Sanctuary&Asylum[.33]
Forward-Forewarned:
I'll explain the synopsis verse, but I ask that readers try to figure out the rest of them on their own.
***
Over-ambition marries cliché.
That we hold the sun---yet rue the day.
***
Once you discard nonexistent editing and poor transference of formats the two biggest problems with fanfiction are over-ambition and cliché: ideals that are too much for the author/characters to live up to and ideas that are too overused to live down. The synopsis begins with these two themes because, through this story, I hope to expand upon what I am far from talented enough to escape.
Use of the word 'marries' rather than, say, 'embraces' suggests not only unions that are overt and extensive, but also those that coexist by default or necessity. The clichés and over-ambitions of paradox, for better and worse, are all but unavoidable. But for all the luck and blood of creation I've found the most interesting connections to exist between icons without obvious inversions or reflections. Simply provided: there are many ways to examine a relationship, and many ways to create one. Simply promoted: every romantic has to preach and every cynic has to admit that insight is usually impossible without interaction.
The second line speaks of the power of misused power. 'That we hold the sun---yet rue the day' is an attempt to express the significance of being gifted or fortunate, yet still haunted by past mistakes and the shadows of doubt they cast. In addition to the more directly selfish motivations I have for publishing this fanfiction, my primary goal is to examine regret and uncertainty as more threatening to life than any popular evil.
---
Our story takes place as a continuation of the all too short Tenchi Muyo! OAV, it may take a few chapters to develop but will not be left unfinished. Some content may push the limits of the PG-13 rating, but I'll try to address questions and grievances in the Afterward-Aftermath. Until I find a way to better translate italics and the like, keep in mind = ^stress(ed)^ / *thought.
If you want some kind of hint regarding 'who Tenchi chooses'...tough. I won't even tell you ^if^ he chooses anyone at all; it waters down delicious suspense and often drowns out other important seasonings.
Thank you, enjoy.
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Standard Disclaimer:
I thank all the owners of the Tenchi characters who have chosen not to sue me for suggesting some alternative uses for them.
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I thank all the readers who have perused my other submissions and favorite authors. Those who acknowledge someone for leading them this way will earn that kind person an ^extra^ review.
Standard Procedure:
Make a list of needed items and a store of potential discounts before going to market.
Tenchi Muyo: Sanctuary and Asylum
-Verse One-
-Family-
Our fortune and our life's work---our family and friends.
Insignificance cannot belittle---what immortality commends.
-ZJS
The genius's emeralds gleamed intensely on her latest creation as it rotated in a steady hum of soft yellow energy. They focused back the reflection of her own face, its tension clear on the semitransparent surface separating her from the possible dangers of the procedure. Anxiety swelled as she looked over at small digital symbols simultaneously monitoring and adding urgency to the situation. Young hands lightly caressed the control buttons with the patience and grace of spider legs while she waited for the perfect moment to prevent disaster. Sultry anticipation narrowed her expression as the final moment approached. She licked her lips, ready to inhale the birth steam of accomplishment. A wicked grin split. A rigid finger pounced. Her latest invention opened up to the world with a plastic thump.
"HA-HA! I got it!" Washu bellowed, holding her success to the heavens in exaggerated triumph.
"For goodness sakes Miss Washu, would it not be easier to simply install a bell on the microwave that didn't annoy you so?" Aeka tilted her head in confusion and blew steam from a piece of breakfast.
"Of course," Washu regained her normal controlled and knowing tone, "but then this stuff wouldn't taste as good."
She cleared the one remaining digital second, slammed the little reactor door, and proceeded to enjoy the fruits of her labor with noticeably more enthusiasm than the others gathered round the family table. Tenchi, his favorites in dads, galaxy police officers, and First Princesses of Jurai were all clearly still in the early stages of consciousness, but their lethargic intake of the oatmeal spooned old gruel to a fresh orphan.
"Hmm, maybe I should try doing it then," Tenchi mumbled as he stirred in a few raisins.
Washu put her utensils down, crossed her arms and looked around the table with agitated lips crumpled to one side.
"Now I know you all miss Sasami's cooking, but I was up way too late working on my Blue Emissions report to make everyone extravagant omelets, so suck it up...literally if you have to."
Her cute curtness caused everyone to feign a little more interest in their meal. Tenchi naturally tried to cover up the monstrous thought of offense.
"Oh, its not that bad Wa-^Little^ Washu, I think I just need to warm it up a little, that's all."
A transparent mass of spiked cyan hair slowly became solid behind the young man of the house as Ryoko placed a hand on one shoulder and reached towards his breakfast with the other.
"Don't worry, Tenchi," she whispered seductively into his ear, "I can warm ^anything^ up for ^you^."
Ms. Brazen's proper temperate nemesis was suddenly wide-awake.
"Ryoko! Get off of---RYOKO DON'T!" Aeka screamed as a small marble of energy on the end of a skilled finger made its way into Tenchi's oatmeal. The thick paste began to bubble with such vulgar noises. It splattered everyone at the table before charring up a foul smoke, the cloud split around Ryoko's hand.
"Ryoko, next time just use the microwave." Tenchi scolded in exasperation.
"Don't worry Tenchi...now we get to clean it off each other." She playfully scoped a small glob off his thigh and stuck it suggestively between her lips.
"Stop that right now you...oh the smell!" Aeka whined through a pinched nose and walked towards the sliding glass door.
As she attempted to replace it with the screen a single ladybug flew in inches away from her face. Aeka squealed in shock and sporadically waved and swatted air. The small insect managed to avert its course towards the table where it landed delicately on Tenchi's arm. Mihoshi's groggy eyes lit up as she removed her own hands from her nose and clapped them together with childish glee.
"Ohhhh, Tenchi! Earth people say that's a sign of good fortune!"
"That's ridiculous," Aeka scoffed, "how could anything be lucky about another pestering bug."
"Actually, those are good for the garden," Noboyuki interjected humbly, looking over to Washu for support. The professional opinion paused to wipe a bit of oatmeal from one of the shorter strands of hair around her face. She flicked it away and nodded plainly.
"Not quite as effective as a pesticide I once came up with, but they do well enough."
"Well I agree with Mihoshi this time anyway...I think there's a ^very^ good chance Tenchi'll get lucky today." Ryoko's voice dripped with honey and cream as she inched her mouth closer to the young man's ear.
A wave of red washed across Tenchi's fortunate cheeks. Aeka reached out and vehemently pulled Ryoko away by one of the long bangs hanging on either side of her face. Shrill screams soon filled the room as the two girls simultaneously tried to scalp each other with their bare hands. The distraction struck Mr. Lucky as a perfect moment to grab the ladybug and make a stealthy escape out the back door.
He looked down at his clasped hands with a sigh and walked tiredly into the lush meadow near his home. The screams still resonating behind him made Tenchi brake into a jog with the hope of dissolving them into the tranquility of wind passing through the surrounding forest. Once his weary feet had brought him to silence and a small patch of wild flowers, he extended his hand as if admiring a new coat of nail polish. The dainty beetle tickled a small grin out of its unknown savior, but rather than fly away it continued up his index finger and down towards his thumb. Tenchi raised his arm in encouragement and tried to smile, still thinking about the mess that likely awaited him.
"I know this may seem like a haven for lost travelers, but you're definitely safer out here."
When it reached the tip of his thumbnail the ladybug spread its wings and flew lazily off into the warming air. He watched it and wondered how anyone could be afraid of such a frail and pretty little thing. Once the insect was out of view, he shifted his gaze to the sky and began to think about how right Washu had been about missing Sasami.
The Second Princess's lively, yet innocent pink eyes had been such a warming part of the morning (whether or not they held the promise of a lovingly prepared meal). Unfortunately, Tenchi had not come to fully realize her importance to the well-being of the household until about a week after the message, the summons. The memory began with Azaka and Kamadake appearing at the dinner table 3 weeks ago; it gradually pulled Tenchi's brow together and drug his mouth into a frown.
Everyone had been sitting down in eager anticipation of one of Sasami's specialties when the guardians emerged purposefully from their post for the first time in months. Their announcement of an incoming transmission from Jurai quickly gave them everyone's attention. The stern face of Aeka's father and all the stress surrounding his last visit had shot instantly into Tenchi's mind. Ever since the indirect confrontation between them he'd spent a night a week consumed with how to handle the imposing man when he finally lost his patience with regards to his daughters' 'vacation'.
Aeka had looked at the guardians, then from Sasami to Tenchi with an expression of accelerating worry. Before she formally asked the cylinder sentinels to put the message through, Sasami had noticed Tenchi's tension and once again shared encouraging words about the length of time he might expect to have the two sisters as guests.
*'You know Tenchi, a year here isn't long at all on Jurai cause Jurains live a whole lot longer than earth people do.'
Tenchi closed his eyes in the empty field to focus on a memory now supplementing his memory.
She had reassured him a number of times since the anniversary of her "arrival" at his home, a pleasant celebration till a semi-drunken Ryoko suggested that Aeka's parents 'must still be missing her by now'.
From the day Washu successfully accelerated Ryo-oh's growth to make it reach maturity within a few days, Ryoko had been dropping hints that Aeka "take a little trip in it", but before the usual argument could erupt about her obligation to protect "Lord Tenchi" from harm, she had suddenly turned to him with a tender look in her eyes and asked if he wanted her to stay.
The implications of him wanting ^her^ rather than her and her sister to stay were clear, yet Tenchi had characteristically taken the nonbiased approach: "I just hope it's not causing any trouble at home."
Tenchi pinch his sinus back to the original memory.
What Sasami forgot to mention about Jurain age was that she had not yet partaken in the ceremony performed by all Jurains on their twelfth birthday wherein she would be given water from Jurai's Great-Tree. The summons by both Funaho and Misaki made it clear that this was something already known to her and completely non-negotiable. A ship was already descending upon Tenchi's home when the message ended. Sasami had packed, reassured everyone that she would return as soon as possible, and been transported aboard in just a few hours. The whole goodbye happened so quickly that Mihoshi did not recover from the shock enough to cry till the next day. Just as the two queens were finalizing things by again thanking everyone for taking good care of their daughter, Tenchi had considered bringing up Sasami's fusion with the goddess Tsunami.
Tenchi looked around at the present state of things again, still reliving Sasami's departure through the lake's reflected sunrise and the wave of wind through grass. He reminded himself that, even if the secret had made the ceremony unnecessary, it would certainly have caused more stress for her family and perhaps the entire empire.
Of all the fantastic and nearly surreal things that he'd been confronted with since freeing Ryoko, the situation with Sasami and Tsunami always made Tenchi laugh (his favorite defense mechanism for maintaining what few concepts of reality he still had). He shook his head and let out a soft hissing chuckle through his teeth to dismiss the situation, but every footstep closer to another night of Washu's either bland or frightening culinary inventions brought his thoughts longingly back to Sasami and consequently to Tsunami.
"The comfort of a little sister and the protection of an aunt, all in one." Tenchi spoke to himself in a nostalgic whisper, failing to find comfort in the half-irony. "But it seems like she's family to more than just Aeka and me."
Although things hadn't completely fallen apart in Sasami's absence, something seemed wrong about Washu taking over her prime responsibilities of keeping the family fed and preventing Ryoko and Aeka from getting carried away with their fights. She did both the way she handled most things: like an experiment under her mechanical control. It was clear that when she got cooperation from people it was for fear of her mad-scientist glare, rather than a desire to see her girl-in-a-candy-store smile. Having fun times with the family just seemed harder with a member missing.
"^The family^?" Tenchi stopped in surprise and considered his inner monologue again. After spending a little over a year with the five houseguests the title seemed to come to him without any hesitation, yet he wondered how guests could so easily seem like members of the family.
This question was pushed to the back of Tenchi's mind as he looked up again through the screen door into a surprisingly clean kitchen. He slowly reentered ground zero, turning to the living room to see Mihoshi contentedly absorbed with cartoons while Ryoko and Aeka sat on either side of her, holding large ice bags onto their heads and groaning into themselves. The clock's crooked smile gave Tenchi a sagging grimace; he'd have to avoid detection by the girls again if he wanted to make it to school on time.
***
Washu walked casually past her specimen tanks. Her mechanical double in motel maid uniform followed with a bucket and a few dirty towels dangling over its shoulder. Lights gradually came on all around her to reveal the immense size and complexity of her lab. Mecha-Washu continued walking to the recharging chamber as its inventor sat down on the soft burgundy cushions of a levitating chair. She watched the assistant plug in a few wires with perfectly reflected disinterest before turning to the expansive screen in front of her.
