********************
Children Of Jurai
[We see Tenchi wearing his brown work clothes and working in
the carrot fields outside the Masaki house. He wipes his
brow and leans on his hoe.]
Tenchi: [sighs] This is rough. Probably better than he's
doing right now, though. [He picks up his hoe again and
starts working again.]
[We see Washuu's laboratory, significantly cleaner than it
looked like the last time we saw it, much of the exotic
looking equipment seems to be taped together. Tenchi is
strapped up in his boxers on Washuu's examination table
looking generally bored. Washuu is monitoring several
meters on one of the consoles nearby.]
Tenchi: How much longer is this going to take, Washuu-chan?
Washuu: Not much longer, I'm just comparing your readings to
those before the experiment, there doesn't seem to be much
diviation.
Tenchi: What does that mean?
Washuu: That I was right about the nature of the accident,
you are most definitely Tenchi.
Tenchi: What about the other me that's out in the fields?
Washuu: I need to run another test but I'm sure I'll find
that he's definitely Tenchi as well.
Tenchi: So there's been no progress.
Washuu: Well, I have data to map the changes that you've
undergone since being created, that will be useful in any
attempt to make there be only one of you.
Tenchi: Oh. [pause] Is that what we really want?
Washuu: It's a decision you'll have to make with him. I'm
not entirely sure how the attempt to merge will affect you.
It's not like when I made Ryouko and Zero the same person,
Zero was dying and Ryouko was designed to assimilate that
sort of information.
Tenchi: But I'm not.
Washuu: That's why I need to run all these tests, to find a
compatible procedure to my Zero/Ryouko merge.
Tenchi: Well how does it look so far?
Washuu: It certainly is a challenge! But for the greatest
scientific genius in the universe, I've had to do harder
things.
Tenchi: I guess that's great, Washuu-chan. [pause] Can I
come down now?
Washuu: Of course. [she taps a button on her console and the
straps around Tenchi retract, dropping him to the floor. He
scrambles to get his clothes.] Be sure to send the other
doppleganger in here when you see him.
Tenchi: I will... [he walks into the darkness and
dissapears.]
Washuu: [softly] I've done harder things, but never to
anyone I've cared about. That makes this the hardest
project ever.
*********************************************************
Children Of Jurai
Episode 2:
"The Long Road;
Coping With Desire"
By Adam Leigh
*********************************************************
[ The Masaki living room. We see Tenchi through the sliding
glass door walking towards the house in his brown work
clothes (Tenchi-brown). Ryouko is laying on the couch
watching television. He reaches the sliding glass door and
pulls it open. ]
Tenchi-brown: [wipes his brow] Hey.
Ryouko: [jumps off the couch and throws herself at Tenchi]
Tenchi!
Tenchi-brown: Woah, take it easy, Ryouko.
Ryouko: You look tired, Tenchi. Why don't we take a bath?
Tenchi-brown: [rubs the back of his neck] I don't know if
that's a good idea.
[ The sound of a door opening causes Tenchi-brown and Ryouko
to look towards Washuu's door. It swings open and Tenchi
looks out (from the scene in Washuu's lab, for consistency:
Tenchi-black). ]
Tenchi-black: [looks over at Tenchi-brown and Ryouko] Oh...
Ryouko: Hi, Tenchi!
Tenchi-brown: [awkwardly] Tenchi...
Tenchi-black: Finished in the field already?
Tenchi-brown: Um, yeah, I just got back. I was just going
to, uh, [he glances to Ryouko then back up to Tenchi] get
cleaned. [pause] So, Washuu's done poking and prying?
Tenchi-black: Oh yeah, she told me to send you in when I saw
you. So, when you've cleaned up, head on in.
Tenchi-brown: Okay, I will.
[Silence.]
Ryouko: [Looks confusingly between the two Tenchis] So what
did Washuu say?
Tenchi-black: Just that the longer we wait, the harder it'll
be to do anything. [he looks down, then up again] I think
Grandfather is waiting for me. [He moves past Tenchi-brown
and Ryouko and opens the sliding glass door.] Excuse me.
