Okay it's time for my pre-chapter rant. Thank you to all my beta's out there. You know who you are. You made this story a whole lot better, in my honest opinion. My previous beta has now officially dubbed herself my muse and her cat is her familiar. So watch out things could get really weird from here on out. Jordin the singing mouse and her psycho kitty are now in charge of the creativity department.
I hope that the action sequence came out okay. I might have unintentionally borrowed some moves, I don't think I did. If you think I took your story I'm sorry. I try and re-write it. So anyway... On with the fic.
Revelations and Confrontations
"Yosho..." A startled Ayeka looked at the youthful face of her long lost brother.
"Ayeka, now is not the time to address this. I will explain everything later." The still aged voiced shock Ayeka out of her stupor. With a nod of acceptance Ayeka made her way to the living room. Watching Ayeka leave Yosho could only shake his head. He had no one to blame but himself for the pain he had seen in her eyes. How would he ever explain his feelings to her? Another shake of his head, Yosho placed those thoughts behind him and focused on guarding the door from Mihoshi's insistent reach.
"I demand that you allow me entry, Lord Yosho!" Mihoshi tersely issued the command using an unusually forceful voice.
For an instant the contradiction of a forceful and commanding Mihoshi confused Yosho. Quickly regaining his composure as Mihoshi attempted to barrel past him, Yosho blocked her. "I am sorry Miss Mihoshi, but I cannot allow you to pass."
"I understand that you believe you are protecting me, but I will have to arrest you if you do not step aside. Under stature 100.2350.15582.929873 of the Intergalactic code and Galaxy Police ordinance 13432.895498.3203 I must be allow access to unauthorized power discharges and anyone, royalty or not, will be detained on grounds of conspiracy. I have no wish to arrest you but if you restrict my access one more time I will be forced to detain you." Mihoshi rattled of the entire statement without missing a beat, the normally vacant look in her eyes was replaced by the hard glint of determination.
Yosho realized exactly how Mihoshi had made it to such a high rank. If something didn't happen soon an unintentional intergalactic stalemate would begin. "I understand your position Miss Mihoshi, but I cannot allow you to pass." Yosho repeated his statement, hoping that Mihoshi would relent.
"I'm sorry you said that Lord Yosho. Lord Yosho Masaki Jurai, I am formally charging you with conspiracy to conceal a restricted weapon, as such you will be detained for questioning by the Galaxy Police. Are you aware of your rights?" Mihoshi spoke clearly and distinctly as she prepared her handcuffs. When Yosho nodded, Mihoshi continued. "Good, I will review them as a matter of formality. You have the right to legal council, as a member of Jurai royalty you have the right to...." The lab door opened cutting off Mihoshi's words.
Both Tenchi and Sasami emerged from behind the door appearing exhausted and windswept. The pair could only stare at the scene before them. Mihoshi stood with a rigid posture, preparing to handcuff a young man that resembled Tenchi's grandfather. Looks of confusion and questioning past between the four as eyes shifted from one to another.
"Uhm.... Mihoshi? What are you doing to him?" Sasami asked.
"Better yet, who is he?" Tenchi questioned.
"Tenchi, Miss Mihoshi was simply informing me of my rights before she detained me." Yosho replied rather matter-of-factly. Stunned into silence Tenchi and Sasami could only gape as the aged and wizened voice of Tenchi's grandfather coming from the lips of a man that appeared only a handful of years older than Tenchi.
Silently returning her handcuffs to their holster Mihoshi replace her professional persona with the persona everyone was accustomed to. "Yoo-hoo, guys!" Mihoshi waved her hands in front of both Tenchi and Sasami's faces.
Finally, after Mihoshi's interference both Tenchi and Sasami came to their senses. Tenchi recovered fully first, "We need to talk. Please gather everyone. Washu and Ryoko are asleep and they are not to be bothered." At the questioning look on Mihoshi's face, Tenchi cut off her upcoming question before it was issued. "They need their rest. No one is to disturb them, is that understood?" Tenchi faced the trio of youthful faces and waited for answering nods before relaxing from his unconsciously tense stance. Holding his hand out in the direction of the living room, Tenchi waited for all to leave before walking away from the door.
