second half, as promised

	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	
     Aeka wept uncontrollably as her sister tried to comfort 
her.  "I feel just terrible about what happened.  If it 
hadn't been for that dirty rat, Ryoko, this would never have 
happened.  I do hope Mihoshi recovers quickly," said Aeka.  
     "Oh, so its all my fault?  I'm not the one that fired 
that blast.  You're the one that lost your temper," retorted 
Ryoko.  
     "You provoked me, demon," answered Aeka.  
     "Would you two shut up.  All you care about is your 
little squabble.  I don't care if you love Tenchi or not.  
What you did was inexcusable.  You both should be ashamed of 
yourselves," said Kiyone, glaring at both of them.  Ryoko 
returned her glare with stony silence while Aeka continued 
to meditate on her feet.  Sasami said nothing but sat down 
beside Aeka while Ryo-Ohki "miya"ed softly.  Katsuhito came 
down, followed by Tenchi.  
     Immediately, all four girls asked the same 
question,"How's she doing?"  
     "Mihoshi will be fine.  She's still more than a little 
scared but there is no permanent damage.  She's going to 
rest for a couple of hours though and she doesn't need any 
disturbances," said Katsuhito.  When he was finished, he 
left and headed for the shrine.  Tenchi quickly glanced 
around the room and then followed his replace.  
     "Tenchi..." said Sasami.  He looked at her, his eyes 
betraying the emotions raging through his soul, and then 
continued on.

     Tenchi wandered aimlessly through the woods.  His mind 
was in turmoil.  Aeka and Ryoko had done exactly what he 
feared most.  They had hurt some one he loved while they 
were fighting over him.  Now, Mihoshi was in a state of 
shock, shivering in her room and crying.  She was scared out 
of her mind by something she didn't understand.  Now, what 
was he going to do about Aeka and Ryoko.  He knew that they 
hadn't meant any harm by their antics but some one else had 
been hurt.  That brought a new factor into the original 
equation.  Now, Tenchi would have to worry about Mihoshi as 
much as he did about himself.  Ryoko and Aeka would not be 
happy to hear that he was in love with another girl besides 
them.  
     Tenchi eventually found himself at the shrine where his 
grandfather was slowly going through a Tai Chi.  When he saw 
Tenchi, he stopped.  "Ah, Tenchi.  Something bothering you?" 
asked Katsuhito.  
     "Yes, Grandpa.  I'm sure you know what it is, too," 
answered Tenchi.  
     "Perhaps, why don't you tell me," suggested Katsuhito.  
     "Well, it all started earlier when I got mad at Ryoko 
and Aeka for fighting all the time.  I thought I had 
convinced them to stop until this afternoon.  Even though it 
was Aeka who delivered the final bolt, both her and Ryoko 
started fighting again.  When I saw what happened to 
Mihoshi, it scared me.  I didn't really mind their fighting 
all that much, at least when it didn't affect other people.  
But now, someone else has been hurt and it isn't all fun and 
games anymore.  I don't know what to do about it," explained 
Tenchi.  
     "Hmmm.  You're not telling me everything," said 
Katsuhito.  Tenchi looked up.  "Tenchi, what else is going 
on?  Mihoshi will be fine.  So you can't be worried about 
that," he continued.  
     "Well, Grandpa.  Mihoshi and I are, well, in love," 
said Tenchi.  
     "I see, and?" asked Katsuhito.  
     "I'm afraid for Mihoshi.  Between Ryoko and Aeka, they 
have the power to destroy a world.  If I give my affections 
to someone besides them, I'm afraid of what will happen.  
Their tempers are so violent.  It scares me," said Tenchi.  
     "Mihoshi will make a good granddaughter-in-law.  I'm 
proud of your choice and your wisdom.  However, you need to 
have faith in your friends, Tenchi," Katsuhito.  He then 
returned to his Tai Chi.  

