Author's Notes: Yo, guys. Thanks for coming along for the ride this far. (Umm...you *have* read the other 6 chapters first, right?) Well, here it is, Chapter 7. The finish line is getting closer. I'd like to thank all of my great friends who cheered me on for this, and who are wondering when this story will be done. Thanks guys. You're the greatest. You know who you are. And if you don't, well...just assume you are. I love all of you! (*shudders* Why do I feel so dirty all of a sudden?) Okay, there is one more thing. As you know by now, there are certain songs which inspire particular scenes for this fic. However, there is a scene in this fic, where in order to fully grasp and experience the scene as I have written it, you *need* to listen to the song that inspired it. The song is called "One who bares fangs at god", and it is from the 'Xenogears' soundtrack. I *highly* recommend downloading it, if only for the sake of listening to it here and then getting rid of it. The time to play it? Well...just think... Tenchi and water. That should clue you in when to play it. Water... Anyways, it's time to shut up, and start reading, isn't it? See you in the end notes.
Extra Notice: Okay, I feel that there should be a *little* bit of a warning for this chapter. There is *some* lime content. There. I said it. You have officially been warned. Okay, let's go already.
Quote of the Day: "Hey! Get your goody-freakin'-two-shoe hands offa
my freakin' broad! That's it, you're goin' down, sissy boy!"
- SD Ashram (Record of Lodoss War: the Second Part)
Like an angel with no sense of mercy
Boy, be a legend
Although the blue wind now
Tears open the door to your heart
Staring only at me
Smiling at you
Searching for a gentle touch
Like that in a dream
Unknowing of your destiny
Innocent eye
Yet somehow you will find that
Beyond you
There are wings
To reach the far away future
The Cruel Angel's Thesis
From the window of your soul shall travel
With your gushing hot pathos
If you should betray the chapel of your memories
Holding this sky and shining
Boy, be a legend
Sleeping ever on
In the cradle of my love
The morning where only you
Shall be called a missionary of dreams comes.
Beams of moonlight
Pour onto your neck
Stopping time all over the world
How I want to grasp
But if the encounter between us
Is to have meaning
I must truly know
The Bible to know freedom
The Cruel Angel's Thesis
The sadness shall then begin
The shape of the life that you embraced
When you awaken to that dream
Shining more light than anyone else
Boy, be a legend
While people spin love
To make history
Without such a goddess
I shall live
The Cruel Angel's Thesis
From the window of your soul shall travel
With your gushing hot pathos
If you should betray the chapel of your memories
Holding this sky and shining
Boy, be a legend
-- "Cruel Angel Thesis" -- from 'Neon Genesis Evangelion'
A crackling of thunder sent the ravens that
were perched on the peak of the castle flying away from the blue electrical
scream, fluttering away and into the night.
The old castle stood firm against the cloudy
night sky. It was ancient, archaic, and decaying. On the vestibule, rested
several large gargoyle statues, which watched over the vast, dark countryside
with a detestable sneer on their stone faces.
Several spires pierced the sky like daggers,
and loomed over the large castle like weapons that were there to protect
this old frightening place from any and all intruders.
The wind howled through the crevices and folds
of the enormous abandoned castle, the sound echoing and playing a haunting
melody of despair and fear.
On the edge of the highest vestibule, sitting
on the balcony overlooking the darkened countryside, sat Ashley.
Ashley let his feet hang over the edge, as
he stared out over the brown fields, as the sticky, dark air that encompassed
the night sky clung to him like an unwanted parasite.
Ashley's hair that he had allowed to grow
slightly over the thousands of years of hibernation within the Cradle fluttered
ever so slightly as the wind rippled through it. His battle garb followed
suit, like waves in an ocean, it blew back and forth with as much leverage
as his body would allow.
"...just another gloomy day..." he whispered.
"So, I see that you aren't in the greatest
of moods."
Ashley turned his head around to see Anonlbe
leaning against the stone frame of the large, dark doorway that led onto
the vestibule. He sighed, and then returned his gaze down between his knees,
so he was looking down at the decaying castle courtyard, some 100 feet
below.
Thunder crackled again, lightning rippling
through the red, dusky night clouds. Anonlbe took a slow step away from
the doorframe, and walked over so he was standing beside Ashley, looking
out over the countryside, next to him.
"Have you figured out how to manipulate the
Cradle yet?"
Ashley just nodded. "I know that it reflects
whatever mood I'm in, and I can shape it to whatever I want. I requires
a lot of energy to do that, though."
Anonlbe nodded. "That's why it would be best
for you to allow Judas to manifest himself when you try to control the
Cradle, seeing as he can control the Light Hawk Wings, and you can't."
Ashley just nodded.
"You should cheer up, Ashley. It's not like
we're ending everything just because things haven't gone our way."
Ashley frowned. "Then why?"
Anonlbe crossed his arms, and leaned onto
the stone balcony. "Just to start everything over again. Once the Adam
child and the Wave existence comes here, if we kill them, we can supply
them into the Cradle. Then it all becomes a totally new experience."
"New experience?" Ashley said skeptically,
"what's the point if they're *dead*?"
"But they won't be *dead*."
Ashley blinked. "I thought you said that you
wanted to kill them and end everything?"
"Well, yes, to a certain extent," Anonlbe
grinned, "but that's not all. Do you know how much life a mortal has within
them?"
Ashley arched an eyebrow.
"Not very much. It's nothing that could ever
be compared to a goddess, but nonetheless, they do hold a certain amount
of life energy within them," Anonlbe nodded as he thought it over, "all
life exists in many forms, but the truth is, it can all be broken down
in to one thing."
"What's that?"
Anonlbe smiled. "Waves."
"Waves."
"Yes, that's right. Be it natural, supernatural,
ethereal, or whatever, all life exists on a certain wavelength."
Anonlbe turned to Ashley just as another wave
of thunder crashed over head. "Do you know exactly what the Judas Cradle
is?"
Ashley shook his head, still looking down
at the courtyard.
