Illusions of Life:
Chapter, the FourthWhite, puffy clouds floated lazily in the Azure sky. Ayeka noticed this as she folded the laundry and hung the linens. If only my mood were as beautiful and positive as the sky today, she thought to herself gloomily. The princess was dressed in a simple lavender sundress with white and pink flowers on it. Ayeka had been folding clothes before lunch, as is her habit. Usually she could count on Kiyone's help, but the teal haired detective was currently interrogating some space pirates with Tenchi, Ryoko, and the bounty hunter Victor.
Ayeka paused when she ran over the list of who was interrogating the pirates. So Ryoko and Tenchi are spending more time with each other. Sighing, Ayeka was a bit surprised when it didn't hurt as much as she thought it would. What would she do if Tenchi chose Ryoko? Oh rubbish, Ayeka. Now stop thinking like that, Ayeka chided herself. You know perfectly well that someone as kind, gentle, innocent and honorable, as Tenchi would never pick that Bakemono over a beautiful princess such as yourself…
Ayeka let out a bark of laughter. "Who are you kidding, Ayeka? He doesn't care that you are a princess, just like he doesn't care that Ryoko used to be the most wanted space pirate in the universe. He only cares about who we are," and the pink-eyed princess stifled a sob. "Who I am…"
A plaintive wail could be heard from the crib a few feet away, jolting Ayeka out of her thoughts. Shaking her head, Ayeka stood and walked over to the floating crib. Sitting in the center of the apparatus was a blue haired baby in a white dress. Mayuka was alternating between looking at an empty bottle on the edge of the crib and crying.
"Oh, so you want another bottle?" Ayeka said with a smile. "My oh my don't you eat quite a bit. If you keep this up you'll start acting like Ryoko, won't you?" Ayeka was slightly non-plussed when Mayuka giggled at Ryoko's name. "So you like her too," the purple haired princess sighed. "Like father like daughter," Ayeka mumbled as she picked up the baby.
"Come along, let's get you a new bottle. We can go see Auntie Sasami, ok?" Ayeka said as she carried the little baby into the house. She walked through the glass door and into the kitchen. Looking around, Ayeka saw that here sister was indeed in the middle of making lunch. From the looks of it, Sasami was in the middle of preparing another American dish. Hamburgers, she thought they were called. Not Ayeka's favorite, since you were supposed to eat with your hands, but Kiyone and Mihoshi liked them. And since Mihoshi should be out soon, Ayeka figured her little sister was making a meal that the two recovering GP would enjoy.
Mayuka let out a small cry. Sasami, alerted to the other occupants in the room, turned around. "Oh, hello Sister, Mayuka. Do you need something?"
"Yes, actually Sasami. Could you prepare a bottle of formula for Mayuka? She is still hungry after the first; she is eating more and more every day."
Sasami nodded and climbed off of the small stool at the kitchen sink. Ayeka noticed with a smile that the young, blue-haired princess almost didn't need the stool anymore. She's growing up so fast, Ayeka thought as she watched Sasami prepare the bottle. As Ayeka watched her sister, Her thoughts drifted over to a conversation the two had just yesterday, after breakfast.
"Sister, why do you keep fighting with Ryoko?" the youngest royal princess asked of her older sibling. "She didn't do anything wrong, but you yelled at her anyway. What's she done to you to make you hate her so?"
"How can I not hate someone who's so slothful, wild, boorish, self-confident, free…." Ayeka stopped herself; She didn't like where this list was going. Did she really hate her cyan haired rival? Or did she just hate the rivalry? Ayeka was shaken when she realized she didn't really know anymore.
"Ryoko's not that bad sister, you just have to giver her a chance," Sasami yelled at her purple haired sister. Seeing the glower Ayeka gave her, she decided to try a different approach. "Besides Ayeka, Tenchi hasn't chosen either of you. Tenchi would tell you in person if he did something like that, you know that." Ayeka could only nod in agreement. Ayeka sat in a chair, and Sasami climbed in to her sister's lap, her arms around her older sister's neck.
"Ayeka, would you make Ryoko leave if Tenchi picked you?" The blue haired princess asked her sister after they held each other for a few moments.
"I don't know Sasami. Ryoko wouldn't want to leave, especially with Mayuka and Washu here." Ayeka grimaced a bit, angry with herself for even thinking so cruelly. She knew she had been raised much better than that. "No, I wouldn't make Ryoko leave; I couldn't break us all up just because Tenchi will eventually choose me."
