Clouded

Disclaimer: I don't own Tenchi Muyo!

(Isn't it funny how I have all those stories lined up in my profile, yet I keep posting completely different stories that aren't even there?!)

A/N: Well, my dad was driving me home… and I couldn't help but stare at the sky. It was a navy color, with purple clouds… I saw lights and thought 'Oh look. Stars!' but then I took another look at those clouds. THOSE CLOUDS. 'Oh' I thought. 'Those aren't stars. They're airplanes. Wouldn't it be awesome if they were spaceships though?' So then I started thinking about Tenchi Muyo and all the space stuff… and then Kiyone flitted through my mind. And then I wondered some more. And then I made this story!

This is supposed to be a character interaction-type story, cuz I like those. Nothing too deep or plot related. I can't handle plot! No plot! Bad plot!

Thoughts in italics!

OOO

Kiyone sighed peacefully and looked to the dark, purple-clouded sky. The Galaxy Police Officer was resting on the Masaki house's deck, which overlooked a glistening lake. She could see that dark sky reflected in the water, but it rippled in the gentle breeze. Everything was peaceful, now that Mihoshi was locked up inside the house, desperately trying to help Sasami clean up the mess she had recently been the cause of. Kiyone huffed. Mihoshi is and will always be hopeless. For a moment she glanced up, noticing a few blinking lights moving through the clouds. She propped herself up on her elbows to get a closer look.

There's no way those are spaceships. If they were, I'd have gotten a signal from Yagami. And they aren't GP ships either. No way. The Solar System is our jurisdiction, and we've made our daily reports… so what are those lights? I thought the Earth didn't have the technology to transport through space… What's going on?

"Kiyone?" Came a masculine voice. The woman turned her head to look at the speaker. "Enjoying the view?" The boy laughed. "But I guess you see space enough as it is… so what are you doing out here? Dinner is almost ready."

Kiyone smiled warmly at the Earthling boy. She couldn't help but admit that Tenchi was quite a sweetheart. He nervously looked around, and finally rested his eyes upon the clouds in the sky.

"Uh, it's really nice out tonight, isn't it?" He said awkwardly. Silence pursued.

"Tenchi, tell me. What are those lights over there?" Kiyone pointed to the sky. "I know that they aren't spaceships, so…" she trailed off.

Tenchi looked up again as well. He let out a small chuckle. "Well Kiyone, those are airplanes. They can't go as high as spaceships can, but we use them to travel long distances on Earth." Kiyone gazed at the blinking lights in amazement.

"I had no idea Earth could do that! And here I thought this planet was completely useless, save for its sentimental value." Tenchi gave her a strange look, wondering if he should be offended, as an Earthling.

"Well, airplanes aren't anything glamorous… they're nowhere as big as Yagami, that's for sure!" He picked up a twig from the ground below them and began to scratch at the dirt. "Here. This is what an airplane looks like up close." The twig swished back and forth as Tenchi drew Kiyone a picture. She examined his work with interest.

"And that thing is powerful enough to fly? I have to say, Earth is slightly more impressive than I had originally thought!"

"Hey now, we're at least somewhat advanced!" Tenchi said, finally giving in to his pride.

Kiyone grinned at him. "But you haven't even seen the rest of the universe!"

"Well, yeah," Tenchi said sheepishly. "I guess everything has to start out small…"

Kiyone peered at the drawing again, curiosity setting in. She pointed to the wings of the plane.

"And these are aerodynamic? They look like they could snap off at any moment! Pathetic!" She laughed good-naturedly. Tenchi flushed, but smiled despite himself.

"Kiyone, I think you've made fun of us enough!"

"Oh, sorry," she said soberly. "I really didn't mean anything by it… it's just all very primitive and new to me, you know?"

"No, not really." He answered. Kiyone rolled her eyes.

"Okay, so you don't get it. It's all right. You can fly with us on Yagami whenever you feel like it. How's that?"

Tenchi blinked. "I'd like that, sure."

There was a call from deep within the house. Tenchi stood up straight.

"Sounds like Sasami. Guess dinner's ready. Coming?" He said, reaching a hand out to Kiyone. She accepted it and raised herself from the ground, dusting herself off as she did so. Then she smiled at the Earth's clouded sky.

Maybe the sky is clouded for a reason… It blinds the Earth from the rest of the universe. But ignorance can be bliss.

OOO

A/N: It's definitely not enough, I know. But what the heck else could be added? Ahh! Whatever. It's 3:00AM now, so I'm going to bed. Hope someone liked it, at least!