Aikan Muyo
Chapter 10 - No Need For Two Swords, Part 2

Story by Happosai (happosai@jps.net)
Pre-reading by Ryan Anderson and Michael "Brazil" Borgwardt
Web: http://ucsu.colorado.edu/~andersor/fanfic/fanfic.html

Imaginary seiyuu
Amaiko: Inoue Kikuko
Kintarou: Seki Toshihiko
Midoriyama: Tsuru Hiromi
Torakami: Genda Tessho

Disclaimer: Tenchi Muyo and its characters are the property of AIC and
Pioneer. If any of their lawyers are reading this, please don't sue me.
Instead, pass my humble work on to the creative geniuses behind this my
favorite series, in the hope that they might actually like it.


     "Another tasteless movie
      Another kiss goodnight
      Could be a dark oasis in my life
      Another icon smashed to pieces
      By yesterday's romance
      Another hated person no more chances

      Look at me when I'm talking to you
      Look at me in the eyes
      Then look away and tell me why... why

      Playin' with a happy boy
      A cold place for a man
      Familiar faces in a foreign land

      The hands kept spinning around the face
      But the earth stopped cold at dawn
      For a moment, then moved on
      For a moment, then moved on..."
        -- "The Earth Stopped Cold At Dawn", Hootie And the Blowfish


It was nearly noon on planet Jurai. The sun beat down overhead, and only
a light breeze stirred the grass in the open field where Torakami stood,
watching his daughter Amaiko's ship Sakura-oh slowly descending. The ship
itself wasn't yet visible with the naked eye. Only the light glinting off
it marked its position. Shielded from the sun's glare by his hand,
Torakami's crimson eyes never left the ship for a moment.

Next to him, Midoriyama and her son Kintarou watched Sakura-oh almost as
intently.

"I still recall the time I first flew Haku-oh," said Midoriyama, smiling.

"It's a shame her cousins aren't here to watch her," said Torakami. "It
would make her very happy."

"When is Aeka-hime going to return?" asked Midoriyama.

"I don't know," replied Torakami, sounding worried.

"I will breathe much easier when she returns," said Midoriyama.

"She is first princess, and of age," Torakami reminded her sternly.
"She's not to be questioned, save by the Emperor or one acting on his
behalf. Besides, she's far from helpless. And the Sol System is a quiet,
out-of-the-way place."

Kintarou squirmed uneasily for a moment, obviously wanting to say
something but not about to speak unless spoken to.

Out of the corner of his eye, Torakami noticed. "You had something to
add, Kintarou-san?"

Kintarou let out his breath and nodded. "It's just that, anyplace where
Ryoko is, won't be quiet for very long."

Midoriyama and Torakami turned to the younger man, the surprise on their
faces real and feigned, respectively. "Ryoko? The most-wanted pirate?
>From whom did you hear this?" asked Torakami.

"I make it a point to keep open certain lines of communication into the
criminals' realm," replied Kintarou.

"I commendable course of action. You are wise beyond your years,
Kintarou-san," said Torakami.

The youngster self-importantly puffed out his chest a little as his
mother nodded. "Hopefully, for Aeka-hime's safety, Ryoko will remain very
far away from her," Midoriyama said.

Kintarou shook his head. "Unfortunately, they're staying at the same
place."

"What?!" gasped Midoriyama. "Are you sure?"

"My information is first-hand," replied Kintarou. "My source saw it with
their own eyes."

"*Whose* eyes?" demanded Torakami, his voice an imperious growl.

Kintarou mustered up all his courage. "With respect, Torakami-dono, I'd
rather not say until I've looked into the matter further."

Torakami frowned and nodded. "Very well. Inform me *at once* when you
have done so."

"Of course, Torakami-dono. The instant I have all the information, I
will..."

Kintarou stopped, his eyes widening as they fixed on something behind
Torakami. Recovering his presence of mind but still very flustered, he
dropped to his knees a little more quickly than was dignified and humbly
bowed his head.

Midoriyama and Torakami blinked, then turned to see what had caught
Kintarou's attention.

They too knelt, though with a practiced grace the younger man hadn't yet
developed. Less than twenty meters away, Jurai's empress stood, walking
across the grass with a smile on her face and her long blue-green braids
swaying slightly in the gentle breeze. 

The three waited until the empress' approaching shadow stopped. Then
Torakami spoke.

"Your subjects await your command, joou-sama."

Unseen by bowed eyes, the empress nodded in acknowledgment. "I'm here to
watch Amaiko's first flight. But it looks like I'm a little late. Has she
already started, taichan?"

"I'm very sorry, joou-sama," replied Torakami, cringing. "I should have
known you would come. Please accept my apology, though I know that..."

The empress cleared her throat. On the ground in front of him, Torakami
could see her foot tapping impatiently.

Torakami swallowed hard, knowing what was about to happen and dreading it
taking place in front of his underlings. Slowly he brought his gaze up to
meet the empress' eyes.

Her face was a terribly-wrathful scowl staring mercilessly down at him.

Torakami rose, and beside him Midoriyama and Kintarou did likewise. He
looked at the empress, but not quite in the eyes. "I'm very grateful for
the honor you do my daughter and me by being here, joou-sama," he said.

The empress' red eyes narrowed in even-deeper anger.

Torakami sighed. There was no way to escape the inevitable. He threw open
he muscular arms, his eyes sparkling as he smiled with extreme affection.
"Neechan!"

"Taichan!" cried the empress, grabbing her younger brother in a loving
embrace worthy of a champion sumo wrestler. Torakami endured it as best
he could. Once it was over and she had let go of him, he gave Midoriyama
and Kintarou a quick look warning of terrible consequences if they didn't
swiftly forget what they'd just seen.

Apparently completely oblivious to Torakami's discomfort, the empress
gazed up into the sky. Sakura-oh had descended far enough for shape and
color to be discernable. "She'll be landing any moment now."

"Hai, oneesama," agreed Torakami, trying to regain at least some measure
of decorum.

"Amaiko's grown up so fast. It seems like just yesterday she was only as
tall as my knee," sighed the empress.

Torakami nodded. "Has there been any word on when Aeka-hime will be
returning?"

The empress shook her head. "No. But she left a message for us with the
Galaxy Police, and she seemed so cheerful! I'm glad my poor baby's
finally getting a rest from all that pressure her father puts on her. But
I don't think she'll be gone that much longer. She'll be back for
Startika, I'm sure."

A frown crept across Torakami's face. "Yes, I'm sure she will be."

Hours later and light-years across space, Tenchi's eyes opened as he
awoke slowly but well in advance of his alarm clock. He started to roll
over before he was aware enough to realize that someone's head was
resting on his shoulder. He caught himself, but by then it was too late.
Aeka slid over him until most of her upper body lay across his chest,
yawned, then relaxed and sighed. "Ohayo, Ten-chan," she said, smiling
with her eyes still closed.

"Ohayo, Ae-chan," Tenchi answered. "Sorry if I woke you up."

Aeka looked up at him. "That's all right. Are you feeling rested?" she
asked.

Tenchi nodded. Nearly ten hours of solid sleep had done wonders,
especially since his stay in bed hadn't been a matter of strenuous
exercise, as it had been for quite a bit of the previous three nights.
Among other things, Tenchi was beginning to cast a skeptical eye on the
marathon sexual encounters some of the guys at school had bragged about
engaging in. "I feel great," he said.

Tenchi was feeling other things, too -- such as the sensation of Aeka's
warm, nude body lying on top of him, and the arousal that was inducing.

Deciding to try being a little more bold than usual, Tenchi slipped out
from under Aeka and turned onto his side, so that they lay facing each
other on the bed. Then he put one arm around her waist, the other around
her neck, and kissed her.

Aeka kissed him back and gently caressed his face.

Tenchi slid his hand down onto her rear and pulled her closer. Feeling
Tenchi's erection pressing against her thigh, Aeka smiled again,
considering getting something to tie him up with and deciding against it
for the moment. She didn't want to spoil the spontaneity. After a few
minutes of kissing, Tenchi's hand managed to find its way in between
Aeka's legs, and she brought her lips next to his ear as his fingers
began playfully exploring.

"Oooh... Ten-chan, you're being hentai -- I haven't even bound you yet,"
chided the princess, only half joking. Tenchi chuckled. "What is it?" she
asked.

Tenchi shook his head. "Nothing, Ae-chan. Really."

"No, tell me. What was funny?"

"Well, don't take offense, but around here, it's the tying up that's
considered hentai."

Aeka frowned and shook her head sadly. "Sometimes, Ten-chan, I think this
planet of yours is a very strange place."

Tenchi kissed her on the lips, then started working his way down her
neck. Aeka crooned and tilted her head up. Then she froze, her body
stiffening as she stared out the window.

Sol hung on the horizon, casting its yellow light across her face. Aeka
glared at it as if it were a cancerous tumor, a lethal invader arriving
to kill a precious moment of shared passion.

Noticing the direction of her gaze, Tenchi turned his head and looked as
well. "Nice sunrise, isn't it?" he asked, giving Aeka a kiss on the
cheek.

Aeka sighed and closed her eyes. "Ten-chan, I must go. I'm sorry." She
turned and kissed him. "I'll see you at breakfast."

Tenchi blinked. "But... *why*? Was I rushing you?" Then he realized what
he'd said that must have upset her. He kissed her very gently, then
smiled at her. "Go get something to tie me up with, oujo-sama. I'll
wait," he promised.

Aeka's heart beat faster. Tenchi had asked her to bind him! *Asked* her
to, not *allowed* her to!

But she wasn't going to be able to fulfill his request. It was past dawn.
To keep her word and the peace, she had to leave. Tenchi had offered to
submit to her, body and heart, yet she couldn't accept, though she wanted
to very, very badly. Hatred seethed inside of her at Ryoko for taking
this moment away from her. Aeka managed to maintain an outward calm as
she embraced Tenchi and gave him a deep, heated kiss.

"I would like nothing more than to bind you and make love right now, Ten-
chan, but I must leave. I wish with all my heart it wasn't so." She
kissed him again. "And you certainly were *not* rushing me. Be as bold
that, next time. Bolder, even, if it pleases you. Just remember this
feeling. I want you to feel it again when we are together."

"Why do you have to go, though?" Tenchi asked.

"I really would rather not say, Ten-chan. It isn't because I don't desire
you right now. I do. Very much. But I love you more than I desire you, so
I must leave you. And without further delay." Then, despite her last
emphasis on the haste required, Aeka cupped Tenchi's chin in her hand and
drew their lips together for one last kiss that lingered for many
moments. Then she got up off the bed, put on her kimono, and went to the
door.

"I'll see you in a little while, Ten-chan," she said, as she left.

"Yeah... sure, Ae-chan," said Tenchi hesitantly, still trying to figure
out why she was leaving. He lay back down and stared at the ceiling. Aeka
had said that it wasn't his fault, but he couldn't escape the nagging
suspicion that somehow he was responsible for her having to go. Not that
she hadn't seemed to have been just as aroused as he'd been.

