The story arc Aurora of Rainbow Fire is part two of an 
ongoing series called The Odd Man Out.  All current parts can be 
found at http://members.tripod.com/ballisticsausage/index.html




	Aurora of Rainbow Fire chapter two: Sweet Dreams and Sour 
Awakenings.

	A Tenchi Muyo TV series lemon comedy by Ragun P. Moody.  
	Email the author at kichigai@tds.net with any comments.
	All characters and situations copyright their creators, 
Hiroki Hayashi and Masaki Kajishima, and AiC and Pioneer and are 
used without permission.  This is a nonprofit work only.




	  
	A note about time, and perceptions thereof.

	People, that is, living beings based on some form of matter 
possessing intelligence and moral capacity somewhere between a 
dolphin and a lawyer, each experience time in their own unique 
fashion.

	Rocks, which are not people, experience time on the grand 
scale.  Eons, millennia, epochs, all these are arbitrary units of 
time useful to describe a rock's life.  And even then, you'd need 
a lot of them.

	Some people even get to experience this sort of scale.  The 
estemed Dr. Washu-chan, for instance, had been kicking and biting 
and attempting to replicate herself in the manner of a standard 
living organisim for quite some time.  But, like all other 
people, she was still stuck in the present, occasional Mihoshied 
experiments notwithstanding.  She could remember fantastic 
amounts of her personal history, and had done many many things 
throughout her long life.  Even so, it took forever for a news 
report to finally disappear and return her to her regularly 
scheduled programming.

	Tenchi experienced time as those moments between 
embarrassing and/or personally threatening moments, and 
increasingly, those moments when he wasn't with his two lady 
loves.  All that work stuff was simply to be endured in the 
knowledge that it would eventually be over and he could go back 
to those endless moments of being wrapped in two sets of arms.

	Now, though, with the weight of the upcoming journey 
hanging over everyone's head, some members of the Masaki 
household experienced time differently.

	Ayeka and Ryoko now experienced time much like someone tied 
to a chair, watching a digital timer tick down toward zero while 
an expert attempts to defuse it.

	Each day that brought them closer to meeting the parents 
and hearing a 'yea' or 'nay' seemed to go by in a flash.  Each 
moment not spent in strategic planning was wasted.  On the other 
hand, each day that went by without a premarital romp in the 
woods seemed to drag tediously by, much like an awkward silence 
on a first date.

	But it was Sasami who felt the passage of time in all its 
terrible glory.

	Children feel things that they don't know how to describe, 
and Sasami felt the time pass.  Not even an AIDS patient watched 
the clocks and calendars like Sasami.  It was the end of a golden 
age and the beginning of something new and frighteningly unknown. 
	

	Sasami felt this, and although the nightmares hadn't 
started, she knew in her gut that they soon would.  

	The extra tension in the air added by two worried young 
women and one worried young man only made her nerves worse, but 
here, at least, was a problem that she could deal with.  Sasami 
was always better at helping others.

	She noticed her sister's preoccupation fairly quickly, and 
she asked her straight out,  "Ayeka, what's going on?"

	"Oh, I'm just concerned about the visit home.  I want 
Mother and Father to meet Tenchi and Ryoko, but I'm not sure how 
they'll react."

	"Oh, I see.  You're worried about them not liking Tenchi 
and Ryoko?" Sasami asked, concern written on her young face.  Her 
big sister had been so happy lately, but now, despite the smile 
on her face, she looked upset.  She moved to sit beside Ayeka, 
carefully keeping her head straight so as not to dislodge her 
furry head ornament.

	For her part, Ryo-Ohki took the move without complaint, 
especially when Ayeka also reached over to gently scratch behind 
her ears.

	"Yes, I'm very worried.  What if they've already picked 
someone out for me to marry?"  

	"You'll just have to explain that you're in love with 
Tenchi and Ryoko-"

	Ayeka cut her off at that.  "Sasami, I love only Tenchi.  I 
just have to put up with Ryoko because Tenchi also loves her," 
she clarified.

	"Well, if you say so," Sasami replied doubtfully.  "But I'm 
sure they'll understand.  And I just know they'll like Tenchi and 
Ryoko.  I do."

	Ayeka hugged her little sister close.  "Yes, I do too.  
Very, very much.  Thank you, by the way."  She let go and scooted 
away to give her sister some space.  "So, are you looking forward 
to going home?"

	"Yes, I miss Mom and Dad ever so much!" Sasami said 
unhesitatingly, but Ayeka looked at her doubtfully.

	"Ever so much?" she asked, one eyebrow raised.  

	"Yep!" Sasami replied, then hopped down off the couch, 
startling Ryo-Ohki and nearly dislodging her from her perch.  
"I'd better get started on dinner, if you want we can have wonton 
soup again."

	"Sasami, it's early afternoon."  Ayeka stopped her sister 
with a faintly disapproving look.

	"Have to start it early, you know," she insisted.  "Those 
things take a long time to cook."

	"Sasami..." Ayeka repeated warningly.

	"But I do want to see Mommy and Daddy, I do!" she insisted, 
lip trembling.

