Mr.Santos (latinvenom2k1@aol.com) Regular Shogun Muyo: Chapter 6- Planted Seeds Bloom Daimyo's origins are finally revealed Disclaimer -I do not own the series "Tenchi Muyo" or any of its characters. No profit is being made in this production. Shogun Muyo: Chapter 6- Planted Seeds Bloom Approximately two weeks have gone by since Ayeka was last seen by the Masaki household. Washu filled her days with double duty workload to look forward to. Finally finishing the last installments of Ryoko's inter-dimensional training hall, she gave herself a few moments to rest her mind before moving on to completing her other project. Turning on a small screen next to her lap, she double-checked the specifications to see that everything was in place. "Increased gravity, extremely variable weather, multiple terrains to explore, and a truckload of nasty monsters for her to push around in case she gets upset. Well, everything looks just as she wanted it too. Of course, it's taken a little longer than expected to complete, but you can't rush perfection." She moved her head from side to side and gave it a few cracks. After stretching her weary body, she looked over to one of her screens that contained footage from one of her strategically placed cameras. She placed them around the entire house, just in case she ever needed to conduct studies on behavior. Or just when she felt like eavesdropping a little bit. This particular screen was receiving feedback from inside her newly developed training room. Ryoko was dying to try it out as soon as it was done, and ended up using it even at only 90 percent completion a few days ago. She hasn't come out all week. Periodically, Washu liked to check up on her using these types of cameras. She would have used their mental link, but since this galactic super-gym was in another dimension completely, she thought their mental link to be slightly weakened. She looked into a small screen to her left and marveled at her daughter's progress. ********************************************************** Ryoko flew through darkened skies. It had been a few days since initially stepping into this place, and she still needed to get used to it. With no need for food or sleep though, she would naturally improve on her own. She was alone, and preferred it that way. No sense having someone else here to slow her down. As she made her way through the skies, she smiled with pride at how far she has gone. The first time she stepped foot in this new dimension she could barely stand, thanks to the increased gravity, but now she soared like a hawk chasing its prey. She found an open field where, firmly placed at the center, stood a massive structure made of rock. She figured that now was a good a time as any to practice her moves. She came down next to the mountainous formation and laughed at how easily she nailed the landing. A few days ago, she could barely control the speed at which she plummeted back to the ground whenever she took flight. Now, she felt as light as a feather. "Well, I guess I should get started." She rotated her shoulder joints and stretched her legs a little. She brought her hands up the same way a boxer brings his hands up for a fight, and jabbed at the flat wall made of rock and stone. The first impact shook the huge landmark slightly, causing small pieces of granite to fall to the ground. With the increased gravity, they where almost a hundred times heavier than what they normally would weigh. Though they were small, the impact they made hitting the ground gave Ryoko a reason to double- check her footing. She knew the gravity was intense, but didn't think it would affect things to this degree. She brought her eyes back to shoulder level and gave another quick jab with her left hand. She indented the surface deep enough to send cracks that spiderwebbed throughout the exterior. It was then when she decided that it was sturdy enough to continue. Moving like a blur, she launched fist after fist into the body of the structure. Her movements were full of purpose and concentration, putting all effort into the task at hand. She became slightly winded after a few minutes, breathing a little heavier, and feeling fatigue slowly make it's way into her limbs. She would have took a short break, but saw the face of the one who might need her the most one day. How could she live with herself if she couldn't protect Tenchi? She remembered how Tenchi had to rescue her on board the Souja. After thinking he was killed by Kagato, she boldly rushed into his ship, promising revenge. She was looking forward to putting Kagato in his place, the years of oppression building up inside her, eating at her soul day in and day out. She knew Kagato was stronger than her, but nothing would stop her from getting her vengeance. The battle was fierce and, on several occasions, she thought she had actually won. Once Ayeka was transferred out of danger, she knew she could finally end Kagato's reign of terror for good. She never realized how wrong she could have been. Once again, Kagato firmly established his dominance over her. She was completely helpless once he guided all of the energy in her gem to the Souja. All she could do was watch as he battled