As he *was*. His erection just didn't want to die down. Closing his eyes,
he searched his mind for something suitably non-sexual, something having
absolutely nothing to do with either of the girls. Eventually he found
one, and began to mentally recite the portion of "Art of War" which
Katsuhito had most recently had him study.

"Now the troops of those adept in war are used like the snake of Mount
Ch'ang. When struck on the head it's tail attacks; when struck on the
tail, its head attacks; when struck in the center both head and tail
attack. Should one ask: 'Can troops be made capable of such instantaneous
coordination?' I reply: 'They can.' For, although the men of Wu and Yueh
mutually hate one another, if together in a boat tossed by the wind they
would cooperate as the right hand does with the left. It is thus not
sufficient to place one's..."

Slowly, Tenchi began to doze off again.

Outside, as Aeka shut the door, Azaka and Kamidake greeted her.

"Ohayo, Aeka-hime," they said in turn.

Without acknowledging the pleasantries from her guardians, Aeka marched
down the hall towards her bedroom, her face an angry scowl.

"She seems upset this morning," observed Azaka.

"Yes. Perhaps she's going to get her whip," said Kamidake.

When she got to the door to her room, Aeka reached out, about to slam it
open as hard as she could. Catching herself, she stood still, trying to
give her fury time to die down. She tried her best to tell herself that
it wasn't completely Ryoko's fault, that she was being childish, that she
should react as befitted the dignity of her station.

It wasn't at all easy.

She had lain all night next to Tenchi, contenting herself with just being
with him, when Ryoko surely would never have allowed him a moment's rest.
The pirate undoubtedly would have selfishly demanded he spend every last
bit of his strength to quench her body's endless lustful cravings, not
caring in the slightest what that did to him, for she was a cruel,
wicked, spiteful creature, incapable of expressing love because she was
unable to feel any, and to her Tenchi was merely a convenient piece of
meat to...

Aeka closed her eyes, frowned, and tried to discipline her thoughts.

*No. I mustn't delude myself. She loves him, and he loves her, painful as
that is to admit. I'm thinking the way I did before, and I must remember
how that almost cost me everything.*

Eventually, having finally managed to calm down, Aeka opened the door and
walked into the room.

Ryoko was lying on her futon with the covers pulled up. But she was
awake. Her gold eyes glinted in the dark as she turned to face Aeka.
"Took your sweet time, didn't you, princess?"

Aeka controlled herself once more. "Gomen nasai," she said, bowing her
head slightly.

Ryoko nodded as she got to her feet. "Just try not to do it again, OK?"

Without answering, Aeka lay down on her futon and pulled up the covers.
Ryoko shrugged and shut the door, and Aeka turned onto her side. Then, as
her eyes adjusted to the dark, she noticed Sasami dozing peacefully with
a miniature copy of Tenchi in her arms. For a moment Aeka stared,
dumbfounded, before she remembered.

*Oh, yes. Washuu gave her that.* 

Knowing it was silly but unable to completely be at ease with the sight,
Aeka rolled over to face the other direction.

*How wonderful. EVERYONE is sleeping with him, except me.*

The knowledge of what would shortly be happening in Tenchi's bedroom
began gnawing at her. After Aeka had left him in peace all night, Ryoko
was going to go and reap the benefits of the princess' self-discipline.
Visions of an awful morning nearly a week gone rose in Aeka's mind, only
to be shoved down.

*You shouldn't let it bother you. You were afraid she'd take him from
you. But there's no need for that fear any longer. You shouldn't let the
memory trouble you.*

*I can't help it. Seeing her touching him that morning very nearly drove
me mad.*

Meanwhile, Ryoko floated down the hall, her spirits rising steadily as
she neared Tenchi's room. She stopped for a moment in front of the door
and the two guardians flanking it.

"Ohayo, guys," she greeted cheerfully.

"Ohayo, Ryoko," they replied.

"I hope it'll be a nice day today," said Azaka.

"I'm sure it will be. Spring is the loveliest of seasons," said Kamidake. 

"Yeah, I'm glad that damn cold weather if finally over," agreed Ryoko. 

"If you're here to find Aeka-hime, you just missed her," Kamidake
informed her.

"Nah. I'm here for Tenchi," replied Ryoko, shaking her head.

"May we ask why?" asked Azaka.

"No one tells us anything," said Kamidake.

Ryoko smiled slyly. "Morning wood."

"I see. We understand," said Azaka.

"We know all about wood," added Kamidake.

Laughing and wondering if the guardians had made the pun on purpose or
accidentally, Ryoko started to float towards the door again.

"I'm not sure if we're supposed to let you in, though," said Azaka.

Ryoko stopped instantly, then quickly backed away from between the two
wooden cylinders, her eyes wide as she readied herself for combat. "What
the fuck is that supposed to mean?!?!" she snarled. Memories flashed into
her mind, memories of being suspended in a force field between the two
guardians, about to be taken away in Kiyone's custody, never to see
Tenchi again. Though she'd gotten used to having them around, she angrily
reminded herself to never forget that they were Aeka's servants, capable
of nothing but utter obedience.

Then Ryoko calmed herself down a little. There was no way even Aeka would
be stupid enough to try something like using her guardians to prevent
Ryoko from being with Tenchi. He'd find out for sure, and then he'd be
angry at Aeka and protective of Ryoko. And Aeka had to know that's what
would happen.

But just in case...

"Did Aeka tell you two to keep me out of Tenchi's room?" she asked
warily.

"Not specifically," replied Kamidake. "Aeka-hime said we were to guard
Tenchi-dono's room, and that if Nobuyuki-dono attempted to get inside, we
were to stop him without injuring him."

"I'm sorry if we offended you," said Azaka. "But I'm not sure if Aeka-
hime meant we were to guard Tenchi-dono's room only against Nobuyuki-
dono, or if she meant that we were to guard against everyone and was just
making sure we wouldn't hurt Nobuyuki-dono."

Ryoko let her breath out and relaxed. If the guardians didn't permit her 
to pass, it would be something worthy of getting very angry about, but it
would just be a misunderstanding, not a deliberate act on Aeka's part.
Actually, Ryoko recalled, assigning Azaka and Kamidake to sentry duty had
been *her* idea. It had seemed like a very good plan at the time. Anyway,
she could always go through the walls or the ceiling or the floor, though
she wasn't sure if the Juraian guardians would be unable to stop her if
she did.

"She meant that you're supposed to keep Tenchi's dad from coming in and
taking pictures," said Ryoko. "I *know* that's what she meant, because I
asked her to have you guys do this."

"You did?" asked Azaka. "We're glad you think so highly of us."

"We appreciate your confidence in our abilities," agreed Kamidake.

"Yeah, sure," said Ryoko. "Now, are you going to let me go in?"

"Logically, you would not have requested that we prevent you from
entering Tenchi-dono's quarters. So it then follows that Aeka-hime did
not intend us to do that when she ordered us to stand guard," said Azaka.

"Sorry about the misunderstanding," apologized Kamidake.

"Don't mention it," said Ryoko.

Inside the bedroom, the sound of voices outside his door woke Tenchi from
his light doze. Someone was talking out in the hall, he realized. After a
moment, he recognized Ryoko's voice. He lay there, staring at the ceiling
and idly wondering what the conversation was about.

Suddenly, something in his mind clicked.

*She's here to be with me. So that's why Ae-chan had to leave. Of course!
I guess that's part of their agreement. And that's the reason Ryoko
wasn't here when I woke up yesterday.*

Which meant that any moment Ryoko was going come in and...

"I think I could get used to waking up like that," Tenchi remembered
himself saying, Saturday morning.

"You're going to have to," Ryoko had answered.

Tenchi quickly shut his eyes and willed himself to fall asleep again.

Presently the voices in the hall ceased. Tenchi waited tensely. A few
moments later he felt warm air flow over his face just before Ryoko's
voice whispered "Ohayo, Tenchi," next to his ear. He held his breath and
kept perfectly still. He didn't think Ryoko would be deterred if she knew
he was awake, but he felt a strange thrill at the idea of secretly being
aware of what she did when she snuck up on him, believing him asleep. Now
that he'd been presented with the opportunity to find out, Tenchi
realized that he was curious as to what she was like when she did that.

He felt her breath on his face again. Then Ryoko's lips pressed gently
against his, soft and warm. He couldn't feel any other contact, and
realized she must be floating over him. Tenchi managed to control his
impulse to return her kiss and waited. Then her lips were no longer
touching him, and the only evidence of Ryoko's presence was the sound of
her breathing.

The tip of her tongue traced a wet path around the outside of his ear,
ending at the lobe. "Are you awake, Tenchi?" she whispered.

Sweat began to bead on his brow.

"I really shouldn't wake you up. I should take your alarm clock outside
and smash it into a million pieces, and by the time you wake up on your
own, it'll be too late for you to go."

More perspiration gathered as Ryoko licked Tenchi's ear again.

"But that would just make you mad, wouldn't it? You'd yell at me for
breaking your things, even though it was to just to make you stay." She
gave him another gentle kiss. "Even if it was because I missed you all
day yesterday and all last night, and I never want you to leave me
again."

Tenchi lay, paralyzed, starting to feel guilty. His previous eager
anticipation of being playfully pleasured faded away as heart eclipsed
hormones and worry replaced arousal. He restrained an impulse to hug her
and say he was sorry, not knowing how she would react when she found he'd
been listening.

Once more Tenchi felt Ryoko's moist lips tenderly applied to his own.

"But I guess I don't need to wake you up anyway, since you're only
pretending to be asleep," she said.

Tenchi's eyes snapped open and he stared up into her face.

Ryoko giggled, then settled down on top of him, wrapped her arms around
him, and kissed him. "Ohayo, Tenchi."

"Ohayo. How'd you know I was awake?"

"People don't hold their breath when they're asleep, silly." She gave him
another warm kiss. "Why'd you go and spoil my fun? I was looking forward
to waking you up."

"I heard you talking outside," he answered.

Ryoko nodded, her suspicions of Aeka having stolen the privilege of
awakening Tenchi allayed. "I guess that's OK. Just as long as you woke up
thinking of me. That's what matters." 

Something about the way she said it made Tenchi vaguely nervous. Her tone
was almost that of a... threat? That was just his old fear of her, he
told himself. Quickly, he dismissed it. He embraced her, then tried not
to be too surprised when she phased down through the blankets and joined
him underneath.

"Ryoko, about what you said..." he began.

Ryoko rubbed her head against his cheek. "Mmm-hmm?"

He kissed her. "I'm sorry."

"That's alright, Tenchi," she answered quietly.

"It doesn't sound like its alright."

Ryoko shook her head. "No, I'm fine. Really. It's just..."

"Just what?" he asked. "You sound like something's wrong."

