INVASION: Volume 2, Part 6: Intimacy.
DISCLAIMER: Tenchi Muyou! is copyright AIC/Pioneer LDC. I claim no rights to it. However, the events in this story are entirely of my own imagination. So please don't change or copy them. Feel free to distribute this story as widely as desired.
FOREWORD: This is way cool. I came up with the idea of the Funaho granted vision last of all the scenes in this volume.
AUTHOR: Dreamr
LAST REVISION: 2 August 2002
EMAIL: TrueDreamr@Hotmail.com
BEGIN CHAPTER 6.
The "Gong of Doom" echoed throughout the Masaki home. Everyone was already in the house, celebrating Ryoko's return. Even Aeka seemed to be in good spirits, though she claimed it was from relief that Lord Tenchi would no longer be so morose. Sasami went to get the door. When she opened it, she found Zak, with two large boxes, a medium-sized gift box, and a strange, curvaceously shaped case.
"Oh, hi, Zak." She loudly announced. The house suddenly became strangely quiet.
"Hello, Sasami. Ryoko left some things behind, so I figured I'd bring them out to her." He paused for a moment before continuing with a rueful smile. "And, I didn't want anybody to think there was any hard feelings, so I brought some stuff for the party."
"Oh, well, that's nice. But, how did you know we were having a party?"
"Come on. Ryoko just came back after being gone, unexpectedly, for over a week. There's going to be a party."
Sasami scratched the back of her head and smiled.
"Ah, yeah, I guess you're right. Well, come on in. We're just getting started."
Speech began to resume within the main room. Ryoko was the next person to greet the visitor.
"Hey, Zak, what's..." She noticed everything he brought. "all that stuff? What are you, planning on moving in or something?"
"Ah, no. However, you did leave this behind." He held out the medium-sized white box.
"Is that...?" Ryoko suspiciously eyed the box.
"Yes, it is. You keep it. Besides, what am I supposed to do with it?"
"Give it to somebody else." She suggested.
"No way. It won't fit anybody else." He told her with a smile.
"I'll take that as a compliment. So what's all this other stuff?" She asked, accepting the box from him.
"Party stuff. Give me a hand bringing it in?"
Ryoko gave the boxes a cursory examination. She knew the shape of the largest box that had a vinyl cover and handle, as well as the curvy box. Those were a guitar and associated amplifier. The other she could not identify.
"What's in there?"
Zak phased an arm through the top of the box and withdrew a bottle of sake.
"Like I said, party stuff."
Ryoko grinned.
"Yup, that'll work." She went right to the case of sake and hefted it with little effort. She turned and brought it into the main room.
"Lookie what I got!" She announced to everyone.
Zak laughed, shaking his head. He squatted down and grasped the handles of the remaining two boxes, then picked them up. The doorway was a little narrow to accommodate such a wide load, but that was no problem for him. He phased the boxes along with himself until the restriction was passed. Carefully kicking off his shoes, he took the short route through the wall, again by phasing, and set the items down on an open area of the floor.
"Hi, everybody."
He was cordially greeted by the assembled members of the family.
"Are you planning on offering entertainment this evening?" Aeka inquired.
"Something like that." He cryptically answered, sitting on top of the amp. "I learned a couple of days ago that Ryoko could play the guitar. She's pretty good at it, too."
"So what if I am?" The girl bluntly asked.
"Well, I remember how peaceful and relaxed you got after just a couple minutes of playing."
There was a couple of giggles as Ryoko grumbled something about him revealing her personal secrets.
"So, I thought 'What better way to bring peace to a troubled heart, than through music.'"
"'Music to sooth the savage beast.'" Aeka quoted.
"Who are you calling a savage beast?" Ryoko aggressively asked her.
"If you don't like it, then prove me wrong."
"Fine." Ryoko answered as she approached Zak. "Let's set it up."
"Just a minute." He held up a hand. "I'm not done."
Ryoko looked at him with curiosity evident on her face.
"I got this guitar and amplifier for you, because I know you like to play and it'll do you some good to have an outlet."
"Is that all?" Ryoko asked, managing to hide how she was truly feeling from prying eyes.
"No. But the rest is... personal."
His statement finally managed to crack Ryoko stony facade. Her face turned a little pink. Slowly, she turned and looked at Tenchi, seeking permission to accept the gift.
"Stop." Zak suddenly demanded. Ryoko looked back to him to see what he wanted.
"What now?"
"Just one thing. I don't mean to be rude or disrespectful to Tenchi. But, you don't need his permission. Make up your own mind and choose for yourself what you want."
For a moment, Tenchi thought about giving Ryoko his okay on the subject, anyway. But his grandfather's hand on his shoulder stopped him. Katsuhito held a finger to his pursed lips, indicating he should remain silent.
Ryoko stood mute for several seconds while her thoughts and feelings bubbled and churned within her. Since she was at the point where she actually trusted Zak somewhat, she found she could intentionally avoid looking at Tenchi as he had told her to. Staring at the floor gave her a blank area to fix her gaze on.
"He's right. Tenchi doesn't make the decisions for me. It's my choice. If he doesn't like it, then tough."
She adopted a haughty pose with her hands on her hips and gave Zak a stern, yet playful, look.
"It's kinda hard to play if you're sitting on the hardware."
Zak smiled, then got up off the amplifier. He kindly knelt down and removed the vinyl cover for her, revealing a used, but serviceable, electric guitar amplifier. It took Ryoko exactly two minutes and forty seven seconds to get everything set up, including the guitar itself, which was red with sparkles mixed in with the metallic-looking paint. She clicked the power button on, resulting in a thump sound issuing from the speaker contained within the amplifier cabinet.
"Okay! What should I play first?" She asked of her impromptu audience.
There were a few sounds of indecision as someone tried to come up with a suggestion.
"Whatever you want." Zak told her.
"As long as it isn't too loud." Aeka qualified the suggestion.
"Not too loud, huh? Okay, I know something not too loud, but still pretty cool. Try this!"
Ryoko launched into the hard-rocking song, Cautionary Warning, from an animated series she had been watching of late, Kacho Ouji (Black Heaven in the US). The song she had heard was very short, only thirty seconds or so. So she let the robust sounds trail off without a definite ending.
"I said NOT too loud!" Aeka complained, holding her hands to her ears. "There's no need to have that thing turned up so high! We're all right here, not on the other end of Japan!"
"Quit your whining. It's only on four, and it goes all the way to ten."
"Then play something normal, rather than that head-banging nonsense!"
"Oh. You mean something like this."
In a demonstration of versatility, Ryoko played the same song she had played for Zak the other night.
"Yes. That is exactly what I was referring to. Much better."
Ryoko just smiled at Aeka, satisfied that she was doing something everyone seemed to like. She took her time, making sure to play without making any mistakes. When she finished the song, everyone clapped their appreciation.
"Ahh! That was fun!" She said with a smile, setting the guitar on top of the amp before turning the set off. It made a few weird sounds as she moved the guitar from her hands to its resting place.
She quickly found her way to the snack table and snagged a bottle of sake from the open crate Zak had brought with him. She tried to ignore the huge smile Zak had on his face as he stared at her.
"What're you lookin' at?"
He declined to answer.
About three hours later, Zak noticed that Ryoko was missing. He circumspectly broached the subject with Tenchi's father.
"You'd thing Ryoko would attend her own party, rather than ditching to go do something else."
Nobuyuki took a look around the room.
"Well, since Tenchi's still here, she probably hasn't gone far. She's probably up on the roof."
"What's she doing up there?"
"Who knows? Getting drunk, I'll bet."
"Hmph. I'd better go get her."