"The Judas Cradle is a singular entity, which
I designed in order to be able to *channel* various wavelengths. In other
words,
once within the Cradle, one who has the ability to manipulate matter on
their own, can basically do whatever they want," he sighed, once again
looking back over the land, "however, once other wave forms are added into
the Cradle, it's strength becomes much more powerful."
Ashley looked over at Anonlbe.
He continued, "Life energy is made of waves,
like I said. So adding all of the mortals that exist into the Cradle will
increase it's power tenfold."
Ashley arched an eyebrow. "Why exactly do
you want to increase it's power? And besides, that still doesn't explain
why we have to end the endless."
"Yes it does."
"Huh?"
Anonlbe sighed. "You see, there is a specific
objective of this entire Cradle. And I need to have as much wave length
power in it as possible. And by adding the Keepers of Time and the goddesses,
coupled with all of the mortals that exist, it will reach the amount of
power that is necessary."
"Necessary for what?"
"Necessary to be a beacon, that's what."
Ashley's eyebrows raised.
Anonlbe turned his gaze to the sky. "Do you
remember me telling you about the All-Father?"
Ashley nodded.
"If I can manipulate the Cradle enough so
that there is enough wave form energy, I could even manage to penetrate
the True Dimension, and notify Him that we are ready to return."
"We?"
Anonlbe nodded. "Right. Everyone and everything.
After all, just because the endless and the mortals' *lives* have ended,
doesn't mean that their *existences* have. Once joined with the Cradle,
they will still exist, just without a body," he closed his eyes, "and then
all of us can finally return to the True Dimension."
"What is it like, there?"
"It was *nothing* but waves. That was all
it was. All beings were one and the same. There were no boundaries, and
everyone and everything was one with each other. It was...beyond simple
words."
Ashley arched an eyebrow. "Who was in that
Dimension other than yourself?"
"My sisters."
Ashley blinked. "*Your* sisters?!"
Anonlbe turned to him. "That's right. And
my other brother," he grinned, "Just because I was only a wave entity and
they had bodies doesn't mean that we weren't related. After all, Tsunami,
Deis and Tokimi's true forms are merely waves, just like me."
"Damn..." Ashley muttered, "Who is your other
brother?"
"He would be the current Wave Existence."
Ashley nodded. "Of course."
The two of them merely returned their gazes
back over the desolate country side, not saying anything to each other.
The wind once again howled through the courtyard far below, screaming in
a haunted, despair filled voice, bringing the scent of the decaying grass,
stones and trees from below up to them.
As the wind fluttered through Anonlbe's slightly
longer hair, he closed his eyes. "You know that I will be bringing all
of the mortals to the True Dimension with us, right?"
Ashley said nothing.
"Maybe now you can understand why it is we
are doing what we are doing. After all," he turned his head to look at
him, "You will be able to be with Sumirei once again."
"...Sumirei..."
Anonlbe stood up from the balcony, and began
to walk back towards the large, dark, stone doorway. "I hope you realize
that I am not doing this for revenge, but the better of everyone and everything."
Ashley said nothing as Anonlbe disappeared
into the shadows. Thunder crashed once again above the old castle, causing
more crows from the bell tower to flow away, squawking and chirping incessantly,
as they flew away from this unholy ground.
Ashley felt a tear slid down his face. "...Sumirei..."
The room itself was fairly dark, but Tenchi
was okay with it. He could easily see the ceiling, and the door, and everything
else. The darkness really didn't matter to him right at this time.
Tenchi lay there, on a very soft bed which
was carved from the same wood as the rest of Tsunami's massive ship, with
his hands behind his head, as he stared at the ceiling. His legs were crossed.
He took in a deep breath as he tried to sort
out everything that he had been told.
He wasn't really Tenchi, but merely the latest
incarnation of one called 'Adam'. On top of that, Washu was a goddess,
and he had to fight against someone called 'Judas' to save everything that
exists.
<I wonder where Ryoko went off to...> he
thought to himself.
Tsunami, after changing her ship due to Ryoko's
recommendation, had made the ship become a very large, and extremely elegant
Jurain tree ship, that surpassed even Ryu-oh in every aspect.
Not like any of that mattered right now to
Tenchi.
<Why am I always in the dark about *everything*?>
Tenchi was so deep in thought, that he almost
missed the soft knock at the large wooden door to his small bedchamber.
He blinked. "Uh...it's open."
There was a slight *blip!* from the outside,
and the door slid to the right, to reveal Washu standing there.
Tenchi blinked a couple of times. "Washu-san?"
Since Washu was in her adult form, she had
ceased demanding to be called 'Washu-chan'. "Hi Tenchi. Can I come in?"
He sat up. "Uh...sure."
Washu took a few steps in, and the door closed
behind her. "Gee, it's rather dark in here, Tenchi."
Tenchi chuckled. "Yeah, I guess. I was trying
to get some sleep, but I ended up thinking about stuff."
Washu nodded, and sat down on the bed next
to him. "I'll bet you have a lot of questions right now."
Tenchi looked at Washu as if she just asked
the most stupid question that could ever be asked. Washu blushed and just
chuckled nervously.
"Well...if it helps, I can answer some things
for you."
Tenchi nodded.
"You remember hearing voices earlier? You
said they were talking to you."
Again, he nodded.
"That was from your Uroborus Rings, an ethereal
code of DNA within your introns. It was basically a past memory talking
to you."
He blinked. "Like...one of my past lives,
or something?"
Washu nodded. "Yes, just like that."
Tenchi nodded, remembering that Washu and
Tsunami had told him that in all of his previous lives, him and Ryoko had
been together. He realized that the memories must have been admonishing
him, so that he would come to the same realization that they once did.
"Any other questions, Tenchi?"
Tenchi sat up, and thought about it. Then,
he said, "Yeah. Who is that woman that came here a little while ago? You
said she was your sister."
Washu nodded. "Yes, she is Tokimi. She is
like myself and Tsunami, a goddess."
Tenchi leaned against the headboard. "Alright,
I can deal with that, I suppose."
Washu smiled. "You suppose?"
