Ayoko Chapter 1: The Catalyst
By Kevin Sigmund (bshrimp@together.net)

Disclaimer: Tenchi Muyo, No Need For Tenchi, and everything else Tenchi
related isn't mine and nor do I claim it to be.  This includes characters,
gimmicks, cameos, and the liberal use of wooden salt & pepper shakers as
robotic guardians.  Anyway, Tenchi Muyo is the property of AIC and Pioneer
LDC, and I'm pretty sure that the rights for the No Need For Tenchi! manga
belong to Viz Communications, Inc. and the Kadokawa Shoten Publish Company.
 Of course, I'll bet the rights for Tenchi devolve ultimately onto AIC and
Pioneer LDC.  Anyway, this is fiction written purely for amusement, or
written simply because I have no life.  At any rate, as long as nobody goes
and copies me verbatim, then we shouldn't have any problems.  Now, this
being said I think we ought to move on with the story...

***********

The day began like most other days at the Masaki household, the birds were
chirping, the bees were buzzing, and grass was wet with the slight mist of
dew.  One would have to describe the scene as perfection, at least until
the inevitable explosions rocked the countryside, sending this idyllic
scene, at least temporally, out of whack.  Still such a scene was a
commonplace occurrence for this area, and even the various fauna had begun
to except these otherwise nerve wracking explosions as a typical affair.

However, this day would turn out to be unlike any other day, something was
indeed about to happen, something that would drastically effect the
relations of this household in a way that none of its occupants could
expect.  Something that would forever alter the way in which Ryoko and
Princess Ayeka saw each other, and how they saw their one true love, Tenchi
Masaki....


As Ryoko was phasing her way up to the roof, for her daily sake binge, she
paused midway into the attic.  Someone was here, and she wanted to know
who.

"All right, who's up here?", asked the Cyan haired woman, with just a hint
of irritation.

"Oh Ryoko, I should have known it'd be you.", said Princess Ayeka with just
a hint of distaste.

"What are you doing up here?" <And what does it have to do with *MY*
Tenchi?>, Ryoko added silently.

"Oh, I was just talking with Tenchi's father about the kind of woman
Tenchi's mother was, and well he suggested that there might be some photo
albums up here that I might find to be of interest."

<So that was it!  That bitch!  Trying to use Tenchi's mother to get closer
to *HER* Tenchi!>, Ryoko paused for a moment, <Why didn't I think of
that?!?>.  "Gimme!", exclaimed Ryoko as made a grab for the photo album
that Ayeka was holding.
"No, I'm not done with it!", exclaimed Ayeka.  However, their brief
struggle was cut short by the 'Thwip' noise made by a small red book that
had been carefully hidden within the pages of the photo album.

"Hmm...?  What's this?", asked Ryoko to herself as she nonchalantly picked
up the small tome.  As she began to read her eyes went wide, the book
appeared to be Tenchi's diary, and not just the one she had already read. 
No, this one covered events before Tenchi had ever met Ryoko, and as she
quickly skimmed it, she even found mention of *HER* name near the end!

"Well?", asked Ayeka interrupting Ryoko's concentration.

"Sssh!", hushed Ryoko, "I'm just getting into it...".  Ayeka clearly wasn't
satisfied, but Ryoko ignored her.  Whatever his reasons for hiding it,
Ryoko was sure this book would reveal Tenchi's true feelings for her. 
After some skimming she eventually found all she could have hoped for, and
more, "It was odd, I had fallen asleep for no apparent reason, only to wake
up to see the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.  I'll admit I instantly
feel in love right there, and had she not tried to kill me, I might have
even worked up the courage to ask her out on a date.  Still, as I was soon
to learn, this attack was her idea of 'flirting' with me.  Not exactly what
I'd consider amorous, but given what I was to learn about her, it was
nearly a totally acceptable reaction."

"Ryoko!  Now I want you to tell me what's so interesting in that book,
RIGHT THIS INSTANT!", fumed Ayeka as she barely avoided powering up an
attack.

"This?  Oh, its just Tenchi's old diary.", stated Ryoko in a triumphant
manner.

"That is *NOT* Lord Tenchi's diary.  His diary is bl.. b..", Ayeka paused,
"Well, I'm sure Tenchi's diary is just not *THAT* color."

"You were going to say 'blue', right?", giggled Ryoko.

"What are you trying to imply Ryoko?  I merely.. I merely once saw Tenchi
writing in his diary once, that's all.", said Ayeka non-convincingly.

"Oh it's no big deal Ayeka, I read that one 'too'.", said Ryoko putting an
extra emphasis on the word 'too', "But didn't you think it odd that it
picked up on events only after our dealings with Kagato?"

