Chapter 18 - Many Partings
Washu stepped into her lab to the ringing of the crab bell over the door. She closed it behind her and it disappeared with a tone. She glanced around, taking in the familiar surroundings as if she'd never seen them before. Sighing heavily, she walked across the floor to her pillow; her head hung and her feet dragging.
Moving slowly, she sat up on the pillow and started her terminal with a gesture. Staring fixedly at the screen, she poked at the keys with a finger or two, unable to muster any enthusiasm for her task.
Then, as more displays popped up, filled with test diagrams, sensor readings and arcane formulas, her intellectual curiosity overcame her reluctance at her sad task. Her fingers began moving at incredible speed and windows popped into and out of existence almost faster than the eye could follow as the problem-solving side of Washu took control.
It was almost with a sigh of relief that Washu felt her emotions tuck away into a closet in her mind and bent her intellect around the engineering task of sealing Ryoko back into the cave.
Dinner had just ended, attended by everyone except Washu - who had been busy in her lab for a couple days. Mihoshi stood and said, "I have something I have to tell everybody."
Everyone stopped to look at her. Mihoshi saw their friendly, open faces and began to cry.
"Oh, darn," she said. "I promised myself I wouldn't do this."
"What is it, Mihoshi?" Tenchi asked.
"My orders came through for Galaxy Police Headquarters. I'm being reassigned and given a promotion." She began crying in earnest. "I have to leave tomorrow!"
"Mihoshi! That's wonderful!" Sasami said. The others also congratulated her.
"I know," Mihoshi said, sniffing, her tears mostly under control, "but I'll miss you guys so much."
"We will miss you too, Mihoshi," Ayeka said. "But I suspect we will all soon be leaving, only to return once in a while. I have been slotted for a post in the Jurai Foreign Service and I expect my next assignment will come soon. So," she sighed, "I will be leaving as well."
"Oh, Ayeka!" Mihoshi said, and she began crying again.
"I'm going too," Ryoko said then. "I was going to tell everyone pretty soon, but now seems as good a time as any."
"Where, Ryoko? For how long?" Sasami asked.
Ryoko shrugged. "I'm not sure. I'm going to be doing research at some alien universities out in the perimeter of Jurai space. They're pretty far out, so you won't hear from me until I get back."
"We'll miss you, Ryoko!" Sasami said.
Tenchi nodded. "Yes, we will."
"Thanks," Ryoko said in a choked voice. "I'll miss you guys too." She looked at Mihoshi and Ayeka. "All of you."
Washu and Ryoko walked together up the steps of the shrine office. They had walked up after seeing Mihoshi off.
Washu knocked and Katsuhito's voice called out, "Come in!" a second later. They slid the door aside, entered and shut it behind them. Removing their shoes, they approached Katsuhito where he sat at a low table and sat across from him.
"Hello, ladies! This must be my lucky day," he said with a smile. "It's seldom that I get even one beautiful girl visiting me and here there are two. Can I offer you some tea?"
"I wish this was a social call, Lord Katsuhito," Washu began, "but I'm afraid it isn't. I don't think we'll be wanting any tea."
Katsuhito looked from face to face, noting their expressions. "I can see that you came to discuss something very serious - and very sad." He grunted once and rose to he feet, saying, "Regardless of what you think you want, I'm going to make some tea. It's been my experience that things generally go better with tea."
A few moments later a steaming cup sat in front of each of them; the silence had remained unbroken except for the soft clink of china and the gentle sounds of water pouring.
"Now, ladies," Katsuhito said, resuming his seat. "Please, tell me what is weighing so heavily on your hearts and minds."
Washu and Ryoko looked at each other, then Ryoko said, "I want you to seal me back into the cave."
There was a long pause, Katsuhito looked from one to the other several times, and then out the window into the courtyard of the shrine. "It is a beautiful day, is it not? The songs of the birds are lovely at this time and the air smells sweet." He breathed in deeply.
He turned back to face Ryoko. "A wonderful time to be alive, rather than trapped in a cold, dark tomb. Wouldn't you say, Ryoko?"
Ryoko's fragile composure cracked and she began to cry. Washu put her arms around her daughter and gave Katsuhito a scathing look. "We come to ask for your help and all you can do is to hurt her, to poke at her pain?!" she said accusingly.
"No," Ryoko said, looking up. "No, he's right. Life is beautiful. But life without Tenchi isn't worth living and being here without him will only make it worse."
"Even if I wanted to do this thing for you, I cannot. The Tenchi-ken has gone with its owner; and if I had it, it could not contain you while you have your gems."
"I've already considered that," Washu said. "For better or worse, I am the greatest scientific genius in the universe. I've come up with a device that will emulate the locking function of the Tenchi-ken. Powered by Ryoko's gems, it will seal the lock just as the Tenchi-ken did for all those centuries."
"And you need me to activate the lock," Katsuhito finished for her. Washu nodded. "And if I refuse?"
"Then I would have no choice but to attempt to reverse-engineer the lock. If I fail, it could seriously harm Ryoko," Washu replied.
Katsuhito searched her face. "Or even kill her," he said.
Washu nodded.
Katsuhito glanced at Ryoko, who was regarding him steadily, then looked back to Washu. "Have you told this to your daughter?"
"Of course," Washu replied.
"And?" Katsuhito asked, looking back to Ryoko.
"I don't want to die," Ryoko said. "But I don't want to live without Tenchi."
Looking back and forth between the women, Katsuhito saw their resolve and sighed in resignation.
