A Hot Bath and a Cold Shower Chapter 1 Conversation in the Rain, a tenchi muyo fanfic

Tenchi-Muyo in all it's incarnations is owned by Pioneer/Geneon and others, not by me.

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A Hot Bath and a Cold Shower.

Chapter 1.

Conversation in the Rain.

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Ayeka Masaki Jurai is enjoying a peaceful afternoon alone. Tenchi, her younger sister Sasami, Kiyone, that bubblehead Mihoshi and Tenchi's father Noboyuki have all gone to town for various reasons. The monster woman Ryoko is nowhere to be found, Washu is in her lab and her brother Yosho is in Kyoto to attend a conference of shrine priests.

Before he left for Kyoto, Ayeka's brother asked her to take care of the Masaki shrine for him.

Now, as she slowly works on completing the daily chores, Ayeka notices a storm building over the nearby mountains."Ah well, I guess I'll just have to come back tomorrow and clean everything up again." Ayeka begins humming a soft Juraian lullaby to herself as she quickly finishes sweeping the shrine courtyard. After putting away the broom, she secures all the shrine buildings against the coming storm, then heads down the hill towards Funaho, the Masaki shrine holy tree.

As she walked past the vegetable field storage shack on the way to Funaho, Ayeka felt the first drops of rain from the coming storm on her face. Realizing it would be impossible to even begin her chores at the holy tree before the storm began in earnest, Ayeka turned and began to hurry home.

Before she can go ten paces it starts to rain steadily. By the time Ayeka can run back to the shelter of the storage shack, the rain is coming down in cold sheets.

Completely soaked, Ayeka dashes into the shack to escape the downpour. Once inside, she laments her bad luck and begins to look around for something to dry off with. A few moments and it became obvious that nothing was available."Why is this sort of thing always happening to me?" Dripping wet and starting to shiver from the cold, Ayeka starts rubbing her arms, walking about stamping her feet, and trying without much luck to stay warm.

"Ya-ho!"

Ayeka turned towards the voice of her nemesis, the space pirate Ryoko. "Ryoko! Why are you here? Did you come to make fun of me while I'm in this miserable state?"

Ryoko held up a gym bag and a towel. "I saw you heading towards Funaho before the rain started. It was pretty obvious you'd hide here until it stopped, so I decided to bring you some dry clothes. If you're gonna' be ungrateful, then you can just stay here and freeze." Ryoko turned and started to teleport away.

Ayeka ran forward and grabbed the gym bag to stop her.

Ryoko started to jerk the bag away until she saw the apologetic look on Ayeka's face.

"Ple.. please forgive me for being rude to you Ryoko. I'm so used to you teasing me I assumed that was why you were here."

Ryoko smiled and let go of the gym bag. "My my! The Little Princess actually apologizing to me! I think I may faint!" Ryoko put the back of her right hand to her forehead and feigned a swoon.

Ayeka grimaced and started grinding her teeth. "Don't push my gratefulness Ryoko."

Ryoko held her stomach and started to laugh.

Ayeka gave Ryoko a miffed look, then turned and started to undo her wet clothes. After she removed her outermost garment, Ayeka noticed Ryoko had not teleported away, and was just leaning against the wall watching her undress. "Thank you for the clothes Ryoko. You can leave now if you want."

Ryoko shrugged her shoulders and looked away from Ayeka. "Feh! Why should I? I've seen you naked before! Besides, there isn't anybody else home except Washu. Staying in the house by myself with just her there would be dangerous, boring, or both, so I thought I'd keep you company until the rain stopped."

Ayeka couldn't believe what she'd just heard. If Ryoko was desperate enough to want her rival for Tenchi's affections as company, then things must be very dull indeed at the Masaki house! "Very well, go ahead and stay if that is what you want." Ayeka then turned back and continued to undress.

Ryoko continued leaning against the wall, whistling to herself. Watching the deliberate, ritualized method the Juraian princess used to undress, Ryoko began thinking that if Ayeka ever did get Tenchi in bed, the poor guy would probably loose interest by the time she got her clothes off!

Ayeka finished undressing and began to towel herself dry.

As she waited, Ryoko thought about the jealousy she often felt towards Ayeka. The Juraian princess was graceful, well mannered, soft spoken, (usually), and, even though Ryoko would only grudgingly admit it, strikingly beautiful.

