For my reviewer/s:

Lady Kilgorin: I really appreciate the review, thanks : )

Trevor1st93: I'm really sorry but the pairing will stay as it is and thanks for the review.

Disclaimer: I don't own this anime (Tenchi Muyo) or any of its characters.

Chapter 6: Agony

Tenchi ran as fast as he could. He didn't care where his feet will lead him to. His heart was pounding fast as he stopped in front of the Shrine steps. He walked slowly. He wanted to talk to his Grandfather at the moment.

Tenchi knocked at the door. "Grandpa, are you there? I need to talk to someone who can understand me."

"Come in"

As Tenchi walked in, his Grandpa wasn't alone. But he was with Ryoko.

"I know what you want to talk about." Katsuhito crossed his arms. "It's about Ayeka, isn't it?"

"How did you know?" Tenchi asked.

"Ryoko told me everything."

Tenchi sighed. "Tell me Grandpa, what can I do to ease her pain?"

"Tenchi, I'm sorry there's nothing you can do."

They couldn't believe at what they had heard. It was impossible. Even Lord Katsuhito was telling us there's nothing we can do. After their discussion, they decided to take their leave.

"The food was great, Sasami." Ayeka rose up from her seat.

"Wait, where are you going?"

"I was just gonna take a walk."

"It's snowing; you should take your coat."

"Right, I'll do that." Ayeka headed to the closet and wore her coat.

Tenchi and Ryoko walked silently while the snow danced over them.

"Wow, look at the snow...it's beautiful." Ryoko tried to change the topic. They've been quiet for quite some time now.

"..." Tenchi stopped walking. He noticed the falling snow that fell over Funaho. Funaho; where he first met Ayeka. The place where he proposed to her by the time he finally chose. The place where Ayeka stands. "Ayeka..."

"Huh? Did you say something?" Ryoko asked in confusion. She saw Tenchi ran to Funaho, ran to someone, ran to...Ayeka. She soon followed the two.

"Ayeka, what are you doing here? You should stay inside the house and rest." Tenchi tried to give warmth as he placed his hands on Ayeka's arms.

Ayeka looked at him with sorrow and tears. "I'm sorry...I don't want to hurt you...that is why I'm giving up your freedom, Tenchi. Ryoko can take care of you for the rest of her life." Ayeka let him go, she tried to walk away but Tenchi stopped her.

"No! I won't let you go! I don't care about the future...all I care about is the present; I care about you, Ayeka. You're my first love and I want you to be my last!" Tenchi tightened his hold. --- I'll never let you go, not now, not ever! ---

Ryoko was watching them. She cried with tears of joy. She just hopes that there's a miracle that can help their agonizing dilemma.

"Ayeka?" Tenchi called.

"..." No response.

"Ayeka?" Still no answer. Tenchi was starting to panic. Ryoko hurriedly ported them back to the house inside Washu's lab.

"What happened to her?" Washu motioned Tenchi to place Ayeka at the table.

"I don't know, awhile ago we were talking then the next thing she passed out." Tenchi said.

"Washu, don't exaggerate. I'm fine, see." Ayeka rose up from the table while Ryoko helped her stood up.

"Don't exaggerate?" Washu repeated. "Ayeka, do you know what's your condition?"

"Washu please...she didn't mean it." Tenchi tried to calm Washu down.

Washu sighed. "Ayeka, you got to understand. Your condition is crucial, don't stress yourself, okay?"

Ayeka looked at her with a reassuring smile. "I promise."

X.X

"Er, um, do you mind telling us what's going on here?" Kiyone asked. Behind her were Mihoshi and Sasami.

The four of them were surprised to see them. "What are you guys talking about?"

"There's nothing going on here." Washu said.

"Come on, we don't want to be left hanging in here, please tell us." Kiyone pleaded. She knew she had hit the jackpot. But will the reward be priceless?

Washu sighed and glanced at the Princess with the look --- Should I tell them, especially Sasami? --- Washu saw Ayeka nod.

"I knew there was something wrong, is there?" Mihoshi exaggerated. Even though her hint was correct. She managed to give the group a last minute sweat drop.

Ayeka looked at her with a chuckle. --- Her humor hadn't changed a bit. --- She smiled at the thought. "Washu, give them the full detail. I'll just take a nap at my room." With that she left the lab.

