INVASION, Interlude 2: San Francisco Nights.
FOREWORD:
I had a heck of a time figuring the time difference between San Francisco and Japan. Roughly, here's how it goes. The time difference going from Tokyo to San Francisco is -17 hours. San Francisco = GMT -8, Tokyo = GMT +9. Ryoko would gain 17 hours then lose a few in travel-time. She would probably arrive about 12 hours earlier in SF than when she left Okayama.
I also had a heck of a time trying to fit this story into the INVASION story line. I originally wanted to put this after volume 2. But certain events precluded that possibility. In addition, I originally wanted Volume 2 to occur in February. That didn't work with this story, either. So, I had to change the timeline. Officially, this event takes place in late spring (May?), just before Volume 2.
This story is primarily a T+R story. The others do make appearances. But most of the action happens with only Tenchi and Ryoko present. HOWEVER, there is a great fight scene between Aeka and Ryoko near the end. I get chills just thinking about it.
AUTHOR: Dreamr
LAST REVISION: 30 May 2002
E-MAIL: TrueDreamr@Hotmail.com
BEGIN INTERLUDE 2.
It was at dinnertime that Tenchi's father finally decided he could not hold it in any longer. Everyone was just finishing, when he broke the news.
"So, Tenchi. Are you looking forward to your school trip?"
Tenchi had known he would have to tell everyone at some point. Just leaving would have been worse than any other course of action.
"Actually, I am kind of excited about it."
"Well, that sounds nice." Aeka remarked. "Where are you going?"
"San Francisco, California, in America."
"Wow!" Washu piped in. "That's a long way off. For Earthlings, anyway. Have fun!"
"Thanks, Little Washu."
Washu smiled brightly. Tenchi was one of the few people in the house who consistently used the form of address she preferred.
"More, please!" Ryoko asked Sasami for yet another bowl of rice.
"Hmm. That is quite a ways off." Tenchi's grandfather observed. "I think the time spent will be good for you, Tenchi. Not to mention educational."
"Well, it is a field trip for the seniors in my English class."
"Do they have tasty pickles like these in America?" Mihoshi asked, raising her small bowl of sliced pickles into the air.
"I guess..." Tenchi tried his best to answer. "I'll have plenty of time to find out. I'll be gone for a week."
Ryoko's forehead hit the table.
"A week?" She looked rather distressed. "But what about me, Tenchi? What am I gonna do while you're gone?"
Aeka answered for Tenchi.
"Perhaps you should try behaving."
"I am behaving, in case you haven't noticed." Her right eyebrow suddenly elevated. "A week, huh? Do you have your own room?"
"Miss Ryoko! I don't see how that's any of your business!"
"Well, Tenchi? Do you?" Ryoko ignored Aeka.
"Excuse me, are you listening to me?"
"No."
Aeka's face turned bright red with anger.
Tenchi could see the situation degenerating, so he quickly moved on to the speech he had planned for this occasion.
"Well, I did manage to get my own room, but..."
"Want some company?" Ryoko slyly offered. "I promise you won't be lonely at night." She leaned closer to emphasize the point.
Aeka shot to her feet in indignation.
"Will you stop that!" Miniature versions of the guardians, Azaka and Kamedake, began to manifest around Aeka, indicating her temper was about to burst free of its restraints.
"Hell, no, I won't stop." Ryoko taunted her with a smile. "Not unless Tenchi asks me to."
"Actually," Tenchi loudly announced, "I've been wanting to talk about that."
That got the girls' attention. They dropped their fight plans to listen to exactly what Tenchi meant by "that".
"I've been thinking about what Ryoko was just talking about, and... I..." Tenchi's voice trailed off as he began to notice everyone looking at him with great interest.
"What?"
"Go ahead, Tenchi." Ryoko encouraged him.
"Yes, Lord Tenchi. Please tell us who, I mean, what you have decided upon." Aeka also encouraged him to continue.
More slowly, Tenchi finished his statement.
"I think it would be best if everyone stayed at home while I'm on my trip."
Everyone fell right out of their seats. Washu started cackling like she had gone completely mad. Even Mihoshi started to laugh at what she thought was a good joke.
"You know, you really had us going, there! I really thought you were going to pick someone!" She giggled into her hand. A slight blush showed the subject was a little embarrassing for her.
"That wasn't funny." Ryoko grumbled as she righted herself.
It surprised her how much she had been hoping Tenchi was finally making his choice. Her heart had raced at the thought. She took a deep breath to steady herself.
"Really, Lord Tenchi. Jokes like that certainly are not funny." Aeka agreed with Ryoko. She had been strongly anticipating Tenchi making his choice, as well.
"I wasn't making a joke." Tenchi told them. "It's just that I'm going on a school trip. It wouldn't be appropriate to have friends coming along. Besides, a lot of it will be guided tours and stuff. You'd all probably be really bored, anyway."
"Won't they give you time to go out and look around on your own?" Sasami asked him.
"Well, sure. We've got Friday night and Saturday to ourselves."
He thought for a moment.
"Hey, I know! Why don't I bring home some souvenirs for everybody?"
Everyone liked that idea. Smiles, nods, and affirmative sounds came from all around the table.
"Well, that wasn't too hard." Tenchi congratulated himself on a well-played round of "Please the Girls". "Maybe this will work out, after all."
Tenchi returned to his hotel room after a nice soak in the hot tub. He had been surprised to see such a thing in an American hotel. It was rather small, but everybody took turns so each could have their chance at it.
His class had tonight and tomorrow to themselves so they could experience San Francisco unsupervised. Some of his schoolmates were going out tonight. As for Tenchi, he figured he would rather adventure by day.
He got two steps into his room before noticing the smell of fish. He flipped the light switch on and began looking for anything out of the ordinary. After a thorough search, he found nothing strange, except for the smell.
