-Just a little further, can't fail now. Too much depends on us, on me, now.- 
The pain and fatigue seemed to be tearing away her willpower, but Afura Mann 
pushed on. She tried to ignore her wounds, the burning of her old scars, and 
the exhaustion that came from days of nonstop conflict. It was so hard. Her 
lungs burned, and it felt like Sheyla and Makoto's weight would tear her arms 
from their sockets.

The impact of landing brought new, but welcome, pain. She collapsed in a 
heaving heap of pain on the ground. Happy to finally finished her part.

"You did it Afura, we'll be in place soon." Sheyla crowed, and knelt by her 
friend, "rest up while Makoto and I find the access hatch. We won't be long, 
I promise. Makoto, come on the hatch is this way." Sheyla dashed off with 
Makoto in pursuit.

Afura nodded drunkenly as the two ran to the access hatch, it was a struggle 
to stay awake. She leaned against a pylon and all but passed out in utter 
exhuastion.
---
Makoto eyed the deep chasm in front of him, going over his directions in his 
mind. -Now, comes the hard part.-

"Sheyla, once we reach the bottom, I want you to go back to the surface and 
leave with Afura." Sheyla's head snapped around at that. She took one look at 
Makoto, and knew what he planned.

"You're going to destroy the Eye." Makoto couldn't meet her eyes, the pain in 
her voice was already too much.

"Yes, I'm going to direct the blast inward. The Eye is too dangerous to be 
allowed to function. Too many ways to control it have appeared. The Key, .. 
Me, and who knows what else. It must be destroyed." Sheyla couldn't conceive 
of it, how could you destroy something as big and powerful as the Eye? 

"How?" 

"I have an idea, if Nahto manages to build the Eye to the critical levels 
that I think he will, I will redirect the blast into the core. Instead of 
being directed outward, the blast will be channeled back in upon itself. The 
Eye of God will be banished across time and space, never to threaten El 
Hazard again." Makoto seemed resolved in his fate, Sheyla wanted to scream, 
weep, slap him. Something to make him see that this was a foolish idea, but 
she couldn't. His logic, as always, was sound. "The fear will end tonight, 
the Eye of God won't threaten El Hazard again."

"But you'll be..."

"Banished with it, lost forever in time and space. Yeah," he swallowed 
nervously and looked away, "I know. My punishment for all the dealth that I 
have brought about. It's a price that I will have to pay." Sheyla grabbed 
him, unsure of what she was going to do next. 

"I won't let you throw your life away!" She looked at him, the tears 
distorting his image. "What about Tenchi and the others, you promised to send 
the home. What about Ifurita?" It was terrifying to see that much pain and 
guilt on Makoto's face.

"Tenchi is certain that Washuu will find them sooner or later, and from what 
they told me of her, I have no doubt that he is right. As for Ifurita," He 
looked Sheyla with regretful look, "ask Washuu to save her. Then tell her, 
I'm sorry. It just wasn't meant to be." Sheyla couldn't stand it anymore, she 
tightened her grip and started to pull him from the edge.

"I won't let you do this." Makoto looked at her sadly and she let him go. She 
brought her hand to his face. The next she knew they were kissing. She pulled 
away from the embrace reluctantly. -God, he is so easy to love.- She let go 
of him and stepped back. "You don't know how much I wish that things could 
have been different." She pulled off one of her wrist guards, and handed it 
to him. "Legends say that each gem holds a piece of the preistess' soul in 
them." She wrapped the guard around his wrist. "Remember us, and come home as 
soon as you can." 

She stepped back, her heart pounding so hard that she thought it would burst. 
Makoto looked at the gemstone, and then her. The pain and guilt were still 
there, but now he had a determined look in his eye that she knew. He would do 
everything in his power to return to El Hazard now, she knew it. She pulled 
the cord on her amp pack and looked back at him.

"Ready to get this game on the road?" Her latest trick was why she had come 
along. Generating a pillow of hot air to break their fall.

