Disclaimer and Foreword: Tenchi Muyo! And its characters are copyrights and trademarks of AIC, Pioneer, and whoever else may own the rights to it, so please don't sue me (it's not like I have any money anyway: P). However, this story is my original creation and is copyrighted by me. Please don't copy it and claim it as your own. Thanks to Tex James for Pre reading this Revision!
Family and Friends!
(' ') Mental thoughts
" " Verbal dialogue
Chapter#5. A New Family Member
In the Onsen
"There has to be a better way to deal with this!"
Nagi was thinking this as she slowly got to know her 'New' family.
The Bounty hunter was alone, late after one of Sasami's dinners.
"Boy that was Good Food!" She appreciated the little girls' efforts and had already accepted her and her caring. But, now Nagi thought hard to herself about her current situation.
'It's considerably difficult to accept that the greatest rival of my life turns out to be my sister, and that my mother which I didn't know I had, was alive had tricked me into this situation. Of course she didn't know I was her daughter till a week ago.' She threw her hands up in frustration.
Nagi was mad, but she really didn't know whom to blame.
Ryoko was the easy target, but she knew that she wasn't to blame for this.
Washu, was to blame for how she found out, but not who, or why really.
Then she remembered "Mr. Kataro who was the person to blame, the one person whom all this mess could be laid on.
But he was killed in one of Ryoko's many raids, while under Kagato's power. 'Oh Gods why does this sort of crap happen to me and when I thought I had everything so set in my life.' Nagi sighed as she knew hiding from her new family won't make thing go back to the way her life was before. But for at least a few hours she stayed in the Onsen so she could forget the reality thrust upon her. 'This sucks!' was all she could think of now!
As she enjoyed on of the many pools that encompassed the Onsen ironically built by Ryoko. Nagi thought about this female heavy clan or family she was now begrudgingly apart of.
She took Ryoko and Washu aside to think about the others, which she could stand, ... and was beginning to like.
The one's she was closer to were the GP officers, Kiyone and Mihoshi.
Nagi could see herself talk shop with them and she at least had someone who had an idea what her life was like.
Of the rest, Sasami seem to win a soft spot in the professional bounty hunter's heart. She was one of the few who could bring out a smile to her face. Then there was Ryo-Oki, "who was so happy for me to be here".
She chuckled to herself only because Ken-Oki was here with her, spending almost every waking hour following Ryo-Oki around. But, she seemed to sense that even she did see the kindness in that cabbit's little heart.
'Wow, I need some air and clear my head of these ...thoughts!'
So, she finished her bath, got dressed and went for a walk around the Shrine's grounds.
Meanwhile, on the Masaki's roof Washu was sitting contemplating her two daughters. One still as stubborn and cantankerous as Ryoko can be, while Nagi withdrew from almost all of them.
Washu's thoughts ran on in her mind.
'It has been a disappointing three weeks since Ryoko tried to talk to Nagi, and told her the truth about me being her mother. Now it seems that she would be just as stubborn as Ryoko was, in that she doesn't believe fully that I am her mother, abetted indirectly through Kataro's manipulations.
But, what I was surprised about, was the fact that instead of leaving, getting away from her sister Ryoko, and me she stayed here! This alone gave me much hope for a way to connect with her.
One consolation was that in these three weeks Nagi has been here, she has started to warm up to most of the household, except for Ryoko, and myself! I have to do something to first get her to relate to Ryoko, and then I can hopefully get her to talk to me! Well, no problem is too great or impossible for Washu, The Greatest Scientist in the Universe ever!' An as she cackled and the local fauna got away from her a quickly as possible. On of the sisters Habuki was taking a walk.
A walk in the woods
As she walked up a winding trail away from the house, the trail gradually came to a clearing, at the foot of a cave!
"So this is Ryoko's cave." Nagi smiled a bit as she got closer. The 2nd daughter of Washu could see the decorations and the rusty gate that once held her sister at the bottom of the cave for over 700 years.
Curious about the cave she phased through the gate and floated herself through and down the secret passage to the base of the cave.
Now Nagi was not as powerful as Ryoko when she had her jewels, but Nagi now had the ability to synthesize energy from the air or space around her just like Ryoko.
