Disclaimer: I do not claim to own anything related to Tenchi Muyo be it
characters, plots or clothing styles. This story is written entirely for
my own entertainment and (hopefully) the entertainment of readers
Tenchi Muyo! characters and related plots belong to AIC and PIONEER.
I'd like to thank my first 6 reviewers, Yuffie, Hikari no Tabi, Mershu, Poncho D, Red Fox and Starlight The Wanderer for their comments.
It's always very reassuring to have positive feedback when you post a piece of writing on a website for the first time :)
*tips hat*
I would greatly appreciate any and all criticism/reviews you are willing to give. Your input helps me become a better writer :)
"" for dialogue '' for thoughts ** for emphasis
Here is Chapter 2 of Intervention, it's a little less dynamic than the last one, but necessarily so in my book.
I hope you enjoy it.
/**********************************************************************\
It had taken a long time for Washu to calm after their argument. As her crying had slowed she reverted to her child form and fit almost perfectly into Tenchi's arms. 'This is her escape' he realized, 'In this form people respond to her as a child and expect less of her'. Yet the pain in her eyes belied her appearance. No person that young could have experienced the sorrows and trials which now showed in her jade green eyes.
It was an ancient pain, scarred many times over but no less immediate or acute. It called to Tenchi and he responded, just as he would have to the distress of any of *his* girls. It was the principle reason that Ryoko and Ayeka fought each other fervently for him, It was a very rare person indeed who would open his home, house and heart to five complete strangers, then care for them as he would his own sisters.
Washu was quiet now, she stared down at Tenchi's arms, hiding her face from his gaze.
"Why do you do it Washu ?" he asked her softly, Tenchi was determined not to let Washu's current state distract him. The picture of Ryoko reduced to tears, crying his name in distress stood at the forefront of his mind, demanding answers. He knew what had happened, now he must find out why.
Washu slowly lifted her head, her tears had formed tracks which ran down her exquisitely formed cheeks, her eyes were wide, and stared mutely at him. Tenchi almost repeated his question unsure if he had been heard, when she opened her mouth.
"To get closer" she whispered. Tenchi did not understand, it made no sense to him. 'She treated Ryoko as an experiment in order to get closer to her ?' confusion showed on his face as Washu frowned in concentration, it seemed almost as though she couldn't believe it herself.
She elaborated, "It's the only way that I can spend time with her, she avoids me whenever I try talking to her, and she blocks our link" Washu's voice was clear, but still weak. She spoke the words not as a justification for what she had done, rather it seemed as though she was repeating her thoughts to help her own understanding.
Tenchi was a shocked by this, "You know full well that is no excuse Washu" his voice was quiet, yet forceful.
"I know that" the words were spoken with a hint of acerbity which reminded Tenchi of the Scientist Washu. The Washu who followed her interests with fanatical tenacity and constructed machines of bewildering complexity.
The Washu who was so noticeably absent now.
"It seemed logical at the time, If she wouldn't have anything to do with me, I would force her." Washu was obviously upset, though now it was more with herself. How could she have believed that Ryoko would have warmed to her under such ministrations was a mystery to her. What had seemed like an acceptable method of furthering their mother/daughter bond was now a twisted, sick way of spending time with her daughter.
'It's a circle that they're both trapped in' Tenchi realized at last, Washu treats Ryoko as just another guinea pig, Ryoko then refuses to have anything to do with her, which in turn makes Washu try even harder, resulting in nothing but further rejection. 'And it all began when Ryoko refused to acknowledge Washu while we were on The Souja' he thought. In a way they were both responsible for this mess, each had acted without consideration for the other's feelings.
'And it's up to me to sort it out' Tenchi thought wryly.
Washu continued, "I don't understand why she avoids me, shouldn't she want to be part of a family again ?" Washu was distressed, she could not comprehend why Ryoko didn't *want* to be her daughter.
"Washu..." Tenchi began gently, "Ryoko has no memories of you as her mother, from her point of view it must have seemed as though a stranger was making ludicrous claims.
A thought struck Tenchi with the force of a lightning bolt, 'Her appearance...?'. It must have seemed to Ryoko at the time that the notion of a young teenage girl being her mother was absurd. 'And that would have only become worse' he realized. Thinking back to Taro's visit he remembered his conversation with Washu.
"Lineage, social status, why should such things matter so much ? That's how grownups are, If that's so I'd be happier being a child, never ever growing up" Washu had spoken then of her past and Tenchi's heart had gone out to her. Yet once again she had distracted them all by assuming her adult form, and playfully trying to seduce him.
It seemed to him now that she had done so to stop them from realizing something very important. Her child form was nothing more than an escape from the Adult world, her responsibilities as an Adult, a Scientist and ultimately as a Mother. She was running from the legacy that her ex-husband and his family had left her, a legacy of alienation and isolation.
No doubt that was how it seemed to Ryoko, only on a much more personal level.
'Washu's child form must be a slap in the face to Ryoko, contradicting everything Washu has said to her concerning motherhood' Tenchi's thought depressed him, How could he help them both ? Ryoko needed a mother who could help her learn to live again, a comforting, calm presence, whereas Washu needs something similar from her daughter, someone who would help her deal with her past and bring her into the future.
'Ryoko certainly doesn't fit that bill' he thought sadly.
Washu meanwhile had been unable to escape her own thoughts, she clutched at Tenchi bringing him out of his reverie and looked up at him with tear filled eyes.
"What does she want from me Tenchi ?" Her voice was nearly breaking under the strain, tight with anguish, "If I try to be her mother I get rejected outright, being a scientist only pushes her away" She held onto him tightly, "I have nothing else, I don't know of any other path" she almost broke down in tears once more.
Tenchi sat there for a moment desperately trying to think of a solution, 'She is trapped' he thought, 'Any resolution must come from Ryoko, Washu is too dependent on Ryoko for her happiness, It *must* come from Ryoko' The thought was not a welcome one, trying to get Ryoko to talk to Washu now seemed an impossible task, akin to convincing his grandfather to give him a day off training.
But he could see no alternative.
"Washu, You could just ask Ryoko" he said it simply and quietly, hoping that she would recognize the only solution.
She looked up at him in shock, "She'd never talk to me now, I'd consider myself lucky if she stayed on the same planet once this is all over." Washu looked up at him, desperately trying to think of alternatives but she realized as he already had, that it was far too late for anything else.
