"June Mermaid"
Chapter 6 "Ship of Regret and Sleep"

Disclaimer: Within this story, there will be the mentioning of characters created by someone who is in
fact, not me. So just to be clear on this, I am using them for my own personal enjoyment in writing, and if some other people enjoy reading it, all the better.  The point is, don't sue me, because it would simply be a waste of time and money, and it really wouldn't be worth it. Thanks for listening.

Author's Notes: Well, here it is. Chapter 6. For a while there, there was a chance that this wouldn't be even coming, but thanks to some great votes of confidence I have received from a few select people, here it is, anyways. So, without further adieu, let's get the fic rollin'. Oh yeah, one last thing. Thanks a lot, Roas.

Quote of the Day: "Without Death there can be no Resurrection."
                         - Mr. Negishita (Gasaraki)

 Never seen a blue sky
Yeah I can feel it reaching out
and moving closer
There's something about blue
Asked myself what it's all for
You know the funny thing about it
I couldn't answer
No I couldn't answer

Things have turned a deeper shade of blue
And images that might be real
May be illusion
Keep flashing off and on
Free
Wanna be free
Gotta be free
And move among the stars
You know they really aren't so far
Feels so free
Gotta know free
Please
Don't wake me from the dream
It's really everything it seemed
I'm so free
No black or white in the blue

Everything is clearer now
Life is just a dream you know
That's never ending
I'm ascending
 

     -- "Blue" -- from 'Cowboy Bebop'

     Dreaming...
     I am dreaming...
     Perhaps it may just be a long forgotten memory...
     A dream...
     A memory...
     Things remembered when one is asleep...
     Things forgotten when one is awake...
     Where the deepest layers of memories become the outmost layers of one's dreams...
     Which is reality?
     Which are not?
     One cannot tell until one awakens...
     An emptiness equivalent to my own existence...
     I am dreaming such a dream...
     The dream that changed me.
     A dream that is a catalyst to resolve what my purpose is.
     Perhaps it is just a memory of my now dead soul...
     But now I know...
     ...what I must do.
 
 
 
 
 
 

