Introduction and Disclaimer
Here I go again. lol
The ever-expanding saga that began with Dark Heart is trotting on into it's fifth epic volume. I'm sure braincells die with every story I write...they seem to make less and less sense the further in I go, so I hope this isn't veering off on too many random curves along the way.
This story hinges on a few ideas drawn in from all over the Tenchi-verse. It also focuses in on something that Mihoshi says in the English dub of Tenchi Universe. In Sasami's world, in the playground, she refers to Ayeka as "Ayeka of the dark past". This has always made me wonder - what inspired that? Mihoshi often has strange ideas where Ayeka is concerned - her fixation with Ayeka being an old maid if she doesn't marry Tenchi, among others - and she's given to making extremely perceptive observations without really realising she's done it (as she does in Tokyo when she talks to Kiyone about Ryoko's sensitivity).
Coming though it does within Sasami's world is also interesting - since Sasami is Ayeka's sister and would have more idea of Ayeka's past than any other character in the show. So this story is based around the idea that there IS something in Ayeka's past that we don't know about. Work with me here. ;)
We've also another character/character duo making an appearance from outside the Tenchi Universe series. Their roles/purposes have been very greatly altered from the original to make them fit with my concept. (In the case of one of them, I would have thought that a good thing...)
Obviously this story will also bring some closure/conclusion to the Tokimi situation, and it will involve Miho-Kiyo once more, because I love them muchly :D I got a kick out of writing Mihoshi in Hawk of Jurai, so I really want to bring her and her unique detective skills into this one too. As for Kiyone, I had a certain idea for her when I finished Hawk of Jurai, so I'm hoping to work the theme into this one.
For some completely random reason, this story seems to be a tad darker in places than I originally imagined. I'm going to blame the dark winter nights, they always have an odd effect on me :S Still, hopefully it will all work out - I guess time will tell! Apologies in advance for any graphic descriptiveness...
Usual legal junk applies :)
((For readers of After The Rain, the end of Part 1 will be uploaded soon. As for whether any more will be, that all depends on the general opinion when I've done with the first part :) although this story for now is going to take precedence.))
SynopsisIt's been six months since the destruction of the planet Kihaku, and since that day, Tokimi has lain in a deep coma, which not even the expertise of Jurai's top scientists have been able to penetrate. Washu's determination to bring her sister back to consciousness takes her on a trip back to the planet that Tokimi once declared war on - taking an apprehensive prince and a reluctant pirate with her as Tenchi and Ryoko realise that telling Ayeka their news face to face is only the fair thing to do.
Meanwhile, when Kiyone and Mihoshi are called to a seemingly routine rescue pick up, it begins a spiral of events that could threaten not only Kiyone's job but her very life. Someone - or something - is following her across space, teasing at her nightmares and causing those around her to question whether she's competent to do her job to the best of her ability. Frustrated, Kiyone is determined to clear her name - but exiled to Jurai and with the shadow of Seiryo Tennan's presence ever a threat, her task is already proving difficult.
But what Kiyone has stumbled into is far bigger than just clearing her own name. The death of Kihaku has set in motion a sequence of events which released a spirit of the darkest nature - one whose sights are set firmly on the royal house of the Planet Jurai!
DEMON'S EXILE: PART
ONE
A Tenchi Muyo! Fan Fiction
by
VRAIEESPRIT
Chapter One
"No!"
The young girl wrestled against the grip of the guards, fear and apprehension in her ruby eyes as she fought to release herself from their grip. "Daddy, no! Let me go! Let me go!"
In the furthest corner of the room, his expression rich with anguish, the man watched the two burly men place his daughter in the wooden seat, carefully and firmly strapping her arms to the frame as a woman in a white coat flitted around her, carefully attaching diodes and sensors to several points on her skull. Though there were many people in the room, the man was only aware of the girl and the floods of tears that poured down her cheeks as she tried to release herself from her enforced prison.
