*****
RAYANI: Magaru is busy right now, so Ayeka is going to help me. Ryoko
refused, Sasami is off with Kenny somewhere, Tenchi is in the fields, I'm
not going near Noboyuki, Washu's has a new experiment that I'm sure will
explode as soon as she straps me to it, and Kagato's playing the pipe
organ.
AYEKA: Out of the goodness of my heart, I have volunteered to help with
introducing chapter eleven.
RAYANI: Hmm...uh, okay. Maybe this was a mistake...I should have done it by
myself, or...anyways, chapter eleven.
AYEKA: What was that you said about me? Hmm?
RAYANI: Um, nothing at all, your majesty. Hail the--what am I doing,
hailing the Queen of Jurai...I think I've been around Maggie too long...
*****
Chapter Eleven: Embraced Passions
"I'm so nervous! I'm so nervous!"
"Don't be, it's nothing."
"But--"
"Maggie, I said it's nothing. Don't be nervous."
"Oh, but what if I trip on my dress? What if Jake doesn't show up?"
"You worry too much! I'd bet my tail against anything else that Jake is going to love your dress. Don't worry."
*****
"Father, I didn't know you knew about this."
"Why wouldn't I? You ARE my son, after all."
"What if Maggie runs away? I mean, she must be as nervous as I am."
"Why would she be nervous? Why are YOU nervous?"
"Well--I don't know..."
"If she runs away, then you'll know that she's not the one for you."
"Really?"
"Yes. Of course."
*****
The church was very beautiful, with its enormous stained glass windows and the huge bell at the top of the tall bell tower. The interior had soft white walls and a blue-carpeted floor, with the exception of the sanctuary and the main aisle, which were covered with beautiful patterned tiles. The priest was waiting patiently at the end of the aisle with Jakato, who was in a smooth black tuxedo with a violet flower in the jacket pocket.
Tenchi and the others were sitting in the front pew, in front of some random people who showed up to watch since they had nothing better to do. Mihoshi was sniffling loudly next to Kiyone, who was becoming more and more aggravated by the minute. "This is so touching, this is so touching...!" Mihoshi cried joyfully. Kenny was sitting next to Sasami, holding her hand and allowing her to rest her head on his shoulder. Washu was doing something on her computer and showing the results to Ryoko, who sighed and turned away. Ayeka was giggling very ungracefully at the fact that Sasami was becoming very red since Kenny had allowed her to hold his hand. Ryo- ohki was somewhere outside, where Tenchi left her a big basket of carrots.
Washu explained that the custom of weddings on this planet was different from that of customary earth weddings. The flower girls walk up first, then the bride, then the ring bearers and bridesmaids and the others. Rayani walked from somewhere and nudged Washu to have her move over. "Where've you been?" Washu hissed as Rayani sat down.
"Maggie needed a little pep talk. She was so twitchy," Rayani explained, smiling. Washu nodded in understanding and looked around.
"Where's Kagato? I saw him earlier, but I've no clue where he's gotten to." Rayani pointed across the church to the other side of the sanctuary. Washu cocked her head. "Why's he sitting there all alone?" She glanced at Rayani and smiled roguishly. Washu laughed and pushed Rayani out of the pew and into the aisle. "Why don't you go and join Kagato? He looks like he could use some company, especially from you." Ryoko laughed and grinned mischievously.
"Go on," laughed Ryoko, scooting down as Washu filled in the empty space left by Rayani. Kiyone smiled and jerked her head towards Kagato.
"We all know you want to!" the policewoman said. Everybody burst out laughing as Rayani turned red and walked across the church, sitting down next to Kagato, who looked considerably pleased.
"How beautiful, how beautiful!" Mihoshi wailed as an organist began playing the wedding march. Kiyone punched her partner on the head as the flower girls walked down the aisle.
Magaru was wearing a relatively simple but nonetheless magnificent white dress. The dress was strapless, and the skirt part was silky and flowing as she walked. Her hands and arms up to her elbows were covered with smooth silky gloves that seemed to be made of the same material as her long veil, which trailed gracefully to the ground. Magaru was holding a beautiful assortment of flowers that certainly did not come from planet Earth. She shot a nervous glance at Rayani, who gave her a supporting grin.
The priest waited for the procession to end and for Magaru to stand next to Jakato before smiling reverently and spreading his arms. "Marriage is what brings us together today. Marriage--" At this point, everybody blocked out the priest's voice and waited for those crucial words.
"--So, do you, Jakato Kuzuma--"
"His last name is Kuzuma?" Tenchi murmured to Ryoko. She shrugged and gave his hand a loving squeeze.
