TENCHI WAKUSEI

by Joe Meadows

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

11. CHAPTER 10: No Need For Shopping

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. ------------------------------------------------------

CHAPTER TEN

No Need For Shopping

____________________

Tris's internal alarm clock got him up, as usual, at 6 a.m. the next morning. Normally he woke up to a largely still house, with Tenchi still sawing wood for another half an hour when the latter's more conventional alarm clock (the sort one needs to wind) jangled him awake. At that early hour, usually only Tenchi's grandfather and father stirred outside their bedrooms.

This was one morning, however, when Nobuyuki would actually be able to sleep in--his architectural firm had actually given him this Sunday off. Such beneficence! Perhaps those generous souls would permit Tenchi's Dad to take Christmas Day off as well...with the proviso, of course, that he be back at work all the earlier the next day.

Tris shook his head as he slowly rose from his futon. Poor Tenchi's Dad. It was a Dickens of a world at times.

Scratching himself in an area that still doesn't merit elaboration, Tris slipped out of his new pajamas: His old, beat-up XXL-sized (they made great tents) American college sweatshirt with the college crest and the Latin motto popularly translated as, "What...we party?" He rather missed his Bullwinkle night shirt, but he figured the Moose was much happier covering Kiyone.

Then he put on his under-support, jogging shorts and top, and tube socks. He picked up his Reeboks and slid open the bedroom door, ready to climb Mount Masaki in quest of new heights of pain. His brain was so befuddled with sleepiness that he had actually gotten as far as the genkan entryway before he became conscious of female voices issuing from the dining room.

Befuddled, indeed. It was the only thing that could explain why Tris would so thoughtlessly walk into the obviously inhabited dining room, unshowered, unshaven, hair uncombed, bleary-eyed, in his running togs, and carrying his running shoes. (At least he had ceased scratching himself.)

"Oooooohhhh! What is it?"

"Is that Tris?"

"Ugh. Tris, we're trying to eat here!"

Those were actually the less-personal comments that greeted Tris as he entered the dining room. But he largely ignored them as he took in the sight of--

Ryoko, Ayeka, Sasami, Mihoshi, and Kiyone...all sitting down to breakfast...all beautifully groomed and primped, in their nicest clothes...at 6 a.m. in the morning.

Tris goggled at them. What next? Pretty Sammy?

"Look at him, Kiyone," Ryoko advised. "Look real hard. That's what you're going to have to face at the breakfast table every morning."

"Ugh!" Kiyone shuddered. "Don't even joke about it."

"What? Hey..." Tris began his counter-attack.

"That's the brillant conversation you'll have to listen to every morning, too," Ryoko added.

It was, perhaps, a bit harsh. All Tris was trying to ask was why nearly every female in the Masaki house was up with the chickens.

"I don't know," Kiyone said, looking at Tris askance. "Perhaps you're right, Ryoko. We should have Tenchi drive us."

"Tenchi's still in bed," Sasami said, trying not to look at the sandpaper beard on Tris's cheeks...the legacy of his male blood line. "He's still asleep."

"And this guy isn't?" Ryoko snorted.

"He runs up the temple steps every morning," Mihoshi said helpfully. She rather liked Tris with his morning beard, but she felt constrained not to say it.

"He does? That tears it!" Ryoko said. "I want another driver!"

The attentive reader would have long ago guessed why the women were such early risers that particular a.m. The sleep fog was lifting only slowly from Tris's mind, however (on a typical morning, it usually didn't lift until the first stitch on his side formed as he ran up the temple steps). He wanted to say something...perhaps something like "Oh, yeah?" or even "Says you." But he quickly recognized the total impossibility of engaging in verbal repartee with a group of bright- eyed and razor-sharp women and emerging with even a shred of dignity intact. So Tris did what any sane male would do under those circumstances. He retreated.

He turned on his heel. He walked out of the dining room, past the living room, and back into his and Tenchi's bedroom. He dropped his Reeboks and collapsed on his futon. Tenchi was still asleep. It was 6:11 a.m., Tokyo Time.

------

Five minutes later...

"Yow!" Tenchi had been awakened by a noise and it wasn't his alarm clock. He opened his eyes and saw Kiyone standing over Tris's pallet, nudging him with her stockinged foot (she was wearing pantyhose under her Capri pants today). Tris groaned in response.

"Kiyone! What are you doing in here?"

"Trying to get this idiot back up. We're ready to go."

"Go? Go where?"

"Go shopping." Kiyone was impatient with what she considered Tenchi's witless question. Were all the males around here brain-dead today? She decided to try a wake-me-up that worked splendidly with Mihoshi. She kicked Tris.

"Oooffff-!" Tris responded pretty well, although he still didn't get up.

"Don't kick him!" Tenchi said, wincing.

"Why not?"

"Just don't!"

"He's got to get up and drive us. We want to reach the department store when it opens."

"He hasn't even done his running, Kiyone! He needs to get a shower and shave and eat breakfast--"

"No running. Quick shower and shave and we'll save him a little breakfast. He has fifteen minutes. You get him up, Tenchi."

"But--"

"Either he drives us or you drive us. Make up your mind."

"I'm not driving Tris's car!" Tenchi was aghast at the very thought. That Mustang was a restored high-performance classic, worth (Tenchi did a quick dollar-to-yen conversion in his head based on what Tris had told him about his car) over 2,200,000 yen! No way!

"Okay, get him up, then." Kiyone left the bedroom.

Tenchi's heart went out to Tris. But...

"Tris?"

"What?" Tris replied, his voice muffled by his pillow.

"You know what."

"What I know is...all those beautiful women are monsters...and my girlfriend is Rodan."

Tenchi grinned a little. "Tris, you don't mess with women when they want to go shopping. Rise and shine, buddy."

"Yeah." Tris slowly began to rise but not shine. "No wonder the monasteries have to turn away guys."

Tenchi slipped out of bed. "Go get your shower and shave. I'll run interference and make sure they feed you. I can count on Sasami's help. Best I can do, buddy."

"Okay." Tris rose fully upright and stumbled toward the bedroom door. "Thanks, buddy."

------

It was just a gorgeous Spring day. The sun was yellow gold, splashing brilliance over every tree, bush, road, and telephone pole on the good green Earth. Nature was engaged in her own fashion show, displaying a riot of different-hued flora everywhere. Birds filled the air with song and molting feathers. It was hard, indeed, to imagine anyone driving a car through such a pastoral Eden as the rural Okayama countryside was that morning and feeling anything but euphoric.

Tris, piloting the Mustang, did somehow manage to feel less than euphoric, though. The women helped in that regard.

Ayeka: "Get your elbow out of my ribs, Ryoko!" Ryoko: "Stop leaning against me, Mihoshi!" Mihoshi: I can't help it! It's so cramped back here!" Ryoko: "This car was made for midgets!" Sasami: "Please stop arguing...you're spoiling our trip." Ryoko: "Too late. The driver already did that with this clown car. Mihoshi, get that hand off my leg!" Mihoshi: "I have to put it somewhere!"

Tris was blinking and blinking up front. That was because Kiyone, sitting across from him in the other bucket seat, had appropriated his Ray Bans and would not relinquish them. She thought they were cool and liked the way they looked on her. Tris agreed, but a little more protection against the sun's glare would have been appreciated.

The car's canvas convertible top was firmly up despite the balmy day and the relative slowness of travel (the road, like most Japanese main arteries, was choked already with cars; Sunday was a major shopping day in Japan). Ayeka hated the wind in her hair, so that was that. Even the windows were all closed at Ayeka's request. Fortunately, Tris's late father had restored the Mustang's ancient air conditioning system and cool air wheezed into the interior. It was unable, however, to meet everyone's (nearly everyone's) loudly stated temperature requirements.

Yes, it was a lovely trip so far. Tris was almost praying for a blowout.

"Kiyone," Tris requested. "I'd like my sunglasses back. The police here insist that you actually be able to see where you're going."

"Big baby." Kiyone shook her dark teal hair. "Just pull down the sun visor thing."

"I still need to see through the glare. The police are particular about this."

"Oh, okay." Since she was a police officer herself, Kiyone assented. She handed Tris his Ray Bans. He slipped them on. That was better! He glanced out the side of the car. He spotted, in the distance, the Super Express "Nozomi" bullet train (Shinkansen) zooming by...a lot faster than the car was traveling now with the traffic congestion. The women noticed it, too.

"Should have taken the train," Ryoko grumped.

Tris couldn't have agreed more.

"Tristram...could you speed it up a bit?" Ayeka asked plaintively. "We would like to get there before the store is mobbed. Lord Tenchi's father particularly warned us about that."

"That's right, Tris," Kiyone seconded, her voice impatient.

"Which is why someone should have been ready to go at six a.m.," Ryoko added.

"Right now, we're on the main drag to Okayama City," Tris told them. "The traffic isn't likely to ease up. But I'm looking for an opening in the express lane--we might go a bit faster there." He chuckled to try to lighten the mood. "Now you know why Tenchi's Dad doesn't bother with that old car they own but instead takes the train to the city!"

"Main drag is right," Ryoko said. "This is one big, main drag."

"It does seem to be taking a long time," Ayeka said pensively.

"That's not very fair," Mihoshi objected. "It's not Tris's fault."

"He's the driver," said Ryoko. "And if you put that hand there one more time, Mihoshi--"

"Stop it! Stop it!"

It was Sasami.

"Tris and Tenchi did everything they could so we could go on this trip." Sasami was speaking angrily for the first time Tris could remember. "We didn't tell Tris what time we wanted to leave. You made fun of him and didn't let him have but one cup of tea and almost nothing to eat for breakfast. You've said bad things about his beautiful car and complained all the way, except for Mihoshi! You all make me so mad!"

The words came from a little girl, but they hit hard. Sasami almost never lost her temper. This was highly significant to all of them.

"Sasami..." Ayeka began.

"I mean it, big sister! Tris should take us all home right now!"

Glancing at her in the rearview mirror, Tris marveled again at the little Princess. She sounded much older than her appearance would indicate. What a little scrapper she was! She had stood up to all the women and told them off.

"I know you're right, Sasami," Mihoshi said. "I'm sorry, Tris."

"You have nothing in the world to apologize for, Mihoshi," Tris said.

Sasami began to cry. She was crying out of anger, though.

"Don't cry, Sasami," Mihoshi said. "Here...sit on my lap."

"Okay..."

Mihoshi eased the little girl on her lap. Sasami sat on Mihoshi's lap and laid her head on her shoulder. She sniffled. Mihoshi stroked her hair. "Nobody meant anything, Sasami. Everyone is kind of anxious to get there, I think."

