--------------------------Disclaimer----------------------------------- Tenchi Muyo and all related characters are copyrighted by AIC and Pioneer. I claim no ownership of these characters, nor am I attempting to profit from the use of them. I only hope to entertain other fans with my writing. Thank You ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ======================================================================= Author's Notes... This is my first attempt at a fan fic of any type. But please don't let this discourage you from reading. I make no promises as to quality except that I'll do my best to try and entertain you the reader. ======================================================================= Story notes... This story takes place shortly after the conclusion of "Manatsu No Eve". Three new characters will be introduced into the saga.Who are they and what are they doing here. Press on dear reader and perhaps you will see. ======================================================================= --- Tenchi Muyo --- "Sins not Forgotten" - Chapter Three - "First Impressions" 'Oh man, how do I tell this guy he looks like our worst nightmare.' Tenchi thought as he and Arkain walked back to the van.'It'll be late when we get back maybe everyone will be asleep, and I can explain it over breakfast in the morning.' "... and so then I ended up here. Strange don't you think." Arkain said as he finished. "Huh... Oh yeah strange." Tenchi replied "So why is it that you want to visit the Masaki Shrine." Tenchi asked hoping he hadn't missed to much of the conversation. "Well," Arkain began "the priest here told me the legend of Yosho and the demon, and how Yosho defeated the demon and used his sword to seal it in a cave. Where, according to the legend, it has remained to this day." "So you want to get some pictures of the demon for your scrapbook." Tenchi asked jokingly. "No, not really." Arkain replied with a grin "I'm more interested in Yosho's sword." "Why is that?" Tenchi asked as they reached the van. "A little hobby of mine." Arkain said. As Tenchi opened the rear of the van. Arkain placed his duffel bag inside as he did he removed a long object wrapped in black cloth. "Although I must admit my little hobby has become more of a quest." he said as he unwrapped the object revealing it to be a sheathed katana. "It's taken me the better part of four years to make this." he said as he handed the sword to Tenchi. The sword felt light Tenchi thought as he admired the wrapping on the handle of the sword, comfortable yet it wouldn't slip easily from one's hand. Tenchi unsheathed the sword only partly to get a look at the blade. The blade shined brightly with a highly reflective surface that tapered down to a fine black edge. "I've never felt one this light, or seen a blade like that before." Tenchi remarked as he sheathed the sword and handed it back to Arkain. "The blade was what took the longest." Arkain replied as he placed the sword back in his bag, and closed the rear of the van. "Well, Tenchi let's get going shall we." Arkain said as he walked to the front of the van. "Ok by me." Tenchi replied as they climbed into the van "How about we stop and get a bite to eat, I missed lunch and we won't get back in time for dinner." "Sounds fine with me." Arkain agreed as Tenchi started the van and pulled into the afternoon traffic. "Mihoshi, have you set the auto pilot yet?" Kiyone asked as the door to the cockpit slid open to allow her entry. "Already set." her blonde haired partner giggled. "What's with you?" Kiyone asked "He gave me..." Mihoshi started "He gave me his phone number." "Who gave you what phone number?" "Tevan gave me his phone number. Well it's not really a phone number but the access number for his communicator." Mihoshi said as she stared out the cockpits main window." "Who is Tevan?" Kiyone asked growing impatient with her partner. "Oh you know, Kiyone, he's the guy we tried to arrest earlier." "WHAT!" Kiyone screamed "He.. he he was here, when, and why didn't you tell me. Better yet why didn't you arrest him." "Honestly..." Mihoshi started "If I arrested him, then I wouldn't be able to go out with him ." Kiyone stood shocked at her partners words "He asked you out on a DATE!" "Well sure." Mihoshi giggled."He's picking me up tomorrow at 01500 galatic space time." "That's just great Mihoshi, give him permission to violate