Disclaimer: Tenchi Muyo and all the characters in it belong to AIC and Pioneer corp. I'm not making any money off of this fanfic either.

Authors Notes: Here's the next installment in my little saga. Hope you all enjoy it.


Shadows and light

Chapter 2: A wider expanse


In the woodlands near his family's Shinto shrine, Tenchi quietly strode through the countryside, lost in thought. He noted that he had been walking for some time, as the sun would be setting in a little while. He always thought that the sunset helped to create an almost mystical quality to the landscape, and that made Tenchi thankful that he lived in such a pristine and unspoiled area. Walking slowly atop a hillside, he turned his head towards the sparkling ball of light in the sky. I've been out here for awhile now. The others are probably wondering where I'm at, especially Ryoko. I'll just tell them that I went out on a little walk so I could think about some things.

As to what these 'things' Tenchi was thinking about were, they spanned a variety of topics. Yet they mainly centered upon the changes that had taken place all around and within himself. He was now in a relationship with the woman he finally admitted he loved, but he couldn't help but wonder what path the two of them would take now. Are we going to get married soon? Will we move out into some apartment in the city? Maybe we'll stay here. But what about college? Do I even really want to go? What am I going to do to support us and the family we'll have?

He chuckled to himself at his line of thinking. Look at me, I just said 'I love you' to her hardly twenty-four hours ago and I'm already trying to plan the next twenty-four years. Yet his mind could not help but settle upon a memory of the dream he had in the depths of his prison on that far away planet. His smile turned warm as he closed his eyes to better remember the images. Well I guess that means we'll be staying here then. As he opened his eyes and took another look at the countryside surrounding him, he knew that he wouldn't mind spending the rest of his life on this land.

So wrapped up in thought was he, that Tenchi almost didn't even notice his fathers car rumbling down the driveway. "Tenchi! You're back!" Nobuyuki shouted while he stopped his vehicle.

Getting out quickly, the middle aged man walked towards his son with open arms. "I didn't think I'd see you for a few more days. How was Jurai?" he asked while giving his son a warm embrace.

Tenchi couldn't help but smile at seeing his father again. Yet that smile faltered slightly at the thought of how he would explain his rather horrific journey. Tenchi was aware that his father was prone to worry greatly about him, even if his father didn't always show it. "The trip was an eventful one." Tenchi said with as much casualness as he could muster.

Patting his son on the back, Nobuyuki grinned as they walked side by side. "Say, I heard your grandpa mention some legend about how if you spend Startica with a girl you like, then you're destined to be together."

Tenchi's expression became thoughtful for a moment as he mulled those words over. Technically, Ryoko and I did spend Startica together, just not on Jurai. I wonder if the legend counts then? Deciding that it wasn't important since he felt that Ryoko and himself would be together regardless of some legend, Tenchi looked towards his father once more.

"Actually dad, I did figure out which of the girls I love." Tenchi said slowly.

Nobuyuki halted in his steps as his eyes widened and a large grin spread over his features. Latching onto his son once more with a tight bear hug, Nobuyuki chuckled joyously. "You finally picked a girl? I'm so proud of you, you've finally become a man now." he gushed before a few strangled breaths from Tenchi told him that he needed to give his son some air.

"So, which one was it?" Nobuyuki asked excitedly.

"Ryoko." Tenchi answered while catching his breath.

Nobuyuki nodded his head with a smile. "I knew it was only a matter of time before she wore you down."

Tenchi chuckled a little at that before settling into a comfortable silence with his father. As the pair made their way slowly down the dirt path, Tenchi happened to lapse into a bout of fantasizing about his potential future life with Ryoko. I wish my mom could've met her. Tenchi wistfully thought. As his mind focused on his departed mother, he spared his father a glance before hesitantly asking, "Dad, what do you think mom would have thought of Ryoko? I mean, I know Ryoko's not your typical Japanese girl."

