Author's notes:
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Hi all, I know it has been a great long while since I've updated, but I guess you all can relate to serious writer's block….and sheer lazy-Ness I suffered. I'm finally getting toward where I want to go with this story. However, it was murder to get this chapter out and I'm not 100% happy with it, but I hope you like it anyway.
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Chapter 7: Zephr's Song
Fly away on my zephyr
I feel it more than ever
and in this perfect weather
we'll find a place together
fly on... my wind
In the water where I center my emotion
all the world can pass me by
fly away on my Zephyr
we'll find a place together…………….The
Zephyr Song, Red Hot Chili Peppers
Zephr Watanabe sat like a pillar of stone on the deck outside the Masaki home. He closed his eyes and breathed in and out the cool morning air. Facing the rising sun, his cross-legged form took on the traditional pose of meditation. His body rose and fell with each deliberate breath in sync with the tiny waves of water lapping upon the dock. It had been a great long time since he was able to have a moment to himself since he arrived on Earth. Not that he minded the mayhem that came with living with the Masaki extended family. True, it was wonderful to have such excitement day in and day out with the antics of the women in the house, but unfortunately, it offered him seldom a chance to enjoy the solitude that he craved. He had grown to accept the true loneliness of his past life. Zephr never knew his parents; he was told they had passed away shortly after his birth so he had been happily raised by his mother's uncle, a wise and gentle man not unlike Master Yosho. To Zephr, Yosho represented the sole island of sanity in this madness of Masakis. The boy considered the wise martial arts master as equal to his uncle in skill, but there was something more in the old man, something Zephr could not quite put his finger on.
He desperately wanted to know how his uncle was doing. Zephr knew he could never return to Mirai, he had failed them as their leader, he had betrayed their goddess. Washu had promised him that Tokimi wouldn't dare harm his people but without contact, he sometimes wondered about that. He also couldn't bring himself to ask the petite scientist to help him contact his family as he was afraid that such a contact would confirm his worst fears. Zephr hoped these few precious moments of meditation would offer him the clarity and insight to do what was right. Besides, he couldn't quite figure out what his purpose was on this strange new planet called Earth. Everyday, he painfully accepted the warm hospitality Tenchi's family offered at no cost but this made him feel too dependent. And now, with a baby coming, he also felt a drain to the family's finances. Never mind he was not the only person Tenchi's father supported as the house was full of alien wards. It still made him feel bad, but what could he do? Not knowing his true place in this universe often left him quite depressed as this morning, leaving him with no recourse but to fall back on his training and try to center himself for the coming day.
Swoosh. The sound of the sliding door ripped his consciousness back to reality and Zephr realized he was no longer alone. He also knew from the strong smell of gingerbread and canned sardines that it had to be Ryoko.
"Up early again?" She sounded forlorn and tired as she sat cross-legged next to him.
"Yes,"
"No body's up….I'm bored." She sighed.
"Why didn't you wrestle Tenchi up?" He smirked.
"He was up late working on the nursery; I just didn't have the heart to wake him. Besides, I would have slept late myself, if I were able." She slurped down the juice from the sardine tin and set it down.
"Morning sickness?"
"As always." She groaned. "The cookies seem to help. Burp! And I was just craving the sardines." She smiled.
"So, Tenchi's not up yet?" Zephr quickly thought about challenging his friend to an early morning duel.
"No," Ryoko trailed off, she thought of the peacefully sleeping boy she left curled up warm and safe in his bed. "He has to train today in a little while, I thought it best to let him get a few more minutes sleep. Why are you up so early?"
"I'm trying to find my center for today."
"What?" She gave him a perplexed look as she snarfed down another gingerbread cookie.
"My center, my core chi. Whenever I'm depressed or sad, I mediate this way and suddenly everything makes sense." He turned once more toward the sun.
"You get depressed? Wanna talk about it? Or is there a little princess you'd rather spill your guts to?"
"No…I don't really want to talk about it, but I'll show you some relaxation techniques if you want to learn."
"Well, if it will help me through the puking and the emotional swings, I'm game…."
"It most certainly will…" He ushered her to imitate his stance, cross-legged, his back straight with perfect posture, his arms outstretched palm side up on his knees. "You'll have to put down that cookie."
"Oh, yeah." She gulped down the last bite. Sorry."
"Alright, close your eyes. Feel the warm sun hit your face…."
"Should I go get my sunscreen?"
"Do you really want to learn this?"
"Sorry, continue."
