Tenchi Muyo Fan Fiction ❯ Children's Crusade ❯ Old Friends and Enemies, Pt 1 ( Chapter 3 )

TENCHI Muyo - OAV Extension

Children's Crusade

By: Ted Thompson

Part 3

Episode 16: Old Friends and Enemies, Part I

We open on a panorama of the Masaki home. It's morning, and all is peaceful save for the chirping birds. We move inside and pan across the living room, where Mihoshi and Ryoko set watching some sort of comedy on TV. Yorokobi makes his way leisurely across the background and toward the door to Washu's lab. He's dressed in clothes now that look to be Nobouki's. As he reaches for the door....

YOROKOBI: [Gasp] (he jumps back as the door bursts open.)

SASAMI: (bolting out the door) Come on Ryo-Ohki!

RYO-OHKI: [CHAN](bolting out right behind Sasami) Mee YA!

As Yorokobi stares after them we see both heading for the door. Mihoshi and Ryoko have turned to see what the commotion was about. The viewer will notice at once, that Sasami now looks to be about 14 years old, even though she is acting no differently then she has in the past. Washu steps forward from the opening to her lab.

WASHU: [giggles] She really does hate to sit around for my check ups.

YOROKOBI: Guess so... Actually I was just coming to ask about her. I...

Washu stops him with a gesture as we see Ayeka come from off screen and step to the windows to watch Sasami and Ryo-Ohki as they head off away from the house.

WASHU: Come with me. [she heads back into her lab, Yorokobi follows]

SCENE: Washu's Lab

Washu walks to her customary perch and summons her transparent computer. While doing so she talks to Yorokobi.

WASHU: You want to know if I have an answer. If I've found out what has caused this change in Sasami. The answer is no. But I'll tell you what I've told everyone else. [she turns to face Yorokobi] Without getting too technical, she's suffering from hyper accelerated aging. Her Astral and Life Force patterns still show the same strange anomalies that I detected the day she fainted. I don't know what's causing it, but it does seem to be related to what happened to Ryo-Oh.

We go into a Flashback. We a section of Washu's lab where Ryo-Oh and it's container have been moved to. We also see Ayeka's back is to the camera. She is screaming a shrill scream on the order of the one she let out when she thought Tenchi was dead (EP6 "We Need Tenchi"). As she does, Washu comes running from behind the camera and toward her. As Washu nears, we go to a close up of Aeyka's head from behind, she drops to her knees and we see the seedling of Ryo-oh, withered and brown, apparently dying as Washu looks on it with astonishment.

WASHU: [Continuing] Which is something else I can't find a reason for. I am starting to believe that what ever it is, may be beyond traditional scientific reasoning.... [she trails off, staring as if something just occured to her]

YOROKOBI: [Gravely] Does that mean that what happened to Ryo-oh, will also happen to Sasami?

WASHU: [She snaps her attention back to the conversation] I still can't be sure. But if Sasami's present rate of aging continues, she will have reached the equivalent age of the oldest known Jurian, in about 180 earth years.

Reaction shot of Yorokobi's eyes growing wide and cut to....

SCENE: The woods

It's training time again. Tenchi and Yosho both dressed in the traditional garb they wore when we last saw Tenchi's training. Yosho stands to the side as Tenchi balances on short logs, attempting to stay on his feet as he dodges 3 swinging logs, substantially larger then the 1 log he dodged in EP3 "Hello Ryo-Ohki".

YOSHO: Try to visualize what's both before you and behind you, Tenchi.

Tenchi grunts and snorts as he dodges the logs, after several near misses, he gets too pleased with himself. He starts to grin at his accomplishment when he gets one right in the face, and comically falls over.

YOSHO: (makes a sound of disgust as he reaches to help Tenchi up) Do not pause to savor your victories until all your enemies have fallen.

TENCHI: [Dopey grin, he's been knocked senseless] Ewwwewwaahh...

YOSHO: [Eyes roll skyward in an "oh boy" expression] Let's take a break.

TENCHI: [grunts as he rises] Yes sir....

Tenchi steps over and sits alongside Yosho, wiping his sweaty brow.

Tenchi: Why do I have to keep doing this? You've been like a slave driver ever since that Yorokobi guy showed up.

