====================
Flowering Potential.
====================
C&C can be sent to cobalt@elhazard.net . Flames should be writen down on pieces of paper
and burned. You'll feel a whole lot better.
Disclaimer: I do not own the series depicted within, but go buy it anyway.
Conventions:
~ ~ are used for thoughts and Telepathic communication.
The series is archived at http://www.lum.co.uk/cobalt/
#########
Chapter 7
#########
Sasami's usual impeccable standards of cooking were surpassed at breakfast. Tenchi
wondered if she was still trying to seduce her. What had been odd was that Misaki was also
up at that time. Tenchi quickly found out why.
"I want to see you practice today." The Queen told her in response to the question.
"But practice isn't 'till later." Tenchi told her. "I have to work the fields this morning."
Misaki still had the look of astonishment on her face five minutes later when Tenchi left.
"Sasami dear?" She asked her daughter. "Why is Tenchi doing such menial work?"
"Uh...well...y' see..."
Ayeka sat bolt upright in shock. She had too much self-control and pride to allow herself to
awake screaming from a dream. She could still see her and Tenchi like that, her and Ryoko
like that, and Tenchi and Ryoko like that. And she could still see the three of them like that.
~ Dear God. Am I going mad? ~ She asked herself.
There was a knock at the door, and then Ryoko phased through it.
Ayeka was wondering when Ryoko had learned to knock, when she noticed the worried
look. It no doubt mirrored her own.
"You had a...bad...dream too?" Ryoko asked.
Ayeka nodded.
"Involving me, you and Tenchi doing...things?"
Another nod from the purple-hared princess.
Ryoko managed to position herself opposite Ayeka before collapsing in nervous exhaustion.
"Getting to you too?" Ayeka was surprised to find herself genuinely sympathetic.
"Worse, has done since the day after it happened." Ryoko confessed. "And it keeps getting
stronger." She warned.
Ayeka shuddered.
"Why now?" She complained. "We've been here almost a year, and it hasn't been
this...distracting."
"I have no idea. Washu commented that she might be more attractive to us because
we're...more experienced with the form. I think that's what she said."
The two ladies started to move away from each other slowly.
"I mean," Ayeka said nervously, "It's only Tenchi."
"Y-yeah." Ryoko agreed. "Not like it will happen with anyone else."
There were a few seconds of silence before Ryoko said, "Well, gotta go." and teleported
away, much to the relief of both.
***
"Is it just me, or is everybody losing control around here?" Tenchi asked Ryo-Ohki. "It's
as if they can't keep their hands off me."
"Tenchi..." Ryo-Ohki pondered. "Tenchi carrot."
Tenchi slumped. "That's a big help." She groaned.
"Tenchi." Ryo-Ohki said in a sad little voice.
"I'm sorry." Tenchi sighed. "I didn't mean to sound nasty."
"Maooow." The little spaceship complained.
"I know, I'm just a bit depressed."
Tenchi quickly finished loading the basket.
"Before you say anything," She told the cabbit, "We don't need many and you are on a
diet."
"Washu." The cute creature complained.
"Yes. You've got to build up your endurance. That means being able to survive longer
between carrots."
Tenchi hoisted the basket over her shoulder.
"Come on Ryo-Ohki. Misaki's up now if you want to play."
"Mi-sa-ki."
"You're getting better. Who is our other guest?"
"Fu-na-ho."
Tenchi reached into the basket and tossed the little thing a carrot.
"You keep practising." She said.
"Tenchi." Ryo-Ohki agreed, before biting into the carrot.
***
Kiyone was in Washu's lab; working on the planetary surveillance net's latest data.
"How's it coming?" Washu asked, appearing out of one of her portals.
"You could set the entire Science Academy to work on this planet, and they would take
years. And they'd enjoy it too. Xenophobia is common in pre-contact cultures. And this
world has them by the dozen."
"Multiple cultures?" Washu was stunned.
"Yes. And they overlap as well." Kiyone hit a key and turned to face the redhead. "The
process really needs to be automated."
