AUTHOR'S NOTES:
I have never seen the 'Tenchi in Tokyo' TV series but I have watched the
OAV series and own the entire 'No Need for Tenchi' graphic novels. 'KANEI'
is a name I came up with. He is a new character that I have added to the
Tenchi Muyo world. Since I have read a lot of Fanfics about Ayeka's father
trying to find suitors for her, I am writing this story with a different
plot. Oh yeah. I have drawn Kanei so if you want to see the portrait of him
that I have drawn, send me an e-mail. My e-mail address is
[senzen_xlr8@hotmail.com] but on the message write. 'I demand to see' so
that I know that it is not junk mail! And please state which fanfic that
you are referring to. I hope that you'll enjoy the story. Oh! And I don't
own Tenchi Muyo. This is just a story which I have written purely for
enjoyment. So don't sue me!
AYEKA'S HEART CHAPTER 3- Kanei forgets
Ayeka had pleaded Washu to save Kanei. Kanei's body had died but Washu managed to save his brain from dying after rushing him straight to the medical facilities aboard Ryo-Oki (this was originally reserved for Tenchi). After the brain was given the oxygen and the blood that was needed, repairing his body was a piece of cake as they got back to Washu's lab. Ayeka never left Kanei during the time and had refused to talk to anyone. Finally Kanei's body was put into a recovering chamber. a translucent cylindrical container full of bluish healing fluid. Ayeka haven't eaten anything for two entire days, ever since the duel. Sasami tried everything to cheer her sister up but Ayeka remain with Kanei at all times.
And by the second day, Kanei's regeneration process was complete and the sirens in Washu's lab activated. Ayeka awoke from her bitter slumber to see the water drenching from the tank and Kanei's body slowly descended as his body had re-experienced earth's gravity. Kanei stood perfectly still as all the recovery fluid was taken out of the tank. The mask which supplied the oxygen was taken away from his face and he reopened his eyes. A gentle splash of warm water from the hoses made him jump as the cleansing process had begun. He soon got used to the soothing sensation and calmed down with a long sigh.
The water stopped and a warm gust of air, dried Kanei off with one blow. A thin circular ring, its radius just enough to fit the cylinderical chamber ran down its walls. Then a laser activated and as it passed Kanei's body, it dressed him in a Jurian suit. The glass cylindrical shielding slowly slid down and left his body to adjust to the outside atmosphere. Kanei was about to step out when mechanical arms grabbed hold of his limbs and pushed him high into the air. "What is this!" Ayeka quickly jumped up from the seat he was siting on and ran to him. "Washu! Get him down!"
Washu came into the room. "Princess Ayeka. Kanei's brain was cut off from oxygen for five minutes and some of his brain cells have been damaged or they may have been killed! You may find that he is not what he used to be!" She made the arms put Kanei down. Ayeka ran to him and embraced him tightly in her arms. "I was so worried."
Kanei's body tensed and gently pushed Ayeka away. Ayeka looked at Kanei's face with shock and uncertainty. Tears came down her cheeks. Kanei looked with a lost expression as he examined his surroundings. "Where. am I? Who. am I?"
"You are currently in my laboratory. Your name is Kanei Arisaka, a Jurian commander." Washu said in a proud almost arrogant voice. "Commander? I remember no such thing!" Kanei continued to explore the gigantic lab. Touching and feeling as many things that he could. He got the sights back to Ayeka. "You. I know you!. I." Kanei rubbed his head in frustration. "Why can't I remember?!"
"Then do you remember this?" Washu presented Kanei with his sword. He immediately activated it and made a few playful swings. He smiled and quickly looked at Ayeka. "This is mine I remember I got this from a very. from a very important person. It was a gift! That's it a gift! From. your father! Ai. Aye. ka!" Ayeka cried out with joy as she jumped into Kanei's arms and kissed him frantically. But again she was gently pushed away from Kanei who was blushing like crazy but seemed tense and in a way. scared.
"Princess Ayeka! I am not permitted to do this! Your father will kill me if he sees you!"
"But my father is on Jurai. he won't see us!"
"Aren't we on Jurai?"
Ayeka looked at Kanei with a dreaded expression. Something was wrong with him. his memory is not the way it is. "No! We are on earth." Washu said for Ayeka, who was still shocked from the events.
