To be a Princess, Day 12 - Jurai
"You call this Training?" Tenchi asked his tormenter, but the smile he wore gave away his true feelings. For the past day, if it could be called that, the three of them have become fast friends. He had told his new friend about his life with the girls and even the captain had said it would have been hard for even him to make a choice.
"Yes your highness." Kinata told him as he helped the young man off the floor again. "You know that is the sixth time you have embraced the floor, are you beginning to like it more than her?" He continues to laugh as he helped Tenchi off the floor from where his latest attack had placed the prince.
"Not likely, the floor isn't as soft." Immediately after the words left his mouth he was a deep red as was Ryoko just a few feet away watching the two of them spar. "Um, I mean..."
"I think I know what you mean. I expected more from you since you have trained with Yosho."
Getting his blush and thoughts in order he finally responded after brushing himself off almost unconsciously, "Well I only get to train with him for a few months a year for the past few years, how long have you trained?"
"Every day for the past seven-hundred-fifty years," he replied as though it was nothing. Tenchi balked at the idea, but soon recovered as Washu claimed to be over twenty thousand and Ryoko was over two thousand so this was not as bad as even his grandfather's age. The one confusing thing was he did not look that old where his grandfather appeared much older.
"I think he has taken enough punishment for today." At the sound of her voice both men turned to Ryoko. "If we're about to show up on Jurai I think I better take him to get cleaned up." Ryoko had been having fun watching them spar and she too had spared with them. Both men had to admit that with her full power of the gems she was hard to defeat. Kinata had beaten her once and that was after she promised to not use her special attacks, fly or teleport.
Kinata laughed and slapped him on the back, "She's right. No one wants to see a missing prince show up on his own doorstep looking so badly. Um, no disrespect sir." Tenchi just waved off the comment and bowed to his opponent then collected his things. The captain took them back to the room they shared and on the way Tenchi thought about their breakfast and how Ryoko and the captain seemed to talk like they were old friends. Since talking to him that night it seemed that the captain truly made an effort to forget that Ryoko was the demon and he treated her just like he would anyone else.
Tenchi knew though that even though they had won over a Juraian Captain it did not mean that all of them would be won over, as easily and even he was not that east to convince. If they were to repeat that for each person of Jurai he was not sure how sane Ryoko would be. With these worries on his mind he anxiously watched the time pass mindlessly getting cleaned up and waiting for the time when the Captain returns.
Ryoko watched Tenchi as he became more and more nervous, but soon she decided on a way to keep him occupied which he found very pleasant. Soon with her taking his time he did not know that several hours had passed, but at the time he really did not care. Unfortunately they did not even try to keep track of the time and were interrupted from their now favorite past time by the knocking at the door.
"Tenchi, Ryoko? We land in one hour." They heard the voice of the captain and in their current form of undress they were glad he did not walk in.
"Um, Ryoko, I think we need to get ready again."
Laughing she told him, "Oh, you don't say?" Grinning wildly at him she moved away from him and watched as he scampered around trying to find his clothes again. Then she too dressed in some Juraian robes that the captain has found. She thought it was funny but when he told her earlier today that she should wear them she laughed. However, she did have to admit that she did look good in them. "You are one beautiful demon." She said to her mirror image.
"No!" She turned towards him with a hurt look, as she thought he was saying she did not look good anymore. "Ryoko," he said placing a hand on her cheek, "you are not that demon. You are my beautiful Angel." Her face turned to a deep red from her blush, and to emphasize his point he kissed her tenderly on the lips.
"Ahem." The voice caused them both to turn around. "I'm sorry your highness, but it is time to disembark." He then gestured towards Tenchi, "and it is not proper for a prince to go about without his shirt."
He looked at himself as did Ryoko and he realized he was still missing his shirt. Ryoko just started laughing again and moved to get dressed while Tenchi was the one blushing now. "Oh, sorry captain we were..."
"I do not need to know." He said as he waved his hand ant them, "Just get dressed in ten minutes while I inform the Emperor that you are here. In the past day I have been kept busy and have forgot to tell him. And he hates surprises." With that he turned and walked away so that the two of them could finish getting dressed just like they were supposed to be doing for the past several hours.
