
at the ceiling above him, Aeka wrapped the blankets tighter around her
and Sasami nuzzled the sleeping Ryo-Ohki as she slept soundly.
Elsewhere, in the mountains outside Tokyo, someone else was awake. A
young man sat next to his weak and dying campfire and stared out at the
stars. He sighed in contentment. This is the life. Nice to get away from
the city for awhile. Suddenly, a noise from outside the perimeter of his
campsite caught his attention. "Hey! Who's out there?"
The being emerged from the woods and entered the weak light the campfire
offered. He wore a heavy pack and a headband kept his mop of hair out of
his face. The perspiration on his face glistened in the firelight. He
looked dirty, but that may have been due to the shadows. The young man
asked the stranger "Who...who are you?" 
"Excuse me but can you tell me something?" The stranger asked.
"Yes...?" The young man replied.
"Where is Furikan High?!?" The stranger asked gravely.
An 15 minutes later at 3:15 AM, the stranger and the young man sat
around the rejuvenated campfire. "So, You're name is Ryoga?" The young
man asked.
"Ryoga Hibiki. Thanks for inviting me to share your fire. What's your
name?" Ryoga asked.
"Me? I'm Makoto Ozaki." He extended his hand to Ryoga. Ryoga took it and
Makoto immediately winced. "Quite a grip you got there." 
"Oh...sorry. So what are you doing out here in Osaka?" Ryoga asked.
"Osaka?!? Um...You're right outside Tokyo city limits, Ryoga. Are you
lost?" 
"Seems that I always am, but I can't let that stop me from my
vengeance." Ryoga growled.
"Vengeance?" Makoto inquired. 
15 Minutes later...
The pair sat around the campfire in silence. Makoto dared to break it.
"So let me get this straight. This kid...what was his name again?"
"Masaki, Tenchi Masaki" Ryoga spat the name out as if it gave a bad
taste in his mouth to say it.
"OK, Tenchi. So this Tenchi kid did something to tick you off so you
challenged him. The challenge fell through and now, you've been hunting
him down for the last...?" Makoto paused for the final piece of info.
"5 years." Ryogo completed the sentence.
"5 YEARS!?! What did he do that was so bad?!?" 
"He walked out on our Man to Man fight. That is unforgivable. He has put
me through hell trying to find him and I intend to repay him tenfold."
Ryogo vowed. 
"So, do you even know where he is?" Makoto asked.
"I heard from his last high school that he had come to Furikan High
School. Do you know where that is?" Ryoga asked seriously.
"Well, if it's in Tokyo, then it's right down the road straight into the
city." Makoto pointed down the mountainside to the sparkling lights of
Tokyo. 
Ryoga sat up from the fire and gave a half wave to Makoto. "Then I'll
say goodbye. Thank you for your help." Ryoga then ran off into the woods
toward Tokyo.
3 Hours Later...
Makoto sipped his coffee again and smiled. That had to be one of the
nicest sunrises he had seen in a long time. He got up to gather more
firewood to restart the fire for breakfast, when he heard a rustling
behind him. He turned around and saw Ryoga burst through the woods into
the campsite again.
"Where the hell am I now?!? This ain't Tokyo either!" Ryoga shouted to
the heavens.
"Back again? I can see now how you've been wandering for 5 years."
Makoto smirked.
"I must get to Furikan High!" Ryoga shouted.
"Well, I'm heading back into the city, if you wait until after I finish
breakfast, I'll take you as far as the city limits." Makoto answered.
"Um...Thank you..." Ryoga replied meekly.
"You can thank me by getting some firewood."
"Um...sure." Ryoga turned to walk back into the forest. Makoto ran up
and caught him on the shoulder.
"You know what? Let me get the firewood, just get my cooking gear from
my pack." Makoto grinned.
Back in Nerima...
"Tenchi! Boy! Wake up, it's time to go to school!" Katsuhito commanded
as he pulled the covers from Tenchi.
"Why bother, the day will only be worse than yesterday." Tenchi groaned
back in a half-asleep stupor.
Meanwhile in the Tendo kitchen, Sasami was frying up something that
smelled wonderful while Ryo-Ohki sat on the counter watching. "Miya!"
The creature whined.
"Oh dear, I almost forgot! But, what do we feed a....a...?" Sasami tried
to complete the sentence.
"Well, It has the face and meows like a cat, but it has big floppy ears
and big feet like a rabbit....hmmmm..." Aeka pondered out loud from the
doorway. 