	"I know you do," Ayeka said comfortingly, drawing her 
little sister into a hug.  "You want to know a secret?  I'm a 
little sad that we're leaving, too."

	"Why?" Sasami asked, clearly disbelieving her sister's 
statement.  "You've got Tenchi and Ryoko now.  You'll get to be 
married and go off and have all sorts of fun," she paused, trying 
to remove the tremor from her high voice.  "...and I'll just be 
going home.  You know they won't let me come back here, even if 
you do."  Her eyes began to shimmer with unshed tears as she 
leaned back to look directly at Ayeka.

	"Oh, Sasami, I'll still come and see you!  And so will 
Tenchi and Ryoko."

	Ryo-Ohki miyahed, pawing gently at Sasami's head.

	"And yes, Ryo-Ohki will come too.  It's not like we're just 
leaving," Ayeka consoled.

	"I know, I know," Sasami protested.  "But you don't see, do 
you?"

	"I do see," Ayeka replied gently.  "You're afraid you're 
going to miss everyone.  But we'll be visiting all the time."

	Sasami shook her head vehemently, flinging a few tears away 
and forcing Ryo-Ohki to jump down with a protest.  She gathered 
the cabbit back into her arms and wiped her face with the back of 
one sleeve before turning back to her sister.  "No, you don't 
understand.  It's not your fault, but..."  She sighed.  
"Nevermind."  

	"No, not nevermind.  This is important to you," Ayeka said, 
preventing Sasami from rising from the couch.  

	"It can wait.  We've still got several weeks left, don't 
we?" she said despondently, trying to cheer herself up.

	"Well, yes..." Ayeka replied hesitantly.  "I suppose we can 
discuss it later, if you really don't wish to talk about it now."

	"Thank you.  I've got things to do now," she said, speaking 
to the cabbit, "so you'll have to get down now."

	Miyahing, Ryo-Ohki scampered up Sasami's shoulders and 
leaped onto the back of the couch, looking at her expectantly.

	Sasami giggled, although she didn't really feel it.  "Okay, 
you can help too."


				****************


	Kagato hmmed softly to himself, intently scanning one of 
the newer files in Washu's extensive database.  The collection of 
data on this one subject alone staggered him, indicating that 
Washu had spent considerable amounts of her time researching this 
being.  Oh, there were several more files of comparable size, but 
this...  There was something special about this one.  DNA 
sequences, psych evaluations, astral scans, links to several 
different cell samples locked in a subspace container, all marked 
'DO NOT CLONE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!'; this must have been a 
very interesting subject indeed.

	"Whatcha doing?"

	Kagato most carefully did not have a heartattack.  "Ah, 
Miss Washu, I was simply-"

	"Chan."

	"-Washu-chan, I was simply scanning some of your gathered 
material.  May I ask why this file was in a hidden, triple 
encrypted folder in a section that was supposed to be reserved 
for descriptions of the mating habits of the Aguierilan tube 
fish?"

	Washu leaned around to see exactly what he was reading, 
then nodded.  "Oh, that's easy.  That's where it belongs."  Many 
other scientists would have been upset at the invasion of their 
personal database, but not Washu.  In fact, she would have been 
disappointed if he hadn't, as his genius was very nearly on par 
with her own.  She'd already scanned many of his own files 
herself.  (Raising an eyebrow or two at some of the pictures, and 
occasionally adding them to her private collection.)

	He nodded, then raised one slim eyebrow.  "Ah, again, may I 
ask why?"

	"Neither one of them make any damned sense."

	"I see..." he said, nodding in confusion.  

	Washu shook her head and shuddered.  "You would if you had 
met Mihoshi.  She has singlehandedly set back the science of 
_everything_ by more than a century, and that's just by 
existing."

	Kagato blinked.  "My, my.  That does sound bad."

	"Anyway, all you need to know about her is that she is an 
OMWDTD variable, and is to be avoided at all costs.  Come on, 
sweetie, we've got some more experiments to run."  Washu took his 
large hand in hers and gently tugged him out of the room.

	As he exited the door behind her, he asked, "OMWDTD?"

	"Oh, my.  What does this do?"

	Experiments, experiments, and more idle chitchat.  Kagato 
found himself frequently bored.  It wasn't that Washu's theories 
were uninteresting, but her research methods were depressingly 
five dimensional.  She seemed compelled to explore every branch 
to see where it went, rather than looking ahead to find the most 
promising fork and delving directly for it.

	(Like now, for instance,) he thought as he carefully 
configured an extra-planar sampling device to phase out and 
search for threads of cosmic will.  (She ignores the obvious fact 
that the forces could be wrapped around a higher lifeform 
consciousness and tweaked in such a way as to turn the physical 
body into a standing, sentient energy matrix, chosing instead to 
toy with the subtlties of the influence they have over the 
galaxial dispersion effect!)  He finished the last calculations 
and tapped a holographic activation key, sending the little 
spherical device on its way with a slight inward rush of air.

