Happiness Tears & War
Chapter 6
By Geor-Sama
A Nekoshipper
May 31, 2002
The stars twinkled in silent splendor outside the windows of Ryo-ohki. Tenchi stood there staring at them; his fiancé, Ryoko, asleep behind him in their bed. He smiled as he traced his eyes from star to star forming images that were familiar to him since they were still in Earth-space. Down the hall from them, Kiyone and Mihoshi were fast asleep. Washu and Sasami shared a room there as well. His grandfather and father had stayed behind. His father because he had a fear of space. His grandfather's reason was vague as always. They were taking an impromptu vacation. This bothered Tenchi since it meant that he would miss time from school. But, the reason why was a very good one.
Yuzukaa had came over the day before. Ten minutes into his visit, Aekea contacted them, along with the two queens. They had a foreboding look and were very solemn. Tenchi felt a dreadful sensation well up in his stomach. Thoughts such as they were calling to warn him that Azusa was about blow the Earth up and others along those lines rushed unbidden into his mind. Washu, being the genius that she was, used an inculcator to induce sleep in Yuzukaa so that they could talk in private.
Of course, the conversation was very controlled and reserved since it was Funaho that spoke and not the other two.
"Hello."
Tenchi with out meaning to, took up the role of head of the house during the conversation.
"Queen Masaki, Queen Funaho, Princess Aekea."
Masaki narrowed her eyes on him and gave him a look of resentment as Funaho continued.
"There has been an incident here on Jurai concerning Princess Aekea."
Tenchi frowned at that and looked over at Aekea. He spoke, concern lacing his voice,
"Are you alright?"
She merely nodded, looking both troubled and shaken.
Funaho quickly continued,
"The incident has forced Azusa to begin preparations for a knight to come to Earth to help guard Sasami, but he is not assigned to her."
Tenchi frowned but she ignored him as she continued,
"He will be assigned as the personal body guards of Lord Tenchi and Ryoko."
Ryoko was about to say something but Tenchi interrupted her,
"What exactly was the incident?"
Misaki looked at her daughter, distress written on her features and Funaho continued,
"The incident was an assassination attempt on Aekea's life, the unknown assassin committed suicide when he failed."
Tenchi blinked his eyes as the memory of the chaos and uproar that announcement had brought left him. He yawned slightly and rubbed the back of his head. He took in the room, it was large, much larger than the one he had at home.
He turned from the view of the stars and the room and sat back on the foot of his bed and watched as the woman he loved slept peacefully. Her normally spiky hair gently framed her face and caused her to look even more like a goddess than usual. Even though the silk blanket covered her, Tenchi's mind filled in the missing details. He blushed. It seemed that some of his old habits would not go away, no matter what. Sighing, he quietly rose and moved to his side of the bed and slipped quietly under the covers, closing his eyes.
He was almost asleep when Ryoko rolled over and kissed him lightly on the cheek, causing him to open his eyes in surprise. He turned to look at her but she was still asleep. The only hint that she had kissed him was the contented smile on her face. Smiling to himself, he rolled over onto his side facing her and enfolded his arms around her. He kissed her on the forehead and drifted off to sleep a content smile on his face to match hers.
*******
Ukyo waited patently just outside the doors leading to the throne room. It had been an hour since a messenger had informed him that the emperor wished to see him. While he was waiting he had learned what had happened to Princess Aekea. This had left him silently seething. It was unthinkable that such a thing could happen. He had also learned that Knights were doubled and in some places tripled to tighten security way beyond normal. Nobles had two knights wherever they went, and the queens and princess had three. The emperor himself had only two, they were the ones that had been with him all his life.
The doors opened and he quickly stepped into the throne room, it was massive with pillars of marble stretching upwards. Beautiful pieces of art either hung on the walls or rested on pedestals in between. The floor was marble with traces of gold and silver. On either side of the room, standing at attention, were dozens of knights. The only other presence in the room was the emperor. Ukyo quickly started towards the throne, his training telling him to hurry while the rational part of him told him hesitated. He halted in the middle of the throne room and knelt down on one knee and placing his right hand on the floor, lowered his head.
Azusa regarded him for a moment and enjoyed the irony of what he was about to do. The old Earth saying Funaho kept saying, 'killing two birds with one stone,' fit this situation perfectly. Readying himself, he spoke his voice magnified by the acoustics in the room,
"Come forward."
The knight rose, quickly did as he was bade and knelt at the base of the raised dais where the emperor's throne resided.
"What is it you wish of me."
Azusa smiled to himself and spoke
"Lieutenant Ukyo Hikar, you are aware that there has been an assassination attempt on Princess Aekea's life, correct?"
"Yes, your majesty."
The emperor continued, already knowing the answers to his question before he asked tem.
"We also understand that you angered Prince Tenchi during your brief time on Earth. Is this true as well?"
"Yes, you're majesty, it is."
Azusa nodded, this was going to be a very enjoyable compromise.
"I thank you for your honesty, Lieutenant. Now then, on to the reason I sent for you. My wives, daughter and myself believe that Princess Sasami is the next probable target, so we are assigning you to the Earth. Guard her to the best of you're abilities."
"Right away your majesty, as her assigned personal guard..."
Azusa interrupted him, cutting him short.
"You are not assigned as her body guard, however. You are just to guard here while you are in her presence. You have been assigned to another of the Royal Family, one who is much more deserving of you're energies and attention."
Ukyo didn't move. He had a terrible feeling and he silently prayed to Tsunami that he was wrong.
Azusa, as serious looking as he sounded, continued,
"You are to be the personal knight of Lord Tenchi and his future wife."
Ukyo stiffened. This was bad, the prince would more than likely still be upset with him.
"Dismissed."
Ukyo stood, turned on his heel and hurriedly left the throne room. He was a knight and he would deal with the problems as he came to them. He had an assignment and he would complete it.
A lone ship launched from Jurai space, heading at top speed towards the sector of space where Earth floated. It was a single passenger ship of the Royal Bodyguard. Its passenger leaned back into the seat and sighed. Ukyo was tired and angry. 'How dare anybody threaten the life of Princess Aekea?' It angered him still more that they were a threat to her sister. He would protect her with his life if need be, but with the people the young princess was living with, he didn't think that would be necessary. Still, he would follow orders and protect her from harm. Plus, if he was there then that would give him a chance to (hopefully) make peace with Lord Tenchi and Ryoko and (again hopefully) practice with Katsuhito.
If Ukyo had programmed his computer to scan the space around him, he would have seen a ship similar to his. The only difference was that it was black, and didn't reflect any light at all.
*******
To Tenchi, the vacation was worrisome. All it would take was for something to happen and he would miss even more school. Ryoko, on the other hand, had a delightful idea; one with which he agreed. Simply put, it was that he shouldn't worry. She was going to keep his mind so occupied that he wouldn't even remember school.
He looked out the window that Ryo-ohki had provide him in the gym. He had decided that he needed to train to make sure that he was ready for anything. His grandfather was fond of saying 'An unprepared warrior is a foolish warrior.' He looked around and was still amazed that the cabbit could accommodate almost any request. Ryo-ohki meowed and Tenchi nodded as the hologram enemy reappeared and Tenchi began exchanging blows with it. He didn't notice that a certain cyan-haired woman was spying on him.
She stood there watching as Tenchi took the hologram at it's highest skill level with out really trying. She noted that the finally blow wasn't given. Instead, he let it go and let it fad away. She left before he noticed her.