Tenchi-brown: Have you seen Ayeka today?
Tenchi-black: [stops for a moment] She left with Sasami and
father this morning, I think they went shopping for
something. [he leaves]
[ Tenchi-brown and Ryouko watch Tenchi-black walk away from
the house.]
Ryouko: I wonder what's wrong.
Tenchi-brown: You picked up on that too, huh.
Ryouko: Maybe something Washuu said?
Tenchi-brown: Maybe... [softer] Maybe something I said.
[ We see a clothing store. Ayeka is looking through a rack
of rather conservative dresses. She seems to be flipping
mindlessly through the rack with a saddened look on her
face. ]
Ayeka: [thinks] I'm such a bitch.
[ This morning. In the Masaki kitchen. Sasami and Ayeka
are sitting at the breakfast table and drinking tea.
Nobuyuki walks in carrying a newspaper under his arm and
drinking from a mug. ]
Nobuyuki: Good morning, ladies.
Ayeka: Good morning, Mr. Masaki.
Sasami: Hi!
Nobuyuki: Ready to leave already?
Sasami: [nods] Uh-huh! We got up extra early.
Nobuyuki: That's great, I'll just be a few more minutes and
we can head out. [He puts his mug in the sink and walks back
out of the room]
Ayeka: [sips her tea] Do you know what you'd like to buy
today, Sasami?
Sasami: I'd like to get some new clothes and maybe a manga.
Ayeka: A manga?
Sasami: Yeah, I've been reading this one series...
[Tenchi-black walks into the kitchen. He isn't wearing
black, but you should get the idea by now.]
Tenchi-black: Oh, good morning!
[Sasami and Ayeka look up. Sasami smiles but Ayeka seems
disturbed and looks away quickly.]
Sasami: Good morning, Tenchi! Washuu was just up here, she
said she wanted to see you when you woke up.
Tenchi-black: Okay. [pause] Specifically me, or just one of
us?
Sasami: She didn't say, I think she just wanted to see
whoever got up first.
Tenchi-black: Alright, I'll go down after some breakfast.
Sasami: Want me to make something for you, Tenchi?
Tenchi-black: Actually, I was just going to have some toast.
[He moves to the counter and pulls out some bread.]
Sasami: [She leans over to Ayeka and whispers] Ayeka, what's
wrong? Why didn't you say anything to Tenchi.
Ayeka: I just don't have anything to say to him.
Sasami: Ayeka!
Tenchi-black: Miss Ayeka?
[Ayeka's eyes widen but says nothing.]
Tenchi-black: Ayeka, is something wrong? Have I done
something?
[Tenchi's clothes suddenly stretch and suddenly Ryouko
appears, draped around him, pulling at his shirt.]
Ryouko: Good morning, Tenchi.
Tenchi-black: Ryouko, knock it off.
Ryouko: Come on, Tenchi, lets go off and play!
Tenchi-black: Not now, Ryouko, I'm bu-
Ayeka: SHUT UP!
[Ayeka stands and looks towards Tenchi and Ryouko, her eyes
burn with fury and her fists shake as she clenches them.]
Tenchi-black: Miss Ayeka...
Ayeka: Be quiet! How can you do this?! Going around like
everything is fine, acting like you're Tenchi and having a
good time! Well, everything is NOT fine, in fact,
everything is TERRIBLE! [She looks specifically to Ryouko]
And YOU! You're not helping at all! You go around,
flaunting yourself at both of these ... people, as if it
doesn't matter that they both look exactly like Tenchi! [She
look at Tenchi-black now] You're NOT Tenchi! You and that
other one took MY Tenchi away from me! I don't want you!
Give me back MY TENCHI!
[Tenchi pulls himself away from Ryouko and moves over to
Ayeka. He puts his hands on Ayeka's shoulders and tries to
calm her]
Tenchi-black: Miss Ayeka, please don't say this. I don't
like this any more than you do, but I'm just as much Tenchi
as I was before the accident. We're trying to fix it, but
you must believe me, I... WE are Tenchi.
[Ayeka looks up at him.]
Ayeka: [vicious] You liar.