"My words exactly!!" A voice shouted . The bugrom landed between them and 
then instantly tackled Sheyla. Her scream reverberated down the shaft as the 
two dropped down the shaft to the center of the Eye.

"Sheyla!!!" Makoto ran to the edge, nothing remained to show that she had 
been there. -Another body to lay at my feet- He said silently. 

"Well, well, well. Looks like it is just you and I, Makoto Misuhara." The 
voice cackled, and a chill ran down Makoto's spine. He turned to find Jinnai 
standing before him. -Enough of this madness. This ends here and now.-

"A final fight to the death, something out of a movie, eh Jinnia?" He asked 
as he pulled off his jacket, Jinnai did the same. The wind instantly picked 
up the jackets and pulled them over the edge. He set Ifurita's Staff Key down 
and move towards his rival.

"Isn't it though? A far off world. Demons and monsters. Heroes and Villans. A 
broken heart and undying love. Or is it? I saw that scene with the red-haired 
firebrand. Ah well, a shame about her." Makoto's fists clenched and 
unclenched, sudden rage welling up in him.

"It ends now, Jinnai!!! No one else dies for your madness!!!!"  He leapt for 
the other boy.

The fight that followed was brutal. Neither had competed in any martial art, 
or even fought much. Makoto lashed out with a savage combination that set 
Jinnai on his heels. A trickle of blood dripped down Jinnai's chin. Makoto 
ran forward than fell into a sliding tackle. A loud crack was heard from 
Jinnai's impact with the ground.

"I was never your enemy, It was all in your mind. You were my friend!" He 
slammed a kick into Jinnai's face and pushed himself up.

"FRIENDS!!! You must think I am fool Makoto. You mocked me at every turn. You 
were the popular one. The smart one. The Athlete. You were always there, 
doing things better than me. And being so damn modest about it." Jinnai spat 
up a globlet of blood.

"It's your own fault, Katsuhiko. It is not my fault that you let jealousy eat 
you up and make you bitter." Makoto chuckled and clenched his fists.

"Bitter... It's more than that. I despise you. I will let vultures feed on 
your bloated corpse." Jinnai staggered a little from the combined weight of 
his injuries. He withdrew a sharp thorn-like object from his shirt and lashed 
out with it. The very tip nicked Makoto's arm, his dodge failing by inches to 
avoid the impromptu dagger. "You had top marks in Biology, doesn't take a 
genius to figure that this is a poison stinger does it?"

Makoto fell to the ground, searing pain flashing through his entire body. It 
seemed like every nerve ending in his body was on fire. The agony was 
horrible. Then there was the inhuman scream that filled his ears, it took him 
a second to realize that it was his own voice. Then the pain started to 
receded. Slowly, but it was fading.

"Too bad it only lasts for 10 seconds or so," Jinnai shrugged, as he lashed 
out with a quick kick to his ribs. "One! Two!! Three!!!" Makoto rolled onto 
his back, more from the impact of the kicks than any action on his part. A 
heel slammed down on his hand, crushing the bones underneath with a sudden 
violence. "Tables turn Makoto. Hm.... when I'm through with you, you're going 
to look like a red smear. Wow! Just like poor Sheyla when she finally hits 
botton any minute now."

"You... haven't... won yet.." Jinnai nodded and stomped onto Makoto's 
stomach. Makoto doubled over in pain. Sighing, Jinnai jammed the stinger into 
his belt loop and picked up the staff key and brought it up in a swing. 

"Ironic, isn't it? You are about to be killed by the only thing you have left 
of your eternal love." The staff's axe-like head arched and Makoto barely 
managed to move his head out of the way. Bones in his shoulder crunched under 
the impact.

-Ifurita!!!- Makoto silently screamed as he tried to crawl away. Deep within 
him, he could feel the energies of the Eye reaching that critical level. -It 
can't end like this.-

"Ah, going somewhere Makoto?" The staff rose once more. "Time to die!"

