SHATTERED MIRROR
by Emily "Mink" Koh (mink@envy.nu)
Part 2: An Ominous Invitation
DISCLAIMER: "Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-ohki" is © Pioneer
Entertainment and AIC. I am in no way affiliated with
them, nor do I own it. "Shattered Mirror" is © 2000,
Emily "Mink" Koh. Do not repost w/o permission.
* See notes at bottom.
***
Mihoshi sat silently, watching the birds flutter to and
fro by her own window side. She stared without a flicker
of interest, looking like an immobile statue that had been
placed there.
How peaceful birds were. A large family had a nest in a
branch... just by Mihoshi's window. There was the mother
and the father, tending to their children, who were
raucously loud and unmerciful.
If she was her old self, she would have felt pity for the
parents. Right now, she felt nothing.
She had seen some birds build this particular nest three
years ago. In doing so, they had allowed Mihoshi to keep
track of all the generations that flocked to this area.
Washu had found it rather peculiar that different birds
flocked to this same nest, created by the first
generation a long time ago. Mihoshi had her own guess
that members of the original family knew this "sacred
place," and always came here for their breeding grounds.
She had made up her own stories with them, narrating each
of their voices. Kiyone would yell at her to shut up,
because she wanted some extra sleep in the morning. Then
she threatened to get her *own* apartment in Tokyo, and
Mihoshi begged her not to, and pleaded the birds to be
silent.
Mihoshi sighed. She used to imagine that the birds were
the epitome of the perfect family -- and they were the
big "Tenchi family" reincarnation, in fowl form.
But while her family got tattered and torn, the birds'
families were perfect. There was no harm, because they
had been smart to start a family in such a secluded place,
where danger could not reach them.
Mihoshi wanted to end that perfection.
She wanted them to feel what she had felt... she wanted
to see a family fall apart at the seams, like a cloth
being ripped. And there was nothing to tear this family
apart...
She wasn't sure what she was doing.
The nest wasn't so far way, when you opened the window.
Mihoshi could reach with her fingers. The parents were
away, fetching food, and the babies were chirping
inconsolably.
Strange, a storm last night hadn't even moved the nest.
So unlike her family's storm that ruined them all...
Mihoshi could touch the nest just barely with her
fingertips. A longer stretch could tip it over, sending
it hurtling to the ground for someone to discover the
dead babies in.
But something stopped her -- someone stopped her.
They were holding onto her wrists, and Mihoshi flailed
her arms. "Let me go!" she protested loudly. "I have
to... I have to... make them go away..."
Katsuhito hushed her, prying her away from the window
and then leading her to her folded-up futon. There,
Mihoshi began to cry. "It's okay," Katsuhito said.
"No... I have to make the birds leave... or Kiyone will
leave me..."
***
Ryoko coasted along the galaxy, laughing sadistically. There
came a harried and weary "Miya" from the ship she was on --
namely, Ryo-ohki.
"That was a cleaner capture than I could have asked for,"
Ryoko said calmly. "Good thing you distracted them by
firing away at the bank area. She offered a smile, not
twisted in sick humor, as it usually had been.
It was one of those rare moments, when a real smile came.
"Excellent, excellent," Ryoko said. "Shall we steal some
carrots?"
But Ryo-ohki returned a shameful "Miyaaaa," and became
quiet.
Annoyed, Ryoko sighed. "What do you want, them? You have
no use for money yourself... what? What do you mean,
'It's not that'?"
Ryoko rolled her eyes. "Good thing you're in ship form
ninety percent of the time. I wouldn't have to deal with
your insufferable rodent composure." She knew the words
would sting Ryo-ohki, and her own heart was sliced with
guilt, but said nothing to recompense for her behavior.
Why she had agreed to bring along Ryo-ohki -- besides the
fact that Ryo-ohki was indeed hers, and her ship --
puzzled Ryoko.
No, she knew exactly why.
Self pity for the creature, really. With Sasami gone,
Ryo-ohki had been heartbroken. It annoyed Ryoko that
Sasami could forget her friend as easily as she had taken
the throne of Jurai with the snap of her fingers. For
whatever reason Sasami had left, Ryoko had always
suspected she would take Ryo-ohki (with Ryoko's consent,
of course).
Well, that was better off for Jurai if Sasami was the
ruler. Aeka was careless and irresponsible, silly and--
Ryoko's knuckles turned while as she grasped the armrest
of her control seat. Dammit, Ryo-ohki, Ryoko fumed to
herself. Just by being here, with me... how dare you
make me think of her.