restricted space." Kiyone yelled "Oh no I forgot about that." Mihoshi looked downtrodden "Kiyone, what'll I do." Mihoshi said as tears welled up in her eyes. Kiyone fearing an outburst was at hand placed an arm around her partners shoulders and sighed "I guess we could ask Tenchi or Katsuhito to grant him permission, but I don't trust him he may be up to something." "Oh thank you, thank you." Mihoshi squealed as she embraced her partner in a bearhug that threatned to strangle her. "OK OK!" Kiyone squeeked "Now please let's just go home." Sasami finished slicing the last of the mushrooms and added them to the pot boiling on the stove. She then checked the fish in the oven, and lastly the rice in the steamer. Satisfied that everything was almost done the little princess walked outside to find her sister taking in the last of the laundry. "Ayeka, dinner is almost done would you please tell everyone." "Of course, Sasami." her sister replied as she walked inside carrying the basket of laundry. Sasami raced to out into the backyard until she could see Katsuhito who was coming down the steps of the shrine. Although he appeared very old she knew her older brother was still quite young, after they had learned of his true identity Yosho had asked that everyone not to call him by his true name but simply refer to him by his earthen name or as grandfather. To do otherwise he had said would be to remind him of who he was and what he had left and why. This was something, he said, he had worked hard to forget. Out of respect they had agreed to his wish. "Dinner is almost ready grandfather." Sasami shouted as she waved at him. He looked up at her and waved. "On my way." He shouted back. Thunder shook the sky as Sasami peered up she saw the Galaxy Police cruiser descend through the grey clouds. She smiled as she saw it dissappear into Washu's subspace hanger. Sasami waited for Katsuhito and joined him as they walked back toward the house together. "Sasami, could you pass me some more rice." "Here you go Ryoko." Sasami replied "Sister, would you like some more soup." "No, thank you anyway Sasami." Ayeka replied curtly. "Mmmh... Sasami you've outdone yourself." Kiyone said in between bites. "I concur." Washu agreed as she typed data into her holo-top with one hand, and ate with the other. As he finished the last of his meal Katsuhito stood "Sasami I think that is the best meal I've had in ages." "Thank you, grandfather." Sasami said with a nod. "What about you father, did you enjoy the meal also." she asked Nobuyuki. "It was excellent Sasami, a real gourmet meal." Nobuyuki said as he patted his stomach. "Now I think I'll join Dad in the living room." As Nobuyuki stood up to follow his father-in-law to the couch, he noticed the look on Mihoshi's face, the blonde haired GP could eat almost as much as Ryoko, but tonight she had hardly touched anything. "What's wrong Mihoshi?" Nobuyuki asked. "It's nothing really." Mihoshi said sadly as she poked at her fish with the end of one chopstick. "Oh I almost forgot." Kiyone interjected "Mihoshi, has a... BOYFRIEND!" she shouted "WHAT!" came a unified statement of shock from everyone. "Could you run that by me one more time." Washu asked as she picked herself up from a fallen position on the floor. "Oh Mihoshi." Sasami squealed "Tell us about him... please." "Yes do tell Mihoshi." Washu said as she dismissed her holo-top. "Is he dashing?" Ryoko asked "Is he refined." Ayeka said as she moved closer not wanting to miss anything. "Is he handsome." Sasami asked beaming admiration at Mihoshi. "Well, yes he is." Mihoshi started as she clasped her face with both hands, she stared up at the cieling as her eyes began sparkle. "I'll tell you what he is..." Kiyone butted in "He's a pain in the neck, thats what he is." "Oh, Kiyone" Mihoshi giggled "Are you still upset that he got away." "You mean he's a criminal." Ayeka said startled "And what's wrong with that." Ryoko snarled "Nothing if you like that sort thing." Ayeka shot back "Listen princess..." Ryoko spat as her energy sword formed in her hand "Listen to what monster, the glory of being a space pirate." Ayeka snapped as Jurian power logs formed around her "Now girls, remember we have a guest coming." Katsuhito said sternly. "Oh right." both rivals said in unison as the sword and logs dissappeared. "Now tell me ladies." Katsuhito asked "what crime has this young man