"You're the expert. I never really got into xeno-anthropology. It'll give me something to
do while the computer crunches through Tenchi's data." Washu shrugged. "What do you
need?"
"Well..."
***
Tenchi hated target practice, mainly because it was exhausting. However, she found it
better than sparring with Grandpa; the old man packed a mean wallop.
"Good Tenchi." Yosho said. "That foot control is getting better."
"She's very good." Misaki told her nephew.
"Tenchi's sword skills have been improving more since Ryoko was awakened." Yosho said
to his aunt. "But she still has a long way to go."
"She's got beauty on her side at the moment." Misaki commented.
The look in Tenchi's eyes hardened. She flipped herself over the target, striking it in an odd
way. Landing with perfect poise and grace, she turned to the target and waited.
"Hum?" Yosho muttered.
Half a second later the target shattered.
"Would you stop talking about that?" She asked the princess's mother.
"You shouldn't be ashamed about your looks." Misaki said.
"I'm still a man you know. I just happen to be in a female form at the moment, and it's
annoying to be reminded that I'm a nice looking one."
Misaki had a glint in her eye. "Maybe a duel would settle the matter?"
Tenchi looked at her suspiciously. "What did you have in mind?"
***
Minagi was bored. So she had decided to go and see how Tenchi was doing.
~ Maybe I should ask Yosho for some training. ~ She pondered, before hearing sounds of
sword fighting. It was more intense than Yosho usually set it.
She flew quickly to the origin of the sound to find Tenchi locked in combat with...Misaki?
Someone grabbed her hand and pulled her to one side.
"Don't interfere." Yosho's voice warned.
The young pirate relaxed a bit at the sound of his voice.
"What are they up to?" She asked.
"Misaki is testing Tenchi." Yosho replied. "The fact they have a deal on is another matter."
"Deal?"
"Shush now." Yosho told her.
Tenchi deftly parried a stroke to her left and thrust. Misaki side-stepped it and went for
Tenchi's open head. Tenchi ducked, then rose from the depths like a rocket in an upward
sweep of blurring speed. Misaki leapt back out of the way, defending by instinct.
Yosho watched the two as impassively as possible. Misaki was one of the best, as was he.
She had experience, power, stamina and several death duels to her credit. And she was not
going to lose on purpose, or go easy on his granddaughter.
Tenchi had innate skill, speed and strength to her credit. Yosho believed that, with the right
training, Tenchi could become THE best although at the moment she was still clumsy. Her
most important failing was the lack of a killer instinct, the need to beat her opponent. Yosho
was relieved this was so; Tenchi had so much power that it could be disastrous if the young
woman let anger control her.
Minagi watched the display in front of her in amazement. While she had seen Tenchi fight
before, she had never seen a fight so intense.
Tenchi blocked the flurry of strikes from Misaki and disappeared, to reappear behind her.
She swung, holding back a little. Misaki realised where her opponent was and blocked,
weapons clashing. Tenchi had been waiting for this, and swept the legs out from under the
Queen. Misaki toppled forward, but she had already recovered. She made to duck into a roll,
free arm extended to soak up her impact. But instead of continuing with the roll, she struck
back with a vicious swing. Tenchi dove sideways over the practice weapon. Misaki took
advantage of the respite to launch herself straight up and flip the right way up in mid-air.
Tenchi had got back to her feet and was attacking. Misaki easily blocked the slightly clumsy
charge and launched a kick to Tenchi's midsection. Tenchi successfully blocked the strike,
but the power in it doubled her over and left her open. The Queen swung downward with a
finishing strike. Tenchi reversed her weapon and swung out, taking the impact not only on
the blade but on her forearm as well. The locked weapons continued on their new path,
Misaki's driven down. There was a blur and the Queen found Tenchi holding her weapon to
her throat, the edge pressing against the flesh.
"I surrender." She said, realising she had lost. She dropped her weapon.
Tenchi nodded and moved back, lowering her weapon. Her breathing was uneven and she
was sweating lightly. Misaki only had a slight sheen of moisture.
The two of them bowed in respect to each other.
Minagi applauded the display.
"That was fantastic!" She exclaimed.
