Previous Episodes are available through the sidebar at:
http://dogbert.simplenet.com/Tempest
********************
Children Of Jurai
[We see a young Yousho on Jurai, walking through a field of
flowers. Petals are floating flying all around in a gentle
breeze. In the distance we can see the edge of a majestic
palace, a very organic looking building that reaches out and
up towards the sky like a tree, surrounded by a large wall
of intertwined vines. Yousho is walking away from the
palace with a bokken resting on one shoulder and a bag slung
across the other. He has a far away look in his eyes as he
walks with a steady pace.]
Emperor Azusa: [echoed voice] They have no right to do this,
I'll drag that bastard Hisako down here by his collar and
make him face me!
[We fade to show an argument between Yousho and several
outlined shadows that look like Emperor Azusa and his two
wives Funaho and Misaki. They seem to be drifting against a
bluish-black nebula like background. The shadows never move
yet Yousho response like they do.]
Yousho: Please, Father! Don't!
Funaho: Perhaps you let him handle this himself, husband.
Azusa: That no good group has been overstepping their bounds
lately, this is a clear example of that. They need to be
reeled back now before they get any other ideas.
Yousho: Father! I got myself into this, I'll handle it.
Don't drag the entire Empire into a fight that's between me
and Hisako.
Azusa: You don't understand, Yousho, if they don't
understand who has the true power in this relationship,
they'll try again!
Yousho: This isn't about them as a group, it's just about
Hisako!
Azusa: Then I'll teach him and send him back to the group as
an example.
Yousho: Father, don't you think I can handle this?
Funaho: Of course he does.
Azusa: I believe you are very strong, perhaps stronger than
I was at your age, and beating Hisako will show the strength
in your blood to everyone. But, Yousho, Hisako is their
master, their fighting champion, he's very good. If you
lose against him you'll disgrace yourself and only show to
everyone that you know how to get into trouble you can't get
out of. You don't want that, you need to make everyone
believe you're the best without showing them until you are
absolutely sure you can win.
Yousho: Father ... I'm sure I can win.
Azusa: That's the attitude you have to have, and I'm
positive you would put up a tremendous fight, but I don't
think you would win with the ease that you need to prove
you're the best.
Yousho: [His eyes widen with shock and he speaks the next
words dripping with venom] You never believed I could win.
Azusa: That's not true, son.
Yousho: Liar.
Azusa: [enraged] How dare you speak to you me like that!
Funaho: Husband! Calm down. Yousho, where is this battle
going to take place?
Yousho: [looks away] In the Gobe Field ... in three days.
Azusa: I'll have my men prepared from dawn. [his shadow
fades away]
Funaho: I'm sorry, my son, your father really does believe
in you. [hers and Misaki's shadows fade]
Yousho: [softly] No ... he doesn't.
[Yousho fades slowly away, then the scene fades back to the
field as Yousho walks away from the palace. He stops and
glances back.]
Yousho: I'll show him that I can win.
[The breeze suddenly stops and the petals fall to the
ground.]
Man: Right on time.
[Yousho looks back ahead with eyes wide to see a man, about
his height, with short brown hair, a beard and
reddish/purple eyes, wearing a teal and brown robe with a
sword in his belt and carrying a bokken.]
Yousho: Hisako...
Hisako: You say that as if you didn't expect me to show!
You aren't that foolish of a boy, are you?
Yousho: [His face softens to look serious] I'm here, aren't
I?
Hisako: That just proves your foolishness. [holds his
bokken out] Are your ready to settle this?
Yousho: [drops his bag and holds his bokken ready] I'm
ready.
[The two stare at each other for several moments. A bit of
the breeze picks up and throws some petals back into the
air. The two continue to watch the other through the
petals.]
Hisako: Begin!
[The two dash towards each other with blinding speed.
Before the they reach each other, the scene fades out and
focuses on the sleeping face of the much older looking
Katsuhito. His eyes shoot open and he sits up. Looking
outside he can see the clear night sky, filled with stars.
He gets up.]
[We see the outside of the shrine house as the door slides
open and Katsuhito walks out. He takes a few steps out and
looks up to the sky.]
Katsuhito: [thinks] Why does this memory bother me now,
centuries after it occurred?
[He walks into the house and shortly afterwards he walks out
holding his bokken. He holds the wooden sword out and
begins going through a sword kata.]
Katsuhito: [thinks] Hisako ... are you still out there?
*********************************************************
Children Of Jurai
Episode 5:
"Wandering Swordmaster Hisako;
Finish The Battle We Never Fought"
By Adam Leigh
*********************************************************
[We see Washuu's laboratory. A small pile of equipment
still remains from the explosion in the first episode.
Tenchi is digging through the piles while Washuu looks on
from a nearby console.]
Washuu: Come on, Tenchi, won't you participate in a little,
itsy-bitsy experiment for meee?
Tenchi: [pauses in his digging] I... don't think so.
Besides, I've got to go practice with grandpa. [continues
digging]
Washuu: Aww... don't you trust me?
Tenchi: Err...
Washuu: Well, all right, but you can't escape me forever!
Eventually you'll be my guinea pig again!
[Tenchi shivers then continues digging through the pile.]
Washuu: By the way Tenchi ... thanks for what you did to
Ryouko.