"Never!!" Afura landed on the platform, hurling winds forward. The staff was 
torn from Jinnai's grip. He didn't try to recover it, instead rushing forward 
to slam a shoulder into the battered preistess. She staggered backwards and 
slipped over the edge of the chasm, vanishing with a scream. Jinnai turned 
back and walked towards the staff key.

"Maybe, I'll just roll your body over the edge. That way you can join your 
friends down there." Something clanked onto the ground in front of Makoto. 
Jinnai spun around, trying to find where it had come from. "Now What!!!!"

Makoto fought to keep his eyes open as what it was registered on him. -Thank 
you- He leapt forward and grabbed it, pulling the activation unit onto his 
hand. Awareness blossomed as he reached for the activation cord, tripping 
microswitches and linking the unit with the amplifier crystal on his wrist. 
He screamed in agony as the bones of his broken hand rubbed together. A fire 
leapt into existance on his intact hand.

"Jinnai!! It's over!!" Makoto yelled. -Please don't make me do this Jinnai.-

"Never! It isn't over till I say it is!!" Jinnai rushed forward, pulling the 
stinger from his belt loop brandishing it like a knife.

"Burn!"-Damn you Jinnai- Makoto pointed and with a thought the other boy was 
enveloped in flames. The scream were thankfully brief, though Makoto knew 
that he hear it for the rest of his life. He watched Jinnai leap from the 
edge, dropping from the Eye like a shooting star. 
-Damn you, Jinnai, it didn't have to end this way.- He repeated as he 
squeezed his eyes shut to slow the tears.

----
Afura pulled herself over the lip of the shaft. Sheyla reached over to help 
her up. Makoto lay nearby, looking a little rocky from his injuries.

"What about the bug?" Afura asked. Sheyla smiled and brushed a piece of shell 
off her shoulder idly. She turned to face Makoto "Makoto, need a lift down to 
the core?" He looked up with a haunted look in his eye, tears a scant second 
away, as he looked beyond them to within the Eye's inner workings.

"Too late..." he whispered, and the rest of his words were washed away in the 
scream of air and light that heralded the Eye's firing.

The silence that followed left them alone with their unspoken prayers for the 
ones below.

------
The threesome hit the grove pathway to the eye at a full run, powered up and 
ready to face their unseen foes.  Ryoko lashed out with a twin blast that 
glided down the path in a straight line towards the Stairway. The explosion 
as they impacted a body scattered dozens of suddenly visible Phantoms.

Ayeka slammed out a bolt to one side as bullets bounced off her barrier 
sheild, and scattered more of their foes. -It's like fighting that earth 
creature I read about, the hydra, cut off one head and two appear to replace 
it.-

"Yeah, but these monsters don't require that much flame to snuff out," Ryoko 
said as she blasted one that was about to stab her in the side. "Still, it 
might be a good idea to watch your sides a little better, okay Ayeka?" She 
said with a half smile, half smirk. Ayeka returned the fair natured snipe 
with a mental rasberry, that set Ryoko laughing as she took higher to the air.

-Nag, nag.. I thought I was the cautious one,- she replied through her bond 
as she expanded the shield around herself to full extension, sending more 
phantoms flying as it expanded over 10 feet in less than a second. -See? I 
can take care of myself.-

-Don't get cocky...- Ryoko reminded her as she swooped down and lashed out 
with another blast. 

-Would you two please concentrate on the matter at hand?- Tenchi called as he 
slammed a fist onto the ground, creating a shockwave with his force blast 
that sent everyone but the threesome flying. 

"We don't exactly have a lot of time, remember?" he said as he stepped into 
the doorway to the skylift. Ayeka and Ryoko joined him quickly, and they were 
whisked high into the tower. To confront the one being on El Hazard with the 
power of life and death. Nahto. Tenchi looked at the two women that he was 
with, the two loves of his life, and swallowed nervously before continuing. 
"Let me confront him, I have the bond with the Key to my advantage. You two 
standby in case he brought along any surprises."