"Indeed." Yosho noted calmly. "You have improved Misaki."
"It's been 700 years Yosho." She replied. "I haven't stopped taking my job seriously."
"I am much impressed with you Tenchi." The priest continued. "You are much better than
you seem. A definite advantage. I need to rethink my training program."
Tenchi had a pained expression on her face. "Don't rush on my account." She said.
***
The trio were late returning for lunch. Minagi had offered to fly them back, but Tenchi
didn't feel up to it. Misaki had declined also.
"Um....Misaki?" Tenchi asked.
"Yes Tenchi?"
"What is your job? I would have thought that being a Queen would have been enough of
one."
"True, the duties of being a Queen of Jurai can keep one busy, but the King traditionally
gives his wives positions on the executive committee of the Supreme Council."
Tenchi groaned. "Great, more stuff I'm going to have to learn."
"You mean that Ayeka hasn't been teaching you?" Misaki asked. "Most remiss of her, and
Yosho for that matter."
"I think we're drifting from the question." Minagi noted
"True." Misaki conceded. "I am the Supreme Commander of the Royal Bodyguard."
Minagi gasped. "You were the one who fought Gregange?"
Misaki nodded.
"Who's Gregange?" Tenchi asked the two other women.
"Gregange the Black Heart is considered the worst space pirate in known history." Minagi
told Tenchi. "He's a vicious monster."
"He went after the High Priest of Jurai about 300 years ago." Misaki continued. "My sister
and I found out about it and stopped him from killing hundreds of beings with an attack on
him."
"It's told that the Black Heart went up against the leader of the Royal Bodyguard in a fight
of epic proportions." Minagi said. "He lost the duel and an eye, but escaped."
"The roof collapsed." Misaki admitted. "The battle weakened the structure and cut me off.
He promised he would be back for me."
"Aren't you worried?"
"Not particularly. About 160 years ago he got on the wrong side of the Neriad Syndicate.
He's much too busy these days to bother with a promise of revenge against me."
"I don't think I can cope with all this." Tenchi muttered under her breath. "Wha-?" She
got out as Misaki turned a hug loose on the victor.
"You'll manage." The Queen told her.
***
It wasn't often that Tenchi made it back for lunch, usually due to working the fields. Of
course, Sasami had her work cut out with so many people here.
It was one of Ryo-Ohki's on days, as Tenchi called them. The cabbit was running around in
a fuzzy brown blur, enjoying herself immensely. It regularly surprised her companions that
the little thing could move so fast in that form.
"You know," Washu noted, "If we could take her out for a flight now and again this
wouldn't happen."
"It's too much of a risk Washu." Tenchi said. "We can't do that on planet because
someone might see her, and we can't do it off planet because someone would pick up her
energy signature."
"You worry too much." Ryoko complained.
"Someone has to." She stifled a slight yawn.
"What's up Tenchi?" Sasami asked.
"Oh, your mother put me through a workout."
"It looked like a duel to me." Minagi said.
"It was a practice one." Tenchi complained. "Grandpa and I have them during practice all
the time these days."
"So sister, how good is Tenchi?" Funaho asked.
"Very good. She beat me." Misaki replied calmly.
"I was lucky." Tenchi played it down.
"You should have seen it." Minagi said enthusiastically. "It was brilliant. Absolutely
superb."
Tenchi gave herself a sniff. "If you are going to discus me fighting then I'd best be
leaving." She stood up. "I need to clean myself up any way."
She disappeared upstairs.
"Tenchi's a little shy Mother." Ayeka explained.
"I think it's modesty as well." Ryoko added.
"At least she has some modesty."
"Don't start girls." Kiyone warned.
Funaho and Misaki gave each other sidelong smiles. Tenchi was not going to do well with
those two unless she developed some backbone.
"I'll have to have a long talk with Yosho about Tenchi's training." Misaki said. "And
Ayeka? You really need to start teaching Tenchi about the duties of her station."
For some odd reason, everybody looked embarrassed.
"It's not as if we haven't tried." Ayeka said.
"It's just that, for some odd reason, we get interrupted." Washu filled in.
