The TENCHI Chronicles
Chapter 4 - Adjustment and Celebration
A Tenchi Muyo fanfiction
by Michael "Brazil" Borgwardt (borgward@informatik.tu-muenchen.de)
revised final version as of December 4th, 1998
Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-ohki and its characters are copyrighted by AIC/Pioneer.
I don't have any right to do this but I did it anyway. The rights to this
story, however, are mine. Please don't sell it and don't change it without
asking for my permission.
If you haven't read the previous chapters, you should do so. They can be
found at this URL:
http://www.informatik.tu-muenchen.de/~borgward/goodies.html
A short summary of what happened so far:
Tenchi has told Ryoko and Aeka about his true feelings and that he is not
in love with them like they think. Both of them don't take this easily.
They get royally drunk together and suffer from a really bad hangover on
the next morning. They blame it on Tenchi and (with the help of Washu and
Sasami) they take revenge by faking their suicides. Tenchi is very, very
upset and gets very angry at them. After realizing how much it hurt him,
the girls apologize to him. The next day, Mihoshi comes back from a visit
home and Tenchi has a very teary and emotional talk with her.
***********************************
The ritual usually brought Aeka peace, but not this morning. Perhaps it
was because of the overcast sky in which the sun only appeared as a pale
glow. It certainly matched Aeka's mood.
He'd only done it to humor her. Only Mihoshi had received her embrace of
Tenchi's free will. In a way, Mihoshi seemed closer to Tenchi's heart than
Aeka or Ryoko. On the other hand, Tenchi *had* looked relieved when Mihoshi
had said that she wouldn't claim his heart. Of course. It meant one person
less who would eventually be hurt by his decision.
Pondering this essential question, Aeka realized that she wasn't really
sure what it *was* that Tenchi wanted, not anymore. She had gotten some
glimpses in the past days, but her beloved's true feelings, wishes and
dreams were a mystery to her. And that after living with him for over a
year now.
The ritual forgotten, Aeka watched a dragonfly dance over the lake as
she resolved to do something about this lack of understanding.
-----------------------------------
"Hello, Tenchi-sama!"
Tenchi turned around, surprised. He hadn't noticed her approach. Of course,
Aeka was the quietest person he knew, at least when Ryoko was not around.
"Oh, hello Aeka-san. What's up?" Then he saw the box she was carrying.
"Is Sasami-chan busy? Or why..." Tenchi asked while he set down the
half-full basket with carrots that he'd been carrying on his back.
"No, but I asked her to let me deliver it."
"And Ryoko let you do that?" Tenchi asked, his expression a mix of hope and
suspicion. That hurt.
"Not exactly," Aeka admitted. "She wasn't around at that time. She'll
probably come here once she finds out."
They sat down in the shade of an apple tree next to the field and Tenchi
began to eat. Aeka watched him, uncertain about how to approach the subject.
"You... came here for a reason, didn't you?"
Aeka looked down. Was it good or bad that he could tell that? Not important,
she decided.
"Yes. I came to... to ask you..." Tenchi waited, but she seemed unable to
continue.
"Ask me what?"
"what... what you want me to do." She looked up and saw the questioning
expression on his face. she thought.
"I mean after what you said last week... I know that you don't want me to
fight with Ryoko-san and care more about your needs. But I don't really
know what those are! What do you want me to do? What can I do to please
you?"
Tenchi pondered this as he dug into Sasami's delicious sashimi, gracious
that Aeka gave him some time to think this over. She had him there.
He wasn't really sure what he really wanted, just not...
"You're still... not approaching this right, Aeka-san. At the moment,
I just want some peace. I just want to lead a quiet and relaxed life
together with my friends. I like you, all of you, a lot, but..."
He looked at Aeka pointedly, to make sure she understood that this included
her, but what he saw was only desparation. Not what he'd hoped for.
"That's not enough for you, is it?"
Aeka shook her head silently. Sensing her pain, Tenchi sighed miserably.
Why did he have to hurt someone so much, just by saying the truth?
"I'm very sorry, but... that will have to be enough, for now. Can't you
see it as a chance? You and Ryoko don't have to fight. Neither of you
is *losing* me or anything!"
There was another long pause during which Tenchi finished off the sashimi
and the rice and looked at the taiyaki, his usual enthusiasm about the
dessert totally gone.
"But I can't win either, can I?"
"Aeka-san, this isn't a war. I'm not going to marry the girl who's best at
cutting out her rivals, nor the one who is the best actor. I'm not going
to marry anytime soon, period. I'm way too young to even start thinking
about that! But when I do, I will marry my wife because of what she is,
not because of what she tries to be. Can't you just let it rest?"
Aeka hung her head in disappointment. This wasn't how she had imagined the
conversation to go. But the she forced herself to a little smile.
"I guess you can't really understand until you have been in love yourself.
But you're right, it will have to do. I'll try to remember this and act
accordingly."
Tenchi rewarded her with a very relieved smile. she thought.
But then Aeka told herself that Tenchi now probably wouldn't anymore
hesitate to fend off and scold the demon-woman when she became too
obtrusive. And to be honest, Aeka herself would be glad if the fighting
stopped. Some of the things Ryoko said hurt a lot, though Aeka would never
admit that to anyone. More importantly, after a fight, she was often very
upset at how much she herself had lost control and how improper her *own*
behaviour had been. At home, most of Aeka's outbursts would have earned
her severe punishment from her father.
After a minute, Aeka's silence began to scare Tenchi a bit. He tried to
think of something comforting and encouraging to say.
"I'm really glad that we had this talk, Aeka-san. It seems like it really
had to get worse before getting better."
Aeka raised an eyebrow. "You mean this is 'better'?"
"Well, yes. Certainly better than you and Ryoko-san fighting all the time
and never listening to me at all."
It confirmed Aeka's worst suspicions. <*That* is how it looked like to
him? As if I didn't actually care about him?> It made a horrible kind of
sense. And
Aeka's efforts hadn't stopped there. She hang her head low. The world she
had lived in until last week had been much more pleasant. But now she knew
that that world had been just an illusion.
"I guess it really is better..."
The rest of the meal was spent in awkward silence. Finally, Tenchi rose.
"Tell Sasami-chan that it was delicious, as always."
"When do you think you'll come home?"
Tenchi looked at the fields and tried to estimate how long it would take.
"Maybe two hours, I'd say. Three at most. I just hope there isn't another
'surprise' waiting for me when I come home." he added, grinning.
"Tenchi-sama! You *know* that I won't do anything like that anymore! Nor
will Ryoko, for that matter." Aeka replied, sightly offended.
"Just checking. Well, I'll see you then."
"Good bye, Tenchi-sama."
It was a rather pensive princess who made her way back to the house. An
easy answer telling her what to do and say had probably been too much to
ask. But it *was* frustrating. The only thing she could do was - nothing
at all.
A harsh voice ended Aeka's reflections. "Hey, princess!"
"Oh, Ryoko-san. What took you so long?" Somehow that seemed to make Ryoko
angry. She flew closer and pointed accusingly at Aeka.
"Don't you try to take away my initiative! What did you do with Tenchi?"
Aeka sighed. . "I brought him his
lunchbox and we talked a bit. I left him to do his work and now I'm here."
Ryoko was, of course, not satisfied. "What did you talk about?"
The princess hesitated. What if she just made up something? Ryoko would
probably keep pestering Tenchi and maybe he'd get angry at her and then...
No, Aeka reminded herself. That was exactly the line of thinking that
Tenchi had told her was wrong.
Suddenly, Aeka became aware that Ryoko was waving a hand in front of her
face. "Yo-hoo, Earth to Aeka, do you read me?"