	(And all it does is delay my own research.  I never thought 
being a research assitant would be this dull,) he thought 
bitterly, returning his mind to the fascinating files on two 
Jurian princesses.  (Sisters,) his memory reminded him.  (Sisters 
with the blood of Jurai's royal family coursing through their 
veins.  One with the power, the younger without.  The comparison 
should prove to be most informative.)  A smile grew on his face 
as he considered the possibilities.  He owed Jurai a large debt 
of pain.   

	"Good to see you in a good mood for a change," chirped his 
diminuitive boss.  "Come on, we've got a bit more to do."  She 
turned a walked away, clearly expecting him to follow like the 
obedient little underling he was.

	Rubbing his temples in vain effort to prevent the now 
familiar throb of a headache, he followed.  For now.


				****************


	Deep in the wee hours of the night, the Masaki household 
slept peacefully.  Some twitched, as in Tenchi's case.  Some 
wiggled their noses, as in Ryo-Ohki's case.  And still others 
dreamed, as in the case of a certain Jurian Princess...
	

	"Oh, look Ryoko.  There's one of the primitives now!" 
Princess Ayeka exclaimed, pointing out a young male peeking at 
them from behind a rock.

	Her friend and confidant in the court, the Countess Ryoko, 
put one hand up to shield her eyes even as the other held a 
delicate parasol up to block the sunlight.  A few brief moments 
of searching and she had also spotted the grubby humanoid.  
"Quite right, Princess, it does appear to be one of the natives, 
and a prime male at that.  You have a good eye to spot him so 
quickly!"

	Princess Ayeka nodded modestly at her friend.  "Oh, tis 
nothing.  Come, let us have a closer look at the brute."

	The two offworld travelers casually strolled closer, 
careful not to catch their elegant attire on any twigs or brush.  

	The native jumped up at their approach, giving them a brief 
but amazingly stimulating view of his strong chest and short 
loincloth before he turned and ran off into the forest.

	"Oh, my!  Did you see that butt?" Ryoko exclaimed 
excitedly.

	Ayeka again nodded gracefully.  "Calmly, my dear.  It would 
not do to get all worked up like one of the primitive females.  
We must be refined, aloof, and in control, as benefits those of 
our standing."

	Ryoko composed herself before bowing in return.  "Of 
course, Princess Ayeka.  I forget myself."

	Ayeka patted her friend gently on the arm.  "That is quite 
alright, you're learning.  And he was indeed in fine physical 
condition.  Come, let us hurry lest he escape."

	The two refined ladies snapped their parasols closed and 
rested them on their shoulders as they journeyed deeper into the 
forest.  The trees were widely spaced, tall and very old.  Their 
intertwined branches and broad leaves shaded the forest floor, 
blocking the light and smothering the undergrowth, making the 
trip a pleasant journey for the pair.

	Suddenly, a ferocious saber-toothed cabbit dropped off a 
limb above them, growling hungrily.

	Eyes wide, Ayeka turned to her friend, who was shivering 
and whispering something over and over.  "I must stay calm, I 
must be refined, I must stay calm..."

	Ayeka nodded and smiled.  "That's very good, you stay calm 
and refined while I run for it."

	"What?!"

	But Ayeka was already gone, running through the forest for 
all she was worth.  Behind her, the screams of her unfortunate 
friend spurred her on.

	Only it seemed like she was running through mud.  No matter 
how hard she tried she just couldn't go any faster.  And the 
snarling, slobbering sounds of the saber-toothed cabbit were 
getting closer and closer.  Her breath came in ragged gasps now 
as she crashed through the underbrush, the limbs clutching at 
her, trying to hold her back.

	A sheer rock face loomed ahead, forcing her to stumble to a 
stop.  Ayeka spun, pressing her back against the wall in terror.

	The giant, slavering, rabid, space cabbit crouched at the 
entrance to the canyon, pawing at the ground and leaving deep 
furrows with its monstrous claws.  Its red eyes glowed, filling 
Ayeka's world.  

	She knew.  Ayeka knew what it was like to be the prey.  
Knew what it was like to be a few short breaths away from lunch.  
Even as the cabbit stalked inexorably closer, Ayeka felt the 
helplessness steal over her, the resignation to her fate as a 
long-pork sandwich.

	"UUGG!" yelled the caveman as he sprang down between the 
ferocious cabbit and its princessy prey.

	Tenchi!  Tenchi was here!  Ayeka clasped her hands together 
beside her face, watching as her primitive hero fought the 
monster.

	Caveman-Tenchi grunted in defiance, brandishing a giant 
carrot-club.  He slammed it on the ground several times, 
challenging the beast.

	Ferocious though the primitive saber-toothed cabbit was, it 
wanted nothing to do with this man and his giant carrot.  It 
cowered before him as he advanced and swung it threateningly over 
its head, then jumped away and ran as he made as if to hit it.

	Caveman-Tenchi grunted in satisfaction and turned to the 
beautiful female he had saved.  "Uhg!  Grunt!"

	"I'm sorry, but I can't understand a word you're saying," 
Ayeka replied hesitantly, standing up to her full height again 
but still barely coming to the towering caveman's throat.

