Subject: [FFML][TM][DRAFT] The People's Prince part1
From: "Damien" <damien_searight@email.msn.com>
Date: 11/5/1998, 12:51 PM
To: "Fan Fic Mailing List" <ffml@fanfic.com>

**ROUGH DRAFT**

Disclaimer: The characters of Tenchi Muyo are the property of their
respective owners.

TENCHI MUYO:
THE PEOPLE'S PRINCE

Prologue:

It was four in the morning. The sun had yet to come up, and Tenchi
Masaki had yet to fall asleep. Instead, he stared at the ceiling, lying on
his bed, reflecting on his life. One thought kept returning to him. He felt
old.

'When did I start to feel this way.'
'I haven't always been  this way.'
'Or have I?'

He came to a sitting position on his bed and despite the darkness, he
surveyed his room. It wasn't much to look at, rather spartan for a man
of his years. No personality to it what so ever. His eyes moved from one
wall to another. It could have easily been his father's or grandfather's
room. No, that wasn't exactly right. His father's room was full of
photographs and sketches of bygone days, books and magazines more
fitting an adolescent.

'When did we switch places, father? ... Father.'

The word stuck in his head. He was a father now. He rose and went over
to the cradle in the corner of the room, and peered down at the infant
inside. A smile penetrated his melancholy as he thought of his daughter.
The girls had been quite insistent that they could better care for Mayuka,
and that she should be placed in  one of their rooms. Exactly whose room,
quickly became an item of contention. Strangely enough, it was Washu and
Sasami, who had been the most ...argumentative. He decided against them
though, Mayuka was his daughter and his responsibility. Responsibility.
Responsible. A responsible adult.

'When did that happen?' he thought returning to his bed and looking out
the window at the newly rising sun. 'When did the child leave?' For a
second time he left his bed and paced his room. He stopped in front of a
full length mirror, looking at the stranger in front of him.

'Where is the guy, who went out with his friends when I lived in Tokyo?'

'Where is the guy, who would miss class because he fell asleep on the
school roof?'

'Where is the guy, who defied his grandfather, broke into the cave, and
set Ryoko free?'

'Where's the guy who punched someone out for insinuating that he was so
hard up that he'd stoop to sleeping with old ladies.'

'Where are my pants?'  The sun was up. His alarm clocked told him it was
half passed the hour. Time for all responsible adults to hit the carrot
mines.

He had actually made it outside his door, before slender yet strong arms
rapped themselves around him from behind.

**********************************************

A universe away, someone else was beginning to feel their years.

"My Queen, what do you mean?! Lord Seiryo will not marry the Princess
Aeka?!"

Normally,  news of the happenings of the Royal Family would be given to
the people by means of an official press release, but the princesses had
been gone  for so long. The people were hungry for news, whether it
truth or rumor. The proposed marriage of Princess Aeka  the and return
of Princess Sasami, had been at the forefront of every news service and
tabloid in the empire, despite the Royal Court never confirming the
stories. When the Court returned to Jurai without them, the rumor mill
had gone into overdrive. Queen Funaho decided it best to address the
people's concerns.

"It has been decided, that a union is not in the interest of the Royal
house at this time,"  Funaho answered calmly. She stood before a packed
house of reporters. It was the first time a press conference was held in
the Royal Palace and by the look of the Emperor, who watched on a monitor
from an adjoining room with Queen Misaki, the last time.

"So... the marriage is only delayed?"

"Whose decision was it to call the marriage off?"

"Is it true, that both Princess Aeka and Prince Yosho were killed by the
space pirate Ryoko some 700 years ago, and the Royal House is just to
scared to tell the people?"

"Please one at a time. All your question will be answered," said Funaho
without letting her aggravation show.

"Is it true, that Lord Seiryo took one look at how .... um hmm heavy,
Princess Aeka has become and refused the marriage?" The reporter asking
the question even had a picture. It showed a rotund Princess Aeka,
sitting in a lounge chair, stuffing what looked like bonbons into her
mouth. The sounds of many guards restraining someone with great
difficulty could be heard in the adjoining room. Funaho prayed they
could hold her sister.

"Is it true, Princess Aeka ran off with Prince Yosho, and they refuse to
return due to the racial tensions their love caused?"

Emperor Azusa did not like the tone of some of the reporters, or some of
the things they were insinuating about the Royal House, but Funaho had
promised them a completely open news conference.

"One at a time ....PLEASE. The marriage has been indefinitely postponed.
It was the Princess's decision and yes she is very much alive, and as
lovely as ever. As to the whereabouts of Prince Yosho, we still do not
know what's become of him after his battle with Ryoko." Funaho again
answered each and every question with unflappable easy. Slowly the news
conference began to wind down.

"Where are the Princesses now?"

"When will they return to Jurai?"

"Both Princesses Aeka and Sasami are vacationing at one of the Royal
Resort worlds. The exact location is secret, in respect of their privacy
and for their security. We expect them to return to Jurai within the
year." On monitors through out the room, pictures of the long lost
princesses appeared. Gasps could be heard from the reporters as they
looked upon the first pictures  taken of the royal princesses in seven
hundred years. The hall became quiet as the monitors cycled through various
pictures of the princesses, ending with a picture of the entire Royal
Family sans Yosho posing in front of a beautiful crystal clear lake,
surrounded by a lush forest.

