Chapter Two: The Princess and the Pirate
It didn't take long on Tenchi's part to get Ayeka to spend some time with him. It might have taken longer to decide what to do if Sasami hadn't suggested a picnic. The two went out with a basket lovingly prepared by Sasami. They began with a nice conversation as they ate, mostly talking about the weather and a few random events. Neither of them often watched the news, but Ayeka still knew a little about what was going on in the galaxy, and Tenchi was only too happy to let her tell him about them. They fell into silence. Ayeka politely chewed her octopus, while Tenchi ate his sushi.
"Not really much to talk about, is there?" he asked.
"No, not really," she replied in agreement. "It is funny that way, how you can talk to someone completely spontaniously, but when the same people plan some time together, they have a hard time figuring out what to talk about," she said.
"Yeah," he agreed. "I guess I really don't know you very well, Ayeka-san. That's kind of funny, seeing as we've been living together for the last year," he chuckled.
"Yes, but I am sure it would be very different if you and I had been living alone," she replied. He nodded.
"It's kind of hard to get to know everybody when we're all in each other's way," he observed. The Juraian princess nodded. "So, Ayeka, won't you tell me about Jurai? I really haven't heard much about it from you and Grandpa," he said.
"Oh. Well, Jurai is very beautiful," Ayeka started. "It is hard to explain. They sky is very different from Earth's. It is still blue, but the clouds are different. Most of the planet is green, with large fields and great trees. I know little of the world outside the palace, since I rarely left it." She smiled. She would tell him about Startica! She doubted he would now about it. "In the middle of summer, we celebrate Startica. It is much like Christams here, although it is, of course, not celebrated during winter. Startica is a happy time of celebrating and giving gifts. Everything is so beautiful, decorated with glowing lights."
"It sounds nice," Tenchi commented. He sighed. "I wish Grandpa would have told me he was Yosho, but I guess he had his reasons for not telling me."
"You still resemble a member of the royal family, Tenchi-sama," she told him. "You are learning the traditions of our people, although Onii-sama never told you as much. The sword art you are being taught is the sword art our people use," she explained to him excitedly. Tenchi smiled.
They talked a little longer until Ayeka decided it was time for her to go in and start her chores. "It is my turn to do the laundry," she explained. Tenchi accompanied her to the house.
***
Tenchi found it more difficult to find Ryoko than he had expected. He didn't find her sleeping on her rafter, and he checked her room. When he went to Washu, she had told him she hadn't seen her daughter since lunch and to check outside.
Following the genius's advice, Tenchi put his sandals on and went outside. It didn't take him long to find Ryoko. She was flying high above everything with Ryo-ohki perched on her head. She was smiling, and he saw the most peaceful expression on her face. He hadn't seen her looking so happy for a while. 'She must have gotten bored while Ayeka was gone,' he concluded. He waved to her, and when she noticed him, she grinned and faded from his view. Suddenly, she reappeared in front of him.
"Hi, Ryoko," he greeted.
"Hi, Tenchi," she replied. He was actually kind of surprised she wasn't already latched to him, but now that he came to think of it, she had been doing that a lot less lately. "How did things go with Ayeka?" she asked.
'So she knew about that,' he thought. "Just fine. We had a nice picnic and she told me a little about Jurai," he replied. Ryoko nodded, seeming interested. "Do you want to do something with me?" he asked.
Inwardly, Ryoko cheered. 'So it's finally my turn!' "Sure," she said. "What do you want to do?" she asked. She already had something in mind for them, but she wanted to make sure he hadn't planned anything before she made her suggestion. She had really wanted to do a lot more than what she had planned with him, but she knew it would be hard to squeeze it all into a couple hours.
"I don't really know," he replied. "Do you have something in mind?" he asked.
"Do you like fishing?" she asked.
"I love fishing," he replied. As they walked back to the house to get the things they needed, he said, "You've really changed a lot over these last few months."
She blushed slightly. "Well, Washu said that Zero was the half of me with my true feelings. I guess I can't help but show you how I really feel," she told him.
He smiled. "I think I like you better like this," he told her.
Her slim ears perked slightly. "Like what?" she asked.
"Well," he said. He didn't want to hurt her feelings. Not after he had gotten so far with her. "Do I have to answer?" he asked.
Ryoko's slim ears drooped slightly. "You don't have to if you don't want to," she replied.
"Well," he repeated. "I like how . . . you pause to show your true self to me," he said. Ryoko looked at him with a smile. Now she looked so innocent. He now found it hard to believe that she had destroyed entire civilizations at Kagato's request. She still acted like she had before when everyone else was around, and he had to admit that this was the first time he had really seen this part of her. Well, other than when Zero replaced her.
