Chapter One: No Need for an Argument
Tenchi awoke early that morning, hoping to get his chores done as quickly as he could. He dressed and crept down the stairs, hoping that he had not attracted the attention of Washu 'the Greatest Scientist in the Universe'. He just didn't have the time this morning to put up with another one of her probing, poking, and pestering sessions that might last for hours if not interrupted by the appearance or Sasami or one of the others. He listened in silence at her door, but heard nothing from inside. Moving past the door, he let out a small sigh. Usually, he was not against helping Washu with her studies, such as how he created the Light Hawk Wings, or his Jurai Earth heritage, or anything else that came into that twisted mind of hers. Yet, some times the conditions of her tests were...well...questionable.
He heard a sound from upstairs. It was just Mihoshi, a member of the Galaxy Police. She mumbled quietly, only half-awake, going to the rest room. She would be back in her room in a minute or two - that was if she didn't have an accident or three before she returned, which was a distinct possibility with her. Tenchi flexed his toes, the toes Mihoshi had run over with the wheelbarrow the day before. He slipped into his work shoes and eased open the front door.
The first rays of the sun peaked over the hills. The wind was surprisingly warm already; he turned his face up as the wind blew by. Tenchi picked up the large basket that he used to carry home vegetables and picked up his hoe. As he turned around the corner of the house, he noticed Ryo-oh-ki. The little space creature smiled and looked at him with her large eyes.
Ryo-oh-ki could take on four different forms. Her usual shape was that of a 'cabbit', a kind of cat/rabbit combination. She could also become Ryoko's crystalline spaceship. Recently, after saving Tenchi's life, the little creature could now take on two additional forms. Both were a cross between a cabbit and a human being. The first was that of a young adult, but Ryo-oh-ki had difficulty keeping her balance. To practice walking on two legs, she used a form of a young child. In that shape, she had better balance.
This was the form she was in now, dressed in bib overalls chosen for her by Ayeka and holding a child sized hoe. She held it up and said the only word she could pronounce: "Carrot", then pointed at the bushel. Tenchi smiled. Ryo-oh-ki looked so cute, and she did like to help him if she could.
"Okay, you can come with me. But, no eating them until we get back home and wash them." Tenchi shook a finger at her, but still smiled.
"Meow, meow." Ryo-oh-ki held up one hand and crossed her heart with the other.
"Let's get going."
Tenchi followed the trail back the the fields. Mentally, he returned to the list of things he needed to do. First, the fields needed harvesting and then it was his turn to help with the breakfast dishes. After that, he would go and check on a package his grandfather had ordered. The house did not have a phone, so Tenchi needed to go into town just to see if it had arrived - a three hour round trip.
As he thought about his day, he did not notice he'd lengthened his stride; Ryo-oh-ki started to fall behind. She tried her best to keep up with him, but she had to run. She payed so much attention to catching up to him that she tripped over a large rock that stuck out of the ground.
"Mreowth!"
Tenchi turned. Ryo-oh-ki had changed back to her cabbit form, which she always did when she fell. Tenchi went over to help.
"I'm sorry, Ryo-oh-ki. Are you all right?"
Tenchi realized he shouldn't have been so concern about his chores to the point of ignoring Ryo-oh-ki. He squatted down to see that she was unharmed. Ryo-oh-ki gave him a small mew in response and nodded her head. Tenchi picked up the hoe Ryo-oh-ki carried and put in into the basket on his back. When he looked up, she had returned to her child form , patted herself clean, and was ready to go again. Tenchi reached out his hand, unsure if Ryo-oh-ki expected an apology. She could be very sensitive at times, but as soon as she saw the offered hand, she took it and gave him a broad smile. They made it to the garden without any more trouble.
An hour later, Tenchi wiped the dirt from his work gloves and looked over the field he and Ryo-oh-ki had just finished tending. Tenchi had to admit, he had gotten further along with Ryo-oh-ki's assistance. He looked at the basket filled with carrots. Ryo-oh-ki was munching away on one. Tenchi would have reminded her about her promise to wait, but she appeared so content that he let Ryo-oh-ki be. He wiped the dirt from his gloves.
Suddenly, he felt two strong arms hug him from behind and a woman's hands grabbed his shirt front. He heard the familiar voice of Ryoko before he saw her face over his shoulder.
"Good morning, Tenchi." Ryoko said, in a low and throaty whisper. She squeezed him, a bit too hard and for too long.
"Ryoko, stop it. You're crushing me."
"Oops. Sorry." Ryoko loosened her death grip to a more relaxed bear hug. "What are you doing out here so early, Tenchi? Sasami is holding up breakfast until you get back home."
Ryoko moved her hands so they rested on Tenchi's shoulders, then she walked around so they were face to face. Then she glanced to the left and to the right before leaning in. "You know, Tenchi, why don't you and I find someplace nice, quiet and secluded."
