Second Impact - Tenchi ********************** An Insert for Turn the Page All characters the property of the people who own them, and are used without the owner's permission. Please don't sue me. *** They put their entire lives on hold for me, and one of them died for it. It was all like a dream, those months we spent together. One after another, they came to me, stayed, and made my life richer. One morning I was an average teenager who was looking forward to his next year of school, and the next I was one of the most powerful people in the universe. Sometimes, in passing, I wish it WAS all a dream. And then I hate myself for thinking so. I should have seen what I was doing to them. I knew that they fought over me. It was hard not to, the way they were. But I just couldn't accept it, couldn't believe that those beautiful, amazing women would want someone like ME. Those women who could have anyone they wanted, men a million times greater, would want someone like me. Am I really that special? I shake my head when they insist that I am, that I am more than worthy of them and their love. I don't see it. What kind of man can't decide, even if they are all beautiful? Even if they are the most amazing, wonderful people I've ever known, I should have been able to choose, to pick one of them. What kind of man loves four women instead of one? But no, I had to avoid the question. I had to push them all away when they tried to get closer to me, and yet come closer to them in every word I said, in every action I made. I had to let them believe that my heart was a prize that could be won, when all of them had already won it. Oh, Kami-sama, why? Why did she have to die? I still remember it. I still remember how I felt like it was yesterday... *** The image on the starship's screen was fuzzy and grainy, but it was clear who was sending it. A beautiful, well-tanned blonde in her mid-twenties, with the most beautiful blue eyes. Those eyes were now bright with pain, the left one reddish as blood from a cut on her brow flowed into it. "...I repeat. This planet is now under a Level One Galactic Quarantine, pending the results of the Ascension." Ascension. A single word that described a horror that only certain races brought upon themselves. An attempt to turn themselves into something greater long before the race was ever ready to cope. At best, it could devastate a civilization, almost destroying it. At worst, it could wipe out the civilization from the galaxy, maybe even drawing in other races in its death throes. As they watched, the recording repeat itself. "This is First Class Detective Mihoshi, Number 2334215. The planet Earth has begun the Ascension process, and is now under Level One Galactic Quarantine. No ships may depart or land this planet until Ascension has been resolved." A pause, as she tried to wipe the blood and tears from her eyes. "Sayonara, Tenchi," she whispered, then composed herself. "I repeat. This planet is now..." "Ascension," Washu whispered in horror, and summoned her computer. She typed a few keys and frantically scanned the data that flowed across the screen. With a wordless, strangled cry, she fell to her knees. She looked with tear-streaked eyes at Tenchi, who was now arguing with Ryoko and Ayeka. "What are you waiting for?" he demanded. "We have to go down there! You saw her, she was hurt!" He whirled to the crystals that hovered near the front of the bridge. "Ryo-Ohki, let's go." "Iie, Ryo-Ohki!" Ryoko and Ayeka countered in unison. "Why the hell not?" Tenchi demanded. "We have to save her!" "She's dead." They whirled to look at Washu who was still crumpled on the floor. Her voice was soft, as if she didn't trust herself to speak louder. "Mihoshi, Yosho, Noboyuki, they're dead. Them and two billion others, dead in moments." She shook her head, and hid her face in her hands. "Oh, Bubblehead, gomen, I should have seen this coming. I should have stopped it. Gomen nasai." "Dead?" Tenchi whispered, and then shook his head angrily. "The message-" "Recorded," Washu interrupted. "Probably the last thing she did. It's at least a day old." Tenchi stared at her in horror, as her words finally hit him fully. Dead. His father. His grandfather. Dead. Mihoshi. Dead. While he was romping over the galaxy with the others, visiting Ichi and Sasami on Jurai, she had died. She was there because of him, and she was dead. It was HIS fault. "My fault," he whispered, self-loathing permeating his voice, and tears streaming down his face. "I shouldn't have gone with you. I should have been there. I should have been there to protect her." Ayeka suddenly hugged him. "Iie, Tenchi, it wasn't your fault. You couldn't have known." She suddenly stiffened as she felt another pair of arms circle Tenchi and her. She looked into Ryoko's eyes, and a message passed between them. Right now, Tenchi needed them. The fights were over. Ayeka looked over to Washu, and caught her gaze. She nodded slightly, and the woman rose to her feet and also hugged the crying man. "I...I shouldn't have led you all on like that," he whimpered. "You all stayed there because of me. I should have chosen one of you." Ryoko grew cold. "Who would you have chosen?" she asked in a faint voice. Tenchi suddenly shook their arms off of him. "I DON'T KNOW!" he roared, then feel to his knees. "I still don't." "Did you love her?" Ayeka asked softly. "Yes," he admitted. "Damn me, I loved you all. I still do." "She knew that you loved her," Ayeka told him, a bittersweet smile on her face. "We all knew that. That's why we stayed. Not just for you, for ourselves. I love you." "I do too," Ryoko agreed. "As do I, Tenchi," Washu echoed, and then suddenly smirked. "You're my favorite guinea pig, after all." Tenchi stared at her in shock, and then began to laugh weakly. It grew into something more hysterical before it faded into tears. *** If they could share me, how could I not let them? I wish I had accepted it as early as they had. They had known after those three strange men arrived. My sons. They had known, back then, that they would have to share me. Looking back, I see how the fights had changed, from fights over me, to fights over less important things, for the sake of appearances - out of habit more than anything. Those four wonderful women, who I loved more than anything. That is my one true regret after all these years. Not giving up the throne for Ichi. Not devoting my lives to the three women I married. What I regret the most is that I didn't tell them before Mihoshi died. That Mihoshi never heard me say the words. What would have they done, if they had known back then? Would they have shared me like they do now? Would they have hated me? Would they have fought yet harder? I wish I knew.