Yet Another Day
Tenchi woke up and stretched out on his bed. "Another day,"
he yawned, as he began to change. A familiar head poked through the
door.
"Morning Tenchi!" she smiled and floated into the room.
He fell back on his bed, his shirt wrapped around his head, covering
one eye. "Ack! Ryouko!!! Can't you see I'm changing?!" His
glared could have melted the polar ice caps.
"But Tenchi! No one could know." Ryouko floated over
to him and wrapped herself around him, a big grin on her face. "C'mon
Tenchi. Let's go swimming. The water at the lake's just fine!"
Tenchi sighed an exasperated sigh, "Ryouko, you know I can't
do that. I have to go to grandfather's and my chores… Maybe
later."
"Fine! I guess you'd rather be with that Aeka, than with
me. Why don't I just get-" and without finishing the sentence, she
disappeared.
"Good riddance!" Tenchi muttered, and proceeded to untangle his
shirt from his head. "Nothing but trouble – all of them!" No
sooner had he straightened out his shirt than Ryouko come back; with a
guest.
"Of all the nerve! Miss Ryouko! I am changing, what
have you done, you monster woman! And hassling people this early
in the morning-" She looked around and gulped. Meanwhile, Ryouko
hovered above the scene, enjoying every moment.
"Ryouko!" Tenchi scolded, "I thought I told-" He gulped
too, and turned to the other girl in the room. A slow rise of scarlet
made it up both their faces. "Uh- Miss Aeka…"
For a split second both Tenchi and Aeka stared at each other,
their features softening. "Uh, hello? Anyone alive in here???"
Ryouko went to Tenchi and passed her hand in front of his face, him registering
a blank. "Just as I thought."
Spotlights opened up on Aeka and on Tenchi and cherry blossoms
appeared. Aeka reached for Tenchi and he did the same, until the
moment was finally broken. "Aaaahhhhh!!!" Aeka shrieked, grabbing
Tenchi's blanket to cover herself. Tenchi on the other hand, just
fell backwards unto the bed again, eyes in widened surprise. Ryouko
could no longer hold her glee and laughed in her delight. Aeka let
go of the blanket and rushed out of the door and into her room.
"Morning Miss Aeka!" Tenchi's father yelled out to her.
"Hmmmm… what is she doing in Tenchi's room this early?" he thought to himself.
Then a giant grin spread out on his face and he raced into Tenchi's room.
"I knew you had it in you!!! Tenchi my boy! So when can we expect
a boy?"
"Dad!" he whined, "What are you talking about?" It was
obvious he was still recovering from the encounter. He took a look
at the clock, "Oh no! I'm late! Grandfather will give me more
work to do!" Tenchi grabbed his books and bolted out of the house.
"Tenchi! You forgot your breakfast!" Sasami called out
after him. She sighed, "Well, I guess you get his breakfast again
Ryoohki." She smiled as the cabbit jumped in her arms and nuzzled
again her face. "Aww, I love you too Ryoohki! But I better
clean up around here." She placed her down on the ground.
Aeka stormed down the stairs in a rampage. She had on now
a light-maroonish kimono over her tank-top and bikini bottom which she
had on before when Ryouko rudely barged into her room. "I'm gonna
kill that mummified excuse of a woman!" she thought, and pictures of revenge
crossed her mind.
"Aeka! Just in time for breakfast!" Sasami pulled her sister
out into the dinning room. "Sit here!" she set her down her to Ryouko,
who had already started her course.
"Hmmm… this is really good Sasami." Ryouko said between mouthfuls.
She beamed, "Thank you! I'll get the rest, be back in a
second!" And off Sasami skipped.
Aeka had murder in her glower, but Ryouko did not notice, as
did Tenchi's father. The latter pilfering a few of the goodies laid
out on the table for his bento, and asking a question in Aeka's direction,
"When can we expect a boy, eh?" He winked at her and went through
the front door, almost late for work, again.
"Now, what was that all about?" a casual and innocent voiced
Ryouko inquired Aeka. Her response was yet another monstrous glare
from the princess.
"Hmph!" She turned away from her and sipped her miso soup.
"Oh, cat got your tongue, huh? Oh well. Better than
your incessant talking and blabbering."
"You just keep going on, don't you?" Her eyes like slits,
she turned to Ryouko. Electricity was crackling throughout the whole
room.
