Tenchi Muyo and its characters are property of Pioneer although any original characters are property of the Author. This fic was made for fun and in no way I am making money off of it.
What Tomorrow Might Bring
Part 3
Tenchi: What exactly is wrong with her?
Washu: Like I said, the problem is in her mind. She seems to have decided to withdraw into her mind because of something.
Tenchi: Is there anything we can do?
Washu: There is one thing.
Tenchi: What is it?
Washu: We can only bring her back if we can convince her to…. Otherwise, she'll stay this way forever. The only way to fix this is to go into her mind, but since I am not sure what state it is in, it could be dangerous.
Tenchi: We have to take a chance, for her sake!
Washu: Thanks, Tenchi. I have just the device that could help us with this.
Summoning a subspace portal, Washu reaches in and takes out a device. The device is comprised of two objects that one could put on the heads of two different people. It also had a monitoring system to keep a watch on someone's life signs.
Washu: I am going to need a volunteer for this.
Tenchi: I'll do it.
Aeka: If Lord Tenchi is doing this, then I will do so as well.
Washu: Sorry Princess, this device is only for two. So it is only Tenchi and Ryoko.
Although she did not like the idea of Tenchi being alone in Ryoko's mind, Aeka agreed without complaint as Washu placed the head device on Tenchi.
Washu: I will monitor how things are going at this end. When you are ready, just say so.
Tenchi: One question; once I have helped Ryoko, how do I return?
Washu: Once Ryoko is well, it will happen automatically.
Tenchi: Oh. Then I am ready.
Aeka: Be careful, Lord Tenchi.
Tenchi nods as his vision fades, and he seemingly goes to sleep. His vision soon afterwards comes back, and he sees that he is surrounded by darkness. He could not believe that this was how the mind of Ryoko looked.
Tenchi: What could have caused this to happen?
He decided to find Ryoko and wonder about that later. He wandered through the darkness for a long time, until he saw Ryoko lying on the ground, crying. He ran to her until he was right next to her.
Tenchi: Ryoko, what's wrong?
Ryoko: Why, Tenchi? Why did you say those things?
Tenchi: Ryoko, what are you talking about?
Ryoko: You said you wanted me out of your life, because I was nothing but trouble! You said that I was a monster!
Tenchi realized that that was what must have happened to cause Ryoko to withdraw into her mind.
Tenchi: Someone was making you see and hear things that you did not want to. I would never say those things to you!
Ryoko listened to him and remembered that she had been fighting a man. This man had apparently gotten into her mind and made her see the thing she feared the most. Realizing this, she was afraid, because even if what she had experienced was fake, it still could happen.
Ryoko: Tenchi, would you ever….get tired of me and want me gone?
Tenchi: Of course not, Ryoko. You are a part of my family, just like the others are. To see you gone would make me sad. Besides, it would be boring not having you around.
Ryoko smiles after Tenchi's last comment and relaxes. However, one more question was in her mind that she had to ask him.
Ryoko: By the way, have you made up your mind on who you want yet? Me or Aeka?
Tenchi: Uh…no. I am not ready for that kind of commitment just yet.
Ryoko: Oh, I am sure I can change your mind…
Tenchi: Uh…Could we discuss this later? We should get back before the others worry.
Ryoko: What's the rush? They can wait a little longer.
Tenchi: Well…uh…
Ryoko: On the other hand, I would like to get that bastard back for getting in my head and messing with me…. Let's go!
Tenchi sighed with relief that Ryoko's attention was on something else rather than on him for the moment. Just as he did this, he felt himself leaving Ryoko's mind, and awoke to face the others.
Aeka: Lord Tenchi, are you alight?
Before Tenchi could respond, Ryoko who was her old self again, and cut him off.
Ryoko: Yes, he is fine, why wouldn't he be!?
Aeka: Who knows what things are in that empty head of yours….
Ryoko: Why, you little stuck up….
Washu suddenly bonks Ryoko on the head with a mallet she had pulled from a subspace pocket.
Ryoko: WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?!
Washu: We can't waist time with your squabbles right now! We have to get the Tenchi-ken back!
Ryoko: What happened?
Aeka: Because of you, Lord Tenchi had to give the sword up!
Tenchi: Now Aeka, no one here is at fault. What we have to concentrate on now is getting the sword back-but I have no idea where to begin….
Kiyone remembering, what she had overheard, answered.
Kiyone: I overheard a plan to attack Ryuten two days from now!
Tenchi: Good! Since we know where that guy is going, we'll go there. But we need a plan.
Kiyone: He said to me that he was named John Evans, but I was not able to find out much about him.
