Aikan Muyo
Chapter 6 - No Need for Discipline


     "Kiss the boot of shiny, shiny leather,
      Shiny leather in the dark.
      Tongue of thongs, the belt that does await you,
      Strike, dear mistress, and cure his heart.

      Severin, Severin, speak so slightly,
      Severin, down on your bended knee.
      Taste the whip, in love not given lightly,
      Taste the whip, now plead for me."
        -- "Venus In Furs", Velvet Underground


The birds outside Tenchi's bedroom sang to greet the warm sun as its
rays streamed down through the window, just as they had three days
before. This time, however, no dark, menacing shadow lurked, no swift
and graceful hunter stalked an unsuspecting victim. Instead, the
predator slept curled up next to her prey, her head resting on his
chest. Her yellow eyes were closed peacefully, and her ear lay
directly over his heart. She'd fallen asleep listening to it beat.

After a while, the chirping and the beams of sunlight made Ryoko stir.
She sniffed for a moment, then sighed happily. Her eyes opened. She
smiled as she looked at Tenchi's face.

He was still sleeping.

Ryoko grinned, deciding that she was going to alter that. She floated
over the bed. Then her head passed through the covers and down between
Tenchi's legs, and she began to do her very best to wake him up.

It took a while. She'd really tired him out, the previous night. But
she was patient. It wasn't long before he was squirming,
semi-conscious and covered in sweat. Eventually he was completely
awake, still perspiring but holding mostly still.

Underneath the covers, Ryoko paused and smiled. There was obviously no
need to split herself and hold him down, this morning. And she wasn't
going to be interrupted at the last second, either. She teased him for
a bit, kissing and licking. Then she resumed, enjoying the rising
tension in his body as she brought him closer and closer.

Tenchi arched his back and moaned "Ryoko!"

Ryoko heard him, and she held him tight, swallowing until he was
completely finished.

After she cleaned up, she floated above the bed, then got under the
covers the mundane way and lay down next to him.

"Ohayo, Tenchi," she said, smiling.

"Ohayo, Ryoko," he answered, holding her. With his free hand, he wiped
the sweat from his brow. "I think I could get used to waking up like
that."

Ryoko gently scratched his chest with her nails. "You're going to have
to," she promised.

"Is there a particular reason why you're so interested in doing that,
anyway?" he asked.

"If you *remember*, Tenchi, the very first thing you did when  you met
me was try to get me to drink something," she replied, chuckling. "So
what do you expect?"

He shook his head. "You've got a very dirty mind, Ryoko."

"Thank you. I try." She smiled and stretched, then sighed. "I can't
believe I'm finally here."

"Hmmm?"

"With you, I mean."

"I'm glad you are, Koneko," he said, brushing her hair with his
fingers.

Ryoko laughed. "`Koneko'?"

"How about `Kaizoku-chan', instead?"

Ryoko moved her face close to Tenchi's and looked at him, smiling but
serious.

"I'll be your kitten whenever you want me to, Tenchi. Pet me, and I'll
purr. And you're this pirate's most precious treasure." She paused,
and held his gaze. "But I want to be more than that to you. Much
more."

He hung his head. "You are, Ryoko. Believe me."

She kissed him. "Thank you, Tenchi." She sighed. "I know you meant it
well. But for a while I'd thought you'd forgotten all about me. Even
my name. So I want to hear you say it."

"I'm sorry," he said, squeezing her tight. "I love you, Ryoko. I think
I have, for a while now. I was just too scared to see it."

She clasped his hand and closed her eyes. "You don't know how much
I've wanted to hear you say that, Tenchi," she said softly.

Tenchi kissed her, then grinned. "You know, if you hadn't chased us
away from grandpa's shrine that first night, I wouldn't have gotten in
the habit of running away from you."

"I should have fucked you as soon as I saw you," Ryoko mused
wistfully. "On the ground. Right there. Right then. That would have
made everything perfect."

Tenchi briefly considered whether that would have made things better.
Or worse. Then he remembered a minor detail Ryoko seemed to have
overlooked. "Uh, what about Mihoshi?"

"Wouldn't you have protected me from the vicious space pirate?" Ryoko
asked, huddling against him in mock fear. "I was so *scared*!" She
began to kiss his neck. "And I would've rewarded you, for being so
brave, defending me when I'd crashed in a strange place all alone,"
she whispered. "I'd have done anything you wanted me to, to thank you.
Mmmmm.... *anything*, Tenchi..."

