This is a fanfic and is done for fun, not profit.
The Alchemy of Love
Chapter Four by William Nichols
High above the earth...
"Sergei what was that?"
"I don't know," Sergei replied as he and his fellow astronauts on the International Space Station watched the phenomena taking place below them.
"Huston," said commander Bill Stanley into his mic, "we have just observed a major electrical atmospheric discharge over southwestern Japan. Over."
"We read you ISS," came the disembodied voice from mission control. "It was probably just ball lightening or something. Don't sweat it. Over."
"If you say so," replied Stanley as he clicked off the mic. "That did not look like lightening to me," added commander Stanley as everyone else onboard crowded the window.
***
Back on earth, in southwestern Japan to be precise...
Sasami and Mihoshi were setting the table when the front door opened abruptly and was slammed shut. "I wonder if that's Tenchi and the girls?" Nobuyuki asked.
"Can't be," started Washu. "They haven't been gone fifteen minutes..." At that moment one irate and slightly singed Tenchi Masaki marched right past the dinning room and stomped up the stairs. A moment later another door was heard slamming followed by a loud thump.
"So much for that hypothesis," Washu said as everyone else just stood there and blinked.
"What happened?" Mihoshi asked, her voice full of honest concern.
"Two guesses," replied Washu as she took a serving platter from Sasami. "And you know the answers already." Everyone else nodded as the diminutive genius set the tray on the table. "Do want this one or should I handle it?" she asked Nobuyuki.
"I'll have a word with him," Nobuyuki said as he patted his shirt pocket in search of his pack of cigarettes before he remembered that he was trying to quit. "I may have picked the wrong week to quit smoking," he added as he made his way up the stairs.
"And make sure to find out the good stuff!" Washu called out from the dinning room much to the chagrin of Sasami and Mihoshi. About that time Ayeka and Ryoko made their grand entrances. Nobuyuki stopped mid-stairs as the two scorched young ladies solemnly trod thru the front door. Ayeka meandered her over to the couch and plopped down, while Ryoko sighed as phased thru the floor, and out of sight.
*****
"What went wrong?" Tenchi asked himself as he rummaged his closet for a shirt that did not have soot stains on it. As he rummaged a soft knock came to his bedroom door. "I don't want to see either of you right now!" he shouted out as Nobuyuki poked his head through the partially opened door.
"Sorry son," he said as he began to pull the door shut.
"No wait dad," Tenchi said grabbing the doorknob. "Come on in." Nobuyuki nodded and wheeled the chair away from Tenchi's desk and sat down on it backwards, to that he could rest his arms across the back.
"You look alright," he ventured after checking Tenchi over for any blossoming bruises, lacerations, burns, etc...
"But I don't feel alright," Tenchi said as he pulled a black tee shirt over his head.
"That bad?" surmised Nobuyuki.
"I should have seen it coming," Tenchi said as he plopped back on his bed. "I should have seen it coming..."
********
The familiar chime of Ryoko's teleport eased Tenchi's nerves somewhat as she materialized behind him. Tenchi spun around and was stunned by what stood before him. It was Ryoko, and yet it wasn't Ryoko. Instead of her standard red and white, or blue and yellow dress she was wearing a full-length black dress that revealed nothing except for her head and hands. It was elegance in simplicity. Tenchi swallowed slightly as he heard the soft click of Ayeka's heels coming up the shrine steps. As the purple haired princess made her way into the picture Tenchi could see that she was wearing a purple kimono with dark blue sleeves; yet again elegant simplicity. The girls had obviously put more effort into this venture than his khaki's and dark red fleece pullover.
"Ladies," he said, offering each an arm. "You both look beautiful."
"Thank you," Ryoko said rather subdued, or what was subdued for Ryoko.
"Thank you Lord Tenchi," Ayeka added almost simultaneously. The afternoon was beautiful. Winter had left and the first green chutes of spring had begun to poke thru the grays for the deciduous trees that lined the path. Ayeka stopped briefly to pick a small flower as the newly returned bird life serenaded them. Ryoko scared a squirrel away, which promptly ran up a tree and began to chatter at them. Apart from the laughter that caused, relatively nothing else had been said since they started their little walk. Finally Tenchi decided to break the ice.
"Tell me," he began almost cautiously.
"Yes?" Ayeka asked.
"What do you want to do in the future?" He knew it was not the greatest thing to talk about on a first date, but anything was better than the deafening silence that preceded it.
"As in life, or later tonight?" Ryoko purred into his ear, which garnered a rather pink blush from Tenchi.
"Well, er..." Tenchi fumbled around for a second before Ayeka stepped in.
"My plans are to eventually return to Jurai one day and take the throne," she said almost regretfully.
"I haven't put much thought into it," Ryoko admitted quietly. 'Come on,' she thought. 'What's out there for a former space pirate to do?' "What are your plans Tenchi?" Ryoko asked, desperately wanting to change the subject.
