VISIONARIES
By: Matt Taylor.

Disclaimer: All Ranma 1/2 characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. 
All Tenchi Muyo characters are the property of AIC/pioneer. I receive no 
money from this and am doing it for my own amusement.

*************

CHAPTER 2

    Ranma Saotime slogged into the kitchen, exhausted both from the fight 
with his grandfather, and the long walk back from the Shinto shrine. He saw 
his father, sitting at the table, sipping some tea, and his uncle Nobuyuki 
fixing dinner.

"Hello Ranma, how was your meeting with father?" Nobuyuki asked. 

"It was a bit more than just a meeting." Genma looked at his sons ragged 
condition, and shook his head.

"I see your duel with him went as I expected." Genma said.

"Thanks for the encouragement dad."

"Hmph. It doesn't matter now. Your grandfather will be doing the majority of 
your training now, it was part of the plan when we first set out on your 
training journey."

"Hhmm." Ranma chewed on that bit of information for awhile. He had always 
wanted his grandfather to teach him. When he was young, he used to watch his 
grandfather train Genma, and look forward to being able to fight like that. 

"Hey Ranchan." Ukyo said, as she and Tenchi entered the kitchen. "You finish 
your duel with your grandfather?" Ukyo looked him over once. "Obviously yes."

"How'd you do, Ranma?" Tenchi asked. Ranma gave him a sour look, which 
explained everything. "I see. Well, I suppose you two are looking forward to 
going to school here."

"Oh yeah." Said Ukyo. "Me and Ranchan went to a few school while on the 
journey, but never on a permanent basis."

"Oh I think you'll like Yokohama's high school. It's really pretty nice."

"Good." Said Ukyo, who stood up, and walked over to the counter, where 
Nobuyuki was making dinner. "Would you like me to help, Mister Masaki?"

"Oh that's alright, Ukyo. I can handle it."

"I'm really a very good cook."

"That's true." Said Ranma. "Nobody can cook like Ucchan. You should try her 
Okonomiyaki. Best in the world." Ukyo blushed at her fiancee's compliments.

"Well, okay, show me what you can do." Nobuyuki stepped aside, and Ukyo 
stepped in. As they did this, Tenchi started whispering to Ranma.

"She's your fiancee, eh?" Ranma winced slightly.

"Yeah." He said, in a half-hearted voice.

"You seem less than thrilled at that."

"Ucchan's my best friend. I only found out about the engagement two years 
ago. She's been my best friend for so long, that.....it's tough seeing here 
as more."

"I don't know. She seems pretty cute."

"Yeah, she's definitely that. But still...." Ranma trailed off, and Tenchi 
decided his cousin wanted to drop the subject.

"You know that we made a deal with Ukyo's father, Ranma." Genma's voice came 
up. Ranma had forgotten his father was there. He hated it when his father 
brought that up. He felt like some object that was being sold. He knew that 
Ukyo loved him. he saw it everytime he looked in her eyes, and she was his 
best friend, but he couldn't bring himself to see her as his wife. He pushed 
the thought away.

"I don't want to talk about that right now, pops." Said Ranma, quietly, 
hoping Ucchan hadn't heard him. Just cause he couldn't see her as a wife, 
didn't mean he wanted to hurt her. Ranma looked around the kitchen, reveling 
in the memories it brought back. He had lived here for six years before 
leaving with his father. He had missed this house greatly, it truly was nice 
to be home.

*************

    Ranma stretched out on the deck, sitting down in a chair, and relaxing. 
As usual, any dinner made by Ukyo was delicious, and he enjoyed just sitting 
and talking with family during dinner. His mother still seemed a little upset 
over the whole thing, but he knew things would get better. He looked out over 
the lake, and felt relaxation spread over him.

"Hey Ranchan." Ukyo said, as she sat down next to him.

"You look happy." He heard Tenchi's voice behind him.