He smiled. Ryoko was starting to turn him on again, even though the
picture she was painting, of herself as terrified and helpless and him
as her valiant protector, was ridiculous bordering on surreal.
Completely upside down, the exact opposite of...

"The only protecting I can remember, is you saving me from Nagi," he
said. "I don't recall ever thanking you for that, now that I think of
it."

Ryoko rested her head on his shoulder. "You did thank me, Tenchi. Just
a minute ago. I've waited a long time to hear those words from you."
She chuckled. "And besides, you thanked me all last night. Ready to
thank me again?"

"Not really. Sorry, but I'm exhausted. I hope grandpa lets me pass on
sword practice today."

Ryoko cuddled closer and grinned at him rather lewdly. "Sword
practice, huh?"

"Yeah, he's expecting me out there today," said Tenchi, not noticing
her expression. "If he doesn't let me skip it, you can watch, if you
like."

"Sure, Tenchi. Aeka and I were just watching you practice with your
sword the other day."

Tenchi blinked. "You were?"

Ryoko pushed herself up on her hands, looked down at him, and nodded,
her face very amused. "Uh-huh. We were really admiring the way you
handled it."

"Thanks," he said, feeling very flattered.

"I was going to give you some help, but Aeka didn't like the idea,"
said Ryoko. Then she sighed to emphasize her disappointment.

"Well, she *was* right. Grandpa says that concentration is the most
important part." He smiled. "You really liked watching?"

"Oh, yeah, it was *very* exciting," said Ryoko, letting a little
seductiveness creep into her voice.

Tenchi still didn't notice. "If you think I'm good, you should watch
grandpa sometime. Now *he's* impressive!"

Ryoko couldn't contain herself anymore, and she collapsed against him,
laughing so hard she cried.

"What's so funny?" asked Tenchi.

After a while, Ryoko calmed down enough gasp out a question. "Has he
taught you any new thrusting techniques you'd like to show me?" she
asked.

Something in Tenchi's brain finally clicked. He shook his head again.
"Get your mind out the gutter, Ryoko."

She stopped for a moment. "Let me know when you'd like to sheath your
sword, Tenchi," she cooed. Then she resumed laughing as hard as
before.

"Really, is that all you think about?"

She stopped and managed to catch her breath. "Yep," she answered
finally, with a proud nod. "Anyway, what was it you were saying, about
Mihoshi?"

"Just that there was no way I could have beaten her, with that
hardsuit of hers."

"But your grandpa was able to stop her," said Ryoko, starting to laugh
again. "She *really* found out how impressive his sword was!"

"But what about me?" he asked. He wasn't so much interested in the
answer anymore, as in the principle of making her give him one.

"I think your sword's pretty impressive, too."

Tenchi groaned. "But what about *Mihoshi*?"

"Tenchiiiiiii! Do you use your sword on *every* girl who shows up at
your house? Besides," she added, giggling, "knowing Mihoshi, she'd
probably wind up breaking it or something."

He gritted his teeth and asked one more time, trying to phrase his
question so that she couldn't twist it. "What if we'd been doing that,
and Mihoshi showed up, and I couldn't stop her?"

"Then we'd have died in each other's arms, just like we vowed to!"
Ryoko sighed dreamily.

"Uh... I *still* don't remember taking this vow you keep talking
about," he said.

"Would you like to, now?" she asked, her voice suddenly serious.

"Neither of us is going to die any time soon, Ryoko," Tenchi assured
her. "I really wish you wouldn't talk like that."

Her eyes shimmered as she grasped his hands and gently kissed him.
"Nothing will ever separate us, Tenchi. I'll die, rather than let that
happen. Anything that comes between us, I'll destroy. If someone tries
to take you from me, I don't care who, I'll kill them. And I mean
that."

For a moment Tenchi was stunned by Ryoko's utter sincerity. Then he
nodded, trying to think of an adequate response. "I don't know what to
say," he told her finally.

"I know I sounded a little strange just now, Tenchi," she said
quietly. "But I was alone for a long time. And I don't want to be,
every again."

"You won't be, Ryoko," he said, suddenly feeling just a little like
the protector she'd made him out to be. "I won't run away from you,
anymore. I promise."

Much later that morning, Ryoko slipped into the steaming bath and
hummed softly to herself. She was in a very good mood. She was
prepared to listen respectfully when Washuu explained her latest
contraption. She'd give Ryo-oh-ki all the carrots she could eat. She
wouldn't do anything to embarrass Tenchi. She wouldn't poke fun at
Aeka about her bust size. She'd even do her share cleaning up around
the house. 

