All You Wanted: A Tenchi Muyo Story
By Revelias
***Author's note: I do not own Tenchi Muyo or any of the characters there in I am only borrowing them for the duration of this story.
This is the second story in a series of planned stories and a sequel to Truth, Love, Lies and Forgiveness. I got the ideal for this story after hearing the song All You Wanted by Michelle Branch. I would appreciate any and all comments concerning this story and the direction the series is headed. ***
It had been a month since the incident with Ayeka and for the most part the Masaki home had returned to normal with a few minor exceptions. The incident had finally brought Ayeka and Ryoko together as friends while also opening the way for Washu to become closer to her daughter. It had also allowed Tenchi to finally choose between the two women that he loved the most in the entire universe. When all was finally said and done the incident had brought the Masaki clan closer together in a way that nothing else could have by finally bonding them as a family in every since on of the word.
It was late and everyone in the Masaki home was asleep except for Ryoko and Ayeka who had moved to the roof in order not to disturb the rest of the household while they slept.
"Ryoko, it has been a month and you still have not accepted Tenchi's love for you. Is there anything wrong? You know that I will do anything that I can to help you if you have a problem." Ayeka Said looking to the woman setting beside her.
"No there isn't anything wrong. It's just that whenever I think that I'm ready to accept him I can't help but get the feeling that something is missing. I can't really explain it. I love Tenchi and I know that he loves me but whenever we are together I just feel that there is something missing. I can't put my finger on exactly what it is but I know that I can't be with Tenchi until I know what's missing in our relationship. Does that make any since to you Ayeka?" Ryoko responded with complete honesty.
Ayeka had been setting patiently listening to her friend ramble on about what was bothering her before she answered. "Honestly, I don't think that you're missing anything Ryoko. Rather I think that something is in the way of your relationship with Lord Tenchi." Ayeka said with a sense of sadness in her voice.
"What do you mean?" Ryoko asked cautiously.
"I think that somewhere in your mind you are afraid that he doesn't really love you and that if you married him he would eventually leave you for someone else." Ayeka paused for a moment as she prepared to continue speaking. "A month ago you forgave me for nearly costing you everything that you hold dear and than you accepted me as a friend without a second thought. If it had been anyone else they would never have forgiven me. Even though you forgave everyone that wronged you a part of you has not forgiven Tenchi for turning his back on you before he knew the whole truth." Tears had begun to fall from Ayeka cheek as she spoke.
"I think that you feel that something like that might happen again. I think that you need to know that it wouldn't happen again if you finally let Tenchi completely into your heart. You need to know that there are no threats to your future happiness with him." Ayeka sincerely told her friend without ever daring to look at her.
Ryoko marveled at the depth of understanding that Ayeka seemed to posses. It was no wonder that the two had bounded so closely in the short time since they had accepted each other's friendship.
"I'm not sure if that helps you any but that is what I feel is bothering you. In any event I think that I will retire for the evening. I will see you in the morning." Ayeka finished before standing to leave the comfort of the rooftop.
"Alright Ayeka good night and thank you for everything." Ryoko returned.
With a slight pause in her step Ayeka turned to bid her friend good night and returned to her room.
Morning in the Masaki home began as usual with Sasami preparing breakfast for the family. As Ryoko made her way into the kitchen she detected the familiar aromas of miso soup and rice. "Sasami breakfast smells wonderful." Ryoko commented to the youngest princess of Juria.
"Oh, good morning Ryoko and thank you. Breakfast will ready in a few minuets so would you please get everyone for me." Sasami politely asked the former space pirate.
"Sure thing kiddo." Ryoko replied cheerfully as she floated up towards the ceiling.
"Mihoshi, Kiyone breakfast will be ready in a few minutes." Ryoko called to the Galaxy Police Detectives as she floated past their room.
"Alright Ryoko, we'll be down in minute." Replied Kiyone from within the bedroom.
Ryoko than made her way to Tenchi's room and gently knocked on his door.
