Chapter Two
Peaceful Pursuit
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"I'd love to OW!" Mihoshi yelped as Kiyone's elbow caught her in the ribs, nearly making the blonde drop her rice-bowl.
"I'm sorry Ayeka," Kiyone apologized, "we've got a mountain of paperwork to get through this week… and the chief is just about ready to have a heart attack as it is."
"I've got school." Tenchi explained sheepishly, setting his chopsticks down on his empty plate. "I've already missed too many classes this semester."
"That is alright Tenchi-sama," Ayeka sighed, poking idly at the remains of her breakfast, "your education is important." She had been hoping that Tenchi at least would come along. "So Ryoko-san, what is your excuse going to be?" she asked, giving her cyan-haired rival a flat look.
"Excuse?" Ryoko asked, sounding genuinely puzzled even as she helped herself to a third helping of rice, "I for one would love to go."
"Not a chance." Washu declared before Ayeka could think of an appropriate response. "You're not traveling more than ten miles from my lab for at least another month."
"Why the hell not?" Ryoko growled, glaring at her mother sullenly.
"Because your doctor said so." Washu answered simply, meeting her daughter's glare calmly as she took another sip of her tea. "And I'm afraid that means I can't go either Ayeka." She added apologetically.
"So it will just be me and Sasami then?" Ayeka sighed, feeling even more uncertain about the trip than before. "Perhaps we should wait for a better time then, one when all of us can go."
"Don't be silly Ayeka," Washu exclaimed, "Keith's your friend, go visit, have fun." She encouraged.
"I do not know…"
"C'mon Sis," Sasami pleaded, "it'll be fun."
"Very well then, I will call Keith later and tell him that we are coming then." Ayeka caved with a sigh, though she still sounded reluctant.
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"I though she was going to chicken out completely for a minute there." Ryoko mused as she teleported into Tenchi's room, noting with a little of amusement that her sudden appearances still made the young prince jump a little. "Especially after you bailed out."
"Not with Sasami as excited about the trip as she is." Tenchi observed, turning his chair away from his desk to look at Ryoko. "Besides, she called him every day for a week, that's got to count for something."
"They couldn't have been very long calls," Ryoko countered, "after all, the only one of us who even noticed was Mihoshi."
"True." Tenchi chuckled.
"You realize what the means though, don't you?" Ryoko asked, her smile becoming a bit predatory as she took a seat on his bed.
"I don't know," Tenchi replied, smiling softly, "what does it mean?"
"It means we're going to be all alone for a whole week." She purred, her eyes inviting as she gestured him over with a crooked finger.
"You realize that there are still five other people in the house," Tenchi observed, even as he walked over to the bed, "that hardly qualifies as being alone." He countered, sitting beside Ryoko and draping an arm around her shoulders much to her delight.
"Well Kiyone and Mihoshi both really do have work to do… I checked." Ryoko started, leaning into Tenchi and twining one of her hands with his. "Your dad's going to be at work in the city most of the week, and Washu's already agreed to watch Mayuka for most of the week." She didn't mention how she'd gotten her mother to agree to that, and Tenchi didn't ask.
"I take it that you've been thinking about this for a while then?" Tenchi laughed.
"You could say that," she admitted, her voice playful as she cuddled up to him, her free hand rubbing his chest lightly. It was then that someone knocked on the door.
"Typical." she muttered to herself. "I'll talk to yah later sweetie." With that she gave him a quick peck on the cheek and teleported out.
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"I am sorry to disturb you Tenchi-sama." Ayeka apologized when the spiky-haired young man opened his door.
"You're not." He assured, inviting her in with a sweep of his arm. "So what's up?"
"I was wondering if you had seen Ryoko-san actually." Ayeka asked, "I need to ask her if we could borrow Ryo-Ohki for the trip. I would rather avoid the local air transport if I can."
"I can't blame you." Tenchi laughed. "I think the flight to the United States on a jet is something like 16 hours long."
"And about ten minutes by way of cabbit." She agreed with a smile of her own.
"Well, if I see her I'll tell her you were looking." Tenchi assured. "I'm sure she won't mind."