Ryoko kissed him and stroked his hair. "Say goodnight to me, next time,
OK?"

"Didn't I?"

"No."

Tenchi hung his head for a moment. "I'm sorry. Honest. I guess I must
have been really tired." He kissed her. "How can I make it up to you?"

Ryoko raised her eyebrows as she stared down at him.

Tenchi's face fell. "Ryoko, I *can't*," he protested.

Ryoko sighed, nodded in defeat, and lay her head on his chest.

"Is that why you said that, then? So I'd feel guilty and stay home?"

"I told you, I don't want to make you feel bad. I wasn't trying to do
that. It's just that..." She hesitated for a moment, then looked him in
the eyes. "Why were you pretending to be asleep?"

"I dunno. I guess... I guess I was curious about what you're like I'm not
looking."

"That's kind of what I thought. So I showed you." Seeing guilt begin to
grow in his face, she kissed him. "Like I said, it wasn't so you'd feel
bad. I just... I just wanted you to know how I feel, Tenchi."

"I *know* how you feel, Ryoko," he answered quietly. "I missed you, too.
All day."

For a moment, Ryoko was unsure of what her reaction should be. The
knowledge that Tenchi loved her enough to feel pain at her absence filled
her with soft, soothing warmth. Yet, at the same time, pain was the last
thing she ever wanted him to feel because of her. She held him closer,
trying to decide which feeling outweighed the other.

"Did it hurt?"

Tenchi nodded. "Yeah, it hurt. A lot."

"So, that means you won't go, then? Right?" she asked hopefully.

"I *have* to go."

Ryoko looked him in the face, her expression devoid of any understanding.
"Why?"

"Because I have to," he replied.

"But *why*?" she demanded. "It hurts you. It hurts me. It even hurts..."
Ryoko hesitated, then forced herself to continue, "...Aeka. So, why go?
Give me one good reason."

"I'm supposed to."

"SO WHAT?" she snapped, sitting up in the bed and looking down at him.
"That's not a good reason -- that's a *stupid* reason!"

"I tried to tell you yesterday -- if I don't go to school, I can't get a
good job."

"What in the world do you need a *job* for?"

Tenchi tried his best to be reasonable. "I have to work to get money."

Ryoko shook her head and kissed him. "No, you don't. Steal it. Remember
what a great team we made?"

"Ryoko! I'm not a *criminal*!" he replied angrily. "I'm not the kind of
person who goes around breaking the law and hurting people! I just want
to live a quiet life, like I was going to before all this happened!"

Tenchi realized the full meaning of his words a fraction of a second
after uttering them, but it was too late. He managed to catch a glimpse
of the deeply hurt look on Ryoko's face just before she turned away.

"I'm... sorry," he said lamely.

Ryoko didn't answer.

Tenchi got up and put his arm around her shoulders.

Ryoko sat still, staring at the wall.

Tenchi kissed her on the cheek.

Ryoko barely seemed to notice.

"I didn't mean it the way it sounded, Ryoko," he said.

A tear ran out of one of Ryoko's eyes and trickled down her cheek.
"'Before all this happened,' huh?" she said, as more tears followed.
"Before I came and ruined your life and made a mess of everything,
right?"

"No! I said, that's not what I meant!"

"Tenchi, I know I haven't always told you the truth, but I've never lied
when it comes to how I feel about you." She closed her eyes as tears
continued to flow. "If you're ashamed of me, then say so."

"You *didn't* ruin my life, Ryoko. Don't ever say that. And I'm not
ashamed of you." He paused for a moment. "Not exactly, anyway."

"'Not exactly'? What's that supposed to mean?"

Tenchi thought about it, and realized he had no idea what it *did* mean.

*Was* he ashamed of her?

For a few minutes he sat next to her, trying to sort out his thoughts and
come up with a coherent reply. The closer he examined the logic behind
his words, the more that logic seemed to chase its own tail in an
endless, futile circle. All the while his conscience urged him onward,
reminding him that while he remained silent, Ryoko waited, her heart torn
open by his words and in need of healing.

"Ryoko, if I try to explain, will you listen to me?" he asked finally.

She nodded.

"Ever since I can remember, there've been things I knew but never really
thought about. I didn't argue with them. They just *were*." Tenchi
stopped for a moment, considering his words again. "And one of those
things is that you obey the law, and that someone who doesn't is a
criminal, and... a bad person."

Ryoko looked away again.

"I guess, when you first got here, I *did* think that, and I *was*
ashamed, a little." Tenchi grit his teeth, almost wanting to cry from the
shame of his confession and knowing that such a thing wasn't at all
acceptable. "I'm really sorry. Like I said, it wasn't something I thought
about. I was supposed to feel that way, so I did. Do you understand?"

Ryoko shook her head. "Not really. I've never given a damn about
'supposed to.' I do what I want, say what I want, feel what I want. And
if someone doesn't like it, they can go to hell." She looked over at him.
"Unless they're someone I care about."

"I don't think that's something I can completely agree with, Ryoko."

"Oh," said Ryoko quietly.

"You wanted me to be honest. I'm trying to be. I wish I could lie and say
I never thought bad things about you. I don't want to remember thinking
them."

"I guess that's why you... didn't seem sorry when Kiyone was going to
take me away," said Ryoko. "Right?"

Tenchi closed his eyes, his fists trembling. "I can't change what's
already happened, Ryoko. I guess maybe I can go ask Washuu if she's got a
time machine stuck in her lab someplace. If she does, I'll go back and
tell myself to stop being such an idiot. Other than that, all I can do is
say I'm sorry, and promise not to do it again."

"I don't want you having to mess with one of Washuu's contraptions,
Tenchi. Something might happen to you."

"Thanks." Tenchi stared at the floor for a few moments. "And about what I
said just now. When I said 'criminal', I didn't mean *you*, because I
don't think of you as a criminal anymore, really. Not since... I dunno,
at least since the thing with Washuu's dimension tuner. Probably before
that, even. That's just what I thought of you as, before I got to know
*you*. Yourself."

Ryoko nodded. "Alright. I guess I can understand that, a little."

"And when I said I wanted to live a quiet life, I meant quiet but with
*you* in it."

Ryoko smiled a little. "Are you sure this is *me* you're talking about?"

"You're right," said Tenchi, kissing her. "I guess I'll have to put up
with the noise, then." He pulled her over and put his arms around her.
"I'm sorry, Ryoko. I'll say it as many times as you want, but that's all
I can say. Please, forgive me."

"It's all right, Tenchi," she said, embracing him back. She put her head
on his shoulder. "I love you, no matter what."

For a long time Tenchi sat, holding her, until an idea occurred to him.
"Um, Ryoko?"

"Hmm?"

"If I do something to make it up to you, could you promise not to take
advantage of it?"

"That depends on what you mean by 'take advantage.'"

"I mean, don't make me feel guilty so I'll do it again. Promise?"

"OK. Sure. What are you going to do?"

"Stay home today."

Ryoko brought her head up to face him, her eyes wide. "Really?"

"Yeah. But remember, you promised."

"Alright. Tomorrow doesn't matter, anyway." She hugged him tight. "But
won't you get in trouble?"

"I'll ask my dad to call in and say I'm sick," Tenchi replied.

"Thank you, Tenchi."

"You're welcome, Ryoko." He pulled her closer and bent his head down,
then kissed her. They continued to sit mostly-still, their lips gently
pressed together, as minutes passed them by.

Suddenly, Tenchi's alarm clock started beeping loudly, startling him.
Without glancing away, Ryoko threw her arm out to her side and casually
flung a tiny bolt of bright orange energy from the tip of her index
finger. The bolt smashed into the clock and scattered it across the
floor, now nothing but small, smoldering bits of broken and partially-
melted wire and plastic. Tenchi started to turn his head to look, but
Ryoko already had her hand against his cheek -- not exerting enough force
to keep him from breaking the kiss, merely a reminder that she didn't
want him to. Managing to ignore the faint burnt smell in the air, Tenchi
held her, and Ryoko basked in the warm glow of their embrace, clinging
tenaciously both to Tenchi and the small scrap of precious time she'd
unexpectedly been able to keep from slipping through her fingers.

A few minutes later, downstairs, Sasami wore a hurt and disappointed
expression as she served breakfast. Aeka was the only one at the table
with her. "Where are Tenchi and Ryoko? And Mr. Masaki? And Washuu-chan?"
she asked worriedly.

Aeka frowned and picked at her rice. "Ryoko's probably still upstairs
with Ten-chan," she muttered, thinking out loud without realizing it.

"I'll go get them, then," said Sasami, starting to get up. "Their
breakfast will get cold, and Tenchi'll miss his bus."

Aeka quickly rose. "Um, no, Sasami, I'll go get them," she said
nervously, making her way towards the stairs.

"But what about Mr. Masaki?" asked Sasami.

"I'm sure he's here somewhere," Aeka replied. She reached the first step,
grumbling, then composed herself, not wanted Tenchi to see her angry. She
silently prayed that she'd meet him coming out of his door, rather than
having to hear the sounds of...

*She had to listen to you and Tenchi in the closet, didn't she?*

*That's different!*

*Why?*

*It just IS!*

The worst possible thing, she knew, would be to overhear Tenchi begging
Ryoko not to stop pleasuring him, as the pirate claimed he did. Already
Aeka could hear Tenchi's voice echoing in her head, forming the words.

"Oh, *god*, Ryoko, don't stop!"

Aeka winced.

*He doesn't say that. She was just trying to annoy you -- she said so
herself. Don't give her the satisfaction of distracting you.*

Meanwhile, in the upstairs hall, Nobuyuki conversed quietly with Azaka
and Kamidake while carrying a camcorder slung over his shoulder.

"Are you sure you heard her right?" he whispered.

"I'm sorry..." began Azaka in his usual loud, deep voice.

"Shhhh! They'll hear you!" hissed Nobuyuki.

Azaka continued at a lower volume. "I'm sorry, Nobuyuki-dono, but Aeka-
hime ordered us to prevent you from entering Tenchi-dono's chambers."

"We're terribly sorry about this," said Kamidake. "But we have to obey
Aeka-hime."

"Please don't think unkindly of us because of this," said Azaka.

"We really appreciate your hospitality," said Kamidake.

"But it's my duty as his father to do this!" moaned Nobuyuki. He looked
at the guardians hopefully. "How about if I give you guys a nice coat of
furniture polish?"

"I think I would like that," said Azaka.

"I always like to look my best," agreed Kamidake.

Nobuyuki's face lit up. "Then you'll let me through?"

"I'm sorry, Nobuyuki-dono," apologized Azaka.

"Perhaps if you go ask Aeka-hime and explain how important it is, she'll
change her mind," suggested Kamidake.

Nobuyuki shook his head. "I'll do that later. If they finish soon, I can
at least get a shot of them as they come out the door. I'm really proud
of Tenchi for being able to last this long!" He thought for a moment. "Or
maybe it's all that unagi he had last night."

