Chapter Five
The palace gardens were bright and teeming with life that afternoon.
As Ayeka walked slowly between the bushes and heavy blossoms adorning the overhanging trees, a soft smile touched her lips.
"Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine this world would come to be." She whispered, pausing to finger the opening bud of a nearby plant as she did so. "But here we are all the same. Destiny must have driven Ryu Oh to Earth. It wasn't Mihoshi's signal, or that space pirate, Ryoko. It was destiny, bringing Tenchi and I together and resolving all the questions left hanging over Jurai since Yosho-dono left. I don't believe I've ever been so content. To be a part of this world with him here...I couldn't ask for any more than that."
She hesitated for a moment, then gently plucked the blossom from the branch, tucking it into the clasp of her dress. Although she was adorned in the state robes of Jurai, somehow she did not feel as imprisoned by it today as she normally did. For once she did not find herself longing for the freedom of Earth clothing, or the right to run down a street without concerns over her security. This was her home, and this was where she belonged. And now, it would be where he belonged also.
"He has a lot of things to learn, though." She acknowledged, smothering a smile as she remembered his embarrassed entrance to the banquetting hall. "He's so unused to all this attention. I find it endearing, but he must learn to hide it...the Council mustn't mistake his peaceful nature for weakness. Tenchi is stronger than anyone I've ever known - I've seen that in him time and time again. But they don't know him like I do."
"Ayeka!"
The shrill voice broke her thoughts and she turned, casting her young sister a warm smile as Sasami came running across the grass, her hair flying behind her in the wind. Ayeka shook her head, putting her hands on her hips.
"Running around the palace grounds like some hoodlum?" She reproached, but there was gentle affection in her tone. "What are you doing here, Sasami? Is someone looking for me?"
"No...just me." Sasami grinned, falling into step with her companion. "It seems like we've hardly seen each other since we got back here, you know. You and Tenchi have been so busy with official things."
"I suppose we have." Ayeka reflected. "But it will calm down, you know that. You know how jumpy the Council can be and Kagato's legacy is going to take some time to erase. But you're glad to be home, Sasami? After all of our adventures?"
"I think so." Sasami reflected. "But I'm going to miss everyone, too."
She sighed.
"I already miss Ryo Ohki. I hope Ryoko is giving her enough carrots."
"I'm sure Ryo Ohki is fine, Sasami." Ayeka said gently.
"Well, I guess I know that she is. But it's not like she can visit us." Sasami pouted. "Not with being a pirate ship and all. Do you ever wish you weren't a princess, Ayeka? If we weren't, we could go flying round the galaxy whenever we wanted to. Did you ever think of that?"
"When we were on the Earth, a couple of times." Ayeka admitted. "And even though I knew we would end up here again, I didn't want it to happen...not really. Even being on the run...it was fun, looking back at it. Now we know how it ends. Don't you think so?"
"Definitely." Sasami nodded her head. "Although this morning I beat Azaka at video games three times in a row, you know. It's funny, watching him trying to get to grips with it."
She giggled.
"I'm glad they stayed alive too, now we have the other guardians back. I like them."
"So do I, Sasami. So do I." Ayeka agreed. "And also, with Tenchi now here, we probably need two lots of guardians. I mean with you, and him, and me...and very possibly Lord Yosho as well."
"Yes, I suppose so." Sasami dimpled. "I'm glad Tenchi's here too. It's so weird how of all the planets in the entire universe, we ended up on his planet."
"I'm starting to wonder if it was fate." Ayeka admitted. "It seems too much of a coincidence otherwise."
"Do you really think so?" Sasami looked surprised. "Maybe it is. I didn't think of that."
She laughed, grabbing her sister by the hand.
"Come on, Ayeka. I'll race you to the Royal Tree." She challenged. "I bet I can beat you - you ate so much in space that you'll never catch me now!"
"Sasami! What a thing to say!" Ayeka exclaimed. Sasami laughed.
"Well, are you going to prove me wrong?" She asked. "Come on, Ayeka. You always used to race me when we were younger. Noone is here to see us do it now...will you? Just the once?"
"I suppose so." Ayeka relented. "But just once, Sasami-chan. If people see us haring about they'll think we've lost all decorum and it might be all right for you. I don't think the Council would accept it from me."
"Well, they're fuddy duddies." Sasami said composedly. "And they're not here. They're doing Council things. So they'll never know."
"I suppose so." Ayeka nodded her head. "But only as far as the Royal Tree. All right?"
"All right."
"On three?"
"On three. One...two...three!"
And Sasami was gone across the ground, leaving Ayeka to gather herself and follow in hot pursuit.
"You can't catch me, Ayeka!" The small girl exclaimed.
"We'll just see about that." Ayeka returned, as she drew alongside her companion. "I...Sasami! Sasami, are you all right?"
As the younger princess tripped over a sprawling tree root, falling headlong to the ground. Ayeka stopped in her tracks at once, hurrying down at her sister's side.
"Sasami-chan? Oh look at your gown...Sasami, are you all right?"