"I suppose it's sorta shameful to use you for such primitive purposes, but I can't stand cleaning up cheesy things." Washu's fingers wiggled in meager disgust before her holographic laptop materialized between herself and the screen, with a few simple commands four separate squares appeared, each containing detailed surveillance footage.
The first scene spied on Tenchi in his school uniform sneaking out the front door, the second showed the increasingly numbed gathering in the living room, while the third gave a relaxing vision of Katshuhito sipping tea on a rock outside the shrine.
Washu's eyes moved drably across each square till it stopped at the far right where a single planet far greener than earth rotated silently among the stars. She slouched a little, let her arms droop, and exhaled through pouted lips with an almost horse-like sound. The image zoomed in while she spoke to it in a distant voice.
"Ya know, it's not hardly fair to have to miss you like this."
***
Mihoshi's simple voice was further zombiefied by half an hour of musical cartoon rodents.
"Aeka, do they have this show on Jurai?"
Ryo-Ohki let out a yawn from Ryoko's lap.
"Don't ask me stupid questions now Mihoshi." Aeka answered in an overtly grumpy tone.
"Me-yow." the cabbit sighed softly at the reminder of the absent friend who often enjoyed the show with Mihoshi. Ryoko glared over at Aeka before giving Ryo-Ohki a scratch behind the ear and leaning back silently under Washu's ice bag.
***
Tenchi released a barbarian grunt as he hefted the last basket of vegetables into the storage shed and massaged the flex of his muscles with a pleased grin. A small gasp froze him in another second. He jerked his head in every direction, knowing that if anyone saw his little joke he'd never hear the end of it. A sigh of relief spurred him back home where he hoped to find dinner waiting for him.
As the house grew nearer Tenchi thought back to when he'd come home from school earlier that day. The deep breath he'd taken for the routine competition to greet his return had been unnecessary. Every step had injected more fear of a mounting ambush as he made his way inside and changed into his gardening clothes, yet only now did a light from the kitchen confirm that anyone was home at all. A sudden realization contracted his hand before it reached the door.
*If neither of them welcomed me home from school---then they'll be twice as eager to see me when I come back from the garden.
A helpless sigh puffed out of Tenchi's hanging head as he stepped towards the back porch. Before he could look up to accept his affection asphyxiation, Ryoko Teleported behind him and, grabbing onto his shoulders, teleported him into a seat at the dinner table. He felt her hands still firmly on him and was about to turn around to remind her of how unnerving that still was when he noticed everyone's attention turned towards Aeka and the two guardians levitating at attention behind her.
"Ryoko. I'm sure Lord Tenchi was quite capable of taking ten more steps to the dinner table." Aeka frowned seriously.
"Well I'm impatient, I still don't know why you didn't let me do it sooner...but Tenchi forgives me, don't you Tenchi?" Ryoko said softly as she slithered her hands off his shoulders, taking her seat and Tenchi's thigh as a hand-rest.
"Uhhh," Fear confronted arousal spun in his mind till he could finally remember his initial question. "What's with all the urgency, and why are the guardians inside?"
"Ohhhh, Sasami's coming back, I'm SO HAPPY! I can't wait till-" Mihoshi began to squeal with glee.
"Be quiet Mihoshi! I haven't even opened the communications yet." Aeka snapped.
Tenchi suddenly straightened up, inwardly just as anxious to hear from the little princess. But he calmed a little for fear that the news might not be a promised return to a full house.
"Thanks for waiting for me guys," Tenchi said sincerely.
"Of course Lord Tenchi." Aeka politely changed her tone.
"Well come on Aeka, put her through." Ryoko leaned forward impatiently, the increase in pressure causing Tenchi some trouble in hiding his discomfort.
Aeka gave the order to Azaka and Kamadake who obediently materialized a meter square holographic screen between them. The appearance of Sasami's bright face instantly summoned happy grins from the entire family, even a normally calm Katshuhito.
"Hi everybody, I've missed you sooooooooo much!" Sasami's image cheered.
Everyone returned the enthusiastic sentiment before settling back down to a silence laced with an obvious hope that Sasami indulged without hesitation.
"I finally get to come back!" She shouted triumphantly.
"No more chef Washu!" Ryoko raised her fist in celebration.
"Hey! You try working with these medieval tools...on second thought I think I'd rather starve." Washu met Ryoko glare for glare.
"That's great news Sasami, when are you getting back," Tenchi asked happily
Sasami's cheer suddenly began to drain till her voice came in with slow uncertainty.
"Well that's the thing, daddy has this big thing going with a bunch of other planets and, well, there wont be any ships free for another six months, maybe even a year."
The crowd's spirits began to visibly sink in disappointment before Aeka perked them up.
"Oh Sasami! Miss Washu found a way to fully re-grow Ryo-oh. I can come and pick you up and bring you back here."
Stars exploded in Sasami's eyes as her voice regained its glee tenfold.
"Yeaaaaaah, then everyone can come and bring me back!"
Aeka glanced about the room quickly and began to open her mouth in affirmative, but she stopped short when she noticed the position of Ryoko's hand. She inhaled sharply through her nose, letting it out slowly as an idea calmed her fury and spread a wide grin across her face. After another breath, she looked up at her sister with disappointment and spoke with an overtly solemn tone.
"I'm sorry, sister. I'm afraid Ryo-oh is back to full size but not full strength and probably couldn't support more than two or three passengers at once."
"Actually Aeka-" Washu began.
"Oh Little Washu, shouldn't someone be monitoring the dinner?" Exaggerated concern interrupted the expert opinion.
Washu's eyes bulged as she sprinted into the kitchen with a small yelp.
"Oh, okay Aeka, just so long as I don't have to wait a whole year to see you all again." Sasami answered as contentedly as possible.
"Good then, if I depart tomorrow you should be back on earth within a week." Aeka confirmed with a happy smile.
"I can't wait to see everyone again. See you soon Aeka, I love you all, bye!" Sasami bowed with uncommon giddiness and her image vanished. The two guardians were politely and promptly dismissed.
Her innocent child's voice had been only slightly changed by a touch of maturity since she had seen them last, and the enthusiastic conversation focused on this before Mihoshi alone held the floor, babbling on about the potentials for a welcome home party. Everyone had been digging more contentedly into the overcooked and humble noodle dish than usual, yet Washu simply stirred hers thoughtfully with a slightly pouting face. She then raised her chopsticks to inquire innocently to anyone listening.
"Well, since Sasami's going to be coming back so soon, I guess nobody will mind nullifying my promise not to cook with anything from my lab?"
Although everyone had seemed to be ignoring Washu as she mixed question with suggestion, the entire table selectively stopped what they were doing, faced her with stern faces, and answered with a loud 'NO'.
Washu was soon pouting again and mumbling something to the extent of: "You turn their skins orange just once and-"
***
Everyone wearily excused themselves from the table while Washu summoned her laptop and typed a few keys. Her content-looking, yet clearly mindless robotic double instantly started on the cleanup. A different kind of paring from the two identical dishwashing marvels of science emerged a few yards away on the Misaki sofa where the yin of Mihoshi's whine and the yang of Ryoko's growl held the TV remote in a delicate balance.
Tenchi tried to make sense of then enjoy the poetry of it all and allowed a worried frown to invert as he remembered reading some of his grandfather's teachings about moderation and moderators. He decided to approach the problem by taking slight advantage of their eagerness to please him and feigning interest in a something on the educational channel.
Once the long and windy archeological program had lulled both Mihoshi and Ryoko into near comas, Tenchi made his way to his room. Along the way he accidentally bid goodnight to Mecha-Washu, the original giggled as she led her assistant back to the lab through the closet. He admired the craftsmanship again and continued towards his room with a yawn cut short by a flash of purple hair leaping onto his path.
"Oh Lord Tenchi, so sorry to startle you, I merely wanted to wish you a pleasant night's rest." Aeka said in her sweetest princess voice.
"It's okay. You too." Tenchi replied, upright and modest as he almost always was when one of the girls talked to him in an affectionate tone.
"Lord Tenchi?" She asked again with noticeable intent of coaxing something out of him.
"Uh...yes Miss Aeka?"
***
The snap of the robot removing rubber gloves behind her made no dent in the bored expression on Washu's face. The lab was just as they had left it, and no more exciting now that they had returned. She looked around at the small collection of unfinished projects, her emeralds fading to dull plastic. The tools lying all about the testaments to circuitry and insults to geometry beckoned to her, yet she merely gave them a disinterested sigh.
She yawned, scratched her back, and continued down a self-lighting path away from the immediate collection of machines. A depressed weariness began to weigh her face down, but after a few steps she stopped with a startled blink. Her assistant stopped only inches behind her.
*^Now wait just a damn minute^!
The raging voice filled Washu's consciousness like a flash flood. Ryoko instantly had the scientist's undivided attention as she only received telepathy from her daughter when she was either telling her to 'get out of her head' or when she was so upset that her thoughts and emotions actually overflowed into her mother's mind. Fearing some catastrophe, two masses of excited red hair jogged back out into the living room. When they emerged from the lab, however they saw no carnage, only the familiar scene of a nervous youth between two fuming young ladies.
"It's really quite simple miss Ryoko, I asked Lord Tenchi if he'd like to come with me to bring Sasami back, since she'd be happy to see him after so long, and he said yes, end of story. Just go back to sleeping, you're good at that." Aeka's superior tone seemed intent on being particularly dismissive.
"So you've finally started to get sneaky in this game, huh, Aeka?" Ryoko said in a failed attempt to cover her rage with smugness.
"I am not a sneak Ryoko, that's another area you have completely covered." Aeka sneered.
"Oh, right, getting Tenchi alone on a spaceship with you is purely for Sasami's sake, that's rich." Sarcasm now fit more cohesively with Ryoko's rage. "What happened to Ryo-oh only being able to carry ^two^ passengers, huh?"
Tenchi's innocent gullibility finally wore off and left bright red cheeks in its absence. When Aeka noticed this, her color changed even more dramatically as anger consumed her nervousness.
"H-H-How ^dare^ you suggest such a thing Ryoko! I said two ^or three^. Now look, you're embarrassing Lord Tenchi!" Aeka pointed a finger that trembled in unison with the hapless youth and kept her eyes averted from the boiling Ryoko.
"AH-HA! I knew it! Well I guess I should be proud of you princess, I never knew you had it in ya to pull something like this. Too bad the jig is up...right Tenchi?" Ryoko's triumphant voice wavered a little as she stared seriously into his eyes.
"Well uh, I uh," Tenchi began before he noticed Washu at the bottom of the stairs with her arms folded and a trancelike gaze focused to her lower right.
"Washu!" He cried out in relief then pleaded. "You can answer this, can't you?"
Ryoko awaited her reply with a sideways glance towards a princess desperately trying to stand with the same confidence. Though she heard them, Washu did not respond as she thought over the argument and the report Aeka had previously distracted her from:
*Maybe Aeka's right, maybe it would be safer to test Ryo-oh with only three passengers.
*What are you talking about Washu?! You're the greatest scientific genius in the universe---aren't you? So the experiments and inventions haven't come out 200% perfect lately, it doesn't mean the accelerated Ryo-oh isn't just as good if not better than the old one. Isn't it obvious that this is a plot by Aeka to get Tenchi on a private cruise?
*And if it is shouldn't you stop it?
*Maybe, this could make things interesting, it sure would be nice to come out of the lab to a quiet place for a while. I'm sure I could convince Ryoko that, even alone with Tenchi, Aeka is no threat. Convince Ryoko--- talk to Ryoko without Tenchi there as a distraction-
After Ryoko had yelled Washu's name twice the little genius looked up at them calmly and responded with pure scientific certainty.
"Aeka's right Ryoko. It would be best to take only Tenchi along, Jurain energy is kinda tricky and it's probably better to test the ship with only a few Jurains."
Aeka's surprise quickly vanished into glowing righteousness and she stood as royally as she ever had. Tenchi slumped a little with a sigh of relief that the argument was settled. Ryoko stood frozen in dumbfounded fury, however, her gargoyle like pose quickly broke out of its stone skin.
"^WWWHAT!^"
"I'm just taking safety into consideration Ryoko. You may have forgotten that Emperor Azusa set up an artificial worm hole to Jurai space; they'll be back in a week or so, maybe sooner." Washu responded professionally to show there was no wavering of faith in her scientific opinion. No one's expression changed.
