Subject: [Fanfic][Tenchi][Lemon] Aikan Muyo #6, part 4
From: "Happosai" <happosai@jps.net>
Date: 10/17/1997, 12:59 AM
To: fanfic@fanfic.com
Reply-to:
happosai@jps.net

"I'm also sorry about what I said to you, in the bath the other day,"
continued Aeka. "I didn't apologize sufficiently before. I intend to,
now." She paused for a moment. "I shouldn't have called you a whore,
Ryoko. I shouldn't have said that you were insincere. And to tell you
that your love for Tenchi was a lie, or to threaten to make him send
you away... there was no excuse for that. I don't remember everything
else I said, but I take it back, now. Please forgive my insults, and
how I treated you."

Ryoko stayed silent for a while, and Aeka nervously waited to see if
she'd managed to placate her, or merely reopened old wounds.

"Tenchi asked you to apologize about that?" Ryoko asked, a trace of
confusion in her voice. "I didn't think he knew.

Aeka shook her head. "I wouldn't tell Ten-chan about that," she
replied, ashamed. "It isn't something I'd wish him to know I did."

*And now she's going to go make sure he DOES know. Such brilliant
strategy! Most impressive, indeed!*

"Why should I trust you? How do I know you won't try this again,
sometime?"

"I swear to you, Ryoko. I won't." Hope stirred in Aeka's heart. It
sounded almost as if the apology she had fought so hard to force out
of herself was about to be accepted.

*Enjoy your hope while you can. She's about to destroy it.*

"How can I know you'll keep that promise?" demanded Ryoko.

*See?!*

Aeka tensed, not daring to suggest what she knew Ryoko was thinking
of.

"Swear by your love for Tenchi, princess. I'll accept that."

"You... believe me about that?" asked Aeka in disbelief.

"I know you, Aeka. For you to bow and say you're sorry, there had to
be a *very* good reason," Ryoko said, sounding both disappointed and
relieved.

Aeka nodded. "By my love for Ten-chan, I swear it to you."

"Apology accepted, princess. You can get up, now."

Slowly, Aeka rose. It was difficult to stand. All of her strength
seemed to have been expended in the terrible effort of kneeling and
speaking apologetic words. Wearily she reminded herself that she had
put herself in that position herself. But she wished very much that
she could have spared herself the pain. And Tenchi. There was a way,
she considered. A very strange way, something she had never
contemplated seriously before. Perhaps it might work, though. She
decided to try.

Then she got out of her kimono, and slid into the water. For a while,
the two of them sat, soaking, not making a sound.

"Ryoko, can we talk?" asked Aeka.

"Yes, last time I checked," replied Ryoko, not sounding very
interested.

"I mean like other people," the princess said. "Just have an honest,
open conversation. Without the usual... unpleasantness."

Ryoko chuckled. "I suppose it's *possible*. Any particular reason?
You're not exactly catching me in a good mood."

"We need to discuss Ten-chan," explained Aeka.

Ryoko nodded reluctantly. "Yeah, I guess we do."

"We have to come up with some sort of arrangement," Aeka suggested.
"So that things like this don't happen again."

Ryoko nodded again. "I don't really like it, but if we're going to
have to share him, I was going to suggest we alternate nights. Or
maybe use jan ken."

"Not jan ken," answered Aeka, shaking her head. "It would be
impossible to plan ahead. We could leave it up to Ten-chan, I suppose,
though."

"Then we'd spend all our time trying to convince him, and never get to
actually *do* anything. Besides, listen to what you're saying. Tenchi,
*choosing*?" Ryoko laughed, then smiled. "I wouldn't have him any
other way, but `Tenchi' and `decision' don't belong in the same
sentence."

Aeka nodded. "Ten-chan doesn't *want* to decide. About us, I mean. He
told me as much."

"Yeah, I figured. Tenchi can't make tough choices like that. Not yet,
anyway. Even if it's just for the night, instead of forever, he still
wouldn't be able to make up his mind."

"I don't wish him to have to. It would hurt him. As you say, it
wouldn't as much, each time, but it would still be a burden to him."