"What other choices do you have Washu ?" he put the question to her knowing full well that she had none.
While gently smiling at Washu, Tenchi slowly untangled her from his arms, stood, then went to get Ryoko.
/**********************************************************************\
Tenchi quietly shut the door to Washu's laboratory and looked around for the others. Mihoshi slept on the couch, a large bubble expanding and contracting from her nose with her breath. 'She probably overate again' Tenchi smiled fondly at the incredibly attractive young woman, It never failed to amaze him how she could devour so much food in such a short period of time, and still maintain a shape that Ayeka or Ryoko could be jealous of.
His thoughts returned to the task he had set himself, 'Why is it always me ?' he asked himself with a certain wry acceptance. These women, beautiful and powerful all, had travelled distances he could not fully comprehend to stay here with him, and, as it sometimes seemed, to involve him in their problems. He wondered as he often did, what his life would have been like if he had never stolen that key from his Grandfather. Though with the revelation that his Grandfather, Katsuhito was none other than the missing Prince Yosho of Jurai, it was seeming more and more likely that he had been set up from the beginning.
'It wouldn't be anywhere near as exciting, that's for sure' he mused as he started up the stairs to his bedroom, If Ryoko wasn't awake he decided to stay there until she was. This had to be resolved as soon as possible for he doubted if either of them, Ryoko or Washu, would be able to live for much longer with the situation as it was, now that it had all come to a head. All of the anger that had been directed at Washu was gone now, dissipated by the realization that she was suffering at least as much as Ryoko, if not more.
Tenchi reached his door and paused for a moment, looked around, then slid the door open quietly.
He need not have bothered, Ryoko sat on his bed with a faraway look in her golden, cat like eyes. She had obviously cleaned herself up, now she wore her favorite yellow striped dress and her hair was pulled back from her head, lending her face a severity it usually lacked. In her lap sat a quiet Ryo-ohki who dozed as Ryoko petted her absently.
Gone was the frightened child who had greeted Tenchi with tears that morning.
Ryoko looked up at Tenchi as he opened the door, she smiled at him in a way uncharacteristic of her. It was a pure smile, a smile you would show to only those you trusted utterly. Being used to smiles of the more seductive variety from Ryoko, Tenchi was taken aback.
She gently removed Ryo-Ohki from her resting place, who opened one eye and, noticing Tenchi, greeted him with a yawn-like 'Miyah' closed the eye, and went back to sleep. Ryoko stood, the smile had been replaced with a determined look as she walked towards him.
Tenchi was reminded of a hunting cat stalking its prey, ".Ryoko.." he began before she wrapped her arms around him, and laid her head on his shoulder.
"Tenchi.." she whispered into his ear, her voice timid, "Tenchi, let's disappear, go away, far away from that little witch, the Princess and the rest" She spoke the words dreamily, her imagination had been caught by a passing fancy, an elusive dream.
She held him back at arms length to watch his reaction. It was not the one she had so dearly hoped for.
Tenchi reacted the only way he could have being the person that he was, he stuttered ". What..about... ?" before falling silent and trying to formulate a response.
Because of this, he missed the moment when Ryoko saw the denial in his eyes and her heart broke.
Tenchi had proved his love to her by carrying her out of Washu's Den. She had hoped that with one love denied her, that of a mothers, she could find solace with Tenchi away from the red-headed woman who claimed her parentage.
She spun and stalked back to the bed, no tears streamed down her face this time, she was determined, Tenchi or no Tenchi she could not stay here, where *she* could reach out and touch her at any time.
Ryoko scooped up Ryo-Ohki, who squawked in protest, then hurled her out of the window. Ryo-Ohki assumed her spaceship form, obeying her mistress, then, turning for a last look at the one she was leaving behind, Ryoko phased upwards and out of the house.
Tenchi ran over to the window and watched on in horror as the Spaceship Ryo-Ohki accelerated upwards out of Earth's atmosphere, taking Ryoko further and further away from him.
/**********************************************************************\
Mihoshi blinked wearily as Tenchi shook her awake. His voice knifed through her sleep fogged mind like sunlight through a fog bank, which though bringing her to full awareness, did not engage *all* of her faculties.
She smiled up at him, her blue eyes large in her pretty face, she seemed happy to see him, It was then that Tenchi realized how little time he had actually spent with her, he felt a brief twinge of guilt, realizing, how of all of the girls, she remained an enigma to him.
But right now he needed her help, Yukinojo was the only other spaceship on Earth that could catch Ryo-Ohki and he desperately needed to get Washu and Ryoko talking again. Tenchi ignored the little voice inside him that questioned that resolve, might he not have another motive for wanting Ryoko to return ?
"Mihoshi I need to borrow Yukinojo, Ryoko and I had an argument and she ran away in Ryo-Ohki, we need to get her back" It was not the entire truth, but when one dealt with Mihoshi it was usually a good idea not to add unnecessary complications, she did that well enough on her own.
Mihoshi absorbed this without a word, which was probably due to the fact that she had started to yawn as soon as he woke her. Tenchi looked askance, her gaping maw was enormous. She stared blankly at him for a moment and then, thankfully from Tenchi's point of view, she stood up and retrieved her subspace key from an invisible pocket somewhere on her person without asking any questions.
Mihoshi managed to find the combination on her cube that changed her clothes to a Galaxy Police uniform without too much trouble, though Sasami would likely be unimpressed at the large pile of assorted debris that had accumulated during Mihoshi's troubleshooting.
Mihoshi looked at him, raised her fist and cried in an enthusiastic voice: "Don't Worry Tenchi, We'll catch the horrible Space Pirate Ryoko!" It was obviously meant to inspire confidence, but only served to worry him more.
Tenchi sighed, shook his head then followed her out onto the deck where she once again played with her subspace key. A number of saucepans, food items and pink lingerie later, Yukinojo emerged from a subspace portal where Washu had taken to storing it.
Washu again, Tenchi hoped that she was holding up in her Lab, and that he succeeded in returning Ryoko to Earth. She was falling apart and he didn't know how much longer she'd be able to keep it herself together.
The last thing he needed was a suicidal scientist with a penchant for inventing world obliterating machinery, 'If she decides to go out with a bang, the whole world would probably join her' he thought wryly, yet not without a certain apprehension.
