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[RFC][SI][Multi-Xover]Being You is Suffering
 
#26
The only issue I'm finding is more to do with me.... I'mnot that familiar with Tenchi due to it both never been shown over here, and thus never getting that 'must see' intro to fandom cachet. Irish anime fandom began only in the last 10-15 years. (I was at the first Irish anime con, in fact). That, and I never had Cartoon Network.

I like how the story touches on spirituality in a way that very few do. I've heard that particular description of Hell before, especially with regards to the First Circle in Dante's Inferno. Makes a nice change from the comedy Flame and Sulphur variant, replacing it with something that might be a little bit unsettling. Especially with how it's described.

And I'd argue you're better off using a gas-turbine driving the electric generator in your truck. Better for multifuel ability... and gas-turbines are really efficient running at a constant speed, while using the throttle only to vary the torque output to meet demands from the generator to maintain constant speed with respect to load. With proper baffling, it'll run smoother and quieter with no real lose in efficiency because all your power is going through the shaft, not the thrust. And you get a fantastic de-mister, with less warmup time. Umm.... not that I ever sketched up an idea for something similar if I ever managed to buy an old chopper turboshaft, no....

Quote:“Because, you adorable little imp, shonen manga is not how real relationships work.”

I'd argue that that should be left as is.... although Shounen relationships work markedy different from Shoujo ones, it still fits and can be funny in a different way.
________________________________
--m(^0^)m-- Wot, no sig?
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#27
Quote:ClassicDrogn wrote:
Connecting with Ayeka... over cacti. Long lived plants that are tough and prickley, but which flourish and flower beautifully if given the proper care. No symbolism there, certainly not Big Grin
You know, the funny thing is I never really thought of it that way.  Dealing with prickly cacti and poisonous euphorbias are a daily thing for me - in fact, I have got that Trigona sitting next to me on my desk right now as I type.  Bit of a pain in the ass when it goes dormant because my cat likes to try and eat the dead leaves after they drop off.  (He already gets the idea that leaves on the plant itself are bad to eat - fortunately the fresh leaves trigger vomiting pretty quickly and leave a horrible taste in his mouth... not so much with the shriveled up dead ones that he finds on the floor - not as virulent and they're not connected to the plant.)
So anyhow... Cacti and Euphorbia are kinda my specialty...  and it only made sense to introduce them to Ayeka as they would make up the vast majority of Garrick's garden.  (Don't worry - there'll be a 'cool side' to the garden to help balance it out, and it will be representative of my time living in Pennsylvania and Washington State.  Lots of ferns, annuals, other stuff that likes cool, wet, mountainous/volcanic land.  Ironically*, this will also be the part of the garden that has most of the Jyurai-native specimens Ayeka introduces Garrick to.)
*Ironic because I hate cold, wet climates and I figure that the Jyuraian plants would thrive on it - us not knowing anything about Jyurai's climate and all...
Quote:ClassicDrogn wrote:
And seriously, a second generation seedling? Holy crap. Welcome to High Expectations, population you.
Precisely.  Seto has thrown down the gauntlet and wants to see exactly what Garrick is made of.  Of course, bear in mind that this is just caring for the seedling, and not being bonded to it.  Near as I can grok, that sort of thing is entirely up to the tree.  But Seto probably figures at this point that if the seedling does decide that Garrick is the guy to bond with, then it's a pretty clear sign of his character.  (I also strongly suspect that it's something that can even happen without any outside influence - and at times even without anybody noticing until it's all said and done.)  If not, and the seedling thrives regardless, then it at least shows that he is a responsible and trustworthy person.
The fact that it was Yosho's tree that produced the seed... pure convenience for Seto.  In all reality she probably could have taken it with her and hid it away somewhere until she can make it appear in the Royal Nursery in an inconspicuous fashion... but this is less trouble for her and and an excellent litmus test for Garrick - kills two birds with one stone.
Quote:ClassicDrogn wrote:
Ryoko actually opened up a bit fast, I think - I'd have expected quite a
bit more denial about caring for anyone there but Tenchi, though I
suppose "You want to tell Sasami that?" is a strong counter-argument.
Yeah.  Garrick does notice and figures that either Washu or Sasami had a go or two at her.  Remember that Washu is pretty good at pushing Ryoko's buttons... and it would not surprise me in the least if Sasami, Adorable Little Imp and Junior Princess Manipulator, excelled at putting on the Guilt Trip.
(Aside: Sasami-chan has hidden depths of bad-ass.  You would know if you ever saw OVA3 where she faces down an elite GP enforcer with a smile and a wave.)
Anyhow, Ryoko's pretty easy to understand.  She's pretty much lived under the heel of Kagato for a good part of her life, then spent a god part of the rest of her life sealed up and only able to float around that cave as a ghost.
Now that she's free to do as she pleases, she just wants to kick-back and not live up to anyone's expectations.  It's the whole, "I've been through hell already, so buzz off." attitude.  If she could, she'd bag Tenchi and disappear to some uncharted paradise planet and live out the rest of her days at ease and make babies for Tenchi.
Unfortunately, that wouldn't really make Tenchi all that happy, so she doesn't do that.
And then along comes Garrick - positively radiating hurt and world-weariness that rivals her own... and he just brushes off the whole broken neck thing as a stroke of bad luck, wrong place wrong time, nobody's fault, life just sucking as usual, so let's forget about the whole damn thing.  By the way, let's get stone-drunk.
And at that point, Ryoko is thinking, "Hot damn, now you're talking my language!"
As for Garrick's final shot at her...  Yeah, I don't take prisoners when I think someone's being stupid and I want to save them from themselves.  My blunt, brutal, no holds barred honesty helps in situations like these where someone needs that sort of slap to the face.  *BOOM*  Headshot!
Quote:Dartz wrote:
The
only issue I'm finding is more to do with me.... I'mnot that familiar
with Tenchi due to it both never been shown over here, and thus never
getting that 'must see' intro to fandom cachet. Irish anime fandom began
only in the last 10-15 years. (I was at the first Irish anime con, in
fact). That, and I never had Cartoon Network.
Argh... yeah, that is problematic.  The anime has been so popular here in the US and elsewhere that rehashing some of the underlying story tidbits will quickly become tedious to most readers... but at the same time, I don't like the idea of scaring off people like yourself, Dartz...
What if I included in-stream links to appropriate wiki articles?  It might break the flow of the story a bit, but it seems to work on FiMfiction.net stories.
Quote:Dartz wrote:
I like how the story touches on spirituality in a way that very few do.
I've heard that particular description of Hell before, especially with
regards to the First Circle in Dante's Inferno. Makes a nice change from
the comedy Flame and Sulphur variant, replacing it with something that
might be a little bit unsettling. Especially with how it's described.
Thanks.  I went back and forth a bit on this point, seeing as it could potentially be inflammatory to some readers.  But then, once I started writing Yosho's thoughts on Garrick's dilemma I realized just how much truth his character was speaking through me.  And so, I decided to keep it - thus proving that the best stuff happens when you let the characters drive.
Quote:Dartz wrote:
And I'd argue you're better off using a gas-turbine driving the electric
generator in your truck. Better for multifuel ability... and
gas-turbines are really efficient running at a constant speed, while
using the throttle only to vary the torque output to meet demands from
the generator to maintain constant speed with respect to load. With
proper baffling, it'll run smoother and quieter with no real lose in
efficiency because all your power is going through the shaft, not the
thrust. And you get a fantastic de-mister, with less warmup time.
Umm.... not that I ever sketched up an idea for something similar if I
ever managed to buy an old chopper turboshaft, no....
Errr.... Using direct-drive wheel-motors on this one.  So long as the generator setup can recharge the batteries faster than they can be expended, then the throttle can be set and one fixed point (or maybe vary between two set points).  That, and turbines are kinda... hard to come by.  Kinda the same problem my dad is having with something of his own.  He needs an intrinsically safe pump to pressurize hydrogen gas... but on a small scale.  Stupidville expensive.
Quote:Dartz wrote:
Quote:“Because, you adorable little imp, shonen manga is not how real relationships work.”
I'd argue that that should be left as is.... although Shounen
relationships work markedy different from Shoujo ones, it still fits and
can be funny in a different way.
Anyone else think so as well?
Coming up next, horrible pain for Garrick, followed by whole lotta feels.  It's gonna be a shorty-but-goody.
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#28
With the way Ayeka and Ryoko are iconically depicted as fighting each other by throwing energy blasts around, to be the one to win the hand of their mutual beau, I think "Shonen" fits better, myself.

WRT gas turbine power, I believe the suggestion was to use that to power the generator, not a gearbox to the wheels. A simple one can have all of two moving parts (plus bearings) - the compressor/turbine and a throttle to regulate the fuel going into it - hard to get simpler than that. You can pretty much run it on any liquid or gas that will burn, as well.
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows
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#29
Good character insights and character interaction. However, it feels like these people are pulling Garrick into the inner circle and upper echelons a little too quickly. He pops up totally at random, they know nothing about him, and right away he's part of the household, handed a seed that will grow up into a ship that can one-shot plannets, and by extension adopted into the Royal family.

These people are friendly and accomodating, but again this seems to be going a lttle fast.

On other subjects, I'm a fan of the manga as well as the cartoons and would like to see Minagi and other elements in your story.

On a third subject, "shonen" could work but it doesn't work as well as shojou, specifically because its Noboyuki's shojou manga collection that Sasami and the other girls read.

Lastly, and this may be completely misinformed and even unintentionally offensive on my part, but what little I know of Mormon theology leaves me with the impression that it's more open to the idea of having multiple creators of multiple creations than most other Judeo-Christian branches. The whole, "What man is, God once was. What God is, man may become," point indicates that there was a creation in place before this one and there are other creators with their own domains.
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No, I don't believe the world has gone mad.  In order for it to go mad it would need to have been sane at some point.
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#30
Quote:ClassicDrogn wrote:
WRT gas turbine power, I believe the suggestion was to use that to power the generator, not a gearbox to the wheels. A simple one can have all of two moving parts (plus bearings) - the compressor/turbine and a throttle to regulate the fuel going into it - hard to get simpler than that. You can pretty much run it on any liquid or gas that will burn, as well.
Well, if we can find a small one that can put out a decent amount of power on the shaft, be able to start within a couple or three seconds, and (most importantly) doesn't cost a arm and a leg, then Garrick would go for it.
Quote:Deadpan29 wrote:
Good
character insights and character interaction. However, it feels like
these people are pulling Garrick into the inner circle and upper
echelons a little too quickly. He pops up totally at random, they know
nothing about him, and right away he's part of the household, handed a
seed that will grow up into a ship that can one-shot plannets, and by
extension adopted into the Royal family.

These people are friendly and accomodating, but again this seems to be going a lttle fast.
I know, it is fast, but another way we could explain this away is that they probably feel that it is best that way given his intimate knowledge of them.  Like Garrick said to Seto earlier, knowing how she is she'd want to keep him where she could keep a close eye on him.
Another way of looking at it is that this is all provisional as it stands right now.  They're testing him to see what he's made of and learning how he reacts to things - and there's really no better place than the Masaki Household on Earth where things tend to go kablooey on a regular basis.
Quote:Deadpan29 wrote:
On other subjects, I'm a fan of the manga as well as the cartoons and
would like to see Minagi and other elements in your story.
I've pretty much decided that I'm going to go through with it.  The only real hang-up is going to be the final story arc of the manga, and having that lead into OVA3.  It's gonna take some work, but hopefully I can pull it off without breaking things too badly.
Quote:Deadpan29 wrote:
Lastly, and this may be completely misinformed and even unintentionally
offensive on my part, but what little I know of Mormon theology leaves
me with the impression that it's more open to the idea of having
multiple creators of multiple creations than most other Judeo-Christian
branches. The whole, "What man is, God once was. What God is, man may
become," point indicates that there was a creation in place before this
one and there are other creators with their own domains.
Well, it's kinda hard to be offensive when you're honestly looking for answers.  Though I tend to find some of the more outlandish things people say about Mormons to be downright amusing.  (Ever heard the one where they say we make virgin sacrfices by throwing them off the Salt Lake Temple and into the Great Salt Lake?  It'd certainly take an act of divine intervention to make them travel that far overland to get there! ^_^ )
Anyhow, you're both right and wrong.  The way it works is that, in accordance to Mormon teachings we are indeed Children of God.  There's even a Goddess out there that is our mother, but patriarchal religions being what they are, she strictly plays in a background role.  In essence, we're all tadpoles to the frog, but unlike the tadpoles we have a very long way to go.  How far?  Supposedly Jesus and Lucifer where His own sons when He was as we are - that or they are of a previous generation.  Either way, it makes them very literally our elder brothers - elder brothers who do not have domains of their own yet.
As for other Gods... Well... the going theory among some of us more free thinkers is that our is but one household in an entire way of life where this pattern has been repeating beyond reckoning.... and our galaxy is just the nursery within that household.
Pretty humbling thought, ain't it?
Now, the part where your wrong... God is pretty explicit on the whole matter of not having any other gods before him.  And when you take that in the context of the what I already told you, it makes sense.  It'd be like coming home to your family, and your children are suddenly saying, "You're not my daddy!  This guy is my daddy!  He lets me do whatever I want!"  Awkward to say the very least!
So, while we do, in essence, recognize that there are other beings like God out there, we do not really recognize them as Gods.  They should have no more bearing on us than, say, you neighbor several houses down should have any bearing on your own children.
Now, in Garrick's case, the best thing I can say is that for whatever reason he's been snatched from the nursery, flown overseas to some foreign country, and tossed into someone else's yard knowing that the people in charge there wouldn't turn the poor kid out.  In fact, not having the slightest clue of where he came from or how to get him home, they would do what they could for him, and just adopt him into their own family.  Which is pretty much what Tsunami is doing here.
And this gives me hilarious and WAFF inducing imagery of Tsunami with this poor little toddler getting dumped on her (literally!) out of nowhere, and the antics that come afterwards.  (Where's the parents?  Can't find the parents!  Where did he come from!  Oh dear... he's crying!)
Now, on to a different topic!
Quote:ClassicDrogn wrote:
With the way Ayeka and Ryoko are iconically depicted as fighting each
other by throwing energy blasts around, to be the one to win the hand of
their mutual beau, I think "Shonen" fits better, myself.
Quote:Deadpan29 wrote:
On a third subject, "shonen" could work but it doesn't work as well as
shojou, specifically because its Noboyuki's shojou manga collection that
Sasami and the other girls read.
How about a trade-off then?  Since Noboyuki's collection is explicitly NOTHING! BUT! SHOJOU! Garrick will say Shojou Manga at first... and then he will proceed to wisecrack that given the way Ryoko and Ayeka behave you'd think Sasami had slipped them Shounen Manga instead!
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#31
You could do that, or you could introduce them to... I dunno, Sekirei maybe? It's not exactly "fighting over a guy" but pretty close. Or Zero No Tsukaima... not a perfect fit either, but I've been too lax in following anime and manga for the past 7-8 years to think of anything really good. Ryoko would probably enjoy them if no one else, and if Mihoshi was into them as well it would be hilarious. Yeah, there's Ranma, but on the one hand it might hit a little TOO close, and on the other it's almost a decade since I concluded I was thoroughly burnt out on anything close to original flavor Ranma, so I don't want to promote it being included even as a throw-away gag - abusive relationships are anti-funny.
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows
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#32
Nah, Garrick wouldn't do that. In fact, he's gonna be keeping pretty much all his romance-oriented manga and anime under lock-and-key. Sure, Ryoko may have seen some of his collection, but it's mostly digital and not deadtree. And before you ask, what few deadtree volumes of No Need for Tenchi he does have, he made sure to fish out and hide first. (I might want to mention that in the story I guess... ^_^;; )