She whispered that last part into Tenchi's ear. A shiver went up his spine. He slipped under and out of her hold.
"Um, Ryoko...why don't we go home and have a nice breakfast...with everyone? I really worked up an appetite."
If you'd come with me, I'd really help you work up an appetite, Ryoko thought, but did not say it. "Hmph. Well, if you won't let me whisk you away, then I guess I'll go back home with you."
Ryoko frowned and crossed her arms. Tenchi knelt to pick up the basket loaded with carrots. It was quite heavy now. Ryoko watched, amused, as Tenchi tried to handle the basket and not tip Ryo-oh-ki out at the same time.
"Here, let me help you with that."
Ryoko picked up the heavy basket with one hand, an easy task for her. Tenchi just shook his head; no matter how many times he observed how strong Ryoko was, he never quite got used it it.
"Come on, Tenchi." Ryoko held out her hand to him.
"Just wait a minute, Ryoko. I've go to..."
Before Tenchi finished his sentence, Ryoko grabbed Tenchi by the collar and lifted him up too so that his feet dangled above the ground.
Suddenly, Ryoko dropped him without warning. When Tenchi looked up he saw Ryoko scanning the surroundings, a look of concentration on her face and one hand knotted up in a fist. Tenchi waited. After a while, Ryoko blinked and shook her head.
"Ryoko? Ryoko, what's going on?"
Ryoko glanced down. Tenchi sat in the dirt at her feet. "Oh Tenchi, I'm so sorry!"
She helped him to his feet and tried to brush the dirt off the back of his pants.
"Ummm...Ryoko, I can do that myself." Tenchi grabbed her wrist.
Ryoko hid a wicked grin as she let go. "Sure, Tenchi." Well, I almost got away with it. Maybe next time.
Tenchi shook himself clean while Ryoko watched, a half smile on her face.
"Ready to try again?" Ryoko held out her hand again.
"You're not going to drop me again, are you?"
"Of course not." Ryoko felt annoyed that Tenchi even insinuated such a thing.
"By the way, what was bothering you that caused you to drop me?"
"...I'm not sure. It felt like someone was watching us."
"Did you see anyone," Tenchi asked.
"No. I didn't.
"Well then." Tenchi actually took her hand. "Let's go home. I don't know about you, but I don't like cold miso soup."
Ryoko smiled and mischief flashed in her eyes. "All right, Tenchi. Let's go back, quick..."
She pulled Tenchi in tight, and ignored his protests, and took off. It seemed only a minute until the came to the house. Ryoko flew quick and low to the ground; Tenchi feared she would hit a low hanging branch or truck with the crazy manner she zig-zagged through the forest. Tenchi had to admit, Ryoko was exceptionally talented at flight when the shot out of the trees unharmed.
As they exited the forest, he saw two people leaving the hot baths. Mihoshi wore her Galaxy police uniform and was likely going back to make her bi-weekly report to her supervisor that all was 'calm and peaceful' on Earth. The second person was Princess Ayeka of Jurai, a distant world whose natives resembled humans closely. Tenchi was part human and part Juraian.
Mihoshi thought she heard movement behind her; she turned and saw Ryoko flying towards her at breakneck speed, Tenchi in her arms. The detective smiled and waved as they came closer.
"Good morning Tenchi. Hi, Ryoko. I see you found him."
"Yep. He was hiding in the garden again." Ryoko shouted her response and flew past them, just inches over Ayeka's head. She did it just to annoy Ayeka.
Ryoko flew to the food storage shed. She set Tenchi down then handed him the basket of carrots. Suddenly, Ryo-oh-ki's head popped out from beneath the carrots. She held up a large specimen and gave Tenchi an imploring look.
"Mrrroooww?"
Tenchi sighed. "You can have one more now, but let me -" Before he could finish his sentence, Ryo-oh-ki grabbed a carrot from the pile and hopped away. "Wash it for you first... Why do I even try?"
Tenchi carried the basket into the shed.
"Lord Tenchi, are you in there?" Princess Ayeka poked her head inside and smiled at him. Ayeka moved aside to let him pass. Ryo-oh-ki had returned, hoping for another treat.
"Ryo-oh-ki," Tenchi scolded, "you can't still be hungry with all the carrots you've eaten. Go on and play for a while. You can't have another right now.'
Tenchi went up the stairs and inside the front door. Ryo-oh-ki watched as the door shut, then proceeded to disobey him. He removed his work shoes, put on his slippers, and went to the wash room to clean his hands.
Mihoshi entered the kitchen. Sasami, Ayeka's younger sister worked hard to finish the morning meal now that everyone was back.
"Mihoshi, could you please pass me the salt?"
"Here you go, Sasami." Mihoshi handed her one of the shakers from the counter.
