TENCHI WAKUSEI

by Joe Meadows

A sequel novel to "Tenchi Universe," full and complete.

10. CHAPTER 9: No Need For Salesmanship

TENCHI WAKUSEI, BOOK ONE: "NO DREAMS FOR TENCHI"

By Joe Meadows (gpabn@yahoo.com)

NOTA BENE: This novel (comprising 24 chapters, a Prologue, and an Epilogue) is a sequel to the "Tenchi Muyo Television Series" ("Tenchi Universe"), with some "Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki!" original OAV series characters and elements included where--in the author's opinion--they don't conflict with "Tenchi Universe." For example, in order to flesh out a family background for Ayeka and Sasami, rather than create new characters, I used the existing parental figures of King Asuza and Queen Misaki from the OAVs. In order to bring the Galaxy Police more into the story, I re-instated the Grand Marshall as Mihoshi's grandfather and used an existing character from the Tenchi Muyo mangas, Chief Tor Bodai. And so on.

AIC and Pioneer LDC, whose kind indulgence I am counting on, own the copyrights on the original Tenchi Muyo characters. The character of Chief Tor Bodai was created by Hitoshi Okuda for the Tenchi Muyo manga series and is also copyrighted by AIC and Pioneer LDC. All truly new characters are my creation. Those characters and the actual story are copyright 2002 by yours truly. The lyrics for both versions of the theme song for "Speed Racer," the Beatles' "Abbey Road" album, the Beach Boys' "Surfing USA," the theme to "The Brady Bunch," and "That's Amore" are copyrighted by their various owners. The events that comprise the "Tenchi Universe" series are discussed in this novel; consequently, spoilers lurk within. Be warned. Please check out the "Chapter Notes" at the end of some of the chapters. Feedback is very welcome! I can be reached at gpabn@yahoo.com and thanks for taking the time to read this novel.

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CHAPTER NINE

No Need For Salesmanship

________________________

That morning, Lord Yosho, a commendably early riser, found his grandson and most of the other members of his de facto (if not de jure) extended family asleep on the couches in the living room. He smiled at the sight. If a scene ever called for a camera! Truly, a Fuji moment!

But Yosho would, of course, never embarrass them like that, even if a camera had been at hand. Instead, he took a moment to let the scene engrave itself in his memory. Time was moving on; Tenchi was soon to assume his adult role in life, choices would be made, careers and new families would beckon, and such scenes would be no more, the Shinto priest knew. The carnival would finally depart.

Gently, he touched little Sasami's shoulder. Sasami, having attuned herself to detect motions while sleeping because of her nightly vigil over her older sister, awakened immediately. First, she glanced at Ayeka, anxiously. Yosho noted this and mentally filed it away for later consideration.

Then Sasami smiled, a bit blearily, as she took in Lord Yosho.

"Good morning," he whispered to her.

"Good morning, Lord Yosho." She yawned involuntarily. "Oh, gosh, I'm sorry."

"Come...I'll help you back to your bed."

"Please, Lord Yosho...I would like to make breakfast."

"Are you certain? Did you get enough sleep?"

"Oh, yes, Lord Yosho. Plenty!"

Lord Yosho was not too certain of that, but clearly Sasami was. He smiled and nodded. Sasami grinned and slipped from the couch. Yawning and stretching, she walked toward the kitchen.

Yosho gazed upon her retreating figure, fondly. Many adults of his acquaintance did not possess the little Princess's self-discipline and devotion. The man who would be blessed to marry Sasami in the future would be a wealthy man, indeed.

Now Lord Yosho turned to awaken the others, beginning with his grandson.

------

A little while later in the Grand Baths, Kiyone said, "If I could, I'd dedicate a ten-foot-high statue to Washuu, right in the middle of this paradise."

She sighed with pleasure as she twisted her neck and let the hot water and steam work out yet another kink there. Downing sake and sleeping in a cramped position tended to be a bit hard on the body.

"A twenty-foot statue," Mihoshi amplified. She just lay back in the hot bath waters, eyes closed, letting the steamy water work its steamy magic. "After Sasami's yummy breakfast, I could just go to sleep here." She smiled at the little girl sitting in the water not far from her. Sasami smiled back.

"Hah!" Ryoko sat in the deliciously hot water a bit further down, next to Ayeka. "Washuu would be insulted. Better make it fifty feet high with a live band playing "Hail Washuu!" That might do it for her." It was obvious that Ryoko was feeling much better now.

"Well, she would deserve such a tribute," Ayeka said. "Every woman should have a place like this. And a handsome man to give her a good massage afterwards."

"Princess!" Even Ryoko was a bit taken aback.

"Just thinking aloud." Ayeka smiled languidly. Once in a great while it was fun to say something a little naughty.

Little Sasami had to stifle a giggle. Mihoshi didn't stifle hers. "That is such a neat idea, Ayeka," she said. "Who could we get to do that for us?" She giggled again.

"Don't go there, Mihoshi," Kiyone said, glancing at Sasami.

"Oh...yeah..." Mihoshi caught her partner's glance.

Sasami looked disappointed.

Mihoshi splashed around in the water, just a little bit. Comfort and well-being filled her. She was so happy she and Kiyone had returned to Earth and Tenchi, even if the circumstances had been kind of awful. Then the water made her think of something.

"Kiyone, tell everyone about your plan...you know."

"Well..."

"Why not?"

"What plan is this?" Ayeka inquired politely.

"Okay," Kiyone relented. She felt too fabulous to hold anything back. Besides, the women were conveniently all gathered together, except for Washuu. "I was kind of thinking...we all ought to go spend a day at one of the beaches that are open now. While Tenchi is home for Spring Break."

The idea met with instant approval.

"Like I told you before, Kiyone, I like the way you think," Ryoko said, already picturing in her mind Tenchi in his bathing trunks frolicking with her on the beach.

"Yes, it is a lovely idea, Kiyone," Ayeka agreed, guilty of similar thoughts as Ryoko's.

"That is so neat, Kiyone," Sasami said. "Mihoshi and I have watched all those American movies about beach parties. They're so much fun!"

"Yeah!" Mihoshi said. "Surfing and sand and guys playing music right by the water, and dancing, and dating, and guys on motorcycles..." Mihoshi didn't know it, but she had just provided a pretty fair synopsis of every beach movie ever made. She wondered if it would be all right to bring Trissy along. Trissy would love the beach.

"I don't think the beach we're wanting to go to is a surfing beach," Kiyone pointed out with a smile. "And I can't promise a rock band or motorcycles."

"Just as long as there's sun and sand," Ryoko said, eyes closed, laying back so that only her head showed above the steamy water. And Tenchi too, of course.

"I agree," Ayeka seconded. Again, their thought patterns were remarkably similar.

"But how would we get there?" Sasami asked, practical as always.

"Could take a train, I guess," Ryoko said. "Don't like the idea much, though, carrying our gear and lunch and all."

"Actually, I thought at first that we'd all pile in Tris's car. It has a nice-sized storage compartment--I mean, a trunk," Kiyone said. "But, at best--and it'd be a squeeze--we could get four of us girls in the back seat, if one of us was Sasami. Tris has those darn bucket seats in front, so that just means six. So that won't work."

"Hmmmm..." Ayeka was thoughtful. "Yes, there are six of us and then the two boys."

"There's Mr. Masaki's car," Mihoshi pointed out, referring to the venerable old Subaru station wagon used to transport supplies from the village. "That could carry a few of us."

"No, I don't think so, Mihoshi," said Sasami, who had ridden in the car the most, as she did most of the shopping. "It's barely good enough to go to the village and back in. I'd hate to try to get it to go much further than that. Poor old thing." The little Princess felt rather an affection for the old clunker that Tenchi sardonically called the "Mach Five."

"Why can't Tenchi drive Tris's car?" Ryoko said. "Washuu won't want to come. I'll ride in front with Tenchi and you girls cram in the back. Case closed."

"What about Tris, Ryoko?" Kiyone asked.

"Oh, yeah...him. Well, we'll bring him back a sea shell."

"Ryoko!" Ayeka remonstrated. "What are you thinking of? Take Tristram's car to the beach and leave him behind!"

"That would be awful," Sasami said.

"Yeah...awful and mean!" Mihoshi added.

"Well, he could get caught up on all the trimming he still needs to do. That boy's 'way behind. He's also missed some spots, too. I checked. Anyway, Tenchi said it's about the only job he knows how to do. It'll probably be what he does for a living when he stops wasting time going to college. What a breadwinner he'll be!" Ryoko smiled to herself, waiting for the explosion from Kiyone.

It didn't come. Instead, she heard Kiyone say, "Ryoko?"

"Yes, Kiyone?"

"He goes. Or nobody goes. You can ask Tenchi about that."

"Yeah!" Mihoshi added.

"Awww, I was just kidding," Ryoko said. "Believe me, I want to see that goofball on the beach. I can't wait to see what kind of boner he'll pull there." Ryoko chuckled at the thought.

Ayeka shook her head with annoyance. "Well, at any rate, we need to work out the transportation issue. I agree. Carrying our supplies and food on the train does not appeal to me, either."

"I'll just fly there," Ryoko offered. "And I'll carry Tenchi with me."

"No, you will not!" Ayeka assured her.

"That brings up something else," Kiyone said. "We'll need the consent of Tenchi's grandfather and father. I don't know what they'll think about all of us on a public beach on this planet."

"They'll think they'd like to be there," Ryoko said, grinning. "Especially Tenchi's Dad."

"I do not believe that will be a problem, Kiyone." Ayeka looked at Ryoko. "Especially since someone promised to behave herself recently and actually did."

"Thanks, Princess...I guess." Ryoko was gratified by the Princess's comment, although she thought Ayeka could have phrased it better.

"We can ask, at any rate," Ayeka said. "I am certain there will be no objections. So, that just leaves the transportation issue to work out."

"Guess it's the train, then," Ryoko said.

There was silence for a moment, as the women contemplated that less than desirable option. Trains in Japan were usually traveling sardine cans, with special porters assigned to cram in as many people as possible during rush hours.

"Hey!" Mihoshi said. "What will we wear? On the beach, I mean."

"Well, we have our bathing suits from that pleasure planet--oh, no we don't." Kiyone nearly slapped her head with her hand in annoyance with herself. Her mind really was slipping! With all the fighting and fleeing and near disasters in their fight with the Galaxy Police, the Juraian military, and Kagato, their bathing suits (which they had worn in a beauty contest on that pleasure planet, Alayasa) had gone South somewhere along the way. For a moment, Kiyone recalled standing before the crowd on Alayasa in her pretty bikini...and her tan lines! It still galled her.

"Gosh, that's a good point, Mihoshi. We should have bathing suits," Sasami said. "I mean, how can we go to the beach without swim wear?"

Mihoshi nodded. She wished, for once, that she had made a silly point.

"Well?" said Ryoko. "We got the money for the bikinis by working, didn't we?"