At the same time, on the other side of the door, Tenchi and Ryoko's lips
parted. "I'd better go ask my dad now," he said. Ryoko nodded and let go,
and Tenchi hurriedly threw on his kimono. Then they stood up. Ryoko took
his hand and leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder as they
walked towards the door.

"Thanks, Tenchi," she said, squeezing his hand.

"Well, don't thank me yet," he answered, starting to slide the door open.
"I still need to get permission from my..."

Tenchi blinked, staring directly into the lens of Nobuyuki's camcorder.

"....DAAAAAAAAAAD!!!"

"Ohayo, you two lovebirds!" said Nobuyuki, keeping the camcorder pointed
at them. "I was trying to get inside, but these two..." he nodded towards
Azaka and Kamidake on either side of the door, "... seem to think they're
supposed to keep me out." Nobuyuki laughed. "Maybe you can help me clear
up this little misunderstanding, Tenchi."

Tenchi gritted his teeth and turned to Azaka. "I thought you two were
going to *stop* him!"

"Ryoko said that Aeka-hime intended us only to stop Nobuyuki-dono from
going into the room to take pictures," replied Azaka.

"Isn't that all we were supposed to do?" asked Kamidake.

"Yeah, I guess," said Tenchi wearily. "Dad, can you call school and tell
them I won't be coming in?"

"Why? Are you sick or something?"

"Not exactly."

"I don't know, Tenchi. You really shouldn't cut school."

Tenchi hung his head for a moment. "I'm sorry, Ryoko," he said quietly.

Ryoko looked at Nobuyuki and batted her lashes. "*Please*, otou-sama!"
She leaned against Tenchi again. "You'll let Tenchi stay home. Ne?"

"Oh, *now* I get it!" said Nobuyuki, slowly nodding. He smiled, reached
over, and patted his son on the back. "Why didn't you say so in the first
place, Tenchi? Of *course* I'll let you stay home. Besides, it's
educational. I'll go right now and call your school."

Tenchi blinked. "What do you mean, educational?"

"Extra studying for sex ed class," replied Nobuyuki. "Now, smile," he
added, bringing the camcorder to bear again.

"Dad! Come on, put it away!" begged Tenchi, holding his hands in front of
his face.

"But, Tenchi, this is *important*," protested Nobuyuki. "I need some more
shots of you two together."

"Just stop it, OK?" Tenchi whined.

Nobuyuki sighed and lowered the camcorder, shaking his head. "I'm really
disappointed in you, Tenchi," he grumbled. "And your mother would be,
too. To think of being ashamed to be seen with such a pretty girl." He
turned and started to walk away.

Tenchi stood, eyes wide, as his father's last sentence repeated in his
head, along with what Ryoko had said earlier.

"To think of being ashamed to be seen with such a pretty girl."

"If you're ashamed of me, then say so."

The words echoed in his mind, over and over and over. Time seemed to
slow, then stop, as Tenchi's gaze went down his arm to his hand clasped
around Ryoko's, then over to his father's receding back. He squeezed her
hand as willpower flowed from his heart, through his brain, and forced
its way out through his vocal cords.

"Dad, come back," he said.

Nobuyuki turned around. "What?"

Again, Tenchi wrestled with himself and won. "Come back. And turn
your..." He hesitated for a moment, and managed to stifle the obscenity
he was about to utter, "... camcorder on."

Nobuyuki rushed into position before his son changed his mind. Tenchi
stood next to Ryoko, looking at the camcorder as if staring down the
barrel of a loaded shotgun. He concentrated on the warmth of Ryoko's hand
against his as Nobuyuki hit the "record" button and a red LED started
flashing.

Ryoko smiled and leaned up against Tenchi, waved at the camera, then
formed a V sign with her fingers. "Hi!" she said cheerily.

Tenchi turned to her and looked down into her face. He smiled.

"I love you, Ryoko," he said. Then he pulled her into his arms and kissed
her, just as, unseen by all three of them, Aeka crested the stairs.

Nobuyuki almost cried. "Honey, I wish you could see our son right now,"
he said quietly. "You'd be so proud of him!"

Aeka slowly turned and started back down the stairs, scarcely able to
believe what she'd seen. She remembered Tenchi's reaction when, that
Sunday night, Nobuyuki had managed to sneak up and take a shot of the two
of them kissing. Tenchi had seemed almost about to die from
embarrassment. Aeka had been incensed by the idea herself -- there was
nothing unpleasant about the filming per se, but the way Nobuyuki went
about it made one feel as if one was being caught doing something dirty,
whether or not one was. To say nothing of the way he popped up with no
warning and without regard for the subject's privacy.

But just now, Tenchi had stood in front of Nobuyuki's camera, without the
slightest sign of apprehension, and kissed Ryoko. Deliberately. And even
though Aeka didn't like the idea of allowing Nobuyuki to intrude on one
of her and Tenchi's private romantic moments, she couldn't help but feel
envy creeping outward from the core of her soul, fueled by a question
burning in her mind.

How in the world had Ryoko managed to force Tenchi to do that?

"Now, I'm letting you stay home for a reason, Tenchi," said Nobuyuki, his
voice carrying down the stairs towards Aeka. "So get back in there.
Shoo!"

Aeka heard Tenchi grumble something she couldn't quite make out, before
she heard the door to his bedroom clack shut. She ignored Nobuyuki's
footsteps closing behind her, and at the foot of the stairs he passed
her, then stopped and turned around.

"If you're looking for Tenchi, he's upstairs in his room," said Nobuyuki.
"I'm letting him stay home today."

"I... see," said Aeka levelly.

"Yeah, he's probably expecting you. Ryoko's already there."

Aeka clenched her teeth and summoned all of her patience. "Thank you for
informing me," she said, her voice icy.

Nobuyuki bowed. "No, thank *you* for being so patient with my son all
these months. He just... doesn't express his feelings well, sometimes.
Please forgive him." Nobuyuki sniffled. "His mother would be so proud of
him now. I wish she could have met you two girls. I really think she
would have liked you." He raised his head again, and wiped his eyes.

"Thank you very much. And you needn't trouble yourself," replied Aeka,
trying to digest this glimpse of a different side of Mr. Masaki. "There
is nothing I could not forgive him."

Aeka's eyes bugged out in absolute shock as Nobuyuki grabbed her and
hugged her. "I'm so happy my son's got such a beautiful girl who loves
him so much!" he cried. Then he backed away, nervously rubbing the back
of his neck. "I'm glad Tenchi didn't see me do that. He'd probably think
I was trying to get fresh with one of his ladies!" Nobuyuki chuckled,
before glancing at his watch. "Uh-oh, I'm running late. Anyway, like I
said, he's upstairs. I'm sure he's waiting for you. Sayonara," said
Nobuyuki, rushing off. He turned the corner towards the front door, then
halted, stood for a moment, glanced over his shoulder to be sure he
wasn't being watched, and quickly slipped through the door into Washuu's
lab.

Aeka frowned in thought as she walked to the breakfast table again,
absent-mindedly straightening her kimono. She knew she shouldn't be *too*
angry with Nobuyuki for his lack of propriety. Her mother did much the
same thing. The embarrassing prospect of the roles being reversed --
Jurai's empress grabbing Tenchi in one of her famous crushing hugs -- was
not something Aeka was looking forward to. 

The princess sighed, trying to drive from her mind the thought of what
her *father* would do. The worst Tenchi might suffer at her mother's
hands would be some affectionately-broken bones.

But once Aeka's mind cleared of images of the emperor's wrath, it filled
once more with what she'd been thinking of on the way down the stairs.

Tenchi was staying home today?

At first, Aeka could scarcely believe it.

Then, since she'd heard Tenchi go back into his room and shut the door,
she couldn't maintain her disbelief, and anger took its place. Ryoko had
seduced Tenchi, obviously. She'd tempted his body until it overrode his
mind -- melted stern resolve with heated promises of fleshly pleasure --
defeated lofty thoughts of consequences with the sensuousness of the
immediate moment. Certainly Ryoko would have no qualms about doing so. A
twinge of fear went through Aeka as she thought of Ryoko's frightening
lack of inhibition. The pirate ignored everything that was proper and
expected and decent, all the things which everyone else accepted to guide
their actions, in much the same way as she passed unhindered through
solid walls. Both aspects were unnatural, and neither of them ever failed
to unnerve Aeka. Yes, it would be just like Ryoko to ignore what should
be done in favor of something more enjoyable.

But it wasn't like Tenchi.

Aeka simply couldn't picture Tenchi being persuaded like that. She
wondered if she was just trying to blind herself to the painful fact that
Tenchi found Ryoko desirable, and decided that she wasn't. She didn't
think *she* could sway him that way, either. Tenchi wasn't easily moved
by lust. Ryoko had tried that route many times before, and failed. No,
what swayed Tenchi -- always -- was a need for protection, comforting,
and reassurance.

Aeka sighed. Of course. Ryoko had begged and pleaded and cried a flood of
tears, and in the end Tenchi had broken down and given in. That was
something Aeka could imagine quite easily. 

*Damn that woman! Why must she always be so insufferably selfish?!*

*But wouldn't you enjoy it if he stayed home for YOU?*

*Certainly I would. But I would not be so undisciplined as to ask it of
him.*

*Does he really need to go? Couldn't he simply stay home and learn from
Washuu? Just as you and Sasami did, from the tutors at court?*

*That's not the point! It's a matter of principle. Duty is duty. Why
can't she understand that?*

*Perhaps that's it. She doesn't understand. And if she doesn't
understand, can you really blame her?*

*Since when has Ryoko ever been INNOCENT?*

*Is what she did really that bad?*

*Why should he stay home with her, on HER day, yet not stay with me on
MINE?*

*If you don't ask him to, of course he won't stay.*

*That's exactly the point! I WOULDN'T ask him! I'm not like HER!*

*You shouldn't hate her so much. Didn't he ask you to befriend her?*

Aeka's shoulders slumped as she remembered her conversation with Tenchi,
the previous morning.

"You two seem to be getting along a little better. I'm really glad to see
that," Tenchi had said.

"I've been trying very hard. And I think she has been making some effort
as well, I must admit," Aeka had replied.

"As long as the two of you aren't fighting, I'll be happy. But I'd be
even happier if you became friends. Can't you be, now?" he had asked.

"Oh, Ten-chan, why must you be so terribly naive?" the princess sighed.
It was doomed from the very start, she knew, but she resolved to attempt
it. To achieve even the most tenuous of friendships with Ryoko would make
Tenchi happy, and that was what mattered, after all.

But how would they resolve the matter at hand, if they *were* friends?
And if no understanding could be met, how to show Tenchi that she
understood and supported him, even if Ryoko did not? Lost in thought,
Aeka silently nibbled at her breakfast for a few minutes.

