Life Changes Chapter 4: A New Angle, a tenchi muyo fanfic

Life Changes:

Chapter 4: A New Angle

As the afternoon sun stood high in the sky beaming its radiant warmth upon the peaceful planet below, a young looking woman relaxed happily by a nearly crystal clear lake. Smiling she adjusted her green sunglasses and checked her small red bikini. Good, she thought happily, it does leave very little to the imagination. I wonder how Tenchi will like it?

"Here you are, Ryoko," a voice called out, as a glass of ice tea appeared by her face. "An ice tea, just like you asked."

Giggling the golden-eyed woman accepted the offering with a slight head nod. "Well thank you Mr. Masaki, why don't you sit down for a minute, and join me. After all you don't have to hurry back to listening to everything that little princess says, do you?" Sipping the chilled liquid, Ryoko made a slight pleased noise. "Don't worry, I promise not to bite, unless you ask me to that is…."

Sighing, the young man shook his head, and plopped down next to the sunbathing woman. "You know I don't always do exactly what Ayeka tells me. I mean I'm not a slave you know."

"Slave is a good word for it, the way that little bitch acts, I'd swear she's more of a sadist than I am. Well anyway if you are a slave, you're not a happy one," she said giddily, "not like if you were my slave. I'd have you doing things that would be a lot more fun." Feeling his blood rush to his head, Tenchi looked away sheepishly. With a smirk of victory, Ryoko audibly showed how pleasurable this conversation was for her. Yet when she spoke, her voice suddenly seemed to lose its vitality and take a more serious and hurt tone. "I think it would be fun to use the term slave in a nice way like that. Not like when I had to… had… had to…."

Just when the scantily clad woman felt her last nerve about to snap, a kind hand rested on her kneecap, massaging it gently. "It's okay, Ryoko," Tenchi whispered, leaning forward to help him kneel beside her. "I promise it's okay."

"Oh, Tenchi…" she whimpered, wrapping arms around him, and beginning to cry as she buried her face in his chest. "It was so terrible. He made me do so many things, to so many people. Why once he even tried to…."

Shushing her, the brown-haired youth placed his hand on her head, holding her tightly so she could no longer speak. "You don't have to explain, Ryoko, not to me. I'll love you no matter what you did, who you were, or any thing else in your past. Kagato is dead, he can't hurt you anymore."

Sniffing like a little girl, the golden-eyed woman pried her head away from her beloved's chest. "You love me? Did you just say that Tenchi?"

Laughing weakly at his slip up, the Jurain prince nodded. "Yes," he said, putting one finger under her chin, to tilt her face squarely at himself. "Yes, Ryoko I love you…"

Feeling tears of joy welling in her eyes, the lithe woman shut them in preparation for the rush to her senses that were about to explode through her body. Each moment she felt him getting closer and closer. It would only be a few microseconds now and she would have her life's most important victory, she would have a kiss from Tenchi. Any moment now….

Sylvia's Apartment:

Okayama:

With a heart-felt groan, the golden-eyed woman awoke, lying on the old couch that decorated her small apartment. A slight click echoed in her ears as she glared at the floor, seeing an empty bottle of potent Saki roll away from her. Damn… I'm alive again. Why can't I just stay passed out after drinking…? Of course, my saki caused dreams are even tainted with my past… groaning the lithe woman sat up, rubbing her head tenderly. I have Washu to blame for that. She made me too damn good, I guess. Well, I guess it's time to get up. I will have work today…. Laughing, Sylvia stood on shaky legs. Whoa… she thought as she held her throbbing head between her hands. Been a while since I felt this bad. I bet it's because I have to go to work. Damn! Why couldn't I have won the lottery, at least once! I always bought a ton of tickets with Noboyuki's money! Cursing her ill-fated luck, the new officer opened her refrigerator and selected a red bottle of Saki. Ah breakfast. A great way to start any day… Looking at the green bottle in the open icebox, she frowned. "With any luck, I won't be back for dinner…."