He looked up as Mihoshi tapped him on the shoulder, she smiled at him cheerily, and reassured him "Don't worry Tenchi we'll find her,". Ever the optimist, Mihoshi skipped up Yukinojo's ramp and entered the cockpit.
"Mihoshi unauthorized personnel are not permitted inside the cockpit" Yukinojo's avatar swiveled in distaste as Tenchi entered the cockpit. It somehow managed to exude an aura of resignation, as if it knew that it's constant repetition of rules and regulations was ignored, yet still it continued to remind Mihoshi.
It eyed Tenchi as he sat next to Mihoshi in the co-pilots chair and she prepared to take off. "Oh ! " Mihoshi punctuated her surprise with a little jump, then turned to Tenchi. " Ryo-Ohki is still just outside of the atmosphere in a stationary orbit, I thought you said Ryoko ran away ?" she looked an him inquiringly, her large eyes staring at him inquiringly.
Tenchi was at a loss himself, "Maybe she changed her mind" he spoke the words the placate Mihoshi who nodded, then turned back to the control panel. He did not believe them however, He had seen Ryoko's face as she had looked back at him, her face set in determination, but her eyes had been pleading.
'She won't stay here with Washu, no matter what she feels for me' he thought, his original intent to bring them together now seemed impossible. 'If she'd leave us all just to escape Washu....' his thoughts trailed off.
Yet he had to try.
Yukinojo drew up to Ryo-Ohki but refused to get close. The little robot had shook in what had seemed like horror when Tenchi had requested a smaller distance between them. Apparently it had extensive files on all of the Galaxy's most wanted criminals and what it read in there regarding Ryo-Ohki had frightened the ship.
Tenchi was surprised that Ryoko had taken no action when they had arrived. If she had truly been intent upon escaping he had at least expected her to fire warning shots or to accelerate away form them. But Ryo- Ohki just floated there, powerless it seemed, yet looking no less deadly for it. Washu done a good job when she had built the little cabbit.
"Mihoshi could you open a channel to Ryo-Ohki please ?" Tenchi hoped that he could somehow contrive to get himself onboard, he didn't like his chances of convincing Ryoko to return home while he sat here with Mihoshi.
"Ok Tenchi" Mihoshi was not sure how Tenchi intended to talk Ryoko out of whatever she intended to do, she herself had tried to talk both Ryoko and Ayeka out of many things, but it always seemed to result in injuries. 'Well, if anybody can, it's Tenchi' Mihoshi could be dense, but she was not blind. She knew how much Ryoko cared for Tenchi, and she loved the little family they had built on Earth around him. She was willing to do just about anything to bring it back together again.
A panel appeared above the ship's controls, it showed an image of Ryoko in profile, she was arguing with no-one that Tenchi could see.
"Damn it Ryo-Ohki, I don't care about the others just so long as that little witch doesn't get her hands on us again" her eyes had called lie to her statement about the 'others' but when it came to Washu they had hardened. It seemed that Tenchi had Ryo-Ohki to thank for stalling Ryoko's escape into space. He silently blessed the little cabbit and promised to himself that he'd plant a whole field of carrots as reward.
"Miyah, Miyah" Ryo-Ohki was obviously trying to keep Ryoko from noticing the communication line that she had opened with Yukinojo. As Ryoko turned to walk back to her chair that floated in the center of the room, she spotted the screen out of the corner of her eye, and Tenchi looking on.
"Ryoko.." Tenchi knew he was too late as her eyes narrowed and she closed the channel with a dismissive wave of her hand.
Tenchi sat back heavily in his chair, he was out of options. He now admitted to himself that he had no idea how he was going to get Ryoko to come back home when he had woken Mihoshi and left with her in Yukinojo. Now he was at a loss at what to do. He didn't want to have to go back to the others and tell them that Ryoko had left, the knowledge would probably crush Washu utterly, most likely resulting in her desertion of the family as well.
Tenchi sighed and turned to Mihoshi, she was staring intently at the panel in front of her. ".Tenchi..." she looked at him uncertainly just as Yukinojo started to wail.
"Mihoshi , Mihoshi ! Ryo-Ohki is drifting towards us, at it's current speed, impact is likely within sixteen seconds"
At that moment the comm channel returned to life. It held Ryo-Ohki's furry face, "Miyah, Miyah, Miyahyahyah yah MIYAH" she desperately tried to make herself understood while looking straight at Tenchi.
Tenchi who had no idea what she was trying to say, was about to respond when the screen went blank again.
"Mihoshi, Impact within ten seconds"
Mihoshi began to weep hysterically as Tenchi sat there in shock. 'What had Ryo-Ohki been trying to say ?'
"eight seconds"
Mihoshi clutched at him and cried into his shoulder, he could barely hear his own thoughts over the alarm bells and her crying.
"five seconds"
It finally sank into Tenchi that he was, most likely, going to die up here far from his home, at least he was close to three of his loved ones.
"3 seconds" Yukinojo screeched, it seemed that one of the original designers had given the ship a sense of it's own mortality.
But the only thing Tenchi really regretted was his failure to bring Ryoko and Washu together.
"2 seconds" There was a metal screech as something dragged itself across Yukinojo's Hull, 'Ryo-Ohki most likely' he thought.
"Brace for Impact" Yukinojo sounded morose now, 'Probably regretting it's failure to steer Mihoshi towards a glorious career in the Galaxy Police' Tenchi smiled for the final time, and closed his eyes as the other ship filled Yukinojo's viewscreen.
As it was, his eyes were still closed when a beam of light focused and drew them upwards into the belly of Ryo-Ohki.
/**********************************************************************\
Consciousness was slow to return to Tenchi, in fact it surprised him that it had bothered to return at all, especially considering the circumstances under which it had departed.
It swiftly occurred to him that he was not in fact dead, he came to this conclusion by a process of careful observation. Firstly, he was lying on a cold metallic floor and he thought it extremely unlikely that Heaven of all places would have cold floors. Secondly, His head hurt far too much for him to be dead, assuming that pain ended with death, else he was in for an eternity consisting of one long, painful headache.
He slowly became aware of a voice, the voice was loud, very loud, in fact so loud that it formed a counterpoint tune with the throbbing of his head.