To Kinata's surprise the two of them were ready in less than ten minutes with Ryoko holding her little cabbit. He instructed them to stand beside him and signaling to another officer the four of them were transported to the planets surface. For the captain, and the two females it was nothing, but Tenchi was still not used to this. As his feet touched solid ground he felt his knees threatening to drop him. However he did not fall, instead two arms grabbed him in a bear hug.
"Hello Lady Misaki." He choked out as well as he could when his lungs were unable to take in any air. After he was released he had to fight hard to keep from falling over, but by some miracle he managed to stay standing.
"WOW! Ryoko you look great!" The two queens were talking about how well she looked in the Jurai robes and Tenchi had to admit his Ryoko did look good in them. Ryoko just modeled them for the two queens giving a slight turn to one way then the other to let them see all of it. He could tell that she loved this attention. They clothes reminded him of how she looked wearing his mothers old Kimono, but they had more layers and looked much more regal.
Turning his attention away from the ladies as Misaki was choking Ryo-Ohki he noticed the Emperor talking to the captain. "You know I don't like surprises, and what possessed you to bring them here? And of all people her!"
"I apologize your Majesty, they were on their way here anyway and I felt it better that they arrive in my ship rather then having Ryo-Ohki descend on the planets surface as she did before. It might have started a riot."
"You know that the galaxy press is in a frenzy to find out anything about her after he pardoned her! And furthermore..."
"Your Majesty," Tenchi interrupted causing everyone to look at him. "I know many of your people do not especially care for her, but she is not the person that they think they know."
"Well boy, what makes you think you know her?"
"I know I love her." His declaration caused everyone to look at him surprised, even Ryoko was not expecting him to do that in front of the emperor."
"You... love... her? How could you? You know nothing about her, she's probably seduced you into thinking that as well," he then turned to Ryoko. "Tell me how have you twisted his mind? Have you forced yourself on him? And speaking of that how may others have you seduced as well? My own captain?"
Ryoko was on the verge of crying at the things that were being said about her, but she refused to cry before him. No matter what she would not give in to him. When she spoke her voice was calm but ice cold. "No, I did not seduce either of them and I never have seduced anyone."
Hate, loathing, and anger were beginning to boil over in Tenchi's system over what was being said. "Azusa," the emperor turned to the boy that dare call him by name and not rank. "Understand this, she is not the demon you think she is, nor has she ever been. If you cannot accept her then so be it, but we require a place to stay overnight then we will leave. You will never hear from either of us again."
Everyone looked at him as if he was crazy talking like that to the emperor, save one. One soul looked at him and realized that this was not a boy, this was not the wimp that he was back on earth. And slowly a smile spread across his face, and everyone looked at the emperor strangely as he smiled. "I see, so you have grown up after all. I did not expect to see a man stand before me. When I last saw you all you were was a scared boy that was easily pushed around." Moving towards Tenchi he extended his hand and told him, "When I heard that a prince had pardoned Ryoko the space pirate I was livid, but now I can see you believe strongly in her. But tell me, what are you intentions towards her and to my daughters?"
Reaching over he took Ryoko's hand, "I have asked Ryoko to be my wife. I am sorry sir but even though I have been told that I could take two or three wives I want only one."
"I see," the emperor began stroking his beard. "And have you told them about it yet?"
Shaking his head Tenchi told them, "I have not, but I have sent word to earth to have Mihoshi bring the princesses back here so that I could tell them. I am worried about their safety though as we were attacked along the way." He looked at the captain; "I would feel better if you were to meet them and escort them here safely as you have transported us safely."
"It would be an honor." He turned to the Emperor, "Your Majesty with your permission I would like to go and see them safely home." Emperor Azusa nodded and the captain bowed to him then the queens, but before he left he hugged both Tenchi and Ryoko. With both of them pulled close he whispered to them, "Be careful my friends, not everyone will accept this." And then with a final bow to everyone he went back to his ship. The emperor turned and walked away leaving Tenchi with his bride to be the two queens and the cabbit.