Tenchi. And that was the worst feeling, being helpless, knowing that there was nothing she could have done to help Tenchi in the least. If it wasn't for the Light Hawk Wings... well, she didn't want to think of what would have happened if Kagato had defeated Tenchi. She vowed to never be helpless ever again. If that meant torturing yourself everyday in this artificial world, then so be it. She curled her fists into a ball of destruction, and proceeded to annihilate a third of the stone figure in front of her. Inside her lab, Washu examined the scene that was taking place on the small screen. "Relax yourself Ryoko. You're going to burn yourself out too quickly at that pace." She tried to contact Ryoko through their mind-link, but her earlier hypothesis was proven to be true, as her efforts seemed to be in vain. "AH YA YA YA YA YA YA YA YAAAA!!!" The sheer brute impact of her blows sent small shockwaves along the ground. Whenever her fist connected, it sounded much like the way thunder sounds right after a lighting bolt crashes down on Earth. Small shocks of energy danced all over her body, and she reared back with her right hand sent it elbow deep into the body of the cave. She pulled her arm out of the freshly made hole and picked up a small piece of rock that fell in front of her. A droplet of sweat ran down the side of her face as she did so. She held the fragment at arms length and then dropped it back onto the ground. It caved in the area where it landed and made a small crater. It's dimensions where an entire feet wide, as well as six feet in depth. "Damn gravity. Gotta make sure one of these don't land on me," she said, looking up to make certain there weren't any stray boulders heading her way. Then, an idea popped into her head. "I really shouldn't be purposely avoiding them. If a dumb piece of rock can take me out, then what good am I?" She grabbed another piece of rock, this one more than twice as large as the last one, and examined it closely. She barely held it in one hand, and it felt much heavier than the last. She looked into the sky and hurled the rock as hard as she could up into the air. It flew surprisingly high, but finally lost it's momentum after a few seconds. Judging by its coordinates, it was going to land square on top of her head. She engaged her energy saber and calculated the angle to attack. It was humming softly as energy flowed throughout her hand. She was staring directly at the rocks descent, and then flew off, still under its trajectory. With blazing speed, she flew past it and made a soft red blur that gave away the direction in which the blade had traveled. She looked down at the piece of rock just as it split cleanly in two halves. Both parts crashed down with enough force to make their own miniature craters. "Not bad Ryoko." She said to herself. She was impressed by her accuracy, but still, she was haunted by images of people who would laugh at her efforts. In particular, she couldn't shake Daimyo's image out of her mind. The very first day they met, she flung this very blade at his throat and he just caught it effortlessly with his bare hand. His BARE hand. Then it was that scene with Tenchi, where not only did he withstand the force of the master key itself, but he held it in his hand as well. She almost touched her own blade by accident one day while practicing her swordswoman skills, and almost had to get a new pair of fingers. It boggled her mind that this person had these abilities. *Washu...hey Washu! Can you hear me!?* She heard nothing but a low hum in her head. She tried again. *Washu I know you're there, answer me!* *Yeah Ryoko, I could hear you, but barely. Remember, you're in another dimension completely, so our communication through our mind link might not work all the time.* *What? What did you say? I couldn't hear you.* *Sigh. Nothing. What is it?* *I have to ask you something.* *What is it now?* *Well I was wondering about that guy, Daimyo.* *You seem to wonder about him a lot I see. What about him?* *How come my sword didn't work on him that day? I mean, I have to be careful waving it around myself, but he can even touch it without losing his arm. How is that possible?* *Well, there's a short answer and a long answer.* *Ugh, just give me the short answer.* *I figured as much. Anyway, here's the scoop. You see Ryoko, all energy sabers in general work simply by moving atoms away from each other, hence it's effectiveness in cutting or slashing maneuvers. The studies I have conducted on his hair samples, blood samples, as well as other... ahem... "special" samples have allowed me to catch glimpses of his real power. Based on the information contained in is DNA, it seems that our friends atoms cannot be moved by an outside source. They have to move all on their own. Meaning it can counter the effects of the blades. I'm thinking that it might have something to do with that blue gem on his forehead though. Get me?* *Ugh, run that by me again...