Disclaimer: Tenchi Muyo! and its characters, technologies, 
etc. are property of Pioneer and AIC. All other characters 
and ideas are property of the author and their use is 
prohibited except by consent of the author. Any similiarities 
to actual persons, events, etc. are purely coincidental and 
in no way makes the author liable. To sum up all this legal 
stuff don't steal my original characters and don't sue me for 
use of ones that aren't. 
Lullabye is property of Billy Joel and whatever his recording 
company is. I do not own the original lyrics to the song nor 
the song itself.

Tenchi Muyo!: Airs of the Past

Chapter 9: Lessons from Goddesses

Ryoko laid in Tenchi's arms, but still couldn't feel comforted. 
She could see his worry on his face. If she didn't know better 
she would almost say she could feel his concern for her safety. 

Tenchi cradled her in his arms and ran his fingers through her soft 
cyan hair, "Don't worry we can talk to Washu in the morning and 
find out just what happened."

Ryoko's voice came out frail and terrified, "That doesn't help me 
now though, Tenchi. I feel so weak... so helpless."

"Don't worry, I won't anything hurt the one I love."

"Thank you, Tenchi. That really does mean a lot to me."

She buried her head in his chest and was soon fast asleep again.
"Goodnight, My Poor Angel," Tenchi smoothed her hair back and 
kissed her on the forehead before drifting back into his own 
dreams.

Washu had summoned the gems Ryoko wore to her through Tsunami's 
guidance and learned that they actually were hers. She was a goddess 
and the gems contained her power that she sealed in them over 
twenty-thousand years ago. Now that she had the gems her power 
was complete again. 

The only thing Washu was worried about now was Ryoko and Tenchi. 
She knew that she had caused Ryoko immense of pain taking away the 
gems. She wasn't powerless, but she had always drawn on the gems 
for energy.

Tenchi woke the next morning with Ryoko still sleeping soundly 
in his arms. He couldn't help but smile when he saw how gentle 
she looked when she was asleep.

He was running through his daydreams when Washu came into his room. 
She walked over so silently that he didn't see her until she tapped 
his shoulder lightly, "Tenchi, I need to talk to you."

He nodded and carefully attempted to slide out from underneath Ryoko 
without waking her. He looked up at Washu, *looked up at Washu?* It 
dawned on him that she was in her adult form. "Why are you grown up 
all of a sudden?"

She stayed silent and pointed to Ryoko.

Tenchi turned back to Ryoko and she was grabbing at his pillow. He 
could hear her, but it sounded strange, like a distant echo, 
"Ten...chi? Come back, Tenchi!" 

"Did you here that?" he asked Washu.

"No, but I know exactly what you are talking about."

Tenchi suddenly wore a confused look, "Could you explain that?"

"You might as well bring her along too. You both need to hear some 
things from me." Then she turned and walked out of the room.

He glanced back at Ryoko. She was still asleep but somehow knew he 
was leaving. He leaned back down and kissed her as he picked her up 
carefully in his arms. As he did he heard the same echoing voice, 
"Thank you, Tenchi." 

Just as Tenchi was about to carry Ryoko down to Washu's lab with him, 
She woke up. "Hey, I never thought about being carried before! I could 
get used to it though," she laughed as she looked up at him.

"Goodmorning! I was about to take you down to Washu's with me, but 
since you're awake...."

"Oh, so you're not willing to carry me??"

"That's not what I said!" Tenchi suddenly looked like a deer caught 
in headlights.

"Don't worry about it, Tenchi. Let's go." 
With that Ryoko turned and walked right into the door, falling back 
and knocking Tenchi over in the process. 

"What the hell??" She stood up and walked back over to the door and 
pushed against it. 

Tenchi got to his feet, "What's wrong?"

"I can't phase through the door!" She pushed against it harder. 

"Think it has anything to do with the gems?"

"It has to," she turned around to face him.

"Ryoko! are you alright?" He quickly stepped over to her side and 
grabbed her shoulders.

"I'm fine aside from feeling more than a little powerless. Why?"

"You're nose is bleeding."

"That's impossible! My regeneration works too fast...." she trailed 
off when she realized what that meant. She took a step back from 
Tenchi and held out her hand. "No! This can't be happening!" 

"You can't form your sword?"

"I can't do anything?!?" she started to panic, visibly disdained 
over her apparent lack of power.

"Settle down! It'll be ok," he hugged her as she cried, trembling, 
her head on his shoulder.

"How can you be so damned sure?!" She pulled herself off of him, 
"Tell me how you can be so fuckin calm!!" She shook him violently, 
"Damn you!"

"Ry--o--ko! St--op! Pl--ease!" Tenchi managed to get out while 
being tossed around like a rag doll.