    Ashley slowly opened his soft brown eyes, as he felt her stir against him. Her soft, warm, naked body against his.
     He smiled sadly as he ran his strong hand through her dark black hair, as she slept soundly on his chest. He felt tears gathering in his eyes.
     "I thank you, Tokimi-sama," he whispered to her sleeping form.
     He slowly rose, bringing her with him, causing her to awaken.
     She blinked her eyes open, and smiled when she saw him looking down at her.
     Before he could say anything, he put his finger to her lips, silencing any means of physical communication. "I think you should return to your sisters now," he told her.
     She closed her eyes and sighed. "Yes...I think you are right. I will speak with Washu myself." She opened her eyes and stared at him. "I am so grateful for what you have given me, Ashley."
     He smiled. "Go now."
     Nodding once, her physical form wavered for a moment, and she disappeared in the form of a misty wake.
     Ashley sighed, and closed his eyes. "I hope that one day...you can really find happiness, Tokimi."
     When Ashley opened his eyes, he was no longer naked. He stood in an ancient Jurain garb used back in the days of the meaningless war. To him, it was what he was most comfortable in. He looked around him, at his surroundings. No longer was he in a desolate sea of wastelands, but inside a large building.
     A temple.
     The architecture resembled that of an ancient Romanian chapel. The ground beneath him was carpeted in red. The ceiling spanned some one hundred feet above his head. There were old, long, and dusty pews aligned at all sides. There was a ringed balcony, which ran along each side of the structure, some 50 feet above the ground.
     He stood in the middle.
     At one end, some 40 feet from him, were two large, ornately carved doors, which heralded the entrance to this place.
     At the other, was a large dais.
     The carpeted stairs rose up to a platform, some 20 feet above the ground. There, was a statue. The statue was over 40 feet tall, and it was brilliantly sculpted.
     It was Tsunami.
     Behind her was a gigantic, and absolutely beautiful, Multicolored stain glass window.
     Tsunami stood with her hands held to her breast, staring out over the vast chapel, and the light from the window reflecting off the carving making it almost ethereal in nature.
     The walls and ceiling were rich tapestries themselves, wooden monuments, intricate designs carved into the wood itself.
     Feeling a shudder for a moment, he felt the presence return.
     Judas looked around the beautiful building, and knew that he was the only one there. After all, it wasn't even the *real* Tsunami Shrine to begin with.
     Walking slowly towards the massive Tsunami deity, Judas had an air of compassion and silence about him. His battle shoes resounded throughout the massive and hollow building with each step. He felt as he took each step towards the beautiful goddess, that she began to glow. He blinked back a tear as he realized that it was merely the light passing through the massive window behind her.
     Memories.
     The remembering of long forgotten information and experiences.
     The markings on the very soul.
     Markings of individuality.
     The very division point of multiple sentience, are memories.
     Through experience and memories are how beings are Differentiated from one another.
     Judas stopped a few feet from in front of the stairs leading up to Tsunami, and fell to his knees, as he stared up at her serenely sculpted face. He felt his tears streaming down his face, splashing onto the old carpet beneath him. He placed his hands on the carpet, and stared down at the gathering moisture. He spoke.
     "Tsunami..." he found that his breathing had become labored. "I...have a confession to make..." His arms began to tremble. "I have sinned, Tsunami. I have committed so many crimes against you...and your sisters."
     His voice echoed throughout the building, as he spoke to absolutely no one.
     "I have killed. Many of your children's lives have ended at my hand, Tsunami," He choked. "Tsu...Tsunami...I am so sorry..." he wept. "Because of me...not only your children, but also you, and your sisters will die..."
     "I DIDN'T WANT IT TO END THIS WAY! THERE WAS SO MUCH MORE FOR ME TO DO!!!" he yelled.
     He looked up at the image of Tsunami, as the light cascaded past her, giving her no less than a godly image. He sobbed as he stared up at the goddess, and he could've sworn he saw tears running freely from her eyes.
     "Even so...could...do you think that you could forgive me?" He closed his eyes. "Could *she* forgive me?"
     Then, he heard it. The voice.
     <I will always love you, Ashley. Never forget that.>
     He let out a sharp breath. "Su...Sumirei? No..." He blinked a few times. "Tsunami?"
     <I will always love you, Ashley.>
     He smiled.
     Memories.
     He heard the sound of voices, and he turned his head, to see a faded image of himself talking to Yuka no more than 10 feet from him.
     Ashley chuckled. "I never thought that *you* would ever be one for lessons in *science*, Yuka."
     Yuka blushed. "Yes well...I may be the greatest scientific genius in the universe, but I am always willing to learn what others have to say."
     Ashley smiled. "So who is this man?"
     Yuka crossed her arms. "Sage Noah. He is very acquired in the ranks of nanotechnology."
     Ashley blinked. "Nano...what?"
     "Nanotechnology. I have read some of his books. Most people think he's just an old fool, but I can see the logic behind his old alchemies."
     Ashley leaned against a pew. "So, what is this 'nano' stuff?"
     Yuka smiled. "It's a scientific process that takes place within the body, which can serve a variety of different purposes. One is that the body could heal itself faster than normal."
     Ashley nodded, impressed. "Interesting. Perhaps you could Conjure some elixirs of these 'nanomachines' to heal people."
     Yuka chuckled. "Sorry, Ashley. It's not like that. After all, I'm a *scientist*, not an apothecary."
     The two shared a small laugh, and then both disappeared before Judas' eyes as quickly as they had reappeared.
     Judas smiled sadly, as he remembered, thousands of years ago, when he was Ashley, and that was him and his friend talking together.
     It was a good memory. But it was gone now. There was no way to bring Yuka, nor Sumirei back.
     "That is why we must end everything."
     Judas looked up at the statue of Tsunami, to see a mirror image of himself descending down the stairs towards him. He was dressed in the same clothes that Judas had worn earlier, the sleeveless blue shirt with the large purple sash that wrapped all around his torso, with those same white pants.
     Judas got to his feet. He sighed. "I thought that maybe you had gone away this time..." he said, disappointed.
     The other Judas shook his head. "Of course not. I *need* you. I only left to allow you some time with Tokimi," he paused and looked at Judas in the eyes. "You realize of course, that you are going to have to kill her, too. It was foolish of you to open yourself to her so close to her destruction."
     Judas closed his eyes. "Anonlbe..."
     Anonlbe sat down on the stairs, still looking down at Judas. "Why is it that you are having such a difficult time perceiving our destiny? Do you not understand *why* we are doing this?"
     Judas gritted his teeth. "I understand...but I most certainly don't *agree* with it!"
     Anonlbe blinked. "When you came to me, your opinions were most certainly different."
     "That was over 30,000 *years* ago! It still hurts, of course... but *they* have moved on! I must let them live in their new lives!"
     Anonlbe shook his head. "This is most strange. You are acting as if you have a *say* in this!"
     Judas' eyes narrowed, and his hand began to crackle with Light Hawk Energy.
     Anonlbe shook his head. "Do you *really* think that you could beat *me*, while we are *inside* the cradle?"
     Judas dropped his arm, and the energy began to dissipate.
     Anonlbe stood. "It doesn't matter, anyways."
     Judas blinked. "What mean you?"
     He smiled down at him. "You...Ashley, or Judas, that is, have Disassociative Identity Disorder. You and I are in fact, the very same person. And as I am you, so are you Judas, and Ashley, all at once."
     Judas said nothing.
     "I have watched over you, for thousands of years, Ashley. You have a destroyer personality within you named 'Judas'. Ever since you and *I* made contact," he smiled. "You created Judas *forcibly*, and you believe him to be real. In that very essence, Judas may actually have his own psyche. Of course, for this to happen, a very strong trauma must first occur."
     Judas closed his eyes, and clenched his fist.
     Anonlbe continued. "That day...when you lost both Sumirei and Yuka...you couldn't deal with that pain. So, you tried as hard as you could...but you couldn't see past that haze of anger and loss. So, you did all you could. You *found* a way to deal with the pain."
     Judas looked back at Anonlbe. "This isn't..."
     Anonlbe smiled. "You *need* to know this. Therefore, I will tell you. So be *silent*!"
     Judas sighed, and continued to listen.
     "That time...you found that by suppressing yourself whenever the subject's of Yuka or Sumirei surfaced, you would push them off...onto *him*," he smiled. "Or should I say...*you*, Judas."
     Judas growled.
     "That's right, you're angry. Well, why not? All you have ever known is anger, pain, and suffering. The *coward* that is Ashley has suppressed all of his spiteful and unwanted emotions onto you."
     Judas blinked. "Then..."
     Anonlbe sighed, and crossed his arms, as he leaned against the rail on the large staircase. "Whenever Ashley's existence was challenged, *you* would arrive. Manifest yourself, so to speak."
     Judas shook his head. "Then...why don't I remember this?"
     "Because of...*her*," Anonlbe said that word as a curse. "Your memory was sealed up by some inexplicable method. In computer terms, it is like constructing a mock personality on top of the Compatible portion of the OS. That is the reason that you have no memory of this."
     "Which *her* are you referring to? Tsunami? Sumirei?" Judas asked.
     "No," he sneered. "Tokimi."
     Judas gasped. "T...Tokimi?"
     "That's right. The meddling *bitch* created somewhat of a block on you, the Judas entity."
     "Wait a minute then. How are...*we* the same person?"
     Anonlbe smiled. "You seem to forget who I am."
     Judas said nothing.
     "I am Anonlbe, the long awaited man of god, who will take the people born in this dimension with him to a new horizon," he paused. "I am also the remnants of the original wave existence."
     Judas blinked. "So YOU are him!"
     "That is right."
     "Hold on. Why is it if I am really two people, and I am really Judas, I have all of Ashley's memories? I always thought that the wave existence was already in me, and he created Judas."
    "That is not too far from the truth."
     Judas arched an eyebrow. "It isn't?"
     "All of that...is from the Cradle. The Cradle itself has, through my own influence, been manipulated so that the personality of Judas and the personality of Ashley could be...intermingled," he closed his eyes. "I am the same as you, because I was the one who gave you the power of the Light Hawk Wings. You are to me, for what this incarnation of Adam is to Tsunami. Only my powers work on a different wavelength than those of Tsunami's," he leaned his head back, and stared over at the giant Tsunami statue. "In essence, I myself am the power that you receive."
     "Then why don't I share your memories, if we are the same, and both under the influence of the Cradle?"
     He smiled. "Because you are my subordinate. You cannot peer into my memories. You should not, in actuality, even exist. That woman forcibly created your personality. Ashley is simply a tenant in the room of cowardice. The only difference was, is that your personality was constructed on top of Ashley's...hence placing you at a lower hierarchy. Until I could successfully manipulate the Cradle, which I must admit wasn't until just recently, you were simply suppressed, and Ashley simply slept here."
     Judas collapsed onto his knees, and returned his gaze to the statue of Tsunami. "Then...what have I been living for?" he whispered.
     Anonlbe said nothing; he simply turned his gaze to the serene face of Tsunami.
     "Ever think of it this way?" he said, his voice soft, and quiet. Different from the loud and cold voice he had used only seconds ago.
     "How different would this universe be if Tsunami never created mortals like you?" He actually smiled as he gazed at her stone eyes, which were reflecting the brilliant light from behind her.
     "I always wondered what that would be like...what would it be like if she created people's that actually understood one another... people's that never fought, always lived in harmony..."
     Judas didn't respond as he felt himself weeping in the artificial presence of the most benevolent being that could be conceived by a mortal mind.
     Anonlbe quietly smirked as he began to look over the incredible building. "It doesn't really matter, I suppose. It's what *He* would've wanted for me, anyways."
     Judas continued to silently cry staring at Tsunami's face. "He?"
     "The All-Father."
     Judas could taste his salty tears entering his mouth. "Who is He?"
     "He is the very genesis of reality itself, to be blunt," Anonlbe looked down at Judas weeping, and his eyes softened. "Listen. I will leave you be for a little while. I will explain to you in detail why we must purge the endless...but you probably don't need to know. All I want you to know is that in the end, it will work out for the best. For everyone, yourself, Eve, Tsunami, and Tokimi alike."
     Anonlbe smiled. "I have already set the appropriate preparations in motion. Deis unfortunately has already been awakened by Tsunami, a fact that can't be undone. I would've prevented it if I could've activated the Cradle earlier, but there is nothing we can do now. Using the Cradle's influence, I have managed to block Tsunami's and Deis' influence on Adam and Eve's intron database, so they won't be able to reach their potential as Deis did."
     Judas said nothing. Anonlbe nodded, and silently left Judas. Once Anonlbe was gone, Judas collapsed in a sobbing heap.
     "Oh please, Tsunami...I am so sorry...please forgive me..."
     <Smile, Ashley.>
     <I will always love you, never forget that.>
     <The Centra people took away Tsunami's tree! They *deserve* to die!>
     <Centra scum...>
     <I love you, Sumirei. I hope one day, I can actually say it to your face.>
     <I'm a scientist, not an apothecary!>
     <Why do people never appreciate true genius?>
     <I am so sorry...>
     <His name is Ashley Van Esmeral. It is a son!>
     <I am a child of Jurai. I serve her, and no one else.>
     <I am Ashley.>
     <Sing for me...Sumirei. I want to hear you sing.>
     <For *you*? Isn't that a little selfish, Ashley?>
     [Close and Divide]
     <Judas...>
     <I will end everything...>
     <I will make you all suffer!>
     <He single handedly brought down the Centra Empire, annihilated the entire army we sent in as *his* back up, and killed countless innocent citizens! He is a *monster*!>
     <You are nothing but a burden.>
     <Oh, Tsunami...why did she have to die?>
     <Where are my friends? Where did they go? Did...did they leave me here? Did the actually *leave* me?>
     <She loved science, and in the end, it was that love for science which killed her.>
     <She loved Jurai, and in the end, it was that love for Jurai which killed her.>
     <Love...what a strange emotion. It is meant to be the one emotion we all should strive for...but those *very* people I loved were *killed* because *of* their love!>
     <So then, that is why. That is why we must end everything.>
     Judas continued to sob as the various memories of Ashley and Judas began to intermingle within his own consciousness. Although his very psyche was being assaulted by the visual images, there was only one thing, one thought that registered.
     "Tsunami, please forgive me..."
 
 
 
 
 
 

