Well, this is my attept of a 'Tenchi Muyo!' fic and I hope I can do it justice compared to the actual show. This chapter is mostley to ease into things and the chance of getting a cheap laugh. Some info before we start, this takes place in the Ryo-Ohki series some time after the capture of Doctor Clay. And, as I would only say this once, I do not own anything Tenchi related except this fic.

Ch. 1: The worst day of his life.

The swirling of darkness clouded his thoughts and sight.

'The choice…not yours….

Freedom….

My will….

Revenge….'

A deep voice ranged out from everywhere to a brown haired teenage boy.

"Who are you? What do you want?" He shouted back, feeling insignificant.

'Tenchi Masaki….

…Know what I want….

My wish….'

"No…no…ACK!" The teen known as Tenchi Masaki shot up from under his bed covers. Covered in a cold sweat and gasping for air like he ran a marathon, he looked around the room to make sure he was back in the real world.

"That was a dream? Heh heh…" and fell back after rubbing his head. "It was only a silly dream. It didn't even make sense! But still…."

The dream was mostly Tenchi running in the dark away (or for) something with that voice taunting him. In fact, the words still ringed through his head. Whatever it meant, it sounded like a threat. "Aw, what am I thinking? Its just a… dream...?"

Tenchi noticed something wasn't right, and looking at a nearby clock acknowledged. "Oh no, I slept in! And today is my sword training with grandpa, and the last time I was late…."With a gulp, he tried to suppress that memory as he stumbled out of bed.

Scurrying around he checked off; "Shirt, check. Pants, check. Deodorant…." A few sniffs and a gag later Tenchi finally ran out of his room. "Forget it, I am not going to be late again!" he shouted as he slammed the door behind him.

"Meow meow meow." A voice came up the stairs.

"Oh no, Ryo-Ohki!"

Slightly oblivious, a humanoid cat-girl in a blue dress with a carrot design happily walked up carrying armfuls of carrots.

"PLEASE GET OUT OF MY WAY!"

"Me-ROOOWWW!" And in a poof the creature became her true form, a half rabbit and cat creature (that has the ability to transform into a huge space ship) to get out of the way.

As for Tenchi, he managed to side step the cabbit (as she was) only to trip and slip on the many carrots that riddled the stairs, causing him to crash down into the living area and end up sprawled onto the floor. "Owwwww…."

"Tenchi? What was that crash-!"

As the boy picked himself up, Sasami, one of the many female residents who happens to be a younger sister to an alien princess, ran out from the kitchen with a worried look on her face once she saw Tenchi and a large bump forming on his head. With a gasp, she was all over him with "Tenchi, are you alright?" "Let me treat that bump." "Are you feeling sick? Is that why you missed breakfast?" although Tenchi said he slept in, panicked, and he will be sorry if he didn't make it to Grandpas in time.

"Tenchi, Washu might be able to help. I think she has a teleporter device to send you to the shrine."

Right off the bat Tenchi knew that that was a bad idea to go ask Washu, the local brilliant (if not very slightly mad) scientist. True she could send him, but if something could go wrong, it will. Tenchi could see it now 'A little fly could accidentally be in the machine too and when its done I would become some sort of mutant fly-boy. I seen that episode before.'

"Heh, no thanks Sasami." Tenchi looked down at his wristwatch and ran towards the door. "I think I can make it! See you later!"

…While up among the mountain pass…

Ayeka and Mihoshi were carrying cleaning supplies from the shrine as they finished their chores for the day. As they walked among the cliffside path that overlooked the lake, Ayeka began to worry.

"I wonder what is taking Lord Tenchi so long to come."

"I wouldn't worry Ayeka." Mihoshi said with a grin. "He might have just overslept." But then she thought about it. "Or maybe he's sick. Or he left to live the city…or got a job in the city. Or maybe he was walking though this way and fell off the trail and broke his leg…Oh no… Or maybe some crazed mastermind stole him! Or maybe an android 'got rid' of Tenchi and is now his evil look-alike, oh no-oh no!"

Now Mihoshi was crying while Ayeka shouted "WAS THAT SUPPOSED TO CHEER ME UP!?!?"

But after awhile the blond galactic police officer looked up and pointed "Or he could be with Ryoko." She finished with her smile returned.

"With…who?" Ayeka saw what Mihoshi meant, and there was Ryoko holding Tenchi in embrace while he was clearly struggling to get away instead of the normal embarrassed/bashful stance.

"OHHH, that ancient, decrepit space pirate with my Tenchi…" And she stormed off towards the two….

…

"Oh Tenchi, forget all that work you want to do and stay with meeeeee."

"Ryoko please, you just don't understand! My Grandpa-."

"Enough of that, I'm sure he'll understand you tardiness because of our love."

"Ryoko, what do you mean by that-what love?!"

Before the space pirate Ryoko could continue her attempts of seduction, a very angry princess came and pried the two apart.

