Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters.  Tenchi muyo! is property of AIC 
and Pioneer.  I don't plan on making any money off of it so please don't sue me.  I also 
got the idea for this story line from the movie The Family Man…like I said, I don't plan 
on making any money off of this so I hope nobody in Hollywood will sue me.  This is 
just for reading enjoyment of fan fiction only!

This Time Around

Banked along the towering walls, streamers flew, glistening under the skylights.  
Tulips with their Amarillo buds, calla lilies jutting up from ivory planters and roses of the 
most crimson red lined the lush velvety gold carpet that lead up to a dais where a priest 
was preparing his traditional altar.  Families on both sides of the rug awaited the bride 
with anticipation.  Standing with his hands clasped behind him, and his back to the 
entrance, the groom waited for his bride to arrive.
	"Isn't he handsome?" Commented a distant cousin from the bride's family to her 
sister.
	"Mmm, very," she nodded in agreement.
	"She sure is lucky," the lavender-haired woman continued.
	"Yes, and I hear he's very kind! Quite a catch, but I wouldn't expect less from the 
first crown princess of Juria."  The sounds of an organ came into the air and Pachelbel's 
Canon was beginning to play, "Oh, look, here she comes!" 
	Slowly, but ever so gracefully, the Jurian bride glided down the plush aisle to her 
awaiting groom.  Her steps were light and rehearsed, never once did she falter.  Knights 
walked alongside her train stretching ten feet long.  The gown she wore was somewhat of 
a traditional Japanese wedding kimono, mixed with Jurian and royal Western European 
garb.  The silken material ran through the air, the pearl coloring made the bride look as if 
she was walking on a cloud.  Her pale white face gave her dark pink eyes a certain 
twinkle.  Dark lashes protruded out from her eyelids and her robust red lips sketched her 
perfect set of teeth.  The princess glowed from head to toe as she stepped up next to her 
prince.  From the way he was standing she could tell he was nervous.  Gradually he 
turned towards her and his dark russet eyes met hers.  The smile he wore was warm on 
his pristine face as he took her hands in his.  It was a shame that the emperor could not be 
there on that particular day to hand his daughter over to the man she loved.

	It was in the autumn when Tenchi Masaki finally decided to take the hand of the 
princess Ayeka Juria in holy matrimony.  Just when the leaves were starting to turn, and 
the air was becoming a bit more brisk.  As he recalled, it was a day just like this when he 
finally made his heart-wrenching decision; however, he some how felt cheated as a result.  
In his heart, he knew that these feelings were not ones that he should be experiencing on 
his wedding day, but he could not shake the emotions that rankled his being.  As he took 
Ayeka's hands in his, he forced a smile, trying to overcome his hesitation, hoping he 
could maybe hide it from her.  Nevertheless, there was no need to try too hard.  Ayeka's 
dream was unfolding before her very eyes and there was absolutely nothing that could 
stand in its way.  Tenchi's smile made her ecstatic, her heart fluttered with excitement.  
	Throughout the whole ceremony, Tenchi's mind was cluttered with memories and 
visions of his not so forgotten past.  Azusa had passed away unexpectedly from an 
unknown disease that had been plaguing Juria.  The suddenness of it all had driven Ayeka 
and her younger sister Sasami into a state of shock followed by depression.  It was so 
unforeseen that even Tenchi himself could not believe his ears.  The next question was: 
who would be the next emperor of Juria? There was no direct heir, since Yosho had made 
it abundantly clear that he was out of the running.  And then it happened so fast.  It 
seemed as if everyone had turned to him to take on the responsibility.  Ayeka needed a 
king, and he was to be her prince.  She was too young to rule alone and queens, Misaki 
and Funaho, had backed out after the death of their husband.  The shock was too intense, 
what was he to do? Once again, it was up to Tenchi to carry the burden.

	The look in Ryoko's eyes was almost too much for him to bear.  Tenchi had 
caught her watching him beneath Funaho's tree while he was consoling Ayeka.  It was as 
if they had been thinking the same thing at once and from this moment forward, their 
lives would never be the same.
	
"You will come back with me to Juria, Tenchi-sama," Ayeka whispered, as 
another tear rolled down her cheek.
	"Yes." He replied, still unsure himself.  He glanced back up into the sky, his lungs 
strangled by the expression Ryoko wore.  He could almost feel her heart twisting into 
knots.  He wanted to look away, but he could not tear his eyes from her piercing gaze.  
She disappeared as fast as she had come.  Hopefully I'll get to say something to her 
before she does anything irrational, he thought.
	"Thank you, I-you…this means so much to me," she stuttered finally, not really 
quite sure what to say.  His agreement to go back with her to Juria was something she 
herself had never expected.  
	"I'll let you be alone," he said, releasing her hand from his grasp.  Death was 
something he had encountered many times in his short life.  Tenchi could feel her sorrow, 
and felt in some way closer to her in relation to her father's sudden death.  His mother 
had died when he was young, making his life more difficult.  The fact that her father was 
the emperor of Juria, made Ayeka's grief supplementary.  
