Disclaimer: I write these stories for fun, not money. Do not sue me please.  I do not own the Tenchi cast, no matter how I act.

Night Thoughts:

Chapter 01: Ryoko's Night

In his quiet room, Tenchi Masaki sat up in his bed, staring out the window at the still night that had claimed the lives of the small lakeside house in the mountain forest by his family's ancient shrine.  In the last few years, his life had taken a strange turn, as a demoness, two alien princesses, a mad genius, and two more Galaxy Police had entered into his life.  To make matters worse, the young man also discovered he was the heir to the most powerful kingdom in the universe, adding all that to the torrid love triangle he had spent all that time dealing with, it was a wonder he could ever close his eyes.

Shaking his head, he had to smile.  If I could go back in time, he thought dimly as he peered at the sleeping woman nestled up beside him.  I'd do it all the same again.   Grinning, he rubbed her silver colored hair, gently.  Feeling the rough edges of it against his soft caress.   Ryoko, the love of his life, slept in his bed, as she had for some time now enjoying every moment of it, regardless of whether she was awake or not.  It's funny; he mused looking at the cyan tint her hair took in the pale moonlight.  Everyone always called her the demon of our shrine, and when she's awake I'm forced to agree, he chuckled, continuing to play with her spiky hairstyle absent-mindedly, but when she's sleeping, she looks a lot more like a goddess.  Tenchi couldn't help but laugh softly to himself, as he recalled his first encounter with Ryoko.   What was it I called you; he mentally asked her knowing no reply would come.  Oh yeah, he shouted in his head, I remember now, I called you a freeze-dried demon!  Then when we met at the school, I called you a monster.  "Boy did that go over badly." He quietly said aloud, no longer able to keep his narration in his head. 

"What went over badly, Tenchi dear?" Ryoko asked rolling her head over to show that she was fully awake.  This simple action caused the heartthrob's heart to skip a beat, as he had not been expecting it. 

For someone who sleeps so much, and is usually so lazy, Ryoko always seems to be a pretty light sleeper.  "Oh nothing, I was just remembering how we first met," Tenchi answered her, removing his hand from her head, and rubbing his own with embarrassment.  Moaning a reply, Ryoko shifted stiffly next to him, trying to get comfortable again causing the kind hearted youth to look at her with concern. "What's wrong?"

"I feel a little soar, probably did too much yesterday," Ryoko answered yawning like a sleepy feline.  

"Sure that must be it," Tenchi remarked trying to hide the obvious humor in his voice.  He knew that Ryoko never did anything if she could help it.  Thus her doing too much was a perfect oxymoron. "Here, let me give you a back rub."

The naked woman rolled over slowly, almost teasingly, as she exposed her naked back to him.  Once again the young man laughed lightly, as he began to massage her neck.

"What is it now?" Ryoko growled, apparently tired of hearing her beloved giggling behind her back.  What the hell is his problem tonight?  Muttering, moaning, and laughing?  What does he think I'm Ayeka?  That I like being laughed at in bed, when I'm throwing myself on him naked?  After all, I am the most beautiful girl you'll ever see, Tenchi Masaki!  For a time, Tenchi remained silent, pondering his words before he spoke.  Showing her patience and resolve she gently prompted him for an answer.  "Well! Answer me... Dah… Ah... Oh Tenchi, you have magic fingers..." Ryoko stopped her protest and demands as Tenchi's magic melted away the stress and cares she had a moment ago. 

"If you must know Ryoko," Tenchi answered, realizing she would probably only hear him were he to stop the back rub.  Yet as shy as he was, the young man could find no reasonable excuse to do so.  It was true that he was not sure if the other's were onto he and Ryoko's relationship, but he continued to promise himself that one-day soon he would tell them all.  He merely had to wait for the proper time.  Although I think they might suspect something after that weird scene at breakfast.*1  "I was just thinking how ironic this is.  I mean when you think about it we started off trying to kill each other.  Although to be honest I just wanted to stay alive, and you wanted to kill me, because grandpa locked you in that cave."

"So..." Ryoko moaned sensually, completely engrossed in the royal treatment Tenchi was giving her sore muscles.

"Well, now we're sleeping in the same bed. Don't you think that's even a little funny?" Tenchi chuckled, leaning his head down so he could see if she too shared his humor.  

"I'll tell you what I think, Tenchi.  You should stop thinking and keep rubbing my back." Ryoko ordered her beloved playfully. "Or you might find yourself sleeping on the couch."

The two in love figured shared a short laugh, but realizing what Ryoko had just said was merely an old joke. Each one knew that even if Ryoko did force Tenchi to leave his own bed and go downstairs to sleep alone on the couch, as she had done a few times before, she would eventually get lonely, and come down to 'keep him company' on the couch.

"Yes ma'am," Tenchi said strictly in a militaristic tone, knowing his girlfriend hated to be called ma'am.  After all, it made her feel old.

"Watch it Tenchi," she warned flatly, the humor gone from her voice in an instant. Swallowing hard, the brown-haired youth quickly decided to avoid using that word from now on.

