Chapter Three
Three Earth Years On
There was still so much to be done.
The Princess Ayeka glanced at her reflection in the glittering mirror pool, reaching up an absent hand to adjust her hair as she did so. Primping and preparing herself for a public appearance had once been a pleasure, but now her hands moved automatically, not enthusiastically, and only force of habit made her complete her preparations so thoroughly.
After all, it would not do for the people of Jurai to see their princess in disarray.
She eyed the soft lavender gown she had been urged to wear, touching it's delicate fabric with a slim white finger and running her hand down it's smooth folds. Expensive material, she knew. Imported from a far away galaxy especially for her to wear at this morning's official presentation. And yet, something about it palled on her. Even the gentle glimmering of the Juraian mirror pool could not improve her mood today. Everything was quiet, beautiful and peaceful. And more than anything, she longed to be away from it.
"Ayeka! Ayeka, are you ready yet?"
Her train of thought was broken by the voice of her young sister Sasami, radiant in her own gentle blue dress and with a headdress of particular Jurai blooms crowning her brow. Sasami's soft crimson eyes reflected excitement and happiness, and Ayeka forced herself a smile, nodding her head as the younger girl ran to join her.
"Wow, Ayeka, you look so beautiful!" Sasami's voice was deep with awe as she grasped her sister's hand, squeezing it tightly. "Father and Mother will be so proud of you today! And so will Takeru...he won't be able to believe it when he sees you, I swear!"
"Do you think so?" Ayeka glanced down at herself once more, then sighed. "I'm not sure that's what I hoped for, Sasami. This morning is important to everyone...so why do I feel so negative towards it?"
Sasami's eyes became thoughtful and she linked her arm in her sister's, leading her away from the mirror pool.
"I miss Tenchi too, Ayeka." She said gravely. "Of course I do. But you know what Father said. What everyone has said. I don't want Jurai to be in trouble again, Ayeka. I don't! It was scary the last time and I don't want it to happen again."
"Nor do I, Sasami." Ayeka agreed soberly. "That's why we came back, remember? Because Jurai needs security and stability. It's less than a single Juraian year since Kagato was defeated. We've been on Earth and we've seen the seasons change but for Juraians it's much more recent in their memories. We can't give them any reason to doubt our family's fidelity to the Juraian throne. And Tenchi...Tenchi made his choice."
She sighed.
"He chose to go back to Earth." She added. "And he's still there now, with that awful pirate woman. Who would have thought he'd choose her, Sasami? Why would anyone choose her?"
"Do you think Tenchi loves Ryoko?" Sasami looked surprised. Ayeka grimaced, nodding her head.
"I know he does." She said with a heavy sigh. "There have been so many signs...so many hints as to the way his mind has gone. When Haruna kidnapped him, it was Ryoko he remembered, Ryoko's face he sketched. Not me. He didn't remember me, Sasami. And if he had truly wanted to be with me, he would have stayed on Jurai after Kagato's death. It would have been easy for him. This is his family...his world, where he truly belongs. But he chose to leave and go back to the Earth. He knows Ryoko would never be welcome on Jurai. Why else would he return there, if not in the hope of seeing her again?"
"I think Tenchi likes both of you a whole lot." Sasami said thoughtfully. "And me and Kiyone and Mihoshi and Washu and everybody. Im sure he misses us too, Ayeka. But maybe we can visit him. Once the ceremony is over and it's official that you are Crown Princess of Jurai, then you can do whatever you like. And Father will make sure you have a new ship, even if Ryu-Oh is still rooted on Earth. It'll be fine, you'll see. We only have to stay here so long as all of this is going on. Then we can go away on holiday again, like before. It'll be fun, Ayeka, so don't be sad."
Ayeka bit her lip, shaking her head.
"This morning's ceremony is the final meeting between my family and Takeru's family." She said quietly. "Tomorrow our betrothal will be formalised. Before we know it I will be his bride and a married woman, Sasami. It won't be so easy for me to dive into Deep Space at a moment's notice and even if I could, how could I face Tenchi knowing that I was already spoken for? It would be too cruel. Too cruel indeed."
"But you are going to marry Takeru, Ayeka?" Sasami asked. Ayeka nodded.