As the quartet made its way to the living room and joined Ayeka, the confused princess watched as her family surrounded her. "Where are Miss Ryoko and Miss Washu?" Ayeka asked deliberately avoiding looking at Yosho.
Looking directly at Mihoshi and his grandfather, Tenchi answered Ayeka's question. "They're resting. No one is to disturb them; they have had a very tiring experience."
Everyone nodded accepting Tenchi's statement. "Now, does anyone have any questions about what has just happened?"
"Yes." Mihoshi, Yosho and Ayeka answered in unison.
"Okay, Sasami and I will try and answer them as best we can. Grandfather you first." Tenchi offered seriously nodding his head in the direction of young man sitting across from him.
"Well, first I will address the issue of my youthful appearance since I know that to some of you this might be disturbing. After I sealed Ryoko in the cave I discovered that the gems in the Tenchi-ken were keeping Funaho alive, which in turn staved off the hands of death from me. As time passed it became necessary to disguise my appearance. People tend to notice an eternally youthful person, but no one regards the aged with such scrutiny. After years of experimentation, I discovered an age at which people stop trying to guess exact years and start accepting whatever they were told. My appearance was just old enough to allow the wisdom of my years to be accepted, but youthful enough to allow me the freedom of motion required should Ryoko break free before the correct moment. Now with that said, Tenchi can you explain exactly what happened in Miss Washu's laboratory?"
"Not exactly, I arrived in the last few moments, but I think Sasami can." All eyes focused full attention on Sasami.
Squaring her shoulders Sasami began to speak. "The simple answer would be an awakening." At the confused looks that stared at her, Sasami sighed. "Washu is a goddess." Three pairs of eyes widened to impossible dimensions. Turning to Ayeka Sasami continued. "Do you remember talk of the Choushin?" At Ayeka's slack jawed nod, Sasami proceeded. "Well, if you remember in the old stories, there are three: One for Good, Light and all things pure; One for Darkness, Evil and all things destructive the third One for Balance, the merger of Darkness and Light, all things colored and varied,
the Wellspring for all things creative. Their names are Tsunami, Tokimi and Washu, respectively."
Sasami watched, as already impossibly wide eyes grew even larger. "Eons ago, the Goddess Washu became discontented with her position between the constant bickering of her sisters. So without much fanfare or warning, she left the goddess realm, becoming the demented scientist we all know and love. The outpouring of energy was Washu coming in contact with her goddess powers again."
"But how, the other two gems are still in the Tenchi-ken?" Yosho questioned.
"Brother, are you naive enough to assume that the gems are Washu's sole source of Goddess powers?" Sasami questioned with a wizened voice that seemed well beyond her years. "I must explain some things to you three. First, some things that not even Tsunami truly understands. The powers of the Choushin exist on multiple planes. Not just Washu's but Tsunami's and Tokimi's as well. Just as Ryoko is the genetic, physical representation of Washu's powers, so to am I with Tsunami."
"But I thought Tenchi..." Ayeka puttered out as she watched her younger sister's head shake in a negative response.
"No, Tenchi has little to do with Tsunami, she would like to believe that she brought him his powers, but she didn't. She simply lit the initial flame. He is something more. No, Ryoko, Tokimi's champion and myself are all eternals. We are the living embodiment of their powers in this realm. Tsunami, Tokimi and Washu also have their true forms, which contain great latent power, they also have their power symbols, and should they return to the goddess realm, they would be all powerful. As you can figure, Washu's emblem of power are the three gems combined. Tsunami's is the ship tree Tsunami. And Tokimi's is difficult to explain unless you've seen its guardian D3. You see all things with the goddesses exist in triumvirates."
"But if you include the goddess realm that makes four?" Mihoshi blankly pointed out.
"Yes, that is true. But the goddess realm has no outlet to this realm. So the only extensions of their powers on this realm exist in the forms of their avatars, their emblems, and their true forms."
"But then how was Washu able to channel the powers of the goddess realm?" Again Mihoshi questioned.
"She didn't," Sasami said flatly.
"But you said..."
