Nobiyuki was having nightmares. He had left the bodies of the ones he had slain 
outside. The mailman was horrified when he came to deliver some occasional mail. 
Nobiyuki's dreams were horrible. They haunted him each night. This night's was 
particularly bad.
	

"Nobiyuki..."

Nobiyuki ran as fast as he could away from the voice. He didn't seem to be 
getting anywhere. It was just black and swirling mist all around him with a 
circle of light lighting him up where ever he ran. He was panting now.

"...Nobiyuki..."

Suddenly, he tripped on something round and crashed to the ground. He scrambled 
about, trying to get away, but he seemed glued to the ground and could not lift 
his feet up. The black turned to a dark gray, revealing more swirling mist 
around him.

"...Nobiyuki, I know what you did..." The voice was getting closer. He saw the 
silhouette of a woman walking towards him. He closed his eyes. When he opened 
them, the woman was right in front of him.

"A-Achika!" It was indeed Achika standing in front of him. Her normally gentle 
face wore a scowl he had never seen before. Behind her were eleven shadows; 
their eyes were glinting maliciously. One shadow, one of a teenager, walked up 
next to Achika. "Tenchi!" He, too, wore a scowl he had never seen. Another one, 
the shadow of a man, walked up. It was Yosho, without the wide hole in his 
chest. "Dad!" Nobody seemed to want to greet Nobiyuki. But then Achika spoke.
"Nobiyuki, is the story of Tenchi and Father true?" she asked with a harsh 
voice. Nobiyuki tried backing away, but couldn't.

"What would their story be?" Nobiyuki asked nervously, trying to hide his guilt. 
Achika did not take any pity.

"Father claims that you blasted him while he was talking with his mother." 
Funaho came into view, clearly angered. Everyone else came up, even little Ryo-
oh-ki. Strangely, they were all healed. "And," she continued, her voice dripping 
with disappointment, "Ayeka says that you shot her three times, Misaki says you 
blasted her, you shot Washu, Sasami, and Ryo-oh-ki, and you blasted Mihoshi and 
Kiyone in half. Is that true, Nobiyuki?" Nobiyuki nodded, his face sweating with 
fear. Tenchi spoke next.

"Dad, why?" Nobiyuki did not answer. Ryoko came up.

"Why? Answer Tenchi!" she demanded, accidentally spitting in Nobiyuki's face as 
she did so.

"I-," he managed to choke. "I-was-" Achika shook her head sadly.

"You are not the Nobiyuki I married," she said, bowing her head. "Nobiyuki 
wouldn't have done this. The Nobiyuki I know wasn't so self-centered."

"The King of Jurai was not happy about this, Nobiyuki," Funaho said. Misaki 
nodded furiously in agreement.

"He is heading to Earth right now, he knows where you live."

"Have we not been good to you, Nobiyuki?" Yosho asked. Nobiyuki shook his head.

"Then why did you PAINFULLY blast Mihoshi and me in half?" Kiyone said, 
sneering. Nobiyuki cowered in the spotlight...his dream ended...the scenery 
dissolved.

Nobiyuki awoke, drenched in cold sweat. He heard a high whistling noise and saw 
a man in the yard. The King of Jurai.


Azusa stared about him. There were bodies strewn all about him. His son...his 
son Yosho was floating in the lake with his wife Misaki floating about fifty 
feet away, near the bank. His pride and joy, his daughters. Ayeka lay with her 
head submerged in the water again, her body on the shore. Poor Sasami, he 
thought. She was lying on the ground with a cruel hole in her chest. He 
shuddered when he saw what had happened to Mihoshi and Kiyone of the Galaxy 
Police. "Funaho..." he said softly when he saw his other wife, Funaho, and Washu 
in front of the door. Funaho had a 12-inch hole in her chest, Washu had a small 
one. His eyes darted to the cherry tree and saw two stones with some sort of 
writing. Azusa walked over, not daring to think about what he would find there. 
He gasped when he saw what lay under the tree. "Tenchi is gone too, and Ryoko!"

"So, King, what do you want here?" Azusa whirled to face the door. It was a man 
with glasses and a thin mustache.

"You!" Azusa said furiously, pointing a quivering finger at Nobiyuki. "You did 
this to the Royal Family of Jurai?!"