"Hey, what's the big deal princess?" Ryoko almost yelled with anger.

"Oh I just thought I saw a giant drooling parasite on Lord Tenchi and, surprise surprise, I was right." She commented grabbing Tenchi by the arm, and helping him to the shrine.

Not giving up easily (if at all), Ryoko ran and grabbed the boys other arm. "Well I can always warp Tenchi and myself to the shrine and get this over with, which is a lot better than hanging around someone who's voice can rival that of nails against a blackboard." She finished with a glare.

"Means a lot from a thief." Ayeka pulled Tenchi closer.

"Same to a spoiled brat." Ryoko did the same.

"TRAMP!"

"STUCK UP SNOB!"

Tenchi was just crying. "Why is every day a battle?"

Mihoshi herself tried to calm the two down. "Come on you two, don't do this. Aren't we all friends?" And while she walked towards them, Mihoshi tripped and fell against the three, who only yelled out "Mihoshi. NO!"

In a crash and a huge wave, the four fell into the lake.

….

Tenchi's Grandfather Yosho sat upon his shrines porch tapping a wooden sword upon his knee. 'What is taking that boy so long? It is way past the due time… Perhaps he was flirting with the girls.' He thought with a grin, despite knowing it wasn't true. 'Sometimes it's a shame, with him trying so hard to be a gentleman…'

It wasn't long after until he herd some coughing coming from the steps before him and saw a completely soaked-to-the-bone grandson crawl up from exhaustion.

"Heh…Hi. Am I late?"

Yosho just couldn't help but grin. "Yep, and you know what that means."

Tenchi's only reply was his head falling to the ground in defeat.

…Later that night….

All the girls and Tenchi's father were sitting around the table for dinner. The only one not eating was Sasami as she looked out the window. "Tenchi has been out for a long time. I wonder what's going on with him."

"I wouldn't worry about it." The father reassured, helping himself to some fish. "If he was late, then it only led to a small punishment and a lot of character building. In fact, I remember when I trained with my father and was late."

"What happened?" Questioned Sasami, calming down a bit.

"Lets just say that week led to the worst year of my life. But it taught me a very important lesson, and that's never learn from family who doesn't care about embarrassing yourself to no end."

"I know how that feels." Ryoko said as she butted into the conversation, pointing to Washu from behind another hand. "That crazy old-."

"Hey," spoke up Washu, "you shouldn't be saying bad things about your mom."

"Maybe if you didn't treat me like a little child-."

"Or if you actually thought of me as your mother-."

And the sound of the door opening and closing stopped the fighting and any other conversation as the Grandfather walked in.

He still had a grin on his face as he announced the news. "Sorry for being late, but it took a while because of his other jobs he owed me. And now the man of the hour, Tenchi!!!"

He motioned to the door but nothing happened.

"Tenchi," Yosho started, "If you don't enter now your punishment will be worse."

And as the door opened, all the girls started to laugh, slowly but went to roaring as they saw Tenchi walked in wearing a maid suit complete with hat and duster. He only said "What did I do to deserve this?"

"Now he is maid Tenchi," Continued the Grandpa. "and for the rest of the week he is to do all chores and do whatever is asked of him."

"I can use that." Ryoko managed to say, one hand over eyes as she continued laughing.

"As long as its not 'out of the question.' Now Tenchi, you may go."

Tenchi turned around (and shown that there was no back to the costume and the neck and waste was hold together with a string, showing his boxers earning a whistle from Mihoshi) and marched straight to his room, embarrassment and anger building up.

The girls continued to laugh but Yosho coughed to interrupt them.

"Tenchi also told me who helped him become late. I only think it's fair to 'spread the joy' of the punishment to Ayeka, Ryoko, and Mihoshi." The grandfather finished, pulling out three more maid costumes from behind. Now it was Sasami, Washu, and even Ryo-Ohki to bust out laughing.

The princess and the pirate had a shocked (and slightly horrified) look on their face while Mihoshi just scratched her head. "Well, if it's fair…."

…

Tenchi put on some normal clothes with some anger still building up. He knew it was silly to still be mad about it, that it was his fault, to take the blame and let it pass. However now he didn't care. He walked to his dresser and shoved all his stuff off onto the floor or wall, punched his bed, whatever it took to get it out. Then he turned to a mirror at the wall and with a roar of rage, punched it. At this point he just realized what he done and fell back to the bed. It was cracked badly, but not enough to fall apart all over the place.

He just closed his eyes. 'I never felt so angry before. I should have just laughed it off, but instead I wreak half of my room. I just need to calm down, and get some rest.'

It wasn't long after he fell into a deep sleep.

…

The swirling darkness returned around the teen.

'The choice is not yours….

Freedom….

My will….

Revenge….'

This time, there were a pair of yellow eyes high up, watching Tenchis every move….