"It's my duty." She agreed. "And I've always done that, Sasami, ever since the day I was born. We just have to accept that our holiday days are over, that's all. A fun memory, nothing more."
"I hope you're wrong." Sasami said decidedly.
"Princess Ayeka, Princess Sasami, everyone is gathered downstairs in the Chamber."
A smartly dressed knight appeared in the entrance at that moment, offering a formal bow to both girls as he did so.
"Thank you, Kamadake. We will be with you immediately." Ayeka said soberly. "Sasami, do I really look all right?"
"You look beautiful, I told you." Sasami nodded her head. "Come on, Ayeka! It might even be fun!"
Another sunny day.
Tenchi walked slowly along the mountain path to his grandfather's shinto shrine, pausing as he did so to glance up at the blooming trees. A mixture of red blooms and delicate cherry blossoms looped over his head like a natural archway and despite himself, a smile touched his lips. The flowers brought back memories of a time that seemed dead and gone, and for a moment he just stood there, absorbing the gentle beauty around him.
At length he glanced at his watch, pursing his lips and speeding up his pace as he headed in the direction of the shrine once more. His grandfather had never liked tardiness, and stopping to dream about flowers would not suffice as an excuse. A wry smile twitched at the corners of his mouth. He might be grown now, a student at the city university and at the start of a whole new life...but some things did not change. And, as the shrine came into view before him, he realised that they probably would not change again any time soon. This was his world and the world his grandfather had chosen for them all. Somehow he belonged here.
"Tenchi!"
A gruff voice from the top of the temple steps alerted him to his grandfather's presence and he hurried up the steps, almost tripping over the top one and falling headlong onto the stone at the old man's feet. His grandfather made no comment, simply watching and waiting for the embarrassed young man to scramble to his feet.
"You're late, Tenchi." He said at length. "Dreaming again?"
"No..." Tenchi pursed his lips, hesitating, then shaking his head. A knowing gleam entered the old man's eye, and he nodded thoughtfully. He held out a broom.
"Well, then you have chores to do, don't you." He said quietly. "Now that your studies are finished for the year, you have plenty of time to attend to them, don't you, my boy?"
Tenchi took the broom without complaint, glancing up at his grandfather as he did so.
"I was just thinking about how everything stays the same, no matter how much time passes." He said reflectively, beginning to sweep the stray blossoms from the shrine steps. "Don't you think so, Grandfather? We've travelled through so many galaxies and seen so many things. But here we are, sweeping the shrine, just as ever."
"You're sweeping the shrine, Tenchi." Kazuhito's eyes twinkled with amusement. "I have other things to do this morning."
"You know what I mean." Tenchi grimaced. "Doesn't it seem at all strange to you?"
"No, my boy. I have seen many years together that were the same." Kazuhito looked thoughtful. "You're not bored, are you? Because if you don't have enough to do I'm sure your father and I can find many more jobs for you around the house."
"No, I'm not bored." Tenchi said hurriedly. "I suppose I was just wondering what everyone else was doing. Now they're so far away, and all."
"Ah." Kazuhito's expression softened. "And yet it's been three years or more since you saw them last, Tenchi. Why suddenly think of them now?"
"I don't know." Tenchi leaned on his broom, frowning. "Just the time of year, I guess. The cherry blossom on the trees...just memories. Nothing else."
"Well, it is a shame that you couldn't convince at least one of the young ladies to marry you." Kazuhito sounded resigned. Tenchi stared.
"Grandfather!"
"It's a valid point, Tenchi. Several attractive young women and you managed to let them all slip through your hands." Kazuhito shook his head, amusement on his face. "What would your mother have said if she'd known that? Really, my boy, you must make more of an effort."
He jerked a wisened hand towards the broom.
"And the shrine isn't sweeping itself, you know." He added. "There are plenty of hours in the day, Tenchi, but none can be spared for idleness."
"Sorry." Tenchi looked sheepish, beginning to sweep once again. "I forgot what I was doing. But do you think that we'll ever see any of them again? I mean..."
He faltered, pursing his lips. "Well, I guess sometimes I miss travelling across the galaxy and seeing different planets and places. It's crazy...on all our travels I've always wanted to just go home. But now, when I am home and when everything is normal...I miss the rush and the freedom of going wherever. Don't you ever miss it, Grandfather? You chose Earth...but don't you miss Jurai?"