"I did indeed, King." Nobiyuki was either out of his mind or being cheeky on 
purpose, because no being has ever spoken to the King of Jurai in this manner.
"Why?" Azusa asked, giving Nobiyuki a look of pure hatred. Nobiyuki winced but 
overlooked it.

"I-I don't know, you purple-haired freak." Azusa bellowed with rage.

"HOW DARE YOU! But, first thing's first. What is a 'freak'?" Nobiyuki fell over 
with a distinct WHUMP. Nobiyuki smiled insolently.

"Well, it's something, usually someone, who is really ugly, like you, or really 
strange, and that applies as well." Azusa stomped over to Nobiyuki and stared at 
him, his nose almost touching Nobiyuki's damp forehead.

"YOU, my friend, are insulting the whole of Jurai. I have had you reported. No 
doubt that Nagi will be arriving soon," said a very red-faced Azusa. Nobiyuki 
gave him a quizzical look.

"Who is Nagi?" Azusa laughed a hollow, cruel laugh.

"Nagi-," he paused to allow it to sink into Nobiyuki's mind, "-is one of the 
most renowned bounty hunters the universe has to offer. She'll be here soon."
Azusa had spoken truly. A moment later, Ken-oh-ki appeared above the Masaki home 
and beamed Nagi to the ground.

"King of Jurai, I see you are already here?" she paused to look around. Azusa 
saw her expression change quickly from triumph to horror. "What...what is this?" 
Azusa sighed, allowing a single tear to roll down his face.

"That is what this man has done to all of the Royal Family of Jurai. Let us see,
A-1 classification?" Nagi grinned evilly and nodded. Ken-oh-ki transformed and 
hopped up on Nagi's shoulder.

"Yes, for killing the Jurai Royal Family, he will get capital punishment. Let's 
see, life sentence in prison, or an execution? Or would you rather me just 
dealing with him now? Wait, but what of my old friend Ryoko?" Azusa shook his 
head gravely.

"Ryoko," he paused to look at Nobiyuki, "is gone. Everybody, Tenchi, Sasami, 
Ayeka, Misaki and Funaho, the two Police officers that were always with 
them...they're all gone." Nagi cocked her head, slightly confused. Nobiyuki was 
trying to sneak away, but a look from Nagi glued him to the ground.

"Where did they go? I will seek Ryoko out and have her head." Azusa closed his 
eyes. He pointed to the cherry tree.

"You need not go chasing after her. You only need to dig under the tree." Nagi 
was still confused.

"Why? Did that idiot genius of theirs make a hyperspace portal and bury it?" 
Azusa cleared his throat loudly.

"Ehem...she is under the rock with her name on it!" Nagi seemed to understand 
and walked over to the stone. She jumped back as if there was a great rift 
there.

"King, what is this?" she said, looking over at Azusa. She cleared her throat 
and read what was on the stone.

"Ryoko, she was 
very fun to be around,
		although she fought a lot.
			Her soul and Tenchi's are reunited."

Nagi sighed. "So, my life's purpose, shot down with this one stone. Well, I have 
a new target now. Right, Nobiyuki?" Nobiyuki's eyes widened with fear. 
"N-no, I-I don't think I'll be a good target-p-please, spare me!" So this was 
Nobiyuki now. He was a coward, a lowlife. Begging for his life in complete 
contrast to what Tenchi's sacrifice was. He's changed for the worst, and nothing 
will bring the real Nobiyuki back, Achika thought. She glared at Nobiyuki high 
in a tree branch, even though the cowering architect could not see her. I 
think...I think he is not the Nobiyuki I know. "Perhaps...perhaps something has 
gotten a hold of his body. What do you think, lady Funaho?"
"Perhaps. I feel the dream he had had nearly no effect on him." Funaho sat next 
to Achika.

"Well, perhaps I will allow them to see you two, and you can talk to Nobiyuki in 
person." Tsunami had appeared behind them.

"Very well, Tsunami. You will not show yourself?" Achika asked. Tsunami smiled 
and nodded.

"I'm afraid nobody there knows me, so it would be pointless to do so." Funaho 
smiled.

"It may have an affect on the King of Jurai. Oh, come now, Tsunami, help us." 
Tsunami looked up.

"So be it. I hope this works." There was a bright flash of light and the three 
women found themselves right in front of Nagi and Azusa.

