~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SUNDAY ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tenchi took his time getting dressed. When he discovered that he had slept in his school uniform, it triggered memories of the evening as a whole and its spectacular conclusion. He almost dreaded going downstairs, but his stomach growled insistently at him. Even more immediate was his need to use the toilet. Tenchi was just leaving the bathroom when he encountered Ryoko. She was standing by his doorway, her hands on her hips and legs braced, effectively blocking his exit. "It's time to pay up!" she said sweetly. "What are you talking about, Ryoko?" "We made a deal last night, remember? In the van, driving back from your Graduation Ceremony? I remained completely silent until we got home, and now I want that kiss. A 'big kiss' I believe you promised. So come over here and pucker-up!" Tenchi couldn't help grinning. He opened his arms and she slid right into them, planting her lips squarely on his. It was long and enthusiastic, and at its completion he gently pried her arms off and stepped away from her. She had a dreamy smile on her face. "Was that satisfactory?" "Um, hmm," she nodded. "And now I believe it's my turn," said Ayeka, standing behind him, arms crossed and head tilted to the side. "You made the same bargain with me, and now it's time to collect." Tenchi chuckled and reached for her. She stepped into his arms, raised her face, and pressed their mouths together. It was tender and protracted, and at its termination he gently disengaged from her. She, too, had a dreamy smile on her face. "Will that suffice?" "Very much so," she whispered. "Now, can I go eat breakfast? I seem to have worked-up an appetite." "Yes," Ryoko and Ayeka chorused, and watched him descend the stairs. They waited until he was in the kitchen -- out of earshot -- before they looked at each other and doubled-over with laughter. "That was terrific!" Ryoko said. "It did seem to work quite well," Ayeka replied. "I wonder how many more times we'll get away with it before he figures it out?" "Probably not many. You saw the look on Washu's face last night?" "Yeah, she was trying to decide whether to tattle or cut into our action." "Well, we shouldn't press our luck --" " -- But we should strike while the iron is hot! That's gotta be one of my best ideas yet." "Yes, it would be, if it had been your idea, but since it was my stratagem -- " "It was not!" "It was, too!" They both growled at one another before backing down. Ayeka took a moment to straighten her kimono before offering some sage advice. "You know, you might let him up for air sooner." "Oh, look who's talking, Miss Diving-For-Tonsils. I could've sworn I heard a vacuum- seal pop when he finally pried you off," Ryoko smirked. "You're just mad that you had to settle for 'sloppy seconds.'" "Not really," Ayeka smiled maliciously. "I am quite certain that he enjoyed the main event much more than any tedious preliminaries." The air between them crackled with energy, but Sasami's voice defused the impeding violence with a call to breakfast. Ayeka's haughty "Humph!' and nose-high march down the stairs were matched by Ryoko's sneer just before she teleported directly to the kitchen. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tenchi was in a pretty good mood as he sat down to breakfast. Sasami carried a brimming pan in from the kitchen and gave him a big smile, Mihoshi set a tray down on the table in front of him and gave him a giggly kiss, and Washu clamped her arms around him from behind and planted a kiss on his cheek -- all the while fastening a necklace full of odd-shaped gizmos around his neck. "Don't take these sensors off until I tell you to," she whispered in his ear. A moment later Ryoko materialized over her spot and sat down, followed shortly by Ayeka; they ignored each other, but pointedly leaned over and kissed his cheeks. Funaho watched the whole parade with a bemused smile, exchanging meaningful glances with Yosho on her left and Nobuyuki on her right. "So many pretty ladies, his mother would be very proud," Nobuyuki leaned over and whispered. "It didn't use to be this peaceful," Yosho added. "Too much competition. Many meals ended in fireworks." "I can see why that would occur," she replied, one eyebrow raised. Breakfast proceeded with little fuss, particularly when it was apparent that Tenchi had not lost his appetite. In fact, he wolfed down his food, to much general amusement. It was at the point where they were making noises about the day's activities, that Funaho interrupted. "Perhaps this is as good a time as any to call a family council. You