"I just hope all of Jurai doesn't start bringing me their saplings." She added quickly, hoping to keep the focus on Ryo-oh rather than the prospect of Aeka and Tenchi being alone inside it.
Ryoko's body seemed to be preparing the release of an earth-shattering scream when she merely levitated an inch and teleported away without looking at anyone. Three different sighs carried the remaining people to their separate quarters.
***
A lively breeze whistled through the tall grass and squeaked the hinges of a suspiciously open door to the Misaki's wooden storage shed. In a shadowed corner a small crunching sound mingled with an occasional decadent purr; Ryo-ohki was all too happy to exploit the stock Tenchi had forgotten to lock up.
Halfway through her carrot she stopped and raised her long ear above wide eyes. She looked out the door then down at the treat indecisively, eventually tossing it on a large discard pile and bounding outside. The carrot-half slowly rolled down through the stems where it was caught and carried out into the moonlight.
The wide-eyed creature hopped gingerly to the bottom of a large tree where she set her carrot down and let out a concerned meow. The weeping figure hidden in the branches, startled by the sudden noise, formed her energy sword and accidentally severed a nearby branch. Ryo-ohki squealed in fright and narrowly jumped out of harm's way.
"Oh, it's you Ryo-ohki."
Ryoko teleported next to the shaken cabbit, trying in vain to snort back tears. Her agonized expression gained a hint of curiosity when she noticed something beneath the smoldering stump of the fallen branch. She bent over and grimaced as she stood up again, the charred and soiled remains of a carrot dangling from her fingers.
"Sorry Ryo-ohki." Some apologies can sound sincere even when hoarding all the sympathy.
First letting out an annoyed meow, her ship covered it up with one full of sympathy when she noticed that the pirate's gold seemed worn and tarnished to a despairing brass. The carrot dropped. Soon after it hit the ground Ryoko's knees followed in a body-crumble of overwhelming defeat.
"What am I going to do Ryo-ohki?" Ryoko asked lifelessly, starring into the limp palms crossed over her lap. Ryo-ohki walked up and gently placed a paw on her captain's knee with another sympathetic meow. "Tenchi's going off alone with Aeka," her voice began to strain again, "and there's ^nothing^ I can do to stop them."
Ryo-ohki affectionately nuzzled Ryoko's leg. A smile crept up and she began to weakly pet the cabbit's head.
"A whole week. If Aeka...if Tenchi-" She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. This trip might give Aeka the opportunity to make Tenchi forget the person who'd watched over him all his life, and the thought of it tore fresh tears down Ryoko's face.
"W-W-What'll I do Ryo-ohki?" The question went out again with a sob. Ryo- ohki crawled into her lap for extra comfort.
"At least I'll still have you, ya little furball." She chuckled weakly, holding the cabbit up in front of her and smiling as it tried to reassure her with a happier meow. Ryoko's smile drained into a thoughtful expression, her eyebrows clenching as she stared intently at her faithful ship. Ryo-ohki responded with a tweaked ear and a long confused meow.
Pure glee suddenly filled Ryoko's face. She placed Ryo-ohki on the ground in front of her and leaned forward till their noses almost touched.
"That's it! Ryo-ohki, you can still change into a little girl when you want to, right?!" Ryoko asked almost maniacally.
Ryo-ohki meowed brightly and instantly morphed into a small cabbit-like child who barely had time to adjust to the new form before being picked up and twirled around in a fit of shared laughter. After a minute of celebration, the barely contained Ryoko put the entirely unnerved cabbit- girl down and took her cheeks into shaky but warming hands.
"Ryo-ohki," she began amid almost ecstatic breaths, "if I only ask one thing of you for the rest of my days-"
*** Tenchi's hand flopped down like a lazy marionette onto the screeching alarm clock. He grudgingly began to groan, stretch, and massage the remains of sleep from his body. Once oriented, he saluted the suitcases standing by his bedroom door with an accepting sigh. This trip was going to be nothing like the week he'd spent in the U.S. with his English class, but he'd packed basically the same.
"Well," he thought aloud, "today's the day."
The next sigh carried a heavier burden as he realized that there would be much more to worry about on this trip than the haunting stories his dad had told him about American girls. He still couldn't believe that he'd agreed to come along, being so anxious to give Sasami a warm welcome that he completely overlooked the position he'd put himself in.
"This is just so Sasami has a nicer trip," Tenchi told his dressing reflection sternly.
He soon deflated into a puzzled expression, easing his mind into an inner dialog to explain why he'd agreed so readily to Aeka's request.
*She asked so politely and with such concern for Sasami, surely this isn't just a trick to get me alone--- please let it not be a trick.
*Damn it Tenchi, you always make doubly sure there won't be any conflicts before you agree to do something alone with one of the girls.
*Is there some other reason I'm going?
The potentially hidden motives revealed themselves to be less than noble and Tenchi slouched on his largest suitcase, frowning to the accusations of his mind.
*Is this just some excuse to get away for a while? I suppose I would like to see a little of Jurai, but do I actually ^want^ to be alone with Aeka?
A vision of Ryoko's reaction to the trip shot into his mind. As bad as the fights between her and Aeka had ever been, even as they seemed to worsen in Sasami's absence, that kind of emotion hadn't flared up in Ryoko's eyes since the battle with Kagato. He had been learning fairly well how to avoid getting drawn into exhaustive and depressing inner debates, but it was still a grueling effort to keep memories of that encounter from inspiring an evaluation of everything that had happened since.
Growling and shaking his head between his hands, he fought brutally to block out thoughts of the girls, their feelings, and his. He rose up in frustration and prepared to pound the wall. But fists soon surrendered to open palms that slapped down to support his weight. Head sinking down in defeat, he dropped the barriers and allowed the lecture and the debate to begin.
*Who the hell am I kidding? I've been trying to convince myself that we can all just be friends for almost two years, and even if Mihoshi and Washu seemed to have taken that route, Ryoko and Aeka...
Tenchi's mind was soon flooded with countless visions of the two girls trying everything in their power to gain favor over the other. Often times it seemed they only refrained from truly destroying one another for his sake. Although Washu had created a program that had little trouble repairing the damage their fights caused, they still made him cringe. Any danger to life and limb, he realized, was actually secondary to the tangible negative energy he felt them exchange. The utter hatred with which they regarded each other seemed born less of a battle of prides and more of a battle for life.
*But it isn't a battle between them, it's a battle over me, I can bet that one, or even worse, ^both^ of them are really really in love with me. As nonbiased, as passive, as utterly cowardly as I try to be I-
A sound of physical pain escaped, announcing the arrival of something he wished he could ask Washu to remove from his mind: the agonizing comparison of the two almost polar friends. All their strengths and shortcomings always came rushing towards him in a tidal wave. He would think of the two faces, the two overwhelmingly beautiful faces, and would fall to his knees helpless and ashamed.
*Why? Why does it have to be like this? I ask myself this question every time and I never get an answer, comparing them just overwhelms me like...a wave...a Tsunami...Sasami. I can still barely bring myself to comprehend Her, a Goddess, making everyone breakfasts, calming quarrels...keeping the peace.
The steadily maturing features of Tenchi's face forgot themselves and regressed to the bewildered vulnerable eyes of an adolescent near revelation. Small relief rose up in him as he considered that one burning question might be able to cancel out another.
*That must be it, Tsunami, Sasami, that energy, that amazing energy I feel around her---them. It's so undeniably...good. Am I so anxious to have that presence back here, is that why I wanted to go. Do I, do I, just want to be around it again. Did I become addicted to that connection with Jurai's energy? It's almost funny, addicted to a Goddess, like those religious nuts; so caught up with being connected to pure goodness that I'd do anything to keep the high. But this is real...I hope.
Tenchi forcefully composed himself again, glancing at the clock as he picked up his bags. He let out another sigh of hesitantly accepted duty, and tried to adjust his smile in the mirror one last time.
*I'm getting nowhere. The main point is that trying to back out now would just make things worse, I just need to reassure Ryoko somehow. Now that I think about it, this will be a good chance for her and Washu to maybe-
Tenchi stopped mid-button and frowned.
*No. She wouldn't. Of course not!
*But she almost never has doubts about her inventions.
*No Tenchi come on, thinking of this as one of Washu's scientific schemes isn't going to help anything. You've kept things from getting too serious during the picnics and games and all the other times you were alone with one of them, you can do it this time. Besides, Aeka's so modest, so shy, so sweet...maybe it will be nice to talk to her, about Sasami, about Jurai. About everything.
This last encouraging thought readjusted his smile the last twist it needed to be sincere. As he walked gingerly into the hallway he tried to maintain it by keeping his extended family in mind, telling himself to focus on consideration rather than fear.
***
"Oh there has to be one in here somewhere---but I shouldn't." Mihoshi spoke sheepishly from the open doorway of Nobuyuki's study. Eager blue eyes darted about the room, trying in vain to make out anything specific in the darkness.
"I just need a notepad, I'm sure Tenchi's dad has one I can use, and it will just take a minute." She reassured herself and any possibly hidden authority. Her left hand grasped the doorframe while her right angled to pat along the wall for a light.
"There we go," she said softly as her finger flipped the switch. A lamp in a large ceiling fan illuminated Mihoshi's face as it quickly drained of color at the sight before her.
Only at the Galaxy Police's filing station had Mihoshi seen such a huge scattering of papers and books crammed into such a small room. "Oh boy," she sighed as she began her search with newly slumped shoulders. After deciding it would be better not to disturb the piece of modern junk art that was Noboyuki's desk, Mihoshi began looking up and down the towering bookcases along the walls. At last her hands came together to clap on a smile at the sight of a medium sized note pad stuck beneath a stack of rolled blue prints. Mihoshi stood on her toes and snatched her prize off the shelf then turned to hold it up triumphantly. No sooner had the neatly prepared book of blank yellow paper smiled back at her than a curious shuffling sound brought her attention back to the shelf behind her. A six- foot high quivering obelisk of paper cylinders stared down at a wide-eyed Mihoshi.
Tenchi dropped his suitcases in the hall and ran towards the trademark Mihoshi scream exploding in his father's study. Once inside he quickly relaxed and sighed a small chuckle at the sight of Mihoshi sitting on the floor, knees to her chest, hands over her head, and entire body trembling beneath a small avalanche of blue prints.
"I'm sorry Tenchi. I made a list of things for Sasami's welcome back party, b-b-but I lost it and I just needed a new note pad to write on and...and...and IM SO SORRY!" Mihoshi's whine quickly evolved into a wail as she caught sight of Tenchi looking down at her situation.
"It's okay Mihoshi, nothing looks broken, dad needs to reorganize this place anyway," Tenchi reassured her as he began to clear away the surrounding cylinders.
"Sorry Tenchi," Mihoshi repeated meekly, a muffled yawn spread weariness over her embarrassment.
As Tenchi grabbed a thin plastic-wrapped tube he looked up to notice that it had been slightly wedged between Mihoshi's thighs. He slowly looked up and wondered if his mortified blush compared with the detective's.
"Hey you guys, where is everybody," Nobuyuki poked his sleepy head in and instantly joined the blush contest at the sight of his son getting kinky with the Shima bank project. They both shot up at the sight of him only to worsen their appearance as the tube stayed connected between them. His son noticed before the detective and quickly and carefully removed the roll to toss it back on the pile.
"Uh, sorry dad I was just trying to help Mihoshi find a note pad and it looks like the one we found was all that was holding these things up," Tenchi spoke quickly with touches of nervous laughter.
"Sure Tenchi..."Nobuyuki said with a sleepy mixture of amusement and discomfort.
"There was a note on the kitchen counter that said Washu and Aeka would be out by the dock," Mihoshi quickly changed the subject as if she had already forgotten the whole situation.
As the three of them ate a quick breakfast Tenchi let Mihoshi's planning of Sasami's party take a back seat to his growing concern for the absent Ryoko. Reminding himself that she was often late for breakfast didn't help for he realized that he still had no idea of how to deal with her when the time came to leave. Nobuyuki and Mihoshi were still too caught up in what had moved from exhaustion-accelerated talk of Sasami's party to a groggy tale of Nobuyuki's "celebrations of college youth" to notice Tenchi's paranoid manner.