Tenchi: [looks up] What?
Washuu: I don't know what you did or what you said to her,
but... thanks. Even though I'm her mother, she won't listen
to me. She'll listen to you though.
Tenchi: But, I didn't do anything.
Washuu: Perhaps you were there at just the right moment to
make the difference, who knows. But she's feeling much
better now.
Tenchi: [smiles] That's good to hear.
Washuu: [raises an eyebrow] Getting soft on her, are you?
Tenchi: [panics] Huh? Uh, what do you mean? I like to hear
that everyone is feeling good, that's all.
Washuu: Uh-huh ... you know, Tenchi, you can't keep
stringing them along like this forever.
Tenchi: Hmm?
Washuu: Things can only stay like this for so long before
they begin to break down. Eventually it'll come down to a
simple choice. What will you do when it comes the time to
make it?
Tenchi: [his face clouds and he looks down to the pile]
There it is...
[He reaches into the pile and pulls out the Tenchiken.]
Tenchi: [not looking up] I'll have to hurry to the shrine if
I don't want to be late.
[He walks past Washuu towards the darkness.]
Washuu: [concerned] Tenchi...?
Tenchi: [stops; looks back] I said it to Kagato, and it's
still true.
Washuu: ...
Tenchi: [turns and continues walking into the darkness] I
would rather die, than forsake any one of them.
[Tenchi disappears into the darkness.]
Washuu: [tilts her head] Eventually we're all forsaken,
Tenchi. [pause] That doesn't mean it's always a bad thing.
[We see the kitchen of the Masaki house. Sasami is wearing
an apron while cooking something in a large stainless steel
pot. She lifts the lid and drops a pinch of salt in before
stirring it. Ayeka is seated at the counter behind her
sipping from a cup.]
Ayeka: How is it coming alone, Sasami?
Sasami: It's nearly perfect! Everyone will love it since
it's the best I can make.
Ayeka: That's very kind of you, to put so much emotion into
what you do.
Sasami: That's the only real way to do it.
Ayeka: [smiles] I know...
Sasami: You know, it's silly to bring this up, but Ryouko
talked about pretty much the same thing the other day.
Ayeka: She did?
Sasami: Uh-huh. She wanted to know what it felt like to do
work voluntarily for a person you care about. She asked me
to teach her how to cook.
Ayeka: [clutches fist] Oh, has she? [thinking] That no good
Ryouko, swindling Sasami into teaching her. I'll show...
Sasami: Um, Ayeka?
Ayeka: [looks normal] Yes, Sasami?
Sasami: [covers pot and turns to face Ayeka] Why do you
always fight with Ryouko?
Ayeka: I don't think I'm *always* fighting...
Sasami: Why can't you get along with her?
Ayeka: Because she's... she's... a lying, troublemaking --
Sasami: [distant] --no good ... demon. [pause] That was what
you were going to say, wasn't it?
[Ayeka looks at Sasami quizzically.]
Sasami: I don't think you need to fight anymore, Ayeka.
You've gotten your point across.
Ayeka: Wait Sasami, I'm not trying to ...
Sasami: Then what? What is it, Ayeka? Why do you fight
with her?
Ayeka: I argue because ... I just can't agree with her,
we're simply too different.
Sasami: But you're wrong, Ayeka. You're so similar! You
must be able to see how alike you are!
Ayeka: [frowns] You know, Sasami, I don't like what you're
implying.
Sasami: Ayeka!
Ayeka: I can't see any similarities at ALL between that
demon and a Princess of the Royal House of Jurai. I don't
understand how you could even compare the two.
Sasami: No, Ayeka, don't get that way...
Ayeka: We are royalty, Sasami, you need to think that way if
you want to grow up to be a strong member of the imperial
family.
Sasami: [looks down] But ... Ayeka ... I don't want any of
that.
Ayeka: What?
Sasami: [looks up and smiles] This is what I'm happiest
doing. I don't need to be a princess to do this. What are
you doing when you're happy?
[Ayeka is silent for a few seconds, then she stands up and
walks over to the door that leads out of the kitchen.]
Sasami: Ayeka?
Ayeka: It doesn't matter, Sasami. I *am* a princess, and if
you're lucky, you'll never have to know what that truly
means. [she walks out.]
[Sasami remains staring at the door for several seconds
before a tear rolls down her cheek and she turns around
quickly to look into the pot on the stove. The steam rushes
up fast and caresses her face.]
Tsunami: [echoed voice] You tried hard, Sasami...
[Sasami looks up and steps back, wiping her eyes with her
sleeve as she does. The steam rising out of the pot
shimmers and a miniature looking Tsunami appears in the
mist.]
Sasami: Tsunami...
Tsunami: Ayeka won't be settling her differences with Ryouko
in one day, but you've set the seeds for the future.
Sasami: I felt ... so terrible as she walked away, like I
irreparably hurt her.
Tsunami: You did.
Sasami: But ... I didn't mean to! I just wanted her to see
that she could be happy!
Tsunami: It's okay, Sasami, even if you hurt her, you're
doing good. Ayeka cares a lot about Jurai and never
imagined that anyone affiliated with the Royal Family would
not want to be there. When she found out about Yousho she
was equally as hurt, but this time she's actually going to
wonder if she really wants to go back as well.