Although Garrick will definitely introduce them to Studio Ghibli the first chance he gets. I don't think it'd be too far out there to say it doesn't exist in Tenchi-verse or that the films are all the same.
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#33
One piping-hot serving of suffering, coming up!
A thump, and something muffled. It didn't matter. It was warm and
soft in here. Stay that way.

The sound again. This time, something wrapping around me. Leave me
alone. Sleeping...

“niii-sannn,” came the voice once more.

Without thinking about it, I opened an eye... and then gasped as
there was another face in mine.

“niii-sannn, give me piggy-back ride!” pouted a chocolate-brown
face with a mess of blonde curls.

“mihoshi,” I whispered. “wake up.”

“niiii-saaannnn!” she pouted again. While that was cute, this
situation was entirely inappropriate. Really I know I went to my own
bed last night... I then looked around... and saw that I was
actually on the couch in the main room... with one of the comforters
thrown over me.

Oh. Must have gotten a little more hammered than I had intended.
Guess that's what I get for drinking with the Space Pirate.

“niiii-saannnn!” Mihoshi persisted.

Cute – adorable even – but still not funny.

Nope.

Not one bit.

… Well, maybe I did have it coming. What was I thinking last
night? Yeesh.

“Mihoshi, please wake up,” I pleaded.

“piggyback ride!” said Mihoshi happily. And then the hurting
began.

“AAAAUUUUGGGHHH!!!” I cried out in agony as my ribs splintered.


To be certain, that definitely shook things up, and it was pretty
much a repeat of my arrival here, with a few key differences: 1) they
weren't wondering who the hell I was and 2) I was able to explain
exactly what happened and why thanks to the removal of the language
barrier.

Washu tutted in a disappointed manner as she reviewed my medical
scans.

“What am I going to do with you Garrick?”

Slap me back
together again and stick me out there,
read the words that appeared over my head and on the small screen infront of me. 
The damage to my ribs and internal organs had been extensive...
Enough that Washu had me on external life-support for the moment
while her medical nanomachines removed bone fragments from my lungs
and liver. It was a very strange sensation to not need to breathe,
let me tell you. I don't really recommend it.

“While I admit this is fun, I can't imagine its very healthy for
you.”

I
rolled my eyes as I typed on the holographic keyboard she'd given me to use, Can't
live in a bell jar forever.


Washu sighed. “No, I guess you can't. But seriously, why you?
Why not anyone else?”

Why indeed.
Murphy's Law, Washu-chan. It's not the one round with your name on
it you need to worry about – it's the ten-thousand other odd rounds
labeled 'Occupant'.


Washu actually snickered at that one and shook her head.

“Military.
All the same.” She then blinked as she had a thought. “Maybe
that's what we should have been aiming for all along here.”

I
glared at her. Don't you dare pack me off to the GP. I
don't care how highly they come recommended – I am not dealing with
police work!


“Oh, stop your whining,” Washu snapped matronly. “I just
wanted to give you the body modification so a little squeeze from
Mihoshi or one of the others doesn't kill you.”

If
I could have sighed, I would have. You know, I'm not
exactly all that eager to give up my humanity.


“Oh? What about all the other interesting things you've been
getting involved in? From what I understand of your psyche, your
idea of self-betterment also applies to upgrades where you can manage
them. Transhumanism does have a certain appeal, doesn't it?”

I gave Washu the sort of look a man gives when their friend walks in
on them in the bathroom oh-so-blithely just to get the stick of
deodorant they left behind... particularly when that friend happens
to be female and appears to be twelve years old.

Stay out of my
head!


“Oh, c'mon Garrick. Like you didn't really anticipate that,
especially when you know I've had to deal with the likes of Doctor
Clay only far too recently for my liking.”

I couldn't sigh, so I just facepalmed.

Fine, fine.
You're right – I should have been more genre savvy. Yeesh. This
oughta teach me to manifest in a place without mad geniuses.


“Well, at least your sense of humor is still working.”

One of the few
things that is right now. But anyhow... Look, can you just make me a
little more durable so nobody accidentally kills me like Mihoshi
almost did?


Washu hummed thoughtfully at that. “I suppose I could. You sure
you don't want enhanced strength or anything like that?”

No longer
lifespans, no super-human powers. I just don't want my damn head
being taken off the moment somebody here sneezes.


“What about faster healing?”

I
thought about that for a moment, then typed, A little bit.
Bear in mind, if I do somehow manage to get hurt with these upgrades
it's probably because I was either in a desperate situation or I was
being monumentally stupid. Which happens sometimes.


“I can understand that. Believe it or not, I too have those
can't-see-the-forrest-for-the-trees moments. Pain deadening?”

Strictly
proportional to adrenal output. Better make that exponentially
proportional. If I'm in a tight spot and it's not serious enough to
warrant immediate attention, then I really don't want to know.


Washu shrugged. “That's how it pretty much works anyhow, but I'll
give your endorphin and adrenal system a tweak. But in the mean
time, there some people who want to see you.”

Washu sauntered off and then Mihoshi came in out of the shadows with
a pensive expression on her face.

“Washu-chan told me you were gonna be okay,” she said. “But I
still feel really bad about what happened. I'm not even supposed to
be able to use my super-strength when I sleep!”

I
shook my head and typed, Shit happens. Washu-chan is
looking into this, but I'm pretty sure that this is absolutely not
your fault, Mihoshi.


“Pretty sure it was the booze,” came Washu's voice echoing from
wherever she was working. “She's never gotten that drunk that
quickly before.”

I
looked to Mihoshi, then typed, There, you see? If anything
it's my fault for bringing out the moonshine. Now that we know, from
now on it's only sake for you, police lady.


“Oh thank goodness!” cried out Mihoshi as she lit up like a
lightbulb. “I was so worried that I might hurt Tenchi-kun, too!”

I smiled and decided to tease her a little. Oh? What about the
old Earth saying, “You always hurt the ones you love”? You
certainly did a number on me!
Mihoshi blinked cutely as she cast
her eyes upwards in thought, her fingertips to her lips as she
pondered.

“Hmm... Well, I do like Gar-kun, but not how I like Tenchi-kun...”
She suddenly brightened once more as she exclaimed, “I know now!
Gar-kun is like Mihoshi's older brother! Because Gar-kun is nice
like older brother is, and he is also tough like older brother.”

I raised a speculative eyebrow. You sure about that 'tough' part?

“Broken ribs are painful,” said Mihoshi. “I broke one rib once
and it hurt so much I cried like a baby. But I broke twelve of your
ribs, and punctured your liver and lungs. Even older brother would
scream like you did.”

I shrugged wryly. I guess when you put it that way.

“Okay, times up! It's my turn now!” came Ryoko's voice bawdily
from the entrance.

“Mooouuuu,” pouted Mihoshi cutely.

Oh g'wan you!
Later let's see if you and I can work out a tactical training course
for my C-Space that's worthy of the GXP.


“Oh! That sounds like fun!” exclaimed Mihoshi. “I'll get
Yukinojo's help and we'll have the plans ready in no time!” And
with that she took off at an energetic jog.

I smiled and shook my head as I typed for Ryoko: Tenchi and the
rest of you are gonna have your hands full with her if you don't
learn how to manage her.


“Eh, she's harmless,” Ryoko replied blithely.

I glared at her, then pointedly raised my gown and gestured sharply
to the brilliantly colored bruises on my chest.

Ryoko had the decency to look sheepish. “Eh-heh. Yeah, that's
right. You're a bit squishy, aren't ya?” I rolled my eyes at that
and Ryoko got the message. “Yeah, sorry. Anyhow... Look, I just
wanted to say I really did have fun last night. It's great, you
know, just to kick it with someone that likes to take it easy.
Especially when he does it while drinking. Just do me a favor and
don't die on us, okay? Hate to lose my drinking buddy just like
that.”

As long as
you're there to watch my back, Buddy,

I typed back at her with a grin.

“Hah! You got it. I have to get going now. Tenchi wanted to say
hi.”

Sure thing.
Catch ya later.


Ryoko and I exchanged a high-five before she sauntered off. As she
and Tenchi passed each other, she gave him a saucy wink and that
surprised the poor guy.

“Ah, hi Garrick. You doing okay?”

As well as I
can. Washu-chan does good work when she feels moved to do so.


He laughed nervously. “Yeah, I guess she does... but... I don't
know... Are you really okay, Garrick?”

I gave him a look. There was nothing special about it. It was flat
– could feel in in the way my brows suddenly felt so heavy over my
eyes. But there must have been something in my eyes as I typed the
words...

I will be,
Tenchi. I have to be.


“Wait a minute, what do you mean by that?”

Tenchi... I've
introspected quite a bit in my lifetime, and there is one thing I've
learned about myself is that I deal well with suffering. I've had my
hopes crushed, my merits squandered, and dreams turned to ash. I
have been ridiculed, embarrassed, harassed, neglected, and scorned.


And yet despite
everything, for some reason I have persevered. Somehow, somewhere in
my upbringing, I had gained the sense that no matter what happens, no
matter how unbearable and painful life has become, the only direction
to go is forward.


And now, it
seems that the penultimate in cruel fates has been perpetrated upon
me. The road back is gone, and the only path is the one that lies
before me. So I will continue on as I have, Tenchi. Ever forwards,
no matter how often I stumble and fall.


“Garrick,” Tenchi began slowly, but surely. “I'm glad that you
have that strength. For a little bit, I really was worried about
you.”

I
smiled ruefully. Don't get me wrong, Tenchi. I am
hurting. Not just from Mihoshi's misplaced affections... but you
get what I mean. I'm just glad that I wound up here.


Tenchi smiled. “I know what you mean. These people... they're
wonderful.”

I
smiled back at him slyly. Oh yes. Such wonderful girls
you mean.


“Huh?” Tenchi replied, blinking cluelessly.

Those girls all
love you, and you love all them... but you can't decide for yourself
if you love one over the other. Am I right?


“Er... yeah, right so far,” said Tenchi nervously.

So, here's what
you do: you start taking them out on dates.


“DATES!?” cried out Tenchi. “Altogether!?”

Of course not
you goof! One at a time, they each get a turn with you.


“Ah... okay... but why?”

EPIC FACEPALM 2X COMBO!

Tenchi... The
girls all love you, and you love them, but you won't make a
gods-be-damned move! Why the hell do you think things get so
fraggin' out of hand here!? They get so antsy and full of nervous
energy they don't know what to do with it... well, at least Ayeka and
Ryoko don't. Sasami, Washu, and Mihoshi all have their hobbies to
help them relieve the tension.


Tenchi's eyes went wide. “You mean that's why they fight all the
time!?”

It's a factor.
Probably the biggest one for sure, but still, just one factor. I've
been talking to them, as you've probably noticed. I've had yet to
talk to you about this matter, but now, here we are.


“Waituhminute... why would you do that?”

Look, Tenchi, I
like a little bit of drama now and then, but not all the time and not
when it can easily devolve into laser death-blades flying all over
the place and kiloton punches and kicks being thrown around. As
we've seen today, I go squish pretty easily, so this is every bit as
much me looking out for my own interests as well as your own.