	Tenchi walked back up along the stone path to the house.  He wanted to take his 
time.  Knowing Ryoko, this probably would not go over too well with her.  Bit by bit he 
turned the knob on the door leading to the attic.  He knew he would find Ryoko in her 
room.  To his surprise, she was standing by her window with her back facing him, and a 
bag next to her side.
	"Ryoko I-,"
	"I know you're leaving, Tenchi," she cut him off; her voice was low and unstable.
	"Yes…Ayeka needs me to be there for her when she accepts the crown." He 
finished, still standing in the doorway.
	"I'm not going to follow you to Juria."  Ryoko declared sternly.  When Tenchi did 
not respond, she continued.  "I want you to know that, no matter what, I'll always love 
you…" her voice trailed off, her monotone was breaking.  "I've had a wonderful time 
here…knowing you…you're family…this life…" Tenchi was appalled.  Never in his life 
had he ever witnessed Ryoko to be so vulnerable.
	"Ryoko-," She turned to him, tears streaming down her face.  Quickly, she 
reached up with her arm and wiped them away.
	"Please, Tenchi, don't say anything," she sighed, "It must be that damn Zero, 
making me cry like this!" she tried to laugh through her tears.  Tenchi forced a smile, but 
could not hold back the feeling that he knew was next.  "That life, this carnival ride…is 
over.  It's time for me to move on.  I think that somehow, this was meant to happen…in 
the weird and screwed up ways of the Universe."  She reached down for her small bag 
and walked over to him.  Before he could object, she wrapped her arms around him.  Her 
face was so very close to his, her feral golden eyes glistening with tears.  "I guess this is 
goodbye," she whispered, leaning into his ear.  Tenchi gulped, but continued to stand 
there frozen.  Ryoko's mouth was closing in on him and then there was the sensation of 
her soft, fervent lips on his.  Tenchi closed his eyes as teardrops continued to climb over 
Ryoko's pain-stricken face.
The next thing he knew, she was gone.  There were no objections to be made, no 
one to chase after, no hopes that she might ever be back.  Ryoko was gone for good.  
Tenchi lifted his fingertips to his lips.  Was that supposed to take a weight off his 
shoulders? He instead, felt as if more bricks had been loaded on.

	"So how does it feel to be a king?" Sasami, Ayeka's little sister asked innocently.
"Well, I can't really say, since I'm not a king yet…not until after coronation."  He 
confessed, as he stared out into a meadow of wildflowers from his position on the palace 
balcony.  
	"I'm really glad you decided to come back with us, Tenchi-Chan."  Sasami 
grinned, scrunching her tiny nose.  Tenchi smiled, taking notice of her freckles.  
	"Yeah…" he turned away, letting his mind wander.
	"You have really made my whole family happy, I also speak for Ayeka, you 
know."  Tenchi nodded.
	"For some one so young, you are definitely mature."  Tenchi said.  Sasami 
blushed.
	"Well, I know you probably want to spend some time alone, but be sure to hurry 
back, I know people at the reception are dying to talk to you…and I made some special 
tempura, especially for you!" She added.  Tenchi watched her run back into the building.  
Not really ready to face the music, Tenchi decided against hurrying in to meet all of his 
long-lost relatives.  A placid breeze blew past his face.  Closing his eyes, Tenchi 
surrendered to the moment, soaking up the last of his freedom.  When he opened them 
again, he saw nothing but an endless field of beauty spread in front of him.  The sky was 
lit with an unusual essence of blue, the clouds hung about the atmosphere as if they were 
tied to a string.  It reminds me of Earth so much, Tenchi thought; I hope I'll be able to go 
back there someday.

	"I was wondering when you were going to show up!" Ayeka said, tapping her 
foot.  Nervously Tenchi scratched the back of his neck.
	"Uh, sorry Ae-chan…I was just thinking," 
	"There's someone I want you to meet!" She declared, not giving him much time 
to finish.  "Oh Katei, I found him!" Ayeka waved to a tall, dark man in a Jurian suit.  His 
deep black eyes twinkled with excitement.
	"I almost thought you were going to back out!" The unfamiliar man teased.  
Tenchi's face turned red.
	"Um-," 
	"You sure are lucky, not only is Ayeka-san beautiful, but she's also the queen of 
Juria!" Katei complemented.
	"Oh, Katei," Ayeka flushed.
	"I just had to make sure you were worthy of such a prize!" Katei smirked, not 
taking his eyes of Ayeka.  Tenchi could tell she was enjoying the attention.
	"Katei is an old friend of the family, he serves as second in command in Juria's 
navy fleet!" Ayeka announced, obviously proud of her friend.
	"I hope we can get better acquainted," said Katei.  "How about this weekend? 