Tenchi groaned. "I don't know. This is all
a little much, you know?"
Washu nodded.
"One other thing."
"What's that, Tenchi?"
He took in a deep breath. "What is this 'Wave
Existence' that I am going to have to meet with?"
Washu sighed, crossing her arms. "The Wave
Existence...can't really be defined through words. It is something that
you will have to experience yourself."
"Why is it that *I* have to be the one to
meet with it?"
Washu sighed. "I don't know, myself. All I
know is that it will only accept Adam, and that means that you are the
one who has to talk to Him."
Tenchi fell back onto the soft pillow. "I
see."
Washu turned over to Tenchi. "Listen, I know
this is all a little much, but you're just going to have to trust us. Okay?"
Tenchi managed a slight smile. "Yeah, I trust
you, Washu-san."
Washu smiled gently back at him, and was about
to say something, when Ryoko phased in through the doorway.
"Hey Tenchi, so this is..............oh,"
she said, as she saw Washu sitting on Tenchi's bed. She slowed her flying
down, and rested on her feet.
"What are *you* doing here?"
Tenchi sat up. "We were just talking, Ryoko."
Ryoko frowned. "I guess I'll come back later,
then," She turned to leave, but Washu stopped her.
"Please don't go, Ryoko!"
Ryoko just growled and continued to go.
Washu stood up. "Daughter, *please*!"
Ryoko stopped. "Damn you, Washu."
Washu closed her eyes sadly. "I'm...so sorry,
Ryoko..."
Ryoko whirled around. "Yeah? Well *I* think
that's a pile of *bullshit*. You don't give a damn about me."
"That's not true, Ryoko. That's not true."
Ryoko scoffed angrily. "Yeah? Prove it."
Washu said nothing.
Ryoko turned her head away from Washu in disgust
and anger. "You can't, can you? You don't give a crap about me, or anything
that matters to me, do you?"
Washu took a step forward. "That is so not
true, Ryoko!"
Ryoko didn't say anything for a moment. She
had her eyes closed tightly, and her fist was trembling at her side. Then,
she turned on Washu, and took three very quick, angry steps towards her.
"Then why the hell did you do that to me?!
WHY!?! Gods, there has to be a reason! If you *really* cared for me, you
wouldn't of treated me like a worthless pile of horseshit!!!"
Tenchi just sat on the bed, watching the exchange
between the two women. He was angry that Ryoko was acting the way she was
towards Washu, but he was also still rather angry for what Washu had done
to her. So he felt that he should stay out of it.
Washu opened her eyes. "I said I'm sorry,
Ryoko. What else do you want me to do?"
Ryoko closed her eyes. "Stay the hell out
of my life."
Washu's spirits began to fall as she felt
an icy hand reach in around her soul, and begin to crush it in it's deathly
grip. "Please, you don't mean that, Ryoko..."
Ryoko opened her eyes again, a searing yellow
flame within them. "Like hell I don't. Stay out of it, Washu. I'll let
you talk to Tenchi because *he* wants to..." with that, she turned to leave,
this time for real.
"Ryoko, stop!"
Both Washu and Ryoko turned to the sound of
Tenchi's voice, calling her back. Ryoko looked at Tenchi, her gaze of anger
turned to one of confusion.
"What?"
Tenchi stood up off of the bed. "Don't let
this slip away, Ryoko."
"Forget it, Tenchi. It's not important."
Tenchi frowned. "Yes it *is* important!"
Ryoko whirled around, and stomped over to
Tenchi. "That woman robbed me of everything, Tenchi! My dignity, my fears,
my own self *confidence*! Everything!" she found that her eyes were beginning
to cloud up with tears, but she made no movement to stop them, "It was
all some sick *joke* to her!"
Washu took a very timid step towards Ryoko.
"Ryoko, I've said I'm sorry. And I mean it. Can't we move along? Can't
we try again?"
"No," she growled, "It's not worth it."
"Dammit Ryoko!" Tenchi shouted, "You haven't
even given her a chance yet!"
Ryoko blinked and looked at Tenchi.
"Ryoko..." Tenchi began, tears welling up
in his eyes, "do you even realize what you have here?"
She said nothing.
"You have a chance to make amends with your
mother, Ryoko. Something that I would kill for, but I will never get the
chance for *ever*...and you're just throwing it away, saying it's 'not
worth it'?!"
Ryoko turned from Tenchi. "It's...not the
same."
Tenchi put a hand on Ryoko's shoulder. "How
is that?"
Ryoko looked at Tenchi from the corner of
her eye. "*Your* mother never treated you like dirt, that's how."
Washu let out a sad sigh.
Tenchi gently took Ryoko by the shoulders
and turned her so she was facing him. He looked at her straight in the
eyes. "She said she was sorry. And she meant it. Why not give her another
chance?"
"I...I..."
"What have you got to lose?"
Ryoko could feel tears beginning to pour down
her face, as she looked back at Tenchi's compassionate and gentle face
which was staring right at her.
Washu took a step forward, and timidly began
to reach toward Ryoko. Ryoko looked over at Washu, and really didn't know
what to think. She just stood there in Tenchi's grip, looking at the slowly
advancing scientist.
Tenchi looked further into Ryoko's eyes. "Just
give her a chance."
Ryoko sniffled. "I...I..."
Washu stepped next to Ryoko and reached out
to touch her. Both Washu and Ryoko seemed to be almost *frightened* from
the impeding contact, as they both were quivering.
They both were scared.
Washu eventually managed to fully extend her
hand so it was touching Ryoko's shoulder, where Tenchi's hand was. Tenchi
let go, and let Washu hold Ryoko's shoulder.
Tenchi took a step back, and just watched,
with tears in his eyes.
Washu blinked tears out of hers. "Daughter...I..."
Ryoko's lip quivered for a moment, and then
it all collapsed. All the resolve, all the strength, all the honed instincts
of keeping her feelings in check...
...all the times when she was abandoned, all
the times she needed someone, all the times that man had violated her,
all the times she had cried out for someone within the bowels of that dank
cavern...