"You're right," agreed Ryoko. "And I don't want him hurt, either."

"There isn't any reason he should have to be, though. If we can at
least tolerate each other," said Aeka.

"Wow, right *again*!" gasped Ryoko sarcastically. "You're doing much
better than usual, princess."

Aeka glared at Ryoko.

"Sorry, sorry. Force of habit."

"Alternating nights sounds like the best idea, thus far. That way, we
know in advance. So we won't be disappointed. And if we have anything
special in mind," Aeka smiled, "it allows us time to plan."

"I don't like it as a permanent way of handling it, but it'll be OK
for now."

Aeka thought for a moment. "Ryoko, from now on, is there any chance we
can be..."

"We can't be friends," interrupted Ryoko, as quickly as she could.

"That isn't what I was going to say. Of *course* not!" replied Aeka
defensively. "But can't we be reasonable, at least?"

"We're being pretty reasonable now, I think," said Ryoko.

"I meant in general, with regards to Ten-chan. I think, if we'd talked
about it before, the last few days would have been much less painful."
She paused, and looked over at Ryoko. "For all three of us."

"All four of us," corrected Ryoko. "This hasn't been easy on your
sister, either."

"I'm afraid you're right. Seeing people fight has always upset her,
especially people she cares about," said Aeka. "She's told me many
times that she wishes you and I could be friends."

"She's told me that, too," said Ryoko sadly. "I'll be sorry to let her
down."

"Yes, she will be very disappointed. But she has to learn that,
sometimes, wishing for something doesn't make it happen."

Ryoko didn't completely agree, philosophically speaking, but she
nodded anyway. "That's quite a sister you've got. What would we do
without her?"

They both thought for a moment.

"Starve," they said at the same time.

They were silent for a while. Then Ryoko spoke.

"Mind if I ask you a question, princess?"

"No," Aeka replied.

"Tenchi *let* you tie him up, this morning, right?"

"Yes."

"He didn't go out there expecting to get whipped," continued Ryoko.
"He went expecting to fuck."

Aeka nodded, ignoring Ryoko's choice of words for the moment. "I
wasn't misleading him, though. I didn't expect to need to use the
whip. And we were going to make love, afterwards."

"But why did you care what he thought about *me*?" asked Ryoko. "Why
not just get him down on the blanket and enjoy yourself, instead of
worrying about what *I* was doing with Tenchi?"

"I thought you wanted to take him away from me," said Aeka. "Like the
flowers."

"Now, wait a minute!" protested Ryoko angrily. "Let's get things
straight -- *you* took the flowers away from *me*!"

They glared at each other for a moment, before calming down.

"Let's not bring *that* up again," Ryoko suggested. "Otherwise, we'll
be here all night."

"At *least*," agreed Aeka.

"So you thought I was going to do to you, what you tried to do to me?"
Ryoko asked. Aeka nodded. "Sasami told me you were upset last night. I
think I can guess why."

"It was very painful, knowing that you were with him." Ryoko nodded,
and Aeka continued. "The sound didn't make it easier, either."

"Oh, come on, we didn't make *that* much noise!" said Ryoko.

Aeka looked at her.

"I mean, we made a *little*, sure, but..."

Aeka continued to look at her.

"We were that loud, huh?" Ryoko asked.

"*You* were," said Aeka.

"I was just enjoying myself," said Ryoko, sounding just a little
sorry.

"That snarl of yours probably woke the whole house!" Aeka said, trying
to control her anger.

Ryoko blushed. "Well, OK, I guess I was kind of enthusiastic."

"I thought you were *killing* him or something!" said the princess.
"That's what it sounded like. So I went to his door. I was going to go
in, to see if he was alright."

"You're lucky you didn't, princess," said Ryoko, her face and voice
extremely serious. "If you'd interrupted *then*, I'd have cut your
head off before I even realized what I was doing."

