----
 Ayeka reached for the doorknob only to feel a hand brush by her own. "You," 
 She snarled. "What are you doing here?"
 
 :To be with Tenchi. He's probably too exhausted for what your planning...: 
 Ryoko crossed her arms and leaned up against the wall. Ayeka glared at her. 
 Despite the bond they now shared, the centuries of bad blood still left a 
 taint 
 upon the two of them. "Get out of my head," The princess demanded her 
 cheeks burning a bright crimson. The pirate simply shrugged.
 
 "As you wish." Ayeka shook with fury at the sarcasm. She responded by 
 lifting her chin. "Hmmmph, Well, I have no idea what your talking about. My 
 thoughts are not as base as yours" Ryoko narrowed her eyes.
 
 "Really?" Ryoko asked unconvinced. A mischievous look passed through her 
 eyes sending a shiver through Ayeka's spine. She stalked forward like a 
 jaguar eyeing her prey. The pirate's finger tips left a trail of fire and 
 ice across her cheek as she brushed away stray hair from her eyes. Ayeka 
 felt her mouth run dry and couldn't remove her gaze from the amber eyes and 
 bared teeth.
 
 :Eichi, princess...Tenchi's heart would stop, twice.: Ayeka stepped back 
 catching her breath. 
 
 "Ryoko...ummm..errrr, you wish to see Tenchi alone?" The princess said 
 staring at the floor her. 
 
 "I take it, it is the same for you. We have to decide who goes first you 
 know." A long silence followed. 
 
 "Flip a coin?"
 
 *******
 
 
 "Huh, what?" Tenchi murmured squinting his eyes. "Dark already?" He said 
 to himself. -Last thing I remember is coming in here to shower. Must've 
 fallen asleep. He looked around some as he sat up on the bed. The covers 
 lay rumpled but still the bed was made. A slight creaking of the door caught 
 his attention. His voice was caught in his throat. The moonlight caught 
 her eyes in such away it took her breath away. 
 
 "I'm sorry, I did not wish to wake you." The figure turned away reaching 
 for the door. He rubbed his eyes and reached towards the lamp.
 
 "No, don't, I was about to get up anyways." The shyness was back in her 
 eyes. He sighed remembering the day he showed her around his house. A sigh 
 expressing more love that could ever be spoken left her lips. She crossed 
 the distance with an almost urgency. 
 
 "Ayeka, is anything...." She knelt to him her lips pressing against his 
 almost fearfully.
 
 :Don't speak, please.: Tenchi responded taking her fully into his arms 
 laying her on the bed. All fears all doubts were cast aside. Her strength 
 became his...
 
 
 Outside, hidden by the dark sky, Ryoko sat staring at the moon remembering 
 her days among the stars. Tears streamed down her face as the sounds passion 
 and love, that were not her own welled past her barriers seeping into 
herself.
 She 
 gasped trying to keep them back, to force the images of Tenchi and Ayeka 
 from her mind. They ripped at her heart. She had never felt so alone. She 
 hugged her knees together and wept...
 
 ****
 
 Tenchi unwound himself from Ayeka's arms. A pang of regret passed through 
 him. It was so tempting to bathe in the warmth of touch once more and let 
 sleep overtake him.
 
 "'enchi?" Ayeka whispered half asleep. He bent over her brushing the sweat 
 soaked hair from her brow.
 
 "I won't leave you," he whispered leaving a kiss. Relieved, the princess 
 rolled over into a deeper sleep. Carefully, he dressed and exited the rool 
 as quietly as possible. 
 
 The sheer size and emptiness of the palace halls seemed to reflect his own 
 feelings. -Why after all that has happened do I feel worse than they were 
 when they constantly fault all those months?- The chill of the air and the 
 ringing of the word betrayal dug into the pit of his stomach. :Ryoko?: he 
 sent mentally. Their was no reply. A stab of guilt followed. -She must be 
 blocking me out.- 
 
 Accompanied by the sounds of his footsteps, he walk in search of Ryoko.
 
 *******
 
 The single candle illuminated the massive library. Despite all the knowledge 
 stored within it, nothing helped him find a way to Ifurita. Even with the 
 possibility of the Key and its connection with the Eye, he had never felt 
 farther from his love. -Ifurita...each time I am so close, I am beaten down 
 when my hope rises.- Makoto shook himself free of the dark thoughts 
 remembering the words of her wraith.
 
 He focused his attention once more on the tattered scroll before him. The 
 completed portions of the translations were off to one side. It was a 
 chronicle of the 'Great War'. The same war were the rapid pace of the war 
 effort pushed technology forward at amazing and horrifying paces. Weapons 
 that made killng an industry sprung forward, The Eye of God and Ifurita were 
 the crown jewels of war technology.
 
 Though the information was mostly useless, a horrifying curiosity told him 
 to read forward. 
 
 The war was over nothing. Not land, not money, nor food...it was over the 
 petty politics and political ambitions of nobles. The warriors honorbound to 
 serve followed their orders unquestionably. It was their place to serve not 
 to make policy. And, they fought and died for years. Whole nations were 
 crushed and millions of families were shattered. 
 