Sasami lifted her face from her sister's chest and looked Ayeka in the eyes. The first crown princess of Jurai was shocked to see tears there. "Will… Will we have to leave if he picks Ryoko?" The fear in Sasami's voice made Ayeka's heart wrench.
So this is what she is afraid of most, Ayeka thought in sudden understanding. If I were to leave then she would have to come with me. Ayeka sighed and stroked her sister's blue hair. "No, little Sasami, we won't go since Tenchi won't choose that monster woman." Ayeka smiled down at her sister and continued softly, "Even if for some unknown reason he doesn't choose a certain lovely and talented First Princess, we still won't leave. Not until you are grown a bit and ready to leave, ok?"
Sasami's large pink eyes widened in hope, a small smile trying to force its way onto her features. "Do you mean it Ayeka?" Ayeka just nodded with a soft smile on her face. The smile, before only sneaking onto her face, blossomed into a joyous expression as Sasami hugged her sister tighter. "Thank you Sister!! I was so worried I'd have to leave my friends and family here. Thank you so much!!" Ayeka just hugged her sister back.
"You welcome Sasami. I could no more leave my friends and family here than you could."
Sasami jumped out of her sister's arms, renewed hope and happiness evident in the bounce in her step.
"Do you need me for anything Ayeka? If not, then I have to get lunch and dinner started." Ayeka just sighed and walked to the onsen to take a bath.
"Ok, the bottles done. Ayeka. Ayeka, the bottle's done. Ayeka… Ayeka!!"
Ayeka shook her head as she left her recollections, nodding and taking the bottle of formula for Mayuka. Gathering the baby in her arms, the purple haired princess walked in the direction of the living room to watch TV. As she passed the stairs, she glanced at the closet door. I wonder what they are doing right now? Ayeka sat on the couch and began feeding the midnight-haired baby.
"What do you mean, 'No'! You just walked out the door a minute ago Tenchi," Kiyone yelled in surprise. She watched as the young man, Tenchi just shrugged his shoulders, confusion evident on his face.
Ryoko shook her head and walked over to the door. Giving it a yank, she was shocked that she couldn't rip the door off of the hinges. "All right, time to play hardball," the space pirate said as she formed an orange ball of energy in her hand. She paused before she threw the ball when Ryoko felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked over and it was Tenchi.
"There's got to be another way Ryoko," Tenchi said. "There isn't a lot of room in there, you might hurt Victor or the helpless pirates."
Kiyone walked up and looked at the door's locking mechanism. Great, she thought. It just has to be an electronic lock… Kiyone thought for a minute, trying to find a solution. Kiyone's eyes lit up and she grinned when she remembered who built this place. She turned to Ryoko.
"Hey Ryoko," Kiyone said. Ryoko was looking at the door, trying to think of a way in. Must be unusual for the pirate, trying to think of a way in to a prison, Kiyone thought with a smirk.
"Yeah Kiyone," Ryoko said distractedly, "what? Got an idea on how to get in?"
Kiyone spoke up, "Yeah, I do. Since Washu built this thing, contact her and have her open the lock." Ryoko just shrugged indifferently.
"Ok," the space pirate said. Focusing her thoughts, she opened her connection to Washu.
Washu, Ryoko said telepathically, we need some help. She felt the mad scientist snort in amusement and took that as a cue to continue. Victor has locked us all out of the lockup. Can you open the door?
Ryoko got the sense, through the link, of movement. Sorry little Ryoko, came Washu's reply. It looks like he used the manual lock, not the electronic one. The cyan haired girl grimaced a bit at both Washu's name for her and the answer she had just received. I'll talk to you later Ryoko, I'm in the middle of an important experiment. Ryoko felt the link close after Washu's last comment. Forming another energy ball, she turned to Tenchi and Kiyone.
"Looks like he locked the door manually," she said to her fellows. She turned to the door and called out over her shoulder, "Get ready!"
Kiyone and Tenchi put a hand over their eyes as Ryoko threw the energy ball directly at the door. With an echoing boom, the door blew off its hinges and flew into the small building. The three friends walked into a building and looked around in shock.
The inside of the room was a wreck, mostly thanks to Ryoko's entrance. However, one of the pirates, the one still at the table, looked different than the rest. The pirate was dusty from the explosion, and a gash on his face could have been from a piece of shrapnel, but his eyes were what Kiyone noticed first. His eyes were completely white and unseeing; there were also scorch marks at the pirates temples. The three onlookers were shocked into speechlessness. Then Victor stood up and rounded on them.