“But... Washu-chan could-”

I
stopped him with a sharp, cutting gesture, then typed, Washu-chan
can do a lot of things. She's a regular miracle worker. But what
we're not gonna do is go turning me into some immortal
nigh-invincible ultimate unstoppable force. I wouldn't be Human
anymore if she did that and I think she agrees with me. Granted, I
am getting some stuff to help make me tougher and recover a bit
faster, but that's about it – I'm not getting the full blown GP
Body Modification.


“I... see then,” said Tenchi, his eyes downcast. “I never
really thought of it before. I mean... I thought it was strange that
I've gotten through such bad situations before... but now that you're
here I've seen that... Well, I guess that since Mother was
half-Juraian... it only makes sense that I'd be tougher than a normal
human.”

Oi, don't be
getting down on me, Tenchi-kun. You have to understand that no
matter what you learn about yourself, you're still the same person
you are. You just have a better understanding of that person is all.
Remember: the focus of introspection should be to figure out how you
got to this point, not what might have or could have been.


Tenchi's eyes widened in shock as his gaze snapped to mine. “Oh
wow! Jeeze!” He then shook his head and went on, “Damn, I can
be such an idiot sometimes. You really must be older than the rest
of us.”

I
laughed... but no sound came out. My lungs were still out of
commission. But Tenchi seemed to get the idea anyhow as I typed,
Washu-chan and Yosho don't count. I'm only 36, going on
37.


Tenchi laughed back at me. “You're twenty years older than I am!
You sure you're not half-alien, too?”

I
smirked. Technically speaking, I am an alien.
Interdimensional refugees count, don't'cha know?


Tenchi snorted. “Everyone I know is an alien. I guess it can't be
helped then. After all, what's one more?”

My smirk became an all-out grin. That's the spirit, Tenchi-kun.
Now then, about these dates...
Tenchi's good cheer evaporated in
a groan. Will you relax? I got something special in mind. First
up will be Ryoko and I will chaperon. Since all my paperwork is in
order, I'll have Washu-chan transport us up to Yokosuka.


Tenchi blinked. “But why Yokosuka?”

I grinned. Because it's one of the few places in all of Japan
where you can get an American-style burger. Trust me on this –
Ryoko will love it, and you probably will too. We'll go onto the
Naval base and I'll show you guys around – give you the nickel
tour. After that, I'll take you two up to Yokohama and turn you
loose there. I highly recommend that you take her to Cosmo World –
she'll have a blast.


“She will?” Tenchi said in surprise.

What could be
better? Morning spent getting a guided tour of a foreign military
base, food by people that live it up the way she likes to, and then
an afternoon spent with the guy she likes the most, just taking it
easy and having fun.


Tenchi shook his head in shock. “I am such an idiot.”

I
shook my head. No. You're just inexperienced. This is
part of why Sasami-chan wants me to be your older brother.

And with that I reached over and playfully scruffled Tenchi's hair.

“Hey!” hissed Tenchi as he ducked away. “I'm not a kid!”

I rolled my eyes and typed, Admits I'm twenty years older than
him, and then says not to treat him like a kid. Typical.


“I have my pride you know,” he grumbled.

Swallow a bit.
It builds character.


“Oh dear!” came a cultured voice at just the right volume. “I
must be interrupting! I'll be on my way.”

I waved urgently to Princess Ayeka, bidding her to come over.
Blinking, she did and and I typed,

No no! It's
quite alright. Lord Tenchi and I have had plenty of time to chat.

I then turned to Tenchi with a grin as I typed, We'll talk
more about this later on in private.


“Ah, sure!” said Tenchi nervously as he rubbed the back of his
head. He then turned and quickly left with a parting call of, “get
well soon, Garrick.”

Ayeka stared after him, mystified at his hasty departure. “I
wonder what's gotten into him?”

I
couldn't laugh, but I could pound the side of my bed. Lord
Tenchi and I were discussing what he should do about you and the rest
of his paramours.


“What!?” cried Ayeka, scandalized.

Oh, calm down
Princess! Don't burst a blood vessel – you knew this was coming.


Ayeka composed herself, saying, “Well yes, it's one thing to
know... but it's another to hear it put so blithely.”

My apologies,
I typed with a sheepish expression. I am renowned for my
brutal honesty. But we're digressing, milady. I must say, I am
happy you did come to see me.


“Well of course I would. You can't honestly say that you thought I
wouldn't come, can you?”

Of course not.
You're your mother's daughter, after all.


Ayeka gave me a confused look. “What do you mean by that?”

I
smiled and gestured to the bedside hover-cushion. Come,
have a seat and we'll talk.


“As you wish.” She strode over with proper, lady-like movements
and gracefully and decorously lowered herself onto the floating
cushion. “Now, what is it you wish to discuss, Garrick?”

I apologize,
Princess, if this is the first you've heard of it... but I'm pretty
sure you've heard there are plans in the works to adopt me into the
Royal Family.


Ayeka sighed. “The seed was a big hint. I got the rest of the
story from Sasami. If it weren't for the fact that Funaho herself is
originally from here then I might wonder what in Tsunami's name Seto
is thinking.”

You think I'm
not cut out for it?


“Yes and no, Garrick. Some aspects of you would fit well. You
certainly have a charisma about you that the common people would find
mystifying. But the rest of the Nobility might find you... wanting
for refinement.”

And thus the
seed.


Ayeka nodded solemnly. “Lady Seto has her reasons, Garrick. For
one thing, she does like to spoil Sasami, and nothing would make
Sasami happier that being able to call you her Big Brother and really
mean it. For another, she does not want you to suffer the same
stigma Funaho suffered. Caring for a Royal Tree is one of the
highest honors of common folk. They are respected even by Father for
the role they play. In fact, some of the nobility even got their
start that way.”

Ah! Like
squires to their knights!


“Indeed,” replied Ayeka with a pleased smile that I read as 'By
George, I think he's got it!' Her look then became serious as she
went on, “Remember that well, Garrick – if you are adopted into
the family, you will indeed have been elevated to a rather lofty
position, technically speaking, of course. However, in the eyes of
the nobility you will be nothing more than an upstart and a potential
threat.” Her eyes suddenly took on a worried cast. “Tread
carefully, my brother.”

My eyes widened in surprise at that last bit... not so much the
warning to tread carefully, but the fact she called me her brother.
And then to drive the point home, she suddenly leaned towards me, her
face darting to my right... and as suddenly as I realized it, she
pulled away from the chaste kiss she had given me.

She took in my shocked expression and said, “Do not worry, dear
brother. I love Lord Tenchi more than anything else... but that
doesn't mean I don't have room in my heart for anyone else.” She
then shook her head in rueful amusement. “You are such a clever
thief, stealing girls hearts the way you do. How did you ever not
find someone to marry?”

I
shrugged helplessly and typed, I don't know. Probably a
lack of girls actually looking for husbands. Anytime I met a really
special girl... you know, the sort who's got that smile that can
light a world... the one that makes ordinary and mundane adornments
seems mystical and and hypnotic... the one who's very presence makes
you take notice... They are always already with someone else... and
always that someone else understands just what kind of treasure they
have. And I don't have the evil in me to steal it from them.


Ayeka gave me a fascinated look. “Tell me more about this girl,”
she said.

I smiled. It was at training for a job – the details don't
matter. I saw her in the lobby, waiting with everyone else. She was
a dainty little woman – shorter than even you, and yet so perfectly
proportioned that you might have taken her as some sort oversized
doll. She had this delightfully flirty skirt on and a set of strappy
pumps with her ankles adorned with all kinds of bangles and beads.
She had a glorious fall of dark hair and these eyes and sparkled with
amusement anytime she looked at you.


I couldn't talk
to her at first. Two other men had already gotten her attention and
they spent a lot of time over the next few days talking with her
about all sorts of things. Eventually, though, I managed to find her
alone, for the most part, and I did talk with her. But it turned out
that she not only had a man in her life, but a child as well.


I suppose it
would be just as well. They weren't married – she was a free
spirit... too free to allow herself to be shackled by the idea of
being married. And I don't think I could have tolerated such an
existence for too long.


Suddenly I was glomped from the side opposite Ayeka. Turning, I saw
that Sasami had attached herself to my like a limpet.

“Gar-nii-san has the worst luck,” she lamented.

I looked to Ayeka, who simply smiled and reached over to rub the back
of Sasami's head, which was firmly embedded in my side.

I smiled wanly and typed, Maybe, my adorable Sasami-imouto... but
I think it's coming around. After all, I have such wonderful sisters
now. I can wait for a woman to wish to be my wife.


“Okay, no more keyboard for you,” came Washu's voice as she
approached. “Your lungs are just fine now so you can go ahead and
use 'em. I'll go ahead and turn off the neural interdiction now.”
A holographic control pannel appeared at Washu's side as she reached
up, and then entered a complex series of keys without any markings.
Suddenly my diaphragm twitched and sent me into a coughing fit as I
got myself back into sorts.

“Ah, thanks,” I said once the worst was past. I was still trying
to get my throat fully cleared – it felt so phlegmy.

“Brother,” said Ayeka, begging a question, “is it really
important to you that the woman you love marries you?”

I shrugged and said with a rough voice, “Not so much the legal
definition... just that she swears herself to me – a vow to be
there for me when I need her, and for me the same to her. A real
partner in life, as it were. We share joys and sorrows, we make
babies and raise them together, and we stick together no matter how
tough it gets.”

Washu tutted disdainfully. “You're right. As special as that
other girl was, you wouldn't have been able to tolerate that sort of
mindset for long. You've been hurt so much in the past that
demanding such an oath is almost automatic. You need that sense of
security – and I don't mean that lightly. It's not an unhealthy
thing, either. Really, how much do you love a person if you're not
going to promise something like that? It really seems naïve of
her.”

“Indeed,” agreed Ayeka. “In fact, I almost sorry for that
girl. What must have happened to her to make her afraid of making a
commitment like that?”

I sighed – never had it felt so good to do that – and said, “I
have no idea, but Washu-chan is right. With everything else in my
life being as unstable as it was, the last thing I needed was a
girlfriend who had commitment issues. Anyhow... How much longer do I
gotta sit here, Doc?”

Washu smiled – it was almost a loving look. “Just a few more
hours, Gar-kun. However, a lot of your resources are being expended
– not only to repair the damage done, but also make the
modifications you requested. I'll need to give you a couple more
nutrient injections, and then you'll need a nap.”

“Okay. What about the modifications?”

“They shouldn't impact your lifestyle at all. Your skin,
connective tissues, and pretty much everything else are being
reinforced with carbon monofilament weaves, and your bones will have
monomolecular carbon rods reinforcing them.”

“That's a lot of carbon. Where's it all coming from?”

“Your body's waste byproducts for now. A lot of it is from my
nanomachines striping the carbon atoms out of the CO2
molecules and just turning the remaining O2 loose in your
bloodstream. However, I'll still need to inject you with some
elemental carbon in a liquid suspension to help speed things up.”

I shrugged once more and rolled my sleeve up. “No time like the
present.”


I fell asleep soon after that and I had a dream of being a child
again. I was playing a forest full of grand, ancient trees. These
trees were the welcome sort – tall, but easy to climb. It was
peaceful. Sunny. Warm. With a cool breeze, the blue sky full of
white, puffy clouds, and the air filled with the smell of wood,
earth, leaves, and the call of the cicadas.

One tree was especially large and beautiful. It was special. I
loved climbing it, walking its marvelously twisty paths and finding
all kinds of hiding places and perches.

But even though I felt that I had the company of these wonderful
trees... I still wished that I had friends...

As soon as I had thought it, they were all there. The other children
– mostly girls. I liked girls. They were fun. The boys were okay
too. We would do boy-things together. But the girls... oh how I
loved to tease them. They were always so funny when they would run
away squealing. Or even when I made one or two a little angry –
that was even more fun because then they'd chase me! But they were
having fun, too. I could see it in their eyes.

But most of all...

I could feel the trees all around us, watching us fondly. Lovingly.
Like a grandparent watches their descendents playing in their yard.

Especially the grandest one.

She would protect us all when we needed it the most.


 That's it for now!  The next part will start with a short timeskip into the next year, and then we'll start getting into the Manga storyline.
Hint: Garrick has an ADHD moment.  Pity poor Minagi-chan.  She simply won't know what hit her. Wink
Reply
 
#34
Hm, sounds like Tsunami is peeking into his head - or else little Katherine is, to see what this person she's been entrusted to is like.

Wow, I really did hit it on the nose with that post before, didn't I? And Bluemage complains I'm reading his mind...
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows
Reply
 
#35
More or less. Tsunami just wants him to have the sense that someone is watching out for him and has his well being in mind.

As for what his mind is really like... We'll get a better understanding of that... much later. After the Macross step.
Reply
 
#36
Quote:ClassicDrogn wrote:
Hm, sounds like Tsunami is peeking into his head - or else little Katherine is, to see what this person she's been entrusted to is like.

