Mind Swap, Chapter 4beta (The One with the Other End)
"Feelings and Affections"
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And time split.
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Time, as a whole "it", is rather confusing. Why is it that nearly everyone remembers one side of the significant "present" and not the other? Why can they only travel into the unknown side? And why are people so obsessed with travelling through it, when they are doing so already?
Washu, as a scientist, was also rather confusing. The oldest by far of the Masaki residents, and yet she has the youngest appearance. Her mind conceives inventions not dreamed of by anyone else, either because they are so unbelievable or so ridiculously stupid that no-one has bothered to think about it. Her latest invention, the Bi-dimensional Animificator, was one of debate, belonging as it could in either the former or latter category. Its purpose was something only she knew, but the others might soon find out for themselves.
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So, during the gap between the previous chapter and now, Ayeka had explained to Tenchi the "situation". It was supposed to be complicated, but it actually wasn't, really. Ryo-Ohki probably could have understood it.
"So that's it?" Tenchi asked. "That's what Ryoko was going on about?
Ayeka nodded. "Now do you see why we've been fighting? Ryoko wants me to hurry up, but I don't want to rush things. They should be perfect."
"I just thought you didn't like each other," Tenchi replied. "Well, I know, you like each other now, and there's nothing wrong with that. And you both also like me, which is... fine, I guess."
And Tenchi was also attracted to Mihoshi in a way, Sasami had a secret plan, and Washu did make it clear how she felt after Tenchi's cousin Taro had left. And that wasn't fine. Given the choice, Tenchi would have chosen two girls to choose from, instead of every female in the house, Ryo-Ohki excluded. But having said that, Ryo-Ohki was becoming friendlier recently...
"Well, now that's all sorted, what'll we do now?" Ryoko asked. She drifted down from the ceiling and sat on the armrest next to Tenchi.
"What do you mean?" Tenchi asked, slightly nervously. Ryoko surely wouldn't try anything with Ayeka there, would she? Really?
"From the sound of it, Ayeka explained it all," Ryoko replied, draping an arm around Tenchi's neck and stroking his throat with one of her fingers. "So what's going to happen now?"
"You can take your arm from around Tenchi's neck, for a start," Ayeka said, irritation in her voice.
"It's not as though you're going first," Ryoko said, removing her arm all the same. "While you're waiting, why don't I go ahead? You can have him if I'm done."
"I'm not an object," Tenchi mumbled, pressing himself further into the sofa.
"Where I come from, Ryoko," Ayeka said, "people keep their promises. I expect to be allowed to go first."
"I promised nothing," Ryoko said, reaching out and stroking Tenchi's arm with her fingers. "And have you thought that maybe Tenchi doesn't like the dominatrix princess style?"
"If that's the case, he won't like the slovenly lazy style either. That's you, by the way."
"Well, let's ask him," Ryoko said. "Tenchi, who do you prefer of us two?"
Tenchi whimpered slightly and gulped. "I like you both equally," he said, his voice shaking.
"Tenchi, that's not the truth and you know it," Ryoko said. "You like me better, don't you?"
"Tenchi, surely you don't prefer her over me?" Ayeka asked.
"I can't compare fairly," Tenchi said. "You're both different."
"Well, which differences do you like?" Ryoko asked, leaning towards him. "Mine or hers?"
"Both," Tenchi said. "And I need to move now."
Tenchi got up and hurried upstairs. He entered his room, deciding to find out what was different. He knew something was, and he'd find it.
"That probably means tidying up," he said to himself as he closed the door behind him. "There's not much, so it shouldn't take long."
And he went to work, looking around every so often in case someone was watching. And he had soon tidied away the clutter on the floor to other handy locations, such as underneath the bed and in the closet. He straightened his duvet again and sat down on the bed, gazing around, hoping that the difference would jump out at him. His gaze trailed onto the desk.
Now, Tenchi was very proud of that desk. Everything was in its place, and nothing was on it to clutter it up. He could tell if anything had been moved just by looking to see if anything wasn't perpendicular to the sides.
