Tenchi Muyo!
Fate's Promise
Disclaimer: Pioneer, not I, owns the characters that I have used
from the Tenchi Muyo TV Continuity series. This story is simply for
entertainment ( even if it comes at my own expense), not for profit.
Comments, good or bad, may be sent to : rhall3@elp.rr.com . Anyone who
actually would like to post this on a website may, just let me know.
Thanks, and let the good times roll.
" I'll tell you something, my Tenchi. You know the carnival comes
and goes. If you wait for a while, it'll always come back to you,
Tenchi."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Chapter One
Memories
" ' You should know, dear lad, I believe that the great Ralph
Waldo Emerson is the one who may have said it best.'
' And what is it that he said, Father?'
' In short, there ought to be no such thing as fate.' "
A father to his son about the future...
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
It was morning with the sun just peeping over the mountains,
spreading its light onto a new summer day. The clear skies gave a good
hint that it was going to be a beautiful day. As the sun rose higher
into the sky, its light began to peep into the windows of a beautiful,
two-story house by standing near small lake. The light, having made its
way inside, proceeded to become rather rude by shining into the face
of a young man lying fast asleep in his futon. Slowly, he woke up,
first squinting, then blinking into the light's rays. Sitting up, he
began to look around his room.
It was a simple room, with a desk and some shelves by one of the
walls, and a few chests sitting along another. The window, overlooking
a spectacular view of the lake and surrounding mountains, beckoned to
him. Succumbing to its call, he got up and walked over and looked
outside. Looking at the sky, he mentally noted that it was going to be
a nice day, so he might actually get his work done. Just as he began to
turn away, some movement caught his eye.
Looking in the direction of the motion, he spied an old man
dressed in robes starting up a long path. He immediately recognized him
as his grandfather, a Shinto priest whose shrine lay near the top of
the mountain he was beginning to ascend. He smiled and watched as his
grandfather disappeared from view. Then, with one last look outside, he
turned away from the window and walked over to one of the chests.
Opening it, he rummaged through it and pulled out a set of simple
looking work-clothes. As he started to leave the room, his eyes
happened across his desk, upon which several photos consisting of
family and friends were sitting. Stopping, he studied them further. In
one, his father stood, grinning widely with his grandfather, who
although he attempted to look stoic, could do nothing to hide the
glimmer of amusement behind his glasses. That one, he remembered, was
just a couple of years ago.
The next one was somewhat larger, containing within its bounds
several more people. This one consisted mainly of women, with himself
being the only exception. One of the women, actually a young girl with
long, blueish hair, was smiling down at her companion, a furry little
creature that looked like a cross between a cat and a rabbit. A pair of
women stood on the left side of the photo, one with long, dark hair
while her companion's was blond. The former was casting her eye's
upward in a " WHY ME?" gaze, while her partner appeared to be laughing
and rather carefree. Another young-looking girl stood next to them. She
had a shock of red hair and had this seemingly all-knowing look. The
remaining two women, one with long lavender colored hair and the other
( with somewhat light blue, spiky hair) were both latched onto him The
lavender-haired girl was giving the other one an evil look, while her
partner was smiling and snuggling close to him. He, on the other hand,
looked ready to run. Finally, he turned to the last picture.
In it, a beautiful young woman smiled back at him. She had long
dark hair, and her smile was very soft and gentle. Reaching down, he
placed his fingers on the glass cover. After a moment, he pulled them
away and began to leave the room.
I miss you mother, he thought as he exited.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
As he stepped out of the room, he detected the delicious aroma of
a well-prepared breakfast in the air. Breakfast was obviously well on
its way, which meant he had better not take too long on his bath, or
else he would face the wrath of their young cook. So, he started
towards the bathroom.
" Lord Tenchi, how are you this morning?" a quiet female voice
said from behind him.
Turning, he saw its source, the lavender-haired girl. She was
dressed in a modest flowered kimono and was carrying a towel and a
change of clothes like he was, her long hair flowing unfettered from
its customary tails.
" Good morning Ayeka. I am doing fine so far. And you?" he
replied.
" I am doing fine as well. I will see you at breakfast then?" As
she spoke, she opened the door to the bathroom. Through the doors,
Tenchi could see what could be almost described as a paradise. The
bathroom was richly designed with marble and wooden carvings, and a
large number of plants were growing throughout. A pool was there
instead of the typical tub. She entered and closed the door behind her.
After a second, Tenchi opened the door and was greeted by an entirely
different site. The room now before him was a regular bathroom, and
somewhat spartan in appearance. No fancy carvings. No plants. No pool.
And no Ayeka. Sighing he mentally asked himself why the girls seemed to
always get the good stuff. Tenchi then entered and closed the door
behind him.
Once the tub was filled with hot water, he got in and began to
soak. Laying there, his mind drifted off, and he began to think of
times past.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
" Oh Tenchi..." a voice, with just a hint of sensuality in it,
called out to him.
As he got off the bus, he looked around, finally spying the
voice's owner leaning against a tree with a slight smile on her face.
She was wearing a simple tank top and jeans, her spiky, cyan hair
flowing in the light breeze. " Hey Ryoko. How were things today?" He
walked over towards her as the bus drove off.
Still leaning back, Ryoko looked upwards towards the sky,
seemingly admiring a few of the clouds that was floating there. " Oh,
you know how it is around here. Boring as usual. But-" she said,
getting a sly grin, " - now that you are here, we could make it
interesting..."
" Now, Ryoko..."
Laughing at the now somewhat flustered Tenchi, she disappeared and
then reappeared beside him. " Awwww, you never want to have any fun."
She then began whispering into his ear, " Come on, forget the chores.
Let's go play. It'll be fun."
Tenchi turned red immediately, just picturing Ryoko's idea of
playing. Ryoko just looked at him with an evil grin, and laughed
lightly again. " Oh, come on, I'm not gonna hurt you." Then she looked
at him, her golden eyes dancing with playfulness. " I promise," she
whispered, sending a chill down Tenchi's back.
" Do you always have to do this to me, Ryoko?" Tenchi said,
finally getting his composure back.
" Of course," she snickered, " I just love to see you riled."
Shaking his head, Tenchi immediately started up the path towards
his house. " You're hopeless."
" I know." Taking his arm, she walked beside him, humming
contentedly to herself.
It had only been a couple of days since Ryoko had come back. He
still remembered that day when she left him at the Jurai palace all
that time ago. And ever since she had returned, he could see some
subtle changes in her. Although she would still keep up a front, he
could tell that she was, well, calmer. Although he still reacted to her
approaches, like the one he had just endured, it appeared more in jest
than actually to try anything. It was almost as if she had finally
accepted the fact that he needed the time to make his own decisions.
Finally, he built up his courage and decided to speak.
" Ummmmmm, Ryoko."
" Mmmmmhmmm?"
Looking over at her, he could see that she was looking rather
content. " Just what has happened to you?"
Stopping, she looked at him, a questioning look in her eyes. "
What do you mean?"
" Well, I was wondering what happened to you after you had
disappeared. I mean, no one heard anything from or about you all that
time, until you had returned."
A sudden look of sadness appeared in her eyes, causing him to stop
speaking. She let go of his arm and turned away from him. Feeling like
he had said something wrong, Tenchi started to apologize. " I'm sorry
if I-"
Without turning around, she interrupted him. " No, you don't have
to apologize. Let's , well, let's just say that is something I really
don't want to think about." Turning back around, he could see tears
were beginning to form in her eyes. Whatever it was, he decided, must
have been really bad in order for her to be affected like this.
She wiped her eyes. " You just need to know that I found a new
lease on life."
With that, she faded away.
Tenchi stood there, confused. Damn, he thought, I need to do
something to cheer her up.
Just then, a noise behind him interrupted his thoughts. Turning
around slowly, he saw a robed figure approaching him. Although he could
not discern the individual's face at this distance, he figured that
they were going to visit his grandfather's shrine. Finally, the figure
stopped just a short distance from him. It was then that he recognized
the robe's pattern: Juraian.
Ayeka then looked out from under the robe's hood and shyly smiled
at him. " I'm back Lord Tenchi."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Tenchi sat up in the tub, suddenly aware of the time. Got to get
down to breakfast before it is all gone, he thought to himself as he
quickly hopped out of the water and changed into his work-clothes.
Exiting the bathroom, he almost stepped on a furry bundle that was
running past the doorway. Watching the oblivious creature continue
downstairs, he wondered why Ryo-Ohki was in such a rush. Probably out
to get a carrot, he figured. With the thought of food on his mind,
he dropped off his sleeping attire in his room and headed downstairs.
Entering the kitchen, he saw Sasami, the wonder-cook, going at it
again. The little blue haired girl was not quite as small as she was
when she had first arrived on Earth, and was showing signs that she was
going to be another beautiful woman, like her sister. She was currently
wearing her apron and was taking a pot off the stove to set it on the
table. As she turned around with the steaming item, she caught sight of
Tenchi in the doorway, breathing in the odors.
" Morning, Tenchi. Breakfast is almost done."
" Smells great, Sasami. What would we do without you?"
" Starve," Sasami said, giggling as she went to grab some dishes.
" Could you help set the table while I finish getting the food ready?"
" Sure, Sasami," he said, taking the dishes from her. Setting the
table, he heard her chatting to Ryo-Ohki. He smiled, knowing that those
two would probably never be separated again. Ryo-Ohki was very close to
Sasami, almost as close as she was to Ryoko. Of course, it helped that
Ryoko and Sasami were practically like sisters themselves. And to him,
she was like the sister he never had. After his mom had died, his
father had never remarried so he never had a sister to call his own.
But, after that trip into the past to save her from Kain, he could
understand why. His father just loved his mother too much. There would
probably be no way to repair the hole that remained in his life now
that she was gone.
" Hey, Sasami, what smells so good?"
Turning, Tenchi watched as his father entered the room, dressed
for work. Setting his briefcase beside the counter, Nobuyuki began to
lift the lid on one of Sasami's pots, releasing more steam and
delicious smells into the room.
Smack.
Grimacing, Tenchi watched as his father's hand retreated from
Sasami's spoon attack. " Ouch," his father whimpered as he rubbed his
hand.
Looking up at Nobuyuki, Sasami shook the spoon at him, her cute
little face trying to look furious. " You know better. Stay out of the
food."
" But Sasami..."
The look he received quieted him up. Wow, Tenchi thought, Sasami
practically has him on a leash. But, then again, she was just about the
only one living here that could really cook. Tenchi grimaced,
remembering the one time that Ryoko tried to make something. It took a
week for Washu to just identify what it should have been. So basically
it was Sasami's kitchen, Sasami's rules.
Grabbing a kettle of tea, Tenchi asked Sasami, " Have you seen
Ryoko today? Usually she is down here already."
" Well, she was here earlier. She looked kinda sad and told me
that she would not be here for breakfast." Grabbing the soup pot,
Sasami continued to speak as she poured its contents into a serving
bowl, its aroma adding even more to the mouth-watering smells in the
air. " She said she needed to go somewhere for a while and wouldn't
tell me why." Sasami looked at Tenchi. " You think she will be okay,
Tenchi?"
Looking at Sasami's worried face, Tenchi thought for a second. It
was not like Ryoko to just go off like that. Something had to be wrong.
She had been acting peculiar for the past few months. " Well, Sasami,
if I see her, I'll try to talk to her."
" Thanks, Tenchi.," Sasami piped up, immediately cheering up.
After getting the last pot and placing it on the table, she turned to
everyone. " Okay, it's all done. I'm going to get Ayeka. If you touch
any of this before I get back-" she threatened, looking directly at
Nobuyuki. Nobuyuki immediately cringed from the tiny cook's look.
Taking off her apron, she left the room.
Sitting down, Tenchi watched his father finally relax once Sasami
left the room. " She really has you good, doesn't she, dad?" he said
jokingly.
Nobuyuki scratched the back of his head with a slightly foolish
look on his face. " Well, yeah. But I have to admit she does remind me
a bit of your mother, Tenchi. She has that same look that Achika would
give me when I tried to grab some food early on her too."
" So, what you're saying is that now, in addition to the attempts
on spying on us in the bathroom, you might be trying to hit on us girls
too?" a voice spoke sarcastically from the doorway.
Looking shocked, both Tenchi and his father turned and saw Washu
entering the room. " Now wait a minute, Washu. That's not what I-"
Nobuyuki stammered out, trying to defend himself.
" AWWWW, come on. Give it your best shot," she said, fluttering
her eyes rapidly, giving him the most innocent look she could muster,
with a huge grin on her face. Nobuyuki just hung his head in defeat and
moaned. Sensing his defeat, Washu sat down at the table, a look of
accomplishment on her face.
Tenchi looked at the pair, just barely able to conceal his
amusement. He had an idea how his dad felt right then, since he usually
had two women constantly vying for his attention. Of course, his dad
did ask for retribution, since he did try to view his female guests'
attributes more than he really should. But, then again, his dad
appeared to have mellowed out some as time went by. He had even stopped
nagging him about choosing one of the girls, which was of some relief.
A couple of moments later, Sasami entered the room, with Ayeka
just a few steps behind her. " I do wonder what is bothering her
though," Sasami said as she placed herself at the table.
Ayeka sat down. With a thoughtful look, she replied, " Well, I may
have an idea. She has been acting strange ever since we were trying to
find Tenchi during that Haruna incident. And of course, there is the
fact that she has stopped insulting me so much now. Yes, her whole
attitude seems to have changed."
" And how's that Ayeka?" Tenchi asked, after swallowing.