"Yes, what is it." Tenchi asked through his bedroom door.
"Tenchi breakfast will be ready in a minute." Ryoko replied with a whimsical chirp in her voice.
"Oh ok, I'll be down in a minute." Ryoko paused for a moment mesmerized by the sound of Tenchi's voice before she moved on to the room Ayeka shared with Sasami.
"Ayeka breakfast is ready." No reply. "Ayeka, are you awake?" Ryoko called through the door a second time without receive a reply. "Huh I wonder if she is still asleep?" Ryoko phased her face through the door to check on her friend. However, once she was through the door she discovered that Ayeka's bed was neatly made and the princess was nowhere to be found. "I guess that I missed her. Oh well." Shrugging her shoulders Ryoko floated back in the direction she had come.
Ryoko was about to call on Washu when she emerged from her lab. Ever since Ryoko had returned home Washu had abandoned her childlike form in favor of her adult form. "Good morning little Ryoko." Washu said with an endearing smile.
"Morning Mom." Ryoko returned giving her mother loving hug and kiss on the cheek. "I was on my way to tell you that breakfast is almost ready." Ryoko continued.
"You know Ryoko, at first I was so angry with Ayeka that I threaten to kill her but now I wouldn't know how to began to thank her." Washu absently said as she walked with her daughter.
"Thank her for what Mom?" Ryoko asked curiously.
"Oh for giving you back to me. I never thought that I would be able to speak with you or be apart of your life the way I have over the past few weeks. I just…just…" Washu paused to collect herself.
"It's alright now Mom, everything is the way it should be and nothing is going to separate us again." Washu smiled at her daughter's words knowing in her heart that they were true and that neither of them would ever allow anything to drive them apart again.
Once Ryoko and Washu arrived at the table everyone was waiting except Ayeka. "Sasami, where is Ayeka? I looked in her room but she wasn't there. Do have any ideal where she could be?" Ryoko asked.
Sasami was quite for a moment before she removed a folded piece of paper from her pocket. Ryoko could tell that that she was holding back tears as she handed the paper to Tenchi. The room suddenly became quite as Tenchi began to read the letter. As his eyes scanned over what was written Tenchi's face lost all of its color causing everyone at the table to become immediately concerned.
"What is it Tenchi? What wrong?" Kiyone asked with agitated concern in her normally calm voice.
Tenchi couldn't say anything he simply sat staring blankly at the letter still clutched in his hand. Ryoko seeing that whatever was written on the paper had upset him took it from him and begin to read the contents aloud.
Sasami,
I have decided to leave the Earth. I feel that this is best considering my actions over the past few weeks. I know that everyone has forgiven me but I cannot seem to forgive myself not that this is any kind of excuse. I simply feel that it would be best for everyone concerned if I went away for a while. I realize that this might be hard for you to accept at first but please try to understand I need to do this, I need to get away in order to sort out my feelings. Please tell everyone not to try to find me. When and if I ever come to terms with the conflict inside myself I will come back until then however, I need to be alone. Sasami please remember that whatever happens I love you.
All My Love,
Ayeka
When Ryoko finished reading the letter she dropped to her knees and began to cry. Ayeka was gone and there was no way of knowing if she would ever be back.
It took a moment before anyone ventured to respond to the contents of Ayeka's letter. Ryoko was the first to react by crushing the paper as she turned towards Sasami who was standing closest to Tenchi.
"You knew didn't you? You knew and you waited, hiding the truth from us until now." Ryoko wasn't screaming. Her voice betrayed no indication of the hundreds of conflicting emotions that were coursing through her at that moment. "Sasami, why didn't you tell anyone when you first found the letter? Why didn't you let us know sooner so we could have stopped her before she got too far away?" Sasami seemed to barely register what Ryoko was saying to her. The young princess seemed to be somewhat lost a million miles away from the people who were gathered around the living room.
