"TENCHI MUYO! TO LOVE AND TO HATE"
3 : BROKEN HEARTS, HEALING SOULS
"Without you, the eyes gaze,
The legs walk, the lungs breath.
The mind churns, the heart yearns,
The tears dry, without you.
Life goes on, but I'm gone,
Cause I die, without you."
- "Without You" Rent Soundtrack
"Aeka!" Tenchi cried out, "Aeka!" Mayuka continued to scream her head off. At the precise moment Aeka's tiara had hit the floor, she had started crying, and would not stop. Torn between the desire to help his friend and tendto his daughter, Tenchi had finally grabbed Mayuka and brought her with him. Although a screaming baby was not very useful when searching for someone.
"I'm sorry, Tenchi," Derai said. Derai, at a loss of anything else to do, had followed Tenchi. "It appears this is my fault."
"You couldn't have known," Tenchi said, "None of us knew. Damn grandpa and his secrets!"
Aeka watched them for a moment, before quietly slipping away. Tenchi was easily avoided, with Mayuka screaming giving Aeka plenty of warning. However, she knew she had to do something. If Ryoko was searching for her, she wouldn't remain unfound for long.
<Why won't they leave me alone?> she said to herself, <Will they track me to the ends of the Earth? If only I had my ship! I so desperately need to leave this place.>
"Aeka!" Mihoshi said, "There you are, we've been looking all over for you! Sure is wet out."
Aeka groaned. She didn't need this. She needed to get out of here, but how? An idea struck her. <No, I can't. Not to Mihoshi. It hurts just to think about it! But what choice do I have? I *have* to get out of here.... and this is the only way.> With a heavy heart, Aeka pulled her mask on for one last time.
"I'm sorry for bursting out like that, Mihoshi," Aeka said, choking back tears that threatened to seep through her mask, "I just need to be by myself for a while. I... I don't suppose I could borrow the Yukinojo? I think being up in the stars would do me good."
"Sure," Mihoshi said, taking off her bracelet and handing it to Aeka, "Take this, it will let you access the Yukinojo. The shuttle's in a subspace portal above the lake. Have fun!" Aeka's heart would have broken at how accommodating Mihoshi was, if it had not already been shattered. She hated to take advantage of such a good soul like this.
"Thank you, Mihoshi," Aeka said, "You are a good friend, too good for this world. Good-bye, Mihoshi."
"Bye," Mihoshi said, "See you later!"
"Yes," Aeka said, choking on the lie, "I will be back soon." She quickly made her way back to the house, stopping once to hide from Kiyone. She pressed a button on the command bracelet. The ripples on the lake from the falling rain were washed away by the waves created as a black portal opened above the lake, and the Yukinojo's shuttle slowly slid out. A beam engulfed Aeka and teleported her onto the ship.
"Hello," a small computer pod said, dropping down from the ceiling, "You must be the princess, Aeka."
"Yes, Yukinojo," Aeka said, "Nice to meet you."
"The pleasure is all mine, Your Highness."
"Please, don't call me that."
"Affirmative. What can I do for you, ma'am?"
"I need to borrow you for a trip."
The computer looked around. "Where is Mihoshi? I need confirmation from her before I can help you."
"She gave me this," Aeka said, holding up the command bracelet, "Will that be sufficient?"
"This is *very* unprofessional," the Yukinojo complained, "The command bracelet is only supposed to be given to another in extreme emergencies. However, as Mihoshi has decided to give you the bracelet, I am required to assist you." Aeka breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank you."
"Now, where do you want to go?" it asked. Aeka froze. She had no idea where she could go, only that she couldn't stay here.
"Just take me up to the main ship, I'll figure it out then."
"Affirmative."
"Please, Mayuka," Tenchi said to his daughter, "Stop crying." He and Derai walked back to the front of the house. All of the others were waiting there, except for Ryoko and Mihoshi.
"Any luck?" he asked. No one spoke, which was answer enough.
"Hello!" Mihoshi said cheerfully, walking up to the others.
"Any sign of Aeka?" Tenchi asked.
"Oh yeah, I-" Mihoshi was cut off as lighting lit the skies, highlighting the Yukinojo as it flew off into the clouds.
"Mihoshi," Tenchi said, a look of horror spreading across his face, "What did you do?"
"Aeka wanted to spend some time up in the stars," Mihoshi said, "So I let her use the Yukinojo."
"You *what*?" Tenchi yelled, "Are you *trying* to make things worse? Did it ever occur to you that she might not come back?"
Mihoshi's eyes began to fill with water. "I don't know... She seemed so sad... and I just wanted to help..." Mihoshi began to cry, "I'm sorry!" She bust into tears, fleeing into the house.
"Tenchi!" the stranger who was Tenchi's grandfather said, "Don't take your anger out on Mihoshi. She was only trying to help. It's not her fault."
"You're right," Tenchi said, anger building up inside of him, "It's *your* fault! I mean, how could you do this? You've been lying to me my entire life! And... and... Aeka... How on earth could you do that to Aeka? She left everything behind, to follow you. She searched the galaxy for seven *hundred* years for you. And when she finally finds you.... How could you do that to someone who loves you?"
Katsuhito made no reply.
"I don't have time for this! I have to stop her!"
"Hold on," Washuu said, "I'm sending out a communication signal to the Yukinojo." She punching some commands into her subspace keyboard, and a moment later, a flickering holograph of Aeka appeared in front of them. Aeka blinked in surprise, before scowling at the assembled people. Mayuka stopped crying, and reached out for Aeka.
"Aeka," Tenchi said, "Don't leave."
"And why should I stay? So I can have my heart broken once more? I don't think so!"
"Aeka, I'm sorry."
"It's too late Tenchi. What's done is done, and nothing you or anyone can do can take back the pain I've been through. I don't blame you, Tenchi. I wanted you to love me, but how could you fall in love with a mask?"
"Aeka?" Sasami cried, "Are you really going to go?"
"I'm sorry, Sasami," Aeka said, "I regret that I won't be there for you anymore. Watching you grow up has brought me more joy than anything else."
"Then why do you have to go?"
"I'm sorry, Sasami. I know it isn't fair to leave you, when you did nothing wrong," At this point Aeka cast a pained look at Tenchi, causing him to flinch. "But I can't stay here, it's just... too painful. I wish I could, more than anything, but I just can't."
Tenchi looked up at her, tears in his eyes. "No, Aeka, I won't let you do this." Tenchi's heart racked with pain. The similarity between this and what had happened the other night were not lost on him, but this time he was powerless. Even if he could stop her, Tenchi wasn't sure if he could bring himself to do it, not again.
"Tenchi, you cannot stop me. I have to go, if I stay, I'll only be hurt again. Now I just have to figure out how I will manage to live without you."
"Aeka!" Katsuhito said, "Running away never solves anything!"
Aeka turned to look at her brother, her face cold and hard. "Excuse me, Yosho, but I believe it was your running away that started all of this. Yukinojo, cut the link." Aeka disappeared and lightning split the sky. Mayuka began to wail again.
"Dammit!" Tenchi swore, "We have to follow her!"
"Tenchi," Kiyone said, "It's not that easy, we have no idea where she's going, and by the time we get out of the atmosphere, she'll be out of tracking range."
"What about those ion trails, or whatever they're called. Can't we use those?"
"Ordinarily, yes. However, Detective Class Ships, like the Yukinojo and the Yagami, have ionic dampners. It's necessary for Detectives to be able to avoid being followed at times."