"I don't know about the "we," Ryoko," said Ayeka. "But, yes, we earned the money for them."

"We'll just do it again." Ryoko shrugged.

"How, pray tell?" Ayeka wanted to know.

Sasami splashed noisily with sudden excitement. "I know! We'll sell food! Rice cakes! And tea! To all those nice people who visit the shrine!"

"Yay!" Mihoshi said. "That's a great idea, Sasami!"

"Not bad, Junior Princess," Ryoko said. "Not bad at all. Remember the money we made when we all ran booths during that carnival at the temple?"

"Ummm...Ryoko," Kiyone said. "That's not a good example. We all lost money at that carnival. Remember?"

"Oh, yeah...well, I would have made lots of money if Lord Yosho had let me sell that toad sweat."

"Hah!" Ayeka snorted. "You would have made those poor people sick with that awful stuff and Lord Yosho would have had to answer for it." The memory of that fiasco caused the Princess to forget to reprimand Ryoko for using that despised nickname for Sasami yet again.

"Hey, that toad sweat is good for what ails you, Princess. You could use a couple gallons of it yourself."

"Why should I? There is plenty of toad sweat in this bath house right now!" Ayeka riposted. She laughed shrilly at her bon moot. Ryoko glowered but didn't reply.

"Look, we're getting off the subject," Kiyone intervened. "We won't have those problems we had before because we're going to be selling something the visitors will really want. And we won't have Washuu and her inventions to gum up everything."

Everyone fell silent. The explosion of cotton candy that had flooded that carnival thanks to Washuu's over-powered cotton candy machine was still a vivid memory. Gum up was right! The clean-up had taken several days. Then there was Washuu's haunted house that nearly caused a few venerable old folks to have heart attacks. It was the purest luck that the Masakis had not been sued.

Sasami smiled briefly as she recalled how special that carnival had been to her. Tenchi had treated her like a little lady and she had won some pretty goldfish by playing kingyo-sukui (goldfish dipping) and...well, it had been wonderful.

"We could have our food sale tomorrow. It is the start of the Earth weekend, and the temple attracts many, many visitors at that time," Ayeka broke the silence. "The temple would be perfect for our purposes."

"I think the temple sounds perfect, too," Kiyone said. "But will Lord Yosho think so? It's his temple, after all."

Ryoko snorted. "Hey...a group of knockout women like us selling refreshments? All those old duffers who go to that temple will get the thrill of their lives. Lord Yosho could charge admission."

"Oh yes, that is exactly the way to put it to him," Ayeka retorted.

"Well..." Kiyone said thoughtfully. "Now we have two questions for Lord Yosho." She smiled at Sasami. "Make it a particularly wonderful lunch today, please, Sasami."

"Count on me!"

------

The women were not the only ones enjoying the soothing effects of steam on cramped muscles and kinked joints.

"Well, it's not what the women must be luxuriating in," Tris noted. "But it feels darn good."

"Doesn't it, though?" Tenchi agreed.

Their voices issued from the men's--that is, the normal--bathroom, which was suffused with steam. Tenchi had turned the hot water tap in the shower full blast, until steam billowed out from the stall. Now he and Tris sat on the edge of the tub, towels wrapped around themselves, enjoying the steamy atmosphere.

"Wherever I end up," Tris vowed, "I'm going to install a sauna...and a hot tub."

"Be sure to install some women in bikinis while you're at it." Tenchi chuckled.

"Yeah...hot and cold running redheads."

"Oh, they'll be running all right!" Tenchi chuckled again. He was emerging from his stiffness and the sake hangover.

"Wise guy."

"Hey--that's my line."

Tris shook some of the sweat droplets from his face. They tickled. "Man, a little sake can sure mess up your schedule. No run up the temple steps this a.m."

"Like you miss it!" Tenchi said.

"It's a labor of loathing," Tris admitted. "But...I'd kinda like to reach the top before I leave."

"Good for you! I know Grandfather sort of suggested that goal. If that's your goal too, I hope you make it, buddy--and not die trying!"

"Me, too! I thought I was being Iron Man by doing a little jogging each morning. Your grandfather is right. I need to push myself."

"You're not in bad shape, Tris." Tenchi grinned. "I heard from Ryoko how you ran away from Kiyone that time. She said you flat moved!"

"Kiyone moved, too!"

"And you looked pretty good against that geeky guy yesterday."

"You're the one that looked good." Tris shook his head with admiration. "That roundhouse kick was in the Jackie Chan class."

"Thanks. But there's nothing wrong with your fighting style. I used four punches and a kick. You used only two punches. And that uppercut...that was sweet."

"Thanks, yourself! Like I told you, I majored in uppercuts in grade school--along with staying after class, bringing notes home, and standing in the corner. I was voted the boy most likely to repeat fourth grade."

Tenchi contemplated Tris's dim outline in the swirling steam. He'd never known a guy like him. Tris was a nutball, but a pretty good nutball. Tenchi had not really had any close buddies since the women came to stay, and it was nice to have a guy around his own age to talk guy stuff to. Of course, he had Grandfather and Dad, but he'd hardly bring up the subject of girls in bikinis around them. He grinned.

Suddenly he heard a knocking sound. It came from the bathroom wall opposite them.

"Yeah?" Tenchi called. It had to be one of the women in the Grand Baths, he knew.

"Both you guys in there?" It was Ryoko's voice.

"That's right."

"We need to talk to you guys."

"Okay, we can talk at lunch," Tenchi said.

"We need to talk to you before we talk in front of your Grandfather."

Tenchi and Tris looked at each other. Their interest was piqued. The steam had pretty much dissipated, anyway.

"Okay...in the dining room in fifteen minutes. Maybe Sasami will make us some tea."

"I will!" Now they heard Sasami's voice.

Tris shook his head. Someday he would have to get Washuu to explain how the sub-dimensional matrix thing worked. It seemed like the women were in the next room. Only, there was no room, three- dimensionally speaking, of course.

------

Twenty minutes later, ensconced in the dining room, Tenchi took a contemplative sip of tea. The women had just floated their proposals at him, Kiyone being their spokeswoman. Five pairs of beautiful eyes watched him mull over those proposals.

"Well, what do you think, Tenchi?" Ryoko asked.

"Let him think, Ryoko," Ayeka told her.

Tenchi set his cup down.

"I think the beach idea is a blast." He grinned.

The women greeted his words with warm approbation. He held up his hand.

"But...we do have to ask Grandfather and Dad. And we'll have to see if Grandfather will consent to your food and drink sale at the temple. That cotton candy flood at the carnival is still talked about in the village."

"Of course, Lord Tenchi," Ayeka said. "But you are with us."

"Naturally. The beach sounds great, especially since it's been so warm." Tenchi turned to Tris. "You haven't said anything."

"Is it my turn?" Tris asked.

"Go ahead, wise guy."

"Sounds keen. Can I bring my sea horsie?" Tris asked.

"That's a yes." Tenchi turned back to the women. "It sounds like you--"

"You have a sea horsie?" Mihoshi asked Tris, interested in that subject.

Kiyone snorted. "Ignore the idiot, Mihoshi. Tenchi, please continue."

"Right...anyway, it sounds like you have two projects: The food sale and the beach trip."

"Right," said Kiyone, who enjoyed taking charge. "We'd better handle each project one at a time. I'll act as Project Manager, if there are no objections."

There were none.

"I could make up a Gantt Chart," Tris offered. "All Project Managers in business use one. That's a chart that tells you the project costs too much and can't be done on time anyway, and that the guy who made the chart needs a raise." He hadn't taken business administration classes for nothing.

"Someone is going to need a patient chart," Kiyone said, looking at Tris. "In about five minutes."

Tris subsided.

"They just can't keep their hands off each other," Ryoko leaned back and whispered to Ayeka.

"The first thing to do is get the okay from your grandfather and your father, Tenchi. We plan to ask Lord Yosho over lunch. Sasami is in charge of making a very special lunch for him." Kiyone glanced at Sasami.

Sasami smiled.

"Assuming we get the okay, we'll need some booths. Just tables and chairs set up," Kiyone pressed on.

"We have those in the shed," Tenchi said.

"Good," Kiyone approved. "You and Gantt Chart here can set those up for us."

"Big mouth," Tris muttered to Tenchi.

"And we'll need some people to bring up and carry back the plates of food--we decided on rice cakes--and Thermos bottles of tea. You guys can handle that too."

"Slave driver. Talk to my shop steward," Tris told her.

"I'll talk to your nurse," Kiyone said. "In about--"

"Five minutes, yeah, yeah."

"We'll do it, Kiyone," Tenchi said.

"Thank you, Tenchi," Kiyone said, smiling sweetly at him. She smiled even more sweetly at Tris.

"Workers of the world, unite," Tris muttered.

"Now, as to the beach trip," Tenchi went on. "I know Grandfather and Dad won't object to it. No real problems there, except for transportation."

"No problem there," Tris said.

Everybody stared at him.

"We really do not wish to use the train or the bus, Tristram," Ayeka objected.

"You won't," said Tris.

"Your car won't carry all of us," Ryoko told him. "Even if we put the Princess in the trunk. You think about that."

"I've thought about it."

"And?" Tenchi said.

"We're all going to the beach, in style," Tris said. "No bus, no train, no tube. Our own wheels. Next topic."

Again, everybody stared at him.

"Mind telling us how?" Tenchi asked.

"You'll see." Now Tris smiled slightly.

"Tris..."

"It's my project, my responsibility. Right, Project Manager?"

Kiyone looked at him contemplatively. She had great affection for her idiot, but he had a tendency to...well..."Okay, right," she said. "But you'd better come through, buster."

"I'll come through."

Tenchi looked at his friend. Tris really did not inspire confidence sometimes, and was inclined to crack jokes rather than take things seriously. But when you took that tack with him, he turned around and surprised you. Sometimes. Tenchi hoped Tris was not just shooting off his mouth. This beach trip had become very important to the women, he knew.

"Okay, that's about it, I guess," Tenchi said. "The next move rests with Grandfather."

------

Actually, the next move really rested with Sasami...and she came through with flying colors. Her lunch was a culinary triumph.

"Sasami, you have outdone yourself," Lord Yosho complemented her. "I've never tasted such delectably prepared shrimp. The seasoning is ambrosia. Your talents are greatly prized in our little household."

Sasami beamed, her face pretty in pink at the praise. "Thank you, Lord Yosho."

So far, so good, Tenchi thought.

The food was truly excellent and everyone worked to keep the atmosphere light and friendly. Both Ryoko and Tris had been instructed to watch their comments and both had cooperated, so far. Kiyone had termed the approach "salesmanship," and Tris had called it "bribery," and then Kiyone had looked at him and he had shut up. Tenchi was pleased with the cooperation. When they all worked together, it made a difference.

However, Lord Yosho had yet to reply to the question Tenchi had put to him...actually, two questions.