"Hmm..."
Tenchi began to very deliberately turn right, then he quickly spun the other direction. Although he saw nothing, he did feel the air stir around him.
"Okay, Ryoko. I know you're here. Come on out."
As expected, he was suddenly embraced from behind. Feminine laughter filled the air.
"You caught me!" Ryoko laughed into his right ear.
"Uh-huh." Tenchi quickly disentangled himself from Ryoko's clutches. He turned around to remind her of the rule she was breaking with her presence.
"I thought I told you to stay at home while I was away."
"You said you would be on your own today, so I brought you dinner." She emphasized her point by hefting the picnic basket on her arm.
Tenchi made a stern face and pointed at the digital clock, which rested on his nightstand.
"That's tomorrow, Ryoko. And it's well after dinner time."
"What? But I didn't take that long..." Ryoko's face fell.
"You forgot about the time difference, didn't you?"
"Uhn-uh. I counted. It's seven hours later here. I left this morning, so it should be dinner time."
"Nope. Try seventeen hours earlier."
Ryoko made a very disappointed sounding groan as she looked at the basket she was carrying on her arm. After a moment she came up with an alternative.
"All right. So it's almost midnight. We can have a midnight snack!"
"She's trying so hard." Tenchi thought to himself.
It really was nice of her to bring a home cooked meal all the way from Okayama. Especially if it was Sasami's cooking. His mouth began to water at the thought of a real Japanese-style meal.
"Well..."
She gave him her best puppy-eyed look, almost causing him to laugh.
"All right."
Ryoko nearly jumped with joy.
"Yes!" The excited girl went straight to the coffee table and swept her arm across it, dumping the magazines off the far side. She replaced them with the basket, placing it on the center of the table. Ryoko poked it in a certain place, and the basket grew arms. Tenchi watched in awe while he pulled on his sweatpants, as the arms began arranging enough food for several people. Or enough for Ryoko's appetite with a little left for him.
"One of Washu's inventions?" Tenchi gestured to the table.
"Yup. She let me borrow it." Ryoko confirmed for him. "I checked to make sure it works before I left."
"Ah. So she knows you're here." It was more of a statement than a question.
The basket announced it was finished by deploying a small Washu-looking doll, which bowed and spoke.
"Enjoy your meal."
The two looked at the doll in surprise. Ryoko made a disgusted sound.
"Definitely Washu." Tenchi remarked.
"Ri-i-ight. Let's eat. I'm starving!" Ryoko sat down on the floor and dug in.
"Really?" Tenchi asked as he sat down opposite Ryoko. "I thought you only ate to be social."
"Well," She said around a mouthful of sashimi (that explained the fish smell), "normally that's true. But I had to let Washu borrow the gems as collateral for the basket and to keep her quiet." She forked in another mouthful. "I fwew aww de way hea an..." she swallowed, "and have to recharge my energy."
"Are you going to be able to make it back?" Tenchi asked, concerned he would not get any sleep tonight.
"I'll be able to teleport back in a couple of hours." Ryoko mentally kicked herself. "If I'd figured the time difference right, I would've left earlier. Damn it! I could've spent the day in Hawaii!"
Ryoko was running out of things to talk about. She was genuinely happy to be able to sit and talk with Tenchi for a while, but in her mind, things needed to move along. Time to think of something to heat things up a little.
A ray of light from between the closed shades caught Ryoko's attention. She pulled the drapes out a little to see what was giving off so much light.
"Tenchi, look at this!" She rolled over and threw back the drapes as far as they would go. Bright white moonlight flooded the room.
"Wow!" Tenchi came around the table and kneeled beside Ryoko on the couch so he could see the moon. He put his arms on the back of the couch for balance.
Ryoko did not have the least belief in God, or any gods. But if she did, she would be thanking them for providing such a moon on this night. She did not hesitate to slip her arm around Tenchi's and snuggle in close to him. She would take Tenchi over the moon anytime.
"Look at the waves on the beach." Tenchi pointed out.
Ryoko thought about the waves for a moment.
"Tenchi, let's go for a walk on the beach."
Tenchi looked at her.
"Now?" He asked. "It's getting kind of late."
"So?"
"So, I have to get some sleep, and you have to get home."
"Already? I could leave now, but I'd have to fly all the way. Heh. You'd probably get home before me!"
"Well, I don't think I'll get home first. But, if waiting a little while will keep you from having to fly all the way..."
"It'll help pass the time." She suggested.
Tenchi had to think about this one. A moonlight walk on the beach was pretty far up on the romance scale. He was not sure he wanted to give Ryoko that kind of opportunity. But it was not like he could just go to sleep and forget about her. She would probably try to sneak into his bed while he was asleep. Confronted with a choice between a moonlight walk, which could not be all that bad, and waking up to find Ryoko in his bed, the choice was clear. Too bad all of Tenchi's choices were not so clear.
"All right." Tenchi acquiesced. "But nothing else." He made sure to specify the conditions of their walk. "We come straight back here."
"Okay." Ryoko agreed without thought. "Good thing I wore my bikini."
"Bikini?" Tenchi gulped. Ryoko stood up and began to undress. She had taken to wearing more revealing outfits since the weather had warmed, and this was no exception. Tenchi made sure to keep his eyes outside the window until she finished.
"Tenchi, how do I look?"
Tenchi took a deep breath, then turned his head to look. He had to look twice. Ryoko's smile grew. She liked making him look two or even three times at her.
"Uhh..."
"Yes?" The scantily clad girl prompted.
Tenchi did not want to, but he had to look again, as if he needed verification of what he was seeing. Ryoko was wearing a two-piece that was, to a word, stunning. Though it actually covered more of her skin than she usually displayed, the cut emphasized her overall body shape rather than chest size. The top covered everything from Ryoko's breasts to the bottom of her rib cage. She had long favored strapless bikini tops. This one was no different.