Tenchi frowned and stood up, walking over to his desk. Now that he looked directly at it, he saw what was different. An envelope, carefully placed parallel to the front edge of the desk, rested on the surface. He probably didn't notice it before because it was neatly laid down. He picked it up.
"Dearest Tenchi," he read. "This must be from either Ryoko or Ayeka." He frowned. "But it's Sasami's handwriting."
He broke the heart sticker seal and unfolded the letter inside, reading it several times to make sure what he was reading was on the paper.
"Oh boy..." Tenchi trailed off. It was Sasami who had written it. And what she had written was...
There was a knock on his door, and Tenchi heard his name being called through it.
"It's open, you know," Tenchi called, still staring at the letter.
Behind him, the door slid open and Sasami stepped in.
"I'm just collecting your dirty clothes for washing," she said, looking around. "Have you cleaned up?"
"Sasami, you wrote this, didn't you?" Tenchi asked, holding the letter up.
"Well, yes," Sasami replied bashfully.
There was a pause.
"I didn't know how to tell you," Sasami continued, "so I wrote that."
"Sasami..."
"You don't like it, do you?" the little princess asked. "You don't like me."
"Of course I do," Tenchi insisted. "Of course I like you."
"Then what about my letter?"
"It's... unexpected," Tenchi said, glancing through it again. "I, I need time to think about this. Can you wait for an answer?"
"I suppose," Sasami said.
"It's just, I've got so much to think about at the moment," Tenchi said. "I can't really make any kind of decision right now. I just need to think it all through."
"I don't want you to make a wrong choice," Sasami said. "I'll wait."
"Thank you."
And with that, Tenchi left Sasami and went downstairs, the letter in his pocket. And it looked as though Ayeka and Ryoko were waiting for him. Mihoshi was gone, presumably to relax somewhere else. Life as a Galaxy Police officer must be stressful, even in an apparently remote sector as here. Mihoshi must need all the relaxation she could get. Maybe.
As Tenchi reached the bottom of the stairs, the two women stood up.
"We've got something to ask you," Ayeka said.
"And it's really important," Ryoko added.
"Not again," Tenchi muttered, groaning inwards.
"No, not again," Ryoko said, her amazing hearing catching Tenchi's words once more. "It's a different question."
"What?"
"Ryoko and I have talked things over," Ayeka said. "We have decided not to pursue our relationship with each other any more."
"That's because we know you love us too," Ryoko interrupted.
"I never said that!" Tenchi exclaimed.
"Maybe, but now we know we've got a decent chance," Ryoko said.
"Anyway," Ayeka resumed, "we have decided to co-operate for the time being, and help you decide who you love the most."
"That's why we want to go out on dates," Ryoko finished.
"Dates?" Tenchi repeated.
Ayeka nodded. "We think that would be a good way to go," she said. "Then you can make a better decision."
"What do you say?" Ryoko asked.
"You want to go out on dates with me?" Tenchi asked.
The two women nodded.
"Well..." Tenchi trailed off. "I guess it couldn't hurt. Okay," he said reluctantly. "We can go out."
Secretly, Tenchi wasn't reluctant at all. He was glad of this opportunity. To be closer to them, still without having to make a decision... That was great.
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It was, by now, late in the day. It was dinnertime. And once everyone had eaten, Tenchi met Ryoko and Ayeka outside, as they had planned earlier.
"So, who am I going out with first?" Tenchi asked nervously.
"Ayeka," Ryoko said. "I did say she could be first."
Ayeka blushed. "I'll just go and get ready," she said, hurrying inside.
Tenchi watched her go. "I guess I should too." He started to go back inside, but was stopped by Ryoko.
"Have a nice time, Tenchi," she said, smiling.
"Th, thanks, Ryoko," Tenchi said, before going inside to change.
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Seeing Ayeka after she had gotten ready wasn't something Tenchi would ever be ready for. He had changed into casual clothes, but it was Ayeka's appearance that stunned him.