	Caveman-Tenchi abruptly stepped forward and seized her by 
both arms; ready to claim his prize if the strip of leather being 
pressed into her leg was any indication.

	"Oh, my!  You really fill out a loincloth, don't you?" 
Ayeka giggled and attempted to back away, but the brute would 
have none of it and jerked demandingly at her clothes.

	"Now wait just a minute!" Ayeka protested, trying to hold 
him off by placing her hands against his firm chest and pushing.  
"Just because you saved me doesn't mean you can just take me like 
one of those little girls you have waiting for you back at the 
cave!"

	"Grunt grunt oog ug!" he replied, ripping the obi from her 
and tearing her formalwear as he tried to peek inside.

	"But I'm a cultured lady from a civilized race!  I can't 
just rut in the dirt with an ignorant primitive!"

	Abruptly, he stopped, let her go, and kneeled with one knee 
on the ground in front of her.  Caveman-Tenchi cleared his throat 
for attention, then began.

	"Oog ug-unck uck yuh**
	 Grunt uhg arg!-oog uh grunt-grunt 
	 Uh uh grunt uhg uh."

	Ayeka's jaw dropped as she stared, dumbfounded, at the 
grubby, backwater primitive who claimed her as his mate.  Ticking 
the syllables off on one finger, her eyes lit up in surprise.  
"That was a haiku!" she exclaimed delightedly.

	Caveman-Tenchi smiled and grunted proudly.  "Uh ugh."  He 
stood up and grabbed her arms again, spinning her around into his 
forceful embrace.

	"Wait!  Poetry does not give you permission to get in my 
underwear!"  

	Her protests fell on uncaring ears as Caveman-Tenchi 
proceeded to strip off her clothes and dump the tattered rags 
unceremoniously on the ground.  

	Realizing she would be in a world of pain if she allowed 
him to simply rip her panties off the same way, Ayeka took the 
initiative and removed them herself, sagging against his rock 
solid stance as she worked them down over her legs.

	He snatched them from her and studied them intently, 
keeping both arms wrapped around her as he felt of the silky soft 
material.  Curiously, he brought them to his nose and took a deep 
whiff.	

	And immediately broke down coughing, tossing them away and 
holding his nose.

	"Hey!  That's not how it's supposed to go!" Ayeka exclaimed 
angrily, glaring at him with all the fury a naked person can 
direct at someone who has just told them in no uncertain terms 
that they stink.

	And that's pretty damned furious.

	Abruptly Ayeka sighed and dropped her head, the anger 
fleeing like morning mist.  "I can't get any respect."

	Again, warm, powerful arms encircled her, calloused hands 
snagging her butter-smooth skin in enticing ways.  Roughened hide 
rubbed her nipples into firm ripeness, and the press of his 
erection into her behind sent a wave of weakness through her 
knees.  Only through his help was she able to remain upright.

	Ayeka rubbed her hands along the outside of his, assisting 
his efforts, directing him lower and lower.  Her eyes closed and 
her head lifted back as his search disappeared between her legs, 
and a soft gasp escaped her lips.  Her own hands left his and she 
reached back, lifting the loincloth and fondling him beneath it.  

	Caveman-Tenchi got more at more excited as she explored 
beneath his tattered leather.  "Uhg, ugh, uuUUUOOOHhh..." he 
moaned as she found an especially sensitive spot.

	His hot breath in her ear told him he was ready even as 
they dropped to the ground.  Ayeka supported herself on her hands 
and knees, waiting for him.

	Several long moments passed, and still he hadn't entered 
her.

	"I'm sorry, Ayeka, but I promised Grandfather..."

	"SH-"


	"-IT!" Ayeka yelled, bolting straight upright in bed.  
Then, realizing what she'd just done, she clasped both hands 
across her mouth and looked around in panic.

	Sasami grumbled irritatedly in her sleep, batted softly at 
the air, turned over, and was still again.

	Ayeka sighed in relief, sitting in bed and contemplating 
her disappointing dream.  And her additional disappointment at 
waking up in her own bed rather than Tenchi's.  She'd rather 
liked that part of their relationship, but since the no-nookie 
clause had been enacted, had retreated back to her own bed to 
avoid certain temptation.

	The whole no sex thing bothered her more than she cared to 
admit.  Sure, she'd gone her entire life without it, but now that 
she'd tried it she found she rather enjoyed it.  It was fun- and 
addictive.

	That was beside the point.  

	(Dammit, it had been such a good dream!  Ryoko eaten, 
Tenchi in a loincloth (mental note: Call Mrs. Ikeuchi and see if 
they carry loincloths), interesting sex... and then Tenchi had to 
go and screw it up!)  Ayeka clenched her fists around the 
blanket.

	(Wait, wait, calm down.  It's not Tenchi's fault, remember?  
Just a dream.  Just a damned dream.  Nightmare, really, but 
still, you can wake up from nightmares.  What I need right now is 
for Tenchi to hold me and tell me it's all right...  To kiss me 
and pinch me and...)  

