Category=X-over
A TM/White Wolf Gaming X-over.  Includes an answer to 
GenSao's challenge.
Vault_Keeper_2000@yahoo.com

Disclaimer:
These characters are copyrighted and only a few of them are 
truly my own.  The characters of "Tenchi Muyo!" are the 
property of Pioneer.  All locations are the property of 
White Wolf Gaming, whom, I hope, will consider this free 
advertising.  The characters Luna and Alan Durr are the 
property of fellow White Wolf gamers and are used with the 
permission of their owners.  All other characters are my 
own, I thought of them, DON'T EVEN THINK OF SUING ME OVER 
THEM! Lyrics from "Everything Louder Than Everything Else" 
are the property of Meat Loaf. There, I've given credit 
where it was due, let's get on with the story.

Tenchi Meets the White Wolf Part 2-
The Shadows Bar
By
Greg Lively

	That night, Tenchi was woken from a restful sleep (the 
first one he had had in a long time) by a thunderous crash.  
Jumping up and looking around groggily, he saw that the 
entire outside wall of his room was gone, and there was 
someone standing there on the very edge, a sword in his 
right hand, glinting silver in the light, a gun in his left, 
and hate in his eyes.  "Where is the supernatural-lover?" 
he asked, pointing the gun straight at Tenchi's head.
	Tenchi quickly rolled off of the bed, landing in the 
narrow space between the bed and the wall, and grabbed the 
Tenchi-ken from the dresser as he fell.  Activating it, he 
jumped back up, and, rolling over the bed again, ran toward 
the man, blocking his shots with the blade of the Tenchi-
ken.  Then, one slipped through his guard.  Tenchi gasped in 
pain, and fell to the floor as he felt a bullet enter his 
shin, fracturing the bone.  He looked up and saw the man 
standing over him, aiming the gun.  "So where do you want 
it, mage?" the man asked with a sneer.  "The head or the 
chest?  Or maybe the crotch?"
	Then, Ryoko appeared between them and punched the man 
in the jaw.  Looking down at Tenchi, she noticed his wound 
and a look of rage and hate crossed over her face.  Turning 
back to the man, she ignored the bullet holes and cuts 
appearing in her body as the man shot her and slashed at her 
again and again, regenerating the wounds without conscious 
thought.  She advanced through the steady stream of gunfire 
and punched the man again, this time in the stomach, causing 
him to jackknife.  "Nobody does that to my boyfriend," she 
snarled, then punched him hard enough to send him stumbling 
back to stop, teetering, on the very edge of the floor, 
directly in front of the hole.  
	Suddenly, a man wearing black clothes and sunglasses, 
with dead white skin dropped through a hole burnt in the 
roof of Tenchi's room.  He didn't drop all the way through, 
simply held onto the rim and used his grip combined with his 
momentum to swing down and kick the man with the gun in the 
chest, throwing him through the hole in the wall and out 
into empty air.  Screaming, the man fell to the pavement 
three stories below.
	The dead white man let go of the hole and dropped to 
the floor, then turned to face Tenchi and Ryoko.  "Are you 
two okay?" he asked, his white teeth flashing in the dim 
light.
	"Who're you?" Ryoko asked, still mad about the 
strange invader who had tried to kill Tenchi.
	"My name is T'Nalda," said the dead-white man.  "And 
you two are Tenchi and Ryoko.  Tregol told me about you.  
And it looks as though you've been wounded," he said, 
nodding toward the bullet hole in Tenchi's leg.
	"I've had worse," Tenchi hissed through his teeth, 
trying to stand.  But his leg refused to support him, and it 
gave way under his weight.  "Okay," he admitted.  "I 
guess I'm hurt worse than I thought."
	"Considering who you just fought, you're lucky to 
still be alive," T'Nalda said, getting down on one knee and 
examining the wound.  "I've seen many of my friends killed 
by hunters."  He fixed his gaze on the wound and nodded 
slightly.  "Not as bad as it could have been, but there is 
a fracture in the bone.  But, I think I can get the bullet 
out now."  He glanced up at Tenchi.  "This is going to 
hurt.  I can't say how much, but it's definitely going to 
hurt."