That worthy didn't seem to be in any hurry. He sipped tea, then dropped another shrimp in his mouth via chopsticks and chewed with evident enjoyment.

"Yes, indeed," he said, finally. "Such wonderful cooking should be shared. I think those who come to the temple deserve to sample it...and Sasami's delicious tea, of course."

Everybody visibly relaxed.

"Thanks, Grandfather," Tenchi said, relieved.

"Why, I should thank all of you. It will prove a treat for my visitors. I know the difficulties that occurred at the carnival will not be repeated."

"Ummm...we are charging for that treat, sir," Tris pointed out. He dropped his chopsticks as Kiyone elbowed him.

"Of course." Yosho nodded. "Expenses must be deferred."

"There's a profit thing too, and--ow!"

"Profits for a good cause. Detective, Tristram should be allowed to enjoy this wonderful meal, don't you agree?"

"Yes, Lord Yosho." Kiyone gave Tris a significant look. Tris gave her one back. If Tris had possessed Beah's unique skills at communication, he would have stuck his tongue out at her, Tenchi was certain. In fact, his friend was becoming distinctly peeved. Tenchi wondered if Kiyone was picking up on that.

"So, the beach trip is all right, too, Grandfather?" he asked.

"Tenchi, it is not for me to say. You are adults and I have nothing but confidence in your decisions. Your father shares my confidence, I know."

"Thanks, Grandfather. We all appreciate that."

"We're going to the beach!" Mihoshi clapped her hands. "Yay!"

That summed up the general feeling. Not everyone shared it completely, however.

Tris, rubbing his left side and contemplating his erstwhile girlfriend, wondered if he shouldn't find a stone pathway to trim a little further out that afternoon...like in Tokyo. At any rate, he knew he needed to get away from Kiyone for a while. She had just jabbed him once too often. It wasn't funny anymore. Tris wasn't sure he liked Kiyone as much as he had.

------

That evening, Nobuyuki made another late arrival home from the office, missing dinner once again.

Tenchi collared his father and more or less marched him to the dining room where Sasami served Nobuyuki food that she had kept hot for him following dinner. Tenchi ensured his father ate a full meal and chatted with him while he did.

During Nobuyuki's meal, Tris stepped in and asked about his work. Nobuyuki was pleased with the attention, especially when the women (aside from Washuu) had also come into the dining room and talked to him excitedly about the beach trip and the temple food sale. He was happy to add his assent. He had a few private thoughts about the women in their bikinis but nothing more than what a normal middle- aged man still somewhat full of vigor would be expected to think.

After his late dinner, Nobuyuki walked upstairs, did a little work on those estimates in his home office (had to sharpen that pencil again, blast those tightwads!), and decided to retire to bed.

He was undressing and feeling a little resentful that he had to go into the office on a weekend day and miss the temple food sale, when someone knocked at his door. He crossed his bedroom and slid open the door. His father-in-law stood on the threshold.

"Getting ready for bed, Nobuyuki?" Yosho asked. He only called his son-in-law by his first name when they were alone together.

"Yes, father-in-law."

"Have you a few minutes?"

"Of course." Nobuyuki smiled. "Come on in."

Lord Yosho entered.

------

"Me? At the beach? What do you think I am--a beach bunny?" Washuu asked.

"It shall be fun, Miss Washuu. We would like to have you with us," Ayeka told her.

Again, Ayeka and Ryoko had braved the broom-closet portal to enter Washuu's sub-dimensional domain. They now sat on the worse-for-wear couches with the great scientist, trying to convince her to go with them on the beach trip.

"Beach bunny?" Ryoko snorted. "Listen, Washuu, we're going to be in bikinis. You don't need to woory about being mistaken for a beach bunny. The eyes will be on us."

"You haven't seen me in a bikini, Ryoko. I can turn heads with the rest of you girls." Washuu didn't add that she didn't get the chance to at that pleasure planet, since she had been busy repairing and refurbishing the Yagami while the other women got to compete in a swimsuit competition. She also didn't mention that they had lost that competition--to a bounty hunter stalking Ryoko, no less!

"You would wear a bikini, Miss Washuu?" Ayeka was surprised.

"Well...no. But I cut quite a figure in a one-piece."

"Is that the one with the booties?" Ryoko snickered.

"Laugh it up, Ryoko. You'll see."

"Then you will go with us, Miss Washuu?" Ayeka asked.

"Well..."

"No way she'll go. She talks a good game. But to actually show herself..." Ryoko's voice was dubious.

"I'll go," said Washuu.

"That is wonderful! Everybody will be so pleased, Miss Washuu." Ayeka smiled.

"Especially the men over eighty," Ryoko added.

"Don't you have some place to go, Ryoko?" Washuu hinted.

"Yes, we had both better depart," Ayeka decided. "We have disturbed Miss Washuu long enough, Ryoko."

"At least one of you has," Washuu observed.

"Hey, wait a minute--we're all going to slave tomorrow to raise money for our bikinis. You ought to help, Washuu," Ryoko said.

Washuu shook her head. "No need. I'll get a swimsuit on my own."

"You can sew, Miss Washuu?" Ayeka stared with surprise at the redheaded super scientist.

"Not a stitch! But I'll have a bathing suit, never fear."

"As you say, Miss Washuu. Come Ryoko."

As they emerged from the broom closet with a clatter of buckets a few minites later, Ryoko said, "Well, that approach worked pretty darned good, Princess."

"Yes, it did. You played your part well, Ryoko. However, I do not like to purposely antagonize someone in order to get them to say yes to something."

"Awww, it's just reverse psychology, Princess. Works every time!"

"That is not what Tristram called it," Ayeka said. "What were the words he used? Oh, yes--"Good Cop and Bad Cop." That is an odd name for it."

"Never thought I'd enjoy playing a cop," Ryoko admitted. "But that was fun. And it worked!"

------

"We don't see you at dinner very often these nights, Nobuyuki," Lord Yosho remarked. He sat on his son-in-law's bed beside him.

"I know. The work load is just unreal these days, and we're chronically shorthanded." Nobuyuki explained.

"I understand. Is there any sign of a letup?"

Nobuyuki shook his head. "To tell you the truth, father-in-law, I think management likes the situation. We're all salaried and as long as they can squeeze out the projects with the people on hand, they won't hire more architects. That's a shame...not only for my workload but also because I see so many resumes of bright young people cross my desk. They need a chance, and they won't get it, not with my firm, anyway."

Yosho also shook his head. "That truly is a shame. To abuse trusted and loyal employees without even a boost in recompense...and then to shut the door to those seeking an opportunity."

"That really sums it up. With the current recession, the bosses just feel they have the upper hand. The attitude is, put up with it or quit. And I don't want to be sending my resume out, not at my age."

"There are some compensations to getting older," Yosho agreed. "But opportunity is rarely one of them."

"That's so true!"

The two men sat a moment in silence.

"Tenchi is really growing up," Yosho remarked.

"He sure is! He's quite a boy...I'm so proud of him."

"As am I. These are the few remaining years that we can regard him as our boy. He will soon be a full-grown man. He really is all but there now. And then it will change for you and I."

Nobuyuki rubbed his face. "I know. I hate missing this time with him. I hate it."

Yosho nodded sympathetically. "The longer I live, the more convinced I am that all of us, not only those of us who were honored with a calling, face great struggles. So many of my temple congregation have big problems to overcome, almost daily. I see it when I speak with them...and I see it in our own home."

"Struggle is the word for it, father-in-law."

"Yes. You have struggled mightily, Nobuyuki. You have never faltered in your desire to raise your son properly, despite a rather crusty old father-in-law and so many unexpected additions to the family. You have succeeded admirably. I have often wished I could have assisted you more."

"With respect, honorable father-in-law, that's nonsense. You've helped Tenchi so much, both as his grandfather and his sensei. I couldn't have helped him in his battles with evil. He has that destiny, as we both know. And I have been lucky to have a father-in- law who has helped me as you have to raise our motherless boy."

"Thank you, Nobuyuki." Lord Yosho's voice was warm. "You speak of battling evil. All men who are men must sometimes stand up against injustice, whether it is occurring on a cosmic scale or in an office. I want you to know that we will get by one way or another, whatever you decide to do about your situation. I can promise you that."

Nobuyuki smiled. "I appreciate that...and...I'll sleep on it."

"Good!" Yosho rose. "Well, I'll tell you all about the sale tomorrow if you get in late. Perhaps even save a rice cake or two for you."

"Thanks, father-in-law," Nobuyuki said.

------

Early the next morning, Tris performed his run-up-the-steps-stop-and- wheeze-like-crazy routine once again. Panting, he wondered if he should take it on the road. It might garner as many laughs as Gallagher hitting watermelons with a sledgehammer.

"Good morning, Tristram."

Tris looked up. Lord Yosho, dressed, as always, impeccably in his robes, stood on the steps above him.

"Morning...sir," Tris managed to utter, still winded.

"You are more than half way up. I am impressed, Tristram. You make good progress."

"Thanks, sir. It's that first step that's a doozy."

Yosho smiled and sat on the steps. Tris naturally did likewise.

"Tristram, I feel I have been remiss in not expressing my sorrow at the loss of your parents. I have come to know you and, I think, to know how important they were to you."

"Yes, sir. They were pretty special."

"As all parents should be. I don't wish to pry, Tristram...but I understand you didn't leave your country under the happiest of circumstance."

Tris laughed ironically. "It was under the lousiest of circumstances, sir."

"Perhaps it's still too painful to discuss the circumstances."

"Oh, no, sir, if you'd really like to hear them. I've already told Tenchi and Kiyone."

"I would indeed like to hear about it."

Obligingly, Tris told Lord Yosho about the debacle at his parent's funeral--how he punched out one of his uncles--his relatives' rancor at the reading of the will, and his pulling up stakes to return to Japan.

When he finished, Tris said, "So that's the whole mess, sir. My un-finest hour. It won't appear on my resume, that's for sure."

Yosho smiled at the tiny jest. "You are too hard on yourself, perhaps. It would appear that your relatives were insensitive, and, possibly too interested in money that was not theirs. I understand your desire to remember your parents as living people, not the empty shells our bodies become when we die."

"That's sort of what Tenchi and Kiyone said," Tris said.

"I pride myself that my grandson has grown to be wise. Kiyone is, in some ways, wise beyond her years. Her regard is a goal well worth the effort to gain...even if it does require a bit of discomfort at times." Yosho smiled again.

Tris chuckled. "Discomfort? Naw."

"Very little is accomplished without discomfort, as you have learned in your quest up these steps."

"Yes, sir."

"How do you feel now about the past, Tristram? About leaving your relatives under those circumstances?"

"Well, I have to admit, it really does feel like running away. It's nothing for me to be proud of." Tris looked bemused.

"Indeed? Perhaps you are correct. As you know, Tristram, having lived here so long, we have a high regard for our ancestors and we feel that family is paramount. I assume you are a Christian and you believe your parents' spirits live on."