"I know. No reason to say mean things, though."

Ayeka and Ryoko looked at each other. They both seemed a bit abashed.

"I am so sorry, Tristram," Ayeka said. "Sasami is right. We have been awful to you. This is a lovely car. I really appreciate the air conditioning."

"I really appreciate the fact that you haven't turned around," Ryoko said contritely. "I think I would have by now if I had to listen to me."

Tris couldn't help chuckling at Ryoko's words. "Why don't we listen to music, instead?" he proposed.

"Good idea, Tristram," Ayeka said, grateful for the change of topic.

"Yay!" came from Mihoshi. Sasami wiped her eyes and smiled.

"Some tunes sound just right," Ryoko agreed.

"Yes, it is a good idea, Tris." Kiyone's voice was soft. "And I'm sorry, too. I hope I didn't kick you too hard back at the house."

"I'll compare notes with Mihoshi," Tris told her, "and I'll let you know."

"Ha, Ha, Kiyone!" Mihoshi said, delighted.

"Ha, Ha." Kiyone smiled ruefully.

"Look in the tape container, Kiyone," Tris suggested. "See what you can find."

"Okay, Tris." Kiyone picked up the cassette tape container and unzipped it. She pulled out one of the plastic cassette cases. "It says, "Abbey Road." It's by The Beatles. Is it any good, Tris?"

"Nothing better has ever been done," Tris told her.

"Sounds interesting," Ryoko said from the back seat. "I think I've heard of The Beatles."

"Are they a musical group?" Ayeka asked.

"Used to be," Tris said. "A long time ago. The Fab Four, my Mom and Dad called them."

"Let's play it. I'd like to hear it," Sasami said.

"Yes, please," Mihoshi added.

"It's unanimous," Kiyone told Tris. At his instructions, she turned on the car's stereo deck and slipped the cassette into the slot. The car filled with music as they slow-poked their way to the city.

------

Meanwhile, back at the ranch-shrine, the three Masaki men found themselves all alone at the dining table for breakfast. Washuu was the only woman left on the premises, and she was holed up in her lab. The three men were enjoying a low-key conversation and eating a breakfast that dear Sasami had left behind for them (kept warm by low heat in the oven).

It was a unique and rather gratifying experience for Tenchi, his grandfather, and his father. It was the first time the three male Masakis had experienced a meal alone with each other since the women had trickled back to them following the battle with Kagato. It was a rare opportunity for them to talk about home affairs, breach politically incorrect topics (politically incorrect from the women's perspective), and to let their hair down, just a little. Tenchi felt a warm glow from the camaraderie with his father and grandfather. It was something to be savored along with Sasami's gohan (cooked rice) and tsukemono (pickled vegetables) with noodles on the side.

Ryo-Ohki contentedly crunched her carrot breakfast in a corner. The cabbit had come into the dining room looking for her Mistress and had been upset at finding none of the women around. Tenchi had quickly compensated for the absence of Ryoko with a dish full of carrot sticks. Ryo-Ohki had been mollified.

The three men were laughing now because Tenchi had related Tris's comment about the women being monsters in general and Kiyone being a giant flying reptile in particular. Nobuyuki chuckled heartily, while Yosho, in a rare instance of letting himself go, threw his head back and laughed and laughed. Tenchi joined in the laughter. The three men adored the women exceedingly but they could certainly sympathize with Tris Coffin's appraisal of them (given under fire, it must be noted).

"Poor Tristram! I hope the ladies are in a better humor by now," Lord Yosho commented.

"You should have seen it, Grandfather," Tenchi said. "They watched Tris like a hawk while he managed to get down, I think, two bites of food and a gulp of tea. That was it! Then they hustled him out to his car."

"That's what I call a rude awakening." Nobuyuki grinned.

"Yes, there he is, fighting the traffic dragon somewhere out on the highway, while we enjoy this delicious breakfast at our leisure," Yosho commented. "There is a lesson there, somewhere...but I am hanged if I know what it is!" Lord Yosho was really in a fine humor and unwinding consequently.

Tenchi and his Dad laughed appreciatively.

Nobuyuki put down his chopsticks. "You know..." He chuckled. "Oh, I shouldn't say this, even just with us three around..."

"Come on, Dad," Tenchi urged.

"Yes, you must tell us now after that build-up," Yosho added.

"Well...if that Washuu is such a genius...perhaps we should persuade her to invent some device to quick-grow little Sasami into a young woman Tenchi's age. Tenchi could marry her and we would live like kings forever--at least, our stomachs would."

"Dad!" Tenchi looked embarrassed. Lord Yosho just laughed.

"Now that is a plan!" Lord Yosho said. "Of course, her father, a real King, might object."

"Boy, would he!" Tenchi had met King Azusa, who had been called back to Jurai from retirement after Kagato was defeated, and it was an experience he wished not to repeat. The Juraian monarch had not been amused with his two daughters' apparent obsession with an Earthling, even if that Earthling had royal Jurai blood in him. King Asuza also had been unamused by Tenchi's refusal to accept the Jurian throne when it had been offered to him (thereby forcing the King to take the thankless job again). Queen Misaki, on the other hand, had seemed nice and certainly very affectionate--motherly, or even "smotherly," was perhaps the best way to describe her. Ayeka and Sasami had really been on their toes around her, though.

"Yet, Tenchi, that is the prospect you could well end up facing," Yosho reminded him. "Having King Azusa as a father-in-law."

"Yipes!" said Tenchi.

"Yes, fathers-in-law are always part of the deal when you wed, son." Nobuyuki glanced humorously at Lord Yosho. "You'll find that out."

"And what of you, son-in-law?" Yosho asked Nobuyuki. "When will you bring a new wife home? You're not getting any younger, you know."

"Yeah, Dad." Tenchi would always only have one mother in his heart, but he was older now and thought it a shame his Dad was so alone.

"Well...when I can get unchained from my desk at work...when Tenchi makes up his mind and marries one of the women and the others finally leave...when I find a lady who doesn't slap my face..." Nobuyuki was at least half-kidding, but not entirely.

"You don't have to wait for the girls to leave, Dad," Tenchi pointed out. "We can have someone new in. We've proven that with Tris."

"Yes, indeed. And as far as slapping is concerned, our Tristram collects a few blows from his lady fair, does he not?" Lord Yosho added.

"So you both tell me," Nobuyuki said. "I wonder why that is?"

"It's frustration, son-in-law. Frustration at finding something that you didn't seek and perhaps thought you didn't want, at least not for a long while...but there it is and you find you do want it all the same," Yosho replied, and took a sip of tea.

"Yeah, and with a wise guy like Tris." Tenchi shook his head wryly. "Sometimes I could take a poke at him myself. Really! Then that wise guy says or does something and I want to pat him on the back--or buy him a beer."

"Young men...young friendships," Yosho said to his son-in-law. "Can you recall those?"

"I certainly can," Nobuyuki said. "The best friendships of all."

------

In the car, not far from Okayama City (the traffic had eased and Tris had made some time, finally, in the express lane), the atmosphere had warmed considerably, although the old air conditioner chugged valiantly on. Good feelings were back and were infectious to boot.

As it turned out, "Abbey Road" had proved a hit with the women. At popular demand, the tape had been played twice. The classic album seemed to touch everyone in the car in some special way. "Something" and "Here Comes the Sun" picked up spirits and celebrated the outstanding spring day. Mihoshi and Sasami just loved the silly but sweet "Octopus's Garden." Then, "Come Together" held special significance for them all, even if it was a little naughty. The stirring orchestral "You Never Give Me Your Money" and "Boy, You're Gonna Carry That Weight" inspired them. Now the second rendition of the Long Melody was reaching its end. All of them, as close together in spirit as they had ever been, listened again to the final four verses:

And in the end
The love you take
Is equal to the lo-o-o-o-ove
You make

The Long Melody finished with an orchestral flourish. Once it faded out, Tris reached down and snapped the stereo off.

"I love that music," Mihoshi said softly.

"It's so sweet and nice," Sasami, still on Mihoshi's lap, said. "It makes me feel good inside."

"There is a lot of truth to the words in that song," Ayeka mused thoughtfully.

"Yeah...I guess there is, Princess." Like Ayeka, Ryoko thought of Tenchi.

Up front, Kiyone looked at Tris, her eyes soft. "Say, don't you need to shift gears?" she asked him.

"No," Tris said. The pony car was in fourth gear, and there was no fifth.

"Idiot...don't you need to shift gears, I said."

"Ohhh...yeah."

Tris placed his hand on the shift knob. Kiyone covered it with her hand. They held hands like that, quietly...

...at least they did until Mihoshi asked, "Kiyone, are you helping Tris drive?"

"I'll say she is!" Ryoko laughed.

"It'll be nice to have some privacy sometime," Kiyone muttered.

"Sorry, Kiyone--the back seat is taken!" Ryoko chortled.

Kiyone leaned toward Tris. Her lips reached his ear. "You want to go out for a walk tonight?" she murmured.

"Sure."

"That's my idiot." She kissed his ear.

In back, the women were quiet...smiling...but quiet.

"Here's the big overpass," Tris said. "Okayama City dead ahead."

------

"Good morning, Professor Washuu," Lord Yosho greeted the great scientist who had just appeared in the dining room. "Please sit down and have breakfast with us."

"I'll just do that little thing, gentlemen," Washuu said cheerfully. She sat down beside Nobuyuki and quickly filled a bowl with food and a cup with tea. She proceeded to eat with great enjoyment.

The three men regarded her favorably. All three had a special affection for the spunky super scientist.

"By the way, Tenchi," Washuu remarked between mouthfuls. "Thanks for dropping off that parcel to me in the lab yesterday."

"No problem," Tenchi said.

"Parcel?" Nobuyuki asked.

"Son-in-law," Lord Yosho murmured. He was reminding Nobuyuki that such matters were none of their business.

Washuu picked up on it. "Oh, I don't mind saying what was in it. It's my beach outfit for tomorrow's outing."

"Really?" Nobuyuki asked, showing a great deal of interest.

"That's right, Dad." Washuu grinned at him. "It's a humdinger, too."

Nobuyuki raised his eyebrows but wisely held his tounge. Washuu kept grinning at him.

"Ummm...do you mind saying where it came from, Washuu?" Tenchi asked. "You got it so quickly."

"No, I don't mind. I got it off the Internet, from a women's sportswear Web site. Turns out they have an outlet in Okayama."

"Don't you...need money to buy that sort of thing, Washuu?" Tenchi was venturing slowly. He was not aware that Washuu had any money--in Earth terms, anyway.

"Sure! They gotta get paid or you get squat."

"Well then, how--"

"Tenchi," Lord Yosho now admonished his grandson.

