K I M E focus n 1: the concentration of attention or energy on something [syn: focusing, focussing, centering] 2: maximum clarity or distinctness of an image rendered by an optical system : "in focus"; "out of focus" 3: maximum clarity or distinctness of an idea; "the controversy brought clearly into focus an important difference of opinion" 4: a central point or locus of bacterial growth in an organism [syn: nidus] 5: special emphasis attached to something [syn: stress] 6: a point of convergence of light (or other radiation) or a point from which it diverges [syn: focal point] 7: a fixed reference point of one's attention on something [syn: concentrate, center, pore, rivet] * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * S A T U R D A Y M O R N I N G * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * "You want to do what?" Tenchi asked, nearly spitting out a mouthful of his breakfast. "We want to hypnotize you," Washuu replied. "I wish to study the Lighthawk Wings under a controlled environment." "And I'm concerned about your failure to control the tenchi-ken," Yosho said. "Your recent confrontation with Lord Seriyu left much to be desired." Tenchi looked skeptical. "And what kind of suggestions are you eager to plant in my head?" "I swear I will only ask questions. No suggestions. Besides, your grandfather will be right there with you, just to keep things on the up-and-up." "I dunno...." "Aw-w-w, c'mon, Tenchi, it might be kinda fun!" Ryoko prodded. "Maybe I could ask a couple of questions...?" "No," replied Washuu. Ayeka interjected. "Can we come along and simply observe?" "Yes," Washuu answered, "but only on two conditions." "What are those?" "Keep quiet and stay out of the way. And there will be absolutely no bickering between you two," Washuu said, looking pointedly at Ryoko and Ayeka. "I won't have his concentration disturbed." She turned towards Tenchi. "What do you say, Tenchi?" To be honest, Tenchi wasn't in favor of it. Things happened down in Washuu's lab that could get rather wild. However, since Yosho was going to be present, the chances of Washuu trying to pull something were reduced. "Sure," he said nervously. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Tenchi's breakfast sat like a lump in his stomach, and he wished he hadn't eaten so much. His chair was reasonably comfortable, but he wasn't: Washuu's cavernous lab was dark, except for a few portable lights clustered around his seat, which put him in the middle of a light cone. Washuu's workstation was just outside this light cone, and Yosho sat on a stool next to her. Beyond them sat Ryoko, Ayeka, Sasami, and Mihoshi. They whispered among themselves, watching Washuu adjust monitors and direct sensor arrays around the darkened ceiling. Finally, Washuu walked over to Tenchi and handed him an odd-looking helmet. "Here," she ordered, "put this on." "Why?" "Tut, tut, don't argue with a genius. Besides you'll only have it on for a moment. I'm calibrating a sensor." "Oh." That didn't sound too bad. He wriggled the contraption onto his head, and asked, "Now what?" Washuu's answer was to flip a switch on the side on her console. Tenchi spasmed once and then slumped. She walked back over to stand in front of him. "Ok, Tenchi, you can remove the helmet now." He did so, but his manner had changed: he was much less animated than before, his actions were performed mechanically, and his eyes were vacant and unfocused. She took the helmet from his limp hands. "Tenchi, you will remain relaxed and stay calm. Yosho and I are going to ask you some questions, which you will answer fully and completely. No harm will come to you, nor will you be asked to do anything that is against your nature. Do you understand me?" "Yes," he said, his voice flat and emotionless. "Sit up straight," she ordered. He did so. "How long will he stay under?" Yosho asked. "Until we awaken him. He's actually a pretty good subject for this." She looked at one of her display screens. "Everything's normal, no adverse reactions. I think we're ready. Tenchi, how many times have you summoned the Lighthawk Wings?" Washuu asked. "Three times," Tenchi answered. "Please describe each occurrence." "The first was on board Ayeka's ship, when I tried to counterattack Kagato. The second was aboard the Souja, when he threw a fireball at me. The third time was aboard Dr. Clay's ship, when it started breaking apart." "Why didn't you summon them during your duel with Lord Seriyu?" "I am uncomfortable with them" "Why" "I have less control with them