"Yeah, I guess I do. I'm not a very good Christian. I never go to church, for example."

"I have read your New Testament, Tristram," Lord Yosho told him. "I do not recall seeing in there any requirements for being a Christian aside from accepting the teachings of Jesus and believing in his divinity."(1)

"I never thought about it that way, sir. I guess you're right."

"How do you feel the spirits of your parents might regard your actions, Tristram?"

"I guess...they'd be pretty disappointed in me," Tris admitted, staring down at his Reeboks. "I dissed my mother's sisters, I slugged one of their husbands, I argued with them, and then I lit out the first chance I got. That about sums it up."

"I rather think not. People who love you, know you. If you made a mistake, it's a human one. Your parents would understand that. But perhaps there is one thing that they would want you to do...one thing that may well bring peace to you as well."

Tris looked at Lord Yosho, wondering how Tenchi's grandfather read him so well.

"I mentioned to you before about fighting demons. This may well be a demon you must fight, within yourself. The demon of avoiding an uncomfortable situation until all hope of rectification and reconciliation is gone."

The young American nodded. "I think I see. I should at least try to reconcile with my relatives. Is that it?"

Lord Yosho nodded. "I believe that would go far toward quelling that demon. It would be a first move toward having a proper relationship with whom you tell me are your only close relatives. And I also believe it would greatly ease your mind, Tristram."

"I think you're right, Lord Yosho." Tris swallowed hard. "It won't be easy, after all that's happened."

"Running up a large expanse of stone steps isn't easy either, as you well know, Tristram. But it is worth the effort if you benefit from it. Fortunately, we have a device that allows communication with people without having to confront them face-to-face."

Now Tris smiled. "The telephone, huh?"

"Exactly."

"Yeah...yes, sir. I will call them. Maybe when I go back to school."

"Why not sooner?"

Tris smiled again. "Why not? I do have a phone card. It has great rates--as long as you don't use it to call anywhere but Sri Lanka between midnight and four a.m."

Lord Yosho chuckled. "Telephone charges are one conundrum I doubt I'll ever understand," he agreed.

"Me neither. I'm glad we had this talk, sir. I just sorry you had to find out what a runaway I am."

"As to being a runaway..." Lord Yosho smiled indulgently. "Tristram, I came here, as I think Tenchi told you, from the planet Jurai. There, I had great responsibilities, with even greater ones in the offing. But when I arrived at this planet, I found kind and generous people who accepted me, a stranger. I then resolved to stay and to turn my back on my former life and position and all of its obligations and responsibilities. Thus, one could say I am a runaway. I might postulate instead that I abandoned old responsibilities for new ones-- and for a chance at real happiness. It all depends on the way you look at it. You may find new responsibilities here, Tristram...and a chance for happiness as well."

Now Lord Yosho rose. "You had best go take your shower, Tristram. I'll see you at breakfast."

"Yes, sir. See you then."

Tris walked down the steps slowly. He had a lot to think about, suddenly.

------

Some hours later, many people were walking up those same temple steps. And when they reached the top of those steps, they found more than they had bargained for.

"Hey, you, Mister! You must want some tea after that climb. You look pretty woofed out."

Despite Ryoko's persuasive words, the middle-aged gentleman declined. He moved on.

"Old skinflint," Ryoko muttered.

"Ryoko," Ayeka said. "I do not think..."

Kiyone now walked over to their tea booth from her rice cake booth where she had been instructing Mihoshi to stop eating rice cakes and start selling them. She was finding out that being Project Manager was a bit more of a project than she had anticipated.

"Ryoko, I heard you just then. That's not salesmanship. That's just hectoring people," Kiyone told the space pirate.

"Just trying to get their attention," Ryoko muttered.

"You are. And they aren't buying are they?"

"Well...no."

"Just be nice and smile and be charming, damn it!" Kiyone spoke in a low voice, but it rang with intensity. Ryoko looked at her with surprise. So did Ayeka.

"Okay, okay. Charming. Nice. Smile. Got it."

"We are sorry, Kiyone," Ayeka said. "We shall do better."

"I'm sorry, too. But please try to use salesmanship."

Kiyone left to return to her own booth. "Mihoshi--not another one! I'm warning you!" Ayeka and Ryoko heard her growl.

Shortly after lunch, Tenchi and Tris had placed two small occasional tables and four chairs (one for each of the women) on the stone walk immediately leading to the entrance of the temple. They had also affixed white cardboard signs to the tables that advertised the goodies for sale and the prices. Hopefully, the same generosity that prompted temple visitors to toss a donation into the temple's wood- and-brass saisen-bako box would also motivate those same visitors to purchase tea and rice cakes.

At the tea table, Ryoko and Ayeka had several large Thermos bottles filled with Sasami's tea and a heaping of plain white paper cups. Both had dressed very discretely, Ayeka in her most somber robed gown and Ryoko in a plain ecru blouse (buttoned up to her neck) and not-too-tight raspberry silk slacks.

The second table held plates of rice cakes. Mihoshi and Kiyone were wearing their best slacks and short-sleeved blouses (Mihoshi had finally gotten the soy sauce spot out of her favorite slacks with Sasami's help).

The weather was lovely and balmy and the soaring Shinto temple gleamed in the warm sunlight. The women were attractive and not overly exotic-looking (the local visitors took them for ordinary gajin), the tea was delicious, and the rice cakes tasty. Sales stunk, however.

"You'd think these people never drank tea," Ryoko muttered.

"I think Kiyone is right. We should be polite and nice and not pressure people," Ayeka said softly. "You are chasing them away, Ryoko..." She stopped as a little old woman, dressed very traditionally in a kimono and clogs, hobbled up to them.

"Good afternoon, madam." Ayeka smiled at the gray-haired venerable matron.

"What's good about it? I had to walk up all those steps myself because my useless son-in-law refuses to help me up to the shrine. He just drops me off, the worm. I have bunions, you know," the elderly woman said, rather breathlessly.

"I am so sorry to hear that," Ayeka said sympathetically. Ryoko eyed the old woman, not surprised at all that her son-in-law took a powder.

"Perhaps a cup of tea would refresh you, madam." Ayeka smiled her friendliest smile.

"Well...perhaps." The old woman peered at the hand-written sign taped to the front of the booth. "What? You charge money for it?"

"Well, we are raising money for a special cause, and..."

"Charging money? You have your nerve young woman!" The old woman shook her fist. "Reminds me of my daughter...who married that worm!" The elderly matron stalked away.

"Why, the crass old biddy," Ayeka whispered angrily, glaring after the hobbling form of the ancient harridan.

"Salesmanship, huh?" Ryoko said. "That's the way to sell, huh?"

"Oh, hush." Ayeka moodily restacked the cups. There was nothing else to do to occupy the time.

Meanwhile, Mihoshi was also trying salesmanship.

"Yes, sir, they are very good...and very good for you!" she said to a thin, elderly man who carried a cane, although he could walk quite well. Kiyone was crouching under the table trying to pick up some loose change that Mihoshi had dropped accidentally. With sales like they were, every yen counted.

Mihoshi smiled the sweetest smile this side of the International Date Line. The elderly man was not impressed.

"How do I know they're good--and worth the price?" he asked.

"Because Sasami made them."

"Who's Sasami? Your sister?"

"No!" Mihoshi giggled. "She's a little girl and she cooks just wonderfully--"

The old gentleman jumped back as if he had been hit.

"A kid? Some rotten kid, I'll bet. Probably spit on them right out of the oven."

"What!" Mihoshi was shocked. "Sasami would never do that!"

"I know the kids today, blondie. They're all the same. Bah!"

The old gentleman walked away, using his cane to punctuate his continuing commentary on the spoiled youth that infested Japan today.

Kiyone rose, having finally corralled the coins. "Mihoshi..."

"Did you hear what he said about Sasami's lovely rice cakes?" Mihoshi was tearfully indignant.

"I heard. Better not mention Sasami's age. Okay?"

"Okay, Kiyone. But he was a mean man!"

"And don't eat any more rice cakes, okay? We need the sales."

"Yes, Kiyone."

Kiyone shook her head irritably. Between Mihoshi's unwise comments and Ryoko's hard-sell technique and the sales resistance of the customers, her plans for a beach party--at least for a bikini beach party--seemed remote. Suddenly, she wondered what Tris was doing. She had not seen him for a long time.

Kiyone had looked for Tris yesterday after their rather contentious lunch, but he had disappeared, and Tenchi had told her he wasn't sure where Tris had gone off to. Even after dinner that evening, Tris had made himself scarce. It had been disappointing to Kiyone and frustrating, too. She wanted to apologize to Tris. On reflection, she had realized that Tris hadn't been trying to crack jokes at the expense of her project--he had just wanted to be upfront about the tea and rice cake sales with Lord Yosho. Tris had a certain stubborn integrity, she had come to realize. It made her even fonder of him. But she had not had an opportunity yet to tell him so and that really bothered her.

Was he avoiding her?

------

Actually, Tris was back at the house, trying to put a positive spin on the lack of any need to replenish the booths after an hour of selling.

"Well, it's early times still. You sure they don't need more rice cakes--or tea?" he asked Tenchi.

"No," said Tenchi, shaking his head. "I just checked ten minutes ago. They're still pretty well stocked."

"Gosh," said Sasami. "That doesn't sound too good."

"It's not the most hopeful sign," Tenchi agreed.

They were in the kitchen. Sasami had piles of rice cakes stacked on the counters and water on a slow boil on the stove. The early afternoon sun streamed in through the windows, unhampered by the blinds that had been drawn up. It was a great day for just about anything...anything but selling rice cakes and tea, it seemed.

Sasami looked down at the floor. "I was so hoping we could have this beach trip," she said in a small voice. "I guess we girls could go without swimsuits but it would look pretty funny, wouldn't it?"

Tenchi nodded. "Yes, it would, Sasami."

"This trip really means a lot to you, doesn't it, Sasami?" Tris asked.

"Yes, it does. Not only to me, but all the girls. You don't know, Tris. You can get in your car and go anywhere and see anything. We can't. We pretty much have to stay at home. It's very nice here, but...I would so like to go someplace new, like the beach."

Tris suddenly understood. He was so used to having the means and the opportunity to travel on a whim that he took it for granted. That wasn't the case with the women. In a very real sense, it wasn't the case with his buddy, Tenchi, either.

Tris looked at Tenchi. Tenchi shook his head. He did not appear optimistic.

"You'll go to the beach, Sasami," Tris said.

She looked up. "Really? Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. In fact, I promise."

Her face lit up. "You do?"

"Cross my heart."

"Gosh, that's great! Thank, you Tris!"

Eagerly, Sasami walked to the counter. "I think I'll make another pan of rice cakes. Maybe we'll need them after all."

Tenchi said, "Tris, let's go outside for a minute."

"Okay."