     Tenchi returned to the house soon thereafter.  Sasami 
greeted him at the door.  "Tenchi, Mihoshi's been asking for 
you.  Kiyone's with her now," she said.  
     "Thanks, Sasami.  Where's your sister and Ryoko?" asked 
Tenchi. 
     "Aeka's helping me in the kitchen and Ryoko disappeared 
somewhere," replied Sasami.  
     "Thanks," said Tenchi has he rubbed Ryo-Ohki's head.  
     "Miyaaaa," purred Ryo-Ohki.  Tenchi smiled and passed 
on into the house.  Sasami watched him go.

     There was a knock at the door.  "Who is it?" asked 
Kiyone.  
     "Me," answered Tenchi.  
     "Okay, come on in," said Kiyone.  The door cracked open 
and Tenchi walked in quietly.  
     "How're you doing?" asked Tenchi.  Mihoshi smiled up 
from the bed where she was lying.  
     "I'm still a little jittery but okay, I guess.  I'm 
just glad you're here," she said.  Kiyone stood.  
     "I guess I might ought to leave you two alone for a 
while," she said as she left, a smile on her face.  
     "So, how are you really doing?" asked Tenchi.  
     "Well, like I said.  I'm still jittery but I think I'll 
be okay.  I'm just gonna avoid Ryoko and Aeka for a while.  
How are you?" asked Mihoshi.  
     "It's been hard, trying not to get too angry at Ryoko 
and Aeka.  I mean, I don't know what I would have done if 
you had been hurt any worse.  Today, I really felt like I 
could love some one again.  Ever since my mother died, I've 
been afraid to get to close to anyone.  When you guys showed 
up, I started to loosen up a little but when Ryoko and Aeka 
started fighting over me.  It scared me again.  I didn't 
want to get to close to either of them because I was afraid 
of what would happen if I did.  But then, I found you.  You 
cracked my shell, if only for a moment.  I was just starting 
to, well, become alive again when[pause] it happened.  The 
shock put me right back where I started," said Tenchi.  
Mihoshi's eyes began to brim over with tears when she heard 
this.  
     "Oh Tenchi, no-one's ever said that to me before.  I've 
always felt like some sort of loser because I couldn't ever 
do anything right.  I was always screwing up and that scared 
other people.  I thought no one would ever love me.  Even my 
grandfather seemed a little wary of me," she burst into 
tears.  
     Tenchi embraced her and let her cry on his shoulder 
while he waged a war within himself to control his own 
emotions.  He lost.
	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*
     A week passed.  Tenchi and Mihoshi's engagement party 
had made a mess of the house and the whole crew(even Ryoko) 
set to work cleaning the house under the direction of 
Sasami.  
     "Okay, Mihoshi.  See those boxes?  They go back in the 
closet.  Aeka, would you sweep the porch?  Tenchi, you could 
take down the streamers from the ceiling," she said.  The 
general atmosphere literally hummed with the friendship 
between the busy workers.  
     At the party, Aeka had declared "she would no longer 
seek the hand of Tenchi in marriage" and Ryoko "acquiesced" 
under condition that Mihoshi should take good care of 
Tenchi.  
     The highlight of the night was when Mihoshi went to get 
something to drink.  In typical Mihoshi fashion, she managed 
to make a mess of everything.  When she had reached for the 
ladle of the punch bowl, it slipped from her hand and fell 
onto a serving knife that was wedged precariously under the 
cake.  When the heavy iron ladle slammed into the knife, it 
formed a seesaw which launched the cake into a high arc and 
ended up in the middle of Washu's plate.  When Washu dropped 
her plate in surprise, the contents of it fell all over her 
dress and onto Ryo-Ohki's head.  The cabbit, scared by the 
pieces of food that suddenly appeared all around and on top 
of her, "miya"ed and launched herself into the air.  She 
landed in the punch bowl which then sent a giant tidal wave 
of red punch across everyone in the room.  The only person 
who came out of it unscathed was Mihoshi who had ducked 
under the table when she saw the cake go flying.  "I'M 
SORRY," she wailed as everybody burst into laughter.  Now, 
all that mess had to be cleaned up.  
     While Sasami carefully kept Mihoshi busy with little 
jobs in which she could do no more damage, the rest of the 
gang mopped, swept, rubbed, put away, and generally 
straightened the Masaki house.  Once they were finished, 
Tenchi and Mihoshi gathered them into the living room.  
     "I'd like to thank all of you for accepting us and for 
being the greatest family and friends I could ever hope 
for," said Tenchi.  
     "The same for me," said a teary-eyed Mihoshi.  
     "I'd also like to announce that we have set the date 
for the wedding in exactly two weeks from today," said 
Tenchi.  
     "Aren't you moving a little bit fast?" asked Nobiyuki.  
"I still have to figure out where we're going to put 
Kiyone."  
     "Kiyone?" exclaimed everyone except Katsuhito and 
Tenchi.  
     "That's right, with Mihoshi moving in, Tenchi and I 
decided to invite Kiyone to live with us as long as she 
stays on Earth.  That invitation is extended to each of you 
and I hope you will decide to take us up on that offer," 
continued Nobiyuki.  Mihoshi let out a squeal of delight and 
hugged and kissed Tenchi, all at the same time.  Kiyone 
bowed deeply to Nobiyuki and thanked him while Sasami danced 
around.  
     "Yea, now we can see Kiyone all the time!" she said, 
happily.  Even Aeka and Ryoko smiled a little bit.  