Still, here in the depths of the cave, she felt the cold. The roots of Funaho, Yousho's Tree ship, generated that cold. Those roots were still there and started to have the same effect on Nagi. 'I have to get out of here.' So, she tried to go back up the steeply angled passageway as she could float anymore. But as she climbed, she lost her strength, her footing, and her balance. She slid down to the very spot that Ryoko laid in for so long. As she struggled to get up she opened her link with her family, which she had held closed since that first week after the revelation. Nagi then telepathically called out for help!
"Washu, Ryoko, I need you help, please!" Nagi called to them via their link.
"Nagi, where are you dear, please tell me where you are?" asked Washu
"In the cave where Ryoko was held, Washu I feel weak, I can't..." She collapsed in a heap!
"Oh gods, Ryoko, Ryoko I need you to meet me at the cave, Please Ryoko," begged Washu.
"What do you want Mom, I'm trying to sleep here!" replied a sleepy Ryoko
"Nagi is in you cave, please she seemed to have pass out and I need your help to get her out of there!"
"OK, OK, I'll get Ayeka and Tenchi, we might need their help!" replied a now fully awake Ryoko, now realizing the gravity of Nagi's situation.
"Good idea my Little Ryoko, I'll meet you there." Washu answered as she opened a portal that led to the front of the cave.
As Washu was making her way to the cave, she saw Tenchi, and Ayeka, carried by Ryoko landing in front of the cave. "Mom, I think that Ayeka and Tenchi should be the ones to go down there."
"Why, I am her mother and I am medically qualified to help her!" snapped Washu.
"But, Mom, I think if we go down we'd be affected by Funahos' roots, and
If they go down then she would know that we all care for her. She might be more open to talk to us."
"You know for a pain in the butt daughter, you are growing up so fast on me. (With a smile) Your right!"
Ryoko warily looked at her mother. "Do do you really mean that?"
Washu went to Ryoko, Put her hand on her cheek, then leaned over and gave her a hug! This completely floored Ryoko, but a happy smile emerged from the former space pirate. Observing this, Ayeka and Tenchi smiled, then started down to get Nagi as the mother and daughter continued to hug.
Nagi slowly awoke outside the cave with the first one she saw was her mother, Tenchi, and Ayeka. Ryoko was behind them about 5 feet away for fear that if she saw her, Nagi might not be awake enough and might react rather violently to her.
"What happened?" asked a weary Nagi.
"You were affected by the field generated by the Tree ship Funaho that kept Ryoko weak at the bottom of the cave! Since you have similar physiology, it had the same effect on you, my Little Nagi." said Washu.
"Well that will teach me to try and find out more about my family." She looked very annoyed at herself. "Thanks anyway." said Nagi
"Well I'd better get you to my lab, there something there that won't allow this to happen again, if you wander into the cave or anything similar again." replied Washu
"You OK Nagi?" Ryoko said from behind Ayeka and Tenchi.
"Yeah, I seem to be a little dizzy though." Her eyes bleary and red.
Ryoko was now sitting next to Nagi. "Do you need any help, I can teleport us, so Mom can check you out?"
Nagi: "OK" Then she said telepathically, 'I can see how you hate this cave Ryoko.'
Ryoko said "I'll get her to the lab Mom, thanks guys." She nodded to Ayeka and Tenchi, the returned their own nods as acknowledgement.
As they teleported Ryoko asked, 'Do you want to know More Nagi?'
Nagi replied as they teleport 'Later, just get me to Washu's lab.
At the Lab;
"Well, this shot will get you your energy back, but I want to show you something that can keep you from having this happen again." Washu opening up a sub-space pocket, she then produces a small case.
Nagi asks; "What's that, Washu?"
"Just open it!" replied her mother, gesturing to the box now sitting on the hoverbed Nagi was sitting on.
In the case were three blue gems. Nagi gasped!
Washu nodded and smiled, "They're exactly like the ones Ryoko has, except tuned to your specific physiological system."
Nagi said, with Ryoko next to her "Are those for me?" She held up the gems.
She then looked a bit angry with her mother. "Why? I haven't done anything to help you since I got here!"
"Because you my daughter," Nagi gives a painful look, "and I don't want you to be weakened like that ever again."
Nagi shook her head as a sign of thanks and asked; "Alright, how do I use them?"
Ryoko answered "Just wish them to you, they'll come on their own!"
Nagi did as she was told. She did that and the three blue gems floated from the case to both of Nagi's wrists, and the third to her neck
As she felt the power fill her she stumbled, but was caught by Ryoko.
Ryoko then said, "It will take a few moments but you'll get use to it."
