Rowdy Reunion Tenchi Muyo! Fan Fiction By Elwin "Blaine" Coldiron DISCLAIMER: "Tenchi Muyo!" and characters were created by Hiroki Hayashi and Masaki Kajishima and are property of AIC/Pioneer. I do not own the characters, nor the series. I just write the fiction. This takes place in the OVA continuity, preceeding the events of, "A Carrot Patch, A Clean House & A Burglar", writen by this author. Any situation that is similar to the upcoming third OVA is purely coincendental. **************************************************************************** A small, bullet-shaped object was moving rapidly towards Earth in an eastwardly direction. It hit atmosphere somewhere over the Kola Penensula and began glowing brightly. From the ground, the object could be easily mistaken for a meteorite. No one really knew that, as well as being artificial, the object was not of Earthly manufacture. The object plummeting down on the planet was in fact a survival lifepod, used whenever a deep-space craft has to be abandoned in an emergency. The outside had a ceramic-fiber covering. It acted as thermal protection, as well as a shield for atmospheric entry. The body was constructed of crystaline metal, forged from zero-gravity foundries. The power supply and life-support systems of the small craft had a total supply for three months of continueous use. However, in case the occupants were forced to wait longer for help, the systems had the ability to place them in a state of cold sleep for a period of at least five years -- in theory, at least. That option was not really put to the test, because of the uncertainty of the on-board batteries ability to hold a charge for that long. Systems on place onboard Jurai treeships could operate for as long as one thousand years in long- distance spaceflights, but the best that metal-constructed ships was twenty-five years at most. Galaxy Police Detective First-Class Kiyone Makabi didn't care much for these concerns, because it was a better risk that what have gotten her to this point. It was supposed to be a simple case: try to solve the recent plunderings of ultra-energy matter by a space pirate. It was later revealed that the substance was to be used by a mad scientist in a attempt to destroy the universe. Kiyone and her partner, Detective First-Class Mihoshi Kiramitzu, tracked the scientist to the huge spaceship where the Galaxy Destroyer was consturcted. A small battle ensued, and the remote control that controled the Destroyer was conficated by Kiyone. She was about to slap the cuffs on the scientist when Mihoshi barged into her after triping. Kiyone then fell off the bridge which she was standing and plummeted towards the core of the Destroyer's power supply, which was composed of ultra-energy matter. It would have been fatal if her personal life- support field hadn't switched on at the last moment. This same field was also responsible for saving her life from the resultant explosion that destroyed the scientist's ship. Kiyone was able to find a sizeable piece of debris and settle herself down on it. For over a week, she had waited for a rescue ship to come by, since her dedicated personal beacon was damaged in the fall. She did have the emergency beacon that was part of her standard issue control cube, however, she was so angry at Mihoshi at the time that she did not think to use that. She would have waited for another week, but the batteries on her personal field were almost depleated. It was only good luck that the piece of debris she landed on had a lifepod that was undamaged. She gotten in, activated the life- support systems, and was able to launch the pod away from the wreackage field. For a week, she drifted, entertaining herself by scribbling on the walls of the lifepod her innermost fantasy at the moment, which was killing her partner the moment she laid eyes on her. Finally, when it was apparent that the pod's food stores were almost out, she took steps to activate the pod's hibernation systems. She strapped herself in one of the seats and switched on the cryosleep systems, which would revive her once the pod was picked up by a passing ship, or the pod fell on a world with acceptable life-support conditions. For three years, her pod drifted aimlessly thru the empty void of space. Then suddenly, it drifted into a hyper-tachyon stream and was pulled along on a journey that would normally last over three hundred years. Finally, the pod was pulled out of the stream by the gravitational pull of a small, blue-green planet circling a medium-sized yellow star, which it was falling towards right now. As the pod streaked closer the the planet, the onboard systems instantly powered up, began taking atmospheric samples and testing them for gas composition and biological hazards. When the tests showed acceptable conditions, the revial systems activated and began to awaken Kiyone from her slumber. The pod's course now had taken her pod to the Japanese islands, in the general direction of Okayama Prefecture. *** Tenchi Masaki was sweeping outside the shrine, gathering up leaves and twigs in the late autumm evening. There was no school that day, so his grandfather, Katsuhito, had scheduled a buzy day for him, which was heavy on sword practice. Tenchi was still feeling the sting from the lumps on his head. One of these days, he thought, he is going to return at least one of those lumps. Then maybe, he can get some measure of respect. "Tenchi! TENCHI!!" Katsuhito called from the shrine office. "Just a minute, Grandpa!" Tenchi answered. He gathered up the leaves he swept and placed them in a bin. He then ran to the shrine office, where his grandfather stood near the open door. "You want something, Grandpa?" "I'd say that's enough for today, Tenchi."Katsuhito answered. "Why don't we go down to the house and see what Sasami has prepared for dinner?" "Okay, Grandpa," Tenchi replied, "just let me put up the broom." The past month was quiet. Ever since the episode with the burglar, the routine around the Masaki household had gotten back to normal (well, close to normal anyway). Then, about a week ago, Mihoshi had to