Chapter Four

"So this is your little home away from home, huh?"

Ryoko pushed open the door of the flat, stepping into the hall and glancing around her at the panel walls and smooth wooden floor. "Not bad, Tenchi...your own place."

"Sort of." Tenchi nodded his head, fastening the door behind her and leaning up against it. "It's not that big, I know - but it is nice to have some personal space. Living where we do, I'm used to that...and campus is busy and crowded during term time. Well, as I'm sure you can imagine. There are thousands of students who attend here...from all over Japan. Even all over the world. It's a lot of fun, but I like to have a safe haven to retreat to at the end of the day."

"And you want me invading that haven?" Ryoko raised an eyebrow, turning to face him fully. "Tenchi, are you really sure about that? It's not quite like the mountains. I mean, there's so much expanse of land there. The lake, the scenery...the trees. Here..."

She shrugged. "It's a little different."

"I know." Tenchi inclined his head. "But honestly, Ryoko, I'm excited about the idea of us being here together. With everything that's gone on, we've not had time to try and work out how people behave when they're being a proper couple, have we? This is a chance to do that. And I know that money might be tight and I might be studying...but even so, it's a taste of what it might be like."

"Sort of a dry run?" Ryoko pursed her lips. "I see that."

"How come you didn't bring Ryo Ohki? I thought she'd want to see the place too, since she's coming along for the ride." Tenchi asked, as they made their way into the flat's small solar. "Or didn't she want to come?"

"Well, I wanted to see how far it was to Osaka, and I didn't want to lose her on the trains. I know how busy they are and she's prone to exploring." Ryoko admitted. "Besides, she'd gorged herself on the carrot cake that friend of your Grandfather's brought by the other morning. I thought I'd leave her to sleep it off. She knows where we are - our bond can stretch over distance. She won't worry...and she can always check my memories later if she wants to see what the place is like."

"Guess there's still a lot I have to learn about Ryo Ohki and your bond." Tenchi scratched his head. Ryoko laughed.

"Us too, in truth." She owned. "Since the fight with Kagato and my assimilation with those gems, everything has been heightened...all of my powers. And that includes my telepathy with Ryo Ohki. It's taking time to re-establish all the limits and defences we had between us before...sometimes when she tries to reach me it sounds like she's shouting."

"I suppose I didn't think about lasting effects." Tenchi mused. "I know you are stronger now, of course - and Washu keeps prodding and poking at you, trying to find out how much stronger. But I didn't really think how it would affect you on a daily basis."

"Well, it has it's bonuses too." Ryoko grinned. "Osaka is not too far for me to teleport to - not with my powers how they are now. So when Ryo Ohki comes, I can teleport us all here. That will mean she doesn't have to get on the train, and it will be cheaper, too. See how much money I can save us? If I teleport from the shrine to inside this apartment, noone will ever see."

"That does make sense." A grin lit up Tenchi's features. "You've really been thinking this out."

"We had a long discussion about it last night, she and I." Ryoko admitted. She grinned ruefully. "In fact, with me around, you don't even need this apartment. I could teleport you here on a daily basis."

"Although that would ruin the idea of us living together in the city." Tenchi pointed out. "And honestly, Ryoko, I like being here in term time. A lot goes on during the semestre, after class hours. I don't want to isolate myself from that. I've got a lot of friends on campus."

"Will you introduce me to them?" Ryoko asked curiously.

"So long as you don't do anything mad, like blow up someone's car, then yes." Tenchi laughed.

"Well, I'll do my best. My magic isn't an exact science at the moment, but I reckon I can handle that." Ryoko moved to the window of the small room, pushing back the lavender curtains and glancing down at the road outside. "Oh, good. Twelve floors up...just what I like to see. People looking like blobs on the pavement below. Although it does give me a few flashbacks..."

She pursed her lips.

"When Haruna abducted you, Ayeka and I stayed in places like this while we were trying to find your trail." She said. "Tenchi, tell me something?"

"Mm?" Tenchi looked startled, coming to join her. "What is it, Ryoko?"

"How much did you really share with Haruna, when she had you in her world?"

"I don't know what you mean." Tenchi's brow furrowed in confusion, and Ryoko sighed, looping her arms around his neck and leaning up against his shoulder.

"Yes you do, or you will if you stop and think about it for a moment." She chided. "How far did things go between the two of you? You can tell me. I won't get mad. I know you weren't yourself. But you were older then - about the age you are now...and I just wondered. That's all. You were living with her...away from chaperones back home."

Tenchi bit his lip.

"I honestly don't remember everything that happened with Haruna." He said at length. "Most of it I only know from your accounts, and Grandpa's said a couple of things. I do remember her - but it's a vague, fleeting memory - like waking up from a dream. The only thing I remember with any real clarity is you coming back to get me. That's all. I'm sorry, Ryoko - I can't answer your question. I don't know the answer."

"All right." Ryoko nodded her head. "I figured you might say that, anyway. It doesn't matter, I suppose. After all, she wasn't real, and nor was her world. Nothing that happened there really existed, when you come down to it. I mean, when you came back here...you were you again. Back how you were before. So..."

She shrugged.

"Never mind."

Tenchi sent her an affectionate look.

"If it helps, I was more than glad to see you, when you did come." He said softly. "I wasn't afraid, not even when Haruna left. I knew you'd come. You always do. No matter what happens between us, Ryoko - you're always there. I think that's what made me fall in love with you in the first place. The fact you never let me down - even if it puts yourself in peril."