"What in Duras do ye think yer doing?!?" Victor yelled in rage. Kiyone noticed, with mounting anger, that he was wringing his right hand. The hand had smoke rolling off of it. "I was handling evrythin' till ye three barged in. And now…"
Kiyone stopped him in mid-tirade. "And now I ought to be booking you for cruelty to prisoners, you damned Bounty hunter." She stomped forward until she was within inches of Victor. "All of you are just the same. Don't have any respect for due process, you all think its fine and dandy to treat prisoners however you want…"
Ryoko turned to Tenchi and pulled him out of the room. "I think we should leave them alone," she whispered. At his nod, she willed both of them to the door of Washu's Lab.
The door to the lab opened from within just after Mayuka finished her bottle. The first crown princess of Jurai looked up to see Tenchi and Ryoko exiting the lab. Both looked slightly nervous as they occasionally glanced back into the darkness. Maybe their worried about Kiyone and Mihoshi, Ayeka thought to herself. Tenchi and Ryoko walked over to where Ayeka was sitting with Mayuka. The little girl started giggling when she saw the brown-eyed boy and the cyan haired girl, holding her little arms out. Tenchi smiled and walked over.
Tenchi picked his daughter up from where she had been sitting. "How's daddy's little girl doing today?" He smiled when Mayuka giggled and patted his face. "Oh, you wanna spend some time with your Daddy, eh? Ok," Tenchi said in a kind tone. He looked at both Ryoko and Ayeka before adding, "I'm going to spend some time with my daughter today, so neither of you needs to watch her." The young man smiled at both of them and left the room.
Remembering her earlier conversation with Sasami, Ayeka decided that now would be a good time to clear some things up with her golden-eyed rival
"Ryoko, I'd like a word with you."
Ryoko stopped as she was floating out of the house. "Can it wait princess? I didn't get enough out of this morning's bath so I am going to the Onsen to relax. If you wanna talk to me, then meet me there in a little bit." Ryoko turned away from the princess and added as she faded away, "but wait at least an hour, princess, I want to relax for a bit before you come barging in." Laughing heartily, Ryoko teleported away.
"Well I never!" Ayeka exclaimed. Still grumbling a bit, the purple haired princess headed outside to finish the laundry. She saw the youngest male Masaki taking his little girl to a forest path.
Tenchi and Mayuka were traveling through the forest at the base of the mountain. The woods were alive with the sounds of birds, animals and insects engaged in the roles delegated to them as creatures of the world. The sunlight peered through the canopy of the forest; shadows played about the base of the trees and on the forest floor making the very land itself seem alive.
Turning his gentle eyes down on the baby held in his arms, the young father side in contentment. His daughter was looking around at the forest in wide-eyed wonder; her orange orbs would alternate from the forest to her father, her smile never leaving her face.
This is such a simple thing, Tenchi thought to himself. And I would have been denied this without waking Ryoko from the cave. Walking along, he crossed a sturdy bridge over a fast flowing river. He was near Funaho; the would-be priest could hear the water babbling around its base as it flowed into the river. Sighing, he continued on.
"Miya!"
Stopping at the sound of the cabbit and his daughter's giggle, Tenchi saw Ryo-Ohki sitting on a large stone just off of the path. Her large ears were perked out as she regarded the two walking towards her. With a smile, the cabbit jumped off of the rock and ran to the young man and his rambunctious daughter.
Ryo-Ohki stopped and miya'd plaintively at Tenchi's feet. With a smile he bent and scooped up the fuzzy brown creature. Setting the little cabbit on his left shoulder, he watched as Mayuka turned to her newest companion.
Tenchi watched as Mayuka laughed at the cabbit. Still smiling he continued his walk. Until he finished his walk, the smile never left the content father's face.
Meanwhile, an argument had been gaining volume and vehemence in a special area of Washu's lab. In a small replica of a Galaxy Police detention center a Galaxy Police officer and bounty hunter have been having an argument about "extracting" information from the prisoners.
"Whaddya mean I can't lay a finger on 'em? How're ye supposed to get any good information out of them?!?!"
"You get the information from the proper channels! You just simply cannot, under any circumstances, beat the information out of someone!!" Yelled the teal-haired GP Kiyone Makibi. In her view, the bounty hunter, Victor had crossed the line and wasn't any better than the criminals that had just been apprehended.
"I dinna beat the information out of him detective. Iffin ye hadn't interrupted, he would have been fine!"
