Strange Days: Fire and Rain Cpts 1 to 7

by Horosha

This is a sequel to Strange Days. Tenchi and Gang (inc. Mulder and Scully) face two new mysteries.

3. Strange Days, Part Three: Fire and Rain

Disclaimer: Tenchi Muyo/No Need For Tenchi is a product of

Pioneer/AIC. As such, I'm getting no compensation for writing this

fiction other than my own enjoyment and to bring pleasure to the fans

of this wonderful series.    

Disclaimer: The X-Flies is the product of Chris Carter and 20th

Century Fox. As such, I'm getting no compensation for writing this

fiction other than my own enjoyment and to bring pleasure to the fans

of this excellent series.

Disclaimer: Oh My Goddess is the product of Kosuke Fujishima and

What's Michael is the product of Makoto Kobayashi. As such, I'm

getting no compensation for writing this fiction other than my own

enjoyment and to bring pleasure to the fans of both of these excellent

series (this is here because characters from both series appear in a

couple of scenes).

Disclaimer: The copyright holders own the songs and poems that appear

in this series. All characters 'I' have created are purely a work of

fiction. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is pure

coincidence.

Notes: This is Chapter Three of Book Two in my crossover series,

Strange Days. I would appreciate any C&C about this work. My two E

-mail addresses are:

V_Bashaw@hotmail.com

Horosha@RC_Books.zzn.com

The events in Book Two occur just after Episode Four ("Mihoshi Falls

To The Land Of Stars") and in the first season of the X-Flies (both

taking place in 1992). If anyone is interested in using any of the

characters I have created here, please contact me first (especially

about Anthony MacClean). I don't know much about the training and

organizational structure of law enforcement in Nihon and have assumed

that it is similar to ours. If you have questions about the story or

how I portrayed the characters please read the notes at the end of

each chapter and Book One, contact me at my e-mail addresses or post a

message at the AFC message board. I have created a glossary of Nihongo

words, idioms and titles to help readers understand them. You can get

it at TMFFA (under Crossover) or send me e-mail requesting it.

My prereaders for Book Two are K.T.K. (carryover from Book One),

Donald Dortmund, Fuzzy Bunny (another carryover) and Top_Quark. Also

Luriko-Ysabeth helped me on usage of Nihongo in fanfiction. Domo

arigato everyone.

"The Tales of Pretty Sami" are based on an alternate universe Pretty

Sami storyline created by a good friend of mine, Literary Eagle, for

her own Tenchi Muyo OAV series, "Confess To Me." I use it here with

her kind permission and trust (See Notes at the end of Chapter Three

for further discussion).

Dedication: This series is dedicated to the people who brought Tenchi

Muyo to life: Hayashi Hiroki, Kajshima Masaki, Hasegawa Naoko, and

Kuroda Yosuke. We also honor Chris Charter for his great series.

Warning: Just like the Tenchi Muyo OAV and the X-Flies this work

contains adult language and situations (including some ecchi scenes),

so any minor should get parents' permission before reading it.

**********

Tenchi Muyo/X-Flies Crossover

Series Title: "Strange Days"

Book Two Title: "Fire and Rain"

A Fan-Fiction by Horosha

Copyright: July 27, 2001

Chapter Three: Knowing Me, Knowing You

Children's Ward, GP Hospital

The nurses still found it a marvel when only one voice could be heard

in the children's ward instead of the wave of multiple languages

drowning out any adult reasoning but leaving their charges untouched.

The voice producing this miracle came from a ten-year-old girl sitting

on a small chair with a sea of rainbow-headed children surrounding her

on large towels, their attention focused upon the ebony visitor. The

youngster's sapphire eyes scan the words from the e-book in her hands

as dramatic words leap from her dusky lips, "'I won't let you imprison

Tsunami-joosama (Queen), not while I, Pretty Sami, am her champion!'

Pink fire blazed in our heroine's eyes as she held her baton before

the Jurain lord."

"'What can one little girl do to me, Dogo-sama of the Saishono Kantai

(First Navy)?' an evil sneer appeared on huge man's lips as he

motioned his men forward. 'My loyal ships will overcome the capital's

defenses and my loyal men will take care of you. Tsunami-joosama will

be either my bride or my prisoner.'"

"Just then a man in Dogo's green clan colors rushed into the throne

room, stopped just a few feet from the yellow-haired lord and shouted,

'Sir! Your ships have stopped attacking the planetary defenses!'"

"'NANI!' Dogo's face paled in disbelief as he turned to the man while

his men froze in their tracks."

"'CHO-AI ODORI ATTACK (SUPER-LOVE DANCE ATTACK),' Pretty Sami shouted

as her red-clad body bobbed and weaves amongst the confused green-

uniformed men while magic glitter streamed from the heart-shaped crest

on the end of her baton and covered their bodies, within seconds the

enchanted men dropped to the ground with happy smiles upon their

faces."

"As Pretty Sami turned to face Dogo-sama, the huge man let out a growl

as he took a step forward and brought out his lightsabre's hilt with

his left hand, only to check himself when a muzzle of a plasma pistol

pressed into his throat. His shocked eyes looked down the barrel of

the gun and saw the grim grin on the soldier's scarred face before he

recognized the man's features belonged to Horosha, Saishono Kishi

Jurai."

"'Letting out a whoop of joy, Pretty Sami leapt up the dais steps as

Tsunami stood up from her throne to embrace the blue-haired girl. With

a quiet confidence in her tone, Tsunami said, 'Once again, Pretty

Sami, you have saved Jurai and your joosama from the perverted plans

of evil people."

"'I couldn't have done it without Horosha-san and those who are the

Kishi Jurai,' a touch of modesty in Pretty Sami's voice as she looked

up at her adopted mother. 'They snuck onto Dogo-sama's ships and

helped the crews to mutiny against their wicked officers.'"

"Turning to Horosha, Tsunami said to the dark man, 'So, I'm indebted

once again to you for not only protecting my adopted daughter but also

helping my champion,' knowing looks on both Tsunami's and Pretty

Sami's beautiful faces."

"All in a day's work, Tsunami-san," satisfaction on Horosha's face as

he took the lightsabre hilt from the slack-jawed Jurain lord. The

dark-faced man let out a shrill whistle before he continued, 'I'm sure

someone can find a short cell where Dogo-sama can't lay down or stand

up while I go get Sasami-oujosama from where I hid her.'"

"Tsunami and Pretty Sami suppressed their giggles as Horosha prodded

his prisoner forward with the plasma pistol's nose in Dogo's back. As

the two men reached the main entrance's huge doors, they opened inward

to reveal a group of men in Kishi Jurai uniforms waiting patently.

'You four take Dogo-sama away,' the blond-haired man commanded, then

he nodded at the mass of green on the floor. 'The rest of you can take

the trash out.'"

"When Horosha's frame disappeared from sight, Pretty Sami

mischievously whispered to the queen, 'I better go now so I can get

back to my 'hiding place' before Horosha-niichan gets there.'"

"'Ii ne, Pretty Sami,' Tsunami gave a quick peck to the girl's

forehead before the fleet-footed child turned and ran to one of the

many secret entrances to the spiderweb of passageways that covered the

palace, the grounds and several sections of the great city.'"

"Twenty minutes later, Horosha groaned as he lifted up the bed's

mattress in Sasami's room so the little princess could crawl out from

between it and the box spring. 'It's safe to come out, Sasami-

oujosama,' he reassured Tsunami's adopted daughter. 'Pretty Sami was

able to stop Dogo-sama from hurting Tsunami-san.'"

"'Yaappii, Horosha-niichan!" exclaimed the girl in her light green

child's kimono as her little arms embrace her guardian but pulled back

when a grasp of pain escaped her protector's lips. 'You're hurt!' fear

replaced the joy in her face."

"'Just a couple of cracked ribs,' a chagrin tone touched Horosha's

words as his black hand rested assuring on her blue curls. 'I kinda of

crashed my ship in Tsunami-san's flower garden so I could get to the

throne room on time.'"

"'Oi, let's get you to the palace doctors,' Sasami placed a protective

right arm around Horosha's waist while her left hand placed the man's

left hand on her left shoulder, allowing him to lean on her for she

had noticed he was favoring his right leg. Then a stern look entered

her eyes, 'and I wish you would just call me, Sasami. You know I don't

like being called oujosama.'"

"'Hai, Sobakasu (Freckles),' Horosha grinned as he used his personal

nickname for Sasami."

"'I like that even less!' a dangerous tone in Sasami's words as she

pulled Horosha even closer to her ten-year-old body which produced a

painful grin on his face."

"'Hai, Sasami-chan,' he replied to the princess' command as he allowed

her to take him down the brightly lit corridor. The end."

A mix of claps, whistles and finger snaps along with happy grins

brought a toothy smile to Mihoshi's face as she stood up and gave a

deep bow to her audience. It was after the bow she perceived one child

was showing a different response from the others, a girl just a couple

of years younger than her. A cat's curiosity moved her feet toward

this girl with the teal colored hair and dark blue eyes that never

stopped staring at the blond-headed girl. After the children put away

their towels, the caretakers took groups of them to different parts of

the huge ward for lessons and projects but the girl with the strong

face waited for Mihoshi to stand a foot away before she got up. At

this point the older girl sensed something was going on underneath

those greenish blue curls, a cold calculation of the possibilities. To

find out what was going on within the youngster's mind, Mihoshi asked

in Juraigo, "Did you like the story, ne?"

"Why didn't Horosha-san kill Dogo-sama immediately instead of letting

him live?" the girl asked.

Mihoshi recognized the girl's speech as the Kathalli variation of

Juraigo and replied, ""Because Dogo-sama had the right to a trial

before his joosama just as all people within the Ginga Yunion have the

same right. That's what my ojiisama told me."

The child's teal eyebrows lift up at how effortlessly Mihoshi replied

in her dialect before she asked, "Tsunami-joosama must be very

powerful for Sasami-chan and Horosha-san to risk their lives for her,

ne?"

Mihoshi felt a probing mind in the girl's words so she honestly

returned, "Sasami-chan and Horosha-san risk their lives because they

daisuki Tsunami-joosama."

The girl's cobalt eyes narrowed at Mihoshi's correction, then she

countered, "Why fight for something that doesn't protect you or put

food in your stomach?"

Mihoshi detected doubt in the teal-haired girl's tone so answered

cheerfully, "Because it makes you happy, wa."

The younger girl could feel the sunshine in Mihoshi's words but she

countered the ebony girl's smile with her own experiences and asked,

"Being happy won't keep you from hunger or the cold."

Mihoshi noted a gleam within the other girl's eyes and said, "It can

if people are your friends, wa."

The shorter girl heard certainty in Mihoshi's words but countered, "I

don't believe you."

Mihoshi felt a razor edge to the girl's tone but asked, "Naze wa yo?"

The longhaired girl heard Mihoshi's puzzlement and answered with an

absolute tone, "Because I never had a friend. Those who followed me

did so because I could get them food, money and a place to sleep."

"I'll be your friend," Mihoshi cheerfully offered.

"Naze no (Why)?" Mihoshi saw a new emotion in the girl's deep eyes

that matched her words, surprise.

"Because everyone needs a friend," the girl found no guile in

Mihoshi's sapphire eyes or her words.

"You don't even know me," bafflement in the girl's words which Mihoshi

sensed.

"During the time we've been talking, no one has come up to ask you to

play with them, to ask how you feel or to ask you about me," the dark-

haired eight-year-old found only truth in blond-haired ten-year-old

words. "You're lonely, in need of a hand to hold onto, someone to shed

tears with."

"I don't know you," Mihoshi found wariness in the child's words.

"Baka wa, I'm the Vice-Marshall's mago, Kuramitsu Mihoshi," the child

in a plain brown suit saw the richly clad girl hold out her right hand

without hesitation.

For a second the teal-haired girl with cobalt eyes wavered then she

grasped the hand with her own right hand and said, "I'm Makibi

Kiyone."

Just then a light sensation touched several spots on Mihoshi's nose

and cheeks, bringing about a tickle, a sneeze and consciousness.

Looking up from the seat she was sleeping in, her large eyes saw a

large white feather in Seto's left hand while her pointy ears heard

the tall lady's words, "Gomen for waking you up from your happy dream,

Himawari, but we're back in orbit around the Earth."

"That oke, Niji-dono," the dream's sunshine radiated in Mihoshi's face

as her leap from the chair brought the policewoman right next to the

uchu kaizoku which caused her godmother to flinch a little. "I'm ready

to bring justice to all those desperados," her excitement caused the

statement to be finished in English.

With a nod of her blue-haired head, Seto brought out her mirror,

paused a minute to concentrate while her key briefly glowed. Satisfied

with her bondmate's reassurance about the Shoji's status, the Jurain

princess started to use the key to shape the flow of power when she

heard a happy sigh leave Mihoshi's lips. The tall lady turned her

scarlet vision from the mirror to her godchild where she found

sapphire orbs still full of joy's aftermath. With amusement, the older

woman commented, "You're full of smiles."

"I dreamed of Kiyone," fondness in Mihoshi's words. "Remembering the

first time I met her."

"At the GP children's ward?" the blond bombshell nodded then a

grinning Seto continued, "I wasn't there when you two first met but I

did get involved at the tail end of the 'Great Escape'."

Giggles from the two women filled the air around them as roses bloomed

in Mihoshi's cheeks and the blond shyly said, "Kiyone heard about the

Earth game, hide-and-go-seek, and wanted to play it but she told me

the ward was too small for it, I suggested we could go outside the

quarters. Kiyone liked the idea but one of the nurses told us we

couldn't because Kiyone was under custody for something she did."

"Didn't let that stop you, ne?" the tall lady said in a small smile

her face.

"Kiyone just silently stood there but I could tell she was

disappointed," Mihoshi's own voice reflected her memory. "Then I

remember the story I'd read to the children a few days ago, 'Pretty

Sami and the Great Escape'."

"You always did like those stories," Seto tone reflected the memory of

the numerous times her godchild would read them to her by the glow of

the blue-haired woman's mirror, under the child's bed blanket.

"I loved them because they showed Ayeka-oujosama's affection for

Sasami-chan, her respect for Tsunami-megami and her own feelings about

Jurai," then Mihoshi voice softened with sadness, "later on when I was

older, her words told me of her longing for her oniisan or someone

like Horosha-san."

"Do you still have them?" Seto wanted to deflect Mihoshi from the

trail of tears she was heading to.

"Yip! The whole collection is at my father's home!" there was

excitement in the ebony woman's English words. "I had some bootleg

versions Ayeka's friends distributed to remind the Jurain people about

their missing princesses but I was overjoyed when Queen Misaki gave

her official permission for them to be published!"

"Isn't 'Pretty Sami and the Great Escape' the last one to be

released?" Seto pushed the conversation back to its original subject.

"Hai, Ayeka-san heard about what her friends were doing and sent the

story along with a message to her ryoshin," Mihoshi switched back to

Juraigo, "letting them know she and Sasami-chan were doing fine."

"And the story told you how to get Kiyone-san out of the children's

ward, ne?" a knowing look appeared on Seto's face.

"I smuggled in a tin of Jurain sweet mochi to bribe the other children

to cause a distraction," a foxy smile appeared on Mihoshi's red lips

as her memory filled her mind of small naked youths throwing their

clothes about with shouts of glee. "It worked so well we walked out

the children's ward unnoticed."

"But something happened," Seto's words more a statement than a

question.

"Ee, I found out Kiyone was really good at hide-and-go-seek," awe

filled Mihoshi's eyes, "at my last I'm-it, I couldn't find her."

"Your ojiisama said you were crying your eyes out when he found you

wandering the hallways," sympathy in the tall lady's fair face.

"I was afraid Kiyone was hurt and couldn't call out for help," the old

fear returned to Mihoshi voice. "Ojiisama decided to take me home

while the men continued the search for her."

"But you saw something after the ship landed at the city's spaceport,"

Seto could barely keep her words from being overwhelmed with laughter.

"As I and ojiisama walked down the ramp toward the entry gate, I

looked back at the ship and saw a small figure drop out of one of the

landing gear wells," a child's certainty in the young woman's tone. "I

only got a glimpse before it disappeared underneath the ramp but I

knew it had to be Kiyone."

A smiling Seto nodded her head before she said, "It was then a frantic

call from your okasama got me out of a really boring meeting on Alpha

Centuri. Even after a three-day journey at flank speed, I found they

were still searching for the missing mago of the Vice-Marshall."

"I just wanted to find my friend," Mihoshi's asserted.

"Himawari, you could've heard water sprinkle when you walked through

the front door just as I opened it to walk out and search for you,"

Seto slowly shook her head in false disapproval. "And what was it you

were dragging in by your right hand but the missing Kiyone-san, who

was trying not to look like she was hiding behind you."

"I wanted my ryoshin to meet my friend," the simple truth ringed in

Mihoshi's clear voice.

"Your otousama was happy to meet Kiyone-san but your okasama screeched

about how torn and soiled your clothes were," then Seto's look changed

from a grin to a frown as she continued, "what did you two do anyway,

crawl through every rat hole, benjo and sewer in the city?"

"Ara, I didn't know Kiyone had changed the game from hide-and-go-seek

to tag-you're-it," Mihoshi gave Seto a guileless smile.

"How did you finally catch her?" Seto had asked this question to

Kiyone but the longhaired woman would only blush and mumble an answer.

"I told Kiyone I would take her to my home where I'd make sure no one

would ever hurt her again," Mihoshi's inner eye saw Kiyone staring up

at her with defeat in those greenish-blue eyes but quickly surprise

banished away the exhausted teal-haired girl's sense of loss when

again that same ebony right hand was offered to her in friendship.

"Partners forever . . . " Seto started a set of words she heard her

little sunflower say a thousand times.

" . . . 'Till death do us part," Mihoshi's words had the clear

softness someone uses when speaking their wedding vow.

Seeing Mihoshi's eyes start to mist over, Seto said as she brought her

mirror back up, "It's raining down there so I'm going to beam us down

in Katsuhito-san's office at the shrine."

"Why there instead of somewhere in the house?" Mihoshi's eyes cleared

just as Seto hoped they would.

"Because everyone is in the shrine's haiden (hall of worship)," Seto

replied with a drop of curiosity in her voice.

"Oi, they're there for Sasami-chan's practice," Mihoshi's dusky face

brightened.

"Sasami-chan's practice?" Seto's eyebrows arch up with wonder.

"Hai, Tenchi-san's ojiisama is taking her to an Earth festival in

three days time and Sasami-chan is practicing for it," Mihoshi

confirmed with a small smile.

"Dewa, let's hurry," Seto gave Mihoshi a quick nod before closing her

scarlet eyes and facing her upright mirror. The policewomen stood next

to her godmother as she placed her white-gloved right hand on the

older woman's firm left shoulder while a moonlight glow emitted from

the glass. After a dramatic toss in the air, rainbow light rained down

upon the two female figures as they and the mirror disappeared.

**********

Masaki Shrine

The ornate construction of the exterior of the haiden sharply

contrasted with the simpleness of the interior which was designed to

focus everyone's attention upon the ritual they were performing, only

the presence of the stout black pole upon a stand next to a low altar,

with gold lightening bolt streamers attached to its crown could

counterbalance the beauty of the ritual's participants. Upon a sacred

table were six bowls containing the traditional offerings to the Kami

of the shrine, a smoked mackerel, a bright orange, glittering grains

of sea salt, the soft whiteness of sweet rice, a bottle of sake and

some pink umeboshi (pickled Nihon plums). To the right of the bowls

was an arms-length branch from Funaho-Ki and a rolled-up norito prayer

scroll. At ten feet in front of the altar could be found the kneeling

forms of Sasami in a silky dark blue kimono with a light blue sprinkle

of raindrops. Behind her are a green-blue clad Ayeka and a curious

Ryo-ohki with a mustard-yellowed ribbon and bow around her neck. In a

parallel line between the altar and the two females were the priestly

dressed figures of Katsuhito and Tenchi.

Sasami watched with excited filled eyes as Katsuhito stood up smoothly

and performed the purification ritual by gently waving Funaho-Ki's

gift from right-to-left-to-right over her, Ayeka and Ryo-ohki's head.

She could see the Jurain aura about the branch and hear within her

mind the happy greeting of Funaho-Ki as it passed over her head. After

the chief priest sat, the little princess watched Tenchi, acting as

his grandfather's assistant, read the prayer scroll, asking the Kami

to bless the pink-eyed child, her ruby-eyed sister and the amber-eyed

cabbit with health, happiness and fulfillment. Sasami had to steel

herself so she wouldn't smile at how strange it was that a creation of

Tsunami was being blessed by another creation of Tsunami but she

wanted her first practice to be faultless.

After Tenchi knelt back down and giving the rest a moment to absorb

the meaning of the words, the girl-child watched Katsuhito stand again

from his tatami mat (a hemp-fiber mat) to reverently walk to the stand

where the dark-lacquered pole lay. With forbearance, the gray-haired

man carefully lifted the pole with both hands, turned to face the

others and with measured steps made his way to Sasami. As the man

approached with the device gripped by one hand and cradled by the

other, astonishment froze Sasami's features as she beheld a gleaming

energy about it. Unlike the moonlight aura surrounding all things from

Tsunami or the sickening green light from the man in her nightmare,

the girl child beheld that this object pulsed with grayish glitter,

neither light nor dark but something in-between. With great care, like

the pole might explode, Katsuhito moved the pole over Sasami's head

like he did with Funaho-Ki's branch but he delicately allowed the

streamers to brush against the little girl's blue head as she clasped

her pink hands before her. Just before they touched, Sasami could feel

a stirring come from Tsunami but before she could wonder at the

goddess' interest one of streamers touched Sasami's key above her

forehead. A tiny gasp escaped from her lips as her soul was seized by

a sudden dizziness caused by a shout of joyful recognition from

Tsunami then darkness overwhelmed her senses.

The kneeling Ayeka kept her face neutral but within she was proud at

how Sasami bore herself during her first practice session but then her

ruby eyes widen as her sister's body started to tumble over after the

streamers part from her brow. With speed born from a sister's love,

Ayeka caught Sasami's falling body before it even had a chance to

touch the hardwood floor as Tenchi rushed forward and both Seto and

Mihoshi broke out of their hiding place behind the partial closed

front door, Katsuhito placed the pole back on its stand before

returning to the fearful group.

"Sasami!" Ayeka's voice filled with fear as she cradled her sister's

limp body in her lap, a body that felt as light as a feather to her

sister's sensitive hands. "Are you alright?"

"I'm oke, oneesama," Sasami tried to place as much reassurance as

possible in her words as her pink quartz flittered open, "I was

suddenly lightheaded, that's all."

"It's a wonder you shouldn't feel this way," Sasami looked up at a

concerned Tenchi as his words continued, "after all the work you've

done today."

"Maybe we should share the chores?" a kneeling Mihoshi suggested as

her long-fingered hands held and patted to soothe a frantic Ryo-ohki.

