Tenchi-Muyo (OAV): Tenchi's Cousin

Chapter 2

	Fade in. The Tenchi-Muyo cast are staring at KENJI, who is staring at
RYOKO, who stares back. Suddenly, her eyes widen.

		RYOKO
	AMAZED SURPRISE YOU!

	RYOKO *streaks* over to KENJI and grabs him in a crushing hug,
forgetting entirely that she's supposed to act normal in front of
guests. She flew. The others present all get large sweatdrops, except
KENJI who is still in shock.

		KENJI
	FAINT It's you. You're here... and you're *real.* How?

		RYOKO
	HUGE GRIN It's all your cousin's fault.You're Kenji, aren't you?
Tenchi's cousin? I haven't seen you in _years._ I think you and Tenchi
kept me sane after all those years, trapped in that cave...

		KENJI
	CONFUSED Hold on, back up, how could a ghost be trapped in a cave? And
how come you're alive now? 

	There is a confused babble as RYOKO tries to explain, AYEKA tries to
keep RYOKO from telling, and MIHOSHI, among others, blurt questions at
RYOKO or KENJI or both. Finally, fed up, TENCHI and KENJI bellow at the
same time.

		TENCHI & KENJI
	SHOUT **QUIEEET!!** BOTH PAUSE, TRADE EMBARASSED GLANCES

		KENJI
	Do you want to tell them, cousin, or should I?

		TENCHI
	EMBARASSED Uh, you do it. You saw her anyway.

		KENJI
	Well, way back when we were kids...

	(There is a fade-out to another flashback as KENJI describes events of
long ago. First is a clip from OAV #5, where GRANDMA MASAKI is carrying
BABY TENCHI in a back carrier. BABY TENCHI looks toward the Oni Cave,
and waves and gurgles at the boggled ASTRAL RYOKO, who is standing on
the hillside. She looks surprised. 
	In a new scene, CHIBI-TENCHI and CHIBI-KENJI are playing on the
hillside. ASTRAL RYOKO comes out to watch, and CHIBI-KENJI points at her
and says something to his playmate. CHIBI-TENCHI looks and looks, but
can't see the "Ghosty Lady" his cousin is pointing to. ASTRAL RYOKO,
once again, is boggled.
	Still later, CHIBI-KENJI is back alone, and ASTRAL RYOKO tries to talk
to him, but he evidently can't hear her. Still, he plays with her and
she keeps him in the giggles by walking through trees and such. A later
scene has ASTRAL RYOKO looking down the hill sadly as YOUNG KENJI is
pulled away by his mother, and the family leaves. ASTRAL RYOKO looks
very forlorn.)

		RYOKO
	QUIET I was watching when Tenchi came to the cave the day his mother
died. It was then that I started cannibalizing my body's own power to
escape that trap: *NOTHING* was gonna hurt either one of those boys
again if *I* had anything to say about it! Then Tenchi came down and
opened everything up, and I was so happy I forgot how I looked after
eating myself away like that (not to mention 700 years locked up!) and
reached out to him, but he was terrified. But the door was open, and I
was finally free!

		KENJI
	IN AN UNDERTONE Cuz, Grandpa still keeps the keys to the Oni Cave,
doesn't he? How'd you get in?

		TENCHI
	BLUSHES Welll... I kinda.. IN A RUSH
pickedhispocketduringamatchwewerefighting!!

		KENJI
	IMPRESSED Whoa, cuz, I didn't know you had it in you! Not bad! (TENCHI
is nonplused.) TURNS TO RYOKO So how'd you end up locked in the cave? I
mean, you can do a lot that humans can't, from what you said, so...

		RYOKO
	GLARES AT GRANDPA _That_ was your 
_grandfather's_ doing... though I have to admit it wasn't his _fault._

		KENJI
	CONFUSED Hold on, wait a minute! You said you were locked in there for
700 years! How could it be Grandpa Katsuhito's fault?

	(YOUSHO coughs. There is a confused babble for a minute as all and
sundry try to explain, avoid explaining, or get the others to listen to
them. KENJI is on the point of bellowing again when SASAMI bangs her
spoon on a pot, getting some quiet.)

		SASAMI
	Sis, we can trust Kenji, right? He's of our family, and he's different
too, right? So of _course_ we can trust him! He helped me, didn't he? 

		AYEKA
	SMILES SUDDENLY Oh, of course, Sasami! Thank you for reminding me.

		KENJI
	AT THE SAME TIME 'Of our family?!?' What the... STARES AT TENCHI No
way... engaged already, cuz?

		TENCHI
	SPUTTERS N-no! I'm not - I mean I haven't chosen - I mean -

		KENJI
	Huh?

	(YOUSHO clears his throat again, and quiet descends. The group begins
an explanation about who everyone is, including histories. Everyone
takes turns, and for once manage to do something together without a
majour argument erupting. Finally, the whole story has been told, from
RYOKO's attack on Jurai and YOUSHO's departure 700 years ago to TENCHI's
freeing of RYOKO almost a year ago and AYEKA's somewhat hostile arrival,
through MIHOSHI's appearance and the battle with Kagato, and even
including SASAMI's revelation about her and TSUNAMI and the recent visit
from FUNAHO and MISAKI, YOUSHO's mother and stepmother respectively.
Some amusement is had from the fate of the would-be challenger for
AYEKA's hand in marriage, SEIRYUU.)

		KENJI
	BOGGLED, BUT LAUGHING So there he is on the dock set to fight you, cuz,
and Mihoshi's ship is headed for a crash landing, and he just *wouldn't
listen* when you tried to warn him?!? What an idiot!

	(General laughter, KENJI shakes his head)

		KENJI
	Related to aliens... I can still hardly believe it. And- TURNS TO WASHU
-you're the genius scientist who's also Ryoko's mother, and who that
Kagato creep locked up?

		WASHU-CHAN
	Yup! You wanna be a guinea pig for my experiments? I've never
researched spiritual power before- well, not that I can remember,
anyway.

		TENCHI
	CHOKES I don't think that's a good idea, Kenji...

	(Vivid recollections of the Nurse Washu scene play in the background.
This part, like the 'baby' episode, had nothing to do with how anyone
arrived, and was _not_ told to Kenji - all involved were too embarassed.
The scene slowly fades out as all laugh some more and KENJI is shown to
the attic rooms.)