"Hey guys. Let's just say that after ten years of training I enjoy just 
sitting and relaxing."

"Yeah." Ukyo looked up at the moon, already high in the sky. It was so 
romantic. Ukyo then remembered the whispered conversation between her fiancee 
and Tenchi, and felt her spirits drop. Thankfully the darkness hid it.

"Hey Tenchi."

"Yeah Ranma?"

"I just thought of something. Did you ever work up the courage to go into 
that cave by grandpa's shrine? You know, the one where the "demon" is 
supposed to be held?" Ranma asked.

Tenchi looked slightly embarrassed. "Not really, no."

"Oh come on! You don't really believe that story, do you?"

"What story?" Ukyo asked.

"One of the old scare stories grandpa used to tell. He has this large cave 
next to his shrine. The legend says that 700 years ago, our ancestor fought a 
demon and trapped it inside the cave. The shrine was built here in order to 
keep it there. It's said that if someone can get the keys to it from the 
shrine, that they can go inside and release the demon." Ranma smirked. "I've 
never believed it." He made a show of leaning towards Ukyo and whispering, "I 
think Tenchi believes it though."

"I do not believe it! If I wanted to go in there, I would." Said an indignant 
Tenchi.

"Fine, then let's get the keys from grandpa's shrine and go in." Said Ranma.

"WHAT!?" Said Tenchi.

"You want to go Ucchan?" Asked Ranma.

"Sure." She said with a smile. Ranma got up then.

"Then let's go."

"Wait a minute guys! You want to steal from grandpa?"

"Not steal, we just want to borrow the keys. We'll sneak in, get the keys, 
look inside, and put the keys back before anyone knows anything happened. You 
aren't afraid of the demon are you?"

"Afraid!? Of course not!"

"Then let's get going." Tenchi didn't bother to struggle as they dragged him 
towards the shrine.

*************

"Here we are." Tenchi said. The three of them stood before the Shinto Shrine.

"Okay. We go in and get the keys, and go inside the cave." Said Ranma. Ukyo 
looked over at the mysterious cave entrance, and the door set up in the 
front. She felt a small chill come over her, but pushed it aside.

"Okay, Since Tenchi's too chicken, I'll go in, and get the keys." Said Ranma

"I am not to chicken! I could get the keys!" Tenchi said.

"Go get them, then."

"Alright, I will." Tenchi began to walk off to the shrine, as Ranma sighed. 
He knew it sounded like he was picking on his cousin, but it was for his own 
good. Tenchi still had a problem with courage. He needed to develop a spine, 
and this was the best way to do it.

Tenchi grumbled to himself as he slid open the shrine door. He ceased all 
talk, as his eyes roamed all around the room. 

'I know grandpa keeps the keys around here.' He thought to himself. It 
wouldn't be smart to go in before he saw them. Grandpa would know about it, 
his hearing was still incredibly sharp, especially for his age.

'There.' Tenchi finally saw them hanging from a hook on the far wall. He 
crept in softly, making sure not to make a sound. He even held his breath. 
Ranma and Ukyo watched in silence from the door. Tenchi continued to creep 
silently, praying that his grandpa stayed asleep. Tenchi put his foot down 
and there was a creep that sounded horribly loud in his ears. He paused in 
fright, certain that they had woke Katsuhito from wherever he was sleeping. 
After what seemed like a few years passed, Tenchi started to move again. He 
finally reached the other side.

'Got 'em!' He thought triumphantly. He then saw how far it was back. Tenchi 
sighed, and wondered why he let them talk him into this.

*************

"You got them!" Ranma whispered, as Tenchi finally came out.

"I got 'em." He whispered back.

"Well then, lets go see that demon." Said Ranma, taking the keys, and leading 
them to the cave. The three of them walked up to the entrance and Ranma stuck 
the key into the door. It opened without a creak, and they entered.