The Bath:

Walking with all the grace and charm of a half dead zombie, Sylvia staggered down the long clean hallway towards the bath area. As she entered into the women's area her keen hearing detected a charming lullaby coming from further inside the bath. Ah! Damn it. She groaned, feeling her hangover biting her mind deeply. What the hell is she doing up so early? This is just great. Start my day off taking a bath with the landlord. Oh joy… Pausing a moment as she put her clothes in one of the various wicker baskets, Sylvia cracked a smile. I bet there isn't a man in this place that wouldn't give anything to be walking into that bath right now.

Entering into the steamy confines of the apartment complexes hot spring, the golden-eyed woman breathed in the scented oils and perfumes that Karka had brought in with her, and the soothing song that she sung. Well the girl has a voice, that's for sure. The silvery-haired woman thought walking nude into the waters.

"Oh! Hello, Sylvia," a perky voice called out from the opposite side of the bath, followed by a slurring sound as Karka swam towards the newcomer. "How is our resident hero today? Did you get a good night's sleep?" In a display of feminine charm and unbelievable wit, Sylvia grunted, holding her head as she continued to descend into the water. Yet just as she was nearly down, her legs suddenly gave out, and the lithe woman felt herself falling squarely onto her bathing landlord. "Wow," Karka chimed, "you need to be more careful. Why what if someone was watching, huh? They'd really think you were falling for me." Laughing giddily at her own joke, the bouncy woman helped the ex-Masaki resident to her feet.

"Yeah… thanks…" the silver-haired woman answered. "Sorry." Without another word, the rookie officer sat down hard on one of the ledges, leaning her head back with a painful sigh. What the hell was that? I felt so weak, she noted angrily. It was like I had absolutely no strength whatsoever. I've never felt like that before, except when I look into Tenchi's eyes, but even then I never actually fell. Looking at her wrists, the lithe ex-space pirate finally noticed something. Oh damn it; I forgot to create a gem after I got rid of my other one. I probably should do that pretty soon. I'll need that to keep going. Pausing she blinked painfully. Keep going? Why? Why should I really bother? I'm sick of everything anyway. Without my gems, I'll more than likely die. I could keep going for a little while with the ones I make, but they'll never help me recharge like the real ones. Groaning the woman formerly called Ryoko sank into the water slowly. No, I'll need to make one… just not now. Maybe later….

"You look really down," the blonde girl said with an unhappy face, her lower lip jutting out further than her upper. Suddenly her expression changed, as her usual energy and spunk returned in a flood of inspiration. "I know what you need!"

"What? I-" yet the woman once called Ryoko never finished her statement as the younger girl leapt upon her instantly, grabbing her hair with one hand and a brush in the other.

"You need a make over!" the bubbly girl exclaimed cheerfully, grabbing a strange bottle of shampoo in one hand as she leapt onto Officer Hakubi. "No woman could ever be happy with a hairdo like this, here let me just…"

"Ouch, you idiot! That's my head you're pulling on, not a doll!"

"This wouldn't hurt so much if… you'd… just hold… still!" She declared, as she harshly rubbed the pink foamy concoction into her friend's hair. "Besides I… oh…no," Karka gasped, quickly dragging Silvia under a running fountain to wash her hair. "Phew, no harm done," she said in a whisper, which sadly the former space pirate was able to detect.

"Who asked you anyway? Leave my hair alone!" Silvia snapped rubbing her head to make sure there were no bald areas, "and what did you just do?

Laughing defensively, Karka, kindly lead her back to the water, "Just relax, you'll be so pretty, when I'm done. All the boys will like it. Besides I was just kidding with the oops." Hearing Karka's words, Sylvia stopped struggling for a moment as she recalled a time in her life when she would have done anything to catch a certain boy's attention. How she would have endured all the flames of hell, or the worst tortures in life, as she felt she already had, just to be able to caress his young face and have him smile back at her. Closing her eyes, the golden-eyed woman felt on the verge of sleep, as she once again shifted her mind's eye to seeing herself sitting on the shore by the lake, waiting for an ice tea to come along…. Just when the scene became clear, a resounding cheer awaked Sylvia from the busy Karka. "Ta-da! I'm done, what do you think?"