"Ryoko! Don't be angry with her. She is only a child and I'm sure that she has her reasons for not telling us sooner about Ayeka." Washu stated.
As Washu was speaking Sasami seemed to come back from whatever place she had slipped into. The expression on her normally cheerful face suddenly turned very cold as she turned to face Washu. "Don't speak of things you don't understand sister." The young woman harshly spat.
Everyone was shocked at the subtle contempt that Sasami's voice radiated as she spoke.
"Sasami, are you alright?" Tenchi asked as he moved to place his hand on the princess's shoulder.
"Don't touch me." Sasami retorted as she sensed Tenchi's movements.
"Sasami please we only want what's best for both you and Ayeka but we can't help either of you unless you tell us what's wrong." Tenchi calmly said.
"Why do you think that anything is wrong nephew? Just because Ayeka decided to leave, just because someone in this house makes their own decision rather than listening to what the group believes is best. Wait I'm sorry Tenchi, what you think is best. Did you ever stop to think that maybe just maybe that not everything that goes on in this house has to do with you? I would think that you would be happy to have one of them solve your problem for you. After all now that Ayeka is gone the choice is simple right. After all if the truth was ever told you don't deserve either Ayeka or Ryoko." Sasami finished pushing her way through the stunned group heading towards to door.
"Sasami where are you going?" Ryoko asked softly.
Upon hearing Ryoko the young girl stopped and turned towards the one person that was closest to her besides Ayeka. Her face once again reflected the cheerful image of innocence that it normally carried. Stepping towards Ryoko Sasami embraced the woman as tears began to cascade off her cheeks. Ryoko instinctively returned the embrace drawing the crying girl as close to her as she could.
"I know that you feel the same way Ayeka does Ryoko. I know that is why you made the choice that you did. I want you to know that I love you for what you have done and that Ayeka knew what you decided before she left." Sasami whispered causing Ryoko to remain very still. Her only reaction was to tighten her hold on Sasami.
"Why did she leave Sasami?" Ryoko asked softly.
"She left because she wanted you to be happy. She felt that as long as she remained that couldn't happen." The weeping child replied.
"But if she knew what I had decided…" Ryoko began.
"It didn't matter. Ayeka felt that what the two of you wanted could never happen after what she had done. So she took the only option she felt she had left. Ayeka wanted you to be happy so she left and that was all there was to it." The Second Princess of Juria continued still holding firmly onto Ryoko.
"You wrote the letter didn't you Aunt?" Surprised that Ryoko acknowledged their relationship Sasami gave a halfhearted smile before she answered.
"Yes, I thought that it would help but…" Sasami stopped speaking as she looked towards Tenchi who had turned away from the others.
"I'm sorry for what I said Tenchi. I was just so upset that I…" Sasami tried to apologize.
"It's alright Sasami I know that you were upset. Besides you were right. I don't deserve any of you in my life." No one tried to stop Tenchi as he went out the door in the direction of the shrine.
Lord Katsuhito sat patiently in the shrine's office sipping a fresh cup of hot tea when Tenchi knocked at the door.
"Come in Tenchi." Tenchi wasn't surprised that the old monk knew who come to see him. After all he always seemed to know more about events than anyone else.
"What is the matter Tenchi?" Katsuhito asked while continuing to enjoy his tea.
"It's Ayeka Grandpa. She has run away from home and I don't know where to began looking for her." The young man told his grandfather hoping for a bit of sage advice.
"I see. But that isn't all that is bothering you is it Tenchi?" The old monk ventured noticing the worried expression on Tenchi's face.
He had been contemplating everything that had happened over the past few weeks and no matter how many times he went over the events he always arrived at the same conclusion.
"No Grandpa, there is more. Sasami told me that everything that had happened was because of my actions or rather my inaction. I don't deserve any of them in my life. I mean I try to do what's best but all I ever do is make things worse. Maybe it's for the best that Ayeka left maybe this way she can find what she has been looking for rather than wasting her time here with me." Katsuhito listened to his grandson's self-pitying ramblings until he could no longer stand to listen him.