committed." "Nothing much really." Kiyone stated as Mihoshi suddenly looked as depressed as before. "He's in violation of the law concerning the non-interference ruling in sector 0315." "In other words?" Nobuyuki asked scratching his head. "In other words..." Washu began "The star system inhabited by the Earth is a no fly zone except for Galaxy Police and ships under Jurian authority. Without express permission from the Jurian Empire no one is supposed to be out there." "Which brings us to the current problem." Kiyone began "He wants to pick her up and take her out tomorrow." "On a real date... WOW!" Sasami yelled "Are you gonna go Mihoshi?" "BWAAAH.... I can't" Mihoshi cried as she buried her face in her hands. "We'd have to try and arrest him again." Kiyone sighed "Unless of course..." "Unless of course you had permission from a member of the royal family. Which would allow him to enter this sector." Katsuhito stated. "And you were hoping I or Tenchi could do that." "MmmHmm..." Mihoshi sobbed. "I am sorry Mihoshi, but as you all know I gave up my rights of nobility when I came here. As for Tenchi, although he is my successor and therefore technically the crown prince of Jurai, he has no real authority yet. You were allowed to remain here yourselves. Not by his authority but by the royal families, who wanted an eye kept on Princess Ayeka and Princess Sasami." Katsuhito explained. "That's it then." Ayeka said excitedly. The Princess walked over to the sobbing Mihoshi and placed a hand on her shoulder as she kneeled down. "Mihoshi" Ayeka said. "Hmmm..." Mihoshi sniffed as she looked up her eyes red from crying. "Mihoshi if you really want to go out on this date... I'll give my permission for this said person to be able to pick you up." "You will, for me." Mihoshi said as she wiped tears from her eyes "Oh thank you... thank you." Mihoshi exclaimed as she embraced Ayeka in a crushing bearhug "Your welcome, Mihoshi." Ayeka squeaked. "I'll contact him first thing tomorrow with the news." she giggled hugging Ayeka even harder. "You do that." Ayeka said as she sought to free herself from the embrace. "Well, now that that's settled." Washu said as she pulled a basket and a towel from a subspace portal "I'm headed for a nice hot soak in the onsen,anyone care to join me." "Way ahead of you, Washu." Ryoko said as she dissappeared from sight. "Oh me too." Sasami said as she raced toward the back door. "Don't run Sasami." Ayeka said finally freed from Mihoshi's embrace. "I'll accompany you miss Washu." Washu shot Ayeka a cold stare "How many times do I have to tell you, call me LITTLE WASHU." she shouted at Ayeka. "I think I'll pass tonight. I'm beat." Kiyone said "Me too." Mihoshi added "I just want to go to sleep." Both girls climbed upstairs to their waiting bedroom. "I'll be happy to join you." Nobuyuki said with a grin "NO WAY!" Ayeka and Washu said in harmony as they headed out. "Aww nuts." Nobuyuki exclaimed as he sat down dejectedly onto the couch. It was all Katsuhito could do to contain an outburst of laughter as he switched on the television. The moon had just broken through the clouds and shone down faintly above the treetops as Tenchi stopped the van and switched off the headlights. "Well we're here finally." Tenchi said with weariness in his voice. "Man that'a some drive." Arkain replied as he streched out his legs. "I really appreciate you going to all this trouble to pick me up." "Well when grandpa heard you were determined to come here." Tenchi began "He decided this would be better than you walking through the storm thats coming up." "Heh yeah, it looks like it might hit in a day or two." Arkain said "Kinda late in the season for the first snowstorm, but who am I to give nature directions." Arkain chuckled as he opened the passenger side door. Tenchi opened his door and exited the van also. "I'm going to head up to the house and see if anyone is still awake." Tenchi said 'Also I want to warn everyone about this guys resemblance to a certain someone.' Tenchi thought to himself. "Ok." Arkain agreed "I'll grab my bags and be right behind you." Tenchi raced up to the house and quickly went inside. "Ahh Tenchi you made it back." Katsuhito said as he lowered the volume on the television. "I trust our guest is alright." Nobuyuki said with a yawn. "Yeah he's fine, but there's something everyone needs to know." "Well, can it not wait til