"Well, this place is definitely spooky enough to keep a demon." Said Ukyo. 
Tenchi could barely see in front of his face in this darkness. As his eyes 
grew more used to the dark, he could make out his two friends.

"How far back do you think it goes?" Ukyo asked.

"I don't know. We'll keep going until we find the end or that demon." Tenchi 
wondered why his cousin thought he could speak for all of them. He looked 
over, and from what he could see of Ukyo, she looked raring to go as well. He 
sighed and followed them both. They walked for what seemed like an hour, 
without finding anything.

"Uhm. Wasn't there supposed to be a demon here?" Asked Ukyo.

"Yeah! I knew gramps was just pulling our leg."

"Hey, look at this!" Both turned to Tenchi, who was holding up what looked 
like a very old sword. "I found it over there." He pointed to a cluster of 
rocks. Ranma took the sword from him, and looked it over.

"Things a piece of junk! Is this the demon?!" He hands it back to Tenchi. 
"Come on, let's get out of here." Just as Ranma turned, he heard somethingm 
then there was a huge grating sound, that echoed through the cave.

"Ranchan, look!" Ranma looked and saw Tenchi had struck the sword against the 
wall. He watched the rusted blade fell apart, leaving only the hilt intact, 
and the cave wall suddenly seemed to split and move aside, opening a door to 
a new path.

"What the...." Ranma trailed off. "Well, I guess we don't have to go back 
after all. Come on!" Ranma suddenly went sprinting off into the darkness.

"Ranchan! Wait!" Ukyo went after him. Tenchi stood there for a moment, the 
hilt still in his hands. It would be smart to go back, and probably safer. 
Still, his friends did just go off into the new path, and despite Ranma's 
martial arts skill, they could get in trouble. Tenchi then followed.

"It's even darker in here than in the main path." Came Ukyo's voice.

"Yeah, so everybody stick close together. We don't want to get seperated. Who 
knows, maybe there is a demon back HEEEEEEEERRRRRREEEEEEE!!!!!!" That was the 
last thing Ranma got out as he lost his footing, and fell.

"Ranchan what haAAAAAAUUUGGHHHH!!!!" Ukyo suddenly fell as well. Tenchi ran 
up to where she had been.

"Hey what happened you guys?" He yelled down the hole. Tenchi could now see 
the hole clearly, and saw it was more a slide that drop, a very noticeable 
curve ran down it.

"Tenchi!" Came Ranma's voice. "Get down here, you gotta see this!" Tenchi sat 
down on the edge of the slide, and pushed off. After a few minutes he landed 
on something hard. He got up, and saw Ranma and Ukyo standing at the edge of 
what looked like a large pool.

"Hey, are you guys okay?" He asked.

"We're fine....Look." Ukyo pointed out towards the pool. Tenchi looked out, 
and his breath caught in his throat. There in the middle, was what looked 
like a mummy.

"Is...is that the....?"

"I think so."

"Should we, go take a look?" Ukyo asked.

"I don't know." Ranma said. His voice slightly quavering. Ranma was of the 
distinct impression that no one in the world could beat him in a fight. Since 
he began the journey with his father he had never suffered a loss. His fight 
with his grandfather was the first time he'd lost a duel in years. Ranma was 
pretty sure he could beat a demon, still, he was rather shocked that his 
grandfather's stories about this cave were true. 

"Hey Tenchi! What are you doing!!??" Ranma turned his head, at the sound of 
Ukyo's voice, and saw his cousin walking through the water, towards the 
mummy. In all honesty, Tenchi wasn't sure what he was doing. He saw the 
mummy, and suddenly felt an urge to go to it. Tenchi was not new to the cave. 
He had spent many a day as a little child playing by it. Whenever he did he 
felt an unusual comforting presence, like a friend was there. He remembered 
when he sat by the cave when his mother died, and he felt it again. He still 
could feel it slightly now, when he and his grandfather would train in front 
of the shrine. Tenchi got closer and closer to the figure, until he was 
standing right next to it. It was covered head to toe in wrappings, most of 
them decayed. He bent over it, and was startled to see eyes looking at him 
through holes in the wrapping. They weren't evil eyes, they looked weak, like 
they were dying. The most startling thing about them was there color. The 
gold of the eyes was almost shining in the small light reflected from the 
water.