YOSHO: These are dangerous times for you, and for the rest of us. If half of what Yorokobi says is true, then you need this training more then ever very soon.

TENCHI: [Laughing] Oh come on grandpa! Galaxy police don't seem so bad compared to the likes of Kagato or Dr. Clay. And those others he mentioned the.... [he searches for the name, but can't seem to remember]

YOSHO: Dakatsu. [A close up shot of Yosho's face. He gets very stern sounding, and we are treated to a flash of light reflecting off his glasses] Tenchi! You defeated Kagato by your skills, yes, but also with the help of others, and your gifts. Those same gifts narrowly saved you from Dr. Clay's trap. You cannot always rely on your friends, or those gifts that you cannot even control yet to save you in the future. And believe me, you will need all those things and more, [we see an image of a Dakatsu superimposed on Yosho's face] if you should ever battle even one Dakatsu face to face....

TENCHI: Well, you said yourself that they'd never dare come here, because Earth is inside the "Protected Territorys".

Yosho is about to give Tenchi another lecture when Ryoko steps from the bushes, in battle attire.

RYOKO: Am I too early?

TENCHI: [Quickly jumps to his feet and looks a bit nervous] Um, early?

YOSHO: [Seems to take note of Tenchi's reaction with slight amusement] No, I'd say your just in time.

TENCHI: [looking confused] In time for what?

Yosho steps to Ryoko's side.

RYOKO and YOSHO: [In unison] To kill you. [Ryoko's sword appears, her stance while not blank faced is much like when Kagato was controlling her in EP:5 "Kagato Attacks"]

SCENE: Masaki's yard

We see Sasami and Ryo-ohki-chan (That is her little girl form) running and playing in the grass. Sasami's laughter fills the air, and we can clearly see now that she is becoming a young woman. It is a picture of an older sister and younger one at play. In the end a spirited game of catch ends when Ryo-Ohki is caught off guard and is hit by the ball. She tumbles over and true to the usual reverts to her cabit form. Sasami rushes over and apologetically asks Ryo-Ohki is if she is ok. At the end of these scenes, we see Ayeka still watching from one of the large windows of the Masaki living room.

SCENE: Misaki living room

We view Mihoshi and Ayeka at an angle past Mihoshi with her in the foreground and Ayeka in the background.

Mihoshi: [Concerned] Are you ok, Ayeka?

Ayeka: [Turns toward Mihoshi her eyes tremble slightly] Yes. It's just that I am so very worried about Sasami. I know Washu is doing the best she can but I just wish......

Mihoshi: [Typical perky tone] Wish what?

Ayeka: I wish I could call home... Father and Mother would have every expert on Jurai searching for the answer. But, another part of me knows that even all of them together are no better then Washu. While she loves to remind us all the time, she really IS the greatest scientific genius in the universe.

Mihoshi: Why don't you contact home anyway? It might make you feel better!

Ayeka: [Visibly annoyed] Were you paying any attention at ALL to what Yorokobi was telling us? That your report never made it past your commander? The strange personnel changes in the Galaxy Police? Key servants and members of the Royal guard dismissed without reason, and replaced by unknown persons!? ALL arboreal ships recalled to Jurai!? If he's right, and I fear he may be, then contacting anyone on Jurai is the LAST thing we want to do!

Mihoshi: [As if recalling] Oh..... yeah... But, if it is all true, then Jurai already knows where we are.... won't they just come here and get you themselves?

Ayeka: I don't think so. I believe that my father's plan was to make it look as though the High Council acted on their own, ordering the Galaxy Police to retrieve us and get Tenchi "out of the way", that way Sasami and I wouldn't blame him. And Sasami wouldn't "hate him forever", as she said she would.

MIHOSHI: Well... Shoudn't we be doing *something* to try and find out what's really going on?

AYEKA: [gritting her teeth like she's said it a thousand times] We are, We're waiting to see what developes next.

Meanwhile Mihoshi looks lost in thought.

MIHOSHI: [Absent-mindedly] Oh. Why can't we contact your parents again?

AYEKA: [Disgusted, frustrated] AAK!

SCENE: Woods

We see Ryoko, now sneering and getting slowly closer to Tenchi. In the meantime, Yosho has also drawn his weapon and faces toward Tenchi.