The bottom left no doubt as to the firmness of Ryoko's stomach. None of that was hidden. The material was cut from the top of her hips downward at an angle to exactly where it should. What was different was that it was not a string bikini or triangular, but v-shaped. The two sides met about halfway below her navel then continued the rest of the way down.
Once Tenchi got over his initial shock, he was able to look a little more objectively at Ryoko. There was something different about her, overall. She seemed less threatening and more womanly. She certainly had not gotten thick or chubby. She just carried herself a little differently than she used to.
"Ryoko..."
"Tenchi..." Ryoko said back.
"You... look... like... you're ready to go for a swim." Tenchi congratulated himself for getting out of that one smoothly. It was a close call.
"'Ready for a swim'?" Ryoko quoted to herself. She had gotten this suit on Jurai. There was literally nothing like it on the entire planet and all Tenchi could say was she looked ready for a swim.
"No way."
Tenchi looked way too relieved for something that easy. He had looked for a long time for such a simple answer.
Tenchi was still leaning on the back of the couch, so Ryoko rejoined him, making sure to get real close. He inhaled sharply.
"Uh-huh." She skeptically thought. "'Ready for a swim' my ass." She took a strong sniff of Tenchi. If her sense of taste sucked, her sense of smell was conversely as good. She could detect minute traces of airborne chemicals, and the air around Tenchi was heavy with his pheromones. She almost lost herself in the heady sensations they brought on. Quickly backing off, Ryoko blinked a couple times to clear her mind. She did not want a repeat of what had happened last Christmas, even if it had been a robot imposter.
"Why don't we get going?" She suggested.
Tenchi looked at Ryoko in surprise. She was letting him off the hook. That did not happen everyday. He made sure to take the opening Ryoko was offering.
"Okay. Let's go."
Tenchi and Ryoko made it all the way out to the beach before either of them thought to say anything. No one had seen Ryoko come in, and both the desk clerk and the doorman completely ignored them on the way out. The hotel had direct access to the beach, so there was no chance for anyone else to notice them. Tenchi was worried one of his school mates would see and recognize Ryoko, but they were in luck. None of them were around.
Tenchi was expecting Ryoko to try something on the way to the beach, perhaps in the elevator. But nothing had happened. It was not until they got out on the open beach that Ryoko finally took his hand in hers. Tenchi had been wondering how he would deal with Ryoko at this point, but no ideas had presented themselves. So, he went with his instincts. Right now, his instincts were telling him not to worry so much.
A nearly full moon looked down on Tenchi and Ryoko as they strolled along the San Francisco beach. Waves lapped warmly at their feet. Occasionally they came across the local fauna in the form of a gull or crab. The gulls were smart enough to avoid them if they got too close for comfort. The crabs were either too dumb, or too confident to move. These, they easily skirted around. At one point they came across a dead jellyfish lying on the sand. Ryoko was intensely curious. She had heard of jellyfish, but had never actually seen one before. Tenchi was only too happy to tell her what he knew of them.
After a few pokes and prods, Ryoko lost interest in the jellyfish and pulled Tenchi by the hand further along the beach. She playfully circled him once, making sure they ended up next to each other. As Tenchi came full-circle, Ryoko stepped close and pinned his arm around her waist.
"You did that on purpose." Tenchi accused her.
"Duh." She intertwined her fingers with Tenchi's. "Don't you dare let go."
Ryoko could feel Tenchi flexing his hand in her grip, trying to find how much play she was allowing him, but there was none. There would continue to be none so long as the guys she had seen earlier still followed them. It was time to return.
"Tenchi, we should go back now."
"Tenchi look at Ryoko in surprise. He had not expected her to want to return so soon. They had only been out for a little while. Well, more sleep for him.
"Are you sure?"
"Very." Ryoko quietly answered. She began guiding him further up the beach towards the buildings and streets. "Let's go this way." She led him up an access street. They went in a block then turned right, back towards the hotel Tenchi was staying at.
As the two of them rounded the corner onto a regular street, Ryoko took a surreptitious look behind. There was no one.
"What's the rush?" Tenchi asked, trying to keep up.
Ryoko suddenly realized she was almost dragging Tenchi along. She slowed considerably and tried to relax.
"Guess I'm just anxious to get back." She laughed it off.
The street was fairly well lit and their pursuers seem to have given up. There was no longer any reason to rush. They walked steadily towards the hotel.
"Ryoko, can I have my arm back now?"
Ryoko considered Tenchi's request for a moment before deciding.
"No." She playfully answered. "It's mine now, and I'm keeping it."
"Hey, come on, Ryoko! You can't keep my arm!"
"Why not?"
Tenchi was opening his mouth to tell Ryoko exactly why not, when a baseball bat whipped out from the alley they were passing and hit Tenchi in the stomach with a dull "whump". Before either of them could utter a sound, four more men grabbed them and hauled them into the dark alley.
Ryoko was feeling more surprised than threatened. It had been thousands of years since anyone had been stupid enough to try mugging her. If Tenchi were not with her, she probably would have had some fun with them. One of Ryoko's captors put a hand over her mouth to stifle any alarm she might raise. She bit down hard.
"Ow! Fucking bitch bit me!" He yanked his hand away. The others laughed.
"Quit screwin' around." The one with the bat said. He stood between the two guys holding Tenchi. "Get 'er ready. A'll take care a this guy." They dropped Tenchi to the ground, where he clutched at his stomach and groaned.
"Sayonara, sucker." The guy raised his bat overhead.
The two men holding Ryoko were very surprised when she suddenly was not there anymore. They were even more surprised when she reappeared behind their leader and threw him against a metal dumpster. The alleyway resounded with the impact. The two guys that had been holding Tenchi tried to grab Ryoko.
"GET AWAY!" She screamed.