breakfast." Katsuhito asked. "Uhm not really." Tenchi said "Where is Ayeka and Ryoko they need to be warned first." "Ayeka is asleep in her room." his grandfather replied "And Ryoko is asleep on the roof." "The ROOF!" Tenchi shouted. "Is there a problem Tenchi." Nobuyuki asked. As if in response to his question an explosion shook the house. Tenchi whirled around in shocked as he opened the door he saw the van smoldering. As Ryoko floated above it energy sword in hand. "RYOKO NO!" Tenchi shouted as he raced toward the space pirate. Katsuhito and Nobuyuki likewise raced out the door behind Tenchi. As they reached the remains of the van they found Tenchi struggling to restrain a very angry Ryoko. "Let me go Tenchi, I'm not going to be that bastards puppet anymore." Ryoko screamed "How he managed to come back I don't know. But I'll be damned before I go through that hell again." "Ryoko will you listen to me." Tenchi yelled trying to be heard. "I know who he looks like but beleive me that is NOT Kagato." Katsuhito looked in the direction Tenchi had pointed, he looked in horror as a prone figure lay slumped against a tree. One arm was a mangled mass of shattered bone and muscle and blood flowed freely from a large gash in his forhead, his body still smoldered from the blast. Katsuhito moved over to the prone man and checked for a pulse fearing he would not find one. 'Thank Tsunami, he alive but barely.' "I demand to know what's going on here." Ayeka bellowed as she came down the path, Nobuyuki held an arm out to stop her from going any closer. Katsuhito spun around "Ayeka GO! bring Washu here immediately this man needs medical attention now if he is to survive." Not asking questions Ayeka quickly eaced back inside to get Washu. Katsuhito glanced toward Tenchi. He saw Tenchi gently holding a sobbing Ryoko, as she cried into his shoulder "I was so afraid." she sobbed "I was afraid of becoming a slave again." She wrapped her arms around Tenchi and cried all the harder. Washu came racing down to the scene followed closely by Ayeka and Sasami. "WAAAH!" Washu screamed at the site of what she beleived to be a smoldering corpse, the figure was to badly burned to make out who he was. She could only assume he was the guest. "Quickly, Washu he is still alive." Katsuhito snapped "If we hurry he may yet be saved." "What happened." the scientist demanded as she summoned up a holo-top and began pulling several emergency medical supplies from a pocket of subspace. "I'll explain later if I can." Katsuhito replied "For now focus on saving your patient." "First things first, I have to stabalize him." Washu said hurriedly as she produced a hypodermic filled with a neon red liquid. Washu quckly injected it into the left arm as the right had been mangled to far to be of any use in ciculating the regeneration compound. When she was done she began typing away rapidly onto her holo-top. Washu looked around and saw Tenchi comforting Ryoko and Sasami who had also began crying at the scene was being comforted by her sister. Washu reached out to her daughter's mind to try and get a glimpse of what had happened. Sorrow, fear, and horror were the only emotions she could find. The only image present in Ryoko's mind at present was that of Kagato. "NO! It can't be." Washu whispered to herself hoarsely, as she stared in horror at the smoldering body. "It is not." Katsuhito snapped from behind her forcing her to regain her focus. "Regardless of how he may have appeared, this man is not Kagato." "Well." Washu replied as she pulled a stretcher from another pocket of subspace. "The good news is, I've stabalized his condition long enough for him to be moved. BUT we have to get him to my lab if he is to have any chance at all at survival." As Katsuhito and Nobuyuki gently lifted Arkain onto the stretcher Washu began searching in the nearby grass. Tenchi walked Ryoko over to Ayeka and Sasami. As Ayeka looked up she saw Ryoko crying like a frightend child. Never before had she seen Ryoko lose her composure not like this anyway, she felt sympathy for the space pirate who was her rival. She nodded at Tenchi who kneeled down and gave Ryoko over to Ayeka. Ryoko refused to let go of Tenchi. "It will be alright Ryoko." Ayeka said as she took Ryoko's hands from Tenchi. Sasami, still crying reached out to Ryoko and wrapped her arms around her. "Ryoko, I'm scared." Sasami cried as frsh tears began to run down her checks. