Out in the forested hills near the Masaki shrine a boy and five girls practiced combat training under the tutelage of an old man dressed as a Shinto priest. A furry toddler looked on as she held onto a baby that was wearing a visorless white helmet. The sparring stopped when the a large spaceship was seen in the sky.
"Looks like we got another visitor," Katsuhito murmured.
Hovering above them a long metallic craft appeared, soaring over the group like a dirigible. The shape of the spacecraft was vaguely triangular, with fins in the back holding nacelles to make the narrow craft seem wider. On the bridge of this vessel as slender athletic woman surveyed the image of the group that was projected on the main viewscreen.
"So these are them," the woman said, "the most dangerous group of individuals in the galaxy. They defeated Kagato, Doctor Clay, and the Galaxy Police. Review the information we have on them."
"Acknowledged," the computer's disembodied voice replied. The viewscreen created a closeup of the an lithe athletic woman with cyan white hair. "Ryoko Hakubi, decimator of 28 planets and 69 colonies. Although her criminal files have been erased due to statute of limitations, the devastation she has caused is a matter of historical record. Although considered one of the most powerful and dangerous entities in the universe, evidence would suggest that her powers are on the wane."
"Good," the woman smiled grimly. "Next."
"Ayeka Masaki Jurai is the Princess of the Imperial Family of planet Jurai. She is the eldest daughter of Emperor Azusa Masaki Jurai and the second of his two wives, Misaki," the computer replied while closing up on a teenage girl with purple hair and ruby red eyes. "She ran away from home after Ryoko attacked Jurai over seven hundred years ago and has recently been found here. As a member of the royal family she possesses superhuman strength, she can fly, and generate shields that are able stop nearly any attack and have some sort of telekinetic ability to repel enemies."
"It still doesn't explain what she's doing here," the woman grumbled as she changed clothing.
"That information has been classified at the highest level of Jurian Intelligence," the computer informed her. "What little we do know is that she took her sister Sasami with her," it continued as the viewscreen now displayed a skyblue haired child who could have been ten. "Whether she took her with her, or the child stowed away has not been reported. We do know that when they left they took Tsunami with them, the most powerful of the royal trees. Neither Tsunami nor Ayeka's spaceship, Ryu-Oh have been recovered, but it is believed the Jurian Intelligence and the royal family know what happened to them."
"That figures," the woman said. "Review what we know of the rest of them while I check my weapons," she added as she opened a sliding door to reveal an assortment of weapons ranging from handheld pistols to large energy guns mounted on tripods.
"Noike Kamiki Jurai, formerly Noike Sakazua, is the adopted daughter of Seto Kamiki Jurai," the computer continued as the viewscreen displayed the image of a woman whose green hair was in a pageboy haircut.
"The secret agent of Seto Kamiki Jurai, you mean," the woman corrected.
"Before being adopted into the royal family she was once a member of the Galaxy Police," the computer continued. "Since being adopted, Lady Seto trained her personally. Her true abilities are unknown."
"I'm familiar with Noike," the woman continued with hatred in her eyes. "Keep going."
"Mihoshi Kuramitsu," the computer continued as it displayed the image of a tall bronze skinned blonde with baby blue eyes. "She is not only an officer in the Galaxy Police but is also a member of the prestigious Kuramitsu family whose power in the Galactic Union is second only to the Royal Family of planet Jurai. She encountered this group during the Kagato incident and elected to stay. This prompted the Choubimaru incident when her family tried to retrieve her by eliminating the members of the Jurai royal family in the area causing the Choubimaru scandal."
"What do you expect from a walking disaster area?" the woman sneered. "Honestly I don't know which of them I want to kill more," she added as her body glowed with an unnatural power. "Mihoshi or Noike. I'll kill them both if they get in my way!"
"Noted," the computer acknowledged. "Ryo-oki," a picture of a furry toddler with catlike features and lop rabbit ears holding a baby wearing a tiny white helmet came into view, "a unique artificial lifeform created by Washu to serve as Ryoko's spaceship and companion. This creature participated in all of Ryoko's known crimes, including the attack on planet Jurai. Ryo-ohki has previously exhibited the ability to change into a small furry animal. The change into an anthropomorphic form is new."
"With Washu's creations, you never know," the woman huffed. "Who are the men?"
A bespectacled old man with iron grey hair tied back in a ponytail dominated the screen. "DNA scans identify this individual as Prince Yosho Masaki Jurai. His true appearance is hidden behind an illusion of an older man," the computer said as it pierced Yosho's disguise to reveal a young man of about thirty wearing the same white Shinto robe as the old one.