They returned to the house to grab fishing rods and bait. Ryoko laughed as she reminded him of when she went fishing with Ryo-ohki as the bait. Tenchi chuckled. He had to admit, that wasn't such a bad method, but Ryoko had to give her a lot of carrots for her efforts.
As Tenchi and Ryoko headed to the dock that stretched half-way across the lake, Ryo-ohki ran out of the house and danced around Ryoko's feet, miyaa- ing happily. Tenchi and Ryoko laughed. Ryo-ohki miyaa-ed and jumped onto Ryoko's head.
Tenchi felt happy with them around. Ryoko was affectionately scratching the little cabbit under the chin. They found a spot on the dock and sat down. They baited their lines and cast them into the water. Ryo-ohki seemed to sigh in relief when she saw that she wasn't the bait.
"So, Tenchi," Ryoko said, holding the rod lightly in her hand. "What should we talk about?" "Um . . . I dunno," she replied. Her ears perked when she thought of something. "How's school?" she asked. "Oh, fine," Tenchi said. "I've been learning a lot of interesting things, but not nearly as interesting as some of the things Washu-chan teaches me."
Ryoko laughed. She usually had to resist the urge to fall asleep when Washu was in lecture mode. She couldn't see how Tenchi could stand listening to her blabbing on and on about her science thing. "I don't do well when Washu tries to lecture me," she said. Tenchi laughed.
"Ryoko," Tenchi said, looking at her.
"Yes, Tenchi?" she asked, glancing at him over her shoulder.
"What does it feel like to fly?" he asked.
Ryoko seemed a little taken aback by the question. "I don't know if I can explain it," she said. She looked out over the lake, watching as the reflection from the sun weaved back and forth on the windblown surface. "It feels . . . free," she said at last. "I don't feel tied down to anything," she continued. "The sky stretches endlessly and it feels so liberating, like nothing can hold me back," she said.
Tenchi smiled. "I wish I could fly," he said. There was a tug on his line and the young man realized that he had caught something. Quickly he reeled in his line to see a perfect silver fish flapping to and fro on the line. "Look Ryoko!" he exclaimed. Ryoko looked and smiled at the fish dangling from Tenchi's line. He grabbed it and brought it close to him. He gently removed the hook from the fish's mouth and tossed it into the bucket they had brought. Sasami-chan would be making fish for dinner tonight.
They sat in silence for a moment. Tenchi just watched Ryoko. She looked so gentle just sitting there with Ryo-ohki sitting on her shoulder. The cabbit yawned and jumped into Ryoko's lap. She stretched and made herself comfortable before drifting to sleep. Ryoko absently stroked the cabbit's tiny head.
Each of them caught a few more fish before Ryoko decided she had had enough with fishing. "Tenchi," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. He looked at her. "How would you like to fly with me?" she asked. Tenchi smiled gently.
"I would love that," he replied. Ryoko picked up Ryo-ohki and the cabbit stirred and awoke.
"Go on, Ryo-ohki," she said softly. "Go play with Sasami-chan." The cabbit miyaa-ed happily and jumped out of Ryoko's arms, running back to the house. Ryoko and Tenchi took the fish inside and gave them to Sasami. The little girl was pleased with the catch.
The couple went back outside. Together, they looked up into the endless sky. Ryoko positioned herself behind Tenchi and firmly held his arms before gently rising into the air. Tenchi gasped as he saw his feet floating above the ground. "You might not want to look down for a while," Ryoko suggested as she and Tenchi began to rise higher.
Soon they were soaring. Tenchi felt so happy that he felt a childish giggle gurgle from his throat. Ryoko laughed as she and Tenchi soared higher. She felt so happy being with the person she loved most, doing what she had longed to do with him from the beginning.
"You know, Tenchi," she said softly. "When I was trapped in that cave, there wasn't a day I didn't watch you." Tenchi looked up at her. "I told myself that one day I would play with you." She glanced down at him, her golden eyes brimming with tears of joy. "I thought I would never have that chance." She laughed happily. "But here we are!" she exclaimed. "Here we are together."
Tenchi smiled. "I'm glad to be here, Ryoko," he said. He looked down again. They were over Ryoko's cave now. He hadn't realized how far they had flown. He felt a drop of water land on his head. He looked up again and saw the tears streaming from Ryoko's eyes. "Are you okay, Ryoko?" he asked.
She nodded, another tear dropping onto his face and running down his cheek. "I'm just so happy, Tenchi," she said.