"I think that is an excellent idea, Mihoshi-san," Katsuhito agreed

with a nod as he stood over the kneeling group, whose eyes told the

old man how much they loved the child.

"I'll draw up a daily list of chores and spread them out amongst

everyone," as the words left Tenchi's mouth an embarrassed look

appeared on his face as his eyes locked on Seto.

"I will handle Ayeka-dono's share of the list until she comes back

from her trip, ii ne?" Seto's supportive words brought relief to

Tenchi but everyone saw a frown on Sasami's face.

"Don't you want us to help you, Sasami-chan?" Tenchi puzzled over the

little princess' response.

"Hai but only under one condition, Tenchi-neechan," seriousness

appeared on the freckled girl's face as the others lean forward in

anticipation. "I'll do all the cooking and any chore I want to do."

"I think we can accept your condition, Akaruime," Katsuhito responded

with a knowing smile as the others nodded their heads in agreement.

Just then a loud thump echoed from the tiled roof, quickly followed by

ceramic shads, a moss-covered rock and a stream of water fell on the

people within the room but caused no harm.

"Dewa, here's one chore only we men can do," certainty in Katsuhito's

tone as he continued, "Tenchi, let us go to the office to change out

of our priestly garments and get back into our work clothes, then

we'll get the ladder, ply wood and some spare tiles to patch the

roof."

"Hai, jiichan," for once Tenchi was not bothered by his grandfather's

decision to use his strong back.

Moments later the women watched Tenchi go up the ladder with tiles, a

small piece of ply wood, hammer and heavy nails stripped to his back

while Katsuhito braced the ladder with his weathered hands. While

Ayeka was perfectly comfortable in her waterproof kimono and wide brim

hat, Seto and Mihoshi were under a borrowed umbrella, Ryo-ohki being

given the full-court-treatment by Seto's loving hands and Sasami wore

a child's transparent hooded slicker Nobiyuki had given her just

before he left for his surprise dinner date.

Minutes passed as the gentle sound of rain kept time with Tenchi's

hammer. Suddenly another crack interrupted the concert and a shout

drifted to those down below, "Kuso!"

Roses appeared on the ladies faces as a chorus of giggles was shared

by them while the elderly priest called up, "Be quick Tenchi, my flesh

and bones aren't as strong as they use to be."

"You could've fooled me, jiisan," Tenchi mumbled under his breath as

he remembered the number of times his grandfather smacked his young

body during today's kendo practice. The only consolation he got for

his bumps and bruises were the sympathetic looks Ayeka's perfect face

gave him each time he picked himself off the ground, even in his

almost naked state. "I wouldn't mind if Ayeka-san or Ryoko were there

to lessen the sting of jiichan's blows," the black-haired youth added

as he shifted to the other new hole.

As the last blow from the hammer secured the new tile in place, Tenchi

moved his center of balance to his right, so he could make his way to

the ladder, but his geta-clad right foot slipped off as does the left

one. Frantically Tenchi hands claw at the tiles but the rain and

momentum made them too slick to for a permanent grasp. Down below a

pair of ebony ears are the only ones to pickup the faint clacks of a

tumbling dropped hammer on ceramic tiles.

"Nani, Oi, Ara?" slipped out of Seto's, Sasami's and Ayeka's lips as

they watched Mihoshi suddenly tear away from their little group and

run at neck-breaking-speed toward the ladder. Katsuhito's gray

eyebrows arched up as he beheld the look of determination on the

policewoman's face but he also noted the slight right shift in her

angle of approach. Four red eyes and two pink ones became saucer size

when their sight showed the priest's hands yank down hard on the sides

of the ladder as Mihoshi sprang up to the ladder's fifth step and used

the extra height to vault even higher into the air, it's then everyone

else's ears detect the clamor from the hall's roof and catch the blur

of Tenchi's body tobogganing into the wet air.

"TENCHI-SAMA! TENCHI-NIICHAN!" escaped from the frightened princesses

except for Seto, whose eyes gain a glint of pride as Mihoshi strong

arms caught the wide-eyed youth ten feet above the ground but then her

left hand went up to cover an embarrassed smile as her godchild's

landing feet hit a patch of mud.

"KKKYYYAAA!" escaped from the mouths' of both Mihoshi and her package

as they skidded into the shrine's rear support wall where their bodies

produced a dull thud.

When stars cleared from Tenchi's brown eyes, he found his muddy face

just inches from Mihoshi's mud spattered face, her sapphire eyes full

of joy. "Domo arigato gozaimasu (Thank you very, very much), Miho-

san," Tenchi's words full of gratitude as he got up off of her and

offered his right hand to her.

"That's oke, Tenchi-san," Mihoshi blushed at the way Tenchi had

addressed her, "you saved my life yesterday," but then she cut loose

with a piecing wail as she saw the condition of her uniform, "I'm

covered in MUD!"

Mihoshi's cry of anguish is cut short as the dusky woman's body rocked

with the impact of the plastic-covered body of Sasami and a tearful

cry reached the policewoman's pointy ears as blue curls covered her

neck, "Oi! Arigato! Arigato! Mihoshi-neechan!" Mihoshi looked over the

princess' blue ponytails and noted Ayeka's nod of agreement with her

sister's assertion while the gilt of pride in Seto's eyes needed no

translation.

"It was really nothing, Sasami-chan," Mihoshi's words tried to comfort

Sasami before a thought entered her mind. With mischief the young

woman placed her dark hands on the little one's shoulder and pushed

her gently a few inches, then with her left index finger the detective

touched the pink wonder's cute nose, leaving a button-sized speck of

dirt upon its tip while saying with false shock, "Look at you, all

dirty!"

All tears vanished from Sasami's mind as the woman with the sunshine

hair called up pearls of giggles from the princess' heart. Barely able

to keep his own relief out of his voice, Katsuhito suggested, "I think

we should all take a bath."

"A wonderful suggestion, Katsuhito-sama," Ayeka warming up to the

idea. "Since there are more of us than of you, can I suggest you and

Tenchi should bathe first since it will take us longer."

"Ee," the priest concurred.

As the group head to the stone stairs, Seto fell in next to the older

man and asked in a low voice, "Did you know what would happen when the

pole touched Sasami?"

"I was uncertain," Katsuhito replied at the same volume, "because of

my training as both a Jurain warrior and a Shinshoku, I felt the

resonance of the aura surrounding the gohei (a sacred pole) when I

picked it up but this isn't unusual for many sacred objects have this

same quality to them."

"What do you know about the object?" questioned Seto.

"The gohei was given to me by the guji of Achi-jinja for helping in

rebuilding their shrine after it was destroyed during a recent war,"

Seto heard the note of pain in her grandson's voice as he remembered a

friend long dead. "They had the two gohei and knew I didn't have one

for the Masaki-jinja. So they gave me the older one."

"Has anything like this happened before?" Seto knew full well how

secretive a grandson Katsuhito could be.

"Nothing beyond the normal revelation experienced by a true believer,"

the gray-haired man honestly replied.

"But you said you were uncertain?" Seto returned to the priest's

statement.

"Sasami being Tsunami-megami's bondmate could make her sensitive to

such an aura but I can't be sure because I've handled the gohei

without suffering any undue effects beyond what I already described,"

a thread of puzzlement entered Katsuhito's tone.

"There could be something special about the bond between Sasami and

Tsunami-megami?" supplied Seto as they started down the granite

staircase.

"That is what I'm starting to believe myself," the man slowly nodded

his tanned head, "but what it is I'm unable to uncover."

"We might never discover the truth if Tsunami-megami doesn't want us

to know," a note of suspicion in the tall lady's voice.

As unfathomable words pass between the oldest members of the pack,

Mihoshi walked next to Tenchi where she quietly asked him, "Why did

you call me, Miho-san?"

"Oi, gomen," a crooked smile on Tenchi's face matched his words, "I've

spent so much time with jiichan, I'll sometimes slip into his southern

pronunciation."

"So my name would be pronounced as Miho-san?" Mihoshi's voice lost

some of its husky luster at such an ordinary explanation.

"Hai," Tenchi replied, unaware of the effects of his nearness had on

the policewoman.

"So your name would be Ten, Ten-san or Ten-sama?" Mihoshi eagerly

asked.

"Hai," Tenchi wondered at what these questions were leading up to.

"Could I call you Ten-sama?" a splinter of hope in the ebony woman's

voice.

"I don't see why not," Tenchi replied with a courteous smile on his

lips.

"Then you can call me Miho-san, ne?" Mihoshi could barely restrain

herself from reaching for the youth's hand.

"Oke, Miho-san," although he noted Mihoshi's expression of hero

worship to him, Tenchi was happy to grant the young woman's request.

'She did just save my life, after all,' the brown-eyed youth thought

to himself.

Behind the shorthaired man and the policewoman, Sasami absentmindedly

followed them with Ryo-ohki nestled between her blue ponytails,

underneath the plastic hood. The child smiled at the fact she had

another 'sister' but what her mind kept replaying was Tsunami's shout

of joy. In the seven hundred years of Sasami's direct relationship

with Tsunami, it's been the last sixteen years the child witnessed a

complete disappearance of the iron goddess of legend, instead she

found a many-sided being. It had taken years of gentle coaxing by

Sasami to bring Tsunami out of her armor and in the passing centuries

they had laughed, cried and shared quiet moments together. But while

watching the repair on the roof, Sasami had tried to contact her

constant friend but no warm presence of the familiar entity came, it

wasn't as if Tsunami had reverted to her stoic isolation but instead

was hiding from her little companion. 'I'll go look for her tonight,'

a mix of concern and wonder in the little princess' thoughts.

Under the plastic hood, in the softness of Sasami's hair, Ryo-ohki's

amber eyes shifted from one walking figure to another as her own

musings and the echoing feelings of the spying Ryoko swirled in her

mind. An amber glare was fixed on Katsuhito as the cabbit felt Ryoko's

suspicions of the old man's actions. Toward Seto Ryo-ohki noticed

Ryoko's deep respect for her fellow sister-in-arms was tempered with

concern over the leader of the Kaizoku Guild own secretive intentions.

For Tenchi, Ryo-ohki felt the rumble of Ryoko's undying love for the

young man but there was a terrifying fear for his safety caused by the

appearance of the Shojo and its owner. Looking up at Ayeka, Ryo-ohki

felt a cascade of emotions over the link for the princess: jealousy,

humor, sympathy and envy, yet the cabbit noted an underlining emotion

of sad acceptance over the young princess' attraction to the black-

haired youth. With the same emotional level as her love for Tenchi was

the tidal wave of worry, passing over the link from Ryoko to Ryo-ohki,

for Sasami. The little one's collapse during practice had brought a

mental scream equal to the one Ryo-ohki had uttered and only her quick

recovery calm both minds. Finally, there was puzzlement over Mihoshi,

a rival for Tenchi's love or a new ally against her former master.

Next to Sasami, Ayeka seemed to walk calmly but her emotions burned

recklessly within her, triggered by the pleasant words her ruby eyes

saw being exchanged between Tenchi and Mihoshi. 'Another one to share

his kindness with,' as soon as those hot words filled her mind, she

shuddered at their implications, 'It is wrong of me to be resentful of

her! She just saved Tenchi-sama's life while I just stood there,

frozen by my fear of losing him, but I should not feel such passion

for him. I know I love my oniisama, my inazuke, yet a fire scorches my

body whenever another shojo makes eyes at Tenchi-sama. It is as if I

have already claimed him as my own but it's not true. Yosho is my

itoshii, not this boy whom I have known for only three weeks!' As her

feet slowly descended the shrine's stone steps, the purple-haired

princess called upon her mental discipline to slowly suppress the

horns of jealousy upon her head. With desperate hope, Ayeka thought,

'After tonight's ritual, perhaps I will be able to handle these

upheavals better if I know what is causing them.'

**********

4:51 p.m. Kurashiki Forensic Lab

Scully sighed as she dropped her blood-covered gloves and apron into

the disposable hamper, "Another autopsy, another dollar."

Purposely the redhead walked to the tape recorder to tap the stop

button and pop the cassette out so she could place it in her shirt

pocket. During the whole examination of the body, she tried to keep a

professional attitude about the work at hand but she couldn't keep the

feeling of loss from barging into her soul, the loss of a chance to

see Nobuyuki again. Seeing the time on the room's clock, Scully

hesitated as she put her brown coat on but decided the train station

was her only option, maybe it wasn't the best one but she still wasn't

sure if she could follow her heart. As her right hand opened the lab's

outer door and her body passed from the dark room she shared with the

dead to the world of the living, her sad musings vanished as her

emerald gaze fell upon the smiling face of a man sitting alone in the

hallway.

Frozen by disbelief, with her mouth too heavy to keep closed, Scully

watched the man in the light blue pants and the white-and-blue-

stripped shirt stood up, used his right hand to pick up a large box by

its carrying strap and walked to her in confident strides before he

said to her in a disarming fashion, "I thought you would be hungry,

Ninjin-chan, so I had Sasami-chan fix a surprise dinner for just the

two of us."

"How long have you been waiting?" Scully's tongue finally finding

life.

"Just an hour, not long at all," Scully found Nobuyuki's smile so warm

after the hours she had spent in isolation.

"So what did you bring us, Inkushimi?" Scully couldn't stop from

blushing as her own stomach rumbled out its impatience.

Nobuyuki chuckled as he turned on his heel and offered his left arm to

the lady as he said, "Why don't you lead us somewhere so we can

partake of this wonderful meal?"

Scully looked at the offered arm, then at the look of affection in the

tanned man's face and again at the strong arm, knowing what it held

forth was something more than a chivalric gesture, it was a chance to

continue something that started three weeks ago with a dance. With her

heart still warring with her consciousness, guilt fighting with need,

Scully laid her right hand on his arm. By this means she took him to

the building's cafeteria.

Half-hour later, the night shift personnel in the cafeteria were

staring down at their plain rice, pickled eggs and lukewarm miso soup

with sad expressions as their nose and mouth told them the dullness

their meal was compared to the one the redheaded foreigner and her

black-haired companion was sharing at one of the corner tables. Scully

was a little nervous because of the glances but the delicious favors

and wonderful textures of the food she was partaking with Nobuyuki

helped keep her doubts in check. Seated across from each other, both

of them could sense the other's feelings, Nobuyuki could tell that by

the emerald-eyed lady's silent eating she was afraid to say anything,

fearful of where it could lead to, while Scully noted a daring

restraint in the number of times he would leave his right hand halfway

across the table, within touching distance.

After the consumption of the main meal, Nobuyuki smiled at Scully,

reached blindly into the box while saying, "Let's see what Sasami-chan

prepared as a desert," but he let out a puzzled noise as his left hand

missed the container holding the brownies and instead found a palm-

sized object. Bring it out of the bag, both pair of eyes went wide as

they recognized the round piece of clear resin and the precious

treasure it contained, a hair ring of black and red.

Wordlessly, Nobuyuki rested his hand palm up on the table while both

his and Scully's mind reached into yesterday's domain, where on a

sunny day a young boy and his girlfriend decided to help their friend

to ride a bicycle. After some encouraging words, a few cuts, a couple

of bruises and a tamed bike, the three rested under the shade of

Funaho as the three ate the launch the black-haired girl fixed for

them. With the last of the rice balls gone, the oldest girl asked,

"Ninjin-chan, Inkushimi, may I ask a favor of you?"

"Naze wa yo?" asked the girl with curiosity's glow in her emerald

eyes.

"I would like a piece of hair from both of you," a seriousness in her

words but a bright smile upon her pink face.

"Naze wa yo?" the redheaded girl one repeated her question.

"I can't tell you, akachan," the older girl's eyes full of sunshine,

"I can only show you."

The youngest girl and the boy looked at each other, each nodded once

and with the boy's army knife they each gave the ruby-eyed girl what

she had asked for. Kneeling down between her friends, the older girl's

delicate hands weave first her own hair and the boy's together to form

a ring then she looped the fiery hair particles around the black ones

to tightly bind them together.

Twin grasps of awe came from both sides as the youngest girl said,

"Its kawaii, Achika-neechan!" while the young man added with

affection, "It's kirei na, Achika-chan." A sad expression touched the

little one's fair face, a look that wasn't missed by the longhaired

girl.

Holding the hair ring in her upturned palm before her friends and with

love in her tone, Achika suddenly said, "Let's swear an oath."

"What kind?" eagerness alight the redhead's cute face.

"A very special one, Ninjin-chan," a sly smile upon the older girl's

face.

When the nine-year-old girl and the thirteen-year-old boy nod their

heads, Achika cleared her voice and then commanded, "Place your right

hand on top of mine." First the girl's small hand covered the ring

then the brown-eyed boy's rested on both, which caused the child's

face to match the color of her hair. Barely able to suppress her

mirth, Achika closed her eyes and continued, "Repeat after me: in dark

or in light . . . "

"In dark or in light . . . " both voices spoke in union as her friends

closed their eyes.

"In the deep or in the heavens . . . "

"In the deep or in the heavens . . . "

"In the roar of thunder or the gentle laughter of rain . . . "

"In the roar of thunder or the gentle laughter of rain . . . "

"We will be together."

"We will be together."

"If the sun falls from the sky . . . "

"If the sun falls from the sky . . . " both noticed their skin start

to tingle.

"If the moon no longer shines . . . "

"If the moon no longer shines . . . " even through closed lids a white

glow reached their eyes.

"If the stars cannot twinkle . . . "

"If the stars cannot twinkle . . . " both felt a warm presence

swirling around the edge of their consciousness.

"We will be together."

"We will be together." A splinter of fear started to form in their

mind but the presence removed it with a gentle needle.

"Even if sight cannot see . . . "

"Even if sight cannot see . . . " hearts beat as one as all three feel

their love intertwine.

"Even if touch cannot feel . . . "

"Even if touch cannot feel . . . " as the words flittered out, three

minds became one.

'Even if hearing cannot listen . . . ' the words came from unmoving

lips.

'We will be together.'

'Should our feet walk not the same path . . . '

'Should the veil separate us . . . '

'Should one wait for the others to come . . . '

'We will be together.'

As the oath ended, the noise of birds and bugs returned as two minds

left behind the memories of yesterday to reach today. Both Scully and

Nobuyuki look at each other with eyes glistening before they looked

down at the talisman resting in Nobuyuki's right palm while

emotionally choked words left the man's trembling lips, "I thought I

lost it."

"Looks . . . like Sasami-chan . . . found it," Scully's replied in

broken words as her strong hand reached over to hold the tanned hand

resting on the table.

As the palms of both Scully and Nobuyuki touched their friend's gift,

the tears couldn't be contained as both rested their foreheads upon

the others' right shoulder. In a room now empty of any other person, a

light drizzle of tears bathe their hands and leak between their

intertwined fingers. What came next wasn't planned or even thought

about for as a redhead and a blackhead turned to face the other, their

lips met. A gentle lingering kiss it was, as both tasted the salty

tears shed for their departed loved one.

Minutes pass before the couple's lips part and then Nobuyuki's husky

voice said, "It's strange, Ninjin-chan, I should remember the oath

that way."

"I know, Inkushimi," Scully's tone matching his. "It's like parts of

it were hidden from us until we needed to remember it more than an

oath of friendship between children."

"Funaho-Ki na?" Nobuyuki unsure he should utter the name.

"So you know about Achika-san's bonding with Funaho-Ki, ne?" the

loving smile upon Scully's face matched her words.

"When we married, Achika-chan decided no secrets should be kept from

each other," the Nobuyuki's face gained a gentle look, "and you?"

"We always shared our secrets," softness entered Scully's tone.

"Even your ai for me, Ninjin-chan," Nobuyuki's words a statement more

than a question as a happy smile touched his lips while Scully's

cheeks redden, "I didn't realize it was there until that remembrance

showed it to me," then a new thought entered his mind, "Do you think

Achika-chan knew she would die."

"It is possible Achika-san's bonding with Funaho-Ki gave your okusan

the sight to see our possible future," an acorn of insight entered

Scully's mind.

"Then the oath and the hair ring . . . " Nobuyuki started in a

whisper.

" . . . Were meant as triggers should what she'd perceived came true,"

Scully finished in the same way.

"Achika-chan wanted us to be together," enlightenment visible in

Nobuyuki's eyes as he realized he had made the correct decision about

his future with Scully.

"Knowing she would be with us, sharing her ai for us," lightness

entered Scully's heart as the heavy burden of guilt was removed.

With souls full of happiness, the two stared into each other's colored

pools as their left hands delicately stroked the other's face and

hair. Time unfroze when the alarm on Scully's watch went off and broke

them apart. Breaking the protective embrace of the symbol of their

love for themselves and a fallen beloved, Scully hit the off switch

with her right hand while noted the time was 5:48, Scully said with

heavy words, "I have to go, Inkushimi. I need to catch a train to

Tokyo."

"Let me take you to the station, ii ne?" Nobuyuki gave Scully a light

kiss and found how much he missed the rose petal softness of a woman's

lips.

"Oke," Scully returned the kiss, her need called within her to

continue to taste the nectar from the flower of her heart but logic

forced her to rein herself in so she could help Nobuyuki to repack the

box with the food containers. With the box's strap over his left

shoulder, the two walked out the room with Nobuyuki's right-hand

holding Scully left, then Nobuyuki used his left hand to offer the

hair ring to Scully but she shook her head before saying, "Keep it for

us and say arigato to Sasami-chan for me, for everything."

"I will," certainty in the black-haired man's tone.

**********

Train to Matsumoto

As the cities, towns and villages of Nihon flashed by the silvery

serpent upon its steel trail, two passengers sat next to each other

but were in different worlds. With a careful glance at the other

occupants around them, Mulder made sure none of them bothered the

cyan-haired woman next to him, the American took note of the faraway

look upon her sharp face and the reddish glow from the left wrist held

close to her chest. In the time before they changed trains at Nagoya,

Mulder's pale green eyes watch a play of expressions pass across

Ryoko's face: tender love, giggling laughter, stony glare, jaw dropped

fear and a Cheshire Cat's grin. This display brought back to Mulder's

mind the mystery of her being here with him instead of with the ones

she loved most. Running over the information Ryoko had told him about

her past, Mulder deduced there was only one thing that would drive her

away from the young man and the little princess but first he had to

ask her if his conclusion was correct. As he turned his head toward

his companion to ask the question, his cellphone buzzed.

Taking it out of his vest pocket, the brown-haired agent asked,

"Mulder here."

"This is the Chicago Police Department calling to inform you that a

warrant has been issued for your arrest on twelve-hundred traffic

violations," the amused voice of Detective Dortmund could be barely

heard over the static.

"Do you think you could wait a while on that warrant," Mulder matched

his friend's humor, "I'm not going to be in the States for a while."

"I'm sure we can make arrangements for your credit card to pay for

them," Don suggested before dropping the pretense, "How you're doing,

Mulder?"

"Better than I thought I would, Don," amusement in Mulder's voice, a

quick glance over showed Ryoko had turned to look at him and he

motioned her with his left hand to listen in. With wordless thanks in

her amber eyes, the ample lady lowered her head next to his before he

continued, "So what did you find on Anthony MacClean?"