You can come visit me at the Juria Science Academy, I'm giving a lecture there." 
	"Well, I don't know," Tenchi started, feeling a bit uncomfortable.  He would have 
to spend the whole day with this foreign man, and was not sure if he wanted to be alone 
with him, trying to make conversation.  It was obvious that Katei was somewhat 
interested in Ayeka.  Dealing with testosterone was not Tenchi's idea of getting better 
acquainted.
	"Well what do you say?" Katei continued.
	"Um-,"
	"Oh Tenchi, don't be such a spoil sport! This will be good for you! You can meet 
some people, Katei knows his way around the academy pretty well don't you?" Katei 
nodded.
	"Okay…" Tenchi managed to say.  Ayeka was thrilled.  As long as he could keep 
her pacified, he would have no trouble.

	That night Tenchi lay in bed with the darkness surrounding him.  Ayeka slept 
soundly beside him.  How did it ever come to this? He wondered.  Could he have ever 
planned or prepared for this? It was like he was on a run away roller coaster.  Never once 
since this whole thing began did it stop or even slow down.  He was running head long 
into something, he was not sure what it was yet, but he knew it was not good.  What if he 
had married Ryoko, would it have ever made any difference? Why was it that he even 
had to make a choice in the first place?  Who told him that he had to marry one or the 
other? There are a million girls in this world.  Why was it that he only had two to chose 
from?  But then again, why did they show up at his house in the first place.  Grandpa 
always said that things happened for a reason.  He also said that a man could control his 
own fate.  Tenchi did not feel in control.  It had been over a year since he had left Earth 
for Juria and he was still thinking about that kiss.
	"Ten-Chan, are you awake?" Ayeka asked, rolling over to him.
	"Huh, oh, yeah."  He said, turning towards her.
	"What's wrong?" She knew something was up.
	"Nothing, I was just thinking."  He replied.
	"You said the same thing to me today, before I introduced you to Katei."  So she 
did hear me, Tenchi thought.
	"Yeah."
	"So what's wrong?" He was beginning to feel like he was a part of the inquisition.
	"Nothings wrong, it's just that…oh, I don't know…"
	"You don't know about what?" Her voice was stern.
	"This whole thing is just new to me."  He answered, his tone lighter.  Ayeka 
smiled.
	"You don't think…you don't think you made the wrong decision, do you?"  
Tenchi straightened up.
	"Um-,"
	"What is it Tenchi? Would you rather be with that devil woman, Ryoko, right 
now?" He could tell she was becoming angry.  It was actually an ironically strange thing 
for her to say at the moment, as if she had been reading his mind.
	"No, of course not…it's just weird now.  I have all these responsibilities.  I was 
just so used to being alone…I have to meet new people, go new places.  I'll get used to it, 
I promise."  He kissed her forehead.  Ayeka settled back down against her pillow.
	"I love you Ten-Chan, you know that."  Ayeka whispered, as she turned away 
from him.  Tenchi smiled.  She was a good woman; it was only natural for him to have all 
these second thoughts.  He was just under a lot of pressure right now.  Of course he 
would rather be married to Ayeka.  Ryoko was just too…wild? No, she was just…not for 
him.

	It was the weekend Tenchi had been dreading.  Katei-san had expected him to be 
there at twelve sharp.  The week before had been a treacherous one.  How Tenchi had 
even survived it was beyond him.  People were darting out left and right to ask him 
questions he did not even know the answer to.  Reporters, servants, assistants, 
advisors…Ayeka.  It was one entire deposition and he hated it.  Now he was thrown into 
a larger lion's den with the king of the pride.  Tenchi knew Katei had a complete new line 
of questioning to run by him.  Taking a deep breath, Tenchi stepped through the double 
glass doors of the Science academy building.  Checking his watch, Tenchi was relieved to 
find that he had at least a half an hour before the lecture began.  I guess I could go by the 
cafeteria and pick up a snack before I go.  He thought.  I'm a little tired; it wouldn't hurt 
to get some coffee.  Tenchi walked into the food court and spotted a quaint shop.  He 
decided on a blueberry muffin and a cup of French vanilla.  Looking around the crowded 
dining hall, he was perturbed to find that there was no place to sit.  I don't want to be in 
here with all these people hunting for a place to eat! He said to himself.  Tenchi wandered 
aimlessly around until something caught his eye.  It was a garden, similar to the one 
behind the palace.  Robotically Tenchi headed towards the doors that led outside.  
	"It's so beautiful!" He exclaimed, walking underneath the organic veranda that 
made up the maze.  "I wonder if I can find the fountain, if there even is one!" He said, 
speaking of the fountain in the middle of the maze.  After what seemed like miles of 
walking, Tenchi finally gave up and decided to turn back.  "Let's see, I think I went this 
way…or maybe I went this way-hey…why…I found the fountain!" He said excitedly, "I 
can't believe it! But wait, how do I get back?" Tenchi looked around.  The giant water 
fountain, carved out of ivory, stood streaming in the middle of the brush.  A figurant in 
the shape of a woman was placed in the middle.  In her hands, water sprouted.  It 
appeared very inviting.  Maybe I'll just sit down before I try and find my way back, 
Tenchi thought, settling down on the edge of fountain.
