Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, except for Tetsuo Est'thadin 
(he's mine). So please don't sue me, besides I'm not making a profit off this 
or anything. It's just a story. Also I would like to mention that most of 
Tetsuo's back story involves elements from a certain fanfic series, whose 
author has given me permission to use.

Note from the Author: Hi there! ^_^ The name's D. Leprechaun, and I should 
warn you before hand that this is only my second attempt at writing 
fanfiction. (Don't ask about the first attempt, and I will tell no lies...)  
This story originated after I had been reading some fanfiction on the web and 
I was struck with an idea that would not leave me alone. After many a 
sleepless night, I finally decided to exorcise it and the result is the story 
that lays before you. Enjoy!

Vagabond: Sea of Dimensions

"...And my ties are severed clean, the less I have the more I gain, off the 
beaten path I reign. Rover, Wanderer, Nomad, Vagabond, call me what you 
will..."
--"Wherever I May Roam" Metallica

----Prologue----

    <Pain. The agony of having every particle of your being ripped apart. 
Followed by each separate bit gouged as though it has been stabbed by a 
thousand knives.  Then they're shoved back together by a force that feels 
something akin to a really big sledge hammer. Pain; this is the only way one 
could adequately describe the process of inter-dimensional travel. 
    The act of having one's atoms torn apart then sewn back together as they 
pass through the dimensional gate is not a pleasant experience. Those without 
a high pain threshold, would not likely survive it ...at least that's how 
they described it at the Science Academy. I used to wonder how they knew; I 
even accused them of lying all those centuries ago. Now I know those buffoons 
were actually telling the truth for once...>
    These thoughts floated through the head of Tetsuo Est'thadin as he 
screamed. Well... as he tried to scream. A person can't make any 
vocalizations when they're passing through dimensions. That's because it 
requires a voice box, which is nothing but a bunch of atoms spread all over 
the place in the dimensional gate. 
    The pain was mind numbing. How long had he been going through this? 
Minutes? Hours? Years perhaps? He couldn't tell, all he knew was the agony, 
the constant torment... then suddenly, without warning, it stopped.
     He felt a sudden sensation of falling, then he hit the ground. Hard. 
<Ow.> He picked his face up off the ground. Dust and sand flew into the air, 
stinging his eyes.  He thought wryly. "So!" He said aloud, to nothing in 
particular. "Where the hell am I now?" Tetsuo looked around as he slowly got 
up, wincing from the fall. He surveyed his surroundings.
     "Hhmmm... sand. Am I in a desert? No more like a wasteland." He said, 
spotting the wreckage of several dwellings and a vehicle. *It reminds me of 
Ensaa... don't you agree Tetsuo?* Said a black voice within the recesses of 
Tetsuo's thoughts. *Reminds you of old times, eh?* The voice seemed to laugh. 
Tetsuo winced, this time from the vile thing speaking in his mind. "Shut up." 
He whispered coarsely. "I don't have time for your nonsense..." He stood 
there, motionless, until the black laughter became silent. 
    Once positive that it would not speak again, he sighed and checked 
himself over. He was an imposing site. He stood well over six feet tall, 
wearing tattered clothing, black fingerless gloves, and a ragged black 
overcoat. His long light blue hair, while confined in a tail, blew freely in 
the wind. His face might have been considered handsome, save for the two 
ragged scars running over his right eye and down his cheek. His face was also 
ridden with stubble. Shaving, in his opinion, was not a priority. 
    His eyes were mismatched. His left eye was an eerie blue-green color, but 
otherwise it looked fairly normal (by human standards). His right eye, on the 
other hand, was almost entirely purple, except for the dark blue (Iris? 
Pupil?) circle in it's center. He also wore a strange pair of glasses on his 
face. Strange, because they didn't seem to have anything to keep them from 
falling off, yet they stayed there just the same. 
    "No scratches, Hhnng!" He stretched in the blistering sun. "...It's good 
to be in one piece." As he stood a gale of wind blew into his face, causing 
dirt, dust, and other debris to fill his lungs. He coughed violently. 
"Damnit! (Cough) ...I wonder if this world's populated?" 
    As he looked around he spotted a city in the distance. It seemed to 
reflect the sun, making it hard to see. <Well that's convenient...> He 
thought. Squinting to get a better look of the city, he said aloud, "Why 
not?" He then dusted himself off and started walking in the general direction 
of the city. He talked to himself as he walked. "This dimension seems to 
emanate the sisters power... I must be getting close."
    He adjusted a ring on his right hand. A strange translucent screen and 
keyboard appeared, hovering in front of him as he walked. He immediately 
started typing on the keyboard. The screen showed various galaxies, and 