Annoyed and slightly embarassed, the princess pushed away the pirate's
hand and started again walking back towards the house. It was only
sensible, but it still went against her instincts...
"I asked him how he wanted us to behave. You know, because of last week
and everything..."
This took Ryoko by surprise. "You did? What did he answer?"
Aeka too a deep breath.
"He said that he's much to young to get married. So since he's not going
to make a decision soon, we should stop worrying about losing him to each
other. And he said that we shouldn't try to win him by acting like
something we are not."
Ryoko smirked. "Not what you wanted to hear, ne?"
"Not exactly," Aeka agreed as she looked at the girl floating next to her.
"But the idea does have its merits. I mean I'd like it if we didn't have
to argue all the time..."
The demoness linked her hands in her neck and looked at the clouds,
considering this for a minute
"I'm not sure. If we didn't argue at all, would't it get pretty boring
around here?"
Aeka couldn't help but laugh. "As boring as last Saturday?"
Ryoko grinned. "You have a point there. I guess we'll have to try it
anyway. By the way, when is Tenchi going to be finished with the fields?"
"Two to three hours. Why do you ask?"
"Guess."
"Ryo-ohki out of carrots?"
The furry spaceship's mistress grinned. "Right. And the furball makes
sure that I feel every growl of her little stomach."
-----------------------------------
As Aeka had noticed correctly, there was little boredom to be found where
extraterrestrial princes and princesses, a former space pirate, a galactic
policewoman and the greatest scientist of the universe lived together.
However, life in the house did change, in a way that was welcomed by all.
The former rivals discovered that they could indeed tolerate each other's
company (though both were swift to deny that they ever enjoyed it). They
discovered that they liked the same TV shows. Different aspects of them,
of course.
One of their favourites told the tale of a woman who lead the life of a
man, at the dawn of a new era, when an outdated system of society was
going down, desparately defended by people whose power and more depended
on it and who would not let go of that power peacefully.
Nobuyuki (who knew the story) took the necessary precautions, which
consisted mainly of ensuring that a sufficient stock of tissues was
maintained.
Together, princess and pirate watched the big events unfold, were
horrified at the needless death of a child, and cheered as the heorine
abandoned her orders in favor of her conscience. And then an escape didn't
go as it had been planned and a soldier was hit by a bullet.
"Oh no!" gasped Aeka, watching in rapt fascination as the man collapsed,
his hand outstreched towards his love, and the episode ended.
"It can't be! Not now! Not after they..."
Ryokos lips formed into a feral grin. "After they what? Say it, princess!"
Aeka blushed furiously. "You know what..."
The demoness wasn't shaken off that easily "You bet I do! But you *can't*
say it, can you?"
"How can you be so tactless, now that he is dying?!"
Ryoko stifled a mock-yawn. "Bah, that's just for dramatic effect. He'll
survive it. The good guys always do. Especially after they... Well, *can*
you say it?"
"Why should I *want* to?" Aeka asked nervously.
That opening was all Ryoko needed. She chuckled.
"How do you expect ever to win Tenchi when you can't even *name* the
important parts!"
"Of course I can!"
"Prove it!"
"They..."
Ryoko put her hand to her ear and leaned towards the other girl.
"I can't hear you!"
"They admitted their love!"
That was it for Ryoko, and she toppled over, shaking with roaring
laughter. After some seconds she found enough composure to straighten
herself. "And you honestly believe... that's *all* they did? she snorted.
"I mean, the pictures didn't leave much to the imagination, did they?"
The princess could take it no more. "You're impossible!" She stood up
and left the room. "And I have to go shopping with Sasami anyway!"
"Just make sure don't miss the grand finale next week. Half an hour
earlier, two episodes, remember?"
"A princess of Jurai is *always* punctual!"
And so they were there a week later, and watched the thorn-wrapped female
silhouette announcing the beginning of the story's conclusion.
The first box of tissues went quickly as Ryoko's prediction proved false,
the physicians admitted defeat and the heroine's wail of loss resounded
over the assembled people.
They finished the second box while the grief-stricken woman lost herself
in visions of better days and witnessed a child fulfill her father's wish,
sending his body on its last journey.
Finally, a mighty fortress fell. The event would be remembered for
centuries to come. Not so (probably because she had never existed) the
young woman who lay dying in a back-alley, accompanied only by a few
friends, parting easily with a life that couldn't anymore give her the
one thing she craved most.
Weeping without restraint, the two girls did away with the third box
and paid little attention as on the screen, the fate of the survivors
and the utter failure of their dreams and ideals was told.
Aeka was the first to regain coherent speech.
"Oh... *sniff* I'm so moved... That was so... so sad!"
Ryoko, her face still wet from the tears she'd shed, shook her head.
"So... stupid! They waited for all those years, just because... well, for
no real reason at all! So much time they could have..."
Aeka padded her companion's shoulder.
"They had that one night, at least..."
Ryoko jumped up angrily.
"But I *don't* want just one night! I want to *enjoy* my life and my love!
Damn, why does Tenchi have to stall like this?"
Aeka glared at her, now angry herself because Ryoko had broken their new
unwritten rule of not claiming Tenchi in any way when speaking to each
other.
"Stop worrying, Ryoko-san! Both of us will live much longer than any
Earth-born person, and there isn't any kind of war going to happen
*here*. The handfull of years till Tenchi-sama feels ready to... make a
commitment... really don't matter to us, do they?"
Ryoko sighed. "I guess you're right. Still..."
-----------------------------------
"To sum it up: with the approach of the warm-weather front, Shikoku and
southern Honshu are in for some last days of premium summer weather over
the weekend, while the Kanto region will get a good deal of clouds and rain.
I really envy you guys in the south! I hope you enjoy it."
"Thanks, Seiji. And now, after the break we'll--"
Tenchi switched off the TV.
"All right, Sasami-chan! You couldn't have chosen a better occasion. The
weather'll be perfect for a picnic."
Sasami giggled.
"I didn't choose it, silly! This Saturday is the second anniversary of
the day you met Ryoko-oneechan and my sister and I arrived on Earth!"
Tenchi's mouth gaped. "Uh... really?".
Nobuyuki was close to crying. "*Tenchi*! How could you forget? The day that
changed our lives forever! The day you became a man!"
"Oh, lay off already, dad!" Tenchi made a mental note to ask his father
what exactly he meant with 'became a man', but definitely not now, in front
of Sasami.
"So, do you have a particular place in mind for the picninc, Sasami-chan?"
Sasami shrugged. "Not really. Do you have an idea, Tenchi-niichan? Maybe
we could go to the onsen again... the spot we had for Hanami was just
about perfect."
Tenchi frowned. "That's a bit far away for a picnic. What about the meadows
around the creek that feeds our lake?
"I don't think I've been there yet, but if-"
Sasami was interrupted by Nobuyuki's hand on her should. Tenchi's father
suddenly had an incredibly intense expression and *real* tears in his eyes.
"Yes, Tenchi. That's a... perfect spot. We will go there."
Sasami blinked, a bit confused. Then she smiled and turned towards the
door to the porch. "It's settled then. I'll go and tell the others!"
Suddenly, Tenchi was alone with his father. He cleared his throat.
"Um, Dad... what's up with you?"
Nobuyuki sighed heavily, then sat down next to Tenchi and put an arm around
his son. He then paused for a while. Tenchi was starting to *really* get
worried when his father spoke.
"You see, son... that reminded me of another picnic I had in that exact
place. It was also a beautiful summer day. Your grandfather was there,
my parents, your mother and me. We were celebrating the third anniversary
of our marriage..."
-----------------------------------
"And another toast to my son and his beautiful wife!"
"Oh Dad, *please*! At this rate you'll be drunk before noon and we won't
have any sake left!"