"Daddy, please! Help me! Help me!" She begged. "I'm so scared! Why are you doing this? Why won't you help me? Daddy?"
The man sighed, his gaze flitting across the chamber to the doorway as he caught sight of his wife. Her expression was as apprehensive as his own, and he held out a hand to her, biting his lip as she came slowly to his side.
"I don't like this." She spoke in soft tones, and her companion shook his head.
"Nor I." He murmured. "But it's for the best, Misaki-chan. We have no choice. We have...no choice."
"I...I suppose I know that." Misaki bit her lip. "But Haru...our daughter. What have we done to her?"
"It's not our doing." Haru drew a heavy breath of air into his lungs as his daughter's frightened appeals for help penetrated his thoughts once more. "We're dealing with forces beyond our control, Misaki. This is the only way...to make sure she...she's all right."
Misaki did not reply, and Haru turned his gaze back to the middle of the chamber. The girl had given up her fight against her restraints and the tall, white-coated physician set down a syringe on the table beside her, turning and bowing her head to her superior.
"Prince Haru, I realise this is difficult for you." She said softly. "Are you sure you wish to proceed?"
Haru looked troubled.
"Yes." He said at length. "For her sake as much as for our own, I must. We must. Do what you have to do, Dr Kurashida. But please, leave our daughter's mind intact."
"It's always a risky procedure." The woman's expression softened, and she touched the girl's cheek gently, wiping away the tears that still glittered on her lashes. "And on one so young, too. But I believe she is strong, Haru-dono. And I will do my best."
"Kurashida-sensei, she will still know who I am when she wakes up, won't she?" Misaki asked anxiously, and the doctor smiled.
"I have no intention of going so deep into her memories, Misaki-sama." She assured the apprehensive woman. "I'm only going to deal with the most recent events, starting with the...business with Lady Sasami, and working back. By the time I'm done, none of it will remain. She will be a happy, merry little girl again. That's my intention, anyway. Do you trust my expertise enough to let me try?"
"We have no choice." Haru said heavily. "Act for us, Dr Kurashida. We're relying on you."
He gripped his wife's hand tightly, seeing tears in Misaki's own eyes as the doctor began to key some instructions into the big computer that stood to one side of the chair.
"How is the Lady Sasami?" She asked softly, as she glanced at the data on the screen. "She is recovering well, I trust? For one so young, she's certainly sturdy."
"She's a lot better, yes." Haru nodded his head. "Tsunami be praised but she doesn't seem to have suffered any ill effects."
"That's good to hear." The doctor smiled. "Then there is even more reason to hope this procedure will be a success. For Sasami-sama to have a close bond with her sister...I think that's most important of all for both of them, don't you?"
"Ayeka did not do anything to hurt Sasami." Misaki said stolidly. "She wouldn't...not my Ayeka! She...she wouldn't."
"Misaki-chan...hush." Haru said softly. "We know how you feel and you know steps have been taken. This is the last one. Ayeka won't remember those things, and so it won't happen again. How can it, when the source of the problem has been sent so far away from Jurai's throne? She will be as Dr Kurashida said - our happy, merry little girl. That's what we want...both our daughters safe and content."
"Yes, I know." Misaki dropped her gaze. "I just can't understand..."
"Prince Haru?"
A man's voice interrupted the sombre proceedings and Haru watched as a tall, fair haired man, garbed in the uniform of a Galaxy Police Elite Agent stepped into the chamber, pulling his cloak from his shoulders as he did so and saluting the prince and his wife with a warm smile.
"Just to inform you, my Lord, that all has
gone according to plan." He said softly. "Lady Kuroda's
sentence was carried out without incident this afternoon." "And
the girl? What about her?" "As you requested, she
has been removed from Jurai. Her exile has been proclaimed and steps
have been taken to keep her from ever returning. Everything is
fine, Lord Haru. It's all over."
"Thank you, Agent Kuramitsu." Haru nodded his head, relief flickering in his red eyes. "Then it really is over. At last. It really is."