"Nagi, take-," Azusa stopped, his mouth hanging open. "F-Funaho? You," he said, 
pointing to Tsunami, "you look like my Sasami." Tsunami smiled and nodded.
"I am Tsunami, King." As Azusa talked with his wife and the spaceship tree 
Tsunami, Achika confronted Nobiyuki.

"A-Achika! What-what are you doing here?" Nobiyuki said, getting up off the 
ground. Achika glared at him and did not answer his question.

"Nobiyuki, you should be ashamed of yourself. You are not my Nobiyuki, you're 
not the father of Tenchi." Nobiyuki's eyes widened with fear yet again. 
Suddenly, his eyes shone red and his voice changed drastically.

"That is right, Jurai. I have come back to finish you, once and for all!" 

Nobiyuki's voice had changed and it matched someone that Achika faintly knew. 
Nobiyuki was clearly taken over by someone and he tilted his head in evil 
amusement. "Well, Jurai, let's see. I am Kain, remember now?" Achika still did 
not know. The day she defeated Kain, Ayeka had erased her memory. A black form 
erupted from Nobiyuki's mouth, leaving Nobiyuki lifeless on the ground. Tsunami 
looked over and gasped.

"Kain! Achika, get away, now!" There was another flash of light and Kain was 
left with Nagi and Azusa. Azusa and Nagi's looked terrified, or at least as 
terrified as a King and a bounty hunter could get.

"Kain! How did you-," Nagi began, but was cut short by Kain.

"You!" he growled at Azusa. "You are Jurai! I must be rid of you!" Azaka and 
Kamidake appeared out of nowhere.

"Sire, go back to your ship! Hurry!" Azaka said. Azusa didn't need telling 
twice. There was a whistling sound and the King vanished. Kain growled, 
infuriated.

"No! You will not escape me!" Kain looked up towards the King's ship. For a 
moment, there was silence. A huge explosion, shattering Azusa's ship, causing 
fragments of wood and metal to rain on Nagi, Azaka, and Kamidake, broke the 
silence. All of Jurai's Royal Family were dead. "You, bounty hunter, I will 
spare your life." With that, Kain vanished, leaving a very confused Nagi behind.

*****

"We must leave!" Tsunami said to the whole of the Masaki residence. They have 
all forgiven Nobiyuki and were eating a midmorning snack. Washu shook her head, 
grinning.

"If Kain is coming, he can't hurt OR kill any of us! Aren't we immortal now?" 
Washu asked Tsunami. Tsunami shook her head.

"Even though you are all immortal," she paused to look at the golden halos 
floating over their heads, "Kain can do anything! If he can open up anything 
from subspace to a time vortex, he can surely destroy you! We must escape!" 
Ryoko banged her fist on the table.

"We've stopped him once, we'll do it again!" Tenchi nodded.

"Yeah, I have my Light Hawk Sword!" Tsunami looked doubtful.

"That may be, but Kain can destroy you all the same!" Everyone looked at her 
strangely.

"I thought we were immortal," Mihoshi asked, confused. "And what's immortal?" 
They ignored her last question, but agreed with her.

"He can destroy you, even if you ARE immortal! Don't ask why, there are many 
issues involved," Tsunami said, looking a bit strained. "If you are destroyed 
now, you cannot be brought back to life!"

"We can be alive again?" Kiyone asked incredulously. Tsunami nodded but waved 
the statement away.

"Come on! We must leave!" Tsunami said, becoming frustrated. Sasami went to 
Tenchi.

"But Tsunami, we have Tenchi, Ayeka, Achika, Yosho, me, and you. Please tell me 
that that's enough to beat Kain?" Sasami said, giving Tsunami and innocent 
smile. Tsunami shook her head.

"Still! Come! We-," Tsunami stopped abruptly. The door of the house burst open 
for no reason at all. A couple moments passed until someone appeared at the 
door. Azusa walked in, looking about the room regally. Misaki jumped in joy.
"Honey! How good of you to show up!" she said. Ayeka, Sasami, and the rest 
looked at the King of Jurai strangely. Ayeka stood up quickly.

"Father," she said, smiling only how a princess could, "why are you here? What 
happened?" Azusa turned red as he continued to stand royally. He cleared his 
throat, almost impatiently, and gave his daughter the reply.

