On board
the battleship Chobimaru, ship captain Misao is pacing the bridge,
awaiting the arrival of his beloved sister Mihoshi and his sworn
enemy Tenchi, who he has invited aboard. Convinced that Tenchi is
a sex-crazed
bully who has enslaved Mihoshi, he reenacts an imagined confrontation
between the pair, playing his poor helpless sister as the wicked
Tenchi has his way with her (much to the bemusement of the Chobimaru's
crew). Suddenly an explosion rocks the ship. On the screen appears
the furious face of Ryoko. She is under the impression that Misao
has captured Tenchi, and demands that he release him. Ryo-ohki, in
ship form, materializes next to the Chobimaru and zooms in to attack.
Meanwhile, in the
Masaki home, the trio of heavies sent to take care of the girls have
already been defeated and imprisoned in globules of green goo (much
like how Clay captured Ryoko in episode 11).
Each of them recounts how they were defeated. Sorunaru is still a
gibbering wreck after facing Ryoko's fierce assault. Fujimasa, who
tried to capture Ayeka, was defeated by Ryo-ohki (and his charges,
a pair
of fearsome panther-like mechanoids, are still terrified of the little
cabbit!). A tearful Baguma explains how, facing Washu, his mighty
powers completely failed him and he ended up getting conked on the
head with a mallet! However, Fujimasa still allows himself to gloat;
he is sure that Mashisu has managed to deal with Sasami. His triumph
is short-lived however, as moments later Sasami enters hauling the
unconscious Mashisu behind her. Mashisu comes to and remembers facing
down Sasami
just moments ago...
No
matter how fast Mashisu lunged at Sasami, she was able to
dodge her with ease, even evading her lightning-fast energy whip.
She
drew her gun on Sasami and explained that she was only doing it
for Misao. Sasami thought for a moment, then smiled and told Mashisu
she must be doing it because she is in love with Misao! Sasami then
challenged Mashisu to a fair fight. Mashisu put her gun away
and drew her laser whip again. Sasami removed one of the pairs of
baubles in her hair and it transformed into a staff, with which she
attacked Mashisu. Even facing a grown woman, and a highly-trained
GP operative at that, Sasami easily outperformed her. She disarmed
Mashisu in one blow, dodging the laser whip and a laser net.
Mashisu
drew
her
gun
again,
but
it was
knocked
from her hand before she could aim.
Mashisu comes out
of her reverie, and is surprised to see Noike has joined the Masaki
household, and Lady Seto is there too! The room has become rather
crowded, but Washu points out that Tenchi is absent. Worried that
he has has left for the Chobimaru already, Ayeka and Sasami turn
to go after him, but Washu points out that he and Mihoshi couldn't
possibly have left since Mihoshi's shuttle is still here. Right on
cue, Tenchi and Mihoshi arrive back, much to the relief of the princesses.
Z, the figure who
has been watching our heroes since episode 14, has been watching
this scene as well, surveying the happy family with a bitter sneer.
While the girls
are catching up on gossip (and managing to wrestle a confession out
of Mashisu about her feelings for Misao), Ryoko is busy attacking
the Chobimaru. Flying Ryo-ohki, she dodges laser blasts from the
Chobimaru and smashes right through the hull of the moon-sized spaceship
and out of the other side. Misao and the crew are panic-stricken,
but unable to do anything to halt Ryoko's assault.
Soon, the Galaxy
Police heavy mob and the Masaki family are invited aboard Lady Seto's
ship for refreshments and to watch the battle between the Ryo-ohki
and the Chobimaru. Baguma, Fujimasa and Sorunaru are worried that
Seto may be trying to have them executed by slipping poison into
their drinks, but with Seto encouraging them to drink up they have
no choice but to comply. They are pleasantly surprised to discover
no hidden agenda to Seto's inviting them there; their drinks are
delicious, and Seto has brought along a whole barrel of the finest sake in
the galaxy to liven up the party! Before long there is a real party
atmosphere, and after everyone has knocked back a few glasses of
sake, the view screens are turned on to show the battle.
Ryoko is having a whale of a time, roaring with laughter as she smashes
the Ryo-ohki back and forth through the Chobimaru as if it were made
of paper! Mashisu turns to Washu and begs her to get Ryoko to stop,
but Washu tells her there is no way she can control her wayward daughter.
