Thought of the future It was a beautiful spring day. The cherry blossoms were in full bloom and their sweet scent was carried throughout the forest by the breeze. The sun was shining bright and its warmth could comfort the weariest of souls. Tenchi Masaki paused momentarily from his chores of sweeping the shrine steps to taking in his surroundings. "Tenchi! Tenchi come here" Yosho beckoned him. "Yes grandfather" Tenchi immediately replied. "Tenchi, please come sit by me, there is something important we have to talk about." Tenchi inwardly sighed as he guessed that it would be something that would change his life. He had slowly begun to be brought down by the weight of his piling problems. Why had all this fallen on him? "You are nearing your 21st birthday. Have you decided what you will do?" "I don't know. My life seems to be in constant turmoil. If it's not with the girls, it's with a villain bent on destroying us. I've hardly had a moment's peace. It's amazing I even got through college." Tenchi spoke with a bit of resentment. Tension between him and his grandfather had slowly grown as he constantly pressured him to return to Jurai or make a choice. "That is true. Yet it does not free you from your responsibilities. You have built a family here and you, whether you like it or not, are head of it. You must decide. Will you go back to Jurai? Or will you remain here or will you turn your back on your responsibilities?" "Why! Why must I decide?" Tenchi yelled at his grandfather. Hadn't he run away from his responsibilities? He who chose to take the easy way out was forcing him to make a difficult choice. " Why do you insist on making things hard for me? I know what you have done? Every one of your actions has the same motive behind it " He had finally grown tired of his grandfather's action toward him. He had never told him why he did the things he had; yet he tired to move him in the direction he chose. "I know you are angry, but please try and understand why I have done these things." "Then tell me why did you push the girls on me. Why did you temp me with the cave and Ryoko? Why did you push Ayeka on me after she found out that you are Yosho? Why did you push Mihoshi on me? She told me of your conversation while she swept the shrine. You even called auntie to bring Taro over, why? Did you know about Washu's past? Did you know she would fall in love again? You have been very busy haven't you?" " Foolish boy! You would not understand the severity of the situation. Yes, I did all that. I knew you would be too scared to take the initiative. Do you realize that the galaxy is nearing conflict?…Jurai is will fall if left to Azuza." "What's new, it's always in conflict. It is the way things are." Tenchi said rising from his seat. He walked over and picked up two wooden practice swords. He tossed one to Yosho and said, " Before we begin take off that disguise. That way I won't feel bad beating an old man." " Don't do this Tenchi. I meant you no harm. Are you not happy with the girls?" "More than I have ever been, but that still doesn't change the facts." Tenchi said with a grin. He could smell the fear behind Yosho. "Tell me why you did it." "I did it because I intended on sending you to take the throne and bring peace to the universe." "Coward!" Tenchi yelled as he began his attack. The attack was more than Yosho could handle. He was forced back. Strike after strike, Yosho moved back trying to find Tenchi's weakness, but none were present. He was caught off guard and received a knee in the face with a roundhouse kick to the stomach. "Where is the old man that would beat me? Your nothing compared to what I have become. You would rather have me go in your place than be a man about it. You have lived longer than me, but the truth is your still a spoiled prince who runs from his problems." "Tenchi, please stop. You need my advice and wisdom." Yosho pleaded to no avail, receiving yet another kick in the face. "I need nothing from you. Advice, I get from Ayeka. Wisdom, I get from Washu. Strength, I get from Ryoko. Compassion, I get from Mihoshi. Nurturing, I get from Sasami. Love, I get from all of them! I will go back, I will take the throne, and I will bring peace." "Tenchi!" Yosho tried to use the tone that had scared him since childhood, "Stop you have no idea of what you are doing." "I'm not a child any more. That won't work anymore." With a flick of the wrist, he disarmed Yosho and kicked him to the wall where his body left its indention. Yosho tried to get up but succeeded only in kneeling on one leg, pitting out blood in the process. "You have nothing more to teach me." With that said, Tenchi walked away. "After the confrontation with his Grandfather, Tenchi declared his love for all the women in his life." Softly spoke the history teacher. "He did return to Jurai and after a short and bloodless battle, took the throne from Azuza. He exiled him to the small planet, to live out his life with his son Yosho." "And what of his reign?" asked a student, who obviously had not read up on Juraian history. "With the help of his wives, he managed to eliminate Jurai's enemies, absorbing their kingdoms, uniting all of the universe under one glorious empire." "And what of the debate over who should have succeeded him?" "His wives all agreed that it would be his first wife's children that would inherit the throne. Thus the cyan hair of emperor's since his reign ended." "How did he die?" "He died saving the kingdom from its last enemy, he lost most of his energy that would have made him immortal. He died in his sleep at the age of 7,777. His first wife died shortly after of a broken heart. Gradually as time went on so did the others. Their love for each other and their unity served as a foundation to raise such fine emperors. They have ruled just and the empire has not lost peace since his reign." "What of his deeds?" "That is another chapter."