	"Shit."

 	There was no chance of going back to sleep now.  Ayeka 
decided to grab a snack from the kitchen and hit the bathroom.  
Nothing like a nice, looong bath to cure what bothers you.

	Slipping into her soft tabi, Ayeka adjusted her sleeping 
clothes and eased out the door, careful not to make any noise and 
wake her sister up.

	The house was very quiet at night.  Not that it was always 
that noisy during the day, oh no.  It was frequently pretty 
silent then as well.  But nothing quite compared to the stillness 
of night. 

	Unless, of course, you were squirming and writhing in the 
arms of your-

	Ayeka ruthlessly squashed that thought.

	Her footsteps sounded loud to her as she softly padded over 
the wooden floors, the very rare squeak a sort of punctuation to 
the lonely thoughts her mind kept repelling.  Ayeka quickly 
descended the stairs into the living room, tracking a sound she 
was beginning to be aware of.

	Soft snores buzzed from a dark lump on the couch, 
occasionally accompanied by a wiggle.

	Ayeka walked over and paused, staring down at Ryoko in the 
moonlight.  She was still dressed in the clothes she had worn the 
day before, and didn't even have a blanket covering her.  

	Of the two, even Ayeka admitted that this was affecting 
Ryoko more.  A nomadic sleeper by habit, Ryoko had taken to 
sleeping wherever she collapsed since they had agreed not to 
sleep in Tenchi's bed anymore.

	Now she shivered slightly in the night chill, wrapping her 
arms desperately around herself.

	Despite herself, Ayeka felt like a heel.  Even she would 
admit that Ryoko looked alone and vulnerable, and needed 
companionship.  She kneeled silently on the floor beside the 
couch, looking gently down at the equally forsaken pirate.  One 
hand reached out and gently rubbed Ryoko's arm, restoring some 
heat back into the goose pimpled flesh.

	Ryoko shuddered and rolled slightly, unconsciously seeking 
the caring touch.

	Ayeka turned and laid both arms across the sleeping pirate, 
who hugged them close, and lay her head down onto the couch.  

	They could all handle the few weeks until school vacation.  
But what if her parents didn't like Tenchi?  Her perfect dream 
would be over.  And there were any number of reasons they 
wouldn't like Tenchi.  Ryoko, for one.  Two wives weren't unheard 
of in the Jurian empire, but weren't common either.  And a high-
ranking Jurian princess in marriage with a notorious criminal to 
a common man from a backwater planet no one had ever heard of?  
Ayeka shuddered.

	Ryoko turned in her sleep, moaning Tenchi's name.  

	Sighing, Ayeka raised her head again to look at the 
sleeping woman.  Ryoko looked so innocent when she was asleep, 
completely unlike the hellraiser she was when awake.  (It 
figures,) Ayeka thought.  (The evil ones always do.)

	Ryoko's legs rubbed against each other, and one hand 
sleepily found its way inside her dress.  Her soft moanings rose 
in intensity, as did presumably her dream.

	Ayeka frowned and pulled her hands back as Ryoko tried to 
pull them into some rather personal spots.  From the sounds of 
it, her dream must have been on similar lines as Ayeka's own.

	She watched in silence for a few moments more, the abruptly 
realized that her own breathing had quickened in response.  Ayeka 
knew what would stop illicit thoughts.  She rose and hurried to 
the kitchen, grabbing a glass and filling it up with cold tap 
water, draining it in a series of loug gulps.  Then, just for the 
hell of it, she filled the glass again and returned to stand over 
Ryoko's defenseless form.

	"Hey," she spoke softly to the moaning figure.  "If I can't 
have Tenchi in _my_ dreams, neither can you."  And then she 
poured the cold water.  

	A bit later she felt kind of bad for getting the couch all 
wet, but Ryoko's keening, literal levitation ten feet straight up 
_was_ rather amusing.  When the sputtering, cursing pirate had 
calmed down and looked around, Ayeka smirked evilly up at her.  
"How's that for a wet dream?"

	Ryoko gasped and struggled to keep from blasting the cruel, 
evil, ugly bitch below her, finally managing to unclench her 
fists and drift lower.  "Ha ha," Ryoko replied humorlessly.  
"You're just a barrel of laughs in the middle of the night, 
aren't you?  What's the big idea, splashing water all over 
someone who was _trying_ to sleep?"

	Ayeka's expression softened.  "You looked cold-"

	"So you decided to pour ice water on me?" Ryoko asked 
incredulously.

	Ayeka laughed nervously.  "Um, sorry about that.  Long 
story.  Let's just say it seemed like a good idea at the time?"	

	Ryoko's eyes held the promise of much retribution, and 
Ayeka backed away nervously.  

	"Okay, maybe it wasn't a good idea.  I'm sorry?" Ayeka said 
placatingly, holding her hands up in front of herself as Ryoko 
advanced menacingly.	
	
	Sighing, Ryoko stopped her immediate plans to kill, 
dismember, and bury Ayeka.  (That's just fine, Princess.  You've 
had your fun.  I can wait until you're not expecting it.)