"Come on, you can't blame your father for being happy on this day!"
Everyone laughed as they watched Nobuyuki and his father struggle for
sovereignty over the sake bottle. When they had calmed down, Achika cleared
her throat.
"Please listen, everyone. There's something I have to tell you."
She breathed in deeply. She'd dreaded this moment, but delaying it any more
would just make it worse. The others were looking quite curious now. Taking
another deep breath, Achika began.
"Well, it's... Next year, we will have one more guest for the anniversary,
because... because I'm two months pregnant!"
There was a second of shocked silence as her family grasped this, then
Nobuyuki rushed towards his wife and gathered her in an almost painfully
intense embrace, whispering "Achika-chan..." into her ear. He then pulled
back a bit and looked her in the eyes, his face so full of joy that all
her insecurities were swept away. She leaned forward and kissed him deeply.
Meanwhile, Nobuyuki's mother had a hard time trying to restrain her husband
who kept going "Oh my son, you make me so proud! Imagine, dear!
Grandchildren!"
Katsuhito watched all this quietly, though if Ryoko had watched them on that
day, she'd have noticed that he, too was wearing a very big silly smile.
When everyone had calmed down a bit, Nobuyuki asked suspiciously
"Achika-chan, for how long have you known it?"
She blushed with embarassment. "Almost two weeks." she admitted.
"I *knew* that something was up! Why did you keep it a secret for so long,
you slick devil?"
He lovingly brushed her cheek, making it clear that he wasn't really
offended. The couple's parents watched them with great amusement. They
were quite aware that at the moment, their children's world was just big
enough for two people and an expectation.
"Well, the do-it-yourself tests aren't very reliable, so I wanted to make
sure and wait for the doctor's result first and then we were already
planning this picnic and it was such a perfect occasion, so I..."
He gently put a finger on her lips, silencing her and then once more pulled
her into a tight embrace. "I love you too" she whispered.
-----------------------------------
"And then... well, we *really* had something to celebrate that day."
Nobuyuki looked at his son, acknowledging his surroundings for the first
time in several minutes. Tenchi was very silent. He didn't get to see this
side of his father very often. By an unspoken agreement, they both usually
avoided to talk about Tenchi's mother. The memories hurt too much, even
after all this time. But... Tenchi wondered.
"Tenchi, that was perhaps the happiest day in my life. It would be wonderful
to have the picnic there, now that we have such a big family. I'll
finish work early tomorrow and make preparations. And you'll do the same
here. We'll make this the best picnic anyone has ever had! Right, son?"
"Right, Dad!" Tenchi grinned.
Suddenly, Nobuyuki also broke out into a very wide grin. One of the kind
Tenchi had learned to dread.
"And maybe we're lucky and one of your girlfriends also has an announcement
to make!"
"DAAAD!"
"Hey, you can't blame your old man for hoping!"
"Just *cut it out* already, will you? There's no chance of... of... *that*
happening anytime soon!"
Nobuyuki's expression turned a bit serious.
"Would it be so terrible if it did?".
Tenchi sighed. "Dad, you don't-"
Suddenly they heard the front door being shoved open powerfully. A few
seconds later, a very out-of-breath Mihoshi raced into the room, grabbed
the TV remote control, fell down ony the couch and pressed some buttons.
Only when a familiar eerie melody filled the room did the detective allow
herself to relax and catch her breath.
"Whew... just in time... I'd already thought I'd missed it..."
Then she produced her notebook and a pen. Tenchi and Nobuyuki left the
room, knowing that for the next hour it would be filled with chirps of
"Oh, this is *so* educational!!". Nobuyuki had a tendency to burst into
wild bouts of laughter whenever he heard it, but he always refused to
answer when anyone asked him what it was that he found so funny.
-----------------------------------
Ryoko was sitting in the upstairs living room, slouching on one of the
giant carrots and looking at the reflection of the mountains in the lake.
She wasn't happy. Why did they have to hold the picnic *there* of all
places?
After her release from the cave, she had very, very carefully probed
the reality of her freedom. Because of her first disasterous encounter
with Tenchi, her predominant emotion was - fear. Of doing something wrong.
She hadn't had to make any decisions for the last 700 years, and very few
before that time.
Trying to make up her mind, Ryoko had visited the place. It hadn't looked
much different than it had from the astral plane. She'd dug a few holes,
but had found nothing. Her memories were the only thing that distinguished
it from any other patch of forest.
She had felt terrible, but it had help her make a decision. Whatever she'd
do and whatever happened as a result - it would be better than *that*.
She sighed.
Then Ryoko noticed the footsteps of someone approaching. She had a
suspicion about who it was. It turned out to be true as Washu stepped
beside her.
"Something bothering you, Ryoko-chan?"
Ryoko cast an annoyed glance up at the little figure next to her, then
shook her head.
"Nothing."
"Listen, Ryoko. I--"
"I *don't* want to talk to you! Now please leave me alone!"
Washu froze. Then she turned around slowly and went away, trying very hard
not to cry.
-----------------------------------
"No, you can *not* help us, Ryoko!"
"But I-"
Washu pointed the spoon at her daughter like a weapon.
"I said *no*, and I mean it. We're busy enough as it is, and we *won't*
make it if we have you blundering about in the kitchen!"
Time to change the tactics, Ryoko thought.
"Sasami, you said that you'd teach me cooking, didn't you?"
Sasami looked up from the pot she'd been stirring.
"Ryoko-oneechan, it's too late for that now. I can teach you sometime
else when we have the time, but not now."
Ryoko's shoulders dropped and she hovered out of the kitchen with a
disappointed expression. In the living room, she met Aeka.
"See? I told you it wouldn't work."
"Oh, shut up!" Ryoko snapped.
"There's *absolutely* no reason to be that impolite! *Hmph*!"
The princess demonstratively turned away and they sulked in unison.
After a while, Aeka started to get restless. She stood up and approached
the kitchen.
"Are you sure that you don't need my-"
"NO WE DON'T!!" was the very definite answer. As Aeka turned around
disappointedly, she met Ryoko's wide sneer. Aeka reacted by sticking out
her tongue. Ryoko paid back in kind.
Tenchi, who had been watching this from outside, had a hard time not
bursting out laughing. Then he entered and cleared his throat. When he had
the girls' attention he spoke up.
"Aeka-san, Ryoko-san... if you're that anxious to help prepare the
picninc, why don't we three go ahead with some of the heavier stuff?
The others can follow us when Sasami-chan, Washu-san and Mihoshi-san
are done cooking."
Needless to say, the two were overjoyed at this occasion to be helpful
and spend some time with Tenchi. Not being able to do anything themselves
while everyone else was busy had been rather unnerving.
Tenchi had just finished doing his checklist of everything that was needed
for a perfect picnic. So except for the food, everything was gathered on
the porch. Ryoko, the strongest of the trio, was assigned to carry the
heavy battery module for the portable karaoke machine Tenchi's father had
rented, as well as a big box of CDs. Tenchi carried the machine itself and
Aeka got the two big blankets they would sit on. They weren't heavy but
they were rather chunky, so Aeka could hardly see where she was going.
-----------------------------------
"Hey Ryoko, what's the matter? You've been awfully quiet ever since we
came here. What's bothering you?"
Ryoko looked up from the little twig she'd been fidgeting with.
"It's nothing, really." She looked down again, avoiding Tenchi's
questioning gaze.
"Is it still about..." Tenchi asked, an expression of pain on his face.
Ryoko smiled weakly "No, not at the moment."
Aeka frowned.
"If you'll stay like this all day, you won't be able to enjoy the picnic,
and you'll also spoil it for the rest of us. This is so much unlike
you."