"--take Magaru Sakari as your lawfully wedded wife, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?" It seemed as if Jakato had choked, but he gulped and nodded.
"I do." The priest turned to Magaru.
"And do you, Magaru Sakari, take Jakato Kuzuma as you lawfully wedded husband, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?"
"I do." The priest smiled.
"The ring, if you please." Jakato nodded and took the ring from the ring bearer. He took Magaru's left hand and slipped the ring on her finger. The priest smiled again and spread his arms.
"I now pronounce you--husband and wife. You may kiss the bride!"
The church was filled with applause as Jakato gave Magaru a passionate kiss and picked her up, giving the priest a grateful nod as he carried her out of the church down the main aisle. Mihoshi was crying up front, but this time, Kiyone joined her. "How touching!" they wailed, clapping. Rayani was laughing, tears coming from her eyes, as Kagato sat, dumbstruck. Tenchi and Ryoko were applauding loudly, hugging each other, as Ayeka grinned and nearly fell over as Mihoshi flailed about. Sasami was hugging Kenny, who was clapping and turning very red.
*****
After the short trip back to Earth, they had a loud party outside in front of the lake. Washu had created a karaoke machine that had several inputs for more than just microphones. Kenny hooked his voila to it and played a nice piece to go along with Magaru and Jakato's song. Sasami outdid herself again, making a great assortment of foods, including some difficult Chinese and American recipes.
After eating, they did quite a lot of dancing and karaoke. After three hours, around eleven, Sasami took a "walk" with Kenny in the woods. Tenchi and Ryoko sat on the shrine steps, remembering old happenings of the past. After about fifteen minutes, Ryoko went to go start a sake bout. She ended up with Yosho and Noboyuki helping her to force Kagato to drink again, causing him to pass out after a few bottles. Ayeka allowed herself to get drunk and began singing horribly out of tune with Ryoko. Rayani avoided any alcohol and went to sleep in a tree.
They partied for a long time, past midnight. Washu successfully hit Rayani out of a tree and ended up with a bonk on the head from Rayani's reflexes. Sasami and Kenny fell asleep on the couch while they were reading some manga they found in Noboyuki's library. Tenchi and Ryoko fell asleep on the porch; Ryoko was flat out drunk and Tenchi was just tired. Ayeka was the only one who actually made it to her bedroom. Magaru and Jakato fell asleep on the other side of the couch.
Jakato and Magaru left the next morning for their honeymoon; they were going to this Earth city called Madrid, in a place called Spain. In order to make themselves more Earthly, Washu gave them some normal clothes for their weeklong trip, in addition to some money. It wasn't clear whether Jakato or Magaru mastered the money system of Spain or not, as they just shrugged and grinned. In order to save time and money, Ryoko and Tenchi took them in Ryo-ohki. The trip only took half an hour.
Kagato and Rayani disappeared without any trace. Only Washu seemed to know, but no amount of whining, moaning, or yelling could get her to breathe a word. Tenchi sighed, giving up after a long bout of cajoling. "Washu won't tell. When she keeps secrets, she does a good job."
Kenny walked out of the lab, wearing a pair of glasses. Ryoko caught sight of him and flew over, examining him carefully. "Kenny, how do you feel? Did Washu hurt you?" Ryoko asked, fussing unnecessarily. Kenny pulled Ryoko off and smiled.
"I'm fine, Mom. I can see better now, thanks to Grandma," Kenny said, causing Ryoko to sigh in relief. Sasami walked by, holding a bucket of soap and a towel, her hair tied up in two balls. She grinned and pulled Kenny with her.
"Come, Kenny, let's go take a bath." Kenny grinned and allowed Sasami to pull him to the onsen, turning crimson. Ryoko smiled knowingly and glanced at Tenchi.
"Those two are perfect for each other. What do you think, Tenchi?" Ryoko asked, flying over to Tenchi. Her husband nodded.
"Yes, I think they are."
Jakato and Magaru returned a few days later, looking as if they had the time of their lives. "It was so interesting! So primitive," Jakato said, grinning happily. "It was very amusing. We had a little trouble with the money...it took a while to figure it out." Magaru nodded enthusiastically.
"They spoke a strange language. 'Spanish,' I think it was called," Magaru explained. "There was a nice lady at the hotel that taught me some Spanish!" Jakato pulled a face.
"Spanish," he murmured contemptuously, "the weirdest language I have ever come across." Sasami and Mihoshi walked in, carrying a tea tray and a bowl of rice crackers. The princess smiled.
"I'm glad you had fun," Sasami said cheerfully. She sat down on the couch and turned pink when Kenny sat down next to her. Tenchi smiled.