"Besides Tenchi, I told you that day that I wasn't going to hurt you, at least not much." Ryoko reminded him with an impish grin.

"Oh yeah! That's right.  What is it Ayeka is always calling you?  A Masochist?" Tenchi asked unsure of the proper term, taking a laying position behind her to relieve stress on his back form the strange angle he had to sit at for the backrub.  .

Ryoko shook her head, causing her spiny hair to tickle his nose as she did.  "Yes, that is what that silly little princess calls me, but like I keep telling you, Tenchi, I am more of a Sadist than a Masochist."*2  Sighing happily, she rolled over, ending her heavenly backrub so she could face her beloved eye to eye.  "Tenchi?" 

"What is it Ryoko," he inquired, focusing deeply in her golden eyes so as to avoid a nosebleed.

"Do you still think...?" Ryoko paused almost hesitant to utter what was on her heart and mind. "Do you still think of me as a monster?"

"No." he whispered, before allowing his voice to strengthen, "No, of course not Ryoko.  I mean… then again… I don't… exactly… think of you as… human." 

"Then what do you think I am?" Ryoko requested, an intense glimmer in her eyes telling the young man that this was an important issue to the lithe woman behind him, and that his answer might affect more than just the rest of this conversation.  The time for jokes and small talk was over.   

This must be why she woke up.  She knew I'd be up and wanted me to tell her.  Well, how hard could it be to tell her what I think?  All I have to do is say it.  Opening his mouth, Tenchi's throat went dry feeling like gritty sandpaper for his words.  Added to his normal nervousness, and the sudden feeling of Ryoko's skin against his bare chest as she leaned forward to hear what he had to say, Tenchi's declaration was in massive trouble he was sure of that.  "I think you're… you're a..." Blinking hard, Tenchi couldn't seem to get his thoughts and mouth to work as a team.  Breathing deep, he glared deeper than ever before into Ryoko's golden glistening eyes.  

"A what?" the silver-haired space pirate inquired, her tone demanding an immediate end to that which had put her soul in torment.

"I don't know," Tenchi finally said, closing his eyes as he gave up, seeing speaking was pointless. "All I can tell you is the image that comes to my mind every time I think of you. " Ryoko waited full of hope and at the same time dread. "Each time I think your name, all I think of is the most beautiful woman I have ever or will ever see. I see the one who changed my entire life in one night... no, in one moment, who walks through my heart as easily as she does walls, who lifts my soul as easily as she could lift up a house. Ryoko, you fly through my thoughts with the same grace I've seen you soar through the skies, and I think about how you blasted away the walls in my heart."  Saying nothing, Ryoko simply stared at Tenchi, smiling at him with her eyes.   "In short, Ryoko if I had to call you anything, I would call you an Angel of Love." Tenchi concluded. "So, what do you think of me now days?"

The golden-eyed space pirate was stunned, both by his poetic statement, which she realized he must have been preparing for months, as her Tenchi was no where near as romantically inclined as he was now, as well as by his request.  It should be obvious to you, how I feel about you, Tenchi.  But I guess the opposite should be true then.  I made you prove you love me, and now you want me to do that same.  Okay… "Tenchi Masaki," Ryoko started resting her cheek on his young chest as she stroked it tenderly and lovingly.  "Before I met you, my life was chaos, pure hell. I roamed the stars blowing up planets, looting, and killing all for Kagato, a man I hated with all my heart. But all that changed the second I saw you.  I knew there was something special about you. You say I do all those things for you, that I lift your soul, break the walls you build around your heart sometimes, and that I am always in your mind. But since the day you were born Tenchi, I've loved you. I've wanted to be with you, for you to be with me. I can't really describe it, never in my whole life have I felt this happy before. You stole from me something no one in the entire universe has ever owned, and never will again after you. You stole my heart, and by taking it you made me even greater. You freed me from being Kagato's slave, and even saved my mother, without any thought of a reward.  You risked everything to save a woman who's brought you nothing but grief. You helped me to make peace with my greatest enemies, the Jurain's, and showed me the splendors of a simple life. In short Tenchi, you changed me from a monster, a demon, into a woman, just by being you. "

"You are wrong Ryoko." Tenchi corrected her; "you haven't brought grief to my life, you-" Placing her fingers on Tenchi's lips Ryoko shook her head slowly. 

 
"That's enough for tonight, Tenchi.  Let's just say we made each other who we are.  I'm tired, I'd like a good night kiss before I go to sleep, okay?"  Smiling the young man happily obliged the lithe woman pressed against him, kissing her deeply on the lips, before breaking away from her slowly.   Both the young lovers were happy, their greatest hopes were now realized. Tenchi held Ryoko close once again, the stress that had kept him up that night seemed to fade; allowing him to enter into a night of blissful slumber, yet Ryoko seemed to beat him to the punch. 

Tomorrow would be another day, and there would be many new adventures, each with millions of obstacles. Yet somehow each knew, that no matter what, as long as they had each other, nothing could stand in their way.

1: No Need For Proof Chapter 03

2: Hope you have the exact translation of episode 2 of the OVA, or that won't seem as funny.