He opened his eyes slowly, He was inside Ryo-Ohki.
He could not remember how he had managed to get onboard, the last thing he remembered was Yukinojo screeching a countdown that stopped around about 'We're screwed kiddies'.
By this time Tenchi had recovered more of his faculties and he shut down the one that had served him well immediately upon awakening, that is the processes that provided his dry, witty sense of humor.
He looked around him, yes, he was onboard Ryo-Ohki, he lay behind the chair facing towards the viewscreens. The owner of the chair stood in front of it, still arguing with her recalcitrant ship.
Tenchi turned around, just as he had surmised a compressed, two dimensional Yukinojo lay just under the floor behind him. Ryoko or, more likely Ryo-Ohki had shrunk them at the moment of impact, though it begged the question why he was not still in there with Mihoshi.
It hit him "Ryo-Ohki wants me to convince Ryoko to come home". In the interval between wakefulness and sleep he had lost sight of the reason he had come up here in the first place.
Tenchi slowly stood regretting every minute that he had spent laying there on the floor. Squared his shoulders then walked towards Ryoko.
She had obviously heard his groaning and turned to face him. She stood straight as he approached, and did not say a word.
Tenchi stopped a few meters from her and faced her squarely, he would have to be careful, lest he push her even further away.
"Why are you leaving Ryoko ?" The question slipped out of him, just when he was considering his words. It seemed to surprise her as much as it had him.
Her face hardened, "I would have thought that would have been obvious" the answer was a snide one. "I can't stand to live with that woman anymore" her tone was cold and flat.
Tenchi struggled with his next words, aware that they could possibly inflame her, "Ryoko that *woman* as you call her, is your mother.." his voice was quiet, but inside Tenchi was tense.
Ryoko almost laughed in his face, "That woman, a mother ? What is a mother Tenchi ? I watched you and Achika together, I know how a mother is supposed to act, Washu is nothing like a mother" she sneered the word mother at the end. Tenchi it seemed, was taking Washu's side again.
Tenchi struggled to answer, she was right and that was what made it so very difficult, He had made the very same point against Washu just that morning. In her shoes, he wasn't sure if he would have reacted differently.
Tenchi had an idea, and the truth would serve to start him off. "But you never gave her a chance Ryoko, now she thinks that the only way to spend time with you, is to performs experiments and tests !" he deliberately made his tone pleading.
Ryoko is shocked, 'He *is* taking her side'
She reacted with anger, "See ! there you go again, always taking somebody else's side" that sounded childish even to her own ears, "Does that excuse her actions ? Was it *Okay* for her to torture me just to spend time in my company ?" she was genuinely upset, awed that Tenchi could take a stand against her in this.
Tenchi tried to mollify her somewhat, "Of course not, but the reason she does so is because she feels that you have left her with no alternative".
Ryoko was indignant, "What was I supposed to do ? I didn't recognize her, and still don't, not as my mother, I have no memories of her" her voice rose slightly, "Not to mention, how would you react if a shrimp like that popped up out of nowhere after a few thousand years and claimed to be your mother ?" Ryoko was trying to convince him that she was right, to win him back to her side.
Little did she realize that he already believed that both of them were to blame.
'I was right' Tenchi thought, 'Washu's appearance'. He spoke earnestly; "I'm not saying that what Washu has done is right", he paused for a moment, 'now I try'. His question came completely out of the blue for Ryoko, "Ryoko do you actually want a mother in your life ?"
She stood there for a moment, thrown off by his apparent change of topic, she tried to bring it back on track "Not if it's a mother who treats me like that".
Tenchi shook his head, "That's not what I asked".
Ryoko decided to consider his question separately from the turmoil inside her. "When I watched you Tenchi, you and Achika, I was struck by how much her love for you showed, whatever you did. Your smallest triumph was a cause of joy for her, and when you were injured she calmed and comforted you, always telling you that she was there, loving you regardless. Every simple, little thing, that you did, she adored" Ryoko paused, her voice had begun to crack, perhaps aware that she was bringing out memories in Tenchi that he would have preferred to keep buried.
Ryoko looked at him earnestly, opened her mouth once, twice, then finally she was able to say hesitantly, "...I.would..like a mother who would treat me like that..." she looked down at the floor, embarrassed.
Tenchi buried his sorrow, now he understood her. "Ryoko, you say that you have no memories of Washu as your mother" he phrased it as a question.
Ryoko, still looking at the floor, nodded "It's true".
Tenchi took a couple of steps towards her, his world seemed to have shrunk to just the two of them. "Then don't you want to start again ? and make a new set of memories with her as your mother ?".
Ryoko's head came up slowly, she looked at him as a thirsty man would at a mirage in the middle of the desert. "But she'll just torture me again" the words were dragged out of her, a perceived Truth she had to share.
Tenchi took some more steps towards her, she was within arms length of her now. He looked directly into her eyes, 'such pretty eyes' he thought. "No Ryoko she won't, I won't let her, never again" he said earnestly. The guarantee had to be made before she would return with him, and he meant every word of it. Never again would he allow any of *his* girls to suffer as Ryoko was now.
Ryoko was staring at him, trying to discover his feelings behind the promise, hoping as always, that he returned the feelings that were a glorious torture for her every single day of her new life.
Tenchi put an arm on either of her shoulders and he looked at her with a sad smile upon his face.
"Will you at least talk to her ? tell her how this treatment makes you feel, how you want her to behave if she wants to be your mother."
She began to shake her head, he continued,
"I can guarantee that she wants to stop this as much as you." he finished and watched her, awaiting a response.
Ryoko stared past his shoulder, considering his words. She didn't like the way she felt now, empty inside. It reminded her too much of her time with Kagato, but Tenchi had promised to protect her, and that filled that emptiness. A little, just enough to make her realize just how empty she was, and how much she wanted to fill that void. 'I have nothing to lose' she thought.
Her eyes returned to Tenchi's face, he put a hand on each of her shoulders, holding her at an arms length.
Silently, slowly, Ryoko nodded.
Tenchi smiled, and drew her into the circle of his arms, smiling. It seemed to him that he was doing that a lot lately, 'It's not a bad habit to get into' he decided.
Ryo-Ohki who had been listening, let out a soft 'Miyah' then set a course for Japan, and Washu.