than with the tenchi-ken, and they are much more powerful. And I am frightened of the Lighthawk Sword." "Why?" "I cut an entire ship in half with it. Its source of Power is infinite -- I'm afraid what might happen if it got away from me." Washuu and Yosho exchanges startled glances. "But the Lighthawk Wings are a defensive shield. Surely it is safe enough to summon them?" "I suppose so," Tenchi replied reluctantly. "Which of the three occasions did you feel the least in control of them?" "The first time, aboard Ayeka's ship. She was trying to give me directions for something I was totally unfamiliar with." "And which was the most successful occurrence?" "The second time. I felt Tsunami's presence guiding me." "Ok, Tenchi, I want you to relax. We are going to go back in time to your fight with Kagato, to the point where he has just tossed you against one of the bulkheads. I want you to tell me what you were feeling, what you were sensing." "I hurt. I was a little dizzy from the impact. I felt frustrated and shamed by my weakness, by my failure to aid my friends. Then I heard Tsunami's voice explaining how to apply the information she had planted in my mind." Washuu interrupted him. "When did she give this information to you?" "She had commanded Azaka and Kamidake to shield me when Kagato destroyed Ayeka's ship. It was a close thing -- the blast shredded my clothing and knocked me out. While I was unconscious, she merged with me, and transported me back to Funaho. That's when she planted the information into my mind." "What was this information?" "She described the fabric of normal spacetime as a sea of energy at the sub-atomic level, how waves of energy churn this sea into a foam, and that sometimes the foam cools off enough to form particles. Normal spacetime is imbedded in a parallel, thought-like dimension of quantum information, and that regions of this dimension are bonded to regions of normal spacetime. A particle in normal spacetime casts a shadow pattern in quantum spacetime. But this arrangement works both ways: if you modify the particle, you shift the pattern; by adjusting the pattern, you alter the particle. Repeat the action often enough and fast enough, and you can manipulate large-scale objects." "Can you tell me how to do this?" Tenchi was silent for a few moments, and finally said, "No. There are simply no words that accurately describe the process. It is done with the mind." "Please continue your narrative aboard the Souja," Washuu said. "I realized that I could now fight back on Kagato's level. I also started getting angry -- I saw Tsunami being reeled-in like a fish, I heard Sasami crying, I sensed Ayeka and Mihoshi trapped someplace, and I watched Kagato torturing Ryoko. It is when he taunted me that I decided to discard the tenchi-ken...Kagato had drained it anyway, and I had now had more powerful tools at my disposal. The final insult was the casual fireball that he threw at me -- I crystallized the Lighthawk Wings in time to dispel the attack." Yosho interrupted him. "In other words, it was only when you cleared your mind of all distractions that you were able to summon the Lighthawk Wings?" "Yes." "There are no distractions here and now. Can you show us how you do this?" Tenchi complied. He rose from his chair, took a step forward, and braced himself. He cupped his hands together at waist level, and then slowly unfolded them outwards. The Wings suddenly appeared in their Y-shaped configuration, shimmering and pulsing with internal energies. Washuu scrambled to get her sensors trained on them. After several moments of intently studying her monitors she emitted a low whistle. "Well, I'll be damned." "What is it?" Yosho asked, looking over her shoulder. "The Lighthawk Wings are being continuously recreated, rather than constructed once." "That would explain their pulsing nature," Yosho said. "No, that pulse is just a secondary signature in synch with his heartbeat. The actual frequency of emergence is several hundred times a second. Tenchi, I'm curious: if quantum spacetime retains patterns for real objects, does that mean that the Lighthawk Wings have a physical basis somewhere in normal spacetime?" "No, they are a different class of patterns." "Could you clarify that?" "Consider the brain and the mind. The brain exists in normal spacetime as a collection of particles, and this collection has its companion patterns in quantum spacetime. But overlaying this collection is the mind, which exists solely as a super-pattern without a companion in normal