Tenchi Muyo Fan Fiction ❯ Gravity of Love ❯ Cycle-1.2: A Visitor Arrives ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Tenchi Muyo, but I'm saving my money and one day I will own it. So don't sue me because some day I'll be your boss. Oh yeah, I didn't create Tenchi Muyo either, some guys named Masaki Kajishima and Hiroki Hayashi did. I don't own the song Gravity of Love either. This song was written and performed by Enigma and is on their album, Screen Behind the Mirror. I'd like to thank them for helping inspire this fic and I hope they don`t sue me (especially after I just plugged them). Any way on to the fic.

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Tenchi Muyo!

Gravity of Love

Cycle 1.2

A Visitor Arrives

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A tall, blonde woman stepped onto the concentric platform. It began moving slowly forward. Her long, white lab coat trailed out behind her. She crossed her arms over her somewhat disappointing bust line. Her short, curly locks shifted as she tilted her head to one side. She tapped her foot on the platform. Kiagara was not a patient person.

She was deep in thought. She hoped that she could convince D3 to let her take this mission. She should be able to perform this task without any deception or allowing anyone to come to harm. However this mission would require some finesse on her part, and she preferred the direct approach.

Kiagara walked down corridors confidently, her purple eyes showing her resolve. The worst thing D3 could say was no. She was too valuable an asset to Tokimi to let anything happen to her.

She bowed deeply to a large gem in main room. D3's head appeared around it. "What do you have to report Dr. Kiagara?" he asked.

"I've completed the last mission you have assigned to me, Lord D3. I downloaded the full report on the mission into the databanks," Kiagara stated.

"Well done doctor and ahead of schedule as well. You have proven yourself to be a great asset to our Lady," commented D3.

"Thank you," she said as stood back up.

"I do not have a new mission for you at this time. I did not expect you to finish so quickly. However I will have a new mission for you shortly. I will contact you at the appropriate time." D3's head began to fade away.

"Wait Lord D3, there's something I would like to ask you," Kiagara spat out.

"Yes, what is it, doctor?"

"It has become common knowledge that Dr. Clay was assigned the task of bringing Washu to Lady Tokimi. I understand that he failed in his task," explained Kiagara.

"What is your point?"

"I would like to be given the assignment of bringing Washu here."

"There are already people working on that very assignment," explained D3. "Why should I-- Yes I understand. Lady Tokimi wishes to speak to you personally."

Kiagara gasped. As far as she knew Tokimi had never spoken to anyone personally. Washu must be more important then she had previously thought.

Large shadows sprang up around her. Kiagara felt overwhelmed by the presence of something she could not comprehend. Her mind was wrapped in an exquisite blend of terror, awe, confusion, understanding, and tranquility. Eventually a gigantic beautiful woman appeared in front of her.

"Lady Tokimi," Kiagara whispered as she bowed deeply. Placing her forehead on top of her hands.

"I understand that you wish to take the mission that Dr. Clay once had," Tokimi commented.

"Y-yes," stammered Kiagara has she lifted her head.

"Oh, and what makes you think you can succeed where others have failed?" Tokimi asked.

"I know Washu, she trusts me. I may be able to convince her to come here without any bloodshed," explained Kiagara.

Tokimi remained silent for what seemed like forever. "Very well, I will give you this mission but no harm must come to her or to the boy that lives with her," she commanded. "If you are able to complete this mission I will grant your wish."

Kiagara gasped. Universal knowledge, understanding everything and anything, it was the entire reason that Kiagara had agreed to work for Tokimi in the first place. "Thank you Lady Tokimi."

* * *

Tenchi was busy working the fields when it happened. Ryoko had come out of the sky and glomped onto him again. Ayeka had been bringing him his lunch at the time and seen it happen. Of course she had become enraged and demanded that Ryoko release him at once. That's when strange woman had emerged from the forest at the edge of the fields.

She was beautiful; there was no doubt about it. She was very tall with blond hair put up in a manner that reminded Tenchi of snails' shells. Of course the girls didn't notice her until she actually spoke.

"Let him go! Can't you see you're making him uncomfortable?!"

"Don't you know anything? Men always pretend not to like it so you'll give them more attention, right Tenchi?"