Sasami: I didn't know she thought that way. When she told
Father that she was going to stay on Earth, I thought she
felt the same way I did.
Tsunami: She's very confused, and recent events have only
confused her more. It will take time before she sorts
everything out.
Sasami: But, she looks so confidant all the time... Ayeka is
really strong, isn't she?
Tsunami: Very strong. Much more so than she gives herself
credit. Someday, she'll make a powerful Empress.
Sasami: I hope she does.
Tsunami: You too, Sasami. As much as you may want to stay
here forever, you'll have to return to Jurai someday.
Sasami: I know...
Tsunami: It won't be far from today when you'll have to
consider everything you said today and decide if the throne
is in your future.
Sasami: It won't? How soon?
Tsunami: [solemn] Too soon.
Sasami: Tsunami!
Tsunami: Today is important for us, Sasami. This is the
last time I'll be able to talk to you.
Sasami: What? Why?
Tsunami: [smiles] You're growing up very fast, Sasami.
Remember, I'm only a projection of your future self. When
we meet again, I'll be more than just this ghost, I'll be
part of you.
Sasami: We'll never talk again?
Tsunami: No. But it's okay. You have lots of friends,
Sasami. Depend on them, they'll see you though, and, have
confidence in your sister, no matter what happens, she'll
always love you.
Sasami: [starts to cry] Okay...
Tsunami: Don't cry, that's how we started this conversation.
Cheer up, this isn't the end, this is a start to a future
with both Sasami...
Sasami: ... and Tsunami.
Tsunami: Good bye, Sasami.
Sasami: Good bye ... Tsunami...
[Tsunami fades back into the steam, smiling the entire time.
When she's completely gone, Sasami slides down to the floor
and leans against the cabinet, crying.]
Ayeka: [distant] Sasami...
[The door to the kitchen slides open and Ayeka walks in.]
Ayeka: [looking away] Listen, Sasami, I ... I'm sorry I was
acting mean to you.
Sasami: Ayeka...
[Ayeka looks over and sees Sasami on the floor crying. Her
eyes widen and she rushes over and holds Sasami in her
arms.]
Ayeka: Sasami! What's wrong? Are you hurt?
Sasami: [stops crying and looks up at Ayeka] Ay... Ayeka...
[she cries again, burying her head in Ayeka's shoulder.]
Ayeka: [stroking Sasami's hair] Shhh... Sasami... it's okay,
I'm here...
Sasami: Ayeka ...
Ayeka: Hmm?
Sasami: I love you.
Ayeka: [smiles and hugs Sasami] I love you too.
[We see a young Yousho, even younger than before, he looks
as if to be the human equivalent of eight, standing in a
small forest clearing wearing a light purple robe and
holding a wooden bokken. Standing opposite of him is Azusa,
who has not changed in appearance over the years at all. He
holds a sword in his hand with a hilt similar looking to
Tenchiken except longer and without the gems.]
Yousho: Father, when are you going to teach me how to fight?
Azusa: In time, son, but there are things you need to know
before you pick up your sword. There are many parts to
battle with an opponent, the actual conflict of swords is
merely a small part of it all.
Yousho: What else do I need to know, father, before I can
fight with my sword?
Azusa: Before a battle starts you need to gauge your
opponent. Examine his stance, his battle aura, any
potential weaknesses he may have that you can use to win the
battle that much sooner.
Yousho: Is that right, father? To use an enemy's weaknesses
against him?
Azusa: If you have gotten to the point where battle is
necessary, then what's right and wrong is irrelevant. If
doing what's right was going to play a part in this
conflict, it would have kept battle from occurring. By now,
the only important thing is winning.
Yousho: Okay, so after I size up my opponent, what do I do
next?
Azusa: Next you need to demonstrate your skill.
Yousho: What?
Azusa: Your enemy is most definitely sizing you up as well,
and you need to make him think that you are strong and
prepared for this fight. So demonstrate your skill through
a short kata. This will doubly help you warm up for your
battle. Then, after demonstration, always give your
opponent a chance to give up and avoid battle.
Yousho: Father, these all seem like scare tactics, is this
fair combat?
Azusa: Yousho, our empire exists on layers of scare tactics.
We control a good portion of a large galaxy that we cannot
possibly patrol all at once. The only way we maintain order
is through the threat of retribution, a series of shows of
strength that convince our enemies that we aren't to be
dealt with. Whether our threats are empty or not is
irrelevant if they keep the peace, that's all that matters.
Yousho: But father, what about the honor of combat? Mother
tells me--
Azusa: Your mother is simply nostalgic about her homeworld.
She wishes things were everywhere like they are there. But
it is simply not true, the days of honor fighting are
legends and practices on backwater planets. It should not
concern you.
Yousho: Oh ... [looks away] It just seems they have so much
more to be proud of if they win that way.
Azusa: Yousho!
[Yousho quickly looks up to his father]
Azusa: [holds his sword at ready] Ready yourself!
Yousho: [confused] Father...?
Azusa: Raise your sword and prepare to fight me. Do it
exactly as your mother has described for all I care.
[Yousho looks panicked but he holds his sword up.]
Azusa: Come at me!
