Disclaimer: I don't own Tenchi or any other characters residing at the Misaki house. They all belong to Pioneer/AIC. I am not making any money off of this story so please don't sue me.



Author's notes: This is the last chapter of my little saga. I hope you enjoy it. Words between *...* are thoughts. Since this chapter was too large for notepad, I saved this file in .html format so it may appear different from the other chapters. I am working on another fan fic that is already much larger than this series. It's the reason that my fans on the TMFFA have been waiting so long to read this chapter.



The ship flashed a picture of a green looking planet. Its name was Quateria 2, and its population was 50 million inhabitants. Ryoko took the controls of the ship and decreased the throttle by 30%. They could see the small green dot growing larger through the dome. They would reach the atmosphere in 10 minutes. Ryoko told the ship to download a map of the planet from the Central Space Office. She sweatdropped when it didn't respond, but then she remembered that the ship will only respond to Tenchi. "Tenchi, please order the ship to download a map of the planet from the Central Space Office." Tenchi did as Ryoko told him to, and soon they had a map on the display.

"I think we should land right around this area," Tenchi said as he pointed to a heavily populated spot on the map. "They have to have some sort of restaurant in this area."

"I agree." Ryoko adjusted their flight pattern to bring then to that area when they entered the atmosphere. She read over some specs on the planet as they drew closer to the planet. When the ship finally did enter the atmosphere, it started trembling due to the force of the atmosphere.

"Won't this damage the ship?" Tenchi asked worriedly.

"Nah. It'll just make the ride a little bumpy. It would take a lot more force than that to damage this ship if it's anything like Ryo-ohki."

"Are you sure?"

"Don't you trust me?"

"Of course I do."

"Then stop worrying. I swear I will never let anything harm you." Tenchi smiled at her, and she smiled back. The ship soon cleared the atmosphere, and oddly shaped buildings came into view. They were black, small buildings that were square in shape. As they neared the ground, small, flying vehicles could be seen coasting through the city. Ryoko spotted a galaxy police cruiser taking off up ahead, and pointed it out to Tenchi.

"That looks like Yukinojoe," declared Tenchi.

"Yeah, it does," Ryoko replied. "I think we should land over there and walk into the city. Does this ship have a cabbit form?" She pointed to a clearing outside of the city.

"Yes. The ship does have a cabbit form, but why don't we land over there instead?" He pointed out another clearing even closer to the city.

"That looks good." She guided the ship to the spot and teleported Tenchi and herself outside. Tenchi pointed the Tenchi-ken at the ship and told it to change into its cabbit form. It did so immediately and ran over to Tenchi and jumped up on his head.

"Let's go get something to eat before we starve to death."

"Lead the way."

"Uh, Ryoko, how are we going to communicate with the people on this planet? I don't think they will speak Japanese."

"Believe it or not, Japanese is the standard language of all Jurai territories. Since Jurai's empire extends all the way to earth, they will most likely speak Japanese."

"How is it possible that aliens can speak an earth language?"

"Who says Japanese came from earth?"

"For some reason that doesn't surprise me. Let's ask someone where we can find a decent restaurant, then." They walked into the city limits and headed in the first building with an open door. Weapons, in cases, lined the wall to their left. They appeared to be rifles of some sort, but they had a green ball at the end. Tenchi walked along the wall and looked the guns over very carefully. Ryoko followed behind him.

"See anything you like?" Both Tenchi and Ryoko turned around to see a light-green skinned man. He was about 6'6" tall and very thin. He also lacked any sort of body hair.

"We were just looking. Do you happen to know of any good restaurants in the area?" Tenchi inquired.

"Yeah, as a matter of fact, there is one just two buildings down on your left. They serve the best food on the planet."

"Thank you." Tenchi and Ryoko walked out of the shop and made their way to the restaurant. As they neared the door, an unfamiliar, yet delicious aroma filled the air. When they entered, another light green skinned person greeted them. She told Tenchi and Ryoko to follow her. They were seated at a booth with gel-like seats that were very comfortable. The waitress handed them each a menu and returned to the kitchen. Tenchi read the menu, but he didn't recognize a thing on it. He was intrigued by the zechhi steak and decided to take a chance. Ryoko also didn't recognize anything on the menu, but fried whimbalos caught her attention. She figured it had to be edible, and she was starving. The waitress returned with two glasses of water and took their orders before heading back to the kitchen.

"So, what did you order Tenchi?"

"Zechhi steak, what about you?"

"I ordered fried whimbalos."

"I hope this food tastes halfway decent."

"Me too, but I'm so hungry I could eat paper."

"Same here. I guess we'll find out soon enough." Ten minutes later the waitress returned with their meals. The zechhi steak looked like a regular beef steak, and the whimbalos appeared to be just like tacos except that the shell was soft and the cheese was a yellowish-green. Tenchi was the first to taste his meal. *Man, this has to be the best steak I've ever eaten.*

"This steak is great. How's your food?" Ryoko cut off a small chunk with her fork and put it in her mouth.

"Mmmm. This is really good. This is better than anything back on earth." The food soon disappeared from their plates. Tenchi sat back and rested his head in his hands.

"That was a great meal. I thought I was going to starve."

"Me too. That was some of the best food I've ever eaten."

"Same here. I wonder if it really was that good, or if it seemed like it because we were so hungry."

"Who cares? It was good, and that's all that matters." The waitress walked up and placed a piece of paper in a tray on the table. Tenchi picked up the piece of paper and sweatdropped. When the waitress walked away, Tenchi looked at Ryoko with a worried look on his face.

"How are we going to pay for this? The meal came to a total of 36 Jurai dollars. I don't have any Jurai currency with me."

"I guess we'll have to make a quick exit." She floated through the table and grabbed the cabbit that was sitting beside him and put a hand on his shoulder. She then teleported them to the walkway outside of the building.

"We really should find some way to pay them, Ryoko"

"Don't worry about it. Judging from the number of people in there, they must be making good money. It won't affect them at all."

"True, but it still isn't right."

"Stop being such a worrier and enjoy life for a change."

"You're right. Let's go find a good hotel to stay in."

"We do have one slight problem."

"What's that?"

"You only have the clothes on your back. You're going to need more clothes before this vacation is over."

"I wonder if Washu could help us out."

"Let's contact her after we get a room."

"Good idea." They set off in search of a hotel. They talked to a few people on the way who recommended various places, but the places they mentioned didn't sound very intriguing. After a while, they finally met a young couple that told them about a luxurious hotel by the water front. The young man pointed to a tall building in the distance, and he took the hand of the pretty young woman on his right, and they continued on their way. Ryoko picked up the cabbit and put her hand on Tenchi's shoulder, and teleported them to the front of the building. When they approached the door, it slid up, revealing a brightly lit corridor. The floors were made of a light-blue material that appeared to be some sort of marble. The walls were made of pure white rock that had a diamond pattern carved into it.

"This place is gorgeous."

"Yes it is. I bet it's really expensive to stay here."

"It'll be fun, Tenchi. I wonder what the rooms look like."

"I bet they are quite luxurious, judging from this corridor." They finally reached the front desk at the end of the corridor. There was a light green skinned man sitting at the desk. He smiled up at Ryoko and Tenchi has they approached.

"Good afternoon, madam and sir. How may I be of service to you?"

