Disclaimer: Tenchi Muyo and all the characters therein belong to AIC and Pioneer. I Don't own them and never will. Boo-hoo.

*Thank you for the reviews* I didn't know Ayeka's age in the OVA's thanx for the correction Ryouko- spacepirate !

Chapter 1 No Need for a Birthday!

It was a cold winter day a light snow was falling and Tenchi slowly walked up the stairs to his grandfather's shrine. It was an unusually calm day at the Masaki household, (probably because Ryoko was nowhere to be found), "I hope she's okay," he thought to himself. *Snap* he heard a twig break ahead of him in the forest "Grandpa?" Tenchi shouted as he looked around him.
"No, Tenchi it's just me." Ryoko's familiar voice said as she appeared next to him. Snow was falling on her cyan hair and her amber eyes were unusually soft and sad looking. Tenchi stepped closer to let her have the protection of his umbrella. "Tenchi."she started as she looked down at the snow covered stairs, "When are you going to choose?"
Tenchi always got uneasy when this question was asked of him, a perfectly normal question about anything imparticular.unless Ayeka or Ryoko uttered it. "Umm. Err... Choose what exactly?" he said wincing and scratching his dark black hair uneasily.
"Tenchi you know exactly what I mean!" She yelled at him, and Tenchi could swear he saw a tear run down her cheek as she faded away.
"Ryoko." he said quietly as he recalled the painful expression on her face. He trudged up the stairs to the shrine trying to think clearly. The cold wind seemed to seep through his thick black coat making him shiver. When he reached the shrine his grandfather Yosho greeted him in his usual way (giving him chores) and for the rest of the morning as he worked his mind was on the girls. They had been together for so long he could barely remember any other life.

At The House

"Ryoko? Ryoko, where are you?" yelled Ayeka as she determinedly searched for Ryoko. "She's not going to get out of chores again today!" thought Ayeka as she scanned the great oak rafters. Sasami was working in the kitchen and as Ryoko walked in she smelled sea bream simmering in some sake, "What a horrible waste of sake!" Ryoko mumbled to herself as she watched little Sasami hurrying around the kitchen. "Isn't that Ayeka's favorite?" Ryoko questioned.
"Oh hi Ryoko you startled me!" the girl with bright pink eyes said pleasantly looking up from her cooking, "it's Ayeka's seven-hundred thirtieth birthday today!" she exclaimed smiling broadly, "I want it to be extra special for her!"
"Oh really.I didn't know that.Well thank you for telling me Sasami I would never have known." An ingenious plan was forming in Ryoko's mind.

Back At The Shrine

"Tenchi?" Ryoko softly called as she brushed a few stray hairs from her face. "Tenchi, Where are you?" she called growing impatient. "I'm in the tool shed," Tenchi's voice rang out. He could tell it was Ryoko calling him- he just hoped she wasn't going to try and continue their previous conversation.

"Hey Tenchi!" Ryoko said cheerfully as she walked through the wall, (It always freaked Tenchi out when she did that), "Guess what- It's Ayeka's birthday today! Can we do something special for her?" Tenchi was taken aback by Ryoko's sudden good wishes towards Ayeka and the fact the Ayeka had a birthday, well why shouldn't Jurrians have birthdays? "What were you thinking of?" Tenchi questioned with good reason, as Ryoko proposed something indecent that involved a camcorder or just a 'normal' gift. "How about the normal gift." Tenchi replied laughing nervously. "Alright fine, but with option one we would all have gotten a hole lot more enjoyment out of it!" she replied with a resigned look on her face. "Um. Tenchi what can we get for the princess of Juri?" "I have no idea," Tenchi said as he realized the great size of the task he and Ryoko had just taken on. "Hey I know! Let get Washu's help!" Ryoko said as she grabbed his arm and suddenly they were in front of the door to the mad scientist's lab. It took Tenchi a moment to realize how he got there, "Ryoko, I really wish you could warn me when you're going to phase us both out you know." "Oh come on Tenchi!" Ryoko laughed as she pulled him into the lab by his wrist. "Washu? Hey where are you?" Ryoko called as she continued to lead Tenchi by his wrist. "You know I want you to call me mom!" said a spiky pink haired girl that looked about twelve, as she peered out from behind a giant test tube. "Fine 'mom'," Ryoko groaned, "can you help us with a gift for Ayekas birthday?" "No!" "WHY NOT?!" "Because you need to show your mother some respect little Ryoko!" Washu said in a condescending tone. "Buh-Bye now!" She said with a wink before leaving. "MOM!" the now red-faced Ryoko yelled clenching her fists, and not realizing she still had a hold of Tenchi. "Oww! Ryoko! Ryoko ah! That really HURTS!" cried Tenchi as he tried to get out of her death grip. "Oh, Tenchi I'm sorry! Oh I'm so sorry!" Ryoko fretted as she released his wrist and fawned on him. As Tenchi cradled his hand he managed to murmur, "That's alright Ryoko." "Tenchi, what are we going to do now?" sighed Ryoko. "I guess our only choice is the mall." Tenchi said as he got to his feet