They were blasted back by some unseen force. Ryoko could generate intense pulses of kinetic energy, as well as her explosive energy bolts. Normally she used only a small fraction of her power to push someone, usually Aeka, back a few steps. This time she used a much larger fraction.
The two gang-bangers were flung against the alley walls. Their bones shattered with the impact, which was strong enough to crack the cement walls. They fell to the ground.
Ryoko did not stop to admire her handy-work. The remaining two were reaching for handguns. She gathered energy into each hand and, like a double-barreled shotgun, blasted them. They exploded like grapefruit, showering the alley with gore and blood. Ryoko shielded herself and Tenchi from the red rain. A gurgling voice behind her spoke.
"Die, monster!"
The alley rang with semi-automatic gunfire. The bullets deflected harmlessly off of Ryoko's shield as she turned to face the gang leader. When the weapon clicked, signifying he had used all of his ammunition, Ryoko leapt, landing a hands-breadth away from his face. She wanted him to get a good look at her. Especially her eyes. Those eyes which had terrorized millions of people on countless worlds. Her breath curled around the face before her. It smelled of doom.
"You like killing and raping, don't you?" Ryoko whispered in the darkness. The alley had grown very quiet. The only sound besides their breathing was of Tenchi trying to get to his feet. The sounds of his scrabbling against the pavement only intensified her hate.
"Since you like death so much, I think I'll give you some."
Ryoko gathered the man's denim jacket in her hands and bodily lifted him off the ground. She turned to her right and, ignoring his pleas not to kill him, shoved his head into an overhead air-conditioner.
The unit's powerful fan split her assailant's skull, showering blood everywhere. She felt the tiny electrical pulses that ran the unit, flow through her, and added her own current to them. The body jerked and jumped as muscles were fed conflicting signals. Wisps of smoke began curling into the air.
Memories of the last time someone had tried to kill Tenchi flooded Ryoko's mind. Her desire for vengeance against Kagato for his nearly successful attempt on Tenchi's life had not been sated when Tenchi had defeated him. The anger and hate had festered and boiled within her until this person reopened her wound. Everything that remained poured out.
Ryoko poured all her energy into a massive electrical attack. Energy arced around her to anything metal. A terrifying scream tore it's way from Ryoko's throat as she finally vented her suppressed feelings.
The bolts of energy lessened, then eventually sputtered out, along with the scream. What was left of the now charred denim, crumbled in Ryoko's hands, allowing the incinerated body to fall from her grasp. She watched as the last of the ashes fell from her hands.
"Ryoko..." Tenchi called from where he was just now getting to his knees. Ryoko quickly joined him, wrapping an arm around his chest to support him.
"Are you okay?" She asked.
"My stomach hurts like mad. But I think I'll be okay."
Sirens could be heard as police responded to calls of a disturbance in the area.
"We have to go." Ryoko decided.
She teleported with Tenchi out onto the beach. As soon as they appeared, Ryoko's vision began to blur. A strange, queasy feeling took hold of her insides and twisted them around.
"Tenchi, I think I'm gonna pass out."
"What?!" In a strange role-reversal, suddenly Tenchi was the one supporting Ryoko. A moment later, her legs gave out. He tried to hold Ryoko up, but his stomach muscles would not cooperate, so he lowered her to the sand. Her breathing sounded like a huge bellows as she tried to recover her strength.
"Ryoko!" Tenchi called her name.
But Ryoko was immersed in a world of nausea and starlit vision. It was nearly a minute before she became aware of Tenchi looking down at her with great concern. She put a hand over her face.
"I feel terrible."
Tenchi sighed, relieved that Ryoko had recovered on her own.
"Are you all right?"
"I don't know." It was a rare admission for Ryoko to admit some kind of weakness. "This has never happened to me before." Exerting great effort, Ryoko managed to roll over onto her front. She propped her head on her arms.
"I'm tired. Can we go back now?"
By what Ryoko was saying and how she was saying it, Tenchi was beginning to suspect she had merely overexerted herself.
"Of course we can. But..."
Tenchi tried to think of a delicate way to tell Ryoko she smelled of burnt flesh. He had been blinded by the intensity of Ryoko's electrical attack and had not actually seen what she had done. But he knew as well as anyone what happens when someone is electrocuted. He had also heard Ryoko using her powers as she fought their attackers. There was no doubt in Tenchi's mind that Ryoko had killed them to protect him.
"Um..."
Ryoko turned her head to face away from Tenchi.
"You can smell it, can't you?"
Tenchi was slow to answer.
"Yes."
"Did you understand what they were saying?"
"No. No, I wasn't really listening."
"They deserved it. Trust me."
Tenchi was not so sure. Ryoko had a bad temper and was insanely protective of him. He needed to know if the deaths were justified.
"What were they saying?"
Ryoko did not want to answer. But she knew if she were not honest with Tenchi, he probably would not be able to accept what she had done.
"They... wanted me. You were in their way." Ryoko felt better having told the truth.
She snorted.
"Some guys just don't understand the concept of 'Look, but don't touch'."
"No. No, they don't."
For a long time Tenchi just sat, staring across the bay. Eventually he came out of his reverie.
"Ryoko, I can't do the things you can. But, I don't know if I could've held back, either." He took a deep breath before continuing.
"Let's get you cleaned up." Tenchi rose to one knee. "Salt water should do the trick. It's good for your skin."
He understood! Her heart swelled. Tenchi's ability to make Ryoko feel good about herself was one of the prime reasons she loved him so much.
Ryoko pushed herself up into a sitting position. She took hold of Tenchi's hand and pulled herself to her feet. Her legs felt like jelly, but they held. Tenchi led her into the light surf where they could let the bay water wash the grime and, hopefully, the smell away.