"Excuse me, is this the Masaki shrine?" asked the blond woman.

"Huh?" Ayeka and Ryoko said unison as they stared at the new woman.

"Well, you're in the right area," explained Tenchi. "Have you come to pay respect to the shrine?"

"No, I've come to see Washu actually," the woman explained. "Can you take me to her?"

Tenchi frowned. Washu didn't get visitors. No one except the upper echelons of the Jurai government was supposed to know that she was living on Earth. "Um, I suppose…" said Tenchi. "May I ask how you know little Washu?"

"I was one of Washu's friends from the academy. I guess I've come to reminisce about the good old days."

"Okay, if you follow me I can take you to little Washu," said Tenchi.

The new woman wrapped her hands around Tenchi's arm. "Lead the way," she said in a deep, sultry voice. A slight blush appeared on Tenchi's face.

At this point Ayeka and Ryoko had forgotten about their fight entirely. This new woman had become the focus of their attentions. However they knew that they couldn't do anything about it now or Tenchi would get mad at them. They nodded to each other. They would have a little `talk' with this new visitor later.

* * *

Washu was working in her lab, compiling the data from her latest research. One day she'd have to publish this data, let the universe know that she still existed, although she wondered what journal would believe that the woman who had disappeared for five thousand years was suddenly working again. Perhaps she could publish her data in one of the Earth scientific journals. Her research wouldn't be as widespread as it would be in one the galactic journals but she could help the people of this planet leave the Stone Age. She would become the savior and hero for an entire planet. Perhaps she would be worshiped as a god for millennia to come.

Washu admitted to herself that she liked the idea, as she liked anything that involved bolstering her own ego. However there were technologies and theories that the earthlings simply wouldn't be able use properly (and possibly blow themselves to oblivion trying to figure them out).

Washu heard a knock at the door. Why did people always disturb her when she was busy? Didn't they know that geniuses needed their privacy to work properly?

Washu sighed to herself. She'd have to tell whom ever it was to get lost.

She didn't even check who was at the door; she simply turned on the audio system. "Whoever it is come comeback later, I'm busy," she told whoever it was.

"But little Washu you have a visitor," Tenchi's voice came through the speakers.

"Well then you'll have to tell them that they'll have wait till I'm not busy," she explained.

"But little Washu..."

"Tenchi, I already told you I'm busy," Washu snapped at him. She liked the boy well enough but at times she found his incredibly dense head infuriating.

"Let me talk to her," she heard a feminine voice say. "Washu open up or I'll show all your friends out here those compromising pictures of you and Clay,"

"There are no pictures of me and Clay," Washu retorted.

"Not any that you know about."

"Ha, I wouldn't be caught dead in a compromising situation with that bastard."

"I don't know. Get a few drinks in you…"

"How do I know that you didn't just paste my head on your body?"

"Would I ever even touch someone like Clay?"

"You touched a lot of men back in your day."

"Back in my day? Are you saying that I'm an old woman?"

"You must be by now. It's been over five thousand years."

"Oh, then I should assume that you're an old lady too then?"

"Of course not, I'm still a very young and cute woman!"

"So."

"So?"

"Are you going to let me in Washu or are you going to make me stand out here

for an eternity?"

"Hmm... Well I always thought that the front hall could use a statue."

"Washu!"

"All right, All right, I'll let you in, jeez."

"About damn time," smirked Kiagara.

* * *

"They've been in there for hours," Tenchi commented.

"They haven't seen each other for more then five thousand years, they probably have a lot of catching up to do. Relax, I'm sure that they'll be out in time for dinner," Kiyone told him from the couch.

"I guess you're right," Tenchi responded. Actually what they were doing in there was the least of Tenchi's worries, to be honest he didn't really care that much. He wanted to know if Kiagara was staying here. This wasn't the first beautiful woman to come out of the sky and into his life. "I guess I'll go back to the fields now," Tenchi announced.

"All right, have a good time," Kiyone said.

* * *

Ryoko sank into the warm water of the onsen. Mayuka was in her arms, happily splashing away. Ayeka slipped into the water next to her.

"So, what do you think we should do about this new woman?" Ryoko asked.