She looked so different it was hard to tell. She was wearing a small V-neck yellow-cream short-sleeve shirt that finished halfway down her body, revealing most of her abdomen. The ice-blue pants covered her legs tightly, leading down to the sandals she always wore, out of which poked bare toes. Her hair, which Tenchi had never seen unfastened before, was set loose down her back, waving around as she looked from one person to the other. Her head ornament, which Tenchi had been told was her Key for Ryu-Oh, was gone, revealing her entire forehead and the single round green gem embedded in it.
"So," she asked, "what do you think?"
Tenchi gaped, and managed to say, "aren't you going to be cold?"
Ayeka shook her head. "It's a warm evening," she replied, blushing at Tenchi's continuing stare. "And besides, I know you'll keep me warm."
Tenchi began to blush too. "So, where should we go?"
"Into town, I guess," Ayeka replied.
And so they managed to sneak out without anyone noticing, and started walking into town, talking between themselves about various things. Just small talk, really.
Once they reached the town, they looked around without any real idea of what to do. Across the street was a large building, with a sign outside reading: "Promotional Dance Tonight. Free Entry". It was just too obvious to not go in.
"Hey, you're late," a man standing in the doorway said. "Should have got here an hour ago. It's nearly finished."
"Nearly finished already?" Tenchi asked. "But it's still early."
"What can I say?" the man replied. "It's a promo gig. They make the times, I guess."
"It doesn't matter," Ayeka assured Tenchi. "Let's find something else to do instead."
"No," Tenchi said. "We might still be able to get a few dances in. You do dance, don't you?"
"Um, yes," Ayeka replied.
"Great." Tenchi led Ayeka into the building.
Inside was a large room, comfortably populated by people. Tenchi and Ayeka looked around.
"We should have got a bus," Tenchi said. "We'd have made it on time then. It did take us over half an hour to get here."
"No," Ayeka said, shaking her head, her loose hair swaying behind her. "I enjoyed the talking, so much. I don't care if we missed this. I'm just happy I'm with you."
"Well..." Tenchi started, but was interrupted.
"Last song, ladies and gentlemen," someone on the small stage said. Behind him the rest of the band was shuffling slightly. "Make it a good one."
As the band began to play a slow song, Tenchi looked at Ayeka. "Care to dance? You'll have to help me, though; I'm not a very good dancer."
"I'd love to," Ayeka smiled back. She took Tenchi's hand and was led onto the dance floor. They embraced each other slowly, as this was probably the first time they had voluntarily come that close to each other, and began to sway themselves around the floor.
After a moment, Ayeka rested her head on Tenchi's shoulder, shifting her arms slightly to hold him closer. Tenchi held her closer too.
"This is nice," Ayeka murmured, so Tenchi had to strain to hear her.
"Yes," Tenchi replied. Because he was so relaxed, a million thoughts were racing through his mind, many of them concerning the girls. Tenchi closed his eyes and shook his head slightly, dispelling them all. He would just enjoy himself. He lowered his head onto Ayeka's and kept his eyes closed as they swayed with the music.
All too soon the song ended. The two separated and applauded the band, as did everyone else there. They drifted their way over to the drinks and had one each, before gliding out with the crowd of people.
A few couples hung around outside, talking. Tenchi and Ayeka walked away towards the park. They walked through the metal archway and down a path. They reached the fountain there and sat on a bench nearby, gazing at the water cascading down the stone.
"It's not been much of a date," Tenchi said. "I'm sorry. Dates should last longer than a single dance."
"Don't be," Ayeka replied. "We're still here, together, alone. And that's all I care about."
"Do you want to do anything else?"
"Not really," Ayeka said. "I just want to be with you."
Ayeka shuffled over and rested her head on his shoulder. Tenchi placed her arm around her body, and they both just sat, watching the fountain.
"Mmm," Ayeka said after a while. "It's so comfortable."
"I know," Tenchi said.
"I wore this tonight because I didn't want to be different," Ayeka said. "I just wanted to be like everyone else."
"But you are different," Tenchi said. "You're special. No-one else might see it, but I do."