"Oh, Grandpa, I don't mind telling," Washuu said. "I did a little creative bookkeeping in the e-accounts of a Swiss bank. I used that to open an account at a bank in Okayama City by wire transfer. I have an e-draft number now and everything. Piece of cake."

"But...you don't actually have any money?" Tenchi asked, confused.

"You don't need hard cash in electronic commerce," Washuu replied complacently. "I just re-directed all the loose change that Swiss bank rounds off when they do their accounting. It adds up to a nice sum, I can tell you."

"Uh..." Then Tenchi decided to drop it. Some things were better off not knowing more about.

"By the way, Grandpa," Washuu went on, "I've continued doing the scans and probes we discussed. Still come up with zilch."

Lord Yosho nodded. "Well, it was to be expected. I still sense the Presence, but the intensity of that sensing had dropped considerably. I'll admit to being perplexed."

"But that's a good sign, isn't it?" Washuu said. "Whatever it is, it's tapering off."

"Perhaps it is," Lord Yosho said. "Its continued existence is not a good sign, however."

"With respect...what are you two talking about?" Nobuyuki asked, clearly confused by the new topic.

"Yes, Grandfather. You left Dad and me way behind," Tenchi added.

"I apologize. It is time both of you knew." Lord Yosho then told Tenchi and Nobuyuki about the ominous but will-of-the-wisp Presence he had been sensing night after night.

"That sure doesn't sound good," Tenchi said worriedly when his grandfather had finished. "There's no reason something like that would be around us...except to do us harm."

"That is my feeling as well, grandson," Lord Yosho agreed.

"Father-in-law, forgive me," Nobuyuki said. "But...are you certain you are sensing something that is truly real? No offense meant."

"None taken. Yes, I am convinced it is real. It exists on a plane that escapes ordinary physical detection. What that plane is, I cannot tell...yet. That's why I have not shared this with anyone besides Professor Washuu. It is so tenuous at present."

"I'll tell you one thing, guys. An entity that can slip through my probes and scans...I haven't dealt with something like that before," Washuu said. She had stopped eating, as had the men.

"It's something I have not dealt with before, either." Yosho shook his head. "Elemental...yet extraordinary. I am certain of that."

"But, then again, Grandfather--it has lessened, you said. Why would it do that if it means to harm us?" Tenchi asked, puzzled by the attenuated nature of what appeared to be a threat.

"Yes, father-in-law. It sounds as if it--whatever it is--is in some sort of remission. Perhaps Washuu's scanning, even if it can't pick it up, has frightened it somehow," Nobuyuki said.

Washuu looked at Nobuyuki with surprise. "Good thinking, Dad! That never occurred to me."

"So, maybe just keep scanning it, Washuu--and it'll give up and go away?" Tenchi guessed.

"Oh, I'll keep the scans and probes going, don't worry about that, Tenchi. If I can get a handle on this thing, I will," the redheaded scientist promised.

"Yes, Professor Washuu, please do that," Lord Yosho said. "And I'll hopefully be able to continue to sense the Presence. Indeed, I may have an inkling to what this is all about...oh, nothing worth talking about yet. Perhaps the thing truly is dissipating. We will hope for that but we will not count on it."

"Right, Grandpa." Washuu's manner was uncharacteristically somber. "Hope for the best but prepare for the worst. That's the best plan."

------

The Mustang was well within the Okayama city limits now. Traffic actually moved somewhat briskly, although the city was already thronged with Sunday shoppers. Very soon, Tris spotted the massive masonry and glass structure of the mighty Mitsukoshi department store. "We're almost there," he announced.

The women, who had been staring with undisguised excitement at the tall buildings and the heart-stirring bustle of the city (except for Kiyone and Mihoshi who had lived in its lower-rent outskirts and were used to it), were silent. Okayama City was home to over 600,000 people and was a major metropolis as well as capital of the Prefecture. It was no small village in the rural "rube" belt.

Tris now pulled onto the street leading to the shopping emporium.

"There's no chance of finding a parking spot on the street near the store," Tris told them. "I'll just drop you off by the store and I'll find a parking garage or parking lot somewhere." The last thing Tris wanted to do was park illegally in Okayama City. Polite lady wardens patrolled those streets. They first marked an offending car's tires with chalk and, if they later found the car still illegally parked, had the car towed. The cost to get one's car out of hock was substantial.

"Look!" cried Mihoshi. "There's a parking spot right there!"

"No chance, Mihoshi," Tris told her. "That's just--"

"Drive up to it," Kiyone told him. "Check it out."

Tris did. It was a nice expanse of open curbside space between a Mitsubishi and a Honda. The curb itself was without paint, indicating a free and open area to park.

"What do you call that?" Kiyone asked him, smiling sweetly.

"A parking spot," Tris muttered.

"Gee, Tris," Ryoko said sarcastically from the back seat. "Maybe you ought to park this heap there, you think?"

"Yeah..." Tris couldn't believe his eyes. It was impossible. But there it was. A street parking space! On a Sunday!

He executed a pretty fair parallel parking maneuver (that ability to parallel park on a dime had earned him his driver's license on the first try). He eased the Mustang into the open space.

"Good eyes, Mihoshi," he said.

"Thank you, Tris," Mihoshi replied from the back seat.

"Yeah, it only sticks out like a sore thumb, Eagle Eye," Kiyone told him.

"You could walk home, you know," he told her back.

Kiyone just wrinkled her nose at him as he killed the engine. Then he applied the parking brake and kept the Mustang in first gear. Nothing would make it roll now.

"Okay, everybody out--" Tris stopped. Everybody was already out. Amazing.

Tris reached over and locked the passenger car door. He opened his door and exited himself, stepping right out onto the sidewalk (one of the few advantages of driving an American car in a country where the cars normally had driver's compartments on the right side and everyone drove to the left, the opposite of the US). He locked the door. A small group of folks were already gathering around the Mustang, admiring it. Tris bowed to them politely and started after the women, who were already well on their way to the glass-and-chrome front doors of the massive Mitsukoshi department store.

"Hey--wait up, will you?" Tris called.

Kiyone turned around, as did the other women. "Where do you think you're going?" she asked.

"Huh? Well..." He didn't understand the question.

"You're not coming with us, Tris." Kiyone was firm. "We don't want you or Tenchi to see our bathing suits until we wear them at the beach. Okay?"

Tris thought about it. A special unveiling, so the speak. It sounded reasonable. "Okay," he said.

"Can't he come with us?" Mihoshi asked. Sasami nodded.

"No," said Kiyone. "This will be more fun. You'll see."

"You just want him to buy you another ugly stuffed toy," Ryoko told Mihoshi.

"I do not!" Mihoshi denied. "I just want him with us." She had loved it when Tris and she had gone shopping in the village.

"Well, forget it. We have a plan and we're sticking to it," Ryoko said.

"It will be all right, Mihoshi," Ayeka said. "I am certain Tristram would not wish to tag along with us whilst we shop."

Kiyone looked at her partner's long face. No doubt about it...she'd have to have another long talk with that ding-dong.

"That's settled," Tris said. "I'll meet you all at the car. How long do you think you'll be?"

"Oh, give us a couple of hours anyway," Kiyone replied.

"None of you wears a watch," Tris reminded them. "You'll need to check the wall clocks in the store."

"We will."

"All right. We'll meet at the car in two hours. Then we'll go have lunch somewhere."

"Yay!" Mihoshi was happy again.

The women turned and continued walking toward the entrance of the big department store.

Tris turned in the opposite direction and started making his way through the knots of people congesting the sidewalk. Downtown Okayama City on Sunday was full of people doing the one thing the Japanese loved to do as much as Americans--shop.

------

The telephone jangling in the hallway delayed Tenchi temporarily from meeting his grandfather at the outbuilding-dojo for a bit of Shintaido Bojutsu practice. He walked to the mahogany-and-bamboo telephone stand and scooped up the receiver.

"Hello," he said.

A female voice at the other end of the line said, "Good morning. May I speak to Tristram Coffin?" The woman had just the slightest bit of difficulty with the Western name.

"I'm sorry, ma'am," Tenchi told her. "He is not here, but he will be back later today. May I take a message?"

"Yes, if you would, and perhaps you might also assist us."

"I'll try," Tenchi responded, feeling somewhat intrigued.

"Thank you. This is Skikata Car Rental. Will you pass on the message to Mr. Coffin that the vehicle he inquired about is available and will be delivered tomorrow morning?"

The reason behind the call dawned on Tenchi. "I will, ma'am."

"Please also inform him that the extra charges we discussed will be added to his credit card."

"Yes, ma'am." Tenchi winced inwardly, thinking of what those charges must be.

"You are very helpful. Thank you, sir. Mr. Coffin also provided us with directions to the place we are to deliver the vehicle. The address is that of one Nobuyuki Masaki. Might that be you?"

Tenchi grinned. "No, ma'am, but I am his son."

"I see. May we run through the directions again, sir...just to make certain?"

"Yes, please." Tenchi listened to the directions and clarified several points. Then he and the woman rang off.

Tenchi looked thoughtful as he hung up its receiver. He recalled Tris asseting that he put his money where his mouth was. No doubt of it. The fact was, Tris kept his promises, period. A lot of the other guys Tenchi knew at college might have made the promises Tris made, but likely would have found an alibi not to come through on them. There were too many of those kind around and not enough like Tris, Tenchi knew.

He then continued on his way to where his honorable grandfather no doubt waited for him, stave in hand. He'd tell Grandfather about the phone call. Tenchi was certain Grandfather would not be surprised.

------

Ryoko, Ayeka, Sasami, Kiyone, and Mihoshi stood in the huge main lobby of the Mitsukoshi department store. It seemed like a spacious atrium with lovely plants and flowers and comfortable seats scattered here and there. The building's architecture was artful (Nobuyuki was highly regardful of it) and it allowed for many glass ceiling panels to let the spring sun bathe the marble floors. The women faced the main reception area with its long booths womanned by courteous ladies eager to help and give directions. All these ladies wore the store uniform and, of course, the ubiquitous white gloves. Escalators and elevators (operated by smiling "elevator ladies") led up to other floors.

Delicious aromas wafted in the women's nostrils. As was the case with most Japanese department stores, the basement level hosted a well- stocked food department, rather in the spirit of the world-famous Harrod's department store in Knightsbridge, London, England. Two of the top floors of the department store were, accordingly, restaurant floors featuring various cuisines, such as Chinese and Western specialties.

Of course, none of the women were at the store to eat or were wanting to take time (and money) to do that. Well, almost none of them.

"Gosh, I'm hungry," Mihoshi said.