With that, Zak flew straight up through the ceiling. As Nobuyuki had suggested, Ryoko was on the roof, sitting behind the false chimney. Making his way around the chimney, he sat down to her left. Ryoko took a long pull from a nearly empty bottle of sake.
"How come you're not at the party?"
"Mmm, just thinkin' 'bout some stuff."
"Good stuff or bad stuff?"
"Don't know, yet. That's why I'm think', see?" She explained before draining what was left in the bottle.
"Hmm. What I see right now is that you're getting drunk."
"So what if I am? It's my choice, right? Every one's always sayin' I'm not 'sponsible 'nuff. I was tryin', though. Guess I'm not good at that stuff."
"You're good at playing the guitar." Zak offered.
"Guess so." Ryoko said, sneaking a side-long peek at Zak. The way he smiled at her was always warm and inviting. She quickly looked away.
"So, do you like your gift?" Zak tentatively asked.
Ryoko closed her eyes as Zak's question made her chest tighten. That was exactly what she had been thinking about when he had arrived on the roof to see her. His gift meant a lot to her because of the insight it showed into her feelings. Somehow, he had touched her significantly enough that she wanted to show her appreciation in a more direct way.
But, then there was Tenchi. No matter how much she was starting to like Zak, she still loved Tenchi more than anyone. Anything she did with Zak would only end up hurting Tenchi more than she had already hurt him by staying away for so long. Ryoko found herself in the unenviable position of having to choose between her growing attraction to Zak, and her already well-established feelings for Tenchi. She thumped the back of her head against the faux chimney.
"Damn."
That gave Zak a pause. Taking a moment to look around at the dimming light on the horizon, he decided to ask about something that he had been wondering about all day.
"Ryoko, the deal was, if you weren't interested in me, I'd lay off. Last night, you left without saying how you felt about me. I understand about Tenchi. There's nothing I can do about how you feel about him. But, as for me, I think I deserve to know."
Ryoko considered giving her answer on that subject. She knew what the answer was, and if she gave it, things would continue until she really could not resist him any more. If she cut Zak off now, then she would stay faithful to Tenchi.
"It's not fair!" Ryoko blurted out. She smacked her skull against the chimney again, breaking a couple of bricks loose. They fell into the opening and hit the roof tiles with a clack of stone on clay.
Zak looked at Ryoko in surprise as she struggled with the question. After a moment of watching tortured expressions fly across her face, he decided that this may not have been the best time to inquire about her feelings for him.
"Um, I'll tell you what, why don't you take a few days to think about it. However, I'm not going to let you off on the other question."
Ryoko visibly relaxed at Zak's acceptance of her reluctance to answer. His playful tone regarding a different question made her feel a little more at ease.
"And what question's that?"
"Do you like the guitar?"
Ryoko smiled.
"Okay, I like the guitar." She answered, as if it were a chore to answer so many questions. Looking to her left, she could see Zak was smiling at her again. Her heart began pounding in her chest. Ryoko watched as he inched his way closer to her. As he got closer, she could think only of how much she disliked holding in her feelings. She tried a last desperate ploy to keep things from getting any more intimate.
"What are you doing?"
Zak stopped so he could answer her question.
"I'm going to kiss you, and you're going to like it."
Ryoko's eyes closed as she recalled the passionate kiss they had shared last night. The memory of those feelings flooded her conscious mind, urging her to accept the display of affection he was offering her. Soon, she felt Zak's warm breath on her face, and her mouth fell open. Just as their lips touched, she heard the sliding glass door on the third floor open. Her eyes snapped open.
"Ryoko?" Tenchi voice issued from below.
Ryoko practically leapt away from Zak as Tenchi began to make his way to the roof. She took up a position leaning over the top of the fake chimney on her forearms. Zak simply sat where he was, muttering curses to himself.
"Up here." Ryoko called to Tenchi.
"You are up here." Tenchi remarked as his head cleared the edge of the tile roof. "Is everything all right? Dad said Zak went looking for you a little while ago, but he isn't back yet."
"He's right here." She pointed her thumb at the side of the chimney facing away from Tenchi.
Tenchi did not answer right away. His eyes darted from Ryoko to Zak several times, then he sighed.
"All right. It's your party. But, you should come down and join the rest of us. Be sociable, you know?" He advised as he started back down.
"Be right there!" She promised, ignoring the hand that was climbing, unseen, up the back of her right leg.
Once she heard the glass door close, Ryoko slapped Zak's hand away.
"Cut it out! What are you trying to do, get me in trouble?"
Zak looked around the corner of the chimney with a sly smile.
"Come on. Sit with me."
Ryoko intently stared at Zak, trying to discern his true intentions.
"Shit. I must be nuts, letting you mess with me like this."
"You want it just as much as I do."
Ryoko stared impassively at Zak for a few seconds more before deciding to put an end to their private time.
"I'm goin' back to the party." She indifferently announced as she phased down through the roof of the house.
Once he was alone, Zak sighed. Looking over his shoulder, he saw the proclamation of Ryoko's love for Tenchi gouged into the bricks. Angrily, he slapped his hand over the heart and applied a good sized jolt of energy to it, vaporizing the first centimeter of hardened earth. When he removed his hand, there was no sign of the symbol.
"I don't have time for stupid, teenaged, kids!"
Ryoko awoke not knowing where she was or how she had gotten there. A quick look around reminded her she was in her room. The party quickly came back to her. The last thing she remembered was Tenchi and Zak carrying her to her room, complaining that she should take a bath because she smelled of sake. The pounding in her skull reminded her that she had indeed been drinking heavily. Looking around, she noticed the large jug she kept stuffed away in a corner.
"A li'le hair-o'-the-dog oughtta take care of this here headache."
Ryoko took the jug and upended it, drinking the entire contents in one drought. She set it down and waited for the alcohol to permeate her system once more. Before long, the fuzziness returned, and she felt blissfully and completely plastered. She was just rediscovering the edges of consciousness when she remembered she needed a bath.
Without consideration for the amount of alcohol in her system, Ryoko stood. Swaying back and forth unsteadily, she considered putting some clothes on. But then she would just have to take them off again when she got in the water. Keeping her hand on the wall for balance, she stumbled to the bath.
Arriving at the entrance, she noticed that the symbols on the doors seemed to sort of blend together. She got a naughty idea looking at the symbol indicating which side was meant for Tenchi. Smiling, Ryoko entered the male area of the bath, imagining that Tenchi might be inside.
Staggering towards the water, Ryoko got a big surprise when she found someone bathing. Looking hard through the fuzzy edges of her vision revealed a well-built young man with short black hair, sitting on the floor with a sponge and soap.
"Tenchi." She thought, pleased that her fantasy was coming true.
Foregoing walking for flight, Ryoko silently floated her way to him. When she arrived just behind him, she threw her arms around him, pressed her body against his back.
"Hello, lover." She greeted, sliding her hands sensuously over his stomach and chest. "Tonight's your lucky night. I came here for a bath. But, if you play your cards right, I'll be coming for you."
Ryoko started kissing his ear, hoping she would not be denied. A pair of strong hands enfolded hers. His fingers intertwined with hers, expressing appreciation for what she was doing. When sucking on his neck raised no objection, she got a strong feeling that she had been missed her a great deal more than anyone had realized.
"Finally..." Ryoko thought.
Tenchi awoke sweating. It felt like it was a hundred degrees in his room, even though the windows were open. He threw back his sheets to cool himself.
"Man, what brought that on?" He wondered, recalling the dream that had prompted such a strong physical reaction. At least he could understand the reasons behind who he had been dreaming of. Realizing he felt thirsty, as well as overheated, Tenchi set to getting his pants on so he could go get something cool to drink.
