Chapter 4 'Sasami'
"Grandpa's right." Tenchi thought bitterly, forcing the memory to subside with difficulty, taking its place among a multitude of lingering regrets.
"I'm being selfish and it's just plain wrong!" He silently added. Having finished stowing all the tools, he then made his way towards the front entry.
Of course, that was not precisely true ether, he continued to consider.
Oh, he had tried to make amens with how he had unintentionally stabbed Ayeka in the heart.
He had given her the Majesta to her beloved Reyo later that very evening. Yet some how...
Ayeka had seemed happy, radiant in fact as she had taken the pendent for the box he had made.
But it was at that point, Tenchi had realized something.
When all this madness began, what now almost seemed a lifetime ago, He had fought, fought like hell.
Resisting the total insanity his life had bee transformed into with all his might.
Simply yearning to return to what it once was!
As time had worn on however, somewhere during the various resurrections and arrivals. Fitting in between numerous revelations, crash-landings and explosions...
Tenchi came to realize, oddly enough, that it was that earlier existence which had been the illusion.
The world he was now in some ways forced to live in was actually far closer to the truth!
Worse, still! Only recently, he had begun to realize how comfortable he'd become with this new existence, in spite of the insanity!
"The keeper has become one of the inmates!" He muttered, smiling ruefully. Sliding the entryway door open, walking inside. All the while, blissfully unaware he was being 'observed'.
'The presence' chortled softly from the shadows above inside with barely contained a feeling of glee. Watching as Tenchi removed his heavy work boots, placing them under a low shelf prepared for precisely this purpose.
"It's still early," He mused quietly, having no reason to look directly up, noting only which shoes were present, an almost infallible method determining who was and was not in the house. Feeling slightly guilty at being relieved, when seeing Ryoko's outside shoes were in fact, missing.
"She's really making an effort." Tenchi smiled, thinking that 'job' she had been forced to hold for nearly a year while searching for him, had, had a positive effect.
His speculations however were cut short, by the sudden appearance of his father, shuffling, and still half-asleep from another night on the sofa.
Nobuyuki looked rough, no doubt about it. That earlier pang of guilt returning with a vengeance, in spite of the fact Tenchi had tried to give father his room while he was still sorting things out from a fire in his apartment in town.
"Dad, its still your house!" Tenchi had told him not more than a week ago.
"I appreciate you saying that son really." Nobuyuki had responded, in his usual way, before leaning close. "But we both know that... WOW!" His father had then gasped, looking amazed up at where Mihoshi was putting in a rare morning appearance.
Sauntering sleepily along the second floor balcony in just a pink partially buttoned shirt and a pair of panties an instant before Kiyone's voice sounded loudly from above, reminding her partner Tenchi's father was home!
"I'd only be in the way!" Nobuyuki had continued sheepishly. He had then continued to point out, that with all the 'action' likely taking place upstairs most nights, he wouldn't want to get trampled, sleeping on that floor!
"Ugh..." Tenchi groaned remembering.
Leave it to his Dads lecherously over active imagination to paint such a picture!
Smiling, he was just about to greet Nobuyuki when a third presence entered the hall behind his father.
"And just where dose the man of the house think he's going?" a girl's voice snapped.
In response to the inquiry Nobuyuki's heavy lidded eyes snapped open even as he halted.
Turning slowly, he executed an immediate apologetic bow to the young woman framed by the hall behind him.
Long silken hair, somewhere between a shade of sky blue and aqua framed a delicate oval face with large luminous eyes colored a startling shade of pink.
Now almost approaching six feet in height Sasami was no longer the nine-year-old moppet who once blackmailed Tenchi into stealing her sisters master key.
Just on the cusp of womanhood, but not an adult.
'Still a little too lanky!' In her own words, however, showing signs of curves and other great things soon to come.
Gone where the twin floor length pony tails, Sasami now favored a hairstyle more like her older sister's with a few locks 'spiked' to the front in an obvious homage to Ryoko.
"No!" She exclaimed when no answer was forth coming.