     Ryoko giggled slightly. "You know, we should probably get these looked at," she said, gesturing to Tenchi's lacerated hands.
     He managed a slight chuckle, as he managed to lean up against the large rock, beside Ryoko. "Yeah...now that I'm actually paying attention...they really *hurt*!"
     They managed a small chuckle, as they sat there in the snow together. The two of them had simply sat together, not saying too much, but simply letting themselves comfort each other. They had been here for over an hour. Strangely, neither of them were very cold. Ryoko leaned her head against Tenchi's shoulder, as he stared down at his hands.
     He was smiling slightly. "Ouch..." he said under his breath, as he surveyed the damage that he himself had inflicted.
     "Ryoko...umm...about Aeka..."
     "No. Don't," she cut him off.
     "Ryoko..."
     She turned to face him. "What, Tenchi? What are you going to say? What are you going to *do*? What *can* you do?"
     He sighed. "But, Ryoko..."
     "No, Tenchi. Listen," he looked up at her. "It's like you were saying to me earlier today. I couldn't do anything for those people, so there was no use fretting over it. Don't go back on your own advice, Tenchi."
     "But there *has* to be something I can do."
     She grunted in annoyance. "And what would that be exactly?"
     He said nothing.
     "I'll bet she doesn't want to even *look* at you right now, because it would hurt her too much, Tenchi. You need to understand that."
     He leaned his head against the rock. "I guess so..."
     She smiled, and wrapped her arm around his waist, and rested her head on his chest. "I'm glad you understand, Tenchi."
     "Yeah...I guess I have the uncanny ability to make situations worse instead of better."
     Ryoko said nothing, but just squeezed him a little tighter. He put his arm over her, but found that he couldn't really fully embrace her, because moving his hands at all was a little more painful than he wanted.
     Ryoko closed her eyes. "Say, Tenchi?"
     "Hmm?" he said, looking up at the grey sky, as the snow fell down towards them.
     "How come you wanted to come out here by yourself?"
     "I wanted some time alone to think."
     "About what?"
     "About what to say to Aeka."
     Ryoko sighed. "I'm sorry, Tenchi. I was the one who told Aeka that you were out here."
     "Don't worry about it," he said, trying to tighten his embrace, but doing so somewhat futilely without the aid of his hands.
     "I love you, Tenchi."
     He looked down, and kissed the top of her head. "I love you too."
     The two of them stayed like that, in silence for a few minutes, not really saying anything at all, simply just embracing each other, under the cold blanket of the snow.
     Normally, Ryoko would've been so eager to go inside and get away from the cold. But...she wanted to stay outside, *in* the cold. It was somewhat of a statement, she was making to no one other than herself and her own personal demons.
     She was silently stating that now that she was in Tenchi's love, *no* cold could ever keep her from him, or from being lonely, ever again.
     Tenchi took in a deep breath. "Ryoko, maybe we should go back now."
     Ryoko simply stayed perfectly still with her eyes closed. "How come, Tenchi?"
     Tenchi chuckled. "My butt is freezing."
     Ryoko slowly began to chuckle, but she eventually broke out into an outright laughter. It was a sight that brought a smile to Tenchi's face.
     Ryoko rested her hand on Tenchi's shoulder as she managed to control her laughter to reasonable limits. "Since...since when did you become the comedian, Tenchi?"
     "I'm not kidding, here. It's *cold*!"
     Ryoko smiled, and nodded. "Okay, let's go back."
     Ryoko and Tenchi both stood up together. They shared a look into each others eyes as the snow gently fell around them. Eventually, Ryoko moved over to Tenchi's side, and draped his arm over her shoulder, and took to the sky, flying at a slow casual pace back towards the house.
     Tenchi looked at his surroundings, and smiled sadly. The sky was completely grey, and the snow was still falling. The tall, green trees on the side of the mountain were now coated in the white snow.
     It was a beautiful sight.
     Tenchi rested his head on Ryoko's shoulder. Ryoko looked at him out of the corner of her eye, and smiled gently, as her eyes began to cloud up with tears once again.
     "Say...Tenchi?" she asked.
     Tenchi just kept his eyes closed. "Mmm?"
     Ryoko took a long breath out of her nose, causing the cold evening air to swirl into a cloudy mist in front of her. "...how come you decided to tell me you loved me?"
     "What do you mean?"
     Ryoko cast her eyes downward at the snow covered trees, as they still casually flew along. "I mean...I just...never would of thought you would ever..."
     There was an uneasy silence between the two, as Ryoko looked down at the trees, and Tenchi still rested his head on her shoulder.
     "...do you doubt me?" he asked.
     Ryoko blinked once, slowly. "No...it's not that. It's just that..."
     "Your not the only lonely person in this house, Ryoko," Tenchi intervened.
     Ryoko looked at him out of the corner of her eye, and said nothing.
     Tenchi stirred slightly, but still kept relatively still. "You shouldn't think that way. Everyone in the house is so lonely, Ryoko. I'm no exception."
     "You think so?"
     Tenchi sighed. "I *know* so."
     Ryoko floated them down towards the house. She flew over to the window of Tenchi's room, and then phased the two of them through it. Letting Tenchi down onto the bed gently, she floated down, and joined him on it, sitting next to him.
     She looked back at him. "You know so?" she smiled. "What would Tenchi Masaki, the one most famous for his confidence around women, *know* about their loneliness?"
     "Ha ha..." Tenchi remarked sarcastically, as he pulled one of the blankets off the bed and wrapped it around himself.
     Ryoko arched an eyebrow. "Hey, don't I matter at all? I'm cold, too."
     Tenchi looked at her out of the corner of his eye, and managed a slight smile. He undraped the blanket from around himself, and cast part of it over Ryoko's other shoulder, effectively enclosing them both inside the warm flannel.
     Tenchi stared up at the ceiling, as he rummaged through his thoughts for the right words to use.
     Finding them, he turned his head to Ryoko. "Well, think about it, Ryoko. Washu was stranded inside that capsule for as longer than you were in that cave."
     Ryoko frowned at the mentioning of Washu's name, but nodded in agreement.
     "And Aeka...well..." he trailed off as he looked up at the ceiling. "Tsunami save Aeka..."
     Ryoko frowned. "What do you mean by *that*?"
     Tenchi sighed. "I think that Aeka is probably the most lonely out of all the members of the house."
     Ryoko arched an eyebrow. "Where the hell do you get an idea like that?"
     Tenchi smirked. "Well, I can understand, seeing as you haven't had very many real *conversations* with her..."
     "That's not true!"
     Tenchi turned his face to hers. "Oh really?"
     Ryoko tried to think back to when she had a decent conversation with Aeka...
     One came to mind. The time when Ryoko and Aeka shared a drink in the onsen, and Ryoko had told Aeka about her growing up watching Tenchi. The particular conversation, Ryoko decided, could be constituted as a decent one.
     She turned to meet his gaze. "Yeah! I have!"
     Tenchi arched an eyebrow. "If you say so..."
     Tenchi was about to say something, but they were cut off, by a brilliant flash of light.
     Tenchi and Ryoko both instinctively covered their eyes to shield themselves from the brilliance. After a few seconds, the blinding light subsided, and they both uncovered their eyes.
     They both gasped.
     Tenchi's eyes went wide. "Ts...Tsunami?!"
     Sure enough, in her astral form, was Tsunami. Standing there in all her splendor and glory, looking down at the two of them.
     They both collectively turned their gaze, and were taken aback when they noticed who was standing next to her.
     "W...Washu?!" Ryoko said.
     Washu stood in her adult form, only it was different than the last time they had seen it. This time, her Science Academy uniform was gone, and she was dressed in ornate raiment's that resembled Tsunami's remarkably.
     Tsunami took a step forward. "Come, my children. This is a conversation that would be better conducted elsewhere."
     With the casual wave of her hand, there was another flash of brilliant light, and all four of them vanished from the room.
 
 
 
 
 
 