As soon as the water got above her knees, Ryoko let go of Tenchi and sat right down in the surf. She rubbed her arms and legs in the salt-water. Where grit or grime proved too stubborn for just water, she took handfuls of beach sand for an abrasive and used that. Once Ryoko had scrubbed where she could as best as possible, she asked Tenchi to do the rest.
"Tenchi, could you get my back?"
Tenchi blushed a bit. He had not anticipated Ryoko would ask that of him. But even she could not scrub her own back. Tenchi obligingly knelt down behind Ryoko and tried his best to get the dirt and odor off of her. First he had to move her hair out of the way. He gathered the thick cyan mass at the nape of Ryoko's neck and draped it over her left shoulder.
"I think your hair's getting longer." Tenchi mentioned as he worked the smudges from Ryoko's back with his hands.
"Really?"
"I think so."
"I'm impressed. It takes a hundred years just to grow to my shoulders."
"A hundred years... Do you ever cut it?"
Ryoko had to think about that one.
"I cut it once. All of it. Completely bald."
Tenchi was shocked. He could not imagine Ryoko without her hair.
"Why? You've got gre--" Tenchi stopped in mid-complement. He had almost said something that could get him into trouble. Ryoko did not seem to notice.
"Kagato was furious and tortured me for a week."
Tonight, it was shock upon shock. He had had no idea Kagato had been so brutal.
"I'm sorry."
"Hah!" Ryoko laughed. "I think he's the one who's sorry. You kicked his ass!"
"I only did what I had to." Tenchi modestly claimed.
"Tenchi?"
"Yes?"
"I'm glad you think I have great hair."
She had noticed! Tenchi quickly finished and withdrew his hands.
"Okay. Done!"
"Too bad." Ryoko regretfully told him. "You were starting to turn me on."
Tenchi quickly backed away. Ryoko impishly laughed at his discomfort.
"Almost done." She announced, lying back so as to immerse her head and hair.
For a moment, she resembled the Medusa from Greek mythology, with her hair waving around in the water. She came back up with her head hanging back to let the water run down. The surf retreated, allowing Tenchi to see Ryoko in an amazingly seductive pose. The moonlight reflected of the bay water as it ran down her body and limbs. Her wet hair absorbed the light, giving it a darker tone than usual. Her arced back made her chest stick out, placing emphasis on her breasts.
Tenchi quickly looked away at the horizon, the sand, the waves, anywhere but Ryoko. He was thankful he was already sitting in the water or he would surely have embarrassed himself.
"Do I smell better now?" Ryoko asked Tenchi as she rang the water from her hair. Tenchi's nose immediately began to bleed. He hastily splashed water in his face. There was no way he could get close enough to smell her.
"That's fine." He told her through a face full of water. "If I can't smell it from here, then neither can anybody else." After a couple more splashes, Tenchi began to feel more like himself. He looked to Ryoko to see if she were ready to go. She had moved right next to him.
"I didn't ask if others could smell me. I want to know what you think."
Tenchi gulped. Ryoko turned her head away, bearing her neck to Tenchi. He managed not to panic at her proximity. As Ryoko had intended, Tenchi could smell the scent of ocean water. He quickly blurted it out.
"You smell like the ocean."
"The ocean?" Ryoko repeated. "Hmm... the ocean..." She leaned closer, nearly pressing her neck against Tenchi's face before he could scramble back, keeping a reasonable distance between them. Ryoko turned her head back, a little miffed at Tenchi's reluctance.
"Tenchi, we've been together for over two years and we haven't even kissed yet."
"Ryoko, I -- Wait a minute. Last time I checked, I was single."
"Tenchi..."
"No, Ryoko, you always do this. You have to stop it. It's really difficult for me when you get like this."
"Then what do you want, someone like Aeka?" Ryoko looked away again.
"Please, don't be mad." Tenchi asked of her.
Ryoko could not remember ever being mad at Tenchi. She had been frightened, excited, lonely, just about everything. She had even openly cried for him once. That gave her an idea.
"Block-head." She called him. Tenchi could never forget where that name came from. It really bothered him when she used that name to get her way.
"That's not fair."
"What's not fair, Tenchi?"
Tenchi though about it. What was fair? What was right or wrong?
"I don't know." Confused, Tenchi gave up. "Let's go back. I'm tired."
Even by his own internal clock, it was getting late. That meant it was probably getting close to midnight, local time. Wordlessly, Ryoko stood up in the light surf. She followed Tenchi as he led the way back to the hotel. As they were ascending the steps to the beach entrance, Tenchi stopped short.
"Dammit. I totally forgot. There's no way they'll let us in, dripping wet like this."
Ryoko did not appear to be paying attention. But she was listening. Normally she would not have hesitated to teleport or fly right up to Tenchi's room. But right now...
"To hell with it." She thought. "I'll show him."
"Take my hand."
He looked at her suspiciously.
"Trust me."
Tenchi remembered how he had promised to try to trust Ryoko more, so he did as she asked. He felt disoriented for a moment when he touched Ryoko's hand. When he regained his senses, he realized they were in his room. Before he could even begin to consider being concerned for Ryoko, she collapsed against him again.
"Oh, shit..." she muttered against his chest. It felt worse this time, but at least she did not pass out.
"Ryoko! What did you do that for? We could have walked."
"You said..." Ryoko began. But nothing would work for her.
"Forget what I said." Tenchi told her. He swept Ryoko off her feet and into his arms. They had appeared between the coffee table and the first bed. Tenchi had only to turn and set Ryoko on the bed. Even though he set her down in a sitting position, she still started to nod off.
"Ryoko, wait. Don't fall asleep yet. I... have to tell you something."
"Hmm?" Ryoko managed.
"I'm sorry."
Ryoko considered asking "What for?". But before she could, Tenchi held her face with one hand and kissed her.
"Stupid Tenchi." Ryoko blearily thought. "Now you get romantic."