With each step towards the lake, Tenchi looked for Ryoko in a different direction. Aeka and Washu were already waiting at the end of the dock, Aeka waved warmly at him and Tenchi tried to make up for his occupied arms with a large smile. Everyone exchanged a collective good-morning as they came within earshot. Tenchi's face warmed despite the early chill as his eyes fell upon the elegant robe Aeka was wearing. He'd seen her wear it on a few special occasions, but it still struck him with awe. It was as if the tailor had spent weeks just looking at her to make an outfit with such a regal yet peaceful design. As Tenchi came to the first weathered board on the dock he stopped to smile even more brightly at the image of the princess waiting patiently in the first timid rays of the sun. The stillness of the air took nothing from the flow of Aeka's garment; its beauty billowed with the mere sound of her soft and dignified voice.
"Did you have a pleasant rest Lord Tenchi?"
Tenchi's ears were put on hiatus as the whole of his perception dedicated itself to a proper scan of Aeka's outfit. The soft magenta of the robe's body rose to a standing ovation at the pink fireworks in the princess's eyes. Conversely, the turquoise trim and ties bowed gracefully to the violet waterfall of her hair. Tenchi saw no audience, only a ridiculously beautiful princess, and he heard no question till she repeated it in a louder tone. He blinked hard.
"Oh-um, yes, thank you."
Tenchi tried to scratch the blush away via the back of his neck while Aeka tried to hide hers behind a robe-covered hand.
"Took you guys long enough, we could have and should have been off 30.54 seconds ago," Washu scolded Tenchi as she walked towards them with her eyes still focused on her laptop.
"Sooooreeeeeyyyyahhhh!" Mihoshi yawned loudly.
"Now, are you sure no one comes by the shrine this early?" Washu asked Nobuyuki as if he were a simpleton.
"Noohpe juhst daahd." Nobuyuki yawned his reply with little more dignity.
"Okay then," Washu held up a finger and dramatically let it fall on a single key, calling out in childish glory. "Behold my genius yet again!"
Ryo-oh emerged from a storage dimension a few feet above and behind Aeka, who turned and held her hands together in utter delight. Everyone stood with paralyzed gapes till Washu turned to glare at a yawning Nobuyuki.
"Oh...uh...it's fantastic Little Washu, you've really outdone yourself." The nervous architect drew back slowly, then relaxed as she turned back to her laptop.
The creak of Tenchi's foot on the first board introduced the hum of Ryoko's teleportation. Her smiling face came into place an inch away from his and he stumbled back with little grace. His brows then twisted in confusion as she bent down and gently took the bags.
"Here Tenchi, let me help you with those," Ryoko offered in a friendly tone which so surprised him, as he'd been preparing to need someone to pry her away, that the bags slipped easily out of his hands. She smiled at him sweetly, turned and began to slowly float towards the ship.
*What in the world is going on here? Is she actually ^helping^ me leave? Why would---she---her---
Tenchi's thoughts sputtered and stopped short of another inner debate when his eyes moved up from his luggage to the pirate between them, to the back of her tight red shirt, to the black ankle length skirt, to something that sat on all inquires to Ryoko's strange behavior.
He had known for a while that her body went beyond merely attractive, but that simple skirt amplified the shape of her rear end so well that he inhaled deeply and spread each finger out in rising tension. With base and classic visions in mind, he rubbed his thumbs against his forefingers and suddenly knew instinctively how perfect something could feel.
"I did a good job, don't you think, Tenchi?" Washu asked smugly, appearing at his side from nowhere.
Tenchi blinked hard and instantly turned a sharp red. He looked down at the little genius and tried to defend himself.
"I...uh-" His voice shook like a child with a hand caught in daddy's secret drawer.
"Do you have any idea how much care I put into making sure the shape would come out right?" She asked gruffly, her focus still on the holographic laptop.
"What...er...I don't-" He tried pathetically to replace lust with stupidity.
"But the ride should be smooth." She said looked up at him with a coy smile. Tenchi merely stared at her with wide eyes and a prayer against nosebleeds.
"Maybe if I try a few more saplings I might even be able to do the same for Funaho."
Realization hit Tenchi like a blessed brick as he looked from Ryoko up to the accelerated growth version of Ryo-oh. He hung his head with an exhale of relief and felt his forehead with the back of his hand. Despite his clumsiness so far, Tenchi was able to wipe the sweat away without seeming too obvious.
"You did a great job little Washu." Tenchi complimented her with short breath.
"I did."
Washu answered as if talking to herself and began walking back up the dock. After a few steps she looked back sharply with a sly smile that returned a dreadful uncertainty.
"Didn't I?"
Ryoko stopped a foot in front of Aeka's dumbfounded face and remained hovering with Tenchi's bags still in her hands. After visibly trying to find a sinister motive to her rival's helpfulness, Aeka spoke in a quiet yet expressly condescending and accusing tone.
"You know Ryoko, disposing of Lord Tenchi's luggage wont prevent him from leaving."
The brows drew together angrily on Ryoko's previously happy face, but a long nasal inhale seemed to hold back a surge of rage. As if struck by inspiration, she smiled deviously for a moment and put on an air of loud cartoon-like sweetness.
"Why thank you Aeka, they ^were^ getting kinda heavy."
Tenchi and Washu both looked confused as they approached the strangely civil rivals. Aeka's confusion and anger turned to pained shock as she instinctively grabbed for the larger suitcase tossed at her midsection. The weight of it pulled her over, and as she struggled to regain her posture and dignity Ryoko took the opportunity to address Tenchi.
"Hey Tenchi," she began in the cooing tone she always used when working to ask for something without literally squeezing it out of him.
"^Uh oh^," Tenchi whispered to himself as he became certain that the moment of truth was unfolding. He gulped as Ryoko sensually reached behind her neck with both hands, thoughts of how she was planning to say goodbye, or worse: how she was scheming to keep him there, began to rise ominously. When her hand removed a groggy Ryo-ohki Tenchi instantly went from relief to puzzlement.
"Tenchi, Sasami and Ryo-ohki are such good friends that---well I was just thinking of how happy they'd be to see each other," Ryoko began timidly, looking from Tenchi down to the carefully held and stroked cabbit.
"She doesn't take up air or anything, and using Ryo-oh's food replicater to make a few extra carrots shouldn't be too much of a drain." At the sound of the blessed word the cabbit's ears perked up, and she let out a hungry meow. "And so I was just wondering if you'd like to take Ryo-ohki with you to see Sasami." Ryoko looked at Tenchi with a shy yet sincere expression. His smile spread quickly at the singular and profound warmth he felt whenever the ex-pirate tried to do something thoughtful, however shaky she may still be at it. The sound of jubilance when Sasami and Ryo-ohki reunited was something he suddenly knew he had to hear sooner than later.
Tenchi quickly glanced over at Washu for confirmation. The little scientist had a focused yet amused gaze fixed on Ryoko but turned it towards him seconds before he could ask.
"She shouldn't cause a problem, probably a good idea to have a back-up ship around."
Ryo-ohki meowed affectionately as she was handed over to Tenchi, who petted her head for a moment before looking up to address a stone-faced Aeka.
"Isn't that thoughtful Aeka," Tenchi asked cheerfully in another attempt to make the two rivals see good in each other.
Aeka looked quickly over at Tenchi and forced a smile. He looked past her to get another eyeful of Ryo-oh while the princess's eyes narrowed into cold pits aimed to consume an all but beaming Ryoko.
"Yes Tenchi, very thoughtful," Aeka said in a deadpan voice that barely masked her intense frustration. "Azaka! Kamadake!" the guardians flew instantly to her sides at the particularly forceful summons. "Are you ready Lord Tenchi," Aeka asked in once more drastically softened voice.
Ryoko smiled dreamily at Tenchi as she handed him his bag. After Tenchi's arm had adjusted to the weight of the bag his torso suddenly had to adjust to the weight of Ryoko. But as he stood up straight in now almost reflexive nervousness he noticed she was not pouncing on him, but was instead wrapping her arms about him with slow and gentle pressure.
"Please hurry back my Tenchi."
Her delicate coo did not make him blush, sweat, or even tense up. Tenchi's mind went completely blank and he stood there, returning the hug with flaccid hands. It was too numb a feeling to compare to drowning but as he heard Aeka inhale deeply to begin her standard complaint he almost gasped himself. As if actually wanting to avoid a fight, Ryoko withdrew hesitantly and looked down at Tenchi's left foot. She smiled a secret smile at Ryo-ohki who meowed happily, hopped down, and morphed into her toddler form. The little cabbit-girl hugged Tenchi's leg and startled a smile from him.
Aeka glared at the little humanoid meowing happily as Tenchi patted her head. The princess then raised her eyes menacingly at Ryoko who returned the look eye for eye.
"Thank you again Miss Washu, Sasami and I are greatly in your debt." Aeka spoke formally, though only facing the appropriate party halfway through. She gave the order to Ryo-oh with swift turn. Tenchi, Ryo-ohki, Aeka, and her guardians all faded away in a faint blue light emitting from the tree-ship's bow. Washu began checking some data again, smiling with satisfaction as she spoke into her laptop.
"Okay princess, get going before the earth military shows up," Washu ordered them sarcastically.
Ryo-oh remained motionless for a moment before an imposing hum of energy lifted them swiftly and gracefully into the sky. Washu watched the ship ascend till it became a sparkle of light speeding off into space. She exhaled gratitude that the event had gone through relatively without problems, dissipated her laptop, and looked over at her daughter with an anxious smile. Ryoko had her arms somewhat crossed, somewhat hugging herself, and was still starring upward. The gloss over her eyes seemed to be collecting moisture while her lashes met, as if in a ceremony to accept that she had truly made it through the event.
"Well my little Ryoko, I never intended for Ryo-ohki to be used as a chaperone, but I must admit that was pretty-" Washu began in her teasing voice.
"Shut up Washu! Just ^shut^ ^up^! I actually thought you were on my side, that you were getting Ryo-oh flying again so that Aeka could get back to her planet where she belongs and leave Tenchi and me alone, but ^no^!" Ryoko cut her mother off with a rusted razor tongue.
"Hey now, just a minute," Washu began in offense before she was interrupted again by the increasing burn in Ryoko's face and voice.
"Do you ^want^ Tenchi to marry Aeka? Is that it? You want better royal connections or something? You could have let me go along, could have let ^anyone^ go along, but instead you sent the two of them off alone into the depths of space and the mercy of Jurai!"
Ryoko hardly parted her barred teeth.
"Why not tell Aeka to go by her damn self! WHY!? I'm already going nuts here, wondering what she's doing to him." Her lecture festered as she moved threateningly closer with each word.
"I just thought that-" Washu's straight face began to sag with disappointment.
"Thought that what!? That I'd like to hang around with Mihoshi and Tenchi's dad some more, or that I'd like to have more time to let you hook me up to some insane machine!" Ryoko's anger had leveled off, but the sneer that replaced it carried even more venom.
"Or do you just want some more mother-daughter bonding time?" Genius's only child spoke with all the cruelty of a mocking bully. "That's just ^hilarious^, Washu, if you want someone to talk to why don't you go build something with ears!"
Ryoko looked down, waiting for Washu to leave. When she remained still, looking up at her daughter with steadily hardening eyes, the former weapon huffed and began to fly a quick withdraw up the dock.
*Ryoko.
Washu spelled out mental urgency. Her daughter stopped a few feet from the shore and remained motionless a few seconds from a minute.
*Don't talk to me Washu, not this way or any other way.
Both hands stretched out and balled up. Tension shook from the whites of her knuckles to the tips of her hair, cutting the mental airs out of Washu's retort.
*Go stay in your damn lab where you belong you---you little ^freak^!
Telepathy came through loud and clear a moment before Ryoko went from opaque to clear to gone. Washu stood there looking as lifeless as a machine for about ten seconds before beginning a casual walk back up the dock with head even and eyes low. Once on land again she looked up and noticed Nobuyuki and Mihoshi leaning against each other and working together to saw a rather large log.
She breathed in, ready to wake them with a yell, but exhaled apathy before bringing up her laptop and opening a passage back to her lab. The small sucking zap the portal made as it closed briefly woke Nobuyuki who sleepily wished Tenchi a pleasant trip.
***
Washu walked up to the huge tank of masses and followed their carefree movement less like a child in a zoo, hardly like a scientist in a lab, and exactly like a lonely old woman in a park full families. Her hands held each other lifelessly behind her back for the first few minutes before her face crinkled in anger and struck out at the reinforced poly- plastic with a tight fist. She leaned forward slowly, supporting her weight on the smooth surface with a thump and a cold pressure against her forehead.