should all be made aware of recent events. Can we adjourn to the living room? I believe we can talk comfortably there." No one objected, and so a general transition from room-to-room began. Not surprisingly, there was small flurry around Tenchi as he found a comfortable spot on the floor, and Funaho found herself sitting next to Sasami and Washu on the sofa this time. She heard Yosho mutter something about 'musical chairs' under his breath, and Nobuyuki just shook his head. "Thank you for indulging me," Funaho said. "But first: it is time for you remove your disguise, Yosho." "Is that really necessary, Mother?" Yosho asked, his voice flat and betraying no emotion. "No one here will understand why I wore it for so long." "Then it is time to make them understand." Her son squirmed, and her voice hardened ever so slightly. "That was a Command, Yosho." "Then the Prince must obey," he replied reluctantly. There was a blur, and his hands and face no longer appeared as the old shrine-master. He was once more the young, vigorous- appearing warrior of old. Ayeka: "Yosho! Why didn't you reveal this to me?" Ryoko: "Oh, no..." "Go ahead, Yosho, explain your actions." His reply was slow and hesitant, directed towards his half-sisters in a voice with a higher, vibrant timbre. "After seeing to Ryoko's imprisonment, and to the safe-keeping of my Royal Tree, I wandered about these islands for a few years. I was astonished to find another Power Adept here, like myself....like my mother. A beautiful young woman named Itsuki. We fell in love, we were married, and we settled in this valley so that I could keep watch over Ryoko's sleep. After six centuries, though, she made her decision to raise a family. I knew I would lose her, of course, and it took her a while to convince me, but in the end she won out. After Achika's birth, she began to age normally, so with the aid of my Tree I began to modify my appearance to match hers. It would have been very cruel for her to live with an ageless husband while she watched her own features whither away. By the end, I had grown accustomed to this facade -- it matched my soul, you see, and I saw no reason to dispense with it." Nobuyuki interrupted him. "Excuse me a moment. What do you mean, 'she started to age normally?'" "I'll answer that," Washu said. "Female Power Adepts will remain vigorous and effective until they begin reproducing, at which point they revert to a normal human lifespan. It's Nature's way of preventing over-population." "Are you from Earth?" Nobuyuki asked Funaho. "Yes. I was born on the island of Honshu nearly one thousand years ago." "And Itsuki was a Power user, like Lady Funaho?" Nobuyuki asked Yosho. "Yes, a strong one." "Then, why are you still alive?" Nobuyuki asked Funaho. "I have been bonded to a Royal Tree for most of my life, which enabled me to overcome this cycle. Sadly, Lady Itsuki was not paired to a Tree, and thus was at the mercy of the natural order." "So, when my Achika made the choice to raise a family...." "...She knowingly gave up the chance of living for thousands of years, just so she could spend a normal life with you. She must have loved you very much, Mr. Masaki." Nobuyuki looked first at Yosho, then at Tenchi. "And what about my son? How long will he live?" "There's really no way of knowing," Washu answered. "He's only 1/8 Juraian, but he's 7/8 Power Adept -- and a tremendously strong one at that. He may live for a thousand years, or he may only live a few decades." "What's the average life span for a male (what did you call it?) a Power Adept?" Nobuyuki asked. Washu shrugged. "A couple hundred years, usually. Unfortunately, there's another snag: the men compete for dominance, and only a few Adepts truly survive to maturity. It's the male half of the population control mechanism." Tenchi spoke up. "Wait a minute, I'm 18 now --" "Physically, you're an adult," Washu replied. "But an Adept's skills and strengths take much longer to develop. It will be another forty to fifty years before you reach full maturity. And then God help any man stupid enough to Challenge you." "Is dueling legal in the Juraian Empire?" Mihoshi asked. "Yes," Funaho replied, "but normally only the gentry indulge in such activities. Not surprisingly, they are almost all Power Adepts of one level or another." "Just what do you mean by 'Power?'" asked Nobuyuki. "You keep tossing that term around." "'Power' is a generic term for the ability to manipulate matter mentally," Washu answered. "You Earthlings use terms like 'ESP' and 'Psionics,' but it's all the same thing. We prefer the term 'Power' because an Adept does not contain within himself or herself sufficient