The battle with Takeshi is over, but at what cost? Tenchi is injured badly. What will happen now?
Washu's Lab
Ryoko arrived with Tenchi to find Washu already furiously typing away on her hollotop in front of a table.
Washu: Quick put him on the table.
Ryoko did as her mother instructed.
Ryoko: Is he gonna be alright?
Washu: (Still typing) He's in shock. The bleeding has stopped though which means he's not going to bleed to death. His wounds seem completely healed.
Ryoko: But why didn't they regenerate like they have before?
Washu: I don't know.
Ryoko: Can't you make them regenerate like Tsunami did?
Washu: I need to treat him for the shock first.
Enter Ayeka, Tenyo, Noike, Mihoshi, and Sasami with Ryo-ohki on her head.
Ayeka: How is he Ryoko?
Ryoko: Washu says his wounds have healed, (Starts crying) but look Ayeka.
Ayeka looks down and her eyes get wide with horror.
Ayeka: Oh no…Tenchi…
Tenyo: What? Let me see my brother! (Sees Tenchi's missing limbs and collapses on top of him in tears) Oh Tenchi.
Washu: There, (banishing her holotop) all he needs is rest now. When he is rested we'll try to regenerate his missing limbs.
Ryoko: Can't you do something else?
Washu: Not right now.
Ryoko: Bu…but…
Washu: No buts! He's not in danger of dying anymore. Look for yourself.
Washu brings up her hollotop with Tenchi's vitals that Ryoko checks over.
Washu: Look though, (pointing to the screen) his leg is gone, so is a portion of his hip. Also, his arm just above the elbow is gone. But the wounds are completely healed…
Ryoko: What do you mean completely healed? Look at him! His leg is gone damn it!
Washu: Let me finish! I said they were healed. I didn't say they were restored. (Pointing to Tenchi's arm and leg) There's no open wound, the bleeding has stopped, it's just as if the leg and arm had never been there before.
Ryoko: (Looking up at her mother) How?
Washu: (Putting her head down) I don't know. (Looking up at the ceiling) Tenchi never would allow me to analyze the wings so I don't know exactly what they're capable of. All we do know is that they've stopped his bleeding, so he's not in danger of dying.
Ryoko: But what about…
Washu: I know! We'll work on it in the morning. Tenchi should rest some now, and so should you.
Ryoko: No, I'm fine. (Taking Tenchi's left hand in hers) I'm not leaving him.
Ayeka: (Sitting down next to Tenchi on his left and on Ryoko's right, she places her hand on his forehead) I won't leave him either.
Washu: Suit yourselves, but don't bother him. Let him rest.
Washu starts to walk away.
Ryoko & Ayeka: Yes mother.
That comment stops Washu in her tracks. She turns around to look at Ryoko and Ayeka sitting by Tenchi's side.
Washu: "You two have grown up so much. I hope you're ready for what's ahead." Tenyo, let's give them some space.
Tenyo: (Sighs) Okay, you guys let me know if you need anything.
Ayeka: Thank you Tenyo.
Sasami: Ryoko? Ayeka? Would you like something to eat?
Ryoko: No.
Ayeka: Just some soup please Sasami.
Sasami: 'kay, I'll be right back.
Everyone leaves except Ryoko and Ayeka who stay with Tenchi through the whole night. In the morning Washu returned with the rest of the family in tow.
Washu: (Seeing the tired Ryoko and Ayeka) Well you two look awful. Ha ha ha
Ryoko & Ayeka: …
Washu: Sorry, just trying to lighten the mood. Are you guys ready to try this?
Ryoko: Yeah, let's get our old Tenchi back.
Tenchi: Mmmmmmm
Ryoko: (Squeezes Tenchi's hand a little tighter) Tenchi?
Tenchi: Hi…Ryoko…Ayeka…Washu…
Washu: Hey there Tenchi. Can you hear me okay?
Tenchi: Yeah, I can hear you. What happened?
Washu: You were badly injured in the battle with Takeshi. Tsunami, Tokimi, and I are going to try and heal you. This might be a little painful.
Tenchi: Okay, I'm ready.
Washu: You've always been so brave Tenchi. Tokimi.
Tokimi: I'm here sister.
Washu: I'm gonna need your help on this one. Tsunami.
Tsunami: (Appearing next to Sasami) I'm ready.
Washu: Okay, stand back Ryoko, Ayeka.