As she listened to the relaxing sound of the rain striking the storage shacks roof, Ryoko wondered intellectually if she and the Juraian Princess would ever get a chance to test each other at full power. Despite the seemingly frail nature of Ayeka's body, her royal ancestry meant she possessed abilities at least equal to Ryoko's own. Beyond their rivalry for Tenchi's affections, it was Ayeka's gifts as a fighter, and the desire to test herself against a potential equal, that arroused Ryoko's competitive nature more than anyting else.

Shaking her head to clear away such thoughts, Ryoko pushed away from the wall and began looking for something to build a fire with.

Ayeka finished drying herself off, then opened the gym bag and found a set of Kiyone's cotton exercise clothes, socks and a pair of tennis shoes inside. While she dressed, Ayeka saw Ryoko trying to start a small scrap-wood fire inside the same metal trash can Tenchi had used almost one year ago.

Ryoko growled in her throat as she concentrated on the harmless can before her. It took more caution than she was used to using to dial her power down, but she finally started the fire with a tiny energy blast just as Ayeka walked over and sat down.

Ayeka brought her legs to her chest and wrapped her arms around her knees just as the fire started to give off a little heat.

Ryoko was about to get up to go find more wood when Ayeka sneezed. "Are you still cold Ayeka?"

Ayeka sneezed again. "Yes, and the towel is too wet now to dry my hair with."

Ryoko sighed and gave a shrug. "Well, Tenchi would never forgive me if I let you catch a cold and die, so I guess I'll just go back to the house and get you a new one."

Another sneeze. "Thank you Ryoko."

Now Ryoko grinned teasingly. "Don't worry about it! Besides, getting Tenchi because you died from a cold wouldn't be as much fun as getting him while you're still alive!"

Ayeka threw a piece of wood at Ryoko, but the laughing space pirate had already teleported away. Thinking about her own timidity and about the easy way Ryoko could laugh and give affection to Tenchi only increased her simmering depression. Watching the slowly building fire, she tried to imagine how Tenchi might have responded if she'd shown intrest in him when they'd hidden from a storm in this storage shack before. Despite her efforts, all she saw was a mind's eye image of Ryoko laughing at her expense and doing unmentionable things to a copperative Tenchi.

Curling up around her legs again, Ayeka fumed at the thought of that monster woman Ryoko rutting with Tenchi.

"I'm baaack!"

"KIYAAAAA!"

Ryoko took a step back as Ayeka shrieked in surprise and nearly jumped out of her clothes.

Ayeka, her face flushed, collapsed onto the floor, clutching her chest and trying to control her breathing. "Wh... why must you always sneak up on me like that?"

"I'm sooo sorry! I...hey, why are you so red?"

Ayeka's blush only increased. "It.. it's nothing!"

Ryoko leaned over the cringing Ayeka. "I bet you were thinking about Tenchi!"

Ayeka gave a 'giku!' twitch and started trying to stand up. "I was not! Stop teasing me!"

Ryoko sniggered, then teleported behind Ayeka. "Oh yes you were! I bet you were thinking about that time you and Tenchi were all alone in this shack."

Ryoko put a hand next to her mouth, leaned in close and whispered into Ayeka's ear sotto-voce. "I'll bet you were thinking about what the two of you did, no wonder you're all red!"

Ayeka put her hands to her flushed face and started shaking her head. "No! No! No! How many times must you be told Tenchi and I did nothing but talk while we were together here!"

Ryoko stood back up, hands on hips, and began to laugh raucously. "I'll bet now you wish you'd done more!"

Ayeka finally managed to jumped up just before she slapped Ryoko across the face. "Why must you tease me so much Ryoko?"

Ryoko was about to return the slap when she saw how upset Ayeka really was.

Ayeka started to rub at her teary eyes with the sleeve of the jumpsuit. "It's probably because you know you'll be the one who finally get's Tenchi..."

Ryoko took a step back. "Are you kidding? I do it partly because I'm afraid you'll get him first!"

"Huh?"

Ryoko deflated, a sad look on her face despite Ayeka's attempt to imitate a fish. "Yea, you're so graceful, so polite, a princess of the Royal House of Jurai. Me? I'm just a creation of Washu's. Ju... just a monster woman, like you're always calling me." A few tears fell from Ryoko's eyes, and she sniffed and rubbed at them with her sleeves.

Ayeka was stunned to see the tough-girl Ryoko let her guard down and talk about her fears. "I.. I don't know what to say Ryoko. I always thought Tenchi liked you better because you were so open, so fun-loving, and, and because your (mumble,mumble) were bigger than mine." Ayeka turned a bit away from Ryoko and started blushing again.

Ryoko almost couldn't believe what she was hearing. Ayeka, the 'Little Princess,' confessing her fears about Ryoko! Especially that comment about...

