Disclaimer:  The characters of Tenchi Muyo Belong to AIC and Pioneer
LDC so please dont sue me.  If you sue me, I'll have to find your
home and torture you to death.  So I really don't have time to do both.
In all seriousness, please don't sue me as I have no money.

Aknowledgements:  Thanks to Little Masa-Ohki and The Total Anime Nut
for prereading this for me.  A large thanks to Dav for both prereading
it for me and walking me through the changes.  Sorry, Cav, If you preread 
this without a thanks but you haven't gotten back to me.  Anyway, Thanks
again. Now on to the fic!



Painful Trials

Part one: No need for worry
     At 9:27, Ryoko, as usual, was hovering over Tenchi's bed when he 
woke up in the morning.  He always was frightened when Ryoko did this, 
even though it had become habitual.  He had finally convinced her not 
to look in the restroom while he was in there, but he was unable
to dissuade her from waking him up.  Tenchi opened his eyes, saw Ryoko, 
and became fully awake with a start.  He sat up and was about to tell 
her to stop doing this when she began to laugh.  Ayeka knocked on the 
door and then opened it, saying, "Lord Tenchi?  Have you...?"
     Ayeka saw the scene in the room and started to laugh along with 
Ryoko.  Although Tenchi had been startled by Ryoko, he was sleepy 
enough that he didn't realize what they were laughing about at first.  
His pillow, which he had been sleeping on, had stayed attached to his 
head as he sat up.  Someone had glued the pillow to his face while he 
was asleep.  "What the..?!" Tenchi exclaimed. "Who did this?"
     It took Ryoko and Ayeka more than a few moments to calm down and 
stop laughing.  Ryoko then said, "I don't know.  But you have to admit 
that it's pretty funny, Tenchi."  They looked at him again and were 
overcome in fresh fits of laughter.
     "Oh, never mind.  Ayeka, what were you going to ask when you came 
in?"  Tenchi asked.
     Ayeka stuttered to a halt.  Still giggling, she said "I was going 
to ask you if you had seen Sasami this morning.  She wasn't in her bed 
when I woke up and Kiyone and Mihoshi haven't seen her.  They asked me 
to go looking for her instead of helping them with breakfast." 
     This statement was greeted by more giggling from the closet.  The 
closet door opened, and Sasami stood there with a tube of glue in her 
hand.  Still giggling, she said, "I knew that Tenchi was sleeping late 
today and so snuck in.  I hope your not to mad, Tenchi, but I couldn't
resist the opportunity." 
     Tenchi immediately softened to Sasami.  She was such a sweet kid 
that it was hard to stay angry at her for too long especially when she 
acted so innocent.  He said, "No, I'm not mad at you Sasami.  Not as 
long as we have some solvent, for this glue."
     "You think I would pull a prank like this if I didn't know if we 
had some?"  Sasami asked incredulously.  She handed Tenchi another 
tube.  
     "Now that that's settled, let me get changed and we'll go down 
and eat some breakfast."
     It was 9:31.  

     10:30 saw Tenchi driving into town with Mayuka and Kiyone.  
Breakfast had been late because the combination of Ayeka's inexperience 
and a blunder by Mihoshi had produced an edible but unappetizing meal.  
Ayeka had burned the rice and Mihoshi had accidentally switched recipes,
turning the breakfast into a hybrid of a traditional Japanese breakfast 
and sukiyaki.  Sasami had quickly made a new breakfast for them, but it 
had delayed Tenchi.  He was going into town to see his father.  Ever 
since Ryo-Ohki had moved Tenchi's house out by the Masaki shrine, 
Nobiyuki had rented a room in town and came home for the weekends.  He 
claimed that it was cheaper than gas, but Tenchi thought that it was 
another instance of his father trying to get Tenchi hooked up
with someone.  Although this was the reason he said he was going to 
Nobiyuki's, he really was leaving because he needed some space.  He 
needed to clarify his feelings for the girls.  Mostly he was afraid of 
hurting them.  He loved both Ryoko and Ayeka, but was unable too choose 
because of the pain he knew he would cause.  Since he liked them both 
as friends and as something more, and he wanted to be able to keep both 
friendships.  But he knew that it would be torture to keep the other 
there while he married the other, so he couldn't do that.  Both had a 
significant effect on his life, and he would close a door he didn't 
want to close if he let one go.  Ryoko, with her infectious laugh and 
her forceful personality, helped Tenchi to pull out of his shell and 
express himslef.  Ayeka, with her silent grace and quiet strength, 
allowed Tenchi to be at peace, if only for a moment.  Both were things 
he cherished and didn't want to lose.  He wished that he could come
up with a solution.  He wished that he could talk with someone about 
this.  He wished he could avoid that truck....THAT TRUCK!
     "Eyes front, Tenchi!" Kiyone shouted, shocking him out of his 
reverie.       Tenchi swerved left and barely avoided the truck.  "Hey, 
you jerk," Tenchi yelled at the truck driver, "Why don't you drive on 
the right side of the road!"
     Kiyone, with a puzzled look, said "Uhhh, Tenchi, he was driving on 
the right side of the road.  You swerved in front of him.  Why don't 
you pull over and let me drive for a while.  I can see that you need to 
think about something."
     Tenchi grinned sheepishly and said, "He he, sorry Kiyone.  I guess 
that you should drive."
     It was 10:38

