All characters seeming familiar to the Tenchi Muyo! series (c)AIC/Pioneer are as such (copywritten to the above, of course); all other characters (Minaka, Tetsuri, etc.) are of my own warped little mind. Author notes are at the end of this chapter.
Part 1
Minaka Muyo! (No Need For Minaka!)
By Speck
Chapter 1: New Friends and Revelations
It was a beautiful autumn day. The sun was shining brightly in the noontime sky, reflecting off of the crystal clear water in Funaho Pond, and the sounds of numerous small birds filled the air. What excuse was there not to have a picnic on a day like this?
Helping Sasami to cart seven bento boxes and seven canteens of miso soup out to the lakeside, Tenchi looked out upon the day, and smiled. How perfect it all was, so quiet and peaceful, and-
"I said I'M going to carry the blanket, you little twerp!"
"Oh no you're not! I'm not going to have your nasty germs all over this lovely blanket. Now, FORK IT OVER IMMEDIATELY!"
Tenchi sighed. "I knew it... too perfect to be true for sure..."
Looking over his shoulder, he watched as Aeka and Ryoko engaged in a tug of war over the traditional picnic blanket.
"Oh, alright, Aeka... here, you take it!!"
Ryoko suddenly released the half of blanket she had in her grasp, spasming with laughter as Aeka flew head over heels backwards. Shoving the blanket off her twisted form, Aeka sprang to her feet and glared at Ryoko menacingly.
"You horrible, uncultured slob! How dare you embarrass me like this in front of Lord Tenchi! I ought to-..."
"Ooh, that sounded like a challenge to me! C'mon, princess, lessee whatcha got!"
Ryoko manifested her energy sword at about the same time Aeka summoned her small, cylindrical wooden guardians. Growling loudly at each other, they charged-
THWACK! WHONGO!
Suddenly, both girls found themselves staring at the ground that had previously been beneath their feet. Washuu stood above them, holding small paper fans in both hands.
"Now girls, it's a perfectly wonderful day out, so nice I found it necessary to halt my experiments for a day and get a little R and R... please don't force me to change you both into mini kappa again just so it can stay that way, okay?"
Immediately changing their act, Ryoko and Aeka hastened to get down to the lakeside with the blanket, while Washuu stood behind and pocketed her fans. As much as she liked the girls, sometimes a little force had to be taken with them in order to keep things running smoothly.
"Let's eat!"
Lunchtime. Once again, Sasami had outdone herself, and the teriyaki chicken and rice cakes proved it.
"Ooh, this is sooo good! Yummy!"
Mihoshi scarfed down her lunch before anyone could blink an eye, and had already started in on the miso soup. Kiyone, perched next to her companion, muttered something about Mihoshi having an appetite bigger than her brain, but somehow, Mihoshi hadn't heard a word she said. Ryo-Ohki, the small cabbit, munched happily on a large pile of carrots that Sasami had so generously packed for her, and paid no heed to her surroundings...
Until she felt a small shift in the atmosphere. Sniffing the air, her ears twitching, she could detect the faint changes, and knew that something was fast approaching. Fast, and dangerous.
"MIYA! Meow mreow mowr mreeo!"
Meowing in alarm, she hopped first to Ryoko, then to Tenchi, and finally to Washuu, meowing at each of them and pointing her tiny, furred body in the direction of the impending danger.
Tenchi, unversed in the cabbit language, looked about in puzzlement. "What did she say, Ryoko? Washuu?"
Already, Washuu had summoned up her small, translucent computer, and had begun calculating data. Ryoko translated for Tenchi.
"Ryo-Ohki says there's a ship coming in for a landing.. She can feel the atmospheric temperature change because of the ship's descent..."
"That's my girl," Washuu grinned. "And, according to my calculations, Ryo-Ohki is more than right. The ship is going to land here, in these parameters, in less than a minute. Hmm... that's odd..."
"What's the matter, Washuu?" Tenchi asked.
"Lady Aeka, c'mere for a minute, would'ya?" Washuu called Aeka over. The two discussed for a moment, Aeka nodding her head, and then Washuu announced her findings.
"Well, if the data analysis is right (and in my case, it is hardly ever wrong), the ship is of Juraian descent... not only that, but it is a second-generation fighter ship. I've sent out hailing frequencies, but nothing's come back yet..."
A small blip sounded from Washuu's computer, and she pressed a button. A large, transparent screen appeared, and along with it, a face.
"This is Minaka, and my ship, Neku-oh. Requesting... permission to land..."
The girl suddenly slipped out of view, and a thump could be heard. Neku-oh called out to its master.
"Minaka? Minaka, you must wake up! Oh no..."
Washuu hit a comlink button, and talked to the ship. "Neku-oh, can you hear me?"
"Yes... my master has requested-..."
"Yes, we know all that... permission to land granted. What's happened to Minaka?"
The ship paused.
"Neku-oh, what has happened to Minaka?"
The comlink failed, and Neku-oh's frequency dropped out of range.
"I wouldn't look now, but... here comes Neku-oh!"
The large fighter ship appeared, as if out of thin air. A force field counteracted with the surrounding atmosphere, and slowed the ship's descent. Nonetheless, large tidal waves rippled along the surface of Funaho Pond, and crashed into shore. Finally, the ship stopped, and a hum could be heard.
"The transport beam... its readying to deposit Minaka," Washuu mused.
A thin beam of red light shot down from the nose of the ship, and gradually widened. It finally formed a circle of light large enough to accommodate a human's proportions, and gave off a gentle whirr.
But instead of depositing an upright passenger, a huddled form materialized, and appeared at the feet of the befuddled group.
"Oh my God, it looks like she's hurt!" exclaimed Aeka, kneeling down to the girl's level. A soft moan seemed to confirm this, as the girl curled in upon herself.
"No... no more, please... no..."
Washuu cocked her head to one side, and kneeled down herself for a closer inspection. The girl had a large, dark red mark along the side of her neck... it looked like a bruise, but from what? She touched it gently, and the girl suddenly awoke, screaming.
"No... NO! Get away from me..." Her bright, amber-hued eyes, shimmering with fear, glanced about wildly, looking for something or someone. Her eyes rested on Aeka.
"L...Lady? Lady Aeka?... is that really you?..."
Aeka, a bit puzzled, keenly looked back at the girl. "Why... yes, I am Lady Aeka... have we... met before?"