Any reply the two had were cut off by their arrival at the summit of the 
Stairway.  They stepped out of the transport disc and look around nervously. 
The vast amount of machinery that they had been led to believe awaited them. 
Ryoko stepped up to the edge and Ayeka circled nervously around the center. 
No one else was there. Ryoko yelled over the thunder and lightning that 
warred overhead.

"What is going on? I thought that he was supposed to be up here with some 
type of army? Not to mention a ton of machinery."

-That's right, Makoto said that they left a lot of machinery when they tried 
to use Fatora to fire the Eye last time.- Ayeka added silently through their 
bond.

"I don't know, I can feel the Key is nearby...." the rest of his reply was 
cut off by the wet crunch of a knife cutting deep into his flesh. He spun 
away from his attacker, Nahto, and staggered to the ground as the strenght 
flowed out of him through the wound in his side.

"Tenchi." screamed the two women at the same moment. Nahto stepped back to 
the center of the Stairway and brought a bloody hand up holding the Key.

"The blood of Kaizen will open the way!" He yelled exulting in the power that 
flowed through the key to him. A shield snapped up a second before Ryoko and 
Ayeka could make contact with him, and both of the were knocked backwards 
from the impact. Nahto sneered at the three heroes as the wind picked up. 
Overhead, the Eye started to glow ominously. The very air held an electric 
charge it seemed as the Eye built to a critical level.

"You didn't think that I would just walk away and let you 'live happily ever 
after'? You all must pay for Gallus' death!" The key glowed in his hands and 
instantly the wind doubled in intensity again. "I will leave all of El Hazard 
in ruins!"

Ryoko looked at the small boy, and then back at Tenchi. He lay on the ground 
with Ayeka holding his wound. The princess looked up at Ryoko and for an 
instant their eyes met. In that instant, understanding blossomed between 
them. Aeyaka tightened her grip on Tenchi as Ryoko turned to face the madman.

The shield around the Phantom triber flared and doubled in intensity as she 
walked towards him. -Purity of purpose- she reminded herself as the shock of 
teleporting through the shield hit her. Images of the world that she had come 
to rushed through her mind, the orderly cities of the Bugrom, the wild savage 
forests and mountains, the cities of El Hazard teeming with life and hope. 
Behind her, she could hear Tenchi's desperate cries to her, and deep within 
her they were echoed by Ayeka's as well. She closed the bond with a snap, 
before their pleas made her pause at a critical moment.

Nahato's triumphant grin vanished as she glided up and wrapped her hand 
around his. She looked back towards Tenchi and the others. -Oh Tenchi, I love 
you so much.- , then she looked back towards Nahto and grinned savagely, 
-that is why I have to do this.-

"See you in hell!" Overhead the Eye of God glowed and deep within the it some 
element tettered on the edge of  critical mass. Her grip on the Key and 
Nahto's hand tightened. There was a mental click as she linked with the key, 
and the Eye's gaze wavered from Nahto's targets to the two of them. 

:Ryoko! Can you here me?: Washu's voice came through the heretofore silent 
link between them. Ryoko could feel her mother's concern and fear, and was 
saddened by what was to come as she replied.

-I can hear you Washu, .. Mother.. I'm sorry that it has to end this way, but 
remember this. I .. Love you mother...always.- The Eye lashed out a blast of 
energy to the center of the Stairway.-Always, remember that...- Then 
darkeness absolute, enveloped her and she fell into it.

Tenchi pushed himself up, blinded by the Eye's strike and nearly deafened as 
well. The key had landed in the small crater that remained behind. Weaving 
unsteadily, till Ayeka rushed to his support, he walked to the spot where the 
two warriors had fought. 

It was a twisted spot, the key hissed fitfully yet untouched by the Eye's 
fury in the light rain that fell. All that remained of the two warriors was 
the Key.

"Ryoko, why?" he reached down and picked up the Key. He suddenly felt 
lightheaded and then there was nothing but darkness as he crumpled to the 
ground.

