Daughters of Twilight

by Davner

In midst of a crisis, Tenchi makes his decision.

Tenchi Muyo is the property of AIC and Pioneer LDC. The author owns
only the writing. The story of Beren and Luthien is the property of
J.R.R. Tolkien. *Gets on his knees* PLEASE!!! PLEASE DON'T SUE ME!!*
Anyhoo! Here we go!


Daughters of Twilight

"Ayeka!" Tenchi cried as he pulled another rock away. He
coughed as more dust found its way into his lungs. He found a lock
of purple hair and moved another rock aside. Luckily, the small
lantern was still giving off light, otherwise this would've been
impossible. As he pulled Ayeka from the debris, he cursed his bad
luck. Earlier that day Ryoko and Ayeka had gotten into yet another
fight, Ayeka stormed off, and Tenchi had gone looking for her. He
had searched for more than an hour until he heard the sound of
quiet sobbing coming from Ryoko's cave of all places. He found
her there, crying. After a few minutes, he managed to convince her
to come back to the house.

And that's when the earthquake struck.

The roof of the tunnel they were in collapsed right on top of
them. Ayeka was buried in debris, and the exit blocked off.

He pulled Ayeka into a clearing in the cave and set her down.
She moaned.

"Tenchi..."

"Ayeka! Are you okay?! Can you hear me!?"

She opened her eyes and looked up at him. She tried to move,
but cried out in pain.

"Don't move," he told her.

She looked at him fearfully. "I can't feel my right leg."
Tenchi brought Ayeka's lantern up and checked her injuries. She
had a gash on her forehead, blood trickling down the right side of
her face. Her left arm was bruised and cut. Tenchi brought the
lantern down and raised the hem of Ayeka's kimono. He bit his lip
worriedly.

"It looks like your leg is broken," he told her quietly.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Earthquake," he explained. "The entrance is blocked off."

"Then we're trapped here," she concluded.

He nodded.

Her eyelids fluttered. Tenchi reached out and took her
shoulder. "Hey, Ayeka, no. Don't close your eyes. You might have
a concussion. You can't sleep."

She nodded. "Okay. Okay, I'm all right. Is there any way
out of here?"

Tenchi looked around. "I don't know. I don't remember one.
Do you know about one?"

Ayeka shook her head. "No."

Tenchi pointed the lantern down the other end of the cave.
"What about down there?"

She shook her head. "I didn't see one." Her eyelids began
to droop again.

"Hey!" he cried out. "None of that!"

Her breathing was becoming more labored. "Sorry."

"What were you doing here, anyway?" he asked, more to keep
her awake than out of curiosity.

"I came here to be alone," she said, "It's the last place
anyone would think to look for me."

"I see."

"How long...until the others find us, do you think?"

"Don't know. I didn't tell anyone I was looking for you here,
and like you said, it's the last place anyone would *think* to look."

She nodded and moaned in pain.

Tenchi bit his lip. Those wounds needed tending. He searched
the small cavern they were in for a source of water. He remembered
there had been a pool when he found Ryoko, but that tunnel was
blocked. He found a puddle of stagnant water nearby. He wouldn't
want to drink it, but it might be okay for cleaning the dirt out of
Ayeka's cuts. He removed his shrine tunic and dipped it in the
water. Then he went back to Ayeka.

"Ayeka,"

"Huh?" Her eyelids had been drooping again.

"Eyes open." He knelt down next to her and pressed the wet
tunic against the cut on her head. She hissed in pain.

"Tenchi?"

"Yeah, Ayeka?"

"I'm scared."

Tenchi licked his lips in worry. "Yeah, I know, Ayeka.
Don't worry, though. We'll be out of here soon. Ayeka?" Her
eyelids were fluttering again. "Ayeka!" They opened again.

"Sorry," she said.

"Ayeka," he said worriedly, "You have to keep your eyes open.
You *can't* sleep!"

She nodded. "I know. I'm sorry. Talk to me, Tenchi. So I
don't fall asleep. Please?"

He nodded. "Okay. Okay, what do you want to talk about?"

Ayeka swallowed painfully. "Anything. I don't care," she
said. "Tell me a story. Something I haven't heard before."

"What kind? I..."

"Tenchi, you're not helping," she told him with a smile.
"Anything will do."

"Well," he said, "There's this story I learned in my western
lit class."

"Okay," she told him, her breath becoming more unsteady.
"Tell me that."

"Okay," he said. He took a minute to recall it. He heard
the story in school last year and hadn't paid all that much
attention to it. "It's the story of Beren and Luthien." Ayeka
paid close attention as he began. "Beren..." He tried to remember
the minute details, but figured they probably weren't important at
this point. "Beren was a human prince who was driven from his
home. He wandered throughout the land, befriending the people and
animals he came into contact with." He smiled and said. "I'm
sorry, I'm not very good at telling stories."

"You're doing splendidly, Tenchi," Ayeka told him weakly.
"Please go on."

"One day," Tenchi continued, "Beren was walking through the
forest. As he was walking, he heard singing. It was the most
beautiful thing he had ever heard. He began searching for the
source and found it. He...peered through the bushes and saw a
beautiful elf girl dancing in a clearing. He fell instantly in
love with her."

"That's beautiful,"

"So," Tenchi continued, "Consumed by love, he stumbled out
of the bushes crying out the only elf word he knew that seemed
appropriate. 'Tinuviel! Tinuviel!' That means, 'Nightingale,'
or 'Daughter of Twilight.'"

"That's so romantic," Ayeka said, smiling.

"Err...Not quite," Tenchi told her. "How would you react
if you were walking in the woods and some dirty, unkept man in torn
clothes came rushing out of the bushes at you screaming nonsense
at the top of his lungs?"

"Oh my..."

He nodded. "Yup. The girl vanished."

"What did Beren do?"

"He spent the next *year* wandering the woods, calling out,
'Tinuviel,' as he searched for her. One day, he found her again.
He came crashing out of the woods again, just like before, but was
so weak from searching, he collapsed. The elf girl, who was actually
an elvish princess named, 'Luthien,' didn't run this time. She went
to him and kneeled beside him. He looked up at her and told her
he loved her. She fell in love with him right then and there."

"A happy ending," Ayeka said. She grimaced and moaned in
pain again.

"Ayeka?!"

Her breathing quickened but slowed someone as the pain
subsided. "I'm okay," she said. "I'm just so tired."

Tenchi got up and began searching their surroundings again.
He had to get Ayeka out of here. (Damn! If I had brought the
Tenchi-ken with me, I could *cut* my way out!)

"Tenchi?"

He turned and went back to Ayeka.

"Don't leave me alone. Please?"

"Okay, Ayeka," he said, taking her hand. "I'm here. I'm
right here."

"Thank you, Tenchi. I don't...I don't want to be alone."
Once again, her eyelids threatened to drop.

"Ayeka! Focus on me! Stay awake, Ayeka!"

"Okay, okay. I'm awake." She looked at him. "What...what
happened to Beren and Luthien?"

Tenchi sat down as he tried to remember. He knew he was
probably butchering the story, but he really didn't care at this
point as long as it kept Ayeka from falling asleep.

"Luthien's father opposed them and forbid them from marrying.
Luthien begged him to give Beren a chance, and he did. He told
Beren that if he could retrieve one of the legendary jewels, the
Silmarils, from the crown of the dark lord, Morgoth, he could
marry Luthien. Beren agreed on the spot, or course, and set out
in search of the dark lord. With him was a small band of elf
warriors. After many trials, they came to the dark tower, but
were captured by Morgoth's second in command, Sauron. All but
Beren died."

"Then what?"

"Luthien felt Beren's despair and went after him. Along the
way she met a wolfhound named..." He snapped his fingers as he
tried to remember the name. "Huan. Huan came from the land of gods,
and was destined to walk the Earth until he was killed by the
greatest wolf of all. He let Luthien ride on his back, and he took
her to the dark tower of Morgoth." He paused, both for effect
and to give himself time to remember what came next. "Luthien,
a noble elf, used her magic to disguise herself and Huan, and
were able to enter the tower. They found Beren and freed him, but
he wasn't going to leave without the Silmaril. Luthien disguised
him with her magic and, together, they went in search of it."

"They reached the throne room of Morgoth, and Luthien used
her magic to put the dark court to sleep. Beren went to the
sleeping Morgoth and pulled his knife. He knew he couldn't kill
Morgoth, not even the gods could do that, so he set about prying
the Silmaril out of his iron crown." Ayeka listened anxiously.
"Just as Beren freed the Silmaril, a fleck of iron from the crown
hit Morgoth in the eye and awakened him."

Ayeka tensed visibly.

"Beren and Luthien ran. Morgoth screamed in rage and sounded
the alarm. They were almost outside the gate when a great werewolf
jumped up in front of them and blocked the way out. Beren lashed
out with his dagger, but the werewold turned the blow and attacked,
biting off the hand that held the Silmaril." Ayeka gasped. "Huan
attacked the werewolf, and the werewolf slashed him across the
belly, striking a mortal blow. But it was too late. The Silmarils
are magical. They can be held by those with a good heart, but
when they come in contact with evil, they burn, and this evil
creature had just *swallowed* one. The werewolf went mad with
pain and fled. Luthien was able to keep Beren from bleeding to
death, but Huan died, killed by the greatest wolf. The two of
them cried as they fled the tower."

"That's so sad,"

Tenchi nodded. "When they arrived at the palace, Beren went
before the king, his hands behind his back. The king stood up
and said, 'When last you were here, you told me you would return
with a Silmaril in your hand. Where is it?' Beren calmly held
out his good hand and opened it, revealing nothing. The king
thought he was joking with him and demanded to know where the
jewel was. Beren calmly held out his stump and said, 'In my
*other* hand.' The king finally realized what this man was
willing to sacrifice for his daughter, and nodded. He gave Beren
and Luthien permission to marry."

"That's won..wonde..." Ayeka's eyelids fluttered again.

"Ayeka?" Tenchi asked. "Ayeka! Stay with me!"

"I..I can't, Tenchi," she said. "I'm so sorry...I..can't...
stay awake...any longer..."

He knelt next to her. "You have to," he whispered.

"I can't." she swallowed fearfully. "I..can't."

"Ayeka," he whispered. "Don't."

"I'm...scared...Tenchi..."

"You can't go, Ayeka."

"I don't want to, Tenchi. I...I didn't want to die...without
you knowing...how I feel."

Fear gripped him. He reached out with his fingertips and
brushed a few, stray, purple hairs from her eyes. "Don't leave
me...Tinuviel," he whispered.

"Tenchi..." she whispered. "I love...you..."

"You can't leave, Ayeka," he whispered again. He watched
her eyelids fall again. He leaned down and gently kissed her.
He felt Ayeka's body come alive in his arms for a moment.

"Ten...Tenchi?" she asked when their lips parted.

"I love you too,"

Suddenly, the wall next to them collapsed. Tenchi threw
himself on top of Ayeka to shield her from the falling debris.
When it was over, he stood up, coughing. Light poured into the
cave. A shadow fell over him and Ayeka.

"Found 'em!"

Tenchi blinked and looked up. Washu's sly grin met him.
"Hey, kiddies! Spelunking?"

Tenchi didn't waste time. "Washu! Come quick! Ayeka's
hurt!"

Washu hurried into the cave, climbing over stray rock and
debris until she was kneeling over Ayeka.

Ayeka's eyes were closed, but she was mumbling something over
and over.

"Tenchi...I love....Tenchi..."

Washu checked her injuries and nodded. "Okay, lets get her
to the lab." She formed a dimensional hole. "Tenchi, help me,
here." With Tenchi's help, the two of them placed Ayeka into the
hole. Washu closed it behind the princess and started for the
cave's new exit.

"Come on, Tenchi. We have to act quick!"


Two hours later found Tenchi pacing back and forth in Washu's
lab. Ryoko, Sasami, and Yosho were waiting in there with him.
Washu was in another dimensional room, working on Ayeka. Kiyone
and Mihoshi had left the day before on a mission to break a space
pirate ring. His father was at work, but had called to say he was
all right. The earthquake was not a strong one, and the damage
was minimal.

All these thoughts were pushed aside as Tenchi paced. He
still couldn't believe he had said it. He had made the choice he
had been putting off for more than a year. He finally, really did
it.

And that scared the hell out of him.

Had he really meant it? Or did he simply say it out of fear
and desperation? She had been on the brink of death. Would he
say something like that to comfort her, or was it sincere? He
didn't know!