She stopped shaking him as abruptly as she had started, "Shit! 
I'm sorry. I shouldn't have taken my anger out on you. Are you OK?"

"I'm more worried about you than anything else, but I thought it 
would be better for both of us if I tried to be reassuring. On the 
bright side, you haven't lost your physical strength," he rubbed his 
shoulders that were sore from her grip. 

"So I can still do this?" She picked him up, threw him over her 
shoulder, and proceeded to carry him down to Washu's lab.

Meanwhile, Washu was in her lab awaiting the arrival of her daughter and 
her favorite guinea pig, "The greatest scientist in the universe and a 
goddess and I'm nervous about talking to the two people I know best in the 
universe. Of course when I have to tell them such important things...."

Ryoko walked into the lab with Tenchi still over her shoulder. Tenchi was 
relieved it was too early for anyone else to be awake and everyone else were
apparently heavy sleepers. He was sure Ryoko carrying him like a dead man 
looked more than a little funny. 

Bial Kallia was up, however, and he listened to the events of the morning. 
Then he saw how stupid Tenchi looked (Oh yea He looked ridiculous) over 
Ryoko's shoulder. He would have been glad to follow them into Washu's lab 
but he couldn't do that without being detected. It doesn't take a genius 
to know how hard it would be to sneak in there.

Once inside the lab, Tenchi was hoisted off Ryoko's shoulder and caught 
in a mammoth embrace before being returned to the ground. "MOM! WE'RE 
HERE!" Ryoko called out to Washu at the top of her lungs.

"Not so loud My Little Ryoko," Washu silently glided up behind them and 
looked them up and down with her ever thoughtful scientist's eye. Ryoko also 
had to look her mother over. She was not used to seeing her in an adult's body. 

"What did you need to talk about, Little Washu?" Tenchi was still cautious, 
Ryoko there or not, no telling what she might be up to.

"Please, Tenchi, just call me Washu or Mom from now on, OK? Don't be so 
worried.... It's hardly appropriate for me to try and get elusive samples 
with Ryoko here and with you practically being my son now, isn't it?"

"What sample???"

"Mom?!?!?" Tenchi looked bewildered.

"What sample, Tenchi???" 

"Thank you, Son! It's so hard to get children to call elders by proper 
terms of respect nowadays and you make it seem so easy!"

"Don't worry about what sample. I'll explain later."

Washu smirked, "I'll save you time and trouble!" 

"NO! DON'T!" Tenchi pleaded with her

"I've tried..."

"STOP!"

"to collect..."

"OH NO!" Tenchi was about to run for the door, but Ryoko had ahold of his arm.

Washu got really close to Ryoko's ear and whispered. As she did Ryoko's face 
turned red with embarrassment, shock, and anger all at the same time. 

"Huh...." Ryoko cast a wayward glance at a fearful and worried Tenchi, then 
looked back at Washu with a fiery glare that even made Washu cringe, goddess 
or not. "Don't ever try that crap again. Got it?"

"Wow.... Where did that come from?" Washu stared blankly at Ryoko, who looked 
purely evil, Her eyes glowed a bright red.

"Dreaded murderous space pirate remember? I don't forget things easily." 

"This will be easier than I thought. It seems you have partial control 
already."

"What?" Ryoko's expression shifted from one of anger to curiousity as 
a very relieved Tenchi looked at the two women in a mixture of awe and 
fear. 

"How did you just do that trick with your eyes?"

"It was a side effect of Kagato's control over me. I learned to do it 
from him when it happened back then."

"You are right and yet so wrong. That was a side effect of the mind 
control, but the ability has nothing to do with Kagato. That is a 
minor manifestation of your own power. You do not need the gems.
Think of how you change your eye color. Now focus on that power and 
try to form your sword."

Ryoko stood there silent for a minute and then formed an energy ball 
in her hand, which she quickly converted to her sword. 

Washu smiled at her, "I knew my daughter had it in her!"

"So what happened to the gems?" Ryoko still was curious, whether 
or not she needed them.

Washu held her palm out and the gems floated there in a perfect 
triangle. "I needed them to reclaim my memories."

Ryoko was pissed, "You couldn't have warned me? You know how 
much that affected me?!?"

Washu averted her eyes from Ryoko's gaze, "I'm sorry. It couldn't 
be avoided."

"Bullshit! I've always come second haven't I? It's always 
whats important to you! I bet you never once thought about 
me over any of your experiments did you? Hell, when did I 
become more important than the rest of your experiments or 
is that all I am to you, just another experiment?" Ryoko's 
words cut the air like daggers, stabbing directly to Washu's 
heart.

Washu was crying, but she hung her head so the others couldn't 
see it.

Tenchi put a hand on Ryoko's shoulder. She looked at him and 
saw all the things he wanted to say in his eyes.