"Feel the warmth on your skin. Now listen. Listen to the tiny waves of water lapping against the wood. Feel the gentle breeze. Now, imagine that you are within yourself….that you are seeing the world from within the walls of your chest. You have no physical body but you know that the center of yourself is your power. Find that…."
"Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz"
"Ryoko?" Zephr opened his left eye and peered at the pirate beside him. She had fallen asleep, straight up and in his mediation posture. "Maybe next time." He whispered and closed his eyes to resume his stance.
Plunk! Plunk!
The sound of ricocheting wads of paper mixed with the tiniest twinkle of youthful laughter echoed through the living room. Sasami and Ryo-Ohki stumbled upon the frozen forms of Ryoko and Zephr. The cabbit giggled merrily as she watched the girl flick the paper wads at their heads.
"Ryo-Ohki? Just what are they doing?" Sasami smiled.
"Miya?" Ryo-Ohki truly didn't have a clue. She couldn't communicate with her master now that Ryoko didn't wear any of the gems.
"Well, let's see if I can hit Ryoko on her ear." She steadied her hand to propel another wad of paper when she felt a stern hand on her shoulder.
"Sasami. It is not polite to spy on Lord Zephr….and…" Ayeka's voice was cut off when she realize just who was sitting very closely beside the dark prince
"Miss Ryoko!" Her shrill voice echoed through the forest waking up the pirate with a start.
"Whoa, whoa!" She moaned as the Princess' voice almost propelled her off the edge of the deck and into the lake. Zephr's sturdy hand clutched the collar of her dress and kept her from falling in. She steadied herself and stood to face Ayeka. "Just what's the big idea? I was meditating you idiot!" She marched over to the Princess as Zephr turned to see the show.
"Ryoko, since you are also up so early, why don't we attempt another dress fitting?"
"Dress fitting? Is that what you call those Juraian monstrosities you throw on me….dresses?"
"Miss Ryoko. You and Tenchi have arrived at a date for this wedding. Do you want a dress or do you not?" She towered over the pirate. There was no fighting Ayeka when fashion was involved.
"N, n,n,no….." Ryoko whimpered. She hated this. She wanted so badly to smack that little bitch down, but for some reason, she could not fight her. Ryoko felt an enormous urge to cry. Cry, for goddess' sake. The destroyer of planets, fiend and demon caller, Ryoko wanted to hunker down and cry because the snotty Princess was yelling at her.
"Good, now come on." Ayeka pointed toward Washu's lab and Ryoko slumped her shoulders and followed uncharacteristically without a fight.
"Miss Ayeka?" Zephr caught her attention as she followed Ryoko back into the house.
"Yes?" Her former assertive tone hit sudden submissive notes in her answer.
"We never had that talk I asked you about….do you think…."
"Um, perhaps after lunch, Lord Zephr." She cut him off and followed Ryoko into the living room, leaving the prince alone with his sun rise.
"What is he talking about sister?" Sasami's voice trailed off as she, Ayeka, Ryoko and the cabbit once again disappeared behind the door to Washu's lab.
"As it was in the beginning, now in the end." Zephr sighed and resumed his gaze toward the sunset.
***
Moving slowly and deliberately towards the Sol system, the graceful wooden ship, Mikagami, edged her way toward Earth. Powerful sweeping boughs seemingly miles long connected to form an almost perfect circle embraced by protruding arches of wooden material. Suspended within the oval of the ship and resting in a hazy blue veil of a natural subspace atmosphere, Lady Seto sat upon her intricately carved wooden throne. She set her ruby eyes past the pale sky of her artificial world and through the mist toward the blackness of space. She delicately raised a cup of tea to her red lips and took a luxurious sip. Azusa was a fool. She loved him, but he had turned right out bull headed. He couldn't see that this boy and he were of the same fabric, the same stock. She sighed and remembered a time oh so many millennia ago when she found a shaky nervous boy with unruly black hair and groomed him to be the ruler of the greatest Empire the Universe would ever know. Seto knew that the King was aware of his mistake. He could not be so blind to look upon the boy who recently saved the planet Jurai with the same disdain as when he first met the child. She chuckled at her last visit to the Sol System. She had escorted the King's ship home and her daughter, Misaki relayed the whole Seiryo fiasco. Seto had never met the pompous pink-haired Seiryo before but knew of his snobby family and assumed that her granddaughter, Ayeka was both wise for rebuking him and brave for standing up to her father. Then she wondered about Asuza's sanity for even presenting the prissy noble to Ayeka as a potential mate.