suddenly go on patrol and Washu had herself holed up in her lab, both not saying why. Mihoshi had came back two days ago, mentioning something about some big emergency but not going into any detail. She did not tell anybody about the hyper-tachyon stream that threatened to turn Earth into another asteroid field. Only Washu was not heard from, still locked in her lab, never coming out, even for dinner. It was not unusual for Washu to spend a week in her lab, but she usually came out for meals. So everyone figured that that it was some big project that needed her upmost attention, not to mention wishing everyone -- including Mihoshi -- out for safety's sake. Nobody knew she was monitoring the stream's progress and reporting to both the Galaxy Police and the Jurai Imperial Fleet. So nobody bothered them. All Tenchi was thinking about was the universe-class dinner that Sasami had prepared, thoughts that were interupted by a pair of twin booms. At first, Tenchi thought that another argument that Ayeka and Ryoko were having. Then he noticed that the booms came from another direction, and from the air. Katsuhito also looked up. "Hmmmm. Sonic boom." he said, proceeding down the long steps down to the house. "Perhaps nothing to be concerned about." Tenchi was not so sure. Sonic booms were common, but not this time of day. He shrugged his shoulders and proceeded down the steps. As the pair aproached the front door of the house, they were both greeted by Ayeka and Ryoko, who were there to greet Tenchi. "Welcome home, Tenchi!" both girls chorused. "Hello Ayeka, Ryoko." Tenchi greeted. Ayeka then noticed that her half-brother and former betrothed had accompaned Tenchi as well. "Oh,"she gasped, "and good evening, Yosho!" Ayeka and Sasami always addressed Katsuhito by his true name. "And good evening to you too, sister." Katsuhito answered. Then his attention turned to the aromas emanating from the house. "My, it smells like Sasami had outdone herself again tonight." he complimented. "She has, indeed!" Ryoko answered. Ever since Zero was assimilated into her form by Washu, Ryoko had gained a sense of both smell and taste, so now she was able to enjoy Sasami's cooking, rather that be hospitible and eat her food, but not taste it. She gripped Tenchi by his right arm and guided him to the table. "Come Tenchi," she purred, "sit by me, willya -- OUCH!!" Her grip on Tenchi was broken by Ayeka pinching her hand. "You know, good and well that Tenchi sits by BOTH of us," Ayeka said gently but firmly, "so it no use trying to get preferecial treatment from him, you jackass." She had decided, mostly to please Tenchi, to refrain from calling Ryoko 'a monster', or 'a beast', but she still wanted to put her in her place by using less inflammatory put-downs. "Hey! Who are you calling a jackass?" Ryoko snapped. "Why you, of course." Ayeka answered. Both women glared threatenly at each other. "Now listen, you two," Tenchi interuped, "let's not ruin dinner with a fight, okay?" He stepped in between the two extraterrestials. Both Ayeka and Ryoko nodded, but still shot dirty looks at each other. "Yes, girls, let's not argue," Nobuyuki, Tenchi's father added, "let's just sit down and enjoy this delicious meal Sasami has prepared for us." "Yes, you two," Sasami finished, "after all, it's not everyday we have Tenchi's father here as well." It was a true statement. Nobuyuki spent most of his time in a small apartment in Tokyo because of the huge workload he had and was not able to get back home as often as he liked. "Meow, meow!" Ryo-Ohki said, who was already sat down with a bowl of her home- grown carrots in front of her. It was fortunate that, during the burglar fiasco, her carrot garden not only survived that, and an Ayeka/Ryoko fight. That said fight had only added more to her garden's acerage, and she was already planning for next year. "It looks like not everyone is here." Katsuhito noticed. "I don't see Washu or Mihoshi." "Washu is still in her lab," Ayeka said, "and Mihoshi hasn't come downstairs yet." Katsuhito nodded and turned to his grandson. "Tenchi, why don't you ask Washu if she would come to dinner?" Tenchi sweated and answered in a trembling voice, "Uh -- I think I'd rather not." He didn't like to contradict his grandfather, but he was nervous about Washu's so called 'magic fingers'. "Besides," he added, "the door's locked." "Well then," Katsuhito said, "let's let Mihoshi know that dinner's ready." "Yeah, lets." Ryoko said, in a bored tone. "She can have Washu's portion, as well as everyone elses." "Now that's not nice, Ryoko." Tenchi scolded. He then turned to the stairs and called out, "MIHOSHI? IT'S DINNERTIME, COME ON DOWN!" "Really, Lord Tenchi," Ayeka said, "that is very rude for a future ruler of Jurai to shout like that." "If I ever sit on the Jurai throne, then I'll remember that. Right now, this is my home, and I like to see everyone here if possible." Tenchi then turned back to the stairs and yelled, "MISHOSH? AREN'T YOU COMING DOWN?" From upstairs, Mihoshi's voice came out and said, "I'm not hungry." Almost everybody facefalted. MIHOSHI? NOT HUNGRY? It was unheard of! "MISHOSHI, WHAT'S WRONG? MIHOSHI?" Tenchi yelled. No answer. Concerned, Tenchi bounded up the stairs, follow by Ayeka, Sasami, and Katsuhito. Ryoko teleported up to the door leading to Mihoshi's room and waited for the others. There, Tenchi knocked on the door. "I'm not hungry." Mihoshi answered in a voice that sounded sad. "Mihoshi? What's wrong? Can we come in?" Tenchi asked. "Yes." was Mihoshi's answer. Tenchi then slid back the door, afterwhich he and the rest of the group walked in. The lights in Mihoshi's room were off, the only illumination was from a candle which sat on a small altar that Mihoshi had set up on the floor. Mihoshi was kneeling in front of that altar, her hands set together in prayer. On the altar, a small portrait of a beautiful woman with teal hair, blue eyes, and wearing a red-orange headband, as well as the uniform of the Galaxy Police. It was also apparent that Mihoshi was crying. Tears had stained her darkly tanned cheeks, and her eyes were