spacetime. The Lighthawk Wings are of a similar class of pattern." "How many different classes are there?" asked Washuu, thoroughly intrigued. "I don't know, and neither does Tsunami," Tenchi answered. "Too bad, this was getting interesting. Oh, well, just another mystery to persue later. And I heard that yawning over there, " Washuu said, looking beyond the circle of light. "Ryoko, come here, please." Ryoko appeared in the air beside her. "Yes?" "Do me a favor and strike the Wings with your energy sword." "Won't that hurt Tenchi?" she asked dubiously. "No. Tenchi? Ryoko is going to attack you. Defend yourself." Ryoko walked around to stand in front of him. The Wings were awesome, predatory things, like radiant talons. She gulped apprehensively. "Rather like looking down the maw of Hell, isn't it?" Yosho asked behind her. She nodded, relieved that he was standing there. With a toss of her head, she clenched her right fist and concentrated. The palmed ball of light quickly expanded into a meter-long rod, the hiss of dying oxygen molecules the only sound marking its passage through the air. She took a tentative swing at one of the Wings. It pivoted slightly, forcing her sword to strike its center. "Do it again," Washuu urged. "Only, swing harder." Ryoko began a series of cuts, trying to slip her blade between the Wings. They rotated much too fast for her, and she produced nothing but a cascade of sparks. Her confidence grew when she realized that Tenchi would not allow her blade near him. She smiled, her competitive nature kicking in. She increased the tempo, using both hands to apply her super-human strength. The results didn't vary. She tried to maneuver around the rotating shield, but Tenchi wouldn't allow that, either. She laughed, enjoying the dance. "Ayeka! Get in there and help her," Washuu commanded. Ryoko made room for her rival, feeling the princess' Power level increasing. Ayeka tried using a force bolt down the center of the Wings, which Tenchi easily neutralized. Ryoko's energy sword vanished, to be replaced by a gathering swarm of firefly-bright darts. "Fire together!" Washuu instructed. Before they could act, however, Tenchi set the Wings to rotating. The gentle whup-whup-whup quickly grew to an irritated whip-pip-pip and then an angry whirrr, as the blades spun faster and faster. His face flickered strobe-like between them, blinking in shorter and shorter intervals until he seemed to merge with the transparent Wings. Ryoko and Ayeka raised their hands and let fly with volley after volley, and the lab resounded with pyrotechnics and thunder. They tried separating, attacking from different sides, but it did no good -- the Wings twisted and writhed like living things, enveloping their master in a blister of pure force. Stray bolts richotted into the darkness, causing Sasami to scream and Washuu to curse, but still the test continued. Finally, Ryoko and Ayeka staggered backwards, exhausted. "That's enough!" Ryoko panted. Ayeka agreed, spent. "Thank you, Ladies," Washuu said, dismissing them. They staggered back to their seats, looking frequently at the boy in the center of his humming shield. "You may rest now, Tenchi." Tenchi didn't really need it -- he hadn't even broken a sweat. The Wings stopped their rotation, assuming once again their Y-shaped posture. "That didn't seem too difficult," Yosho commented. "Manipulating the Wings is not much different from manipulating a sword," Tenchi replied. "The difficulty comes when I feed more energy into them. As they get swollen and engorged, they become heavy and sluggish." "How much energy can you feed into them?" "I don't know, and neither does Tsunami." "In theory, since he's feeding them energy directly from the Quantum Vacuum, it should be infinite," Washuu interjected. "But there are always practical limits. Still, he drew enough energy to extract himself and Ayeka and Mihoshi from the event horizon of Dr. Clay's singularity. That's a considerable achievement." "He can summon only three Wings; think of the power at Tsunami's disposal with the ten Wings she summons." Washuu's response was to purse her lips and roll her eyes, refusing any further conjecture. She turned back to Tenchi. "What was that transformation you made during your fight with Kagato?" Washuu asked. "I noticed some burns on my arms, and Tsunami's information showed me how to repair the injuries and fabricate body armor for myself." "Can you demonstrate this for us?" Tenchi lifted his hands to point into the two highest Wings, which boiled along