	Tenchi nodded.  "Just get it out of me so it doesn't 
get infected," he gasped.
	T'Nalda nodded.  "Brace yourself.  The pain might be 
overwhelming."  After Tenchi nodded his assent, T'Nalda 
extended his index finger, which quickly grew an inch-long 
claw where the nail should have been!
	Ryoko grabbed him just as he was getting ready to reach 
into the bullet hole.  "What are you?" she asked. 
	"I am a vampire," T'Nalda said coolly.  "I am 
friends with Tregol."
	"I thought Tregol hated vampires," Ryoko said, 
suspicion clear in her eyes and her voice.
	"Only those who have made themselves his enemies," 
T'Nalda replied, shaking Ryoko's hand off his arm.  "I have 
not made that choice.  Now, if you please."  With that, he 
swiftly dug his claw into the bullet hole, searching with 
it.
	Tenchi gasped with the pain and grabbed Ryoko's hand, 
hissing through clenched teeth.  Ryoko was a bit surprised 
by this and momentarily toyed with the idea of making a move 
on him right now.  But then, she looked down at the wound in 
his leg and decided against it.
	After a moment of searching, T'Nalda withdrew his claw, 
wrapped around the bullet.  "Silver," he said, holding it 
up to the light.  "They always use silver."  Tossing the 
bullet aside casually, he tore the left sleeve off his shirt 
and used it to bind the wound.  "Stay off that leg," he 
ordered.  "It's going to be long enough healing as it is, 
and it's not going to be helped if you walk on it."
	Then, Washu burst into the room, her eyes wide and 
scared.  "Come quickly," she said.  "Ayeka's hurt."
----
	In her room, Ayeka was lying on the floor, clutching 
her belly, a large slash through it.  Tregol and Luna, and 
the rest of the gang were there, kneeling beside her.  Yosho 
was holding her hand.  A dead hunter was lying on the floor 
near her.  Her eyes were starting to glaze, but they 
brightened slightly when she saw Tenchi stumble in, 
supported on the side his injured leg was on by Ryoko.  
"Lord Tenchi," she gasped, her voice thick and nearly 
incomprehensible.  "I'm dying, Lord Tenchi," she 
whispered.  "I only ask that you stay with me, when I go," 
she coughed suddenly, spitting up a little blood.
	Ryoko looked down at her rival and felt a momentary 
flash of exultation at the fact that now she would have 
Tenchi for herself.  But then, her better sense took over 
and she was appalled at herself for thinking like that.  She 
knew that on some things-okay, a lot of things-they couldn't 
agree.  But in the many battles they had weathered together, 
they had always backed each other up, even if neither would 
admit it.  In their hearts they were friends, good friends.  
And she knew that, in a strange, half-hurting way, she would 
miss the Jurain princess.
	"No, Ayeka," she said suddenly, fiercely.  "No, you 
are not going to die.  Do you hear me?  You aren't going to 
die!"  She grabbed the princess by the collar with her free 
hand and held her face just inches away from her own.  
"You're going to fight." 
	Ayeka looked at Ryoko and for a moment, a flash of the 
old hate and contempt moved across her face.  "I may die 
tonight, Ryoko," she gasped, coughing up more blood.  "But 
I don't want to do it looking at your ugly face."
	"Ayeka," Tenchi said, kneeling down beside her, tears 
in his eyes.  "Ayeka, don't go.  Don't leave us.  Please, 
Ayeka, I-"  He stopped suddenly then and glanced up at 
Ryoko, as if asking permission to say what he was going to 
say, the truth that he had known for so long but never 
admitted to himself.  She looked disappointed, but after a 
moment's hesitation she smiled gently and nodded to him.  
Tenchi nodded back, as if to tell her he was sorry, then 
leaned over and kissed Ayeka on the cheek, gently, and 
whispered in her ear, "I love you."
