Chapter 14: The Chousin
"W-what's the matter?" Cupid questioned. Panic began to take root as he noticed Washu staring at him as if she were trying to determine whether or not he was real.
Becoming aware of herself, she shook the expression off her face.
"Oh, nothing," she said. "Let's move on to some other tests. I'd like to find out more about your abilities."
"But what about my 'frequency'? What did you see?" he demanded, anxiously.
"It looks like it's going to be a while before I get some accurate results. We'll come back to that later."
"I see," he uttered suspiciously. "Alright then."
For the next two hours, Washu put Cupid through a battery of experiments, testing everything from his speed to his metamorphic abilities. She strapped him into contraptions, ran him on treadmills, and probed him with strange devices. At certain points during the series of tests, he was hooked up to wires and cables that sent metabolic data into various computer programs, translating his vital responses into algorithms. By the time she was done, Cupid was exhausted. He shuffled lethargically over to his original seat and collapsed back into it.
"Please tell me we're done…" he sighed.
"Ok. We're done," she announced with a grin.
"Thank God," said Cupid. "I hope your curiosity is satisfied."
"It never is!" she cheerily proclaimed. "But I did gather a lot of good data from you. This tells me more about who you are than any words you could say."
"Not too sure how I feel about that," he said.
Cupid got up from his seat and started to wander a little. Lying on a console where Washu was monitoring the progress of his examination, he noticed the pad she seemed to be scribbling notes into the whole time. It was covered with silly doodles and sketches that resembled a fat man with a curly octopus beard being attacked by little airplanes that dropped bombs on his head. In his previous experiences, scientists tended to be cold and pragmatic by nature. He liked the fact that the supposed 'greatest mind in the universe' had a sense of humor.
"So we're really not on Earth anymore?" he asked incredulously.
"That's right."
"That's cool," he said in awe as he lifted off his feet and floated off to explore.
"Wait!" Washu shouted after him. "You break, you buy!"
Washu caught up and proceeded to give him the grand tour. Cupid listened keenly as she showed off many of her creations. He marveled, eyes wide and bright like a curious child. Washu was delighted to guide him through, happy for the company of someone with a genuine interest in her work.
Back in the living room, Yugi and Sasami were still waiting for Cupid and Washu to emerge while they flipped through channels on the television.
"They've been in there for hours," Yugi griped. "If this goes on, there won't be time left for either one of us to spend with him."
"You're right," Sasami sighed, peering out through the glass of the patio doors. "It's getting dark outside."
Ryo-Ohki entered the room and looked around. "Miya?" she asked curiously.
"He's in there," Yugi answered, pointing back at the door again.
"Ryo-Ohki, don't—"
"Shhh," Yugi hushed Sasami, "I wanna see this! It was funny when Mihoshi did it."
"That's mean," Sasami reprimanded, "but I can't deny it was hilarious," she conceded with a giggle.
Ryo-Ohki stared at them inquisitively.
"Well, aren't you gonna go in and see what Cupid's doing?" Yugi grinned.
Sasami watched on, trying to stifle her smirk.
"Miya?" Ryo-Ohki said suspiciously as she gawked at the two. Finally, she strolled over to the entrance of Washu's lab and went inside.
Yugi and Sasami started to chuckle mischievously as they watched the door upstairs, expectantly. Five seconds passed, then ten, followed by fifteen as the grins on their faces melted away.
"She's… not coming out, is she?" Sasami noted.
"Then that means…" Yugi jumped up from the sofa and dashed for the door with Sasami close behind her. They both passed through the inter-dimensional tunnel together, coming out the other end inside Washu's lab.
"It worked!" Sasami exclaimed. "I guess that means she's done with keeping us out."
They looked ahead and saw Ryo-Ohki skipping off into the vast valley of Professor Washu's weird and wonderful inventions.
"Ryo-Ohki, wait up!" Sasami called out. They dashed after her and quickly caught up.
"Did you see them go this way?" Yugi asked Ryo-Ohki.
The cabbit-girl shook her head in denial.
"Well, they must be in there somewhere. Let's keep going," she said.
The trio continued down the central path, peering left and right through the jungle of wires and machinery.
"Washu!" Sasami called out.
Nothing came back but the whirring and beeping of mysterious devices. As they trekked deeper in, they finally came upon Cupid and Washu standing together, observing a tank of Masses similar to those used in the creation of Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki. Cupid turned his head and gazed back at them, surprised.
"Oh hey, what's up?" He smiled.
"Miya!" Ryo-Ohki greeted.
"Cupid!" Sasami started, worriedly.
"Are you alright?" Yugi questioned with equal concern.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Washu protested. "I took good care of him."
"Washu was just telling me how Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki were made," Cupid said. "I guess she really is your mother, huh?" he asked Ryo-Ohki.
"Miya," she nodded, affirmatively.
"Yep, she's one of my little girls," Washu said proudly.
"It makes me feel a little better, you know?" he said. "The fact that I wasn't the only one 'born' in a different way."
"It's what we do in life that matters," Washu replied, "not how we came into it."
He looked at her and smiled, appreciating her words.
"So… are you done?" Yugi inquired, impatiently.
"Yes, I think I've got everything I need." Washu replied.
"Good, then let's get out of here and find something fun to do!"
"Did you come up with a way for Cupid to see his family again?" questioned Sasami, full of hope.
"Hmm… well, I'm still working on that," Washu answered, a little embarrassed. "But I should be able to tell him something in the next few days."
"Oh, ok," Sasami said, a bit surprised that Washu didn't have a more solid answer.
"Well then, let's go!" Yugi came forward and grabbed Cupid's hand. Ryo-Ohki took his other hand and they tugged him along, back toward the way they came in.