Kiyone was a testament to fury as she stared at her gray-eyed counterpart. "Listen hear, buddy. You cannot do anything that could hurt a prisoner like you did. There are rules and regulations about interrogation, you know!!"
Victor crossed his arms and looked down at the shorter woman. "Yes, detective, I can. I donna have to follow your rules and ye know it." Seeing Kiyone about ready to explode, he continued, "This argument's moot anyway; I already have all the information I need. Good day." And he walked out of the building.
Kiyone was beside her self with rage. How dare he say that to a galaxy police officer?! She looked ready to say something when Kiyone heard Victor's voice from outside the building.
"Don't forget to book them Detective…"
After about an hour, Ayeka had finished her chores. Setting the cleaned and folded laundry in the living room to be sorted, the purple haired princess looked around. I guess now would be as good a time as any to talk to that monster woman. She's probably still in the Onsen, that lazy good for nothing. Ayeka collected both Sasami and her laundry, and then headed upstairs to their room. After setting the laundry down and gathering a towel, she proceeded to the Onsen.
Arriving in the Onsen, the princess saw that her quarry was indeed still here. Seemingly half asleep in the water, Ryoko was a picture of calm and tranquility. Next to her sprawled form were a few bottles of sake, though only one appeared to be empty. Ayeka sighed and got into the water.
"Took you long enough princess," Ryoko said lazily as she opened one golden eye.
Ayeka took a place next to the former space pirate. She sat in the water for a few minutes, thinking on how she wished to broach the subject of her inquiry. She looked up to see Ryoko offering her a saucer of sake.
Ayeka took the saucer and drank deeply; when the saucer was empty, she reached over and took a bottle from the tray near her rival. Might as well loosen up a bit, the princess thought to herself. The two women sat near each other in the spacious Onsen, drinking and collecting their thoughts.
Victor left the detention area quickly, lest the green haired detective see the smile on his face. After hearing her howl after him, he let out a bark of laughter. Just like old times, he thought to himself. Looking around, the trench coat wearing hunter realized he had no way of getting out of here.
Just as he began reaching for his communicator, Victor felt a sudden lurch. His vision blurred, and when it cleared he was in another part of Washu's lab. The diminutive scientist was sitting on a floating pillow next to two large cylinders, one conspicuously empty. Victor's eyes narrowed when he saw the blond detective, Mihoshi, floating in the other tube. Almost all of her wounds were completely gone, save for a small gash in her side.
"Done extracting your information I see," said a nasal voice from right behind him. Spinning quickly, the tall bounty hunter was amazed and surprised to see Washu standing directly behind him. "So now I want to extract some information from you," she continued, a wicked grin on her face. "For starters, I want to know how you know both of the GP."
Victor glowered down at her. "That is none of yer damned business." He let out a startled grunt when he felt himself grabbed and pinned to a table by robotic arms.
"Tsk Tsk, young pup," Washu scolded. "You should know better than to insult the greatest genius in the universe, especially in her own lab."
She turned when a warning claxon went off and she heard the clank of metal from behind her. Washu gasped when she saw all of the robotic arms had let go of the bounty hunter. She noticed that he had one of the tentacles in his hand as he got off of the table. Both his hand and his patched eye were glowing with a dark blue radiance.
"And you should make sure you know who you're dealing with before trying scare tactics, Lady Washu," Victor growled at her. He was breathing heavily, as if whatever he had done to free himself seemed to have drained him.
Washu backed away from him, fear rampant on her face. She watched as he stopped in front of the Tank that Mihoshi was in. The scarred Priderian looked into the beaker for a long moment and the eerie aura surrounding him faded. He turned back to Washu and nodded toward the floating detective.
"Because of her, I won't harm ye Washu, or anyone here for that matter. Ye have my word." Victor watched Washu exhaled a long held breath . "Just don't try and subdue me again."
Washu walked forward, and as she did so a change came over her. Suddenly, where a 12 year old had stood just moments before, a fully mature, and fully angry, Washu stood staring the one eyed bounty hunter square in the face. "I don't know how you got out of those restraints, but you are going to answer my questions."
She watched as Victor's jaw clenched. Waving her hand, her spectral computer appeared near her right hand. Hitting a single key, an amazingly supple tree sprung up behind Victor and grappled all of his limbs. Washu stood there as the bounty hunter struggled to get free, with no avail. His hands and eye began glowing again, but this time he remained bound.