"You're lucky my nose is a big Bears fan," Don smirked. "I had to

exchange four of your Redskins' tickets to get the seven I needed for

Becky and her friends."

"I know two of those tickets are going for your own use, so don't

sound like you pulled the wool over your snoop's eyes," Mulder

countered but suspicion entered his last words, "or did your informant

find nothing?"

"Nothing of the sort, Mulder," Ryoko heard how relaxed Don's voice

was, "it's just I don't think you're going to like the results."

"C'mon, you one of the few people I know who can touch base with one

of the top dirt diggers in the country as well as one of the top

bounty hunters, so let's get down to brass tacks," Mulder's ears

redden when he heard Ryoko's giggle.

"Okay, Mr. Fed," Don commented with a smile. "It took some digging but

Becky did find about four years of dope on your friend."

"Just four years?" Mulder's eyebrows went up.

"That's right," Don could barely keep the laughter out of his voice as

he dropped his other bomb, "From 1968 to 1972, your MacClean was known

as a man called Sunshine."

"Sunshine!" Mulder gave Ryoko a hot glare in an attempt to stop her

roaring laughter before he continued, "are you sure?"

"In 1968, a man fitting the photos you've sent was arrested for

participating in the Chicago riots, during the Democratic Convention,"

Don's voice calmed down. "On the rap sheet, he gave his name as

Sunshine and the arresting officer wasn't able to find any ID that

gave his true name."

"So what else has you found out about this 'Sunshine'," Mulder's last

word full of annoyance.

"For the next four years, Sunshine is involved in every left-wing

protest or action in the United States, including the Indian protect

at Alcatraz, before he disappeared," Don stated.

"What did he do within these groups?" questioned Mulder.

"He worked as an organizer," Don answered before his voice gained a

note of respect, "although he did help get several students under

cover when the National Guard went nuts at Kent State."

"But nothing before 1968?" Mulder carefully asked.

"Nothing. But I do have three additional pieces of information," Don's

voice gained a sober tone, "One, Sunshine appeared in Japan, in 1972,

as a promoter for several Rock and Roll concerts before changing his

name to Anthony MacClean. Two, in comparing the two photos you sent me

with the one from the '68 arrest sheet, this man shares the same

fountain-of-youth as Dick Clark. Three, my nose decided to try a

little experiment. So she started to check the names of government

officials that disappeared in 1968, based on the belief that only

someone in the government could make their past disappear."

"That's not completely true," Mulder countered.

"True, some people can buy disappearance but nothing so clean as what

our government can do," Don returned.

"What did your snoop find?" Mulder interest perked.

"Becky can't be sure but she accidently activated a security alert on

one name and she had to make tracks before they were able to find

her," Don replied.

"And the name?" Mulder probed.

"Steven Rodgers," Don told him.

When Mulder heard Ryoko's startled intake of air, he cut short the

conversation by saying, "I've got to get going, Don. Thanks for your

help."

"Hey, come to Chi-town on your next vacation," a friendly tone in

Don's voice, "Becky and her friends would like to meet you and you can

bring your lady friend."

"She's just a friend of mine," Mulder realized Don had heard Ryoko's

laughter over the cellphone.

"Ahhh, I wish I had your luck in finding such 'friends'," Don put

emphasis on the last word.

"Anyway, I'll think about visiting the Windy City, so take care,"

Mulder closed the connection before he turned his pale green eyes on

Ryoko and asked, "You've heard the name before, right?"

Ryoko slowly nodded before answering, "To learn English, Tenchi's

grandfather allowed me to copy a part of his memory. In doing so, his

experiences during your World War Two became a part of me, especially

his captivity in a concentration camp."

"Someone at the camp had the name of Steven Rodgers," Mulder guessed.

"A young US Army captain who was ordered to teach Katsuhito English in

an attempt to squeeze more Japanese secrets from him," then Ryoko

added with warmth in her voice, "in the end, they became friends."

"Hmmm," Ryoko saw a thoughtful look on Mulder's face.

"Do you think it's the same man?" Ryoko cautiously asked.

"It's possible," Mulder slowly replied. "But even if he isn't the

person Katsuhito knew, I would have to say he's a very interesting

man."

"Hmm," Ryoko thought upon Mulder's words before turning her head back

to watch the passing scenery.

Unable to think of anything to continue the discussion, Mulder

returned to his earlier train-of-thought. Knowing he wouldn't get a

straight answer from the cyan-haired woman, the detective decided to

try an exploration of Ryoko's past to gain his answer. With eyes

straight ahead, the agent asked, "Is the boy the first one you've ever

loved?"

Catch off guard by Mulder's question, Ryoko looked back at the

American, for a moment her anxiety kept closed her mouth but then she

remembered how this man had cried in her arms, exposing his wounded

soul to her. With trust replacing fear, the lady in pink replied, "No,

Tenchi wasn't the first one."

Mulder turned his head to face Ryoko when he heard the deep sadness in

the ample lady's acknowledgment, so he carefully prodded, "Do you want

to talk about it?" When Ryoko's amber eyes reflex a need to talk, the

brown-haired man added, "I won't tell anyone."

The apprehension drained from Ryoko's soul and she started, "A hundred

years before my attack on Jurai, that bastard Kagato sent me to

capture a cache of artifacts being transported to a galactic fair on

Pollux Three. It was easy to find the merchant ship with Ryo-ohki and

I quickly breached the hull near the cargo bay. As I teleported to the

opening . . . " Ryoko words continued but her inner eye played the

events before her mind.

Ryoko felt her body appear in the corridor just beyond the life

support containment field over the blackened cavity in the merchant's

hull. In a red-black battlesuit with warpaint upon her face, the uchu

kaizoku scanned the empty hallways with suspicion. Seeing nothing to

impede her course, she floated down the corridor to the cargo bay.

Along the way she would lash out with a narrow beam of red energy to

destroy the cameras monitoring the passageway but her doubts increased

as these actions didn't bring running feet, ringing alarms and

shouting voices. Upon reaching the hatch to her destination, she

produced a three-inch red rod to burn the locking mechanism off it

while staring through the door's window. Still not seeing any

opposition, she pulled the door open with her left hand as she readied

a ball of fiery death with her right. With a quick check of the area

around the entrance showing nothing, she moved to break the hatch's

threshold but her forward progress was stopped by something suddenly

grabbing her collar and a harsh whisper in Juraigo, "Don't go in

there, it's a trap."

With a twisting spin on her right foot, Ryoko pulled out of the grasp

and squeezed the energy ball into a four-foot lightsabre, which she

rested under the chin of the figure before her. It was a man close to

her height, with shaggy blond hair touching his lean shoulders and

gray eyes staring out of a very dark-skinned face. His body was clad

in a one-piece olive green battlesuit with leathery trim strips dipped

in British Crimson, Ryoko's sharp eyes also saw a metallic ball in his

right hand.

With a feral snarl Ryoko asked in the same language, "What do you

mean?"

With a bare nod toward the cargo hatchway, the dark man countered,

"Let me show you, na?"

Although Ryoko's eyes narrowed, the cyan-haired woman gave a slight

wave to the hatchway with the lightsabre. The woman floated to her

right to give the stranger enough room to reach the opening but ready

to behead him at any hint of betrayal. At the entrance, his index

finger released a red button it was holding down while giving the ball

an underhanded toss into the room. Ryoko's arm started a downward blow

when a wave of energy came from the object but she stopped its descent

when the sphere was vaporized by a massive beam of white light

stretching from one side of the cargo bay to the other, a bar of raw

energy large enough to destroy her body.

A deep growl came out of her chest but her anger was cut short when

the man said, "If we hurry, we can still get those artifacts from the

other ship."

"WE?" finding the booby trap wasn't what caused Ryoko to shout, it was

this stranger's willingness to help her.

"Ryoko-san, do you think the crew here are going to be happy when they

find out I've spoiled their little surprise for you," having limited

contact with humans, the uchu kaizoku couldn't tell if he was being

sarcastic or not but then her eyes became hard marbles.

"How do you know my name?" Ryoko lowered her right hand enough so the

man's back neck hair produced a smoldering smell.

"C'mon, the Ryo-ohki, your battlesuit and your cyan hair," Ryoko saw

an unfamiliar look appeared on the green clad man, "there is only one

person you could be and that is Ryoko-san, Caller of Demons."

Still not satisfied with his statement, Ryoko voice gained a dangerous

tone when she asked, "So you know me but what about you?"

"My name's Handover George," the dark-skinned man turned but stopped

when pain came from the blistered skin where the energy blade brushed

the back of his neck. "I'm a small time thief looking for a way to

reach the big time. When I overheard two members of this ship's crew

plotting either to kill you or to capture you, I decided to hitch a

ride with them so I could warn you."

"In return for what?" the dangerous tone was still in Ryoko's voice

but its edge had lessened.

"I want to be your partner, Ryoko-san," Handover felt the hot weapon

lift from his neck, so he turned to face Ryoko as he continued, "I

know my skills can be very helpful in your capers while your

reputation will give me the status I want."

For a few minutes, Ryoko stared at the young man for she was unable to

make up her mind. She could understand his greed for fame but she had

never worked anyone before. After another set of minutes passed

Handover sighed, "If we don't hurry, the other ship will get away."

Insulted by Handover's reminder, Ryoko bristled at him, "Catch me then

you can come." The last word echoed in air as her body faded from

sight.

Back at the hole, Ryoko reappeared with a smirk upon her face as her

ears detect not one footfall coming her way but when she turned to

teleport back to Ryo-ohki, "Ara?" escaped her lips. Two smoky eyes, a

hand dropped on each of her firm shoulders and a mirthful voice from

smiling lips filled her ears, "Does this mean I can bell you too?"

Hearing the tease, Ryoko's readied a heated retort but then a cold

voice entered her mind, 'Ryoko, let him prove himself.'

'Hai, Kagato-tono,' Ryoko passively replied in her mind, knowing her

master's voice ruled her will. Reaching up the cyan-woman's hands took

hold of Handover by the shoulders and she told the man as they

teleported to Ryo-ohki's bridge, "Big dogs kill pups all the time, I

need proof you're a big dog."

"Can you give me a list of the artifacts we need to get?" wonder in

Handover's question over Ryo-ohki's floating crystals but his awe

cooled some when he saw the cold glare Ryoko gave him over his use of

'we' in his request. With barely checked impulse to toss the man out

of her ship, Ryoko left him to glide through the air to the ship's

controls.

"Hai I can but first tell me where the other ship is?" Ryoko replied

over her right shoulder as she dropped into the command chair.

"As easy as dancing upon a comet's tail," confidence in the dark-

skinned man words as he came up behind the chair, leaned over the

chair's back and then continued, "Call up a star chart covering this

parsec."

Ryoko punched the necessary buttons to produce a small screen a few

inches before them but the 3-D map didn't catch her attention, it was

Handover's face. This was the first time she really looked at his face

and noted there was something wrong about his color fitting his

features. The uchu kaizoku had seen many people of many shades and

different skin textures but this man's dermis looked burnt.

"He should be here by the time we reach him," Handover pointed at an

area near a white dwarf star. Again Ryoko noted how leathery the black

skin was on the man's hand.

'Ryo-ohki, go to Thorin Alpha, coordinates 0564-0054,' Ryoko commanded

through her link.

Ten minutes passed before Ryoko saw Handover relaxed. 'He probably

thought I'd toss him out of an airlock as soon as he'd told me the

ship's location,' an evil thought crossed her mind, 'would've or at

least drop him off on some backwater planet,' her gleam disappeared

into icy foreboding, 'but Kagato-tono has shown an interest in him.'

As these words consumed her mind, the man sat, cross-legged, upon the

ship's cool surface, placed his hands upon his knees and closed his

eyes. Ryoko quickly identified the form as an ancient Jurain

meditation ritual usually practiced by the oldest members of that

planet's noble houses. "Oi, so you're a Jurain noble or maybe an otaku

of Juraijin," the ample lady stated out loud.

"A long time ago," Ryoko heard something catch in his voice, was it

sadness?

"You don't look that old, Ki-chan (Sapling)," Ryoko used her favorite

Jurain insults. "And where your space log?"

"They took my ship and tree away from me when I became a thief," calm

returned to Handover's voice.

"I thought a Jurain is bonded to their tree for life," Ryoko countered

with some suspicion.

"All things can be broken," that emotion was in the dark man's voice

again, "even a goddess' oath."

Ryoko scrutinized Handover's statement and the emotions within it

before she asked, "but aren't all Jurains descended from uchu

kaizokus?"

"Hai, but they don't steal from one another," calm again returned to

Handover's voice. "I did."

Being a member of the Kazoku Guild, Ryoko knew there were things you

didn't do and one of them was getting caught stealing from another

uchu kaizoku. Ryoko shrugged her shoulders at Handover's luck, then

commanded Ryo-ohki through the mental link, 'produce the list of

artifacts Kagato-tono wants from the ship.' In seconds the list

appeared in Ryoko's lap, where she picked it up with her left hand and

dropped the plastic paper in front of Handover. As the man broke from

his meditation to picked it up, a question formed in Ryoko's mind and

she asked, "How did you get to the hall breach at the same time as I

did and without me detecting you?"

As Handover read the list, he replied, "For the first part of your

question: I took a short cut and as to the second part: I'm not called

Handover for my looks."

"So Handover is an earned name?" Ryoko probed.

"Hai, it was given to me by some planetary thief's guild where I was

exiled to," Handover paused for a few seconds before he looked up at

Ryoko with a confident grin on his face, "can I make a suggestion?"

"Nani?" Ryoko returned.

Handover's right hand reached underneath his battlesuit to pull out a

three-inch-by-three-inch piece of yellow cloth with a small round blue

metallic seal on it. Carefully pulling at each of the corners with his

dark hands, Handover caused the little patch to increase in size until

it was a seven-foot-by-three-foot bag with pull-string opening. Ryoko

had seen such an item before and said, "a subspace container."

Handover nodded his head and added as he pointed at the blue disc,

"with a transponder attached."

"You want to use it to get the loot?" Ryoko could see where this was

going and she liked the idea.

"Once we catch up with the transport have Ryo-ohki teleport me to the

cargo bay after its defensive force shield has been taken down,"

Handover gray eyes glow with excitement, "the artifacts are small

enough for me to put them in the bag and the transponder will allow

your ship to bring us both back."

"And I'll keep the crew busy with the Ryo-ohki," Ryoko chuckled at

beauty of the plan. "They won't expect such an attack because of my

reputation for working alone."

"So we do it, na?" Handover put emphasis on the word, 'we'.

Ryoko hesitated for a second before she answered, "'We' do it."

Three hours passed while Ryo-ohki sped to the target while Handover

continued his meditation while Ryoko took a catnap. In the soft light

of the white dwarf, the catlike meow of Ryo-ohki's alert awoke the

two. As the dark youth got to his feet, Ryoko asked him, "Do you have

a communication device?"

"Ee, right here," Handover showed a silvery button on his crimson

lapel.

When Ryo-ohki's passive sensors pick up the transport, Handover asked,

"We going to need some call signs for this operation."

"Call signs?" Ryoko was confused by the term.

"So we can communicate without giving away our identities," Handover

couldn't keep from being amused by Ryoko's bafflement.

"Do we really need them?" Ryoko's tone showed she didn't like either

the blonde's mirth or the necessity for such arrangements.

"If our plan turns into a soap bubble, we might need to makeup

something quick," Handover's gray eyes locked with Ryoko's amber orbs,

"and it would help if the crew doesn't know who we are so they can't

predict our moves."

Ryoko understood the logic behind Handover's suggestion yet it was his

gray gaze that won her over. 'Why does he look at me like that?' her

own thoughts filled her mind. 'I've seen it before but I can't

remember where.' Shaking her head to clear her mind, the cyan-haired

woman said with an ugly grin, "Oke, since you want this, I think your

call sign should be Ki-chan."

Ryoko was surprised her insult produced a toothy grin from Handover,

who added, "and I think your call sign should be Neko-onna."

Ryoko's ears went back at how easy her barb was turned upon her by

Handover but she barely restrained herself from knocking his white

teeth down his throat. "Juncho desu! (Fine!)," a volcanic rage in her

words as she yanked her sight from him to Ryo-ohki's star chart.

Handover turned to watch the star chart but not before giving a

lingering look upon Ryoko's long legs accented by her red spandex, a

look Ryoko caught from the corner of her eye.

Ryo-ohki dropped out of maximum speed to launch its first energy blast

at the transport. Already warned of the attack upon the decoy, the

ship's shields absorbed the first volley while firing its own plasma

cannon. Ryo-ohki dodged the returning fire and quickly cut the

distance to minimum range before sending her second attack at the ship

then rocketed back out before the transport's next attack could fire,

Ryo-ohki's second blow reduced the ship's shield to forty-percent. As

Ryo-ohki prepared for her next run, the ship's third firing scored a

hit on one of the battleship's black spikes but the damage quickly

healed.

"Are you ready?" Ryo-ohki's readout showed Ryoko the opponent's

shields were ready to collapse.

"Locked and loaded," Handover replied, Ryoko didn't recognize the

saying but she could hear the confidence in his voice.

Before the transport could fire its fourth volley, Ryo-ohki charged in

and fired two quick bolts at point blank range. The first bolt took

down the ship's shield while the second hit the engine room. As the

black battleship pulled away a teleport beam shot out from it and

touched the disabled ship's hull.

Ryoko waited impatiently for Handover's call, she wanted the thrill of

the hunt and didn't like having nothing to do. Then a voice crackled

into existence, "Beam-up, Neko-onna."

"Hai, Ki-chan," Ryoko answered back but then mentally commanded Ryo-

ohki, 'Teleport only the subspace container.' As the full bag appeared

before her feet, Ryoko muttered, "It's better this way, you wouldn't

like working for Kagato-tono."

Getting up from the chair, Ryoko picked up the bag and with nimble

fingers untied the knot, loosen the strings and reached into the bag

with her right hand. The first thing her touch felt was hair, shaggy

hair. Grabbing a handful, the wide-eyed lady yanked up and out pops

Handover's body. Dropping the man, Ryoko stood over him shouting,

"BAKA! Subspace containers have limited atmosphere and I don't know

how much life support your battlesuit has. What if I didn't open it

until I'd reached my employer's ship, you'll be DEAD by then!"

"I . . . was . . . depended . . . on your . . . curiosity," Handover

replied while getting oxygen into his lungs, "besides I knew there was

a chance you would leave me onboard the other ship."

"But why me!" Ryoko unable to understand his fixation of her, "of all

the uchu kaizokus in the universe, who would make much better partners

than me, why did you pick me?"

After a short tense moment, Handover stood up, reached into the bag

with his right hand and fished out a six-inch mirror surrounded by

three gold figures, whose hands held it in a loving embrace. With the

surface showing Ryoko's face, Handover kindly said, "None are as kirei

na as you, my Neko-onna."

Ryoko's right hand lightly touched her cheeks, drafted down her sharp

chinbone before stopping at its point while her astonished eyes never

left the reflection. A thousand years had passed since someone said

those words in earnest to her but they turned to ashes when she became

the akurei no hakai. Finally she turned her gaze from the mirror to

look at the man but found a paled face. "What's wrong?" Ryoko was

surprised by the concern in her own voice.

Handover quickly smiled as he replied, "Just noticing how the color of

the mirror's frame matched your lovely eyes."

Suddenly Ryoko felt an emotion new to her, fear. 'Doesn't he know I'm

a machine? What kind of man would want me, an uchu kaizoku controlled

by another.' Ryoko opened her mouth to give life to those words when

another will closed it. 'He has passed the test. He will stay,'

Kagato's icy words brought obeisance to her.

'Hai, Kagato-tono,' her acknowledgment heard only by her master.

"Now it's my turn to ask what's wrong," these words brought her back

to the dark youth with eyes full of worry.

With lightning movement, her right hand snatched the mirror from the

startled Handover and put back into the bag while her furious words

flowed from her lips, "Ii ne! You can stay but get one thing straight,

Ki-chan! I'm the one who decides things here! UNDERSTOOD!"

"Hai, they're no scales covering my eyes, my Neko-onna," Handover's

back going ramrod stiff.

Ryoko's face went from annoyed anger to confused curiosity as she

asked, "What is a Neko-onna anyway?"

"A female animal of grace, power and sensuality," a dictionary's tone

in Handover's words.

"Dewa, if you once, just one time get out of line, I'll sharpen my

claws on your BARK!" Ryoko shouted over her shoulder as she spun on

her left heel and flew through the air to place the bag with the rest

of this trip's loot.

"Hai, Ryoko-san," Ryoko was sure she could hear a smile in those words

but she continued to her destination.

The memory faded as she heard her own voice say to Mulder, "George was

something I never expected to find back in my life after so many

centuries and he changed me so much. He taught me to use my brain

instead of just muscle, use a lockpick, wear a disguise and move on

stealthy feet to finish our jobs," then delight entered Ryoko's voice,

"I loved it, he made it so much fun to leave alive everyone while they

gawk at our exploits."

Again her words faded back as another remembrance came to the fore.

Two voices of baritone and soprano laughter echoed in Ryo-ohki as one

body wove on light feet while another floated next to it as they

walked down the hall to the battleship's control room. The first voice

to go beyond chuckles was Ryoko's, "I think that poor guard was going

to faint when you kissed her."

"I had to . . . find someway . . . to keep her mouth occupied . . .

while you stuck her in the neck . . . with the needle," Handover's

words tumbled out between bursts of joy as his soft black boots moved

along noiselessly.

"I just wish we found out sooner about them moving the stuff to Mordor

Prime," an amused smile on Ryoko's face, she had already changed from

her battlesuit to a clingy one piece blue suit with her upper chest

exposed along with a number of randomly placed transparences showing

her perfect skin.

"Dewa it worked here, so it should work there," Handover's words full

of light confidence.

"And have you known as 'The Kissing Bandit'," Ryoko countered

playfully. "We'll have females lining up to get a pucker from you at

every heist along with the Ginga Keisatsu."

"Ara, another hobby cut short," Handover gave Ryoko a smile as his

right hand reached into the breast pocket of the black thief outfit to

bring out an oblong jewel box as his words continued, "but it wasn't a

total loss, I found this for you, my Neko-onna."

Ryoko had long since stopped trying to correct Handover whenever he

called her by that nickname, instead she took it as a sign of his

loyalty to her but now her attention was drawn to the container he

offered her and breathy words parted from her lips when her feet

touched the floor, "Oi, kore wa nan desu ka? (Oh, What's this?)"

"Open it," happiness in Handover's voice and eyes.

Ryoko's heart was in her throat as her hands gingerly took the white

velvet box from Handover's hand and pushed the lock open with her left

hand. 'No one has ever given me anything before,' Ryoko's soundless

words told her how she considered Ryo-ohki as something she didn't own

but as a silent friend caught in Kagato's web.