"Hey, I don't need to be lead like a little kid!" Cupid protested. They ignored him and kept pulling.
"Hold on Yugi, I'm coming!" Sasami said, starting behind them.
"Sasami," Washu beckoned, causing her to stop in her tracks and turn back. "Would you stay for a moment? There's something I have to say to you."
Sasami looked at her, puzzled. "What is it, Little Washu?"
"Tsunami, actually, it's you I need to talk to," announced Washu, in a sober tone.
Within a moment, Sasami's face lost its curiosity and took on an expression of wisdom. "I'm here, Sister," she answered.
"About Cupid… I've found something profoundly troubling. We need to have a conference with Tokimi right away."
Tsunami nodded, knowingly. "Whenever you're ready."
"Sorry Ryoko, Tenchi," muttered Washu in apology, "I'll need to take these back again for a little bit." She reached her right arm out to her side. Suddenly, three small red, spherical gems shot through the darkness and gravitated to her. Washu absorbed them into the palm of her hand and they re-emerged on the surface of her brow. Both Tsunami and Washu transformed into beams of light, firing out into the void of space and traversing dimensions until they finally floated within a sea of white light.
Washu's form was that of a woman far more genteel than she appeared a moment ago, draped in lavish royal blue and gold vestments. Tsunami looked a bit more mature than she did in her mortal state. The mark on her forehead was now two circular gems. An elaborate blue and white robe adorned her form.
There drifted their sister, Tokimi before them, robed in ostentatious crimson and gold. An emerald collar wound its way around her neck and along her cheekbones. An ornate gold headdress adorned her crown of hazel tresses and two green gems were embedded along her brow, above malevolent violet eyes.
"Welcome sisters," she greeted.
"Hello Tokimi," Washu replied. "I've requested this conference to discuss the matter of this young visitor, Cupid."
Tokimi chuckled. "So, you've finally seen it," she stated. "I can't say I'm surprised it took so long. Renouncing your powers has made you slow. However," She looked over at Tsunami, "our dear sister here must have felt it immediately, as I had."
"I did," Tsunami nodded. "Though it is very odd, I didn't see the need to panic. I was working on finding out more about Cupid in my own way."
"Oh, I could see that," Tokimi stated derisively.
"Then we have all realized," Washu continued, "that of the twelve dimensions we've created together, and all of their sub-dimensions, Cupid was not conceived within any of them."
"Yes, that is the conclusion I have also come to," Tokimi pronounced.
Tsunami nodded in agreement.
"How is that possible?" Washu asked.
"I'm not sure," replied Tsunami, "but it reveals how little we know about our own existence."
"This is baffling," Tokimi stated with concern in her eyes. "Washu, surely you notice the discrepancy now that you've taken on your true form. The sum total of Kami essence throughout the twelve dimensions has increased exponentially since the time that Cupid arrived in the third dimension."
Washu gasped, suddenly realizing it herself. "Y-you're right… I can sense it. But surely Cupid is not the source of this fluctuation. Nothing in my tests revealed such."
"No, this is not purely due to the boy's presence," Tokimi concurred. "I've been observing him; creating situations that forced him to reveal his abilities."
"Yes, I noticed the way you maneuvered those pirates his way," Tsunami stated in disdain. "And the incident at the Farmer's Harvest Festival. That was utterly obsurd."
"Oh, Please," Tokimi dismissed. "That was extremely mild. To be honest, it was the meddling of the girl Yugi that provided me with my best observations, and I had nothing to do with that. In any case, though the boy possesses impressive ability, it is nothing on the scale of this increase in the sum of universal energy we're sensing."
"This power…" Tsunami spoke in reminiscence. "It reminds me of what I felt when Tenchi's Kami form nearly escaped its mortal shell eight years ago during his battle with Z."
"Exactly," said Washu. "As frightening as the theory may be, I think we may have to explore the notion that worlds exist outside of what we've created. Which means that we as Chousin are part of a greater plan than we've realized."
"Yes," Tokimi agreed as something akin to fear tinged her expression.
"Deep down, somewhere inside, we suspected this," said Tsunami. "This is the reason we were so compelled to conduct our experiments to uncover the existence of a being greater than ourselves."
"But then, this sudden influx of power..." Washu observed. "Something possesses the ability to traverse realities that even we don't have access to and it's here now. Cupid must be a byproduct of that event, sucked through because he happened to be nearby when the entity crossed."
"Or perhaps we should refer to it as a deity," Tsunami noted. "What does this mean for us; for our entire existence?"
"I don't know," Tokimi answered. "Whatever it is, it has yet to reveal itself or its purpose. I'm not ashamed to admit that this situation is unnerving."
"I agree," said Washu. "And unfortunately for Cupid, there is no known means to send him back to his home world. It's something even beyond us Chousin."
"Forget the boy!" Tokimi retorted with frustration. "He's not our obligation. We should dispose of him before he becomes an unforeseen threat."
"You will NOT touch him!" Tsunami exclaimed. "None of this is his fault and he has not proven to be a threat to our domain."
"You fool," Tokimi retorted. "Your judgment is clouded because you share the girl's feelings for him! He was not spawned from our machinations, thus he is not something that can be reconfigured by our power if things go awry!"
"And why should he be? I don't believe in manipulating the destiny of mortals in the same manner as you. Isn't that why the Counteractor exists now?"
"I will deal with the Counteractor when the time comes," Tokimi answered.
"No harm will come to Cupid," Washu interjected. "For now, before we can decide his fate, we must find out what it is that breached the shell of our domain." She looked upon her sisters solemnly. "Now and forever, everything we thought we knew about the universe has changed."