energy to accomplish the feats they are capable of. The driving energy has to come from somewhere else. Some Adepts are able to convert potential energy into kinetic energy, or extract it from ambient sources in the environment, or draw directly from artificial sources like electrical circuits. And then there are those rare few, like Tenchi, who can tap directly into the underlying fabric of space itself. During their fight on the Souja, Kagato had sealed off every source of energy he could think of -- including 'borrowing' energy from Tsunami. He had extensive overlapping shields in place. What Kagato didn't predict (and couldn't prevent) was that Tenchi could summon the Lighthawk Wings, which pull their energy directly from the Quantum Vacuum. Put bluntly, Kagato was outclassed and outmatched. And while he may have had more energy stored in Souja's crystals than Tenchi was able to process, he couldn't focus it all effectively. He paid for his mistakes in the end." "Thank you," Ryoko whispered to Tenchi, leaning over and kissing his cheek. "As a rule of thumb, the low end of the scale involves simple information exchanges of one sort or another, like clairvoyance or telepathy, while actual matter manipulation becomes much rarer. In theory, every human is born with the capabilities; in practice, only 1 person in 1,000 begins to display any of the basic level capabilities, and the percentages get correspondingly smaller as the difficulty increases. The actual number of true Power Adepts may only hover at one in 100,000,000. Of course, since there are *trillions* of humans spread across the galaxy, that opens the doors for an awful lot of Adepts. And, don't forget that not all Adepts are equal. There are superstars among this class, as well. You happen to be in the same room with several of them." Washu shrugged. "We galactics have been able to duplicate these phenomena mechanically for a long time, but there has always been a certain appreciation for those individuals who are able to do it naturally. Rather like comparing a photograph to a hand-painted portrait -- the photograph may be more convenient, and maybe even more accurate, but the artist's efforts are seen to add a layer of expression that is lacking in the photo." "That helps...somewhat. At least I know it isn't magic," Nobuyuki said. "Trillions of people?" Tenchi muttered. "Yes," Washu replied. "However, even though there are many interstellar empires, there are very few worlds like this one. Earth is at that unique transition period where high technology is spreading from isolated pockets to the global community, and when that happens population control will take firm effect. For now, though, it is a genetic hothouse -- there are more people on this planet than on any four Juraian worlds. And the population is still increasing! It's no wonder there are more potential Power Adepts here than anywhere else in this sector of the galaxy. If I were a geneticist, I'd be petitioning the empire to let me establish a research station here." "Why don't you?" asked Funaho. "I have my own genetic research to conduct," she replied, looking meaningfully at Tenchi. He missed her intent, but Funaho didn't. Funaho looked again towards her son. "Tell them the rest, Yosho." Yosho sighed. "I will die not long after Ryoko leaves this planet." "Huh? What do I have to do with this?" Ryoko demanded "Your gems have been feeding energy to my Royal Tree for the last seven hundred years, and it has been sustaining me from that reservoir. Once you and Tenchi leave for Jurai, and take those gems with you, that nourishment will be cut off. I'm already past my prime, you see." "You mean you've been siphoning-off my energy all these years?!" Ryoko said angrily. "Calm down, Ryoko," Washu said. "It's not his fault. And anyway, if he hadn't survived this long, then he never would have sired Achika. And if Achika hadn't been born, then neither would Tenchi." "Yeah, I guess you're right," Ryoko admitted grudgingly. Tenchi: "Now I'm confused. If the women live centuries longer than the men --" "That was why the symbiotic relationship with the Royal Trees was developed," Washu said. "The Trees have long life spans, but they lack mobility; humans are short-lived, but are highly mobile. What a Power-sensitive human receives is a life-sustaining flow of energy that will keep him or her vigorous through and beyond the normal reproduction cycle; what the Tree receives is vastly increased mobility and a chance to reproduce in many environments. The trouble is, there aren't many Trees." "That's what you intend for me, isn't it, lady Funaho? To bond with one of the Royal Trees." "Yes." "What