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry." Ryoko sobbed as she returned the hug. "I didn't want to go back to that..." Tenchi walked over to where Washu was searching, he turned around only briefly to see his father and grandfather dissappear into the house headed for Washu's lab. "What are you looking for little Washu." Tenchi asked. "The eye." Washu replied. "The eye... What eye." tenchi asked scratching his head. "My initial scan showed his right eye to be missing." Washu started "I guess it got blown out in the blast, I only hope it landed somewhere close." Tenchi chuckled lightly. Washu turned around abruptly "This is no laughing matter." she said sternly. "I'm sorry." Tenchi apologized "But you won't find it here." "And why not." Washu asked "Becuase." Tenchi explained "He never had it, when I picked him up he was wearing an eyepatch over his right eye. When I asked him about it, he explained to me how he lost it and showed me the empty eyesocket." "Oh." Washu sighed, clearly relieved. "Would you please hurry up Washu." Katsuhito called out from the door of the house. "On my way." she called back as she raced up and into the house. D3 stared into the vat he watched as a body began to slowly form inside the green liquid. The mind had already formed and he had established a telepathic link with it. "When?" it asked "When will I be free." "You shall be released when you are finished." D3 answered "You will be released, but you will not be free." D3 continued to watch the progress as the mind remained silent. The morning broke cold and grey over the Masaki household. A light wind rustled the leaves along the path to the shrine, a light wind indeed as it gave no hint of the storm that was to follow. Katsuhito pulled his robes about him just a bit tighter as he walked toward the house. The wind whispering across the pond was cold enough to send many men shivering toward a warm retreat, years of physical and mental training were the only things that prevented him from being forced to do the same. As he approached the house he noticed the light on in the kitchen. 'Surely Sasami was not up and about making breakfast after last nights ordeal' he thought 'the poor child had been terrified out of her mind.' As he opened the door and stepped in he saw an adult Washu, wearing a white lab coat and trying to sort out the mess her hair had become, making a pot of tea on the stove. "And where is LITTLE Washu this morning. Might I ask." Katsuhito said with a slight chuckle in his voice. "Asleep, where I should be." Washu answered with a faint smile. "Seriously tho'" she began "When he regained conciuosness a few moments ago I thought it would be more appropriate if I were seen like this for now. Unless of course, you know of a way to explain why one's doctor looks like a small child." "I have heard stories of child prodigies before." He asnswered. "Yeah well." Washu said as she poured herself a cup of tea. Katsuhito took a cup from the shelf and made himself a cup as well. "I have spent the past few hours debating on just how exactly to handle this situation. And also on how to explain it." He said as he sat down at the end of the table opposite Washu. "Well we could lock him away in the lab and just forget about it." Washu said as she stared down into her tea. "And have you regret that decision everyday for the rest of your life, like I have ever since I sealed Ryoko into that cave over seven hundred years ago." "Yeah well, I never heard any regrets from Kagato about sealing me up inside that crystal chamber inside the Souja." Washu answered in retort. "Evil does not accept regret to do so shows a weakness of character." Katsuhito said "Tell me Washu which do you think Ryoko,your daughter, fears more." he asked. "Being placed back under Kagato's control, or being placed back into the cave." Washu simply stared back down into her cup. "I... I don't know." she replied in a whisper. "But when I created her, I had intended her to be full of love and life, and gave her powers to protect such things should they become dear to her." Washu wiped a tear from her eye as Katsuhito refilled both cups with fresh tea. "Then Kagato took her away, and turned her into nothing more than a weapon to be used for his amusement." she said as she sipped her tea "I was trapped in the crystal unable to do anything but watch as my beautiful