Aeka swallowed hard, then continued. "But then I could tell that
Ten-chan was alright, because I could hear the two of you... anyway, I
couldn't stand it. So I went outside for a walk. I went out to Ryu-oh,
and sat for a while. When I came back, you'd opened the window to his
room, and I could hear the two of you again, even louder. Almost as if
you knew I was there, and wanted to make me listen."

Ryoko shook her head. "I had no idea you were out there, Aeka. Honest.
I just wanted to let the cold air in."

"I thought you didn't like the cold," said the princess skeptically.

Ryoko smiled. "Tenchi's plenty warm for me. Anyway, he was getting
sleepy. I wanted to keep him awake." She closed her eyes and sighed.
"It was quite a night."

When she looked back at Aeka, the princess was staring down at the
water. "Did I say something wrong?" asked Ryoko.

"I'm trying not to be jealous, Ryoko," replied Aeka, slowly shaking
her head. "Truly. But I'd rather not hear about last night anymore.
Not when I haven't been with Ten-chan, the way I wish to, yet."

Ryoko's eyes flared and anger filled her voice. "Now, wait a second! I
went through a *lot* of trouble to get you two into that closet
together. So don't complain!"

"I'm not complaining," Aeka assured her. "And I suppose I'm in your
debt for that, though I think I repaid it somewhat by not interfering
with you last night. But a closet is not exactly the place I would
have chosen."

Ryoko folded her hands behind her head, closed her eyes, and smiled.
"*I'd* have been *happy* to screw him in the closet," she said. "Or on
top of the kitchen table, for that matter." Then she paused, seeming
to contemplate the idea.

Aeka noticed. "Don't. *Please*."

Ryoko blinked. "Why not?" she asked, puzzled.

"Ten-chan would find it embarrassing."

"Yeah, maybe you're right," sighed Ryoko. "He is a little shy." Then
she grimaced. "Come to think of it, his dad would probably try to take
pictures."

Aeka shuddered. "Ughhh... I'm very glad Ten-chan did *NOT* turn out
like his father."

Ryoko nodded in enthusiastic agreement. "Yeah, Noboyuki gives me the
creeps sometimes, too. But what was so bad about the closet?"

"It wasn't very comfortable, for one thing," the princess answered.
"But it wasn't the place, really. It was that I'd wanted it to be much
more romantic than that."

"Moonlight? Soft music? Love poetry? That sort of thing?" asked Ryoko,
trying to keep her voice from showing the contempt she felt.

"Oh, no," answered Aeka. "Later, certainly. But I didn't have enough
rope to bind him properly. I didn't even have my *whip* with me."

"I... see," said Ryoko, frowning.

"And after waking up, tied up in the dark, I wasn't in much of a
position to command him, and appreciate his obedience."

"Uh, yeah."

Aeka sighed. "*Today* was going to be my *real* first time with
Ten-chan. When he would kneel before me, and profess his love with
trembling voice. Submit his body without question to my every whim.
Joyfully allow me to bind him and keep him imprisoned within my very
soul..."

"Aeka..."

"Swear his heart in fealty to me, and bow to my desires. Give himself
as tribute, that I might possess him, and use him in whatever fashion
I wished. Steadfastly labor to fulfill my commands, to render to me
all the pleasure I would demand of him. Kneel and pay homage to my
flesh with his own..."

"Ummm, Aeka..."

"Show me how strong was his loyalty, again and again and again!" the
princess sighed.

Ryoko cleared her throat.

"Yes?" asked Aeka.

"I get the picture," Ryoko said angrily. "So, he's your *slave*, is
that it? I don't think I like the sound of this."

"No, not a slave. A knight, rather. But only to be commanded in
matters of love. Not in other things."

"As long as `matters of love' doesn't include anything like what you
tried this morning," warned Ryoko.

"You needn't worry. I swore I would *not* do that, so I won't."

"OK. Just make *sure*."

Aeka sighed again, sadly this time. "I suppose I shall have to wait a
while longer, in any event."

"Well, you had him night before last, I had him last night, so I guess
that makes tonight your turn again," Ryoko forced herself to say.

"Yes, but I wasn't expecting to have to whip him. At least not more
than once. Until his wounds heal somewhat, I doubt he'll feel like
it."