"You had a big breakfast not that long ago," Kiyone told her.

"I know...but I feel my tummy growling." One could hear it, too.

"Tell that stomach of yours to suck it up," Ryoko told her. "We're here to buy bikinis, girl!"

"Yes, please Mihoshi," Ayeka said. "You heard Tristram. He will take us to luncheon as soon as we are finished shopping."

"Okay...but it smells so yummy!"

"It is heavenly," Ayeka agreed. "This is a wonderful store, I can tell. I do not think there is any better shopping than on Earth."

"Ix-nay the earth-yay," Ryoko reminded her. "We don't want anyone to find out, you know?"

"Yes. You are quite right, Ryoko." Ayeka did not care much for the admonishment from Ryoko but was pleased that the space pirate was remembering to keep a low profile.

The women slowly walked to one of the information counters. Ayeka and Mihoshi each held Sasami's hands. They would make certain little Sasami would not be lost in the huge, heavily mobbed store. Sasami didn't mind.

A slim, pretty, bright-eyed pillar of helpfulness beamed at them from behind the counter.

"We're looking for the bikinis," Ryoko said.

"Ryoko!" Ayeka reproved her. "We are seeking bathing attire, if you please," she addressed the attendant.

The smiling attendant continued smiling at the odd group of women, but inwardly tried to place them. The attendants were trained to be sensitive to store security as well as to greet and direct customers. Were these women Americans? They spoke very good Japanese. The woman with the wild platinum hair seemed to have a Japanese name. Could they be Europeans? They were quite exotic. Perhaps Canadian?

"Bathing attire?" she queried. "Oh, yes. We have a lovely selection of bathing accessories on our third floor. Many pretty robes and customized towels."

This was not what the women sought. Kiyone tried now. "We're going to the beach tomorrow and we need something to wear." Nothing like the direct approach.

A light showed in the attendant's smiling face. "Oh, yes, I see. Lingerie and beachwear. Second floor."

"Thank you, so much," a relieved Kiyone said. The other women smiled their appreciation.

The attendant bowed. Kiyone and the other women returned the bow and left.

As they walked toward one of the escalators, the attendant watched them go. She had been surprised that they had bowed back. Most foreigners, especially Westerners, did not, as a rule. And such formal bows. Something did not add up. She reached for the phone that rang only in the Security Office.

------

Tris ambled down a street in the downtown district of Okayama City. It was warm and pleasant, of course, and he didn't mind the crowds. In a way, he liked them. A large, crowded city had a hidden, coiled excitement about it that Tris found irresistible. He had been to London, Tokyo, Barcelona, Paris, Rome, and Amsterdam, and it was always the same--lots of people, lots to do and see. Okayama City was not in the same league as those other cities, of course, but it was a jumping place in its own quieter manner. He wished Kiyone were with him.

The boulevard he had entered was a minor side street, devoted to stalls and small shops rather than standard retail establishments. It was the sort of street where one might find children peeing in the gutter...just not high-rent. There were many sidewalk stands selling food and small items like motorized pandas. Advertising banners floated in the breeze. Tris slowed down and read a few. One was already flogging the Okayama Summer Festival ("Fireworks display on a cool summer evening"), held at the Asahi River (Naka-Shima) locally, but that was not until July. Another banner advertised a Western music concert in one of the many parks in Okayama City next month. That would be nice to take Kiyone to, he reflected. She liked The Beatles at any rate. Perhaps she would like Berlin and Gershwin as well.

And the vending machines! Like in Tokyo, the street was packed with coin-operated vending machines, selling everything from hot noodles to combs and CDs. One could buy nearly anything from a vending machine in Japan. Tris was amused by one vending machine that sold diapers-- now that had to be a live-saver for a Mom and Dad!

Then Tris saw a small storefront whose picture windows were stuffed with small, colorful periodicals. It was a sort of news shop that specialized in the unique graphic novels and comic-format continuation stories called manga. Tris had read some manga, particularly Video Girl and Steam Detectives. He had found it all pretty far-fetched, but entertaining...little had he known! He grinned. He wondered if anyone would care to read a manga about squabbling space alien girls fighting over some Earth guy. Probably not--no giant robots, no real sex, just real problems. It wouldn't be very entertaining to the average manga reader, he thought.

In the storefront's well-stuffed front window, he spotted several manga devoted to that sailor-suited schoolgirl with the magical powers whom Mihoshi and Sasami loved. He thought about how sweet they both were and how they had stuck up for him time and time again. He made up his mind. He entered the store.

Inside, a young clerk who was rather flabby and overweight for a Japanese male, with horn-rimmed glasses and a scraggly excuse for a mustache, walked up to the American and bowed. Tris had him pegged as a stone otaku, a socially retarded type who lived for manga and anime and had probably read every manga in the shop. Oh, well, at least he must enjoy his work. Tris returned the bow.

"Very nice to meet, yes?" The clerk was trying out his English on Tris as did nearly every young Japanese the American met. In this case, someone had not been paying very close attention during English classes at school. Tris couldn't hold it against the young clerk, of course...how many American students bothered to study a second language, particularly one as difficult as Japanese?

Tris replied in Japanese. The clerk countered in fractured English. It was only when Tris had spoken enough Japanese to indicate he had not simply taken a quickie Berlitz course that the clerk relented and stuck to his native tongue.

"How may I help you, honorable customer?" That was more like it.

"I want to buy these." Tris indicated the "pretty magical soldier" titles he had selected while he and the clerk were engaged in their language wrestling match.

"Oh...honorable customer..." the clerk looked at him knowingly. "Of course you do. But these are for children. I know the pretty magical soldier books the honorable customer wants."

The clerk went over to a shelf and selected three volumes. He brought them over to Tris.

The illustrated books were manga in appearance on the cover and they were, indeed, about the pretty magical soldiers...but when Tris examined the contents, he saw that these pretty magical soldiers must have had a quantity of Spanish Fly dumped into their malted milks. The books were hardcore pornography, popularly known as hentai. Tris had to admit that it was interesting to see the squeaky-clean heroines in such a rough-and-tumble setting. But it seemed rather mean- spirited as well to do that to an innocent series that afforded so many little girls fun and romance and perhaps taught them something about friendship and responsibility.

At first, he was going to tell the clerk to forget the smut. But then he thought of Tenchi's Dad--and of Tenchi. They'd probably get a kick out of it. Why the hell not?

There were several reasons why the hell not, as Tris would learn, but he was being his occasionally impulsive and clueless self. Tenchi, and now Kiyone, would have recognized the symptoms.

"All right, I'll take both versions. Please wrap them separately. They mustn't be intermingled."

The clerk bowed. He wrapped both sets of books. Unfortunately, he used the same wrapping paper for both.

"Better mark the hentai package with a marker," Tris suggested. "I need to be able to tell them apart."

The clerk did so.

The clerk and Tris exchanged bows and Tris paid and left with his packages.

------

The women had reached the second floor of the department store. They had also found the lingerie and swimwear area, right by Better Shoes. That portion of the huge store featured the lingerie section in front of the swimwear section, so the women had to brave the lingerie section first.

"Hey, do you think Tenchi would like me in this?" Ryoko was examining a torso mannequin sporting a Merrie Widow corset.

"Of course not! That is a brazen and wicked outfit, Ryoko," Ayeka told her, shocked. Mihoshi, Kiyone, and Sasami seemed not to be so certain that Tenchi wouldn't like it, but they kept silent.

Ryoko fingered the suspenders attached to the hem of the corset. "What are these for again?"

"Stockings," Kiyone replied. She pointed to a smaller section featuring leg mannequins sheathed in various shades and styles of hosiery. That stuff was quite a bit more...elegant...than the rather utilitarian pantyhose she was wearing, Kiyone reflected. She wondered if Tris would like her legs in nylons like that. Then she dismissed the notion, irritated at herself.

"That's hot! That's a hot combo. I may have to come back to this store," Ryoko said.

"After hours, no doubt?" Ayeka suggested sarcastically.

"Hey, I don't steal anymore, Princess. I know salesmanship now!" Ryoko laughed.

"Do not call me "Princess" here, Ryoko. No one must know that," Ayeka said, her mein quite serious.

"Oops. Right."

Unnoticed by them, a well-dressed lady who was, in reality, a store detective, quietly walked from where she had pretended to browse through a table of brassieres. She picked up a telephone at a checkout counter. She reported that one of the women was an admitted thief and that another of the women seemed to be laboring under the delusion that she was some sort of royalty. She was ordered to continue to keep them both under close observation.

"Can we go to the beachwear section now?" asked Sasami. All the frankly sensual women's underthings seemed to intimidate her, a little.

"Good idea," Kiyone said. She walked over to where Mihoshi was examining a black lace garter belt with great interest. "Come on, Mihoshi...that's for stockings and you don't even wear pantyhose."

"I could start, Kiyone." Mihoshi smiled wistfully. But she put down the garter belt. All the lingerie was so pretty and nice. She wished she could afford to buy some.

Ayeka was shaking her head at a full-figure mannequin wearing a push-up brassier, French knickers, and fishnet stockings when Kiyone touched her arm. "The women here are so shameless," Ayeka marveled. Then she stared down hard at Sasami who turned her gaze up toward the ceiling

"I know," Kiyone said. "Com'on."

She led the way through the last of the lingerie counters. Now they entered a section with bright yellow walls and a central display featuring a sand floor, a beach hut, faux palm trees, and mannequins in bikinis and one-piece swimsuits.

"All right! We're here!" Ryoko said.

"Yay!" said Mihoshi.

------

At about this time, the three Masaki men also found something that they had sought...peace and quiet.

"This is the life," Nobuyuki sighed.

"It sure is, Dad," Tenchi agreed.

"It is very pleasant," Lord Yosho confirmed.

The three of them were sitting on the wooden slat seats of a small boat, or punter, in the middle of the lake, close to the towering Juraian tree. The boat was aluminum and somewhat dented in places. It had been purchased long before the women came to stay and was rarely used now, ever since Mihoshi had once toppled out of it into the lake.

Earlier, Nobuyuki and Tenchi had climbed into the Mach Five, nursed it to the village, and brought back some beer--their favorite brand, Asahi. Now they sipped that beer as they floated on the lake. It was a peaceful, tranquil scene, one that could have played as well anywhere in the world where there were men and boats and beer. The men rarely drank beer around the women, since the latter did not seem to appreciate it, particularly Ayeka. But the men liked the brew, especially Nobuyuki.

Looking out over the lake, Lord Yosho remarked. "You know...I've always wondered how it would be to have a fishing lake. I was quite a fisherman in my youth."

"Were you, Grandfather?" Tenchi asked.

