Tenchi Muyo: Ryo-ohki OVA4
Episode 24: Recovery
By Galaxy1001D
Chapter Two: Long Time No See
"Oh my gawd!" Tenchi cried as he leaped across the kitchen and held the armored woman in his embrace. "Mother! After so long! I never thought I'd see you again! Huh?" he blinked in confusion as he noticed the teal hair of the girl he was hugging. "What?" he stammered as he released her and backed away. "Who are you?"
"Kiyone!" Mihoshi Kuramitsu gasped. "It's you! You're alive!"
"And no thanks to you, you bubblehead!" the newcomer snarled as a vein bulged under the orange headband that kept her teal tresses in place. "I ought to reduce you to atoms you stupid moron!"
"Same old Kiyone!" the bubbly blonde giggled, "you haven't changed a bit!"
"I'm sorry, but who are you again?" Tenchi asked.
"Kiyone Makabi, officer of the Galaxy Police," the woman announced proudly.
"Who?" Ryoko asked.
"You know; the savior of the universe, believed to have sacrificed her own life to save all of time and space?" Kiyone gestured impatiently.
"Doesn't ring a bell," Ayeka cooed.
"Are we supposed to know her?" Sasami asked.
Ryo-ohki shrugged as she made a catlike noise that sounded vaguely like a weary "I dunno."
"You'll have to forgive us," Katsuhito snickered good-naturedly as he held baby Washu. "Some of us haven't listened to a galaxy wide newscast in centuries."
"But everybody's heard of Kiyone," Mihoshi insisted. "Remember? I asked Washu to create a cosmic psychic scanner to scan the universe for her brainwaves so we could find her?"
"And it didn't work," Tenchi nodded. "I had asked Washu to create a time scanner to reveal what happened to my mother at the same time and somehow our brainwaves got scrambled so that whenever anybody tried to say my mother's name we said the word 'Kiyone' by mistake. And nobody noticed either. For an entire month!"
"Really?" Ryoko snickered into her hand. "That's the story the author is going with?" she asked sarcastically. "You gotta be kidding!"
"You mean your mother's name isn't Kiyone?" Sasami asked Tenchi.
"No it's…"
"Let me guess," Ryoko interrupted. "Achika?"
"Why yes," Tenchi blinked. "How did you know?"
"Kiyone's standing right here!" Ryoko insisted as she pointed her thumb at the space cop. Mihoshi and Noike were helping emerald haired enchantress out of her armor to reveal the Kiyone was wearing a galaxy police uniform underneath. "She's wearing her orange headband for crying out loud! What other name could your mother have? Boy, the author really likes Tenchi Universe over the all the other continuities doesn't-?"
"Will you stay in character?" Ayeka snapped. "Just this once?"
"Yeah, it's getting kind of distracting," Tenchi agreed. "Now where were we?"
"We were at the part where nobody here ever heard of me," Kiyone replied as she folded and packed up her powered armor into a small briefcase.
"But everybody's heard of Kiyone Makibi," Noike insisted, resuming the scene as if it hadn't been interrupted. "She was the hero who saved the galaxy during the Ultra Energy Matter Crisis!"
"The Mihoshi Galaxy Police story is canon?" Ryoko gasped in disbelief. "I thought it was just something Mihoshi made up!"
"Yes, it's canon, a version of it anyway," said an embarrassed Kiyone. "Could we all get back into character please?"
"But this doesn't make any sense!" Ryoko insisted. "I always thought the Mihoshi Galaxy Police Special was in the Universe continuity!"
"What is she talking about?" Mihoshi asked. "There are different versions? I thought it was all one big confusing story!"
"Quiet, you," Ayeka admonished the bronze skinned blonde before turning her attention back to the cyan haired space pirate. "What do mean, you thought the Mihoshi Special as in the Universe continuity? The Mihoshi Special aired a year before Tenchi Universe's first episode!"
