I don't Own Tenchi or any of the characters. Pioneer does
Previously: A Terrible Accident occurred, sending Tenchi and Nobiyuki to the Hospital  
in Critical Condition. Tenchi is now stuck in the dream world while he fights for his life  
and his father is now dead. Jericho returned just as he said he would, but left shortly after.
And Now, The Conclusion to the First Part of what I call  
The Eternity Trilogy


Tenchi Muyo
Dreams Within Dreams
Episode 08
Dreams Within Dreams
By The Nexodus


"Life is Just a dream that's Never Ending, Now I'm Ascending"
				Cowboy Bebop - Blue


	Tenchi rushed the first Gollum as it reached the platform. As he ran, thoughts  
were plowing through his head. Why was he forced to take on the last two tests at the  
same time? Why did his mother vanish? Tenchi would find the answers later. Tenchi  
jumped sword up and jammed it right into the head of the first gollum. The first of 100.

	Kyone sat with all eyes on her. Questions were going through everybody's head  
as to how she knew Jericho. Kyone was definently in the hotseat. Ayeka asked the first  
question. "The way you two sounded together," Ayeka Began. "It sounded like you two  
knew each other for a long time." Kyone looked at Ayeka.
	"It was a long time ago. A long long time ago." Kyone took a deep breath. "I was  
a freshman at the galactic space academy when our paths first crossed. Back then, nobody  
knew of the assassin Jericho, he was just an upstart when I met him. He was disguised as  
a student and we were in several classes together. Back then, I was also a screw up. I  
made fun of protocol and got low marks. My father, the general, was very displeased with  
my grades, but I didn't care. I was just having fun. One year passed and Jericho and I  
became very close and, yes, intimate. One day, when I was alone at the movies waiting  
for Jericho, I received a call. My father had been murdered. I began to hunt the man who  
murdered my father and ended up finding Jericho. I was sad and entered a small  
depression, but then I decided that I would never let anything like that happen again. I  
started to get serious in my studies and graduated top of my class." Everybody was wide  
eyed at the story Kyone gave them. Mihoshi, noticing that a tear was sliding down  
Kyone's face, walked over to her and hugged her.
	"Its ok Kyone." Mihoshi said. "I too have had bad memories and know what its  
like. Don't worry."  
	Suddenly, Washu ran into the waiting room. "Tenchi's Convulsing!" She yelled.  
Everybody followed her to Tenchi's room.

	Tenchi was a wreck, but he still had to keep fighting. After a while, he had  
defeated 25 of the gollums, leaving 75 coming right at him. Tenchi was bleeding,  
sweating, and his muscles ached from driving the sword into solid stone. Tenchi rushed  
number 26 and as he closed in, number 26's hand smacked Tenchi away like a fly.

	Boom. Tenchi's body shook thunderously into the air as the doctors tried to keep  
the comatose Tenchi still. "What could be happening to daddy!" Mayuka said to  
Tsunami. The Goddess looked down at the daughter of Tenchi.  
	"I think I know." Tsunami began. "Don't worry, little one. Your father is  
fighting."

	As Tenchi hit the ground, he felt as if his ribs were cracking. "Damnit!" Tenchi  
yelled. 26 was now joined with numbers 27 through 50. Tenchi stood up and lifted his  
sword high and he sliced through a rocky hand that was plummeting down upon him.  
Tenchi jumped up onto the handless arm before him and ran to its head, bringing his  
blade through it skull. As the gollum fell, Tenchi jumped onto the next one and repeated  
the process. As Tenchi leapt onto the third, he was violently smacked into the wall.

	Boom. Washu strapped his arms and legs to the sides of the bed to prevent him  
from shaking. "Tenchi calm down!" She yelled, but Tenchi would never hear it were he  
was.

	"This is crazy," Tenchi began as the Gollums surrounded him. Tears slowly slid  
down his cheeks. He knew he was going to die. He was afraid that he was never going to  
see any of his friends ever again or ever kiss Ryoko. Tenchi was afraid that he would  
loose them all, but Tenchi could not take it anymore. Tenchi threw the sword away from  
him and stood tall. "Come On!" He shouted to the giant Gollums "Finish me! NOW!"  
and then, the Gollums all rose their hands, preparing to squash their prey. And they  
brought their hands down, only to stop right above Tenchi.  
	The Gollums drew their hands back and walked away. Tenchi was dumbfounded.  
Did he pass the test? Was he free to see the council? Suddenly, a loud voice boomed into  
the area. "Tenchi Masaki." It began. "Son of Atchika, grand son of Yosho. You have  
passed the test of Strength. No man has bested 25 gollums with a single sword before.  
You have passed the test with mid score, so you shall not earn the rank of Sovren. You  
have also passed the test of courage, but with mid score for you were afraid of loosing  
every thing and you were afraid of death. There for you shall not become an Sovren, but  
you will be permitted to meet the council." Tenchi gave a sigh of relief. Thank god, he  
thought as he sat down, exhausted.

