PM Productions Presents
A Phillip Masters Fanfic
A Past of Love
Part One
TMiL/Tenchi TV continuity

Tokyo, Autumn 1970

     He looked down at her still form.  Her dark hair shimmered slightly
in the moonlight, which lanced in through the nearby window.  He stepped
so lightly that he himself could not hear his footfalls.  She was
covered in her bedsheet and seemed to be having some sort of nightmare.
Her face was sweaty and her cheeks were a reddish tint.  After a few
moments her breathing became more labored.
     He kneeled down at her bedside and in a moment of insane bravery
ran a hand across her forehead.  He felt the warm moist skin and a
shiver ran down his spine.  She normally looked so peaceful, it was hard
to imagine her as she was now.  He found himself making small shushing
noises to try and calm her.
     After a few more minutes she finally calmed down, her breathing
coming again in a slow, steady rhythm.  He pulled his hand back, still
feeling the warmth upon it.  He noticed a slight shaking and grabbed his
hand with the other.  
     It was the odor... of her distress.  It bothered him, made him wish
he could truly do something to soothe her concerns.  Her dreams of what
she could not, and should not comprehend.  However, he was bound, his
hands tied.  He could only watch, from afar and make sure nothing
happened to her.  
     He was a Galaxy Police officer, trained to remain in control of any
given situation.  Yet, the current situation was not one he had ever
imagined having to face.  He had never had protection duty... from the
start he was placed in the Class A Criminal Division for his ability and
intelligence.  He was not used to dealing with people, and he was
certainly not used to being in love.
     Unfortunately, after months of watching Achika that is exactly what
had happened.  He had fallen in love with her, quite literally head over
heels.  She was so gentle and understanding, and no matter what the
situation she would not crumble.  Inside her was a strength that even he
admired, and he knew that inside her was something even she did not
know.  Her true self, her true heritage, was covered and locked away.
Now, something so powerful it made even the infamous Ryoko look like a
petty thief was after her for that part of her she wasn't even aware of.  
     At first, protecting her was a job.  Something to be done for the
betterment of the future.  He also wished to meet Kain in person, to
make him pay for what he had done.  Most likely this would result in his
own death, but he had to try or live forever with the knowledge that he
had sat idly by and watched the Universe destroyed.
     Then, on one Saturday afternoon, on the busride home, the
unthinkable had happened...