	Ayeka's eyes went wide at the sound of Tenchi 
confessing himself to her and she gasped.  "Lord Tenchi," 
she choked out.  "I always knew you loved me.  But, it is 
too late.  I am dying."  She looked at Ryoko again, and 
this time it was not a look of hate, but of remorse.  She 
then looked at Tenchi, her eyes starting to glaze over again 
as death approached.  "Go to Ryoko.  She loves you also.  I 
hope-" She broke off, fighting the tears that were trying 
to come.  "I hope you two will be happy together."
	"There is a way for you to live," someone said, and 
when Tenchi looked up he was surprised to see that it was 
T'Nalda.  "The process would be extremely painful, and it 
would leave you a half-vampire for a month, but you would 
survive."
	"What are you saying?" Tenchi yelled, his tears just 
starting to fall.  "If you can save her, just say so!"
	"But it would seem strange-even disgusting-to a person 
of royalty," T'Nalda said, not in the least perturbed by 
Tenchi's outburst.  "She would be required to drink a 
sample of my blood.  The blood would cause certain changes 
in her on the molecular level, making her half-vampire, with 
the ability to regenerate.  She would heal."
	"Yes," Ayeka coughed.  "I'll do it.  Anything to 
stay with Tenchi."
	"Fine," T'Nalda replied simply.  Extending a claw, he 
used it to slit his left wrist, then held it up to the 
Jurain princess's mouth.  Most of the blood that came leaked 
from the corner of her mouth and dribbled down her chin, but 
she managed to swallow a few tentative sips.  Withdrawing 
his hand, T'Nalda regenerated the wound and watched as Ayeka 
curled into a fetal position, writhing and screaming in 
pain.  Tenchi held her hand for several minutes until she 
stopped, then slowly uncurled like an opening flower.  Her 
wound was completely healed and she dropped into a deep 
restful sleep.
	Washu checked Ayeka's vital signs as well as she could 
without her lab equipment, then nodded in confirmation.  
"She's alive," was all the childlike scientist said as 
tears of relief and joy started rolling down her cheeks, 
along with everyone else in her adopted family.
	Well, almost everyone else.  Ryoko stood apart from the 
group, on the very edge of the floor next to the hole that 
used to be a wall.  Watching them, she felt a flash of 
jealousy, the feeling that it wasn't right, that Tenchi 
should have picked her.  But, in her heart, she knew that 
Tenchi had picked the one that was right for him.  Smiling 
sadly, she accepted his decision and mentally bid them all 
farewell.  Then, she turned and soared off into the night, 
knowing somehow that Tenchi would be all right.  He didn't 
need her anymore.
----
	"People, the Shadows Bar," Tregol said proudly, 
motioning to the building almost as if he himself had built 
it with his own hands.  "Home to drinks that'll heal broken 
head or broken heart!"  He then smiled and grabbed Luna, 
pulling her to him and engaging her in a long, slow kiss.  
"Not that I'd have any need for that last one."
	Tenchi, however wasn't as upbeat.  "What's wrong, 
Tenchi?" Ayeka asked, kissing him gently on the cheek.  
"You'll feel better if you talk about it."
	"I was just thinking about Ryoko," he said.  "I 
mean, she must have been pretty upset to have left like 
that, without a word, nothing.  It wouldn't surprise me in 
the least if she's gone off and killed someone by now."  He 
smiled wryly.  "Then again, it also wouldn't surprise me to 
find her in here getting drunk."
	Ayeka grinned slightly at that and gave him a hug.  
"That's the Tenchi I know," she said.
	They walked inside to find a relatively clean room with 
only a few smokers.  A lot of the people looked wary, but 
for the most part they were talking happily, apparently 
carefree.  Tenchi noticed a few couples making out and saw 
that Ayeka noticed them also.  He wondered if he should be 
concerned that she would get an idea, then decided that he 
wouldn't mind all that much if she did.