With the patience of a parent trying to please an over energetic child, the golden-eyed woman peered into the warm water at her reflection, and swallowed hard. "Not bad," she grunted, looking at the woman with the perfectly drawn back hair that ran into a tight French braid. "I'm impressed, my hair isn't really known for being easy to handle."

"Yeah, it is kinda spiky. Do you use a lot of hair gel or something?" Karka asked, admiring her work in the water with Sylvia. "If you want, I've got a lot of new makeup, and I could make you look so pretty. Why you'd-"

Holding up one hand in warning, the silver-haired woman shook her head in reply. 'Thanks but no thanks. I don't do make up. It's not my style. Thanks for the hairstyle. But right now I need to get ready."

As Sylvia turned, she heard Karka gasp. Figuring it to be another joke, she ignored the strange woman and lifted herself from the warm water, eager to face the day as a new woman.

Downtown:

The mid-afternoon setting in the Okayama Police Department was a typical one, filled with busy police officers, the sound of phones ringing, but above all the poetic like rhythm of the day, a woman's heavenly voice could be heard distinctly and gave them all reason to pause and reflect on the implications and angelic flow of her verse.

"Yeah well, screw you buddy!" Sylvia screamed into her phone. "I caught the guy. You lost him. Don't go blaming me for your own incompetence!" With a mighty motion, the lithe woman slammed the phone on her desk, and plopped down to her seat loudly as a distinct silence resonated in the quiet offices. Crossing her arms defensively over her ample chest, Officer Hakubi glared at each person in the office, who had been looking her way. "What are you all staring at?" She roared, as the entire department bolted back to work, each one eager to avoid the golden-eyed woman's chilling gaze.

"You're in a bad mood today," a female officer laughed as she set down a spare cup of coffee. "Care to tell me why?"

Looking up agitatedly Sylvia regarded her coworker with disdain. Despite the fact she did not care for female companionship, the lithe woman had to admit the young officer before her was a rather attractive woman, with a silky white skin, blue eyes, and short brown hair. "It's nothing really, Yuri." The pouting woman screamed. "Just another call from Interpol. That damn inspector keeps blaming me for his mistakes. I told him-"

"Yes," the brown-haired girl laughed, "I know. We all heard you. So what's really eating you up, you've never got this mad from a call before."

Glaring at the inquisitive youth, Sylvia shook her head. "It's nothing you wanna know about, Yuri. Trust me."

"Ah, I gotcha," Yuri, so named because the only friends she ever had were women, said snapping her fingers and making it into a gun to 'shoot' the unhappy woman. "Hey, you wanna go to the bar tonight, after work? I could set you up with this guy I know, and…."

Just as the conversation reached an all time low, the phone on Sylvia's phone rang, and the golden-eyed woman cast an icy glare at the offending device. Now what the hell does someone want?

Later:

The Chief's Office:

"Hakubi…" the overweight police chief sighed as he sat unhappily in his chair eyeing her with an impatient eye. "What happened out there?"

Soaking wet, Sylvia took off her sunglasses slowly, a weak smile on her face as she nervously played with her eyewear. "What do you mean, we caught that guy didn't we? I mean he was going to blow up the bank and all."

"I know that, officer," the older man said rising from his desk. "But can you tell me why you pulled that stunt?"

"Well you see, chief, I-"

"Taking off your clothes and dousing yourself in water is not proper procedure!" The angry captain shouted.

