PM Productions Presents
A Phillip Masters Fanfic
Feelings Are Blind
Part Eight:  Personal Conflict

	The small group of fighters ran down a hall.  It was broad and 
seemed to be composed of glass coated steel.  It was smooth to the 
touch, and warm, as if it made its own heat.  Ranma didn't pay much 
attention to the wall.  As long as it stayed a wall, and didn't impede 
their progress, he didn't care about it.  Walls, as a matter of fact, 
were the last thing on him mind.  He had seen Akane's head in the 
darkness.  As much as he tried to convince himself it was just illusion 
or delusion, he couldn't do it.  He could feel her soft hair in his 
hands, see the last look of shock locked forever in her eyes.  Even with 
this, he still held on to a hope that it was a construction of Veca's, 
or possibly an effect of the blackness itself.
	Tenchi ran along side of Ranma, exactly where he wanted to stay. 
 He was enamored with Ranma at first, now he wasn't sure if he could 
even live without her.  He couldn't get over her strength and 
determination, nor her caring and kindness.  She was what he would term 
'a perfect woman'... except for the fact that she was a man.  In fact, 
it was a man who ran next to him.  However, Tenchi just couldn't see it 
that way.  Ranma was a woman in his mind, and just Ranma in his heart.  
It didn't matter what form she took, he still loved her.  He knew Ranma 
thought of herself as a man, but that didn't bother him either.  He was 
willing to do anything as long as Ranma returned his feelings.  So far, 
it seemed that was the case.  They could deal with the details after 
saving the world again.
	Ryouko flew down the hallway behind Tenchi, hovering over the 
ground a couple of feet.  She stared at Tenchi's back, only a slight bit 
of remorse present in her gaze.  The rush of an eminent battle was 
making her reflective.  Her mind was steeling itself and that caused it 
to look at recent events.  Amongst those was her night with Tenchi, and 
the bottle of sake.  They had plastered themselves to the wall together, 
and she had not even made a move to take him.  Even after he rested his 
head against her chest, she had done nothing.  Was she loosing her 
touch?  She loved him, why didn't she take him?  Perhaps she truly cared 
about him to the point where it didn't matter who he was with, as long 
as she knew he was happy and loved her.  
	Shampoo, the last of the group, piled along aside Ryouko.  She 
sent glances every once and a while to the ex-pirate, as well as to 
Ranma and Tenchi.  Her tribe did not condone homosexuality, but due to 
its entirely maternal nature, neither did it condemn it.  The issue was 
more or less overlooked.  If one female wanted to wed another, she 
simply needed to go about the same tradition of beating her.  Since they 
were of the same tribe, they would be wed and not have to administer the 
'kiss of death.'  Men, on the other hand, were a different matter.  Men 
were scarce enough in the tribe, they didn't need them going off 
together.  It also gave them ideas if they are able to live alone with 
one another... too much power.  A man needs a woman to keep him in line. 
 Men could only wed women, and only by defeating them in honorable 
combat.  Ranma, she was sure, could beat Tenchi... and, though she 
wouldn't say it out loud, she knew Ranma could well keep Tenchi in line. 
 She shot another look to Ryouko, this time lingering on the older 
woman's incredibly athletic figure.  Shampoo had experimented with 
friends at a younger age... and she couldn't say she didn't see the 
appeal of a same sex relationship...

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

	"Look at them run." Veca stated, then laughed his fool head off. 
 For over ten thousand years he had searched for a way to get back at 
Washu.  The mother he never had, the creator who left him adrift in 
space.  He had never forgiven her, and he never would.  He just looked 
for power, and a way to use it to make Washu miserable for the rest of 
her accursed existence.  He had found it.  Or, more accurately, she had 
found it.  The love of others.  She had a daughter, and people she 
actually... cared about.  He may never be able to extract his revenge on 
Washu herself, but he could attack everything that was dear to her.  
Tenchi she seemed to care about just as much as her daughter.  Ryouko 
was strong, but Tenchi's love seemed just a normal human.  That's where 
he decided to attack, and nothing could stop him.  Another round of 
laughter ripped through the cavernous throne room.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

	Washu typed on her dimensional keyboard at a furious pace.  
Characters flew past her vision at a rate of millions per minute.  She 
completed vast logarithms and multi-dimensional calculations one after 
another.  If she went into sub-space to help Tenchi right then, she 
would be more or less helpless.  She needed to find the exact location 
of Veca himself, or she could get lost in the limbo.  She already 
worried for Tenchi and the rest, but figured they would prevail over 
whatever he threw at them.  As well, she needed time to herself to work 
things out, and they supplied the greatest diversion anyone could ask 
for.  She still wanted to hurry, no telling what that bastard child had 
in mind.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

	"Veca."
	"Yes, mother?"
	"You know I love you, don't you?"
	"Of course, mother."
	"You know I wouldn't hurt you?"
	"I know you wouldn't."
	"Would you hurt me?"