puffy. She was also sniffling, and a trashcan full of used tissues was next to her. It was a full minute before Tenchi got up the courage to ask, "Mihoshi, is there anything wrong?" "No." she replied weakly. "It's just that," she interupted to blow her pretty nose, "today is the third anniversery of the day I lost my partner, Kiyone." "Kiyone? I remember you told us about her." Tenchi said. Ryoko turned to Ayeka and whispered, "I thought she made her up." To which Ayeka elbowed her in the ribs. "It was on this day, Kiyone gave her life to save the universe. And so on this day," Mihoshi sniffled, "I set aside an hour of the day, praying for her soul, and asking for her to be blessed." She then turned towards the group, more specificly, towards Ryoko. "I heard that little crack you made," she said in an angry tone that was not like her, "and I can assure you that I would never make up anyone like her!" Ryoko inwardly cringed as she saw an angry look in Mihoshi's blue eyes. She continued. "I mean.look at that picture! I got that from her the first month that we were partners! She was the only person that would work with me! All the other partners I had either put in for a transfer or had to take medical leave." As she spoke, tears began to flow unbidden from her eyes. "And to think that you would imply that she did not exist, I -- I --" Mihoshi collapsed onto the floor, crying loudly, her hands covering her face. Tenchi knealt down and comforted her. For ten minutes, Mihoshi wept on Tenchi's shoulder, her blonde hair quivering as she cried. Finally, she released her embrace and knealt back to her altar. Tenchi then left the room, where the others had stood outside. Sasami and Katsuhito had already gone downstairs, only Ryoko and Ayeka remained as they accompanied him downstairs. As they headed back to the dinner table, Tenchi had gotten a look at the two women. Ryoko's face has a look of guilt writen all over it. Ayeka's, as usual, was somewhat neutral, but with a touch of anger towards the former space pirate. *** After dinner, Ayeka helped her sister clean up the dishes. Katsuhito had gone back to the shrine, Nobuyuki to his room to work on one of the almost endless house design projects that he had, and Tenchi had gone to his room to do homework before turning in for bed. Ryoko was on her rafter, contenplating the events of the night. The sight of Mihoshi, angry and offended by her remark about Kiyone, had disturbed her. As much as she was annoyed by her daffiness, Ryoko had come to like the young policewoman. Her bright smile and her cheery attitude was so unlike any law- enforcement officer and solider that she had witnessed in her life. She wished there was something that she could do to make-up for what she did this night. That opportunity came up when Sasami piped up from the kitchen, "I going up to bring Mihoshi a sandwich to eat. She should have something, at least." "Oh let me take that up to her." Ayeka offered. There was a tray that had a sandwich, some pastries, and a small pot of tea that the elder princess was about to take off Sasami's hands. "No," Ryoko appeared and taken the tray, "I'll take that to Mihoshi." "Why should you?" Ayeka responded, obviously annoyed, "After what you said, you're the last person she would want to see." "Because I need to." Ryoko countered. "Ayeka, please let me take this to her?" She was uncharcteristicly polite towards her. Ayeka was genuinly surprised by this sudden offer of compassion that Ryoko was displaying. "Well, okay Miss Ryoko." And with that, the cyan-haired woman taken the tray and teleported away. "Well, that was a refreshing change." Ayeka quipped, her ruby eyes wide with surprise as she stared at the empty space where Ryoko once stood. Sasami smiled widely as her sister stood almost numb. She then walked over to a small kitchen cupboard. She opened the door, where a small mirror was hung and whispered, "I knew Ryoko would try to make up with Mihoshi." "That you did, Sasami." the smiling image of Tsunami, who was on the mirror instead to Sasami's reflection, quietly responded. *** Mihoshi heard a small tap on the door. "Come on in." came the cheerful response. Ryoko slid back the door. The altar had been put away and the candle extinguished. Although her eyes were still puffy from crying, Mihoshi was back to her normal, smiling self. "Oh hi, Ryoko! Is that something Sasami made for me?" Ryoko was somewhat relieved that the blonde detective was back to her normal self. "Yes it is." she said. Then she offered, "Look, Mihoshi.I'm sorry for what I said earlier. It's just that --" "Oh that?" she asked. "That's okay. I knew you never ment it. You all just caught at a bad time, that's all" Ryoko breathed a sigh of relief. Mihoshi was never a person that would hold a grudge -- even with something as personal as what had happened. "Oh, thanks. I was so worried." the pirate said. "Anyway, Sasami though you should eat something, so she made you this tray." "Alright!" Mihoshi cheered. "You know, mourning can really bring out an appitite. I mean, after you guys left, I was beginning to feel really hungry and I was wondering if there were any leftovers from dinner, so I was about to - -" "Yeah yeah, I know," Ryoko interupted rather loudly, "now could you take this tray from me, please?" She was starting to get irritated. "What? Oh. okay." Mihoshi took the tray out of the pirate's hands. She set the tray down and proceeded to consume the contents of the tray, all the while with Ryoko watching her eat. The flaxen beauty was munching so fast that Ryoko began to wonder if she would eat the tray also. When she was finished, Mihoshi picked up the cup, which held a steaming cup of green tea and took a sip when she noticed that Ryoko was still in the room. "Oh I'm sorry," she began, "is there something that you want to talk about?" Not expecting this, Ryoko looked around and stumbled, "What? Oh, I guess --". She fumbled around in her mind, then asked, "So tell me, what do you know about Kiyone?" "Well," Mihoshi searched her memory for what she knew about her partner, took another sip, then said, "what I do know is that she had graduated second in her class at Galaxy Police Acadamy." "Really?" Ryoko said, then thought to herself, 'It's a good thing that I didn't run into her seven hundred years ago. She's would have been another pain in the neck I'd have to deal with.' She thought briefly the person she did have a problem with that long ago and was hoping that she would be dead by now. "How did she look upon her job?" she asked. "Oh she was very dedicated. And pretty ambitious, if I remember correctly. She was always trying to get that big promotion that take her to the top. But just when about to get there, something always seems to go wrong and she would naturally blame me for the whole thing." Mihoshi said, setting down her cup and smiling all along. "Yeah." Ryoko closed her eyes and mused. 