<Yes, it was odd...>, breaking from her mental pause, Ayeka once again
continued, "So what you're saying is *THAT* really is Tenchi's old diary?"

"Yup, and lookie what it says right here!", said as showed Ayeka the
passage she had read earlier.

Ayeka snatched the book and mentally screamed, <NO!  It wasn't possible! 
How could her beloved Tenchi pick that.. that Demon, over her!>.  Ayeka
quickly began to scan the testament to find something, anything that would
prove this smirking beast wrong.  Ayeka's search was not to be in vain, "As
I snuck into her bedroom, I began to mentally sweat.  'You should not be
here!', I told myself, but I also knew that at the moment Sasami was my
only hope of getting home.  So I stealthily crept further into the ornate
room.  I looked down at the Princess, and mentally gulped.  I couldn't help
but fall instantly in love with her.  Still, I regained my resolve and
looked to her crown, the prize that Sasami so desired.  However, I knew it
was a lost cause, so I resolved to go for the sword hilt instead.  Despite
their dainty size, her grip was strong and so..."

"And what are you smiling about?", asked Ryoko, with irritated at the fact
that Ayeka seemed to be enjoying her read.

"Oh nothing.  Just this.", said Ayeka triumphantly as she pointed to the
passage she had been reading.

<No Way!>, Ryoko mentally exclaimed as she snatched book from Ayeka. <How
can he be in love with *BOTH* of us? >.  She began to furiously skim the
pages looking for something that would give an indication of who he loved
more, or what caused him to fall out of love with either of them.

"Hey, what are you two doing up here?  Dad said that.. that..", Tenchi
paused mid-sentence.  "What is that?", asked Tenchi in disbelief.

Ayeka was the first to compose herself, "Lord Tenchi, we were just looking
at these photo albums and.. and.."

"And we just happened to find this book.", quickly added Ryoko.  Biting her
lip, she continued, "So.. uh.. Tenchi, could you explain to us what this is
about?", asked Ryoko, in the vain hope that Tenchi might answer who he
exactly preferred.

Tenchi sweated, as he quickly looked back and forth between the two eager
women.  "I uh.., I uh..", he faltered as he began to back step to a
platform that unfortunately wasn't there.

Immediately, Tenchi's form went failing from the steps that led into the
attic, shortly followed by a large resounding *CRACK*!  "TENCHI!", cried
Ayeka and Ryoko in unison as the pair immediately rushed their loved one
down to the confines of Washu's inter-dimensional lab.

*******
Well there you go, the first chapter of my first Tenchi fan-fiction. 
Please tell me what you think and feel free to give me any suggestions
(bshrimp@together.net).  From the title, I'll bet most of my audience can
gather where I'm going with this one, but I need to brush up on my
metaphysics before I even begin to start on the next chapter.  I've already
got a good idea of how I'm going to pull it off, but still, better to be
safe than sorry.

At this point I'd like to thank various people: 
	Thomas J. Dosher, who not only provided a host of interesting stories, but
had a style that I've tried to more-or-less attempted to emulate (Read:
Steal).  Please don't kill me.
	Aaron Bastin, who's Legacy of Kain story effectively shows me that
non-Japanese concepts *CAN* fit into the Tenchi Muyo worldset (thought I
was going to say Universe, didn't yah?).  Kudos again Aaron!
	Cav, who's Heaven and Night story has given me something interesting to do
while I try and find something to do while I sit at my computer.  I mean,
what am I supposed to do?  Work?
	Nik, who's Yosho and Love Letter stories, IMO do by far the best justice
to a textual translation of Tenchi Muyo.  Not only are they *VERY* funny,
but they're very good too!
	I'd also like to thank the author David Feintuch for his wonderful
Midshipman's Hope series (well, his last two books have verged on overkill,
but that's besides the point).  While some may claim that his sci-fi is a
bit hokey, I like it and I'll have words with anyone who says otherwise (of
course, by all means I urge you to stay away from The Still, but then they
all can't be gems).
	I'd also like to thank most of the contributing writers of Paranoia: The
Role Playing Game, especially Ken Rolston and Ed Blome for their fine
Paranoia novels.  It is the work of writers such as them, that have molded
me into the sick creature I am today.
	Finally, I'd like to thank all the people who've tormented me throughout
my educational career.  Had it not been for them, I probably would have
turned out *shudder* normal, and actually went out and gotten myself a life
by now.  Thanks again guys!
	PS - There is no significance to the order of the people I thank, I just
put names down as I thought of 'em.  PPS - Really there is NO significance,
so shut up already!


Up Next: Chapter 2: The Merger...