"Technically sir I was still wearing my undershirt…." She added holding up one finger in her defense. "If I didn't act sir, that young man might have done something we'd all regret. But trust me I have experience with hormonally unbalanced youths. I know how to work them sir, I-"

"I don't care," Tobin announced. "All I know is one of my officers is behaving like some street corner…" at that the plump man stopped his rant catching a look from Ryoko that showed such terms would warrant more than a weak reply. Although he might not seem to possess many super abilities, the one he did possess was the ability to know when he had reached his limits. Sighing loudly, the balding officer sat down at his desk again, shuffling through his papers slowly. Finally he pulled out one in particular. "You're being reassigned," he coughed into his hand, looking up at her casually. "Or should I say rescheduled. I need you to pull an all-nighter. To watch things around here, plus I have some items to take care of in the morning. Do you think you'll be able to work tonight? I know this is last minute and all."

"Yeah," the silver-haired woman said, feeling there was more to this conversation than she knew. "I can do that."

"Good, then do something about your hair before you get back," he muttered handing her a mirror. "I don't know if you noticed it or not, but it looks like you go caught in a lump of melted crayon or something, swirls all over you. I don't like punks, and I don't want my officers to look like them. I don't care what you do, just fix it."

Seeing that her new brain now bore pink and purple stripes, where Karka's hands had grabbed her spiny hair, Sylvia slumped her shoulders. So that's what Karka was going on about! That damn idiot put dye in my hair! Pink and purple dye at that! Now I look like a freak! Damn it! Something tells me this stuff will take months to come out. "All right," she pouted putting her glasses back on slowly. "Is that all, boss?"

Picking up his pen, the captain of the Okayawa police seemed to ponder the question for a long time, as if it bore some deeper meaning to him before he answered. "No, that will be all Hakubi. Remember, no more of these wild stunts. I mean it!" As she turned to leave, the old officer's tone changed, "are you all right Ryoko?"

Stopping, the silver-haired woman turned slowly, her glasses now concealing her eyes as she looked squarely at him. "Ryoko is dead. I killed her a long time ago. You and I both know that. So you could say she's finally okay. But as for me, Sylvia, I couldn't be better. So let's never mention that name again." For long moments a thick tension hung in the air, before she spoke again, "if you'll excuse me…." Giving him a salute, the weary woman left her last remaining friend from her past's office and headed home to prepare for the long night ahead of her.

The Masaki House:

Sighing loudly, Tenchi took in the midday sun with a dreary look as he walked back towards his house from his latest training, or rather beating, session. A sudden springing in the bushes caused his heart to skip a beat, as he spun expecting to see Ryoko ready to pounce on him like a fox on its prey. Yet as he turned all the young man could see was a rabbit that had dashed across the path behind him, and now ran across the wooded area looking for a place to hide again. He sighed once more, closing his eyes for a moment as he imagined how Ryoko would have normally handled him. "Let's see, since I'm on the path, she'd probably soar up and throw her arms around my neck," the brown-haired youth began reaching up to hold where he guessed her arm would have rested. "Then she'd say something like," swallowing; Tenchi did his best Ryoko impression however it was a poor job at that.

"Oh, Tenchi, let's go off somewhere and play."

"No, Ryoko, I can't do that," he countered, continuing a conversation with himself.

"But Tenchi," the dreaming youth continued in a poor Ryoko-ese. "I've got some new games I think you'd really like…." He giggled at that moment, a sound that no man should ever make. Then he puckered out his lips, pretending that Ryoko was trying to kiss him.

"Why Tenchi, I didn't realize how much like you dad you are," Washu said suddenly breaking him from his trance. Opening his eyes, the young Jurain saw the red-haired genius standing before him with a devilish grin on her face. "I mean you do have a perverted and a nutty side."

"No," he offered shaking his hands before him. "It's not like that, I-"

Sighing, Washu squatted down before him, no longer listening. "It's been hard, hasn't it? No Ryoko I mean. Nothing seems fun anymore. I pick on Ayeka in the lab, using all sorts of reasons to put her in embarrassing positions, and I even make a lewd comment of two to her, but nothing really seems to get under that girl's skin like Ryoko could. She really had a gift, didn't she?"

