Mayuka's Day Out
A Tenchi Muyo/Sailor Moon/Magic Knights Rayearth Crossover fanfic
by Spanner
spanner@visi.com
http://www.visi.com/~spanner/Spanner.htm
Foreword: While I was trolling the Internet, I happened to
stumble across an interesting little contest run by Katagillian
on the Achika's Legacy website
(http://members.nbci.com/achikalegacy/). The premise was this:
You were shown a selection of four pictures, and were to write a
story, poem, or other work of writing that included all four in
some way. I thought that it sounded interesting, and so decided
to try it out. The four pictures I got were

1. Washu, with puppets.
2. Mayuka, wearing a pink shirt.
3. Sailor Jupiter, against a lightning backdrop.
4. Umi, leaping with sword drawn.

While I'd never written anything involving Rayearth or Sailor
Moon before, a story soon came to mind. And, once I'd finished
and submitted it, it won first place! ^_^ So, here it is, the
previously untitled "Mayuka's Day Out".

Disclaimer: Tenchi Muyo, Sailor Moon, Magic Knights Rayearth, and
all characters are the property of various corporations and
artists, and I hope they don't mind my having borrowed their
characters for a little fun. Tokyo Tower is the property of the
city of Tokyo. Tokyo is the property of the city of Japan. I make
no apologies for the use of the DIC names and lingo for the
Sailor Moon portions of this story - I've always thought the
English names sounded cool.

* * * * * *

   Washu hummed a lullaby as she strolled down the streets of
downtown Tokyo, pushing a baby carriage before her. The song was
for the tiny, blue-haired baby girl within that carriage, a girl
who was burbling in approval, and grasping at the air above her
with tiny pink fingers. Washu gazed lovingly at the girl, and
reached down to poke her belly, eliciting a tiny shriek of
laughter. "It won't be long now, sweetie," she cooed. "Ah, that
looks like a good place!"

   Washu steered the carriage into a dark side alley, and
maneuvered behind a tall dumpster. She picked the baby girl up,
and quickly stripped her of her baby clothes. "Okay, Mayuka, are
you ready?" Mayuka giggled, and a few bubbles of spit appeared at
the corner of her mouth. Evidently deciding that was enough of a
'yes', Washu placed the baby on a clear, if slightly dirty, part
of the ground. The red-haired genius extended her hands, and a
semitransparent holographic computer screen and keyboard appeared
before her. She tapped a few keys, and then nodded in
satisfaction as a glow appeared around the baby before her. The
glow became brighter and brighter, until Washu had to turn her
head away. Then, the light faded.

   Before Washu had a chance to look back, she was tackled by an
enthusiastic, yet naked, teenaged girl. "Auntie Washu! It's so
great to be me again!"

   Washu smiled tolerantly, and gently pried the girl away. "I'm
happy to see you again, too, Mayuka. Now, put these on, before
someone notices you."

   Mayuka struggled into the oversized pink shirt and the shorts
Washu provided her with, as well as a pair of sandals. "So, what
are we going to do today, auntie?"

   "I thought we'd go to see the Tokyo Tower," Washu replied.
"Apparently, it's the thing to do, when you're in Tokyo." She
shrugged.

   "We're in Tokyo?" Mayuka asked.

   Washu nodded. "Yep! I thought it was about time that you got
to see a big population center, and Tokyo was the closest. I did
have an ulterior motive, however - I recently picked up evidence
of a dimensional disturbance near the Tower, and I want to make
sure that it's stabilized. It wouldn't do to have a rip in the
space-time continuum so close to home! At least, not one that I
didn't make myself."

   Washu could tell by the slightly blank look in Mayuka's eyes
that she hadn't followed all of that, but that sort of blank look
was something that she was used to. It wasn't easy being the
greatest scientific genius in the universe! "Well, let's go,
then," Mayuka cried excitedly, thrusting a fist into the air. "I
want to see Tokyo!"

* * * * * *

   Elsewhere, Amy Anderson was in her room, tinkering with her
Mercury Computer. It was her hope that she'd be able to use it to
detect the presence of evil power. It would make things so much
easier for the Sailor Scouts, if she could pinpoint their enemies
before they attacked. Amy adjusted a control - and suddenly, her
computer began to beep. She stared at the data being displayed on
the screen, and began to type furiously. After studying the
results, she reached for her wrist communicator and signaled her
friends.  "Everyone, I've picked up signs of an evil presence."

   "Really?" asked Serena. "Luna was just telling me the same
thing, but I thought it was something she ate." The sound of
Luna's indignant huff was broadcasted over the link.

