The Past...
Washu stared at the object that was floating in the test tube before her. It was a small fetus.
" I have to find a soul for her, or else she'll just be a mechanical being with no control over her mind at all."
Just then, Kagato entered.
" Professor, there is a wandering spirit spotted near the campus." Kagato informed her.
" Perfect." Washu said as she grinned. She looked back at the fetus inside the tube.
' Don't worry, dear. You'll be alive very soon.' Washu thought as she left the lab.
Present...
" Washu! Time for dinner!" Sasami called into the lab.
" I'll be out soon!" Washu called back.
" Is Tenchi with you?" Sasami asked as she entered the lab. And, sure enough, Tenchi was tied and bounded down by cables to the wall in only his boxers...again. He gave Sasami a little wave as she came in. Washu was opposite of him typing some things down on her holographic computer.
" Hi, Sasami." Washu said without looking up.
" Hi...what are you doing to Tenchi?" Sasami asked with curiosity written all over her face. Washu paused and looked at Sasami.
" What did you mean by that?" Washu asked.
" I meant, what kind of research are you doing?" Sasami re-worded. Washu smiled and looked down on her computer.
" I'm just checking to see if he's attracted to the people of the same gender, seeing that he can't choose between all of us."
" WHAT?!" Tenchi cried.
" What does that mean?" Sasami asked.
" I was kidding, Tenchi. Sasami, that meant that I was checking to see if Tenchi was gay." Washu answered.
" Oh. Then what were you really checking for?" Tenchi asked.
" Lighthawk wings." Washu answered, as if that explains everything.
Sasami then told them to hurry up with the research before the food gets cold and left. Before she left, however, she looked back at Tenchi's pleading face. He seemed like he wanted her to stay for a little longer, or at least get him out of the lab. Sasami giggled and left, despite Tenchi's pleading face. Washu noticed his face and smiled, shook her head and returned to typing.
After Tenchi got dressed again, he noticed a huge machine that was lying uselessly around.
" What's that used for, Wa...little Washu?" Tenchi asked.
" That? That's just some invention of mine. I don't even think it works." Washu said.
" So what is it used for?" Tenchi asked.
" Someone came up with the theory of past lives back at my academy days. There was never anything to prove it, and my husband, Mikamo, really wanted to prove that this theory was true. This machine, if completed, will show us our past lives. We worked on this together...but it was never finished." Washu trailed off.
" I'm sorry for asking, little Washu, I mean...I had no idea..." Tenchi apologized.
Washu almost brightened up immediately. " That's alright! At least it proves that you do have me on your mind."
Tenchi blushed and flustered, muttering something about him being hungry. Washu smiled and told him to go get some food. Then Tenchi sprinted out of the lab, almost crashing into the lab door during the way (and he would have, if Washu didn't wave a hand and made the door open by itself). Washu laughed at the way Tenchi flustered and slowly walked out after him. As she arrives at the table, Tenchi was busily eating. He looked like he hasn't eaten for seven days. Ryoko and Aeka looked at him with concern, then looked at Washu, who seated herself beside Sasami and calmly asked for a bowl of rice.
" What did you do this time, Washu?" Ryoko demanded.
Washu ignored her.
Ryoko sighed. " Fine, 'mom'. What did you do this time?"
" I simply said he had me in his mind." Washu replied.
" Yeah right. And he flustered like this? I'm not buying it. I mean, I would have believe it if only he was in love with you or something..." suddenly, realization dawned over Ryoko's face. She grabbed Tenchi by the collar (which made him drop his bowl of rice and chopsticks), and shook him violently.
" Ryoko, calm down! I can't breath!" Tenchi said.
" Tenchi! You aren't in love with her, are you?! She's my mom! She's too old for you! I'm supposed to be your girlfriend, not her!" Ryoko said as she pointed at Washu. Washu looked a little offended. Aeka, on the other hand, was fuming.
" Miss Ryoko, release Lord Tenchi immediately!" Aeka said as she stomped over and pried Ryoko's hands away from Tenchi's collar.