...it all collapsed.
Ryoko just fell towards Washu, and Washu wrapped
her arms around her sobbing daughter.
"...mommy..." Ryoko whispered through her
sobs, as all the times that she had so desperately yearned for one had
now begun to resurface within herself.
Tears were streaming down Washu's face, as
she gently stroked Ryoko's hair, and held her close, quietly whispering
gentle words to her sobbing daughter.
Tenchi just watched, as he sat back on the
bed, wiping the tears out of his eyes, with a smile on his face.
Tsunami stood in front of a large and magnificent
window that gazed into the reaches of space as the ship blazed through
hyperspace.
She gently rested her hand against the window,
still attempting to fully understand and adapt to being within a human
shell.
"So how is it?"
Tsunami turned to see Tokimi standing a few
feet behind her, also in a human body.
"...different," she said, looking back out
the window, "how is it for you?"
Tokimi walked up next to Tsunami. "It is wonderful."
Tsunami blinked. "Sister...?"
Tokimi turned to her sister with a smile on
her face. "I guess I owe you an apology, Tsunami. Your creations aren't
*as* bad as I gave them credit for."
"What...what has gotten in to you?"
Tokimi just smiled and looked out the window,
and didn't answer. Tsunami continued to stare at her sister, completely
perplexed as to her behavior, but eventually just let it be as it was.
Tokimi closed her eyes, and rested her forehead
against the thick glass of the window. "I hope I can see him again."
Tsunami looked over at Tokimi. "Him?"
".......yes."
Tsunami blinked. Her eyes widened. "Did you
go inside the Cradle?"
"I did."
"Sister!"
"It was worth it, Tsunami," she whispered,
"...it was worth it."
Tsunami just nodded, not fully understanding.
"Did you learn anything?"
Tokimi opened her eyes, and then looked down
at her hands. "More than I've learned in my entire lifetime."
Tsunami smiled a little. "Sister..."
Tokimi turned to Tsunami. "...I'm strange,
aren't I?"
Tsunami shook her head. "No...not at all."
"We don't have to kill him."
"Tokimi..."
"No, listen sister," she began, still staring
at her hands, "neither Ashley nor Judas have to die. Only Anonlbe."
Tsunami frowned. "What makes you think that?"
"Once Anonlbe has been killed, his hold on
Judas will be gone."
Tsunami shook her head. "But Judas is still
a threat to all of existence, as he possesses almost limitless power."
"Judas is *not* a threat."
Tsunami frowned. "Sister, although you may
have..."
"HE'S NOT!"
Tsunami was taken aback.
Tokimi looked at Tsunami from the corner of
her eye. "I was there, Tsunami. I *saw* it."
"What did you see, sister?"
"Judas *yearns* to be ended. More than anyone,
or anything. He doesn't desire to end all," she whispered, "he desires
to end *himself*."
"Then why hasn't he?"
Tokimi looked back at her hands, "Because
to do that, would also be to end Ashley...and I don't think he wants to
do that."
"...but Judas hates me more than anything,"
Tsunami began, "I remember on that day, when he ended the Centra, how he
*swore* my end."
"But that isn't true."
Tsunami blinked.
"Anonlbe has been manipulating Judas ever
since I first created him," she said, her voice low, and sad, "I only wanted
to shield Ashley from that pain...that was the reason. Except I never imagined
that Anonlbe would recognize his own existence *within* Judas."
"I...see..."
"We *can't* kill him, Tsunami."
Tsunami sighed. "Sister, there has..."
"We CAN'T!"
"Sister, listen to me. I know that you have
feelings for As..."
"So don't do it!"
Tsunami shook her head. "Tokimi, please try
to be reasonable..."
Tokimi frowned. "All we need to do is kill
Anonlbe. Then Deis can do whatever the hell it is she does on Ashley, and
then Judas will be gone!"
Tsunami took in a deep breath. "We'll try.
But it will be extremely difficult, as Tenchi will be having his hands
full with Anonlbe while we try to kill him, also trying to worry about
*not* killing Judas at the same time."
"That's just it. Let's just try."
Tsunami returned her gaze to the window. "Alright,
sister. We'll try."
Around the lumbering behemoth, there was mostly
darkness. There were some lights from various much smaller machines that
flickered on and off every now and then, but other than that, the massive
area was almost completely dark.
Ryo-oh floated about ten feet off of the ground
in Washu's lab, as it was still within a pseudo-space field that Washu
had made herself.
There was no sounds made by the fantastic
tree ship, a living incarnation of transportation and elegance, as it quietly
floated above the field that Washu had built, like a swan on a lake.
On board, there were four passengers.
One, a young, eager and chipper princess,
who's cheery attitude and demeanor had dimished significantly over the
last day. Sasami stood in front of a large viewing screen that displayed
the area of Washu's lab directly surrounding the ship.
Two others, were in the form of Jurain Guardian's.
Both Azaka and Kamidake were stationed in the appropriate positions for
them to perfectly operate the ship to their mistress' command. Two strong,
wooden sentries that symbolized power and elegance.
The last, was Aeka.
Aeka sat in her room, in front of a mirror.
In her hand, she held the Tenchi-ken, as Tenchi didn't need it, wherever
he was going.
Aeka slowly ran her hand up the elegant piece
of Jurain wood, taking in it's beauty with the simple tactile contact.
Aeka closed her eyes, and took in a deep breath.
"My own song..." she whispered to herself.
Aeka stood, and walked to the exit, towards
the command of the massive tree ship. As she walked down the hallway towards
the command center, she kept whispering to herself, "I am Aeka Jurai..."
as if they were some precious words that she needed to keep herself alive.
Aeka walked onto the bridge, and stood in
her elegant Jurain raiment's on the center platform, overlooking the entire
command deck of the large ship.
She took in a deep breath. "Azaka...Kamidake...take
us out."
"MA'AM!"
As Ryu-oh began to kick up to life, as all
the engines and system protocols came online, and as Sasami began to giggle
as the lights on board the command center lit up, Aeka lifted the Tenchi-ken,
so she could look at it.