The people behind her were looking at her leave. Most of them were wondering --- Was it about Ayeka/ Was it about what happened 2 weeks ago? --- While some wonder --- Maybe she didn't want to see the others breakdown. --- Washu changed back to her adult form. She looked at the three with seriousness in her eyes. "To start it all, I want the three of you to listen well." She did not hear any objections or any interruptions.

"Two week's incident is the start of Ayeka's downfall." Washu looked dead serious at the three, especially Kiyone who understood Washu's riddle.

"What did she mean, Kiyone?" Mihoshi asked her partner.

Kiyone looked at her partner. She was trying to control her tears. By the time she took a glance on Sasami, she could not control herself. She looked away as she sobbed. She felt Tenchi's arms soothing her back. She looked at him straight in the eyes. "I'm sorry" was all she had said before she cried.

"Kiyone, what's wrong?" Mihoshi tried to calm her partner. Minutes later, Washu's riddle ran through her head. Little by little, she understood everything. She understood why Ayeka left. She understood why Kiyone cried. She understood why Kiyone felt sorry for Tenchi. She understood why Tenchi tried to calm Kiyone; she wanted to cry for Ayeka, for Tenchi, and most of all for Sasami.

At this point, Sasami was starting to get hanging, nervous, scared, and cold. She could feel the cold drops of sweat that ran through her forehead. "Tenchi, what's going on?" She asked.

Tenchi looked at her, feeling uneasy. "Sasami, you see...Ayeka's...er---"

"Ayeka's what, ni-chan?" Sasami cut him off.

Tenchi was off guard. He did not expect her to raise her tone like that. In short, he was shocked. Tenchi closed his eyes as he opened his lips. "Sasami, your sister is dying." Tenchi opened his eyes but only to meet an innocent welling eye like his.

"How, how could this happen!" Sasami asked as she sobbed and pounded Tenchi's chest. She cried hard.

Tenchi understood what she felt --- The Pain. The Truth. The Agony. --- He knew she was feeling scared for her sister. Tenchi tried to calm her down.

Meanwhile, outside Washu's lab

Ayeka stood behind the door. She could hear them crying. 'Maybe it was for the best that I wasn't the one who told them the news.' She looked down with a small smile on her face. She could not help but to cry at the thought.

"Ayeka, what are you doing?" Lord Katsuhito walked in.

"Er, um, nothing Brother, tell me, will I be able to survive this painful dilemma?" Ayeka hoped for an answer.

"Faith and Love"

"Pardon?" Ayeka watched her brother transform to his young form.

"They will help you, Ayeka. You have strong faith and undying love. You may have a fragile heart but love can live on through it all.

The door flung open. Tenchi saw Yosho and Ayeka, talking in front of the door. "Ayeka? Yosho?"

Sasami and others walked out of the lab. Even they saw what Tenchi was seeing. "Brother" Sasami walked and hugged her brother.

"It must have been awhile since I've become young." Yosho released the young princess from the hug.

"I should be making lunch at this moment. Sorry, I gotta go." Sasami ran to the kitchen to prepare lunch.

Meanwhile, at lunch

They all sat on their usual places. Sasami carried the tray of food with Kiyone and Mihoshi. Lunch seemed peaceful after the breath taking news back at Washu's Lab. It was starting to sound like a shrilling sound of peace as if they could hear the smoke coming from the steaming rice pot.

Ayeka, on the other hand, was deep in thought. 'What did he meant by that?' She did not notice, all of a sudden, her finger reached the steamy rice pot. "Ouch!" She gently pressed it with her lips. She waited for it to cool down but Yosho suddenly pulled it.

"Let me see that." He gently touched it with both hands. As he closed his eyes, he gently sucked the pain out.

Ayeka was surprised to see this. She looked down with a slight blush. She could feel Tenchi's glare, this made her pull her finger and her back to reality. "Why did you do that?" She questioned her brother also known as her ex-fiancé.

"I was just trying to ease the pain, Ayeka, nothing personal." With his last phrase he glanced at his grandson who was giving him the look --- What are YOU doing? --- Kind of look.

"Tenchi, we need to talk. Meet me at my office after lunch." Ayeka glanced at Yosho then to Tenchi.

'What is he up to?' Ayeka thought as she ate with the others.

TBC

THANKS FOR READING AND PLEASE DO KINDLY REVIEW. : )

CS-AYEKA