[Yousho hesitates, then starts dashing forwards toward
Azusa.]
Yousho: Yaaaaaaa!
[Yousho gets up to Azusa an swings his sword at him. The
bokken strikes against a wing-shaped transparent barrier
that appears between them. Azusa raises his sword, which
suddenly glows brightly as a long blue energy blade
surrounds the metal one, and strikes across at Yousho,
cutting his bokken in half, and throwing Yousho to the
ground. Yousho shakes his head and looks up at his father,
shocked. The sword continues to glow but the barrier fades
away.]
Azusa: Your honor combat only succeeded in helping you lose.
It's a nice dream, that Earth, but out here, in the depths
of space, fighting is only about winning. [the sword softens
then the glow goes away completely] Tomorrow, I'll start
teaching you how to *survive* combat.
[A younger looking Misaki walks out of the trees followed by
two men and a woman. The man and the woman right behind
Misaki look, to Yousho, only to be shadows against the light
coming from above. A short distance behind them, however,
is a brown haired man with a beard wearing a black and blue
colored outfit with a wooden bokken in his belt. He seems
to be walking slower than the rest. Misaki reaches Azusa.]
Misaki: Emperor, these are the people are here to see you.
[Azusa lowers his sword to his side and motions for them to
follow him. He turns and walks into the woods followed by
Misaki and the two people right behind her. Yousho looks up
slowly to see the brown haired man looking back down at
him.]
Brown Haired Man: Don't let it get you down, son. [he pulls
his bokken out of his belt and hands it to Yousho] Honor
isn't completely lost in the universe. [he smiles]
Yousho: Who are you?
[The scene fades and we see Katsuhito standing in a small
clearing in the woods by the shrine. Tenchi is standing
opposite him and Ryouko is nearby, watching. Both Katsuhito
and Tenchi are holding bokkens.]
Katsuhito: Close your eyes, Tenchi.
Tenchi: Okay.
Katsuhito: Your will is an intricate part of the world
around you. By feeling the vibrations and the pull of your
own will, you will sense the wills of those around you. At
first, you will know the location of that will, then, you
will be able to control it. In combat, will is vital,
without it, you will die. By understanding the will of your
opponent, you will be able to predict their moves and
protect yourself.
Tenchi: So it's like the Force.
Katsuhito: [raises an eyebrow then sighs] Yes, it's like the
Force.
Ryouko: [whispered] Psst! Hey, *Yousho*, bet you wish you
were a little more careful in the past, eh?
Tenchi: [opens eyes] Huh?
Katsuhito: Close your eyes, boy! Listen only to what I say!
Tenchi: Sorry.
Katsuhito: Very well. Now, reach out with your will until
you can locate the pull and vibration of my will. Without
opening your eyes you should be able to feel and sense my
movements and actions.
Tenchi: I think I feel something...
Katsuhito: Right now, the affects of my will on the area are
low. When a person is struggling, whether they know it or
not, they are using their will to bend the will of those
around them. Naturally, a struggling person will have a
strong presence that is easy to locate with your will.
Tenchi: I understand.
Katsuhito: [Steps closer to Tenchi and holds his bokken out
to one side of his head.] Now, feel the actions of my will
and strike my sword.
[Tenchi concentrates for a moment then swings his bokken up
and strikes Katsuhito's. The two swords let out a sharp
snap as they hit. Tenchi opens his eyes and looks in
surprise.]
Tenchi: Wow.
Ryouko: Whoohoo! Go Tenchi!
Katsuhito: The will of your enemy will always have the
strongest influence on you, because not only are you
looking for them, they are trying to find and bend you.
This is a simple application, but the stronger you can sense
other wills and, more importantly, control your own, the
more powerful a protector you can be.
Tenchi: [nods] Right.
Katsuhito: Now, Tenchi, one last thing for today. Hand me
the sword.
Tenchi: [holds out his bokken]
Katushito: No, I mean THE sword.
Tenchi: Oh! [reaches into his robe and pulls out Tenchiken,
the sword hilt] Here.
Katsuhito: There are many things that you will be able to
control using your strong will. This sword is particularly
receptive to your will, the stronger the control you have
over it, the stronger the blade it creates and the more it
will bend to suit your needs. This sword also has a will of
it's own, however, and if you are not careful, it's will
will overwhelm your own.
Tenchi: Like in the first time I fought with Ryouko. It
practically moved on it's own.
Katsuhito: This sword is strong and special that way. It
wants to protect it's master, and if it's wielder isn't
strong enough, it will do it itself.
Tenchi: Oh, so that's why.
Katsuhito: You must learn to control your will and
strengthen it. This sword is powerful but the stronger
tools, that rely even heavier on your will, are the Light
Hawk Wings.
Tenchi: The Light Hawk Wings...
Katsuhito: The tools of the Royal House of Jurai for
thousands of years, the Light Hawk Wings can form anything
their user needs. They can form a shield and absorb energy,
they can project their force into a beam, or contain it in a
blade, and they can convert the matter around them into
energy and mold it into a useful form. The ancestral tree,
Tsunami, is the strongest life in the universe because she
can wield ten of the Light Hawk Wings at once. Through the
descendant trees of Tsunami, the Royal House has inherited
some of this power and with the help of the master key of a
tree, the imperial family have been able to summon one of
the Wings of the Light Hawk.