Tenchi then looked to Washu, "Could you explain about reclaiming 
your memories?"

"Ryoko, Washu loves you whether or not she is good at showing it.
As for her memories I'll explain," The voice they had heard came 
from behind Washu. It was Sasami, but the voice wasn't Sasami's,
it was Tsunami's. 

Sasami/Tsunami continued, "This may seem hard to swallow right now, 
but Washu is my sister, which also means she is a"

Ryoko interrupted her, "There is no way in Hell you are telling me 
that She is a goddess!"

"It's true. She is one of three. There is myself, Washu, and"

This time Washu interrupted, "Tokimi."

Tsunami frowned, "What is it with you people and interrupting me? 
I am a goddess, you'd think I could get some respect."

Washu sighed, but she still didn't look up, "Anyway, when I came 
to this dimension I sealed my power and memories in the gems."

"So, Litt.. I mean Washu, why now? What was so significant about 
getting your memories back now?" Tenchi asked.

Tsunami answered for her, "Simple, really. Twenty-Thousand 
years ago, when Washu and I left Tokimi, we made a pact. 
One day we would either return willingly or we would pick 
someone to fight on our behalf so we could remain here. 
Tokimi is following up on our promise. You know why we're 
telling you this?"

Tenchi nodded, "I am Your choice.... Why? What do I 
have to offer you that hundreds of thousands of others 
couldn't?"

Tsunami laughed, "You are one of the most powerful Jurai, but 
also the others don't have your spirit. You are kind and noble, 
Tenchi Masaki. Not only that, but you know Washu's avatar 
quite well and I know you can work together."

Ryoko mouth dropped open, "You can't mean that...."

Washu nodded to her, "Yes. You are meant to fight for me."

"Oh great...So who do we have to fight?" Ryoko sighed.

Washu slowly answered her, "You two already know him, somewhat. 
He is the man who attacked you in your dreams, but don't be so 
anxious, you can't go fight him for a long time to come yet. 
You two aren't ready."

"Hey! Me and Tenchi can take on anything together!"

Washu got very serious, "Not yet. If you go unprepared he might 
kill you. Since you don't know where he is you can't go yet 
anyway and I'm not going to tell you. Besides, I have more 
things to talk to you about. Back to talking about your dreams, 
I have some information you might find useful. Have you two ever 
felt like you hear the other's thoughts, like this morning, Tenchi?"

Tenchi looked at Ryoko then back to Washu, "Would dreaming the 
same thing count?"

"Yes! Obviously you don't have control over it yet, but you 
two are linked with each other mentally. Apparently it only 
manifests itself when at least one of you is sleeping. 
There are some problems with this though... both of you are 
linked with Tokimi's champion as well. That is how he invaded 
your dreams. Another thing I don't know if you will be comfortable 
with is you will have no secrets from each other.... even now you 
two probably know more about each other than you realize."

Tenchi stared at his feet, wondering what Ryoko might know about him 
that he hadn't told her yet. At the same time Ryoko felt the blood 
drain from her face when she thought about what Tenchi might know 
about her past.

Washu continued somewhat slowly, "I see I've given you alot to think 
about. I'll let you go, but one more thing, Ryoko, communicating with 
Tenchi like this should be just as easy as communicating with me or 
Ryo-ohki."

Ryoko looked at Washu and spoke through their link, "Hey, I'm sorry, 
Mom."

Fresh tears formed in Washu's eyes as she replied through the link, 
"I'm sorry too, My little Ryoko." 

Tenchi and Ryoko turned and walked out of the lab, silently. 
They walked up the stairs to Tenchi's room. Tenchi opened the 
door for her, but neither of them said a word. They sat down 
on the bed and looked into each other's eyes, trying to think 
what the other might know. 

They sat alone, still silent, for what seemed an eternity, 
the tension in the air like a dense fog. 

Ryoko finally worked up the courage to talk to him, "Tenchi, I
don't know what you know about me, but what I know about you 
isn't anything to worry about...."

"I... The thought of what you might know scares me...."

"Tenchi, you couldn't have done anything in the past that 
would scare me away. I only hope you can say the same."

"I love you, there is nothing that could keep me away from you."

To Be Continued.....

Author's Notes: OK. This took a helluva long time. A whole lot 
longer than I had expected or hoped, but this was a very important 
chapter and I had to rewrite it a few times to try and get it right.
I think this is as good as this is going to get, but I might rewrite 
it again later. On the bright side I have the next few days off of 
work and I should be able to make some decent progress without the 
distraction. This story is really starting to take shape and get 
to the important stuff so I won't make any promises. I want to get 
the story right, not just toss out crappy work. Any questions, flames, 
comments, critism, requests, ravings about wanting my horrible 
disfiguring end, etc. go to: kemanorel_7@yahoo.com