Tenchi's Heart
By Horosha
This is my Valentine's Day gift for the members of the Ayeka Fan Club. Originally I posted this story on the old AFC message board in 2001. Now that it is no longer used and it doesn't look like the old board is going to be archived, I'm posting the story once more, for the benefit of those who didn't get a chance to read it the first time. The only difference between the original and this new one is the new one is done in past tense and the ending has been extended.
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters from Tenchi Muyo Ryo-ohki. I don't owe it nor do I plan to make any money off of it (unless someone at AIC is a big fan of Western dojinshi). This story is dedicated to every member of AFC. Now let's get this show on the road. I use Nihongo words and idioms in this story and I keep a list of Nihongo words, idioms and titles under my name at the Tenchi Muyo Fan Fiction Archive ).
Warning: This is a PG-13 story so if you are a minor, you should get your parent's permission to read it.
Copyright: 2001, revised 2003.
It was just after seven o'clock and Tenchi was up in his room putting the finishing touches on his master plan, determined to put it into operation before any of the girls' antics could destroy his resolve. The young man had worked out his plan very carefully and he made sure both Nobuyuki and Katsuhito knew what he was going to do on this day, Valentine's Day. His father and grandfather not only approved of the plan, they each decided to help. Nobuyuki removed any reference to Valentine's Day in the newspaper, trash canned the ads coming in the mail and even rented some videos so none of the girls saw the Valentine's Day commercials on the television, although Tenchi was a little nervous due to his father's selections: 'Ghost', 'Gone With The Wind', 'Casablanca', etc. The only time he thought his goose was cooked was yesterday morning, when Mihoshi opened the newspaper and found it looking like a piece of Swiss cheese, he was relieved when the pretty police officer just shrugged her shoulders and read what was left of the paper. Katsuhito part in the plan was to keep the girls busy doing extra work at the Masaki Shrine while Nobuyuki was at work and Tenchi was at school, the seventeen-year-old smiled a lot during those days prior to Valentine's Day, because of the beautiful sight of Sasami, Ryoko, Ayeka and Mihoshi dressed as miko (shrine maidens), even though Mihoshi's red hakama was badly soiled, Ryoko's bouncy breasts threaten to spill out of her white kimono top and Ayeka had a measurable look on her face due to the cobwebs tangled in
her long purple hair, only Sasami looked like the perfect miko, just as she always did in anything the littlest princess did. The only person Tenchi worried about was Washu but the greatest scientist in the universe never said or did anything that showed she knew what Tenchi was up to, 'Maybe the customs of such a little planet like Earth don't interest her,' Tenchi thought.
Knowing he better not delay any longer, Tenchi gathered up his special presents for the young ladies, opened the door to his room, peeked out to make sure none of the women were in the hallway, silently step out, quietly closed the door and used the backstairs to reach the kitchen undetected. The sound of someone chopping at the cutting board, alerted him where his first target was located, sure enough the pink-eyed princess of Jurai was slicing up a large white daikon with a board bladed knife. Tenchi had decided to start with the youngest of the girls because of Sasami's sweet and accepting nature. So with a girdling of his strength, Tenchi stepped into the kitchen and said, "Ohayo, Sasami-chan."
"Ohayo, Tenchi-niichan," a bright smile on Sasami's little lips as she glanced up at Tenchi before she added the thin sliced daikon to the miso soup.
"Miya," Ryo-ohki added from her usual place on top of the kitchen island, then the cabbit went back to chowing down on a helpless carrot.
"Sasami-chan, I have something for you," once the words left his lips, Tenchi knew there was no turning back.
"Oi?" Sasami's eyes got big with surprise as she turned to face him, her carrot decorated apron protecting her light blue child kimono.
"On this day," Sasami's sight showed Tenchi fish something red out of his right pants pocket and hold it out to her, "it's an old Earth custom to give something special to the people you care the most for."
Sasami felt all fluffy inside as she reached up, took the red object from Tenchi's hand and found it was a little piece of oddly cut silk cloth. At first she was slightly puzzled by the gift but then she remembered Tenchi's words, so she grinned like all children do before saying with all her heart, "Domo arigato, Tenchi-niichan!"