"Sasami, would you please pass me the shouyu?" she said after a while. No
answer came. "Sasami?" repeated Aeka, looking up.

No one was there. And, she realized, no one had been, since she'd come
back downstairs.

Aeka blinked. "Where *is* everyone this morning?"

Down in Washuu's lab, a door slid open in mid-air. Out of the door walked
Sasami, with Mihoshi and Kiyone right behind her.

"Ohayo, Washuu-chan," said the two officers.

"Ohayo. So, they were already awake, Sasami-chan?" said Washuu, looking
up from her computer.

Sasami nodded. "Uh-huh. I'm really glad you made this invention, Washuu-
chan. Now we can have Kiyone and Mihoshi over for breakfast every day!"

Kiyone looked around, then quickly walked over to Washuu and bent down.
"Um, Washuu-chan, are you sure this is such a good idea? I mean, making
it so easy for Mihoshi to get into your lab where she can..."

A loud crash interrupted Kiyone. Knowing exactly what it had to be, she
turned her head towards the sound and snarled angrily. "MIHOSHI!!!"

"I'm *sorry*!" sobbed Mihoshi, standing in front of a large, tumbled pile
of metal rods, shattered glass, and sparking electrical wires. "I didn't
mean to!"

"Mihoshi, can't you watch what you're doing, for *ONCE*?!?!" shouted
Kiyone. "Now you've wrecked one of Washuu's experiments!"

"Actually, I put that together just so Mihoshi could break it," said
Washuu calmly, standing up. "It's insurance to protect my real
experiments."

Kiyone wiped her brow just as Sasami piped up from a dozen meters or so
across the lab. "What's *this*, Washuu-chan?" asked the princess, gazing
at a bright globe of blazing light set inside another glistening,
translucent blue sphere. The object floated in the air above a
complicated-looking device which projected a web of thin beams of light
around it.

"*That* is my latest invention!" replied Washuu proudly. "I've taken a
star just nanoseconds from going supernova, shrunk it down, and contained
it inside a special stasis field. Now, if the field is shut down, the
star will explode. If this went off right now, it'd vaporize everything
from here clear out past the cometary halo."

"That's pretty big, even for a supernova," said Kiyone, nervously
glancing at the device.

Washuu nodded. "Well, this star's a Class-I blue giant. Actually, it
might explode halfway out to Alpha Centauri, if I tickle it just the
right way."

Mihoshi quickly rushed up to Sasami and interposed herself between the
princess and the captured star. "I think you should stay away from this,
Sasami-chan," said Mihoshi. "I'm sure it's very..."

"NO, MIHOSHI, DON'T TOUCH THAT!!!" shouted Kiyone and Washuu
simultaneously.

"...dangerous," finished Mihoshi, just as she bumped the device.

A voice identical to those of Washuu's mini-robots, but much louder,
echoed through the lab. "Releasing stasis field. Stellar core collapse 
resumption and restoration of specimen to pre-capture volume in five...
four... three..."

Washuu summoned her keyboard as fast as she could and hit keys in rapid
succession.

"...two... one... ze... specimen returned to originating coordinates,"
announced the voice. "Restoration to pre-capture volume confirmed. Core
collapse confirmed. Estimate arrival of shockwave at chromosphere in one
hour fifty-eight minutes forty seconds with a velocity of..."

Washuu pressed another key, silencing the voice, and started to breathe
again.

"Is it safe now?" asked Kiyone.

"Yes, it's safe," replied Washuu. "I just hope no one happens to be close
to that thing a couple hours from now."

"It won't blow up for another two hours?" asked Mihoshi. "Why were you in
such a hurry, then?"

Washuu sighed and shook her head. "Oh, no particular reason. We'd have
been inside a star, that's all."

"Oh, wow!" gasped Mihoshi. "I've always wondered what the inside of a
star looked like!"

"Maybe you should let her find out," said Kiyone, her voice low enough so
that only Washuu could hear her.

For just a moment, Washuu considered it. It had taken her until nearly
three in the morning to set up that experiment, not counting the time it
had taken to find a suitable star. She clenched her fists and mentally
calculated the first fifty or so digits of pi until she calmed down.
"Mihoshi, come here," she said, after a few seconds.

Mihoshi walked over, looking sad and embarrassed. "I'm *sorry*, Washuu-
chan. I didn't mean to..."

Washuu shook her head again as she fiddled with her console. "Never mind.
Smile."

Obediently, Mihoshi smiled.

"OK, done," said Washuu. Mihoshi leaned over and saw a likeness of her
own face on the screen.

"What's that for?" she asked.

"The next time I revise the glossary to my Introduction to Quantum
Mechanics textbook, instead of *writing* something for the definition of
'entropy', I'm going to put in this picture, instead."

Mihoshi's eyes widened. "Gee, thanks, Washuu-chan!"

"Don't mention it," replied the scientist. "Now, you three go up to
breakfast."

"Aren't you coming, Washuu-chan?" asked Sasami, concerned.

"I'll be along in a little while, Sasami-chan," assured Washuu. "Don't
you worry. But there's something I have to fix first."

"OK. Just hurry up, or it'll get cold," said the princess, as she and the
GP officers headed towards the exit. They were almost there when the door
opened and Nobuyuki slunk inside. He straightened up and found himself
face to face with Mihoshi.

"I, uh, guess you're wondering why I'm sneaking into Washuu-chan's lab,
right?" he asked, sweating as he took a quick, stealthy peek down the top
of Mihoshi's blouse.

"Oh, no! I'm sure you've got a very good reason," replied Mihoshi
sincerely, not having noticed the darting of Nobuyuki's eyes. She and the
other two girls made their way around him -- Kiyone giving him a mildly
disapproving look -- and left the lab. Once the door shut, Nobuyuki
turned and walked towards Washuu.

"Um, Washuu-chan, I have a favor I'd like to ask," he said.

"Favor, huh?" said Washuu, not looking up from her keyboard. "What kind,
exactly?"

"It involves Tenchi."

"So does everything else around here, it seems. And?"

Nobuyuki wrung his hands in frustration. "He's sleeping with Aeka and
Ryoko now, and I've been trying so hard to capture it on tape for
posterity, but those log things -- Azaka and Kamidake -- they won't let
me into his room!"

Washuu nodded. "Juraian guardians aren't anything to mess with. I
wouldn't try to get past them, if I were you."

"Oh, I don't think they'd hurt me. But they're so stubborn about it,"
grumbled Nobuyuki.

"So, what do you want me to do about it?" asked Washuu.

"Well, do you have any... I don't know, X-ray vision cameras, or anything
like that?"

"Nope. Sorry," answered Washuu. "But there's something you can give me,
which would help *both* of us."

Nobuyuki's eyes widened. "Anything! If it will help me record my son's
development, no sacrifice is too great!"

Washuu grinned as she tapped some keys. "That's what I figured you'd
say."

Four clamps on the ends of gleaming metallic tentacles grabbed Nobuyuki's
wrists and ankles, pulling him spread-eagle in mid-air as a blinking
crystalline helmet with countless wires attached to it came down over his
head.

Inside his room, Tenchi sneezed, then leaned against the wall, shaking
his head. "I can't *believe* he said that! Why does my dad have to be so
*ecchi*!"

Ryoko chuckled. "Shouldn't you respect your dad, Tenchi?" she asked.
"And, anyway," she added, her voice turning sultry as she floated in
front of Tenchi and kissed him, "would you like to?"

"Sure, Ryoko, but not when my dad *tells* me to," he replied, annoyed.
"Can't he understand that it's none of his business?" Tenchi sighed. "I'm
sorry. But when he does stuff like that, it doesn't exactly get me in the
mood."

"It's OK, I can wait," said Ryoko. She put her arms around his neck and
kissed him again. "Besides, we're late for breakfast. Hungry?"

"A little, but I don't want to go downstairs until my dad leaves,"
replied Tenchi. Then he frowned, starting to sweat a little. "I just had
a really scary thought. What if he decides to stay home? We'll be stuck
in here all day!"

Ryoko pouted, then starting rubbing herself against him. "Is it so *bad*
to be trapped somewhere with me?"

Tenchi kissed her. "No, but I'm going to have to eat and go to the
bathroom *sometime* today."

"I'll pop downstairs and check in a while, OK? In the meantime," she
said, as the tail of her dress curled around his leg, "we can lie down
and cuddle, ne?" She gave his neck a brief lick. "Ne, Tenchi?"

Tenchi smiled as he looked her in the eyes. "Are you sure you wouldn't
like me to call you 'koneko' sometimes?"

Ryoko brought her lips next to his ear. "Yes, I'm sure," she whispered
seductively. "But I'd love for you to take me back to bed and pet me."

Meanwhile, Aeka was just about to go looking for Sasami when the younger
princess walked in to the kitchen with Mihoshi and Kiyone in tow. Aeka
quickly got up and bowed. "Ohayo."

"Ohayo," replied the two officers.

"I invited Kiyone and Mihoshi over for breakfast," said Sasami happily.

Aeka smiled. "Please, do join us," she offered.

The two officers bowed and sat down, followed by Aeka, as Sasami rushed
off to get two more place settings from the kitchen. She returned and set
them down, and took a seat herself. Then the four girls began eating.

After a minute or two, Sasami looked around worriedly. "Where are Tenchi
and Ryoko?" she asked.

Aeka waited just a moment before answering. "They're upstairs, Sasami,"
she said. "I think you should save breakfast for them," she added
quietly.

"But it's almost time for him to go wait for his bus," said Sasami.
"Isn't he going? He's not sick, is he?"

For a moment Aeka considered the question, her mind picturing Ryoko as a
kind of deadly, virulent plague. Then she took control of her thoughts
and chastised herself. She and Ryoko had been enemies for a long time, it
was true. They definitely weren't friends, even after the tumultuous
events of late. And many of the things Ryoko did had malice at their
root. But to write off the pirate's every action and every motive as
innately evil would solve nothing. Even putting aside Tenchi's sweet but
foolish hope for friendship between the two girls, Aeka realized that
deluding herself about Ryoko wouldn't help her fight her. To prevail, she
would need to see her adversary with vision unclouded by hate, to accept
that, sometimes, though Ryoko's actions might be wrong, her motives might
not be. She wasn't some sort of primal malevolent force. She was a
person, like any other. Maybe even a little like Aeka herself.

And perhaps, Aeka considered, perhaps if she made an effort to treat
Ryoko as such, life might be a bit more pleasant at times.

Aeka smiled slightly. "No, Sasami, he's not sick. Don't worry. I believe
he and Ryoko had something they needed to talk about."

"Oh, by the way," said Kiyone, reaching into one of her pockets. "Could
you hang on to this, Aeka?" she asked, holding out a key on the end of a
leather thong. "It's the spare to our apartment. This way you can lock
the door, if you use Washuu's portal to go into town."

"I hadn't considered that use of the portal," said Aeka contemplatively.
"I had intended to go shopping on Sunday, but didn't get the chance.
Perhaps this would be a good opportunity."