They left the kitchen for the living room and then walked to the front genkan entryway. Tenchi did not say anything until they had both slipped their street shoes on, slid open the front door, and stepped outside. Tenchi slid the door closed. Then he turned and confronted Tris.

"I feel sorry for Sasami and the girls, too, Tris," Tenchi said. He was as upset as Tris had ever seen him. "But I've lived with them a hell of a lot longer than you have. They tend to be very trusting of people they like, even Ryoko, believe it or not. Now they all like you. And you go and shoot off your mouth and make a promise you can't possibly keep. Maybe you've stayed here a little longer than you should have."

Tris just stared at Tenchi. His friend was genuinely angry at him, for the first time Tris could remember. So angry that Tenchi was plainly telling him to leave. Tris felt numb inside. But he managed to keep his voice even. "I didn't do that, Tenchi. I meant what I said."

"How? You promise to take everybody to the beach, although you don't have room for us all in your car. And you know damn well the girls won't go to the beach without nice swimsuits--they have their pride, you know."

Tris folded his arms across his chest. "Listen. That little doll in there is going to the beach if I have to carry her myself. All the women are. I don't care what logic says. We're going to find a way, damn it!"

Tenchi looked at Tris for a long minute. The sudden silence seemed like an invisible wall between them.

Finally, he spoke.

"What's this "we" business--Kimo Sabe?"(2)

He was using Tris's old Tonto routine.

Then he grinned and stuck out his hand. Tris grinned back with relief and took it. They shook hands.

"Okay, wise guy," Tenchi said. "You're right. We can't let a little thing like logic stop us. The women deserve their beach trip."

"That's the spirit, old buddy."

"But what can we do? How can we help?"

"We can drum up business," Tris told him. There was a devilish look in his eyes. "Ever hear of a shill?"

"No."

"Then," Tris said, wrapping an arm around Tenchi's shoulders and leading him back into the house, "old pal, you're about to enroll in Tris Coffin's College of Salesmanship Knowledge."

------

Mihoshi was looking rather sad. She had smiled brightly at people who passed her booth again and again--and they just kept going by. Nobody wanted rice cakes, it seemed. It was very dispiriting. Kiyone sat in her chair, her chin resting on her hand, staring down at the table. She now wished she hadn't mentioned her great plan at all. To get her friends' hopes up like that...just to see them fall...

"These are the rice cakes, honorable American sir." It was Tenchi's voice.

"Thank you, Kato. Just for that, you may wax the Black Beauty tonight."(3) And that was Tris's voice.

"Oh, thank you, honorable sir," Tenchi's voice said.

Kiyone looked up. Her eyes widened.

Tenchi, looking somewhat servile in a black suit, white shirt, striped tie, and eye glasses, all borrowed from his father, bowed to Tris. He could not see very well through the glasses and Tris had to steady him surreptitiously. Tris returned the bow. He was wearing an Oxford gray suit and red power tie he had also borrowed from Nobuyuki (all of this borrowing had been without that worthy's knowledge, of course).

"So these are the prize-winning rice cakes I read about in the Asian Wall Street Journal," Tris proclaimed in his big American voice.

Kiyone's jaw dropped. She stared at him, open-mouthed.

"You should watch that, young lady...flies, you know," Tris told her. He then cleared his throat importantly. His voice boomed. "Yes, Kato, I see their quality even from this distance. When I build my rice cake factory in the US, I will need just the right recipe. It must be a true Japanese rice cake that we manufacture. I understand that a venerable grandmother in the village makes these?"

"Yes, honorable rich American sir. She is raising money for a wonderful cause."

"So I am told. It is to send six very poor and homeless local girls on a nice holiday, I understand." Tris's voice carried all the way to the temple itself. People began gathering around the booth.

"That is right, honorable American tycoon sir."

"I am not surprised, Kato. The generosity of the Japanese people is the talk everywhere."

By this time, the booth was ringed with people. They silently watched the two young men, amused and entertained.

"And these nice young ladies have volunteered to help sell the lovely old grandmother's rice cakes? That is commendable, indeed." Tris continued the ballyhoo. "Young lady," he said to Kiyone, "do please close your mouth. I assure you I have already seen the Grand Canyon."

Tenchi stifled a laugh. "Quite commendable, rich and philanthropic American magnate sir."

"But can these rice cakes possibly be as good as the newspaper said, Kato?"

"There is only one way to find out, sir."

"Ah, yes. Right you are, Kato."

Tris turned to Kiyone, who still goggled at him with disbelief. At least her mouth was closed now.

"Lovely young lady, I would like to purchase a rice cake."

Kiyone did not move. She was still dumbfounded. Mihoshi, who had been watching Tris and Tenchi with undisguised delight, said, "Oh, yes, sir!" She loved to play games. She handed him a rice cake.

"Thank you, young lady. I'm sorry that your friend seems to be suffering from some brain disorder." Tris bit into the rice cake. He chewed contemplatively. The crowd pressed forward for the verdict.

Mihoshi played along and leaned forward, too. Kiyone just kept staring at Tris with wide blue eyes.

"You say a local grandmother makes these, Kato?" Tris asked.

"Yes, honorable magnate sir," Tenchi answered.

"They are...heavenly, Kato. Only a sweet grandmother's hands could make rice cakes so delicious."

The people in the crowd seemed to let out their collective breath. They applauded politely.

"I'll take two more to bring to my board of directors. I know now that this is the rice cake that will sweep America. Kato, pay the lady."

"Yes, honorable tycoon sir." Tenchi paid Mihoshi (who had to guide his hand--his Dad's glasses again) and gathered up the two rice cakes, wrapped in a napkin.

Tris and Tenchi bowed to Mihoshi and Kiyone and left.

Then the crowd surged in. Suddenly Mihoshi and Kiyone were selling rice cakes right and left and sideways. The visitors to the temple did not believe all (not even a tenth) of what they had heard, of course. But the two young men were entertaining and the local folks liked the bit about the grandmother (the Japanese are very regardful of grandparents). Besides, the rice cakes were delicious, and once the first few customers had bit into theirs, praise for the rice cakes rose like hosannas. Soon all the rice cakes were gone and Ayeka (glad to be doing something constructive at last) hurried from her booth to get some more.

Kiyone and Mihoshi explained to their customers that more rice cakes were coming right away. The customers nodded politely and waited. The Japanese are very patient people.

Soon Ayeka hurried up, carrying four trays of rice cakes (as mentioned previously, the alien women were exceptionally strong). They sold out immediately, and Ayeka hurried away for still more.

Ryoko, watching all this, suddenly grinned. Tenchi's and Tris's kind of salesmanship was the kind she liked. It was sort of like the way she had tried to sell that toad sweat long ago at the temple carnival. Well, all right. She could show a little salesmanship now, too. Since the crowd was zeroed in at the rice cake stand, no one would notice her. She took several Thermos bottles of tea and covertly dumped their contents behind the walkway, on the grass. She was careful to retain one filled Thermos, however.

Ayeka returned a few minutes later with four more trays, perched precariously one atop the other. She deposited them on Mihoshi and Kiyone's stand. "The boys will bring the rice cakes from now on," she said breathlessly. "I just talked to them at the house." Then she hurried back to her own booth.

"Well, we sold some tea, Princess," Ryoko told her.

"We did?" Ayeka said. "How wonderful!"

"Yeah...got to get these empty Thermos jugs re-filled, though."

"Well, the boys will--"

"No need to wait for them. You stay here, Princess. You've done enough running around. I'll go get more tea."

"You will?" Ayeka was clearly gratified. "That would be very helpful, Ryoko."

"No problem. I'll be right back."

------

Back in the kitchen, Sasami looked at Tris and Tenchi with concern. They were standing before her, laughing like madmen.

"What's so funny?" Sasami asked. "Why are you both wearing Mr. Masaki's suits? And why is Ayeka coming in here all the time for rice cakes?"

Tris looked at her. "Those are some big pigtails you got there, grandma." He hooted with laughter.

Tenchi gasped for breath. "Sasami, don't worry. We haven't cracked up--not yet, anyway."

"That's right...Kato." Tris regained his breath. The two young men then laughed again.

"I don't understand," Sasami said, looking at both of them.

"Kitten, you're going to the beach. Don't worry about the rest," Tris advised, wiping his eyes.

"That's right, Sasami." Tenchi smiled at her.

Suddenly Sasami smiled, too. Tenchi and Tris were acting as if they had played a naughty trick. Whatever they had done, they had done for her, she knew. Her heart filled with warmth. She wanted to hug them both...but now she had more rice cakes to make.

------

A short while later, Tris and Tenchi, now wearing their usual casual shirts and pants, carried trays loaded with rice cakes to the temple. They met a merry Ryoko walking in the opposite direction, toward the Masaki house, carrying Thermos jugs.

"How are the rice cake sales going now?" Tenchi asked her. "Looks like you sold some tea, too."

"Sales are hopping, sweetums," Ryoko replied with a grin.

"Tris and I are supposed to get more tea for you, Ryoko--"

"I don't mind getting it. Hey, you guys killed me with that stunt! I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing."

"Glad you didn't laugh. It ruins the setup," Tris told her.

"The Princess just kept shaking her head." Ryoko grinned again. "She had no clue what was going on at first."

"Well, I guess it was a little unexpected." Tenchi returned the grin.

Ryoko regarded Tris with rare approval. "Well Tris, once again you really showed me something."

"It was Tenchi and me," Tris objected.

"Oh, my sweetums would never come up with a scheme like that. It called for a sneaky, conniving, underhanded type--"

"You rang?" Tris said.

Ryoko laughed. The space pirate seemed full of high spirits. "Well, I guess I'll just have to show you boys something, too."

With that, Ryoko left. They heard her still laughing to herself in the distance as she continued toward the house carrying the Thermos jugs.

"What's got her all tickled?" Tris wondered.

Tenchi shrugged. "No telling. Com'on, let's get these rice cakes delivered."

------

Sasami was pleased to see Ryoko arrive in the kitchen with empty Thermos jugs. "Oh, gosh!" she cried. "So the tea is selling well too, Ryoko?"

"That's the story, Junior Princess," Ryoko replied with a smile.

"That's so great!" Sasami hurried to take the slow-boiling water off the stove and begin making tea. "It'll be just a few minutes."

"No hurry," Ryoko said.

Soon the Thermoses were filling with hot, aromatic tea. Sasami carefully filled them, standing on the stool she used for such chores.

"Don't fill them too high," Ryoko warned.

"Why, Ryoko?"

"Because...well, because the tea tends to really pour out too fast the first time when the jugs are too full." Ryoko explained hastily.

"Oh, okay." Sasami filled each Thermos about three-quarters full. "Is that enough, Ryoko?"

"Just perfect," Ryoko approved.

"I don't know, though...the boys will have to make more trips."

"I'm making the trips. And I don't mind. I need the exercise so I'll look even more terrific in my new bikini."