"I tried talking to Tenchi about the Galaxy Police," Kiyone told the Queens, "but something
exploded in Washu's lab and we had to go help."
"I tried a quick discussion of space travel," Minagi put in, "only to find out Ryo-Ohki had
eaten all the carrots again."
"Of course when Ryoko and I try something like that..." Ayeka began.
"...The other interrupts." Ryoko finished. "Even when we arranged it. Something comes
up."
Washu sighed. "We've started all these topics, but never finished them. Tenchi survives
with what ever we manage to pass on and what she picks up."
"Maybe if we all sit down and talk?" Mihoshi suggested.
"Mihoshi," Sasami sighed. "The last time we tried that we ended up stopping those
smugglers."
"Oh. You are so right Sasami."
"Never a dull moment around here then?" Funaho asked.
The usual residents shook their heads.
***
Tenchi came down in a white sweatshirt and loose black trousers.
The front room was empty. She could hear sounds from the kitchen though. She found
Sasami taking with Ryo-Ohki.
"It's not as if mom is like that always." She said. "Just that she expresses herself a lot."
"Sasami." The cabbit replied, a bit downcast.
"I know." Sasami sighed.
"Hi Sasami. Ryo-Ohki." Tenchi said. "Where is everybody?"
"Oh hi Tenchi."
"Tenchi!"
"Mom, Ryoko and Kiyone are out walking around the lake."
Tenchi had a puzzled look.
Sasami ignored it and continued. "Ayeka's visiting Ryu-Oh."
That seemed a bit more normal to Tenchi.
"Mihoshi is showing Minagi your dad's manga collection."
~ Weird things always happen around Mihoshi. ~ Tenchi reminded herself.
"And Funaho is talking with Washu."
Tenchi sighed.
"I'd better go talk with Washu." She said.
"You don't have too Tenchi."
"Yes I do. I was going to talk to her about making some appliances. Hopefully it will make
your life easier."
***
Funaho was looking over the vast, peaceful countryside vista projected to one side of the
platform.
"It's just something I thought would go well." Washu didn't have to shout to be heard
clearly across the hundred metres that separated them. "It's nothing really."
"What is it like without it?" Funaho asked.
The scene shimmered and vanished. The vast vista was still there, but there was now a
collection of machines as far as she could see. It looked like a cityscape. The quiet peace
was replaced with a loud hum of machines.
"Washu!" Came Tenchi's voice.
"In here!" The redhead called. It wasn't often Tenchi came into the lab, mainly because
Washu took the chance to study Tenchi. However with the little demonstration three days
ago she really didn't have that much enthusiasm for it now. Of course they also had a guest
as well. She put down the device she was working on and the laser welder she was using
next to it. It was also next to her only stable sample of Mihoshi's DNA.
Tenchi entered the chamber, followed by Sasami.
"What can I do for you Tenchi?" Washu asked. No one noticed the laser switch on and
reflect off the sample case.
"Well... I said yesterday I wanted to talk to you about some appliances for the kitchen."
Funaho began walking over, little noticing the laser beam aimed at a point above her head.
"Oh yes. I remember n-." Whatever else Washu said was drowned out by the sickening
scream of tearing metal from above.
With a massive jolt, something large and heavy looking ripped free from the roof and
dropped rapidly. Straight at Funaho.
Time moved like treacle.
***
Out by the lake Misaki felt a terrible cold feeling. Her two companions felt the sudden
change in her aura.
"Wha...?" Kiyone began.
"Funaho!" Misaki cried in terror.
Ryoko grabbed the two others and teleported to the closest place she knew to the other
Queen.
Washu.
***
Moments before the impact Funaho was savagely shoved out of the way by an unidentified
streak.
The whole lab shuddered as the object hit the floor. The aftershocks could still be felt as
Misaki, Ryoko and Kiyone reappeared. The blue-hared Queen dashed to her sister's side.
"Sister!" Was all she needed to say.
Funaho nodded, looking around. The feeling of dread sweeping over her was confirmed by
the expression on her young niece's face. Her gaze swept to the huge chunk of machinery
that had fallen.
"TENCHI!"