"Good afternoon," replied Tenchi. "We want to rent a room for the night." A keyboard rose out of the desk, and he began typing furiously.

"It seems that all of our standard rooms are occupied. Would you be willing to stay in an executive or honey moon sweet?"

"We would like a honey moon sweet," answered Ryoko before Tenchi could say anything.

"Good choice. I need your name, sir, and your inter-solar-system credit card." Both Ryoko and Tenchi sweatdropped.

"My name is Tenchi Misaki."

"Tenchi Misaki...hmm...I've heard that name before...hmmmmm...Oh yes, I heard about you on the galaxy news channel. You are the newly discovered, crown prince of Jurai. The news broadcast said that Yosho had given up his claim to the throne, and since you were his descendant, you are the first crown prince of Jurai."

"That's correct."

"I need your inter-solar-system credit card now, please."

"Well...uh...you see..."

"We were robbed earlier today, and our credit cards, as well as our id's were stolen," Ryoko chimed in.

"I see. Well, since I recognize you from the picture they showed on the broadcast, I don't need your identification card so you should be able to contact your bank and have them wire money to our office. The total comes to 5000 Jurai dollars for a one-night-stay."

"I will contact them in a moment, but we must use the restroom first. Could you tell me where I can find them?"

"Go down the hallway to your right and make a left. The male restroom will be the second door on your right, and the female restroom will be the first door on the left." Ryoko and Tenchi headed down the hallway followed by the cabbit. The man noticed the animal and frowned. All three of them entered the men's restroom, and they locked the door behind them.

"What are we going to do, Ryoko?"

"We have to contact Washu. I'm sure she can help us some how." Tenchi pointed the Tenchi-ken at the cabbit.

"Contact Washu now," he commanded. The cabbit cocked it's head at Tenchi.

"Miya?" Tenchi sweatdropped once again.

"Tenchi, it has to be in its spaceship form in order to transmit long distance signals."

"Let's go outside so it can change then." Ryoko picked up the cabbit and grabbed Tenchi's hand, and she teleported them to the outside of the building. Tenchi commanded it to turn into a spaceship, and it obeyed. Ryoko then teleported herself and Tenchi onto the deck of the ship. Tenchi commanded the ship to contact Washu again, but it did nothing. He was starting to get frustrated when Ryoko smiled at him.

"Please hand me the Tenchi-ken."

"Won't it hurt you again?"

"Not if you hand it to me."

"If you say so." He handed her the Tenchi-ken, and she immediately commanded the ship to show the location from which the last transmission came from. It showed earth and a series of symbols and numbers.

"Send a transmission to this location, immediately." The ship responded with a series of beeps. A minute later Washu's face appeared on the screen.

"Hello. Calling for money?"

"Yes, how did you know," Ryoko demanded.

"They don't call me the greatest scientific genius in the universe for nothing."

"Washu, we need money for a hotel, food, and some clothing," said Tenchi. A number flashed up on the screen.

"This is your bank account number, Tenchi. You can use it anywhere that accepts inter-solar-system credit cards. There are 20,000 Jurai dollars in your account."

"Thank you, Washu."

"What did you call me?"

"I mean, thank you, Little Washu."

"That's better." Tenchi repeated the number over and over again in his head. Once he was confident that he had it memorized, he asked Ryoko to teleport them to the ground. Once they were on the ground, Ryoko pointed the Tenchi-ken at their spaceship and told it to land and transform back into a cabbit. Ryoko then teleported them all back into the men's bathroom.

The man glanced at the clock on the wall behind him. His shift would end in another hour, and he could go home and watch his favorite show. *I wonder what's taking those people so long. It shouldn't take anyone that long to use the bathroom.* Just then, Tenchi and Ryoko followed by the cabbit came strolling up.

"I called the Bank of Jurai, and I got my account number," announced Tenchi.

"I see. May I have the number, please?" Tenchi gave him the number and waited while the man typed it into his keyboard.

"It seems that everything is in order. Here's your key." The man handed him a key that resembled a credit card. "Your room number is 277. It's located on the third floor. The elevators are located at the end of the same hallway that the bathrooms are on. Enjoy your stay at the Ritz-Leeman Hotel."

"Thank you," Ryoko said as she took Tenchi's hand. They proceeded down the hallway with the cabbit following close behind. They reached the end of the hallway and found the elevators. Tenchi pressed the up button on the wall, and the doors of the elevator on the right immediately opened. They walked into the elevator, which had a circular interior. The doors closed after a few seconds, and Tenchi found the control panel and pressed the button for the third floor. The doors opened one second later, and they walked out.

"That's the fastest elevator I've ever seen."

"That's the first one I've ever been on, but I have read about them in books." They continued down the hallway. The numbers on the doors were counting down from 300, and they didn't have to walk very far to find their room. Tenchi inserted the card into the slot and waited for the door to open, but the card was spit back out and Tenchi snatched it out of the air by pure reflex. *Why won't it accept the card?* He studied the card and realized that he had inserted it upside down. He inserted it the right way and the door opened. "What was wrong, Tenchi?" He laughed sheepishly.

"I stuck it in upside down." She smiled at him.

"So, the great prince of Jurai was outsmarted by a key to a hotel room, eh?"

"It doesn't look like it, but these keys can be very cunning."

"I'm sure they can be. I wonder if they could out smart Washu."

"Nah. The only thing that can baffle her is Mihoshi's luck." They both laughed.

"You know, Tenchi, I wonder if Mihoshi is just lucky or if there is something more to it."

"I do too, but I guess that's just one of the great mysteries of the universe." Tenchi realized that they hadn't even entered the room yet. "I think we should go into the room now."

"Oh, I almost forgot about it." They entered the room and their eyes widened at what they saw. There was a blue velvet couch and chairs in the center of the room. There was a golden-rimmed fireplace in the wall on the right side of the room that was facing the couch. There was a big, flat screen TV above the fireplace. The walls, themselves, were made out of a pure white marble, and the carpeting on the floor was so thick that you could feel your foot sinking in a little with each step. The carpet also matched the color of the furniture. The walls were adorned with large pictures of various sunrises and sunsets from many different planets. The ceiling had various planets carved into its white surface. Tenchi thought that the ceiling could be made of limestone, but he wasn't completely sure.

Tenchi and Ryoko walked through the rest of the four-room suite. The kitchen would have made Sasami drool. Tenchi noticed that the oven had three settings: 5 seconds, 10 seconds, and 15 seconds. *I wonder if that is how long it takes to cook food in it.* Ryoko walked passed the kitchen Ryoko made her way past the kitchen and into the hallway. She went into the bathroom and a smile spread across her face. The bathtub/Jacuzzi was about five times the normal size. There were dual sinks on the gray marble counter. The floor was made of light-brown, ceramic tiles, and the ceiling had an image of a legendary Jurai queen who actually resembled Ayeka carved into it. The white marble wall had a Jurai landscape carved into it, and it brought a tear to Ryoko's eye. She remembered that landscape very well. It was very beautiful until it became stained with blood and scorched by flames during her attack on Jurai. She could picture the looks of terror on the people's faces as they begged for their lives. She remembered others running away from her with their children in their arms. She could see her energy blast fly out from her hand and destroy them. She wanted so badly to stop this from happening, and she cried out for these people in her mind, but she couldn't stop her body. Kagato had control of her like a ventriloquist does his doll.