Ayeka moved slightly and moaned softly. "This isn't real, is it?" she said.
"What?"
"It's just a dream, right? Nothing could be this nice."
"It's real." And to prove this he gave Ayeka's arm a little squeeze. Ayeka shifted again and sat up, looking directly at Tenchi's face.
Tenchi raised his eyebrows questioningly as he looked back at her. Ayeka moved her head to one side slightly, and then smiled.
"This was perfect," she said.
"But we hardly did anything," Tenchi said.
"So? That isn't important."
Ayeka leaned back against the bench and looked over at the fountain. Tenchi continued to watch her, seeing how her outline was shaded by a lamppost behind her. Ayeka was actually very attractive, and Tenchi began to feel something. Something other than respect or attraction.
Ayeka turned to see Tenchi staring at her, and blushed. "Shall we go back now?"
"Maybe," Tenchi said, looking at his watch. "Wow! It's nearly nine already. We must have been out here for at least an hour."
"It doesn't feel like it," Ayeka replied. "I suppose time does pass more quickly when you're enjoying yourself."
"It feels like it jumped instead of passed," Tenchi said. He stood up. "I suppose that's how good it was. Shall we?" he asked, offering her his hand.
Ayeka took it, pulling herself up and not letting go as they proceeded home.
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Fill my heart with song.
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The next night was Ryoko's date with Tenchi. Making their excuses, they slipped out and headed for town.
Ryoko had gone to considerable lengths for this date. Her hair, which was normally spiky and allowed to roam free across her head, was now mostly tied back and smoothed down. She had changed, just as Ayeka had done, and was now wearing a light red pair of pants and a suggestively revealing light green shirt. She was also wearing lipstick.
"So, what should we do?" Tenchi asked as they walked into town. "There was a dance on last night, but it probably won't be on again."
Sure enough, it wasn't.
"Why don't we just wander round, and if we see anything we like we can do it?" Ryoko said.
"Okay."
They walked round for a few minutes, not spotting anything of interest. They had already eaten, and so didn't want to go to a restaurant or anything. Tenchi bought drinks for them, and they sat on a bench at the edge of the park to drink them. The fountain was visible through the trees, and it looked as though someone had fixed the underwater lights to illuminate the water at night. It really did look amazing.
"Well, we've got to do something," Ryoko said. "How about an arcade or something?"
"I think most of them'll be closed already," Tenchi replied. "Still, we can go look if you want."
"No, I'm okay," Ryoko said. "I don't really think playing games is a good way of spending our first date." She looked around at the buildings nearby. "What about karaoke?" she asked.
One of the greatest Japanese inventions, was karaoke, along with Tokyo, eating raw fish and low-ish frame-rate cartoons with greatly disproportioned eyes.
"Sure."
They went to the karaoke place and paid for half an hour. They went to their room and Ryoko grabbed the microphone, while looking at the music machine, choosing her first song. She picked it and started to sing.
As the time went on, both Tenchi and Ryoko sung some songs, both solo and together. They weren't exactly incredible singers, but it turned out to be a lot of fun. But finally, it had to be said.
"Last song, Ryoko," Tenchi said. "We're nearly out of time."
"Already?" Ryoko replied. "But we just got here. Well," she shrugged, "I guess I should make this count, then."
"Is it a duet?" Tenchi asked, rising from his seat to join Ryoko at the mike.
Ryoko shook her head. "You just listen."
The music started, a slow rhythm for a slow and romantic song. Ryoko opened her mouth to sing.
And it was amazing. Ryoko was singing incredibly well, and singing like she meant every single word. Tenchi found herself staring at her as she sung, her eyes closed, her face warm and smiling. And Tenchi knew she was singing for him, to him and about him.
Ryoko finished, and Tenchi was so caught up in it he almost didn't notice. He jumped up and applauded as loud as he could. Ryoko smiled and bowed.
They went outside, and Tenchi bought more drinks. They needed them after all the singing. They strolled into the park and sat down on the edge of the fountain to drink them.