Washu: I can do that easily! I can hack into the personnel files of the station without giving our location away.
Ryoko: And how is knowing about his personal life going to help us?
Aeka: You are an idiot, Ryoko. Knowing about his past might help us figure out how he thinks.
Ryoko glares at Aeka, who in turn does the same, but before anything else could happen, Washu spoke.
Washu: Got it! Hmm….
Tenchi: Well?
Washu: It says where he was born, how old he is, the color of his hair and eyes and…
Ryoko: Blah, blah, blah. Just get to any important stuff.
Washu: I was getting there, my little Ryoko. Before I was rudely interrupted, it goes on to say that he is a mechanical genius- but most important of all, that his family is all dead.
Tenchi: How is that important?
Washu: Well, it seems that his whole family was killed in the accidental destruction of the Earth colony that set this war off.
Aeka: So this is all because he feels that Jurai is responsible and wants revenge?
Washu: That is what the case seems to be.
Tenchi: We have two days 'till they attack Ryuten. What do we do in the meantime?
Aeka: Let's go to Jurai and see father. We could warn him, and maybe also convince him to end this war peacefully.
Tenchi: That is a good idea. But do we have enough time to get there?
Kiyone: No! It would take us more than two days to reach Jurai from our current position!
Washu: Not anymore, since I foresaw this and made some modifications to Yagami's engines. It should takes us about a day to get there now.
Kiyone: Don't you ever do any thing without asking if it is okay first?
Washu: Umm… nope, that wastes too much time.
Kiyone (sighing): Why do I ever bother?
Washu: Beats me. But like I said, we can get there in no time now.
Just before anyone was able to say another word, Sasami broke into the conversation.
Sasami: EVEYONE, MIHOSHI IS AWAKE!!!
Everyone goes towards Mihoshi and Sasami.
Aeka: No need to scream, Sasami. I swear you, have been picking up some bad habits from Ryoko…
Ryoko: At least she has something to learn from me- you're just a stiff and a bore!
Aeka: Why you…you demon woman!
Ryoko (sarcastically): Oh, good comeback.
Sasami: Please, stop it, you two! Mihoshi, how are you feeling?
Mihoshi: I feel….
Everyone: Yes?
Mihoshi: …..hungry.
Everyone falls over laughing.
Washu: She seems to be back to her normal self, if you can call it that.
Sasami: Do not worry, I'll fix you something to eat when we get to Jurai.
Mihoshi: We're not going home?
Kiyone: Afraid not, Mihoshi. We have things to take care of before we do. We have to go to Jurai, but after that, we might be able to go back with no trouble. One more thing before we go on our way- Washu, could you please restore my hair color back to normal? In all the excitement I almost forgot to ask you.
Washu: Sure thing.
With this said, Kiyone, after her real hair color was restored, set the Yagami's course towards Jurai, and they went on their way.
Meanwhile
Things were going according to how John had planned. He had taken a chance to bring Tenchi and his friends to his time by creating that time distortion, but the results were worth it. Shooting the girl named Mihoshi was only the beginning, but it would all end soon.
John: Yes, it'll all be over soon, and nothing will get in my way of accomplishing what must be done. Jurai thought Ryoko was bad? I'll show them something they'll never forget…
He looked at his mecha and started to think about the past. It had been two years since the war began, and since then, his life was changed forever. As he was growing up, he was always interested in how machines worked, and so he liked to take them apart and put them back together again. He even was able to fix mechanical problems that no one else was able to, and he was able to create new mechanical devices as well. His family, seeing this, knew that he was gifted, and so worked hard to send him to Earth, where he could get the finest education to be able to fulfill his true potential. To accomplish this, they worked hard and long, even sometimes having to work more than one job to do so. He was very grateful to them for that, and vowed not to let them down.
He had originally planned to make mechanical inventions that would have helped people, but then one day he got the news. The colony that his family was living on was destroyed in an accident, according to the Galaxy Police who investigated the matter, due to their claim that they had jurisdiction in that area. Since their final report seemed suspicious to everyone on Earth, the Earth authorities launched their own investigation. They encountered resistance from the Galaxy Police, who said that the matter was closed and that there was no further need to look into it. Nonetheless, the investigation continued with more resistance from the Galaxy Police, which only served to push the investigation forward.
When it was all done, it was learned that it was not an accident, but a deliberate attack that the Galaxy Police had tried to cover up, since it involved the Royal Family. Learning this, war was declared against Jurai, and soon afterwards, John had joined up in the war in anger. He had started making plans for the mecha he was now standing in front of. During this time, he had encountered someone who had helped him make modifications to his creation until it was a force to be feared. That someone also told him about the master key, and about Tenchi and his friends. He might not have gotten this far without that meeting, but now he was someone Jurai would soon know of, and they would regret what they had done. And with the master key in his possession, he would be able to do so sooner than planned.