"You want to start something princess?" Her voice held
a lilt of ridicule and the gems on her wrists started to glow. "Bring
it on!"
The Jurian princess pushed herself away from the table and calmly
got up. Strange pieces of wood appeared throughout the room and surrounded
Ryouko. The space pirate smirked and a small beam of energy formed
on her right hand. "You want to try that little trick again princess?
After it failed so miserably?"
"That's what you would like to think Ryouko! I seem to
remember that it was you seeking help."
"Just shut up and fight!"
"You'll pay for what you did this morning!"
"Oh, really? Who's gonna make me pay?" She launched
the ball of energy at Aeka. It hit her left cheek, and she fell back
a step.
"That's it? Now it's MY turn." She extended her arms
and caused the pieces of wood to crackle. Ropes of energy shot out
of them and wrapped around Ryouko.
"Hhhmmmmm… a pioneer…. Unlocking the greatest myst'ries…. Key
is a fearless heart….pure…..hmmm" Sasami half hummed, half sung,
as she managed to balance a plate on each hand and one on her head.
"I wonder what's going on, huh Ryoohki?" She pushed open the door
with her toe. A loud clatter sounded as she dropped the three plates
on the hardwood floor, now burned in some places. Ryouko and Aeka
were in the center of the room, each grabbing hold of the other's hair
and pulling as hard as they could. "AEKA! RYOUKO! WHAT
HAVE YOU DONE?" Sasami fell to her knees. "Now I have to clean
this mess up."
Ryoohki whimpered, and the two fighters slowly let go, their
heads down in shame. "Sorry Sasami." Simultaneously they got
to their feet and headed towards Sasami.
"Oh…." The girl sighed, "I'll be happy if you two made up and
became friends."
"But—" They looked at each other. "Sorry…" and turned
away again.
Ryouko yawned, "Well, that was fun. I think I'll go to
bed now. See you all later."
"Fine…. And I'll just take a walk outside." Aeka walked
to the door, head held high. "I will see you later Sasami."
She almost made it through the door, but failed to notice the small step
and fell to the floor, face first, and butt sticking in the air.
"Ha! You always knew how to make an exit Aeka!" the
pirate's sneer lingering a bit longer than the actual space pirate, Cheshire
cat-style.
"Hmph!" She got up and brushed the dirt from her dress and continued
on her way.
Sasami look around at the seemingly impossible mess in front
of her. "When will they ever stop??" Ryoohki looked at her,
a confused look on her furry features. "I thought so too….
Never. Well, we better clean this up before Tenchi gets back."
Her hand reached behind her back and pulled out a broom and dust pan.
"Here goes!" she giggled.
"I can't believe that woman! I – I wish she returned to
the disgusting and filthy cave she was trapped in. She cause me nothing
but trouble since I first saw her!" She continued on the path, not
paying any attention to where she was going. A tear rolled down her
face. "Oh Yosho! Where are you?"
Ryouko lay in bed, tossing and turning. "I bet that Aeka
is flirting with Tenchi right now! Ugh! And I'm here trying to go
the sleep." She got up and teleported.
"How about helping Aeka around a for a while… She is new after
all… It would be a kind and neighborly gesture." She sniggled.
"What fun!"
Aeka walked on and stopped by a small spring to drink.
"Oh- Where am I?" She finally took a look at her surroundings.
When nothing registered, she panicked. "Oh no! I'm lost!"
She heard a sound to her left and headed that way. "Ryoohki?
Is that you? Sasami? Tenchi? Anyone there?" The
bushes rustled and lead Aeka to a hidden path in the forest. "Where
does this lead?"
Ryouko almost laughed out loud, and continued to lead Aeka away
from the house and deeper into the forest. After an hour off this,
she got tired though, and teleported back into the house. "Oh Sasami?
Is lunch ready yet?"
"In a couple of minutes, so can you get Aeka for me?"
"Aeka...? But she's eating outside today… Yeah, that's
it."
"Oh." said Sasami from the kitchen. "Okay then. But
what will I do with all this extra food?"
"No problem there Sasami. Just call me upstairs when it's
all ready." She yawned and trudged up the stairs.
"ANYONE HERE???" Aeka embraced her stomach, and winced
as it grumbled. She looked up at the sky and saw the sun high.
"It's lunch time…. I'm hungry…. Cold…. And tired…. I want to go home."
