Chapter 2: Pre-emptive Strike

"LITTLE BROTHER?"

That single statement could be heard throughout the entire house. Back in the lab, Ryoko was breathing hard from the yell, and Washu was calmly setting the plate of food in front of Ryosou. The small boy, whom appeared to be no older than 7, picked up a fork and mindlessly ate the food on the plate. No sooner had he, than Tenchi, Mayuka, Ayeka and Sasami come rushing into the lab, expecting something bad.

"Washu, what's going on? We all just heard Ryoko yelling" said Tenchi, before noticing Ryosou. "Who is he?"

"You all are a little late, but I'll explain. This boy is named Ryosou, and to make it simple, he is Ryoko's little brother." Said Washu, placing a hand on Ryosou's left shoulder.

"Her little brother?" They all said in unison. Mayuka happened to look over to see Ryoko on the floor, passed out.

"Yes, I used the same method to create Ryosou here as I did to create both Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki." Explained Washu as she turned to see Mayuka kneeling and poking at the unconscious Ryoko. "But there's a difference between the two. When I created Ryoko, she had a free will, but it was suppressed by Kagato. Ryosou, however, has no free will, not at the moment at least."

"How can he not have a free will?" asked Tenchi, looking between Washu and Ryosou as Sasami and Ayeka knelt next to Ryosou, examining him.

"Well, I'm actually embarrassed to say that I goofed when I was creating him…" said Washu with a weak laugh, "He will gain his free will eventually, but for now, all that he knows is me."

"I see…" said Tenchi, he looked down at Ryoko, and noticed that Mayuka wasn't there anymore. He looked around in almost panic, but he then saw her next to Ayeka, her face almost touching Ryosou's. "Mayuka, what are you doing?"

"This kid, he looks younger than me." Said Mayuka, poking him in the face, but getting no response.

Tenchi, Mayuka and Sasami left the lab, carrying Ryoko with them, leaving only Washu, Ryosou, and Ayeka in the lab.

"Miss Washu, I thought you told Lady Funaho that you wouldn't create another Ryoko, why did you?" asked Ayeka.

"Simple, Ryosou isn't just another Ryoko; he will be his own person." Said Washu with a motherly smile.

"You seem awful happy" said Ayeka with a dull expression.

"Wouldn't you be happy if another child came?" said Washu with a sly grin. This comment made Ayeka blush, before she ran out of the lab yelling about having to help clear the lunch table. Washu laughed before looking to Ryosou and running her hand through his bluish green hair and smiling. "Let's just hope that you find your will soon…"

Later that night, Ryoko sat on the porch in front of the house. She was still thinking over the fact that Washu had created another person that was like her. "Damn that Washu, how dare she create another me!" Ryoko yelled at herself before picking a small rock off the ground and launching it at the lake, causing a large wave to wash upon the shore. Little did she know, Tenchi was walking out of the house when she threw the rock. He walked over and sat next to Ryoko.

"You don't like the idea of having a brother, do you Ryoko?" asked Tenchi.

"I don't care, he's Washu's responsibility." Said Ryoko, looking away from him. She was acting as if she didn't care, but Tenchi could see through her, she was hurt that Washu had created Ryosou. "He's not even related to me, we just both happen to be Washu's inventions…"

"That's not true Ryoko, Washu cares for you both, and she used her own DNA to create you both." Said Tenchi, trying to cheer her up.

"Shut up! I refuse to accept that I am related to either Washu or Ryosou…" said Ryoko as she disappeared from her seat. Tenchi waited a minute before returning to the house. Ryoko had teleported herself far into the woods behind the Masaki home. She was sitting upon the stairs near the shrine. She needed to be alone to think. Her mind was full of thoughts and her heart was full of pain. Even though she never showed it, she loved Washu as if she really were her birth mother, but now that Ryosou had been created; she couldn't help but think that she had been replaced. She was so deep in thought that she didn't hear the footsteps approaching her from down the stairs. A pair of little feet ran up the stairs towards the Shrine. Mayuka was running so fast that her blue hair flailed from side to side.