   "Artemis felt something, too," Mina added. "Any idea where it
is?"

   "According to my computer, it's heading toward Tokyo Tower,"
Amy answered. "We'd better hurry."

   "Right!" all five agreed.

* * * * * *

   "Wow... It's INCREDIBLE up here!" Mayuka laughed. "You can see
so far... and there's city everywhere you look!" She dashed from
one guardrail to another staring out over the concrete wonderland
far below, laughing happily all the while.

   Washu smiled, but wasn't really paying attention to the girl.
Instead, she was fiddling with a small metal device. It was
riddled with buttons and knobs, as well as a small readout
screen, and looked terribly complex. Washu fingers skittered over
the controls with practiced ease, and it didn't take long for the
device to beep. "Aha! Yes, I AM a genius!" she proclaimed.

   A tiny puppet popped up on her right shoulder, and announced,
"Washu, you're the greatest!"

   Another popped up on her other shoulder, "The smartest in the
whole universe!"

   Washu and her two puppets began laughing together, earning
some very puzzled looks from other tourists on the tower.

   "Oh, how cute!" Mayuka cried, bouncing over to study the
puppets. "When did you get those?"

   "Do you like them?" Washu asked. "I got the idea from a
version of me from another dimension I was chatting with the
other day. They're my Little Washu Supercompact Deluxe
Ego-Boosters!"

   "Washu, you're magnificent!" the puppets cried in unison.

   "Wow, can I have some, too?" Mayuka asked eagerly.

   "Perhaps once you've really grown into a teenager," Washu
replied seriously, her puppets looking solemn. "Remember, you're
still just a baby, for now."

   Mayuka sighed. "Why can't I grow up now, Auntie?"

   Washu shook her head with a sad smile. "You deserve a normal
childhood, Mayuka. Well, as normal as a childhood can get in
Tenchi's home. It will be good for you, and good for Tenchi and
the others, believe me." She grinned. "Just be happy that I can
give you these expeditions to tide you over in the meantime! I'm
keeping records of everything you experience, and once you've
grown up for real, you can have them all back again!"

   "Okay, Auntie," Mayuka said, a little sadly. Then, never one
to stay depressed for long, Mayuka pointed at Washu's
still-beeping device. "What's that?"

   "Oh, right!" Washu exclaimed. "I nearly forgot! I've located
the dimensional instability. It's right here, in the middle of
this observation deck. According to my data, it's not natural -
someone deliberately opened it, and used it to draw three people
into another dimension. Then, it returned them, several weeks
older, to the same instant that they left. Whatever opened the
rip was sloppy, though, and didn't completely close it
afterwards. Just give me a few moments, and I'll do that myself-"

   "HALT evildoers! I don't know what you're up to, but in the
Name of the Moon, I demand that you surrender at once!" Washu and
Mayuka whirled to see five teenaged girls in extremely short
skirts staring at them menacingly.

   "Uh, hi," Mayuka, lifting a hand in a weak wave.

* * * * * *

   Minutes earlier, the Sailor Scouts had arrived at the base of
the Tokyo Tower. "We'd better transform before we move in," Amy
suggested. "Whatever we're up against is STRONG. I've only seen
power levels like this a few times before." The others nodded.

   "Mars Star Power!" Raye was engulfed in flames, and emerged as
Sailor Mars.

   "Jupiter Star Power!" Lita followed suit, lightning cascading
all around her, leaving her as Sailor Jupiter.

   "Venus Star Power!" A cascade of stars transformed Mina into
Sailor Venus.

   "Mercury Star Power!" Amy disappeared in a swirl of bubbles,
leaving Sailor Mercury behind.

   "Moon Prism Power!"  At last, the leader of the Sailors
transformed, and an array of ribbons, Serena became Sailor Moon.

   The five of them raced to the top of the tower, knowing that
the element of surprise would be impossible in such an
inaccessible location, they charged onto the observation deck.
"There," Mercury announced pointing at a blue haired teenager,
who was chatting happily with a short red-headed girl. "She's the
source of the negative energy. I can't get an accurate reading of
the one with her. And there's a weakness in the fabric of space
there - they must be trying to open a portal somewhere!"

   Sailor Moon didn't wait to hear more. "HALT evildoers! I don't
know what you're up to, but in the Name of the Moon, I demand
that you surrender at once!"

   Both of the girls whirled in surprise. "Uh, hi," the
blue-haired one said, lifting her hand.

   "She's going to attack!" growled Sailor Jupiter,
misinterpreting the gesture. "Sparkling Wide Pressure!" The
tallest of the Sailor Scouts gathered lightning into her hands,
and lobbed it at the girls.