He was just returning to his room when he saw the first flash of light from outside. Many months of random energy blasts and flying girls had conditioned him to such events. He hit the floor just before the blast wave struck, shattering every window in the house. The paint on the outside of the house bubbled and peeled due to the extreme heat of the explosion.
Once the flying glass settled and he felt it was safe to stand upright, Tenchi got back to his feet. His bed was covered in broken glass. Miraculously, the glass of lemonade in his hand was untouched, except for a slight bit of spillage. He looked out the window just in time to see a blazing orange comet shooting across the sky. It quickly receded into the distance. Somehow, he knew the comet was Ryoko, flying away again. There was debris all over the area surrounding where the bath house once floated. The pond below it was completely dry.
There were cries of alarm throughout the house as the others began to react to the explosion. Tenchi sighed, expecting someone would soon come barging into his room to check on him. It was already a late night, but at least the next two days at school were devoted to make-up exams. Somehow, nothing had actually happened during the week that had required him to miss an exam. Since he had no make-up exams on those days, he had the next two days off.
The sound of thumping feet got louder, then his door was thrown open.
"Lord Tenchi! Are you all right?"
As expected, Aeka was the first to appear. Sasami was right behind her sister.
"I'm fine. But, Ryoko's gone again, and the bath-house is history."
As Aeka began making her way into the room, Tenchi looked over his shoulder and warned her to stay out.
"Stay there. There's a lot of glass on the floor."
It only took Aeka a few seconds to determine what had caused the explosion that had woken everyone. Broken windows and annihilated buildings made it very clear who was responsible.
"For goodness sake! That woman is nothing but trouble! What happened, this time?"
"I wish I knew, Aeka. I wish I knew."
Raising his glass to take a drink, Tenchi noticed a piece of broken glass in it just in time to avoid a painful injury. Scowling with irritation, he tossed the full glass out the broken window.
"Would somebody get me a broom?"
The First Princess awoke in the middle of the next night when she heard scratching coming from the other side of the wall of her bedroom. The day had already been entirely too active. Tenchi had insisted they look through the nearby hills for Ryoko all day, even though the odds of actually finding her were, according to Washu, astronomically low. After having traipsed around the hills for hours, Aeka wanted nothing more than a good night's sleep. A burglar or prowler in the house was the last thing they needed.
She quietly rose, making sure not to wake Sasami. Managing to open the door without giving herself away, she silently crept down the hall, clad only in her nightgown. Peeking around the corner into Ryoko's room, she saw Tenchi.
"Lord Tenchi?" She spoke revealing herself.
Tenchi looked surprised that someone had snuck up on him. When he saw it was Aeka, he relaxed.
"I guess you caught me."
"Indeed. It seems that Ryoko's bad habit of snooping around in other people's rooms has rubbed off on you."
"Yeah."
Tenchi looked down at the picture he held in his hand.
"I really don't know what kind of person Ryoko is, on the inside. I knew she had some stuff pinned up on the wall here, but, I had no idea it was like this."
Aeka joined Tenchi in front of Ryoko's Wall of Junk. Tenchi returned the picture he had been examining, and took another.
"I remember when she wore this dress."
Aeka peeked at the picture and saw that it was of just before Tenchi and Ryoko had gone out on their Christmas Eve date. In the picture, Tenchi looked a little embarrassed as Ryoko clung to his arm, smiling with gleeful anticipation.
"She was so proud of herself."
There was a long pause as Tenchi stared at the photo. "I'm sorry, Aeka. I'm sorry my indecisiveness has caused so much pain."
"Actually, it was Mihoshi who found you."
"Huh?" He looked at Aeka in confusion at the abrupt change of subject.
"In the hotel laundry, after the terrorists took you. She single-handedly eliminated them, saving you."
"Well, she is a Galaxy Police Detective First Class, after all."
"Indeed, she is."
Their shared laughter was short-lived. Tenchi continued to stare longingly at the photo. Finally, he sighed.
"Lord Tenchi..." Aeka felt desperation gripping her chest. She cast about, trying to find some way to draw Tenchi's attention away from Ryoko. However, they were in Ryoko's room, surrounded by her possessions. She could find nothing to do or say except for blatant expressions of interest on her part.
Tenchi sighed again. He replaced the second picture on the wall. Looking around, he noticed the play poster on the wall.
"Jeez. It's even autographed."
"Lord Tenchi," Aeka started, finally coming up with something, "may I ask why you told Miss Ryoko she could date Zakaraia?"
"I was... trying to return the favor. She said we could go out, and I didn't want her to think that I didn't care about her feelings. I heard it was a really great show, and I thought she might get something out of it. I guess she got more than I bargained for."
"That's odd." Aeka mentioned. "When she returned home, she was in tears and she immediately started yelling at me."
"She was?"
"Yes. She said 'It sucked! I'm never going to another opera as long as I live!'"
"Huh. Then... why's this poster here?"
"Well, you know Miss Ryoko; always telling lies. Perhaps she was simply overcome by the power of the performance."
"I guess. I just wish..." Tenchi failed to complete the statement.
"You wish... you had gone with her." Aeka solemnly completed his sentence, sensing that, despite the fact they were growing closer, he was seriously considering the nature of his feelings for Ryoko.
"Aeka, what happened while I was in America? What happened between you and Ryoko?"
Aeka blinked at the sudden change of topic. She spent a few moments trying to decide if she should answer or not. Eventually, she decided the truth was the only honorable course of action.
"When she returned, I... lost my temper. I became furious with her for breaking her promise."
"What happened?"
"We fought. Much to my surprise, I won. I was poised to deliver the final blow and rid the universe of her abominable presence, once and for all, when suddenly, I was overcome by a flood of thoughts and feelings. Thousands of years of torture and pain entered my mind. Washu later explained that I had received her memories telepathically because she feared for her life."
"I... could not finish her, now that I knew she was not to blame for all those acts. I also found she was repentant of the things she had done. Ryoko did not deserve to die."
Aeka cracked a small grin.
"Although, it did feel good to beat her at her own game."
A large tear-drop rolled down the side of Tenchi's face.
"Uh, yeah..."
"I also found that she was truly and deeply in love with you. I... feel so foolish for continuing to oppose her. My feelings are pale imitations compared to hers."
Tenchi could plainly see that Aeka was getting upset. Her speech had begun to tremble and tears were gathering in her eyes. He could have tried to stop her. But he had a feeling she needed to get these things off her chest. However, he was not expecting her next statement.
"Lord Tenchi, Miss Ryoko is not the only one with feelings. I... have... feelings, like hers... for you."
Aeka kept her gaze low, properly submissive for daring to say such things. After a few moments of waiting, she felt his hands on her shoulders.
"Aeka?"
"Yes, Lord Tenchi?"
"Please look at me. There's something I want to tell you."
Slowly, Aeka raised her head and met Tenchi's gaze.
"You're the best friend I've ever had. If things were different, I could... it could work for us. I know that, someday, you'll make a beautiful bride."
"Please, no..." Aeka begged, looking away again.
"I always thought there would be more time. Then, all of a sudden, there wasn't. Now, I have to choose. If I don't, I know I'll regret it for the rest of my life. Aeka, Ryoko needs someone."
"Zakaraia cares for her! Let her have him if she needs someone so badly!"
"I can't. Whenever I think of her with someone else, I... get mad. I can't help it. We all have feelings, Aeka, and this is how I feel. Please, try to understand."
"How can I when my heart aches so to hear it?"
"Aeka..." Tenchi pulled Aeka to his chest and held her as she wept for the love she could not have.