	Ayeka however only took a cursory notice of the couples 
making out.  She seemed more interested in the dance floor 
and jukebox.  Suddenly, she grabbed Tenchi's hand and pulled 
him to the dance floor.  "Hey!  Ayeka-" Tenchi's voice 
trailed off as he realized what she had in mind.  "Ayeka, I 
can't dance," he whispered.  "Whenever I try I grow an 
extra left foot."
	"Then don't try, Tenchi," Ayeka replied, smiling.  
"Just move with the beat."  With that, she selected her 
favorite song from the jukebox, a slow song, and grabbed 
Tenchi, dancing slowly.  He was a little surprised at her 
eagerness, but found himself instinctively moving his feet.  
He found it surprisingly easy to fall into the beat as Ayeka 
pressed herself close to him, resting her chin on his 
shoulder.  He became intensely aware of her body, its 
curves, its strange combination of firm and soft, and 
quickly used one hand to check his nose.  Fortunately and 
surprisingly, it wasn't bleeding.
	After several minutes that seemed like lifetimes to 
Tenchi, the song ended.  Still holding Ayeka's hand, he 
walked with her over to the bar and sat down on one of the 
stools, seating her in the stool next to him.  He ordered 
two sodas, one for her and one for himself, and was working 
up the nerve to ask if she would like to go to a movie once 
they got back home when a crude-looking tough guy in black 
leather pushed between them, leaning against the counter and 
leering at Ayeka.  "So, baby," he said, running his eyes 
freely up and down her body, "how'd you like to dance with 
a real man?"
	"I already have," Ayeka said, the annoyance clear in 
her voice.
	"What, this weenie?" the tough guy asked, jerking his 
thumb over his shoulder at Tenchi.  "I saw a fly knock a 
guy like him over one time."
	"I think the lady said no," Tenchi said, trying to 
push the stranger out of the way.  One thing he would give 
him, he was dense, both mentally and physically.
	"Run along, little man," the stranger said 
sarcastically, casually driving his elbow back into Tenchi's 
stomach hard enough to knock the wind out of him.  "I just 
claimed your date."
	"I am nobody's to be claimed!" Ayeka yelled, her face 
starting to color with anger at the way he had treated 
Tenchi.
	"Now you are," the stranger said, and with that he 
grabbed Ayeka by the arm almost hard enough to break it and 
dragged her close, crudely using his free hand to fondle her 
breasts.  "You and me, we're gonna party."
	"She doesn't want your company, asshole!" Tenchi 
yelled, and delivered an expertly executed chop to the 
junction of neck and shoulder.  The man yelled in pain and 
released Ayeka.  
	Whirling around, he was very clearly angry.  "Nobody 
hits me and lives, pip-squeak!"  With that, he drew a 
switchblade and flicked the switch.  "Now it's time for a 
little chopped shrimp!"
	He wound up for a strike that must have seemed fast as 
a snake to him, but Tenchi was faster.  Ducking under the 
slash, he grabbed the man around the midsection and threw 
him over his shoulder, sending him flying back onto a table 
near the door.  Jumping up and slashing wildly, not even 
looking where he was swinging, he accidentally put a large 
cut diagonally across the face of a wild-looking teenager.  
The teenager snarled in pain and punched the man in the 
face-or tried to.  At the last second, the man ducked the 
punch and the teenager wound up hitting another patron who 
had just walked in.  Within seconds, the minor scuffle had 
turned into a full-fledged brawl.
	Ayeka
	

Author's Note:
	So, whaddya think?  If you have any questions, 
comments, or suggestions about this story, write to 
Vault_Keeper_2000@yahoo.com.  Criticism will be taken into 
consideration, but outright insults and flames are not 
acceptable.  And before any Ryoko fans flame me on Tenchi's 
choice, let us remember that this is only one story.  I 
don't intend to have Tenchi picking one of them become a 
pattern, much less one more than the other.  I will however 
promise that we haven't seen the last of Ryoko in this fic.