"Every Need for a Masquerade"
Tenchi Muyo in the World of Darkness
 by Magus the Dark
 e-mail: magus_the_dark@hotmail.com, magus@big-brains.com
 C & C welcome

Of course, I came up with neither Tenchi Muyo nor the World of Darkness. All
appropiate copyrights apply.

Author's note: In order to better tell the story, I am changing the 
point of view a little so that vampiric intrigue may be added.
		
		Chapter 2: A Brave New World
	
	Sasami was up before Tenchi. Tokugawa was sitting on the couch,
 and greeting the young Sasami. "Now still isn't the time," Tokugawa 
told himself. It was enough. She was startled to she him, but before 
long had her happy smile and morning greetings. Tokugawa just chuckled 
a little. Sasami asked him his opinion on the house, to which Tokugawa
simply said, "Too many windows." Sasami looked a little confused for a 
moment, then quickly changed the subject. "So, where are you from?" 
she asked.

	Tokugawa had to think fast. "Gemini," he said. At least the 
first two letters were the same.

	Sasami's eyes widened. "You came here all the way from Gemini? 
What kind of ship did you use?"

	Tokugawa say Sasami's aura. The questions were innocent enough,
but they threw him off. If Sasami was hiding something emotionally, 
then he would walk out into the sunlight, because he would have been 
bested by a mortal at his own game. However, he needed an answer, 
"A clipper."

	Sasami nodded, "I bet you had to refuel often."

	Tokugawa just nodded a little. He was saved by a little bit of
honesty. He thanked his lucky stars that a clipper ships existed in 
outer space for him to ride. He got to Japan on a wooden clipper ship,
but the girl would never buy wooden ships sailing the stars. He decided
to turn the third degree at Sasami, saying, "Where are you from?"

	Sasami smiled, "I'm from Jurai!"

	Tokugawa grinned, guiding Sasami's emotions in order for her to
trust him. He conitnued, "Is it pleasant on Jurai?"

	Sasami nodded, "It's very nice on Jurai!"

	"What did you do on Jurai?"

	"Why, I am a princess!"

	"A princess? Well, you certainly look like one!"

	To that, Sasami blushed just a little, "Yep, I am a princess! 
My sister Aeka is a princess as well."

	"Really? Sasami, that sounds like a fun life."

	"It is! I like Jurai's nature. It's very pretty."

	Tokugawa looked back. He had not seen any beauty in nature for 
a long time, and he wished a little bit that he could. Maybe he was 
growing weak as time passed, but he would not mind having his mortality
back, if only for a moment. Maybe he'd ask one of his friends for an 
art class. Toreadors, such as his friend, can appreciate nature's 
beauty. He turned toward Sasami, "So, why are you up this early?"

	"I make breakfast around here. Are you going to eat?"

	"No, I never eat breakfast. Why do you make the breakfast? 
You are a guest here, right?"

	Sasami nodded and blushed a little deeper, and said, "Because 
my food makes everyone happy, and I want to make everyone happy."

	Tokugawa simply nodded; he wouldn't bring up Tenchi. Nor would 
he give her the Kiss tonight, even though Ryoko did not fill him nearly
enough. He saw light outside the window, and knew that it was time for 
sleep. He stood, bid Sasami good morning, and went to bed.

	
	As Tokugawa was going to bed, Tenchi was just awakening. Today
was yet another day for him - another day of rivalries and politics,
with him as the prize. "I wonder what my life would be life without
them. It would be much more lonesome, but at least it would be 
peaceful," Tenchi chuckled to himself as he got dressed. The newcomer 
did have an odd aura about him. He smelt of pure evil. Tenchi wondered
why Grandpa didn't ask Tenchi to show him the way out, unless -- no. 
Grandpa wouldn't do that to Tenchi, would he? "Is this part of my 
training?" Tenchi muttered to himself. From below, the smells promised
a delight to the taste buds. If none of these girls ever came, he'd still 
be eating boxed cereal or anything that father made. Tenchi nodded. If 
there was one good thing about all of this, it was Sasami and her 
wonderful cooking.

			*			*			*

	Sasami was only a little behind schedule with breakfast, but 
Tenchi didn't mind. Sasami brought out breakfast to the few that 
gathered at the table: Katsuhito, Noboyuki, Aeka, and Tenchi. She set 
the food down and began to eat, asking if anyone had seen Ryo-Ohki.