seemed to focus on a particular energy signature emanating from them. "Yes... 
The central realm is close by. The similarities are quite interesting." He 
began to smile.
    <I'll find a way to get to you bastard, and when I do...> He suddenly 
closed his fist in the air, causing his knuckles to crack loudly. <Not even 
She will be able save you from me!> This last thought was coupled by a sudden 
swipe through the screen and keyboard. They seemed to shatter into pieces, 
then the bits and pieces slowly faded into nothing. He stopped, and looked at 
his clenched fist.
    <Control!> He mentally shouted at himself.  He opened his fist and 
sighed, adjusting the ring on his finger again. <Unfortunately, at this rate, 
he'll either be dead by the time I get there, or...> He grimaced as the 
screen and keyboard appeared in front of him once again. <his queen will 
probably have won, and then everything's fucked.> 
    "Damnit..." he whispered. He continued to type while walking through the 
wasteland. <Of course,> He thought. <if someone else killed him, that would 
be fine with me.> He smiled. <I'd have time to explore these dimensions more 
thoroughly. Though, I do hope to be the one to end his life,> His smile 
broadened. <but then there are a lot of people who hope that. Heh.> He looked 
closely at the hovering screen. A picture of a glowing sphere and several 
multi-colored dots appeared in it.
    "Hhhmm... This dimension seems to be within the central realm's sphere of 
influence. Maybe there's a gate already open between the two. That would save 
time..." He muttered the last statement. <After thousands of years wandering 
through these dimensions, I'm almost there... Still, I must be cautious. If 
he convinced Her I'm a threat, She may have agents watching for me.> As he 
continued to walk and type, his mind wandered. <How much has the central 
dimension changed since I was thrown through the dimensional fabric so long 
ago? I wonder if my race has destroyed itself yet? Heh, that would be 
amusing... huh?> 
    "What's this?" He whispered, stopping in his tracks and peering at the 
screen. "Odd. A power surge of this magnitude can't 
just--Aaaaaarrrrggghhhh!!!!" He fell to the ground clutching his head. <Dear 
God the PAIN!> He rolled in agony, visions of hate and fear racing through 
his head. Just before the agony stopped a single thought that was not his 
screamed in his mind. <<--help me!-->> Then as suddenly as the hellish 
torment started, it stopped.
    Slowly, he got up. <What the fuck?> The screen was now glowing bright red 
and emanating a beeping noise. It showed several planets self destructing. 
<What the hell is causing that?> Tetsuo wondered. He began to type on the 
floating keyboard again. It showed an energy wave spreading through the 
galaxy he was currently in. <I'll be damned... A higher dimensional life form 
died.> He continued to type, his hands becoming a blur. <It seems to have 
died in the central realm. Hhhmmm... makes sense.>
    He continued to type.  He keyed in a comparison scan on the energy wave. 
The screen made a kind of "boop" noise, then showed a comparison between the 
current energy signature that was spreading through the multiverse and one it 
had stored in it's memory banks. The match was 100%. Tetsuo stared at the 
screen, disbelief in his face. "Tokimi's dead?" He whispered, barely giving 
the statement inflection enough to turn it into a question.
    He sat down in the sand, keyboard and screen forgotten. "Tokimi's 
dead..." He whispered again. Slowly he began to chuckle. After several 
minutes, the chuckle turned into a fit of maniacal laughter. His laughter 
disturbed several small lizards sunning themselves on a nearby rock. The 
glanced at the hysterical man and slunk away.
    His laughter suddenly stopped, an evil glint appearing in his eyes. <So 
your queen is dead, is She?> Tetsuo smiled a smile that would have chilled 
Hell itself. <She can't protect you anymore...> Both of his fists clenched 
tightly. <All I have to do now is find you, then you're mine...> He began to 
laugh again.
    He got up from his sitting position and dusted himself off. After some 
thought he started walking towards the city again, the strange keyboard and 
screen following him. As he walked, he glanced over his shoulder, noticing 
the screen and keyboard. <Oops.> He smacked himself in the head. <Focus! 
Never let your guard down, you fool.> He smiled again. <Or you'll end up like 
Tokimi.> Laughing, he adjusted the ring on his right hand and the screen and 
keyboard vanished. <Don't want to scare the natives, do I?>
    He continued walking towards the city (which was getting rather close). 
He saw a massive wall all around the city. Space ships left the city and the 
orbit of the planet as well. Others docked within the walls of the city. 
Tetsuo could make out crews of men taking various odds and ends from the 
docked ships.
    His gaze returned to the city itself. <A trade city. A well fortified one 
at that.> He looked the wall over.  He smiled to himself. <Some times being 
what I am has it's advantages...> He smirked as he walked to and through the 
wall. His silhouette on the wall faded as he disappeared into the city.

