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Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of Tenchi Muyo! They are owned by AIC and Pioneer North America. I did not create them, and their use here is strictly for the enjoyment of myself and anyone who gets bored enough to read this. In other words: Please don't sue my poor ass. Tenchi Muyo! Mayuka raced up the path to the house the second she stepped off the bus. The school day had been too long for her taste. She kicked a rock down the path ahead of her. Only a week back in school, and already she had a test! She started to slow down as home came closer. She'd had a bad feeling in the back of her head all day, but it wasn't a headache. It was more like... a warning? She shook her head. That was silly. True, her family had problems in the past, but that was all over, now. She was too young to remember it, but the story was told to her often enough for her to know it by heart. Her parents had beaten a goddess. What the hell did any of them have to worry about? She kicked another rock, trying to think about something else. She envied her brother, for a second. The little brat had gotten to stay home today, saying he was sick. She didn't know what made her angrier; knowing it was probably true, or this damn itch in her brain. She paused for a second when she didn't see Azaka and Kamidake at the front gate. She was used to seeing them there, greeting her almost everyday when she came home. But the feeling she was having... It spread from her brain, slowly crawling down her spine. She shivered, and kept walking. They were probably helping Aunt Ayeka, or something. The feeling started to grow as she got closer to the house. She tried to calm herself, ignoring the panic rising in her chest. The sensation spread to her gut, and Mayuka fell to her knees. It felt as if someone had just hit her in the stomach. An invisible fist, but she feared to ask from where. She couldn't ignore it anymore, and jumped to her feet, running across the bridge over the pond. She could feel the fear taking her over, driving her faster. She threw open the front door, and ran inside. Her school bag fell to the floor as she ran through the lounge. She stopped for a moment, not really thinking about where she was going. She tried to calm herself, but there was something wrong. All too wrong. Then the feeling pulled her, leading her into the kitchen. Mayuka walked up to the kitchen door, not really wanting to open it. She strained, but couldn't hear anything from inside. She swallowed the lump in her throat, and put her hand to the door, sliding it open. The kitchen was empty. The feeling grew stronger, pulling her in. She noticed the puddle on the kitchen island. A large red pool flowed over it, dripping onto the floor. She forced herself to step forward. There was nothing on the other side of the island. The kitchen was empty, except for the puddle. Mayuka felt her stomach lurch at the smell of the red liquid. It was blood. The feeling grew stonger. Mayuka felt her heartbeat in her head. She ran out of the house, up the steps of the shrine, taking them two at a time. "Grandfather!" She hit the top of the steps, and almost fell back. The yard of the shrine was a nightmare. Her great grandfather Katsuhito and her uncle Shadow Dog both lay on the ground, unconscious. She froze, unable to move. Her head turned, somehow, and she saw her aunts, Ayeka and Sasami, also unconscious. Ayeka lay on top of Sasami, as if she was trying to protect her. Mayuka looked around, trying to find someone else. Anyone. "Help! Mom, Dad! Help, someone!" "NO!" She sat up, her lungs bursting with the scream. She felt a pair of arms wrap around her, and she buried her face in the shoulder, crying. She cried for all she was worth. Sasami held her, tears trickling down her own face. It hurt her to see Mayuka like this. It hurt to see all of them like this. She held in her breath, not wanting to join Mayuka in her sobbing. Right now, it wouldn't help anybody. Mayuka kept crying, but it slowed down. "Mom... Dad..." She slumped in Sasami's embrace, growing exhausted. When she was finally asleep again, Sasami laid her back down, and pulled the blanket over her. She stood up, and faded. When her sight cleared again, she was in the bridge of herself. Washu sat on her coushin in the dark room, typing on her computer. She looked over her shoulder. "How is she?" Sasami looked down. "She's asleep, again. That's the second time she's woken up, tonight." Washu nodded, and looked back at her screen. "It's been two weeks, already. Two weeks since..." "Since they were kidnapped." Shadow's voice finished the thought. He had been pacing around the entire ship of Tsunami, restless. "You really should get some sleep, Seayo. You won't be rested enough by the time we get there." He looked off into the darkness of the bridge. "Don't worry about me, Mistress. Worry