	Tenchi stopped shaking and everybody returned to his or her previous positions,  
but Ryoko was no longer hovering over Tenchi's sleeping body. She was now on the roof  
of the hospital, watching the snowfall. Many thoughts were running through her head.  
Many of these thoughts disturbed her. When she first felt Tenchi convulse underneath her  
arms, she was both shocked and scared, and now she was worried about him even more.  
But that wasn't the main focus of her thoughts. She was scared for them. Ever since they  
had first met, formally, things have been bad. She was abducted by Kagato and used to  
try to kill Tenchi. Dr. Clay. The whole thing with his daughter. The race through time to  
save his mother. Kagato sending Tenchi to a desert planet and Jericho. They've been  
through a lot. And now with the event occurring now. Ryoko thought to her self-outloud.  
"Oh Tenchi, wouldn't it be great if we could just leave and live happily ever after. Just  
the two of us, with no enemies." Ryoko sighed. "If only it were that easy. The way things  
are going, it'll only get worse." Ryoko looked out at the moon in the dark winter sky. "If  
it keeps getting worse, it'll have to get better sooner or later, right?" She asked the moon.  
Suddenly, a shooting star appeared and she remembered a story Tenchi had told her. If  
you ever see a shooting star, make a wish and it'll come true. Ryoko held her hands  
together, hoping that this would actually work. "Oh magnificent shooting star," She  
began. "Please let my Tenchi and I be together, Now and Forever." As if it were  
answering her call, the star exploded in the sky, causing a quick aurora borealis effect.  
Ryoko gazed in ah at the picture of beauty and for the first time in hours, she smiled.

	A gate appeared infront of Tenchi and he walked through it silently. His mother  
was on the otherside, ready to greet him. "Congratulations!" She said as she hugged him.  
Tears were sliding down Atchika's eyes, for she thought the worst would happen to her  
son.  
	"So I get to meet the council now?" Tenchi asked.
	"Yes, you may." Atchika said as she led her son through the tunnel to the gate.  

	Darla was outside, just like Ryoko, but she was one block away, taking a walk in  
the snow. With her thoughts to herself. Why was she there, she thought. She was just a  
minor character in their lives, not doing much to benefit their lives or her own. Darla had  
not been feeling alright for a while now. Ever since she was given a name and a human  
body. She used to be an android known as D, but that name and body was shed for a new  
life that she wasn't enjoying anymore. One calamity after another. It was either Ryoko  
and Ayeka fighting or some kind of supervillain. She didn't want it anymore.  
	For weeks, Darla had been planning to leave, just not knowing when to do it.  
Doing it now would be selfish and cruel to the others, so it would have to wait. Then she  
could go on her own and have her own adventure. Her own life. As much as she loved  
her friends, it was time to go. Darla walked back to the Hospital to wait with her friends  
one more time.