"Earth? But why are we here. Ayeka! We still have our tutors to go to! If we don't both of our fathers will kill us! Umm. Miss in with the red hair. Can we borrow a transporter? My father is a high-ranking subject on Jurai! So I am sure that he can cover the transport expenses!" Kanei's panic was real but Ayeka grabbed a hold of the suit he was waring and calmed him down. A long uneasy silence came and then in an uneasy voice. "Don't you remember Kanei. Our fathers granted us a holiday. We are on earth for a holiday. We don't have tutors."
"Really?" Ayeka nodded and Kanei cheered. "Wow! A real holiday with you! Ayeka what do we do first?!"
"Lady Washu. Please give him something to do." Ayeka began to walk out of the lab. "But Ayeka. I mean princess! Aren't you going to play with me?!" Ayeka turned around. "Not just yet. I'll go and call my father to tell him that we have arrived safely.". "Okay don't be long!"
* * *
Everyone gathered in the living room, including Tenchi as Ayeka explained the current situation. ".So you see, his mind is set back to the time when we were still children. But I think that the best way to get his memory back is to stay with me for some time. Hopefully, I can trigger him in some way for him to remember his true self. I know that it is very selfish of me to do this but. Please Lord Tenchi! Let him stay with us for a while!" Tears began to gather in Ayeka's eyes as she looked at Tenchi. After a brief silence Tenchi gave a mechanical nod, almost unwillingly. Ayeka could not hold her tears any longer and she let it go while others tried to convince her not to cry any more.
Tenchi walked onto the balcony with uncertainty in his face. He looked into the distant mountains. It was a rainy day that day, as clouds covered the sky. After looking at the dark blue mountains, Tenchi almost turned away in disgust. 'Have I made the right decision?' Tenchi thought to himself while giving a quiet sign. The clouds suddenly cracked open as rays of sunlight engulfed Tenchi. He smiled 'It was an unfair duel after all! It is the least I could do for him!'
Ryoko was standing at the sliding doors to the balcony, stalking Tenchi while holding a sad face. She felt that she had lost to Ayeka. So she put her hands on the back of her head and turned to walk away. But as she was about to, Tenchi's hand caught her shoulder. Ryoko gave a small whimper as she turned to look at Tenchi. "Hey. umm Ryoko. You want to help me on the fields tomorrow?" Ryoko's eyes began to sparkle. "Yes!". "Good! I'll see you tomorrow!"
* * *
It was dinnertime and everyone ate their food with silence except for Mihoshi who acted as if nothing had happened as she chomped on Sasami's cooking. Ayeka and Kanei ate with grace (A Jurian custom) but Kanei was uneasy as if it where not for the people who had surrounded them, they would not have to be so formal.
He was introduced to everyone earlier on. Mihoshi he thought was very cheerful and very fun to be with. Washu looked young but he thought was too arrogant and in a way she puzzled him because he could sense her mature side but cannot see it. Tenchi looked to him like a big brother, but for some reason there was a repulsion between him and Tenchi (he cannot explain it). Ryoko who he thought was bazaar by the way she did her hair. Ryo-Oki seemed cute but it for some reason despised him. Then there was Sasami who he thought was interesting, she was friendly but he could see that she was uneasy when she was near him.
"Sasami can I have another bowl please?" Mihoshi asked while giving her a gentle smile. Kanei was provoked and was not able to contain the formal gesture any longer. "Me too! This is delicious Sasami!" Sasami gave a big smile, one which she did not have control over. "Really!"
"Yes! Even my family's best cook cannot cook like you!" Sasami smiled happily and thanked him. Ayeka smiled to herself. 'Well I guess he never lost his friendliness towards others.' Suddenly a wave of jealousy swept through Ayeka and she blushed uncontrollably. "Kanei Come to the bath with me! After dinner." Ayeka regretted what she had said for she was acting like she did when she was young.
A series of smashing noises and spilling dishes echoed within the room as everyone except for Kanei stared at Ayeka with one surprised face or another. "Sure!" Kanei replied enthusiastically. Then another series of people clearing their throats and pulling of faces began (even Ryo-Oki gave a questioning meow) ". um. Why? Did I say something wrong? Why is everyone looking at me like that? Ayeka and I always bathe together." What Kanei said did not improve the situation.
Everyone just tired to think. 'Okay he is thinking just like a child. It is perfectly normal for children to bathe together. And since Ayeka is trying to revive his memory, it is fine. it is fine." Everyone smiled sarcastically and wiped a few sweat drops of their heads, and one by one, they started to leave until only Ayeka and Kanei stayed behind.