The girl, suddenly humbled, prostrated herself on the ground in front of Aeka. "Oh, my Lady, please forgive me... we have not met, of course, but... back on Jurai, I heard so much about you... you are sort of a legend, of course, being of the Royal Family and all... I'd never expect to have found you here, on such a remote part of Juraian airspace..."
The girl glanced about again, her senses less deadened by the fear she had exhibited before. "Are these people... friends?"
Aeka paused. "Why, of course they're friends!" She blinked. "Oh dear, just look at me... I know they are my friends, but you've not been introduced."
Introductions began with that of Tenchi. "He is the grandson of the long lost Prince, Yosho."
The girl's eyes widened. "Really?" She reached out to touch Tenchi's shirt, as if the feeling of him in itself was like being close to a god. Ryoko growled in displeasure, and the girl quickly retracted her hand.
"Ryoko, you foul little... urgh... That would be Ryoko, as in-..."
"Space Pirate Ryoko, yup, that's me... I'm rough, tough, and in charge around here..."
Aeka could feel herself boiling. "Ryoko... Don't scare poor Minaka like that. She's gone through enough as it is..."
"Well, if she lays a finger on Tenchi, she'll be less one digit. That's all I have to say."
Minaka backed away in fear. "I'm sorry... I really didn't mean... it's just... he's..."
She felt a gentle tap on her shoulder. Turning, she found herself face to face with Washuu.
"Ahh, finally, someone who's just my height! Perfect. Anyway, don't worry about Ryoko... my daughter can be awfully temperamental at times..."
Minaka seemed to balk at this. Looking from Ryoko to Washuu, she seemed a bit perplexed.
"My, but you don't look a thing like each... oh dear, how uncalled for..." She blushed.
Washuu's grin only widened, and she slung an arm about the girl's shoulder. "Aw, don't worry about it! It's a long story anyway."
A pause hung in the air, as Minaka looked about. Suddenly, she gasped.
"Is that it? Wow..."
The gang watched as Minaka walked quietly up to the formidable tree in the middle of Funaho Pond, the tree that was the bearer of the pond's namesake.
"So... you're Funaho... my, but you are a beautiful tree... just look at you... no wonder Neku-oh picked you up on his radar so fast... you're gorgeous!"
Ryoko gawked. "Is it just me, or is she talking to that tree?"
Aeka grinned. "No, you silly, mislead thing... she's speaking to the spirit of Funaho... you of all people should know that the Royal Trees are self-aware, and highly intelligent at that."
Ryoko grumbled something inaudible, but kept to herself. Minaka stroked the tree's trunk, and walked around it, marveling at it and praising it. Finally, she returned to the group.
"I should explain myself better... one of the reasons I'm here is because-..."
She stopped short, and gave a small gasp. Hunching over, she moaned, and finally collapsed to the ground, her features seizing in spasms. Washuu knelt down again, and grabbed the girl's wrist. Her pulse was spasmodic, and her wrist... was red hot. Gasping and pulling away her own hand, she noted that she had gotten slightly burned.
"What in hell?..."
Carefully seizing the girl's hand, she gently pulled back the sleeve on Minaka's gown, and found the same dark red bruise-like mark on her wrist as she had spotted on her neck. Touching it resulted in the same fire hot sensation she had gotten when she had felt for Minaka's pulse. It also resulted in Minaka screaming again, only to awake quickly, and fall back into unconsciousness.
"Strange... very strange," Washuu muttered. She hefted the girl into her arms, and turned to the group.
"Everyone, back to the house, now. We have a pretty big emergency here. I'm gonna take Minaka to my lab to do some testing... There's something going on with this girl that's not only skin deep, but it's her skin that's worrying me."
Washuu became transparent, and disappeared, leaving the group to straggle back to the house, and wonder to themselves just what in heck was going on.
*****
Hours later, Minaka awoke. She found herself in a dark room filled with buzzing machines, tanks filled with numerous intergalactic creatures... and one Nurse Washuu.
"Hey, ya finally woke up! Great... how are you feeling?"
Minaka struggled with her words. Never had she felt so fuzzy before.
"I... guess I'm okay... mm... what happened?..." She leaned up, and suddenly found that she had been undressed, and wrapped in bandages. She blushed, and fell to her back again.
"Don't worry, it's not like I've never seen anatomy before," Washuu grinned. She pulled up a floating cushion and sat down, carefully looking over Minaka's body, the places where, instead of bandages, small sensors were applied. She called up her computer again, and checked the resulting data from the sensors.
"Well, it seems that your skin temperature's gone down in the places where the burns are, but even then, what puzzles me is that the burns aren't fresh. I wonder what's causing the temperature to fluctuate? I have an idea, but it's still unusual, even for electroshock burns..."
Minaka gave out a quiet gasp. "How... how did you know?..."
Washuu grinned again. "They don't call me the most brilliant mind in the universe for nothing, ya know. I know lots of stuff, kiddo. Like, for example, you, my dear, are pregnant, and, in earth terms, at least 4 1/2 months or so."
Minaka felt like making herself the smallest bit of nothing possible, but also knew she couldn't hide her story for long.
"Please don't tell the others..."
"Well, I can cover up the burn side of it easy enough, but the baby thing's going to be hard after a while, you know."
Minaka blushed. "Not that... they can know about that, of course... but, the rest of it... I have to tell you, you seem to be a scientist... I mean, the lab gives it away of course, but... being a scientist, maybe you can help me..."
Washuu's interest piqued, and she moved closer, peering at Minaka. "Tell me everything."
"Well... it all started... I suppose, a few... months ago, in earth terms...
"I am a bit of a warrior. That's where I got Neku-oh from. I'd had Neku-oh since he was a seedling, and we are good friends. I wonder how he's doing now?... But anyway, I am a bit of a warrior. I even was a part of the Royal Guard, protecting Jurai from invading space pirates and other such scum of the universe. But, I'm also very naive... too naive..."
Minaka seemed to choke up at this point. Washuu reached out a hand, to have it clasped firmly by the poor girl.
"The Royal Guard is carefully chosen, as I'm sure you know, but even the closest of inspections can leave out the tiniest detail. That's what I got when I met up with Tetsuri. He seemed nice enough, a true defender and a loyal fighter. He also seemed like a nice lover... heh. He's the father of my baby. I was hoping we would get settled, have a nice life together... but then he got abusive. If I said something he decided he didn't like, he would lead me, sometimes forcibly, to a private place just so he could beat me. Then one day, he told me something I didn't need to hear. He was a spy, sent out by a pirating crew that had been menacing Jurai for some time. He had been sent to blend in with the Juraians, become a part of us, and lure us into thinking he was a loyal man capable of being in the Royal Guard. He had even proved it in several test spars against captains. He was a Juraian, yes, and was a strange one... he was able to create the Lighthawk Wings on his own, and as such was a valuable asset to the Royal Guard. He had just "seen the light", as he termed it, and had gone off in search of bigger and better things. He had become a pirate, and a spy, and had done what it was that he had been sent out to do. He had infiltrated Juraian space, and had been feeding secrets to the pirates. Me? I was just a "bit of fun". He doesn't care about the baby, or the feelings I had... the feelings I still have..."