his limbs and down his legs like an effervescent foam, coating his body with a mist that condensed into a shimmering exoskeleton. The third Wing remained, drifting upwards to chest-height. The light cone enveloping him was simply washed away, bleached-out by the greater source of illumination. "I wonder how much protection that armor provides?" Yosho said. "Since it is behaves like the Lighthawk Wings, and would repair itself nearly instantaneously, I can only speculate...unless Tenchi would consent to having the Ladies throw some more fireworks at him." "No!" chorused Ayeka and Ryoko. Washuu cackled softly as she checked her monitors. "Ok, let's discuss the Lighthawk Sword. What is it, for starters." "The original sword was carved from crystal, then minutely scanned, and its pattern stored in quantum spacetime." "What became of the original?" Washuu asked. "I don't know, and neither does Tsunami." "How much concentration is required to summon the Sword?" Yosho asked. "Total concentration. And once crystallized, it requires a great deal of energy to maintain the weapon's cohesion. It is a delicate balance." "Yet it's capabilities exceed the Wings." "Yes. It frightens me to use it." "Yet you did use it, and successfully." "No! I was lucky. In my desire to destroy Kagato I applied more Power than I needed. I destroyed the Souja as a consequence. I can't even imagine what would have happened if I had unleashed more energy into it." "Tenchi, how did you feel the first time you grasped a katana?" asked Yosho. "Exhilarated. Scared." "Explain." "It was the sword of my ancestors. A razor-sharp work of art. And yet, it's use required precision and courage, or the blood shed would be my own." "Can't the same feelings be applied to the Lighthawk Sword?" "I don't know. It's so alien..." "It's just a tool, Tenchi. No better or worse than the hand that guides it. Proficiency only comes with practice and persistence." "Would you please summon the Sword?" Washuu asked. Tenchi's right hand reached forward to grasp the hovering Wing. As his fingers closed around it, it contracted inward and upward with a wave-like shimmer. The petal-shaped Wing quickly transformed into the Lighthawk Sword. The Sword was a two-handed, twin-edged weapon over a meter in length. It's quillions and pommel were intricately carved with strange symbols, and the blade was grooved and tapered into a wicked tongue shape. The polished surface flashed reflections into the dark corners of the lab, and it glowed with internal fire. "It's beautiful," Yosho whispered. "And it pulses like the Wings." "Geez, the cutting edge is only a few atoms across," Washuu announced, passing a hand-held sensor over the blade. "Almost a perfect wedge. That thing would slice through steel plate without resistance. Whoever crafted it was one of the greatest artisans in history." "Tenchi, perform the first kata," Yosho commanded. He pulled Washuu out of the light cone and out of harm's way. Tenchi bowed towards his teacher, and then settled into the beginning fighting posture. What followed was a graceful series of flowing movements that saw the Sword rising and falling in ever-tighter arcs. The blade left an energy wake hovering in the air, like strokes from an ephemeral paintbrush. Years of practice were evident in the power and precision of Tenchi's techniques. It was a lethal ballet. Tenchi completed the kata with a flourish and bowed once more. The girls clapped appreciatively, which earned them a glare from Washuu. "Tenchi, how much energy could you comfortably feed the Sword?" she asked. "I could raise the threshold a bit." "Do so, please." The sword in his hands became an incandescent crucifix, illuminating every corner of the lab. Tenchi's shadow rippled across the floor and engulfed Washuu's workstation, placing her in a graduated darkness. The four girls were no longer sitting in twilight, but were clearly visible, mesmerized by the display. Yosho stood off to one side, slowly circling his grandson, shielding his eyes so he could inspect the Sword. This tableau continued until Washuu was satisfied that she had collected enough data. "Yosho? I'm done with the Sword. How about you?" "I've seen enough." "Tenchi, you may dematerialize the Lighthawk Sword." Tenchi complied, the Sword vanished, and the lab dimmed dramatically. It did not return to its original gloom, however, since he still retained the armor. Yosho silently returned to his seat, lost in thought. Washuu busied herself at her console, pausing only when she felt Ryoko