Aeka sounding concerned? About Ryoko's mood? Tenchi almost couldn't believe
his ears. But now, Ryoko sighed and...
"I guess it won't hurt if I show you. Come on, this way."
She started to fly towards the forest, Tenchi and Aeka followed her,
giving each other curious glances. A while later, Tenchi noticed
something.
"The cave you were imprisoned in lies in that direction, doesn't it? What-"
"No, Tenchi, we're not going there. We... ah, there it is."
She accelerated suddenly and then stopped in the midst of the forest and
looked around sadly.
"What is it? There's just forest here."
"Right. There's nothing left."
Aeka was getting annoyed by Ryoko's mystery-mongering, but she sensed that
this wasn't something she should make fun of. Tenchi was less sensitive.
"Nothing left of what? Ryoko, please stop talking in riddles!"
Ryoko looked at her friends. Aeka was shocked to see the demoness crying.
"There was a village here. But there aren't even ruins left now..."
Tenchi frowned. "A village? But I've never heard of it and grandpa..."
"He wasn't there either. I don't know what he's been telling you, but
after Yousho had sealed me in the cave, he left this area. Our battle
had been impossible to miss, so he probably didn't want to be taken
for a demon himself. Or he just wanted to see more of Earth."
Ryoko sat down on a fallen tree. Tenchi and Aeka took the spots next to
her and listened anxiously. Tenchi was seeing this side of Ryoko for the
first time. Aeka had seen it before. Feeling ashamed of what she'd done
then, she vowed to herself that she wouldn't say anything cruel this time.
When she noticed their attention, Ryoko tried to rub away her tears in
embarassment. Then she continued:
"Anyway, when I learned how to see and hear the outside world, he was
gone. For a long, long time I could only watch the animals and plants of
the forest. You'd be amazed at how much I know about biology. And then a
group of humans arrived. I don't know why they came, but they settled
here, at this exact place, so close to the cave that I could sometimes
watch them for hours without having to go back. They found the wards
Yousho had put in the cave and seemed to decide that it was a holy place.
They regularly put offerings in front of it, but they never entered, no
matter how much I tried to tell them to release me. Only the very young
children could actually see me."
At this thought, something that was almost a smile appeared on Ryoko's
tear-ridden face, but it didn't last long.
"Children... It was the first time I saw... No, I'd *seen* children before,
But it was the first time I understood what they are and what they mean.
I saw what it means to be a child, and I knew what I'd lost - what I'd
been robbed of - by never having been allowed to be a child."
Aeka remembered her conversation with Ryoko in the bar and what the
demoness had told of her life under Kagato. She shuddered.
"I watched those people almost every day. From them I learned the
language, but I also learned about love. And friendship. Other things I'd
never known. For many years I watched the little village slowly grow.
They had a hard life, so far away from the rest of the world. They hunted
and fished in the lake Ryo-ohki's crash had caused. And they had some
rice fields, just where we're holding our picnic. But they often starved.
Almost every winter there were one or two deaths. So I learned about
death too, what it means to people."
"After a while, traders started to come, once or twice a year, to trade
tools and rice for the animal skins the villagers didn't need themselves.
It probably was one of them who brought the disease. First the old people
got sick, then the children. The women tried everything they could think
of, herbs, prayers, offerings to the gods... Nothing worked and finally
the adult women and men also got sick, just when they'd started to cremate
the first bodies. After a month, each and every one of them had died from
some sort of fever."
Ryoko had now finally lost the fight against her tears and they were
running freely. Her face full of the old despair, she looked at Tenchi,
whose face mirrored her own pain.
"And I... I watched them die! People I had seen being born and grow up.
And there was nothing I could do but watch! Nothing at all..."
Finally understanding what had been upsetting Ryoko so much, Tenchi
desparately tried to think of something to comfort her. He reached down
and took her hand, trying to reassure her. When she suddenly leaned over
and buried her face in his chest, he resisted the impulse to flee. This
wasn't the usual attempt to overpower him. Ryoko needed him.
He looked at Aeka pleadingly. . Relief flooded Tenchi when he
saw the princess nodding her affirmation. He started to stroke Ryoko's
hair lightly and then he remembered the conversation with is father a day
earlier.
"Ryoko, I know what it feels like to have someone you love die. When my
mother died, I also wished so hard that I could somehow bring her back.
But I couldn't..."
Ryoko couldn't imagine how he was able to be so calm. She vividly
remembered the little boy who had, after that seemingly endless emptiness,
become the new focus of her life, crying about a terrible loss he was just
beginning to understand. She remembered how she had again watched
helpless, powerless, almost driven insane by the desire to hold him,
comfort him and somehow take away the pain. And now *she* was the one
being held and comforted.
"That's how it is, everyone dies one day. You just have to remember the
good and happy times they had... keep those memories close to your heart
and hope that their spirits can see you from the afterlife and know that
you remember them. And do you think they'd want to see you tearing
yourself apart like this?"
She held on to Tenchi, letting the intoxicating sensation of being for
once so close to him flood through her and, together with his calm, strong
voice, drive away the despair. And she remembered how this child had been
special, how he had *not* forgotten her when he grew up, how he had
returned and finally freed her from the prison.
Tenchi was beginning to really get aware of Ryoko's closeness. It felt
good to be there for someone like this. Very good. But he couldn't afford
to lose himself in this feeling. Ryoko wasn't the only...
"I have an idea. Why don't we tell this to grandpa? We can build a little
memorial for those people here, with a ceremony and everything. That way,
they will be remembered by other people too."
Ryoko pulled back, a weak smile on her red and teary face. She sniffled
and rubbed her eyes, looking a bit embarassed.
"Thank you, Tenchi. This helped me a lot. And... I'm sorry that this had
to happen on a day that should be one of celebration."
Tenchi gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't be sorry. It couldn't be a
truly happy day if you still had those thoughts burdening you. Now
let's go back to the picnic and set up the karaoke machine before the
others arrive, shall we?"
"Yes. Go ahead, I'll stay here for a little while..."
Tenchi nodded knowingly. Of course. Let's go, Aeka-san."
Ryoko looked around the forest once more. A headstone for the village?
It sounded like a good idea. It would feel good to have something physical
to remind everyone who happened to come by that once, someone had lived
here.
she told her friends from so long ago.
When she turned around, she noticed that Aeka was still there. The girl
had a distracted look on her face, as if her thoughts were wandering
rather far away. Softly, Ryoko adressed her friend.
"Aeka?"
"Hm?" was the ineloquent response of the princess who seemed to have
totally forgotten that she was not alone.
"I just wanted to... thank you too. For not interfering. I know that must
have been hard. I'm not sure if I could have done the same."
Ryoko started to go back to the clearing where the picnic was to be hold.
Aeka followed her.
"Oh. Well, don't rely on my self-control too much. But I was just thinking
of something else..."
Ryoko curiusly raised an eyebrow. "Something more important than being
with Tenchi?" she asked teasingly.
Aeka didn't take that bait. "Not exactly... but I remembered some things
that Funaho-okaasama said. And I start to realize how little I understand
Earth people."
"what are you *talking* about, Aeka?"
"About what he said to you. And how easily he could talk about... death.
You see, as a member of the royal family I can expect to live over two
thousand years. Normal Juraians have a shorter lifespan, but it is still
several times that of an Earthling. For us, death is something that
happens rarely and that one avoids thinking about. The death of a
relative..."
The princess found herself unable to continue that thought. She noticed
that Ryoko was listening gravely.
"But for him, for everyone on this planet, death is something they are
almost constantly aware of, something they have learned to accept. How
can I hope to understand someone whose life is so different from mine?"
Ryoko considered this for a while. Then they arrived at the edge of the
forest and could see Tenchi reading some booklet. He looked up and waved.