"A Rat?" Kiyone added.
"No! That's terrible! Hmm...how about 'cabbit?'" Sasami proposed.
"Cabbit works." Kiyone agreed.
"Yep." Aeka concurred.
"Ok, so back to the original question. What do we feed a cabbit?" Sasami
asked. Suddenly, Katsuhito dragged a sleeping Tenchi past Aeka, Kiyone,
and Sasami and out the kitchen door into the yard and proceeded to throw
Tenchi into the pond. Tenchi screamed out and splashed in the pond as
Katsuhito walked back in.
"Tenchi will be in shortly." Katsuhito assured and went back upstairs.
The three stood there and blinked. Ryo-Ohki miya'd excitedly and jumped
from the counter in ran to the door to greet Tenchi.
Tenchi walked in ringing the water from her shirt and mumbling to
herself. She wiped the her wet, blue hair from her face. Ryo-Ohki
immediately jumped back and arched her back and hissed evilly. 
Tenchi looked down at the angry cabbit "What's with Ryo-Ohki?" 
"Don't know. First she got all excited when you we're about come in, and
when you walked in, she freaked out." Kiyone answered.
Tenchi bent down and offer her hand to the cabbit. "Come on Ryo-Ohki,
what's wrong?" The cabbit pawed at Tenchi's hand angrily. 
"Maybe she's not used to your girl half." Aeka proposed She pulled a
kettle off the stove and proceeded to pour the contents on Tenchi.
Ryo-Ohki immediately fled into the next room when the hot water splashed
over Tenchi.
"YEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWW!" Tenchi screamed. "I said hot water
reverses it, not BOILING!" Tenchi shouted. Ryo-Ohki poked her head
around the corner and immediately ran and nuzzled herself against
Tenchi's leg, purring.
"See." Aeka smiled. 
"OK, so we now know what was wrong with Ryo-Ohki, but I still need to
know what to feed her." 
"Well, I'm going to get a bath before I'm any more late." Tenchi
grumbled and walked up the stairs. 
"Maybe some fish. She looks like she's part cat" Kiyone suggested. 
"Good idea!" Sasami agreed and checked the fridge and placed a piece of
fish on a small plate and she laid the plate of the floor. "Go on
Ryo-Ohki." Sasami urged.
"Miya?" Ryo-Ohki sniffed and pawed at the fish, but eventually turned
her nose up to it. 
"Well, scratch that idea." Kiyone said.
"Hmm...Well, maybe something else. Let me see." Aeka commented. She then
looked inside the fridge and opened the vegetable drawer. She placed
some lettuce and carrots on the plate and stepped back.
Ryo-Ohki sniffed the green and orange mix and nibbled a little. "Miya!"
Ryo-Ohki added joyously. She started gnawing excitedly on the carrot. 
"She seems to like it." Sasami said happily. 
"Well another crisis adverted." Kiyone added. 
"Well, I have to get to school. I'll go get Tenchi. Sasami, you should
get ready." Aeka added. 
A thus life continued in the Tendo household. Ryo-Ohki continued to chew
on her carrots, Kiyone prepared for her day at the record store, then
more studying, Katsuhito and Soun played go on the porch, and Tenchi,
Aeka, and Sasami each ran to their respective schools.
Outside of Tokyo...
"Here ya go Ryoga. Good luck with finding this Tenchi kid." Makoto said
as he and Ryoga parted ways outside the city limits.
"Thanks." Ryoga answered and began to run into Tokyo.
As Ryoga ran into the city. Makoto giggled "and with you're sense of
direction, you'll need it." He turned tightened his pack straps and
began his hike back into the forest.
Nerima...
"Tenchi, You'll know we'll never make it." Aeka said as they ran toward
Furikan.
"Let's hope we're not late." 
"It's not being late I'm worried about, it's them." Aeka replied.
"Ohhhhh." Tenchi understood. "Those guys. You would think they would've
learned their lesson." Tenchi added.
"Yes, one would think that. Unfortunately..." The pair crossed the
school gate and immediately the horde broke through the front doors and
gang rushed the pair. "...They haven't." 
Tenchi looked to his side and realized that he no longer had a bokken.
"Um...Aeka?"
"Yes, Tenchi-sama?" Aeka looked at him as the Mob grew closer.
"I kinda...left my bokken at home. Can you handle this?" Tenchi asked
nervously.
"Here's an idea." Aeka smiled. "Defend my honor!" She tossed her bokken
to him and stood behind him. The mob was now on him. 