Nobuyuki thought over the question for a moment. "I think they'd have gotten along wonderfully. Your mom was quite an independent spirit herself. It was her who first started our relationship back in high school. I remember she asked me out to a school dance. And I vividly remember the occasion when I first met your grandpa. He looked at me like I was a bad piece of fish." Nobuyuki laughed a bit before continuing, "I don't blame him really. I didn't have a job at the time, and I was sweating and stuttering like crazy. But when your granda started interrogating me on how I was planning on supporting his daughter and a bunch of other things, well then she just walked right up to him and said, 'Father, this is my boyfriend, and it is my choice to be with him. I love him, and that is the only thing that matters to me.' Well that was the only time I'd ever seen the old man speechless." Nobuyuki erupted once more into laughter, and Tenchi joined in along with him.

"Thanks dad." Tenchi whispered too quietly for his father to hear as he came upon his house.

"How's Ayeka taking things?" Nobuyuki asked in a more serious tone.

Tenchi let out a sigh. "She's hurt, that much I can tell. She's been avoiding me and staying in her room most of the time." As he prepared to enter his house, he silently wondered if Ryoko had spoken with Ayeka as of yet. I hope there hasn't been any battles, I've got a headache right now and I just wanna relax for a bit. I'm sure when Ayeka's ready she'll begin to open up a little more.


***


The violet haired princess that was on Tenchi's mind was settling into the steamy waters of the onsen at that moment. With all the tension and time spent on the not-so-luxurious Yukinojo, Ayeka was glad to be able to enjoy the theraputic waters of the onsen again. Turning to her right she spied the tray on which another one of her 'therapies' was located. Pouring herself a saucer of sake, she wasted no time in quickly downing the intoxicating beverage.

After finishing her drink, she briefly debated to herself whether she wanted a refill right away. Giving in to the temptation to try and cloud her grief, she filled the saucer up and once more gulped it down. Look at me, I'm drinking like Ryoko now. she mused bitterly to herself. Maybe if I had done things a little more like her I wouldn't be in this situation. Perhaps if I... Shaking her head violently to the side, she clenched her teeth and took a deep breath. I won't do this, I won't think like that.

Her internal musings were interrupted by the sound of the onsens wooden door sliding open. Ayeka straightened up as she dreaded the possibility of her visitor being Ryoko. Taking a breath, she slowly turned around only to exhale in relief upon seeing it was only Mihoshi who had entered. Though Ayeka was hoping to spend some time away from everyone so she could sort things out, the princess knew Mihoshi would actually be one of the few people she wouldn't mind spending a little time with. The cheerful blonde was sure to bring a little levity to the otherwise gloomy atmosphere Ayeka had created.

"Oh, hi Ayeka! I didn't know there was anyone else in here." Mihoshi said while waving.

"Hello Mihoshi, I just entered not long ago." Ayeka responded in as polite a voice as she could muster.

As Mihoshi trotted over into the waters near the princess, her blue eyes widened upon seeing the rather extensive sake collection present. "How nice, we can have a few drinks." Mihoshi giggled while settling beside Ayeka.

Perhaps a drinking partner would make things a little more bearable. Ayeka pondered before pouring her Galaxy Police officer friend a drink.

As the two friends sipped their drinks in silence, Ayeka cleared her throat as she cautiously began to formulate a line of conversation. "Mihoshi, have you ever been in a relationship where you cared very deeply for a person only to discover that they didn't share the same type of feelings for you?" Ayeka's voice sounded timid even to herself as she poised the query.

Mihoshi pondered the question thoughtfully for a moment. "Well, back in the academy, there was this one boy who I really liked. He was tall and cute, and he said he was training to be an engineer. So I was very excited when he asked me to go out with him to this nice club in the Deneb system. But after a few dates, he broke up with me, saying he didn't think I was his type. I was really sad for awhile."

Ayeka ran a finger along the edge of her drinking saucer while avoiding eye contact with Mihoshi. "How did you get over it?"

