Chapter Ten: Here Comes Jurai

The Masaki family's closet had been turned into a subspace laboratory. Tenchi looked around at the gigantic facility all around him with awe. All kinds of consoles and tanks and machines were blinking all around them. He was extremely impressed despite himself.

'You did all this in an hour?' he asked.

'Yeah,' said Washu, 'a bit slow for me I'll grant you. Give me some time to get back into the game and I'll be able to create sub-dimensions like nothing else.'

'Okay, fine.' said Tenchi. 'But couldn't you have asked first?'

'Oh, are you saying I'm an inconvenience?' asked Washu, batting her eyes.

'One might say that.' said Tenchi. 'My dad has to pay for your food remember?'

'Good point.' said Ryoko. 'You've got some nerve.'

'Doesn't that apply to you too?' asked Tenchi, irritated.

'Oh but we've become so close.' said Ryoko, pulling herself near him.

Washu came forward toward Ryoko. The red-haired scientist began to circle around her, looking over her curves. She paid special attention to Ryoko's rear and chest.

'Hey quit staring will ya?' asked Ryoko. 'Why are you looking at me like that.'

'You're remarkably well preserved.' mused Washu. 'I guess I really am a greater genius than even I thought.'

'Well preserved?!' asked Ryoko, gripping her by the collar. 'What do you mean by that?'

'Well after all Kagato made you do I figured you'd be all worn out and I'd have to rejuvenate you.' said Washu. 'I guess Kagato didn't want his tools breaking.'

'Who the hell are you to talk to me like that?!' asked Ryoko.

'I created you.' said Washu. 'You were my personal creation, the product of years of ceaseless effort by yours truly! Washu, the greatest scientific genius in the universe!'

Dead silence.

'Yeah, I gotta tell ya,' said Tenchi, 'that didn't really answer her question at all.'

'I'm leaving.' said Ryoko.

'What, don't you want to hear how you fell into Kagato's hands?' asked Washu.

'I don't really care.' admitted Ryoko. 'The son of a bitch is dead anyway.'

'But I had this entire speech planned. I was going to explain the complex backstory for both myself and you!' said Washu.

'Will any of this be relevant to future events?' asked Tenchi.

Washu paused and considered that. 'Well seeing as Kagato is dead, statistically speaking, the likelihood of the information being relevant is rather low.'

'Then we don't care.' said Ryoko, walking to leave.

'Alright, alright,' said Washu, 'just one thing Ryoko.' Her voice became serious.

'Yeah?' asked Ryoko.

'Will you call me mommy?' asked Washu.

'Listen, Mom,' said Ryoko, 'I just met you. And apparently, you handed me over to Kagato. I don't owe you anything.'

'I didn't hand you over to Kagato.' said Washu defensively. 'I just kind of sort of worked with him to create you. I needed his cells to access the Jurai power in your blood. So we sort of worked together. Then he went off the deep end and next thing I know I'm imprisoned, and you are his slave.'

'Whatever.' said Ryoko, walking out.

Washu looked a little heartbroken. Tenchi felt a bit of pity for her as she looked down at the ground. 'I remember her first steps Tenchi.' she said. 'I had a child once, and yes she was one of my creations but she was more. Then all of a sudden… all of a sudden she was gone. And I was trapped.'

'…I'd give her some time.' said Tenchi. 'She doesn't know you, so I don't think she'll warm up too quickly. Try being nice to her, doing her a few favors.'

'Like what?' asked Washu.

'You're a super genius so I'm sure you can figure it out.' said Tenchi, then he paused. 'Oh no, I have chores to do!'

'Don't let me stop you.' said Washu.

Tenchi rushed out.

As Tenchi made his way out he found Dad getting ready to leave. 'Dad, I thought you had the day off.'

'I did.' said Dad. 'But something came up and I have to come in today.'

'But you've been going to work every day for the past month.' said Tenchi. 'I barely ever see you anymore.'

'I know.' said Dad. 'But I have responsibilities.' He paused. 'Tenchi, someday when you are a grown man, you'll learn that there are times when you have to put down what you want to do. And do what you have to do.'

'Yeah, I know.' said Tenchi.

There was a moment of silence between them, and then Dad patted him on the shoulder and walked out the door. Tenchi stared after him, feeling regretful. 'Damn it.'