"Dad wants me to follow him into the architecture firm," he began as he shifted his arms so he could use his hands while he talked. "And grandpa wants me to take over the shrine one day."
"But what do you want to do?" Ayeka asked. Ryoko nodded in approval of the question.
"I kinda want to become a teacher," Tenchi replied, being honest.
"That is a noble profession," Ayeka said.
"Kinda boring though, isn't it Tenchi?" Ryoko asked.
"Only if you let it be," Tenchi replied. "But,"
"That was typical," Ayeka said under her breath, but loud enough to stop Tenchi from talking.
"What was?" he asked Ayeka, who was trying to feign ignorance.
"I heard it," Ryoko said menacingly.
"Girls," Tenchi began as the first beads of sweat started to form on the back of his neck.
"Don't worry," Ryoko said to his relief. "We've called a truce." Ayeka nodded in agreement and Tenchi sighed almost to the point of deflation until Ryoko muttered something under her breath. "But I will kick her butt later..."
"Oh gods," Tenchi mumbled as he felt the first tell-tell signs of static electricity bristle around him.
"Would you say that a little louder?" Ayeka asked as the first miniature guardians formed around her.
"Please no," Tenchi whimpered as Ryoko squeezed his arm that much tighter.
"You'll protect me," Ryoko purred, "won't you Tenchi?"
"No, no, no, no..."
"Let go of him. Now."
Tenchi barely had enough time to jump to the side as Ayeka and Ryoko lashed out at each other simultaneously. The resulting discharge knocked the both of them on their backsides and left a scorched spot in the path at least ten meters across. Tenchi was sure that the flash could have been seen from orbit...
*******
"And that's when I left them there," Tenchi finished. Nobuyuki sat in silence for a second as he chewed his bottom lip.
"Your mother and I never had that happen to us on a date," he finally said trying to lighten the situation. "The worst that happened to us was when lightening hit the Tokyo Tower that time when we there on a school trip. Tore off part of the observation deck. Your mother was unhurt, but I somehow managed to break my leg."
Tenchi laughed slightly. True that was rough, but not as bad as having your dates trying to vaporize one another. "I just don't know what to do now," Tenchi admitted.
"Well it was only the first date," Nobuyuki said as he wheeled the chair back towards the desk. "Don't give up so easily son. All relationships have their rocky parts."
"But so soon?"
"Give it another go," Nobuyuki encouraged his son. "And lay down the law. Absolutely no fighting, and no unkind comments towards one another. Got it?"
"I think so," Tenchi said as his dad opened the door and stepped out. "Thanks dad."
"No problem," Nobuyuki said as he pulled the door shut. "Definitely the wrong week to quit smoking," he said shaking his head, wondering how son had gotten into this mess in the first place.
*****
"And that is when Tenchi left," Ayeka finished. Dinner sat cold on the table, long since forgotten about by the attentive listeners to her tale. Sasami, Washu, and Mihoshi sat wide eyes around her as she elaborated on the details of the abortive first date. "I lost my temper over a relatively mild comment," Ayeka sniffed, "And ruined everything."
"How horrible," Mihoshi said as the first tears rolled out from the corners of her big blue eyes.
"But Ryoko was not without provocation," Washu said flatly. Ayeka looked up at her somewhat offended, but she knew it was the truth.
"You are right," Ayeka admitted.
"Hi guys," Tenchi said quietly as he followed his father down the stairs. Immediately everyone found a reason to desert Ayeka in the living room.
"Lets salvage dinner," Washu said as everyone else plowed into the kitchen.
"Ayeka-
"Tenchi- The both of them laughed slightly as Tenchi motioned for her to go first.
"Thank you," she said kindly. "I want to apologize for my actions this evening. They were un-lady like."
"I accept," Tenchi said as he sat down next to her. "And you owe Ryoko an apology." Ayeka was about to protest when Tenchi continued. "As she owes you one."
Ayeka nodded in deference to Tenchi's request. "Can we salvage the evening?" she asked.
"May be tomorrow," Tenchi said. Ayeka was about to hug him when he spoke again. "Only if Ryoko will come along." Ayeka bit her lip to keep from saying something smart, and she wisely decided not to. "Come on," Tenchi said as he offered her a hand. "Dinner is getting colder." Ayeka smiled and accepted his offer.
Everyone microwaved a plate of food and sat down in front of the wide screen TV. "No point in using the table," Nobuyuki said as he sat down on the couch. Conversation was light, and everyone seemed to put the incident behind him or her, save one lonely soul sitting in the light of the crescent moon.
To be continued.
Well, date one did not go so well, but you all probably saw that coming. Thanks to the early reviewers who pointed out my lack of map reading skills. I appreciate that. Thanks for reading and as always let me know what you think.
Later.
WilliamNichols