about Mayuka. It's >her< brother and parents that have been kidnapped." He walked off into the shadows. Sasami frowned. "He's been moody, lately, hasn't he?" Washu asked. Sasami nodded. "Yes. He carries a great deal of respect for both Tenchi and Ryoko. It angers him that--" "I know." Washu didn't look back. "What good is being a Guardian when you can't protect your friends?" Her typing slowed. "And what good is being the greatest genuis if you can't even find your children?" She thought to herself. "Tsunami, are you sure you can't see them? Or their captors?" The goddess shook her head. "I have tried, Washu. I don't understand what is hiding them from me, but I... I fear it. We're in a situation we don't understand." She noticed Washu's body tense up. "I'm sorry, that's not what I meant. I just..." "Please, Tsunami. Not now." Washu cracked her knuckles. "Ayeka has half the Jurai armada searching for them, and Kiyone and Mihoshi are using all their resources at the Galaxy Police. But, >I'm< going to find them." She went back to typing. "Miya." Ryo-ohki hopped up into Washu's lap. She smiled, a little. "Thanks, Ryo-ohki." *** "Signal processing," the electronic voice repeated, over and over. Shadow drummed his fingers on the wall, growing impatient. "Come on, boy. Relax." He took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. He was a little suprised when Yosho decided to stay on Earth. He said that he wanted to be there in case Tenchi and Ryoko managed to make it back on their own. "I wish you were here, old friend." Even though it normally bugged the hell out of him, Shadow missed Yosho's haiku-advice. Finally, the screen changed. "Yes, this is Detective First Class Kiyone with the Galaxy Police. What can I--" She stopped when she realized who it was. "Shadow, what are you doing? This is an emergency channel!" He nodded. "It's good to see you, too, Legs." He frowned. "I'm sorry. I guess it is an emergency, isn't it?" She rubbed her temple, trying to relieve the headache. "How is everyone?" Shadow shrugged. "About as good as can be expected. We'll be at Airis in the morning. I've still got contacts in that system. We're hoping that there's some sort of word going around about Tenchi and Ryoko." Kiyone nodded. "That sounds like a plan." "What have you been doing?" "All we can do here right now is list them as missing persons. Tenchi's royalty, but the Galaxy Police and Jurai's Supreme Council have been on shakey ground ever since Hikage and Mitsuki--" "That's not what I meant," Shadow grinned. "I mean, do you miss me?" "Shadow, not now, I have a lot of paper work to do and--" "I'm not going to go anywhere until I get an answer." His grin grew wider. Kiyone groaned, and tried to decide between wanting to smack him or... no, he'd like that too much. "Fine, fine. I do miss you, all right? Now let me get back to work!" "Kiyone, who are you talking to?" Mishoshi's voice could be heard off- screen. Her blond head covered Kiyone's face. "Oh, Shadow! How are you doing?" "Mihoshi!" Kiyone pushed her partner's face out of the way. "I told you to go file that F12-18 report. What happened to it?" "Well..." Kiyone's face turned red. She looked back at Shadow. "Check in later. Tell Mayuka hi." "Kiyone, just one more thing." "What is it?" Shadow held in the laugh. "Are you wearing the good uniform? You know, the one with the mini-skirt?" Kiyone growled, and the screen disappeared. Shadow fell back, laughing. "Ah, I needed that." "You shouldn't be so teasing, Seayo." Sasami appeared next to him. "You might make her really angry at you, someday." Shadow sat up, and smiled at her. "Trust me, Mistress. It's one of the reasons she loves me." *** "Why do I love that guy?" Kiyone asked herself. She massaged her head, trying to banish the headache. He could be such a pain, sometimes. Almost as bad as... "Hey, Kiyone?" Mihoshi sat down at her desk, without knocking anything over, for once. "How come you and Shadow haven't gotten married?" Kiyone blushed. "W-wa-what are talking about?" "Well, you've been dating since Mayuka was little and all. I just wondered why you haven't gotten married, yet." "Mihoshi, how many times have I said 'It's none of your business?'" Mihoshi looked up, thinking. "Um... about this, or all the times you've said that?" She looked at her fingers, counting to herself. Kiyone sighed, slumping on her desk. "Nevermind." She closed her eyes, trying to block out everything while she reorganized her thoughts. They would be married, if that damn coward would just ask... They weren't getting any younger. But then, she and Mihoshi weren't really getting any older, either. Ever since they asked Washu to alter their bodies, they hadn't aged at all. It wasn't uncommon to get life extensions among the Galaxy Police, especially among the higher-ranking officers. Mihoshi's grandfather was over three hundred years old, himself. It just