"Get out!" Katsuhito spoke with a somewhat elevated tone.
"What?" Tenchi retuned with surprise.
"You heard me Tenchi get out! I am tired of you and you own self-pity. What is it that you really want, is it for someone to hold you and tell you that you're never wrong. Do you want the world to bend to your will and for everything to be molded to your liking? Because if that is what you want than I suggest that you return to Juria and assume the throne. They will be more than happy to accommodate your wishes. You will even be able to find some Jurian woman who will remake herself into exactly the type of woman that you seem to want." Katsuhito vented as his usual calm demeanor vanished.
Tenchi's face was blank. He didn't know how to respond so he simply lowered his head in shame and waited.
"Where do we start looking Juria or Earth?" Kiyone asked as she began to organize everyone in order to search for Ayeka.
"You two get everything together. I need to talk to Sasami for a moment." Washu told the busy detectives.
"Alright Washu we will start getting everything ready but we will need your input before we actually began the search." Mihoshi replied bubbly.
Washu nodded her acknowledgement before she turned and headed into the kitchen.
Sasami was diligently working to prepare lunch for the family. The young princess acted as though it was just another day and that nothing was out of the ordinary. Washu watched the young woman for a few minutes before she began to speak. "Tsunami, how long do you intend to keep going the way you are?"
"I'm not sure what you mean and just to prevent any further confusion I'm still Sasami. The merger isn't yet complete." Sasami stated as she finished assembling several sandwiches.
Washu lazily leaned against the counter as she continued to watch the princess prepare lunch. "Come now sister, you can't hide from me. I know Sasami and I know you. The merger has been complete for a few weeks now. Although I must admit that you had managed to keep that fact a secret until today." Washu replied while never moveing from her now comfortable perch.
Sasami turned to face her goddess sister with a defeated look on her face. "I can't fool you can I Washu. So what was it that gave me away?"
"Everything clicked into place when you lashed out at Tenchi. Sasami or rather the former Sasami would never let anyone see her true emotions. However, because the merger is so recently complete you haven't had time to completely acclimate to your new state. In other words the part of you that is Tsunami could not control the strength of Sasami's emotions." Washu analyzed.
"I see." Sasami replied returning to the task of preparing lunch.
"Do you understand what you have done Tenchi? Do you understand exactly what you have been putting all of those women through?" Katsuhito inquired.
Tenchi remained quite as his mind raced through event after event. Every action he had ever taken regarding the girls, every action he had refused to take was evaluated over and over in his mind. In the end there was no great revelation, there was no profound moment of clarity. In the end there was only Tenchi and the truth.
"Well what do you have to say for yourself?" The old monk asked waiting this time waiting for a reply.
"I have been using them haven't I Grandpa? All this time I have been using them to satisfy my own desire to be loved. All they ever asked was that I be honest with them about my feelings but all I ever did was to make sure that I kept them close so that I didn't lose the love that they offered." Tenchi shamefully said as he arose from his seat and absently stared out the window of the office.
"Now that you understand the problem what are you going to do to rectify it Tenchi?" Katsuhito's question hung in the air between elder and younger Masaki for a long time before anything was said.
"There is only one thing I can do, I'm going to let them go." Nothing more was said as Tenchi left the shrine and walked towards the house.
Ryoko was talking with Kiyone and Mihoshi when Tenchi entered the house. She noticed straight away that something was weighing heavily on his mind. She excused herself from the conversation with the Galaxy Police officers in order to speak with the bewildered Tenchi. However, before she could say anything to him Tenchi motioned for her to join him on the front porch.
"What had you decided Ryoko?" Tenchi asked looking out into the cherry orchard.
"What do you mean?" Ryoko replied not really understanding what it was that Tenchi wanted to know.
Tenchi hadn't dared to look at her since they had left the house and the defeated sound of his voice begun to worry Ryoko.