Tenchi. His name lingered in her astute brain. Could this be the one, the next in line? Seto frowned at that thought. She had such very high hopes for handsome Yosho, but he apparently was not dependable and had his own agenda. Besides, his tree had taken root on Earth and neither the two shall be parted for too long. Hmmm, then perhaps Ayeka? No, but she was the embodiment of nobility. Her spirit was pure and her heart was strong, but something about her granddaughter did not fit the role of monarch. It would have to be Tenchi, this wayward descendant of Yosho, the crown Prince of Jurai. The fact that he single handedly defeated the enemy armada weighed heavily on the Holy Council's unanimous decision to allow his ascension. Of course, Asuza voiced his doubts, but ultimately agreed with the elders that the Masaki boy should be king when his time was done. Seto hoped that this boy, this dark haired warrior would not give her so much trouble as the current Jurai King. She shuddered at the thought of whipping another snotty lad into ruling material.
Seto slowly and deliberately set her teacup down as she wiped an errant strand of her pale green hair from her face. Ryoko. She had not taken Washu's daughter into high consideration before. Not even after her battle with the king so many thousands of years ago while she was young, immature and under the firm grip of Kagato. She chocked Azusa's loss to the fact that he was still a reckless youth himself. What really piqued her curiosity about the amber eyed beauty was her debilitating attack on Jurai seven hundred years ago. That showed some real power….some spunk. But, Yosho did defeat her after all so maybe this girl wasn't the diamond in the rough. Lady Seto remembered the small paragraph in the Holy Council's report on the recent Mirai incident that described Ryoko being present when Tenchi defeated Lord Zephr. She wondered just how involved "being present" entailed. Seto also knew from her last meeting with the pirate, that Ryoko held a fondness for Yosho, and now if Misaki was correct, she was also in love with poor hapless Tenchi. Seto wasn't quite sure if a marriage to the pirate was a bad thing…after all, what better way to ensure a powerful bloodline for the royal family than with a woman that could possibly create light hawk wings herself. However, Ayeka's power should also not be ignored…perhaps a dual wedding? Seto squinted malevolently as she suddenly thought of her little Noike. She was sure if none of these silly girls met Tenchi's fancy, her green haired god daughter would. She smiled at the possibilities, but quickly tucked them away with the thought of the message she was instructed to deliver to Princess Ayeka.
Ayeka. Seto wondered if her prim and proper granddaughter would faint straight away when she delivered the good news. She intentionally did not announce her coming to the transplanted Juraians on Earth, so the message she would deliver could shock them. She hoped it would. "Fun, that really, really will be fun, to see the look on their faces." She smiled and took another sip of her tea.
****
"Blast it, Mihoshi!" Kiyone scraped the remnants of a weeks worth of lunches off the smooth control panel before her. "Quit eating on the bridge, you're messing up the controls!"
"I'm sorry, it' just so boring up here, I have to eat or something. Let's go back to Earth, we've been up here for weeks."
"I know, I know, we're running low on everything, but headquarters has not updated our orders. Besides, Mihoshi, you know that strange energy reading we got the other day?"
"The one that looked like a big pink squiggle on the screen?"
"Yes, that one….I think I've located it. Want to see?"
"Show me, show me!" The blond giggled and got closer to the monitor.
"There, it's coming from near Saturn. It will take us a day or so to get there from here, but do you want to investigate?"
"Grrrrrrrrrrrowl." Mihoshi grabbed her tummy. "Kiyone?"
"What now?"
"We have to go close to Earth to get there don't we?"
"Yes."
"Please let's stop and get something good to eat?"
"Well, we have been in a rough spot, let's see if the commander will consent to some time off." She brushed some paper and debris from the communicator and pushed some buttons. In front of the girls popped the head of their commanding officer.
"Kiyone, Mihoshi, your report?"
"Sir, we've been searching the system for weeks now with no relief. We have no new information to report. Mihoshi and I humbly request some leave time on Earth to re-supply the Yagami."
"But Kiyone?"
"Can it." She replied and nudged the blond with her elbow to shut up.
"Well, the GP has rounded up all the escaped prisoners except for one. It is very unlikely that he made his way to the Sol System. I am granting your leave. Keep an eye out and report anything unusual from your normal patrols and get some rest girls."
"Yes sir!" Both girls saluted their commander.
"Oh, sir?"
"Yes, Kiyone?"
"May I ask who the lone escapee is?"
"Doctor Clay." Kiyone stood aback. "Given Mihoshi's experience with the good Doctor I seriously doubt he would return to Earth, but since you are in good relations with Professor Washu, you may want to let her know as well. If she can help you bring him in, they may be a promotion waiting for you." He dangled that jewel before Kiyone and she grabbed it.