Flowering Potential.
====================
C&C can be sent to cobalt@elhazard.net . Flames should be writen down on pieces of paper
and burned. You'll feel a whole lot better.
Disclaimer: I do not own the series depicted within, but go buy it anyway.
Conventions:
~ ~ are used for thoughts and Telepathic communication.
The series is archived at http://www.lum.co.uk/cobalt/
#########
Chapter 7
#########
Sasami's usual impeccable standards of cooking were surpassed at breakfast. Tenchi
wondered if she was still trying to seduce her. What had been odd was that Misaki was also
up at that time. Tenchi quickly found out why.
"I want to see you practice today." The Queen told her in response to the question.
"But practice isn't 'till later." Tenchi told her. "I have to work the fields this morning."
Misaki still had the look of astonishment on her face five minutes later when Tenchi left.
"Sasami dear?" She asked her daughter. "Why is Tenchi doing such menial work?"
"Uh...well...y' see..."
Ayeka sat bolt upright in shock. She had too much self-control and pride to allow herself to
awake screaming from a dream. She could still see her and Tenchi like that, her and Ryoko
like that, and Tenchi and Ryoko like that. And she could still see the three of them like that.
~ Dear God. Am I going mad? ~ She asked herself.
There was a knock at the door, and then Ryoko phased through it.
Ayeka was wondering when Ryoko had learned to knock, when she noticed the worried
look. It no doubt mirrored her own.
"You had a...bad...dream too?" Ryoko asked.
Ayeka nodded.
"Involving me, you and Tenchi doing...things?"
Another nod from the purple-hared princess.
Ryoko managed to position herself opposite Ayeka before collapsing in nervous exhaustion.
"Getting to you too?" Ayeka was surprised to find herself genuinely sympathetic.
"Worse, has done since the day after it happened." Ryoko confessed. "And it keeps getting
stronger." She warned.
Ayeka shuddered.
"Why now?" She complained. "We've been here almost a year, and it hasn't been
this...distracting."
"I have no idea. Washu commented that she might be more attractive to us because
we're...more experienced with the form. I think that's what she said."
The two ladies started to move away from each other slowly.
"I mean," Ayeka said nervously, "It's only Tenchi."
"Y-yeah." Ryoko agreed. "Not like it will happen with anyone else."
There were a few seconds of silence before Ryoko said, "Well, gotta go." and teleported
away, much to the relief of both.
***
"Is it just me, or is everybody losing control around here?" Tenchi asked Ryo-Ohki. "It's
as if they can't keep their hands off me."
"Tenchi..." Ryo-Ohki pondered. "Tenchi carrot."
Tenchi slumped. "That's a big help." She groaned.
"Tenchi." Ryo-Ohki said in a sad little voice.
"I'm sorry." Tenchi sighed. "I didn't mean to sound nasty."
"Maooow." The little spaceship complained.
"I know, I'm just a bit depressed."
Tenchi quickly finished loading the basket.
"Before you say anything," She told the cabbit, "We don't need many and you are on a
diet."
"Washu." The cute creature complained.
"Yes. You've got to build up your endurance. That means being able to survive longer
between carrots."
Tenchi hoisted the basket over her shoulder.
"Come on Ryo-Ohki. Misaki's up now if you want to play."
"Mi-sa-ki."
"You're getting better. Who is our other guest?"
"Fu-na-ho."
Tenchi reached into the basket and tossed the little thing a carrot.
"You keep practising." She said.
"Tenchi." Ryo-Ohki agreed, before biting into the carrot.
***
Kiyone was in Washu's lab; working on the planetary surveillance net's latest data.
"How's it coming?" Washu asked, appearing out of one of her portals.
"You could set the entire Science Academy to work on this planet, and they would take
years. And they'd enjoy it too. Xenophobia is common in pre-contact cultures. And this
world has them by the dozen."
"Multiple cultures?" Washu was stunned.
"Yes. And they overlap as well." Kiyone hit a key and turned to face the redhead. "The
process really needs to be automated."
"You're the expert. I never really got into xeno-anthropology. It'll give me something to
do while the computer crunches through Tenchi's data." Washu shrugged. "What do you
need?"