materialize behind her. "Are you taking a break? And can I talk to him for a minute?" Ryoko asked. "Yes, I am taking a break, and yes, you can talk to him. But he can't answer you back." "Good enough," she said, and teleported over to where Tenchi stood. Floating so close to him took her breath away. His armor was nearly blinding at this distance, and she could feel the Power radiating from him. His pupils were dark and dilated, the highlights within them sparkling like diamonds. This was the image that she would carry in her heart forever: her knight in shining armor, the One who had liberated her from evil incarnate. Those memories were still fresh and painful, and it was all she could do to sit quietly in the darkness and watch him -- she needed to hold him. He gave no indication that he was aware of her, which suited her just fine: maybe he couldn't respond, but he couldn't run away, either. She wrapped her arms around him, expecting the glowing material to be cold and metallic. But it wasn't; like him it felt warm and alive, and shifted subtly with his breathing. She pressed against him, enjoying the sensation of absolute security. "I love you, Tenchi," she whispered into his ear, and then put her head on his shoulder and wept quietly. It was only moments before Ayeka was standing beside them, a thundercloud on her face -- which faded when she heard her rival sobbing. "Ryoko?" Instead of her usual imperious whine, her voice had modulated to the soft timbre reserved for her little sister. "What is wrong?" "It's ok, Ayeka," Ryoko sniffed, reluctantly disengaging from Tenchi. "I never really thanked him for rescuing me." She wiped her eyes with her sleeves, struggling to reestablish her crusty facade. "Good thing he can't see me -- he'd just think I was turning into a crybaby." And then she was gone. Ayeka studied Tenchi's face, the planes and curves of it, it's textures and shades. Gods, he was handsome, and he resembled nothing less than an avenging archangel. Ryoko had said he couldn't see them, so she dropped her normally reserved demeanor. She leaned forward and whispered in his ear, "I love you, Tenchi Masaki, Crown Prince of my heart!" Then she kissed his cheek, giggled, and strode away. Mihoshi and Sasami wandered over, shading their eyes from the glare. They, too, touched his luminescent carapace, curious about it. "I've worn Galaxy Police battle armor on occasion, but nothing like this," said Mihoshi. "This is fabulous!" "I've seen pictures of some of my ancestors wearing this, but nobody in my family has been able to summon it in several generations. Tenchi must be a really strong Power user." Sasami ran her hand over Tenchi's arm. "This feels almost like animal hide!" Mihoshi looked into his eyes for several moments, and then asked Sasami, "Does he ever talk about his feelings? He seems the most relaxed around you." Sasami shrugged. "We talk about a lot of things, but not his feelings. Why?" "Oh, I don't know. I just wondered if he likes me, I guess." "As far as I know, he does." "I hope so. I sure like him. A lot." "He is cute, isn't he?" Sasami asked. "All right, Ladies, return to your seats!" Washuu marched over and hustled them away from her test subject. She had been discreetly watching the parade of females, each exposing a bit of their soul on the assumption that Tenchi wasn't aware of them. Actually, he was fully aware of them; Washuu had simply said that he couldn't answer. Tenchi was probably writhing in embarrassment from these confessions. She was surprised he hadn't gotten a nosebleed. It really was an amusing situation, that her housemates had to wait until he was immobilized to bare their feelings towards him. He was usually tongue-tied when it came to discussing his feelings (typical male behavior). She was tempted to exploit this situation herself, and tell Tenchi how she felt about him, how she -- -- And then the alarms in her mind went off: this was not normal behavior. At least, not for her. She prided herself on her objectivity and control through all of her experiments, and this one should be no different. It really wasn't normal behavior for any of these girls, either. On a hunch, she adjusted her monitors to include everyone else in the room. Since she already had base-line readings for everyone stored in the system, she could compare them later as she had planned to do with Tenchi. Washuu looked at the Ladies and considered: well, if everyone was in a mood to tell their secrets, then perhaps this was a good time to resolve some of the