"Yes Sir!" She shut the communicator off. "Mihoshi, let's get back to Earth!"
"But you didn't tell him about the energy pattern."
"Do you want to eat some of Sasami's cooking or not?"
"….well, sure."
"Then we'll worry about it when we go back on assignment. Ok? Besides, if it's a promotion….er, Dr. Clay we are after, I'm sure Washu would be the person to talk with."
"…..ok."
****
Tenchi overslept again. The sunlight streamed through the funky round window and hit him square in the eyes sending brilliant light straight into his brain. He grimaced in his sleep but finally pried one eye open and then the next until he was awake. The boy stretched in a luxurious stupor and gazed around his room when he realized he had overslept.
"Grandpa!" His eyes grew as big a saucers as he realized the old man was
waiting out in the practice area. There was no doubt in his mind that he was in for a hard day of training now. "Great, I'm late! Ryoko?" He looked around the room searching for his fiancée, but she was nowhere to be found. "She must be eating again." He thought.
Tenchi stumbled out of bed and ran to a pile of clothes on the floor, trying to find his favorite pants. On the way, he tripped on a pair of tiny shoes and fell on his face. Now on the floor, he stared at another pile of Ryoko's clothes. He frowned.
"This room is a mess!" The boy looked around to see the carnage in his once immaculate bedroom. Ever since he'd moved the pirate in, she overcame him with her messiness. He loved her, but he also loved order and she was definitely testing his ability to keep his room clean. "We're going to have a talk about this later," he determined. The boy then found his pants and struggled to get them on without tripping on another of Ryoko's things. Once he was dressed, he ran out the door and down the stairs.
Boom!
As soon as Tenchi rounded the stairs on the ground floor, a concussive blast nearly threw him to the ground. He staggered and managed to compose his balance and he turned to face the source of the explosion-Washu's lab.
"Uh? Washu?" He stammered as he crept slowly to the now charred door underneath the stairs. He was quickly joined by Zephr.
"What the heck was that?"
"Shhhhh." Tenchi reprimanded. "Washu gets testy when disturbed." He stepped gingerly toward the door and was about to gently knock to see if he could come in when suddenly, the door opened violently, trapping the boy against the wall with a thud.
"Damnit! That's it! I've had it with your stupid Jurain wedding monstrosities!" Ryoko marched out the door dressed only in her frown but quickly followed by Ayeka, Sasami, Ryo-Ohki and Washu-all charred with black soot.
"Miss Ryoko! You simply have to choose! The wedding is in a week!" Ayeka ran for the pirate trying to offer her a robe.
"Bah! Tenchi and I can marry each other naked in the onsen for all I care!" She scoffed at the princess and shooed her robe away. Ryoko paid no attention to the gaping stares of both Tenchi and Zephr in response to her nudity.
"What are you looking at Zen boy?" She huffed and gave a death glance to Zephr who soon withered slowly behind the couch. Ryoko turned to look for Tenchi, oblivious to the fact she squashed him behind the door to the lab.
"Tenchi!" The guttural yowl of the boy's name reverberated through the mountains quieting even the birds of the early fall.
"Right…here…" he moaned.
"Tenchi…..can we get married in the onsen? Naked?" She pried him from behind the door and held him close.
"Um, Ryoko….you really want Grandpa to marry us naked?" He smiled.
"Well, didn't think of that…." She mentally knocked herself for suggesting such a thing particularly with the past they held. "Ok, well maybe just I will be naked….is that better?"
"Ryoko."
"Ok! But Ayeka wants to ruin the whole thing by making me look stupid in one of those hideous Juraian dresses." She stuck her tongue out at the Princess.
"Lord Tenchi! That is not true. I offered her my services and found the most respectful and traditional of wedding gowns….."
"Liar!"
"Oaf!"
"Bitch!"
"Stop it!" Tenchi grasped his hands to his head-it was already aching from the explosion, aggravated by being slammed into the door and now the girls were back to bickering like before and he could not take any more. "There will be no wedding unless you two behave!" He felt that was just too harsh the moment the words left his mouth. He regretted it instantly.
Pow! Tenchi's headache instantly accelerated to possible head trauma as Ryoko's fist met his jaw.
"You listen to me! YOU proposed to ME! You fought to marry Me! You knocked me up Goddamnit! There is going to be a wedding and if it's over YOUR dead body, so be it! I'm going to get a dress today…even if I have to steal it!" She dropped her fiancée to the ground and marched naked out the front door.