'Yep, someone to give me grief, alright.' she thought. 'I'm just glad she's kicked the bucket. I just hope Mihoshi can't read minds.' She then continued, "So tell me, Mihoshi --" She opened her eyes and found that Mihoshi was fast asleep. "Boy, can she conk out fast." Ryoko comented to herself. Not wishing to disturb her, the pirate found Mihoshi's blanket and covered her up. "G'night, Mihoshi." she said quietly. Ryoko then gathered up the tray and teleported out. *** While all this was going on -- Kiyone's lifepod was quietly parachuting down to a point across the lake from the Masaki house. Upon setting down, a series of locks snapped open and the access door slowly lowered down to the ground. A red-orange gloved hand grasped the edge of the opening and the occupant slowly poked her head out. Adjusting her eyes to the dim light, Kiyone got a chance to survey her suroundings. "Where the hell am I?" she asked herself, seeing nothing but trees and various night sounds. "Hmm, no doubt someplace that doesn't have interplanetary travel yet." Kiyone grumbled. "This is another mess that Mihoshi's gotten me into!" She kicked the lifepod in frustration, then screamed her anger to the empty sky. Not knowing what else to do, she took steps to insure her rescue. Using her wrist computer, she took star sightings to find out where she had landed. What she found out didn't make her happy. "JURAI COLONY WORLD 0315? That's just great! Now I'm in trouble with Jurai, too! That Mihoshi -- if I ever get my hands on her, I'm going to choke her right into next week!" With the information that Kiyone had, she taken out her control cube, twisted it around until her emergency beacon was activated. Kiyone knew, however, that the chances of a successful rescue was one in every five hundred years, but that was the only option open to her. After placing the cube in the lifepod, she had to find someplace to relieve herself, then get the emergency bedroll out and settle down for the night. She'd look around for some means of faster rescue in the morning. *** Morning dawned bright and clear (not to mention a bit cool) in the mountains surrounding the Masaki home. Kiyone woke up, shivering from the cold air. Mornings on this planet, she thought, were a lot colder than on her home world. Of course, she wasn't exactly dressed for the weather. Her top was the standard Galaxy Police uniform, but she opted for the optional white miniskirt and white boots with black tights for everything else. Getting up, she thought that she would look around and forage for any edible plants when she looked across the lake. She then notice two dwellings. One was a modest look home that was on the shore, the other was situatied on the side of a hill, with what apeared to be a trail leading from it to the home on the lake. "Maybe they might have something to eat there." she said to herself. Making sure that the translator function on her wristcom was funtional, Kiyone set out for the building on the shore. *** Because the school was still closed and being repaired after he and Ryoko's 'first date', Tenchi thought that he would get the morning chores taken care of before studying. He was in the garden, getting much of the ground ready for the next season's planting, as well as getting Ryo-Ohki's expanded carrot garden prepared. It was while doing this is when he saw a figure walking down the shore towards the house. Thinking that it must be a visitor making a pilgramage towards the shrine, Tenchi thought that he would greet this person and ask about his or her's intentions. Putting down his hoe, Tenchi scampered down the path to the lake. *** All Kiyone had on her mind was finding a bit to eat. So it was a bit of a surprise that heard someone yelling, "HELLO! IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO FOR YOU?" Kiyone looked up in amazement. It was not the fact that there was someone, a young boy, was running towards her, but that he was speaking in, what sounded, almost perfect Juraian. She had to remember that this was listed as a Jurai colony world, so it would be natural that the language would be spoken her. Luckily, Kiyone was fluent in Juraian, so she answered back, "Yes. I'm stranded here, and I wonder if I could get a bit of food here." She than took off to greet the boy. *** While all this was going on -- Mihoshi woke up to an insestant beeping that was coming from her wristcom that she was wearing. Yawning loudly and rubbing, she touched the side of the device. "Yes?" she answered sleepily. "Mihoshi!" came the voice of Yukinojo, her shuttle's artifical inteligence (A.I. for short), "Where have you been? I have been trying to get ahold of you all night!" "I was only sleeping," she said, "Why? Is there something wrong, Yukinojo?" "Accually," the A.I. continued, "I have have picked up a Galaxy Police distress beacon last night and it is very close. In fact, the signal is originating almost 2.5 kilometers from your location." "Oh my!" Mihoshi exclamed. "Do you know who is sending the signal?" All Galaxy Police distress beacons have an encoded signal, identifing the name of the officer who sent it. "Not at this moment," Yukinojo replied, "but I have call up the list of all Galaxy Police personal, as well as missing officers. It should take me a few minutes to find out