Disclaimer: I own NONE of these characters, so no one sue me or anything, okay? Memories Mayuka's Tale Mayuka was hanging by the collar of her shirt as Ryoko demanded "Who was that creature!" "I don't know!" said Mayuka. Ryoko dropped her and she just kept falling. The next thing Mayuka knew, she was choking Tenchi while Sasami yelled at her to stop. She attacked a girl she didn't recognize and the girl sent a bolt of lighting her way, destroying her. Mayuka woke up in a cold sweat. Ryoko was shaking her. "Mayuka! Oh good you're awake." She said. Mayuka nodded. "Another nightmare?" Ryoko asked. "Hai." Said Mayuka. "Wanna tell me about it?" "You were holding me by my collar and asking me questions. Only, you were flying and then you dropped me. Then I was choking Tenchi. Then I attacked a weird girl and she tried to kill me." Ryoko frowned. She hated to keep secrets from her stepdaughter, but it was better then telling her that her nightmares were in truth memories of that terrible day. "Yuzha, if you weren't dead, I'd kill you." Swore Ryoko. Aloud she said, "May-chan, Auntie Sasami must have breakfast ready for us." "Let's go!" said Mayuka, as she forgot the nightmare. Ryoko smiled, This Mayuka reminded her so much of the 16 year old she had once been before . . . thank God Washu had brought her back to them. Mayuka ran downstairs and saw her cousins, aunts, and uncles sitting around the table, except for one. "Where's Washu-Chan?" she asked. "She, uh, is still working on cleaning out the closet." Said Ayeka nervously. "I still don't understand why you all don't let me help her." Said Mayuka, "You even lock the closet door so I can't get in!" "It's for the best dear." Said Ayeka sternly. "You'd think after five years she'd be done." Said her oldest cousin, Tenko, who had just turned twelve. "Anyway." Said Hiwa, "It's time all of you got to school." "Hai!" said all the children. The Misaki children stood waiting for the bus. They were a large family with many children. Mayuka, the oldest, was the daughter of Tenchi Auhza from another marriage. Ryoko, his current wife, had had four children: Tenko, Acheka, Hoshiko, and Marron. Yosho, Tenchi's uncle, and Washu had one daughter, Sumire. Kione and Nobuki, Tenchi's father, had had a daughter named Momoko. Ayeka, a widow and Ryoko's former sister- in-law, had two children: Himeko and Wakaba. Sasami, Ayeka's sister and also a widow, had two daughters named Mirei and Sunshine. Mihoushi, Kione's sister and a widow, had a daughter named Key (short for Kione). Hiwa, Washu's widowed sister, had a daughter named Felicia. Also in the house lived Yugi, Sasami and Ayeka's niece; Azaka, Ryoko's uncle; and Kamidake, Ayeka's cousin. Theirs was a large family. Her father, Tenchi, was a painter who toured the world, visited from time to time. She lived in Japan and trained with her stepmother when she wasn't going to school. She often suffered from nightmares and was afraid of heights. Her favorite time of the year was Christmas and she had a hate for the Summer Star Festival. She was in history class and her teacher was talking about old myths. She was thinking about her latest nightmare when she became aware that the teacher was right next to her. Misaki Mayuka! Will you tell us the legend of the demon of the Misaki shrine?" "Demon of the Misaki shrine?" she asked. "Surely you know of the old legend." Said her teacher. "It's been passed for generation to generation of the Misakis. Your father, Tenchi, was quiet familiar with it." "I've never heard of it." Said Mayuka, perplexed. None of her family had ever mentioned it, not ever Hiwa who loved a good story. "Ms. Misaki tell us the story or you go to the office." "I've honesty never heard of it." Fifteen minutes later, Mayuka was in the office and she was beginning to doze off. Losing the battle, she fell asleep. All of Mayuka's aunts, save Kione, and Azaka and Kamidake were standing with a three-year old version of her in a hallway. With them were baby versions of Tenko and Himeko, a strange looking girl that almost looked like a rabbit, and two woman Mayuka had never seen before. It appeared they were in a large castle. Ryoko and Washu were discussing something. Mayuka only caught a few words. ". . . space pirate… attacker . . . Jurai. . . . dead . . . 1st Queen of Jurai, . . . daughter . . . Mayuka! . . .illegitimate . . . demon . . . Prince Yosho . . . Crowned Princess . . . only three years old! . . . protect her!" "What does she mean?" wondered Mayuka. Meanwhile, at the Misaki house, Ryoko was laying on her usual perch, the roof of the Misaki home. It was one of the rare times that she could, because now a days she had to keep her powers hidden from all the Misaki children. If they knew about them, they would ask questions and eventually they would ask something they couldn't know for years: their royal heritage. Whenever Tenchi came to visit, he came in a small shuttle and had to land some distance away in order not to tip the kids off. It was also very hard not to hide the fact that none of the adults aged, except for Sasami who was slowing becoming Tsunami. In fact, the girls had had to make themselves look older because it would be strange to see a 17 year old with more then one child and Sasami looked no older then 14! Even Washu had had to give up her