"The boy is a member of the Jurai royal family," the computer continued the image of a raven haired teenage boy appeared the viewscreen. "DNA scans would indicate that he is a direct relation of Yosho's perhaps a son or grandson."
"Any sign of the target?" the woman asked.
"Washu the greatest scientific genius in the universe," the computer replied as a picture of a twelve year old redheaded girl with mischievous elven features filled the screen. The image of Washu was wearing academic robes that were in style at the Jurai Imperial Academy a thousand years ago and the word 'FILE' was visible in large capital letters at the bottom of the image. "The only being whose DNA fits her profile is the infant being held by Ryo-ohki," the computer continued as the image of Washu vanished to be replaced by the image of the baby wearing the white helmet that was being held by a toddler sized Ryo-ohki, "but the brainwave activity is far too low to be Washu. It is possible that she has cloned herself."
"Washu has to be taken down for what she's unleashed on the universe," the woman said. "Send me down," she ordered. "When I take down her companions we'll see if that brings her out of hiding."
"As you wish," the computer replied.
The view on the screen was again that of the whole group. The girls were looking up and talking amongst themselves while pointing at the spaceship. The boy was waving his arms at the ship and shouting.
"Get out of here!" the boy bellowed. "Go on, beat it! We don't need any more girls living here!"
"Tenchi, shouting isn't going to help," Noike told him.
"I know, he sighed. "It's just that…"
His words were interrupted as an explosion sent them all ducking to the ground. When they looked up to see what happened, an slender figure wearing a silver and gunmetal suit of powered armor was stepping out of a shallow crater and addressing them. "All right, I'm only going to say this once!" she shouted as crackling waves of energy flowed over the metal powersuit. "Where is Washu? Dead or alive she's coming with me!"
That was when Ryoko said the last thing she ever expected to say about Washu: "Coming with you? Over my dead body!"
"Doable," the woman in the powered armor retorted as the armor's weaponry powered up. "I've got to warn you, this is your last chance!"
Tenchi is in his room when Ryoko pops out of the wall and hugs him. Japanese kanji appears obscuring your view as a woman's voice sings a peppy tune.
When the cherry blossom starts to bloom
Meet me here in my lonely room
We'll find a passion filled fantasy
And this time you will stay with me
Ayeka bursts into the room and chases Ryoko away. Ryoko sticks her tongue out at Ayeka. More kanji appears and disappears.
All the misery that we knew before
Stays away when you are at my door
My heart will sing at ev'ry tender touch
And, oh, you'll want me twice as much
Sasami and a toddler Ryo-ohki wave out the kitchen window at Ryoko and Ayeka fighting. Sasami leaves the kitchen and enters the main living room.
A new dimension of love
A bold adventure waiting for you
The true dimension of love
A soaring flight. A dazzling view
Mihoshi waves at Sasami from the top of the stairs before tripping and falling. She sits up and winces in pain as she rubs her head.
We're gonna take it all the way
We'll make the dream so totally real
See greater wonders by the day
Then tell the stars what glorious rapture we feel
Washu opens the door under the stairs and walks out carrying a strange device. Mihoshi bumps into her and the redhead drops the gadget, that shatters at her feet. Washu transforms into a baby and Mihoshi catches her before she falls. Ryo-ohki startles Mihoshi and she tosses baby Washu into the air.
Soon, with the start of Spring
We'll know our hearts are changing
Leave the hurt behind
I'll be true and kind
Be the best you'll ever find
Noike smiles enigmatically as the wall behind her become the stars. Baby Washu tumbles through space and falls back down to Earth.
We don't ever have to cry or fight
Something tells me we can make it right
Enough of wandering far and wide
I just can't forget you though I've tried
The camera pans down to the outside of Tenchi's house to see Tenchi, Ryoko, Ayeka, Sasami, Mihoshi, Ryo-ohki, and Noike catch the baby with a blanket held between them. When the crowd parts, Washu is a twelve-year-old again and the cast waves to you.
This is destiny so why pretend
Close your eyes kiss me once again
I'll always be the only one you need
So go where your deepest longing leads
Tenchi Muyo: Ryo-ohki OVA4
Episode 24: Recovery
By Galaxy1001D
Chapter One: The Mysterious Visitor
"No," Ryoko growled. "It's yours! HAAA!" she screamed as a beam of energy erupted from her hands to strike the unknown woman. The beam reflected off a glowing force field and split into multiple beams that severed the trunks of nearby trees. "Huh?" Ryoko blinked. "Nothing?"