Make them stop, Ryoko thought. God, make them stop.
Two faces appeared in her brain as she closed her eyes.
Tenchi smiled. "Let's go, Ryoko! Come on, they're waiting
for us!"
Her eyes shot open. "Tenchi?"
The ship came to an abrupt stop. "Miya?" Ryo-ohki asked,
with a flicker of recognition in her memory.
The next face overlapped Tenchi's face. It was Kiyone.
"Ryoko-san... no! You don't think -- me?! You think I
did this? I would *never* tip you off! It wasn't me!"
Ryo-ohki trembled as Ryoko pounded her fist into her open
palm. "Kiyone... I'd like to smash her face."
Then Ryoko sighed. "I couldn't. I guess I'm lucky that
I had her to begin this entire chaos -- she was the one
who reawakened my own wildness, to run free like this,
as a space pirate."
Silently, she walked to the back room, and Ryo-ohki's
curious "Miya?" echoed through the ship.
The ship was large. The hallways bent, and finally,
Ryoko found herself in a familiar-looking room.
Reminiscent of the Masaki living room, really.
She sighed, as she sprawled over the couch, and her eyes
were distant, not truly focusing on one thing.
"Dammit!" she cried, after a moment, and her foot kicked
out instinctively at the coffee table. The top of the
table swung open, and Ryoko sat up in alarm. "What?!"
Then she quieted down. Inside this secret compartment,
there were many things scattered about.
Pictures... items...
Ryoko sat down quietly, like a child discovering some
miraculous toy. Her fingers ran over the pictures. The
Christmas pictures... the picture that Sasami had snapped
while Ryoko and Aeka had been having a water fight by the
lake... Mihoshi and Kiyone... the days from the carnival...
a picture Washu had managed to take, of a horrible Ryoko
snagged in one of her experiments...
Her breath caught short, when Ryoko found a small snapshot
entangled upon this mess. Ryoko and Tenchi. Tenchi wasn't
looking embarrassed, like most of the pictures -- it was
more of Ryoko that looked embarrassed in this one. Tenchi
had been smiling, and Ryoko could even see Aeka's head at
the bottom of this picture.
A small smile formed on Ryoko's lips. "Tenchi..."
From the bundle of the other snapshots Ryoko was holding,
a small headband fell out -- a hachimaki caked with dry
blood. She felt a wave of nausea and dizziness as she
stared at it.
"This is..."
Suddenly, the ship shook and tipped, the hachimaki
spiraling against the wall and the snapshots in Ryoko's
hands flying from the impact.
"What the hell?!"
"Attention, Ryoko!" called a voice on the screen that
came up in the room. "You are under arrest! Should you
make a move, we can easily open the gates to hyperspace
-- which is just as bad as subspace -- to trap you should
you try to attack."
The Galaxy Police had thousands of fleets surrounding her.
***
"Whaaaaat?"
"Aren't we lucky?" Mari, Kiyone's superior, smiled at
her quite complacently. "Even if we didn't get it out of
that crackpot Washu, Ryoko was rather clumsy to leave
that ship just floating there, eh? Managed to have a
sneak attack! Unfortunately, it's right by a checkpoint
to the Sol System. I just hope they don't plan to
transfer Ryoko to that checkpoint for the 'confessional'
parts and to lock her up, even temporarily. Those
people at the checkpoint are more likely to be in
danger with her there!"
Mari looked at Kiyone conspicuously. "What's the matter?
You look depressed."
Kiyone tried to look surprised. "Wh-what? I'm glad! We
might actually capture Ryoko! Don't we have a live report
set up to see this happen?" she asked.
"Actually, I think we might--"
"Officer Mari!" called the receptionist at the desk. "The
Chief requires your presence. He's in a meeting, room B4."
Mari frowned, then winked at Kiyone. "Better go," she said.
"I will ask him about the live report afterwards, though."
And she sauntered away, leaving Kiyone.
Kiyone stood for a few moments, her mind a blur of
watercolors. Then, she shook her head, and walked to
the receptionist. "I'm retiring back to the ship," she
said. "Please tell Officer Mari to meet me there."
She headed back onto her patrol ship, through the deck.
With a sigh, she settled down on the seat, and stared up
at the ceiling, her hands holding her head up.