* *Oh for the love of.... Listen, basically your energy blades wont work on him. Unless of course, it is an extremely powerful blade generated by an immense being. If it was strong enough, it could possibly override these defenses. But this energy source would have to be massive, almost on par with the light hawk sword itself. Projectiles, however, work not by separating atoms, but actually imploding them at the genetic level. So I guess trying to slice him to bits is out of the question, but high intensity blasts might do the trick. Get my drift?* *So what you're saying is, if it's a weak energy source, then it won't affect him? At all?* *Bingo... hey Ryoko, why would you want to know this type if information? I know you're not planning something stupid, right?* *No reason. I'm going back to work now.* *Wait Ryoko....Ryoko?...Ryoko!?....Dammmit." ************************************************************** Sasami sat in the living room by herself. Everyone else seemed so preoccupied with other things that she felt a little lonely. Ryoko hasn't been around that much lately, Washu was still in the lab, Nobuyuki was still on his business trip and Tenchi was at the store shopping for groceries. She had already finished her daily chores, and with nothing else to do, she quickly grew bored. Ryo-Ohkie jumped on her lap, startling her a bit. She remembered how surprised she felt when her friend had recovered from her unknown ailment. She still felt a little bewildered to see Ryo-Ohkie jumping energetically around the house when only a few days ago she looked as if she was about to go into a coma. "What's your secret Ryo-Ohkie? First you were so sick and now, all of a sudden, you're ready to run a marathon. I wish I had some of that now, whatever you took." The little cabbit perked her ears up and, seemingly understanding Sasami's request, hopped off of her lap and made her way to one of the windows. She scratched at the surface and looked at Sasami, hoping she'd get the meaning behind her gesture. Curiosity took over the pig tailed, soon-to-be-goddess as she walked over to Ryo-Ohkie and peered over to where the cabbit had pointed to. She squinted her eyes to adjust to the sunlight, and saw Daimyo sitting under a large tree, calmly looking up at the sky. Now that she thought about it, it had been the most tranquil she had ever seen him. The only time he wasn't working out, or sparring with Tenchi, was when he sat down to have some of her cooking, or when he was bathing in the nearby lake. Once he had a taste of her cooking he was instantly hooked, but was currently allowed only a maximum of three plates at dinnertime. He seemed so distant most of the time. She often tried to talk to him or convince him to open up to the rest of the house, but she always got the same "not now I'm training" excuse. Her curiosity got the better of her one morning, and she accidentally walked towards the same lake he was bathing in. He didn't see her, but that still couldn't help stop a small trickle of blood that ran down her nose. She checked herself, to see if her nose was bleeding, even as she thought of that day now. She opened the door and walked down the path that led to the tree he was under. It was very warm, and sunny, so she had to keep squinting to keep the sun out of her eye. She made it to where he was, and sat next to him. She didn't have anything she wanted to say in particular, but somehow felt it was right to be here at the moment. "It's a beautiful day right?" "Marvelous. I'm really not used to this type of environment. So warm." She decided not to search for the deeper message in his words. "Yeah, I guess it's ok, but you should see the summer's on Jurai. Now those are special." "What is a Jurai?" he said, looking at her quizzically. "Oh that's right nobody told you yet. Jurai is my home." "Really? Is it far from here?" "Well, it's another planet, but it's not that far. All of us are from other planets." "Huh? All of you? Even that boy, Masaki?" "You mean Tenchi? No he's from Earth, but he's a prince on my planet." "....That doesn't seem to make any sense." "Well, it's a long story." She said, chuckling. "Actually, come to think of it, I don't really know that much about any of you." "Of course you don't. What do you expect when all you do is stay out here by yourself all day? If you would come in and talk to us, then maybe we could learn from each other. And who knows, maybe we can all become friends." " Hm, impressive thought process for someone so young." "Hey I'm not that young I'm already over 700 years old, so there." She said, sticking her tongue out at him. "Well that makes you about three hundred years younger than me." "Huh? Really? You don't like a thousand to me..." She stood up and outstretched her hand in front of him. She decided to go for broke now. "You've been here too long for us to not know anything about each other. Why don't we go inside, right now I mean, and fill in each other's blanks. You have a lot to learn about our family, and I, I mean we, still need to get to know you better. Who knows, maybe you and the others can be as good as friends as I know you can be. What do you say?" He hesitated briefly before answering, but finally stood and dusted himself off. "Well, I guess it couldn't hurt. Why not? Lead the way Sasami." With a glimmer in her eye and a bounce in her step, she led him inside the house and towards he living room. Turning her attention to another one of her screens, Washu took a small break to check up on what was going on at the house. She was in charge of the house, since Tenchi had gone to the store earlier, and decided a quick check up never hurt anything. *Ok, everything's fine, now if I can just figure out....hey wait a sec...