What was he going to say to her? Now that he had said it,
should he take it back? Could he take it back?

Did he *want* to take it back?

He didn't know.

He was sure he had meant it at the time. He was certain. He
wouldn't have said it if he wasn't *certain*.

*Was* he certain?

He bit his lip and continued to pace.

Okay, how did he feel about Ayeka? He cared for her, of
course...

Cared for her a great deal...

Very much, in fact...

More than...

(Stop,) he told himself. (Yes or no. Do you love Ayeka?)

(It's not that simple!)

(Yes it is. It's a yes or no question. Do you love Ayeka?)

(...I don't know.)

(You don't know?!)

Tenchi didn't answer himself. He didn't have time. The door
opened, and Washu stepped out. She smiled and said,

"No problem! Some internal injuries, but nothing the greatest
scientific genius in the universe can't handle!" They all breathed
a sigh of relief.

"Are you sure, Ms. Washu?" Sasami asked worriedly.

Washu smiled at her and took her shoulders. "Sasami, she'll
be up and around before you know it."

Sasami hugged her. "Thank you, Ms. Washu!"

Washu smiled and turned to him. "Tenchi, she's asking for
you."

Tenchi took a nervous breath and nodded. He started for the
door to Ayeka's room. Ryoko fell into step beside him, but Washu's
outstretched hand stopped her.

"I said, she's asking for *Tenchi*."

Ryoko's eyes narrowed but nodded. Tenchi entered the room
alone. He closed the door behind him and found what appeared to
be a standard, run of the mill, hospital room complete with
adjustable bed, TV, and flowers. There was a chair next to her
bed. Tenchi sat in it and pulled it closer to her bed. Ayeka's
head was bandaged, and her left arm was in a sling. He couldn't
see her leg under the covers, but considering the condition it had
been in the last time he saw it, he was sure it was in a cast or
incapacitated in some other way.

She was resting against the pillows. She looked up and smiled
at him. "Tenchi."

"How do you feel, Ayeka?"

She smiled painfully. "Tired."

"What did Washu say?"

"That I can sleep now, thankfully." Her eyes closed in pain
for a moment. "She also says I'll be in bed for a couple of weeks."

Tenchi nodded uncomfortably. "Then...you should get some
rest."

"Tenchi," she said quickly. "I...I had a dream," she said.
Tenchi blinked. "I...I dreamed you said...that you loved me." She
looked at him and bit her lip in concern. "It *was* a dream...
wasn't it?"

Tenchi blinked in shock at what he was hearing. He couldn't
believe it! Ayeka was giving him a way out! He could say it was
a dream and...

Things would go back to normal.

For some reason, that thought disturbed him. He looked at
Ayeka's face and saw her expression. He saw something there,
another surprise. She *knew* it wasn't a dream! Then why...

Why would she give him a way out?

He saw the fear in her eyes. She was silently begging him,
the Kami, the universe as a whole that he would say it wasn't a
dream. That he would tell her he loved her.

Why was she giving him the option?

(Maybe because she cares about you enough to make it *your*
decision,) A voice in his head told him. (Maybe that's her gift
to you.)

In that moment, he made his decision. He leaned over her and
kissed her tenderly. She reciprocated desperately.

"It wasn't a dream," she concluded quietly.

"It wasn't a dream," he assured her in a whisper.

She blinked, a lone tear streaming down her face. "It wasn't
a dream," she repeated. "It wasn't a dream."

"No," he said. "It wasn't. I...love you...Ayeka."

Ayeka closed her eyes and rested against the pillows. "I've
waited so long to hear that, Tenchi. So long...I thought it would
never come."

Tenchi took her good hand and squeezed it. He felt as if a
huge weight had been lifted from him. He had made his decision and
he was now *certain* that it was the right one. He reached out and
brushed a few errant hairs from her forehead. "You rest," he told
her. "We'll talk later. Okay?"

Ayeka nodded drowsily. "Okay...Beren."

Tenchi smiled. "Pleasant dreams, Tinuviel."


Ryoko growled to herself and repositioned her ear on the door.
"Dammit, I can't hear anything."

"Forget it, Little Ryoko," Washu told her, "The door's been
soundproofed."

Ryoko growled and turned on Washu. "Look, *Mom*, there's
something going on here! I'm just trying to figure out what!"

Washu arched an eyebrow. "Oh? Like what?"

"I don't know!" Ryoko looked away from her and muttered
sadly, "It's like that cabin all over again."

"Ah, I see," Washu said. "Ryoko, if it makes you feel any
better, Ayeka was in no condition to seduce Tenchi. Quite frankly,"
she said with an exasperated sigh, "I'm surprised she was alive
when I found them."

Ryoko looked guilty for a moment.

"It's not your fault, Little Ryoko," Washu said quietly.
"And I'm sure neither of them blame you."

"She will," Ryoko said assuredly. "Just wait. She'll walk
out of that room so self righteous and tell Tenchi how I *drove*
her to that cave. Hell, she'll probably accuse me of causing the
earthquake." Ryoko leaned against the door sadly.

Washu blinked. "You're really worried about this, aren't you?"

"Something happened, Washu," Ryoko told her. "I know it. I
can *feel* it, and it's not good, whatever it is."

Washu smiled. "Well, don't worry. Ayeka's gonna be fine.
She'll be in bed for about two weeks, but after that, good as new."
Ryoko said nothing, just stood there and looked miserable. "You
know, Ryoko," Washu said, "If you're that worried about it, you
could go in and apologize to Ayeka."

"Apologize!?" Ryoko cried in disbelief. "But it wasn't my
fault!"

Washu shrugged. "So? It would still show Ayeka and *Tenchi*
that you're sorry she got hurt. Think of it as strategy, Ryoko.
Would Ayeka make a big scene in front of Tenchi if you showed
remorse for what happened?"

Ryoko blinked. "No, I don't suppose she would."

At that point, Tenchi came out of the room. "She's sleeping."

"Is she okay, Tenchi?" Sasami asked.

Tenchi smiled. "She's fine, Sasami. She's just getting some
rest."

"Washu," Sasami asked, "Can I go just sit with her for
awhile?"

"Of course, Sasami." The petite scientist opened the door and
let Sasami inside.

"Tenchi," Ryoko began. "I just want to say...I'm...sorry...
about what happened to Ayeka."

Tenchi seemed uncomfortable all of a sudden. "Um...Ryoko..
It's okay. It was an accident. You can't control the earthquakes
or anything."

"Are you okay, Tenchi?" Ryoko asked. "You seem...worried."

"I'm fine, Ryoko. Really."

"Well, okay."

Tenchi turned to Washu. "I'll be back later. Can you call
me when she wakes up?"

Washu nodded. "No prob, Tenchi. I'll let you know."

"Thanks." With that, he walked out of the lab.


Tenchi walked up to the shrine and found his grandfather
there, sweeping the dirt from the shrine steps. Tenchi hesitated.
Yosho sensed his presence and turned to him.

"You seem troubled, Tenchi,"

"I'm in trouble, Grandpa," Tenchi told him seriously.

Yosho smiled. "So," he said, "You have finally chosen."

Tenchi blinked. "How did you know..."

"Tenchi, not even when you fought Kagato was your expression
so fearful."

Tenchi didn't answer.

"Need I ask which one?"

Tenchi took a breath. "Ayeka."

Yosho simply nodded. "Congratulations."

Tenchi blinked. "Um...thanks."

"What will you do now?"

"I haven't the faintest idea, Grandpa," Tenchi told him
honestly. "It all happened so fast. I have no idea what to do next.
Ryoko has to be told, but I don't want to hurt her."

"Hmmm." Yosho continued to sweep.

"I need help."

Yosho stopped sweeping and turned to him. "Perhaps you've
grown up, after all."

"Huh?"

"There are not many men who would admit that they need help."

"What should I do, Grandpa?"

"You must tell Ryoko how you feel."

"How? How do I do it without hurting her?"

Yosho smiled. "You cannot."

Tenchi swallowed anxiously.

"You have to tell her. You *owe* her that much."

Tenchi nodded slowly. "I will, Grandpa."

Yosho looked up at the sky as a rumble made itself known.
"Mihoshi and Kiyone are back from their mission," he intoned.

Tenchi looked up and saw the speck of red that was the Yagami
coming towards them.

"We should go meet them, yes?"

Tenchi nodded and followed his grandfather to the clearing
where the Yagami usually berthed. They arrived just as the
boarding ramp of the red spaceship was descending. Kiyone walked
down the ramp and smiled.

"Hi, guys."

"Hey, Kiyone," Tenchi greeted her.

"Welcome home, Kiyone," Yosho added. "How did it go?"

Kiyone sighed. "All right, for the most part. We broke the
ring...but...we kinda have a problem."

"Problem?" Tenchi asked.

Kiyone nodded and turned to the Yagami's hatch. "Mihoshi,"

Mihoshi appeared at the hatch holding the hand of a young
girl. Tenchi and Yosho blinked in surprise. The girl had silver
hair, almost the same shade as Ryoko's cyan spikes, cut short.
Her eyes were a light green. She clutched at a headless doll in
her other hand.

Yosho smiled and knelt down. "Hello there. Who are you?"

The girl stared at him, but said nothing.

"Hi there," Tenchi said cheerily. "I'm Tenchi. How do you
do?"

Kiyone sighed. "You're wasting your time, I'm afraid. She
hasn't said a single word since we found her."

"Who is she?" Tenchi asked.

"We found her with the pirate gang. We don't know who she
is exactly. She might be a kidnap victim or a child of one of the
pirates." Kiyone took a breath. "Unfortunately, none of the
pirates are left alive, so we can't ask them."

"What's she doing here?" Tenchi asked her.

"Well," Kiyone said, "It's obvious that she needs medical
attention, and Washu's lab was the nearest availiable place to get
it. So we came here."

Yosho tried again. "How would you like some ice cream, hmm?"
The girl said nothing.

"Any idea what her name is?" Tenchi asked.

Kiyone shook her head. "None."

"Well," Yosho said, "Let's get her to Washu's lab. Maybe she
can figure something out."


"Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm," Washu remarked as she shone the pen
light in the girl's left eye, then the right. "I don't see any
recent physical injuries," she remarked. "A little malnourished,
but nothing Sasami can't fix."

"*Recent* injuries?" Kiyone asked.

Washu nodded. "There's evidence of prior injuries. Her
arm's been broken twice." She hit a few keys on her holotop. A
hologram of a human skull appeared before them. Washu pointed out
some cracks. "And there's signs of fracturing here, and here, and
here. Near her eyes. This suggests she was punched repeatedly
over extended periods. Her nose has also been broken at one
point."

"How Washu?" Mihoshi asked.

Washu looked at her as if she were monumentally naive.
"Offhand, I'd say systematic abuse."

"Well," Kiyone said, "That might explain her unwillingness to
speak."

"Poor thing," Mihoshi said.

They turned to the girl and found she was no longer staring
straight ahead. She was looking to her left. They followed her
gaze and found she was staring at Ryoko, leaning up against a tree
in Washu's lab.

Ryoko felt their gaze on her and looked up. "What?" she
asked.

"Hmmmmm," Washu intoned. "Ryoko, come here."

"Why?"

"'Cause Mommy said so. Now get over here."

Ryoko sighed and floated up to them. The girl followed her
with her eyes.

"Ryoko, why don't you introduce yourself to our new friend
here?" Washu said cheerily.

"Um...okay." Ryoko knelt down next to her. "Um...Hello. My
name is Ryoko."

The girl didn't reply.

"What's your name?"

Nothing.

"Right...Okay. Well, this is Mihoshi," Ryoko pointed at
Mihoshi, who waved with a smile. "And this is Kiyone, and Tenchi,
and Grandpa Yosho." She pointed to Washu. "And that mean old lady
is Washu." Washu frowned.

Nothing.

"Well, that was a bust," Kiyone commented.

"Hmmmm," was all Washu would say.

At this point, Sasami came out of the room adjacent to
Washu's lab. She smiled and bounded up to them, Ryo-Ohki perched
atop her head. "Hello there," she said to the little girl. The
girl didn't acknowledge her.

"Hey, Sasami," Ryoko greeted her. "How's Ayeka do'in?"

Sasami smiled. "She's doing much better, Ryoko."

Tenchi blinked. He wondered what Ayeka might've told Sasami.
He didn't want Ryoko to find out about him and Ayeka until he had a
chance to tell her. He looked up at Ryo-Ohki and sighed in relief.
If Ayeka had said anything in front of Ryo-Ohki, he knew Ryoko
would know of it instantly. Still, he would have to speak to Ayeka
and ask her to remain silent for now.