"I remember waking up one day and finding I was tired of being sad all the time. So I stomped my foot on the ground and said, 'So what if Eisuke Adachi doesn't like me? I like myself just fine, and I know there's a guy out there who will too.' And after that I started feeling a lot better." Mihoshi said cheerfully.

Ayeka sighed deeply before gulping down her drink. I don't think a few words spoken in an effort to bolster my self esteem is what I need.

Some time later...

"Y-you know Mihoshi, *hic* I think the bottle is empty." Ayeka slurred as she gestured to the bottle that Mihoshi was shaking frantically in an effort to get the last drop out.

The tanned blonde let out a sigh as she chucked the bottle into the depths of the of the steamy waters. "Oh well, least we got this one last bottle." she pointed out with a flushed smile. As she poured the beverage into her saucer, she shot a glazed look at Ayeka. "Say, how *hic* come you've got all these bottles here? I know *hic* you like to d-drink and all but..."

The violet haired girl's face flushed a deep crimson at the insinuation. "I am not a drunkard! I'm just *hic* having a few drinks to calm my nerves. I-I've had some stress as of late." she finished quietly.

Mihoshi's face grew concerned as she wondered what her friend meant by her last comment. "Is everything alright Ayeka?"

The large quantity of sake consumed by Ayeka had done wonders in tearing down carefully built emotional barriers. Before she knew it, she was once more mentally repeating the devastating words of Tenchi as he informed her that he loved Ryoko. Each word was like a bullet, and remembering the experience still stung even now. A tear streaked down her cheek before she furiously wiped it away. Her royal pride attempted miserably to reassert itself as she looked away from the concerned stare of Mihoshi.

"Is it something involving Tenchi?" Mihoshi asked innocently.

Had she been sober, Ayeka probably wouldn't have done what she did just then. Lowering her head, she silently hitched her shoulders as another few tears streamed down her cheeks. "It-it does have something to do with him. *hic* He's...chosen..." her voice trailed off as she briefly considered reigning her flaring emotions in and staying silent. But by now an emotional dam had crumpled, and she took a deep breath to finish saying, "He's chosen Ryoko." The statement was rushed from her lips, but their impact was still just as strong.

Mihoshi was stunned into silence for a moment as she leaned back against a rock and stared blankly ahead. Finally seeming to understand the depth of Ayeka's statement, she frowned slightly while letting out a sigh. "Oh, I see." she said sadly.

It was pretty much known by all that Mihoshi did harbor some romantic feelings for Tenchi, although they weren't as strong as Ryoko's or Ayeka's. Still, the blonde could not help but feel disappointment and sadness at knowing that her chance was lost. Yet she realized that any pains she felt herself paled in comparison to what Ayeka was feeling now. Resolving to focus on helping her dear friend, Mihoshi put an arm around Ayeka and tried to think of something appropriately soothing to say.

Ayeka clenched her fist underwater and regained her composure. "Why? Why must this happen to me? Have I *hic* offended Tsunami in some way for her to bestow this upon me?"

Mihoshi shook her head back and forth. "Don't talk like that! I'm sure Tenchi still likes you a lot, like a *hic* friend." she insisted.

Exhaustion was creeping up on the inebriated and emotionally taxed Ayeka as she slumped her shoulders. "But I want more than that." she muttered.

Though Ayeka knew that by the time she sobered up she would rebuild the emotional walls that kept her in check, for this once she allowed herself to let some of her pain out. It would be a little while longer before Mihoshi would have to lead a nearly passed out Ayeka back to her room to sleep off her intoxication.


***


At a place far removed from the quiet safety of Earth, a starship sailed through the space near a bright white planet. The ship was the Chikara, which was formally controlled by the Jurai Royal Academy. Onboard the vessel now were beings who were far from loyal to the Jurai empire. Though the ship wasn't large enough to comfortably house the large group staying on it, they still managed to fit.