'Lord Tenchi,' said Ayeka, 'are you going to work at the shrine?'

'Yeah,' said Tenchi, 'someone has to do it.'

'Allow me to help you then.' said Ayeka.

'All right.' said Tenchi. 'Follow me up there and let's get to work.'

They made their way outside and above them, the sun was beaming down on the woods and trees. As they made their way up the shrine Tenchi looked back to the Princess. 'Ayeka, I appreciate your help. Seriously Ryoko never does anything around here.'

Ayeka blushed. 'It's of no concern. I just felt with Kiyone and Mihoshi pitching in I ought to contribute.'

'Yeah,' said Tenchi, 'the first day Kiyone came here she found a job and started giving us her paychecks. Even though Dad told her he could pay the bills. Don't tell her this, but Dad is putting her pay in a trust fund. He means to give it to her eventually.'

'That is awfully kind of him.' said Ayeka. 'Especially since he is bearing the expense of putting all of us up.'

'My dad has worked hard his entire life.' said Tenchi. 'He really loved my mom, but… well after she passed away he just kept working. He built this place you know. It was his dream house, and he was always talking about how happy he was to have built it with mom.' He sighed. 'Of course, the housing business hasn't been very good lately.'

'Why not?' asked Ayeka 'Surely people always need homes.'

'How do I explain this?' asked Tenchi. 'A lot of dishonest people got rich by abusing the trust of the people who relied on them. It caused the whole housing market to collapse in America.'

'Yet surely that is whole different land.' said Ayeka.

'It doesn't work that way.' said Tenchi. 'Everything is connected these days. When the American economy tanks if affects literally the whole world.'

'So these people.' said Ayeka carefully. 'They were brought to justice weren't they?'

'If by 'brought to justice' you mean got bailed out by the taxpayers and then didn't spend one day in prison?' asked Tenchi. 'Then yes. And since there were no consequences for their actions it is going to happen again in a couple of years.

'The Americans need to sort out their society. This kind of stuff hurts a lot of good people.'

'I see.' said Ayeka. 'I suppose that your world is still developing. Such things do not happen on Jurai.'

'Are you sure?' asked Tenchi.

'What?' said Ayeka.

'Once,' said Tenchi, 'there was a ruler. He held power over millions and everyone looked up to and obeyed him. He made some decisions which were short-sighted. These decisions had disastrous consequences.

'Because they looked up to him, his officials did not want to disappoint him. So they lied in their reports and said his decisions were a great success. So he did not change them. The people suffered horribly and the ruler became a tyrant without even knowing it.

'Then one day the people rose up. They killed the officials and attacked the palace. The ruler told them that he thought his decisions had been good. But they were angry and so they killed him and his entire family.'

'Who was this ruler?' asked Ayeka, looking disturbed.

'I have no idea.' said Tenchi. 'It was a parable. A very wise man was fond of them.'

'So you mean to say that… that I might not really know if the Jurai Royal family is benevolent at all.' said Ayeka, opening her mouth. 'That we might be tyrants and not even know it?'

'I don't know.' said Tenchi. 'But it never hurts to think about things. Ah, here we are.'

They set to work.

Later that morning, as Tenchi was sweeping the area of the shrine right over the steps he heard footsteps. He didn't recognize them, which meant it was someone new. He sighed.

'Excuse me,' said a graceful voice, 'is the priest in?'

He turned around and saw a breathtakingly beautiful woman with long dark hair. She was clad in ornate silken robes. Judging by her garments she was not from earth. Similar to Ayeka's, actually.

'Well young man,' she said, 'why are you… staring at me?'

He was getting some flirtatious vibes here. 'Alright, what is your backstory?'

She seemed surprised. 'Backstory?'

'Like the last seven… is it seven hang on, Kiyone, Ryoko, Ayeka, Sasami, Mihoshi, Washu am I forgetting anyone? Well, I guess there was Nagi so yeah it's seven.' said Tenchi. 'Oh and Kagato makes eight. The last eight visitors from outer space have all had some complicated and weird backstories. I figured I'd ask you yours before we went any further.'

She smiled as in amusement.

'Okay,' said Tenchi, 'so you want to meet with grandpa, right? Is this about him being some kind of space prince or something?'