	"Really, now, I'm trying to be nice to you," Ayeka tried 
again, boldly stepping forward and grabbing Ryoko's arm.  "Come 
on, let's get you dried off and hustled off to bed.  You 
shouldn't sleep on the couch like that, you'll catch a cold."

	"If I don't drown first," Ryoko agreed nastily.

	"I'm sorry, okay?  If you want you can get Tenchi to spank 
me."  Ayeka tugged the sopping wet Ryoko down the hall and into 
the girl's bathroom, still extended by Washu's technology.

	"I'd rather do it myself..." Ryoko grumbled to herself.

	"What?!" Ayeka exclaimed, momentarily shocked.

	"Uh, I mean, it'd hurt more."  

	Ayeka still looked at her dubiously, but continued her 
task.  Ryoko's dirty clothes were piled neatly in the laundry and 
Ayeka used a large bath towel to rub her briskly all over, drying 
her off and driving off some of the considerable chill she had 
picked up during the night and cold water bath.

	Having no other clothes available at the moment, Ayeka 
quietly led the nude Ryoko up the stairs to her own room and dug 
out an extra pair of her own pajamas.

	Shrugging, Ryoko accepted them without comment and dressed 
quickly, the cool silk causing shivers as it slid over her bare 
skin.  She looked up to see Ayeka staring at her with a 
contemplative look on her face.  "What?" she said quietly, 
whispers being too loud to be used around the sleeping Sasami.

	Ayeka shrugged.  "Why not?" she mouthed back, seemingly to 
herself.  Appearing to reach a descision, she tugged Ryoko down 
to her futon and threw back the sheets.  Seeing the obvious 
question written across Ryoko's face, she shrugged.  "I'm tired 
of sleeping alone, and I bet you are, too."  She held one finger 
up and wagged it back and forth.  "But no funny stuff, okay?"

	Ryoko looked at her oddly.  (Strange, but...  Hmm, how to 
be naughty and unnerving...)  She reached out quickly, grabbing 
Ayeka's hand and keeping the finger extended, bringing it to her 
mouth and sucking on it in one slow, sensuous motion before 
releasing the hand, patting Ayeka on the cheek, and sliding under 
the covers before Ayeka had time to speak.

	Ayeka cradled the hand against her breast and cupped her 
cheek in the other, utterly dumbfounded.     


				****************

	No one sleeps like a child, except the completely innocent 
and the completely unselfconscious.

	Ryoko usually fit all three.  Although having assumed adult 
status a long time ago, there was still a certain childlike 
wonder to her, a naive assumption that the universe really wasn't 
all that bad.  And by and large, to her, it wasn't.  She had fun, 
personal power, and shortly after her landing on earth, love.  
Even the snooty Jurian princess was little more than a mild 
annoyance, sand in the bikini during the beach vacation that was 
life. 

	Innocence is, of course, relative, but despite the 
substantial reward offered for her immediate incarceration and/or 
disposal, Ryoko was innocent.  She'd never really done anything 
that _bad_, per se, more like naughty.

	And Ryoko had never experienced a day of shyness or 
selfconsciousness in her life, most of the time she was the 
instrument of other's embarassment.  Truly, she was blessed and 
smiled upon by the gods, and not that nasty kind of smug grin the 
Gods use right before they turn a life into some kind of personal 
hell that would make Job wince either.  An honest, benevolent 
smile. 

	However, until now she'd never been invited to the bed of 
another female for use as a body pillow, so maybe there was just 
a hint of a smirk around the edges of that hypothetical god's 
smile.  Despite her brazen, deliberately provocative actions, 
Ryoko was so nervous that she all but forgot about the 
unfortunate method of her wake up call.  

	The fact that she and Ayeka had shared some pretty intimate 
secrets, not to mention their colaboration on some rather 
inventive projects designed to turn Tenchi into a sex god 
straight from the legends of the Tantra, simply made things 
worse.  Sure, she had done some things to Ayeka, and vice versa, 
that weren't exactly normal behavior between two girls in a 
nominally platonic relationship, but it wasn't like she was doing 
it for Ayeka's benefit.  Tenchi's reactions were just so _cute_ 
when he was tied in the chair like that. 

	Thoughts of Tenchi warmed her in a way the thick blanket 
hadn't and Ryoko uncurled from her near fetal position, getting 
as comfortable as she could, pushed to the edge of the futon as 
she was.  Unobtrusively, she turned her head and looked over at 
her bedmate, being just barely able to make out Ayeka's features 
in the dim light.

	Ayeka was stiff, stiff, stiff.  Every muscle in her body 
radiated tension, almost like she'd hooked herself up to a couple 
of hundred volts of high amp DC power to recharge for the night.  
Although if she stayed like that for very long, recharged was 
going to be the last thing she was going to feel like in the 
morning.

	Ryoko stifled a chuckle.  To think she'd been worried.  
Ayeka was probably as afraid of this situation as she was, for 
all that it had been Ayeka's idea in the first place.  

	Heh.