about Ayeka and Ryu-oh? Her Tree has been nearly destroyed two or three times." "It will recover, as long she stops taking it into combat so often," Washu replied. "You know, the thought occurs to me that Yosho's Tree may still be mutable." "How so?" Funaho asked. "If it's been receiving supplementary energy from Ryoko all these years, it may have never fully rooted. If that's the case, it might be possible to restore some of its original configuration." "That's assuming it wants to. That's assuming I want to." Yosho's face was closed and his voice was toneless. "I was referring to the technical issues, not the emotional issues." "Perhaps we should discuss that topic later," Funaho said. "And since we are dispensing with facades, Little Washu, perhaps you should revert to your proper appearance." "Why? I'm very comfortable with this form." "I find the image of my great-grandson marrying an adolescent very disturbing." "Tenchi hasn't complained." "Then consider doing it as a personal favor for me." "Well, I should probably get used to it anyway." Washu's figure blurred as she morphed into her adult form, her body growing and her voice deepening due to the transition. "Is this better, Lady Funaho?" "Yes it is, Washu. Thank you for indulging me. Now, perhaps I should review a few facts (which I'm sure you are all very well aware of, but please bear with me). Just over seven centuries ago, Ryoko and Ryo-ohki artfully slipped through every layer of security around Jurai and attacked the palace itself, destroying numerous military installations and residential enclaves along the way. She failed to retrieve any of the Royal Trees, and Yosho went roaring after her, swearing to capture or kill the infamous space pirate. "What followed was a deafening silence on the fate of both hunter and hunted. Many on the council were concerned because Yosho, as oldest child of the Senior Consort, was by Juraian law the legal successor to Emperor Azusa. Many were just as glad to see him gone, since he also had the sad misfortune of being my son, and therefore a half-breed. Many eyes were even then looking to Ayeka as the Crown Princess, since she was the next-oldest child (and a full-blooded Juraian). And once again the distasteful discussion of half-breeds Vs purebloods reared its ugly head in Council Meetings. Ayeka was more focused on finding Yosho than any inheritance concerns, and her much-heralded Rescue Mission was just the diversion Azusa needed to shelve the whole controversy. We even allowed Sasami to sneak aboard Ryu-oh, since that conveniently placed all of the heirs out of reach. "During the reconstruction period that followed, Ayeka's Rescue Mission slipped out of the media limelight and was allowed to fade from public attention, and we asked the Galaxy Police to keep a discrete eye on Ryu-oh's location. 700 years may seem a long time, but with the intervening crises to worry about, and knowing you ladies were reasonably safe and secure, the time actually passed quickly. (You were definitely missed at home, though -- Misaki and I spent many an evening pining for our children.) "And then two years ago Ryu-oh sailed into this solar system at about the same time as Tenchi freed Ryoko. Recent history from your perspective. What you don't know is the full consequences of your actions. Tenchi, last night you asked what is so important happening on Jurai that won't wait for your weddings? Quite a bit, actually. "First, we submitted Mihoshi's Report to the Grand Council for discussion, and someone on the Council promptly leaked the unclassified data to the media. " "Unclassified?" Ayeka asked. "Anything not related to the Royal Trees." Funaho replied. "That's privileged information, protected by a sworn oath, and anyone caught making such information public will get charged with treason. As it was, the bulk of the data released was about Tenchi. And needless to say the media had a field day with it: not only was Crown Prince Yosho alive and well, but he had an heir of his own; and the heir is a heroic paladin with Power attributes not seen in generations. This was followed a few months later by Baron Kitsune's interview, and the whole empire learned that the heir has won the heart of not one but *five* Power Adepts. You cut a very romantic, swashbuckling figure, Tenchi, and you have no idea how eager the media is to get their hands on you." Tenchi's shoulders slumped and he groaned audibly, accompanied by a mild Power spike. "Oh, great." "There's already talk about a knighthood in your future." There were gasps around the room, and more than one hug for Tenchi, who was looking more miserable by the minute. "We found