"Did…I…go…too far?" Tenchi mumbled as Ryoko exited.
"Just a tiny bit…." Answered Sasami. "Ryoko wait! I want to go with you!" The little girl ran after the pirate. "Come on Ryo-Ohki!" The furry cabbit soon followed.
"Tenchi, my boy, you need to learn some tact around our Ryoko….she's in a delicate state." Washu helped him to his feet as he nursed a sore jaw. "Did she break anything?"
"No, I think she went easy on me for once." He half smiled.
"Lord Tenchi. I am sorry I provoked her. I keep forgetting that she gets more upset these days." Ayeka lowered her eyes to avoid looking at him. She was startled by feeling his warm hand on her shoulder.
"That's ok, Ayeka. We are all under some stress. I'm sure Ryoko will be fine when she gets back."
"Yes, I'm sure….but I hope she doesn't pull Sasami into her life of crime." Ayeka looked worried at the fleeting image of her little sister trying to keep up with the still nude Ryoko.
"Is it safe to come out?" Zephr's voice echoed from behind the couch.
"Yes!" Ayeka answered half giggling as Tenchi turned to leave the house.
"I have practice, someone come get me when she returns? Alright?"
"Sure!" Washu, Zephr and Ayeka replied in unison.
"He sure is brave." Ayeka chuckled.
"Or just plain stupid." Washu replied and stepped back into her lab closing the door with a thud.
"Princess?" Zephr practically leapt over the couch to catch Ayeka before she left the room. "We need to have…some… sort of talk."
"Can it wait until after dinner? I, I, have chores." She tried to think of some way to put this off. She knew that whatever he wanted to talk about, was going to be awkward.
"No, I've tried to speak with you forever, please give me a chance?"
"Very well," she took a deep breath and ushered him to the door. "I find it easier to discuss things amongst nature….care to take a walk?"
"That would be wonderful." He smiled and took her hand. He didn't fail to notice the slight shiver from her as he did.
***
"That twerp!" Ryoko mumbled as she marched away from the house. "Threaten me with canceling MY wedding…."
"Ryoko!" Sasami panted trying to keep up. "Ryoko, wait for me!" She stumbled and fell, righted herself and along with Ryo-Ohki tried to catch the pirate. "Ryoko!"
"What?" Ryoko turned and tried to start another fight with whoever was following her. However, when she saw two pink eyes staring at her with concern, her anger melted away. "Sasami?"
"Please….wait…." She caught up to the woman. "I want to go with you too!" She smiled and giggled at Ryoko's nudity.
"Oh…well, I don't think straight when I'm mad…..here, perhaps it would be better if I make myself more presentable." In an instant a spark few down her body from the tip of her head to her toes. As it traveled, a soft blue and yellow striped dress covered her fair skin. She was about to comment on how this dress was better than being naked when she felt it. "Oh?" Ryoko fell to her knees.
"What is it? What's wrong?" Sasami leapt to her side.
Washu schooled Ryoko on the fine art of child birth as soon as they realized she was pregnant. She versed her daughter in everything that she would go through until the baby was born…and after that Washu advised it was her own dumb luck that would successfully raise the child to adulthood as long as Tenchi could keep them both straight. Ryoko knew that along with morning sickness, her ankles would swell and thanks to all the salty and bizarre foods she craved, most evenings they looked like they matched Azaka and Kamidake in girth. She also knew that somewhere down the line, in her 2nd trimester, which she had just entered, she would feel the baby begin to move. The pirate never dwelt on that, believing it to be an icky thought-having something living squirming around in your body. But, this feeling that suddenly hit her, this flutter, this slight pressure sent her emotions reeling. Her baby, the baby she really did make with Tenchi was kicking her for the first time.
"Ryoko! Please! Should I get Tenchi?" Sasami was on the verge of tears.
"No, you'd wear yourself out running up the mountain…..Sasami, just put your hand here…" She took a deep breath and placed the child's hand on her newly swollen abdomen. The look on the child's face told the pirate she finally understood that she was not in distress at all.
"Ryoko! Is that your baby?" Sasami smiled and ushered Ryo-Ohki to put her paw on her master's stomach. The cabbit did so hesitantly and jumped back the instant she felt the small vibration. Perplexed and not really understanding the situation, all the little creature could do was growl.
"That's not a very nice thing to say to your niece or nephew." Ryoko gently picked up the cabbit and stroked her soft fur until she calmed down.
