Disclaimer: never did and never will own Tenchi Muyo

(A/N: ok maybe I lied a little.............I am trying to update as often as possible but writers block and work has got me tied up, sry! Hope you like this next chapter!)

Chapter: Decisions in the Making

Tenchi, Sasami, Mihoshi, Washu and Kyone drove down the driveway torwards to Masaki home. Tenchi made Ryoko and Aeka take the bus and Maki offered to go with them to make sure they didn't blow anything up. But at that moment Aeka and Ryoko's bickering seemed unimportant, as the car came to a screeching halt it's passengers stared ahead, at the fire trucks and their burning home.

Fifteen Minutes Later

Maki sighed at the final silence, Ryoko walked on her right and Aeka was on her left, they had gotten off the bus only minutes before and were starting their way down the Masaki driveway, the women's attention was averted to two fire trucks driving past them, coming from their home. Maki broke out into a run and Ryoko and Aeka followed.

Tenchi looked to his right as Maki ran up to him "What happened?"

"Our house was set on fire, from the roof down, Washu is up there assessing the damage now." Tenchi looked up at the roof where Washu floated on her cushion inspecting the roof and adding the information into her computer.

Maki ran closer to the house and looked up to Washu "What do you think caused it?" She yelled.

"Well it looks as though the roof was blasted" came Washu's reply "nothing a can't fix."

'Oh no...' "Washu can you wait till I take a look to fix it? I am gonna come up."

Ryoko frowned "why would you wanna do that?"

Maki climbed out the hatchway and walked onto the roof, she carefully made her way over to the burnt part of the house. Sure enough there was a large hole with a charcoal black ring around it. Maki kneeled down and touched the black, she could feel the energy coming off of it, his energy. "Shit!"

Washu gave Maki a weird look "could this be the work of the man who attacked you?"

Maki nodded and headed off the roof.

Four Hours Later

Everyone sat at the eating, glares were exchanged between Aeka and Ryoko and Mihoshi and Sasami were having a conversation "I am glad Washu fixed the house!"

"Me too!" Sasami agreed "We would all have to go hungry other wise!"

Yosho was the first to start up a new conversation "So Maki, do you have an idea as to who attacked our home?"

'That old man always knows everything..." She thought bitterly. Maki swollowed her food and nodded with her reply "Yes sir, I am pretty sure it was the same man who attacked me before I first came to your home. Tenchi and I happened to see him while in town."

There was an odd silence as everyone stared at her, no one said a word as they finished up dinner.

Two Weeks Later

Tenchi knocked on Maki's door "Maki? May I come in?"

"Sure" Came her short reply.

Tenchi opened the door "I-" he looked around her room to find that everything was sparkling clean and Maki was zippering up one of two duffle bags "what are you doing?"

Maki sat on the bed and motioned for him to do the same, he obeyed. "I am Shinto's target, and as long as I am here you all are too. I tried to come up with a better solution but I cant. He doesn't do the whole hostage thing so the only way to keep everyone safe is to just leave..."

"Maki you don't have to run away, we can help you fight him."

"Tenchi this is my fight and I'll fight it, just not yet, I'm not ready. A few days ago he broke into my room and told me I only have a week, he said he trusted me not to runaway like my parents did, and then he said at the end of the week we will fight. I plan on going away and getting stronger, I wont be Maki anymore Tenchi and I don't think I'll be able to see you anymore, at least for a while."

Tenchi sighed "I don't understand? What do you mean you wont be Maki anymore?"

"I wish I could tell you Tenchi I really do."

'Everything seemed so much better.....Maki helped me straighten out my life and figure out who I belong with, now she is leave never to be seen again? None of this makes sense..."

(A/N: Hope you liked it! Will Shinto come early? Can the Masaki family fight him off? Or will they all just die? Who knows! Not me!)