Ryoko stopped and looked into Aeka's face.
"Do you think it's any better for me? There is *no-one* who has had a life
like I did. Not that I'd wish that on anyone. Until last week, I just
tried to ignore that fact, as if it would go away if I paid no attention
to it. But that's not how life works. I'll have to *learn* how to
understand Tenchi, as he will have to learn to understand me. And the
same is true for you, princess or not."
Thoughtfully, Aeka replied "We will at least have enough time for that,
till he feels old enough to consider marriage."
-----------------------------------
After a while, Yousho and Nobuyuki arrived together with the other girls,
all carrying baskets full of the various dishes Sasami, Washu and Mihoshi
had prepared. Even Ryo-ohki was carrying a bottle of coke almost half as
big as herself.
After everything was set up to Nobuyuki's satisfaction (who acted just
like he did when he was supervising a construction site, Tenchi noticed),
Washu was the one to ask the vital question:
"So, is anyone hungry yet, or do we eat later?"
Nobuyuki inhaled deeply, savouring the smell coming out of a basket next
to him.
"I don't know about you, but this smells so good that I simply couldn't
bear letting it stand around a minute longer! Besides, if we wait, we
risk attracting ants. There's nothing that can ruin a picnic as totally
as ants. I could tell you a few stories..."
And so, while they unpacked the dishes and utensils and started to eat,
Nobuyuki told the story of a Hanami festival he'd spent with colleagues
that had fallen victim to the insects.
"...guess you learned something from it and ate first at all your picnics
from then on?"
Nobuyuki chuckled at Sasami's question.
"They probably did. But I missed out the next year or so because shortly
afterwards, Tenchi was born and kept my wife and me busy."
Then one thing lead to another and Nobuyuki, who had anticipated something
like this, unwrapped the thing dreaded by every child in the universe:
an album full of photos showing Tenchi as baby and toddler.
Instincts as old as life itself kicked in, and for the next half hour, the
little valley resounded with cries of delight from four female throats and
wails of embarassment from one male one.
-----------------------------------
"...basically a typical case of not being able to see something that is
too close. After they grew up together and were always around each other.
They were almost like brother and sister, so *of course* she didn't
notice for a long time just *how* much she felt for him."
Ryo-ohki, not all that interested in the photographs, had wandered off
and, after finding a salamander, began to explore the aquatic and
amphibian fauna of the creek with great interest. Tenchi had gladly
taken this opportunity to excuse himself from the company, claiming that
he had to make sure Ryo-ohki didn't get lost or fall in the creek. Mihoshi
had joined them after all the photos had been fawned over. Washu had then
started to discuss some political matters with Yousho, saying that she'd
done some research in the history databases about the time she'd been
Kagato's prisoner and that she wanted to hear the personal view of
someone who'd witnessed it directly. Since his mother wasn't available,
he'd have to suffice, she had told him.
This left Aeka and Ryoko with Nobuyuki. Somewhow (and to the girls' great
surprise) they'd ended up in an in-depth debate of the anime they had been
watching.
Aeka considered Nobuyuki's statements for a minute.
"That sounds right, but I don't think it's a sufficient explanation.
I mean, it almost seemed to me like she somehow didn't *want* to
notice..."
Nobuyuki nodded.
"Correct, that's not all. The *other* reason is that she never could get
over the feeling of inadequacy her upbringing had instilled. She tried
to make her father proud by being the perfect son. Marrying a commoner
was simply out of the question."
Now Ryoko had found something to object to.
"But her father didn't seem to mind all that much! I mean, he actually..."
-----------------------------------
"... and then the officer contacted the second ship and told them that
he'd have to arrest them if they entered the security zone, you know,
the one that had been set up earlier to investigate the phenomenon and
that should have been relocated as the asteroid moved, only somehow it
wasn't because, as I said earlier the guy from operations control had
forgotten to authorize the update, anyway..."
Everyone was staring in unbelieving fascination at the babbling blonde.
One after another they had given up the attempt to follow Mihoshi's story,
their minds unable to keep up with the speed at which the words cascaded
from her mouth.
marvelled Tenchi. He wondered if she somehow got her air through
the nose,but if he remembered his biology correctly, that was impossible.
Of course, Mihoshi wasn't a human.
"... so it took the forces a while till they could land on that side of
the planet, and when the first vessel, a military "H'jarr"-type fighter
craft manned with only three soldiers, set down and started to
investigate the ship they'd chased, there was no-one in it. They only
found a Mark IX learning toy from Aurelia with its powercell empty, and
the ship's autopilot switched to secondary relay sleep mode!"
And with this, the detective stopped and looked hopefully at her audience.
However, she recieved only blank stares. Tenchi noticed a faint trace of
disappointment enter Mihoshi's expression and grow quickly. He desparately
tried to think of anything to say when suddenly helpless, roaring laughter
erupted among them, from the throat of Washu. The little scientist was
lying on her back, holding her stomach and couldn't stop laughing for
several minutes while everyone looked back and forth between her and the
now broadly grinning Mihoshi, trying in vain to extract any sense from
their memories of Mihoshi's story.
When Washu finally regained her composure, most of the others, including
Mihoshi, had already lost interest and were discussing one thing or
another. Only Ryoko was still looking at her mother and frowning.
"Well, what can I do for my Ryoko-chan?"
"You *were* just acting, right? You're not going to convince me that
there was any real sense to that babble!" she snapped.
Washu reacted with an over-acted expression of total devastation.
"Ryoko-chan! How can you say such a thing about your *own mother*?
I'm *so hurt* !"
The demoness rolled her eyes. "Oh *please*!!
Suddenly, her mother's act was gone as quickly as it had appeared.
"Well, believe it or not, that story *did* make sense and was very funny.
You just have to learn to listen better, Ryoko. Look: the point of the
story...
However, Washu's explanatory efforts quickly met the boundaries of her
teaching skills as Ryoko's eyes glazed over with confusion.
"Oh, just forget it, Washu..."
The scientist frowned. "You *really* should try harder to follow when your
mother is trying to explain something to you!"
"Yeah, right..." snorted Ryoko and just leaned back, inadvertently placing
her head on someone's chest. When she realized that it was Tenchi, she
just smiled and made herself comfortable.
Tenchi noticed this with mild horror, but before he could make up his mind
as to what to do about it, Aeka had taken the cue and used his stomach as
pillow.
Expecting violence to break out every second now, Tenchi froze. Nothing
happened for some time and then some more. Realizing that no-one seemed
to mind the situation, Tenchi relaxed a bit. It didn't take him long to
decide that in that case he didn't mind either, so he just settled back,
put a spare blanket under his head and looked up at the clouds.
Watching the young ones enjoy their newfound peace, Washu couldn't help
smiling, but her eyes stayed sad.
-----------------------------------
When lying around and relaxing had started to become boring after a while,
and the first bottle of sake had been emptied, Nobuyuki suggested making
use of the karaoke machine. However, after an unexpectedly skillful and
much-applauded opening by him, they had trouble finding anyone willing to
follow up. Due to recent experience, the two most likely candidates, Aeka
and Ryoko, lacked the necessary alcohol level for doing karaoke in front
of someone you'd like to impress.
"Aw, come on, don't be such spoilsports! We're here to have fun, aren't
we? And Tenchi-niichan's father rented this great karaoke machine, so we
should use it!"
Nobuyuki smiled at Sasami's concerned air, but couldn't help asking
"Well, Sasami-chan, why don't *you* start out?"
Suddenly, the little girl grinned in a way that should have made everyone
shiver who had had previous experiences with her particular sense of
humor. However, only Nobuyuki noticed it.
"No, I have a better idea. We'll take turns, not singing but *choosing*
who has to sing and what they have to sing!"