She paused, a sob catching in her throat. She composed herself, and continued.
"After he told me this, of course, I went to alert the rest of the Guard of the infiltration. He caught me, realizing he had made a huge mistake in telling me his true identity, and brought me back to the pirates' fortress that was floating just outside of radar detection. He said that I knew too much, and would have to be destroyed. That's when the pirates made their big break. They attacked Jurai, and made a personal announcement to all of Jurai, stating that they were beginning their attack, and were going to start it off with a bang. They tortured me for hours, in front of thousands of Juraians. The pirates said that this is what would happen to any Juraians that tried to get in their way. The electric shocks and burns just kept coming and coming... it seemed they would never stop... finally, they did. The pirates took me for dead, and sent me back to Jurai, as a sort of reminder to keep out of their way. I pretty much was dead... at that point, I had been shocked and burned so severely by the pirates' tools of pain, I was nothing more than a barely surviving shell. They dressed me in those gowns, packed me into Neku-oh, and sent Neku-oh on his way... they truly believed I was dead, and so did Neku-oh. His main unit was still crying over my body when I awoke.
"When I finally came fully to, I realized I had no idea where I was. Floating in space, nothing but blackness all around me... I was lost, and scared of being alone. Neku-oh advised that we had better find someplace safe to land, or the pirates would detect us and capture me again. But I didn't know what to do at all. He suggested that we find a place where Juraian energy thrived, and was strongest. I didn't know how to find that, either. Funny, it makes me wonder just how I got into the Royal Guard without having a sense of direction..."
Reflectively thinking of how Mihoshi could have gotten into Galaxy Police with the same sense of direction, none at all, Washuu comforted the girl. "Don't worry... that doesn't matter now, and besides, you had just been through a terribly traumatizing ordeal... how could you remember much of anything?"
Minaka nodded. "Yes, I suppose you're right... well, as I said, Neku-oh suggested that we land on a planet with a strong source of Jurai energy. Well, he set about searching the galaxy, and came back with a reported find. Of all the traces of Jurai energy he could find, there was one potent form residing on a distant planet. Her name was Funaho, and the planet was Earth. He set coordinates to land here... and that's when the pain started up..."
Washuu nodded her head. "I see. That explains a lot, doesn't it?..."
Turning to a console, Washuu set up search parameters. Minaka was about to ask what she was doing, when Washuu explained.
"You see, at first I didn't realize what had caused your burn marks, let alone that they were burn marks. Analysis of the scar tissue and structure of the burns revealed that they were burns, and burns caused by electronic shock devices. However, what I needed to know was what was causing the burns to become red hot, and, consequentially, what caused you to be in such pain. Like I said, I had an idea, but I needed to know just what and who caused the burns. Your telling me that it was space pirates' work that did this gives me, unfortunately, a good idea of the types of tools used to inflict the burns.
"Space pirates, much like that of my daughter Ryoko, but much nastier, have access to all kinds of weapons and tools of torture. Looks like they used the worst kind of all on you, my dear."
The search console beeped, and an image of a long, prodlike weapon appeared on a screen. Minaka gave a short yelp.
"That's it! That's exactly the thing they used to torture me!..." Minaka's gaze shifted to Washuu, whose face reflected deep resentment and anger.
"...What is it, exactly, Miss Washuu? Please... tell me... I can take it..."
Washuu shook her head. "I don't know, kiddo, this information might be a bit much..."
Minaka grasped Washuu's hand tightly, and gave a look of determination. "Please, tell me."
Washuu sighed, and came close to Minaka, kneeling by the bedside.
"Well, Minaka, they used a standard prod. But... they used an attachment on the end of it, much like this,"-an image of a needle-like attachment flashed on the console's screen- "to inject a macrovirus into one of the fresh burns. It's a rare virus, too... out of the entire galaxy, only one in billions is known to get it. It's spreading through the burns on your body, and will flare up every so often, causing pain and releasing vast amounts of heat. The poisons in the virus are slow reactors, and will take a while, but will eventually... destroy your tissues and kill you. The destruction won't be visible, like, there'll be no actual way to tell that the disease is progressing, but it is. The process generally takes ages, but in a weakened state, such as your pregnancy, it will take very little time for the virus to kill you... it will kill you before you have your baby."
A long, painful pause hung in the air, cloying and thick. Finally, a choke ripped from Minaka's throat.
"No... p-please, no..."
Her body shuddered, and tears dripped from her face to the blankets draped over her body. Finally, she gave a heartwrenching sob, and flung herself into Washuu's arms, crying, screaming with sorrow. Washuu closed her eyes, and tried desperately not to let herself break down. She had only known this girl for a short while, but already, she felt that she and Minaka were old friends, and felt she shared much in common with this girl. A tear coursed its way down Washuu's cheek, and landed softly in Minaka's dark blue hair.
"Minaka," Washuu pulled Minaka away from her, and gazed deeply into her eyes. "Minaka... I swear to you, I will do everything... everything I can... to save you. I won't let you die, not now, not ever. I'm going to get to work on it right away, right now, okay? I'll get a cure... I will."
Minaka smiled at Washuu's determination, and hugged her waist. "Thank you, Miss Washuu... thank you for trying..."
"Trying? HA! I'm GOING to get you better, or I'm really not the greatest genius in the universe!"
Helping Minaka from the bed, Washuu led her through her pseudo-laboratory, and out into the Masaki living room, where the rest of the gang waited. However, one thought plagued her already active mind. Who was this Tetsuri, and how was he able to create Lighthawk Wings on his own?
*****
"A BABY?! Wow, how neat!"
Sasami's eyes lit up at this announcement. The rest of the group seemed rather pleased at this as well, all save for Ryoko, who continued to grumble under her breath.
"Great, a baby... I hate babies... dirty, ugly, and-.."
A paper fan stuck out of Ryoko's silver-blue mane as she tumbled to the floor.
"Watch your manners, Ryoko," Washuu warned.