Well, OK, maybe not that last part. But the joyous memory of the
previous night, and hearing Tenchi say he loved her, blotted out
everything that had happened before it. Ryoko was definitely ready to
be, if not friendly, at least civil to Aeka. There was one subject in
particular that they needed to talk about, right away: how to
equitably divide Tenchi's sack time. 

Alternating nights? Jan ken? Some other way? Just as long as they
could both see it was fair. Arguing about it would simply divert time
and energy better spent on something else, namely, sex with Tenchi.
She smiled proudly as she remembered how exhausted he'd been once she
was done with him. Then she grinned. 

*Another week, Tenchi, and you'll be lucky if you can still stand up.*

As she stretched and luxuriated in the hot water, she decided
something else. Tenchi was going to become more familiar with the
inside of the women's bath. She relaxed further and waited for Aeka to
show up so they could have their talk.

Maybe they could even compare notes.

Meanwhile, Aeka was waiting on the couch as Tenchi walked down the
stairs. "Ohayo, Tenchi-sama," she said. Her smile demure but subtly
seductive, she beckoned to him and patted the seat next to her.

"Ohayo, Aeka-san," he replied, coming over and sitting down.

"Ten-chan, there is something important I wish to speak with you
about."

"Oh?"

"There is a Juraian ritual I would like you to undertake. It would
mean very much to me, Tenchi."

"You don't mean... engagement?" he asked, worried.

Pain pricked Aeka's heart for just a moment. *Must he say that so...
fearfully?* She shrugged it off and forced a smile and a laugh.

"No, no, no. Nothing so formal," she assured him, holding his hand.
"There is something the women of Jurai do to demonstrate how deeply
they care for the man they love," she said, entwining her fingers with
his. "I would like to do this, for you, Ten- chan." She brought his
hand to her heart and held it there. "So you will truly know how I
feel about you."

He leaned forward and kissed her. "I *already* know, Ae-chan. There's
no need for you to show me. But if this matters to you, sure. Whatever
you want."

Her heart soared. "Then let us go out to Ryu-oh," she said, standing
up.

"Is there anything I should take along?" he asked, rising beside her.

Aeka smiled warmly. "Bring a blanket. To spread on the ground. We will
need it. Afterwards."

Tenchi's breath caught in his throat.

Aeka. Then Ryoko. And now Aeka again.

He considered his situation for a moment. He was living with two
beautiful girls whom he loved, who loved him, and who wanted to sleep
with him.

He had no problem with that. No problem at all. Something in the back
of his mind, however, warned him that he was going to have to choose
one or the other. It was a very painful thought.

They walked through the woods, holding hands, Aeka resting her head on
his shoulder part of the way. The morning sun shone down on them, and
all around them the air was full of the sound of teeming life. When
they came to Ryu-oh, she kissed him and gestured to the ground. They
sat facing each other in the shade underneath the tree that had been
and would be Aeka's ship.

"If Ryu-oh were able, I would take you into space for this. Amongst
the stars. That is the proper place for it, in the case of a member of
the royal family." She kissed him. "But to be with you is what matters
to me, Ten-chan. It is the spirit of the thing that is important, in
any case."

"Thank you, Ae-chan," he said sincerely, bowing his head. "You do me
too much honor."

"No, I do *not*," she replied, lifting his head back up. "Oh,
Ten-chan, that would not be *possible*!"

"But, Ae-chan, you're a princess, and I'm just a..."

She put her fingers to his mouth, stopping his words. "No! Ten- chan,
never *say* such a thing!" she gasped, distraught. "Never even *think*
it!" She leaned forward and kissed him tenderly. "To hear you say
that, to hear my throne come between us, makes me wish I was not a..."

Now Tenchi silenced her in return. "Don't *you* say *that*."

"Very well," she said. "I won't." Then she smiled at him. "You are
ready, then, Ten-chan?"

He nodded. "I am. And I'll try to be worthy of your tradition."

"I'm sure that you will be," she answered happily. "Now, Tenchi..."

"Yes?"

"I need to bind your hands."

He glanced down and saw the coil of rope that lay in her lap.