"You're probably right about that," Ryoko agreed.

"Ah!" said Aeka suddenly. "Ryu-oh's sap!"

"Huh?"

"Sasami told me it's properties were able to cure Ten-chan's illness
before. So it should also heal his wounds. So tonight I will take him
out to Ryu-oh..." Aeka closed her eyes and smiled.

Ryoko struggled with herself for a moment. *Here it is. It's much too
late to back out now. She'll be with him tonight, and you can't be.
What are you going to say?*

"Make sure he enjoys himself, Aeka," she said quietly. Then she
glared, her voice threatening. "And take it easy with the whips and
chains stuff, OK? Please?"

"You needn't worry about that, Ryoko. I told you, I never wished to
hurt him. And besides, there isn't much I can do with him if he's
unconscious, is there?"

"Oh, I know at least one thing," said Ryoko, smiling. "It wakes him
up, every time."

Aeka quickly looked away. "I don't think I wish to do that," she said.
"Not yet, anyway."

"Why not? He likes it." Ryoko grinned. "He *really* likes it!" Aeka
shook her head. Ryoko expression became a little angry. "Let me guess,
a princess isn't supposed to *demean* herself like that."

Aeka glared at her. "That's not it at all!" she protested. "It's just
that it involves some rather unpleasant memories."

"Like what?" asked Ryoko.

Aeka looked sadly down at the water again. "Seeing you with Ten- chan,
three days ago."

Ryoko frowned. "Sorry if I don't seem very sympathetic, but it wasn't
easy sitting outside the closet and having to listen to you two,
either."

"You stayed there?" asked Aeka, eyes widening. "Why?"

"So that no one could barge in and stop you," said Ryoko.

"I suppose it must have been... difficult for you," said Aeka, trying
to sound sympathetic.

"Difficult?" asked Ryoko mockingly. "Hearing *that*, after I hadn't
even gotten him to kiss me yet? Listening to him say your name while
he fucked you, when all he ever did when I tried to touch him was run
away?" Angry fire flickered in the pirate's resentful eyes. "Oh, no,
not difficult at *all*, princess."

Aeka sighed, realizing she'd touched a painful subject. "I think,
perhaps, we should talk about something else," she suggested.

Ryoko calmed down and shook her head. "No, go on. What were you going
to say, about that morning?"

"You're sure?" asked Aeka. Ryoko nodded, and the princess continued.
"It was like a game we played. The way we fought over Ten-chan, I
mean. One of us would move, and then the other, and we would argue
along the way. The day that one of us would win seemed so far off. But
when I saw you, in his bed that morning, *touching* him... suddenly
the game was about to end, and so it was no longer a game. It was war.
Victory, or death."

Ryoko nodded again. "I wonder how long our truce will last," she said.

"I was wondering that, as well. If it is peace, or just a temporary
stalemate."

"Even if it's not about Tenchi, I don't think we'll stop fighting."

"You're right," agreed Aeka. "It's gone on far too long for that."

"If it means having Tenchi at least *half* of the time, I can put up
with you," said Ryoko, looking over at Aeka. "Just make sure you keep
our bargain."

Aeka held her head up proudly. "I swore that I would. And I keep my
word, regardless of what you may think of me. But what of you? You
haven't promised *me* anything. And even in the world I *made*, you
managed to take him from me, somehow." She looked hard at Ryoko. "How
do I know you won't be whispering in his ear when you're with him,
trying to possess him and steal his soul?"

"I'm *not* the Demon of Rashomon, Aeka," said Ryoko, slowly shaking
her head.

"Yes, but there's something I don't understand about that. In your
`perfect world', you took Ten-chan away from me. That's what I
expected you to try to do again," said Aeka.

Ryoko nodded.

"Then, why? Why did you do what you did?" the princess asked.

"Arrange for him to fuck you, you mean?"

"I wouldn't put it so crudely, but... yes. Why?"

"Alright, I'll be honest," said Ryoko, giving a reluctant sigh.

"That would be an interesting thing to see."