"So, do you know what it's gonna be yet?" Mihoshi asked.
Sasami grinned and shook her head at Mihoshi. "Silly, of course she doesn't. Her baby isn't even this big yet!" She indicated with her hands what she interpreted the size of the baby to be.
Washuu tut-tutted, and produced a graph. "Actually, Sasami, at 4 1/2 months, the baby is precisely this big, and of course you can tell what sex it'll be at this size. All I'd need to do is take an ultrasonic picture, and look really closely..."
Minaka looked apologetic. "Actually, I'd rather keep it a surprise.. You know, sort of like a... birthday present."
Washuu harumphed quietly, but grinned nonetheless. "Ah, no problem. I know-..." she trailed off...
"The feeling..."
An embarrassed silence took hold, when Washuu coughed. "Oh, my my, look at the time! I have some things to do, if you'd all kindly excuse me, I'll be in my lab if anybody needs anything okay buh-by-yee!"
And with that, she disappeared.
Sitting in the middle of the sofa, Minaka felt awkward, alone without her new friend. Sasami poked her face into Minaka's vision, and smiled.
"So, what do you think the baby will be?"
"Well, I, uh..." Minaka looked about with embarrassment.
"Oh... yes, I must be off as well. I have a few chores I need to finish up, you know, sweeping the steps at the shrine, stuff like that."
Tenchi moved to the door. Ryoko perked up and floated after him.
"Oh, let me help you, Tenchi! You know how much I loooove to sweep!"
Aeka snickered under her breath. "Ha, now, there's a first."
Ryoko glared daggers at Aeka and continued on.
"Oh, I may as well follow after her and make sure she doesn't cause Lord Tenchi any trouble. See you at dinnertime, Minaka!" Aeka said, hurrying off after Ryoko and Tenchi.
"Hmm... it is about time for our shift to start at Burger Hut. C'mon, Mihoshi, we gotta go!"
Mihoshi looked at Kiyone with big blue puppy-dog eyes. "Aw, but Kiyone... I wanted to listen to Minaka..."
Kiyone gave Mihoshi a stern glance. "You know what the manager said, 'One more tardy and you're both fired!'"
Mihoshi sighed. "Oh, all right..." She turned to Minaka and smiled apologetically. "I really wish I could stay and talk with you, but Kiyone's right, and besides, we need the money for our apartment rent. So, I'll see ya later, okay? Bye now!"
Mihoshi hurried after Kiyone, who had already left the house. That left Minaka, Sasami, and a curious Ryo-Ohki, who hopped up to Minaka's lap and sat, sniffing at her robes and peering at her suspiciously.
"Don't worry, Ryo-Ohki, she's a friend! She won't hurt you!" Sasami grinned at Minaka. "Go ahead and give her a pet. She's nice and soft. She won't bite, I promise!"
Cautiously, Minaka reached out her hand and gave Ryo-Ohki a scratch behind the ears. Ryo-Ohki was very pleased, and decided that she liked this Minaka person. She meowed and purred at Minaka, and eventually curled up in Minaka's lap, purring quietly and sleeping.
"Aww... she is a cute little thing, isn't she?"
Sasami nodded. "So... you never answered my question, Minaka."
Minaka blinked. "Oh, yes... well... I don't know, really... I'd really like to have a little boy, though... girls are cute and sweet, but ever since I was a little girl, I always wanted a baby boy. I'd name him... well, I don't know what I'd name him... there's so many names to pick from..."
Sasami's eyes misted over. "How about Mikumo? Or maybe Takeshi..."
Minaka smiled. "You know, I'd never thought of those names... I like them..."
"Really?" Sasami chirped.
"Yeah... I'll tell you what... whatever the baby is, I'll let you pick the name. You seem very talented at picking names... you'll make a great mom some day, I bet."
Sasami turned a bright shade of red. "You really think so?"
Minaka nodded, and Sasami turned even redder. "Well... I love babies... they're so cute! But... there's something I've always wanted to see..."
"What's that?" Minaka asked.
"Well... I've never watched a baby get born. I've always wanted to see something like that... I've heard it's really gross, but I don't care... I think having a baby is the best miracle in the world..."
Minaka smiled gently. "Well, maybe you could be around when I have my baby. I wouldn't mind it at all, really..."
Sasami's eyes opened wide. "REALLY? You'd really let me stand by and watch when your baby gets born? Oh wow! That's be so neat!"
Minaka grinned and laughed. Such a sweet little thing...
And then the pain hit again. Swift, angry, it rushed Minaka's senses and left her writhing on the ground. Ryo-Ohki meowed in alarm and bounded off of Minaka's lap.
"Oh, no, Minaka!" Sasami attempted to touch Minaka, who quickly shoved her aside.
"NO, Sasami... uhh... stay back... uhhn... you'll get burned..."
"Burned?" Sasami asked.
Washuu burst into the room from her lab, panting. "Oh my God, Minaka!" She ran to where Minaka lay, and applied a small sticker-like object to her forehead. Instantly, Minaka's cries ceased, and she lay limp, exhausted from her exertion. Washuu picked her up, and carried her back to the sofa, where she rested the girl, and covered her with a blanket.
"Miss Washuu, what happened to Minaka?" Sasami asked, her voice tinged with fear. Washuu knelt and hugged Sasami tightly.
"It's okay now. Minaka's very sick, that's all. Now, be a good girl and go fetch some warm water and a face cloth, and stay with Minaka. She'll wake up eventually, don't you worry. I've got to go work some more. I'm trying to make Minaka feel better, but I need to work on it. I'll get her fixed up, don't worry, I'm good with things like that. Now go."
Washuu gave Sasami a gentle push to the kitchen, and turned to walk back to her lab. She'd hated herself for having lied to Sasami, but it was better than telling her that her friend would eventually die. Washuu had just created the substance in the sticker as a sort of time condenser- that is, it would allow Minaka to live a bit longer, and would end her pain attacks for as long as she would be alive. The race for a cure, however, was just beginning, and was not turning out as well as Washuu would have liked. But she wouldn't give up, not until she had either found a cure, or Minaka had breathed her last.
*****
AUTHOR NOTES: Yes, folks, I've reposted this because the last version I posted was in desperate need of proofreading, re-saving, and general tweaking. And yes, if you can't stand generalized sappiness, I suggest you stop reading here, because it's only gonna get worse ;) If you did like it (and... maybe maybe, wanna see more of it? Hmm?) Please write to me at speck@capital.net and let me know how you felt. Or just R&R here. But please, no flaming, because more likely than not I'll choose to ignore that kind of talk. Creative criticism and comments, I will generally respond to in kind. :)
Part 1
Minaka Muyo! (No Need For Minaka!)