[She slaps him and runs out of the kitchen.]
[Present. Ayeka has stopped flipping through the clothes
and is just standing still and shaking.]
Ayeka: What have I done?
[She collapses and starts crying.]
[ Training Grounds. Tenchi-black is holding a bokken and
squared off against Katsuhito. ]
Katsuhito: Ready, Tenchi?
Tenchi: Yeah, ready.
Katsuhito: [He steps forward and pulls out his bokken.
Gracefully, he swings the sword around and initiates a
series of blows against Tenchi. At first, Tenchi blocks the
attacks but eventually Katsuhito knocks him down.] You're
very slow today.
Tenchi: You stepped out of routine again.
Katsuhito: Your opponent won't always be following the same
pattern. The past is an excellent teacher, but it is not a
template for the future. There are many paths an opponent
may take to try to beat you and many may not even involve
battle like this at all.
Tenchi: So I should be more spontaneous?
Katsuhito: Not necessarily. You should be ready for all
eventual moves, not just the predicted one.
Tenchi: Okay, I think I understand.
Katsuhito: [studies Tenchi for a few moments, then rests his
bokken on his shoulder and begins walking away, heading
towards the shrine.] I think your physical training has
reached it's limit.
Tenchi: What do you mean? [he gets up and follows after
Katsuhito] How could I be finished with my training already?
Katsuhito: Silly boy, you don't listen to anything I say!
There are steps to learning any art or skill, you've reached
the end of the first step and I think it's time you moved
onto the next.
Tenchi: Well, what's that?
Katsuhito: The training of your will.
Tenchi: My will?
Katsuhito: Your will.
Tenchi: Hm... [pause] But haven't I already been doing that
in my training exercises?
Katsuhito: [nods] Of course you have, there are pieces of
all the phases in each of the steps you take, but now that
you've been exposed to it, you're ready to train it.
Tenchi: What does it involve?
Katsuhito: A series of exercises that you'll probably fail
at.
Tenchi: Grandpa!
Katsuhito: At first anyway, then, with practice, you'll
learn how to bend and shape your will, and even the wills of
those around you. This will help you in combat as well, of
course.
Tenchi: I don't understand.
Katsuhito: Of course you don't, it's the job of the teacher
to try to confuse the student. That way they can't hold
anything you've said against you later because they didn't
understand the first time around.
Tenchi: Suddenly I don't feel at all well.
Katsuhito: Good, it's working already.
[ Washuu's laboratory. Tenchi-brown is up on the
examination table now. ]
Washuu: Everything seem okay? No unusual fatigue? Sudden
shortness of breath? Unusual vision problems?
Tenchi-brown: [distracted] Hmm?
Washuu: [raises an eyebrow] Are ... You ... Feeling ...
Okay?
Tenchi-brown: Yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking of
something else.
Washuu: Hm...
[She taps a button on her console and most of the machinery
in the laboratory goes silent. The only things still
obviously on are the head harness with the lights and the
single monitor in front of Washuu.]
Tenchi-brown: What's wrong, Washuu?
Washuu: That's just what I was going to ask you. You're
obviously distracted, so why don't you tell me about it.
This IS an examination of every aspect of you, so what's on
your mind.
Tenchi-brown: [looks away] It's nothing. [pause] I think he
hates me.
Washuu: Who?
Tenchi-brown: Me. Him. I don't know what to call him.
Washuu: Ahh, the other Tenchi.
Tenchi-brown: Yeah.
Washuu: What makes you think that?
Tenchi-brown: Just the way he acts when I'm around him, it's
like ... it seem as though ... uh, well, it's what I would
do if I wanted to hide something from him.
Washuu: I see. And you think he's trying to hide that fact
that he doesn't like you.
Tenchi-brown: It's just a guess. I dunno. Things seems
fine between us originally, we had a talk about all of this
the day it happened, but now, I dunno.
Washuu: You two were very similar at that point. By now
you're starting to develop separate personalities. You're
bound to find differences between now and then.
Tenchi-brown: Already, though? It seems awfully quick.