"You're skipping out on family breakfast again?"
"I'm sorry Sasami," Nobuyuki replied, hands clasped in a gesture of appeasement.
"The client wants thirty two corrections to the blue prints on site! I have no choice!" He continued in tones of one who was truly miserable.
It was no secret, Nobuyuki hated missing out on Sasami's legendary cooking!
"When the client says jump! I have to ask how high?" He then added unhappily.
"It's just the way it is!"
While they watched, her slightly crossed expression melted, replaced by the kind of gentle knowing smile which made birds sing and certain older females start grumbling under their breath.
"I know." She said simply, pausing to pull something out from the kitchen behind her. Moving forwards, she thrust it promptly against Nobuyuki chest.
"Wha?" his father mouthed, reflexively taking the offered bags.
"I made you something!" Sasami said radiantly while Nobuyuki looked down at the parcels.
"Now, I don't want you to go to all that trouble on my account!" He said uncertainly.
"The vending machine are good enough!" His words trailed off as her sweet expression vanished.
"Well you can just forget it buster!" Sasami said, actually adopting a sneer!
"I went through your pants pockets last night and all your change is in the bottom of one of those bags!"
"So, while your 'digging'" She added with the cutest mean little smile.
"You might as well have something nutritious!"
"Yes Ma'am." Nobuyuki said, wisely admitting defeat while Tenchi had to bite his wrist to keep from laughing. It seemed that Sasami had the situation well under control!
"You had better get going then father." She said, smile returning. Leaning close, gently kissing Tenchi's father on the cheek.
Turning, Noboyuki moved quietly to where his son stood smiling, sliding feet into his work shoes in a well-practiced move.
He then exited the house without another word, the only way he could keep the little princess from seeing the emotional tears in his eyes.
"Thank you Sasami." Tenchi said having allowed a few moments for his father to get out of earshot. Standing at end of the hall, Sasami bowed blushing, slightly embarrassed.
"I only wish I didn't have to rail road him like that!" She said, looking at the door.
"But, when it comes to getting him to eat a descent breakfast, he's as bad as someone else..." Sasami then stared at him, intensely narrowing her eyes.
"Who currently shall remain nameless!" She added angrily.
"Heh, heh." Tenchi chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head.
"Is anybody else up?" he asked hopefully, trying to change the subject.
"Well, Ryo-Ohki's in the kitchen with me." She began speculatively glancing around with those marvelous eyes, which seemed to catch light from every angle. Somewhere distantly there came a "Meow!" of affirmation.
"Good ears!" Sasami exclaimed in acknowledgement.
"Mihoshi and Kiyone came in a little while ago after their run," She paused speculatively.
"But, you know that." Sasami stopped, then suddenly brightened.
"And, I saw Ryoko earlier." She said nodding.
"Was she?" He asked, dreading the answer.
"No!" Sasami said, a look of mild wonder crossing her face. "Cold sober! Third time this week!"
She smiled with a kind of shrug.
"Maybe ol' Ryoko's turning over a new leaf!"
"Yeah maybe!" He said brightly, smiling while thinking it more likely she was 'still', Pardon the pun, Getting over her big 'home made sake' money making scheme!
Having succeeded, not only in drinking away most of the profits, but actually managing one batch so strong it even made her sick. In spite, of having the constitution of a cement whale.
Tenchi still had some of her last batch in the tool shed. It made an excellent paint and rust remover.
"We can only hope." He finished trying to sound upbeat for Sasami sake.
"Is everything ok in there Ryo-chan?" Sasami called over her shoulder, smiling her self at such a possibility. She had recently been teaching Ryo-Ohki how to 'help out' in the kitchen, however Tenchi knew also she was still having problems.
"You'd better not be sampling!" Sasami added in a warning tone when no answer materialized.
"Not if you know what's good for you!"
"Mim not!" Finally came the reply, Ryo-chan's voice sounded a little more slurred than usual.
Sighing Sasami turned around.
"I'd better go Tenchi," She breathed with a slight grimace before turning.
"Before breakfast is history."