"Are you going to stay with us?" Tenchi asked. Jakato looked at his tea thoughtfully, then put it down on the table.
"No," he said quietly. Magaru smiled.
"We're going to live on that ship, remember? The one you kept saying looked like Soja? Well, we're calling it 'Sojo'!" Washu fell over.
"'Sojo'? Who came up with that?" Washu asked, snorting. Jakato grinned.
"I did. I want to tell father. Where is he?" Jakato said, looking around. Ryoko shook her head.
"Only Washu knows. For all I know, they've disappeared for good." Washu laughed and summoned her computer.
"They'll be here in a few minutes, if their estimate of time is correct," Washu explained, typing quickly. She looked out the window. "There they are." There was a knock on the door. Tenchi opened it and smiled when Rayani walked in, grinning.
"Sorry we left without telling anyone," Rayani said apologetically. Kagato peered in and decided to enter. Tenchi gave her a curious look.
"Where were you guys?" he asked, examining the both of them. Rayani laughed.
"I was hiding from Washu. She had a weird experiment and I didn't want to get blown up again." Rayani laughed again and walked outside, yawning and heading for the woods. Ryoko gave Washu a suspicious look.
"An experiment? Washu? You always have weird experiments that ALWAYS blow her up," Ryoko said, slightly confused. Washu grinned mischievously.
"That's not the only reason she left with Kagato." Ryoko leaned forward, listening intently. Washu grinned and looked at the ceiling thoughtfully. "Let me think. I recall that they left because...no, not that. It was because--" Sasami squirmed in her seat, obviously very curious. Ryoko clenched her fists impatiently.
"What? Get on with it! We all know you don't have that bad a memory!" Ryoko growled, irritated by Washu's mock memory lapse. Washu sighed and nodded.
"All right, all right. They--" Kagato shuddered and walked outside towards the lake. "--got married." Everyone sat, speechless, except for Washu, who began giggling madly. Ryoko sat down on Tenchi's lap and crossed her legs thoughtfully.
"That makes...that makes Rayani..." Ryoko began laughing uncontrollably. "That makes her--Magaru's mom!" The space pirate continued laughing madly, although only she and Washu were laughing. Magaru looked slightly confused, Jakato looked ready to pass out, and Mihoshi began wailing joyfully.
"Who would've guessed? That's so--ow!" Mihoshi stopped promptly when Ryoko landed her fist on the blonde's head. Tenchi smiled.
"Very interesting..."
Magaru and Jakato left the next day on the ship newly dubbed as "Sojo." Kagato seemed slightly put out that they were leaving, but he had Magaru's assurance that they would come and visit within a year. Ryoko highly doubted it, but a whap on the head from Washu's fan silenced her remarks.
And so they left.
*****
Chapter Eleven: Embraced Passions
"I'm so nervous! I'm so nervous!"
"Don't be, it's nothing."
"But--"
"Maggie, I said it's nothing. Don't be nervous."
"Oh, but what if I trip on my dress? What if Jake doesn't show up?"
"You worry too much! I'd bet my tail against anything else that Jake is going to love your dress. Don't worry."
*****
"Father, I didn't know you knew about this."
"Why wouldn't I? You ARE my son, after all."
"What if Maggie runs away? I mean, she must be as nervous as I am."
"Why would she be nervous? Why are YOU nervous?"
"Well--I don't know..."
"If she runs away, then you'll know that she's not the one for you."
"Really?"
"Yes. Of course."
*****
The church was very beautiful, with its enormous stained glass windows and the huge bell at the top of the tall bell tower. The interior had soft white walls and a blue-carpeted floor, with the exception of the sanctuary and the main aisle, which were covered with beautiful patterned tiles. The priest was waiting patiently at the end of the aisle with Jakato, who was in a smooth black tuxedo with a violet flower in the jacket pocket.
Tenchi and the others were sitting in the front pew, in front of some random people who showed up to watch since they had nothing better to do. Mihoshi was sniffling loudly next to Kiyone, who was becoming more and more aggravated by the minute. "This is so touching, this is so touching...!" Mihoshi cried joyfully. Kenny was sitting next to Sasami, holding her hand and allowing her to rest her head on his shoulder. Washu was doing something on her computer and showing the results to Ryoko, who sighed and turned away. Ayeka was giggling very ungracefully at the fact that Sasami was becoming very red since Kenny had allowed her to hold his hand. Ryo- ohki was somewhere outside, where Tenchi left her a big basket of carrots.
Washu explained that the custom of weddings on this planet was different from that of customary earth weddings. The flower girls walk up first, then the bride, then the ring bearers and bridesmaids and the others. Rayani walked from somewhere and nudged Washu to have her move over. "Where've you been?" Washu hissed as Rayani sat down.