 After years one alliance of nations finally 'won'. Then one general, Kaizen,
 who lost his sons in the war went mad and fired the ,'weapon that won the 
 war' , The Eye of God, upon the nations of the alliance and a whole 
 generation of youth disappeared in its ebon flames. 
 
 Those who entered the Eye of God found a prophecy written in Kaizen's blood.
 
 "Damn, this one stanza." The sound of footsteps caught his attention. -
 Probably Rune telling me to sleep.- He saw Tenchi glance into the library. 
 Tenchi jumped startled to see another soul at this time of night.
 
 "Have you seen Ryoko?" Tenchi asked. Makoto shook his head. Out of 
 curiosity, the Jurian prince approached the table. "Whatcha working on." He 
 saw Makoto's features darken rapidly.
 
 "Translating old chronicles. Trying to find some way to find Ifurita. I 
 promised her..." He nodded in understanding. "Ya know... studying hard like 
 always." Tenchi remembered the days when school was their chief concern.
 
 "It seems so long ago."
 
 "It was, is, and always will be..." Abruptly, Tenchi pulled up a chair. He 
 prayed that Ryoko would understand his delay in looking for her. A surprised 
 look crossed his friends face.
 
 "It's like when we were little Makoto, we each complimented the other ." 
 Tenchi said as he pulled out the notes that his friend had done, scanning 
 through them as he went over the original text. "This is not the same, but 
 there enough elements to the Jurai royal tongue to be understood.. you got 
 most of this right, but this one part.."
 
 "It makes no sense to me."
 
 "The Shadowed soul.." Tenchi read, as the Deja Vu struck. "shadowed soul...,"
 he repeated to himself. He blinked. :The sun was eclipsed above. Looking 
 up, the shadow fell like a wave towards her washing upon her form.:
 
 "Makoto..I gotta go find, Ryoko," He found himself saying as the sudden 
 urgency soaked him to the core. Makoto followed with his eyes as he swiftly 
 left then turned his attention back to his notes.
 
 
 Kaizen thrust his fist towards the heavens damning them for the
 loss of his sons in the great war. His tears soaked the Eye, AND IT FELT
 HIS GRIEF. He cursed the generals who gloated triumphantly amist the 
 pain 
 and loss of his children. He wished them to feel his pain. He cast a 
 blood vow. Blood soaked the Eye. AND IT FELT HIS RAGE. The Eye of God 
 descended from it's resting place and bestowed it's wrathful gaze over 
 the 
 victorious and prideful nations bathing them in its ebony fires as it had 
 
 done to its enemies. The lifeblood was cast away as was its swords 
 leaving a hollow shell in its wake. 
 
 Realizing his sins, Lord Kaizen threw his heart into the ebon flames and
 his eyes were opened: Twas punishment brought down and savior, for their
 lifeblood shall survive the coming storm. A generation would be lost for
 eternity, not one clan would be spared this loss.... 
 
 ...and Lord Kaizen thrust himself into the ebon flames leaving only his 
 dying vow: Only when the Eye casts its vision upon the shadowed soul, 
 shall the rebirth begin....
 
 "Shadowed soul," Makoto repeated. The sins of the past surged to his memory.
 
 ----
 
 The dream, again. It haunted her once more. Kagato cupped her throat 
 rubbing her cheeks. His laughter filled the room as the slap echoed. -No 
 not again...- Kagato rose drawing a thin blade drawing it across her skin. 
 She couldn't scream, couldn't cry. A thin line of blood dripped down her 
 face. The look of fascination crossed the torturers face as the wound healed 
 before his eyes. She cried out mentally as he chose another place to cut.
 
 Then it was gone. :Tenchi?: Ryoko looked around desperately as the humming 
 increased. It was like the screams of the dead piercing the sky. She looked 
 up seeing ebon flames surging forward. "NO!!!" She turned towards to see a 
 figure running towards her daring the flames to consume him.
 
 Tenchi saw her curled up on the grass by the palace walls. He reached to 
 wake her only to have her snap up rolling away from him. Fear and animal 
 desperation glared in her eyes. She was like an animal backed into a corner. 
 He could feel the irrational fear, driven rage course through their link. :
 Ryoko, its me...: Tenchi groaned as the nightmarish images of the dreams 
 struck him like waves. The pictures fled from his mind as soon as they came.
 
 "What was that?" He moaned finding himself cradled in Ryoko's arms. 
 
 "A nightmare a very old nightmare," she whispered sadly running her hand 
 through his hair. She could smell Ayeka's scent on his skin. 
 
 "You've had it before?" He couldn't help but feel almost foolish asking. 
 The pirate nodded looking away almost as in shame. He felt her shift 
 uncomfortably.
 
 ::Kagato cupped her throat rubbing her cheeks.....::
 
 He hugged her, and kissed her neck gently as he rocked her. ::It's in the 
 past, Ryoko, let it go. He doesn't have any power over you now. Remember.:: 
 New images rushed over her.
 
 :: Tenchi holding a blade of pure light, as Kagato turned to face him. Then 
 his form disperse from the sword's cut.::
 
 "I love you Tenchi." Ryoko said as she slid back into sleep, exhausted by 
 her fears and stress.
 
 "I know Ryoko." He said as he held her sleeping form.
 
 :The sun was eclipsed above. Looking up, the shadow fell like a wave 
 towards her washing upon her form.: 
 ----