Ayeka sighed. "I don't know. I'm starting to think that we shouldn't do anything at all."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Ryoko. There was an unspoken agreement between Ayeka and Ryoko; any other woman that dared to make a move on Tenchi would find herself dealing with both of them.

Ayeka sipped at her sake dish. "I mean all this plotting and planning. We've doing be this for two years now and neither one of us has gotten anywhere with him." Ayeka sipped at her dish again.

"He'll make his decision someday," Ryoko told her. "And when he does I'll be sure to invite you to our wedding."

"How can you be sure that you'll be the one to marry him?" asked Ayeka.

"Because we were meant to be together, that's why," Ryoko told her simply.

"Oh, if you're meant to be together then why hasn't it happened yet?" Ayeka smirked.

Ryoko was about to spout out something about fate, destiny, and all that, but even she didn't believe in those things anymore. Every day that Tenchi didn't show any indication caused her own doubts to sink deeper and deeper. Sometimes she wondered if she was a fool for failing in love with him in the first place. She couldn't believe in fate anymore, so she remained silent.

"See? That's what I'm talking about. I'm starting to think that he may never choose," Ayeka said.

Ryoko remained silent for a few seconds before saying something. "Of course he'll choose. You don't think he wants to spend the rest of his life alone do you?"

Ayeka took another sip of sake. "He may not want to spend the rest of his life alone, but that doesn't mean he'll want to spend it with one of us."

"If you think that why are you still trying?" Ryoko asked.

"Because as long as there's a chance that Tenchi may choose me I can't leave," Ayeka said.

"Then help me get rid of this new woman, then both our chances will improve," Ryoko told her.

Ayeka sipped at her dish again. "No."

"No?"

"If we drive this new woman away Tenchi will get mad at us and that won't help either of our chances," Ayeka explained.

"You don't want her around do you?"

"Of course not!" Ayeka exclaimed. "The last thing I want is yet another rival. But we should stop all this scheming and just let him choose. We should let him choose what he wants; we shouldn't stand in the way anymore."

"Look Ayeka, you can just sit around and do nothing if you want but I'm not just going to give up on Tenchi. If you won't help me then that's fine," Ryoko said.

Ayeka took another sip of sake. "Do you really think that all this planning is getting either of us anywhere with him? Aren't you tired of waiting for him to choose? It's been more than two years since I arrived and yet nothing has happened." She sighed deeply.

Ryoko could tell Ayeka was depressed. "You wanna hold the baby?" she sighed.

"That's all right, it's my night to take care of her anyway."

* * *

Kiagara and Washu where sitting in the lab laughing their heads off.

"I can't believe he fell for it," Washu commented.

"Well, male students will do almost anything for a pretty face," explained Kiagara.

"Yes, but in front of the faculty," exclaimed Washu. "He almost got kicked out for the stunt you convinced him to pull."

"Yes, but we managed to convince the board that it wasn't his fault, so no harm done," Kiagara said.

After several minutes the laughter finally died down.

"You didn't come all this way just to reminisce about the good old days, did you?" It wasn't a question.

"No I didn't," admitted Kiagara.

"So what did you come here for?" Washu asked.

"I came here to get you," explained Kiagara. "There's someone who wants meet you and I came to bring you to her."

"Oh, this someone wouldn't happen to be named Tokimi, would she?"

Kiagara was shocked. "How did you know?"

"Clay might have mentioned her," said Washu. "So if I didn't go with Clay, why should I go with you?"

"Well, unlike Clay I won't kidnap your loved ones and force you to come with. I will only take you there if you agree to come. And I encourage you to come with. Lady Tokimi has access to technology and knowledge that you simply wouldn't believe. There is so much you could learn just by going there. It's the best opportunity any scientists could ever have."

"Okay, but why is Tokimi so interested in me?"

"Lady Tokimi is gathering the most talented people in the universe to work for her. She's using them to work on the project. I can't discuss it with outsiders, but if you come with I could."

"Well I guess it would make sense that she would want The Greatest Scientific Genius in the Universe."

"Yes, I guess that's why she wants you. You'd be a great addition to the project."

"Too bad I'm not going."

"Huh?"

"Why I should be interested in working for any one who would hire a thug like Clay?"