"Well..."
***
Tenchi hated target practice, mainly because it was exhausting. However, she found it
better than sparring with Grandpa; the old man packed a mean wallop.
"Good Tenchi." Yosho said. "That foot control is getting better."
"She's very good." Misaki told her nephew.
"Tenchi's sword skills have been improving more since Ryoko was awakened." Yosho said
to his aunt. "But she still has a long way to go."
"She's got beauty on her side at the moment." Misaki commented.
The look in Tenchi's eyes hardened. She flipped herself over the target, striking it in an odd
way. Landing with perfect poise and grace, she turned to the target and waited.
"Hum?" Yosho muttered.
Half a second later the target shattered.
"Would you stop talking about that?" She asked the princess's mother.
"You shouldn't be ashamed about your looks." Misaki said.
"I'm still a man you know. I just happen to be in a female form at the moment, and it's
annoying to be reminded that I'm a nice looking one."
Misaki had a glint in her eye. "Maybe a duel would settle the matter?"
Tenchi looked at her suspiciously. "What did you have in mind?"
***
Minagi was bored. So she had decided to go and see how Tenchi was doing.
~ Maybe I should ask Yosho for some training. ~ She pondered, before hearing sounds of
sword fighting. It was more intense than Yosho usually set it.
She flew quickly to the origin of the sound to find Tenchi locked in combat with...Misaki?
Someone grabbed her hand and pulled her to one side.
"Don't interfere." Yosho's voice warned.
The young pirate relaxed a bit at the sound of his voice.
"What are they up to?" She asked.
"Misaki is testing Tenchi." Yosho replied. "The fact they have a deal on is another matter."
"Deal?"
"Shush now." Yosho told her.
Tenchi deftly parried a stroke to her left and thrust. Misaki side-stepped it and went for
Tenchi's open head. Tenchi ducked, then rose from the depths like a rocket in an upward
sweep of blurring speed. Misaki leapt back out of the way, defending by instinct.
Yosho watched the two as impassively as possible. Misaki was one of the best, as was he.
She had experience, power, stamina and several death duels to her credit. And she was not
going to lose on purpose, or go easy on his granddaughter.
Tenchi had innate skill, speed and strength to her credit. Yosho believed that, with the right
training, Tenchi could become THE best although at the moment she was still clumsy. Her
most important failing was the lack of a killer instinct, the need to beat her opponent. Yosho
was relieved this was so; Tenchi had so much power that it could be disastrous if the young
woman let anger control her.
Minagi watched the display in front of her in amazement. While she had seen Tenchi fight
before, she had never seen a fight so intense.
Tenchi blocked the flurry of strikes from Misaki and disappeared, to reappear behind her.
She swung, holding back a little. Misaki realised where her opponent was and blocked,
weapons clashing. Tenchi had been waiting for this, and swept the legs out from under the
Queen. Misaki toppled forward, but she had already recovered. She made to duck into a roll,
free arm extended to soak up her impact. But instead of continuing with the roll, she struck
back with a vicious swing. Tenchi dove sideways over the practice weapon. Misaki took
advantage of the respite to launch herself straight up and flip the right way up in mid-air.
Tenchi had got back to her feet and was attacking. Misaki easily blocked the slightly clumsy
charge and launched a kick to Tenchi's midsection. Tenchi successfully blocked the strike,
but the power in it doubled her over and left her open. The Queen swung downward with a
finishing strike. Tenchi reversed her weapon and swung out, taking the impact not only on
the blade but on her forearm as well. The locked weapons continued on their new path,
Misaki's driven down. There was a blur and the Queen found Tenchi holding her weapon to
her throat, the edge pressing against the flesh.
"I surrender." She said, realising she had lost. She dropped her weapon.
Tenchi nodded and moved back, lowering her weapon. Her breathing was uneven and she
was sweating lightly. Misaki only had a slight sheen of moisture.
The two of them bowed in respect to each other.
Minagi applauded the display.
"That was fantastic!" She exclaimed.