Nag replied smiling at her former foe. "Wow, what a rush!" Nagi was getting that familiar smirk on her face.
Then she looked at her sister and mother, lifting her arm to look at the bright blue gem. "How do you know I won't turn this new power on you? Ryoko tensed up, remembering her fights with the Bounty Hunter.
Washu then answered. "Because I can sense in you a new awareness of who you really are."
Nagi was confused. "Whatta you mean?"
Washu then asked, "Why were you really in that cave, Nagi?"
Nagi hesitated to reply at first. But then; "Because... because I was just curious about what could have held Ryoko for all those years!" A little snidely in her tone.
Washu then said telepathically, 'I know you didn't mean that'
Nagi then sarcastically answered 'Well thanks Mom, I'll use it wisely'.
She then fazed out of the lab.
Ryoko approached her mother and asked; "Are you sure you did the right thing, Mom, her concern rather evident on her face.
Washu replied "Give her some time Ryoko, besides she's more angry at you than me." They both then thought about that?
Wonder why she's so angry at you Ryoko?" said Washu
Ryoko answered, "Yeah, I'd like to know too. It must have happened the first year Kagato started using me as his attack dog."
"Ryoko, I'll research her past and find out just what happened,
I'll promise you that I'll get to the bottom of this, because..." continued Washu.
Ryoko rolled her eyes, 'Oh here it comes...' she mentally sighed!
"Because, I am Washu, the best scientific genius in the Universe!"
"Oh Mom!" Ryoko shook her head in defeat.
Washu's Dilemma
Washu's POV
I had to find out why Nagi still had such a hatred towards Ryoko
All though I had promised one daughter never to put her under duress (OAV Ep.#13-b) I have to find out why the other hated the first! Seems like the Story of Cain and Abel playing in my head. Washu shook her head.
I first asked Ryoko to come after breakfast the next day to test her abilities, so I can compare them to Nagi's new and enhanced abilities now with the new blue gems I had given her. I then asked Kiyone, whom had previously known Nagi to please come that afternoon for the same reason.
What I didn't tell them was that fact that I was going to force the issue.
I knew I could lose both of them altogether, but I was getting desperate. I won't have my family torn apart!
First I ran my test on Ryoko, and then as one of my scans actually phased in a relaxant into her system, she was asleep with in seconds
Though not without getting an angry thought from Ryoko of me, being blown apart. But I knew I had to keep going.
Then I repeated the same process with Nagi, though I had to give her a higher dose, I didn't want her to blow my lab up before my drug took affect. Then I put them both in my examination tables. Yes, I now see how they could have been affected by this especially Ryoko. "Forgive me my little one!
When I was ready, I called my holo-pad from sub-space and with a few keystrokes, I woke both of them up! "I leave it to you to see what happened next!"
Ryoko suddenly woke up. "Where am I? What? Washu Why am I hanging here again? So help me I'll tear you limb from Limb you little red gnome!
Nagi upon hearing her sister's threats wakes up in the same predicament "Oh! I am so going to kill that red headed dwarf for this!"
They both then see their mother sitting on a floating cushion waiting for them to pay attention.
Washu finally speaks after both of them had stopped there ranting.
"Girls, girls, I have to tell you, you should never talk to your mother that way!"
"Why are you putting me through this again, Ryoko's Eyes filled with raw anger! "YOU BROKE YOU PROMISE!"
Then she said, "You don't know what a real mother is!" Damn that Zero, I'm losing control again.
Nagi then added; "I would have welcomed being an orphan if I'd known you were my mother!" then she took a breath and then continued; "How can you say you're a mother! Mothers don't leave their children hanging in midair, experimenting on them. Listen now you old Hag, if you don't release me now, I will kill you!"
Both girls railed on against Washu while she calmly let their second tirade go on. She finally spoke after a few minutes:
"I wanted to sit down and have a real discussion with the both of you
Individually, or together, and what have you done since you came here Nagi, ... Nothing.
Ignoring each other and me.
Well I have had it with the two of you. Ryoko, Do you think Tenchi and Ayeka have not been hurt with the treatment you given to Nagi, these last three weeks? They care about you and all three of us. They want us all to get along, but your not trying hard enough." Ryoko looks down to avoid Washu' gaze. Nagi laughs. "And you Nagi, I don't understand with all the caring people here you can be so mean and heartless. Well you two can hang there until you both stop being so bull-headed!" With that She turned and walked away, as shouts of obscene words came from both of them,
Crying as I left! She then opened a portal to another part of subspace and she collapsed. "God, that hurt So much!' as she waited for the two wayward daughters to
After about ten minutes of silence and angry glares at each other, both girls tried to try to get out of their bindings unsuccessfully.
