DarkPatu

She let go of the knife and lifted her hands to her face, wiping away the tears that still flowed from her eyes in heavy streams. “She loved you before I ever met you, and before we all…” She sniffed wetly, and took a ragged breath. “To steal that single shred of happiness away would be too cruel.” She shot him a hateful look through her red-rimmed eyes as she calmed her voice. “Crueler even than you…” She climbed awkwardly off of him and stepped aside, leaving the blade stuck into the roofing. Another shuddering breath passed her lips as she hugged herself. “We need you, Tenchi, our world needs you. When you abandoned what you were and the entity you were to become, your mind locked down. Your memories of divinity lent you extraordinary power and your body shifted into this plane of existence.”

She looked out over the darkened city and took her first steady breath in several minutes, letting her hands fall to her sides. “That power fueled your mind and your soul… and built this universe around you. This city, this world, this plane, does not exist except inside your mind.” With a slight flourish, she swept a hand at the sky and the rain stopped completely, almost seeming to draw back up into the midnight sky as the clouds calmed their furious roiling and smoothed out into a single grey sheet. Tenchi drew back against the roof and had to quickly shade his eyes as the clouds parted suddenly in a perfectly straight line a blindingly blue sky opened up overhead.

He lay on the roof propped up on one elbow as a tear rolled down his cheek, stunned the beauty of the second blue sky he had seen in more years than he could remember. Haloed by the soft, warm light that shone down upon them, he saw Washu smile softly, her eyes warm and inviting. “Come back to us, Tenchi…repair our world and yourself as well.”

Wiping the last tears from her eyes, she walked towards him again and crouched at his side. She let out a little chuckle as he flinched back, but leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. Her hands on her thighs, she stood and turned away from him to look out over the brightly lit city. Rough and weathered stone looked new in the soft sunlight, and the filth of years had been scrubbed away to show a raw fresh city stretching out past the rooftop. “To come back to us, you will need a show of faith.” She said, her voice calm and even. “Your memories still hold the spark of the divine and can lend you their strength, and your blood still burns with the power of Jurai, if you’ll only let it do so.” She looked at him over her shoulder, her expression serious. “You and only you can do this. I can’t bring you out of this, not by myself.”

She offered him another brief, sweet smile before she turned back towards the city beyond the rooftop and walked boldly towards the edge of the building. She took a quick step up onto the raised edge and stepped out into the open air beyond as she phased out. Tenchi slowly sat up and watched as she faded from sight, leaving behind only a faintly shimmering mote of light and the faint smell of sweet anise blended with the sharp scent of chemicals. As the mote of light faded into nothing, the sky grew dark once again and the clouds boiled back in to close the gap. A crackle of distant thunder heralded the storm and the rain fell again, slower than before, but insistent. He took a deep, shuddering breath and brought a hand to his chest in an attempt to quell the throbbing ache in his heart.

Another crash brought with it a flash of lightning into the city, the bolt stretching from ground to sky in a web of forking arcs. One by one, the lights of the city once again flickered to life and spread their dirty glow across the streets. On trembling, weak legs, Tenchi slowly stood from his place on the rooftop. He reeled for a moment before he caught himself and looked around the empty roof. His heart fell when he saw no trace of the magenta-haired scientist, the crushing weight of loneliness once again falling onto his shoulders. He turned towards the roof-access door and blinked as a glint of light caught his eye again. Washu’s blade still stuck in the rooftop where he had just lay, raindrops trickling down its shining face.

Soaked, his heart aching with sorrow and regret, Tenchi crouched and pulled the knife out with a slight grunt. It was almost feather light, but surprisingly long and wide, the face of the blade almost as far across as his forearm and the whole thing stretched from the crook of his elbow to his wrist. “Something to remember her by…” He mumbled faintly as he let his arms fall slack against his sides, the blade slapping his thigh gently as he walked. Dazed, exhausted and ashamed, he choked back a sob as he stumbled through the door and into the humid dark of the stairwell. His legs felt like lead weights as he slumped down the staircase and reached his floor after only three flights. He barely noticed the access door banging open in the wind above him as he trudged into his apartment.

He leaned back against the door as the nights events washed over him, sending him sliding down the door to sit wetly against its base as dry sobs wracked his body. The knife fell to the linoleum floor with a clatter as he hugged his knees, his heart slamming against his ribs with each painful gasp of breath. Slowly, his sobs died away, leaving him staring out into the gloom of his loft apartment, the dingy walls flickering with the light of the television as static crackled across its screen. His red rimmed eyes glossed over the broken dish in the kitchenette and rose slowly up the cabinets to see the earthenware jug still broken on the counter. His eyes wandered further up to an open cabinet door above the sink and caught a glimpse of something reflecting light at the back of the shelf.

He grunted softly as he hand-walked himself up the door and shuffled towards the cabinet, standing on his toes as he reached into the back. His groping fingers closed over a square bottle, warm against his frozen skin. A fine layer of dust and grime covered the bottle, the label faded slightly but readable. ‘Grizzly’s old fashioned mash: select blend’ it said in gold block letters, the amber liquid inside sloshing against the sides of the bottle close to the neck. The memory of his twenty first birthday bubbled up from his weary mind, and wandering into a grungy liquor store, eager to taste the forbidden liquid for the first time. He’d grabbed the first bottle he saw and took it up to the gaunt cashier behind a thick layer of bulletproof glass. A wry smirk and mirthless chuckle passed his lips as he remembered trying whiskey for the first time and choking on the fiery liquor. He set it down on the counter and pulled a glass down with his free hand as he wrenched the cork from the bottle’s mouth and poured himself a healthy dose of the thick golden liquid. As he brought the glass to his lips and felt the smoky burn fill his throat he knew that no restful dreams nor helpful spirits would visit him this night.

Tenchi opened his eyes, blinking slowly as the landscape before him came into focus. A grove of trees lined one side of the plank walkway that stretched out before him, a lake hugged the grassy shore. Heavy clouds hung in the sky, framing the mountains that rose in the distance against a bleak, slate canvas. The Masaki residence loomed ahead, cream colored walls and maroon tile roof muted in the half-light that filtered through the clouds above. He slipped his hands into the pockets of his slacks, still dressed in his rumpled work clothes, not the boy of his youth, but still the aged man he had become over the hard years. He took a deep breath and began to walk towards the house, knowing that somehow his answers would be there, hidden in his memories. His loafers clipped noisily on the weathered planks in the heavy silence as fog began to worm its way out of the placid water of the lake.

His stride slowed as a figure formed in the mist and his breath caught in his throat as the tendrils of fog broke to reveal yet another ghost from his past. Her indigo hair was pulled into a pair of long ponytails that nearly touched the ground as she walked forward, her dress a somber and regal ordeal of flowing white and purple cloth, deep red lacquered shoulder ornaments emblazoned with overlapping golden leaves. She held herself tall and proud, her hands clasped daintily in front of her as she bowed at the waist. Her mouth moved, but no sound came out, not that Tenchi needed it. His throat tightened as he remembered her words that painful day.

“Thank you so very much for your gracious and exceptionally generous hospitality, mister Tenchi.” Her voice had sounded so clipped and controlled, as if she had practiced the lines over and over before allowing herself to speak them. “Me and my sister have thoroughly enjoyed our stay with you in your lovely home, and may it forever be blessed.” All of this came from waist height as she remained bowed, never once meeting his eye. “Perhaps, should we be within a reasonable distance, we shall call on you again, if you would have us.” Her stiff manner told him he would never see her again, ‘reasonable distance’ or no. She straightened up, careful to keep her eyes squarely on his neck as she spoke. “Your hospitality has been more than we could have hoped for and I wish…” Her careful façade faltered for a moment as her voice cracked slightly before she continued. “…I wish you a life of happiness and wealth. Goodbye.” She bowed again and took a few steps backwards before turning and walking back to where her father stood, a great burly man with thick black hair and a beard to match. His eyes were cold and his mouth a stern, hard line as he waited for his daughters to say their goodbyes.

The younger princess was next, dressed in similar finery as her older sister as she coalesced out of the fog to walk towards him. She barely made a sound before her soft voice cracked completely and she threw herself forward, spectral arms wrapping around Tenchi as he flinched back. She sobbed silently against his chest before her father barked out her name and she forced herself to pull away from him, rubbing her eyes with her small fists as she ran back towards the duo.

As quickly as they had appeared, the specters were gone back into the misty fog. Tears threatened his eyes as his vision blurred slightly, remembering how quickly everything had deteriorated after his brief ascension. The timelines split and his birthright denied, Tenchi felt as if he were a stranger in his own skin, an unwanted houseguest under his own roof. Ayeka and Sasami were the first to leave their mismatched family. The older princess would jump whenever she saw him, startled by his presence as if he were a ghost himself and when she did speak to him after the shift her words were clipped and her voice hushed. Sasami herself, usually very affectionate towards him, now shied from his touch and when their eyes met she grew flushed and upset, her mauve orbs glistening with unshed tears.

He shook the memories from his mind and started forward again, musing about how different their tense departure was from Mihoshi’s. The blonde haired, bronze skinned detective had been reassigned to a sector on the other side of the universe, an order she tried to fight in vain using her powerful familial connections. However her transfer papers had been signed and stamped by the head of the Galaxy Police, her own Great Aunt. The sound of boots on the planks behind him broke his reverie and he turned sharply to see Mihoshi standing behind him, her back stock straight as she gave him a textbook salute. Her voice drifted across the years like a faint whisper of wind, her face gravely serious as tears rolled down her cheeks.

“I, Mihoshi Kuramitsu, detective First Class, would like to thank you for your hospitality during my stay as a Top Secret operative to the honorable family Jurai. Should you ever require our assistance, the Galaxy Police will be happy to provide another officer in my place.” She clipped her heels together and shot him another salute before she relaxed slightly, offering him a sad smile as she struggled to keep her voice clear. “I’ll never forget you, Tenchi. Take care of yourself, okay?” She stepped forward and leaned in to place a gentle kiss on his cheek before the fog rose up and enveloped her, leaving behind a whiff of her perfume as it flowed away in wisps and shreds.

He lifted a hand to his cheek to touch where her lips had rested as he closed his eyes and tried to remember the warmth of her, the friendly air that always hung around her like sunshine and gentle breezes. With a sigh he lowered his hand and looked around with a wry smile. “Who’s next? Washu?” He said aloud, his voice muffled by the silence that hung in an almost palpable shroud around the home of his youth. She hadn’t even said goodbye, leaving a note behind explaining that she was needed for a particularly exciting experiment back at the Academy and had been offered her old position as a professor. She had added that she would return, though she didn’t know when, and that she would keep their ramshackle family in her heart and thoughts always until she could see them again. The note was left on the counter where they had found it, unable or unwilling to move it should the spell be broken.