"Uh-huh." Sasami never thought she'd ever hear Ryoko say she wanted exercise--and to volunteer to make all the trips herself! The little Princess smiled. "You're really getting into the spirit of this, aren't you, Ryoko?"

"Yes, indeed, spirits...I mean, spirit. That's right."

Sasami placed the plastic tops back on the Thermos jugs and twisted them tight. "All set, Ryoko."

"Thanks. I'll see you soon, kiddo."

Ryoko hefted the Thermos jugs, smiled again at Sasami, and left. Sasami sighed happily and then went to the oven to check on her latest batch of rice cakes.

------

Once out of the kitchen, Ryoko, carrying the jugs, rose into the air and glided silently to the little polished lacquer cabinet in the living room where the Masaki men kept the sake. She smiled at the locked cabinet door. Locks never kept Ryoko out. She quietly set the jugs on the floor and just as silently unscrewed the tops off. Then she reached into the cabinet...through the cabinet door...

Yes, she was going to show them something, all right.

------

Some time later, Princess Ayeka found herself somewhat flabbergasted.

The food and drink sales project overall had jumped from a slow limp to a fast trot, almost a gallop. While the rice cake concession's success was understandable to her (two slick operators, she thought fondly, with a lot of brass), the sudden upsurge in business at her and Ryoko's tea stand was not nearly as understandable. Still, Ayeka was not complaining.

The tea sales boom apparently had begun during the time she made her last dash for more rice cakes, before Tris and Tenchi took over the cartage duties. (The original crowd the two boys had attracted had bought their rice cakes and left, fortunately, by the time the boys had begun their delivery runs. The presence of the first crowd had attracted another crowd that bought rice cakes, which had then attracted a third crowd, and so on...a sidewalk vendor's dream scenario.) When Ayeka had returned, a lot of tea had suddenly been sold, and Ryoko had volunteered to get more. Ayeka hadn't found the money for all those sales, but she assumed Ryoko had given it to Kiyone, who was keeping all the revenue in an old rosewood stationery box. Once Ryoko had returned with more tea, the space pirate then displayed some new sales tactics.

Ryoko had waited until she spotted a well-dressed, middle-aged gentleman. "Hi, there, Handsome," she had said, with a most alluring smile. Ayeka had been somewhat taken aback by Ryoko's siren-like tactics, but the man did stop at their stand. "This is very, very special tea. I know you'll like it," Ryoko had told him. "We don't sell it to children." Ayeka had started to contradict her--they'd sell tea to anyone with money, surely--but she hadn't wanted to blow the sale. She had accordingly kept silent. The man had been tickled by Ryoko (most men were, Ayeka had reflected glumly) and had bought a cup. When he had tasted it, his eyes had widened. "This is...some tea," he had said. "Told you so," Ryoko had replied to him, smiling. The man had finished drinking the tea and then--this was amazing to Ayeka--had ordered two more cups. As he drank those, Ryoko had chatted him up winsomely. The man had left with a big smile on his face but he must have drank the tea too quickly for such a warm day, for he was a bit unsteady on his feet as he walked away. It was quite perplexing, but Ryoko had rung up three sales, Ayeka had to admit.

Evidently the man had told some others, since several more men showed up at the tea stand almost immediately afterward. They too had ordered several cups apiece and had obviously enjoyed them. It was a tribute to Sasami's skills, Ayeka knew, and her little sister would be pleased when she heard about it. After the men had left, word of Sasami's excellent tea must have circulated widely, because more and more male customers appeared at the tea stand. Tea sales soon become brisk.

"Another cup, sir?" Ayeka asked her current customer, a gentleman of later years with a distinguished-looking hint of gray at his temples.

"Well...I really shouldn't, young lady. Two is my limit," the man reflected.

Ayeka nodded, although she could not imagine limiting oneself to just two cups of tea. Perhaps it reflected a concern over ingesting too much tannic acid. "I quite understand," she said with a smile.

"Oh, why not? Another cup, young lady, if you please."

Happily, Ayeka poured him another cup of tea. The Thermos jug was quite low now. "Ryoko," she said, "we're running low on tea again. If you can cover the stand, I shall go get some more--"

"No, no. I'll handle that, Ayeka. Let me help this handsome man here and I'll get some more tea right away."

"Well...all right." Ayeka then smiled again at her customer as she handed him his third cup of tea. Ryoko was being so industrious! Perhaps she was turning over a new leaf.

------

Sales continued to be steady at the rice cake stand. Both Mihoshi and Kiyone were fit young women with great endurance, but even for them the sales pace was wearying. Mihoshi, though, did not show a trace of tiredness. She was amazing. She smiled and smiled gaily, taking money (only dropping it occasionally), handing out rice cakes (fortunately never dropping them), and maintaining her good cheer and enthusiasm throughout. Kiyone had plastered a smile on her face and slogged through the drudgery of selling. Oddly enough, she had slowly come to enjoy it.

One amusing thing kept occurring: Whenever Tris made an appearance carrying pans of rice cakes, he always ended up with a little girl or two embracing his pants legs and shouting English words up at him with great affection (the words "Shaggy!" and "Scooby Doo!" were most popular). He was rather like Mihoshi in that regard...little boys fell in love with her on sight and, in fact, she had to gently shoo them away so she could attend to adult customers.

Now Kiyone glanced at the tea stand where Ayeka and Ryoko were doing a sudden land office business. That was very gratifying, since it meant even more money pouring (so to speak) in. It was surprising to see that nearly all the tea customers were men, but Kiyone chalked that up to the way men habitually chugged liquids down like blue whales scooped plankton--she had seen Tris consume two glasses of ice water without taking a breath, hardly--and to Ryoko's undoubted sex appeal. She drew men like flies.

With all the taking in of money and passing out of rice cakes, Kiyone had not had much of a chance to reflect on the impromptu vaudeville act Tris and Tenchi had put on...which Tris doubtlessly had masterminded. Like Ryoko, Kiyone knew only a goofball would have come up with a goofy scheme like that. Tenchi, no doubt, had gone along with it in a desperate attempt to help with the sales. Well, she had certainly been floored by their antics, Kiyone had to give them that. And it had worked!

As she handed two wrapped rice cakes to a young mother and her toddler child, Kiyone smiled tenderly within herself as she thought of how it had been, with sales at a low ebb and everyone discouraged, to have that dog and pony show shake everything up. That big stiff! She experienced a warm, cuddly, contended feeling inside as she thought of her goofball. Just wait until she got her hands on him, boy...just wait...

"Masaki delivery service," Tenchi joked, arriving with two trays of rice cakes. He and Tris were now bringing up the rice cakes separately, alternately taking turns delivering a couple of trays as soon as Sasami removed them from the over to meet the demand. Tenchi slipped behind the stand with his burden and stood patiently as a smiling Mihoshi began to unload the oven-fresh rice cakes on the table.

"You looked so handsome in your suit, Tenchi," Mihoshi told him. "You should wear a suit more often."

"Actually, it's Dad's suit, Mihoshi," Tenchi corrected her, smiling.

"Really? Well, you looked handsome in it all the same...and so did Tris in his suit. He looked like one of those lawyers on American TV, so handsome and smart," Mihoshi said. She had just about unloaded all the rice cakes. She was efficiency-plus today.

"Better not let him hear you say that," Tenchi said. "Tris doesn't care much for lawyers, not after the will..." he stopped. Mihoshi had not been told Tris's tale and it was not Tenchi's business to tell her.

"That's funny. I think he would be a very good lawyer," Mihoshi reflected. She absently took a bite of the rice cake she held in her hand and chewed. "I would marry a lawyer, I think."

"Mihoshi--you're eating our profits again," Kiyone snapped.

The blonde young woman started guiltily. "I'm sorry, Kiyone," she apologized.

Tenchi glanced quickly at the two women. "Well, I'd better be off," he said. "Tris will bring in the next batch soon." He left.

Kiyone eyed Mihoshi narrowly. She wasn't as irritated by her partner eating the rice cake (Mihoshi actually had been pretty good about keeping her hands off the merchandise) as much as by Mihoshi's comments about Tris. Had the ding-dong already forgotten what they had discussed just a few days ago? But Kiyone had to drop any discussion of the topic with Mihoshi in the face of a fresh swarm of hungry customers.

------

At around five o'clock, the crowd had largely petered out. Mihoshi and Kiyone had sold out of rice cakes entirely. Ayeka and Ryoko had only a few half-empty Thermos bottles of tea left. At that point, Tenchi and Tris walked up to the shrine together to ask the women about shutting down operations.

"Sure," Kiyone said, with a wide smile. She was thrilled with the success of the day and felt vindicated as a Project Manager by the results. She had proved she was executive material. It was a nice boost to her ego and she looked fondly on the two young men who had helped make it happen...and at one in particular. Tenchi returned her smile amiably. Tris returned her smile neutrally.

"Well, we have to stop, Kiyone," Mihoshi noted. "We're all out of rice cakes!"

"That's what I like about you, Mihoshi," Tris said. "You cut right to the chase."

Mihoshi smiled at Tris. Kiyone somehow got the impression she had been slighted.

Tenchi, meanwhile, had walked over to Ayeka and Ryoko at their stand.

"Aren't you proud of us, sweetums?" Ryoko asked him. "We sold all that tea and we didn't need any special help to do it."

"Yes, you two did great," Tenchi enthused. "You really turned your sales slump around. I'm proud of you both."

Both Ryoko and Ayeka basked under Tenchi's praise for a moment.

"Well, I am certain that the traffic you and Tristram generated at the rice cake stand helped us as well," Ayeka said, attempting to be fair about the situation. "Doubtless, many of the rice cake customers wanted to drink tea after eating a rice cake."

"Fat lot you know," Ryoko muttered.

"What was that, Ryoko?" Ayeka asked her.

"Guess it's time to go," Ryoko quickly ad-libbed.

"Right," Tenchi said briskly. "Tris and I will get the chairs and tables stored away. You two can grab the cups and Thermos jugs." He turned toward the other stand. "Kiyone and Mihoshi, if you can get the pans and the napkins..."

"Can do, Tenchi." Kiyone smiled at Tenchi. Then she smiled, very warmly, at Tris. Tris smiled back at her politely. He then busied himself with folding up the two chairs behind the rice cake stand. Kiyone frowned. Mihoshi, sensing discord, quickly began gathering up the napkins and placed them on the pans, which she then stacked.

"I'll get these Thermos jugs back down to the house, Princess," Ryoko said. She grabbed at the three jugs.

"I shall help," Ayeka said.

"No need."

"I said, I shall help!" Ayeka took one of the jugs and the few remaining cups. "I just do not understand you today, Ryoko."

She started down the steps toward the house carrying the jug and the cups. Ryoko grabbed the other two jugs and followed her, looking a bit pensive.

Tenchi stared after them. He shook his head. Ryoko was so often unfathomable.