Tenchi tried to hide his surprised grin. This definitely wasn't
something he would have expected Aeka to have a taste for. Ryoko,
maybe, but not Aeka. Well, if Ryoko had a vulnerable side, then Aeka
could certainly have a kinky streak in her. If the last two days had
taught him anything, it was that life could be a lot more interesting
if he loosened up. *Just imagine all the fun you've been missing.*

He held out his arms in front of him.

She bent and kissed his wrists, then wound the rope around them and
tied it, firmly but not tightly.

She motioned for him to rise, and he did.

Aeka tossed the end of the ropes over Ryu-oh's lowest branch and
caught it as it fell again. Then she pulled, hauling his arms up over
his head. She tied it again around his wrists, and he stood there, not
quite hanging. She walked behind him, out of sight.

Tenchi considered a few of the things she might do with him while he
was bound and helpless.

He liked them. *All* of them.

Something tugged at him and *snick*ed. He felt her fingertips against
his back, through a hole in his shirt that hadn't been there before.
Then cloth ripped as she tore it off of him and discarded it on the
ground.

There was strength in those slender fingers, he realized. One just
didn't get to see it used very often.

That was two shirts gone, now.

As if he cared.

Her arms wrapped around his now-bare torso. He felt her chest pressed
against his back, and she kissed his neck from behind. "Wait right
there, Ten-chan, beloved," she whispered hotly in his ear before
letting go. "I must prepare myself for you."

Even if he'd been able, Tenchi wouldn't have moved an inch.

Moments later, his ears caught a faint fluttering sound as something
sailed through the air to his right and landed a few paces in front of
him.

Aeka's obi and kimono.

Tenchi's eyes widened. *I sure hope Grandpa doesn't decide to take a
walk in the woods right now!*

Other objects followed the kimono. Her geta. Her tabi. Her bra. Her
panties. He gulped, excited. This too was very unlike Aeka's usual
behavior.

Then, for a couple of minutes, he heard rustling sounds behind him,
and an occasional squeak.

She stepped back in front of him, and Tenchi's eyes bulged nearly out
of his skull. Now this was very, very, VERY unlike Aeka.

She was clad only in black leather and bare skin. And not *much*
leather, at that.

Bracers were wrapped around her forearms. Shiny boots reached up past
her knees. Her micro-miniskirt, stretched tightly over her rear, went
not even halfway down her thigh. And a three-inch wide halter
attempted to cover breasts which, despite Ryoko's remarks, Tenchi
found quite inviting.

And that was it, except for one thing that hung at her waist.

A whip.

"Uh, Aeka..." he started, but she immediately cut him off.

"`Oujo-sama' to oyobi!" she commanded sternly.

Tenchi stifled another grin. OK, he could play along with this. *Is
she going to make me lick her feet, or something?* He didn't doubt
much that he would if she asked -- or, rather, ordered. Just so long
as it wasn't anything worse than that.

"Hai, oujo-sama. Gomen nasai. I *really* like that outfit. Where did
you get it?"

"It was a gift from my mother, when I left for my marriage meetings,"
she answered.

Tenchi gulped. From her *mother*?!

It must be a very *interesting* family.

His eyes went back to the whip that dangled, threatening, from her
belt. "And did she give you *that*, too, oujo-sama?"

"Yes," Aeka said proudly. "It has been handed down from mother to
eldest daughter since the beginning of Jurai's royal line. Perhaps
before. It has been a sign of the power of the women of our house
since antiquity."

Tenchi breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. *OK, so it's some kind of
symbolic family heirloom.* "I'm just glad you're not going to use it
on me... oujo-sama."

"Oh?" She smiled and draped the whip over his neck. She pressed her
lips to his, and one rubbing hand against his erection. She held the
kiss for a moment, looking deeply into his eyes. "Won't I?" she asked.

Then with her other hand she yanked the whip-handle downward, hard.

Tenchi winced as the leather left a painful weal on his skin. Aeka put
both arms around him and began tenderly to kiss the wound she had just
inflicted. She returned to his lips. Then she started moving down, and
when he tilted his head to hold her kiss she thrust the handle of the
whip firmly under his chin and kept it there while she kissed his
neck. After a minute or so she stepped back and composed herself,
holding her head high.

"Obey me, and I will give you love. Disobey me, and I will give you
pain," she decreed regally, her voice warm and cold, threatening and
passionate, warning and promising, all at the same time.

Tenchi laughed nervously. "And if you ring a bell, I'll drool.
Right... oujo-sama?" He smiled for a moment, hoping she got the joke,
but she didn't seem to.