Tenchi stood and laughed softly,
"Ok, you can arrange for dinner now, Ryo-ohki."
The cabbit meowed and the gym began to transform into a dinning room. Tenchi stood there a moment and then left.
Ryoko sat on the bed, looking out the window lost in thought. She jumped when she felt Tenchi touch her shoulder. She turned around and smiled at him as he was drying his hair. Returning it, he plopped down on the bed beside her and looked out the window with her at the stars.
With a grin on his face, he said,
"You going to wear that to the dinner?"
Ryoko looked over at him and frowned in mock anger.
"Of course not, I do have some decency."
Tenchi frowned then chuckled slightly.
"I rather like it, actually."
Ryoko pushed him slightly,
"Of course you do, it's only a towel and it's small."
Tenchi laughed and she narrowed her eyes in suspicion.
"Now that I think about it, only the small towels were left. Ten-chan you didn't…"
Tenchi shrugged and began scratching the back of his head.
"Of course not, why would I?"
"Tenchi."
Tenchi shook his head and laughed
"Ok fine, you caught me. I hid the other towels so that I could have a very beautiful and sexy former space pirate parade around my room."
Ryoko laughed lightly.
"Parade around? I haven't done anything but sit here."
Tenchi shrugged as he stood and went to the closet to change into a shirt and pants. He turned back grinning ear to ear.
"I can't help it if she's just sitting there looking gorgeous, either way I win."
Ryoko stood up and let the towel slip down. Tenchi's face began turning red. She grinned and brought her hand to her mouth, faking an innocent expression.
"Oops, sorry."
Tenchi stammered his face turning a darker red. Ryoko walked forward until she was few inches from him. In a helpless voice she whispered,
"Oh, I'm so sorry could you help me? My towel fell off."
Tenchi stammered and then, in a bold move, grabbed her and pulled her down to the ground, grinning from ear to ear.
Ryoko giggled and squealed,
"Tenchi!!"
Sasami smiled in appreciation as she ate her dinner; one that she hadn't cooked. Somehow, Ryo-ohki had done it. It wasn't as good as hers but it was much better than Tenchi's attempt.
She was happy, which was rare anymore. Her family was laughing and caring on. It felt good to smile and laugh. Since Washu had been sharing a room with her, she felt more comfortable. This was the most at ease and happy she had been since her sister's leaving.
Washu grinned as Tenchi and Ryoko fed each other and laughed with the rest of the family. It did cause a certain amount of pain in her heart to see them so happy still there was that lingering pain of not getting Tenchi herself. but the joy she felt for them overshadowed it. The knowledge that she had not only atoned for her past mistake but gave them the future she had lost helped as well. Washu had just deposited food in her mouth when she nearly choked on it. She was receiving a feeling of intense excitement from Ryoko. It was so intense that Washu blushed slightly. When she glanced over at Ryoko, she found her blushing brighter than usual. She was also looking at Tenchi with an expression of surprise and delight. Washu raised an eyebrow wondering what he had done to her. After a moment, she closed her end of the link and forced herself to go back to eating.
*******
Aekea found it bothersome having three knights escorting her down the hallway but accepted the fact that she had to have protection. She was already troubled because her father had sent word for her to come to his private chambers. She had an idea of what this meant and she was silently enraged. Of course, she accepted the fact but she did not like that her father had done it. She came to a halt in front of the door. It was old and heavy, decorated with a beautiful carving of a tree, the trunk traced with gold and the branches and leaves with silver. She inwardly prepared herself and after a few minutes of silent deliberation, she motioned at the guards surrounding her and they fell into position along the walls. She then nodded at her father's two guards who opened the door. She took a steadying breath then entered.
The room was small, much smaller than she remembered it. She remembered it as being much more massive but she realized she had been a child then. Still, it was not what one would suspect it to be, being the bed chamber of the Emperor of Jurai. But, despite it's size, it was no less impressive than the rest of the palace. Directly in front of her sat an ancient wooden table and behind it rested a massive chair that was more like a throne than anything else. Her father sat impassively in it and she kept her face neutral as she approached.
She bowed slightly and spoke,
"Otou-sama."
She looked at her father who nodded in approval. When a male voice spoke, it was melodious and pleasant and Aekea felt her suspicions cement into fact.
"Ah, Princess Aekea, how nice to finally see you. Emperor Azusa, you told me that she was beautiful, but I had no idea that she was so exquisite."
Aekea turned to look at the owner of the voice and saw him. He stood slightly away from the chair. He was tall and handsome with broad shoulders and a square jaw. His blue eyes shined with happiness and his silver hair hung loosely over his shoulders. He was dressed in the finest of clothes and he smiled revealing perfect white teeth.
Aekea didn't make an expression. Instead she looked back at her father and spoke,
"May I inquire as to who this man is?"
The emperor motioned at the noble as he spoke,
"This is Lord Chijiro Grenda of House Amaki, your betrothed."
Aekea's face remained neutral even though her eyes shot daggers at her father who ignored it.
Azusa continued,
"He has asked for your hand in marriage and I have agreed to it. I thought it only best."
Aekea bowed her head and fought back her tears. She would not cry. She was a princess and she would accept this. It was her duty.
"I am sure you are correct father."
Azusa frowned and was about to speak when the young lord interrupted,
"Princess Aekea, I am the one who should apologize. I should have known you'd still be readjusting here and the current situation must be stressful."
Aekea looked at him and, forcing a smile, spoke,
"It is my pleasure to meet you, Lord Chijiro."
The young lord shook his head in disagreement.
"No, the pleasure is mine, I assure you."
He looked back to the king and said,
"I am sure that you have matters to discuss privately, King Azusa. Princess Aekea."
With a nod from the emperor, he strode to the door and exited.
Aekea openly glared at her father, dropping all pretense of being calm. She fought down her urge to leap over the table and strangle him to death, however. One thought raced through her mind: 'How dare he? What gave him the right?' She took several steadying breaths and once she was sure she wasn't going to do anything and spoke in a calm collected manner.
"Father, may I ask why?"
Azusa regarded his daughter for a moment and then nodded.
"Aekea, please…we thought it best."
Aekea frowned and Azusa continued.
"I thought it best if you were engaged soon after your return and I assure you, Chijiro is more than adequate."
Aekea frowned even more and fought back her tears.
"You have no idea do you?"
Azusa looked surprised and Aekea silently berated herself for speaking like that but she wasn't going to allow herself to be married off like this, princess or no. This was not her duty. Aekea glared at her father and he glared back.
"Aekea, please, just because some silly boy..."
He didn't get any further than that. He was shocked into silence when Aekea rushed forward until she was with in inches from his face and shouted,
"DON'T YOU EVER CALL HIM THAT DO YOU UNDERSTAND!!!"
Aekea leaned back, shock written all over her face. She couldn't believe she had just done that and from the look on her father's face, he couldn't either. She knew she should apologize but she felt absolutely no guilt about it. She didn't feel sorry, she felt only relief.
Azusa rose, his entire body shook with barely controlled rage and his face took on a dark red color as he began to shout,
"I WILL NOT BE SPOKEN TO LIKE THAT!! NOT BY MY DAUGHTER, NOT BY ANYONE! NOW UNDERSTAND THIS, YOU WILL MARRY CHIJIRO, YOU WILL TAKE THE THRONE AND YOU WILL FORGET ALL ABOUT THAT…THAT BOY!!!"