She fell to her knees and buried her face in her hands. New images began to run through her head. She saw Tenchi chasing a butterfly by the cave, and she saw him playing with images that she generated for him. She remembered singing to him and watching the look of affection and wonder in his beautiful brown eyes as he was captivated by her voice. She then thought back to recent events. She finally had the one thing she desired most...Tench's love. She quit crying and calmed down. She stood up and faced the carvings on the walls once more, but she no longer felt the great pain the images brought her. Tenchi was truly her savior, her knight in shining armor. She would still be in the cold blackness of the cave if it wasn't for him, but she now saw the light. Although it seemed impossible, the love she felt for him grew even stronger, and she began to smile. Thanks to Tenchi, she had shed her final tears, and it was now time to start anew.

She exited the bathroom and found Tenchi standing in awe of the bedroom. There was a canopy bed that had a map of distant stars painted on it. The bed was made of a dark wood that resembled cherry except that it was just a little lighter. Beautiful pictures of gaseous planets lined the walls of the room. The ceiling had a beautiful woman with wings on her back carved into it, and it was possible to control the brightness of the lights. There was another huge TV in the wall, and there was a sliding glass door for a window that led to a canopy outside. "This place is wonderful," declared Tenchi while still looking around.

"Yes, it is."

"We should go find a place to buy you some new clothes, and then check out the recreational facilities."

"I agree, Ryoko. Let's go." They walked out onto the balcony and looked down. No one was around, and Ryoko grabbed a hold of Tenchi and flew to the ground. "What about the cabbit?"

"Just command it to stay in the hotel room."

"I don't think I locked the front door, either."

"I'll go check." She teleported away, but she reappeared in a few seconds. "The door has been locked, and I commanded the cabbit to stay in the room. Here's your sword." She tossed him the Tenchi-ken, and he clumsily caught it.

"Which way should we go?"

"I think we should head to the right."

"Okay." They turned to the right and began walking. They walked around the motel and onto the pathway that would take them down the block. A few cars went screaming by overhead, and that's when Tenchi looked up and noticed that there was only one huge parking spot for each block. *I'm glad that we don't live in this place.*

"Hey Tenchi, do you want to ride a cab?" She pointed to the taxi station ahead of them and to the left.

"I don't know Ryoko. This transit system is very confusing."

"We'll figure it out. At least we would be able to find a shopping center quicker."

"If you say so."

"I do." They headed into the taxi station and found a light green skinned woman at the help counter.

"How may I help you two, today?"

"We want to take a cab to the largest shopping center in the city," answered Ryoko. The woman began typing on a keyboard that rose out of the desk.

"You will have to wait about five minutes for the next cab. The cost comes to 95 Jurai dollars." Tenchi told her the bank account number that Washu had given him.

"Everything's in order. Please step into pod 10 and enjoy your trip." She pointed to the elevators on the wall. Ryoko spotted the one numbered 10 and grabbed Tenchi's hand. She practically dragged him over to it and stepped inside. It was just like the elevators at the hotel, but it didn't have a control panel. The doors closed behind them and opened a second later. They stepped out and noticed that they were outside. They walked on a walkway out to a red square that was blocked off by a waist-high gate. They sat down on a bench and looked at the town below them. *I wonder why we are way up here while the rest of the cars are so far below,* Tenchi thought to himself.

A flying black vehicle landed in the center of the square. "It looks like a giant egg," Ryoko said with a bewildered look on her face.

"Yeah, it does." A man stuck his head through the top of the egg-like spaceship.

"Are you two going to get on, or are you just going to sit there for the rest of the day?" Both Tenchi and Ryoko stood up simultaneously.

"How, exactly, do you get in this thing?" Tenchi asked while scratching the back of his head.

"The walls aren't solid. Just step right through."

"Okay." Tenchi put his hand through first to make sure that it wasn't solid. Then, he stuck his foot in and touched the floor. Next, he inserted his head and had a look inside. *It looks like the interior of any normal earth car.* He went the rest of the way through the wall and sat down in the seat. Ryoko followed him, but she floated to the other seat beside him.

"I take it that you guys aren't from around here."

"No, we're from earth, actually," Tenchi replied.

"Earth!?!? I thought that planet was a non-interaction planet."

"It is, but there are a few people on earth who are capable of space travel beyond their solar system," Ryoko answered.

"I see. Well, you're the first two earthlings I've ever met. My name is Caleeb."

"My name is Tenchi, and this is Ryoko."

"It's a pleasure to meet you. I can't wait to tell the guys back at the station that I had people from earth in my cab! So, where do you guys want to go?"

"A shopping center where we can buy some clothing and other items," Tenchi said as he fastened his seat belt.

"No problem. I'll take you to the best shopping center in the area."

"Thanks."

"No thank you. It's a pleasure having you guys in my cab." The cab suddenly flew up into the air and away from the taxi ports.

"Why don't we fly down there with all of the other cars?" Tenchi asked.

"All public transit and emergency vehicles fly at this altitude."

"I see." Tenchi tried to stick his hand through the wall, but he discovered that it became solid. The cab driver noticed this in the rear-view mirror.

"The walls solidify when the car is in motion, when I press a button, or when I get out and lock up the car. They're just like a door, but better."

"That's interesting. I'm surprised that our hotel room doesn't have doors like that."

"Well, they're only found on cars right now, and they wouldn't be practical for a hotel anyway. It scans your DNA and confirms that you are the owner of the car before the walls unlock."

"I see your point." The car came to a stop, and Tenchi and Ryoko could feel it descending.

"We've arrived at our destination. Do you want me to return at a certain time to pick you up?"

"No thanks. We've got everything covered," Ryoko replied.

"Okay. Enjoy your shopping trip and the rest of your stay on this planet."

"We will. Take it easy," Tenchi said as he and Ryoko got out of the cab. Once they were clear of the vehicle, it flew up into the sky and headed back to the taxi station. "He seemed like a nice guy."

"Yeah, he did. So, where do you want to go first?"

"Well, I've got to get some clothes, but is there anything else that we need?"

"Well...we need toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, razors, shaving cream, bathing suits, deodorant, and a bottle of wine."

"There was a bottle of wine in the refrigerator back at the hotel, and I think they furnish all the other hygiene products that we need."

"Then all we need to get is your clothes and some lunch."

"Shall we shop, then?" Tenchi asked as he held out his hand.

"Let's go." She replied as she took his hand. They followed the directional signs and found the elevators that led to the shopping area. They were just as quick as the ones at the hotel and taxi station, and Tenchi and Ryoko stepped out into a huge area with shops on three different floors.

"This look a lot like the mall in Japan, but it's a lot bigger and more elaborate." Tenchi declared.

"So, this is what a mall is like?"

"Yes, but the ones on earth aren't this nice."

"Wow! This is great! But where would you find any clothes at?"

"We'll just have to walk around until we find a clothing store." As Tenchi looked around, he noticed a machine that looked a lot like an ATM machine back on earth. *I wonder if I can get cash out of my bank account with that.* "Ryoko, I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere, okay?"