"Yeah but it fits perfectly between episode four 'No Need for Monsters!' and episode five, 'No Need for Partners!' doesn't it?" Ryoko argued. "The whole thing has a Universe vibe to it. While everyone was doing chores, I was hugging Tenchi and he actually let me, just as he did in Tenchi Universe. Washu can cook in the OVA continuity, but she couldn't in the Mihoshi Special," she continued as she took baby Washu out of Katsuhito's arms and held her up to emphasize her point.
"Washu can cook?" Mihoshi asked. "When did she ever cook anything?"
"You remember guys," Ryoko frowned as she held up Washu again. "The episode with the baby?"
Baby Washu paled under all the scrutiny and burbled.
"Oh yeah," Tenchi, Ayeka, Mihoshi, Sasami and Ryo-oki chorused as they nodded slowly in remembrance.
"Hm, don't think I was in that one," Katsuhito murmured.
"That's right! I completely forgot!" Mihoshi smiled as she held up a finger.
"Not only that, but in the Galaxy Police Special Mihoshi was sleeping and being useless just as she did in Tenchi Universe and Tenchi in Tokyo," Ryoko continued. "In the OVA continuity she's a whole lot more helpful around the house and nowhere near as stupid as she is in the other versions."
"Yeah, I'm not as… stupid," Mihoshi cheerfulness waned as she took in Ryoko's remark. "Hey, I'm not stupid!" she frowned, her blue eyes blazing. "No stupider than anybody else around here at least!"
"Okay, quiet down everybody," Kiyone instructed as she fiddled with her wristwatch. "I'm contacting headquarters now."
A beam came out of her wristwatch and created a hologram above the table.
The hologram formed into the image of an attractive green haired lady.
"Hello Sugarlips," Katsuhito winked.
"Grandma!" Tenchi blinked. For most of his life he had thought his maternal grandmother was dead, but in reality she was merely on another planet.
"Don't call me 'Grandma!'" Galaxy Police Commissioner Airi growled. She blinked quizzically. "Oh Tenchi, my grandson. It's you. I'll guess I'll let you call me 'Grandma', but you have to give me sufficient warning."
"Commissioner Airi, this is Officer Kiyone reporting in," the teal haired beauty announced.
"Hm? Oh right. Go ahead Kiyone," the holographic Airi shrugged.
Her nonchalance seemed to take Kiyone by surprise. "Uh, I'm calling to report that things here aren't what I was told they'd be."
"Oh yes, slight mix-up on the orders there," Airi chucked. "Rather than being sent to arrest Washu you're there to assist Washu."
"What-!" Kiyone squealed. "Ma'am, with all due respect, there is a significant difference between those two instructions! I was led to believe that Washu was a threat to the universe!"
"Well she can be if left unsupervised," Airi shrugged, "but generally, her intentions are benign."
"What about all those documentaries you had me watch?" Kiyone protested. "All those historical records? They painted a picture of Washu being a menace!"
"Washu has been a citizen of the universe for thousands of years and the Jurian Empire is still here," Airi assured her. "But yes, her experiments can be dangerous. That's why it was necessary to inform you just how dangerous her unrestricted projects can be."
"But, but, the way the information was presented, it looked like Washu was a dangerous criminal!" Kiyone stammered.
"Is there anybody in my family who isn't a practical joker?" Tenchi murmured to his grandfather.
"I've never known my father to have a sense of humor, but then I again I left home early," Katsuhito shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe he's the life of the party by now."
"So anyways do what Washu tells you and don't be afraid to humor her," Airi continued. "Some of her requests can seem a little… invasive."
"But Commissioner Airi, Washu isn't in any condition to do anything right now," Kiyone protested.
"She's sick!" Ryoko exclaimed as she appeared cheek to cheek with Kiyone and leaned against her in an attempt to remain in Commissioner Airi's vision. "No um, she's hibernating! Yeah, that's it, hibernating!"
"Hey!" Kiyone protested as she pushed the space pirate off her. "Do you mind?"