Forward-Forewarned:
I'll explain the synopsis verse, but I ask that readers try to figure out the rest of them on their own.
***
Over-ambition marries cliché.
That we hold the sun---yet rue the day.
***
Once you discard nonexistent editing and poor transference of formats the two biggest problems with fanfiction are over-ambition and cliché: ideals that are too much for the author/characters to live up to and ideas that are too overused to live down. The synopsis begins with these two themes because, through this story, I hope to expand upon what I am far from talented enough to escape.
Use of the word 'marries' rather than, say, 'embraces' suggests not only unions that are overt and extensive, but also those that coexist by default or necessity. The clichés and over-ambitions of paradox, for better and worse, are all but unavoidable. But for all the luck and blood of creation I've found the most interesting connections to exist between icons without obvious inversions or reflections. Simply provided: there are many ways to examine a relationship, and many ways to create one. Simply promoted: every romantic has to preach and every cynic has to admit that insight is usually impossible without interaction.
The second line speaks of the power of misused power. 'That we hold the sun---yet rue the day' is an attempt to express the significance of being gifted or fortunate, yet still haunted by past mistakes and the shadows of doubt they cast. In addition to the more directly selfish motivations I have for publishing this fanfiction, my primary goal is to examine regret and uncertainty as more threatening to life than any popular evil.
---
Our story takes place as a continuation of the all too short Tenchi Muyo! OAV, it may take a few chapters to develop but will not be left unfinished. Some content may push the limits of the PG-13 rating, but I'll try to address questions and grievances in the Afterward-Aftermath. Until I find a way to better translate italics and the like, keep in mind = ^stress(ed)^ / *thought.
If you want some kind of hint regarding 'who Tenchi chooses'...tough. I won't even tell you ^if^ he chooses anyone at all; it waters down delicious suspense and often drowns out other important seasonings.
Thank you, enjoy.
---------------------------
Standard Disclaimer:
I thank all the owners of the Tenchi characters who have chosen not to sue me for suggesting some alternative uses for them.
Standard Advertisement:
I thank all the readers who have perused my other submissions and favorite authors. Those who acknowledge someone for leading them this way will earn that kind person an ^extra^ review.
Standard Procedure:
Make a list of needed items and a store of potential discounts before going to market.
Tenchi Muyo: Sanctuary and Asylum
-Verse One-
-Family-
Our fortune and our life's work---our family and friends.
Insignificance cannot belittle---what immortality commends.
-ZJS
The genius's emeralds gleamed intensely on her latest creation as it rotated in a steady hum of soft yellow energy. They focused back the reflection of her own face, its tension clear on the semitransparent surface separating her from the possible dangers of the procedure. Anxiety swelled as she looked over at small digital symbols simultaneously monitoring and adding urgency to the situation. Young hands lightly caressed the control buttons with the patience and grace of spider legs while she waited for the perfect moment to prevent disaster. Sultry anticipation narrowed her expression as the final moment approached. She licked her lips, ready to inhale the birth steam of accomplishment. A wicked grin split. A rigid finger pounced. Her latest invention opened up to the world with a plastic thump.
"HA-HA! I got it!" Washu bellowed, holding her success to the heavens in exaggerated triumph.
"For goodness sakes Miss Washu, would it not be easier to simply install a bell on the microwave that didn't annoy you so?" Aeka tilted her head in confusion and blew steam from a piece of breakfast.
"Of course," Washu regained her normal controlled and knowing tone, "but then this stuff wouldn't taste as good."
She cleared the one remaining digital second, slammed the little reactor door, and proceeded to enjoy the fruits of her labor with noticeably more enthusiasm than the others gathered round the family table. Tenchi, his favorites in dads, galaxy police officers, and First Princesses of Jurai were all clearly still in the early stages of consciousness, but their lethargic intake of the oatmeal spooned old gruel to a fresh orphan.
"Hmm, maybe I should try doing it then," Tenchi mumbled as he stirred in a few raisins.
Washu put her utensils down, crossed her arms and looked around the table with agitated lips crumpled to one side.
"Now I know you all miss Sasami's cooking, but I was up way too late working on my Blue Emissions report to make everyone extravagant omelets, so suck it up...literally if you have to."
Her cute curtness caused everyone to feign a little more interest in their meal. Tenchi naturally tried to cover up the monstrous thought of offense.
"Oh, its not that bad Wa-^Little^ Washu, I think I just need to warm it up a little, that's all."
A transparent mass of spiked cyan hair slowly became solid behind the young man of the house as Ryoko placed a hand on one shoulder and reached towards his breakfast with the other.
"Don't worry, Tenchi," she whispered seductively into his ear, "I can warm ^anything^ up for ^you^."
Ms. Brazen's proper temperate nemesis was suddenly wide-awake.
"Ryoko! Get off of---RYOKO DON'T!" Aeka screamed as a small marble of energy on the end of a skilled finger made its way into Tenchi's oatmeal. The thick paste began to bubble with such vulgar noises. It splattered everyone at the table before charring up a foul smoke, the cloud split around Ryoko's hand.
"Ryoko, next time just use the microwave." Tenchi scolded in exasperation.
"Don't worry Tenchi...now we get to clean it off each other." She playfully scoped a small glob off his thigh and stuck it suggestively between her lips.
"Stop that right now you...oh the smell!" Aeka whined through a pinched nose and walked towards the sliding glass door.
As she attempted to replace it with the screen a single ladybug flew in inches away from her face. Aeka squealed in shock and sporadically waved and swatted air. The small insect managed to avert its course towards the table where it landed delicately on Tenchi's arm. Mihoshi's groggy eyes lit up as she removed her own hands from her nose and clapped them together with childish glee.
"Ohhhh, Tenchi! Earth people say that's a sign of good fortune!"
"That's ridiculous," Aeka scoffed, "how could anything be lucky about another pestering bug."
"Actually, those are good for the garden," Noboyuki interjected humbly, looking over to Washu for support. The professional opinion paused to wipe a bit of oatmeal from one of the shorter strands of hair around her face. She flicked it away and nodded plainly.
"Not quite as effective as a pesticide I once came up with, but they do well enough."
"Well I agree with Mihoshi this time anyway...I think there's a ^very^ good chance Tenchi'll get lucky today." Ryoko's voice dripped with honey and cream as she inched her mouth closer to the young man's ear.
A wave of red washed across Tenchi's fortunate cheeks. Aeka reached out and vehemently pulled Ryoko away by one of the long bangs hanging on either side of her face. Shrill screams soon filled the room as the two girls simultaneously tried to scalp each other with their bare hands. The distraction struck Mr. Lucky as a perfect moment to grab the ladybug and make a stealthy escape out the back door.
He looked down at his clasped hands with a sigh and walked tiredly into the lush meadow near his home. The screams still resonating behind him made Tenchi brake into a jog with the hope of dissolving them into the tranquility of wind passing through the surrounding forest. Once his weary feet had brought him to silence and a small patch of wild flowers, he extended his hand as if admiring a new coat of nail polish. The dainty beetle tickled a small grin out of its unknown savior, but rather than fly away it continued up his index finger and down towards his thumb. Tenchi raised his arm in encouragement and tried to smile, still thinking about the mess that likely awaited him.
"I know this may seem like a haven for lost travelers, but you're definitely safer out here."
When it reached the tip of his thumbnail the ladybug spread its wings and flew lazily off into the warming air. He watched it and wondered how anyone could be afraid of such a frail and pretty little thing. Once the insect was out of view, he shifted his gaze to the sky and began to think about how right Washu had been about missing Sasami.
The Second Princess's lively, yet innocent pink eyes had been such a warming part of the morning (whether or not they held the promise of a lovingly prepared meal). Unfortunately, Tenchi had not come to fully realize her importance to the well-being of the household until about a week after the message, the summons. The memory began with Azaka and Kamadake appearing at the dinner table 3 weeks ago; it gradually pulled Tenchi's brow together and drug his mouth into a frown.
Everyone had been sitting down in eager anticipation of one of Sasami's specialties when the guardians emerged purposefully from their post for the first time in months. Their announcement of an incoming transmission from Jurai quickly gave them everyone's attention. The stern face of Aeka's father and all the stress surrounding his last visit had shot instantly into Tenchi's mind. Ever since the indirect confrontation between them he'd spent a night a week consumed with how to handle the imposing man when he finally lost his patience with regards to his daughters' 'vacation'.
Aeka had looked at the guardians, then from Sasami to Tenchi with an expression of accelerating worry. Before she formally asked the cylinder sentinels to put the message through, Sasami had noticed Tenchi's tension and once again shared encouraging words about the length of time he might expect to have the two sisters as guests.
*'You know Tenchi, a year here isn't long at all on Jurai cause Jurains live a whole lot longer than earth people do.'
Tenchi closed his eyes in the empty field to focus on a memory now supplementing his memory.
She had reassured him a number of times since the anniversary of her "arrival" at his home, a pleasant celebration till a semi-drunken Ryoko suggested that Aeka's parents 'must still be missing her by now'.
From the day Washu successfully accelerated Ryo-oh's growth to make it reach maturity within a few days, Ryoko had been dropping hints that Aeka "take a little trip in it", but before the usual argument could erupt about her obligation to protect "Lord Tenchi" from harm, she had suddenly turned to him with a tender look in her eyes and asked if he wanted her to stay.
The implications of him wanting ^her^ rather than her and her sister to stay were clear, yet Tenchi had characteristically taken the nonbiased approach: "I just hope it's not causing any trouble at home."
Tenchi pinch his sinus back to the original memory.
What Sasami forgot to mention about Jurain age was that she had not yet partaken in the ceremony performed by all Jurains on their twelfth birthday wherein she would be given water from Jurai's Great-Tree. The summons by both Funaho and Misaki made it clear that this was something already known to her and completely non-negotiable. A ship was already descending upon Tenchi's home when the message ended. Sasami had packed, reassured everyone that she would return as soon as possible, and been transported aboard in just a few hours. The whole goodbye happened so quickly that Mihoshi did not recover from the shock enough to cry till the next day. Just as the two queens were finalizing things by again thanking everyone for taking good care of their daughter, Tenchi had considered bringing up Sasami's fusion with the goddess Tsunami.
Tenchi looked around at the present state of things again, still reliving Sasami's departure through the lake's reflected sunrise and the wave of wind through grass. He reminded himself that, even if the secret had made the ceremony unnecessary, it would certainly have caused more stress for her family and perhaps the entire empire.
Of all the fantastic and nearly surreal things that he'd been confronted with since freeing Ryoko, the situation with Sasami and Tsunami always made Tenchi laugh (his favorite defense mechanism for maintaining what few concepts of reality he still had). He shook his head and let out a soft hissing chuckle through his teeth to dismiss the situation, but every footstep closer to another night of Washu's either bland or frightening culinary inventions brought his thoughts longingly back to Sasami and consequently to Tsunami.
"The comfort of a little sister and the protection of an aunt, all in one." Tenchi spoke to himself in a nostalgic whisper, failing to find comfort in the half-irony. "But it seems like she's family to more than just Aeka and me."
Although things hadn't completely fallen apart in Sasami's absence, something seemed wrong about Washu taking over her prime responsibilities of keeping the family fed and preventing Ryoko and Aeka from getting carried away with their fights. She did both the way she handled most things: like an experiment under her mechanical control. It was clear that when she got cooperation from people it was for fear of her mad-scientist glare, rather than a desire to see her girl-in-a-candy-store smile. Having fun times with the family just seemed harder with a member missing.
"^The family^?" Tenchi stopped in surprise and considered his inner monologue again. After spending a little over a year with the five houseguests the title seemed to come to him without any hesitation, yet he wondered how guests could so easily seem like members of the family.
This question was pushed to the back of Tenchi's mind as he looked up again through the screen door into a surprisingly clean kitchen. He slowly reentered ground zero, turning to the living room to see Mihoshi contentedly absorbed with cartoons while Ryoko and Aeka sat on either side of her, holding large ice bags onto their heads and groaning into themselves. The clock's crooked smile gave Tenchi a sagging grimace; he'd have to avoid detection by the girls again if he wanted to make it to school on time.
***
Washu walked casually past her specimen tanks. Her mechanical double in motel maid uniform followed with a bucket and a few dirty towels dangling over its shoulder. Lights gradually came on all around her to reveal the immense size and complexity of her lab. Mecha-Washu continued walking to the recharging chamber as its inventor sat down on the soft burgundy cushions of a levitating chair. She watched the assistant plug in a few wires with perfectly reflected disinterest before turning to the expansive screen in front of her.