Wow, I really did hit it on the nose with that post before, didn't I? And Bluemage complains I'm reading his mind...
You are... but now you're reading his, too?  Oh, no.
/starts trying to develop Magneto helmets for the fic-writing set
As for the fic, it's still good, and still fun.  I'm beginning to think that there's a bit of 'worthy by association' going on here- Washuu's interested because he's a DT in need.  The houseguests are interested because Washuu's interested.  The Royal Family's interested because Ayeka and Sasami like you... and so on.
I do like the way you're fitting into the group.  Getting to know everybody, finding common ground, gently pointing out ways that they could solve problems- it works well.
As far as body modifications go, I think you missed out on a lot of potential there.  How much depends on the answers to two questions.
1.  Just how extensive are the GP body-mods?  What do they do, and how much do they change you to do it?
2.  What sort of condition are you in?
I can get (even if I disagree) not wanting to exceed human capabilities.  I've an even easier time understanding why you wouldn't want to pull an Adam Jensen- that sort of enhancement can really mess with you.  But here are the million-dollar questions; isn't there room for you to improve within human limitations, and is there a better way to do so than with Washuu's help?
I doubt that you're Captain America, so there should be a sizable gap between your current strength/speed/fitness levels and what a human could theoretically be capable of.  Why not see if she could help close that gap for you?  It wouldn't put you beyond what anybody else could do with training, but it'd make you better equipped to handle human problems... and probably make you a heckuva lot better at running away from anything you shouldn't be mixed up in.

My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Brother Atom Bomb of Courteous Debate. Get yours.

I've been writing a bit.
Reply
 
#37
Quote:Bluemage wrote:
As for the fic, it's still good, and still fun.  I'm beginning to think that there's a bit of 'worthy by association' going on here- Washuu's interested because he's a DT in need.  The houseguests are interested because Washuu's interested.  The Royal Family's interested because Ayeka and Sasami like you... and so on.
I do like the way you're fitting into the group.  Getting to know everybody, finding common ground, gently pointing out ways that they could solve problems- it works well.
Thanks.  It was pretty much the idea all along and it happens to me in real life, too.  I have this weird charisma about me where if I hang out with a group long enough I suddenly become everyone's younger/older brother.
Quote:Bluemage wrote:
As far as body modifications go, I think you missed out on a lot of
potential there.  How much depends on the answers to two questions.
1.  Just how extensive are the GP body-mods?  What do they do, and how much do they change you to do it?
2.  What sort of condition are you in?
I
can get (even if I disagree) not wanting to exceed human capabilities. 
I've an even easier time understanding why you wouldn't want to pull an
Adam Jensen- that sort of enhancement can really mess with you.  But
here are the million-dollar questions; isn't there room for you to
improve within human limitations, and is there a better way to do so
than with Washuu's help?
I doubt that you're Captain America, so
there should be a sizable gap between your current
strength/speed/fitness levels and what a human could theoretically be
capable of.  Why not see if she could help close that gap for you?  It
wouldn't put you beyond what anybody else could do with training, but
it'd make you better equipped to handle human problems... and probably
make you a heckuva lot better at running away from anything you
shouldn't be mixed up in.
The GP Body Mods?  Simply put: Captain America.  I'd have to watch the GXP series to know for sure, but that's pretty much it in a nutshell...  (However, unlike CA, you can still get stone-drunk.  I think the trick is that you you purge the booze from your system when your adrenaline spikes.)
As for my health... It's been a while since I last ran the PRT in the Navy, but the last time I did I ran the 3 mile run portion in about 12:30.  I also cranked out about 70 situps and 50 pushups in each of the allotted 90 second sets.  I have no real physical defects, my hearing's fine, my vision is 20-20, possibly 20-15, and I can even see in the dark better than most people (that whole human black hole thing?  Even as a kid - ate every damn thing - grandparents were absolutely thrilled).  I am also of average height (5'7"/170cm) and my build is ectomorphic, but leaning a little towards mesomorphic.
Now, plans for the future - I honestly do intend to pursue Parkour, and maybe some Aikido as well (especially if I can find a dojo that practices the more competitive form).  Now, while Aikido is certainly what I like to think of as a 'lazy bastard's martial artform' it does teach quick and subtle movements, taking falls, and being limber.
Parkour, on the other hand... physcially demanding in the extreme.  If I were to start within the next few months, I would very probably show up in Tenchi-verse looking like a Native-American Bruce Lee.  Especially considering that while I do pace myself, I have got a heck of a competitive streak in me when it comes to physical training.  I want that top spot, dammit!
So yeah, physical toughness and slightly accelerated healing will be all Garrick would really want, because for a human the only people that will be in better shape than he would be are professional athletes.
Another way of looking at it is that the modifications he does opt for are pretty much a safety net against grievous harm.  He does not intend to go looking for trouble, but he may make a poor choice, or trouble may simply just find him.
.........
Okay, thank you so very much, this gives me some ideas for a fully independent side-story for Garrick.
What if Garrick were to get into full-length Triathlons, with the ultimate goal of eventually completing the Iron Man Hawaii event under the 18.5 hour time limit?  The trigger could be something as simple as a Jyuraian Noble calling Garrick's resolve into question due to his nature of avoiding direct conflict.
Of course, this would not be a one-and-done thing for him.  He would have to build himself up for the challenge, and fortunately the Misaki Estate is suited for such a thing (granted, the lake isn't exactly demanding but it's big enough to suit).  And he would have to attend several Triathlons before working himself up to the ultimate goal of Hawaii.  Fortunately, there is a triathlon in Japan as well as an Ironman in Texas.  These would be symbolic conquests as one is in his adoptive homeland and the other in his original homeland.
Thoughts?
Reply
 
#38
...why are you even writing fanfic, you protagonist-type bastard? Go out and have some real adventures! Big Grin

More seriously, that sounds like a good character arc, to use as the story framework of becoming emotionally invested in the idea that yes, this new world IS "home" now, to match with the logically made decision.
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows
Reply
 
#39
Quote:ClassicDrogn wrote:
...why are you even writing fanfic, you protagonist-type bastard? Go out and have some real adventures! Big Grin
LOL!!!  Well, one way looking at it (and it's pretty obvious now when you think about it) is while my body leans heavily into the athletic bent, my mind in turn leans into the intellectual bent.  An interesting juxtaposition, ain't it?
That, and I'm stuck with family affairs.  Lately it's been all I can do to keep my head above water, but now things are looking up a bit.  We'll see.
Quote:ClassicDrogn wrote:
More seriously, that sounds like a good character arc, to use as the
story framework of becoming emotionally invested in the idea that yes,
this new world IS "home" now, to match with the logically made decision.
Oh yes, for certain.  Garrick will definitely have to take some time out to reconnect with his roots... even if, in a weird sort of way, they don't exist there.  (Like, for example, the Saldana family of Mexico City all being killed outright Game-of-Thrones-style instead of being forced to come to the USA and the Farmers never having to change their names from whatever it was before and leave wherever they came from (supposedly, someone got in big trouble... with Hoover's FBI), thus eliminating the causality of Mother's side of the family.)
Another interesting thing is to have the Jyuraians take note of Garrick's attempts... and this, in turn, attracting the attention of the Kuromitsu family (Mihoshi's Family).  Thing is, they have something they call 'The Male Rite'.  Apparently, this is clearing forests... the old fashioned way.  With giant freakin' axes.  Apparently it's a mental discipline for them.
I can see them taking one look at the Ironman competition... and coming to the immediate conclusion that these humans have got some serious resolve.  (Especially in the case of senior citizens running in the competitions - in a society where the elderly have earned their chops and pretty much command from on high, this would be pretty shocking.)

Anyhow, got some more stuff for you guys, and this wasn't terribly easy to write!  Funaho doesn't make too many appearances, and when she does appear she is the very picture of the reserved woman with a purpose... which honestly doesn't help me much.  The strangeness of the situation just doesn't seem to be conducive to writing her sort of character.
Garrick's feelings at the end of this bit are very much a reflection of my own when I finally figured out how to end it.  Very apropos, considering.

Time passes. The
months drifted by lazily as Autumn turned to Winter, and Winter
inexorably gave way to spring.

Tenchi began dating
the other girls. Even Sasami-chan, but we didn't really call those
dates. Especially since Ryo-Ohki often tagged along. But I knew
better. At the very least, Tenchi was taking my advice to heart –
he began to step a little outside his comfort zone and, finding that
the feelings really were reciprocal, he found that it wasn't so bad a
thing to be a Ladies' Man. The girls were all more than willing to
take things slowly, and that was fine with him.

As for The Girls,
well... they all finally began to settle down.

Ryoko and Ayeka
went from petty rivalry to friendly rivalry. Downright playful even.
It was starting to enter the 'good theater' category of fun once the
two decided to really go at it. Of course, it always was, but back
then it was the sort you'd only watch from High Earth Orbit. But
now, we could sit down at the dinner table together... and while the
two would toss out the most outlandish and scandalous slander at each
other, it was all done with grins that belied the vicious verbal
exchanges.

Mihoshi actually
tried to do better. And by try, I meant she even began to
subconsciously throw her crazy luck at things. She was still a
klutz, a total spaz, and seemingly clueless... but she was no more
naïve than the rest of them. Oh, and Washu and I worked together to
finally get a working guidance beacon setup for Yukinojo to follow.
No more crash landings.

Washu was... well,
Washu. There wasn't changing any of that. She still messed around
with everyone, and once I had settled in there were no holy cows. Of
course, I would always give as good as I got from her.

Sasami didn't
change much either... except that I established an all-hands-on-deck
policy regarding dinner. As an old friend of mine put it, “Those
who help will eat and those who don't won't.” My aim was to make
it so my adorable little sister didn't have to work so hard in the
kitchen. I knew what it was like because I had been there. You try
cleaning up after six siblings that hardly did anything for
themselves.

Sasami protested,
of course, but I insisted. Sure, it was rough going at first. I
found that we had to clearly label all the ingredients to prevent
mix-ups (I'll admit that salt and sugar is an easy one to make if you
aren't careful). Prep work like cutting and peeling vegetables was
an easy enough task once you knew what to do. Getting the table set
was almost a chore in and of itself, with as many place settings as
we needed. There were also more menial tasks, like stirring the pots
so nothing burned and fixing tea and beverages. My sweet iced oolong
tea knocked everyone for a loop and I soon found myself having to
prepare it in large quantities.

Of course, I
changed as well.

Mostly, what I did
was help Tenchi with his field work, and Scrappy the Wonder Truck was
endlessly useful. Granted, there wasn't much actual growing going on
this time of year, but ground still had to be turned, fertilized,
turned again, and kept free of weeds. There was also the irrigation
system that had to be maintained, as well as the tools themselves...
and then there was Scooby.

With Washu's help I
did find a Mazda B2500 Crew Cab and turned it into a ridiculously
efficient diesel-electric drive and then christened the newly
retrofitted vehicle 'The Scooby-Doo Express'.

And then I filed
the patent.

There was no
response from the automotive industry right away, but I got a lot of
hate-mail from the OPEC people – it was all bluster, though. It
posed no threat to their corporate interests because it ran on
diesel, and I wasn't keeping anyone from using it. Noboyuki had to
retain a lawyer for me. The funny part was that the man waived the
legal fees in exchange for doing the conversion on his vehicle. The
fuel savings alone would pay for his usual fees within a few months,
and to make it even better we turned it into a publicity stunt. Soon
enough, every Japanese auto manufacture was looking into offering
diesel-electric options... each with their own proprietary quirks, of
course.

OPEC was even less
happy about that, but their legal avenues were exhausted. Washu
never said anything, but I think she wound up stopping an
assassination attempt. But then, explosions around here were a
pretty regular occurrence anyhow.

But the most
interesting changes were because of my lessons from Yosho and Washu.

Washu, not
satisfied that I was fulfilling my potential with an bachelors degree
in Mechanical Engineering, felt I would be better suited going for a
double-doctorate in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering fields.
With her personalized attention, she fast-tracked me through
everything and we found the most prestigious universities that would
permit me to get credit by examination. Scooby wound up being part
of my doctoral thesis for both fields.

Did I ever mention
that I learn ridiculously fast under dedicated attention?

As for Yosho... he
taught me everything I would ever need or want to know about Jurai.
I learned about the religion, the monarchy, the government, the
school system, the cultures, the customs, the food, the holidays and
even the languages.

But most
importantly, he taught me the sword styles.

I've always had
suspicions about my marshal aptitude. Sure, I've got endurance out
the ass, but mostly because I know how to pace myself. And I can
certainly lose myself in the moment which can lead to that all
important battle-fugue state. But the most bizarre thing about me
was that despite my clumsiness I am a savant at swordplay. In the
few informal spars I have been in just to see what I can do, I found
that I excel at parrying blows and spotting the opening I needed to
score that one precise strike.

I'm good with a
sword.

I'm even better
with two.

But I am
devastating with a sword and a shield.

For now, however,
Yosho only allows me one sword... and he has been very pleased with
what he has been seeing so far.

For example, he
would take Tenchi by surprise time and time again with his
disappearing act. I, on the other hand, knew to anticipate such
moves and Yosho had to become... creative. Seriously, words cannot
express how happy that man was when he realized how much potential I
had. He figured that after I got my technique down pat all I'd need
was simple strength training to better resist an enemy that sought to
batter me with sheer brute force.

Of course... Murphy
still loves me like a red-headed step-child.

One week Mihoshi
came home early and surprised me with a lake-landing while I was
free-running. The small tsunami that made washed me into a thicket
and caused me to startle a nest of Suzumibachi. Fucking OUCH.

Then there was the
time Tenchi, Yosho, Noboyuki, and I all decided to have a guys'
evening in the floating onsen... only someone forgot to mention this
fact to the girls, who all decided to descend on the place en masse.
We never could get the blood out of the wood decking and it all had
to be replaced.

