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

The Alchemy of Love

Chapter Eight by William Nichols

            The clack of bokken resonated through the hills surrounding the Masaki Shrine.  To the casual observer these hills were no different from any other hills on the planet.  Spring was in full bloom and the season was returning the countryside to the usual cascades of greens that it wore for most of the year.  The air is fresh, and carries the first hint of cherry blossoms.  Yes, these hills are just like so many others in this tiny green and blue planet.  But today these hills echo with the sounds of battle.

            "Focus," Katsuhito admonished as he parried Tenchi's thrust in a broad arc, letting his pupil know the error in his move.  "Sloppy," he added in response to Tenchi's counter.  The ancient priest blocked his student's next move, and the one after that.  "You can do better than this," he scolded.

            "I know I can," Tenchi huffed as he tried to maintain his balance.  In truth his mind was elsewhere, mainly on a certain two young ladies that he was supposed to take out tonight.  Tenchi ducked his grandfather's next blow and rolled under the return.  Sensing and opening Tenchi flipped back and brought his bokken up just in time to block Katsuhito's well timed counter.

            "I see you have decided to get serious," his grandfather commented, giving Tenchi a rare grin.  Returning the sentiment with a nod Tenchi brought his bokken form side to side in a fury of attacks, each one becoming more difficult for Katsuhito to block.  After the last swing Katsuhito pushed his strength into his deflection.  "Impressive."  Tenchi tried to match his grandfather's strength, but his sandals began to slip against the loose sand of the training yard.

            Looking for an option, Tenchi decided to try something different.  In a quick motion he pushed his bokken up the length of Katsuhito's blade, then arched it back around in a counter-clockwise swing.  Grandfather barely had time to bring his bokken down to block the blow before Tenchi could tag him on the shoulder.   Seeing his grandson was off balanced from his attack, Katsuhito stepped towards Tenchi and wrapped his leg around Tenchi's.  What followed was elementary.  Already off balanced from his unorthodox attack, Tenchi promptly landed on his backside as a result of Katsuhito's move.

            "Well played," Grandfather complimented, offering his grandson a hand.

            "Thank you," Tenchi said.  "It was worth a try."

            "That was very unorthodox."

            Tenchi smiled.  "I know.  Ryoko taught it to me."

            Katsuhito chuckled.  "That girl has talent.  If she ever learns to focus her ability she would be most dangerous."

            "Isn't she already?" Tenchi said jokingly.

            "That is for you to decide," Katsuhito said collecting the practice weapons.  "Go, have a good time tonight," he added patting Tenchi on the back.

            "Thank you," Tenchi said as his grandfather melded into the shadows of the forest.  Checking his watch he noticed that he had about two hours to get ready for tonight.  And after this morning, he figured the night should prove interesting at least. 

            Once back in his room Tenchi changed out of his shrine clothes into a pair of shorts and a tee to wear to the Onsen.  As he straightened his priest's tunic on its hanger a piece of paper dropped from the pocket.  "What could this be?" he questioned as he bent over to pick up the scrap.  Tenchi's eyes went wide as he unfolded the paper.  What he had thought was a scrap of paper was in fact a small fold of bills.  He counted out at least Y 10.000.  "Thanks Grandpa," he said realizing where the money had come from.  Off to the Onsen his mind drifted with the possibilities for the night….

***

            Ryoko yawned and rolled over on Ayeka's futon.  The princess had invited her up for an opinion on the ensemble she had assembled to wear for the night.  That had been an hour and six changes of wardrobe ago.  "Come on," Ryoko said sleepily.  "It can't be that hard."

            "You would say!" Ayeka quipped.  "I do not have the luxury to be able to just, just…" Ayeka shook her head as she tried to find the right description for Ryoko's unique ability to phase in and out of clothing.

            Ryoko smiled.  "You mean this?"  Ayeka nodded as Ryoko's yellow and blue striped dress phased into the little black number she intended to wear tonight.  It was nothing fancy; just a simple black dress that accentuated her assets.

            "Yes.  That." Ayeka said curtly.

            "Is that jealousy I hear?" Ryoko asked sarcastically as she poked her head into the closet.  "Here," she offered handing Ayeka a pair of slacks and a deep red sweater.

            "Are you certain?" Ayeka asked holding the sweater up to her chest and looking in the mirror.

            "Trust me," Ryoko said…

***

            "Now how are you getting into town tonight son?" Nobuyuki asked as Tenchi came down the stairs.  "You can have the van if you want."

            "I think Washu has set up a portal for us to use tonight," Tenchi said scratching the back of his head.  As much as he appreciated the offer her really did not want to drive his dad's mini-van into town tonight.

            "Just so long as she doesn't set you down in the middle of a crowd or in rush hour traffic," Nobuyuki laughed imagining the front page of tomorrow's paper:

Teen's Fall From Sky

            "What's that?" Washu said poking her head into the living room from a subspace pocket.  "What'd you say about my transporters?"

            "Oh nothing," Nobuyuki lied, fumbling for the television remote. 