Ryoko glared at Aeka.

"I'm sorry. Go ahead."

"I had to have him, Aeka. I *had* to. And that was the only thing I
could think of that I hadn't tried. I wasn't going to share him with
you. I figured I'd only have to let you have him once. But,
afterwards..."

Aeka waited while Ryoko looked down at the water and smiled.

"Afterwards, I was so happy that Tenchi loved me, I didn't care about
anything else. If I could just hear him say `I love you, Ryoko', and
be able to touch him without him trying to run away... nothing
mattered to me, besides that." 

Silently Ryoko recalled the alternatives as she'd seen them. The
presence of someone she intensely disliked, even hated. Or the absence
of the only person she loved. Irritation. Or loneliness.

It wasn't a decision at all.

She looked over at Aeka. "That's what I was coming to tell you, this
morning. I waited in the bath for you, but you never showed up."

Aeka hung her head. "I took my bath very early. I didn't want you to
be able to interfere."

"Would you have listened, if I'd talked to you then?" Ryoko asked.

"I'm not sure," replied Aeka. "Unless I'd seen that Ten-chan loved
you... I just don't know. I truly wish things could have gone
differently."

"No point in dwelling on it, I guess." Ryoko thought for a minute or
so. "I still don't get the thing with the whip, though. You didn't
*want* to hurt him, right?"

"Of course not! I told you before!" snapped Aeka, quickly becoming
angry.

"Why, then?"

"Juraian tradition demanded it," said Aeka.

Ryoko frowned and shook her head. "I don't buy it. If you cared about
tradition more than Tenchi, you would have gone home as soon as Kiyone
showed up with the Yagami. I'm sure the Galaxy Police wouldn't mind
leaving an out-of-the-way system like this one unpatrolled for a
little while, in order to get the crown princess of Jurai back to her
family. So don't give me that crap."

Aeka rankled at the slight to her honesty, but restrained herself.
"I'm not saying tradition was more important. But it wasn't something
I could just *dismiss*. And, in any case, that was how I was taught to
handle such a thing. If there was another way, that I thought would
have worked, I would have taken it."

"Well, then, if you wanted to make him obey, why not just seduce him?
OK, all your ancestors would have turned in their graves, or
something. So what?" Ryoko grinned. "At least it would have been fun
for Tenchi. Do you think he'd have minded us competing with each other
*that* way?"

"That's not what I would call a fair contest," said Aeka meekly.

Ryoko looked at her, very puzzled. "Why not? All kidding aside, I
don't think either of us has anything to worry about, as far as looks
go."

"That isn't what I was talking about. It's just that, well, you're
a... you're more... *experienced* in those matters than I am."

Ryoko smiled. "Tenchi was my first, Aeka." Aeka blinked and stared at
her, wide-eyed in shock. "Didn't expect *that*, did you, princess?"

"You're... joking, of course," Aeka said, her voice filled with utter
disbelief.

"Nope."

"But the way you *act*..." started Aeka.

Ryoko interrupted her. "I'm after Tenchi. You think I should act like
*you*, and never get anywhere?"

Aeka fumed at the insult, but continued to press her point.
"Everything you said and did made it seem just the opposite!"

"Oh, I was supposed to advertise it? Like *some* people?" Ryoko asked
innocently.

"But you're so shameless!"

"I love him. I want to fuck him. What's to be ashamed of?" said Ryoko,
sighing happily.

"What I meant was, you're so... sure of yourself," said Aeka, trying
her best not to let her words become a compliment.

It didn't work. "Thanks. But I always have been. With everything."

"But what about all the times you made fun of *me* for that?" the
princess demanded angrily.

"I needed a *reason* to make fun of you?" laughed Ryoko.

Aeka ground her teeth, memories of every one of Ryoko's boasts of her
superior sexual prowess coming back, made all the more insulting by
the pirate's unbelievable revelation that she'd been bluffing all
along. She made herself calm down just a little before continuing. "So
all those jokes you made, all the things you said you knew... you were
*lying*?"