"I suppose it's sorta shameful to use you for such primitive purposes, but I can't stand cleaning up cheesy things." Washu's fingers wiggled in meager disgust before her holographic laptop materialized between herself and the screen, with a few simple commands four separate squares appeared, each containing detailed surveillance footage.
The first scene spied on Tenchi in his school uniform sneaking out the front door, the second showed the increasingly numbed gathering in the living room, while the third gave a relaxing vision of Katshuhito sipping tea on a rock outside the shrine.
Washu's eyes moved drably across each square till it stopped at the far right where a single planet far greener than earth rotated silently among the stars. She slouched a little, let her arms droop, and exhaled through pouted lips with an almost horse-like sound. The image zoomed in while she spoke to it in a distant voice.
"Ya know, it's not hardly fair to have to miss you like this."
***
Mihoshi's simple voice was further zombiefied by half an hour of musical cartoon rodents.
"Aeka, do they have this show on Jurai?"
Ryo-Ohki let out a yawn from Ryoko's lap.
"Don't ask me stupid questions now Mihoshi." Aeka answered in an overtly grumpy tone.
"Me-yow." the cabbit sighed softly at the reminder of the absent friend who often enjoyed the show with Mihoshi. Ryoko glared over at Aeka before giving Ryo-Ohki a scratch behind the ear and leaning back silently under Washu's ice bag.
***
Tenchi released a barbarian grunt as he hefted the last basket of vegetables into the storage shed and massaged the flex of his muscles with a pleased grin. A small gasp froze him in another second. He jerked his head in every direction, knowing that if anyone saw his little joke he'd never hear the end of it. A sigh of relief spurred him back home where he hoped to find dinner waiting for him.
As the house grew nearer Tenchi thought back to when he'd come home from school earlier that day. The deep breath he'd taken for the routine competition to greet his return had been unnecessary. Every step had injected more fear of a mounting ambush as he made his way inside and changed into his gardening clothes, yet only now did a light from the kitchen confirm that anyone was home at all. A sudden realization contracted his hand before it reached the door.
*If neither of them welcomed me home from school---then they'll be twice as eager to see me when I come back from the garden.
A helpless sigh puffed out of Tenchi's hanging head as he stepped towards the back porch. Before he could look up to accept his affection asphyxiation, Ryoko Teleported behind him and, grabbing onto his shoulders, teleported him into a seat at the dinner table. He felt her hands still firmly on him and was about to turn around to remind her of how unnerving that still was when he noticed everyone's attention turned towards Aeka and the two guardians levitating at attention behind her.
"Ryoko. I'm sure Lord Tenchi was quite capable of taking ten more steps to the dinner table." Aeka frowned seriously.
"Well I'm impatient, I still don't know why you didn't let me do it sooner...but Tenchi forgives me, don't you Tenchi?" Ryoko said softly as she slithered her hands off his shoulders, taking her seat and Tenchi's thigh as a hand-rest.
"Uhhh," Fear confronted arousal spun in his mind till he could finally remember his initial question. "What's with all the urgency, and why are the guardians inside?"
"Ohhhh, Sasami's coming back, I'm SO HAPPY! I can't wait till-" Mihoshi began to squeal with glee.
"Be quiet Mihoshi! I haven't even opened the communications yet." Aeka snapped.
Tenchi suddenly straightened up, inwardly just as anxious to hear from the little princess. But he calmed a little for fear that the news might not be a promised return to a full house.
"Thanks for waiting for me guys," Tenchi said sincerely.
"Of course Lord Tenchi." Aeka politely changed her tone.
"Well come on Aeka, put her through." Ryoko leaned forward impatiently, the increase in pressure causing Tenchi some trouble in hiding his discomfort.
Aeka gave the order to Azaka and Kamadake who obediently materialized a meter square holographic screen between them. The appearance of Sasami's bright face instantly summoned happy grins from the entire family, even a normally calm Katshuhito.
"Hi everybody, I've missed you sooooooooo much!" Sasami's image cheered.
Everyone returned the enthusiastic sentiment before settling back down to a silence laced with an obvious hope that Sasami indulged without hesitation.
"I finally get to come back!" She shouted triumphantly.
"No more chef Washu!" Ryoko raised her fist in celebration.
"Hey! You try working with these medieval tools...on second thought I think I'd rather starve." Washu met Ryoko glare for glare.
"That's great news Sasami, when are you getting back," Tenchi asked happily
Sasami's cheer suddenly began to drain till her voice came in with slow uncertainty.
"Well that's the thing, daddy has this big thing going with a bunch of other planets and, well, there wont be any ships free for another six months, maybe even a year."
The crowd's spirits began to visibly sink in disappointment before Aeka perked them up.
"Oh Sasami! Miss Washu found a way to fully re-grow Ryo-oh. I can come and pick you up and bring you back here."
Stars exploded in Sasami's eyes as her voice regained its glee tenfold.
"Yeaaaaaah, then everyone can come and bring me back!"
Aeka glanced about the room quickly and began to open her mouth in affirmative, but she stopped short when she noticed the position of Ryoko's hand. She inhaled sharply through her nose, letting it out slowly as an idea calmed her fury and spread a wide grin across her face. After another breath, she looked up at her sister with disappointment and spoke with an overtly solemn tone.
"I'm sorry, sister. I'm afraid Ryo-oh is back to full size but not full strength and probably couldn't support more than two or three passengers at once."
"Actually Aeka-" Washu began.
"Oh Little Washu, shouldn't someone be monitoring the dinner?" Exaggerated concern interrupted the expert opinion.
Washu's eyes bulged as she sprinted into the kitchen with a small yelp.
"Oh, okay Aeka, just so long as I don't have to wait a whole year to see you all again." Sasami answered as contentedly as possible.
"Good then, if I depart tomorrow you should be back on earth within a week." Aeka confirmed with a happy smile.
"I can't wait to see everyone again. See you soon Aeka, I love you all, bye!" Sasami bowed with uncommon giddiness and her image vanished. The two guardians were politely and promptly dismissed.
Her innocent child's voice had been only slightly changed by a touch of maturity since she had seen them last, and the enthusiastic conversation focused on this before Mihoshi alone held the floor, babbling on about the potentials for a welcome home party. Everyone had been digging more contentedly into the overcooked and humble noodle dish than usual, yet Washu simply stirred hers thoughtfully with a slightly pouting face. She then raised her chopsticks to inquire innocently to anyone listening.
"Well, since Sasami's going to be coming back so soon, I guess nobody will mind nullifying my promise not to cook with anything from my lab?"
Although everyone had seemed to be ignoring Washu as she mixed question with suggestion, the entire table selectively stopped what they were doing, faced her with stern faces, and answered with a loud 'NO'.
Washu was soon pouting again and mumbling something to the extent of: "You turn their skins orange just once and-"
***
Everyone wearily excused themselves from the table while Washu summoned her laptop and typed a few keys. Her content-looking, yet clearly mindless robotic double instantly started on the cleanup. A different kind of paring from the two identical dishwashing marvels of science emerged a few yards away on the Misaki sofa where the yin of Mihoshi's whine and the yang of Ryoko's growl held the TV remote in a delicate balance.
Tenchi tried to make sense of then enjoy the poetry of it all and allowed a worried frown to invert as he remembered reading some of his grandfather's teachings about moderation and moderators. He decided to approach the problem by taking slight advantage of their eagerness to please him and feigning interest in a something on the educational channel.
Once the long and windy archeological program had lulled both Mihoshi and Ryoko into near comas, Tenchi made his way to his room. Along the way he accidentally bid goodnight to Mecha-Washu, the original giggled as she led her assistant back to the lab through the closet. He admired the craftsmanship again and continued towards his room with a yawn cut short by a flash of purple hair leaping onto his path.
"Oh Lord Tenchi, so sorry to startle you, I merely wanted to wish you a pleasant night's rest." Aeka said in her sweetest princess voice.
"It's okay. You too." Tenchi replied, upright and modest as he almost always was when one of the girls talked to him in an affectionate tone.
"Lord Tenchi?" She asked again with noticeable intent of coaxing something out of him.
"Uh...yes Miss Aeka?"
***
The snap of the robot removing rubber gloves behind her made no dent in the bored expression on Washu's face. The lab was just as they had left it, and no more exciting now that they had returned. She looked around at the small collection of unfinished projects, her emeralds fading to dull plastic. The tools lying all about the testaments to circuitry and insults to geometry beckoned to her, yet she merely gave them a disinterested sigh.
She yawned, scratched her back, and continued down a self-lighting path away from the immediate collection of machines. A depressed weariness began to weigh her face down, but after a few steps she stopped with a startled blink. Her assistant stopped only inches behind her.
*^Now wait just a damn minute^!
The raging voice filled Washu's consciousness like a flash flood. Ryoko instantly had the scientist's undivided attention as she only received telepathy from her daughter when she was either telling her to 'get out of her head' or when she was so upset that her thoughts and emotions actually overflowed into her mother's mind. Fearing some catastrophe, two masses of excited red hair jogged back out into the living room. When they emerged from the lab, however they saw no carnage, only the familiar scene of a nervous youth between two fuming young ladies.
"It's really quite simple miss Ryoko, I asked Lord Tenchi if he'd like to come with me to bring Sasami back, since she'd be happy to see him after so long, and he said yes, end of story. Just go back to sleeping, you're good at that." Aeka's superior tone seemed intent on being particularly dismissive.
"So you've finally started to get sneaky in this game, huh, Aeka?" Ryoko said in a failed attempt to cover her rage with smugness.
"I am not a sneak Ryoko, that's another area you have completely covered." Aeka sneered.
"Oh, right, getting Tenchi alone on a spaceship with you is purely for Sasami's sake, that's rich." Sarcasm now fit more cohesively with Ryoko's rage. "What happened to Ryo-oh only being able to carry ^two^ passengers, huh?"
Tenchi's innocent gullibility finally wore off and left bright red cheeks in its absence. When Aeka noticed this, her color changed even more dramatically as anger consumed her nervousness.
"H-H-How ^dare^ you suggest such a thing Ryoko! I said two ^or three^. Now look, you're embarrassing Lord Tenchi!" Aeka pointed a finger that trembled in unison with the hapless youth and kept her eyes averted from the boiling Ryoko.
"AH-HA! I knew it! Well I guess I should be proud of you princess, I never knew you had it in ya to pull something like this. Too bad the jig is up...right Tenchi?" Ryoko's triumphant voice wavered a little as she stared seriously into his eyes.
"Well uh, I uh," Tenchi began before he noticed Washu at the bottom of the stairs with her arms folded and a trancelike gaze focused to her lower right.
"Washu!" He cried out in relief then pleaded. "You can answer this, can't you?"
Ryoko awaited her reply with a sideways glance towards a princess desperately trying to stand with the same confidence. Though she heard them, Washu did not respond as she thought over the argument and the report Aeka had previously distracted her from:
*Maybe Aeka's right, maybe it would be safer to test Ryo-oh with only three passengers.
*What are you talking about Washu?! You're the greatest scientific genius in the universe---aren't you? So the experiments and inventions haven't come out 200% perfect lately, it doesn't mean the accelerated Ryo-oh isn't just as good if not better than the old one. Isn't it obvious that this is a plot by Aeka to get Tenchi on a private cruise?
*And if it is shouldn't you stop it?
*Maybe, this could make things interesting, it sure would be nice to come out of the lab to a quiet place for a while. I'm sure I could convince Ryoko that, even alone with Tenchi, Aeka is no threat. Convince Ryoko--- talk to Ryoko without Tenchi there as a distraction-
After Ryoko had yelled Washu's name twice the little genius looked up at them calmly and responded with pure scientific certainty.
"Aeka's right Ryoko. It would be best to take only Tenchi along, Jurain energy is kinda tricky and it's probably better to test the ship with only a few Jurains."
Aeka's surprise quickly vanished into glowing righteousness and she stood as royally as she ever had. Tenchi slumped a little with a sigh of relief that the argument was settled. Ryoko stood frozen in dumbfounded fury, however, her gargoyle like pose quickly broke out of its stone skin.
"^WWWHAT!^"
"I'm just taking safety into consideration Ryoko. You may have forgotten that Emperor Azusa set up an artificial worm hole to Jurai space; they'll be back in a week or so, maybe sooner." Washu responded professionally to show there was no wavering of faith in her scientific opinion. No one's expression changed.