Ryoko was not
without guilt when she somehow got the lot of us roped into a
freaking PUNISHMENT GAME! You remember the MTV show Silent
Library
? Guess what – IT
ORIGINATED IN JAPAN! She thought it was just a regular game show and
I am still a little miffed about it.

But there was one event that particularly stood out... We had all
decided to have a little fun in Tokyo... but I had forgotten about
something critically important.

The Tokyo Subway Nerve Gas Attack.

We weren't in the subways when it happened. But we were in the area.
We were close enough that poor sweet Sasami-chan saw the people
dragging themselves out of the subway, shuddering and foaming at the
mouth as they tried in vain to breath.

Needless to say, the perpetrators of the attack were mysteriously
delivered to the Tokyo Police.

Even though nobody blamed me, I never really forgave myself for that
lapse. Not for what Sasami witnessed. Not for the loss of lives I
could have prevented.

I still have bad dreams about it to this day.

It was yet another crisp day in the earliest part of Spring. Tenchi
and I were working one of the fallow fields, turning the soil in
preparation for planting next season.

“Ready, Tenchi?” I called out from Scooby at one end of the
field.

Tenchi waved. “Go for it!”

With that, I triggered Scooby's power winch and away we went. Tenchi
had once complained that there didn't seem to be enough hours in the
week to get all the plowing done, so I started brainstorming for a
simple way of making it happen faster.

The project had taken a month in total, mainly just to get a hold of
everything we needed. The most difficult being an old, almost
antique, horse-drawn plow. With that one acquisition everything else
fell into place – the 2000lb. power winch and the modified harness
were comparatively easy.

Of course, the winch itself was a heavy duty model. I wanted to
ensure that it was intended for frequent use and not give out after
turning just one or two fields. Therefore, the winch was even more
expensive than the plow. But I was otherwise satisfied, especially
as Tenchi finished the row and we stopped to look back at what we had
done.

“Wow,” said Tenchi. “Three fields this morning and we're just
now stopping to eat yet. I would have never thought this was
possible. You really are a miracle worker, Garrick.” I scoffed as
I went into Scooby to power him down and get the bento that Sasami
had made for us.

“The only miracle was me showing up on your doorstep the way I did
without killing anyone. This is just a little bit of my particular
brand of ingenuity. Besides, I had to do something to help make sure
you don't wind up being overworked like last time. And turning these
fields is the hardest part by far.”

“I'm thankful for your help, Gar-kun,” he said as he accepted his
half of the bento from me.

“Just doing my part, Tenchi.”

“My my! Look at all this progress! You two certainly do work
hard.”

Tenchi practically jumped at the voice. “Lady Funaho! Ah, what
are you doing here?”

I turned and, sure enough, there she was – the elegant and
ever-composed Lady Funaho, First Wife to Emperor Asuza of Jurai and
Jurai's Minister of Intelligence.

She smiled and said, “You make it sound as though I need a reason
to visit with my family here on Earth, Tenchi-kun.”

I smiled as Tenchi rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “Well...
you do have an important job, and Jurai is so far away.”

“It's nothing that I can't get away from for a few days.
Especially when there is something as important as your friend
standing behind you. Would you care to introduce us, Tenchi-kun?”

“Wha?” said Tenchi. I smiled – Funaho's sudden appearance had
just about completely scrambled his brains. “Oh! Right! Gar-kun,
this woman is Lady Funaho... she is Grandfather's Mother. Lady
Funaho, this is Garrick Grimm, our good friend from another version
of Earth.”

“It is my pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Funaho,” I
said as I bowed deeply to the noble woman.

“The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Grimm. However, in the future, when
it is only us family, I would appreciate it if you were not quite so
formal.”

I couldn't help but smile as I read between the lines. “Of course.
But only when it's just family.”

Funaho smiled. “I see that Yosho and Ayeka have been educating
you.”

I grinned ruefully. “They're good teachers, even if they are quite
sharp and critical. I can understand why though. The environment I
would find myself in has quite a few hidden dangers.”

Funaho's expresion turned a little more somber, though it still
carried an oddly cheerful edge, like someone relishing a daunting
task.

“Indeed it does, Mr. Grimm. That is part of why I am here today –
to judge if you are truly suited to what would come your way.”

I sighed my trademark 'Ho boy, here we go now' sigh. It can be
likened unto the sound a tired old dog makes when he sees a bouncing
six-month-old baby making a beeline for his ears.

I then looked to Tenchi. “Oi, Tenchi?”

“Neh?”

“You think we can just call it a day here?”

“Sure. Thanks you your invention we got a week's worth of work
done already.”

“A week's worth?” asked Funaho.

I nodded. “We managed to turn three fields in just a few hours
using a power winch and an old horse-drawn plow.”

“Ah, how clever of you. In that case, I understand Sasami-chan is
working on lunch right now. Perhaps we should join everyone else?”

“Sounds like a plan to my, Lady Funaho. Just give Tenchi and I a
few minutes to pack everything in.”

It turned out that Lady Funaho was by herself. For sure, she had an
entourage, but they had remained behind on her ship.

After a cheerefully talkative lunch, Funaho and I went up to my
C-Space for an after-lunch tea and some... private discussion.

“Lady Seto mentioned a rather strange tea that you have. Something
with a sweet and cool flavor that soothes stomachs and nerves?”

“Ah, that would be my Sleepytime tea. Would you like to try some.”

“Yes, please. I've been very curious ever since Seto told me about
it.” Funaho's face then scrunched up adorably. “But she's so
stingy she won't let me try any!”

I burst into stuttering snickers and Funaho looked at me in surprise.

“I'm sorry, I'm sorry,” I apologized once my laughing fit went
away. “It's just... all the time you've been here you've been
graceful and poised... and then suddenly...” I then mimicked the
face Funaho had made and this time she began to titter behind her
hand.

“No offense taken, Mr. Grimm. Actually, I'm glad to know that you
can see the humor in such things.”

“Of course not, milady. I'll go ahead and get the tea.”

“Your space is a bit spartan,” called Funaho.

“A bit. It's just a temporary thing, though. In time I'll fill it
up with all kinds of things. My garden, on the other hand, is a
sight. Feel free to look while I work on this tea, milady.”

“Gladly. Where is it now?”

“Go up the stairs, turn away from the library, go past the windows
that overlook the workshop, and keep going straight.” I smiled as
I watched Funaho make her way up the stairs and down the passage to
the garden room.

Soon enough, I was making my way over with one of my modest-sized tea
pots when I heard Funaho cooing.

“Ooohhh, these are beautiful!” As I entered I found mesmerized
by the blue flowers in the terrace next to my cacti and euphorbia.
“Oh, Mr. Grimm! You must tell me about these flowers.”

I smiled as I set the tea aside on a table. “We call it Blue
Bonnet. It's a flower that is very special to the people of my
homeland – special enough that my people made it unlawful to cut
the plants down when they're flowering.”

“Does it have trouble propagating?”

“A little. It's adapted for a harsh environment. The seeds have a
very tough outer layer that keeps them from germinating for as long
as two years. This helps ensure that natural erosion gets them into
the ground.”

“How did you get these to germinate so soon?”

“I scarified the seeds. It's not exactly recommended, but it's the
only way to effectively speed up the process. However, my goal with
this terrace is to have them naturally germinating year-round in a
year or two. As each generation goes to seed, I plant a mix
scarified and unblemished seeds.”

Funaho hmmed thoughtfully. “Clever. But don't you ever worry
about nutrients?”

I shook my head. “They grow in alkali, nutrient-poor soil that
drains very quickly.”

“I see. It's a real survivor then. Is it safe to touch?”

I grinned. “Back home, people lay in them and afterwards they pop
right back up. No poison, no barbs, just wild and strong-willed
beauty.”

“Might I have a few of your precious seeds, Mr. Grimm?”

Unbidden, the imagery of Blue Bonnets growing lush and plentiful
among the trees of Jyurai came to mind – a glorious and hopeful
blue to grow alongside the somber yet lovely amethyst of Jyurai's
Royal Teardrop.

I didn't know if I would ever live to see it. But if that would be
part of my legacy...

“Lady Funaho, it would honor me.” Without another word, I went
to the cleverly hidden shed where I kept my tools and supplies. A
moment later, I came back with the plain little envelope that bulged
with a hidden treasure.

“To grow them naturally, you will need a patch of bare soil, poor
of nutrients, fast-drying, and alkali. Cover these seeds with a thin
layer of soil. In the spring and the autumn, water them liberally
twice a week and no more. They favor bright sun and warm weather.
Once the protective shell has worn away within a year or so, the
seeds will start to grow and in a few weeks you will have a carpet of
these wonderful flowers.”

“Two years is a little long to wait for flowers,” Funaho said
with a smile as she accepted the packet of seeds.

“You've lived a long time, Lady Funaho. And you have centuries
ahead of you yet. Two years is a passing moment in comparison.” I
sighed heavily. “What I would do with centuries.”

“What would you do with centuries, Garrick?” she asked with that
same smile as she motioned to the table with the tea.

Her sudden use of my given name surprised me and I stumbled as I
clumsily moved to the table, pulling out a chair and offering it to
her. And then there was the question itself!

“What wouldn't I do?” I asked myself, barely cognizant of my
pouring Funaho's tea and offering it to her before pouring a cup for
myself. “I would learn everything I've ever wanted to know.
Craftsmanship, mathematics, music, art, engineering... I could go on
and on. I would build things. Things that are beautiful,
magnificent, functional. I wouldn't fear the madness of the tortured
artist for I would have all the time I needed to perfect my
creations. And I would find someone... my match. We would have
children, and raise them together. Love... I would love them so
much, even if we do anger each other. And I would know the children
of my children, and their children as well. I would be a beacon for
my family, ever-present but not overpowering – a signal for them to
track by no matter how far afield they may go.

“And I would search the galaxy for my special place... though I
think I know where it would be... my own home. A place where I could
find refuge and where I would watch the children of my family play.
A place that is wild, yet amicable. Tranquil and vibrant.”

“It sounds nice,” Funaho said after sipping her tea. “Hmmmm...
I can see why Seto is so stingy now. At any rate... do you think
it's a little isolationist? I know you speak of building things –
public works I would assume. Yet you speak little of interacting
with anyone outside of family.”

I shrugged as I sipped my own tea. “I am an isolationist by
nature. In fact, when I was a child it was so bad that I was
absolutely vicious towards anyone trying to dictate my actions to me.
I desired to be free to do as I pleased, and to hell with anyone
that felt otherwise. If that meant that I didn't have anyone to play
with, then I was fine with that. I had my imagination and it went
wild.

“Over time, my step-father knocked some sense into me, instilling
into me that the world was a cold place and cared little for me and
what I wanted to do. And my mother instilled into me a sense of
empathy – of putting myself into another person's place and
understanding their feelings. Especially pain. Pain was a big one
for me. Even though I have such a tolerance for it – both physical
and emotional – I still feel that I've had my fill of it. I just
want to live a happy and tranquil life and I wish the same for
anybody that crosses my path.

“But if anyone wishes to cause me pain... I would make theirs a
world of hurt in return.”

“An interesting choice of words. It reflects in what I heard about
your arrival. Ryoko broke you neck and caused you so much trouble,
and yet you hold no ill will towards her because it was, by all
accounts and considerations, an accident.”

I nodded solemnly. “Truth. I know Ryoko didn't really intend me
any personal harm. I startled her, she reacted, and then regretted
her action. Hell, she still regrets what happened, so I make sure to
get her good and drunk on the nights it hits her hardest.”

Funaho smiled. “You care about her!”

I scoffed. “She's a likeable person, once you get past her
abrasiveness. Of course, that's a relative thing. What Princess
Ayeka considers abrasive and I consider abrasive are two different
things. I wouldn't be lying if every now and then those two get into
it, but at least I managed to get them to see a little more
eye-to-eye.”

“That is something else I find interesting – that you got Ayeka
to take a liking to you.”

I rolled my eyes a bit. “Not much to it. I just treated her like
a person. Helped that we had some common interests – I couldn't
have made this garden without her help.”

“Indeed. The Royal Teardrops are her signature.”

“Honestly, though, I have Sasami to thank the most. If not for
her, I don't think I would have gotten my foot in the door, so to
speak.”

Funaho nodded. “She speaks well of you. She's also worried about
you. She says that you are so sad that it hurts to see you
sometimes.”

I grimaced at that. “I wish she wasn't so perceptive sometimes...
and I kinda wish you hadn't told me – it can lead to a negative
feedback loop if I don't handle it right.”

Funaho gave me a flat look and said, “I think you're being a little
dramatic there. And if what I heard of you is true, you should know
I don't use that word lightly.”

I blinked at that. “Right. Sorry.”

Funaho then sighed and took a sip of her tea. “That aside...
Sasami obviously hasn't spared any detail. Really, for me this is
all a formality... and simply to satisfy my own curiosity. Besides,
my husband wouldn't forgive me for adopting you without even meeting
you in the first place.

“So, that said, I do have one important question to ask, Garrick:
how are you doing?”

“It's been hard, you know,” I said honestly, “leaving it all
behind. I have so many reminders of who I was and what I've been. I
can't leave those parts of me behind, no matter how much it hurts to
remember the past. If I do... then I might as well carve my own
heart out. I'd hardly even be human anymore.”

Funaho had a sober look on her face. “I am sorry to hear that
Garrick. Trust me, I do wish I could help you by giving you a hug
and telling you that mother will make it all better. Such is the
plight of all mothers. We desperately wish to help our children by
taking their burdens upon our own backs when the better thing to do
is let them work their dilemmas out for themselves. Regardless, you
do seem to be holding up well under the burden of your grief.”