He turned back to the rice cake stand. Mihoshi had everything stacked up. She hefted the burden. "Tenchi, please walk down with me...I may drop all this," she said very quietly.

Tenchi glanced at Tris, who was breaking down the rice cake stand table--and at Kiyone, who stood watching him do it and frowning. "Sure, Mihoshi. Let's go." He picked up the wooden box containing the day's earnings.

They left. As they did, Tenchi took a few pans from Mihoshi to carry himself.

After removing the taped sign, Tris finished breaking down the table. He then walked over to the tea stand table and, after unpeeling the sign, began breaking it down. Kiyone walked up to him.

"Tris, you and Tenchi really knocked me over with that routine," she said. "I thought you two were going to really mess everything up, but your scheme sure worked."

"Amazing, huh?" Tris said shortly. He did not look at her.

"Well, it was unexpected. Sales were pretty much in the toilet until you two showed up."

Tris didn't say anything.

"You mad at me?" she asked.

"Why would I be mad at you?"

"I looked for you all yesterday afternoon. I couldn't find you. You weren't around much last night, either."

"Maybe I didn't want to be found. Did you think of that?"

Anger flared through Kiyone. Her blue eyes snapped and she crossed her arms. "Tris--if you want to end what we started--fine with me! I must have been crazy anyway. Wasting my time with some Earth boy!"

"Well, you won't have to waste any more of your precious time. You can go back to brooding and making yourself miserable. Just don't make everyone else miserable this time, okay?"

"I am not miserable! I feel wonderful! I always feel wonderful!"

"Good," Tris said. "And I'll feel wonderful, not getting socked all the time for speaking my mind."

"Oh, go jump in the lake, Tris!"

"I'll meet you there! Hope you can swim!"

Kiyone angrily turned away from Tris and began to stomp off.

Then...she stopped.

She felt a tremendous yearning inside. An overwhelming sadness filled her. Then she turned and looked at Tris. She saw that his face had a stricken expression. She knew then that although he had been avoiding her, he hadn't really wanted to. "Tris..." she said miserably.

Tris looked at her now. "To quote a pretty policewoman--you sure give up easily."

Kiyone felt her heart swell. She didn't want to fight with him and she didn't want to break up with him. It didn't make sense and yet she didn't care. For once in her life, she would follow her heart and to blue blazes with logic and consequences.

She walked over to Tris and kneeled down next to him.

"I don't want to give up on us," she said softly. "You just make me so damned mad. Why were you avoiding me?"

"Why were you looking for me?" he asked her. "Did you want to jab my other side?"

"No. I wanted to apologize to you, Tris. I still do."

"About what?" He snapped the table's legs back up into the table frame. He lowered it gently to the concrete walk.

"About not realizing that you were seriously trying to make sure that Lord Yosho wasn't deceived, even innocently, about today. You weren't being funny, you were being honest. I guess I got so wrapped up with trying to pull all this off that I didn't really pay attention to what you were saying...I just reacted. I'm sorry, Tris."

Tris contemplated the now legless table a moment. Then he turned around and contemplated the soaring Shinto temple. "You know, just this morning Tenchi's grandfather said that a certain blue-eyed cop was a pretty sharp cookie--and that she'd be worth a few pokes and jabs to be with." He looked at Kiyone. He slowly smiled. "He was right on both counts."

"Tris..."

"Besides, you're the prettiest Project Manager I ever met."

Kiyone wriggled closer to him. Tris and she embraced. They kissed. They took their time about it. They had all the time in the world now.

When they parted, Tris asked, "Do you really think we should be necking right in front of the Masaki shrine?"

Kiyone chuckled. She kissed his silly nose. "Maybe it'll be good advertising. I plan to have us girls open a kissing booth next time."

"You girls will break Tenchi's bankroll if you do...mine, too."

"That's the plan."

They slowly rose, holding hands.

"Walk with me down to the house, you idiot," Kiyone said. "Then I want another kiss. You're getting kinda stingy in your old age."

"Okay. Grab some chairs." Tris hefted the tables.

"Boy," Kiyone said, following him down the temple steps with the chairs. "Who's the slave driver now?"

------

The Princess and the space pirate were nearly at the house when Ayeka heard Ryoko shift direction behind her. She turned and saw Ryoko walk to the back of the house. Puzzled, Ayeka followed her.

When she caught up to Ryoko, the latter was already dumping the liquid contents of one jug onto the grass.

"Ryoko--what are you doing?"

"Um, just dumping this old tea. It's stale by now."

"It cannot be. It was put in the Thermos only about an hour ago. You should know--you brought it up."

Ryoko kept pouring. Ayeka could see steam rising from the neck of the jug and from the grass.

"Ryoko, that tea is obviously still nice and hot...and it cannot be good for the grass. We should take the tea inside and drink it during dinner."

"Uh-uh."

"Why not?" Ayeka was perplexed. "It will save Sasami some work."

"No can do."

"Ryoko!" Ayeka snapped. "What is going on?"

"Nothing. Just dumping stale tea."

"It is not stale!"

"Says you."

"I shall prove it." Ayeka lowered her Thermos jug. She took a cup and opened the spigot on the jug and poured steaming tea into it. She brought the cup to her lips and sipped the aromatic tea--

"Ayeka! Wait!"

Ayeka's eyes bulged. She dropped the cup. "Sake! There is sake in this tea!"

Ryoko smiled sheepishly. "Right the first time, Princess."

"Ryoko--how could you?" Ayeka demanded.

"Hey, I wanted to sell the stuff. No one was buying just tea."

"But--but--" Ayeka sputtered. "But what about the tea we sold to children?" She gasped, horrified by the thought.

"Oh, I kept a jug of regular tea for them. That's why I always poured when we had a kid or woman customer."

"Thank heavens!" Ayeka nearly swayed with relief.

"So, no worries."

"But Ryoko! Selling spiked tea in front of a shrine--Lord Yosho's shrine!"

"He doesn't have to know."

"That is not the point! It...it is disrespectful!"

"No, it's not," Ryoko insisted. "We sold the good stuff only to men. They got a little buzz on and probably felt more spiritual."

"Oh, my...oh, my heavens!" Ayeka was almost beside herself with chagrin. "You just do not understand what you have done!"

"I understand that we'd better get these jugs emptied," Ryoko said pointedly. "And keep our traps shut about it."

Ayeka glared at Ryoko, incensed. This was the limit! The very limit! She was going to march inside and tell--

Then the Princess forced herself to think rationally. The prospect of confessing all this to Lord Yosho--and Lord Tenchi--held no appeal. That Ryoko! Ayeka realized she was obliged to keep mum, which meant she would become the space pirate's accomplice. In fact, she already was, since she had helped sell the spiked tea. Ohhhhhhhh--!

Ayeka closed her eyes and took a long, deep breath. It calmed her a little. She opened her eyes. "Very well. There is no changing it now. But Ryoko, you must promise me--never ever again! Ever!"

"Okay, I promise."

The two women finished dumping out the tea. Then they carried the empty jugs and paper cups to the house.

"Oh, Ryoko," Ayeka said hopelessly. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Help me pick out my bikini, of course," Ryoko replied, grinning.

------

A little while later, Ryoko, Ayeka, Kiyone, Mihoshi, Tenchi, and Tris stood in the living room, tightly grouped around the sideboard table. On it sat the battered rosewood box that formerly held stationery supplies but now was doing duty as the moneybox holding the day's hard-earned cash. Sasami was in the kitchen, putting the finishing touches on dinner. Lord Yosho stood a distance away from the young people, observing them observe the box, indulgently.

"We ought to open it now," Ryoko opined, "and count the loot. Before dinner."

"Is that the accepted pirate practice?" Ayeka asked caustically. She was still a little upset with Ryoko over the sake-in-the-tea fiddle.

"I agree with Ryoko," said Mihoshi. "I'm so excited!"

"Perhaps we should open it now," Ayeka relented, contemplating the box. She looked at Kiyone. "What do you think, Kiyone?"

"Well...it's tempting," Kiyone admitted with a grin.

Tenchi, standing beside his buddy, Tris, was happy to see that grin. He had been equally happy when he saw both Tris and Kiyone walk into the house holding hands. Tris and Kiyone had shared the kiss Kiyone wanted--they both wanted--just outside the door.

"You ladies will need to count the money once you open the box," Lord Yosho pointed out. "Perhaps it's best to wait until after dinner. Anticipation may give extra seasoning to the food and it's often as enjoyable as the actual event."

"You're right, sir," Tris said. "I can remember laying in bed on Christmas Eve, anticipating a complete GI Joe outfit, including a rocket launcher perfect for demolishing the Barbie's Dream House of the little girl next door. And then, when I looked under the tree-- new underwear!"

Tenchi groaned. "Maybe you'd better wait, at that, girls," he suggested. "I think dinner is almost--"

"Dinner!" called out Sasami from the dining room.

"A gift of prophecy!" Tris observed. "Tenchi, I don't want to abuse your gift, but I'd like to know how many points Mizzou will lose to Nebraska at the next Homecoming game. I'd like to lay down a bet."

"You went to Mizzou! You'd bet against your own team?"

"Sure! Just like all the alums do."(4)

Tenchi groaned again. "Come on, wise guy, let's eat."

He and Tris and Lord Yosho started toward the dining room. With a last eager look at the box, the women followed.

------

"Sasami, I believe you have eclipsed your splendid achievement at yesterday's luncheon," Yosho told her appreciatively at the dining room table some time later. "It is no wonder that my visitors were so eager to sample your rice cakes today."

"Thank you, Lord Yosho. I wanted this dinner to be extra special for everyone," Sasami said. She smiled happily, enchanted with the knowledge that the beach trip would become a reality.

"It certainly is that." Lord Yosho smiled in return. He lowered his chopsticks. "I heard so many nice comments about your rice cakes today--and about their American debut."

"What was that, Lord Yosho?" Sasami looked confused.

"It seems there was an important American industrialist and his rather negligible assistant who professed interest in your rice cakes. It also seems that many Americans are eagerly awaiting the perfect rice cake to be introduced into their culture."

Tenchi and Tris looked at each other. They both knew the crunch was coming. Tris took the opportunity then to make his move.

"Oooh," he said. One hand quickly covered his left eye.

"Is something wrong, Tris?" asked Kiyone, who was once again sitting very, very close to him.

"Just something in my eye. Probably a cinder. I'll go wash it out." He rose.

"I'll come with you," Kiyone said, concerned.

"No, no, it's just one cinder. I'll be back in a flash."

He was certainly gone in a flash, at least.

"Convenient things, those cinders." Ryoko grinned knowingly.

"I think someone was having someone else on, Lord Yosho." Sasami said. She smiled at Tenchi. The cause of the meteoric rise in the sale of rice cakes that day was all clear to her now.

"Perhaps so, Sasami. It seems that the negligible assistant bore a striking resemblance to my grandson, whom all the people here know very well. But that could have been a coincidence."