wasn't very damn cheap. "How are they doing?" Mihoshi asked. It was her first semi-intelligent question all day. Kiyone looked up. "About as well as we are, I guess. Shadow said they would get in touch with his old contacts, so we can only hope, for now." Mihoshi looked off into space. "I really miss being home. I hope Akira's all right, wherever he, and Tenchi and Ryoko are." *** "Tomarou." He whirled around at the sound of the voice. It seemed to come from all directions, sometimes, and then it would come from behind him. To his right, his flank, right next to his ear. "Come out, damn you! Show yourself to me, you coward!" The voice didn't oblige. But he knew he'd seen the owner of the voice before. He just... knew it was that face. That cold, silent judge. He was silent no longer. "You think you can defy the gods, Tomarou. Do you want to see what ancient horror they locked away? Do you really want to unleash that upon the universe, again?" He snarled, "What would you know of it, you fool? Coward! Do not judge me when you are afraid to show your own face. When I have what I want, I will personally seek you out, and show you that power." His eyes flashed open, and he sat up in his bed. Again, that damn dream! Why was he being haunted like this? He looked at the clock by his beside, and grunted, getting up to dress. It was time to wake up, anyway. He had a long day ahead of him. It was difficult enough getting the boy, but finding the Seal of Eternity was going to be an adventure in itself. And then the boy would no longer be needed, and the Talon would be there for the taking. He dressed, and went directly to the lab, where he knew Kenji would be. The young man had taken a great interest in the boy's parents. Tomarou did not care for them, himself. They offered nothing to his quest, but Kenji found the readings he had taken from them intruiging. Kenji did not look up when his employer entered. He didn't even noticed, hunched over his work. "Good day, Kenji." The young man jumped, and spun around in his chair. "Oh, Lord Tomarou! Please, forgive me, I did not hear you come in, and--" Tomarou raised his hand, silencing the young man. "It is all right, Kenji, as long as you are hard at work. That is, after all, what I pay you for." He walked to the other side of the room, past Kenji, and looked through the glass at their captives. "How is the subject doing?" "He is proving to be a very extraordinary specimen, sir. The raw potential of his power is immeasurable on many of my instruments. Until we get back to your estate, I will not be able to give a complete analysis." "And the others? His parents?" Kenji looked down, thinking. "Yes, they are also interesting. They both possess incredible power, and the boy is obviously their son." He trailed off, wrapping himself in his own thoughts. Tomarou looked at them, strapped to tables. He cared nothing for the pain they felt, only his own ambition. "I have managed to successfully keep them under heavy sedation. However, it seems that their powers are increasing the metabolism of the drugs. I've condsidered increasing the dosage exponentaily, but the results may prove to have an oppostie effect, or even force their powers to protect them." Tomarou nodded. "I see. Do you suggest we liquidate them?" "No, sir, nothing so rash. They >are< the boy's parents. If we are unable to control the boy's mind, it may prove useful to keep them alive for use in persuasion." He considered the scientist's words. If he was telling the truth, and not just wanting to keep them for study, then they would have to be moved. "I see. But, in that case, it would be wiser to seperate them." He turned, and began to walk out. "Contact Ingeni. Tell him we have... cargo... for him." The door closed behind Tomarou as he left. *** She felt the small pouch in her fingers. It was soft, and strangely warm. It was the last thing her grandfather had given her before... her parents... "Mayuka?" The voice made her jump. She turned, and saw Sasami standing behind her, looking out at the stars. Her aunt walked up beside her, and stared out at the dark sea of stars. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" Mayuka looked out. "Yea, it is. I always wondered if I'd ever get the chance to be out here. But..." "But not like this?" She nodded, and squeezed the pouch a little more tightly. Sasami looked at her, and placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. "We will find them, Mayuka. I promise." She nodded. "I know. It's just... dammit." Mayuka froze, trying to keep herself from crying, and lashing out in anger. "I'm sorry," she wiped a tear from the edge of her eye. "I guess I haven't been much help, have I?" Sasami smiled, "Try not to worry about it. You've been more help than you know." Mayuka looked at her, questioningly, and was about to speak when a voice interrupted her. "Mayuka, we've arrived. It's time to go." Both