   The two of them yelped and dropped to the ground, causing the
electric attack to fly over their heads and disperse harmlessly
against a wall. "Wait! You don't understand-" the redhead yelled.

   "Don't worry, Auntie Washu! I'll protect you!" the other said
determinedly, stepping to her feet. She held her hands before
her, and a blade of light materialized in her hands.

   "No!" shouted Washu. "That sword exists on several planes of
existence! If you open it so close to the rip-"

   Washu's warning came too late. With a 'pop' of displaced air,
the girl with the sword vanished.

   "Mayuka!" Washu shouted. Then, she turned angrily back to
their attackers. "Okay, that does it. I am now officially not a
happy scientist," she said, lifting her hands into the air before
her...

* * * * * *

   In general, Zagato was a man far more accustomed to causing
surprises than to experiencing them himself. Probably his
greatest was the day he abducted Princess Emeraude, and plunged
the world of Cephiro into chaos. Certainly, it was a move that
few had expected. While smaller in scope, he considered his
successful attack on the Archmage Clef to be no less an
accomplishment. The fact that Clef was now a stone statue at the
base of a cliff was certainly proof enough that Clef had been
very surprised indeed. And, were any to have been able to learn
his true motives for either action, well, they would have been
more surprised than anyone, most likely.

   However, he was willing to admit that he hadn't been expecting
an unconscious blue-haired girl to appear out of thin air above
his head and knock him sprawling to the ground. His only
consolation was that none of his minions had been present to
witness his temporary loss of composure. He wasted no time in
teleporting himself away from the "attack" and erecting a magical
shield. When it became obvious that the girl was presently not a
threat, he allowed the shield to subside, and brushed off his
robes. "Well... What have we here?" he murmured. He lifted a hand
and unleashed a number of magical scans upon the unconscious
teenager. "Hmm... Interesting. Very interesting indeed. I'd say
that this calls for Caldina's special touch..."

   Emeraude's former High Priest scooped the girl into his arms
and stalked off into the depths of his citadel.

* * * * * *

   Umi Ryuzaki, junior-high-student-turned-Magic-Knight slumped
exhausted against a rocky outcropping. She and her companions had
reached a broad stretch of rocky, yet relatively flat ground on
their way up the side of a mountain. "Is it much farther?" she
griped breathlessly.

   "Puu! Puupuupuu!" their guide, a small, marshmallow-like
critter by the name of Makona chirped in response.

   "You can see for yourself how much farther it is," her friend
and fellow Knight Fuu Hououji answered helpfully, her own breath
coming in labored gasps. "We must climb up this mountain to reach
the next Rune God." She looked up the mountainside, shading her
eyes from the sun with one hand. "We still have a long way to
go."

   "Oh, I was afraid you'd say that," Umi groaned wearily.

   "C'mon, don't be like that, Umi!" Hikaru Shidou, the third of
the three Magic Knights, said cheerfully. As usually, she was
clearly bursting with enthusiasm. "Every step we take brings us
closer to the next Rune God!"

   "That's easy for you to say," Umi teased with a friendly grin.
"You always have enough energy for all three of us."

   "Perhaps we should rest for a moment," Fuu suggested. "The
second Rune God has waited this long. It can wait a little
longer."

   "I know!" Hikaru said. "It's been a while since breakfast.
Let's have a picnic lunch!"

   "I think that sounds like a marvelous idea," Fuu smiled.

   Makona seemed to agree, and with a hearty "PuupuuPUUUU!", a
lance of blue light shone from the red jewel on his forehead,
spreading into a puddle on the ground. When the light faded, a
sumptuous spread of sandwiches, fruits, juices, and snacks lay
before them on a checkered blanket.

   Umi's eyes were simply shining by this point. "Oh, Makona,
you're wonderful! I had no idea I was so hungry until I saw
this." Practically drooling, Umi prepared to attack the meal. As
fate would have it, that was the moment that a creature dropped
down from above to land in the center of the feast, crushing much
of it and scattering the rest.

   Umi jumped back in alarm, but the creature did not give her
any time to think, let alone act. Lunging forward, it drew up in
front of her, and its face was inches from hers for a moment. In
that moment, Umi saw the face of their newest enemy. It was the
face of a blue-haired teenaged girl, but covered with greyish
fur. Twin black stripes stretched from beneath each eye across
her cheeks. Her mouth was twisted into a feral grin, and her eyes
were gold, and wild as an animal's. She was only able to see it
for a moment, before the creature slashed at her. She screamed at
the pain, as she was knocked into the air, trailing blood from
four shallow slashes across her abdomen.