Tenchi: Huh? Grandpa what's this? [More frantic as Ryoko closes to striking distance] WHATS GOING ON!?

Yosho Laughs oddly.

A swirling black cloud spirals up from the ground, surrounding Yosho as his appearance and voice become those of Kagato.

Kagato: Even now, with all you've learned, you still do not comprehend it all... Foolish child! Did you really think you could be rid of me so easily? I have been around for 7000 years! [calming his demeanor again] Do you really think you were the first to try? [He shakes his head] Still your a most troublesome youth, I had hoped that fool Clay could at least accomplish ridding me of your meddling interference, but I suppose I'll just have to do that myself.

Kagato gestures for Ryoko to advance on Tenchi, and she does.

Tenchi: Huh? WAAAAAAHH!!

Ryoko: That's right Tenchi, we're going to kill you! [She swings her blade down hard] HAAAAA!!

Tenchi blocks the blow, and their swords become locked together. He is still keeping his focus on Kagato.

Tenchi: You were destroyed! I saw it myself! And if you weren't Washu, Mihoshi and Ayeka would have been trapped on the Soja when it blew up....

Kagato: Washu doesn't have all the answers, boy, no matter what she may tell you. She still hasn't figured out what I did to little Sasami yet, has she? [He chuckles]

Now Tenchi gets angry he shoves off Ryoko and charges Kagato. Just before he strikes his blow, Ryoko teleports in and blocks him.

Ryoko: Ah, ah, ah, you were fighting me.... remember?

Tenchi now focuses on Ryoko.

Tenchi: Ryoko! What are you doing? Don't you remember what this monster tried to do to you!

Ryoko: Shut up and fight. Unless you *want* me to slice you to ribbons.

They now engage in a fast paced duel. Similar to the 1st episode's battle outside the school. However, this time, Tenchiken does not do the fighting, it's all Tenchi. The battle ends suddenly when Ryoko's sword is abruptly knocked from her hand. As it falls it vanishes, and Ryoko finds herself at the end of Tenchiken's blade.

Ryoko: Tenchi PLEASE! No!

Kagato: [In Yosho's voice] TENCHI STOP! Ryoko! I told you to take this seriously!

Yosho reverts to his normal self again. Tenchi looks completely confused until Yosho tosses a small spherical device at him.

Yosho: One of Washu's inventions. It makes whoever wears it appear as whom ever they wish.

Tenchi: [Looks at the device he just caught and then back up at Yosho] Uhn? You... you mean this was all a setup? [He progressively gets more angry] A trick?!! [Really upset] WHY!?!!

Yosho: The intention was to make you feel like you were in personal danger, and threatened with your life....

Tenchi: [Still quite ticked] It worked! [Glares at Ryoko] You were especially convincing....

Ryoko: [Now seeing Tenchi's anger directed toward her, pleads] Please! It was his idea.... to see if the light hawk wings would return....

Yosho: Do not blame her Tenchi, it was my idea. I thought that if you felt like you were in mortal danger, then the light hawk wings would appear again. [Tenchi just does a lote of glaring, first at Ryoko, then Yosho] I'm not sure if the idea was wrong or if it was because Ryoko let you beat her.

Ryoko: Hey! I was doing my best.... I just.... I haven't been feeling well lately. [It comes off as a lame excuse]

Tenchi: [comes to a boil] Ahhh! Ya know somebody could have really gotten hurt!

Yosho: Hmmm. [Turns to Tenchi and gestures to the training equipment] You need time to gain perspective. Take these things back to the shrine, and take the time to consider all this. If you look at it objectively, you'll understand why I "staged" this battle.

Yosho turns and walks away into the woods.

Yosho: Ryoko.... [He is summoning her to follow, she gets up with some difficulty and keeps looking back and forth between the angry Tenchi and Yosho who is walking off.]

Yosho: Ryoko!! [She gets up and gives Tenchi one last glance, he's mighty pissed. She gets a dejected look and turns to follow Yosho]

SCENE: WASHU's lab

We pickup where we left off, Yorokobi is talking with Washu, who is sitting on her floating pillow in front of her "laptop" Yorokobi however has moved infront of her, and stands gazing at the large "tank" that is in front of where she works.

Yorokobi: [Marveling whisper] 180 years? ..... So short a time for a Jurian....