Tenchi turned back to the house and started forward again. He kept his eyes on the worn and rutted planks as he forced himself to remember the worst of the lot. “Ryoko was the last to leave.” His words were a whisper, a hushed summoning as he steeled himself and looked up. She stood there just as he remembered, dressed in a stark black dress with a dark red sash tied around her waist. A small suitcase sat by her feet as she looked him right in the eyes, her full lips pulled tight into a serious line and her amber eyes shining with conflicting emotions.

At first the former space pirate had used the situation to her advantage, clinging closer and closer to Tenchi as the other women left one by one until only the two of them remained. Her competition no longer an issue, she pressed herself onto him, her flirtations growing bolder until the night that she met him in his bed. She had let herself into his room, still warm and fresh from the bath, a cat-like smirk on her face as she slipped out from under the blanket on his bed and offered herself to him. He recalled her enthusiasm in the throes of passion slowly waned as the night progressed. As soon as they had unraveled themselves, she moved to sit on the edge of the bed to stare into the darkness of the room. He had reached out to touch her, comfort her somehow, but she flinched back from his touch.

“Don’t.”

That single word stuck like a blade in his heart as she grew frigid. They ate together in strained silence and when he offered her affection she would push him away. He assumed she was disinterested in her prize now that she had won it, and in a moment of frustration called her on his assumptions. She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms as she glared down at him, no longer the clinging lovebird she had once been but now the fearsome and intimidating pirate she once was.

“You conceited little fool. I know how you really feel. About me, about all of this.” She had growled as she gripped her arms in contained violence. “So I’m the one to blame am I? It all started with me, didn’t it? You released me from that gods forsaken prison Yosho stuck me in and all of a sudden life is just too complicated for poor Tenchi. You stupid bastard…” Her cold eyes thawed suddenly as tears formed and she gritted her teeth in frustration before teleporting away to leave him to stand confused in the living room.

He shivered and bit his lip hard as he held back his tears and forced himself to meet her cold gaze as the last words she ever said to him rose from the graveyard of his mind. “Tenchi…you are a fool and a coward. May you live your life as you see fit, because it seems you do not find me worthy enough to be part of it. And I will not play this charade anymore.”

She’d had no softness for him then, no sweet words, no gentle caress as she picked up her suitcase and turned sharply away. A small form bounded from out of the fog, the floppy long ears of the cat-rabbit hybrid standing up straight as her fur bristled and an angry hiss exploded from her tiny form.

“And then there were none…” He said quietly as a tear rolled down his cheek to catch and drip from his chin. As it fell to the planks below his feet, a quiet rumble rolled from beyond the mountains and a drop of rain splashed heavily into the lake beyond the pier. More quickly followed the first and soon Tenchi stood once again in the downpour, a sigh on his lips as he looked up at the clouded sky and let the drops run down his face. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and continued towards his old home, silently sliding the front door open and stepping inside as thunder crashed and the rain beyond the awning fell in sheets.

Inside the house was warm, almost stiflingly so, as if the walls themselves exuded the heat. His old house shoes sat right where he always left them, a pair of gold and light blue chased boots rested stoically beside them. A smirk crossed his face as he slipped off his loafers and pushed his feet into the well-worn slippers and walked into the home proper. An unseen thread pulled at his heart and urged him towards the living room, the door already opened onto the hallway. Seated on the long couch was the figure that stalked his dreams so recently, its hands folded politely in its lap. The hooded head lifted slightly as he walked into the room and sat down in the easy chair opposite.

The figure lifted its white gloved hands and pulled back its cowl, once again exposing its featureless face, its chorus of voices echoing softly in the nearly empty room. “So…you have accepted what you are, and what you were…but can you see what will be? What will become of you?”

Tired of running, tired of hurting and most of all tired of being afraid, Tenchi only smiled softly and shook his head. “No, I cannot… but I suppose I will have to find out. This is all I can be assured of.”

The featureless face pinched hauntingly as it returned the smile. “I am glad to hear that, I’ve looked forward to seeing you again…” The figure slowly pulled off one of its gloves and leaned over the coffee table, hand outstretched. Tenchi watched the flesh swirl and warp, flowing together only to pull slowly apart in hanging threads before sloughing into the shape of a solid hand once again. His nerves screaming for him to run, instead he leaned in and offered himself to the creature or spirit, whatever it was, hoping to find an end to all of this. He shivered as the icy tendrils of flesh wormed across his cheek and began to spread across his face.

“Will this be the end of it?” He asked softly as a thread of the fluid palm worked over the bridge of his nose, the left side of his face already smothered by the opaque alien skin. “Will you show me the way to finish all of this?” His voice quavered as the thick, putty-like flesh covered his mouth and sealed over it.

Again the face pinched at him, amused. “Perhaps…”

After another moment the malleable ‘flesh’ had completely covered his face, closing off his breathing and sight. Strangely, he felt almost at ease, his nerves calming as he began to slip away and disassociate the figure with terror. It was as if the layer that closed him off was a warm blanket, womblike in its sense of belonging and comfort. He felt the thick layer begin to slowly recede from his face and he opened his eyes again as soon as he was able. Across from where he sat was a facsimile of himself, a mature version of himself that still clung to the handsome lines of youth.

The hard edges of middle-age were washed away, this other Tenchi’s hair still a shining ebony and long enough to reach his shoulders. A neatly trimmed goatee framed his benevolent smile and the symbol of the Light Hawk shone emblazoned on his forehead. The plain white robe had shifted, now a brilliantly opulent outfit in the style of Juraian High Royalty; layers of pristine white shot through with golden thread wrapped around a heady purple tunic while a crimson lacquered mantle rested on his shoulders and covered his chest.

“Tenchi…Tenchi…Tenchi…Tenchi…” The figure before him spoke with half a dozen voices, each crystal clear as the voices of his family echoed out the words of this surreal form.

‘My family…’ He thought as a shiver worked its way through his body. ‘I haven’t thought about them like that in so long…’

“So, so… so… so…” The figure began, that calm smile spreading into a pleased grin. “You have accepted what you are, or at the least, what you would have been. Should have been. I am you. Or perhaps you are me. In either case we are each other, simply mirror images of the same picture. Picture…Picture…Picture.” The other Tenchi chuckled then, as if at some clever personal joke. “Consider what power you could have wielded, a strength you simply cannot comprehend. The entire UNIVERSE at your fingertips and yet you balk at the chance to remake the worlds of the cosmos as YOU see fit. Fit…Fit…Fit…“

Tenchi found his voice then as he shook his head. “I don’t want to remake the universe. It seems to work well enough for the most part or at least as much of it as I’ve seen. I don’t think it needs much reshaping.” He smiled softly as he leaned back into the cushions of the armchair and tried to relax. “Besides, if you’re supposed to be this ‘Spark of the Divine’ that Washu was going on about, why don’t you just keep it?”

The ‘God’ Tenchi laughed again, a rich booming sound that shook his body. “Were it mine to keep I would, but alas as they often are, things are not so simple. Simple… simple… simple.” He leaned forward, offering Tenchi his outstretched hand. “All you must do is accept it and we shall be free, free from our prison, free from our grief. Besides… besides… besides… besides…” His toothy grin grew wider as he locked Tenchi’s gaze with his own. “One must not use power to have it. Think of it, to have the ability to do whatever you desire if you so wish it… is this not a handsome gift? Gift…gift…gift…”

Tenchi felt his hand twitch, and nodded with a sad smile. “It is indeed a great gift, but I don’t want that.” He watched as the smile faded slowly from the ‘God’ Tenchi’s face, his lips pulling tight as he listened. “I’ve never wanted anything like that. Not royal precedence, not limitless power. That’s not the kind of thing that I want from my life.” He shook his head and waved a hand dismissively at his regal doppelganger.

The ‘God’ Tenchi’s brow furrowed suddenly, the offered hand clenching into a fist. His eyes flared suddenly with a brilliant swirl of light and color before they settled into a chocolate brown as he shot Tenchi a smoldering stare. “Want is not a factor, boy, it is what you were meant for and in the deepest part of you it is what you are. You cannot deny this. This… this… this…”

Tenchi shook his head again, his hands trembled but somehow he met the God Tenchi’s furious glare. “No, I choose what I will be, not some cabal of Goddesses, not some high lord from an uppity planet, and not some power hungry pseudo-god cultivated within me against my will.” Tenchi stood from the chair, his fists at his sides as he refused to balk at a figment of his imagination. “I just want to be myself, who I want to be…” He paused as an oppressing wash of nostalgia flowed through him, suddenly longing for the warmth of the life he once knew. “And I want to… to… be with… my f-family.”

The ‘God’ Tenchi stood as well, and laughed snidely as he sneered. “Family…? Family… Family… Family…” He chuckled as he said it, fists on his hips. “Don’t you remember? You rejected your ‘family’ when you rejected your birthright. You pushed away from them as you bled yourself dry of Juraian blood and undid the work of countless years. When you stripped me away you scraped their love from your heart. What could your family do for you when you would not take help from them? Couldn’t bring yourself to borrow strength from their love? Love… Love…Love…?”

Tenchi closed his eyes and shook his head, his throat growing tight. “I loved them too… I loved them all,” He pursed his lips and let out a slow breath. “But I couldn’t be what they wanted me to be.”

The ‘God’ Tenchi snorted and crossed his arms as he arched an eyebrow at his mortal alter-ego. “What exactly did they want you to be? What pressing demands did they ask of you but to love them and allow yourself to be loved? Even Washu-Kami-Sama, one of the Goddesses who groomed you to join their ranks, grew to love you not as the man who would be a God, but as her friend. Friend…Friend…Friend”

His resolve shaken, Tenchi slowly sat back down and looked up at the God Tenchi. “They… no, they wanted me to…. Even Tsunami… D-didn’t they?”

The ‘God’ Tenchi laughed again and shook his head, his grin spreading from ear to ear with malicious amusement. “You poor fool, you tore your family apart in an attempt to have some peace, to try to run away from what you thought they all wanted… Wanted… Wanted… Wanted…” His grin faded away to a satisfied smirk as he turned and started towards the door that opened into the hallway. “It’s such a shame, seeing that all they ever truly wanted was you…You…You…You…” With a final glance over his shoulder, the smirking ‘God’ Tenchi was through the door, walking away.