"I'm okay, Ayeka-onechan." Sasami picked herself up, looking rueful. "My foot just hit something. A tree root, I think. I wasn't looking where I was going - I was too busy seeing how far behind me you were."
"Not that far at all, fortunately." Ayeka replied gently. "I think this is one pastime we're going to both have to forgo in the future. Look at your clothing, Sasami. You're a Princess of Jurai - and right now you're streaked with green from head to foot."
"Hrm." Sasami glanced down at herself. "And some brown, too. Oh well. I don't like this gown much anyway. I'd rather wear the things I wore on the Earth. At least you could run in those."
"We had better get you inside, before someone sees you and remarks on your appearance." Ayeka pursed her lips, hauling the young girl to her feet. "Come on. My quarters are closer than yours and I can send someone to find you a fresh gown, I'm sure."
"All right." Sasami said reluctantly. "I suppose so."
She turned, glancing down at the ground where she had fallen, and a frown crossed her face.
"Oh no! I squashed this plant too, when I fell!" She exclaimed, bending down to touch the broken stems. "I'm sorry...please forgive me! I didn't mean to."
"Jurai plants are pretty strong beneath the surface, Sasami-chan. I'm sure it will recover just fine." Ayeka told her gently. "They have to be - generations of princesses before you have probably fallen headlong over them in the past."
"I guess so." Humour returned to Sasami's pretty eyes at this. "But isn't there something we can do to cheer it up? It looks so sad now."
"Right now I'm more worried about cleaning you up than petting a plant." Ayeka told her, bending to finger the plant's single blooming stem. She frowned. "Wait a minute. This is a flower I didn't think grew here any more."
"What kind is it?" Sasami looked curious. "I don't think I've seen it before."
"It's the Royal Teardrop." Ayeka pursed her lips. "Grandfather thought it was unlucky, so he had it removed from the Palace grounds. But obviously not completely."
"Unlucky?" Sasami frowned. "But it's so pretty. Are you sure?"
"That's what the story says." Ayeka agreed. "But I don't know if I believe it really is a cursed flower. Besides, Jurai has had it's share of bad luck in recent weeks."
She grinned.
"Perhaps you falling on it is symbolic of Tenchi crushing Kagato." She suggested playfully. "What do you think?"
"Ayeka!" Sasami pulled a face. "I didn't do it on purpose."
"Well, either way, we still need to do something about your clothing." Ayeka cast her a despairing glance. "Come on, Sasami-chan. Before someone comes to find us and sees what a ragamuffin you look!"
-----------------
Ryo Ohki's drive room was black, and silent as the grave.
As Nagi stepped warily aboard the ship, she kept a tight hold on the weapon at her waist, glancing around her for any sign of life.
There appeared to be none.
At her side, Ken Ohki phased his mammal form through the spaceship's jagged frame, leaping up onto Nagi's shoulder as he sniffed the air, letting out a whine which was echoed eerily by the desolate pirate ship. Nagi started, cursing her edginess.
"Enough!" She exclaimed, holding her whip aloft and squinting into the darkened drive room. "Ryoko, show yourself! Show yourself this instant, or are you too much of a coward to face me now that your man has left you for his precious planet Jurai?"
There was no response, but Ken Ohki whimpered again, flattening his ears and rubbing his face against his mistress's cheek as he did so. Nagi opened her mouth to speak again, but hesitated at his uncharacteristic actions, her brows knitting together once more in confusion.
"Ken Ohki?"
The howl of the pirate ship echoed around the drive room a second time, and slowly the dormant crystals began to glow with light once more, hovering in a circle around the control panel as the surroundings grew gradually lighter. Ken Ohki leapt down from his mistress's shoulder, emitting a strange, low growl as he flicked his ears, turning back to stare at her.
In her thoughts, Nagi was aware of only one word.
"Follow."
Despite her misgivings, the bounty hunter returned her weapon to her side, pushing back the hood of her cloak as she stepped fully into the drive room. Anything she was going to say, however, died on her lips as she took in for the first time the presence of the ship's pilot.
Anger seared through her, as she crossed the floor to the stricken pirate's side, pausing bare feet away as she assessed the woman's condition. At first she thought her foe was dead, so unearthly was her appearance, but then she heard the feeble gasp of air being drawn into tired lungs. An incoherent mutter passed her lips, breaking the eerie silence, and Nagi hesitated for a moment, as if weighing up her options. Ken Ohki leapt up onto the ship's navigation panel, carefully positioning himself between the spherical controls as he exchanged calls with his fellow cabbit. Then he lowered his gaze, meeting his mistress's ruby eyes with troubled ones of his own, and uttering a soft mew.
Nagi reached down to touch Ryoko's hand, feeling how hot it was even through the material of her suit. As she did so, she became aware of the blood that soaked the woman's glove, only partially concealed by the darkness of the fabric, and another stab of rage burned through her.
"What coward did this!" She exclaimed, making the ship start and lurch in surprise at the suddenness of her exclamation. The motion drew a cry of pain from Ryoko's lips, but she did not rouse up, and even with no medical training, Nagi knew her companion was close to death.