Bumping past a burly looking fellow, a rather petite woman walked purposefully through the ship towards a door situated near the back of a corridor. Though the woman was well into adulthood, she still carried some appearance of youth about her. Her skin was an ivory white, which contrasted sharply with her vibrant orange hair that went to her shoulders. Despite her small stature, it was obvious that the others on the ship regarded her with respect as they quickly moved aside to allow her freedom of movement.

Coming to her destination, she knocked loudly upon the metal door and called out, "It's Chisato, may I come in?"

"Of course." came the reply from the other side.

The door slid open to reveal a lean, grey haired man seated in a plush seat which was situated by the rooms window. His wrinkled face showed the signs of a hard life on a harsh planet, but his piercing green eyes still held the same fire as they had in his youth. Swiveling his seat around, the old man flashed the girl a half smile as his posture relaxed. "Hello my dear, what can I do for you?"

To everyone else on this ship, the man was known as Lord Izumo, but to Chisato, he would always be known as 'father'. The orange haired woman returned his smile briefly before seating herself in the other chair in the room. "Well actually I hoping you could explain some things to me."

Izumo raised an eyebrow but remained silent as he awaited her to continue. After a moment she asked, "Father, why have you ordered the ship out to those coordinates in the sixth quandrant? From the records I have studied in the ships databanks, there isn't much of interest in that region."

Izumo shook his head. "You look for lumps of rock and expect to find our future, that is unwise. Trust me when I tell you it is of the utmost importance we go to that area."

"Why? What gave you the idea to head over to the sixth quadrant?"

The aging leader of the ships occupants closed his eyes for a moment. "I have been told by the one above all others to go to that region. In dreams, the messages are whispered to me, and their truth in the past has been verified. For as long as I have known, the dreams have guided me and shown me the path for myself and our people. I have no reason to doubt the dreams now."

Chisato looked surprised for a moment before collecting herself. "W-what did the most recent dream tell you?" she asked curiously.

Interlocking his fingers together, he turned back towards his view of the space outside the ship. "That I should look to the stars and find the claw constellation, for it is there that our destiny will be fulfilled."

"But I thought revenge against the Jurians was our goal?" Chisato inquired.

Izumo's features darkened slightly as he exhaled deeply. "It is, my dear, it is. But what can we do now? Do you expect this small group to charge towards Jurai like a rampaging voralbear? No, we shall follow the path that I have been shown by the one, and then we shall wait for our time to come."

Chisato still held some reservations but bowed her head slightly anyways. "As you wish, father."

A silence hung in the room as both father and daughter enjoyed the view of the solar system they knew for so long receding from view. Izumo was the one who finally broke the silence. "I understand your confusion, my dear Chisato. When I was young, I was hesitant at first to believe in the things I had been foretold of. But I assure you, with time, you will understand everything. You are a brilliant woman, and your mother would be proud to see you help me lead our people into the glory we have waited so long for."

Chisato smiled faintly at her fathers words while her mind drifted to thoughts of dreams, destiny, and of fulfilling the one goal that had dominated her conciousness for as long as she could remember. Retribution was the cause, and in her mind, bloodshed was only method of payment acceptable.


***


Light years away, back on planet Earth, the cyan haired lady known as Ryoko was just awakening from her restful nap. Upon realizing it was Tenchi's bed she was laying in, her mood brightened considerably. While she often would take naps in his bed while he was busy out in the fields or at work, this time seemed more satisfying because she knew that Tenchi wouldn't mind her staying in his bed. With thoughts of Tenchi buzzing around in her mind, she bounced up from his bed and brushed off her dress as she headed out of the room.

Yet quite by accident, her eyes glanced upon a photo which adorned Tenchi's desk. It was a picture of Tenchi and all the girls standing around a grill during a cookout. Of course, Ryoko noticed that she and Ayeka looked like they were moments from trading blows. A small smirk graced her lips at the recollection of those days. But also with those memories came the unsettling line of thought regarding how Ayeka might be feeling now.