Tipping the lid up with her left hand, a surprised inhale filled

Ryoko's lungs because before her wide eyes are twenty pink pearls held

captive by fine platinum wires with a tiny amber bell in the middle.

With her hand gliding over each gift from the ocean's bounty, her ears

barely heard Handover's words, "By the completion of a planet's circle

around its sun, the coming and going of seasons and holidays, it was

on this day a nameless thief met a legendary uchu kaizoku."

Ryoko looked up into Handover's smoky eyes as her overjoyed look

passed unspoken words to Handover. With a happy smile due to the

present acceptance, the man's black hands pick up the necklace,

unhooked the catch and took purposeful steps to stand behind the

dazzled lady. Again her breath caught when the cool metal touched and

moved over the top of her exposed chest only to be released when her

neck hairs felt Handover's skillful fingers close the catch. A feeling

in her cleavage brought her vision to where the little yellow bell

came to rest. A set of slender digits came into view and by flicking

the tiny craving, produced a glassy tinkle. "It even has a clapper,"

Handover's words flowed from lips just inches from Ryoko's right ear.

"It looks like you finally bell me," over the months Ryoko had pieced

together just how provocative Handover's question had been.

"Only when I won your trust did you accept it," Handover corrected

Ryoko.

"Mo, I found someone to trust," Ryoko countered with barely audible

words as she turned to face him and her gaze locked on his.

For minutes the only communication between the two came from the eyes

but that line broke when Handover looked away. "It's late, Ryoko-san

and we'll need our sleep so our minds will be sharp in the morning,"

Ryoko confusion over Handover's action increased when she heard the

regret in his voice, "Oyasumi."

"Oyasumi, George-san," Ryoko's words fell from her lips like fall

leaves from a tree and they continued in her mind, 'Is he the one?'

Her eyes stared at the amber craving cradled between her breasts. 'Or

is he like the rest?' Her eyes continued to stare vacantly as her mind

was filled by all of Handover's words and deeds. 'He's no shooting

star but is it enough.' Ryoko faded out only to appear in Ryo-ohki's

command chair. It was here she would catch her catnaps or watch the

stars the battleship would pass by, waiting for Handover to come out

of his room. His room was constructed to give him some privacy but now

its entrance only functioned as a magnet for the uchu kaizoku's hopes.

Then an idea surfaced, 'Maybe he wants me to take him as an uchu

kaizoku would?' Suddenly everything clicked, the way Handover talked

and acted around her, 'unlike the others, he wants me to make the

final move, to claim him as mine.'

Resolve filled Ryoko's mind as she faded from the chair to appear two

feet above Handover's bed. Looking down, Ryoko froze when she saw the

man's naked body in a slumber. Handover would always appear after his

sleep fully dressed so this was the first time she saw how his black

skin covered a well-portioned body with a white field of body hair. As

Ryoko slowly moved in a headfirst decent, the figure below her rolled

onto his back while a bluish flare from the uchu kaizoku's Gem caused

her dress to dissolve into nude beauty. Ryoko paused just inches above

the sleeper to think over her options before she closed the space

between them and pressed her white lips against his black lips.

Bafflement entered Ryoko's mind when she didn't feel Handover waken

and return her kiss. 'Ara, maybe this only works on oujosama.' A

movement caught by her eye and caused her to look down between her

melon-sized breasts where she found her kiss did bring a raise out of

him. 'Playing hard to get ne,' the tips of her fangs framed an amused

grin before she drifted down enough so the tips of her brown nipples

lightly rubbed over his darker pair. Seeing them as hard as his stiff

manhood, Ryoko lowered herself fully onto him and kissed him again.

With her ample breasts flatten against his chest and the inside of her

thigh brushing his flagpole, a little voice came from Handover's

muffled lips, "I surrender."

Ryoko's lips part from Handover's then with a grin she asked,

"Everything?"

"I gladly give my family jewels to you, my Neko-onna," this time it

was Handover's blond head closing the distance as his right hand

reached the back of Ryoko's head, into her silky, spiky hair. His lips

completely engulf hers while his left hand glided up underneath her

right arm to stroke her spin from the base of her neck down to her

tailbone.

As the two pairs of roses kissed, Ryoko's hands buried themselves in

Handover's mane while his hands fondled a nipple here, brush through

cyan pubic hair there and squeezed a rock hard ass. But Ryoko's eyes

filled with anger for her skin gave no pleasurable sensation to her,

she gained no taste of passion from his kisses and no sexual stimuli

came from her vagina.

"Iie," distress shook Ryoko's head as her words gained volume, "Iie!

Iie! IIIIEEEEEE!" With strength born from despair Ryoko ripped away

from Handover's embrace, stumbled from his bed and collapsed in one of

the room's corner, her cyan hair cloaked her bowed head. When a hand

took hold of her left shoulder, she shouted, "Leave me ALONE!"

"Doka gai ka? (What's wrong?)," concern echoed in Handover's tone.

Ryoko jerked her shoulder from his hold as she turned her head to him

with eyes blazing while misery filled her words, "Don't you

UNDERSTAND? Couldn't you feel IT?" Handover saw her Gems come to life

as a three-inch blade appeared in her right hand as she continued, "Do

I have to draw a picture for YOU?" As the uchu kaizoku held up her

left hand just above her head, she sliced off its fingers with a

backward swing of her blade as the naked man quickly ducked to avoid

the cut. "Now do you UNDERSTAND? I'm not a HUMAN BEING! I'm a MACHINE!

An ANDROID!"

Handover grabbed her left palm with his own left as he knelt behind

her bent form, watched as brownish substance move out of her hand to

regenerate the lost digits while her words full of self-loathing

shouted in his ears, "My emotions aren't REAL! My PERSONALITY doesn't

come from my BODY! They're SHADOWS planted in me by my CREATOR," venom

filled the last words, "to AMUSE him!"

When Ryoko's fingers were complete, she stared at them with heartache

in her words, "Do you know how a machine feels pain? It's not like how

you would biological creature would feel it but according to its

creator," Ryoko's heartbreaking words gained a hard edge, "How would

you like it if your maker made it so you would find delight from only

hurting others, would you like your wires as cross-up inside as mine?"

Then her voice dropped to a low mumble as a comforting arm went around

her back, "I can't even cry."

As Ryoko's head dropped to hide in the corner's darkness, Handover

moved her hand to his arm then placed his left hand before her

downcast eyes as he said, "Ryoko-san, watch." In seconds his fingers

gained a grayish glow, then tiny, gray balls of Saint Elmo's Fire

danced from tip to tip. With wonder Ryoko looked up into her partner's

eyes only to gasp as she saw the same energy had drowned out his

irises. "I can give you the sensations you crave, I can make your body

and feelings one."

"Who are you?" through her Gems, Ryoko could sense the power coursing

in the body next to her.

"Handover George is my true name," a small smile graced his lips.

"But you're more than an ambitious thief," Ryoko's awe faded back to

her anguish.

"I'm your partner, your friend and your lover," the certainty in

Handover's words gave way to pleading, "Please, let me give you your

fondest wish."

Again Ryoko realized Handover was letting her to decide to trust him

or not to trust him but she knew there wasn't any choice here, she

wanted it too much. "Hai," a nod accompanied her answer.

With a fluid motion Handover's left hand lightly pressed his fingers

to Ryoko's forehead. The nude female went rigid in her lover's embrace

before going slack as his soundless voice entered her mind, 'What I

give you can cause its own form of pain and sorrow along with the

pleasure and joy you seek.'

'I know,' conviction in Ryoko's reply.

'So you still want them?' Handover asked one more time.

'I want a kokoro, I want a ki,' Ryoko answered truthfully.

'But why should I allow it?' a cold voice asked, one that Ryoko knew

too well.

'I assume you are Ryoko's creator?' Handover asked.

'I am Kagato and you have not answered my question,' a harshness in

the voice's tone.

'Because Ryoko psychological state could destroy her body,' Handover

answered.

'If it were to occur, erasing her personality is a likely solution,

just as it was before,' the voice spoke with a detached tone.

'But it is not a true correction,' Handover coolly countered.

'Fragments of her personality would still be there and could end your

creation's service to you prematurely.'

'And this upgrade of her psychological pattern will stabilize her?'

the voice asked after a short pause.

'Plus an additional bonus,' Handover added.

'Oi,' the voice puzzled.

'It will amuse you, Kagato-tono,' Handover revealed.

An icy chuckle vibrated in Ryoko's mind before fading away with

parting words, 'I will be watching.'

'Are you ready, my Neko-onna?' Handover asked in a loving tone.

'I'm ready, my Ki-chan,' Ryoko returned in the same fashion.

Then a blaze of gray energy hit every cell within Ryoko's mind as her

body went into spasms. Ryoko felt the three Gems sent a thread of

contact to the invading force but instead of fighting it, they

accepted it. Her skin started to prickle as the neutral energy flowed

across it to reach every spot of sensual arousal and then the pleasure

came. At first it was the hardening of her nipples, next the dance of

touches along her awakened skin, the hot sensation of phantom lips

upon her fingers, toes and mouth. With each erogenous spot brought to

life Ryoko moaned in rapture, her skin glistened with sweat as her

spasms took on a rocking motion. Finally her G-spot connection brought

panting breaths from her lips as the living energy flowed over it,

passing through her cyan pubic hair, firing her vulva as it passed her

maidenhead to reach the depths of her sexual being. This final

awakening brought a shout from Ryoko's lips as her body arched and a

flow of sexual juices issued from her vagina, her barely conscious

body fell back into Handover's loving embrace.

When her breathing slowed to normal, Ryoko opened her eyes to find her

body cradled in Handover's arms, just like a sleeping baby. With a

smile he asked, "So how was your first orgasm?"

"Wonderful," Ryoko's words full of ecstasy, "Domo arigato."

"Do itashimashite, my Neko-onna," the words barely made it from

Handover's lips as his head bent down and when their lips met, Ryoko's

embers flamed anew.

Again the memory gave way to Ryoko's happy words, "For four years the

akurei no hakai was gone instead the people talked about two new uchu

kaizokus, Futatsu Kaga (Two Shadows). But the jobs we did for Kagato

were a fun diversion to those days where it was just Handover and I.

Days where we would lay upon green grass to watch waterfalls, dusk

where rosy clouds matched our thoughts, nights where the cool stars

were all the light we needed and dawn's virgin light showed two bodies

joined as one. He taught me everything I know about love, about the

games used to keep it fresh and the little things that allow each of

us to discover something new about the other, he even showed I could

find pleasure from touching my own body and from another female's

body."

"But something happened?" Ryoko heard Mulder's sympathy in his

question.

Pain crowded into Ryoko's words as the next memory dominated her mind.

Before her amber eyes she saw the vast expanse of metal and Plexiglas

as Handover's and her body appeared on the teleportation platform. She

liked the pale green kimono with clouds of white blossoms all over it

that covered her body as well as the little paper fan in her hands,

the one with a morning sun showing snow upon a distant mountain and a

lazy river at its base. Handover reached the steps first and offered

her his right hand, which she accepted with a modest blush on her

face. She found Handover's plain dark blue kimono with his red mon on

his left breast didn't do justice for her lover's figure.

A young man in a black security uniform came forward from one side and

all three gave a short bow as he said, "Welcome to the Andromeda

Archive. May I have your identification cards?"

Both gave ID cards that showed Handover and Ryoko as Hakubi Ujiie

Jurai and Hakubi Oryo Jurai. Ryoko found Hakubi a familiar name so she

asked Handover about it before they left the Ryo-ohki to come to the

installation by commercial spaceliner. He replied with a grin, "It's a

little joke between me and someone I know, whose name you might have

heard on the news."

Ryoko knew better to push for something beyond Handover's vague answer

because it would only lead to a knowing smile and a loving kiss. Over

the half-of-decade of companionship Ryoko tried to judge exactly what

Handover was. He was more than a small time thief she was certain of

that but every time Ryoko thought she had the answer he would do

something that turned her judgement into dust and she would examine

her clues again. But even with his normal happy tune, Ryoko could tell

Handover was uneasy over this latest job for Kagato. She knew Handover

was aware of Kagato's control over her and that anything they did

together was only allowed by her master's tolerance but when they were

together, she would sometimes find Handover staring up at the passing

stars with concerned gray eyes. When he saw her looking at him, the

gentle smile would return and he would pull her into his love. Yet

after their lovemaking she remembered his look, he feared this job.

As the green-haired man came back from checking their ID at the white

terminal Handover's right hand wrapped around Ryoko's left and lightly

squeezed it but her soul froze by the thoughts coming over the fleshy

contact, 'They're spotted us.'

Ryoko glanced around and noted the loss of rainbow colors in the

people in the huge hall and the plastic smile on the returning man

whose left hand held their ID cards but the right one was behind his

back. With a rumbling growl Ryoko right fist lashed out when the man

was in reach, blood flew into the air as the man dropped to the

ground, his nose flat against his face and a gun hitting the floor

next to him. Ryoko heard the metallic pop of gun holsters snaps open,

then the drum of feet as men took cover and a voice came over the

loudspeaker, "YUJI AND TOJI KAGA, YOU ARE UNDER ARREST FOR THE

FOURTEEN ROBBERIES WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE ANDROMEDA POLICE

FORCE AND FOR TEN OUTSTANDING WARRANTS BY THE GALAXY POLICE, THE

ATLANTIAN RANGERS AND THE SPECIAL ICARUS SERVICE."

"So the man we used to make the counterfeit cards was a police

informant," mumbled a resigned Handover in Juraigo, the police using

the names they had given to the counterfeiter.

"He won't enjoy his bounty once I get my hands on his fat neck," Ryoko

snared back in the same language as her clothing changed from the

pastel kimono into her red-black battlesuit then she whispered to

Handover, "I'll attack them while you make your escape."

"That won't be necessary, my Neko-onna," upon hearing Handover's words

Ryoko glanced at him and found the man in his olive green battlesuit

but what caught her eye was something she never seen in his hands

before, weapons. Her partner repeatedly told her to kill for anything

only lessens the possibility of success and makes the hunters' pursuit

hotter but now a four-foot double edge sword was in his right hand

while his left contained a dirk with a three-foot pointed blade, both

pieces of metal gleamed with gray energy.

"This isn't a game anymore, Ki-chan," fear in Ryoko's words.

"I'm not leaving without you," Handover coolly countered.

"They can't hurt me but they could kill you," Ryoko's fear turned to

desperation as she watched black-clad men move to better cover.

"We still need the data Kagato-san wants," Handover returned.

"I can get it on my own," a begging tone edged Ryoko's words.

"YOU HAVE FIFTEEN SECONDS TO SURRENDER," harsh words came over the

archive's loudspeaker system.

"Limited to using only your lightsabre?" Handover shaking his blond

head, reminding Ryoko of the need of capturing the power grille and

the archive intact, something it wouldn't be if she used any of her

energy attacks. "Shear numbers could take you down and what would my

life be without you," love in Handover's words before they took on a

dramatic tone, "Besides, I'm Juraijin. I was born with a scabbard in

my hands."

Ryoko was touched by Handover's stubborn devotion to her and she said,

"Don't say I didn't warn you, Ki-chan."

With a nod of his shaggy head, Handover said, "I'll take the ones on

the right, you take the ones on the left."

"Hai," Ryoko's irises were lost in glowing red as she tapped into her

Gems. "IMA! (Now!)"

Ryoko disappeared only to appear behind the closest group of security

men. Still looking where she had been, her right-to-left swing of the

red lightsabre filled the air with their screams. A quick look in

Handover's direction caused Ryoko's mouth to drop down in awe. Only

the uchu kaizoku's heightened senses allowed her to see the blurred

image of Handover's body reaching his first target and delivered two

precise strikes on a couple of rent-a-cops without breaking his stride

as he moved to his next target, to Ryoko's eyes everyone moved like

snails when compared to her partner's speed. Two hits on her upper

left thigh and her third right rib from laser fire brought a roar from

Ryoko as her Gems healed the damage while she vanished then reappeared

to her opponents' dismay.

Time ceased to exist for Ryoko, only her determination to eliminate

any threat to her goal mattered as her red weapon slashed and impaled

flesh while her left hand would cave in skulls and shatter ribs. Only

once did she teleported next to Handover and what his face revealed

filled her with dread: lifeless orbs of gray energy like those of a

shark's eyes. Afterwards a bit of the old bloodlust washed away

Ryoko's fear and reestablished her goal but this objective was no

longer Kagato's objective, her true aim was to keep these human beings

from getting to the keeper of her heart. Suddenly it happened, her

scanning eyes found no new adversaries and her sharp ears heard not

the high pitch whine of laser fire, not the screech of melting metal

or the popping of bubbling plastic instead she heard maimed men and

women whimper in diverse languages for their mothers. Even with the

facility's air system working clouds of gray smoke and the coppery

smell of blood filled the rooms but it wasn't the aftermath of her

carnage that brought panic to Ryoko's soul, it was the fact she

couldn't see Handover anywhere.

With haste born of terror Ryoko backtracked through halls and

passageways until she found a trail of unmoving bodies, each with same

marks of death: precise lethal cuts in the skull, neck, spine or heart

designed to bring about quick, almost painless demise. But this

artist's skill only became apparent later to Ryoko, now her thoughts

were centered on the owner of the name she was calling out. Finally in

the main computer room Ryoko's sight beheld her seated partner at a

terminal, placing a data crystal into a small, sturdy carrying case.

"Ki-chan! Didn't you hear me calling you?" Ryoko's anger born from

concern.

"I had to complete something before you found me," Handover replied.

Ryoko's eyes narrowed at the vague answer the blond man gave her but

the note of resignation in his voice renewed the apprehension in the

cyan-haired woman. The clink of the box's latch by the dark man pulled

her attention to it and she asked, "Is that the archive's data bank?"

"Hai, including the information Kagato-san was seeking," again Ryoko

heard a heaviness to the gray-eyed man's voice as he got out of the chair with the box in his right hand and turned to face her. Ryoko

floated a foot toward Handover before his new words stopped her cold,

"But he will not get it."

"Nani!" Ryoko's confusion thundered in the word.

"What is contained in this case would give Kagato the key to unlimited

power," the heaviness of Handover's voice gave way to a harsh

certainty, "and such a kaibutsu like him can't be allowed to unlock

that door, he would turn the universe into an abomination!"

"Ki-chan! Why should we worry about what Kagato-tono does to the rest

of the universe?" Ryoko's confusion gave way to fear for she sensed

someone was listening to the heated exchange of words, "As long as he

leaves us alone."

"My Neko-onna, I couldn't exist knowing our joy, our laughter and our

smiles were the only ones in existence," Ryoko saw the pain those

words brought to Handover's eyes and knew they mirrored her own.

As Ryoko's mind had locked in hesitation, her Gems flared blue and her

body crumpled to the ground where jolts of energy coursed through her

mind. Her agonizing scream caused Handover to take a few steps to her

before he pulled up when he saw her face turn to him with eyes of

glowing green. Ryoko's body drifted up as icy words left her lips, "So

you have decided to make your play."

"For what you did to your okasama," Ryoko saw the hardness in

Handover's eyes as she struggled against Kagato's puppet strings, "She

believed you were satisfied with the gifts she gave you."

"She gave my birthright to her flawed creation," solid confidence in

Kagato's words, "for such a crime she got what she deserved and I will

continue to be Ryoko's master until she is of no use to me."

"Your arrogance will be your downfall," venom in Handover's words.

"You dare to speak of arrogance," a cool laugh left his slave's lips.

"Did you think I wouldn't notice you using my okasan's surname?"

"So it was you who told the keisatsu of our coming," Handover sneered.

"I knew my slave would complete the mission even if your body was

lifeless but you are full of surprises," a false wonder entered the

voice, "It would be interesting to dissect you to find out what makes

you tick."

"I think I'll pass on that option," a sarcastic smile on his face as

he nodded at one of terminals where information flashed across the

screen, "Oi, you won't find anything left in the mainframe. I used one

of your okasama's favorite worms to eat the data you seek."

"So you know what I seek?" Kagato asked.

"On the day I met Ryoko-san, I knew what you sought," Handover

answered.

"Nanto? (How?)," genuine surprise in Kagato's one word.

"One of the items retrieved was a hand mirror," a grim grin on

Handover's face, "the glass was held by the Three Goddesses."

"You surmise, I seek specific information on their existence," cold

logic in Kagato's words.

"And the power they weld," Handover added.

"So only the case now contains those secrets," Ryoko saw Handover's

grin became Cheshire Cat's size at Kagato's statement and caused her

to claw even more at her mental bindings as she watched her right hand

reach out toward the case.

Handover pulled the case out of Ryoko's reach while saying with deadly

earnest, "over my dead body."

A wicked grin painted itself on Ryoko's beautiful features as a red

ball of energy appeared in her right hand where it was squeezed into a

two-foot dagger. "My intent anyway since you have proven yourself too

dangerous to live."

Ryoko saw Handover's feet go flat against the floor as she felt her

body start to float to him while raising her weapon above her spiky

head. With a desperate surge she found a sliver of control and

shouted, "NIGERU! (RUN AWAY!)"

"Mo, I cannot," a firmness in Handover's tone

"SOREKARA KOROSU ATASHI! (THEN END MY LIFE!)" Ryoko twisted and pulled

against the still existing restraints while her body stopped just

inches from Handover.

"Mo, I cannot," a sad smile graced Handover's face as Ryoko saw her

reflection in Handover's gray eyes, saw her amber irises surrounded by

a sickly green.

Ryoko's unearthly cry reverberated from the walls as her blade impaled

her lover's heart yet only a little catch of his breath showed

Handover's reaction to the strike. Nothing prepared Ryoko for the

sight of her dearest body sliding off her rod of light as tears wetted

her face. Except for her face the rest of her body showed no emotion

as her right hand picked up the case next to the dead body, then she

teleported to one of the two ships whose arrival next to the facility

went undetected.

Ryoko appeared before Kagato aboard the Shojo. The white-haired man

reached with white gloved hand to remove a tear from Ryoko's face

before giving a false sigh and saying, "To think I allowed Handover-

san to make you even more defective than you were before." After

taking the brown case from her stiff hand and placing it in his coat

pocket, Kagato's face took on a bored look as his left hand removed

the glove from his right and brought the seemly empty sleeve to her

face while saying, "I think I will make you a thoughtless weapon

again, your imperfections will be less discernable." Ryoko heard her

master's words but care not for the sun that lit her world was put out

by her own hand, only the waters of the soul upon her emotionless face

showed her broken spirit. In such a state of mind, Ryoko noticed not

the shock on Kagato's face as his mind crashed against a mental

barrier surrounding his slave's physical mind. Again and again with

increased power each time, the red-eyed man attempted to smash through

only to bounce off with no effect. In frustration he pulled his right

arm back and threw Ryoko to the floor, the impact with the ground

brought a sound of surprise from her lips while Kagato said, "It seems

your 'partner' didn't want his flawed changes to be corrected," foul

sneer on his fair face, "I still control your body and can change its

physical composition through your Gems. Now let us see what your

bounty has brought to me."