Aekea flinched back from her father's anger and fought back her tears. Why didn't he understand? Was it so hard? Azusa, calming somewhat, spoke again, trying to sound consoling.
"Aekea, I'm not angry with you about the boy, but please understand, you are out of time and you must have a husband."
Aekea stood there debating her father's words. Seeing that she was considering what he had said, he continued,
"You don't have to marry him right away. You can wait until you are comfortable with him. But, one thing to consider is the empire. If the First Crown Princess does not have a suitor, it will be a blot on Jurai's honor."
Aekea nodded her head and smiled weakly at him. Azusa nodded and strode out of the room.
She stood there silently and then turned slightly at the sound of a side door opening. Funaho was standing there. The queen seemed impassive at first and then spoke,
"He is suitable for the role, just give him a chance."
Aekea shook her head and gave voice to her feelings,
"Why doesn't he understand?"
Funaho shook her head and crossed the room. She took Aekea by her shoulders and said,
"He does understand, but he is the emperor and he must think about the empire above all other things. Above family, above his own wants and desires."
Aekea shook her head and Funaho continued,
"He understands better than you think. More than anyone else, he knows what is like to love two people like you do Tenchi."
Before Aekea could speak, Funaho hugged her lightly then releasing her, went back to the side door. She opened it and paused. Turning back spoke,
"If it helps at all, only the royal family knows who exactly it is."
Then she turned and stepped through the door, closing it behind her, leaving Aekea alone to contemplate her fate. She stood silently and then thought 'Strange, one minute I am alone in the universe and the next I am engaged to be married.'
*******
The days passed with neither sight nor sound of a problem. Tenchi and the others finally returned to Earth. Of course, Tenchi had missed two days of school. But as Ryoko had said, he had never thought about it until his return. Now that they were back, it was on his mind, as well as Ryoko's. This was in addition to his aging and the assassination problem.
The day had progressed quietly and smoothly for Tenchi as he went from class to class. He was currently in World history. He found that it differed greatly from the world history his grandfather had taught him. Which meant that he trusted his grandfather's version more than the school's. After all, he figured that a man that had been on the planet for roughly 700 years would know history better than anyone else.
He looked up from his notes. Something was nagging at the back of his mind. Not like during the chorei, but something was teasing his thoughts, and he didn't like it. He forced himself to concentrate on the class and the feeling faded. Frowning, he wondered if it wasn't something trying to warn him.
Ryoko frowned as she stared absently out the window, watching clouds pass by. She knew she needed to pay attention in this class since it would help her fit in better in Tenchi's world, and the stuff was good to know, but for some reason Family Development seemed to be her most boring class. To her, it was almost as bad as Washu explaining one her inventions.
The teacher was a middle aged woman who was thin and looked like she had sucked on a lemon. Her nose resembled a large beak, and her eyes were set close together and always squinted.
Ryoko did try to listen to her but found it impossible. She found it more interesting to listen to the girls giggling and whispering around her. But now with everything else that was happening, even that wasn't interesting.
Ryoko nearly leaped when the teacher shouted her name. She turned to see the teacher staring daggers at her. Ryoko got the distinct feeling that Ms. Funi hated her. Ms. Funi spoke again, her voice sounding condescending,
"Well, Miss Hakubi?"
Ryoko frowned as she shrugged,
"Well what?"
Funi narrowed her eyes, ignoring the laughter, and continued,
"The answer, Miss Hakubi," Funi lowered her voice slightly as she finished "Now, or we can go see the principle."
Ryoko crossed her arms and fought down the urge to hit the teacher since that would not make Tenchi happy. It would also cause her problems.
The teacher glared as she noticed diamond ring on Ryoko's finger. She was suddenly enraged her even more.
"What was the question?"
Ms. Funi spoke through clenched teeth.
"How do you change a baby?"
Ryoko spoke, unable to resist the temptation,
"Why would I want to change a baby? Aren't they fine like they are? Anyway, what would I change him into?"
The class's laughter rose slightly until Ms. Funi spoke, her voice sounding strained,
The diaper, Miss Hakubi, how do you change the baby's diaper?"
Ryoko smiled winningly at Funi and answered, despite Ms. Funi's eyes trying to drill a hole into her.
"Well first, you would take the old one off, clean it and then put the new one on."
Ryoko added without thinking, "But I thought you would know that since you are the teacher."
The class began to laugh until Ms. Funi shouted,
"OFFICE NOW, MISS HAKUBI!!!!"
Ryoko smiled sweetly as she gathered her things. As she walked out of the class, Ms. Funi stormed out after her, leaving the class in the charge of one of her students.
Kazuhiko looked up from the computer screen as the office door opened. He frowned and him to groan to himself when Ms. Funi entered followed by Ryoko. She looked happy and waved at him. Out of habit, he began to wave back but caught the look on Funi's face. She turned and pointed at a chair.
"Sit."
Ryoko sat down and Funi stormed past the office counter and into the principal's office. Once the door slammed shut behind her, Kazuhiko began gathering the proper folders and he mumbled,
"Tenchi's not going to like this."
He looked at Ryoko and frowned again. She seemed totally unconcerned. He leaned against the counter and said,
"You know Tenchi's going to be upset, right?"
She waved his question off, which caused him to pause. The ring on her finger had caught his attention. He couldn't believe that it was what he thought it was. He was sure that Tenchi wouldn't give her an engagement ring. He started to ask her about it when the door to the principal's office opened and the principal motioned for Ryoko to enter.
She rose calmly and entered. Kazuhiko stepped forward and handed the files to the principal, he was about to turn away when the principle spoke,
"Call Masaki Tenchi to the office, I wish to see him."
Kazuhiko nodded. His doubts about her ring being an engagement ring suddenly very certain. Quietly, he went to do as he had been told, he heard the principal's door close as he spoke into the intercom.
Tenchi frowned as he strode down the hall. His mind rapidly turning, trying to figure out all the possible reasons as to why he had been called to the office. When he had passed the family development class, he noted the teacher was absent and the girls were giggling outrageously. He pause just outside the doorway and fought down his urge to see if he couldn't visit with Ryoko. The only thing that stopped him was the fact the principal wanted to see him right away. He continued silently until he reached the office.
Kazuhiko looked up from the files he was sorting at the sound of the door of the office opening. He saw Tenchi enter, looking slightly confused as to why he was there. Kazuhiko caught his attention and Tenchi made his way over to the counter to see what his friend knew about why he was here.
Kazuhiko smiled nervously as he spoke,
"Ohayo Tenchi."
Tenchi nodded and began,
"Ohayo, I was called..."
Kazuhiko nodded and lowering his voice said,
"All I can tell you is it involves Ryoko, Miss Funi, and class."
Tenchi frowned at that and in an even lower voice, Kazuiko asked,
"Did you give Ryoko an engagement ring?"
Before Tenchi could answer, the door opened to reveal the principal who looked half serious, half amused. He beckoned Tenchi inside his office and closed the door behind him.
As soon as Tenchi entered the office, he immediately noticed three things: Ryoko was standing and was moving towards him. In the corner, behind the principles desk, stood the thin, mean-looking Miss Funi who was staring at them. The final thing he noticed was the principal who had seated behind his desk. He had a look that was half smile and half frown.