"Oh, I'm sure she will not." Ayeka agreed, rolling her eyes. "Though I doubt her reasons are all charitable ones." Tenchi grinned a little at that remark despite himself. "Now if you will excuse me Tenchi-sama, I should start packing."
"When were you planning on leaving?" Tenchi asked.
"I was going to call him in a little while and work that out. There is a 10 hour time difference after all." She explained, "I imagine that it will be fairly soon though."
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"Yeah, he seemed like a nice guy." Carrie admitted reluctantly, wincing a bit internally as she saw her friend's grin get predatory out of the corner of her eye, trying to pretend she was actually paying attention to show they were watching. "I only talked to him for a few minutes tops though." She added hastily, trying to head her friend off at the pass. It didn't work.
"And yet you gave this guy your phone number." Cathy pointed out mercilessly, here curly black hair framing her mischievous smile and sparkling brown eyes nicely as she leaned closer to her romance-challenged friend on the big plush couch.
"There were extenuating circumstances!" Carrie protested, giving up on her feigned attempts at watching TV. Even to her own ears it was pretty weak denial.
"Good word usage," Cathy laughed, "but I'm afraid that "cute" doesn't count as an extenuating circumstance."
"Well he was kinda cute," Carrie admitted reluctantly, grinning slightly, "in a scruffy sort of way... but that wasn't why I gave him my number." She added, protesting.
"Alright, I'm listening." Cathy prodded, leaning closer, looking at her friend intently as Carrie rolled her eyes at her eagerness.
"It…" she hesitated briefly, "it has to do with that… furry… problem of mine." Despite the fact that she trusted her friend implicitly… and the fact that Cathy had know about her lycanthropy for nearly tens years and not told anyone… she had never felt comfortable discussing the issue with her.
"You mean he's a…" Cathy leaned closer whispering the last word out of pure habit and incredulity, "werewolf?"
"Yeah," Carrie sighed. "There's something… I dunno… different about him though."
"Beyond the whole…?" Cathy trailed off, an eyebrow raised curiously.
"Yes, beyond that." Carrie confirmed , rolling her eyes. "Not in a bad way or anything… but he didn't even know that there were any other wolves out there… and he's in his twenties. That's just downright strange."
"Well has he called you yet?"
"Nope," Carrie shrugged, "but he will."
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"Carrie?" Keith asked, feeling a bit nervous; partly out of the fact that he was talking to a fellow werewolf, and partly out of a vague feeling of misplaced guilt. "This is Keith… we met at the day before yesterday…
"I was wondering how long it'd take you to call." Carrie drawled, he could almost hear her smirk over the phone. "Is this your cell or your home phone?"
"Cell, don't even have normal phone service set up ion this place yet."
"Cool, so I take it this means you want to get together some time then?"
"Yeah." he said, smirking a bit himself at how direct he girl was. It certainly made things easier. "I have a ton of questions I want to ask you."
"The feeling's mutual." was Carrie's laughing response. "Don't tell me that's the ONLY reason you want to see me though. I'd hate to think that the only thing I'm good for is answering questions."
"Of course not." He answered quickly. "I can use every friend I can get my hands on." He added, hoping that it was a sufficiently neutral answer. He wanted to get to know this girl, but he didn't want to give any false impressions while he was still pursuing Ayeka. Though he had to admit, the blue-eyed wolf was a hottie.
"Fair enough," Carrie laughed, "not quite the answer I was expecting admittedly, but it'll do. So when do you want to get together?"
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"How's that homework going?" Keith called up from the bottom of the stairs, rubbing his shaggy brown hair dry with a towel and attempting to keep the towel around his waist from slipping. He really hadn't thought he needed a shower just then, but Erin had insisted… something about not underestimating a woman' nose.
Normally he tried to avoid running around the house, or pretty much anywhere else for that matter, in less than full coverage due to the massive scarring that covered most of his lean frame. It wasn't that he was particularly embarrassed by his appearance, but it made other people uncomfortable… or more curious than he was comfortable with. He hadn't decided which reaction was worse. However, this evening he was in a bit of a hurry, so his normal modest habits were being partly ignored. He only had another ten minutes or so before Ayeka was supposed to arrive, and he had a feeling that the Princess was the punctual type.