Ryoko then said. "Well, I guess we wait for her to return."
"And, when is that going to be?" asked Nagi sarcastically.
"I hope soon." was Ryoko's reply. But, she was worried 'I am going to lose control in front of Nagi? No I can't. Damn that Washu!'
Thirty minutes later
Both girls still hung on the bindings that Washu had left them in.
A few hours later a quiet whimpering started to come from Ryoko.
Nagi heard this and said: "What's wrong, I thought a Fearless Space Pirate like you would not be affected by this sort of trial."
Ryoko quietly replied looking in anguish at her former foe. "Nagi, I have changed since you last chased me around the Universe" Tears slowly forming in her eyes. "Damn that Zero, I can't seem to control my emotions anymore" And at that she started crying!
Nagi couldn't believe her eyes, her worse archrival known for her fearlessness and Gaul, whimpering! She had never imagined Ryoko being as human as the victims she had killed.
Through the tears, Ryoko asked Nagi, "Why did you want me dead?"
Nagi tensed up. "I lost the love of my life, Hiro Watanabe when you attacked SpralexVI. He and I were partners in the Galaxy police. We were going to be married a week after the attack.
Ryoko, through tearstained eyes said: "That was one of the first Worlds Kagato made me attack. I'm so sorry Nagi, I didn't know you were there, or that you were with the Galaxy police? She continued crying, which slowly was getting to Nagi.
Nagi yelled at her! "I was until you killed Hiro!" She took a heavy breath and continued. "That's why I became a bounty hunter, so I could skirt the law that could have protected you and give me my chance to kill you!"
Ryoko then seem to recall something. "Oh God I now remember, Spralex VI was Kagato's home planet. He wanted it destroyed because he didn't want anyone from his lineage to challenge him when he took over the Universe! At least that's what he told me in my mindless state!"
Nagi was ... confused? "What mindless state?"
Ryoko cleared her throat and continued, "You can confirm this with the others. I had no control over myself or what I did." She sniffed, then said:
"Kagato had this mind control device implanted in me. (Sniff) And the worse thing was I had a ring side seat to the destruction, and murder that I was forced to do, with my own hands, and I couldn't do a thing!"
She then started really crying, getting worse and worse each minute!
Nagi turned to Ryoko: "You mean that you had no control over your actions at SpralexVI, none at all?" questioned Nagi.
Ryoko was now sobbing, "None, None at all, all those planets, all those people, even children, I keep seeing their terrified faces in my mind I just can't, AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Nagi started to see some images in her mind, realizing they're from Ryoko's memory. Washu is also seeing those images, the same one's she has seen for the 5000 years she was trapped on Kagato's Ship.
Nagi yelled; "Snap out of it Ryoko! Ryoko, RYOKO!"
Now Ryoko started having convulsions, and Nagi opened her mind link to her distraught sister to help stop this attack and reassure her!
'Listen to me Ryoko, I can understand now what you must feel about this, and I now see I was wrong, as wrong as our mother for hanging us here to get us to talk!' Washu was now crying in the next room, hearing all that was going on in her mind as well.
"Nagi I need you to see what I see, I need you to forgive me I need you to forgive me, PLEASE!"
At that Nagi saw more of what Ryoko was seeing, all those horrible and horrible images her sister was reliving.
This was making Nagi more and more angry, but not at Ryoko. No not even at her mother Washu, but at Kagato. 'That rat-bastard, and what he put Ryoko through, then she thought what she put her through!
Finally she started to feel some guilt in blaming Ryoko!
Washu then mentally said: 'Don't blame yourself for feeling guilty, you are just as much a victim of Kagato, as those people, as is Ryoko and I are!"
Nagi then felt her mother Washu in the next room; she was also overcome by the images, helpless to release them. Nagi then became enraged and started to power up. Eventually she broke her bonds, she rushed to Ryoko, broke her bonds and with her in her arms, floated down to the floor cradling her whaling sister trying to calm her down with telepathic thoughts, 'I'm here Ryoko, I forgive you I see you had no way to stop yourself. Please calm down, please!'