"If that is all the questions..." As the audience looked at the
slideshow of pictures with a quiet awe, Funaho took the opportunity to
leave the podium. She was half way to the exit when a someone stood.

"Excuse me, your Highness, I have a few more questions."

Funaho turned to face the voice, who had spoke out. It belonged to a
young woman with long brown hair, that flowed unhindered down to the small
of her back. She had a heart shaped face and extremely intelligent cobalt
blue eyes. The young woman worked for one of the lesser known news
agencies, some would even call it a ' rag '. Up until now the young
woman had sat quietly taking, in all that she heard, watching every
expression on the queen's face.

"Your question?"

"Yes my Queen,  Is it true, both princesses were involved in the
incident with Kagato and the destruction of the Souja?" The young woman
had the entire halls attention now.

Funaho didn't even bat an eye lash. "The Souja was destroyed by a joint
Galaxy police - Jurian task force. The make up of said task force must
be kept classified, as to protect its members and their families from
terrorist acts perpetuated by any allies Kagato may have had."

"Was the Tsunami involved in this joint task force?" Now all of Jurai
was listening.

"Yes, it was."

"Did Lord Yosho have an involvement?"

"Lord Yosho had no involvement with the destruction of the Souja. As I
mentioned before, we are unsure of  Prince Yosho's  present
predicament." Without any outward sign, Queen Funaho cursed to herself.
For the most part,she had gotten through the press conference with only
telling one falsehood. It wasn't that she had an aversion to lying, as
the Chief Minister of Information, she was adept at the art of spin, but
lies also had a way of coming back at you. Now someone had caused her to
repeat that falsehood. She was very much aware of Yosho's situation.

"Who is Washu?"

'WHO ARE YOU?? WHERE DID YOU GET THIS INFORMATION AND
WHY AREN'T YOU WORKING FOR ME??,' Funaho screamed behind her
mask of outward amusement. Somebody had screwed up. Funaho liked to
be kept abreast of the more formidable journalists. This person had come
out of left field.

"Washu was a student at the Royal Science Academy, who was kidnapped
by Kagato and rescued aboard Souja."

"Thank you my Queen, one more question."

The Queen showed a genuine smile. She hadn't been challenged like this
in a very long time. She took a moment to appraise her opponent and read
the name off the press id she wore.

"What is your question, Mrs......  Graham?"

"Who is Tenchi Masaki?"

Inwardly, Funaho was applauding her opponent for coming this far,
outwardly, she was as nonplussed as ever.

"Tenchi Masaki?"

Sue Graham was just barely containing a smirk. Sure, she worked for the
Jurian Enquirer, no one else would hire her right out of school. Sure,
her expose' on there being intelligent life on colonized planet 0315 had
been laughed at. Everyone knew that "The Lost Colony" had died out due to a
plague eons ago, and was now a special preserve. Of course her attempts to
find out exactly which alien world Queen Funaho was from were the butt of
jokes. Earth??? Never heard of it. The list of torments went on and on.
Now, however, things would be different. NOW, everyone would respect Sue
Graham and take her work seriously. The smirk finally cracked her face.

"Yes, Tenchi Masaki. Crown Prince, Tenchi Masaki." Funaho's eyes
narrowed ever so slightly. Many in the audience were getting ready to make
mad dashes out of the room to contact their editors. THIS WAS BIG. Sue
pressed on, "THE SECRET LOVE CHILD OF PRINCE YOSHO AND THE
DEMON RYOKO!!!!" She shouted to her captured audience, their mouths
agape. All eyes turned to the Queen, that is, of those who were still
conscious. Many had passed out due to the shock. This was beyond BIG.

Funaho blinked.

'Yes, YES, finally vindicated!' She thought with eyes closed, hand
raised triumphantly in the air.

The Queen put forth her best effort. Years of training and disciplined
showed in her poise, but not for long. She had been beaten. This child
had beaten her. It started as just a twitch at the corner of her mouth. She
fought it as best she could. It then, commandeered both lips. From
there, it staged raids to her reddening cheeks. Funaho tried holding her
breath. It was all for naught. Slowly, it caused her whole body to visibly
tremble, as bursts of  air shot from her nose. Then, total defeat as the
First Queen of the Jurian Empire laughed her head off.

Soon, the entire conference room was on the floor. If Queen Funaho
thought it was funny, then it had to be hoot.

Slowly Funaho regained her composure and passed through the door, to the
room where her husband and sister were waiting.

"Bbbahhahahahahahhaahha!!!"

'Why do they always laugh at me?!!' She knew her information was correct.
She had the report to prove it. And she WOULD prove it.


****************************************


A work in progress.
This is the place for such things, yes?
There are things I wish to add and take out.
Where the heck is this story going?

I think I know, but I'm not sure.
Send any comments you like. I can take it all.

Damien
damien_searight@msn.com