	"It's very beautiful." Tenchi spun around; not realizing anyone was there with 
him.
	"Huh?" he managed to muster.
	"Long time, no see, eh Tenchi."  Said a very familiar woman.
	"W-washu?" 
	"How come you seem so surprised? I am a scientist you know.  It would not be 
unusual for me to be here."  The petite red head smiled.  Her light green eyes glowing 
mischievously.
	"I'm sorry, it's just that…"
	"…It's been a long time since we've last spoken?" she finished.
	"Something like that."  He smiled, feeling more comfortable.
	"So you married Ayeka."  She replied bluntly.  
	"Um," Tenchi was thrown back by her forwardness.  "Well, yes."  He said finally.
	"That' good.  She's a nice girl.  She needs a nice boy like yourself."  Washu 
grinned.  Tenchi blushed, scratching his head.
	"Have you…spoken to…"
	"Ryoko? Yes and no."
	"Yes and no? What's that supposed to mean?" Tenchi knew she was going to start 
up her mind games again.
	"Well, yes, I have spoken with her, but no, not about anything that would interest 
you."  Washu kept her eyes on him, looking for any sudden movements.
	"Is she…okay?" He queried, knowing she was trying to detect something but he 
was not quite sure what.
	"She's fine.  As far as you marrying Ayeka, I wouldn't know…but-," she stopped 
mid-sentence.
	"But what-," Tenchi was yearning for her to continue.
	"Are you happy Tenchi?" Washu asked with her unusual way for piercing the 
most uncomfortable of topics.
	"What do you mean, am I happy?" He asked, with and edgy tone.
	"Are you happy with you life?" Tenchi hesitated for a moment.
	"Yes, I am happy.  What kind of question is that any way?" He replied, finally.
	"I just know you too well that's all."
	"And?"
	"…And, you have a tendency to blindly take the bullet for other people." She 
stated simply.  
	"Listen Washu, I love Ayeka.  I have learned to love her.  We have been through 
a lot together.  I care for her.  And if you are referring to Ryoko, then I'd have to tell you 
the truth."
	"Then what is the truth?" She pried, feeling they were finally getting somewhere.
	"The truth is I made the right choice.  Me and Ryoko would have never of been 
good together.  We are wonderful…we were wonderful friends.  That's as far as it went."
	"Oh really.  And you truly believe you had a choice in the matter?" Tenchi began 
to tense up.  He was tired of questioning, especially from Washu.
	"Did you follow me here? Where did you come from anyway?" He said, changing 
the subject.
	"Just remember this conversation, Tenchi."  Washu smirked, as she stood up, 
brushing herself off.  "It was nice to see you again, hope we can do this some other 
time!"  She held out her hand.  Tenchi took it.
	"Yes, of course, Washu.  It's always a pleasure."  He said sarcastically.
	"Well, I must be going.  Don't forget it's not too late."  She called, as she walked 
away.
	"Too late for what?" He yelled after her.
	"To make yourself happy!" She cackled as she disappeared behind one of the 
bushes.  Tenchi sat there dumbfounded.  Did she always have to be so unpleasant? Like 
mother, like daughter, Tenchi thought, thinking of Ryoko.  With Washu gone, he could 
finally relax.  He had to admit, he did miss her.  And then again, he missed everything 
else too.  He missed his old house, his friends…his life.  Tenchi shook his head.  It was 
time to move on.  He was married to the queen of Juria now.  He was about to be 
pronounced the new emperor.  Things were bound to change.  Change was good, right?  
Tenchi sighed and glanced up at the sky.  The clouds were moving slowly and the sun 
beat down on his head.  I'm so tired, I stayed up all night going over my coronation 
rehearsal I could fall asleep right here! He thought, slumping down to the ground.  
Dreamily, he laid back against the fountain, letting his mind wander.  I do love Ayeka, I 
am sorry for Ryoko; she was a good girl…just not for me.  Jeez, what would it be like if I 
had married her instead! Tenchi laughed to himself, again recalling their last encounter.  