Ryouko: But Tenchi can summon more than one Light Hawk.
Katsuhito: Hm... Tenchi is unique in his ability. Not only
is the power of the Light Hawks coming from within him, but
he has no tree descendant of Tsunami of his own.
Ryouko: So how is he able to do that?
Katsuhito: I don't know. But if his use of the Light Hawk
Wings is anyway similar to the Royal House's, a
strengthening of his will increase his ability to control
them. So these exercises will still prove useful. [pause]
Now, Tenchi, watch closely.
[Katsuhito holds out the Tenchiken, pointed up. A blue
blade grows out of the hilt until it's almost four foot in
length.]
Katsuhito: In it's most elegant and simplistic form, the
sword can form a single, contained blade. With a little
effort, the blade can grow in length and width.
[The blue blade widens and grows another foot in length.
Katsuhito swings the sword, leaving a long blue trail behind
it.]
Katsuhito: With time, you'll be able to modify the blade in
this manner as well as change it's shape or create a second
blade. The hilt of the sword can also be altered through
the will of the wielder. [The blue blade shimmers then
disappears; He gives it to Tenchi] When you do your will
exercises, hold the sword out and keep the blade active,
this should help your control.
Tenchi: [Nods] All right.
Katsuhito: That's all for today. [he turns away]
[Tenchi looks at the Tenchiken in his hand then puts it back
in his robe. Ryouko then jumps no him and holds onto him
from his back.]
Ryouko: Come on, Tenchi! You're all done with your
practicing, lets go do something fun?
Tenchi: Ryouko... I've still got some chores left to do at
the house.
Ryouko: Come on, Tenchi! There's always chores to be done,
why don't you just put them off for a while.
Tenchi: It's easier to do things now then to let it all pile
up and become a real pain. It's not much, I won't be long.
Ryouko: Then can we play?
Tenchi: Uhh....
[We see the foyer of the Masaki house. The area is vacant.
A shadowy figure can be seen through the door just before we
hear a knock.]
Ayeka: [distant] I'll get that.
[Ayeka walks in and moves over to the door and slides it
open. On the other side is a weathered-looking man with
messy, short brown hair, wearing layers of worn clothes and
carrying a large brown bag slung over his shoulder. He
looks at Ayeka and his eyes widen.]
Ayeka: Hello, can I help you?
Man: Princ-- Uh, yes, I heard ... um, there was a shrine
around here and I was wondering if you knew how to get
there.
Ayeka: Oh, Grandpa's shrine. It's right up the staircase in
the back.
Man: Grandpa...? You mean, the shrine master is your
grandfather?
Ayeka: Oh, no. He's not really my Grandpa, he's Tenchi's
Grandfather.
Man: Tenchi? [blinks]
Ayeka: I can show you to the shrine if you would like.
Man: Yes, that would be very nice of you, Miss...
Ayeka: My name is Ayeka.
Man: Ayeka... Ah, how do you do, Miss Ayeka, my name is
Hisako.
[Ayeka steps outside and slides the door shut behind her.]
[We see Katsuhito sweeping the area in front of the shrine
house. He turns towards the house to sweep just as we see
Ayeka and Hisako reaching the top of the stairs.]
Ayeka: I see, that must have been a lot of fun. [looks up
to see Katsuhito] Grandpa! Somebody to see you!
Katsuhito: [stops sweeping and turns towards the stairs] Who
is it, Ayek... [he blinks and the broom in his hands falls
to the ground with a soft clatter]
Hisako: [looks up to Katsuhito and freezes; thinks] Could
that be ... he's ages older but could he possible be the
same boy on that Juraiian field?
Katsuhito: [thinks] That man ... [aloud] Hisako?
Hisako: Yousho...
Ayeka: [blinks] You know each other?
Hisako: [takes a few steps forward] Why ... are you here?
On earth?
Katsuhito: I should have guessed that you would come here...
[Ayeka continues to look between the two as they stare at
each other for several seconds]
Hisako: Who would have guessed, nearly a millennia later...
Katsuhito: ...on a planet hundreds of light years away, we'd
meet again.
Hisako: [raises an eyebrow] You certainly haven't aged well.
Katsuhito: Not everyone can be as lucky as you, old man.
Hisako: Old? Have you looked in the mirror, I look younger
than YOU!
Katsuhito: Only by human standards...
Hisako: Feh, you'd be old even on Jurai!
[The two stare at each other for a moment more, before
breaking out in laughter. This does little to help Ayeka
understand what's going on. Katsuhito and Hisako walk
towards each other.]
Katsuhito: [holds out his hand] Master.
Hisako: [firmly shakes Katsuhito's hand] Yousho.
Ayeka: [blinks]
[We see the remaining people in the Masaki household getting
ready for dinner. Nobuyuki is sitting at the table along
with Washuu and Ryouko.]
Washuu: I see... so controlling the Light Hawk Wings has to
do with strength of will.
Ryouko: Yeah, they were talking about something like that.
[pulls out a jug of sake and chugs a bit]
Washuu: [scratches her chin] He said that normally the Light
Hawk Wings are generated by a Juraiian Tree and the energy
is channeled through the master key. If that's true, my
experiment should have worked properly.