I sipped at my tea, contemplating her words and wondering what to
say. In the end, though, there was really only one thing I could say
to that.

“Thank you,” I said at barely more than a whisper. Funaho gave
me a small, sad smile and we quietly enjoyed my little garden – a
slice of Earth and Jyurai smashed together.

“Katherine seems to like it here,” Funaho said at last.

“I'm glad that she does.”

“My husband will be pleased to see she is doing so well.”

“Will he be coming anytime soon?”

“No, not for some time. While your adoption into the family is
technically all but said and done, Azusa wants to test your mettle.
He's certain that longer you stay here with Tenchi then the more
likely you are to come across a situation that will show your true
character.”

I smiled despite myself. “Fine by me. I don't quite feel ready
for dealing with Jyuraian High Society just yet.”

“Well, that settles that, then!” said Funaho with a smile. “That
leaves us with only one other matter, Garrick: just how much do you
know about us?”

I took a deep breath and let it out slow. “I know... quite a bit.
The question is... how much do you want to change the future by
knowing what I know?”

Funoho gave me a worried look. “Is it that bad?”

“The future?” I asked, a bit surprised. “No. Not really.
There are troubles, believe me. But it's nothing insurmountable in
the least. A question for a question, milady... do you trust
Washu-chan? To do the right thing, that is.”

Funaho seemed to mull that over for a moment before saying, “I do
trust her to do what's right... though I do wish she had the
interests in the Empire in mind when she does so.”

“Then please, milady, trust Washu-chan to be my confidant. She
understands better than anyone else just how dangerous my knowledge
is.”

“And what if someone else finds out about you?” Lady Funaho
replied with a sharp look.

I gave Funaho an equally sober look. “Then I will pray that
Tsunami is able to keep my soul from harm because I will remove
myself from the picture if I have to.”

I couldn't have shocked her more than if I had tried. “You would
kill yourself?”

“I would do what I must to protect my family. I know it must sound
extreme, and believe me, I'm not trying to discount the value of my
life, but in the grand scheme of things... I would rather die before
I permit any knowledge I have be used to do harm.”

Funaho sighed. “Seto told me you would be different. I had no
idea what that old bat was setting me up for.”

That was so far out of left field that I couldn't stop the snort from
squeaking by.

Funaho arched an eyebrow. “Yes?”

“My apologies... but... 'old bat'?”

Funaho sighed once more. “Don't misunderstand, Garrick. I love
that woman like she was my own mother... but like any mother, she can
tend to become... overbearing.”

I laughed. I couldn't help it. “Oh man... and that would be
putting it lightly.”

Funaho closed her eyes and sighed deeply. “And you would know for
sure.”

“Well, of course, I met her a while ago.” I gave Funaho one of
my wicked little smiles. Funaho gave me an odd look for a moment,
then smiled wryly while shaking her head.

“Of course, simply knowing about her is far different from actually
meeting her.” Funaho sighed and then went on, “So, is there
anything that you would be willing to tell us?”

I had been giving some thought, and I felt I had just the thing for
her. “Tell me... are you missing a tree-ship by the name of
Bizen?”

Funaho blinked. “Why, yes. For quite some time, in fact. What do
you know?”

“A lot,” I stated simply. “I can't tell you all the details,
but Bizen will be appearing again sometime in the near future. When
it does, don't bring an entire fleet. In fact, you'll want to try
and get a First Generation Tree for that mission.”

“And you won't tell me more?”

“Nope. It could mess everything up if I do.”

“And there's no promises I can make?”

I sighed. “Milady... please don't take this as an insult... but
one thing I've noticed about Jyuraians is that they tend to be a
little capricious. It may have rubbed off on you over the centuries,
and any loopholes I unknowingly leave will most like be taken
advantage of. That, and I don't know you quite well enough yet.”

Funaho smiled. “And it seems that I am defeated once again.”

I blinked. “Oh, refering to when you tried to get Washu to make
more Ryokos and Ryo-ohkis?”

“You're every bit as shrewd as she is.”

“Well, at least we can say that wasn't her doing.”

“Oh, it wasn't?” asked Funaho, puzzled at that.

“Nope. That was my...” Man, I wish it didn't hurt so much to
think of them... “That was my family... from my old life.” All
I could do was stare off into the distance as I fought back the
tears. I don't know how long it was until I felt a hand on mine.
Snapping my gaze around, I found Funaho giving me an encouraging
smile.

“I've read the reports, Garrick. I know about what you've lost,
and I know that there is on way to give back what has been taken from
you. The most I can be to you is a surrogate mother.”

“If that's what you want, then what you need to do is get up and
give me a hug.”

Funaho's eyes widened in surprise, but then her face relaxed once
more as she smiled and got up.

“I should have known,” she said as she stepped behind me and
wrapped me up in a motherly embrace. “After having one son
already, I should have known what a sad little boy looks like... and
what he needs the most.”

Call me immature. Call me whatever you want.

But this.

Just this.

This made the world just a little more bearable.

Sure, I had Washu to patch me up... and then there was Sasami's own
affections... But neither of those came close to a genuine hug from
mom. Even if she was only filling in for your real mother.

Funaho left that
afternoon.

I'd given her a
gift of several cartons of Sleepytime tea to share between herself
and Misaki.

That evening as I
sat out on the deck sipping my evening tea, I heard Washu walk up
next to me and plunk herself down.

“You've been
quiet today.”

“It's been a bit
of a weird day for me.”

Washu scoffed. “I
bet. Lady Funaho isn't usually the touchy feely sort. She's making
a special exception for you.”

“I kinda gathered
that. I just hope it didn't make her too uncomfortable.”

“I don't think
so,” said Washu blithely. “You just reminded her about what it's
like being a mom.”

“It's a tough
gig, that's for sure. I don't want to be a burden on her.”

“It'll be fine.
I know you'll definitely pull your own weight, just like you have
been here.”

“Pulling my own
weight, huh? What the hell does that entail in the Royal Household?
I mean, I've been learning a lot about etiquette and ranks and such...
But I've got no idea what the hell anyone does.”

Washu shrugged.
“Everybody's involved with the government in some way or another.”

“Oh? Then what
did Ayeka do before she went off to look for Yosho?”

“From what I
understand, nothing much. Oh, there were things like entertaining
ambassadors and such... but that was usually their children that
Ayeka would entertain.”

“Ah yes. The
whole big-sister thing.”

“Right. It also
helps that she knew how to lay down the diplomacy when she needed to
reign one of their children in.”

I snorted at that.
“I think you meant 'gunboat diplomacy'.”

“Heh. That too.”

For a moment we
just sat there, content to listen to the sounds of the night.

“Hey, Washu-chan,
level with me.”

“What?”

“Do they honestly
want me? As a son, I mean... Sure, I bet they'd love to have some
new blood in the family that could shake things up without going
overboard... But will they really think of me as Their Son?”

Washu sighed.
“Funaho wasn't kidding when she spoke with me earlier. You really
are just a scared little kid underneath it all, aren't you?”

I scoffed. “Story
of my freakin' life, Washu-chan. Is it really paranoia when there's
someone out there that is actually out to get you?”

“Eh-heh-heh.
Point taken. But really, you should give Funaho and Azusa the
benefit of a doubt. After all, they're doing the same with you.”

“Et tu, point.”
I sighed. “Either way. I don't have much choice, do I? I just
hope they don't do anything to hurt me.”

“I don't think
they will, Garrick. It'd wouldn't make any sense.”

“Yeah, your
right. Just being freakin' insecure right now. Screw this,” I
said as I suddenly emptied the tea cup into the lake, got up, and
made way for my C-Space. “I need a real drink.”
Reply
 
#40
So far more great stuff. A couple little nits to pick, though...
Quote:I've always had suspicions about my marshal aptitude.
That's your ability to be a sheriff in the Old West. You mean "martial aptitude".
Quote:Just give Tenchi and I a few minutes to pack everything in
"Tenchi and me". Rule of thumb -- if you've got a pronoun in a compound subject or object you're not sure of, take it apart into two sentences: "Just give Tenchi a few minutes" + "Just give I a few minutes". If the pronoun sounds wrong there, it's wrong in the compound, too.
Quote:They grow in alkali, nutrient-poor soil
"Alkaline" - you want the adjective here, and a few sentences later.
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.
Reply
 
#41
Protagonist. Type. Bastard. Go rescue an alien girlfriend or something, so you're too busy to keep making the rest of us look bad.

Sort of a transition chapter feel to this one, though meeting Funaho is of course an important milestone. I did notice one technical problem - "marshal ability" should be "martial." I'd worry about introducing foreign species to Jurai, but all things considered their trees can probably take care of themselves against mundane Earth plants, particularly one that's not all that prolific in spreading itself.

It might do to turn the narration about your SI's talent at swords into an actual scene, to break up the slower paced slice of life stuff, but not strictly necessary at this stage. Putting in some kind of action soon is probably a good idea, though.
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows
Reply
 
#42
And one more ...
Quote:“Right. It also helps that she knew how to lay down the diplomacy when she needed to reign one of their children in.”
While she's royalty, she doesn't reign yet; her father's still in charge. I believe you want "rein in" here.
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012
Reply
 
#43
Oooh, missed that one. Good catch, Rob.
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.
Reply
 
#44
Quote:Bob Schroeck wrote:
So far more great stuff. A couple little nits to pick, though...
Quote:I've always had suspicions about my marshal aptitude.
That's your ability to be a sheriff in the Old West. You mean "martial aptitude".
Quote:Just give Tenchi and I a few minutes to pack everything in
"Tenchi
and me". Rule of thumb -- if you've got a pronoun in a compound
subject or object you're not sure of, take it apart into two sentences:
"Just give Tenchi a few minutes" + "Just give I a few minutes". If the
pronoun sounds wrong there, it's wrong in the compound, too.
Quote:They grow in alkali, nutrient-poor soil
"Alkaline" - you want the adjective here, and a few sentences later.
Quote:robkelk wrote:
And one more ...
Quote:“Right. It also helps that she knew how to lay down the diplomacy when she needed to reign one of their children in.”
While she's royalty, she doesn't reign yet; her father's still in charge. I believe you want "rein in" here.
All noted in the fix-list.  Thanks much, guys.  Smile
Quote:ClassicDrogn wrote:
Protagonist.
Type. Bastard. Go rescue an alien girlfriend or something, so you're
too busy to keep making the rest of us look bad.
Sorry CD.  Would love to, but there are no alien princesses in San Antonio that I know of... especially ones that need saving.  I just have to suffice with writing about saving alien space princesses.  Wink
Quote:ClassicDrogn wrote:
Sort of a transition chapter feel to this one, though meeting Funaho is
of course an important milestone. I did notice one technical problem -
"marshal ability" should be "martial." I'd worry about introducing
foreign species to Jurai, but all things considered their trees can
probably take care of themselves against mundane Earth plants,
particularly one that's not all that prolific in spreading itself.
Yeah, Blue Bonnets take a bit of effort to get going, and even then they'll only thrive in harsh conditions like you find here in Texas.  I doubt they would have those conditions on Jyurai - the abundance of water in the soil would actually stymie their growth and make their proliferation in doubt (you never see Blue Bonnets at the bottom of a hill - only at the top and the slopes).  Though there have been success stories of growing Blue Bonnets in places other than Texas, there's been no word of them growing out of control or turning invasive.
Quote:ClassicDrogn wrote:
It might do to turn the narration about your SI's talent at swords into
an actual scene, to break up the slower paced slice of life stuff, but
not strictly necessary at this stage. Putting in some kind of action
soon is probably a good idea, though.
I originally had it that way, actually, and then I found that that bit fit very well into the time skip.  That, and it felt redundant to rehash the fact that Garrick has a thing for swordsmanship.  Oh well, I'll see what I can do to fix that...
And so, here we are!  Garrick's feeling better now, and it's about time for everyone to experience Hyper-Garrick!
IT'S FUN TIME!
It was a day like
any other.

Springtime.

Crisp.

Cool.

Green.

New.

The chill of winter
still held the land in a stranglehold, but the light of the sun and
the will of the plants would not be thwarted. The seasons would
turn, as inevitable as time itself.

In short, it was
Sunday and Ayeka, Sasami, Mihoshi all had to wear their winter-weight
clothing.

It was a rare thing
for the Princesses. Jyurai enjoyed a perpetual temperate climate not
broken by seasonal shifts... or rather, they had seasonal shifts,
just nothing as drastic as Earth's. Fortunately, Ayeka and Sasami
were no strangers to travel, and when they had left Jyurai they
packed an assortment of clothing for different climates.

Still, it was a
novelty for them to be able to enjoy the full range of their
wardrobes over the course of the year. Therefore, when they showed
up at the shrine they were decked out in the nicest winter clothing I
have ever seen.

Of course, I didn't
get to notice right away. I had my hands full in dealing with Yosho.

“C'mon old
timer,” I jeered cheerfully amid a flurry of thrusts and parries.
“Don't tell me that's all you go-YIPE!”

“Watch yourself,
boy,” said Yosho with a grin.

“Only a boy to
you!” I fired back. “And don't encourage my Peter Pan complex.”

“I don't need to.
You encourage it yourself.”

“Oh my, so
energetic!” came Ayeka's voice.

“Gar-nii-san
looks good,” added Sasami.

“Go for it,
Onii-chan!” called out Mihoshi.