Just think…


	The world was right and glorious with itself on that Sunday morning.  Outside, 
the breeze frolicked with the cherry blossoms and the leaves on the trees swayed to the 
rhythm of the playful weather.  The sun, feeling rather impish that day, decided to filter 
in through the curtains and dance on Tenchi's eyes.  Tenchi could hear birdsong out in 
the forest, singing him, persuading him to get up.  He could not really remember what 
had happened the day before, or how he ended up in his bed, but he realized that it was a 
new day, and it was time to get going.  What was about to occur the very next moment 
was beyond any amount of imaginable surprise.  At first, Tenchi thought that his eyes 
might be playing tricks on him, but as his pupils slowly began to adjust to the light, he 
became conscious that this was no illusion.  Next to him, an oh so familiar cyan haired 
woman lie sleeping.  To him, it was as if he had been placed near a lioness, deep in 
slumber.  Any sudden movements might jolt her into action.  How she had gotten there in 
the first place was beyond him.  I must be dreaming! He thought, relieved, although he 
was still frozen in place, lying beside her.  Without warning, the woman stretched to face 
him, a devilish grin plastered on her feline face.  By means of lightening speed, Tenchi 
flew out of the bed and cornered himself against the wall.
	"What are you doing here?!" He cried, finding to his displeasure that this was 
turning out to be a nightmare.
	"Well, hello to you too, lover," she yawned, as she sat up.
	"Where's Ayeka?!" He continued on, quivering.
	"Ayeka?" She giggled, opening her golden eyes.  Tenchi was momentarily 
stunned, but regained his ranting composure and continued.
	"Wh-what do you mean, where's Ayeka? What did you do with her, Ryoko?" He 
stuttered accusingly.
	"Have you been having nightmares again?" She giggled, pulling the covers away.  
Tenchi backed up when she stood and began to walk towards him.
	"N-now, Ryoko…just tell me, how did you get here?" He asked.  She stopped and 
looked at him.  
	"Are you okay, honey? You're acting really strange.  Should I call a doctor?" 
Ryoko turned away from him and headed towards the bathroom.
	"Doctor.  Doctor? What-no-what is going on here?" He muttered as she shut the 
door.  He could hear her turning on the sink.  "Washu, that's who's behind this!" Quickly 
Tenchi scurried from the bedroom.  Stunned, Tenchi grabbed the railing for support.  He 
suddenly came to the realization that he was in his old home, with more than a few minor 
changes.  
	"Daddy, what for breakfast?" Tenchi looked down to find yet another surprise.  
"Are you okay, daddy?" A little girl of about three asked, her tan feline eyes gleaming.  
Tenchi was in shock.  She looks like me…but she looks like Ryoko…Daddy? Daddy! 
Tenchi began to stumble away from the child.  He spun around to catch himself before he 
feel down the stairs.  From the way she looked at him, he could tell she was hurt.  If it 
was another time and place, he felt he might have stayed and comforted the child, but in 
his current state of frenzy, he just turned and hurried down the stairs.  The sun blinded 
him when he stepped out into the yard.  Shielding his eyes from the glare, he glanced 
around the yard in panic.
	"How are you today, my son?" Called a very well known voice.
	"G-grandpa?" Tenchi turned to find Katsuhito standing behind him.
	"Are you well, Tenchi? You are looking a little pale," he said casually.
	"I-what's going on here, Grandpa?" Tenchi asked, hoping he might be able to 
answer his many questions.
	"What are you talking about?" Katsuhito asked, obviously confused by Tenchi's 
erratic behavior.
	"What-what do you mean what am I talking about?!" Tenchi sputtered, suddenly 
becoming frustrated.
	"Now calm down and tell me what happened."  Katsuhito replied prepared to here 
any far-fetched story Tenchi probably had to tell him.
	"I-well-I woke up this morning and-and-well…" Tenchi could not explain the 
morning's events fast enough.
	"Okay, so you woke up this morning.  That is good." Katsuhito was trying to 
follow his grandson's stormy gestures.
	"Yeah, I woke up this morning-and-and I open my eyes and there's Ryoko, lying 
there beside me!" Katsuhito scratched his chin, still not comprehending what Tenchi was 
getting at, "And then-now this is really unbelievable-I come out of my room and this little 
girl is calling me daddy! I don't know what's going on around here, grandpa…" Tenchi 
stopped talking to find his grandfather laughing hysterically at him.  "I don't see what's 
so funny."  Tenchi crossed his arms as Katsuhito continued to chortle.
	"I knew you'd crack someday! Ha! And Ryoko wants to have another child, yep.  
That'll do it to you," Katsuhito chuckled as he walked in the direction of the shrine.  
Tenchi was left standing in the lawn, now overcome with what could only be described as 
complete wonder and astonishment.  Tenchi turned his attention to an impetuous tugging 
at his shirt.  
	"Daddy, mommy says you need to come back in and get ready to go."  Said a 
four-year-old Mayuka. 
	"My-Mayuka," Tenchi gasped, overcome with gladness at seeing something 
familiar.  With one swift movement, Tenchi swept Mayuka up in his arms.  "You have no 
idea how glad I am to see you!" He cried and buried her against his chest.  Mayuka 
giggled in her tiny girlish tone.  "My, you have gotten bigger!" He exclaimed, examining 
his daughter, as if for the first time.  The last time I saw her was at the wedding, she was 
only two…wedding! Ayeka! "Where's your new mommy, Mayuka?" He asked the 
seemingly same question when she was two.  He referred to Ayeka as Mayuka's "new 
mommy" hoping she would become better adjusted to the change.