"Very well," he said sadly. "I'll help you."
Ryu-Oh hung huge and beautiful in the sky over Okayama.
Ayeka stood facing everyone, ready to go.
"I will miss you all more than I can say," she said to them. "Especially you two," she said to Ryoko and Washu. Ryoko gave Ayeka a hug and Washu waved.
"Come visit any time," Washu said. "There's always room."
"Thank you, Washu."
"Goodbye, Sis," Sasami said. "Visit us any time, too."
"Of course I will," Ayeka said, hugging Sasami. "Take good care of Tenchi."
"I will," Sasami nodded.
Then, the sky split and another tree ship dropped into sight next to Ryu-Oh. Not nearly so large, the design was, nevertheless, distinctive.
"Isn't that Kinpa?" Tenchi asked, looking up.
"Er... Um..." Ayeka twiddled her fingers in front of her, looking embarrassed.
"Oh! How convenient, Ayeka!" Ryoko crowed. "Lucky for you that Kinpa just happened to be passing back through in time to escort you." She leaned over to Washu conspiratorially. "It wouldn't surprise me if her first diplomatic post was well inside Kinpa's patrol route," she said in a stage whisper.
Ayeka blushed furiously and Ryoko threw her head back and laughed. "Well, I-really-must-be-going-now-goodbye," Ayeka said in a rush and Ryu- Oh's transport beam activated and whisked her up to her waiting ship, chased by Ryoko's laughter.
"That ought to do it," Washu said with a final twist of a tool. She stepped back, regarding her handiwork. An enormous contraption was attached to the rock at the inner entrance to the cave; the rock that had once held the Tenchi-ken until Tenchi had removed it and freed Ryoko. The center of the device was a flat panel with three small depressions around a large red button. Hoses, tubes and wires festooned the rest; the rock it rested upon was still split.
"It's not beautiful," she said, stepping back and regarding her work with a satisfied expression. "But it will do the trick!" Then she glanced at Ryoko and Katsuhito, standing on either side of her and her face fell. "Sorry..." she said.
Ryoko favored her with a small smile. "It's all right," she said. Washu returned Ryoko's smile with a sad smile of her own.
Katsuhito cleared his throat. "Are you still determined to do this, Ryoko? It is raining today, but rain doesn't last forever. The world is always beautiful when the bad weather has passed."
Ryoko swallowed and nodded, looking toward the mouth of the cave. "Yes," she said. "Yes. I have to do this. There's nothing for me at this place or in this time." Katsuhito put his hand on Ryoko's shoulder and she looked up at him. He nodded at her, a look of understanding on his face.
"What do I do?" Ryoko asked, looking at Washu's machine.
Washu stepped forward. "First, you send your gems into the device. Once they're in place, I'll activate it. Then it will be up to Lord Katsuhito to activate the lock."
"Okay," Ryoko said grimly. "Let's do it."
She stepped forward and held her hands out in front of her, wrists up. She closed her eyes and sighed, relaxing. The gems at her wrists and throat glowed briefly and disappeared with a soft chime, reappearing a moment later on the face of Washu's device. They locked into place with an audible click and another chime and the red button in the center began to glow softly.
Ryoko stumbled, nearly falling, her body limp and boneless; Katsuhito caught her. "Wow," she said after a moment, looking up. "Losing those gems really takes it out of me." She smiled weakly.
Katsuhito handed Ryoko over to her mother, then rolled up his sleeves saying, "As I recall, this took a lot out of me as well." He squatted on his heels in front of the rock and placed his hands upon the two halves. His eyes closed and his face took on a look of intense concentration. After a moment, his hands began to glow with a soft blue light. Ryoko's gems and the characters engraved on the stone glowed in response and humming threads of power emerged from them. The threads wrapped themselves around the stone, entwining and joining with each other and, finally, pulling the two halves of the rock together with a loud click.
Katsuhito stood up, dusting off his hands and saying, "There. It's been a long time, but I guess I remembered how." He paused, noticing that Washu and Ryoko were staring at him. "What is it?" he asked.
"Yosho..." Ryoko said softly. "All this time... You haven't really changed."
"Eh? What?" Katsuhito looked down at his hands in surprise. Seeing that Funaho's illusion of age had fallen, he scratched his head in embarrassment and laughed out loud. "Ha ha! I guess it took more out of me than I thought!" he said in his again-young voice. He looked at the two women, Washu showing interest and Ryoko wonder, surprise, and a little fear.
"I'm sorry, Ryoko," Katsuhito said. "It was necessary for me to disguise my appearance to live here for so long; and to convince Ayeka that I was no longer the young man she thought she'd fallen in love with. I didn't mean to shock you."
Ryoko shook her head, as if waking from a dream. "Don't worry about it on my account," she said.
Katsuhito turned and gestured toward the passage to the chamber. "The way is open. Is this still your choice?" he asked.
Ryoko nodded gravely, staring at the low, black tunnel entrance. "I have feared that place, it seems like forever," she said.
"You still fear it," Katsuhito said to her.
Ryoko nodded, saying, "Yes, I do. More than almost anything."
"Almost anything." Washu said quietly.
"Almost..." Ryoko whispered.
Setting her jaw, Ryoko stepped forward and entered the passage. Washu followed, as did Katsuhito.
They had to crouch and walk sideways, the passage was low and the floor cut into irregular blocks. As they progressed, the power of Washu's device, Ryoko's gems and Katsuhito's lock went with them, lighting the gaps between the stones. A low hum of power filled the air around them. Their breath fogged before their faces in the cool air of the cave.