of them turned to see Shadow Dog standing at the edge of the darkness, Ryo-ohki sitting on his shoulder. Mayuka walked to him. "Mayuka," she paused, and looked back at Sasami. The goddess smiled, "Take care of yourself, for their sakes." Mayuka smiled, and nodded. She walked off into the darkness. Sasami looked at Shadow Dog and Ryo-ohki. "Whatch out for her, both of you." Shadow nodded, and Ryo-ohki miyaed. "Of course, Mistress." Shadow turned and walked away, leaving Sasami in silence. She turned, and looked out at the stars. So many of them. Even though she was a goddess, she was divinity in a physical form. Everything seemed so much larger, now. Her friends were out there, lost. They were lost in a sea of seeming infinity. "Please be well, my friends. You have to be. What good is anything ever done if you are not?" *** "Look out!" Washu gave the warning a little too late. Ryo-ohki hit an air pocket, shaking herself and everyone inside. "Dammit, Washu! Can't you keep her steady?" Shadow picked himself up from where he'd fallen. Mayuka sat on the floor, not wanting to fall again. Washu didn't look at him. "Quit your crying. We'll get down without a scratch, you'll see." Shadow grumbled. "Why is it that you are the only one besides Ryoko who can pilot Ryo-ohki?" Washu smiled. "I'm just that skilled." Ryo-ohki hit another air pocket, throwing Shadow Dog to the ground. He laid there for a second to growl several curses at Washu before getting up. "And here I thought you were a >tough< bounty hunter?" "Stop it, both of you." Mayuka said flatly. She looked out as the lights of the city on the planet below them grew larger. "All the two of you do anymore is bicker, it seems." Shadow and Washu looked down in shame. Both of them briefly entertained the idea of sinking to a new level of immaturity, but let it go. Washu looked at the screen in front of her, and sighed. "All right, hang on. I'm gonna try and put us down somewhere relatively inconspicuous. Shadow Dog stood at the edge of the roof of the skyscraper, looking out over the city. "Real inconspicuous." Washu heard him, and giggled. "I said 'relatively!'" Mayuka shook her head at her grandmother. "Come on, let's find this contact of yours." Ryo-ohki hopped up onto Mayuka's shoulder, and they all walked to the elevator, going down to the main street of the city. Washu gave an explanation that suffictiently confused the building's guards long enough for all of them to get out without further complications. "Oh, wow!" Mayuka exclaimed as they stepped out onto the street. The towers of the city reached up into the dark space they had just left, leaving Mayuka wonderfully disoriented. A million colors flashed from signs and televisions and floating ad-bots in any direction. People littered the sidewalk, pushing past Mayuka. A large man with strange skin and a snout shoved her. "Move it!" Ryo-ohki meaowed at him. "Hey!" Mayuka was about to growl, when Shadow placed a hand on her shoulder. "Down, girl." She looked at him. His face was serious, for once. She nodded. "Sorry." "You have to be careful on other planets, Mayuka. Especially Airis," Washu said. "This damn rat-hole hasn't changed a bit." They followed Shadow as he began to lead them down the street. Shadow raised an eyebrow. "You mean you've been here before, Washu?" "Yeah, about eight thousand years ago. This place hasn't changed a bit, either. Backwater, overgrown..." Washu mumbled. "Yea, isn't this place great?" Shadow smiled. Washu shook her head, while Mayuka and Ryo-ohki watched the city around them in awe. She had never seen this many people in her entire life. She'd spent her entire life in that small town in a corner of the Earth, in the far corner of the galaxy. Now, it was if the door to the universe had been thrown wide open. People of unimagniable descriptions-- including some that she wasn't sure if she should call people-- were all around her. "It is great!" Washu shook her head at her granddaughter's fascination. They moved deeper into the city, into thicker crowds of people. Machines began to clog the streets. From Mayuka's shoulder, Ryo-ohki looked around, sensing her friend's amazement. "Hey, Mayuka, stay with us." Mayuka jumped at the unexpected sound of Washu's voice, and nodded. "Hey, Seayo," Washu said to the Guardian. He turned and looked at her, knowing how serious she was when she used his true name. "Where is this contact of yours, anyway?" He sighed. She wasn't going to like this. "He's in Ropong." Washu's eyes widened for a moment, then narrowed, and looked away. "Dammit. It figures. Only in a place like that, eh?" Shadow nodded. "Sorry, Washu, but it's the most logical place." Washu felt a sickness in her stomach just thinking about their destination. "Dirty flesh-peddlers." Mayuka's attention drifted away from the conversation, feeling... something. It was an urging, a feeling like the one she felt on