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

	Veca's eyes shot open and he inhaled sharply.  Damn, he thought, 
those dreams again.  Those lies... Washu never paid any attention to 
him, she was always too busy for him.  Some experiment or another needed 
tending to, and he would 'only be in the way.'  He always wanted to help 
his mother, he felt he could do it.  She obviously had no faith in him, 
she never believed in him.  He would show her... she'll wish she'd never 
even created him.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

	"Akane!" Ranma yelled.  The group had found its way into another 
chamber.  One much larger than anything they'd seen so far.  His yell 
did not echo though, which made everyone that much more uneasy.  
	"Where do you suppose we are?" Ryouko asked, looking around.  
The only things visible were the entrance they had just come in and the 
wall around it, which spread into the distance on both sides as well as 
upward.  
	Tenchi and Ranma had a slight fear that they would end up in the 
darkness again.  They could feel solid floor beneath their feet, yet 
they also could not see beyond fifty meters away.  It was as if the 
darkness had invaded the room, and had not yet completely swallowed it 
up.  They found themselves looking at one another in their mutual fear. 
 Their eyes locked, and a determination washed over them.  They found 
themselves drawing strength from one another.  Then, Tenchi did 
something entirely unexpected... he walked over and hugged Ranma.  
	"We'll find Akane, Ranma... if we have to search for the rest of 
our lives in this man-made Hell, we'll find her." Tenchi whispered 
soothingly into Ranma's ear.
	Ranma was, at first shocked.  The feeling of another man holding 
him in that way was both comforting and disconcerting.  As he heard the 
words of Tenchi, and felt the love in them, a warm feeling washed 
through his chest.  He found his own arms coming up to grasp Tenchi 
back.  He felt an intense feeling permeate his soul, and it didn't scare 
him one bit.  He could now, without a shadow of a doubt, and damn his 
family, say that he loved Masaki Tenchi.  He pulled back from Tenchi and 
smiled warmly at him.  "I know we'll find her."
	"Are you two love birds quite finished?" Ryouko asked, tapping 
her foot on the floor steadily.
	They looked over at the two girls, who were looking 
extraordinarily bored with the whole display.  Then they nodded and set 
off toward the darkness.
 
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

	"My little Veca, what do you want to do today?"
	"Do, mother?"
	"Yes, Veca... you now have the capacity to do what you please."
	"Do what I please?"
	"Anything."
	"I want to stay with you."

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

	After walking through the pitch for another half-hour, the group 
finally came to the throne room.  After what seemed like a hundred years 
of travel they had actually arrived at their destination.  The entrance 
was a gigantic, yet majestic arch, lined with golden highlights and 
studded with clear crystals.  The room itself was large, but well lit, a 
glaring contrast to the room outside.  It reminded Tenchi too much of 
Kagato's bridge, minus the organ and interesting modern art.  Like it, a 
transparent bridge spanned the space between the entrance and the throne 
itself.  From below the bridge came an eerie light, sky blue and 
intense, but not overpowering.  It caused strange shadows to be thrown 
onto the walls by the throne.  
	The most glaringly obvious thing missing from the picture was 
their goal.  Veca was mysteriously absent.  It could mean one of two 
things... he had left, or they were in a throne room that was not the 
actual place.  
	"So, where is the bastard?" Ryouko asked, her voice this time 
echoed throughout the chamber.  
	Everyone shrugged, equally confused.  Suddenly, a portal in 
space opened next to them.  Washu stepped through with a grin on her 
face.  "Hiya, all!" she exclaimed in greeting.
	Tenchi almost jumped, "Washu?!  What are you doing here?"
	"I have been trying to pinpoint the location of Veca exactly in 
sub-space.  I finally did it.  He is within ten meters of this spot."  
With that proclamation everyone began to turn in circles, looking for 
the villain.  Washu chuckled, "You won't find him that way.  If he 
doesn't want to be seen, he will not be seen.  You have to use a more 
subtle approach."  She placed her hands on nothing, and her holographic 
keyboard leapt into existence under them.  She typed for a moment, then 
hit what everyone assumed to be the 'execute' key with particular 
flourish.  Instantly, a white glow swept through the room.  When it hit 
the group, the people lit up particularly bright.  As it crossed the 
throne, Veca's silhouette flashed briefly.  He solidified, knowing his 
gig was up.
	"Welcome to my throne room," he said with a small grin.  "I hope 
you aren't too tired... because your trials have just begun."
	"Enough with your bullshit, Veca." Washu declared, "I didn't 
give birth to you so you could turn on me and my loved ones.  I've been 
trying to figure it out for the last twenty four hours, why exactly you 
hate me so."
	Veca seemed to simmer for a moment, as if trying to hold himself 
back.  "After ten thousand years to think about it... you are just now 
actually thinking about it?!"
	Washu simply nodded.
	Veca almost reached a melting point, then suddenly calmed.  
"Very well, I will share it with you... thought you knew everything."  
He smirked at Washu's frown.  "Yes, mother, I will tell you why I 'hate 
you so.'  Remember, eleven thousand years ago, when you gave birth to 
me?"
	Washu tried to hide her smile, but it shone through slightly.  
"Yes, of course."
	He screamed, "Well, after you gave birth to me, did you ever pay 
attention to me ever again?"
	Washu's look grew confused, as look she despised.  "What are you 
talking about?"
	Veca turned red, "Talking about?"  He put up his arm and the 
spike protruded from it.  "What am I talking about?"  His voice was 
getting louder and louder as the spike began to glow red.  "I'm talking 
about being ignored for a thousand years!"  With that he jumped into the 
air and flew toward Washu, spike extended.
	Tenchi and Ryouko had their swords drawn the moment Veca showed 
his weapon.  Ranma and Shampoo had similarly moved into defensive 
stances.  Ranma was aching to ask where Akane was, but couldn't bring 
himself to interrupt Washu.  He may have also been a little afraid of 
the answer.  Now, that Veca had actually came out of his chair and was 
shooting toward them all, he braced himself for the attack.
END PART EIGHT
Next is the conclusion to the Veca Incident and the Final Battle.  Sorry 
it took so long for this part, but I didn't write during Spring Break.  
Now that I'm back in school I should put out parts at my normal pace... 
though Part Nine may take a few more days since it is the most 
complicated part, and I have some work I need to do in class.  Please, 
send comments... I like to know what people think about how this story 
is developing and the like.  Previous parts of this fic are archived at 
Gensao's Tenchi Fanfic Site under Crossovers... sorry, I can't think of 
the URL offhand.
Thanks for reading, 
PMasters (4-22-98)