" Well," Ayeka started, laying her chopsticks down," she seems to
be- how shall I say it- distant. It's like she's really got something
on her mind. And I have noticed her at night sitting on the dock, just
looking up at the sky."
Absorbing Ayeka's words, Tenchi looked thoughtful. Hmmm, he
thought, now that I think about it, he realized that Ryoko hadn't tried
to seduce him lately.
The conversation continued, everyone having noticed how odd and
subdued Ryoko had been. Finally, Tenchi got up from the table. " Good
breakfast, Sasami. I've got to get to work on the fields. If I see
Ryoko, I'll talk to her." With that, he left the room.
Washu got up as well. " It's been fun, but I've got a little
something I'm cooking up in the lab."
Looking over at the little scientist, Ayeka laughed. " And since
when don't you have something you are working on there?"
" Never, of course," the genius replied back. As she started to
leave, she turned to Nobuyuki and winked. " Oh, and the offer is still
up for grabs if you are interested."
Wincing, Nobuyuki concentrated on the food in front of him. After
watching his obvious chagrin, Washu laughed evilly and exited the room,
heading straight to her lab.
Ayeka and Sasami watched as Nobuyuki sighed in relief when Washu
left. Then they looked at each other, confusion spread across their
faces. " So, Nobuyuki, what was she talking about?" Ayeka asked.
" You don't want to know," was the immediate response.
Finishing off the last bit of breakfast, Nobuyuki stood and
grabbed his briefcase.. " Sasami, I am going to be working late, so you
don't need expect me for dinner." With that, he too exited the room.
Ayeka and Sasami started to clean up. While Sasami was chatting
happily, Ayeka began to think deeply. Ryoko had indeed changed. Despite
the fact that she was her chief rival for Tenchi's affections, Ayeka
actually respected her. And even if she did not want to admit it, she
owed Ryoko for helping to stop Kagato from taking over Jurai those
years ago. And after all that time spent looking for Tenchi, Ayeka even
grudgingly could count her as a- friend?
A friend, she thought again. Yes, she is. Somehow, we have managed
to become friends despite it all. Ayeka immediately came to a decision.
" Sasami?"
Sasami looked up from feeding Ryo-Ohki a carrot. " Yes, Ayeka?"
Looking somewhat serious, Ayeka asked, " Would you mind finishing
this up? I - I have some important business I must attend to."
" Sure Ayeka. No problem."
Ayeka left the room while Sasami was watching. After she left,
Sasami looked down at the begging cabbit and realized that she still
had the carrot. Immediately she dropped it and the cabbit pounced on
it. Petting the feeding creature, Sasami thought out loud.
" I hope you find Ryoko, sister."
The cabbit just meowed its agreement.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Tenchi stood there as Ayeka smiled at him. Ryoko did say that
Ayeka would not give up easily, and it appeared that she was right. The
carnival, it seemed, was coming back.
After a few moments, Tenchi finally spoke up. " Hi Ayeka. It's
good to see you again."
" And it is good to see you too, Lord Tenchi. How have you been?"
Ayeka walked over till she was beside him.
" Well, okay so far. Just working and plenty of schoolwork. An
ordinary life here on Earth."
Together, they continued on the way up to Tenchi's house. Neither
one spoke, until Tenchi decided to break the silence.
" Ryoko is here as well," he said, as the house came into view.
Undisturbed, Ayeka kept walking, eyes forward. " Oh, she is, isn't
she? I bet she has really been bothering you all this time, hasn't
she?"
" Well, actually, she just arrived a couple of days ago herself
and-"
" Let's just put such thoughts out of our minds for now, won't we
Tenchi?" Ayeka turned her face to him, joy gleaming in her eyes. " We
have so much to catchup on."
Reaching the house, Tenchi sat down on the porch stairs. " Well,
like I said, I have not really been up to much, just work and school.
Dad hasn't changed at all. And Grandpa is still training me at the
shrine."
Looking up at the sky, he continued. " It has been really quiet
around here. I have to admit, I missed everyone, even that weird little
scientist."
Ayeka covered her mouth as she giggled. " Yes ," she spoke, " I
missed them all as well. Why, I can almost hear Mihoshi crashing into
the lake again right now."
" Ummmm, Ayeka," Tenchi said, fear evident in his voice.
" Yes, Tenchi?" she asked.
Jumping up, Tenchi shouted," That's because I think she's about to
right now!"
Together, they listened to the increasing whine of the falling
spacecraft and then watched as the Yagami dove in, nose first. And even
over all that noise, they could hear a single, aggravated voice.
" MIHOSHI!"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Leaning on his hoe, Tenchi looked out towards the mountains and
wiped his brow. After checking his watch, he realized that it was time
to eat. Sasami should be here anytime with lunch, he thought to
himself. Then, he heard a scratching noise. Glancing around, he tried
to locate the source of the noise, but not see anything. Catching
motion to his right, he turned just in time to see a brown blur speed
by. After a second, he realized the identity of the interloper. He
groaned. " Ryo-Ohki." Must be out getting a meal for herself, he
decided. Shaking his head, he called out to the retreating cabbit, "
You could just ask, you know!" How can she eat all those carrots, he
asked himself. Then he realized that where Ryo-Ohki was, Sasami was
usually not far behind. Listening carefully, he could just make out the
faint singing of the young girl as she made her way towards him.
Standing there, he watched as she finally came into view.
Seeing Tenchi, Sasami waved and immediately headed for him. " Have
you seen Ryo-Ohki?" She ran off a moment ago."
" Yeah," Tenchi replied, as the two of them headed for some shade.
" The little carrot-nabber made its getaway just before you arrived."
Sasami giggled. " Oh, Ryo-Ohki... What will we do about her?"
Scratching his head, Tenchi laughed. " I don't think we can do
anything about her. She is as strong-willed as Ryoko."
Seeing the basket she carried, Tenchi asked, " So, what did you
bring today?"
" Oh, the usual."
As she opened it, Tenchi noted that it was unusually full. " Wow,
Sasami. I am hungry and all, but isn't this a bit too much?"
" Oh, I was hoping that Ryoko would be here, too. I know that
she's got to be real hungry by now."
" Well, I have not seen her at all, Sasami. That was nice of you
to think about her though."
" Yeah, well, I think my sister went to look for her as well. I
hope someone finds her soon."
" Well, I do hope things are alright myself." Smiling, he sat down
under a tree. " I must say," he started as Sasami began to pull out the
food, " Those two are getting along better ever since that last
adventure. I am not really sure of what to think about it."
Sasami handed him a bowl of soup. " Well, I think the two of them
just finally realized how much they both really care about you." She
sat down and proceeded to help herself to a small bowl of rice. As she
munched, she started to look thoughtful. " Tenchi?"
" Yes, Sasami?"
Sasami looked over at him. " Do you think you are ever going to
decide between them?"
Leaning back against the tree, Tenchi replied slowly. " I don't
know, Sasami. I really don't want to hurt either of them and besides
that, I am not even sure if I am ready to make such a decision yet."
" On Jurai, almost everyone gets married by whom their parents
choose. It seems to be a much easier way."
" Well, here on Earth, most people like to choose for themselves
who they are going to marry. It makes more sense to us since we would
rather be with someone who wants us like we want them."
Sasami sighed. " Wow, that sounds so nice. I wish I could do that,
but I am not sure that I could."
Tenchi laughed. " Well, Sasami. You are still young. Even here, we
try not to make those kind of decisions at your age."
Looking somewhat dreamy, Sasami sat, nibbling on her food. "
Tenchi?"
"Yes, Sasami?"
She sat there, fidgeting, obviously nervous. " Do you think that I
might be able to make that choice when I am all grown up?"
Smiling at her, Tenchi replied, " Yes, Sasami. I don't see why
not."
Sasami jumped up and hugged Tenchi. " Thanks, Tenchi." she said.
Then, sitting back down, they continued with their meal.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Ayeka sat down on a nearby rock, a look of frustration on her
face.
" It's amazing," she thought out loud, " I can never seem to find
her for anything, unless it is making sure that she isn't trying to
seduce poor Tenchi."
Shaking her head, she began to rest. She had been looking for
several hours now and had seen no signs of Ryoko anywhere. Realizing
that it was lunchtime, she hoped Sasami wasn't worried about her. Well,
she decided, sometimes you have to do things, even if you don't really
want to. Then leaning back, she looked around, enjoying the surrounding
scenery.
She was sitting near a small stream, which when followed, would
lead down near the Masaki Shrine. The trees were full and shaded her
well from the sun, which- to her opinion- was making the day rather
hot. She hoped that Tenchi was not out in it too long while he worked
in the fields. Around her, different types of flowers were showing off
in a variety of shapes and colors. Reaching down, she picked one that
had pure white petals. This one is rather pretty, she decided. Then, an
idea popped into her head. Picking a few more, she began to work,
weaving them into a wreath. Smiling at her work, she thought- not bad,
considering it had been years since the last one that she had made.
Placing it on her head, she leaned back some and felt an errant sunbeam
on her face. Earth, she pondered. So much like Jurai, and yet, so
different. Standing up, she placed her hand on a nearby tree, trying to
feel the life that was flowing within it. After a moment, she frowned,
unable to feel anything. These trees are so different - they feel so
lifeless, she thought. Remembering what had happened with Tenchi on
Jurai when he fought Kagato, she understood that perhaps she - being
full Juraian - just might not be able to feel the life they possessed.
Tenchi, being of both worlds, was able to feel and draw strength from
both. But, she did have to admit, like the trees on Jurai, the Earth
trees did possess their own beauty.
Then she heard a scratching noise. She turned around quickly,
poised to use her powers if necessary. There, just a few meters away,
stood a small creature looking at her rather curiously. It was somewhat
small with a furry tail that was large as the rest of its body.
Thinking carefully, she realized that this was what Tenchi had called a
squirrel, a rather harmless woodland creature. Sighing in relief, she
watched as the squirrel started looking around, apparently deciding
that she was harmless. As she watched, it found a nut and to her
amusement, stuffed it into its mouth after looking at it thoroughly.
Then, with one last look at her, it ran off, disappearing into the
bushes.
Good idea, she thought, feeling a bit hungry herself. With one
last look around, she turned and began to make her way back to the
house.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sitting back, Nobuyuki examined his work. He had been given the
honor of designing a new government building and had been working on it
diligently for the past several weeks. The officials were expecting a
briefing on it tomorrow, and he knew that he would have to be well
prepared for it, so he was planning on being here late. Picking up a
bowl of rice, he stuffed some into his mouth. Munching on the sweet
grains, he began to examine his work carefully, for he wanted
everything to be perfect.
Poking his head into the office, one of his co-workers looked over
at him. " Hey, Nobuyuki, want to go out for lunch? There's this new
little restaurant just a few blocks away from here. And-" he added,
winking slyly, " I hear one of the waitresses is rather cute."
Swallowing, Nobuyuki turned. " Sorry, Tsuga, I wish I could. But,
I have to make sure that my presentation for tomorrow is ready."
Coming into the room, Tsuga looked over the drawings. " They look
great. I don't see why you are so worried."
" Well, I know that this is an important account for our firm, so
I am just trying to give it my best."
Shaking his head, Tsuga turned to leave. Just as he started
through the doorway, he called out over his shoulder. " Well, I guess
you are getting old. Imagine, you of all people, missing out
on the chance to flirt with a young waitress." With that, he left.
Leaning back into his chair, Nobuyuki sighed. For several minutes,
he just sat there, a thoughtful expression on his face. Then he turned
and picked up a photo off his desk. It was of Achika, his former wife.
Looking at her face smiling back at him from the picture, he felt his
heart swell up.
I wish you could be here, he thought. You would be so proud of our
son. He is growing up to be quite a young man. He is kind and
considerate of others. This year, he leaves to go to college. And to
think, he wants to be an artist. I just wonder what the girls will do
when he leaves. I just hope - just hope that whatever he does, and once
he decides who he wants for his wife, he is as happy as I was with you
at my side.
A teardrop fell, slightly blurring her face. Taking part of his
shirt, he carefully wiped the glass off. Setting the picture back on
its place of honor on his desk, he stood up and walked over to the
window. There, he began to stare outside at the buildings, wondering
about what the future held for him, Tenchi, and his adopted family.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Katsuhito, once the greatest swordsman and the champion of Jurai,
now a simple priest on a small, out-of-way planet, yawned. It had been
a relatively uneventful day thus far; the only item of interest was
when he had spied Ryoko earlier in the morning, hovering near the
shrine. She looked as though she had wanted to speak, but then had
disappeared. She was an interesting one for sure. But, all of the
people that resided here were interesting in their own ways as well, at
least in his opinion. In the distance, he could see a couple of people
sitting under a tree near the fields. After a moment, he could tell
that it was Tenchi and Sasami, probably eating lunch. Feeling a bit
hungry himself, he placed his broom beside the shrine's porch and
entered through the doorway.
The interior of the shrine was of simple design, a table and a few
small rugs being the main furnishings within its walls. Walking over to
the table and taking a seat, he took a small box that was sitting there
and opened it. Smelling its contents, he decided that once again,
Sasami had lived up to her reputation. Taking out one of the small
cakes that the box contained, he began to eat it slowly, enjoying its
flavor. As he ate, he thought about his past: the battles he fought,
and the people that he had met.
Sensing a presence, he turned his head slightly. There, in the
doorway, he saw a familiar shadow. Smiling inwardly, he called out, "
You know, Washu, sometimes you just need to knock if you want
attention."
" Well," the diminutive scientist said as she walked over and sat
down across from him, " If I had thought that you would not have known
that I was there, I would have, Lord Katsuhito."