Washuu: Simple life experiences can drastically alter the
way a person thinks. It's not just your minds that have
been affected either. Here, look.
[Washuu moves one of the active monitors over to Tenchi. It
changes to display a basic wireframe model of two people.]
Tenchi-brown: What's this?
Washuu: These are yours and your twin's basic stats. Over
the last few days you've grown an eighth of an inch taller
than him while he's lost three pounds.
Tenchi-brown: What's causing this?
Washuu: Life! Even for two identical people who live in the
same house with the same people, life is different!
Tenchi-brown: So you were serious when you said that we were
changing every second.
Washuu: Of course!
Tenchi-brown: So how different are we?
Washuu: Huh?
Tenchi-brown: Exactly. What's the exact difference between
me and him at this moment.
Washuu: Um... [she taps on her console] I'd say, given what
you've told me and all the measurements I've taken, you two
are about three point two percent different from the
original model, approximately six and a half percent
different from each other.
Tenchi-brown: Is that substantial?
Washuu: Well, I'd guess so. Of course, you two are getting
more and more different even as I talk to you right now, so
it's just an approximation.
Tenchi-brown: Hm...
Washuu: What is it?
Tenchi-brown: Nothing. [pause] Anyway, what do you think I
should do about him?
Washuu: If you're really concerned, you should probably talk
to him.
Tenchi-brown: But what should I say?
Washuu: Say whatever you think is right, I'm sure he'll
understand, you aren't all that different.
Tenchi-brown: I don't know. It only takes a small rock to
make lasting ripples.
[ Sunset. Nobuyuki is driving the van down the road back
towards the house. Ayeka and Sasami are in the back of the
van. Sasami looks rather worried and glances every now and
then towards Ayeka, while Ayeka is doing her impersonation
of a stone statue. ]
Nobuyuki: We're almost there. I'm sorry I wasn't able to
get to you sooner, Ayeka, I was held up at work and couldn't
get away.
[Ayeka is rather silent. Sasami leans over and tries to
look in Ayeka's eyes]
Sasami: Ayeka?
Ayeka: [she looks up to Nobuyuki suddenly] It's okay, Mr.
Masaki, I'm feeling much better now.
Sasami: Are you sure, Ayeka?
Ayeka: [smiles] Come now, Sasami, don't look at me like
that, I was just feeling a little weak, I'm fine now.
Sasami: What about this morning?
Ayeka: [her smile fades and she slightly darkens] I'll just
apologize to Tenchi. I'm fine now.
Sasami: [uneasy] Okay...
[ The steps coming down from the shrine to the house.
Tenchi-black and Katsuhito are walking down them. ]
Katsuhito: You need to be constantly observing, watching
everything around you, looking for the flows, the patterns.
Train your mind to look for the next attack and be prepared
for it when it comes.
Tenchi-black: That's the same as anticipation.
Katsuhito: Yes, but you need to do it outside of structured
battle as well. If your opponent attacks you when you least
expects it, it's already over.
Tenchi-black: So I should always be on guard.
Katsuhito: No, but you need to be ready. On guard is rigid,
you need to be more fluid. When the opponent attacks on
surprise, the first thought is to dodge, not to block or
counterattack.
Tenchi-black: Ready but not on guard.
Katsuhito: Yes.
Tenchi-black: Okay, I think I get it. [pause] Hey, grandpa,
I've been wondering recently, is this all Juraiian style
training?
Katsuhito: Some of it, but a lot I learned here on earth.
Tenchi-black: Oh...
[Tenchi stops as he looks down from the stairs and sees the
van pull up to the house. After a moment, Nobuyuki, Sasami,
and Ayeka come out of it.]
Tenchi-black: Ayeka...
[He starts to move then stops as he sees Tenchi-brown come
out of the house with Ryouko and goes to greet them. Tenchi-
black looks down and away. As he does, he notices the his
shadow on the stairs beside him, as well as Katsuhito's
shadow with an arm raised up to hit him. Tenchi-black's
eyes widen and he ducks to the ground as Katsuhito's hand
goes over his head. Reflexively, Tenchi jumps back up a few
steps to get the higher ground and looks back at Katsuhito.]
