Disclaimer: I do not own Tenchi Universe or any of its characters. Also, some of these ideas come from the author Chris Wooding with a bit of my modifying. Also, if you sue me, you will receive nothing because I have not even gone to college yet, therefore not having very much money (and when I do grasp some, I spend it almost immediately).

Description: What would you do if your entire world was shattered as you know it and you were thrown into a world of war, bloodshed and darkness. That is how Ayeka feels when the Misaki family is thrown into the world Ayeka tried to escape from.

Chapter 1: Like a Wave Upon Them

Ryoko sat atop the roof. It was amazing how much had happened in the short time they had been on earth. However, Sasami was the same girl who had just (physically) turned eleven, Mihoshi was the same, bumbling ditz, Washu was the same genius cooped up in her lab, Yosho was still the keeper of the shrine, Nobiyuki still a fool of romance, Tenchi still the boy everyone loved, and Ryoko the same criminal she always was. Only one person had changed...

Tenchi crept through the forest. That’s when a noise, although slight, was heard. He laughed a little to himself and wielded around to where it had come from. He was lucky he had heard his enemy at all. He walked forward to the bush the sound had come from. Using his bokken he gently lifted back a leaf and.... saw the tail of a squirrel disappear. Tenchi sighed to himself when suddenly, he heard it. He immediately leaped to meet it. And it came. Tenchi found himself sliding backwards as he tried to protect himself with his bokken, but to no avail. Then, he began to prepare his energy. Then, just as he released it, the attacker jumped to the side and he drained himself completely and slumped to the ground, breathing hard. He felt a bokken pressed up against his chest.

“Lord Tenchi, you really need to work on controlling your energy,” Ayeka laughed. Tenchi sighed in defeat. Ayeka pulled her bokken back. She had changed herself a lot. Ayeka had given up the throne to someone else, although no one knew who. Since then, she had put away her kimonos for special occasions. Now, she wore normal clothes like Ryoko, although not as tomboy-ish. For training, she wore a short, blue kimono given to her by Yosho. It cut off a bit before her knees. The lining was red, lining where he Kimono came around her neck and down the front and her sleeve ends. Her sleeves cut off about as far down as a normal T-shirt. A red ribbon was tied around just above her waist. Also, she had a glove that started a little below the elbow on both arms that cut off at her wrists. It, too, was blue with red lining. She also had the same on her legs, starting below her knees and ending at the ankles. Ayeka had cut her hair all to the same length. The only thing about her that hadn’t changed was the fact that she still wore her Tiara. Ayeka looked around at the fallen trees; Tenchi’s fault.

“If you don’t improve, we’re gonna have to find a new training spot or the forest won’t exist anymore,” Ayeka mused.

“Well I didn’t start training until just a bit ago. Don’t expect me to get it that fast,” Tenchi protested, but Ayeka only laughed.

“We should start home,” Ayeka changed the subject, “Father will be home from his trip soon.” Tenchi nodded and they started home, taking the shrine steps two at a time and jumping the last few. He liked the new Ayeka. She was kinder to Ryoko, acting as her friend even when Ryoko tried to fight with her. Tenchi found that he had become more attracted to Ayeka, although he kept his feelings hidden in fear that the truth would chase some of his family away.

“What took you two so long??” Ryoko questioned as they reached the gates.

“Oh, we just trained a little longer than usual,” Ayeka answered, taking a towel and bowing a little to Sasami, who stood opposite Ryoko.

“Father will be home soon, and you may want to bathe first,” Sasami reminded. Ayeka turned to Tenchi with a challenging smile.

“ME FIRST!!” she cried as Tenchi darted after her, almost running into Kiyone in his haste.

“Hey, no fair!! You got a head star...” his voice faded away as he disappeared into the house. Ryoko laughed a little.

“Ya know, I like Ayeka better this way,” she said.

“Me too. I think giving up the throne was the best thing for her. She’s happier now that she knows she isn’t responsible for the many lives on Jurai,” Sasami replied. Then, she turned to look at Ryoko. “But I think it was nice that she held a ceremony in every town in Jurai as a way of saying sorry and goodbye, and that she went to talk to every town.”

“I agree,” Ryoko said simply, for there was nothing left to be said. She still stared at the Misaki house. “Do you think Azusa mind...” Sasami cut her off.

“I have to go fix dinner,” she said quickly, and when Ryoko looked at her, she saw Sasami’s eyes on the ground and she quickly walked back to the house. Ryoko stared after her, a bit puzzled before teleporting off.

“Mind if I join you??” Ryoko asked. Ayeka looked up at her. She had nothing on, neither of them did, but she shrugged anyway.

“Not at all,” she said casually, returning to her bath. Ryoko sat down next to her.

“Ya know, I like your voice a lot better now that you don’t keep that proper accent,” she said freely.

“So do I,” Ayeka laughed a little. “Not to be conceited or anything. I’m just glad I turned off that function in my tiara.”

“That’s cool how you can change it just by replacing the gold clasps with blue,” Ryoko mused.