     At 11:33, Sasami knocked on the Masaki shrine office door.  
"Grandfather?" She called tentatively into the darkness.  "I have some 
tea,"  she added, "are you here?"  
     "I'm here, Sasami," Katsuhito called in that gruff voice of his.  
Sasami always found that voice calming, but she wasn't sure why.  
Katsuhito, when she had first came to live with Tenchi, had scared her 
a little.  But he had helped Tenchi so much that she had struck up a 
friendship with him after that buisness with Dr. Clay.   Now she took 
every chance to go talk with him.  Katsuhito asked, "Where's Ryo-Ohki 
today?"
     "Washu is giving her her six-month checkup early because she was 
sneezing last night.  She's afraid that he might have a cold."  Sasami 
answered.  She put the tea on a tray with cups and sugar and brought it 
over to where Katsuhito was sitting.  She continued, saying "I hope 
it's not something..."
     "Now Sasami, you know better than to lie to me.  Ryo-Ohki 
couldn't get a cold on earth even if she tried.  Earth diseases don't 
affect her.  Now, where is she really?'
     "I wasn't looking where i was going and almost stepped on her.  
When I tried to apologize, she ran away.  I really don't know where 
she is."
     "You must have been very disturbed to become that distracted.  
What's on your mind?"
     "Tsunami."
     "I thought we settled that a while ago."
     "I feel her inside and I think it's taking me over."
     "What brought this on?"
     "Well, this morning I played a prank on Tenchi."
     "Why is that important?"
     "Because I haven't played a prank in a very long time.  I never 
really felt like it.  I wasn't tempted till this morning. Ususally, 
I'm well behaved.  Ask Sister.  But this is the longest time that I 
haven't played a prank on anyone.  I thought it was because I liked
Tenchi.  And I was so busy that I couldn't get bored.  But, after the 
prank this morning, I realized that I had not even felt like playing 
one until today.  I think Tsunami's taking me over."
     Katsuhito poured out some tea and thought about what she said.  
     It was 11:36

     At 11:34, Ryoko knocked on Washu's door.  Washu's face 
immediately appeared on he door's faceplate.  Washu asked, "What is 
it?"
     "I need to talk to you, Washu.  Something doesn't feel right 
today." Ryoko said.
     "I'll let you in only if you promise to call me Mom the whole 
time."
     Ryoko reddened.  She was always uncomfortable calling what looked 
like a young adolescent "Mom".  She yelled at the door. "Okay, Mom, but 
if you think I'm going to sit through another one of you lectures, you 
got another thing comin'!"
     Washu vanished from the face plate, and the door opened.  
Stepping through, Ryoko opened the inner door to Washu's lab, expecting 
to find her typing at her favorite spot.  Instead, she opened the door 
to see a different part of the lab entirely.  Washu was looking at a 
string of data with Ayeka.  Ryoko tried to teleport over, but she 
couldn't.  "Hey!" She exclaimed, "What's going on!"
     Washu, never looking up from the console, said "After the Mass 
escaped last time, I started to work on a field that would inhibit 
their powers so they couldn't escape again.  I installed it last night.  
What do you think?"
     "Well, it works, but do you have to project it over the whole 
lab?!"
     "That's what I'm trying to fix.  If the field isn't of a certain 
size, it collapses.  That's why it took me so long.  It took me a long 
time to figure out that I had the right idea, just that I needed a 
bigger field.  I'm trying to make it smaller.  Since Jurai fields can 
block some of your powers and are smaller, I asked Ayeka to see if she 
could stabilize a smaller field and then see if I can duplicate the effect.  
Anyway, what are you nervous about?"
     "I don't know.  It seems that something is happening, but I cant 
put my finger on it." Washu looked at Ryoko in a disapproving manor.  
"What?" Ryoko said
     "I told you to call me Mom!"
     "I don't have to call you 'Mom' in every sentence!"
     It was 11:36.

     At 11:35, Tenchi knocked on the door of Nobiyuki's apartment.  "I 
hope he isn't worring.  We're half an hour late." Tenchi said
     "I'm sure that he called the house to ask and they told him that 
we left late.  There is nothing to worry about except for your 
carrots."
     "What do you mean?"
     "If I know Mihoshi, she's probably crying over the fact that she 
just pulled up most of the carrots with the weeds."
     "I don't think so."
     "Your optimistic."
     It was 11:36.