"Not so cocky when you are held by organics, are ya?" she asked with a grin, reverting to her pint sized body. "Now, are you going to tell me about your link to the GP and Guardian, or do you want me to put you in a neural vice?" Victor struggled madly for a moment, then subsided. He nodded his head once at Washu, and she took that as a gesture of submission. "Alright then, since we're all friends here," and she hit a button on her holotop, setting Victor free.
The tall bounty hunter rubbed his wrist as he glared at Washu. "I'll tell ye, alright," he said in a low growl, "but it goes no further than yerself. I can't let the others know, not just yet."
Washu nodded. This is my chance! You really are a genius! She thought to her self with a maniacal grin. She started typing in to her computer as Victor began talking.
"I'll start back at the beginning, when I met Kiyone. It all happened years ago when…"
"You sure can pound down the sake Ayeka!"
Ayeka and Ryoko had finished off their sixth bottle of Sake, and were very relaxed. Ayeka, in a sudden fit of sobriety, remembered why she had gone seeking Ryoko. The space pirate spoke first, however.
"Ayeka, I envy you sometimes," the cyan haired woman said, no hint of drunkenness in her voice. "I've seen how relaxed Tenchi is around you, and well, I know he doesn't relax like that around me. I'm actually kinda jealous," She continued to the stunned princess, "because there's something about you that he doesn't find intimidating or threatening. There's some days I wish I were more like you, you know…"Ryoko was cut short by Ayeka's laughter.
The princess looked at her rival with a sneer. She's Jealous of me? Hardly! "You know its just you he is intimidated by. Someone as slothful, arrogant, ill mannered, boorish," Ayeka did not notice the tears fall out of her rival's eyes, "aggressive, unrepentant, and whorish as you could not possibly compete with someone as young, elegant, well mannered, reserved and …"
CRACK!
Ayeka reeled from the slap she received from the golden-eyed demoness. She could see that Ryoko was shaking with fury, tears streaming down her face.
"How DARE you?!?! After all the times I've tried to be nice, after I try opening up to you," Ayeka looked on in fear as anger radiated in waves off of Ryoko, her cyan hair floating like a menacing halo around her head, "and this is how you repay me?"
Ayeka gasped at the fury and hurt in her friend's voice. Friend? Since when has she been my friend?
The purple haired princess thought back to all of the time she had spent here. Over and over, she remembered all of the time spent in the Onsen with Ryoko, drinking far into the night; of the times that Ryoko had come out and comforted her by Funaho, and when she had done the same. Her mind flashed back to the incident with Minagi and Yakage, when Ryoko had tried to save the princess. Ayeka realized after a moment that Ryoko had tried again and again to befriend her; Only Ayeka's foolish pride, and her desire for Tenchi, had blinded her.
Oh no! Her mind screamed in horror. Her arrogance and foolishness may have just cost her the closest friend she might ever have. Ayeka looked up in shame at Ryoko, to find the former pirate turning from her.
"The things I try to do for my family." Ayeka heard Ryoko say in a growl. Then she fairly screamed, "No more! I am through trying to be your friend, princess. From this point, we are the enemies you seem to think we always were." Ayeka acted out of instinct when she saw Ryoko prepare to leave. The only thing Ayeka could know, for certain, was that she could not let Ryoko leave.
Just as she was preparing to leave, Ryoko felt a hand on her arm. She tugged once, but the arm didn't budge. Then, even through her anger, Ryoko heard what Ayeka was saying.
"I'm Sorry."
Ryoko turned to face the purple haired girl, rage apparent on her face. "Do you honestly think that's enough?" she growled at the princess. When she heard what Ayeka said next it shocked her out of her rage.
"Zortomo," Ayeka said in her native tongue. "Tsunami no Ryoko kendaris Zortomo." Ryoko watched in amazement as Ayeka let go of her arm. "Lendiara gendris otho Jurai tomon enda kendaris Ryoko," Ayeka shouted as she knelt on the floor in front of Ryoko, her palms face up as her arms stretched past her head.
The golden-eyed woman floated there in shock. Ryoko knew that 'zortomo' meant 'please forgive me my transgressions', but she had never heard of anyone using the term towards an outsider. Wait a minute, she thought. 'Tsunami no Ryoko kendaris Zortomo' means 'Tsunami please forgive my hideous transgressions against… me,' Ryoko translated quickly in her head everything Ayeka had just said. And 'Lendia…
"Oh!" Ryoko exclaimed. "Kami Sama Ayeka…" She muttered softly as she floated down to kneel next to the prone form of the princess, the anger drained from her completely.
