Originally posted to GenSao's on 4/29/98
Sasami's Promise
By Keiichi Masaki (keiichi_dono@hotmail.com)
Tenchi and company are property of Pioneer and AIC--but then,
you already know that.
This idea has been nagging at me ever since I picked up
Tenchi Universe, Volume 6, and was introduced to Mirei, the ghost
girl inhabiting the wrecked �space Titanic.� I immediately fell in
love with her, and fell in love all over again with Sasami. After
replaying episode 18 a half-dozen times in one night, I knew
that I needed to see Sasami keep her promise to visit Mirei
again. My take on it is that, if time enough has passed, and if she
was able to talk Washu into helping, the visit might not have to
end....
Timeline Note: This takes place about eleven years after
Tenchi Muyo in Love, long enough for Tenchi to decide to accept the
throne and to marry Sasami.
Most people think ghosts, if they exist, are incapable of
crying.
Most people are wrong.
Just ask Mirei.
She is a girl, about eleven or twelve years old. Very
pretty, with sparkling brown eyes and hair the color of jade. Her
beauty, however, is but a reflection of her nature: gentle and loving
and utterly lovable, with a healthy helping of beyond-her-years
maturity.
This makes the sight of her crying all the more
heartbreaking. Yet she has spent many years crying here, sobbing and
praying for whatever powers there be to send her a rescuer, or at the
very least, a comforter.
Someone must have been listening, for they responded. A
starship temporarily lost power while passing through the asteroid
field in which her ship rested. During that time Mirei met one of
that ship�s passengers, a sweet and lively young girl with long
turquoise hair pulled into twinned ponytails and freckles dotting her
face (regardless of what she thought of them, they only enhanced her
beauty). Along with her came an adorable brown Ohki.
Together they spent a wonderful day, using the whole ship and
the girl�s memories as a playground. They even played hide-and-seek
with Sasami�s family (although they didn�t know it at the time and
were actually trying to rescue her, having been convinced that she
had been kidnapped).
However, she had to leave. �My sister and everybody will be
so worried about me!� she had said. And so they had parted, with a
promise to meet again one day.
Every day since, Mirei had prayed that this would be that
special day,that her Sasami would come back to see her again.
She knew who had arranged it.
Her Auntie.
Mirei could not remember exactly when she had first met her
Auntie, but one thing she knows quite well is that her presence is
the sole thing that keeps her from having the astral equivalent of a
nervous breakdown. She is tall and beautiful, gentle and wise. Her
hair is so black it approaches midnight blue and her eyes are dark
brown and full of love and compassion. Many an afterlife �night� has
been spent falling asleep in her gentle arms, being lulled to sleep
by her melodious voice and humorous stories.
*Why did you pick her of all people, Auntie?* she had asked
one night as the lady had brushed her hair.
*Because, dear Mirei, she is so much like you,* her Auntie
had
answered. Noticing that her charge�s eyes were starting to well up
with tears, she inquired, *Why, whatever is the matter, my darling?*
*Because,* she had sniffled, *I�m never gonna see her again!*
The tears were falling freely and her Auntie had pulled her close
against her, cradling her in her arms and whispering words of
comfort. *Oh, darling, don�t cry....*
*Why not, Auntie?* Mirei had sobbed. *I have no memories of
my own, I don�t even know where I came from. Aside from you, I�m all
alone. And I�m gonna be alone forever!* Coherence had left her once
more, and she burrowed still deeper into her Auntie�s embrace.
*My sweet Mirei, don�t worry. You will not be alone forever.
I�ll make sure of it.* Auntie�s voice carried both gentle
reassurance and determination. *Your Sasami will keep her promise.*
*What do you mean, Auntie?* Mirei�s crying had subsided, and
had been replaced by a resurgence of hope. *How do you know?*
Auntie smiled. *I know, darling, because she is my
daughter-in-law....*
A large tree-ship of the Jurai royal family emerges from
translight space into Sargasso. Stories have cropped up over the
long millennia about this place, about how no ship--no one--comes
back from it.
The occupants of this tree-ship are among the only ones to
disprove that.
And now, eleven years later, they have returned.
To keep a promise.
Tenchi is standing with his hands clasped behind his back on
the Achika�s bridge. This Tenchi is taller, and somewhat stockier.
He is clad in the raiments of a Juraian Emperor, and he is now the
spitting image of his grandfather�s young self--except with a
mustache. There had been a time when he was certain that he would
never sit upon a throne, had determined not to. How times change, he
reflects. �Okay, we�re here.� He nods at the two guardians flanking
him on their pedestals. �Kurama, Hiei, good work. Now, bring us
alongside that ship.� He indicates a starship not unlike
a spaceborne steam liner.
�Yes, Lord Tenchi,� answers Hiei, the black-marked guardian.
�Initiating parking orbit alongside.�
Tenchi nods and strides off the bridge down to his and
Sasami�s bedroom. She had insisted that they have a room looking out
on the stars, and....well, he never could deny his wife anything. A
faint smile grows on his lips as he walks into their chamber
and sees her.
Sasami has grown from an adorable little girl into a
beautiful woman. Her hair is tied in two long ponytails hanging down
her back. Her eyes have become a deeper shade of strawberry. Her
body underneath her robes--well, let�s just say it�s very nice.
