Tenchi Muyo!

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Disclaimer: This episode of Tenchi Muyo! is of my own creation. I do not own any portion of Tenchi Muyo. "Tenchi Muyo!" and all related characters, names, etc. are ©1992-2003 AIC Inc. and Pioneer LDC. All rights reserved.

Note: This story line is a sequel to 'The Choices We Make' by C-kun. I recommend reading it, it is pretty interesting.

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The Darkness Within
Chapter 1:
Plunge into Darkness

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Depression.

That is the only emotion Tenchi Masaki now feels. Over a decade ago, his house was residence to several interstellar visitors, many of which had deep affections for him. After he had finally declared his love for the space pirate Ryoko, he thought that his life could only get better.

How wrong he was.

One by one, the people who he had considered to be his family left him. Ayeka was the first to leave. After she found out that Tenchi didn't love her, she left, declaring that she is simply taking a vacation to help calm herself and will be back. By being Jurian, she has an extremely long life, so their vacations can last many years.

The next to leave was Mihoshi. Her grandfather had gotten word that she was staying on earth and he wanted her to come back to HQ so he could be near his only granddaughter. She reluctantly left, promising to return as soon as she could.

Then came the woman Tenchi loved and had called his wife. For a while, Ryoko had lived peacefully on earth with Tenchi, but after a while, she became bored. Her old adventurous nature started kicking in and she desperately wanted to go out and have fun, instead of living a normal earth life. Though she loved Tenchi with all her heart, she just couldn't bear to sit back and calmly live out the rest of her life. After many fights between the two, Ryoko eventually had enough of living the simple life and left as well, taking her cabbit/spaceship Ryo-Ohki out with her. Washu left to follow her daughter shortly afterwards.

Ayeka's sister Sasami, who by then had assimilated with the goddess Tsunami, soon grew tired of waiting for her sister to return and of the emptiness of the house. After a particularly nasty break up with an earth boy she fell for, the princess/goddess decided to go back to Jurai, taking with her Yosho, her and Ayeka's brother and Tenchi's grandfather.

Yosho initially did not want to depart with his only grandson, but duty and responsibility towards his goddess Tsunami forced him to do otherwise. That and since now Ryoko had all three of her gems back, his spaceship tree Funaho could no longer feed off of their power, meaning that both he and the tree had a limited life span.

Finally, after a ten-year vacation, Ayeka returned. She only stayed long enough to tell Tenchi that she had gotten over him and fell in love with another earthling and would be taking him to Jurai to meet her family, since now they all had left.

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So now it was only Tenchi and his father left in the house. Tenchi thought that his life had reached an all time low.

Then his father passed away, leaving only Tenchi to be alone with his memories and the pain that they have caused him.

Nearly a month after Ayeka had returned and then left, Nobuyuki Masaki decided to try to cheer his son up by taking him out to a nearby club where he could drown his sorrows in loud music and lively people. Tenchi had liked the idea and was getting ready to leave when he heard someone collapse by the front door. The prince ran over there to find his father, who was clutching his heart and wincing in pain. He quickly called for an ambulance and waited for it to arrive with his father dying in his hands. After several minutes, the ambulance could be heard nearing the house. Nobuyuki looked up at his son, taking his hand. He slowly muttered, "I love you son," before going limp in his arms. The prince cried out for his father to come back to him, but he didn't.

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So it is now two months later, and Tenchi had lost the will to live. Handfuls of empty saké bottles litter the floor around him. The once proud man looks to his right hand, in which a pistol is firmly grasped. There is only one bullet, but that is all that he needs. He would have used the Tenchi-ken, but his grandfather had taken it with him along with his spaceship tree Funaho when he left earth. Tenchi slowly pulls the gun up to his face and puts it in his mouth. He closes his eyes and begins to pull the trigger...but stops at the last moment.

For over a month now he has tried to take his life and end all the pain and depression, but he never has able to pull through. It is as if something he can't control is forcing him to stop just before he performs the deed.

