Okay, everyone, read this one with an open mind. I've read a lot of fan fics where Ryoko gets Tenchi. I've seen fics where Ayeka gets him, a few where Sasami gets him, Kiyone, and even Mihoshi had a crack at him. I have not read, however, a fic where Washu wins his heart. Oh, there are lemons where he and Washu throw down, we've all read them so wipe that, "Who, me?" look off your faces, but I wanted to see a fic where Washu *gets* him. Why not? After all, Washu's not the little girl she appears to be. And she *has* shown an interest in him. So, I wrote this. Just to see if it could be done. This is *NOT* a lemon! It's more of a slightly spoiled orange. Oh, by the way, Tenchi Muyo is the property of AIC and Pioneer LDC. I'd like to thank "Seaver," for proofing this story and suggesting I add a few...optional extras to Washu's lab. Don't sue me. Here it is. Enjoy. Ma Petite Washu It started simply... It was still early when Tenchi Masaki heard the fighting coming from downstairs. Alone, in his bedroom, he sighed and shook his head in disbelief. he thought. He sat up on his bed. He had been dressed for almost an hour, but hesitated going downstairs. All he wanted was a few minutes of peace. His eyes roamed over his simple room until they rested on an old trunk. He got up and walked over to it, kneeling down and opening it. He searched through the contents until he found the object of his search, an old picture in an oak frame. He smiled as he looked upon it. It was a picture of a dark haired woman holding a child. The two were smiling, probably at whoever had been behind the camera taking the picture. He knelt there for a few moments, letting his fingers touch the picture, as if that could bring him closer to the woman. He smiled, sighed, and put the picture back in the trunk. As he was standing, he heard footsteps approaching his room. was all he could think before the door burst open, and Ryoko and Ayeka entered, the two of them locked together in mortal combat. "I told you," Ayeka was shouting, "Tenchi does not wish to be disturbed!" "Get outta the way, Ayeka! I don't see a ring on your finger!" "Not yet!" The two separated for a moment as they powered up. The two women were glowing with rage. "Girls! Please! Not in my room!" Tenchi begged. They either didn't hear him or didn't care. "I'll just have to teach you a lesson, you mannerless demon!" Ayeka told Ryoko haughtily. "Let's see 'ya try it, little princess!" Tenchi hit the ground just in time to avoid the first energy bolts which, instead of striking their intended target, struck his wall instead, knocking large, basketball size holes in it. He began to lift his head, but thought better of it as another volley of energy blasts raked across his room. His bed, his dresser, his closet; nothing was spared as the two women fought. Tenchi looked to his right and gasped. He got up and rushed to his trunk. "Snotty little bitch!" Ryoko spat. "Shameless whore!" Ayeka shot back. "I should..." Ryoko broke off when she saw Tenchi. Ayeka paused and followed her gaze. Tenchi was kneeling over a burnt trunk, holding something in his hands. For the first time, the girls took a moment to look at the destruction they had caused. "Uh-oh," Ryoko commented quietly. Ayeka just stared. They walked over to Tenchi and stood behind him. He was holding something the girls couldn't quite make out. Whatever it was, it was badly charred. Tenchi was staring at it. "Tenchi..." Ryoko began. "Lord Tenchi..." Ayeka said a second later. Tenchi spoke, and when he did, they could both here the angry sobs he was trying desperately to contain. "Get out," he whispered simply. "Tenchi, I..." "Get out...both of you," he repeated. "Before I say something I'll regret." His voice was just above a whisper. They both took a step back. They shared a look that seemed to ask, "Just how far did we go?" Then, Ryoko vanished, and Ayeka walked out the door. Once they were gone, Tenchi wept. Ryoko and Ayeka sat on the living room couch. Amazingly enough, they were within feet of each other and weren't trying to blast one another into free floating atoms. Ryoko turned to Ayeka. "I think we went a little too far this time, Princess." Ayeka nodded. "What was he holding in there? Did you see?" Ryoko shook her head. "No, but whatever it was, it was important." "You shouldn't have shot that trunk." "Huh?" Ayeka turned to her. "I said, 'you shouldn't have shot that trunk.'" Ryoko turned red in anger. "Now wait just a minute, Princess! *You* were the one who blasted it! You should..." Just then, Tenchi came down the stairs. They watched as he calmly walked to the front door. "Tenchi?" They asked in unison. He opened the door and paused. He didn't even look at them as he said, "The two of you took something from me today that I can *never* get back. Right now, I don't want to see either one of you." With that, he walked out the door. Ryoko was on the verge of tears. "Tenchi..." Ayeka sat back down and hung her head in shame. Bringing pain to Tenchi was the last thing she wanted to do. From the kitchen, Washu heard everything. He sat on a hill top that overlooked the entire Masaki shrine. It was a sunny day, a beautiful day. He looked down on the green grass and tall trees that surrounded the shrine and his home. He was so enthralled with the view that he didn't hear the approaching footsteps until they were right next to him. "Tenchi?" He looked up to see Washu standing there. "Hello Washu," he said softly. She sat down next to him. "Are you okay, Tenchi? I heard about what happened." He sighed. "No, Washu, I'm not okay." "If you're worried about your room, don't. I can fix it up in no time." He shook his head. "That's not it, Washu." "Hmmmm," she intoned. "What did they take from you?" "Huh?" She repeated the question. "You said that they took something from you. Something you could never get back. What was it?" Tenchi looked into her green eyes, searching for some hint of sarcasm, but he found none, only concern. He reached into his shirt pocket and gave her a small piece of glossy paper. It was only an inch square. The edges were burned. It was part of a photo, she was sure of that, but she couldn't make out what it had been a photo of. "It's a picture of my mother," he told her. "*The* picture of my mother. The *last* picture. It was taken when I was six, about two weeks before she died." She listened as he stared into nothingness and continued. "It's stupid," he said. "I kept that picture in an old trunk for *years* because I was certain that if I walked into my room and saw it without bracing myself first, that I would break down and cry. I kept it because I was so afraid of forgetting what she looked like. I didn't mind if I cried from time to time, because at least I'd be able to *see* her. Dad keeps his pictures of her locked up, probably for the same reason, but *that* picture was *mine.