"He was, son," his Dad confirmed. "Your grandfather and I went to Okinawa on a fishing trip once. Your grandfather caught his limit when nearly everyone else did not. Remember, father-in-law?"

"Yes, indeed," Yosho said amiably. "That was a fine trip. Before you were born, Tenchi. Yes, a fine trip..."

"Maybe we three could go fishing sometime together," Tenchi said.

His father and grandfather seemed to welcome the idea. But they also seemed to realize the chances were slim.

"You know..." Nobuyuki took a reflective swig of beer. "We have those wooded areas...many of them are in depressions. Just one earth mover could create a rim and scoop out the earth."

"An artificial lake?" Lord Yosho asked.

"Yes. It's done quite often. It would fill with water very quickly and we could stock it with game fish."

"That's a great idea, Dad!" Tenchi enthused.

"Yes, I certainly like that suggestion," Yosho agreed. "Expensive?"

"Not really. Of course, we would have to wait until we had a bit more in the bank at the end of the month," Nobuyuki said. "After the women leave and Tenchi marries, perhaps...a wedding present?" Nobuyuki smiled.

"You're on, Dad!" Tenchi grinned. Lord Yosho nodded approvingly.

Then Tenchi realized something. All day they had been talking of all the things they would do after the women left. It had not occurred to him so strongly before what not having the women under their roof would mean to his Dad...and Grandfather...and even to himself. With a pang, he realized it was another sign that the carnival was finally, really, going to have to end someday.

------

Meanwhile, the women were in the beachwear section of the department store, doing what they had come to do: Try on bathing suits and critique them. And, hopefully, find one they would want to buy.

"I don't know, Kiyone...does this one make me look fat?" Mihoshi asked, studying herself in the full-length mirror in the beachwear section's large, airy dressing rooms.

Obligingly, Kiyone looked Mihoshi over. Her blonde partner had on a tiger-print bikini, very low cut. It was labeled a "Brazilian" type of bikini. They must show a lot of themselves in Brazil, Kiyone thought. In it, of course, Mihoshi looked anything but fat. She was a knockout, Kiyone had to admit. She shook her head. Mihoshi...with that sweet, childish expression and that drop-dead womanly body. She would need bodyguards on the beach.

"No, it doesn't, Mihoshi. But it's pretty low cut."

"Isn't that the idea?" Mihoshi asked, innocently surprised at Kiyone's comment.

Kiyone dropped the subject. She now studied herself in the mirror. She wore a bikini called a "Pinata." It featured a Polynesian blue tanktini top and a matching blue somewhat high-waisted bottom. It still showed her navel, which Kiyone considered a bit too deep. But that couldn't be helped. The blue of the bikini matched her eyes, which Kiyone liked. She had kept her pantyhose on and it gave her an idea how her legs would look tanned in the bikini (which was why she had worn the hose in the first place). Since the warm weather had just begun, Kiyone was pleased to see there would be no tan lines showing this time. Just wait until that big stiff saw her in this! The thought pleased her.

"That looks very attractive on you, Kiyone." It was Ayeka speaking to her.

"Thanks." Kiyone turned toward the direction of the voice.

The Princess was just stepping out from a dressing room stall. She walked somewhat hesitantly. And she was wearing a bikini.

"Wow, Ayeka...so you're going to wear a bikini after all."

Ayeka smiled hesitantly. "Yes. After all, I wore a rather--um-- revealing one-piece suit for that contest on that pleasure planet. All the women here wear bikinis. I have seen that on the television. Besides..." She didn't finish the sentence.

But Kiyone knew what Ayeka had begun to say. The Princess was not about to wear something less attractive--and less alluring--than Ryoko would. Not with Tenchi around.

Ayeka had a very nice form, just a little fuller than Kiyone's. Now her form looked fabulous in the wildflower print bikini she wore with the sides cut a bit higher than Kiyone's bikini. It still showed a lot of skin, which made Ayeka a bit nervous...but resolute.

After all, Ayeka thought, staring at herself in the mirror, she did have amazingly soft and flawless skin. It was a particular point of pride with her although she, perhaps, spoke too much of it, especially to Lord Tenchi. Now she would not need to speak...just appear before him like this. Yes, by heavens, she would do it! The First Princess of Jurai would wear a bikini!

Mihoshi walked up to her and Kiyone. "I think you look great in your bikini, Kiyone," she told her partner. "And Ayeka...I think you're beautiful in yours."

Ayeka all but blushed. "Why, thank you, Mihoshi. I do hope I look all right in it."

"Tenchi will love seeing you in it." Mihoshi grinned.

"Mihoshi...!" But Ayeka was pleased.

Sasami walked out of her dressing room stall. They had found a lacy one-piece suit for her that featured tiny yellow sea horses on a navy background. She looked absolutely adorable in it.

"Gosh! You all look like those models on TV," Sasami told the three women admiringly.

"Thanks. If there are any little boys on that beach, they're going to flock around you." Kiyone smiled at Sasami. The little Princess colored, but smiled back.

"So those are sea horsies!" Mihoshi observed. "What did Tris mean when he said he had a sea horsie?"

"Who knows what that idiot means?" Kiyone grinned as she surveyed herself in the mirror again. She'd sea-horsie that big stiff!

"Yeah, you all probably look okay--but here's the main attraction." It was Ryoko. She stepped out of her stall. The women stared at her. Their expressions ranged from near disbelief to near shock.

Ryoko had chosen the skimpiest, tiniest, least-covering thong bikini she could find. It was bright lime green, what little there was of it. It would pass legal muster on a Japanese public beach, but just barely...and barely was the word.

"Ryoko!" Ayeka was scandalized. "You go take that off!"

"But Ayeka, I'll have to wear something on the beach tomorrow--just can't go completely natural." Ryoko grinned. She had remembered to stop calling her rival in romance "Princess" for the nonce.

"You know what I mean! That suit is...is...wanton!"

"Wanton, huh?" Ryoko shrugged. "Well, I'm "wanton" to wear it tomorrow--and I'm going to buy it. Nice bikini on you, Ayeka. Maybe a little padding would help, though..."

"I do not need padding!"

"Suit yourself." Ryoko walked back into her stall.

"That's some bikini Ryoko picked," Sasami said admiringly. "I'd like to wear something like that someday."

"Sasami!" Ayeka cried. Sometimes she thought raising her little sister properly with certain people around was a near-hopeless task.

------

Outside the dressing room, another well-dressed woman joined the store detective--a woman whom the alien women had assumed was just another customer trying on bikinis. It was another store detective, of course.

"What did you hear?" the first asked.

"One of them is definitely delusional," the second answered. "She speaks of some place called a "pleasure planet." I've heard the names "Tenchi" and "Tris" mentioned also."

"Hmmm. We could be on the wrong track. That "pleasure planet" could be actually an establishment called Pleasure Planet--like Planet Hollywood. Only they wouldn't be serving food."

"Oh, I see. You think they may be pros (prostitutes)."

"Yes. Look how exotic-looking they are," the first store detective pointed out. "Part of their routine for the johns. And this Tenchi and this Tris may be their procurers." (That was a polite way of saying "pimps.") "You don't wear bikinis just on the beach, you know. At least, their sort doesn't."

"You know, at least one of them was wearing pantyhose with their bikini--doesn't sound like sun and surf to me, either," her partner agreed.

"Good point."

"One thing, though...I don't understand how that little girl fits in."

"I don't even want to think about it!"

"Well, as long as they aren't selling it here. What should we do now?"

"Keep watching them for now. I'll call in a report." The first store detective left to find a telephone.

------

Tris had left the rather low-class street to return to the more respectable areas of the shopping district of Okayama City. He happened to walk by a jeweler's shop. On impulse, he decided to stop in. He had spotted something in the window.

The short, graying, middle-aged proprietor, who also was the head jeweler, quite happily showed Tris the item. It was a plain gold ID bracelet, small and finely detailed for a woman. Tris examined it and decided it would do. He asked the jeweler if it were at all possible to engrave the bracelet on the spot. The jeweler said it would be quite possible. The jeweler stayed in business by accommodating impulses, both male and female.

Soon the ID bracelet was engraved to Tris's specifications. The jeweler slipped it into a classy black velvet case and wrapped it very nicely. Very little of a consumer nature goes unwrapped in Japan. In this case, the fancy wrapping was quite apropos. It was, after all, a present for someone. Someone special.

Carrying three parcels now, Tris stopped at a street corner and consulted his watch, his Dad's old Omega Speedmaster. Yes, it was about time to meet the women at the car. He wondered how their bikini safari had gone. Swimmingly, he hoped. He smiled to himself over the small (very small) pun.

Whistling the tune to "Maxwell's Silver Hammer," from the Abbey Road album (and catching a few glances from passers-by in the process; whistling was more of an American art form), Tris walked back to his car...and the women.

------

Ryoko was bored, a little. She had kept her vow and had bought the thong bikini, even though even she thought it a little daring. But the look on the Princess's face had decided her. Ryoko was anticipating the look on Tenchi's face very keenly. Hey, it might even be enough to get her sweetums to propose.

And that was important to Ryoko. Former notions of her and Tenchi joy-rocketing throughout the galaxy together like bohemians were a lost cause now, although a very fondly remembered one. Tenchi had made it clear--although he planned to get a Degree in Letters from the University, he still planned to assume his grandfather's priestly duties at the Masaki Shrine. That meant he would marry and stay put. That suited Ryoko. She would have lived on a desert planetoid as long as it was with Tenchi. But marriage was part of the deal now. All she had to do was to get him to propose.

Since Ryoko made a relatively quick buying decision, she had already paid for her bikini before the other women finally settled on the swimwear they wanted to buy. She had waited restlessly as they slowly made their way to the nearest checkout booth. Finding things dull, she decided to wander through the lingerie section again. She really had liked some of the items on display there. Princess Pain- In-The-Patoot had acted all scandalized about it, but Ryoko figured Ayeka wasn't all that shocked. It was more of a show for the Junior Princess, whom Ayeka insisted on shielding from life in general, although the kid was pretty darn sharp and didn't miss much.

Ryoko was examining with curiosity a line of negligees that seemed to be cut awfully short when she spotted a middle-aged matron with middle-aged spread talking to a polite saleslady about the corset Ryoko had noticed earlier. Ryoko at first assumed that the woman was buying it for a younger female relative. But then the matronly woman took one of the frilly foundation garments and walked off toward the dressing rooms.

No way! Ryoko couldn't believe it. That old bag in that sexy corset? She was kidding herself.

Ryoko yielded to impulse (she rather resembled Tris in that respect). She just had to see that old biddy with the wide hips try to get that corset thingy on. Ryoko needed a laugh. She walked toward the dressing rooms just behind the matronly woman.