Kanei looked at Ayeka puzzly. "What was that all about?" After not receiving an answer from Ayeka for some time he got up and tugged on Ayeka's hand to get her standing. "Come on! Let's go!" Ayeka put her hands on her forehead and ran it down her face. 'How the hell can I say that in front of Lord Tenchi?! But still. we both enjoyed baths when we were young. and it was always after dinner. We would always swim and chase each other and.' Ayeka blushed but soon snapped out of her daydreaming and up to the floating hot springs which Washu had constructed (the one in the 'No need for Tenchi' graphic novels. If you still don't know what I am talking about. send me an e-mail and I'll send a copy to you).
* * *
Kanei splashed himself with cold water quickly and jumped into the hot springs soaking his head into the warm depths of the pool. He quickly resurfaced and looked at Ayeka who had her back to him. The water vapour blurred his view as he pushed himself back further into the pool to eagerly wait for Ayeka to go and play tag with him. But as the mist cleared, he could only see Ayeka with her back to him (she is fully naked ^.^!)
Ayeka froze in place blushing furiously. The current events were so out of the world that she would never even dream of it in her wildest dreams. She took a deep breath and as she was about to turn around, Kanei grabbed her by the waist and pulled back into the deeper end. "Eek!" SPLASH. They went to the deeper section where water came to Ayeka's neck. "Tag! You're it!" Kanei giggled as he quickly swam away leaving Ayeka trying to fight her urge to chase after him. 'No! It is not proper to do this! We did it when we were young but Jurian royalty do not do this sort of thing!'
"Come on Ayeka you are so slow. you act like our old dried tutor!" Ayeka lost to her control and chased after Kanei and was on hot pursuit. "What did you say?!". "You heard me!". "You!!!" Ayeka grabbed Kanei's leg. "Tag you're it!. Wait, give me a head start! Don't cheat!" So the game of tag lasted almost half an hour and the two of them were exhausted from all the chasing. They both sat on the shallow end of the pool and stared into the sky. "Ayeka. umm. do you like me?". "Offcourse I do.". "Well. I maybe nothing now but some day. Some day I will be the best general ever. Just like my father.". "That. well I am sure you will be!". "Then if I become a general. umm. will you marry me?"
Ayeka's heart sank. 'The promise. we are just living through the promise! I'll have to play along! But if I do. I may break his heart again! What about Lord Tenchi. What if.' Kanei looked at her. "It's okay if you don't want to!". "No! I will. I will marry you!" Kanei smiled happily and hugged Ayeka tightly. But suddenly he pushed Ayeka hastily away and looked at her chest. "Ayeka! How did they get bigger?! I didn't notice it before but." Kanei looked with both interest and surprise and then began to blush along with Ayeka.
"Ha ha ha ha.. Ah! Ha ha ha ha!"
Someone was laughing behind the rocks. Ayeka quickly recognised the voice. "Ryoko! You pervert! Show yourself now!" Ryoko teleported herself in the air on top of Kanei and Ayeka. "Sorry. =laugh= I just thought that you two where sooooo cute that I just couldn't help myself! =laugh="
"Why you monster!" Ayeka's teeth clenched and wooden logs began to form around her. Ryoko formed an energy ball and threw it at Ayeka. Ayeka braced herself for the impact but Kanei jumped up into the air and punched the ball straight at Ryoko's face. The ball hit her hard as she crashed through the glass dome of the floating hot spring.
Kanei quickly ran to Ayeka. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Ayeka smiled. "No. Don't worry." They stood there blushing, but their moment of silence was short-lived as the very pissed off Ryoko flew back. "Now you die boy!" Kanei jumped into the Air and quickly grabbed a towel to wrap around himself. "Come and get me!"
Ryoko flew quickly for an attack. The two exchanged a few blows but Kanei was losing the fight. Soon he was hit hard into the pool of water and was pinned under the liquid. "That ought to cool you off!". "Get off him you monster!". "Don't worry princess, I won't kill him!" But suddenly a bright light came from under the water and soon three light hawk wings surfaced from the watery depths. The wings threw Ryoko high into the air as the Kanei resurface and coughed violently. He looked tired and quickly fainted from the experience.