He did not speak again until her tears subsided.
"I'm so sorry for hurting you like this."
"No." Aeka wiped at her tear-streaked face. "You've been more than honorable in your intentions all along. I'll... sniffle I will do my best to abide by your decision."
Aeka began to pull away from Tenchi. As they parted, she could feel his warmth passing her by. She turned her head slightly, causing their cheeks to brush together. When their faces cleared one another, they seemed to stall for a moment. Their eyes met. With only a look, they confirmed with each other the feelings they wished to share, even if it was for only a moment. They closed their eyes, and reversed direction, pressing their lips together.
The kiss was very sweet and gentle to start. They quickly moved beyond the initial puckering to an open-mouthed version. They allowed each other a long time to express the feelings they may never again be permitted to share. After what seemed like a short time, but was actually over three minutes, their passions slackened, and they parted. Tenchi released Aeka and they simply looked into each other's eyes.
"Lord Tenchi?"
"Yes, Aeka?"
"Thank you for making my first kiss so memorable."
"Your FIRST kiss?"
"Yes."
Tenchi remained sheepishly silent for several seconds before deliberately changing the subject.
"I wish I knew where Ryoko was. Usually we have Washu to do those sorts of things. But even she can't seem to find her."
Understanding that Tenchi was trying to avoid a difficult and embarrassing situation, Aeka went along with his line of discussion.
"Yes. I recall she was rather frustrated."
"Yeah, well, when she cuts off the link and doesn't do anything to give herself away, even I have to resort to more mundane means of searching."
"Like what?" Tenchi asked.
"Like traipsing around the countryside."
"But what if she's in trouble?"
"If that were the case, she wouldn't have closed the link, would she?"
"I guess..."
"She'll come back when she's ready. That's all there is to it. Heck, you'll probably know before I do!"
"I'm worried about her."
"Perhaps..." Aeka began.
"Perhaps?" Tenchi prompted her.
"The Master Key. It held Ryoko's gems for seven hundred years. Perhaps we can find them, and her, through Funaho."
"Aeka, thank you."
"Come." She bade Tenchi, taking his hand.
"Um, shouldn't we put some more clothes on first?"
"I believe this is more important." Aeka advised. Though she wore nothing under her nightgown, she felt safe and secure with Tenchi as they walked, hand-in-hand, to Yosho's tree. When they arrived, Aeka turned to Tenchi.
"Do you have the Master Key with you?"
"Do'h! I'll be right back."
Tenchi took off to retrieve the key, leaving Aeka by herself. She watched his retreating form with amusement. Not only had he forgotten the sword, but he had left a young woman alone in the dark woods in nothing but her nightgown! Not that she felt vulnerable, or anything.
Tenchi returned a short time later with the Master Key, a light jacket, and little breath. Aeka could not help feeling a surge of longing as she watched Tenchi's heaving chest and shoulders. She blushed when Tenchi took notice of her stare.
"I'm all right." He wheezed. "I just didn't...huff want to walk."
Recovering himself, Tenchi held out the jacket.
"I brought this for you."
"Thank you." Aeka turned and slid her arms into the sleeves of the jacket. It was not quite summer yet, and the nights were still a bit chilly. However, it was warm enough that she did not bother to zip it up.
"Okay. Here it is." Tenchi presented the sword to Aeka as she turned back to face him.
Aeka ruefully shook her head,
"I'm afraid that the task belongs to you, Lord Tenchi. The Master Key is controlled by the will of the user. If I were to attempt this task, the results would be poor, I'm sure.
"So, what do I do?"
"With this sword, you can command every ship in the Jurai Navy simultaneously, with only the exception of my father's ship, Kirito, and Tsunami. Although, my brother always thought it was better to ask the tree's assistance rather than command it."
"Wow. Hmm. Okay. So, like I said, what do I do?"
Aeka giggled.
"Ask Funaho for assistance."
"Right."
Tenchi gazed upon the tree and began to concentrate.
"Hello, Funaho. I could use some help."
All was silent, except for the rustling of leaves.
"Funaho, I really need some help finding Ryoko. She ran away again, and I'm really worried about her. Aeka said you might be able to track her through her gems, since they were in this sword for so long."
A high-pitched, feminine voice echoed in Tenchi's head.
"Is there so little love left in your heart?"
Tenchi held his breath. If any voice could be described as God-like, this one would be. However, the words were not encouraging.
"I... um..." Tenchi had no answer.
"Remember this?"
Tenchi sees a younger version of himself, just a child, roasting sweet potatoes in front of Ryoko's cave. This time there is something different. Ryoko is there, watching him.
"Remember this?"
Young Tenchi is chasing dragonflies with a net. Again, Ryoko is watching. This time, she smiles as he runs by her.
"She looks happy."
"Remember this?"
Young Tenchi is urinating on a rock by Ryoko's cave. Ryoko is watching with amusement plain on her face.
"No wonder she thinks so little of getting naked around me. I showed myself to her all the time."
"Remember this?" Young Tenchi is lying facedown on a rock crying his eyes out. Ryoko tries to comfort him. But she cannot touch him or interact in any way. A tear rolls down her cheek.
"When my mother died, she cried with me."
"Remember this?" Funaho said with a bit of mirth.
A not-so-young Teenaged Tenchi runs to Ryoko's cave with a schoolbag full of his father's pornographic magazines.
"I guess she really was watching."
Ryoko's eyes get big when she sees what Tenchi has brought with him. She looks at what he is looking at, then looks at his face, checking his expression. Each time he flips a page, she repeats the process, watching him. When he begins to masturbate, she looks away for a moment, clearly embarrassed to be watching, but curious, all the same.
"Now I understand. I must have looked at those magazines a hundred times that summer. I made her think it was normal to be openly sexual with someone."
"Remember this?"
Teen Tenchi is standing in front of Ryoko's cave. He is wearing his new high school uniform.
"That was the day Dad and I moved into town. He had just gotten a big promotion, which was great. But the commute was too far for him to do his job properly."
His father call for him to say goodbye to his grandfather. Teen Tenchi turns away and runs to his family, leaving Ryoko behind. Silently, she begs and cries for him to return. Tears are flowing freely down her face. As the van pulls away, she falls to the ground and curls into a ball, shaking and shuddering in anguish.
"Oh, Ryoko. I'm so sorry. I wish I'd known. You must have been so lonely those last two years. Um, not to mention the six hundred and ninety eight years before that."
"Remember this?"
Tenchi of two years ago is entering Ryoko's cave. Ryoko follows, curious and hopeful. When Tenchi breaks in to the inner chamber, Ryoko refuses to follow. A look of fear is evident on her face. Light begins to glow from within. Ryoko is suddenly sucked through the long tunnel and back into her body.
"She looks terrified."
Freshly awakened, Ryoko grabs Tenchi's wrist as he retrieves the sword from where he dropped it. Tenchi freezes in horror as a rotten, shriveled devil looks him in the eyes. She is suddenly blasted back, and Tenchi makes his getaway. Stunned, Ryoko begins to examine herself. She sees her hands and starts to shake.
"I wasn't there for this part."
Ryoko looks down and sees a decayed corpse instead of a healthy young woman's body. The shaking grows worse. She raises a hand to her face. A moment later it comes away with a mask.
"I didn't know she was wearing a mask."
Ryoko slams the mask against the edge of the pool, shattering it into a million pieces Her shoulders begin to heave, and then she collapses against the edge of the pool.
"I am so ashamed. When she needed me the most, I treated her like a monster."
"Know this."