As Ryu-oh left the chamber that Washu had
it held in, and as it began to make it's way back to Jurai, Aeka continued
to look at the elegant weapon.
And she smiled.
"We are here."
Tsunami pointed to a very peculiar object
through the looking window.
Tenchi, Ryoko, Washu, Tsunami, and Tokimi
were all gathered, as they had been summoned to the arrival to their destination.
The object was...peculiar.
It was a small ball, although that's what
it appeared to be. It somehow swirled, twisting and bending all light matter
that entered it, causing it to look like a drop of water, or a prism of
sorts.
Tenchi took a deep breath. "And this is...?"
Tsunami turned to him. "The Wave Existence."
He blinked. "That. That's it."
Tsunami nodded.
"So...what do we do now?"
Washu looked back at him and grinned. "We
throw *you* inside of it, that's what."
Tenchi blinked again. "...*Me*?"
"Yup."
"Why just me?"
Washu shrugged. "Because he only wants to
meet with *you*."
He arched an eyebrow. "Why is that?"
"I don't know...He just...told me."
"But..."
"Nevermind that," Tokimi interrupted, "He'll
explain everything once you enter him."
"ENTER HIM?!"
The sisters nodded, leaving a very confused
and perplexed Tenchi and Ryoko.
Tsunami stepped forward. "Tenchi, activate
your Light Hawk Wings."
Tenchi blushed. "But I...don't know how..."
Tokimi growled, "Tsunami..."
Tsunami shook her head. "It's alright. Everything
will be fine." She gathered a small ball of blue energy in her hand, and
then waved it towards Tenchi. As the ball struck Tenchi, he felt himself
change.
He felt a massive aura enter his body, just
as it did the other two times. He could feel his ordinary field jacket
being replaced by the elegant and silky Light Hawk Armor. He could feel
the green crest on his forehead.
He looked at his hands.
Tsunami nodded. "Alright Tenchi, I want you
to go into that ball you see."
".......come again?"
Ryoko stepped forward. "What exactly are you
making my Tenchi do?"
"Save us all," Tokimi deadpanned.
Washu took in a deep breath. "Tenchi, while
you are in your Light Hawk Armor, you don't need to worry about breathing.
Just go and make contact with the Wave Existence. You have to trust us,
everything will make sense in the end."
Tenchi just slowly nodded, trying to make
sense of everything.
He turned to Ryoko. "Umm...care to give me
a lift? I can't go through walls."
Ryoko grinned and nodded, grabbing his arm,
and phasing him through the window, and taking the two of them out into
the cold of space.
Tenchi saw Ryoko say something, but he of
course didn't hear it, seeing as they were in a vacuum. Tenchi looked back
at the ball, and blinked. It wasn't all that tiny...
...they were just far away.
Ryoko began flying towards it, and it continued
to grow bigger and bigger with each passing minute that went by.
<Jeez...couldn't they have parked the thing
a little closer?>
Tenchi shook his head, trying not to think.
He was still in the dark, and there was *way* too much stuff going on for
him to comprehend.
Eventually, they arrived at the sphere. It
seemed to be fairly large, about the size of perhaps a larger earth school.
It continued to suck in light, and bend it, then pass it back out, as if
it really was a drop of water.
Tenchi looked at Ryoko's face, and she just
shrugged. Tenchi looked back at the sphere, and prepared himself. Ryoko
gave him a peck on the cheek, and then floated behind him, placing her
hands flat on his back, and then putting her head next to his.
She looked him in the eyes, and he nodded.
Ryoko used both of her hands to push Tenchi
towards the sphere, and let the inertia carry him towards it, as she stayed
and watched.
Tenchi began to feel very worried as he continually
approached the massive sphere, a knot that was growing bigger and bigger
in his stomach with each passing second.
All that washed away when he made contact
with the sphere.
His body passed through the outer layer like
it was some form of gooey substance, and the inside felt as if it really
was some sort of slimy substance.
Tenchi was about to gag, when he felt something
else. Something reaching to him. Grabbing him. Pulling him. A being of
pure light that guided him towards something...
...and then everything went white.
Tenchi slowly blinked his eyes open, to adjust
to the surroundings. He looked down, and saw that he was now completely
naked. He also noticed that his feet were submerged in water.
All around him was water. As far as he could
see, in every direction...
...it seemed to ripple as if it was clockwork.
A silent symphony of water. He looked up and saw that there was a mirror
of water about fifty feet above him, that also rippled in time, although
he couldn't make out his reflection.
Off on the horizon was nothing but water as
well, as if the sky itself was water.
"Where...am I?"
"So we meet at last, Adam child."
Tenchi blinked, as he saw water begin to swirl
about ten feet in front of him, a rising vortex, until it all burst away...
...revealing him.
Him.
As Tenchi gazed upon him...he simply couldn't
describe him. He was a man...but for some reason, he could not make out
any characteristics of this man. He, like Tenchi, was also naked, although
there was nothing to see.
Tenchi couldn't make out anything. A faceless,
characterless man.
"I have been waiting for you for some time
now, Adam."
The voice resounded within Tenchi's consciousness,
like a quiet, gentle whisper. It was clearly some sort of telepathical
communication, as Tenchi did not see the man's lips move, and he didn't
*hear* the voice...he just seemed to *know* what the voice said.
"Who...who are you?"
"I have been given many names throughout time,
by your people. One name was 'Alexium Rashitai'. Another, was 'Delius Segretaga'.
But, in your tongue Adam, I am known as 'The Light Hawk'."
Tenchi's eyes went wide.
The man continued, "I am an existence that
was created within a sea of infinite waves. I am sentient, because I can
recognize my own existence. I am the advent of all waves within this reality."
Tenchi tried his best to swallow all of this.
"...waves?"
"Yes. The physical retrospection of yourself
exists now because it is merely a collection and harmonization of various
wave patterns. Even the entity that is truly yourself is merely a wave
pattern."
"So what exactly does that make you?"