* *My* memory of her." Washu looked down at the burnt photo. It was almost completely destroyed. Even *she* wouldn't be able to reconstitute it. His voice grew harsh. "And they *took* that memory from me in a petty squabble!" He stood up and took a few steps. "They keep telling me how much they *care* for me. They keep telling me how much they care, and then they go and do something like this! How am I supposed to interpret that?! Huh?! How should I feel when they destroy something I love in a fight about how much they love me?! Kami-sama, even when I say it out loud it sounds stupid!" "Tenchi, I'm not going to defend what they did, but it *was* an accident," she told him sympathetically. "It's *always* an accident, Washu!" He shot back. "This isn't the problem, it's just another symptom of something that gets worse and worse every day." He sat back down. His voice got softer. "I don't know how I feel about them, anymore," he told her quietly. "There was a time..." he broke off and paused before continuing. "There was a time when I thought I could love either one, now I'm wondering if I could love them at all. I don't mean to lead them on. They're like family. I don't want to hurt them, but sometimes I wish I had just listened to my grandfather and not have gone anywhere near that cave." He sighed before going on. "What happens when I *do* fall in love with someone? What happens when I bring a girl home to meet Dad? I don't think Ryoko or Ayeka would do anything *deliberately,* but that's just it. It wouldn't have to be deliberate. They're so powerful. It's fine when they fight each other, I don't think they could really hurt one another, but what happens when they turn that power on a normal human girl?" He put his head in his hands. "Kami- sama," he whispered, "How far would they go? And who could stop them?" Washu listened. She had never heard Tenchi voice these fears to anyone. He laughed. "You know something, Washu, as much as I protest every time my father brings it up, as much as I insist I'm not ready, I really *do* want children someday. I *want* a family of my own. I saw how close my mother and father were. I want that for myself someday." He grimaced and shook his head. "I don't dare tell anyone else, though. Can you imagine what kind of chess piece *that* would be? Ayeka going on about how my son would be the next ruler of Jurai, while Ryoko brags about how powerful our children would be? I don't think I could stand it. Not with something so serious. Not when they would use something I care about so much as a ploy." She was startled when he addressed her. "Washu? Can I ask you a personal question?" She nodded. "You had a child once. Was it worth it? I mean, was it worth all the heartache that came later simply to have a child of your own?" She sighed and thought the question over. "Yes," she told him. "It was. When he was taken from me, a part of me died inside. But before that....before that I can't think of a time when I was more content with my life. I sometimes wonder about him. How he turned out, did he marry, did he become a scientist like his mom? I guess I'll never know, but I wouldn't trade those few years I had with him for anything in the world." Tenchi listened to this and nodded solemnly. "That's one of the reasons I can talk to you, Washu. We have something in common the others could never share." She looked at him in puzzlement. "We both lost the person we cared about most too damned soon." She nodded slowly. Tenchi didn't deserve this. He didn't deserve to be squabbled over like a prize, to be used as a pawn for Ayeka and Ryoko to use against one another. He deserved better. He deserved someone like... Her. She blinked, surprised that a thought like that had even crossed her mind. a voice in her head asked her. another part of her mind cried. She looked at him. He was attractive,yes, but she knew that wasn't why the girls stayed on Earth. They stayed because he was a kind, caring person, who would never hurt them, and he would die to protect them. He loved them in his own way. Not in a romantic way, not yet, but it was enough to make them stay near him. She blinked as she realized that that was why *she* stayed. She was the greatest scientific genius in the universe, but instead of teaching or exploring the universe, she stayed on a backwater planet. She looked at his face again, and her expression turned harsh as she thought of Ryoko and Ayeka treating him as a trophy, something to be won or lost like a carnival prize. He *did* deserve better. How long had it been since she had known a man like him? Ten millenia? *Twenty?* Tenchi turned to her. "Thank you, Washu for listening to me. I..." He broke off suddenly as Washu, in her adult form, pressed her lips against his. When she finally released him, he blinked in shock. "Wa...Wa...Washu?" She put her finger to his lips. "Shhh," she said. "It's okay. I...I guess I just wanted to know what is was like to kiss a man like you again. Someone who can actually *feel* something." She smiled wanly. "I don't want to add to your problems, Tenchi. I just wanted you to know that there *are* others out there. Others who can appreciate you for who you are and nothing else. Don't worry. I won't tell Ryoko or Ayeka." Tenchi gazed at her for a moment. He had only seen her adult form once, just after Little Taro's visit. Then, she had acted seductively, having fun with him. Now, she seemed...unsure. The look of superiority she wore in her child form had been replaced by something else, something softer, gentler, and inviting. He gazed at her a second more, then leaned forward and kissed her again. Washu, who hadn't felt the touch of a man in centuries, rejoiced at its return. She reciprocated fiercely, almost overwhelming the young man. Tenchi, however, didn't panic. They sat there kissing for several minutes. Washu tentatively reached out and took Tenchi's hand, placing it on her ample adult breast. She waited for him to panic, to start bleeding from the nose, but neither event occurred. Spurred on by this small victory, she reached out and began to pull off his shirt while he began to unbutton her blouse. They fell back on the grassy hill together. When Tenchi woke up, the first sensation he felt was a pain all along his exposed back. He raised his head and looked behind him to see that his entire back was sunburned. He gazed up at the sun, which was now beginning to sink below the horizon, and checked his watch. They had been sleeping for close to five hours. Below him, Washu stirred. She opened her green eyes and smiled coyly. "Hello there," she said. "Did we oversleep?" Tenchi smiled back at her. "You have nothing to worry about," he said in a mock heroic voice, "Tenchi, the human sun block, has shielded your delicate skin from the sun's harmful rays." Washu burst out laughing. She looked at Tenchi's back and cooed. "Oh, did we get a sunburn?" she asked in a baby's voice. "Let me kiss it, make it better." "Now, now," he said with a wry grin, "That's how it got sunburnt in the first place." She laughed again, not the devilish cackle she used in her child form, but a soft, demure giggle Tenchi had never heard her use before. She noticed how low in the sky the sun was. "It's getting late," she commented. "The others are going to start looking before too long." Tenchi nodded in agreement, and held her a little tighter. "Tenchi?" "Hmm?" "Where do you want to go from here?" Tenchi blinked at the question. Washu continued. "If you want this to be a one time thing, something we'll never talk about again, I'll understand. It would probably be the safe thing." "No!" Tenchi responded, his voice fearful. "I don't want this to be a, 'one time thing,'" he told her. "This wasn't something I did just for the hell of it, Washu. I *wanted* this to happen. I just never realized it before now." She smiled and moved closer to him. "Good, I didn't want to lose you, either... now that I've found you." "There is another problem, however," he told her. She nodded. "Ryoko," she breathed, "If she ever found out..." She couldn't bear to finish the sentence. She *wanted* a relationship with her daughter. If Ryoko found out Washu had stolen Tenchi from her, Ryoko would never, in a million years, ever forgive her. On the other hand..."Do you know how long it's been since I've felt safe and loved, Tenchi?" Tenchi thought of the parts of Washu's life he *did* know about. Imprisoned by Kagato, and before that, her brief marriage and the forced separation from her child. "I couldn't hazard