------

The first store detective quickly scooped up the security phone at the checkout counter. "We may have something going down with that party we're watching," she said. "One of them made a purchase and is back in the dressing rooms where another customer is trying on lingerie. The one who went in there didn't bring anything to try on with her. She's just carrying something she already purchased."

At the other end of the line, the security manager informed his operative to keep close tabs on the dressing room and that reinforcements would soon arrive.

"Understood," said the store detective. She put down the receiver and, squaring her shoulders, she walked toward the dressing room. She was ready for anything...or so she thought...

------

Inside the dressing rooms, the only thing going down was the middle- aged woman's clothing. The corset hung on a hanger affixed to the dressing room stall door.

Yet another one of those trouble-making impulses had spurred the well- groomed middle-aged matron to try on the corset. She was the mother of two sons who were rising executives at Pioneer and one daughter who was married and expecting her first child. The woman was quite respectable. However, she still possessed a rather girlish streak, kept buried for years. Now with her husband away at a business seminar, she had time on her hands...and she had always wondered how she would look in some of that naughty Western lingerie.

She never got the chance to find out. At least, not that day.

The woman had just divested herself of clothing and was trying to force the corset on, panting a bit with the effort, when a voice said, "Hey, give it up, lady. You're just going to hurt yourself."

The woman straightened up, startled by the voice. She looked toward the door but it was closed. Then she looked toward the side wall of the dressing stall--

--and saw a face--just a face, nothing else--emerging from that wall.

The face grinned at her. "Face it. If you want to wear something slinky like that, you'll have to cut down on the rice cakes."

The woman screamed. Not just once, but twice, then a third time. Loud, wailing screams. Then she screamed again.

Ryoko decided that this was a good time to exit, stage left.

------

The store detective stopped dead in her tracks some yards from the dressing rooms. Screams! She had not expected it. What was that wild-haired perp doing to that nice lady?

A second later, the main dressing room door blew open and the wild- haired perp streaked out, carrying her package. The screams continued unabated behind her.

The store detective didn't know what to do--check out the screaming woman in the dressing room or take out after the fugitive. Then she saw two other female store detectives, one of them her partner, enter the lingerie and beachwear section. She waved frantically at them and pointed to the running woman. The two nodded at her and took off in pursuit.

Then the store detective squared her shoulders again (a nervous habit) and continued toward the dressing rooms at a swift pace. The screams had stopped. She did not know if that was a good sign or a bad sign.

------

Fortunately, the last of the women had paid for their swimsuits and were standing around speculating a bit irritably on where Ryoko had wandered off to when the space pirate came running up to them.

"Well, there you are, Ryoko," Ayeka began to admonish her. "Going off like that when we need to leave and meet Tristram. We should have held onto your hand, not Sasami's. Why are you--?"

"Can it, Princess!" Ryoko stopped, panting.

"What? How dare you--!"

"We gotta beat feet outta here! Now!"

"Huh? Why?" Kiyone demanded.

"No time to tell you now. But we gotta scram. Trust me on this!" Ryoko scooted off.

"I refuse to run off--why should we--what did she do?" Ayeka sputtered.

Then Kiyone looked in the direction that Ryoko had come from. She spotted two very well dressed women hurrying towards them. The women in appearance may have looked exactly like the typical upscale Mitsukoshi customer. But Kiyone's years of experience as a cop enabled her to recognize the hard, determined looks on the women's faces. She knew a bust going down when she saw it.

"Ryoko's right!" Kiyone realized instantly that trying to alibi Ryoko in whatever she did would be fruitless and lead to an interrogation none of them could stand. "Run! Run like hell!"

Although the other women might have questioned Ryoko on the need for speed, none of them would question Galaxy Police Detective First Class Kiyone Makibi. Besides, they had also spotted the fast- approaching women who did not look as if they wanted to offer perfume samples. Mihoshi began to wail, but she also began to run. She and Ayeka grabbed Sasami's package and their own packages and then took the little girl's hands. They ran, pulling Sasami with them. Very soon, they no longer needed to pull her along--Sasami could run, too. Kiyone brought up the rear.

They streaked out of the lingerie and beachwear section and headed toward the escalators. They then took a wrong turn in Ladies Handbags and Mihoshi ran pell mell into a display of faux alligator bags that nearly clothes-lined her as neatly as if she'd been carrying the ball down the thirty-yard line and ran into a pair of nasty-minded blockers. But she sprang to her feet immediately, imitation reptile purses flying, and caught up with the others, still clutching her purchase.

Kiyone had passed Ryoko and was now in the lead. She unerringly led the sprinters to the escalators. Crowds of Sunday shoppers swiveled their heads to stare at the running women and little girl. And they also made way for them, both traditional Japanese politeness plus the understandable desire not to step in front of a feminine freight train fueling the shoppers' actions. Kiyone, Mihoshi, Ayeka, Sasami, and Ryoko reached the escalators and pounded down them. They reached the first floor escalators and repeated the procedure, panting and glancing behind themselves to see the Mitsukoshi store security SWAT team, augmented by some male members now, hard on their heels. They ran even faster in response. Ryoko, amazingly, had the presence of mind not to start flying. She didn't need to. She could run like nobody's business.

------

Tris, standing beside the Mustang and politely answering questions about it from the politely curious, glanced at his watch again. It was quarter past the hour...so where were the women? He had unlocked the doors and popped open the trunk where he had deposited his own goodies. He shrugged. The women were most likely still shopping, probably looking at footwear now (women were mad about shoes, Tris knew), and just taking their own sweet time. That's right, just lollygag around, girls, he thought uncharitably, just forget about the driver...

"Tris! Tris!" It was Kiyone's voice.

Tris quickly turned away from the opened trunk of the car. Kiyone's voice had sounded a trifle strained. He looked in the direction of her voice. His jaw dropped.

All the women--and Sasami, too--were sprinting like greyhounds toward him. They were panting and they looked like the very Devil was after them. What the hell, over? Tris looked beyond them for a split second. He then saw that it wasn't Old Scratch chasing them but some very well turned out men and women, the sort who would adorn any corporate boardroom in the land of Nippon. But in the past Tris more than once had been obliged to cheese it when the campus cops raided a dorm beer keg party back at Mizzou. He recognized the faces of rightful authority on the pursuers.

"Tris! We gotta go! Now!" Kiyone informed him breathlessly as she and the other fugitives reached him. He nodded. He held the lid of the trunk open while the women shoveled in their packages. He then slammed the trunk shut as the women piled into the car. He entered his car, fired up the engine, put the transmission into gear. He flipped on the right turn signal to indicate to traffic that he was departing his parking spot and planning to join the flow.

Kiyone glanced out the back window. The store security posse was almost upon them. She lifted a leg over the transmission tunnel as she saw Tris twist the steering wheel. She mashed her foot on Tris's foot on the accelerator just as he let up the clutch.

"Kiyone!"

The galactic police officer had only experienced the Mustang's performance on a leisurely drive and during the largely bumper-to- bumper cruise to the city. She had no idea what flooring the accelerator of a big-block American muscle car would produce. She found out, double quick.

With a growl, the pony car's quad carburetors drank in gasoline and sucked air. The explosive mixture was fed right to the spark plugs. Massive internal combustion resulted. The engine had been designed to prevent its owner from losing his pink slip at stoplight drag races. The Mustang lurched ahead with such speed that it snapped everyone's head back. Tris quickly got it under control and fortunately entered the traffic stream without plowing into another car. Kiyone doggedly kept her foot pressed hard on his accelerator foot. "Lead foot" was a most apt term to describe it. The Mustang roared down the street.

Behind them, the onlookers applauded politely. It was just like one of those Clint Eastwood movies.

Tris know that although the street was temporarily un-choked with cars, that would not be the case in other streets. It was time to use the tactics that had saved him from collecting tickets in St. Louis when he had haplessly challenged other muscle car owners in the full (but covert) view of the constabulary.

He looked for an alley. He found one. "Hang on!" he shouted.

With a hard wrench, Tris turned the wheel, the car fish-tailing a bit at the high speed manuver despite the heavy duty shocks and sway bars in the undercarriage. The women in back were tossed against each other like rag dolls. Kiyone's head banged against his shoulder. He ignored such trifles. He powered down the alley.

A young boy, zipping up his trousers, jumped out of the way. The lad watched the magnificent American car flash by him, reach the end of the alley, and thunder away. The boy thought he had never seen anything so cool. Then he looked down at the front of his trousers and realized he had been more shaken by the incident than he had thought.

Tris entered a busy street. Forget that! He spotted a parking lot. He aimed the Mustang toward it.

"Tris! No!" Kiyone yelled. She had removed her foot from his and now held on to the dashboard with a death grip.

He ignored her. They entered the parking lot at high speed. The attendant, sitting on a lawn chair to collect fees, jumped up. He saw that the red juggernaut was not going to stop. He jumped again, this time out of the way. Tris rocketed down the rows of cars, looking for the exit. He found it. It led to a quiet side street. It soon became un-quiet. The throaty roar of the Mustang filled it. The classic car streaked down the street. Tris turned left. Another relatively deserted street. He was in the city's residential section. Good! He gunned the engine. He powered down three more such inoffensive streets, dodging kids, mothers, and old ladies as he did. Then he found a major artery and slipped into it without fanfare. He merged with the traffic, now driving sedately.

"Bump your head?" he asked Kiyone, who was rubbing her noggin tenderly.

Kiyone just stared at him. In the back, Mihoshi and Sasami, still holding each other tightly, sniffled. With a snort of disgust, Ayeka and Ryoko released each other from their mutual panic-clutch.

"Yes, sir," Tris remarked mildly. "Nothing like a nice Sunday drive."

------

"It's great to have one day to ourselves," Nobuyuki remarked. He was swigging another bottle of Asahi Lager. "Say, how long is this "station break" going to last?"

"Indeed." Lord Yosho nodded. "It seems that there are more and more commercials on television these days. It makes watching a program quite tedious."

Tenchi also nodded agreement.

The three men were now sitting on one of the couches in the living room watching the TV. On the screen, a slew of commercials finally gave way to a tape-delayed broadcast of two Okayama youth soccer teams competing with American teams in San Jose, California. (Okayama was a sister city to San Jose.)

"Has Tristram ever ventured to this San Jose?" Yosho asked Tenchi.

"I don't know, Grandfather. But I wouldn't be surprised," Tenchi replied. "That guy has traveled just about everywhere. He even lived in England and Germany with his parents for a while, you know."

"That's great!" Nobuyuki said. "That's just what I always wished to do, someday--see the world."