"So there's nothing we can do?" Tenchi said, tears in his eyes.
"Nothing right now," Kiyone said, "Give me some time to figure out where she went. Once we know where she is, we might be able to help her."
"Aeka," Sasami said, tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Is this who I am?" Aeka asked herself, looking at her reflection in the mirror. Her damp clothes clung to her body, and strands of her hair were plastered across her face. "I have always thought that this was me, but how much of this is me, and how much of it is the mask? I cannot tell anymore."
Aeka pulled her sodden clothing from her body, and studied her naked body in the mirror, as if there would be some subtle marker, a line, a slight alteration in coloration, that would separate what was her and what was not. The distinction was just as vague on the inside. It was impossible to tell if what she did was because that's who she was, or if it was who she was *supposed* to be.
Aeka shivered, bringing her thoughts back to reality, back to the cramped quarters Mihoshi used when she was on her ship. Aeka stepped back from the mirror, and looked for something to wear for warmth. Rummaging through a closet, she found some of Mihoshi's clothing.
The clothes were too big for her, of course, but she didn't feel like freezing, or walking around naked for that matter. So she got out a pair of pants and one of the tank tops Mihoshi loved to wear, along with a heavy jacket. She realized that she could easily turn up the heat on the Yukinojo, but for some reason, she didn't feel like imposing any kind of order on her situation. She got some strange reassurance from adapting to the temperature, rather than ordering it to be changed to her liking. That being done, Aeka put her face in her hands, and began to cry.
Something cold and wet pressed itself lightly against Aeka's hand. She looked up into the eyes of a large, black wolf. Those soft green eyes somehow seemed to speak directly into her soul, offering her comfort and understanding. Aeka sobbed and buried her face in the wolf's shoulder.
After a few minutes of this, Aeka gradually stopped crying. She pulled away so she could look at the wolf. He was huge, slightly bigger than Aeka, and his fur was jet black, with streaks of gray around his muzzle and ears. She brought her gaze back to his eyes, and once again, those green eyes penetrated her very heart, but there was no judgment in those eyes, only compassion.
"Thank you," she said to the wolf, "But where did you come from?"
The wolf's reply was to soak her face with his long wet tongue.
"That's not much of an answer, you know," Aeka told him. She sighed as her thoughts became melancholy once more. The wolf licked her face again. And again. And again. It tickled, and Aeka found herself giggling.
"Stop that!" she said, trying vainly to sound mad at him, "I'm not in the mood for laughter." The wolf continued his wet assault, until Aeka was helpless on the floor, rolling with laughter. When she had finally recovered, the wolf was staring at her, his tongue lolling out the side of his mouth in an expression that could only be called a smile.
"You don't take no for an answer, do you?" she said. The wolf cocked his head to one side, and Aeka laughed. "You were right, though. I needed that, and I needed a friend." She embraced the wolf. "Thank you."
Now Mihoshi's clothing didn't fit very well, and the jacket and shirt Aeka wore hung loosely off her back. The wolf decided that this was a perfect time to see exactly how far down Aeka's back his tongue could reach.
"Gah!" Aeka yelped, jumping back. She gave the wolf a stern look, then laughed as she scratched his head. Oddly, the wolf began to purr. It was rather growlish in sound, but definitely a purr. "What an unusual creature you are," she remarked.
Tenchi was worried about his daughter. Mayuka simply would not stop crying. Tenchi walked back and forth in his room, singing softly for the better part of an hour, before Mayuka finally fell asleep. Even then, Tenchi didn't put her down. He told himself that he was afraid he might wake her, and have to go through it all over again, but deep down, he was afraid that somehow he might lose her if he let go of her for an instant. So he sat down in chair to think.
Tenchi sighed. Two days ago, Ryoko was flirting with him, his grandfather was his role model, and Aeka was tending the garden she and Kiyone kept in the back.
All of that had crumbled so quickly, and Tenchi desperately grabbed whatever was left, only to see it crumble further, slipping between his fingers. Now, Ryoko looked at him like some cruel master, his grandfather was a complete stranger, and Aeka was somewhere out there, all alone.
He couldn't be making much of an impression on the royal family, not that he'd had time to think about it much. He didn't even know why they were here.
At least Mihoshi had forgiven him for yelling at her, although he was still mad at himself for that. <You'd think after everything that happened I'd be more careful about hurting people's feelings. Face it, Tenchi, when it comes to women, you don't have a clue.>
Kiyone led Akito and Kanako through the woods.
"And here we have the holy tree of the Masaki Shrine," Kiyone told them, "It was once the space-tree, Funaho, but it crashed here during the battle with Ryoko, and was forced to take root. Over the years it's picked up a lot of myths and tales. Some say that if you pray for rain under a full moon, it will. Another tale says that if you plant rice seeds around the trunk, you'll be blessed with a good harvest. Lord Akito? What are you doing?"
Akito had crossed the stones that led to the tree and stood in front of it. His hands were placed upon the trunk of the tree, and his head was bowed in concentration. A light humming began to emanate from above, as the leaves shot beams of rainbow colored light that reflected off the water and into the sky above. After a moment, the light stopped, and Akito returned to the edge of the lake.
"A message," he said in explanation, "Wishing Aeka a safe journey. I doubt she'll receive it, but still..."
"Can we keep going now?" Kanako asked. Akito glared at her.
"Kanako, why don't you return to the house, if you're so bored?" Akito said, although it was not a suggestion, but a command.
"Fine!" Kanako said, "Kiyone? Which way leads back to the house?"
"Yeah, just follow that path, it joins up with the main path to the house."
"Thank you," Kanako said curtly, and with an angry look at her brother, she departed.
"I'm sorry about that," Akito said.
"It's all right," Kiyone said, "I guess it must be annoying to suddenly get dumped into a situation like this."
"Yes, but she could at least put *some* effort into it."
"Well, I wouldn't accuse her of trying too hard," Kiyone laughed, which got Akito to smile. "I'm sorry about Mihoshi giving Aeka the Yukinojo. Mihoshi's a good person, just a little short-sighted at times. I'm sure she thought she was helping Aeka."
"I know she meant well. She has a good heart. I can tell."
"She just doesn't stop to think," Kiyone said as they stepped across the rocks to the shore. "Like when we were following a lead on Tarvelea. Someone had broken into the Academy and made of with some pretty dangerous stuff, and rumor was he had gone into hiding on Tarvelea."
Kiyone started to smile, "We were dropping a letter off with a contact so we could talk to him, but he lived out in the jungle and Mihoshi, she... she.." Kiyone began to double over with laughter. "She thought a beehive was the mailbox!" She finally managed to get out before the laughter completely overtook her. Granted, the story wasn't really all that funny, but for some reason Kiyone couldn't stop laughing. And of course, laughter has a contagious quality about it, and soon Akito's light chuckle joined Kiyone's musical laughter.
"Have you ever seen a Tarvelean bee?" Kiyone asked between laughs, "They literally ate the paint off of the Yagame! And Mihoshi tried to get rid off them by turning on the windshield wipers!"
Akito didn't trust himself to speak. After a bit, the uncontrollable laughter subside.
"That Mihoshi," Kiyone said, wiping a tear from her eye, "It cost me a fortune to repaint it, not to mention all the exterior equipment had to be replaced." Akito noticed that, despite what Kiyone was saying, she smiled as she said it. She had a beautiful smile, and he couldn't help but smile back.
Kiyone began up the path again, still giggling slightly. To be honest, she hadn't really liked the idea of playing tour guide to the newcomers at first, but Akito was rather sweet. Well, once his sister was out of the way, at any rate.