The ex space pirate placed her hands on her hips as she furrowed her brow in thought. Should I or shouldn't I? Is it too soon to have a chat with Ayeka? What if she goes nuts or something, I know Tenchi wouldn't like that. Maybe I should just take a little peek and see what she's up to. Deciding upon her course of action, Ryoko strode out of the room and marched down the hall. Stopping outside the room Ayeka and Sasami shared, Ryoko fought off the momentary wave of doubt and slowly phased a little of her face through the door. She half expected to see Ayeka either ranting to herself in anger, or sobbing uncontrollably on her bed. What she didn't expect to see was Ayeka passed out on her futon and reeking quite strongly of sake.

With a sigh, Ryoko pulled her face back through the door and shook her head. Can't very well carry on much of a conversation with someone who's passed out. Hovering towards the staircase, she decided upon following her original line of thought, which centered around seeing what Tenchi was up to. Yet her forward movement came to a halt upon seeing Washu striding up the steps.

While it was true that Ryoko had promised herself to have a chat with Washu, something in her gut told her that now wasn't the time. And frankly, seeing the cool, collected visage of her 'mother' was already beginning to stir up feelings of hostility in Ryoko. Putting on an indifferent look of her own, Ryoko resumed her forward hovering and mumbled a greeting in passing.

"Is that a proper way to greet your mother?" Washu asked in an exaggeratedly hurt tone.

Washu was smart enough to know that Ryoko would surely get riled up and try to respond. The pint sized genius wasn't looking for any sort of argument with Ryoko, but she knew she'd need to do something to gain her daughters attention.

Just as Washu predicted, Ryoko clenched her fists and phased in front of her face. "I'll greet you any way I deem fit." she hissed.

Washu steeled her emotions and retained a calm expression. "Ryoko, I really do think you should come to my lab for some check ups. We still aren't sure exactly what happened, and there may be some adverse side effects to whatever Tenchi did." she said in a low, serious tone. Washu only hoped that Ryoko would see that she was only trying to think of her best interests.

Ryoko snorted in contempt. "You think I'm going back in that little nuthouse of yours? Fat chance." she snapped before turning to leave.

Washu let out a defeated sigh and called out, "Look, if you won't come in for some check ups, at least come by so I can give you something. Something that I know you'll enjoy now that you've got Tenchi."

Ryoko ignored her mothers plea's and continued on her way, much to Washu's displeasure. After seeing her daughters tell-tale shock of cyan hair disappear from view, Washu slumped her shoulders and stuck her hands in her pockets. I wish she'd see that I'm only trying to help her out. I know in the past I've done some things less than admirably, but if we just talk about it I bet things could be worked out.

Meanwhile downstairs, Tenchi was whiling away the time on the family couch. He wasn't lazing around by any means, for he was busy studying a book about some of the great philosophers of feudal Japan. Yet his mind couldn't help but think back to the occurances that happened not long ago. It happened just as he had been just beginning to read his book when a slightly tipsy Mihoshi had stumbled downstairs. She had been known to occasionally indulge in a little sake while bathing in the onsen, so it didn't really catch Tenchi's attention.

What did catch his attention was the quiet, hesitant declaration that she was happy for him and Ryoko, and that she wasn't mad at him for choosing her over everyone else. Tenchi had blinked his eyes in surprise and awkwardly thanked Mihoshi for her support. Mihoshi had just smiled slightly and said that she was going to go water the flowers. When Tenchi cast quick glances at both Washu and Sasami, his expectations for a confrontation were dashed when the two of them were silent and seemingly unphased. But after a moment, his surprise had worn off. Afterall, Washu was a genius with a link to Ryoko and Sasami was joined with a goddess. He had been planning on revealing that he and Ryoko were a couple that night at the dinner table, but it seemed as if everyone already knew.