Tenchi sighs lightly and puts the pistol back down next to him, staring at it for a while with bloodshot eyes. "Oh well," he mopes. He decides to watch some television to possibly cheer him up a bit. The station that is on is the Galactic News.

The newscaster, a humanoid with long white hair and pointy ears is just starting a report. "And now more news about the Jurai Royal Family situation. As most of you now know, Princess Ayeka Jurai returned to Jurai after being gone for over 700 years just over a month ago and brought with her an earth human, who she claims to love. This has caused many Jurian officials to argue the beliefs that only pure blood Jurians are worthy of being on the throne, seeing as how the princess is now set to become Empress once the Emperor steps down. It was originally set up for Princess Ayeka to wed her half brother Prince Yosho, but he has stepped down from both the marriage and his future as the next Emperor of Jurai. Princess Ayeka had this to say, 'Well I must disagree with all of these beliefs about who we can and cannot marry. Lord Prince Tenchi Masaki, Yosho's grandson, married the Space Pirate Ryoko so I fig..." Ayeka's speech is cut short by Tenchi throwing a half filled saké bottle into the television, causing it to explode.

He looks at the broken television, and then at the remains of the saké bottle littered around it. He now only had one bottle left. "Damn," he mutters.

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Meanwhile, not too far from planet earth, Sergeant Mihoshi Kuramitsu is anxiously heading back to her old home. In the years since she has returned back to HQ, she has changed into a completely different woman. Shortly after she had returned, her grandfather had revealed to her that her old partner, Kiyone Makibi, whom Mihoshi thought to be dead, was still alive. Mihoshi had always blamed herself in her partners supposed death, and the news that she was alive brought the GP officer to a major emotional breakdown.

After some therapy and a tearful reunion with her old partner, Mihoshi changed. Gone are her bubbleheaded and klutzy ways. Now she is a calm and collective person. She is now able to focus during the job, and quickly became a great Galaxy Police officer, going up through the ranks. She has finally earned a long vacation and thought of the best place to spend it, her home away from home, the Masaki residence on earth.

Unfortunately for her, she doesn't know all the events that have taken place after she was forced to leave. She is just happily sitting in the control room of her ship Yukinojo, thinking of her family and what they will be like when she gets there.

Suddenly the main intelligence unit appears in front of the GP officer. "Miss Mihoshi," it starts, "we will be at earth in just under three hours."

"Great!" she squeals, "I can't wait to get there!"

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Tenchi is slowly drifting off into an uneasy, drunken sleep. He thinks he hears the sounds of a space ship landing nearby, but quickly dismisses it as nothing. 'Why would they come back now?' he thinks.

He is startled by the sound of someone knocking on his front door. He struggles to get up and makes his way through all the trash that litters his home to the door.

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Mihoshi can hear the sounds of someone shuffling towards the door. Her excitement increases each passing moment. The door opens and she shouts, "Surprise! I'm ba..." but quickly stops as she gets her first look at Tenchi. He looks terrible. His short spiky hair is now much longer and filthy. He is unshaven and has a strong smell of alcohol on his breath. His clothes are dirty and disheveled. She takes a quick look behind him to the mess that was once her home for so long. Mihoshi then notices his eyes. Besides being bloodshot and looking tired, there is something depressing in them. Gone is the warmth and compassion they once held so firmly. Now there is only pain and despair.

It takes the prince several moments for his eyes to focus and recognize the woman in front of him. "Miiossshiii?"

"Tenchi," she begins, a note of concern in her voice, "What...what happened?"

The prince backs away and slowly stumbles towards the couch in the living room. Mihoshi follows, pushing away all the garbage on the floor as she makes her way through. He plops down the couch and looks up to her. "Peasse ssit."

She takes a quick glance at the filthy couch before responding, "Um, no thanks, I'll stand." She then notices the empty saké bottles all around Tenchi and the pistol on his right side. Her eyes go wide in fear.

He shrugs and grabs the last bottle he has, downing it easily. He tosses it behind him and looks back up to her. "Why're you ere?"