“I agree,” then, as if reading Ryoko’s mind on her next question, she continued, “Gold is a color used a lot in royalty, right?? Well, that’s how it became proper. Blue is rather a casual color, like jeans and stuff, so that would be my normal voice. Red is for wars when you are trying to scare the other side into believing you’re a stronger warrior than you are. Green is for a voice of sorrow, trying to push someone into doing something. Yellow is for really happy, the one mother Misaki uses. Hers, though, is hidden under her bangs so you wouldn’t notice it. Purple is to sound shy, pink to sound very young, and I’m pretty sure that’s it.”

“Whats the jewel in the center, the purple one, for??” Ryoko asked, having seen it occasionally.

“Maybe time will tell,” Ayeka said as she stood up and wrapped her towel around her. “Tenchi will be in soon, so you may want to hurry,” she called over her shoulder. Ryoko nodded despite the fact Ayeka wasn’t looking, then rinsed her hair out and teleported back to the house.

Tenchi was sitting on his bed. He was looking in the mirror. Then, he lifted his bangs to reveal the small mark. He pressed it a little, and his Jurain symbol, the one visible with his light hawk sword, appeared. His source of power. He like to keep it hidden. He didn’t know why, but he did. Tenchi sighed as he let his bangs drop. His strength had returned a bit to him, but he was still tired.

“Don’t worry about it,” Ayeka called from the doorway. Tenchi jumped a little. He quickly pressed it again so it would disappear, but he couldn’t help turning a little red. Ayeka laughed a little.

“I didn’t mean to startle you. I just wanted to tell you the bath was ready,” she informed him before turning to walk to the room she shared with Sasami. Ayeka walked back and pulled on a red shirt and some blue shorts.

“Tenchi,” she said quietly to herself before giggling a little and proceeding out the door.

“Ahh...” she cried, although quietly. She had walked right into Yosho.

“Sorry brother Yo... I mean Lord Katsuhito,” she corrected herself.

“You’re forgiven. Just wanted to tell you Nobiyuki is coming up the street,” he said with a slight tone of disgust, although not enough for Ayeka to notice.

“You said WHAT?!” Tenchi’s panicky voice cried from behind Yosho and he scrambled for his room, running into his door in his haste. Ayeka laughed from behind Yosho and continued down the hall, taking the stairs two at a time and jumping down the last few. Mihoshi came out also. She wore her normal pink shirt and kahki pants. Ayeka nodded to her in salutation and together, they jogged out to where they were to meet Nobiyuki. He had been gone two weeks and they intended upon greeting him. Tenchi soon caught up with them, amazingly tripping over more things than Mihoshi did.

“Jeez, you catch klutzitis from Mihoshi??” Ayeka laughed a little. “Sorry Mihoshi, I didn’t say that to offend you.”

“It didn’t,” Mihoshi smiled. But in her head, she flinched a little. She hating living in a world of lies...

Now they were running, Tenchi groaning quite a bit. As they reached the gate, all of them slid sideways to stand next to it. Tenchi, however, slid a little to far and hit the gate before falling on his butt. Ayeka laughed a little, but soon stopped. Mihoshi fell to the ground, laughing. Tenchi stood up, rubbing his butt as a sweatdrop appeared on Ayeka’s head.

“It wasn’t that funny,” she stared absently at the blonde cop. Kiyone walked over and sighed.

“Mihoshi....”

“Welcome home!!” everyone shouted as Nobiyuki pulled up.

“Oh!! It’s the welcoming committee!!” Nobiyuki laughed at his own joke. They all walked back to the house together, talking rather loudly. They all sat down to eat Udon Noodles and a new experiment of Sasami’s.

“Mmm, what is this?” Ayeka asked, reaching for more. “It’s the same broth as Udon Noodles but different noodles and those two flowers on Jurai used for flavoring added to the broth.

“Oh, you mean the Cracilum and Araculis??” Ayeka asked.

“Yep!!” Sasami nodded. Ayeka smiled.

“You know I love those.” Ayeka took another helping. Ryoko and her sat on opposite sides of Tenchi. They were not fighting at all. In fact, they were actually having a friendly conversation.

“That’s something new and different,” Kiyone mused. That night was full of laughs and games as they drank a bit of Sake (except for Tenchi and Sasami), but only a little since Sasami decided to keep them all sober that night. Sasami went up to her room at about nine. She dressed for bed and then curled up in bed, listening to the laughter of her family...

“Goodnight!!” They all called to each other as everyone continued up to their rooms, Yosho to the shrine.

“I hate walking all the way...” he grumbled, but suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. He found himself at his shrine. He looked back to see Ryoko there.

“Teleportation, how do you live without it??” she laughed a little and Yosho bowed to her before bidding her goodnight and proceeding into his shrine.