it very amusing that in the rush to get on the pro-Tenchi bandwagon, the little matter of your genetic heritage has been conveniently overlooked." "No one cares that I'm only 1/8 Juraian?" "Not with the public. And not with the majority of Council members, either. You can summon the Lighthawk Wings, which is a virtual stamp of approval of your pedigree. But here is the reason for our concern over your schedule: you see, according to Juraian law, only the monarch and the direct heirs have the right to enter into a cluster marriage, and then only with obvious benefits to preserving the Royal lineage. In essence, all parties have to be Power Adepts, at least one of the consorts must be full-blooded Juraian, and the line of succession begins with the oldest offspring. In case the first-born becomes incapacitated or deceased before producing any heirs, then the line of succession reverts to the next- oldest child. When applied to present circumstances, since Yosho is forced to remain on this planet, he cannot assume the throne. The line of succession now falls to his heir -- which means you, Tenchi. You are legally Crown Prince, and in due time you will be required by Juraian law to assume the throne. Ayeka once again reverts to the 'spare heir.'" "What if I don't want to?" Tenchi asked. "I don't have the training for it, nor the inclination. Ayeka would make a much better monarch." "That may be true, but it is also irrelevant -- the law remains. Anyway, before we debate that issue any further, you should consider a few facts. "First, if you are not the Crown Prince, then you may only marry one of these ladies; polygamy is not legal in the Empire. Even if you abdicate in favor of Ayeka after assuming the throne, then you become subject to the law and must divorce your other wives. And Ayeka could then avail herself of the privilege to collect multiple consorts. "Second, have you given any thought to children? I saw that leer, Ryoko, and I meant actual production, not practice." Ryoko blushed, there were chuckles around the room, and Tenchi reached over to hold her hand. "It becomes a very important consideration due to the Line of Succession. I would give serious consideration to postponing that decision for a while, for the reasons stated earlier. "Third, this is a painful thing for me to say, Tenchi, and could be even more painful to deal with, but the simple fact of the matter is that your great-grandfather doesn't like you very much. Not only were you sired away from Jurai, and thus away from any influence he might have had in picking your parents, but you have already demonstrated your superior Power attributes. Rather than taking the prudent and less-inflammatory route of mentoring you in private, he is going to attempt to manipulate you publicly." "I knew it!" Ayeka said, simmering. "As soon as he tried to foist me off on that idiot Lord Seriyu --" Tenchi reached over and took her hand, calming her instantly. "Fore-warned is fore- armed." He started to say something else when another Power spike erupted, this one very intense and protracted. Tenchi's back arched, and he closed his eyes in concentration or pain. Ryoko and Ayeka could feel his hands shaking, and everyone else watched with more than a little apprehension. The attack passed after a few moments, and Tenchi opened his eyes to some very worried expressions. "As I was saying, every little bit of information helps us prepare for the coming...discussions." "Tenchi, would you like some tea?" Sasami asked. "No thanks, Sasami. I'm fine." And he gave her a lopsided smile to ease her concern. "Sasami, dear, how do you feel about all this?" Funaho asked. "You're awfully young to be worrying about marriage." "No I'm not. Ayeka was betrothed at an even younger age. Besides, I've already linked with Tenchi -- why would I want anybody else?" "What do you mean, you've already linked with him?" "Through Tsunami." "I don't understand." There was shimmer in the air behind Sasami, and the ethereal form of Tsunami materialized. "That's because Sasami and I integrated many years ago, and Tenchi and I integrated just recently." "Tsunami! What brings you here?" "I was summoned." "By who?" "I called her," Sasami replied. "Actually, she's been listening the whole time." Tsunami and Sasami exchanged smiles. "Tsunami, would you please explain how you are 'integrated' with my half-daughter and my great-grandson?" Tsunami recounted her rescue of Sasami during Ryoko's attack on the Jurai Royal Palace, and her rescue of Tenchi during Kagato's attack. "I see," Funaho replied after a long silence. "Then please accept my deepest thanks." "Am I already bonded to Tsunami?" Tenchi