"Indeed." Yosho noted calmly. "You have improved Misaki."
"It's been 700 years Yosho." She replied. "I haven't stopped taking my job seriously."
"I am much impressed with you Tenchi." The priest continued. "You are much better than
you seem. A definite advantage. I need to rethink my training program."
Tenchi had a pained expression on her face. "Don't rush on my account." She said.
***
The trio were late returning for lunch. Minagi had offered to fly them back, but Tenchi
didn't feel up to it. Misaki had declined also.
"Um....Misaki?" Tenchi asked.
"Yes Tenchi?"
"What is your job? I would have thought that being a Queen would have been enough of
one."
"True, the duties of being a Queen of Jurai can keep one busy, but the King traditionally
gives his wives positions on the executive committee of the Supreme Council."
Tenchi groaned. "Great, more stuff I'm going to have to learn."
"You mean that Ayeka hasn't been teaching you?" Misaki asked. "Most remiss of her, and
Yosho for that matter."
"I think we're drifting from the question." Minagi noted
"True." Misaki conceded. "I am the Supreme Commander of the Royal Bodyguard."
Minagi gasped. "You were the one who fought Gregange?"
Misaki nodded.
"Who's Gregange?" Tenchi asked the two other women.
"Gregange the Black Heart is considered the worst space pirate in known history." Minagi
told Tenchi. "He's a vicious monster."
"He went after the High Priest of Jurai about 300 years ago." Misaki continued. "My sister
and I found out about it and stopped him from killing hundreds of beings with an attack on
him."
"It's told that the Black Heart went up against the leader of the Royal Bodyguard in a fight
of epic proportions." Minagi said. "He lost the duel and an eye, but escaped."
"The roof collapsed." Misaki admitted. "The battle weakened the structure and cut me off.
He promised he would be back for me."
"Aren't you worried?"
"Not particularly. About 160 years ago he got on the wrong side of the Neriad Syndicate.
He's much too busy these days to bother with a promise of revenge against me."
"I don't think I can cope with all this." Tenchi muttered under her breath. "Wha-?" She
got out as Misaki turned a hug loose on the victor.
"You'll manage." The Queen told her.
***
It wasn't often that Tenchi made it back for lunch, usually due to working the fields. Of
course, Sasami had her work cut out with so many people here.
It was one of Ryo-Ohki's on days, as Tenchi called them. The cabbit was running around in
a fuzzy brown blur, enjoying herself immensely. It regularly surprised her companions that
the little thing could move so fast in that form.
"You know," Washu noted, "If we could take her out for a flight now and again this
wouldn't happen."
"It's too much of a risk Washu." Tenchi said. "We can't do that on planet because
someone might see her, and we can't do it off planet because someone would pick up her
energy signature."
"You worry too much." Ryoko complained.
"Someone has to." She stifled a slight yawn.
"What's up Tenchi?" Sasami asked.
"Oh, your mother put me through a workout."
"It looked like a duel to me." Minagi said.
"It was a practice one." Tenchi complained. "Grandpa and I have them during practice all
the time these days."
"So sister, how good is Tenchi?" Funaho asked.
"Very good. She beat me." Misaki replied calmly.
"I was lucky." Tenchi played it down.
"You should have seen it." Minagi said enthusiastically. "It was brilliant. Absolutely
superb."
Tenchi gave herself a sniff. "If you are going to discus me fighting then I'd best be
leaving." She stood up. "I need to clean myself up any way."
She disappeared upstairs.
"Tenchi's a little shy Mother." Ayeka explained.
"I think it's modesty as well." Ryoko added.
"At least she has some modesty."
"Don't start girls." Kiyone warned.
Funaho and Misaki gave each other sidelong smiles. Tenchi was not going to do well with
those two unless she developed some backbone.
"I'll have to have a long talk with Yosho about Tenchi's training." Misaki said. "And
Ayeka? You really need to start teaching Tenchi about the duties of her station."
For some odd reason, everybody looked embarrassed.
"It's not as if we haven't tried." Ayeka said.
"It's just that, for some odd reason, we get interrupted." Washu filled in.