Bringing his thoughts back to the present, Tenchi slipped a bookmark in his novel and closed it shut. The sun was setting in the sky, and dinner would be ready soon. He had politely asked Sasami if she would help prepare a small picnic basket for himself and Ryoko. Ryoko had been snoozing soundly in his bed the last time he was in his room, but Tenchi had a hunch she would be awakening soon though. Sure enough, Tenchi glanced towards the staircase just as Ryoko floated down leisurely.

Though her facial expression was hardened into a grimace as she decended, upon spotting her beloved, she broke out into a grin. Phasing beside him, she quickly gave him a peck on the cheek. Her hair was still disheveled from her extended bit of sleep, and Tenchi couldn't help but think how cute she looked. "Did you have a good nap?" he asked sincerely.

She nodded her head while yawning. "Yep, I really needed that. Now I'll be ready to go all night." she finished with a slight gleam in her eye.

Tenchi had an idea of what sort of things she was implying with her last remark, but he chose to let it slide. "Umm, I've got a kind of surprise for you."

"I love surprises!" she squealed while wrapping her arms around his neck. "What is it? A ring? Something...naughty?" her voice lowered to her trademark tone of seduction as she finished. She knew that it would be neither of those things, but teasing him was just so much fun for her.

Suddenly feeling very hot under the collar, he gulped loudly. "N-no, nothing like that. I was just...well...I want you to wait here for ten minutes and then meet me at that hilltop by the little patch of shrubs. You know where it is, right? The place with the bushes that are arranged in a circle?"

Nodding her head, she loosened her grip around his neck while she tilted her head to the side. "Just what are you planning Tenchi?" she asked curiously.

"Something I think you'll enjoy." he said with a confident smile as he got up.

Ten minutes later...

Ryoko has never been known for her patience, and so it was with great anxiousness and excitement that she sat on the couch and followed Tenchi's instructions. And exactly six hundred seconds after Tenchi left, she phased outside and began her flight towards the designated meeting spot. Her eyes widened when she saw what was waiting for her. Tenchi was sitting on the ground by a large plaid blanket which had an abundance of food on it and some candles. What really made everything perfect was the incredible view of the landscape before them. The last rays of the sun were fading amidst the ever approaching night.

Grinning as he saw her pause and take everything in, he motioned for her to come sit down. "Come on, you don't want to miss out on all this great stuff Sasami made." he called out to her.

Returning his smile, she hurriedly flew over and sat in a lotus position, just like Tenchi. "Candlelight dinner by a sunset view? I didn't know you could be so romantic, Tenchi." she remarked with some giddiness.

Scratching the back of his neck, he smiled weakly. "It's nothing really. You should know I'm not really a romantic guy."

Ryoko shook her head. "You're wrong. Even the little things you do, like holding my hand under the table, or just smiling at me to try and lift my spirits, those are romantic for me."

Blushing slightly, he averted his eyes from hers. "Well, I was hoping you'd like the dinner, but I wasn't sure."

"I love it." she said simply and honestly.

"I wasn't too sure if you'd really want to be eating outdoors anymore after having to do it on that planet we were on." he admitted quietly.

Ryoko shrugged her shoulders. "If it wasn't for those assholes that lived there, I probably would have enjoyed that place. Just me and you, with nobody else to bother us, it sounds great to me."

Tenchi nodded his head as he chewed on a tasty morsel of food. Ryoko idly nibbled on some food of her own as her golden eyes scanned the skies above, which were already speckled with a few bright stars. "That's one thing I hated about that planet, the lack of stars. I like a sky so filled with stars it feels like you're flying through the center of the galaxy. Stars make the night seem, I don't know...alive. That place we were on seemed so dead."

"I suppose your right. It was kind of eery looking up at night and seeing it so empty." he mumbled quietly. Sensing an uncomfortable silence, he chose to brighten things up a bit. "There's a meteor shower coming up next weekend. Why don't we just pitch out a blanket and watch it all night? You know, when I was really little, my dad woke me up one night to show a meteor shower to me. I freaked out because I thought the sky was falling apart and that we were going to be hit by a falling star." he chuckled a bit at the memory of his youth.