Tenchi grinned at Sasami's joy, saying, "I'll be back for breakfast."
"Oke!" Sasami's voice was rich with love as she skipped over to the kitchen island to show Ryo-ohki her new treasure. The cabbit looked at the item, took a big sniff and opened her mouth, whereupon Sasami yanked it away from her furry friend, a look of horror on the eight-year-old's face.
Tenchi put on his shoes at the genken and went out the front door where he found his next target, the amber-eyed Ryoko laying on the edge of the dock, her cyan-haired head hanging above the water and her intense catlike eyes watched the fishes swim below her. With his spirit buoyant by his success with Sasami, Tenchi walked toward the ample lady in the blue-and-white stripped dress, her tail clearly showing her fierce excitement. A creak of a board broke Ryoko's concentration and she looked over her shoulder with a pissed look on her face but her ire became joy at the sight of her greatest love, with a devilish grin she said, "Ohayo, Tenchi."
"Ohayo, Ryo . . ." Tenchi cheerful greeting became a squealed, " . . . KO!" as the space pirate leaped into the air, faded from Tenchi's sight then reappeared behind the young man and wrapped her body around his.
With Ryoko's face rubbing against Tenchi's face with the same vigor as her twin feminine treasures rubbed against his manly chest, the lady seductively asked, "So Tenchi, have you come out to play with your favorite pussycat?"
"Iie!" Tenchi shouted, then he saw the hurt look on Ryoko's face, so his tone became gentle, "Iie, Ryoko, I came to give you something special."
"Ara?" cat's curiosity reflected in Ryoko's eyes as she unwrapped from Tenchi so she could float in front of the youth.
"On this day," Ryoko watched Tenchi take something red from his pocket and held it out to her, "it's an old Earth custom to give something special to the people you care the most for."
Ryoko was speechless, it felt like her heart had stopped beating when she heard the last five words, "you care the most for," her trembling right hand reached out and took the oddly cut piece of cloth. It didn't matter to her if the cloth had no pearls or gems encrusted upon it, for this was the first thing Tenchi had ever given to her of his own freewill. Both of her hands held the soft silk against her sharp face and she inhaled its smell like it was frankincense, then with the slow exhale she said, "Arigato . . . anata (darling)."
Tenchi warmly smiled as a light breeze pushed the floating Ryoko over the lake, her face showed she was lost in dreamy ecstasy, then the youth tiptoed away so he wouldn't awaken his space pirate as he thought, 'Two down and four to go.'
Next on the hit parade was Ayeka and Tenchi knew where to find the First Princess of Jurai in the morning, the greenhouse. When the house was rebuilt after Mihoshi's first crash landing, Nobuyuki asked each of the ladies if there was something they wanted added to what had become their home. Mihoshi voted for a big bedroom, Sasami asked for a nice kitchen, Ryoko wanted a sunroom and Ayeka decided on a greenhouse, Nobuyuki asked Washu what she wanted but the little scientist only smiled, got onto her tiptoes and whispered in Tenchi father's left ear, it was one of the few times Tenchi ever saw his old man get a nosebleed. In three months Mihoshi got her big bedroom, Sasami got her kitchen, Ryoko got her sunroom, Ayeka got her greenhouse and Washu got her special room.
Tenchi worked his way around the house and silently entered the greenhouse through the outside door. After he closed the door, the young man paused to take in the view of the flowering plants and the way they reflected the soul of the grower. Some were from Earth while others came from planets whose names he couldn't pronounce, each a bright beauty with a heavenly fragrance but what surprised Tenchi was the little vegetable garden the eldest princess maintained in the upper right corner, its fresh bounty of corn, peanuts, watermelons and green beans was really appreciated by the others, especially during the winter months. Tenchi blinked and shook his head to get his mind back to the mission but when a scan of the glass room showed not one purple hair, the brown-haired youth called out, "Ayeka-san!"
"Over here, Tenchi-sama!" swiftly came the happy response.