"Almost done." Erin called back. "How much longer till they get here?"
"Not long." He replied starting back towards his own bedroom to get dressed… he only managed about three feet before he heard the familiar sound of a teleporter depositing its cargo directly behind him.
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Royal Princess's did not drool… it just wasn't dignified. Nor did they stare at half-naked, dripping-wet, ex-pirates like they were a slab of meat. At least not when doing so would only serve to encourage said pirate into acting like even less of a gentleman than he normally did. That wasn't to say she couldn't enjoy the view of course… she just couldn't let him know that she was enjoying it. Fortunately, the fact that she had had to cover her little sister's eyes a helped to hide that fact.
"You're early." Keith drawled, apparently not in the least embarrassed, though she noticed that one of his hands did drop to make sure the towel around his waist was secure.
"Actually Keith-kun," Ayeka retorted, "We are precisely on time. Your watch must be running slow."
"Hi Keith." Sasami said, giggling slightly at the situation as she slipped away from her sisters hands. She barely winced at all when she got a full view of his scars. "Where's Erin?"
"Upstairs." He answered, pointing a thumb over his shoulder, chuckling a bit himself as the younger princess skipped up the stairs. Erin met her at the top, waved a quick greeting at Ayeka, and the two girls disappeared into Erin's room, apparently eager to get caught up.
"So," Keith started, one of his trademark smirks sliding into place as he turned his attention back to Ayeka, "do I get a hug hello at least?"
"Get dressed and I may consider it." Ayeka retorted coolly, smirking back at him.
"Spoilsport." Keith laughed, heading once again for his room. "I'll be just a minute, so make yourself at home."
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"Great timing." Erin giggled when Sasami told her what state Keith had been in when they'd arrived. "You'd almost think we planned it that way." The dark-haired girl laughed, her long ears twitching with amusement. I just wish I had seen their reactions."
"I thought sis was going to start drooling." Sasami giggled back. "Phase one was a total success." the young princess declared, grinning conspiratorially at her friend.
"So what do yah have planned for phase two?"
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"Please tell me this is not the original of this painting." Ayeka asked, a hint of legitimate pleading in her tone as she examined a vividly colored, seemingly abstract, painting on the wall above one of the room's two overstuffed leather couches.
"I have no idea… just thought it was pretty." Keith replied with a shrug as he walked up behind her, his attention focused much more on her than the painting in question. She had taken his advice about her clothes, and had worn something more contemporary than one of her traditional jurian-style kimonos. Her blouse was made of a lightweight material that probably would have been translucent if it had been any color other than black, had a modest, but not overly-conservative neckline, and wide flowing sleeves. The jeans she was wearing sat low on her hips, though not as low as they could have, and showed her legs and attached anatomy off to considerably better advantage than Ayeka likely realized. "It was already in that dimensional pouch of mine when I acquired the damn thing. I take it that it's worth something then?"
"You could purchase a battleship for less." Ayeka confirmed. "It was stolen from the Royal Art Museum on Jurai some 1000 years ago."
"No kidding." Keith mused, "Think your parents will give me anything good for it?"
"I do believe that that would be pushing your luck Keith-kun." Ayeka noted, rolling her eyes, though she couldn't keep the shadow of a smile from forming on her lips. "My father is still looking for an excuse to lock you up, and the last time I talked to Aunt Misaki, she gave me several detail pieces of advice on what to do if you got too forward."
"What kind of advice?"
"I assume you know what an eunuch is, correct?" She smirked, looking at him over her shoulder.
"Shoulda guessed." He drawled, wincing a little. "Well I'll send it back with you then, you can give it to them and tell them whatever you want about how you found it. That sound good?"
"I think it will go a good way towards redeeming you in my Mother's eyes at least." Ayeka said with a smile. "Now what is for dinner? Whatever it is smells wonderful."
"That Princess, is my dear sisters special recipe for chicken parmesan." Keith announced proudly, "One of the few dishes I can cook and not screw up… aside from barbeque anyway. And it should be ready in about half an hour."