"Well, son-in-law...you've seen Jurai at any rate!" Yosho joked.

The men laughed.

"Too bad we don't have popcorn to pop," Tenchi said.

"Do we have any snacks around here?" Nobuyuki asked.

"No Dad, I looked already."

"Oh, well." At least there was beer.

"We should think about luncheon," Yosho said. "I understand Tristram was planning to take our ladies to a restaurant after they finish shopping. They won't be back for a while longer."

"Good point, Grandfather."

"Well, there are plenty of leftovers that Sasami stored in the refrigerator. I will go and start warming them up." Yosho rose from the couch.

"Thanks, Grandfather."

"Yes, thanks, father-in-law."

With a smile at his grandson and son-in-law, Yosho left for the kitchen.

"Dad?"

"Yes, Tenchi?"

"We need more days like this."

Nobuyuki took another swig and killed the bottle. "You're right, son. We do."

------

Tris would not have agreed with that. As far as he was concerned, one day like today was quite enough, thank you.

"Okay...we're almost out of the city now," he said. "Is someone going to tell me why I had to do my Smokey-And-The-Bandit bit back there?"

"Is everyone all right?" Kiyone asked, turning around and surveying the back seat.

"I think so," said Ayeka. "Sasami?"

"Oh, I'm all right, big sister." The little girl had just released Mihoshi. "Just a little shaken up, that's all."

"Me, too." Mihoshi smiled. Her usual high spirits had returned. "Wheeee! That was fun...though a little scary."

"Not bad at all," Ryoko agreed. "Maybe I'll learn to drive a car someday."

"Then heaven help us!" Ayeka closed her eyes and shuddered.

"Okay, then." Kiyone looked at Ryoko. "Spill it."

"Awww...the old dame just overreacted."

"Overreacted--to what?" Kiyone asked.

Ryoko told the tale.

"Arrgh!" Ayeka's face flamed with anger. "Ryoko...so help me...!"

"I just forgot a minute. I didn't think the old biddy would spot me," Ryoko insisted. "When she did...I just couldn't resist. Hey, you should have seen her struggle with that corset. It was classic!"

"Why would the lady put on something that was too tight for her?" Sasami asked.

"Never mind, dear," Ayeka replied, feeling a bit of sympathy for the middle-aged matron. "The point is, Ryoko, you nearly ruined it for us. What were you thinking about?"

"I guess I wasn't thinking. I'm sorry. Okay?"

"You may be sorry, Ryoko," Kiyone told her. "But you may still have ruined it for us." She looked at Tris. "What do you think, Tris?"

"Why ask an idiot?"

"Come on, now. I want your opinion."

"Well..." Tris considered as he piloted the Mustang through traffic. "You all did pay for your purchases. You had a perfect right to leave the store. They hadn't taken you into custody, right?"

"No--because we outran them!" Kiyone said ruefully.

"See? I was right to get us running," Ryoko pointed out.

"Quiet, you!" Ayeka snapped.

"The way I see it is this," Tris continued. "They'll go back and question that woman. Either she'll just clam up--if she's smart--and tell them she had a sudden case of the vapors or something. Or she will tell them what happened and they won't believe her, of course." Tris glanced at Kiyone. "So there's no case against you all. No "corpus delicious," Officer." He grinned.

"That's right." Kiyone looked at Tris with relief and admiration. "I guess I got so flustered by being chased, I forgot about that."

"I told you he should be a lawyer," Mihoshi offered up.

"Over my cold, dead body," Tris said.

"Another "corpus delicious"?" Kiyone smiled at him. Then she sobered. "Here I am, a police officer...sitting here, glad to have beaten the rap!"

"No rap to beat, Blue Eyes."

"So we won't have the police after us?" Sasami asked.

"I doubt it, kitten. Of course, when I go back to college, I'll need to avoid the area of the Mitsukoshi department store," Tris said.

"We all will," Ayeka added, looking narrowly at Ryoko.

"So what? We got what we came for," Ryoko said, smiling.

"And a lot more, too, you--!" Ayeka subsided and shook her head. Ryoko was incorrigible!

Now Sasami asked, "Will we have to tell Lord Yosho, and Mr. Masaki? And Tenchi?"

Good question. The women in the back seat looked at each other. Then they looked at Kiyone. Kiyone, in turn, looked at Tris.

Tris understood. The women were heavily conflicted. They all loved and respected Tenchi, in varying degrees, and they highly respected Lord Yosho and were getting back some respect for Nobuyuki. The notion of keeping something from the three Masaki men, especially Tenchi, was...well, alien to them. On the other hand, although it was not likely, today's incident might cause the Masakis to reconsider their approbation for the beach trip tomorrow. Again, not at all likely, but possible. The women were going to leave the decision to him, apparently. Probably because, as Tenchi had told him, they liked him and they trusted him. It was one hell of a tough call, though.

Well...in for a pence, in for a pound, as his Brit friends would put it.

"I'd say not," Tris decided. "This is one case where they'll be better off not knowing. We'll all need to be especially good little boys and girls at the beach tomorrow, though."

"Yay!" cried Mihoshi. "That's good, Tris!"

"I think I'll second that." Kiyone smiled at him.

"I told you he's real nice," Sasami said. "And he's smart, too."

"Yes he is. I just hope someone is not getting off too easily," Ayeka said, glaring at Ryoko.

But Ryoko did not bother to respond to Ayeka. Tris's suggestion just suited her to the bone. In her bucannering career, she had come to value the few people who didn't betray her far more than any treasure she had ever forcefully appropriated. She felt her last reservations against the goofball dissolve inside her. She leaned forward. "Hey, Kiyone."

"Hey what?"

"If you're not going to kiss him," Ryoko said with a grin, "I will!"

"Whoa," Tris muttered. But he smiled as Kiyone leaned over and kissed his cheek, softly.

"Hey...you need to shave better," Kiyone said.

"Hey...I need more time to shave," he told her.

"Ooops. That's right." Kiyone smiled a little guiltily.

"My tummy's growling again," Mihoshi hinted.

"Oh, Mihoshi," Kiyone said, rolling her eyes roofward. "Your stomach again!"

"Well, it is."

"Is it?" Tris asked, amused. "Well, I have to admit...almost cracking up the car and nearly running down half the population of Okayama City really gave me an appetite." He decided not to mention how he had been hustled out of the dining room that morning after having practically no breakfast. "Before we leave the city, let's go have lunch."

"Yay!"

"A wonderful suggestion," Ayeka said. "All that running...I would not mind having luncheon now."

"I think we all need lunch," Sasami said seriously.

"I know I do," Ryoko admitted.

"It's unanimous again," Kiyone told Tris, smiling.

"Okay. Where would you all like to eat?" Tris asked.

There was silence for we moment as Tris braked to a stop at a traffic light. The traffic warden smiled at his car. Tris hoped the Mitsukoshi store cops hadn't sent out an APB.

"Let's eat American!" Sasami suggested. Mihoshi "yayed" again. She obviously liked that suggestion.

"Really?" Tris asked.

"Sure, Tris," said Kiyone. "Everyone else agree?" she asked, glancing at the back seat of the car. A sea of nods greeted her. "Looks like we're eating Yank, Tris."

"Sheesh...well, I saw one possible place coming in. It's not high dining, believe me. But it's as American as black-eyes peas."

"Oh? Do they serve those there?" Sasami asked.

"No kitten...not exactly."

"Whatever you pick, Tris, is fine with us," Kiyone told him.

"Okay. You asked for it."

In a few minutes, Tris spotted the familiar building. He pulled into the parking lot.

"McDonald's?" Mihoshi read the arched sign. "I've seen commercials for it. Is that an American name?"

"Actually, it's Scottish," Tris said.

"I thought we were going to eat American."

"You are, Mihoshi. Boy, are you ever!"

------

Washuu sat at her translucent console in her lab. She read the bulletins from the weather ministry she had downloaded from a satellite feed: Fair and sunny with unseasonable highs in the 80's. Washuu grinned. She then tapped on the keypad and brought up a local television channel. On her screen were some kids playing soccer. Bor-ing. She made some more adjustments. Then she brought in a local news station. The weather forecast was...bright and sunny. Washuu rose from her console. She sighed. She hoped it didn't rain tomorrow.

Washuu glanced over at the box Tenchi had dropped off to her the day before. She grinned with delight. That Ryoko--she'd show her!

Then Washuu turned as she heard footsteps. She saw that it was Tenchi entering the lab. Washuu continued grinning. She was always glad to see Tenchi. She put away the console and rose.

"Hi, there!" she said brightly, as Tenchi came fully into view from the gloom of the portal through the sub-dimension. "What's up?"

"We've warmed up some leftovers for lunch. Want to join us?"

"Gee, I don't know. Actually eat with only you men again...little old me...?"

Tenchi grinned. "We have beer."

Washuu laughed. "Sold!" She walked up to Tenchi and took his arm. "You boys really know the way to a gal's heart."

------

On the way home, the interior of the Mustang was quite a bit less lively than it had been on the way to the city.

Glancing into his rearview mirror, Tris said to Kiyone, "Look in the back seat." He was smiling.

Kiyone turned to observe the black seat. She smiled, too.

Sasami was back on Mihoshi's lap. The little Princess was fast asleep from all the excitement and the big lunch that followed. Her head rested on Mihoshi's shoulder. She breathed slowly, eyes closed. Mihoshi had fallen asleep, too. Fortunately, sitting up apparently affected her glottis in a positive way, for she did not snore, but just breathed silently. Even Ryoko had conked out. Her head was actually resting on Mihoshi's other shoulder. Next to her, Ayeka was battling sleep. She tried to rest her head against the car window, but the car's motion kept jarring her.

Kiyone gazed at the scene with fondness. It was another Fuji moment. Alas, once again, no camera was available.

"Ayeka," Kiyone whispered. "Just rest your head on Ryoko. She won't bite."

The Princess looked a bit dubious.

"Go on..."

The need to take a quick catnap won out over Ayeka's usual inclination to keep her distance from the space pirate. Tentatively, Ayeka leaned her head on Ryoko's shoulder. Ryoko didn't stir. Ayeka closed her eyes. In a moment, she was asleep.

Kiyone turned to face the front.

Lunch at "Mickey-D's" had actually gone well. Tris had staked out a large enough booth for all of them and then left to get the food. He just ordered a lot of burgers, fries, shakes, and soda pop and brought the fast-food feast back to the booth. The women had seemed to enjoy the simple American junk food fare...it was a change from their usual healthy, well-cooked meals. Actually, he could have ordered curry rice (white rice served with a thick curry-flavored gravy) and even the Japanese staple known as miso soup at this McDonald's, but the women had specified American food.