* "Is that...Daimyo sitting in our living room? Well that's strange. He usually prefers to keep to himself outside. And Sasami? What is she...oh now I get it. Heh heh. Well, good luck kid. ************************************************************ Inside of the kitchen, Sasami prepared small servings white rice with vegetables. Not much of a meal, but she wanted to make sure he had room for dinner. She brought the two plates down on the table on opposite ends. "So Mr...um, I mean, Daimyo, is there anything you want to ask?" He scratched his head. "Well, there's so many things that I find unusual around here, I don't know which question to ask first." "Hm...I can see how all of us might seem a bit strange to you, so I guess there's no other way but to start from the beginning." "All right. Then maybe I can figure out why so many people live in one house." "It's a long story, so you have to pay attention...." Minutes turned into hours as Sasami explained how five alien women came to know a young boy from a Shinto shrine and ended up living with him. She explained how Ryoko, seven hundred years prior, attacked Jurai under the control of a madman, she explained how her sister endlessly searched for her brother Yosho, she explained how a misunderstood galaxy police woman crashed one day in their lives, and how they met the greatest mind in the universe. He listened intently, and she often had to re-explain things so he could understand it thoroughly. It surprised her how naive he could get sometimes. Finally, her tale concluded. "....and so that's how we got to stay here on Earth, thanks to Tenchi defeating Seiryu." "I see. So let me get this straight... that golden eyed woman was controlled by Kagato, and unwillingly attacked your home, where you and your sister are royalty?" "Preety much." "And she fights with the cyan haired one constantly for the affection of this boy, Tenchi?" "You got it." "Well then, why doesn't he just choose one and get it over with? Wait...he isn't homosexual, is he?" -------------------- Washu burst into laughter in her lab and almost fell onto the floor. "Ha! Now that's a new one!" -------------------- "Oh no, no of course not." Said Sasami, almost choking on the glass of water she was drinking. "It's just that he loves them both equally, and he knows that if he picks one, then he's going to hurt the other's feelings tremendously. I mean, it's scary how much my sister and Ryoko care about him. You have no idea." "I see. Well then at the very least, why doesn't he prevent them from fighting?" "Well, Tenchi doesn't really like getting in the middle of their arguments. And besides, it's not like he can stop them once they go at it." "But, Sasami, I thought that you said that with the divine power he received, he was easily able to defeat Kagato? Surely, he can control these two." "Oh yeah that's another thing." She said, tossing a carrot to Ryo-Ohkie. "You see, when that happened, it was more like an accident than anything else. Maybe accident is the wrong word...instincts...yeah that's the word I'm looking for. His instincts took over and that's how he was able to get the divine power. We call it the Light Hawk Wings though." Daimyo rose off from his chair with enough force to make Sasami jump a bit. "Did you say that...that boy, is able to call the power of the Wings Of the Light Hawk?" "Um, yeah. How do you know about them?" *Is that what I have been feeling from him all this time....could he really be...the hawk of legend?? The first day of his training...he seemed so inexperienced. But the fire I saw in his eyes that day, it was very powerful. All these days that have gone by, I knew I felt a beast within him...but the hawk?? It can't be...* "Is something wrong Daimyo?" "What? Oh n-no. I'm sorry..." He sat back down and rested his head on his chin. Moments passed in silence, and Sasami wondered how to continue the conversation. Something she said obviously upset him, and she didn't want to risk him walking out when he had just started the process of opening up to her. "So what about you Daimyo? You've hardly said anything about yourself, and it must be boring just hearing about us." "No, it's not boring. I can see why it's so noisy in here most of the time now at least. But you really want to know that badly about me?" "I think it's only fair after everything I just told you." "True. All right Sasami, get comfortable. I guess I can tell you a little of my life." *Finally!