"Before, Sasami said that Ayeka knew what you had decided and despite that decision and despite what the two of you wanted Ayeka still left because she wanted you to be happy." Tenchi explained.
"Ohh, Are you sure you want to know Tenchi?" She asked trying not to cause him any more pain than he was obviously feeling.
He didn't speak right away and Ryoko questioned if he really understood the implications of what he was asking her. Determinedly Tenchi turned to face the woman who stood beside him before he answered. "Yes I'm sure."
Ryoko took a steadying breath before she began to speak. "Tenchi, last night Ayeka asked me why I hadn't accepted the love you offered me. I told her that it was because there was something missing and until I found out what that was I couldn't be with you. It's funny but after loving you for so many years anyone would think that I would have accepted your love without question. But the truth is that after what happened I couldn't. You see it took me a long time before I understood why you immediately took Ayeka's side over mine." Ryoko gently told the remorseful man beside her.
"Ryoko I…" Tenchi started to interrupt her but Ryoko placed her finger over his lips to quiet him.
"You see Tenchi, and this might be hard for you to hear, but the truth that I had been denying or rather the reality that both Ayeka and I had been denying for so long is that you don't love either one of us." Ryoko reluctantly explained.
Tenchi was at lost for words not because of what she had said but because she had knew what he had only just figured out.
"Don't misunderstand Tenchi I know that you love me and Ayeka knows that you love her. However, the kind of love that you are willing to offer isn't the kind of love that we wanted from you. Once we realized that you couldn't love us the way we wanted we slowly stopped being rivals and became friends or at least as close to friends as we could be back then. I guess that's when we both began to realize that neither of us would be able to be with you even if you did choose one of us. The truth is that Ayeka and I have always been better together than apart we complete each other. She's the calm, well-mannered rational one and I'm the hot headed, in your face, look before you leap one." Ryoko continued regarding Tenchi as she spoke.
"What did the two of you want Ryoko?" The prince asked again.
Ryoko fought back a tear as she was finally able to tell Tenchi exactly what was in her heart. "We wanted you Tenchi. We wanted your love. We wanted to be your other half. But we knew that was impossible because you wanted both of us." Ryoko said finally reveling the truth that she and Ayeka had long ago accepted.
"I don't understand." A confused Tenchi remarked.
Ryoko smiled at his honesty.
"The problem was never that you didn't love us. The problem is that you love both of us equally. You can't choose one of us over the other because you don't just want one of us. Tenchi what you want is for Ayeka and me to be the same person. You want us to be the woman that your mother was. You want the total package and you wouldn't be happy with anything less. It wasn't right for us to try to make you choose between us. That was our mistake. Your mistake was thinking that you could choose to be with only half the person that you love. What Ayeka and I wanted was to be your wives. We wanted you to choose both of us. That way everyone would be happy. We would be with you and you would have the woman that you wanted between the two of us. However, when you turned your back on the throne you also turned you back on all of Juria's traditions. You see Tenchi that was our last hope. If you had accepted Juria than it would have been alright for you to marry both of us but here on Earth…" The rest was left hanging in the air between them. Understanding finally flowing into Tenchi's clouded heart.
"Thank you Ryoko. Thank you for everything." He said giving Ryoko a gentle kiss before he turned and headed into the house.
"Washu are you going to tell the others about the merger?" Sasami asked.
"Would you prefer if I told them?" Washu replied.
Sasami had finished preparing lunch for the family and had joined Washu standing at the counter.
"You know Washu, Ayeka knew about the merger. She didn't say anything but she knew." Sasami stated frankly.
"What did you expect? She's your sister and will love you regardless of what form you may take." Washu told the younger goddess.
"And you sister? How do you feel knowing that your sister inhabits the body of a child?" Tsunami queried the larger woman beside her.
"Are you kidding? I was in the body of child for centuries before I finally decided to grow up." Washu laughingly replied.
Sasami giggled at the memory of little Washu in comparison to the form she now portrayed.