"Tenchi, time to wake up." Tenchi slowly opened his eyes to see his father standing over him. He must have fallen asleep on the couch. Then he realized something. His heart jumped.
"Mayuka! Where is-" Tenchi began, but Noboyuki cut him off.
"Mihoshi's giving her breakfast. Come on, let's see if she needs help." Tenchi nodded and followed Noboyuki to the kitchen. Mihoshi did indeed need help. Mayuka sat in her high-chair, screaming. Baby food was splattered everywhere, mostly on Mihoshi, though.
"Come on, Mayuka," Mihoshi said, attempting once more to feed the crying child, close to tears herself, "I know you wish Aeka was here, and I wish she was here, too, but she's not, so eat, okay?."
Tenchi sighed. Mayuka was normally such a well behaved child, but occasionally she'd want someone, and wouldn't be happy until they held her. The hardest part was usually figuring out who she wanted. She didn't seem to have any particular preference among the girls, although she called out them much more often than for Noboyuki or Katsuhito. Tenchi, however, was her favorite. Tenchi could remember the whole family having picnics out in the fields several times, because Mayuka decided she wanted her daddy. Of course, there was that time when she wanted Noboyuki while he was on a three day trip to a building site. That's when they learned that Mayuka wouldn't give up, either. Now it seemed she wanted the one person she couldn't get.
"Come here, Mayuka," Tenchi said, lifting his daughter out of her chair. Mayuka stopped crying and looked up at him, her big orange eyes pleading. Tenchi got the feeling it wasn't just Aeka that she wanted, she wanted her family to be whole once again, but without Aeka, that wasn't so simple. "Mayuka," Tenchi said, "I don't know if Aeka's coming back. We're doing all we can, but the truth is, that's not much." He sighed. "I hate to admit it but I doubt we'll ever see Aeka again." Mayuka, somehow grasping what Tenchi had said, began to cry again. "I know, Mayuka, I know. It's going to be hard on all of us, but we're going to have to get along without her." Tenchi's voicenbecame lighter, more playful. "But we still have each other, and Ryoko, and Mihoshi, and Kiyone, and Washuu, and Sasami, and now we've got a new friend, Derai. Let's go say hi to him, okay Mayuka?" Mayuka calmed down a bit as Tenchi carried her to the back porch, where Sasami and Derai were.
"Check mate!" Sasami said, moving one of the pieces on the board. Tenchi fought the urge to laugh at the incredibly confused look on the big man's face. Instead he concentrated on figures on the board, which were holograms that floated above disks that could be pushed around. Tenchi smiled when he saw the figures. Two Tenchi's faced off as kings, with miniature Azakas and Kamidakis as pawns. Sasami with Ryo-ohki on her head made the knight, Washuu was the rook, Mihoshi the bishop, and the queens were split, Sasami's being Aeka, and Derai's being Ryoko.
Tenchi sighed at that last detail. Had it been *that* obvious to everyone but him? Tenchi picked up the hologram piece of Ryoko, who had been taken by Sasami's knight several turns ago. <Why?> he asked himself, <I loved them for so long, I can see that now. So why didn't I realize it before? Why did I assume it was the love of siblings, the type of love I share with the others, when it's so much more? What was I so afraid of that I hid from the truth like a scared child? More importantly, what can I do, now that I'm finally seeing clearly?>
He stared at the image of Ryoko. It might be too late to help Aeka, but he wouldn't give up on Ryoko. Not now, not ever. But how on earth could he help her?
Meanwhile, Ryoko sat on the roof in complete silence. She didn't move, she didn't speak, she didn't think. To do so would be far too painful. She had entered something of a trance, where she felt nothing.
She snapped out of it as a red-haired child appeared in front of her.
"Ryoko," Washuu said. Her face was serious, and her voice somber. She appeared to have stopped playing her games for now.
<Damn,> Ryoko thought, <I do *not* want to deal with this right now.>
"Ryoko," Washuu repeated, "We have to talk."
Ryoko remained silent, trying to return to the blissfully numb state she had be shaken out of.
"Fine," Washuu said, "Maybe you'll actually listen to me for once. I know what you're going through. I mean, I guess I don't. I have no idea what it's like to have control forcefully taken over your body and mind. I- I- I-" Washuu stopped to wipe a tear from her eye. "Damn! I'm not good at this! I can tell you why a star will explode, which ones will, and when they will. I can explain what the elements of an atom are made out of, and what makes up those in turn. But can I comfort my daughter? No. I'd trade all those words of science, my entire lifetime, for just enough words of love to get me through today."
Washuu took a deep breath, as the past came back to her. It hurt like hell when it happened, indeed, it still hurt to this very day, but if it could help her now, maybe it was worth it, just maybe. She spoke those words aloud, so very very old, but she still remembered them, as if they had been said only a day before, "'Washuu, you seem to know everything, but I wonder if you'll ever know love. I doubt it, because the moment you find it, you'll dissect it to see how it works, and it won't be love anymore. Love's like that, Washuu, but I don't think a scientist like you will ever be able to admit that.' He was wrong, of course, he was wrong before he said that, and he knew it, because I knew love. I loved him, and he loved me, and for five wonderful years, that seemed to be what held the entire universe together, even though I knew better."
Washuu paced back and forth on the roof in front of Ryoko. "It appears that pain is directly proportional to pleasure. The happier you feel, the more you get hurt. Ack, I'm talking like a scientist again, and that's the last thing I want right now." She stopped pacing, and stared at the roof, as if it somehow held the words she was looking for. She wanted to help Ryoko so much, to make up for all the pain she had caused, but finding the right words to say seemed an almost impossible task. After several long minutes, she spoke again. "What I'm trying to say is, I know how you feel. Like I said, I've never experienced anything like what you have, but I've had my heart broken, and it seems to me, that once that happens, the details are no longer important.
"Ryoko, we've never been as close as I'd like us to be." She looked up at Ryoko, her emerald green eyes locking with Ryoko's. "I'd love to hear you call me 'Mom,' and mean it, but I know that will probably never happen because of the things I've done. It seemed whenever I began to get close to you, I'd suddenly be reminded of how much pain I went through last time I loved someone and was loved in return, and I'd do something to make you hate me, so I wouldn't have to be hurt again. It didn't work, because here I am, hurt, because I see you in pain. And all those attempts to distance myself have only made it worse, because now, when you need me the most, I can't help, because you don't trust me.
"Ryoko," Washuu said, beginning to cry, "When my husband and son were taken away from me, I shut myself off from the world. I stuck to science and numbers, because they couldn't hurt me. It wasn't the answer. Cutting yourself off only makes the pain worse. And now I see you're making the same mistake I made. This won't help Ryoko. I know it hurts. I know through our bond, yes, but even more I know because I've been there."
Ryoko just sat there, like a statue.
"I've tried my best, Ryoko," Washuu said, "I've finally given in to what I should do as a mother, instead of running away. The rest is up to you. Being alone can be a terrifying state, and I want you to know that I'll be here for you, no matter what. I wish I knew what the answer was, but I didn't know then, and I don't know now. Maybe you'll have more luck finding it than I did, I only ask that you hurry. We all share your pain, and your silence hurts us, it hurts me, and it hurts Tenchi. Good luck, Ryoko." Washuu wiped another tear from her cheek, a vain guesture, as more immediately followed it. She took one last look at her daughter and disappeared.
<She's right, you know,> a voice deep within her said.
