Disclaimer
Tenchi and all associated characters are the property of AIC and Pioneer LDC. I don't own any rights to them. Any other characters are property of their respective copyright holders, not me.
*****
The Great Cabbit Search
Chapter 11
Here We Are Again
Part 3
*****
To say that Ayeka was surprised when she found out that she had been living with her brother for months was putting it mildly. After she was done beating him about the head and all of her tears had dried, Washu gave her a mild sedative from Yagami's medical stores and had the other Ayeka put her to bed. She then assured everyone that the princess would be fine in the morning. The rest of the group gathered in the Masaki family living room to map out a plan of attack. This included the other Tenchi who had snapped back to reality during Ayeka's outburst.
"All right, there are certain things we need to do first," Washu began. "Kiyone, Mihoshi, I want you to take Yagami up tomorrow and look for any evidence of Juraians on this planet. Besides the group here I mean. If the current Jurai government catches wind of what we're up to, they'll turn this planet into atoms."
"Right. We'll leave first thing in the morning," said Kiyone.
"Gee, I hope it's after we eat one of Sasami's breakfasts. Right Kiyone?" asked Mihoshi. Kiyone bopped her in the head with a pillow from the couch.
Washu chuckled, "I suppose it could wait until then, yes. Sasami, is the ship Tsunami here? Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about, we know all about you and Tsunami."
Sasami looked startled for a moment then replied in Tsunami's voice, "No, my sister's sister. The ship did not get away from Jurai before it was seized."
Washu sighed, "Ah. I was hoping… Oh well, nothing we can do about it then."
Sasami shook herself and in her normal voice asked, "Anyone want more tea?" She got up and went into the kitchen followed by the other Sasami and Ryo-ohki.
*****
The two Tenchi's sat uneasily eyeing each other. "What's it like? Being a guy I mean," Tenchi asked her counterpart.
"I don't know," he answered. "It's all I've ever been. Could you explain being a girl?"
She shook her head and grinned at him. He's cute. No wonder those two fell in love with him. I hope I meet someone like him someday.
*****
Washu sat back in the chair and made a satisfied sound. The plans were going well; they might even have a chance to pull it off. Provided that this reality's Ryoko would cooperate that is. Then they could get down to the business of finding out about the other cabbits that supposedly existed here. Neither Yosho nor Ayeka had seen any besides Ryo-ohki 700 years before, but they'd heard rumors from merchants who traded far outside of Jurai's borders.
"Well, I suppose we'd better call it quits for tonight. Tomorrow's going to be a long day. Is everyone sure they're all right with what we're going to do?" the scientist asked.
She got nods from everyone. "Ok, everyone try to get a good night's sleep. Tenchi," she stopped the girl with her hand, "I know you're nervous about Ryoko. Don't be, it'll all turn out ok. I have a feeling, and I am a goddess after all."
"I know Lady Washu, I'll try," Tenchi said demurely.
"Oh, and drop the 'Lady' part, ok? I let your grandfather get away with it in both realities because it amuses both of us, kind of an inside joke. But everyone else just calls me Washu or Little Washu as the case may be. Except for Skuld of course…"
"Who's Skuld?" the girl asked.
"Don't worry about it. Go to bed."
*****
Ayeka watched the next morning as Yagami left on the mission that Washu had assigned the two GP officers. She was still upset about her brother and that put her in a really bad mood. This was obvious to everyone else and they were avoiding her as much as possible, which really didn't help.
*****
"Sasami, I don't think you should go with us into the cave," said Ryoko. "You've never seen me like that and I don't want you to have nightmares. Either of you."
"But Ryoko," pleaded the Sasami with the triangle symbol, "we both want to be there. Everyone else gets to go."
"Yeah," said the other one, "and I'm still mad about being left on the ship with Mihoshi during our last adventure."
Ryoko chuckled, "Ok, tell you what; if your sisters agree, then you can go. Otherwise you stay here with the cabbits. Agreed?"
"Yay!" cheered both Sasami's and immediately ran out of the room to start working on their respective sisters.
Gotta love 'em, thought the ex-pirate.
*****
It was late morning when the group finally gathered outside the cave entrance. Katsuhito produced the keys to the lock and handed them to his granddaughter. "I think you should do the honors Tenchi. It just seems right somehow."
She took the keys and tried the one that looked like it would fit the ancient padlock. Wonder of wonders it clicked open on the first try. Washu grinned at her, "See, it's been waiting a long time for you. Go on in, we're right behind you."