With a dramatic flourish Kagato retrieved the case from his pocket

with his left hand, open it and held his unseeing hand over the

colorless pyramids of data. With Kagato no longer in direct control of

her body, Ryoko turned her swollen eyes up over her right shoulder and

this time she saw the shock on the tall man's face which gave way to

rage as he flung the container away while howling, "WORTHLESS! It's

all WORTHLESS!" Yanking back on his glove he stretched out his right

hand and fired a blue wave of power that turned the crystals into gobs

of useless material. "LIMERICKS were all those bits of junk

contained," the anger in his eyes matched his words.

When Ryoko heard Kagato's statement, the bitter irony found a home in

her torn soul, calling forth from her lips a low laugh.

"DAMARE! (BE QUIET!)" Kagato spat out but this only kicked Ryoko's

volume higher. With growing rage he reached through Ryoko's Gems to

shut her up but couldn't penetrate her emotionally choked mind. When

Ryoko felt Kagato's failure, an insane quality entered Ryoko's jeers

that knocked her master into action. The fractured cheekbone from

Kagato's first blow didn't stop the crazed howling nor did the

shattered ribs, the splintered fibula, the dislocated shoulders or the

cracked skull. Finally the pitiful remnant of Ryoko's roar gave way to

renewed crying when her master regained control over her body then

said with a foul smirk, "After you heal enough, you will go back to

the room and search his corpse for the real data crystals. He is the

kind who would protect the knowledge of the ages not obliterate it."

Ryoko fought against Kagato's control as she saw the color drain from

her surroundings as they do when she teleported. She didn't want to

see Handover's dead body again, to see where her master took away the

most precious thing in her life. When the desks, computer terminals

and chairs solidified around her, Ryoko's floating frame collapsed to

the cold floor as Kagato's mind momentary loss contact with her Gems.

Ryoko looked left and right to find the cause of the shock she felt

from her tormentor's mind before astonishment filled her own spirit.

At the spot where her happiness had ended, where she learned to cry,

there was nothing, not even blood.

Quickly before Kagato realized his lapse of control Ryoko tapped into

her Gems to extend her senses and what she found replaced her

astonishment with rejoicing. With sight beyond the visible spectrum

she found every inch of the room, the very air around her, contained

traces of the soft, gray energy Handover used. With a shout of joy

Ryoko allowed the universe to know her happiness even as she felt

Kagato's strings bound her body.

"That monster had me search the whole base looking for Handover but I

didn't find him," Ryoko gave a triumphant grin as her words to Mulder

replaced her memory, "but I knew it was in vain. Handover had

masterfully fooled Kagato and got away with the data crystals."

"I'll bet Kagato was angry," Mulder commented with his own smile upon

his face.

"He beat me while saying how defective I was," Ryoko wouldn't let the

residue of that painful memory break her mood, "how his 'Great Plan'

prevented him from killing me."

"A creature worthy of a one-way trip to Hell," Ryoko heard the anger

in Mulder's voice as he took her shaking hands in his own.

"That was the first day but not last where he would beat me," Ryoko's

eyes as hard as yellow diamonds, "while his words carved up my soul.

How Handover used me, how my 'lover' didn't try to free me, how no one

cared about me."

"You didn't believe him?" Mulder could barely keep from shouting.

"Not . . . at . . . first," a tremble caused her words to falter, "but

the . . . beatings . . . the words . . . the loneliness . . ."

"The demon of destruction was reborn," finality entered Mulder's tone.

"A bloodlust," a loathing tone in Ryoko's words, "born from hate, born

from self-pity, poisoned me to everything good around me. All I wanted

was to find pleasure in robbing the life from living bodies, leaving

nothing but broken dreams in my wake. I even wanted to kill Handover,"

unshed water made Ryoko's orbs glisten, "make him know how forsaken I

felt."

"Until Yosho stopped you here on Earth," Mulder squeezed Ryoko's

hands.

"Even before there were starry nights," a note of happiness returned

to Ryoko's tone as she freed her right hand from Mulder's hold to

reach into a pocket that appeared on her pink vest. With a gentle

lifting of her hand, Ryoko revealed to Mulder's pale green eyes a

necklace of moonlight metal, pink pearls and a yellow-glassed bell

before her words continued, "I would stare at this for uncounted

hours, recalling his laughter, recalling the adventures and recalling

the love."

"A remembrance of lost love, of a lost life," Ryoko heard Mulder's own

sadness and knew his missing sister filled his mind.

Ryoko returned her keepsake to its protective covering as she told her

friend, "while I waited for Tenchi to release me and during those few

days where he, his mother, his father or his grandfather didn't visit

the cave, I would think of Handover, wondering why he didn't try to

save me."

"Maybe he did," Ryoko gave an inquisitive look at Mulder's statement,

"it's possible he hoped the psychological shock of you 'killing' him

would rupture Kagato's control."

"And when it didn't happen, Handover left to spare me from really

killing him," Ryoko finished the theory for Mulder, "as if that was

possible."

"You mean the fact he could survive your deathblow," Mulder added.

"When I would sit in solitude in front of my cave, I would remember in

that last battle how laser fire would pass through his body, how he

could move faster than time itself and how his single step was equal

to the distance between stars."

"Yahweh?" Mulder wondered.

"He made mistakes and he felt pain so I don't think he was your God,"

Ryoko answered thoughtfully, "but he was something close to one."

"Yet not powerful enough to face Kagato without fearing he would end

with your blood on his hands," Mulder concluded, then saw Ryoko's

reaction to his words where he asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Ryoko hastily replied as she turned her head away from him.

Repeating his words in his mind, Mulder found the last piece of the

puzzle to his cyan-haired friend's behavior. 'Not blood on 'his' hands

but blood on 'hers',' soundless words filled his mind, 'but why now?'

then the revelation hit him, 'MacClean's report of a UFO.' With

careful deliberateness the brown-haired man asked, "Kagato is here."

The startled intake of air, then a slight nod from her spiky head came

as she held up her left hand to show her Gem to Mulder before she

fearfully said, "my Gem gave me a chance against Ayeka but now I'm

bonded to Kagato again."

"You hope Kagato will come for you when you aren't near Tenchi or the

others," Mulder guessed.

"He would have me kill them just to torture me," anger filled Ryoko's

words, "but I'm afraid he's here for Sasami too," then she quickly

added, "and Ayeka."

"Because of the attack on their homeworld?" questioned Mulder.

"I wasn't able to get what he wanted from Jurai so he might see the

princesses as a means to complete his 'Great Plan'," Ryoko could

barely keep her rage in check.

"Is there anything I can do?" a protective tone in Mulder's words.

Ryoko was touched by Mulder's gallantry but replied in a hard tone,

"Compare to Kagato your military power is equal to a flea's fart. I

can only hope he will take me and leave."

"Maybe Ayeka could help you," Mulder pointed out.

"Ayeka is a trained Jurain warrior but her power level and her skill

isn't close to Kagato's," Ryoko countered, "and she still sees in me

the cause of all her suffering, even though Kagato was the mastermind

I was his hand." Mulder noticed the quick reply seemed to cover

something else, like Ryoko was giving him a partial answer.

As Ryoko's head drooped, Mulder heard a mumbled continuous, "I just

hope my Tenchi and Sasami don't forget me."

Mulder opened his mouth but a man interrupted his comforting words as

he pushed by their seats with a plastic-wrapped bicycle in both hands.

The pudgy middle-aged man in a soft blue sweatshirt with Indiana Jones

and the Last Crusade upon his chest stopped in front of the train's

closed doors while he trumped his heavy brown boots against the metal

floor in a rhythm he could only hear through the headphones in his

ears. Mulder, Ryoko and several others around the man were intrigued

by his unlimited joy of life in a country where feelings are hidden in

public, and then a song with English words came from his Nihonjin

lips:

Morningside

The old man died

And no one cried

They simply turned away

And when he died

He left a table made of nails and pride

And with his hands, he carved these words inside

'For my children.'

Morning light

Morning bright

I spent the night

With dreams that make you weep

Morning time

Wash away the sadness from these eyes of mine

For I recall the words an old man signed

'For my children.'

And the legs were shaped with his hands

And the top made of oaken wood

And the children that sat around the table

Touched it with their laughter

Ah, and that was good.

During the second stanza the train slowed to a stop, then the doors

opened and the man left with his words lost in the clatter of shoes

against concrete. "This is our stop too, Ryoko," Mulder said as he got

up. When no response came, the man looked down at the seated figure.

A yellow fire of inspiration brought life to the uchu kaizoku's eyes

as she lowly mumbled, "A remembrance, something to remind my Tenchi

and Sasami when I'm gone."

"Ryoko?" the noise around them had blocked out Ryoko words to Mulder's

ears.

Ryoko's sharp ears heard Mulder calling her, so she hid her rapidly

forming plan in her mind behind a bright smile and said, "Sorry, did

you say something?"

"We're at our stop, Matsumoto," Mulder noted Ryoko's concealment but

decided to leave it alone, she had already told him enough. With a

helpful hand from the American, Ryoko got up and both left the shiny

train.

**********

Shojo

Seijingi was supposed to be a happy moment for a Jurain child and the

child's parents. It was a ceremony where the child's destiny was

foretold by Tsunami. Before one of his/her parents' bondmates, the

youngster discovered if she would become a bondmate for one of the

goddess' offspring or not. This time four individuals stood within a

Jurain Treeship orbiting the homeworld of the Royal Space Academy, in

front of them was Megamitate-Ki (Goddess' Shield), the bondmate of one

of the four. Joy couldn't find a home in any of their hearts because

no one there wanted this ritual, knowing it could take the little girl

away from redheaded child-woman, who had taken care of her for the

past two years.

"It is time," Kamiki Ushio, the bondmate of Megamitate-Ki, spoke the

words he dreaded to say, knowing they could end his friendship with

the redhead standing to his left. In response to his fearful tone

another woman to his right clasped his right hand with her left and

gave it a comforting squeeze. With his mood lifted a little, he

returned the squeeze to the lady with hair like the darkest night that

he called wife and lover.

Dressed in the uniform of the Royal Academy, Washu looked up at the

tall Jurain with eyes reflecting angry green fire before she could

smother it, placed her small hands on the shoulders of the blue-haired

girl before her and then said confidently, "Go on, Seto-chan."

"I'm afraid, okachan," a trembling voice came from the girl dressed in

her Sunday's best.

Even if she contained none of Washu's blood within her veins, Seto

calling her mother caused a stabbing pain in the childlike woman's

heart but she kept the ache from her voice as she leaned forward and

whispered in Seto's right ear, "We've talked about this before, Seto-

chan. You know all Juraijin shitei must go through this ritual."

"But I don't WANT to!" the tears matched the fright in Seto's voice as

she turned in Washu's hands and grabbed the little scientist's neck

with dainty hands.

Pushing down the words to tell the crying child she didn't have to do

the ceremony, pushing down her own selfish fear, the woman in a

child's body reached up with both hands, broke the embrace and held

the child's hands between them as she calmly said, "Akachan, you are

Juraijin. You share with your people a special obligation to Tsunami-

megami and her offspring. For the power they gave your ancestors and

each generation, they asked in return for bondmates so both groups can

communicate without misunderstanding, without vagueness. Today is your

turn to honor that agreement given long ago."

Seeing the resolution in her adopted mother's eyes, Seto looked to her

left at the two Juraijins with the woman in the white crane-covered

kimono saying to her, "Washu-chan is correct, ojosan. Our traditions,

our status demands a few must bear the burdens of all."

When Seto looked back at Washu, the scientist saw a thimble of courage

in the little one's red eyes and so her left hand held the child's

soft hands while her right took out a purple handkerchief and dried

the girl's pink face. As Washu stood up, Seto slowly turned to face

Megamitate-Ki and took reluctant steps forward, unable to see Washu

drying her own tears on the cloth.

It took only a few steps for Seto to come underneath the tree's canopy

but her swirling emotions made the journey seem longer. When the girl

reached the tree's immense trunk, the child held her hands up, palms

up and spoke the words just as the Jurain woman had taught her, "In

reverence and awe I ask Tsunami-megami, the Tree of the Beginning, to

look into my ki and find my destiny."

At first only the buzz of insects, birdcalls and other sounds of the

ship's ecological inhabitants could be heard but then ceases when a

low hum begins, followed by a spark of light from the base of each

leaf. In a burst the sparks rained down upon Seto, washing away the

child's fear and replacing it with calm understanding. A few seconds

later the light concentrated into a featureless female form with wise

eyes. This starlight figure placed her hands on the girl's cheeks

while she bent down to kiss the little forehead. As soon as the lips

as soft as butterfly's wings left the youngster's head, her form

dissipated.

When the being of light appeared, Washu felt her legs give way to the

weight of sudden sorrow for she knew another loss would join the two

already in her heart.

"Boku gomen nasai, Washu . . . " Ushio began.

"From this day forth you and Shiina-sama are not welcome in my home,"

Washu interrupted with bitter words, "Furthermore, as chairman of the

Oken Uchu Akademi I'm breaking all ties between this house of learning

and the House of Jurai. From this time forward this institution will

be called the Ginga Akademi."

"You can't mean it!" Ushio asked, his face as white as a ghost as he

turned to face her.

"The Ginga Akademi will follow a neutral course, independent of the

political manipulations Jurai and the other governments have used here

to advance their causes while corrupting and destroying the true

principle of this place of learning, to demolish lies and teach the

truth," Washu's words matched the hardness of her emerald eyes looking

up at the Jurain noble, "Only those thirsting for insight will be

welcomed here."

Ushio took a half step toward Washu but Shiina's firm right hand on

his right shoulder stopped him. Looking over the same shoulder his

wife shook her head at him while saying, "Leave Washu-dono alone, she

has lost her kazoku because of us."

"Us?" confusion in Ushio's voice.

"Nobles," asserted Shiina.

"Oi," Ushio looked down at the kneeling redhead with new understanding

and watched the blue-haired girl quietly walk up and stand within

Washu's reach.

"Washu-chan," a raw sadness in Seto's address to Washu, "Tsunami-

megami told me I have a special destiny but I have to leave you."

"I understand, Seto-chan," Washu's eyes showed how the understanding

brought her misery.

Waters of heartache clouded Seto's red eyes as she dropped to her own

kneels and threw her small arms around Washu's shaking frame and said,

"I won't forget you, Washu-chan, you will always be my okachan."

"And you will always be my musume, my Hoshi-chan," finished Washu as

her hands met behind her beloved child's back.

Green-clad Shiina pressed herself to Ushio's side as her husband

brought his right arm over her head so he could hug her tenderly

before she said in a low whisper, "We might be Seto-chan's new satooya

but our place in her kokoro will be secondary to Washu-dono."

Ushio nodded his head while his red eyes watched the two hugging

persons before him, both of the little ones not feeling the quick

passage of minutes. In time Seto was the first to pull her wet face

from Washu's spiky hair but there was seriousness in her puffy eyes as

her strong words touched Washu's ears, "Promise me, okachan. Promise

me that you won't stay lonely."

Caught off guard by Seto's statement, "I don't know if I can, akachan.

To have another taken . . ."

"Then create your own kazoku!" comprehension flooded Seto's vision.

"Nani?" the pain of Washu's new loss confused her.

"Hai, create a kazoku that no one can take from you," an excited tone

in Seto's words.

"I don't know . . . " Washu's mind tried to push its way clear of her

anguish.

"Okachan, you're the greatest genius in the universe wa!" Seto

empowered her words with her love for the small scientist, "I know you

can create a kazoku to keep you happy!"

"Maybe . . . " more of Washu's infinite intellect focused on Seto's

inspiration.

"So you will promise me," pleaded the child while taking hold of

Washu's hands, "not to be alone."

"I promise, my Hoshi-chan," those final words echoed in Washu's mind

as the ghosts of her past faded away to again leave her a prisoner

inside the crystal obelisk on board the Soja. The green-eyed female

was listening to Ryoko telling Mulder about Handover but when her

daughter reached the part about plunging her lightsabre into her

former lover's chest, Ryoko's renewed grief triggered Washu's

remembrance of the loss of Seto. 'I can't afford to let myself be

whipsawed by these old memories,' Washu lectured to herself, 'they

will drive me insane and cost me my surviving loved ones.' But she

couldn't keep her great mind from turning to a question Ryoko's eight-

hundred-year-old story brought up. 'Ryoko-chan is right about Handover

George being more than a skilled thief,' Washu logically surmised. 'By

using the gray energy he controlled, the man was able to bend time and

space to his needs.' Washu then looked at the dark man from a

different angle, 'he also used the gray energy to undo what that

ketsu-nuke jan (assless jerk) Kagato-san's did to Ryoko-chan's

physiology and he placed barriers within her physical body so that

kaibutsu musuko of mine couldn't take away her memory or her

humanness.' It was Washu thinking about the gray energy that brought

another thought to her mind, 'When I was eavesdropping on Yosho-sama

and the others at the jinja, a gray aura surrounded the pole he

touched Masaki Sasami Jurai with. Because Handover-dono used gray

energy, a connection could exit between him and that object, possibly

this planet.' The little genius tumbled another bit of information in

her mind before coming to a conclusion, 'From the discussion between

Yosho-sama and Seto-chan, he concluded Sasami-chan's reaction was due

to her being Tsunami-megami's bondmate. This could mean Tsunami-megami

knows something about the gray energy.' From this conclusion the

scientist mentally filled with glee as she lit upon a plan, 'I'm going

to need to remain alert to Tsunami-megami's movement within her Trees.

With that baka breaking his direct link with me, I should be able to

pull this off.'

***********

Masaki Residence

In a state of nudity four females and a cabbit occupied the Masaki

home's washroom, each helping the other. At this moment, Ayeka allowed

a small smile to play across her face as she poured a bucket of water

on her seated sister's head while the little one held a perturbed Ryo-

ohki just far enough so the falling water would wash away the soapsuds

from her gray fur.

"Miya!" exploded from Ryo-ohki's toothy mouth, in the cabbit's own

opinion she really didn't see the need for taking a bath because her

catlike tongue did a great job keeping her clean.

"Kya! That's cold!" the goosebumps the water produced on Sasami's

preteen body matched the shiver in the words she said at the same time

as Ryo-ohki's comment.

"Dewa Sasami, then let us get into furo, ne?" amusement in Ayeka's

gentle voice.

"Oke!" Sasami's enthused words matched Ryo-ohki's agreeing, "Miya!"

Sasami popped off the washroom stool while Ayeka got up properly from

her kneeling position she had been in when washing her sister's back.

Sasami splashed into the furo and sat in the far corner, letting out a

sigh as the hot water took the chill from her skin. With her one foot

in the streaming furo, Ayeka stole a glance at Seto and Mihoshi. She

saw her grandmother wash the mud and dingy water from her godchild's

golden hair, ebony back and long legs while the oldest princess' long

blue hair glittered with clear water.

"Niji-dono, may I wash your back first?" Mihoshi asked as she turned

around, her well-developed breasts bounced at the quick stop.

"Ii wa (Okay)," Seto's reply matched her smile as she remembered the

number of times her and the child Mihoshi washed each other's back at

the youngster's home, sometimes with Kiyone making it a threesome.

As the two women headed for the stool and the washcloths, Ayeka sat

next to Sasami, the little princess playing water games with Ryo-ohki.

Seeing Seto sitting on the stool, squirting liquid soap onto a cloth

from a bottle before handing another cloth and the bottle to Mihoshi,

Ayeka was glad she kept silent her objections when Seto suggested they

take a bath together. The purple-haired princess had taken many a bath

with her sister, her mothers, her grandmother and even with her

brother and father but never with a non-blood member like the Galaxy

Policewoman. What stopped Ayeka's words was how a determined look on

her grandmother's face reminded her of the tall blonde's special

connection to Seto's family. By the play of words and the warm looks

exchanged by the two mature women, Ayeka realized a bond of love bound

them together to a degree rivaling the one between the two Masaki

princesses. While the hot water made her sigh, Ayeka concluded it

would be ill-mannered for her not to accept Mihoshi as a family

member, maybe even as an aunt.

"Oujo-chan, what are you thinking about?" Ayeka's grandmother's calm

use of Ayeka's nickname interrupted the purple-haired princess'

thoughts as Mihoshi vigorously scrubbed Seto's back while her own

washcloth built up the soap's lather upon her mature breasts, flat

stomach and strong legs.

"Ara, just observant about how unfamiliar our family has become since

me and Sasami left Jurai," Ayeka replied honestly.

"I like it," Sasami added as she tossed Ryo-ohki three feet into the

air so the cabbit could do a cannonball into the water in front of the

littlest princess, sending a watery wave onto the happy child and

smiling sister.

"Viva la difference!" seconded an excited Mihoshi in mock French,

which brought confused stares from Ayeka and Seto but a burst of

giggles from Sasami.

When Seto and Mihoshi exchanged positions Ayeka couldn't help feel

some envy for the dark lady's athletic body, a body whose physical

attributes equaled those of Ryoko. Just at that moment Mihoshi looked

up from her hands working the soap into her ebony skin and rosy cheeks

with a shy smile that was her response to the intensity of Ayeka's

stare. Ayeka's eyes widened as she gave short shakes of her head and

Mihoshi responded with a nod and a disappointed sigh. Ayeka relaxed as

she thought, 'I must remember Mihoshi's people, the Seniwajin, are

very sensitive to body language as a prelude to intimate relationship

with either gender,' Ayeka raked her brain as she continued inwardly,

'What did Misaki-okasama say about them?' Ayeka's mother's happy voice

filled her daughter, 'the Seniwajin are touching-feeling people.'

Still rhythmically rubbing Mihoshi's back with a washcloth Seto

allowed herself a small smile over the silent exchange while it was

Sasami's turn to be confused before pouting in her mind, 'Adult stuff

again.'

In a short time Seto and Mihoshi joined Ayeka and Sasami in the furo,

seated at the opposite end with Mihoshi's and Ayeka's legs

interspersed so they wouldn't cramp while Sasami's childish statue

gave Seto's adult statue plenty of room. Only a few minutes passed

before Seto asked, "Ayeka-dono, Sasami-chan, are you ready for the

ceremony ne?"

"Hai, Nobuyuki-otousama got the candles we will need for it,"

responded Sasami first.

Hearing the honorific Sasami used Seto asked, "You like Nobuyuki-san

don't you."

"He treats me like I'm his musume," Sasami joyfully answered.

"Nobuyuki-san opened his home to us without conditions," Ayeka added

with conviction.

"Hai, Nobuyuki-san is even allowing me to sleep in his room," Mihoshi

chimed in.

This brought odd looks from Ayeka and Sasami but Seto added, "I'll be

sharing the room with Himawari while Nobuyuki-san is moving his futon

to his home office."

Ayeka rolled her eyes skyward before something Sasami had said caught

her attention and she asked, "Sasami, how do you know about what is

needed for the ritual?"

