"Of Science and Sorcery" By Zach Haugen Tenchi Muyo! Is owned by AIC and Pioneer Slayers is owned by Software Sculptors I don't mean any harm to these characters, so do no harm to me, don't sue! :) Part 3: Ryoko! No need for confusion! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Nobiyuki ran down the stairs of the house and burst into the kitchen. Sasami, Yosho, Washu and Ryo-ohki looked at him strangely. "Tenchi is...Ten...He...He's..." Nobiyuki spurted out between breaths. "He's what? Gone?" Washu said as Nobiyuki stopped sputtering to breathe. He nodded. "That's easy enough! Sasami, you said that you went up to his room to tell him breakfast was ready, right?" Sasami nodded. "Yeah, but he was there, me and Ryo-ohki saw him on his bed." Ryo-ohki jumped on the table. "Miya!" she said in agreement. Washu nodded. "Alright then, this shouldn't be too hard." A translucent keyboard and monitor appeared before her and she began typing away. "He only disappeared about 10 minutes ago, there should still be some evidence of where he went to. There, you see?" The other 4 looked at her blankly. "Washu..." Sasami started. "What happened to Tenchi?" "Nothing to be worried about, just Ryoko. She transported in without Tenchi and out with him." Yosho laughed a soft chuckle. "Aeka wouldn't think it would be 'nothing to worry about'. It's a good thing she's on Jurai and not here." "Actually, she will be here." Sasami said. "I forgot to tell everyone. She sent me a transmission last night saying she's coming back this afternoon.." "Actually Sasami, the meetings took less time than I thought, and I'm already back." Aeka said from the doorway. "Where's Lord Tenchi and......Ryoko?" Aeka said as she looked around. Everyone at the table stared innocently away. "WHERE IS RYOKO? I swear, that woman....tell me Grandfather, where is Tenchi?" Yosho smiled. "Actually, we don't know. Ryoko just kidnapped him." Aeka turned a bright shade of red. "AGAIN?!? Where did she take him this time? Naroda beach? Washu, can you locate them?" The keyboard and monitor in front of Washu disappeared. "Oh look," Washu sighed "my computer just crashed. So sorry Aeka..." Washu said with a fiendish smile. *This should be interesting for my emotional studies of Jurian female royalty research project...hmmm* she thought at the same time. Aeka got even redder. "Washu, I -DEMAND- that you start that little computer of yours again and find Ryoko!" Washu smiled. "Sure thing, but in order for my computer to work, I'll need to have you use some of your Jurian power to run it." "Washu, if you claim to be the greatest mind in the Universe..." "I am." "Then you do not NEED any of my Jurian power to run that accursed...toy of yours!" Aeka fumed. Washu smiled fiendishly again. "Your right, but if you want me to find Tenchi...." Washu's voice turned commanding, "Then I want a sample of Jurian power. The last batch I got from Yosho..." "I'm never doing that again..." Yosho mumbled to himself. Washu looked at Yosho sharply, but continued. "Was destroyed by you and Ryoko when you fought in my lab yesterday!" "Well I never..." Aeka started defiantly. "You want to see Tenchi again, don't you?" Washu said as she looked up to Aeka. "Well, yes...but..." "If you don't hurry, Ryoko may seduce Tenchi!" Aeka thought for a moment, then stood defiantly. "Poor Lord Tenchi...alright! I'll do it, anything to stop that woman!" The computer popped up in front of Washu again. "Tenchi and Ryoko are....on Yagami." Washu said triumphantly. "Yagami?" Sasami said with excitement "You mean with Kiyone and Mihoshi?" "Hmm, wrong. According to these readings, Kiyone and Mihoshi are...about 10 feet above us and 17 feet to my left, that would be...in the house...and according to my calculations, that's Tenchi's room." Washu typed a few commands into the keyboard. "They're in Tenchi's Closet!" Sasami stood up and ran towards the stairs. "Mihoshi, Kiyone! Are you up there?" A faint ruffle and mumble could be heard from upstairs. "Very interesting..." Yosho said as he thought of the situation. "I wonder how they got in there?" Nobiyuki thought out loud. "According to my readings, Yagami transported them there about 5 minutes ago, and Yagami has gone off it's assigned course of patrolling the system." Washu frowned. For one of the few times since she came to live with the Tenchi's family she was at a loss. *I wonder what Ryoko's really up to...* she thought as she compiled some more information. Part 4: Dragonslave! No need for a dragon! -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Lina did all she could to stay still while her eyes searched for the dragon. *How could I not have seen it!?