"Thanks Aeka."
"Anytime, Tenchi-sama."
"Aeka Tendo is ours!" The boys screamed as they went on the offense...
35 seconds later...
The remaining boys who were still on both feet had turned and fled. The
others were scattered around. 
"Well, I guess that is that." Tenchi sighed and he handed Aeka back her
bokken.
"You're forgetting someone." Aeka said.
"Hmmm?" Tenchi asked.
She means me, cur!" The voice boomed. There stood Kuno, wrapped with
bandages around his forehead, arms, legs, etc from his frequent trips
through walls the day before. 
"Kuno, haven't you had enough? I don't want to fight you. I could hurt
you." Tenchi groaned.
"Bah! Your black magic will not save you this time! I will free thy
flower, the beautiful Aeka Tendo, from your foul grip." Kuno puffed.
Suddenly the ground began to shake. Then it shook again. And again.
Something was coming this way...something big.
>From behind the school, it came. Kuno, Aeka, Tenchi, and the student
body all stared in awe at the 10 foot tall armor plated biped machine
that was walking toward them. "Good morning, Tenchi!" 
Tenchi knew that voice. "It's you again! What was your name? Washu?
Whatever it was, leave me alone!" 
"Tenchi," Washu's voice pouted, "now I went to a lot of trouble to build
this, and just for you." 
"Little Egghead, he is Mine!" Kuno Boomed.
"You can have him and Tendo after I get that sperm sample." Washu
shouted back. Suddenly, everyone's attention shifted back to Tenchi.
Tenchi felt the hundreds of eyes all uncomfortably focused on him.
"SPERM SAMPLE?!!?" The student body shouted.
"Um...Don't you all have to go to class?" Tenchi replied meekly.
"What's this about a sperm sample?" A random student shouted.
"Yes Tenchi, what is this about a sperm sample?" Aeka asked with her
arms crossed and her eyes narrowed, and an evil tone.
"Um...It's not what you think...heh heh..." Tenchi stammered.
"Evil wretch! Enemy of all women! You have not only corrupted Aeka, but
this young child as well?!? I will make you suffer!" Kuno shouted. 
"Excuse me." Someone said off in the distance. Everyone's attention
shifted again to the dirty teen, with the mop of hair and the pack. "Can
you tell me, where is Furikan High?" 
To Be Continued...
Notes: Thanks for reading the much delayed Part 2 of Jusenko Muyo! I
know that this has been awaited for awhile, and to the fans out there
who were kind enough to send me praise, I apologize for the delay
tremendously and I plan not to make you wait as long as I did for this
part...at least not 3/4 of a year. Gomen Nasai.
Now, Part 3 will be around this summer...probably May. I have too many
papers to write that demand my attention, but I made an oath to give you
this piece before I concentrated on school full time...aren't I nice?

Preview of Part 3...
Tenchi and Ryoga are together again, but what is the root to Ryoga's
hatred of Tenchi that he stalked him for five years? And what about
Sasami's new pet? Is she all that she seems? What the hell is she
anyway?!? And what about that other new pet that she's about to adopt,
only she and the pet don't know it yet?
Kiyone finally takes the entrance exam, but are good fortunes in store?
And if she makes it through the test, how on Earth can she make it
through the Academy...especially with her new roommate? 
Will Visions of Aeka Tendo be replaced by a blue haired goddess in
Kuno's Dreams? Will Washu ever get that sample?!? Is Tenchi and
Katsuhito the only ones to have taken the Jusenko Plunge? Are there even
more insidious forces at work in the universe? And most importantly,
Will We ever see any more of that lovable Chinese Guide in a
flashback?!?
Find out all this and more in Jusenko Muyo Part 3: No Need for
Congratulations, Lamentations, Traditions, and Destruction. Coming
sometime, when I can write more and not flunk out of college.

Standard Disclaimer:
I don't own these Characters. Viz and Pioneer do. I do own the story, so
don't go claiming that as your own. Thanks. Note: If you are that guy
who recently wrote that Lemon titled "Jusenko Muyo," I just wanted to
let you know that I've been using that title since last summer. so That
was a rude thing to do...^_^...
This chapter is dedicated to Rumiko and her brilliant work(If I didn't
like it, would I be writing this...I think not), and to Hiroki Hiyashi
and his genius.(If ya didn't know, Hiyashi directed OVA's 1-6...You
know...The REALLY, REALLY good ones)
Copyright© 1998,1999 BoneparteOzaki Production.