	Nothing to worry about.  Ayeka wasn't the type of person to 
just reach out and fondle her because she wanted her to.  Wanted 
to, that was.  Ryoko rubbed her eyes sleepily.  She was tired, 
and clearly not thinking right.  There was no sexual tension in 
that bed that she didn't cause herself.  

	Right.  Now, time for sleep.  Busy day tomorrow and all.

	Apparently, Ayeka had come to essentially the same 
conclusion, and visibly relaxed beside her.

	That was all well and good, at least until Ayeka felt the 
need to turn over.  In the process, one hand accidently brushed 
Ryoko's pajama covered breast.

	Ryoko instantly froze.

	Ayeka, on the other hand, apparently didn't notice, and 
curled onto her left side much like Ryoko, facing away.

	A disturbing question popped into Ryoko's sleep-fogged 
mind.  Was that an accident?  Did Ayeka mean to do that, and had 
just turned away to cover it up?

	Had to be.  Coincidence, that's all.  Ryoko pinched 
herself.  She was just being paranoid.

	Sleep.  Sleeep.  Sleee...

	"Ryoko," someone hissed.

	...p.  "Whaa?" she mumbled, not really opening her eyes.  
She must have fallen asleep, finally, and now was being woken up 
_again_.

	"As comforting as this _may well be_, could you maybe 
remove your hand from my panties?" requested Ayeka's voice with 
the infinite patience of someone who is certain there is an 
explaination for this, and is prepared to listen to any 
longwinded excuse in order to prove it to themselves.  

	Ryoko's eyes snapped open with a near-audible jerk, her 
pupils dialated to the fullest.  

	Interestingly enough, Ayeka's right temple was about three 
inches from her nose, and the two were now pressed tightly 
together in the center of the bed in the position commonly known 
as the spoon.  Ryoko also discovered that her arm had become 
wrapped around just under Ayeka's breast, across her stomach, and 
down between her legs; a position she favored when sharing Tenchi 
in Tenchi's bed.  

	Rather awkwardly, she extricated her hand from Ayeka's 
nightclothes (It was dry!  Thank the Kami!), and brought it back 
across the increasingly fine line marking her side of the futon.

	"I'd like to request that you refrain from sucking on my 
ear as well, but I suppose I could be negotiable on the issue," 
Ayeka joked, desperately trying to salvage the situation.

	With a brief shudder, Ryoko turned over to face the other 
direction, tugging impatiently at the sheets to keep from hogging 
them all to herself.

	"Right," Ayeka agreed.  "If I'd wanted to be ravished in 
the middle of the night, I would have gone and woken up Tenchi.  
At least HE doesn't have feet that could freeze water."  The last 
was delivered with a matter of fact tone that suggested an actual 
complaint, rather than the forced light tone that she had used. 

	"Shut up."

	"Oh, calm down," Ayeka snapped peevishly, a little too 
loudly in the stillness of three AM.  She sat up and turned to 
look at Ryoko's rigid back.  Much quieter, she continued.  "You 
and I both know it was an accident.  Just like I didn't mean to -
ulp!" she said, clapping a hand across her mouth.

	(I'm not going to ask, I'm not going to ask...)  

	"Didn't mean to what?"  She couldn't help it.

	"Nothing!  Good night!"

	"Ayeka..." Ryoko growled.  "What. Did. You. Do."  

	"Ah hah, nothing really," she replied, giggling nervously.  
"What do you say we just get some sleep?  Need to be well rested 
for tomorrow, you know!"

	"Unnh," complained a new voice as Sasami stirred sleepily 
and sat straight up on her futon.  "Could you keep it down?" she 
mumbled, not really awake, before laying back down and turning 
over, presumably burying her head under her pillow.

	"There, you see?" Ayeka whispered again.  "We woke Sasami 
up.  Let's just sleep."  She lay back down and turned, covering 
it protectively with her arms with a finality that implied that 
further information couldn't be pried out of her with a crowbar.

	Ryoko ground her teeth, then firmly shut her own eyes.

	A minute later, a grin spread across her face.

	Wake up calls indeed. 
	

				****************

	
	"My, my," murmured Kagato to himself as he studied the 
recorded readings of one particularly nasty fight between the 
princess Ayeka and the space pirate Ryoko.  "This Ryoko is a 
lovely creature, but the princess is not without her charms.  
Such ferocity, such power!" he exclaimed to himself as he started 
a multi-dee recording of the fight, the first of many.

	Various statistics and readings were displayed over the 
scene, annotated with cryptic notes by Washu herself.  Especially 
strong peaks were replayed several times with different notations 
as Ryoko's energy blade slammed into Ayeka's forcefield over and 
over.  The estimated potentials were displayed on the opposite 
side of the screen, as well as a small brain icon indicating 
areas of high neural activity.

	Kagato shook his head at the readings.  "Such _potential_ 
these Jurians have.  I knew that all Jurians had access to the 
higher plane powers, but I had no idea that they could ever reach 
so deeply..."  His left hand idly tapped out a slow, haunting 
melody on a holographic keyboard to his left, the synthesised 
organ notes spuring his thoughts onward.  Not as good as the real 
thing, but close.  He smiled wistfully, remembering just who had 
loved that song.

