Chapter 2: Pirate #2
Seikou stood up, "Chieko?!"
"Seikou, what are you doing here?"
"I crash landed," Seikou replied.
Ryoko interrupted, "Okay, first of all, what do you want with me? And second, how do you two...wait never mind, I don't think I want to know..."
"I am Chieko the space pirate," she turned to Ryoko firmly, "I was sent here by Nagi to destroy you!"
"Not her," Ryoko murmured to the floor. She then looked at Chieko calmly and said, "Tell Nagi, she can forget it."
Chieko blinked, "But...my gems..." she murmured. With a dark look on her face, her pirate sword appeared and she was ready for attack mode. "Alright," she screamed, "If you will not come with me, I will take you by force!"
"Fine!" Ryoko floated up and landed in front of Chieko. They growled at each other in battle-ready positions.
"Stop it, please!" Seikou shouted.
Chieko dropped her guard slightly.
"Yeah, you two need to settle down," Tenchi agreed.
"Peaceful solutions are the best solutions," Kiyone added.
"But Tenchi," Ryoko whined, "it's Nagi..."
"Chieko, you look so much weaker since I last saw you," Seikou noted.
"Listen," Tenchi said, "I don't know who you are or what's going on, but you just mentioned your gems. What's that about?"
Chieko's face quivered. "It's...It's none of your business!" She screamed and lunged at Ryoko, who dodged just quickly enough so that only her shoulder was nicked. She kept hurling herself at Ryoko relentlessly. Ryoko, obeying Tenchi's orders, evaded the attacks.
"Chieko, please!" Seikou pleaded. She vanished from the table and appeared in front of an oncoming attack.
Chieko flipped backwards to avoid the girl. Seikou embraced the shocked space pirate.
"Chieko, please! These are good people, you're a good person. What has Nagi done to you to make you do this?"
"Seikou," Chieko uttered so only the two of them could hear, "You still care about me?"
Seikou released her and gazed at the floor, "Yes," she murmured.
"I'm sorry," Chieko replied, then vanished.
The room relaxed. Seikou began to cry, she turned away from the group and wiped the tears away from her eyes.
"Seikou," Tenchi asked, "Who was that?"
"That was my..." she sniffed, "That was and old friend of mine. We parted ways about two months ago, we haven't seen each other since. She was never that aggressive, I don't know what's gotten into her."
"If she's in league with Nagi, then she's an enemy," Ryoko advised.
"But I don't think it's her fault," Seikou pleaded, "She looked as if she's been drained of energy and pride. She needs my help."
Seikou went to the giant hole in the wall and gazed over the lake, where now another ship sat.
"She's still here somewhere," she lifted off the ground, "I have to go find her," and she took off into the sky.
Tenchi wandered over to the spot where Seikou had been standing. All he could say was,
"I wonder why everybody crashes in this shine."
"It's a special Juraiian force," Washu chimed, "It causes curtain other powers to malfunction, such as weaker pirate ships and some types of human built ships like those of the space police."
"Hmm, is that so?" Tenchi replied, "Do you think it's the power of the shrine?"
"Can't be sure."
Ryo-ohki suddenly jumped from Sasami's lap, scampered out of the house, and off into the distance. Sasami gasped and bolted after her, but only to the edge of the porch. Ryoko stopped her saying,
"Let her go, she'll come back."
"Maybe we should go after them, we wouldn't want any trouble, we don't know what either of them could do," said Nobuyuki, "And besides, we can always use more pretty girls in the house!" his face gleamed.
Tenchi sighed, "Dad, you really need to stop with the perverted act..."
"Oh, come on Tenchi, be a man," his father nudged Tenchi in the side.
Seikou flew over the hills around the Misaki shrine, the wind raced through her short pony tail and across her body. It sent cherry blossoms swirling upwards. Despite the spring sunshine, there was a slight chill in the the air. Seikou's gaze scanned the colorful, green foliage below, trying to peer through the trees for her lost friend. Finally, she spotted Chieko near a large camellia tree and quickly landed. Chieko looked at her and turned to run, but Seikou caught her wrist.
"Why did you follow me?" Chieko cried.
"Because I want to help you," Seikou replied.
"How can you help me? Neither of us have a ship now."
"I already told you, I still care about you. I'll do anything."
"Well I don't!" Chieko shouted and pulled her arm free. She stood with her back facing Seikou. "So why bother?"
"Because I do care," Seikou's eyes began to tear again. "At least come back to the house until your ship, Ichirou, is reborn. They are nice people, and I'm sure we can help you, whatever is wrong."
"What about Ryoko?"
"Maybe we can negotiate."
"Fine." Chieko turned to look at Seikou, then back at the camellia tree. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"
Seikou stepped forward next to Chieko, "It is. It reminds me of an old love, one that was parted but never lost."
Chieko put her arm around her old friend and smiled. The wind blew through the great tree, releasing a rain of blood red peddles.