"Is Washu hibernating because she's sick?" Airi asked skeptically.
"No um, please hold," Ryoko said politely before she seized Kiyone's wrist and removed her wristwatch communicator.
"What are you doing?" Kiyone demanded as she rose from her seat and reached for her communicator. "I haven't finished my report, give that back!"
"In a minute!" Ryoko snarled before she smacked it against the table. "Wow this thing is tough," she commented.
"Give me that!" Kiyone ordered as she pulled the communicator out of her hand. "What's wrong with you?"
"Ugh, I'm getting dizzy," Airi groaned as her image zipped jerkily around the room as the two women fought over the communicator. "Enough of this," she said before her hologram vanished.
"What's the matter with you?" Kiyone snarled as her body started glowing with an unnatural color. "What did you that that for?"
"I didn't want you to tell the Galaxy Police about Washu all right?" Ryoko shouted back. "You saw those documentaries! If world gets out that Washu is helpless the whole universe will be gunning for us!"
"What?" Kiyone frowned. "Oh," she nodded as realization hit her. "I see; you're afraid that every madman in the universe will be looking for her."
"Kagato got a hold of her and Doctor Clay did his best, we don't need any more meatballs trying to capture the greatest scientific mind in the universe," Ryoko declared as she floated in the air and crossed her arms and legs, "and the last time we were attacked for no reason, the Galaxy Police were the bad guys, so yeah, I don't want anybody to know what happened to Washu, got it?"
"Oh my goodness, she's right!" Ayeka squeaked.
Tenchi was watching the spectacle as he held baby Washu but something was distracting him. "Hey Mihoshi," he said as he looked in her direction. "Is your wristwatch blinking?"
"Hey you're right!" Mihoshi squeaked. "It's a call from headquarters! Oh my! I wonder who it is?" She pushed a hidden stud on her communicator and a holographic image of Commissioner Airi appeared in the room.
"Hi there," the image of Tenchi's grandmother greeted sweetly. "Sorry we were cut off earlier. Is it all right if I speak to my grandson in private maybe? We have so much catching up to do. Tenchi, you can use the communications gear in Washu's lab."
"Uh sure," Tenchi shrugged before handing little Washu to Ayeka, "but Granny, I really don't know how to use the communications gear. It's kind of high-tech—"
"Don't call me 'Granny'!" Airi snarled before she composed herself and once again smiled innocently. "Ahem, I mean, why don't you let Washu or Noike show you how to use the comm gear Tenchi?"
"Sure… I guess," he replied suspiciously. If there was one thing that experience had taught him was that regardless of intentions he shouldn't take what his relations said at face value. Even if she was commissioner of the Galaxy Police, she was still the woman who married his grandfather. That probably meant that she could lie with the best of them and think it was all a joke.
"But Commissioner, what about my report?" Kiyone whined.
"Oh don't worry about the report," Tenchi's grandmother replied airily with dismissive wave of her hand. "It's obvious you're not going to be able to tell me squat with Ryoko around. Check in with me when you can."
"Will do Ma'am," Kiyone sighed.
"This way Tenchi," Noike said as she led the boy to the door under the stairs. "I'll let you in and use the communications gear to contact Airi. Then the two of you can have a nice private chat."
"Thanks Noike," Tenchi nodded as he followed teal haired enchantress to the door under the stairs.
Ayeka seemed uncomfortable holding baby Washu, then she suddenly smiled a grin that Sasami had often seen on Ryoko. "Here you are officer, you captured a dangerous criminal," she teased as she handed the little carrot top Kiyone. "Job well done. You really should be commended."
"Ha ha," the teal haired space cop retorted dryly. "Very funny. Oh! I think she's a little wet down here!" she gulped as she held the baby.
"Um, yes," the purplehaired princess smirked as she led Sasami and Ryo-ohki into the kitchen. "Bye…" she sang with exaggerated sweetness.
