PM Productions Presents
A Phillip Masters Fanfic
Never Forever
(Prelude to "Till Never Comes", being posted tomorrow)
(NOTE:  Follows Tenchi OVA continuity)

     Washu scanned her screen one more time.  Her brain was trying to
shunt the information laid before it.  She just couldn't accept what was
being made so obviously clear.  Not in ten thousand years would she have
believed, truly believed, what was apathetically displayed on her
projected consol.  
     Tenchi was going to die.
     After a while of trying to ignore it, she attacked it with all
prejudice.  She tried every single angle she could possibly come up
with.  She ran billions of theories and hypotheses through her vast
computer network.  Yet, in the end, she failed.  Only once before in her
entire life had she failed, to her knowledge.  Fortunately, her daughter
could forgive her.  
     Now, she wasn't so sure.  How could she go out into the house and
announce the fact that Tenchi would not live for more than five days?
That the exact same affliction that killed Jurai's Eighth Emperor was
going to strike their Tenchi down as well?  And that there was nothing
she, or Tsunami, or anybody could possibly do about it?  For the
absolute first time in her entire life, Washu was at a loss for what to
do.  She hated it.  She hated what she had to do, what she was unable to
do, and what she would be forced to do.  
     Tenchi is going to die.  The fact just washed over her like a wave.
Her thoughts of dealing with the others had temporarily shut out facing
the truth.  Now, it came like a sledgehammer.  Another man she loved was
going to be taken away.  The first man in twenty thousand years she
allowed herself to love was going to be destroyed.  Maybe she was
cursed?  No, that would be illogical.  However, the tears streaming down
her face were not either, but that didn't lessen the pain any.  She
tried to let out as much as she could, so she could be strong in the
moments to come. 
     After a few minutes of letting go, Washu closed herself up.  She
put on her best business-like demeanor and headed for the lab door.
Sighing deeply, she turned the knob, and stepped onto Earth.  She found
everyone sitting around the television, watching some obscure alien
sitcom.  
     The first to look up at her was Tenchi, of course.  He was always
the perceptive one when it came to other's feelings.  That is why she
loved him, as well as every other female in the house for that matter.
Washu smiled lightly as she recalled some of the finer moments she and
Tenchi had spent together.  Like the "Nurse" incident.  He never did
look at her the same after that one.  Then there was the...
     "Washu-chan?"
     Startled, she looked up from her reverie.  She found the large
brown eyes of Tenchi staring into her own.  She saw an amazing
compassion deeply imbedded into those lively orbs.  This man did not
deserve to die.  There was too much good he could do.  So much love he
could give.  
     Washu could take it anymore, and grabbed Tenchi around the waist.
She held on to him as tightly as she could, as though by sheer will
alone she could keep him in this world.  However, her moist, bloodshot
eyes betrayed the reality of the situation all to horribly.  She felt
arms around her and looked up to see Ryoko holding her.
     "What's wrong, mom?"  She said with genuine concern.
     She almost felt as though she wouldn't be able to go through with
it.  However, a burst of strength, mostly due to her age, came forth.
"Tenchi, Tenchi is going to die." 
     If it weren't for the way she looked, Washu wa sure no one would
have even heard her the first time.  Just as she had ignored the
information first time.  Unfortunately, everyone's attention was firmly
placed on her, and everyone heard.  
     The problem was, only a few actually understood.  Ryoko dropped
her, which was definately expected.  She proceeded to shoot through the
wall of the house, probably to gather her thoughts.  Ayeka fainted dead
away, which was not exactly expected, but not unreasonable either.
Sasami stared at Washu with utter disbelief, she could tell the young
girl was trying hard to find even a hint of jest in her green eyes.  She
just watched with a sorrowful gaze as the poor child ran, screaming, up
the stairs.  Both Noboyuki and Yosho's expressions were unreadable.
They simply looked at Tenchi.  Tenchi, well, he was rather shocked, as
was to be expected.  She thought he took the news of his own death
rather well actually.  He more or less took on a look of acceptance, and
walked slowly up the stairs.  Whether to go his room or comfort Sasami,
she never would know.  
     For she felt as though she was useless.  Washu had passed on the
news that had single handedly annihilated everyone's hopes and dreams.
Now, she might as well be gone.  She can do nothing here but be a
constant reminder of what couldn't be done.  She would just get in the
way of those he really loves, and not just cares about.  So, with a
heavy heart, s retires to her domain.  Her lab, her safety.  She close
the portal behind herself, never to be opened again.  She cannot, it
seemed, bring herelf to commit suicide.  No, she was way too strong
willed for that.
     She would simply try to keep herself occupied, with some invention
or another.  Hopefully, someday she would get over him and move on.
Perhaps, thousands of decades from now, she would be able to face
existance one more.  With that, she picked up a random trinket from her
pile of things that didn't really warrent attention and got to work.
     Washu was never seen again.
END
Comment away.  If anyone is interested, no I am not going through any
sort of life crisis right now.  I just felt like writing something
darker than usual.  I would appreciate any and all comments.  Thank you.       

"I'm only holding back the rain.  So many raindrops, so many pains.  I
want to find my train someday.  As seasons go past the station." - Tokyo
Babylon OVA 1
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