"I don't remember it being this cold," Katsuhito said.
Ryoko snorted. "You should try lying in that water for seven hundred years," she said.
"Hmm... I don't believe I will," Katsuhito replied. "And neither should you."
Ryoko turned on him, peering up at him from her crouched position in the passage. "Listen you! We've been through this. This is my decision and you agreed to help. I'm not going to change my mind, so get over it!"
Katsuhito nodded sadly. "I'm sorry Ryoko," he said. "For everything."
"So am I," she replied quietly.
In a few moments, they were standing at the mouth of the passage. The Demon Chamber was lit by the glow from the water flowing between the unevenly cut blocks that made up the floor. They radiated outward from the center, where there was a pool just large enough for a person to lie in. The size of a single bed, or a large coffin.
Ryoko began to shake, weeping and coughing. Washu went to her and held her, Katsuhito putting a hand on her shoulder. "Oh mom," she said between shuddering breaths and long sobs. "What am I doing here? How did my life come to this? Why can't I be happy?"
Washu was crying openly. "It's my fault, my little Ryoko. It's all my fault," she said quietly. "Please let me fix things and take the pain away? Please!"
Ryoko shook her head without lifting it from Washu's chest. "No. I can't forget Tenchi. I won't!" The two stood together for several moments, Ryoko nestled against Washu, Washu leaning her head forward, stroking Ryoko's hair. The only sounds in the chamber their grief.
Finally, Katsuhito stepped forward and put a hand on Washu's shoulder. "Come, Washu," he said. "Let us offer Ryoko what solace we can in sleep and forgetfulness."
Washu nodded, her eyes shut tight, her mouth a thin line. "Yes," she choked out.
Katsuhito and Washu stepped to opposite sides of Ryoko and each put an arm around her; Ryoko hugged herself tightly, eyeing the waiting pool. They moved slowly across the chamber together.
When they arrived at the pool, Ryoko stood straight, stepped forward and phased into her red and black battle suit. Looking down into the water, her face lit with its glow, she put in a tentative toe and quickly drew it back, hissing. "Damn, that's cold!" she said.
Then, setting her jaw, she put in one foot and then the other, stepping down from the edge where Washu and Katsuhito stood silently. Standing in the knee-deep water, Ryoko turned and looked up at the two of them. "I guess this is it," she said.
Katsuhito stepped forward and said, "Sleep well, Ryoko. You will always be in my thoughts. I hope to see you again when you awake."
"Thank you," Ryoko replied. Then her head tilted to one side and she broke into a smile, "You know, Yosho: I always thought you were pretty cute. Too bad we couldn't have met under other circumstances."
"I regret it as well," Katsuhito replied, returning her smile. Then, with a small bow, he stepped away from the pool.
Washu stepped forward and Ryoko hugged her around the waist. "I'm sorry, mom."
"Not as sorry as I am," Washu replied. Ryoko looked up at her and Washu leaned down, kissing her on the forehead. They smiled at each other briefly, then Ryoko sat down into the water.
"See ya," she said simply.
"Goodnight sweetheart," Washu said, tears streaming down her face. "Sweet dreams."
Ryoko smiled and lay back into the water, her cyan hair billowing around her. She clasped her hands on her chest and closed her eyes and, after a moment, the ripples settled and the surface of the pool was smooth.
"Do it," Washu said tightly.
Behind her, Katsuhito spread his arms and bowed his head in concentration. Again, the power flowed from his hands in bands of light, encircling and filling the room and causing the water in the chamber to glow brightly. Then, after a moment, the light dissipated. The water settled to a soft blue glow and Katsuhito dropped his arms.
"It is done," he said.
Washu nodded. "Leave me for a moment," she said.
"Yes," Katsuhito said. And, with a last bow to Ryoko, he turned and left the chamber.
Washu dropped to her knees next to the pool. Before her Ryoko lay beneath the still water, as if she were captured under glass. Washu leaned forward and reached a hand toward Ryoko's face under the smooth surface, fingers stopping a tiny distance away. A tear dropped silently into the pool, rippling the surface. It was soon followed by another and another.
Washu knew when Tsunami arrived in the chamber even without seeing her. For a few moments, it suited her to ignore Tsunami and make her wait. When she was ready, Washu wiped her eyes a final time, sighed and stood; turning to face the goddess who was standing behind her.
"Washu," Tsunami said softly.
"Why, Tsunami? I know you could have cured Tenchi without having to bond with him. Was my daughter's happiness too much to ask?" Washu's eyes flashed her anger.
Tsunami smiled sadly. "I'm sorry, Washu, but it was important to me. I have watched and influenced Jurai's royal line for centuries. All my work will come together in the children I have with Tenchi.
"Besides," she said, "I love him."
Washu snorted. "What do you know about love?" she said. "You don't even belong in this dimension."
"Maybe I didn't originate in this dimension, but I am part of it now," Tsunami said. "The merge is done. I am human now, Washu. I can experience everything that any person can; including love." Tsunami's eyes narrowed then, a thought clearly occurring to her.
"Washu! You had plans for the Jurai Royal Family!" she said with surprise.
Washu laughed bitterly. "Yes, Tsunami. I too have been influencing a line for centuries: my own. Ryoko is all the best of me. She was designed from the beginning to bring out the finest in the Jurai royal family and myself."
Tsunami nodded knowingly. "She wasn't originally meant for Tenchi, was she?"
Washu shook her head. "No, she wasn't."
"She was meant for Yosho, wasn't she?"