a guess," he told her seriously. She looked up at him. "Far too long," she said, then she kissed him. She broke off the kiss before it had the chance to go any farther. "We should go," she told him. "There's going to be enough questions as it is." She stood up and began looking for parts of her Science Academy uniform. Tenchi began to dress as well. He turned around to give her some semblance of privacy. He buttoned his shirt and smiled as her arms looped around him from behind, holding him possesively. He took one of her hands and kissed it. He watched, fascinated, as the hand began to shrink back to its normal size. He turned and found Washu's child form standing there. She adjusted her hair and smiled. "This isn't the end," he told her seriously. "This is the beginning," she agreed. Tenchi and Washu strolled back to the house. When they reached the front door, Tenchi's hand paused over the knob. he thought, He opened the door. "We're home!" he called. He turned to see Ryoko and Ayeka standing there in front of him. He waited for the interrogation to begin, but instead, was shocked to see Ryoko and Ayeka fall to their knees and bow down, placing their heads on the their hands. "Please forgive us, Lord Tenchi," Ayeka begged. "Please, Tenchi? We didn't mean to destroy your room. I swear!" Tenchi sighed. He wasn't really angry at them anymore. It *had* been an accident, but he still had to say something before it happened again. "My room is off limits when it comes to your fights, understand?" They both nodded vigorously. "As a matter of fact, if you *must* fight, do it outside where you can't destroy anything else. Got it?" They nodded again. He sighed. "All right. Apology accepted." They got up and rushed him, glomping onto him. They shared an irritated look, but a stern gaze from Tenchi stopped a fight before it could even begin. He managed to free himself. Sasami stuck her head out from the kitchen. "Dinner's ready!" she announced. "Oh, Tenchi! You're home! We were so worried! Are you okay?" Tenchi smiled. "Yeah, Sasami, I'm okay." "Good! Dinner's ready." She disappeared back into the kitchen. Tenchi turned to Washu. "Um...Little Washu, I hate to have to ask, but do you think you could help me repair my room?" She smiled. "Sure Tenchi. I'll look at it after dinner." "Well, that's the last hole," Washu called out, typing a last few commands on her holotop which controlled the repair bot that was working on the more damaged areas of Tenchi's room. Tenchi moved the old dresser he had found in the attic a few inches to the left and stepped back. "Perfect," he commented. He turned to Washu. "Thanks Washu, I appreciate it." She threw him a playful grin. "How appreciative?" she asked. Tenchi couldn't help cracking a smile. "How appreciative would you like me to be?" "Well, I..." She broke off when they heard footsteps bounding up the stairs. "Tenchi! Washu!" It was Sasami. "How is it going in there? Do you need any help?" They turned to see the blue haired princess appear at the doorway. Tenchi almost had a coronary. If Sasami had waited just a few more seconds, she would've caught him and Washu in the act! Washu took it in stride. "We're almost finished. We just have to clean up." "Great. Can I help?" "Sure," Washu told her. She reached into a dimensional pocket and removed a broom and dust pan. She handed them to Sasami, who took them happily, and began to sweep Tenchi's floor. Tenchi and Washu joined her in the clean up effort. As Tenchi cleaned, he thought about their close call. They would have to be extremely careful if this was going to work. In the meantime, he would have to think of a way to let Ryoko and Ayeka down easy, in a way that wouldn't result in a thermonuclear explosion. He glanced over at Washu. he thought. He paused and blinked. He really *could* help her. Wasn't Ayeka always going on about how powerful Jurai was? And wasn't *he* the crown prince? A plan began to form in his mind, but who could he ask for help? Ayeka? Doubtful. She'd want to know why. He was going to have to find the help elsewhere. One thing Kiyone didn't expect Saturday morning was a knock on her door. Since she had joined the Masaki's and their "extended" family, she had found life on Earth rather peaceful. Sure, there was the occasional alert, but aside from that, everything was status quo. Now if only she could kill her ditz partner and make it look like an accident... She got up and answered the door, only to find Tenchi standing there. "Tenchi, good morning. Is there something wrong?" "No, not really." He seemed rather uncomfortable. "Kiyone, I need to talk to you. Can I come in?" Kiyone blinked. "Sure Tenchi, come in." He stepped inside. Kiyone had her bath robe on. Tenchi had caught her on the way to the onsen. "What's the matter?" Tenchi took a breath and began. "I need a favor," he said, "As Tenchi Masaki...and as the crown prince of Jurai." This made her pause. To her knowledge, Tenchi had never even acknowledged his political rank, let alone used it. "Of course. What can I do to help?" "I'm looking for someone's personal history and, if possible, their whereabouts. All I have to go on is the mother's name. I know he was born at the Academy of Science some time about twenty thousand years ago. But that's all I know. I need you to run a check through the Galaxy Police records. Can you help?" Kiyone took a breath. "I don't know, Tenchi. Those records are supposed to remain sealed." "That's why I'm asking as the prince of Jurai. I figure the Galaxy Police could bend the rules for a member of the royal family." Kiyone shrugged. "It's been known to happen. I'll give it a try. You said you had the mother's name?" He nodded. "Washu Hakubi." "*Washu!?*" He nodded. "Whatever you can find would be great. Thanks Kiyone." "I'll give it a try," she said again, without enthusiasm. "Oh, one more thing," he said from the door. "Yes?" "I need you to keep this confidential. No one can know, not even Mihoshi." "Is there some kind of problem? Was a crime committed?" she asked. "Yes," he said, "But it was a long time ago." He left, leaving Kiyone thoroughly confused. Tenchi entered the lab and waited for the door to seal shut behind him. "Little Washu?" he called. "Tenchi, I'm over here!" Tenchi walked a few paces into the immense laboratory and found Washu in her adult form putting the finishing touches on her hair. Tenchi blinked in pleasant surprise. Washu was wearing a black evening gown provacatively slit up the right thigh. She turned to him and smiled. "Hi, there." Tenchi returned the smile. "Big night planned?" "Mmm hmm." She stood up and approached him. "I figured we could go out tonight," she told him. Tenchi paused. "Um...It's only eight in the morning," he told her. "Don't worry about that." "Well, how are we going to get out of the house? Ryoko and Ayeka are in the living room, Sasami's in the kitchen...." She put her finger on his lips. "It's all taken care of." She handed him two gold bracelets. "First, you have to get dressed." He took the bracelets and put them over each of his wrists. Washu took his hands and pressed a silver tab on each gold hoop. There was a flash, and suddenly, Tenchi was standing there in a black tuxedo! He looked down at himself. "I call it 'Insta-Tux,'" she told him with a grin, "Whadya think?" "It's great," he told her, he examined the Insta-Tux. The gold bracelets were positioned at the end of each of his jacket sleeves. He wondered how it worked. "But it still doesn't tell me how we're gonna get out of here without anyone noticing." She grinned at him. "Nothing is beyond the power of the greatest scientific genius in the universe," she told him. She brought up her holotop and typed