"I...I was on vacation and I wanted to see how everyone was doing," responds the blonde. "What happened here?"

"Evrone lefd me. I'm all lone."

She walks up to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Tenchi, are you okay?"

Those words have an instant effect on the prince. It is if something snaps inside of him. His depression and loneliness vanish, being replaced by pure anger and hatred. He is quickly on his feet, his state of drunkenness leaving him as a cold rage appears in his deep brown eyes. "Am I okay? AM I OKAY!? Of course I'm not okay! You and the others left me here by myself to rot! I thought we were family! My entire life is a disaster because of all of you!"

Mihoshi backs away from Tenchi's rage. She has never seen him like this before and it scares her.

His tirade continues. "One by one, all of you left me here with my father! I had to helplessly watch him die in my arms while I waited for an ambulance to come and help him! Where was my so-called family then, huh? I'll tell you where: OUT ENJOYING YOURSELVES!"

His rage increases by the moment, but little did he know, so is his power. Before he knows what is happening, three glowing triangles appear on his forehead and his three Lighthawk Wings activate in front of him.

Then suddenly, something happens. Something terrible happens.

With a surge of power, Tenchi's Lighthawk Wings flash for a moment and where there were once three, now stand five.

Mihoshi trembles with fear as the five Wings change before her eyes. They warp to match their owner as the darkness to overtakes him. Now, five fiery black Lighthawk Wings stand in front of the prince. The three glowing triangles on his forehead sizzle away and turn into five and become black to match the Wings.

Tenchi holds up his hands and the Wings pass over him, creating his Lighthawk armor. The armor is now black and gray instead of white and blue. He holds out his right hand as one Wing turns into his Lighthawk sword. This too has changed to match the insurmountable darkness coursing throughout Tenchi's body. The sword is also black and gray and now has jagged sides, like a saw.

The prince holsters the sword at his side and turns to Mihoshi. Tears begin to pour down her face as she looks into his eyes. They are so cold and unforgiving that even the most battle-hardened warrior would falter in front of them. An evil sneer escapes his lips, a sneer never meant for his kind, loving face.. He slowly makes his way to her. "I am angry at you for leaving me," he says in a calm tone, "but I know that you had no choice. Your job forced you to leave and stay away from here. For that I am willing to spare your life. I only ask you to leave this place and forget everything you have just witnessed."

Mihoshi stands back up, trying to reach the kind, compassionate man hidden deep within the darkness. "T...Tenchi, please, come back to us."

He closes his eyes while turning his head to the side. "I am sorry but it is too late for me. Now leave."

She does not listen and walks up a bit closer. "Please Tenchi."

"I SAID LEAVE!" he bellows as a burst of Lighthawk energy blasts the GP officer through the window, throwing her all the way to the base of Yukinojo, fifty feet away.

She stands up and begins to walk back to the house, when several blasts of black energy stream from the house and explode all around her.

"Leave!" he shouts, "This is your last warning!"

Mihoshi shrieks and runs breakneck speed into Yukinojo. Its engines quickly roar to life and the GP cruiser is in the air within seconds and leaves Earth's atmosphere into space.

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Tenchi's rage disappears as he watches Mihoshi leave. "Now it starts. Those who have willingly done this to me will suffer." He takes a look around the house. "This house carries with it too many painful memories. It must go." Lighthawk energy begins to surround his entire body.

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Mihoshi is now at the moon. "Yukinojo," she starts in a shaky voice, "stop all engines and patch up a visual of the Masaki household."

"Yes ma'am!" replies the ship.

A monitor appears in front of her showing the Masaki house. For a moment, it looks all peaceful and normal, as if nothing has happened, but then the house suddenly bursts into flames.

"Oh Tenchi, what did we do to you?" Mihoshi says to herself as she begins to sob hysterically at the sight in front of her.

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Meanwhile, about two weeks from the Solar System, the spaceship Ryo-Ohki flies peacefully towards a nearby planet. It's two occupants, Ryoko and her mother Washu, are sitting peacefully inside, drinking a little saké and enjoying life at the moment. Shortly after Ryoko left with Ryo-Ohki to go out and explore a bit and have some fun, Washu popped in on them, surprising them both.