"T......Tenchi." He heard a voice say. He realized this demon was talking to 
him. It knew his name, even! Tenchi reached his hand towards it, and noticed 
the sword hilt was still there. All of a sudden a flare of blue light slammed 
out of the sword, slamming both Tenchi and the demon apart. Tenchi felt some 
strong hands pull him out of the water.

"Tenchi! Are you okay?" Ukyo asked, in a frantic voice.

"Come on, let's get out of here!" Ranma was suddenly running towards the huge 
sliding stone that brought them here. "I think we can climb out." Ranma got 
up on the slide and started to climb it, using the stones jutting from the 
side walls as hand holds. Ukyo followed suit. Tenchi finally followed them, 
unsure about what just happened.

*************

"Tenchi! Are you okay?" Ranma asked his cousin once they were out of the cave.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Really." Tenchi waved him away.

"Never frighten me like that again!" Ranma said.

"Come on guys. Let's get back to the house and get to sleep, before anyone 
figures out how long we've been gone."

"What about the keys?" Tenchi asked. "Grandpa'll know someone was in here if 
he sees them gone."

"I'll put them back. Ukyo, take him back to the house." Ranma said, as he 
picked up the keys from the place where they left them. Ukyo helped the still 
dazed Tenchi down the stairs.

*************

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine." Tenchi said. Ukyo had walked him back to the house, and he was 
now sitting in his room. "I just need to get some sleep."

"You're sure?"

"Absolutely, don't worry. You look like you need some sleep to." Ukyo hadn't 
noticed how tired out their little adventure had made her. 

"Okay, see you in the morning. You got school right?"

"Yeah. While you guys haven't been registered yet."

"Okay, I look forward to my own first day. Good night."

"'Night."

*************

Tenchi sat under a tree during the lunch period, still thinking about what 
had happened the previous day. Why had he been so drawn to that demon? He 
remembered her eyes, He was certain it has a "her" now, and their odd gold 
color, they looked like cat's eyes. Even as he tried to vanish the images 
from his mind, her eyes kept coming back. They looked like they were dying, 
and he felt pity for her. He had felt sorry that she was in pain, and had 
wanted to help. But then this thing activated itself. He reached into his 
back-pack and pulled out the hilt. Seen in the daylight, it didn't look 
rusted at all. It was the strangest sword hilt he had ever seen. It had an 
unusual purple apparatus at the top, which had two pricks coming up from the 
edges, like a fork. The handle was brown, and made of a substance Tenchi 
couldn't identify. He placed it back in his bag, and returned to eating his 
lunch. Tenchi turned his head at the sound of clacking swords, and saw Kuno, 
the school fencing champion, locked in a duel with another member of the 
kendo team.

"You shall never defeat the Blue Thunder!" Came Tatewaki Kuno's voice, over 
the klack of bokkens. Kuno was an good fighter, Tenchi could admit that, he 
was excellent with his sword. But Tenchi didn't like how he always seemed to 
be showing it off.Kuno was the main reason he had decided not to join the 
fencing team, most of them seemed to be nothing more than servants for the 
"Blue Thunder." Tenchi turned away from the scene, and relaxed. It was then 
that the explosions started. Tenchi jumped slightly, and turned around. He 
saw parts of the school were exploding! He jumped up from his place by the 
tree, not sure of what to do. All of a sudden someone appeared, walking out 
of the debris. It was a woman, but a woman unlike anything Tenchi had ever 
seen.

    She had spiky, light blue hair, and wore a red bodysuit. She had what 
looked like a red energy beam in her hand, wielding it like a sword. All of a 
sudden, Kuno was in front of her.