In a frantic rush Tenchi scrambled out of the chair to follow the ‘God’ into the hallway, his breath suddenly coming in great gasps. “D-don’t you tell me that! I… I know what…” His words tumbled out in a stumbling thread, his tongue suddenly thick in his mouth as he ran into the hallway as his divine twin slid open the front door. The rain outside was a solid sheet of water that obscured the world beyond the awning in a wall of grey.

The ‘God’ Tenchi turned again and clicked his teeth in mock disappointment. “And to think, all you had to do to be a normal, regular man once again was one little thing…Remember?” His words bounced off the walls of the foyer, echoing from all sides as he turned and walked through the open door. “Remember… Remember… Remember…Tenchi…” As the echo died away the ‘God’ Tenchi was gone, washed away by the pouring grey rain. As he stood gasping in the hallway, Tenchi watched as that grey rain began to trickle into the doorway and spread in a quickly growing wave of monochrome. Wherever the water touched began to crumble and turn a sickly grey, leeching all color from the paneled flooring and crawling in charcoal fingers up the plaster walls.

“Remember?! Remember what?! Tell me!” Tenchi howled as he fell to his hands and knees, watching as the grey worked its way onto the raised floor and seep into his hands to suck away the color of his flesh as it began to fill the house, draining away all color. He shivered and drew a sharp breath as the painful chill of the grave followed the devouring grey, his hands and arms turning numb as his brittle skin began to crack and crumble away.

As he felt the first tendrils of the deathly grey grip into his neck, a bloodied face pulled out of the shadows behind him, a crystalline protrusions pushing out of its forehead as a violet eye opened in the darkness of the decaying home. “Remember…” It hissed as the numbing chill of death closed over his head.

‘I remember…’

For the first time in quite some time, Tenchi awoke from the disturbing dream without a start. He rolled his tongue over his lips and groaned softly as he opened his eyes, lying on his bed as he stared up at the ceiling. Sometime during the course of the night he had stripped off his sodden shirt and ruined tie and had fallen into an alcohol fueled slumber in his slacks, his belt hanging from the loops.

He attempted to sit up but felt the presence of a terrifying hangover throb behind his eyes and reconsidered. His mouth felt like as though had been wrung out and washed on a sandstone board and the thought of moving made his stomach roll. He turned one rheumy eye towards his digital clock and groaned again. Three hours late for his shift. The pounding inside of his skull only amplified as he drug himself up and out of bed. He squinted against the grey light of the city that filtered in through the single window as he shuffled into the bathroom like a ‘B’ movie zombie.

The dim overhead light in the bathroom cast deep shadows over his haggard face, his skin pale and slack against his skull. Dark bags hung below his bloodshot eyes and he spat into the sink. He made a disgusted face at his own thick, oddly colored sputum and turned on the faucet with a squeak. He cupped his hands under the flow and caught the icy water, splashing his face several times as he fought back down the lion’s share of a bottle of 92 proof whiskey. He wiped his face dry with trembling hands as his stomach knotted with something significantly heavier than alcohol induced nausea. As he turned off the light and stared into his own cold, dark eyes, he knew what he had to do.

He turned and walked slowly back to his bed as he fumbled with thick fingers to clasp his belt together. He quickly scanned the loft, but clicked his teeth in disappointment as he pushed his hands into his pockets. His eyes widened as he paused then pulled his right hand out of his pocket, the gemstone nestled in the hollow of his palm. Blinking hard at it, he saw a flicker of crimson light dance across its surface and he smiled softly as he squeezed his hand around it, a thrill rising up his spine as the light flared from between his fingers.

Tenchi walked to his nightstand and opened the top drawer, a frown on his face as he rooted through the nick-knacks and debris for his pen knife. He shut the drawer with a frustrated grunt and scanned the room for a moment before he paused and looked back at the doorway. Glistening on the floor was Washu’s knife. A smirk crossed his haggard face as he walked towards the kitchenette. “Fitting…” He said, his voice gravelly after such self-abuse the night before. He toed past the shattered glass and picked up the blade, checking its edge against the hair of his arm, a half-chuckle escaping his lips as a small cloud of sheared hair drifted down to the countertop. He placed the blade carefully down on the counter and traced the tip of his finger against the faint scar where he had first extracted the gemstone. He sighed and flexed his arm as he lifted the overly large knife and steeled himself to what had to be done.

He took several deep breaths before he took a lungful and held it as he dragged the edge of the knife against his forearm, exhaling the breath in a strained grunt as the blade bit eagerly into his arm. The hot iron-tanged scent of blood filled the kitchenette as it streamed from the fresh wound, his flesh parting like soft butter against the silvery metal. He clenched his teeth against the pain as he hissed in his breath and set down the knife, suddenly worried about how deep he had cut himself. Crimson blood stained fatty tissue and flowed easily from sheared muscle as it ran down the curve of his arm to pool and trickle off of the countertop.

With a strained grunt he opened his twitching hand and took the gemstone between two fingers. As he pressed it gently against the searing wound it flared suddenly to life and pulsed with contained power. He took another few breaths to quell the churning of his stomach and ease the thick, hot feeling that flooded his already foggy mind, then pressed the sphere hard against the open wound. He cried out, his eyes closed tightly as he felt it stretch his already parted skin further. The flaring energy burned at his flesh and almost seemed to be wriggling in his grasp as if eager to dig itself into his skin.

A final hard push forced the gemstone under his skin where it bulged up like a cyst, the pain fading from searing agony to a nauseating throb. Panting heavily, he leaned against the countertop with his eyes closed and tried to ignore the pain that shot up his arm and wished he had thought ahead to have some gauze ready. The pain faded faster than he had hoped, and his eyes shot open as brilliant scarlet light shone through his eyelids. He jerked back from the counter, splattering blood across the tile as rays of vermillion energy streamed from the wound and slowly dwindled to a pinpoint against tight, newly formed flesh.

A shocked chuckle bubbled out of his throat as he flexed his arm and turned it back and forth, examining the spotless skin. The gemstone hummed softly just below his wrist, a faint red bulge just underneath his skin. He blinked rapidly as he gently touched the bulge, the stone free under his flesh rolled slightly back and forth as he played with it, painlessly sealed into his arm. He smiled wide, then winced expectantly as he waited for his hangover to reprimand him for such mirth, but no repercussions came, the toxins flushed from his bloodstream by the power of the stone, leaving his mind clear and his energy restored. Grinning, he easily leapt over the broken dish and rushed to his wardrobe to dress for the day.

He left off the tie this morning, leaving his first two buttons undone on his dress shirt as he pulled on his blazer and finished off the dregs of his cup of coffee. He made a face as the bitter drink flowed down his throat, the brew tasting almost vulgar after tasting Kiy… Sasami’s tea again after so many years. He set the mug into the sink and took one last look around his drab apartment and sighed with mixed emotion. This would be the last time he saw it, one way or another.

He descended the staircase two steps at a time and thrust open the door at the bottom landing with a grin as he stepped out into the city. He blinked and shaded his eyes in confusion as he looked up at the sky like a man who had opened his eyes for the first time. The ever present grey clouds that domed and choked the city had parted, and for the first time since he had moved here so many years ago, he saw the city in sunlight. A peculiarly sad smile split his face as he looked up at the sun and stretched out his arms, letting his body grow warm in the light.

He turned in a quick circle, unable to keep himself from laughing as he saw teenagers dressed in brilliant colors and trendy outfits, beautiful women in light airy dresses and a group of casually dressed businessmen chatting and laughing down the sidewalk. Blues, greens, reds and yellows assaulted him from all sides as he was almost brought to tears by the wonder of it all. A sea of vibrant hues rose before him as he ran down the sidewalk, his heart pounding in his chest as he hopped up and landed on the brushed steel handrail that bordered the staircase down to the train station, sliding down gleefully on his rear.

After all, you should enjoy the last day before you go on a long trip.

The door to the cramped office swung crazily inward and slammed against the wall behind it as Tenchi strode in, his head held high. A litany of curses boiled out of the office as the sounds of furniture scraping aside and a flurry of violently thrown paperwork fluttered in the air for a moment. The expansive girth of Gregory Murdock suddenly filled the doorway to his office as his eyes bulged. “Masaki!” His gravelly voice boomed in the small space as he passed his constantly smoldering cigar from one side of his mouth to the other, chewing it viciously.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” He demanded as he squeezed himself out of the doorway and advanced on the grinning man a sausage-like finger jabbing at the air. “Do you have any damn idea what time it is? You’re four hours late and you look like shi…” The end of his sentence was cut off by the wet crunch of Tenchi’s fist ramming into the bridge of his bulbous nose. The crack sounded even louder in the confined space as he Murdock stumbled back to fall roughly on his rear, his nose a mass of red ruin and quickly swelling.

Trent bolted up from his chair and rushed to Tenchi’s side, grabbing him and giving him a shake. “TENCHI, man, what the hell are you doing?!” He hissed, his brow furrowed and eyes pleading as he glanced from Tenchi’s face to the prone form of Mr. Murdock, the obscenely fat man trying to roll onto his side to clamber to his feet. “Are you trying to get fired?!” He asked sharply as he watched Gregory finally stand up, streams of thick dark blood trickling between his fingers as he looked at Tenchi with a terrified expression and waddled as quick as he could back to his office, slamming the door behind himself.

Tenchi laughed and grinned wide as he waved his hand dismissively, Gregory Murdock’s blood still trickling from his knuckles. “No, I’ve quit. No need for this job.” He paused, then smirked and shook his head as he clapped a hand on his companion’s shoulder. “Say,Trent, I need to talk to you…” He snapped his fingers and nodded happily. “Tell you what, let’s meet at to your place, say 7:00? I want you to help me with something, but I’ve got a lot to see before I leave.” Trent nodded in a daze as he looked from Tenchi’s bloodied fist to the closed door of Mr. Murdock’s office and back again.

“Y-yeah, sure…” Trent replied as he pulled himself out of the fog. Tenchi smiled even wider and nodded before he slapped the shaken man on the back and turned to walk out of the office. He paused mid-step and turned back around, his head tilted slightly as he looked hard at the blond haired man.

“You know, I never noticed how blue your eyes are…” He smirked and clicked his teeth before he turned back and strutted from the office.