Suddenly, Tenchi is in the onsen-like bath. At his feet, Ryoko lays against Zak's chest. By their position and state of undress, it is obvious they have just finished having sex. Lounging in the warm afterglow of the shared experience, she begins giggling. Tenchi tries desperately to look away or close his eyes. But this is a vision, not ordinary sight. He cannot avert his gaze.
"I don't want to see this!"
"What's so funny?" Zak asks Ryoko.
Her laughter immediately stops. She props herself up on her arms and takes a good look at who she has just been with. Zak's pale blue eyes look back at her.
"No..." Ryoko shuts her eyes, trying to block the unwanted sight from her mind.
"What's wrong?" Zak tries to comfort her by putting a hand on the side of her face.
Ryoko slaps the hand away. Leaping away, she hovers over the ground, suddenly and inexplicably furious.
"I told you I wanted Tenchi!"
"I thought you changed your mind!" Zak shouts. "I was just taking a bath, and all of a sudden the girl I like, the girl I love," he amends, "comes on to me. How did you expect me to react?"
"I LOVE TENCHI!" Ryoko hysterically screams.
Her eyes snap open. Zak can clearly see them blazing like miniature suns.
"Oh, shit!" Zak says before disappearing.
Everything turns white.
"So that's what happened. She must have thought he was me. I guess, if she were drunk and it was dark, it could happen that way."
"Know this."
From a picturesque hilltop, Tenchi sees the Tree of Heaven, from which the Jurai Royal Palace is built. Looking up, he sees the weather is stormy.
"Lord Tenchi?"
He looks to his right and sees Aeka standing next to him.
"Aeka! What are you doing here?"
"I don't know. I was standing aside, waiting for you to finish with Funaho. Now, I am here."
The wind began to pick up.
"Oh, my. It appears as if there is going to be a storm."
Rain began to dash against the tree's leaves. Wind whips the branches back and forth. Soon, the rain turns to hail. The huge tree groans in protest.
"There must be something wrong with the weather control system." Aeka surmised. "Storms are never allowed to get this bad."
The storm continues to assault the tree making it creak and groan. Strangely, there is no lightning. Soon, the wind and hail come to a stop.
"There. The repairs must have been completed."
CRACK BOOM!!!
Aghast, Tenchi and Aeka watch as a huge bolt of lightning strikes the Tree of Heaven, splitting it in two.
"No!" Aeka cries out, falling to her knees. "All those people! Mother and Father. The trees. All gone."
Tenchi kneels next to her. He puts his hands on her shoulders and tries to comfort her.
"Aeka, it isn't real. It's just a vision."
"Yes. Yes, of course. Thank you."
With Tenchi's assistance, Aeka unsteadily climbs to her feet. Looking at the damage, they see flames leaping hundreds of meters into the air from the stricken tree. Slowly, the flames begin to coalesce into a vaguely bird-like shape.
"A phoenix?" Tenchi supposes.
Aeka withholds her judgement until the shape becomes more definite. Only when she recognizes the hooked beak and raptor talons does she speak.
"Oh, sweet Tsunami, no. It can't be."
The beak opens and an eagle's cry screeches across the landscape.
"An eagle?" Tenchi asks.
"There is a legend," Aeka explains, "a myth really, about an eagle of fire. It comes forth when a terrible wrong has been committed and seeks revenge. It cannot be stopped. No one can control it. It leaves behind nothing but death and destruction. It is known as Washishuu, the Eagle of Vengeance."
"Washishuu?" Tenchi repeated, taking note of the similarity between that name and Washu, who came out of her lab so infrequently, as of late.
The eagle took to the air. Flapping it's tremendous wings, it rises over the destroyed palace. The clouds literally disappear before it, running to find friendlier skies. Suddenly, the eagle takes off like a jet, leaving behind a streamer of red light. Tenchi and Aeka stare after it in dread.
Then, the sky begins to fall. Chunks of debris become visible as they burn during reentry into Jurai's atmosphere. A large piece crashes nearby, sending dirt and dust into the air. Once the dust has settled, the observers can see the remains of a Jurai ship.
"No!" Aeka cries again, directing her anguish at the sky. "What did we ever do to you? Leave us alone!"
The eagle's call is heard again, this time from behind. They turn to see the creature of legend bearing down on them, it's sickle-like talons poised to strike. Tenchi jumps in front of Aeka. He raises his hands and the Light-Hawk Wings spring into life, for once, obeying his command. The eagle strikes at the glowing blades. There is a bright flash of light.
Tenchi and Aeka stood beneath Funaho, too shaken to speak. All is as it was before. There are no Light-Hawk Wings, no eagle, and no Ryoko. When Tenchi turned to check on Aeka, she threw herself against his chest. For a moment, Tenchi was surprised at her sudden aggressiveness. But, realizing that it did not feel so bad having a beautiful young woman against his chest, he put his arms around her, offering comfort.
"What a horrible vision!" Aeka whispered into his chest.
"It was pretty weird."
A minute or so later, Aeka remembered the reason for communing with Funaho.
"Did you learn anything useful?"
"I learned some very important things, Aeka. But nothing that will help us find Ryoko."
"I apologize for not being of more help."
"It's okay, Aeka. Thank you for trying. Why don't we head back?" Tenchi suggested, stepping back a little and offering his hand.
"Very well." Aeka agreed, accepting his offer of escort.
The disturbed young woman kept close to Tenchi as they walked back to the house. She practically clung to his arm, keeping as close as possible to him without impeding their progress to the house, while silently contemplated the possible meanings of the vision they had shared.
"We're here." Tenchi said as they reached Aeka's door.
"Yes."
"Will you be all right?"
"I suppose. Though I... doubt I'll be able to sleep, tonight."
There was a long pause as Tenchi gave serious thought to Aeka's state of mind. As he thought about what to do, Aeka released her hold on his arm. She removed the jacket he had given her to wear and neatly folded it before returning it to him.
"Thank you, Lord Tenchi, for your concern."
Tenchi reached out and accepted his jacket back.
"Would it help if, um... if you, uh... slept... in... my room?"
Aeka's eyes went wide in surprise at this unexpected boon. She blushed deeply as she remembered her nakedness under her nightgown.
"I... believe it would."
They both averted their eyes, embarrassed at the proximity they were agreeing to share.
"All right." Tenchi said. "It's, um... this way."
Aeka followed just behind him.
"Dear Lord! I can't believe I'm going to sleep in Lord Tenchi's room! It's preposterous! It's scandalous! It's... it's... It's something I've always wanted to do."
Tenchi opened the door to his room and beckoned her to enter first. She crossed the threshold after a brief delay, then looked around. It was a young man's room. Bed, desk, dresser, and chair for furniture, not much else. There was a small closet, a couple of small windows, and the sliding glass door that led out to the balcony. The door slid shut behind them.
"I have a spare futon in the closet, if you don't mind waiting while I unroll it."
"That will be fine. It is very considerate of you to allow me to sleep here tonight."
"It's no trouble. Just about everyone else has slept in here at some point."
"I see." Aeka said, unsure of how else to respond.
Tenchi pulled the futon from his closet and set it on the floor. He gave it a push, and the roll unwound itself with a flop. He returned to the closet and removed a pillow and sheets. These he unfolded and draped over the futon. The pillow went on last.
"Will that be enough, or... Yeah, I'd better get a blanket, too. It might get colder, later." Tenchi went digging through the closet again.
"Lord Tenchi, that's more than enough." Aeka tried to get Tenchi to stop. His kindness was just upsetting her more.
"Are, you sure? Why don't I just set it down on the floor? That way, if you need it, it's there."
"That's fine. But, please, you don't need to make such a fuss."
"Are you sure this'll be okay?"
"Yes."
"All right."