Tenchi couldn't help but grin a little ruefully as he busied himself with eating well-cooked and tastily seasoned bites of squid. Trust that Tris to take a powder when the heat was on, he thought.

But Tris was back already, seating himself next to Kiyone.

"That was fast," she told him, laying a hand on his arm. "How's the eye?"

"Gray-green in coloration with, perhaps, a smattering of red veins," Tris answered.

"Have you ever had a fist in your eye?" Kiyone asked him sweetly.

"I'll bet that would hurt more than a cinder," Mihoshi offered helpfully.

Lord Yosho then continued his commentary on the temple food and drink concession sales. "Your tea was also a big hit with my visitors, Sasami," he remarked.

Ryoko and Ayeka both slowly sank a bit.

"I know! I made gallons and gallons!" Sasami said.

"Yes, and my visitors drank gallons and gallons...especially, I noticed, men."

Ryoko and Ayeka sank lower.

"Men?" Sasami asked, surprised.

"Why, yes. Practically all of the customers at the tea stand were men. It was quite noteworthy."

"I wonder why so many men bought tea?" Sasami mused. "Of course, all you men drink tea, but I would've thought a lot of women would have bought tea, also."

"Alas, it seems that the men rather monopolized the tea stand," Lord Yosho explained. "The poor ladies found it rather rough going to get through the lines and most abandoned the effort."

Ayeka and Ryoko were the center of attention now. The Princess and the space pirate looked down at their bowls.

Then Tenchi rose, excused himself, and left.

"Do you have any theories about that interesting development? Ryoko? Princess Ayeka?" Lord Yosho asked mildly.

"The men were thirstier?" Ryoko offered.

Lord Yosho looked at her. "Perhaps they were thirsty for more than just tea. At any rate, we must be more circumspect in our beverage sales. It rather caused some comment. Are we agreed, ladies?"

"Yes, Lord Yosho," Ryoko replied quietly.

"We will indeed be much more circumspect, Lord Yosho," added Ayeka in an equally quiet voice.

Sasami shook her head. It was not clear at all to her what was going on. It was, perhaps, becoming a bit clearer to the others.

Tenchi returned to the table and sat down.

"Hey, let's eat up and go see how much we made!" Mihoshi suggested.

"Good idea, Mihoshi," Ryoko said, grateful almost beyond words for the change in topic. Mihoshi beamed at the rare compliment from Ryoko.

"I hope we made enough," Sasami added. "Things are so expensive here!"

Lord Yosho said, "I must make a quick telephone call. It was a marvelous dinner, Sasami."

"Thank you, Lord Yosho!"

He rose and left. The others hurried through their dinner.

------

"Open it and dump it out!" Ryoko told Kiyone impatiently a little while later. With dinner completed, it was time to count the day's profits.

Kiyone raised the box from the living room's sideboard. She had been given the honor of puuring out the hard-gotten gains since she was, after all, the Project Manager. "Shall I?"

"Yes!" several female voices chorused.

Excitedly, Kiyone topped the box over. A veritable shower of coins clattered on the sideboard, which was to be expected...but there was also a veritable flurry of yen bills, lovely yen bills, negotiable yen bills, joining the coins on the sideboard.

"Wow!" Mihoshi cried. "We raised all this?"

"Gosh..." Sasami's eyes were wide.

"Jeeze!" Even Ryoko was impressed.

"I cannot believe it," Ayeka murmured, staring at all the legal tender.

"Neither can I," Kiyone said. There may have been a smidgen of skepticism in her voice.

"You ladies outdid yourselves today. A heroic effort," Lord Yosho proclaimed. "My congratulations!"

"Yes, yes, well done." Tenchi clapped his hands.

"Author! Author!" Tris added, clapping as well.

"Well...what's all this?"

Everyone turned. It was Nobuyuki, arriving home from work. He set down his briefcase. "Have we struck oil, father-in-law?" he joked.

"Better than oil, son-in-law--success," Yosho told him.

"The girls' sale was a smash, Dad," Tenchi added.

"Wonderful! I'm glad for all of you." Nobuyuki smiled.

"We'd better count it," Ryoko advised. When it came to handling money (almost always someone else's money) the space pirate was all business. Kiyone volunteered and began the count.

When the counting was done, it seemed there was actually a little more than enough to purchase swimsuits for all the women and little Sasami, too. The women whooped it up for a spell.

"Where should we go to buy our bikinis?" Ryoko finally asked Project Manager Kiyone. Ryoko was sticking to practical matters tonight.

"Hmmmm..." Kiyone considered the question. She and the other women had shopped in the village and the nearby towns for clothing, but the selection was quite limited and the prices quite high. Her former Levis jeans, which were Levis short-shorts now, had seemed abominably expensive.

"If I may make a suggestion, ladies...? It was Nobuyuki.

The women turned to him. It was gratifying to Nobuyuki that time had finally erased the expressions of suspicion and distrust (due to his rather immature reations to them in the beginning) from their faces.

"You must do your shopping in the city. The stores there will have much more of a selection and the prices will be considerably lower. I often hear the ladies in the office mention the giant department store, Mitsukoshi. It's one of the largest chain stores and it has several floors of women's clothing. Tenchi's mother used to love to shop there."

All the women's expressions, including Sasami's, softened as Nobuyuki spoke of his long-dead wife and Tenchi's mother, Achika Masaki. They looked at Nobuyuki and at Tenchi. Tenchi smiled sadly. Silence ruled the roost for a long moment.

Then Tenchi said, "That sounds like a great idea, Dad. Tris and I drove by that store a couple of times, and it's huge. You girls will be able to go to one place and do all your shopping. What do you all say?"

"Mihoshi and I know of the Mitsukoshi store, back from when we lived in the city," Kiyone said. "It was just out of our price range budget-wise. We stuck to the discount stores. But it has a great reputation." Mihoshi nodded in eager agreement.

The other women assented, too. Little Sasami was all but jumping for joy. "A big department store! That's so cool!"

"But how will we get there?" Ryoko asked. Unnecessarily, as it turned out.

Kiyone quickly poked Tris in the kidney, which she knew from practice would make him jump. He complied. "Why, Tris...how nice of you to volunteer to drive us!"

"Yeah," Tris said ironically, rubbing his side. "It's so nice to be allowed to volunteer."

"Yay! Tris--you're a sweetie!" Mihoshi cried.

"He sure is. He's a lamby-pie," Sasami added.

Tris felt more like a goaty-pie, but he just smiled. He noticed that Tenchi, his Dad, and his grandfather were all looking at him. Their expressions were eloquent: "Better you than me!"

"Tris is taking us?" Ryoko muttered to Ayeka.

"Yes. Why not?" Ayeka muttered back. "There is room in his car for all of us. Miss Washuu is not going."

"He can hardly walk two steps without falling on his keister! Drive us all the way to the city and back? Him?"

"Very well," Ayeka muttered. "You stay here, then. I shall go with Tristram and the others."

Ayeka then walked up to Tris. "I think it is very nice of you to take us, Tristram. Thank you."

"You're welcome, Ayeka. I'll try to get us there and back in one piece."

"The voice of confidence," Ryoko muttered, now to herself. But she smiled as she did. That show Tris and Tenchi had put on today...she just would never forget it. Tris was a goofball but he sure could surprise her once in a while.

"We're going shopping! We're going to the beach!" Sasami enthused. For her part, Mihoshi summed up her feelings in a short eloquent syllable:

"Yay!"

"Tomorrow okay with you, Tris?" Kiyone now softly stroked his back with her fingernails. She knew he loved it.

"Sure. The stores are open on Sunday, of course."

"Of course," Kiyone agreed, smiling.

------

Everyone made it an early night. Selling had proved to be a wearing business, even with success to brighten the outcome.

Tris lay on his futon, drowsing toward sleep. Then, in the darkness of their bedroom, he heard Tenchi say:

"Tris. You awake?"

"I am now."

"Sorry, buddy. But I just have to ask a question."

Tris didn't mind. It was only a little while after Tenchi had turned off the bedside lamp. Neither of them had been able to quickly fall asleep. There were too many events of the day to review first before succumbing to Morpheus.

"Aw, I was just counting swimsuit models, anyway. Prefer 'em to sheep. What's on your mind, pal?"

"Well...the fact is, the girls don't have an idea of what things really cost around here. Except Sasami, when it comes to foodstuffs-- and Kiyone and Mihoshi, of course, since they rented that apartment for a while in the city and had to hold down those part-time jobs to survive. Even then, it was Kiyone who kept the budget. She told me Mihoshi just wanted to spend money, regardless."

"Yeah, she told me the same thing. So?"

"So, the girls may think that they raised all that money themselves today, but I kind of doubt it. In fact, I doubt it a lot. Now...did you...?"

"Did I feed their little kitty? Sweeten the pot? Add to their poke?"

"Yeah. Did you or did you not put some of your own money in that box when you had that phony eye problem at dinner?"

"Well, yeah. I did," Tris admitted.

"Knew it! I knew it!"

"I told Sasami that she and the girls were going to the beach. I always put my money where my mouth is."

"You sure do," Tenchi admitted. "I'll grant you that."

"And I'm not the only one either...am I?" Tris asked shrewdly.

"No, you aren't the only one. I also put my money here your mouth was," Tenchi said ironically. "I can buy new speakers some other time."

"How about that? Two of us fed that kitty!"

"Three. You forget that Grandfather also left during dinner."

"That's right! And he suggested the girls wait until after dinner to count the loot. Boy...three of us sneaking around sticking cash in the box. No wonder it was full of money!"

"It was worth it, though." Tenchi yawned. "To see their faces."

"And to see them in bikinis..."

"That too." Tenchi grinned in the dark. "I think I'll try counting swimsuit models myself. 'Night, Tris."

"'Night."

The two young men proceeded to sleep the sleep of the just...and the generous. It had been a trying, if successful day. The next day would prove even more trying--for Tris Coffin, particularly.

_________________________________________ CHAPTER NOTES

(1) It is not unusual that Yosho, a Shinto priest, is able to discuss Tris's religion with him. Scholarship is encouraged in Shinto, just as it is in the more ancient religion that inspired it--Buddhism. It is interesting to note that despite the efforts of evangelical Christian groups, only one percent of the Japanese population is Christian.

(2) "Kimo sabe" was Tonto's nickname for the Lone Ranger--it means "wise friend."

(3) This refers to "The Green Hornet," an old-time radio program and now-cult Sixties television series that featured Bruce Lee as the Hornet's chop-sockey assistant, Kato. Kato, along with the fictional detective, Mr. Moto, was one of the first positive roles for the Japanese in American entertainment history. By the way, in reference to footnote (2) above, the Green Hornet was the Lone Ranger's grandnephew.

(4) Any alum from the University of Missiouri at Columbia knows what I'm referring to. Those who did not matriculate at "Collegetown, USA," should check the historical record of Mizzou versus Nebraska on the gridiron.