"Maggie needed a little pep talk. She was so twitchy," Rayani explained, smiling. Washu nodded in understanding and looked around.
"Where's Kagato? I saw him earlier, but I've no clue where he's gotten to." Rayani pointed across the church to the other side of the sanctuary. Washu cocked her head. "Why's he sitting there all alone?" She glanced at Rayani and smiled roguishly. Washu laughed and pushed Rayani out of the pew and into the aisle. "Why don't you go and join Kagato? He looks like he could use some company, especially from you." Ryoko laughed and grinned mischievously.
"Go on," laughed Ryoko, scooting down as Washu filled in the empty space left by Rayani. Kiyone smiled and jerked her head towards Kagato.
"We all know you want to!" the policewoman said. Everybody burst out laughing as Rayani turned red and walked across the church, sitting down next to Kagato, who looked considerably pleased.
"How beautiful, how beautiful!" Mihoshi wailed as an organist began playing the wedding march. Kiyone punched her partner on the head as the flower girls walked down the aisle.
Magaru was wearing a relatively simple but nonetheless magnificent white dress. The dress was strapless, and the skirt part was silky and flowing as she walked. Her hands and arms up to her elbows were covered with smooth silky gloves that seemed to be made of the same material as her long veil, which trailed gracefully to the ground. Magaru was holding a beautiful assortment of flowers that certainly did not come from planet Earth. She shot a nervous glance at Rayani, who gave her a supporting grin.
The priest waited for the procession to end and for Magaru to stand next to Jakato before smiling reverently and spreading his arms. "Marriage is what brings us together today. Marriage--" At this point, everybody blocked out the priest's voice and waited for those crucial words.
"--So, do you, Jakato Kuzuma--"
"His last name is Kuzuma?" Tenchi murmured to Ryoko. She shrugged and gave his hand a loving squeeze.
"--take Magaru Sakari as your lawfully wedded wife, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?" It seemed as if Jakato had choked, but he gulped and nodded.
"I do." The priest turned to Magaru.
"And do you, Magaru Sakari, take Jakato Kuzuma as you lawfully wedded husband, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?"
"I do." The priest smiled.
"The ring, if you please." Jakato nodded and took the ring from the ring bearer. He took Magaru's left hand and slipped the ring on her finger. The priest smiled again and spread his arms.
"I now pronounce you--husband and wife. You may kiss the bride!"
The church was filled with applause as Jakato gave Magaru a passionate kiss and picked her up, giving the priest a grateful nod as he carried her out of the church down the main aisle. Mihoshi was crying up front, but this time, Kiyone joined her. "How touching!" they wailed, clapping. Rayani was laughing, tears coming from her eyes, as Kagato sat, dumbstruck. Tenchi and Ryoko were applauding loudly, hugging each other, as Ayeka grinned and nearly fell over as Mihoshi flailed about. Sasami was hugging Kenny, who was clapping and turning very red.
*****
After the short trip back to Earth, they had a loud party outside in front of the lake. Washu had created a karaoke machine that had several inputs for more than just microphones. Kenny hooked his voila to it and played a nice piece to go along with Magaru and Jakato's song. Sasami outdid herself again, making a great assortment of foods, including some difficult Chinese and American recipes.
After eating, they did quite a lot of dancing and karaoke. After three hours, around eleven, Sasami took a "walk" with Kenny in the woods. Tenchi and Ryoko sat on the shrine steps, remembering old happenings of the past. After about fifteen minutes, Ryoko went to go start a sake bout. She ended up with Yosho and Noboyuki helping her to force Kagato to drink again, causing him to pass out after a few bottles. Ayeka allowed herself to get drunk and began singing horribly out of tune with Ryoko. Rayani avoided any alcohol and went to sleep in a tree.
They partied for a long time, past midnight. Washu successfully hit Rayani out of a tree and ended up with a bonk on the head from Rayani's reflexes. Sasami and Kenny fell asleep on the couch while they were reading some manga they found in Noboyuki's library. Tenchi and Ryoko fell asleep on the porch; Ryoko was flat out drunk and Tenchi was just tired. Ayeka was the only one who actually made it to her bedroom. Magaru and Jakato fell asleep on the other side of the couch.
Jakato and Magaru left the next morning for their honeymoon; they were going to this Earth city called Madrid, in a place called Spain. In order to make themselves more Earthly, Washu gave them some normal clothes for their weeklong trip, in addition to some money. It wasn't clear whether Jakato or Magaru mastered the money system of Spain or not, as they just shrugged and grinned. In order to save time and money, Ryoko and Tenchi took them in Ryo-ohki. The trip only took half an hour.