"A sneak attack... how did that happen? Ryoko is one of
the most dangerous criminals. Yet they managed a sneak
attack. And they fired at her ship, and... I hope she's
all right."
The moment the words flew out of her mouth, Kiyone
smacked herself. "I'm her enemy. Why do I care about her
health?" she murmured to herself coldly.
But in spite of herself, she felt oddly nervous. "If they
catch her, will they really put her in the hyperspace cell?
Because Washu-san was right, you can't keep a human life in
that cell."
"Talking to yourself?"
Kiyone whirled around, facing Mari. "Mari! You're back."
"The Chief just wanted my report. Trying to boast to the
others... what were you mumbling about?" Mari asked,
smiling. "Ryoko, no doubt."
"I was--"
"Hyperspace cells are the new hope for the future! They're
crucial to keep A-1 Class Criminals like Ryoko in."
"Yes, but..."
Mari studied her partner intently. "When we were first
assigned, Chief told me everything about your past life
on Earth. How you lived with that Earthling boy -- even
though Earthlings are not supposed to have direct contact.
But I suppose that was all right, since he was of Jurai
descent. And you lived with other refugees, which
included Ryoko."
Kiyone stiffened. "That means nothing--"
Suddenly, she cringed. 'Defense. Too defensive means that
I'm in denial,' she thought.
Mari stopped her. "Feelings last for a while. ;But not
forever, Kiyone. You're clinging to your past! What good
will that do to you? You're hoping for some miracle? Fine,
then take action! But you know there's nothing you can do."
Feelings last for a while?
But Mihoshi said...
"Besides, wasn't it for the best when you captured Ryoko?"
"I didn't--"
"Listen, Ryoko doesn't have some hearing device implanted
on you. So don't be in denial, Kiyone." Mari winked.
"Well, the Chief said Ryoko should be--"
"Officer Mari!" A fuzzy reception came over their
communication port, and both Kiyone and Mari looked at
the fuzzy screen, seeing a fellow officer.
"Shoji-sempai! What's the matter?" Mari asked.
"Ryoko's gotten loose by the checkpoint. We'll need
back-up. Send the fleets."
"All right!" Mari said, pumping her fist. "Look, our
big chance, Kiyone! And yours, too! You can prove to
Ryoko that there are absolutely no hard feelings --
you're just playing on the law's side now." She gave
a doting laugh. "Now, come on. Let's get moving
and call back-up, join the scene of crime, then just
wait for our promotion."
***
Tenchi felt his fingers shake underneath the weight of
the food he carried in the large basket. "I'm home!" he said,
struggling to open the door.
No one greeted him, and he walked into the living room,
where everyone was sitting solemnly.
"Uh... family meeting?"
Tenchi dropped the food, and he rushed over to Aeka's
side. In her hands, she had a small, narrow box, and light
emitted from the center hole.
"This is...?"
"Found in the laundry basket. Addressed to Aeka,"
Katsuhito said quietly. "It's from Jurai."
The word sounded so foreign, so...
Distant.
"Jurai? But..."
Aeka was silent, and the life in her eyes seemed to have
been swept away. She clicked a small button on the side.
Tenchi saw a familiar looking man pop up in holographic
mini form. He was the head of the Jurai Council, the
one who took orders from the ruler and enforced them
along with the rest of the Council. Tenchi had met him
before, when he had come to take Aeka away.
He felt sick, remembering that day, and omitted from his
mind, watching the man speak.
"Addressed to: Former Princess Aeka."
At this, everyone reeled back in shock.
"'Former'?" Tenchi gasped.
Mihoshi even gained some of her voice back. "But..."
"You have been stripped of your title, by request of the first
princess of Jurai, Princess Sasami."
Aeka found her hands quivering. "Sasami?"
Tenchi's hands firmly supported Aeka on her shoulders.
"It can't be. Sasami-chan would never..."
"This isn't the same Sasami-chan we know," Katsuhito's
firm voice suddenly broke in. "Three years can do a lot to
some people. Look at ourselves."
His commentary made the group silence, but the hologram
went on.
"Your presence is required on Jurai. Should you not come
to Jurai, there will be severe consequences."
The hologram ended there bluntly. Aeka's fingers shook.
"What does this mean? What does it all mean?" Tenchi
asked vehemently.
"We must go to Jurai," Katsuhito said. "If Aeka's
presence is required, it must be something important.