Ryoko and Ayeka kiss Tenchi on the cheek.
Ryoko: We'll be back soon.
They move away from him. Washu, Tokimi, and Tsunami place their hands on Tenchi who becomes enveloped with a white light. Ryoko's gems begin to glow as Washu calls on her full power.
Tenyo: Come on, come on.
The light around Tenchi begins to dim and then starts to disappear. All three goddesses have their heads down. Tenchi, is still missing his limbs.
Ryoko: What happened? Why didn't you fix him?
Tokimi: This isn't possible.
Washu: I was afraid of this. Because this was caused by the Gem of Ryujin it is beyond our power to restore.
Sasami: Can you replace it with your science Washu?
Washu: (Bowing her head) I don't know…
Ryoko: (Anger boiling) What the hell do you mean? (Grabs Washu's collar and picks her up off the ground)
Sasami: Ryoko stop it! (Begins crying)
Ryoko looks back at Sasami and seeing her tears puts Washu down.
Ryoko: I…I'm…
Washu: (Changes into her adult form and holds Ryoko) I know, I'm here.
Ryoko: (Begins crying) Oh Tenchi… (Lets go of Washu, leans down on Tenchi and begins hugging him)
Ayeka: Ryoko… (Sits down next to Ryoko and hugs her from behind)
Washu: I'll work on it, but without the hip being there I'll have to do some surgery to try and replace it, but…
Tenyo: But?
Washu: If Tenchi has to use the Lighthawk Wings, I don't know what will happen to the replacements.
Noike: Washu, will he ever walk again?
Washu: I don't know. Give me some time to do some research and I'll see what I can come up with. Thank you Tokimi, Tsunami.
Tokimi: I am truly sorry everyone. I will also look into the depths of space and see if I can help come up with an answer.
With that Tokimi vanished, followed by Tsunami.
Sasami: Who's gonna tell father?
?: I would wait for Professor Washu to finish her research if I were you.
Tenyo: Huh? Lady Airi?
Airi: Hello dear Tenyo, I got here as fast as I could. How is everyone holding up?
Noike: We've definitely been better.
Airi: I know, well for now at least everyone's still alive.
Tenyo: Not quite, I think we will lose Grandpa.
Airi: (Laughing) No my dear, Yosho will be fine. He's had worse beatings than that from me.
Tenyo: Really? He's okay?
Airi: Yes, let's worry about getting Tenchi fixed.
Washu: Lady Airi, if you don't mind I need some quiet to begin working on Tenchi. If you could be so kind as to take everyone out of here.
Airi: Of course Professor Washu. Come on you heard her.
Washu: Even you two. Out!
Ryoko: (Lifting her head up from Tenchi's shoulder, her eyes red from crying) Grrrrrrr! No!
Washu: Ryoko (Taking her daughter's head in her hands) go get something to eat. Take Ayeka with you, when I have something I'll call everyone in here and tell you okay.
Ryoko: Oh all right.
Tenchi: (Smiles up at Ryoko and Ayeka) Don't worry about me, I'm in good hands.
Ryoko: Okay Tenchi.
Ryoko leans down and kisses Tenchi goodbye as does Ayeka after Ryoko gets up. They both leave the lab.
Ayeka: R…Ryoko…What are we gonna do?
Ryoko: (Drying her eyes) I don't know, I never thought anything like this could ever happen.
Ayeka: Will he…walk again?
Ryoko: Well since the goddesses can't help and Washu hasn't been able to come up with anything…
Ayeka: Then…we…we'll be there…to help him.
Ryoko: What can we do?
Ayeka: I don't know but I'm not giving up. You shouldn't either.
Ryoko: (Smiles) You're right, we'll be there for him.
They finally emerge from Washu's lab into the front room. Airi is at the table sipping tea with Tenyo and Rhea, Noboyuki is also at the table reading the newspaper, and Mihoshi is on the couch watching t.v. Ryoko and Ayeka walk past them into the kitchen where Sasami and Noike are cooking as usual.
Noike: Have a seat girls, breakfast will be ready soon.
Ayeka: Thank you Noike.
Ryoko and Ayeka sit down at the table and wait. Breakfast is served and everyone eats in silence. A few hours pass and Washu finally emerges from her lab.
Washu: Is everyone ready?
Everyone looks at Washu with anxious eyes except for Noboyuki and Rhea who look confused.