"Yes," Washu confirmed.
"How..? Yosho wasn't even born."
Washu shrugged. "I knew eventually there would be someone like Yosho. Ryoko was meant for that someone. She would have stayed in stasis until the time was right; then they would have met at the University where I was teaching. They would have loved each other very much and would have had beautiful, powerful children. And I would have been the most indulgent grandmother in the universe." Washu smiled wistfully at the memory of her hopes for her daughter's future, then her expression darkened. "But that bastard Kagato..!" she said, acidly.
"Oh, Washu! Why would you make such plans?" Tsunami asked.
Washu shrugged. "Why would you?" she retorted.
Tsunami paused. "I have a beautiful vision for this dimension, and to achieve it and thwart those who would foil my vision I need this to happen."
"Humph," Washu snorted. "And you're the only one allowed to have visions and to hope to achieve them?"
"But Washu, my vision was for the benefit of billions upon billions of people."
"And mine was for a champion to defend human space. There are worse creatures out there than Kagato."
"And now?" Tsunami asked.
"Now?" Washu hung her head. "Now I just wish my daughter had a chance at happiness."
"There's still a chance for her, Washu."
Washu's head jerked up and she stared into Tsunami's eyes. "How?"
Tsunami smiled broadly. "I can't make my vision happen alone. I need you," she began. "While Tenchi and my children will be powerful, they won't be powerful enough: their genetic line is too narrow to handle the raw energy that will be required."
Washu nodded her understanding. "Since Tenchi and you are both descended from the genetic line that you've been influencing, your ability to use power is similar."
"Yes," Tsunami acknowledged. "But Ryoko..."
"Ryoko, being my offspring and having Mass DNA uses power in a completely different way."
"And, combined correctly, our two lines will be more than the sums of their abilities..."
"...they'll combine for an exponential increase!" Washu said excitedly.
Tsunami smiled, "Which would not have happened for Ryoko's and Tenchi's children."
"Because despite his innate abilities Tenchi had too little of the Jurai Royal line in him," Washu completed the thought.
"But, since you've designed Ryoko to have a weakness for the men of the Jurai Royal line..."
"A son of Tenchi and yours would be perfect!" Washu said with glee.
Tsunami's eyes twinkled with mirth. "Have I mentioned that I'm already pregnant?"
Washu's attention snapped to Tsunami, a hopeful look on her face.
"Yes," Tsunami confirmed. "It's a boy."
Katsuhito was waiting at the top when Washu emerged. "Thank you for your help," she said to him. He grunted and nodded, clearly not happy with his role. "This is good bye for a while, you know," she said.
"Yes, I know. I will miss you - both of you."
"You'll keep an eye on her?" Washu asked.
"Of course."
Washu nodded, then turned and left the cave, heading up the path that would lead to the stairs and back to the valley. Behind her, she heard the squeal of the hinges and the clatter of the chain as Katsuhito closed the gate and locked it.
On the stairs she met Ryo-Ohki. She cried as Washu approached and Washu reached down and picked her up. "I know, sweetheart. I already miss her too." Washu cradled the cabbit in her arms and absent-mindedly stroked her as she continued down the stairs. "I think that it might be best to put you back in the lake until Ryoko wakes back up. She wouldn't want to be without you when she does. And I think you'll be happier sleeping, too; won't you?"
Ryo-Ohki "miya'd" her agreement.
When they reached the valley, Washu lifted Ryo-Ohki and looked in her eyes. "I'm going to miss you too," she said. "Good night, honey." Then she tossed the cabbit into the air.
Ryo-Ohki cried out. Washu watched as her small form shifted and expanded and climbed until the large ship that had once been the scourge of the universe hovered in the air over Okayama. Ryo-Ohki hesitated for a moment, then plunged straight down into the pond, landing with a tremendous splash.
She didn't come back up.
Washu waited to be sure Ryo-Ohki was safely in the pond. When she was, she walked back to the house. Tenchi and Sasami were on the front porch watching the waves settle. "Washu, what was that?" Tenchi asked.
"I thought I heard Ryo-Ohki," Sasami said.
"You did," Washu replied. "That was her and Ryoko leaving. The splash was a side-effect of Ryo-Ohki's drive, I think. Don't worry about it." She stepped past Tenchi and Sasami and entered the house. After a moment longer looking at the lake, Tenchi and Sasami followed her.
She stopped in front of the closet door. "Washu, why didn't Ryoko say goodbye?" Tenchi asked.
"She just couldn't, Tenchi. She asked me to do it for her and she hoped you'd understand."
Sasami made a sad face. "I'm still disappointed Ryoko decided to leave."
Washu smiled sadly. "We all are." She stepped forward and gave Sasami a hug, saying, "Well, I have to go too. Time to get ready for fall sessions!"
"When will we see you again, Washu?" Tenchi asked.
"Hmm..." she said. "I'm pretty busy, so it might not be very often; maybe not at all. You're welcome to visit me if you want, but I have a feeling you'll be too busy. At any rate, if you don't see me before, you'll see me just about the time Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki get back."
"We'll miss you, Washu," Sasami said.
"Well, okay," Tenchi said a little sadly. "But when you see Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki, tell them we miss them and that they can visit any time, okay?"
"I will," Washu promised. "Now, be good. And if you can't be good, be careful. And if you can't be careful..." Washu winked, "Well, you know the rest." She opened the closet door and stepped through. "Bye now!" she said, pulling it shut. There was a tone and a glimpse of light under the door and, when Tenchi opened it a second later, it was a closet again.