Ryouko: Katsuhito said he was an exception though.
Washuu: Yes. Since Tenchi creates the Wings himself, he
doesn't need to channel them from Tsunami or Funaho,
furthermore, the Tenchiken, Funaho's master key, wouldn't
have been able to pipe the energy since it's probably of a
different composition. Still, I don't know why it caused
the accident to occur, all my failsafe should have caught
this, even if Mihoshi was around.
[Tenchi and Sasami come out of the kitchen carrying pots.]
Tenchi: I thought you knew why the accident occurred.
Washuu: I figured out WHAT happened during the accident
which led to your copy but not WHY it happened ... aside
from the usual Mihoshi-error.
[Tenchi and Sasami put the pots on the table and sit down
with everyone else.]
Ryouko: Ahh! Lets dig in!
Sasami: Wait, we should wait for Ayeka to come back, she
didn't leave too long go, she just needed to show that man
where the temple was.
Tenchi: What man?
Sasami: This man name Hisako came to the house today looking
for Grandpa. Ayeka took him up to the shrine.
Tenchi: Hm...
Washuu: Do you know that guy?
Tenchi: Nope, I don't know him, but it's not like Grandpa
never gets visitors. I just thought about the last time I
heard that name, but it couldn't have been related.
Washuu: Did you see it on television?
Tenchi: Actually, in history class.
Washuu: History?
Tenchi: [nods] Hm... I remember reading about a rurouni
named Hisako near the beginning of the Meiji empire.
Nothing really amazing about the guy, just wandered around
and teaching people how to fight, but it was the first thing
that came to my mind when I heard the name.
[Ayeka come into the house through the back sliding glass
door. When she comes in, she looks preoccupied.]
Tenchi: Hey Ayeka!
Ryouko: Great, now we can eat!
Sasami: Ayeka! Did you have any problems with Mr. Hisako?
Ayeka: [walks over to the table] No, I suppose I didn't.
He was a very nice man, I talked with him all the way up to
the shrine, then when I got there he and Grandpa acted like
old friends. I think Grandpa even called him `Master.'
Tenchi: Master?
Nobuyuki: I didn't know father trained under anybody. Oh, I
guess he'd have to have to learn the art.
Washuu: With the number of years Katsuhito's been on Earth
he could have trained under a lot of people.
Ayeka: He seemed awfully young to have trained Grandpa. Oh!
There was another strange part, he didn't call Grandpa
`Katsuhito', he called him `Yousho.'
[Tenchi, Washuu, and Sasami all gasp.]
Sasami: Do you think he was from Jurai?
Ayeka: I thought that my brother only trained under my
father on Jurai, I don't know how he could have had another
master.
Washuu: I haven't noticed any Juraiian ships landing
recently, unless he came off on the Emperor's ship and had
been hiding ever since.
Tenchi: You watch for Juraiian ships?
Washuu: I try to monitor ALL ships that come within landing
distance of Earth, although somehow I completely missed that
Garfilus Syn character and Mihoshi's ship. Something has
been disrupting my sensors, maybe this guy was responsible,
trying to hide his ship while he landed.
Ayeka: I still don't know how Grandpa knew this man if he
came from off planet.
Washuu: Something very strange is going on. Maybe we should
meet Hisako as well.
Ayeka: He should still be at the shrine.
Ryouko: [takes another gulp of her sake] Well, since no
eating seems to be going on, lets take of this right away.
[stands, then teleports over to grab Tenchi] Lets go,
Tenchi!
Tenchi: Urk!
Ayeka: RYOUKO!!
[We see Katsuhito and Hisako sitting in the shrine house
drinking tea over a table.]
Katsuhito: I've been teaching my grandson like you used to
teach me, with only a few changes.
Hisako: [smiles] Changing my award winning teaching style,
you have some guts.
Katsuhito: There are a few differences between myself and
him, some things you taught me simply don't apply.
Hisako: Oh sure, try to rationalize it. [pause] Come to
think of it, you seem to be rather alone up here, only your
Grandson and his friends coming to visit you. Where are the
rest of your children?
Katsuhito: The *rest* of them?
Hisako: Don't tell me in seven hundred years you only sired
ONE woman!
Katsuhito: [chuckles] Actually, no. I've had many wives and
countless children, but I never told them of their heritage
so they died ignorant of their ability. If they had
children of their own, I'm unaware of it.
Hisako: But what about this shrine master's life? Look at
you, isn't it about time you moved on? Started another
family. These earth woman are amazing you know, of course,
I probably don't need to tell you that.
Katsuhito: Yes, I do know about earth women...
Hisako: Then why stop now?
Katsuhito: Tenchi's grandmother was ... special.
Hisako: They're ALL special.
Katsuhito: [shakes his head] Maybe, but there's always one
that means the most. Even when I met her for the first time
I knew that she would be the last. So I gave up trying, I
stuck around, even after she died, and you know what?
Hisako: They were the best years of your life?
Katsuhito: [nods] I found more contentment in watching my
children grow up and seeing them fall in love and have
children of their own than in the hundreds of years I spent
having children then moving on.
Hisako: I know what you mean.