"When Ryoko-neechan attacked Jurai I hid in a room near the Hall of

Trees," Sasami brought forth the white lie to cover the knowledge

Tsunami had told her during the two princesses' seven-hundred-year

journey to find Yosho. "The room contained a big picture, several

glass cases, a wooden altar and a desk with many data crystals and a

player on it. The first time I used the player on a data crystal, it

told me the love story of Horosha and Washi. Later on I would go to

the room and listen to other stories and bits of information about

Jurai."

"So the data crystals told you about the ceremony we are doing

tonight," Ayeka's words more a statement than a question.

"Ee," Sasami could tell her sister had accepted her story but then the

littlest princess noticed Seto's eyes showed doubt. Seto also knew

about the memorial room dedicated to Horosha, Saishono Kishi Jurai,

and Masaki Washi Jurai but for the Kamiki princess there was something

too pat about Sasami's answer. Mihoshi found Sasami explanation

believable but she recognized the doubtful look on Seto's face.

"Obasama?" Ayeka asked politely.

"Hai, Oujo-chan," Seto brought her attention to the First Princess of

Jurai.

"I was just wondering how long you are staying with us?" Ayeka

completed her question. At this moment a wet Ryo-ohki hopped out of

the water, onto Sasami's shoulder and then to the top of the little

princess' head.

"Trying to get rid me already ne," Seto teased with a sly grin, "Am I

such an embarrassment?"

"Of course not!" Ayeka countered with some tenseness, "I was hoping

you would stay and take us back to Jurai after I have found Yosho-

oniisama."

Seto remained silent for a moment before replying, "Gomen nasai but

I'm only going to be here long enough to settle Mihoshi-dono in before

continuing my own journey."

Ayeka's letdown was overshadowed by Sasami's curious words, "Can you

tell us where you're going?"

Seto leaned forward while waving the rest to come close before saying

in a harsh whisper to the collected heads, "I'm looking for someone."

"Daze wa," Sasami asked.

"My okasama," Seto warmly replied.

Ayeka was filled with shock that seemed to match her sister's reaction

but Mihoshi only smiled and said, "I hope you can find her."

"I know I will," Seto's words taking on a ring of sorrow.

"I thought you had accepted Shiina-sama as your okasan," Ayeka's words

show her recovery from surprise.

"Honto, I didn't know my biological okasan and I care very much for

Shiina-dono," Seto barely able to keep her own sadness in check, "but

before her there was another with sea green eyes, hair like blazing

fire and a mind no computer could equal. She is the one I seek."

"What happe . . . " Ayeka started to say but stopped when she realized

the answer to her question, "You are Juraijin and she wasn't."

"By the time I was an adult, by the time I was free to go to her, she

was gone," a small tear slid down her right cheek, "kidnapped by an

uchu kaizoku."

"So you joined the Kaizoku Guild to find her," Ayeka guessed while

Sasami's pink eyes welled with tears.

"I now know who took her . . . but I was never able to find him . . .

to free her," Seto's body quaked when her last restraints fell away,

"I hope . . . someone will save her."

With a fluid motion Sasami pushed off the furo's bottom so her short

arms could tightly hug her grandmother's waist as her head rested

against the proud lady's breasts but none saw the painful knowing in

the little one's closed eyes, knowledge of Tsunami's involvement in

this loss. A rough tongue against her chin focused Seto's sight upon

Ryo-ohki for from Sasami's blue hair the cabbit removed grief's waters

from Seto's face. At the same time Mihoshi's right arm reached behind

her godmother's shoulders so her hand could give a comforting squeeze

to Seto's right arm as the blonde's own memories remembered the

stories Seto once told her, of a redheaded scientist and a blue-haired

child. Last but not least Ayeka came to her knees so her hands could

take hold of Seto's left hand, willing to accept the sensations the

touch gave her for she understood her grandmother's loss all too well.

Seto willingly accepted the warmth they gave her but coldness still

filled her soul, 'I don't want to leave them to their doom but it

might be the only way to free Washu-okasama.' To prevent her doubts

from surfacing, Seto brought a beatitude look to her face before

saying, "Domo arigato, your comfort has given me hope," then after

allowing some time for communion she added, "Now let us start

yushoku," the others nodded in response.

Ten minutes later the women left the washroom in their bathrobes where

they were met by Katsuhito in the hallway outside the changing room,

who asked, "How was the bath?"

"Very satisfying," Ayeka replied critically while Ryo-ohki bolted for

the kitchen door where an audible thump brought grins to everyone's

faces before the princess continued, "although it was a little

crowded."

"Maybe the furo can be expanded," Tenchi suggested as he stepped off

the entrance staircase, "I know otousan has been drawing new plans for

additions to the house."

"Especially since the shojos have arrived," Katsuhito deadpanned.

"Jiichan, you're getting as ba . . . " Tenchi's statement is

interrupted by the doorbell. The boy's tone went from annoyance to

pleasure as he said, "That must be the delivery man."

"Delivery man?" a purple-robed Ayeka wondered aloud.

"Hai, Ayeka-san," Tenchi answered as he went over and took with his

left hand the money his grandfather offered him, "I and jiichan

decided that Sasami-chan has done enough work today, so we're offering

everyone a special treat for yushoku."

"Super!" exclaimed the pink-robed Mihoshi in English as she stood next

to the yellow-robed Seto.

"You could've asked me first, Tenchi-niichan," a frown formed in

Sasami's words and on her face as the light blue-robed child stood

next to her sister.

The hurtful look on Sasami's freckled face brought Tenchi to her side

where the boy crouched down so his face was level with her before

replying, "Sasami-chan, you've cooked and cleaned and even practiced

for the Shichi-Go-San today. Please let us show our gratefulness."

With princess regal Sasami announced, "Just this once but next time,

ask me first, ii ne?"

"Ii na, Sasami-chan," Tenchi accepted while his right hand reached up

and tossed Sasami's damp hair which changed the child's frown to a

smile combined with a tinkling giggle.

Tenchi stood up and headed for the door. When he stepped onto the

genkan Seto whispered to the priest standing next to her, "Your mago

greatly cares about Sasami-chan's feelings."

"Tenchi remembers how important an okasan's ai is for a kodomo and he

wants Sasami-chan to know he understands her attempt to act mature,"

Katsuhito's craggy face contained a knowing look, "is meant to hide

our much she's missing her okasamas."

"As do you, ojiisan," Seto teased him as she called her grandson an

honorable old man.

"As do I, Seto-dono," Katsuhito acknowledged, a statement that brought

Mihoshi's sharp ears up but the two Masaki princesses missed it

because they were watching Tenchi open the door.

The view showed to Tenchi was a little unexpected for before the youth

stood his classroom chum, Robert O'Neill, dressed in a yellow slicker

with an eight-year-old boy next to him, who was wearing clear plastic

raingear, both were holding brown warming boxes in their hands.

Recognition of Tenchi caused a loud response from his friend,

"Konbanwa, Shaky's Pizza delivered to your door, piping hot!"

"Robert-kun, so you're doing pizza delivery," a surprise note in

Tenchi's words.

"Hai, it gives me a chance to practice my driving," Robert's brogue

made music from his Nihongo words, "while giving me a chance to make

some change."

"And who is this kodomo with you?" Katsuhito asked as he came next to

his grandson.

"Masaki-sama," Robert and the little one gave a quick bow to the

Shinto priest before Tenchi's friend continued, "this is my ototo

(younger brother), Timothy."

"Isn't it kind of late for him to be out?" the old priest asked,

"Especially since tomorrow is a school day."

"Our uncle is a keisatsukan for the Kurashiki Police and is on the

night shift this month," Robert answered truthfully, knowing the

priest's reputation as a detector of lies, "so Tim-chan is tagging

along with me until my shift ends at eight o'clock."

"Ee," Katsuhito acknowledged the young man's answer.

"Anyway, here are your two pizzas, a Shinto Vegetarian and a Fuji-san

Supreme," Robert tried to gain some control over the situation as both

him and his brother opened the warming boxes and gave Tenchi the two

cardboard boxes in return for the money. It's then Robert noticed his

brother's right hand reaching out like he was still holding the box

and asked in Irish, "What's wrong my bonny brother?"

The young man's imitation of a stature and the question left

unanswered drew Robert, Tenchi and Katsuhito to follow the boy's gaze.

With awe Robert let out a slow whistle when his sapphire eyes saw the

four beautiful females with purple, blue and blond hair come to stand

on the other side of the priest.

"Tenchi-kun, you told me some of your itokos moved in with you and

your otousan but you didn't tell me they looked like angels," Robert

words placed smiles on Mihoshi and Katsuhito faces, a puzzled look on

Seto's face, a suspicious frown on Ayeka's face and a groan from

Tenchi, in the three weeks since Tenchi moved to his new school he had

learned about his Irish friend's wolfish fame.

"So you know about Tenchi's houseguests?" Katsuhito asked as he

produced a handkerchief with his left hand while his right hand

removed his glasses so he could clean them.

"But not their gentle names," Robert added with a friendly smile.

With the same friendliness Seto informed the young man with a touch of

her right hand on each person's shoulder as she identified them, who

in turn gave a formal bow to the two newcomers, "I'm Kamiki Seto,

Tenchi-san's obasan (aunt). This here is Kuramitsu Mihoshi, my

nazukrgo. Before me stands Tenchi's cousins, Masaki Ayeka and Masaki

Sasami." When she reached Sasami's name, the tall lady noted Sasami

didn't bow or act like she even heard her grandmother's words. Seto

bent at the waist, waved her right hand before the little one's pink

eyes and said, "Wake up, Sasami-chan." This last act broke the spell

between the two children with both Timothy's and Sasami's faces

turning bright red before the boy made a gesture with his right hand

then he spun around and fled to the light blue car with the pizza

delivery sign on top, at the same time Sasami spun on her left foot

and ducked behind Ayeka.

Confusion filled both Tenchi's and Ayeka's eyes but just the opposite

could be found on the others' features but this didn't prevent the

black-haired young man from acting. Passing the pizza boxes and their

contents to his grandfather, Tenchi slipped on his geta and then took

hold of Robert's right arm with his left while saying, "Robert-kun,

let me escort you to your car."

Robert gave the others a short bow then said as he stumbled backward

thanks to Tenchi's persistent pull, "Oyasumi, redi, soredewa nochihodo

(Goodnight, ladies, see you later!)!" Robert heard muffed giggles

coming from Seto and Mihoshi while his blue eyes caught a pair of pink

ones peeking from behind the pretty girl in purple. He couldn't read

the old priest's expression but it didn't seem hostile which sparked

his hopes. With a fast turn Robert exchanged arms with Tenchi and at

the same time asked, "Tenchi-kun, why didn't you tell me how kirei the

females of your family were?"

"I thought the shojos at school would be enough for you," Tenchi

growled at his friend.

"Protective aren't we, na?" a wolfish grin appeared on Robert's face

before he continued, "You've only heard about my reputation, Tenchi-

kun. Let me tell you I don't play the field."

"Mo, I just heard you have a new garufurendo each semester," Tenchi

informed his friend.

"It's not my fault your island's shojos have such loose morals,"

Robert countered defensively, "all they want is to be someone's efu

emu (piece of ass) for a few weeks."

"I thought you were still moaning over the loss of your family, na?"

Tenchi tried to change the subject as they neared the parked vehicle.

"What's a transplanted Irishman to do?" Robert retorted as he let go

of Tenchi's arm so he could reach with his right hand the driver's

door handle. "Your drinking age is so high, the only thing I can drown

my sorrow in is the yuki na kirimanjaro (cum of a young vagina)."

"There are no darashinai onna (woman of loose morals) in my kazoku!"

Tenchi shot back at Robert, not liking the language the blond youth

used.

"I hope not!" Robert returned with some of his own heat as he jerked

the car door open, "I don't want to wait until I get out of the

university to start a kazoku! I want a permanent esu efu, one who

would marry me and be an okasan for my ototo!"

Taken aback by Robert's sudden seriousness Tenchi own anger vaporized

into sympathy, "You really miss your kazoku, na?"

"Everyone in my kazoku above the age of twenty died in that

explosion," Robert's own anger subsided into sadness, "the children,

like me and Tim-chan, are shattered amongst our relatives outside of

Northern Ireland."

"You do have your uncle, na?" Tenchi tried to lift his friend's

spirit.

"Honto honto (Very true)," Robert answered as he sat, Timothy barely

noted his brother's entrance before returning his blue gaze to the

house's front entrance while he sat in the shotgun seat. Then Robert

added, "but to be reduced from a kazoku of dozens to three fills my ki

with lonesomeness."

"Dewa . . . you might not find the end of the thread here, Robert-

kun," Tenchi placed his right hand reassuring on his friend's

shoulder, "Ayeka-san has an inazuke, Seto-san is married, Mihoshi-san

is a kei . . . eh . . . career woman and Sasami-chan is too young."

"I wouldn't think of Sasami-chan," the old sly look returned to

Robert's face as he turned his body to his right and started to make

gestures with both hands in front of his brother's face as his words

continued, "Besides I wouldn't want to cut into my ototo's action."

Timothy's face gained a shade of red embarrassment then he brought his

eyes' blue fire on his brother while he made his own hand gestures

which brought a barking laugh, gestures and words from Robert, "Indeed

she would!"

"Nani?" Tenchi said in a baffled tone.

"Gomen, Tenchi-kun," Robert turned back to his brown-eyed friend, "I

forgot you don't know sign language."

"I know a little but you both were going so fast," Tenchi corrected.

"Tim-chan replied that mommy would've washed my mouth out with soap,"

Robert smiled up to Tenchi as he started the vehicle, "Dewa, we better

go before my boss thinks my ototo and me have hijacked the car."

"Sayonara, Robert-kun, Timothy-san," stated Tenchi while making the

gesture for goodbye for Timothy's benefit.

"Sayonara, Tenchi-kun," Robert returned as Timothy gave the same

gesture to Tenchi.

As the car turned to the left and headed up the dirt path, Tenchi

started back to the house, meanwhile as his family awaited his return

they had taken the food to the chabudai. Sasami and Ayeka went into

the kitchen to get some plates and Western style knives and forks that

were kept in a special box in a bottom drawer. With the two young

princesses out of the living room and Tenchi still with his friend,

Seto turned to Katsuhito, saying, "Katsuhito-dono, Mihoshi-dono and I

need your assistance."

"I would be honored to give aid to my kazoku," the old priest returned

as he placed the two boxes on the low table.

"Actually it's Mihoshi-dono who needs your help," Seto clarified.

"As I said before, I would be honored to aid a kazoku member," the

gray-haired man calmly repeated.

"Mihoshi-dono has been given a special assignment and we concluded her

best chance would be to join a national police force like this

country's NZK," Seto explained, her own spirit lifted by her

grandson's acceptance of Mihoshi.

"And Mihoshi-san needs a cover story so her experience as a Galaxy

Police can be taken advantage of without causing wonder about a green

two-year-old knowing so much," Katsuhito finished for them.

"Do you think you can help me?" Mihoshi respectfully asked.

"Hai, I know a couple of people in Beikoku who would be willing to

create a credible cover for you," the man in priestly garb answered

with assurance.

"Awesome!" Mihoshi shouted in English as she jumped into the air with

raised arms, a smiling Seto avoiding the policewoman's outstretched

arms but the shout brought Ayeka and Sasami running into the living

room with Tenchi charging from the hallway. Seeing nothing wrong

Tenchi tried to put the brakes on but found the freshly waxed floor

too slick for his white stocked feet. A sliding wide-eyed young man

passed by the threesome next to the chabudai only to barrel into the

surprised princesses. The dishes flew into the air only to end on top

of Mihoshi's flat palms. Katsuhito and Seto hid their grins behind

their right hands while the giggling Sasami found herself sandwiched

between a groaning Tenchi and Ayeka glaring up at the blond bombshell,

who said, "Gomen, I was just happy we were trying some American pizza,

you don't know how hard it is to find original style foods in the

Ginga Yunion. Everyone has their own ideas about what different Earth

dishes are like . . . "

As Mihoshi continued to give a dissertation on galactic cuisine while

placing the dishes on the low table, the still smiling Seto and

Katsuhito helped the rest to their feet and collected the silverware.

Tenchi's grandfather took his usual spot at the head of the table with

Ayeka and Sasami on his right while Seto and Mihoshi were on his left.

Tenchi dished out the pizza so everyone got a share from each pizza

except his grandfather, who took his portion only from the vegetarian

pizza. With a unison shout of, "Itadakimasu!" Tenchi and Katsuhito

started to eat their food with the four females copying how the two

men used the knife and fork since none of them had used Western style

eating utensils before. Mihoshi squirmed with delight as she ate each

cheesy piece, Ayeka found the yeasty crust quite tasty, Seto noted the

freshness of the sauce and Sasami was very taken with how the herbs

and spices enhanced the food's flavor. To make sure Ryo-ohki wasn't

left out Sasami had brought in a bowl of freshly washed carrots for

the cabbit to happily munch on.

As Ayeka brought a piece to her lips, she remembered a question she

had for Tenchi, "Your friend's ototo made a gesture at Sasami, what

was that about?"

"Robert-kun's ototo was born unable to hear, so he uses sign language

to talk with others," a thread of sadness in Tenchi's answer.

"How terrible!" exclaimed Ayeka.

"According to Robert-kun he was learning to speak but has retreated to

using only his hands to talk with since his ryoshin were killed,"

added Tenchi as he stopped eating, his appetite suddenly gone.

"Naze wa yo?" Ayeka questioned, her own food forgotten.

"Their parents and many of his relatives were killed in a terrorist's

bombing, in Belfast," Tenchi answered with crushing reality, then

continued when he saw the angry confusion on Ayeka's and Mihoshi's

faces, "two fanatic groups have been fighting for political/religious

control in Robert-kun's homeland for centuries and his kazoku was

almost wiped out, only the kodomos survived."

"Was the satsujin hannin (murderer) ever arrested?" Mihoshi's eyes as

hard as sapphires.

"I don't know," Tenchi's reply reflected the sorrow within.

"In a land of hate and fear, the lover of violence will escape

justice," Katsuhito added as he stood up, "I think I'll go up to the

jinja, I have a few things to do before going to bed. Oyasumi."

"Oyasumi, jiichan," Tenchi returned as he tried to banish away his

anguish and the others added their own goodnights to his.

"Let me help you gather the rest of the pizza, so we can have it

later," Mihoshi offered to Sasami."

"Arigato, Mihoshi-neechan," Mihoshi's offer cut down on the swirl of

emotions within Sasami's soul.

With nothing to do, Ayeka again returned to her original question,

"Tenchi-sama, you haven't fully answered my query."

"Dewa . . . I'm not too sure . . ." Tenchi fumbled as he tried to

remember his classroom lessons.

"He said I was kawaii," Sasami told them as she and Mihoshi headed for

the kitchen.

"Sasami-chan, I didn't know you knew sign language," surprise in

Tenchi's tone.

"Oi . . . a program on sign language appeared on your television,"

Sasami quickly covered her mistake, "the onna on the program showed

the basics gestures."

"And one of the basic gestures was for kawaii, ne?" Ayeka asked with

pride over her sister's knowledge.

"Hai!" Sasami replied before turning around and hurried into the

kitchen with a load of dirty dishes in her small arms, along with

Mihoshi and Ryo-ohki at her heels. Both Ayeka and Tenchi smiled with

approval but a knowing look flashed across Seto's face as she wondered

within her mind, 'Sasami-chan answered the first question truthfully

but covered the second question with a white lie. Is there something

special about Timothy-san?'

"Dewa, anyone for television?" Tenchi asked the two remaining

princesses.

**********

Hideyuki Residence, Matsumoto, Nihon

Mulder was the first out of the taxi but held the door open for Ryoko

to get out. The American was glad the driver knew where to go for

Nihonjin addresses still left him bewildered. He was more than

grateful for Ryoko agreeing to come with him because she pointed out

he would need to bring a gift with him after the detective explained

why they were in what is considered Nihon's Highlands, the air

surrounding them filled by the quite falling of mountain snowflakes.

After paying the driver, Mulder turned to face his companion but

stopped dead by what he saw for Ryoko was no longer Ryoko. Instead of

amber and cyan he saw eyes and hair like black onyx with all curves

hidden underneath a white, heavy fur coat. With a Russian style fur

cap to hide her catlike ears, Ryoko smiled at her friend's reaction

before slyly saying, "I just wanted to help you make a good

impression."

"Eh . . . eh . . . you think these Hershey chocolate bars will do as a

gift?" Mulder tried very hard to distract his attention away from a

dream he knew couldn't come true, a dream to again kiss Ryoko's soft

lips.

"With that green wrapping paper, they'll be perfect," Ryoko replied

with confidence, "You don't know how much American candy cost here."

Mulder opened the gate in the tall, brown wooden wall that surrounded

an outer courtyard with the only other entrance he could see was for

the car. The man led the way along well-worn cobblestones to the three

stepped entrance of a fine three-story building, in a style that

reminded the brown-haired man of the samurai movies he had watched on

Nihonjin television. After the two walked up the steps, Ryoko reached

with her right hand and pulled a loose leather strap running from a

hook into a hole, this produced a ringing bronze bell and the trample

of feet behind the door. It took only seconds for the door to fly open

and present to Mulder and Ryoko a fourteen-year-old girl with bright

black eyes but a head of blond curly hair. Making a quick recovery of

her surprise at seeing foreigners at her doorstep, the girl bowed and

then asked in Nihongo, "Kobanwa, otetsudai shimasho ka (Good evening,

may I help you?)."

Mulder and Ryoko gave the youngster a short bow before Ryoko took the

newspaper ad from Mulder's right hand while saying, "Konbanwa, my

Amerikajin friend here is interested in the room you are advertising

for rent."

"An Amerikajin!" the girl's eyes went wide with eagerness, then she

wiped her head around to face the hall before calling out, "Okachan!

There's someone here to rent the room!"

Unnoticed by Mulder or the girl was Ryoko going pale at the child

calling to her mother. From her past she heard a child-like version of

her own voice calling for her mother.

"Don't shout, Kiku-chan," a much older female voice came from

somewhere down the hall, "they'll think we have no manners."

"Ryoko-chan, don't put so much Spatha Pepper Sauce on your diebaga,

you won't be able to taste the food," Ryoko heard a preteen voice

admonished her.

"They would come just as we were about to eat yushoku," an elderly

male voice could be barely heard.

"You're wasting your time trying to make a musume out of it,"

complained another voice Ryoko easily realized as Kagato's.

"Ojiisan, that's not a nice thing to say," admonished the woman's

voice. At that moment the owner of the voice opened a slide door and

came into the hallway. Except for the black hair frosted with gray she

looked very much like the girl standing in front of their guests.

Coming down the passageway to the entrance, her eyes brighten when she

saw Mulder and said in heavily accented English, "I saw you at the

funeral, you were Koyama's partner."

"I'm Fox Mulder and you are Noryuri Hideyuki," Ryoko heard guilt in

Mulder's voice.

"Ooohhh, can I speak English too?" the girl identified as Kiku

ardently asked in English.