“Sasami?? Sasami?? Sasaaaami??” Ayeka called softly. “You awake??” No reply. Ayeka nodded to herself and a smile formed on her lips. Sasami lay in bed, only pretending to be asleep. She wanted to see what Ayeka wanted. She then turned over on her side and mumbled a bit as to fool Ayeka further. Ayeka dressed out for bed and then she began fiddling around with something in her drawers. Sasami barely opened one eye, just enough to where she could see but no one would think she was opening it because her eyelashes covered. She watched as Ayeka brought a strange object to the middle of the room. It had the same design and color as Ayeka’s tiara, but it was rounded with one side flat. Ayeka lay it on the floor and sat down on her futon. She pressed a green, clear button in the middle. It glowed and sparked to life, and a green projection came out.

“Hey,” Ayeka said a bit quietly. A figure appeared in the projection.

“Oh, hey Aya (I-yah)!! You startled me,” the figure was male and rather handsome. He had blond hair that were spiked up. His bangs were like Tenchi’s, only a bit longer. His eyes were a very light blue. He looked a lot like Ayeka, somehow, and appeared to be about the same age.

“Aya,” Sasami repeated quietly to herself. That name tugged at some part of her memory.

“It’s good to see you Chris!!” she replied.

“Hey, it’s Chrisaque (Kree-sa-quoo)!!” he looked a little angry, but his eyes soon raised again and he laughed. Ayeka, too, laughed and Sasami figured it was a joke.

“Sorry I haven’t called in lately. I’ve been going to bed at the same time as Sasami and falling asleep on accident. Tonight, Father came home and I stayed out with everyone else talking when she went to bed,” Ayeka explained. Chris looked a little panicked. “Oh, not Father, Nobiyuki. I just call him Father.” Chris relaxed a little.

“So, Aya, how’ve you been lately??” he asked, dismissing her excuse.

“Not bad. Actually, Ryoko and I get along fine now that I’m not princess and we don’t fight over Tenchi. I think he likes me better now, also. You??” Ayeka smiled.

“Oraco thinks something is wrong. He believes something will go wrong in short time, but other than that, I’m enjoying myself,” he smiled. “Except I’d be happier if you were here with me.”

“I’d be happier with you, too, Chris,” Sasami closed her eyes and just listened now.

“I’ve missed you so much. I wish you had never left,” Chris’s voice filled the room.

“I couldn’t stay. I thought my destiny was with Yosho, just because we were betrothed, though. He also reminded me of you...” Ayeka trailed off. “I miss you so much.” Sasami’s eyes jerked open she heard the tiny sound of a tear dropping on the futon and she looked to see Ayeka crying. Sasami felt somewhat strange and she closed her eyes again.

“I didn’t mean to make you cry, Aya,” Chris said with a voice full of regret.

“It’s alright. Maybe you can visit, soon,” Ayeka wiped the tears away.

“But how??”

“Say that if Oraco thinks something bad will happen, you should escape to a safer place,” Ayeka tried, hope trailing in her voice.

“I’ll try. Trust me, I will see you somehow, sooner or later. I love you, Aya. Your the only family I have left who understands me. Sasami never knew me,” his gaze adverted over to to the sleeping child along with Ayeka’s, but they both gasped to see Sasami’s eyes open.

“Are you my brother??” Sasami asked quietly.

“Sasami... I didn’t know you where awake...” Ayeka stuttered in panic. Sasami sat up.

“Are you??” she ignored Ayeka.

“I’m your half brother, Chris. Nice to meet you, Sasami. Aya tells me your a nice sister and a very good cook,” he supplied, despite Ayeka’s frantic state. She began to cool a little, though.

“Nice to meet you too. I would like it if you came out. Ayeka seems to like you a lot so I think I will too,” Chris stared down at the wide eyed, cheery child.

“If I do, though, you will have to act as if I’m a total stranger, as will Aya,” he informed her.

“Alright, sure!!” Sasami smiled. “But the name Aya...” Ayeka crawled over to Sasami’s futon and she gently pushed Sasami’s head back onto her pillow and pulled the covers up over her.

“Sasami, you should get some sleep. It’s getting late and...” Ayeka yawned, “I’m tired too.”

“Night, sis...ters,” Chris quickly acknowledged Sasami’s presence.

“Night,” the two replied at the same time, and Chris laughed as the projection thinned before disappearing completely. Ayeka took it and put it back in a drawer before laying down, too.

“Sasami, please don’t tell anyone. Chris is my twin, but father sent him away to some planet after Chris began getting very good with his powers. I still don’t know why, but it’s a secret, okay??” her eyes looked pleading. Sasami smiled.

“Sure. Oh yeah, one more question.”

“Hmm??”

“If he’s your twin, but my half brother... you’d be my half sister. But you are my real sister, aren’t you...” she trailed off. Ayeka looked at the ground by her feet.

“No,” Ayeka turned over so that her back was to Sasami and no more was said.

Ayeka sat atop a hill. She was staring out at the land she lived upon. She had finished training early. It was about noon. Tenchi slowly approached from behind.

“Mind if I join you??” he imitated Ryoko without realizing it. Ayeka looked back a him and shrugged.

“Not at all,” she laughed a bit, but when Tenchi stared at her, she only shook her head.

“What are you doing up here alone??” he asked.

“Just looking at how beautiful the earth is,” she replied. Tenchi nodded.