Tenchi made his way to where Ayeka's answer came from and there he found the princess, upon her hands and knees, finishing potting a green wide-leaf planet with a six-inch across purple flower, her long hair and crown was contained by matching pea green cloth bag and handkerchief, her forest green-and-sky-blue kimono was protected by an apron embroidered by white apple blooms. The brown smudged spots of dirt upon Ayeka's perfect face conjured an amused look on Tenchi's face and music to his greeting, "Ohayo, Ayeka-san."
"Ohayo, Tenchi-sama," Ayeka voice contained a proper measure of care, then she held up the potted plant, saying, "Do you like it?"
"Its very beautiful," Tenchi crouched down next to the princess, "it's an orchard na?"
"Hai, it's a Royal Jurai Orchard," Ayeka's voice full of love, "Mother heard about the greenhouse so she intercepted Mihoshi-san on her last patrol and gave it to our friend to bring it home."
"It must be a very hardy plant," Tenchi remembered what happened to Dr. Clay's vase.
"Mother Funaho made sure it was placed in a stasis field container so it could survive the journey," Ayeka's voice showed deep respect for her stepmother.
"I'm glad it made the journey safely," Tenchi once more pulled out a piece of red cloth from his pants pocket.
Ayeka's cheeks blushed for the way Tenchi said those words alerted her that he meant more than just the plant, then she saw what was in his hand and she asked with careful tenderness, "Tenchi-sama?"
"On this day," he held the gift out toward her, "it's an old Earth custom to give something special to the people you care the most for."
Ayeka felt like every chain placed upon soul broke as she took the silky cloth from Tenchi's hand and her voice had an out-of-this-world quality to it, "One must always uphold the customs of their people."
"I'm pleased you like it, Ayeka-san," Tenchi stood up before he added, "I'll see you at breakfast."
"Of course, Tenchi-sama," Ayeka smiled up to him then look at the oddly cut cloth, her hands held it like it was a newborn chick.
After Tenchi walked out of the greenhouse and closed the door, he said, "Three down, three to go."
Mihoshi was going to be a little harder to get to because the blond bombshell would take a leisurely bath in the floating onsen in the morning and she had an uncanny act of coming out just before breakfast was ready. So Tenchi was surprised to find the ebony lady on the other side of the onsen door when the youth opened it, her damp hair and body wrapped by twin canary yellow towels. Without missing a beat Tenchi said, "Ohayo, Miho-san."
"Ohayo, Tenchi-san," sunshine in Mihoshi's greeting as she slipped on her pink wooden geta, a Christmas present from the Masaki men, "its such a wonderful day ne?"
"Hai, it is, Miho-san," Tenchi repeated the action he had done with Sasami, Ryoko and Ayeka.
"Ara?" Mihoshi's large blue eyes filled with wonder at the ocean deep emotion she heard in Tenchi's reply and at the red object he held out to her.
"On this day," Tenchi made sure his voice was fresh, "it is an old Earth custom to give something special to the people you care the most for."
To Mihoshi it was like her hand had a life of its own as it took the gift from Tenchi's hand. It was the silky feel of the red cloth between her long fingers that burst the dam of the tall lady's emotions, in one quick motion she stepped forward, wrapped her arms around the startled youth and lifted him in the air in a monster bear hug.
"I KNEW you CARED about ME!" Mihoshi shouted over and over as she hopped around while Tenchi turned a deeper shade of blue and it wasn't because there was just a towel between him and the policewoman.
Finally Mihoshi released her death grip on Tenchi and the young man stumbled backward a few steps on spaghetti like legs. It took a couple of breath of precious air before Tenchi realized that Mihoshi's towel had come loose during her passionate demonstration, with the only thing holding it up was her size 34DD breasts. Right then Tenchi decided on a hasty retreat while the detective examined her new gift from different angles. Tenchi had just gotten out of sight when he heard his grandfather's voice, "Sunbathing again, Miho-san."
"OYA, MA (Oh My)!" Tenchi heard Mihoshi shout followed by a heaven ringing slap, then a half-a-minute later he heard the policewoman make a pensive apology, "Gomen nasai wa (I'm very sorry)."
Tenchi was starting to have second thoughts after what had happened with Mihoshi but he put steel in his soul, saying, "Four down, two to go."