"Miya?" She questioned.
"Yes, Ryo-Ohki, that's Ryoko's baby making all that ruckus. You are going to be an Aunt!" she giggled, sending the cabbit into sheer happiness.
Ryo-Ohki didn't really understand how babies came to be. She did know what babies were and little Taro gave her quick lessons in just how destructive babies could be. The cabbit sincerely hoped that her master's baby would not tug at her ears until they hurt like baby Taro did so long ago. Until Ryoko and Tenchi's baby did such a thing, she supposed she could give him or her benefit of the doubt. She cuddled up to Ryoko's stomach.
"I can't wait until he's born!" Sasami smiled.
"She….it is going to be a she." Ryoko corrected.
"But how can you tell, did Washu find out?"
"No not yet….but knowing Tenchi's luck, it's got to be another girl in this household!" She stood up and helped the child to her feet as well. "Come on, you, let's go window shopping." Ryoko started walking toward town.
"But Ryoko, there's no nice dress shops in town, I've heard Tenchi's father say we may have to drive to get to one."
"Not in this little town, huh? Sasami, do you think there will be wedding kimonos in Tokyo?"
"I suppose…..but Ryoko, I have to be back in time for dinner."
"I promise to have you back in no time."
"Do you have any money?"
"Yeah, I should have enough with me…how much could a lousy earth dress cost anyway…." She smiled as she chucked Ryo-Ohki into the air. The tiny creature flew screaming and howling until she transformed into a graceful ship with gray spikes and towers. Before Sasami could answer Ryoko, Ryo-Ohki transported both girls aboard and they sped off toward Tokyo.
***
Ayeka stepped lightly upon the scattered leaves on the path she and Lord Zephr walked. Glad that she had worn an extra layer to her everyday kimono, she felt the cool sting of the autumn upon her porcelain skin. Although the boy asked to speak with her, for the past few minutes into their strole, he said nothing. She cleared her throat to break the ice.
"Well, this is a really beautiful spot, especially since the leaves have turned." She gazed toward the valley below them.
"It most certainly is….." He fidgeted in his shoes, afraid to say more.
"Zephr….what….what did you want to talk about so insistently?" She turned to him, her red eyes pleading for answers.
"Ayeka….how, how do you feel…."
"Yes?"
"…about Tenchi?"
"Oh?" She was surprised by his statement.
"I mean, are, are you still hoping for him?"
"I don't know what on earth you are getting at."
"Well, that night in the teahouse…we've never talked about that stuff since. I was just worried how you were taking this wedding especially since you've been promoted to organizer of the event."
"I, I haven't put much thought to it….honestly." She gazed away.
"I don't believe you." He grabbed her hand and pulled her to him. "Are you still in love with him?"
"Well…."
"I need to know." His eyes shown with determination.
"I can't help it." She pulled free from his hand. "I know I should, but I just can't. Is that what you wanted to know?" She grew angry.
"No. It isn't at all." He sighed and put his hands on her shoulders forcing her to look him in the eyes. "I will have to give you more time." He smiled and raised his right hand to her jaw line and gently fingered the dangling ornaments of her tiara.
"Wha, what does that mean?" She stepped back from him. "More time for what?"
"To get over him…..for me." He turned slowly and began walking down toward the house.
Ayeka didn't follow the boy but she watched as his billowing garments whipped around the back of his body against the sudden wind as he walked away. She stood on the hillside as the orange, red and yellow leaves of autumn swirled around the hem of her kimono; and as the young man disappeared, she sighed heavily. The princess had tried so hard to rid her heart of the love she still held for Tenchi, but that type of house cleaning was slow going. Every day she grew stronger and stronger but she could not seem to let him go not even with the ever growing friendship she shared with Ryoko despite the pirate's maternal tantrums. Ayeka was about to start back to the house herself when she heard a strange whirring noise, a noise not unlike that of a camera flash charging up. Suddenly, the air grew thin and the water on the lake below her began to gyrate. The clouds above also began to rotate and opened up to a brilliant white flash of light. An object fell from the sky and plunged into the lake sending water up over the deck and barley missing Zephr as he entered the house. The boy poked his head outside to see what the commotion was all about.
"Well, looks as if our two Galaxy Police detectives have returned….I shall have to fetch some dry clothes for them." Ayeka smiled and made her way back toward the house.
***
Far away in his dark laboratory hidden within the rings of Saturn, Dr. Clay monitored Ryo-Ohki as she flew across Japan. He smiled and readied his space craft for flight. It was time to go get his Zero unit.