TENCHI MUYO! - A BEGINNING
Tenchi Masaki was walking along the road to his family's lakeside house near his grandfather's mountain shrine. The school term was finally over so he felt the normal relief and had a smile thinking of a few weeks of needed rest. Suddenly he saw a small figure running toward him from the direction of the house.
"Daddy! Daddy!"
Slightly puzzled he turned and looked behind him, but he saw no one following. By the time he turned back around, the thigh-high girl had wrapped her arms around his leg.
"Whoa!" He grabbed her as she almost tripped him. " Little girl, who are you looking for? I don't recognize you from around here."
"Daddy, you can be so silly! I'm Achika. I was looking for you all over the house. Why are you in that uniform? Did you go to town? Did you bring me something? I missed you daddy."
Carrying the small Achika with one arm, and his book satchel in his other hand, he headed to the house with a look of confusion. Achika held on with her arms around his neck.
Tenchi looked her in the eyes. "You're cute Achika, but I still am at a loss. I'm not your daddy."
Just as he reached the front door of the house, it opened and a beautiful young woman with wild blue hair came out.
"Tenchi, dear, you finally made it back. And now I know where Achika got to." Looking at the young girl she gave her a big smile. "You shouldn't run out like that when I don't know where you've gone!"
Achika now had a puzzled look. "Yes, aunt Ryoko. Where's momma?"
Tenchi's eyes had gotten as big a saucers. Who was this good looking woman? Achika's aunt Ryoko. Why are these people in his house? Why is she calling me 'dear'?
"Ahh, Miss Ryoko, I believe, who are you? Why are you here? Do you know dad?"
"Aunt Ryoko, daddy is playing games with me. He keeps saying I'm not his daughter."
"But dear, you are his daughter, and I'm your mother, not your aunt. Now who's playing games little one. Come here, daddy must have had a long day."
A tear began to show in Achika's eye. Ryoko took her from Tenchi, and gave him a good welcome home kiss on the lips. Tenchi's eyes were bigger then they were before, and he almost collapsed. A pretty little girl that says she's his daughter, and a very pretty young woman that claims to be his wife! Going into the entrance of the house, another beautiful dark haired girl appeared in the upstairs hall.
"Lord Tenchi, you are home early today. What's wrong Achika?" Her eyes widened with surprise that started to turn to anger as her voice raised in pitch. "Ryoko? Has that space pirate done something to you dear?"
"Aunt Ayeka, daddy says that I'm not his, and aunt Ryoko says she's my mother. Why are they saying this to me?"
Ayeka's face now showed her open anger. "Ryoko, why are you here? I haven't seen you in years. Ever since the Emperor had the Galaxy Police after you for piracy." She started to run down the stairs. "Please put my daughter down right this second. Tenchi, what is going on here? Why did you let this horrid person in the house?"
Achika began crying again. Ryoko set her down on the floor and turned to Ayeka with fire in her eyes and chi lightning balls in her hands. Her body began to rise above the floor.
"Look here, you prissy princess, I haven't been anywhere, and your father certainly hasn't sent any Galaxy Police after me. After all, I'm the Crown Prince's wife, not you. And this is Tenchi's and my daughter, and she always has been! I'm beginning to wonder why I ever let you stay with us in our house after Tenchi and I got married!"
"You pesky pirate person, I have lived here with Tenchi, and our child, and you have NOT lived here! I have half a mind to call Mihoshi right now, I know they still are looking for you." As Ayeka spoke, her clothing began to billow, and what looked to Tenchi like small logs formed in the air around her body. The walls and furniture in the hall began to shake.
"Hold it both of you! Whatever you are doing stop it right now! Look you have little Achika crying. Come here Achika, let's get out of here until I can figure out what's going on."
Ryoko pointed at Ayeka and looked at the confused boy. "Tenchi, it's obvious what's going on. Ayeka has finally lost that little half mind she had, and thinks she's married to you. And to think I told her we wanted her to stay with us after that carnival. She's crazy Tenchi!"
"Husband! How can you take that pirate's side? She left years ago when we were married, and hasn't been back since! She's the crazy one! I'm calling the Galaxy Police! Be sure to keep our Achika away from her!"
"Daddy, why are aunt Ryoko and aunt Ayeka being so mean? Why don't you know who I am?" Fresh tears began to flow.
At that moment the front door slid open and a middle aged man entered. Looking at the two angry women, and at Tenchi holding a very cute little girl with tear streaked cheeks, his eyes widened, and he gave a big knowing smile.
"Son aren't you going to introduce me to your pretty lady friends? And especially to this little one. I never thought I'd see you have some girl friends in when I'm not around. Good for you boy!"