Noboyuki: Ready for what Washu?
Washu: If everyone will please follow me.
Everyone gets up from the table and follows Washu into her lab. She leads them to the back of the lab where Tenchi is lying on the table.
Rhea: Tenchi! Tenchi's back… (Seeing his missing arm and leg) Arghhhhhhhhh! (Falls into Noboyuki's arms crying)
Noboyuki: Ugh…what…what happened Tenchi?
Washu: Please sit and I'll explain everything.
Everyone sits as instructed, even Rhea who's still clutching to Noboyuki crying her eyes out.
Washu: Most of you know what happened last night. For those of you who don't I'll skip the details and get right to the point. A madman desiring to become the most powerful being in the universe arrived over 6 months ago and tried to kill everyone. He succeeded in goading Tenchi to fight alone against him and somehow brainwashed Tenchi. That's where he's been for the last 6 months, not on vacation with Ryoko and Ayeka like you were originally told. Last night, this madman brought Tenchi back in a trade for an item worth more than any of our lives. This item has since been destroyed by the power of the three goddesses. Anyway, in an effort to protect the rest of us, Tenchi stepped in the way of a blast meant to kill us all. Leaving him in the condition you see him in now.
Noboyuki: Will he be back?
Ryoko: I can assure you he will not.
Noboyuki: Well that's good, but what about Tenchi?
Washu: The power that took Tenchi's arm and leg is stronger than any other power in the known universe; therefore, nothing can regenerate his limbs.
Noboyuki: So he's stuck like this?
Washu: Well I don't know. I've done some research and come up with a few ideas to try to create prosthetic limbs. The hardest one will be the leg. It's bad enough that the leg is gone, but add to it that part of the hip including the socket the leg goes into are gone means that I have nothing to attach the prosthetic to. Even if I could recreate a limb, even if it were a mechanical one… it would be nothing more than a glorified crutch for him to lean on.
Noboyuki: But why? I don't understand.
Washu: (Calling up a picture of Tenchi's scans from her hollotop) Since the hip and the socket are gone I would have to completely manufacture a new one, which would be a lot of surgery for him. Plus if and when Tenchi calls on the Lighthawk Wings… I am not sure what will happen to the artificial limbs I give him.
Noboyuki: Oh…
Tenyo: Is there anything you can do?
Washu: I'll keep working but because of the Lighthawk Wings I'm limited on what I can do.
Ayeka got up out of her chair and walked over to Tenchi's left side, her eyes watering.
Ayeka: (Whispering) Tenchi? Tenchi, we're here… we're here for you.
Ryoko who had been leaning against the wall moved over to Tenchi's left side. Ayeka held tenchi's hand with her left and placed her right hand on his forehead. Suddenly Tenchi blinked and mumbled something neither of them could hear.
Ayeka: What was that Tenchi?
Tenchi: Look at me…
Ayeka: Tenchi…Argh!
Tenchi had pushed Ayeka away so hard she fell off the table.
Tenchi: Get away from me!
Ryoko went around the table to help Ayeka up. Ayeka looked up at Tenchi horrified.
Ryoko: Tenchi?
Tenchi: Damn it! Get the hell away from me! Everyone that gets near me gets hurt…look at me… (Tenchi turned away from the girls and ended up off the table on his face. Tenchi then began mumbling which no one could hear since he was lying on his face)
Ryoko helped Ayeka back up onto the table and then went to Tenchi and rolled him over. Upon getting rolled over, Tenchi closed his eyes, refusing to look at Ryoko. Tears were streaming down his face even through his tightly shut eyes.
Ryoko: Tenchi…look at me…please… (She cradled his head in her right hand as she knelt over him)
Tenchi: (Uses his left knee to push Ryoko away) Go…away…
Ryoko: You don't love us…do you?
Tenchi's eyes snapped open.
Ryoko: Just because you got hurt you stopped loving us…
Tenchi frantically begins shaking his head but says nothing.
Ryoko: This is it then (She looked at Ayeka who had also begun crying) You lied to us… to Ayeka…and to me. (Tears were welling up in her eyes) Damn it Tenchi! I loved you!
Tenchi could see the pain he had caused Ryoko but he couldn't voice his regret.
Ryoko: I know we've sounded pretty desperate chasing after you all these years…but to get our hopes up…to make us believe you loved us…
Ayeka: Ryoko!