	His nimble fingers hit a discord and halted, all of his 
astonished attention devoted to the screen.  

	A striking young man had just entered the picture and was 
standing between the two fighting women.  They had ceased to 
actively fight, but both the power levels and the estimated 
potentials had risen dramaticly, far beyond what he would have 
expected.  In fact, given Washu's skill, the overall potential 
shouldn't have risen at all, as potential was usually a fixed 
sum.

	Kagato paused the fight, barely glancing at the newcomer, 
and commanded the now extensive notes to fill the screen.

	-The rivalry between Ayeka and Ryoko has entered a new 
phase with the addition of the young earth boy Tenchi.  These 
readings confirm my suspicions about the nature of my release 
from the stasis crystal I was imprisoned in.  

	As previously noted, the rivalry between the two started 
when each was very young, and due to happenstance or contrivance 
has only escalated since.  Many such situtions can be found in 
psychology texts from all species and cultures, usually between 
siblings.  Something about the other being simply irritates the 
one, and each wants to be the best, have the best, and prove 
their innate superiority.

	With the relatively new addition of a possible mate, the 
fights have taken on a more primal urge, tapping reserves of 
power deeper than ever suspected.  It is fortunate indeed that 
Ayeka has been taught considerable restraint throughout her 
childhood, as have all of the Jurian royalty.  Sasami has yet to 
undergo such training, but as she is prepubescent and the  
necessary neural pathways have not developed yet this is not a 
concern.  Ayeka continues to develop her power and her wits as 
she schemes for Tenchi's favor.  

	Ryoko demonstrates great power as well, as do many of her 
species.  Her lack of respect for most laws and customs is 
reflected in her lack of restraint, and she frequently comes 
close to overpowering the princess, despite the difference in 
overall potential.  She is much more forward in her pursuit of 
Tenchi and is continually embarassing the shy boy.-

	Kagato paused, touching a highlighted link to one side.  
Immediately, the screen blurred, and a modified version of a 
psych evalutation program started to spout hypothesises about the 
two girls' childhoods that would have made Freud blush.  He cut 
it off mid-phallic.  
	
	"Two young women going to such lengths over a boy?" he 
mused to himself, his cultured voice filling his quarters.  
"Sounds like he must be quite a catch."  

	A link conveniently supplied brought the file on Tenchi up 
on screen, and Kagato marveled at it's completion.   

	"Even the great Washu was attracted to the boy," he 
murmured, bringing up a 3d still picture.

	"Oh, my.  I must admit, they _do_ have good taste."

	He was perfect.

	Or so close to perfection as to make no difference, 
perfection in this case being a sense of aesthetics and not an 
integer. 

	Kagato marveled at this boy-  No, this young man.  This 
very attractive young man.  He studied the picture intently.  
Finally, for the first time ever, he could look at another male's 
face and not see a pale reflection of HIS face...  Tenchi alone 
filled his vison.  He shook himself and keyed up video.

	Over the next hour, he watched Tenchi sweep, tend the 
carrot fields (and immediately made plans to aquire some seeds 
and start a garden of his own), act completely shy and 
startlingly brave.  All the best moments of the time she had 
spent with him, Washu had captured for her records.  Even the 
less than flattering moments were cute to Kagato, as he watched 
Tenchi waffle, break, and run from the bevy of not-quite-so-
attractive-anymore girls that had been drawn to him like a 
magnet, and as well they should.

	(There is something about that young man...) Kagato 
thought.  (He's special.  Almost as if the cosmos itself had 
conspired to make him and direct his way through life.  And he 
_must_ prefer men,) Kagato reasoned.  (All of those girls are 
attractive, even I can admit that.  And they're just throwing 
themselves at him, ready and willing, yet he does nothing!)

	He sat in silence for some time, pouring over the files.

	"Hello, what's this?" Kagato murmured aloud for the first 
time in hours.  

	On the screen was a little picture of a cell, one of 
several hundred in a little stasis container linked to Tenchi's 
file.  Also included was a DNA sequence map and a brain structure 
map.

	"Jurain descent!" Kagato hissed, instantly recognizing the 
familiar double-helix.  "Earth was an abandoned Jurian colony!"  
He sat back, steepling his hands before himself.  "Well now, that 
opens up possibilities."

	He smiled, picturing an unstoppable fighter, loyal only to 
him, one who could stand by his side as they conquered Jurai 
together...

	"Yes.  Intriguing possibilities."

	
	Tenchi: Next time, I have an unpleasent awakening of my 
own.  We all have a pleasent shopping trip at the mall, but it's 
interrupted by terrorists!

	Azaka and Kamidake: Did we mention that Tenchi gets in 
trouble?  

	Ayeka: Big trouble.

	Ryoko: So drop by for the next chapter of Aurora of Rainbow 
Fire, The People's Coalition Against Capitalist Exploitation.

	Kiyone: It's all political anyway.