"Okay." Tenchi walked over to the machine and read the on-screen display. Then, he entered his bank account number that Washu gave him and followed the instructions. He returned and took Ryoko's hand with a smile on his face a few minutes later.

"What are you so happy about?"

"Well, we now have actual currency, and I'm here with you."

"Your sweet," she said as she gave him a quick kiss. The couple walked around the huge mall for about an hour before Tenchi found a clothing store that had some clothes that he liked. He wasn't necessarily picky, but he wanted something he could actually wear on earth and not be out of place.

He ended up purchasing three outfits and a bathing suit, while Ryoko found a bathing suit in the store located on the floor directly above him. She usually swam in the nude and had no need for a bathing suit, but she and Tenchi were going to swim in the hotel pool. She normally wouldn't care, but she wanted her day with Tenchi to be completely perfect. When she purchased the bathing suit with the money Tenchi had given her, she flew down to the next floor where she found sitting on a bench waiting for her. He looked up at her and smiled as she floated down. She sat down on the bench next to him and laid her head on his shoulder. Tenchi put his arm around her, and they sat there for a few minutes before Ryoko interrupted their peace. "Are you ready to go back to the hotel, Tenchi?"

"What about lunch?" A seductive smile spread across her face.

"Don't worry about that, Tenchi." She said as she moved to kiss him. As their lips met, Tenchi found himself back in the hotel room sitting on the bed. They continued to kiss as Ryoko wrapped her arms around him. She pulled away from him and looked into his eyes. "I love you with all of my soul, Tenchi."

"I love you too." He could see a yearning in her eyes and a wild look on her face. He yearned for her embrace as much as she did his, and he held her tightly and kissed her with immense passion. (Sorry, but I'm still maintaining the non-lemon status of this story.)

Tenchi lay on the bed beside his beautiful soul mate. He ran his fingers threw her soft cyan hair and reflected over his life since Ryoko had become a part of it. He cherished every moment of it, including the bad times. One wouldn't know what good times are without the bad times. Right now, his life was perfect. He had a beautiful daughter and the loveliest woman in the world at his side. He also had the most diverse, yet greatest friends and family in the world. What more could you ask for?

Ryoko enjoyed being so close to him. She loved his touch and the sound of his heart beating. She never wanted this moment to end, but it did when Tenchi's stomach growled very loudly. "I suppose it's time we got a bite to eat," Ryoko said with a warm smile.

"Yeah. I'm starving."

"Shall I call room service?"

"Yes, I would really appreciate it."

"Okay. We can go swimming after we eat, then."

"Yes, but we'll have to wait about a half hour after we've eaten."

"That shouldn't be a problem. It'll probably take that long to find the pool."

"Yeah, no kidding. This place is huge." Ryoko rolled over on her side and sat up. She grabbed the phone and dialed 1 for room service. Tenchi also sat up and walked into the bathroom. His face was a little scruffy, so he decided to have a quick shave. He found a brand-new razor in the drawer and a small can of shaving cream. *This hotel is really nice. I wouldn't mind coming back here for another vacation in a few months.*

Ryoko didn't recognize any of the food that the hotel had available, and she just picked out what sounded best. Tenchi emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later and sat down on the bed.

"They said the food would be here in approximately 20 minutes."

"That's great. I'm in dire need of it."

"I'm just hoping that it tastes decent. I have no idea what I ordered."

"I'm sure it will."

Their food arrived on time, and soon Tenchi and Ryoko were seated at the kitchen table eating it. Tenchi ended up with a huge, sub-like sandwich filled with meatballs, spaghetti sauce, and cheese. Ryoko had what appeared to be a large burger filled with meat, cheese, and a substance plant that resembled ground up lettuce. Both Ryoko and Tenchi were thoroughly enjoying their meals, and the food disappeared within a few minutes. Tenchi sat back in his chair and sighed happily. "That was a great meal. I'm stuffed," he declared as he patted his stomach.

"Yes, that was great. The food on this planet is really good."

"I'll say...but it's still not as good as Sasami's cooking."

"You're right about that."

Both Tenchi and Ryoko promptly cleaned up their messes before changing into their swimming suits. Ryoko's bathing suit was a white, two-piece bikini that hugged her form very tightly and complemented her gorgeous figure. Tenchi's black swimming trunks went down a few inches above his knee. Since Ryoko could just phase in her clothing, she was done much earlier than Tenchi, and she waited somewhat impatiently on the couch for him to finish.

Tenchi finished changing his clothing fairly quickly, and he went into the bathroom to grab two towels for him and Ryoko to dry off with once they had finished swimming. He grabbed a pair of disposable slippers that the hotel provided and slipped them on his feet. He grabbed a second pair for Ryoko to wear and started to walk out of the bathroom, when he decided that she wouldn't need them. He put them back in the container and headed out to the living room where he found Ryoko waiting for him on the couch.

"What took you so long?" She said with a slight tone of annoyance in her voice. He sweatdropped.

"I was only gone for a few minutes," he paused for a moment. "Shall we go?" She disappeared, and reappeared beside him.

"Yes, but how do we get there?"

"Don't worry. We'll find our way." Tenchi used his Tenchi-ken to command the cabbit to stay in the living room, and then he laid the sword down on the kitchen counter behind the toaster. He and Ryoko left the room, and he locked the door behind them.

"I suppose that the pool will have to be located on the ground floor."

"Yeah, Ryoko, you're probably right." They walked to the elevators, hand in hand. Due to the speed of the elevators, it took them only a few moments to reach the first floor. As they stepped out, it occurred to Tenchi that this was going to be a little harder than he thought. "We have two options...we can go left or right." Ryoko rubbed her chin for a moment and glanced both ways.

"Why don't we go both ways?"

"You mean split up?"

"No," she said as she split herself into two people. "We'll go to the right and..."

"I'll go to the left," her other self finished.

"Oh, ok. That sounds like a good plan."

Their search turned up absolutely nothing after 20 minutes of wandering around the many hallways that filled the hotel. *I didn't realize just how big this hotel was. We're never going to find it at this rate,* Tenchi thought to himself.

Ryoko's other self rounded a corner at the end of one hallway and started down another hallway. She walked past two doors before a light-green skinned cleaning woman walked out of the room directly in front of her pushing a very complex looking device that could only be a cleaning cart. "Excuse me, but could you tell me where the pool is?"

"Hmm...if you head down this hallway and take the last possible right, you'll find all of the hotel's recreational facilities as well as one of the two restaurants."

"Thank you." Ryoko slowly walked down the hallway and waited for the cleaning lady to enter another room.

Tenchi was still deep in thought when Ryoko grabbed his arm and teleported him to where her other self was located. Then, both Ryoko's disappeared and reappeared as one. "I found the pool," she declared with a big grin on her face.

"Where is it?"

"Just follow me." She took his hand in hers and headed down the hallway. She took the last right, like the maid had told her to do, and she saw a wide-open area lined with arcade games. There was also an entrance to the hotel's restaurant, but there weren't any pools. The walked farther into the room and saw some signs with arrows pointing to various areas. One sign in particular caught both of their attentions. "Private Pool Access Help Desk. Hmm...they have private pools. I wonder if one's available right now."

"Yeah, and I wonder how much it costs. We should be able to afford it for a few hours or so."

"Did you bring any money with you?"

"Uhh...no. I left it back at the hotel room."