By Speck
Chapter 1: New Friends and Revelations
It was a beautiful autumn day. The sun was shining brightly in the noontime sky, reflecting off of the crystal clear water in Funaho Pond, and the sounds of numerous small birds filled the air. What excuse was there not to have a picnic on a day like this?
Helping Sasami to cart seven bento boxes and seven canteens of miso soup out to the lakeside, Tenchi looked out upon the day, and smiled. How perfect it all was, so quiet and peaceful, and-
"I said I'M going to carry the blanket, you little twerp!"
"Oh no you're not! I'm not going to have your nasty germs all over this lovely blanket. Now, FORK IT OVER IMMEDIATELY!"
Tenchi sighed. "I knew it... too perfect to be true for sure..."
Looking over his shoulder, he watched as Aeka and Ryoko engaged in a tug of war over the traditional picnic blanket.
"Oh, alright, Aeka... here, you take it!!"
Ryoko suddenly released the half of blanket she had in her grasp, spasming with laughter as Aeka flew head over heels backwards. Shoving the blanket off her twisted form, Aeka sprang to her feet and glared at Ryoko menacingly.
"You horrible, uncultured slob! How dare you embarrass me like this in front of Lord Tenchi! I ought to-..."
"Ooh, that sounded like a challenge to me! C'mon, princess, lessee whatcha got!"
Ryoko manifested her energy sword at about the same time Aeka summoned her small, cylindrical wooden guardians. Growling loudly at each other, they charged-
THWACK! WHONGO!
Suddenly, both girls found themselves staring at the ground that had previously been beneath their feet. Washuu stood above them, holding small paper fans in both hands.
"Now girls, it's a perfectly wonderful day out, so nice I found it necessary to halt my experiments for a day and get a little R and R... please don't force me to change you both into mini kappa again just so it can stay that way, okay?"
Immediately changing their act, Ryoko and Aeka hastened to get down to the lakeside with the blanket, while Washuu stood behind and pocketed her fans. As much as she liked the girls, sometimes a little force had to be taken with them in order to keep things running smoothly.
"Let's eat!"
Lunchtime. Once again, Sasami had outdone herself, and the teriyaki chicken and rice cakes proved it.
"Ooh, this is sooo good! Yummy!"
Mihoshi scarfed down her lunch before anyone could blink an eye, and had already started in on the miso soup. Kiyone, perched next to her companion, muttered something about Mihoshi having an appetite bigger than her brain, but somehow, Mihoshi hadn't heard a word she said. Ryo-Ohki, the small cabbit, munched happily on a large pile of carrots that Sasami had so generously packed for her, and paid no heed to her surroundings...
Until she felt a small shift in the atmosphere. Sniffing the air, her ears twitching, she could detect the faint changes, and knew that something was fast approaching. Fast, and dangerous.
"MIYA! Meow mreow mowr mreeo!"
Meowing in alarm, she hopped first to Ryoko, then to Tenchi, and finally to Washuu, meowing at each of them and pointing her tiny, furred body in the direction of the impending danger.
Tenchi, unversed in the cabbit language, looked about in puzzlement. "What did she say, Ryoko? Washuu?"
Already, Washuu had summoned up her small, translucent computer, and had begun calculating data. Ryoko translated for Tenchi.
"Ryo-Ohki says there's a ship coming in for a landing.. She can feel the atmospheric temperature change because of the ship's descent..."
"That's my girl," Washuu grinned. "And, according to my calculations, Ryo-Ohki is more than right. The ship is going to land here, in these parameters, in less than a minute. Hmm... that's odd..."
"What's the matter, Washuu?" Tenchi asked.
"Lady Aeka, c'mere for a minute, would'ya?" Washuu called Aeka over. The two discussed for a moment, Aeka nodding her head, and then Washuu announced her findings.
"Well, if the data analysis is right (and in my case, it is hardly ever wrong), the ship is of Juraian descent... not only that, but it is a second-generation fighter ship. I've sent out hailing frequencies, but nothing's come back yet..."
A small blip sounded from Washuu's computer, and she pressed a button. A large, transparent screen appeared, and along with it, a face.
"This is Minaka, and my ship, Neku-oh. Requesting... permission to land..."
The girl suddenly slipped out of view, and a thump could be heard. Neku-oh called out to its master.
"Minaka? Minaka, you must wake up! Oh no..."
Washuu hit a comlink button, and talked to the ship. "Neku-oh, can you hear me?"
"Yes... my master has requested-..."
"Yes, we know all that... permission to land granted. What's happened to Minaka?"
The ship paused.
"Neku-oh, what has happened to Minaka?"
The comlink failed, and Neku-oh's frequency dropped out of range.
"I wouldn't look now, but... here comes Neku-oh!"
The large fighter ship appeared, as if out of thin air. A force field counteracted with the surrounding atmosphere, and slowed the ship's descent. Nonetheless, large tidal waves rippled along the surface of Funaho Pond, and crashed into shore. Finally, the ship stopped, and a hum could be heard.
"The transport beam... its readying to deposit Minaka," Washuu mused.
A thin beam of red light shot down from the nose of the ship, and gradually widened. It finally formed a circle of light large enough to accommodate a human's proportions, and gave off a gentle whirr.
But instead of depositing an upright passenger, a huddled form materialized, and appeared at the feet of the befuddled group.
"Oh my God, it looks like she's hurt!" exclaimed Aeka, kneeling down to the girl's level. A soft moan seemed to confirm this, as the girl curled in upon herself.
"No... no more, please... no..."
Washuu cocked her head to one side, and kneeled down herself for a closer inspection. The girl had a large, dark red mark along the side of her neck... it looked like a bruise, but from what? She touched it gently, and the girl suddenly awoke, screaming.
"No... NO! Get away from me..." Her bright, amber-hued eyes, shimmering with fear, glanced about wildly, looking for something or someone. Her eyes rested on Aeka.
"L...Lady? Lady Aeka?... is that really you?..."
Aeka, a bit puzzled, keenly looked back at the girl. "Why... yes, I am Lady Aeka... have we... met before?"
The girl, suddenly humbled, prostrated herself on the ground in front of Aeka. "Oh, my Lady, please forgive me... we have not met, of course, but... back on Jurai, I heard so much about you... you are sort of a legend, of course, being of the Royal Family and all... I'd never expect to have found you here, on such a remote part of Juraian airspace..."