Jurai's time was up, he thought as he went to put his final plans into action.
Back at the Yagami
Aeka: Why didn't we just contact Jurai, instead of having to sneak by the defense network surrounding Jurai's space?
Washu: I am not sure they would have let us go through peacefully- after all, this is a war. That is why I just hacked into the defense systems and fooled them into letting us pass.
Kiyone: Washu is right, and besides, it would have taken away valuable time, too.
Aeka: I guess you are right, but still….
Ryoko: Oh, pipe down. If it bothers you so much, you could always explain why it had to be done to your Daddy later.
Aeka ignored Ryoko's comment, causing Ryoko to get angry, but she did nothing when she sensed that Tenchi was going to say something.
Tenchi: As soon as we get to Jurai's orbit, we should contact King Azusa and explain what is going on. After that, if all goes well, we'll go down to the surface and speak to him directly.
Washu: Ryoko and Ryo-ohki will have to stay behind, Tenchi.
Ryoko: What?! Why?
Washu: I am not sure that they have forgotten what happened the last time you two were here. We should not take any chances, just in case.
Ryoko agreed, despite wanting to go along.
Aeka: Yes, and then we can resolve this mess without any more deaths.
Tenchi: Then it is agreed?
Everyone nods in response as they reached Jurai's orbit, where a defense station was. It immediately locked on them, and was about to fire on the Yagami. Kiyone, thinking quickly, responded when she detected this.
Kiyone: This is the galaxy police craft Yagami, carrying the two Juraian princesses Aeka and Sasami.
Hearing this, the station crew did not fire, and contacted the King on the planet's surface. After sometime, they got the orders to confirm this claim, and if turned out to be true, then they were to let the ship land.
Communication Officer: We have to do a DNA and astral pattern scan to confirm your claim. Do you accept?
Kiyone looks at Aeka and Sasami, who nod.
Kiyone: Yes, we accept.
Communication Officer: Very well. Please proceed to dock with this station. You will be met by a group of armed guards and led to one of the station's medical rooms, where the scans will be done. Only you and the alleged princesses are to come aboard. The rest have to stay on your ship. Understood?
Kiyone: Yes, we understand.
Communication Officer: Very well, please begin docking procedures.
After having docked the Yagami, Kiyone, Aeka and Sasami went to the airlock, where they met a group of guards who led them into a room. Once there, the scans were done, and then Kiyone, Aeka and Sasami noticed that the people that did the scans seemed surprised about the results they got.
Sasami (whispers): What's going on?
Aeka (whispers): I do not know.
Kiyone (whispers): We'll find out soon. Here comes one of the guards.
Guard: Sorry about this. We had to make sure you were whom you said.
Aeka: It is all right. Are we allowed now to go to Jurai's surface?
Guard: Of course you are.
Aeka: Thank you.
When they returned to the Yagami, they told the others what had happened, and then they departed to the planet's surface. On arriving, they were met by two guards, who escorted everyone to the throne room- except for Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki, who had stayed in the Yagami. Once they had reached the throne room, the guards stepped outside and took their positions at both sides of the door, just in case they were needed. The King of Jurai, seeing them enter, stood up from his throne and went towards Aeka and Sasami.
Azusa: Aeka, Sasami? Is that really you?
Sasami: Yes, father.
Aeka: Of course.
Azusa: Where have you been all this time? And why haven't you grown?
Aeka: Huh? What you mean?
Azusa: You disappeared eight hundred years ago!
Washu: If I may, I think I might know what happened. In traveling through the time distortion in the past, it seemingly made us appear to have disappeared, due to the fact that we are in the future. That will be fixed once we return to the past.
Azusa: Time distortion? Past? What are you talking about?
Aeka then told her father what had happened that resulted in them being in the future. As soon as the explanation was done, the King seemed to contemplate what he had been told.
Aeka: Father, the reason I am here now is to ask you to stop this war.
Azusa: I cannot!
Aeka: Why? A peaceful solution would end the deaths of many people in the future!
Azusa: I am aware of that, but it is too late now. If we back down now, it will make the Jurain Empire look weak. This will, in turn, result in others trying to push Jurai around using the same methods! Besides, the Terrans have already done acts against us that can not be forgiven so easily.
Aeka: Such as?
At this, the King's features turned sad, causing the others to get a bad feeling.
Azusa: Aeka, Sasami…. this is not easy for me to say, but your mothers and your brother Yosho are…dead.
To be continued……