"If you call that a gift…." Tenchi muttered, realizing he had spoken aloud.

"Well, she did have other gifts," the green-eyed woman said looking up. "Ones I'm sure you, and any other guy alive, has seen. One thing I didn't make her to be was shy. At least it wasn't my intention for her to be."

Feeling awkward at the conversations content and pace, the young prince cleared his throat. "So what are you doing out here, Washu? I mean what's up? Is something wrong?"

"No," the smaller figure said rising up to her full height, still dissecting a weed she had plucked from the ground with her fingers. "I just… well…" Washu stopped looking at Tenchi with a painful look that told him she was hiding some deep pain. "I miss Ryoko is all. Without her to worry about I'm feeling pretty lonely. That's why I came to see you. I thought that if I talked to you, then maybe for a minute I'd have my little girl back… but I see you miss her even more than I do. Oh yeah, Ayeka wants me to tell you that she's set aside the whole night to tell you about Jurain history."

"Oh good," Tenchi responded with a forced joy. Ever since Ryoko had left their house, Ayeka had become his shadow even worse than before. Now she spent every night regaling him with tales of Jurai. It had been interesting at first, but now it was wearing thin on his nerves. There were times, which became more and more frequent as time went on, when he wished the golden-eyed woman would return for just ten seconds to say what he couldn't and silence the polite woman's tales. As it stood now, however, Tenchi had just learned the current hierarchies status and titles, and where they were seated at banquets. Ayeka purposely avoided telling him tales about sports, swordsmanship, Jurain trees, wars, or battle capabilities, as they were boring, crude tales that a lady should never tell. So during the day Tenchi Masaki spent a good deal of his time being shadowed by the proper woman, and every night, until he nearly collapsed from exhaustion, he heard about modern Jurai. Just once I'd like to hear someone ramble on half drunk about some commercial, he whined to himself, thinking how Ryoko had the amazing ability to turn a twenty second story into an hour long tale that always involved sex, alcohol and about thirty reasons why he should sleep with her.

"You sound like you enjoy yourself," Washu laughed as they started back to the house. "As much as I like having Mihoshi in my lab."

"It's not that I don't like Ayeka," the brown-haired man proclaimed. "It's just that…"

"You're too much the same," Ryoko's mom interjected. "Remember Tenchi, opposites attract, not sames. At least not until I get my newest invention online…." She said, trailing off as she fantasized about her newest device.

Placing his hands over his eyes, Tenchi rubbed them firmly. "I know… I know…."

"Well, I have to be going," Washu giggled, her voice sounding deeper. Opening his eyes, Tenchi saw the diminutive genius in her now adult form, leaning towards him. "Just keep this in mind," she said advancing on him slowly her chest arched forward. "Ryoko is half me. If you want twice the woman, just look me up. You know where I live." Smiling hungrily, the green-eyed woman caught up to the retreating youth and squished her chest against his. "After all, Ryoko is just a touched up copy of me. If you thought hers were nice…."

"Washu!" the embarrassed youth screamed, suddenly feeling the pressure upon him vanish.

"Nope," the now Chibi woman groaned as she stalked away. "Even that wasn't any fun without her here…."

Wiping the sweat from his brown, Tenchi swallowed painfully. Ryoko… he thought sadly. Where did you go?

That Night:

The warm sun had set on the quiet town of Okayawa, giving way to a cool evening. All about the peaceful area residences fell into a happy slumber, weary from their long day. However, there was at least one woman who could not afford the luxury of slumber, as she had to work. One who had spent the remainder of her day trying to get strange dye from her hair with no success. Having failed at her task, the lithe woman did what any normal thinking individual would do, and died all her hair a light pink, with purple tiger stripes on the ponytail. Although the chief disapproved at first, even he had to admit that it was an improvement over her previous state.