/**********************************************************************\
Once again I'd like to invite you all to leave your critiscism and reviews for me to peruse.
Tenchi Muyo! characters and related plots belong to AIC and PIONEER.
I'd like to thank my first 6 reviewers, Yuffie, Hikari no Tabi, Mershu, Poncho D, Red Fox and Starlight The Wanderer for their comments.
It's always very reassuring to have positive feedback when you post a piece of writing on a website for the first time :)
*tips hat*
I would greatly appreciate any and all criticism/reviews you are willing to give. Your input helps me become a better writer :)
"" for dialogue '' for thoughts ** for emphasis
Here is Chapter 2 of Intervention, it's a little less dynamic than the last one, but necessarily so in my book.
I hope you enjoy it.
/**********************************************************************\
It had taken a long time for Washu to calm after their argument. As her crying had slowed she reverted to her child form and fit almost perfectly into Tenchi's arms. 'This is her escape' he realized, 'In this form people respond to her as a child and expect less of her'. Yet the pain in her eyes belied her appearance. No person that young could have experienced the sorrows and trials which now showed in her jade green eyes.
It was an ancient pain, scarred many times over but no less immediate or acute. It called to Tenchi and he responded, just as he would have to the distress of any of *his* girls. It was the principle reason that Ryoko and Ayeka fought each other fervently for him, It was a very rare person indeed who would open his home, house and heart to five complete strangers, then care for them as he would his own sisters.
Washu was quiet now, she stared down at Tenchi's arms, hiding her face from his gaze.
"Why do you do it Washu ?" he asked her softly, Tenchi was determined not to let Washu's current state distract him. The picture of Ryoko reduced to tears, crying his name in distress stood at the forefront of his mind, demanding answers. He knew what had happened, now he must find out why.
Washu slowly lifted her head, her tears had formed tracks which ran down her exquisitely formed cheeks, her eyes were wide, and stared mutely at him. Tenchi almost repeated his question unsure if he had been heard, when she opened her mouth.
"To get closer" she whispered. Tenchi did not understand, it made no sense to him. 'She treated Ryoko as an experiment in order to get closer to her ?' confusion showed on his face as Washu frowned in concentration, it seemed almost as though she couldn't believe it herself.
She elaborated, "It's the only way that I can spend time with her, she avoids me whenever I try talking to her, and she blocks our link" Washu's voice was clear, but still weak. She spoke the words not as a justification for what she had done, rather it seemed as though she was repeating her thoughts to help her own understanding.
Tenchi was a shocked by this, "You know full well that is no excuse Washu" his voice was quiet, yet forceful.
"I know that" the words were spoken with a hint of acerbity which reminded Tenchi of the Scientist Washu. The Washu who followed her interests with fanatical tenacity and constructed machines of bewildering complexity.
The Washu who was so noticeably absent now.
"It seemed logical at the time, If she wouldn't have anything to do with me, I would force her." Washu was obviously upset, though now it was more with herself. How could she have believed that Ryoko would have warmed to her under such ministrations was a mystery to her. What had seemed like an acceptable method of furthering their mother/daughter bond was now a twisted, sick way of spending time with her daughter.
'It's a circle that they're both trapped in' Tenchi realized at last, Washu treats Ryoko as just another guinea pig, Ryoko then refuses to have anything to do with her, which in turn makes Washu try even harder, resulting in nothing but further rejection. 'And it all began when Ryoko refused to acknowledge Washu while we were on The Souja' he thought. In a way they were both responsible for this mess, each had acted without consideration for the other's feelings.
'And it's up to me to sort it out' Tenchi thought wryly.
Washu continued, "I don't understand why she avoids me, shouldn't she want to be part of a family again ?" Washu was distressed, she could not comprehend why Ryoko didn't *want* to be her daughter.
"Washu..." Tenchi began gently, "Ryoko has no memories of you as her mother, from her point of view it must have seemed as though a stranger was making ludicrous claims.
A thought struck Tenchi with the force of a lightning bolt, 'Her appearance...?'. It must have seemed to Ryoko at the time that the notion of a young teenage girl being her mother was absurd. 'And that would have only become worse' he realized. Thinking back to Taro's visit he remembered his conversation with Washu.
"Lineage, social status, why should such things matter so much ? That's how grownups are, If that's so I'd be happier being a child, never ever growing up" Washu had spoken then of her past and Tenchi's heart had gone out to her. Yet once again she had distracted them all by assuming her adult form, and playfully trying to seduce him.
It seemed to him now that she had done so to stop them from realizing something very important. Her child form was nothing more than an escape from the Adult world, her responsibilities as an Adult, a Scientist and ultimately as a Mother. She was running from the legacy that her ex-husband and his family had left her, a legacy of alienation and isolation.
No doubt that was how it seemed to Ryoko, only on a much more personal level.
'Washu's child form must be a slap in the face to Ryoko, contradicting everything Washu has said to her concerning motherhood' Tenchi's thought depressed him, How could he help them both ? Ryoko needed a mother who could help her learn to live again, a comforting, calm presence, whereas Washu needs something similar from her daughter, someone who would help her deal with her past and bring her into the future.
'Ryoko certainly doesn't fit that bill' he thought sadly.
Washu meanwhile had been unable to escape her own thoughts, she clutched at Tenchi bringing him out of his reverie and looked up at him with tear filled eyes.
"What does she want from me Tenchi ?" Her voice was nearly breaking under the strain, tight with anguish, "If I try to be her mother I get rejected outright, being a scientist only pushes her away" She held onto him tightly, "I have nothing else, I don't know of any other path" she almost broke down in tears once more.
Tenchi sat there for a moment desperately trying to think of a solution, 'She is trapped' he thought, 'Any resolution must come from Ryoko, Washu is too dependent on Ryoko for her happiness, It *must* come from Ryoko' The thought was not a welcome one, trying to get Ryoko to talk to Washu now seemed an impossible task, akin to convincing his grandfather to give him a day off training.
But he could see no alternative.
"Washu, You could just ask Ryoko" he said it simply and quietly, hoping that she would recognize the only solution.
She looked up at him in shock, "She'd never talk to me now, I'd consider myself lucky if she stayed on the same planet once this is all over." Washu looked up at him, desperately trying to think of alternatives but she realized as he already had, that it was far too late for anything else.