     The two weeks passed quickly with the wedding 
preparations put ahead of everything else.  The dishes piled 
up and were only washed when Sasami could spare a moment.  
It was decided that Katsuhito would marry the two under the 
Torii Gate at the shrine.  Kiyone would be the maid of honor 
and Sasami would serve as ring bearer.  Aeka and Ryoko were 
both also bridesmaids and Nobiyuki was Tenchi's best man 
with Kamidake and Azaka as his other groomsmen.  Ryo-Ohki 
would be the audience.  
     When the big day finally arrived, Tenchi refused to get 
out of bed.  "Come on, son.  Today's your big day," urged 
Nobiyuki as he shook his son by the shoulders.  Tenchi 
feigned sleep and Nobiyuki eventually gave up and left.  
     A moment later, Mihoshi sneaked in.  On tip-toes, she 
walked up to the bed.  Tenchi was lying, belly-up, with a 
pillow covering the top-half of his face.  Mihoshi leaned 
over and laid a kiss on his uncovered lips.  He returned it 
with all the enthusiasm of a man about to be married and he 
grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her down as they 
continued to kiss.  
     Just then, Sasami walked in.  She giggled and then 
began to laugh.  Mihoshi looked up sheepishly as Aeka and 
Ryoko appeared in the doorway.  
     "Come on, you two.  There's plenty of time for that 
later.  Now get up, Tenchi," ordered Sasami.  He grinned at 
her and then grabbed a pillow and threw it at her.   As it 
knocked her over, she giggled again.  Mihoshi grabbed 
another pillow and whacked Tenchi over the head with it.  
     "Pillow fight!!!" yelled Ryoko as she charged into the 
fray.  Before long, Tenchi's room was a mass of laughing 
bodies and white fluffy pillows.  All the while, Washu sat 
and smiled as she watched the tussle.  Eventually, the 
combatants' fighting spirits gave out and they trooped 
downstairs for breakfast.  Katsuhito greeted them and said a 
prayer and then they all ate.  

     Two hours later, Tenchi was nervously going over 
himself in the mirror.  He was wearing a black tuxedo which 
felt like it had little bit too much starch in it.  
     "You look fine, son.  I promise.  Boy, I remember this 
day with me and Achika.  I had more jitters than a junebug 
in May," reminisced Nobiyuki.  
     "Thanks for the encouragement," remarked Tenchi.  They 
both cast a quick glance at the framed picture of Achika 
Masaki that was hanging on the wall.  "Mom, today's the day.  
I sure hope you're proud of me," said Tenchi.  
     A tear raced down Nobiyuki's cheek before he turned.  
"She is, son.  I know it.  Now let's go meet my daughter-in-
law," said Nobiyuki.  Tenchi followed.  
     Outside, Kiyone was waiting for them.  When she saw 
Tenchi, she let out a whistle.  "Mihoshi sure is one lucky 
girl," she commented before taking Nobiyuki's arm and 
escorting him down the stairs.  