daughter became nothing more than a mindless killing machine." "I only wish that were true." Katsuhito said as he now stared into his cup reflecting on the past "When I finally caught up with Ryoko her on earth I went face to face ,literally, with her into combat. I could see into her eyes." "And seeing into her eyes told you she was being controlled." Washu asked. "Not exactly." Katsuhito explained "A wise man once said "the eyes are the window to the soul" when I looked into Ryoko's eyes I saw the pain and the sorrow she felt at having done the things she had been made to do. True Kagato controlled her body but he had left her mind free to revel in the horrors of what she herself wrought upon one world after another." Katsuhito paused to drink his tea "Now I wonder who commited the more evil deed, Kagato for forcing her to act against her will in destroying countless lives, or myself for forcing her to live with nothing but those memories for over seven hundred years." "No." Washu began as tears flowed freely for her eyes and streamed down her face "I was the one who was evil." she stopped to retrieve a box of tissue as Katsuhito waited for her to continue. "Although I was trapped inside the crystal I knew everything that went on outside, Kagato thought it proper to keep me informed as to just how well my ultimate creation had or had not performed. When he sent her to attack Jurai I was secretly overjoyed. At last I thought he had sent her against something that might prove his undoing, but more so than that I prayed that my daughter would die, rather than serve that bastard one more day. And that in doing so at least one of us would finally be free. Thats why I treat her the way I do now. I gave up on her so long ago that now I feel I don't deserve her as a daughter. But... at least now I can see her free and happy like I originally intended, unfortunatly I can't make myself part of that happiness. So tell me Katsuhito who was truly the more evil of the three." As Katsuhito started to reply the lights in the living room began to flash a crimson color. Washu glanced at the clock "Time for Mayuka's morning bottle." she said as she took a pre-prepared bottle of formula from the refrigerator and set it in a small pan of water on the stove to warm. "I need to check on Sasami and Ryoko too. I gave them both heavy sedatives last night so they would be able to sleep. Would you mind checking on our patient/guest." She asked "I will." Katsuhito replied "I think it's time we let truth dictate our actions rather as it is easier to deal with and usually doesn't come back to haunt you later." "So what do you plan on doing." Washu asked as she checked the temperature of the formula. "I plan to tell him." Katsuhito replied as he got up and headed to the Lab. "Tell him what?" Washu asked Katsuhito stopped then turned his head toward Washu as he resumed his pace toward the door. "Well we need to make a good first impression so..." "So what do you plan on telling him." Washu askaed again. Katsuhito managed a faint smile as he answered. "Everything." ======================================================================= Notes: Well if you think anyone is OOC stop ripping your hear out and please stop filing those contracts on my life. I'm merely writing a story based on how I feel the charaters would evolve given the time to do so. Some of my ideas have also been crafted around ideas found in other fics. And I'm trying or at least hoping to take them into different directions.But I'm not stealing them or at least I don't intend to. I haven't had time to read evry Tenchi fic on the net so some of this may not seem very original to some of you. And to others you may say "Hey this is a new idea. I like it" Either way I hope I have enough of your attention to keep you coming back for chapter 4 and if you don't like it then all I can say is I plan on doing my best to finish it anyway. Things in my head have been set in motion and I have to see it through to the end. And this ride looks to be a rollercoaster. So hang on folks chapter 4 isn't far away (sorry it's 4 in the morning and I tend to ramble) And as always send comments, criticisms and compliments to ======================================================================= author: rakain1@home.com Proofreader no. 1 Bryan Browder: dbz_rockz@hotmail.com Proofreader no. 2 Kevin Hogan: draggnx2000@yahoo.com