Washu stepped into her lab to the ringing of the crab bell over the door. She closed it behind her and it disappeared with a tone. She glanced around, taking in the familiar surroundings as if she'd never seen them before. Sighing heavily, she walked across the floor to her pillow; her head hung and her feet dragging.
Moving slowly, she sat up on the pillow and started her terminal with a gesture. Staring fixedly at the screen, she poked at the keys with a finger or two, unable to muster any enthusiasm for her task.
Then, as more displays popped up, filled with test diagrams, sensor readings and arcane formulas, her intellectual curiosity overcame her reluctance at her sad task. Her fingers began moving at incredible speed and windows popped into and out of existence almost faster than the eye could follow as the problem-solving side of Washu took control.
It was almost with a sigh of relief that Washu felt her emotions tuck away into a closet in her mind and bent her intellect around the engineering task of sealing Ryoko back into the cave.
Dinner had just ended, attended by everyone except Washu - who had been busy in her lab for a couple days. Mihoshi stood and said, "I have something I have to tell everybody."
Everyone stopped to look at her. Mihoshi saw their friendly, open faces and began to cry.
"Oh, darn," she said. "I promised myself I wouldn't do this."
"What is it, Mihoshi?" Tenchi asked.
"My orders came through for Galaxy Police Headquarters. I'm being reassigned and given a promotion." She began crying in earnest. "I have to leave tomorrow!"
"Mihoshi! That's wonderful!" Sasami said. The others also congratulated her.
"I know," Mihoshi said, sniffing, her tears mostly under control, "but I'll miss you guys so much."
"We will miss you too, Mihoshi," Ayeka said. "But I suspect we will all soon be leaving, only to return once in a while. I have been slotted for a post in the Jurai Foreign Service and I expect my next assignment will come soon. So," she sighed, "I will be leaving as well."
"Oh, Ayeka!" Mihoshi said, and she began crying again.
"I'm going too," Ryoko said then. "I was going to tell everyone pretty soon, but now seems as good a time as any."
"Where, Ryoko? For how long?" Sasami asked.
Ryoko shrugged. "I'm not sure. I'm going to be doing research at some alien universities out in the perimeter of Jurai space. They're pretty far out, so you won't hear from me until I get back."
"We'll miss you, Ryoko!" Sasami said.
Tenchi nodded. "Yes, we will."
"Thanks," Ryoko said in a choked voice. "I'll miss you guys too." She looked at Mihoshi and Ayeka. "All of you."
Washu and Ryoko walked together up the steps of the shrine office. They had walked up after seeing Mihoshi off.
Washu knocked and Katsuhito's voice called out, "Come in!" a second later. They slid the door aside, entered and shut it behind them. Removing their shoes, they approached Katsuhito where he sat at a low table and sat across from him.
"Hello, ladies! This must be my lucky day," he said with a smile. "It's seldom that I get even one beautiful girl visiting me and here there are two. Can I offer you some tea?"
"I wish this was a social call, Lord Katsuhito," Washu began, "but I'm afraid it isn't. I don't think we'll be wanting any tea."
Katsuhito looked from face to face, noting their expressions. "I can see that you came to discuss something very serious - and very sad." He grunted once and rose to he feet, saying, "Regardless of what you think you want, I'm going to make some tea. It's been my experience that things generally go better with tea."
A few moments later a steaming cup sat in front of each of them; the silence had remained unbroken except for the soft clink of china and the gentle sounds of water pouring.
"Now, ladies," Katsuhito said, resuming his seat. "Please, tell me what is weighing so heavily on your hearts and minds."
Washu and Ryoko looked at each other, then Ryoko said, "I want you to seal me back into the cave."
There was a long pause, Katsuhito looked from one to the other several times, and then out the window into the courtyard of the shrine. "It is a beautiful day, is it not? The songs of the birds are lovely at this time and the air smells sweet." He breathed in deeply.
He turned back to face Ryoko. "A wonderful time to be alive, rather than trapped in a cold, dark tomb. Wouldn't you say, Ryoko?"
Ryoko's fragile composure cracked and she began to cry. Washu put her arms around her daughter and gave Katsuhito a scathing look. "We come to ask for your help and all you can do is to hurt her, to poke at her pain?!" she said accusingly.
"No," Ryoko said, looking up. "No, he's right. Life is beautiful. But life without Tenchi isn't worth living and being here without him will only make it worse."
"Even if I wanted to do this thing for you, I cannot. The Tenchi-ken has gone with its owner; and if I had it, it could not contain you while you have your gems."
"I've already considered that," Washu said. "For better or worse, I am the greatest scientific genius in the universe. I've come up with a device that will emulate the locking function of the Tenchi-ken. Powered by Ryoko's gems, it will seal the lock just as the Tenchi-ken did for all those centuries."
"And you need me to activate the lock," Katsuhito finished for her. Washu nodded. "And if I refuse?"
"Then I would have no choice but to attempt to reverse-engineer the lock. If I fail, it could seriously harm Ryoko," Washu replied.
Katsuhito searched her face. "Or even kill her," he said.
Washu nodded.
Katsuhito glanced at Ryoko, who was regarding him steadily, then looked back to Washu. "Have you told this to your daughter?"
"Of course," Washu replied.
"And?" Katsuhito asked, looking back to Ryoko.
"I don't want to die," Ryoko said. "But I don't want to live without Tenchi."
Looking back and forth between the women, Katsuhito saw their resolve and sighed in resignation.
"Very well," he said sadly. "I'll help you."