We may be able to find out what is going on."
"I don't have a ship," Aeka whispered.
The others sat in discomforted silence, aware of the fact.
Then Mihoshi stood up. "There is one."
The others looked at her with surprise.
"Wasn't your ship reclaimed by the Galaxy Police?"
"Not Kiyone's. They took mine, but Kiyone left hers...
it's still in that separate dimension above the
entrance to your home that Washu-san put it in. She
left with the GP fleets, remember?"
Tenchi's eyes widened. "That's right."
"So it's settled. We'll all go to Jurai."
Aeka stood up. "No!" she said adamantly. "Tenchi-sama,
you must stay here. And Mihoshi-san, and --"
Katsuhito looked at her gravely. "It is a matter of utmost
importance. Does not family count?"
"My family..."
"Are we not your family?" Tenchi asked quietly.
Aeka was silent, then she had a small smile. "You are."
"Then it's settled. We will leave tomorrow morning."
TSUZUKU
***
PREVIEW OF PART 3: The Screaming Darkness
Kiyone (VO): A new dawn is approaching the Tenchi family.
[Tenchi controls a ship, with Aeka, Mihoshi, and Katsuhito
looking grave in the back.]
Kiyone (VO): As Tenchi and the gang are traveling to Jurai
for information about the mysterious invitation, they are
stopped at a Galaxy Police-monitored checkpoint.
[Kiyone and Mari talk.]
Kiyone (VO): Tenchi discovers Ryoko's existence is in
fragile and careless hands, and he wants to help her, but
what about Aeka? Who will Tenchi help?
Kiyone (VO): Coming up next time in Part 3.
***
AUTHOR'S NOTES
Midori came up with that episode teaser part. ;) Quite
creative.
Revised with OVA part, now with text alignment, made
and revised by listening to "Only Truth" from Romio no
Aoi Sora a thousand times. Orikasa Ai has a truly
gorgeous voice. XD
ALSO: Updated with Mike's help. ;) Thank you!
-- Emily K., Feb. 19, 2001
***
UPDATES
-- Revised by Mike.
-- Revised text alignment.
-- Revised in OVA format.
-- Revised / continued.
-- Revised / continued.
-- Revised.
by Emily "Mink" Koh (mink@envy.nu)
Part 2: An Ominous Invitation
DISCLAIMER: "Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-ohki" is © Pioneer
Entertainment and AIC. I am in no way affiliated with
them, nor do I own it. "Shattered Mirror" is © 2000,
Emily "Mink" Koh. Do not repost w/o permission.
* See notes at bottom.
***
Mihoshi sat silently, watching the birds flutter to and
fro by her own window side. She stared without a flicker
of interest, looking like an immobile statue that had been
placed there.
How peaceful birds were. A large family had a nest in a
branch... just by Mihoshi's window. There was the mother
and the father, tending to their children, who were
raucously loud and unmerciful.
If she was her old self, she would have felt pity for the
parents. Right now, she felt nothing.
She had seen some birds build this particular nest three
years ago. In doing so, they had allowed Mihoshi to keep
track of all the generations that flocked to this area.
Washu had found it rather peculiar that different birds
flocked to this same nest, created by the first
generation a long time ago. Mihoshi had her own guess
that members of the original family knew this "sacred
place," and always came here for their breeding grounds.
She had made up her own stories with them, narrating each
of their voices. Kiyone would yell at her to shut up,
because she wanted some extra sleep in the morning. Then
she threatened to get her *own* apartment in Tokyo, and
Mihoshi begged her not to, and pleaded the birds to be
silent.
Mihoshi sighed. She used to imagine that the birds were
the epitome of the perfect family -- and they were the
big "Tenchi family" reincarnation, in fowl form.
But while her family got tattered and torn, the birds'
families were perfect. There was no harm, because they
had been smart to start a family in such a secluded place,
where danger could not reach them.
Mihoshi wanted to end that perfection.
She wanted them to feel what she had felt... she wanted
to see a family fall apart at the seams, like a cloth
being ripped. And there was nothing to tear this family
apart...
She wasn't sure what she was doing.
The nest wasn't so far way, when you opened the window.
Mihoshi could reach with her fingers. The parents were
away, fetching food, and the babies were chirping
inconsolably.
Strange, a storm last night hadn't even moved the nest.
So unlike her family's storm that ruined them all...