"But we did go shopping," replied Mihoshi. "We went to the mall and
everything, remember?"

"I don't think that trip to the Tenoji Mio is what Aeka had in mind,"
laughed Kiyone.

Aeka joined in with a demure laugh of her own. "No, it certainly wasn't."
She bowed slightly. "Thank you very much, Kiyone. You are most
thoughtful."

"Uh, actually, it was Mihoshi's idea," said Kiyone.

Aeka blinked, then turned and bowed to Mihoshi. "Thank you very much,
Mihoshi."

Mihoshi waved her hands and blushed. "Oh, don't mention it."

Kiyone finished her food and took a quick sip of tea. "Hurry up, Mihoshi.
Or we'll be late for work."

"Oh, yeah! I almost forgot!" Mihoshi wolfed down the rest of her
breakfast, gulped her tea, and stood up, followed by Kiyone. The two
officers bowed to the princesses.

"Thank you," said Kiyone. "Especially you, Sasami."

"It was yummy!" added Mihoshi, looking over at the younger princess.
"That was much better than last week -- we had to skip breakfast every
day because we spent too much at the karaoke bar and we didn't have
enough money in our budget to..."

"MIHOSHI!" snarled Kiyone.

"Oh, sorry," apologized Mihoshi. "I guess I shouldn't have said that,
'cause Kiyone always gets so embarrassed whenever I talk about all the
money problems we have with..."

"MIHOSHI!!"

Mihoshi stopped herself, and she and Kiyone bowed goodbye, then hurried
towards Washuu's lab. Remembering something she wanted to talk to Washuu
about, Aeka got up as well, leaving Sasami to her breakfast. The three
older girls opened the door to the lab and headed inside.

This time they ran into Nobuyuki heading out. He bowed to them and
hurried off to the front door. The girls entered the laboratory to find
Washuu examining some sort of schematic on her computer.

"Now, you two probably want me to show you how to get back to your
apartment, right?" she asked, not looking up from her work.

"Yes, Washuu-chan," said Kiyone. "If you could show us how to work it..."

"First, I'm moving it," said Washuu. With a few taps on her keyboard, a
large hole opened up in the air. Out of it she withdrew the door that led
to Mihoshi and Kiyone's apartment. She pressed another key, and the hole
closed. Then she headed towards the exit, carrying the door, with the
other girls following behind her.

Once they were outside, Washuu placed the door upright against the wall
next to the bath. She extended her hands, and her keyboard appeared
underneath them. Another brief flurry of typing ensued. White light
momentarily engulfed the door before it vanished. "OK, it's ready," she
announced.

"But how...?" asked Kiyone.

Washuu knocked once on the wall. The door instantly reappeared.
"Understand?" she asked.

The girls nodded. Kiyone opened the door, revealing nothing but darkness
beyond, before she and Mihoshi waved goodbye, stepped through, and shut
it.

Washuu wiped her brow. "Now that *that* little problem's fixed, I can eat
breakfast without worrying about Mihoshi popping into my lab and
destroying the entire Sol system."

"If you have a moment, Washuu-chan, there's a favor I wanted to ask of
you," said Aeka, bowing her head slightly.

"A favor, huh? It seems everyone wants one of those lately," said Washuu.
"What is it you want?"

"Well, there was an addition I wanted to make to Ten-chan's room," said
Aeka. She blushed slightly. "For... intimate matters."

"A bigger bed, is that it?" asked Washuu.

Aeka thought about it. The bed she'd had on Ryuu-oh *was* quite a bit
larger than Tenchi's. But after a moment, she decided to stick to her
original plan. "No, I need some chains. And manacles. Made out of
precious metal, if possible. I'm not sure where I could buy them, on
Earth."

Washuu grinned. "Ah. I see. Doing some engineering?"

Aeka blinked, confused for a moment. "No, chemistry," she replied,
wondering if she had remembered Washuu's metaphor correctly. "I can have
the funds transferred to you from the Royal treasury on Jurai, if you
need to purchase the materials."

"Purchase?" laughed Washuu. "Don't be silly!"

Aeka's expression turned serious. "Please understand that I don't mean
this as an insult, but if this involves theft..."

"No, no, no," said Washuu, waving her hands. "What I mean is, if I have
enough protons and neutrons, the *last* thing I need to worry about is
how many there are in each nucleus. What do you want the chains made of,
silver? Gold? Platinum? Or I could use a non-radioactive uranium isotope,
if you'd like them to be really heavy."

"It truly makes no difference?" asked Aeka.

Washuu grinned proudly. "None whatsoever."

"Platinum would be nice." 

"Platinum it is, then."

Aeka hesitated briefly. "You're quite sure? It's not too much trouble?"

Washuu patted Aeka's hand, taking on a maternal demeanor for just a
moment. "No, it's not too much trouble. Don't worry." She grinned and
laughed again. "'Too much trouble?' Any of my students could have done
this after their first semester! Assuming I hadn't flunked them, of
course."

"You have my heartfelt thanks, Washuu-chan," said Aeka in the sincerest
of tones. She bowed again, smiling. "This means very much to me. You
truly *are* the greatest genius in the universe." She straightened up,
then giggled slightly. "Oh, I can't *wait* to show them to Ten-chan!"
Then the princess quickly regained her composure. "Well, I won't keep you
from breakfast any longer."

"I'll start the chains going now. That way they'll be done once I'm
finished eating," said Washuu, walking over to the door to her lab and
opening it.

"But there's an important measurement I need to take first," said Aeka,
following her. Then her expression became rather worried. "I hope Ten-
chan doesn't misunderstand my reasons, though," she added quietly. "And I
don't want to have to explain it to him. I want to make it a surprise."

The door shut behind them. "No need to embarrass Tenchi," said Washuu. "I
have comprehensive physical data on him." She grinned. "Especially *that*
data."

Aeka blinked. "How do you know what I need to measure?" she asked, before
frowning in anger. "And how are *you* privy to such information, anyway?"

Washuu summoned her computer and started typing. "Firstly, when you teach
classes to students from all over the galaxy, you learn a few things
about their customs. And secondly, I've scanned him quite a few times." A
wire-frame diagram of Tenchi appeared on her screen. "Here it is. Every
dimension of every body part, down to the angstrom."

Aeka relaxed for a moment, then tensed again. "Yes, but the measurement
needs to be taken when he's..." She began twiddling her fingers. "When
he's... he's..."

"Erect?" asked Washuu.

Aeka nodded. "Yes. He... wasn't, when you...?" She gulped and looked at
Washuu. "Was he?"

Washuu grinned wickedly. "I think I'll let you wonder about that. But
even if he wasn't, it's trivial to extrapolate, given the data I already
have." She tapped some keys, and a nearby transparent cylindrical chamber
lit up.

"About what you said, regarding your students. How did you find out such
a thing?" asked Aeka.

"Because one of them did just what I'm doing now for a mid-term lab,"
explained the scientist, as gas hissed loudly on entering the chamber.
"They had to synthesize solid matter from raw sub-atomic particles. Most
of them just made lumps of beryllium or carbon, but I gave bonus points
for going higher up the periodic table, and for being able to mold the
material during formation. And one of the Juraian students made a set of
chains."

"She did?"

"No, he did."

Aeka's eyes widened. "He made a set of chains for *himself*?" she asked
in an awed, disbelieving voice. She closed her eyes, clasped her arms to
her chest, and sighed dreamily. "Bound by chains forged in the fires of
his own heart. Oh, how romantic that must have been!" Then she opened her
eyes again, and her face fell as she thought about how unlikely it was
that Tenchi would do such a thing for her.

Washuu noticed. She stopped typing, and looked up at the princess. "If he
knew you wanted him to, he would, Aeka. Or at least, he'd try."

Aeka nodded sadly. "I know."

"You could tell him."

Aeka shook her head. "It just wouldn't be the same if I *asked* him to."

"No, I don't suppose it would be," agreed Washuu.

"I merely wish that he'd *want* to learn Juraian customs," said Aeka. She
hung her head sorrowfully. "Though I can't really blame Ten-chan, given
the way I introduced him to them. It's my own fault for blinding myself,"
she added quietly. "I truly wish I had seen clearer. As it is, I think
he'll always look on them either as something fearful, or as a kind of
silly game."

"Maybe, and then again, maybe not," said Washuu, pressing a key. Gleaming
ribbons of light appeared within the chamber, glowing brighter by the
instant. "People are a lot harder to predict than atoms, sometimes. Give
Tenchi a chance." She smiled. "Always remember that love is the most
quantum of all phenomena."

Aeka smiled. "Thank you, Washuu-sensei."

"You're welcome, Aeka."

For a moment, Aeka frowned, thinking. "Regarding your student, that still
doesn't explain how you knew... what needed to be measured." Then her
eyes widened suddenly. "Surely he didn't measure it in *class*?" she
gasped.

Washuu chuckled. "No. But why else would he take a laser micrometer to
the restroom with him?"

"Well, I trust you gave him the highest marks."

"Nope. Flunked him."

"But whatever *for*?"

"After making the chains, he didn't show up for class for a week
straight."

"Oh, I think that's quite understandable," said Aeka, smiling.

"Yeah, well I *told* them that coed dorms wouldn't be good for the
students' performance," grumbled Washuu.

"That depends entirely on what you mean by 'performance,' doesn't it?"

Washuu thought about it for a moment. "I see your point," she said
finally.

"One other thing," said Aeka. "As I've said, I truly do appreciate this.
Is there anything I can do to return the favor?"

"Hmm... well, there is *one* thing. There's a sample I'd like to get."

Aeka's eyes widened. "Washuu... I simply must refuse. It would be a
betrayal of Ten-chan's trust."

"That's not the sample I was asking for, though I wouldn't mind that,
either. But what I want is a sample of Ryuu-oh's sap."

Aeka looked shocked for a moment, then bowed. "I'm sorry, Washuu-chan.
But if that is the price of your favor, again, I must refuse." For a
brief instant disappointment filled her, quickly giving way to pride,
pride born of the knowledge that there were some obligations to Jurai
that she *did* keep. During every day she'd stayed since the first, the
voices of her offended forebears had whispered in her mind, reminding her
of oaths she'd bent and broken. In recent days those low, resentful
voices had become accusing screams. But now, for the moment, the
princess' ancestors were silent. Aeka straightened up. "Please
understand. The royal trees are vital to Jurai's power. For an enemy to
learn how to control or duplicate them would be disastrous for us. And so
it is my duty to see that knowledge of their nature never leaves Jurai's
royal family."

Washuu looked at Aeka, her expression unreadable.

"By 'enemy', I most assuredly did *not* mean you, Washuu-chan," the
princess quickly added. "If it were only up to me, I would trust you. I
have thought of asking you, before, actually -- to see if you might be
able to make Ryuu-oh fly again. But I must keep my promises."

