Starlight

By Quick-n-Popular

Disclaimer: All "Tenchi Muyo!" characters are properties of its respected creators, owners, and affiliates. I own only the story I've created and the OC characters I introduce.

Author's Note: Apologies to those who might get confused by this story, seeing as how it takes certain liberties. Such as, it incorporates Mayuka from Daughter of Darkness but leaves out the Kyione/Noike character originally in Daughter of Darkness. While on that note, please bear in mind that this story falls under the storyline of the OVAs as opposed to the Tenchi Universe plot.

Chapter One: Scattered

Eight years have passed. Since then, nothing really has changed all that much in the Masaki household. Within the large structure, the various colorful characters still lived out their lives as they have, though with some new exceptions. Tenchi Masaki, now twenty-four years old, has a much different appearance. His hair has grown exceptionally long, as it should being part Jurian. His figure has changed dramatically over the years due in part to having spent more time working in the fields and practicing his training ever since he was permanently relocated, by Ryoko and Ayeka, to his grandfather's shrine. But, perhaps, the most dramatic change that has been given to Tenchi is that he's been a father for these past eight years.

Little Mayuka, now eight years old, was brought to him, before, by the demon Yazuha as pay back to Yosho, Tenchi's grandfather, and all other Jurians for having treated her badly when she befriended Yosho when he was a child. Mayuka, at the time, was older than she is now, roughly in her teenage years. Her sudden appearance, followed by her calling Tenchi "Daddy" caused quite a commotion in the Masaki household. Through a series of weird events, some misunderstandings, and some terrifying ordeals, Tenchi and the others were finally able to defeat Yazuha but at the cost of losing Mayuka. However, that wasn't the end, as Washu was able to reconstruct her crystal that made her alive and brought her back via science. Mayuka had been the Christmas present given to them all, something that she as a teenager had always wanted since learning about Christmas from Sasami, and became an instant part of the family. Tenchi had grown found of her and adapted to the father role much better than he had when his cousin had came by to stay with him and the girls. The girls themselves also adored Mayuka and they themselves improved greatly with her as well. Tenchi made it certain, though, that this time Washu wouldn't have to be the sole caregiver to Mayuka as she had did with his cousin. He made his thoughts clear to everyone in the household how that with Mayuka being with them that their lives were going to change. Everyone seemed to get the message, including Ryoko. Sasami, however, seemed to need neither urging nor instruction. Ever since Mayuka's "birth" Sasami has never been more active and helpful. When she wasn't cooking, helping out with other chores, she was always attending to Mayuka. She always made it her job when Tenchi went out to work on the field or went to training with Katsuhito, which she'd always be there to look after little Mayuka. With all the constant attentiveness, and with Washu spoiling her with odd toy-like inventions that she'd make, Tenchi often feared that Mayuka may grow up to be spoiled, never to learn to fend for herself. However, when her fifth birthday came, all that seemed to lay itself to rest as Mayuka, who began talking when she turned two, began asking to help out around the house. Sasami quickly had her help with making dishes and setting the table for the meal times.

Eight Years have passed and since then Tenchi Masaki has never felt more happy or content as he does right now.

The sunlight bore its way in into Tenchi Masaki's room, thus awakening him with its cruel glare. Tenchi sat himself up, rubbing his eyes and starred groggily into the dimly lit room. Nostalgia overtook him, as he looked around for Ryoko's red-eyed welcoming, as she had done for the past seven years. So far she was nowhere in sight, which was a bit odd. An electronic alarm chirped across the room, causing Tenchi's senses to become more alert. Getting up, stretching in the process, Tenchi walked on over and flipped open the new cell phone his father had given to him on his twenty-second birthday. Upon opening, his calendar sprung open and a message alerted him to this particular day.

That's right. Its today, isn't? He thought to himself. He then got dressed.

Moments later, walking downstairs he met Ayeka coming down from behind him.

"Good morning, Lord Tenchi, did you sleep well?" Her pristine, aristocratic, voice rang pretentious but kind all together.

Tenchi nodded, "Very well, thank you."

"Out to the fields today, then?" She asked, smiling.

Tenchi shook his head, "Not today. Mayuka and are going to visit her grandmother's grave and then we'll go into town and visit Dad."

Ayeka's eyes went wide in surprise. This had to be the first time, since she's known him, to hear Tenchi skipping work all of a sudden.

"Really? Well it sounds great, would you mind if I accompany you?"