Mihoshi and Sasami had loved the fries (eaten without ketchup, since the Japanese believe ketchup is too messy to go with finger food; instead the fries were seasoned with nori seaweed salt). Ayeka had thought the strawberry shake quite tasty, and Ryoko declared that meat on bread was what she had gotten used to when she had been on the run from the GP.

Kiyone had only nibbled at a cheeseburger and smiled ironically at Tris. Later, she explained that she and Mihoshi had worked at another fast-food burger joint during their first stay on Earth and the experience of getting fired from there had soured her on burgers and fries forever. At the time, Tris figured she just didn't like greasy food. In fact, he had wondered what the women would have thought if they had known that this sort of junk food was a staple for many Americans. He had decided to keep that factoid to himself.

"Much further?" Kiyone now asked.

"Not too much," Tris said. "The traffic is mostly going in the opposite direction, toward the city. We should be able to maintain this pace all the way home." Inwardly, he chuckled at himself. "Home." Now even he was calling the Masaki Shrine home.

"Say, Tris?"

"Yeah?"

"Yesterday...the sales we made..." Kiyone seemed to have difficulty with framing her question.

"I'm with you so far."

"We sure made a lot of money," Kiyone stated flatly.

"A tidy sum."

"A very tidy sum...for selling tea and rice cakes."

Kiyone regarded him with those grave blue eyes. Her eyes seemed to prod at him. Her expression was neutral. Tris wondered if this was the countenance she used to interrogate suspects.

"Well..." He turned his gaze away from the road for a second to look at her. "I guess it boils down to this: Some guys will pay a lot for tea and rice cakes--depending on who's selling them."

Kiyone didn't say anything for a moment. Then she spoke:

"Tris?"

"Yeah?"

"Maybe some guys will end up thinking...they didn't got their money's worth."

Tris considered that. Then he said:

"Maybe some guys think they already have."

Kiyone slowly smiled.

"Hey...don't you need to shift again?" she asked softly.

"Darned if I don't," Tris replied.

------

One more incident that day--rather, that evening--requires some elaboration, just for the record.

After the women and their driver returned home, they discovered the Masaki men quite welcoming, well fed, and slightly buzzed on beer (Nobuyuki particularly). The fact that the women refused to display themselves in their swimsuits until they hit the beach the next day was a tad disappointing to the Masaki men (Nobuyuki and Tenchi, mainly, but Lord Yosho was in there somewhere, too). But Sasami compensated in her own special way; she cooked a wonderful dinner.

After dinner, Ayeka, Ryoko, and Kiyone gathered together briefly to discuss plans for the following day. Sasami began to finalize with Mihoshi what the picnic lunch for the beach outing would contain. Tenchi talked to Tris about the phone call from the rental company. After he parted from Tenchi, Tris suddenly recalled his own purchases. They were still in the trunk of his car. They were so small that they had no doubt slid to the very back of the trunk and gone unnoticed when the women's parcels had been taken out.

Tris left the house, walked to his car, popped open the trunk, and reached in deeply. He retrieved the three parcels. The long thin one he slipped into a side pocket of his khakis. He carried the other two.

Whistling, he entered the house, traded his Weejuns for house slippers, walked upstairs, and entered Nobuyuki's small home office and bedroom (the door was open). Tenchi's father looked up from his drafting board and smiled at him. "Hello, Tristram."

"Hi, Mr. Masaki." Tris then hesitated, thinking about the present that had seemed a hoot back in Okayama City. It might not be such a hoot after all.

"What's that you have there, Tristram?"

"Ummmm...I was walking around the city and I came across something. It may be in kinda poor taste, but I thought you might get a laugh out of it. I know I did."

"You bought me something?" Nobuyuki was surprised.

"Uh-huh...now that I think about it, though, you might be offended."

"Nonsense! We're both men. I'm sure I'll find it as amusing as you did," Nobuyuki assured him.

"Okay." Tris handed him the paper parcel marked with an "H" (the clerk had been practicing his English again). The American turned to leave. "Again...I hope you aren't offended, sir."

"I'm never offended at presents, Tristram. Thank you!"

"You're welcome, sir." Tris left.

He descended the stairs and walked into the kitchen. He saw Sasami and Mihoshi at the kitchen counter, talking animatedly about melon balls and how to keep them cool for tomorrow. "Hi, kitten, hi, Mihoshi."

They both greeted him happily.

Tris dropped the other paper-wrapped parcel on the counter beside them. "You two have been really great to a homeless boy. I mean that, really, no kidding. I just thought you two might like this. It's from your favorite show."

"A present...for us?" Mihoshi looked thrilled.

"You mean a present...for me, too?" Sasami stared at the parcel.

"Yes, for you. Of course, for you," Tris told her.

Sasami smiled at him, her coral eyes bright. "Thank you, Tris!"

"You're welcome! Now, if you'll excuse me, the Easter Beagle has one more stop." Tris hippity-hopped--no, no, he walked--out of the kitchen.

"The Easter Beagle?" Sasami queried.

"Let's open it up!" Mihoshi had no interest in arcane questions.

------

Tris found Kiyone rooting in one of the supply closets looking for a beach blanket that Tenchi had sworn was there. She hadn't found it yet.

"Let's go for that walk," he said.

"Boy, you're eager all of a sudden." Kiyone smiled quizzically at him.

"I am. Let's go."

Kiyone took his arm. "Okay," she said, softly.

------

Upstairs in his home office-cum-bedroom, Nobuyuki was perplexed.

He had opened up his parcel. Several volumes of that graphic novel format--manga?--lay there. They were all devoted to the rather sappy adventures of some schoolgirls who stood around, talked about boys, flirted with boys, ate ice cream, went to school occasionally...and turned into barely disguised magical soldiers whenever alien men and women, wearing clothes that Calvin Klein might have designed in a fever dream, threatened the Earth.

The manga was funny, in an unintentional way, but certainly not to Nobuyuki's tastes. Certainly after that build-up from Tris, he had expected--well, not bubble-gum manga!

Nobuyuki shook his head. He had worked with Americans, he liked Americans, but there was no doubt about it...sometimes Americans were darned inscrutable.

He returned to his design estimates with a sigh and a slight beer belch.

------

In the kitchen, little Sasami and Mihoshi were more than perplexed-- they were dumfounded.

Eagerly, they had ripped open the parcel to find several brightly colored books.

"Manga!" Mihoshi cried.

"Wow! It's about the pretty magical soldiers!" Sasami said happily. "How did Tris know we wanted the latest adventures?"

"He's a honey boy, that's how," Mihoshi said. "Maybe these have the episode about the Monster Blow Dryer!"

"Let's see..."

Sasami opened one of the books. Mihoshi bent over to look at it with her.

"Ooooooohhhhhhhhhhhh..."

On the splash panels, the pretty sailor soldier was indeed dealing with something hot...and a certain amount of blowing was involved.

"Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..."

Dazed, Sasami turned the page. Now the pretty magical soldier was playing cowgirl--that is, she certainly rode as if she had been born to the saddle.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..."

Wide-eyed. Mihoshi and Sasami looked at each other.

"What happened to our magical soldier?" Sasami asked, stunned.

"She's sure discovered guys in a big way," Mihoshi noted.

Then she and Sasami turned as they heard footsteps. Ayeka had just entered the kitchen. "Hello, you two," she greeted them with a smile. "Oh. What do you have there?"

"Uh..." Sasami tried to answer her big sister. "Uh..."

"Let me see, dear." Ayeka walked up to the counter and looked--at the wide-open (literally) second page of the hottest hentai sold in the back streets of Okayama City.

------

Outside the house, Tris had given Kiyone the ID bracelet. She had read the inscriptions on it. On the front was:

KIYONE

On back was engraved:

THE COMEBACK KID

Kiyone had smiled dazzlingly at him. She had allowed him to slip it on her left wrist. It would be the only jewelry she wore, aside from earrings. The GP alert bracelet on her right wrist didn't count, of course. Then she and Tris had kissed, deeply, dreamily.

When they came up for air, Kiyone murmured, "Alone at last. Now I'm going to kiss you until I get tired...which may not be until next Thursday, idiot boy."

"Who's stopping you?" Tris murmured back.

"Tristram! Tristram Coffin! Where are you?" The voice shook the house and reverberated outside.

"Huh?" Kiyone asked, her lips millimeters from Tris's lips. "That sounds like Ayeka."

"Yeah, it does...huh."

"You had better show your face, Tristram Coffin! Right now! I mean it!" the voice boomed. It was Ayeka's voice, all right. The Princess certainly had a pair of lungs. Even outside the house, her voice filled the air.

"What the--?" Kiyone said.

Tris shook his head uncomprehendingly.

"Hey, Tris!"

Kiyone and Tris looked up in the direction of the voice. They saw a form floating toward them. It was Ryoko.

"Tris! Get outta here! Don't let the Princess catch you! She's hopping mad!" Ryoko told him anxiously.

"What did you do now, clown?" Kiyone asked warily.

Suddenly, Tris knew. He groaned miserably.

"That damned otaku clerk! He marked the wrong parcel! Aw, hell!"

"What parcel? What are you talking about?" Kiyone was getting that feeling...the feeling that Tris had gone and done it again.

"Stop talking, Tris! Scoot!" Ryoko urged.

"Not until he tells me. Now, you--talk!" Kiyone demanded.

"Well, I bought Sasami and Mihoshi some manga and the clerk brought out some hentai. And..."

Tris had barely told the tale--and both Ryoko and Kiyone were laughing madly--when the front door slid open with a crash. Ayeka stood there, quivering with fury.

"Outside, are you? Well prepare yourself, Tristram Coffin--" she began.

"Grab him, Ryoko!" Kiyone cried.

"Gotcha!"

Ryoko swooped down, picked up Tris by his shoulders, and began to climb, rapidly.

"I hope you don't get airsick, Tris," Ryoko said to him.

"Ummmmppp--"

"Oh, Jeeze...I guess I'd better fly you over the lake." Ryoko swiftly changed direction.

"You bring him back, Ryoko! Do you hear me? Bring him back!"

Outside the house now, Ayeka shook her fist at the rapidly dwindling figures of Ryoko and Tris as they faded away in the night sky. Azaka II and Kamidake II blinked with interest, but having received no instructions, stayed put.

Beside the furious Princess, Kiyone held her sides and kept laughing helplessly.

At the front door, Tenchi, Lord Yosho, Sasami, and Mihoshi watched. Then Nobuyuki joined them.

"What's all the commotion about?" Nobuyuki asked.

"Tris and Ryoko have gone on a little trip, Dad," Tenchi explained. "At least until Ayeka calms down."