Smiling, Yosho offered her some of his lunch, but Washu refused,
having eaten earlier. " Sasami really knows how to cook. She just seems
to get better every day. If I did not know better, I would swear that
she is studying it like I do with some of my specimens."
" Yes, she is very talented. She will make a good wife someday."
" For Tenchi perhaps?" Washu said, looking slightly smug.
Yosho shook his head. " That would be for Tenchi to decide."
" But, I think you know just as well I that he may have already
decided."
Yosho sat there, chewing on a particularly flavorful piece of
rice-cake. Swallowing, his face relaxed, allowing some of his age to
show through. " Yes, I just wonder when he will realize it himself."
And so they sat, listening to the birds chirp, and enjoying each
other's company.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
" Thanks, Tenchi," Kiyone said, taking the towel from him and
starting to dry out her hair. " That Mihoshi, I just can't believe that
she did it again."
Ayeka looked at Kiyone's perplexed look and laughed. " Well,
Mihoshi will be Mihoshi."
" Did someone call for me?" a bubbly voice called out from another
room. As Mihoshi entered the room, Kiyone groaned. Seeing Kiyone's
face, the blonde immediately teared up. " I'm sorry, Kiyone. I really
didn't mean for that to happen. I just got excited that we were going
to see Tenchi and his family again, and I just hit the wrong button.
Please, forgive me, Kiyone. Please!" she pleaded, tears streaming down
her face.
Kiyone sighed again. She knew it had been an accident. Even she
had to admit that she wanted to come back here. During the time they
had spent at GP headquarters, she had felt that something was wrong. It
was like something was missing, and she just could not place a
finger on it. Then came the day that Mihoshi had managed to get a link
up with the phones on Earth, and they both were able to talk to the
Masaki's again. Although it did mess up the rest of the GP's
communication network, it was good to talk to them again. It was then
that she realized what was wrong.
It was the fact that she was here at headquarters. Somehow, it
just wasn't what she expected. She had grown to miss some of the simple
things that she had taken for granted. And it was not the patrols. She
missed that simple, good feeling that she received when she did
something that actually made a difference, however small it was.
Whether it was fixing the engine of someone's spacecraft out near
Jupiter, or something as simple as the time she had helped that one
Earth child get her pet cat out of a tree, she had done something.
Here, she was behind a desk, where she could only hope that there were
going to be some results. Out there, she could do something. It was
then that she realized that sometimes, when you get something, it was
not always for the best. At that moment, she knew what she had to do.
She had to go back. Being a beat cop, even for such an out-of-way
system like the Earth's, would give her more pleasure than this desk
she was at now.
It was not long after she had come to this realization that she
had discovered that Princess Ayeka had left Jurai, leaving no message
as to where she was going. Immediately realizing where she was heading,
she decided to go there herself, reasoning that it would be better for
Ayeka to talk to someone she knew and trusted, than to some stranger.
But, as usual, Mihoshi managed to tag along. In a way, Kiyone surmised,
it was almost like fate, like they were meant to be together. So, with
much teeth-grinding, they headed for Earth.
Now, here she was, the Yagami at the bottom of a lake, both
passengers soaked, and somehow, inside, she actually felt happy. Sure,
Mihoshi had ruined the entrance, but that was Mihoshi for you.
Looking at her blonde partner, she started to smile. Then, from
inside of her, she started to laugh uncontrollably. Everyone in the
room looked at her like she was mad. For what felt to be an eternity,
she laughed, releasing the pent up stress from Mihoshi to all the
responsibility of the desk job. Finally, she managed to get herself
under control. Looking around, she realized that everyone was looking
at her rather confused.
" Sorry guys," she apologized, " I guess it was all that stress
let out at once."
Looking over at Ayeka, she continued speaking. " Princess Ayeka, I
have come to see if perhaps you may need, shall I say, bodyguards,
while you are away from Jurai. After all, it would not be proper for
the Crown Princess to be unprotected."
Surprised, Ayeka looked questioningly at her. " What about your
promotion? Isn't guard duty a bit beneath your present station now with
the GP?"
" Well, the way I see it Ayeka, it would be better to have people
you know around you than some complete strangers."
Ayeka smiled. " Yes, that is true. Well, if your superiors say you
may, then I shall have you."
Tenchi walked over to the stairwell and opened the door, planning
on getting a mop to clean up the porch from where it had received
Mihoshi's impromptu washing. Next thing he knew he had stepped into a
much larger space than he was expecting. Looking around wildly, he
quickly realized where he was and came to his senses.
" Washu!" he cried out, more in surprise than in frustration.
From the shadows, a figure approached him. Finally, it stopped,
all of its four-foot frame seemingly able to tower over him. " Hi,
Tenchi," Washu spoke as he completely recovered from the surprise. "
Hope you don't mind if I borrow your closet space."
" Nice to see you, Washu," Tenchi said, looking nervously about.
" When did you get back?"
" Well," she said as she stepped back a bit, placing her hands on
her hips, " I actually just arrived a few minutes ago and have yet to
start setting up my lab."
" Ahhh, I see. Well, since all the others appear to be coming back
as well-"
Washu suddenly turned white. " You don't mean Mihoshi-"
" Uhhh, yeah. Why?"
Closing her eyes, Washu groaned. " Damn. And I thought my lab
would be safe this time."
After watching Washu curse her luck, Tenchi asked, " Washu, do you
mind if I can get a mop? Mihoshi did a number into the lake and, well-"
" Sure." Washu held out her hands and a keyboard formed. She
started typing and a small hole appeared, from which a mop, with an odd
looking sponge on it, fell out. " This mop should do. It has a super
absorbent sponge on it that I designed just for cases like this."
" Thanks, Washu. And welcome back."
" Now get out of here so I can get to work. I have a couple of
experiments I need to work on as soon as the lab is up." Turning
around, she disappeared into the darkness. Then, a second later, a
humming sound filled the air and a few small lights began to pop on.
After watching for a moment, Tenchi exited the closet, amazed at the
speed at which she could work.
After closing the door, Tenchi turned around and was staring at
several concerned faces. "Are you ok, Tenchi?" Ayeka asked. " We heard
you call out and-"
Looking back at the door, Tenchi shook his head. " Oh, I just ran
into Washu, that's all. She just got here as well."
The girls looked at each other. Wow, everyone has come back,
Kiyone thought to herself.
" Well, I have got to go clean up the porch. Be back later."
Tenchi left the room and headed outside.
After watching him leave, Ayeka turned to the other women. " Well,
now. I guess we have some catching up to do, don't we?"
Smiling, Kiyone decided that yes, they did.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The sounds of battle filled the air. Tenchi, now dressed in his
practice outfit, was attacking a helpless piece of wood that was
hanging from a rope. Hopping back and forth on some stakes pounded into
the ground, he was skillfully batting at it, keeping it from reaching
the ground. Then, out of nowhere, a small blade flew up and sliced the
rope. Keeping his concentration, Tenchi continued to hit the wood,
successfully keeping it airborne. After a few moments, Katsuhito
decided that it was enough. " Okay, Tenchi. Get ready to practice forms
now."
Walking towards his grandfather, Tenchi wiped the sweat off his
brow. It had been a hard practice, but so far, he had done well.
Standing in front of his grandfather, he immediately went into a
stance. Together, they began to move, flowing from one form to another,
so smoothly that it almost appeared that they were dancing with the
weapons. As time passed, Tenchi saw some movement out of the corner of
his eye. Still staying in sync with his grandfather, he realized that
someone was watching them. Since he knew better than to stop, he
continued moving from one form to another, hoping to get a glimpse of
who it was.
It was then that he saw the look in Katsuhito's eyes. In a flash,
he defended himself from the bokken that flew almost directly into his
face. Moving quickly, he began to defend himself from the ever
increasing speed of Katsuhito's attacks. Sensing an opening, Tenchi
then countered a blow aimed for his leg and struck back himself. The
tables now turned, his grandfather was forced to defend himself from
Tenchi. He is getting much better, Katsuhito thought as he parried
Tenchi's attacks. Finally, after almost a half-hour of sparring, he
signaled Tenchi to stop. Together, they went and sat down under a tree
and began to relax.
Looking over at the young man , who was working on some breathing
exercises, Katsuhito began to speak. " You have gotten pretty good in
the past few years, Tenchi. You may actually beat me one day."
" Well, with everything that has happened, I really did not have
much of a choice. I had to learn how in order to protect the people I
care about."
The conversation quickly died as they sat there, resting. For
another half-hour, nothing was said between them, the sounds of their
breathing being the sounds they made. Then, Katsuhito decided that now
was a good time as any to talk to Tenchi.
" Tenchi, you realize that you are leaving in just a couple of
months to go to college?"
Tenchi looked over at his grandfather. For some reason, Yosho had
appeared older, like he had aged right in front of his eyes. Unable to
place why, Tenchi responded. " Yes, I know that."
" And you realize what you are going to have to do before you
leave?"
Seeing Tenchi looking confused, Yosho looked up, his eyes
following one of the few clouds that existed there. " I am talking
about Ayeka and Ryoko."
Tenchi paused, then spoke. " Yes, I know that I am going to have
to talk to them. But, I am not sure as to what I need to say. I care
for both of them, and I am afraid that they both may be hurt by what I
may have to say. I just don't know what to do about them."
" Well, Tenchi, I think Ryoko already knows what is going to
happen. I saw her this morning near the shrine and she was looking
rather unhappy. I thought she wanted to talk, but then she disappeared,
and I have not heard from her since."
Tenchi sat there, his thoughts racing through his head. Could it
be that Ryoko was worried about him leaving? Maybe she knew that she
was not going to be able to come with him when he left. But, then, what
about Ayeka? Why wasn't she acting worried at all? Maybe, he decided it
just had not hit her yet that he was leaving and would not be back for
several months. Ryoko, on the other hand, was prone to being more free
with her expression. That could be it, he decided.
Looking up, he realized that his grandfather was watching him
carefully. " So, what are you going to do, Tenchi?"
Standing up and brushing off a few errant pieces of grass Tenchi
made his reply. " Well, I am going to talk to them both. That is the
only way to make sure that they understand that I am not going away forever."
" Well, Tenchi, you need to do something soon. Or else, you may
lose both of them."
Tenchi bowed to his grandfather, who returned it with a nod. Then
Tenchi left, wondering still of what he was going to say to them.
Yosho watched Tenchi disappear from view, and then he lay back
against the tree and closed his eyes. Poor Tenchi, he thought, he still
does not understand. But, he will understand soon. Yes, he most
definitely will.
And in the distance, from the cover of trees, a figure watched as
Tenchi started down the hill. Once he was out of sight, the figure
vanished, leaving a few rustling leaves and a surprised bird as the
only witnesses to its existence.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Poking her head through the doorway, Sasami called out to her
sister. " Hey, Ayeka. Could you run out and get some vegetables? I need
a few more and unfortunately, I can't go get them right this second."
" Okay, Sasami." Ayeka stood up from the small table she was just
cleaning off and placed the towel back into the cleaning bucket.
Shaking the excess water from her hands, she then unceremoniously wiped
them onto her clothes. My goodness, she thought as she realized what
she had just done, I certainly have gained some very unlikely habits
since I came to Earth. But, she decided, it did not matter. After all,
she was actually enjoying the freedom that she could not afford to have
back on Jurai. And since she knew that one day she would have to
return, she had decided to make the best of it and of what life could
bring her while she was here.
Humming a happy melody, she stepped outside and was immediately
greeted by Tenchi. " Just the person I wanted to see," he said.
Thoughts immediately started running through her head. What is
this? Could he have finally made his decision and was choosing her? Or,
could it be-? The look on his face stopped her. He looked rather
serious. In almost the same instant, she composed herself. " Yes,
Tenchi? What is it?"
" Well, I am not sure how to say this but-"
I knew it, she thought, he is trying to tell me that he is
choosing her. It's not fair, why does it have to be her?
"- I just thought that you and Ryoko should know that even though
I am going away soon, I am still going to care for both of you."
Tenchi watched as confusion and then relief flashed across Ayeka's
face, leaving her slightly blushed. " Are you ok?" he asked.
" Yes, Tenchi, I am fine," Ayeka, finally said, still a bit
flushed.
" Ok, I just thought that you wanted to know that. I am sorry that
I have taken so long to say anything. I guess I just did not really
think about it."
" Oh, we will be just fine," Ayeka replied. " To be honest, I had
not really thought about it. I know that you won't be away too long and
that we can visit you on occasion. And I believe you will try to be
here for the holidays."
Tenchi smiled. Ayeka was apparently taking this very well. " It's
good to see you take this so well. But, I have got to go. I still need
to find Ryoko and talk to her."
Ayeka paused. " You still have not seen Ryoko today?"
Tenchi shook his head. " Nope, not a peep from her at all.
Something must really be bothering her."
" Well Tenchi, I am not sure what to say. I know that she is a bit
moody sometimes, but this is way beyond her. I tried looking in some of
her usual hiding places and she was not at any of them either."
Tenchi started thinking. Maybe, he thought, it would be better to
wait and see when she came back. Ryoko could be very hard to find when
she did not want to be found. " Well, maybe I'll wait. She will have to
come back soon anyway. It is not like her to miss too many of Sasami's
meals. After-all, I don't think she ate anything anyway, and like I
said, it really is not like her to miss too many of Sasami's meals. She
should be getting pretty hungry."
Ayeka stood there looking concerned. " I hope she does."