   "Umi!" Hikaru shouted. The creature whirled to face her,
lifting one bloody finger to her mouth to lick it. Her wild smile
never faded. "I'll never forgive you for hurting my friend Umi!
Flame Arrow!" The red Magic Knight unleashed a bolt of fire at
her foe. Long before it arrived, though, the creature leapt over
the attack to land on the Magic Knight, throwing Hikaru to the
ground and pinning her down by her shoulders.

   "Hikaru!" Fuu yelled.

   "Don't worry about me! Heal Umi!" Hikaru shouted back as she
struggled beneath her enemy. "I'll hold her off for now!" Fuu
didn't waste time on a response, choosing instead to hurry over
to Umi's unconscious form.

   The creature didn't waste any time either, lifting a clawed
hand with the intent of slashing at her prey. But by lifting the
hand off of Hikaru's shoulder, she had given her just enough
leverage to twist free. Hikaru kicked the creature off of her,
and leapt to her feet. Hikaru summoned her escudo sword into her
hand, and prepared to fight her opponent with a blade, rather
than fire.

   Her enemy paused at the sight of the drawn blade, and, for the
first time since she had appeared, seemed to hesitate, frowning
slightly. Then, her smile returned, as she held out a hand and
summoned a sword of her own, this one made of blue light. She
attacked with blinding speed, and Hikaru was barely able to lift
her own sword in time to block it. The creature slashed again and
again. "She's... strong!" Hikaru hissed through gritted teeth.

   "Hikaru! Move!" Umi's voice suddenly called. The creature
looked up to see the blue Magic Knight leaping toward her, sword
drawn and poised to strike. She lifted her energy blade to block,
and then swung it around to block Hikaru's follow-up strike.

   "Emerald Typhoon!" Occupied as she was with Umi and Hikaru,
the creature was not able to avoid Fuu's attack, and the magical
winds picked her up and smashed her into the rocks.

   She slumped to the ground, stunned. The three Magic Knights,
swords drawn, moved cautiously closer to her. To their surprise,
she spoke. "Wha..." she slurred. "Where am I?" Her face turned
up, and revealed a confused and lost expression - a far cry from
the fierce viciousness from only moments before.

   "Why did you attack us?" Hikaru demanded, not quite certain
yet that the creature's change wasn't a ruse.

   "A... attack?" she replied. "I don't understand! I was with my
Auntie, and these strange girls attacked us... Where am I?"

   "Don't listen ta them!" a heavily accented female voice called
out. The Knights looked around, but the way the voice echoed
around the mountainside prevented them from locating it's source.
"You're s'posed to listen to me, remember?"

   "Listen to... who?" the creature asked, confused.

   "C'mon, honey, let your demon sahd run wild for Zagato!"

   "Demon side...?" she blinked. "N-no! I'm not a demon! I'm
Mayuka!"

   "Obey me!" the unseen voice insisted.

   Mayuka grasped her head with her hands, clearly in pain. "No!"

   "She is being controlled!" Fuu said, suddenly understanding.

   "Fight it, Mayuka," Umi encouraged.

   "Cephiro is a land of the will!" Hikaru added. "If your will
is strong, you don't have to obey her!"

   "I'm NOT A DEMON!" Mayuka screamed.

   "Silly girl," the voice mocked. "You're whatever Ah want ya to
be. And raht now, what Ah want is - urk!"

   "And that, I think, takes care of that," a very self-satisfied
voice said. A short, red-headed girl walked into the rocky
clearing and approached the four, dusting off her hands.

   "Who are you?" Umi asked.

   "Auntie!" Mayuka cried, lurching to her feet to tackled the
younger-looking girl.

   "YOU are her aunt?" the blue Knight demanded incredulously.

   "My name is Washu. I apologize for any trouble that Mayuka
might have caused you. She was never meant to come here."

   "That is all right," Fuu replied. "We realize that she was not
responsible for her actions."

   "I'm glad. Well, I'm afraid we must be going," Washu said. "My
partner is helping to hold the gateway steady, but longer we
wait, the less likely it is that she'll be able to keep it open."

   "Gateway?" Hikaru asked.

   Washu nodded. "Back to Earth. Well, good bye!" A few taps at a
holographic keyboard later, and Washu and Mayuka disappeared.

   "Wait!" Hikaru shouted. "If you're going to Earth, could you
tell my brothers... Darn, they're gone."