-----

Makoto poured himself another cup with some difficulty, it was hard to pour 
from such a big jug with one hand and arm cocooned in bandages and splints. 
He set the jug down with exaggerated care, and downed the strong drink 
slowly. -Jinnai screaming as he lit up like an oiled soaked rag.- Makoto 
slammed the cup down and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to escape the vision 
in his mind's eye. 

He heard someone take a seat across from him in the booth. He opened his eyes 
and looked up from his cup. Tenchi sat there, his arm bound tightly against 
the massive chest bandage.  Makoto looked at his old friend, understanding 
bloomed between their gazes. -I understand what you meant now.- He thought 
miserably. -Power does have a price.-

"How did you find me?" He asked and took another swallow. He looked up as his 
eyes teared.

"I share a link to you, through Ayeka and Ryoko, from the bonding ceremony. 
You can't sense it, but I could find you if I really wanted. I wanted to ask 
you a couple questions. Did you really intend to destroy the Eye of God?"

"Yes. I couldn't allow it to be used again because of me."

"Even at the risk of being banished forever? Of never saving Ifurita?"

"Yes." He said it simply, the passion and drive had left him. He hadn't 
really felt anything since the battle on the Eye of God. Since he had killed 
Jinnai. -I'm sorry Ifurita, but the cost to save you is too high. I failed 
you.-

His thoughts were interrupted by silence from Tenchi. He looked up at his old 
friend, Tenchi held out the Key. Makoto looked at him in shock and disbelief.

"Why?"

"I told you, I needed proof that you would be responsible with it. You have 
been willing to sacrifice your life for everyone, several times in fact. I'm 
sorry Makoto, I misjudged you badly."

Makoto looked at the Key, part of him wanted to take it so badly. -I don't 
deserve it, I don't deserve to be happy.- he told himself as the cup started 
to shake in his hand, -What about Ifurita?- asked another part of him. He 
shut his eyes and Jinnai's scream replayed itself in his mind again. -I'm not 
worthy,- he thought miserably, tears a second away. Tenchi watched the 
struggle going on within Makoto.

"Makoto, you did what had to be done. Don't let the guilt eat you alive. 
Would he have killed again?"

"Yes," Makoto replied, seeing the glee with which Jinnai reveled in Sheyla 
and Afura's apparent demise. "Without a second though."

"Then you did the right thing." Tenchi said without emotion. Makoto looked up 
at him.

"Does the pain ever go away? Do the dreams stop?"

"No, but you will find that if you share the pain with those you love, it 
becomes bearable." Tenchi placed the Key in Makoto's unresisting hand, and 
looked him in the eye, "I give you the Key. Now save Ifurita."

Tenchi's declaration unlocked the blocks in the Key that Makoto couldn't 
breach. Power rose up and washed through him, bring him into contact with the 
Key. Awareness blossomed as the Key and Makoto bonded.

-God, I never realized that it was this powerful...- he told himself as he 
was swept away in the tendrils of power that were linked to the artifact. 
Reaching out, he felt the familar power of the Eye of God and rode the link 
between the Key and it. It took him deep within the Eye, showing paths of 
power and control that had eluded him before. In a flash of light, 
understanding blossomed and something within the Eye clicked. -I can't 
believe that it was so simple.- He thought as he withdrew and broke the link 
with the Key. He placed the artifact on the table, delicately, and looked up 
at Tenchi with a much lighter heart.

"Are you ready to go home?" He asked his friend, savoring the hope that shone 
in Tenchi's eyes.
-----

Tenchi and the two sisters stood in the center of the Eye, waiting as Makoto 
reached up with his power and linked with the Eye of God. Makoto looked over 
at them, suddenly nervous.

"I'm sorry for what happened, and hope that this will make amends for some of 
what happened." Ayeka smiled and replied for the threesome.