“Spring...” suddenly, a loud rumbling was heard. Ayeka and Tenchi rose to their feet. A ship appeared overhead, a little smaller than Sasami’s. Ayeka suddenly realized what it was and a smile spread across her face. A blue light shone down from it and down through it came a boy of about nineteen, Ayeka’s age (physically). He landed and opened his eyes. He had blond hair spiked up and his bangs a bit longer than Tenchi’s with light blue eyes to go with it.

“Who are you??” Ayeka asked, stepping back from Tenchi a little so she could wink and Tenchi wouldn’t notice.

“My name is Chrisaque (to Tenchi). I was forced to leave my home on a different planet to seek all of you. Aya, this isn’t like we planned,” he adverted his gaze to Ayeka. “This planet isn’t safe. People here know nothing about the universe except for your household. I need all of you to come back with me to our home. We know how to fight there, and innocent people will not be killed.”

“What...” Tenchi trailed off.

“I will explain it all,” Ayeka sighed. “But once we get back.”

“So what is this about??” Washu asked, inside her lab. She, Mihoshi, and Ryoko stood inside with Chris.

“It’s back, Líadan,” he said simply. Washu nodded. Ryoko looked puzzled. Washu looked upwards. She closed her eyes.

“By the ancient seal in my true name, please open the path to our ancestors that face light. Heaven to Sun. Sun to Earth. Earth back to Heaven. Show me the path created by the light.” Washu’s body was floating midair now. Mihoshi looked up, also.

“I guess my wish to forget my past forever will never come true,” she said sadly before taking out her hair ribbon and letting it all fall to her shoulders. “I’m not a god, I’m not a princess. I am the one with the power of Karajak. Please let me return to who I truly am.” She, too, floated midair by now. Mihoshi’s hair went straight. Suddenly, an invisible knife shot through it, making it as short as Ayeka’s but it stayed close to her head, like a boy-short cut would. The rest fell away and disappeared. Two, straight pieces fell in front her ears that curled around with her chin and rested against her face. A red scar streaked down from her left eye all the way to her chin in the path of a tear. Her bangs all slanted towards the middle and were rather thin, but the one in the very center was like Ayeka’s. Her hair was an orange-gold. Her eyes were a bit duller than her hair. They could be seen now that she opened them. Washu, too, changed. Her hair fell straight and cut off at her mid-back. It suddenly became completely braided with tight, red braids, starting right at the hairline and going back. Two came from just in front of the ears and they stopped just above her chest with yellow beads at the bottom. In fact, each individual braid had one yellow bead at the bottom. A single, red dot was in the middle of her forehead. A white line about one centimeter thick started about a centimeter below the corner of her eye and continued down her face diagonally on both sides. One was under her lip and it started a centimeter below her lip. Her skin gained a grey tint to it. Arm bands with intricate designs on them appeared. They were about two inches long, one going rather tightly around her upper arm and one tightly right before her wrist. She grew taller, about the same height as Mihoshi, a bit taller. She opened her eyes, too, and they were as yellow as Ryoko’s and the same shape as Ryoko’s, also. She was as beautiful as the girl next to her.

They both looked at each other, grasped hands, closed eyes, looked up, and disappeared in a shower of lights. Ryoko stared after them. What happened then could not be described perfectly in words, but the best description would be her memory of what just happened began to disappear as if it never happened.

“You will come with the rest.”

Ayeka and Chris stood at the front of the room.

“Please everyone, try to understand,” Ayeka urged.

“Your planet does not have the technology... your galaxy, for that matter... the rest of the universe does. If you were reported here, your entire planet could be destroyed and that would mean the death of innocent souls. If you were to come with Aya and I to our planet, we could escape death. They would not destroy that planet for our planet is their home land. Please, this may be a false alarm but better safe than sorry,” Chris explained.

“I dunn...” Ryoko started, but she stopped when Sasami stood up and walked to the other side of the room. She turned to face them.

“I’m going,” she declared. With one hand, she reached up and grabbed Ayeka’s hand.

“I will go too,” Yosho stood up and strode to the other side of the room.

“I’m coming!!” Nobiyuki sang.

“Count me in!!” Tenchi practically lept across the room. Ryoko was the only one left on the other side of the room. She sighed in defeat.

“Don’t forget me!!” Kiyone shouted, half expecting Mihoshi to cry out to, but she wasn’t there, for some reason.

“Alllllllright...” Ryoko dragged it out as if it were something awful. She floated over to the other side of the room. Suddenly, a blue light surrounded them. They all raised up and through the roof into a space ship that soon blasted out of of the atmosphere.

“Where’s Mihoshi?? Come to think of it, Washu’s not here either...” Kiyone looked around.