She looks up at Tenchi and smiles, the smile that had told
him the this was the love of his life. He remembers proposing to her
when she turned sixteen. That was quite a night for her, he recalls,
her first kiss and an engagement ring on her finger. The love
and gentleness in her eyes is mesmerizing, and as always, it takes
him a moment to realize that she�s talking to him. �....Tenchi? Are
you listening to me?�
He shakes himself. �Sorry, darling.�
She smiles wider and reaches a hand up to him. He gently
pulls her upward and into his embrace. She sighs. �Thank you for
doing this, Tenchi.�
�Anything for you,� Tenchi whispers, holding Sasami close.
�Anything for my Sasami.� He brings a hand up under her chin, gently
turns it upward.
She tips her head back, closes her eyes. Their lips move
toward each other, then touch, then open....
�Ahem!�
They both turn to see Washu, in her Science Academy uniform,
looking at them amusedly and tapping her feet. �Are we gonna do
this, or are you two gonna make out like you always do?�
�We�re going to do this,� declares Tenchi. He takes Sasami�s
hand. �Ready, love?�
She nods eagerly.
Mirei is looking out one of the mirrors. She doesn�t quite
know why, but she has the feeling that something is going to happen
today. When she asked Auntie about it the other night, she had just
smiled and said, *Wait and see.*
So, she waits.
And soon she sees.
There are figures walking toward the mirror, carrying
handlights. In the lead is a tall, dark-haired man. He looks calm
and gentle. To one side is a short woman with spiked pink hair--
Spiked pink hair?
Mirei takes a closer look. This woman looks familiar,
somehow....and it hits her. This was one of the people looking for
Sasami that day! Against her better judgment, she starts to feel
hope.
The third person becomes visible, and Mirei feels almost
giddy. The woman is tall, stately, and beautiful, but she would
recognize those freckles, those gentle eyes anywhere....�Sasami!�
The woman looks up suddenly. �Mirei?�
�Yes, Sasami, it�s me!�
�Where are you, Mirei?�
�In the mirror ahead of you!� She waves a hand and the
passageway is flooded with light. The man and the short girl look
flustered, but Sasami sees her now. She rushes forward and plasters
her face against the mirror, a silly, happy grin on her face.
"Mirei!�
�Sasami!� Mirei takes a good look at her friend. �You�ve
changed so much....you�re beautiful.�
Sasami blushes slightly, then motions to the others with her.
�Mirei, this is my husband, Tenchi, and our friend Washu.�
Mirei curtseys in the mirror. �Pleased to meet you.�
Tenchi smiles a nervous but friendly smile. �Hi.�
Washu just grins.
�What are you doing here, Sasami?� asks Mirei.
Sasami laughs. �Keeping my promise, silly!�
�You are?�
Tenchi clears his throat. �Mirei, Washu here is a scientist.
She can bring you back to life, give you a new body. Would you like
that?�
�Well....� *Yes, I would,* thinks Mirei, *but then what?
Where would I go?*
Sasami sees the look in her friend�s eyes, and unhatches the
second half of the surprise. �Then, Mirei, you would come home with
us!�
Mirei�s heart (as such) leaps with joy. �Really?�
Tenchi nods. �Yes, Mirei. Really.� His smile becomes a
silly grin. �I�ve always wanted a daughter with green hair.�
That is a very stupid joke, granted. But it is more than
enough to send all of them into giggles.
No one more than Mirei. Finally, she is leaving.
�....and they lived happily ever after. The end.� Sasami
closes the book and smiles at her daughter, changed into nightclothes
and tucked into bed. �Do you want to hear another one, darling?�
Mirei smiles up at Sasami. �No thank you, Mommy.� She
stretches and yawns. �I�m so tired....�
�Well, it�s time for you to go to bed, then,� announces
Tenchi lightly. He scoots over and hugs Mirei. �Good night,
sweetie.�
�G�night, daddy. Love you.�
�I love you too.� Tenchi kisses Mirei on the forehead, gets
and squeezes Sasami�s shoulder as he leaves. �I�ll see you soon,
honey?�
�Yes, dear.� Sasami hugs Mirei. �Pleasant dream, my sweet
Mirei. Your father and I love you, and we�ll be here when you wake
up.�
�I know, mommy. Love you too.� Mirei leans back, lets
Sasami tuck her in, and settles back for sleep as Sasami leaves the
room and kills the lights.
Chana-ohki--Ryo-ohki and Ken-ohki�s daughter--scampers up and
settles on the pillow next to Mirei�s head. The cuddly cabbit
nuzzles the young princess for a bit before settling herself down for
sleep.
Mirei closes her eyes, looking forward to pleasant dreams.
As sleep takes her, she thinks, *Thank you. Thank you for
everything....Auntie Achika.*
And she hears a voice respond. *Actually, now, that�s Grandma
Achika, but you�re welcome anyway. Now, good night, my little Mirei.
You�re home.*
Home at last.
Recommended music: Tracks 9 and 12, Tenchi Muyo OVA Best, Vol. 1
Keiichi Masaki, High Priest of the Temple of the Teal-tressed Goddess, Kiyone Makibi
Member of the Kiyone Ring and the Tenchi Ring
Co-writer, Mugen Tenchi Muyo!
http://members.xoom.com/RC_Books/mugen1.html
Visit my Temple of the Teal-tressed Goddess
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Palace/9909
ICQ #: 18044248
"I am the one you think I am."
--Katsuhito "Yosho" Masaki
"The carnival comes and goes. If you wait for a while,
it'll always come back to you."
--Ryoko
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