earth, two weeks ago. But this feeling was different. It felt more like... a calling? She looked out into the crowds of people, and saw someone. Ryo-ohki felt the same thing, and looked with her. It was out there. She could see it. No, not it. Him. He moved through the people like a ghost, unoticed and untouched by their precense. She was in awe of him. His face was the most beautiful man's face she had ever seen. It was like smooth glass, and his hair was long, pure, and shining white. A long green cloak was drapped over his shoulders, hiding the rest of his body. His gaze met Mayuka's. They stared at each other, not saying a word. She could feel his flashing eyes look into her. Mayuka wanted to say something to him, as if speaking would prove whether or not this was a waking dream. He looked at her, his beautiful face near emotionless, and raised a finger to his lips. She nodded, repressing the urge to speak, to call out to him. Then, she did not hear, but felt his voice. "Mayuka." Her name. Both Shadow and Washu paused, sensing something, but not being able to know what. They turned and looked at Mayuka and Ryo-ohki. Both girl and cabbit stood frozen, staring into the mass of people. "Mayuka!" They yelled her name at the same time. Mayuka snapped out of her trance, jumping. Ryo-ohki yellped, gripping her paws into Mayuka's shoulder. The girl looked at them. "Uh... What?" "Mayuka..." Washu looked at the swarm, and back to Mayuka. "What..." She shook her head. "I... I-I'm sorry. I don't know what it was, I just..." She stopped, the image of the man's gesture of silence flashing in her mind. Washu sighed. "It's all right, Mayuka. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell." "Come on, we're almost there," Shadow inturrupted, acting calm and rational. "Let's get going." *** A cool wind passed over Yosho's face, sending a chill through him. Everything felt colder, lately. Of course, summer was ending, but something still felt wrong. It seemed that all of the life had been drained from the land. He hadn't gone down to the house in several days. He could still hear echoes down there. He could still hear the voices of his lost family. His stolen family. He almost jumped at the sound of the knock at his door. Jumped. He hadn't been suprised by anything in over seven hundred years. What was this that could suprise him? "Father?" Nobuyuki didn't wait for a reply before opening the door. He knew his father-in-law would be in there, sitting at his table. He walked in, and sat down in front of him. "Hello, Nobuyuki," Katsuhito's voice sounded very tired. Nobuyuki stared out into space for a minute before saying anything. The silence in the valley seemed to have chased him all the way up here. "It's quiet, you know?" Katsuhito nodded. "Everything's so boring, now. Everyone's gone, again." Neither one of them wanted to say it. Everyone was gone. Were they ever coming back? "Was is always like this?" Nobuyuki looked at his father-in-law. A man who had lived for seven hundred years. For the first time, Katsukito looked his age. "You've lived here for seven hundred years, Father. Was it always like this when you lost families?" He nodded. "Yes, it was. I've seen many loved ones die, Nobuyuki. But, I remember their lives, and how much joy they felt. That has kept me going." Nobuyuki gritted his teeth. "This isn't the same thing." There was a long silence. Nobuyuki looked at his father. Katsuhito had never seen him so angry. "You always outlived them. You always got to see them grow up, and old, and die. You got to spend a full life with them. I won't have that. I won't get to spend a full life with my family. None of them. First my wife, and then my son, and my grandson. You were >prepared< to outlive everyone you knew and loved!" Nobuyuki stood, losing control of himself. Katsuhito sat calmly, but beneath he was in turmoil. His son-in-law had never been like this. Never. Even when they had lost Achika. "Now I'm going to. I'm not prepared to do that, Father. I didn't want to outlive both my wife and my son. Tenchi, and Ryoko, and Akira... All of them could be dead now. We don't know if they're alive. Mayuka could die out there, too. She might be dead, already." Nobuyuki slammed his fist into the table, falling to his knees. A crack rang through shrine grounds, and ran half-way across the table. Nobyuki sat on his knees for a long time, softly holding in his sobs. He looked up at Katsuhito, his eyes red and watery. "Why do you still wear that mask? Is it the same reason you didn't go with them?" He didn't wait for an answer. He stood to his feet, wiping his face, and left. Yosho watched him leave, stunned. It was hard to believe that the man who had just cracked the table and poured out his pain was Yosho's son-in-law. "Why?" He asked himself the same question. Why didn't he go? Why did he still wear this veil? Was he just afraid? *** Washu grumbled