“Everyone, there is something I must show you,” Ayeka said almost sadly, ignoring the fact that almost everyone else was completely clueless and that Kiyone was still looking around. She put her hand up to her tiara and took of the clasps. She lowered it to look at it. “Ryoko, you were asking about this jewel...” she trailed off as she pulled her fingers over it. Then, she tightened and pulled it out. Immediately, a red wave flew across her hair and turned it a dark yet fluorescent red. She closed her eyes and her hair began to change shape, too. It grew down to her mid-back almost instantly. Then, it pulled itself into a low ponytail at the nape of her neck. She had two, thick pieces of hair that started at the side of her face right in front of the middle of her ear. They curved slightly out, no farther than her ear did, then curved back down to line up with the very base of it a little below her shoulders. Her bangs to the side were all long and they framed her face by going diagonally to meet with the rest of her hair. In the middle of her forehead was a piece of hair about two-and-a-half inches wide. It was split up into about seven different pieces at the ends, the ones on the side a little shorter than the rest, gradually getting about a centementer longer in the very middle before curving back up again. Her body became rather muscular. She opened her eyes to reveal her own with Washu’s color. Everyone staggered back a little at the girl they now saw. She was little like the Ayeka they knew. The only similaritie was her face shape. No one believed what they saw.

“My real name is Aya,” the red-haired girl spoke. “My father added the E-K to lead people away from the fact that I am not the real princess. Niether is Sasami.”

“I am from the planet Shemejar, as is my sister and my brother,” Sasami supplied for her. Ayeka nodded. Her eyes drifted from each of the people around her before she sighed.

“Please, try to understand. My father.... he’s not really all that great. He....” a silent tear ran down her cheek and she quickly wiped it away. “I have been under disguise for a long time now and this is who I really am. I am one with the body of a mountain girl who has been fighting for the tomboy part of me to be let free from this girlish mask I have hidden myself behind.” Everyone began to ease, hearing the way their Ayeka had always spoke. But the person in front of them was so different from who they knew, it was unbelievable to them.

“Aya,” Sasami walked up to her big sister. “I’m scared.”

“There’s nothing to worry about, I’ll protect you,” Aya replied. “Now go get some rest, it’s almost midnight.” Aya then continued down the hall, following her own advice. Chris and her shared a room. They both dressed for bed and crawled in.

“What are you staring at??” Aya asked.

“It’s so amazing to see your face again,” he said, shaking his head. Aya nodded.

“You too.”

“Wow!!” Ryoko looked around the place she guessed she would be staying at for awhile. Everyone piled out of the ship, glad to have their feet on solid land again.

“You guys, I’m really worried about Mihoshi,” Kiyone said softly. Chris waved his hand.

“Trust me, she’s fine,” he called over his shoulder.The sun was starting to set on the ranch. They bred creatures called Zotacyns. Zotacyns were a bit like dogs. They had sharp rows of teeth, the very front, top ones sticking out even below their bottom lip. Their ears were shaped like fire and their head like dogs. Their eyes were triangular, long ends pointing to the nose. Their long tails were used for steering and they had wings on either side of their body. However, strangly enough, the way they folded them made two rows of spikes upon their back, like a dragon. They were huge, though, about four feet tall at birth.

“Aya, could you wait up,” Chris called after her. She did. Chris ran up and began walking down a different path. It took them to a house.

“Ami,” he called. A little girl of no more than eight stepped outside the tiny house, more of a guest house, actually.

“Cousin Chris??” she asked.

“This is my sister, Aya. She’s come to stay along with her friends,” he said. Ami looked at Aya with big eyes. Aya bent down to her level.

“Hi Ami,” she said brightly. Ami reached out for the bit of red hair that hung from in front of Aya’s ear and she compared it with her own, jet black hair that came from the same spot, about the same length. Her eyes were the same as Sasami’s, only blue. She had two bangs in front while the rest were grown out. The each came from the center. They both went up diagonally away from each other about an inch, then curved sharply down as a creased piece of paper might. They both fell with their ends about a centimeter apart right next to her eyes, about midway down. The rest of her hair was held in low pigtails that came out from behind her ears. She was cute.

“Hi, cousin Aya!!” she chimed, letting go of the locks of hair. Aya stared for a second, then turned to look at Chris with a look that seemed to ask “Why is she calling us “cousin”?” He shrugged.

“Because I want to!!” she piped up. Aya looked down at her with a look of shock. She only smiled. Aya stood up again.

“DINNER!!!!” Sasami’s voice rang out. Aya looked down as Ami scanned the land and with a heavy sigh, started towards the main house.

“Want a ride on my back??” Aya suggested. Ami turned around with bright eyes.

“Delicious!!” came the compliments around the table. Ami was stuffing her face full. Ryoko, looking over her bowl at the little girl, started shoveling down faster. Ami noticed Ryoko and began eating faster. Both of them kept this up till they were both blurs.

“DONE!!!” Ryoko cried, slamming her bowl down.

“But you still have three rice balls!!” Ami laughed as Ryoko looked at her perfectly cleaned plate. Ryoko mumbled a bit and got up to carry her plate to the kitchen for Sasami, pouting. Aya got up and did the same before wandering up to her room. She put on a long, white dress with spaghetti straps. She undid her long, dark, red hair and brushed it out a few times, just staring at her own reflection. Sasami came in shortly and started getting ready for bed.