Ayeka sneezed several times, then sat down. Embarrassed to use such an improper thing, she picked up the damp towel and blew her nose.

Ryoko walked over with the new towel and started drying Ayeka's hair. "Are you okay? Do you think you're catching a cold?"

Ayeka sniffled and blew her nose again. "No..."

Ryoko continued drying Ayeka's hair in silence. When she finished, she placed the towel on the bench and picked up a brush she'd grabbed on her trip to the house. After pausing for a moment to consider how she'd seen Ayeka's sister Sasami do so, Ryoko started to carefully run the brush through the older Jurian's mildly tangled hair. "You really do have nice hair Ayeka. Mine is just like Misaki said, hard, pointy, and difficult to control."

Ayeka winced a bit as Ryoko pulled a hair. "Far be it from me to help you get Tenchi Ryoko, but if you spent a little more time working on your 'pointy' hair instead of lounging around all the time, it would start to look better." Ayeka started tossing more of the wood scraps Ryoko had collected into the fire while the space pirate continued working in thoughtful silence.

Ryoko finished brushing Ayeka's hair, then continued absent-mindedly following her memories of Sasami's work and began to braid it into a single strand. "Why do you think we fight so much Ayeka? I know we both want Tenchi, and I like matching myself against your power, but do you think there's any other reason?"

Ayeka smiled and turned to face Ryoko. "Another reason? Ryoko, I think we fight and argue with each other because we like to. Oh, I'm sure we both want Tenchi, but fighting with each other has become a kind of enjoyable game for us. We both want to prove to ourselves and Tenchi that we're better than each other. Who knows? Maybe it's some kind of 'opposites attract' relationship."

Ryoko regained a little of her normal attitude and smiled. "I suppose that could be true Ayeka! It is kind of fun proving to Tenchi that I'm better than you!"

Ayeka clenched her fists and tensed up, but managed to control her anger at Ryoko's jibe.

Ryoko finished braiding Ayeka's hair, then tied off the braid using a hair ribbon she'd brought from the house. "There. All finished! Ggyahh...!"

Ayeka managed to jump out of the way fast enough to avoid getting wet as a deluge of water came through the ceiling of the shack and doused Ryoko.

Looking like a forlorn wet cat, Ryoko just stared dumbly at the water coming through some flaw in the vegetable shack's ceiling until she heard Ayeka laughing. "What do you think is so funny?"

Ayeka had to hold her side due to the intensity of her laughter. "Ha...Ha! You just look so pitiful standing there all wet like that Ryoko!"

Ryoko started fuming. "It ain't funny! That water was cold! You're laughing so hard 'Little Princess.', I'd bet you knew the ceiling was weak and made me stand there on purpose!"

Ayeka stood up and gave her best jo-sama laugh. "Ho! Ho! Ho! If only that were so Miss Monster-woman!"

Ryoko shook a fist at Ayeka. "I'll get you for this Little Princess!" Ryoko quickly teleported behind Ayeka and tried to push her under the leak in the roof. When Ayeka began to fight back, Ryoko only pushed harder.

Ayeka tried to turn and slap Ryoko. Instead, she slipped and fell, pulling Ryoko down to the floor with her.

The two antagonists became a tangled heap on the floor as they tried to pin each other down. The struggle continued until Ryoko wound up on top of Ayeka, holding the Juraian princess down in a slightly compromising manner.

Embarrassed by the implications of Ryoko's brazen position, Ayeka shoved the Space Pirate away, and the wrestling match continued.

Eventually, exhausted by their efforts, Ryoko and Ayeka lay silently next to each other on the floor, resting as their breathing slowly returned to normal.

Finally managing to sit up, Ryoko looked down at her disheveled rival. "Well Ayeka, I guess that didn't settle anything. It was kind of fun though."

Ayeka pulled herself back onto the bench and started straightening her rumpled exercise outfit.

Ryoko took another deep breath, then stood up to watch the visibly upset Ayeka compose herself. "Oh come on Little Princess! You're not mad because you let down that stiff attitude of yours and had a little fun are you?"

Ayeka suddenly spun around, reached up and grabbed Ryoko by the wrinkled folds of her blouse, then pulled the space pirate down until their faces were inches apart. "No! I'm not mad! Not even the least bit upset! Why should I be? Even though it was 'enjoyable' as you say, I still can't believe I let myself go rolling around on the floor of a shack with someone who used to be a common criminal!"

Ryoko grinned. "I may have been many things but I certainly wasn't common! Besides, you did pretty good by me for someone who's supposedly such a prig!"