Achika held to Tenchi's neck with a tighter grip. "Daddy, why is grandfather saying he doesn't know me either?"
Ryoko turned toward Tenchi's dad. "Look Nobuyuki, what do you mean introduce us? I've been Tenchi's wife for years now! Have you gotten a sudden case of amnesia also?"
Ayeka's face reddened even more. "Father Nobuyuki, have you forgotten that I'm Tenchi's wife, and not that pirate's. And that is Tenchi's and my daughter? After all she's named for Tenchi's mother."
Tenchi stood holding Achika and looked at all the girls in the hall. He held the crying girl a little tighter, and shook his head with bewilderment as he walked toward the living room.
"Dad, I don't know what's going on here. Both of these girls say that I'm married to them. Achika says that I'm her father, but that neither one of them is her mother." He stopped, gave a sigh, and turned back toward his father and the young women in the hall. "By the way, the one floating is Miss Ryoko, the one with the logs is Miss Ayeka. Girls this is my dad, but you already seem to know that."
Nobuyuki was all smiles. "Tenchi did I leave you alone too often when I went on my business trips? You know it's not good to have so many wives in one place. This is the kind of thing that can happen. Why didn't you tell me you were married? And to such beautiful girls too! You even have a daughter! My son, I'm so proud! I didn't think you had it in you! I've got to tell your mother in heaven." Nobuyuki started toward the family shrine in the corner, when the door to the kitchen opened, and a third young woman stood there. Her beauty almost put the other two to shame, and on her shoulder sat what appeared to be a rabbit. The rabbit gave a questioning 'meow'.
"Achika! What is going on out here? Ryoko and Ayeka, what are you two doing now, making Achika cry like this? Come here and I'll hold you little one." She looked at Tenchi with a frown. "Tenchi, you shouldn't let them tease your daughter like that. Ayeka, Sister Ryoko, I can't believe you're telling Achika that you're her mother!"
"I almost have dinner ready, so enough of this fuss, and get yourselves ready to eat." The rabbit gave a "meow" as if to punctuate the statement.
Nobuyuki's eyes got even wider, and so did his grin. "Tenchi, is she one of your wives too? How do you find the time for them all! Have you been going to beauty contests to find wives? I should have tried that years ago. Does this mean I don't have to do the cooking any longer?" He paused and suddenly looked thoughtful. "By the way, I didn't think that rabbits said 'meow'."
After putting Achika down to run to her apparent mother, Tenchi sat himself down on the floor with his mouth open and his eyes so far open they were bugging out.
Ryoko and Ayeka were also wide eyed looking at the young woman.
"Sasami! How can you be here? You became Tsunami years ago, and had to return to Jurai! You can't be married to Tenchi and have a child!"
"Sister, what are you talking about? I'm Sasami and I've always been Sasami. Tsunami is the life-tree of Jurai, you know that, do I look like a tree?. Her voice took on a sound of concern. "Do you feel well? Tenchi, see if she needs to go upstairs to her room, I'm getting worried."
Sasami turned slightly toward the family pirate. "Ryoko, why are you looking so funny, do you think I am the life-tree of Jurai also?"
Ryoko looked at Sasami, then with a question beginning to show on her face she spoke slowly. "As a matter of fact, yes I do. You told Tenchi and me that just before you left the family." She paused. "All right you people, what is going on here? I've had just about enough of this playing around." As she spoke her body raised off the floor again and flashes of lightning formed around her.
Tenchi finally caught his breath enough to speak.
"Look everyone, I have no idea what's happening here. To begin with I'm only 17. I am in high school, and don't even have a girl friend. There is no way that I'm married to any of you! And although I wish I was your father, Achika, I'm not old enough to be. I'm sorry, but that is the way it is. I have never met any of you before today. Please, I'm sorry, but I don't know who you are or why you're here."
Nobuyuki started to wave his hands at Tenchi. "Son, can't we at least wait until after dinner. If they aren't yours maybe I can get to know them."
Ryoko crossed her arms and looked straight at Nobuyuki.
"Hold it right there you pervert. I'm married to Tenchi, and what's more you have been married to Mihoshi for several years. Let's not start that over again."
Ayeka stood up straight, and the "logs" began to spin around her head again.
"You pirate! He is not married to anyone, let alone Mihoshi! What are you trying to do now?"
Leaning over to his son, Nobuyuki quietly asked, "Tenchi, who's Mihoshi? Do you think she's as good looking as your wives?"
"Dad, I don't have the slightest idea who Mihoshi is, and they are not my wives. Jeez! Exactly what do you think I've been doing while you're on those trips of yours?" He paused and looked closer at his father's face. "Never mind, I'm sorry I even asked."
Tenchi stood up shakily and started for the glass door to the outside.