---End Prologue---

Chapter 1: Tomobiki? What's that?

    Several months later... <Earth. Such a peaceful planet. An odd one too. 
No matter what dimension I'm in, it's always here and the populous is almost 
always totally oblivious to the other races.> Tetsuo thought as he walked 
through Tomobiki park. 
    <Though not completely.> He amended as a green haired girl flew above him 
yelling "DDDAAARRRLLLIIINNNGGG!!!!!" at the top of her lungs. She appeared to 
be chasing a teenage boy who was in turn chasing three very attractive girls. 
Tetsuo watched briefly, then continued walking through the park. He was 
walking for no reason actually. 
    <Jeeze! This place is boring.> He kicked a rock on the path and kept 
walking.  
    He glanced over at Tomobiki High, which was hardly visible due to all of 
the emergency vehicles surrounding it. <Okay, a some what peaceful community. 
Still it's boring.> He grimaced. <Actually, take your average bored person, 
stick them in a room full of rocks, tell them to count them, and the end 
result of boredom would be what Tomobiki contains right now. I can't even 
find the stupid dimensional rift and get the hell out of this place!> All in 
all, Tetsuo was not having a good day. 
    He really didn't pay attention to where he was walking, but this didn't 
worry him. The casual onlooker would think Tetsuo looked like a rough kind of 
person. Weather beaten clothes, ragged black overcoat, and black fingerless 
gloves completed a kind of 'Tough Guy" motive in the way he dressed. Also he 
had two scars on his face, dark sun glasses (to hide his eyes), a five o' 
clock shadow, and long light blue hair tied in a tail. Generally people got 
out of his way. Fast. 
    Tetsuo finally noticed he was heading in the direction of Tomobiki High. 
<Might as well see what the fuss is about.> He thought as he approached the 
school. As he walked onto the school grounds and passed several police 
vehicles, he noticed a well dressed teenage boy, yelling at a short 
policeman. 
    The boy, for some reason, was holding a sword.  <Strange... Why doesn't 
the cop arrest him?> As Tetsuo thought this, the policeman cowered in fear of 
the boy, who continued to yell at him. <Oh well... I--> His thought was cut 
off as he spotted the reason for the disturbance. Where the entrance to the 
school should have been, was a tank. A rather BIG tank.
    Most of it was shoved through the building, leaving only the back end 
sticking out. <Well this is getting interesting.> Tetsuo thought as he 
approached the tank. "HEY! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING!!" Tetsuo 
stopped and looked in the direction of noise. 
    The well dressed teenager, was now stalking towards him. "Stay away from 
my tank, you simpleton!" The boy yelled as he approached. As the boy glared 
at him, a black voice in Tetsuo's mind made itself known. *Kill him.* It 
whispered. *A lowly worm, such as he, has no right to talk to you this way. 
Kill him.* The voice laughed. *What's wrong Tetsuo? He's pathetic. You'd be 
doing this world a favor.* <How many times do I have to repeat myself?> 
Tetsuo thought. <Shut up!>The voice laughed as it faded from his thoughts.
    Meanwhile the boy was almost to the tank. "I said stay away!" Shaking his 
head, Tetsuo replied. "I'm only looking. No need to freak. I was just 
wondering why some one would ram a school with a tank." The boy stopped in 
front of his tank, and not paying attention to Tetsuo, began to talk to it. 
"Damn that Moroboshi! What did he do to you?" He climbed on the tank and 
hopped inside it. Tetsuo smirked and began exploring the school grounds. 
    His exploration was disturbed by a beeping noise. He glanced at his ring. 
 He thought. <About damn time.> He stopped as he noticed a girl exiting a 
side door on the school and lugging several bags out to the dumpster. 
<Hhmmm.. that's weird. Why would a female attempt to look like a male?> He 
wondered as he watched the girl unload her burden, and head back to the 
school. 
    Just before she made it back to the side door, she noticed Tetsuo 
watching her. "What are you looking at?" She spat. <Hhhm.. feisty aren't 
you?> Tetsuo looked at the girl and shrugged. "I was just wondering why you 
would go to the trouble of trying to look like a guy. I mean, wearing those 
clothes and cutting your hair that short seems like a waste." 
    As he spoke, Tetsuo noticed something else. "Isn't that painful?" He 
said, indicating the tape the girl used to cover her chest. She blushed and 
stormed through the side door, yelling behind her. "Mind your own damn 
business!" The door slammed hard. <Strange people...> Tetsuo thought, shaking 
his head. 
    Walking farther into the school grounds, Tetsuo began looking for a 
secluded area to consult his computer. He found one near the back of the 
school. Checking to make sure no one saw, he adjusted the ring on his finger 
and a holographic computer screen and keyboard appeared in the air. 
    Tetsuo began to type and peer at the screen. Then, quite suddenly he 
stopped and stared at the screen. <Well that's strange. The dimensional rift 
isn't IN the school, but above it.> He looked at the sky. Squinting, he could 
make out a odd shimmering spot in the sky, not a hundred feet above the 
school. 
    He adjusted his ring again and the screen and keyboard vanished. <No 
wonder this place seems peaceful. There's now way for the natives to fuck 
with the rift. Well I suppose that's a good thing.> He walked away from the 
school and approached the street. On his way he noticed a tow truck attempt 
to pull the tank out of the school. 
    The driver was a young man, who had an oddly shaped earing in his left 
ear. It sparkled in the sun. The earing caught the light of the sun, and sent 
it into Tetsuo's eyes. And with that light, came memory...
 