"I didn't say that everybody who worked for Lady Tokimi was an angel."

"Yes, but one of her `employees' kidnapped my daughter. I don't think I can forgive her for that."

"It was for the greater good," Kiagara explained.

"That's not justification for what he did," Washu said. "He kidnapped my daughter, forced me to risk the lives of my friends, and he tried to kill one his own creations in front my very eyes. For the greater good is killing a few lab animals to find a cure for a disease, not what he did."

Kiagara sighed. "Well first off Zero didn't give Clay much of a choice; he did what he had to. You and Zero forced his hand. On top of that Clay didn't hurt Ryoko did he?"

"No he didn't. He just held her captive and demeaned her. And then he set his ship on self-destruct with out any regard to who was still a board."

"But he didn't hurt her and he didn't hurt any of your friends. He only intended to hold them captive until he reached Tokimi at which point they would have been released."

Washu smirked. "So you say."

"I can guarantee it. Lady Tokimi wouldn't have allowed him to hold your friends forever," Kiagara explained.

"If Tokimi's such an angel why would she wipe Clay's and Zero's memories of all the information related to her? What is she hiding?"

"Unfortunately there are some that disagree with Lady Tokimi and they would do anything to stop her from reaching her goals. If they were to find out where she is then there's no telling what kind of damage they would do. The memory wipe was only done to keep the project safe from others."

"Maybe they're right to try to stop her," Washu commented.

Kiagara felt the rage rising with in her. `How dare she question Lady Tokimi's intentions? Lady Tokimi's plans are good of us all!' She took a breath and suppressed her emotions. `I will just have to take my time and prove that to her.' "I'm sorry that you feel that way but I guarantee that the project is for the good of us all."

"I trust you Kiagara, really I do, but I don't trust this Tokimi person at all. I'm sorry but I won't go with you," Washu said.

Kiagara sighed. "All right, I respect your decision but I hope you'll change your mind some day."

"Maybe I will, but for now Tokimi has to gain my trust before I do anything."

* * *

Ryoko sat on the roof thinking. `Ayeka, what the hell does she know? Tenchi loves me; I know that. Ayeka doesn't know what she's talking about. What a load of bullshit.'

Ryoko still couldn't shake the nagging doubt that Ayeka had placed in her head however. It had simply been to long. Shouldn't she have gotten somewhere with him by now? Yet still Tenchi hadn't told her how he felt about her and every time she had brought the subject up Tenchi avoided her.

She was beginning to understand Ayeka's frustration.

`It's because of Ayeka,' she told herself. `Tenchi can't bear to hurt Ayeka so he's keeping his feelings about me a secret. Yeah, that must be it. This is all Ayeka's fault.

`Then why can't I get rid of these stupid thoughts she put in my head? Maybe she's right; maybe we really are in the way. Maybe it's time for this stupid competition to end.'

Before she could get any farther with her introspection Sasami called everyone to dinner. Ryoko quickly forgot her current train of thought and teleported into the house for her meal.

* * *

"So Dr. Kiagara how long are you planning to stay with us?" Ayeka asked their new guest who was kneeling across the table from her. She wasn't going to drive this new person away but she was going to find what her intentions were. Every non-earthling woman that had shown up at their doorstep since she had arrived had become a rival for Tenchi's attention, with the exception of her mothers and Kiyone of course.

"I don't know right now but I doubt that I'll be here for very long," Kiagara told her.

Inwardly Ayeka breathed a sigh of relief. There was no need to worry. She sifted Mayuka`s weight in her arms. "Well, I do hope you'll enjoy your stay here."

"Thank you Lady Ayeka, but I'll probably leave here tomorrow morning," Kiagara explained.

Ayeka smiled. Tomorrow everything would return to normal.

"You can stay a few days can't you? I mean you just got here and we've just started getting reacquainted. We haven't seen each other in thousands of years, it would be a shame to let this opportunity to pass us up," Washu said.

Ayeka frowned slightly, much could happen in a few days. Ryoko however was more obvious as to what her feelings were. She was glaring angrily at Washu but no one seemed to notice and if they did they weren't saying anything.

"Well, I guess could stay for few days but I can't stay much longer," Kiagara said.