Washu: [Looking up from her computer] Which is precisely why I am going to such lengths to find an answer. [She turns back to her computer and speaks with mock sterness] Now go away! Can't you see I'm tryin' to get some work done?

Yorokobi thinks for a moment more, then turns to leave. As he passes Washu he pauses. Camera angle switchs to a profile of Yorokobi with Washu beyond him. He places one hand on her back, and leans over to speak lowly to her.

Yorokobi: [places a hand on her back and leans toward her] Well, if anyone can find the answer it's you Baasan...

He turns to leave and we see a profile sideways wide open eyed glance from Washu. She then spins around, and we see her back and Yorokobi's beyond as he walks toward the door.

Washu: [Angry] Hey there! Just because I'm over 20,000 years old, doesn't mean you have to start calling me that!

Yorokobi: [Tilts his head but does not look back] My use of that term has nothing to do with your age [He takes the last few steps to the door and with his hand on it, adds] and you know it.

Yorokobi leaves via the labs entrance leaving us still viewing the back of Washu's head, now with a sweat drop on it.

SCENE: Woods

Yosho is walking next to Ryoko. While Ryoko occasionally glances at him, he only looks forward. We join them in conversation]

Yosho: I know you have a romantic interest in my grandson, anyone would have to be blind and an imbecile to miss that, but you assured me you would go through with this. I am very disappointed!

Ryoko: [At first she flashes an angry "Well screw you old man" look but it is immediately replaced by a "who am I kidding, his scorn hurts"] I know. I tried my best, I REALLY did! But I'm so tired.... I couldn't keep it up.

Yosho: [Looks out of the corner of his eye at her at the last statement] Tired? Hmmmm.... Can't sleep at night, eh?

Ryoko: [shocked] How did you know? Have you been spying on me?

Yosho: [turns and sits on a rock, and laughs a little] No... But I can see on your face the weight of guilt, and Yorokobi told me how he watched you fall out of the rafters that first night when he arrived. [laughs even more] He found it quite hysterical!

Ryoko: [Glowering she says thickly] I'm sure he did....

Yosho: [regains his composure and clears his throat while continuing] What is it that troubles you so, Ryoko?

Ryoko: [Now looking uncomfortable] I... uh... Well, um, this is kinda awkward. I mean, we've never talked about it and.....

Yosho: Your attack on Jurai. No we haven't, and I understand how you feel. Remember, your the whole reason I'm here.

Ryoko: Well, that's just one more thing....

Yosho: [Smiles] Tell me, how much do you remember?

Ryoko: Wellll. Not much. But I keep getting these visions of attacking the capitol city, and the royal palace.... [She starts welling up] The shot that killed Sasami....

Yosho: And that's all? Interesting. [He stands, and turns his back hands clasped behind him and looking down the hillside] You know there is much more to the story then you remember. Much more then I have told....

Scene dissolves into a tranquil scene of nearly empty streets and walkways of Jurai. We see several scenes and angels, then Yosho standing on a balcony.

Yosho: [voice over] I was a very unhappy young man. So many Jurians both common and Nobel, held great prejudice against me for being half human. [The scene changes and we see what appears to be a council chamber, with various older Jurians in separate groups standing around. They seem to be passionately discussing something.] The war of words raged in the chambers of the Holy Council. Some stood by my father's will and felt that my rising to the throne would herald a new age. Others saw only that I was not full Jurai and could not abide the thought of my rule, saying that Ayeka should be installed in my place. [ we now switch to a scene on that same balcony, Azuka and Yosho are arguing. Yosho seems somewhat pleading, while Azuka looks quite angry. We hear them, faintly.]

Azuka: ...you WILL be the next in the royal line!

Young Yosho: Father! This will only divide the people, it will not unite the empire, it will not erase the offworlders perception that we are elitists. At best it will result in a crippled reign of infighting and backstabbing... At worst a civil war! I cannot accept....

Azuka: NO! IT IS I WHO CANNOT ACCEPT YOUR ANSWER! An answer of no, is no answer... I simply wait, until you have an acceptable one!

We see only one eye of Yosho in a close up, and past his cheek we see Azuka storm off, as he does, Azuka fades, and the bright sky above returns to the earlier scene of early morning light.