"Where at in the room?"

"In the drawer of the night stand on my side of the bed."

"Which side is that?"

"Umm...as you walked into the room, it would be on the left, I believe."

"Ok, I'm going to go find an area where there are no people and teleport to the room. You should go to the desk and find out if the pool is available or not, and fill out any necessary paper work if it is while I'm gone."

"Good idea." She raised two fingers to her lips and kissed them, and then she touched them to Tenchi's lips. She smiled at him and walked away.

Tenchi picked up a brochure about special attractions in the city as he walked over to the desk. He pressed the "ring for service" buzzer and waited for service. A few moments later a pretty, light-green skinned woman approached the counter and smiled. "How may I help you, sir?"

"How much does it cost to rent a private pool?"

"That depends on how long you intend to use it. We offer quarter, half, and whole day rentals."

"How much would the quarter-day rental be?"

"2,500 Jurai dollars"

"That's fine. I'll take it."

"When do you want it?"

"Now."

"Hmm...let me see if one is available." She punched in a code on her computer. "Private pool number four is available for a quarter-day rental."

"That's great." He reached in his pockets, but he didn't find any money. *Damn, I forgot that I don't have any money with me. I hope Ryoko returns soon.*

"Ok, your name is?"

"Tenchi Masaki."

"How do you intend to pay, cash or credit?"

"Cash." Luckily, Ryoko walked up and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Miss me, Tenchi?"

"Yes. Did you find the money?"

"What would you give me if I did?"

"Six hours in our own private pool."

"That's good enough for me." She handed him the money, and he counted out $2,500 Jurai dollars.

"Here is the money for the pool." He handed it to the woman, and she typed in the data on her computer and a drawer opened up. She put the in the drawer and handed him a key and an "In Use" sign to hang from the door.

"Enjoy your swim," she said with a friendly smile.

"Thanks, we will," Tenchi smiled back, and he and Ryoko headed in the direction that the sign above them pointed to. As they walked, the passed private pool number 1 on their right and private pool number 2 on their left.

"We're headed in the right direction," Ryoko declared.

"Yeah, that's for sure." They walked a bit farther until they found pool number 4.

"This is it. It only took us about a half hour to find it."

"At least we did find it, thanks to me. You men have no sense of direction."

"I would have found it eventually."

"Yeah, and by then, the hotel would have crumbled to pieces from age."

"Ha. Ha. You're so funny." (sarcastically spoken)

"I know. I'm also beautiful. So that would make me one grand package for the man lucky enough to unwrap me."

"Now that I agree with. Hmm...and is there a lucky man?"

"Well, let's see...there's...um...uhhh...." She smiled at him. "You."

"I am indeed lucky...lucky to have a goddess for a girlfriend."

"Well, I'm not a goddess, but close enough." She kissed him as he turned the key to unlock the door. He broke the kiss and opened the door.

"After you." He bowed and motioned for her to enter. She nodded and walked in. The room was huge. The pool, which was quite large itself, was surrounded by at least 20 ft. of deck on each side. The deck contained large pieces of various stones of different colors all smoothed down and separated by grout. There was a towel rack filled with fresh towels, and ten reclining lounge chairs and three different, circular, marble tables. One was composed of a dark marble that had small curvy lines running through it, one was composed of an almost entirely white marble, and the last one was composed of a marble with various shades of brown, gray, and pearl spread evenly throughout. The tables were about 10 feet apart and were on the right side of the pool, while the lounge chairs were about five feet apart and arranged in two rows on the left side of the pool. There was a small control unit on the far back wall for setting the temperature of the pool water. The pool, itself, was a site to behold. One-inch by one-inch tiles composed the surface of the walls and floor. They were all arranged to paint a picture of an animal that resembled a deer, except it was black and green striped and had three large, sharp horns protruding from its head. The tiles surrounding the beast were dark blue. The pool's size was about 25 ft. by 50 ft. It had a deep end and a shallow end with a swim out (small place to sit) on the right and left sides of the deep end. On the ceiling of the room, a landscape of three of these green and black deer-like creatures in a jungle was painted in grand detail. "Wow! This is incredible. I can't imagine the amount of time the workers spent laying the tile in the pool, laying the deck, and painting the ceiling."

"Well, this room surely wasn't built overnight."

"No kidding. I bet this cost a pretty penny."

"A few pretty pennies." Tenchi kicked off his slippers and walked over to the edge of the pool and tested the water with his foot.

"That just a little chilly, I'll go turn up the heat a notch."

"Ok." Ryoko sat down in one of the lounge chairs while Tenchi adjusted the temperature. Once he was done, he sat down in the chair on Ryoko's left and sighed happily.

"This is great. We should bring the rest of the family up here in sometime. I'm sure Ayeka would love all of the amenities of this place, and Grandpa would love all of the beautiful artwork and such. Dad would marvel over the architecture, and Sasami, Mihoshi, and Ryo-ohki would love the mall. Kiyone would finally be able to relax, and Washu could have a break from her lab work."

"Yeah, we should make plans to come up here on the next holiday. I wonder what the others have been doing at home."

"Probably stuff they normally do when we're there. Ryo-ohki has probably eaten up all the carrots in the storage room, and Sasami won't have any to cook with."

"I guess someone will have to go to work when they get home."

"Yeah, but it's no big deal. It's calm and peaceful in the carrot fields, and I can focus my thoughts." Ryoko phased out and phased back in by the edge of the pool, and she stuck her foot in to test the water temperature.

"It's warm enough to swim, Tenchi."

"Ok." He stood up and walked over the edge of the deep part of the pool. He took in a breath of air and held it as he dove in. He swam down to the bottom of the pool and pushed off the bottom. He shot back up to the surface just in time to be splashed in the eyes by Ryoko's dive in the pool. He wiped his eyes just as someone grabbed his ankles and pulled him under. He just barely had time to take in a breath before he was submerged. He looked down to see Ryoko smile and let go of his ankles. He swam up to the surface, and she swam up in front of him.

"Gotcha."

"Yeah, I owe you one."

"You'll have to catch me first." She swam towards the shallow end, and Tenchi followed her. Ryoko glided though the water with the grace and ease of a dolphin, and Tenchi swam though it with the awkwardness of a dog. His speed was good though, and he almost was able to grab Ryoko's leg a few times as they swam around the pool. Ryoko finally stopped and turned around. Tenchi also stopped and looked at her. "I give up. You win." She said with a smile.

He reached up and ran his fingers through her wet hair and smiled. Then, he dunked her without warning. She came back up to the surface and crossed her arms in the water. "That was sneaky."

"Yeah, it was, wasn't it? Now we're even."

"I guess we are." She split herself into two people, and her other self appeared behind Tenchi and put her hands on his shoulders and pushed him under the water. His eyes widen with surprise and he was just able to draw in a breath before his head fell beneath the surface. Ryoko laughed and both of her selves phased out and reappeared as one. When Tenchi surfaced, he noticed the big grin on her face. "And I thought I was sneaky."

"You are, but you're just not as sneaky as I am."

"That's true. Shall we call a truce to this little dunking game?"

"Yeah. We should have a race, instead."

"A race?"

"Yup. I'll race you from the wall of the far wall off the shallow end to the far wall of the deep end."