Now, in the back rooms of the Okayawa police department, Sylvia Hakubi, formerly the space pirate Ryoko, sat with her legs propped up on a chair parallel to her position. Upon her face were her trusty dark sunglasses that covered her tired blood shot eyes. It had been days since she had actually slept, indeed perhaps even months, as the last time she could recall sleeping was when she resided at the Masaki residence. Closing her eyes, the golden-eyed woman longed to fall into a blissful sleep, one without nightmares or dreams, where she could at last find peace.

Yet tonight, as it had been in the long time since she left her old home, would not be her time to sleep. Tonight's the night, a large man chuckled to himself, as he watched the woman once called Ryoko attempt to sleep. Despite his size, the ugly human nimbly reached through the bars and began to work the lock quietly. Yeah, only one measly dame between me and freedom. I gots it made.

Grabbing the door the large prisoner smiled broadly as he carefully opened his cell, causing a faint squeak to break the ominous silence. Yet the quiet noise also had another effect, namely waking the sleeping beauty at the far end of the room. Yawning obnoxiously the golden-eyed officer peered into the darkness her keen senses instantly determined what had awakened her. "Hey," the agitated officer snapped, "what the hell do you think you're doing? Get back in your cell, NOW!" Standing up the lithe woman teleported to stand before the towering man, who only glared down at her with a twisted grin.

Tarant merely grinned showing his poor dental work, "and just what do you think you can do to make me, little missy?" To accent his point, the large figure pretended to step forward in an attempt to intimidate the woman blocking his escape.

Yet this violent criminal did not know that there are only two things that could possibly frighten the colorful haired woman in his way. One was when Tenchi was angry, as it was usually because of her, and the other was the past she had been working so hard as of late to hide from. "Oh, you're one of those kind of thugs…" she smirked winningly. "My favorite kind too, big and dumb."

Taking a moment, Tarant rubbed his chin approvingly, not really understanding the depth of the insult heaped upon him. "Well, baby," he laughed undressing her with his eyes. "Aren't you a tough little girl?"

"I'm a lot tougher than you'll ever known," the lithe woman replied with pride, sticking out her chest happily.

"Look honey," he said a scowl coming over him as he realized he could not seduce his way past this woman and crossed his arms over his chest. "Seeing as you're new here, I'll let you in on who I am. You see, honey doll, I'm-"

"One Punch Tarant," Sylvia yawned, "wanted for six counts of armed robbery, four counts of theft, nine counts of grand theft auto, and of course exposing yourself in a public place." Looking over her shoulder the lithe woman grinned as she acknowledged the other prisoners. "Apparently big boy here can't hold his saki and used a plant as a bathroom." Turning her eyes down at his crotch, she grinned deeply, "I doubt it was much of a show…."

As she stopped talking snickers of laughter came from all the various jail cells. As each convict added his own laughing to the chorus, the sound soon grew into a roaring chuckling. "Shut up!" Tarant growled, instantly ending the mocking noise. As he scared his fellow prisoners, the large man clenched his tightly. "I guess…" he groaned as he suddenly swung his fist full force into Sylvia's face, sending her slamming into the bars behind her, "you might as well add assaulting an officer to the list." Glaring at the stunned woman, he couldn't help but sneer as he advanced on her, considering the battle over and a fun night to be ahead of him. "Sorry to do that to your pretty face, but no one talks down to Ol' One Punch."

Moaning the lithe woman turned her attention towards him. From her position on the floor she appeared to be unconscious, or at the best badly hurt, so it shocked many when one of her slender arms rose up and wiped the small trickle of blood from her mouth. Why do they dumb ones always want to fight? Is it me? Do I draw them to me? Damn it, this idiot actually drew blood. I must be getting rusty. As she rose back to her feet, a hush fell over the prison once again. "Alright! That's no way to treat a lady!" She roared before grabbing the shocked criminal by the throat in one swift motion and slowly raised him high over her head, so much so that his feet did not touch the ground any longer. "Let's see how much you like getting hit, Tarant! Now be good boy and… and…." With that, Sylvia stopped, her free hand continuing to draw back into a fist. It seemed even though her voice had stopped, her body was prepared to continue the motions in had been going through. Suddenly, her eyes changed, a red glow filling them as a primal expression covered her face. She looked at him with the same interest a hawk would it's prey. On his end of her arm, Tarant used all his great strength in a vain effort to free himself of her vice like grip.