Mihoshi could touch the nest just barely with her
fingertips. A longer stretch could tip it over, sending
it hurtling to the ground for someone to discover the
dead babies in.
But something stopped her -- someone stopped her.
They were holding onto her wrists, and Mihoshi flailed
her arms. "Let me go!" she protested loudly. "I have
to... I have to... make them go away..."
Katsuhito hushed her, prying her away from the window
and then leading her to her folded-up futon. There,
Mihoshi began to cry. "It's okay," Katsuhito said.
"No... I have to make the birds leave... or Kiyone will
leave me..."
***
Ryoko coasted along the galaxy, laughing sadistically. There
came a harried and weary "Miya" from the ship she was on --
namely, Ryo-ohki.
"That was a cleaner capture than I could have asked for,"
Ryoko said calmly. "Good thing you distracted them by
firing away at the bank area. She offered a smile, not
twisted in sick humor, as it usually had been.
It was one of those rare moments, when a real smile came.
"Excellent, excellent," Ryoko said. "Shall we steal some
carrots?"
But Ryo-ohki returned a shameful "Miyaaaa," and became
quiet.
Annoyed, Ryoko sighed. "What do you want, them? You have
no use for money yourself... what? What do you mean,
'It's not that'?"
Ryoko rolled her eyes. "Good thing you're in ship form
ninety percent of the time. I wouldn't have to deal with
your insufferable rodent composure." She knew the words
would sting Ryo-ohki, and her own heart was sliced with
guilt, but said nothing to recompense for her behavior.
Why she had agreed to bring along Ryo-ohki -- besides the
fact that Ryo-ohki was indeed hers, and her ship --
puzzled Ryoko.
No, she knew exactly why.
Self pity for the creature, really. With Sasami gone,
Ryo-ohki had been heartbroken. It annoyed Ryoko that
Sasami could forget her friend as easily as she had taken
the throne of Jurai with the snap of her fingers. For
whatever reason Sasami had left, Ryoko had always
suspected she would take Ryo-ohki (with Ryoko's consent,
of course).
Well, that was better off for Jurai if Sasami was the
ruler. Aeka was careless and irresponsible, silly and--
Ryoko's knuckles turned while as she grasped the armrest
of her control seat. Dammit, Ryo-ohki, Ryoko fumed to
herself. Just by being here, with me... how dare you
make me think of her.
Make them stop, Ryoko thought. God, make them stop.
Two faces appeared in her brain as she closed her eyes.
Tenchi smiled. "Let's go, Ryoko! Come on, they're waiting
for us!"
Her eyes shot open. "Tenchi?"
The ship came to an abrupt stop. "Miya?" Ryo-ohki asked,
with a flicker of recognition in her memory.
The next face overlapped Tenchi's face. It was Kiyone.
"Ryoko-san... no! You don't think -- me?! You think I
did this? I would *never* tip you off! It wasn't me!"
Ryo-ohki trembled as Ryoko pounded her fist into her open
palm. "Kiyone... I'd like to smash her face."
Then Ryoko sighed. "I couldn't. I guess I'm lucky that
I had her to begin this entire chaos -- she was the one
who reawakened my own wildness, to run free like this,
as a space pirate."
Silently, she walked to the back room, and Ryo-ohki's
curious "Miya?" echoed through the ship.
The ship was large. The hallways bent, and finally,
Ryoko found herself in a familiar-looking room.
Reminiscent of the Masaki living room, really.
She sighed, as she sprawled over the couch, and her eyes
were distant, not truly focusing on one thing.
"Dammit!" she cried, after a moment, and her foot kicked
out instinctively at the coffee table. The top of the
table swung open, and Ryoko sat up in alarm. "What?!"
Then she quieted down. Inside this secret compartment,
there were many things scattered about.
Pictures... items...
Ryoko sat down quietly, like a child discovering some
miraculous toy. Her fingers ran over the pictures. The
Christmas pictures... the picture that Sasami had snapped
while Ryoko and Aeka had been having a water fight by the
lake... Mihoshi and Kiyone... the days from the carnival...
a picture Washu had managed to take, of a horrible Ryoko
snagged in one of her experiments...
Her breath caught short, when Ryoko found a small snapshot
entangled upon this mess. Ryoko and Tenchi. Tenchi wasn't
looking embarrassed, like most of the pictures -- it was
more of Ryoko that looked embarrassed in this one. Tenchi
had been smiling, and Ryoko could even see Aeka's head at
the bottom of this picture.