Katsuhito: [raises an eyebrow]
Hisako: I stuck around for ALL of them. I didn't just run
after my wife died, I at least waited for my children to
marry and see my grandchildren before thinking about leaving
to find another family to start.
Katsuhito: I'm not sure I can find another after this one.
Hisako: She meant that much to you.
Katsuhito: More. Ironically she died younger than any of
the others, but I felt obligated to respect her memory and
care for our children.
Hisako: Hm, you always were a sentimental man. Maybe after
I've been here for seven hundred years I might feel that way
too.
Katsuhito: Exactly how long HAVE you been here? I heard you
escaped jail before Ryouko's attack, but where did you go
before coming here?
Hisako: This may come as a surprise to you, but I did still
have obligations to fulfill with the Guild. They were the
ones who came for me, disguised as Karn Pirates, but they
did come for me. I was still training Master back then.
Katsuhito: Master?
Hisako: The head of the guild. [pause] Of course, life isn't
as short as it is here, so I spend the next three hundred
years training many members of the guild and doing various
things for Master.
Katsuhito: That's what you were doing before you met me, why
didn't you just continue.
Hisako: Because I admit, I got tired of it all. I really
did admire the Earth, even more so than I told you when you
were training. Every day I trained the Guild, the more I
wished to come here. Then, quite drastically, actually,
things changed in the Guild. It was probably during the
Juraiian war with the Mezbouti. We were running in between
the fighting lines and a couple of our ships got hit real
bad. Hundreds died, and Master got very sullen for a few
days. When he recovered, he was different. The Mezbouti
War eventually ended but inside the Guild, Master began a
petty war with Jurai for some obscure reason. Things got
really strange and everyone became suspicious of one
another. I decided that it was time to bail.
Katsuhito: And you came here, to Earth.
Hisako: It's not hard to get past the restrictions if you
know what you're doing, and there isn't a planet in the
galaxy that I know is more peaceful and has the best ideals.
It wasn't a hard choice.
Katsuhito: Four hundred years ... and never once you came
here.
Hisako: I had no idea you were even on EARTH! Everyone
thought that Crown Prince was dead, only your sister ever
tried to convince anyone that you were still alive and she
sealed herself up in coldsleep and shot herself into the
galaxy only a few years after you disappeared.
Katsuhito: You knew I shared your love of Earth.
Hisako: But I didn't know you'd give up everything to come
here. You still had a real life on Jurai, not like me,
destined to train a bunch of hooligans who are too smart to
know they shouldn't betray their father.
Katsuhito: I didn't have a real life on Jurai.
Hisako: You were crown prince! Surely that's worth
something.
Katsuhito: It's worth a lot of scrutiny and too much hate.
Hisako: You mean too much pressure, I thought I taught you
better than that.
Katsuhito: There were ... other reasons I did it as well.
Hisako: What's that?
Katsuhito: I knew that the one woman in the universe for me
was here on Earth.
Hisako: Oh really? Who told you that?
Katsuhito: Tsunami.
Hisako: An -- [pauses] You were looking for someone here.
Why?
Katsuhito: [puts his cup down and stands] It's starting to
get late. You're welcome to spend the night in the guest
area here, or you can go down to the house, I'm sure my son-
in-law will give you a place to sleep.
Hisako: [stands] What was special about her? You said she
died young, is that it? Did she really die or did something
else happen? Tell me!
Katsuhito: [turns] My past is my problem, master. I'd
appreciate it if you didn't poke around in it. [starts
walking out of the room]
Hisako: [angry] You know we still have something left
unsettled.
[Katsuhito freezes and his eyes go wide]
Hisako: You insulted me seven hundred years ago and promised
me a fight that we never finished. I hope you didn't think
I would forget, even after all this time. We still need to
settle that issue.
Katsuhito: I don't want to fight you anymore.
Hisako: That's too bad, you've already committed yourself to
this.
Katsuhito: It's over, Hisako. It doesn't matter anymore.
Tell everyone that you were right if you want, I don't care.
Hisako: Then we'll have to set new stakes. I want to know
what was so special about Earth that Tsunami send you all
the way here to find it. If I win, you tell me. I also
think that you DO actually care about our previous matter,
so I put that in there too. I'll be back in the same three
days you told your father, and you better be ready to settle
this. [he turns to leave]
Katsuhito: [follows Hisako to the door] Why, Hisako? Why
can't we just put it behind us and be friends.
Hisako: I'm sorry, Yousho. But my reason for coming here
also wasn't exactly like I told you. [he steps down off the
landing and starts walking towards the staircase]
[Just before Hisako reaches the stairs, Tenchi and the gang
from dinner (minus Nobuyuki) run up.]
Ayeka: Mr. Hisako!
Hisako: [looks up] Hello, Ayeka. [moves to loom over Tenchi]
I suppose you're Yousho's grandson.
Tenchi: [swallows] Yes. Who are you?
Hisako: [glances back at Katsuhito for an instant] I'm just
your grandfather's foolish teacher. Excuse me. [he pushes
past the group and starts down the stairs.]
Ryouko: Hey you, wait!
Hisako: [holds up three fingers] Three days, Yousho! We'll
settle everything then. [continues down the stairs]
Tenchi: [watches the man go for a moment, then turns to
Katsuhito] Grandpa! What was that all about?
