Chapter 5
In the hallway, Ryoko nearly bumped into Aeka, who had just emerged from her room on her way to breakfast. Ryoko smiled and said, "Good morning Princess!" Sleep well?"
"Hmph. the princess replied. "I slept fine…not that you would care." She looked as if she had just bitten into something unexpectedly sour. Ryoko's smile however had not faded. "Why are you so chipper this morning?"
"I'm happy because Tenchi is feeling better," Ryoko explained.
"Well that's good news anyway," Aeka said her facial expression relaxing a little. "I'm surprised that he's recovered so quickly."
"I told you that I would take care of him and I have," Ryoko beamed.
"More likely it's due to his Royal Jurian blood more than anything else," Aeka said, downplaying Ryoko's possible role in his recovery. "So may I visit him now?"
"Not yet, I think. We should see how he's feeling after breakfast and make sure he's okay," Ryoko said. She started to turn towards the stairs.
"We're not finished yet Ryoko," Aeka said shortly. "You still need to explain yourself about last night, about what I saw when I walked into Lord Tenchi's bedroom." A look of anger returned.
Ryoko looked at her for a few seconds, thinking, her happy expression slowly changing.
"No Aeka," she finally said. "No I don't." Ryoko slowly turned and vanished leaving a dumbstruck Jurian princess alone in the hallway.
Aeka couldn't believe Ryoko's response to her demand for an explanation. She had offered no defense or even a feeble attempt at justification. That was bad enough; but more disturbing to her was Ryoko's expression when she said it. It hadn't been one of annoyance, nor anger, nor pride. It was totally unexpected and quite shocking to see. 'Did she just look at me…' she dared to finish the thought, 'with pity?'
Ryoko reappeared downstairs floating towards the kitchen. Her reaction to the conversation with Aeka just now had affected her differently than had any previous. In past confrontations with the princess her resulting moods varied from victorious to vengeful, and every other mood in between. This had been the first time she had left a conversation feeling truly sorry for her now former rival. It was very unpleasant. I'm sure this is another little present from you Zero, she thought. She had always assumed that when she had finally won her Tenchi she would feel triumph over Aeka. The happiness she imagined, of them finally being together, was there, in all its glory. But she felt no reason to gloat. It would feel wrong. She decided that, until Tenchi had spoken with her, she would make herself scarce around Aeka so as not to risk another such conversation.
She went into the kitchen to find Sasami. "Hey kiddo," she said in greeting to the little princess.
"There you are Ryoko." Sasami responded with a smile. "I just finished Tenchi's tray. It's all ready to go. Are you going to eat down here or up in Tenchi's room?"
"I'll eat up there with him," replied Ryoko, returning the smile. "Wouldn't want him to have to eat alone now would we?"
"Nope," Sasami said. "That's why your tray is right next to his."
Ryoko chuckled, "Aren't you the smart one?"
Sasami giggled.
Ryoko took a tray in each hand, turned to Sasami and said, "It sure smells good. Thanks kiddo."
"Your welcome," replied Sasami as she was putting the finishing touches on breakfast for the rest of the household.
"I'll be sure to bring back all the dishes when we're done," she said as she vanished from the kitchen.
Tenchi had been sitting on the bed, looking out at nothing, thinking about everything that happened since yesterday. 'Man,' he thought, 'things can sure change quickly when you least expect them. Who would have thought that Ryoko getting sick would eventually lead to…this morning…and everything in between?' Whether it had been their destiny or a series of fortunate events, it all led to him being the happiest he'd ever been in his life. The smile on his face was ear to ear.
"Where did you go just now?"
A slightly startled Tenchi looked up to see Ryoko holding two trays roughly a yard away. He had been so lost in thought that he hadn't notice her teleport in. His composure quickly returned. "Just thinking about recent events and how things can change so quickly." He smiled up at her. "I really like these changes."
She smiled back and handed him his tray. "That's true." She said and sat down beside him. "But we've all gone through a lot of changes. Not just since yesterday but going all the way back to when you freed me from the cave," she said.
"Yeah, who would have thought that snatching those old keys from Grandpa would lead all the way here," Tenchi responded. He laughed, another memory entering his thoughts. "Who also would have thought that the love of my life would first try to murder me at my own school?" He chuckled.
Ryoko looked at him with a somewhat shocked expression. "Wait a minute," she said as she set her tray aside. "I've never tried to murder you, at that school or anywhere else."
Tenchi had a skeptical look on his face as he placed his tray aside as well, "But you attacked me there…"
"Yeah," she admitted. "I did attack you, but I wasn't trying to kill you. I was only trying to scare you." Her face held a very calm but determined expression.
"Really?" he said, not sure he believed her. "But you shot a bunch of energy beams at me and swung at me with your laser sword quite a lot…"
"And did I hit you with any of those attacks?" she asked with more of an amused face and slight grin.
"Well… now that you mention it… no… you didn't," he admitted, his voice sounding less sure of his previous opinion. Then his eyes widened and he pointed at her, saying "You did punch me in the nose."
"You called me a monster!" she accused. "That was rude…" she gave him a slight frown.
"Yeah I did… I admit it," he said and then with a slight smile added, "I did think you were a cute monster though."
"You did?" She asked a smile returning to her as well.
"I remember saying so out loud even… right after you blew up the science room and set the school on fire." His smile grew to a big grin.