It was the clacking of the wooden crab above the door to Washu's lab that announced Tenchi's entrance and he closed the door before calling out, "Ohayo, Washu-san."
Silent darkness was all that Tenchi got so he called out again, "Washu-san?"
Again silence, then Tenchi rolled his eyes heavenly when he realized his mistake, so he said, "Ohayo, Washu-chan."
Instantly Tenchi felt dizzy as the sight before his brown eyes changed from blackness to the bright airy room of Washu's aviary. There Washu sat on a floating purple pillow facing him, looking over her transparent laptop with a Cheshire Cat's grin on her preteen face, who said with thick honeyed sweetness, "Ohayo, Tenchi-dono."
Tenchi swallowed before saying, 'Washu-chan, I have something for you."
Washu's eyebrows flew up and galaxy brightness was in her eyes as her small body jumped off her pillow and ran toward the panicky youth, saying, "You've brought the sample to me wa yo!"
"Iie, THIS!" Tenchi said as he held out the piece of red cloth like it was a talisman.
Washu stopped cold in her tracks and then her green eyes glowed with a scientist's interest as he took the oddly cut cloth from Tenchi's trembling hand.
Washu studied the cloth for a moment before saying nicely, "Domo arigato, Tenchi-dono."
Tenchi was off to the door in nothing flat while Washu just stood there with a thoughtful look on her face as she held the cloth in her right palm and ran her left palm over it, it took only seconds for her enhanced senses to feel the gentle love and tender care of the maker. 'Tenchi put too much into this for it to be a simple thing,' Washu concluded, 'I must investigate further.'
Washu stepped out of the door underneath the living room staircase, just as she heard Tenchi call out in a calmer voice, "I'll go get jiichan (grandfather), Sasami-chan."
"Hai, Tenchi-niichan," Washu's ears went up at the extra passion she heard in the little princess' voice.
'This could explain why I've been feeling a happy buzz from Ryoko-chan's end of our link for the past hour,' with this line-of-thought Washu walked into the kitchen where she found Sasami, Ryoko, Ayeka and Mihoshi each holding the same thing she was, a piece of oddly cut red cloth, with looks of confused happiness upon their faces. "What a interesting chemical reaction to the mixing of X chromosome with Y chromosome by a fibrous object."
"How would you know, Mom!" heavy sarcasm in the last word of Ryoko's response.
"Because I got one too," Washu held up hers.
"We each got one ne?" Mihoshi said with wide-eyed innocence.
"Hai, we did," Ayeka's face seemed to be in a permanent blush.
"Ee (Yeah)," Sasami nodded vigorously.
"Let's look at all of them," Washu suggested as she walked to the island kitchen and put hers on the top followed by each of the girls, immediately Sasami picked up Ryo-ohki and put the cabbit on the top of her head, so the cloth pieces would be safe from the nosey critter.
Each of the ladies examined the red items before them but it was Mihoshi that found the first clue, "It looks like mine and Sasami-chan's fit together."
"Oi, mine and Ayeka . . ." Ryoko's words suddenly stopped and she looked at Ayeka, whose blush reached the tips of her ears as the eldest princess nodded her head to the space pirate.
"And mine link the two parts together," Washu concluded. The little scientist moved the pieces and once they were together, they produced a red heart.
"Its Tenchi's heart," Mihoshi's words full of love.
"But there's a piece missing," Sasami said as she pointed at a hole in the middle of the cloth heart.
Each of the ladies looked at the others with puzzlement before Ryoko smiled and she said, "I know where to find the missing piece," she held out her hands to the others.
With trust born out of love Sasami took Ryoko's left hand while Ayeka grasped the Ryoko's right, then Washu took hold of Sasami's left hand and Mihoshi took Washu's left hand and Ayeka's right hand. Then Ryoko's Gem glowed bluish-white followed by Sasami's key and Ayeka's tiara, in a flash they were gone. When the ladies opened their eyes, they found Tenchi standing ten feet in front of them, his head bowed over clasped hands and in another five feet in front of him was a gravestone, all of them saw the fluttering piece of red on the green grass before it.