"Now you're embarrassing me." Ryoko scolded, pushing him away as she flushed red. Tenchi laughed.

"You should learn to take a compliment, then." He told her teasingly, pulling her back towards him and kissing her gently. "So now we're here, shall I give you a guided tour of the place?"

"I guess so." Ryoko nodded. She paused, sending him a sidelong glance.

"How many bedrooms does this place have?"

"Technically, one." Tenchi pursed his lips. "And I know exactly what you're thinking, Ryoko-chan...don't think it, all right? We'll work something out - but I don't want to rush into anything just because space is restricted."

"Shame." Ryoko's eyes flickered with disappointment. "You can't make a girl wait forever, Tenchi. I'm serious. It's like dangling a carrot in front of Ryo Ohki...I'm not as patient as all that."

"I know." Tenchi touched her gently on her cheek. "And it means a lot, how patient you've been already. Just give me a little more time, okay? A lot's happened to us both lately. We've not tried to settle down and be a proper couple until the last few weeks and there are still a lot of things both of us haven't got figured out. So bear with me. Can I ask you to do that?"

"You can ask me anything you like, Tenchi-kun." Ryoko sighed. "Unfortunately I love you way too much to do anything else."

Tenchi laughed.

"I'm sorry." He said softly. Ryoko shook her head.

"Like you said, we'll work it out." She said with a resigned shrug. "In the meantime, if there's only one bed, where am I going to sleep?"

"The sofa converts." Tenchi gestured across the lounge to the battered brown sofa that stood near the door. "I've had friends stop here before after study sessions and it's not as uncomfortable as it looks. Or, if you prefer, there's a small balcony - with your love of being up high, you might want to take a look at that. It leads out from the bedroom and it really is only a tiny thing - but it's up to you."

"I'll look at the balcony." Ryoko glanced at the sofa, wrinkling up her nose. "At least that way, I can come and surprise you first thing in the morning."

"Hrm." Tenchi raised an eyebrow, and Ryoko laughed.

"I have to have some fun." She told him unrepentantly. "If I can compromise, so can you."

"All right, I suppose that's fair." Tenchi laughed. "Come on. I'll show you the bedroom."

"Now you're talking." Ryoko's eyes glittered with mischief. "Let's go!"

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So this was the Planet Jurai.

Zero flitted absently across the landscape, absorbing her surroundings in meticulous detail as she did so. As she passed by trees and buildings, few people turned their heads to notice her, dressed as she was as an ordinary maiden of the planet. Thick waves of hair were bound back from her face in the traditional serving woman style, framing a pale face and soft lilac eyes, whilst a work apron was tied at her waist and neck. To all and sundry she was just another young woman beginning on her daily chores.

Carefully she picked her way through the thick, lush grass towards a dirt track, heading purposefully towards the briars and thorns that grew thickly at the path's end. As she did so, coordinates flashed across her sensors, and she carefully corrected her route, pausing as she reached the splintered remains of an old wooden fence. Beyond lay a barren patch of land, stained red in places, and Zero narrowed her eyes, focusing her optical circuits in on the charred remains of a tree that stood in the midst.

"Life signs, negative." She muttered. "But all genetic readings agree that this is the remains of Kagato's tree, Souja. This is where the fight took place."

Carefully she hoisted herself over the remains of the fence bars, stepping gingerly between two particularly nasty briars as she approached the blackened stump of what had once been one of Jurai's illustrious tree-ships. Glancing around her to ensure she was not being observed, she bent to touch it, rubbing a finger along the ashy surface. As she did so, a flood of data shot through her sensors and she paused, processing each reading into it's correct location before returning her attention to her surroundings. Taking a step or two back from the tree's corpse, she cast a look at the bare land, pursing her lips.

"There is no data on Kagato in the atmosphere." She decided. "The matter has fully dispersed. I sense no climatic disturbances. The battle was conclusive. Kagato did not survive, and nor did his tree."

"Are you lost?"

A voice came from behind her, and she spun around, staring at the speaker as he approached her. At her surprise, he cast her a warm smile, running an eager gaze over her chosen form as he did so.

"This is a dangerous part of Jurai to have strayed to, my lady." He said softly, offering her a slight bow. "Did you make a mistake?"

"Yes. Thank you, sir." Zero nodded her head primly. "I was on my way home and I took a wrong turn...I lost my way."

She paused to observe him, taking in his fine clothing and the heavy jewellery that adorned his fingers. A quick mineral analysis told her the rings were mostly set with paste gems, but at least one of them bore a true sapphire stone of some size and weight, and as she scanned her memory banks for an identity match, he held out his hand to her.

"Perhaps I could help you to find where you are going?" He asked. "We might be going in the same direction."

"Tennan. Seiji." The name flitted across her memory banks, followed by, "Member of the Holy Council of Jurai. Status - Level Four. Rank - High."

She hesitated, then held out her hand to take his.

"Thank you, sir." She said again. "You are very kind."

"Well, I can't just leave a damsel in distress, now can I?" Seiji's smile became a broad grin, and Zero interpreted the expression in his eyes. She smiled back, employing every inch of false emotion Clay had ever installed into her circuitry.

"He works for the Council. He must know something about the Light Hawk Wings and Tenchi Masaki." She mused, as she allowed him to lead her away from Souja's final resting place. "Then I can discover the information Dr Clay requires."