"Look everyone, why don't you all go have some dinner. I want to go outside for a little walk and a breath of fresh air. Maybe I'll be back in a while, maybe not." He stopped and looked back at his father. "Dad, don't try anything funny with them."
Opening the sliding door Tenchi took a step out, and stepped right back into the house again.
He continued to look out the window toward the sky. "Dad, do you know someone that owns something that looks like a spaceship? There seems to be one landing in the lake at the moment."
Drifting toward the door Ryoko looked outside.
"It's just Kiyone and Mihoshi coming back from patrol. Nothing different about that. They always land in the lake, it helps hide their shuttle."
Ayeka ran to the door and peered out at the two Galaxy Police officers walking toward the house.
"I see Mihoshi, but who is the other officer with her? Her partner Kiyone was killed in a Galaxy Police action before Mihoshi came to earth."
Ryoko's anger started to pick up again. "Look you pest of a princess, Kiyone and Mihoshi have lived either with us, or in their apartment in town. At least until Mihoshi married father there, and they have their own apartment in town."
By then the two officers came up to the porch. Kiyone seeing Nobuyuki went over to him and gave him a big hug and kiss. The intake of breath from the assembled crowd was heard almost to Okayama. Kiyone looked at the group with a raised eyebrow.
"What are you people looking at? Can't I greet my husband when I come off patrol? It's not after every patrol that he can meet me at the house. We'll be leaving for our apartment in town in just a minute." Smiling she looked Noboyuki in the eyes. "Right, Nobuyuki?"
Tenchi's dad was frozen with his eyes looking at the striking dark haired police officer. Trembling, but with a huge grin, he looked at Tenchi. His arms went around Kiyone's waist.
"Tenchi, can we discuss this all later, it seems that Mihoshi wants to go to our apartment right now."
The crack of the girls eyes turning in Nobuyuki's direction was deafening.
Ryoko looked at Kiyone with her arms around father's neck, and then at Kiyone's supposed husband who was holding her tightly around the waist. Ayeka watched everyone with an open mouth.
Ryoko floated over, then leaned over slightly until she had her face close to Nobuyuki's. "You pervert! You don't know I am. You don't know your own granddaughter. And now you don't know your own wife!" She turned toward the other police officer. "Mihoshi why are you just standing there? Are you are such a twit you don't know your partner is running off with your husband?"
Mihoshi gave a slightly bewildered, normal for her, look and grin. "Gee, Ryoko, I'm not married to anyone. Kiyone is father's wife, she has been since the Tokimi incident. Everything seems normal to me."
Just then Sasami poked her head around the kitchen door . "Mihoshi, Kiyone, you're just in time for dinner. Come on in everyone, it doesn't get any better."
Mihoshi started a little hopping dance. "Oh, look everyone, Sasami is cooking tonight! We sure are in for a treat!"
It was Sasami's turn to look confused. "Mishoshi, I cook every night unless Ryoko or Ayeka do it. Who else would do it?"
"Silly, Sakuya would, after all she's Tenchi's wife." Mihoshi gave one of her thoughtful looks. "Of course she doesn't do as well as you do. By the way, where is Sakuya, everyone else seems to be here?"
Tenchi slowly backed toward the door opening onto the porch. Ryoko and Ayeka looked at him with murder in their eyes.
Sasami looked thoughtful. "Mihoshi, Sakuya disappeared before the fight with Yugi. Remember she was Yugi's shadow and really didn't exist in this world. She and Tenchi never had a chance to be married."
Ryoko lowered her head and rose a little higher in the air. Flashes of light began to form around her.
"Washu, where's Washu? She isn't here with us, and this is beginning to remind me of her damn time and dimension machine!"
Little Achika ran toward the closet door and tried to open it before her aunt Ryoko did.
Still not letting go of Kiyone, Nobuyuki looked at his supposed womanizing son. "Tenchi, do you have another wife that lives in the closet? That's not a good place for one you know."
"Dad, I keep telling you I'm not married!" Tenchi raised his finger at his father. "Stop right there dad, why are you and Kiyone going toward the stairs?"
Nobuyuki tried to look innocent. "Well she said it was a long patrol, and we don't seem to be getting out of here to our own apartment."
"Dad, you are not married to Kiyone, you do not live in town, you do not have an apartment, and you certainly are not taking that woman upstairs in this house."
Achika had finally gotten the closet door open and Ryoko flew over to look inside. Her arms disappeared into the closet and pulled out a volleyball, baseball bat and soccer ball.
"Washu is not here. Her dimensional lab isn't even here!" She shook her fists at the open air. "Washu, what have you done this time?"
Tenchi watched the sports equipment flying from the closet. He was totally confused. "Ryoko, who's Washu, and why is she in my closet?"