     Katsuhito greeted Tenchi at the gate.  Nobiyuki and 
Kiyone, arms linked, were the first pair the path.  They 
parted at the bottom of the steps and turned to face the 
oncoming people.  Aeka and Azaka were next, Azaka in 
humanoid form and another black tuxedo.  They were followed 
by Ryoko and Kamidake, also in humanoid form and black 
tuxedo.  Aeka was wearing a long, purple dress that matched 
her hair and just trailed the ground.  Ryoko, dressed 
somewhat more demurely than usual, had on a fiery red dress 
with a high neck and also trailed the ground.  Next in line 
was Sasami, carrying the rings in her cupped hands.  She was 
wearing a traditional Juraian wedding gown.  
     Last was Mihoshi.  She came down, unescorted, in her 
pure white wedding gown which trailed out behind her.  Her 
hair was down and free, billowing gently in the slight 
breeze that blew through the woods surrounding them.  She 
walked slowly up the stairs and stood across from Tenchi, 
smiling beneath her veil.  
     Then, a loud "MIYAAAA" echoed across the forest and 
everybody smiled.  Ryo-Ohki, "miya"ing at the top of her 
voice, was racing up the path, wearing a red bow that if 
possible, made her look cuter than ever.  Sasami giggled as 
Ryo-Ohki slid to a stop at the bottom of the steps and 
"miya"ed once more to express her apologies at being late.  
     "May I continue?" asked Katsuhito with a smile.  Ryo-
Ohki "miya"ed in assent and sat down to watch the wedding.    
"We are gathered here today to unite Tenchi Masaki and 
Mihoshi Kuramitsu in marriage.  If any have any reason why 
this union should not be made, speak now or forever hold 
your peace," he paused.  
     Tenchi looked at Ryoko and Aeka and saw the smiles on 
their faces.  He returned the smile before returning his 
eyes to Katsuhito.  
     "As there are no objections, we shall continue.  Tenchi 
Masaki, do you take Mihoshi Kuramitsu to be your lawfully 
wedded wife?" he paused.  
     "I do," said Tenchi, having eyes only for Mihoshi.  
     "Do you, Mihoshi Kuramitsu, take Tenchi Masaki to be 
your lawfully wedded husband?" he paused again.  
     "I do," said Mihoshi, returning Tenchi's gaze.  
     "Tenchi Masaki, repeat after me.  I, Tenchi Masaki, do 
promise and pledge to love and protect my wife, Mihoshi 
Kuramitsu, in sickness and in health, in good and in bad, 
from now until death do us part," said Katsuhito with Tenchi 
echoing his words, smiling.  
     "Mihoshi Kuramitsu, repeat after me.  I, Mihoshi 
Kuramitsu, do promise and pledge to love and serve my 
husband, Tenchi Masaki, in sickness and in health, in good 
and in bad, from now until death do us part," said Katsuhito 
with Mihoshi echoing his every words and Tenchi hanging onto 
every one that exited her mouth.  
     "The rings?" paused Katsuhito.  Sasami shyly held them 
up for Tenchi and Mihoshi.  Mihoshi placed her's on Tenchi's 
ring finger.  Tenchi then took the other and slipped it 
slowly on to Mihoshi's.  "Tenchi, you may kiss the bride," 
said Katsuhito, a grand smile on his face.  
     Tenchi smiled yet again and pushed back the veil and 
kissed Mihoshi for all he was worth.  She returned it with 
the same fervor.  Only then did the cherry blossoms begin to 
fall.


thanks again for the C&C from all those who gave it
da drew-meista

______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com