Previously on Continuum T:
The series has now taken off. Tenchi, our protagonist hero, has discovered that he has strange powers. His Saiyan form made its first appearance against Sel, this fanfic's first villain, and now Tenchi has to live with the consequences. Fortunately, everyone who knew about this has forgotten, thanks to a strange woman who seemingly has all the answers. Yes, I think that sums it up.
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Continuum T, Part II – New Friends, Old Enemies (beta)
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Tenchi had left his surrogate family two days after meeting the strange woman and had gone to live with his real family in Japan. The strange woman had erased everyone's memories of Tenchi Anderson. She had also given Tenchi a small house close to the bus stop he would have to use to go to school every day. This house and his school were in England. However, an interspatial portal connected his house in England and his parent's house in Japan, so he could traverse the huge distance in seconds. Tenchi would visit his family every holiday. It couldn't be more frequent than that, because of the large difference in the time zones.
Tenchi had grown to be a very quiet person, having hardly any friends. This was because he had seen the destruction his abilities caused, and he was afraid that if he was more extrovert he would accidentally reveal his ability to use them. Everyone would then reject him, being afraid of him, and his life would become very miserable. So instead, he suppressed his powers, or what he termed abilities.
Tenchi's grandfather, Katsuhito, related to him on his late mother's side, had taken to training Tenchi. This entailed maintaining the Masaki Shrine near to where they lived. When he wasn't doing that he trained in sword technique. His grandfather made him do this. Tenchi didn't particularly mind, as he rather enjoyed it.
And so Tenchi Masaki, as he was now, lived that way for about a year.
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"A terrible incident has occurred in Manchester." The report came on while Tenchi was watching the news. He began to pay attention.
"Terrorists, believed to be part of the IRA, have detonated a bomb inside Manchester Shopping Centre. Mass destruction was caused, and several tens of people were killed. Hundreds more were injured from the blast and debris. These pictures are of the scene just moments after the explosion."
The screen changed to show pictures of the event. Tenchi watched them in horror. He hated anyone to be hurt. What was worse was the fact that he could have used his developing abilities to stop, or at least contain the explosion, preventing the deaths. He had even had a feeling that something bad was happening about half an hour before the attack. This was Tenchi's growing ability to use foresight, to see into the future to see what was going to happen. It seemed that it developed when he was meditating, which was now a part of his daily routine.
Tenchi had developed many other abilities since the start of his training with his grandfather, since he knew he had the ability to develop them. He had kept all his powers secret from even his family, so he was alone in knowing he had them.
But Tenchi was becoming more and more frustrated. He could have stopped it. He could have prevented the destruction and death. But he knew he couldn't. He needed some kind of disguise. If he showed up using his powers without one, he would be cast out of normal society. The problem was that he didn't have one.
Tenchi thought. He remembered how that strange woman from a year ago had helped him. Maybe she could help him again, by providing some sort of disguise.
As if bidden by his thoughts, the doorbell rang. Tenchi went to answer it. The woman was outside.
"You said you kept an eye on me," Tenchi said. "But I didn't know you could hear my thoughts."
"But you can read mine," the woman said. "Surely it wouldn't be fair otherwise?"
"I guess not," Tenchi replied. "Why are you here, anyway?"
"You want a disguise, so you can be a super hero and save the world. I have delivered you one." She held out her hand. Two golden rings were in her palm. Blood red circular stones were set into them. In gold lettering appeared the two kanji symbols spelling Tenchi's name, one on each ring. Tenchi took them, inspecting them in wonderment.
"The symbol spelling 'Ten' should go on your left middle finger. The symbol for 'chi' should be on the corresponding finger of the other hand. To activate them, and the disguise, clench your fists and think about triggering it to happen. To turn back, do the same but think about returning to normal clothing."
"Wow, thanks," Tenchi said. He put on the rings and looked at them.
"There is another thing," the woman said. She pulled out what looked like a pen. "This contains several thousand tiny machines called nanobots. They can repair nearly all body damage, and destroy infections. You will never become ill, and will never be irreparably injured." She leaned forwards and injected the contents of the pen into Tenchi's neck. Tenchi didn't feel a thing.
"With that done, I shall go." She turned and walked down the path to the road.
"Wait!" Tenchi called after her. "You've done so much for me, and I don't even know your name. Please tell me who you are."
"I am someone concerned with your future," the woman replied. She continued walking. When she reached the end of the driveway she faded into the air.
Tenchi looked on in astonishment.
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It was five years later, take a few months. Tenchi was now in the Lower Sixth Form of his school, a term given to those in Year 12, for 16-17 year olds. The disguise had worked well, being simple black clothing with red and gold decoration. A long black overcoat completed the look, but what was most striking was the mask. It covered the left side of Tenchi's face completely, and extended into the other half, stretching across his cheek and forehead in a seemingly random way. The mask was silver, and hid enough of his face to avoid being recognised, but still allowing him to see with one eye, and did not cover his mouth, so allowing him to speak. He had not chosen an identity, but everyone referred to him as the Masked Man, so that was the name he adopted.