"I am the fifth child of the All Father, the
one born unto this universe at the same time as my brother, both of us
as in close to our true forms as possible."
"Why do you want to see *me*?"
The man in front of him broke into water droplets,
and fell back into the pool that he had risen from. As he did, a large,
unidentifiable face appeared on the pool of water that compromised the
roof of this place.
"Because Adam, you interest me."
Tenchi gulped.
"I have watched all of my sisters various
incarnations of you, and it has interested me."
"Why is that?"
"Because of what you are, and what you can
do."
Tenchi said nothing.
"You were the very first mortal, Adam. No
other life form within all that exists other than my Brother, my Sisters,
and the All Father existed before you. I was intrigued the moment you were
created by Tsunami."
Tenchi looked down at the water, and tried
to sort all of his thoughts, and questions. He looked back up at the formless
face. "Do you know what is going to happen?"
"Are you referring to Judas?"
"Yeah."
"...no. I cannot foresee the future, as only
the All Father has the ability to do such."
"I see..."
"You will fight."
Tenchi frowned. "I don't even know *who* I'm
fighting!"
"Does that matter?"
"Of course it does!"
"Do you think that one mortal's life can possibly
be more important than the next?"
Tenchi looked away. "Well...I..."
"You are of the endless, Adam. Now that Tsunami
has awakened myself within you, the only beings that could kill you are
another of the endless. Why does it matter? Judas is a mortal."
"That doesn't matter!"
The face shimmered slightly as Tenchi raised
his tone. The ripples through the water almost seemed to perpetuate Tenchi's
mood, it seemed.
The voice spoke again, "It is all a matter
of perspective, Adam."
Tenchi blinked. "What do you mean?"
"If you do not kill Judas and my Brother,
everything, all life everywhere, will cease to be."
Tenchi took in a deep breath. "I see..." he
thought for a moment, "Why are they doing this?"
"There are many reasons, and I do not know
all of them. But I know that they intend to send a beacon to the All-Father...whether
or not the beacon shall be answered, that I cannot answer."
Tenchi let out a long breath. "This is so
confusing..."
The face shimmered again, and this time disappeared.
This time, the water all around Tenchi's feet reflected a serene forest.
Giant trees that reached up to the sky, and stood a strong and silent vigil
over all that dwelled beneath them, as radiant beams of light pierced their
leaves into the ground below...it was a magnificent sight.
It rippled in time with the water.
The voice spoke again. "It is no surprise
that this is confusing, as Anonlbe has been controlling you."
Tenchi blinked. "C...controlling?"
"Yes. He has had dominion over your Uroborus
ever since you were born into this world. Tsunami wasn't prepared for this...because
He has also been interfering and controlling her, as well."
"He controlled Tsunami?"
The voice gave the ethereal equivalent to
a nod. "Indeed...not on the same manipulative level that he has controlled
yourself, Eve, and Deis, but he has still managed to manipulate her to
his own ends. Tokimi as well," the voice said, it still maintaining the
same gentle tone, never failing.
Tenchi just shook his head as he watched the
forest in front of his submerged feet.
The voice spoke again. "Anonlbe has managed
to manipulate their memories so they have forgotten things. They have forgotten
that I and He are their brothers. They have forgotten that He will send
the beacon. They have also forgotten...that Tsunami did not create the
cycle, as she believes."
Tenchi's eyes went wide. "...what?"
Tenchi watched as in the forest, the same
man as before seemed to appear. A naked, featureless man. He walked onto
a fallen tree, and he stared up at Tenchi. He spoke, and Tenchi heard that
same voice again.
"I suppose I haven't been completely honest
with you, Adam."
"What do you mean?"
"You were *not* the first mortal."
Tenchi said nothing.
"The first mortal...was Tokimi."
Tenchi blinked.
He could almost feel the entity smile. "Yes...interesting,
isn't it? Did you not know that Myself, Tsunami, Deis, Tokimi, and Anonlbe,
while still being the first creations of the All-Father, are in actuality
mortals?"
The man moved off the log, and vanished. The
whole forest scene in front of Tenchi vanished, and once again, the water
swirled up in a spectacular vortex, bursting away revealing the man.
"Just because our lives and our entities are
beyond the boundaries of humans, doesn't mean we aren't *mortals*. We can
still end. That very reason alone means we aren't immortal."
Tenchi tried his best to swallow all of this.
He took in a deep breath.
"What is it? You have a question, Adam?"
Tenchi nodded. "You...said that you are 'The
Light Hawk'. What do you mean by that?"
"My existence is essentially the congregation
of all waves within this dimension. That is why my Sisters refer to me
as 'The Wave Existence'. They have the ability to meld and bend my own
advent, a transformation of matter, if you wish, at their own discretion.
Tsunami has done so many times, in the forming of matter manipulating singularities
for Her children...I believe you know them as 'The Light Hawk Wings'. And
since I am where that wave pattern comes from, I am referred to as 'The
Light Hawk' itself."
"I...see."
"The truth is that everything is merely a
constructed reality by the All-Father. He created everything. The cycle,
mortals, the goddesses, Me and my Brother, and the Keepers of Time. Everything
was created. As for the reasons, only He knows them. His mind is infinite,
as He knows and sees all."
Tenchi took in another breath. This was all
so overwhelming, he really didn't understand everything. There was just
one thing he did need to know.
"So what should I do?"
The man collapsed back into the water once
again, and then the entire reality around Tenchi changed. Tenchi was no
longer in a room completely immersed within the boundaries of an endless
sea of water, he was...
...in a place that simply couldn't be described.
The entire reality around was distorted. It
was as if it was a brilliant orange sky, although there was a glass mirror
of water above him, and absolutely nothing but boundless sky below and
all around him.
The entity appeared in front of him once again.
"You wish to know what to do?"
Tenchi tried to reorientate himself, and then
nodded.
"I cannot answer."
Tenchi sighed. "I see."
"What do you want to do?"
Tenchi arched an eyebrow. "With regards to
what?"
"To anything, Adam. Anything. You're existence
is only limited to what you want. If you want something, do what you must
to get it."