“I hope they stop
soon,” said Tenchi a little worriedly. “I think Grandpa's having
a little too much fun.”

“DON'T TEMPT ME!”
I yelled. “I SWEAR I'LL TAKE THIS INTO THE TREETOPS!” Free
running meets swordplay. Where are your ninja now?

That actually made
Yosho pause. “We'll stop here for now. I was getting hungry
anyhow.”

“Darn,” I
cursed half-heartedly with a smile. If I didn't know any better I'd
swear there were times that I made Yosho, for all his centuries, feel
at least a little out of his depth.

“Oh don't be so
put out, Brother,” said Ayeka with a grin. “We brought food.”

“Ah, thanks! I
could definitely do food right now. By the way, where's Ryoko?
She's not one to miss out on something like this.”

“She mentioned
something about extra time needed to prepare,” Sasami put in. “But
I can't imagine what she might be up to.”

Tenchi smiled. “I
wouldn't worry about it. Ryoko is Ryoko. She'll be fine.” We all
set out the food and began our impromptu picnic.

“I hope that you
all enjoy this,” said Ayeka with uncharacteristic shyness. “I...
did make this all myself.”

Tenchi and Yosho
both went white as sheets. I looked a question at Sasami, though,
and she nodded smiling.

“She's right,”
Sasami confirmed for us. “I just supervised her.”

“Ah. In that
case, I say we all dig in. It's got Sasami-chan's stamp of
approval.” With that, everyone loaded up so quickly that I had to
keep myself from laughing. Shaking my head, and went in to get my
own before it all disappeared.

I sat next to
Sasami and whispered, “Did Ayeka-imouto really make all this?”

Sasami nodded
vigorously. “Nee-san really did work very hard today. But then, I
had to work really hard to to make sure she didn't mess up. Still, I
think we can count this as a victory.” And with that, she happily
stuffed a piece of Sashimi in her mouth and chewed happily.

I smiled. “Wonder
of all wonders.”

“Hey! Is this a
private party, or can anyone just crash it?”

“Oooh that
voice!” said Ayeka angrily as she whipped around, glowering at
Ryoko. “Boors are strictly prohibited at Royal Family functions.”
She then smiled. “However, if one can show themselves to be a
person of sophistication and class, that may be another matter. It
also doesn't hurt if you bring something for the buffet.”

“Is that so?”
said Ryoko with a grin. “Then allow me to make up for my entrance
with a grand presentation!” She then closed her eyes and spread
her arms wide, intoning, “Oh great one of the depths, come forth!”

And just like that,
a massive tuna appeared from Ryoko's subspace pocket.

“WHOAH!” I
found myself saying – even though I had a feeling this event was
coming anyhow, it still didn't prepare me for how big that fish was.
“That's gonna be a lot of leftovers.”

Ayeka, however,
simply smiled and said, “We have yet to be impressed yet, Miss
Ryoko.”

Ryoko grinned back.
“Alright then. Let the barbeque begin!” Electricity crackled
and arced through the air as Ryoko bent the atmospheric ionization to
her will, generating a wicked static electrical imbalance that could
only resolve itself one way... and Ryoko had the tuna interposed in
the space that energy wanted to go through.

It was a light and
sound show I would not soon forget. However, I didn't let it
distract me from the more important thing.

“Ryoko!” I
called out loud. “Incoming attack! Put the fish away!”

At first she was
confused, but then Ryo-Ohki snarled angrily, startling Sasami into
worry, and Mihoshi's own early-warning system went off, much to her
confusion. Ryoko's eyes went wide in shock as she put two-and-two
together, and she hurriedly slipped the massive electro-roasted tuna
back into her subspace pocket. And not a moment too soon when the
massive beam of energy blasted through right where the fish had been
and impacted not too far away.

“Garrick!”
snapped out Ryoko. “What in the hell is going on!?”

Tenchi shushed her
before I could answer. “Someone's coming!”

Lo and behold, she
came, not striding, but floating over the crater she'd made and over
towards us, accompanied by her own amused laughter. And while
everyone stopped dead in their tracks, shocked at what they were
seeing and hearing, I stepped up to the front.

“I've been
looking for you,” she said in Ryoko's voice, but a different
inflection. In fact, she looked just like Ryoko, except for the odd
markings on her cheeks. She also wore some weird one-piece suit with
the shoulder-pads from hell. “So, you're the one! You did in
Kagato, didn't you?”

Before anyone could
say something, I put my hand to my heart and went on dramatically,
“I'm flattered, cutey, really I am. But that's just not me.
However, if you're willing to play the question-for-answer game, I'm
perfectly willing to tell you everything.”

“HEEEEHHHH!?”
yelled everyone behind me.

“Are you
insane!?” cried out Ryoko.

I cast a
devil-may-care look back at our Ryoko over my shoulder. I then
called out in my best TV-Man voice, “Popular opinion on that matter
still needs to be tabulated. Current polling points to 'Yes',” and
there I snapped my fingers smartly and continued, “however, we'll
need to get back to you when the final tally is in. Back to you,
Gar-kun.”

Let me tell you,
getting that sort level of shock and confusion out of Ryoko is so.
Fucking. Satisfying. I swear I was wearing a shit-eating grin for
weeks after that.

Turning back to
Ryoko 2.0, I went on, “So, anyhow, shall I start or do you want the
honors?”

“What the hell
was that!?” snapped Other Ryoko.

Oh man, this was so
epic. I won't quit smiling for weeks.

“That was me
fucking with everybody's heads. C'mon! Give me a tough one next
time. My turn anyhow! You're name is Minagi, right?”

“How the hell did
you know that!?” Damn, she was playing along and not even
realizing it!

“I'll take that
as a 'yes'!” I beamed. “As for your answer...” I then adopted
a posture of mock solemnity with my hand placed reverently over my
chest. “I bear the terrible burdens of being an interdimensional
traveler. Such is my knowledge that if I am not careful I can
DESTROY THE UNIVERSE!” It's no wonder my eyes are brown. Whenever
the mood strikes my fancy, I'm always just so full of it. “MY
TURN! Does your mother know you go around wearing such scandalous
things?”

“THIS IS MY
BATTLE ARMOR! And I don't have a mother!”

“The hell you
don't! Ryoko over there's got a mother, much to her chagrin, and you
two look exactly alike! Even with the universe being as big as it
is, that's a pretty damn small coincidence. But just to be safe!”
I slapped my C-pod and brought up the communication app with a few
flamboyant taps. “Washu-chan! Get your cute little 20,000 year
old tush over here! Got something only you can settle and it needs
to be settled ASAP. Code Pond Strider.”

WOO-HOO! Why
didn't you say so sooner!”

came Washu's voice tinnily over the C-Pod. My grin began to take on
dangerous proportions. I could tell by the frightened looks people
were giving me. Except for Sasami. She looked like she wanted to
laugh so badly but didn't want to break the effect I was having.

Code Pond Strider, by the way, was something Washu and I had come up
with. If I ever remembered something IMPORTANT and it was happening
RIGHT NOW, then I'd call in a Code Pond Strider and shit would get
real.

As for Washu, she quit faffing around with whatever she was doing and
opened a gateway to get directly here.

“Heya
Gar-kun, what's goi-” and then she caught sight of Minagi and
completely spazzed out. “GYAUGH! The hell!? I think I should
have recalled that!” Everyone behind us facevaulted, Sasami
included. The little imp did
know where babies came from, after all.

I leaned down and stage whispered to Washu in a conspiratorial
fashion. “Why, Washu-chan... You did say you used one of your ovum
to create Ryoko. You now make me wonder how you went about it.”

“That's not
important right now Garrick!!!” Washu yelled in by ear, giving it a
good tug for emphasis. That in exchange for trolling Washu-chan?
So. Fucking. Worth it. Lady Seto will be so pleased to hear it.
She then huffed and composed herself, saying, “Alright, missy.
Tell me right now who created you.”

“I think I've
answered enough questions!” said Minagi irately.

“Not by a
longshot, Minagi,” I said, now taking a gentler, but still
delightedly chiding tone with her. “You see, there's so much we'd
like to know about you. Granted, I can understand the interest in
Tenchi-kun. He's a swell guy and all despite having the balls to
take on Kagato and win.”

Minagi blinked,
then looked to Tenchi. “It was you?”

Tenchi just
chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his head while everyone
else began to edge away from him.

Minagi then turned
back to me. “You're lying,” she accused. “I bet it was you
instead!”

I laughed.
“Flattery will get you everywhere with me, but unfortunately,
Minagi, that just ain't the truth. Check your scans of me! I'm just
a human with no special powers aside from a fuckton of health points
and a very odd collection of skills. I don't have anything that
would let me take on Kagato head on and win like Tenchi-kun did.”

“Oh no! I'm not
gonna let your slippery tongue make a fool out of me! I'm taking you
with me back to my master and none of you had better stop me!”

“Over my dead
body!” snarled Ryoko as she suddenly interposed herself between us.

Minagi smiled. “I
can make that a reality if you want me to.”

“THAT'S ENOUGH!”
I snapped, my voice cracking like a gunshot. Ryoko and Minagi both
looked at me, surprise written on both their faces in differing
shades – bewilderment on Ryoko's and annoyance with Minagi.

It's amazing how
quickly the situation can change, as well as how quickly we can shift
gears to cope.

I leveled a sober
glare at Minagi. “Minagi, would you assure my safety and
well-being while in your care?”

She smiled. “Oh!
So you're willing to come peacefully, eh? Well, what if I were to
test you right here and right now?”

I shrugged. “You'd
probably kill me because I'm not your man. Tenchi is the only one
that can activate the true Lightning Eagle Blade that was used to
kill Kagato.”

“And how do I
know you're telling the truth?” said Minagi darkly as she activated
an energy blade. It was very much like Ryoko's, except Minagi's had
a hilt.

“Tenchi,” I
called out without turning. “Do it.”

“What!?” cried
out the teen-age boy. “What are you talking about?”

“Teeennnchhiii,”
I called out again, this time stressing my voice. “She is not
fucking around anymore. And neither should you, because if you
don't, I'm dead, and the girls are all gonna be extremely unhappy
about that.” I could almost see the expectant looks everyone was
giving Tenchi right at that moment.

“God Dammit!”
snarled Tenchi suddenly. “Why did you have to put me on the spot
like that, Garrick!?”

“Tenchi, knock it
off and man-up!” I snapped, this time turning to glare at the young
man – I didn't care if Minagi was still their with her blade at the
ready. I knew that she wouldn't attack an unarmed opponent, let
alone one with their back turned. “Don't you dare tell me you
expect me to wave a magic wand and make all this unpleasantness
disappear, because for all my foreknowledge, I can't do that. And I
would if I could, Tenchi, but unfortunately life just isn't fair.
But you should know that already... No one your age... should have
to kill a another man... no matter how evil he's become...

“But life's just
not fair.”

The look on
Tenchi's face was almost indescribable. There was terror there, and
confusion, revulsion, and trepidation. There was the dawning
realization that no matter how much Tenchi wanted it to be otherwise,
he could no longer afford to be just a normal Japanese boy. I then
turned and glared at Minagi, saying, as though challenging her
personally,

“And I know that
better than anyone else here.”

Minagi's resolve
faltered. “Who are you?” she asked slowly. I held my glare for
a moment, giving the answer some thought.

“You want to know
who I am? I'll tell you. I'm the poor piece of shit that someone
didn't want in their Universe enough to complain when I got yanked
out by someone else. Hell, for all I know the landlord himself
probably threw me out and I just got picked out of the garbage by
some other random omnipotent being.

“I had a family
that fell apart, an education that went no where, and a job that
couldn't be bothered to give a shit because the economy was fucked to
hell.

“But now I'm
here. I got a new name, a new family, and a whole new education. I
dunno about the job yet, but Bad-Ass Motherfucker of the Universe In
Training has a nice ring to it, don't you think?

“The name's
Garrick Grimm, and if you think that killing me is gonna be easy...
well, you might be right, but my new family won't make it easy for
you.

“Killing Kagato
was just the tip of the iceberg. Don't push these people too far,
Minagi.”

We all fell silent
at that as we stared each other down. Suddenly, Yosho went to Tenchi
and handed over the Tenchi-ken.

“Garrick has done
what he can,” said the old man. “Now it is your turn.”

The young man
looked to Yosho and finally his expression softened, then shifted
into one of resolution as he nodded, accepting the Master Key.

“Let's give these
two some room to work with here,” I said as I backed away. The
others followed my lead, but as we did so, Ayeka whispered to me.

“Brother, are you
certain that Lord Tenchi will prevail?”

“As long as he
quits screwing around and takes this seriously, then he'll be fine.
But believe me, I understand why you're worried.”

“Ah, yes,”
sighed Ayeka. “He is so...”

“Boneheaded,” I
finished for her.

Ayeka gave me a
dirty look. “I wouldn't have quite put it that way, but yes.”

I smiled at her
warmly. “We'll talk about it later, Ayeka-imouto. These two are
about to start.”

And start they did,
with Minagi charging at Tenchi, her movements were swift, graceful,
and economical with god only knows how many centuries of training and
experience.

Tenchi, being
taught by a man that had centuries of experience himself, reacted and
interposed his blade cleanly against Minagi's.

Minagi then smiled
as she all but leered at Tenchi. “And yet... the power of the
Lightning Eagle Sword that my Master seeks should be much more
powerful than this!”

“What the!?”
cried Tenchi, nearly flinching.

I had to stop Ryoko
and Ayeka with my hands on their shoulders.