"What other choices do you have Washu ?" he put the question to her knowing full well that she had none.
While gently smiling at Washu, Tenchi slowly untangled her from his arms, stood, then went to get Ryoko.
/**********************************************************************\
Tenchi quietly shut the door to Washu's laboratory and looked around for the others. Mihoshi slept on the couch, a large bubble expanding and contracting from her nose with her breath. 'She probably overate again' Tenchi smiled fondly at the incredibly attractive young woman, It never failed to amaze him how she could devour so much food in such a short period of time, and still maintain a shape that Ayeka or Ryoko could be jealous of.
His thoughts returned to the task he had set himself, 'Why is it always me ?' he asked himself with a certain wry acceptance. These women, beautiful and powerful all, had travelled distances he could not fully comprehend to stay here with him, and, as it sometimes seemed, to involve him in their problems. He wondered as he often did, what his life would have been like if he had never stolen that key from his Grandfather. Though with the revelation that his Grandfather, Katsuhito was none other than the missing Prince Yosho of Jurai, it was seeming more and more likely that he had been set up from the beginning.
'It wouldn't be anywhere near as exciting, that's for sure' he mused as he started up the stairs to his bedroom, If Ryoko wasn't awake he decided to stay there until she was. This had to be resolved as soon as possible for he doubted if either of them, Ryoko or Washu, would be able to live for much longer with the situation as it was, now that it had all come to a head. All of the anger that had been directed at Washu was gone now, dissipated by the realization that she was suffering at least as much as Ryoko, if not more.
Tenchi reached his door and paused for a moment, looked around, then slid the door open quietly.
He need not have bothered, Ryoko sat on his bed with a faraway look in her golden, cat like eyes. She had obviously cleaned herself up, now she wore her favorite yellow striped dress and her hair was pulled back from her head, lending her face a severity it usually lacked. In her lap sat a quiet Ryo-ohki who dozed as Ryoko petted her absently.
Gone was the frightened child who had greeted Tenchi with tears that morning.
Ryoko looked up at Tenchi as he opened the door, she smiled at him in a way uncharacteristic of her. It was a pure smile, a smile you would show to only those you trusted utterly. Being used to smiles of the more seductive variety from Ryoko, Tenchi was taken aback.
She gently removed Ryo-Ohki from her resting place, who opened one eye and, noticing Tenchi, greeted him with a yawn-like 'Miyah' closed the eye, and went back to sleep. Ryoko stood, the smile had been replaced with a determined look as she walked towards him.
Tenchi was reminded of a hunting cat stalking its prey, ".Ryoko.." he began before she wrapped her arms around him, and laid her head on his shoulder.
"Tenchi.." she whispered into his ear, her voice timid, "Tenchi, let's disappear, go away, far away from that little witch, the Princess and the rest" She spoke the words dreamily, her imagination had been caught by a passing fancy, an elusive dream.
She held him back at arms length to watch his reaction. It was not the one she had so dearly hoped for.
Tenchi reacted the only way he could have being the person that he was, he stuttered ". What..about... ?" before falling silent and trying to formulate a response.
Because of this, he missed the moment when Ryoko saw the denial in his eyes and her heart broke.
Tenchi had proved his love to her by carrying her out of Washu's Den. She had hoped that with one love denied her, that of a mothers, she could find solace with Tenchi away from the red-headed woman who claimed her parentage.
She spun and stalked back to the bed, no tears streamed down her face this time, she was determined, Tenchi or no Tenchi she could not stay here, where *she* could reach out and touch her at any time.
Ryoko scooped up Ryo-Ohki, who squawked in protest, then hurled her out of the window. Ryo-Ohki assumed her spaceship form, obeying her mistress, then, turning for a last look at the one she was leaving behind, Ryoko phased upwards and out of the house.
Tenchi ran over to the window and watched on in horror as the Spaceship Ryo-Ohki accelerated upwards out of Earth's atmosphere, taking Ryoko further and further away from him.
/**********************************************************************\
Mihoshi blinked wearily as Tenchi shook her awake. His voice knifed through her sleep fogged mind like sunlight through a fog bank, which though bringing her to full awareness, did not engage *all* of her faculties.
She smiled up at him, her blue eyes large in her pretty face, she seemed happy to see him, It was then that Tenchi realized how little time he had actually spent with her, he felt a brief twinge of guilt, realizing, how of all of the girls, she remained an enigma to him.
But right now he needed her help, Yukinojo was the only other spaceship on Earth that could catch Ryo-Ohki and he desperately needed to get Washu and Ryoko talking again. Tenchi ignored the little voice inside him that questioned that resolve, might he not have another motive for wanting Ryoko to return ?
"Mihoshi I need to borrow Yukinojo, Ryoko and I had an argument and she ran away in Ryo-Ohki, we need to get her back" It was not the entire truth, but when one dealt with Mihoshi it was usually a good idea not to add unnecessary complications, she did that well enough on her own.
Mihoshi absorbed this without a word, which was probably due to the fact that she had started to yawn as soon as he woke her. Tenchi looked askance, her gaping maw was enormous. She stared blankly at him for a moment and then, thankfully from Tenchi's point of view, she stood up and retrieved her subspace key from an invisible pocket somewhere on her person without asking any questions.
Mihoshi managed to find the combination on her cube that changed her clothes to a Galaxy Police uniform without too much trouble, though Sasami would likely be unimpressed at the large pile of assorted debris that had accumulated during Mihoshi's troubleshooting.
Mihoshi looked at him, raised her fist and cried in an enthusiastic voice: "Don't Worry Tenchi, We'll catch the horrible Space Pirate Ryoko!" It was obviously meant to inspire confidence, but only served to worry him more.
Tenchi sighed, shook his head then followed her out onto the deck where she once again played with her subspace key. A number of saucepans, food items and pink lingerie later, Yukinojo emerged from a subspace portal where Washu had taken to storing it.
Washu again, Tenchi hoped that she was holding up in her Lab, and that he succeeded in returning Ryoko to Earth. She was falling apart and he didn't know how much longer she'd be able to keep it herself together.
The last thing he needed was a suicidal scientist with a penchant for inventing world obliterating machinery, 'If she decides to go out with a bang, the whole world would probably join her' he thought wryly, yet not without a certain apprehension.