<Shut up,> Ryoko snapped, <You don't know anything.>
"Want to play again?" Sasami asked, cheerfully. Tenchi stared at her, unconsciously shifting Mayuka in his arms. This was wrong. She shouldn't be happy. Not that Tenchi wanted her to be sad, but as resilient as Sasami was, this just wasn't right.
"Eh, no thanks, Sasami," Derai said, "Maybe later."
"You seem less confused than I thought you'd be," Tenchi said to Derai.
"Well, Mihoshi kinda filled me in on who was who. Then I was *really* confused, but Kiyone explained it, an' I think I've got it now."
"Would you like to hold Mayuka for a bit?" Tenchi asked.
"Sure," Derai replied, although for some reason, he suddenly seemed sad.
"Mayuka," Tenchi said handing his daughter over to Derai, this is Derai." Mayuka looked absolutely tiny in Derai's thick arms, but Derai's hold was surprisingly gentle. Tenchi turned and walked over to Sasami.
"Sasami," he said, sitting down next to her.
"Yes?" Sasami asked, cheerfully, as she set up the board again. "Want to play a game?" Tenchi placed one hand under Sasami's chin and forced her to look up at him. He looked into her bright pink eyes, noting that they were bloodshot from crying. More importantly, though, he saw the tears Sasami hadn't cried, the tears she held back.
"Sasami," Tenchi said, all traces of levity gone from his voice, "You don't have to be strong. We're here for you. I know it hurts, but you have to let it out. Covering your emotions only makes it worse. That's the mistake your sister made, and I don't want to see you make the same mistake. We'll be here for you, no matter what."
"Oh, Tenchi!" Sasami burst out, and she buried her face in his shoulder and cried. Tenchi sighed in relief. Maybe he was finally getting the hang of this.
After a little while, Sasami stopped crying. She sat back and smiled weakly at Tenchi.
"Thanks, Tenchi," she said.
"Just remember, Sasami, we'll be here for you. If you ever want to talk about *anything* whether it's Aeka, or something else, come to us, okay?"
"Okay," Sasami sniffed, wiping her eyes with the back of one hand.
"Tenchi!" Katsuhito said, walking out to the porch. His illusion was still down. It was odd, seeing his grandfather so young. "What are you doing here? I've been waiting for you at the shrine for nearly an hour. It is time for your training."
"Training?" Tenchi asked, turning on his grandfather, anger evident in his voice, "And what will you teach me today? How to break someone's heart? I seem to have mastered that on my own. How on earth can you expect me to learn from you? I can't even trust you, anymore!" As Tenchi spoke, he slowly walked up to Katsuhito, trembling in an attempt to control himself.
"Tenchi," Katsuhito said, when Tenchi stood in front of him, glaring at him through hurt eyes, "Nothing has changed."
"Everything's changed!" Tenchi snapped, "How can I trust anything you say? How can I know it's not another one of your secrets? You're not even grandpa to me now, you're Yosho, who I know even less about than Derai!"
Katsuhito's eyes met Tenchi's. "I have trained you for fifteen years. I have watched over you since the day you were born. I have loved you, the son of my daughter, with my whole heart. How can you say you do not know me?"
Tenchi's anger fled under his grandfather's stare. His head sank. "Because you lied to me," Tenchi replied quietly. He was very calm, a stark contrast from the anger he showed a moment ago, but he still trembled. "You lied to me, and you lied to Aeka. I didn't know that I was of Juraian descent, descended from Emperor Azusa himself, until Kagato told me. I thought you were an old man, until Derai dispelled your illusion."
"And-" Katsuhito began, but Tenchi cut him off.
"I suppose I didn't need to know. I could just live a normal life. It didn't really matter about my heritage. I didn't *need* to know." Tenchi looked up, anger flashing in his eyes. "But I had the *right* to know. My life belongs to *me*, and you have no right to manipulate it like you do."
"I have never told you what to do," Katsuhito protested.
"Of course not," Tenchi said, advancing on his grandfather, forcing him to step back, "You were much more subtle than that. Of course, you've had plenty of time to practice. When did you tell me about the cave for the first time? It was so long ago that I can't remember it. But you sure did peak my interest, didn't you? I can't think of a single day when I didn't sneak out to visit the cave. All part of the plan, right? You needed to be sure that, when the time was right, I'd open the cave. All you had to do was let me 'win' the keys, and I'd release the 'demon' at the perfect time for your plans." Tenchi stopped. He stared at the ground, his fist clenched in anger. "And that brought in Aeka, your next pawn. You controlled her, just like you did me. You threw us at each other, trying to trick us into falling in love."
Katsuhito began to speak, but Tenchi cut him off. "Don't deny it. That was your plan. The cabin was only the beginning." Tenchi's eyes slowly lifted until they met with the deep, purple eyes of his grandfather. "What about now?" Tenchi asked, "Was this an accident? Or was breaking Aeka's heart part of your goddamn plan?"
Katsuhito turned away, and for a long time, no one spoke. "All right," Katsuhito finally said, breaking the silence, "I admit it. I fed you those stories about Ryoko so that you would open the cave at the right time. I set it up so Aeka would be drawn here, but only *after* Ryoko's record had been cleared. I make no apologies. A dark time is coming, and I did what was necessary."
"And what about Aeka?" Tenchi prompted. Katsuhito turned on Tenchi. Tenchi involuntarily took a step back. For the first time in his life, Katsuhito was truly angry at him.
"I did *not* mean to hurt her," Katsuhito said. Now he advanced on Tenchi. "Yes, I drew her here, because she needs to be here for what's coming, and yes, I did try to set you two to fall in love, but the two are not connected. I only hoped that you could show her the love I couldn't, the love she so desperately wanted, the love she needed, the love she deserved. I didn't try to 'trick' you into anything! I only tried to bring out the feelings for her I hoped you had. Bringing Aeka here was my duty to Tsunami. The cabin, and everything else, that was my duty as her brother."
Katsuhito shouldered his bokken and began to walk away from the house. "I guess I can't blame you for doubting me. When you're ready to resume your training, come see me. You're in a difficult time, and part of that is my fault, so I won't rush you."
Tenchi sat down. He was angry. He was angry at his grandfather, for his secrets. He was angry at Aeka, for running away. He was angry at Ryoko, for being so stubborn. Mostly, though, he was mad at himself, for letting all of this happen.
"Hi, bro!" Kanako said as she passed Katsuhito. This earned her an angry glare from her brother. "Sheesh," she said, joining the others, "You guys are no fun."
A drop of water landed on Tenchi's head, shaking him from his revelry. Tenchi looked up and it began to pour.
"Oh no!" Sasami exclaimed after they had entered the house to get out of the rain, "Akito and Kiyone are still out there!"
"Don't worry Sasami," Tenchi said, "A little rain never hurt anyone."
Akito and Kiyone ran through the woods, searching for some shelter.
"Over there!" Kiyone said, pointing at a small cabin. The pair rushed over and threw open the door. Once inside, Kiyone sat down on a bench and lifted the hem of her tank top to wring out some of the water. Upon seeing Kiyone's exposed navel, Akito quickly turned to face the other way. He could feel the blood rushing to his face. He reminded himself that most people weren't as conservative about their bodies as the Juraians were.
"You'd better take some clothes off," Kiyone said. Akito turned around and took a step back, looking pretty much like a deer caught in the headlights.
"W-What?" he stammered, his face turning deep red.