At that instant, the scene shifted, and the prison melted away. All around the silver-haired woman, who had lost her police regalia and fancy hairstyle, people screamed. They chanted a name, her name, Ryoko, over and over as if calling out to some deaf god. Yet it did them no good. Smiling with intense pleasure, the silver-haired demoness breathed deep, enjoying the wholesale slaughter her master had forced her to undergo. Perhaps later there would be guilt for her actions here today, but at this moment she felt no remorse only joy, mindless joy. Turning from the frightened masses, she looked at the black-haired man with the royal teardrop colored eyes that she clutched in her hand. With ease she knew she could snap his neck instantly, but for some reason the idea did not sit well with her, so she merely watched. Prince Yosho… she laughed to herself, I'm going to enjoy this. With you gone, Kagato won't be able to get Tsunami's power. It'll be my ultimate revenge. The thought of revenge filled her with excitement. "Die…" she hissed out, about to choke the final breaths from his body, when the Jurain prince said something.

"No, don't," he said tensely through clogged airways. "You can't… please… listen…." Something about his words touched her, and Ryoko, the most feared space pirate alive, released the young prince.

Suddenly the scene shifted back, and Ryoko had once again become Sylvia. Resting at her feet, whimpering weakly, was Tarant, his breathes coming in panicked gasps. Kame… she shuddered. What did I almost do? I… nearly killed him! Clearing her throat, the golden-eyed woman realized everyone in the prison stared at her with a pale face. "Alright," she snapped, still shaken by her dark memories return, but still trying to sound tough, a skill she had almost mastered over the past years. Dealing with them is another matter…. "Back in the cage, now!" with that the colorful-haired woman picked up Tarant by one arm and escorted him back in his cell. "Not another word out of anyone, got it?" She yelled heading back to her seat to the calls of each cell dweller that swore complete obedience to this new rule. Sitting down hard in her chair, the lithe woman picked up her sunglasses and placed them over her eyes as she sat down watching everyone skeptically. "Anyone else thinks of escaping, I won't be so nice…."

The Next Morning:

"Officer Hakubi!" the chief called out from his officer as she tried to slip by him. "Could you come in her a moment." With the snickering and false coughs of the others in her department goading her on, Sylvia groaned and turned, her shoulder's slumped in defeat, towards her commander's office.

Opening the door, she quietly slipped in; tipping up the sunglasses she had worn the whole night revealing some rather large bags under her bloodshot eyes. "What's up?" the golden-eyed woman asked, trying to sound awake and alert, despite being nearly on the verge of collapsing.

"My god, Sylvia," the stout chief exclaimed as he and a man the brightly colored haired woman had never seen took in her thin stretched appearance. "Are you alright, you look like hell?" Saying nothing, she simply allowed her glasses to fall back over her eyes as her smile melted away.

"It's nothing a good drink and a nice bath won't cure, I'm sure. Now, was there something I can do for you boss?"

"Yes…" Tobin replied with concern seeing his officer in such exhausted condition. "Officer Sylvia Hakubi, I'd like you to meet a new transfer to our department. His name is…" stopping the balding man held the paper to the youth beside him. "Is that right?"

"Steven Miller," the friendly man said with a smile, "most people just call me Steve." To show it was supposed to be funny, the young man laughed, yet the chief merely stared not really following the pun, and Sylvia was too tired to care. Clearing his throat, Steven extended one hand towards the weary woman in friendship, "it's a pleasure to meet you, I've heard a lot about you from the chief. I hear you're quiet a bit to handle," changing his tone, the brown-haired youth grinning winningly at her, "and that you're still single…."