Though she could not physically respond the way she wanted to, her heart did. She wished it would last forever. But like all good things, it ended.
"I'm sorry for being a block-head."
"Okay." Ryoko accepted the apology, then promptly fell asleep.
Aeka bade her sister a good night.
"Finished already, Sasami?"
"Uh-huh. With Tenchi in America, there was a lot less mess to clean."
"Of course. That woman makes a mess out of everything. You saved a great deal of wasted food by not setting Ryoko's place at dinner tonight."
"Oh, thanks. It really did make -- eep!" Sasami clamped a hand over her mouth. Aeka looked up at Sasami from her place on the couch.
"It's all right, Sasami. I'm not mad at you." She returned to her embroidery. "I'll deal with Ryoko when she returns."
"Please don't be mad at Ryoko." Sasami pleaded with her sister. "She only wanted to bring Tenchi his supper."
"Be that as it may, we all promised Lord Tenchi we wouldn't bother him while he was away on his trip. Ryoko obviously had no intention of keeping her word. She must be reminded of the importance of keeping a promise."
"But, Ryoko's always been like that."
"That's no excuse!"
Sasami's eyes got big. Her sister did not usually shout at her. Aeka was quick to apologize.
"I'm sorry, Sasami. I didn't mean to yell. It's getting late. Why don't you get some sleep."
"Aren't you coming, too?"
"No. I'm not feeling tired yet. I'll be along in a little while."
"All right." Sasami unhappily said. She had a feeling Aeka was going to do something mean to Ryoko when she got back. Sasami walked up the stairs and joined Ryo-o-ki on her way to bed.
Aeka sat quietly working on her embroidery. Yes, she would deal with Ryoko when she returned. It was getting to be very early morning in San Francisco. It would not be much longer.
Shortly before 2 AM, Aeka heard the front door slide open, and then shut. She set her nearly finished embroidery down and quietly rose to her feet. The house was very quiet, and Ryoko's footsteps, soft as they were, were still audible. When the steps passed by the first set of stairs and continued on towards the lake side of the house, Aeka became slightly puzzled.
"No matter." She thought, heading-off Ryoko in the hallway. She stepped directly into the stealthy girl's path.
"Eee!" Ryoko jumped. When she recognized the person in front of her, she relaxed. "Damn it, Aeka. What are you trying to do, scare me to death?"
"Welcome home, Ryoko." Aeka greeted her. "How was Lord Tenchi?"
"You waited for me? I didn't know you cared."
"Oh, yes. I waited. I felt it was imperative that I remind you of how important it is we keep our word to Lord Tenchi. As well, I should point out how disreputable a person you are for returning at such a scandalous hour."
"Scandalous? Bah. It's barely two."
"Yes. In Okayama it is. But in San Francisco it's nine in the morning." Aeka's gaze hardened. "Were you with Lord Tenchi all night?"
Ryoko inwardly groaned. There was no way Aeka would let this go easily. By her look, she was spoiling for a fight. In her presently depleted condition, Ryoko did not like her odds of winning.
"You know, it's late, and I really don't feel like playing right now. How about I tell you all about it tomorrow?"
Aeka looked surprised for a moment. She then cast her eyes downward and closed her eyes.
"Very well. If that's the way you want it."
Ryoko nearly choked. Aeka was letting her off the hook! Now she could go get some real rest and retrieve her gems from Washu in the morning.
"Great! See ya tomorrow."
Ryoko turned to go back to the stairs and caught a full power Jurai energy blast, point-blank, in the back. At her full power, it might have tingled. In her present state, it actually hurt a little. Somewhat like a hard slap. The attack sent her flying through the back door and into the yard. Good thing the door was thin.
Ryoko righted herself in mid-air, turning back towards the house so she could see where Aeka would be coming from. The door frame exploded as Aeka came flying out. Her energy shield dug a huge furrow in the yard as she rushed to attack.
Ryoko dodged to her left, avoiding Aeka's bull-rush. She turned and fired a couple energy bolts at her opponent as she circled left. Aeka suddenly changed course skyward, then let loose with an energy blast of her own.
Ryoko teleported. She knew Aeka's weakness was physical strength and her inability to manifest her powers in more than one way at time. When she fired energy bolts, her shield would go down for a short time. Firing an energy bolt through an impenetrable force shield did not work so well.
Ryoko reappeared directly behind the princess and grabbed her around the neck. Aeka pulled and scratched at the ex-pirate's arms. Ryoko spoke into her ear.
"You don't really think you'll win, do you?"
Aeka's answer was a major shock. Somehow she conducted hew power through her skin. Since Ryoko was in direct contact with Aeka, she got a huge dose of destructive power. She immediately released Aeka. Ryoko's arms felt numb from the shock. They still worked, but she could barely feel them. Aeka turned and fired another energy blast that Ryoko was barely able to avoid.
"I took a page out of your own playbook, Ryoko! Now hold still!" Aeka called on her holding shield. The holding cells appeared around Ryoko instantly, giving her no opportunity to evade.
Ryoko started to worry a little. Aeka was giving a much better accounting of herself than normal. She had apparently been holding back in their previous tussles. Another energy blast came her way. As she had to before, Aeka released the holding shield to fire on her opponent.
Ryoko had no choice but to teleport again or take the full force of Aeka's attack. This time, Ryoko reappeared below Aeka. Her target spun around, expecting an attack from behind. There was none. She looked up. Nothing again.
Below her, Ryoko was beginning to feel the strain of her constant energy consumption. Next to duplication, teleporting was her most draining technique, closely followed by energy attacks. But in battle, you fight first and recover afterward.
Ryoko summoned a ball of energy to he right hand and made a fist. The ball elongated out the top of her hand, forming an energy saber. The forced change in shape made the energy hiss and crackle.