Sasami poked her head through the doorway. " Do you have the
vegetables yet? Oh, hi Tenchi." She stepped out and wiped her forehead
off. " Phew, it's almost as hot in the kitchen as it is out here."
" Well, I had better go to the shed. Good luck on finding Ryoko."
Ayeka walked off, heading around a corner and disappearing from sight.
Sasami looked at Tenchi. " You still haven't seen her, Tenchi?"
Tenchi just shook his head. silently in reply. Sighing, he looked
out over the western mountains and just stared into the distance,
hoping inwardly that he would see her silhouette dancing in the wind as
she always loved to do on such beautiful days. But, the only things he
saw that were dancing around were a few birds. Sasami watched Tenchi as
he gazed, sensing his sorrow.
" Tenchi, don't worry. I think she will be alright. I guess
sometimes a person has to be alone."
Tenchi smiled and looked down at Sasami, who was trying her best
to smile. " Yeah, I guess you are right. She'll be back when she's
ready."
And together, they watched the birds dance to the wind's tune.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Standing at the base of Funaho, Ayeka felt the power of the tree
flowing through her. " Yes," she thought out loud, " I agree. It has
been too long since we have talked." Ayeka reached out and placed her
hand on the trunk of the mighty tree. " So, you say that there is a
family of Earth birds making their nests in your branches? My goodness,
you must be enjoying their company very much. I do so enjoy their
singing myself. And you also have been in contact with the other trees
here on Earth? Now that is a surprise. I did not know that you could
talk to them."
Ayeka took her hand away and closed her eyes. A slight breeze was
blowing around, and was strong enough to blow a few errant strands of
hair into her face. Earth is just as beautiful as I remember, she
thought to herself.
" What's that you say? Sasami is on her way here?" Ayeka looked at
the tree in disbelief. Then, she laughed to herself. " I guess I am
just too easy to figure out."
" You can say that again, Princess," a slightly husky voice called
out from behind her.
Without turning around, Ayeka responded. " And I see that you
have come back here as well."
Ryoko floated over and moved in front of her. There they stood,
eye to eye, the tension building between them. Moments passed and
nothing was said.
Finally, Ayeka spoke, breaking the spell. " I want to formally
thank you for helping Tenchi save Jurai. Without you, he may have never
made it to the Royal Palace."
Ryoko stood there, a small smirk on her face. " Well, I want you
to know that I did it for Tenchi. I really did not care what happened
to you. I just wanted Tenchi to get there in one piece."
" Yes, and for that I am grateful," Ayeka said, not letting
Ryoko's piercing gaze and smirk affect her. " But, let's both be
honest. We both know why we are here."
" I agree with you on that point, Ayeka," the space pirate said,
still staring at Ayeka, her smirk having vanished and was replaced by
something more serious.
" Besides, do you really think that you will have much of a chance
now that I am here? If you haven't managed to get him by now, then I
really don't-"
" And from what I understand, you couldn't have him on Jurai, so
from where I see it, we are both on equal ground here," Ryoko
interrupted her.
Once again, silence reigned. The moments passed as the two women
faced each other, both unwilling to speak or leave.
Finally, it was Ryoko who decided to speak. " Ayeka, you may not
believe me or not, but I made a promise to Tenchi. I promised that I
would win his heart fair and square, because I knew that you would be
coming back. And I meant it. So, it all depends on you, Ayeka. Are you
game? Or are you going to turn tail and hide?"
Ayeka stepped back, not sure of what to think. Did Ryoko just say
that- no. She could not have meant-
" You mean to tell me that-" Ayeka finally spoke, her surprise
finally slipping away, "- you actually did not try to steal-"
" Exactly." Ryoko stood there, not blinking. " Now, I am going to
go back. I promised to be fair, and so I shall be."
Stepping back, Ryoko suddenly broke out into an evil looking grin.
" And since you are here, I say let the games begin. Besides, is it not
true about what they say on it all being fair in war- and love?"
With that, Ryoko disappeared, leaving a very flustered and gaping
Ayeka.
Tenchi was mopping up the last of the water on his front porch
when he heard Ayeka, in the distance, screaming her lungs out,
apparently hunting down Ryoko. He stood there, listening to her threats
for a few moments. Then, he smiled.
Yep, he thought, everything is back to normal.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Night had finally taken over the heavens. It had been several
hours since the sun had relinquished its hold over the sky and the
stars were at their brightest on this clear night. From the Masaki
residence, only the lights coming from the window gave any signs that
there were people there.
Inside, the normally jovial place was unusually quiet. Ayeka was
reading a Jurian history book to Sasami in the living room. But, it was
obvious that neither one was really paying much attention. Nobuyuki had
just arrived a short time ago and was sitting in his favorite chair,
reading the daily news. But, his mind was more on the events of his
past. Tenchi stood by the window, still looking for signs of Ryoko.
Washu had made an appearance, but as soon as she noticed the unusual
silence, she felt it better to retreat to her lab. Even the cabbit was
unusually subdued, just moping on a cushion, looking at everyone with
sad looking eyes.
Finally, Tenchi turned. Everyone looked up from what they were
doing at his sudden movement. He sighed and started to walk upstairs
with everyone watching. As he headed up the stairs, he heard a noise.
Looking back, he saw Ryo-Ohki behind him, looking unusually sad. He
reached down and scratched the cabbit between its ears, getting a happy
miya from her, then he headed upstairs, leaving the cabbit to its own
devices. Entering his room, he changed into his sleeping clothes and
lay down.
A few moments later, he could here the sounds of footsteps on the
stairwell and in the hallway, signaling that everyone else was going to
bed. After a bit, silence once again reigned. Tenchi lay there, trying
to go to sleep, but was being denied. Finally opening his eyes, he
spied his window. Since he could not sleep, he got up and headed
towards it. Looking out, he thought over the days events, trying to
figure out what may have happened to Ryoko. He had already decided
that if she was not there in the morning, his chores would wait. But,
he could not get the thought out of his mind that he knew where to find
her. Something tickled at the back of his brain, an idea that just
would not go away.
Holding his head, Tenchi shut his eyes and began to get his
thoughts together. Opening his eyes again, he opened the window and
breathed in the cool mountain air. Outside, all he could hear were a
few night birds and insects, and the water from the lake as it lapped
against the dock. Looking out over the lake, he caught a glimpse -
" And I have also noticed her at night sitting on the dock,
just looking up at the sky."
Suddenly, Tenchi turned and grabbed a robe. He raced out of his
room and started down the stairs.
Crash.
Tenchi found himself at the bottom of the stairs rolled up and
hurting all over. Looking up in pain, he saw the object that he had
tripped over -Ryo-Ohki - who was now looking at him rather worriedly.
Apparently, the cabbit had fell asleep on the stairs and Tenchi, in his
rush, had failed to see the furry obstacle in his path. Seeing how
pitifully sad the cabbit looked, Tenchi stood up, albeit painfully, and
checked himself. Feeling nothing serious, he walked up and picked
Ryo-Ohki up.
" Don't worry Ryo-Ohki, I forgive you."
The cabbit meowed in relief and snuggled into his arms. Petting
the creature, Tenchi headed outside, noting that despite all the
racket, no one had came to check.
Once outside, he started towards the dock. There, sitting on the
edge, he could see a figure. As he got closer, he realized that it was
Ryoko. There she was, like Ayeka had mentioned that morning, just
looking up at the sky. The moon was just starting to come up over the
mountains, casting a ghostly glow over everything. Slowly, as to not
surprise her, he headed towards her.
As he stepped onto the dock, the wood squeaked. Ryoko turned
around. Tenchi stood there, unsure of what to do. Time passed and
neither spoke or moved. Finally, Ryoko turned back to her viewing of
the sky.
Tenchi stood there, trying to decide what to do. His furry bundle
suddenly decided she wanted down, so, he set the cabbit on the ground.
Immediately, Ryo-Ohki headed for her master and hopped into Ryoko's
lap. Ryoko, after a second, started absentmindedly petting her. Tenchi
watched this the whole time. He had never seen Ryoko this deep in
thought. Then he remembered something that was said during an adventure
a long time ago.
Tenchi and Ryoko had stopped off and was sitting outside their
car. Tenchi had decided that this was one crazy adventure. He would
have preferred to be back home, but someone had messed with Washu's
dimension machine. Now, here he was, in some crazy world that Ryoko had
obviously wanted to live in. In the distance, they could see a great
bridge.
Sitting on top of the car, Ryoko was watching the sky. " We can
sure see a skyfull of stars, huh?" Pausing, she then continued. " The
stars are beautiful, don't you think?"
Tenchi was sitting on the ground, still trying to think of a way
out of this mess. " Yeah, I guess."
" We're all alone, under the starry sky. Just you and me."
Not really listening to her, Tenchi thought outloud. " I don't
know how I got myself into this mess."
Listening to him, Ryoko laughed.
Tenchi looked up. " What is it?"
" Nothing. It's just-"
" It's just what, Ryoko?" Tenchi interrupted.
Pausing again. Ryoko went back to looking at the sky. " Hey,
Tenchi, we've sure gone through a lot of stuff together since we
started this journey, haven't we?"
Tenchi thought about it. " We sure have," he responded,
remembering all the different places they had been so far.
Tenchi looked up at her, her face almost glowing in the moonlight.
And somehow, in that moment, the only expression that he could see on
her face was that of complete peace.
She sighed. Then, with a wishful sound to her voice, she said, " I
just love stars."
Tenchi stood there, remembering that night. It was not long after
that conversation that Washu had finally managed to get them out of
that dimension. But to do it, Ryoko had to give up everything. And now,
thinking about it, he remembered another time, when they had gone to
Jurai to stop Kagato.
Ryoko stood there, facing Tenchi, a look of determination on her
face. She did not want him to leave, and he knew it.
" We could leave right now Tenchi. We'd have no worries. Just you
and I, together."
Tenchi could feel the desperation in her voice. He knew that she
really cared for him. But, he still knew what he had to do.
" Ryoko-"
Getting a dreamy look in her eyes, she interrupted him. " Sort of
like a honeymoon in deep space, if you know what I mean. It-" She
paused. " would be fun."
Tenchi stood there, and then smiled. " It sounds like fun."
Ryoko gasped. Never did she think that he would actually have said
that.
Tenchi continued. " I'd love to go on a trip with you."
Tenchi stood there, feeling worse than ever. Man, I must really be
taking her world apart. So, with determination in his heart, he walked
over and sat down beside her. Realizing that he had forgotten his
slippers, he went on and let his feet dangle into the cool water. Just
as he was going to speak, Ryoko started talking.
" You are probably wondering what happened to me. I just have
something on my mind, that's all."
Tenchi waited to see if she was going to say anything else. After
a moment, he started. " Ryoko, I know how you must feel. I am really
sorry that I can't be there for you. But, if you don't talk, I can't
help." Pausing, he watched her. She just continued to sit there. So, he
continued." Is it because I am leaving?"
Ryoko turned to face him, her golden eyes almost glowing in the
moon's light. " No, Tenchi. It isn't that. I-"
Tenchi could see fear in her eyes. He realized that what ever it
was, she was afraid and unwilling to talk about it. " Ryoko, if you
don't want to talk about it, you don't have to."
He placed his hand on her shoulder. " I just want you to know that
I and everyone else are here for you."
Ryoko turned her face back up. Tenchi sat there, then started
staring at the sky as well.
" Tenchi?"
" Yes, Ryoko?"
" Remember back when I took you to Jurai, so you could rescue
Ayeka?"
So I was right, Tenchi thought. " Yes, and I am still grateful
that you did that."
" Well, You knew that I was hurt. Real bad."
Tenchi remembered that very well. He found that out from Azaka
after his fight with Kagato.
" When I left, I -"
Tenchi could feel her tense up. " You don't have to talk about it,
Ryoko."
" Yes, I do."
She closed her eyes. " I died, Tenchi."
Tenchi looked at her, not sure what to say. " But, how?"
A tear started down her face. " Some strange creature found Ryo
Ohki floating in space. Inside, it found my body. And it brought me
back."
" It said that I would owe it. And that one day, it would want the
favor returned. And now, I just get the feeling that it wants the favor
returned."
Ryoko turned and looked at Tenchi. " You know the funny thing
about all of this?"
Tenchi shook his head.
Ryoko looked like she tried to laugh, but choked on it instead. "
The last thoughts I had before I died. I remember feeling so lonely. I
never wanted to feel like that. And look how I went."
Tenchi stopped her." Well, you don't have to worry. You have all
of us now."
Ryoko hung her head. When she lifted it, she was smiling. "
Thanks."
Tenchi now looked back up at the heavens. " You are right," he
said.
Ryoko looked at him, not sure as to what he meant. Tenchi pulled
her over. " The stars are beautiful."
Ryoko sat there. Feeling something she had not felt in so long.
Joy.
Together they sat, staring into the heavens.
And for once, all was good.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
From her window, Sasami watched the couple sitting by the dock.
Thank-you for helping Ryoko, she thought as she stepped away from
the view. Then laying down, she looked over at her sister. Ayeka was
sleeping fitfully, murmuring something about Ryoko always disappearing.
Smiling, Sasami whispered to her, don't worry. She's been found. After
that, Ayeka stopped muttering.
Sasami lay there, watching her lay there. Then she herself went to
dreamland.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Well, that's the first chapter. Hopefully you have not already
pulled out the tar and feather and my address. And Thanks to all the
following people who have helped with the proofreading:
Mian Toris
'Sonic' Steeg
Rene Chavez
Fox The Wanderer
Charlie Goodson
Magus the Dark
StOriKami
Micheal Osuna
DownFall
Will-Ohki
Fate's Promise
Disclaimer: Pioneer, not I, owns the characters that I have used
from the Tenchi Muyo TV Continuity series. This story is simply for
entertainment ( even if it comes at my own expense), not for profit.