It took a moment of a passing breeze before each of the ladies nodded their heads to each other and Washu whispered softly, "Sasami-chan."
Sasami laugh and ran on fleet feet past Tenchi, knelt by the headstone, placed her red piece where it would connect with the other red piece, then she ran back and hugged a startled Tenchi at the waist. Tenchi's hands came down on her shoulders and Sasami looked up with bright eyes, saying, "Tenchi-niichan, daisuki wa yo! (Big brother Tenchi, I love you!).
Then Ryoko teleported to the gravesite, where the ample woman knelt down and place her red cloth where it belong, before fading from sight only to appear on Tenchi's left side, where she placed her left hand in Sasami's blue curls, placed her right arm around the young man's waist and placed her head on his shoulder before saying, "Tenchi, ai shite'ru yo! (Tenchi, I love you!)."
Ayeka walked by Tenchi at a proper pace, her face reflected the same thing that was on each of the ladies' faces, a joyful revelation that Tenchi did love each of them. She knelt at the grave, placed her red cloth where it belong, then walked over to Tenchi's right side where she placed her right hand on top of Ryoko's left hand, reached around with her left hand so to hug Tenchi's waist and placed her head on his shoulder before saying, "You are the keeper of my heart, Tenchi-sama."
Mihoshi ran pass Tenchi like the wind for she wanted to get into this Tenchi love fest as quickly as possible, but even in her haste, the policewoman took the time to knelt down, put her red gift in its correct place, stood up and bowed her head, then she ran back where she dodged around Tenchi so she was behind the youth, there she reached underneath the teenager's arms so her left hand was on top of Ayeka's right hand and her right hand across Tenchi's chest while she rested her yellow-haired head against the base of his neck, her voice
saying, "I'm so happy, Ten-san."
Last came Washu, who gave Tenchi a wise smile as she walked passed the overjoyed youth on her way to the gravestone. There she knelt like the others, placed the final piece to the heart before she quietly walked back to others, where she stood behind Sasami, placed her right hand on top of Mihoshi's left hand while she placed her left hand on Tenchi's right hand, her voice subdue with bliss, "You've learned a lot about biological chemistry haven't you, Tenchi-dono."
Tenchi opened his mouth to reply but then a strong breeze came up and the cloth pieces of Tenchi's Heart leaped into the air and whirled about in a mini-twister, then it moved over the group where they danced around before being carried into the sky. The wind stopped and five pieces fluttered down, each one landing on the upturned face of a lady, the sixth piece was gone.
Notes: I decided to make this my first story to be posted at ASMR as a test to see if there would accept my writing style. As shown I use many Nihongo words and idioms, some ecchi scenes and a good dose of humor in this story as I do in all my fanfics. Of course, if ASMR doesn't accept my story, it's their loss not mine. I like the idea of Moderators to help a writer with his/her grammar and spelling but when it comes to dialogue or content, then that help could turn into censorship if the Moderator isn't careful. My POV as a beta-reader and as a reviewer is always respect everyone's right to free speech and the various writing styles I have seen my whole life (and I have seen some very interesting ones from established writers).
Normally Valentine's Day is celebrated very differently in Nihon than here in the United States or Europe. In the Land of the Rising Sun, the girl gives chocolates to the boy and it's a measurement of popularity for a male student at school just how many little bags of chocolates he gets from girl students. In fact a male student might make himself a little bag of chocolates and show it to his friends so they won't accuse him of not having a girlfriend. Three excellent examples of this holiday can be found in Cardcaptor Sakura, Love Hina and Futaba Change. Tenchi's variation here was to avoid the chaos, one-upmanship, and hurt feelings that most likely would have occurred if the girls had tried to give him chocolates the Nihonjin way.
I want to thank dennisud, rolf and etj4Eagle for their comments when I first posted this story at , I hope this post will clear up the formatting problem and I did correct some grammar mistakes as well as make a few minor changes in the story. If anyone wants to read a good Sailor Moon series read etj4Eagle Fragility of Time and dennisud's stories are a good read too as are rolf's. Take care and I'll see you in the funnies.