It didn't take long on Tenchi's part to get Ayeka to spend some time with him. It might have taken longer to decide what to do if Sasami hadn't suggested a picnic. The two went out with a basket lovingly prepared by Sasami. They began with a nice conversation as they ate, mostly talking about the weather and a few random events. Neither of them often watched the news, but Ayeka still knew a little about what was going on in the galaxy, and Tenchi was only too happy to let her tell him about them. They fell into silence. Ayeka politely chewed her octopus, while Tenchi ate his sushi.
"Not really much to talk about, is there?" he asked.
"No, not really," she replied in agreement. "It is funny that way, how you can talk to someone completely spontaniously, but when the same people plan some time together, they have a hard time figuring out what to talk about," she said.
"Yeah," he agreed. "I guess I really don't know you very well, Ayeka-san. That's kind of funny, seeing as we've been living together for the last year," he chuckled.
"Yes, but I am sure it would be very different if you and I had been living alone," she replied. He nodded.
"It's kind of hard to get to know everybody when we're all in each other's way," he observed. The Juraian princess nodded. "So, Ayeka, won't you tell me about Jurai? I really haven't heard much about it from you and Grandpa," he said.
"Oh. Well, Jurai is very beautiful," Ayeka started. "It is hard to explain. They sky is very different from Earth's. It is still blue, but the clouds are different. Most of the planet is green, with large fields and great trees. I know little of the world outside the palace, since I rarely left it." She smiled. She would tell him about Startica! She doubted he would now about it. "In the middle of summer, we celebrate Startica. It is much like Christams here, although it is, of course, not celebrated during winter. Startica is a happy time of celebrating and giving gifts. Everything is so beautiful, decorated with glowing lights."
"It sounds nice," Tenchi commented. He sighed. "I wish Grandpa would have told me he was Yosho, but I guess he had his reasons for not telling me."
"You still resemble a member of the royal family, Tenchi-sama," she told him. "You are learning the traditions of our people, although Onii-sama never told you as much. The sword art you are being taught is the sword art our people use," she explained to him excitedly. Tenchi smiled.
They talked a little longer until Ayeka decided it was time for her to go in and start her chores. "It is my turn to do the laundry," she explained. Tenchi accompanied her to the house.
***
Tenchi found it more difficult to find Ryoko than he had expected. He didn't find her sleeping on her rafter, and he checked her room. When he went to Washu, she had told him she hadn't seen her daughter since lunch and to check outside.
Following the genius's advice, Tenchi put his sandals on and went outside. It didn't take him long to find Ryoko. She was flying high above everything with Ryo-ohki perched on her head. She was smiling, and he saw the most peaceful expression on her face. He hadn't seen her looking so happy for a while. 'She must have gotten bored while Ayeka was gone,' he concluded. He waved to her, and when she noticed him, she grinned and faded from his view. Suddenly, she reappeared in front of him.
"Hi, Ryoko," he greeted.
"Hi, Tenchi," she replied. He was actually kind of surprised she wasn't already latched to him, but now that he came to think of it, she had been doing that a lot less lately. "How did things go with Ayeka?" she asked.
'So she knew about that,' he thought. "Just fine. We had a nice picnic and she told me a little about Jurai," he replied. Ryoko nodded, seeming interested. "Do you want to do something with me?" he asked.
Inwardly, Ryoko cheered. 'So it's finally my turn!' "Sure," she said. "What do you want to do?" she asked. She already had something in mind for them, but she wanted to make sure he hadn't planned anything before she made her suggestion. She had really wanted to do a lot more than what she had planned with him, but she knew it would be hard to squeeze it all into a couple hours.
"I don't really know," he replied. "Do you have something in mind?" he asked.
"Do you like fishing?" she asked.
"I love fishing," he replied. As they walked back to the house to get the things they needed, he said, "You've really changed a lot over these last few months."
She blushed slightly. "Well, Washu said that Zero was the half of me with my true feelings. I guess I can't help but show you how I really feel," she told him.
He smiled. "I think I like you better like this," he told her.
Her slim ears perked slightly. "Like what?" she asked.
"Well," he said. He didn't want to hurt her feelings. Not after he had gotten so far with her. "Do I have to answer?" he asked.
Ryoko's slim ears drooped slightly. "You don't have to if you don't want to," she replied.
"Well," he repeated. "I like how . . . you pause to show your true self to me," he said. Ryoko looked at him with a smile. Now she looked so innocent. He now found it hard to believe that she had destroyed entire civilizations at Kagato's request. She still acted like she had before when everyone else was around, and he had to admit that this was the first time he had really seen this part of her. Well, other than when Zero replaced her.