Tenchi turned to his bed for a moment, then looked over his shoulder.
"Um..."
"Ah! I'm sorry." Embarrassed, Aeka turned away, giving Tenchi the privacy he requested as he removed his trousers. Once he was under his sheets, he lay facing away, giving Aeka the same privacy if she required it.
"Okay."
Aeka knelt and pulled back the sheets on her futon. She slipped underneath them, and pulled the sheets back over herself, also facing away. She did not want Tenchi to see the tears that would fall tonight for the love she would never have. Despite the precaution, Tenchi eventually heard her sniffling.
"Aeka?"
"Sniffle Yes?"
"Are you okay?"
There was a moment of silence while Aeka thought of how to answer.
"No."
There was another long pause as Tenchi considered what he could say or do to ease Aeka's worries.
"What are you thinking about?"
"Nothing." She falsely answered. "And you?"
"Nothing." Tenchi answered.
"I wonder... if you are thinking of the same nothing as I." Aeka wondered aloud.
That gave Tenchi a start. At the moment she had asked, he had been thinking of how the only comfort she had found this evening had been in his arms. Inviting her into his bed was definitely not the first thing he had thought of. However, it was also not the last.
"I suppose not." Aeka resigned herself to her lonely fate.
As he considered his options, Tenchi recalled how it had felt when he had held Aeka earlier, as well as the kiss before that. For once, he had not felt pressured. Those moments had been spontaneous and mutual. He could not deny that he felt attracted to her. Now that he thought about it, things between them had started to pick up once Zak had shown up at the shrine festival. At the same time, he had felt himself slowly moving further away from Ryoko.
At first, he had enjoyed the relative peace and tranquility brought on by Ryoko's absence, and the opportunity it provided for him to get to know Aeka better without having to worry about someone throwing a fit. Soon, however, despite his growing interest in Aeka, he had begun to miss Ryoko. It had taken him almost the entire week to realize it. But he really did have feelings for her.
Funaho had shown him the truth about Ryoko. Beneath her tough exterior, she was very delicate. With a bit of mirth, Tenchi likened Ryoko to a well-packed box of fine china. His sniff of humor was loud enough for Aeka to hear.
"Do you find something funny in all of this?"
"I'm sorry, Aeka. I wasn't laughing at you. I was laughing at myself."
"Pardon?"
"I... got so wrapped up trying not to hurt anyone, that I forgot why I was doing it in the first place. I'm sorry."
Aeka turned over, pulling her sheets along with her. She looked up at Tenchi from her place on the floor. Tenchi blushed a bit when he saw the look of admiration she was giving him.
"I don't know if the nothing you were thinking of is the same as me, but, I'll bet it was close."
"Lord Tenchi..."
Tenchi sighed as he pushed his sheets to his waist and moved over to make room for her.
"All right, Aeka. But just for tonight. That's it."
"I couldn't." Aeka said, wide-eyed.
"Well, you don't have to. But, I don't think you'll sleep if you stay on the floor, and I trust you enough not to try anything. So, I guess it's all right. That is, if you don't mind."
Aeka stared at Tenchi for several seconds before she could even move. When she did move, she found she was actually accepting his offer. There had been no conscious decision on her part. There was only her feelings on the matter, and her feelings drew her to Tenchi like a moth to flame.
She abandoned the futon Tenchi had so thoughtfully set out for her and sat on the edge of his bed. Holding her nightgown to her legs, she turned and stuck her legs under his sheets. Turning to face Tenchi, she laid down right in front of him. Tenchi pulled the sheets up over the two of them. They looked at each other as they lay, face to face. Thoughts of what the other may or may not be thinking ran through their minds, sending a blush of red to their faces.
"Good night." Tenchi suddenly said, closing his eyes.
"Good night, Lord Tenchi."
For a long time, Aeka just stared at Tenchi, examining every detail of his face, committing every line and pore and hair to memory. Her breath quickened, and her chest ached with longing for his companionship. She had only a hands-width to move to find Tenchi. She barely touched his hand, just a light brush. Tenchi's eyes opened.
"Aeka..."
"You may." She suddenly blurted out.
"Huh?"
"Oh, my God! I can't believe I said that!"
But Aeka knew she had meant it. The combination of revelations this evening had pushed her over the edge. Although it hurt tremendously, the thought of losing Tenchi to Ryoko was not unbearable, due to the fact that she still had her family on Jurai. The vision she had shared with Tenchi had deeply disturbed her. She could not bear the idea of losing both her immediate family and Tenchi at the same time.
"I... I mean, I just, I... um..." Aeka tripped over her tongue trying to explain herself.
"I may what?" Tenchi asked.
"I just... I, um, I... Tenchi..."
She took a tighter hold of his hand and squeezed.
"You may." She repeated, blushing deeply.
"Aeka, what do you mean?"
"I... mean... that, um... You said... it was just for tonight. If... that is true, then, just for tonight..." Aeka took a deep breath, "you may."
Long pause.
"I guess sleeping in the same bed isn't such a good idea, after all. I'll sleep on the futon, tonight. You can have the bed." Tenchi offered, turning over so he could flip the sheets away.
"Tenchi!" Aeka's hand tightened, keeping him from doing any more than just sitting up.
"Aeka, please, let go."
"Tenchi, even if it's just for tonight, I... can't bear it any longer. I was forced to watch for two years as you and Ryoko grew closer. When I was finally granted the opportunity for which I have been praying ever since we met, I rejoiced. I was so close to having my dreams come true. Please, Tenchi, even if it's only for one night, let me live my dream."
Aeka's words pierced Tenchi right to the heart. He had already told her he had all but chosen Ryoko over her. It would be the purest cruelty to destroy her dream. No matter how much he struggled with it, he just could not reconcile hurting Aeka like that. He sat on his bed, unable to decide.
"You don't know what you're asking of me."
"Begging your pardon, but, yes, I do. As First Princess, I have been taught that the will of the Empire must come first, before everything, no matter how important or personal. My parents arranged a marriage between myself and Yosho when I was only four. Although we love each other as family, Yosho did not wish to marry me. Ryoko's attack provided him an opportunity to leave Jurai behind without dishonor."
"Since Yosho was the only male heir, and I am the eldest daughter, either my first-born son will inherit the throne, or, if there is no heir, control of the Jurai Empire will pass to another family of the royal line. Most probably House Amaki."
"Lord Tenchi, with all due respect, I am risking literally everything for..." Aeka hesitated before concluding her speech. "...for one night... with you."
Aeka noticed that through her long speech, Tenchi had closed his eyes and was letting his head hang down. She was not sure what this meant, but it seemed to be a reflection of some inner turmoil.
"Aeka," Tenchi spoke without moving, "tell me about your dreams."
Despite the tenseness of the situation, Aeka could not help a small smile from appearing on her face. Tenchi's request was both thoughtful, and thought provoking. His intelligence and strength of character were some of his best traits, in her opinion.
"If I had my way, I would be home on Jurai, happily married to a formerly eligible young prince whom I love very much. There would be two children, a boy and a girl. And, if I cannot have all that I wish, if I cannot have a happy marriage, if I cannot be home on Jurai, if I cannot have the children, then I would have the eligible young prince whom I..." Aeka's voice caught as she put great effort into trying to say the next words, "...whom I..." a tear dribbled down her cheek. "...whom I love."
"What if something happens?" Tenchi quietly asked.
"Something?"
"The king would kill me."
Aeka wiped the stray tear from her face.
"Over my dead body. And since I could be carrying the next heir to the throne, that is very unlikely. Of course, after me he would have to kill Ryoko, and I know for a fact that she can defeat him. Next, he would have to go through Sasami, then Washu, then Mihoshi... My goodness, the list is long."