Ayeka answered first. "Lord Tenchi, she's Ryoko's mother. We rescued her from the Souja, don't you remember?"
Ryoko swung around toward the Jurian Princess. "My mother? She's not my mother! She was the demon in the 'demon cave', and is your sister-in-law. You are crazy thinking she's my mother!"
Sasami gave another frown. "Ryoko, Ayeka, Washu is Ryoko's co-pilot, she's not anyone's mother or sister-in-law. She arrived here when we destroyed Ryoko's ship. We all arrived at the same time, and Tenchi took care of us. See here's one of his mother's jewels that he gave us when we became a family."
Ignoring the arguing women, Tenchi slipped out the glass door and across the grass toward the lake. Walking slowly toward the water in the gathering dusk, his mind was in turmoil. Then there was a soft voice beside him.
"Tenchi, how's things going with you?"
Looking down he saw a young girl with long flowing red hair, whose smile he could barely see in the darkness. He gave a loud sigh.
"Are you one of my children? Or how about one of my wives, I seem to have several."
The smile grew a little larger on the young girl.
"Sorry, Tenchi, I don't qualify as either in this dimension. I'm afraid I made a teeny tiny mistake in my calculations. And with this house as the nexus of the dimensional changes... Well, you can see what can happen. Sorry about that."
Tenchi stopped walking toward the lake and looked down again. "Are you the Washu that everyone is talking about? I'm an artist not a scientist, and I have no idea what you're talking about."
Suddenly from the direction of the house there was a flash of light and the sound of an explosion. A hole appeared in the roof, and several roof tiles fell to the ground. Two windows shattered, throwing glass across the grass.
Tenchi's head fell to his chest with a large sigh. An arm wrapped around his neck, a hand rubbed against his chest, and a husky voice whispered in his ear.
"Tenchi, I did say it was only in this dimension that I wasn't connected to you, didn't I?"
Casting his eyes to the side, he didn't see a small girl, but a tall, red-headed young woman. Goddess would be the best description of her, beautiful didn't quite tell the story. He fell over almost dragging the newest beauty with him. Staring at what must be Washu, he was speechless. Washu smiled down at him.
"Sorry, I guess it has been a while since I was like this. Maybe I'd better take care of these little problems for you. Be seeing you in another time!"
The vision disappeared from in front of him. From the house he heard angry voices, and breaking furniture, punctuated by flashes of light. Talking to himself, he shook his head, and stayed seated on the walkway. "Washu, or whoever you are, I hope you can take care of this, whatever it is. Can I be connected to any of these crazy people anywhere?"
Standing in front of her Time and Dimension Machine, Washu changed back to her normal self. With a small smile she pushed some buttons on the console. "There you go Tenchi, I think that should take care of your problem for now. But I do think you need a little excitement in your life." Pushing a few more buttons her smile got bigger. "Let's see what you do with this, my little guinea pig. See you later!"
TWO:
Morning. The sun was streaming into Tenchi's bedroom promising a hot summer day. He opened his eyes and squinted at the clock.
"Jeez. Why am I up this early on my first day of school break?"
Climbing out of his bed, he stretched, and scratched his head. Moving across the floor he almost tripped over his masterpiece that was leaning in front of the other paintings against the wall of his room. Picking up the school prize winner for western style painting, he wondered again about the subject matter.
"Who are you? Jeez, I wish I could figure out who you are, and why I painted you like this."
In his hands he held a portrait of a beautiful young woman in a pink kimono, standing on the shrine stairs. The pink almost matched the cherry blossoms in bloom along the stairs. To one side in the background he had painted in the entrance to the shrine 'demon cave'.
"Why did I give you those yellow eyes? And that hair! What would it be like to know you?"
Standing the painting on his desk top, he began to dress for breakfast. A woman's voice called him to hurry for breakfast, he called back that he was almost there.
Leaving his bedroom he saw the photographs that had always hung on the hallway wall. His grandfather Yosho, and grandmother Haruna, looking so stiff and unsmiling in their wedding clothes. And next the wedding photo of his own parents, looking almost as stiff, but at least his mother had a smile.
Already sitting at the breakfast table were his mother and grandmother.
"Hurry, Tenchi dear. You know your grandfather wants your help this morning."
"Okay mom. Morning grandmother, you doing okay this morning?"
"I'm feeling good today, Tenchi. You need to have a good breakfast, I don't know when you'll be able to get back from the cave."
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot that granddad wanted me to do some exploring and repairs in there. What was it he wanted to do, see if the spirit bindings were still in good shape, or something?"
While eating, Tenchi thought to himself, "Well, at least this gives me something to do on my break. Maybe I'll have a good story to tell the guys when school starts again!"
End.