her discontent. The smoke in the place was almost thick enough to wade through. She was sure she would find a sample of almost every malignant particle known to civilized science if she took a sample of the air in the place. The Swell. One of the seediest places in the Ropong district. Shadow Dog looked back at them. "Stay close, Mayuka." His voice was dead serious. It was a side of him Mayuka had rarely ever seen. They made their way among the crowd, pushing through what sometimes seemed to be a wall of flesh. When they finally got to the tables, Shadow told them to sit, and wait. Then, he went to the bar. Mayuka looked around nervously. This place was different from the rest of the city. She could smell things that probably didn't even have a name on Earth. She noticed the buldges in several people's coats and cloaks. And then there were the people who openly displayed their weapons. "Grandmother, what kind of place is this?" Ryo-ohki hopped down into Mayuka's lap, and tried to hide from the scary characters around her. Washu looked around, noticing Shadow had disappeared from the bar. She mumbled, and turned back to Mayuka. "Bounty hunters and proffesional kidnappers, mostly. The rest are made up slave dealers and their clients." Mayuka gulped. "Slave dealers? You mean, they still have that here?" Washu nodded, frowning. "Yes, they do. Makes me sick, sometimes." She realized how uncomfortable Mayuka was getting. "Sorry. But, it makes sense that Shadow has a contact here. He was a bounty hunter, after all. As much as I hate to admit it, a place like this would probably be our best first chance at finding them." Mayuka nodded, but still looked around nervously. Shadow Dog sat patiently in the secret room at the back of The Swell. After so long, so little had changed. Sixteen years, Earth time. It was only about six years by the Galactic Calender, but it sure as hell felt a lot longer. Had he really been away for so long? He realized now why he had never missed it. Shadow looked up when the door on the other side of the room opened. He stood, and walked through, the door closing behind him. One wall of the office inside was covered with holographic monitors, regularly changing through various views of the club outside these quiet walls. Most of the other walls were covered with pictures and relics stolen from one great place or another, or pictures of a tall, broad-shouldered man with ebony skin, and a large, white smile. "I thought you were supposed to be dead." On the other sid eof the room sat a large desk. The same man as in the pictures on the walls. His dark hair fell in braids down his shoulders and chest. He smiled, "It's been six years, Shadow Dog. Everyone thinks you died a long time ago. Even your old partner, Bryant." Shadow coolly responded, "It has been a good length of time, hasn't it, Kujato?" The dark man laughed. "I would ask you to sit, but I doubt that you've changed that much. What happened, Shadow Dog? You drop out of existence for half a decade, and reappear like some kind of ghost? Have you turned into a scalp-dog, or something?" Shadow frowned at him. "It's rude to insult your guests, Kujato. You know I never work without a contract." Kujato nodded, and chuckled a little more. "Well, you came to see me. So, what do you want?" He pressed a button on the surface of his desk, and the screens behind Shadow changed to a view of Mayuka and Washu. He pointed at them. "Need someone to take these girls off of your hands?" Shadow looked over his shoulder, and back at Kujato. "You're close to insulting me again, Kujato. They are my friends. I need--" Kujato cut him off with a loud laugh. "Ha! My, Shadow, you certainly grew a sense of humor while you were gone, didn't you?" He shook his head. "Friends, eh? Are you sure? The blue-haired one is especially pretty. Not even a taste for your old friend?" Shadow held down his anger. His gem glowed red. "Enough, Kujato. I don't have time for this. I'm looking for the girl's parents. They were kidnapped, not very long ago." He walked up to Kujato's desk. "There isn't a transport deal within ten sectors that you don't know about. I need to know if anyone is trying to transport them." Kujato looked down at his lap, hiding his eyes. "And what would you do for me, Shadow Dog? You know that nothing comes for free." Shadow smiled, slightly. "I'm calling in a favor. You owe me, and you know it. Don't try to get out of it, either. I'm not in the mood to be jerked around." He knew Kujato was thinking up a string of curses. The dark man finally looked up, his face emotionless. "All right, Shadow. I do need to know who they are, though?" Shadow sighed, inwardly. "Her mother is Ryoko. That'll be enough." Kujato raised his eyebrows. "Ryoko? The pirate?" Shadow growled, "No, the chef." Kujato placed his hand on his desk. A screen popped up in front of him, flashing with names and numbers. Kujato's