"I probably *could* make it fly again, Aeka," replied Washuu. "I know you
don't want to leave, because of Tenchi, but it must hurt not being *able*
to."

"Please don't try to tempt me," said Aeka. "In this matter, I have no
choice." She bowed again. "I suppose I'll have to obtain the chains is
some other fashion."

Washuu shook her head. "No, you won't."

Aeka's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"I'll think of something else." Washuu smiled. "I don't know what, but
something."

Aeka was in mid-bow when the door to the lab opened and Sasami poked her
head inside. "Aren't you two coming to breakfast?" the younger princess
asked. "It's getting cold."

"Coming right away, Sasami-chan," replied Washuu, starting to walk to the
door with Aeka following her.

"I'll be outside with Ryo-ohki if you need me. And when Tenchi and Ryoko
come downstairs, tell them their breakfasts are in the oven," Sasami
called back just before she let the door close.

Washuu resisted the reflex to glance up at Aeka's face after hearing
Sasami's last sentence. For the moment she merely wanted to observe the
unfolding events, not alter them, and the Uncertainty Principle applied
just as much to people as it did to atoms. She quickly analyzed the data
at hand, considered the various possibilities, and arrived at a
conclusion.

Tenchi wasn't sick or injured. All of the girls would have been upstairs
doting on him, if he were. 
                                     
Tenchi wasn't dabbling in truancy because he didn't feel like going to
school. From what Washuu had seen, he wasn't a bad student, and he
actually *liked* school, after a fashion.

Tenchi wasn't staying home to have sex. She didn't need to call up his
recorded hentai pattern to determine *that*. Knowing Ryoko, sex was
probably in the offing anyway, but it wasn't Tenchi's motivation. He had
a fairly tight rein on his hormones for a male human his age. Perhaps
just a little *too* tight, but that was another matter entirely.
                                     
Which left just one other basic possibility, which Aeka had probably
deduced as well, if she was being honest with herself.

There was no need to look at the princess' face, Washuu knew. The pain
would be hidden deep.

Part of her wanted very much to sit Aeka, Ryoko, and Tenchi down, give
each one a good, solid whack on the head, and tell them what was what.
They were blind, stumbling children, all three of them, barely out of
diapers, even. Carefree infants toddling around the nursery with razor-
sharp knives in their hands, with no knowledge of how deep those knives
could cut.

No, not infants, really. They could learn, a little. Perhaps. But they
desperately needed her to make them sit still for a while, stop wounding
each other, and listen to the knowledge she would impart. For their own
good.

And yet, Washuu knew deep down, that wouldn't work.

They were much too headstrong, and the instruction was of much too
personal a nature, for them to listen and learn from her. Just like Ryoko
had been, that night, when Washuu had finally fixed the damaged dimension
tuner, and had asked her to willingly give up the perfect world she had
created. In the end, Ryoko had made the right choice, and in doing so had
grown a little. Hopefully, all three of them would, this time. But they
had to do so on their own. Trying to force them would only make things
worse. 

That was often the nature of such things. Some data would never be
believed unless one analyzed it for oneself. And sometimes, though
rarely, the most enlightening part of an experiment was learning exactly
why the lab had blown up. Mistakes, discoveries -- the two were
frequently one and the same.

She would wait, Washuu decided. If they came to her and asked, she would
answer, but until then, she would simply watch, letting them stumble and
learn.

Washuu reached up, turned the door handle, and pulled.

"I hope Sasami-chan fixed plenty of breakfast this morning," she said.
"I'm *starving*!"

Meanwhile, Tenchi and Ryoko lay face to face in the middle of his bed,
snuggled together under the covers as they kissed and slowly let their
hands roam each other's bodies. Though Tenchi, Ryoko decided, was being
much more forceful in his caresses than he had when they'd first lain
down. At the moment he had one arm wrapped around her waist, while she
could feel the other hand softly kneading one of her breasts, then the
other, as Tenchi alternated between them. There was a definite urgency
about his kisses, too. Ryoko slid her hand down between Tenchi's legs and
confirmed her suspicions. "Oooh, is this for *me*?" she asked, slowly
rubbing his erection.

Tenchi broke the kiss for a moment and looked around the room. "I don't
see anyone else here," he said.

Continuing to rub, she brought her face closer to his. "All mine, huh?
And just what should I do with it?"

"Whatever you want," Tenchi answered, putting both arms around her.

"I think I know what *you* want me to do," Ryoko said, smiling. She put
her elbows on Tenchi's chest and rested her chin on her hands. "There was
another reason you were pretending to be asleep, ne?"

Tenchi rubbed the back of his neck and grinned, but didn't say anything.

Ryoko floated up and sat lotus-style in the air, sideways, her arms
folded across her chest as she looked down sternly at Tenchi. "You wanted
me to think you weren't awake yet, so I'd suck you off, didn't you?" she
said accusingly.

Tenchi blushed. "Uh, well..."

"You were trying to trick me into giving you a blowjob, ne?" Ryoko poked
at the tip of his nose with her finger. "Ne, Tenchi?"

"Well, I guess I *had*, um, thought of that," he replied.

Ryoko quickly floated back half a meter. "Oh, *my*!" she gasped, in the
sweet, tremulous voice she'd used when the two of them had first met.
"Here I thought you were so brave and heroic, protecting me and letting
me stay here when I had no place else to go. But you were just hoping to
take advantage of me, weren't you?" She put her hands in front of her
face, managing to look very embarrassed. "And now that you've got me all
alone, you're trying to make me do all *kinds* of nasty things with you.
Don't you understand that I'm not that sort of girl, you awful hentai!"
Ryoko closed her eyes and put her hand to her forehead. "Oh! I'm so
scared! Oh, I think I'm going to... oooooohhhh...." She swooned and
drifted down on top of Tenchi, lying in a pretended faint for a few
seconds before she started giggling.

"Ha, ha, very funny," said Tenchi in a sarcastic voice.

She put her arms around his neck and kissed him. "Well, I guess this
means no more 'Ryoko, you don't have to do that,' right?"

"Yeah. I guess you could say I've decided to stop struggling."

Ryoko pouted and twirled the tip of her finger on Tenchi's chest.
"Awwww... but you're so *kawaii* when you struggle!"

Tenchi blinked. "I am?"

"Mmm-hmm," Ryoko answered. She grabbed both of his wrists. "Struggle for
me, Tenchi."

"Huh?"

"Try to get away," she explained, kissing him.

"Ryoko, I promised you I wouldn't do that," Tenchi said seriously.

"It's just playing, Tenchi," Ryoko assured him. "Go ahead. Try to get
away. Do your best."

After a moment of indecision, Tenchi started trying to pull free. Ryoko
held him fast and began kissing and licking his neck, whispering taunts
at him. He tried harder. Ryoko pressed down on top of him, cooing
seductively as their squirming bodies rubbed against each other in the
midst of Tenchi's futile escape throes. Then their lips met, and Tenchi's
struggles ceased as he and Ryoko's tongues darted into one another's
mouths and they wrapped their arms around each other.

Two or three minutes later, Ryoko felt down between Tenchi's legs again,
then smiled. "I see *you* liked that, too," she said.

Tenchi smiled back at her. "I'm not complaining."

Ryoko hand rubbed some more. "I've got an idea," she said. "Close your
eyes and pretend to be asleep again, and *I'll* pretend I don't know
you're awake." She kissed him. "Sound OK to you?"

Tenchi nodded, smiling in anticipation. "It sounds OK."

Ryoko ran her tongue along her index finger, then slowly trailed the wet
fingertip down Tenchi's cheek. "Anything special you'd like me to do?"

Tenchi thought very briefly. "Well..." he began, before hesitating.

"Come on, Tenchi," Ryoko said, tracing the tip of the finger around his
face. "Isn't it a little late to be shy *now*?"

Tenchi blushed, then nodded and continued. "When you, uh, held it in your
teeth, and then you licked it. That was really good, Ryoko."

Ryoko folded her hands and rested her chin on them. "Is that so?" she
asked.

Tenchi nodded. "Yeah. Could you, uh, do that again?"

"Oh, I guess if I *have* to," she answered, giggling. "So, you like it
when I use my teeth, huh?"

"Yeah. It kind of... turns me on, I guess."

Ryoko leaned forward and put her mouth next to Tenchi's ear. "Any reason
why?" she asked. "Not that I mind at all if something about me turns you
on," she added in a sultry whisper, before kissing him.

"Well... I don't know. Maybe because it's a little scary, and it reminds
me that I don't need to be afraid of you anymore."

Ryoko sighed, and her face saddened a bit. "You never did need to be
afraid of me, Tenchi," she said quietly, as she bent down to gently give
him another kiss.

Tenchi groaned and put a hand over his face. "AAAAARRGGHH!! Not *AGAIN*!
What *is* it with me, this morning?!"

"It's *OK*, Tenchi," she said, smiling at him and kissing him once more.

"Ryoko, I'm sorry, but..." he began.

"Shut up, Tenchi," she whispered, tenderly pressing her lips against his.
"You're spoiling it."

"I know, I didn't mean..." he started.

"I said 'shut up,'" she said, her voice soft and lilting, after silencing
him again. "If you want to say you're sorry, tell me you love me,
instead. I'd much rather hear that."

Tenchi nodded. "I love you, Ryoko."

Ryoko closed her eyes, treasuring the sound of the words. Tenchi leaned
up and kissed her, then put his arms around her and pulled her down
against him. After a few minutes, she held his chin in her hand, kissed
him, and looked him deep in the eyes. "Now, do you want to pick up where
we left off?" she asked.

Tenchi shook his head. "If you don't mind, Ryoko, I'd rather just hold
you for a while."

Ryoko lay her head on Tenchi's chest and closed her eyes again. "Hold me,
then," she said. "I don't mind at all."

Downstairs at the breakfast table, Aeka sat in silent thought, every so
often eating a small bit of food. Across from her, Washuu ate just as
silently but with much more gusto, her green eyes observing the princess
between bites.

Aeka swallowed another morsel of fish and kept on thinking, asking
herself the same questions, over and over again.

What could she do, to keep her promise to Tenchi and try her best to
befriend Ryoko? How to undertake a task she knew to be impossible?

She forced herself to briefly consider Ryoko's current situation. Not
what the pirate was probably doing at that exact moment, upstairs with
Tenchi. *That* definitely didn't bear thinking about. But Ryoko was hurt
by Tenchi having to leave each day. She wasn't merely putting on an act
to cause trouble, or for some other sinister purpose. The suffering was
genuine. And what would Aeka do, knowing that a friend was in pain?

Ryoko, a *friend*? The idea was so strange, so *insane*, that Aeka's mind
could barely accommodate it as a premise for further thought. All of the
decisions that would come naturally, almost instinctively, were any other
person the subject of them, now became impossible puzzles. It was like
trying to imagine what the world would be like if gravity pushed things
up instead of pulling things down. And something else she couldn't quite
grasp seemed to make her recoil at the very idea. She gave up for a
while, and decided to take a different tack.

