Tenchi Muyo and all it's various universes and subsequent characters are 
the sole property of AIC and Pioneer. This story is intended for entertainment 
purposes only and not intended to be any type of copyright infringement, so 
please don't sue me. If you did, you wouldn't get much.. some debts and a lot of 
tempura batter mostly. Maybe a couple of disabled cats and a one eyed dog, but 
I'd fight you for those.    
           
           This is a 'What if' story that picks up where Tenchi Universe left 
off and offers a different view of what might have come after the last scene.

Ryoko's Child (part 2)

 "Tenchi! You're going to be late!" Nobuyuki said, shaking him. "Tenchi? Son, 
it's late. This isn't like you, get up now." His voice, gentle and kind, 
betrayed his concern for his son. He knew the past few months had been hard on 
Tenchi and it came as no real surprise to him that it had all finally caught up 
with him. 
    "Dad?" Tenchi managed finally, "I'm awake"
    The sight of his son's tears worried Nobuyuki, but he said nothing, figuring 
that this was something that Tenchi needed to handle on his own. He realized 
that if his late wife were here, she would have better advice than he could 
manage. If she were here, he'd be certain that Tenchi always had someone to 
confide in. Someone whose advice was always in tune with the situation. He 
wondered sometimes if he really knew what he was doing, if it weren't for 
Yosho.. Nobuyuki decided to let that train of thought go and concentrate on his 
son's current situation.
 "Tenchi, are you feeling alright? You look awful" He said with a slight frown. 
It seemed recently like Tenchi was receding deeper and deeper into his own shell 
without the girls around anymore. Tenchi had always been one to keep to himself 
before they came but with their entrance into their lives, he had become so much 
more open and comfortable around people. He had hoped that it would have a 
lasting effect on Tenchi, but it seemed as if that weren't the case. The boy was 
worse now then before they came.  Nobuyuki understood that most of it was due to 
the fact that the girls had become so much a part of their lives, that without 
them Tenchi felt lost.. abandoned.
                             *    *    *    *    *  
    "I'm not going." Tenchi said flatly, when Nobuyuki reminded him again that 
he was now late for school.
    "What?" His father had never known Tenchi to miss a day of school of his own 
accord. This was worse then he had even suspected.
    "No, dad. I've been thinking about it, and I really just don't feel like 
facing anyone today." 
    "But son.."
    "Please..I don't want to argue" Tenchi's voice was as hollow as a reed,  
<Why can't he understand> Tenchi wondered.  Yesterday he'd been all right at 
school, laughing and joking with the other classmates. No one would have 
suspected how lonely he felt. There, surrounded by people, he felt more alone 
than anywhere in his entire life. <I never imagined that I could want them all 
here. I thought I would be happy when they went on back, but I'm not>.
          