Even as the two queens led them off to a room for the night Tenchi had a growing sense of dread as he knew the captain was right. People would hold a grudge against them and it was only a matter of time before someone tried to kill her or him, or maybe both. He was lost in thought as the three women chatted about many things but mostly about weddings. For Ryoko it was mainly they talked about it to her and she could not seem to get a word in edgewise. She hoped that they could get to a room and lock everyone out. Occasionally she would notice his distracted looks and although she wanted to know what he was thinking it did not seem good to ask right now.
After she got him into their new room and had the doors lock though she had to know, as he did not even notice he was there. "So you wanna talk about it?"
"Ryoko, do we have to fight?"
The thought took her by surprise and she thought about it, "Well in a lot of the soap opera's on earth couples fight a lot?"
"Huh? Oh no, I mean fight others." At her confused look he tried to explain. "How many people are going to hold a grudge against us? Will we keep fighting what everyone thinks they know about you? When will it stop?"
"Hum, well if anyone tries anything I'll blast em and then we won't have to worry about it."
He took her hands in his and looked into her eyes, "Ryoko, back at the hotel there were a lot more of them than us, how many will we have to kill and will that help?"
Her head sagged as she though of more killing, "I can kill them if you want me too."
"NO, I don't want to kill them." He lifted her face back to meet his with his hand.
"But, if we don't then they'll kill us, or we run away. You said yourself that the emperor will never hear from us again. We could just run away?"
"But for how long? How long can we run?" Tenchi stopped and looked off into space for a minute as an idea hit him. "Or we could die."
"WHAT!"
"We could die, challenge everyone that hates us to a final battle to decide our fates. Then no one would ever..."
"Hello!" Ryoko yelled at him while tapping his head. "Tenchi I think Kinata hit your head a few too many times back there."
"Ryoko don't you get it? Ok I'll explain later, but we need to see Washu. Can she talk to us again?"
"Tenchi, are you ok?"
"Ryoko please, can you, um, call, Washu?" She nodded her head and then closed her eyes. Then using her gems she concentrated on calling her mom. She hoped that Tenchi had not gone insane so soon. She was relieved to hear her mother respond.
"Yes Ryoko?"
"Tenchi has something he wants to ask you..."
"Don't you do that again! You gave me a splitting headache last time. Are you on Jurai now?"
"Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?"
"I can't create a portal on a ship as it is hard to keep the position stabilized, but on a planet it is much easier. Give me a bit and I can have a door opened."
"Ok." She turned to Tenchi, "She says that she is gonna create a door to her lab from here." As they waited for her mom to create the portal he tried to get her to understand what he was meaning but he was doing such a lousy job of it she did not understand. It was just a few moments later that the closet door glowed then a familiar spiky haired scientist emerged.
"Ah that was nothing for the greatest scientific genius," she beamed.
"Oh good, Washu can we talk in your lab for a moment?" She just stepped aside and gestured for them to go first. Without hesitation Tenchi took Ryoko's hand and led her into the lab. She then entered and led them to the spot where she does most of her work by a stream. Turning to him she was about to ask what he wanted when he began explaining.
"Washu, I want us to die."
"WHAT!"
"I want to be able to spend the rest of my life with Ryoko in peace and with so many people that want her dead I thought we could set it up so that we all get our wish." He then began going into detail about his idea and soon Washu was offering ways to kill off both of them as she began to understand what he wanted.
"Well they won't be happy unless they get to see it, and Ryoko is built so that a simple accident can't kill her."
"What about a battle then?"
"It would have to be a space battle as you would be sliced to pieces taking on that many hand to hand."
"Very well, a space battle but not in Ryo-Ohki, I don't want her getting hurt."
Washu began to cackle in her normal mad scientist way, "Don't worry Tenchi I will build you a big spaceship that will take out a number of them and make sure there is no remains of either of you."
Ryoko hung her head at her mothers' extravagance, but she was right, it would not be much of a battle unless there was big explosion at the end. Even the earthlings always had a big explosion at the end of their space battle movies. With plans made Tenchi & Ryoko returned to Jurai to make sure this was going to be a big fight that neither Jurai nor the Galaxy Police would interfere with.
Once on Jurai though she led him to the bedroom, "Well Tenchi how do you want to spend your last hours alive?" He did not even answer her question verbally as he kissed her gently and maneuvered her to the bed. With such short time left before their deaths he wanted to at least have a little fun.