Aeka looked down just in time to catch the tip of the saber just under her chin. Her head snapped painfully back. The second strike came when Ryoko spun around and hit her in the stomach with the butt of the weapon. The third was a backhanded slash that caught Aeka across the side of the face as she was doubling over. Ryoko reached out with her free hand and grabbed the back of Aeka's shirt as she spun from the impact of the third strike.
"Hah-a-a-ah!" Ryoko threw her opponent directly at the ground below. Dazed, Aeka was unable to stop herself from hitting the ground. She did manage a partial shield that gave he some protection. Up above, Ryoko began yelling at her.
"Aeka, you're being stupid! You know how Tenchi is! He slept in his own bed and I was in the spare!"
Ryoko could see, in addition to Aeka climbing to her feet, and audience was gathering. Mihoshi was looking out the kitchen window, as if it were safer inside the house. Sasami and Ryo-o-ki stood just outside the now ruined doorway, peeking around a corner. Katsuhito was quickly descending the steps from the shrine where he usually stayed.
"You lie poorly, Ryoko." Aeka responded to Ryoko's explanation. "I know better than to trust you. I'll bet you forced yourself on Tenchi!"
It took a lot to for Ryoko to get truly angry. Considering the events of the night before, it was the wrong thing for Aeka to say.
"Shows how much you know, bitch!" Ryoko released her hold on the energy saber, which resumed it's original spherical form. She gathered her power, then fired it at Aeka in one large blast. Aeka's shield hardened in anticipation.
The patron of the house finally arrived. He strode quickly, yet calmly, to Sasami.
"What are they fighting about now?"
Ryoko's shot struck the earth in front of Aeka's shield, sending a huge cloud of dust and dirt into the air. Aeka was alarmed to find she could not see beyond the confines of her shield.
Sasami was upset over the girls' conflict, but she tries her best to explain.
"Big Brother, Aeka's really mad at Ryoko because she went to see Tenchi. When I woke up, they were already fighting. I came out to tell them to stop. But, Aeka said something really nasty to Ryoko and now they're both mad. I don't think they're going to stop."
Ryoko phased into the ground. She had planned on missing that shot. With Aeka blinded, she could move about and disappear without her knowing. Ryoko had observed another interesting aspect of Aeka's shield. If it extended below the ground, when she took off, the ground below her would be brought along for the ride. Since that was not the case, her shield did not extend below the ground where Aeka stood. She would be vulnerable there. Knowing this, Ryoko rose up directly behind Aeka again, this time inside her shield. She began to power-up a payback shot for Aeka's first assault, but her body finally betrayed her. Ryoko's head began spinning like a top. She desperately tried to reabsorb the energy she had summoned. Somehow, Aeka sensed Ryoko had penetrated her shield. She spun around and nailed Ryoko with a huge uppercut, sending her flying into the air.
"Now I have you!" Aeka shouted as she fired as big a blast as she could muster. Without waiting to see if she hit, Aeka flew into the air, intent on following up with a physical assault.
Ryoko's head had been spinning already when Aeka hit her. Now she felt like she was in some kind of weird laundry machine. Then the energy blast hit. The energy coursed through her body, then dissipated, taking her vision with it. Ryoko could feel the air rushing by. That did not make sense. She was not even trying to fly anymore.
Aeka smashed shield-first into Ryoko. The energy transferred into her target, causing the girl more problems, as well as real pain. She could not tell if she were flying or spinning anymore, and her ears rang. Through the ringing, Ryoko could hear Aeka taunting her.
"Here's some of your own medicine!" Aeka threw Ryoko into the ground. Ryoko was so out of it at this point she made no attempt to defend herself. She did not even really feel the impact when she hit.
"That didn't hurt." Ryoko told herself. But Aeka did not stop there. She followed again with an energy blast. This one hit dead on. Something inside Ryoko snapped. She screamed.
Watching from the house, Katsuhito decided he had better put a stop to this. Things had gone too far for his taste. Before he could intervene, a hand clamped onto his wrist.
"Wait." Washu told him.
"Are you certain?" He asked.
"Just a little longer."
He looked back to the action.
Aeka landed on the scorched earth just above Ryoko's head.
"Now you get what's coming to you. I'm going to rid the galaxy of your abominable presence once and for all."
Ryoko dimly heard Aeka's threat through her pain. She knew she had lost. At least she went down fighting. She lay on her back, waiting.
"Get..." Ryoko tried to tell Aeka to hurry up and finish it. "Get it over with."
Aeka raised her hands over her head and began gathering as much energy as she could handle at once.
Ryoko turned her thoughts to Tenchi. If she were going to die, it would be with him in her mind. Actually, she felt relieved. At least she would not have to listen to people call her a monster anymore.
Raindrops fell on Ryoko's face.
"Figures. I'm about to die and even the Gods are pissing on me."
Several seconds later, nothing had happened. What was Aeka waiting for? Her eyes drifted open. There were still stars floating across her field of vision. But at least she could see. Aeka stood over her, her hands held over her head. She was crying. Aeka sank to her knees, coming down almost on top of Ryoko's head.
"How can you live with so much pain?"
"What are you talking about?" Ryoko croaked, annoyed at the delay.
"I saw it all. Five thousand years of pain. I am so sorry."
Washu breathed a sigh of relief.
"They should be all right now."
"What happened?" Sasami asked. Washu was only too happy to explain.
"When I created Ryoko, I anticipated the possibility, however remote, that she could someday be destroyed. So I engineered in an emergency memory dump which would be triggered if she felt her life were in danger.
"Normally, the dump would be received by Ryoko's gems. Since I have them at the moment, her memories were received by the nearest appropriate receptacle, namely Aeka."
"So, if I understand this right," Katsuhito translated for Sasami's benefit, "Ryoko though she was going to die, so she transferred her memories to Aeka."