"I just hope all of Jurai doesn't start bringing me their saplings." She added quickly, hoping to keep the focus on Ryo-oh rather than the prospect of Aeka and Tenchi being alone inside it.
Ryoko's body seemed to be preparing the release of an earth-shattering scream when she merely levitated an inch and teleported away without looking at anyone. Three different sighs carried the remaining people to their separate quarters.
***
A lively breeze whistled through the tall grass and squeaked the hinges of a suspiciously open door to the Misaki's wooden storage shed. In a shadowed corner a small crunching sound mingled with an occasional decadent purr; Ryo-ohki was all too happy to exploit the stock Tenchi had forgotten to lock up.
Halfway through her carrot she stopped and raised her long ear above wide eyes. She looked out the door then down at the treat indecisively, eventually tossing it on a large discard pile and bounding outside. The carrot-half slowly rolled down through the stems where it was caught and carried out into the moonlight.
The wide-eyed creature hopped gingerly to the bottom of a large tree where she set her carrot down and let out a concerned meow. The weeping figure hidden in the branches, startled by the sudden noise, formed her energy sword and accidentally severed a nearby branch. Ryo-ohki squealed in fright and narrowly jumped out of harm's way.
"Oh, it's you Ryo-ohki."
Ryoko teleported next to the shaken cabbit, trying in vain to snort back tears. Her agonized expression gained a hint of curiosity when she noticed something beneath the smoldering stump of the fallen branch. She bent over and grimaced as she stood up again, the charred and soiled remains of a carrot dangling from her fingers.
"Sorry Ryo-ohki." Some apologies can sound sincere even when hoarding all the sympathy.
First letting out an annoyed meow, her ship covered it up with one full of sympathy when she noticed that the pirate's gold seemed worn and tarnished to a despairing brass. The carrot dropped. Soon after it hit the ground Ryoko's knees followed in a body-crumble of overwhelming defeat.
"What am I going to do Ryo-ohki?" Ryoko asked lifelessly, starring into the limp palms crossed over her lap. Ryo-ohki walked up and gently placed a paw on her captain's knee with another sympathetic meow. "Tenchi's going off alone with Aeka," her voice began to strain again, "and there's ^nothing^ I can do to stop them."
Ryo-ohki affectionately nuzzled Ryoko's leg. A smile crept up and she began to weakly pet the cabbit's head.
"A whole week. If Aeka...if Tenchi-" She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. This trip might give Aeka the opportunity to make Tenchi forget the person who'd watched over him all his life, and the thought of it tore fresh tears down Ryoko's face.
"W-W-What'll I do Ryo-ohki?" The question went out again with a sob. Ryo- ohki crawled into her lap for extra comfort.
"At least I'll still have you, ya little furball." She chuckled weakly, holding the cabbit up in front of her and smiling as it tried to reassure her with a happier meow. Ryoko's smile drained into a thoughtful expression, her eyebrows clenching as she stared intently at her faithful ship. Ryo-ohki responded with a tweaked ear and a long confused meow.
Pure glee suddenly filled Ryoko's face. She placed Ryo-ohki on the ground in front of her and leaned forward till their noses almost touched.
"That's it! Ryo-ohki, you can still change into a little girl when you want to, right?!" Ryoko asked almost maniacally.
Ryo-ohki meowed brightly and instantly morphed into a small cabbit-like child who barely had time to adjust to the new form before being picked up and twirled around in a fit of shared laughter. After a minute of celebration, the barely contained Ryoko put the entirely unnerved cabbit- girl down and took her cheeks into shaky but warming hands.
"Ryo-ohki," she began amid almost ecstatic breaths, "if I only ask one thing of you for the rest of my days-"
*** Tenchi's hand flopped down like a lazy marionette onto the screeching alarm clock. He grudgingly began to groan, stretch, and massage the remains of sleep from his body. Once oriented, he saluted the suitcases standing by his bedroom door with an accepting sigh. This trip was going to be nothing like the week he'd spent in the U.S. with his English class, but he'd packed basically the same.
"Well," he thought aloud, "today's the day."
The next sigh carried a heavier burden as he realized that there would be much more to worry about on this trip than the haunting stories his dad had told him about American girls. He still couldn't believe that he'd agreed to come along, being so anxious to give Sasami a warm welcome that he completely overlooked the position he'd put himself in.
"This is just so Sasami has a nicer trip," Tenchi told his dressing reflection sternly.
He soon deflated into a puzzled expression, easing his mind into an inner dialog to explain why he'd agreed so readily to Aeka's request.
*She asked so politely and with such concern for Sasami, surely this isn't just a trick to get me alone--- please let it not be a trick.
*Damn it Tenchi, you always make doubly sure there won't be any conflicts before you agree to do something alone with one of the girls.
*Is there some other reason I'm going?
The potentially hidden motives revealed themselves to be less than noble and Tenchi slouched on his largest suitcase, frowning to the accusations of his mind.
*Is this just some excuse to get away for a while? I suppose I would like to see a little of Jurai, but do I actually ^want^ to be alone with Aeka?
A vision of Ryoko's reaction to the trip shot into his mind. As bad as the fights between her and Aeka had ever been, even as they seemed to worsen in Sasami's absence, that kind of emotion hadn't flared up in Ryoko's eyes since the battle with Kagato. He had been learning fairly well how to avoid getting drawn into exhaustive and depressing inner debates, but it was still a grueling effort to keep memories of that encounter from inspiring an evaluation of everything that had happened since.
Growling and shaking his head between his hands, he fought brutally to block out thoughts of the girls, their feelings, and his. He rose up in frustration and prepared to pound the wall. But fists soon surrendered to open palms that slapped down to support his weight. Head sinking down in defeat, he dropped the barriers and allowed the lecture and the debate to begin.
*Who the hell am I kidding? I've been trying to convince myself that we can all just be friends for almost two years, and even if Mihoshi and Washu seemed to have taken that route, Ryoko and Aeka...
Tenchi's mind was soon flooded with countless visions of the two girls trying everything in their power to gain favor over the other. Often times it seemed they only refrained from truly destroying one another for his sake. Although Washu had created a program that had little trouble repairing the damage their fights caused, they still made him cringe. Any danger to life and limb, he realized, was actually secondary to the tangible negative energy he felt them exchange. The utter hatred with which they regarded each other seemed born less of a battle of prides and more of a battle for life.
*But it isn't a battle between them, it's a battle over me, I can bet that one, or even worse, ^both^ of them are really really in love with me. As nonbiased, as passive, as utterly cowardly as I try to be I-
A sound of physical pain escaped, announcing the arrival of something he wished he could ask Washu to remove from his mind: the agonizing comparison of the two almost polar friends. All their strengths and shortcomings always came rushing towards him in a tidal wave. He would think of the two faces, the two overwhelmingly beautiful faces, and would fall to his knees helpless and ashamed.
*Why? Why does it have to be like this? I ask myself this question every time and I never get an answer, comparing them just overwhelms me like...a wave...a Tsunami...Sasami. I can still barely bring myself to comprehend Her, a Goddess, making everyone breakfasts, calming quarrels...keeping the peace.
The steadily maturing features of Tenchi's face forgot themselves and regressed to the bewildered vulnerable eyes of an adolescent near revelation. Small relief rose up in him as he considered that one burning question might be able to cancel out another.
*That must be it, Tsunami, Sasami, that energy, that amazing energy I feel around her---them. It's so undeniably...good. Am I so anxious to have that presence back here, is that why I wanted to go. Do I, do I, just want to be around it again. Did I become addicted to that connection with Jurai's energy? It's almost funny, addicted to a Goddess, like those religious nuts; so caught up with being connected to pure goodness that I'd do anything to keep the high. But this is real...I hope.
Tenchi forcefully composed himself again, glancing at the clock as he picked up his bags. He let out another sigh of hesitantly accepted duty, and tried to adjust his smile in the mirror one last time.
*I'm getting nowhere. The main point is that trying to back out now would just make things worse, I just need to reassure Ryoko somehow. Now that I think about it, this will be a good chance for her and Washu to maybe-
Tenchi stopped mid-button and frowned.
*No. She wouldn't. Of course not!
*But she almost never has doubts about her inventions.
*No Tenchi come on, thinking of this as one of Washu's scientific schemes isn't going to help anything. You've kept things from getting too serious during the picnics and games and all the other times you were alone with one of them, you can do it this time. Besides, Aeka's so modest, so shy, so sweet...maybe it will be nice to talk to her, about Sasami, about Jurai. About everything.
This last encouraging thought readjusted his smile the last twist it needed to be sincere. As he walked gingerly into the hallway he tried to maintain it by keeping his extended family in mind, telling himself to focus on consideration rather than fear.
***
"Oh there has to be one in here somewhere---but I shouldn't." Mihoshi spoke sheepishly from the open doorway of Nobuyuki's study. Eager blue eyes darted about the room, trying in vain to make out anything specific in the darkness.
"I just need a notepad, I'm sure Tenchi's dad has one I can use, and it will just take a minute." She reassured herself and any possibly hidden authority. Her left hand grasped the doorframe while her right angled to pat along the wall for a light.
"There we go," she said softly as her finger flipped the switch. A lamp in a large ceiling fan illuminated Mihoshi's face as it quickly drained of color at the sight before her.
Only at the Galaxy Police's filing station had Mihoshi seen such a huge scattering of papers and books crammed into such a small room. "Oh boy," she sighed as she began her search with newly slumped shoulders. After deciding it would be better not to disturb the piece of modern junk art that was Noboyuki's desk, Mihoshi began looking up and down the towering bookcases along the walls. At last her hands came together to clap on a smile at the sight of a medium sized note pad stuck beneath a stack of rolled blue prints. Mihoshi stood on her toes and snatched her prize off the shelf then turned to hold it up triumphantly. No sooner had the neatly prepared book of blank yellow paper smiled back at her than a curious shuffling sound brought her attention back to the shelf behind her. A six- foot high quivering obelisk of paper cylinders stared down at a wide-eyed Mihoshi.
Tenchi dropped his suitcases in the hall and ran towards the trademark Mihoshi scream exploding in his father's study. Once inside he quickly relaxed and sighed a small chuckle at the sight of Mihoshi sitting on the floor, knees to her chest, hands over her head, and entire body trembling beneath a small avalanche of blue prints.
"I'm sorry Tenchi. I made a list of things for Sasami's welcome back party, b-b-but I lost it and I just needed a new note pad to write on and...and...and IM SO SORRY!" Mihoshi's whine quickly evolved into a wail as she caught sight of Tenchi looking down at her situation.
"It's okay Mihoshi, nothing looks broken, dad needs to reorganize this place anyway," Tenchi reassured her as he began to clear away the surrounding cylinders.
"Sorry Tenchi," Mihoshi repeated meekly, a muffled yawn spread weariness over her embarrassment.
As Tenchi grabbed a thin plastic-wrapped tube he looked up to notice that it had been slightly wedged between Mihoshi's thighs. He slowly looked up and wondered if his mortified blush compared with the detective's.
"Hey you guys, where is everybody," Nobuyuki poked his sleepy head in and instantly joined the blush contest at the sight of his son getting kinky with the Shima bank project. They both shot up at the sight of him only to worsen their appearance as the tube stayed connected between them. His son noticed before the detective and quickly and carefully removed the roll to toss it back on the pile.
"Uh, sorry dad I was just trying to help Mihoshi find a note pad and it looks like the one we found was all that was holding these things up," Tenchi spoke quickly with touches of nervous laughter.
"Sure Tenchi..."Nobuyuki said with a sleepy mixture of amusement and discomfort.
"There was a note on the kitchen counter that said Washu and Aeka would be out by the dock," Mihoshi quickly changed the subject as if she had already forgotten the whole situation.
As the three of them ate a quick breakfast Tenchi let Mihoshi's planning of Sasami's party take a back seat to his growing concern for the absent Ryoko. Reminding himself that she was often late for breakfast didn't help for he realized that he still had no idea of how to deal with her when the time came to leave. Nobuyuki and Mihoshi were still too caught up in what had moved from exhaustion-accelerated talk of Sasami's party to a groggy tale of Nobuyuki's "celebrations of college youth" to notice Tenchi's paranoid manner.