"Seriously Tsunami what are you going to do? Sooner or later the others will have to be told." The scientist stated with a matter of fact tone in her voice.
"I know but until the current situation is rectified I think that it would be best if we keep this between ourselves." Tsunami told her younger sister.
Washu nodded her understanding and picked up a tray to carry out to the dinning table. "One question Sasami."
"Yes." Sasami answered lifting her own try to be carried out.
"Once you tell the family do you plan on remaining in your current form or will you take the form of Tsunami?" Washu pondered.
"I haven't decided yet but I think that my decision will depend on how the current situation ends." Washu acknowledged Sasami answer before she carried the tray she held to the dinning room table.
Lord Katsuhito slowly made his way up the path towards the cave were he had once imprisoned Ryoko. Nothing about that place had changed since that fateful day so long ago.
"I loath this place. It brings back so many memories so much pain." The old monk mused to himself.
Seven centuries is a long time to be imprisoned regardless the reason. Katsuhito regretted everyday Ryoko had suffered alone in that damned cave. It hadn't been her fault after all she had no control over what she had done on Juria. That had been Kagato's doing. He had controlled her, forced her to carry out his will. Still in the end she was blamed for those contemptible acts. Taking a deep breath Katsuhito made his way into the main body of the cave. Once there the Shinto Priest's eyes feel upon the lone figure solemnly standing in the center of the chamber staring into the pool where Ryoko had spent her imprisonment.
"You know she was innocent of everything that we said she had done. I chased her across the galaxy for years hunting her regardless of where she went. I don't know how long I had chased her before we arrived in Earth's solar system. It was strange, the further we traveled from Juria the more mistakes she seemed to make, the more predictable her actions became. It was as though she wanted me to catch her. However, it wasn't until we reached Earth that I knew for sure that she was ready to stop fighting. You see while we were fighting Ryoko held back from using her full power. She could have easily killed me but she allowed me to stripe her of her gems and seal her in this place." Katsuhito told the person still gazing into pool.
The figure hadn't moved while the old priest spoke.
"If she was innocent than why did you imprison her?" The person asked.
Katsuhito hadn't expected the question and it took him somewhat by surprise. "At the time I had no ideal that she was being controlled. I thought as all Jurians thought, she was acting alone, attacking our world for no other reason then to pillage and destroy." He replied.
"But you said that when you fought her here she let you win. If she was as evil as everyone thought why would she have done that?" The person looking into Ryoko's prison asked.
"Back then I simply thought that I had gotten lucky or perhaps I was a better warrior than she. However, once she was released and we learned of Kagato's control over her I realized that she let me win because she wanted to be free of his control even if that came at the cost of her own life." The old man stated with sadness in his voice.
The person standing in front of Katsuhito gave a sigh as she turned to face him. Her face was stained with tears she had shed for her friend who had suffered so much pain in her life.
"Ayeka, don't you think its time you returned to the others? You can't run away from your problems forever." The monk asked.
Ayeka looked into the gentle eyes of her brother before she embraced him. "I can't go back. As long as I'm here than Ryoko will never be able to have the happiness that she deserves. I owe here so much for what I did to her and for what she gave me that this is the least that I can do." Ayeka replied while slowing pulling away from her elder brother.
"Do you honestly think that she could be happy with you leaving and not even saying goodbye? If you do this Ayeka you will be hurting her more than you ever did before. Is that truly what you want?" Katsuhito questioned.
Ayeka began to walk towards the mouth of the cave.
"Where are you going?" He asked her as she walked past him.
"To say goodbye." She simply replied before the left the cave and headed in the direction of the Masaki Home.
Ryoko was setting in her favorite cherry tree when Ayeka came into view. The former space pirate wanted to run and tell everyone that she was back but something about the way Ayeka was moving told her that she should talk with the princess first.