Trent paced his apartment, his eyes flicking to the clock every few seconds as he thought back to Tenchi’s unexpected attack earlier that day. ‘What has gotten into that man?’ he wondered as he fidgeted with his wristwatch, a fine sheen of sweat on his forehead. ‘Did he win the lotto? Or maybe just get laid? What is happ…’ he jumped sharply as he heard someone knock at the door, half-running over and opening it with a shaking hand. Tenchi stood there, a grin plastered to his face and his clothes disheveled, his hands tucked into his pockets.

“Hey there Trent, thanks for having me over.” He said as he slipped confidently into the apartment and took a moment to look around. Tasteful furniture was scattered about in a professionally nonchalant manner, trying very hard to seem as though no one tried at all. Fine art prints hung on the walls, and worked silver and iron ornaments sat on almost every available surface. He slipped a hand from his pocket to lift and examine a welded steel statue of a horse as he turned around, looking at it closely. “I came by because I needed some help with something….” Tenchi said, as he replaced the forged equine, altogether far more cheerful than Trent thought he should be for an unemployed possibly wanted man.

Trent nodded hesitantly as he looked his co-worker up and down. “Sure thing Tenchi… But I’ve got to say, you’re kind of freaking me out… y-you hit our boss, man, and you look awful… I mean like you look really sick.” He stepped in closer and extended a shaking hand, trying to feel the older man’s temperature.

Tenchi chuckled and stepped back as he shook his head. “Trust me, I’m fine! I just had a bit too much to drink last night is all.” He smirked as he hitched up his pants and slipped his hands into his pockets once more. “So, Trent, you have a gun, don’t you?”

Trent’s eyes went wide and he took a step back, positioning himself close to the door. “I… wait, what?! Why do you want a gun?” A terrible image flashed into his mind as he wondered, Tenchi, standing over Gregory Murdock, HIS gun smoking in Tenchi’s grip as Mr. Murdock’s brains were splashed across the pavement…

Tenchi laughed and waved a hand at the young man, his pale face pulling tight into a smile as he regarded his friend with an amused sigh. “I just need a gun because I have to die.”

Trent stumbled back, his hands shaking almost violently now as he tried to wrap the concept around his head. He stammered for a moment before he managed to yell out. “What the FUCK are you talking about?! You want to die?! Why?!”

Tenchi shook his head and sat down on the couch in Trent’s living room, chuckling as he tossed his arms over the back “No no no, I don’t want to, I need to.” He saw Trent’s expression and sighed as he leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. “Okay, so you see it all started back when I was living in Japan. You remember those women I lived with? They were aliens, like beyond the stars aliens. And it turns out, so was I, only I didn’t know it yet. But it also turns out that two of them were actually goddesses in disguise who wanted me to become a god! And then the aliens wanted me to be their new king and the demon woman space pirate wanted me to be her husband, and the space police officer, well I don’t quite know what she wanted, but the other god candidate wanted to kill me so that he could be the new god and he said it would all work out fine because the goddesses would resurrect me.”

He paused for a breath, then continued his manic explanation. “The thing is when I did become a ‘God’, I acted like an idiot and wished it all just go away because I was scared of what it would mean for my life and you know, ultimate power corrupts ultimately… whatever.”

Trent slowly inched his way closer to the door as he subtly reached into his pocket and gripped his cellphone, feeling the keypad with the pad of his thumb for a moment. After he had recognized the keys, he pressed ‘9-1- ‘. Ignorant to all of this, Tenchi continued. “So you see, when I made that choice, I accidentally broke the time stream into different paths. So, I need to die so the three goddesses can resurrect me into their plane of existence, this whole city is in my mind as it turns out, a construct of my own imagination. So if I cease to be here, then I can become part of their world again and make everything work the way it needs to again.”

Tenchi sighed as he leaned back on the couch and gestured with a hand. “So you see, it’s actually a very simple situation.”

Trent had gone pale, the sheen of stressful sweat dripped down his face as he shook his head and pressed himself against the furthest wall from Tenchi that he could find. “What. The. Hell. Tenchi, man, you’re insane… I… I can’t just shoot you… and I won’t let you shoot yourself either…” He swallowed hard and pulled his phone from his pocket as he pressed the final ‘1’. The dial tone echoed in the tense room as Trent stumbled back away from Tenchi, and put the phone to his ear. “Look,Tenchi, you need help, man… I… I’ll just get you some help, okay?” He glanced towards the door , his hand shaking as he held the phone to his head.

“9-1-1 Emergency, this is Tracy, how can I assist you today?” Trent yelped and dopped the phone, scrambling for it as Tenchi slipped past him and snatched up the device with surprising speed. He looked at the faintly glowing face of the phone and sighed softly as he pressed the ‘end’ button, a warm smile on his face.

“Trent…” Tenchi sighed. “I’m not making it up, look at me…” He smiled toothily as he stood and spread his arms. “I’m fine! Here, take a look at this.” He unbuttoned and rolled back his sleeve, showing Trent the glowing gemstone tucked under his skin. “This is a gemstone that houses the memories, powers and knowledge of the woman who wore it. It was actually a part of one of the goddesses, but to limit herself she split her powers and memories into these three gems. Pretty awesome, yeah?”

Trent paled suddenly and retched as he saw the gaping wound in Tenchi’s forearm. “What… what the fuck did you do to yourself?!”

Tenchi arched and eyebrow and looked over at his shaken friend, his mouth pulling into a confused line. “What do you mean what did I…?” He looked down at his arm and started to shake. The gemstone was indeed lodged in his arm, but it sat between the gap of his ulna and radius, his right hand stained a dark red from his wrist down, the dried blood cracked and flaking off as it hung slack and useless. The white-yellow tendons that clung to his bones were loose and the muscles of his arm were bunched and frayed, stiff with dried blood. More vibrant red oozed slowly from the angry looking wound, streaks of cracked dried blood tracing a web of lines away from it.

“No… it… it was healed…” He stammered as he felt his stomach flip, bile filling his throat before he swallowed it down. “I-I put the gem in and it… I…” He saw the stone glisten between the exposed bones, both pushed awkwardly aside to allow it between them and pushed his fingers into the wound. He winced slightly as the dark, dried blood flaked away as he scratched at and dug into the wound, breaking open dozens of scabs and causing fresh blood to trickle down his forearm.

Trent rushed over and snatched his hand away as he pulled off his button-up shirt and started to tear it into strips for a makeshift bandage. “Gods man, what is wrong with you?! Here, sit back, let me see this…” He mumbled softly as he started to wrap up the gaping wound but Tenchi continued to pull back. Frustrated, Trent yelled in the small apartment. “Goddamn it, we’ve got to clean this and get you to a hospital!”

Tenchi pushed away quickly as Trent tried to pull his arm into a shred of cloth and tie it over the grotesque wound. He shook his head and frowned. “Look, you just don’t understand… I have to do this… OK? I have to fix what I’ve done, and this is the only way I know how.” He stood and walked around the couch, heading for the door.

Trent quickly intercepted him, his hands out in a gesture of innocence and peace and slowly stepped closer to his friend, smiling nervously. “You’re right, I really don’t understand what’s going on, but please, just let me help you… W-we can figure this out together, man.” He leaned in and offered him a hand. “Please…”

Tenchis’ frown faltered slightly as he slowly raised a hand to meet Trents’ own, but felt the gem embedded in his arm pulse and begin to grow hot as Trent’s outstretched hand came close. He paused and licked his lips before he slowly shook his head.

“…No…”

Tenchi began to circle around Trent, the sandy haired man following suit as each paced the other and they slowly shifted places. “Washu told me that I had to show faith… “As they completed a circuit of the apartment, Tenchi quickly turned and dashed for the door, reaching out and wrenching the doorknob. He swung the door open and stepped quickly into the hall, a deep frown on his face. “And I will, Trent, with or without you.”

Tenchi swallowed hard and flashed a sad smile to the younger man. “Goodbye, Trent.” He turned down the hallway and ran as Trent rushed to chase after him.

“TENCHI! WAIT!” Trent’s voice bounced off the walls and followed Tenchi as his feet pounded the smooth worn carpet down the corridor and he threw himself against the doors, shoving them open into the night.

The soft, staccato rhythm of rain on the still-warm concrete greeted him as he broke out of the apartment building and into the darkness of the city. His breath coming in great panicked gasps, he pulled up his shirt-sleeve as his legs pumped and looked at where the gash had re-appeared, running his fingers over the new, smooth skin.

‘I knew it… it was an illusion…‘ He smiled softly as he ran through the city, the raindrops trickling slowly down his face to drip off his chin as a single thought drove him towards the one place he knew as home for all these years.

‘I will make things right, Washu… I promise’.

The city seemed so small from up here. The wind tugged at his shirt as Tenchi stood atop the stone retaining wall that enclosed the roof of his apartment building. The tallest skyscrapers seemed to be but stick-thin shanties, and the buildings below were but squat, dwarfish things, mere shadows of what they once were.

‘This world…’ He mused, a slight smirk on his face. ‘Did I really make it?’ He looked around at the brilliantly lit city beyond, a sea of colors and light. Then he turned and looked down at the crowd that had gathered and stared up at him, the bustle of activity below him on the street like ants on a sugar cube. ‘I made this world, and now that I’m about to leave it, it’s starting to fall apart.’

The rain fell in a persistent drizzle and made the sodium lamps on the street send out halos of light to shine on the faces of those gathered below. ‘Creations looking up at their creator.’ Red and blue lights flashed in the shadows like distant fireworks on a crisp autumn evening.

A crash of thunder masked the sounds of someone trying to force their way through the roof-access door, but Tenchi just smiled, knowing he barricaded it quite securely. A screeching siren made its way through the night, echoing and dwindling, swelling and fading as it passed through the streets.

‘In a way, I’m going to miss this place… But I’m going home…’

A bolt of lightning split the sky and the crash of thunder echoed between the buildings. Another crash sounded behind him as the access door finally gave way, aluminum screeching as it warped and bent, falling from its hinges.

Tenchi looked back and saw Trent standing beside a pair of fully-kitted police officers who held the battering ram. Behind them stood another pair of men, these in pale green jumpsuits with white jackets over them. He just smiled and chuckled as they advanced. “Tenchi! Don’t do this!” Trent cried over the wind and cupped his hands as he yelled. “We can help you!”

Tenchi turned on the narrow surface to look at the men and shook his head.

“Trent…” He sighed, smiling happily to see his friend, his creation, so concerned. “Thank you. I don’t think I could have stood this place without you here. I’ll remember you fondly.”

Trent pushed past the officers, his blue eyes sparkling behind his glasses. “Please, man… just step down… come back down here and everything will be fine, I promise.”