Tenchi rubbed the back of his head, "Well, Ayeka, it's actually something I'd rather just me and Mayuka doing. You see-"

Ayeka held up a hand, silencing him. "Say no more, I understand completely. It's a father-daughter sort of thing, am I right?"

Tenchi smiled and nodded, "Maybe next time, alright Ayeka?"

Ayeka nodded and Tenchi nodded in turn, he then dismissed himself and continued walking down the stairs.

Everyone, as usual, were up. Before sitting down, Tenchi walked over to Mayuka who was playing a son-game with Ryo-Ohki.

"Daddy! Good morning!" Mayuka smiled as she got up and hugged her father.

Tenchi kissed her lovingly on the forehead and patted Ryo-Ohki's. He then greeted everyone else and then sat back down in his usual place, just as Sasami came out and served everyone. Tenchi mused at the fact that he has grown accustomed to calling these strange individuals his family, some stranger than others, of course. Ryoko and her mother Washu taking the prize a lot of the time as their constant bickering back and forth and then to top it all off, Ryoko's challenges and arguments with Ayeka. Despite her air-headedness, Mihoshi seemed to be stable just as long she was never allowed to touch anything tangible. When it all came down to it, Sasami was the only one out of them all that had it all together. She cooked, helped out, never once complained about the situation she had been put in once she and her sister had been stranded here on Earth, and…

"Tenchi would you like some Mimosa?" Ayeka asked sweetly, offering him a glass.

"Nah, Tenchi doesn't want any fruity junk. Say, Tenchi, would you like some Sake?" Ryoko waived the little saucer with the rice wine in front of his face. Ayeka pushed it away causing it to spill on poor Ryo-Ohki's head.

"Sake? At breakfast time? You must be joking." Aykea said.

Ryoko scowled at her and grabbed the flute of Mimosa that Ayeka still had in her hand and poured it on top of her head, grinning sinisterly.

As their bickering and fist raising continues, Katsuhito and Noboyuki, Tenchi's father, arrive in.

"What's all the noise?" Katsuhito asked with a bemused expression on his face.

Ayeka, seeing him, quickly withdraws and sits herself down, blushing hard in the process. Ryoko merely shrugs and sits herself back down.

"Grandpa and Grandpa!" Mayuka shouts and gets up and rushes toward them.

Noboyuki scoops her up and she hugs him, fiercely.

Tenchi smiles. Mayuka still has a hard time disassociating "Grandpa" and "Great Grandpa". To her it doesn't really matter.

Noboyuki handed Mayuka off to Katsuhito as he sat down and allowed Sasami to serve him a dish.

"So, Mayuka, where are you and Tenchi going today?" Katsuhito asked.

Mayuka beamed, "Daddy's taking me to see Grandma and then we're going to see Grandpa in the city!" She said, pointing an excited finger at Noboyuki.

Katsuhito smiled, "Are you now? Sounds like fun, you enjoy yourself."

Mayuka nodded, still smiling.

Katsuhito then let her down as she went back to talking animatedly with Ryo-Ohki and eating. Katsuhito joined with Noboyuki in their respectable places at the table and joined in on the breakfast feast.

As soon as breakfast ended, Tenchi and Mayuka started getting ready and began a light packing. Soon, Sasami came bounding up to them.

"Hey Tenchi, Mayuka, don't forget the snacks I've made for you alright?" She handed them both bundled-up boxes containing vast amounts of goodies.

Tenchi nodded, "Thanks Sasami."

Mayuka gave Sasami a hug, which Sasami kneeled down and returned it.

To this day Tenchi was amazed on how fast Sasami grew up. She was nearly as tall as he was, her bangs had grown out a little, her freckles had disappeared, and her pigtails had now become two long braided ponytails that went down her back and nearly past her calves. Although physically she had changed, nothing else had. She still was the sweet, self-less person he had met those eight years ago on Ayeka's ship, Ryu-Oh.

"I love you, Sasami." Mayuka said, smiling.

"I love you too, Mayuka." Sasami said, giving Mayuka another hug before letting her go.

In a way, Sasami was the only mother Mayuka would know. Seeing as how all the others were constantly busy: Washu with her experiments, Ayeka with restoring Ryu-Oh, and Ryoko being so self-absorbed; Sasami, it seemed, would always be there for her no matter what.

Sasami walked over and gave Tenchi a small hug, to which Tenchi, despite himself, continued to blush every time she did it.

"Have fun, Tenchi." She said, smiling at him.

"Thank you." He replied. "We'll be back shortly."