"Fowl fiend! Why have you done this!? You will suffer the wrath of Tatewaki 
Kuno, rising star of the High school fencing world, the Blue Thunder!" There 
was a flash, and crack of lightning as Kuno finished his catch phrase. The 
woman just yawned slightly. She just stood there and stared at him, in an 
uninterested way. Kuno suddenly rammed at her.

"Die fiend!!" The woman suddenly brought her energy sword up, and sliced 
through his bokken in one stroke. She then threw a backhand punch at him, 
knocking Kuno through several school walls. Tenchi stared in shock, for a few 
minutes, before he noticed something. He could see a blue glow coming from 
inside a crack in the zipper. He unzipped the bag, and saw that strange hilt 
was glowing. He lifted it up, and suddenly there was a crackle of energy, as 
a blue energy blade appeared. 

"What the...?" Was all Tenchi got out. The woman turned and saw him, and the 
sword standing here.

"You to, huh?" She asked. "Okay then." She suddenly flew, literally flew, 
into the air, and came down towards Tenchi, sword ready to slice him in two. 
Tenchi rose the blue blade, and blocked the blow. He was knocked back a bit 
by the force, but remembered his training under Katsuhito, and stopped 
himself.

"Who are you? Why are you doing this!?" He yelled at her, as students ran for 
their lives from the scene.

"Pal, I've been trapped in that damn cave for 700 years! If you've been in a 
cave alone for that long you'd be pretty angry as well. And I intend on 
taking out that anger on you!" She charged again, sword down for an upward 
stroke. Tenchi calmed himself, and held the light sword out, listening to her 
footfalls, and waiting. As she came within striking distance she brought her 
sword up at his head. Tenchi swung the blade, and connected, knocking the red 
sword from her hands. She leapt backwards, and another sword appeared in her 
hands.

"Nice." She said, as she began to walk around him, waiting for him to make 
the next move. Tenchi watched her slowly, his own sword still ready for 
battle. Eventually the woman got tired of waiting and struck again. There 
where several flashes of light, as both of them parried and thrusted with 
their swords. Tenchi was good, but so was this woman. Despite her violent 
nature, she showed incredible skill with a blade. She obviously had been 
using it for a long time. Tenchi continued to push her back as the battle 
continued on, with neither scoring a direct hit. Tenchi finally ended the 
battle, by tricking her into thinking he was doing an upward stroke. As she 
moved to block, he sent his sword in low, and cut her hand off. She looked at 
the stump for a moment, with no real reaction.

"Lost again, story of my life." She said. Suddenly the hand re-grew, 
instantly! Tenchi suddenly got a good look at the woman's face, after he saw 
her eyes, he stopped in shock. They were gold, and made to look like cat's 
eyes.

"You?" He said. She looked at him, and what looked like a sense of 
familiarity washed over her. She then grew a shocked look, and turned away. 
Tenchi saw the hand he had cut off disappear into thin air, along with the 
woman!

"Hey! Wait a minute!?" He yelled into the air, but there was no response. He 
kneeled down on the ground, as the sword deactivated. Tenchi tried to catch 
his breath, and figure out what was going on.

*************

"Good day, Tenchi, did you have fun at school?" Nobuyuki asked, as his son 
walked in. Nobuyuki turned to greet him, and was met with a shock, as he saw 
how messed up his son look. Their was dirt all over his uniform, and he 
looked like he was exhausted.

"Tenchi! What happened?!" Nodoka asked, as she ran up to her nephew, and 
helped hm into a chair.

"I got attacked by someone."

"Are you all right!?"

"I'm okay, I think. I just really need a bath."

"All right, but then I want you to tell me who attacked you." Nobuyuki said.

"Sure dad." Tenchi disappeared into a doorway and walked towards the baths.