Sasami cut Mihoshi off. "No, I never said that Washu touched the powers of the Goddess realm, you just wrongly assumed that. Washu was channeling the power of the gems and the power latent in Ryoko on a genetic level. Thanks to all of Washu's genetic tinkering with herself, she is no longer genetically what she use to be. Contrarily, Ryoko is purely a genetic Washu derivative without being an exact clone. The little genetic variance that the Masu offers is enough to make Ryoko her own person; a completely separate entity from Washu. Ryoko is rather amazing if you think about it. She truly is Washu's scientific crowning glory. The complete merging of Goddess level power with an amazingly powerful creature. I'm glad she is our friend especially now that her powers have been awakened."
"How is it possible for you to know so much Sasami?" Mihoshi was confused; not even she knew this level of detail about Washu or Ryoko.
"I have hidden this knowledge of myself and what I am for some time now. I've known all this since the day I snuck into Tenchi's room and touched the Tenchi-ken. The gems spoke to me. They reminded me of what I was. I've tried to hide the changes in the way I act from you all." Sasami hung her head; it had been a difficult time for her. Unable to speak to anyone, not even Tsunami.
"Sasami, I think I speak for all of us, you don't have to hide who you are from us." Tenchi spoke tenderly as he grabbed the young girl's hands.
"Oh Tenchi," Sasami said as she flung herself into his chest. "I was so afraid, more so than when I thought I wasn't me anymore. I'm not what you thought I was, I'm not even what Tsunami thinks I am. And the only person who could understand didn't know what she was either. I was so lonely." Sasami wailed, long held tears streamed in great sobbing torrents down her face.
"Shhh." Tenchi gently smoothed her hair as he whispered comforting words to her.
Ayeka sat back and reappraised her attitude towards Sasami. Through the years despite the fact that Sasami had grown Ayeka still treated her as a small child. It was difficult for Ayeka to rectify the image of this mature growing girl with mental image of her small angel-faced darling little sister. Her darling little Sasami was an eternal? Those were mythical people that only came around once every thousand generations or so. There hadn't been an eternal on Jurai since before 'The Great War'! Suddenly Ryoko's ability to slip past Jurain defense made sense. If Ryoko was as powerful as Sasami made her out to be, Ayeka was grateful for whatever deity had taken mercy on Jurai.
Returning back to the event before her Ayeka watched as Sasami sobbed into Tenchi's shoulder. She's afraid I won't accept her again. Ayeka felt guilty. How could I have not noticed all the changes in Sasami? Looking at her now, the differences seemed glaringly obvious. Placing her doubts to the back of her mind Ayeka moved to comfort Sasami.
Feeling her sister's hands on her shoulder Sasami turned away from Tenchi's embrace on a sob and began a tearful litany into Ayeka's shoulder. Whispering more comforting words into her younger sister's ear, Ayeka smoothed the now disheveled hair away from Sasami's red and tear streaked face.
As sister comforted sister, Tenchi turned to his grandfather with a look that demanded a better explanation. His grandfather returned with a look of unabashed anger. How dare the boy question me? Nodding his head in the direction of the front door Tenchi made his way to the exit first. Yosho looked at Mihoshi, when she nodded her approval he rose and followed his grandson outside.
Outside a perturbed Tenchi paced away from the door and then back. Yosho emerged from the front door while Tenchi was turned away. "You wished to speak to me?" Yosho held his voice in rigid control, unwilling to allow the boy to hear how upset he really was.
"You lied to us. All of us. Especially Ayeka. How could you?" Tenchi railed.
"I had not intended to lie to anyone. No one ever asked me my age, not you, not Ayeka, not Mihoshi. None of you ever asked me my age. You all just assumed that I was whatever age you deemed appropriate for my looks. I simply didn't refute your beliefs."
"But you broke Ayeka's heart when you left. Then you did it again when she discovered that you were still alive. Now you've done it once again, since she discovered your true appearance. Does her pain mean nothing to you?"
"Her heartache is her own fault Tenchi. She chose to believe that I would eventually marry her. Despite every indication that I was opposed to the union she still hung her dreams on the pairing. Discovering my identity did not hurt Ayeka. Startled, surprised, scared even. Yes, it did all those things, but it never hurt her. And as for my true form hurting her, you are misreading her confusion and her acceptance as pain." Yosho's voice still remained calmly controlled.