Tenchi shook his head, stretching his arms wide. “Everything is fine… and I am coming down. And I’m going home…”

The first tilt seemed to take an eternity, falling backwards like an ancient tree, creaking and crackling in the forest. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion.

He saw Trent and the officers run forward, their feet rose and fell like men trying to wade through deep snow. He saw Trent’s hand outstretched, reaching for him, his fingertips brushed against his shirt too late as he felt the wind catch him and swirl around his body. Tenchi’s feet left the stone wall and for a moment he had become one with the sky.

Suddenly the world caught up, and he felt the pull of gravity as it tore him down and away from the roof. Tenchi smiled serenely as the the gemstone burn at his wrist, glowing with a terrible light through his skin. He felt the heat of the stone’s power burn through his body, filling him up as he plunged through the night sky, the windows on either side of him falling quicker and quicker.

Tenchi maneuvered himself to turn over and looked at the distant ground as it shot up at him, closing his eyes and reveling in the rush of wind past his ears and through his hair. He felt his blood boil with the familiar feeling of material conversion as could almost hear his body returning to its youthful state.

His hands filled out, now free of their heavy veins and wrinkles, his body once again grew slim and muscular, his hair jet black and full, even his ponytail seemed to whistle in the wind as he fell.

“Washu…Ayeka…Mihoshi…Sasami…Noike…Ryoko…” He felt his eyes prickle as tears formed and floated up in the wind to glitter like diamonds in the night sky.

“I’m coming home…” As the ground neared and he could see the shocked faces of the gathered crowd, he felt himself slowing. He felt pairs of arms wrapping around his body, holding him tight. A warm breath caressed the back of his neck, and fingers twined themselves in his hair, holding him tight and close as he began to cry, shaking at the feeling of being loved, and the touch of those he cared for the most.

“Tenchi…” He heard the voices whisper, the words carried to his ear by sweet, warm breath.

“I… I’m so sorry… I’m sorry for everything… I… I couldn’t….” A spectral finger pushed to his lips and stopped his words as the ground rose to meet him.

Blinding white light enveloped his world, and through the haze, shadowy figures slowly began to form. A voice whispered echoed in his ears as he felt something strain and break inside of him, a tenuous gossamer thread, snapping in an instant.

“We forgive you.”

“Teeeennnnnchiiii!” A sweet, high-pitched voice rang over the fields and he looked up to see a young teal haired girl skipping up the path. A carrot-shaped backpack hung from her shoulders, a fluffy brown creature bounding after her. He smiled and ran the back of his hand across his forehead as he leaned on the end of his hoe and waved to her as she drew close.

“Good afternoon, Sasami! How are you today?” He called as he set down the hoe and walked to meet her halfway. As she got closer he stumbled back suddenly, his blood running cold as he saw her round face as a blank and featureless plane beneath her light blue bangs. She too stopped and leaned back, her arm lifted in alarmed defense, wary of his sudden change in expression.

“T-Tenchi? Are you okay?” He shook his head and turned away from her and rubbed his eyes with clenched fists till star-fields of light and color burst through his vision. Blinking away the drifting haze he looked back and let out a sigh of relief. Her face had returned, her young features wrinkled with worry.

“Y-yeah…” He stammered with a faint smile, waving away her concern. “I guess the heat is just getting to me this afternoon.” He planted his fists on his hips and offered her a genuine smile, the presence of the young Juraian princess always brightened his day. “What can I do for you Sasami?”

Her worries assuaged for the time being, her face split into a huge grin as she slipped off her pack and unzipped it. “No, it’s what I can do for you!” She beamed as she reached into the backpack and pulled out a small box wrapped tightly in a handkerchief. “I brought some lunch for you!”

His eyes lit up as he gratefully took the box and turned to climb onto the stacked-stone wall that marked the perimeter of the field. “Oh, thank you Sasami! How did you know that I was starving?” He set the box on his lap and started to untie the knotted handkerchief. As he opened the lacquered box he smiled at the young girl and patted the warm stone beside him. “Will you sit and talk with me while I eat? I’d hate to send you back to slave in the kitchen so soon.”

The little girl nodded and giggled as she hopped up onto the ledge herself. “Oh, it’s no bother, it’s a pleasure to cook for you all, and you just enjoy it so much.” She smoothed out her dress and laid her hands in her lap as he took a pair of chopsticks from the bundle and set into the boxed lunch. They both started as with a jump and a soft MYAAA a small brown, floppy-eared creature pulled herself up onto the young girl’s shoulder. The cabbit Ryo-Ohki took a moment to get her balance and nuzzled against the girl’s cheek. The princess reached up and scratched under her chin, a bright smile on her face. “Hee hee, Ryo-ohki wants to sit with us too.”

Tenchi smirked around a mouthful of rice and fried pork and felt as though he couldn’t remember experiencing such a moment of peace. The sun beamed down, warm and clear through the azure sky and a gentle breeze brought the scent of apple blossoms and sweet grass from the meadow. He watched as Sasami played with Ryo-Ohki, and felt his heart swell. His eyes began to prickle and he quickly looked away, setting his chopsticks down across the box as he brought the back of his hand to his eyes.

“Tenchi?” The sweet voice brought him back around as he rubbed his eyes, her cheerful face once again worried. “Is something wrong? Do you not like your lunch?” Her voice so full of worry it almost made him laugh.

“No, not at all, I just… got a bit of dirt in my eye.” He replied as he inwardly rolled his eyes, sounding foolish even to himself. He offered her a warm smile as he picked up the chopsticks again and nodded. “It’s delicious, thank you.” She nodded back, her smile returning and the lines of worry fading away. He took another bite, working it into his cheek so he could talk as he used his chopsticks to play with his rice. “You know, not too long ago I caught myself napping up here. I have got to be spending too much time around Mihoshi. Before you all came to stay with us if grandpa had caught me slacking off he would have had me up by my ear in a flash.” He chewed slowly and swallowed, then chuckled as he shook his head. “I had such a strange dream too… and you know, the funny thing is, I don’t even remember sitting down… Isn’t that weird?” He smirked and turned to look at the young princess beside him.

With a clatter the box fell to the ground, rice and pork cutlet scattering across the grass as he jolted up. His foot caught a stray rock and he stumbled back into the shadow of a nearby oak, the sunlight winking through the swaying leaves disorienting him even further than the specter that loomed over him.

Where the princess had just been, the hooded figure now sat, its white and blue robes fluttering slightly in the breeze. He half crawled, half crab-walked further away from it and deeper into the shadow of the oak as a cold sweat trickled down his face to sting his eyes. He blinked these away, furiously rubbing at his eyes as he scrambled to his feet, his breath coming in huge gulps as terror screamed up his spine. As his vision cleared he let out a yelp before his throat closed up. The world had become a mirror image and his scrambled crawl had brought him closer to the seated figure. He turned to run but once again faced the stacked stone wall and the hooded ghoul, its featureless face somehow smug in the scintillating sunlight.

In an instant, it was standing before him, no motion between the two positions as if a frame had been snipped from its shift to its feet. It was larger now, head and shoulders above him as it drifted forward in a stuttering float, remaining motionless as it suddenly occupied a new space. In his horror, Tenchi noticed that while the flat plain of its face remained still and featureless, faint hints of expressions seemed to rush past and rise from within it, like faces in the window of a speeding car or bubbles in a boiling pot. A glimpse of amber, the shadow of magenta, the curve of a lip and the tip of a nose flashed by in an instant as he stared transfixed. The flesh too began to shift in hue as it faded from porcelain to deep tan and several shades between continuously melding together yet never actually resolving as any of them.

Tenchi swallowed hard and steeled his nerves, fighting his body as it screamed for him to flee as he began to tremble uncontrollably. “Y… you can’t… I don’t know you… w-why are you here?” He stammered his mouth dry and a metallic taste at the back of his tongue. “What do you want from me?”

The blank face focused on him, causing his insides to roil as he automatically flinched. The warped face seemed to pinch as if smiling. “I want YOU, Tenchi.” The myriad of voices echoed faintly across the field, coming from all directions at once. “I want you back. Back with us…”

He shook his head as cold sweat streamed down his face and back to seep into his clothes. “N-no… I… I don’t want that… I can’t…” He clenched and unclenched his fists as he continued to retreat, his teeth bared in a grimace. “Don’t you know I can’t?”

The figure went out of focus for a brief instant before coalescing into super-real lines and edges, suddenly upon him. “Then why am I here?” The voices took a sing-song tone as it lifted white-gloved hands and began to sway gently with the breeze as if dancing to some unheard music. “I wouldn’t be if you didn’t call to us.” The figure daintily began to pull one of its gloves off and let it drop to the grass where it faded into mist. The revealed hand shifted like water as it continued to dance towards him, the shimmering fingertips leaving trails of skin-toned mercury in the air as it moved before condensing again.

“Come back, Tenchi,” It cooed as it twisted and beckoned to him. “Join us. Don’t you miss us at all?” The figure spun towards him, hand outstretched, welcoming him into its surreal dance.

“I… it’s not that…” He closed his eyes tight as he clenched his fists, his knuckles going white as his fingernails dug into his palm. “I can’t.” He said softly as he shook his head. “I can’t do it again… I won’t!” It came out as a shout, echoing across the field with the same unnatural cadence of the spirit, making that blank face tighten just enough to imply a mischievous smirk. A weight suddenly dug into his upper back and seemed to flow in a warm pressure to his shoulder. His instincts began screaming in his head to run, don’t look just run. Slowly, he opened his eyes.

Draped across his shoulder was a brown mass, flowing like some kind of over-sized amoeba up his back to swell and bunch and shift to form a football sized carbuncle. It burst a pair of long antennae that bulged upward, forming rabbit-like ears that dripped the viscous ichor down the front of his shirt. With a wet squelching sound it pinched near the front to make a kind of head that turned as jet black hollows dug themselves into the ooze. These seemingly bottomless pits focused on him as a tear opening across its ‘head’ just below the eyes like a gaping wound, strands of the brown sludge hanging from the top half.

MYAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH

The sound was not so much a meow as an enunciated exhalation of breath, far too much for the small form to hold.