eyes shined with electric light as he scanned over the data, his enhanced brain processing the information at a speed Shadow knew that even Washu would find suprising. The smuggler finally looked up at Shadow, shaking his head. "Sorry, friend. But, what do you expect? Even the entire Jurai armada wasn't a match for Ryoko. How in hell do you expect anyone to take her captive?" Shadow looked away, for a second. "Stranger things are possible." He looked back. "You know how I deal. Your debt still stands." He notice Kujato break a sweat. "Well, then, maybe I can help you with something... there is a little bit of information you might be interested in." Kujato smiled. "All right. But make it quick, otherwise you're wasting my time." "There is a noble on the planet Heroun who's looking for something. It's within the Jurai empire, but I don't believe he's connected with any of the major royal houses. He's supposed to be the son of a priest, or something like that." Shadow raised an eyebrow. "What about him?" "Like I said, he's looking for something. He's been buying up a lot of technology. I'm not sure what he's using it all for, but the rumor is that it has something to do with the Seal of Eternity." "What the hell is that?" Kujato shrugged. "I don't know, I'm just a simple smuggler. But, if you ever need a job, he might be one to ask. He may even know something about your missing friends." Shadow nodded, and turned to leave. "Your debt's clear, then. You can stop worrying." Kujato laughed as Shadow Dog walked out. *** Ryo-Ohki miyaed when Shadow finally came back. Mayuka didn't notice. She stared blankly into space, thinking about the man she had seen on the street. Who the hell was he? Had she just imagined it, or did she really see him? Had she felt his voice inside her mind? "Well?" Washu looked up at Shadow. "You're in danger. Go." Before Shadow could answer, Mayuka jumped to her feet. There it was again. His voice. She noticed Shadow, Washu, and Ryo-ohki staring at her. "Um... can we go, now?" They blinked, and then Shadow nodded. "Yes, we should go." They followed him out of the club. Washu gave a sigh of relief, and then noticed Shadow's body language. His frame was calm, as usual, but there seemed to be something amiss. He was trying to hide his actions when he looked over his shoulder, or when his eyes scanned the crowd. Washu walked up next to him, keeping an eye on Mayuka. "What's wrong, Seayo?" Shadow Dog remained calm. "I think we're being followed." "By?" "Just follow my lead." He muttered just loudly enough for Washu and Mayuka to hear him. He led them down an alley, and told Mayuka and Washu to hide behind a large dumpster sitting against a building. He stood out in the open, looking back at the street. "Shadow...!" Mayuka tried to whisper to him, but he ignored her. Shadow waited until the two men who had been following them came down the alley. Just the type he had been expecting: tall and dark. Completely unoriginal. Mayuka leaned over Washu's shoulder, who peered around the corner of the dumpster. "Who are they?" "I think we're about to find out." "Can I help you, gentlemen?" Shadow stood with his hands in his pockets, carefully measuring them up. They looked almost like clones, with dark jackets and shaved heads. Obvious thugs. They didn't say anything. They walked up to Shadow, and the one of the right threw his fist. Shadow saw the hit coming, and ducked beneath it. He hit the thug in the kidney, and moved around him, away from the thug's partner. He spun around, and slammed his fist into the back of the guy's head. There was a dull smack. Shadow ignored the pain that shot through his arm, and moved back. The thug stumbled forward a little, while his partner moved toward Shadow. The partner kicked Shadow in the ribs. He stumbled, suprised by how hard the kick was. These weren't normal thugs. Washu gritted her teeth. "That idiot." She could see the creeps for what they were. Reinforced bodies, probably with heightened synaptic relays. These were short-order killers. She heard Mayuka growl behind her. She looked back at her granddaughter, frowning. "Don't, Mayuka. It's too dangerous. Shadow can handle this." She looked back at the fight. Shadow was wrapped in coiling, black flames, and changed into his hound form. The beast growled at the thugs, and leapt at one of them. The man spun, and Shadow felt something like a fist hit his jaw, but it was much harder than that. Like metal. He growled again, and charged, swiping at the man's legs. Shadow's claws scraped against skin that felt like stone. The other thug kicked Shadow in the ribs. He tried to take the pain as he flew back into a wall. From behind the dumpster, Mayuka growled. She couldn't whatch this. This was just like what happened to her parents. To her brother. She wasn't there to help them. "Hey!" She leapt over Washu, and ran up to the thugs. She caught