Ryu-Oh hung huge and beautiful in the sky over Okayama.
Ayeka stood facing everyone, ready to go.
"I will miss you all more than I can say," she said to them. "Especially you two," she said to Ryoko and Washu. Ryoko gave Ayeka a hug and Washu waved.
"Come visit any time," Washu said. "There's always room."
"Thank you, Washu."
"Goodbye, Sis," Sasami said. "Visit us any time, too."
"Of course I will," Ayeka said, hugging Sasami. "Take good care of Tenchi."
"I will," Sasami nodded.
Then, the sky split and another tree ship dropped into sight next to Ryu-Oh. Not nearly so large, the design was, nevertheless, distinctive.
"Isn't that Kinpa?" Tenchi asked, looking up.
"Er... Um..." Ayeka twiddled her fingers in front of her, looking embarrassed.
"Oh! How convenient, Ayeka!" Ryoko crowed. "Lucky for you that Kinpa just happened to be passing back through in time to escort you." She leaned over to Washu conspiratorially. "It wouldn't surprise me if her first diplomatic post was well inside Kinpa's patrol route," she said in a stage whisper.
Ayeka blushed furiously and Ryoko threw her head back and laughed. "Well, I-really-must-be-going-now-goodbye," Ayeka said in a rush and Ryu- Oh's transport beam activated and whisked her up to her waiting ship, chased by Ryoko's laughter.
"That ought to do it," Washu said with a final twist of a tool. She stepped back, regarding her handiwork. An enormous contraption was attached to the rock at the inner entrance to the cave; the rock that had once held the Tenchi-ken until Tenchi had removed it and freed Ryoko. The center of the device was a flat panel with three small depressions around a large red button. Hoses, tubes and wires festooned the rest; the rock it rested upon was still split.
"It's not beautiful," she said, stepping back and regarding her work with a satisfied expression. "But it will do the trick!" Then she glanced at Ryoko and Katsuhito, standing on either side of her and her face fell. "Sorry..." she said.
Ryoko favored her with a small smile. "It's all right," she said. Washu returned Ryoko's smile with a sad smile of her own.
Katsuhito cleared his throat. "Are you still determined to do this, Ryoko? It is raining today, but rain doesn't last forever. The world is always beautiful when the bad weather has passed."
Ryoko swallowed and nodded, looking toward the mouth of the cave. "Yes," she said. "Yes. I have to do this. There's nothing for me at this place or in this time." Katsuhito put his hand on Ryoko's shoulder and she looked up at him. He nodded at her, a look of understanding on his face.
"What do I do?" Ryoko asked, looking at Washu's machine.
Washu stepped forward. "First, you send your gems into the device. Once they're in place, I'll activate it. Then it will be up to Lord Katsuhito to activate the lock."
"Okay," Ryoko said grimly. "Let's do it."
She stepped forward and held her hands out in front of her, wrists up. She closed her eyes and sighed, relaxing. The gems at her wrists and throat glowed briefly and disappeared with a soft chime, reappearing a moment later on the face of Washu's device. They locked into place with an audible click and another chime and the red button in the center began to glow softly.
Ryoko stumbled, nearly falling, her body limp and boneless; Katsuhito caught her. "Wow," she said after a moment, looking up. "Losing those gems really takes it out of me." She smiled weakly.
Katsuhito handed Ryoko over to her mother, then rolled up his sleeves saying, "As I recall, this took a lot out of me as well." He squatted on his heels in front of the rock and placed his hands upon the two halves. His eyes closed and his face took on a look of intense concentration. After a moment, his hands began to glow with a soft blue light. Ryoko's gems and the characters engraved on the stone glowed in response and humming threads of power emerged from them. The threads wrapped themselves around the stone, entwining and joining with each other and, finally, pulling the two halves of the rock together with a loud click.
Katsuhito stood up, dusting off his hands and saying, "There. It's been a long time, but I guess I remembered how." He paused, noticing that Washu and Ryoko were staring at him. "What is it?" he asked.
"Yosho..." Ryoko said softly. "All this time... You haven't really changed."
"Eh? What?" Katsuhito looked down at his hands in surprise. Seeing that Funaho's illusion of age had fallen, he scratched his head in embarrassment and laughed out loud. "Ha ha! I guess it took more out of me than I thought!" he said in his again-young voice. He looked at the two women, Washu showing interest and Ryoko wonder, surprise, and a little fear.
"I'm sorry, Ryoko," Katsuhito said. "It was necessary for me to disguise my appearance to live here for so long; and to convince Ayeka that I was no longer the young man she thought she'd fallen in love with. I didn't mean to shock you."
Ryoko shook her head, as if waking from a dream. "Don't worry about it on my account," she said.
Katsuhito turned and gestured toward the passage to the chamber. "The way is open. Is this still your choice?" he asked.
Ryoko nodded gravely, staring at the low, black tunnel entrance. "I have feared that place, it seems like forever," she said.
"You still fear it," Katsuhito said to her.
Ryoko nodded, saying, "Yes, I do. More than almost anything."
"Almost anything." Washu said quietly.
"Almost..." Ryoko whispered.
Setting her jaw, Ryoko stepped forward and entered the passage. Washu followed, as did Katsuhito.
They had to crouch and walk sideways, the passage was low and the floor cut into irregular blocks. As they progressed, the power of Washu's device, Ryoko's gems and Katsuhito's lock went with them, lighting the gaps between the stones. A low hum of power filled the air around them. Their breath fogged before their faces in the cool air of the cave.