    {He stood amidst the bodies of the dead, laughing. Soldiers ran at him, 
desperately trying to stop him. They shot at him from all angles, but none of 
the shots that were fired penetrated the force field surrounding him. He 
snickered. "Is that all you've got?" 
    A blast from a fortress in the distance streamed towards him. With hardly 
a thought he waved his hand, deflecting the shot. "Pathetic." He began to 
laugh again, and with a swift gesture, a blade of pure energy formed in his 
hand. Red surrounding a black core, it cut through the soldiers with ease. 
    No one could stand against him, no one could stop him. He was a demon 
without mercy or remorse. The dead were uncountable. A lone soldier, with 
grim determination in his eyes, ran at him holding a grenade. The demon 
caught him, and smiling, tore off the arm that was holding the grenade. He 
tossed it away, as he peered into the soldiers eyes.
    The soldier screamed a scream not of pain, but of defeat. The demon threw 
him to the ground, not paying any attention the grenade exploding to his 
left, nor the rounds rebounding off his force field. He looked at the 
soldier, who lay clutching his stump. His helmet had rolled off, revealing an 
oddly shaped earing on the soldier's left ear. "Poor pathetic worm." The 
demon whispered. "Such agony you must feel." He raised his hand, pointing it 
at the fallen soldier. "But don't worry, the pain will end soon."
    Energy formed around his hand, then shot at the soldier. Just before the 
bolt of red energy hit, it's eerie light caught on the earing, sending the 
light into the demon's eyes...} Tetsuo squinted, blinking at the light. Then 
the light left his eyes. He shook his head again, clearing it of the black 
memories, and continued walking away from the school.