a few commands. A dimensional doorway appeared next to them. Washu offered him her arm, and he took it with a smile. Together, they walked through the door... ....and reappeared in an alley. Tenchi looked around himself and wasn't quite sure they were in the right place. Old brick buildings were all he could see. Garbage cans lined the alley wall. It was dark out, the stars were already high in the sky. He turned to see Washu turning a key on the door before it quietly disappeared. She faced him. "Remember where we parked, okay?" He nodded, and she led him out of the alley and into a bustling street. The people around him were speaking a different language, but it was one he recognized. He had a sneaking suspiscion of just *where* Washu had brought him. Looking around at the cityscape, he found the proof. The Eifel Tower. He turned to her. "Paris?" he asked her. She shrugged. "I've always enjoyed traveling." He smiled and shook his head. "Lead on." Ryoko and Ayeka sat on the couch and watched the soap opera the two of them had been following ever since they started living with the Masaki's. It was one of the few likes they shared. They were silent for a long time. Finally, Ryoko looked over at Ayeka and spoke. "Um...Ayeka? Have you noticed anything different about Tenchi lately?" The princess blinked. "You noticed it too?" Ryoko nodded. "He just seems...I don't know...off, somehow." "Maybe he's not feeling well," Ayeka guessed. "Or maybe something's *happened* to him." "Like what?" Ryoko was silent. "I don't know, but I think we should make an effort to find out." The dimensional door opened twelve hours later and Tenchi and Washu stepped into the lab, both of them laughing. "That was wonderful, Little Washu," Tenchi told her. The two had spent a night in Paris. Dinner at an open air cafe followed by dancing at a ritzy Parisienne club until the sun had come up over the Eifel Tower. Tenchi couldn't remember when he had had so much fun. "Please, Tenchi," she said, caressing his cheek, "It's just, 'Washu,' now, remember?" He smiled and kissed her. "No matter what, you'll always be my Little Washu." "And you'll always be my little guinea pig." He laughed at that. "I didn't know you spoke any French," he told her, changing the subject. She shrugged. "I speak several languages, six thousand, as a matter of fact. French isn't so difficult after you master St'reeets'k." "How do you say, 'My little Washu,' in French?" "Ma petite Washu." "Ma petite Washu," he repeated, trying it on for size. He leaned forward and kissed her again. When they separated, their lips were only inches apart. "Can you stay the night?" she asked him. He sighed. "We still have to be careful. It's getting late, and you know how Ryoko likes to watch me sleep. She'd get suspiscious." She nodded in understanding. Until they could find a way to break the news to Ryoko and Ayeka without causing too much carnage, they had to be careful. "See you tomorrow," she said. "Count on it." He removed the bracelets from his wrists and watched as the Insta-Tux disappeared, revealing his shrine tunic. "I had a great time today, I mean tonight," he told her. "Me too. Next time, Hong Kong." "It's a date." They kissed again, and Tenchi left, throwing one last longing look at her before disappearing out the dimensional doorway that led to the house. Washu sighed. She was just about to return to her child form when she felt another presence. A presence she recognized immediately. "I figured you'd show up, eventually," she called out. She turned and faced the blue haired apparition before her. Tsunami crossed her arms over her chest and frowned. "Did you think I would approve?" "I don't recall *asking* for your approval, Sister." "Tenchi belongs to Sasami, Washu. It has been so ordained." Washu grimaced. "Oh, knock it off, Tsunami. Tenchi's exact destiny has never been determined beyond a doubt." Tsunami's grimace matched Washu's. "Their children will one day face the darkness Tokimi represents! By interfering now, you throw that destiny into peril!" Washu turned on her. "'Interfering?'" she asked. She snorted. "You're one to talk!" Tsunami flinched. Washu pressed the attack. "Tell me, Sister, do you invade their dreams? Do you whisper into their subconscious the idea that the other is evil, that she wants to harm Tenchi, that she's out to destroy the other and make Tenchi hers? I know Ayeka, and I know my daughter. They could be the best of friends, I've seen them be civil, even gracious to one another, but something always interferes." She took a step toward the goddess and stared her in the eyes. "You're the one who pits Ryoko and Ayeka against one another," she declared, deadpan. "You knew the fighting would upset him, and you *knew* that it would one day force him to drive them away. Then, Sasami wins Tenchi by default." She smiled, "But once again, you underestimated your sister." Tsunami gulped. "This mustn't be," she said quietly. "They must be married, they must have children, otherwise all is lost." "You don't know that, Tsunami!" Washu cried. "You said yourself, the future is changing constantly! Who knows what you'll see a year from now, or a decade from now?!" "That's not your decision to make," Tsunami told her. "Nor yours!" Washu shot back. Tsunami stood there for a moment, then said, "I will not allow this to happen. I will stop you." Washu stared her sister down. "Give it your best shot, *Sis*!" She made this last word a curse. Tsunami flinched as if slapped. She nodded curtly and disappeared. Washu leaned against a wall and sighed. "Why does love have to be so difficult *all* the time?" Kiyone watched as the Galaxy Police cruiser, Solaria, landed gracefully next to the lake. She made a few last minute adjustments to her uniform, making sure her award ribbons and name tag were straight before approaching the cruiser. She watched as the landing ramp came down. A Galaxy Police courier descended with a tungsten briefcase handcuffed to his wrist. Kiyone saluted smartly. "Detective Kiyone?" the courier asked. She nodded. "I need to hear your password, Ma'am." Kiyone nodded again and sighed. "Along came a spider, that sat down beside her, and frightened Miss Muffet away." He smiled and shook his head. "Who comes up with these passwords, anyway?" She shrugged absently. He unlocked the cuff on the case and handed it to her. "It's an Eyes Only document," he told her seriously, "It goes straight to the prince, and tell him that the GP will want a favor from *him* one day." She nodded, saluted, and watched him go. Washu typed away on her computer. Her newly discovered love life was playing havoc with her experiments, and she found that she was falling behind. She really didn't mind so much. Being with him made it all worth it. She paused a moment to reflect on her relationship with him. She had only been with two other men in her life: her husband and Kagato. Both men had gone on to betray her, both had taken children from her. But it was different with Tenchi. She felt more in control and happier than she remembered being with either of the others. She had once believed wholeheartedly that love was blind. That belief had caused her to miss seeing Kagato's true ambition until it was too late. That was what made her feelings for Tenchi so wonderful. They weren't at all blind. She was startled out of her reflection when two muscular arms embraced her from behind. She smiled as Tenchi leaned over her shoulder. "Busy?" he asked. "You have no idea," she told him. "I brought you some lunch," he told her, showing her a picnic basket he had placed next to his feet. She kissed his cheek. "That was sweet of you." "I also brought you something else," he told her. On