	Only Tenchi had seen Ryo-Ohki; she was keeping vigil over Ryoko,
who was sick yet again. Aeka made a few choice comments about Ryoko, but
eventually the topic of the new guest, Tokugawa, came up. The group 
was split down the middle. Aeka and Tenchi trusted Tokugawa about as far 
as they could throw him, while Sasami and Katsuhito trusted the newcomer. 
Noboyuki was sad that another single male had arrived as it potentially 
cut his son's choices, but he was glad for the most part to have another 
guest. Maybe the guest would show Tenchi that he had nothing to fear 
from the girls.

	When asked, Katsuhito merely stated that he and Tokugawa went 
back. He knew Tokugawa well, and that there was nothing to fear from him.
By his look, the consensus was quickly reached to keep the guest around
and not to ask Katsuhito anything more about the newcomer.

	"Hmmm. Otto never was this paranoid before. I wonder what 
happened to him? I have a feeling that he didn't recognize me at first.
Has it been that long? I saw him last in the 17th century. I'll give him
some time, and he'll remember. I'm surprised my aura of distrust didn't
give myself away. Maybe we're both just growing old. I must devote more
consideration to this."

	Had anyone else been in such deep thought, others might begin to
worry. However, when Katsuhito comes out of deep thought is when the
others worry about him. No one gave him a passing glance, giving the
ancient and proud prince of Jurai plenty of space and time, a luxury few
of the others had. They finished breakfast 

	Within moments, Tenchi and Noboyuki were out the door, and 
Sasami was doing her usual kitchen work. With Ryoko sick again, Aeka did
her duties and spent the rest of her time reading another romance novel
which she found lying around. Washu had not come out of lab yet, either,
but that usually meant that she was hard at work. Around lunch time, the
red-haired scientist finally emerged and went to Tenchi's room, where 
Ryoko lay on the young man's bed. Some time was spent up there, and 
Ryoko emerged, good as new. Washu emerged as well, and they all shared
lunch courtesy of Sasami. Their guest did not awaken until just before 
5:30 PM.

	If anyone noticed that the sun had set just when Tokugawa awoke,
no one called him on it. He was given a round of greetings from the
gaggle of girls. Ryoko and Aeka had drawn lines in the sand yet again.
Tokugawa promised himself that he would not feast on the delicious
cyan-haired girl again tonight, even if she was the perfect vessel.
Two times in a week was plenty. She obviously didn't remember either
experience. "However, little Sasami shall remember every little 
blissful moment," he thought to himself.

	To state that Tokugawa loved Sasami would be an error. He loved
no one, but he knew that little Sasami would make for a useful ally,
and he was going to secure it by using her desires. Everyone had
such desires, except for the very youngest of creatures. Even this
little girl would be his slave.

	Tokugawa was lost in thought as Aeka joked with Ryoko about the 
lack of authenticity in her illness. When Washu backed Ryoko's claim,
Aeka asked about the accuracy of Washu's instruments. This set Washu
on the war path. Only when Tokugawa was nearly drug into the fight 
did he choose to escape out the front door. Unfortunately, Tenchi 
was heading in the front door simultaneously. Sasami was nearly 
finished with dinner, so Tenchi had reason to run into the house. 
run into the front door. The resulting collision left both of them
dazed. 

	Even though Tokugawa had been dazed mere moments, he noticed
that Tenchi was still a bit out of it. He played along, and 
feigned injury. Aeka and Ryoko were both fighting over the right
to bear Tenchi to a chair. Washu, glad to be out of their argument,
beat both of them out. Soon, Tenchi was thanking Washu for her help.
Washu simply shrugged and said, "Come to my lab later if you truly
appreciate my help."

	Tenchi was dumbfounded, "Uh, no thanks, Washu."

	Meanwhile, Tokugawa did not lie unattanded. Mihoshi helped him
back up, when he let down his feigned injury and appeared to be
suddenly better. "Oh, I think you'll be fine, Mr. Tokugawa!" She
said with a smile and a giggle. She went and sat down, in order to
continue watching TV.

	Aeka and Ryoko were at war, and Tenchi was their battlefield.
As in any war, it is the battlefield that suffers the most. Although
most men would enjoy having two women cuddling at once, Tenchi was
nearly torn in half physically. The two girls were pulling each one
way. Sasami began to bring out the food, only Mihoshi, Washu, and
Tokugawa noticed. So Tokugawa decided to gain a little respect from
everyone.

	He looked far away, and touched his chin. Suddenly, all eyes
were on him. Even Ryoko and Aeka broke their ceaseless battle to 
look at him. He looked at each of them in the room, and said, "You
should be ashamed to let such food go to waste. I am going to sit 
down to dinner!" He was soon accompanied by everyone. Ryoko and 
Aeka came, taking their battle with them. Tenchi came, feeling
a bit ashamed. Mihoshi was already on her way to the table, and
Sasami was thankful that Tokugawa gave her such help. "Ryoko and
Aeka are impossible to budge once they see Tenchi. How did he do
it?" Sasami asked herself as she ate. Katsuhito came in soon after
Tokugawa's mini-speech, and sat down to enjoy another meal. Ryo-
Ohki was parked underneath the table, out of sight from Tokugawa.