asked. "Yes," Tsunami answered. "Then that explains my ability to summon the Lighthawk Wings." "No, that ability comes from within you. We are merely linked." "Tsunami, can you bond to both Tenchi and Sasami at the same time?" Washu asked. "Yes." Washu started chuckling. "This just gets better and better!" "Would you please explain that statement?" Funaho asked wearily. "I told that emissary you sent last year that this was going to happen. I just didn't expect it so early." "Expect what so early?" "The linkage. Ryoko, Ryo-ohki and I have always been linked, and now this link between Tenchi and Sasami --" " -- And my link with Ryoko," Tenchi added. "What link?" Ryoko asked. "I was in Washu's lab when Dr. Clay kidnapped you, but I heard you call my name." "You did? Really?" "Yes. Really." "I remember that," Washu said thoughtfully. "I thought you were hearing things at the time. Funny I didn't feel anything just then..." "Why don't I feel a link with Tenchi?" Ayeka interrupted. Ryoko chuckled and smirked. "Do you want *me* to answer that?" "Oh, be quiet, Ryoko. Actually, Ayeka, it requires an emotional trigger. You've been keeping your feelings too tightly controlled. I'm sure that will change after the wedding -- most likely on your honeymoon!" Washu said with a cackle. "Thanks for the help, 'Mom.'" "Any time, Little Ryoko. As I was saying, I warned the emissary that we would begin linking to each other, and Tenchi was going to be the lynchpin. I see it's already started." "Why haven't I felt a link with Tenchi?" Mihoshi asked quietly. "I'm an Empath, after all -- feelings are my specialty." "I'm guessing you already have," Washu answered, "it just gets lost in the 'noise' from everyone else. Maybe you should try a little meditation, or maybe bio-feedback." "Could you help me?" "Sure. In fact, I have just the piece of equipment in my lab to wire you up to!" "Washu!" Tenchi growled. "Just kidding, just kidding," she replied. "Perhaps we should take a break," Yosho suggested. Everyone began standing and stretching, drifting off to attend to various activities. Funaho turned to address Mihoshi, who was still sitting on the floor. "Mihoshi, are you alright?" "What? Oh! Sorry, Your Majesty. No, I'm fine." "You were staring off into space. Were you daydreaming?" "No, I was concentrating." "On what?" "I was trying to isolate Tenchi's feelings from everyone else in the room." "Is that difficult to do?" "Yes. There are so many people in here right now, it's hard to extract just one source. And since everyone in here is related, the normal barriers have been removed: everyone is expressing themselves openly and honestly and very emotionally." "Mihoshi, how do you feel about this marriage? It's a very unusual situation." "Tenchi is a very unusual person. It doesn't surprise me that whatever circumstances he's involved in will require unusual arrangements." "But don't you feel jealous of the other ladies? Having to share your husband, and all?" "Well, it's only natural. But, I grew up in a large family, and my brothers and sisters and I were always competing for my parents' attention. But my parents scheduled Special Times for each of us, where each us of had their attention exclusively. Some of my fondest memories are of my Special Times. I think Tenchi has something like that planned already. Besides, I probably won't be around much." "Oh? Why?" "As a Galaxy Police Person, I will be away on assignments or on patrol on a regular basis." "And you don't think you will be reassigned to into Jurai's District?" "Eventually, I suppose. I'll put in the request, naturally, but I can't guarantee anything. I'll also talk to my grandfather about it." "Would it help if I talked to your supervisors, too?" "Oh, that would be wonderful! Thank you, Your Majesty." "Since we're going to be related soon, why don't you just call me Lady Misaki." "If you wish, Lady Misaki," Mihoshi blushed with embarrassment. "What do your parents think of this marriage?" "Oh, they're quite excited. I sent them a photo of Tenchi and I, but I made them promise not to say anything publicly until it was officially announced." "Do they know the circumstances about how you met him?" "No, I keep my letters home pretty vague. I told my grandfather, though. He was already aware of most of the details." "Will you be writing a report about our being here this weekend?" "Well, my orders were to report anything in this system that involves the Royal Family. But as this is a family meeting about family issues, I will probably just mention that you were here for Tenchi's Graduation. It hardly seems worth an analysis." "I completely agree with you, Mihoshi."