"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. Chapter 8: Washu Ought to Leave Well Enough Alone Otto came back down stairs, and saw Mihoshi. He sat down beside her, and shook his head. "Have those two always been fighting?" Mihoshi was absorbed in her program, and so didn't notice him until he spoke, "Huh? Ah, Otto! Did you put Sasami to bed?" Otto nodded, "She was tired." Mihoshi nodded, "I saw." "Ryoko and Aeka were fighting again." "Yea, Ryoko came storming down and out, with Ryo-Ohki tagging along behind." Otto nodded, "Have they always fought?" "Hee hee, I got here as a result of a fight between them." Otto hung his head. He might have to make good with the warning he gave Aeka. Mihoshi smiled, "I don't think that we'll see them stop fighting any time soon." "Wonderful." "Oh, Otto, I thought that you'd be coming down here, so I saved you some crackers and tea!" Mihoshi presented Otto with a tray. "Thank you, Mihoshi, but I am not hungry right now." "Then at least have some hot tea!" Mihoshi set the tray down and picked up the cup, offering it. "Umm, no thank you, Mihoshi," Otto smiled, shaking his hand a little to emphasize the refusal politely. He quickly decided to change the subject, "What are you watching?" Mihoshi still held the cup of tea. She looked at the TV, "Oh, I don't know what this is! What time is it? Am I missing it?" She turned her wrist to look at her watch. Too bad the wrist was connected to a hand that held a piping hot of tea. Soon enough Otto's lap held the cupful of piping hot tea. "YEOW!" Otto shouted, jumping up, his knee the edge of the tray that hung over the edge of the table. The tray launched the bowl of crackers skyward and the bowl fit nicely upon Mihoshi's head. Of course, the crackers had left the bowl at that point. They flew at Ryoko's head as she phased through the door. Soon, crackers and crumbs were in Ryoko's hair and on her clothes. Tenchi had the unfortunate urge to get a snack before going to bed. He walked down the stairs and entered the living room. What he saw caused him nearly to break out in great laughter, which would likely have been bad for his health, given those involved in the sitaution. Otto had hot pants due to the tea, Mihoshi held an empty cup and sported a ceramic hat, and Ryoko looked as though she just came from a box of crackers. Tenchi couldn't help but snicker at the situation. "Tenchi, what's so funny?" Mihoshi asked. "Yea, Tenchi, what's so funny?" Ryoko and Otto aasked simultaneously. "Umm -- nothing! Nope, nothing at all!" Tenchi laughed, scooting back up the stairs slowly, as one might attempt to move away from a rabid dog. He quickly turned and made a break up the stairs. Ryoko and Otto looked at each other, and shook their heads. Mihoshi finally looked at her watch, gasped, and quickly turned the station. It was an old American slapstick, the Three Stooges. Mihoshi sat and began to watch, the bowl still on her head. Ryoko brushed off the crackers, and sat down on the couch to watch. Otto, although he did not think the material funny, sat down and watched television. Meanwhile, Tenchi snuck back down to grab his snack. If only he knew that another was getting a snack herself. He went into the kitchen, and saw none other than the great Washu, helping herself to the chips. With a mouthful of potato goodness, Washu saw Tenchi. She swallowed the chips, and threw back a tumbler of sake to wash it down. Already a little sauced, Washu grinned, "Good evening, Tenchi. Looking for these?" Tenchi eyed the chips that Washu held up, "Thank you, Washu. I thought that you were working on your device." "I'm already done, Tenchi!" Washu chuckled, setting the bag of chips down and getting a handful. Tenchi nodded, sat down, and took a handful of chips. He looked exhausted. Washu noticed in mid-chip. She got out another tumbler and poured a glass for Tenchi. "Here, Tenchi. Drink this and tell me your problems." Tenchi eyed the sake catiously, as though it might bite him. "Well, for starters, I shouldn't have drank so much of this stuff on Friday. I would already be done with my homework if it weren't for this demon-in-a-glass." Washu chuckled, and took a drink of her sake, "So, how much sake did you have?" Tenchi thought, and shrugged. He said, "I guess around 4 glasses." "Was that your first time drinking?" "Yes." "Well, I promise one glass isn't going to hurt you. And if it does, come down to my lab before going to school, and I'll make you lose your hangover." In Tenchi's head, two scenarios played out. One was not at all dirty, the other was highly dirty. He knew which was more likely to occur. However, Yosho's voice, preaching