* she thought. -------------------------- Washu was about to turn off her monitor, but decided to listen in. Maybe some useful piece of information would slip into her lap today. So, laying back on her chair, she placed her hands behind her head for support. --------------------------- "But I think its only fair that I warn you know Sasami, you might not like everything you hear. Ok?" "Yeah, sure." She motioned for Ryo-Ohkie to enjoy her carrot somewhere else. "All right. Here goes nothing..." "...To understand the way I was raised, you have to understand my people's culture. My planet Draka, was originally populated by an entirely different race. My people came from a neighboring planet to the east. The planet we were on was quickly losing its natural resources, and in time we would surely die. In desperate need of a new home, we ventured into Draka and offered to live among the inhabitants in peace in exchange for land. They accepted, and my people thought that a new age would flourish. It was later when the true intentions of the Drakan's were discovered. The reason they so willingly accepted our offer was because they believed that they could dominate us, and force us into slavery. My people were outraged at the double-cross, and war was declared. It took 3 long years, but finally, my people were the victors. Our social system was based on agriculture and democracy before the war, but afterwards, we moved towards a more militaristic government. Eventually, this gave way to a monarchy on Draka. Something never before practiced by our people. There was heated debate on who should become king. Of course, only the strongest had the right to rule. And there lied the problem. Two factions, both believing their leader was the strongest, violently vied for leadership of the entire planet. This period is known in my history as the Great War....is this history lesson boring you?" "Oh no of course not. I was always good in my history classes on Jurai anyway." "I promise it's going to get more interesting. I was born during the Great War, almost a thousand years ago. The leaders of these two opposing forces were a would-be dictator called Trowa Khan, and a man named Kazaar. I am the son of the victor of this war, Kazaar." "Wait, your father's...a king? So that means..." "Yes, I am the crown prince of planet Draka." --------------------------- "Woah now that's an interesting piece of news. I wonder what else he's been hiding from us." Said Washu. --------------------------- "But you see Sasami, as the son of the king, great expectations were placed on my shoulders. Even before I was born, I was expected to follow in my father's footsteps and lead the planet to greatness. We had become such a ruthless nation... we conquered other planets to expand the empire. I was supposed to do the same. He would be so proud of my abilities, until I was actually born that is." "What? What do you mean?" "Very simple really. It is because of this blasted mark." His blue jewel came alive in a low glow. "But I thought all Drakan's had those?" "No. There is a legend, well more like a curse, on my planet. It states that whomever is born with the mark of power shall bring forth the destruction of the empire. It was made into law that whoever was born with the mark would be executed. Unfortunately, many newborns have falsely paid the price for this law..." "That's... horrible." "I was sparred only because I was the son of the king. Of course, my people were outraged at his hypocrisy. But the king's words were absolute. So, my people took out their frustrations on me. Growing up, I was discriminated and detested. It seemed my very existence upset them. I can't honestly blame them though...my father had made many mistakes while in power. Being his only son, I grew up alone. My mother supported whatever I did, and I thank her for that. She was really the only person to freely show affection towards me. Well, her and... well anyway. I didn't have time to think of how lonely I was. My thoughts were always on the battle, the victory. My skills gave me enough comfort to make it through each day. And I was good at it. Unbeaten even. Until...hey you know what Sasami? It's getting late and..." "Oh no you're not. You always do that whenever you're about to open up. You always make up some excuse to leave. But today you're staying and that's that. Otherwise you'll be having burnt squid for dinner again." "No! All right, all right." He sighed and took a deep breath before continuing. "A man named Botaro returned to us. He went missing during the Great War and my parents were looking forward in having him as an addition to our armies. His size and strength were magnificent, even compared to the king himself. He was, like me, unbeaten in combat. My mother went to great lengths to ensure that both of her sons were working for the empire." "This is really confusing, I thought you said you didn't have nay brothers or sisters?" "He is my half brother, my mothers son. More unbelievable is the identity of his father, which is none other than the very same man whom my father fought during the Great War, Trowa Khan." --------------------- "Now that's what I call scandalous. Interesting story Daimyo, I can see now why you're so withdrawn most of the time." Said Washu. -------------------- "My mother was originally from our rival empire, but soon fell in love with my father. She left Trowa before his defeat. Botaro was young at that time, and couldn't understand why his mother had left him and his father. He fought viciously to save his fathers side of the war, but as I said, my fathers troops eventually won. I