the name." "Right. Let me know if you have a match." "Yes, Mihoshi." Yukinojo then signaled off. Mihoshi then looked at her slept-in clothes and said, "I'd better get changed first, then find that missing officer." She proceeded to use her control cube to change into her uniform. But before she could, a thunderous growl was emmited from her stomach. "Okay. I'll change AFTER breakfast." *** It only took a few seconds for Tenchi to close the distance between himself and Kiyone. He didn't recognize her at first, but then he got a look at her uniform and said, "Hey. That looks like a Galaxy Police uniform you got on." Kiyone was dumbfounded. "Y-yes, it is. B-but. how do you know about the Galaxy Police?" "Well, it's because." Tenchi began to answer, but then he took a closer look and noticed her face, the headband and the teal hair. "Hey, you wouldn't happen to be Kiyone, Mihoshi's partner?" he asked. "M-MIHOSHI? HERE?" Kiyone exclaimed, her blue eyes going wide. "Yeah," Tenchi answered, a little surprised by her reaction, "she lives with out over at the house. She thought you died three years ago. Boy, will she pleased to find that you're alive." By now, Kiyone had turned away from Tenchi's face, because she didn't want him to see the look of rage on her face. 'THREE YEARS?' she thought, 'I SPENT THREE YEARS ASLEEP IN THAT DAMN POD? AND MIHOSHI IS HERE?' She was fairly quivering with anger. 'NOW I CAN FINALLY KILL HER FOR STRANDING ME OVER HERE!' Suddenly, her thoughts shifted. 'Wait a minute. If Mihoshi's here, then there might be a way to get off this mudball. Okay, I won't kill Mihoshi. I'll just kick the crap out of her, then I could finally get home and back to Galaxy Police headquarters.' Tenchi was watching all this action and sweatdroped. He wondered what in the world was Kiyone thinking when all of a sudden, he felt the familiar sensation of invisible fingers griping his chest. And the voice as Ryoko appeared. She was wearing her white dress, with the dark green and orange jacket and red gloves and leggings. "Good morning, Tenchi. Let's go play, okay?" Tenchi began struggling with the pirate and yelled, "C'MON RYOKO! LEGGO, WE GOT COMPANY OVER HERE! STOP IT!" Kiyone was snapped out of her trance at the mention of a certain name that she heard from lectures back in Acadamy days. "Ryoko?" she said. "The space pirate, Ryoko? The one responsible for the destruction of the royal palace of Jurai seven hundred years ago?" Hearing a strange voice, Ryoko turned up and said, "Yeah, so what's it to you?" Her amber eyes then went wide as she saw the source of that voice, and imedietlly recognized it from the picture that she saw on Mihoshi's altar the night before. Both women stood for what seems to be a few minutes, all the while Tenchi was franticly looking between the two. It was Ryoko that had broke the silence. "Oh damn. She's alive." she said in a low, flat, and sarcastic voice. Kiyone then drew her blaster, a modified version than what Mihoshi carried and yelled, "ALRIGHT, RYOKO! FREEZE RIGHT THERE!" Ryoko floated back and said, "Now wait just a minute --" but stopped as a blast nearly clipped her. Right then and there, she figured that she wouldn't listen to reason and decided to gain a little altitute. Kiyone then sprinted off, continuing to fire and yelling, "I SAID FREEZE, RYOKO! AND I MEAN IT!!!" "NO! STOP! WAIT!" Tenchi yelled as he pursued the two, "YOU GOT IT ALL WRONG! THERE'S BEEN A BIG MISUNDERSTANDING! STOP IT!!!!" *** While all this was going on (oh boy!) -- "So another Galaxy Police officer is here?" Sasami exclamed, her pink eyes wide with amazement as herself, Ayeka, Mihoshi, and Ryo-Ohki sat the table eating breakfast. Washu had still not came in to eat. "Meow?" Ryo-Ohki added. "Why yes." Mihoshi answered between bites. "I got the news from Yukinojo a few minutes ago." "Do you know who this officer might be?" Ayeka asked, no doubt as amazed as her sister. "It's very rare to find another officer so close to Earth." "Not yet. Yukinojo's trying to find out right now." the blonde detective said as she took a sip of tea. "I guess his lifepod got caught in that hyper-tachyon stream that came near here." "A hyper-tachyon stream? Here?" Ayeka exclaimed. "Those things are very dangerous! Why didn't you tell us?" "Oops." Mihoshi said, her blue eyes going wide. "I wasn't susposed to tell you that. Oh don't worry about the stream, it's going away from here and it's not likely to come back again. They don't usually change their course like this, but this one did and everybody got worried, but now it's going back, so no worries." "Oh thank goodness." The purple haired Ayeka sighed. It was about then, Mihoshi's wristcom began beeping. The blonde then stood up from the table, worked her cube intil she was in her uniform, and pressed the side. "Yes, Yukinojo?" she said. "I am sorry it took so long, Mihoshi, but when I got the identity of the signal's owner, I had to double-check it with the missing officer's list." the A.I. said "And?" Mihoshi implored. "And the owner of the signal is that of Kiyone Makabi, your partner. I am at this moment preparing an update to her wristcom's database and will transmit to it shortly." Yukinojo then signaled out. Upon hearing the news, Mihoshi collaped to her knees, her tanned face going pale. Tears began welling up in her eyes. "K-Kiyone? Alive?" she whimpered. "Wow!" Sasami whispered. "That is incredible!" Ayeka exclaimed. She was on the verge of comforting Mihoshi when the sounds of laser fire and explosions came from outside the house. "Meow, meow!" exclaimed the cabbit, who was in her animal form. Mihoshi quickly recovered and got to her feet and was out the door, followed by Ayeka, Sasami and Ryo-Ohki. *** Elsewhere (you glad I didn't say 'While all this was going on'? D'OH! I SAID IT!!!!) -- Washu was quietly snoring on her computer console in her lab. She had fallen asleep while monitoring the hyper-tachyon stream's retreat, because of the possibility of any dangerous objects falling out of the stream. She had spent the last eight hours sleeping when she finally and quietly roused