The sake had not been completely ineffective, and so everyone agreed that
this was a good idea. Since Sasami had had the idea, it was decided that
she'd be the first to choose a candidate.
Her choice fell on Aeka and Ryoko, and "When all else fails me", the
latest top 10 hit by New CHAM.
"It's a duet" Sasami remarked and grinned as she handed the lyrics sheet
to the two older girls. Then she started counting and had just reached six
when Aeka's howls of protest started, followed quickly by Ryoko's.
"I am *not* going to sing *that*! Not with *her*!!" Aeka's forceful
protest rang, immediately joined by a "My words exactly!" from Ryoko.
Of course, the others wouldn't let this pass. "Don't be such chickens
now!" Tenchi exclaimed. "What's so bad about that song any way?"
Fuming silently, Aeka passed him the lyrics sheet and Tenchi quickly
skimmed through the stanzas about a girl and her best friend, how their
friendship outlives love, separation and arguments and is generally the
greatest thing that could happen to anyone. He couldn't help laughing out
loud.
"Well, you agreed to the rules. Now it's too late to change your mind!"
With the combined effort of the family, the girls were bullied into
delivering the song and did so while liberally spreading around searing
glances. Then, they immediately dug into the available Karaoke material
on a search for an appropriate song to pay back Sasami.
-----------------------------------
Much later, long after the battery had failed, night had fallen and the
last bottle of sake been finished, father and son worked together at
removing the last traces of the day's merriment from the clearing in the
forest. Everyone else had already gone (or been carried) home.
"Well, well...", Nobuyuki declared as he picked up some scraps of wrapping
paper, "That certainly was a wonderful picnic today. I don't think I've
had a better one since that one where Achika announced you. How did you
like it?"
Tenchi stopped folding together the last blanket and regarded his father.
A very happy smile spread over his face and his eyes seemed to shine.
"It was wonderful. Having everyone together, laughing, having fun and,
for once, not arguing at all. You see Dad, sometimes they get on my
nerves, make me angry. But then there are times like this, and then
I'm very, very happy to have them all around and I wouldn't want it any
different. It's just like one big family, and I don't want it to ever
change at all!"
Nobuyuki regarded with a strangely serious air.
"I know, Tenchi. But you have to realize that it *can't* stay like this
forever. Son, all of these girls have basically put their lives on hold
because of *you*, and you can't expect that to last forever. I also
love this family a lot, but it will end and you'll have to move on and
start a *real* family."
This was a rather unsettling experience for Tenchi. He couldn't remember
his father ever having talked to him quite like this. In a way, it felt
good, but it was also terrifying.
"Dad... I... I know that it can't last forever. But... they are all so
incredibly old, and... Uh, I didn't mean it like *that*. What I mean
is, their lives are so long and what *are* a few more years to them?
Is that really asking too much?"
The architect lightly patted his son on the back.
"No, you're probably right. Just make sure that it's really just a *few*
more years. And, well, maybe it *will* actually be decided when one of
them ends up pregnant!", he added with a lopsided grin.
"DAAAAAD!"
-----------------------------------
In the mid-afternoon of the next day, Washu had finally worked up enough
courage and waited for the right opportunity. She didn't have to wait
long, as Aeka had just left for a little walk with Ryo-ohki.
She teleported up onto the rafter, next to Royko. Her daughter was
reading... a *book*, not some shoujo manga. Washu quickly decided that it
wasn't important right now and filed the information away for further
usage.
Ryoko looked up. "Whaddaya want, Washu?"
"I'd like to talk to you."
"Well, here I am." Ryoko looked back into the book.
"Let's go to my lab. Please."
Surprised that Washu was actually *asking* and not simply ordering her,
but still suspicious, Ryoko frowned.
"This isn't one of your damn games again, is it?"
She was half expecting Washu to either try threatening her or make some
lame joke, but the scientist stayed calm and serious.
"No more games. I promise."
Suddenly Ryoko felt their mental link opening a little bit, and she could
feel that her mother was indeed honest about this. She also detected some
traces of tangled emotions that she could hardly identify. There was
anger, determination, some others. All of it mixed with... fear?
Laying down the book, Ryoko pushed herself off the rafter, vanished for a
second and reappeared before the door to Washu's lab, looking up at her
mother.
"Let's go. I don't have all day."
Washu raised an eyebrow, then jumped down and entered her refuge, followed
by Ryoko. After a few steps, Ryoko asked "Ok, we're inside. So what is it
you want to talk about?"
"Don't be so impatient, Ryoko-chan. Let's go to the tree."
Ryu-oh, Aeka's space tree, had grown considerably in the last seven
months. The princess tended to it very cinscientously and with much
affection. She would sometimes sit there and look at it for hours. Sasami
also often spent some time there. At the princesses' request, Washu had
installed a comfortable bench, almost a couch, next to the tree.
This was where the little scientist now headed. When they arrived, she sat
down at one end of the bench and looked at her daughter pointedly. Still
a bit suspicious, Ryoko glared back for a second, then shrugged and took
the other end of the bench.
"Well?"
Looking at the tree, Washu took a few deep breaths and tried to calm
herself down and sort out her emotions, but then gave up and just
spat it out.
"Why, Ryoko? Why do you still avoid me?"
Ryoko clearly hadn't expected that. "Avoid you? What are you *talking*
about?"
"About Thursday, in the upstairs living room! About yesterday and
Mihoshi-dono's story. Ryoko-chan, I... I *want* to be a mother to you, but
why won't you let me? I thought that after... in the cave... we could...
but now..."
Finally at a loss for words, Washu gestured helplessly and then just
looked at her daughter, a silent pleading in her eyes.
Ryoko was shocked. She had *never* seen Washu like this. So helpless.
So... human.
Then Ryoko remembered the time, a few weeks ago, after Tenchi had made her
whole world collapse with just a few words. Washu had been there for her,
talked to her and provided... warmth, in a life that had suddenly seemed
so cold.
It had felt good to just let the tears flow, to be held by someone, even
though it wasn't Tenchi. But...
"Well, how *do* you expect to be come my full-time mother all of a sudden?
I'm not a kid. Heck, *you* are the one who tries to bully everyone into
treating you as a little child! I may not know all that much about family
life, but that's certainly not how a mother acts!"
Washu couldn't decide if she should laugh or cry. Was *that* really the
reason why her little Ryoko refused her? She tried to remember when and
why she'd started to assume this shape. 'I'd be happier as a child, never
ever growing up'. That had been an impulse back then. It had worked too.
Too well. Later, she'd stuck to it out of habit and because it fit her
sense of humor.
Ryoko's birth (she liked to call it that) should have marked the end of
that much too long phase of her life, but it had resulted in disaster.
This time, not she herself but the innocent newborn had gotten the worst
of it.
But this time, Washu had also gotten a second chance. She willed the
change and felt her body grow and expand, assuming its natural shape
that was now so very unfamiliar to her.
"Is that what you want? Why didn't you just say so? That-"
A sudden flare of great anger supplanted Ryoko's previous curiosity at
her mother's strangely distant expression from before.
"No, dammit! You just want to take Tenchi away from me!!"
The second, and maybe the last chance. Still, it took all the
determination Washu could find in her millenia-old soul.
"Ryoko, you are my daughter. The person I care most for in all the
universe. I will always love you, no matter what happens. And I will try
to avert pain from you wherever I can. Knowing how much Tenchi means to
you, I'd rather die than take him away from you."
Ryoko's froze as she tried to grasp what had been offered to her. She
tried to name it, but she failed. She tried to get the chaotic tumble of
thoughts and emotions inside her mind under control, and failed again.
When finally a question surfaced, it was only a faint whisper.
"You... mean that?"