Ryoko then opened her link more than she'd ever done in her long life. "Help, Tenchi help me!" She repeated this telepathically, as Nagi held her. Tenchi, Ayeka and Washu heard her. Tenchi and Ayeka who were pre-warned of what Washu was doing ran to Washu's door and tried to get in without success.
Washu thought, 'God I know I went too far now, I have to help!'
She crawled up to Nagi, who put a hand out ready to fire!
"Listen Nagi I know I blew it here, but I have something that will help Ryoko, if you let me help her!"
Nagi, took a minute to access her mother's intent, she linked with her to
Know for sure she was telling the truth, and she was ... too her amazement!
'I am holding my Former archrival, now my sister, who does need help.
But, I also have a mother who is a genius in everything but her own family! I could blast her to pieces," she thought, 'But Ryoko needs help!'
She finally nodded. 'OK, but No tricks, I am keeping the link open!'
"I promise to you and to my little Ryoko that I will never pull this type of stunt again! Deal?" asked Washu? With a unison thought, Ayeka, Tenchi, and Nagi said "OK!" telepathically!
As she administered the sedative, she allowed the door to open to her lab, letting Tenchi & Ayeka in! "Washu, I told you I didn't approve of this, yet you did it" Ayeka angrily yelled.
"When I comes to my daughters I can lose my perspective, I won't do this again without consulting you and Tenchi. "I'm so sorry," and they both telepathically accepted her apology.
Washu mentally berated herself. 'I tried too hard to make Ryoko face her demons, I should have thought it out better,' She then began to cry for herself, and for her daughters!
As Tenchi held Washu, Nagi said, "I know he kept you locked up in that crystal, so this once I will forgive you for putting me and Ryoko through this, BUT, when she regains her strength, We three will have a long talk, understand!" Washu nodded yes 'At last, she wants to talk now.' As she was helped up by Tenchi, while Nagi and Ayeka help lift Ryoko up Tenchi then took her upstairs in his arms and he took her to his room. Ayeka, and Nagi followed, as Washu explained to the rest of the family what happened as she sat weakly on the coach!
Tenchi's bedroom:
As Ryoko was covered up in Tenchi's bed, Ayeka, Tenchi, and Nagi talked
Briefly.
"Lord Tenchi, I would want to stay and be here for her, I just don't
Want her to wake up without us here to help her through this! Ayeka said almost flooring Tenchi, while Nagi was indifferent.
Tenchi was about to agree, when Nagi said, "Listen Tenchi I must be here also". Before either one had time to talk, she continued. " I have found a new sister who opened up to me, and I have forgiven her for killing my Hiro, she just was a puppet of the Bastard Kagato, I really wish he were alive, because I'd tear his heart out!"
With that Tenchi answered; " I would be honored to have my future sister
In-law with us so when she does awaken, we will all be there to comfort and help her!" He then hugged Nagi, who was resistant at first, but then she hugged him back. He then pulled two futon mats out of the closet and while he laid on one, Nagi was on the other, and Ayeka laid next to Ryoko on Tenchi's bed, telepathically they linked so when Ryoko awoke, they could all tell her that they were all here for her!
Fresh Air
As the others all went to bed, Washu, went out to the patio to breath in some night air and to calm down from the failure that had been her attempt to help her daughters. One was unconscious, while the other was angry at her attempt to help! 'Oh, Gods, why can't I ever think straight when I comes to my family!' She Then did something very uncharacteristic, she climbed to the roof of the house, and slept on the spot where Ryoko always liked laying down. Just as she falls asleep, a warning signal wakes her up.
She calls her holo-pad from sub-space and types in a few keystrokes
Then her eyes widen!
In orbit around the moon
A screen shows Washu on the patio, visibly shaken! It can't be, but it's there, in synchronous orbit behind the moon, the Souja!
"Well, well I see that there's a trouble in paradise." States a lone man seated in front of the monitor who then made his way to some controls on a wall panel and started a sequence that would put into effect an experiment that would cause a reality to vanish, and put the Masaki clan in great danger! I Kendo, will have my revenge against you Washu, and I will enjoy every minute as your friends and family will be die horribly before you own eyes!
Well, Some dramatics here, and how will Washu get out of this with out some burnt feathers, or body parts for that matter, but first, we will see that events started by Kendo, will have devastating effects for a whole universe, as well as one Lonely man and his daughter.
Next Episode: Chapter 6: Of Sorrow & Hope!