* * *
Ryoko came back to Tenchi's house after a while. She had a large bump on her head. But she found the house to be empty. She went into Washu's lab to get an energy bath but found everyone around an examination table. They all looked at her accusingly as Ryoko felt uneasy and quickly walked to inspect the patient lying in one of Washu's machines with only his boxers on. Kanei was being closely monitored by Washu. "Well. He was able to use the light hawk wings. But probably not too well or else he may have easily killed Ryoko."
Kanei groaned as Washu injected him with a chemical. "Washu! What did you do that for?". "Oh it is just a stimulant I developed. Don't worry! It is not like what some of you think!. it is useful for someone to recover from faints. There are no side-effects!" Washu assured everyone who calmed down after she had explained herself.
Ayeka looked angrily at Ryoko. "Why you monster! Haven't you been causing enough trouble? Now this! What have you to say for yourself?!" Ryoko looked at Ayeka. "I am sorry! I just thought that you looked like a cute couple. that's all! I didn't mean for all this to happen!" Tenchi's body tensed and looked away. "What did you mean you monster?! You still want to mock me?!"
Kanei woke up by the irritating shouts of Ayeka, he blushed as the saw that he was only in a pair of boxer shorts. "Eep!" Ayeka turned around to face Kanei as he woke up. "Kanei are you okay? You passed out in the bath." He shook his head vigorously a few times and looked at Ayeka. "I am hungry."
Everyone laughed, even Tenchi. Sasami went to prepare a nice bowl of ramien for Kanei and he joined her in the kitchen, eager to help her cook up something (After he got dressed that is). As he was about to slice carrots, Ryo-Oki jumped onto the table as it could not resist the temptation to get a midnight snack. Kanei picked up the knife, he examined it for a while and picked up the carrot. His instincts kicked in and made him throw the carrot into the air. His movements were too quick to see but as the carrot landed back onto the chopping board, it layed in a neat row of chopped pieces. Sasami and Ryo-Oki were stunned at what he had just done and looked at him warily. "Sasami."
"Yes Kanei?" Sasami replied uneasily while looking at the knife in his hand. "For some reason I feel that I have done this before. But I cannot remember where and when I began to do this. What is wrong with me?" Sasami was silent and looked at him sadly. 'His instincts are there but his memories are gone.' He smiled after a few minutes of closely monitoring the knife in his hand. He looked at Ryo-Oki who looked at him questioningly. "I think I know what you want!" He looked at Sasami for approval to give the little rabbit a carrot. Sasami nodded and so he gave the rabbit the carrot that it craved for.
Kanei went back to chopping the carrots in the way he did the other one, which attracted quite an audience. Tenchi looked on with a blank expression while Ryoko and Ayeka sat next to him. 'Have I made the right choice letting him stay here?' Soon the kitchen was filled with a great smell as everyone sat down to enjoy a midnight feast. Kanei went to sleep in another dimension, in a room of his own. (simular to Washu's lab) But the night was very restless for both Tenchi and Ayeka who had their own things to think about.
The next day came without much of a hassle as Tenchi went to work on the field of carrots with Ryoko. Sasami had got up early to prepare lunch boxes for the both of them although her job would have been a lot less tedious if Kanei was awake at that time. But by noon Kanei had got up and finally came out of a door which led to a room in another dimension. "Well good afternoon sleepy head!" Ayeka greeted him with a smile. "Good after. What?! Afternoon! " Kanei sweat dropped and looked at the sun which was high up in he air. "Hmm. Must have overslept! What do you want to do today Ayeka?". "Have lunch first and think about what we are going to do later!". "Okay."
Kanei went to the kitchen where Sasami was slicing fish. "Good afternoon Sasami! Need a hand?" Sasami looked at Kanei and smiled. "Sure slice these fish like the way I cut them." Like before, Kanei cut them into small pieces and watched Sasami make sushi out of them. "Do you eat it raw?". "Yes. Don't you like it raw?". "I can't explain it but I feel that a long time ago. I had to hunt and eat something raw. It really feels bad to kill something living and eat it. It is probably a dream but. but seems so real!" Sasami felt sorry for Kanei. 'He remember things only in patches.'
* * *
As they finished preparing the sushi they set out to the fields where Tenchi was working a new crop of carrots. Sasami, Ayeka, Mihoshi and Kanei waked along the track into a patch of dense forest. The day was beautiful as the birds sang and the sun shone warmly onto the earth. The blue sky had almost no clouds and everything looked beautiful. They all came across a tree and Kanei stopped as he had seen it. He put down the lunch boxes he was carrying, walked up to the ancient tree and touched it. Stings of green light littered the area near him as he had closed his eyes. Kanei reopened them as the lights disappeared. "Yosho. this is Yosho's tree. Funaho!"