"I tried talking to Tenchi about the Galaxy Police," Kiyone told the Queens, "but something
exploded in Washu's lab and we had to go help."
"I tried a quick discussion of space travel," Minagi put in, "only to find out Ryo-Ohki had
eaten all the carrots again."
"Of course when Ryoko and I try something like that..." Ayeka began.
"...The other interrupts." Ryoko finished. "Even when we arranged it. Something comes
up."
Washu sighed. "We've started all these topics, but never finished them. Tenchi survives
with what ever we manage to pass on and what she picks up."
"Maybe if we all sit down and talk?" Mihoshi suggested.
"Mihoshi," Sasami sighed. "The last time we tried that we ended up stopping those
smugglers."
"Oh. You are so right Sasami."
"Never a dull moment around here then?" Funaho asked.
The usual residents shook their heads.
***
Tenchi came down in a white sweatshirt and loose black trousers.
The front room was empty. She could hear sounds from the kitchen though. She found
Sasami taking with Ryo-Ohki.
"It's not as if mom is like that always." She said. "Just that she expresses herself a lot."
"Sasami." The cabbit replied, a bit downcast.
"I know." Sasami sighed.
"Hi Sasami. Ryo-Ohki." Tenchi said. "Where is everybody?"
"Oh hi Tenchi."
"Tenchi!"
"Mom, Ryoko and Kiyone are out walking around the lake."
Tenchi had a puzzled look.
Sasami ignored it and continued. "Ayeka's visiting Ryu-Oh."
That seemed a bit more normal to Tenchi.
"Mihoshi is showing Minagi your dad's manga collection."
~ Weird things always happen around Mihoshi. ~ Tenchi reminded herself.
"And Funaho is talking with Washu."
Tenchi sighed.
"I'd better go talk with Washu." She said.
"You don't have too Tenchi."
"Yes I do. I was going to talk to her about making some appliances. Hopefully it will make
your life easier."
***
Funaho was looking over the vast, peaceful countryside vista projected to one side of the
platform.
"It's just something I thought would go well." Washu didn't have to shout to be heard
clearly across the hundred metres that separated them. "It's nothing really."
"What is it like without it?" Funaho asked.
The scene shimmered and vanished. The vast vista was still there, but there was now a
collection of machines as far as she could see. It looked like a cityscape. The quiet peace
was replaced with a loud hum of machines.
"Washu!" Came Tenchi's voice.
"In here!" The redhead called. It wasn't often Tenchi came into the lab, mainly because
Washu took the chance to study Tenchi. However with the little demonstration three days
ago she really didn't have that much enthusiasm for it now. Of course they also had a guest
as well. She put down the device she was working on and the laser welder she was using
next to it. It was also next to her only stable sample of Mihoshi's DNA.
Tenchi entered the chamber, followed by Sasami.
"What can I do for you Tenchi?" Washu asked. No one noticed the laser switch on and
reflect off the sample case.
"Well... I said yesterday I wanted to talk to you about some appliances for the kitchen."
Funaho began walking over, little noticing the laser beam aimed at a point above her head.
"Oh yes. I remember n-." Whatever else Washu said was drowned out by the sickening
scream of tearing metal from above.
With a massive jolt, something large and heavy looking ripped free from the roof and
dropped rapidly. Straight at Funaho.
Time moved like treacle.
***
Out by the lake Misaki felt a terrible cold feeling. Her two companions felt the sudden
change in her aura.
"Wha...?" Kiyone began.
"Funaho!" Misaki cried in terror.
Ryoko grabbed the two others and teleported to the closest place she knew to the other
Queen.
Washu.
***
Moments before the impact Funaho was savagely shoved out of the way by an unidentified
streak.
The whole lab shuddered as the object hit the floor. The aftershocks could still be felt as
Misaki, Ryoko and Kiyone reappeared. The blue-hared Queen dashed to her sister's side.
"Sister!" Was all she needed to say.
Funaho nodded, looking around. The feeling of dread sweeping over her was confirmed by
the expression on her young niece's face. Her gaze swept to the huge chunk of machinery
that had fallen.
"TENCHI!"