                             *    *    *    *    *

	Nobuyuki had offered him breakfast before resigning himself to the commute 
to work. Tenchi had refused, politely but still he refused. He didn't want food, 
he didn't even know what wanted, a time machine perhaps, or a spaceship of his 
own so that he could see how they all were. 
	By noon Tenchi had realized that he wasn't getting any more sleep no 
matter how much he tried. He began to think that the garden might offer some 
sort of respite from his troubled thoughts. It was certainly better than doing 
nothing, besides, if he didn't start planting soon he would miss his chance. He 
slowly made his way down stairs, trying to ignore the silence of the house. Lost 
in memories, he started for the front door.
	"Yeah I thought so.."
 Tenchi spun around at the words. He had just passed the kitchen door when a 
familiar semi nasal voice hit his ears. He opened the door and wound up face to 
face with the nuttiest redhead he'd ever known.
	"Well I guess it will have to do!" 
"M..m..miss Washu!"
The smile on his face was all that she needed to see. Her own smile deepened but 
she never took her eyes from the teapot that had captured her attention. 
	"What are you doing?" He asked, still perplexed at the fact that she was 
even there at all. "Here, I mean... How? When?" he absently ran his fingers 
through his hair as he tried to make sense of her presence. He knew about her 
being expelled from the science academy, *again*. That had happened before he 
had even left Jurai. <I suppose she doesn't really have anywhere else to go, but 
still..>
	"Huh? Oh hi Tenchi!" She looked up from her project, which appeared to be 
making tea, and thrust the pot at him, completely disregarding the questions. 
"You've seen Sasami do it! How does she make it taste like something other than 
mud?" The genuine confusion in the scientist's eyes struck him as so out of 
place that he was laughing before he even realized it and soon could scarcely 
breathe.
	Disgusted, she rolled her eyes, "Really Tenchi, there's no need to laugh. 
I know all there is to know about the chemical structure, even the genetic 
structure and growth patterns of  Thea Sinensis  from which it's derived.." She 
scowled as he lifted an eyebrow slightly and collapsed into laughter again.
"Look! I am just having difficulty duplicating the TASTE!" She was finding her 
complete inexperience upsetting by this time " What's so funny?"
"I'm sorry Washu, I didn't mean it. It's just.. I needed that I think." He took 
the pot from her and set in back on the stove. "You see" he explained as he 
picked two cups from the cupboard, "You're treating it like an experiment. Its 
just tea." 
                               *     *     *     *     *
"Oh dear!" Exclaimed Ayeka, tumbling into the aisle as the shuttle she was on, 
shuddered and stalled. The ship appeared to be under siege from a would-be Space 
Pirate. He had boarded the shuttle, stalled the engine, and was currently 
relieving the passengers of their valuables. 
Ayeka was dressed like a common tourist of sorts, intent on not being 
recognized, in a light blue silk dress that hung just above her knees. She 
stopped short, as the sounds from the front grew even more agitated.  She 
straightened her dress and shaking her head, stood and returned to her seat. 
Bursting from the bridge, a young man of no more than 18 or 20 raced down the 
aisle with an illegal particle blaster aimed at each passenger that he passed. 
The assailant seemed to think he had the upper hand, but Ayeka was unimpressed. 
Too many months with the most feared space pirate Ryoko had raised her 
standards. 
"Everyone, down. NOW!" Yelled the insistent youth, pushing past passengers in 
his haste to make his escape.
"Really! Must you make all this fuss!" Ayeka, eyes closed and smirking, scolded 
from her seat. "You won't stand a chance when the galaxy police arrive. You 
should give yourself up now, before you make an even bigger fool of yourself."
The young man turned, his hand resting on the door handle, to face the princess. 
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me" 
"No," He insisted "I couldn't have heard you right. Do you have ANY idea who 
you're talking to?"
"Do you?" She opened her eyes and stared him down. "Sir. Whoever you are, the 
Galaxy Police in this sector are not going to just let you stroll away with your 
loot!"
 The smug look on her face was beginning to annoy him immensely. He dropped his 
bag and in two swift strides, was beside her, grasping her arm.  "Look lady! I 
don't know who you think you are but.."
Gasping Ayeka pulled her arm up to her chest and leaned backwards into the next 
seat, as suddenly the room was filled with Galaxy Police.
"What the Hell!?" He spun around to the exit he'd left moments ago to see his 
bag being lifted by one of the officers. "Damn! This is your fault Lady"
"Excuse me? I'm not the one holding anyone at gun point." She reminded him, 
holding her head up in an overly dignified manner. She turned away from him in 
disgust. "I suppose now you'll learn not to rob shuttles for a living."
"Or just maybe" He began as he yanked Ayeka forcefully to her feet, "maybe 
you'll be the one to learn something my dear."
The princess found herself with the blaster aimed at her throat, and being 
shoved along in front of the youth. He motioned for his bag to be returned and 
as he did so he squeezed lightly on the trigger for emphasis.
"I'll do it, I swear!" He insisted to the officers, stepping past them through 
the doorway and out into the next corridor with the princess. They had no other 
choice; he thanked them with false politeness, and broke into a run, dragging 
Ayeka along.
                                  *     *     *     *     *


	Please tell me what you think. All comments will be appreciated greatly.