"Makoto, you don't have to apologize." She looked at the figure that appeared 
on the transport disc and called to her, "Fatora, I hope that we will meet 
again. Kinsman." Fatora smiled at that, and Alliele wrapped a hand around her 
lover's waist. Fatora started at the act of affection, but didn't pull away. 
-There might be hope for you yet, cousin.-Ayeka thought. "Makoto, it's time. 
Send us home."

Makoto nodded and pointed to the sky, the Eye glowed bright gold for a moment 
and then a column of light enveloped the threesome. When it had faded to 
bearable levels, they were gone.

Makoto leaned on the staff, and looked at his companions. Fujisawa had a 
protective arm around Miz and Nanami stood alone, proud and unashamed of what 
she was. -It suits you Nanami.-

"Are you two ready to go home?" He asked with a smile. Fujisawa and Nanami 
looked at each other nervously and then at him. Nanami spoke first.

"I'm not leaving Makoto." She said simply. He looked at her in shock, 
disbelief on his face, so she continued with an explanation. "I have to stay 
and help the Phantom Tribe to assimilate back into the rest of El Hazard 
society." She kissed him on the cheek tenderly "I don't blame you for 
Katsuhiko, Makoto, he brought about his own end." Her eyes misted as she ran 
a delicate hand down the line of his jaw, "Sometimes, I wish things had gone 
differently, but I have a duty now." A whistful smile played across her face, 
an echo of the old Nanami. "I will go home eventually, but my place is here 
for now." Then she was gone in a shimmer, with nothing to show that she had 
ever been there.

"Makoto, I ..want to go home, but till Miz is fit enough..." Makoto nodded as 
his teacher's words died unspoken on his lips. Miz, pale and draw from her 
wounds, smiled at him and Fujisawa wrapped a protective arm around her. "I.. 
I just can't now.."

"I understand teacher." Makoto said. Fujisawa wrapped his arms around him and 
gave him a fierce hug that left Makoto breathless for several seconds.

"Then what are you waiting for boy! Go save the girl and live happily ever 
after."

Makoto nodded and stepped out onto the center of the Stairway, looking up as 
his power reached up to the Eye one more time. The Eye pulsed with life again 
and reached out and covered him in gold. Then he was gone.
----

Tenchi slid the door open gently, favoring his right side. It would be 
several weeks yet before the wound would have healed enough for him to move 
comfortably. Washu didn't move once at the sound of his approach, even as he 
slid down on the porch beside her.

"Washu, I'm sorry..." She patted him gently on the hand without turning to 
face him.

"It's alright Tenchi. She's alive, " Washu placed her hand on her breast as 
she continued, "I would know here if she wasn't, and I will find her again." 
Washu looked at him, and Tenchi could see the tears running down her face. "I 
will find her. At the last moment before the Eye fired, I renewed our 
connection. Not in time to save her, but she was able to say goodbye.. and 
that she loved me." Washu stood and walked to the door, heading back to her 
lab. "I won't screw this up, I can't..."

Then Tenchi was alone with the stars. Finally he pulled himself up and headed 
inside, Ayeka would be waiting up for him and he didn't want her to worry 
unnecessarily.

---
Washu looked at the massive platform in front of her. It had taken sometime 
to assemble all the components from scratch, but she had done it. -Now all it 
has to do is work the way that I designed it.-

She pulled out a keypad and started typing in commands. Machinery started to 
hum and slowly light started to build to a peak on the platform. Space 
twisted and warped under the massive energies at her command.

Finally the field collapsed in a soundless explosion of light that blew out 
most of the machines involved. Washu looked at the platform with a nervous 
eye, as the smoke cleared from around the platform.

A single form lay on the platform, unmoving. With a heartrending cry, she ran 
to the form and pulled it into her lap. Ryoko was pale and unmoving as Washu 
frantically checked her child's vitals.

"Breath damn you," she pleaded as she massaged the cold limbs and her heart 
threatened to break, "please, Breath!!!"

Ryoko opened her eyes and looked at her. In that moment Washu thought her 
heart was going to burst.