He looked up as Mihoshi tapped him on the shoulder, she smiled at him cheerily, and reassured him "Don't worry Tenchi we'll find her,". Ever the optimist, Mihoshi skipped up Yukinojo's ramp and entered the cockpit.
"Mihoshi unauthorized personnel are not permitted inside the cockpit" Yukinojo's avatar swiveled in distaste as Tenchi entered the cockpit. It somehow managed to exude an aura of resignation, as if it knew that it's constant repetition of rules and regulations was ignored, yet still it continued to remind Mihoshi.
It eyed Tenchi as he sat next to Mihoshi in the co-pilots chair and she prepared to take off. "Oh ! " Mihoshi punctuated her surprise with a little jump, then turned to Tenchi. " Ryo-Ohki is still just outside of the atmosphere in a stationary orbit, I thought you said Ryoko ran away ?" she looked an him inquiringly, her large eyes staring at him inquiringly.
Tenchi was at a loss himself, "Maybe she changed her mind" he spoke the words the placate Mihoshi who nodded, then turned back to the control panel. He did not believe them however, He had seen Ryoko's face as she had looked back at him, her face set in determination, but her eyes had been pleading.
'She won't stay here with Washu, no matter what she feels for me' he thought, his original intent to bring them together now seemed impossible. 'If she'd leave us all just to escape Washu....' his thoughts trailed off.
Yet he had to try.
Yukinojo drew up to Ryo-Ohki but refused to get close. The little robot had shook in what had seemed like horror when Tenchi had requested a smaller distance between them. Apparently it had extensive files on all of the Galaxy's most wanted criminals and what it read in there regarding Ryo-Ohki had frightened the ship.
Tenchi was surprised that Ryoko had taken no action when they had arrived. If she had truly been intent upon escaping he had at least expected her to fire warning shots or to accelerate away form them. But Ryo- Ohki just floated there, powerless it seemed, yet looking no less deadly for it. Washu done a good job when she had built the little cabbit.
"Mihoshi could you open a channel to Ryo-Ohki please ?" Tenchi hoped that he could somehow contrive to get himself onboard, he didn't like his chances of convincing Ryoko to return home while he sat here with Mihoshi.
"Ok Tenchi" Mihoshi was not sure how Tenchi intended to talk Ryoko out of whatever she intended to do, she herself had tried to talk both Ryoko and Ayeka out of many things, but it always seemed to result in injuries. 'Well, if anybody can, it's Tenchi' Mihoshi could be dense, but she was not blind. She knew how much Ryoko cared for Tenchi, and she loved the little family they had built on Earth around him. She was willing to do just about anything to bring it back together again.
A panel appeared above the ship's controls, it showed an image of Ryoko in profile, she was arguing with no-one that Tenchi could see.
"Damn it Ryo-Ohki, I don't care about the others just so long as that little witch doesn't get her hands on us again" her eyes had called lie to her statement about the 'others' but when it came to Washu they had hardened. It seemed that Tenchi had Ryo-Ohki to thank for stalling Ryoko's escape into space. He silently blessed the little cabbit and promised to himself that he'd plant a whole field of carrots as reward.
"Miyah, Miyah" Ryo-Ohki was obviously trying to keep Ryoko from noticing the communication line that she had opened with Yukinojo. As Ryoko turned to walk back to her chair that floated in the center of the room, she spotted the screen out of the corner of her eye, and Tenchi looking on.
"Ryoko.." Tenchi knew he was too late as her eyes narrowed and she closed the channel with a dismissive wave of her hand.
Tenchi sat back heavily in his chair, he was out of options. He now admitted to himself that he had no idea how he was going to get Ryoko to come back home when he had woken Mihoshi and left with her in Yukinojo. Now he was at a loss at what to do. He didn't want to have to go back to the others and tell them that Ryoko had left, the knowledge would probably crush Washu utterly, most likely resulting in her desertion of the family as well.
Tenchi sighed and turned to Mihoshi, she was staring intently at the panel in front of her. ".Tenchi..." she looked at him uncertainly just as Yukinojo started to wail.
"Mihoshi , Mihoshi ! Ryo-Ohki is drifting towards us, at it's current speed, impact is likely within sixteen seconds"
At that moment the comm channel returned to life. It held Ryo-Ohki's furry face, "Miyah, Miyah, Miyahyahyah yah MIYAH" she desperately tried to make herself understood while looking straight at Tenchi.
Tenchi who had no idea what she was trying to say, was about to respond when the screen went blank again.
"Mihoshi, Impact within ten seconds"
Mihoshi began to weep hysterically as Tenchi sat there in shock. 'What had Ryo-Ohki been trying to say ?'
"eight seconds"
Mihoshi clutched at him and cried into his shoulder, he could barely hear his own thoughts over the alarm bells and her crying.
"five seconds"
It finally sank into Tenchi that he was, most likely, going to die up here far from his home, at least he was close to three of his loved ones.
"3 seconds" Yukinojo screeched, it seemed that one of the original designers had given the ship a sense of it's own mortality.
But the only thing Tenchi really regretted was his failure to bring Ryoko and Washu together.
"2 seconds" There was a metal screech as something dragged itself across Yukinojo's Hull, 'Ryo-Ohki most likely' he thought.
"Brace for Impact" Yukinojo sounded morose now, 'Probably regretting it's failure to steer Mihoshi towards a glorious career in the Galaxy Police' Tenchi smiled for the final time, and closed his eyes as the other ship filled Yukinojo's viewscreen.
As it was, his eyes were still closed when a beam of light focused and drew them upwards into the belly of Ryo-Ohki.
/**********************************************************************\
Consciousness was slow to return to Tenchi, in fact it surprised him that it had bothered to return at all, especially considering the circumstances under which it had departed.
It swiftly occurred to him that he was not in fact dead, he came to this conclusion by a process of careful observation. Firstly, he was lying on a cold metallic floor and he thought it extremely unlikely that Heaven of all places would have cold floors. Secondly, His head hurt far too much for him to be dead, assuming that pain ended with death, else he was in for an eternity consisting of one long, painful headache.
He slowly became aware of a voice, the voice was loud, very loud, in fact so loud that it formed a counterpoint tune with the throbbing of his head.
He opened his eyes slowly, He was inside Ryo-Ohki.