Katsuhito: [looks grim] An old argument, left over from my
days on Jurai...
[Flash! We see the battle from the beginning of the episode.
Yousho swings his sword around low but Hisako blocks it.
Hisako immediately moves into a counterattack that nearly
misses Yousho's chin. The two exchange blows, each closer
to it's intended target than the last, before the two strike
at each other with such force that they are knocked
backwards. Yousho breathes deeply while holding his sword
at ready.]
Hisako: You're too slow, Yousho. I thought I taught you
better than that.
Yousho: I'll show you your wrong! My father is great man,
even if at times he doesn't understand.
Hisako: He's just a foolish, puppet king, and you're the
greater fool to believe in him.
Yousho: You're wrong! I won't let you win!
[Yousho jumps high up into the air and starts sailing down
towards Hisako, his sword ready to strike. Moments before
he reaches Hisako, someone jumps into the air and
practically plucks Yousho out of the sky. The man lands
nearby and holds Yousho's arms behind him. Yousho looks up
to see the man is Azusa, his father, the Emperor. Glancing
back at Hisako, we see no less than ten guards restraining
Hisako and binding his arms and legs.]
Yousho: [struggling against his father] NO! Let me go!
This is between US! We need to finish this!
Azusa: Don't be silly, son, let me take care of this.
Yousho: NOOOO!
Guard #1: Hisako, you're being taken into custody for
assaulting the Crown Prince of Jurai.
Yousho: That's not true! This was a fair fight, leave us
alone!
Azusa: There's no need to fight son while I'm here with the
backing of the Juraiian forces.
Hisako: [not struggling at all] I win after all. [smiles]
Yousho: LET HIM GO!
Guard #1: Take him away.
[The guards pulls Hisako away and Yousho is left standing
with his father. Yousho falls to his knees.]
Yousho: You don't understand what you've done. We needed to
settle this.
Azusa: I'm sure whatever it was you were shooting your mouth
off about didn't need to be fought over.
Yousho: [whispers] But it did. I wasn't fighting for me, I
was fighting for you, because I believe in you.
Azusa: What was that?
Yousho: [aloud] I told you the fight was tomorrow.
Azusa: That's true, but I also knew you would try to fight
anyway, so I started monitoring this field yesterday.
Yousho: [stands] I still don't know who's right...
[Yousho turns and walks away, back the way he came.]
[Back to the scene at the top of the staircase.]
Tenchi: Grandpa? Are you all right?
Washuu: Drat, I wanted to talk to him.
Katsuhito: [turns to go into the house] He'll be back.
Ayeka: When?
Katsuhito: In *two* days.
[Katsuhito goes into the house and closes the door behind
him.]
Katsuhito: [thinks] He'll be ready to fight. But back on
that field, seven hundred years ago, he would have beaten
me, he was better. Now, I don't know...
********************
End Episode 1x05
Children Of Jurai
********************
Author's Notes:
After getting about four episodes of the spotlight, I
decided to move Tenchi aside and focus on someone else who
doesn't often get to take center stage: Yousho. Originally
Episode 5 was going to continue with Garfilus Syn and deal
with Kiyone and Mihoshi at the Galaxy Police, but this
episode came to mind and I decided to write it. The
original Episode 5 has been bumped to Episode 7 now, with
Episode 6 being the conclusion of the Hisako story.
Okay, a word or two about Hisako. He's a little
chauvinist, I realize that, but he's not totally bad. I'm
not sure how long someone can wander the world without
getting a little insensitive so I put that in his talk. If
you're confused about that whole flashback part, it goes
something like this: Yousho was being trained by his
father, but he hated it. Hisako saw this and offered to
teach Yousho in the style of Earth, of honor and fair
combat. Yousho couldn't openly tell his father that he
rejected his thinking, so he learned from Hisako privately.
Then one day, they had verbal fight in which Hisako claimed
that Azusa was a fool. Yousho refused to stand that and
after some banter, they decided to have a battle and the
winner would be right. Azusa found out that Yousho was
going to battle with `someone' who was affiliated with that
shadowy group and decided to stop it. Yousho lied about
when the battle was going to take place so he could have the
fight, but Azusa found out anyway and stopped it.
Afterwards, Hisako was placed in jail for a while before the
shadowy group broke him out while disguised as another race.
Hisako stayed with the shadowy group, despite his growing
intolerance for them, before finally leaving and coming to
earth.
Hopefully everything will make more sense in the next
part. ^_^
About Sasami and Tsunami? Well, that's just a nice
little tidbit I threw in there that'll lead to a future
episode. It assumes that Sasami and Tsunami have been
talking to each other, off screen, for quite some time now,
which I believe has been going on. Besides, I couldn't have
anyone think that Tenchi Muyou was, I dunno, a comedy or
something.
Oh, and Tenchi is becoming a badass and there's nothing
YOU can do about it! :P I hope you enjoyed the Star Wars
connection. It's completely possible that Yousho might have
slipped up in the past and somehow this information got to
George Lucas and made movie history. I can just imagine
Yousho wearing rags and teaching a young Mark Hamill how to
fight. ^_^
See ya next episode! (Which will probably be next week
at the rate I'm going.)
Adam Leigh
Tempest@mail.com
Http://dogbert.simplenet.com/Tempest