"Nice try," the armored figure mocked. "Idiot."
"Hey, now wait a minute," Tenchi said as he jogged up and stood between Ryoko and the threatening woman. "Just who are you anyway? I don't know what you've got against Washu but we're not going to give her up without a fight do you got that? Now, let's talk this over before it escalates any further…"
"You don't know how dangerous Washu is!" the armored woman seethed as energy crackled across her armor. "I've seen the restricted files. Just about every disaster in the galaxy she's set in motion! Kagato, the space pirate Ryoko, the Skillian Blitz, they're all disasters that Washu set in motion! She's too dangerous to be allowed to run free!"
"Hey, who you callin' a disaster?" Ryoko demanded.
"She's the deadliest thing the universe has ever seen!" the woman insisted as her armored body glowed with an unnatural and unidentifiable color. "Unchecked she could destroy the entire galaxy! Or more! No matter what your connection to her she isn't worth it! No one is! If you value the lives of every man woman and child within a hundred light years of this place you'll turn her over. Otherwise I'll have to take her!"
"I don't know if you've noticed, but Washu isn't a threat to anyone right now," Noike pointed out as she walked up to join the conversation.
"Noike!" the armored figure growled. "I hate your guts you big phony!" She let out blasts from her armored gauntlet that sent the emerald haired enchantress fleeing for her life. "I'm sorry," she said in a softer and more feminine tone. "Whenever I see that woman I just lose it. You were saying?"
Tenchi was holding the Tenchi-ken and a beam of katana blade shaped light was glowing before him. When it was obvious the armored figure wasn't going to press the attack he breathed a sigh of relief and made the glowing blade vanish.
"Well she isn't all bad," Ryoko admitted.
"Oh my gosh!" Mihoshi gasped as she jogged forward to join them. "Are you guys all right."
"Stop," Princess Ayeka muttered dryly.
"Wait," Prince Yosho, aka Katsuhito Masaki muttered uncaringly.
"Don't!" Princess Sasami cried passionately. "Mihoshi! It's too dangerous!"
"I hate you and wish you were dead you stupid bonehead!" the armored figure screeched as she pulses of light shot out of her gauntlets and the hapless blonde fled or her life.
"You look up too stupid to live the dictionary," Ayeka murmured.
"And you'll probably find Mihoshi," Katsuhito finished.
"That is so mean!" Sasami frowned at them.
"Meow," scolded the furry toddler that was Ryo-ohki.
"I'm sorry," the armored figure apologized again, "but the sight of that woman just makes me…grrr!" Her body glowed with a burning light that scorched the grass. "Sorry. What were you saying about Washu? Did something happen to her or something?"
"You could say that," Tenchi nodded. "Right now Washu isn't a threat to anybody."
"As a matter of fact the problem may have solved itself," Ryoko added.
"Grandpa, could you reveal Washu to our guest please?"
"Here she is," the 'old' man said as he held up the red haired infant.
"No, that's just a clone," the armored woman contradicted. "Where is the real Washu?"
"That is the real Washu you idiot," Ryoko sneered, "but if you don't believe me, no skin off my butt. I didn't want you to take her anyway."
Tenchi turned back to the others. "Okay, that's enough for now, people!" he announced while clapping his hands. "Let's go back to the house and fix some tea for our guest shall we? This will probably take all day."
Katsuhito, Ryo-ohki, and the two princesses nodded and started heading back to the house.
"Hey!" the armored woman protested and Tenchi and Ryoko started to follow. "You're turning your backs on me?"
"Um yeah," Tenchi shrugged. "If I got excited every time someone from outer space came out of the sky and threatened my life I'd go crazy."
"Yeah, that's sort of how he and I met," Ryoko added.
"This place is a madhouse," the armored figure muttered as she followed them back home.
Soon Sasami was pouring their guest a cup of tea.
"Now you're not going to attack us or anything?" Tenchi asked her.
"I need to contact my superiors," the armored woman replied in a weary tone. "The briefing I was given and what I found here doesn't add up."
"How are you going to drink your tea with your helmet on?" Sasami asked.
"Oh right," their guest nodded. "Let me remove it."
"Huh?" Noike blinked in recognition. "I don't believe it. No wonder you hate me. It's you!"
"Kiyone!"
"Mom?"
Next: Longtime No See