Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. Doctor Doom stood before her. He came to her looking for reasons why there was a powerful shield stopping him from reaching his counter-earth, but when she had told him, the response she had gotten in return was one that she did not expect. He had demanded that, until the field dissipated, he would remain there with her. Washu: " No Way!" Washu said " there is no way I'm going to let you stay in my lab for two days!" Dr. Doom: " you have no choice in the matter. You made it so I couldn't reach my planet. Deliberate or not, you are bound to recompense me!" Doom was very determined to get his way. " Besides, it isn't such a bad proposition is it? After all, I like you am a creature of science and I believe that you and I may have a great many things in common." Washu: " what are you saying? Are you implying that I might enjoy having you here?' Washu was very puzzled. Dr. Doom: " perhaps you may. I am certain that my staying with you would be a very" he paused, " interesting event. You were able to create a field that I could not break through, and any one who can do that is definitely worth getting to know better." Washu was very proud of her inventions but could not be at ease in this man's presence. When she first saw him in the field she thought nothing more of him than some loon in a Halloween costume but now, now that he was right in front of her, wearing that face mask that looked more like a steel skull than anything else, she was at a permanent state of unease. His demeanor was of royalty. She had been around enough of them in her time to tell. He was so proud and confidant but at the same time he was like a dark shadow lingering over her, looking down upon her and making her feel almost insignificant. For the first time in many years Washu regretted being in her child form. Dr. Doom: " do not be so apprehensive, I am no villain. I merely seek shelter and resources for the next two days." Washu: " I don't think so. I don't know who you are and I certainly don't trust you." Dr. Doom: " Trust? Who ever said anything about trust? I wouldn't expect you to, but I am trying to appeal to you as a scientist, that much you should be able to relate. I knew the moment I stepped into this laboratory that you were a mind of great intellect, and I would much enjoy working beside someone of your caliber." Doom was trying to persuade her to allow him access to her lab, which she knew better than to ever do, but there was something about this man, about how he carried himself, about how he acted. She just couldn't put her finger on it. Dr. Doom: " or are you afraid? Afraid of a little competition, afraid that I may excel to heights you cannot reach, that I may be better." Doom cracked a smile beneath his mask; he knew exactly what he was doing. Washu: " Afraid! I'm not afraid! You want to try and be better than me than by all means go right on ahead. You can stay in my lab for the next two days, and during that time I'll show you just exactly why I am called the greatest scientific genius in the universe!" she put her hands on her hips and started to laugh. Simple woman, Doom thought, so easily manipulated. I will take full advantage of these facilities and be sure that you will learn who the true superior mind between the two of us is. ````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` Ryoko could not sit still; she was still so aggravated about what had happened. She wanted nothing more than to go right up to that man and pound him into a shiny green and silver paper weight. Tenchi was very anxious as well. He was there when this Doctor Doom first set foot in the fields where Tenchi was working. It was a harsh encounter and he still remembers the man's cold gaze, and how he spoke. His words rolled of his tongue like angry thunder and he seemed so threatening. It wasn't until Ryoko was knocked down that Tenchi really gathered the courage to confront him. His thoughts were on Washu now. It had been about ten or twenty minutes since they left them together. Tenchi was worried about Washu; he knew she could take care of herself and all but Doom was someone that you just couldn't trust, and he wanted so much to run into her lab and stand and fight, but he knew that that would be a bad choice. Whatever happens he would just have to deal with it as it comes. At least Sasami and Mihoshi aren't around, after Washu yelled at her Mihoshi ran off, Sasami went after her and they're still gone. Ryoko: " Damn It! What the hell are they doing in there?" Ryoko shouted as she paced the room. Ayeka: " who knows? Maybe this man is an old enemy of Washu's like Kagato was." Tenchi: " no, I don't think so. He seemed like he didn't know who she was at all, he just wanted to see her." Ryoko: " Oh Who Cares! We should pound him now, before it's too late! It's obvious that this guy is an enemy." Just as she said that Washu put her head out the door of her lab. Everyone turned at once to see her. They were all silent so they could hear whatever she had to say about what happened. Washu: " Hey everybody! Guess what? Y'know this Dr. Doom person, well he'll be staying with me for a couple of days. Don't worry though; I'm locking the door so he won't come into the actual house or anything. Okay, well c'ya later." After they picked themselves off of the floor, Tenchi and the girls were shocked. What was going on? How could Washu do that? Ryoko: " Washu! You're nuts!" she banged on her door but it was locked, "Washu! Washu!" she