"You're clothes are soaked," she pointed out, pulling off her shirt, which caused Akito to blush even further. His mind screamed at him that if he had any honor, he'd turn around, and yet, he couldn't. "And if you sit around in them like that, you're going to catch a cold," she continued, "I know Juraians are very conscious about this kind of thing, but it's not worth getting sick over, is it?"
"Um... yes, I suppose you're right," Akito said, still blushing. He unclasped the mantle he wore, then took off the cloak he wore underneath that. He pulled off his shirt and undershirt as well.
Kiyone, meanwhile, was starting a fire. She had taken one of the boxes of kindling that were stored there, and pulled it to the close to the bench that ran along one wall. She reached into a pouch on her belt and produced a small, thin glass vial, seemingly empty. Gripping it by either end, she held it over the box. She turned her head as she snapped the vial. Sickly pink flames flared into existence and fell upon the wood and paper. For a moment they sat there, before turning red, as the wood began to burn on its own.
Akito sat down next to the fire, across from her, steeling himself to keep his eyes on her face. It wasn't like she was naked, he reminded himself, for she had only taken off her shirt, and she had a bra on underneath that. It was still more skin on a woman than he normally saw, though, and more than once he caught his eyes wandering.
Kiyone noticed this, too, much to Akito's embarrassment. She blushed slightly, and folder her arms in front of her.
"I'm sorry," Akito said, ashamed of himself.
"No, it's okay. My fault for tempting, right?" Kiyone said, smiling.
"Uh, yeah," Akito said meekly.
"So," Kiyone said, trying to change topics, "What's it like being a prince of Jurai?"
"I don't know what it's like not to be a prince," Akito replied, "but all in all, I suppose I like it."
Kiyone laughed. "So tell me a story."
"What?"
"I told you one," she said, flashing a smile, "Now it's your turn."
"I - I don't know any stories."
"Oh come on. You must have had *something* interesting happen to you."
"Well..."
"Go on," Kiyone prompted.
"There was this one time... I was traveling home from a peace settlement in the Laerto system. I was alone, and some brigands thought that I might make a good trophy." He laughed, although it was grim, not mirthful. "They shouldn't have underestimated the power of the Royal Family. They did succeed in destroying my navigation and communication systems. I ended up veering far from my intended course. But I'm glad I did. It was while I was floating out there, looking for any sign of life to help me fix my ship, when I found it."
"It?" Kiyone asked, curiously.
"A nebula, quite small, as far as nebulae go, but very, very beautiful. I've been to many beautiful places, but normally I have to many things to focus on it. But this, this was different; there was nothing to distract me from the beauty around me. Part of me wanted to stay there forever, but in time I passed through it, and I had to continue on my way."
"Have you ever gone back?"
Akito shook his head, "No. It wouldn't be the same if I went back. I'd have a set time I could stay, before I'd have to return. But still, I'm glad I saw it that once."
For a while, neither of them spoke. The cabin was quiet, save for the drumming of the rain outside, and the crackling of the fire.
"All right," Akito said, breaking the silence, "Your turn."
Kiyone smiled. "Fair enough, let's see..."
"Where can he be?" Derai asked out loud. He stared out into the rain. Mayuka slept in his arms, as he rocked her back and forth.
"Who?" Tenchi asked.
Derai continued to look into the downpour. "Blaze," he said, "My wolfhound. He went exploring as soon as we landed. I haven't seen him since. He's usually smart enough t' come in out of the rain, though."
Tenchi looked around, but he saw no sign of any dogs. "I'm sure he's okay," Tenchi said, "He probably just doesn't know where you are, that's all."
"Ye're probably right," Derai agreed. He walked away from the window and sat down, still holding the infant child.
"So now what do we do?" Kanako asked as she watched the rain drizzle down the windows. She turned to Derai. "Let me hold Mayuka," she ordered. If Derai heard her, he showed no signs of it. He merely sat there, rocking the infant, his eyes lost in wonder as he stared into her tiny face.
"Hey!" Kanako said firmly, "I said let me hold her." She stomped her foot for emphasis.
"No," he said softly.
"I *order* you to give her to me!" she said. Derai looked up at her. His eyes had a haunted look to them, a strange mixture of hatred and sorrow. They seemed to burn with fire. Yet in spite of all of this, the arms in which Mayuka rested remained impossibly gentle.
"Order?" he asked, his voice trembling with anger. "Who are you to order me? Bloody Juraians," he said in contempt, resisting the urge to spit, "So vain, so high and mighty, so sure of their superiority. I didn'a come here t' serve you, far from it. I didn'a swear fealty t' you or yer father, so don't be treatin' me like one of yer subjects."
"Derai," Tenchi said, nervously, "She didn't mean anything by it. Just let it go." Derai turned and thrust Mayuka out to Tenchi.
"I'm goi'n out t' look fer Blaze," he said, simply. And with that, he walked out the door into the rain. There was a moment of awkward silence as they watched him leave.
"Why don't we play a game?" Sasami suggested, "If we sit around watching the rain fall, we're all gonna get depressed."
"How about Clue?" Mihoshi suggested.
"Miya!" Ryo-ohki said sadly.
"Yeah, you always win that game!" Sasami said accusingly.
"Oh," Mihoshi said, "I guess it's because I'm a detective."
"Well, we have lots of games," Tenchi said, "I'm sure we can find a few everyone will enjoy."
Noboyuki left, and soon returned with an armload of games, and they spent the morning playing games, often throwing the games to Ryo-ohki or Sasami. They forgot about their troubles, just for a little while, and reminded themselves of how it was supposed to be, and what it was like to be happy.
The afternoon was quieter. Mihoshi was watching TV and Sasami read a book, and in general, everyone sat around listening to the rain on the windows. It wasn't until shortly before dinner that the rain let up, and Kiyone and Akito returned a little after that.
"You're just in time!" Sasami called from the kitchen, "I was worried!"
"We're fine, Sasami," Kiyone said, entering the kitchen. "We found a nice cabin to take shelter from the rain in."
"Ooh!" Kanako said, giving her brother a sly wink, "All day in a cabin with Miss Galaxy Police. Did she use her handcuffs?"
"Wha-" Akito sputtered, "I am *not* a man of loose morals!"
"Aha!" she said, triumphantly, "So something *did* happen!"
"Be quiet, Kanako!" Akito snapped, looking around to see if anyone had heard his sisters declaration. Fortunately, everyone seemed to be preoccupied with dinner preparations. "This doesn't concern you," he added, harshly.
"Oh my!" Kanako said in pretend shock, "I wonder what M-" Kanako trailed off under Akito's harsh glare.
"Listen, Kanako," he ordered, "You will keep your nose out of my affairs, you will keep your mouth shut, and you will treat me with some goddamn respect! Understand?" She nodded, but didn't say anything. As he walked away, she stuck her tongue out at him.
The house was quiet. Everyone had gone to sleep. Akito had taken the guest room, while Kanako slept on Aeka's futon. Derai had still not returned. Tenchi had, once again, fallen asleep in his chair, his arms wrapped protectively around his daughter, who slept soundly on his chest.
Ryoko sighed, as she watched him through the window. She knew this was hard on him.
<Then why don't you help him?> a voice in her head asked.
<Shut up!> Ryoko snapped back, flying away from the window.
<You know you can,> the voice pressed.
<He doesn't want my help,> she insisted.
<Are you so sure?>
<Yes!>
<Why?>
<I... I... I just am!> Ryoko floundered.
<That doesn't sound like very good reasoning. Why do you think he suffers like this in the first place?>
<Dammit! It's because of Aeka!>
<Interesting,> the other voice laughed.