Sasami watched them leave, sighing to herself and then smiling at the pair as they got into Tenchi's grandfather's truck. Going back inside, and listening as the truck's sound left and soon disappeared. Sasami went back into the kitchen and began preparations for lunchtime when she noticed, out the window, Ayeka's Guardians, Azaka and Kamidake, approaching the house.

"Uh, Ayeka?" Sasami called out.

Ayeka soon came in, "What is it, Sasami?"

Sasami pointed a finger out the window to the two Guardians who were hovering in one place.

"Oh, my." Ayeka said, "what on earth are they up to?"

Sasami, out of curiosity followed her sister out of the house and met with her in front of her two guardians.

"Azaka, Kamidake, what are you doing here?" Ayeka asked.

Azaka, the blue-scribed guardian, looked to Kamidake and then to Ayeka.

"We've just received a message from planet Jurai, ma'am." He said.

Ayeka and Sasami looked at each other in surprise.

Kamidake continued off, "Your mother and the Lady Funaho, will arrive shortly."

Both Ayeka and Sasami's eyes went wide.

"WHAT?!"

After the message, the two log-like guardians went back to their original posts in front of the house, while Sasami and Ayeka went back to the kitchen, where Ayeka began to pace.

"What are those two coming back here for? Is father trying to get us back to Jurai, again?" Ayeka asked, twiddling her thumbs wildly as she paced back and forth.

Sasami sighed, "Maybe they're just coming to visit, Ayeka?"

Ayeka rueful laughed, "Visiting? Them? No, my dear sister, they are up to something."

Sasami, again, sighed. "I'd better get started on a welcoming feast." She then got up and went back to the kitchen area, while Ayeka was mumbling of certain things that Misaki and Funaho could be coming for.

Sasami watched her sister as she began bringing out a wok and some certain spices, sighing. Sasami loved her sister, but then there were times where she just couldn't understand her reasoning for such things. Such as, her ability to get easily worked up, be it the arrival of their mother and Funaho or her constant rivalry with Ryoko over Tenchi; none of it made sense to Sasami. Sasami shook her head as she concentrated back to the recipes she knew both her mother and Funaho loved.

Ryoko watched as Tenchi and Mayuka clasped their hands and closed their eyes in front of Kyione Masaki's grave. Ryoko allowed a little smile to appear as she watched little Mayuka performing the temple's chant with her father in front of the grave. More than anything, Ryoko secretly wished that she could be there along with them…to be a family with them.

In many ways it made sense in her head. After all, she and Tenchi seemed destined to be together. She watched him grow up, he set her free when she had been imprisoned by Yosho; together the two of them, along with that impossible Ayeka, have experienced a handful of adventures. So, why not? After all, little Mayuka's half-demon and Tenchi loves her despite the fact. So what's keeping the two of them from getting together?

Ryoko didn't know the answer, but what she did know was that some day; maybe not today or tomorrow, but someday she and Tenchi would be together.

Ayeka quickly relayed the news of her mother's and Funaho's arrival to all except Noboyuki and Mihoshi as they were out and away.

Washu seemed mildly pleased with the return of the two royal persons while Katsuhito seemed rather reserved.

"How long till they arrive?" He asked.

"According to Azaka, they'll be here sometime this evening." Ayeka said, looking curiously at Katsuhito's unreadable face.

Katsuhito closed his eyes and thought for a moment he then opened them half way.

"Knowing my mother and yours, Ayeka, it's going to be prudent that we keep Mayuka's parentage secret, at least for now. Washu?"

"Yes?" Washu replied.

"See if you can contact Mihoshi and explain the situation to her so she understands how she needs to react tonight."

Washu grimaced of the idea of trying to explain anything to Mihoshi but understood fully the importance of this deceit. She gradually nodded in reluctance.

Katsuhito nodded, he then turned to Ayeka who still had a lingering question on her face.

Katsuhito smiled, "I'm sorry, Ayeka, I have no idea what they're coming here for."

Meanwhile in a distant part of the galaxy, several space ships, along with various contracted officals; are centered around a certain area of space. Along the ships, workers work tirelessly as they bring forth scanners and collect space particles.

One of the men in charge, wearing a military uniform looks over reports in his shuttle as he's being transported to one of the larger vessels.

"So, they've found it..." He says out loud in a low tone.

Or rather, they found him...

To be continued…

A/N: Sorry to cut it off from here, but I need some time to organize some things and make ready for the next installments. In other words, I need to work this out some more.

A/N 2: Despite being short, I'm highly anticipating your reviews, good or bad.

Q-n-P