Over the past few years he had prevented some major disasters, and many minor incidents. He had an affinity for cats, and kept one as a pet, which he called Chibi. He had also slowly relaxed, and now had several friends, one of whom in particular he liked. Her name was Sakuya, a fellow Japanese student. She had moved to England with her parents several years ago. She had short near-black hair, which she always tied with a ribbon. Her eyes were blue-green, and her face was beautiful and delicate. She enjoyed being with Tenchi, because he was so kind and considerate. His years of shyness had given him those attributes.
Tenchi and Sakuya happened to take the same bus home every day. While they travelled they talked. Today was one such day. They were talking about general things, and in particular one of Sakuya's problems. She had been attracted to a boy at school, but he had blown her off when she had tried to approach him.
They were still talking as they neared Tenchi's stop. Sayuka's was still several miles away.
"Listen," Tenchi said. "Why don't you come to my place? I don't mind, and we can talk more then."
"Are you sure it's alright?" Sakuya asked.
"Yes, of course. You can phone your parents and tell them you're staying over at my house. Unless you were going to do something tonight?"
"No, nothing. I'll come," Sakuya said.
So they disembarked. The weather was less than perfect, being as it was pouring with rain. They ran the ten-minute walk to Tenchi's house, where they went in, soaking wet.
"Why don't you go change out of those wet clothes?" Tenchi suggested. "I've got a kimono upstairs you can wear."
"Really? Thanks." Sakuya went upstairs to Tenchi's room and changed. Meanwhile Tenchi tried to dry himself off with a towel, whilst starting to prepare dinner.
Sakuya came downstairs in the kimono. It was a fairly basic design, light blue in colour. Tenchi then went upstairs to change. He put all the wet clothes near a radiator to dry. He went back down and talked with Sakuya as he continued preparing dinner.
Tenchi washed his hands and went into the main room.
"Dinner should be ready in about half an hour," he announced.
"Great, I'm starving," Sakuya said. She was looking at one of the many paintings hung up on the wall. They were all very finely done, and were almost like photographs.
"Do you like them?" Tenchi asked. "I painted them all myself."
"Really? No way."
"Yes way."
"So what does this painting mean?" Sakuya pointed to a painting of a man standing between two tall trees. The sky was a dark purple, and showed stars and small galaxies. The man had two swords, one long and one short, in either hand. He stood in a resting position. His clothing was that of a swordsman.
"That painting is me. What?" he asked at the sceptical gaze. "Masaki translates to Great Samurai, and Tenchi means Heaven and Earth. So that's a samurai between Heaven and Earth. It's me."
"Oh."
"I also like this painting," Tenchi said, pointing at another one. It wasn't like the others. It was just a white canvas with black kanji painted on it. The kanji read "shounen yo shinwa ni nare".
" 'Boy, be a legend' " Sakuya translated. "That's an interesting phrase. Why?"
"It reminds me to appreciate who I am, and to give all I have to whatever I'm doing."
"Is that so?"
Tenchi nodded. He walked over to a flat wall cabinet placed prominently in the centre of a wall. "But this is the most valuable of all paintings. To me, anyway."
He opened the cabinet to reveal another painting. Many varied shapes and symbols of different colours were randomly placed across the canvas.
"This picture," Tenchi said, "helps me meditate. If you relax and look at it, you fall into a deep trance, a Zen trance. Why don't you try it? I'll get some drinks."
Tenchi got no reply. Sakuya sat staring at the picture.
"Sakuya?" No reply. "Sakuya, hello?" Nothing. "Are you in a trance? If you are say nothing." Nothing was said. Tenchi nodded and went to tend to dinner.
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Sakuya blinked. Tenchi had shut the cabinet. A drink was next to her.
"Wha, what happened?"
"You were in a trance for about five minutes. Did you enjoy it?"
Sakuya thought. She felt relaxed and calm. "Yes," she said slowly. "I feel..."
"Serene?"
"Yes."
Tenchi nodded. "That's what a good trance will do. Have you phoned your parents yet?"
"I hope you don't mind. I called them while you were changing."
"Of course not." Tenchi sat down. "So, about your love life."
Sakuya blushed. "Well..."
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Sakuya had stayed the night, sleeping in Tenchi's bed while Tenchi slept on a spare futon. They returned to school the next day, to several rumours and lewd remarks. But when Tenchi got home the next night, he was in for a shock.
Sel.
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In the next episode of Continuum T:
Sel's back, and he's thirsty for revenge. Tenchi faces him in his greatest fight to date. It's all or nothing in "Death and Rebirth". Will Tenchi be able to stand up to Sel? Will his secret identity remain a secret? Or will Tenchi, as the title suggests, die in the attempt? Find out in the next episode of Continuum T.