It was one thing to be angry with the wise old man Tenchi knew as his grandfather. It was quite another to be angry with the arrogant calmly rational young man before him. Irrational anger surged through Tenchi. It was his fault that Ryoko was laying in that bed. It was his fault Sasami was crying her eyes out. All of this was his fault. "You're not my grandfather." The words were ground out with the force of a growl from behind clenched teeth.
"If I am not your grandfather than who am I?" Yosho knew what was coming. Had seen the irrational glint taking over Tenchi's gaze. Tenchi needed to release some of the anger of the situation and Yosho knew he was the best possible target.
"You're an imposter!" Tenchi spit out the words like a challenge.
"Is there something you want Tenchi?" Yosho mentally prepared for the fight.
"Fight!" Tenchi commanded.
Calling the Tenchi-ken to his hand, Yosho ignited the blade and stood calmly waiting for Tenchi to make his move. Yosho felt Tenchi summon his powers; it felt as if a god had descended to the planet. Points of bright blue light emerged from everywhere at once then raced at blinding speed towards Tenchi, surrounding the youngest Masaki in a cocoon of light. Then in a burst of brilliance the cocoon shattered and formed into three wings. Tenchi pushed his hands into the wings, forcing the transformation. In a matter of seconds Yosho was looking at a version of Tenchi he had never seen before.
Holding his right hand out Tenchi waited for the formation of his sword. As he grasped the bottom of the wing, Yosho watched in amazement, as the wing changed form. For a moment Yosho doubted himself, then collecting his thoughts and calming his suddenly rapid breathing, Yosho stood his ground.
"I said FIGHT!" Tenchi issued no more warning than the yell. With frightening speed Tenchi rushed at Yosho. Blades crossed and energy sparked around the pair.
"I am your Sensei; I will not take commands from you. If I must beat respect back into you then so be it." Yosho ground out as he thrust Tenchi back with all his might.
"Try it!" Tenchi screamed as again he raced towards Yosho.
Prepared for the blow that would come, Yosho secured his stance. And the second his feet scuffled into the dirt Tenchi veered to the left holding the sword with the tip pointing down and the blade completely to his left. Yosho immediately noticed the opening in the defense but doubted the legitimacy of it. So rather than attacking the weakness Yosho waited for Tenchi's attack to arrive. And with a force beyond his wildest imagination, Tenchi's blow landed. Blade skipped across blade as they met. Then with more agility than Tenchi had calculated for, Yosho sidestepped away from the full force of the blow.
No longer happy with telegraphing his actions Tenchi attacked, thrusting his sword up and around in a large arc. As Yosho moved to parry, Tenchi swiveled in a motion he had seen Ryoko perform and redirected his sword around the parry and through the hole in Yosho's defense. Tenchi's sword slid past Yosho's and stabbed at the air between sword and body. With a startled gasp Yosho opened his hands and with a wide circling arc of his arms rolled then dove away from the sword. Once away from the blade Yosho flipped back to his feet.Summoning the sword to his hands Yosho regained his composure and turned to Tenchi. Just in time to back away from the blow that was aimed at him. And before Yosho could regain his stance, Tenchi flew at him. Dashing across the short space that separated them, Tenchi rolled his grip on the sword so it pointed down then swung the blade at Yosho trapping the Tenchi-ken. With a lightening fast move Tenchi righted his grip on the sword and in the same motion pulled the Tenchi-ken from Yosho's hands.
Snatching the sword from the air then flipping backward Tenchi crossed both swords in front of himself, before pointing them at Yosho. Anger nowhere near abated Tenchi flung the Tenchi-ken at Yosho, the blade imbedding itself into the ground at the older man's feet. "You are no longer my Sensei." Tenchi huffed between huge gulps of air. And then, turning on his heels, Tenchi left.
Whew well, that's another chapter in the can. So tell me what you think? Like the action? Hate it? Think I'm going completely off my rocker? Tell me. Heck anything you say can't be as bad as the constant heckling I get from my best friend turned muse. Sick little demented troll that she is. Her cat's actually worst. Oh well. Next chapter, will hopefully deal with the Jurain royalty and counsels issues. But I make no promises, my muse is feeling peckish.