"So you decided to come home after letting everyone worry themselves sick about you all morning." The familiar sound of Ryoko's voice caused Ayeka to stop in her tracks and peer up into the cherry tree to find her friend.
"I simply came back to say goodbye that's all." Ayeka called up to the woman perched upon a limb.
Ryoko slightly rolled off the branch she was perched on and phased to the ground below to appear directly in front of Ayeka. "Why bother to come back just to say goodbye. After all you were already gone you didn't have to come back just tell everyone you're about to leave again." She said looking directly into Ayeka's eyes.
"I wasn't really gone. I was leaving when Yosho stopped me. I told him what I was doing and he insisted that we talk before I left. While we were speaking Tenchi arrived." Ayeka explained.
"He saw you?" Ryoko broke in.
"No, before he got to the shrine I hide myself in the cave." Ayeka began again. "Ryoko, I came back to say goodbye to you. As far as the others are concerned I'm already gone so they don't need to know what has really happened."
"Why did you feel you needed to say goodbye to only me?" The former pirate asked still looking into the princess's eyes.
"Because you are my friend and because I didn't want to cause you any more pain." Ayeka told her without ever losing eye contact with her friend.
Ryoko's expression changed from calm to angry in a manner of seconds. "You didn't want to cause me any more pain! How dare you Ayeka! How dare you stand there and tell me something like that! You think that I don't know why you're doing this!" Ryoko's screams could be heard all the way to the house and caused it occupants to rush out to see what all the commotion was about.
There down the path they saw Ryoko angrily yelling at Ayeka. Immediately the group began to rush towards their friends but was quickly stopped by Tenchi's outstretched hand.
"No, they need to be alone right now. Ayeka's back and she is safe when they have finished than Ryoko will bring her to the house." Tenchi had spoken with a commanding tone that told everyone that he was serious. None of the girls argued with his decision and reluctantly turned to wait for Ayeka and Ryoko inside the house.
"Ryoko, I just thought that…" Ayeka tried to explain.
"You just thought that if you left that I would fall into Tenchi's arms. Huh yea right." The former pirate sarcastically remarked.
"You don't understand. I knew that as long as I was here than he could never…" Ayeka again tried to explain to her dear friend.
"What love me completely?" Ryoko snorted.
"Well…Yes" Ayeka bluntly stated.
Ryoko didn't say anything for a moment she just glared at Ayeka with all the anger she had left inside her before her shoulders slumped and she placed her arms around her friend's shoulders.
"Do you really believe that I could be happy with having only half of Tenchi's heart? Ayeka you and I both know that neither of us could be happy with him without the other. We need each other as much as we need him." Ryoko warmly told the princess.
Tears fought their way from Ayeka's overflowing eyes as she held tightly to Ryoko. "I just wanted…"
"I know and I can't tell you how much I love you for what you were going to do." Ryoko said silencing the woman she held.
Minuets seemed like hours as the two women allowed all of their pent up emotion to finally surface. It had been a long time coming and now that it had come nothing in the Masaki house would ever be the same. Once the tears began to subside Ryoko and Ayeka made their way to the house were the rest of the family was waiting.
"Before anyone of you say anything Ayeka is back for good. So for the time being lets just give her some space." No one argued with Ryoko they all simply welcomed Ayeka home as thought she had just been away on a short trip.
"Tenchi could you join us upstairs. I think that we all need to set down and have a long talk." Ryoko asked as she and Ayeka were already striding to the second floor.
"Alright." Tenchi replied as he began to follow close behind them.
Upstairs Tenchi, Ryoko, and Ayeka sat in Tenchi's room waiting for someone to start the conversation.
"I guess that I will start." Tenchi declared.