"Hey, I said I'd never been with a man. I never said I was *stupid*,"
answered Ryoko, unable to stop herself from rubbing it in a little.
"Besides, what do you think I watched during all my long trips aboard
Ryo-oh-ki? The news?"

"You mean you watched things like... Tenchi's father's tapes?" asked
Aeka.

Ryoko smiled knowingly. "Oh, you've been going through his collection,
huh, princess?"

Aeka thrust her nose into the air. "It was in the machine. I didn't
know what it was, before I started playing it."

"Which one was it?"

Aeka blushed and twiddled her fingers. "I didn't watch the opening
credits."

"But what about the label?" demanded Ryoko, grinning and pressing home
her attack. "What did it say?"

Aeka sighed, defeated. "The Shameful Diary of the Nurse."

Ryoko thought for a moment. She had the list memorized, and she didn't
remember that title. "When was this?" she asked.

"I think it was the night before my sister's little shoujo manga
prank," replied Aeka. "Which reminds me. Some of the manga on the top
shelf are dirty versions of a program Sasami watches in the morning.
That man is so *disgusting*! Sometimes I just can't believe he's
actually Tenchi's father!"

Ryoko nodded, preparing another trap. "By the way, has he gotten the
latest tape in the Horny Secretary Loves A Raw Dick series yet?"

Aeka shook her head. "I don't know, I haven't checked lately." Then
she cringed, realizing what she'd just said.

"Aha!!" shouted Ryoko triumphantly. "Maybe they should retitle it
`Horny *Princess* Loves...'"

Aeka cleared her throat. "I believe I said I wished this to be a
*polite* conversation, did I not, Ryoko?"

"Sorry. I couldn't resist."

"Did you *try* to?"

"I said I was sorry."

"Alright, then."

"What were we talking about, anyway?"

"Your claim that you hadn't been with anyone, before Tenchi."

"It's not a `claim.' And I said I hadn't been with a *man*."

Aeka's eyes widened, and she slowly started backing away along the
side of the bath. "You mean... you've been with other *women*?" she
asked.

Ryoko shook her head. "Not *other* women, exactly."

Aeka blinked. "I don't understand."

"Sometimes it's very convenient having two of yourself," answered
Ryoko, grinning broadly.

It took a few seconds for Aeka to understand. When she did, she
blushed blue and shivered.

Noticing the princess' reaction, Ryoko decided to needle her again.
"If you like, I'll trade you time with Tenchi, for time with me," she
offered, rising up and licking her fangs. "I'm pretty good. Want me to
wake you up, the way I did Tenchi?"

Terrified, Aeka began retreating even more quickly than before. Seeing
this, Ryoko sank back into the water, laughing.

Aeka clenched her fists. "Will you *please* stop *doing* that! It's
very disturbing!" She sighed. "I'm trying very hard. I thought if we
could learn to talk, we could tolerate each other, a little, and not
upset Ten-chan so much. Don't you care about that at *all*?"

"OK, OK. I'll stop for now. I promise."

The princess calmed down again. "I wish I'd brought some sake. It
would have made things easier."

"Maybe. Anyway, you were saying...?" prompted Ryoko.

"You'd never been with a man, before Ten-chan?" asked Aeka, still
sounding very skeptical. "Truly? I would think that as a... well, a
person not answerable to anyone, without any responsibilities, you
could have done as you liked, in that regard."

Ryoko chuckled. "You'd be surprised," she said bitterly.

"That wasn't how it was?"

"Nope," answered Ryoko, shaking her head.

"Why not?"

"Well, I started my career before I started being interested in guys.
And after that, I was busy. I made a reputation for myself *real*
*quick*. It wasn't long before Nagi set her sights on me. When she's
after you, you hide, or you run. You don't spend your time finding
someone to hook up with. Especially since that `if you want your man
or your woman, come get them' routine is her favorite." Ryoko shook
her head. "I know of a few people who tried to save someone they cared
about from her, and wound up dead. So I made sure I *didn't* care
about anyone, and didn't risk starting to."

"Well, surely you didn't *need* to *care*..."