"You're on." They swam down to their starting positions. "Let's go on the count of three. 1. 2. 3!" They pushed off the walls and began swimming as hard as they could. Well, Ryoko could have traveled a lot faster, but she didn't use any of her powers. She wanted the race to be fair as possible. She even slowed her pace to compensate for her greater physical speed and strength, but she would never tell Tenchi that.

They race was a close one as they pushed off the back wall of the deep end at the same time. Ryoko's push off allowed her to gain half a body length on him, though. Tenchi went all out, but he couldn't gain back the ground he'd lost. *I could use my own power and beat her, but that wouldn't be fair since she isn't using her powers. I'll just let her win this one and challenge her to another race.* Ryoko touched the wall on the shallow end and stood up. Tenchi did the same thing a few seconds later. "You won this one, but how about a rematch?"

"Okay."

"Use your powers in the rematch."

"But that wouldn't be fair." The emblem of power on Tenchi's forehead appeared and began to glow.

"It wouldn't be fair for you if you didn't." He said with a smile. She smiled back at him. "I beat you without using powers, and now I'll beat you with them."

"We'll see. Go whenever you're ready." Ryoko and Tenchi took off at almost the same time. Each of them flew through the water at an incredibly high speed. They reached the other side of the pool in under a second, and Tenchi speed up so much after he touched the back wall, that he appeared as a streak in the water. He beat Ryoko to the wall in the shallow end by a half a second.

"It looks like you won thi..." She was cut off by a big wave slamming into her. Tenchi ducked under the water to avoid it and came up laughing at her.

"I guess we really stirred up the water in that last race."

"Yeah, you could say that."

"That's about enough racing for me. You won one, and I won one. Let's call it even."

"Sounds good to me." Ryoko started doing a lazy back stoke down to the other side of the pool. "You know, this is the first time I've even been in a swimming pool."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I guess this little trip has been full of first time experiences."

"For the both of us."

"That's true. This trip started off very glumly, but it will end well."

"Very well, indeed." He said with a grin. She looked at him questioningly.

"What do you have up your sleeve, now?"

"You'll have to wait and see."

"Come on Tenchi, what's up? Just tell me."

"Nope. You'll just have to wait." She mock pouted.

"Ok, fine."

"I'm getting pretty thirsty. Do you want something to drink?"

"I could go for a glass of sake."

"Ok, I'll go call room service." Tenchi got out of the pool and grabbed a towel to dry himself off. Ryoko floated on her back and looked up at the ceiling. *That's such a beautiful painting. I wonder how long it took the guy who painted it. The level of detail is incredible. There are even veins on the leaves.* "They said it would be few minutes for the drinks to be delivered."

"Ok. I had better get out of the pool and dry off." She disappeared and reappeared a minute later, completely dry. She took a seat across the dark marble table from Tenchi. She gazed into his eyes and smiled brightly. He shifted in his seat nervously as she stared at him.

"Um...what is it?"

"Your eyes. Did I ever tell you that you have the most beautiful brown eyes?"

"No."

"Well, you do." He also smiled.

"Did I ever tell you that you are the most beautiful flower I've ever laid eyes on?"

"No, you haven't."

"You're that and so much more." They stood up and leaned across the table. Just as they were about to kiss there was a knock on the door. They smiled at each other then burst out laughing.

"There goes that moment."

"Yep, right down the tubes."

"Oh well, you'd better go get our drinks before they think they have the wrong room or something."

"Ok. I'll be right back." He walked over to the door, and returned a minute later with the drinks in hand. He sipped his water as he handed her the glass of sake.

"Thank you." She took a sip of the sake.

"You're welcome."

"They have good sake here. It's better than the stuff back home."

"Yeah, it's probably some of the best quality just like everything else in this hotel." She nodded.

"Mmmhmm."

"The water tastes the same as the stuff back on earth."

"If it didn't, I would be worried if I were you." He laughed.

"Yeah. That would be pretty weird." Their drinks slowly disappeared as they reflected over times of the past. When Tenchi took his last sip of water, he smiled and stood up. "I'm going back in the pool for another swim."

"Ok. I'll join you." Tenchi dove in the deep end followed by Ryoko. Tenchi swam down to and along the bottom until he reached the wall. Then, he pushed off the bottom and soared to the surface. Ryoko came to the surface a minute later. "Hey Tenchi." He turned around just in time to catch a splash of water in the face. He wiped his eyes and splashed some water at her, but she went under to avoid it. She teleported beside him and splashed him again.

"I see how you want to play." He splashed at her, but she went under again. He smiled as the three triangles on his forehead appeared and began to glow. The lighthawk wings appeared and he sent one of the wings to the spot where Ryoko was going to surface. He waited until her head pierced the surface before he made the wing swoop down into the water and send a splash of water right into Ryoko's face. She yelled out in surprise and Tenchi laughed.

"You're not the only who can be sneaky."

"No, but I have a few more tricks up my sleeve." She split herself into two people and each of them grinned. "Let's see you get both of us before we get you."

"No problem." He sent two more wings forth and each of them sent a splash of water at the two Ryokos but they each disappeared before the water could hit them. They reappeared on each side of Tenchi and attempted to splash him. He went under them, and they had to go under too, to avoid the incoming water they had intended to hit Tenchi. Tenchi surfaced and sent all three of his wings to surround the spots where the two Ryokos were going to surface. Instead of surfacing though, one of them teleported behind Tenchi and held him while the other one teleported in front of him and splashed him. "Ok, ok, you win," he declared while wiping his eyes. Both Ryokos disappeared and reappeared as one in front of him.

"Of course I did. I am now the queen of splas..." She was cut off by water splashing her in the face.

"Now, we're even," he beamed a smile.

"Yep. We're even." Tenchi pushed off the wall and did a series of flips on his way to the bottom. Once he reached the bottom, he pushed off and flew straight up. He came up out of the water to his waist before falling back below the surface. With two kicks, he broke the surface of the water with his head.

"It feels great to swim! I haven't been swimming for a few years, and I had forgotten what it was like to feel weightless in the soothing water."

"Yeah, one feels free in water. It's the same way I feel when I fly."

"I've only used my powers to fly once, and that was to save you."

"I'm sorry for putting you through all that. I really thought you hated me, and I didn't want to live, anymore."

"I'll always love you, and I'll always be by your side, Ryoko. Don't ever do anything crazy like that, again."

"I won't, Tenchi, you have my word on that." She swam under the water and surfaced in front of him. She grabbed his shoulders and leaned in to kiss him, but at the last second, she backed off and splashed him. He wiped his eyes and smiled at her.

"You're always doing something unexpected. That's just one of many things I love about you." A serious look came over her face.

"I love everything about you since the first day I saw you. I knew you would be the one to free me from that dark hell that I was imprisoned in."

"That's all in the past. You're free now, and you've conquered my heart for all eternity."

"I know," she said with a happy smile.

Time flew by, and before they knew it, their rental time was almost up. Tenchi walked up the steps in the shallow end and over to the towel rack. He grabbed a towel and began drying himself off. Ryoko disappeared, once again, and reappeared a minute later bone dry.

"I'm going to go to the room and put on some dry clothes, I'll be right back," Tenchi said as the power emblem on his forehead appeared and began to glow. The wings of the lighthawk appeared and wrapped around him, and he disappeared.