"I would not go back to Jurai now." Kazuhito shook his head. "I chose this planet and I am content with my life here."
He eyed his companion thoughtfully.
"But perhaps you miss the company of certain Juraian princesses more than I would." He suggested cryptically. "They were both very pretty girls, Tenchi. Even Sasami - she will be a beauty in her own right someday."
Tenchi reddened, dropping his gaze to the stone and for a few moments he swept in silence. Then, at length, he shook his head.
"I didn't want to stay on Jurai either, Grandfather. I'm like you that way." He said slowly. "This is my home...this is where I've grown up and had my life and this is who I am. Tenchi Masaki, just another ordinary guy on another ordinary college course. Nothing else. That's what I want. I don't want to be Crown Prince of Jurai and have all of those responsibilities."
"Ah well, then we have to accept the things we lose along with the things we gain." Kazuhito said philosophically. "I will see you later, Tenchi. Make sure you don't miss anything!"
Tenchi watched the old man disappear into the shrine, then raised his gaze to the sky, pausing in his sweeping once more to examine the heavens. There were no blinding white lights in the upper atmosphere today. A clear, cloudless sky hid nothing, and all he could see was miles and miles of blue. He sighed.
"This is crazy." He told himself out loud. "If Grandfather knew how I was thinking, he'd think I'd lost my mind. Perhaps I have. I don't know. I do miss them all, though. It's strange but life isn't the same here without all the arguments and the chaos. I thought life was fine before I met them...now I'm not sure if it is."
So, everything was ready now.
With a slight smile of pleasure, the tall dark man got to his feet, striding across the bow of the spaceship to the big square monitor that glinted under the false lights. Above his head, shards of crystal hovered and glimmered as the ship drove through deep space, making barely a sound as it surged forward.
"Well, Karasu." The man spoke out loud, and the crystals vibrated, their light dipping and glowing as they registered his voice pattern. "It's been a long long time, hasn't it?"
There was no response, but the ship's light's flickered as if in agreement, and the man let out a low pitched laugh, placing wisened hands on the control panel as he did so.
"More years than I care to remember or to count." He murmured. "But we're here again, Karasu. Good as new and better, too. The universe has missed it's rogue while I've been away - I wonder if they even remember me, now that it's been such a long time."
He pressed a few buttons on the console, dropping idly back into the deep blue swivel seat as he surveyed the mass of images that flooded one half of the screen. In slow motion he played through the same routine of pictures again and again, a frown touching his lips as he focused in on one scene in particular.
"The Galaxy Police." He murmured softly. "In Jurai's back pocket, as ever they were. The Emperor Azusa barks and they snap to attention...eager little mites, aren't they, Karasu? Scrambling around Deep Space looking for scraps to take home to their Master."
He clicked off the screen with some force, derision sparkling in his ice blue eyes. "But they were disappointed. No scraps for the Galaxy Police this time. Just a burnt out shell of your former incarnation, and a scrap of cape I left behind. No body. No triumph. Just a literal waste of space."
Karasu's crystals shimmered in agreement, and gently the man traced the deep-carved wings embedded in the ship's main control panel. He smiled.
"Nobody told them you were a Phoenix." He whispered. "Named for a darker bird, perhaps...but your life force sustained us both in sub-space, until it was time to get our revenge. We are one, Karasu, and we fight alongside one another as ever we did before. You know what I want better than I know myself...what do you think, my ship? Shall we succeed this time?"
The ship's screen blinked and flickered once more into life, bringing into focus a picture of a young woman. For a moment the man stared at her, taking in her delicate, pale complexion and the soft waves of silken hair that framed her face. She was almost as porcelain, he mused, reaching out a finger to touch her. Then he paused, and a slow smile spread across his lips. He let out a deep throated chuckle, clapping his hands together in appreciation.
"You have your wits about you as much as you always did." He remarked. "Well, Karasu, so this is your idea? This is our next move?"
Karasu's monitor blinked again, showing another picture, and the man's lips curled in amusement. He nodded his head.
"Yes, I think you're right." He agreed softly. "So we'll go, Karasu, and claim what's rightfully ours. After so long in exile, it's the least we deserve...and with some gentle persuasion, I'm sure that Jurai will be happy to comply!"