Ryoko joined him in his laughter for a moment before she quickly halted herself and smacked Tenchi on his cheek. Her action caused quite a bit of shock and annoyance on Tenchi's part. "Hey! What'd you do that for?!"

"You had a mosquito on your cheek." she said simply while flicking away the remnants of the insects smashed corpse.

"Oh..." he said with a half smile.

Smiling in return, the two settled into a comfortable silence. Both were content for the moment to enjoy the soothing atmosphere, which allowed their minds to idly wander. It was during one of these moments of stray thought that Ryoko took a look down at her bowl of food and came up with an interesting idea. "Tenchi, can I ask you for a favor?" she inquired curiously.

"Of course." he answered, while nodding his head.

She knew she was skating on thin ice possibly with her request, but with the romantic setting, it seemed too good a chance to pass up. "Would you let me feed you?"

A look of surprise befell his features as he blinked his eyes. "You want to...what?"

Ryoko scooted over a bit closer. "Oh come on Tenchi, it'll be fun! I've asked before but you always refused."

He rolled his eyes. "You know, I can feed myself."

She matched his eye roll with one of her own. "Don't you get it Tenchi? It's supposed to be something intimate, something that close couples do with eachother. Since I first saw it on TV I knew it was something I'd wanna do with you. Please, just this once?" She opted for her puppy dog eyes and pleading voice, which she felt was sure to melt Tenchi.

Just as she suspected, his features softened, and a sigh escaped his lips. "Alright." he relented in a defeated tone.

Grinning wildly, she crawled over slowly to him while her eyes sparkled with mischief. "Trust me Tenchi, you will enjoy this." she purred.

Setting down her bowl in front of Tenchi, she held the chopsticks in one hand as she slithered over until she was eventually onto his lap. Immediately Tenchi's posture stiffened as he opened his mouth a few times in an attempt to say something. Wiggling herself into Tenchi until she was comfortable, she placed a finger over his mouth. "Just relax." she whispered sweetly.

Tenchi gulped loudly and futilely attempted to comply with her wishes. His nerves flared and tingled with her proximity, and he knew that clear thinking would become harder to accomplish with each passing moment. Blinking once, he noticed her still with that cheshire cat grin and holding a pair of chopsticks which clasped a chunk of perfectly cooked and seasoned chicken.

"Open wide." she cooed.

Following her command, he opened his surprisingly dry mouth and felt as she slowly moved the delicious piece of food into his mouth. She smoothed back his hair with her free hand as he began to chew on the morsel of meat. Smiling with approval, Ryoko moved her lips close to his ear. "Good boy." she breathed huskily into his ear, delighting at the slight shiver that shook his frame.

Ryoko revelled in the intimacy and the rising erotic nature of the moment as she fed him another bite of food. She always enjoyed the games of seduction she would play with Tenchi, and often fantasized about what would happen if he one day submitted. With their new relationship, the prospects of that happening seemed amazingly real, and her heart pounded wildly within her chest at the thought of tonight being the night her wishes were fulfilled. The feel of his toned body pressed so close against her was sending her mind in a fluttery daze, and she knew she would need to gather her wits about her if this little game was to continue.

"Your turn to feed me now." she said with a slight waver in her voice.

Tenchi had the appearance of a spellbound deer in the headlights, but he mutely nodded his head after a moment. Taking the chopsticks from her, he plucked out a warm piece of cooked meat bowl and slowly moved it towards her lips. Lips which Tenchi's eyes and mind seemed to unconciouslessly fixate upon, the mantra of soft, full, warm, and moist flashed in his brain. I need to get a grip, I've handled her hugging me and even being around me naked before. Of course, images of Ryoko's nude body were not advantageous to curtailing any lustfull feelings he had, so he shook his head and focused on the task at hand.