Tenchi said nothing.
"What is most important to you, Tenchi? More
than anything, more than anyone...what is the most important thing to you
in this universe?"
Tenchi closed his eyes, and tried to imagine
what was more important to him than anything else. Several images flashed
by his vision as he did, and he was surprised as that happened. The images
that flashed by seemed to be so real, yet he never knew them.
But they were so real...
The entity spoke again. "You are experiencing
yourself once again, Adam. Those images are not fantasies or delusions,
they are memories, sealed within your Uroborus. They are your own experiences."
Tenchi watched as images that seemed to be
him continued to flash by.
Tenchi watched as he held a weeping priestess
on the roof of an ancient temple. He watched as he raised an old katana
to strike down a foe, as he yelled to surrounding men to attack. He watched
as he saw a magical explosion rock a battlefield.
He watched as he paced back and forth between
some Jurain officers, yelling at them. He watched as he piloted a ship
through a treacherous battlefield, all the while with a giant grin on his
face. He watched as him and someone who looked so reminiscent of Washu
smiled as large Jurain ships destroyed the ship he was on.
And then the new images came.
These too, were memories.
First, it was subtle. A small spike of hair.
Then a glint of a mischievous amber eye. Then a proud and feral grin. Then
a cocky stance as she stood with her hands on her hips, staring back at
him.
Then more came.
She was laughing as she began to drink some
sake.
She cried as she saw him killed on board the
Soja.
She grinned as he stammered as she kissed
him on board of a space ship.
Then the feeling came. He felt warm. He felt
this as the images of her putting her arms around him in her accepting
and loving embrace, time and time again.
And then the names.
Eve...
Kharla...
Sumirei...
Raven...
...Ryoko.
Tenchi opened his eyes, and looked back at
the entity.
The entity spoke. "So you know what is most
important to you."
Tenchi nodded.
"Then exactly what do you want to do?"
Tenchi didn't hesitate as he said, "Do whatever
it takes to keep her safe."
"Then you fight. That is what you do."
Tenchi let out a breath.
The man took a few steps towards Tenchi, which
seemed very odd, seeing as they were not on any sort of ground. Tenchi
just decided to let it pass as another thing that was simply beyond his
level of comprehension.
"Let me help you, Adam. I want to see my own
purpose."
Tenchi didn't say anything.
"I can show you things that you have long
since forgotten. I can give you more than Tsunami ever could. I want to
help you, Adam. I want to see exactly what it means to be a mortal."
Tenchi took in a long breath. "Okay."
As he said that word, the reality around Tenchi
began to waver, and eventually began to collapse upon itself. Tenchi's
eyes went wide with fear, and then everything went dark.
The room was fairly well lit, although the
quarters themselves were rather small. There was only a bed, and then a
door. The bed itself was very nice, and the walls were carved out of a
very splendid and rare wood, and the door was almost alive.
Ryoko lay on the bed, with her legs crossed,
as she stared up at the ceiling. Washu was next to the door, leaning against
the wall, with her arms crossed.
Ryoko yawned. "How much longer is this going
to take? He's been with that thing for almost a *week*, now."
Washu took in a deep breath. "You had better
be patient. He could still be a couple of *years* for all we know."
Ryoko blinked, and looked over at Washu. "WHAT?!"
Washu chuckled. "But probably not."
Ryoko frowned. "That's not funny, Washu."
Washu looked back at Ryoko seriously. "Ryoko?"
Ryoko plopped her head back onto one of the
pillows. "What?"
"Could...could you call me mom?"
Ryoko let out a breath. "Don't...push it."
"Ryoko, I was..."
"Washu, look," Ryoko interrupted, "that was
something that just slipped out. I'm...willing...to try to make something...but
let's take it one step at a time."
Washu nodded. "Alright. I'm willing."
Ryoko managed a small smile. Ryoko let her
mind go back over all of the many things that Washu had explained to her
over the last week in Tenchi's absence, mostly about the wave existence,
and Judas, and about her past lives.
<It's all over my head, anyways.>
<All that matters is getting Tenchi back,
and then kicking this Judas person's ass. That's all that I need to worry
about.>
Ryoko blinked as a thought occurred to her.
She looked over at Washu. "Say, Washu?"
Washu looked over at her daughter. "What is
it?"
"You said that this Judas person has the power
of Tenchi's Light Hawk Wings, right?"
Washu nodded. "That's right."
Ryoko lifted her hand, and pointed to her
wrist. "Then how the hell am *I* supposed to fight him with *one* gem?"
Washu blinked. "Oh shit. I completely forgot
about that!"
Ryoko let out a long sigh and plopped back
onto the pillow. "I guess we'll just have to sing by the house and get
the Tenchi-ken."
Washu nodded, inwardly kicking herself for
forgetting such an important detail. The two of them mostly stayed that
way in silence for quite a while. The silence never grew awkward, yet there
really was nothing to say.
They weren't completely uncomfortable around
each other, and yet, they had no idea where to go. So they simply stayed
together, saying nothing.
It was a start.
The two of them stayed that way for almost
half an hour, when they were interrupted by a soft knock at the door.
Washu blinked. "It's open."
There was a quiet *blip* from the other side,
and then the door slid back to reveal...
...Tenchi.
Ryoko gasped. "Tenchi!"
She wasted no time in flying over to him and
throwing her arms around him. He smiled, and embraced her back. Ryoko quickly
caught on to the fact that there was something different about Tenchi.
She frowned, but continued to hold him.
He saw Washu from his view over Ryoko's shoulder.
"Hello, Washu-san."
Washu grinned. "How was it, Tenchi?"
"...different."
Washu's grin increased. "I'll bet," she looked
at Tenchi and Ryoko, and her eyes softened. "I'll go and find my sisters.
You two just stay here, okay?"
Tenchi nodded. "Okay."
Washu walked past them, and down the hall.
Ryoko pulled back from the embrace, and kissed
Tenchi. He kissed her back, but still he seemed...off.
"What was it like in there?"
Tenchi gestured to the room. "How about we
go in here? There's a lot I want to tell you."