   "Don't worry," Umi reassured her. "Once we find all the Rune
Gods and save Cephiro, you'll be able to tell them yourself! Now,
let's get back to that picnic!"

   "Right!" Hikaru agreed happily.

* * * * * *

   "Welcome back," Sailor Mercury greeted, as Washu and Mayuka
phased into view. Then, she started in surprise. "Is this... Is
this the demon side you told us about? I thought you said it was
dormant?"

   "I'm NOT a demon!" Mayuka snapped at her with a frown.

   "Hush, Mayuka - she meant no harm," Washu reassured her. Then,
to Sailor Mercury, "Yes, and it WAS dormant until some outside
force activated it." Washu smiled grimly. "I took care of that
problem. Don't worry, we'll have her back to normal soon enough."

   "Auntie," Mayuka asked hesitantly. "I'm not a demon... am I?"

   "No, you're not," Washu reassured her. Then she paused a
moment. "But your mother was. We weren't going to tell you until
you were much older. I'm sorry that you had to find out this
way."

   "My... mother? I have a mother?" Mayuka asked.

   "We'll tell you the whole story. But not here, not now."

   There was a flash of light, and the sharp smell of ozone.
"There, that does it," said Mercury. "I've sealed the portal."
Then, more hesitantly, "Are you certain that no one else needed
to use it?"

   "Quite certain," Washu answered. "Three went through, and
three came back, long before any of us arrived here. To them, in
fact, Mayuka was sort of a time-traveler. Here and now would be
the future for anyone on the other side of that portal. The
temporal mechanics of a decaying dimensional rip are really quite
fascinating."

   "I quite agree," said Mercury. "But... do you suppose you
could transform my friends back to normal now?" She indicated
four cute little water sprites dressed in sailor fuku. They all
looked pretty disgruntled.

   "Oh, why not? I think they've learned their lesson." Washu
summoned her keyboard, and transformed the four back to normal.

   "I'm me again!" shouted Sailor Moon in relief.

   "Well, I think we can safely say that was the most
embarrassing loss we've ever suffered," Sailor Mars said crossly.

   "Well, so long everyone. It's been fun! Let's go, Mayuka."

   "Okay," Mayuka replied, looking unusually somber. "'Bye," she
waved.

   "Are we just going to let them go?" Sailor Jupiter demanded as
the two boarded the elevator.

   "Don't worry - Little Washu explained everything to me,"
Sailor Mercury answered. "I believe that they are not our
enemies. Besides, are you really that eager to be a Kappa again?"

   "What? No, but-" Any further discussion was cut off by the
closing of the elevator doors.

* * * * * *

   "Well, are you ready, Mayuka?" Washu asked.

   "I guess so..." Mayuka replied. She began to disrobe in
preparation for her return to infancy. She stopped a moment after
removing her shirt. "Auntie... I don't want to forget what
happened today."

   "Are you sure?" Washu asked. "It had to have caused you a lot
of pain. I wasn't planning on adding today to your memory file on
my computer."

   "Yes!" her adopted niece replied vehemently. "I don't ever
want to forget! I... I don't like this darkness inside of me. But
it's a part of me! I don't ever want to forget that."

   "Very well, Mayuka. I'll keep it," Washu sighed.

   A few moments later, Mayuka was ready. "Okay, go ahead," she
said. Washu pressed a button, and Mayuka began her
transformation.

   On Washu's screen, a cursor blinked at her. "MEMORY UPDATED.
SAVE CHANGES? (YES/NO)" After a moment's hesitation, Washu
selected "YES".

   Washu bent down to retrieve the bewildered baby on the
asphalt, a troubled look on her face. It softened into a smile
however, as the baby's coos and giggles tickled her maternal
feelings. "Eh, I shouldn't worry. You were right, you know,"
Washu admitted, poking baby Mayuka's tiny nose. "It's always
important to know who you are. I'm sure everything will work out
just fine! Let's go home."

   Washu deposited Mayuka in her carriage, and began the journey
home.

* * * * * *

   "Caldina!" the Summoner Ascot called. "Caldina, where are
you!"

   Riding atop his floating stone, the young boy finally stumbled
upon the object of his search. It was a pity he didn't recognize
her. "Oh! What a cute little water sprite!" he said to the small
Kappa. "And you're dressed just like Caldina! Do you want to be
my friend?" He began to draw the magical hexagram that would
capture the creature and bind her to him. "Hey, where are you
going? Don't run away! I just want to be your friend! Come back,
little water sprite!"

   As she fled her young friend, the transformed creature who
used to be the dancer Caldina decided that it was turning out to
be a really, really bad day.

THE END