Yet for Tenchi, focus was once more made quite difficult by Ryoko's slow sucking on the chopsticks as he slid them out between her lips. Whether it was his imagination or not, he felt the temperature rise by an infinite amount as she started dragging her nails across his back. Finally reaching a mental crossroads, he decided to utilize his well practiced steeling of any hormonal urges. "Umm, we-we should stop I think." he muttered quickly.

The disappointment was obvious on Ryoko's features, but she nevertheless disengaged her arms from him and slid off of his lap. "Well it was fun while it lasted." she mumbled under her breath.

Letting out a ragged sigh, Tenchi ran a hand through his hair. The swirl of desires and nerves had combined to effectively scramble his thinking process, much to his regret now. I really know how to make a girl feel good don't I? he chided inwardly. Sparing her a look that pleaded for her to understand, he thought over the proper wording before he spoke. "It's not like I don't want to eventually, or that I don't find you attractive, because I really do think you're...you know...very beautiful." he paused for a moment to try and stave off the blush that was rising to his cheeks. Clearing his throat, he continued speaking again. "But as I said before, I think I need a little more time before we...take that next step. I'm still adjusting to this new relationship, and I want to feel comfortable before we do what we'll do when we decide to do those things that a couple does when they decide to do those sorts of things." He quirked his eyebrows as he wondered whether or not his jumbled rambling made a bit of sense.

Ryoko had to bite back laughter at listening to his nervous chattering. "Tenchi, I understand. If you need a little more time, that's alright with me. I'll just expect you to make up for all that waiting when you finally feel comfortable with having sex." She grinned ferally at him while leaning back onto the palms of her hands. Returning her smile half way, Tenchi relaxed his tensed muscles. I hope I get over this nervous thing soon. I'd really like to take that next step with her, but only when it feels absolutely right.

And so it was that Tenchi and Ryoko finished their wonderously cooked dishes under the starlit skies. It wasn't a very talkative meal, as they both were quite content to spend their time gazing at the sparkling heavens above. With some reluctance, the pair folded up the picnic blanket and walked slowly back to the house. The echo of their laughter at some joke or comment one of them would make carried across the landscape. And when the pair made their way to Tenchi's bedroom, they slipped under the covers and lay close to eachother, both idly hoping the night would offer them a good sleep.

Yet for Tenchi, that turned out to be a false hope.

The first sensation I notice is the rough feel of gravel as it scrapes across my face. The next thing I notice is I'm being dragged along the ground, but I make no move to stop it anymore. I'm sorry Ryoko, I should have known, I should have tried harder to fight it.

The scene changes, and I'm floating, or falling, or flying, I can't really tell. The sky looks so beautiful...no, no it's not, something's wrong. It's red, blood red, and it's everywhere in my senses. My screams sound so muffled, until eventually I can't even hear them anymore.

I'm at a new place now. Gods, I'm on the side of a cliff, holding onto a jutting rock with all my might. Slowly, I pull myself higher and higher. Yes, I can see the top coming close, so close now, I can do it. Wait, I...I can't do it, there's nothing for me to grip on so I can climb those last few feet. My arms are so tired, I'll never possibly be able to climb down to the bottom. It's hopeless, I've failed, so I just...let go. I fall and fall until the wind is no longer all around me because it's now inside of me, and then everything blurs and melts away.

Tenchi's eyes jarred open as his breaths came out in short puffs. His head throbbed with the ache of a headache, but his frantic thoughts helped keep his focus off of the pain. Looking to his right, he saw the still peacefully sleeping form of Ryoko next to him, her arm draped across his chest. Closing his eyes and focusing on the comforting presence of her near him, he tried to will himself to relax. It was just a dream, nothing to get worked up over. Everything will be fine, I'm sure of it.

And Tenchi wondered just how often he'd need to tell himself that before he started believing it.


End of chapter 2


Authors Notes: Sorry if things aren't progressing fast enough. I'm still setting things up for when the story really starts to roll. And I hope that this story gets properly uploaded to FF.net or I'm going to be miffed.