They returned to the house to grab fishing rods and bait. Ryoko laughed as she reminded him of when she went fishing with Ryo-ohki as the bait. Tenchi chuckled. He had to admit, that wasn't such a bad method, but Ryoko had to give her a lot of carrots for her efforts.
As Tenchi and Ryoko headed to the dock that stretched half-way across the lake, Ryo-ohki ran out of the house and danced around Ryoko's feet, miyaa- ing happily. Tenchi and Ryoko laughed. Ryo-ohki miyaa-ed and jumped onto Ryoko's head.
Tenchi felt happy with them around. Ryoko was affectionately scratching the little cabbit under the chin. They found a spot on the dock and sat down. They baited their lines and cast them into the water. Ryo-ohki seemed to sigh in relief when she saw that she wasn't the bait.
"So, Tenchi," Ryoko said, holding the rod lightly in her hand. "What should we talk about?" "Um . . . I dunno," she replied. Her ears perked when she thought of something. "How's school?" she asked. "Oh, fine," Tenchi said. "I've been learning a lot of interesting things, but not nearly as interesting as some of the things Washu-chan teaches me."
Ryoko laughed. She usually had to resist the urge to fall asleep when Washu was in lecture mode. She couldn't see how Tenchi could stand listening to her blabbing on and on about her science thing. "I don't do well when Washu tries to lecture me," she said. Tenchi laughed.
"Ryoko," Tenchi said, looking at her.
"Yes, Tenchi?" she asked, glancing at him over her shoulder.
"What does it feel like to fly?" he asked.
Ryoko seemed a little taken aback by the question. "I don't know if I can explain it," she said. She looked out over the lake, watching as the reflection from the sun weaved back and forth on the windblown surface. "It feels . . . free," she said at last. "I don't feel tied down to anything," she continued. "The sky stretches endlessly and it feels so liberating, like nothing can hold me back," she said.
Tenchi smiled. "I wish I could fly," he said. There was a tug on his line and the young man realized that he had caught something. Quickly he reeled in his line to see a perfect silver fish flapping to and fro on the line. "Look Ryoko!" he exclaimed. Ryoko looked and smiled at the fish dangling from Tenchi's line. He grabbed it and brought it close to him. He gently removed the hook from the fish's mouth and tossed it into the bucket they had brought. Sasami-chan would be making fish for dinner tonight.
They sat in silence for a moment. Tenchi just watched Ryoko. She looked so gentle just sitting there with Ryo-ohki sitting on her shoulder. The cabbit yawned and jumped into Ryoko's lap. She stretched and made herself comfortable before drifting to sleep. Ryoko absently stroked the cabbit's tiny head.
Each of them caught a few more fish before Ryoko decided she had had enough with fishing. "Tenchi," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. He looked at her. "How would you like to fly with me?" she asked. Tenchi smiled gently.
"I would love that," he replied. Ryoko picked up Ryo-ohki and the cabbit stirred and awoke.
"Go on, Ryo-ohki," she said softly. "Go play with Sasami-chan." The cabbit miyaa-ed happily and jumped out of Ryoko's arms, running back to the house. Ryoko and Tenchi took the fish inside and gave them to Sasami. The little girl was pleased with the catch.
The couple went back outside. Together, they looked up into the endless sky. Ryoko positioned herself behind Tenchi and firmly held his arms before gently rising into the air. Tenchi gasped as he saw his feet floating above the ground. "You might not want to look down for a while," Ryoko suggested as she and Tenchi began to rise higher.
Soon they were soaring. Tenchi felt so happy that he felt a childish giggle gurgle from his throat. Ryoko laughed as she and Tenchi soared higher. She felt so happy being with the person she loved most, doing what she had longed to do with him from the beginning.
"You know, Tenchi," she said softly. "When I was trapped in that cave, there wasn't a day I didn't watch you." Tenchi looked up at her. "I told myself that one day I would play with you." She glanced down at him, her golden eyes brimming with tears of joy. "I thought I would never have that chance." She laughed happily. "But here we are!" she exclaimed. "Here we are together."
Tenchi smiled. "I'm glad to be here, Ryoko," he said. He looked down again. They were over Ryoko's cave now. He hadn't realized how far they had flown. He felt a drop of water land on his head. He looked up again and saw the tears streaming from Ryoko's eyes. "Are you okay, Ryoko?" he asked.
She nodded, another tear dropping onto his face and running down his cheek. "I'm just so happy, Tenchi," she said.