She sat down next to a boulder and laid her head back. "I just know
this is all Ryouko's fault." she yawned, and gradually drifted to sleep.
"Grandfather, do I have to?" Tenchi looked at the scroll
and the hat. "I don't think I'm wearing the right clothes."
"Just go Tenchi. This isn't that important, just a practice
run. Now go, my lunch is getting cold." Grandfather shooed
Tenchi away and turned to his lunch.
"Oh man! And I'm kinda getting hungry too." He scratched
his head, "Now where did grandfather say it was?" The Torii loomed
over heard, "Yeah, there it is… It should be down there someplace."
And with that, Tenchi went down the steps to the forest below.
"Ouch!" yelped Tenchi, the branch hitting him full force smack
in the face. "I don't think this is the right place. He leaned
back on a tree and found a boulder large enough to sit on. "Now I
did it. Lost in practically my own backyard." By then the sky
was turning light shades of purple, pink, orange, red and the air was becoming
cold and moist. Tenchi heard a slight sound of someone shivering.
He looked around, but failed to see anyone. "Uh- anyone here?"
He uttered quietly. He felt something touch his hand and fell back
on the boulder…. Into someone.
"Owww!" Aeka cried out. She was in a tangle with Tenchi
on top of her.
"Sorry Miss Aeka." Tenchi got up and rubbed his head.
"MISS AEKA?! What are you doing here?" He helped the Jurian
princess up to her feet.
"Oh… Lord Tenchi… I – I got lost taking a walk… I- I'm
sorry." She backed away from Tenchi and looked at the ground.
Tenchi followed her, dropping his scroll and headpiece to the
ground. "No, it's okay. What are you apologizing for?" he laughed,
"As a matter of fact, I think I'm lost too. Why don't we find the
house together?" He took Aeka's hand in his. "C'mon."
She lifted her head and gazed into his dark eyes. "O-okay."
They stayed in that position for what seemed like hours before Aeka managed
to say something. "S-should we go now?"
Tenchi blinked, "Yeah, I guess we should." He lead Aeka
down the path.
"Ow." Aeka cried softly, "M-my back…"
He gulped, "Would you like me to carry you on my back?"
Shaking her head, Aeka smiled, "No thank you. It would
be too much of a trouble." She carried through walking with a slight
limp.
"No, I think you're hurt. Here." He bent down and
let Aeka climb on his back. "See? No trouble at all."
And the two of them made their way down the path.
After a few minutes of walking, Tenchi finally brightened up.
"Now I know where we are! Don't worry Miss Aeka, we'll be home soon."
The girl smiled. "That's good." Her stomach growled
and she blushed. "And I'm a little hungry too."
"Tell me about it. I haven't eaten anything all day.
It would sure be a relief to get to Sasami's cooking!"
There were lights ahead, and they could hear Sasami's calls.
"Aeka? Tenchi? Where are you? Dinner's getting cold!"
In the tree above them, two amber eyes glowed menacingly.
"Tenchi! There you are!" She tackled Tenchi, knocking Aeka
away and Tenchi to the ground. "Oh… and she's here too. Good,
now we can eat! Come on Tenchi!" She half dragged Tenchi to
the house, fussing over him and then sitting him down by the table.
Aeka arrived at the house a few seconds later, hair disheveled,
and scratches all over. "Good! Aeka you're here!" Sasami was
smiling and didn't notice anything. "Here Tenchi, try this."
"Hmm, good…" he said, stuffing his mouth, "Try some Miss Aeka."
"Yes princess, you should try some. It's really good.
Unless," her eyes curled in frolic, "You're too tired to eat. Have
a fun adventure?"
"I knew it!!! It was you who did that!" Aeka stomped to
the table and sat down.
"Now, now. I won't have anyone ruining dinner." Sasami
reproached, hand on hip, waving the wooden spoon threateningly.
Tenchi smiled, "Ladies, please. Let's just eat."
"Okay Tenchi, you're right as usual." And Ryouko sat down
to eat.
"Yay! Here Ryoohki, your dinner!" The dining room
glowed with a sort of family warmth when father entered.
"Everyone have a good day?" he was met with daggers.
"Oh…. The usual. How about you dad?"
From the distance, the dining room light shown brightly.
"Good job Tenchi." The figure by the Torii muttered before turning
his back and making his way back to the house.
~END~