The former space pirate put her hand on the princess's shoulder. When Ayeka looked up, Ryoko saw tears on her face. So she meant it then, Ryoko mused. She actually meant it…The cyan haired woman pulled the pink-eyed princess up to look her in the eyes. After staring wordlessly for a moment, Ryoko hugged her firmly. Ayeka hugged back, fresh tears coming out of her eyes.
"You didn't have to do that Ayeka."
"It's the only way you'd listen," Ayeka retorted as she separated from the pirate. She looked Ryoko in the eye and continued, "So what will you do Ryoko? I thought you were lying to me just a moment ago when you said you envied me; I am truly sorry. I should have known better." Ayeka bowed her head.
Stammering slightly, Ayeka continued in a subdued voice. "After everything that's happened since Startica, I truly thought that Tenchi had already picked you," and the pink-eyed young woman heard Ryoko's gasp. "I think that is why I have been quicker to anger with you lately. And that is wrong. I should have realized, like everyone else has, that we are all family."
"You got that right princess," Ryoko said in a warm tone. Ayeka looked up and shook her head in disapproval. Ryoko just stuck her tongue out at the princess, and then continued, "First things first. Let me see if I remember the words right…" Ryoko's face scrunched up in thought. "…Ok."
Ryoko started speaking in a solemn voice, with one hand on Ayeka's shoulder. "Lendiara gendris othako Jurai…"The purple haired girl opened her mouth to stop the golden eyed beauty, but the space pirate put two fingers over her mouth, "enda niparina Ayeka Himesima!" Ryoko finished the last word in a near shout.
Ayeka bowed her head once more. "You didn't have to do that, Ryoko."
"Yes I did. I like royalty about as much as Tenchi and Yosho seem to like it. It just doesn't suit me." Ryoko smiled as Ayeka lifted her head. "Besides," she continued warmly, "it suits you way better."
Ayeka started smiling as well. "You forgive me then?" She asked, hope in her quivering voice.
Ryoko didn't say anything for a few moments. Ayeka felt fear creep into her. Maybe Ryoko wasn't as ok with her apology as she appeared. Then, "Of course." Ayeka let out a small gasp as she felt her body begin to relax. Ryoko didn't make a habit of lying if she wasn't trying to keep out of trouble, so the pink-eyed princess figured she wasn't lying now.
"You know, I am still going to fight you for Tenchi," Ayeka said with a smirk.
Ryoko countered with, "And I am gonna keep picking on you for being a spoiled little princess. What's your point?"
Ayeka walked back over to the pool and filled two saucers with sake. Sinking back down into the pool, she motioned Ryoko to join her. Smiling, the Cyan haired daughter of Washu complied and floated over to a spot next to Ayeka. Gliding into the water, she accepted the proffered saucer. Ayeka held them up in a toast.
"To friendship?" The princess asked timidly.
Ryoko shook her head. "No. Not just yet, Ayeka. Give it a little time and we'll see."
Ayeka nodded her head in affirmation. Raising her saucer again she said, "Then to Peace."
Ryoko titled her head to the side, digesting Ayeka's words. She smiled after a moment and brought her saucer up to meet her rival's.
"Yes, to Peace."
Both drained their respective saucers. Both smiled and looked at each other. Finally Ryoko broke the silence.
"Well, what now princess?" She asked of her formerly bitter rival.
"I suppose we just talk about something then?"
They both looked at each other for a moment. Almost in unison, they broke out laughing. Unlike before, both Ryoko and Ayeka's laughs were genuine and warm. The laughter echoed around the Onsen, filling it with the sounds of mirth and happiness, where there used to be only sadness and heartbreak.
Opening her eyes should not be so difficult. Wow, I must really be sleepy. Finally, the last few moments aboard the Yagami flashed through her mind. Mihoshi's eyes snapped open and all she saw for a few seconds was green light. Slowly her eyes adjusted until she could see she was somewhere in Washu's lab. I wonder why I'm here? Washu'll be along any minute now to yell at me I suppose, and Mihoshi tried to let out a sigh. It was then she noticed she had been hooked up to some sort of machine. And that she was floating in some sort of liquid. Glancing around, she saw the red headed scientist talking with someone. When she recognized the taller figure, her reaction was immediate. Mihoshi ripped off the apparatus that was on her mouth and started shouting.
"Damon!" She screamed as she pounded on the glass cylinder. "Damon it's me!!" She immediately started gagging when she got a mouthful of the viscous green liquid.