The girl glanced about again, her senses less deadened by the fear she had exhibited before. "Are these people... friends?"
Aeka paused. "Why, of course they're friends!" She blinked. "Oh dear, just look at me... I know they are my friends, but you've not been introduced."
Introductions began with that of Tenchi. "He is the grandson of the long lost Prince, Yosho."
The girl's eyes widened. "Really?" She reached out to touch Tenchi's shirt, as if the feeling of him in itself was like being close to a god. Ryoko growled in displeasure, and the girl quickly retracted her hand.
"Ryoko, you foul little... urgh... That would be Ryoko, as in-..."
"Space Pirate Ryoko, yup, that's me... I'm rough, tough, and in charge around here..."
Aeka could feel herself boiling. "Ryoko... Don't scare poor Minaka like that. She's gone through enough as it is..."
"Well, if she lays a finger on Tenchi, she'll be less one digit. That's all I have to say."
Minaka backed away in fear. "I'm sorry... I really didn't mean... it's just... he's..."
She felt a gentle tap on her shoulder. Turning, she found herself face to face with Washuu.
"Ahh, finally, someone who's just my height! Perfect. Anyway, don't worry about Ryoko... my daughter can be awfully temperamental at times..."
Minaka seemed to balk at this. Looking from Ryoko to Washuu, she seemed a bit perplexed.
"My, but you don't look a thing like each... oh dear, how uncalled for..." She blushed.
Washuu's grin only widened, and she slung an arm about the girl's shoulder. "Aw, don't worry about it! It's a long story anyway."
A pause hung in the air, as Minaka looked about. Suddenly, she gasped.
"Is that it? Wow..."
The gang watched as Minaka walked quietly up to the formidable tree in the middle of Funaho Pond, the tree that was the bearer of the pond's namesake.
"So... you're Funaho... my, but you are a beautiful tree... just look at you... no wonder Neku-oh picked you up on his radar so fast... you're gorgeous!"
Ryoko gawked. "Is it just me, or is she talking to that tree?"
Aeka grinned. "No, you silly, mislead thing... she's speaking to the spirit of Funaho... you of all people should know that the Royal Trees are self-aware, and highly intelligent at that."
Ryoko grumbled something inaudible, but kept to herself. Minaka stroked the tree's trunk, and walked around it, marveling at it and praising it. Finally, she returned to the group.
"I should explain myself better... one of the reasons I'm here is because-..."
She stopped short, and gave a small gasp. Hunching over, she moaned, and finally collapsed to the ground, her features seizing in spasms. Washuu knelt down again, and grabbed the girl's wrist. Her pulse was spasmodic, and her wrist... was red hot. Gasping and pulling away her own hand, she noted that she had gotten slightly burned.
"What in hell?..."
Carefully seizing the girl's hand, she gently pulled back the sleeve on Minaka's gown, and found the same dark red bruise-like mark on her wrist as she had spotted on her neck. Touching it resulted in the same fire hot sensation she had gotten when she had felt for Minaka's pulse. It also resulted in Minaka screaming again, only to awake quickly, and fall back into unconsciousness.
"Strange... very strange," Washuu muttered. She hefted the girl into her arms, and turned to the group.
"Everyone, back to the house, now. We have a pretty big emergency here. I'm gonna take Minaka to my lab to do some testing... There's something going on with this girl that's not only skin deep, but it's her skin that's worrying me."
Washuu became transparent, and disappeared, leaving the group to straggle back to the house, and wonder to themselves just what in heck was going on.
*****
Hours later, Minaka awoke. She found herself in a dark room filled with buzzing machines, tanks filled with numerous intergalactic creatures... and one Nurse Washuu.
"Hey, ya finally woke up! Great... how are you feeling?"
Minaka struggled with her words. Never had she felt so fuzzy before.
"I... guess I'm okay... mm... what happened?..." She leaned up, and suddenly found that she had been undressed, and wrapped in bandages. She blushed, and fell to her back again.
"Don't worry, it's not like I've never seen anatomy before," Washuu grinned. She pulled up a floating cushion and sat down, carefully looking over Minaka's body, the places where, instead of bandages, small sensors were applied. She called up her computer again, and checked the resulting data from the sensors.
"Well, it seems that your skin temperature's gone down in the places where the burns are, but even then, what puzzles me is that the burns aren't fresh. I wonder what's causing the temperature to fluctuate? I have an idea, but it's still unusual, even for electroshock burns..."
Minaka gave out a quiet gasp. "How... how did you know?..."
Washuu grinned again. "They don't call me the most brilliant mind in the universe for nothing, ya know. I know lots of stuff, kiddo. Like, for example, you, my dear, are pregnant, and, in earth terms, at least 4 1/2 months or so."
Minaka felt like making herself the smallest bit of nothing possible, but also knew she couldn't hide her story for long.
"Please don't tell the others..."
"Well, I can cover up the burn side of it easy enough, but the baby thing's going to be hard after a while, you know."
Minaka blushed. "Not that... they can know about that, of course... but, the rest of it... I have to tell you, you seem to be a scientist... I mean, the lab gives it away of course, but... being a scientist, maybe you can help me..."
Washuu's interest piqued, and she moved closer, peering at Minaka. "Tell me everything."
"Well... it all started... I suppose, a few... months ago, in earth terms...
"I am a bit of a warrior. That's where I got Neku-oh from. I'd had Neku-oh since he was a seedling, and we are good friends. I wonder how he's doing now?... But anyway, I am a bit of a warrior. I even was a part of the Royal Guard, protecting Jurai from invading space pirates and other such scum of the universe. But, I'm also very naive... too naive..."
Minaka seemed to choke up at this point. Washuu reached out a hand, to have it clasped firmly by the poor girl.
"The Royal Guard is carefully chosen, as I'm sure you know, but even the closest of inspections can leave out the tiniest detail. That's what I got when I met up with Tetsuri. He seemed nice enough, a true defender and a loyal fighter. He also seemed like a nice lover... heh. He's the father of my baby. I was hoping we would get settled, have a nice life together... but then he got abusive. If I said something he decided he didn't like, he would lead me, sometimes forcibly, to a private place just so he could beat me. Then one day, he told me something I didn't need to hear. He was a spy, sent out by a pirating crew that had been menacing Jurai for some time. He had been sent to blend in with the Juraians, become a part of us, and lure us into thinking he was a loyal man capable of being in the Royal Guard. He had even proved it in several test spars against captains. He was a Juraian, yes, and was a strange one... he was able to create the Lighthawk Wings on his own, and as such was a valuable asset to the Royal Guard. He had just "seen the light", as he termed it, and had gone off in search of bigger and better things. He had become a pirate, and a spy, and had done what it was that he had been sent out to do. He had infiltrated Juraian space, and had been feeding secrets to the pirates. Me? I was just a "bit of fun". He doesn't care about the baby, or the feelings I had... the feelings I still have..."