Ryoko phased out and phased back in wearing a lovely black dress. It was a sleeveless dress that went down to her knees. It was cut low at the top and revealed quite a bit of cleavage. It was tight around her waist which made her gorgeous figure stand out even more. There was a golden flower on each shoulder, and sparkles in the skirt part of the dress. She also had on black high-heels to match her dress. The lighthawk wings appeared a few feet from her. They unfolded and Tenchi stepped forward. The wings disappeared and so did the triangles on his forehead. He was wearing one of the suits he bought at the mall. It was all black, except for the two white stripes that were located on the end of the sleeves and pant legs. There was also one thick white striped that wrapped around his waste.

"You look great," they said simultaneously.

"I've never seen you wear that dress before."

"The need has never arisen. That new suit looks nice on you."

"Thanks. I thought the stripes were a little off, but oh well."

"Nah, they would make you look better, if such a feat were possible." He blushed slightly.

"Thanks. Well, our time's up. Let's go return the key, and then get something to eat at the hotel's restaurant."

"Sounds good to me." Tenchi picked up the money that Ryoko had laid on one of the tables, and they left. Ryoko hit the "ring for service" buzzer as soon as they approached the counter. A different lady approached the counter this time around.

"I'm returning the key to the pool that I rented," Tenchi said as he handed her the key.

"Thank you. How was your experience there?"

"It was great. I was very pleased. The pool room was beautiful."

"Yes, the artist who painted all of those rooms is very good. He'll be unveiling his work on the city capitol building next week. If your in town, you should stop by."

"Unfortunately, we have to leave tomorrow, so we won't be able to see it."

"That's too bad. I've heard that it's supposed to be his greatest work yet."

"We might take another vacation here in a few months and see it then," Ryoko chimed in.

"Hey, aren't you Lord Tenchi, the first crowned prince of Jurai?"

"Yes, I am, and this is Ryoko."

"It's a pleasure to meet you both." Ryoko and Tenchi shook hands with her.

"Well, we must be off to dinner."

"Ok, enjoy your meal."

"Thanks, we will." Tenchi and Ryoko walked away hand in hand and headed for the restaurant. Upon arrival, and light-green skinned man in a red suit greeted them.

"Do you have reservations?"

"No sir," Tenchi said with a concerned look on his face.

"Hmm...Let me see if I have anything available." He looked at his clipboard for a moment. "You're in luck. We have three different tables available. We have a booth and a table with chairs."

"We'll take the table with chairs," announced Ryoko.

"Ok. Follow me." He turned around and began walked forward. He rounded a corner walked down an aisle of tables. He walked around another corner before stopping at an empty table. "Here we are. Your waitress should be by shortly."

Tenchi slipped him a few hundred Jurai dollars and whispered into his ear, "I want this dinner to be very romantic." The man nodded and walked off.

"What was that all about?" Ryoko asked with a quizzical look on her face.

"Oh, nothing much." She could tell that he was lying because of the huge grin on his face, but she decided to let him have his fun.

A few minutes later, a young light-greened skinned man in the same type of suit as the coordinator of the seating arrangements carefully walked up to the table with a big, round tray held just above his head. He sat the tray down at the edge of the table and removed two candles and candle holders from it and set them up on the table. Then, he light both candles and handed both Ryoko and Tenchi a menu. He picked up the tray and nodded to someone in the background, and the lights were dimmed. Candles were brought to everyone else's tables soon after. A beautiful, soft song began playing, and it added to the atmosphere. Ryoko glanced up from her menu to see Tenchi looking at her.

"Did you have anything to do with this?" She said with her lips slightly curved up into a smile.

"Who, me?" He asked innocently, but his grin gave him away, again.

"This was so sweet. Thank you."

"You're welcome. I just wanted to have a romantic dinner with the woman I love."

"She appreciates it very much."

"I'm glad to hear it." Their waiter returned with a small notepad and a pen.

"Are you ready to order?"

"What would you recommend?" Ryoko asked.

"The zechhi steak has been deemed the best in the planet by the President, himself." Ryoko nodded.

"I'll go ahead and try it."

"And what will you be having, sir?"

"I'll have the same."

"Ok, that's two zechhi steaks. What can I get you to drink?"

"I'll have sake," Ryoko declared.

"I'll have water."

"I'll be back with your drinks in just a moment." He quickly walked away.

"Didn't you have zechhi steak at the first restaurant we ate at?"

"Yes, and it was the best cut of meat I've ever had the pleasure of eating."

"I can't wait to try it, then." Their waiter returned with their drinks within a few minutes. He sat them down on the table and disappeared around the corner. Ryoko sipped her sake. "A lady could get used to this."

"Yeah, we'll definitely have to come back here in the near future."

In another ten minutes, their food arrived. The waiter carefully placed the orders in front of them. "Is there anything else I can get you?"

"I would like to have another glass of sake."

"And I could use another glass of water."

"No problem," he said as he picked up their empty glasses and placed them on his tray. He walked off and stopped at a few other tables on his way back to the kitchen. Ryoko took her knife and fork and cut a small piece off of the huge steak and raised it to her mouth.

"Mmmmmm, this is really good." Tenchi nodded in agreement as he couldn't speak due to a mouthful of the delicious steak.

"This is the best steak I've ever eaten. This is even better than the steak at that other restaurant. This steak alone is only reason I need to come back here."

"Yes, this is the best food I've ever had, period, and their sake is also better than any I've had on earth."

The food vanished in a very short period of time. The steaks were so large that Ryoko had to help Tenchi eat part of his. The waiter came by with one final round of drinks and the bill Tenchi gave him a 50-Jurai dollar tip, which he was quite pleased to receive to say the least, and paid the bill. After they finished their drinks, Tenchi stood up. "Shall we go for a walk?"

"Sounds good to me." She stood up and blew out the candles. Tenchi extended his hand and she took it in hers, and they walked out of the restaurant. They headed for the doors in the huge arcade room that lead outside. *It should happen at anytime now,* he thought gleefully. They walked down to the waterfront and looked up at the three gorgeous moons in the dark, starlit sky.

"This is such a beautiful planet," Ryoko said as she put her hands on the railing and breathed in the refreshing night air.

"Yes it is, but it's still not the same as earth."

"I know. Earth is our home, even though this is a nice place to visit."

"That's true." Tenchi kept glancing up to the sky, and Ryoko finally noticed it.

"Why do you keep looking up at the sky?" He smiled.

"I still have a couple of surprised in store for you tonight."

"You do, huh? This day has been the best of my life. There isn't anything that can make it any better."

"Sure there is. Just wait and see." They walked along the waterfront until the entire city was behind them. They climbed up a large hill that overlooked the huge body of water, and sat down at the top.

"Ah, here it comes." Tenchi said as he stood up. Ryoko also stood up as she saw what he was talking about. A large comet lit up the sky as it flew over the horizon. It flew up over their heads, and it was so close that they could make out the craters on the surface of it. Thousands of small pieces of it lit up as they burned up in the planets atmosphere. Ryoko laid her head on Tenchi's shoulder as they beheld the spectacle in complete silence. It was as if time froze during the comets short flight over the planet. It was all over in a few minutes, but neither Tenchi nor Ryoko dared to speak. It was if neither of them wanted that moment in time to end. Finally, Tenchi turned Ryoko around to face him. Then, he got down on one knee and took her hand in his left hand while he reached into his pocket with his right hand. He pulled out a small box and opened it.