*************

    Tenchi sat at the kitchen table and looked around at the shocked family 
members who had gathered there. As usual, grandpa didn't show any reaction at 
all. Nobuyuki and Nodoka had shocked expressions, Ranma and Ukyo looked 
slightly nervous, having already come to the same conclusion as Tenchi.

"Tenchi, you don't think that this would have to do with you and your friend 
excursion into the cave, last night, do you?" Katsuhito asked. Ranma, Ukyo 
and Tenchi turned in shock to the old man. Ranma sighed, and his body 
deflated.

"Should have known we couldn't trick you."

"You went into the cave?! Tenchi, you know you weren't supposed to go in 
there?' Nobuyuki said.

"Hhmm. I wish to speak with you three in the shrine." He said, exiting. 
Tenchi nodded, and proceeded to follow his grandfather, followed himself by 
his cousin, and Ukyo.

*************

    Tenchi sighed, Grandpa hadn't been as tough as he was afraid he would be. 
He had scolded all three, and sentenced them to extra training for the next 
week. Tenchi stood at the edge of the mountain stairs, leading down to the 
house, when he heard his grandfather behind him.

"Tenchi?"

"Yes grandpa?"

"May I take a look at that sword hilt you brought out of the cave?" Tenchi 
took the hilt out. And showed it to him. Katsuhito looked over it for several 
minutes.

"Tenchi, I want you to keep this."

"Me?"

"Yes, in all honesty, I have been intending to give this to you. Better now 
then later."

"What is it, exactly?"

"Its actual name is Tenchi-ken. It is the sword our ancestor used to trap the 
demon in the cave, 700 years ago. I believe your skill with it today, shows 
you are able to use it well."

"But, how does it work?"

"I will explain all that in time. For now, return to the house."

"Right." Tenchi began the long walk back to the house, looking at the 
Tenchi-ken. Why did grandpa want him to have this? How did it work? So many 
questions, too little answers.

*************

    Tenchi stumbled into his room, looking forward to a long nap. He pulled 
the blankets back on his bed, and laid down. He could worry about all the 
problems that where showing up later. For now a long rest would do him good. 
Tenchi relaxed down in the sheets, and felt his eyes close. It was several 
minutes before he realized that someone was touching his chest, no, rubbing 
it. His eyes snapped open to see someone was lying in bed next to him.

"Hi Tenchi." She said. Tenchi's eyes rose up to the shock of light blue hair, 
and the golden eyes, and he seemed to go into catatonic shock.

"Y...Y....You!"

"Yep, me. Ryoko, actually." She said, getting up close to his face. "You were 
incredible out there today." She said in a low, seductive voice. Tenchi was 
still in his heart attack pose, and couldn't respond. Suddenly Ryoko was on 
top of him, and staring down into his face, with a feral smile. "I thought 
maybe after all that fighting we could use some time to..." Her smile grew 
even more hungry looking, Tenchi could now see a pair of fangs in her teeth, 
"relax."

    Tenchi jetted out of the room then, and ran straight into Ranma and Ukyo.

"Hey Tenchi, what's the rush?" Ranma asked.

"She's in there!"

"Who?"

"The demon." Ukyo stuck her head in Tenchi's room, but saw nothing but a 
slightly messed up bed.

"I don't see any demon?" She said. Ranma looked in, and neither did he. As 
they turned back to Tenchi, he was back in his heart attack pose.

"What's the matter?"

"B...b...behind you." Both turned slowly, to see a woman floating in the air, 
behind them. She had the same spiked light blue hair, and gold cat-like eyes, 
but instead of a red body-suit she wore a blue and yellow dress, with a small 
black tail coming out the end. Ranma suddenly went into his fighting stance, 
and Ukyo pulled her giant spatula out.

"Hello, I'm Ryoko, and it looks like I'm going to be staying here for awhile."

TO BE CONTINUED.

NEXT CHAPTER: THE TROUBLE WITH KUNO.