"You know I don't allow any eigo (English) . . . " the owner of the

male voice joined them before the sight of Mulder and Ryoko changed

his words, "What are these gaijins doing here?"

Pointing at Mulder with her right-hand, Kiku said in Nihongo, "He's

here to rent the room," then she dropped her hand before shifting her

eyes to Ryoko and saying, "I think she's his garufurendo."

"Kiku-chan, its rude to point," her mother admonished in Nihongo.

The child's statement broke the fiber of distant voices so Ryoko could

shake her head to clear her thoughts enough to inform them in English,

"I'm Mulder's translator and friend," it also allowed her to see the

hostility in the old man black eyes.

"The room isn't for rent," said the elder who looked as old as the

surrounding mountains. He turned his back to the group and walked

toward the open doorway.

Holding himself back while Ryoko was translating the old man's words,

words whose meaning he already knew, Mulder quickly handed the gift to

Noryuri then put all his guilt into his words, "Please sir, let me

help your family. I want to make up for the loss of your son."

The old man paused when he heard Mulder's plea but didn't turn around

as he said in English, "Once the cane is trampled down in the field,

it cannot be brought back."

Surprise registered on Kiku's and her mother's face when they heard

their elder's English words but it didn't stop the girl from running

to her grandfather and plead with him in Nihongo, "Onegai shimasu,

jiichan! (Please, grandfather!) He wants to help and it'd be fun to

have him here!"

The sight of his granddaughter's pleading look and the short nod his

daughter-in-law gave him when he looked back at her, brought a pause

to him before he said in English, "150,000 yen a month with payment of

the first two months in advance."

"Three-thousand dollars and they call me a space pi . . . " the touch

of Mulder's right hand on Ryoko's left shoulder stopped her outraged

words.

Ryoko looked back at the American, who said to the small group, "I'll

pay."

"But he's trying to pull a guilt trip on . . . " Ryoko's words are

stopped by Mulder's right index finger upon her lips.

With a firm look in Mulder's face, he said, "It's okay, Ryoko."

"Yaappii!" squealed Kiku in Nihongo as she hugged her grandfather and

kissed him on his baldhead, which brought grins to all.

"Stop acting like an animation character, Kiku-chan," scolded the

embarrassed old man in Nihongo but he used a forgiving tone.

"We were just about to have yus . . . eh . . . dinner, would you care

to join us?" a smiling Noryuri offered in English.

Mulder opened his mouth to decline the offer but with foresight Ryoko

intervened by saying, "We would be honored to break bread with your

family." Ryoko's glare made the American realize the insult he almost

made to the people accepting his offer.

"You can leave your coats in the hallway closet," Noryuri told her

guests as her father-in-law headed for the living room.

"Can I keep my hat on?" Ryoko asked Kiku's mother, "My head is cold."

Noryuri smiled up at Ryoko and replied, "I don't see why not, I know

how cold an old house like this can feel to someone use to the warmth

of modern homes."

"Thanks," Ryoko replied as she removed her coat and placed it in the

closet along side Mulder's brown coat. During this action Mulder

caught a glimpse of the ample lady's glowing gem, so he watched his

friend from the corner of his eye while asking Noryuri, "Which room

will be mine?"

"The top floor has three large rooms," Noryuri's stated with authority

while Kiku stood next to the two, "you will have the one facing the

raising sun." Mulder gave a nod of satisfaction not only for the

answer but also for distracting the mother's and daughter's attention

from what Ryoko was doing. Mulder's pale green eyes perceived the

translucency of the white fur on Ryoko's coat collar and the way the

uchu kaizoku's clothing molded into a Prussian blue pants, an even

lighter blue shirt with red heart-shaped buttons and a Wild West-

styled lace necktie.

"Well, let's get to dinner," Ryoko's words refocused Noryuri's and

Kiku's attention on her then added while licking her lips, "I'm

starved." Mulder barely stopped himself from putting voice to his envy

of Ryoko's lack of taste.

With Kiku in the lead Noryuri guided the newcomers down the hall.

Mulder steeled himself for the traditional meal he was about to

partake. Except for the dinner Sasami had prepared the third day he

was in Nihon, the American had fought a successful campaign of

avoiding Nihonjin food, falling back on his emergency rations of

Hershey bars to get him through. Now his face turned greenish at the

sight of sushi, rice, grilled fish, pickled plums and miso soup on a

chabudai in the living room. It was then Ryoko said hopefully to the

old man in English, "Eh . . . Mr. . . . "

"Ogami Hideyuki," replied the old man uncomfortably in English.

"Mr. Hideyuki, do you have any sake in the house," Ryoko's voice

bubbled.

"Yes," curiosity perked in Ogami's voice.

"Why don't you break it out and we can turn this little get-together

into a real celebration?" even with black eyes Mulder saw the devilish

gleam in Ryoko's.

"Mmm . . . I do feel like a drink," Ogami acknowledged.

"Can I have one too?" Kiku jumped at the opportunity.

"Just one and watered down," the older woman told her with mild

disapproval.

"Ah . . . mom!" the tall girl complained.

"Be happy I'm allowing you to drink some sake," the mother sternly

told her daughter, "my mother would have punished me for asking such a

thing at your age."

"Well . . . at least I can speak English in the house now," Kiku

changed the subject.

"Only when the American is in the house," Ogami corrected his

grandchild with a raised right index finger, "Any other time the non-

English rule will be enforced."

"But Grandpa that's . . . " Kiku cried.

"No buts' young lady," hard love in her grandfather's voice, "in this

house you will obey your elders."

"Yes, Grandfather," Kiku sadly relented but her pout gave way to

joyful anticipation when she heard her grandfather say, "I will get

the sake, then we can sit to my daughter-in-law's fine meal."

"Wonderful," Mulder felt the sharp edge of Ryoko's elbow in his ribs,

which caused him to add, "Such a beautiful hostess couldn't cook

anything bad."

Noryuri visibly blushed at Mulder's overreaction and she said in a

small voice, "Thank you."

This exchange brought a pair of Cheshire Cat's grins to Ryoko's and

Kiku's faces and more discomfort to Mulder.

**********

Masaki Residence

Ayeka had wondered why her grandmother told her and Sasami to stay in

their bathrobes while eating dinner but now it became obvious to the

purpled-haired princess when the three of them entered the young

noblewomen' sleeping quarters, where the ritual would take place, and

Seto told them, "As tradition dictates, all participates must be nude,

so no falsehood can enter nor secrets taken out except those in

memory." The blue-haired lady stared at the cabbit held in Sasami's

arms.

Sasami let out a sad sigh, looked at the cabbit and said, "Ryo-chan, I

guess that means you'll have to stay outside."

"Miya," Ryo-ohki replied sadly, she noted the stiffness of Sasami's

body and wanted to stay to comfort her friend.

Sasami turned to the open door and handed the little animal to

Mihoshi, who told the gray creature, "Ryo-ohki, why don't we go to the

jinja and drink some ocha with Katsuhito, ne?"

"Miya," resignation in Ryo-ohki's tone.

"Gu," replied Mihoshi as she turned away while she used her right hand

to pet the cabbit in her left. Sasami closed the door with

trepidation.

So with a closed curtain over the window, the three females disrobed

and took up positions as dictated by Seto. Since Ayeka was the new

initiate to the Secrets of Jurai, she knelt in the middle of the

floor, her limp hands in her lap and eyes closed as she purified her

mind with meditation, a small bowl of Jurain incense and Seto's mirror

before her. After the mediation cleared her mind, the purple-haired

lady opened her eyelids and watched her grandmother carefully placed

the candles around her body. At her grandmother's heels Sasami would

come with a twelve-inch lit match to put flame to the candles' wick.

Ayeka looked on her sister with both pride and love, noting her

sister's mature pose as the soft candlelight sparkled off the key on

her forehead. As the last candles were positioned, Ayeka suddenly

realized the pattern they produced was the same view in the starry sky

overlooking the Jurai palace at midnight, on Tsunami's birthday, on

Startica. Ayeka gave a questioning look at Seto who gave a simple nod

for the question didn't need to be spoken since it was the same one

each initiate asks, 'Are we going to Tsunami?'

With the last candle lit, the princess of the past and the princess of

the future sat horizontal to the princess of the present, Seto on

Ayeka's left and Sasami on her right. Then Seto took the long match

from Sasami's right hand with her own right hand and said as she

brought its burning end into the bowl of incense, "We will begin the

ceremony."

With snap, crackle and pop, the powder filled the room with a blue

smoke. In Ayeka's first inhale of the sweet-smelling emission, her

mind clicked upon the incense's name, Tsunami's Footstep. She

remembered the legend of Tsunami's first day on the newly created

Jurai, how from her right footsteps brought forth the bell-shaped

flowers, later known as Startica Bells, while her left footsteps

created a small brown tree with fragrant bark, Tsunami's Footstep. The

motion of Seto's left hand linking with Sasami's right hand brought

Ayeka's attention back to them where her hands linked with the two

princesses' still available hands. Ayeka's sensitive touch could feel

Seto's claim confidence but there was a slight tremble from Sasami's

hand. 'Sasami must be very excited because we might meet Tsunami, her

bondmate, together,' Ayeka thought. But it wasn't the thrill of

introducing her bondmate to her sister and grandmother that vibrated

Sasami's body it was fear.

While lighting the candles Sasami sensed Tsunami's ghostly fingers

lightly touch her soul while a caring voice asked, 'Sasami-chan, why

do you quiver?'

'Will we be meeting you, Tsunami-megami?' countered the blue-haired

girl.

"Hai, Sasami-chan," a loving voice replied in the child's mind.

"I'm afraid, Tsunami-megami," Sasami's anxiety filled her soundless

words.

"You fear Seto will recognize my projection for your mature form,"

Sasami felt a gentle warmth fill her spirit, "and will tell others."

"I need them, Tsunami-megami," Sasami's own dread lessened by the

goddess' love, "It's their love for me and mine for them that lifts me

out of the darkest dreams and makes each day special."

"Don't worry akachan, Seto will assume I take this form to show my

closeness to the Jurai Oken Kazoku," Tsunami assured the little one,

"remember, you look very much like Misaki-dono did when she was your

age."

Sasami's fear subsided but her hand still tremble when she touched her

sister's hand and her pink ears heard Seto's words as her grandmother

picked up her mirror, "In reverence and awe we ask Tsunami-megami, the

Tree of the Beginning, to find us worthy enough to visit your garden

so we may bring a descendant of the first Masaki into adulthood. To

quench her thirst in your fountain's sweet water, to adorn her hair

with your white flowers and to brighten her path with your gentle

radiance."

When the last word parted from Seto's lips, Sasami let out a little

gasp as Tsunami's fire encased the little one's own flame, pumping the

bright bluish-white light into Sasami's eyes and key. From Sasami's

key a spider thread beam strikes Seto's mirror, embraced the eldest

princess in a captive glow, then bends off the glass so it could stab

Ayeka's tiara, illuminating the last princess before returning to its

origin, forming an triangle with the princesses as the corners. With

the removal of all inhibitions by the aromatic smoke, the power in the

triangle freed the princesses from their fleshy prisons as the waxy

lights around them were replaced by cool starlight.

**********

Tenjyu, the Palace Tree, Jurai

Arm in arm Funaho and Misaki walked in the royal gardens within Tenjyu

but there was little good feelings being shared by the two for both

queens of Jurai were possessed by concern for their offspring. Not in

the way she walked nor the way she dressed did Funaho show how she

missed her son, Yosho, but this wasn't true for Misaki. With each

passing day the excitable lady would lose another bit of her gaiety to

the pressing duties as the Supreme Commander of the Royal Bodyguard,

the Kishi Jurai. Funaho saw how the holder of part of her heart no

longer wore the bright colors of spring but instead covered her body

with grayness of winter. At first it was Ayeka's and Sasami's letters

and the Pretty Sami stories that checked the blue-haired queen's

depression but nothing had been heard from the two princesses for the

last fifty years. The final straw came when Seto parted from her

family, saying only she wasn't coming back until she found the mother

of her heart. With Seto's departure even Azusa's passionate kisses nor

Funaho's gentle caresses could stop Misaki's decline. Then the reports

began again, talk of a ghost seen in Ayeka's garden.

Off and on over the past seven hundred years guards and servants

reported seeing a lady phantom in the garden Ayeka had rebuilt after

Ryoko's attack destroyed it. In the beginning those who saw the spirit

thought it was Misaki or that Ayeka returned her hair to its original

color but when confronted the image would smile and vanish. After a

time the new occupant of Ayeka's garden was accepted by all but it was

strange that the apparition wouldn't appear if Funaho, Misaki or Azusa

were in the garden. Now in the past three weeks a development was

reported to Funaho and Azusa but not to Misaki, a blue-haired girl had

been seen in the garden with the ghost, a child who mirrored the

features of the spirit. Both husband and wife were worried by this

news, especially after Funaho-Ki's message was received from Earth.

Could the message and little spirit's appearance mean Yosho, Sasami

and Ayeka were dead? The doubts racked Funaho's heart but she couldn't

let Misaki know her mates' fears, such knowledge would end her loved

one's life.

By bringing Misaki to Ayeka's garden Funaho hoped to raise their

spirits but there was another reason in the black-haired queen's mind.

In the last year Misaki begin to miss her practice sessions with

Funaho. The brown-eyed queen knew Misaki no longer found peace in the

warm-up exercises or enjoyment in their mock combats for her heart

just wasn't in it anymore. Then something happened this morning for as

Funaho finished her exercises, when each aspect of her being joined as

one, she felt an intelligence come with a gentle breeze from the

room's high windows and she heard a voice as soft as a downy chick,

"Take Misaki-sama to Ayeka-san's garden, just as the last moon joins

its sisters in the sky above Tenjyu."

With the despondent Misaki guided by Funaho's gentle embrace, they

made their way to the centerpiece of the garden, a fountain showing a

vaguely feminine image upon a six-foot high stone, water rained

lightly from her upturned finger tips upon the idealized figures of

Horosha carrying Washi through the pool. As they drew close to the

marble object, both Funaho and Misaki stopped with wide eyes as the

queens felt their pink skin prickle from the energy in the air

surrounding them. With discretion Funaho pulled the startled Misaki to

the left, into some heavily leafed bushes. Only seconds passed before

a pair of red eyes and a pair of brown eyes saw what almost everyone

else has seen, a beautiful young lady with blue hair tied in long twin

ponytails and wearing a Jurain kimono of blue, pink, purple and white.

Both let out a gasp as they realized what was said was true, the

spirit did look like a young Misaki or a blue-haired Ayeka. The

enervated noise they made brought the ghost's pink eyes to their

hiding place but instead of disappearing, she held her right index

finger horizontal to her lips before returning her sight to an area

next to the fountain. In a few more minutes a triangle of bluish-white

light filled the designated area, then at each point a mirror, a tiara

and a tiny key appeared. As the brilliance increased three forms

shimmered into existence.

Neither of the awed queens could see who appeared until the appearing

images stood up and faced the ghost. In a few heartbeats all of

Funaho's and Misaki's fears gave way to joy for before them stood

Ayeka, Sasami and Seto. It was Funaho who recovered quickest and

stopped her beloved from breaking out of cover to run to her children.

When the confused Misaki turned her eyes upon her mate, it was

Funaho's gesture with her right hand and a nod of her head that made

the excitable queen concentrate upon the figures. It wasn't long

before she spotted what her dearest had seen earlier, how the skins of

her children and her mother seem to be made of light, she understood

the three images before her eyes were astral projections. With effort

Misaki brought herself down from a mother's joy but it didn't stop her

from giving Funaho a bone cracking hug, then the Cheshire Cat's

smiling queen and the half-strangled queen settled down to listen to

the conversation drifting to them on a moth's wings.

When Ayeka appeared, her back was to Tsunami, so her first warning of

the goddess' nearness was the look of wonder on Seto's face as the

three stood on their feet. The purple-haired princess turned to follow

her grandmother's line-of-sight and found a woman slightly taller than

herself, whose body carried the same glow as Ayeka's and the others.

Ayeka's ruby eyes go wide with reverence and her legs turn to Jell-O

for she saw the two dots upon the lady's clear forehead, two dots

found on all statuaries of Tsunami.

"Tsunami-megami," veneration in Ayeka's voice as her knees gave way

only to have her descent stopped by the goddess' quick movement and

firm hands.

"Mo, Ayeka-sama," Tsunami's caring voice reached Ayeka's ears, "I'm

here to help you, not to seek your supplication."

"You look so much like my musume," Seto commented with

inquisitiveness.

"Since Sasami-chan has become my bondmate, I've taken this form to

help build a friendly relationship between us," Sasami's shoulders sag

with relief when Seto gave a nod of agreement to Tsunami's answer,

then the goddess continued, "Let's sit upon the fountain and cool our

feet in its refreshing water, ii wa."

A sliver of surprise ran through Ayeka's mind as her vision saw the

pink Zephyr granite fountain next to her and took in the surrounding

trees, flowers and shrubs before she said to the goddess, "We are in

my garden, on Jurai."

"I thought to quiet your inner turmoil by having familiar things

around you," Tsunami informed Ayeka while looking up at the fountain's

statues, "and I must say I do enjoy the addition you made to it."

"Domo arigato, Tsunami-megami," Ayeka bowed her head at such an

unexpected compliment, "I want to remind others," a note of contempt

entered her voice, "that the Oken Kazoku Jurai was founded on love."

"Gu for you, Oujo-chan," Tsunami grinned before using her hands to

hitch up her kimono so she could step over the fountain's edge, placed

her very human feet in the water and sat on the fountain's marble

stone edge. Ayeka stood like a pillar of salt because of Tsunami's use

of her nickname before the goddess' mild stare broke her shock and

allowed her to enter the water and sat between Tsunami and her smiling

sister while her proud grandmother took up a place on Sasami's right.

Ayeka had worried about being nude before her deity but her concern

quickly dissipated by Tsunami's almost sisterly kindness. When Tsunami

caught Ayeka's glance at the goddess' feet, she teased, "Did you

expect to see roots coming out of my feet ne?"

"Hai . . . ara . . . mo . . . I mean . . . " Ayeka fumbled over her

reply before she realized the absurdity in Tsunami's question, which

conjured hearty laughter from her lips and was accompanied by a chorus

of giggles and hoots from the rest.

The music of the cascading water drops was mixed with the music of

merriment before Tsunami finally said, "Now that we are in good cheer,

let us proceed with the telling of secrets."

"Hai, ee, un," the others reply.

"I understand you have been having trouble controlling your emotions,

Ayeka-sama," Tsunami gently said.

Ayeka blushed brightly as she glanced from the corner of her eyes at

Sasami before hesitatingly saying, "My . . . my emotions are not the

only problem . . . it's my body too."

"Your hands and feet are very sensitive," Tsunami tenderly stated.

"Hai," a relieved Ayeka acknowledged, glad Tsunami knew what troubled

her, "even now my feet are sending soothing waves of refreshment from

the cool water surrounding them."

"During Seikizuna, when you and your bondmate drink each other's sap

and blood, it forms not only the telepathic bond between the two, it

also changes both physically," Tsunami saw the surprise on Ayeka's

face as her words sank deep into the slim princess' mind, "My

offspring gain a rudimentary personality based on the human bondmate's

or some other factor such as what happened when Azusa-dono named

Kirito."

"Mitsuki-dono," heartbreaking sadness reflected in Seto's words and

face.

"Two innocents punished for another man's evil," Tsunami added with

anger before calming herself so she could continue, "what the human

bondmate gains from the exchange is just as dramatic, not only do his

or her hands and feet become sensitive to touch, to feel, but the

contact with the alien mind of my offspring also triggers in the human

consciousness an overwhelming need for intimate relationships with

others of its own kind."

"With others!" surprise in Ayeka's voice as her eyes become like

saucers.

"Hai, with those of either gender," Seto added with a knowing look on

her face.

"The relationship between my okasamas!" sudden insight entered Ayeka's

mind.

"Because Funaho-sama and Misaki-sama bonded with Mizu-ho and Kar-in,

the Nijumi-Ki," Tsunami's pink eyes wandered to an area to her right

while she talked, "unforeseen emotional closeness developed between

them, it was as if by bonding with Nijumi-Ki they became one mind,

each merged with the other's ki and each knowing the pure love they

held for the other."

"In the end, it was this combined love that made it possible for

Azusa-dono to accept my musume as his second okusan (wife) and to love

her," Seto added with certainty.

'He couldn't love one without loving the other,' Ayeka remembered a

statement she had heard as a child, not knowing its meaning, then a

question popped into her mind, "The physical nature of their

relationship?"

"When the bonding took place, Misaki-sama was four-years-old and

Funaho-sama was fourteen-years-old. Think of the confusion Funaho-

sama's adolescent feelings caused in Misaki-sama's preteen mind,

magnified by the normal process of the bonding," Tsunami saw the

impact her statement was having on the others.

"Because of the bond Funaho-dono knew Misaki-dono's sufferings," Seto

pickup the discussion, "It became worse once Funaho-dono and Azusa-

dono were married for my musume feared her marriage to your otousama

would be of convenience and nothing more."

"So Funaho-sama decided to include Misaki-sama in every part of her

life, from ceremonial dinners to walks in the garden to martial arts

practices," Tsunami's face held a secretive smile, "Funaho-sama wanted

Misaki-sama to know they would always be someone to hold her, to kiss

her and ai suru her."

"By the time Misaki-dono married Azusa-dono, he found he could love

her too and the special relationship his two okusans had added to

their pillow talk," Seto finished.

"You don't have to hide everything from me!" Sasami huffed at the

disguised language the three adults were using, at her being treated

like a child. "Just say they have suge supa etchi (super kinky sex)."

"SASAMI!" Ayeka's shocking shout covered up the sound of the queens

falling backward in the bushes.

"Dewa, it's true isn't it," Sasami looked back and forth at Seto and

Ayeka, Tsunami had to hide her Cheshire Cat's grin with her pink

hands.

"It is something you just don't blurt right out with, Sasami!"

indignation in Ayeka's tone.

"Hai, you might scare the bajin himes (virgin princesses)," Seto

added.

"Oke, if you say so," Sasami returned with a frown, "I just thought as

long as they're happy that's all that matters."

Seto's indirect sarcasm and Sasami's simple words cooled Ayeka's jets.

Making quick recovery, Ayeka firmly said, "Sasami, an oujosama must be

a well-mannered person who doesn't use base words thoughtlessly. If

you keep it up, I'll have to talk to Nobuyuki-san about you using his

portable communication device."

"A Walkman," Sasami informed her sister with a flat tone.

"Sasami-chan, Ayeka-dono is correct," Seto's words caught the younger

princess off guard, "your strong heart allows you to see and tell the

truth but one should be careful which words you use to tell it, it

does make a difference."

"You mean I would use different words with oneesama than I would use

with Ryoko-neechan ne?" Sasami asked thoughtfully of her grandmother.

"Tadshii," Seto gave a little nod.