END OF CHAPTER
HEY WANT TO SEE WHAT KANEI LOOK LIKE? READ 'DEAR READERS FOR DETAILS'!
AYEKA'S HEART CHAPTER 3- Kanei forgets
Ayeka had pleaded Washu to save Kanei. Kanei's body had died but Washu managed to save his brain from dying after rushing him straight to the medical facilities aboard Ryo-Oki (this was originally reserved for Tenchi). After the brain was given the oxygen and the blood that was needed, repairing his body was a piece of cake as they got back to Washu's lab. Ayeka never left Kanei during the time and had refused to talk to anyone. Finally Kanei's body was put into a recovering chamber. a translucent cylindrical container full of bluish healing fluid. Ayeka haven't eaten anything for two entire days, ever since the duel. Sasami tried everything to cheer her sister up but Ayeka remain with Kanei at all times.
And by the second day, Kanei's regeneration process was complete and the sirens in Washu's lab activated. Ayeka awoke from her bitter slumber to see the water drenching from the tank and Kanei's body slowly descended as his body had re-experienced earth's gravity. Kanei stood perfectly still as all the recovery fluid was taken out of the tank. The mask which supplied the oxygen was taken away from his face and he reopened his eyes. A gentle splash of warm water from the hoses made him jump as the cleansing process had begun. He soon got used to the soothing sensation and calmed down with a long sigh.
The water stopped and a warm gust of air, dried Kanei off with one blow. A thin circular ring, its radius just enough to fit the cylinderical chamber ran down its walls. Then a laser activated and as it passed Kanei's body, it dressed him in a Jurian suit. The glass cylindrical shielding slowly slid down and left his body to adjust to the outside atmosphere. Kanei was about to step out when mechanical arms grabbed hold of his limbs and pushed him high into the air. "What is this!" Ayeka quickly jumped up from the seat he was siting on and ran to him. "Washu! Get him down!"
Washu came into the room. "Princess Ayeka. Kanei's brain was cut off from oxygen for five minutes and some of his brain cells have been damaged or they may have been killed! You may find that he is not what he used to be!" She made the arms put Kanei down. Ayeka ran to him and embraced him tightly in her arms. "I was so worried."
Kanei's body tensed and gently pushed Ayeka away. Ayeka looked at Kanei's face with shock and uncertainty. Tears came down her cheeks. Kanei looked with a lost expression as he examined his surroundings. "Where. am I? Who. am I?"
"You are currently in my laboratory. Your name is Kanei Arisaka, a Jurian commander." Washu said in a proud almost arrogant voice. "Commander? I remember no such thing!" Kanei continued to explore the gigantic lab. Touching and feeling as many things that he could. He got the sights back to Ayeka. "You. I know you!. I." Kanei rubbed his head in frustration. "Why can't I remember?!"
"Then do you remember this?" Washu presented Kanei with his sword. He immediately activated it and made a few playful swings. He smiled and quickly looked at Ayeka. "This is mine I remember I got this from a very. from a very important person. It was a gift! That's it a gift! From. your father! Ai. Aye. ka!" Ayeka cried out with joy as she jumped into Kanei's arms and kissed him frantically. But again she was gently pushed away from Kanei who was blushing like crazy but seemed tense and in a way. scared.
"Princess Ayeka! I am not permitted to do this! Your father will kill me if he sees you!"
"But my father is on Jurai. he won't see us!"
"Aren't we on Jurai?"
Ayeka looked at Kanei with a dreaded expression. Something was wrong with him. his memory is not the way it is. "No! We are on earth." Washu said for Ayeka, who was still shocked from the events.
"Earth? But why are we here. Ayeka! We still have our tutors to go to! If we don't both of our fathers will kill us! Umm. Miss in with the red hair. Can we borrow a transporter? My father is a high-ranking subject on Jurai! So I am sure that he can cover the transport expenses!" Kanei's panic was real but Ayeka grabbed a hold of the suit he was waring and calmed him down. A long uneasy silence came and then in an uneasy voice. "Don't you remember Kanei. Our fathers granted us a holiday. We are on earth for a holiday. We don't have tutors."