Tenchi's mouth turned up at Aeka's quirky sense of humor. He finally turned his head and took a good look at Aeka as she reclined on his bed. Contrary to popular belief, Tenchi liked to look at attractive women near his age. He could tell Aeka wore nothing underneath her nightgown by the contrasting patches of light and shadow the moon-light cast upon her. Seeing her modestly clad curves revealed in this way, excited him. It was like a multi-layered puzzle that needed solving. Over the last two years, he had grown enough that Aeka, Ryoko, and Mihoshi did not appear so much older than him as they used to. Especially over the last six months, he had come to appreciate their physical appearance much more. However, being fearful of the consequences, he had suppressed his growing attraction to the women.
Seeing that Tenchi was appraising her physical appearance, Aeka blushed.
"If you have concerns for the future, then I would tell you that the... timing... this evening is not, um... it's... not the right time." Aeka paused for a moment before continuing. "Lord Tenchi, I'm going to lie down, now. If... you wish, you may."
With this straight-forward statement, Aeka did exactly as she said she would. She turned away and laid down on her side, facing away from Tenchi, who continued to examine her from afar. As he drank in the sight of her feminine form, he felt his chest tightening. He was a healthy young man, with normal wants and desires. Looking at Aeka this way brought those desires to the front of his mind where he was forced to deal with them directly, instead of simply shoving them back. Although Aeka had successfully dealt with every argument he had presented to her, thus far, there was another issue that needed to be addressed.
"What about Ryoko? I don't want to hurt her any more."
Aeka was quick to answer.
"You need not worry about Miss Ryoko. I apologize if this sounds crude, but, she has given me her permission to go first, as she put it."
"She doesn't care if we, um...?"
"That is exactly what she said to me. First or second, it matters not to her, so long as I stop interfering. Lord Tenchi, I said that I would abide by your decision, and I mean to keep my word. However, for tonight..."
For a moment, all was silent. Then, Tenchi laid back on the bed. After several seconds passed, he turned over onto his left side. Reaching down to grasp the sheets in his hand, he pulled them up over his shoulder, making sure they covered Aeka, as well. Once he felt comfortable, he reached out beneath the sheets and placed his hand on Aeka's waist. She held still as he felt her warmth through her sheer nightgown.
"Aeka?"
"Yes, Lord Tenchi?"
"Would you mind, um... moving over here? I... don't want you to fall off."
Wordlessly, Aeka complied with his request. The feel of his breath washing over her neck sent shivers down her spine.
"You're warm." He murmured against the back of her neck.
"As are you."
Aeka felt Tenchi's lips brush the back of her neck.
"You smell good."
All was silent as Aeka basked in the glory of Tenchi's praise. They laid together, unmoving for several minutes before Tenchi spoke again.
"Aeka, I really like you, a lot. But, I can't do what you want. You deserve to be treated better than that. I already hurt Ryoko, and I won't do the same to you." Tenchi took a deep breath before continuing. "I got an acceptance letter from the academy, Friday."
Aeka closed her eyes.
"I see. Then I shall patiently await your return. I expect you will return a better person than when you leave."
"I... haven't actually decided, yet."
"It's your choice, Lord Tenchi. Tonight, and in the future."
There were no more words that night. As Aeka's mind slowly released it's iron-clad hold on the disturbing thoughts of today, she found it within herself to look to the future with hope. She also found it within herself to curse herself for a fool for actually trying to seduce Tenchi.
"You are growing to be an old tart, you silly girl. I can just hear Ryoko, now. 'You thought you could seduce my Tenchi with a body like that? Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!' She would laugh for an entire week. Crazy woman. I hope she returns soon, for Lord Tenchi's sake."
It was not until the next night that Ryoko looked down on the Masaki home from her position high in the sky. The last time she had occupied such a position, her emotions had been running rampant, just as they were now. This time she had no one to blame except herself.
The onsen was history, along with the small lake below it. The earth around was blackened and burned, scorched to lifelessness by the massive burst of energy she had released in her haze of pain and rage.
Ryoko descended through the roof into her room. It was not much of a room. There was no door and even less privacy. Technically speaking, it was not even really a room. It was just the space where Sasami hung herbs to dry. At least it smelled good.
She quickly gathered her few belongings and dropped them into a small bag. First were the dress and swimsuit Sasami had bought for her on Jurai. It amused Ryoko that they had been paid for with money from the royal coffers. She stuffed them into the bag then began pulling down her Wall of Junk. The pictures went into her bag as well as her official pardon. Lastly, there was the poster of the one and only opera she had ever attended.
"Why is that still there?"
Ryoko scoffed at her own forgetfulness, then plucked the poster from it's place and folded it, before stuffing it into her bag along with everything else. Another look around showed how little she actually possessed.
"Not much to show for two years..." Ryoko thought morbidly. With a long sigh, she called for Ryo-o-ki.
"Last call, Ryo-o-ki. Time to go."
A young feminine voice spoke aloud.
"She won't come."
Ryoko turned to the balcony where the voice came from. Washu stood leaning against the banister.
"What do you want?" Ryoko asked.
"What happened in the onsen?"
"None of your business!" Ryoko hissed back.
Seeing that Ryoko was not the mood to talk, Washu tried another approach.
"Tenchi's very worried about you."
"So what?"
"He's been so worried he roams the house at night, looking for you."
Ryoko tried to tune out Washu's voice.
"Don't you pull that guilt-trip crap on me."
Washu knew she was on the right track. She could feel Ryoko's emotions threatening to boil through the mental link they shared. At this distance, Ryoko could not block the link no matter how hard she tried. Washu continued on.
"You should at least tell Tenchi goodbye."
"I can't."
"He deserves that much." Washu insisted.
"No." Ryoko shut her eyes tight.
"Why?"
The events of two nights ago flooded through the link and into Washu's mind. Ryoko's turmoil became very understandable. She felt betrayed by her own emotions, and was denying them as a protective measure. Her feelings told her she had made love to Tenchi. But her mind told her otherwise. Washu entered her daughter's room.
"I'm here, little Ryoko."
Ryoko turned to Washu. Her look of fear and self-loathing spoke volumes.
"He'll hate me."
"No way. I don't think Tenchi is even capable of hate. If you talk to him, he'll understand."
"But, what if..." Ryoko could not finish her sentence.
"If..." Washu offered a compromise, "If, after you've spoken with Tenchi, you still want to leave, I'll let Ryo-o-ki out of the lab."
"You'd... really do that?" Ryoko asked.
"You're my little girl." Washu answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "Besides, you don't really want to leave, do you?"
"All right." Ryoko finally gave in. "I'll give it a try."
Washu gave her a smile.
"Chin-up, Ryoko. Be proud of who you are."
"All right, already."
Ryoko floated up through the ceiling to the third floor room where Tenchi slept. A bit of moonlight shown through the shades onto Tenchi's sleeping form. He slept on his side, with his back to the door. Ryoko was not sure what to do. Tenchi looked so peaceful, lying asleep in his bed.
"Ryoko?" He suddenly asked with no warning.
How had he known she was there?
Tenchi rolled out of his bed. He closed the distance between them in only a moment. allowing the sheets to fall to the floor, unheeded.
"Where have you been? I was so worried." Tenchi put his hands on her shoulders. "Are you all right?"
Ryoko looked away from Tenchi's gaze, afraid he would see how vulnerable she felt.
"Never mind." He told her. "I'm just glad you're home."
"Tenchi... I... um..." Ryoko tried to say what was on her mind. "I have to tell you something."
"What is it?"