With a cry, he flailed and tried to tear the horror from his shoulder, but it grew blackened nails that dug into his shirt and held fast, tearing the fabric as it began to engulf his prying hands. The figure was upon him then, its shadow wrapping around him and turning the air to ice as it brought its liquid-like hand up to caress his face. “She likes you…you can tell, right?” The amalgamation of voices seemed to laugh at him from the branches of the trees, bouncing off his skin and hammering into his skull. “Tenchi…you don’t know what you’ve done…” The voices pleading now as the hand left rivulets of fleshy ooze on his cheek, the streams creeping over his brow and down his neck to worm into his shirt. “Come back… Come home…”

Tenchi struggled to free himself from the shadow but his feet wouldn’t move. He twisted his head away from the hand on his cheek, gritting his teeth as it spread over his face in an opaque sheet. The fingers and palm spilling out to wind through his hair and flow against his body like a second skin. “I…Just…” He struggled again as it covered one of his eyes. “WHY WON’T YOU JUST LET ME BE…”

“….NORMAL?”

Tenchi jerked bolt upright in his bed, his eyes wide and his body dripping with sweat as the silence of his apartment swallowed his cry. His heart slammed against his ribs as he ran his fingers through his soaked hair as he tried to unravel the tangled sheets that had wrapped themselves around his legs and clung to his sweat-beaded skin. He turned to sit over the edge of his bed and cradled his pounding head in his hands as the digital clock was blared its flashing red into the darkness of his room. His mouth felt as if it were lined with shag carpeting and a pair of sewing needles were slowly being spun into his temples to meet at a red-hot point just behind his eyes.

As the dregs of the nightmare drifted into his already tattered subconscious, the events of the night before came back in a flash. He leapt to his feet and immediately regretted it as his stomach lurched and the room spun, making him reel and force back the bile that threatened to rise in his gullet. As his stomach calmed he began to search the cluttered space in a panic as he tore the bedclothes from his mattress and kicked the clothes from the floor in great plumes that fluttered down like frightened birds. He grabbed handfuls of his hair and pulled as he let out a pained groan. Try to find a bottle in the middle of the city against some random building? Good luck. He sighed as he ran his hands down his face, pulling at his slack skin as he looked towards his front-door. His breath caught in his throat as his eyes widened slowly.

Sitting peacefully on the counter of his tiny kitchenette was the bottle. He swallowed hard and stepped through the wake of his panicked thrashing, his hands trembled as they came to rest on either side of the textured bottle. Taking a slow, steady breath he placed a trembling hand on the side of it, the ceramic surprisingly warm in the relative chill of his flat. He closed his eyes and gasped softly as an electric thrill rushed through his body and set his hair on end. His senses seemed to explode with pent-up memories that forced their way through the emotional walls he had built over the years. The fresh, hot, humid air of the onsen, the slightly antiseptic, chemical smell of Washu’s lab, the feather-soft feel of Ayeka’s hair, the blossoming rose petals and cinnamon that was Mihoshi’s perfume, the slight smell of ozone when Ryoko teleported…

Through his forced reverie he heard the uncanny sound of molecular teleportation, the chime-like tinkling of atoms moving through a vacuum. Turning swift enough to set his head spinning again, his heart pounding in his ears and his chest heaving, Tenchi scanned his apartment.

Only dingy walls and his sparse furnishings returned his stare.

He leaned back against the counter and took a slow, shuddering breath as he tried to calm himself. ‘It’s just old memories…’ He looked down at the bottle with a pang of nostalgia and a despondent half-smile. ‘I can’t go back, and they won’t come for me.’ He sighed and hugged the bottle to his naked chest, banging his wrist against it as he shifted causing sudden pain to shoot up his arm. He cried out and winced from the intensely sharp and unexpected pain as he set the bottle on the counter behind him, his eyes locked on the rather sizable lump on his inner wrist, angry red even in the gloom of his darkened loft.

“What the…” He flicked on the feeble light in the kitchenette and looked at his lump, gently pulling at it with his free hand, grimacing at the nerve twitching ache this incised. An inch or two down the inside of his forearm the bulge pushed up from his flesh, vibrantly red and hot to the touch. Steeling himself, he touched it and bit his lip to keep from crying out as his arm seemed to catch fire. The lump was incredibly hard, like a stone or some awkwardly huge cyst in his arm. It rolled slightly as he pushed at it and a slight tearing sensation as he pushed it too far made stars burst in his vision.

He slumped against the counter and took slow easy breaths to control the pain as he stared at the alien growth. ‘What the hell is this…’ His mind raced as he tried to make sense of the situation. ‘First I find this bottle, and then’ He paused, his mouth suddenly dry. He gently pressed the hard bulge again, grimacing as he measured it with his thumb. ‘Like a marble… or a … No…’ He shook his head and stumbled to his bed-side table and opened the drawer to take out his pen knife. He flipped open the blade, the faint light flashing off of the razor-thin blade as he dazedly walked to his cramped bathroom and flicked on the dim overhead light. Trembling slightly he stood over the sink and after a moment of hesitation he steeled himself and drug the razor over the swell of the bulge, his breath coming in a hiss as fresh blood trickled down his arm. The pressure relieved, his flesh parted in a nasty gash as crimson dripped and splattered into the porcelain bowl.

He set down the blade with a trembling hand and swallowed hard as he pulled on either side of the cut and forced it open slowly as he gasped in pain. Through the sheared skin and slightly white fatty tissue, an alien glimmer greeted him. His face pale and coated with a thin sheen of sweat, he put his thumb against the swelling and as he held his breath, pushed hard. Stars burst in his vision again and his head felt hot and thick as his skin stretched and tore against the hard object. He gritted his teeth and gave a final push, the fire in his arm flaring suddenly before relief washed over him and he felt the bulge give as something hard and round shot forcefully from the gash with a small squirt of blood. It skittered around the bowl of the sink, leaving blots of thick dark blood as it headed towards the drain before he quickly slammed his hand over it as he panted in pain and panic.

As he curled his fingers around it and lifted his hand he shook his head. ‘It’s a cyst, or cancer or a bone spur or something. It’s not… that. No way’ He took a slow, calming breath as he opened his hand and in a small pool of his blood that traced the lines of his palm, sat a scarlet gemstone; perfectly round and very recognizable. The tiny bathroom reeled and the blood that pounded in his ears muted the sound of him falling to his knees to retch and loose what little was in his stomach.

He ran the back of his hand across his chin as he spat bitter bile into the toilet bowl, the gemstone held tight in his fist. He sat back on his heels as he took another slow breath and tried to prepare himself. His fingers parted once again and he saw the gemstone shining brightly in his palm, crystal clear and glistening as if lit from within. He tilted his hand back and forth, letting the stone roll across his palm as he finally allowed himself to think what frightened him so. ‘One of the gems from the master key…’

In his alcohol hazed memory, he remembered finding the soot-covered gemstone at the bottom of the sake bottle from the night prior, but for it now to appear in his arm was beyond comprehension. The last thing he remembered getting lost in the rain and then the horror of the nightmare. He clenched his fist around it once more as he shakily stood and stumbled from the bathroom, leaving the sink splattered with vital red and the stench of bile hanging in the air. His mind raced as he shuffled towards the window and pulled back the curtain. Why the gem come to him and what was it doing in Ryoko’s bottle? What was the connection between these visions and daydreams and his nightmares? He shook his head and tried to calm these thoughts, his knuckles white as he gripped the stone in his fist. Outside the grey city was slowly waking up to the off-beat melody of blood trickling down his arm to drip off of his fingertips.

He pushed his way through the crowd that flooded towards the subway entrance as he lifted his wrist to check his watch and swore under his breath. ‘Late… Again.‘ He let out a heavy sigh as he looked up at the lines of skyscrapers that stretched into the grey, sunless sky, a forest of concrete and steel, a single hive-mind of commerce that had assimilated him into its suit-and-tie enclave. He shook his head and started forward again into the rush slate and grey but a businesswoman shoved her way past him and sent him stumbling back towards the dark asphalt.

He shot her an ugly look and then redoubled his efforts to squeeze through the crowd of people heading down into the steep staircase. He hesitated at the lip of the stair as suits and skirts parted around him, a slight smile crossing his haggard face as he looked down into the dark arched tunnel that yawned before him. It reminded him of some great underground monster, luring people in to their doom and swallowing rows of single-minded business-folk down one set of stairs as it vomited them up a second. Maybe that was just what the big city did to you, he mused, made you see monsters everywhere as it sucked away the life and color from everything and everyone that dwelled within it.

His body suddenly felt hot and heavy, exhausted from the night before and the events of the morning. He stepped out of the river of worker-ants to lean against the molded concrete railing that stretched around the staircase and took several slow breaths. He stared up at the sky again and felt a single drop of rain fall on his cheek, the droplet trickling down the side of his face to drip from his chin. He smiled sadly and for a moment he stood still just outside of that sea of ties and charcoal business suits, thinking of himself as a point of dwindling light in this shadow city.

The sad smile broke as quickly as it formed and shook his head, the ache deep down in his heart reminding him that what light he once held had died long ago. His head cleared, he turned and tried to squeeze his way back down the stairs when a glimpse of brilliant teal flashed in his peripheral vision, making him stop and turn suddenly. In his moment of distraction the edge of a briefcase struck his arm as its owner pushed past and sent a shiver of pain rush up his arm, the bandage under his dress-shirt growing wet against his skin. He hissed in breath as he once again stepped out of the flood, his hand wrapped tightly around his forearm as he tried to staunch the fresh trickle of blood from his wrist. He looked around frantically, searching for whatever had caught his eye as he tried to quell the throbbing in his arm, the pain-killers he had taken that morning only barely dulling the edge of the sharp ache.

The streets were filled with blank faces and severe suits, any hint of color washed into the same desperate monotone. He let out a slow, heavy breath and ran his hand across his forehead, wiping away the thin sheen of sweat that had sprung up, feeling rather silly. ‘I’ve got to get a grip. With everything going on I must be starting to lose it…’ He ran his hand up to run through his thin hair as he closed his eyes and slowly sat down against the railing, breathing slowly as he tried to calm the whispering rush of his blood in his ears. As he slumped against the concrete and cool, damp sidewalk he felt something shift in his pocket and begin to grow warm against his thigh.

He opened his eyes slowly, a confused look on his face as he slipped his hand into his pocket and felt the smooth surface of the gemstone throb against his fingertips. An electric thrill ran up his arm that set his hair on end and made the open wound at his wrist seem to catch fire. He squeezed his eyes closed and leaned his head back against the railing as he closed his hand over the gemstone and held it tightly as sweat trickled from his brow. As his fingers closed over the smooth stone the pain suddenly faded away, so suddenly that for a fleeting moment he missed it as he pulled his clenched hand from his pocket. The sudden numbness began to creep up from his hand to flood his entire being and make his head spin as it felt as though he was floating in a monochromatic sea, the only light in sight being the crimson sheen that trickled through his clenched fingers. Slowly he opened his fist, staring at the sphere of brilliant scarlet as it pulsed like a miniature heart against his palm and shed an ebbing red glow.

