Disclaimer: Tenchi Muyo! is a story created by Masaki Kajishima and is property of AIC and Pioneer LDC with international distribution rights belonging to Funimation Entertainment. I do not claim ownership to any of the pre-existing characters in this story nor their backstories. This is a fan fiction written purely for entertainment purposes and not for profit.
Author's Note:
Worlds Apart is a story mainly based in the OVA mythology. I am a fan of all of the Tenchi Muyo continuities for one aspect or another, so I kept the OVA events (regarded as canon) intact, and inducted characters and events from the Tenchi Universe and Tokyo series. In effect, I've spliced continuities (sparingly). Though this is a character insertion fic, this is not a generic character adopts Tenchi's life fic. The new character is his own complex entity and serves as a stone, tossed into the lake of the Tenchi Muyo universe, for better or worse. Without further delay, I now present to you, my version of Tenchi Muyo! Thank you.
Tenchi Muyo!: Worlds Apart
Chapter 1: The Prisoner
"He doesn't look much like a pirate," Mihoshi stated concernedly, propping her chin up in the palm of her right hand. Across from her sat her partner, Kiyone, studying the holographic images that danced on the tabletop between them. The stars served as a tranquil backdrop. Light gleamed off of Kiyone's crown of deep emerald hair through the over-sized viewport of the archive chamber.
"Well, his ship isn't registered anywhere in the galactic database which makes it illegal," Kiyone replied, studying the intangible figures in front of her with bluish-green eyes. With a swipe of her hand the hologram changed from one model of a starship to another, completely different in size and shape. "Besides, there's not even a record of this kid anywhere that I can see. No match from the fingerprint or DNA query. As far as this galaxy's concerned, he might as well have never been born. Pirate or not, there's definitely something wrong with that."
Mihoshi's eyes drifted lazily from one corner of the dimly lit room to the next, as her mind rationalized the situation of their newly acquired captive. "What if he's not from this galaxy?" She threw out. "I've never heard of Ciip… Cii…" She shook her head in surrender. "The planet he said he's from."
"Mihoshi, are you serious?" Kiyone shot her an incredulous glance. "Do you know how many GP checkpoints he would have needed to breach to get this far? All planets in or out of our galaxy that are close enough to be traveled to or from are in the archive. There is no planet Ciipres. It's just a lie."
"But he didn't resist arrest," reasoned Mihoshi. "I don't know. Maybe if we hear him out a little m—"
"Mihoshi," Kiyone cut her off. "It's not our place either way. He's suspicious. Based on that, we have to bring him in to headquarters for further questioning. We'll let the chief decide his fate.
Mihoshi sighed as she rose slowly out of her chair before starting towards the open doorway.
"Where are you going?" Kiyone inquired.
"It'll be a little while before we get back to headquarters. He might be hungry."
Kiyone shook her head. "Don't be so indulgent on the boy just because you find him attractive."
Mihoshi's face went red. "That's not… what are you...? That has nothing to do with anything!" She turned and trudged out of the room as Kiyone returned to her investigative efforts.
"This might be a Tenchi situation all over again," she sighed.
Cupid was lying across a bench mounted on the far wall of the ship's holding cell, hands folded behind his head. He gazed quietly at the dimly lit light panels embedded in the ceiling. An old-style, brown leather pilot's cap and goggles adorned his head. The faint buzz of the light barrier that held him captive was ironically soothing in an otherwise silent room. Its light-blue tint painted the small space and the soft glow mixed with his ecru-colored skin to create an odd shade of indigo.
Despite his current situation, he was unscathed - a meager consolation to the fact that he was so desperately lost. He turned his head in reaction to approaching footsteps. Within moments, Mihoshi stepped into view on the other side of the light barrier, holding a tray of food.
Her kind blue eyes gazed down upon him. Wavy, golden tresses framed her sweet bronze face. She smiled with a bewildering aura of innocence that existed in stark contrast to the signal of authority the gun on her hip represented.
"Hi there," she greeted with in a singsong tone. "I brought you something to eat."
She pressed a series of buttons, which caused the bottom eight inches of the light barrier to dissipate, allowing her to slide the tray through before it regenerated to its full length.
"Thanks," he replied stoically before sitting up, shifting his legs off the bench, and standing to his feet. He walked toward the tray and reached down, retrieving it from the floor and returning to his seat. He sat down and proceeded to sift through a sandwich she prepared for him. As he did, his face twisted with curiosity.
"What the hell is this blue meat?"
"It's vorchlak," Mihoshi replied enthusiastically. "You've never tasted? It's really good."
He shrugged then flung off a slice of red tomato with a flick of his wrist. It hit the surface of the barrier, making crackling sounds as it slid to the floor.
"I hate tomatoes," he explained, before taking a bite of the sandwich.
Mihoshi watched him as he ate, waiting for approval on her selection. Alas, he didn't say a word about it but took a second bite without protest, which must have counted for something. He had a youthful, handsome face. She figured he had to be about the same age as Tenchi when she first met him, maybe even younger.