"Sasami," Washu began, "Could you make a special dinner
tonight?" She gestured to the girl. "We have to make our new
friend welcome, after all."

Sasami nodded. "Sure, Washu."

"Good. Now, then, I have work to do, so if you could..."
she left the hint hanging. They all filed out of Washu's lab. To
their surprise, the girl followed them.

"Well, we've had a long day," Kiyone told Mihoshi. "I'm
going to the bath."

"Wait, Kiyone, I'll go with you." The two detectives headed
for the onsen. Ryoko spread out on the couch, intent on a nap.

"Ryoko?"

Ryoko looked up and saw Sasami smiling at her.

"Yes, Sasami?"

"You wanna play a game?"

Ryoko smiled at Sasami. The little princess was the closest
thing Ryoko had to a real friend. "Sure thing, Sasami. Whaddya
got?"

Sasami got out a Jurain checker board and set it up on the
table. The girl watched cautiously from around a corner.


Tenchi reentered Washu's lab holding a small, paperback book
in his hand. Washu looked up and smiled. "Hey Tenchi."

"Hey, Little Washu."

"She's awake," she commented.

Tenchi nodded. "Can I see her?"

Washu nodded. "I'm sure she wouldn't mind."

Tenchi thanked her and knocked lightly on Ayeka's door.
"Come in," a weak voice came from the other side. Tenchi turned
the knob and entered.

Ayeka turned and visibly brightened when she saw who was
behind the door.

"Tenchi, hello."

He swallowed before answering. "Hey, Ayeka." He deliberately
dropped the, "Ms." he would normally have attached to her name.
"How are you feeling?"

"Better," she said simply. He sat in the chair near her bed.
She smiled.

He shook his head and laughed. "I have no idea what I'm
supposed to do now," he told her.

She smiled. "Neither do I." She took a breath and continued.
"I used to dream about this day, plan out what I would say, what
you would say, what we would do. I'd plan it out perfectly in my
dreams, and now that it's actually here, all those things seem...
inadequate."

He nodded. "So...I think we should just take it slow," he
saw her expression turn to one of fear. "I don't mean that!" he
said quickly. "I love you, Ayeka. I want you to be with me." She
relaxed somewhat. "But I don't want to rush, either." She nodded.
"So the question is, what now?"

Ayeka licked her lips. "What now, indeed?"

"We have to tell Ryoko," he said.

She nodded.

"But...Until the right time comes along...We have to keep it
to ourselves, okay? I don't want her to react the wrong way."

Ayeka nodded. "I...I see."

Tenchi leaned closer and took her good hand. "Ayeka..."
Before he could continue, she reached up with her hand and caressed
his face. Tenchi still had hold of her hand.

"Tenchi. Don't worry. We have time now. All the time in
world. I'd rather take it slow, and do it right, so don't worry."
She smiled. "We have time now," she repeated.

He smiled. She was right.

She blinked as she noticed the book in his other hand.
"What's that?" she asked.

Tenchi blinked, still in the moment. "Oh! I brought this
for you. Since you're going to be in bed for awhile, I thought
you'd might want to take a look at this."

"What is it?"

"'The Silmarillion,'" He told her. She looked up at him
questioningly. "The book where I got the story I told you. Beren
and Luthien."

"Oh!" She took the book with her good hand and examined the
cover.

"It's heavy reading," he told her, "But you seemed to be
interested."

"I am. I loved the story you told me."

"I'm afraid I kinda butchered it a little," he said
sheepishly.

She smiled at him. "I loved it," she said seriously. "But,
Tenchi, there's a problem..."

Tenchi blinked.

"Um...how can I read a book like this?" She raised her
wounded arm in emphasis. "How will I turn the pages?"

Tenchi smiled and took the book from her. Sitting back in
the chair, he opened it to the first page and began to read aloud.
"'The Ainulindale, The Music of the Ainur. There was Eru, the One,
who in Arda is called Illuvatar...'"

Ayeka rested against the pillow and listened to the gentle
sound of Tenchi's voice as he read to her.


Sasami giggled. "I win again!"

Ryoko growled at Sasami in mock annoyance. "No one likes a
cocky winner, Sasami," she remarked with a slight smile. She
liked playing with Sasami, she was probably the only person she had
met who didn't judge her in one way or another. She set up the
checker board again. Sasami moved a piece, then Ryoko.

Suddenly, Sasami looked up at the clock and gasped. "I have
to start dinner! Washu asked for something special!" She got up
and started for the kitchen. "Sorry, Ryoko!" she threw over her
shoulder as she ran. She nearly bumped into Washu on her way there,
but the diminuitive scientist managed to dodge the tiny princess.

Ryoko spared Washu a nod before sitting back on the couch
and closing her eyes. She took a breath and let it out slowly.
Perhaps she had time for a nap before dinner...

She heard someone moving across the table from her and
opened her eyes, intent on asking Washu what she wanted. To her
surprise, it wasn't Washu sitting on the other side of the table
now, but the little girl. Ryoko blinked and looked up to see
Washu standing near the door, looking at the girl in surprise.

The girl studied the checker board for a moment and moved one
of the pieces Sasami had left behind. She sat back on her knees
and looked up at Ryoko expectantly.

"Washu?" Ryoko asked.

"I saw it, Ryoko," Washu told her.

"Um...what should I do?"

"Well," Washu said smugly, "I haven't played checkers in
awhile, but if memory serves, I think it's your turn."

Ryoko frowned at Washu's condescending tone, but took her
advice. She leaned forward and studied the board for a moment
before moving one of her pieces.

The girl stared at the board, and for a moment, Ryoko and
Washu thought that she had reverted to her original, unmoving self.
Then, she slowly reached out and moved another piece.

"Hmmmmmm," Washu remarked again. "She seems to react to
you, Ryoko."

"Any idea why?" Ryoko asked as she moved another piece.

Washu shook her head. "Nope. Not enough data."

Ryoko watched the girl as she moved another piece on the board.

"I took a DNA sample from her when I examined her," Washu
told her. "I'm going to cross reference it with the GP records and
see what comes up."

"Hmmm," Ryoko replied noncommittally. "She needs a name."

Washu thought on this and nodded. "Well...she seems to like
you. Got any ideas?"

"Me?" Ryoko asked. "You want *me* to name her?"

Washu shrugged. "Why not?"

"Well," Ryoko said in thought. "We don't know much about her.
She's so quiet..." Ryoko thought for a moment and smiled. She
looked down at the girl. "We'll call you, 'Sizuko.'"

The girl said nothing. Washu nodded in approval. "'Quiet
Child.' Not bad, Little Ryoko."

The girl remained silent.


Tenchi watched Ayeka as her eyes slowly closed and, she fell
asleep. He closed the book and got up quietly. He leaned over
her sleeping form and brushed a few hairs from her eyes with his
fingers. He licked his dry lips and leaned closer, planting a
gentle kiss on her forehead. She sighed in her sleep and turned
her head, smiling.

"Good night, Tinuviel," Tenchi whispered. He stood up and
silently left the room.

He found Washu typing at her holotop in the lab.

"Hello, Tenchi," she said. "You were in there a long time."

He nodded. "Yeah."

She arched an eyebrow and looked at him for a moment before
returning to her work. "And?"

He blinked. "And what?"

Washu turned back to her computer. "And nothing."

Tenchi regarded her a moment, then turned and left the room.


"Oh! There's Tenchi!" Ryoko said excitedly as Tenchi walked
out of the lab. "Let's go introduce you again, hmm?"

She took Sizuko's hand and led her to him. Tenchi saw this
and blinked. "Ryoko, what's up?"

Ryoko smiled. "Tenchi, I'd like you to meet Sizuko."

Tenchi smiled and crouched next to the girl. "So you finally
decided to talk, huh?"

"Nope," Ryoko told him. "I named her."

Tenchi looked up at Ryoko and blinked. "You did?"

Ryoko beamed and nodded.

Tenchi reached out and tossled the girl's hair. "Sizuko, huh?
Ryoko gave you a good name, didn't she?" Ryoko's smile widened at
the praise. Sizuko said nothing.

"Dinner's ready!" Sasami called from the kitchen.

"Great!" Tenchi said, I'm starved.

"Me too," Ryoko told him. She looked down at Sizuko. "What
about you? You hungry?"

The girl said nothing.

"Ryoko," Tenchi began, "Why don't you go get her cleaned up
and ready for dinner?"

Ryoko blinked. "Me?"

"Yeah. Why not? You named her, so I guess that makes you
responsible for her." He smiled and walked into the dining room.

Ryoko didn't watch him go. She was in shock.
"Re...Responsible?" She looked down at the girl to find Sizuko
staring up at her. Ryoko gave her a weak smile. "Well...Let's go
get cleaned up, okay?"

Sizuko didn't respond, but allowed Ryoko to lead her to the
bathroom.


"That was delicious, Sasami!" Noboyuki announced, patting
his stomach.

Sasami giggled. "Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it!"

"And how did our new guest enjoy dinner? Hmm, sweetheart?"
Noboyuki was smiling at Sizuko, who was munching on some rice without
enthusiasm. She didn't respond. "Hmmm..."

"She liked it," Ryoko assured them. "Really."

Noboyuki smiled at Ryoko. "You're really taken with her,
aren't you?"

"Well," Ryoko looked down at Sizuko, sitting next to her,
"She's cute. I like her."

"Sasami," Tenchi began, pointing at a plate in the princess'
hand. "Is that Ayeka's dinner?"

Sasami nodded. "I was going to bring it to her. Why?"

"I'd like to do it."

Heads turned at this. Tenchi looked around nervously.

Sasami blinked. "You do?"

"Um...Yeah. I'll do it." He held out his hands.

"Okay, Tenchi," Sasami said with a smile. She handed him
the plate on a tray with a cup of tea.

Ryoko watched him as he left the room with the tray. Sizuko
was watching her intently.


Tenchi knocked gently on the door and entered without waiting
for an answer. Ayeka was just waking up. She yawned and blinked
at him. "Tenchi? What time is it?"

"Dinner time," he told her with a smile. "Sasami made a
special meal for Sizuko."

Ayeka blinked. "Sizuko?"

Tenchi quickly filled her in. Ayeka shook her head. "Poor
girl."

Tenchi nodded. "Ryoko's looking out for her now, though."

Ayeka looked at him in confusion. "Ryoko? Are you sure,
Lo..." She broke off and began to giggle.

"What?" Tenchi asked.

"I'm still calling you, 'Lord Tenchi.'"

He smiled. "It's weird, isn't it."

"We've spent so much time hiding behind walls of ceremony,
that it's hard to look at you without them."

"I know," he whispered.

"We...We'll have to work on that?" she told him uncertainly.

He nodded and presented the tray to her. "Dinner. Are you
hungry?"

She nodded. Tenchi placed the tray before her. Ayeka picked
up the chopsticks with her good hand and began to eat, nibbling her
food as a proper lady should.

"So what will happen to this Sizuko girl?"

Tenchi shrugged. "I guess that's up to Kiyone and Mihoshi.
Maybe the'll find her a foster home."

Ayeka nodded. "My parents could help. With their contacts,
they could easily place her in a good school."

"That's a good idea," Tenchi told her.

She placed the chopsticks down on her plate suddenly. "I
don't want to do this."

Tenchi blinked. "Huh?"

"I don't want this to be our first dinner together," she told
him. "Not like this."

He smiled. "Ayeka, you have to eat."

She didn't say anything.

"When you're up and around again," he told her, "We'll have
dinner together. Just you and me. Okay?" She smiled. "And it
won't be here," he said with a grin.

Ayeka smiled. "Well, I would love to have dinner with you,"
she said. "Just as soon as I can get out of this bed."

"Then it's a date."

Ayeka looked uncomfortable for a moment. "Tenchi...would you
kiss me again?" Tenchi blinked at her. Ayeka went on. "I...It's
just that...I've waited so long for you to do that....and...I just
want to experience it again." She looked up at him. "And again,"
she whispered.

He leaned forward and kissed her. Ayeka closed her eyes and
held her breath. She felt as if her very soul were being warmed
over a steady fire. She put her entire being into that kiss. Her
hands went up and caressed his face. His went up and stroked her
beautiful tresses.

"Oooops!"