            "Don't worry," Washu said handing Tenchi a little black pager.  "Just press the button and the three of you will be transported to where you want to go.  Just like Star Trek."

            "Thank you Little Washu," Tenchi said clipping the pager to his belt.

            "And Tenchi," Washu added giving him a stern look.

            "Yes Little Washu?"

            "Be a gentleman tonight with my little girl, or else," Washu warned drawing a finger under her chin in a cutting motion.  Tenchi nodded in agreement.  The last thing he wanted was to be on Washu's bad side.  For all he knew he would wake up as a water sprite or worse.

            "Leave him alone Mom," Ryoko said phasing in next to Tenchi.  "I promise not to make him do anything I don't want to do," she added wrapping her arms around Tenchi's shoulders.  

            "And I promise to behave as well," Ayeka said as she made her way down the stairs.

            "Wow," Tenchi mouthed as he got his first full look at Ayeka and Ryoko.  "Shall we ladies?" he asked.  Ayeka and Ryoko nodded and each of them took an arm.  "Here we go," Tenchi said pressing the button on the pager.

            "Have fun!" Nobuyuki said as the three were engulfed in a blue light and dissolved from sight.  A moment of silence passed before Nobuyuki built up the nerve to ask a question that had just weighed heavily on his mind.  "Little Washu?"

            "Yes?"

            "How safe is that thing?"

            "Well let's just say none of my test subjects have ended up inside out or exploded lately," she said with a wicked grin as she pulled back into her subspace pocket.

            "Maybe I need to buy the boy a car," Nobuyuki said shaking his head.

* * *

            "Where to first?" Tenchi asked as the three of them stepped out of Washu's transporter. 

            "I liked your idea of dinner and a movie," Ayeka said as they walked down the sidewalk in downtown Okayama.  For a Friday evening there were relatively few people on the streets tonight.

            "That sounds good to me," Ryoko seconded. " I want to see the Ah! My Goddess movie and I heard it's still playing in town."

            "Come one," Tenchi laughed.  "That series is so hokey.  I mean who would believe something like all those beautiful women living with a guy…like…Keiichi…" The looks from Ayeka and Ryoko stopped him mid-sentence.  Who would believe I live with so many beautiful women… "Okay," Tenchi admitted.  "Maybe it's not so far fetched."

            "Thought you'd see it my way," Ryoko laughed.

            "Enough of this," Ayeka laughed.  "There is a restaurant up ahead that I have wanted to visit for awhile now."

            "Sounds good to me," Tenchi said as Ayeka lead the way.

            Dinner went on without a hitch and Tenchi was amazed at how civil Ayeka and Ryoko were acting in each other's presence.  This is a side of them I seldom see, he thought as he sipped his drink.  At home they usually are so preoccupied in fighting over me that I never really get to see their true sides.  Ayeka is usually so reserved.  I know she was brought up to be a princess at court and all that entails, but she should show this side more often.  She's a bigger cut-up than Ryoko when the mood strikes her!

            And Ryoko.  I can count on one hand the number of times I have seen her like this.  If this Ryoko had emerged from the cave, this triangle may have never formed.  I know she has seen hells that I cannot imagine. When she's not hiding behind that tuff barrier of hers, she is so different.  So at peace.  If I could only keep this Ayeka and Ryoko… 

            "And what are we in such deep thought over?" Ryoko kidded bringing Tenchi back from his ponderings.

            "Just thinking," Tenchi said, sipping his drink again.

            "That much was obvious," Ayeka prodded.  "Was it about us?"  The rosy glow that spread across Tenchi's cheeks silently confirmed Ayeka's suspicion.

            "I hope it wasn't anything too naughty," Ryoko teased to further blushing from Tenchi and giggles from Ayeka.

            "You two," Tenchi laughed…

* * *

            "What's going on?" Nobuyuki asked for the thousandth time as he paced Washu's lab.  The diminutive genius had programmed a spy-bot to follow the lovebirds tonight, but as of yet all it had reported was static.

            "If you ask one time," Washu said, never looking up from her keyboard, "I'll turn you into a water sprite."  Nobuyuki gulped audibly and wiped his forehead with a handkerchief.  The last thing he wanted was to be on Washu's bad side.  Especially since the possibility existed that she would become his sons mother-in-law.  Then again, the thought of Misaki becoming Tenchi's mother-in-law conjured many of the same images.

            "There," Washu said, basking in the glow of her accomplishment.  "Let's see what's going on."  The screen of her computer changed from static snow to pitch black.

            "That's not encouraging," Nobuyuki said, eliciting an angry glare from Washu.  "Maybe I'll wait in the den," he said taking his leave of the lab.

            "Good idea," Washu fumed.  "Now what could be causing this…" Washu typed feverishly for a moment more before the solution dawned on her.   "Silly me!" she laughed.  "I forgot to take the lens cap off!"

***

            "I love that movie!" Ryoko squealed as the three of them exited the packed theater.

            "I must say it was quite enjoyable," Ayeka added as she finished the last of her popcorn. 

            "Let's just walk for a while," Tenchi said as he tossed his emptied cola into a wastebasket.