<What's so funny?>
<All these years, you've feared that he loved Aeka, and not you. And now you are trying to convince yourself that it *is* true.>
<I know he doesn't love me! What else matters?>
<Oh, come on, now. If you truly believed that, you wouldn't still be here.>
<Shut up!> Ryoko yelled at the voice, <You don't know anything! If he had *any* feelings for me, he wouldn't have...>
<I think he did it *because* he loves you.>
"That's it!" Ryoko screamed out loud. With a terrible pain, she wrenched herself apart. They had been together for over two years now, and this sudden separation was not easy, or painless. "I'm through putting up with you, Zero! I don't know why I joined with you in the first place!"
The other Ryoko glared back at her. "I don't know either," Zero said, "I always thought you were hoping I could help you win Tenchi's heart, but I've told you how to do it, and you don't seem to want to listen."
"You have no idea what he did to me," Ryoko growled, "You have no idea what it was like to have *him* do that to me."
"You seem to forget that I share your past. I don't understand why you're making such a big deal about this."
"You might have looked at my past, but you're a robot! You have no soul, so you could never understand how painful it is to have your soul held in another man's hands."
"Isn't that what love is?" Zero asked.
"This is different! This isn't love! Tenchi doesn't love me, he loves Aeka! I realized that, but he wouldn't even let me escape to oblivion! He had to hold me here and watch me suffer!"
"You poor fool," Zero said with a wicked smile, "You don't deserve him." Her face snapped to the side as the back of Ryoko's hand struck her cheek.
"You go too far!" Ryoko yelled, forming her sword.
Zero smiled, as she formed her own. "Fine then. We fight. Whoever wins will be Ryoko, and whoever loses, will be dead."
Ryoko charged at Zero, and the sounds of their swords clashing echoed through the woods. Again and again they clashed. Zero met every one of Ryoko's charges, and countered with her own. She had to win this battle, she had to! All of her hopes rode here. If she could defeat Ryoko, she would *be* Ryoko. Her emotions, her heart, all of these would be hers. She would no longer be just a robot.
Of course, Zero was destined to lose. She may have copied Ryoko's body, powers, and skills perfectly, but Ryoko had the gem, and Zero did not. Soon, Zero found herself attacking less and less, as she put her waning energy more and more into defending herself. Her sword began to flicker, and finally, it shattered beneath Ryoko's. With a scream of hatred, directed more at herself than her opponent, Ryoko thrust her sword into Zero's chest.
A grim smile of victory settled on Ryoko's face, as Zero's body evaporated. But as the wind carried away the dust of her opponent, reality began to reinforce itself upon her. The battle had offered distraction, but it was fleeting. With the battle over, Ryoko was again faced with the truth, or rather, her distorted view of what was true. She curled up at the foot of a tree, and began to weep.
She woke up several hours later, her back sore from leaning against the tree for half the night. Rubbing her neck, she stood up, and, after a moment of silence, she teleported to the roof. Even as she did, she wondered why she bothered. <What's the point?> she asked herself, <What difference does it make where I am?>
She was shaken out of her reverie by a figure sitting on the edge of the roof. It was the princess, Kanako. Ryoko blinked in confusion as a tear, sparkling in the light of the rising sun, fell from Kanako's cheek and landed silently on the hem of her skirt.
"What are you doing here?" Ryoko growled.
Kanako looked around startled, until she saw Ryoko. "Oh," she said in a rather bored manner, "It's only you." She rose nonchalantly, and straightened out her skirt.
"What are you doing here?" Ryoko repeated.
"Just watching the sun rise, and thinking," Kanako sighed, "You wouldn't understand. G'bye!" Kanako, leaned backwards until she fell off the roof. Ryoko rushed to the edge, just in time to see Kanako catch herself on a tree branch, and, after a couple of acrobatic swings, flip onto the ground.
Ryoko shook her head. That girl was a strange one. She certainly didn't act like Aeka or Yosho.
Sasami sat up, and rubbed her eyes. She thought she had heard voices above her. <That's silly,> she told herself, <you must have been dreaming.>
Still yawning, she began to get dressed. She was unusually tired that morning. She felt almost as if she hadn't gotten any sleep at all. She pulled her hair out of the balls she kept it in and began to run a comb through it, watching the light blue hairs swirl around the comb. She realized that she should start wearing it tied back someday soon. After all, she was almost twelve.
Walking up to the mirror, she pulled her hair behind her, just to see how it would look. She frowned as Tsunami looked back from the mirror. It wasn't the Tsunami that often replaced her reflection. She was used to that. It was still her real reflection, but the similarities towards the apparition of Tsunami were undeniable. Two circles glowed on her forehead, where Sasami's triangles had once begun.
It was a depressing reminder of what she was, a copy. She existed to give a body to Tsunami. Her appearance, the appearance of Sasami, was only there to hide Tsunami, until she was reborn, and ready to make her presence known. Sasami sighed, knowing that one day, she would be Tsunami, not Sasami, and the only reminder of the real Sasami's existence would be in people's memories.
"You're really not looking at this the right way," Tsunami's voice told her from the mirror, which rippled like water, as the older Tsunami replaced the younger image, "You and I were always one, before you even existed. You will become Tsunami, yes, but you will still be Sasami, to the people who love you."
"That's what you tell me," Sasami replied, "But how can I know?"
"Forget it," Tsunami said, "We've been over this before. I think you'll understand soon, so we'll just wait until then."
"So why have you come?" Sasami asked.
"It is time for the final stage to begin. You've noticed that your marks have changed. Now that we have Vallo's blessing, we shall begin to become one mind."
"Why did we need Vallo's blessing?"
"He holds a part of me within him, as I hold part of him in my heart," Tsunami smiled. Sasami hadn't seen a smile like that on Tsunami's face before, and it fueled her curiosity even further.
"But why?" Sasami pressed.
"I'm not sure I should tell you just yet," Tsunami said thoughtfully, "You have a tendency to doubt me."
"That's not fair," Sasami complained.
"How about this," Tsunami said, "Wait until you meet Vallo, which will be soon. If you can't figure it out then, I'll tell you. Deal?"
"All right," Sasami said, grudgingly.
"You may realize it before then, anyway. As I said, our minds are going to become one. Over the next few years, you will begin to share my memories and knowledge. Once this is complete, there will be no difference between the two of us." Sasami frowned at that, but she didn't say anything.
"However," Tsunami went on, "Soon, I will not be able to appear like this anymore. Hard times are coming, and I will not be able to help you."
"Harder than they are right now?" Sasami said, picking up a picture of Tenchi and Aeka at a fair last summer. Tenchi's arms were wrapped around Aeka's waist, and Aeka looked more beautiful and happy than ever. Aeka liked this picture very much, but Sasami liked it even more, because it captured her sister just the way she was in Sasami's mind. A tear fell from Sasami's cheek and splatted against the picture.
"That is hard to say," Tsunami told her, "Just remember to listen to your heart, and I think you will overcome whatever happens. I will speak to you once more, when you stand in the presence of Vallo. Until then, good luck, Sasami."
Tsunami's image faded, leaving Sasami looking at just her reflection. Sasami sighed, and pulled her hair back into pigtails, then headed downstairs to make breakfast.
It was unusually warm that day, and no one really felt like doing anything, so they passed the morning just lying around. Sasami made a big lunch, then fell asleep on the porch shortly after.
By the time she woke up, the sun had set. It had cooled down, but the air was still thick, lending a sense of stillness to the night. It gave a feeling that this was a perfect time to relax, a promise that nothing of any importance would happen until later in the night.