Their eyes snapped open at the sound of the voice. Turning,
they saw Mihoshi standing in the doorway with a potted plant in her
arms.

"I'm sorry!" she said quickly, placing the plant on a nearby
table. "I didn't mean to interrupt! I'll just put this here and be
on my merry way!" Mihoshi walked out and shut the door behind her.

"Oh no!" Tenchi gasped.

"Get her!" Ayeka said quickly.

Tenchi ran for the door and chased after Mihoshi. Mihoshi
heard him and turned. She held up her hands. "I really didn't
mean to interrupt!" She told him. "I'm sorry! I'll just go back
upstairs and..."

"Mihoshi," Tenchi said quietly. "Come with me."

Mihoshi began to blubber. "I'm in trouble, aren't I?"

Tenchi sighed. "Yeah, Mihoshi, but don't worry." He turned
back to the door. "So are we."


"Well, I guess you'll be sleeping in here," Ryoko said,
leading Sizuko into the room Sasami and Ayeka normally shared.
Sasami was already there, wearing her pajamas.

"Hi, Sizuko," Sasami said with a wave. She was determined to
get a response from the girl.

"Sasami," Ryoko asked, "Can Sizuko borrow some pajamas?"

"Sure, Ryoko!" Sasami went to her dresser and found a pair
of pajamas decorated with bright orange carrots. Ryoko took them
from Sasami and held them out to Sizuko. Sizuko merely stared at
the garments.

"Um...hmmm...Okay. Let's try this." Ryoko reached out and
undressed the little girl. She bit her lip at the sight of scars
on her chest. Ryoko helped Sizuko into the pajamas. "Okay, how's
that?" The girl said nothing. "Okay...well..." Ryoko thought for
a moment. "How about a story?"

Sizuko just stared.

"Yeah!" Sasami said enthusiastically. "Won't that be great,
Sizuko?"

No answer.

"Okay." Ryoko helped Sizuko under the covers next to Sasami.
"Once...there was a handsome prince named...Tenchi." Sasami
giggled. "One day, while surveying his kingdom, Tenchi came upon
a cave. When he went inside, he found a beautiful girl asleep
inside. The prince fell in love with her instantly, and leaned
forward to kiss her." Sasami giggled again. Sizuko said nothing.

"When he kissed her, the girl woke up and fell in love with
the prince, who swept her off her feet and carried her back to the
palace. They got married and lived happily ever after. The end."

"That's a nice story," Sasami said.

Ryoko smiled. "I like to think so."

Sizuko said nothing.

"Well, good night, girls."

"Good night, Ryoko," Sasami said. Ryoko left the room,
shutting off the lights as she went.


"So you can't tell anyone," Tenchi reiterated again. He had
to make sure that Mihoshi understood what was at stake here. "I'm
going to tell Ryoko, but I have to wait until the right time."

Mihoshi looked from Tenchi to Ayeka and back again. "Well...
okay. I won't tell anyone."

"Mihoshi," Tenchi began again. "Don't tell *anyone*...
please."

"I told you I wouldn't."

"Mihoshi," Ayeka said, "This is important. Please try to
remember."

"Okay."

Tenchi and Ayeka shared an uncomfortable look.

"So does this mean you guys are a couple?" Mihoshi asked.

Tenchi and Ayeka shared another look, this time smiling.
"Yeah, Mihoshi," Tenchi said, "That's what it means."

"Oh! I'm so happy for you guys! I really am!" She started
for th door. "I can't wait to tell the others!"

"MIHOSHI!"

She paused and turned back to them, blinking in puzzlement.
Then she remembered. "Oh! Yeah! Right! I forgot."

"We're doomed," Ayeka whispered.

Tenchi stepped forward and put his hands on Mihoshi's
shoulders. "Mihoshi, please, if you were ever our friend, if you
ever cared about us *and* Ryoko, please...remember."

Mihoshi nodded. "Okay, Tenchi. I'll remember. I promise."


"Okay, ready?" Tenchi asked.

Ayeka nodded and leaned against him as he helped her into the
small hover chair Washu had made for her. Once she was in the chair,
she took a painful breath.

"Are you okay?" Tenchi asked worriedly.

"Yes," she said. "Yes, Tenchi, I'm fine."

He smiled. "Okay, just one tour around the block then we
come right back, all right?"

She nodded. "Thank you, Tenchi. If I don't get out of this
room just for a little while, I'll scream."

He laughed. "Very well, milady," Tenchi said in a clipped
British accent. "Where to, then?"

Ayeka smiled and stuck her nose in the air. "The lakeside,
driver." Tenchi pushed her out the door into Washu's lab. The
redhead was typing at her holotop.

"Where you off to, kids?" Washu asked.

"Just taking a stroll around the yard, Little Washu," Tenchi
told her.

Washu didn't even look up. "Okay. Don't stay out too late."


"Hi, there, Sizuko," Ryoko said as she knelt next to the girl.
The silver haired child had been standing on the dock, looking out
at the lake. "How are you?"

Sizuko looked up at her and blinked, but said nothing.

(If only I could get some kind of reaction out of her,)
Ryoko thought. An idea occurred to her.

"Sizuko, would you like to go for a ride?"

The girl didn't respond.

"I'll take that as a yes," Ryoko told her and picked her up
by her armpits. She latched firmly onto the girl and took off into
the air. She felt Sizuko tense in her arms. "Don't worry. I
won't drop ya. I promise." The girl swallowed nervously, but
seemed to relax a bit.

"Okay!" Ryoko began. "Let's start with an aerial tour of
the valley!" She flew up the mountain so that, looking down, they
could see the entire Masaki valley, the shrine, the cave, the lake,
and the house. "See down there?" Ryoko asked, pointing at the
shrine, "That's Grandpa Yosho's shrine." She saw Yosho tending
the shrine below her and waved. Yosho, by some clairvoyance Ryoko
had given up trying to understand, noticed them and waved back.
"Wave to Grandpa Yosho," Ryoko prompted. Sizuko hesitantly
reached out with her hand and wiggled her fingers at Yosho.
Ryoko grinned.

With a happy, "Whoop!" Ryoko zoomed lower. "Next we have the
cave. Remember the cave I told you about in that story? Well here
it is." She floated above it so Sizuko could get a good look at
it. "Personally," Ryoko said, some of the happiness in her voice
gone, "I'm not too fond of the place, but on the other hand this
*is* where the prince met the young girl!" Ryoko and Sizuko darted
up. Sizuko tensed again in surprise, but Ryoko's grip on her was
solid. "Don't worry, I got ya! Now then, next on our tour is..."
She paused.

There was Tenchi and Ayeka, down by the lake. "Hmmmm,"
Ryoko murmurred. "Let's go see what Tenchi and Ayeka are doing,
huh?" Not waiting for a reply from Sizuko, Ryoko started downward.


Tenchi pushed Ayeka along the shore of the lake. Ayeka
looked out at the water and sighed. "I've always liked this lake,
Tenchi. When we first arrived, I came out here and stared out at
it for hours. My Ryu-oh is buried here, but even so, it soothed
me."

"It's always soothed me too," Tenchi told her. He sounded
uncomfortable. "After...Mom died, I would sit up at night and stare
at it whenever I was here with Grandpa." He blinked as he
remembered from where he would stare at the lake. He looked up and
saw the stone outcropping of Ryoko's cave on the other side of the
lake.

Ayeka followed his gaze and took a breath. "Tenchi...have
you told her yet?"

He shook his head. "No. I...I can't bring myself to do it."

"Do what?"

They gasped and turned. Ryoko and Sizuko appeared next to
them. "Hey, Princess!" Ryoko said with a grin. "I see we're
wasting no time milking this injury for all it's worth, eh?"

Ayeka didn't return the taunt. She sighed.

Ryoko arched an eyebrow. "What? Is the seduction not going
so well?" She released Sizuko, flew up, and glomped Tenchi.
Tenchi tensed just a little.

The demon blinked. "Tenchi?" she asked. "Are you okay?"

Tenchi turned to her. "Ryoko, there's something I..."

"Dinner!" Sasami called out from the house.

"Oh, Tenchi! Can it wait till later? I have to go get Sizuko
ready for dinner."

Tenchi paused. "Yeah, Ryoko. Sure."

A look of worry passed over her face. She eyed Tenchi and
Ayeka for a moment before saying, "Okay. We'll talk later, all
right?" She picked up Sizuko again and disappeared with her.

Ayeka sighed, either in relief or disappointment. It was
impossible to be sure. "We can't keep doing this to her, Tenchi."

"I know," he told her.

"Do...Do you regret...choosing me, Tenchi?"

"No!" he told her quickly. He circled around the chair and
knelt before her. "No. I love you, Ayeka." He reached out and
caressed her cheek. "I love you. The only thing I regret is that
I didn't realize sooner. If I had...If I had, I don't think we'd
be in such a mess now. But we're in it, and we're going to get
through it...together. Okay?" Ayeka reached up with her good
hand and pressed his palm to her cheek. She closed her eyes and
held his hand.

"We'd better get back in," she whispered. "They're waiting
for us."

Tenchi nodded.


A week passed. Ayeka's condition improved steadily, and soon,
she was walking with the aid of a cane. Her arm was weak, but well
enough to where she didn't need a sling for it anymore. She
walked around her room, Tenchi right at her side, helping her.
Washu watched this, and the first hint of suspiscion sprang up.
Was it her, or did Tenchi seem to be paying Ayeka *a lot* of
attention lately? Even more than her condition deserved.

Ryoko, it seemed, either hadn't noticed or was trying not to
think too much of it. She had spent the last week trying to get
a response out of Sizuko. It was frustrating work. The girl
didn't seem to respond to anything. Every night Ryoko told her
another story using story lines that Sasami found suspisciously
familiar.

"Then the handsome prince slew the evil pirate and held the
girl in his arms. The princess, who is really irrelevant in this
story," she said conspiritorially, "was saved, and the great ship,
Tsunami, was rescued from the evil pirate. The prince leaned
down and kissed the beautiful girl he had saved, and they all
returned home to live happily ever after."

With that, she tucked Sizuko in and turned out the light.
"Good night, girls."

"Good night, Ryoko," Sasami said.

Ryoko turned to leave the room.

"Good...night."

Ryoko whirled around at the sound of the voice. "Sizuko?"

Sizuko didn't respond. Ryoko just smiled and walked out of
the room.

As she was walking down the stairs, she bumped into Mihoshi.

"Hi, Mihoshi. You'll never believe what just happened!"
Ryoko told her excitedly.

Mihoshi blinked. "What?"

"Sizuko spoke! She said, 'good night.'" Ryoko looked so
proud Mihoshi would've thought she was the girl's mother.

"Wow, Ryoko! That's great!"

"I know! Oooh! I have to tell Tenchi!" She started flying
down the stairs.

Mihoshi paused for a moment. Tenchi...Tenchi...Tenchi...
Tenchi was with Ayeka....Tenchi didn't want Ryoko to know about
him and Ayeka yet....Ryoko was on her way to Tenchi....Tenchi was
with Ayeka...

"EEP!"

She turned and started running down the stairs. "Ryoko!
Wait a sec!"

Ryoko stopped and turned. "Yeah, Mihoshi?"

"Well...It's just that...I think Tenchi is asleep."

Ryoko blinked. "No, he's not. I just checked his room.
He's not there." She started searching the house.

"Maybe he's asleep somewhere else!" Mihoshi told her.

Ryoko blinked and turned to the detective. "Mihoshi...what
are you hiding?"

"Hiding?" Mihoshi asked nervously. "I'm not hiding
anything."

Ryoko's eyes narrowed. She smiled and said, "You don't have
to worry. Tenchi told me everything."

Mihoshi blinked. "He did?"

Ryoko nodded. "Uh huh. Everything. He told me he asked
you not to tell, but it's okay now. I know everything."

Mihoshi sighed in relief. "That's good. I was about to go
crazy trying to keep it to myself."

"Yeah, I know," Ryoko said, remaining deliberately vague.
"It's weird isn't it?"

"I know! I was so surprised when I found out!"

Ryoko grinned. "How do you think *I* felt?"

Mihoshi's face fell. "Ryoko, I'm sorry. I know you must be
hurt."

Ryoko's face fell. She had thought she had stumbled onto
some minor secret, but Mihoshi was beginning to scare her. "Why
would I be?" she asked in a haunted whisper.

Mihoshi looked at her sympathetically and reached out,
hugging the demon. "It's okay, Ryoko. I'm here for you."

"That's...that's great, Mihoshi," Ryoko said, playing for
time.