herself awake. She yawned rather loudly and streached herself in her. "Uh, what happened?" she mumbled. It was then that she heard a small alarm on her console. "Huh?" she said, rather mindlessly, then her emerald eyes went wide. "WHAT? SOMETHING FELL OUT?" She looked at the time index. "EIGHT HOURS AGO? OH NO! BUT HOW --" She got up and looked at the coffee which she made last night. Franticly, she ran to the can of coffee and looked at the lable. "AAAUUUGGGGHHHH! DECAFFINATED!? THAT BUBBLEHEAD MIHOSHI GOT ME DECAFFINATED COFFEE!? Oh I'm going to really wring her neck for this one!" Not wasting any time, Washu ran to her storage center, trying to get any equipment that she need to deal with a possible catastophe. *** Ryoko couldn't believe what was happening at this moment. Seeing Mihoshi's partner alive was bad enough, now she was trying very activly to capture her. Kiyone, for her part, was doing a good job trying to keep up with the airborne space pirate, firing blast after blast at her while dodging Ryoko's counterattacks, as well as trying to cope with this native boy who was trying to impeede her from her duty. "LISTEN TO ME," Tenchi was yelling, "WILL YOU STOP SHOOTING AT HER! SHE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!" He started grabbing at her to try to restrain the Galaxy Police detective. "I SAID, KEEP BACK! THIS IS OFFICIAL BUSINESS!" Kiyone then grabbed Tenchi and threw him 10 feet away, which knocked the wind out of him. "TENCHI!" Ryoko yelled. Trying to shoot her was one thing; hurting the man she loved had enraged the pirate to no end. Forming her energy sword, she charged towards Kiyone, screaming with rage. The teal-haired detective barely dodged the attack and got off another shot at Ryoko. It was a direct hit, but the pirate's shield deflected the shot easily. 'Damn!' Kiyone thought. 'she's shielded. Well, I've got a setting for such an occasion.' Quickly, for she had to avoid another attack, the detective fumbled around with the settings on her blaster. Ryoko, in the meantime, gained altitute for another assault. She had eyed Kiyone, who had taken a stance and aimed at her. For Mihoshi's benefit, she thought, she would only knock her out and then, maybe, listen to some sense. She still couldn't understand she insist on shooting her; it wouldn't work. Giving her battle cry, Ryoko began her charge. It was at this moment that Kiyone fired. The beam struck Ryoko's shield, but this time, instead of deflecting, the beam reacted violently against the shield. Ryoko's charge stopped adbruptly and she doubled over, screaming in intense pain. It was then the shield collaped, with the pirate along with it. Kiyone then jumped and in mid-air, threw a disc-shaped object with a line at her, binding Ryoko head to toe. "Figured 'feedback stun' would work aganst an organic shield like hers." Kiyone said to herself. She quickly reset her blaster to the standard setting and landed on the ground, with Ryoko her prisoner. By this time, Tenchi recovered from Kiyone's throw and had saw what had happened. "RYOKO!" he called out and ran to her, only to get a shot at his feet. "STAY BACK!" Kiyone commanded, aiming the blaster at Tenchi. "It's bad enough that you impeeded a Galaxy Police detective in the performance of duty, don't find yourself arrested as well!" "What are you talking about?" Tenchi countered. "She's innocent! Let her go!" "Innocent?" Kiyone questioned. "I'll have you know that this is a very dangerous person, wanted throughout the universe for crimes against sentience! I'm arresting her on those grounds!" "ARE YOU CRAZY?" Ryoko spat back, finally regaining enough of her senses to hear what was going on. "THIS IS FALSE ARREST! I DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE, I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW I'LL HAVE YOUR BADGE FOR THIS!" "SHUT UP OR I'LL STUN YOU AGAIN, RYOKO!" Kiyone yelled back. She was about to add more when she heard more voices coming from the house and heading towards them. "TENCHI!" Ayeka called, followed by her sister. Ryo-Ohki ran in between her mistress and Kiyone, got in a defensive crouch, and hissed loudly. "What's going on?" she added. "Miss," Kiyone cautioned, "stay back! I'm in the process of arresting this dangerous criminal and I would appreciate it if you would --" "Kiyone?" a small voice piped up. The teal-haired detective's head snapped up, as she recognized the voice. Looking up she saw the source of said voice; a tall, tanned, blue-eyed girl with long, pointed ears, and blonde hair that was tied up with a large purple ribbon with the bow on the right side. She was wearing the standard Galaxy Police uniform, with gray slacks, white gloves, and a black ribbon collar on her throat. For an instant, Kiyone forgot that she was arresting Ryoko and dropped her binding cord, which wound itself up, releasing the pirate. She stared at Mihoshi, slowly walking over, her hands opening and clenching at the same pace. A look of anger flashed in her blue eyes as she aproached the source of her misery that she caused three years ago. "Mi-ho-shi --" she growled in a low, gutteral tone as she raised her hands to strangle her, forgetting as well her promise just to kick her. But just before she could grab her throat, Kiyone found herself in a powerful hug that would have done Misaki, Ayeka's mom, proud. "OH KIYONE," Mihoshi bawled, "YOU'RE ALIVE! YOU'RE ALIVE!!! I'M SO GLAD THAT YOU'RE ALIVE!!!" She was squeezing Kiyone so hard that her face was turning just as blue as her eyes, and she was getting close to turning purple as well. "That's -- good," Kiyone manage to say, forgetting her rage, "that's -- very -- good. Now -- let -- go -- of -- me -- please? I -- can't -- breathe." "Huh?" Mihoshi had interuped her crying long enough to realize that she was crushing her partner. "Oops. Sorry, Kiyone." She released her grip on her partner, allowing Kiyone to once again enjoy the pleasures of breathing. "So, what's going on? What's all the shooting for?" the blonde detective asked. Once again adopting a professional bearing, Kiyone answered back, "I was buzy