'Yes, I'd like to meet with him.' said the woman.

'Great, he's usually in the shrine office over there.' said Tenchi.

Silence.

'I'll go get him.' said Tenchi.

When had the arrival of an incredibly beautiful woman become so freaking routine? Tenchi didn't even run as he made his way over to the shrine door. He knocked with a sigh.

'What is it Tenchi?' asked Ayeka.

Then she saw the woman. The bucket of water she was holding fell from her hand to land with a splash as her eyes widened. 'It's Funaho. Could this possibly mean that…'

'Yes it does.' said Funaho. 'She must be over at your house.'

Ayeka let out a high pitched squeal and fled off in a fright. Tenchi watched her go. 'So could someone provide me with a little context here or…'

The door opened and Granpa came through. 'Tenchi, what is this about?' Then he saw Funaho. 'Oh, mother…'

'Oh,' said Tenchi, 'well this is awkward.'

Funaho and Yosho went behind closed doors to discuss the matter. Tenchi listened at the door.

The doorbell rang. Ryoko tried to ignore as she rested on the beams of the ceiling, her tail flicking. Rousing herself, she pulled herself up while yawning. Who was calling at this hour? Sure it was mid-afternoon, but logic was no excuse for interrupting her nap time. Getting to her knees she heard another ring. 'Hey, somebody get the door!'

'I can't Ryoko!' called Sasami. 'Can you get it please!'

The doorbell rang again. With a sigh, Ryoko phased through the wall and landed in the hall. 'Hmm, who the hell could this be now?' She approached the door. 'Yeah, yeah, I'm coming…'

She slid open the door and was immediately hugged in an iron grip. 'Sasami! Oh! Sasami! Sasami long time no see!'

'Hey!' said Ryoko. 'Who…' She gasped as she was crushed beneath an iron grip.

'Sasami I missed you!' cried the woman.

Ryoko pushed against her, separating herself. When she got her head away she saw a blue-haired woman with a large resemblance to Sasami, though also to Ayeka. 'Hey, you don't understand… I've been trying to tell you… I'm not Sasami!'

She halted and looked at Ryoko for the first time. There was dead silence. The woman let go and her eyes narrowed before her expression became tragic.

'There.' said Ryoko. 'You get it? I am not Sasami-'

'You've changed so much Sasami!' she cried. 'You've changed so much!' Tears fell from her eyes.

'You weren't listening to me!' roared Ryoko.

Then the woman reached forward to grab Ryoko's hair, dragging her around by it. 'You used to have soft and beautiful hair! You dyed your hair! It's so hard and pointy now! And your eyes! They look so mean and obnoxious!'

'My eyes are none of your business.' snapped Ryoko. 'You didn't listen to a thing I said, did you?'

Suddenly the woman's eyes were filled with boundless compassion and sadness. 'Oh, I'm sorry Sasami…' And she hugged her in a warm embrace. It was warm and gentle, and Ryoko realized she had never been held like this.

'Sasami, you must have had a very tough life…' And she began to sob gently.

'Um… lady…' said Ryoko, 'like I said, I'm not Sasami.'

'Thanks for answering the door.' said Sasami. 'Sorry to trouble you Ryoko but…'

There was a long silence.

'It's my mommy!' cried Sasami in joy.

There was silence. Then Ryoko was shoved aside into the wall with a crash.

'Oh Sasami!' said the woman.

'Oh, my mommy!' cried Sasami. 'My mother!'

Ryoko turned around, dazed as they ran for each other and embraced.

'Mother…' said Sasami.

'Don't… mind me…' said Ryoko.

A few minutes later Ryoko was standing around while Sasami and her mother talked. Her tail flicked to show her irritation. Sasami's mother was still crying.

'I missed you so much…' sobbed Sasami's mother. 'I missed you so much Sasami.'

'Now please stop crying mother.' said Sasami. 'I mean, after all, we're together now. Right?'

'Oh Sasami,' cried her mother, before hugging her close.

At that moment the door opened and Ayeka came into the room looking flustered. 'Ah, there you are.'

'Ayeka…' said Sasami.

'Ah, there you are!' cried her mother, brightening up.