A small smile formed on Ryoko's lips. "Tenchi..."
From the bundle of the other snapshots Ryoko was holding,
a small headband fell out -- a hachimaki caked with dry
blood. She felt a wave of nausea and dizziness as she
stared at it.
"This is..."
Suddenly, the ship shook and tipped, the hachimaki
spiraling against the wall and the snapshots in Ryoko's
hands flying from the impact.
"What the hell?!"
"Attention, Ryoko!" called a voice on the screen that
came up in the room. "You are under arrest! Should you
make a move, we can easily open the gates to hyperspace
-- which is just as bad as subspace -- to trap you should
you try to attack."
The Galaxy Police had thousands of fleets surrounding her.
***
"Whaaaaat?"
"Aren't we lucky?" Mari, Kiyone's superior, smiled at
her quite complacently. "Even if we didn't get it out of
that crackpot Washu, Ryoko was rather clumsy to leave
that ship just floating there, eh? Managed to have a
sneak attack! Unfortunately, it's right by a checkpoint
to the Sol System. I just hope they don't plan to
transfer Ryoko to that checkpoint for the 'confessional'
parts and to lock her up, even temporarily. Those
people at the checkpoint are more likely to be in
danger with her there!"
Mari looked at Kiyone conspicuously. "What's the matter?
You look depressed."
Kiyone tried to look surprised. "Wh-what? I'm glad! We
might actually capture Ryoko! Don't we have a live report
set up to see this happen?" she asked.
"Actually, I think we might--"
"Officer Mari!" called the receptionist at the desk. "The
Chief requires your presence. He's in a meeting, room B4."
Mari frowned, then winked at Kiyone. "Better go," she said.
"I will ask him about the live report afterwards, though."
And she sauntered away, leaving Kiyone.
Kiyone stood for a few moments, her mind a blur of
watercolors. Then, she shook her head, and walked to
the receptionist. "I'm retiring back to the ship," she
said. "Please tell Officer Mari to meet me there."
She headed back onto her patrol ship, through the deck.
With a sigh, she settled down on the seat, and stared up
at the ceiling, her hands holding her head up.
"A sneak attack... how did that happen? Ryoko is one of
the most dangerous criminals. Yet they managed a sneak
attack. And they fired at her ship, and... I hope she's
all right."
The moment the words flew out of her mouth, Kiyone
smacked herself. "I'm her enemy. Why do I care about her
health?" she murmured to herself coldly.
But in spite of herself, she felt oddly nervous. "If they
catch her, will they really put her in the hyperspace cell?
Because Washu-san was right, you can't keep a human life in
that cell."
"Talking to yourself?"
Kiyone whirled around, facing Mari. "Mari! You're back."
"The Chief just wanted my report. Trying to boast to the
others... what were you mumbling about?" Mari asked,
smiling. "Ryoko, no doubt."
"I was--"
"Hyperspace cells are the new hope for the future! They're
crucial to keep A-1 Class Criminals like Ryoko in."
"Yes, but..."
Mari studied her partner intently. "When we were first
assigned, Chief told me everything about your past life
on Earth. How you lived with that Earthling boy -- even
though Earthlings are not supposed to have direct contact.
But I suppose that was all right, since he was of Jurai
descent. And you lived with other refugees, which
included Ryoko."
Kiyone stiffened. "That means nothing--"
Suddenly, she cringed. 'Defense. Too defensive means that
I'm in denial,' she thought.
Mari stopped her. "Feelings last for a while. ;But not
forever, Kiyone. You're clinging to your past! What good
will that do to you? You're hoping for some miracle? Fine,
then take action! But you know there's nothing you can do."
Feelings last for a while?
But Mihoshi said...
"Besides, wasn't it for the best when you captured Ryoko?"
"I didn't--"
"Listen, Ryoko doesn't have some hearing device implanted
on you. So don't be in denial, Kiyone." Mari winked.
"Well, the Chief said Ryoko should be--"
"Officer Mari!" A fuzzy reception came over their
communication port, and both Kiyone and Mari looked at
the fuzzy screen, seeing a fellow officer.
"Shoji-sempai! What's the matter?" Mari asked.
"Ryoko's gotten loose by the checkpoint. We'll need
back-up. Send the fleets."