     At 11:35,  Ryo-Ohki went to the carrot fields behind Tenchi's 
house.  She looked for Tenchi but didn't see him.  Instead she saw a 
quivering mass of weeds and baby carrots that seemed to wailing and 
crying rivers of water.  She also saw Azaka and Kamadake facefaulted on 
the ground. She rounded the mound and saw Mihoshi kneeling on the ground,
wailing "But, but I thought that you wanted me to pull up all the plants 
that were that size."  Snivleing, Mihoshi looked up as Ryo-Ohki walked 
twards her.  "Are you looking for Tenchi?"  She said to the little cabbit.
     "Mya!" Ryo-Ohki exclaimed.
     "He went to town with Kiyone and Mayuka today.  I'm doing his 
chores.  Want a turnip?"
     "Mya?" Ryo-Ohki said mournfully.
     "Just joking,"  Mihoshi said, "You want a carrot?"  Suddenly, Ryo-Ohki
began to mya fearfully.  Her fur stood on edge and the hissed.  "What's wrong,
Ryo-Ohki?"  asked Mihoshi.  
     It was 11:36.

     At 11:32:25, a small rock deep under the surface gave under the 
pressure put upon it.  This caused the Pacific plate and the Eurasian 
plate to jolt violently.  The shock wave traveled up and reached the 
surface at 11:36:03.

     For Tenchi, the sensation was sickening.  The ground underneath 
his feat becan to shake and he almost lost his balance.  Kiyone, as 
skilled as ever, yelled, "Head for the emergency stairs.  They shuld be 
re-enforced."  As she spun, Tenchi picked up the baby bag he had put 
down and hugged Mayuka tighter.  She was crying, and he tried to 
comfort her before he saw the ceiling falling right on top of Kiyone.
     "Kiyone, look out!"

     Mihoshi was toppled to the ground as it shook beneath her.  She 
grabbed Ryo-Ohki and shouted "Everyone, away from the trees!"  As she 
struggled to rise.  Azaka grabbed her and Ryo-Ohki in a force field and 
flew into the middle of the plowed field.  There they hukered down and
waited for the shaking to stop.  

     Sasami screamed as the shaking started, and Katsuhito picked her 
up and began to move twards the door.  Halfway there, he fell, 
groaning.  "What's wrong?"  Sasami yelled over the din.
     "Funaho.  Somthings happening to Funaho."  He groaned.  Suddenly,
the groundgave a sickening lurch and began to slide sidways, the walls
collapsed and Sasami's screamed again.

     At Funaho, the shaking put ripples into the calm pool at it's base.
The tree almost immediately started to send pulses of light from its 
leaves, sending a distress signal.  Unfortunately, the hill it was 
resting under was sitting on clay, and the earthquake liquified the
ground. The hillside jumped, slipped, and slid rapidly down twards Funaho.
The lights coming from it's leaves became seemingly more frantic.  A 
wedge of land slid over the venerable tree.  Unable to withstand the 
shearing stess, the trunk snapped in two.  The tree gave a agonized,
almost human scream as the tree sent its last message pulse and then
died.

     In Washu's lab, the shaking was even more intense than outside.  
"What's happening,"shouted Ayeka.
     "Earthquake.  I've got to stabilize the door before we break 
away."  Washu answered with a shout.  
     "Why?" asked Ryoko
     "If I don't, then the door will break and we'll drift around 
subspace until I establish new one.  That one, though, could be 
galaxies away from Earth."
     Suddenly Ayeka screamed and projected a force field round Ryoko.  
Ryoko looked up to see a huge portion of the lab falling twards her.  
She tried to teleport, but was unable to because of the mass-inhibiting 
field.  Ryoko lifted her arm and blasted at the debris.  She blew a
large chunk of it away, but the piece was to large to completely 
destroy.  Ryoko prayed that Ayeka's shield would hold.  But even Ayeka's
shield couldn't hold against 50 tons of metal and rock.  Ryoko screamed, 
and the world fell in on her.

     The Door to Washu's lab fared better than the Masaki home.  During the
first few seconds of shaking, the home withstood nature's onslaught.  
But, inevitably, one of the walls gave under the strain and collapsed.
The remaining walls were unable to support the roof.  All of this came
down upon staircase.  Washu's door, having been reenforced by Washu,
held and didn't budge.  Then, the landslide rolled over the house.
Unfortunately, Washu had only re-enforced the door to withstand the
house's weight.  Unable to withstand tons of dirt rolling over it, The door
folded in half, broke, and then vanished, leaving no trace of it ever having 
existed.  The slide then rolled over the house, burying it 7 feet deep.  

     Ayeka ran forward to Ryoko's prone body, but was only barely able to 
stand on the shaking floor.  Then, as suddenly as it began, the shaking 
stopped.  Ayekacalled to Washu, "Thank heaven this earthquake is over.  
Now help..."
     Washu interuppted Ayeka, saying "Unfortunately, the shaking stopped
because the door was destroyed."  Ayeka gasped as Washu continued, 
"Unless I can figure out how to find a point in realspace from subspace..."
Washu trailed off.
     Ayeka took a breath as she realized what Washu was saying and finished
her thought, "... we'll never see Lord Tenchi again."


Well, This is my first fic.  Give me a e-mail with C&C at PmBernard@usa.net
Thanks for reading!