Ayeka fumed on as Ryoko began laughing. "Come on Little Princess,! you let your hair down and did something wild! There's been no real harm done, and I promise won't tell anyone. Besides, If you can't lighten up a little on that prissy attitude of yours around Tenchi he'll get bored with you. If that happens, I'll be the one laughing all the way to the altar and you'll be on the way to becoming an old maid!"

Ayeka started a bit at Ryoko's tirade, then relaxed her grip a little. "Oh very well Ryoko, I just don't want you thinking I'll be any easier on you, as far as Tenchi is concerned, because of this incident!"

Ryoko stood up, and Ayeka let her go. "I wouldn't dream of it!"

Ayeka gave a huff, then turned around to continue composing herself.

Ryoko gave Ayeka a raspberry, (complete with thumbs in ears and waving fingers), then started to straighten up her own clothes.

"Ryoko! Ayeka! Are you in there?

"Tenchi! Tenchi-sama!" Ryoko and Ayeka both looked out through the vegetable shack's single window and saw that the storm was over and the sun starting to show through the clouds again. Hearing the crunching gravel sound of Tenchi walking up the path to the shack, Ryoko and Ayeka both began a guilty rush to finish straightening up.

By the time Tenchi opened the door to the shack, both girls were sitting next to the dying fire, laughing and telling each other (bad) jokes.

"Hey you two, the storms over. You can come out now!"

Ryoko and Ayeka nearly tripped over each other in their haste to be the first at Tenchi's side.

Ryoko docked to Tenchi's left arm seconds before Ayeka did the same on his right. "Tenchi! What a surprise! Let's go on back to the house and drink some sake together!" "You leave him alone you monster woman! Tenchi came here to escort me back to the house! Shoo! Scat!"

Ryoko and Ayeka quickly started pulling Tenchi back and forth between each other like a tug-o-war rope.

Tenchi listened to Ryoko and Ayeka insult each other for just a moment before he angrily jerked his arms free of their grip. "Enough!"

Ryoko and Ayeka both suddenly become contrite. "Tenchi..., Tenchi-sama..."

Tenchi shook his head and pointed at his two argumentative co-dependents. "I said enough! Why don't the two of you just stay here and fight all you want! I'm going back to the house!"

Tenchi quickly turned and stalked out of the shack, shouting one last comment back over his shoulder as he left. "You two argue so much a person would think you were married or having some kind of an affair!" Already outside the shack and heading down the hill towards the house, he didn't see Ryoko and Ayeka's guilty blushes.

Ryoko and Ayeka watched, dumbstruck by the outburst, as Tenchi slowly disappeared from sight.

Realizing they had finally upset Tenchi enough to be angry with them, Ryoko and Ayeka took off after him to apologize.

Suddenly remembering her wet clothes, Ayeka temporarily fell behind when she had to run back to retrieve them. "Ryoko! Ryoko! Come back here you Monster Woman! I won't let you be alone with Tenchi-sama! Ryoko!"

The shack was quiet for a few moments until the door of a storage cabinet began to creak open.

After checking carefully to make sure everyone was gone, the mother of Ryoko and genius scientist Washu climbed out of the cabinet she'd been hiding in since just after the rainstorm began. Holding a digital mini-cam she'd recently borrowed from Tenchi's father, Washu thought about what the memory chip contained and began to smile wickedly. "Siighhhh. Such a daughter I have. She's always forgetting the link she has with me!"

In the distance, Washu could hear Ryoko and Ayeka loudly trying to apologize to Tenchi. "Hmmmm..., Ryoko and Ayeka being nice to each other, this ought to be worth a few favors!" Laughing maniacally, Washu left the shack to follow Tenchi, Ryoko and Ayeka back to the Masaki families home.

tsuzuku...

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Author's notes:

Ayeka is Ayeka because that's how I originally saw it spelled, and I've never changed to Aeka.

Takes place after the original thirteen part OAV, but before GPX or the second OAV series.

Ah my youth! Written back in the day, on a Win95 machine, when anime was just getting started in the US! My second multi-part story after "Gallforce: The Shoot-Down Queen." Nearly lost in various moves and computer crashes. Updates will come when I can recover and edit the remaining chapters.

A ten year old story from when I was a big Tenchi fan(atic.) Got to meet Ai Orikasa and Yumi Takada the year Anime Expo was at Disneyland. (God I love Yumi Takada's "JOU-SAMA! TOYOBE!" laugh!) Originally a lemon. Re-written because of a conversation with Star Otaku about how some lemon's would be fine without the tartness. (Also so I could give the story a lower rating!)