trying to apprehend and arrest this criminal." She pointed at Ryoko to prove her point. It was then she noticed that the pirate was no longer bound. She once again drew her blaster to stun her, only to get the gun wrestled away from her by Mihoshi. "What are you doing, Kiyone! Put that down!" Mihoshi pleaded. "What am I doing?" Kiyone shot back. "What are YOU doing defending her, you bubblehead? Don't you know who she is?" Mihoshi answered, quite innoncently, "Well, yeah it's Ryoko. So?" Kiyone facefaulted, then shot back on her feet and in Mihoshi's face, a vein bulging on the side of her forehead. "SO!?" she screamed. "SO WHY HAVENT YOU ARRESTED HER LIKE YOU WERE SUSPOSED TO, YOU DIMWIT!?" To which Mihoshi said cheerfully, "Well, because there's nothing to arrest her for." "She's right." Ryoko chirpped in, standing rather rubbery legged after being freed from the binding line. She then turned to Ayeka and said smugly, "Go on, Princess, tell Miss Bossy Dumb Cop that I'm free to go." To the pirate's chagrin, Ayeka had a look of uncertainty, as if debating whatever or not to tell Kiyone. "AYEKAAAAA!!!!!" she growled loudly, startling the princess. "Well," Ayeka began, "I hate to agree with Miss Ryoko, but I'm afraid that she is right. She is free to go." Kiyone couldn't believe that she was hearing all of this. She was jumping around the people in the group, wildly waving her hands and shouting, "WHAT IS WITH YOU PEOPLE!? HAVE YOU ALL GONE CRAZY!?" Finally calming down, she reached for her wristcom and said, "Fine! You want proof? You'll get it!" She then called into the device, "Access criminal file, Ryoko, space pirate." A few seconds later, a holographic display popped up. showing a portrait of Ryoko, smiling and flashing a 'V' sign with her hand as well as charges against her. "See?" Kiyone said, pointing to the display and read, "Ryoko Hakubi, wanted for various crimes of destruction and terror --" she was interruped when the display suddenly started changing. "Huh? It's updating." A new display then popped up, text only. Kiyone studied this new information and an increduous look came over her face. While all this was going on (don't you get tired of this phrase?), Ryoko had sauntered over behind Kiyone and read the new information over her shoulder. "Go on," she said in a smug tone, "read it to everybody." Kiyone then read, in a trembling voice, "As of Galaxy Standard Time 00432, all charges against Ryoko Hakubi have been dismissed by statute of limitation," she gulped and continued, "and her criminal record has been erased." "And?" Ryoko implored, as she started giggling. "And," Kiyone continued, tears starting to appear in her eyes, "the subject has been granted a royal pardon from the emperor of Jurai, for her role in the destruction of the eternally wanted criminal Kagato." Ryoko burst out laughing as Kiyone bemoaned, "THAT WAS ALL ONE YEAR AGO!" "That's riiiight!" Ryoko sang out after she recovered from her laughing fit. "I'm free as a bird, and there is nothing you can do about it. You know," she said as she walked away from Kiyone, "I think that a nice walnut frame with a red velvet backing should be a beautiful display in my room for that badge of yours when I get it." Kiyone just had a sick look in her face as she slowly fell over backwards to the ground. "Kiyone, are you okay?" Mihoshi said as she kneld down to examine her fallen partner, while everyone just looked at the sight. Just then, a loud scream caused everyone (except Kiyone) to jump at least a foot. An instant later, everyone saw the amazing sight of Washu throtling Mihoshi while standing on Kiyone. "YOU LAME BRAIN!!" the diminuitive scientist screamed, "YOU DUMB BUNNY!!! YOU GOT ME DECAFFINATED COFFEE!!! I FELL ASLEEP FOR EIGHT HOURS AND NOW I FOUND OUT THAT AN OBJECT FELL OUT FROM THAT STREAM AND LANDED NEAR HERE!!! IF WE ALL END UP GETTING KILLED FROM WHATEVER IT WAS, I'M GOING TO FIND YOU IN THE AFTERLIFE AND WHEN I DO --" she was interruped from her tirade when she heard a groan. She let go of Mihoshi's throat and looked down to see that she was standing on a woman with teal hair, a red-orange headband, glazed blue eyes, and wearing a variant of a Galaxy Police uniform. Washu then looked up to everybody and asked, "Who's she?" Everybody groaned and sweatdroped. *** It was four hours since the whole thing had occurred. Kiyone was lying on a spare futon in the room that Mihoshi used when she woke up. She heard a tapping on the door and groaned, "Come in." The door slid open and in walked Washu, carrying a tray which held a small quanity of steamed rice, smoked fish and steamed vegetables, miso soup, rice crackers, and hot tea. "So you're awake, Kiyone." she said gently. "Good. Sasami thought that you might be hungry, so she put together this lunch for you. She really is a very good cook." She set down the tray next to Kiyone. Washu then knelt down and said, "I found out that it was your pod that came out of that stream. You're increditbly lucky that it came close to this planet, otherwise you might have kept traveling forever or landed on a real loser of a planet." "Thanks," Kiyone said, "but it's just as well that I remained in that stream." She then plopped her head back on her pillow and covered her face. "It's over." Washu looked confused. "What's over?" she asked. "My career." Kiyone bemoaned. "I didn't check for an update before going after Ryoko. And now, she going to make charges of false arrest against me." "I can't say I'd blame her," Washu added, "but don't worry. She not going to press charges. Believe me, your career still safe." "S-she not?" Kiyone stood up, her puffy eyes showing relief. "You were able to change her mind?" Washu looked up, shrugged, "Nah, it wasn't me. You know," she added, " you would think that Ryoko would listen to me, her own mother, Washu. But noooooo, she has to listen to her boyfriend. Which is fortunate for you." Kiyone's eyes went wide. "Washu?" she askes, "THE Washu? The greatest scientist in the galaxy? The one that was kidnapped by Kagato?" "In the universe, accually HAH-HA-HA-HA-HA!!" Washu laughed. Kiyone