* She thought. *I should have been more focused! If I could only see! But if I cast a light spell, it might see me and fry me before I can react!* She shivered. *Desperate times call for desperate measures...maybe I can risk a small spell...* Lina started to whisper. "Light beyond the sun that burns forever bright, into my hand gather your light." A small glowing ball of energy appeared in her hand. Lina head jerked from side to side, frantically looking for the dragon. Suddenly, a small figure appeared out of the darkness, running towards her. Lina stopped the light spell and prepared for a paralyzing spell. The cavern returned to darkness. *Whoever that is won't get away from me.* She thought. Lina smiled. *This should be easy...* But her hopes were cut short as the mysterious person ran into her, they both fell to the ground. "Lina?" "Gourry? You ok? How did you know it was me?" "Well, when we fell down, my hand happened to umm...brush your....chest and..." A punch to the side of the head made him stop his mumbling. "What? You wanted me to tell you....ouch..." "Nevermind that, did you see the dragon?" Gourry shook his head. "All I remember is standing against a wall, I saw you up here...then the lights went out and the wall I was leaning on disappeared. Then I heard this big roar and I ran to where I thought you were to see if you knew what happened, I saw a small light so I figured it was you, but it disappeared right before I could make it. Then I ran into you..." Lina sighed softly *Typical...* She stood up, and noticed a shape next to her. *Gourry must have gotten up too.* she thought to herself. "Gourry, I'm going to risk a light spell. Cover me." The shadow next to her nodded. "Alright..." "Mystic forces that rule the cosmos give me the force of light, bestow upon me the power to shine forth your might!" A sudden flash whipped through the cavern, not a shadow remained on the textured walls. "Gourry, I don't see..." Lina said as she looked around. Suddenly, it appeared. The dragon roared again, as it did the whole cavern shook. *If he keeps this up, the whole place will collapse! Only one thing to do, destroy the cavern and everything above it before it all comes down. Hope nobody decided to go across that desert, over the mountain range and cross the lake to stop right above us! Man, that was a hard journey...* "Lina, I'm going to..." Gourry started, but stopped when Lina shook her head. "Gourry, get as far away from me and the dragon as you can." "But he's blocking the entrance!" "Then go to the back of the cave!" Lina screamed. Didn't he know that time was key here? Gourry backed off. As he did so, the dragon roared and started to chase after him. *Man, if that thing keeps this up he'll step on me...* Lina thought. "Gotta act fast." "Power beyond the twilight and crimson blood that flows, buried in the stream of time is where your power grows. I pledge myself to conquer all the foes who stand against the mighty gift bestowed in my unworthy hand. DRAGON SLAVE!" Gourry watched from the back of the cave. Lina seemed to be casting a spell. The movements looked strangely familiar. Suddenly, Gourry realized what spell was being cast. He turned a pale white as he cried out in desperation. "Lina, not the Dragon Slave! The whole place will collapse!" Gourry cringed as he saw Lina finish off the spell. *I hope it doesn't hurt too much." He thought as he waited for the rocks to fall. But instead, he heard Lina scream. "What the...? Where's the Dragon Slave?!? No! Not now! What's wrong?!?" Lina screamed in panic. The dragon moved closer, it was still focused on Gourry, and not watching where it was stepping. *I hope ol' man Salmon back at that town was right about that 'dragon steps past out of pure revulsion' stuff now!* Lina thought as she realized it was too late to run. "Lina, no!" Gourry shouted as the dragon's humongous foot smashed down on top of her. A scream echoed throughout the cavern. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= End of parts 3 and 4! I hope this one makes sense. My mind was kinda gone as I wrote this, but I tried to get it across as clearly as I could. I've got a homepage ready, it's not much now, but soon it should have tons of stuff, including the latest "Of Science and Sorcery" fanfics. See it at http://members.xoom.com/scurvy. Give me your comments! Send email to scurvy@wfol.net (For all of you Ryoko's Love fans, yes, I got Naroda Beach from Evil Dr. Chan's series, I love that series! I love you Yui!