moderation, echoed within Tenchi's head. He took the tumbler, and had a drink. Washu chuckled, "Ah, Tenchi, what do you think of our new guest?" "I trust him about as far as I can throw him." "Good choice. I know something about him. He isn't what he claims to be," she spoke in hushed tones. "What do you mean?" Tenchi followed suit with his volume. "He is from here, on Earth." "Ah, so he isn't really two thousand years old." "That much is true. Tenchi, he is a vampire." "A vampire?" Tenchi nearly shouted. "Not so loud, Tenchi!" Washu scolded. "Sorry, but why are we keepnig this quiet?" Tenchi hushed his voice once more. "You see, he has to keep his true identity a secret, and will kill us if he thinks that we either know or will tell others." "So why is he even here? Does Grandpa know about his true identity?" "Undoubtedly. Tenchi, your Grandpa is highly powerful. Otto would have great difficulties in defeating him. I also doubt that Otto will attack any of us to kill unless he knows that we have spoken." "How can he tell that?" "Simple. He can see auras. He can tell your emotional state without difficulty." "So all I have to do is keep cool, right?" "He isn't out to destroy you, Tenchi. Honestly, I suspect that he got in between Aeka and Ryoko. He is planning something that will affect you, but his goals for you are higher than death. I think he might be trying to gain control of this household and, unwittingly, the Jurai Empire. He should be handled carefully. Be friendly with him, but beware a stab in the back -- or a tooth in the neck." "I see. Well, Washu," Tenchi said, standing up, "I have to get back to my homework. Honestly, I cannot see how you are able to do physics." Washu chuckled, "Need a hand?" Tenchi didn't have the be the universe's greatest genius to realize the double meaning within that question, "Um, no. I'll get help on the Internet." Washu nodded, catching Tenchi's double meaning, "Just thought that I'd ask." "I appreciate it, but I must go work. I'll see you tomorrow," Tenchi said as he went out the kitchen door to go back upstairs. Out in the living room, the Three Stooges was nearly over, Larry, Curly, and Moe have somehow adverted certain doom and have somehow saved the day. When Tenchi exited the kitchen door, Otto went in. The two girls heard Otto's voice, then Washu's. Then there were sounds of chairs moving. Then, it sounded as though someone was rummaging through a cabinet. Otto emerged once more, with Washu, and they went into her lab. Otto carried two bottles of sake; one clear, and another crimson in color, Otto's 'special' sake. The two girls looked at each other, and laughed. Mihoshi got up and went to bathe and then go to bed. Ryoko watched a little more TV, then went to bed herself. Inside Washu's lab, a muffled moan could be heard. Amongst the large piles of stuff, Otto had his teeth in Washu. He drank only a little, then released. Washu was paralyzed from pleasure a few moments after Otto licked the wound closed. She then nodded a little and spoke, "Yes, I see. I'd like to know exactly how you do that!" Otto chuckled, "I believe it's the same concept behind our ability to command and control minds and hearts." "I see. Well, I don't know if I've ever enjoyed an experiment this much before! Now, you understand that I must take a blood sample and do some tests." Otto remembered his first day here, when Washu attempted to run tests on him. However, he had already broken the Masquerade to each person in this house, except for Ryoko, who should get a good return of memory within the week. He was not planning on Mihoshi knowing, but she snuck in while Ryoko and Yosho were dueling. He had been too sleepy to stop the curious woman, so she found out about him. It could have been worse, though. "Fortunately, none of these people are members of the on-going Inquistion," Otto thought, "If any were, I'd have to likely kill the whole batch. Honestly, I think that most of them aren't even aware of those damned hunters-for-God." Washu pulled out a syringe. Otto took a shot of his crimson sake as she pushed it in his arm. He began guzzling from the bottle as she drew the blood as pulled the needle back out. As Washu ran a few tests, Otto began to feel the effects of guzzling a bottle of sake within a short period. He went right out, conveniently on Washu's table. Washu was unable to resist, and did not sleep any, as she performed many different experiments on the cadaverous man. * * * When breakfast was prepared, Washu was not at the table, having finally lost the battle to exhaustion at 4 in the morning. Other than that, it was a normal October morning. Ryoko and Aeka