"All right!" Mari said, pumping her fist. "Look, our
big chance, Kiyone! And yours, too! You can prove to
Ryoko that there are absolutely no hard feelings --
you're just playing on the law's side now." She gave
a doting laugh. "Now, come on. Let's get moving
and call back-up, join the scene of crime, then just
wait for our promotion."
***
Tenchi felt his fingers shake underneath the weight of
the food he carried in the large basket. "I'm home!" he said,
struggling to open the door.
No one greeted him, and he walked into the living room,
where everyone was sitting solemnly.
"Uh... family meeting?"
Tenchi dropped the food, and he rushed over to Aeka's
side. In her hands, she had a small, narrow box, and light
emitted from the center hole.
"This is...?"
"Found in the laundry basket. Addressed to Aeka,"
Katsuhito said quietly. "It's from Jurai."
The word sounded so foreign, so...
Distant.
"Jurai? But..."
Aeka was silent, and the life in her eyes seemed to have
been swept away. She clicked a small button on the side.
Tenchi saw a familiar looking man pop up in holographic
mini form. He was the head of the Jurai Council, the
one who took orders from the ruler and enforced them
along with the rest of the Council. Tenchi had met him
before, when he had come to take Aeka away.
He felt sick, remembering that day, and omitted from his
mind, watching the man speak.
"Addressed to: Former Princess Aeka."
At this, everyone reeled back in shock.
"'Former'?" Tenchi gasped.
Mihoshi even gained some of her voice back. "But..."
"You have been stripped of your title, by request of the first
princess of Jurai, Princess Sasami."
Aeka found her hands quivering. "Sasami?"
Tenchi's hands firmly supported Aeka on her shoulders.
"It can't be. Sasami-chan would never..."
"This isn't the same Sasami-chan we know," Katsuhito's
firm voice suddenly broke in. "Three years can do a lot to
some people. Look at ourselves."
His commentary made the group silence, but the hologram
went on.
"Your presence is required on Jurai. Should you not come
to Jurai, there will be severe consequences."
The hologram ended there bluntly. Aeka's fingers shook.
"What does this mean? What does it all mean?" Tenchi
asked vehemently.
"We must go to Jurai," Katsuhito said. "If Aeka's
presence is required, it must be something important.
We may be able to find out what is going on."
"I don't have a ship," Aeka whispered.
The others sat in discomforted silence, aware of the fact.
Then Mihoshi stood up. "There is one."
The others looked at her with surprise.
"Wasn't your ship reclaimed by the Galaxy Police?"
"Not Kiyone's. They took mine, but Kiyone left hers...
it's still in that separate dimension above the
entrance to your home that Washu-san put it in. She
left with the GP fleets, remember?"
Tenchi's eyes widened. "That's right."
"So it's settled. We'll all go to Jurai."
Aeka stood up. "No!" she said adamantly. "Tenchi-sama,
you must stay here. And Mihoshi-san, and --"
Katsuhito looked at her gravely. "It is a matter of utmost
importance. Does not family count?"
"My family..."
"Are we not your family?" Tenchi asked quietly.
Aeka was silent, then she had a small smile. "You are."
"Then it's settled. We will leave tomorrow morning."
TSUZUKU
***
PREVIEW OF PART 3: The Screaming Darkness
Kiyone (VO): A new dawn is approaching the Tenchi family.
[Tenchi controls a ship, with Aeka, Mihoshi, and Katsuhito
looking grave in the back.]
Kiyone (VO): As Tenchi and the gang are traveling to Jurai
for information about the mysterious invitation, they are
stopped at a Galaxy Police-monitored checkpoint.
[Kiyone and Mari talk.]
Kiyone (VO): Tenchi discovers Ryoko's existence is in
fragile and careless hands, and he wants to help her, but
what about Aeka? Who will Tenchi help?
Kiyone (VO): Coming up next time in Part 3.
***
AUTHOR'S NOTES
Midori came up with that episode teaser part. ;) Quite
creative.
Revised with OVA part, now with text alignment, made
and revised by listening to "Only Truth" from Romio no
Aoi Sora a thousand times. Orikasa Ai has a truly
gorgeous voice. XD
ALSO: Updated with Mike's help. ;) Thank you!
-- Emily K., Feb. 19, 2001
***
UPDATES
-- Revised by Mike.
-- Revised text alignment.
-- Revised in OVA format.
-- Revised / continued.
-- Revised / continued.
-- Revised.