She paused, a sob catching in her throat. She composed herself, and continued.
"After he told me this, of course, I went to alert the rest of the Guard of the infiltration. He caught me, realizing he had made a huge mistake in telling me his true identity, and brought me back to the pirates' fortress that was floating just outside of radar detection. He said that I knew too much, and would have to be destroyed. That's when the pirates made their big break. They attacked Jurai, and made a personal announcement to all of Jurai, stating that they were beginning their attack, and were going to start it off with a bang. They tortured me for hours, in front of thousands of Juraians. The pirates said that this is what would happen to any Juraians that tried to get in their way. The electric shocks and burns just kept coming and coming... it seemed they would never stop... finally, they did. The pirates took me for dead, and sent me back to Jurai, as a sort of reminder to keep out of their way. I pretty much was dead... at that point, I had been shocked and burned so severely by the pirates' tools of pain, I was nothing more than a barely surviving shell. They dressed me in those gowns, packed me into Neku-oh, and sent Neku-oh on his way... they truly believed I was dead, and so did Neku-oh. His main unit was still crying over my body when I awoke.
"When I finally came fully to, I realized I had no idea where I was. Floating in space, nothing but blackness all around me... I was lost, and scared of being alone. Neku-oh advised that we had better find someplace safe to land, or the pirates would detect us and capture me again. But I didn't know what to do at all. He suggested that we find a place where Juraian energy thrived, and was strongest. I didn't know how to find that, either. Funny, it makes me wonder just how I got into the Royal Guard without having a sense of direction..."
Reflectively thinking of how Mihoshi could have gotten into Galaxy Police with the same sense of direction, none at all, Washuu comforted the girl. "Don't worry... that doesn't matter now, and besides, you had just been through a terribly traumatizing ordeal... how could you remember much of anything?"
Minaka nodded. "Yes, I suppose you're right... well, as I said, Neku-oh suggested that we land on a planet with a strong source of Jurai energy. Well, he set about searching the galaxy, and came back with a reported find. Of all the traces of Jurai energy he could find, there was one potent form residing on a distant planet. Her name was Funaho, and the planet was Earth. He set coordinates to land here... and that's when the pain started up..."
Washuu nodded her head. "I see. That explains a lot, doesn't it?..."
Turning to a console, Washuu set up search parameters. Minaka was about to ask what she was doing, when Washuu explained.
"You see, at first I didn't realize what had caused your burn marks, let alone that they were burn marks. Analysis of the scar tissue and structure of the burns revealed that they were burns, and burns caused by electronic shock devices. However, what I needed to know was what was causing the burns to become red hot, and, consequentially, what caused you to be in such pain. Like I said, I had an idea, but I needed to know just what and who caused the burns. Your telling me that it was space pirates' work that did this gives me, unfortunately, a good idea of the types of tools used to inflict the burns.
"Space pirates, much like that of my daughter Ryoko, but much nastier, have access to all kinds of weapons and tools of torture. Looks like they used the worst kind of all on you, my dear."
The search console beeped, and an image of a long, prodlike weapon appeared on a screen. Minaka gave a short yelp.
"That's it! That's exactly the thing they used to torture me!..." Minaka's gaze shifted to Washuu, whose face reflected deep resentment and anger.
"...What is it, exactly, Miss Washuu? Please... tell me... I can take it..."
Washuu shook her head. "I don't know, kiddo, this information might be a bit much..."
Minaka grasped Washuu's hand tightly, and gave a look of determination. "Please, tell me."
Washuu sighed, and came close to Minaka, kneeling by the bedside.
"Well, Minaka, they used a standard prod. But... they used an attachment on the end of it, much like this,"-an image of a needle-like attachment flashed on the console's screen- "to inject a macrovirus into one of the fresh burns. It's a rare virus, too... out of the entire galaxy, only one in billions is known to get it. It's spreading through the burns on your body, and will flare up every so often, causing pain and releasing vast amounts of heat. The poisons in the virus are slow reactors, and will take a while, but will eventually... destroy your tissues and kill you. The destruction won't be visible, like, there'll be no actual way to tell that the disease is progressing, but it is. The process generally takes ages, but in a weakened state, such as your pregnancy, it will take very little time for the virus to kill you... it will kill you before you have your baby."
A long, painful pause hung in the air, cloying and thick. Finally, a choke ripped from Minaka's throat.
"No... p-please, no..."
Her body shuddered, and tears dripped from her face to the blankets draped over her body. Finally, she gave a heartwrenching sob, and flung herself into Washuu's arms, crying, screaming with sorrow. Washuu closed her eyes, and tried desperately not to let herself break down. She had only known this girl for a short while, but already, she felt that she and Minaka were old friends, and felt she shared much in common with this girl. A tear coursed its way down Washuu's cheek, and landed softly in Minaka's dark blue hair.
"Minaka," Washuu pulled Minaka away from her, and gazed deeply into her eyes. "Minaka... I swear to you, I will do everything... everything I can... to save you. I won't let you die, not now, not ever. I'm going to get to work on it right away, right now, okay? I'll get a cure... I will."
Minaka smiled at Washuu's determination, and hugged her waist. "Thank you, Miss Washuu... thank you for trying..."
"Trying? HA! I'm GOING to get you better, or I'm really not the greatest genius in the universe!"
Helping Minaka from the bed, Washuu led her through her pseudo-laboratory, and out into the Masaki living room, where the rest of the gang waited. However, one thought plagued her already active mind. Who was this Tetsuri, and how was he able to create Lighthawk Wings on his own?
*****
"A BABY?! Wow, how neat!"
Sasami's eyes lit up at this announcement. The rest of the group seemed rather pleased at this as well, all save for Ryoko, who continued to grumble under her breath.
"Great, a baby... I hate babies... dirty, ugly, and-.."
A paper fan stuck out of Ryoko's silver-blue mane as she tumbled to the floor.
"Watch your manners, Ryoko," Washuu warned.
"So, do you know what it's gonna be yet?" Mihoshi asked.