"GRRRAAANNNNDDDPPPPPAAAA!" yelled Mayuka as she ran up the stairs. She kept running until she saw Ryoko at the top of the stairs. As she got near, she slowed down. She eventually stopped when she reached Ryoko, and noticed the look of sorrow on Ryoko's face. "Ryoko? What's wrong?"

"It's nothing Mayuka…What are you doing out here alone this late?" asked Ryoko, wiping her face and standing up.

"Daddy asked me to come get Great Grandpa for dinner." Said Mayuka with a smile.

"That right? Well, c'mon, Ill go with you." Said Ryoko.

"'Kay" replied Mayuka, grabbing Ryoko's hand and pulling her in the direction of the shrine. The pair walked off to the shrine to find Yosho. When they arrived, they saw that all of the lights were out, and there was a note on the door.

Went into town, be back sometime before dinner.

"Wouldn't you know it, the old man is late!" exclaimed Ryoko. This caused Mayuka to laugh. "Heheh. Well, lets get back to the house then, he isn't here."

"'Kay" said Mayuka before running back towards the stairs, and dragging Ryoko with her. As they run, Ryoko couldn't help but smile. Mayuka had caused them trouble when she was first alive, but since than, she had been a happy and cheerful little girl, with no memory of what she had done, and no one had the heart to tell her. Ryoko was, however, drug out of her light daze by a falling feeling. Mayuka had tripped and was about to fall down the stairs, taking Ryoko with her. Ryoko grabbed Mayuka and flew upward so that neither of them would fall.

"Whew, too close…" said Ryoko, "I think it'll be safer if we fly from here."

Ryoko flew off towards the house, carrying Mayuka with her. They arrived at the house to see a horrific sight. The doors had been blasted open by something.

"Tenchi!" "Daddy!" yelled both Ryoko and Mayuka as they reached the ground and ran inside. They couldn't find anyone; all of the doors in the house were the same as the front door, except for one. The door for Washu's lab was completely sealed. Ryoko grabbed Mayuka by the hand and rushed to the door, pushing it open roughly. Everyone was inside the lab, but they looked worse for wear. Tenchi and Ayeka were bruised and somewhat bloodied, but Sasami and Washu were perfectly fine, if not for a little nerve shaken. Ryoko did notice though, that Ryosou was no where to be found.

"What the hell happened! Where is Ryosou?" yelled Ryoko as she and Mayuka ran to join the others. Ayeka was the first to speak.

"Someone attacked the house…They caught us by surprise. They attacked us on sight. Lord Tenchi and myself tried to fight back, but we didn't last long enough…They demanded to know where Ryosou was, and when we didn't tell them, they tried to finish us off, but Washu teleported us in here. Ryosou, however, left the lab and tried to fight them off, but he was captured." Said Ayeka.

"Where did they go!" Ryoko demanded.

"If I were to guess, I would say that they were working for Tokimi…" said Washu, examining a computer screen.

"So we will go get him back!" yelled Ryoko.

"Tenchi and Ayeka are in no condition to fight for some time, and Sasami and I cannot fight." Said Washu, "Do you plan to go alone?"

"No, you forget that we have one more powerful person here." Said Ryoko, looking to Mayuka.

"So, you intend to have Mayuka fight as well?" asked Washu.

"Why not? I've been training her" said Washu.

"I'll go; I want to see Ryosou again." Said Mayuka, adding her own opinion to the debate.

"No…Mayuka you can't, you're only a child…" pleaded Tenchi, wavering on the balance of consciousness.

"I need to daddy, I need to beat up the bad men that hurt you and Miss Ayeka, and get Ryosou back." Said Mayuka.

"Than it's settled, me and Mayuka will go in Ryo-Ohki and get him back." Said Ryoko, "Come, Ryo-Ohki!"

Ryoko, Mayuka and Ryo-Ohki ran outside the house, as Washu and Sasami set up the medical equipment to Tenchi and Ayeka. Outside the house, Ryo-Ohki had transformed into her spaceship form, Ryoko and Mayuka were inside.

"Don't worry Mayuka, you'll be fine." Said Ryoko.

"I'm not worried, I just hope Ryosou is ok…" replied Mayuka. Ryo-Ohki let out a loud Meow and they took off into space, chasing after Ryosou's captors.