"Great!" exclaimed Washu.

There was an awkward silence as Washu waited for the others to get to know their new guest.

"Excuse me Lady Ayeka, but your baby is so cute. What's her name?" Kiagara asked, trying to start a conversation.

Ayeka smiled again. Though she would never tell anyone she secretly considered herself to be Mayuka's mother. There was nothing more she loved then to take care of the adorable, little infant. She loved her `little princess,' even more than she loved the child's father.

"Hey, now wait a minute!" Ryoko objected. "Ayeka is not Mayuka's mother."

"You're not her mother either," Ayeka growled.

"I'm better with her than you are," Ryoko snapped back.

"Liar," Ayeka replied, "You don't know the first thing about taking care of babies."

"Oh, like you know so mu--"

"Girls!" Tenchi shouted. "Not in front of the baby."

Ayeka and Ryoko turned away from each other with a "humph." Tenchi breathed a sigh of relief.

Kiagara looked uncomfortable. "I'm sorry that I brought it up," Kiagara said.

"No, it's all right," Tenchi explained. "Unfortunately the mother is longer with us and her name is Mayuka."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Kiagara said.

"Don't be," said Ryoko. "She wasn't exactly a model mother. I'm glad she's not with her."

An uncomfortable silence hung over the room. "Once again I'm sorry I brought it up," Kiagara said.

"No, you shouldn't be," said Washu. "Mayuka's mother abused her in terrible ways. I'm glad that she can't hurt her now either."

"Well then, I'm sure that all of you will take very good care of her," said Kiagara.

"So how do you know Washu?" Kiyone asked.

"We were friends at the academy," explained Kiagara.

"Yep, we met when Kiagara became a professor at the academy. I decided to show her the ropes, make her a model professor," Washu commented.

"Then I found good professors to give me advice," Kiagara joked.

"What do you mean by that?" Washu's eyes narrowed.

"Oh, nothing at all," said Kiagara.

* * *

Tenchi watched Ayeka lay Mayuka down to sleep. He stood in the doorway, while she was unaware. He wanted to watch her with out her `princess shell' on.

When Ayeka was with Mayuka she almost seemed like a different person. She smiled more often and generally seemed happier. She even dressed differently when she took care of her, trading her brightly colored kimono for a sweater and a long skirt. She said that it was because she got tired of Mayuka spiting up all over her expensive clothes. It was a side of Ayeka that Tenchi liked seeing.

Tenchi could tell that Ayeka loved Mayuka. Back when Washu had been taking care of little Taro she had explained how his own mother held and loved him. Now he saw Ayeka doing the same thing. He had seen Ryoko doing it as well. It made him glad that Mayuka was surrounded by people who loved her.

Ayeka spotted him. "Lord Tenchi?"

Tenchi panicked; embarrassed he had just been caught and a little bit guilty. "Oh... I, um... sorry," he said quickly. He turned to leave.

"Wait Tenchi," Ayeka said quickly. "You can stay."

Tenchi turned around. "Um, I'm sorry I was watching you Miss Ayeka."

Ayeka blushed. "It's all right."

Tenchi moved in to the room and stood next to Ayeka in front of the crib. Neither of them spoke for a few minutes. They just watched Mayuka sleep.

"She certainly sleeps like an angel," Tenchi commented.

"Yes, she does," agreed Ayeka.

"It's hard to believe that she was a teenager less than a year ago," Tenchi said.

"It would have been hard to believe that you would have had a child a year ago," Ayeka said.

"Yeah, I didn't expect to be a father at my age," Tenchi said. "I guess it's just another unexpected change in my life."

Ayeka remained silent for a few seconds. "Do you ever wonder what your life would be like if we had never arrived?"

"Huh?"

"I mean I never would have imagined that I would be living on another planet far away from my parents and home a few years ago but here I am, and I can't imagine my life any other way."

Tenchi thought for a moment. "No, I can't imagine my life with out all of you here," Tenchi explained.

Ayeka smiled.

"Why do you ask Miss Ayeka?" Tenchi asked.

Ayeka blushed. "Oh, it's nothing really."

"Ayeka, may I ask you personal question?"

"Um.. Yes," Ayeka stammered. "I just asked you a personal question. Go ahead and ask."