'Mother it's been such a long time since I saw you.' said Ayeka. 'And just now I saw Lady Funaho. I'm so glad to see you both doing so well.'

Silence. Ayeka's mother's eyes narrowed visibly. She suddenly looked very angry for some reason. Ryoko looked on, perplexed.

'Ryoko,' said Ayeka, 'I want you to listen to me. I am about to do something you could tease me about later and I'm warning you not to.'

'Yeah, whatever.' said Ryoko.

'Don't say I didn't warn you.' said Ayeka. 'It's for your own good.'

Silence.

'My mommy!' cried Ayeka, with stars in her eyes.

Ryoko fell over, shocked.

'Little Ayeka…' said her mother.

Ryoko got up, hardly believing her ears.

'Mommy it's so good to see you!' cried Ayeka, running to embrace her.

'Come to me…' said her mother.

Ryoko began to laugh. 'She's calling her… mommy…'

Then she became aware of Ayeka's mother looming over her with narrowed eyes. And then she was having her cheeks pulled by roughly three thousand tons worth of force. The pain was unimaginable.

'Nobody mocks my little Ayeka.' said Ayeka's mother with tears falling from her eyes. 'Are you understanding me?'

'I think so…' said Ryoko. 'please let me go.'

Over the woman's shoulder Ayeka looking on sadly. 'I did warn you. Sasami.'

Sasami held up a sign. 'Here, read this:'

'Okay…' said Ryoko. 'I'm sorry pretty young… lady.'

Instantly she let go. The insane woman put her hands in a prayer position. 'Okay, that's more like it. Come to me!' And she hugged her warmly. And tightly. Very tightly. It was oddly comforting.

At that moment Ryo-Oki came down the stairs. The woman looked up to the cabbit and stared. Then she let go of Ryoko and ran to her. 'Oh, how adorable! Come to Auntie Misaki!' She picked up Ryo-Oki and hugged the cabbit, who meowed happily.

Within the Masaki shrine, Funaho and Yosho gazed out a window over the lands of Earth. It was not as Funaho remembered it, and yet it was also very similar. Yosho offered her a cup of tea.

'Please,' he said. 'have some tea.'

'Thank you very much.' said Funaho as she had a look at her boy.

Yosho was old. Everything about him told the tale, the set of his shoulders, the way he sighed as he set down the tea. The distant look in his eyes. It was the sort of appearance Funaho had only seen in the most ancient of Juraians. Or in the short-lived earthlings long ago.

There was a long silence as Funaho looked at Yosho. Just looked for the longest time, before she looked down with a sigh. 'It's hard to believe I'm back here.'

'Yes, hard to believe.' said Yosho. 'Since you left this planet the Earth must have gone through… lots of changes.' He did not meet her eyes.

'I wanted so much to believe that it was all just a disguise.' said Funaho sadly. 'You've grown old, my son. Long before your time.'

'I've seen much. Learned much. Loved much.' said Yosho ruefully. 'Sometimes I wonder if immortality is not without its drawbacks. When my ship was shot down, and I was stranded on Earth, I began to age.

'In these seven hundred years, I have learned more than I did in my entire life prior.'

'Yet there is still time.' said Funaho. 'If you return to Jurai with me you can still-'

'I'm not going with you.' said Yosho.

'What?' said Funaho. 'But you don't have to waste away on Earth. You could live forever, like…'

'Mother,' said Yosho gently. 'I am not that same brash youth who rushed after Ryoko all those years ago. I am old, if not in years than in temperament. I've married, had a child, and become a grandfather. And then I had to bury my only child.

'I do not want to live forever.'

'Must I bury my child?' asked Funaho. 'Please Yosho, at least consider it. You can be young ago, live once more in youth. You don't have to forget the past, but… please consider it.'

There was silence for a long time. 'For you, mother, I will.' he said at last. 'In truth, I had never expected to see you again. I had thought to live out my days as an old man to all I knew and die in peace. This… opportunity is not one that is wholly welcome.

'Let me think on it for a time. I have lived seven hundred years in this place. I will live a few centuries more before I am at any serious risk.'

'But that is hardly any time at all.' said Funaho.

'When you have only a very little time to live.' said Yosho with a smile. 'Years seem like centuries.' He sipped his tea. 'Still, I was thinking of sending Tenchi as my replacement in any case.'