"I'm sure it must have been hard for Tenchi to tell you,"
Mihoshi said. "It hurt him too. I could tell when they told me."

"They?" Ryoko asked. "Who else knows?"

"Well, Tenchi and Ayeka, of course."

Ice clutched at Ryoko's heart. "Yeah," she whispered. "How
about that?"

"I hope you're not mad at them," Mihoshi said.

"I'm...I'm not mad," Ryoko stuttered.

Mihoshi smiled weakly at her. "I'm glad. I'm glad you can
be happy for them."

Ryoko blinked back a tear. "Of..of course. Of course I
can," she whispered. She shut her eyes in pain. By now it was
all too obvious what Mihoshi was talking about.

Mihoshi saw the pain in her eyes and hugged her again. "I'm
sorry, Ryoko," she said quietly. "I didn't mean to bring it up
again. I know it must hurt."

"I...I have to go talk to Tenchi," she said. "Excuse me."

"Ryoko?"

Ryoko paused but didn't turn to Mihoshi. She reached out
and steadied herself on the stair banister. Her shoulders shook
as she sobbed quietly.

"Ryoko?" Mihoshi said again, only in a whisper.

(Oh God!) Mihoshi thought. (She didn't know! She *DIDN'T
KNOW*!) "Ryoko?" Mihoshi asked again, reaching out to the demon.
Ryoko just disappeared.

Mihoshi stood there in shock. (She didn't know. She didn't
know.) She fell to her knees. (What have I done?)


Tenchi stepped outside into the night and looked up into the
sky. He had to tell Ryoko. (Tonight,) he promised himself.
Tonight he'd do it. Ayeka was asleep. The rest of the family was
probably out as well. It was time. He started to turn to reenter
the house.

Ryoko was standing in the doorway. "Hello, Tenchi," she
said quietly.

"Ryoko," Tenchi greeted. "I need to talk to you..."

"How could you do this to me?" she asked him in a whisper.

Tenchi blinked. "What?"

Ryoko stepped closer, and he could make out the moonlight
reflected in the tears in her eyes. "How could...How could you do
it?" she whispered again.

Tenchi felt his stomach climb up into his chest.

She approached him. "How..." She shook her head. "Tenchi...
what did I do?"

Tenchi stared in shock. "Wha..."

"What did I do, Tenchi?" Ryoko asked again. "What did I
do to drive you away? What did I do...to make you not love me?"

He shook his head. "Ryoko, you didn't do anything wrong...
I..."

"Please," she whispered, reaching out to him, her fingers
lightly touched his chest. "Just tell me, Tenchi. Was it the
fighting?"

"No, Ryoko..."

"Was it my watching you when you sleep? When I tore your
mother's kimono!? Was that it!?"

"Ryoko, please..."

"Please, Tenchi!" she cried. "Tell me! I promise, whatever
I did, I won't do it anymore, just please....Please don't do this
to me...Please. Tell me...Tell me it's a joke, something to teach
me a lesson! Tell me I'm wrong about the whole thing! But
*PLEASE*...tell me *anything* but that you don't love me."

Tenchi just stared at her, pain wracking his features. He
shut his eyes. "I can't," he told her.

Ryoko clutched at his shirt. "Please, Tenchi, please. You
don't mean that! I know you don't! You *can't* mean that!"

Tenchi took her hands in his and gently removed them from
his shirt, squeezing them softly. "Ryoko...please..."

She shook her head urgently. "No! Tenchi, please!" Without
another word, she leaned up and kissed him. Tenchi blinked in
shock. "Please, Tenchi," she whispered, releasing him from that
kiss. "I...I love you. I *need* you. Don't you see? Ayeka has
an entire galaxy. You...You *are* my galaxy. You're my universe.
You're *everything* to me. I...I can't imagine a universe
where....where we're not together. Please Tenchi....Please...Don't
tell me...Don't tell me...it's never going to happen!"

"Ryoko, we never wanted to hurt you."

Ryoko stared at the floor. "Don't you get it?" she whispered.
"Without you there is *nothing* in my life. You are *it*!"

"You're a big part of my life, too, Ryoko..."

"You're not a part of my life, Tenchi!" she cried out.
"You *are* my life! All of it! I spent centuries in that cave,
and just when I thought I was going to lose my mind....I saw you,"
she finished quietly. "I saw you," she said again. "You...you
were being carried by your mother, and I saw you, and for the first
time in *centuries*...someone could *see* me! Do you know how
happy that made me? That someone could see me? I had...I had all
but resigned myself to a life alone in that dark cave, but then
there was you! I spent every day afterward waiting for you to
come back just so I could be *seen*!"

Tenchi just stood there as Ryoko's soul bled in front of him.

"I just wanted you to see me, Tenchi! And when you freed
me..." she laughed in bitter joy, "When you freed me, I knew...you
loved me! You were *supposed* to free me because we were *supposed*
to be together!"

Tenchi took her by the shoulders. "Ryoko..." He swallowed
painfully. "I love Ayeka," he told her. Ryoko shut her eyes
painfully.

"You don't mean that!"

"I do mean it," he told her.

She burst into tears and fell to her knees. She grabbed
his legs and cried as if to prevent him from flying away forever.

"Please, Tenchi," she sobbed. "Please!"

A tear rolled down his cheek. "I...I can't deny how I feel,
Ryoko. I love her."

She looked up at him with a tear stained face. "I love
*you*, Tenchi," she whispered. "I love you." Tenchi didn't know
what to say. "Okay," she said, closing her eyes and taking a
breath. "You love Ayeka. Okay. Okay, fine. I can accept that.
But you love me too, right? You love me too. It's like that
Jurain thing. You love us both...don't you?"

He wanted to say yes. He wanted to say it for no other reason
than it would bring her *some* comfort, spare her *some* pain.

But he couldn't lie to her.

He couldn't look her in the eye and lie to her like that.

"Ryoko," he said quietly.

Ryoko caught his meaning before he even said it. She
squeezed her eyes shut and sobbed, releasing his leg and covering
her eyes with her hands.

"Ryoko, try to under..."

Before he could finish, she was gone, dematerialized.

Tenchi blinked tears out of his eyes and fell to his knees,
weeping. The only time he had ever cried harder was when his
mother had died.


Ryoko reappeared in her cave and instantly fell to the floor,
curling up in a fetal position as she cried. She howled in pain,
her soul screaming on its own. She reached out and pounded her
fist against a rock. She felt something odd, sticky on the rock's
surface. She looked up and saw a blood stain there.

She realized it was *her* blood, Ayeka's blood. (This was
where it happened,) she realized suddenly. (This is where it
happened. Right here in the only place that was truly hers.)

She trembled and screamed up at the ceiling.

"THERE'S NO PEACE FOR ME!" she cried. "Not even here," she
whimpered.

"Ryoko?"

She looked up and saw her mother walk out of the shadows.

"What do you want?" Ryoko asked her.

"Did you think I wouldn't sense it?" Washu asked quietly as
she approached Ryoko. "Did you think I wouldn't know instantly?"

"What do you care?" Ryoko asked bitterly. "It's always been
just a big joke to you."

Washu shook her head sadly. "No, Ryoko. Never."

"Go away, Washu," Ryoko whispered. "Leave me alone."

"No." Ryoko looked at her. "I'm not leaving you alone now,
because I know what you're thinking. I know what you're planning
to do." Ryoko quivered in pain and grief. Washu walked right up
to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "And I won't let you
do it."

"You can't stop me," she whispered.

"Yes, I can," Washu told her.

Ryoko engaged a light sword and held it up, allowing her grief
torn face to glow in the sword's crimson light. On the other side
of that sword, Washu's saddened features were bathed in a red glow.
Ryoko screamed and turned the sword's blade on herself, plunging
it towards her chest. Before the blade touched her, it dissolved.
Ryoko looked at her empty hand in horror.

She looked up at Washu, hate in her eyes. "YOU HAVE NO
RIGHT!" she screamed.

Washu shook her head, a tear streaming down her face. "No,
daughter. I'm the only one who does." She reached out and
touched Ryoko's forehead with her finger. Ryoko's eyes fluttered,
and she fell to the floor, asleep.

"Sleep, Ryoko," she whispered. "Just sleep."


Ayeka woke up and blinked the sleep out of her eyes. She
looked up and saw what had awoken her. Tenchi was standing in
the doorway.

"Tenchi," she said. "Are you okay?" Tenchi looked horrible.
Tears were streaming down his face. "What happened?" she asked.

Tenchi stepped forward and reached out, embracing her. Ayeka
wrapped her arm around him and pulled his head into her shoulder
as he began to sob. She sqeezed her eyes shut. A tear rolled down
her cheek.

"Shhhhhhh," she whispered. "It's okay, Tenchi. It's okay."
She held him while he cried and tried to hold back tears of her
own. "Shhhh," she cooed. "It'll be all right, Tenchi. It'll be
all right."

(Oh, please, Tsunami, let it be all right.)


Ryoko's eyes flashed open. She stared up at the unfamiliar
ceiling above her.

"Ryoko?"

She turned and found Sasami looking down at her sadly.

"Ryoko? Are you okay?"

The demon turned from her and began to cry again. Sasami
reached out to the demon, but Ryoko flinched away.

"Ryoko? Please."

"Why are you here?" Ryoko whispered.

Sasami paused. "Ms. Washu asked me..."

Ryoko began to laugh.

Sasami took a worried breath.

"*Mother* thinks you can keep me from doing it, doesn't she?"

Sasami blinked. "Doing what?" she asked.

Ryoko shot up from where she was laying and came face to face
with Sasami. The princess flinched and looked at the demon in fear.

"Go away," Ryoko hissed. Sasami didn't move. "NOW!"

Sasami fell backwards in shock, staring at Ryoko. She got up
and ran from the room.

Ryoko blinked as she realized what she had done. "Sasami!
Wait! I'm sorry!"

It was too late. Sasami was already out of the room.

Ryoko put her face in her hands and cried. (Why are you
doing this to me?!) she projected as loud as she could.

"You want to die, is that it?"

Ryoko whirled around and faced her mother.

Washu was not in her child form. She faced her daughter
woman to woman. "You want to die," Washu accused her, "Because
Tenchi loves someone else."

"No," Ryoko bit out, "Not because Tenchi loves someone else.
Because he *doesn't* love *me*!"

"And I'm supposed to just let you kill yourself, is that it?"

"Yes!" Ryoko hissed. "Yes, dammit! You claim to love me
like your daughter and not some experiment! Prove it! Let me die!"

Washu's face pinched in pain. "No. I didn't bear you for
nine months so you could kill yourself over a man."

"It's not your choice," Ryoko hissed.

"No, it's not," Washu told her. "It's your choice, but
guess what..." She stood face to face with her daughter. "I'm
not going to let you make it just yet."

Ryoko slapped her across the face! Washu stood there and took
the blow.

"I want you to think about it, Ryoko," Washu said. "I want
you think about the people around you. Instead of thinking about
what you don't have, I want you to consider what you *do* have.
You think your universe is so small as to be made up of one man,
then you are seriously mistaken."

"You can't stop me," Ryoko told her. "You can't watch me
twenty-four hours a day."

Washu shook her head. "I don't have to. You might have
noticed by now that your powers are gone." Ryoko seethed at the
fact that she was right. "When I created you," Washu told her,
"I was overjoyed by your strength, by the countermeasures I gave
you to keep you safe from any threat that might present itself. I
was relieved by the fact that in the entire universe, there were
perhaps only a handful of threats that could kill you. Well now
those defenses are going to protect you from the greatest threat
of all. Your own despair."

Ryoko stood there shaking for a moment. Then with a howl of
rage, she launched herself at Washu! Her hands wrapped around her
mother's throat. She wasn't sure what she was trying to do.
Either kill Washu or force the scientist to kill her, she didn't
know. Washu fell to the ground, not resisting as Ryoko throttled
the life from her.

Ryoko saw that Washu wasn't going to resist and broke down.
Her grip loosened as she collapsed on top of her mother.

"Please," she whispered. "Please, Washu, just let me go.
Let me die, please."

Washu shook her head. "No. Not yet, Ryoko. I want you to
think first. Afterwards...after you think about what you have...
if you still want to throw your life away...then I'll let you."

Ryoko screamed at her in grief and rage. "PLEASE!" she
begged.

"No," Washu whispered. "No, daughter. Not today."

Ryoko growled at her. "I won't change my mind."