"So what do you suggest we do until it is ready then?" Ayeka asked, one eyebrow arching slightly, and realizing the opening she had just given him she added, "And whatever your first suggestion was going to be the answer is no."
"So you don't want to play pool then?" he asked, feigning innocence. "I guess we'll just have to go right to the making out then." he sighed, draping an arm over her shoulders.
"Pool should be fine." Ayeka retorted, stepping out from under his arm, though she smiled as she said it. Despite herself, she had missed his flirtations… so long as he kept it to simple flirting anyway. "I'm afraid that you will have to teach me how to play though."
"No problem." Keith grinned. "Right this way."
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He couldn't keep the deep frown off his face, his primary targets had left the residence. He had observed the house for several hours, and had nearly finished planning the hit… when his two primary targets had boarded that starship and left. The ship had come back empty within twenty minutes, meaning they were almost undoubtedly still on the planet, and figuring out where the ship had dropped them off with the scientist's ship sensors wouldn't be terribly hard… but this was going to throw his schedule off terribly.
He hated to do it, but he was going to have to reschedule his nephew's graduation party. Oh well, his nephew was a kind boy, he'd understand… but just the same he was going to have to see about getting a larger cake at least.
Well, there was nothing to do but follow. A job was a job after all...
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"Hey Dad!" Erin called, bounding down the stairs, Sasami close on her heels, "Is the food ready yet?"
"Where'd they go?" Sasami asked, her brow wrinkling slightly when they found the living room empty.
"Dunno," Erin shrugged, and then grinned evilly as she turned to look at the other girl, "Think we should check my Dad's bedroom? I admittedly don't need any more mental scars, but it'd save us a lot of work if they've already started boinking each-other."
"Ewwwww…:" Sasami responded laughingly, "Has anyone ever told you that you have a really dirty mind for a one year old?"
"I blame my father, he's an absolutely horrible influence." Erin agreed gravely, her eyes twinkling mischievously.
"I see." Sasami giggled.
"Ah, that's where they are." Erin muttered, cocking her head to one side, her long ears twitching slightly. "No new mental scars for us today," she sighed exaggeratedly, "they're down in the game room."
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"And you are quite sure that this is the normal way to teach someone how to play pool?" Ayeka asked, glancing over her shoulder at Keith, rather proud of herself for not blushing despite the fact that he had an arm around her waist (however loosely), and his face was bare inches from hers as he (theoretically) taught her how to line up a shot with the pool cue.
"Of course it is." Keith replied, managing to keep a straight face, though barely. "At least when you're student is a pretty girl." Despite herself, Ayeka giggled slightly even as she shook her head slightly in mock exasperation.
"I had a feeling that it was something like that." She said, smirking slightly, but she didn't make any effort to move away. "Well if this is the price I must pay for my beauty, I suppose I shall have to endure." She sighed exaggeratedly.
"Well I'm happy to see your ego hasn't suffered in my absence." Keith shot back, grinning widely.
"Awww… aren't they cute Sammy?" Erin called teasingly from the base of the stairs, interrupting any retort Ayeka might have been about to make. Just behind her, Sasami nodded in agreement, barely managing to keep a straight face herself.
"Lovely sense of timing you have there kiddo." Keith observed dryly, straightening up when Ayeka did, but his arm stayed draped loosely around her waist… at least until she elbowed him softly and stepped away.
"I think the food is ready Keith-san." Sasami explained politely, giving her sister a knowingly look before she started back up the stairs, Erin hot on her heels.
"We are on our way." Ayeka said, heading towards the stairs herself, looking over her shoulder to wink teasingly at Keith just before she dashed up the stairs after the two younger girls.
"Women." Keith sighed, rolling his eyes slightly before he ran up the stairs after them.
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It wasn't often that he had the opportunity to do anything even remotely nice on a job, so when the opportunity had presented itself, he had had to take it. He had returned the vehicle he had stolen to its owner, after filling up the tank and getting it washed. He had also left an apology note and a reasonable amount of the local currency as payment for its use. Of course the action would hopefully have the added benefit of preventing the man from stirring up the local authorities any more than he already had. After all, he less attention he drew to himself, the better.