With each step towards the lake, Tenchi looked for Ryoko in a different direction. Aeka and Washu were already waiting at the end of the dock, Aeka waved warmly at him and Tenchi tried to make up for his occupied arms with a large smile. Everyone exchanged a collective good-morning as they came within earshot. Tenchi's face warmed despite the early chill as his eyes fell upon the elegant robe Aeka was wearing. He'd seen her wear it on a few special occasions, but it still struck him with awe. It was as if the tailor had spent weeks just looking at her to make an outfit with such a regal yet peaceful design. As Tenchi came to the first weathered board on the dock he stopped to smile even more brightly at the image of the princess waiting patiently in the first timid rays of the sun. The stillness of the air took nothing from the flow of Aeka's garment; its beauty billowed with the mere sound of her soft and dignified voice.
"Did you have a pleasant rest Lord Tenchi?"
Tenchi's ears were put on hiatus as the whole of his perception dedicated itself to a proper scan of Aeka's outfit. The soft magenta of the robe's body rose to a standing ovation at the pink fireworks in the princess's eyes. Conversely, the turquoise trim and ties bowed gracefully to the violet waterfall of her hair. Tenchi saw no audience, only a ridiculously beautiful princess, and he heard no question till she repeated it in a louder tone. He blinked hard.
"Oh-um, yes, thank you."
Tenchi tried to scratch the blush away via the back of his neck while Aeka tried to hide hers behind a robe-covered hand.
"Took you guys long enough, we could have and should have been off 30.54 seconds ago," Washu scolded Tenchi as she walked towards them with her eyes still focused on her laptop.
"Sooooreeeeeyyyyahhhh!" Mihoshi yawned loudly.
"Now, are you sure no one comes by the shrine this early?" Washu asked Nobuyuki as if he were a simpleton.
"Noohpe juhst daahd." Nobuyuki yawned his reply with little more dignity.
"Okay then," Washu held up a finger and dramatically let it fall on a single key, calling out in childish glory. "Behold my genius yet again!"
Ryo-oh emerged from a storage dimension a few feet above and behind Aeka, who turned and held her hands together in utter delight. Everyone stood with paralyzed gapes till Washu turned to glare at a yawning Nobuyuki.
"Oh...uh...it's fantastic Little Washu, you've really outdone yourself." The nervous architect drew back slowly, then relaxed as she turned back to her laptop.
The creak of Tenchi's foot on the first board introduced the hum of Ryoko's teleportation. Her smiling face came into place an inch away from his and he stumbled back with little grace. His brows then twisted in confusion as she bent down and gently took the bags.
"Here Tenchi, let me help you with those," Ryoko offered in a friendly tone which so surprised him, as he'd been preparing to need someone to pry her away, that the bags slipped easily out of his hands. She smiled at him sweetly, turned and began to slowly float towards the ship.
*What in the world is going on here? Is she actually ^helping^ me leave? Why would---she---her---
Tenchi's thoughts sputtered and stopped short of another inner debate when his eyes moved up from his luggage to the pirate between them, to the back of her tight red shirt, to the black ankle length skirt, to something that sat on all inquires to Ryoko's strange behavior.
He had known for a while that her body went beyond merely attractive, but that simple skirt amplified the shape of her rear end so well that he inhaled deeply and spread each finger out in rising tension. With base and classic visions in mind, he rubbed his thumbs against his forefingers and suddenly knew instinctively how perfect something could feel.
"I did a good job, don't you think, Tenchi?" Washu asked smugly, appearing at his side from nowhere.
Tenchi blinked hard and instantly turned a sharp red. He looked down at the little genius and tried to defend himself.
"I...uh-" His voice shook like a child with a hand caught in daddy's secret drawer.
"Do you have any idea how much care I put into making sure the shape would come out right?" She asked gruffly, her focus still on the holographic laptop.
"What...er...I don't-" He tried pathetically to replace lust with stupidity.
"But the ride should be smooth." She said looked up at him with a coy smile. Tenchi merely stared at her with wide eyes and a prayer against nosebleeds.
"Maybe if I try a few more saplings I might even be able to do the same for Funaho."
Realization hit Tenchi like a blessed brick as he looked from Ryoko up to the accelerated growth version of Ryo-oh. He hung his head with an exhale of relief and felt his forehead with the back of his hand. Despite his clumsiness so far, Tenchi was able to wipe the sweat away without seeming too obvious.
"You did a great job little Washu." Tenchi complimented her with short breath.
"I did."
Washu answered as if talking to herself and began walking back up the dock. After a few steps she looked back sharply with a sly smile that returned a dreadful uncertainty.
"Didn't I?"
Ryoko stopped a foot in front of Aeka's dumbfounded face and remained hovering with Tenchi's bags still in her hands. After visibly trying to find a sinister motive to her rival's helpfulness, Aeka spoke in a quiet yet expressly condescending and accusing tone.
"You know Ryoko, disposing of Lord Tenchi's luggage wont prevent him from leaving."
The brows drew together angrily on Ryoko's previously happy face, but a long nasal inhale seemed to hold back a surge of rage. As if struck by inspiration, she smiled deviously for a moment and put on an air of loud cartoon-like sweetness.
"Why thank you Aeka, they ^were^ getting kinda heavy."
Tenchi and Washu both looked confused as they approached the strangely civil rivals. Aeka's confusion and anger turned to pained shock as she instinctively grabbed for the larger suitcase tossed at her midsection. The weight of it pulled her over, and as she struggled to regain her posture and dignity Ryoko took the opportunity to address Tenchi.
"Hey Tenchi," she began in the cooing tone she always used when working to ask for something without literally squeezing it out of him.
"^Uh oh^," Tenchi whispered to himself as he became certain that the moment of truth was unfolding. He gulped as Ryoko sensually reached behind her neck with both hands, thoughts of how she was planning to say goodbye, or worse: how she was scheming to keep him there, began to rise ominously. When her hand removed a groggy Ryo-ohki Tenchi instantly went from relief to puzzlement.
"Tenchi, Sasami and Ryo-ohki are such good friends that---well I was just thinking of how happy they'd be to see each other," Ryoko began timidly, looking from Tenchi down to the carefully held and stroked cabbit.
"She doesn't take up air or anything, and using Ryo-oh's food replicater to make a few extra carrots shouldn't be too much of a drain." At the sound of the blessed word the cabbit's ears perked up, and she let out a hungry meow. "And so I was just wondering if you'd like to take Ryo-ohki with you to see Sasami." Ryoko looked at Tenchi with a shy yet sincere expression. His smile spread quickly at the singular and profound warmth he felt whenever the ex-pirate tried to do something thoughtful, however shaky she may still be at it. The sound of jubilance when Sasami and Ryo-ohki reunited was something he suddenly knew he had to hear sooner than later.
Tenchi quickly glanced over at Washu for confirmation. The little scientist had a focused yet amused gaze fixed on Ryoko but turned it towards him seconds before he could ask.
"She shouldn't cause a problem, probably a good idea to have a back-up ship around."
Ryo-ohki meowed affectionately as she was handed over to Tenchi, who petted her head for a moment before looking up to address a stone-faced Aeka.
"Isn't that thoughtful Aeka," Tenchi asked cheerfully in another attempt to make the two rivals see good in each other.
Aeka looked quickly over at Tenchi and forced a smile. He looked past her to get another eyeful of Ryo-oh while the princess's eyes narrowed into cold pits aimed to consume an all but beaming Ryoko.
"Yes Tenchi, very thoughtful," Aeka said in a deadpan voice that barely masked her intense frustration. "Azaka! Kamadake!" the guardians flew instantly to her sides at the particularly forceful summons. "Are you ready Lord Tenchi," Aeka asked in once more drastically softened voice.
Ryoko smiled dreamily at Tenchi as she handed him his bag. After Tenchi's arm had adjusted to the weight of the bag his torso suddenly had to adjust to the weight of Ryoko. But as he stood up straight in now almost reflexive nervousness he noticed she was not pouncing on him, but was instead wrapping her arms about him with slow and gentle pressure.
"Please hurry back my Tenchi."
Her delicate coo did not make him blush, sweat, or even tense up. Tenchi's mind went completely blank and he stood there, returning the hug with flaccid hands. It was too numb a feeling to compare to drowning but as he heard Aeka inhale deeply to begin her standard complaint he almost gasped himself. As if actually wanting to avoid a fight, Ryoko withdrew hesitantly and looked down at Tenchi's left foot. She smiled a secret smile at Ryo-ohki who meowed happily, hopped down, and morphed into her toddler form. The little cabbit-girl hugged Tenchi's leg and startled a smile from him.
Aeka glared at the little humanoid meowing happily as Tenchi patted her head. The princess then raised her eyes menacingly at Ryoko who returned the look eye for eye.
"Thank you again Miss Washu, Sasami and I are greatly in your debt." Aeka spoke formally, though only facing the appropriate party halfway through. She gave the order to Ryo-oh with swift turn. Tenchi, Ryo-ohki, Aeka, and her guardians all faded away in a faint blue light emitting from the tree-ship's bow. Washu began checking some data again, smiling with satisfaction as she spoke into her laptop.
"Okay princess, get going before the earth military shows up," Washu ordered them sarcastically.
Ryo-oh remained motionless for a moment before an imposing hum of energy lifted them swiftly and gracefully into the sky. Washu watched the ship ascend till it became a sparkle of light speeding off into space. She exhaled gratitude that the event had gone through relatively without problems, dissipated her laptop, and looked over at her daughter with an anxious smile. Ryoko had her arms somewhat crossed, somewhat hugging herself, and was still starring upward. The gloss over her eyes seemed to be collecting moisture while her lashes met, as if in a ceremony to accept that she had truly made it through the event.
"Well my little Ryoko, I never intended for Ryo-ohki to be used as a chaperone, but I must admit that was pretty-" Washu began in her teasing voice.
"Shut up Washu! Just ^shut^ ^up^! I actually thought you were on my side, that you were getting Ryo-oh flying again so that Aeka could get back to her planet where she belongs and leave Tenchi and me alone, but ^no^!" Ryoko cut her mother off with a rusted razor tongue.
"Hey now, just a minute," Washu began in offense before she was interrupted again by the increasing burn in Ryoko's face and voice.
"Do you ^want^ Tenchi to marry Aeka? Is that it? You want better royal connections or something? You could have let me go along, could have let ^anyone^ go along, but instead you sent the two of them off alone into the depths of space and the mercy of Jurai!"
Ryoko hardly parted her barred teeth.
"Why not tell Aeka to go by her damn self! WHY!? I'm already going nuts here, wondering what she's doing to him." Her lecture festered as she moved threateningly closer with each word.
"I just thought that-" Washu's straight face began to sag with disappointment.
"Thought that what!? That I'd like to hang around with Mihoshi and Tenchi's dad some more, or that I'd like to have more time to let you hook me up to some insane machine!" Ryoko's anger had leveled off, but the sneer that replaced it carried even more venom.
"Or do you just want some more mother-daughter bonding time?" Genius's only child spoke with all the cruelty of a mocking bully. "That's just ^hilarious^, Washu, if you want someone to talk to why don't you go build something with ears!"
Ryoko looked down, waiting for Washu to leave. When she remained still, looking up at her daughter with steadily hardening eyes, the former weapon huffed and began to fly a quick withdraw up the dock.
*Ryoko.
Washu spelled out mental urgency. Her daughter stopped a few feet from the shore and remained motionless a few seconds from a minute.
*Don't talk to me Washu, not this way or any other way.
Both hands stretched out and balled up. Tension shook from the whites of her knuckles to the tips of her hair, cutting the mental airs out of Washu's retort.
*Go stay in your damn lab where you belong you---you little ^freak^!
Telepathy came through loud and clear a moment before Ryoko went from opaque to clear to gone. Washu stood there looking as lifeless as a machine for about ten seconds before beginning a casual walk back up the dock with head even and eyes low. Once on land again she looked up and noticed Nobuyuki and Mihoshi leaning against each other and working together to saw a rather large log.
She breathed in, ready to wake them with a yell, but exhaled apathy before bringing up her laptop and opening a passage back to her lab. The small sucking zap the portal made as it closed briefly woke Nobuyuki who sleepily wished Tenchi a pleasant trip.
***
Washu walked up to the huge tank of masses and followed their carefree movement less like a child in a zoo, hardly like a scientist in a lab, and exactly like a lonely old woman in a park full families. Her hands held each other lifelessly behind her back for the first few minutes before her face crinkled in anger and struck out at the reinforced poly- plastic with a tight fist. She leaned forward slowly, supporting her weight on the smooth surface with a thump and a cold pressure against her forehead.