Washu had anxiously watched Ryoko's face, trying not to let the terrible
fear overwhelm her that, the fear it had been a mistake to open her heart
and make herself vulnerable, that Ryoko wouldn't accept her, that her
weakness would be laughed at and used against her.
But when she heard the question and the trembling voice in which it was
asked, betraying feelings so much like her own, Washu knew that her
decision had been right. Time for the next step.
She looked into her daughter's eyes and opened the connection completely,
giving Ryoko an unveiled view of her self.
It was at the same time much worse and much better than she had feared.
Ryoko's unexperienced mind ruthlessly explored her memories, spending
little time on any one and forcing Washu to face a lot of painful and
terrible parts of her life she'd thought she'd dealt with or even
forgotten. It was almost more than she could handle.
But at the same time, Ryoko was with her, reliving her mother's most
painful and most joyful memories, and Washu could in turn feel sympathy
and understanding like she never had before. She also felt her daughter's
almost desparate longing to comfort her, and that in itself was a great
comfort for Washu.
was the scientist's last coherent thought before
she totally lost control.
When she finally became aware of her surroundings again, she was clinging
to Ryoko and crying like a baby. Through the haze of tears, she noticed
that her daughter was also crying.
Ryoko was the first to recover a while later. There was so much she wanted
to tell her mother, the person she now all of a sudden knew so well. But
one thing was at the top of the list
"I'm so sorry, mother. I didn't know..."
Washu pushed her back a bit, looked into her face and smiled warmly.
"You couldn't know. And *I* am very sorry that I had to put you through
this. I should have found a better solution, but..."
Ryoko closed her eyes for a moment and shook her head.
"No, I am glad that you did this. Glad that I now understand you, mother.
Glad that we won't anymore have to run away and hide from each other."
There was a little pause in which mother and daughter just looked at each
other. Washu was was the first to get a bit nervous.
"Well, what now?"
Ryoko then remembered something.
"About what you said earlier... about yesterday. Mihoshi's story. I... you
see, I *really* don't want to understand it. It makes me dizzy just
thinking about it!"
Washu chuckled.
"I know what you mean. Mihoshi-dono certainly has a unique way of
storytelling. What about..."
"Thursday?"
Ryoko shivered. She didn't like being reminded of that. But if it helped
Washu feel better... Slowly, she gave Washu an abridged, less teary
version of what she'd told Tenchi and Aeka the other day. When she
mentioned that conversation, Washu muttered something, that Ryoko could
have sworn sounded like "Damn, you, Tenchi!".
Wait... No, that was ridiculous, wasn't it? But it made more sense than
anything, and... of course! She'd felt it herself, just minutes ago.
Ryoko couldn't help but grin.
"Washu, are you *jealous*?"
Her mother blushed slightly and quickly answered, "What do you think?
*Of course* I'm jealous, Ryoko! You give me hardly any attention at all,
even actively avoid me, and *he* gets all he could ever want and more."
At first, Ryoko had problems getting used to the unfamiliar situtaion of
someone competing for *her* attention. Then she realized that she was in
a much better position than Tenchi. She leaned forward and once more
embraced her mother gently.
"Don't worry. I love you too, Mama. And I'd like to be 'Ryoko-chan'
to you."
They stayed like that for a little while, as Washu fought back some more
tears of happiness. Then they settled back into the couch comfortably,
and talked a while about inconsequential things, both of them just
enjoying the feeling of having someone to talk to in a completely relaxed
way.
Finally, an audible growl from Washu's stomach reminded them of the
passage of time. The scientist raised an eyebrow as she noticed how late
it already was.
"I guess time did fly a bit... Dinner should be ready soon. Let's go,
maybe we can even grab a few bites early from Sasami."
As they went towards the lab's exit, Washu suddenly remembered something.
"Um, Ryoko-chan, is it really okay with you if I stay this way?"
Ryoko regarded the person before her, who now also *looked* much more
like a mother. She considered the question for a second, then grinned.
"Sure. In fact, I really want to see Tenchi's reaction!"
Washu laughed. "He's cute when he squirms, isn't he?"
"He sure is!" was Ryoko's answer as she closed the lab door behind her.
-----------------------------------
"Hi, Ryoko-oneechan! Did you sleep well?"
Ryoko smiled and answered, "Yes, thank you, Sasami!" as she took off her
clothing and deposited it in the basket. She noticed that *two* others
were already filled.
"Is your sister also here? I don't see her."
"I'm over here, Ryoko-san." said Aeka, suddenly raising her head over the
rim of the pool. "Come in, the water is wonderful."
"I'm coming, I'm coming"
Slowly, enjoying every second, Ryoko slid into the water and sighed
blissfully. But her mind quickly returned to the problem at hand. Somehow,
Aeka's presence bugged her. On the other hand, she was also a bit angry at
herself for feeling like that.
"Is something the matter, Ryoko-oneechan? You're so quiet!"
"Well... yes. There's something I'd like to ask you... both of you."
"What is it, Ryoko-san?"
Ryoko gestured nervously. "Ah... I'm not sure how to put it..."
The two princesses of Jurai looked at each other in confusion at this
very uncharacteristical behaviour of the demoness.
"Well, we won't be able to answer if you can't ask a question..."
Sasami finally said, trying to be helpful.
Ryoko took a deep breath and forced herself to talk.
"I've been wondering... What does having a mother mean?"
"Huh??" was all Aeka could say. Sasami didn't even manage that much.
"You see, I've never had one. And now suddenly there is Washu. I'm not
sure how to deal with that. So I thought that maybe you could tell me..."
Aeka tried to come up with an answer to this. Tried to imagine never
having had a mother and then meeting a complete stranger who suddenly
wanted to fill that gap. Sure, sometimes she hated the childish antics
her own mother still expected of her. But...
While she was still thinking of something to say, Sasami spoke.
"Your mother is the first other... person you know. And she always stays
the most important one. Having a mother means having someone to talk
to, always, and about *everything*. Well, almost everything.
Aeka nodded slowly.
"And your mother always loves you, no matter what happens, no matter
what you do."
"Yes. I remember that time when Mommy had given me this beautiful rare
flower for birthday, the one I'd seen on our trip to Korodo. I'd wanted
it so much and kept talking of it till Mommy gave it to me, and she said
that it was really expensive and that I'd have to take very good care
of it. And then I forgot to water it and it died. I was so frightened
that Mommy would be mad at me! I tried to hide the pot with the dead
flower, but she found it anyway and it had tipped over and made a big
mess in my closet. I was frightened and crying and thought that she'd
hit me!"
At this point, a warm smile spread over Sasami's face.
"But Mommy just held me and dried my tears and wasn't mad at all! She
just said that it wasn't my fault even though it was. And she even
bought me another flower."
The little girl got a faraway, slightly sad expression.
"I guess it isn't there anymore, not after seven hundred years."
Aeka smiled at her little sister.
"I am certain that there will be an appropriate replacement when we come
home. Mother always remembers such details. At least when she's not
excited. Which reminds me..."
The princesses told several such small anecdotes about their mother, most
of them strongly tinged with homesickness. Then Aeka realized that they
had been practically ignoring the third person in the bath. She looked
guiltily at Ryoko, who was watching them silently and with an unreadable
expression.
"Ryoko-san, I'm sorry! Here we're talking and talking about our mother
and you... I mean you didn't have all that... I'm sorry!"
Ryoko blinked, as if shaking off some sort of trance. She shook her head.
"No, please go on. I don't mind. You see, I've had a talk with Washu.
And she... I think maybe she still can be all this for me...."
Sasami smiled brightly, grabbed Ryoko's hand and squeezed it tightly.
"Oh, I'm so happy for you, Ryoko-oneechan!"