Ever since, they have traveled through the galaxy, sometimes exploring ruins for the little genius, other times going and making some minor thefts here and there (Ryoko's been out of the game for a while and she wants to keep her 'space pirate' image). One time, she actually became a vigilante for a short while, helping to capture and bring in a ruthless murderer. The pirate and the short redhead have bonded a bit over their time together, now becoming closer than they have in a very long time. The three have been so busy that they hardly noticed how much time passed from when they last left earth.

Currently, the pirate looks out into endless space. Her mind wanders to her husband back on earth. 'I wonder how he's doing,' she thinks to herself. 'He never responded to any of the messages I sent him. I hope he remembered how to open them on the television,' she adds with a worried look. Ryoko suddenly grasps her head and screams out in pain.

Washu is quick to her side. "Ryoko! What is it? Are you okay?"

After a couple of seconds, the pain recedes and the pirate lets go of her head. "I...I don't know," she replies weakly, "but I think that something bad has happened, something really bad."

The genius frowns lightly at her daughter. "Something bad huh? Do you have any idea where it was at? If it attacked you mentally, it must be from someone or something you have a certain special bond to, cause I would've felt it too normally."

Ryoko closes her eyes, straining to find out what might be going on. Her mind focuses on a single point. Her eyes shoot open, the fear clearly evident in them. "Earth!"

Washu's eyes quickly match her daughter's as she thinks of the one person. "Oh no, Tenchi!"

In the blink of an eye, Ryoko is at Ryo-Ohki's controls while Washu inputs coordinates into her holo computer. As Ryo-Ohki turns around, a subspace portal appears in front of her. She enters and they are suddenly right by Earth.

"Ryo-Ohki," Ryoko starts, "show us Tenchi's house."

"Meow mya."

Both women and the cabbit ship gasp as the monitor opens up, showing the house in flames. There are several fire engines around the house, and dozens of firemen trying to put out the blaze.

Ryoko falls to her knees, silent tears pouring down her face. Ryo-Ohki lets out a mournful cry. Washu just covers her face in horror and turns away, not wanting to see her former home burn to the ground.

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Meanwhile, in a different dimension, inside a great temple, three shadowy figures loom over everything. The middle figure materializes as Tokimi, the Goddess of Justice and Death. A look of extreme satisfaction now occupies her beautiful face.

A red jewel below her flashes for a second before her faithful servant the demi-god D3 appears. "Well Lady Tokimi, it appears that all of your patience and careful planning have finally paid off."

"Yes it does D3," replies the goddess in her sweet voice. An evil smile escapes her lips. "At last, my Champion has been awakened!"


To be continued...

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Author's notes: I had read the story 'The Choices We Make' and I had instantly thought of a way to continue it. I had been itching to make Tenchi a villain and this posed as the perfect opportunity for me. I made sure to get C-kun's permission first, who was happy to oblige. I really like this story line, and I hope that everyone else will too. Future chapters will be made soon.

For those of you who thought I was making a new chapter for this series, I'm sorry, but not gonna happen. I'm just fixing up my mistakes and covering up the partial holes in the story. Enjoy the changes. -- lighthawkdemon

Questions or comments? E-mail me at: [email protected]

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Editor's notes: I wrote 'The Choices We Make' a while ago, the first version several years ago and the current version about a month ago. It was a response to what I saw as unfair treatment of Ayeka by Ryoko fans. I hadn't planned on continuing it, but lighthawkdemon saw an opportunity to do something new and (at least to my limited knowledge) original: turn Tenchi into a villain. I was quite flattered by someone wanting to write a sequel to my work, and I gave him the go ahead. This was the result, and is quite good, in my opinion. He does a convincing job of continuing my story, and has what looks like a very promising start to a series. So, keep reading more as he brings them out, and go read my story while you're at it. You know you want to. Ja! -- Caduceus-kun