After a moment of daydreaming he blinked rapidly and realized that he was sitting in the middle of a crowded sidewalk, dressed in a suit and tie and holding a shimmering gemstone of questionable origin. He cleared his throat and closed his fingers again as he looked around as nonchalantly as he could muster as he stood. He brushed the rear of his pants off and pocketed the gem before retrieving his briefcase and striding confidently through the crowd, away from the subway and into a nearby alleyway between two shops. He looked around quickly before he dashed down the trash strewn passageway and ducked behind an overflowing dumpster.

He peered out around the metal box, checking to see if he was followed, then leaned against the brick wall behind him as he pulled the gemstone from his pocket again. The shiver of sensation and burst of pain from before missing as he opened his hand and gazed into the perfect stone. It was an opaque garnet color but seemed to exude its own light from within, the crimson flashes making dark shadows across his palm and over his face as he stared closely at it. Tentatively he turned towards the mouth of the alleyway and watched as the flashing light grew fainter and less frequent. He twisted his mouth into a wry smirk as he turned towards the end of the alleyway and had to squeeze his eyes shut as it suddenly flared and sent after-shadows dancing across his vision.

He clapped his hand over the shimmering gem and felt it throb against his palms as he slowly walked towards the end of the alley. The narrow gap between the buildings split away in a ‘T’, each direction leading deeper into the network of back-streets that crisscrossed the city. He began to take the right passage but felt the sphere in his hands throb sharply and his slashed arm sent a spear of pain up his body. Still wincing he turned on his heel and took the left fork, the gemstone returning to its steady and rhythmic pulse.

He followed the labyrinth of alleyways from crossroad to intersection to cut-through, occasionally glancing up at the slate grey sky. Tucked between the tightly packed buildings, time began to lose its meaning. He hadn’t glanced at his watch in what felt like forever, his lateness pushed aside and his briefcase left behind long ago as he followed the directions from the gem held in his fist. How long had he been wandering the forgotten byways of the city? An hour? Two? Five? The sun hid behind the clouds, barely a nimbus of light through the overcast sky.

The only sensation of passing time that managed to get through to him was the tight grumbling in his gut that made his brow furrow as he put a hand to his abdomen. ‘Lunchtime? I’ve been out here that long?’ He looked around and felt his heart drop. Any part of the city that was familiar to him had been left behind long ago and only damp asphalt stretched out in either direction, dwindling into the distance. He sighed heavily and opened his hand as he smirked at the gem. “Well, you got me into this… What now?” He asked aloud as he arched an eyebrow at the marble sized artifact.

His stomach cramped and voiced its approval as a hauntingly familiar smell drifted down the alleyway and set fire to his sinuses. He paused a moment as he took a deep breath, his eyelids fluttering at the gorgeous smell that assaulted his senses. Spices and flavors half-forgotten came rushing back to him as he felt his body become weightless and drift towards the scent as if drawn by some undeniable command. His feet felt heavy and awkward as he splashed through a puddle and turned down a passage between two buildings that he could have sworn had not been there a moment ago. At the end of the alley hung a rather ratty curtain on a brass rod, the metal nearly choked out by verdigris and the cloth clearly patched by a rough stitch.

As he dreamily moved his hand to the cloth and pulled it aside, the glorious smell struck him like a hammer and he had to cover his eyes suddenly as brilliant light poured out from beyond the curtain. Slowly his eyesight returned and for a moment he stood amazed. Beyond the stained and torn blind a meticulously groomed courtyard stretched out, stunningly bright as a column of pure sunlight shone down from a break in the clouds above. Lush and verdant hedges bordered the area, planted into wide troughs that also sprouted a plethora of tiny multi-hued flowers around the roots of the green shrubberies. Plots of turf had been laid out to fill the area and nestle up against the growing troughs, somehow growing above the asphalt of the city, the grass thick and gently swaying despite the lack of a breeze. Small, smooth pebbles were hemmed in by wooden slats and spread over the asphalt to form a walkway up to a set of stairs attached to an elevated wooden deck.

He looked around in wonder, each step making the stones crackle musically under his shoes as he walked towards the deck, an amused grin on his face. How could something so wonderful exist in this city of the dead? It had been almost half his life since he’d seen something like this. A waft of warm, sweet wind tugged at his jacket and sent a flurry of pink and white to fly and flap against his face. He cried out suddenly and waved his hands over his face, broken from his daydream as he looked around for what had attacked him. His hands trembled slightly as he watched the pink and white flecks float on the gust of wind, slowly climbing higher into the column of light tucked between the buildings. A blossoming cherry tree sat in one corner of the garden and shed its diminutive petals into the fading breeze. A sad smile touched his face as he climbed the stair and stepped onto the wooden deck, his heart tightening in his chest as nostalgia gripped him.

The broad deck stretched out to run flush against the rear wall of the un-named building that formed the tiny courtyard. A pair of small, low-set tables hugged the wooden planks with thick square cushions at spaced intervals around their edges. Tucked against the edge of the platform and nestled into the corner of the two buildings sat a wide, squat shack. The top half of the exposed side opened into a makeshift awning with flaps of white cloth that hung from its edge and danced in the slow breeze. The canopy was held in place with a piece of wood that tucked in against the shallow counter that stretched across the length of the building, several stools leaning against the siding.

Tenchi stopped halfway to the shack and shook his head. ‘This can’t be real…’ He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, wincing slightly as he pinched the back of his hand. He tentatively opened an eye, the serene garden and shed still clear as another drift of cherry blossom petals drifted by. He slammed his eyes shut again, his breath coming fast as he started to push against the bandaged gash in his arm. ‘No no no no no no, this isn’t real, this is a dream, a hallucination, a hunger fever…’ He ground his teeth together as he pushed against his wound, making pain scorch along his nerves until he was sure he was awake and not still snuggled under his covers.

He let go of his forearm and slowly relaxed, opening his eyes slowly to the sun-drenched courtyard. He swallowed hard and took another step towards the shack, reaching out a trembling hand to run against the well-worn counter and jumped as he pressed his fingers against it. The scratched counter was smooth from the passage of hundreds of hands and was very, very much real. “W-wow…” He breathed as he started to run his hand over the wood, a smile twitching its way up his cheeks.

“Irashaimase!”

Tenchi stumbled back several steps with a yelp as a young woman stepped into view behind the counter. She blinked at him and then grinned and covered her mouth with a dainty hand as she giggled. He blushed hotly and scratched the back of his head as he stepped forward again.

“I’m so very sorry to have startled you,” She said, her smile warm and her eyes filled with mirth as she leaned on the counter and let her hands rest on the wooden surface. “We do not get many visitors, and you seemed sort of lost…” She straightened up and dusted her hands off before she plucked a clean towel from a basket set under the counter and tossed it to hang over her shoulder. “Please have a seat, sir.” She gestured to one of the stools before turning to tend to the stove that sat at the back of the shack, several large pots seething on the range all exuding glorious smells that pulled at Tenchi’s heartstrings.

He took a deep whiff of the fragrant air and furrowed his brow as he tried to place the wonderful odor. ‘That smells like…‘ His eyes went wide as a flash of memory flickered before his eyes, teal hair and bubblegum pink eyes, a smear of freckles on cream-colored skin. ‘S-Sasami…?’ His mouth watered as his eyes pricked, the young woman and her tidy cramped kitchen in the shack beyond blurring for a moment before he blinked away the tears that threatened to fall.

He stared at the girl as she moved expertly around the shack, each movement like some kind of well-practiced culinary dance. His eyes roamed over her as he tried to find something familiar about her. She was likely in her early twenties, perhaps five foot four and slim, but with subtle curves. It was her face however was what struck him the most. A sweet smile never seemed to leave her lips as she hummed softly, and her honey-brown eyes sparkled as she checked under the lids on each pot, obviously pleased with what she saw. She was young, but her face held a kind of ageless beauty, the kind captured by the master sculptors of ages past. Her smooth black hair was pulled tight under a white scarf she had tied over her head, but her bangs hung free over her forehead, hiding it from view. A wistful smile crossed his lips as he watched her move gracefully in the dim shack. ‘If she had grown as a human does, Sasami might look like this now…’

“Sir?”

He jumped again, snatched out of his thoughts by the young woman’s voice and stood stock still, quite aware that he had been staring at her very intently, his cheeks felt as if they might start to smoke. She gave him a queer sort of look as she turned back towards the counter. “Sir, are you okay?”

He coughed into his fist and nodded a bit too quickly as he pulled out one of the stools and sat. “Ah…” He cleared his throat as his voice squeaked through his tense throat, eliciting another grin and giggle from the young woman. “Erm, yes I’m fine, you just…” He smiled softly as he rested his arms on the counter and shook his head slightly. “You just remind me of someone I used to know.”

The girl’s expression softened from amusement to a shy smile as her own cheeks flushed slightly “Oh?” She leaned forward over the counter as she reached under the wooden surface and pulled out a thick ceramic cup and set it in front of him. “Was this person special to you?” She asked as she tilted her head and offered him a knowing smirk.

His tried to return the smile but it faded on his lips as he nodded slightly, his voice hushed. “She was, very.” Her smile faltered slightly but quickly recovered, much softer and warmer than before as she turned to take a gently whistling kettle from the eye of the stove and poured steaming light green liquid into his mug.

“It sounds like there’s a story that goes along with that frown.” She smiled softly and brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes as she leaned over the counter. “Think you want to talk about it? Like I said, we really don’t get many visitors and I could use some company.”

He sat up straight and stifled a chuckle as he gently lifted the mug and took a sip, the warmth and the mild, fragrant flavor of good green tea sending a shiver down his spine. He took another drink and sighed happily as he tilted his head to look the young woman over, offering her a sincere smile. “Trust me, I don’t think it’s the kind of story you would enjoy, besides…” His eyes went wide as his stomach grumbled loudly, his cheeks flushing red again as the woman grinned and shook her head as she stood back from the counter.