this he was a little less comfortable. He reached into his pocket and produced a data crystal. Her eyebrows narrowed in puzzlement. "What is it?" He took a breath. "It's absolutely everything the Galaxy Police could find out about your son, Washu." There was a quick hiss of indrawn breath from her. She took the crystal carefully, as if she were afraid it would break if she weren't gentle. She stared at it, studying every facet, every point of light that reflected off it. She stared at the crystal loveling, caressing it as a would a mother holding her child. Ancient pains and emotions she thought she had forgotten strove to make their pressence known in her consciousness. With an obvious effort she controlled her emotions and held the crystal as what it is, a crystal. ... Her fingers closed around it. "Everything?" she asked, her eyes closed in pain. He nodded. "Yeah, everything." "Did you look at it?" "No," he told her. She opened her eyes and nodded. "Good." Suddenly, she hurled the crystal down to the floor and crushed it underneath her foot. "WASHU!?" Tenchi was shocked. "But why?" he whispered in wonder. "Why?" She looked at him with tears in her eyes. "For the same reason you had to keep your mother's photo buried in a trunk," she told him. "Because as much as I want to know, I'm afraid of what I might find out." He was silent, then he nodded in understanding. He kneeled down and embraced her. She buried her face in his chest and began to cry. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I shouldn't have..." She looked up at him. "No, Tenchi," she interrupted, "It was the kindest thing anyone's ever tried to do for me. The GP keeps their records sealed tight. It would've taken *me* forever to hack into their database. I can't imagine what you had to do to get it. *I'm* sorry." He didn't say anything, he simply held her and let her cry. "Is there anything I can do?" he asked. She answered by kissing him. All of her emotions, her fear, her grief, her happiness, her loneliness, her love, all of it went into that one kiss. Tenchi felt her grow in his hands. When he opened his eyes, he found the adult Washu sitting there. Tears were still in her eyes. "Just...be with me," she asked him. He nodded and embraced her again. Washu woke up in her room the next morning and yawned. She looked over to the other side of her bed and smiled ruefully. Tenchi had left last night. She placed her hand where he had slept and tried to feel his essence there. She finally got out of bed and went to her bathroom. Looking in the mirror, she flinched at her reflection. It took her a second to recognize her adult self. She must have forgotten to change back last night after he left. She thought about changing back but stopped herself. She found that she was becoming more and more comfortable with her older self than she used to be. She smiled at her reflection. Maybe being an adult wasn't so bad after all. "KAMI-SAMA, HELP ME!" he screamed as Washu dragged him toward the lab by the legs. He grabbed hold of one of the legs of the kitchen table. "I DON'T WANNA BE YOUR GUINEA PIG!" "Relax, Tenchi," Washu told him with a grin. "I just have to run a few tests." She looked up at the other girls to see if they would challenge her on this. Ryoko looked ready to interfere, but that look withered under Washu's challenging gaze. "Help me! I'll give you money!" he cried. "Uh, Ms. Washu?" Sasami asked. "Oh, don't worry Sasami, I'm not going to *hurt* him." She gave his legs a sharp tug, and he lost his grip on the table leg. He screamed as Washu began dragging him to the dimensional doorway. The door opened and closed behind them, leaving the girls sitting at the dinner table with concerned looks on their faces. "You..." Ryoko began, "You don't think Washu would... *hurt* him, do you?" Ayeka stiffened. "I...I don't think so." Mihoshi smiled. "I'm sure Washu will be careful. She likes Tenchi." They considered this for a moment. They certainly *hoped* she liked Tenchi. The second they were in the lab, Tenchi was on his feet. He watched as Washu changed from a small girl to an adult woman about eighteen years old. When the transformation was complete, she took a step toward him and kissed him passionately. Tenchi's back hit the dimensional door with a thud. "That was nice acting out there," she told him between kisses. "We have to keep up the pretense, don't we?" She smiled. "Of course, and speaking of which..." She produced a small remote control and pressed a button on it. Suddenly, Tenchi heard his own voice calling out from a speaker above the door. "Washu! What is that?" the voice asked. He heard Washu's voice a second later. "It's just a molecular probe. Relax!" Tenchi listened while Washu kissed him. It seemed by the sound of his voice coming over the speaker that he was in a lot of trouble. "Is this really necessary, Washu?" Tenchi's voice asked. Leaning against the outside of the dimensional doorway to Washu's lab, Ryoko and Ayeka listened concernedly. "I have to get the proper readings," they heard the scientist's voice explain. "Now, hold still." Suddenly, there was the sound of a chain saw being revved. Ryoko and Ayeka's eyes went wide. Ryoko pushed Ayeka out of the way. "One side, Ayeka! This has gone on long enough!" She powered up an energy ball and let fly. When the smoke cleared a second later, the door didn't have a scratch on it. She grabbed onto the door knob and began pulling. "Well don't just stand there, Ayeka!" she said, "Help me!" Ayeka grabbed onto the door knob and the two began pulling. They both stopped as they felt someone standing next to them. They turned to see Sasami standing there. "Oh, Sasami," Ayeka said sheepishly. "We were just...Sasami?" There was something odd about her. It took Ryoko a second to realize what it was. Then it clicked. Instead of the bisected triangle on her forehead, there were two glowing circles. "We need to talk," Sasami told them in a voice that was not her own. Tenchi woke up with a start. He reached over to hold Washu, but found her side of the bed empty. He blinked in puzzlement, but then he heard it. The sound of clacking keys on a holotop computer. He sat up and found Washu, still in her adult form, working on her computer. He crawled out of bed and reached for his shirt. He pulled it over him as he walked over to Washu. She smiled up at him as he approached. "Sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to wake you." "Don't worry," he told her. "What are you doing?" "You'll think it's boring," she told him simply. "No I won't," he replied. "I'm interested in what you do." She stopped typing and looked at him as if he had grown a new head. "It's an old experiment. I call it a, 'Dimensional Gate.'" "'Dimensional Gate?'" he asked. "Mmm hmmm. You see, there are other dimensions besides our own. Some of them are separate universes, some of them are alternate timelines, but they are all separated by a thick level of subspace. This gate would allow me to traverse subspace and enter a new dimension." He blinked. "Kind of like time travel?" "Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....sort of. The premise is the same, but the applications and the physics involved are different. I could show you, but it involves a lot of math." He nodded. "So what kind of universes do you think are out there?" She shrugged. "Who knows?" she asked. "For all we know, in some other dimension, you could be an interstellar warlord, Ryoko could be Empress of Jurai, and Kiyone could be Grand Marshal of the Galaxy Police." He chuckled at this. "Right," he said sarcastically, "And I suppose you're *still* the greatest scientific genius in the universe." "Well, if it works here..." He