never knew him growing up, I mean, I knew I had an older brother out there somewhere, but I didn't even know how he looked like..." "...but it was no heartwarming family reunion. Eventually, it was discovered that he was a spy sent by Trowa, who was still alive. He fed him information about the kingdom, and soon enough, we were wiped out from the inside out. That bastard...how could I have been so blind? My father was killed, and my mother, stricken with grief, took her own life..." He broke into low sobs and buried his face in his hands. Sasami didn't know how to react at first. In a way he had reminded her of Ryoko, someone who always seemed so strong, but inside was just as fragile as the rest of us. She walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort him. He brought his face back up and gave a small smile. "Sorry about that. I guess I got carried away." "It's all right." She looked at his face, and then into her heart. She was looking for something, but couldn't figure out what it was. Her sister had told her many times to wait until she was old enough to find a boyfriend, an obvious joke, as their father would never allow "boyfriends." But still, what age was considered, "old enough?" She admitted to herself that she didn't know what love was yet, but she could feel her heart grow towards this one person. Was it love? Was this how love felt? She always thought that what Ayeka and Ryoko went through for Tenchi was love. The heartache, the sorrow, the fighting, this is what she thought it meant to love someone. To constantly think of that one being, to revolve your life around his decisions, that was how she viewed love. But was this truly the measuring bar to what love was defined? Who is in charge of deciding when it is appropriate for the heart to love? She couldn't clearly define her feelings yet, but knew she wanted to be near this person, and it pained her to see him so saddened. So what defined "old enough?" One day, she found a small red spot on her sheets, and Washu had to explain to her a females life cycle. Meaning, while it was rare for someone her age, she was already capable of bearing children. So what else was there? Mentally, she displayed the maturity of someone twice her age. Mihoshi was often the one who acted like a child, but did that make her less of a woman? She stood next to him while he sat in deep thought. Standing so close to him, she suddenly became very nervous and her knees clicked together. It surprised her how he didn't notice, with all the noises they made. She thought back to the last time Ryoko and Ayeka fought that day. She pleaded and begged for them to stop, but was ignored. She remembered how she went to Tenchi that same day looking for help for her friend Ryo-Ohkie, but was just sent away. Even the object of her affections had ignored her, leaving her to wait by herself that night. And then, as if hit by a lightning bolt, it all came together. She wasn't considered "old enough" because she could be ignored easily. The one who's actions could be taken with a grain of salt. She had to do something drastic. And she would be ignored no longer. Grabbing both of his ears, she turned his head and planted an awkward, yet powerful kiss on his lips. She didn't have much practice, in fact it would come to her later that this was indeed her first, but she enjoyed it nonetheless. -------------------------------- "Woah!! Way to go Sasami! Show him who's boss!!" "Now the adult instinct inside is telling me to stop this, buuuut I guess I'll give her a few more moments. She's brave, but I know she's not stupid. Besides, it might be best to let her get it out of her system." -------------------------------- Daimyo's eyes bulged out of his head as his brain tried to process what was going on. This seemingly innocent child was actually forcing herself upon him! "Sasami! What has gotten into you?!" he said, pulling himself from her embrace. "I, I'm sorry...I just.." she did the only thing her instincts told her to and ran to her room. Daimyo sat alone for a few minutes after that, and decided it was best to leave. "That was too strange." ------------------------------- *Score one point for the Jurai royal court, Sasami, you scored. Huh what's this? Inter-dimensional travelers closing in on sector 4400.59...huh? This can't be right... can it?* *Ryoko... Ryoko...Ryoko!!* *I'm here Wash... I mean mom. What's up?* *I think you might want to know something interesting I just picked up..." *Oh, so you felt it too?* *You were able to feel it from inside there? Your training must really be paying off. But actually, I picked it up on one of my sensors. So do you think it's true?* *Yup. Definitely. There's nobody else with that type of aura around them.* *All right then. I'll go and make the necessary preparations. Should I inform you of her arrival?* *....No, you won't have to. I know when she's near. And don't worry, I'll be sure to make her feel at home again.* *I guess I'll go tell Sasami.* *No, wait! Consider it a surprise. No sense getting her hopes up if we're wrong.* *Right. Ok then, just be sure not to push yourself too hard in there ok?* *I'll be fine.