Comments, good or bad, may be sent to : rhall3@elp.rr.com . Anyone who
actually would like to post this on a website may, just let me know.
Thanks, and let the good times roll.
" I'll tell you something, my Tenchi. You know the carnival comes
and goes. If you wait for a while, it'll always come back to you,
Tenchi."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Chapter One
Memories
" ' You should know, dear lad, I believe that the great Ralph
Waldo Emerson is the one who may have said it best.'
' And what is it that he said, Father?'
' In short, there ought to be no such thing as fate.' "
A father to his son about the future...
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
It was morning with the sun just peeping over the mountains,
spreading its light onto a new summer day. The clear skies gave a good
hint that it was going to be a beautiful day. As the sun rose higher
into the sky, its light began to peep into the windows of a beautiful,
two-story house by standing near small lake. The light, having made its
way inside, proceeded to become rather rude by shining into the face
of a young man lying fast asleep in his futon. Slowly, he woke up,
first squinting, then blinking into the light's rays. Sitting up, he
began to look around his room.
It was a simple room, with a desk and some shelves by one of the
walls, and a few chests sitting along another. The window, overlooking
a spectacular view of the lake and surrounding mountains, beckoned to
him. Succumbing to its call, he got up and walked over and looked
outside. Looking at the sky, he mentally noted that it was going to be
a nice day, so he might actually get his work done. Just as he began to
turn away, some movement caught his eye.
Looking in the direction of the motion, he spied an old man
dressed in robes starting up a long path. He immediately recognized him
as his grandfather, a Shinto priest whose shrine lay near the top of
the mountain he was beginning to ascend. He smiled and watched as his
grandfather disappeared from view. Then, with one last look outside, he
turned away from the window and walked over to one of the chests.
Opening it, he rummaged through it and pulled out a set of simple
looking work-clothes. As he started to leave the room, his eyes
happened across his desk, upon which several photos consisting of
family and friends were sitting. Stopping, he studied them further. In
one, his father stood, grinning widely with his grandfather, who
although he attempted to look stoic, could do nothing to hide the
glimmer of amusement behind his glasses. That one, he remembered, was
just a couple of years ago.
The next one was somewhat larger, containing within its bounds
several more people. This one consisted mainly of women, with himself
being the only exception. One of the women, actually a young girl with
long, blueish hair, was smiling down at her companion, a furry little
creature that looked like a cross between a cat and a rabbit. A pair of
women stood on the left side of the photo, one with long, dark hair
while her companion's was blond. The former was casting her eye's
upward in a " WHY ME?" gaze, while her partner appeared to be laughing
and rather carefree. Another young-looking girl stood next to them. She
had a shock of red hair and had this seemingly all-knowing look. The
remaining two women, one with long lavender colored hair and the other
( with somewhat light blue, spiky hair) were both latched onto him The
lavender-haired girl was giving the other one an evil look, while her
partner was smiling and snuggling close to him. He, on the other hand,
looked ready to run. Finally, he turned to the last picture.
In it, a beautiful young woman smiled back at him. She had long
dark hair, and her smile was very soft and gentle. Reaching down, he
placed his fingers on the glass cover. After a moment, he pulled them
away and began to leave the room.
I miss you mother, he thought as he exited.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
As he stepped out of the room, he detected the delicious aroma of
a well-prepared breakfast in the air. Breakfast was obviously well on
its way, which meant he had better not take too long on his bath, or
else he would face the wrath of their young cook. So, he started
towards the bathroom.
" Lord Tenchi, how are you this morning?" a quiet female voice
said from behind him.
Turning, he saw its source, the lavender-haired girl. She was
dressed in a modest flowered kimono and was carrying a towel and a
change of clothes like he was, her long hair flowing unfettered from
its customary tails.
" Good morning Ayeka. I am doing fine so far. And you?" he
replied.
" I am doing fine as well. I will see you at breakfast then?" As
she spoke, she opened the door to the bathroom. Through the doors,
Tenchi could see what could be almost described as a paradise. The
bathroom was richly designed with marble and wooden carvings, and a
large number of plants were growing throughout. A pool was there
instead of the typical tub. She entered and closed the door behind her.
After a second, Tenchi opened the door and was greeted by an entirely
different site. The room now before him was a regular bathroom, and
somewhat spartan in appearance. No fancy carvings. No plants. No pool.
And no Ayeka. Sighing he mentally asked himself why the girls seemed to
always get the good stuff. Tenchi then entered and closed the door
behind him.
Once the tub was filled with hot water, he got in and began to
soak. Laying there, his mind drifted off, and he began to think of
times past.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
" Oh Tenchi..." a voice, with just a hint of sensuality in it,
called out to him.
As he got off the bus, he looked around, finally spying the
voice's owner leaning against a tree with a slight smile on her face.
She was wearing a simple tank top and jeans, her spiky, cyan hair
flowing in the light breeze. " Hey Ryoko. How were things today?" He
walked over towards her as the bus drove off.
Still leaning back, Ryoko looked upwards towards the sky,
seemingly admiring a few of the clouds that was floating there. " Oh,
you know how it is around here. Boring as usual. But-" she said,
getting a sly grin, " - now that you are here, we could make it
interesting..."
" Now, Ryoko..."
Laughing at the now somewhat flustered Tenchi, she disappeared and
then reappeared beside him. " Awwww, you never want to have any fun."
She then began whispering into his ear, " Come on, forget the chores.
Let's go play. It'll be fun."
Tenchi turned red immediately, just picturing Ryoko's idea of
playing. Ryoko just looked at him with an evil grin, and laughed
lightly again. " Oh, come on, I'm not gonna hurt you." Then she looked
at him, her golden eyes dancing with playfulness. " I promise," she
whispered, sending a chill down Tenchi's back.
" Do you always have to do this to me, Ryoko?" Tenchi said,
finally getting his composure back.
" Of course," she snickered, " I just love to see you riled."
Shaking his head, Tenchi immediately started up the path towards
his house. " You're hopeless."
" I know." Taking his arm, she walked beside him, humming
contentedly to herself.
It had only been a couple of days since Ryoko had come back. He
still remembered that day when she left him at the Jurai palace all
that time ago. And ever since she had returned, he could see some
subtle changes in her. Although she would still keep up a front, he
could tell that she was, well, calmer. Although he still reacted to her
approaches, like the one he had just endured, it appeared more in jest
than actually to try anything. It was almost as if she had finally
accepted the fact that he needed the time to make his own decisions.
Finally, he built up his courage and decided to speak.
" Ummmmmm, Ryoko."
" Mmmmmhmmm?"
Looking over at her, he could see that she was looking rather
content. " Just what has happened to you?"
Stopping, she looked at him, a questioning look in her eyes. "
What do you mean?"
" Well, I was wondering what happened to you after you had
disappeared. I mean, no one heard anything from or about you all that
time, until you had returned."
A sudden look of sadness appeared in her eyes, causing him to stop
speaking. She let go of his arm and turned away from him. Feeling like
he had said something wrong, Tenchi started to apologize. " I'm sorry
if I-"
Without turning around, she interrupted him. " No, you don't have
to apologize. Let's , well, let's just say that is something I really
don't want to think about." Turning back around, he could see tears
were beginning to form in her eyes. Whatever it was, he decided, must
have been really bad in order for her to be affected like this.
She wiped her eyes. " You just need to know that I found a new
lease on life."
With that, she faded away.
Tenchi stood there, confused. Damn, he thought, I need to do
something to cheer her up.
Just then, a noise behind him interrupted his thoughts. Turning
around slowly, he saw a robed figure approaching him. Although he could
not discern the individual's face at this distance, he figured that
they were going to visit his grandfather's shrine. Finally, the figure
stopped just a short distance from him. It was then that he recognized
the robe's pattern: Juraian.
Ayeka then looked out from under the robe's hood and shyly smiled
at him. " I'm back Lord Tenchi."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Tenchi sat up in the tub, suddenly aware of the time. Got to get
down to breakfast before it is all gone, he thought to himself as he
quickly hopped out of the water and changed into his work-clothes.
Exiting the bathroom, he almost stepped on a furry bundle that was
running past the doorway. Watching the oblivious creature continue
downstairs, he wondered why Ryo-Ohki was in such a rush. Probably out
to get a carrot, he figured. With the thought of food on his mind,
he dropped off his sleeping attire in his room and headed downstairs.
Entering the kitchen, he saw Sasami, the wonder-cook, going at it
again. The little blue haired girl was not quite as small as she was
when she had first arrived on Earth, and was showing signs that she was
going to be another beautiful woman, like her sister. She was currently
wearing her apron and was taking a pot off the stove to set it on the
table. As she turned around with the steaming item, she caught sight of
Tenchi in the doorway, breathing in the odors.
" Morning, Tenchi. Breakfast is almost done."
" Smells great, Sasami. What would we do without you?"
" Starve," Sasami said, giggling as she went to grab some dishes.
" Could you help set the table while I finish getting the food ready?"
" Sure, Sasami," he said, taking the dishes from her. Setting the
table, he heard her chatting to Ryo-Ohki. He smiled, knowing that those
two would probably never be separated again. Ryo-Ohki was very close to
Sasami, almost as close as she was to Ryoko. Of course, it helped that
Ryoko and Sasami were practically like sisters themselves. And to him,
she was like the sister he never had. After his mom had died, his
father had never remarried so he never had a sister to call his own.
But, after that trip into the past to save her from Kain, he could
understand why. His father just loved his mother too much. There would
probably be no way to repair the hole that remained in his life now
that she was gone.
" Hey, Sasami, what smells so good?"
Turning, Tenchi watched as his father entered the room, dressed
for work. Setting his briefcase beside the counter, Nobuyuki began to
lift the lid on one of Sasami's pots, releasing more steam and
delicious smells into the room.
Smack.
Grimacing, Tenchi watched as his father's hand retreated from
Sasami's spoon attack. " Ouch," his father whimpered as he rubbed his
hand.
Looking up at Nobuyuki, Sasami shook the spoon at him, her cute
little face trying to look furious. " You know better. Stay out of the
food."
" But Sasami..."
The look he received quieted him up. Wow, Tenchi thought, Sasami
practically has him on a leash. But, then again, she was just about the
only one living here that could really cook. Tenchi grimaced,
remembering the one time that Ryoko tried to make something. It took a
week for Washu to just identify what it should have been. So basically
it was Sasami's kitchen, Sasami's rules.
Grabbing a kettle of tea, Tenchi asked Sasami, " Have you seen
Ryoko today? Usually she is down here already."
" Well, she was here earlier. She looked kinda sad and told me
that she would not be here for breakfast." Grabbing the soup pot,
Sasami continued to speak as she poured its contents into a serving
bowl, its aroma adding even more to the mouth-watering smells in the
air. " She said she needed to go somewhere for a while and wouldn't
tell me why." Sasami looked at Tenchi. " You think she will be okay,
Tenchi?"
Looking at Sasami's worried face, Tenchi thought for a second. It
was not like Ryoko to just go off like that. Something had to be wrong.
She had been acting peculiar for the past few months. " Well, Sasami,
if I see her, I'll try to talk to her."
" Thanks, Tenchi.," Sasami piped up, immediately cheering up.
After getting the last pot and placing it on the table, she turned to
everyone. " Okay, it's all done. I'm going to get Ayeka. If you touch
any of this before I get back-" she threatened, looking directly at
Nobuyuki. Nobuyuki immediately cringed from the tiny cook's look.
Taking off her apron, she left the room.
Sitting down, Tenchi watched his father finally relax once Sasami
left the room. " She really has you good, doesn't she, dad?" he said
jokingly.
Nobuyuki scratched the back of his head with a slightly foolish
look on his face. " Well, yeah. But I have to admit she does remind me
a bit of your mother, Tenchi. She has that same look that Achika would
give me when I tried to grab some food early on her too."
" So, what you're saying is that now, in addition to the attempts
on spying on us in the bathroom, you might be trying to hit on us girls
too?" a voice spoke sarcastically from the doorway.
Looking shocked, both Tenchi and his father turned and saw Washu
entering the room. " Now wait a minute, Washu. That's not what I-"
Nobuyuki stammered out, trying to defend himself.
" AWWWW, come on. Give it your best shot," she said, fluttering
her eyes rapidly, giving him the most innocent look she could muster,
with a huge grin on her face. Nobuyuki just hung his head in defeat and
moaned. Sensing his defeat, Washu sat down at the table, a look of
accomplishment on her face.
Tenchi looked at the pair, just barely able to conceal his
amusement. He had an idea how his dad felt right then, since he usually
had two women constantly vying for his attention. Of course, his dad
did ask for retribution, since he did try to view his female guests'
attributes more than he really should. But, then again, his dad
appeared to have mellowed out some as time went by. He had even stopped
nagging him about choosing one of the girls, which was of some relief.
A couple of moments later, Sasami entered the room, with Ayeka
just a few steps behind her. " I do wonder what is bothering her
though," Sasami said as she placed herself at the table.
Ayeka sat down. With a thoughtful look, she replied, " Well, I may
have an idea. She has been acting strange ever since we were trying to
find Tenchi during that Haruna incident. And of course, there is the
fact that she has stopped insulting me so much now. Yes, her whole
attitude seems to have changed."
" And how's that Ayeka?" Tenchi asked, after swallowing.