"Right…" she said completely not interested in anything this young man had to say, or want. I hope to Tsunami that he's not trying to hook me up with this kid. I do not need a relationship right now, or ever. Pulling back his hand, the young man laughed weakly as he rubbed the back of his head under the golden-eyed woman's dissecting eyes. He sure is weird looking though, short brown hair, blue eyes, a little tan. What a weird guy…. "So what did you want from me, boss?"

Shrugging his shoulders, the chief of police shook his head as if he didn't understand. "I just thought you'd want to meet your new partner, Hakubi. That's all." Looking at Steven, he changed his tone the authority coming back suddenly. "Officer Miller, will you please escort Office Hakubi home?"

Slamming her palms on his desk, the wild-haired woman glowed as she spoke. "I do not want, or need a partner. You know I've always worked alone, and I especially don't need some stupid kid walking me home."

"You're also rather new to the force, Hakubi," the bald man declared. "You've made yourself the center of a lot of media attention, most of it being good, but…." Pausing he twirled casually in his chair as he weighed his next words. "But as your chief, it's my duty to makes sure my officers are taken care of. In lieu of your current… condition… I think it would be a good idea for you to be escorted home. It is simply in the departments best interest, I am, or course, not finding any fault in your abilities."

"Fine…" she hissed, "I'll let your new puppy walk me home. Is that all?" Nodding the stout man said nothing, merely motioning to the doorway. As soon as they had left, he sighed painfully and long, all the while rubbing his temples.

Well let's hope this works. Ryoko always seemed a good kid; sure she's headstrong and impetuous, and as subtle as a bullet train but her hearts good. Of course with her still dwelling on Tenchi, she's not much good to us. Maybe this Steven Miller guy will help lead her out of funk. Laughing softly to himself, the chief shook his head while looking over Miller's file. What am I thinking? Officer Miller is an expert at diffusing bombs, controlling riots, and negotiations. Not to mention he graduated at the top of his class… Leaning back Tobin rubbed his face gently. Poor kid… doesn't stand a chance….

Sylvia's Apartment:

With the elegance and grace one would use to welcome royalty the golden-eyed woman flung open her door with a powerful thrust. "Welcome to my humble corner of hell," she called, flicking on the light with those words. One look from the young man was all she needed to know what he thought of her living. "I know it's a little messy," she called practically wading through the empty saki bottles to her worn out couch at the far end of the room. "But I don't have many visitors."

"Well," the green-eyed youth said with a stunned look. "I'll admit it doesn't really look like the room of a town hero, that's for sure."

"What did you expect? Pink frills and lace? You think all us girls sit in our rooms wearing lingerie waiting for a man?" Landing on the old sofa with all her weight, Sylvia laughed weakly. "Don't just stand there, If you're gonna be here, then get me my dinner out of the fridge."

"Uh, right…"Steve muttered walking through the red and green bottles, knocking a few bottles over every other step. "You like to drink I see, well I'm partial to an after drink sip or two myself," he laughed as he opened the door. Seeing the contents he was dumbstruck. It's all saki!

"What's taking so long?" the exhausted woman called. "I can't sleep without dinner." Leaning her head up, she snapped as he removed a bottle. "No, what are you an idiot?" Hearing her Steven's smile returned to his face, until she spoke again. "Dinner is the green one. Gees…" As soon as the lithe woman had received her bottle, she downed its contents showing her amazing ability to consume anything at an unbelievable speed. "Thanks…" the golden-eyed officer smiled, looking rather out of commission. "You c'n go now. T'rn off the li- li- lights as you get…." With that the former space pirate collapsed into unconsciousness, dropping her bottle with a thud.

Looking around, Steven Miller could only sigh. When I heard about some great cop in Okayawa, I thought it'd be great to work with her, to see how a legend lives. I… I never thought I'd find this. It's too bad… I guess… I guess there's only one thing to do. She is my partner after all, and this is my job….

Next Time: Well things are getting interesting aren't they? Be here next time to see what Steven does, and what about Tenchi and the others?