"Really?" Ayeka nodded and Kanei cheered. "Wow! A real holiday with you! Ayeka what do we do first?!"
"Lady Washu. Please give him something to do." Ayeka began to walk out of the lab. "But Ayeka. I mean princess! Aren't you going to play with me?!" Ayeka turned around. "Not just yet. I'll go and call my father to tell him that we have arrived safely.". "Okay don't be long!"
* * *
Everyone gathered in the living room, including Tenchi as Ayeka explained the current situation. ".So you see, his mind is set back to the time when we were still children. But I think that the best way to get his memory back is to stay with me for some time. Hopefully, I can trigger him in some way for him to remember his true self. I know that it is very selfish of me to do this but. Please Lord Tenchi! Let him stay with us for a while!" Tears began to gather in Ayeka's eyes as she looked at Tenchi. After a brief silence Tenchi gave a mechanical nod, almost unwillingly. Ayeka could not hold her tears any longer and she let it go while others tried to convince her not to cry any more.
Tenchi walked onto the balcony with uncertainty in his face. He looked into the distant mountains. It was a rainy day that day, as clouds covered the sky. After looking at the dark blue mountains, Tenchi almost turned away in disgust. 'Have I made the right decision?' Tenchi thought to himself while giving a quiet sign. The clouds suddenly cracked open as rays of sunlight engulfed Tenchi. He smiled 'It was an unfair duel after all! It is the least I could do for him!'
Ryoko was standing at the sliding doors to the balcony, stalking Tenchi while holding a sad face. She felt that she had lost to Ayeka. So she put her hands on the back of her head and turned to walk away. But as she was about to, Tenchi's hand caught her shoulder. Ryoko gave a small whimper as she turned to look at Tenchi. "Hey. umm Ryoko. You want to help me on the fields tomorrow?" Ryoko's eyes began to sparkle. "Yes!". "Good! I'll see you tomorrow!"
* * *
It was dinnertime and everyone ate their food with silence except for Mihoshi who acted as if nothing had happened as she chomped on Sasami's cooking. Ayeka and Kanei ate with grace (A Jurian custom) but Kanei was uneasy as if it where not for the people who had surrounded them, they would not have to be so formal.
He was introduced to everyone earlier on. Mihoshi he thought was very cheerful and very fun to be with. Washu looked young but he thought was too arrogant and in a way she puzzled him because he could sense her mature side but cannot see it. Tenchi looked to him like a big brother, but for some reason there was a repulsion between him and Tenchi (he cannot explain it). Ryoko who he thought was bazaar by the way she did her hair. Ryo-Oki seemed cute but it for some reason despised him. Then there was Sasami who he thought was interesting, she was friendly but he could see that she was uneasy when she was near him.
"Sasami can I have another bowl please?" Mihoshi asked while giving her a gentle smile. Kanei was provoked and was not able to contain the formal gesture any longer. "Me too! This is delicious Sasami!" Sasami gave a big smile, one which she did not have control over. "Really!"
"Yes! Even my family's best cook cannot cook like you!" Sasami smiled happily and thanked him. Ayeka smiled to herself. 'Well I guess he never lost his friendliness towards others.' Suddenly a wave of jealousy swept through Ayeka and she blushed uncontrollably. "Kanei Come to the bath with me! After dinner." Ayeka regretted what she had said for she was acting like she did when she was young.
A series of smashing noises and spilling dishes echoed within the room as everyone except for Kanei stared at Ayeka with one surprised face or another. "Sure!" Kanei replied enthusiastically. Then another series of people clearing their throats and pulling of faces began (even Ryo-Oki gave a questioning meow) ". um. Why? Did I say something wrong? Why is everyone looking at me like that? Ayeka and I always bathe together." What Kanei said did not improve the situation.
Everyone just tired to think. 'Okay he is thinking just like a child. It is perfectly normal for children to bathe together. And since Ayeka is trying to revive his memory, it is fine. it is fine." Everyone smiled sarcastically and wiped a few sweat drops of their heads, and one by one, they started to leave until only Ayeka and Kanei stayed behind.