“Three days, three long days had passed. Aya and Tenchi practiced a lot lately, and Tenchi had also learned to pilot different vehicles. Aya was controlling her power, like usual, on manipulating the ground. It took tons of focus, but she was learning to make rather large earth monsters composed completely of the ground, a Sarchi. She and Chris practiced a lot more than she and Tenchi, though, Chris having the same problem as Tenchi did despite the fact he had been practicing his whole life. Aya had changed quite a bit, she had actually grown up on this ranch till she was eight and was best described as an amateur mountain girl. Aya was sitting atop a hill one day when Tenchi came up.

“Hey,” he said, more to let her know he was there than anything.

“Hi,” she didn’t even lift her gaze. She then rose to her feet.

“You wanna go for a walk??” he asked.

“Sure,” they started down a path, just walking and talking, not really paying any attention to where they were going. After a bit, they reached the top of a plateau. All around them were Zotacyns in their nesting grounds. Tenchi stopped short, looking around with an expression of pure amazement. He had seen them at a distance, but never this close. Aya laughed a bit, then pulled a bracelet with a stone hooked on off of her wrist. She held it between her palms and closed her eyes, concentrating. It made a soft noise, a sort of calm whistling. Tenchi looked up in amazement as Zotacyn flew toward him. It was a male, a young male. He dwarfed them in height by a lot. He landed in front of them and Aya looked up. The stone didn’t produce as much sound, but the Zotacyn stayed. Tenchi stepped up and it bent its long neck down to look at him. He reached out a bit, a little afraid, but then, he pet the creature’s long face. A smile spread across his face.

Chris looked across the table at Ryoko. Sunset. The different color lights were coming out from behind her. She seemed almost like a goddess.

“Dinner,” Sasami called. Aya and Tenchi were just walking in, wiping sweat from their brows. Kiyone came in from the living room. Everyone sat down and dinner passed as it usually did. However, Yosho wasn’t there and Nobiyuki sat alone on his end of the table. After dinner, everyone took their plates to the kitchen and dragged themselves up to their rooms. Aya didn’t change out for bed, though no one changed out. They just flopped down, most of them. It was Friday night and they weren’t planning on going to bed on regular time. Sasami was the only one in bed by nine. Aya walked Ami back to her room and then walked onto the hill Tenchi had found her on. She sat for awhile, just staring out at what she called home. She thought it to be beautiful. How long she sat there, Aya didn’t know. But later on, Ami came out. She wore a sleeveless shirt with a hood and draw strings and dark, jean shorts. She sat herself down next to Aya.

“How did you know I was out here??” Ami shrugged. Aya looked around. She could see the entire ranch from here. Ryoko and Chris were sitting a little ways off, just talking. Nobiyuki was sitting with Kiyone by the river. Sasami was inside sleeping. Aya hadn’t seen Mihoshi or Washu and they were probably back at the house, although she figured they were safe in Washu’s lab. However, who she didn’t see was Yosho. He hadn’t shown up for dinner, either.

Where was he?? Aya saw Ryoko bid Chris goodnight and teleport off somewhere. Chris got up and started heading towards Aya. Kiyone started walking back to the house. Tenchi walked over to Aya and sat down next to her, but they didn’t say anything to each other. Aya then saw Nobiyuki greet someone and walk out of sight.

“Yosho’s back??” Ami asked and Aya turned to her, but she was staring straight out in front of her.

“Where??” Tenchi asked, but no one replied to him. They sat in silence for some time. Suddenly, a loud BOOM split the silence and Aya jumped to her feet immediately, soon followed by the other two. They faced the house with a look of pure shock on their faces.

“SASAMI!!!!” Aya screamed, for the house was no longer, but rather just a burning mass of whatever hadn’t been blown up by the attacker. The attacker was on Warzotacyn and was looping around again with some sort of bomb gun. Aya’s eyes began to glisten over with tears. Kiyone lay dead a few feet from the burning mass.

Chris shouted as he ran towards them. “AYA!! AMI!! TEN...” he was cut off by another loud BOOM. Nothing was even burning anymore, whatever was left of Kiyone or any of the people in the house was to be lost beneath the depth of the earth. Dirt, blood, and rubble were everywhere. Suddenly, the attacker spotted them.

“LET’S GO!!!” Chris shouted as loud as he could. Ami and Tenchi started running towards him.

“But what about Father and Yo.....” she started, but Chris cut her off.

“Just GO!!!!” he cried and he grabbed her wrist, pulling her forward so that she was forced to run.

“I won’t go without them!! We have to find them, NOW!!!!” Aya yelled, jerking her wrist from Chris’s grasp.

“I saw them by the stables!!” Tenchi shouted over his shoulder. Aya ran up to the front and continued to run faster.

“Than that’s where we’re going!!!” it was not her asking, it was her telling. All of them exchanged glances and then pushed themselves to catch her.

Warzotacyns swarmed the sky, turning the ranch to ruins. Aya, Ami, Chris, and Tenchi all had to drop to the ground and cover their heads as an attack flew right over their heads, just missing them. Ami was falling behind and she barely made it down.

“Ami, come on!!” Aya cried as they all rose to their feet before the attacker could loop back again. Ami ran her fastest but it was not enough to catch up with the rest. Aya groaned and turned around. She ran over and crouched down, her back to Ami.