"Then there's nothing wrong with waiting," she told her.

The demon stood up and stormed out the door. Washu watched
her go. It didn't matter where Ryoko went. There was nothing on
Earth except Tenchi himself who could kill Ryoko. Without her
powers, not even Ryoko could take her life. Washu felt the pain
in her daughter, felt the overwhelming desire to end it, but she
couldn't let her do it. Perhaps it was selfish of her. For a
moment, she wavered in her decision, but she couldn't do it. She
couldn't let her daughter die.

She just couldn't.


"Has anyone seen Ryoko?" Tenchi asked at breakfast the next
morning. Sasami looked uncomfortable. Mihoshi and Kiyone just
shrugged, unaware of the events of the previous night. Tenchi
looked simply miserable. And Washu...

Washu sat at the table and finished her breakfast before
saying, "Tenchi, I would appreciate it if you did not see Ryoko
for awhile."

The others at the table looked at her in shock. Tenchi took
a breath. "Little Washu, I know you must hate me for..."

"Tenchi, let's talk in private," Washu said quickly. The
others watched in confusion as the two walked into the living room.
Tenchi braced himself for an attack and was surprised when it
didn't come.

Washu took a deep breath and began. "Ryoko tried to kill
herself last night."

Tenchi paled. "What?!" he gasped.

Washu nodded. "I...intervened."

Tenchi collapsed into a chair. "What have I done?" he
whispered.

"What you had to do," she told him.

"You must hate me," he told her.

Washu sighed. "No, Tenchi. How...how do I hate a person
for loving someone? I can't. But I don't want you going near
Ryoko for awhile. It'll do more harm than good."

"Shouldn't you be with her?" Tenchi asked. "What if she
tries to..."

"She can't," Washu interrupted. "I've made sure of it."
Tenchi looked at her in puzzlement. "I've taken her powers from
her," Washu explained.

Tenchi's expression went from fear to horror.

"She *can't* kill herself now," Washu told him. "No matter
how much she might want to. There's not a thing on this planet
that can do it now except for you, me, and Ayeka."

Tenchi swallowed dryly. "Was that really necessary?" he
whispered.

Washu looked at him with anger in her green eyes for the
first time. "Tenchi, don't you dare tell me you think Ryoko
should just crawl into a cave and cut her own throat! I don't
give a damn how much she loves you, or what she thinks she's lost!
She's my daughter! I won't allow her to throw her life away on
a whim! I don't condemn you for loving Ayeka, don't condemn me
for loving my daughter!"

Tenchi shut his eyes painfully. "Is there anything I can
do?" he asked.

Washu paused. "Love Ayeka, Tenchi," she told him quietly.
"Love her as much as you can for as long as you can. You never
know when you're going to lose the person you love, Tenchi.
Believe me, I know. Take that love and run with it. Never look
back. Live your lives, Tenchi. Both of you. Make sure that...
the pain...is worth it."

Tenchi didn't know what to say. He started past her for the
door.

"She's always going to love you, you know," Washu told him.

He paused at the door. "I know," he whispered. "Will...will
she be okay?" he asked.

Washu turned to him. They shared a long look.

"No," she said and left the room.

Tenchi stood there alone.


"Where are you going?" Washu asked her.

Ryoko stiffened. "I want to see her."

"Why?" Washu asked.

"That's none of your business."

"She won't kill you," Washu told her. "No matter how much
you provoke her. She won't do it."

"I wasn't planning on giving her a choice," Ryoko hissed.
She turned and saw her *mother* standing there behind her. "Is
this what it's going to be like? You're going to follow me around
forever? That's what it'll take."

"No. Just until you come to your senses," Washu told her.
"And Ayeka's room is off limits to you until you do."

Ryoko walked right past her without another word. Washu
watched her go.


"You look troubled, Tenchi," Yosho told him as he swept the
shrine's steps.

Tenchi paused. "Grandfather...I need advice."

Yosho continued to sweep. "Oh?"

"I...I've hurt Ryoko, Grandfather, and I don't know how to
help her. I have no idea what to do. I'm lost."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Tell me...Tell me what to do. How can I make things right
again?"

Yosho stopped sweeping. "Tenchi, if I tell you what to do,
do you swear now that you will follow my instructions to the
letter...without question and without argument?"

Tenchi nodded fiercely. "Yes, Grandfather."

Yosho resumed sweeping. "Washu tells me that Ayeka will be
able to walk tomorrow. You are going to spend the day with her,
away from the house. You are going to enjoy yourselves, and at
some point in the day, you are going to make her laugh. And at
no time will you mention Ryoko's name."

Tenchi blinked in shock. This wasn't what he was looking
for. "Grandfather..."

"Without question," Yosho repeated, "Without argument."

Tenchi swallowed dryly and nodded.

"It wasn't what you were looking for," Yosho told him. It
wasn't a question.

Tenchi nodded.

"Unfortunate. Because it's all I have for you. Ryoko is
a problem with no solution. No solution *you* have at any rate.
But now your priorities have changed. You've made a choice, and
now you must stand by that choice without regrets. You must make
Ayeka your world."

"Ryoko's my friend," he told his grandfather.

"Ayeka's your love," Yosho reminded him.

Tenchi nodded. "Thank you, Grandfather." He thought for a
moment. "Grandfather?"

Yosho sighed. "Yes, Tenchi?"

"Um...What should I do? I mean, with Ayeka tomorrow? I
mean...She's a princess. What can I possibly give her that she
doesn't already have?"

Yosho spun around and whacked him on the head with the
broom. "Foolish boy! Don't think about what you can't give her!
Think of what you can!"

Tenchi rubbed his head painfully. "Yeesh..."

"You will think of something." With that, Yosho returned
to sweeping. Tenchi sighed and walked down the steps towards
the house.


"Here you go, Sizuko," Sasami said, smiling as she rested
the plate of food in front of the young girl. Without a word,
the girl began to eat.

Sasami frowned. Sizuko could speak. She had heard her
say good night to Ryoko, but she hadn't said a word since then.
Ryoko was still missing. She hadn't been seen in two days. Washu
sat at the table and ate calmly, but without gusto.

"Ms. Washu, where's Ryoko?"

Washu took a breath, but didn't face Sasami as she answered.
"She's thinking, Sasami."

"Maybe I should bring her some dinner."

"I don't think that would be a good idea."

"Do you even know where she is?"

Washu paused. "Truthfully? No. I had to cut my link from
her. It's a side effect of...I don't know," she finished simply.

Sasami looked on in worry.

Sizuko ate in silence.


Ryoko sat on a rock in her cave. There was nothing else she
*could* do.

Oh, wait, that's right. She could cry.

A tear fell and hit the cave floor.

Tenchi was gone. No, not gone.

Ayeka's.

Tenchi was Ayeka's. She took him from her.

(Kill Ayeka!) she thought. (Just like Kagato taught! Don't
try to solve the problem, *destroy* the problem!)

No!

Killing Ayeka will hurt Tenchi.

(He'll get over it!)

Not if he really loves her!

(He just *thinks* he loves her! He doesn't really know!)

He says he does!

(So what?! You can't kill yourself! You can't end the pain!
Why shouldn't we try to eliminate the problem?! Kill Ayeka! Then
Tenchi will come to you! The pain will go away!)

No! It won't! It'll just get worse!

(What do we have to lose from finding out?)

Ryoko paused.

No.

I can't.

She placed her head in her hands and cried.

I can't. I can't! I can't stop him from loving her! I
can't! Ican'tIcan'tIcan't!!!

The pain! I can't stand the pain! I can't live with the
pain! I can't die from the pain! Why can't I die!? Why?!

Why won't she let me die?!

Ryoko continued to cry.


Ayeka was having a beautiful dream.

But it was one of those dreams she'd never admit to having
in a million years.

One of *those* dreams.

She smiled in her sleep and sighed. "Oh, Tenchi..." She
giggled and rolled over. Her eyes opened.

Tenchi was looking at her. Her eyes widened. "Tenchi?"

He leaned forward and kissed her.

"What time is it?" she asked sleepily.

"Six in the morning," he told her. "How do you feel?"

She blinked in puzzlement. "Okay. What are you doing here
so early?"

"We're spending the day together," he told her. "There's
something I want to show you. It's outside."

Ayeka smiled. "Okay. Let me get dressed."

"I'll wait outside."

Ayeka got out of bed and began to dress. She was still weak,
but she could manage. She struggled with her kimono. Her arm was
still weak and hurt like hell when she moved it. She couldn't
reach some of the clasps. For the past week, Sasami had been here
to help her with it, but the Second Princess was asleep now. What
was she going to do?

She could ask Tenchi.

Her breath quickened. She couldn't do that!

Why not?

It...It was wrong.

Why?

What choice did she have? She could wait for Sasami to wake
up, but Tenchi seemed to be in hurry.

She bit her lip and made her decision. She walked slowly to
the door and opened it a crack.

"Tenchi?"

Tenchi was waiting for her. "Ready?"

"Um...No. Tenchi...could you help me?"

"What's wrong?"

"I...I can't...I seem to be having trouble reaching the clasps
on my kimono..."

Tenchi turned red. "Oh...well...um...."

"Please, Tenchi?" She seemed rather embarrassed by the whole
situation.

"Er...Sure," he said with a gentle smile.

He reentered the room and helped Ayeka don her kimono. Ayeka
was blushing fiercely, but it was okay. She trusted Tenchi. She
loved him, and he loved her, so why should it be a problem?

It wasn't.

"How's that?" he asked.

Ayeka nodded. "It's fine. Thank you, Tenchi. If you give
me another minute to freshen up, I'll be ready to go."

Tenchi waited and stepped outside again. Finally, Ayeka
stepped out, the cane Washu gave her in her hand. Supporting
herself on this cane, she smiled at him. Tenchi returned her smile
and took her other hand, leading her outside. He helped her up
the mountain path almost to the Masaki shrine itself.

Ayeka nearly tripped over a root. "Tenchi, where are we
going? It's still dark out."

"It's just a little farther," he told her. The forest gave
way to a grassy hill top. He helped Ayeka sit down and plopped
down next to her.

She looked up at the sky. She could still see the stars.
"What did you want to show me, Tenchi?"

Tenchi pointed out at the horizon. "This."

Ayeka watched and waited. Suddenly, a ray of light appeared,
washing over them as the sun rose in the eastern sky. Ayeka gasped
as she saw the entire valley illuminated below her.

"Tenchi," she whispered. "It's beautiful."

Tenchi took her hand and squeezed it. "It was the only thing
I could think of to give you that no one else could."

"It's beautiful," she repeated as the sun cleared the horizon.

Tenchi reached out and found a basket that had been hidden by
the darkness. "Now, how about breakfast?"

"Breakfast?" she asked. (What next?)

He spread out a blanket on the hill top and took a couple
of bento boxes out of the basket. "I didn't want to wake up
Sasami," he told her, "So the food probably isn't the best you've
ever tasted," he apologized.

"No, it's wonderful, Tenchi!" She told him, sampling what
he cooked. Okay, so it wasn't wonderful, but it was the thought
that counted.

He produced a thermos and poured a cup of tea for her. He
smiled.

"This was a wonderful idea, Tenchi," she told him, smiling.
"Thank you."

"Day's not over yet," he told her.

"What else do you have planned?" she asked.

"I don't want to strain you," he told her.

"It's no strain!" she said quickly. "Tell me."

"Well, I thought that after this I'd take you into town. But
if you think it would be too much..."

"It's not!" she assured him. "Really! It isn't! I'd love
to go into town with you!"

Tenchi smiled. "Okay. But if your leg gives you any trouble,
you tell me."

She nodded. "I promise, Tenchi."


"Washu! Washu!"

Washu turned and saw Sasami running up to her.

"Ayeka's gone!"

Washu held up a note addressed to Noboyuki. "No, she's just
out for the day."

Sasami took the note and read it. "Aw...That's so sweet!"
After Ryoko had found out about them, Washu had been forced to
tell Sasami why she needed her help with Ryoko.

Washu nodded. "I wouldn't expect them back for the rest of
the day."

Sasami nodded.

"When's breakfast?" Washu asked.

"Oh! I'll start it now, Ms. Washu!" She ran to the lab door
and gasped when she ran headlong into Ryoko. "Ryoko!"

Ryoko looked down at Sasami...

And smiled.

Sasami smiled back. "Ryoko! You're back!" She hugged the
demon. "I was so worried!"

Ryoko wrapped an arm around the little girl and hugged her.
"It's okay, Sasami. I need to talk to Washu alone, okay?"