Sasami knew better than to trust Mihoshi. She sprinkled a small amount from the shaker into the palm of her. Black specks came out. Sasami smiled, and set the pepper down.
Just then, Tenchi came in. "Good morning Sasami, Mihoshi."
"Good morning." Mihoshi replied, and felt nervous when Tenchi looked at her.
"Is something wrong, Tenchi?" Mihoshi turned around in a circle. Was something on her uniform?
"No...um, you look fine."
Behind Mihoshi's back, Sasami motioned towards the salt shaker on the counter. Tenchi handed it to Sasami, who mouthed a silent 'thank you'.
"What made you get up so early, Tenchi? Sneaking out to see a girlfriend?" Sasami gave him a mischievous smile.
"Tenchi's got a girlfriend?" Mihoshi missed the joke. "Who is she? Do I know her? Where did you meet..."
Mihoshi fired off questions so rapidly that Tenchi did not have time to respond. So he waited until she ran out of breath.
"No, I didn't meet anyone, Mihoshi." Tenchi glanced around to see if Ryoko or Ayeka were within earshot. To say they were insanely jealous of each other was putting it mildly; to make them suspicious wasn't funny at all. In fact, it could be dangerous for his health. Tenchi shivered at the thought of one of their argument/duels.
Sasami was still grinning, but she stopped when she noticed Tenchi's expression.
"So what does she look like? Tenchi? Tenchi..." Mihoshi had taken another breath.
"What? Ummm, I told you. I don't have a girlfriend yet."
Sasami interrupted Mihoshi's rant. "I was just joking with Tenchi, Mihoshi."
"So...there's no girl." This made Mihoshi happy.
Sasami poked him in the arm. "Jurai to Tenchi...Now hurry up and get to the table. I made miso soup, just the way you like it."
Sasami was the only cook among the group. For a short time, Little Washu (a name the scientist insisted they call her) took over cooking duties when baby Taro was with them, but since that time, Washu had returned to spending most of her day locked in her lab under the stairwell and Sasami once again made all the meals.
When Tenchi got to the table, Sasami placed the last dish down. Ryoko was already present and arguing with Ayeka that since there were only six people instead of eight that Ayeka should sit at the head of the table.
"Go on, Ayeka. I'm sure Noboyuki wouldn't mind if you sat at his place. Ryoko indicated the spot where Tenchi's father usually sat.
"I don't know..." Ayeka bit her lip.
"Go on, princess."
Ayeka narrowed her eyes. "And where will Lord Tenchi sit?"
"Well, he'll sit where he always sits. Right next to me." She pulled the empty chair closer to her.
Ayeka watched Ryoko's disgusting actions with growing annoyance. "I do not see how Lord Tenchi can stand eating next to a Monster Woman in the first place." She sat down in her usual place, to Tenchi's left.
Ayeka smiled when she noticed Tenchi standing in the doorway. "Lord Tenchi, please sit down."
The princess pulled out Tenchi's seat for him and placed a foot on Ryoko's chair. She gave Ryoko a hard shove so that she slid up against the far corner of the table.
Ryoko frowned; now Tenchi was so far away...but then she noticed the smug look on Ayeka's face. Ryoko bunched up her fists and wondered when she would get the change to pound that look off of Ayeka's ugly face. Just as soon as Tenchi isn't watching me. Ryoko smiled at the pure pleasure she would get out of that...and maybe she would teach Tenchi a little lesson too.
Before Ryoko got too caught up in her fantasy, Tenchi moved his and Ayeka's chairs back to their usual locations, then sat down. "Can we get to breakfast without any more bickering?"
Ryoko and Ayeka glared at each other as they too sat. Sasami ladled out the miso soup while Mihoshi drummed her fingers impatiently.
"Miss Mihoshi, did you call Miss Washu for breakfast?" Ayeka asked. Mihoshi did not respond, she just fidgeted in her chair.
"Hey Mihoshi, what's wrong? All your twitching is ruining my appetite." Ryoko watched the Galaxy Police Detective squirm in her chair, then filled her bowl with a second helping of rice.
"Oh! I'm sorry, everyone. It's just that Miss Washu asked me to try a new Power Drink she developed. But since then I've been really warm, and my skin is itchy...if you'll excuse me!" Mihoshi stood up and headed towards the bathroom on the second floor.
As Mihoshi climbed the stairs and went out of sight, Washu emerged from her lab. She rubbed her eyes and sat down.
"All right, then. No more all night lab work for the week. Sorry I'm so late. I wanted to check out some odd readings I got last night...but, I just couldn't get them to repeat. Mmmm...Sasami, this soup is really good. There's something different about it."
"It's the new recipe I'm trying. I'm glad you like it."
"I think it could use a little more salt." Ryoko said, and added more to her bowl.
"No one asked you," Ayeka snapped.
Here we go again, Tenchi thought, and concentrated on his breakfast.