As Tenchi was on the ground gasping for air (with Ryoko and Aeka fighting in the background), Noike was busily screaming at Mihoshi for taking more soup than what each were suppose to have. Kiyone just sat aside and listened to Noike scream at Mihoshi, glad that there would be someone to help her with the burden...Mihoshi. Washu was chatting with Katsuhito about the food and how Tenchi gets himself into all these trouble. Sasami sensed something, and without telling any of the others, she left the house.
Sasami walked outside to the tree Funaho.
" I'm here, Tsunami! What did you want to see me for?" Sasami called up to the tree.
A few beams of light shot down from Funaho and Tsunami's astral body form shimmered into view.
" Sasami, it is time that you gain some knowledge of your past life. I'm sure Washu has a machine in the lab to help you. Find her and ask if she can complete it. Tell Washu to check on her past too." Tsunami said as she vanished.
" But why would I need to learn about my past life? Hello? Tsunami?" Sasami called, but Tsunami was already gone.
" So you want to use my machine for that reason?" Washu asked Sasami.
Sasami had come back into the house and told everyone what happened. They were all sitting around the living room, crowded around Sasami. It looked like Sasami was giving some kind of important speech. Katsuhito had returned to the shrine after dinner and before Sasami came back, so he and Noboyuki were the only ones missing. Noboyuki had remarried Rea and moved out of the Masaki house, so he's rarely seen.
" Please, Washu. I think it's very important." Sasami said.
" But I don't want to finish that machine anymore..." Washu said.
" Why?" Mihoshi asked.
" Because it was a broken dream. A dream that would never be completed." Washu replied. All the others looked confused except for Tenchi.
" I don't want to finish it by myself." Washu concluded.
" Then that's simple, why don't you just make a new one?" Ryoko suggested.
" It takes too long." Washu answered.
" Then choose someone from the room and tell them to finish it with you." Aeka suggested.
Washu flinched at the suggestion. Then whomever it is that I pick will be the one that would replace Mikamo in my heart. But they're all girls...unless...Washu thought. She looked over at Tenchi with puppy eyes. Tenchi sighed and nodded reluctantly. Washu brightened up. Aeka and Ryoko looked back and forth between the two.
" Now, wait a minute! Why can't you pick someone else to be your partner? Why Lord Tenchi?" Aeka half-asked/ half-demanded.
" Yeah! Why Tenchi?!" Ryoko chimed in.
" Do you want it finished or not? Because if not, then I'll just throw it out and forget the whole idea." Washu answered.
" Please, you two. I know that this is very important for Tsunami. Just stick with it for now. I think Washu's machine is almost done anyways." Sasami pleaded.
Aeka and Ryoko protested some more, but, seeing that there was no way out of it, they gave in. Within a few hours, the machine was completed. Aeka and Ryoko were definitely not pleased with the idea that Washu got to work with Tenchi. Sasami stood in front of the machine.
" How does this work?" Sasami asked while examining the machine.
" Simple. Just stand in front of the machine and it will scan you, analyzing the data from you and comparing the structure of your body, personality, energy level etc. to all that have existed. Then a projection of your past life will pop up and you watch it like a television. But for our purposes, I've already entered all our datas in. just type in the person's name and the projection will appear. So just sit back and relax." Washu said.
" Are you sure this works?" Sasami asked.
" It's 99.99 accurate. And Tsunami helped with her powers, so I think it's reliable enough. If you're not sure, just ask her again later." Washu said as she entered the final digits into the machine. The machine powered-up and a projection appeared.
The others were all seated comfortably on either the couch or on the ground with a cushion. They all watched the screen intently.
AN- that's the end for chp.1. The next chapter would be Sasami's past life. What would be so important for them to know? Or is it necessary at all? Is it possible that Tsunami's only using Sasami as a bait to lure the others into finding out their past? Find out in the next chapters. Please R&R, but no flames. Thank you. And…yeah...don't expect too much from me because I was an ESL student like...a few years ago and I'm still not comfortable with the language. Besides, this is my first Tenchi Muyo fanfic.