Sasami nodded. "Okay! Oh, this is so great! I'm going to
make a special breakfast!"

With that, the little girl ran out of the lab to the kitchen.
Ryoko turned to her mother.

"Ryoko?"

Ryoko smiled and nodded. "I'm okay, Washu."

Washu smiled, tears in her eyes. "You are?" she whispered.

Ryoko nodded.

Washu approached her and reached out. Ryoko smiled and
took her hand. "Washu, I know you thought you were doing what
was best. I understand. Thank you. I know now that you really
care."

"I do! I do care, Ryoko!" Washu hugged her daughter. "Oh,
God! I do care!"

Ryoko hugged the scientist. "I know," she said as she
reached out to Washu's workbench. "I know. But I'm afraid it
doesn't make any difference." Her hand closed around a handheld
scanner.

Washu looked up at her. "What?!" She tried to reopen the
mental link, to find out what was happening, but before she could,
the scanner came down on her head. Washu fell to the ground,
unconscious.

Ryoko felt her powers rush back to her. Washu, unconscious,
was no longer able to block them.

"I'm sorry, Washu," Ryoko told her. "I know you care,"
she whispered. "But I can't live like this."

She formed an energy sword and shortened the energy blade
to about six inches. She turned the blade around and pointed it
at her chest. She took several deep breaths and closed her eyes.

(Goodbye, Tenchi. I love you.)

"Why are you running?"

The voice was so soft that, for just a moment, she thought it
came from her own mind. She opened her eyes and blinked.

"Why are you running?"

She turned and saw Sizuko standing there.

Ryoko paused. She couldn't just cut herself open with her
standing there. "Sizuko, go back to the kitchen."

"Why?" she asked.

"I don't want you here. I don't want you to see this. Go
back to the kitchen and eat your breakfast."

"You're running," she told the demon.

"Yeah!?" Ryoko asked angrily. "So what!? Why shouldn't I
run?!" she was screaming now.

Sizuko didn't blink. "Mommy ran too."

Ryoko blinked. "Huh?"

"Mommy. She ran too."

Ryoko stared at her.

"She ran. She left me alone."

Ryoko said nothing.

"Why are you running? Why did she leave me?"

Ryoko swallowed dryly.

"Why do you want to leave me?"

"I can't..." Ryoko whispered painfully. "He doesn't love me."

"Why do you want to leave me?"

"It's not that," Ryoko whispered.

"What did I do wrong?" A tear ran quietly down Sizuko's
cheek. Her eerily calm voice was beginning to crack. "Why are you
leaving? Why did she leave? Why are you leaving me *again*?!"

Ryoko watched in horror as the girl seemed to just collapse
in front of her. Not physically. She was still on her feet, but
the walls that seemed to surround her were crumbling away,
revealing the shattered child within.

"What did I do?" Sizuko whispered. "I didn't mean it. I
didn't! Whatever I did, I didn't mean it!"

A tear ran down Ryoko's cheek.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Sizuko wept. "Please! Please
don't leave me again! Please! Please, Mommy, don't leave me
again!" The little girl fell to her knees and began weeping
uncontrollably.

Ryoko choked back a sob as she watched the girl collapse.
She saw herself in that little girl. She blinked back tears.

"I DIDN'T MEAN IT!" the girl screamed. "I DIDN'T MEAN IT!"

Ryoko's sword disappeared. She took a hesitant step forward.

"I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY!" Sizuko was sobbing. Ryoko took
another step. "PLEASE! PLEASE, DON'T GO! *PLEASE*!"

Ryoko took another step and reached out. Sizuko continued
to cry. She knelt next to the girl and rested her hand on Sizuko's
shoulder.

Sizuko threw herself into Ryoko's arms, latching onto her
desperately. "DON'T LEAVE!" She cried. "DON'T LEAVE ME! DON'T
LEAVE!" She cried into Ryoko's dress.

Tears running down her face, Ryoko reached out and stroked
Sizuko's hair. "Shhhhhh," she whispered quietly. "Shhhhhh, it's
okay. I won't go. I promise. It's okay."

Sizuko continued to cry.

"I'm sorry, baby," Ryoko sobbed. "I'm sorry I scared you."

The girl refused to release her. Ryoko could feel the tears
soak into her dress. She couldn't hold back any longer and began
to sob herself.


Tenchi placed the sundae in front of Ayeka and sat down
across the booth from her at the ice cream parlor.

"Thank you," Ayeka said happily, picking up her spoon.

"Your welcome," Tenchi said, digging into his own sundae.

Ayeka shook her head. "It's hard to believe there's nothing
like this on Jurai," she commented, savoring the ice cream.

Tenchi blinked in astonishment. "There's no *ice cream* on
Jurai?!"

Ayeka shook her head. "No. It appears to be a dessert
unique to your world."

"That's hard to believe," Tenchi told her.

She nodded. "I know. I intend to bring several quarts with
me the next time I go to Jurai. Mother will love it."

He smiled. "How are your parents going to handle...well...
us?"

"Mother and Aunt Funaho will approve," Ayeka told him.
"Father will take some convincing, but I think he'll come around."
She smiled reassuredly and scooped up a dollop of ice cream and
hot fudge.

"How's your leg?" he asked.

"It's fine," she told him.

"Are you sure?" he asked quietly.

"Tenchi, I'm okay," she told him. She reached out
tentatively and took his hand. "But thank you for worrying." She
bit her lip with worry and broached the subject she had been
putting off all morning. "Tenchi, about Ryoko..."

He held up his hand and stopped her. "Not here. Not now,"
he told her. "I made a promise."

Puzzled, Ayeka only nodded.

"So what would you like to do next?" he asked her.

Ayeka could only shrug. "I really don't know. What does a
traditional Earth date consist of?"

"Well...I don't know really." Ayeka looked at him oddly.
"I haven't been on many dates," he admitted. "To be honest...
you're the first."

Ayeka blushed. "I'm honored."

"Don't be too honored," he told her. "Now I have no idea
what to do."

"So...let's just do something fun," Ayeka told him.

"Okay. Any ideas?"

"Hmmm," Ayeka thought. She thought about the only source of
information she had been exposed to concerning dates, TV. "How
about a movie?"

Tenchi nodded. "Okay. What do you want to see?"

"Let's decide when we get there," she suggested. Tenchi
nodded in agreement. "And Tenchi," He waited for her to continue.
"For someone who's never been on a date, I think you're doing
slendidly."

He smiled. "Thanks, Ayeka."


"Are they okay?" Sasami asked quietly.

Washu looked at the corner where her daughter and Sizuko
were huddled together, clinging to each other. Neither had said
a word in over two hours, not since Sasami had found them there
and Washu unconscious.

"I don't know," Washu told her quietly. "But while I was
out...I know Ryoko had her powers. She has them now. But she's
still here."

Sasami walked up to them. "Ryoko? Sizuko?"

Ryoko sat on the floor, Sizuko in her arms, and rocked her
gently.

"Ryoko?"

The demon blinked and looked up, seeming to notice the
princess for the first time. "Sasami?" she whispered.

"Are you okay, Ryoko?" Sasami asked, relieved just to get
a reaction out of her.

Ryoko stroked Sizuko's hair. "I'm fine, Sasami," she said
quietly. She resumed stroking the girl's hair.

"What happened, Washu?" Sasami asked.

Washu shook her head. "I don't know, Sasami. But I think
this might be a part of it." She was typing on her holotop. "The
information from the GP databanks came in." A picture appeared
on the screen. Sasami blinked at the woman there.

"That...That kind of looks like Ryoko."

Washu was also staring at the picture. The woman there had
the same silver hair as Sizuko, worn down behind her back. Her
eyes were a very light brown, and she had sharp, angular features.
There was an uncanny resemblance to Ryoko. The two could've been
sisters.

"Her name is Tenna Oncala," Washu told her. "She was
kidnapped when her ship was raided fifteen years ago by a gang of
marauders. She *didn't* have a daughter at the time. Her body
was found two years ago on a mining asteroid in the Orsini system.
The autopsy suggested that her death...was self inflicted."

Sasami blinked. "You mean..."

Washu nodded. "She committed suicide."

Sasami looked back at Sizuko. "I bet that's why she's the
way she is," she said.

"Probably," Washu said with a nod. She looked at her
daughter. "They both harbor so much pain. More than either one
of them could ever deserve. Maybe this is a blessing."

"How so, Ms. Washu?"

Washu sighed. "Sasami...Ryoko tried to kill herself.
That's why she was in here. That's why she knocked me out."

Sasami gasped. "No," she said, shaking her head. "Ryoko
wouldn't do that!"

"She would, Sasami. She tried. I had to take away her powers
to stop her from doing it. But she could've done it at any time
after knocking me out, and she's still here." She watched as her
daughter sat there, clinging to the young girl like a life
preserver.

"Is there anything we can do for them?" Sasami asked.

Washu sighed. "I guess we just wait for them to come out of
it on their own."


Ryoko's mind was at war with itself as she sat there and
stroked Sizuko's hair.

(I still feel the pain, so why am I still here? I have my
powers. I can end it at any time. Why don't I?)

(Sizuko? Was it Sizuko?)

(Forget Sizuko! She's not your problem!)

(What if I *wanted* her to be my problem?)

(Then you're a fool!)

(I'm already a fool.)

(I can't leave her. I can't hurt her like that. I don't
have the right.)

(Yes, you do! You didn't ask her to butt into your life!)

(But she did, and now she's a part of it.)

(So what?!)

(...)

(Well?!)

(It's different now.)

(How!? How is it different!? Nothing's changed! Tenchi
will never love you!)

(I know.)

(He's going to spend the rest of his life with that bitch
princess!)

(I know.)

(You can't stop it!)

(I know.)

(You can't end the pain as long as you live.)

(....I know.)

(So end it!)

(..............I can't.)

(Why not?!)

(I can't abandon her. I can't leave her...)

(The way Tenchi left you? The way he abandoned you to be
with Ayeka?)

(It's not the same thing.)

(Isn't it?)

(No. Tenchi doesn't love me less, he just loves Ayeka more.
He made the only choice he could. This choice...Death...Would
serve no purpose, and would only hurt someone I care about.)

(Tenchi.) The voice in her head was filled with contempt.

(No. Tenchi has Ayeka now, but Sizuko...She's alone. Just
like I am. Alone and frightened and filled with pain.)

(It's not your concern.)

(......It is now.)


Ayeka shook her head. (This is horrible,) she thought as
she popped a piece of chocolate in her mouth. (Is this what
humans really do on dates?)

She looked over and saw Tenchi sitting next to her in the
theatre. She smiled. It didn't matter if the movie had zero
plot, lame acting, and bad dialogue. The point was she was here
with him. Now. Always.

And it wasn't going to change.

She leaned over and whispered, "Tenchi, I don't understand.
Why do humans come to movies designed to frighten people?" The
only movie playing at the tiny theatre was a suspense movie, and a
bad one at that, but the two of them were game for anything so
they decided to take their chances.

Suddenly, on the screen, a machete blade sliced through the
door only an inch from the heroine's head. The movie starlet
screamed.

So did Ayeka. She squealed in surprise and latched onto
Tenchi without realizing it. She blinked and looked up at him.
He was blinking down at her in surprise.

She cleared her throat and released him. "I think I see
now," she said simply.

Tenchi laughed. "Well, if it weren't for that, none of these
movies would make any money."

Ayeka giggled. They didn't have to worry about disturbing
anyone. The theatre was practically empty. "I guess it's one of
those quaint, Earth traditions," she told him with a smile.

"I guess so," he replied. An idea occurred to him, and he
slowly moved his arm around her, resting his hand on her shoulder.
Ayeka blinked and looked up at him. She smiled and leaned against
him.

"This is nice," she sighed.

"Yeah," he whispered.

Their eyes widened as a madman with a chainsaw appeared on
the screen. The heroine began screaming.

"Tenchi, can we go somewhere else?" Ayeka asked.

"Yeah, I think that's a good idea," he told her with
perfect honesty. The two got up and left the theatre.


(Ryoko? Can you hear me?)

(Beat it, Washu! I don't want to talk to you!)

Ryoko was holding Sizuko, still in that same corner of the
lab, refusing to leave.

(I know you must hate me for what I've done, Ryoko, but it
was for your own good.)

Ryoko didn't answer. Sizuko was sleeping fitfully in her arms.

(Do you still want to end it?) Washu asked mentally.