* Ryoko finished her conversation with Washu, and made her way into the outer space section of her dimension. A cluster of asteroids threatened to test her mettle, and she happily obliged. ********************************************* Tenchi returned later that day to a quiet house. He found it strange that no one was around, but shrugged it off. *Unpredictable as ever.* He set four bags of groceries down in the kitchen and then helped himself to a glass of water. Lately, the house did seem to be getting more and more lonesome. He didn't know when grandfather was returning from his trip, and father was still on his business trip. At least he was scheduled to come back today. Ryoko wasn't hanging around as much either. He made his way into the living room and got comfortable on one of the sofas. Or rather, he stood in front of one and plopped himself down onto it. He grabbed the remote and turned the television to his favorite music channel. He has apparently grown a liking to international music, particularly the western style. Of course, he couldn't understand what they were saying, but the bands he listened to made beats that he could easily bop his head to. Currently, the channel was playing some sort of pop song, and he decided to change the channel. He came across a news station. He figured that he needed to catch up on current events anyway, and left it there. "This is Kunishira Omari of the evening news reporting live at downtown Okayama where an attempted robbery has ended, severely injuring of one of the thieves. Sources say that there is a hero that has to be thanked for botching the robbery. This eyewitness has agreed to speak with channel 129 concerning the incident." "Um, hello." "Hello sir, what is your name?" "Uh Shingo Yamata." "Mr. Yamata, can you confirm the police reports that say that a 'young boy' is responsible for ending this threat?" "Yes I can." "So tell us sir, what exactly happened in there?" "Well, I was at the counter getting ready to pay for my groceries, when all of a sudden these two guys pull out handguns and tell all of us to get on the floor. They were passing a bag and told us to put our wallets in it." "And can you tell us about this mystery man?" "Well, it all happened so fast. I was on the floor, like they told us, when the entrance door slid open. Somebody came in, and they told him to join us." "Can you describe him for us?" "Well, I didn't get that good of an image, but I could tell he was a young fellow. He didn't seem to have any unusual features, except for a small ponytail that made him seem kinda girlish." Tenchi covered his face with his hand. "Oh boy." "Sooner or later, he exchanged some words with the thieves. I couldn't hear what he said, but it must have been something really crazy cause the robber got real mad. But that's when the really strange part happens..." Tenchi turned off the television. He wasn't in the mood to be reminded of what he had to go through for 4000 yens worth of food. "And I didn't say anything crazy I just told him I had to go to the bathroom!" He said to the television. "What a day." He really started to wonder where everyone was. He went upstairs and headed for the bath. He passed Sasami's room and thought she said something, but he ignored it. Grabbing a towel and a change of clothes, he filled the tub with hot water. He stayed in longer than he had planned. The warmth of the water was too relaxing to his muscles to step out. His mind drifted back and forth between consciousness and sleep. He placed a hand over his chest and examined the area where a bullet should have penetrated his body. Who would have thought that today, walking in through the same entrance that he always did, he would be walking into an attempted robbery. He felt afraid, but took comfort that he didn't panic. Images of the family he took for granted flashed through his mind. If he wasn't blessed by the power of Jurai, the shield that came up just before the gun was fired would not have saved his life. The shot would not have ricocheted off of his frame and back into the thief. Then he would have never gotten the opportunity to tell his guests how much they meant to him. For once he considered himself lucky. Not only for getting a second chance at life, but also for having a caring family to share it with. "That's it. There's going to be some changes starting today." *********************************************** *What were you thinking? You don't act this way. You knew it was wrong, but you did it anyway. Now he probably hates you...* Knock knock knock. *That's probably Tenchi. Wipe your face, you can't let anyone see you like this.