This is just a fanfic and is done for fun, not profit.

The Alchemy of Love

Chapter One by William Nichols

            The peaceful midday of the Okayama countryside was once again shattered by the sounds of a cyan tressed space pirate and a purple haired princess fighting over someone we all know…

            "He is mine!" screamed Ryoko as Ayeka tried to pull Tenchi away from her.

            "And I say keep your filthy paws off of Lord Tenchi!" replied Ayeka as she pulled on Tenchi's other arm.  For his part all Tenchi could do was plead with the two obsessive rivals.

            "Girls," he begged as they continued to play tug-of-war with him.

            "Stay out of this!" admonished Ryoko as she pulled him closer to her.

            "This is between Ryoko and I," Ayeka grunted as she pulled Tenchi back towards her.

            "That's the point!" Tenchi yelled as he summoned his Jurai power.  His would be lovers let go of him as a blue aura began to surround him.  "It is always about you and Ryoko," he continued.  After the girls let go of him he dissipated his power.  He hated to do that, but it was the only way he figured he could make them let go of him before he lost an arm or two.

            "But Tenchi," pleaded Ryoko.

            "Let me finish," he continued.  Ryoko bit her bottom lip and pretended to pout as Tenchi ran a hand through his hair.  "We all need to talk," he said honestly.  "This afternoon meet me by Funaho.  The both of you.  And no fighting.  Understood?"

            "Yes Lord Tenchi," Ayeka said meekly.

            "Yes Tenchi," Ryoko said half-heartedly.

            "Good," Tenchi said somewhat relieved.  "I have some work to do, so I will meet you at four o'clock.  Okay?"  The both of them nodded as Tenchi headed off towards the shrine.

            "This is all your fault, demon," Ayeka said rather curtly.

            "What did you say?" growled Ryoko.

            "You heard me," continued Ayeka as the fire returned to her eyes.

            "I said 'no fighting'!" Tenchi yelled from the distance.  Both girls sighed in defeat.  Before Ayeka could say anything else to Ryoko the ex-pirate teleported away.

            "What ever could Lord Tenchi want," thought Ayeka as she sat down onto the sofa.  Countless possibilities ran through her mind.  She imagined everything.  At first she thought of Tenchi proposing to Ryoko on the spot, but she quickly pushed that dreadful scene out of her mind.

            "That'll give you nightmares," she mumbled to herself.  Next came the fantasy of Tenchi proposing to her.  'Yes,' she thought, 'that is what it will be, I am sure of it.'  Ayeka's daydream was filled with the details of her life with Tenchi.  The grand wedding on Jurai, their coronation as emperor and empress, and the wonderful children they would have.  Yes, this was her perfect fantasy.  This is what Tenchi had to tell them.  He had chosen her.

***

            "What could Tenchi want?" asked Ryoko as she layback onto the roof.  This was her favorite spot.  The only people who knew she came here was Tenchi and Washu.  All she had wanted to do earlier was tell Tenchi it was time for lunch, and Ayeka went through the roof.   'So what,' she thought, 'if telling him involved sneaking a kiss or two!  That princess,' she fumed.

            'Anyway, I just wonder what Tenchi will want.  Probably to tell me he's chosen Ayeka and that I need to leave.'  Ryoko sighed.  'That has to be it.  I've pushed him away and now he's, he's, he's chosen that chipmunk!'

            'Anyway, it's almost four.  I'd better get going,' she concluded to herself.  'I don't want to be late to hear my heart broken.'

***

            Tenchi paced the shore across from Funaho.  Until a few years ago this had just been the holy tree of the Masaki shrine to him, but now it was his personal refuge.  Washu had her lab, and Ryoko had the roof, so why couldn't he have Funaho?

            Tenchi checked his wristwatch.  In a few minutes the girls would be here.  He hated to do this, but it had to be done.  The longer he kept his mouth shut the more he would wind up hurting them, and in the end, losing the both of them.

            That last thought sent a shiver down his spine.  He could not think of what life would be like with either of the girls. That was his justification for this.

            "Lord Tenchi?" called Ayeka.  Tenchi snapped out of his daydream at the sound of Ayeka's soft voice.  About the same time he was greeted to the familiar chime of Ryoko's teleportation.

            "Tenchi," she said softly.  After watching them fidget for a moment Tenchi finally built up the nerve to speak.

            "Ayeka," he began.  All at once the princess' eyes lit up and fell, as did Ryoko's.  "Ryoko," he continued as he began to pace.  "The both of you say you love me, right?"

            "That is correct," said Ayeka timidly.

            "With all my heart," replied Ryoko.

            "Why?" he asked.  The both of them fell silent as Tenchi continued to pace.  "I know love is a hard thing to quantify," he continued, "but do you really love me?"

            "Of course I do," Ayeka answered, unsure where this line of questioning was leading.

            "Don't be silly," Ryoko tried to laugh, but her heart was not in it.

            "Don't get me wrong," Tenchi said carefully.  "I care for each of you greatly, but I do not know if I really love either of you, past the point of friendship."  His words were cool, calm, and honest.  And this is what hurt the most.  He knew it would, and he hated it.

            "What are you saying?" Ryoko asked, doing her best to maintain her hardened exterior.

            "I need to know you two better," Tenchi said as he ran a hand through his hair.  "I can't imagine my life without either of you.  And I do not want to lose either of you.  But when I choose one of you, it will be till the day I die.  And I do not want to make a choice that will make all of us miserable.  Do you understand what I am saying?"  Slowly Ayeka and Ryoko nodded.  "Good.  We can work from here."

            "Work from here?" asked Ayeka. 

            "Yes," Tenchi stated as he took both of their hands.  "I want to start spending time with the both of you.  Some of it will be together as a group, but most of it alone with the other.  This is the only way I can find out for myself who I really love.  Will you do this for me?"

            "Of course," replied Ayeka as she wiped a tear from her eye.

            "I will," said Ryoko solemnly.

            "Good," Tenchi sighed.  "We'll work things out starting in the morning. Now I have to get back to the shrine."  Both Ayeka and Ryoko nodded silently as the love of their lives quietly walked up the steps towards the shrine.  Both of them were reeling on the inside from this revelation, but they were both more than willing to go along with Tenchi's request.

***

            'I hope they took that well,' thought Tenchi as he swept the shrine courtyard.   'Only time will tell.'

To be continued.

Hey guys.  This series is just a diversion from Odyssey, and I hope to have a lot of fun with this one.  Expect some laughs along with a few tender moments as Tenchi tries to sort who really loves, and who really loves him.

William Nichols