	Tenchi was seated in a very large, spectacular auditorium. Almost arena size. It  
was huge and the architecture was a cross between Greek and Jurian. Amazing. His seat  
was, suprizingly, in the middle of the arena. Next to him was his mother. Tenchi was  
ready to end it and leave. He knew his condition in his physical body and would like to  
make sure he survives. He also wanted desperately to see his friends. The council before  
him was dressed in large black cloaks and their faces were, infact almost invisible.  
Tenchi could make out cheekbones and stuff like that, but their real faces were hidden.  
	This is it, Tenchi thought. This will end his premonition dreams forever. Tenchi  
was finally going to choose his own path and live his own life. The Council began to  
speak.  
	"Tenchi Masaki," The man at the head of the council spoke, sounding just like the  
voice he heard at the battleground. "You have braved 3 mighty tests and greet this  
council of space and time. For what business do you wish to know?" This was it. Tenchi  
was going to set matters straight.  
	"I am here for one reason and one reason only." Tenchi began. "I wish the council  
to stay away from me and my friends. In fact I wish that the council would stay away  
from every civilization in the entire universe!" Tenchi cleared his throat. "I've seen many  
things in my short life, but none are as evil as the ones I've seen done by the actions of  
this council." One of the cloaked men on the right of the room protested.
	"Brave words for a mortal." He began. "I would like to council to remember that  
all our actions are meant for purposes and with out our interventions, chaos would reign  
supreme throughout the universe." Tenchi interjected
	"Our universe is already in chaos because of your actions!" Tenchi shouted.  
Atchika brought her hand to Tenchi's shoulder, trying to ease him. Tenchi noticed this  
and calmed down. The Leader stood up.
	"Tenchi Masaki." He said, with sternness in his voice. "What you ask cannot be  
done. We can stop entering your dreams and the dreams of your friends, but we cannot  
stop what we do. The events we cause are tests of civilization. Let's take the recent  
events on your planet. Thanks to us, the entire planet is much, much closer to peace."  
Tenchi didn't think of it that way. The leader continued. "Your request is partially  
granted. If you want to live without our help, so be it. Just be careful, for your future may  
not be clear without us. You are free to leave." Tenchi stood up with his mother and they  
both walked away.  

	Tenchi and Atchika arrived where they had started. The starry plan. Tenchi was  
sitting on whatever floor there was, next to his mother. He was finished with the dreams.  
Never again would they plague him. But something was unsettling. As the gate opened  
for him to return to his body, he had one more question to be answered. "Mom." He  
began. "Tell me the truth. Did Ryoko really do those things? Watchover me when I was  
young, I mean." Atchika smiled.  
	"Tenchi," She began. "The Council does not hide truths. They always tell the full  
truth in their visions. Ryoko did do those things because she cares for you very, very  
much. She loves you, Tenchi, with all her heart." Tenchi never really had to ask. He  
never doughted Ryoko's love for him, ever. Tenchi and Atchika stood up as he walked  
over to the gate. Tenchi was just about to enter when he turned around.
	"Will I ever see you again?" He asked. Atchika hugged Tenchi and kissed his  
cheek.
	"Don't worry, My son," She began. "I will always be with you, always." Tenchi  
felt better now and he was ready to go home.
	"Goodbye." He said as he stepped through the light. Atchika was now alone, and  
so was her Tenchi, for she knew that Tenchi was about to loose something of great  
importance.

	"He's awake!" Mihoshi called into the waiting room. Everybody pilled into the  
room to see Tenchi moving and blinking.  
	"Hey everybody." He said, in a very drowsy state.

	And so, we return to where we started. (Remember the Beginning of Episode 07)  
and a month had passed. Tenchi held the camera as steady as he could for somebody who  
had several broken bones, but thanks to Washu, his bones were almost as good as new.  
He just needed to walk with a cane for a little while and then he would be back to normal.  
	Tenchi leveled the camera, just perfect and took an amazingly beautiful picture of  
the sunset as night fell and he knew what was awaiting him at the shrine. His Fathers  
Viewing. Tenchi had to go early to greet the guests and make sure it was alright.
	Tenchi decided that enough was enough and he began to walk to the shrine.  
"Going somewhere?" Came a voice behind Tenchi. Tenchi looked over to see Ryoko  
standing on a large stone behind him. Tenchi shook his head.
	"If you want to take me, you could just say it." Tenchi said. Ryoko floated down  
and hugged Tenchi.  
	"Tenchi?" She asked while they were still in the embrace.
	"Yeah Ryoko?"  
	"Tenchi, please remember that I will always be with you. No matter what.  
Through the ups and the downs. The backs and the forwards, I'll be there." Tenchi pulled  
away from the embrace so he could look into Ryoko's golden eyes. Tenchi smiled and  
leaned over to kiss her. The kiss was perhaps the most powerful kiss ever in the entire  
universe and for one brief moment, the world was perfect for the both of them. They're  
own little world that they could call their own.  
	They finally broke the kiss and Tenchi looked deeper into Ryoko's beautiful  
golden eyes. And as Tenchi stared into Ryoko's eyes, he decided that even though things  
will get rough, she will always be by his side. Even in the midst of a galactic war. Just  
like when he was young. Tenchi then unconsciously blurted three simple words that he  
would prove to live by for the rest of his life.

"Now And Forever."

The End

Email Me at Nexodus@msn.com
  
Coming Soon: Tenchi Muyo! Now and Forever: Episode 01