The group walked down the long, dark passage. Ryoko smiled to herself as a small blue glow sped past them, headed deeper into the cave. She knew what that was. See you soon, she thought.
Rounding a bend in the passage, the group entered a small chamber almost entirely covered by tree roots. Prayer strips hung everywhere and tucked away near the far wall was a small shrine. Katsuhito nodded to the little house, "Open it Tenchi, and remove what you find inside."
Tenchi slowly opened the small doors. Inside was a sword hilt decorated with intricate carvings and three red jewels. Tugging hard, she managed to remove the old blade. "It's just a rusty old piece of junk!" she exclaimed once it was free of its sheath. The other Tenchi smiled when he heard her, his own exactly the same words echoing in his mind.
Katsuhito smiled. "The blade itself is a fake, a 'piece of junk' as you put it. The hilt however is the Master Key."
There was a sharp intake of breath from the purple haired princess. "The Tenchi-ken! The Master Key to the Juraian Trees. Is that really it?"
"Yes, sister," Katsuhito replied without looking at her. "Now Tenchi, point it at that rock over there and will it to open. Just think 'open'."
"Not 'Open Sesame'?" chortled Washu.
The old priest laughed too, "If you wish it, then yes. 'Open Sesame' will work just as well."
Tenchi did as she was told and much to her surprise the rock split in two. When it did, the tree roots that covered the far wall began to retract.
"What you see around you is one of my ship Funaho's containment units," Katsuhito explained. "It protects the doorway to Ryoko's crypt. Tenchi just deactivated it."
"Like the units I kept you and Ryoko in on Ryu-oh when we first met," whispered blue haired Ayeka to her Tenchi.
"I got that," her husband whispered back.
A seam appeared in the far wall once the roots had disappeared; it slowly widened into a narrow passageway. Tenchi was fascinated by all that was happening in the room, when he'd gone through this himself he hadn't had time to watch everything. He pointed to the newly opened passage. "Through there; but be careful, it's steep and slippery."
"Good advice," said the priest. "It is very steep and slippery. Shall we?"
Once again Tenchi led the way at the urging of her grandfather and Washu. Everyone managed to make it to the bottom without incident. In the center of the chamber was a glowing pool that Ryoko recognized at once. She stumbled and almost fell.
Washu turned to her daughter, "Are you ok Ryoko? I'm sure this bothers you."
Ryoko had her Tenchi's arm in a grip that would have made Misaki proud. "Yeah mom," she said with just a hint of a quaver in her voice. "I'll be fine."
"Good, because we're going to need you." Washu turned and started across the floor.
The group walked to the pool and looked in. Ayeka (blue hair) gasped at what she saw. She turned to her spouse with a sympathetic expression. "Oh Ryoko, I had no idea. All those times I called you a monster… I'm so sorry."
Ryoko dismissed her with a wave of her hand. "It's in the past now, Ayeka; I never really took you seriously. Besides, I was a monster under Kagato."
"Oh wow, Ryoko! Is that really what you looked like?" asked her Sasami. "Scary. No wonder Tenchi was afraid of you at first."
"Yeah, Sasami. Don't say I didn't warn you guys about it," said Ryoko, looking at the body in the pool and shivering with the memories.
"So, this is the infamous Demon of Jurai, eh? Well, now she looks the part. I don't understand why we need to release her, why not just let her rot?" Ryoko and Ayeka turned to look at the purple haired princess. Both growled menacingly.
"Princess, you obviously haven't heard a word we've said," Washu said angrily. "Even your brother agrees that it's time to bring her back. The statute of limitations on her crimes expired long ago."
Ayeka whirled on the scientist, "I cannot agree to anything that will put Tenchi in any danger. Ryoko is too unpredictable. She…"
Tenchi put her hand on Ayeka's arm. "It's all right Ayeka. If we want to see Jurai returned to your family we need her help. And if she's anything like the other Ryoko, you two should get along fine." She turned to Washu. "I suppose I'm as ready as I'll ever be."
Washu gestured for everyone to move back. "Tenchi should be the only one she sees at first. We don't want to spook her, although I'm pretty sure she already knows we're here." She nudged the girl toward the pool. "Regardless of anything you see or hear, just remember that she's not going to try to hurt you. Besides, we'll be right here to stop her."