couldn't get through. Tenchi: " Gee, I guess he's staying with Washu. Weirder things have happened I guess." He scratched the back of his head. Ayeka: " well, If all he's doing is staying in Washu's lab then I really don't mind." Ryoko: " How can you say that? I'm telling you, this guy is seriously dangerous, and we can't let him stay!" Tenchi: " I know how you feel Ryoko but it's up to Washu and if she gives it the okay then that's good enough for me." Ryoko: " Fine, but don't come crying to me when he breaks out of there and destroys the planet!" she said angrily before teleporting away. Ayeka snickered at Ryoko's drama, but then turned her fix onto Washu's door. She wasn't worried, but still, she did wonder what was going on... ``````````````````````````````````````````` Washu: " So Doc, tell me, what have you got planned for this little vacation of yours?" Washu said to the armored man. Washu was standing in a massive chamber, filled with blinking lights and mechanical tubes running through it. The place was well lit and had as much green wildlife growing as it did machines. The lab stretched as far as you could see, with black portholes leading into different sections of the sub-space hall. Doctor Doom was standing at the edge of a balcony looking out onto the site of the laboratory, Washu was behind him, and he turned to face her. Dr. Doom: " first off I would rather that you called me by my proper title. My name, dear Washu, is Victor Von Doom. If that is too much for you then Doom will suffice." He said in an almost warm tone. Washu: " only if you call me by my name: Little Washu!" she said cutely. Doom was growing weary of this woman's immaturity. The label seemed appropriate for her form but was ridiculous, and was degrading to even say! Dr. Doom: " I will not." Washu: " well then Vic, you can't really expect me call you what you want if you don't call me what I want!" she waved her finger at him as if scolding him. " And why not anyway? I am little." she smiled. Dr. Doom: " Grow up, you obviously are not a child so I don't see why it is that you should act like one." Washu: " 'obviously'? How could you tell?" Washu was taken back by his perceptiveness. Dr. Doom: " this lab does not belong to a child. And if you truly are the genius that you claim to be then I'm sure it is well within your power to change your outward appearance. Why is it that you do so, prey tell? Doom was curious. Washu was silent for a moment and looked off to the right. Her tale of heartbreak and loss was one she was not ready to share with this man. Dr. Doom: " do not be so troubled, I have learned, that by telling others your stories of pain or difficulty, will serve to only bring those beings closer together." Came compassion from Doom that was unlike him. Washu: " I never took you as the comforting type. I have my reasons for being in this body, just like, I'm sure, you have your reasons for wearing that armor." She pointed at his mask. Doom thought for a moment, and stepped a little closer to Washu. He looked at her directly and began to speak. Dr. Doom: " Victor Von Doom has nothing to hide." He then reached up and tapped the sides of his faceplate, removing the mask and revealing his true face. Washu: *Gasp* " your face it's so, it's so horrib..." Dr. Doom: " horrible, I know." He paused, before putting the mask back on, " I was born a gypsy boy in a small European country, on a parallel dimension from here, the country was ruled by a foolish bigot dictator, and it wasn't long before my family was lost to me. I used my time to nurture my mind and grow even smarter than the planets greatest scientists. I eventually went to a school in America and there I received the scares that haunt me always." Washu: " but why can't you just fix it? Use your science to heal the wounds." Dr. Doom: " I have tried many times, but I could not be done through any scientific means. I believe it is because of the nature of the experiment that caused them. You see I was using a machine of my own design to actually make contact with my mother's deceased soul in hell. It would have worked too, but because of the meddling of an accursed student in the college with me, the experiment went wrong the machine exploded in my face, ruining it forever. The paranormal effects of the situation caused the scars to me etched into me with out ever fading away." Washu: " I'm sorry." Dr. Doom: " Do not pity me woman! I have reached heights normal men could never even comprehend! I returned to Latveria, my home, with my newly fashioned armor and conquered it! I am now the supreme ruler of that land and it has become the most prosperous country in all Europe!" he seemed angry by Washu's sympathy. " I have since then beaten gods and bested any opponent. I personally went to hell, and defeated the devil Mephisto, and freed my mother's soul! I have gained the power cosmic and the power of the great Beyonder! I now rule my own dimension, and have an arsenal of the greatest magnitude! So do not pity me woman! I have no need for it." Doom then threw his cloak over his shoulders, turned and walked off. Washu was stunned by Von Doom's sudden burst of rage and anger. The things he said where impressive, although she did not know anything about some of the names that he mentioned. Washu was fearful now. During his rant she had looked into the slits of his mask and looked directly into his eyes. The look in those white orbs was one she had seen before, one she recognized instantly... It was the madness.