Sasami knew better than that. Later on, she would realize that this was the first of many bits of knowledge she would receive from Tsunami. Right now, she didn't think of that, she just knew that two very important things would happen tonight. The first would be done by her. And she had to hurry, for she wanted to be back in time for the second.
With that singleness of purpose, Sasami slid the porch door open, and headed out into the woods. As the light from the house became faint, she began to see a new light, deep in the forest. As she grew closer, she could here chanting, a deep voice echoing through the woods.
"Vallo, guide me. Vallo, teach me. Vallo, love me. And I shall serve thee forever."
Over and over it was repeated, and soon enough, Sasami approached the source. In a small clearing, a bonfire burned. A figure sat near, so close that tendrils of flames danced around his outstretched arms. Oblivious to Sasami's presence, Derai continued to pray.
Sasami walked around the fire. The smoke had a strange smell that Sasami found oddly familiar. She liked it. Once she was on the opposite side of Derai, she knelt down in front of the fire, imitating Derai's posture as best she could. Then, she too, began to pray.
"Heaven to Ocean, Ocean to Earth, Earth back to Heaven. Love me and protect me, oh heavenly Tsunami."
Derai's eyes snapped open, and he stared at her across the flames.
"Are ye mockin' me?" he demanded.
"No," Sasami smiled, "I just thought you might want some company, so I came to pray with you."
"I don't need yer company," Derai told her.
"Boy, you're edgy," Sasami said, sitting back, "What's wrong?"
"I doubt ye'd understand," he grumbled.
There was a moment of silence, before Sasami finally spoke. "You're not the only person to have hated before," she said softly. Derai looked up at her, but he remained silent, so Sasami continued. "When my brother, Yosho, left Jurai to chase Ryoko, he left Aeka behind, even though she begged him to take her with him.
"Aeka's very strong, and Yosho knew that, but as smart as he is, I don't think he's ever seen that there's a weakness there, too. She's very good at hiding her emotions, but not from me. After Yosho left, Aeka always cried, even if she never shed a tear. Aeka's got a strong spirit, but a weak heart. She needs someone to love, someone to love her back, but Yosho never noticed that. I hated him for that."
Emotions overwhelmed Sasami, and she began to cry, "I don't want to hate anyone. There's too much hate in the universe already. But he left my sister, when she needed him... And now Tenchi's done the same thing. How can I love them after that?"
There was a moment of silence before Derai burst out laughing.
"What's so funny?" Sasami demanded.
"Ye're quite a performer, li'l one," he said, still laughing, "But it doesn'a matter how convincing a show ye put on, ye'll never convince anyone that ye could hate anyone."
"I could too hate someone!" she insisted.
"Maybe," Derai said, "Maybe, but only if they truly deserved t' be hated. But the way I see it, Yosho and Tenchi's only true crime was not seein' the the feelings of a girl who good at hidin' her emotions. A marvelous little performance, Sasami, but you couldn'a hate anyone unless they'd done somethin' t' deserve it."
"Like the Juraians?" Sasami asked in a somber voice.
Derai's head dropped. Shadows moved in to cover his face. "My wife and son were killed by Juraian pirates. I was too late to save them. I know it's wrong. I know I canna blame all the Juraians for what those few did. But when I look at them, all I can see is those smug faces that took everything away from me. I can't help but hate the Juraians, an' I hate myself even more fer my weakness."
"Do you hate Tenchi?" Sasami asked.
Derai was silent for a moment. "No," he decided, "But he's more Terran than Juraian."
"Well I'm completely Juraian," Sasami said, "Do you hate me?" She batted her eyelids in a mock-flirting way.
Derai chuckled, "That's even more impossible than the idea of ye hatin' someone else."
"All right, then its a start," Sasami giggled, "that's one and one eighth down. We'll have you over this in no time!"
"You know yer awefully inconsiderate. I was right in th' middle of some good ol' self-pity, and ye come along and make me start t' feel good about m'self."
Sasami looked at the fire, "Well if you wanna get a little more depression in, go ahead. Just hurry, I don't want to be late."
"Late fer what?" Derai asked.
"I'm not entirely sure. That's why I don't want to miss it."
Tenchi slumped down in a chair. It had been a long day. After the whirlwind weekend, school felt like an overload. Then, he had decided to continue training with his grandfather.
Tenchi sat there, trying not to think about Ryoko or Aeka, which was a futile effort; the more he tried not to think about them, the more he invariably thought about them. Finally, he gave up on the entire thing and decided to get drunk.
Tenchi had never actually drank before, but he knew where his father's secret stash was, and he figured that now was as good a time as any to see how it felt. While rummaging through the cupboards, a thought occurred to him.
"Ryoko?" he called out into the living room. Ryoko's response was predictable.
"Yes, master?"
Tenchi swallowed nervously, before continuing, "Um... I was wondering, if you'd... like to join me in a drink?"
"Of course, master," Ryoko said, appearing next to him.
Tenchi congratulated himself mentally. People loosened up when they drank, right? That could be exactly what he needed, and despite Ryoko's attempt to hide her emotions, Tenchi was pretty sure she'd really appreciate a drink.
The real problem with his plan was that he had no idea what to do next, so the first few rounds of drinks were taken in silence. It wasn't until after the fifth drink that, due to a combination of the pressure and the alcohol, Tenchi finally spoke.
"God, I'm sorry, Ryoko," he blurted out, "I'm sorry I did that to you, and I'm sorry I slapped you. I know I've screwed up before, but you know I never meant to hurt you."
The look on Ryoko's face clearly stated that she didn't know that, nor did she believe it to be true.
"Come on, Ryoko." Tenchi said, frustration turning into anger, "I made a mistake, I admit it, but this is ridiculous! What about when I fought to save you? Doesn't that count for anything? I was willing to die for you - hell, I *did* die for you! I'd think you could at least cut me some slack!"
"Big deal!" Ryoko shouted, "Is that supposed to be some kind of excuse? I don't care what you did for me! I am a human being, my own self! It took me five thousand years to be able to say that! But you didn't care! You took it away from me!"
Tenchi stood up and slammed his fists on the table. "I didn't care?!" he demanded, "How can you accuse me of not caring? If I really didn't care, I would have let you go off and kill yourself, just because you were half drunk and overreacted!" Part of him screamed at him that he was being an idiot, that this could only drive her farther away, but Tenchi ignored it. Whether it was anger or alcohol clouding his judgment, he wasn't going to back down.
Ryoko stared angrily at the table. "Maybe if you had even *noticed* me in the past three years, it wouldn't have come to this."
Tenchi turned and began to walk away. "I don't know why I even bothered falling in love. It's just pain, in a different form. I really don't know why I bothered at all."
"What the hell do you want from me?" Ryoko demanded.
Tenchi turned to face her. "I want you to forgive me. I want you to realize how much this hurts me. You accuse me of betraying you, but what the hell is this? I want you to be yourself again. I want..." Tenchi trailed off not sure what to say.
"You've got the goddamn key," Ryoko said darkly, "You can control more than just my body. If you want it so badly, just take it."
Tenchi lifted the Master Key from his belt and stared at it. Was this truly the only way? It didn't matter. He'd get Ryoko back, no matter the cost.
"I guess I don't have a choice, then," he said softly.
Ryoko closed her eyes, dreading what was about to happen. The feel of the gems controlling her body was horrible, but she knew it was nothing compared to the grip the gems could extend to her mind. She waited, but the cold, icy touch never came. Instead something warm and wet pushed itself against her mouth.