     <I am flying...>
     <I feel as if my body has dissolved...>
     <What is this feeling?>
     <...is this my love?>
     <How can I define my love?>
     <How can I possibly define the emotion that goes beyond my very own feeble comprehension?>
     <There is nothing but the wind to guide me...>
     <This *is* my love.>
     <I don't even understand my love.>
     <Why is it that I have this emotion? Where did it come from? Who gave it to me? Why can't I make sense of it?>
     <Why do I, Aeka Jurai, love Tenchi Masaki?>
     <The more I try to understand it, the less it makes sense.>
     <And at the same time, the more I try to understand it, the deeper the emotion becomes.>
     <Gods, where does this feeling come from?>
     <Respect...>
     <Is that where it comes from?>
     <Does everything come from that?>
     <Flying...>
     <Bodiless...>
     <Endless...>
     <Unlimited...>
     <...Love.>
     Aeka knew that she was dreaming. The scenery around her perpetuated a feeling within herself that showed her that she knew her consciousness had slipped away.
     It felt truly as if she was flying...
     The wind whipping through her long, beautiful purple hair, throwing back and rippling through her kimono like waves in a tropical pool of water...
     No ground beneath her, no wings to aid her, no guardians to catch her...
     Looking around, Aeka saw a city. A city made of cerulean jewels, sparkling brilliantly against the midnight sky, and ode to the twilight that had not only enclosed her dreams, but her heart as well.
     She was falling towards it.
     Only, it was at a very gradual pace. Regardless, the entire reality around her lashed at her with and invisible plethora of natural elements, seeming as though she was not gradually descending to the city below, but dropping at Terminal Velocity.
     Feeling the light from the jewels shine against her face, Aeka stared at the city in awe, as it grew larger. The golden light from the gemstones reflected off of each other, sending a dim light to shine and blanket against Aeka's soft face, which made her face seem almost ethereal.
     The night around her had nary a star in it, it was simply absolute and total darkness. All light that seemed to escape from city, seemed to only perpetuate towards her, as the night seemed to inadvertently swallow the remaining brightness.
     Feeling her body become even lighter as she grew closer and closer to the ground, Aeka began to look around.
     The city was completely carved from opals, ambers, rubies, and other exotic gems. The streets themselves were beautiful tapestries.
     The buildings that reached out towards her, as if to embrace her from the darkness, were also of the same design.
     The streets seemed cobbled, and there were small lanterns along the sides, held up by thick strands of rope.
     The yellow light from the lanterns was reflecting off of the stones, and resonating into the night, creating the only sense of presence within this absolute necrosis.
     Aeka finally reached the cobbled streets, and gently rested her feet against it, causing her body to stop from descending.
     The reflections from the stones and the laterns illuminated the empty streets, causing Aeka's entire body to become bathed in the copper light.
     The street was fairly narrow, but there was no one there.
     Aeka slowly held her hand to her breast, and began to explore.
     Her gentle feet clicked and echoed off the cobbled gem street. No one was in sight for the gentle princess. Turning a corner, onto a slightly larger street, she was greeted with the same sight. An empty street, with laterns reflecting a copper colored fire off the gentle jewels that lined everything.
     Aeka sighed to herself, and was about to turn, when she heard it. The sound. The sound of voices.
     Narrowing her eyes, Aeka walked briskly towards the sound of the noise. It led her down one street, and then through a small alley. Once clearing the alley, she found the source of the noise, the voices.
     Her eyes went wide as she gazed upon it.
     The street was crowded with apparitions.
     All of them had the same shape, the same build. They floated about a foot off the ground each. Their bodies were very simple. Their arms fell down their sides, and their bodies were very rounded. Their heads, if you could call them that, were simple...bumps, protruding from the top of their torso, that had two simply red dots in them, that could be distinguished as their eyes.
     From the knees down, their bodies were faded, and thus they had no feet. So, they simply floated. There bodies were all an eerie copper color, which Aeka distinguished to be because of the reflection off of the gems from the laterns that lined the streets.
     They all floated along, talking to one another.
     It was an eerie sound, for Aeka.
     She simply stood and watched from the side of the cobbled road as various apparitions basically swam in every which direction.
     Blinking a few times, Aeka managed to properly distinguish what the individual ghosts were saying.
     <...and I thought that she was a strong willed girl. Sad...>
     <...but that's what everyone else was saying. It's not really fair for you just to make assumptions on what you've *heard*...>
     <...so she ran, did she?>
     <...what will his highness say when he finds out?>
     <...is it of any consequence to us? It means nothing.>
     <...she was the one who always carried us. It's a shame that no one is willing to return the favor. Poor girl...>
     <...and then she will be fenced back into what it always was. I sometimes question what they mean by 'consented marriage'.>
     <...Good-bye, mother.>
     <...it must make her afraid. Afraid that she won't be needed again by somebody.>
     <...seeing as Adam and 'she' are already one, there is no reason for her to be of any importance.>
     <...and that's what it means to be like this. To be *human*.>
     <...kill herself? Do you think that she'd go so far?>
     <...ha! There's no reason for her not to. No one cares about her anyways. If she killed herself, no one would mourn over her.>
     <...not true. It is through her that the souls of all of Jurai congregate. It is the very meaning of her existence.>
     <...to unite all of the nation. And you think that such a thing is going to prevent her inevitable collapse into delirium?>
     <...perhaps. Again, it may go worse.>
     <...worse?>
     <...she houses all of the power of Jurai. Think of what that means.>
     <...her sister is the physical retrospection of Tsunami. I fail to see how the girls "Jurai powers" could have any sort of detrimental effect on anything.>
     <...and are you forgetting exactly what that means?>
     <...the Jurai power?>
     <...have you forgotten what it *is*?>
     <...the manifestation of Tsunami's essence.>
     <...exactly. And to think that she is directly related to the actual incarnation of Tsunami herself. Still you insult her powers?>
     <...I see. You are suggesting that her collapse into delirium may result in a...burst...of pent up antipathy, aren't you?>
     <...you think it's impossible?>
     <...I fear for her soul.>
     Aeka hand trembled as she listened to the voices that seemed to echo off the street and the walls of the small buildings, and cascade back to her.
     She felt tears streaming down her face, and her legs began to waver. "...what am I?" was what she asked, before she fell to the ground.
     "...what am I...?" she asked again as she cried onto the street, as the apparitions continued to float passed her, as if she wasn't even there at all. She lost the ability to decipher exactly what they were saying, and thus, all she heard was a soft murmuring of the spirits, as they floated down the copper lit street.
     "I think that you know who you are."
     Aeka stopped crying, and opened her eyes. She knew that voice. Gods, how she knew *that* voice. Slowly, albeit timidly, Aeka lifted her gaze from the cobbled street, up to meet the face of who had spoken to her.
     As she suspected, it was him.
     Standing no more than 5 feet from her, with his arms crossed, was Tenchi Masaki.
     Tenchi stood there, looking down at her, his face expressionless. He was adorned in his Light Hawk Armor, and the tresses on his were rippling as if there were a slight breeze, even though there was not.
     It was the same as when Aeka was falling to the city.
     He spoke again. "You know who you are, Aeka-san."
     "T...Tenchi-sama..."
     He frowned. "Stand up, Aeka."
     Obeying, Aeka slowly rose from her knees, and got to her feet. A little shaky, but she managed to stand anyways. The two of them stood there, looking at each other, as the sea of spirits floated all around them, oblivious to their presence.
     "Tell me now, Aeka-san," Tenchi spoke, "...who are you?"
     She looked away from his face. "I...I don't know."
     "You lie, Aeka."
     "I once thought I knew. I thought I knew who I was. But now, I'm not so sure anymore."
     Tenchi closed his eyes. "What made you change your mind?"
     "When I realized I was wishing for a false hope with everything that I was, and I realized that what that person who was me needed, and I discovered that I would never receive it..." she looked back to his face, "...I knew that I wasn't who I thought I was."
     "You are you, Aeka."
     "But who *is* me?" she once again held her hand to her breast. "I loved you, Tenchi. I still love you. I'm never going to *stop* loving you."
     Tenchi opened his eyes. "But I don't love you, Aeka. I never did, and I never will."
     Tears began to stream down Aeka's face. "Then what does that make me in your eyes? A mistake? A worthless being?"
     "You were always a burden to me, Aeka-san."
     "What?" she whispered in a haunted voice.
     "You were always getting in the way of me and Ryoko being together."
     Aeka blinked. "No...that...that can't be true..."
     "Why not? After all, you've been trying to convince yourself that it is true all this time, haven't you? So why is it if *I* say it, it isn't true?"
     Aeka looked down into her soft hands. "Where is my Tenchi...?"
     Tenchi took a stride towards her, and lifted her face so they were looking into each others eyes.
     "Before you ask that, you need to find out where *you* are."
     "But I don't even understand who I am, anymore..."
     Tenchi smirked. "Oh? Does that make you different somehow?"
     Aeka blinked.
     "How many people in this reality do you think *really* understand who they are?" he smiled. "Why do *you* have to be different in that sense? Didn't you always want to be treated the same as everyone else?"
     Aeka closed her eyes tightly, as a tear descended down her face. "Th...the woman that I am..."
     "That's right, Aeka-san. The woman that you *are*. That is why you love me, because I *recognized* it."
     "But...I *can't* live without you, Tenchi...I just...*can't*..."
     "No one is saying that other than yourself."
     Aeka opened her wounded dark pink eyes again, and looked into Tenchi's dark brown eyes. "But I *need* you, Tenchi!"
     Tenchi's face became unreadable. "Why?"
     "B...because...I..."
     "You don't *need* me, Aeka. You've convinced yourself that you do. You are so much stronger than you are giving yourself credit for."
     "...am I?"
     Tenchi smiled. "I *know* it. *That* is who you are."
     Aeka stepped back from him for a moment. "Who am I?"
     "You are Aeka Jurai."
     "...Aeka...Jurai..."
     Tenchi took a step back himself. After looking at Aeka for a few moments, he held out his hand, level from his body. He grinned.
     His hand crackled with blue electricity for an instant, and then the Light Hawk Sword erupted from his palm, growing towards the sky.
     He held it there, levitating about an inch off his palm for a few moments, before speaking.
     "You are Aeka Jurai, and you don't need me."
     She looked at his sword. "...but I *love* you, Tenchi! I just simply can't imagine what it is like not to be with you!"
     "To not be with me..." he closed his eyes, as the sword still levitated off of his right palm. "...is to be yourself."
     "...what?"
     "Aeka Jurai...needs no one."
     Aeka frowned. "What do you..."
     "Aeka Jurai is the First Crown Princess of the most powerful nation in the history of the universe. Aeka Jurai loves all of her people."
     Aeka blinked.
     Tenchi opened his eyes. "Aeka Jurai has already given more love than anyone Tenchi Masaki has ever met. And she has received it back in more ways than one."
     Aeka said nothing.
     Tenchi brought his palm up to the Light Hawk Sword, and closed it around the hilt. It made a large buzzing noise, as the young warrior's hand became one with the power of Tsunami. After holding it for a moment, he pointed the sword at Aeka.
     "Let go, Aeka-san."
     "Let..."
     "Let go of all of your pain, Aeka. There is no need for you to harbor such pain. You love, and you are loved."
     Aeka looked away. "But...I..."
     "YOU ARE AEKA JURAI!" Tenchi shouted.
     Aeka was taken aback from the sound of Tenchi yelling. She looked over at him, her face alarmed.
     "Aeka Jurai loves, and is loved. Never forget how important you are to so many people!"
     "Important..."
     "Now...Defeat me!"
     "WHAT?!"
     Tenchi's gaze hardened as he looked at her, right in the eyes. "Aeka-san, you must defeat me. You must prove to yourself that you do not *need* me."
     "But I love you!"
     "But you *do not* NEED me!" Tenchi frowned. "Never forget who you are, and what is most important to you, Aeka."
     Aeka frowned. "But YOU are most important to me!"
     "Exactly."
     Aeka blinked.
     "Have you forgotten something as simple as your own place?"
     Aeka clenched her fists. "I'm *never* going to stop loving you, Tenchi-sama."
     Tenchi lowered his sword. "No one is saying that you have to. However, you *must* stop deluding yourself that you *need* me!"
     Aeka lowered her gaze to the street. After a few moments of thought, she looked up at him through the tops of her eyes, a frown on her face.
     Tenchi smiled, and brought the sword back up. "Good. Now, you must let go."
     With that, Tenchi leapt at Aeka. Surprised at first, Aeka quickly recovered herself, and erected a barrier of Jurai power.
     Tenchi Light Hawk Sword smashed against the barrier, causing the street to be filled with dancing blue iridescent energy.
     "Let it all go, Aeka!" Tenchi shouted, as he pushed harder against her barrier.
     "Let...it...all...go..." she said as she continued to channel her energy into the forcefield.
     Tenchi leapt back. "Who are you?" he asked, before lunging at her again.
     She erected the barrier again. "Who am I?" she whispered to herself. As she did, images of Tenchi and her, her and Sasami, her and her parents, her and her people began to slowly flash in front of her eyes.
     "I...am...Aeka Jurai..." she whispered.
     As she said these words, a large cataclysm of energy erupted from the barrier, and smashed into Tenchi, sending him flying backwards. He landed with one foot and one knee on the ground. He looked up at Aeka, grinning.
     "I...am...Aeka Jurai..." she continued to repeat to herself, as she continued to think of all the people who were important to her, and who she was important *to*.
     "Defeat me, Aeka-san," Tenchi said, as he stood once again.
     With trembling fists, Aeka came to a consensus with herself. She slowly held out one hand, and then clasped the wrist of that hand with her other. She held it like this for a moment, before Jurai energy began to gather into her palm.
     She grit her teeth, and looked at Tenchi.
     As she did, the energy in her hand peaked.
     "Let it all go," Tenchi said once again, lowering his Light Hawk Sword.
     Aeka's right hand was flowing with a tremendous amount of Jurai power, as she removed her left hand from it's wrist. She extended her right hand, and pointed the blue ball of power directly at Tenchi.
     As she did, she shouted.
     "I AM AEKA JURAI, AND I WILL DEFEAT YOU WITH EVERYTHING THAT I AM!"
     With that, she fired off the massive blast of energy.
     As Tenchi's being began to fade from the city in the wake of the catastrophic onslaught, he whispered one thing...
     "...you are loved, Aeka."
 