	"New mommy?" She asked, tilting her small lavender head.
	"Yes, well, I mean-where's mommy?" He asked again, rephrasing his question 
remembering she was older now.  Something had happened.  He knew that.  Maybe time 
had just passed quickly; it was probably one of Washu's experiments, so anything could 
happen, right?
	"She's waiting for you," Mayuka said taking his hand in hers and dragged him 
back towards the house.
	"Wait a minute," He stopped before the door.  "She's in here, Ayeka's in here?" 
Mayuka just giggled and shook her head, her little pigtails swaying back and forth.
	"Nope, not Ayeka, mommy," she said correcting her father.  Tenchi let her take 
him back inside and they walked into the living room.  Ryoko was standing with her back 
to him, she was dressed and ready for something but Tenchi had not a clue what it might 
be.  "I found him, mommy."  Mayuka declared, proud of herself for following her 
mother's orders.
	"Mommy? You're mommy?" Said Tenchi, eyes wide.  Ryoko stared at him, not 
amused.
	"Tenchi, what's your problem today? Look at you, you're not even dressed yet! 
Were you going to take a shower, or just go as is? I'll tell you something right now, you 
look like crap, so you'd better get your ass upstairs and do something about it before I 
really get muka muka."  She growled taking a step towards him.  Tenchi backed away, 
letting go of Mayuka's hand.  So many things had gone on at once that morning that 
Tenchi felt as if his head was spinning and before he knew it, his body gave out on him 
and he fainted right there on the living room floor.

	In his obscure mind, Tenchi could hear voices.  He tried to open his eyes, but 
when he realized it was Ryoko talking, he decided against it.
	"Well, he's obviously sick, I don't know what from.  Maybe someone poisoned 
his sake last night when we went out."  Tenchi heard her say.
	"Hmm, possibly," his grandfather agreed.
	"Do you think he'll be alright alone?" Ryoko asked with concern.
	"Yes, I'm sure he will wake up and be fine.  He just needs some rest.  It's a shame 
though, I really wanted him to meet his father's fiancé."  Katsuhito said as he and Ryoko 
left the room.  Tenchi waited until he heard the front door shut to sit up.  My father has a 
fiancé? Tenchi wondered, although now, nothing could really shock him.  Not after what 
he had just been through.  Throwing off the covers, Tenchi proceeded to walk his 
weakened body to the sink where he splashed cold water on his face.  When he looked in 
the mirror, he realized he was not really looking at himself, but rather an older image of 
what used to be him.  Like a baby discovering his hand for the first time, Tenchi felt his 
face with strange curiosity. 
	"I've grown up." He whispered, watching himself in the mirror.  His hair was 
much longer than it used to be, it ran shoulder length and it was smooth instead of spiky 
on top.  His eyes were slightly smaller, his face longer, he had lost his babyish 
appearance.  Even his body had matured.  Tenchi flexed his pectorals and biceps; a smile 
grew across his face.  He looked down at his rough hands.
	"Well this is one change that I don't mind."  He said out loud.  "I wonder how 
long it's been?"  A small rumble erupted from his stomach.  "I guess it's been long 
enough for me to be hungry!" He said, as he made his way towards the kitchen.  When he 
opened the refrigerator door, he found some leftovers, which he devoured ferociously.  I 
didn't realize how hungry I was, he thought, after he had finished his meal.  Tenchi took 
his plate over to the sink and gazed longingly out the window as he washed his dish.  
"It sure is beautiful outside," he said to himself,  "Seeing my old home makes me 
almost at ease."  Tenchi looked around his old house for the first time.  On the floor, toys 
were scattered, and he could tell that the furniture had been moved around; some of it 
was even new.  Along the walls were pictures of his "family."  Tenchi stood back and 
stared at the photos in the frames.  There was Mayuka and him; they must have been on a 
picnic at the beach.  I wonder how long ago that was? Oh, and there's another one of us 
at the shrine, Mayuka looks so cute! Well, here's one of that little girl, the one who looks 
like Ryoko and me.  She has her arms around me, and I'm smiling.  This one's 
interesting.  It's all of us, and we're at the zoo in front of the giraffes.  Tenchi wandered 
down the hall, still glancing at the pictures, when one in particular caught his eye.  He 
stopped to take a good look at it.  It was him…and Ryoko.  They were in front of the 
shrine and he was looking at her.  She had on a white traditional wedding kimono, and he 
was in his black Japanese wedding suit.  Her golden feral eyes were gleaming with tears.  
Tenchi's face was serene and calm, he almost looked…pleased.  Ryoko's red lips were 
curved faintly upward and little strands of cyan hair extended out beneath her tafella 
white hood.  She actually looked very pretty.  Wait a minute, what am I saying? Tenchi 
scolded himself.  This is Ryoko we're talking about.  Tenchi turned away from the 
picture. 