Mashisu watches the destruction with mounting concern, then quietly
slips away from the party. Meanwhile, Ryo-ohki (the humanoid part
of her) is getting out of control, dancing and spinning on the table.
Washu realises that rather than being alcohol-related, Ryo-ohki's
exuberance is down to her being linked to her ship form, which is
currently having a riotous time blowing the Chobimaru away. Washu
gives her a carrot to help calm her down.
On the bridge of
the Chobimaru, Misao begins to realise they are fighting a losing
battle; the ship's control and weapons systems have been knocked
off-line, and Ryoko continues peppering its hull with holes. Mashisu
materialises on the bridge and begs Misao to abandon ship, but he
refuses to concede defeat. He is only brought around when Mashisu
slaps him around the face. He finally admits he is beaten, and orders
his crew
to teleport to safety. However, he also admits that this whole mess
is his fault, and as captain it is his duty to go down with his ship.
Mashisu is taken aback by his suddenly mature demeanour. She kisses
him,
and asks him which he loves the most; her, or his sister. A puzzled
Misao tells Mashisu that he loves her, but doesn't understand what
she means. "Don't give up. You can still help your sister," Mashisu
tells him. With a smile, Misao thanks her for caring about him.
Just
then, a massive explosion tears through the bridge, and Mashisu
lunges to protect Misao from falling debris. When he comes to a moment
later,
Mashisu lies unconscious on top of him, blood pouring from a head
wound. Misao rolls her onto her back, and she regains consciousness.
She tries to move, but her wounds are too severe. Misao cradles
her in his arms as she asks him if he remembers the day they first
met. Despite the destruction taking place around them, they reminisce
about the day when Misao, playing tennis at the family home, accidentally
hit a ball at Mashisu (and how she gave him a back-breaking sleeper
hold in return). Mashisu remembers meeting his family, and how his
sister was a little jealous of her. The effort of talking is almost
too much for the injured Mashisu, and she slumps over Mashisu's shoulder.
The last words she manages before slipping into unconsciousness are:
"I love you, Misao". With no escape from the ship, Misao cradles
the dying Mashisu in his arms, then a clear voice
rings
out
over the
speakers.
It is Washu, asking him if he wants to save her, to which Misao answers
that he does. Washu then asks him if he wants to save his sister
too. Misao replies that he only wants to protect Mihoshi, because
she is a part of his family. "And who will protect you?" Washu asks.
Misao confesses that he wants
Mashisu
to protect him, because she is so important to him, and because he
loves her. With that, Washu is satisfied, and the scene of destruction
fades away.
Misao and Mashisu
appear on Seto's ship in the midst of the party. Mashisu's injuries
have vanished, and she comes around. Mihoshi, who is still dancing
on the table, spots them and rushes to greet them. Mashisu quickly
realises that their near-death experience on the bridge of the Chobimaru
was just an illusion created by Washu, and with rising embarrassment,
that everyone has heard every word! The mortified Mashisu runs off,
and with a little prompting from the others, Misao goes after her.
As if everyone needed another excuse to drink, they toast the happy
couple and the party resumes. And Ryoko, who is still roaring with
laughter, has started scrawling graffiti over the surface of the
Chobimaru using the Ryo-ohki's laser (this explains the graffiti
we see on the Chobimaru in Tenchi Muyo!
GXP episode 15)!
Some time after
the party, life carries on as normal at the Masaki home. Everyone
(except lazy ol' Ryoko) is helping to prepare dinner, and Tenchi
sets out to get some vegetables. Sasami finally convinces Ryoko to
pull her weight and go and find Mihoshi. Washu has a quiet chat with
Noike. "Who are you?" she asks. Noike looks puzzled. "What do I call
the person looking out through your eyes?" 
Washu continues. Noike's
eyes take on a blank expression,
and Washu senses something
is very wrong.
She
rushes
outside
to warn Tenchi
just as an immense blast of white light blazes out of the sky and
obliterates the forest beyond the shrine. A second blast heads right
for Tenchi. When he opens his eyes again, he has teleported away
from Earth, guarded by his Light Hawk Wings. He sees to his horror
that an entire quarter of the planet is missing, almost the whole
of Japan, the South Pacific and Oceania completely vaporized.