She opened her eyes to see Tenchi pulling away from the kiss. Then, with a look of unbreakable determination, he brought the sword down on his knee. The wood splintered and suddenly, the sword detonated. Green energy enveloped Tenchi as he flew across the room, smashing hard into the solid wall.
There was a large collective gasp, as everybody rushed out of their hiding places and ran to Tenchi's side.
"Tenchi!" Ryoko wailed, tears in her eyes, "Tenchi! Are you okay?"
Tenchi groaned, "That depends. Do you forgive me?"
Ryoko nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Tears streamed unchecked down her cheeks. Tenchi groaned again as he got up, rubbing the back of his head.
"Okay, I think I can manage then."
"Yay!" Sasami cried, tackling the pair, "I knew you could do it Tenchi!"
"Took me long enough," Tenchi laughed. Then something occurred to him. "How long were you guys here?" he asked looking around at his 'family.'
"Long enough," Noboyuki smiled, "We just wanted to be here in case you needed support."
"Uh-huh," Tenchi said, "And what was that for?" He pointed to a large piece of cardboard at Noboyuki's feet. Scrawled on its surface were the words 'Kiss her stupid!'
Noboyuki laughed nervously, "Just in case you needed some coaching." Tenchi noticed several of the others sliding objects out of sight, but decided not to press the issue.
"Well met, Tenchi!" Derai said, helping him up. He gave him a hearty slap on the back, which abruptly knocked him back down.
Kanako sat in the corner and watched, as the rest of the household held an impromptu celebration. She felt very much alone. Tenchi was with Ryoko, Sasami was playing with Ryo-ohki. The rest of the adults were gathered around talking and laughing. She couldn't help but notice how much her brother was smiling, and the way he kept glancing over at Kiyone.
She longed to be back on Jurai, where she was the center of attention, surrounded by a troop of girls her age, with boys lined up for miles fawning over her. It was all fake, of course. If she lost her crown, they'd all be gone in a second, and she knew it. But still... at least she wouldn't be alone.
She nearly had a heart attack when Derai approached her. But he didn't seem angry this time. He didn't say anything. He just drained half of the mug of ale he held, then put it down in front of her. She looked at him puzzled.
"It's a Trenan custom," Kiyone whispered in her ear, "Swallowing your pride can be difficult, and the Trenan's learned that it's easier if you take it with something to drink. Just drink the rest of the mug to accept his apology."
Kanako looked at Kiyone, unsure if this was some sort of strange prank being pulled on her. Finally, she shrugged, and grabbed the mug. It took her four times to completely drain the mug. Derai bowed, very deeply, Kanako noticed, for a man who "didn'a swear fealty" to the Juraian empire, and then he walked away.
"Kiyone?" Kanako asked, turning to detective next to her, "How do you do it?"
Kiyone turned to look at her. "Do what?"
"Make him smile," Kanako sighed.
"Who?" Kiyone said, looking around, "Akito? It doesn't seem like much of a challenge. I could probably tell you his dental history if I wanted to."
"See?" Kanako said, "That's the point. Akito *never* smiles! He could lose a tooth, and I probably wouldn't find out for a year."
"You're exaggerating," Kiyone told her.
Kanako yawned, "No, I'm not. I mean he smiled a lot on the way here. You shoulda heard him. Kept goin' on an' on 'bout finally meetin' Aeka. Wish he'd..." Kanako trailed off, and her head hit the table with a soft thud. Kiyone looked over to where the others were.
"Derai," she called out, "What was in that mug?"
Aeka groaned. The dim light in the cabin felt like daggers stabbing into her eyes.
"Dear Tsunami," she moaned, "How much did I drink?" The wolf watched her with a concerned look.
"Yukinojo," she called out.
"Yes ma'am?" he asked, dropping down from the ceiling.
"Not so loud," Aeka told him, although he had spoken in a normal volume.
"Yes, ma'am, lowering volume to 60%" Yukinojo said softly, "How may I help you?"
"What day is it?" she asked.
"It is day 23 of the 8th month, Galactic Standard Time," Yukinojo replied. Aeka paused for a moment, trying to figure out what the hell that meant.
"How long have I been gone?" she finally asked.
"It has been fifteen days and four hours since you left Earth, using standard Earth time measurements."
"Two weeks," Aeka murmured to herself. The wolf whined and licked her hand.
"Aeka," Yukinojo said in a worried tone.
"Be quiet," Aeka told it, "Can't you see I have a horrible hang-over?"
"But, princess Aeka," Yukinojo insisted, "I think we're about to be attacked!"
Just then an explosion shook the ship.
"What's going on?" Aeka demanded, her headache forgotten for the moment.
"I believe you might have been identified at the bar you stopped at last night. The ships match the description of a gang of pirates last seen in this area."
"Can we fight back?" Aeka asked.
"Odds of surviving such an attempt are estimated at 13.6%."
"Not good enough," Aeka decided, "We run."
"Predictions state that if we can survive long enough to activate a hyperspace jump, we will most likely be able to lose them."
"All right, get us out of here."
"Unfortunately, the odds of us surviving that long are 28.2%."
Aeka swore, and turned to study the displays.
"Change course to bearing 25.63.8 degrees," she ordered.
"Calculating," Yukinojo informed her. He then did a double take. b"Ma'am," he complained, "That will take us directly into-"
"The Forbidden Zone," Aeka finished.
"We'll never survive!" Yukinojo protested.
"Nonsense," Aeka said confidently, "You're only saying that because no one ever has."
No one was completely certain why the Forbidden Zone was what it was. No one had ever come out of it to tell anyone. Rumor had it that this was the battle field of the Gods themselves eons ago. Regardless of who it was, there clearly was a battle here once. Remnants of warships and battle stations floated around the Yukinojo.
Some of the pirate ships balked, not willing to enter the Forbidden Zone, regardless of the prize. Unfortunately, most of them followed. The Yukinojo rocked back and forth as lasers and missiles raked it's hull. The lights in the cabin flickered, and the majority of the displays were red with warnings.
"I'm sorry, princess," Yukinojo said, "It looks like this is the end."
Just then a loud siren went off.
"What's going on?" Aeka asked.
Yukinojo paused for a second, as numbers blurred through his eyes.
"A large energy anomaly is heading this way. It's calculated trajectory is the pirate flagship."
"We're saved?" Aeka asked, feeling hope for the first time in two weeks.
"Negative," Yukinojo said, "The anomaly is too big, we will be hit by the edge. Odds of survival are 5.3%"
"Dammit! Can't you calculate odds above 30?" Aeka snapped, "Prepare the escape craft, we are abandoning ship!"
"Hurry, I estimate 20 seconds until impact."
Aeka rushed down the halls, the wolf in tow. She expected to barely make it to the shuttle in time, yet she found herself there almost immediately.
"T-15 seconds," Yukinojo reported, as Aeka pulled the huge dog into the escape craft with her.
"Launch the ship!" Aeka commanded.
"Negative, the power lines have broken, you will have to try the manual release," Yukinojo told her, "You have five seconds."
Aeka ripped the cover off the manual release lever.
"Four."
She grabbed the lever, and pulled as hard as she could.
"Three."
It wouldn't budge. She swore and pulled even harder.
"Two."
The wolf grabbed the lever in his teeth, and lent his strength to the task.
"One."
The lever slid down into place, and there was a series of loud hisses as the connections severed.
"Zero."
It was too late. Everything went white.
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