grinned and gave her a quick kiss. "I'll let you get back to work." He went to the bed and began to dress. She paused in her typing and turned to him. "See 'ya later?" He grinned. "If I can get away," he told her. He looked around and found a clock, checking the time. "I have to go practice with Grandfather." "Then I'll see you later." He gave her a quick kiss and walked to the dimensional door. He threw her one last look while waiting for it to appear and smiled. When the door opened, he walked through. Ayeka was sitting on the couch, doing a bit of light sewing. "Good afternoon, Miss Ayeka," he greeted her. She looked up at him and gave him a strained smile. "Good afternoon, Tenchi." Something about her tone made Tenchi pause. "Is everything okay, Miss Ayeka?" "Yes, yes of course, Tenchi." "Where's Mihoshi and Kiyone?" "They had to go out on patrol. They said they wouldn't be back for a few hours." He nodded. "All right." He walked out the door and continued on his way to the shrine. Washu typed in a last few pieces of data before she decided it was time to act. She jumped to her right and rolled to a crouching position just before a red light sword came down and sliced the pillow she had been sitting on into two neat halves. She stood up and faced her daughter. She hadn't changed back to a child since Tenchi left, so she was slightly taller than her would-be attacker. She was troubled, but tried not to let it show when she addressed Ryoko. "That was stupid, Ryoko," she said, her eyes narrowing. "Trying to sneak up on someone mentally connected to your mind like that." Ryoko stood before her with hate in her eyes. She extinguished her lightsword, but gave no hint of giving up. "We know what you're up to, *Mom.*" This last word came as a curse. "We know what you're trying to do to Tenchi. We're not going to let you." "And just what am I trying to do?" "You've had your eye on him from the start!" Ryoko spat. "You're so swept up in getting the Light Hawk Wings for yourself, you don't care if it kills him in the process!" Washu blinked. she thought. Then it all fell into place. "What did Tsunami tell you?" she asked. Ryoko's light sword appeared in her hand. "The truth!" Ryoko cried. "Which is more than I can say for my own mother!" She lunged at Washu. The scientist, however, was far from helpless. She threw herself to her right, a small holopad appeared in her hand. She pressed one of the buttons on the pad and watched as two of the shrubs in her lab vanished as the floor panels they were standing on flipped over. In their place stood two stun cannons. Ryoko's eyes darted from side to side. The cannons opened fire, but Ryoko was no longer there. She dematerialized and reappeared next to, first one and then the other, her light sword making short work of them. Before Ryoko could turn attention back to her mother, Washu pressed a second button. Suddenly, the ground underneath Ryoko vanished. Ryoko floated above the gaping hole and grinned. "Good one, Washu," she said tauntingly. "And you call *me* stupid?" Suddenly, a huge reptilian claw darted up from the hole and grabbed the demon's leg! Ryoko gave a cry as the claw pulled her down into the hole. Washu listened as Ryoko and Washu's pet kell dragon went at it, Ryoko's curses loud enough to wake the dead. After a few seconds, a very pissed Ryoko shot up through the hole. Washu pressed a third button. A dimensional door opened, and hundreds of tiny Washu-bots poured from the doorway, charging Ryoko. They jumped at the stunned space pirate, their collective weight knocking her to the ground. "Ryoko, listen to me. You've got it all wrong! I'm not trying to hurt Tenchi! Please, stop this!" Ryoko suddenly shot out from under the pile of Washu-bots and slammed into Washu, executing a flying punch to the stomach that knocked Washu back thirty feet. The holopad flew from her hand. Washu didn't waste time looking for it. In less than half a second, she was back on her feet, her own lightsword was in her hand. She brought it up and blocked an overhand blow from her attacking daughter. Ryoko brought her knee up into the pit of Washu's stomach. Washu gasped in pain and fell to one knee. She saw Ryoko bring her sword up for another blow. Washu brought her own sword up to block it... Tenchi got about halfway up the stairs to the shrine when he stopped suddenly. There was something wrong. He could feel it. He turned and started down the stairs again, first at a walk, then at a rather dangerous run. He opened the front door and started for the lab. Ayeka suddenly stepped out in front of him. "Tenchi," she began, "Please stop!" He paused. "Miss Ayeka, what's going on?" "It would be safer for you if you stayed out here. Let Ryoko and I handle it." His heart dropped to the pit of his stomach. "Handle what?" he asked fearfully. She took a step toward him. "Washu has been manipulating you, Tenchi. She's been trying to get the secret of the Light Hawk Wings from you. Her experiments have been slowly warping your mind so that you'd become her willing slave." "What are you talking about?" he asked in disbelief. Washu hadn't even mentioned the Light Hawk Wings since their relationship started. "How the hell did you get *that* idea?!" Ayeka paused, then whispered. "*She* said you would not be aware of it, that you would try to protect her." "Who said? Ayeka, I don't know what you're talking about? Where's Ryoko? Where's *Washu*?!" Ayeka was silent just long enough for Tenchi to realize what was happening. "Oh, Kami-sama!" He went to move past her, but she reached out and took his arm. "Tenchi! Please!" He jerked his arm away from her. "If *anything* has happened to her..." he hissed, but left the rest of the threat unspoken. "I can't allow you to interfere, Tenchi. I'm sorry." She took a step back. "Azaka! Kamidake!" On cue, the two guardians appeared on either side of him. Instantly, it seemed, he was trapped in a force field. He tried to struggle, but the field generated by Ayeka's servants was keeping him immobile. "Ayeka!" She looked at him with sad eyes. "Don't worry, Tenchi," she reassured him, "Once *she's* gone, her hold on you will be gone." With that she turned on her heel and entered the lab. He continued to struggle. Washu struck the aquarium wall with a grunt, her back absorbing the impact. She recovered just in time to duck under Ryoko's slash. Her daughter's lighsword bit into the glass, melting it on impact. Ryoko was struck by a dense stream of water from the ruptured aquarium that knocked her off balance. Washu turned it into an advantage and struck back. Now, Ryoko was on the defensive, parrying Washu's blows expertly, but with some degree of difficulty. The two paused in their attacks and faced each other, both were breathing heavily. Washu decided to try to appeal to Ryoko's sense of reason again. "Ryoko, I don't know what Tsunami told you, but you can bet it wasn't for *your* benefit!" "Shut up! I won't let you hurt him anymore!" "I'm *not* trying to hurt him! Ryoko....I don't want to hurt you. Please! You're my daughter. I love you." Ryoko's bitterly sarcastic reply was interrupted before it began. They heard the dimensional door open and close. Turning, they found Ayeka standing there. "You were saying, *Ms.