Ryoko glared at her. "I'll tell you just one more time, Aeka. That's
not how I am."

Aeka nodded. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it the way it sounded."

"Besides, most men don't just walk up and talk to A1 Most Wanteds. Any
man who *would*... well, Nagi's not the only bounty hunter out there.
Not to mention other pirates who'd be happy to get rid of a
competitor. It would have been too risky. In my line of work, you
never let your guard down, or you don't stay in business -- or alive
-- for very long. And the guys you run into aren't exactly full of
charm, either." She frowned, and under the water her hand clenched as
if crushing something. "Towards the end, there was one bastard who
kept saying he wasn't sure if I was even a woman. Said he'd like to
find out if I was one, after all." She brought her fist up in front of
her face, and it shook. "I'd like to hand him his *nuts*."

Aeka stared at her.

Ryoko looked back at her, and smiled. "Don't get your hopes up,
princess. I'm not planning to go off looking for the guy. Besides, he
was Most Wanted, like me. Nagi's probably already found him in a bar
someplace and cashed in his head. Serves him right."

Aeka sighed, gazing at the water again.

"*NOW* what's wrong?" asked Ryoko, her voice irritated.

"Well, I'd thought that was one thing I'd given him that you hadn't,"
she said in a quiet, despairing voice. "That it would make him think
of me as special. And yet it seems it wasn't so."

Ryoko rolled her eyes. "If it matters that much to you, Tenchi doesn't
know. I said I'd never been with a man. I never said I hadn't been
with anything *shaped* like a man."

"I... see."

"So will you quit acting like I did something awful because I didn't
sleep around before I met him. OK?" She sank down further into the
water, looking very annoyed. "It's not like I *planned* it that way,"
she muttered.

Aeka nodded. "I didn't mean to imply that. I'm just rather surprised."

"Disappointed is more like it," said Ryoko.

"Perhaps," admitted Aeka.

"So, what about you?" asked Ryoko. "Any men in your life, before
Tenchi?"

Aeka shook her head. "No. I had to maintain my chastity. It was
expected of me. Besides my duty to produce an heir to the throne, and
the bonds of tradition, a royal marriage is a matter of great
political concern. I am obligated to place the interests of Jurai
first when choosing a husband. Treaties, alliances, even wars are
often decided by such things. And until the marriage takes place, all
options must remain open. I must not allow myself to choose, or even
*appear* to, for personal reasons. It would be a breach of loyalty for
me to do so." She stopped for a moment, then continued more
contemplatively. "As I *have* done. My parents will be most upset with
me, should they learn. Especially my father."

"Uh, speaking of `heirs', shouldn't you take some, you know,
precautions?" asked Ryoko, sounding a bit concerned.

"I already have. I started quite some time ago, actually. Washuu was
most helpful."

Now it was Ryoko's turn to stare in shock.

"You *planned* to sleep with him?" she asked, incredulous. "I didn't
think you'd gotten past dreaming about your first kiss!"

Aeka smiled. "I may not be as forward as you, but that doesn't mean I
didn't desire him. But what about you?"

"Well, I had a talk with Washuu, too," said Ryoko. Then she sighed,
and hung her head sadly. "Tenchi and I aren't completely...
compatible. Unless I ask her to pull some magic out of her hat,
nothing's going to happen, as far as that goes."

Aeka's eyes widened. "I suppose that should make me happy, but I'm not
sure that it does," she said, her voice just a little sympathetic.

"Thanks," said Ryoko quietly, looking into the water again.

"In any case, most of the men I went to see were *not* the kind I
would have chosen." Aeka shuddered. "The last one was probably the
worst. Insufferably arrogant, but without any justification for his
pride. And he had pink hair! Really, where does my father *find* them?
A circus?"

"Pink hair?" laughed Ryoko.

Aeka nodded, smiling. "To think of being touched by something like
*that*... brrrrrrr!!!" She thought for a moment. "Ryoko, please don't
take this the wrong way, but what attracted you to Ten-chan? Even if
you hadn't found anyone before, I would have thought you'd want
someone more... aggressive, or something."