	Within half an hour's time, dinner was eaten. Tenchi tried
to shrug off the combatants as he went to go study. He simply
hoped that his homework would survive the war. Sasami went to 
do the dishes with Ryo-Ohki close by. Tokugawa, still not seeing
the cabbit, went up to the shrine with Katsuhito on an offer of
tea.

			*			*			*

	Up at the Masaki shrine, Katsuhito poured tea for both of 
them. Tokugawa feared that he was about to have to drink 
something other than blood, a thought which made him slightly
nauseous. However, Katsuhito did something odd - he pricked his
finger and dropped several drops in Tokugawa's glass. Katsuhito
then just smiled at Tokugawa, and said, "Well, Otto, are you
just going to let my blood go to waste?"

	Tokugawa shook his head, wondering how the mortal divined
his name. He did look familiar, but it wasn't something Tokugawa
could divine. Tokugawa pretended to sip the tea, saying, "Who
are you? I just can't place my finger on it."

	Katsuhito chuckled, and said, "Remember? Right here, same
tea ritual, 17th century? Perhaps age reaches us all, even the
immortal are not immune."

	"Wait, I remember now. Yosho, how are you?"

	"Well, I am getting on in years."

	"I'd say!" they both chuckled at Yosho's joke, something
only beings whose life spans are measured in millennia, rather
than decades, could understand.

	"Well, I was wondering if I would see you again, Otto.
You took your precious time getting here."

	"Well, Yosho, you wouldn't believe my problems! Since 
being with you, I have lived in Germany, trying to recover
from Napoleon. I came here 120 years ago, on a tip from the
Americans. I didn't get very far. I was attacked and knocked
for for 6 score years. I just woke up the other night. The
big question is why you haven't tried to contact me?"

	"Otto, be reasonable. You know that the shogun Tokugawa
sealed off Japan. I did find your choice in names a bit 
ironic, I must admit."

	"Yes, I suppose it would have been easier for me to get
in than for you to get out. About the name, I simply 
panicked. I don't know these people, but you do. If you think
that I should tell them my true name, I more than likely 
will."

	Yosho studied the pale man. He was wearing something
that looked like it belonged in the 1800's. He had a tailed
overcoat over a ruffled white shirt. His tight breeches
and socks completed the ensemble. He had a pair of black
shoes upon his feet, and had a top hat whenever he went out.
Yosho chuckled, "Otto, you were always into fashion. I must
tell you that you look rather ridiculous in those clothes."

	Otto nodded and chuckled himself, "Yes, I must admit
that I missed a few changes."

	"Well, you missed what Germany did in the first half 
of this century. Of course, the Japanese were hardly
innocent. Atrocities committed across the board."

	"Don't tell me that the Black Hand has taken over the
world, that the Camarilla has fallen. I would hate to be 
the final bearer of all that is cultured in my society."

	"I haven't been keeping up very well, but a mage that
I know well has told me that the Camarilla is still alive,
although it is threatened."

	"Damn. So, which clan was behind the atrocities in
Germany?"

	"No one. It was completely mortals. A man by the
name of Adolf Hitler..."

	They discussed history all throughout the night, both
mortal and supernatural. They picked up with the American
Civil War and went to the nuclear tests performed by India
and Pakistan. Otto listened all night, asking questions
only when needed; one does not live 2,000 years by being
impatient. By the time the night was over, Otto wanted to
be back in 1878, in a place where Germany did not take
that fall. He had helped liberate Germany from the Romans,
now the Americans had taken it and the rest of the world
over. Otto would have to return to Bavaria and clean up
his castle. 

	However, he had been away so long as to forget
one of his greatest friends, the longest-lived mortal
ever to be on Earth. Otto always suspected that Yosho was
a mage of an Eastern philosophy, but never called him on
it. Either way, to have lived so long deserved some credit.
Otto in fact did not break the greatest vampiric law, that
of the Masquerade, which says that any vampire revealing
his true nature to a mundane mortal must die. Yosho guessed
it correctly right off. Because Yosho did not proceed to
rip his head off, Otto simply assumed that he had met a
mage. In a way, he was correct. However, most mages pale
in comparison to Yosho.

	Otto still had a lot to learn. 2,000 years was not
enough.

		End Chapter 2