Kanei looked at Ayeka puzzly. "What was that all about?" After not receiving an answer from Ayeka for some time he got up and tugged on Ayeka's hand to get her standing. "Come on! Let's go!" Ayeka put her hands on her forehead and ran it down her face. 'How the hell can I say that in front of Lord Tenchi?! But still. we both enjoyed baths when we were young. and it was always after dinner. We would always swim and chase each other and.' Ayeka blushed but soon snapped out of her daydreaming and up to the floating hot springs which Washu had constructed (the one in the 'No need for Tenchi' graphic novels. If you still don't know what I am talking about. send me an e-mail and I'll send a copy to you).
* * *
Kanei splashed himself with cold water quickly and jumped into the hot springs soaking his head into the warm depths of the pool. He quickly resurfaced and looked at Ayeka who had her back to him. The water vapour blurred his view as he pushed himself back further into the pool to eagerly wait for Ayeka to go and play tag with him. But as the mist cleared, he could only see Ayeka with her back to him (she is fully naked ^.^!)
Ayeka froze in place blushing furiously. The current events were so out of the world that she would never even dream of it in her wildest dreams. She took a deep breath and as she was about to turn around, Kanei grabbed her by the waist and pulled back into the deeper end. "Eek!" SPLASH. They went to the deeper section where water came to Ayeka's neck. "Tag! You're it!" Kanei giggled as he quickly swam away leaving Ayeka trying to fight her urge to chase after him. 'No! It is not proper to do this! We did it when we were young but Jurian royalty do not do this sort of thing!'
"Come on Ayeka you are so slow. you act like our old dried tutor!" Ayeka lost to her control and chased after Kanei and was on hot pursuit. "What did you say?!". "You heard me!". "You!!!" Ayeka grabbed Kanei's leg. "Tag you're it!. Wait, give me a head start! Don't cheat!" So the game of tag lasted almost half an hour and the two of them were exhausted from all the chasing. They both sat on the shallow end of the pool and stared into the sky. "Ayeka. umm. do you like me?". "Offcourse I do.". "Well. I maybe nothing now but some day. Some day I will be the best general ever. Just like my father.". "That. well I am sure you will be!". "Then if I become a general. umm. will you marry me?"
Ayeka's heart sank. 'The promise. we are just living through the promise! I'll have to play along! But if I do. I may break his heart again! What about Lord Tenchi. What if.' Kanei looked at her. "It's okay if you don't want to!". "No! I will. I will marry you!" Kanei smiled happily and hugged Ayeka tightly. But suddenly he pushed Ayeka hastily away and looked at her chest. "Ayeka! How did they get bigger?! I didn't notice it before but." Kanei looked with both interest and surprise and then began to blush along with Ayeka.
"Ha ha ha ha.. Ah! Ha ha ha ha!"
Someone was laughing behind the rocks. Ayeka quickly recognised the voice. "Ryoko! You pervert! Show yourself now!" Ryoko teleported herself in the air on top of Kanei and Ayeka. "Sorry. =laugh= I just thought that you two where sooooo cute that I just couldn't help myself! =laugh="
"Why you monster!" Ayeka's teeth clenched and wooden logs began to form around her. Ryoko formed an energy ball and threw it at Ayeka. Ayeka braced herself for the impact but Kanei jumped up into the air and punched the ball straight at Ryoko's face. The ball hit her hard as she crashed through the glass dome of the floating hot spring.
Kanei quickly ran to Ayeka. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Ayeka smiled. "No. Don't worry." They stood there blushing, but their moment of silence was short-lived as the very pissed off Ryoko flew back. "Now you die boy!" Kanei jumped into the Air and quickly grabbed a towel to wrap around himself. "Come and get me!"
Ryoko flew quickly for an attack. The two exchanged a few blows but Kanei was losing the fight. Soon he was hit hard into the pool of water and was pinned under the liquid. "That ought to cool you off!". "Get off him you monster!". "Don't worry princess, I won't kill him!" But suddenly a bright light came from under the water and soon three light hawk wings surfaced from the watery depths. The wings threw Ryoko high into the air as the Kanei resurface and coughed violently. He looked tired and quickly fainted from the experience.
* * *
Ryoko came back to Tenchi's house after a while. She had a large bump on her head. But she found the house to be empty. She went into Washu's lab to get an energy bath but found everyone around an examination table. They all looked at her accusingly as Ryoko felt uneasy and quickly walked to inspect the patient lying in one of Washu's machines with only his boxers on. Kanei was being closely monitored by Washu. "Well. He was able to use the light hawk wings. But probably not too well or else he may have easily killed Ryoko."