" Well," Ayeka started, laying her chopsticks down," she seems to
be- how shall I say it- distant. It's like she's really got something
on her mind. And I have noticed her at night sitting on the dock, just
looking up at the sky."
Absorbing Ayeka's words, Tenchi looked thoughtful. Hmmm, he
thought, now that I think about it, he realized that Ryoko hadn't tried
to seduce him lately.
The conversation continued, everyone having noticed how odd and
subdued Ryoko had been. Finally, Tenchi got up from the table. " Good
breakfast, Sasami. I've got to get to work on the fields. If I see
Ryoko, I'll talk to her." With that, he left the room.
Washu got up as well. " It's been fun, but I've got a little
something I'm cooking up in the lab."
Looking over at the little scientist, Ayeka laughed. " And since
when don't you have something you are working on there?"
" Never, of course," the genius replied back. As she started to
leave, she turned to Nobuyuki and winked. " Oh, and the offer is still
up for grabs if you are interested."
Wincing, Nobuyuki concentrated on the food in front of him. After
watching his obvious chagrin, Washu laughed evilly and exited the room,
heading straight to her lab.
Ayeka and Sasami watched as Nobuyuki sighed in relief when Washu
left. Then they looked at each other, confusion spread across their
faces. " So, Nobuyuki, what was she talking about?" Ayeka asked.
" You don't want to know," was the immediate response.
Finishing off the last bit of breakfast, Nobuyuki stood and
grabbed his briefcase.. " Sasami, I am going to be working late, so you
don't need expect me for dinner." With that, he too exited the room.
Ayeka and Sasami started to clean up. While Sasami was chatting
happily, Ayeka began to think deeply. Ryoko had indeed changed. Despite
the fact that she was her chief rival for Tenchi's affections, Ayeka
actually respected her. And even if she did not want to admit it, she
owed Ryoko for helping to stop Kagato from taking over Jurai those
years ago. And after all that time spent looking for Tenchi, Ayeka even
grudgingly could count her as a- friend?
A friend, she thought again. Yes, she is. Somehow, we have managed
to become friends despite it all. Ayeka immediately came to a decision.
" Sasami?"
Sasami looked up from feeding Ryo-Ohki a carrot. " Yes, Ayeka?"
Looking somewhat serious, Ayeka asked, " Would you mind finishing
this up? I - I have some important business I must attend to."
" Sure Ayeka. No problem."
Ayeka left the room while Sasami was watching. After she left,
Sasami looked down at the begging cabbit and realized that she still
had the carrot. Immediately she dropped it and the cabbit pounced on
it. Petting the feeding creature, Sasami thought out loud.
" I hope you find Ryoko, sister."
The cabbit just meowed its agreement.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Tenchi stood there as Ayeka smiled at him. Ryoko did say that
Ayeka would not give up easily, and it appeared that she was right. The
carnival, it seemed, was coming back.
After a few moments, Tenchi finally spoke up. " Hi Ayeka. It's
good to see you again."
" And it is good to see you too, Lord Tenchi. How have you been?"
Ayeka walked over till she was beside him.
" Well, okay so far. Just working and plenty of schoolwork. An
ordinary life here on Earth."
Together, they continued on the way up to Tenchi's house. Neither
one spoke, until Tenchi decided to break the silence.
" Ryoko is here as well," he said, as the house came into view.
Undisturbed, Ayeka kept walking, eyes forward. " Oh, she is, isn't
she? I bet she has really been bothering you all this time, hasn't
she?"
" Well, actually, she just arrived a couple of days ago herself
and-"
" Let's just put such thoughts out of our minds for now, won't we
Tenchi?" Ayeka turned her face to him, joy gleaming in her eyes. " We
have so much to catchup on."
Reaching the house, Tenchi sat down on the porch stairs. " Well,
like I said, I have not really been up to much, just work and school.
Dad hasn't changed at all. And Grandpa is still training me at the
shrine."
Looking up at the sky, he continued. " It has been really quiet
around here. I have to admit, I missed everyone, even that weird little
scientist."
Ayeka covered her mouth as she giggled. " Yes ," she spoke, " I
missed them all as well. Why, I can almost hear Mihoshi crashing into
the lake again right now."
" Ummmm, Ayeka," Tenchi said, fear evident in his voice.
" Yes, Tenchi?" she asked.
Jumping up, Tenchi shouted," That's because I think she's about to
right now!"
Together, they listened to the increasing whine of the falling
spacecraft and then watched as the Yagami dove in, nose first. And even
over all that noise, they could hear a single, aggravated voice.
" MIHOSHI!"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Leaning on his hoe, Tenchi looked out towards the mountains and
wiped his brow. After checking his watch, he realized that it was time
to eat. Sasami should be here anytime with lunch, he thought to
himself. Then, he heard a scratching noise. Glancing around, he tried
to locate the source of the noise, but not see anything. Catching
motion to his right, he turned just in time to see a brown blur speed
by. After a second, he realized the identity of the interloper. He
groaned. " Ryo-Ohki." Must be out getting a meal for herself, he
decided. Shaking his head, he called out to the retreating cabbit, "
You could just ask, you know!" How can she eat all those carrots, he
asked himself. Then he realized that where Ryo-Ohki was, Sasami was
usually not far behind. Listening carefully, he could just make out the
faint singing of the young girl as she made her way towards him.
Standing there, he watched as she finally came into view.
Seeing Tenchi, Sasami waved and immediately headed for him. " Have
you seen Ryo-Ohki?" She ran off a moment ago."
" Yeah," Tenchi replied, as the two of them headed for some shade.
" The little carrot-nabber made its getaway just before you arrived."
Sasami giggled. " Oh, Ryo-Ohki... What will we do about her?"
Scratching his head, Tenchi laughed. " I don't think we can do
anything about her. She is as strong-willed as Ryoko."
Seeing the basket she carried, Tenchi asked, " So, what did you
bring today?"
" Oh, the usual."
As she opened it, Tenchi noted that it was unusually full. " Wow,
Sasami. I am hungry and all, but isn't this a bit too much?"
" Oh, I was hoping that Ryoko would be here, too. I know that
she's got to be real hungry by now."
" Well, I have not seen her at all, Sasami. That was nice of you
to think about her though."
" Yeah, well, I think my sister went to look for her as well. I
hope someone finds her soon."
" Well, I do hope things are alright myself." Smiling, he sat down
under a tree. " I must say," he started as Sasami began to pull out the
food, " Those two are getting along better ever since that last
adventure. I am not really sure of what to think about it."
Sasami handed him a bowl of soup. " Well, I think the two of them
just finally realized how much they both really care about you." She
sat down and proceeded to help herself to a small bowl of rice. As she
munched, she started to look thoughtful. " Tenchi?"
" Yes, Sasami?"
Sasami looked over at him. " Do you think you are ever going to
decide between them?"
Leaning back against the tree, Tenchi replied slowly. " I don't
know, Sasami. I really don't want to hurt either of them and besides
that, I am not even sure if I am ready to make such a decision yet."
" On Jurai, almost everyone gets married by whom their parents
choose. It seems to be a much easier way."
" Well, here on Earth, most people like to choose for themselves
who they are going to marry. It makes more sense to us since we would
rather be with someone who wants us like we want them."
Sasami sighed. " Wow, that sounds so nice. I wish I could do that,
but I am not sure that I could."
Tenchi laughed. " Well, Sasami. You are still young. Even here, we
try not to make those kind of decisions at your age."
Looking somewhat dreamy, Sasami sat, nibbling on her food. "
Tenchi?"
"Yes, Sasami?"
She sat there, fidgeting, obviously nervous. " Do you think that I
might be able to make that choice when I am all grown up?"
Smiling at her, Tenchi replied, " Yes, Sasami. I don't see why
not."
Sasami jumped up and hugged Tenchi. " Thanks, Tenchi." she said.
Then, sitting back down, they continued with their meal.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Ayeka sat down on a nearby rock, a look of frustration on her
face.
" It's amazing," she thought out loud, " I can never seem to find
her for anything, unless it is making sure that she isn't trying to
seduce poor Tenchi."
Shaking her head, she began to rest. She had been looking for
several hours now and had seen no signs of Ryoko anywhere. Realizing
that it was lunchtime, she hoped Sasami wasn't worried about her. Well,
she decided, sometimes you have to do things, even if you don't really
want to. Then leaning back, she looked around, enjoying the surrounding
scenery.
She was sitting near a small stream, which when followed, would
lead down near the Masaki Shrine. The trees were full and shaded her
well from the sun, which- to her opinion- was making the day rather
hot. She hoped that Tenchi was not out in it too long while he worked
in the fields. Around her, different types of flowers were showing off
in a variety of shapes and colors. Reaching down, she picked one that
had pure white petals. This one is rather pretty, she decided. Then, an
idea popped into her head. Picking a few more, she began to work,
weaving them into a wreath. Smiling at her work, she thought- not bad,
considering it had been years since the last one that she had made.
Placing it on her head, she leaned back some and felt an errant sunbeam
on her face. Earth, she pondered. So much like Jurai, and yet, so
different. Standing up, she placed her hand on a nearby tree, trying to
feel the life that was flowing within it. After a moment, she frowned,
unable to feel anything. These trees are so different - they feel so
lifeless, she thought. Remembering what had happened with Tenchi on
Jurai when he fought Kagato, she understood that perhaps she - being
full Juraian - just might not be able to feel the life they possessed.
Tenchi, being of both worlds, was able to feel and draw strength from
both. But, she did have to admit, like the trees on Jurai, the Earth
trees did possess their own beauty.
Then she heard a scratching noise. She turned around quickly,
poised to use her powers if necessary. There, just a few meters away,
stood a small creature looking at her rather curiously. It was somewhat
small with a furry tail that was large as the rest of its body.
Thinking carefully, she realized that this was what Tenchi had called a
squirrel, a rather harmless woodland creature. Sighing in relief, she
watched as the squirrel started looking around, apparently deciding
that she was harmless. As she watched, it found a nut and to her
amusement, stuffed it into its mouth after looking at it thoroughly.
Then, with one last look at her, it ran off, disappearing into the
bushes.
Good idea, she thought, feeling a bit hungry herself. With one
last look around, she turned and began to make her way back to the
house.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sitting back, Nobuyuki examined his work. He had been given the
honor of designing a new government building and had been working on it
diligently for the past several weeks. The officials were expecting a
briefing on it tomorrow, and he knew that he would have to be well
prepared for it, so he was planning on being here late. Picking up a
bowl of rice, he stuffed some into his mouth. Munching on the sweet
grains, he began to examine his work carefully, for he wanted
everything to be perfect.
Poking his head into the office, one of his co-workers looked over
at him. " Hey, Nobuyuki, want to go out for lunch? There's this new
little restaurant just a few blocks away from here. And-" he added,
winking slyly, " I hear one of the waitresses is rather cute."
Swallowing, Nobuyuki turned. " Sorry, Tsuga, I wish I could. But,
I have to make sure that my presentation for tomorrow is ready."
Coming into the room, Tsuga looked over the drawings. " They look
great. I don't see why you are so worried."
" Well, I know that this is an important account for our firm, so
I am just trying to give it my best."
Shaking his head, Tsuga turned to leave. Just as he started
through the doorway, he called out over his shoulder. " Well, I guess
you are getting old. Imagine, you of all people, missing out
on the chance to flirt with a young waitress." With that, he left.
Leaning back into his chair, Nobuyuki sighed. For several minutes,
he just sat there, a thoughtful expression on his face. Then he turned
and picked up a photo off his desk. It was of Achika, his former wife.
Looking at her face smiling back at him from the picture, he felt his
heart swell up.
I wish you could be here, he thought. You would be so proud of our
son. He is growing up to be quite a young man. He is kind and
considerate of others. This year, he leaves to go to college. And to
think, he wants to be an artist. I just wonder what the girls will do
when he leaves. I just hope - just hope that whatever he does, and once
he decides who he wants for his wife, he is as happy as I was with you
at my side.
A teardrop fell, slightly blurring her face. Taking part of his
shirt, he carefully wiped the glass off. Setting the picture back on
its place of honor on his desk, he stood up and walked over to the
window. There, he began to stare outside at the buildings, wondering
about what the future held for him, Tenchi, and his adopted family.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Katsuhito, once the greatest swordsman and the champion of Jurai,
now a simple priest on a small, out-of-way planet, yawned. It had been
a relatively uneventful day thus far; the only item of interest was
when he had spied Ryoko earlier in the morning, hovering near the
shrine. She looked as though she had wanted to speak, but then had
disappeared. She was an interesting one for sure. But, all of the
people that resided here were interesting in their own ways as well, at
least in his opinion. In the distance, he could see a couple of people
sitting under a tree near the fields. After a moment, he could tell
that it was Tenchi and Sasami, probably eating lunch. Feeling a bit
hungry himself, he placed his broom beside the shrine's porch and
entered through the doorway.
The interior of the shrine was of simple design, a table and a few
small rugs being the main furnishings within its walls. Walking over to
the table and taking a seat, he took a small box that was sitting there
and opened it. Smelling its contents, he decided that once again,
Sasami had lived up to her reputation. Taking out one of the small
cakes that the box contained, he began to eat it slowly, enjoying its
flavor. As he ate, he thought about his past: the battles he fought,
and the people that he had met.
Sensing a presence, he turned his head slightly. There, in the
doorway, he saw a familiar shadow. Smiling inwardly, he called out, "
You know, Washu, sometimes you just need to knock if you want
attention."
" Well," the diminutive scientist said as she walked over and sat
down across from him, " If I had thought that you would not have known
that I was there, I would have, Lord Katsuhito."