Well... um... do you consider yourself to be Mayuka's mother?" Tenchi managed to stammer out.

Ayeka looked shocked but managed speak. "Well, I know that she's not my child but I do love her and I care for her. I want her to grow up safe and happy. I want to be there when she's needs me."

It was Tenchi's turn to smile.

"Why do you ask Lord Tenchi?"

"Well, my mother died when I was little," Tenchi explained. "I don't want Mayuka to grow up without a mother to love and care for her. I've been watching you and Ryoko with her and you're both the same with her. It makes me glad to know that you both love her so much."

Ayeka smiled yet again.

"Well I should be going and you should be getting some rest," Tenchi said. "She'll probably wake you up more than once tonight, you should get what sleep you can."

Ayeka sighed. "You're right of course. Will you do me a favor? Will you go tell Sasami it's time for bed?"

Tenchi nodded. "Sure."

"Good night Lord Tenchi."

"Good night Miss Ayeka."

* * *

"Well, I guess you can sleep here," Washu said pointing to the bed in the guestroom. "If you need anything just knock on my door and I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you, I'm sure this will be all right," said Kiagara.

"All right then, Good night."

"Good night Washu."

Washu shut the door behind her. She walked downstairs and out onto the patio. She looked out unto the lake and sighed heavily. This was going to be tougher than she thought. Seeing Kiagara again brought up too many bad memories, memories of her husband, memories of her baby. To top that off she wasn't entirely sure that she could trust Kiagara any more. She had allied herself with Tokimi, the person that Clay had allied himself with. She couldn't be sure if Kiagara would do the same things that Clay had done before.

That uncertainty bothered Washu. She didn't like it when she couldn't predict what would happen next. There were to many variables involved here. People were so unpredictable.

"So how long are you going to let that woman stay here?" Ryoko said behind her.

Washu gasped. "Jeez, you scared me little Ryoko. Don't sneak up on mommy like that."

"She's up to something, I know it," Ryoko said.

"I'm starting to suspect her as well," Washu commented.

"So let's do something about it," said Ryoko. "Let's get her to leave."

"No," said Washu. "Not till I find out what she's up to."

"She's up to no good that's what she's up to."

"You can't prove that."

"I don't need to. I know it."

Washu sighed. "You can't just jump to conclusions like that. You don't know for sure that she'll hurt anyone."

"It's not worth the risk," stated Ryoko. "I'd rather get rid of her than risk the chance that she'll hurt someone."

Washu sighed again. "Do you remember when I told you about Tokimi?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Kiagara works for her. I want to know what Tokimi's up to and why she's so interested in me. Kiagara gives me an opportunity to find out what I need to know."

"Fine, don't help, but don't be surprised when you find out I'm right." Ryoko prepared to teleport away.

"Don't interfere little Ryoko. Let mommy take care of this, I won't let anyone get hurt," Washu said before Ryoko left.

Ryoko grumbled something incomprehensible and teleported away.

Washu sighed to herself. When was that girl going to learn to step back and analyze the situation before jumping in? The meaning of the expression: `look before you leap' was lost on Ryoko. She understood why Ryoko was that way too. Ryoko had lead the kind of life where a moment of hesitation could get you killed and she was tough enough that she could handle almost any challenge. She didn't need to think about the consequences of her actions. But now Ryoko had a family that took care of her and she had to learn that her actions affected them as well as her.

"I have to admit I'm a little disappointed," said Kiagara from the doorway. "After all we've been through you still don't trust me."

"Kiagara! It's not like that," blurted out Washu.

"It's unfortunate that you're right. I really hoped it didn't have to come to this," Kiagara sighed.

"What are you talking about!?" Washu stepped forward but was stopped by an invisible force. "What did you do?"

"Just a few force fields to hold you in place while I put you to sleep," explained Kiagara.

<Ryoko > Washu mentally called out before she fell to the ground unconscious.

What happens in the next part of Gravity of Love? I'm not telling. You'll have to wait to find out. So read the next part of Gravity of Love: And the Walls Came Down.

I'd like to thank my prereaders BlaqueTalon and Serenity McCloud.

Thanks for taking the time to read my fic.

Dave ^_^