 
 
 
 
 

     The darkness that enclouded her vision began to slowly fade, as she slowly opened her eyes. At first, her vision was a bit blurry, but soon she was able to orientate herself with her surroundings.
     Aeka opened her eyes, as she lay in her futon. Night had fallen long ago, and she had eventually retired. She lay in her futon, in her night kimono, with an arm rested over her forehead.
     Aeka simply stared at the ceiling above her, as she felt the warm, salty tears sliding gently down her face.
     She sighed. "A dream..." she whispered into the night.
     <Was it trying to tell me something?> she thought to herself, as she slowly wiped the tears off of her face.
     She slowly sat up, as a few choice words came to her mind, right there. <I am Aeka Jurai.>
     <I will defeat you with everything that I am.>
     Aeka blinked slowly. "Why would I ever want to defeat Tenchi?" she whispered aloud.
     <Aeka-san, you are strong. You must defeat me to prove that you don't *need* me!>
     Aeka sighed, as she held the futon close to her chest, as the night air was crisp, and very chilly.
     She listened, and could only hear one sound. Aeka slowly turned her head to her left, to see Sasami snoring ever so slightly. Her small frame rose and fell with each breath, as she unconsciously held the top of the futon up to her neck with one of her small hands.
     Aeka had to smile at the sight. "I love you, Sasami-chan..." she whispered.
     Blinking away the remnants of a few tears, Aeka moved her eyes about the room. Taking in every nook and crevice that the small room had to offer, Aeka slowly scanned it all.
     Aeka caught sight of something she didn't expect to find, and blinked.
     Just in front of the doorway, lying on the ground, was a small envelope.
     Aeka slowly rose out of the futon, trying to be as quiet as possible, as to not stir her sister from her gentle embrace of slumber.
     Walking with a practiced gentleness across the room, Aeka stooped down, and then rested on her knees as she reached the letter.
     Taking the envelope tenderly in her hands, she turned it over, to see if there was anything written on it.
     On the other side, there was but one word:

               Aeka.

     Taking in a deep breath, Aeka slowly opened the letter with her gentle hands. Once, again, attempting to be as quiet as possible about it all.
     Once she had successfully opened the white envelope, she pulled the single folded piece of paper from the envelope, and gently rested the package next to her. Aeka slowly unfolded the paper several times, until it was fully open.
     Aeka blinked when she saw the contents of the paper. In the middle of the page, was a red circle, under which had the writing:

          Push me! ^_^

     Aeka arched an eyebrow. She turned over to see Sasami still asleep. She decided there and then that it would be best to see what it was in a room where there wasn't someone asleep, as to risk waking them.
     Aeka stood from her kneeling position, and took the envelope with her. She gently slid the door open, and quietly stepped out into the dark hallway, sliding the door shut behind her.
     Aeka looked around to find a suitable place to..."open"...the letter. Her eyes fell upon Nobuyuki's study, where earlier that day, she had listened to Tenchi lecture Washu.
     Aeka began to quietly walk down the hallway, her gentle bare feet making small patting noises against the wood. Aeka rested her hand that wasn't holding the package against the wall as she walked down the dark hallway.
     Coming to the entrance to the study, she slowly reached out with a timid hand, and slowly slid the door open. Relieved to see that no one was within, she quietly entered, and closed the door behind her.
     Walking over to the soft couch, she sat down, and let her body slowly reorientate itself with the temperature change from her room to this one.
     <These earthlings need to learn how to make the weather nicer...> she muttered to herself.
     Nobuyuki's study was situated at the very corner of the house, and thus had the least insulation. Further, with the weather being so cold that day, this study was much chillier than the rest of the house.
     Aeka saw a small, primitive heater not too far from the couch. She knelt down next to it, and slowly turned the knob on it, and waited.
     And waited...and waited...and waited...
     <Nothing's happening.> she frowned inwardly. She looked over to the cord, and noticed that it wasn't plugged in. She sighed.
     <Earthling technology.>
     Moving around to the cord, she plugged the heater into a plug outlet next to Nobuyuki's desk. She was somewhat satisfied as she heard the small black box crackle to life, and begin to hum quietly.
     She walked back over, and sat back on the cold couch, and stared at the heater, as the coils inside began to slowly turn from black, to red, to orange, to yellow...
     After a few minutes, Aeka found that she was much more comfortable. Aeka shaking her head slightly, she returned her attention to the note.
     Once again unfolding the note, she reached out slowly, and pressed the small red button.
     As she did, the paper began to levitate from her hands slightly, and all the creases began to slowly, almost magically disappear from the page.
     Aeka simply watched with a quiet awe.
     Eventually, the page floated a few feet from her at a set altitude, and was completely flat. Suddenly, the paper turned a dark shade of red all over, and a holographic image of Adult Washu appeared above the page.
     Aeka gasped at the sight of Washu in her natural form.
     Washu appeared as if she was studying something for a moment, and then she addressed Aeka. Aeka realized that this was simply a recording.
     Washu spoke. "Hi, Aeka-san. Well, I'm going to be out of the house for a while, and I know that you were going to ask me a few questions sooner or later, so I thought I'd let you know right know about the answers."
     Aeka arched an eyebrow. "How does she do that...?" she whispered to herself.
     "Okay, for starters, I am in my Adult form for several reasons. Reasons which you really don't need to know right now," Washu closed her eyes...almost sadly. "Something is about to occur, Aeka. Thus myself, Tsunami, Tenchi, and Ryoko will be going away...indefinitely."
     Aeka simply nodded, even though she knew that no response was necessary.
     "I have already informed Mihoshi and Katsuhito about this, and one of them will pass it on to Nobuyuki, hopefully. Now, as for your next question..." Washu opened her eyes, and her eyes were twinkling. Aeka blinked when she realized that they were tears. "...for your next question, the answer is yes."
     Aeka arched an eyebrow.
     "Ryu-oh is all done. You can take her any time you want, Aeka. I know that you will want to leave. You had probably be best to take Sasami with you, as the only ones at the house who will be able to keep her company will be Katsuhito, Mihoshi and Nobuyuki," Washu grinned. Almost. "I've programmed the Ryo-uh in my lab that once you're ready, it can teleport you to the outskirts of the Sol system in *this* dimension. Courtesy of the greatest scientific genius in the universe," she chuckled with a false pride.
     Aeka managed a small chuckle as she felt a tear begin to slide down her face.
     Washu stopped her chuckling, and then her face became serious once again. More solemn than Aeka had ever seen it. "Aeka-san... remember, you are loved. You must remember that. I know that right now...you must be feeling the worst that any woman could ever feel."
     Aeka only nodded.
     "But you have to remember, that you are part of this family, Aeka, and everyone here loves you. Maybe...just maybe...if the three of us manage to make it back alive...we could all be family again. I pray for that day, Aeka."
     Washu wiped away a tear, and threw her normal, hauty look back on as she rested her hands on her hips. "So anyways, I'll just keep my daughter out of trouble, and you look after Sasami. We'll see you later, Aeka-san. Take care."
     With that, the holograph snapped shut, leaving small red particle entrails for a few moments before they disappeared.
     Aeka watched with a teary face as the paper returned to it's normal creased composure, and as it fluttered gently to the ground.
     Aeka simply sat on the couch for quite some time after that. All she could hear were the sounds of her own thoughts, and the quiet rattle of the heater.
     Aeka slowly reached out with her hand, and then looked down at it's palm.
     "I.......am.....Aeka......................Jurai...." she whispered.
     Slowly clenching her fist, Aeka stood up from the couch, and walked over to the small wooden desk that occupied the study. Pulling back the chair, she sat down, and then clicked on the light. After picking up a pen that was lying on the middle of the desk, she quietly searched for a blank sheet of paper.
     Once she discovered one, she rested the paper in the middle of the desk. She pulled the cap off of the pen, and then placed it over the end. Taking in a deep breath, she let all her thoughts, all of her sounds, all of her songs, her dreams, and her memories flood into her.
     After sorting through them, she began to write.
 