Aeka frowned. *Why doesn't he understand?* She embraced him tightly,
pressing herself against him, letting him feel what he could have if
only he would choose the right, the obvious, the only possible path.

"Those are your options," she said, her face an inch from his. "Your
obedience, my body," she kissed him, "my heart," again "my soul," and
again. "Your disobedience," she pressed the handle against the
stiffness in his crotch "my whip." Then her amethyst eyes shimmered as
she gazed downward and rested her head against his chest, once again
the Aeka he'd known, sweet, gentle, fragile. "Is that such a
*difficult* decision, Ten-chan?" she asked softly, and despite her
whip and his bonds, it was Aeka's voice that pleaded.

Somehow, Tenchi knew his choice wouldn't be that simple.

She slid fluidly around his body to hold him from behind again. Her
hands glided down into his pants, under his briefs, and began to
stroke tantalizingly. Her voice spoke softly and warmly just next to
his ear.

"Would you like us to make love, right now, Ten-chan? To join our
souls and flesh as one and lie in each other's arms on the grass?" She
bent and kissed under his chin. "Does your blood burn for me? Mine
does, for you. Like fire. Feel how I burn for you, Ten-chan." She
sighed, and her breath flowed hot over his neck. "Do you desire me, as
I desire you? Shall we satisfy those desires? Tell me, Ten-chan. Would
that give you pleasure?"

He nodded enthusiastically. He knew it would. He was just a little
concerned about what the price for all this would be.

"Very well then. There is a thing you must do first, Ten-chan. But a
small thing. A simple thing. A harmless thing, in which there is not
the slightest pain," Ae-chan whispered to him.

"OBEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Oujo-sama screamed imperiously.

He cringed at the sudden sound and nearly jumped out of his skin.

*Yikes! She's really acting WEIRD!* He waited to see what she'd do
next.

"Then, until that hesitation disappears, I will bind you by these
chains." She reached to his wrists for a moment, and he felt cold
metal against his skin. He looked up.

A delicate cord of gold links was tied in a bow about his wrists.

*What did she do that for? With the ropes, I can't break free, anyway.
And without them, I could snap that thing if I wanted to. No problem
at all!*

She let go and backed away, trailing her fingers along his side for a
brief moment before she was out of reach.

"Where are you going, Ae... I mean, oujo-sama?" He tried to turn his
head, but couldn't see where she was standing.

"You will look on me again, when I have purified your slackened
heart," she intoned ritually. "With force!"

"Oujo-sama, what did I, uh, do?" he asked. He was starting to sweat a
little.

*Doesn't he know? How can he NOT know?!*

Aeka assumed a wide stance, hefted the whip, and thought back to the
day when her mother had told her about men and women and things of the
heart. "The first time you bring your love to repentance is special,
Aeka. You'll remember it fondly, all your life. And so will he."
Tenchi would kneel at her feet and beg her forgiveness. Gladly,
*joyously* she would grant it. And he would be hers, and she his,
forever.

She aimed for his back, looking at the skin that her hands had
caressed and which she now prepared to smite with pain. Her arm shook
as she readied, and she closed her eyes, unwilling to see the results
of what she was about to do.

*Please, Ten-chan. Please submit quickly. PLEASE!!!*

"Tenchi, I want you to swear to me that you will never look at, or
speak to, or... touch... *HER*, ever again."

"Nani?!"

A tear trickled out of one of Aeka's tightly-shut eyes. *Will you
really make me do this to you, Ten-chan? Would you truly give me up
and choose her and the pain instead?*

"SWEAR IT!"

"Ae-chan, can't we discuss..."

"`OUJO-SAMA' TO OYOBI!!"

"It's not right of you to ask that of me, Aeka!"

"`OUJO-SAMA' TO OYOBI! AND I DO NOT *ASK*!"

"I don't want it to be this way!"

"Tenchi," she said quietly, with all the coldness she could force out
of herself, "I warn you, for the last time. Swear it to me. You will
not look at her. You will not speak to her. You will not touch her.
You will banish her from your body, from your mind, from your heart,
and you will never say her name again. Swear it. Or you force my
hand."

"This is *wrong*! She wouldn't try to do this to *you*!"

To... *her*? Ryoko wasn't even here. Whatever was he talking about?

*I'm sorry, Ten-chan. But you must learn. And I must teach you.*

Her arm jerked back, then forward.

CRACK!

Unseen by Aeka's still-shut eyes, a red line appeared across Tenchi's
back. He jolted against the ropes and gritted his teeth.