them by suprise, hitting one of them across the face. Washu called out, but she didn't hear her. Mayuka could feel her own fire inside of her. She could feel the gem puch it's way to the surface of her skin, feel herself change. She flexed her hand, and felt the claws grow into place. The thug stumbled a little from Mayuka's first blow, but recovered quickly. Shadow saw that they were both distracted by Mayuka, and leapt into the one that he had attacked before, pinning the man to the ground. The thug tried to grab onto him, but Shadow's flames burned his hands. Shadow locked his jaws around the man's throat. Mayuka kept pressing her own attacks as Shadow pinned one of the thugs to the ground. She lashed at the thug with purple claws. He quickly backed away, Mayuka's claws rending through his jacket. He ducked, swinging his leg out to trip her. Mayuka flipped into the air, bringing her feet down on his head. She landed on the other side of him, raking her claws across his back. She felt her claws go through clothing, and scrap against something that could've have been flesh, but it was much, much tougher. Washu cursed. "Damn idiots. We don't have time for this." She picked up Ryo-ohki. "come on, girl." She ran out from behind the dumpster. Mayuka was still attacking her opponent, while Shadow kept his pinned tot he ground, clawing at him. Washu ran past them to the edge of the street, and threw ryo- ohki up into the air. The cabbit howled as she changed into her form of a space-ship. Washu turned back to Mayuka and Shdow. "Hey, come on!" Both of them had beaten the thugs to the ground. They looked to Washu, then to Ryo-ohki. The sip hung in the air above the now excited crowd. They caught up to Washu, who turned back to Ryo-ohki. "Okay, girl! Get us out of here!" A red light emenated from Ryo-ohki, bathing Washu, Mayuka, and Shadow. They found themselves inside Ryo-ohki, and the ship quickly left the planet's surface. Shadow changed back to his human form, and looked at the view of the planet Airis as it shrank back into the darkness. Washu turned to Mayuka. The girl sat on the floor, with her knees pulled up to her chest. "Mayuka? Mayuka, are you all right?" She looked up at Washu, and nodded. "Yes, I'm all right." She sniffed, and wiped a tear from her cheek. "I'm... I'm sorry, Grandmother. I just saw Shadow getting hurt, and I remembered..." She held in a sob. "I remembered seeing them, sprawled out in front of the shrine. So full of pain. There was nothing I could do, then. I saw my parents... and my brother... and I wasn't able to help them. I wasn't there to help." She buried her face in her knees, and started to cry. Washu knelt beside her, and wrapped her arms around her. "Shh. It's all right. I know." *** Kujato tapped his fingers on the desk. The two he'd sent after Shadow hadn't come back. "Damn. Worthless." He looked at the screens showing the club. The usual image of thieves and smugglers disappeared, replaced with a flashing warning. "Incoming call." He sighed, and pressed the palm of his hand to his desk. The screen changed again, this time showing the face of a man with jet black skin. His face was criss-crossed with scars, turning the man's mouth into a hideous frown. It was even worse when he grinned. Kujato smiled. "Ingeni. What news do you have?" The bounty hunter grinned. It made Kujato's flesh crawl. "I've got a client. It's that nut Tomarou. You know, the one buying up all the black- tech." Kujato nodded. "Really? What does he want you to do, this time?" Ingeni shrugged. "Says he has living cargo. I don't know, exactly." Ingeni's eyes darted to the left, and then back to Kujato. Kujato struggled to keep himself from smiling. Ingeni was the worst liar he knew. "Come on, Ingeni. Who is it?" He couldn't help himself. His face was split by a huge, bright grin. "Is it the pirate, Ryoko?" Ingeni's eyes grew wide. "Wha...? How the hell did you know?" Kujato's grin disappeared. "So, what do you want from me, you scalp-dog? Equipment?" Ingeni nodded. "Of course I need gear, you idiot. It's Ryoko. Tomarou also mentioned a guy, but I've got no clue who it is. Ryoko's boyfriend, or somethin' like that." Kujato sighed. "Yes, yes. Now, stop jabbering, and send me the contract. I'll give you some good stuff, this time. Of course, I'll charge my usual fee." Ingeni frowned. "Also, could you do me a favor?" Ingeni's frown grew. "You? A favor?" He looked away in thought, and then looked back. "Ten percent off your fee." Kujato nodded. "Fine. Tell Tomarou that someone is looking for Ryoko. They also know that Tomarou's looking for his precious Seal." Ingeni nodded. "And when I tell him?" "You'll get another job out of this. I guarantee it. And it's one you'll enjoy, too." "Gonna tell me who it is?" Kujato smiled. "No. Not yet. Do this job for Tomarou, and I'll arrange the next one."
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