Ryoko didn't answer.

(Ryoko, the little girl in your arms had a mother once. A
mother who decided to end her own life just like you want to. When
she did, she left this little girl alone with a father who abused
her in ways I can't describe to you.)

No response.

(You know what that's like, because it's happened to you.
You lost your mother when you were young. You were abused in ways
that still make you shudder in your sleep. I know because I've
seen your dreams. The two of you are the same.)

Sizuko moaned in her sleep and squirmed a little. Ryoko
adjusted her grip on the girl. Sizuko resumed sleeping.

(Daughter...You are capable of so much love...I know it.
What will be gained by throwing it away?)

Nothing.

Washu sighed. How could she get through to her?


Ryoko felt Sizuko stir in her arms. She blinked and looked
down at her. Sizuko was staring up at her, her face once again
expressionless.

"Hey," Ryoko whispered. "How are you feeling?"

Sizuko hugged her tightly. "Don't...go..." Sizuko whispered.

Ryoko hugged the girl. "I won't," she whispered. "I won't
go. It's okay."

(What the hell am I going to do?) she asked herself. She
heard her stomach grumble. She had forgotten the last time she
had eaten anything.

"Sasami?"

"Yeah, Ryoko?" Sasami asked, rushing to her side.

"Is there any breakfast left?" Ryoko's voice was quiet.

"Yeah! I'll heat it up!" Sasami ran out of the lab.

"Ryoko?"

Ryoko sighed. "Yes, Washu?"

"I think I have an idea."

"I don't want to hear about any of your 'ideas.'" Ryoko
told her acidly.

"I think you'll want to hear this one. For your sake...and
for her's."

Ryoko stared at her. "I'm listening."


Tenchi and Ayeka sat on the hill and watched the sun set below
the horizon.

"Tenchi, I had a wonderful time today," Ayeka told him.

"I'm glad," Tenchi told her.

Ayeka shivered. "It's getting cold out."

"You wanna go back in?" Tenchi asked her.

"No," she said. "Let's stay here for awhile." She swallowed
nervously and took the initiative, snuggling up closer to him.
"This feels right," she said.

"Yeah, it does," Tenchi whispered. He wrapped an arm
around her and pulled her closer to him. The last slivers of
daylight were disappearing behind the mountains.

Tenchi leaned over and kissed her as the last ray of light
went out. Ayeka wrapped her arms around him and reciprocated
fiercely. Tenchi felt his pulse quicken as they kissed. He
tightened his embrace, holding her closer, nearly crushing her to
his chest. Ayeka gasped and tightened her own embrace.

The two fell backwards onto the grassy hill, neither one
willing to break that kiss. Finally, their lips parted. Tenchi
looked at her, her face now illuminated by the soft, pale
moonlight. He reached out and caressed her cheek.

"How did I go so long without realizing I loved you?" he
whispered.

"I don't know," Ayeka told him with tears in her eyes.
"But you're here now, and I love you." She reached out and ran
her fingers through his hair. "I love you," she repeated.

He kissed her again.

"This was such a perfect day," Ayeka whispered as he kissed
her neck. "Do you know how long I've waited for a day just like
today? A day where I could just be alone with you?"

Tenchi looked into her eyes. "We're alone now," he noted.

Ayeka's breath quickened. She was having the same thoughts
he was. She swallowed nervously. She looked into his eyes and
saw the same nervousness, the same uncertaintly, but also the same
love.

"Tenchi," she breathed. She was close to panic. Her heart
was pounding so hard she could hear her own heartbeat. "I...I..."

He kissed her again.

"I'm not ready," she whispered. "I want to," she told him.
"I do, but..."

"Shhh," he whispered. "It's okay. When we're ready," he
assured her.

She smiled at him. She remembered why she loved him so much.
She leaned up and kissed him. "Can we just lie here for awhile?"
she asked.

He nodded and embraced her, pulling her close to him.
Together, they looked up at the stars and held one another.


Ryoko tried on a smile as she dressed Sizuko in one of
Sasami's outfits.

"Where are we going?" Sizuko asked quietly.

Ryoko paused. "Out there," she said, nodding at the window.
"Just you, me, and Ryo-Ohki. How does that sound?"

Sizuko said nothing.

Ryoko's smile dropped. She was willing to give Washu's
idea a shot. What did she have to lose? And besides, she really
cared for Sizuko.

(You had enough love for Tenchi,) Washu had told her, (Why
not Sizuko?)

"Well," Ryoko told her. "We'll give it a try, okay?"

Sizuko nodded.

Washu entered the room with a datapad in her hands. "I took
care of it. Just put your thumbprint here..." she sighed.

Ryoko took the pad and stared at it. Sizuko's picture was
there followed by several lines of an official Jurain document.
A small square in the corner waited for her thumbprint. Ryoko
paused and licked her dry lips.

She had never felt so frightened about anything in her life.
This was a huge responsibility. It wasn't something to be taken
lightly. Washu, commonly held to be the greatest scientific genius
in the universe, was so crappy at it. How would Ryoko fare?

She looked over at Sizuko. The girl was looking up at her.
Ryoko smiled at her. Then, her gaze never leaving the little
girl, she pressed her thumb against the pad.

Washu smiled and took it from her. "Ryoko Hakubi, meet
Sizuko Hakubi." She smiled. "Your new daughter."


"So what do you want to do tomorrow?" Tenchi asked as he
walked hand in hand with Ayeka toward the Masaki home.

"I'm sure we'll think of something," she said.

"That cheesy slasher movie probably has a sequel out by now,"
he said with a smile.

She laughed. "Not a chance!" she said.

He smiled at her.

"What?" she asked.

"I made you laugh," he whispered.

She smiled back and kissed his cheek. "That you did."

They opened the door and walked inside.

Ryoko, Washu, Sasami, and Sizuko looked up as they entered.

Tenchi and Ayeka paused in the doorway.

"Ryoko," Tenchi said quietly.

Ryoko stared at the two of them, but said nothing. She
turned to Washu. "Is everything ready?"

Washu nodded. "You're all set."

"Ryo-Ohki?"

The cabbit hopped off Sasami's head into the girl's arms
and hugged her. Sasami hugged her back.

"I'll miss you Ryo-Ohki!" Sasami wailed.

"Miya!"

Tenchi blinked. "Ryoko? You're leaving?"

She didn't reply. She took Sizuko's hand and started for
the door.

(Say goodbye, Daughter,) she heard in her mind. (You'll
regret doing otherwise.)

Ryoko paused. Tenchi and Ayeka were staring at her in
confusion.

"Goodbye, Tenchi," Ryoko said simply.

"Wait! Ryoko! Where are you going!?"

Ryoko wouldn't look at him. "It's better if I go," Ryoko
told him quietly.

"Wait! Ryoko! You don't have to go."

"Yes, I do." She faced him. "Yes, I do," she repeated.
"I...stayed because of you, Tenchi. There's no reason for me to
stay now."

"Where will you go?" Tenchi asked quietly.

"I'll find something."

"But...How..."

She looked at him again. "I'll find something." She turned
and looked down at the little girl. "Come on, Sizuko. Time to go."

Ayeka blinked. "Sizuko's going with you?"

Ryoko smiled at the girl. "Yes. We need each other."

"But..."

Washu took Ayeka's arm and stopped her. "Sizuko is Ryoko's
daughter now."

"What?!"

She nodded. "I tweaked some Jurain adoption records.
Legally, now, they're mother and daughter." Her eyes narrowed.
"Any objections?"

Ayeka slowly shook her head. "None."

"Good. Now if you'll excuse us, I'd like to say goodbye to
my daughter and granddaughter." She walked up and hugged Ryoko.
Ryoko paused, but returned her embrace. Washu turned and hugged
Sizuko. "You come back and see Grandma again soon, okay?"

Sizuko stared for a second, then nodded once.

"Ryoko," Tenchi began again. Ayeka took his arm.

"Tenchi," she said quietly. "Let her go."

"Ayeka!"

"You're hurting her," she whispered. "Let her go."

Tenchi took a breath and faced the demon, his friend.
"Goodbye, Ryoko. I...I hope you can find happiness."

Ryoko didn't reply immediately. "Goodbye, Tenchi," she
finally said. She started for the door again.

"Ryoko," Ayeka said. "I just want you to know..."

"Take care of him, Ayeka," Ryoko said, cutting her off.
She didn't look back as she and Sizuko walked out the front door,
Ryo-Ohki in Sizuko's arms.

"Goodbye...Ryoko," Tenchi whispered.


"Where do you suppose she is?" Tenchi asked as she looked
up at the night sky. An entire month had passed since Ryoko and
Sizuko had left Earth.

Standing next to him on the dock of the lake, Washu looked
up and shrugged. "Where ever she is, I think she's happy."
Despite the way things had turned out, Washu seemed to harbor no
bad feelings toward Tenchi or Ayeka. Tenchi counted himself lucky.
For all her eccentricities, Washu was a good friend.

Tenchi looked at her. "You think so?"

Washu nodded. "You see, Tenchi, my daughter had a hole in
her. A hole that made her feel empty inside. For the longest
time, she wanted *you* to help fill it. She thought loving you
gave her life a purpose, a meaning. So when you chose Ayeka...she
became lost."

Tenchi listened as Washu spoke.

"But now she has someone else to fill that void in her life.
Someone who can genuinely love her...need her." She looked over
at Tenchi. "She's always going to love you, Tenchi, but at least
now...Now she can find *some* happiness."

Tenchi looked out at the lake, at the rock outcropping that
once housed the legendary demon, Ryoko. "I'm glad," he said.

"Tenchi?"

They turned and saw Ayeka approaching. Washu smiled tiredly.
"Good night, Tenchi. I'll see you both tomorrow." With that,
she walked off and left the two of them alone.

Tenchi reached out with his hand. Ayeka rushed forward and
took it.

"A Jurai for your thoughts," she asked him.

He smiled. "I was thinking about Ryoko, actually."

She nodded. "She is often in my thoughts of late."

"Do you think we'll ever see her again?"

Ayeka took a breath. "I think one day, maybe, she might
come back."

He turned and embraced her. "Maybe," he agreed. "But right
now we have our own future to work on."

Ayeka smiled. "Yes. Yes, we do. And it starts here." She
leaned up and kissed him tenderly.

He smiled. "I remember the first day we met," he told her.

"So do I. As I recall, you were trying to take advantage of
me."

His eyes went wide. "What!?"

"Breaking into a princess' bedchamber like a thief in the
night!" she admonished him. "You should be ashamed."

"Well, it's not as if I had much choice," he said with a
smile.

"Still, I was rather impressed with how fast you could run,"
Ayeka told him.

"You know what impressed me?" he asked. "How beautiful you
looked in your sleep." He mentally berated himself. (God, that
sounds so corny...)

Ayeka didn't seem to mind. She blushed a little. "Tenchi,
I've been thinking... I love you."

"I love you too, Ayeka," he told her with a smile.

"And...well...I plan on being with you for the rest of my
life..."

"So do I," he agreed.

"We've already known each other for a year," she continued,
the words coming faster as if she were racing with hesitation to
see if she could finish before it finally got the better of her.
"And we love each other so..."

"Ayeka?"

"Tenchi...I...I would like for you to....see me in my sleep
again...as it were," she finished quickly.

Tenchi blinked. He understood what she meant even if she
couldn't come right out and say the words. He squeezed her hand
reassuringly. "Are you sure?" he asked quietly.

She nodded quickly. "Yes. I love you, Tenchi. And I
want...to *be* with you."

Tenchi, unsure of himself, wrapped his arms around Ayeka and
kissed her. "Only if you're sure," he told her.

She smiled. "Tenchi, if you were not the kind of man who
would ask that, then I never would be. I *want* to be with you.
Now. Forever."

Tenchi took a deep breath and kissed her.

"I love you, Tinuviel," he whispered.

"I love you, Tenchi," she replied quietly.

The two embraced again and held each other as the stars
watched them from above.


The End.


Author's Notes:

I want to thank my two major prereaders for helping with this.
Cav, a Ryoko fanatic, and Bobert, an Ayeka fanatic. ^_^
I also want to thank the Total Anime Nut and Meg
for helping me out here. Thanks everyone. The story of Beren and
Luthien is from Tolkien's "The Silmarillion." It's not mine.
I have the greatest respect for the late Professor Tolkien, and
I use his story here as a tribute to him.

Please send C&C to:
Davner at...
doscher009@hotmail.com

Thank you.