"I don't remember it being this cold," Katsuhito said.
Ryoko snorted. "You should try lying in that water for seven hundred years," she said.
"Hmm... I don't believe I will," Katsuhito replied. "And neither should you."
Ryoko turned on him, peering up at him from her crouched position in the passage. "Listen you! We've been through this. This is my decision and you agreed to help. I'm not going to change my mind, so get over it!"
Katsuhito nodded sadly. "I'm sorry Ryoko," he said. "For everything."
"So am I," she replied quietly.
In a few moments, they were standing at the mouth of the passage. The Demon Chamber was lit by the glow from the water flowing between the unevenly cut blocks that made up the floor. They radiated outward from the center, where there was a pool just large enough for a person to lie in. The size of a single bed, or a large coffin.
Ryoko began to shake, weeping and coughing. Washu went to her and held her, Katsuhito putting a hand on her shoulder. "Oh mom," she said between shuddering breaths and long sobs. "What am I doing here? How did my life come to this? Why can't I be happy?"
Washu was crying openly. "It's my fault, my little Ryoko. It's all my fault," she said quietly. "Please let me fix things and take the pain away? Please!"
Ryoko shook her head without lifting it from Washu's chest. "No. I can't forget Tenchi. I won't!" The two stood together for several moments, Ryoko nestled against Washu, Washu leaning her head forward, stroking Ryoko's hair. The only sounds in the chamber their grief.
Finally, Katsuhito stepped forward and put a hand on Washu's shoulder. "Come, Washu," he said. "Let us offer Ryoko what solace we can in sleep and forgetfulness."
Washu nodded, her eyes shut tight, her mouth a thin line. "Yes," she choked out.
Katsuhito and Washu stepped to opposite sides of Ryoko and each put an arm around her; Ryoko hugged herself tightly, eyeing the waiting pool. They moved slowly across the chamber together.
When they arrived at the pool, Ryoko stood straight, stepped forward and phased into her red and black battle suit. Looking down into the water, her face lit with its glow, she put in a tentative toe and quickly drew it back, hissing. "Damn, that's cold!" she said.
Then, setting her jaw, she put in one foot and then the other, stepping down from the edge where Washu and Katsuhito stood silently. Standing in the knee-deep water, Ryoko turned and looked up at the two of them. "I guess this is it," she said.
Katsuhito stepped forward and said, "Sleep well, Ryoko. You will always be in my thoughts. I hope to see you again when you awake."
"Thank you," Ryoko replied. Then her head tilted to one side and she broke into a smile, "You know, Yosho: I always thought you were pretty cute. Too bad we couldn't have met under other circumstances."
"I regret it as well," Katsuhito replied, returning her smile. Then, with a small bow, he stepped away from the pool.
Washu stepped forward and Ryoko hugged her around the waist. "I'm sorry, mom."
"Not as sorry as I am," Washu replied. Ryoko looked up at her and Washu leaned down, kissing her on the forehead. They smiled at each other briefly, then Ryoko sat down into the water.
"See ya," she said simply.
"Goodnight sweetheart," Washu said, tears streaming down her face. "Sweet dreams."
Ryoko smiled and lay back into the water, her cyan hair billowing around her. She clasped her hands on her chest and closed her eyes and, after a moment, the ripples settled and the surface of the pool was smooth.
"Do it," Washu said tightly.
Behind her, Katsuhito spread his arms and bowed his head in concentration. Again, the power flowed from his hands in bands of light, encircling and filling the room and causing the water in the chamber to glow brightly. Then, after a moment, the light dissipated. The water settled to a soft blue glow and Katsuhito dropped his arms.
"It is done," he said.
Washu nodded. "Leave me for a moment," she said.
"Yes," Katsuhito said. And, with a last bow to Ryoko, he turned and left the chamber.
Washu dropped to her knees next to the pool. Before her Ryoko lay beneath the still water, as if she were captured under glass. Washu leaned forward and reached a hand toward Ryoko's face under the smooth surface, fingers stopping a tiny distance away. A tear dropped silently into the pool, rippling the surface. It was soon followed by another and another.
Washu knew when Tsunami arrived in the chamber even without seeing her. For a few moments, it suited her to ignore Tsunami and make her wait. When she was ready, Washu wiped her eyes a final time, sighed and stood; turning to face the goddess who was standing behind her.
"Washu," Tsunami said softly.
"Why, Tsunami? I know you could have cured Tenchi without having to bond with him. Was my daughter's happiness too much to ask?" Washu's eyes flashed her anger.
Tsunami smiled sadly. "I'm sorry, Washu, but it was important to me. I have watched and influenced Jurai's royal line for centuries. All my work will come together in the children I have with Tenchi.
"Besides," she said, "I love him."
Washu snorted. "What do you know about love?" she said. "You don't even belong in this dimension."
"Maybe I didn't originate in this dimension, but I am part of it now," Tsunami said. "The merge is done. I am human now, Washu. I can experience everything that any person can; including love." Tsunami's eyes narrowed then, a thought clearly occurring to her.
"Washu! You had plans for the Jurai Royal Family!" she said with surprise.
Washu laughed bitterly. "Yes, Tsunami. I too have been influencing a line for centuries: my own. Ryoko is all the best of me. She was designed from the beginning to bring out the finest in the Jurai royal family and myself."
Tsunami nodded knowingly. "She wasn't originally meant for Tenchi, was she?"
Washu shook her head. "No, she wasn't."
"She was meant for Yosho, wasn't she?"