	"I need to find Washu."  He decided.  As if by the grace of God, he felt a certain 
cabbit brush up against the side of his leg.  "Well, hello there Ryo-ohki!" Tenchi said, 
picking up the fluffy little creature.  "Do you want to do me a favor?" He asked, hoping 
she would understand.
	"Meow."  Tenchi smiled.
	"Good.  Can you find Washu for me?"
	"Meow! Meow!" Ryo-ohki responded.  Tenchi walked out onto the lawn and 
proceeded to throw the cabbit into the air where she transformed into a gem ship.  
Suddenly Tenchi found himself on the bridge in the commander's chair.
	"Okay, now, we need to go to the Juria Science academy, do you know where that 
is?" Ryo-ohki popped up in front of him in the shape of a diamond.
	"Meow!" She chirped.  Tenchi held onto his seat as Ryo-ohki blasted off into 
space.   

	"Permission to dock granted," replied the man in the vid-window.
	"Thanks," Tenchi said, as the screen disappeared.  
	The Juria Science Academy was overwhelming, even for the soon to be king of 
Juria.  Once inside, Tenchi had no trouble finding his way around.  A pointy-eared 
receptionist at the front desk admitted Tenchi to see Washu in her lab.  Ryo-ohki hopped 
alongside Tenchi in anticipation.
	"Good job," Tenchi gave her a warm smile.
	"Meow!" Ryo-ohki jumped up on his shoulder and nuzzled his neck.  The two 
strolled down the organic corridor until they reached what appeared to be just another 
lab, except for the little crab emblem on the intercom.
	"I'm almost positive that this is Washu's lab."  Tenchi said, as he pressed the 
speaker button.
	"Who is it?" Came a nasally voice.
	"It's me, Washu-Chan." Tenchi said grimly.
	"Ah, okay.  Come in." She replied as the metal door slid open.  The lab was an 
exact replica of the one she used to hold in Tenchi's old broom closet.  Everything was 
dim, except for a little ray of light surrounding Washu herself.  She never looked up, but 
instead, she diligently typed away on her hologram-like laptop. 
	"Hello, Washu-Chan."  Said Tenchi in a low voice.
	"Hello Tenchi."  She said in equivalence.
	"So, is this another one of your time and space adventure experiments?" He 
asked, crossing his arms over his chest, as if this might turn out to be amusing.  The 
typing ceased.
	"What?" she asked in puzzlement.
	"You know exactly what I'm talking about!" He said, trying to control his ire.
	"No, actually I don't."  She replied simply.
	"Don't play games with me, Washu."  He said, looking her square in the eye.  
There was no response.  Her expression was blank.  At first he thought he still might be 
dreaming.
	"Why did you come all the way down here, Tenchi, what do you want?" She 
questioned, it became visible that she was somewhat irritated, making Tenchi's furor 
grow.
	"Washu, I just want my old life back!" Tenchi cried in desperation.  Washu 
looked at him as if he were a crazy person.
	"What are you talking about, Tenchi?" She was appalled by his irrational 
behavior.  Never had she really witnessed him lose his temper, excluding the time he 
slapped Ryoko for fighting with Mayuka. 
	"I'm talking about this experiment! This-this test, or whatever it is! Where's 
Ayeka? Why are you doing this now!" He wailed.  Washu stood up and straightened her 
tan slacks.
	"What's going on, Tenchi?" She looked up at him.  She hasn't changed a bit, he 
thought.  "Is something wrong at home?" Her smile was devious.
	"What?! Is something-you-you know damn well something's wrong at home! One 
day I'm talking with you in the garden, next thing I know I'm sleeping next to Ryoko and 
I have two daughters' and we're married and-and-," Tenchi was exasperated.  "This isn't 
a dream, is it."  He sighed, feeling defeated.
	"No, it isn't."  She said quietly.
	"Is this your doing, Washu?" He asked, watching her light green eyes focus on 
him.
	"You'll have to find that out yourself, Tenchi."  Washu replied in all seriousness.  
Tenchi's head shot up.
	"What do you mean?" He was hoping for a direct answer.
	"I don't know.  Would you like some tea?" Her face brightened.  Tenchi frowned.
	"No, I don't want any tea, I just want some answers!" He pleaded.
	"I'm sorry, Tenchi, but there are some things in life that even the greatest 
scientific genius in the universe can't answer."  She smirked, "Now get out, I have a lot 
of things to do today and I don't want you to get in the way."  She began to push him out 
of her lab.
	"Wait-no-," he started.  Washu shook her finger.
	"Uh, uh, uh, Tenchi," they were at the door, "Now go back to your family and 
stay there.  Next time you come back here I'll call for security." She ordered, still smiling 
through her harshly sarcastic tone.
	"What do I do? How can I get back to my old life?" He cried, as the door was 
beginning to shut in his face.
	"You're already there, Tenchi."  She cackled as the door moved slowly to a close.  