"Okay."
The two of them entered the small room together,
and the door closed behind them. Ryoko went and sat on the bed, and patted
the spot next to her. Tenchi sat down, and looked over at Ryoko.
"Ummm...I...really don't know where to begin."
Ryoko reached out and took Tenchi's hand.
"Just begin where you want to."
Tenchi smiled. "Okay."
Ryoko smiled back, and squeezed his hand.
Tenchi let out a breath. "This could be it,
Ryoko."
Ryoko blinked. "What do you mean?"
"We aren't just fighting someone with the
power of the Light Hawk Wings. We are fighting someone much stronger than
that."
"How much stronger?"
"I...really can't say. It's...funny. All I
know is that the only one who has a chance against him is me. Not even
Tsunami can stand against him."
Ryoko smiled. "Then you'll win, Tenchi. You
always win."
Tenchi looked over at Ryoko, and Ryoko finally
realized exactly what was different about Tenchi. It was in his eyes.
Fear.
"Do you have any idea how powerful I am *now*,
Ryoko?" he whispered.
Ryoko just leaned forward, and wrapped one
hand around the back of his neck lightly, and pulled their faces closer.
"I don't care, Tenchi," she whispered, "All I know is that we'll make it
alive, and that we're going to be together forever...right?"
Tenchi smiled. "...right."
Ryoko kissed him. "We'll win. Everything will
be okay. I just got you now...I don't want to lose you so soon!"
"Neither do I, Ryoko. Neither do I."
"Then we will win. It's that simple."
Tenchi nodded.
Ryoko leaned forward, and put her head on
his shoulder, as she warmly wrapped her arms around him. He sat there,
just letting her hold him for a moment, until he brought his hands up to
her arms, and pulled her back from him, so he was looking her in the face.
"Ryoko...there's something else."
"What is it?"
"You know how I got my power from Tsunami?"
Ryoko nodded.
"Well...I can do the same for you."
Ryoko blinked.
Tenchi closed his eyes. "I am now the living,
breathing incarnation of the Light Hawk itself."
Ryoko gasped.
"I can give you my powers just like Tsunami
did for me."
Ryoko smiled. "I'd like that. I'm always game
for more power."
Tenchi opened his eyes, and his face was streaming
with tears when he did. This caused Ryoko's smile to fade.
"Ryoko...I saw...there is just...so much I
want to tell you... and yet...yet..."
Ryoko wiped a tear off his face. "Just say
it, Tenchi."
"I love you, Ryoko. I saw so many things that
I'll never forget, in this experience. But through it all, all I realized
is that I have to not take anything for granted anymore," he said, his
face still streaming with tears, "and I've taken you for granted ever since
I first met you."
"Tenchi, I *live* every day for you. I *breathe*
for you. I know that you took me for granted...but I know that you love
me, and that I love you. And that's all that matters to me."
"But..."
Ryoko silenced him by placing both her hands
on his cheeks so she was holding his face. They were looking at each other.
"Tenchi... why don't you just let me show you how much?" she whispered.
All the memories and images that Tenchi saw
inside the wave existence quickly came back, flashing by his vision once
more, before leaving him in his own world once again, his world with Ryoko.
"Please."
Ryoko leaned forward, and kissed him. Tenchi
quickly found himself kissing back. Ryoko's hands began to run down from
his face, down to his shoulders, and then down his sides, and then back
up, slowly, as she was gently caressing his body.
Like all first time lovers, they were both
eager and nervous at the same time. Neither of them knew what to expect,
all they knew was that they loved each other, and that this was right.
Tenchi found that his hands were no longer
idle, as he began to slowly run his hands down her side, and then up her
stomach, and across her breasts, and then over to her shoulders, and then
around her back, where he pulled her closer to him.
Ryoko tilted her neck as Tenchi began to kiss
it. Ryoko closed her eyes, and found herself squeezing Tenchi closer to
her body as she did.
Tenchi was gently holding her back as he did
this, and he could feel the powerful muscles there beginning to tremble.
Ryoko slowly began to fall back onto the bed, taking Tenchi with her. As
her head fell against the pillow, Tenchi was on top of her, looking down
into her eyes.
They stayed like that, looking into each others
eyes for a few moments. Ryoko then closed her eyes, and then smiled, a
little sadly.
"Tenchi?"
Tenchi leaned his head down, so his mouth
was next to her ear.
"Yes?"
She found herself nuzzling his neck. "Will
you...make my last dream come true?"
".......I will."
Ryoko opened her eyes, and fresh new tears
were there. "Tenchi..."
Tenchi began to kiss her again, and he began
to undo her blouse. Ryoko was slowly beginning to take off his shirt.
The experience that followed was something
that neither would ever forget, as it was their first time. Like all new
lovers, they were rather clumsy and nervous, but they both experienced
it together, and they knew that all the while, it did nothing except extend
their bond of love between the two.
Washu felt a tear form in her eye, as she stared
out the window at hyperspace, as the stars flew past in a brilliant white
stream. Washu wiped it away with a smile on her face. She couldn't block
the feelings of pure joy that were coming from across the link.
Beside her, Tsunami saw this, and put her
hand on Washu's shoulder. Washu looked over at Tsunami.
Tsunami smiled. "You are a good mother, Deis."
TO BE CONTINUED
MUSIC:
Anonlbe and Ashley: "Requiem for the Gods",
from 'Castlevania: SOTN'
Ten, Was, & Ryo: "Drifting", from 'Final
Fantasy VIII'
Tokimi and Tsunami: "Air", by 'Ludwig Van
Beethoven'
Aeka's resolve: "Aeka Bojo", from 'Tenchi
Muyo!'
Tenchi to the W.E.: "Mission to Deep Space",
from 'Star Ocean 2'
Tenchi and the Light Hawk: "One who bares
fangs at God", from 'Xenogears'
Washu and Ryoko: "Trust Me", from 'Final Fantasy
VIII'
Ryoko and Tenchi: "Leena on the Beech", from
'Chrono Cross'