            "Isn't there anything else you would like to do?" Ayeka asked.  The night was going along too perfectly to call it to an end now.

            Sensing her concern Tenchi clarified.  "There's a place up ahead I want to go to."

            "Alright," Ayeka sighed.  The sidewalks were not very crowded, but the trio garnered their fair share of glances and second looks.  "Perhaps we should find a place to go into," Ayeka said after a fairly rough looking fellow made a lewd comment in their direction.

            "This is where I wanted to go anyway," Tenchi announced as he guided them into the small establishment.  It was just a little hangout some of his classmates had mentioned, and he always had wanted to visit.

            "I like this place," Ryoko said as they entered the club.  The music wasn't too loud and the dance floor was not terrible crowded at the moment.

            "I never knew you liked to go dancing," Ayeka said as Tenchi paid the cover charge.

            "I don't really," Tenchi admitted, "but I thought you might."

            "That would be nice," Ayeka said with a blush.

            "Now don't get any idea's princess," Ryoko said playfully.  "There's plenty of Tenchi for the both of us."

            "Just as long as I get one slow dance," Ayeka added.

            "I think we can handle that," Tenchi laughed.  "How bout a drink?"

            "I'll get them," Ryoko said making her way to the bar.

            "Tenchi," Ayeka said as they sat down at one of the tables across from the dance floor. 

            "Yes Ayeka?"

            "I hope you have had a good time tonight," she said blushing.

            "I have," Tenchi complimented as Ryoko brought the drinks back.  Conversation was light that night and both Ayeka and Ryoko had their share of dances with Tenchi.  Ryoko and Ayeka would trade off with the object of their affections when the song would strike their fancy.  As the night wore on Tenchi found a rare moment to himself after Ayeka and Ryoko had excused themselves to the ladies room.

            I may have been right, he thought to himself as a new song began.  Some of the words stuck in his mind.  The two of them are something special.  Apart each is just half the picture, one side of the coin.  But together… Yes, I sure know something, he agreed with the song.  I sure know something…

            "Well if it isn't Masaki!" came a nasal voice from behind Tenchi.

            "Hey guys," Tenchi whined, a little miffed that his pleasant thoughts had been interrupted.   "What are you doing here?"

            "Playing the field," a tall fellow with brown hair parted down the middle said.  "Here alone Masaki?"

            "Masaki's always alone!" his bespectacled compatriot announced to whom ever was in earshot.  "That's a given!"

            "Not tonight Soatome," Tenchi said to the brown haired fellow.  "My dates have gone to the ladies room."

            "Dates?" the other fellow asked rather incredulously. 

            "Yes Jonouchi," Tenchi said with a grin. "Dates."  Soatome and Jonouchi laughed heartily at Tenchi's statement.

            "That's a good one," Soatome laughed.  "The goof of A class here with two women!"

            "You're a riot Masaki!" Jonouchi proclaimed to a wide grin from Tenchi.

            "So whose your friends?" Ryoko asked from behind the laughing teens.

            "Yes, do tell Tenchi," Ayeka prompted as the two guys turned around and gawked at the purple and cyan haired beauties that stood before them.

            "Jonouchi Hisashi, Masami Soatome," Tenchi began as he got up from the table, "this is Hakubi Ryoko and Jurai Ayeka.  My dates for the evening."

            "And hopefully for a long time afterward too," Ryoko said in her most sultry voice as she draped her arms around Tenchi's shoulders.

            "Let's go now Tenchi," Ayeka said claiming his other arm.  "It's too crowded here for my liking," she added nodding towards the still gawking Jonouchi and Soatome.

            "Catch you Monday morning," Tenchi said to his dumbfounded classmates as he left the establishment with two of the hottest women either of them had ever seen before.

            "I always thought Masaki was gay," Jonouchi said to the still stunned Soatome.

            "Nah," Soatome said as the door swung closed behind the person he now considered the luckiest guy on the earth.  "Masaki's the man.  Plain and simple."  Jonouchi nodded.

            "Masaki's the man," they repeated in unison.  If they only knew about the rest of the women that boarded at the Masaki home, they would probably have proclaimed Tenchi a god amongst mortal men.

***

            "So who were those guys," Ryoko asked as the trio headed towards the transport spot.

            "Some guys from class B," Tenchi said as Ryoko rested her head on his shoulder.

            "They certainly did not seem to the pleasant types," Ayeka added taking Ryoko's lead on choice of headrests.

            "I doubt that they will ever give me grief again," Tenchi laughed as he hit the button on his pager.

            "I'll just kick their butt's if they do," Ryoko said as they were enveloped in a shimmer of blue light.

            "Ryoko," Tenchi laughed as they were transported home.

To be continued.

I hope this little installment was worth the wait.  I'm having fun with this one, its just finding the time to write it down.  I've been putting a lot of work into my other Tenchi story, Odyssey (shameless plug, shameless plug).  As Odyssey wraps up here soon I'll put more work into this story.  So until then, thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy this fun little tale of mine. 

Until the next chapter!

William Nichols