Aeka nodded her agreement "Yes, that's wonderful. Congratulations,
Ryoko-san!" That at least was something she could in no way envy her
rival.
-----------------------------------
Time proceeded, the trees lost their leaves and the days grew shorter.
Yousho bought a block of granite with the proper inscription, and Ryoko
and Tenchi moved it into the forest where the memorial was consecrated
by Yousho.
The approaching winter found a very different situation in the lakeside
house. On top of the much more harmonious relationship between each other,
Ryoko and Aeka found that Tenchi was a lot less hesitant to accept and
even give small gestures of affection, now that he didn't anymore have to
fear that they would be immediately reinterpreted into a marriage
proposal.
Washu's changed appearance had at first been met with great nervousness by
Tenchi, but Ryoko's explanations quickly soothed his fear. In fact, the
scientist and her daughter were now often seen together, teaming up
against Aeka and Sasami in the first snowball battle of the season,
practicing little songs and poems with Ryo-ohki and even working together
on some projects in Washu's laboratory.
Ryoko and Aeka had also started regular cooking lessons with Sasami, which
caused many a surprise (not always pleasant ones, though) at dinnertime.
All in all, it looked like everything could only continue to improve.
Unfortunately, this expectation was proven wrong as one day, Washu raced
out of her lab, only half an hour after she'd left the breakfast table.
Great worry was etched into her face.
"Everyone, come to my lab *immediately*! Where's Tenchi-dono?"
Sasami looked up in confusion from the recipe book she'd been browsing.
"He just went upstairs..."
Washu looked around feverishly.
"Then go and bring him to my lab. Ryoko-chan, you get Yousho-dono, and be
quick about it! Everyone else, come with me!"
Ryoko, scared by her mother's deadly serious tone and expression, simply
nodded and vanished. Sasami raced up the stairs. Washu already started
towards the lab door.
"What are you waiting for, girls? Come *on*!"
Very confused, Aeka, Mihoshi and Ryo-ohki followed the scientist.
"What's happened, Washu-san? Why are you so upset?"
"I'll explain when everyone is assembled. Oh, Mihoshi-dono, do you have
your control cube with you? Good, give it to me."
She led the girls to the main computer console in the center of the
laboratory, where she placed Mihoshi's cube in a perfectly-fitting slot
and started typing and calling up information at a speed that made
Aeka dizzy.
Shortly afterwards, Sasami arrived with Tenchi. Washu still ignored all
questions until Ryoko and Yousho arrived. Then she turned around and,
looked at all the curious faces and took a deep breath.
"You want to know why I brought you here? Okay."
She gestured at the computers.
"When I came here after breakfast, I found my comm systems operating at
the brink of overload. It took me a full 30 minutes to get an overview.
I just crosschecked with the GP channels and though they also are in
complete disorder, they seem to confirm the information."
"Basically, there is a war going on. Not one of the small conflicts that
are always flaring up somewhere, but a really big one. Tonight, within
a time frame of less than theee hours, practically all important
civilized star systems have started to report massive attacks."
Washu paused for a second, and immediately chaos broke loose as everyone
tried to ask their questions louder than everyone else.
"BE QUIET!!"
In the ensuing shocked silence, Yousho asked calmly.
"Washu-san, *who* exactly is attacking whom?"
"I don't have any idea. As I said, all systems and confederations that
have a sufficiently large military to even dream of mounting an attack
on this scale are reporting attacks themselves and accusing their
neighbors of agression. Even more interesting is the notable absence of
the usual war propaganda. *No-one* is claiming to have acted in
self-defence, making a justified preemptive strike against the traitorous
ScreeWee, or any such nonsense."
Yousho frowned. "But couldn't the attackers be identified?"
"No. The attacking vessels are highly heterogenous. There have been
identifications reported, ranging from everything between an old Mark IXX
GP fighter craft up to a Thelosian cruiser. But the IDs were only visual
and are probably pure coincidence. And there has been no confirmed
communication whatsoever with the attackers. They only periodically
broadcast a message in several languages, demanding unconditional
surrender."
Once more, everyone tried to ask questions at once. Once more, Yousho
silenced them, except for Mihoshi wo continued to sob. Washu bit her
lower lip and continued.
"Yes, I'm afraid. Jurai, Kizaka and the GP headquarters... are all under
attack. Jurai and the GP are still fighting, despite heavy losses.
Kizaka... surrendered about an hour ago after their fleet was destroyed
almost completely."
This produced a wail from Mihoshi.
"My... my family! What has happened to them?"
Washu went over to the detective and offered her a hanky she produced from
a subspace portal, then lay a reassuring hand on the girl's trembling
shoulder.
"Mihoshi, none of them is in the military, right? So they are alive. And
due to the surrender, they are out of danger for now."
Mihoshi almost immdiately looked a lot better. But before Washu could say
anything else, Aeka interrupted them.
"Washu-san, we don't have *any* time to lose! Jurai is under attack, and
Tsunami, our most powerful ship is here, useless! We must leave
immediately!"
"Tsunami says she agrees."
Everyone stared at Sasami in surprise. The little girl looked at her
sister.
"She just contacted me, and she agrees with you."
Decisions were made quickly, and three hours later, a little convoi
consisting of Tsunami, Ryo-ohki, Mihoshi's GP patrol ship and Aeka's
new Ryu-oh on its first flight, left the Earth for Jurai.
When he came home, Nobuyuki found only a short note from Tenchi, telling
him where and why everyone had left, promising him a quick return, and
ending with the words:
"In love, your son Tenchi"
----. ----.`` /
******* | | \ ******
__/ __/ \
( To be continued... )
Eh-heh. Am I mean or what? Though I'm not sure if this beats Happosai's
cliffhanger in Aikan Muyo 10. I can only hope that my next chapter will be
as satisfying as his... Unfortunately it's almost certain that it will
also take me as long.
It seems fitting to dedicate this to my own mother. I just hope she
never finds out :)
Thanks go to my pre-readers Happosai, K'thardin and Blasius Riz.
My main motivation for writing this was my firm belief that it would do
both Washu and Ryoko a world of good if they managed to come to terms with
each other. And of course I had to logically continue the "new"
relationship between Ryoko, Aeka and Tenchi.
A quick guide to Japanese formd of adress:
"-san" : The standard polite form of adressing someone you're not too
familiar with.
"-chan" : A very familiar form, used with children and among people
who know each other intimately. More often used for girls.
"-kun" : Slightly less intimate, sometimes used between colleagues,
but almost exclusively for men.
"-sama" : Extremely polite and respectful, even obsequious.
"-dono" : Also very respectful, but used among equals, e.g. samurai.
Further explanations:
Hanami is the festival of cherry blossom watching, which is a very
important social event in Japan. We have seen the Tenchi cast celebrate
it at the end of episode 9 of the OAV series.
Tayaki are little pancakes filled with a sweet bean paste. They are
a popular Japanese dessert and very yummy.
Sashimi is raw fish, unlike Sushi which always includes rice but not
necessarily fish.
If you know which show Ryoko and Aeka were watching, consider yourself
an accomplished anime expert. For those who didn't get it: it is called
"Berusayu no Bara" (The Rose of Versailles), an anime classic. The TV
series from the 70ies is based on a manga by Riyoko Ikeda and tells of the
life of Oscar de Jarjayes, a fictional woman being raised as a man and
playing important role at the French court shortly before the French
Revolution. As you can see, the laste couple of episodes are real
tear-jerkers.
If you also noticed the EVA reference and the other two anime references
then you REALLY deserve the title "otaku" (in the most positive meaning
of the word).
Finally, as always, C&C of any kind is very welcome. Mail me at
borgward@informatik.tu-muenchen.de