He automatically returned Ryoko's hug and then separated her from him, suddenly very aware of the other's presence. He took her hand and squeezed it as he spoke,
"What did you do?"
Ryoko grinned slightly.
"I answered a question."
Tenchi raised an eyebrow.
Miss Funi interjected, obviously upset that they were ignoring them,
"It's not that she answered a question but how she answered it."
Tenchi looked at her and then at the principal who nodded his head and continued where Miss Funi had left off.
"Yes, she caused Miss Funi some problems and caused a huge disruption in the class with her answer."
Tenchi glanced at Ryoko out of the corner of his eye. Her smile faltered and faded. Tenchi stood there a moment and then gently squeezed her hand reassuringly. He let go of her hand and focused on the principal.
"May I ask what this has to do with me?"
Miss Funi started to respond, but the principal spoke up first.
"Well, Miss Funi noticed the ring Miss Hakubi is wearing. We asked her what it was. When she confirmed that it was an engagement ring, I immediately called for you."
Tenchi nodded slowly and absently started scratching the back of his head, uncertain as to why they would be so worked up over an engagement ring. Still he had to answer truthfully.
"Yes, Mr.Gaho, it's an engagement ring."
Gaho nodded at Ms. Funi, who after casting another furious glance at Ryoko, left the office.
Tenchi stood there nervously watching as Mr. Gaho motioned from them to sit down across from him. Tenchi waited for Ryoko to sit and then sat down next to her. He glanced at her in the silence that had descended since Ms. Funi left.
After a few more moments of silence, Mr.Gaho laced his fingers together and stared at the two. Finally, he smiled as he asked,
"Have you set a wedding date?"
Tenchi looked over at Ryoko and then back at the older man and shook his head. He was somewhat relieved by Mr. Gaho's attitude. Tenchi answered verbally,
"No sir, we haven't, why?"
"I was curious. After all, it's not often that Katsuhito's grandson gets married."
Tenchi relaxed even more as he smiled back. His voice hid none of his relief.
"You know my grandfather?"
Gaho nodded.
"Yes, he preformed my wedding."
Ryoko relaxed when she realized that she hadn't caused Tenchi trouble. Still, she wasn't sure why Funi hated her. However, she was far more interested in what Mr. Gaho had to say. Her voice was laced with her curiosity as she asked.
"Is that the only way you know him?"
The principle shook his head.
"No, I knew his daughter Achika and Tenchi's father, Nobuyuki."
Tenchi blinked, slightly surprised. Then again, he had never really considered his mother and father when they were younger.
"So, will your grandfather be performing the ceremony?" Mr. Gaho asked, derailing Tenchi's thoughts.
Tenchi looked uncertain and Ryoko spoke,
"We haven't decided yet."
Gaho nodded and then, shuffling papers on his desk, spoke,
"You two should head to 3rd period. 2nd period is over."
Tenchi rose, bowed and waited as Ryoko stood and bowed. He smiled when Gaho looked up and said,
"No punishment this time. But, this is your only warning Miss Hakubi."
Ryoko grinned in appreciation and then turning, let herself be led out by Tenchi.
*******
Kiyone stood in front of the door leading to Washu's lab. She was nervous; not really sure what to expect. She had to find out what had happened to Mihoshi and Washu was the person to ask since she could gain access to her partner's records with little trouble.
Readying herself, she knocked on the door and then waited patiently for a few minutes. She was about to knock again when a mechanical voice spoke,
"Washu is busy at the moment. Please try again later."
Kiyone frowned and turning, made her way to the kitchen and joined Mihoshi and Sasami for lunch. Dark thoughts about Washu meandered through her mind.
Washu, for her part, was very busy. Not with the usual twin supernovas or an invention of some sort, no, what she was busy with, was a request from none other than Tenchi himself. It had been shortly after their return to Earth when he had got Katsuhito and her alone and explained his problem of aging and asked if they had any ideas on the subject. Katsuhito had frowned and said that he was uncertain as to how he would age, but had promised that he would see if his tree Funaho and Ryo-oh had any ideas.
Washu had promised to do what she could, and since then, when it wasn't her turn to keep an eye on Sasami, that was exactly what she was doing. Tenchi's DNA structure and some samples of his cells were currently displayed on her screen. She had checked Ryoko's first only to confirm that she was in every way perfect. She also found that her DNA and her cells were not breaking down, instead they seemed not to age at all. Which meant that, since she wasn't aging, as long as she wasn't killed, she would live forever.
Tenchi, on the other hand, was not so lucky. His cells did break down and his DNA did point to him eventually aging. But they were doing so slowly, a bit more slowly than normal cells. She had taken a couple and put them in an age accelerator and found that instead of lasting the average month or two his last twice as long. But, she theorized that since they were no longer part of Tenchi, the Light Hawk wings and Tsunami's influence were still undefined factors. She had yet to tell him what she had discovered, wanting to be sure she had everything before she came to a conclusion.
Of course, she wasn't a genius for nothing and had come up with a theoretical device that would stop Tenchi's aging, as well as a theory on how to use Ryoko's cells to cause his to stop aging. She wasn't going to let anyone know about them until it was absolutely necessary, but she was already playing with the concepts.
*******
It was a beautiful, perfect day. The light from Jurai's star shone through the large window, bathing the two female figures in its warm embrace. They sat at a small table, drinking from a very beautiful, rare, antique, porcelain tea set. They sat very quietly, sipping the hot Jurain tea. Each was dressed regally in her royal robes. Their small crowns sat upon their heads. Just outside the room stood six knights; three for each of the queens. The room itself was huge. It was beautiful with white, marble and pearl columns.
Carefully, Funaho sat her cup down. She cleared her throat and spoke,
"Have you spoken with Azusa lately?"
The other queen sat her tea down and shook her head, looking upset,
"No, he won't let me into his private chambers. He won't even let me in when he's ready for bed. Why?"
Funaho frowned slightly as she answered,
"I was just wondering. He's done the same to me. I have a feeling things are worse than I thought."
Misaki looked out the window and then back at Funaho. Her eyes shone with emotion as she spoke,
"What about my poor, defenseless Aekea? She seemed terribly upset when she learned that Lord Chijiro was her future husband."
Funaho sighed slightly, eliciting a glare from Misaki. She continued, ignoring it,
"Yes, she was not very thrilled. I'm afraid it will be harder than either of us thought."
Misaki nodded slightly and said,
"Who do you think is responsible for the assassination attempts?"
Funaho looked tense as she responded,
"I have my thoughts, but I would prefer not to discuss them."
Misaki rung her hands, her voice sounding worried as she spoke,
"Do you think that one knight is enough to help protect Sasami?"
Funaho nodded slightly and frowned,
"Yes, he is more than enough help to Azaka and Kamidake. Besides, he is assigned to Tenchi and Ryoko."
Misaki seemed to growl at the use of the last two's names, but said nothing. She, of course, was angry with them for causing her dear, sweet daughter to feel such heart wrenching pain. But she wouldn't say anything, they were family. Besides, it wasn't really their fault.
Funaho finished her tea then stood. She nodded at Misaki and spoke,
"I must really be going. I have to see to some urgent matters."
Misaki finished her drink as well. She nodded and smiled wanly,
"I'm going to visit with Aekea, and there is a matter I need to see to as well."
In silence, they left the room and with three knights each, walked down the hallway until it branched off into two different hallways, Misaki went left and Funaho went right.