Kagato and Rayani disappeared without any trace. Only Washu seemed to know, but no amount of whining, moaning, or yelling could get her to breathe a word. Tenchi sighed, giving up after a long bout of cajoling. "Washu won't tell. When she keeps secrets, she does a good job."
Kenny walked out of the lab, wearing a pair of glasses. Ryoko caught sight of him and flew over, examining him carefully. "Kenny, how do you feel? Did Washu hurt you?" Ryoko asked, fussing unnecessarily. Kenny pulled Ryoko off and smiled.
"I'm fine, Mom. I can see better now, thanks to Grandma," Kenny said, causing Ryoko to sigh in relief. Sasami walked by, holding a bucket of soap and a towel, her hair tied up in two balls. She grinned and pulled Kenny with her.
"Come, Kenny, let's go take a bath." Kenny grinned and allowed Sasami to pull him to the onsen, turning crimson. Ryoko smiled knowingly and glanced at Tenchi.
"Those two are perfect for each other. What do you think, Tenchi?" Ryoko asked, flying over to Tenchi. Her husband nodded.
"Yes, I think they are."
Jakato and Magaru returned a few days later, looking as if they had the time of their lives. "It was so interesting! So primitive," Jakato said, grinning happily. "It was very amusing. We had a little trouble with the money...it took a while to figure it out." Magaru nodded enthusiastically.
"They spoke a strange language. 'Spanish,' I think it was called," Magaru explained. "There was a nice lady at the hotel that taught me some Spanish!" Jakato pulled a face.
"Spanish," he murmured contemptuously, "the weirdest language I have ever come across." Sasami and Mihoshi walked in, carrying a tea tray and a bowl of rice crackers. The princess smiled.
"I'm glad you had fun," Sasami said cheerfully. She sat down on the couch and turned pink when Kenny sat down next to her. Tenchi smiled.
"Are you going to stay with us?" Tenchi asked. Jakato looked at his tea thoughtfully, then put it down on the table.
"No," he said quietly. Magaru smiled.
"We're going to live on that ship, remember? The one you kept saying looked like Soja? Well, we're calling it 'Sojo'!" Washu fell over.
"'Sojo'? Who came up with that?" Washu asked, snorting. Jakato grinned.
"I did. I want to tell father. Where is he?" Jakato said, looking around. Ryoko shook her head.
"Only Washu knows. For all I know, they've disappeared for good." Washu laughed and summoned her computer.
"They'll be here in a few minutes, if their estimate of time is correct," Washu explained, typing quickly. She looked out the window. "There they are." There was a knock on the door. Tenchi opened it and smiled when Rayani walked in, grinning.
"Sorry we left without telling anyone," Rayani said apologetically. Kagato peered in and decided to enter. Tenchi gave her a curious look.
"Where were you guys?" he asked, examining the both of them. Rayani laughed.
"I was hiding from Washu. She had a weird experiment and I didn't want to get blown up again." Rayani laughed again and walked outside, yawning and heading for the woods. Ryoko gave Washu a suspicious look.
"An experiment? Washu? You always have weird experiments that ALWAYS blow her up," Ryoko said, slightly confused. Washu grinned mischievously.
"That's not the only reason she left with Kagato." Ryoko leaned forward, listening intently. Washu grinned and looked at the ceiling thoughtfully. "Let me think. I recall that they left because...no, not that. It was because--" Sasami squirmed in her seat, obviously very curious. Ryoko clenched her fists impatiently.
"What? Get on with it! We all know you don't have that bad a memory!" Ryoko growled, irritated by Washu's mock memory lapse. Washu sighed and nodded.
"All right, all right. They--" Kagato shuddered and walked outside towards the lake. "--got married." Everyone sat, speechless, except for Washu, who began giggling madly. Ryoko sat down on Tenchi's lap and crossed her legs thoughtfully.
"That makes...that makes Rayani..." Ryoko began laughing uncontrollably. "That makes her--Magaru's mom!" The space pirate continued laughing madly, although only she and Washu were laughing. Magaru looked slightly confused, Jakato looked ready to pass out, and Mihoshi began wailing joyfully.
"Who would've guessed? That's so--ow!" Mihoshi stopped promptly when Ryoko landed her fist on the blonde's head. Tenchi smiled.
"Very interesting..."
Magaru and Jakato left the next day on the ship newly dubbed as "Sojo." Kagato seemed slightly put out that they were leaving, but he had Magaru's assurance that they would come and visit within a year. Ryoko highly doubted it, but a whap on the head from Washu's fan silenced her remarks.
And so they left.