******************************************************************************
****

    <Finally.> Tetsuo Est'thadin thought. <Every one's asleep.> He excreted 
himself from the bushes he had been lying in for the past few hours. He 
dusted himself off as he left the park. There was no sign of human activity, 
but considering that it was around two in the morning, that wasn't much of a 
surprise. Tetsuo began walking towards Tomobiki High.
    As he entered the school grounds, he looked up at the odd shimmering 
patch of sky above the school. <Time to get the hell out of here.> He smiled. 
<Good riddance... hmm?> He looked around quickly, sensing something watching 
him. *They've found you Tetsuo.* The voice in his head whispered. *They've 
finally found you. So what are going to do about it? Hhhhm?* <Didn't I 
already tell you to shut up?> Tetsuo reprimanded the voice. <And just who do 
you think has found me?>
    Tetsuo continued scanning the area. He saw a shadow. Not more then a 
flicker on the buildings side, but it was enough. Tetsuo was not alone. 
*Who?* The voice asked. *Who do you think Tetsuo? Her agents, TOKIMI's agents 
have found you. I guess he convinced Her you were a threat after all.* Tetsuo 
slowly back into the shade of a nearby tree, still watching the side of the 
school. <Tokimi's agents? Ha! She's dead you idiot.> *Really? Do you have 
proof? All you have is a computer scan. Besides even if She is dead, She 
could have sent them after you before She died. You're not exactly easy to 
find are you?* The voice snickered. *But that's beyond the point. They know 
your here, their orders are probably to kill you, and they're probably very 
powerful. Back to my original question Tetsuo; what are you going to do about 
it?* 
    A faint red glow appeared around Tetsuo's right hand. <What am I going to 
do?> He asked the voice. <If they really are Tokimi's agents...> His right 
hand clenched, creating a blade of red energy with a black core. <I'm going 
to kill them of course. It's me or them.> This made the voice laugh. *'You or 
them'?!* It's laughter increased in volume. *You never could curb those 
violent tendencies, could you Tetsuo?*
    Tetsuo ignored the voice, and called out to the shadows. "Come on out! I 
know you're there!" He yelled. As soon as he finished his sentence, a bolt of 
green energy shot out of the shadows. It illuminated a figure in black robes. 
This was the response Tetsuo expected, and he deftly deflected the bolt with 
his sword. The deadly bolt shot into the sky unhampered.
    Tetsuo smiled at the figure. "Shall we play?" He asked it. The figure ran 
at him, a green blade forming in his hand. The warriors' blades met casting 
frightening shadows across the school. It was a grand battle, but over in 
minutes. The figure either underestimated Tetsuo's abilities or was 
inexperienced, either way he had no chance. Their blades met with chilling 
speed. They moved far faster than any man. At this speed mistake have a high 
price and the robed figure made one. As he brought his blade down, Tetsuo's 
sword cut through his arm. The figure screamed as his arm burst into green 
flames. He fell to the ground.
    *What are you waiting for Tetsuo? End it.* "With pleasure..." Tetsuo 
whispered as he brought his blade down into the figure's chest. The black 
robed warrior screamed as his body burned, then was silent. Tetsuo looked at 
the body, his gut wrenching. "No, not again... What's happening to me? What 
am I doing...?" Tetsuo whispered as he backed away. *What you were made to 
do: kill." The body burst into green flames and disintegrated leaving a 
scorch mark on the grass.
    *So much for hired help; wouldn't you agree Tetsuo?* Tetsuo looked up at 
the rift in the sky and concentrated. He levitated off the ground and flew up 
the shimmering portal. Then he stopped about a foot from it. *Well? What are 
you waiting for Tetsuo? Go through it.* "Shut up." He whispered. "Just shut 
up you monster. Leave me the fuck alone..." *Such language!* The voiced 
replied sarcastically. *What ever happened to that polite little child of 
Tetra? Hhhmmm?* "I swear, after I kill that bastard, your next." Tetsuo then 
flew into the rift. He was followed by black laughter.

    As the portal's Light faded, another black robed figure stepped out of 
the shadows. But unlike the last, this one was female. She glanced at the 
scorch mark left by her companion. "Fool." Her cold voice wispered. "I warned 
you about what we were facing." She floated up to the rift and looked at it. 
Then she pulled the sleeve away from her arm revealing a metalic band. 
Pushing several buttons on it, she then began to talk into it. "Subject sited 
in dimension 02564. Companion killed, unable to commence capture. Orders?" 
After a few moments a mechanical voice replied. "Follow subject. 
Renforcements will follow. Do not let him return to the central dimension. If 
he learns his true power..." "Understood." The robed figure replied. "The 
Destroyer will not awaken, I promise you." "Good. For if he does and you 
survive, you know what fate awaits you." Her voice came out strained. "Yes 
sir." The transmission ended and she stepped through the portal.

End Chapter 1


Afterward: Dear God! It took me five months to write seven freakin' pages! 
I'm already working on chapter 2 so expect it sometime in the winter. Oh, I 
want to take time to thank K'thardin for proof reading early versions of this 
story and for giving me ideas. Thanks man! I appreciate it. I also would like 
to thank good ol' Worf for reading this thing over. Thank you.

Any questions, comments, flames, etc. send to Death_leprechaun@hotmail.com or
Kagatos_leprechaun@yahoo.com. Until next time, this is D. Leprechaun signing 
off...

"Dig through the ditches, and burn through the witches, 
I slam in the back of my Dragula!"
--"Dragula" Rob Zombie