Tenchi played dumb. He knew exactly what she wanted to talk about. He could have told her he knew, but this was her issue. She had to deal with it herself. Ryoko gently took his hands from her shoulders and held them at waist level between them.
"Tenchi, I... I thought..." Ryoko took a deep breath and blurted it out. "I thought it was you."
"In the bath?" He prompted.
Ryoko nodded.
"He... was there. It was dark and I... I thought it was you."
"Who was there?"
"Zak! Zak was there. I thought he was you! It was dark and I was drunk. I swear I'll never drink again." Tears began flowing down her face. "I thought... when he let me..." She took another deep breath. "I thought it was you I was making love to."
Ryoko let go of Tenchi's wrists. She stood before him, her heart bare before the one she loved.
"You really want to be with me that much?"
Ryoko meekly nodded.
Tenchi lifted one hand to her face and gently wiped her tears. Through her feline-like eyes, he could clearly see how much she was hurting. Ryoko reached up and grasped Tenchi's wrist with both hands. She held his hand firmly against her face, rubbing her cheek into his palm.
"I'm truly sorry for causing you so much pain." Tenchi apologized.
Ryoko began to slowly withdraw. She took a step back, allowing Tenchi's hand to slip from hers.
"Aeka's right. You... deserve someone better."
Tenchi started looking worried.
"Thanks for letting me stay here. But, I'm going now." She started fading from view. "You'll be all right with Aeka, won't you?"
"Ryoko, wait!"
"'Bye, Tenchi. I love you."
"Wait!"
Ryoko was rapidly fading away. In a moment, she would be gone. Tenchi blurted out the first thing he could think of that might make her change her mind.
"I choose!"
Ryoko resolidified.
"You what?"
"I'll choose." Tenchi repeated, quickly amending his original statement. "I promise, if you stay, I'll choose."
"Really?" She had always wondered what it would take to get Tenchi to choose between her and the others. Now she knew.
"I have something for you." Tenchi offered before Ryoko could respond to his earlier offer. He went to his closet where a trunk kept dust from covering the floor. The trunk slid easily out. It had not been that long since he had last organized it. Only a single hasp kept it closed. The top opened easily enough once the hasp was lifted. Within the trunk were some of the things Tenchi had collected over the years. He found the gift he had prepared right where he remembered putting it. Ryoko recognized Tenchi's mother's kimono. It was the one she had torn the sleeves from when she had worn it to impress him.
"I promise, if you stay, I'll try to... decide. Either way, I want you to have this."
"Tenchi..."
"Uhn-uh. Not another word. I want you to go get some rest. You'll feel better in the morning."
Tenchi held the kimono out to Ryoko. She carefully accepted the gift. That it had been his mother's meant a great deal to her. As she held it tightly against her chest, she could feel something wrapped inside.
"Okay." Ryoko accepted his offer before disappearing again.
Tenchi waited a couple of minutes before getting back into bed. Soon enough, he heard Ryoko's laughter when she unwrapped the old magazine he had included with the kimono. Aeka's voice issued from downstairs.
"Miss Ryoko! Stop that racket at once! People are trying to sleep!"
"Put a cork in it! I've got a good reason to be happy."
"Well, at least someone is entertained. What is so... My goodness! Return that magazine to Lord Tenchi's father, at once!"
"No way! Tenchi gave it to me!"
"Such lies! Lord Tenchi would never degenerate to such standards. You must have stolen it!"
"Oh! Getting jealous, are you?"
"Certainly not! How could I possibly be jealous of such filth?"
There was a short pause. Tenchi could envision Ryoko grinning from ear to ear, the point of one fang just visible.
"Here comes a good one."
"Simple. While I was gone, there was nothing better to look at."
"You fiend!"
"Truth hurts, don't it?"
"Errr!" Aeka takes a deep breath. "Out of respect for Lord Tenchi's feelings, I will not continue this argument. Please remain silent while the rest of us are asleep. Good night."
SLAM!
Washu stepped out of her dimensional portal into Zak's apartment. It was large for a single man in a small city. The space was occupied by a great deal of electronic equipment, which supported his assertion that he was self-employed as a consumer electronics repairman. So much for her "total scumbag" theory. In retrospect, she preferred that to the other possibilities. A voice from the common room spoke to her.
"Greetings, little Washu. Please, come in."
Washu carefully walked forward. The common room came fully into view, revealing Zak sitting cross-legged in the middle of the floor. His customers' equipment was piled up against the walls.
"I guess you've been expecting me."
"Yes. I was hoping, for Ryoko's benefit, that you wouldn't come." He sighed. "I guess she went back."
Washu scoffed at Zakaraia's lack of confidence in Ryoko's love for Tenchi.
"You thought otherwise?"
"No, but one can hope." He paused for a moment, considering. "Believe me, I'm not proud of deceiving Ryoko. She deserves better than that. If she had stayed away, I could allow her to live. She is... a rare and unique person."
Washu needed only a moment to sift through the information for pertinent facts. Most of it was irrelevant, yet, interesting to know.
"So you got in with the Masakis just to break her heart. You are truly pathetic."
"Yes, I am pathetic. But I also have a debt to repay. The life of your daughter is that payment."
"Well, I'm sorry to hear that, because I can't let you kill her. She's too important."
Zak unfolded his legs and stood. Washu readied herself. She had not come looking for a fight. She just wanted to give the guy a piece of her mind and tell him to stay away from Ryoko.
"Well, I might as well get it over with."
Washu raised her right hand and fired an energy bolt at Zak. It struck an invisible shield. That was expected. What was not expected was the shape and the nature which that shape indicated.
The shield was pentagonal in shape and very elongated. When the bolt struck, it iridesced, revealing just how similar in shape it was to Tenchi's Light-Hawk Wings. Washu got the sense that she was in a great deal of trouble.
"Now do you understand?" Zak asked her. "I'll win this fight, no matter what it takes."
"Then what's Ryoko to you?"
Zak thought for a moment.
"I really tried to work this so no one had to get hurt. Ryoko's had a shitty life, and I want to give her the life she deserves. And I think she deserves better than some country kid who doesn't think twice about breaking her heart."
"You come in here for a couple of weeks and think you know everything? There's more going on here than you can possibly imagine."
"It doesn't matter. Soon she'll be dead. I want you to know, before I get rid of you, that she has to die because you convinced her to stay."
Washu decided it was time for action. But, when she tried to move, she found she was boxed in by a type of force field. She tried teleporting out, but none of her powers would work, either. Using the greatest scientific device ever created, the Mark 1 Optical Scanning Device (i.e., her eyes), she could just make out the dark lines of energy which clawed at the walls, floor, and ceiling around them.
"Goodbye, little Washu."
Washu tried desperately to reach Ryoko through the mental link. She had to be warned about the coming danger. But the links were completely blocked. She had no sense of anyone.
"I'm sorry, little Ryoko. I totally underestimated him. Take care of Tenchi."
Zak held his hand, palm up. A black ball formed in the hand. It floated towards Washu, expanding rapidly to two meters in diameter. It swallowed her, then disappeared, taking her with it.
END CHAPTER 6.
AFTERWORD: Danger, Tenchi Masaki, Danger!
Next, we get to the meat and potatoes of the volume. Zak's true intentions become known, as well as his true reason for getting involved with Ryoko.
I considered giving Ryoko her chance with Tenchi in this volume. The porno mag was the set-up. However, as I was writing the scene, I knew Aeka had to say something there. So they ended up having a bit of a friendly argument. It's cute, and it worked. So I left it as is.
Also, I originally had Tenchi accepting Aeka's "offer". But, after much thought and consideration, I decided not to do that. It's still too early for him to get that accommodating.