Ryoko: I have always meant it when I said I loved you. And I would always be there for you…
Ryoko's voice began to choke up and Ayeka finally caught on to what she was doing.
Ayeka: I meant it too.
Tenchi's eyes now turned to Ayeka.
Ayeka: Everytime we've declared our love for you Tenchi, we meant it.
Tenchi couldn't feel any worse than he did right now. Not only could he no longer protect the ones he loved, but he was driving them away. He had finally gotten over his own fears and now he had shattered everything. Ryoko stomped over to where Ayeka was sitting on the table and Tenchi could feel her fury through the floor. Ryoko helped Ayeka stand and started to leave the lab.
Ayeka: If you don't want us, we'll leave… I'm sorry we…we…we're leaving the decision up to you.
With that Ryoko flew across the room with Ayeka behind her. Leaving Tenchi in a puddle of his own tears. They reached the door and turned the latch…
Tenchi: (Say something you idiot. Both sides of your heart are about to leave you forever. Say something you coward! Before it's too late.) Wait!
Ryoko stopped but didn't turn around, afraid she'd pushed too hard. Ayeka stopped and turned around to see Tenchi trying to sit up on his one good arm.
Tenchi: Don't…go…
Ayeka: Why not?
Tenchi: I…love you…both of you…
Ryoko: Then why… (Turning around) Ahhh! (The sight of Tenchi struggling twisted her heart in pain.)
Tenchi: I…I…I'm scared… (He tried to get himself into a kneel only to fall backwards against the table) I mean…I can't protect either of you anymore…I…I can't even sit up…
Washu: I think you're forgetting something Tenchi. During the battle, you were standing in front of Ryoko.
Ryoko: (Looking up in remembrance) That's right he was!
Tenchi & Ayeka: How?
Typing on her hollotop, Washu brought up a screen with a video from the battle with Takeshi. Everyone could see that in the video Tenchi was standing, but his missing leg and arm were translucent.
Washu: You see Tenchi, the wings created not only a leg for you to stand on, but an arm as well.
Ryoko and Ayeka returned to Tenchi's side, Ayeka on his left and Ryoko on his right, to help him up.
Ryoko: I never really thought about how…I mean how you did that…I just thought you were…
The three sat on the table watching as Washu bombarded them with information. Tenchi could feel both of Ayeka and Ryoko holding him and began to silently curse his new inability to hold them both.
Washu: So you see…He can still generate a leg and arm with the wings, but it demands concentration and energy. That's why he can't rely on those permanently. (Pointing to a diagram of Tenchi's body) However, by inserting a few parts here and here, I can give him some of his mobility back.
Ayeka: But?
Washu: Well, since Tenchi never let me really study the wings before I don't know how they will handle the implants…I mean things could be great and they would be unaffected, or…the wings could burn them out or disintegrate the parts.
Ayeka: I see your point.
Tenchi: I guess we'll have to take that chance. But what about my arm, I mean…I miss being able to hold both Ayeka and Ryoko (Gesturing with his right nub that was partway around Ryoko's neck)
Washu: That is an easier problem to fix, you see your arm was cut off around the elbow. But the…um…stub…that remains at least gives me something to attach the prosthetic to. Since your leg is missing entirely as is a part of your hip, I can't just attach it to anything right now.
Tenchi: (Sighs) Okay, but when could you have the arm ready…since it doesn't require so much?
Washu: I could give you one of many different arms, but I need to get some scans of your arms, otherwise the replacement will…well…not look right…
Tenchi: Okay, let's get started then.
Washu: It's not that simple Tenchi, I need to get scans, and then I need to build it, and then…
Tenchi: Okay, okay, I get the point, I won't have it in the next five minutes (Sighs)
Washu: I'm sorry
Tenchi: Washu…you don't need to…
Washu: The hell I do! Damn it! It was my design that allowed him to hurt you and I can't seem to think fast enough to…to…
Tenchi: Washu…I'll live…get some rest. It wasn't you're fault that he found all the pieces to the sword and he used it the way he did…you aren't to blame.
Ryoko: "There's my Tenchi, only he could forgive after something like this has happened."
Washu: (Tearfully nods) Everything I've made has been taken from me. Even my own daughter (Looking at Ryoko) was made to destroy, it's just not right. And not just once but many times Ryoko has been taken from us. How can I call myself the greatest?