 

My Dearest Tenchi,

Have you ever listened to a song before, Tenchi, that moved your very soul? That song spoke to you, and lifted your spirit above everything else, simply through the melodies of the music...

My life here, everyday was such a song. Every time I would awaken, it would be as if the song was starting all over again. My whole life was a song in which I never wanted to end.

Drifting endlessly through the sea of music...

Maybe that's all life is. Maybe all we are doing is flowing through an endless flow of music, drifting from moment to moment...

In those moments, within that song, I loved you.

Each beat of the song, was each time my heart would beat for you. Only you. No one else.

Every time the song would reach it's crescendo, you would be there, the very one who was guiding the song of my own life, bringing my very being over what I believed to be eternal happiness.

But it's not like that for you, is it?

It never will be, either.

But I understand, now. You have a different song. Your song and Ryoko's song are one and the same. At every beat of her song, is the same as every beat of your song. Every harmony that plays within your song, is experienced within her song.

But my song is different.

Maybe it isn't meant to be played with your song. Maybe it follows a different rhythm than yours does. I don't know. But I do know this.

Tenchi Masaki, I am going to love you until the day I die.

Tenchi Masaki, I am going to be happy for you until the day I die.

Maybe my song isn't the same, maybe yours isn't the same, but your song has made my song so many times stronger, so much louder, and so much more harmonized, and I hope and pray that my song has at the very least had some influence on your song.

This is where my song ends.

This is where I will write a new song for myself.

And this time, I will be the one to sing my own song, instead of having someone else sing for me.

I will make sure that one day, our songs will cross once again, Tenchi. Until then, you must complement Ryoko's song with your own, and know that she, and I, will always love you.

Sing, Tenchi. Sing your own song.

With my eternal Love, Aeka Jurai
 
 

     With tears streaming down her face, Aeka slowly took the top from the end of the pen off, and capped it back onto the pen. Slowly taking the paper in her hands, she folded it once, then once again.
     She took a nearby unused envelope, and put the paper within, and then sealed it. She then gingerly wrote the simply word:

          Tenchi.

     ...on the front. Clicking the light off, Aeka rose from the chair, and gently slid it back under the desk. She walked back over to the heater, and turned it off, and then unplugged it.
     She smirked sadly. "Earthling technology..." said whispered.
     Walking over to the door, she slid it open, and then quietly shut behind her. Aeka walked over to the doorway that led to Tenchi's room. She paused in front of it.
     She knew that he wasn't in there, Washu had said as much.
     But even still, Aeka had a difficulty moving forward.
     Taking in a deep breath, Aeka reached out, and slid the doorway open revealing, as she suspected, an empty room.
     Aeka walked over to Tenchi's bed, and then put the letter on top of the pillow. Smiling sadly to no one other than herself, she turned, and left the room.
     As she slid the door shut, she looked at the letter lying on top of the pillow. She felt tears continuing to stream down her face.
     "...my new song..." she whispered, as she closed the door.
 
 
 
 
 
 

     "OUCH! Shit, that HURT!!!"
     Sydney lowered himself from the ladder slightly, as he rubbed his head, where he had slammed it against some metal plating on the side of the Coolant Tube.
     "Be careful up there, big guy," Yoko chuckled from at the base of the ladder.
     Sydney was rubbing his forehead. "Shut up, Red. What do you know, anyways?"
     Yoko stopped walking past the ladder with the case of tools that were in her hand. She walked backwards until she was looking up the narrow tube.
     "What would *I* know, you say? Well, let's see," she commented, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "I know that when the Captain's second in command and *chief engineer* recommends to end a space battle, that it isn't a good idea to increase the amount of firefights."
     Sydney's eye twitched.
     Yoko closed her eyes, and shrugged in a cocky stance. "I also know that it isn't very smart to give the *only* sister ship that the Beowulf has to a *cherry* when going against *Bacrisians*."
     Sydney shook his head. "Okay, I get it. Shut the hell up, already."
     "I *also* know that using a Jarva 335 wrench in a *Coolant Tube* is simply *asking* to be electrocuted."
     Sydney looked at the wrench in his hand, shrugged, and then threw it down at the red headed scientist.
     Yoko shrieked, and jumped out of the way. She frowned and looked up at him. "You bastard!"
     "Hey, it's not my fault that you won't listen to someone when they tell you to shut up."
     Yoko growled low in her throat as Sydney climbed down out of the tube, wiping his dirty face with an equally dirty rag.
     He dropped down the last few rungs, and landed on the cold steel of the floor of the hall with and audible "oomph!"
     He turned to Yoko. "So where is everyone?"
     Yoko continued to growl for a few seconds, before bypassing the issue. She sighed. "Raven is trying to filter out the nanites from the plasma conduits," she frowned. "We used *a lot* of plasma in such a meaningless battle."
     Sydney shrugged, as he tossed the rag over his shoulder. "Hey, it's not my fault," his eyes narrowed on Yoko. "Actually, if I remember correctly, our asses were almost space dust thanks to one of *your* fuck ups."
     Yoko blushed and laughed nervously.
     Sydney grinned. "Oh well. It was all in good fun," his face became serious once again. "Where are the newbies?"
     "Doing this and that. Jun volunteered to repair the uranium oscillators on the Coupler Platform."
     Sydney frowned. "...volunteered?"
     Yoko nodded.
     Sydney closed his eyes, as he was in deep thought.
     Yoko arched an eyebrow. "Something wrong, Captain?"
     He opened his eyes again. "So let me get this straight once more. He *volunteered* to repair the *uranium oscillators*."
     Yoko nodded. "Yeah. So what?"
     A light clicked in Sydney's head. He tilted his head back, and muttered, "Aw, Shit."
     "What? What's the matter?"
     He glared at Yoko. "Tsunami, Red! How damned dense ARE you!"
     Yoko blinked.
     Sydney grabbed her by the collar of her shirt. "Do you even realize what this *means*, you stupid scientist?!"
     "Hey, come on! He can't screw up on it that bad! I mean, if we lose the oscillators, we just won't be able to operate at combat speed until we get to a shop! What's the big deal?"
     Sydney shook his head. "How do you even *repair* those damned things?"
     Yoko blinked.
     "You see, now?"
     Yoko stared at him. "Nope. Not at all," she said, deadpan.
     Sydney face-faulted. "Forget it," he let go of her shirt. He cracked his knuckles, and took in a deep breath. He then looked over to Yoko. "Well fine then. If you can't figure it out, I'll spell it out for you."
     Yoko nodded.
     "Get your shit together, *now*."
     "W...why?"
     "Do it," he said icily. "And try to act normal around the rest of our crew until I can contact you."
     With that, he fastened his weapons belt, and took off running down the hallway of the ship.
     Yoko took a few steps after him. "Hey! Sydney! What the hell is going on!"
     She watched him run off. "What was that all about?" she whispered to herself.
 