Washu and the bounty hunter turned to look at the cylinder Mihoshi was in as soon as an alarm went off. Washu ran to the monitor and began typing at a small pad. The water immediately cleared.
As soon as the water cleared, Mihoshi felt herself getting drug down a hole that had appeared in the bottom of the tank. She started to scream as she watched Washu and the tall figure named 'Damon' move further and further away.
After Mihoshi had disappeared Washu rounded on Victor. "I knew you weren't telling me something Victor!" Victor took a step back from the vehemence in the green-eyed scientist's voice. Victor put his hands up, as if in surrender.
"All right. All right already. I'll tell you. If you hadn't been so eager to learn about Guardian I would have told ye already." Victor inwardly sighed when Washu took a step back from him and waited expectantly. "I'll tell ye, but then I had better go and talk to her before Kiyone gets to her. I can't have my cover blown, not yet."
Washu just snorted, but she listened as Victor answered the diminutive scientist on exactly how he new Kiyone and Mihoshi. Her eyes widened, and she looked at him in shock. This was completely unexpected, even by Washu's standards.
Instead of asking him to clarify she just pointed when he asked where the exit was. This explains a lot of things, Washu thought as she sat back down at her computer. Well, I understand a little better now what's going on. She shrugged. Unless somebody asks, it's not my business so I'll let it drop.
Checking one of her monitors, she beheld the scene in the Onsen. I hope Mihoshi doesn't interrupt anything.
Sasami was almost finished with dinner and had decided to go and get Ryoko and Ayeka from the Onsen. I hope they haven't hurt themselves like last time, she thought sadly. Then she heard something that made her stop in her tracks. She heard the sounds of laughter. Not drunken laughter, like she was used to. No, her sister and Ryoko were laughing together, and not at each other. Sasami broke into a huge grin and ran quickly into the Onsen. When she opened the door, she noticed that it DID smell faintly of sake. However, she also saw Ryoko and Ayeka, apparently talking about, well, nothing. She simply couldn't believe it. Sister and Ryoko getting along and just talking? The blue haired princess thought to herself. I didn't think it would be possible.
Before the pink-eyed youngster could interrupt the space pirate and her sister, a blue and tan streak came shooting out of a hole in the ceiling. With a large splash, it was apparent that Mihoshi had recovered sufficiently to be unceremoniously released by Washu.
Ryoko and Ayeka stared daggers at the blonde; Apparently Washu had a wicked sense of humor since this was the second time that both of them had been drenched by a falling Galaxy Police Detective. Shrugging their shoulders, both caught the tinkling laughter of the second youngest resident of the house.
Sasami was rolling on the floor near the doorway, laughing hysterically. Looking at each other, both Ayeka and Ryoko started laughing. Mihoshi shot out of the water, startling everyone.
"I have to get to…Oh!" She exclaimed as the sapphire-eyed detective finally registered her surroundings. "Hi every body! I'd love to stay and chat, but I have to go find Kiyone and tell her the good news." Mihoshi climbed out of the bath and took a towel from the now recovered Sasami.
Ryoko looked over at the golden haired officer. "What good news?" She asked with a smile.
Mihoshi did not turn as she ran out of the Onsen. Instead she shouted out over her shoulder, "That Damon's alive!"
"Huh?!?!" all three said in unison. But Mihoshi was already out of the Onsen.
Sasami recovered first. "Oh yeah, I just came to tell you dinner is ready, so come quick ok?"
"Of course, Sasami."
"You 'betcha kiddo."
Still smiling, Sasami left to get the others.
The door to the lab slammed open. Tenchi, who had been spending time with his daughter, Mayuka, looked up to see the bounty hunter tear through the household. In such a hurry was the large, scarred man that he didn't even stop and grab his trench coat and guns from the coat rack.
"Wonder what's that about?" the young boy, Tenchi, mused aloud. He looked down at his giggling daughter and smiled. "Whatever it is, it can't be that important if Victor is still unarmed, can it Noodles." He tickled his blue haired daughter and laughed as she giggled and squirmed.
It had been good to spend the last few hours with his daughter. As Tenchi looked down at his blue haired, orange-eyed daughter, he realized how lucky he truly was. Mayuka was a beautiful little baby, and he knew she would grow to be a beautiful adult as well. The young father sighed in contentment. It had been truly calming to walk with his daughter, to see the simple joy she got out of just existing. Some days he longed for that himself. But Tenchi knew he could never give up the life he currently had; all of these people, his family, were too important to him.