Poor Mr. Krit'lat's ship was exactly where had left it, hidden behind a sophisticated visual cloak that made it invisible to he naked eye as well as any of the local sensors as it hovered silently about ten feet in the air. A few dead birds were the only thing to mark its location… most of them having broken their necks flying into the parked ship. He sighed slightly at the pointless deaths, but these things happened.
The ship sensors were as good as advertised, and even on passive mode had tracked and recorded Ryo-Ohki's flight path to within a few meters accuracy. Unfortunately, he had no doubt the other ship… and any other sensors that Professor Washu had set up… could track this ship just as easily. In fact, they undoubtedly already knew this ship was there, but he had chosen the science ship because it was supposed to be there and would not raise any suspicion.
Well then… he'd just have to continue acting like a survey vessel then… and within a few minutes he had set the autopilot for a carefully mapped series of locations. It would delay him by several hours, but the fake survey pattern would keep his cover intact… which was a thousand times more important than the extra time.
Some four hours later he had arrived… some 50 miles from his final destination, but close enough that he could go the rest of the way by ground transport.
"Now if only they will hold still this time…"
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"That was quite possibly the stupidest movie I have ever seen…" Ayeka drawled, still giggling a little as the credits to Army of Darkness rolled by on the big screen TV. The young princess was lying down, her head pillowed on Keith's lap as they watched the movie, secretly enjoying the feel of the scruffy young man's hand as he played with her hair.
"Says the girl who spent the entire thing in fits of giggles." Keith retorted.
"I did not say it was not enjoyable…' Ayeka protested, giving his leg a smack. "I merely noted that Mihoshi's cartoons are more intelligent."
"Now that's harsh." Keith protested, "You just haven't seen enough bad horror flicks is all, otherwise you'd understand the brilliance of this movie." He lectured, his silvery eyes twinkling.
"I'll take your word for it." Ayeka laughed. "For the moment however, I think I would prefer to avoid any horror films, good or bad."
"Alright then, what would you like to watch?" Keith asked, smiling at her fondly as she turned her head to meet his eyes. "Action, comedy, drama, romance?"
"Well, I think I will avoid subjecting you to any romance films for the moment," Ayeka said with a smirk, "I would not want to give you the wrong idea after all. But something serious would be nice after that silliness."
"Alright then, have ever seen any of the 'Lord of the Rings' movies?" Keith asked, getting up to change the disc, Ayeka only moving to let him up reluctantly.
"Not yet, though I've heard about them." Ayeka responded, looking at him carefully as he retrieved the DVD's from the shelf. "Are you sure you are not too tired though, it is rather late for you, even if it is only late afternoon for me."
"Eh, as I told you back when we first met, I'm a bit of an insomniac at the best of times Princess." Keith said with a shrug.
"Ah yes, just before you dumped me in the shower and ruined my Kimono." Ayeka said coolly, rolling her eyes slightly. "Don't you have to take Erin to school tomorrow morning though?" Ayeka asked curiously.
"Nope, the school weeks only Monday to Friday in the States, not Monday to Saturday like in Japan." Keith explained, sitting back down and letting Ayeka settle back in place as he scrolled through the menus.
"Well still… I do not want you to feel obligated to stay up and keep me company all night Keith-san." Ayeka said, a hint of concern in her purple eyes.
"Ayeka, I can think of nothing I'd rather do then spend tonight on this couch watching movies with you." Keith reassured, earning him a smile from the princess as the movie started. "Well at least nothing that your father wouldn't kill me for."
"And once again you prove that you do not know when to stop." Ayeka sighed, smacking him lightly.
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Compared to the Princess's previous location, this place had little security… perhaps their movement wasn't so much of an annoyance after all. Though their current host was a formidable obstacle in of himself according to the file he had read. He had always regretted that no-one had ever seen fit to hire him to dispose of this "Mayhem" fellow… his reputation for surviving even the worst odds had gotten rather famous in the underworld over the past few years.
Oh yes, this was going to be fun.
Silently he dropped from his perch in the old tree, landing easily on his feet in the soft grass at its base before strolling away casually and disappearing into the early morning mist.