Tenchi was led into the chapel hall and made to kneel before an altar
made of black lacquer, upon which sat two silver cups and a small white
bottle of sake'.  A priestess was already there waiting for him; a small,
wrinkled old woman with long white hair tied behind her back and a multitude
of glittering rings on her fingers.
     "So you're the lucky young man", she said.  "I met your young lady a
little while ago, and I have to say that she's one of the loveliest girls
we've ever had in our little chapel.  I think you might even consider
staying married to her after the license expires", she said, eyeing him
critically.  "I certainly hope that she means more to you than just a mere
night's pleasure, my boy.  Does she?"
     "Of..of course she does!", he said quickly, looking down.  "I would
never think of a woman like that!  Believe me!"
     "Good boy," she said, and smiled.  "Now just sit still.  Here comes
your bride-to-be."  Tenchi flushed at her words and turned around slowly,
watching as a beautiful young woman in a long white kimono walked slowly
towards the altar, preceded by a ribboned Ryo-Ohki.  She had a small basket
full of petals in her jaws, and was shaking them around wildly.  Over in the
corner, a small, toad-like man began to play "Sakura" on a
mandolin-emulating synth machine.  Tenchi's eyes widened and his heart began
to pound along with the music.  "Ryoko", he said, awe-struck at her beauty.
     Her long silver hair had been tied back and held in place by a set of
golden hair pins, the tops of which were molded in the shapes of curled
dragons and cranes fighting one another.  Her face had been elegantly
made-up, and she exuded a scent like jasmine when she approached and kneeled
beside him.  Tenchi blushed as he stared, feeling foolish that he had never
realized just what a beautiful woman she was until now.  Ryoko turned to him
and smiled, blinking her long lashes seductively at him.
     "How do I look, Tenchi?", she asked.  Something in her eyes told him
that she desperately needed his approval.  He smiled shyly and nodded.
"Whatever words I could think of to describe how beautiful you are would
still never do you justice", he said.  "You're utterly breath-taking,
Ryoko."  She smiled at that, and her eyes began to well with tears.
"Tenchi..", she said.
     "Let us begin", said the priestess.  The two of them turned to her and
held their hands together, as if to pray.  The old woman clapped her hands
together, the metal of her rings clingly soundly in the silence.
     "Nothing is complete", she said.  "Things seek one another out in order
to be made whole.  Thus does the sun chase the moon across the sky, thus do
the winds howl their ways across the world.  Nothing is complete, and thus
everything must find its complement.  Take the cups, please."
     Tenchi and Ryoko took the cups and held them tight.  The priestess
handed Ryoko the sake' and bid her pour it into his cup.  She did so, eyeing
him tenderly.
     "Tenchi, here is your love, pouring out the waters of her life into
your cup.  She gives you her strength and her love, to keep you and to
protect you from all harm, for as long as you two shall live.  Do you take
her, Tenchi?"
     Tenchi looked at Ryoko for a moment, holding the cup in his hands.  He
smiled at her and at the priestess.  "I do", he said.  Ryoko looked at him,
the tears finally falling from her beautiful eyes.  Her smile lit the room
brighter than any starlight.
     The priestess then bid Tenchi pour the sake' into Ryoko's cup.  Shyly,
he did so, watching her watching him.
     "Ryoko, here is your love, pouring out the waters of his life in your
cup.  He gives you his strength and his love, to keep you and to protect you
from all harm, for as long as you two shall live.  Do you take him, Ryoko?"
     Ryoko wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled at the priestess.  "I
do", she said softly.  "With all my heart I do."
     "Then drink", said the priestess.  "And from the essences of two make
one, forever and eternally."  Nodding, they each drank deeply, finishing the
sake'.  Then they set the cups down, and bowed deeply to the priestess.
     "Good", she said.  "Now take each other's hands."
     Blushing, they did so, intertwining their fingers.  Ryoko stared into
Tenchi's eyes, her joyful tears making them glimmer like wet topazes.
Tenchi smiled also, and squeezed her hands tenderly.  The priestess frowned
and leaned in to Tenchi.
     "You need a teleprompter, son?", she whispered.  "Go on.  Kiss her!"
     Tenchi blushed anew, then looked into Ryoko's eyes.  Leaning forward,
he closed his eyes and parted his lips, feeling the heat of her own
approaching.  Then, at long last, their lips found one another, sweetly
sealing the vows they had made.  It was sweet, and tender, and came from the
hearts of both.
     "I now pronounce you husband and wife", she said.  "Go in peace, and
live in love."