Tenchi looked at the desiccated body submerged in the fluid and swallowed hard. She wasn't sure she wanted to go through with this now. This Ryoko sure didn't look anything like the beautiful girl with the golden eyes and bluish hair standing next to her other self
"Tenchi, it has to be you. Everything else being equal, you're the only one she'll trust," Washu said gently.
Tenchi swallowed again and walked back to the edge of the pool. She looked over her shoulder at her Grandfather who nodded assent. The redheaded scientist was busy typing on an ethereal computer terminal.
Whatcha doin' mom? came Ryoko's silent question when she saw Washu busy with her holo-terminal.
Washu responded the same way. Trying to reactivate the lab that exists in this reality; we'll have to get her deprogrammed as soon as possible. You don't want to go through that whole Soja mess again, do you?
Ryoko shuddered at the idea, then shuddered again as another thought struck her. You're not gonna tie her up like you did me, are you?
No, I've refined my methods since then. Do you want me to apologize again? Washu suddenly smiled, success!
Tenchi knelt at the edge of the pool and closed her eyes. She reached out her hand and touched the fluid; it had a slightly oily feel and was very cold. There was a movement in the pool and she felt something caressing her hand. The feeling slowly moved up her arm until it was touching her face. Sounds were now coming from in front of her; soft moans and gasps as if whatever it was was trying to talk to her. Slowly she opened her eyes to see the demon's wooden mask with two glowing orbs for eyes just inches from her own face. A bony hand was running itself around the outline of her jaw. She had to fight the urge to pull away and run.
"Tenchi," called Washu quietly, "lead her out of the pool. We'll do the rest."
Tenchi hesitantly reached out and took the demon's arm. A gentle pull caused the thing to follow her as she stepped back from the pool.
Washu turned to her daughter, "Ryoko, I want you to feed her some of the power from the gems. It took you weeks to regenerate yourself, we can let her do it in minutes."
"Why don't we just give her the gems from the sword?" Ryoko asked.
Her mother gave her a look that said she was an idiot. "Because she's not quite sane yet. Remember what you were like when you first came out; you destroyed Tenchi's school and almost killed him, and that was without any gems except the fake one. What do you think she'd do with all the power of the real ones?"
"Hey! I was just playin' with him. But I get your point." Ryoko stepped forward and pointed her hand at the demon. A soft red light came forth and enveloped her other self and the girl Tenchi. To everyone's amazement except Ryoko and Washu, the demon's form began to fill out and her hair resumed its natural cyan color. The mask slipped to the floor to reveal two golden eyes. "Tenchiii," she moaned before she fell to the floor, unconscious.
Washu rubbed her hands together, "Ok. Now, let's get her into the lab so's I can get to work on her."
"I assume it's in its usual place?" asked Ryoko, lowering her hand and stepping forward to pick up her other self.
"Yep," confirmed her mother.
"Ok, I'll meet you all there." Ryoko teleported away, gently cradling her double in her arms.
Outside the cave near the shrine, the Space Tree Funaho beamed the message of Ryoko's awakening back to Tsunami's Tree on Jurai. Tsunami, upon receiving the message, smiled. Soon the events in this reality would begin to correct themselves, with a little help from the outsiders.
*****
To be continued
*****
Author's Notes
Review Replies
Vsdefender – After your review I went to K'thardin's page and read that other review. Wow. Scathing is putting it mildly. Needless to say I didn't bother hunting up the fic. I spent some time looking on GenSao's page as well and the fic I referred to was "Bishonen Muyo" by Keener. It's not a bad fic, but it wasn't to my taste for some reason.
And although I'm familiar with Ranma, I'm not a big fan. Once again, it's an excellent series but doesn't really interest me too much. However, there's an excellent crossover fic that you're probably familiar with already – "Hearts Healing" by D.F. Roeder (http://www.flash.net/~dfroeder/index.html) that takes place in an AU in which Ranma meets up with Ryoko after Tenchi chooses Ayeka.
DennisuD – Nope, none of the above. But Kagato does play an important role here. Thanks for the ideas though, you've given me plenty; some of which I've managed to use, like Minagi. (She may show up again sometime, who knows? After all, she's kinda pissed off at Xellos too.) Just a little poke at my gray matter sometimes really helps.
I've never seen Evangelion, although I've seen a few jpegs from the series and there's trailers for it on my Slayers videos. I understand it's rather dark, but it looks interesting. Maybe I'll read your EVA fics to get a feel for it.
BobR
12/21/2001