*******
Tenchi had studiously tried to ignore Ryoko's playful attitude during Advanced Physics but had failed miserably. Of course, she was not the only one that was bothering him. Friends were pestering him all day about the ring. They kept their voices low and they never spoke when there was someone who didn't know around. Tenchi found it highly annoying. Most of that was made up for in 7th period when Daijiro had began to relentlessly ask him about it, wanting to know why Tenchi had asked her, how he had done it, and most importantly was he going to follow through.
When the end of 7th period came around and the four of them were saying their goodbyes, he found out the Ryoe had been picking at Daijiro all day as to why he hadn't asked her yet. This had elicited laughter from Ryoko and Tenchi.
Of course, not all of his friends were happy about it. Some had seemed downright angry with him. Kauzhiko had, after his time in the office, argued with him that he was to young. Another friend, Akahito, had said that Tenchi had no right to do it. But, in all truth, it didn't matter one bit what they thought. All that mattered was what Ryoko wanted.
*******
It was approaching nightfall when Yuzukaa left Tenchi's house; he had caught up with them on their way home. He had sat through Washu explaining astrophysics to the others who weren't even paying attention. When she had left in huff, he had proceeded to try and get a date with Kiyone. However, his current track record with girls he was interested in remained in its unbroken state: he had failed miserably.
Tenchi waited until the rest of the family had settled into their respective nighttime rituals before setting off. Ryoko Mihoshi watching TV, Sasami and Ryo-ohki doing the dishes and Washu was locked in her lab, Kiyone was in her room cleaning her weapon. He had explained where he was going and why to Ryoko so he was now walking down the hallway to Kiyone's room. He knocked on the door and waited patiently. Finally, he was told to enter and did so.
He immediately took in the room, finding it a mixture of neatness and disorganization. On the well-ordered side sat Kiyone, her weapon and cleaning kit in front of her on the futon. She smiled at him and he returned it and slid the door shut behind him.
He looked around for a moment and then found a chair. It was covered with clothes, as was the desk it belonged to. Sighing, he stepped forward, cleaned it off and sat down.
"Kiyone, this is awkward for me."
She nodded and he continued,
"Well, Yuzukaa is my best friend, and I know I shouldn't do this and I hate to ask since we've only just met and all…"
Kiyone, sensing that Tenchi was going to take awhile, smiled reassuringly at him as she responded.
"Tenchi, just ask whatever it is you're going to ask."
Tenchi nodded then reluctantly did so,
"Well, I was wondering if you would go out with him."
He saw a look cross her face and he hurriedly continued,
"I know you turned him down when he asked you. And I know you have your reasons, but it would be a big favor to me and it would help him feel better about himself. He doesn't have a lot of luck with women."
Tenchi watched as Kiyone picked her weapon up and slid a plasma cartridge into it. He watched her nervously until she put it in a holster and then looked back at him, her face neutral. He was about to say something when she beat him to it.
"Ok, I'll do it Tenchi, as a favor to you. But, if I do, then we do it my way, on a double date with you and Ryoko."
Tenchi nodded and smiled in appreciation.
"Thanks, I really appreciate this. If there is ever anything I can do for you, just let me know."
She assured him one more time that it was alright and he left.
*******
Ukyo opened his eyes and then went through his waking rituals. He walked to the small command center of the shuttle and began entering landing coordinates into the computer which had been buzzing, alerting him to the fact that he was in the Sol sector and only an hour away from entering Earth's atmosphere.
He tapped a few more keys and then began monitoring the windows of entry, he had to time this perfectly. He had to enter the atmosphere quietly, Jurai's connection with the planet was a tightly guarded secret and he didn't need to let the entire world know about them.
As he guided his shuttle, he silently wondered what was going to happen to him when he got there. He knew that Tenchi had ostensibly forgiven him, but he wasn't so sure. Still, it would be nice to be back on Earth.
He felt his engines fire and adjust and he checked the computers clock, another five minutes and he should be in the atmosphere heading towards Prince Tenchi.
His ship shuddered when it entered the atmosphere and he smiled. 'Easy enough.' he thought to himself as he plotted his new coordinates and then kept a careful eye on the displayed map. He slowed his engines as he came into view of the mountains that housed the shrine. It was only a few seconds until their boundary passed beneath him and he further decelerated as he came to the forested valley that contained the shine and house. He finally brought his ship to a complete halt, as he hovered in the space between the forest and the house. Landing procedures were began even as the display showed people coming out.
Tenchi and the others watched as the small shuttle landed and the engines powered down. Tenchi waited patiently as a flash of brilliant blue energy deposited a figure in front of them, no sooner had the energy dissipated than the Knight knelt and bowed his head awaiting acknowledgment before speaking.
Tenchi stood, uncertain of what to do. Ryoko, Washu, Mihoshi, Kiyone seemed to be unsure of themselves as well. Sasami was clutching tightly to Washu's side. The silence began to stretch to the point of being uncomfortable when Katsuhito strode forward and spoke.
"Stand up."
The knight rose and stood there awkwardly. Slowly Tenchi placed the knight as Ukyo. Even though he had thought he had forgiven and forgotten the knight for what he had done during his first visit, he found he still had some resentment towards the knight. He forced those thoughts down, there were more pressing matters at hand.
Katsuhito studied the knight for a moment and then continued,
"Rank, name, who you are assigned to answer to and mission."
Ukyo without hesitation began,
"I am First Lieutenant Ukyo Ebina of the royal Juraian Knighthood. I have been assigned to help guard and protect Second Crown Princess Sasami Jurai. I am to answer to either First Crown Prince Lord Tenchi Masaki; his fiancé, Lady Ryoko or Lord Katsuhito Masaki."
Ryoko chuckled at being called a Lady.
Katsuhito turned around and started back towards the shrine.
Ukyo looked at the old Lord when Tenchi approached him and in a quiet voice explained,
"Ukyo, just treat us like you would treat anybody else."
Ukyo opened his mouth to protest and Tenchi raised his hand.
"If you must, then think of yourself undercover in hostile territory."
Ukyo nodded and felt that, as much as it was a convenient way of bypassing the formalities that Lord Tenchi seemed to dislike, it was also a metaphorical warning from the prince.
Tenchi, satisfied that the knight understood, walked back to Ryoko, hugged her and placed a kiss on her forehead. With one last glance back at the knight, he started after his grandfather.
Tenchi and Katsuhito stopped few feet short of the shrine steps and seemed to have a discussion. Then they both half turned to look at the knight and Katsuhito motioned for Ukyo to follow.
After a quick nod at Sasami and the rest of the family, he trotted off after them. He hoped that everything was fine.
******
Ukyo ducked under Tenchi's swipe at his head, rolled back and then blocked Tenchi's lunge. He began to backpedal, blocking each of the young prince's strikes. Quickly pivoting on the ball of his foot, Ukyo swung his arm around, striking at the Tenchi's head. Tenchi blocked it and Ukyo had to leap back in order to avoid Tenchi's backhand slash. He immediately lunged forward and tried to stab Tenchi's chest. Tenchi blocked and then shifted his hand to jab upwards at the young knight's chest. Ukyo back flipped away, landed in a crouch and lunged towards his opponent. Tenchi leaped straight up above the bokken's strike and landed on the blade, forcing it into the ground. He leveled his blade against Ukyo's throat.
Tenchi stepped off of the bokken with a smile and backed away.