Smiling, Yosho offered her some of his lunch, but Washu refused,
having eaten earlier. " Sasami really knows how to cook. She just seems
to get better every day. If I did not know better, I would swear that
she is studying it like I do with some of my specimens."
" Yes, she is very talented. She will make a good wife someday."
" For Tenchi perhaps?" Washu said, looking slightly smug.
Yosho shook his head. " That would be for Tenchi to decide."
" But, I think you know just as well I that he may have already
decided."
Yosho sat there, chewing on a particularly flavorful piece of
rice-cake. Swallowing, his face relaxed, allowing some of his age to
show through. " Yes, I just wonder when he will realize it himself."
And so they sat, listening to the birds chirp, and enjoying each
other's company.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
" Thanks, Tenchi," Kiyone said, taking the towel from him and
starting to dry out her hair. " That Mihoshi, I just can't believe that
she did it again."
Ayeka looked at Kiyone's perplexed look and laughed. " Well,
Mihoshi will be Mihoshi."
" Did someone call for me?" a bubbly voice called out from another
room. As Mihoshi entered the room, Kiyone groaned. Seeing Kiyone's
face, the blonde immediately teared up. " I'm sorry, Kiyone. I really
didn't mean for that to happen. I just got excited that we were going
to see Tenchi and his family again, and I just hit the wrong button.
Please, forgive me, Kiyone. Please!" she pleaded, tears streaming down
her face.
Kiyone sighed again. She knew it had been an accident. Even she
had to admit that she wanted to come back here. During the time they
had spent at GP headquarters, she had felt that something was wrong. It
was like something was missing, and she just could not place a
finger on it. Then came the day that Mihoshi had managed to get a link
up with the phones on Earth, and they both were able to talk to the
Masaki's again. Although it did mess up the rest of the GP's
communication network, it was good to talk to them again. It was then
that she realized what was wrong.
It was the fact that she was here at headquarters. Somehow, it
just wasn't what she expected. She had grown to miss some of the simple
things that she had taken for granted. And it was not the patrols. She
missed that simple, good feeling that she received when she did
something that actually made a difference, however small it was.
Whether it was fixing the engine of someone's spacecraft out near
Jupiter, or something as simple as the time she had helped that one
Earth child get her pet cat out of a tree, she had done something.
Here, she was behind a desk, where she could only hope that there were
going to be some results. Out there, she could do something. It was
then that she realized that sometimes, when you get something, it was
not always for the best. At that moment, she knew what she had to do.
She had to go back. Being a beat cop, even for such an out-of-way
system like the Earth's, would give her more pleasure than this desk
she was at now.
It was not long after she had come to this realization that she
had discovered that Princess Ayeka had left Jurai, leaving no message
as to where she was going. Immediately realizing where she was heading,
she decided to go there herself, reasoning that it would be better for
Ayeka to talk to someone she knew and trusted, than to some stranger.
But, as usual, Mihoshi managed to tag along. In a way, Kiyone surmised,
it was almost like fate, like they were meant to be together. So, with
much teeth-grinding, they headed for Earth.
Now, here she was, the Yagami at the bottom of a lake, both
passengers soaked, and somehow, inside, she actually felt happy. Sure,
Mihoshi had ruined the entrance, but that was Mihoshi for you.
Looking at her blonde partner, she started to smile. Then, from
inside of her, she started to laugh uncontrollably. Everyone in the
room looked at her like she was mad. For what felt to be an eternity,
she laughed, releasing the pent up stress from Mihoshi to all the
responsibility of the desk job. Finally, she managed to get herself
under control. Looking around, she realized that everyone was looking
at her rather confused.
" Sorry guys," she apologized, " I guess it was all that stress
let out at once."
Looking over at Ayeka, she continued speaking. " Princess Ayeka, I
have come to see if perhaps you may need, shall I say, bodyguards,
while you are away from Jurai. After all, it would not be proper for
the Crown Princess to be unprotected."
Surprised, Ayeka looked questioningly at her. " What about your
promotion? Isn't guard duty a bit beneath your present station now with
the GP?"
" Well, the way I see it Ayeka, it would be better to have people
you know around you than some complete strangers."
Ayeka smiled. " Yes, that is true. Well, if your superiors say you
may, then I shall have you."
Tenchi walked over to the stairwell and opened the door, planning
on getting a mop to clean up the porch from where it had received
Mihoshi's impromptu washing. Next thing he knew he had stepped into a
much larger space than he was expecting. Looking around wildly, he
quickly realized where he was and came to his senses.
" Washu!" he cried out, more in surprise than in frustration.
From the shadows, a figure approached him. Finally, it stopped,
all of its four-foot frame seemingly able to tower over him. " Hi,
Tenchi," Washu spoke as he completely recovered from the surprise. "
Hope you don't mind if I borrow your closet space."
" Nice to see you, Washu," Tenchi said, looking nervously about.
" When did you get back?"
" Well," she said as she stepped back a bit, placing her hands on
her hips, " I actually just arrived a few minutes ago and have yet to
start setting up my lab."
" Ahhh, I see. Well, since all the others appear to be coming back
as well-"
Washu suddenly turned white. " You don't mean Mihoshi-"
" Uhhh, yeah. Why?"
Closing her eyes, Washu groaned. " Damn. And I thought my lab
would be safe this time."
After watching Washu curse her luck, Tenchi asked, " Washu, do you
mind if I can get a mop? Mihoshi did a number into the lake and, well-"
" Sure." Washu held out her hands and a keyboard formed. She
started typing and a small hole appeared, from which a mop, with an odd
looking sponge on it, fell out. " This mop should do. It has a super
absorbent sponge on it that I designed just for cases like this."
" Thanks, Washu. And welcome back."
" Now get out of here so I can get to work. I have a couple of
experiments I need to work on as soon as the lab is up." Turning
around, she disappeared into the darkness. Then, a second later, a
humming sound filled the air and a few small lights began to pop on.
After watching for a moment, Tenchi exited the closet, amazed at the
speed at which she could work.
After closing the door, Tenchi turned around and was staring at
several concerned faces. "Are you ok, Tenchi?" Ayeka asked. " We heard
you call out and-"
Looking back at the door, Tenchi shook his head. " Oh, I just ran
into Washu, that's all. She just got here as well."
The girls looked at each other. Wow, everyone has come back,
Kiyone thought to herself.
" Well, I have got to go clean up the porch. Be back later."
Tenchi left the room and headed outside.
After watching him leave, Ayeka turned to the other women. " Well,
now. I guess we have some catching up to do, don't we?"
Smiling, Kiyone decided that yes, they did.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The sounds of battle filled the air. Tenchi, now dressed in his
practice outfit, was attacking a helpless piece of wood that was
hanging from a rope. Hopping back and forth on some stakes pounded into
the ground, he was skillfully batting at it, keeping it from reaching
the ground. Then, out of nowhere, a small blade flew up and sliced the
rope. Keeping his concentration, Tenchi continued to hit the wood,
successfully keeping it airborne. After a few moments, Katsuhito
decided that it was enough. " Okay, Tenchi. Get ready to practice forms
now."
Walking towards his grandfather, Tenchi wiped the sweat off his
brow. It had been a hard practice, but so far, he had done well.
Standing in front of his grandfather, he immediately went into a
stance. Together, they began to move, flowing from one form to another,
so smoothly that it almost appeared that they were dancing with the
weapons. As time passed, Tenchi saw some movement out of the corner of
his eye. Still staying in sync with his grandfather, he realized that
someone was watching them. Since he knew better than to stop, he
continued moving from one form to another, hoping to get a glimpse of
who it was.
It was then that he saw the look in Katsuhito's eyes. In a flash,
he defended himself from the bokken that flew almost directly into his
face. Moving quickly, he began to defend himself from the ever
increasing speed of Katsuhito's attacks. Sensing an opening, Tenchi
then countered a blow aimed for his leg and struck back himself. The
tables now turned, his grandfather was forced to defend himself from
Tenchi. He is getting much better, Katsuhito thought as he parried
Tenchi's attacks. Finally, after almost a half-hour of sparring, he
signaled Tenchi to stop. Together, they went and sat down under a tree
and began to relax.
Looking over at the young man , who was working on some breathing
exercises, Katsuhito began to speak. " You have gotten pretty good in
the past few years, Tenchi. You may actually beat me one day."
" Well, with everything that has happened, I really did not have
much of a choice. I had to learn how in order to protect the people I
care about."
The conversation quickly died as they sat there, resting. For
another half-hour, nothing was said between them, the sounds of their
breathing being the sounds they made. Then, Katsuhito decided that now
was a good time as any to talk to Tenchi.
" Tenchi, you realize that you are leaving in just a couple of
months to go to college?"
Tenchi looked over at his grandfather. For some reason, Yosho had
appeared older, like he had aged right in front of his eyes. Unable to
place why, Tenchi responded. " Yes, I know that."
" And you realize what you are going to have to do before you
leave?"
Seeing Tenchi looking confused, Yosho looked up, his eyes
following one of the few clouds that existed there. " I am talking
about Ayeka and Ryoko."
Tenchi paused, then spoke. " Yes, I know that I am going to have
to talk to them. But, I am not sure as to what I need to say. I care
for both of them, and I am afraid that they both may be hurt by what I
may have to say. I just don't know what to do about them."
" Well, Tenchi, I think Ryoko already knows what is going to
happen. I saw her this morning near the shrine and she was looking
rather unhappy. I thought she wanted to talk, but then she disappeared,
and I have not heard from her since."
Tenchi sat there, his thoughts racing through his head. Could it
be that Ryoko was worried about him leaving? Maybe she knew that she
was not going to be able to come with him when he left. But, then, what
about Ayeka? Why wasn't she acting worried at all? Maybe, he decided it
just had not hit her yet that he was leaving and would not be back for
several months. Ryoko, on the other hand, was prone to being more free
with her expression. That could be it, he decided.
Looking up, he realized that his grandfather was watching him
carefully. " So, what are you going to do, Tenchi?"
Standing up and brushing off a few errant pieces of grass Tenchi
made his reply. " Well, I am going to talk to them both. That is the
only way to make sure that they understand that I am not going away forever."
" Well, Tenchi, you need to do something soon. Or else, you may
lose both of them."
Tenchi bowed to his grandfather, who returned it with a nod. Then
Tenchi left, wondering still of what he was going to say to them.
Yosho watched Tenchi disappear from view, and then he lay back
against the tree and closed his eyes. Poor Tenchi, he thought, he still
does not understand. But, he will understand soon. Yes, he most
definitely will.
And in the distance, from the cover of trees, a figure watched as
Tenchi started down the hill. Once he was out of sight, the figure
vanished, leaving a few rustling leaves and a surprised bird as the
only witnesses to its existence.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Poking her head through the doorway, Sasami called out to her
sister. " Hey, Ayeka. Could you run out and get some vegetables? I need
a few more and unfortunately, I can't go get them right this second."
" Okay, Sasami." Ayeka stood up from the small table she was just
cleaning off and placed the towel back into the cleaning bucket.
Shaking the excess water from her hands, she then unceremoniously wiped
them onto her clothes. My goodness, she thought as she realized what
she had just done, I certainly have gained some very unlikely habits
since I came to Earth. But, she decided, it did not matter. After all,
she was actually enjoying the freedom that she could not afford to have
back on Jurai. And since she knew that one day she would have to
return, she had decided to make the best of it and of what life could
bring her while she was here.
Humming a happy melody, she stepped outside and was immediately
greeted by Tenchi. " Just the person I wanted to see," he said.
Thoughts immediately started running through her head. What is
this? Could he have finally made his decision and was choosing her? Or,
could it be-? The look on his face stopped her. He looked rather
serious. In almost the same instant, she composed herself. " Yes,
Tenchi? What is it?"
" Well, I am not sure how to say this but-"
I knew it, she thought, he is trying to tell me that he is
choosing her. It's not fair, why does it have to be her?
"- I just thought that you and Ryoko should know that even though
I am going away soon, I am still going to care for both of you."
Tenchi watched as confusion and then relief flashed across Ayeka's
face, leaving her slightly blushed. " Are you ok?" he asked.
" Yes, Tenchi, I am fine," Ayeka, finally said, still a bit
flushed.
" Ok, I just thought that you wanted to know that. I am sorry that
I have taken so long to say anything. I guess I just did not really
think about it."
" Oh, we will be just fine," Ayeka replied. " To be honest, I had
not really thought about it. I know that you won't be away too long and
that we can visit you on occasion. And I believe you will try to be
here for the holidays."
Tenchi smiled. Ayeka was apparently taking this very well. " It's
good to see you take this so well. But, I have got to go. I still need
to find Ryoko and talk to her."
Ayeka paused. " You still have not seen Ryoko today?"
Tenchi shook his head. " Nope, not a peep from her at all.
Something must really be bothering her."
" Well Tenchi, I am not sure what to say. I know that she is a bit
moody sometimes, but this is way beyond her. I tried looking in some of
her usual hiding places and she was not at any of them either."
Tenchi started thinking. Maybe, he thought, it would be better to
wait and see when she came back. Ryoko could be very hard to find when
she did not want to be found. " Well, maybe I'll wait. She will have to
come back soon anyway. It is not like her to miss too many of Sasami's
meals. After-all, I don't think she ate anything anyway, and like I
said, it really is not like her to miss too many of Sasami's meals. She
should be getting pretty hungry."
Ayeka stood there looking concerned. " I hope she does."