"Washu... Tenchi and Ayeka?" Washu placed a finger on her lips.

"They're fine, right now you're the one that we need to worry about." Ryoko 
smiled and relaxed as exhaustion claimed her. Washu looked down at her, weary 
to the bone but happier than she had been for quite sometime. She ran a shaky 
hand through Ryoko's hair and whispered to her sleeping child.

"This time, I'll be there for you...."
---

The darkness lifted from her eyes and instantly Ifurita knew where she was. 
She had lived this scene through before, just from the viewpoint of another 
player in this scene. -Finally...- 

She stepped out of the chamber that had been her home, and prison, for so 
very long and collapsed into his arms. He was so young and innocent, yet 
still Makoto. Her beloved Makoto. She whispered the words as he caught her.

"Makoto, at long last we are together. At long last we meet, after 10,000 
years." And he had forgotten her, no, he didn't know her yet, that hurt the 
most. She wished that there was a way to spare him the pain that was to come. 
"Those long endless nights, I've dreamt only of you, my dearest Makoto. Time 
grows short, my powers have grown weak with the passage of years. With my 
last remaining strength, I must send you to El Hazard." Makoto cried out as 
the power built to critical levels around him. -Oh my love, I wish there was 
another way.-She thought regretfully, but destiny had to be fulfilled. "Go, 
and be safe. I will carry you in my thoughts and heart until our paths cross 
again." She brought her hands together, focusing and reaching to the small 
pool of power that was within her. The wave of light reached out and washed 
over the room and then the school and beyond.

The ground rushed up to her as the strength washed out of her in a sudden 
stream. She lay on the floor, spent with her efforts and torn with her 
misery. -He's gone, and now it begins anew. Destiny has been satified.- She 
pushed herself up and struggled up the stairs, determined not to fall without 
at least the attempt to prolong her fate. She looked around her as she 
reached the top of the stairs.

"The school....." she had forgotten where she had been, but she couldn't 
avoid the presence of him around her. His memories of this place, it was all 
that she had of it, made it impossible not to feel it all around her. The 
class room, the lockers, his desk, she wandered room to room lingering at 
each place cherishing the little bit of Makoto that remained behind. Trying 
to get that little bit more of him that would help her carry on.

As she walked outside, she felt at peace, almost ready to accept what might 
come. Even if it was the darkness again, eternal and unending this time. -I 
got to see him one last time,-she told herself, -that will have to be enough. 
It has to be.-

She leaned against the fence and closed her eyes, running through the 
memories again as the strength drained out of her slowly. -Soon,- she told 
herself as she fought down the weakness. She had sent Makoto back to save 
herself and El Hazard, redeeming herself in the process. It would have to be 
enough, though in her heart she wanted more.

Then the wind shifted, and a familiar scent drifted across to her. She looked 
up, curious. Only to be disappointed with nothing. Her gaze dropped to the 
ground in front of her, drawing warmth from the rising sun. Then the deja vu 
struck her again. She looked up and her heart skipped a beat.

Makoto stood in the middle of the field, garbed in a robe of white and 
bearing her Staff Key. He was older, not in time but in the weight upon his 
shoulders. She watched the weight and despair fall away as his eye met hers. 

She rushed into his arms, the weakness that threatened to consume her moments 
before banished. He wrapped his arms around her and suddenly every thing was 
right in the world. They were together again.

Ayeka placed a hand on Tenchi's shoulder and pulled him away. Tenchi nodded 
and withdrew with his love, this was a moment that was best left unshared. 
They would welcome Makoto and his love home later.


THE END�For now

Well its over, but series is far from over.  As long as one is willing to 
ride the wings of imagination and process an adventurous spirit they'll 
always be another night of stories to tell.   Our Muse isn't through with the 
Tenchi Gang and El-Hazard crew.  Expect to see more of them in the near 
future�(if Kain and I keep up this rate the Homecomings series will be 
completed in 2003 just in time for the Star Wars Episode Three Premiere. )