" When all this started I felt that everything that had happened since you girls came here was some sort of conspiracy against me. I felt that I was being forced into a life that I didn't want and that I was trapped without any hope of escaping from that life. However, after speaking with Grandpa and Ryoko I realized that a great deal of what has happened since you came here was the result of my actions. You see at first I thought that we could all live together like one big happy family. I wanted that more than anything. However, that all changed when I realized that the two of you wanted to be more than just close friends. I was confused by your feelings toward me and everything became more confusing when I realized that I had developed feelings for each of you. I knew that I had to choose between the two of you and while that would make one of you happy it would upset the other. I didn't know what to do so finally I decided that the only way to make a choice was to ask myself which one of you I could see myself growing old with. However, when I did that I saw that I could do that with either of you and be happy. In the end what made me choose Ryoko was the fact that whereas I love you Ayeka Ryoko makes me feel a way I never thought I could. I hoped that once I had made my choice that you would remain here with us Ayeka because the truth is that I can't really see my life without you in it." Tenchi told the girls trying his best to explain everything that he come to understand over the past few weeks.
Ayeka and Ryoko had remained quite while Tenchi had been speaking evaluating each word as though their lives depended on it.
"I don't understand something Tenchi. If you felt that way why did you take my side over Ryoko's when I…" Ayeka started to ask but found that she couldn't finish her thought.
After all the time that had passed Ayeka still couldn't bring herself to speak of the events that had nearly shattered the family. Ryoko saw the difficulty Ayeka was having and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"I'm not sure really. I love both of you so much but when the time came to actually choose one side over the other I just assumed that Ryoko was at fault. Ryoko I can't apologize enough for…" Tenchi said starting to apologize again before a glance from Ryoko caused him to hold his tongue.
"It's alright I forgave you a long time ago for that." Ryoko said as her tender expression completely reassured the young prince that she meant every word she had said.
"Tenchi do you remember what I told you today." The former pirate asked.
"Yes I do and I was about to come to that. Ayeka, Ryoko told me that the reason she hadn't accepted my love for her was because although I love her I didn't really love her and that the same applied to you." Tenchi told the princess as Ayeka keenly glanced first to Tenchi than to Ryoko.
"You see Ayeka I told Tenchi that I felt that he loved us both. But, rather than loving us for who we are separately he loved us because we complete one another." Ryoko calmly told her friend.
"I see." Ayeka spoke softly returning her gaze to Tenchi.
"Now that everything is out in the open what are you going to do Lord Tenchi?" Ayeka asked with a small amount of hope in her heart.
"Yes Tenchi what are you going to do?" Ryoko repeated also hoping for an inspired solution on the part of the prince.
Tenchi was somewhat confused as he quickly moved his head from side to side trying to draw some understanding from each of the girls.
"Well Tenchi we both sill love you." Ryoko spoke trying to give the young man a clue.
. "And the simple truth is that we both still want to be your wives." Ayeka added.
"So the question before you is are you willing to marry both of us and if you aren't what do you want to happen?" Ryoko finished almost daring him not to reply in the manner that both she and Ayeka hoped he would.
Tenchi was no fool and he knew when he was being railroaded. However, this was one trap he was more than willing to fall into. With a broad smile he asked the two women to stand and as they did he knelt on one knee facing them.
"Ryoko Hakubi, Ayeka Juria I know that this has been a long time coming and I know that I'm in no way worthy of either of you after all that I have put you through. However believe me when I say that I love each of you with all of my heart and if you would allow me to I will spend the rest of my life proving it to you. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wives?" Tenchi asked the two women standing before him.
For their parts Ayeka and Ryoko caused the young man to suffer for a moment as they silently considered his proposal. However, the girls could not punish him for long as neither could no longer hold back the tears of happiness that shimmered in their eyes. With hands clasped they each spoke the one word that Tenchi had hoped they would. "Yes." And with that there was nothing left to do but to inform the rest of the family which of course was done right away.
The rest of the evening was spent in joyful celebration for the upcoming unions. Together Tenchi, Ryoko, and Ayeka had faced seemingly insurmountable obstacles to their relationship. After today the journey they embarked upon together would be full of new and exciting challenges for the future. Yet through it all they would have each other and the love and support of their family a combination that could never be beaten.