Two months prior... Summer 1970

     He watched her as she entered the bus.  He followed obediantly as
he did every day.  She couldn't be left alone for even a second.  His
calculations told that she would be attacked within the current year.
With his resouces that was the best he could narrow it down to.  
     She sat in the same place she always did, near the middle, on the
left side, window seat.  He took up his place right behind her, ignoring
whoever sat next to him.  This would prove to be the mistake.  
     Ten minutes after the bus had pulled away, the man who had sat next
to him stood up suddenly.  The movement forced his attention and the
first thing he saw when he swiveled his head was the barrel of a gun.
He was unsure of its make, as he was unfamiliar with Earth weapons, but
it most closely resembled a Type C Personnel Projectile Weapon.  Small
and for the most part not any sort of danger.  However, from point blank
range, it would most likely make his day a very bad one.  
     "Listen up everyone!" the man cried.  Everyone on the bus turned to
him, and silence fell quickly as they noticed what he was holding.
     The bus driver turned his head to see what the commotion was and
saw the man holding the gun.  The brakes were firmly pressed, and the
man flew forward, knocked off balance.
     Normally, this brief lapse in attention would have been more than
plenty of time for him to overtake the attacker.  Thing was, the man's
finger was already squeezing the trigger, and his forward momentum was
bringing the aim directly to Achika.  She was staring wide eyed as the
end of the gun came to point straight at her.
     Trakal did the only thing he could think of, he threw his hand in
front of the weapon.  It discharged with an incredible bang that rang
through his hyper-sensative ears.  A sharp pain shot through his arm as
he hand took the impact of the bullet.  From such close range even the
primitive device was enough to cause minor damage to his organic hand.
Fortunately though even his living hand was reenforced or the projectile
would have gone straight through unhindered and killed Achika.  
     He came up with his right arm instantly, and knocked the attacker
clear out of the bus.  The boy who sat in the seat opposite them blinked
at the broken window next to him.  Trakal lowered his cybernetic limb
and clenched his wounded hand, ignoring the blood that was flowing from
it and down his arm.  He looked to Achika, noting that, for the most
part she seemed okay.  "Are you alright?" he asked gently, not wanting
to frighten her.  
     She stared at him for a moment, as if not quite sure what had just
transpired.  Then, tears began to flow slowly from her eyes.  She
reached forward, taking his wounded hand into hers and opening it to
look down at the bullet imbeded there.  "I'm sorry." she whispered, the
tears coming harder.
     He looked impassively at the bullet and removed it, dropping it to
the floor with a small clink.  "It'll be okay, no serious damage done."
     Achika looked up into his eyes seriously.  "No!  You saved my life,
and hurt yourself doing it!"
     "Is everything alright back here?"  This was from the driver, who
was checking on what had happened.  "Everything went by so fast there
for a moment..."  He noticed Trakal's bleeding, "Are you okay?"
     Trakal nodded to the driver and he went on his way, checking the
rest of the occupants.  
     "I want you to come home with me... my grandfather can fix you
right up." Achika said, still holding his hand carefully.
     Trakal simply nodded, at a loss for words.  It was only good
fortune.  Normally, he had to stake out the house, now he could keep an
eye on her from inside.  Something else inside of him told another
story, but the voice was too weak to hear... yet.  
     A half an hour later they both arrived at the Masaki shrine.
Trakal always loved going there for his observations, the scenery
reminded him of his home world.  He briefly looked skyward, as if to
spot his planet, so far away.  He could never return, for even if he had
a way of the Earth he would return to a time that was not his.
     "What are you thinkin' about?"
     He looked down again to see Achika staring at him curiously.  He
looked around, noting they were at the enterance to the house.  "Oh,
nothing... just remembering home."
     "Oh?  Where are you from?"  She opened the door and stepped inside,
announcing their arrival.  
     "Far away," was his response, and he left it at that.
     Achika looked ready to press, but her grandfather walked in at that
moment.  She looked at him and smiled, "Hello, grandpa, this is a friend
of mine... uh..."  She looked at him, distraught.
     "Makoto," he supplied helpfully.  He had stolen it from the person
who he had first met when he arrived in Japan.
     Katsuhito stared at him for a moment, then replied, "Makoto... good
name."  Then, he nodded and walked back into the other room.
     Achika smiled at Makoto, "He likes you.  Come up this way."  She
began walking down the hall.
     Trakal followed, curious as to where she was taking him.  The
dining area seemed to be where her grandfather had gone.  Perhaps they
were heading to her room?
     His suspicions became reality as Achika slid aside a door to reveal
the stereotype teenage girl's bedroom.  The bed was draped in a light
pink sheet, and was western style, much to his surprise.  As furniture
went, there was only a small dresser and desk, on which sat a lamp and
some scattered papers.  He suspected the majority of her clothing was
stored in the closet next to the bed.  
     Achika fumbled in the darkness until she found the light switch.
The room was bathed in sudden illumination, making her blink repeatedly.
She turned to him and smiled.  "So, Makoto, how do you like my room?"
     He smiled back, something he didn't do often, but he found Achika
made him feel... like he... belonged again.  He shook his head quickly
and answered, "It's very nice, Achika."
     She beamed at him, then went over to her desk and pulled the chair
out.  She motioned for him to sit in it and he complied.  Sitting on the
edge of her bed she began a conversation.  "Earlier you said you were
from far away... where exactly?"
     He briefly scanned his files on Earth geography and answered,
"France."
     Achika's eyes widened considerably, and she almost leapt from the
bed.  "Really?!  Where in France?"
     A little more searching, and, "Paris, of course."  This was said
with a flawless French accent.  
     He thought for a moment that he had done something wrong, for she
seemed as though she were going to faint.  He reached out and grabbed
her hand, then winced as his wound reminded him it was still there.  
     Achika instantly turned serious.  "Oh!  I forgot about your hand!"
She jumped up and ran out of the room while yelling, "Don't go
anywhere!"  
     Trakal sat as told, studying a few of the papers on the desk to
alleviate boredom.  Just a couple of school assignments, and a note to
a... Noboyuki.  It seemed she was inviting him to be her partner during
a trip to Tokyo the school would be taking in a couple of months.
     At that moment Achika returned, carrying a towel and some first aid
items.  Trakal didn't truly need them, his computer-run immune system
could handle anything, but he endured for her sake.  She grabbed up his
hand and with a delicateness he never thought possible, carefully
cleaned his wound.  Afterward she wrapped a small bandage around it,
proclaiming she was done.
     Then, much to his surprise, she leaned forward and kissed him on
the cheek.  As she sat back his hand went instinctively to the spot
where her lips had touched.  
     "For my savior." she explained, then rose to put away the stuff she
had used on his hand.
     After, she said she was starting dinner and that her grandfather
wanted to talk to him while they waited.  He nodded and went to the
dining room where Katsuhito was kneeling at the table.  Trakal took a
position opposite him, and they sat in silent contemplation for a
moment.
     Katsuhito spoke up first, "So... Achika says you saved her life.
Could I have some details?"
     Trakal nodded and told him the story.  
     The wisened old man nodded, "You know, you tell that like a police
officer."  He burst out laughing his joking observation.
     Trakal joined in as expected, but inside he was shaking slightly.
He had to remember that the old man before him was in reality Yosho, the
legendary knight of Jurai.  He should be more careful.
     "You need not be so nervous... I am in debt to you for saving
Achika.  You are welcome here as long as you like."  A sparkle came to
Katsuhito's eyes, and he smiled.
     Trakal nodded, "Thank you."
     "So, you go to school with Achika, do you?  How are you doing so
far?"
     "Good... the courses aren't difficult, and the scenery is nice
here."
     General conversation reighned for about twenty more minutes, during
which neither person gave away anything of any importance.  They seemed
to have a tacit agreement that they would live and let live in this
situation.  
     Achika then came in with dinner, and they all dug in.  It had been
a long day.

Tokyo, Autumn 1970

     That had been when he first knew she was something more than just
an object to be protected.  He had slept in their guestroom for the
night, and was gone before anyone awoke the next morning.  The next day
in school he was wearing another disguise, so Achika would not know who
he was.  He couldn't go getting involved and messing with the time axis.
Kain had already messed it up enough without needing his help.
     He stood up again, looking down at her still figure, calm and
collected.  She seemed so peaceful, but he knew that something big was
going to happen soon to shatter that peace.  Another group from the
future, consisting of Achika's son, had come back to stop Kain from
destroying the Masaki family forever.  
     "Achika, I will never let anything happen to you." he whispered in
the darkness, then turned about to leave.
     "Makoto?"
     Trakal froze, and he did a quick diagnostic of his auditory
sensors.  Everything checked out, so he turned to look back at Achika.
She was still lying on her futon, but her eyes were open.
     "Makoto?  Is that you?"  She had obviously heard his voice... the
one thing he did not change.
     He sighed, debating what to do.  He knew he shouldn't speak to her,
not as Makoto... not as the boy who loved her.  But... "Yes... it's me."
END PART ONE
This was an idea born from inspiration.  Please send comments and the
like here.  
Thanks for reading,
PMasters (7-5-98)          

"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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