Mayuka giggled and grabbed his ear, pulling her brown-eyed father from his thoughts. He gently pulled her hand from his ear and smiled down at her. Looking down at his daughter, Tenchi smiled warmly as he realized that, more than anything else in his life, he wanted to be a good father for her. And then it hit him. Who would be Mayuka's mother? There was no clear-cut answer to that. Tenchi picked up his daughter and headed toward the kitchen.
I wonder which of the girls would make Mayuka happiest as a mother? Tenchi asked himself as he walked. Sighing again, He decided to just not think about it anymore. Whatever happened, between him and the girls would not change the fact there were six women in his baby's life that filled the role of mother. Why should he worry about it? Chuckling a bit to himself, Tenchi got Mayuka into her high chair and sat in sieza, waiting for the others.
Victor shot out of the Masaki residence and made a beeline for the Onsen. When he got closer, he noticed someone running directly at him. Smiling a bit, Victor increased his pace. The two people closed the distance in moments. Victor braced himself and held his arms open wide. The blonde streak that was Mihoshi plowed into him, knocking him to the ground as she wrapped her arms around his body in a fierce hug. The two held each other for a moment. When Victor looked down, he could see that Mihoshi was sobbing uncontrollably.
"I knew you were Alive, Damon. I just knew it!" she said excitedly through her tears. "I thought you were dead for so long, but you're here. You're really here!"
Suddenly she stopped Crying and looked up. Victor saw an uncharacteristic rage fill Mihoshi's eyes. He managed to get his hands up just in time as the blue-eyed girl began punching him, her tears still flowing freely. He let her punch him for a minute, and then gently grabbed her arms. Mihoshi collapsed against him, shuddering with the force of her sobs.
"How could you let us think you were dead, Damon?" she asked with a sob. "Don't you care about either of us at All?" Victor's heart wrenched as Mihoshi continued. "We've needed you for the longest time. I've needed you…"
Mihoshi felt Victor slide a hand under her chin and lift her head. Looking her in the eyes, he said in a thick voice. "Just because you didn't see me doesn't mean I wasn't there, Hermana." Mihoshi saw the pain in his eyes and knew he was telling the truth. "I wanted to be there, but the two of ye didn't really need me. The two of you have each other." Mihoshi's eyes widened and she opened her mouth to protest. "Don't try and say no, Mihoshi. I could tell what was happening, even if both of you couldn't. It's for the best, really."
He knew, the blonde detective thought. Even then he knew, but he didn't try and stop it. Mihoshi hugged Victor even tighter. "I'm so glad to have you back, Damon." She looked up suddenly. "Oh! We have to tell Kiyone!" Victor sighed tiredly and shook his head negatively. The bounty hunter stood up, pulling Mihoshi with him. "What?" she asked in a confused voice.
"We can't tell her, Mihoshi." The blonde detectives blue eyes widened in surprise. "I have too many things hat I need to do first. I still have to stop him," the golden haired detective shivered. She knew, but wished she didn't, of whom Victor spoke. "Besides, she needs to know about how you feel anyway. She needs to sort her feelings out before she deals with any ghosts from the past." Victor smoothed out Mihoshi's damp hair and smiled. "Now, it's enough that ye know the truth but do not tell Kiyone, understand?" Mihoshi sniffled a little bit but nodded her head.
Victor looked down at Mihoshi and smiled. He bent down and whispered in her ear, "Tell her how ye feel. After that settles, then we'll tell her, ok?" The bounty hunter released Mihoshi just as Ayeka, Sasami, and Ryoko came out of the Onsen. "Now remember, don't tell anyone, ok?" Mihoshi rubbed her eyes and walked over, with Victor, towards the three ladies. Victor whispered over his shoulder, so quiet only Mihoshi could hear.
"Don't forget, Mi Piqueno Hermana."
After everyone had gotten together and headed into the house for dinner, only Kiyone was left outside. She stood looking out at the stars as she leaned against the house. So there's something between Victor and Mihoshi. Kiyone kicked at the dirt and frowned. So why should I care? It's not like she's had a boyfriend or anything for a long time. Kiyone smiled as she looked at the stars. Then again, I haven't had one since the academy. Kiyone frowned. Whatever! It's not like I'm jealous or anything… But Kiyone could not shake the thought that she was jealous. But who was she angry with? Mihoshi or Victor? Kiyone sighed and headed into the house.
End, Chapter the Fourth