“I think we just found out the reason you found this place.” She turned and plucked a bowl from the rack beside the stove, offering him a smirk as she loaded it with steaming rice and thick curry before she set it on a tray and retrieved a plate from a similar rack. “Don’t worry, I like a man with an appetite…” She said as she continued to pile plates of food onto the tray. Nearly a dozen small plates and bowls littered the platter before she hefted it and set it before him, his mind reeling as the glorious scents assaulted his senses, making him groan out loud. Once again he stiffened and let his eyes slowly rise from the bounty before him to meet hers as she grinned.

She shook her head and laughed as she topped up his mug of tea. Her eyes sparkled as she matched his gaze and set a pair of chopsticks on the tray with a smile. “My name is Kiyo.”

He slowly relaxed and returned her smile as he picked them up and fumbled awkwardly with them before they once again felt comfortable in his hand. “It…it’s been a while since I’ve used these…” He chuckled as he clapped his hands together expectantly. “Thank you very much for the food, Kiyo.” He lifted the first delicious looking dish. “I’m Tenchi by the way.”

She just smiled as she leaned against the counter.

With a pained groan, Tenchi set down his chopsticks with an air of finality and wiped his mouth on a cloth napkin. He reached down and unbuckled his belt, allowing it to slip through the clasp and provide his engorged stomach some relief. Two emptied trays sat in front of him on the counter, each stacked with a wide assortment of dishes and bowls. He patted his bulging gut with a satisfied sigh and shook his head as he released another grunt as he leaned back as far as he felt he could on the stool. He offered Kiyo a strained smile as she giggled behind her hand. He flushed, embarrassed by his gluttony.

He hadn’t even been that hungry, but he couldn’t stop himself as dish after dish was laid before him, each lovingly crafted by the beautiful young woman. It had been fourteen years since such masterfully prepared meals had passed his way and such an opportunity was not to be missed. The first pangs of indigestion gurgled up his midsection as he laughed and scratched the back of his head. “I’m going to pay for this later…” He said as Kiyo leaned on one hand against the counter, her other hand balled into a fist at her hip.

“I’d be surprised if you didn’t, you sure can pack it away!” She grinned toothily as she began gathering up the dishes and carrying them to the back. “I seriously can’t believe someone as slim as you could eat half that much. You must have really liked it!” She laughed in good natured jest as she returned, the sound of it echoed up and down his spine and made him smile despite himself. “So you said you’re an accountant?” She asked as she hefted the tray and the last of the dishes, turning to deposit them onto the stainless steel counter behind her.

He nodded and wiped his mouth with a napkin as he settled onto his elbows on the counter. “Yeah, that’s right. I work downtown, off of 14th street?” A spark of recognition lit behind his eyes as he suddenly looked around, seeing shadows stretched across the tiny courtyard. He checked his watch anxiously and laughed dryly as he shook his head. “And I’ve completely missed work today…” He grinned as he ran his fingers through his thinning hair.

Kiyo frowned as she ran a bowl under the tap in the sink, rinsing the suds out of it and walking back to the counter as she wiped it with a dry towel. “Oh no, I hope you don’t get in trouble…” She tilted her head and clicked her tongue. “I’d hate to cause you any problems.”

A smile pulled across his face as Tenchi looked up at the concerned young woman, and laughed again, grinning wide. “You know what? I don’t even care.” He leaned against his palm as he smiled up at her. “I’ve had the best day I think I’ve ever had today. I had an amazing meal, a wonderful conversation with you, and…” He reached out and gently laid his hand over hers and gave it a tender squeeze. “And to be honest, if I’d only met you, it would be worth missing work.”

Her cheeks flushed hotly and she smiled, locking her eyes with his for a moment before she looked away and grinned, reaching up a finger to wipe at her eyes suddenly. “Well, I tell you what, I need someone to help me balance the books here, so let’s call this meal a deposit for your services?” She said, her voice somehow thicker than before. “You can be my personal accountant.” She chuckled as she pulled her hand out from under his and hugged herself as she turned to face the back of her shack. “That is if you still have a job tomorrow.” She sniffed as her shoulders began to shake and her fingers dug into her upper arms.

“H-hey…” Tenchi started and stood up from the stool as he reached out towards her, a confused look on his face. “Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine.” He chuckled and laid his hand on her shoulder, a soft smile on his face. “And I’ll tell you what, I’ll work for gratis. Maybe I can meet you after work sometime and we can go over your files?” He felt his heart speed up as she laid her hand over his and gave it a squeeze. “How about I meet you here tomorrow evening, say seven o’ clock?” He said hopefully.

She nodded and Tenchi felt his heart jump against his rib-cage, a foolish grin across his face. “S-sure…” Kiyo said, her voice choked as she turned her head to look at him, twin tear tracks running down her cheeks as she forced a quavering smile. “So, seven o-o’ clock, right? You will come back, won’t you? Tenchi?”

He nodded quickly as his brow furrowed and he reached out to her. “Hey, hey… don’t cry.” He said as he offered her a slight smile and nodded. “Of course I will,” He chuckled and tilted his head to the side slightly, trying his best sly smile at her. “I don’t think I could stay away….” He stopped suddenly as she threw herself forward over the counter and wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face against his shoulder as she sobbed out loud.

He stiffly wrapped his arms around her as she squeezed him, slowly melting against her as his body relaxed. He ran his hand up her back to cradle the back of her head as she nuzzled against his shoulder, her breath coming in gasps as she lifted her head gently to whisper into his ear. “Come back… Lord Tenchi.”

A damp, chill breeze ran up Tenchi’s spine as his eyes went wide and he felt his body quake against his will as a stone of terror burned hard in his gut. Shadow fell over the courtyard around him as he fought to understand what he was seeing. The ground where the shack had just stood was bare, the damp asphalt festooned with scraps of soggy newspaper and the myriad of trash left by the cities transient community. The carefully manicured garden was gone, the sweet scent of cherry blossoms replaced with the septic smell of steam from a nearby manhole, tiny drops of water clinging to every surface as the clammy air moaned through the alleyways. An empty bottle skipped and tinkled across the hard ground, propelled by some mischievous wind as the last tingling sensation of a warm, caring body pressed against him faded into a wisp of a memory. His hands trembled as he straightened up, his breath coming sharp through his nose as he looked around the open space, his eyes wild.

His jacket hung across the warped and stained remnants of a wooden crate and a scabby looking shrub clung against the mildewed brick face of the building before him and several rust-eaten drums of some unidentifiable liquid were stacked in the corner. He turned his eyes up to the rectangle of sky that hung above the tunnel between the buildings, the brilliant sunlight and cloudless sky replaced with the ever-present grey pall that choked the city. He took a step back and jumped as broken glass crunched under his heel, making him spin around as his breath came in faster gasps, his heart pounding against his ribs in horror as his vision spun.

The world turned to liquid as he stumbled forward, barely keeping his feet as he wheeled to one side, his stomach lurching and what seemed to be an endless string of heaves emptied his over-full body. Gasping in shallow, sour breaths he turned and staggered forward as he pulled at his face and his hair, his fingernails digging into his thin skin and sending sparks of pain shooting along his nerves. With a wordless scream he fell to his hands and knees as sweat dripped down his face and drool streamed from his open mouth, his eyes wide and wild as his mind raced. Swallowing hard, he finally found his breath and ran his hand across his chin, a manic laugh bubbling up his throat to become a choked sob by the time it reached his mouth.

“W-what…” He gasped as he slowly pushed himself to his feet, swaying like a drunkard as he lurched forward to lean against the cool, damp stone of the brick walled building. He pulled at his hair and tried to slow his breathing and regain his senses. “What is happening to me…?” He screwed his eyes shut and pressed his fists against his sockets as he choked back another sob and took a shuddering breath. “What the FUCK is going on? W-why is this… I…” He slid down to crouch against the wall as tears boiled hotly behind his eyelids and started their path down his cheeks.

A throb of heat from his pocket gave him pause and he slowly calmed himself as he took slow, stifled breaths, running his forearm across his eyes. Awkwardly reaching into his pocket, he closed his fingers over the marble sized gemstone and pulled it out, cringing as he shied away from its sudden flare of brilliant crimson light. As he stared at the shining stone he felt his lips twist into a furious sneer as his blood caught fire in his veins and pulled a snarl of rage from his clenched teeth.

In a single motion he leapt to his feet and flung the gemstone as hard as he could at the brick wall opposite him, his body twisting like an amateur baseball pitcher as the glimmering stone hung in the air for a moment before streaking forward like a tiny sun to slam into the wall. It struck the stone and mortar with the sound of a glass chime swinging in the wind, bouncing off of the filthy wall and suddenly blossoming into a blinding flash of light in the darkness of the courtyard.

He was lifted from his feet and thrown back against the wall, his head snapped back to smash against the old stone, stars bursting before his eyes as he crumpled to the cold damp ground. He blinked away the after images as he crawled painfully to his knees and then shakily stood, watching as steam rose form the courtyard. A perfect circle of the ground was flashed dry and the spot where the gemstone had struck the wall opposite had caved in, the old stone having been blasted away and crumpled under its own weight as a web of hairline cracks worked their way up to the second story. In the silence of the courtyard a single brick slipped free of the wreckage and fell to the ground to hit the gently smoldering gemstone, the rectangular stone splitting neatly in half and falling aside.

A tentative step forward led to another and soon Tenchi stood over the smooth sphere and he stared down at it with an expression of fear and elation. Slowly he kneeled and picked up the gem, the garnet orb cool to the touch. He rolled it across his hand as he stared between it and the ruined brick wall. His breath coming in short, guarded gasps he felt another ripple of manic terror gripped him and he clenched his fist around the stone. Almost immediately he felt his heart calm and a sensation of belonging washed over him. He shook his head and opened his fingers slightly to stare at the stone as he swallowed hard. ‘So…it is real…one of Ryoko’s gems…’ He closed his fingers again and looked around swiftly as he shoved his hand into his pocket and stood, turning to grab his jacket and briefcase before running back down the alley, tossing the torn curtain aside.

As he stepped out into the alleyway proper, he paused and looked to one side, his heart jumping as he saw the subway station entrance. Closing his eyes tight and squeezing the gemstone, he stalked forward and into the swiftly approaching night of the city. ‘It was just a dream… a crazy, fever dream…’ He clutched his arm with his free hand, feeling pain and heat rush along his veins as he steadied his breathing. Even in his mind it sounded weak, but he forced Kiyo from his mind as he raced down the sidewalk.

In his rush to escape the nightmare of the courtyard failed to notice the drift of cherry blossom petals that clung to the damp asphalt. A shadow separated from the dark corners of the courtyard, resolving into a short figure that crossed its arms and huddled against the chill of the darkening city.