"Er, ahem, Kain, er, destroyed my ship. He seemed to hate me...and Jurai as 
well. He'll be arriving soon, I expect." Mihoshi nearly toppled out of her seat. 
Tsunami looked back to Tenchi.

"All the more reason to leave!" Tsunami said. This time there were no 
disagreements. They all nodded, looking worried. "Okay. Come. We will go to a 
secluded place that I have created." Everyone nodded again. Ryoko noticed that 
Tenchi was clutching his sword tightly. He was murmuring things under his 
breath, barely audible. Ryoko caught some of them.

"I can't let him get mom. Not again..." he muttered. Tsunami smiled. There was a 
bright flash of pinkish light and a whooshing sound.

Tenchi and his friends found themselves in a dark black place with a swirling 
gray mist. Nobiyuki almost immediately recognized the place. "This is from my 
dream!" he exclaimed. Tsunami smiled and nodded once.

"Kain cannot get in here," said Tsunami, quite pleased. Washu shook her head, 
unable to accept that this was happening.

"For a goddess, you don't know much. Listen, if he can break out of subspace, go 
back in time, and get to this other world, he'll find us here for sure." Tsunami 
turned slightly pink. Kiyone was struck with a sudden thought.

"Tsunami, why are you going through all this trouble to keep us safe?" Tsunami 
looked uncomfortable.

"Well, er, you're important to me..." Tsunami mumbled. Very ungraceful for a 
goddess, Washu thought. Funaho caught on to what Kiyone was trying to figure out 
and stepped forward.

"That is NOT the reason, and you know it, Tsunami," she said calmly. Tsunami 
sighed and closed her eyes.

"Are you implying that I do not care about you?" Tsunami asked softly. Funaho 
faltered.

"Of course not," she said sharply. "I doubt that members of the High Council 
rarely get this involved without specific jurisdiction from the High Counselor 
himself." Tsunami's smile grew a bit larger.

"Yes, you are correct, of course. You see, you twelve, thirteen if you count 
Ryo-oh-ki, are a key element in the continuation of the High Council. When the 
time comes, the High Counselors will step down from their positions and you will 
succeed them." Everyone was awestruck.

"When is that time?" Ryoko asked, grinning. Tsunami shook her finger at her.

"That information is for the High Council to know. You will know when it is 
time," she answered simply.

Everyone sat and lounged about the odd swirling mist. Washu had managed to 
regain her holographic computer (most likely with the help of Tsunami) and was 
tapping contentedly away sitting on her floating pillow. It seemed like days 
until something unusual happened. Washu had jumped up and begun to yell.

"Everyone! It's time to leave! A massive amount of energy is moving this way!" 
she bellowed. Everyone jumped up immediately. Tenchi looked around.

"Where's Tsunami?" he asked, looking around worriedly. They all shook their 
heads. "Washu!" he said, turning to the scientist. He wasn't surprised to find 
that Washu had already begun to search for the goddess. They heard a loud moan 
come from nowhere in particular as Washu jumped off her pillow.

"That way!" She pointed to the left of Tenchi. He activated his Light Hawk sword 
and hurtled off to find Tsunami. As he ran, he yelled for them to stay there.

"You all stay here!" he called. Of course, they didn't listen and followed him 
as soon as he was out of earshot.

Tenchi was looking around frantically for any trace of Tsunami in the black mist 
place. It seemed to go on forever although he was running forward. He heard 
another moan. He increased his pace. After a while, he saw a light glow 
flickering in the distance. When he got a little closer, he saw that it was 
Tsunami.

She was holding up her shield to block- "Kain!" Tenchi yelled. Tsunami moaned 
again and fell to her knees. Kain laughed as he pushed his way into the shield.

"You cannot withstand my power, Jurai!" he said as Tsunami began panting.

"Tenchi, go!" she managed to gasp.

"No!" he cried as he lunged at Kain. He sliced off one of the white hands of the 
foul black mass, causing violet blood to splatter on Tenchi and Tsunami's 
shield. The foul black creature regenerated it, of course, but Kain diverted his 
attention to Tenchi.

"Tenchi! No!" someone gasped. It came from behind Tenchi. He turned around and 
saw all his friends (Ayeka was the one who gasped).

"Why didn't you stay?" he yelled, turning back to Kain. Achika walked up a few 
steps.