just groaned, but if she was right, then this would be the very same Washu that had created Ryoko in the first place, before she was kidnapped and her 'daughter' brainwashed by Kagato. "How were you able to escape from Kagato?" "You should thank your partner for that one. But as for destroying that jerk Kagato, you should thank Tenchi for that one." "You mean that boy?" Kiyone asked. "He doesn't look that special to me." Washu looked up. "You're right about one thing. He doesn't LOOK special," but then, a wistful look came over her eyes, "but then, he IS special. He's unselfishly put his life on the line on more than one occasion, and has always came out as the victor, not only for us, but for this planet." "I don't know," Kiyone said, looking in her bowl of miso soup, "I'll have to see THAT for myself." She then continued to eat her lunch, thinking of what Washu said. She paused and said, "More than one occasion?" "Yes." Washu answered. She then looked at the teal-haired and asked, "So? Do you have any plans in the future? Mihoshi is going to be leaving for Galaxy Police Headquarters soon. Are you going to be going with her?" Kiyone then answered, "Yes. I'm going have to get a complete physical workout after what has happened. There's going to be some debriefing on the ultra- energy matter affair, then to go visit my family. I bet they'll be glad to see me after three years. And then." she trailed off. "And then?" Washu implored. "And then," Kiyone then mumbled, "I can't believe I'm going to be saying this." Then she spoke up and said, "I'm going to see if I join Mihoshi here on this planet. Somebody's has to keep an eye on so that she doesn't wreck anything while we're here. And," she added, "if this boy Tenchi is as special as you claim, then I want to see it." "Good girl." Washu said, smiling. "So,"she asked, "can we expect you for dinner? Sasami's making a special meal in your honor." "If it's anything like this lunch," Kiyone says, smiling, "then count me in." "YEA-HA!" Washu exclaimed. She gets up and walks to the door. "See you at dinner." She pauses at the door and says, "And Kiyone?" "Yes?" Washu smiles again and says, "Welcome to our family." She then steps out the door and slides it closed. Family, Kiyone thought. Welcome to TENCHI'S family. Even though this family included Mihoshi, it felt good. *** While all this was going on (don't worry, this is the last time!) -- Watching from her celestial hall in an unknown portion of some universe, Tokimi watches the events of the past two Earth days unfolded before her black within blue eyes. A small smile graced her beautiful, yet sinister features. "So. Another player enters the game. This should be interesting." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- EPILOGUE - A seedy tavern somewhere in the Jurai Empire -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - A figure in a dark cloak settled next to another, smaller figure at the bar. The bartender walked up to the new person, only to get waved off by him. The newcomer then turns to the smaller figure to his right and says in a low voice, "You're not an easy person to look for, Nagi." The smaller person responds in a deep, yet female voice, "It depends. What have you got to offer?" The newcomer then says, "Let's go someplace where there are less prying ears. I have something that might intrest you." Nagi turns to the figure and says, "Okay. But if this is some sort of trick." "Don't worry your pretty head, my dear," the newcomer says, "I have no intention of violating you. I have some information on a certain someone you've been looking seven hundred years for." "Ryoko?" Nagi's attention peaked. "Where is she?" "Not here, Nagi. Outside, in the back alley, where we won't be seen." The newcomer then motioned his hand to follow him. With a suspicious look in her red eyes, Nagi set down some coins on the bar, looked down at her feet and said, "Come, Ken-Ohki. Let's see what he's got." Upon her command, a white cabbit with red eyes and a yellow gem on it's forehead. Reaching the alley, Nagi places one hand on the pommel of her sword and says, "Okay, spill it. What do you know about Ryoko?" Reaching over to remove his hood, the newcomer is revealed to be a middle-aged man with long white hair, clear blue eyes, and a long white beard and says, "A lot. I have the location of the planet she's on," he presents Nagi with a memory crystal, "and who she is in the company of." He hands her a picture of a teenaged boy with black hair and brown eyes. Nagi was amazed at the look of the newcomer, for she recognized him. "Baron Kazamone? You're a member of Jurai's Holy Council! Then this is a file from the council." She looked at the noble in amazement. "I could get into big trouble if I get caught with this." Kazamone holds up his hands. "Don't worry! There is nothing on that crystal that will get you in trouble, other that than Ryoko's exact location." "But why are you giving me this?" Nagi asks "My son was killed by Ryoko when she attacked Jurai seven hundred years ago," the baron answered, "and I know that you want her dead as much as I. I'm the one that's taking the risk here. If it was known that it was me that stole that information, I would certainly be put to death as a traitor." "Well then," Nagi replies, "if you risked so much for this, I'll gladly won't disappoint you. But," she continues, "what about the boy?" "I don't care what you do to him." the baron snorts. "You can kill him too, for all I care. As I see it, he's a willing confeterate to that bitch." Kazamone then turns around and dissappears into the darkness. Nagi watches as the noble walks away. She then looks down towards the cabbit and says, "Well, Ken-Ohki? It looks like we're going to do a little traveling." She then clenches her fists and says in a low rage-filled voice, "Soon Ryoko, I'm going to pay you back for all the pain you caused me. And if anyone ever gets in between you and me --" she slammed her fist hard against an exposed girder, bending it down the middle. ----------------------------------------- 9/11/01 FDNY-NYPD - The real heroes