* Washu?" "Ayeka," Washu breathed. Just how far had Tsunami gone? Tenchi struggled, tried to get the guardians to obey him, to turn him loose, but they ignored him. He couldn't move! The force field was so strong, in fact, that it made even the simple act of breathing difficult. He continued to fight. Washu needed him! The words came back to him suddenly. He stopped struggling and took a slow breath. He began to concentrate, focusing on one thing: Washu. He felt it, a glimmer of light deep within him. He focused on that light, nurturing it, coaxing it out to the surface. He felt it expand within him. Washu screamed as another thousand volts coursed through her. She fell to her knees as Ayeka's power logs began to power up again around her. She had to laugh at the irony. Here she was, the universe's number one genius scientist, destroyed by her own daughter and her rival. What truly hindered her was the fact that she didn't *want* to hurt either one of them. They were being manipulated by Tsunami. They honestly believed they were protecting Tenchi. They didn't realize what they were doing. She looked up to see Ryoko and Ayeka standing over her. She swallowed nervously. That last shot from Ayeka had sapped her remaining strength. She could no longer form a light sword to protect herself. Even if she wanted to strike back with her true powers, she couldn't. She took a moment to curse the fragile, physical body she had *chosen* to live in all those millenia ago. She took a deep breath. It was time. she thought. She closed her eyes. Suddenly, there was a violent explosion from the direction of the dimensional doorway. Washu's eye's shot open just in time to see Kamidake, in flames, fly across the lab and strike one the trees she kept in there for decoration. The red guardian seemed to try to recover, but stopped dead in it's tracks and fell on its side, it's one eye going dark. Washu, Ryoko, and Ayeka all looked up to see Tenchi standing in the doorway in his white battle outfit. The Light Hawk Wings orbitted his body like electrons about an atom. Through the doorway behind him, they could see Azaka lying in two neat halves on the living room floor. Tenchi took a few steps toward them. "Get away from her," he growled, dangerously. "Right now." Ryoko and Ayeka's eyes went wide. "Tenchi," Ryoko whispered in shock. "You don't understand. She's..." "*You* don't understand, Ryoko!" he shot back. "I love her." Ryoko was struck speechless. Ayeka turned to her. "She must have a stronger hold on him than Tsunami thought!" Ryoko nodded in agreement. "Tenchi, she's using you! She wants the Light Hawk Wings! You have to believe me! Can't you see it?!" "What I see is an execution in progress!" he snapped. "And you had better believe me, Ryoko, when I say that if you don't back away from her by the time I count to three, you'll regret it." Ryoko looked shocked. "She's controlling you," she whispered, begging him to understand. "That's the only explanation." "One," "Tenchi, please!" "Two," He reached out and grabbed one of the Wings. It obediently transformed into a light sword. "Tenchi. Please! We love you! We don't want to see you get hurt!" "Three! Now step back!" Ryoko licked her lips and came to a decision. "Ayeka, you take care of Washu." She formed a light sword in her hand. "Once she's gone, Tenchi will come to his senses!" Tenchi's eyes went wide. "Don't do this, Ryoko!" he begged. Ryoko stood between Tenchi and Washu. Ayeka began to power up her logs. Washu reached up and grabbed hold of Ayeka's kimono. She summoned as much strength as she could and hurled the princess to the ground. Caught off balance, Ayeka's control of the logs was interrupted, and they disappeared. Tenchi took a step toward Ryoko who raised her light sword in warning. Her eyes begged him not to continue. He saw Ayeka recover and turn back to Washu. He raised the sword and brought it down on Ryoko's. She fenced with him for a few seconds. She had never seen him fight so hard before. Their swords crossed, crackling together with barely controlled energy. He shoved, throwing Ryoko back several feet. He turned to Ayeka and motioned with his hand. One of the Wings flew out and struck the princess, slamming her back away from Washu. Another wave of his hand, and his remaining Light Hawk Wing flew out and joined the other. They wrapped around Ayeka like steel belts, suspending her in a force field even more powerful than her own had been. The princess struggled futilely. His eyes darted to Ryoko just in time to see her vanish. He gasped and rushed toward Washu, who was watching the now immobile Ayeka in shock. "WASHU!!" he shouted. He pushed her away just as Ryoko appeared next to them. She stabbed out with her lightsword where she thought Washu would be. Washu, caught by surprise when Tenchi shoved her, landed on her back. The back of her head struck the floor with a crack. She cried out in pain. She opened her eyes and sat up, trying to banish the pain in her head. She looked up at Tenchi and found him just standing there. Ryoko stood behind him, her face pale and haunted. Washu looked at his chest and found the tip of a red lightsword protruding from it. He looked down at the tip, and then, at her. "Ma petite Washu," he whispered, then fell to his knees. The Light Hawk sword and the two wings comprising the force field surrounding Ayeka flickered and vanished. "Tenchi?" she whispered. She watched him collapse face first onto the floor. "Tenchi?" Ryoko asked in a haunted voice. "Tenchi?!" Ayeka, freed from his force field, looked up. "Lord Tenchi?" Ryoko looked down at the lightsword in her hand. Her mouth opened and closed reflexively in pure shock. The sword disappeared. She covered her mouth with both hands and looked down at Tenchi's body. She shook her head. Her breath came in ragged gasps. She began to shake. Then she screamed. Washu rushed to him. She quickly turned him over and checked his pulse. She didn't like the result. She tried checking in another area, but with similar results. "Ms. Washu?" Ayeka asked. She fell back on her knees and shook her head. She felt the tears well up in her eyes. Suddenly, Ryoko vanished, unable to bear the sight of Tenchi's lifeless corpse. Ayeka shook her head in shock. She wobbled on her feet and feinted dead away without another word. Washu rested her hands on Tenchi's chest. She closed her eyes and tried to hold back the sobs. Finally, she couldn't contain them anymore. She burst into tears and collapsed on top of him. She caressed his face with her fingers, desperately searching for some sign of life, but knowing she wouldn't find any. She rested her cheek against his and continued to cry. With Ayeka unconscious, she was, in essence, alone in the lab. Not entirely alone. Her eyes shot open. She growled and turned to see *her* standing there. Sasami's pink eyes looked up at her. Washu's light sword appeared in her hand, powered by Washu's rage. She brought it up over her head and prepared to bring it down on the little girl's skull. The blow didn't fall. The sword disappeared. She returned to her knees and rested her hands on his body. Tsunami, in Sasami's body, didn't budge. "Well, Tsunami, I hope this satisfies you," Washu told her, her tone deadpan. "You know it doesn't," Tsunami replied. Her voice was grievous. "You were saying something about the effects of interfering, weren't you?" Tsunami didn't answer her. Washu didn't care. She just wanted to be alone with her grief. "I'm...I'm sorry, Washu," Tsunami told her, sympathetically. Washu looked up at her with all the hate she could possibly muster into a look. She shook her head. "Don't...you...