"Ryoko, will you marry me?" He asked as he handed her the box. She was rendered speechless by her great shock and surprise. She looked into his eyes which reflected the moonlight and his love for her, and she smiled the happiest smile ever conceived.

"Of course I'll marry you, my darling." A tear of happiness fell down her cheek. She just let it fall as she slipped on the exquisite ring that was in the box. More tears flowed from her eyes and Tenchi stood up and wiped them away.

"Why are you crying?"

"Because I'm so happy. I have dreamed of this since the first day I saw you, and now my dream has come true." She hugged him close and cried into his shoulder. Tenchi shed a few tears of his own as he stared at the moon. Finally, he pulled her back and looked into her yellow, catlike eyes. He smiled and brought his face closer to his. He tilted up her chin, and they kissed with immense passion. They could taste each other's tears as they flowed freely from their eyes. For that brief moment in time, the universe was centered only around them.

Tenchi broke the kiss and looked into her eyes once again. Neither of them said a word as Ryoko teleported them back to their bedroom. She sat down on the bed as Tenchi caressed her cheek. Tenchi sat down beside her, and they leaned in and kissed once again. They kicked off their shoes and laid back on the bed. Ryoko ran her fingers through his spiky hair. "I love you, Tenchi."

"I love you to, Ryoko."

Tenchi awoke the next morning in the arms of his beautiful wife to be. He smiled as he thought about yesterday's events. He rolled out of her grasp and sat up on the bed. Ryoko moaned and opened her eyes. "Good morning, Ryoko."

"Good morning, Tenchi." She rolled over and sat up. She looked at her ring in the light and realized just how beautiful it was. The band was made out of gold and had a T on one side and a R on the other side of a huge blue gem that was cut like a diamond. "Wow. This is so lovely. When did you get it?" He grinned slyly.

"I got it at the mall yesterday. As we walked in the entrance area, I noticed a huge jewelry store on the ground floor, and I teleported over there after we found the clothing store where I bought my clothes at and you flew off. I browsed through the jewelry store's selection for a few minutes before I found this ring. I asked the jeweler to carve a T and a R on each side of the gem. Once he finished it, I payed and thanked him, and then I teleported back to the clothing store as soon as he turned his back."

"And I thought I was the sneaky one."

"I have my moments. What did you think of the comet?"

"That was wonderful. How did you know about it?"

"I picked up a brochure that said it flew by the planet twice each year. Its orbit is in the opposite direction of the planet, but it orbits in the exact same plane as the planet does."

"Yet another example of your sneakiness."

"Yep. You could say that."

"Are we going to go home or stay another day?"

"We really need to get back home, and we don't have any more money."

"Those are very good reasons. I'll get all everything around."

"I've got to have a shower, first, and then I"ll help you."

"Ok, I could also use one after you're done."

Ryoko gathered up Tenchi's dirty clothes while he was in the shower. She also made the bed up and tidied up the room a bit. Tenchi finished up his shower and had a quick shave. He got dressed in another outfit he had bought at the clothing store at the mall that was exactly like the other one, except the stripes in this one were yellow. He emerged from the bathroom, and Ryoko flew right in. He walked out into the kitchen and grabbed a drink of water. He spotted the Tenchi-ken in it's hiding place and he grabbed it and stuck it in one of his large pockets. *Damn, I left the hotel key in my other paints. I'd better get it out before I forget about it.* He walked over to the bag that Ryoko had put his dirty clothes in. He found the suit and reached into the pockets of the pants, and found the key in the last one he checked. He stuck the key into one of his empty pockets.

Tenchi heard the bathroom door open up a few minutes later, and Ryoko came out wearing her one outfit with the red leggings, white blouse, and one orange sleeve and one black sleeve. "Are we ready to go?" Tenchi picked up his bag of dirty clothes.

"Yeah. Let's go." He took the Tenchi-ken out of his pocket and called the cabbit who came running up to his feet. They headed out of the door, and Tenchi locked it behind them. They walked down to the elevator and pressed the button. The doors opened almost instantly, and they stepped inside. Tenchi hit the button for the first floor, and the doors closed and opened up just a second later. They stepped out of the elevator and headed down the long hallway to the front desk of the hotel. They found the same guy there that they had spoken to the day before.

"We really enjoyed our stay at your establishment, and we will be back sometime in the near future."

"I'm glad to hear it." Tenchi handed him the key. "Thank you. You all have a safe journey back to earth." Tenchi shook his hand.

"Take it easy."

"You too." Tenchi, Ryoko, and the cabbit walked out of the hotel and breathed in the sweet smell of the moist morning air. Tenchi reached down and picked up the cabbit. Then, he threw it high in the air and commanded it to transform into a spaceship. The cabbit did as it was commanded and Ryoko teleported herself and Tenchi onto the deck of the ship.

"Should we announce to Washu that we're coming home?" Ryoko asked as she sat down in one of the chairs in the ship.

"Nah. Let's just surprise everyone."

"You're full of surprises. You know that?"

"Yeah, but that's just the way I am."

"And I wouldn't have you any other way." Tenchi smiled and held up the Tenchi-ken.

"Take us back to earth at full speed."

"Miya!" Tenchi quickly sat down as he remembered his past experience of being tossed to the back of the ship upon giving it a full speed order. The ship was out of the planet's atmosphere in a few seconds, and they were on their way home.

"I wonder what everyone will think of our engagement," Ryoko mused.

"We'll just have to wait and see." Tenchi looked out into the depths of space. "We will travel the universe, one day. Just the two of us."

"The two of us and Mayuka."

"And Mayuka. That's a promise."

"I'll hold you to it."

"I know you will." As the ship cruised through the depths of space towards the lonely planet Earth, Ryoko thought about the future. She would officially be Mayuka's mother and Tenchi's wife. Her marriage to Tenchi would also make her the first crown princess of Jurai, but she had no desire to rule over it, and she knew that Tenchi didn't either. They would live out the rest of time on earth, except for the journey through the stars that Tenchi just promised her. He would keep his word because he was a man of the highest honor. *Ayeka will probably be upset about Tenchi and my engagement, but she'll get over it in time. I'm sure she'll find someone who will make her very happy someday. I wish nothing but the best for her and the rest of my family on earth. Thank you, Yosho. You stopped Kagato from using me to destroy people's lives 700 years ago, and you gave me a chance to be with Tenchi. I will repay you by standing upright, and raising my daughter to do the same.*



Author's notes: Well, the fat lady has sung, and "Fragile Hearts" is now complete. Someday, I may write another fic based on this time line, but I seriously doubt it. I really hope you all enjoyed reading my story, and I want to thank everyone who has sent me their comments again. I appreciate all feedback that I get, whether it's positive or negative. Well, I'm off to work on that other fic I mentioned in my first set of notes. It's much longer than the "Fragile Hearts" saga, and it will take me a very long time to finish. That's all the information I'm going to release about it until it's been submitted to the archive, and only one other person in this world has laid eyes upon the unrevised chapters I have completed, and he won't give anything away, either. Please review this story. I really look forward to reading your comments about it.