Sasami poked her head through the doorway. " Do you have the
vegetables yet? Oh, hi Tenchi." She stepped out and wiped her forehead
off. " Phew, it's almost as hot in the kitchen as it is out here."
" Well, I had better go to the shed. Good luck on finding Ryoko."
Ayeka walked off, heading around a corner and disappearing from sight.
Sasami looked at Tenchi. " You still haven't seen her, Tenchi?"
Tenchi just shook his head. silently in reply. Sighing, he looked
out over the western mountains and just stared into the distance,
hoping inwardly that he would see her silhouette dancing in the wind as
she always loved to do on such beautiful days. But, the only things he
saw that were dancing around were a few birds. Sasami watched Tenchi as
he gazed, sensing his sorrow.
" Tenchi, don't worry. I think she will be alright. I guess
sometimes a person has to be alone."
Tenchi smiled and looked down at Sasami, who was trying her best
to smile. " Yeah, I guess you are right. She'll be back when she's
ready."
And together, they watched the birds dance to the wind's tune.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Standing at the base of Funaho, Ayeka felt the power of the tree
flowing through her. " Yes," she thought out loud, " I agree. It has
been too long since we have talked." Ayeka reached out and placed her
hand on the trunk of the mighty tree. " So, you say that there is a
family of Earth birds making their nests in your branches? My goodness,
you must be enjoying their company very much. I do so enjoy their
singing myself. And you also have been in contact with the other trees
here on Earth? Now that is a surprise. I did not know that you could
talk to them."
Ayeka took her hand away and closed her eyes. A slight breeze was
blowing around, and was strong enough to blow a few errant strands of
hair into her face. Earth is just as beautiful as I remember, she
thought to herself.
" What's that you say? Sasami is on her way here?" Ayeka looked at
the tree in disbelief. Then, she laughed to herself. " I guess I am
just too easy to figure out."
" You can say that again, Princess," a slightly husky voice called
out from behind her.
Without turning around, Ayeka responded. " And I see that you
have come back here as well."
Ryoko floated over and moved in front of her. There they stood,
eye to eye, the tension building between them. Moments passed and
nothing was said.
Finally, Ayeka spoke, breaking the spell. " I want to formally
thank you for helping Tenchi save Jurai. Without you, he may have never
made it to the Royal Palace."
Ryoko stood there, a small smirk on her face. " Well, I want you
to know that I did it for Tenchi. I really did not care what happened
to you. I just wanted Tenchi to get there in one piece."
" Yes, and for that I am grateful," Ayeka said, not letting
Ryoko's piercing gaze and smirk affect her. " But, let's both be
honest. We both know why we are here."
" I agree with you on that point, Ayeka," the space pirate said,
still staring at Ayeka, her smirk having vanished and was replaced by
something more serious.
" Besides, do you really think that you will have much of a chance
now that I am here? If you haven't managed to get him by now, then I
really don't-"
" And from what I understand, you couldn't have him on Jurai, so
from where I see it, we are both on equal ground here," Ryoko
interrupted her.
Once again, silence reigned. The moments passed as the two women
faced each other, both unwilling to speak or leave.
Finally, it was Ryoko who decided to speak. " Ayeka, you may not
believe me or not, but I made a promise to Tenchi. I promised that I
would win his heart fair and square, because I knew that you would be
coming back. And I meant it. So, it all depends on you, Ayeka. Are you
game? Or are you going to turn tail and hide?"
Ayeka stepped back, not sure of what to think. Did Ryoko just say
that- no. She could not have meant-
" You mean to tell me that-" Ayeka finally spoke, her surprise
finally slipping away, "- you actually did not try to steal-"
" Exactly." Ryoko stood there, not blinking. " Now, I am going to
go back. I promised to be fair, and so I shall be."
Stepping back, Ryoko suddenly broke out into an evil looking grin.
" And since you are here, I say let the games begin. Besides, is it not
true about what they say on it all being fair in war- and love?"
With that, Ryoko disappeared, leaving a very flustered and gaping
Ayeka.
Tenchi was mopping up the last of the water on his front porch
when he heard Ayeka, in the distance, screaming her lungs out,
apparently hunting down Ryoko. He stood there, listening to her threats
for a few moments. Then, he smiled.
Yep, he thought, everything is back to normal.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Night had finally taken over the heavens. It had been several
hours since the sun had relinquished its hold over the sky and the
stars were at their brightest on this clear night. From the Masaki
residence, only the lights coming from the window gave any signs that
there were people there.
Inside, the normally jovial place was unusually quiet. Ayeka was
reading a Jurian history book to Sasami in the living room. But, it was
obvious that neither one was really paying much attention. Nobuyuki had
just arrived a short time ago and was sitting in his favorite chair,
reading the daily news. But, his mind was more on the events of his
past. Tenchi stood by the window, still looking for signs of Ryoko.
Washu had made an appearance, but as soon as she noticed the unusual
silence, she felt it better to retreat to her lab. Even the cabbit was
unusually subdued, just moping on a cushion, looking at everyone with
sad looking eyes.
Finally, Tenchi turned. Everyone looked up from what they were
doing at his sudden movement. He sighed and started to walk upstairs
with everyone watching. As he headed up the stairs, he heard a noise.
Looking back, he saw Ryo-Ohki behind him, looking unusually sad. He
reached down and scratched the cabbit between its ears, getting a happy
miya from her, then he headed upstairs, leaving the cabbit to its own
devices. Entering his room, he changed into his sleeping clothes and
lay down.
A few moments later, he could here the sounds of footsteps on the
stairwell and in the hallway, signaling that everyone else was going to
bed. After a bit, silence once again reigned. Tenchi lay there, trying
to go to sleep, but was being denied. Finally opening his eyes, he
spied his window. Since he could not sleep, he got up and headed
towards it. Looking out, he thought over the days events, trying to
figure out what may have happened to Ryoko. He had already decided
that if she was not there in the morning, his chores would wait. But,
he could not get the thought out of his mind that he knew where to find
her. Something tickled at the back of his brain, an idea that just
would not go away.
Holding his head, Tenchi shut his eyes and began to get his
thoughts together. Opening his eyes again, he opened the window and
breathed in the cool mountain air. Outside, all he could hear were a
few night birds and insects, and the water from the lake as it lapped
against the dock. Looking out over the lake, he caught a glimpse -
" And I have also noticed her at night sitting on the dock,
just looking up at the sky."
Suddenly, Tenchi turned and grabbed a robe. He raced out of his
room and started down the stairs.
Crash.
Tenchi found himself at the bottom of the stairs rolled up and
hurting all over. Looking up in pain, he saw the object that he had
tripped over -Ryo-Ohki - who was now looking at him rather worriedly.
Apparently, the cabbit had fell asleep on the stairs and Tenchi, in his
rush, had failed to see the furry obstacle in his path. Seeing how
pitifully sad the cabbit looked, Tenchi stood up, albeit painfully, and
checked himself. Feeling nothing serious, he walked up and picked
Ryo-Ohki up.
" Don't worry Ryo-Ohki, I forgive you."
The cabbit meowed in relief and snuggled into his arms. Petting
the creature, Tenchi headed outside, noting that despite all the
racket, no one had came to check.
Once outside, he started towards the dock. There, sitting on the
edge, he could see a figure. As he got closer, he realized that it was
Ryoko. There she was, like Ayeka had mentioned that morning, just
looking up at the sky. The moon was just starting to come up over the
mountains, casting a ghostly glow over everything. Slowly, as to not
surprise her, he headed towards her.
As he stepped onto the dock, the wood squeaked. Ryoko turned
around. Tenchi stood there, unsure of what to do. Time passed and
neither spoke or moved. Finally, Ryoko turned back to her viewing of
the sky.
Tenchi stood there, trying to decide what to do. His furry bundle
suddenly decided she wanted down, so, he set the cabbit on the ground.
Immediately, Ryo-Ohki headed for her master and hopped into Ryoko's
lap. Ryoko, after a second, started absentmindedly petting her. Tenchi
watched this the whole time. He had never seen Ryoko this deep in
thought. Then he remembered something that was said during an adventure
a long time ago.
Tenchi and Ryoko had stopped off and was sitting outside their
car. Tenchi had decided that this was one crazy adventure. He would
have preferred to be back home, but someone had messed with Washu's
dimension machine. Now, here he was, in some crazy world that Ryoko had
obviously wanted to live in. In the distance, they could see a great
bridge.
Sitting on top of the car, Ryoko was watching the sky. " We can
sure see a skyfull of stars, huh?" Pausing, she then continued. " The
stars are beautiful, don't you think?"
Tenchi was sitting on the ground, still trying to think of a way
out of this mess. " Yeah, I guess."
" We're all alone, under the starry sky. Just you and me."
Not really listening to her, Tenchi thought outloud. " I don't
know how I got myself into this mess."
Listening to him, Ryoko laughed.
Tenchi looked up. " What is it?"
" Nothing. It's just-"
" It's just what, Ryoko?" Tenchi interrupted.
Pausing again. Ryoko went back to looking at the sky. " Hey,
Tenchi, we've sure gone through a lot of stuff together since we
started this journey, haven't we?"
Tenchi thought about it. " We sure have," he responded,
remembering all the different places they had been so far.
Tenchi looked up at her, her face almost glowing in the moonlight.
And somehow, in that moment, the only expression that he could see on
her face was that of complete peace.
She sighed. Then, with a wishful sound to her voice, she said, " I
just love stars."
Tenchi stood there, remembering that night. It was not long after
that conversation that Washu had finally managed to get them out of
that dimension. But to do it, Ryoko had to give up everything. And now,
thinking about it, he remembered another time, when they had gone to
Jurai to stop Kagato.
Ryoko stood there, facing Tenchi, a look of determination on her
face. She did not want him to leave, and he knew it.
" We could leave right now Tenchi. We'd have no worries. Just you
and I, together."
Tenchi could feel the desperation in her voice. He knew that she
really cared for him. But, he still knew what he had to do.
" Ryoko-"
Getting a dreamy look in her eyes, she interrupted him. " Sort of
like a honeymoon in deep space, if you know what I mean. It-" She
paused. " would be fun."
Tenchi stood there, and then smiled. " It sounds like fun."
Ryoko gasped. Never did she think that he would actually have said
that.
Tenchi continued. " I'd love to go on a trip with you."
Tenchi stood there, feeling worse than ever. Man, I must really be
taking her world apart. So, with determination in his heart, he walked
over and sat down beside her. Realizing that he had forgotten his
slippers, he went on and let his feet dangle into the cool water. Just
as he was going to speak, Ryoko started talking.
" You are probably wondering what happened to me. I just have
something on my mind, that's all."
Tenchi waited to see if she was going to say anything else. After
a moment, he started. " Ryoko, I know how you must feel. I am really
sorry that I can't be there for you. But, if you don't talk, I can't
help." Pausing, he watched her. She just continued to sit there. So, he
continued." Is it because I am leaving?"
Ryoko turned to face him, her golden eyes almost glowing in the
moon's light. " No, Tenchi. It isn't that. I-"
Tenchi could see fear in her eyes. He realized that what ever it
was, she was afraid and unwilling to talk about it. " Ryoko, if you
don't want to talk about it, you don't have to."
He placed his hand on her shoulder. " I just want you to know that
I and everyone else are here for you."
Ryoko turned her face back up. Tenchi sat there, then started
staring at the sky as well.
" Tenchi?"
" Yes, Ryoko?"
" Remember back when I took you to Jurai, so you could rescue
Ayeka?"
So I was right, Tenchi thought. " Yes, and I am still grateful
that you did that."
" Well, You knew that I was hurt. Real bad."
Tenchi remembered that very well. He found that out from Azaka
after his fight with Kagato.
" When I left, I -"
Tenchi could feel her tense up. " You don't have to talk about it,
Ryoko."
" Yes, I do."
She closed her eyes. " I died, Tenchi."
Tenchi looked at her, not sure what to say. " But, how?"
A tear started down her face. " Some strange creature found Ryo
Ohki floating in space. Inside, it found my body. And it brought me
back."
" It said that I would owe it. And that one day, it would want the
favor returned. And now, I just get the feeling that it wants the favor
returned."
Ryoko turned and looked at Tenchi. " You know the funny thing
about all of this?"
Tenchi shook his head.
Ryoko looked like she tried to laugh, but choked on it instead. "
The last thoughts I had before I died. I remember feeling so lonely. I
never wanted to feel like that. And look how I went."
Tenchi stopped her." Well, you don't have to worry. You have all
of us now."
Ryoko hung her head. When she lifted it, she was smiling. "
Thanks."
Tenchi now looked back up at the heavens. " You are right," he
said.
Ryoko looked at him, not sure as to what he meant. Tenchi pulled
her over. " The stars are beautiful."
Ryoko sat there. Feeling something she had not felt in so long.
Joy.
Together they sat, staring into the heavens.
And for once, all was good.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
From her window, Sasami watched the couple sitting by the dock.
Thank-you for helping Ryoko, she thought as she stepped away from
the view. Then laying down, she looked over at her sister. Ayeka was
sleeping fitfully, murmuring something about Ryoko always disappearing.
Smiling, Sasami whispered to her, don't worry. She's been found. After
that, Ayeka stopped muttering.
Sasami lay there, watching her lay there. Then she herself went to
dreamland.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Well, that's the first chapter. Hopefully you have not already
pulled out the tar and feather and my address. And Thanks to all the
following people who have helped with the proofreading:
Mian Toris
'Sonic' Steeg
Rene Chavez
Fox The Wanderer
Charlie Goodson
Magus the Dark
StOriKami
Micheal Osuna
DownFall
Will-Ohki