"So THIS is Kain!" she said incredulously. Kain noticed her and growled in 
anger.

"You!" Kain lunged at her but was stopped in time when Ayeka put up a shield. 
This angered Kain even more. The King of Jurai marveled at his daughter's power.

"Ayeka," he whispered. Azusa looked to his side and saw Yosho biting his lip.

"Okay, Mihoshi! Get you gun out!" Kiyone told her partner. She felt around for 
her gun and sighed. "Never mind, Mihoshi," sighed Kiyone. Mihoshi was looking 
frantically for her blaster and was asking herself if she'd lost it. Sasami was 
petrified. She just stood there with her mother, who looked upon Kain with 
intense dislike. Funaho was doing likewise.

Ayeka's shield faded away as Kain changed his target to Ayeka. Ayeka gasped and 
backed away, quivering with fear. "I will destroy you, Jurai!" he growled as he 
pointed a clawed finger at Ayeka. A blue energy appeared in front of his finger, 
but Ayeka looked too scared to move. Tenchi realized the danger the danger and 
ran in front of Ayeka as a large amount of energy came roaring towards her.
 
It hit Tenchi, causing him to fly far back over the heads of his friends. Washu 
saw him throw his sword at Kain. It got lodged in Kain right where a normal 
creature's heart would have been as Tenchi landed on the ground. Ryoko gave a 
howl of pure fury as she continued Tenchi's work. She grabbed the sword and 
sliced it downwards, cutting Kain in half. Violet blood splattered on everyone. 
Before the evil monster could regenerate, Tsunami sealed him in an energy globe 
and sent him off, triumph covering her face.

"Achika was cradling Tenchi's head as she wiped sweat from his damp head. "It's 
okay now, Tenchi, I'm here," she said soothingly. Tenchi was still twitching as 
the remains of the energy buzzed on him.

"Mother," Tenchi muttered, hugging his mother. Suddenly, Tenchi faded away, 
leaving Achika's arms empty. She looked at Tsunami for an explanation.

"Where is Tenchi?" she asked, her eyes filling with tears. Tsunami bowed her 
head and answered. They were all dreading her answer.

"As I told you, Kain had the power to destroy, even if you ARE immortal," she 
said. There was a faint note of a sob in her voice. Ryoko sat down on the ground 
and began crying openly.

"No! Not again! Why?" she cried, sobbing. Ayeka sat down with her and also 
started to cry. They hugged each other, weeping into each other's shoulders. 
Tsunami looked at Sasami and saw her. She was very pale and tears ere slowly 
flowing down her cheeks, like a melting glacier. Tsunami opened her mouth to say 
something but stopped abruptly.

A bright ball of light had appeared near Achika, who was being hugged by 
Nobiyuki. The ball grew as it increased in brightness. It continued to grow 
until it was the size of Ryoko. There was a whoosh as the ball faded away, 
revealing-

"Tenchi!" Kiyone gasped. It indeed was Tenchi. He had a magnificent, flowing 
blue robe on with his Light Hawk Sword thrust in the belt, which was tied in a 
neat knot in the center. Ayeka and Ryoko stopped crying, but promptly started 
again as they cried tears of joy. They were all wondering what Tenchi was doing 
here. He looked around as he opened his eyes. He found he was wearing a robe and 
looked like he was startled to find himself here.

"Tsunami, what is the meaning of this?" Achika asked, smiling as she looked at 
Tenchi, who was looking around, bemused. Achika tried blinking away her tears, 
but they continued flowing down her cheeks.

"There is only one explanation of this," Tsunami said. She was slightly annoyed 
to see Washu sniggering to herself. "Ahem," Tsunami cleared her throat loudly to 
stop Washu from snickering, "this means...that Tenchi has become a god." 
Everyone was looking open-mouthed at Tsunami, including Tenchi.

"What?" he said. There was an odd ring to his vice. It seemed to have more depth 
and had a soothing effect. There was short silence that was broken by Achika, 
Ayeka, Sasami, and Ryoko hugging Tenchi at the same time. Mihoshi and Kiyone 
were jumping up and down in joy. Misaki was twirling Azusa around, laughing in 
relief. Yosho was smiling and standing next to Funaho. Ryo-oh-ki transformed 
into her assimilated form and joined Sasami. Washu was still giggling.