childish disguise for her older self when Sumire reached a certain age. Suddenly, Ryoko's line of thought stopped when an image appeared in front of her. Ryoko gasped. "Tsunami!" "Hello Princess Ryoko." "I haven't seen you in ages, what are you doing here?" "I have come to ask you a favor concerning Mayuka. I want you to tell her about a certain Startica that took place 16 years ago." Ryoko stared at the Goddess. Then stammered out "Are you out of your mind, Tsunami! We all agreed she'd never know about that if we could help it!" "Mayuka's nightmares are become more frequent and more informative. You have no choice but to tell her for if you don't, she will tell the other children of our heritage. However, if you do, you can make her promise not to discuss it with anyone until it is the right time." "She's so young." Said Ryoko. "Mayuka is 16 again! When she turns 18 she will have a full memory of that day, her mother, Jurai, Startica, Yuzha's realm, her death, and even your actions. It is not wise to postpone the truth any longer! Tell her!" "Okay, Tsunami, I'll tell her when she gets home." After the principal had chewed her out for falling asleep in school and disobeying her teacher, Mayuka was sent home. She walked along the path, sulking all the way, when a voice stopped her. "May-chan!" "Ryoko?" she thought and looked around, but found no sign of her stepmother. She continued walking when she heard a giggle. Suddenly, arms wrapped around her shoulders and pulled her up into the air. Mayuka gasped in shock. She and Ryoko were flying! Suddenly, Mayuka remembered her fear of heights. "Please! Put me down!" Mayuka was shocked to realize she hadn't said the words, but they were from a memory long forgotten. If only she could grasp it . . . "You and Tenchi were in a trance." Began Ryoko. "You were not yourself and I stopped you to save Tenchi. Then . . ." "Then you grabbed me and flew up over the lake. You asked me what I had been doing and I didn't know. Then you dropped me." Mayuka looked up and saw Ryoko softly crying. "I watched you fall and you became unconcious. I flew down and grabbed you at the last minute and put you in the tallest tree I could find to scare you." "I woke up that evening and started screaming. Yosho got me out of the tree. Then I ran back to the house and attacked you, but you were far stronger then me." "Tenchi got between us, but I was out of control trying to protect him from you. He slapped me and I stopped and went to the old tree to hide for awhile. Then, you tried it again. This time Washu and Yosho helped me. Tenchi got mad at me when he woke up to find me holding you by your collar and then you ran off." "Yuzha took complete control for the last time. I kidnapped Sasami and took her to her so Yuzha could get Tenchi to her realm and you came with him. I attacked you both because I had no choice. Then Sasami broke Yuzha's control and Yuzha got very mad as I denounced her and Startica." "Yuzha tried to kill you, but thanks to Washu, you came back as a baby. We all raised you, happy to have you back. We never mentioned Startica to you all your life. The reason you hate the Japanese Summer Star Festival is because it is so much like Startica. We never told you because we didn't want to hurt you. You see, Yuzha was your mother and Tenchi was your father. Yuzha created you for the sole purpose of destroying Tenchi, but she died. However, we have celebrated Christmas every year." "It was my dream to celebrate Christmas with you all and I thank you that you have allowed me to." "We wouldn't dream of doing anything else, May-chan, we all love you." "Can we continue this conversation on the ground?" "Sure." Ryoko flew downward and set Mayuka on the ground. "Now I have to tell you things about me and all the others in this house. Said Ryoko. "Much like you I was once controlled by other, a man named Kagato. I did terrible things in those years. Space Pirating, Killing, and Mindless Destruction. Unlike you, I wasn't able to break free for centuries. Then I attacked Jurai. To make a long story short, Tenchi killed Kagato. Ayeka, Mihoushi, Washu, Kione, Sasami, Yugi, Yosho, and myself were all born off planet. Tenchi is Yosho's grandson and heir to planet Jurai, the Crowned Prince. In another seven years, he will gain the throne. Ayeka, Sasami, Mihoshi, Hiwa, and I are all married to Tenchi. I am his first wife and the Crowned Princess of Jurai. One day I will be the 1st Queen or Empress. Many people are not happy that I, the destroyer of Jurai, am the 1st Queen and seek to destroy me. Along with me, my children are targets and you as well since you are ½ demon. We all came here to protect you all until Tenchi get the throne. When that happens you will be Crowned Princess. I want to ask you not to tell any of your siblings in order to protect them. Also, don't tell anyone else or I'd be in trouble for telling you this. Do you understand?" "Hai, Ryoko." "Good." "Ryoko?" "Yes?" "You're a demon too right?" "Yes, I am." "Will you train me?" "Sure, just don't tell Ayeka or she'd have my head." "Okay." "That's great Mother!" said Tiara to Mayuka. "You would almost think it was true!" Ryoko and Mayuka shared a knowing look. "Who's next?" asked Mihoshi. "I'll go" said another girl with purple hair "Let's hear it Himeko!" said Ryoko..