issues that troubled the group as a whole. "Tenchi, how do you feel about the galactic houseguests living with you?" "I love them like family," he answered. "Are you attracted to any one of them in particular?" "I'm attracted to all of them." "Sexually attracted?" "Yes." "Even me and Sasami?" "I've seen you as an adult. And I've seen Sasami's future form." Meaning Tsunami, of course. "Have you had any fantasies about us?" "Yes. About each of you." "So why haven't you done anything about it?" "To pick one would mean hurting the others. Besides, you all scare me." "Huh? Please elaborate." "I don't know how to deal with you -- particularly Ryoko and Ayeka. I like their attention, but I get very tired of the bickering. They cause so much damage, and they often hurt each other. It is easier to clean up their messes than to get them to stop. Though I try to treat all of you as good friends, it's just not enough -- you want more from me. I've never had a real girlfriend, so I don't know how to behave. I just don't know what you see in me. You are all so beautiful, and so exotic, but..." "But what?" Washuu prompted. "Are you human?" Washuu laughed. "Tenchi, Earth was colonized nearly 40,000 years ago by humans from the stars. There are hundreds of worlds across the galaxy teeming with human life. With so many diverse environments, cosmetic differences are inevitable. Of course we are human. If we weren't, neither you nor your mother nor your grandfather would have ever been born. If you remember nothing else today, it is that we galactics are all Fully Human." "Even Ryoko, with her extraordinary abilities?" "Yes, even Ryoko. Despite her genetic enhancements, the core DNA is still Fully Human." Washuu heard arguing from the darkness, presumably Ayeka teasing her rival, and Ryoko responding. "Tenchi, would you please describe each of your houseguests?" "Ryoko is wild and passionate, as is any creature freed from long captivity. She has blood on her hands and burns on her soul, thanks to Kagato. But beneath the hard shell beats a gentle and compassionate heart. She needs to touch and be touched, to know that someone cares, to learn how to care for others. In time, she will heal. She needs an anchor in her life, to provide her with a purpose, and a home, and a reason to temper her passion. "Ayeka is Ryoko's mirror image: she is shy and demure most of the time, very poised and confident. But like Ryoko, she has also been a captive, although her prison was a luxurious one. She cloaks herself in etiquette and protocol and duty to hide her loneliness. A steel fist in a silken glove, she will tolerate no obstacles to whatever goal she chooses. She needs a refuge in her life, a sanctuary where she can relax, a place to release her passion. "Sasami is energetic, lively, loyal, and smart. She is compassionate and concerned, and fun to be around. She worries about Tsunami, and her precognitive dreams, but she is also able to set them aside and enjoy her life. She is still growing -- and her potential is awesome. "Mihoshi is an enthusiastic extrovert: an extremely powerful mind that over-developed the instinctive and emotional side. She sees patterns rather than details, an essential for a detective. Though she lacks coordination and a grasp of the obvious, her appreciation for the simple things in life, for the joy of the moment, makes her a wonderful companion. She needs a calming influence in her life, to help her organize and control the chaos she unleashes. "You are Mihoshi's mirror image: a reclusive introvert who has over-developed the intellectual side of your mind. You see details rather than patterns, an essential for a scientist. You keep your life tightly controlled and meticulously organized, just to protect yourself from any further emotional pain. You need a reason to embrace your humanity and emerge once again into the sunlight." Everyone watched Yosho slowly walk over to examine his Grandson. "Tenchi, you lack focus, which is why you cannot control your abilities yet. Just look at your poor performance with the tenchi-ken. It was only under an all-consuming anger that you were able to concentrate fully enough to use the Lighthawk Weapons. This is not a good practice, and could lead down the path to Kagato. We will have to look for some appropriate meditation exercises to increase your focus." Somewhat absently, Washuu told Tenchi he could dismiss the armor. For a moment he was wrapped in a silvery fog, and then it vanished, and the lab returned to darkness. It suited the mood.