*dare*...tell me that!" she hissed. "Don't you *dare* pity me!" "It's not just you, Washu," Tsunami told her. "I fear now for the future. Now, all is lost." "To Hell with your future, Tsunami!" Washu spat. "The future's what you make of it!" She turned back to him. "*He* taught me that," she whispered. The two sisters were silent for a moment. Finally, Washu swallowed her pride. "Tsunami, can you bring him back?" She waited for Tsunami to answer her. "No, Washu, I can't. Not now." "You're not telling me something." "I can't bring him back, but there is something we *can* do." Washu looked up at her. "But you'll have to give him up." Washu shook her head. "I won't do it unless you're willing to allow him to find his destiny with Sasami. There's too much at stake, and I'll only be able to do this once. I won't have the power to repeat it." Washu looked down at Tenchi. "But he'll live on?" "Yes." Washu stood up. "Okay, Tsunami. Deal." Tsunami closed her eyes. There was a flash of light, and suddenly, Sasami's body fell to the floor unconscious. Where she had been standing, Tsunami's adult form now towered. She raised her hands and gathered all the energy she could muster into them. Another light, even brighter than before shot from her hands, encompassing her and Washu. Washu blinked the light out of her eyes and found herself in the kitchen. She looked around herself in surprise. She saw Sasami standing at the stove, cooking lunch. She looked down at herself and found that she was in her child form. "What the..." She heard Ryoko and Ayeka fighting in the living room. She went to the doorway and looked out. They were sitting on the couch, arguing. This was familiar, somehow. She saw Tenchi come down the stairs. She gasped. He was alive! HE WAS ALIVE!!! "Tenchi?" Ryoko and Ayeka asked in unison. He opened the door and paused. He didn't even look at them as he said, "The two of you took something from me today that I can *never* get back. Right now, I don't want to see either one of you." With that, he walked out the door. Ryoko was on the verge of tears. "Tenchi..." Ayeka sat back down and hung her head in shame. Bringing pain to Tenchi was the last thing she wanted to do. Washu shook her head in shock. She was back to that morning. The morning where she and Tenchi realized just how much they cared for each other. Tsunami had sent her back in time! She could prevent his death! She could... No...she couldn't. That's what Tsunami had meant. If she tried, Tsunami would only repeat whatever it is she did to Ryoko and Ayeka. If what she said was true, if Tsunami could only send her back once, then that meant there would be no third chance. And if Tenchi died this time, he would be lost forever. Washu wouldn't be able to live with herself if that happened. She stood a little straighter and took a deep breath. "Sasami," Sasami turned from the stove. "Yes, Ms. Washu?" Washu swallowed and tried to hold back her tears. "Tenchi...Tenchi is upset about something," she told the little princess. "I think you should go talk to him." "Hmm? Oh. Okay, Ms. Washu." Sasami took off her apron and ran past her to catch up with Tenchi. Washu watched her go. She could feel Tsunami's presence behind her. Washu didn't look at her sister. "Sasami..." she began, trying in vain to hold back her sobs, "Sasami will be good to him," she said, wiping the tears from her eyes with her sleeve. "She...she's a little young, but then again, so am I." Tsunami didn't say anything. "She'll make a good wife and mother. I've...I've always thought so. I mean...she's kind, she can cook," she chuckled sadly, "She'll look like *you.* I'm happy for him. I...I really am." She couldn't hold the tears back any longer. She fell to her knees and began to cry. She felt Tsunami's arms circle around her. Washu turned and wept into her sister's kimono. Tsunami held her as she cried. "I *am* sorry, Sister." "Why?" Washu asked. "Why does it have to be this way? Why? I loved him, and he loved me, so why couldn't we be together? Why do I have to give up someone I love *again?!*" Tsunami held her. "I don't have an answer for you, Sister. All I know is that it was the *right* thing to do." Tsunami gazed down into her eyes. "If you like, I can erase your memories of your time with him." "No!" She broke away from Tsunami in fear. "I don't *want* to lose that time with him! I *need* that memory of him!" "Shhh. It's okay, Washu," Tsunami said, trying to comfort her. "I won't take it from you if you don't want me to. But it will be hard, Sister, very hard. You won't be able to share those memories with him." "I know, but it's enough to know that it *did* happen. I can be content with that." "I understand, Sister. If you ever need to talk..." "Thank you, Tsunami, but I think I'd rather be alone right now." "I see." Tsunami released her and stood up. "If you need me..." "I know where to find you, Sister, thanks." Tsunami nodded and vanished. Washu walked to the hallway and entered her lab. She waited for the dimensional doorway to close behind her before she leaned against it. She sank to the floor and put her head in her hands. Alone in her lab, she began to weep again. Ryoko found Washu sitting on top of a hill near the shrine. The sun was just beginning to set. She materialized next to her and sat down. "Hey, Washu." "Hello Ryoko," Washu replied. "Did Tenchi forgive you?" Ryoko blinked in surprise. "How did you...Oh, you looked in my mind again, didn't you?" Actually, she hadn't needed to. "Yeah, Ryoko. I did. So, did he?" "Yeah, he did. Sasami talked to him. She told us why he got so upset. We had no idea what that picture meant to him. You see, we accidentally..." "I know, Ryoko. I know." "Oh, well Sasami sent me out here to find you. Dinner's almost ready." "Thank's Ryoko." "Um...Are you okay?" Washu sighed. "Yeah, Ryoko. I'm fine." Ryoko looked out at the setting sun. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" Washu looked over at her. "Yeah, I guess it is." "I'd love to be out here watching this with Tenchi," Ryoko sighed. Ryoko looked down in surprise as Washu moved closer to her and rested her head on her shoulder. Ryoko thought about pushing the scientist away, but for some reason, didn't. She found she really didn't mind. "Washu, are you sure you're okay?" "Ryoko, please, call me, 'Mom.' Please? I need to hear that right now." Ryoko blinked in confusion. "Okay...Mom." Washu hugged her daughter tightly. "Thank you. Ryoko...I love you. I know I don't usually show it, and I know I've never really been a mother to you, but I *want* to be one for you. I really do." She was on the verge of tears. "Please," she begged. "Please let me be your mother." Ryoko didn't know what to say. Washu had never been what you might call an ideal mom, but then again it could also be said that Ryoko was never an ideal daughter. She returned Washu's hug. "Yeah, Mom. I think I'd like that," she said, "If I can be your daughter." "I want that, Ryoko. I really do." She looked up at her daughter with tear-filled eyes. "Everyone I've ever loved was taken from me," she told her seriously, "I was lucky to get one of them back." "Oh, stop it!" Ryoko said. "You're making me misty!" It was true. She was feeling the moment. They embraced. When the sun sank below the horizon, bathing the shrine in darkness, they had not parted. Author's Notes: So, whadya think? I hold to the theory that Tenchi will eventually choose someone from the, "Other," category when he finally falls for someone. This makes some people upset. As I write these words, I'm sure several Ryoko fans are watching my house. (Author parts the blinds covering his front windows and sees a pizza delivery van with a satellite dish on the roof across the street. The van suddenly peals out and accelerates down the street only to be replaced a few minutes later by a florist van with a similar satellite dish placed its roof.) I don't expect to live long enough to publish this piece, but if I do somehow avoid death, please send C&C to: Thomas "009" Doscher doscher009@hotmail.com Do you think I pulled it off? Is a romantic relationship with Washu possible? How do I get my own Insta-Tux, and what size batteries would I need if I could?