As Ukyo pick his bokken back up, Katsuhito shook his head. Tenchi had won that too easily. Ukyo had to be holding back and, since Tenchi hadn't seemed as fierce, the old man knew that he was in control of his anger, his hatred, his dark side. He watched as Ukyo launched another attack forcing Tenchi to defend himself, but still Tenchi was in control and it was only a short matter of time until the knight found Tenchi's sword again at his throat.
He frowned when they began again; he had been right, Ukyo had been holding back. He watched as Tenchi's blocks and strikes became more precise and defined, Tenchi was concentrating harder than the last two matches. He grimaced as Tenchi slipped his sword through Ukyo's defense and jab his belly. Even though Ukyo looked surprised, Tenchi found that his opponent's sword had found his own throat.
After another hour of practice, the two had achieved an equal number of wins three each and tied once. As they sat in the shrine office, Tenchi frowned as he handed Ukyo a cup of tea. He may not have wished ill upon the young knight, but he was still angry. And that was what bothered him worst of all. He shouldn't feel that way, but he did. However, he refused to give in to it.
Ukyo sipped his tea silently and then spoke, testing the water, to see how the prince's mood was.
"Lord Tenchi..."
Tenchi held his hand up and shook his head slightly.
"Just "Tenchi," please."
Ukyo nodded his head and tried again.
"Tenchi."
He stopped and frowned, calling a member of the Royal Family by just their first name was just not something a knight did. But, his time with Aekea had allowed him to adjust to it, somewhat.
"Tenchi, about when I was here before…"
Tenchi looked up at Ukyo, his eyes filled with curiosity.
"Yes?"
Ukyo silently prayed that the young prince wouldn't kill him when he brought this up.
"I just wanted to know if you still had any hard feeling towards me for what I said to Lady Ryoko."
Tenchi frowned causing Ukyo to suspect that Lord Tenchi still had a problem with that little episode.
"Ukyo, I've forgiven you. But, I won't lie. I still have some hard feelings left, but not enough that you should worry. And please, from now on don't call her lady. If you do, we'll never hear the end of it."
Ukyo bowed his head and smiled in relief. Now he knew exactly were he stood with the prince.
"I also have a message for you from Queen Funaho and Princess Aekea."
Tenchi sat his tea down and looked at the knight. Curiosity laced his voice as he asked,
"For me? Don't you mean for the entire family?"
Ukyo shook his head as he explained,
"No, I have one for you from the queen and one from the princess. I also have one for Princess Sasami from her sister."
Tenchi nodded his consent and Ukyo produced a small gold disk and placed it on the table and then pushed the button. An image took shape in the air above the disk. A holo Funaho looking as serious as ever stared up at Tenchi and began speaking
"Hello Tenchi, I hope you and the others are well. I have sent this to give you the only advise that I can. Beware the dark and those shadows that cannot be seen."
Tenchi nodded and the holo-Funaho faded and Tenchi took it and placed it in his robe. He waited a moment before calling the knight back inside the office. When the knight returned and took his seat across the young prince he waited for a moment before he spoke.
"Princess Aekea told me to tell you to make sure that you have somebody staying with Sasami at night when she sleeps. She has issues with her dreams."
Tenchi nodded and sipped his tea again.
Ukyo sat there for a moment and then sipped his own.
After a few minutes Tenchi spoke,
"Explain something to me. When you were first here you mentioned that you were from a different house than Baiko. What house is it?"
Ukyo glanced at the young lord and sat his cup down. He regarded him for a moment and then answered,
"House is a relative term, actually it's family and those who are considered members of the family."
Tenchi nodded slightly as the knight continued to explain
"It's like this, Baiko is sworn to the family of Genda and is the personal guard of Lord Chijiro."
Tenchi nodded and Ukyo continued,
"I suppose you should know Chijiro is Princess Aekea's new intended."
Tenchi nearly spit out his tea as he looked at the knight in shock. After he forced the tea down he stammered
"What?! How?! Why?!"
Ukyo looked up at the young prince and frowned for a moment. Then realization dawned on him. He waved his hand and explained,
"Her father arranged it. I remember that he was quiet upset that Lord Seiryou was spurned. Do you know he still curse's your name? Anyway, Lord Chijiro approached him about a week before she was to return and laid out the proposal that if she didn't find herself a husband, then he would be happy to marry her."
Tenchi frowned and shook his head.
"Does Aekea know?"
Ukyo nodded his head.
"By now she does."
Tenchi nodded, but now he had another question.
"How do you know?"
Ukyo looked at him and smiled.
"Baiko told me."
Tenchi nodded slightly.
"So, you never did tell me what family your from."
Ukyo nodded and smiled sheepishly.
"I am of the Royal Family. I was assigned to be one of Queen Misaki's guards."
Tenchi nodded and laughed slightly.
"So that's why you're so adaptable. But you said 'was.' What happened?"
Ukyo frowned and reluctantly continued,
"There was an incident. Misaki had just left her bath and I was entering her chambers to deliver a message when I tripped over one of her shoe's and knocked her onto the bed."
Tenchi grimaced. The knight continued,
"That was when the emperor came in and nearly killed me.
I only avoided death because of Queen Funaho. Once I was relieved of my position as one of Queen Misaki's guards, I volunteered to come to Earth with Baiko and retrieve the princess."
Tenchi nodded, feeling sorry for the knight.
Ukyo sighed and went on,
"After my return and the attempt on Princess Aekea's life, Azusa decided to assign me to Earth where I was to help guard Sasami and to be your and Ryoko's personal knight."
Tenchi didn't even blink. Instead, he nodded and muttered to himself,
"Ryoko's not going to like this."
Tenchi began to sip his tea again and Ukyo did likewise. Tenchi silently wondered where Ukyo was going to stay.
*******
Tenchi sighed heavily as he sat at his desk, staring absently as he flipped through a schoolbook. His mind was mulling over thoughts other than the text. Where was Ukyo going to stay? How would Kiyone and Yuzuzhaa's date go? How was Aekea doing? How was Sasami handling things? Why was he still angry with Ukyo? And, most importantly, he was wondering about his wedding.
Neither he nor Ryoko had even mentioned the subject (outside of the principal's office or in passing to friends). A smile crept across his face when Ryoko's slender arms wrapped around his chest and she rested her chin on his shoulder.
Ryoko smiled and whispered in his ear causing his pulse to rise,
"Ten-chan, what are you doing?"
Tenchi took one of her hands and, kissing it, answered,
"Just thinking about things."
Ryoko let him go and floated over to land on the corner of his desk. She sat on his homework and crossed her legs. He released her hand and she began to stare at him intently.
"About what things?"
Tenchi smiled slyly and shook his head.
"About where Ukyo's going to be staying and about our wedding."
Ryoko grinned and leaned forward slightly, her golden eyes shining with interest.
"And what did you decided?"
Tenchi shrugged and rubbed the back of his head.
"Well, I figure Ukyo can sleep in the living room for now, and then I can have Washu fix something up."
Ryoko glared at him, annoyed. She leaned forward and poked him in his chest and growled,
"I meant about our wedding mister."
Tenchi chuckled slightly. He reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her forward and into his lap. He kissed her then pulled back with a smile.
"How about April?"
Ryoko grinned and leaned forward to kissed him again. She deepened the kiss and then, leaning back, answered,
"April it is. How about on the fifteenth?"
Tenchi kissed her again, matching her last kiss, then leaned back and laughed.