"May I ask, Washu, but why are you laughing?" Tsunami asked the mad scientist.

"Because," Washu replied, "it took you that long to figure out what Tenchi was?" 
Tsunami turned pink. "That little ball of light should have told you."

"Tenchi," Tsunami hastily changed the subject, "why don't YOU try and take us 
home?" Tenchi looked over the girls' heads with a confused look.

"Me? I can't-," he started, but Tsunami held up a hand.

"Try," she said simply. Tenchi knew it would be no good to argue, so he gently 
pulled the girls off him. He concentrated hard on trying to transport everyone, 
but there was a flash and a cracking sound, throwing Tenchi onto his back. "More 
practice, I think," Tsunami said, trying not to laugh. She noticed that a bright 
light was starting to glow around them. Tsunami smiled and praised Tenchi. "Well 
done, Tenchi." Tenchi shook his head.

"It's not me," he said, looking slightly apprehensive. The light intensified and 
they felt a soaring sensation.

They found themselves in a bright room facing a panel of people, of true 
immortals, at a tall table. The room was a dreamy white with swirling mist 
emitting from the foot of the table. Ryoko recognized one. "Lady Tokimi!" she 
exclaimed. There were eleven people at the table with one space empty. Ryoko 
assumed that this was Tsunami's space.

"Thou hast done well, Prince," a man with a magnificent golden tunic.

"Yes, you have all done well," Lady Tokimi said. None of the members of the High 
Council were smiling.

"We have seen your courage, and the living world needs such people. The way your 
fates were planned was thrown completely off by Kagato and that son of his, 
Juya. The task we planned for you to do must be fulfilled," another member said.

"Therefore, we are giving you all your lives back," Tsunami said, being the 
first member to smile. Lady Tokimi held a hand up.

"With one exception. Lady Achika and Prince Tenchi must stay here." Everyone 
gasped. A life without Tenchi? Ryoko thought. Ryoko walked forward.

"Listen, all of you, I'm not going to live ANYWHERE or ANYTIME without Tenchi, 
you hear?" she said rudely. The rest walked up, or at least the rest of the 
women. Azusa, Nobiyuki, and Yosho were just standing there in a dazed stupor.

"Me neither!" Ayeka exclaimed. Washu came up next.

"Yeah! Who'll be my guinea pig?" Washu said, smiling sweetly at Tenchi, who was 
very pale. Tokimi swelled in indignation.

"Washu, I believe YOU are a goddess? Why do you go against your sisters?" she 
said, calmly but turning slightly pink. Washu tutted.

"I WAS a goddess. I've no desire to be one. I do NOT need any powers, either." 
The first council member turned to Tenchi.

"What dost thou desire?" Tenchi looked at everyone. Sasami looked like she was 
on the verge of tears. Ryoko and Ayeka were standing stiffly with Achika, who 
was biting her lip.

"I would like to go home with my friends." The member who spoke looked put out. 
He was clearly expecting Tenchi to cooperate. "So be it. Dost thou want to keep 
thy powers?" Tenchi shook his head. "Then, when thou reenters this world, thou 
will regain thy powers." 

"But, if you really need them, I will allow you to have them," Tsunami said. 
Tenchi smiled and nodded.

"Thank you, sir," Tenchi said gratefully. He turned to his mother. "Sorry, mom, 
but I couldn't bear it if my friends were living unhappily." Achika smiled, 
trying to hide her tears.

"Of course you wouldn't. I want you to be good and take care of everyone! Don't 
forget me, now!" Tenchi nodded, allowing a single tear to roll down his cheek. 
He gave his mother a final hug as he heard an all too familiar whoosh. The room 
disappeared with a flash of white-blue light. 

Tenchi found himself in his house with all their friends. His friends looked 
odd, though. There was a great amount of dirt in his hair and on his face, like 
Ryoko. Ayeka, Sasami, Yosho, and the rest of the Royal Family of Jurai had holes 
and rips in their clothes. Mihoshi and Kiyone were struggling with half a shirt 
and half a pair of pants. Tenchi grinned and said the most beautiful words he 
could. 

"Let's party!"

~~~~~
Wow, that was kinda long, huh? I don't want to put a disclaimer, but I have to 
if I don't want anyone to sue me...::sigh::

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Pioneer and AIC.