Kanei groaned as Washu injected him with a chemical. "Washu! What did you do that for?". "Oh it is just a stimulant I developed. Don't worry! It is not like what some of you think!. it is useful for someone to recover from faints. There are no side-effects!" Washu assured everyone who calmed down after she had explained herself.
Ayeka looked angrily at Ryoko. "Why you monster! Haven't you been causing enough trouble? Now this! What have you to say for yourself?!" Ryoko looked at Ayeka. "I am sorry! I just thought that you looked like a cute couple. that's all! I didn't mean for all this to happen!" Tenchi's body tensed and looked away. "What did you mean you monster?! You still want to mock me?!"
Kanei woke up by the irritating shouts of Ayeka, he blushed as the saw that he was only in a pair of boxer shorts. "Eep!" Ayeka turned around to face Kanei as he woke up. "Kanei are you okay? You passed out in the bath." He shook his head vigorously a few times and looked at Ayeka. "I am hungry."
Everyone laughed, even Tenchi. Sasami went to prepare a nice bowl of ramien for Kanei and he joined her in the kitchen, eager to help her cook up something (After he got dressed that is). As he was about to slice carrots, Ryo-Oki jumped onto the table as it could not resist the temptation to get a midnight snack. Kanei picked up the knife, he examined it for a while and picked up the carrot. His instincts kicked in and made him throw the carrot into the air. His movements were too quick to see but as the carrot landed back onto the chopping board, it layed in a neat row of chopped pieces. Sasami and Ryo-Oki were stunned at what he had just done and looked at him warily. "Sasami."
"Yes Kanei?" Sasami replied uneasily while looking at the knife in his hand. "For some reason I feel that I have done this before. But I cannot remember where and when I began to do this. What is wrong with me?" Sasami was silent and looked at him sadly. 'His instincts are there but his memories are gone.' He smiled after a few minutes of closely monitoring the knife in his hand. He looked at Ryo-Oki who looked at him questioningly. "I think I know what you want!" He looked at Sasami for approval to give the little rabbit a carrot. Sasami nodded and so he gave the rabbit the carrot that it craved for.
Kanei went back to chopping the carrots in the way he did the other one, which attracted quite an audience. Tenchi looked on with a blank expression while Ryoko and Ayeka sat next to him. 'Have I made the right choice letting him stay here?' Soon the kitchen was filled with a great smell as everyone sat down to enjoy a midnight feast. Kanei went to sleep in another dimension, in a room of his own. (simular to Washu's lab) But the night was very restless for both Tenchi and Ayeka who had their own things to think about.
The next day came without much of a hassle as Tenchi went to work on the field of carrots with Ryoko. Sasami had got up early to prepare lunch boxes for the both of them although her job would have been a lot less tedious if Kanei was awake at that time. But by noon Kanei had got up and finally came out of a door which led to a room in another dimension. "Well good afternoon sleepy head!" Ayeka greeted him with a smile. "Good after. What?! Afternoon! " Kanei sweat dropped and looked at the sun which was high up in he air. "Hmm. Must have overslept! What do you want to do today Ayeka?". "Have lunch first and think about what we are going to do later!". "Okay."
Kanei went to the kitchen where Sasami was slicing fish. "Good afternoon Sasami! Need a hand?" Sasami looked at Kanei and smiled. "Sure slice these fish like the way I cut them." Like before, Kanei cut them into small pieces and watched Sasami make sushi out of them. "Do you eat it raw?". "Yes. Don't you like it raw?". "I can't explain it but I feel that a long time ago. I had to hunt and eat something raw. It really feels bad to kill something living and eat it. It is probably a dream but. but seems so real!" Sasami felt sorry for Kanei. 'He remember things only in patches.'
* * *
As they finished preparing the sushi they set out to the fields where Tenchi was working a new crop of carrots. Sasami, Ayeka, Mihoshi and Kanei waked along the track into a patch of dense forest. The day was beautiful as the birds sang and the sun shone warmly onto the earth. The blue sky had almost no clouds and everything looked beautiful. They all came across a tree and Kanei stopped as he had seen it. He put down the lunch boxes he was carrying, walked up to the ancient tree and touched it. Stings of green light littered the area near him as he had closed his eyes. Kanei reopened them as the lights disappeared. "Yosho. this is Yosho's tree. Funaho!"
END OF CHAPTER
HEY WANT TO SEE WHAT KANEI LOOK LIKE? READ 'DEAR READERS FOR DETAILS'!