"But Ryoko-neechan, Mihoshi-neechan and Kitsune-san speak plainly,"

Sasami countered.

"Because their profession requires them to speak that way just as

yours will require you speak diplomatically at times," Seto explained

simply.

"But you're an uchu kaizoku and an oujosama," Sasami pointed out.

"And I act differently according to what duties I'm performing, those

of an oujosama or those of an uchu kaizoku," Seto patiently stated.

Seeing Sasami was getting a feel for what Seto was saying, Ayeka

decided to add some sugar to the lesson, "Sasami, if you use proper

words when you should, I'll read you a new Pretty Sami story when I

get back from my trip to Tokyo."

"A new Pretty Sami story!" Sasami's eyes shine with pink light equal

to the delight in her voice.

"Ee," confirmed Ayeka.

"But we are getting away from the subject of Ayeka's lack of

knowledge," Seto reminded them but not without a tone of happiness

over the warm love her grandchildren shared with each other.

"Hai we are, Seto-sama," Tsunami acknowledged before turning her pink

orbs to Ayeka, "As I said before the mind of my offspring are so

different from the human mind that the telepathic contact between

bondmates strengthens the human compulsion for intimacy with other

humans. It is the reason why your otousama fell so quickly and so

deeply ai suru with Funaho-sama."

"It is also the reason for my oniisama having a koibito when he was at

the Ginga Akademi wa?" Ayeka said with a small voice.

"So you know about Airi-dono," Seto lowly said.

"Naze did it happened!" Ayeka cried with tears in her ruby eyes, "NAZE

WA YO?"

"You shouldn't see it as failure on your part, Oujo-chan," Seto words

carried a comforting tone in them, "Misaki-dono didn't when Azusa-dono

brought Funaho-dono home with him from Earth."

"But okasama was still a child and Funaho-okasama was a special

person," Ayeka remembered how easy it was for her father's first wife

to show equal love for all his offspring.

"Funaho is a rare flower found in an oasis surrounded by desolation,"

Seto's words recalled the first time she saw the dark-haired girl, a

face that carried the mirror image of Mistuki's features.

"I know I'm being irrational, obasama . . ." Ayeka's words were

interrupted when she felt someone clasp her right hand. Looking down

she saw Sasami holding her hand with her twin pink quartz mirrored her

sister's pain. Then she added, "I just wish I had been his first."

"Seven-hundred years is a long time for a man to keep his mono in his

pants," Ayeka smiled at the amusement she heard in Seto's words.

"Hai, just look at obasama," Sasami said with wicked grin, "she didn't

keep kanojo no asoko (her vagina) only for Utsumi-ojiisama, not for

four thou . . . OUCH!" cried Sasami when Seto's knuckles rapped the

little princess' blue-haired head.

"It must be genetics," Seto slowly commented with narrowed eyes while

Tsunami was barely able to suppress her laughter while Ayeka bit her

lip at Sasami's language, "Misaki-dono once said the same thing."

"Must take after the Oni Hime Jurai," Seto gave Tsunami a hot glare

because of the goddess' amused use of Seto's Juraigo nickname.

With the conversation shifted to Sasami, a nagging question entered

Ayeka's mind and so she asked the goddess, "I ask beforehand for

forgiveness if this question is impertinent but why did you chose to

bond with Sasami."

Tsunami saw the fear on Sasami's face and felt it through their shared

being. So the goddess returned to the youngest princess thoughts of

reassurance as she answered, "In the many threads that make the

future, I saw a child of infinite warmth tangled in them, not having

any command over her own destiny. I decided such wasted potential

couldn't be allowed to happen."

"But there was something else, ne?" Seto asked as she remembered

Katsuhito's comments, her observations on Tsunami's shift in her

treatment of the government on Jurai and Sasami's tensed body

language.

"I have never bonded with a human yet through my offspring's group

mind I sensed the forming of friendship, affection, between them and

their human bondmates," everyone saw the look of love Tsunami gave

Sasami, "I'm tired of being lonely, without someone I could call a

friend."

The goddess' admission brought Ayeka's own desires back to the fore,

"Tsunami-megami, why hasn't my oniisama made himself known to us?"

confusion in Ayeka's face and words, "Our contact with Funaho-Ki must

have announced our presence at the Masaki's jinja."

"I cannot tell you, Ayeka-sama," Ayeka heard the heaviness in

Tsunami's words.

"If it is because he married another shojo, I can accept it," Ayeka

put every scrap of her passion in her words, "I still ai my oniisama,

I still want him for my otto wa!"

"You will have to ask Yosho-sama when you find him," Tsunami sadly

told Ayeka.

"But he is alive wa?" Ayeka hopefully asked.

"Hai, he is," Tsunami saw the relief on Ayeka's face, the slim

princess now knowing her search for her brother was not futile.

With renewed vigor in Ayeka's heart, she looked up at the two statues

receiving Tsunami's blessing, hoping one day to find the kind of love

that was shared by Horosha and Washi. The purple-haired lady was

musing over those stories when something caught her attention and she

asked, "Tsunami-megami, there is something that puzzles me."

"Oi," Tsunami returned.

"The stories tell of Horosha-sama coming from beyond Jurai ne?"

recollected Ayeka.

"That is true," Tsunami confirmed, she was sure where this line-of-

thought was heading to.

"Where did Horosha-sama come from?" Ayeka asked carefully.

"Horosha-dono came from . . . " Tsunami suddenly stopped, then a small

smile graced her lips before she continued, "It looks like our meeting

is coming to an end in ten . . . nine . . . eight . . . seven . . .

six . . . "

Confusion visited all the faces in the garden because of Tsunami's

countdown.

**********

Masaki Residence

Tenchi found his homework this evening a breeze compared to most

nights, either Ryoko would phase in to whisper sweet nothings in his

ear, Ayeka would knock on his door to ask about his health, Sasami

would come in to ask about a word she heard on the radio or a heated

argument would develop between Ayeka and Ryoko over some real or

imagine insults. With Ryoko off with the American detectives and Seto

with her granddaughters, the house was eerily quiet. He became puzzled

when Mihoshi told him she was taking Ryo-ohki to the shrine for some

tea with his grandfather but decided the pleasant blond wanted to show

her respect to the head-of-the-family. With the closing of the last

book, the stretching of his appendages and a deep yawn, the

shorthaired young man got up from his alcove desk, walked to the door,

slid it open, step out and slid it closed. His look of contentment

changed to one of concern when his nose caught a whiff of smoke. The

stocking-footed youth's initial look from his bedroom door showed

nothing so he walked to the second floor's main hallway, it is there

terror filled his soul when he saw blue smoke leaking out from under

the princesses' bedroom.

"Kaji! Kaji! (Fire! Fire!)" shouted Tenchi as his feet pounded down

the hall's bare wood to the princesses' room. When he reached the

door, he stopped from throwing the door open because he feared fresh

air would bring the fire on the other side to roaring life, instead he

scrambled to the upstairs benjo where he grabbed two buckets, one of

water and one of sand, that were kept for just this kind of emergency.

Using the method taught to him at school he kept the bucket of water

in his left hand, threw open the princess' bedroom door with the other

arm and with both hands he threw the water into the room of obscuring

smoke. The water put out the candles and the incense but the icy

liquid also brought shocking screams from the three princesses. A

bleeding nose and bug-out eyes were the instant result of Tenchi's

brown eyes beheld three very cute and very wet naked females. His

stare also produced an instant result for in a blinding rage Ayeka

grabbed the closest things to throw at the unidentified male who dared

to stare at her unclothed body, her first missile was accompanied with

her shout, "CHIKAN!"

The first candle barely missing his head snapped Tenchi out of his

shocked trance, allowing him to dodge the next incoming wax missiles

but not for long. When his ears heard the roaring laughter coming from

Sasami and Seto, he turned to them and said with mild anger, "Will one

of you kindly stopped laug . . . " The rest of Tenchi's words are cut

short when waxy Castor found a home in the youth's third neck

vertebrate.

**********

Ayeka's Garden, Tenjyu, Jurai

"Five . . . four . . . three . . . two . . . one . . . " Tsunami

smiled became bigger and bigger as she reached one, then an icy shock

hit all three princesses and their chilly shouts were cut off as their

astral bodies flickered out. With just a few seconds delay the two

queens jumped up from their hiding place and took a few steps forward

before their own bewilderment stopped them. With clear sight they saw

no one with the blue-haired goddess, who turned to the upset queens

and gave them a respectful bow before her form disappeared. Both

Funaho and Misaki gave robotic bows before their legs quickly carried

them to the fountain, two sets of eyes searching for clues to show

that their aching hearts didn't dream this vision.

It was Funaho who spoke first as her right hand reached for Misaki's

left arm while saying, "Oneesan, I think Tsunami-megami wanted us . .

. "

Funaho's words were interrupted when Misaki spun suddenly to her left,

straight into Funaho's body while bending at her waist so her strong

arms could wrap themselves around the black-haired lady's hips. Misaki

hoisted her beloved into the air and on light feet that showed Funaho

was no burden, the blue-haired queen danced about while shouting

joyously, "SASAMI-CHAN IS ALIVE, AYEKA-CHAN IS ALIVE, YOSHO-CHAN IS

ALIVE!"

Funaho grinned down at the upturned face of Misaki, her voice caught

up in the overflowing euphoria from the one who was one with her soul,

"HAI, THEY ARE ALL ALIVE!"

With all the dizzy spinning and lightheaded exultation, both queens

lost sight of the world around them so it took just a small bump and a

loss of balance to cause them to fall into the fountain. On their

sides and facing each other, the two ladies' hearts refuse to come to

earth so they burst spontaneously into giggles leading to chuckles

followed by howls of joy at the condition of their wet clothes and

bodies.

When her own laughter finally stopped, Funaho's brown eyes saw Misaki

looking at her, those red eyes staring through dripping blue hair with

a fiery passion Funaho hadn't seen, hadn't felt through their bond, in

so many years. Two heads moved together and two sets of lips kissed.

Tongues danced within both mouths as their arms drew them close enough

for the rubbing of the wet Gemini Silk kimonos, trapped between the

entangled bodies, to put fire in their skin. Funaho felt Misaki's body

jump a little as her tongue moved underneath Misaki's lip and across

her upper gum, then it was Funaho's turn to shiver with pleasure when

Misaki's mouth began sucking on the brown-eyed queen's lower lip.

Both queens' hands, sensitive as the hairs of tree roots, performed

intricate patterns on the other's hands, going from the fingertips on

down to the palm and to the back. With completion of one pattern came

the start of another, each one designed to increase the participants'

arousal. As both queens parted lips, the tips of their tongues the

last to touch, they both brought their right hands up while their

lefts continued the patterns. With skill learned from teaching and

experience both queens interspersed kisses and tongue licks on the

other's right hand, starting at the base of the palm, working up first

the thumb, then each finger but making sure every inch of the palm was

covered, finally the lips found the tip of the middle finger but that

was not the end. With forethought the lips of Funaho and Misaki opened

so their mouths could take in the full length of the middle digit,

calling forth coos and moans from the closed orifices. As their mouths

moved up and down the full length of the middle finger, causing both

queens' hearts to race and their blood boiled with oxygen, the combs

in each of the queens' hair started to glow.

As soft moans and sensual coos gave why to lustful howls, as both

bodies were caught in uncontrollable tremors, the bluish-white light

burned ever brighter, drowning out all shadows in and near the

fountain. If anyone were watching the going on in Ayeka's garden, his

sight would cease, as a layer of white light would be the only thing

the spy would see. Only by other means would anyone know the height of

sensuality Funaho and Misaki reached as each shared the other's

orgasms.

Finally when one mind divided to become two again, it was only by

looking up in the starry sky and seeing the passage of Jurai's moons

could Funaho and Misaki tell how long they made love to each other.

With handholding and heads resting upon the others' left shoulder,

Funaho said with words full of happiness, "Welcome back my sweet

oneesan."

With a smile only her daughter Sasami could equal, Misaki looked at

Funaho's blissful face and said, "Oneesan, let us find our husband.

Maybe we can surprise our children with an imoto or an ototo when they

come home."

"Hai, let's," Funaho agreed.

Both helped the other out of the fountain and left Ayeka's garden to

search for Azusa. By the next day's noon sun, new rumors floated about

the wooden palace: Misaki was hugging everyone again, Funaho's smile

had sunshine in it again and Azusa canceled all official dinners for

the next seven nights.

**********

Notes: Komatta! (Oh God!) What a long chapter this turned out to be

and I didn't end it where I wanted to either! It's frustrating that I

have the whole story already finished in my head and it takes so many

words be bring into existence so others can read and enjoy it

Story Development:

1.As I have told people on message boards and mailing lists that it is

critical the beginning of any story or each chapter of a multi-part

story is the best part. Why? Because it is the hook that will catch

the reader for you. This is why I asked a friend of mine, Literary

Eagle, if I could use an ideal she developed for her own Tenchi

fanfiction series, Confess To Me, for the beginning of this chapter.

In her series, Lita had Ayeka writing Pretty Sami stories for Sasami

as a way to entertain and to show her love for the child. In the early

stories Tsunami is the queen of a planet called Juraihelm and Sasami

is her adopted daughter. They have fun shocking the conservative

nobles and courtiers with some very unladylike antics like playing

hide-and-go-seek in the throne room. To protect her mother from the

plans of wicked people, Sasami would change into Pretty Sami. Once

Ayeka and Sasami are on Earth, Ayeka has Pretty Sami crashing on the

same planet where she is joined by a partner, a male Ryo-ohki who can

transform into a cabbit and can give Sasami the magical baton that

allows her to change into Pretty Sami. Besides giving me a great

opener for this chapter, it allowed me to use an alternate Pretty Sami

universe that I had all the information on. Except for episode three

of the Pretty Sami OVA and Kuroda Yosuke's manga story that appeared

in the No Need For Tenchi manga series, my knowledge of the either the

OVA or the TV series in very incomplete. A third reason for using this

alternate Pretty Sami universe is to show my thanks to Lita for her

support and to advertise her wonderful series. "The Tales of Pretty

Sami" will appear from time to time in this series and I may write a

separate series.

2. Romance, Love and Sex: As you have already noticed I had three love

scenes in this chapter, one between Nobuyuki and Scully, one between

Ryoko and Handover, and one between Misaki and Funaho. You might say

this turns my series in a lemon series but I don't agree. Lemons are

lengthy sexual encounters or several sexual encounters with a plotline

linking them together, the plotline doesn't control the story the

sexual encounters do. Here, the love scenes are the results of the

plotline. I also wanted to present into the reader's mind the idea

that love scenes of humanoids would be different from what we

Earthlings would consider normal behavior. As long as the beings have

humanoid bodies some similarities will remain but there should be a

great deal of variation in foreplay due to their

physical/psychological/cultural differences from us. Now the love

scene between Scully and Nobuyuki is much like any other because both

are Earthlings (although both have been touched by Funaho-Ki through

Achika). The love scene between Ryoko and Handover is different

because both are humanoids but not Earthlings. The love scene between

Misaki and Funaho showed how the influence of Tsunami's offspring had

on their humanoid bondmates (much of a race's psychological frameworks

based on their biological structure, so imagine how different the

Space Trees' minds are from humanoid minds). Of course my own opinion

of romance, love and sex is they are a major part of what makes us

human or any humanoid what they are. Sentient beings are sexual

creatures and this aspect of their lives can't be ignored, especially

in a series like Tenchi OAV which contains so much romance, love and

sex.

3. Flashbacks: I will continue to present mini-stories in the

flashbacks. They are design to add depth to each character, to explain

the history of Jurai, Earth's special connection to Jurai, background

to the Galaxy Union, flesh out the Galaxy Police and to show the

interconnection between the characters. Although the number of mini-

stories haven't really increased their length has.

4. Love Triangles: This part of Tenchi Muyo was discussed heavily on

the mailing list and the message boards recently. Love triangles are a

major part of many epic stories and plays but like Entry Plug pointed

out, they are full of heartache and tears. While Tenchi Universe is to

some extent a love triangle between Tenchi, Ryoko and Ayeka, Tenchi

Muyo OAV isn't, it is more of a pentagram with each of the female

characters at the points while Tenchi is in the middle. Now that

doesn't mean I think each female has an equal chance of getting Tenchi

or even wants him as a lover. I think Washu-chan is more interested in

Tenchi because on his unique abilities but this doesn't stop her from

pretending to chase after the boy as a way to tease the other

characters. I think Sasami is attracted to the idea of romantic love

as shown in shojo manga but sees Tenchi as a big brother, who's girl

problems gives the child a chance at some entertaining tricks. This

gets us down to the three real rivals for Tenchi's love, Mihoshi,

Ayeka and Ryoko. Mihoshi's problem is one of self-confidence, she just

doesn't believe her chance of catching Tenchi's heart because she sees

Ayeka and Ryoko as better persons (Mihoshi has actually shown better

domestic skills than Ayeka or Ryoko). Ayeka is after Tenchi because

she sees the young Yosho in him and that in her opinion she is the

perfect person for him (heritage, looks, bank account etc . . .), it

doesn't mean she doesn't love him as an individual but she is

attracted to the same qualities in Tenchi that made her willing to

accept Yosho as her husband. Ryoko is simple, she has been in love

with Tenchi for sixteen years as an invisible spirit, watching him

grow from a kawaii child into a handsome young man. Her aggressive

behavior is born from not being able to touch the boy until now, her

frustration at the sudden appearance of other girls, who might steal

Tenchi from her, and her puzzlement that Tenchi doesn't show the same

intense feels of love for her as she does for him.

Characters:

Kiyone: In my series Kiyone and Mihoshi have known each other since

they were children, Kiyone is a street kid Mihoshi offered friendship

to. At first Kiyone only used Mihoshi to escape from the GP Hospital

but found herself chased by the blond bombshell. In the end it was

Mihoshi's blind trust in Kiyone that made the little gangster accept

the hand of friendship.

Mihoshi: I continue my balancing act of showing Mihoshi's child-like

soul and her Galaxy Police professionalism, how her personality mix

allowed her to have such loyal friends like the Kiyone and Seto.

Donald Dortmund: I decided to use one of my prereaders as a character

in my series because he is from Chi-town and does have family

connections to the local police. It also allowed me to set up a

skeleton framework for one of my later crossover story. I do have

plans for some of my other prereaders to appear in this series. If

anyone else would like me to include a character based on him or her,

just drop me a line.

Horosha: This chapter showed the alternate Pretty Sami version of

Horosha.

Robert and Timothy O'Neill: I know, I know, for a country where there

are very few foreign Westerners (only 2% of Nihon population is

foreign and Westerners are a small part of that percentage), I've got

three Americans (Scully, Mulder and MacClean) and two Irish (Robert

and Tim) connected to the Masaki family in some way. Their roles in

the series will vary from minor to major players depending on the

situation.

Scully and Nobuyuki: As you can see the love between Scully and

Nobuyuki has finally found wings to fly thanks to Achika and Funaho-

Ki.

Handover: I developed this person back in 1972 as an RPG character.

You already probably know who he is but if you need a clue: one plus

one equals one.

Tsunami: An argument developed on the AFC message board and on the

mailing lists about Tsunami's relationship with Sasami. Some argued

that Tsunami was uncaring about Sasami or treated the child badly.

Others and I argued just the opposite, that Tsunami wiliness to allow

Sasami to merge with her was a caring sacrifice on the goddess's part.

When Tsunami created Jurai and her offspring, the Space Trees, she

imbued in them most of her godhead. To give Sasami the life the child

wanted, Tsunami gave her the remaining part of the goddess' godhead,

which effectively crippled the goddess (Tsunami has to have Sasami at

her side to effectively use her battleship powers and the goddess

wasn't able to save Tenchi's life until Sasami joined her). In a sense

Sasami in already merged with Tsunami, the goddess has only delayed

the submersion of her own self into Sasami's personality to allow the

child to learn how to use her new powers while growing up (I've

developed the idea that Tsunami's was coldly logical but lonely

goddess before the merging, now her personality is very much like

Sasami's). In a sense Sasami is a new goddess.

Sasami: The constant fear for Sasami is her friends will discover she

isn't what she appears to be. When Sasami merged with Tsunami, her

three-year-old mind was confused by her new nature. She was no longer

just an ordinary Jurain girl, she was now a child able to do powerful

things and know great secrets. So she concluded that she wasn't the

real Sasami but a copy created by Tsunami to replace the dead child.

In a sense Sasami isn't the same child that died on that day for by

merging with Tsunami, Sasami became a new goddess. This can be seen by

the how Sasami seemed to be a complex mix of maturity and mischief-

maker (an eye of ocha as the Nihonjin say). Sasami has a mature mind

with a child's soul that can dance between the stars.

Ryoko: Finally, I reached the point where I was able to explain

Ryoko's strange behavior. My prereaders have been wondering why Ryoko

was spending so much time away from Tenchi. The reason is simple,

Ryoko knows Kagato is here and she fears for Tenchi's and Sasami's

safety. She hopes that by not being around them all the time she can

spare their lives when her master takes control of her again. Another

reason is she likes Mulder as a friend because they are many

similarities between the two: both are outsiders (one by choice the

other by fate), both are driven by love for another person (Ryoko's

love for Tenchi and Mulder's love for his missing sister) and both are

big teasers. I also wanted to further develop Ryoko background to show

she had loved another person before Tenchi. I thing that gets to me

are lemon writers who have Ryoko calling herself an virgin before

having sex with Tenchi or someone else (Happosai does give a good

reason why the Tenchi Universe's Ryoko was a virgin but others have

turned it into a lemon cliche). For me, a person with sexual

experience isn't a lesser person because of it as long it is done for

love.

Mulder: He is attracted to Ryoko but he knows the cyan-haired woman is

in love with Tenchi. Still he likes her company and wishes his

friendship with her could become something greater. Mulder is a sexual

person with many love affairs to his record. Mulder is also influenced

by guilt caused the loss of his sister and the death of Koyama

Hideyuki.

Ayeka: We have moved forward on the track of Ayeka's metamorphosis,

now she is a full adult thanks to Seto and Sasami/Tsunami and she has

a better understanding of Jurain physical/psychological makeup.

Misaki and Funaho: Okay, okay, I know I have brought in the cliché of

the two Jurain queens as lovers but I hope the reasons I used for this

development (they having bonded with twin trees called the Nijumi-Ki,

one named Mizu-ho and the other named Kar-in) are acceptable, I also

showed they are still in love with their husband, Azusa.

Seto: Seto continues in her role as eldest member of the Jurai Royal

Family and godmother to Mihoshi. She also sees Washu as her mother and

it was Seto who suggested to Washu to create her own family. As for

her relationship with Ryoko you will have to wait to Chapter Four to

see it.

Washu: I developed further Washu-chan's relationship with Seto

(mother-daughter) and her hatred of the adult world. I also wanted

Washu-chan to give her thoughts about the events occurring on Earth

and the nature of Handover.

Kiku, Ogami and Noryuri: These three will appear as minor characters

in the series.