argued, Mihoshi tried to get between them, Tenchi rolled his eyes, Sasami giggled, Noboyuki was -- Noboyuki, and Yosho nodded at the whole scene. Like any other morning, Tenchi was expected to ensure the safety of everyone, even at great personal sacrifice. It was in this manner that Tenchi was at the door of Washu's lab. He knocked, and swalowed hard. No sound emerged from the other side. Tenchi opened the door, and looked around without entering. He then reluctantly entered. He wasn't surpirsed when the door closed behind him and vanished. "Washu? Washu?" he called, knowing that his doom awaited. He heard some groggy Washu sounds, and saw the universe's greatest scientific genius stumble into view. She saw that he was alone, and perked up as though she had just drank a few pots of coffee. "Tenchi! I'm glad that you have come by." Tenchi nodded, "Well, I was wondering if you were okay. You didn't come to breakfast, so-" "Never mind that, Tenchi! I was experimenting our sleepy friend, Otto." Tenchi decided to take look, knowing that his jaws were chomping down on the worm, and that he'd soon be flopping around. Surely enough, Otto was lying on a table sleeping like a baby. Tenchi wasn't surprised when various cables ambushed him. Nor did it surprise him to discover that these cables were faster than him. Sure enough, he was bound to chair, while Washu had prepared her 'doctor' outfit in the meantime. "Um, Washu, I don't think that I should be late for school." Washu chuckled darkly, "School's out for today." Tenchi groaned, "Washu, I need to go to school." "And you will. Remember, I was once a professor. Today's class, anatomy." Tenchi hung his head, and muttered, "Washu." Washu laughed, and pushed a few buttons. Within moments, Tenchi was mostly stripped by the cables. Washu chuckled, "This time, no interruptions. Everyone is eating, except for Otto, and one pretty much has to set him on fire to wake him up." Tenchi closed his eyes, "Washu, I need to go to school." "Don't worry, Tenchi. This shouldn't take too long. How would you like it?" Tenchi got an idea, one foolish enough to work. "I would like to put you into bondage. It might help me get your sample." Washu chuckled, and loosened Tenchi's bonds. She then handed Tenchi a box. He took out a length of rope and tied the mighty Washu to the table. He then took off for the door. Unfortunately, there was no door for him to use. Washu laughed, "I'm not letting you go until I get that sample, Tenchi." Tenchi hung his head, then turned toward Washu. "Why must I give myself to you? What have I done?" Washu, still bound to the table, simply grinned. She said, "You do want to go to school, right?" Tenchi nodded, then got an idea. Washu had mentioned setting Otto ablaze to wake him up. Tenchi quickly scrounged up a propane torch and a lighter. Washu cocked an eyebrow Tenchi's way, "You aren't planning on trying to use that as an extra-dimensional welder, are you? It'll never work." Tenchi shook his head, and moved over to the sleeping Otto. Washu's eyes became quite large, and she hissed at Tenchi, "Only do that if you wish to die." "Washu, I don't think you'll be able to do much from there." "I know I won't, but he will. He has an extreme fear of fire, and will kill you out of sheer gut reflex rather than be burnt." Tenchi gave Washu a dubious eye. Washu seemed genuinely scared, but the young man did not think that the old German would do too much. "Very well, Washu, let me out, and I won't light him up." "Are you a fool?" Washu screamed, "You will simply cause him to kill both of us!" "Really now, Washu, you don't expect me to believe that." Suddenly, Tenchi felt the torch and lighter ripped from his hands, and was amazed that his hands were not removed as well. Otto was sitting up, holding the combustibles as a mortal might hold a container of anthrax. He glared at Tenchi, then at Washu. "Could you two keep it down, and _don't burn the German!_" Otto frowned, ripped the flint out of the lighter, threw the inert thing across the lab, then gingerly set the propane down. He lay back down, and closed his eyes. Tenchi and Washu watched him go back to sleep, then stared at each other. Tenchi lossened Washu's bonds, and she let him out of her lab. Not a word was uttered between the two. Tenchi went to the school bus looking as thoroughly spooked as he did when he first ventured into Ryoko's cave. Washu did a few more tests on Otto, then spent a lot of quality time with Mihoshi for the rest of the day. The other girls found it odd that Washu refused to even go near her lab, but came to the unconcious agreement that an experiment had gone wrong. End Chapter 8