* Knock knock knock knock. "Just a minute." She jumped when she saw Daimyo looking down at her after opening the door. She closed it on his face with a thud. She gathered herself and slowly opened again. "Sorry about that." "Don't worry, I think I've had people do worse things to me than slam a door in my face." "You know what I mean." "Oh. Can I come in?" "Uh, sure I guess." He walked in a looked for a place to sit. He didn't particularly care to sit on her carrot-couch, so he became as comfortable as he could on the floor. Sasami was too embarrassed to speak. She just sat with her hands folded on her lap, with her head down. "Listen Sasami, in case you're wondering, yes, I am upset." She still was quiet. "But only a little. I know you probably have a lot of things going through your head right now, I mean with your sister and all that, but I just wanted to let you know that I understand." "R-really?" "Yeah. I know I can be a *blockhead* most of the time, but I'm not made of ice. You're just a little confused about your feelings, that's all. Truth is, my experiences with you have been my most unique in a long time." She smiled a little. "Thanks Daimyo. But I still feel really stupid." "Well you should, but don't worry about it too much. Besides, I know I'm irresistible." He said, striking a pose. "Yeah yeah keep talking like that and you won't have dinner for a week." His face turned a light shade of blue. "A whole week? You could really be cruel at times." "And don't you forget it." She said, waving her finger at him. They both laughed a bit. Daimyo readjusted himself on the floor. "Seriously though, you're a very pretty girl, princess, but there's no way, NO way, that I can think about you the way you want me to. Maybe one day, but not now." She stood quiet for a little while, and pressed her index fingers together. "So, are you saying that...I still have a...chance?" "Urr, uh listen, let's not think so far ahead." He said, scratching the back of his head. "Instead, let's just go back downstairs and enjoy what's happening today. If we hurry, I think we can still catch a few moments of the sun setting." "I think that's a great idea." ********************************************** A few moments later they sat on the outside porch, looking at the sunset. The sky was covered in a light red blanket, with yellow highlights surrounding an orange sun. The stared into the horizon and momentarily forgot about all their worries. She looked up at his face, a face chiseled by focus and hard work, and felt as comfortable in his presence as she did with any other member of the house. "Daimyo?" "Yes?" "Will you wait for me? Until I'm older I mean..." "Sasami...the last thing I want to do is dash your dreams but...as long as my people live under the hand of a tyrant, I can't live in peace. I have to go back soon, but once my war is over, I promise to return. So the real question is whether or not you will wait... for me." "Of course I will." She said, resting her head on his shoulder. Washu crossed her arms at the doorway and looked at the two, who were oblivious to her presence. "Sasami?" "Huh! What...oh Washu it's you. Heh-heh." "I have a present for you kid." "Present? But it's not my birthday or anything..." "I know, but it's already in the mail and should be getting here in about..." An intense blue light sharply contrasted the orange sky. The source was somewhere near the forest area of the shrine, and Sasami could tell it was close by. "...now." "What? What was that?" "Why don't you go check it out yourself?" She said with a wink. Sasami stood and looked for assurance from Daimyo, who nodded his head. She ran towards the direction of the light. Daimyo was about to join her, but Washu held him back. "Hold it big boy." "But, don't you think it's a little dangerous if she went alone?" "Nah, she's alright. Believe me, she'll appreciate the time we give her." "All right." Ryoko appeared in front of the doorway, clad in her form fitting battle suit. She crossed her arms and acknowledged Daimyo's presence. "You seem well Ryoko." Said Daimyo. "I'm cool. Hey Washu, is she here yet?" "Just got here a second ago. Do me a favor and get Tenchi, he'll want to see this too." "Oh yeah...right." She faded away. "Excuse me, but you seemed to have lost me. Who are you talking about?" "Like I said, Sasami will appreciate the time we give her to herself." ********************************************************** Sasami ran as fast as her legs could take her. She navigated her way past bothersome tree branches and bushes, a feeling in the pit of her stomach drew her to the source of the blue light. She finally made her way to the where it happened. She saw someone dusting herself. She had elegant purple hair tied up in two ponytails. "A-Ayeka?" She said with tears in her eyes. A lump in her throat prevented her from saying anything else. The figure turned and faced her. "Hello Sasami, I hope I haven't worried you too badly." Said Ayeka, extending her arms. Sasami nearly tripped at the speed that she ran towards her sister. Embracing her with enough force to almost knock both of them down, she held her in an embrace that they both thought they wouldn't experience again. Sasami dug her fingers on her sister's clothes, worried that if she let go, then this moment would never come again. Tears ran uncontrolled down her cheek, and onto the ground. She felt the top of her head suddenly become wet, and she looked up to see that Ayeka was shedding tears just as fast as she was. "I'm home now Sasami...everything is all right now." The sun behind them set on another eventful day. Their shadows lay together on the floor, united by a bond that transcended their blood relation. Sasami held tighter, never wanting this moment to end. Next Chapter: Enter the GP Elite