Ryoko soon finished hers, and idly waved her hand around in the water as Tenchi took the empty cans to a nearby bin. He came back to find Ryoko was lying on the edge, looking up at the stars, a hand still in the water. Tenchi looked up at what Ryoko was looking at, and was suddenly splashed with cold water.
"Yaah!" Tenchi yelped, tripping backwards. Ryoko laughed as she watched him fall to the ground. Not a malicious laugh, but a laugh of enjoyment.
"Tonight's been great, Tenchi," she said as Tenchi picked himself up. "I just wish it didn't have to end."
"It doesn't, you know," Tenchi replied, sitting next to her. "They say that if you try hard enough, you can make time stop, just for a moment."
"I don't care how fast time goes," Ryoko said. "Just that I'm with you is all that matters."
She shuffled closer to Tenchi and lowered her head onto his shoulder. Tenchi didn't stop her, but put an arm around her instead. Feeling this, Ryoko pulled closer to Tenchi, resting a hand on his side. They stayed like that for however long they did; neither of them could tell. But Ryoko then pulled away and turned and looked at the fountain.
Tenchi looked at her. He saw Ryoko's face, illuminated by a lamppost behind him, looking at the fountain, with some of the spray splashing out behind her, the reflected light from the fountain lights causing a myriad of colours to splatter around her. And for the second time in two days, Tenchi found himself feeling something different, something beyond what he usually felt about Ryoko.
Ryoko looked at him and smiled, blushing slightly.
"You're staring," she said.
"Oh, sorry," Tenchi said, not breaking his gaze.
"Don't be," Ryoko replied. "What time is it?"
Tenchi looked at his watch. "Half past late," he said. "I mean, half past nine."
"We've been here for over an hour," Ryoko said.
"It doesn't feel like it," Tenchi replied. "Time must have jumped forwards or something."
"Or time stopped just for us," Ryoko said, standing up. "Shall we go back now?"
"If you want," Tenchi said, standing as well.
They started home, and Ryoko took Tenchi's hand in her own, and didn't let go.
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And let me sing forevermore.
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The next morning, Tenchi woke with his mind strangely cleared. He dressed and went downstairs, to find that it was still early. Only Sasami was awake as well, but she always got up early to prepare breakfast.
"Good morning, Tenchi!" Sasami greeted as Tenchi entered the kitchen. She was sitting at the kitchen table, looking bored.
"Morning, Sasami," Tenchi replied, sitting down at the table too.
There was another of those awkward pauses.
"What's for breakfast?" Tenchi asked.
"The usual," Sasami replied. "Bacon, eggs, sausages, pancakes and fruit. I can make something else as well if you want."
"No, that's fine," Tenchi said. He paused slightly, before asking: "Sasami, why do you cook?"
"What?"
"What I mean is, why do you always make every meal, when the rest of us could do it instead?"
"I just like cooking," Sasami replied. "It's like an art or something. That's what mommy told me. She really likes to cook too. She likes to go down to the kitchens sometimes and make something. She's really very good at it."
"And you want to be just like her?"
Sasami shook her head. "No, I just like to cook. I don't fancy doing all that other work mommy has to do too."
"What kind of work?"
"Politics, mostly. Public relations, and making sure things work right."
"Sounds like it's a tough job, being an Empress."
"It's even harder being daddy," Sasami said. "He hardly ever gets free time, even less so than mommy and mom Funaho."
"And Ayeka wants to have all this responsibility," Tenchi mused. "All that work, and she still wants to be Empress."
"Sister has to," Sasami said. "She's been brought up knowing that she can't not be Empress, so she trains constantly to be able to cope. But now we're on Earth, I think she doesn't really want to go back. She likes it here."
"I guess it's a nice planet," Tenchi said. "Although I have only seen the one."
"Ayeka likes it here because she doesn't have to do any of her royal duties," Sasami said. "I think for the first time ever she's realised she can do what she wants."
"And she wants to stay here," Tenchi said.
"With you," Sasami added. "She talks about you a lot, especially when she thinks no-one's listening."