“Get on!!” she ordered. Ami got on Aya’s back and than Aya was running again. They shot up to the front again and soon, all of them burst into the stables.

“WHOA!!!!” Aya ducked down with Ami still on her back as a nodachi swung at her head. She dropped down to a crouching position and swung her right foot around to trip the attacker before they all ran right over him as if he weren’t there. Zotacyns squealed in fright as more and more outsiders poured into the stables.

“Socarkmen!!” Chris called up as if to answer an unasked question. “They’re the king’s guards!!” Ami was holding on as tight as she could as Aya ran through the maze.

“Where’s Yosho and Father?!” she shouted behind her. Tenchi thought as second.

“Down with the Bull Zotacyn!! To get down there, we need a diversion!!!!” he replied. “What if we let the Zotacyns out??”

“They’d be to overcome by fear and rage for those dead so far to understand who was on their side!! We’d get a stampede and whoever went to the lock chamber to let them out would die!!” Chris shouted in disapprovingly.

“I’ve got a diversion enough!!” Aya threw open the doors of the weapon room and she ran for her staff. Chris ran for his sword. Tenchi stood helplessly as Aya tossed him a bokken.

“We need to split up!!” he yelled to them over the howling of the Zotacyns in rage, shock, despair, and confusion. They were helplessly being slaughtered and no one could understand why. “I’ll run down to the lock chamber and open the Bull Zotacyn’s chamber!! Get inside and fly with the bull out of here. I’ll be waiting for you outside. Pick me up out there and we can escape with father and grandpa!!”

Chris and Aya, in realization, exchanged glances as if to say “but how would Yosho and Nobiyuki have gotten into the bull’s chamber if they needed to open it from the lock chamber?!” But before they could ask, Tenchi was gone, disappearing into the darkness of everything around them. Aya and Ami then took up the lead and they were off, running as fast as they could towards the Bull Zotacyn’s cage. Aya then heard footsteps coming towards them.

“FATHER!!!” Aya shouted as they rounded the corner.

Socarkmen.

“Give up and kneel before us!!” a gruff voice growled as Chris ran to stand next to Aya. Ami hid behind Aya’s head.

“Think again!!” Aya growled before lashing out with her staff. It had a long shaft about as long as Aya was tall. In the center, it was thicker than the rest as a place to hold onto, about as long as someone’s foot. The ends were also thicker and the same size as the handhold. Aya was not bad at using it, either. She struck forward, straight through the chest of the Socarkman in front of her. The other three advanced upon her and the one in the middle ran out before the others, swinging his nodachi horizontally straight at Aya’s neck. Aya dropped again and tripped him too. If she were alone, the other two Socarkmen would have delt her fatal blows with their nodachis, but thankfully, Chris was there, and he lashed out with his sword, swinging his horizantaly fully around as to behead both of them.

“Shut your eyes, Ami!!” Aya shouted as she nodded to Chris in thanks before rising and continuing after him. Ami didn’t even flinch despite the gore but rather urged Aya forward. The doors of the Bull Zotacyn’s lair were coming closer and closer to them. Aya could hear the footsteps behind her and she knew of the coming Socarkmen.

“Chris!! They’ve got Asacries!!!” she called forward. Asacries were a sort of cannon only a Socarkmen had the power to use. They shot out energy called Asacrans that rippled through the air in a way to make the air turn to a powerful blast. It was very effective, if you thought about it, for it was so powerful and fast that it caught a bunch of air in front of it that would hit the target like hurricane winds before the blast would catch them off guard. Asacries had different levels. Aya hoped the Socarkmen here only had level ones.

They finally reached the steel doors, about a foot thick. Both Aya and Chris stared up at them. They had to get in!! The Socarkmen were getting closer. Aya and Chris desperately pushed up against the steel doors, but it was hopeless. They saw the Socarkmen round the corner and stare them hard in the eye. Aya screamed.

“Come on Tenchi!!” Chris called. Ami clung tightly to Aya. Then, the asacries fired. The world seemed to slow as the invisible force was released.

Tenchi had reached the lock chamber. He knew Aya and Chris would be at the Bull Zotacyn’s chamber any second now. He had hated lying to Aya like that, but how else would he get her to safety. He really had no idea where his father or grandfather were, but he wanted Aya out of there. He walked quickly up to the controls and looked at the two large buttons. One to open the Bull Zotacyn’s chamber doors, the other to release all the female and young male Zotacyns. Tenchi drew one hand up and pressed the button to open the Bull Zotacyn’s chamber. Then, his other hand brushed along the other button.

“We’d get a stampede and whoever went to the lock chamber to let them out would die!!” Chris’s words repeated in his head. Tenchi sighed as he pushed the button inwards.

“May you find peace, Aya,” Tenchi said sadly as he heard the thunder of millions of feet pounding the ground, coming up towards the lock chamber. He heard the sound of the giant creatures pounding up against all sides of his small room, denting it inwards. And as tears rolled down his face, he said good-bye to everything he had ever known and waited to finally rest with his mother.