That *hurt*!

In many different ways.

"SWEAR IT!"

Tenchi shook his head. "No! I don't want to hurt *either* of you!" He
winced as the whip bit into him again.

"SWEAR IT!"

"NO! I won't!"

The whip lashed again.

"SWEAR IT!"

"NO!!"

Aeka's face was wet with tears, and she choked back a sob so that
Tenchi wouldn't hear it, wouldn't doubt her resolve to see his heart
cleansed of the awful stain on it.

*Please, Ten-chan, why? Why must you make me DO this to you?*

CRACK! "SWEAR IT!" CRACK! "SWEAR IT!" CRACK! "SWEAR IT!"

"NO! I WON'T!"

Aeka paused for a moment, shaking, desperately wanting to scream to
release the pain inside her. She knew that she couldn't. Tenchi
mustn't think her love for him had wavered. Tears filled her eyes. She
could barely see.

*Submit, Ten-chan! I BEG YOU! Don't you know that I would take the
pain for you, if only I could?*

CRACK! "SWEAR IT!" CRACK! "SWEAR IT!" CRACK! "SWEAR IT!"

Involuntarily she sobbed. Agony wracked her as fear rose within that
he'd heard her. Heard her, and would think she doubted that he would
make the right choice in the end. That he would suspect that she had
no faith in his love for her, that she was afraid that Ryoko had
stolen it from her.

*RYOKO!!!*

She drew back her arm to lash in fury at her enemy, but something made
her open her eyes and look at who was really at the other end of the
whip.

Tenchi's back was criss-crossed with bleeding wounds.

Aeka tried to force herself to strike again, but her arm shook
uncontrollably and whip fell from her trembling fingers. She looked at
the red blood from the lashes, wishing she'd never had to inflict
them, wanting somehow to undo what she'd done. The voice of Juraian
tradition screamed inside her, reviling her for stopping. She knew she
wasn't to put down the whip until Tenchi's honor was restored. But she
couldn't bear to continue. She hoped Tenchi could forgive her for
leaving his heart impure, but there was no way she could force herself
to inflict any more pain on him.

She picked up her kimono and walked behind him. Out of her inro, Aeka
pulled some gauze and a tube of salve, and started to treat his
wounds. Tenchi winced for a moment in pain, then twisted in the ropes
in an attempt to turn around and face her.

"What did you stop for? I'm not dead *yet*, am I?!" he asked, the thin
veneer of sarcasm in his voice not quite concealing the wellspring of
anger underneath.

Aeka fought down grief and resentment at his accusation, wondering how
he could think such a thing of her after what she'd just tried to do
for him. "Please stay still, Ten-chan. I need to tend to your back."

"You were tending to it just fine with your whip!" he spat, squirming.
"Why the sudden change?"

"Ten-chan, I said stay still," she repeated, still working on his
injuries while trying not to see them. "I want to be sure to treat
these wounds properly."

"What *for*? You're the one who gave them to me!"

"But, Ten-chan, you *forced* me to! Didn't you listen to anything I
said? I tried not to have to do this. I tried so *hard*! I gave you
every chance to avoid it. But you refused at every step, and you left
me with no choice at all!" An angry sob stopped Aeka's words for a
moment, then she continued. "How could you be so *cruel*?! How could
you make me *do* this to you?!"

"`Make you'?! What are you *TALKING* about?!?!"

"Why do you refuse to submit over such an unimportant thing?" she
asked, as she dropped the gauze and salve, and moved around in front
of him.

"Ryoko is *NOT* unimportant to me! I love her!" he said angrily.

Aeka trembled. It felt like Tenchi had reached into her chest with a
hand of ice, and squeezed. Before she could stop herself, she slapped
him across the face.

"You said you loved *me*, Ten-chan! I gave my heart to you!" Aeka's
whole frame shook as tears ran down her angry face. "My *HEART*!! How
can you put *her* in the same place as *me*? She's a creature of lust,
and her body is all she'll ever offer to you!"

Tenchi's face became a mask of fury. "Don't you *DARE* talk about her
that way! She's not a tramp, like you called her before! I love her,
and she loves me!!"

"But *I* love you, Ten-chan! *I* *LOVE* *YOU*!!! How many times must I
say that before you'll understand? Why can't you *see*?!"

"*THIS* is how you show me you love me?!"

"YES!!!"

"BY *BEATING* ME?!?!"