She studied the grey and black camouflage pattern of his jumpsuit. It seemed military issued, though it wasn't of any division she could clearly recognize. "Kiyone says there's no planet named 'Ciipres'," she informed. "But… You are telling us the truth, right?"
"Of course," he answered, sounding a bit annoyed by the question. "That's my home planet. I haven't lied to you about anything. Just because you guys don't know about it doesn't mean it doesn't exist."
Mihoshi folded her arms and stroked the side of her jaw with her index finger, pondering the possibility of his assertion. "Well, we do have quite an extensive database that lists all the planets in and near this galaxy. If what you say is true, that would mean you must have traveled very, very far away - even speaking in terms of hyperspace."
The boy froze for a moment as if her words were a shock to his system. He put the rest of his sandwich down and pushed his tray of food aside on the bench before hunching over and folding his hands before him, contemplatively.
"Really…" He sighed. "Then, that must mean…"
"What?" Mihoshi urged, eyes widening with intrigue.
He shook his head as if to doubt his own theory before saying it. "At one point, not too long before you guys stopped my ship, there was this strange black hole… It was so strong that it pulled my ship in from a good distance. I couldn't escape."
"But you must have," Mihoshi rationalized. "You're here, safe and sound."
"No, I'm sure of it - I was completely sucked in. For a moment there was just darkness: no sound, no nothing. I thought for sure that I was a goner. And then, suddenly, everything was back again and the black hole was gone, as if it just disappeared from around me in an instant."
He looked up at her with a question in his eyes that he seemed almost afraid to know the answer to. "Do you think maybe, somehow I was transported across galaxies through that black hole?"
Mihoshi shook her head. "I've never heard anything like that but I don't know much about how the universe works…"
"Where is my ship?" he questioned with newfound urgency.
"We have it in tow beneath ours. Don't worry; it's ok."
"I need to go. I have to figure this out. Maybe I can go back through but the further we get away from it, the harder it will be for me to find it again."
Mihoshi averted her gaze out of regret. "We… We can't release you. We have to take you to Galaxy Police headquarters. But if you tell the truth to the chief, I'm sure you'll be released at some point."
He was quiet, lowering his head in thought for a moment. "Actually, I can leave this cell anytime I want," he said, matter-of-factly. He got up from the bench once more and walked forward until he stood a couple feet from the barrier between them.
"I doubt that," she retorted, skeptically. "This gate is made to withstand a massive amount of force." She grinned, confident in her claim.
"Just watch me," he challenged, clinching his fists at his sides. He took a ready stance, his focus intensifying on the barrier before him.
Mihoshi's deep blue eyes peered at him curiously as she pursed her lips and cocked her head to the side, waiting to see whatever it was he planned on doing.
As Cupid observed her naïve expression, his resolve weakened. Finally, his body went slack in surrender. "What is with you?" he questioned in a tone of capitulation. "Don't stare at me like a dim-wit; you're making this difficult…"
"What do you mean?" she questioned.
"If I busted my way out of here, it would feel like I'm shoving a baby!" he snapped in exasperation. "What kind of cops are you, anyway? You actually fight criminals dressed like that?" He gestured at her outfit.
Mihoshi looked down at her standard issue, form-fitting grey and blue Galaxy Police Force uniform. "What's wrong with this?"
"Are you kidding me? When you guys arrested me, I didn't know whether to put my hands up or get ready for a steamy, sensuous lap-dance!"
"Excuse me?" she exclaimed, insulted.
"I'm just saying: you're kind of, well, you know… cutesy." He shrugged, nodding at her proportions. "I wouldn't wanna hurt you."
"You're pitying me?" she questioned angrily. "I can handle myself. Just admit you can't break out, don't go making excuses!"
"Excuses? I can definitely let myself out of here!"
"I don't think you would if you could," she assessed. "I feel like you're a good person. So don't do anything bad, ok?" She gazed at him sternly.
"Then let me out..." he demanded, tapping his knuckles against the barrier. "Now." He glared at her intently as a final, unspoken warning.
Suddenly, an explosion rocked the air as the ship jarred violently. Sirens blared along with the chaotic flash of red lights. Cupid stood solidly in place, astoundingly unmoved by the sudden jolt as Mihoshi reeled back, falling flat on her backside. She scrambled back to her feet, shaken and disoriented as she raised her gun at Cupid.
"Stop it!" she shouted, her voice aquiver.
Cupid shrugged at her, shoving his hands into his pockets. "It wasn't me."
Kiyone's voice cut through the atmosphere via the ship's intercom. "Mihoshi, get up here, we've got pirates!"
"Shit!" Mihoshi gasped. She looked at Cupid. "Don't try anything. I have to go handle this!"
"Hey, my ship is in danger too. Let me help!" he offered.
"No! It's too dangerous and besides, I don't know if you can be trusted. We can handle this. It's what we're trained for." She nodded sternly at him with reassurance before rushing off.
"Damn it, you've gotta be kidding me," he groaned, looking on anxiously as she exited the detention chamber. "Pirates? If anything happens to my ship, I'll crush them…"