"Hey, that wasn't my fault," she protested. "I didn't even know what gas was then."
"I know," he said with a little chuckle. Then he thought, "So why were you attacking me?"
"You get imprisoned in a cave for 700 years and see if you don't need to blow off a little steam."
"Alright, I get that." He said. "But why me? After all I freed you from the cave."
She looked down at the floor and said, "You hurt my feelings."
"What?"
"In the cave… you hurt my feelings," she repeated.
Tenchi was again confused. "How did I do that?"
"I watched you grow up, all the time falling more and more in love with you. So when you freed me and I woke up the first thing I wanted to do was kiss you…" She remembered. "But you ran away and I was left there all alone… again."
"I had no idea," he said sadly. Then with a half grin he said, "To be fair though you did look like an old freeze dried mummy… and it scared me."
"I realize that now but it still hurt then," she said. "So that's why I attacked you. I never really meant to hurt you, just... scare you a little. I was mad at you, but I loved you." And then she pointed out with a raised eyebrow and a little grin, "I mean c'mon. Where did you find me after you left the school?"
He laughed and said, "At home… in my bed." He continued laughing. "Honestly I think that scared me more than anything."
She too laughed at that point nodding. She lowered her head and looked up to him and said sweetly with an accompanying smile, "I'm sorry I attacked you and blew up your school."
He grinned and replied, "And I'm sorry I hurt your feelings and called you a monster."
"Can we kiss and makeup now?" Ryoko said with a big smile.
Tenchi responded by leaning over and kissing her very firmly. Then they both heard his stomach growl. They broke away smiling.
"I guess we'd better eat," she said. They both picked up their trays.
"Mmmmm," he said. "Looks like Sasami has outdone herself again."
"Yep," Ryoko said. "What would we ever do without her?" She joked. But her mood quickly changed when she realized what she had just said. She turned to Tenchi with a worried frown. "I hope she won't have to leave."
He looked back with the same expression. "I hope so too."
They ate their breakfast silently.
Washu hadn't witnessed Ryoko's and Tenchi's breakfast conversation as she had joined the rest of the household at the table for the morning meal, much to Sasami's delight and the rest's surprise. But Washu hadn't said much of anything other than 'good morning' to them and was now quietly eating her breakfast. She was, however, actively listening to the table conversation.
"I don't like it, not one bit," Aeka practically growled. "Her alone with him, still. After what I saw last night, who knows what she's done to him, what she's put him through?" Her face was turning a light scarlet.
"But Aeka," pleaded Sasami. "I told you. I spoke to Tenchi. He sounded perfectly fine. Happy even. I know Ryoko would never hurt him. She cares about him too much for that to ever happen. You're worrying for nothing."
"You do not understand these things dear," Aeka told her sister. "You will when you are older."
"I understand more than you think," Sasami muttered.
Mihoshi spoke up at this point, "Well I think what Ryoko is doing for Tenchi is a good thing, taking care of him to make him comfortable and happy. If I were to get sick I'd want someone who cares to look after me as well. I just know Ryoko is doing everything she can to make Tenchi feel good." She then sipped her tea loudly.
The look on Aeka's face was one of abject horror. "Washu, you must remove that barrier to Tenchi's room immediately!" she commanded.
"Sorry Princess, not until we know for certain that he's no longer contagious"
"But he could be in danger!" she pleaded.
"Danger of what? Getting needed rest and recuperation?" Washu said sarcastically. "Don't worry. I'm sure that Ryoko's got everything under control." She then sipped her tea loudly too.
At this time Yosho, who had joined them for breakfast, spoke up. "Aeka. Tenchi may be a tad indecisive at times, when choosing his path, but when he knows which path is his, he takes it. He will not go on someone else's journey unless it is a trip he himself wishes to go."
After a few moments Aeka replied under her breath, "That's what I'm afraid of."
Back in Tenchi's room he and Ryoko had just finished their breakfast. Ryoko was gathering up the trays to return them to the kitchen. "I'll take these downstairs then I'm going to the on-sen to take a bath," she told him. "You want to join me there?" She smiled.
"Not this time," said Tenchi. "I'll use the bathroom here and then I'm going to go find Ayeka." He had lost his smile. "I'll use the time alone to collect my thoughts." He sighed heavily. "This isn't going to be easy. I hope you understand Ryoko." He had a pained expression.
Ryoko set down the trays, walked over to Tenchi, knelt down in front of him, and put her hands on his shoulders. "It's okay," she said. "I do understand." She leaned forward and kissed him gently. "I love you Tenchi," she said immediately after the kiss.
He gave her a little smile. "I love you too my angel," he replied, lightly caressing her cheek, causing her to return a warm, loving smile. She then rose, grabbed the trays again and vanished.
Tenchi sighed and then rose as well. He went over to the dresser and then to his closet to get a fresh set of clothes and headed for the door. Opening it he looked into the hallway. Grateful that it was empty he headed towards the bathroom, closing his bedroom door behind him. When he reached the bathroom he felt fortunate that is wasn't occupied. He opened the door and went in, locking it behind him. After taking care of necessities he took his bath. He sat in the hot water, enjoying the feeling, trying to come up with what he was going to say to Aeka. Nothing specific came to mind. Everything he thought of just sounded… bad. "Guess I'll just figure it out as I go," he finally conceded. He got out of the water and grabbed his towel drying himself off.
"This is going to be so damn hard."