He could not remember how he had managed to get onboard, the last thing he remembered was Yukinojo screeching a countdown that stopped around about 'We're screwed kiddies'.
By this time Tenchi had recovered more of his faculties and he shut down the one that had served him well immediately upon awakening, that is the processes that provided his dry, witty sense of humor.
He looked around him, yes, he was onboard Ryo-Ohki, he lay behind the chair facing towards the viewscreens. The owner of the chair stood in front of it, still arguing with her recalcitrant ship.
Tenchi turned around, just as he had surmised a compressed, two dimensional Yukinojo lay just under the floor behind him. Ryoko or, more likely Ryo-Ohki had shrunk them at the moment of impact, though it begged the question why he was not still in there with Mihoshi.
It hit him "Ryo-Ohki wants me to convince Ryoko to come home". In the interval between wakefulness and sleep he had lost sight of the reason he had come up here in the first place.
Tenchi slowly stood regretting every minute that he had spent laying there on the floor. Squared his shoulders then walked towards Ryoko.
She had obviously heard his groaning and turned to face him. She stood straight as he approached, and did not say a word.
Tenchi stopped a few meters from her and faced her squarely, he would have to be careful, lest he push her even further away.
"Why are you leaving Ryoko ?" The question slipped out of him, just when he was considering his words. It seemed to surprise her as much as it had him.
Her face hardened, "I would have thought that would have been obvious" the answer was a snide one. "I can't stand to live with that woman anymore" her tone was cold and flat.
Tenchi struggled with his next words, aware that they could possibly inflame her, "Ryoko that *woman* as you call her, is your mother.." his voice was quiet, but inside Tenchi was tense.
Ryoko almost laughed in his face, "That woman, a mother ? What is a mother Tenchi ? I watched you and Achika together, I know how a mother is supposed to act, Washu is nothing like a mother" she sneered the word mother at the end. Tenchi it seemed, was taking Washu's side again.
Tenchi struggled to answer, she was right and that was what made it so very difficult, He had made the very same point against Washu just that morning. In her shoes, he wasn't sure if he would have reacted differently.
Tenchi had an idea, and the truth would serve to start him off. "But you never gave her a chance Ryoko, now she thinks that the only way to spend time with you, is to performs experiments and tests !" he deliberately made his tone pleading.
Ryoko is shocked, 'He *is* taking her side'
She reacted with anger, "See ! there you go again, always taking somebody else's side" that sounded childish even to her own ears, "Does that excuse her actions ? Was it *Okay* for her to torture me just to spend time in my company ?" she was genuinely upset, awed that Tenchi could take a stand against her in this.
Tenchi tried to mollify her somewhat, "Of course not, but the reason she does so is because she feels that you have left her with no alternative".
Ryoko was indignant, "What was I supposed to do ? I didn't recognize her, and still don't, not as my mother, I have no memories of her" her voice rose slightly, "Not to mention, how would you react if a shrimp like that popped up out of nowhere after a few thousand years and claimed to be your mother ?" Ryoko was trying to convince him that she was right, to win him back to her side.
Little did she realize that he already believed that both of them were to blame.
'I was right' Tenchi thought, 'Washu's appearance'. He spoke earnestly; "I'm not saying that what Washu has done is right", he paused for a moment, 'now I try'. His question came completely out of the blue for Ryoko, "Ryoko do you actually want a mother in your life ?"
She stood there for a moment, thrown off by his apparent change of topic, she tried to bring it back on track "Not if it's a mother who treats me like that".
Tenchi shook his head, "That's not what I asked".
Ryoko decided to consider his question separately from the turmoil inside her. "When I watched you Tenchi, you and Achika, I was struck by how much her love for you showed, whatever you did. Your smallest triumph was a cause of joy for her, and when you were injured she calmed and comforted you, always telling you that she was there, loving you regardless. Every simple, little thing, that you did, she adored" Ryoko paused, her voice had begun to crack, perhaps aware that she was bringing out memories in Tenchi that he would have preferred to keep buried.
Ryoko looked at him earnestly, opened her mouth once, twice, then finally she was able to say hesitantly, "...I.would..like a mother who would treat me like that..." she looked down at the floor, embarrassed.
Tenchi buried his sorrow, now he understood her. "Ryoko, you say that you have no memories of Washu as your mother" he phrased it as a question.
Ryoko, still looking at the floor, nodded "It's true".
Tenchi took a couple of steps towards her, his world seemed to have shrunk to just the two of them. "Then don't you want to start again ? and make a new set of memories with her as your mother ?".
Ryoko's head came up slowly, she looked at him as a thirsty man would at a mirage in the middle of the desert. "But she'll just torture me again" the words were dragged out of her, a perceived Truth she had to share.
Tenchi took some more steps towards her, she was within arms length of her now. He looked directly into her eyes, 'such pretty eyes' he thought. "No Ryoko she won't, I won't let her, never again" he said earnestly. The guarantee had to be made before she would return with him, and he meant every word of it. Never again would he allow any of *his* girls to suffer as Ryoko was now.
Ryoko was staring at him, trying to discover his feelings behind the promise, hoping as always, that he returned the feelings that were a glorious torture for her every single day of her new life.
Tenchi put an arm on either of her shoulders and he looked at her with a sad smile upon his face.
"Will you at least talk to her ? tell her how this treatment makes you feel, how you want her to behave if she wants to be your mother."
She began to shake her head, he continued,
"I can guarantee that she wants to stop this as much as you." he finished and watched her, awaiting a response.
Ryoko stared past his shoulder, considering his words. She didn't like the way she felt now, empty inside. It reminded her too much of her time with Kagato, but Tenchi had promised to protect her, and that filled that emptiness. A little, just enough to make her realize just how empty she was, and how much she wanted to fill that void. 'I have nothing to lose' she thought.
Her eyes returned to Tenchi's face, he put a hand on each of her shoulders, holding her at an arms length.
Silently, slowly, Ryoko nodded.
Tenchi smiled, and drew her into the circle of his arms, smiling. It seemed to him that he was doing that a lot lately, 'It's not a bad habit to get into' he decided.
Ryo-Ohki who had been listening, let out a soft 'Miyah' then set a course for Japan, and Washu.
/**********************************************************************\
Once again I'd like to invite you all to leave your critiscism and reviews for me to peruse.