"Yes," Washu confirmed.
"How..? Yosho wasn't even born."
Washu shrugged. "I knew eventually there would be someone like Yosho. Ryoko was meant for that someone. She would have stayed in stasis until the time was right; then they would have met at the University where I was teaching. They would have loved each other very much and would have had beautiful, powerful children. And I would have been the most indulgent grandmother in the universe." Washu smiled wistfully at the memory of her hopes for her daughter's future, then her expression darkened. "But that bastard Kagato..!" she said, acidly.
"Oh, Washu! Why would you make such plans?" Tsunami asked.
Washu shrugged. "Why would you?" she retorted.
Tsunami paused. "I have a beautiful vision for this dimension, and to achieve it and thwart those who would foil my vision I need this to happen."
"Humph," Washu snorted. "And you're the only one allowed to have visions and to hope to achieve them?"
"But Washu, my vision was for the benefit of billions upon billions of people."
"And mine was for a champion to defend human space. There are worse creatures out there than Kagato."
"And now?" Tsunami asked.
"Now?" Washu hung her head. "Now I just wish my daughter had a chance at happiness."
"There's still a chance for her, Washu."
Washu's head jerked up and she stared into Tsunami's eyes. "How?"
Tsunami smiled broadly. "I can't make my vision happen alone. I need you," she began. "While Tenchi and my children will be powerful, they won't be powerful enough: their genetic line is too narrow to handle the raw energy that will be required."
Washu nodded her understanding. "Since Tenchi and you are both descended from the genetic line that you've been influencing, your ability to use power is similar."
"Yes," Tsunami acknowledged. "But Ryoko..."
"Ryoko, being my offspring and having Mass DNA uses power in a completely different way."
"And, combined correctly, our two lines will be more than the sums of their abilities..."
"...they'll combine for an exponential increase!" Washu said excitedly.
Tsunami smiled, "Which would not have happened for Ryoko's and Tenchi's children."
"Because despite his innate abilities Tenchi had too little of the Jurai Royal line in him," Washu completed the thought.
"But, since you've designed Ryoko to have a weakness for the men of the Jurai Royal line..."
"A son of Tenchi and yours would be perfect!" Washu said with glee.
Tsunami's eyes twinkled with mirth. "Have I mentioned that I'm already pregnant?"
Washu's attention snapped to Tsunami, a hopeful look on her face.
"Yes," Tsunami confirmed. "It's a boy."
Katsuhito was waiting at the top when Washu emerged. "Thank you for your help," she said to him. He grunted and nodded, clearly not happy with his role. "This is good bye for a while, you know," she said.
"Yes, I know. I will miss you - both of you."
"You'll keep an eye on her?" Washu asked.
"Of course."
Washu nodded, then turned and left the cave, heading up the path that would lead to the stairs and back to the valley. Behind her, she heard the squeal of the hinges and the clatter of the chain as Katsuhito closed the gate and locked it.
On the stairs she met Ryo-Ohki. She cried as Washu approached and Washu reached down and picked her up. "I know, sweetheart. I already miss her too." Washu cradled the cabbit in her arms and absent-mindedly stroked her as she continued down the stairs. "I think that it might be best to put you back in the lake until Ryoko wakes back up. She wouldn't want to be without you when she does. And I think you'll be happier sleeping, too; won't you?"
Ryo-Ohki "miya'd" her agreement.
When they reached the valley, Washu lifted Ryo-Ohki and looked in her eyes. "I'm going to miss you too," she said. "Good night, honey." Then she tossed the cabbit into the air.
Ryo-Ohki cried out. Washu watched as her small form shifted and expanded and climbed until the large ship that had once been the scourge of the universe hovered in the air over Okayama. Ryo-Ohki hesitated for a moment, then plunged straight down into the pond, landing with a tremendous splash.
She didn't come back up.
Washu waited to be sure Ryo-Ohki was safely in the pond. When she was, she walked back to the house. Tenchi and Sasami were on the front porch watching the waves settle. "Washu, what was that?" Tenchi asked.
"I thought I heard Ryo-Ohki," Sasami said.
"You did," Washu replied. "That was her and Ryoko leaving. The splash was a side-effect of Ryo-Ohki's drive, I think. Don't worry about it." She stepped past Tenchi and Sasami and entered the house. After a moment longer looking at the lake, Tenchi and Sasami followed her.
She stopped in front of the closet door. "Washu, why didn't Ryoko say goodbye?" Tenchi asked.
"She just couldn't, Tenchi. She asked me to do it for her and she hoped you'd understand."
Sasami made a sad face. "I'm still disappointed Ryoko decided to leave."
Washu smiled sadly. "We all are." She stepped forward and gave Sasami a hug, saying, "Well, I have to go too. Time to get ready for fall sessions!"
"When will we see you again, Washu?" Tenchi asked.
"Hmm..." she said. "I'm pretty busy, so it might not be very often; maybe not at all. You're welcome to visit me if you want, but I have a feeling you'll be too busy. At any rate, if you don't see me before, you'll see me just about the time Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki get back."
"We'll miss you, Washu," Sasami said.
"Well, okay," Tenchi said a little sadly. "But when you see Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki, tell them we miss them and that they can visit any time, okay?"
"I will," Washu promised. "Now, be good. And if you can't be good, be careful. And if you can't be careful..." Washu winked, "Well, you know the rest." She opened the closet door and stepped through. "Bye now!" she said, pulling it shut. There was a tone and a glimpse of light under the door and, when Tenchi opened it a second later, it was a closet again.