'The boy?' asked Funaho, 'Your grandson. He is rather impertinent.'

'He is prone to sarcasm,' admitted Yosho, 'and I fear he worries too much about things he cannot affect. He has not yet learned that some decisions cannot be made for people.'

'Kiyone Makibi's report does not specify how it was that Kagato was defeated.' mused Funaho. 'And Mihoshi's was enormously complicated. To the point where we are still processing it. Was it him?'

'No,' said Yosho, 'though he might have done it. Even so, it was a near thing and Tenchi realized the danger. He gave Sword Tenchi to Ryoko, and Ryoko destroyed Kagato.'

'Then she has done us a great service.' mused Funaho. 'Yet how did she manage it?'

Yosho remained silent. 'She wielded Sword Tenchi. With its powers and her own formidable abilities she was able to defeat Kagato.'

'That should have been impossible.' said Funaho.

'Tenchi believes he managed it because he delegated its power.' said Yosho, 'Yet I believe that Ryoko has an innate connection to the Jurai power which allowed her to wield it. There is no mistaking the truth. Hers is the same power as ours.'

'I see.' said Funaho, 'That is worrying. Tell me, do you believe Tenchi could fit in? On planet Jurai?'

'Perhaps,' said Yosho, 'yet I should like to keep the decision from him for a while yet. He still has growing up to do, and some lessons are not possible to learn in a royal court.'

'Very well then.' said Funaho, 'I shall say nothing of it to him until you believe the time is right.'

'Thank you mother.' said Yosho, sipping his tea. 'You know sometimes I wonder what might have been. Had Ryoko never attacked? Had I stayed on planet Jurai? Had I not been shot down? And then I remember meeting my wife, having my daughter, seeing my grandson for the first time. Watching him grow.

'And I don't wonder anymore.

'If I stay here for a few more centuries I will die. As all things die. We are all of us heading inevitably towards our own end, and nothing we can do may avert it. One day every star will go out and the universe will stretch until matter itself has ended.'

'The end need not come for a long time yet.' noted Funaho.

'Yes,' said Yosho, 'but even if I could forestall the inevitable I am not sure if I would want to.' He paused. 'Kagato, you see, was obsessed with immortality. Even before his fall, he would always speak of preventing what humans call the heat death of the universe. Of creating true immortality. Back then he was idealistic.

'Yet after I was granted Sword Tenchi he… changed. His idealism died away to be replaced with insatiable ambition and lust for power. So much was lost, so much good that might have been averted. I wonder if in another universe, another world, I could have been like him.'

'Such thoughts are useless, Yosho.' said Funaho. 'We have only who we are today, and what our actions will make us in the future. Let the past rest, and look to the future.'

'A future filled with great-grandchildren, I can hope.' said Yosho with a smile.

'One can only hope.' laughed Funaho. 'Your grandson seems a terror with the ladies.'

'Indeed.' said Yosho.

There was a pause. 'Yosho.' said Funaho, an edge in her tone.

'Yes?' asked Yosho.

'May I have another cup of tea?'

'Very well, very well, don't be hasty.' said Yosho.

'You were never this impertinent as a youth.' said Funaho.

'Well there are some benefits to being an old man.' said Yosho.

'Well, I am still your elder.'

'Really?' asked Yosho. 'You don't look a day over six hundred.'

They laughed and drank tea and spoke of many things. And as they did the forest beyond them lived and died. Grew and changed. Shifted and became greater. Many creatures that day died, and many more were born. And life continued to whatever end it was focused.

Author's Note:

So I just rewatched Here Comes Jurai. It might as well be named They Wasted a Perfectly Good Plot, the episode. A golden opportunity for character development is ripped to shreds. And what is done in place? A not funny running gag about Mihoshi's report being too detailed. Oh and some boring conversations which might have been excellent foreshadowing. But they don't actually go anywhere and so are rendered pointless.

And just as we think we're going to get some decent action, it ends in anti-climax. It also makes Yosho a huge jerk, since he stood up Ayeka and hasn't revealed himself to her. Since he has been young this whole time.

So I decided to take the conversation with Funaho and make it so Yosho wasn't hiding secret youth. He got old. Things took a fatalistic approach after that.