"This Juraian traitor, he did this." She muttered. "I told you not to lose to anyone until we'd had a chance to fight. I told you to come back alive. I told you what this injury could do to you – you fool! What about our fight? What about our rivalry? Nobody asked you to kill yourself over one earth-born boy!"
She faltered, then fumbled with her belt, pulling her blaster from its clasp and holding it tightly in her hand as she cast one more glance at the fallen pirate. Then, her heart heavy, she raised the weapon, resting its barrel gently against Ryoko's temple.
"This is not how I thought it would end between us, Space Pirate Ryoko." She said quietly, genuine regret in her tones. "But at least I can end the suffering that coward began. No man of honour would leave you to die this way. At least I can fix that, even if I can't take back your fight."
Her finger hovered over the trigger, and a desperate yowl went up from the ship, as Ryo Ohki jerked at an angle, almost causing Nagi to lose her footing. She gripped tighter on her weapon, glaring up at the ship's dome.
"What else would you have me do?" She demanded. "Ryoko is dying. You know it better than I do, so accept it. If you are bonded to her, you must know her pain. Isn't this why you brought her to me? Why you wanted me to come aboard? So I could do the thing you could not – could end it?"
Ryo Ohki let up another howl and her crystals hovered around the pirate and her would-be saviour, her cabbit reflection glimmering in the nearest as she met Nagi's eyes with sorrowful gold ones of her own. Nagi narrowed her eyes.
"What would Ryoko want you to do?" She asked quietly. "Would she want to live her life like this? Don't be a fool."
Ken Ohki leapt up onto his mistress's shoulder at this, pawing at her ear and she turned, eying him quizzically.
"Ken Ohki?"
Ken Ohki continued to paw at her, opening his red eyes wide as he uttered a soft miaow. Nagi faltered, dropping the gun to her side.
"You too?" She asked quietly. "Are you both insane? This woman is dying. Believe me, I've seen slow death before and I know the score. To die in battle, that's honour. To die like this…Ryoko may be a space pirate, but she deserves better nonetheless."
Ken Ohki cocked his head on one side, flexing his long furry ears as he transmitted his thoughts to his mistress. Nagi frowned.
"I see." She said softly. "And you really think that if we were to leave here with her…that she'd survive the trip? That she stands any chance at all of coming through this injury? To put her through more pain for no reason is not something I would do. You know me better than that, Ken Ohki. I don't believe in leaving something half-done. Does Ryo Ohki really believe that strongly that there is life in Ryoko yet? Life and strength enough to take her across the galaxy in the way you are suggesting – and then fight off this fever?"
Ken Ohki gazed at her for a moment, then lifted his paw, beginning to wash himself. Nagi sighed.
"Why do I even listen to you." She muttered, casting a glance back at the fevered pirate. "My common sense tells me there's no hope. Not even if I do as you say, Ken Ohki. It will be a waste of our time and energy, and more suffering in the end for one who – despite her faults – has proven a worthy adversary over the years. Those things ring hard against my conscience. I can't be as sure as you are that we will succeed."
Ken Ohki paused for a moment, then curled himself more securely up against her neck, letting out a soft purr. Images flooded Nagi's mind and she sighed again, returning her weapon to its safety holster and nodding her head.
"All right." She said flatly. "I'll bow to you, Ken Ohki. If Ryoko is salvageable, I may yet be able to keep my word to face her in battle and that's something I'm not willing to sacrifice as easily as I am her life. We'll do as you say, but it's on your head, this decision. You do understand what I mean."
She glanced at the crystals, then,
"If she dies, it will be you explaining to Ryo Ohki why her mistress suffered more pain than she need have done." She added. "Are you willing to bear that responsibility?"
Ken Ohki hesitated for a moment, and there was a soft whimper from the pirate craft. Ken Ohki raised his head, answering it with a call of his own. Then he flicked his ears again, and Nagi felt agreement creep across her senses. She shrugged.
"Very well." She agreed. "Ken Ohki, prepare for boarding…and Ryo Ohki, prepare to transmit Ryoko and I to Ken Ohki's drive room. Then you had better transform and come aboard with us. Whatever else, Ryoko wouldn't want me to leave you out here alone."
Her eyes softened, taking the edge off her sharp features as she cast the reflective crystal a slight smile.
"Besides, you must be tired, and I know you're afraid." She added gently. "Will you trust me, and travel with us? You have my word that I will not hurt either of you while you are in my care."
Ryo Ohki yowled her acceptance, and Nagi bowed her head slightly in acknowledgement. Then she flicked her hand at Ken Ohki who let out a shriek, leaping to the floor and phasing his way out into space, taking on his spaceship form once more in the bleak emptiness beside Ryo Ohki.
"I suppose we're going on a little trip, Ryoko." Nagi cast a final glance down at the unconscious pilot, a pensive look in her eyes.
"Maybe it's time we find out once and for all exactly how strong you truly are."