 
 
 
 
 

     The Coupling Platform was alive with activity. Lights flashed all around the different advanced machinery, and steam occasionally hissed out of some of the larger constructs.
     Jun was kneeling on the fairly large catwalk that was elevated some 20 feet above the priming chambers, carefully fastening some large black wires together into the uranium oscillators.
     That is, until he felt the cold metal of a blaster pressed against the back of his head, and he heard the audible 'click' as the safety was disengaged.
     "On your feet," Sydney demanded.
     Jun slowly rose to his feet with his hands held out. "Sir?" he asked in a slightly timid voice.
     Sydney chuckled as he held the blaster to his head. "You know, you guys really had me going there for a while."
     Jun blinked. "Sir, if I've done something wrong..."
     "Stuff the act, kid."
     Jun said nothing.
     Sydney shook his head, his hand not wavering. "You were doing fairly well for a little while, throwing us off. But you screwed up *twice*, and that tipped me off."
     "Sir, I..."
     "First, was against the Barcrissians," Sydney interrupted, his voice cold and unwavering. "I thought that you were doing pretty well for yourself in the Red Wolf. But to return it back to us in prime condition after a battle against a *dozen* of those Altravian Gunboats, well..." Sydney sneered. "...let's just say that I'm not a firm believer in beginner's luck."
     Jun simply took in a deep gulp.
     Sydney grinned devilishly. "But the real kick in the pants was right now. *Volunteering* to repair the *uranium oscillators*," he laughed, with a large amount of contempt seeping from his voice.
     Jun blinked again. "Sir, really, I..."
     "Do you have *any* idea how to repair something like this?" Sydney said harshly. "Do you? 'Cause I know that I sure as hell don't. You need a 10 year *Masters* degree from the Jurain Space Academy, to even learn how the *motivator* for this thing *operates*. To repair one...that's something only the best can do."
     Jun said nothing.
     Sydney pushed the blaster against Jun's head a little harder. "So enough of this. Who the fuck are you?"
     Jun again said nothing.
     Sydney growled. "I have no qualms about turning a mole's head into a canoe, you know."
     Jun grinned. "I guess I blew it, didn't I?"
     Sydney shook his head. "Well, I'll hand it to you. You've got a *lot* of balls trying to pull one over the Beowulf and her crew, my asshole mole of a friend," his voice became icy once again. "So who the hell sent you?"
     Jun grinned. "My father."
     Sydney arched an eyebrow. "And does this father of yours have a *name*, perchance?"
     "I am Jun De'tak, son of Nezeer De'tak."
     Sydney frowned. "And what does your father want to accomplish by sending you along with us?"
     Jun grinned. "Dad loves the emperor. He thinks this whole thing is a mistake."
     Sydney nodded, the pieces falling into place. "So he sends in a mole to kill us off, so the emperor won't be ousted if they find out he went against the Holy Council."
     "Right you are."
     With that, Jun quickly sent his elbow back, and butted Sydney in the Solar Plexus. Sydney, completely caught off guard, simply doubled over, wheezing in pain.
     He tried to bring his blaster up to fire, but Jun was quicker. The skinnier man kicked the blaster out of Sydney's hands, and grabbed the side of the ladder that extended from the catwalk.
     Sydney slowly got to his feet, just as Jun spun around the side of the ladder, and sent his heel into Sydney's side.
     Sydney was sent sprawling from the blow, and he landed on the catwalk with a harsh thud. As he landed, he coughed up some blood onto the girded metal catwalk.
     Sydney tried to orientate himself through the haze of dizziness and pain that racked his entire body. Jun grinned, and then lunged at Sydney.
     <He's fast...> Sydney thought, as the man leapt at him.
     This time, Sydney was ready, however.
     Sydney rolled out of the way, just as Jun's knee connected in the spot where Sydney's head had been. Wasting no time, Sydney spun his foot around, kicking Jun in the side of the head, sending him sprawling over to the other side of the catwalk.
     They both managed to pry themselves off the steel at about the same time, and the both attacked at the same time.
     Jun kicked high for Sydney's head, but he blocked it with his forearm, then dropped to his knee level, and gave a sweeping kick.
     Jun quickly leapt into the air, and thrust his knee foreword as he did so, slamming it into Sydney's nose, breaking it.
     "Fuck!" Sydney cried as his head slammed into a large black machine at the edge of the catwalk.
     Jun shook himself a little, and looked around the catwalk. He grinned as he saw what he was looking for.
     Jun trotted over to Sydney's blaster, and scooped it up. He could feel blood seeping into his ear, and down his neck from the harsh kick from Sydney, as he bent down.
     He walked back over to Sydney, who was barely holding onto consciousness at the edge of the catwalk.
     He raised the blaster so it was pointing straight at Sydney's head. He grinned. "As of this instant, Captain, I am officially relieving you of your command."
     With that, he squeezed the trigger.
     Sydney managed to barely tilt his head out of the way of the yellow plasma blast, and wasted no time in counterattacking. He thrust his foot foreword with all his might, kicking Jun in the stomach.
     Jun dropped the blaster, and was flung back into the railing on the edge of the catwalk. As he hit the railing, he coughed out a small trail of blood.
     Sydney quickly fumbled at his belt to find his other weapon.
     Firmly wrapping his sore hand around the familiar grip of the beam saber, he quickly rose to his feet, and ignited the long yellow energy blade.
     He wasted no time. He leapt at Jun, and performed a downward arc with the elegant weapon. The saber connected with Jun's left collar bone, and Sydney pushed until the weapon exited his body at his right hip.
     The upper part of Jun's torso fell backwards over the platform, and down onto the priming chambers, twenty feet below. His legs, and what remained of his torso fell lifelessly to the ground.
     Sydney clicked off the saber, and slumped to the ground, his hand going straight to his bloody nose.
     "Fucking mole," he muttered, as he tenderly tapped at his broken nose.
     He groaned as he reached into his belt once again, and pulled out a small communicator. He clicked it on, and then pressed a few buttons, turning on the intercom for the whole ship.
     After taking in a few breaths from his sitting position, he spoke. "Hey, Raven! Get your ass to the Coupling platform, on the *fucking* double!"
     After that, he simply clicked the COM off, and rested against one of the larger machines, groaning in pain.
 
 
 
 
 
 