Sasami grinned and shook her head at Mihoshi. "Silly, of course she doesn't. Her baby isn't even this big yet!" She indicated with her hands what she interpreted the size of the baby to be.
Washuu tut-tutted, and produced a graph. "Actually, Sasami, at 4 1/2 months, the baby is precisely this big, and of course you can tell what sex it'll be at this size. All I'd need to do is take an ultrasonic picture, and look really closely..."
Minaka looked apologetic. "Actually, I'd rather keep it a surprise.. You know, sort of like a... birthday present."
Washuu harumphed quietly, but grinned nonetheless. "Ah, no problem. I know-..." she trailed off...
"The feeling..."
An embarrassed silence took hold, when Washuu coughed. "Oh, my my, look at the time! I have some things to do, if you'd all kindly excuse me, I'll be in my lab if anybody needs anything okay buh-by-yee!"
And with that, she disappeared.
Sitting in the middle of the sofa, Minaka felt awkward, alone without her new friend. Sasami poked her face into Minaka's vision, and smiled.
"So, what do you think the baby will be?"
"Well, I, uh..." Minaka looked about with embarrassment.
"Oh... yes, I must be off as well. I have a few chores I need to finish up, you know, sweeping the steps at the shrine, stuff like that."
Tenchi moved to the door. Ryoko perked up and floated after him.
"Oh, let me help you, Tenchi! You know how much I loooove to sweep!"
Aeka snickered under her breath. "Ha, now, there's a first."
Ryoko glared daggers at Aeka and continued on.
"Oh, I may as well follow after her and make sure she doesn't cause Lord Tenchi any trouble. See you at dinnertime, Minaka!" Aeka said, hurrying off after Ryoko and Tenchi.
"Hmm... it is about time for our shift to start at Burger Hut. C'mon, Mihoshi, we gotta go!"
Mihoshi looked at Kiyone with big blue puppy-dog eyes. "Aw, but Kiyone... I wanted to listen to Minaka..."
Kiyone gave Mihoshi a stern glance. "You know what the manager said, 'One more tardy and you're both fired!'"
Mihoshi sighed. "Oh, all right..." She turned to Minaka and smiled apologetically. "I really wish I could stay and talk with you, but Kiyone's right, and besides, we need the money for our apartment rent. So, I'll see ya later, okay? Bye now!"
Mihoshi hurried after Kiyone, who had already left the house. That left Minaka, Sasami, and a curious Ryo-Ohki, who hopped up to Minaka's lap and sat, sniffing at her robes and peering at her suspiciously.
"Don't worry, Ryo-Ohki, she's a friend! She won't hurt you!" Sasami grinned at Minaka. "Go ahead and give her a pet. She's nice and soft. She won't bite, I promise!"
Cautiously, Minaka reached out her hand and gave Ryo-Ohki a scratch behind the ears. Ryo-Ohki was very pleased, and decided that she liked this Minaka person. She meowed and purred at Minaka, and eventually curled up in Minaka's lap, purring quietly and sleeping.
"Aww... she is a cute little thing, isn't she?"
Sasami nodded. "So... you never answered my question, Minaka."
Minaka blinked. "Oh, yes... well... I don't know, really... I'd really like to have a little boy, though... girls are cute and sweet, but ever since I was a little girl, I always wanted a baby boy. I'd name him... well, I don't know what I'd name him... there's so many names to pick from..."
Sasami's eyes misted over. "How about Mikumo? Or maybe Takeshi..."
Minaka smiled. "You know, I'd never thought of those names... I like them..."
"Really?" Sasami chirped.
"Yeah... I'll tell you what... whatever the baby is, I'll let you pick the name. You seem very talented at picking names... you'll make a great mom some day, I bet."
Sasami turned a bright shade of red. "You really think so?"
Minaka nodded, and Sasami turned even redder. "Well... I love babies... they're so cute! But... there's something I've always wanted to see..."
"What's that?" Minaka asked.
"Well... I've never watched a baby get born. I've always wanted to see something like that... I've heard it's really gross, but I don't care... I think having a baby is the best miracle in the world..."
Minaka smiled gently. "Well, maybe you could be around when I have my baby. I wouldn't mind it at all, really..."
Sasami's eyes opened wide. "REALLY? You'd really let me stand by and watch when your baby gets born? Oh wow! That's be so neat!"
Minaka grinned and laughed. Such a sweet little thing...
And then the pain hit again. Swift, angry, it rushed Minaka's senses and left her writhing on the ground. Ryo-Ohki meowed in alarm and bounded off of Minaka's lap.
"Oh, no, Minaka!" Sasami attempted to touch Minaka, who quickly shoved her aside.
"NO, Sasami... uhh... stay back... uhhn... you'll get burned..."
"Burned?" Sasami asked.
Washuu burst into the room from her lab, panting. "Oh my God, Minaka!" She ran to where Minaka lay, and applied a small sticker-like object to her forehead. Instantly, Minaka's cries ceased, and she lay limp, exhausted from her exertion. Washuu picked her up, and carried her back to the sofa, where she rested the girl, and covered her with a blanket.
"Miss Washuu, what happened to Minaka?" Sasami asked, her voice tinged with fear. Washuu knelt and hugged Sasami tightly.
"It's okay now. Minaka's very sick, that's all. Now, be a good girl and go fetch some warm water and a face cloth, and stay with Minaka. She'll wake up eventually, don't you worry. I've got to go work some more. I'm trying to make Minaka feel better, but I need to work on it. I'll get her fixed up, don't worry, I'm good with things like that. Now go."
Washuu gave Sasami a gentle push to the kitchen, and turned to walk back to her lab. She'd hated herself for having lied to Sasami, but it was better than telling her that her friend would eventually die. Washuu had just created the substance in the sticker as a sort of time condenser- that is, it would allow Minaka to live a bit longer, and would end her pain attacks for as long as she would be alive. The race for a cure, however, was just beginning, and was not turning out as well as Washuu would have liked. But she wouldn't give up, not until she had either found a cure, or Minaka had breathed her last.
*****
AUTHOR NOTES: Yes, folks, I've reposted this because the last version I posted was in desperate need of proofreading, re-saving, and general tweaking. And yes, if you can't stand generalized sappiness, I suggest you stop reading here, because it's only gonna get worse ;) If you did like it (and... maybe maybe, wanna see more of it? Hmm?) Please write to me at speck@capital.net and let me know how you felt. Or just R&R here. But please, no flaming, because more likely than not I'll choose to ignore that kind of talk. Creative criticism and comments, I will generally respond to in kind. :)