"Yes," Tenchi trailed off, thinking about her.
"Have you had time to think yet?" Sasami asked.
"Wha, about what?"
"You know," Sasami said. "What you said you were going to think about."
"Oh, that." He had thought about it over the past few days, when he wasn't thinking about Ayeka or Ryoko. But his experiences had made up his mind. It was a big decision, but it was his to make.
"Sasami..." he trailed off.
Sasami just looked at him.
He cleared his throat. "I'm sorry," he said.
"Oh." Sasami looked down at the table, her expression unchanged.
"I'm sorry, Sasami, I really am. I don't want to pretend I know how much you care for me, because I know it won't be enough. And it's not because of your age or anything, either. I love you like a sister, and I think that's the best kind of love there is. I think our bond is so much deeper than any of the others, because you're more like my family than the others are."
"But you love someone else," Sasami said.
"There are many different kinds of love, I think," Tenchi said. "You can't compare them. But at the top of one of those is you."
"Who's at the top of the other?"
Tenchi stood up and walked around to the little princess and crouched down, so their heads were level.
"Sasami," he said softly. Sasami looked up at him, and Tenchi leaned forwards and kissed her on the cheek. "And that's the first kiss I ever gave anyone," he said, leaning back again.
Sasami blushed deeply, completely unsure of what to do. "I, I need to check on breakfast," she said, standing up.
"I'll help," Tenchi said, following her to the cooking food. "That's what family's for."
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You are all I long for.
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Things were going to be all right between Sasami and Tenchi. She would soon get over her crush and realise that they were family. They would be as if they were close brother and sister, telling each other everything, even things they would never dare tell anyone else.
And while Washu was busy showing off her latest invention in her lab, the Bi-Dimensional Animificator, which basically altered small areas of reality and reshaped them to form some kind of cartoon environment, Tenchi smiled inwardly. He had decided, finally. And he would tell them.
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All I worship and adore.
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Tenchi had asked Ryoko and Ayeka for a walk, and they had accepted. Their path circled the water-filled crater known as the lake, winding between the trees, and they were currently on the opposite shore to the house. As Tenchi stood and looked back at his home, Ryoko and Ayeka exchanged puzzled glances and shrugs.
"You might be glad to know," Tenchi said suddenly, "I've made a decision." He turned round and looked at the two women.
"Finally?" Ryoko asked, smiling slightly.
"Yes, finally," Tenchi replied. "But first, I want to make sure. Do you love me?"
Now that was one of the stupidest questions the women could have heard. In their minds the question was just too idiotic to deserve a meaningful reply, with a "don't be stupid" answer more preferable.
"Yes," they both replied.
"Of course we love you," Ryoko said. "We're in love with you."
And Ryoko said "we" instead of "I", which is significant in itself, because it means she's accepted the situation and the fact that she may not win, if winning is what you'd call it. But now back to the conversation.
"That's good," Tenchi said, sighing in relief. "I wanted to be sure. I wouldn't like it if anyone got hurt. I don't like pain."
There was a long pause.
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In other words, please be true.
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"Tenchi?"
"I know I've taken so long to say this," Tenchi continued, as if he hadn't heard the princess, "and I'm sorry. The thing is, I haven't had a strong female figure in my life since my mother died when I was very young. I guess that's why I'm kind of shy when it comes to women." He looked at the two in front of him. "But having you around this past half year has changed all that."
Tenchi cleared his throat. "What I'm trying to say is that I haven't been open with anyone, especially women, for many years now. Like I said before, I don't like being hurt."
Ryoko and Ayeka were watching him, still confused. But they wouldn't interrupt, not now.
"The hedgehog's dilemma," Tenchi continued. "I heard that somewhere. The closer they get to one another, the more they hurt each other with their spines. I've just made do with not becoming close to anyone. But that's changed. How I feel has changed.
"What I'm trying to say is," Tenchi said, "I really want to try becoming close to someone now. I'm attracted to you, both of you, so much. And I can't imagine my life without you now."
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In other words, I love you.
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