Old Yosho: [voice over] And then one day, your attack came [blinding flashes of light, explosions, and soldiers running] but it came in the early morning, when no one was in the central complex. Your blasts, hit only the most unpopulated areas.

[We switch now back the present, Ryoko is now sitting with her knees drawn up to her face, arms wrapped around her knees, like a little girl, listening. Yosho turns, we get a glint of light off the glasses, etc.]

Yosho: You should have succeeded. You took us completely by surprise, but hardly ANY of your blasts were directed at any important areas. You missed the power plants, the defenses, even the main quarters of the palace. Although I do remember you made quite a mess of the great hall. Sasami was the only causality, and then only because she was where no one should have been at that hour. And you must also remember that due to the grace of her glory Tsunami, Sasami lives!

Ryoko: [Keeping her mouth buried against her knees] So I picked bad targets... Kagato always said I was a lousy shot.

Yosho: Your missing the point. [He pauses and thinks] Don't you ever wonder why I did not destroy you? Why I went to the trouble of entombing you, creating the shrine, and staying here? [He does not wait for an answer] First I want you to know that for all those reasons back on Jurai I welcomed an excuse to stay, and of all places here, the place of my mother's birth. [He looks off at the woodlands again] But that's not why I spared you....

We dissolve to a scene of deep space, Funaho, Yosho's ship, is in hot pursuit of Ryo-Ohki, they occasionally exchange fire, but mostly the dodge and weave one behind the other.

Yosho: [Voice over] First there were a few times in the long chase, where I made critical errors, but you did not destroy me. You hit hard, but in places that said to me "leave me alone" It was almost as if you or Ryo-Ohki didn't want to kill me, just wanted to escape.

[We change to an orbital shot, Ryo-Ohki and Funaho in orbit above the Earth]

Yosho: [Voice over] Finally we came to Earth, and you entered into an orbit. I followed, and Ryo-Ohki rammed us, trying to throw us out of orbit and down to the planet below. But we became entangled, just as you did with Ryo-Oh.

[We now change to Yosho and Ryoko dueling]

Yosho: [Voice over] And then came the days of hand to hand combat. For almost 4 days, we battled non-stop. As we neared the end, you changed my mind, which had be set only on destroying you.

[We come back to the present again, and see Yosho kneel down in front of Ryoko, who has not moved]

Yosho: For a brief moment, the glazed expression gave way to one of desperation, and you uttered one word. Help. It was then that I realized that you were not the one controlling your actions, not entirely. [He turns back and sits on the same rock, across from Ryoko] So I took the gems, and with your power gone, I was able to contain you. For 700 years I waited for I don't know what, but with your body deteriorating, I knew I had to release you and hope for the best. That's why I let Tenchi get the keys, you know.

[We see Ryoko go wide eyed in surprise]

Yosho: Yes I knew what your status was, Funaho would show me. But getting back to your guilt, when Mihoshi came here, I had the chance to do some checking. Every one of your attacks were like the one on Jurai. You always executed your orders, but tried your best to spare lives. Do you understand what I am saying? You are inherently good, that's how Washu made you, it was Kagato that put you up to those awful acts.

Ryoko: [Low and angry] I am not a machine, I am not a robot! And I am still the one who caused all that destruction!

He grabs her by the shoulders

Yosho: NO! You are one of the greatest hero's of Kagato's Siege! Because you were the one who did every thing you could to stop him!

SCENE: Shrine steps

For several seconds we are treated to views of Tenchi's trek up the steps, as seen from in the wooded area that lines the stairway's edge. Then we move in for a close up of his face as he makes the ascension, carrying the wooden swords that had been used for his training. He is talking to himself.

TENCHI: Ugh, I'm starting to think grandpa is loosing it. That cop started telling his story and as soon as he mentioned that he thought those Dikatsu *might* be involved Grandpa started gtarteed getting all paniced, like I've never seen before. Then he get's obsessed with me training, and the light hawk wings, and now he get Ryo....

At this point we hear a "whoosh" and Tenchi starts looking tenatively around, and into the woods. We then switch scenes to view from in the woods again as silloette moves out of shot, from between the viewer and Tenchi. Another sound, and Tenci whips around, dropping his load and drawing Tenchiken. The blade springs to life....