Katsuhito: Very good, Tenchi. You've already begun.
[Katsuhito turns and continues walking down the stairs.
Tenchi-black tilts his head and makes a half smile and
starts moving down the stairs. Suddenly he pitches forward
and topples down a couple of steps before landing hard and
stopping. Tenchi looks down and sees that his feet had been
tied together by a piece of string. Katsuhito looks back up
the stairs.]
Katsuhito: You're far from finished though.
[Tenchi sighs and props his head up on his hand.]
[ Dinner. The 'family' is eating around the table in the
following fashion going counter-clockwise: Sasami, Ayeka,
Washuu, Ryouko, Tenchi-brown, Tenchi-black, Nobuyuki,
Katsuhito. Mihoshi is absent. Oddly enough, it's
practically silent.]
Tenchi-brown: So, this is really good, Sasami.
Sasami: Thank you, Tenchi.
Tenchi-black: Oh yes, I agree.
[Tenchi-brown and Tenchi-black look towards each other
awkwardly then go back to eating again.]
Katsuhito: [finishes the last of his food] That was
delicious, Sasami, thank you. I think I'll return to the
shrine now.
[He gets up and starts moving for the door.]
Nobuyuki: Well, I need to do some work. [He stands] Excuse
me.
Washuu: Yeah, me too. [She gets up and heads for her door.]
[Nobuyuki starts grabbing a few of the place settings.
Sasami immediately stands up.]
Sasami: I'll do that, Mr. Masaki, you don't need to worry
about it.
Nobuyuki: It would be rude for me to leave without at least
helping a little in the cleanup for this wonderful meal.
[Sasami and Nobuyuki gather up all the places and take them
into the kitchen. Ryouko and Ayeka remain in the table with
the two Tenchis now.]
Tenchi-brown: So...
Tenchi-black: So.
Ryouko & Ayeka: [simultaneously] Tenchi...
Tenchi-black: Ayeka...
Tenchi-brown: Ryouko...
[The four look startled at each other. The two Tenchis
exchange a quick glance, then Tenchi-brown looks up to
Ryouko and stands.]
Tenchi-brown: [moves over to Ryouko] Excuse us.
[He ushers her out the back of the house. Tenchi-black and
Ayeka watch for a moment then look back to each other.]
Tenchi-black: Ayeka, listen, I want to apologize.
Ayeka: No, Lord Tenchi, I'm the one who should be
apologizing. I was completely wrong to burst out like that.
Tenchi-black: It's okay, I understan--
Ayeka: It's just that ... this whole situation is so
unsettling, I don't know what to think. I just got so
angry, like I always do, and I took it out on you and ...
and...
Tenchi-black: Ayeka...
Ayeka: [starts crying] I just don't know who ANYBODY is
anymore. I thought ... I thought I knew everything, but I
don't even know myself.
[Tenchi stands and moves to sit beside Ayeka. He cautiously
puts an arm around her]
Tenchi-black: I know exactly how you feel.
[Ayeka looks up to him through tear drenched eyes then
suddenly hugs him and starts crying into his shoulder.]
Ayeka: [between sobs] I thought the greatest pain would be
when I thought you Kagato had killed you. But seeing you
like this, I mean, knowing there are two of you, it's like
you're dead and alive at the same time and I can't tell
which is which. [pauses] I'm not even making any sense...
Tenchi-black: [looks up] It makes perfect sense to me.
[ Outside the Masaki house. Tenchi-brown and Ryouko are
walking along the edge of the lake. ]
Ryouko: Ooh, Tenchi, a nighttime lakeside walk? Is this a
sign?
[Tenchi turns to her abruptly.]
Tenchi-brown: Is it all a game to you?
Ryouko: [startled] Wha ... what do you mean Tenchi?
Tenchi-brown: What's been happening, the past few days. Do
you have any idea how much trouble this has been causing?
Ryouko: Of course, Tenchi, but that doesn't mean...
Tenchi-brown: But you act like everything is normal!
Whenever I'm around or the other Tenchi you drape around us
like you used to do before the accident.