"Not a transfer, but a copy." Washu corrected.
Katsuhito leaned down to Sasami. "Did you get that?"
"Yeah, thanks." Washu's explanation had only confused her more.
Mihoshi finally emerged from the house, closely followed by Nobuyuki.
"Is it over?"
"Looks like it." Washu stated. "Let's give them a few minute to square things up." Washu clapped her hand together twice. "Shows over. Back to bed everyone. Back to bed."
Ryoko finally thought of something to say.
"Aeka?"
"Yes?"
"Does this mean you're not going to kill me?"
"Of course I'm not." Aeka confirmed.
"Good thing. Tenchi would never have forgiven you."
"And here I was calling you a monster. What a hypocrite I've become."
"I'll say."
"Well, you don't have to agree so readily."
Ryoko grinned.
"You're so easy to tease."
"It must be because you're the first person who ever dared try."
Ryoko started to laugh, but whatever had broken inside still hurt. She grimaced instead.
"Where's Washu?"
"I'm right here." Washu's young voice sounded from the girls' right. She had managed to sneak up on them.
"Got beat up, huh?"
"Shut up! Urh --" Ryoko's face momentarily contorted in pain.
"I'll take that as a 'Yes'."
Washu held up her right hand. The three gems whirled around above her palm. "Bet you want these back."
Ryoko did not hesitate to take the games. She grasped them in her hand and willed them back into her body. They mystically appeared on her wrists and neck, where they should be. Their power flowed into Ryoko, rejuvenating her drained systems. Her aches and pain were swiftly remedied. She took a deep breath, relieved not to have to worry about her safety any longer. She sat up.
"Ugh. I'm gonna take a long bath, then sleep for the next two days."
"You'll let Lord Tenchi return home without greeting him?" Aeka asked, surprised.
Ryoko thought about it for a moment. It would not hurt to miss Tenchi's arrival. Still, she was looking forward to seeing him again.
"Aeka, did you really get all my memories?"
"I... don't know." Aeka looked to Washu for the answer.
"Yup. That's the way it works." Washu confirmed.
"Then there's some things we have to talk about. I don't want you blabbing to Tenchi about the wrong things."
Considering the nature of some of Ryoko's memories, Aeka considered that a prudent course of action.
"Yes, indeed. That is one thing we can agree on. I think I'll join you for that bath."
The three of them got up from the ground and headed for the onsen. Ryoko turned to Washu.
"Who invited you?"
The next morning, Tenchi returned home. His father drove to the school to get him, since it was too late to ride the bus. The entire family had agreed at breakfast not to tell Tenchi what had happened the night before. During the day, the girls worked diligently to repair the damage they had done to the yard and house. Ryoko and Aeka competed to see who did the best work.
When Tenchi returned, he could not help but notice the yard had been turned and completely reseeded. The grass was already six inches high. Tenchi figured it must be one of Washu's special seed blendings.
Tenchi almost did not notice the new doorway, it resembled the old one so much. What gave it away was the new sign identifying the family in residence. Of course it identified them as the Masaki family. But it also included the girls who were not actually related to him. Tenchi was not sure whether to laugh or cry. He slid the door open, expecting to be tackled by an over-enthusiastic Ryoko. Instead, both she and Aeka were waiting inside. Aeka instantly bowed and greeted him.
"Welcome home, Lord Tenchi."
This was different.
"Uh, hi, Aeka. How... uh, what's going on?"
Ryoko stood upright from the place where she had been leaning on the wall. She calmly walked forward and gave him a big hug.
"Welcome home, Tenchi." More quietly, she whispered in his ear. "Thanks for last night."
Very lightly, so Aeka would not notice, she brushed her lips across Tenchi's cheek as she released him.
Tenchi look at Aeka, expecting her to fly into a rage at Ryoko's flirtatious behavior. She stood by, calmly and respectfully waiting for him to enter.
"By the look on your face, Lord Tenchi, I would venture to guess you wish to know what changes have occurred while you were away."
"Uh, yeah."
"Simply put," Aeka explained, "Ryoko and I have come to an understanding on certain issues."
Tenchi felt a spark of hope come to life within him.
"Really?" He turned his attention back to Ryoko.
"Yeah, no more fighting." She did not seem too enthusiastic.
"I am so glad to hear you say that." Tenchi told them.
"Lord Tenchi, Sasami is almost done preparing dinner. Please, join us."
Tenchi's mouth started to water at the thought of Sasami's cooking.
"Mmm. I've been living on beef and potatoes for a week. I could use some home-cooked Japanese food." Tenchi quickly dropped his bag and shoes. He walked straight into the main room looking for food. Dinner was ready. He also found everyone arranged around the dinner table and a big banner that said "Welcome Home, Tenchi!"
"Guys, you shouldn't have. I was only gone for a week."
Ryoko walked by on the way to her place next to Tenchi at the table.
"A week too long if you ask me."
Tenchi found out later the extent of Ryoko and Aeka's "understanding" when Ryoko tried to steal Aeka's dessert.
"Ryoko! Give that back this instant!"
"Come and get it, yourself." Ryoko told her.
"What gives you the right to steal my dessert?"
"It's the right to a free dessert." She chimed back.
"Excuse me." Tenchi interrupted. "I thought you two weren't going to fight anymore."
"We're not fighting." Aeka explained. "We're arguing."
"That's right." Ryoko agreed. "And I think we'll be arguing a lot from now on."
Tenchi realized the peaceful family life he had envisioned earlier was not going to happen anytime soon. Still, it was an improvement. Maybe now he could devote more thought to understanding his feelings instead of trying to maintain his sanity.
END INTERLUDE 2.
AFTERWORD:
Aww, no more fights? I am so terrible. Ah, well. Just one more step closer to solving the age old riddle: Who gets Tenchi? More on that in INVASION: Volume 2.