"Hey!" Kiyone snarled. "I don't know how to take care of a baby! Mihoshi, can you…
But Mihoshi had retreated up the stairs. In the meantime, Katsuhito had silently risen and was exiting the house through the patio door.
"Oh no…" Kiyone groaned as she looked at the gurgling baby. "what do I do now?"
"Gimme," the former space pirate said as she took baby Washu from Kiyone. "I'll show you how it's done."
"Excuse me," the space cop protested. "I don't know what's going on here, but my orders don't entail taking care of a baby,"
"That's what you think," Ryoko smiled evilly. "The commissioner of the Galaxy Police ordered you to assist Washu, and right now the greatest scientific genius in the universe needs constant assistance. From where I'm standing, your orders specifically entail taking care of a baby. This one. I hope you like children chump, 'cause you're gonna be getting the full babysitting experience!"
"Oh no!" Kiyone groaned. "I'm a babysitter? What happened to my career?"
In the meantime, Tenchi and Noike were in Washu's lab looking at an image of Commissioner Airi on a large screen. "Grandma, what's the occasion?" Tenchi asked expectantly.
"Don't call me 'Grandma'!" Airi snarled with a ferocity that took him aback. "Oh, sorry Tenchi," she tittered self-consciously. "Didn't mean to scare you. May I please speak to Washu?"
Remembering what Ryoko had said and the recent attacks by the Galaxy Police, Tenchi didn't feel comfortable revealing Washu's condition over an open channel. "Oh um, Washu's busy with an experiment right now," he stammered lamely. "She gave us strict orders not to be disturbed. Threatened to turn us all into frogs or something." Oh God, he silently groaned. Why did I say that? There's no way she could believe…
"Yeah that sounds like her," his grandmother nodded casually, "but this is very important. It's imperative I speak to her at once. Can you get her for me?"
"Huh?" Tenchi blinked. "Get Washu?" he asked as things began to register to him. "I thought you wanted to talk to me."
"Oh I do, Sweetie, I do," she assured him with motherly condescension, "but I couldn't say anything in front of Officer Kiyone, and Mihoshi never really could keep a secret. I really need to speak to Washu. Could you get—?"
"Grandma what's going on here?" Tenchi demanded as he crossed his arms and assumed a heroic pose. He knew that being called "grandma" bothered Airi and was baiting her deliberately, letting her know on no uncertain terms that he wasn't going to be kept in the dark anymore.
Airi's face flushed and her eyes narrowed, but this time she managed to keep her cool. "It's a long story Tenchi. Do you know about the Ultra Engergy Matter robberies?"
"Yeah, Mihoshi told us all about it," he assured her. "I think," he added when he remembered how ridiculous her story was.
"Well Officer Kiyone was lost in the line of duty and it was assumed she was killed when she stopped Doctor Clay from holding the entire universe hostage."
"Doctor Clay?" Tenchi blinked. "Mihoshi told us it was Doctor Wash…" he stopped when he realized that couldn't be the case. Washu would have been Kagato's captive at the time. "Go on," he cleared his throat while he attempted to maintain his defiant pose.
"Officer Kiyone was exposed to an incredible amount of Ultra Energy," Airi continued. "Enough that she should have been killed a hundred times over. Somehow her body managed to absorb an energy that is a fundamental power source for the universe. And according to our observations there are indications that she can't control it."
"What?" Tenchi shrieked. "Is she dangerous?"
"Extremely," his grandmother nodded. "We sent Kiyone to Earth so that Washu could find a safe way to drain the Ultra Energy from her body or modify her genetic structure so that she can control her power."
"A-and-and-and what if Washu can't help her?" Tenchi stammered.
"Goodness, I don't even want to think about that," Airi sighed as she rolled her eyes. "Kiyone's Ultra Energy could theoretically destroy any planet she's on. But fortunately Washu is with you to make it all better."
Tenchi's eyes bulged out as he choked on his reply.
Next: Ultra Energy Matters