“Don't! He's
gotta figure this out on his own or else he'll never be able to
summon it when he needs it.”

“But Brother!”
cried out Ayeka. “Tenchi is going to-”

“Be just fine,”
said Yosho, steadying his sister.

“Big Brother?”
whispered Ayeka.

“Garrick is
right,” Yosho intoned as he watched the fight intently. “Tenchi
needs to learn how to fight for himself.... but he'd better learn
quick!”

I watched as well
and I was quick to notice something. Minagi wasn't really fighting
Tenchi with everything she had. It was all too pat, too easy for
her... In fact, it seemed like she was fighting Tenchi much how
Yosho would when he wanted to assess Tenchi's skills!

It happened so
quickly that I barely caught it – a sudden shift in Minagi's face
from determined to displeased – and then a brutal and harsh blow
that sent Tenchi flying until he hit the trunk of a nearby tree.

“BROTHER!” I
cried out as I sprinted to his prone form. Being so quick on my
feet, I got to him before anyone else. But I barely had time to even
see if he was breathing still.

“I've had enough
of this farce,” snarled Minagi. “Now I fight you, Garrick
Grimm.”

“GARRICK!
CATCH!” shouted Yosho. I looked just in time to snatch something
long, slender and brown out of the air, and then use it to parry
Minagi's strike against me.

As Minagi contnued
to batter me, I dimly recognized that I had a bokuto – a Japanese
wooden sword – in my hands. While made of mere wood, they were
still quite dangerous – Miyamoto Musashi killed many men using the
wooden weapons.

What was more,
there was something familiar about the weapon – a strange sense
that there was someone standing over my shoulder, protectively
watching over me.

I didn't really
have time to think about it, though, because Minagi was wailing away
at me – fully intent on smearing me worse than what she did with
Tenchi.

“Why are you
holding back!?” she screamed. “Fight me!”

“CRAZY WOMAN!”
I snapped back between blows, being driven back with each strike. “I
CAN'T!” I suddenly lost my footing and spilled over onto my back.

“Then you'll
die,” Minagi intoned as she then began to wind up for one massive
strike – I could actually feel the hairs on my neck standing on
end!

Oh man, this is
going to HURT.

“Leave my Brother
ALONE!” came a voice...

And suddenly Tenchi
– in his Lighthawk Armor plowed through Minagi, smashing her into
the earth with his Lighthawk Shield.

“Are you
alright!?” asked Tenchi frantically, the immediate threat handled.

“Yeah, just a bit
shaken,” I replied as I got back up again. “Fortunately,
Washu-chan's upgrades work, otherwise I would have folded like a wet
cardboard box with the first blow.”

I went over and
inspected the Minagi-shaped hole in the ground, then looked back over
to everyone else.

“I think we're
good here,” I called back to them.

With that, Yosho,
followed by the others began to approach. As they did, I finally
took a moment to look at the bokuto in detail. It resembled the
Tenchi-ken, but not as elaborate, and there was still that odd sense
I was getting from the wooden weapon – a strange feeling of warmth
and comfort.

“Yosho, what is
this?” I asked my adoptive older brother.

Yosho smiled.
“Every now and then a branch will fall from Funaho. When it does,
I usually set it aside to make use of it later – they are her gifts
to me, after all. This bokuto I carved from one of her branches. I
was originally going to give it to Tenchi-kun once he was ready for
it... but instead he wound up finding the Master Key. So, I suppose
that you can use it instead.”

“Thank you, elder
brother. It really saved my ass.”

Yosho nodded, then
went on, “Of course, you do know that this means I'll be stepping
up your and Tenchi's training.”

I scoffed softly
and gave Yosho a sidelong look. “I would have never have guess,”
I said lightly. Yosho chuckled and patted me on the shoulder. In
the meantime, Ryoko had begun an effort to try and extract Minagi
from her hole while everyone else stood by watching.

I sidled up next to
Washu. “Take a note, Washu-chan. Temporal momentum is definitely
in effect here.”

“Oh? How so?”

“In the time-line
from the mangas I read? Ryoko was the one to originally do that to
Minagi... and afterwards she had amnesia. I'd bet all my booze that
she's not gonna remember anything but her name for a while after
this.”

“I see. So there
are limits to exactly how much you can change.”

I shrugged. “We've
already seen that I can make changes. I mean, look at the girls.
They don't really fight anymore, and when they do it's all just for
laughs.”

“I'm still amazed
at how well you handled that,” said Washu with genuine
appreciation.

I scoffed at that.
“You try being the oldest out of seven Type-A personalities.”

Washu snorted
bemusedly. “I don't know why I keep forgetting about that.”

Washu got the hairy
eyeball from me in return. “Probably the same reason you keep
forgetting about taking Mihoshi into account.”

And with that,
Washu face-vaulted. I just laughed softly and went to help Ryoko
pull out Minagi.

“Need a hand?”
I asked as I approached.

“Sure,” replied
Ryoko. “Get her other arm. She's stuck pretty good.”

Ryoko is a few
inches taller than Tenchi – which puts her at about my height. And
Minagi was, more or less, Ryoko's twin. So, when Ryoko and I tugged
the unconscious woman loose from the Earth and Ryoko let her go,
Minagi sagged against me just so that it felt like a lovers embrace.

I shot a querying
look at Ryoko. She just smiled smugly... as did Ayeka as she came
over and exchanged a fist-bump with Ryoko – something they had
picked up from me my first month here – and Sasami suddenly popped
up between them with a camera.

CLICK!

I barely contained
an explosion of laughter as I figured out that I had just been had by
The Pirate and The Princess!
Those adorable little imps! I loved them like the meddling little
sisters they were.

Minagi picked that moment to start coming around as she stirred in my
arms.

“Ah... huh?” she said as she blinked blearily. “Where am I?”

“You're on the Masaki Estate in Japan on the planet Earth – third
planet from a main-sequence yellow star in the Sagittarius arm. Easy
there. You took quite a knock back there. My little brother doesn't
know his strength all that well.”

Ryoko, I should note, has very pretty eyes when she permits herself
to be seen that way. Minagi, of course, had the same eyes... but
hers had a certain quality that Ryoko lacked... or rather, that Ryoko
didn't permit to show through very often.

As she locked her eyes on me I could not help but notice that fact...
and she in turn slowly turned bright red.

Ayeka and Ryoko were positively dying from asphyxiation and Sasami
looked absolutely pleased.

I shook my head at the two and then looked to Minagi. “Can you
stand?”

She nodded her head, her eyes still locked on me. I carefully
steadied Minagi and she stood without any problems.

“There! You don't seem to be any worse for wear. So, now that
you've tested your blade against Tenchi's maybe you can tell us what
this is all about, eh?”

“Uhm,” said Minagi nervously.

“Well, go on,” I encouraged her. “We're all reasonably nice
people... though I might have to beat back Ryoko with a stick.”

“Hey!” Ryoko replied sharply from the sidelines.

“Uhm... well...” Minagi started, pushing her index finger-tips
together nervously. “I... was hoping you could tell me what I'm
doing here.”

Ryoko blasted off into LEO in sheer shock, knocking Tenchi flat on
his ass while doing so, and Ayeka face vaulted. Sasami and Ryo-Ohki
smiled nervously, a little unsure of how to handle this revelation
and Mihoshi was her usual clueless self.

Washu simply raised an eyebrow. “Innnteerrrressstinnngg.”

I just smiled and shook my head.

Good times. Good times indeed.

“Her name is
Minagi,” I began, now seated at the table with everyone else
staring at me intently. Minagi herself was confined to Ayeka and
Sasami's room. “I don't know about her last name, but I do know
that her creator, who she thinks of as a father, is a Jyuraian named
Yakage.”

“Ah,” said
Washu brightly. “I thought I recognized his handiwork.”

“You know him?”
asked Tenchi.

Washu nodded. “He
was an assistant of mine back when I worked with Kagato. He's a
master swordsmith – that was his research topic: creating the
greatest sword in the universe. In fact, information in his thesis
went into making Ryoko's sword.”

“So does he know
me as well?” asked Ryoko.

“Yup!” answered
Washu. “He was actually involved with your creation, Ryoko.”

“Does that mean
you created Minagi too, Washu?” asked Sasami – the only person
present allowed to not add the chan suffix.

“I didn't know
about Minagi,” replied Washu thoughtfully as she bit into a
manju-bun. “But I do have a theory! I suspect that he stole a bit
of Ryoko's DNA when we were in the early stages. A bright lad,
though a bit too bright perhaps.”

“OH!” cried out
Mihoshi as she put two-and-two together. “I get it! That means
Ryoko and Minagi are sisters!”

“Half-sisters,”
I put in.

“Eh?” everyone
said as they looked to me.

“It's a little
more like the relationship between Yosho and Ayeka and Sasami. They
share the same father, but have different mothers. But usually such
families don't really recognize the distinction... though I think
Ryoko might.”

“Whatever!”
grumbled Ryoko. “It still doesn't explain anything.”

I rolled my eyes.
“Ryoko, haven't you been paying attention? Yakagi makes swords and
wants to make the greatest one in the universe. Supposedly the one
at the top spot now is Tenchi's.”

“That's not what
I meant!” snapped Ryoko. “I mean, why would he create a clone of
me anyhow?”

“Ah,” I sighed.
“That. Well, Ryoko, thing is that Yakage used his own DNA as well
when he created Minagi. You see, she is not only Washu-chan's
daughter, but his as well.”

Ryoko was aghast.
“But... why would he do that!?”

“Ryoko... if you
want the answer to that question, then you need to go look at
yourself in the mirror, long and hard, and ask yourself this
question: Why do I want to bear Tenchi's children?”

To everyone's
astonishment, Ryoko turned bright red, and then disappeared as she
teleported.

Washu cackled
wickedly. “DAYUM Gar-kun! That was good!”

“Thank you, thank
you!” I said as I performed the entertainer's bow to all sides of
the table. “I'll be here all week! Try the Miso – it's divine!
But at any rate, Yakage isn't going to be content in waiting for
Minagi to report back. He doesn't have much time left.”

“Why's that?”
asked Washu.

“He's been
cloning himself to extend his life-span. Unfortunately, he seems to
have lost his original DNA pattern somewhere along the way because
now his successive cloning is degrading at an increasingly rapid
rate. Even with advance care, I'd say he's got a month or two.
Tops.”

Washu sighed. “And
of course, knowing him he's pushing himself to the limit. So you can
take those two months and make it a week instead. This isn't good.”

“Nope,” I
chirped. “Somehow we gotta figure out a way to get him to cool his
jets a bit. Maybe a few choice words about how you've been trying to
work out where Tenchi's power comes from?”

Washu sighed.
“That might get him to slow
down and rethink his approach to the situation. Unfortunately, if
he's still the man I knew back then – and he most likely is judging
from what I've seen and heard so far – then he's gonna want to rush
out and put his hypothesis to the test right away.”

“And that being can his latest creation beat out Tenchi's
Light-Hawk Sword.”

“Indeed,” sighed Washu.

“Well, forewarned is forearmed,” said Tenchi. “We'll just deal
with it as it comes.”

Yosho nodded. “Indeed. I don't think we'll get any further just
talking about it. Dinner will be ready soon regardless.”


...Aaaaaaand CUT!
That's it for now.  My buffer is all used up and updates will be longer in coming.
And coming up next, Yakage gets a nasty surprise in the form of someone who's more than happy to throw the ROE out the window.
Reply
 
#45
Annnd Contestant number one in the Garrick Games!

Let's give it up for the Ryoko-clone... Miiiii-naaaaaaa-giiiiii!

And in Macross, if he gets a Meltrandi girlfriend...

And in Slayers, Copy-Naga....

Garrick: Why are my love interests all clones?
''We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat
them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary.''

-- James Nicoll
Reply
 
#46
Foxboy Wrote:Annnd Contestant number one in the Garrick Games!

Let's give it up for the Ryoko-clone... Miiiii-naaaaaaa-giiiiii!

And in Macross, if he gets a Meltrandi girlfriend...

And in Slayers, Copy-Naga....

Garrick: Why are my love interests all clones?
They can't all be love interests - I see him thinking of a Rei Ayanami as a little sister, not a girlfriend.
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012
Reply
 
#47
LOL

What will actually wind up happening will be in fine tradition for me: Garrick will feel that his place is there with Tenchi and the gang - can't just cut and run - while Minagi will feel she crowds the frame on go off on her walkabout. Of course, they'll run into each other or she'll visit, and then they'll have some fun.
Poor Sasami will be so disappointed at first until Garrick sits her down and explains that neither of them are really ready for a commitment yet.  The potential is there, but both are being very realistic about it.

Not sure how deep the relationship will go (close friends or best friends w/ benefits?), but it will be definitely be a healthy one.
Although, if their relationship does become physically intimate, it will open up an avenue of attack for a hellacious prank by Ryoko.  Wink
Reply
 
#48
As always, looking forward to more. One nitpick: "face vaulting" is leaping over your own face using a pole. The term you want is "facefault".
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.
Reply
 
#49
Very nice - and all the more so for not giving the SI an emergency Jurai/Masu/etc. power-up aside from a stick tough enough to withstand being used against high-end energy swords. I recall that Garrick's vest with sword and shield or twin blades - any chance of this famous swordsmith filling his left hand equipment slot?
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows
Reply
 
#50
I don't want to give away too much yet... But you could say that he does... in a roundabout sort of way. ^_^
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