Tenchi: Al... Alright, who's there? Come on! [After a pause, he lowers the sword and shouts] Ryoko, I'm NOT in the mood for this!

Slightly up the steps a aquirrel come bolting out of the wood, and scampers across the steps. Tenchi get's startled out of his witts and yells, when he does, the squirrel also get's the fright of it's life and darts right back the way it came.

Tenchi: [Closes his eyes and puts one hand behind his head] Oh man, all this crap this morning has made me a bundle of nerves!

He gathers the items he had been carrying and continues up the stairs. As he does we see that the silloette is stil there, and that it is MUCH bigger then a squirrel.

SCENE: Deep Space (near Mars)

We see the stars with a small sun in the distance and to the left of the shot. After a second or so, one of the stars starts getting larger, and eventually assumes the outline of a space probe. Large dish antenna, foil covered fusalage, extended sensor/camera arms. It hurtles toward the camera and just misses it passing on the right, as it does the camera does a quick pan to keep the probe in shot, and as the probe retreats, we see that the pan has left us looking at mars.

(The passing sattelite can't have the NASA logo on it due to legal issues, however it does have a USA flag on it, which was obvious as the probe passed.)

SCENE: Dikatsu Bridge

We are greeted by the red orange pupil slit of a Dikatsu eye, it narrows, then widens. We hear a voice speak.

Dikatsu 1: Approaching probe Alpha. From the 3rd planet.

The Dikatsu in our extreme closeup moves aside (turning to face "Alpha") We see very little, some angular surfaces and a sillouette (similar to the one in the woods near Tenchi) The air is think with moisture, making a sort of mist hang in the air, like a bathroom with a VERY hot shower running.

Alpha: Will it detect us?

Dikatsu 1: Impossible to tell, but it's trajectory will bring it close to us.

SCENE: Space, near mars.

We are looking over the probes shoulder, so to speak. with Mars looming in the back ground. The probe is getting close to entering into orbit.

Probe: [Makes telemetry sounds]

SCENE: Goddard Space Flight Center

Your typical scene of a control center, with fellows in shirt sleves and wearing ties bending over consoles. The biog screen, a feature of almost any control center features the probes view of mars as it approaches the red planet.

Controller Boss: Ok people, this is it. I want a flawless entry, and so do the taxpayers. Flight control?

Flight Control: Flight control is go. Orbital burn in 10 seconds.

Controller 1: Look at the clarity of those pictures!

Controller Boss: Cut the chatter....

Controller 1: What the....

At this moment, the screen in the control room flashes BRIGHT green, and then becomes only an interferance pattern.

Controller Boss: What the blue blazes is going on?! [He rushes over to the Flight Control station]

SCENE: Dikatsu Bridge

We look now over Alpha's shoulder seeing only the back of his head. Beyond, is the main view screen of bridge. A large circle, it shows the probe's splinted remains slowly drifting in space.

Dikatsu 2: Sir, won't that make them just as suspicious?

Alpha: Let it, the Humans are so pathetically backwards they can't come investigate. They have to send those primitive robots to go anywhere beyond their own wor....

Dikatsu 1: Alpha! A signal from the 3rd planet.

Alpha: Finally! I detest all this sneaking around....

He gestures for the commincations to be directed to him. Distant shots and angles keep us from getting a clear image of what they really look like just yet.

Dikatsu Scout: My Alpha, I have managed to *sneak* [said with loathing] into their compound. Your suspicions were correct, the Galaxy Police have not made any arrests, in fact he seemsto be living with them!

Alpha: He failed to capture them.... Galaxy Police are so incompetent, I knew we should have handled this ourselves. Stand by, we will be proceeding with our secondary stratagey. Await us at the pre-arranged LZ.

Voice: [Kagato] I have been monitoring, commander.

A silloette of Kagato's bust appears on the main view screen.

Voice: [Kagato] Don't forget your *primary objective*

Alpha: [thick with barely disguised comtempt] *I* am a military commander, you DO NOT....

Voice: Spare me your pathetic self promotion.... [he leans forward and we see Kagato, but with a large scar cutting across his face] Our Lady does not accept failure, and I do not tollerate incompetence.

Screen goes back to a view of the ship orbiting Mars.

Alpha: [Now her voice deep and gravely with anger] Plot a stealth trajectory!

CLOSING CREDITS....