     Dark. So very dark. It seemed to span on for miles upon miles... a spanning necrosis that seeped all around the very reality of this place.
     Only within the center did any means of light advent. There was a tree the stood tall, and a pool of beautiful cerulean water that rippled forth from that tree.
     Ryoko looked around at where she was. She had never seen a place like this before. She returned her gaze to the tree that was standing no more than ten meters from where she was, to see the physical manifestation of Tsunami, standing adjacent to an Adult Washu.
     It was really Tsunami, too. No ethereal astral projections, no illusions, it was really her.
     Ryoko frantically glanced around, and was relieved when she saw that Tenchi was standing right next to her, with the same look of bewilderment on his face.
     Tenchi was the first to speak. "Tsunami...Washu...what is this all about?"
     Tsunami took in a deep breath. "There is much to be explained, Tenchi. There is too much to explain, so I will simply have to show you, instead."
     Tsunami took a step forward, but Washu stopped her, by placing a hand on her shoulder. "Tsunami..."
     Tsunami looked back at Washu. "What is the matter, Deis? This is the fastest way to go about this."
     Washu nodded sadly. "I know but...I don't want her to be so hurt right now..."
     Tsunami nodded sadly. "I know...but you must understand, Deis..."
     Washu sighed, and gently let go of Tsunami's shoulder.
     Tsunami smiled warmly at Washu. "Thank you, Deis. You *are* a wonderful mother."
     Washu simply nodded sadly.
     Tsunami took another step towards Tenchi and Ryoko, who were simply standing there, completely bewildered as to what was going on.
     "I am so sorry, my precious children, but this is going to hurt, I'm afraid..." Tsunami said sadly.
     Tsunami waved her hand, and Ryoko and Tenchi's bodies seized up, just as Washu's had.
     "W...what the hell is this?" Ryoko gasped, as she found that she couldn't move.
     "Ts...Tsunami?" Tenchi stuttered.
     Tsunami closed her fist, to remove the intron block and reawaken the Uroborus Rings...
     ...but that isn't what happened.
     Tsunami gasped as her hand suddenly crackled with crimson electricity, and she took a step back. Her hold on Tenchi and Ryoko failed, and they fell unceremoniously to the ground.
     Washu's eyes were wide. "Tsunami? What the hell just happened?"
     Tsunami frowned. "We weren't fast enough."
     "Fast enough?"
     Tsunami turned to Washu. "Anonlbe must of seized control over the Cradle, and blocked my access to their true selves."
     "Dammit," Washu cursed.
     Ryoko was shivering. She found that this place was too cold, to lonely...and far too dark. She huddled against Tenchi as she shivered, who gently held her as she did.
     "Can...we do this someplace else?" Ryoko asked in a perpetually frightened voice.
     "Somewhere...else?" Tsunami asked.
     Washu put her hand on Tsunami's shoulder. "Please, sister."
     Tsunami nodded. "Alright. I'll see what I can do."
     Tsunami waved her hand, and the darkness around them shimmered a brilliant array of various colors, and eventually settled.
     They were no longer in a void that was a simple thin dimension, but they were on the deck of a fantastically beautiful ship.
     The walls of the ship were carved from the most ancient and beautiful of Bauldran Wood, a tree that is unique to one of the moon's of Jurai.
     The walls were sculpted tapestries, which were carved into various glyphs and pictures of Tsunami. At the front of the large, well lit room, was a massive window that looked out into space.
     Held within this fantastic view of space, was earth, as Tsunami's ship was correlated within a geosynchronus orbit with the Masaki shrine.
     Tsunami smiled at Ryoko. "Is this more to your liking, Eve?"
     Ryoko blinked. "Eve?"
     Washu sighed. "Sit down, you two. There's a lot of stuff we've got to tell you."
     Washu waved her hand, and two firm, yet comfortable floating chairs appeared behind Tenchi and Ryoko.
     Ryoko looked over at Tenchi, who merely shrugged, and the two of them sat in the chairs, that hovered about two feet off of the ground.
     Tsunami and Washu sat in similar chairs that were about six feet in front of them.
     "So let's hear it," Ryoko demanded.
     Tsunami nodded. "As you wish. I wish that our sister was here, but alas, she seems to be procrastinating."
     Washu arched an eyebrow. "Tokimi doesn't procrastinate, sister."
     Tsunami nodded in agreement. "I certainly hope she isn't doing something foolish."
     "Umm...hello? Our explanation?" Ryoko demanded impatiently.
     "Yes, of course," Tsunami said, addressing Ryoko. "This is going to be a lot of information for us to cover. Where should I begin?"
     "How about with that 'Eve' business," said Ryoko.
     "Alright." Tsunami took in a deep breath. "To begin with, you are not Ryoko," she turned to Tenchi, "and you are not Tenchi."
     They both blinked simultaneously.
     "You are, in essence, Keepers of Time, so to speak."
     Both Ryoko and Tenchi had nothing to say, as their jaws were hanging in a locked position.
     Washu spoke. "The truth is, you are the reincarnation of the original sentient beings, called 'Adam' and 'Eve'."
     Tsunami nodded. "Do you know how this universe was created, Tenchi?"
     Tenchi just shook his head.
     "A long, long time ago, three sisters of benevolence came into this empty dimension. Originally, they were in a higher dimension. The *true* dimension. There, was the All-Father. The All-Father is the advent of reality. He has always been, and he always will be."
     Ryoko and Tenchi just stared at Tsunami.
     Tsunami took in a deep breath. "Once, over 45,000 years ago, the All-Father told his three daughters of the trinity that he was going to make a paradise for them. Thus, he created a dimension for them to have to themselves, so that they may have somewhere to wait, while he constructed 'Eden'."
     Washu took over at this point. "Those sisters were myself, Tsunami, and another, named 'Tokimi'."
     Ryoko arched an eyebrow. "So, you're a *goddess*, Washu?" she snorted. "You certainly don't *act* like one."
     "There is a reason for that, Eve," Tsunami intervened.
     "That's *not* my name," Ryoko huffed angrily.
     "Of course," Tsunami apologized. "The point is this. When we arrived here, I created sentient lifeforms to populate this dimension."
     Tenchi blinked. "Why?"
     Tsunami sighed sadly. "I wish I could answer that, Tenchi. I have been trying to find that answer myself for thousands of years..."
     Washu looked over at her sister, and gently rested a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. She then turned to Tenchi and Ryoko. "The point is, there were three mortals at the very beginning."
     "Who were they, Washu-san?" asked Tenchi.
     Washu arched an eyebrow. "Come now, Tenchi. Is it really *that* hard to figure out?"
     Tenchi blushed. "Ummm..."
     Washu chuckled. "The first were Adam, Eve, and Deis," she said. "In other words, Tenchi, Ryoko, and Washu."
     "How..."
     "It is simple, Tenchi," Tsunami said. "It is because of the cycle."
     No one said anything for a moment. Ryoko eventually shook her head, and spread her arm out, in a silent question.
     Tsunami nodded. "Of course. The cycle was a system that I constructed so that I would be able to somehow keep somewhat of a constant tab on the beings that populated this dimension," Tsunami sighed. "It was set so that once the three of you had passed on, eventually, I would be able to guide it so that the three of you would eventually be reborn, and your lives would somehow intermingle."
     Ryoko grunted. "If Washu is really a *goddess*, how could she of been one of the first humans?"
     "I volunteered to be the third Keeper of Time," Washu answered.
     Tsunami nodded. "Yes. Deis was intrigued with my own idea. Tokimi however resented it, but Deis embraced it," Tsunami's voice fell low, almost sad, "The three of you have been born and reborn five times, now."
     Tenchi ventured a question. "Why is it that Washu-san remembers all this, but we don't?"
     "Do you know what an intron is, Tenchi?" Washu asked.
     "Of course he doesn't!" Ryoko snapped.
     Washu looked back at Ryoko sadly, and Ryoko simply turned her head away from the gaze with a 'hmph!'.
     Washu sighed. "An intron is a specially constructed series of DNA. They have only been known to exist in several people throughout the course of history. All of them were the advents of ourselves."
     Tsunami nodded. "You have them in you, right now. It is something that I created, so if I needed to awaken your memories from you past lives, I would be able to activate the Uroborus Rings at my convenience."
     Tenchi shook his head. "Uh...Uroborus Rings?"
     Washu waved it aside. "Forget it, it's not important."
     "Tell him, *mom*," Ryoko spat that word as a curse, "he wants to know!"
     "Ryoko I..."
     "Shut up!" Ryoko hissed. "Tenchi is the one who asked, not me. Tell *him*!"
     Tenchi turned to Ryoko. "Hey, Ryoko...come on..."
     Ryoko turned to Tenchi. "Forget it, Tenchi! I'm not talking to her! I'm not believing any of this crap that their shoveling us, either," she spat.
     Washu looked at the ground sadly.
     Tsunami cleared her throat. "Then we might have a problem."
     Ryoko turned to her. "Why?"
     "Because you need to know this so you can help us save everything that exists, to be blunt."
     "WHAT?!" Tenchi and Ryoko both gawked at the same time.
     "Just...calm down. I will explain."
     The two of them sat back in their chairs, and were waiting on pins and needles for what Tsunami had to say next.
     "Around 35,000 years ago, the advent of Adam, Eve, and Deis were under a certain predicament," Tsunami explained, "Adam was known as Ashley, Eve was known as Sumirei, and Deis was known as Yuka. The three of them were living on Jurai, when it had been taken over by the more advanced Centra civilization."
     Tsunami paused for a moment. "They Centra people had taken my tree, and thus any of the Jurai power that could be channeled by my people. My people were outcast the deserts and wastelands of the planet, where they grouped together, in hopes of one day taking back my tree and their rightful home."
     "Excuse me, but..." Tenchi asked, "since your a goddess, why didn't you simply destroy these Centra people, and take your tree back yourself?"
     Tsunami sighed. "Because of my non-intervention pact."
     Both Ryoko and Tenchi arched their eyebrows.
     "I agreed with Tokimi that I would never *directly* interfere with mortals, because she believed that by doing so, I would open myself to being killed."
     "I see..."
     Tsunami was about to continue to talk, when the lights flickered for a moment. Washu sat up, and Tsunami and Washu shared a quick glance. Ryoko and Tenchi were just looking befuddled as ever.
     "What's going on?" asked Tenchi.
     Washu stood up. "It seems that Tokimi has finally arrived."
 

TO BE CONTINUED

Author's Notes: Well, like I said, this almost didn't get written. I have a handful of people to thank for helping me to see that when I write, I do it for myself, not to please a bunch of people who can't stand the idea of someone trying something new, and thus flaming the living shit of someone for doing so. Thanks you guys. You'll all get credit in the last chapter, I promise. Well, all that aside, this was actually a hell of a lot of fun to write. I've always enjoyed writing Aeka, and this chapter, I got to go nuts! Heh. Anyways, the usual, C&C and all that. See you next time!

MUSIC:
     Ashley and Tokimi: "Days to Remember", from 'Rurouni Kenshin'
     Judas in the Chapel: "Creid", from 'Xenogears: Creid'
     Ryoko and Tenchi: "The Sandy Beaches of Gumbo", from 'Grandia'
     Aeka in the City of Jewels: "Man of Cold Blood", from 'Slayers NEXT'
     Aeka and the Apparitions: "Distant Truth", from 'Legend of Mana'
     Washu's Hologram: "Migawari no Shinyu", from 'The End of Evangelion'
     Aeka writing the letter: "Yubiwa", from 'Escaflowne: The Girl from Gaia'
     Sydney and Yoko: "Chronopolis", from 'Chrono Cross'
     The Coupling Platfrom: "Assault", from 'Grandia'
     Jun vs. Sydney: "Impatience", from 'Einhander'
     Tsu, Wash, Ryo, & Ten: "Kryptic", from 'Gasaraki'