What if, instead of Ryoko, it was someone who *was* Aeka's friend? Asahi,
perhaps, from Ryuten?

For a moment, Aeka almost laughed. Asahi wanting to be near a man was
nearly as ridiculous as becoming friends with Ryoko. But the thought
lightened her mood somewhat, banishing the animosity and allowing her
thoughts to see through to the obvious.

She should try to help Ryoko feel less pain. Do something to comfort her,
somehow. Now that the idea had occurred to her, Aeka felt rather silly
for having had to actually *think* about it.

Then her black mood swiftly returned. Ryoko was upstairs with Tenchi,
receiving far more comfort than was her due. Aeka struggled and tried to
tell herself that her actions would be the same as when she'd gone and
talked to Ryoko, after the what had happened with Taro-chan. But it just
wasn't the same. To express kindness and regret at Ryoko suffering
terrible pain that could never be assuaged, that was one thing. It was
emotion, and it came with effort, but one could not lend approval to the
impossible. But to try to help Ryoko bear Tenchi's absence was to
sanction her being with him at all. And it would mean dwelling on the
fact that Ryoko and Tenchi loved each other, even *approving* of it,
rather than closing her eyes and ears and mind, trying her best to
pretend it wasn't so.

But perhaps, if Ryoko didn't feel so bad, she wouldn't display such
obvious distress, and Tenchi wouldn't feel the need to repeat what he had
done today. Which was worse, comforting Ryoko herself, or knowing that
Tenchi was doing so? Was being kind to the pirate too high a price to pay
to make her spend less time with Tenchi?

Shame welled up inside the princess. Tenchi wanted her to become Ryoko's
friend in *fact*, and even though she knew that would never really
happen, Aeka didn't want to take his good intentions and pervert them
into something negative, even to be used against Ryoko.

In any case, once she thought about it, Aeka realized that she had very
little idea of what might make Ryoko, in particular, feel better. Ways to
cause harm she had in great number -- a vast and varied arsenal of
emotional weapons, always at the ready, each one painstakingly-crafted
for maximum effectiveness against her enemy. But ways to help she knew
very few of. Once more she returned to the beginning and worked her way
through the problem, step by step.
                                     
Ryoko missed Tenchi. So, help her to miss him less. How? Explaining
things wouldn't work. When it came to Tenchi, Ryoko was completely
impervious to reason. Some other gesture was necessary. A gift, perhaps?
Yes, that just might work, Aeka decided. Get Ryoko something which
reminds her of Tenchi. Or something which says that he will return, even
if he isn't there now. Something, if it were possible, to make it seem as
if Tenchi was, in a way, still there.

An idea suddenly occurred to her. Something that would keep Ryoko
occupied. Something that would make it seem as if Tenchi were still with
her. A substitute for him, as it were...

Aeka blushed, and just as quickly slew the thought. It wasn't the right
thing at all. She was falling back into her usual habit of thinking of
Ryoko as just wanting Tenchi for sex. And besides, Aeka knew she didn't
want to go to a store that sold... *those*. She hurried her mind along to
something more appropriate.

A watch, perhaps, so Ryoko would always know how long it would be until
Tenchi got home from school? No, that wasn't quite right, somehow. The
meaning wasn't very clear. And besides, under normal circumstances, Ryoko
definitely didn't care at *all* what time it was.

Sitting and thinking about it wasn't helping, Aeka decided. Better to go
and let inspiration guide her. She breathed a deep sigh, content for a
moment that she had found the right direction to head in, after casting
about in vain for a way to fulfill Tenchi's wish and make herself feel a
little better in the process. 

"Washuu-chan, I'm going to do a little shopping today. Is there anything
you would like me to get for you while I'm out?" asked Aeka, looking over
at the scientist.

Washuu thought for a moment. This had the potential to be *very*
interesting...

"Mind if I tag along instead?" she asked.

Aeka smiled. "No, of course not. I would appreciate your company."

Washuu ate the last of her rice, then stood up. "I've got one last thing
to take care of in the lab," she said, walking off. "I'll be back in a
few minutes."

Aeka finished her breakfast quickly, then went outside to retrieve her
sister.

At the same time, a figure scarcely a foot tall and clad in black ninja
garb stood on a lab table and bowed to Washuu.

"I understand the assignment, Washuu-sama. It's my duty to record his
development in sex... uh, I mean, *life*."

Light from her console lit Washuu's face from below, highlighting her
sinister-looking grin. "Just remember, this is a test of your ability to
function autonomously while carrying out instructions. Everything's
already set up, so this should be fairly simple. But don't let them see
you. I don't want you upsetting them, and besides, if either of the girls
spots you, it'll probably be easier to make a replacement than to
reassemble what'll be left of you."

The small Mecha-Tenchi nodded nervously. "Hai, Washuu-sama!"

"Alright, then. Let's go." Washuu went to the door and opened it. The
robot scampered off into the shadows as his creator headed back to the
breakfast table. There she found Aeka standing next to Sasami while the
younger princess wrote out a note and placed it on the table.

Washuu smiled warmly. "Coming with us, Sasami-chan?" she asked.

Sasami nodded. "Uh-huh. I want to buy another Ribbon Magazine so I can
read the Hime-chan manga."

Her spirits high for the first time that morning, Aeka smiled as well.
"We'll make an outing of it, just the three of us, then," she said
cheerfully. "Shall we go now?"

The three of them walked into the hall. Washuu knocked on the wall, and
as before, a door appeared. She slid it open to reveal empty darkness
beyond, then waved the princesses through. "After you two."

Once they had passed the door, Washuu turned around and shut it. It faded
from sight, replaced by the wall as if the door had never existed in the
first place.

Upstairs, after a long time without any words being spoken, Ryoko turned
her head to look at Tenchi's face. He smiled at her, his expression
rather contemplative, and she gave him a brief kiss.

"Whatcha thinking about, Tenchi?" she asked. "Hmm?"

Tenchi sighed and shook his head, frowning slightly.

Ryoko caressed his furrowed brow. "Come on. You said you'd tell me when
something was wrong, remember? What are you thinking about?"

"Oh, just about how stupid I was to run away from such a beautiful girl,
and everything I missed out on all that time because of it," he said,
kissing her.

Ryoko closed her eyes and savored the kiss. "Mmmm... say that *again*."

"That I was stupid, or that you're beautiful?"

Ryoko didn't answer. Instead, she affectionately rubbed her head against
Tenchi's cheek and cuddled closer to him.

Tenchi sighed. "I really wish I hadn't been so scared of you, Ryoko. I
was a real baka."
                                     
"Yep. That's right, you *were* a baka," agreed Ryoko, hugging him
tighter. "But I love you anyway."

"Thanks," Tenchi replied, kissing her. "I love you, too. I just wish I'd
realized it, and said so. I wish I hadn't been so *scared* of you."

"Speaking of that, what was so scary about me using my teeth?"

Tenchi blinked. "Uh, *think* about it, Ryoko."

Ryoko looked puzzled for a contemplative moment. Then her eyes widened in
shock. "No...!" she said, sounding hurt. "Really?"

Tenchi nodded.

"Tenchiiiiiiiii! Just for that, I ought to never do it for you again."

"Well, I did say it turns me on *now*," he replied. "I'm sorry."

"I can't *believe* you thought that of me," she said, caressing his cheek
and pouting.

"I'm *sorry*. Like I said, I was a baka."

"You're not *kidding*, you were a baka!" Ryoko squeezed him almost-
uncomfortably tight. "Oh, Tenchiiiiii! I'd never, *never* do *anything*
to hurt Tenchi-ken!"

Tenchi stared at her. "'Tenchi-ken'?"

Ryoko slid her hand under Tenchi's briefs. Her warm fingers encircled his
penis in a firm yet gentle grip. "You know, Tenchi-ken." She tugged on it
a few times for emphasis. "Your *sword*, silly!" she giggled.

Again, Tenchi stared at her. "You're really *weird* sometimes, Ryoko. You
know that?"

"You run away from a pretty girl trying to get you into bed, and you
think *I'm* weird?" Ryoko countered.

"You've got a point there," Tenchi admitted. Moments later his stomach
rumbled loudly. He looked down at it for a moment, then over at her. "Uh,
Ryoko..."

"Yeah, I heard," she said. "I'll go check to see if your dad's gone so we
can eat breakfast. But after that," she said, kissing him as she gripped
his penis again and felt it stiffen in response to her touch, "the brave
Earthling is going to capture the wicked space pirate and run her through
with his sword."

Tenchi cringed slightly. "I wish you wouldn't put it so *violently*,
Ryoko," he protested nervously. "You make it sound like I'm going to hurt
you or something."

"I was just having fun with the words," Ryoko answered. "Please don't
take it wrong. I love how you're always gentle with me." Then she put her
lips next to Tenchi's ear. "But you don't have to be. You can't hurt me,
Tenchi," Ryoko whispered softly. "The only part of me you could ever
break is my heart." Then she vanished, and the covers that had been over
her slumped down, empty.

An instant later, she appeared floating in the middle of the living room.

No one was there.

"Ohayo!" she called.

No answer came from the adjoining rooms.

Ryoko quickly swooped around the first floor, going from room to room and
finding no one. Then she noticed a piece of paper sitting on the table.
She picked it up and read it.

"Tenchi, Ryoko: your breakfast is in the oven. Oneesama and Washuu-chan
and I have gone shopping. We'll be back later. Love, Sasami," said the
note, with a large heart drawn around Sasami's signature.

Setting the note back down, Ryoko hurriedly checked the rest of the house
to see if anyone besides the scientist and the two princesses was around.
It wasn't long before she discovered that, besides her and Tenchi, the
Masaki home was deserted.

Ryoko stopped, once more floating in the middle of the living room, and
thought about this very pleasant surprise. She and Tenchi were alone,
just the two of them, totally and completely alone. 

The only other time this had happened was nearly a week before, when it
had been just her and Tenchi... and Aeka in the closet. And then it was
Aeka and Tenchi, and Ryoko outside, trying to endure the sounds of what
was happening on the other side of the closet door.

But that wasn't how it felt now. Now, it was almost as if she and Tenchi
were a married couple and this was *their* house. Ryoko closed her eyes
for a moment, smiling and hugging herself, then phased into the kitchen,
clad in her pink dress and her hair tied back with a blue scarf.

Tenchi deciding to stay home from school to be with her was probably
something he wouldn't do again for a long time. He certainly didn't plan
on it, she knew. And she'd promised not to take advantage of it by
begging him do so the next day. But she wouldn't be breaking her promise
if all she did was do her very best to make the day as perfect for him as
she could, to show him how much better things would be if he would just
ignore whatever bizarre, unfathomable reasons he had for wanting to leave
her each morning.