"The fifteenth of April it is."
Ryoko kissed him heatedly and then giggled,
"How about we have Katsuhito perform the ceremony?"
Tenchi nodded and found her lips again before replying,
"Of course. How about we have it at the shrine?"
Ryoko nodded her head in agreement then nuzzled his neck. Tenchi smiled as he raised his eyebrows.
"Well, now that all that's taken care of, can I get back to my homework?"
Ryoko frowned at him and pouted.
"You prefer homework over me?"
Tenchi shook his head and smiled nervously.
"No, not at all Ryo-chan, but.."
Ryoko grinned, revealing her fangs, and whispered,
"Let me convince you."
Tenchi looked confused until he found himself and Ryoko on his bed. He smirked slightly,
"Ok, you've convinced me."
She smiled victoriously, pushed him down onto the futon and kissed him hungrily.
******
A lone figure stared out across the lake from their spot on the back deck. It was absently scratching a small furry creature in its arms. The wind blew slightly causing a chill to run along its body. Winter was long gone, as was the snow, but it was still cold out. The figure sighed to herself.
She nearly jumped when somebody placed their hand on her shoulder. Turning, Sasami found herself smiling at the red-haired scientist named Washu. The genius smiled back at the little princess and spoke, causing Sasami to wonder if the scientist had read her mind.
"You're still upset about Aekea leaving aren't you?"
Sasami nodded her head.
"What about you? Do you think about her?"
Washu nodded her head, a small smile playing on her lips,
"Yes, I do. I miss her very much, but I know that dwelling in sadness is wrong."
Sasami looked at the diminutive scientist in amusement and then began to laugh. Washu blinked at the princess and looked indignant. She mumbled something and then, shaking her head, threw her hands up in the air. She stalked away, still muttering about children.
When Sasami finally quit laughing, she found that she was alone again. Shrugging, she held Ryo-ohki up and looked at the cabbit, a smile still on her face.
"What's wrong with her? I was only laughing because she sounded like Katsuhito."
Ryo-ohki meowed happily in response and Sasami giggled, her sadness forgotten for now.
*******
The day had passed relatively quietly for Mihoshi as it had for Kiyone and the others. Sasami set the last plate of food down on the table and sat down just as Ukyo walked through the door. He was sore, tired and hungry from his practice with Lord Tenchi, and Sasami's meal looked inviting. But he restrained himself and found a place against the wall, standing at ease. He was a knight and he would wait until after the family finished before he would eat.
Tenchi sat down next to Ryoko and, after an affectionate kiss on the cheek, glanced at the knight. Motioning for him to sit, he began to load his plate, as did the others.
Accepting the order, Ukyo looked at the available spots. Then with a nod, he walked over and sat down next to Mihoshi.
She looked at him in surprise as he sat down. She glanced around the table and saw that nobody else was paying attention so she went back to eating her food.
Mihoshi looked up to find Sasami holding a plate towards her. The blonde stared at the little princess until it dawned on her that it was meant for Ukyo. Smiling, she took it and turned to hand it to the knight. He reached out to take it, when she bumped her drink spilling it on herself. It quickly spread across their end of the table onto Kiyone and Ukyo.
Even as Kiyone began to scream, Mihoshi spilt the plate on Ukyo as she tried to rise. While attempting to rise, she somehow managed to slip and fall back onto the table. She started to cry and wail as the rest of the family watched with detached interest.
Ukyo watched in confusion as Kiyone yelled and screamed at her partner over something he knew wasn't her fault. For some reason he spoke, his voice was soft and quiet, yet it still silenced the entire room.
"Be quiet."
Kiyone turned and looked at the knight her mouth agape at him. Sasami's eyes twinkled in quiet understanding, even as she was rising to get something to begin cleaning up. Washu merely glanced at the situation and went back to eating, not wanting to have anything to do with Mihoshi.
The knight, suddenly realizing what he had said, turned and looked at his lord, worried as to what he would see. He was expecting to see anger. Instead, the young prince merely nodded and went back to eating, as did Ryoko. Slowly, almost reluctantly, he turned his attention back to the two GP's in front of him. Kiyone was beginning to look furious and Mihoshi was still crying. He silently rose, purposely ignoring Kiyone's stare as he helped Mihoshi up. The blonde looked at him in confusion as he quietly led her out of the room, leaving the chaos behind.
He knew that Mihoshi was clumsy and he knew that Kiyone always yelled like that; Tenchi had told him some stories about the family. But for some reason, it bothered him.
Mihoshi's mind was slowly catching up with the present. She slowly spoke, unsure why he was doing this,
"Excuse me, mister..."
Ukyo shook his head and corrected her,
"Call me Ukyo."
Mihoshi nodded and smiled.
"Ukyo?"
The knight nodded, never taking his hand off her arm.
"Why are you doing this?"
The knight didn't even bat an eye at the question as he led her up the stairs.
"Because."
Mihoshi nodded, understanding the feeling, but before she could say anything, she found herself in front of her room. She slightly taken aback that he had known that this was her room. She looked at the knight questioningly.
He slid the door open and let go of her arm.
She stood there a moment, unsure of just what was happening. Then, on impulse, she kissed him on the cheek and whispered,
"Domo."
Ukyo nodded and she closed the door. He stood there for a moment and then smiled slightly and responded,
"My pleasure."
He shook his head and headed to the bathroom to clean up.
*******
Sasami put the last dish into the drying rack, turned and left the kitchen. Everybody was relaxing or preparing for bed. Before, she would have went and watched TV with her sister and then they would go up to their room for the night. But it wasn't the same anymore. Now, she found Ryo-ohki and played with the cabbit for a little while and then went up and went to sleep by herself.
During the day, when she was with her family, her sadness was muted slightly. But at night, when she lay in the dark, lonely room, it would return full force. Sasami missed her sister more than she would have thought possible.
She was walking towards the stairs, lost in thought, when she bumped into someone. At first she thought it was Tenchi since he was the only guy that lived there, but when she looked up to apologize, she found it was Ukyo who was looking at her oddly.
He gave her a smile and said,
"I am sorry, Princess. I should have been paying attention. Please forgive me."
The little princess waved his apology off and shook her head.
"No, it's my fault. I was just going up to find Ryo-ohki."
Ukyo nodded and started to leave, then he paused and turned back to face her.
Sasami was slightly confused at this but she smiled sweetly, her curiosity getting the better of her.
"What is it?"
Ukyo regarded her for a moment and then, after looking around to make sure they were alone, walked back over to her and spoke; his voice low almost a whisper.
"I have a message for you from you sister."
Sasami's face lit up and she beamed even more at him.
Ukyo reached into his robes and produced a small holo-disk. He handed it to the little princess who smiled and pushed the button. A hologram of her sister appeared. The holographic Aekea smiled warmly; her hands folded in front of her.
"Hello, Sasami. I hope you are well. Jurai is...lovely, just as I remember it.
"I suppose I should be the one to tell you, I am to marry."
Sasami frowned slightly at that. But continued to listen as the holo-Aekea continued,
"His name is Lord Chijiro Grenda of the House Amaki. Sasami... My sweet, little sister...I love you. I wish I could be there with you. Really, I do. I miss you and the others. Do not worry about me, just take care of yourself and behave. I promise I will visit as soon as I can. Remember that I love you."