Aya and Chris suddenly began to fall backwards. The doors were opening!!! The bolt barely missed them as they fell inwards. Aya quickly jumped up and slammed the button to close the door as Chris got to his feet to avoid the closing doors.

“NO!!!” Aya heard the sound of millions of feet pounding the ground. She and Chris exchanged glances as the same thing ran through both their heads.

He’d let the Zotacyns out.

Suddenly, little from being closed, the doors stopped.

“He’s dead,” Aya began to cry. Again.

“The Zotacyn’s trampled the lock chamber and cut the power,” Chris said in despair before shaking his head.

“Aya, we have to get Nobiyuki and Yosho and get out of here before the Socarkmen get in!! You know they will break down our doors with their Asacries soon and we have to get out!!” The doors were suddenly dented inwards by a Asacran. If the Socarkmen tried, they could get through where the Asacran had opened the door in the center. The bottom and top were still shut to close to step through but the Socrakmen could climb through.

“Aya!! Use your staff to lock them!!” he cried, motioning to the two hooks only a little ways from the edge. It was usually used to hang supplies on. But now, Aya knew what she had to do. She just wasn’t sure if it was worth it. She wasn’t sure if she had enough left to live for to suffer this much.

“AYA, NOW!!!!!” Chris screamed as the Socarkmen came closer. Aya, snapping out of it, slammed her staff down underneath the hooks.Now, the space above and below her staff would be to small to fit a Socrakman. The staff had been fashioned of metal and it would take awhile to get in, but they had no time to lose. Soon, they were racing down the spiraling ramp towards the very bottom. That was where the Bull was. Chris and Aya slowed down as they came up to it. There was a platform next to it that almost came up to its stomach so that one could reach the Bull. Aya put Ami down and Ami found her legs to be a little hard to walk on. Aya and Chris heard the sound of metal against metal as they battled with her staff. How much longer would it hold?? Chris quickly began putting on the appropriate equipment to fly. Then, the emergency hatch at the very top of the chamber began to open. Chris felt horror well up in his stomach. He knew the Bull would fly out through that hatch with or without them. He quickly tried to finish as it got steadily wider. He knew very well that as soon as it was all the way open, the straps that bound the Bull to keep him from flying all over the chamber would unhook from the walls automatically, allowing him his freedom.

He finished.

Chris quickly jumped up into the harness. It was different. You would strap yourself in, basically. All you had to do in preparation was strap the harness to the Zotacyn. He stapped himself in before Aya quickly handed Ami up to him. He strapped Ami in back of him so that Aya would be in back of Ami, protecting the girl from both sides.

“CHRIS!!!!!” Aya suddenly cried as the hatch opened completely.

“Cousin AYA!!!” Ami cried, outstreching her little hand despite the fact that she could not reach Aya. The straps unhooked from the walls.

It was off.

The Zotacyn pumped its great wings as it pushed up off the ground. Aya desperately grabbed at them and she felt a strap against her palm, the one that held it in the back behind Ami. She held tight as suddenly, with a mightly jerk, she came off the ground with it. Aya clamped her eyes shut as the Zotacyn soared into the sky. When she dared open them, she found herself to be hanging a couple hundred feet off the ground.

“AYA!!” Chris screamed. Aya could feel her palms beggining to sweat. “Ami, you HAVE to get me that stap!!” Ami tried her hardest to pull it over to Chris. To Aya, it seemed like hours. However, Ami finally pulled the strap within Chris’s reach and he began pulling it upwards.

“Chris,” Ami whispered quietly but urgently.

“WHAT?!” he snapped, but Ami didn’t care.

“The straps starting to come off!!!” Chris stared in horror as his stomach tied itself even tighter. He began pulling the strap up even faster than before. Aya felt herself steadily coming closer to him. Then, she saw it. She saw the strap coming off.

And she screamed.

“Cousin Aya, just hold on!!” Ami cried desperately. Aya did. But her palms were sweating. She was slipping. She was so close. Chris kept pulling.

Almost there.

And then, it snapped. The strap came undone and Aya felt herself begin to fall.

“GOTCHA!!!” Chris’s hand went around her wrist. Aya opened her eyes and looked up. She smiled and he pulled her up. She carefully made her way back to the harness and strapped herself in.

“GO!!!” Chris pushed the points right at the base of the Zotacyn’s neck and it shot forward at an amazing speed. Then, as it began to slow, Aya looked down to see Nobiyuki surrounded by Socarkmen. One had on green armour instead of black and he wore a mask the colors of fire with designs all around the edges. Eyes burned through the only holes in the mask. The hair was all pulled up in a very high ponytail of dark purple, almost black, hair. A Creseptue. He had a sword raised hight above his head, ready to strike down Nobiyuki. Aya’s eyes widened in horror. Nobiyuki stared up at them as the sun just began to rise, his eyes filling with tears of joy to see a part of his family escaping.

Tears streamed from Aya’s eyes before the Zotacyn turned sharply so that she could only here the sickening sound of metal cutting through flesh as they flew far away.

“FATHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”