Ryouko: Why should I do anything different? Because there's
two of you? There was two of ME for a while, you know!
Tenchi-brown: [surprised] Yeah, I ... I remember that.
Ryouko: You didn't change the way you acted towards me
during that time.
Tenchi-brown: I didn't even KNOW there were two of you!
Ryouko: So, you think because I *know* that you've been
split in two I should change my entire opinion of you.
Tenchi-brown: Opinion? No, but...
Ryouko: But what? I'm not sure how many times I've heard,
from you, from him, from Washuu, that you ARE Tenchi, and
yet, you want me to treat you like you're not?
Tenchi-brown: That's not what I mean.
Ryouko: You think I haven't thought of these things? You
think the sum of my life is just sitting around, starting
fights with Ayeka, and trying to cause trouble? I know how
to think just as well a you can! But I know who and what I
love and I'm not afraid to tell you! [pause] I love you.
Tenchi-brown: What about him?
Ryouko: I love him too.
Tenchi-brown: And you don't find that awkward?
Ryouko: [looks away, then speaks like she's choked up]
Dammit, of COURSE I find it awkward! But this is how I
feel! What do you want me to say? What do you want me to
do? Stop loving you?! I CAN'T DO THAT! [she seems on the
verge of tears]
Tenchi-brown: I can't do it either, Ryouko.
[She looks over to him with a wide eyed expression on her
face]
Tenchi-brown: But I can't stop thinking about him, what he's
thinking, what he's feeling. Maybe we're linked somehow,
some mental thing. I don't know. [he looks away for a
moment, then turns back] But I do know that it would kill
me inside to see you with another man. I can't help but
think that's what he feels every time he walks in and you're
hanging around me. [he looks down and speaks softly] And I
know that's what I feel when I see him with you.
Ryouko: [with tears in her eyes] Tenchi... [she raises a
hand to him]
[Tenchi looks up at Ryouko reaching out for him and for an
instant the moonlight reflected off the lake strikes her
just the right way so that she looks like she's glowing.
Oddly enough, in this light, she looks just like an angel.]
Tenchi-brown: [awe] Ryouko...
[Ryouko rushes over to him, breaking the image, and throws
her arms around him. She looks up at his face.]
Tenchi-brown: I'm sorry for everything, Ryouko. There were
so many times--
Ryouko: I love you.
Tenchi-brown: [his eyes look away] You love me? Or you love
what you knew as Tenchi?
Ryouko: I love you.
Tenchi-brown: I ... I ... [Tenchi starts to sweat]
Ryouko: Tenchi...
[Tenchi suddenly doubles over in pain and cries out. Ryouko
is quickly by his side with a panicked expression on her
face]
Ryouko: Tenchi!
Tenchi-brown: Ry...Ryouko...
[ The dinner table. Tenchi-black is holding Ayeka in his
arms. Suddenly he tenses and starts shaking in pain.]
Ayeka: Tenchi!
[ Washuu's laboratory. Washuu is sitting in a floating
chair typing on two arm consoles, surrounded by large
holographic monitors and above a huge stellar map. She has
an image of Tenchi-brown and his statistics on one of the
large monitors and a similar layout for Tenchi-black on
another. Between the two monitors is some sort of
simulation that shows a sphere with a curve intersecting it
and two cones to either side of the sphere. As the
simulation proceeds, the curve turns tighter to the sphere
and the cones get thinner. Suddenly one of the cones simply
drops away. ]
Washuu: [gasps] What the...
[She types quickly on her console and the monitors showing
the two Tenchis come forward and several red lines appear
connecting various places on the two Tenchis bodies.]
Washuu: There IS a connection! I knew it!
[Suddenly, the red lines begin breaking and those parts of
the diagrams go gray.]
Washuu: Oh no! What could possible be breaking...
[The screens all go blank all at once, shrouding the lab in
darkness. A single monitor comes back on showing the
outline of a single man and three ribbon-like lines
surrounding him.]
Washuu: [voice] Impossible...
********************
End Episode 1x02
Children Of Jurai
********************