Sasami grinned as she wiped at the tears that had formed in the corners of her eyes. The hologram faded and looked up to find the knight several feet from her, out of ear shot. With lightening speed she rushed forward and flung her arms around the knight.
He looked lost as to what to do and just stood there in shock. Finally, the little princess let him go and, smiling, said,
"Thank you, Ukyo, thank you."
The knight smiled bemusedly and nodded his head.
"You're welcome, Princess Sasami."
He watched as the little princess clutched the holo-disc tightly and practically bounded up the stairs. He was confused when she came back with the cabbit clutched to her chest and ran into the living room where some of the family had gathered to watch TV. He shrugged and made his way into the living room.
*******
Ukyo sighed as he laced his hands behind his head. The couch that he was on was more comfortable than what he was used to but he wouldn't be sleeping anytime soon. He had far to many things to think about.
First and foremost, was Lord Tenchi and Katsuhito's reaction. Lord Katsuhito's attitude he could understand, but Lord Tenchi's was confusing. There was no open hostility, but he wasn't friendly with him. It was like he was tolerating him, but he had said that what discomfort he felt wasn't enough that Ukyo should worry. Pushing that aside, he turned his thoughts toward Lady Ryoko and frowned. She was not what he had expected her to be. She wasn't hostile towards him either openly or subtly. She seemed to accept him as just another person in the house. It confused him to no end but, with some effort, he mentally shrugged it off, deciding to accept it at face value.
He rolled over on his side and stared at the blank TV screen. He was wearing himself out with all of this thinking, which was what he wanted. An image came to mind and he smiled; sure she was ditz but he found that there was something about her that he liked. He couldn't come up with the right words to describe the way he felt about her. All he knew was that he was fond of her. Finally, he drifted off to sleep; a smile still on his face.
*******
Kiyone nearly jumped when Mihoshi spoke, she had expected the blonde to be asleep by now.
"Kiyone, what do you think of Ukyo?"
Kiyone frowned and looked over at her partner. She was laying on her futon, ready for sleep. Kiyone could only make out her outline in the dark room; the only light being the moonlight coming through he window. She regarded her partner for a moment and then shrugged and answered,
"I don't know, he seems nice enough. Why?"
Mihoshi waved a hand and smiled almost dreamily, causing Kiyone to wonder if the other girl wasn't falling for the guy.
"No reason. He seems nice to me. And friendly, too. Oh! Do you think he's friendly? Because, I think he is. And he's so handsome. Don't you think he's handsome? Kiyone? Kiyone, are you listening to me?"
Kiyone stared at the blonde in amazement. The way she had went on, Kiyone had gotten the feeling that there was something more to this than Mihoshi just asking if she thought he was nice. She quickly shook her head realizing that Mihoshi was staring at her.
"Mihoshi, why don't you get some sleep?"
Mihoshi stared at her partner and then nodded her head. Within moments, the room was filled with her snores.
Kiyone sighed to herself and shook her head in amazement. Mihoshi in love; it was something she didn't think was possible. It had happened rather quickly, but she seemed happy. Maybe it was what Mihoshi needed.
Kiyone closed her eyes and tried to go to sleep but something was keeping her awake. She opened them and muttered,
"Damn it, why did I agree to that date?"
Kiyone rolled over to face the opposite wall and stared at it, trying to force herself to sleep but she couldn't; her thoughts just wouldn't leave her alone. She closed her eyes and concentrated. Sure he was cute, but still he was too young and immature. And even with using the excuse of doing this to make up for arresting Tenchi, it still was foolish.
*******
Sasami smiled up at Washu who was sitting in the corner on her floating cushion. She was typing furiously at her holo-computer and humming happily. Washu stopped for a moment and smiled at the little princess, with a wave of her hand she banished the holo-computer and nodded at her.
"You should get to sleep. Otherwise, the others will think I'm a bad influence on you."
Sasami giggled
"But, I'm not tired."
Washu sighed and wagged her finger at the little princess, beginning to remember what it was like being a mother; she found it rather enjoyable.
"Go to sleep, little one, or I'll be forced to take drastic measures."
Sasami's smile faltered slightly at that statement
"Drastic measures?
Washu nodded her head and pulled a needle out of a subspace hole while letting out her best "mad scientist" laugh.
"Yes, either go to sleep, or I'll have to use this: my new and improved, Sleep in a Needle."
Sasami stared at the needle in disbelief and slowly asked,
"How does it work?"
Washu smiled broadly and began to speak rapidly,
"Glad you asked. You remember what I used on Tenchi's friend?"
Sasami nodded hesitantly and Washu continued,
"Well, this is the stronger version. The bio-chemistry of Juarians is slightly different from Humans, so I made one that would work specifically with your system."
Washu stopped at the sound of snores and she blinked her eyes in surprise. She was just getting started. Normally, it took longer. She smiled to herself and tossed the needle over her shoulder where it dropped into a subspace pocket that opened and closed for it.
She raised her hand and her holo-computer reappeared and she began typing again. When Tenchi had first approached her about staying with Sasami, she had been apprehensive but now she was growing to enjoy it.
Ryoko watched as Tenchi's chest rose and fell in gentle slumber, dreaming whatever dreams he would dream. She smiled contentedly. Here she was living her dream; she was going to marry the man she loved. She was happier than she had ever been before in her life.
Everything was perfect. Nothing could ever change this. And if something tried, then she would destroy it. Still, she wished he would let her help him with his feelings towards Ukyo. But he had said that she shouldn't worry.
She closed her eyes and started to drift off to sleep but snapped them open when she felt Tenchi kiss her on her cheek. The only sign he had done anything was the smile on his face. She smiled and kissed his forehead and then drifted off to sleep.
********
In the darkness of space, a ship hurtled towards Earth. It passed Mars stealthily, it's black hull not even reflecting the starlight. It was a small, private ship with only a command bridge and a sleeping chamber. It was a one-person craft and the occupant was impatient and nervous.
Soon, his master's plans would be completed and he would finally be done with this. He was being paid very well, but he was highly nervous. He was to assassinate a member of the Jurain Royal Family and his target was living with two GP's and a Jurain knight.
He blinked his eyes and his appearance shifted from the tall thin figure to the form of a Jurain knight. The only difference between his appearance and that of an actual knight was that he wore a black uniform and carried no weapon.
He smiled and his gray eyes glinted in anticipation. He brushed the stray strains of red hair out of his face and then crossed his arms. The nervousness had left him, he didn't know why but this form always made him feel confident.
The only drawback to being a shape-shifter was that he had to have actually tasted someone's blood to assume their shape. He neither knew nor cared what he really looked like; having been so long since he had used his true form. It didn't matter anyway, he was an assassin and he was one the best.
Authors Note:
Well, were to start?
Ok sorry for the long wait, Really I am. I had several problems, computer crashing, etc. I hope you enjoy this chapter, really I do and please review.
As for the response I might get for the statement that Tenchi was the only male living in the Misaki household. It is correct, this is the OVA timeline and Katsuhito (A.K.A Yosho) Lives at the shrine. As for Tenchi's father Nobuyuki, I know that in Chapter 4 he was staying there but, that's only his guest room. He rented an apartment in Tokyo and visit often. They keep his room like it was so that he can stay over night.
Now that all that's out of the way, I'll finish by saying a deep thanks to Blev who has been kind enough to stick with this hack of a author.
Well look for Chapter 7 some time soon.
Sincerely,
Geor-Sama
A Nekoshipper