Tenchi hit his head against the metal frame in hopelessness.  There's nothing I can do 
until she's good and ready to send me back, he lamented, walking away from the lab.
	"Meow," Ryo-ohki stared up at him with her large yellow feline eyes.  Tenchi 
crouched down next to her and patted her head.
	"Can you do me one more favor?" He whispered to the cabbit.
	"Meow!" She responded in delight.
	"Okay, then.  Will you take me to Ayeka?"

	Receiving entrance to the Juria Science Academy was a bit more simplistic than it 
was to get in to see the Queen of Juria, herself.  Finally, after going through every routine 
check possible, Tenchi was admitted to see the queen; however, he still needed to make 
an appointment.
	"I'm sorry, sir, but the Empress is a very busy woman, you'll just have to 
reschedule."  Said the attendant behind a large wooden desk.
	"But you don't understand, I have to see her now! This is extremely important! 
You don't understand!" Tenchi beseeched.
	"Well, what is it that is so important that you must see the queen now?" The 
attendant asked in a haughty tone.  Tenchi thought about it for a moment.  Would it be 
wise to tell this stranger about his day? They would probably have him thrown in a 
mental institution on the spot.
	"Listen, will you just book me in as soon as you can?" Tenchi said, unable to go 
on arguing.  This man was obviously trained to stand firm under any circumstances.
	"I will try.  Let me look and see," The curly blonde typed something or other onto 
his keypad, then looked up at Tenchi.  "There isn't another opening to see her majesty 
until Thursday."  He replied somberly.  Tenchi was surprised.
	"That's great, what's today, Saturday?" He was feeling a bit more vanquished.
	"Yes, today is Saturday, but she won't be able to see anyone for two weeks."  The 
man finished.
	"Two weeks?! You mean I have to wait a whole other week before I can see 
Ayeka?!" Tenchi sputtered.
	"That's correct." The man retorted, becoming agitated.  Tenchi bowed his head as 
he leaned against the counter, letting out a large sigh.
	"Okay," he muttered, giving in.  "Put me in for Thursday."  The man nodded, 
thankful to finally get Tenchi out of his face.
	"You have the necessary paper work, correct?" He confirmed.  Tenchi handed 
him all of the papers he received via admissions.  "The queen will see you on Thursday."  
Tenchi thanked him and proceeded to slump out of the building.

	By time Tenchi had arrived back at his old house, the sun was beginning to set in 
the West behind the mountains.  Ryo-ohki had morphed into her humanoid form and was 
scampering after him dressed in her light blue long sleeved dress with two orange carrots 
stitched across the front.
	"Miya?" She asked, looking up at him with her large yellow eyes.  Tenchi forced 
a smile.
	"I'm alright, Ryo-ohki."  He said, patting her on the head.  She reached up to him 
with her little pudgy paw-like hand.  Tenchi took it in his as they walked across the lawn 
to the house.  Smells from the kitchen wafted through the air and caught Tenchi's nose, 
not to mention his stomach.  "Mmm, something smells good!" He said.
	"Miya!" Ryo-ohki agreed.
	"Daddy!" Said the two little girls in unison as they came running up to him.  
Mayuka and the three year old had been waiting for him on the porch.  Tenchi was 
thrown back as they wrapped their tiny arms around his legs.  It was an awkward moment 
for him, but for once Ryoko's presence saved him.
	"Where have you been all day?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest 
when she appeared in the doorway.
	"I-um-," he was still trying to move forward since the girls had latched onto his 
calves.
	"First, you run out this morning, yelling like a mad man about something or other, 
then you proceed to faint in the living room, and now you're returning from who knows 
where? You even missed lunch with your father's fiancé! Wait-," she said, placing her 
hands on her hips.  The two young girls hurried off into the house, giggling after one 
another.  "Is this all about your father's new girlfriend?" Tenchi's eyes darted around the 
yard.  He was not really sure how to respond, since he did not even know that his father 
had had a girlfriend until this morning.  "Gomen-nasai, Tenchi."  Ryoko cooed, moving 
up next to him.  His muscles tensed, unaccustomed to that long forgotten feel of Ryoko.
	"Uh…" he put his hands on her arms and slid them off of his neck.  Ryoko stood 
back and looked at him.
	"What's wrong?" She pouted, and grabbed his hand, leading him into the house.  
"Don't worry, I made a nice dinner."  Could this get any worse? Tenchi thought as she 
dragged him into the kitchen.
	Tenchi sat himself at the table while Ryoko busied herself in the kitchen.  Mayuka 
and the three year old were already sitting across from him on their knees.  Tenchi's face 
softened when he saw Mayuka giggling with the other child.  She seemed to be enjoying 
herself.  This had been such a confusing day for him that he had almost forgotten about 
her.  If this is going to be his life right now, he would have to find a way to hide his 
discouragement from Mayuka.  Tenchi vividly remember how changed Mayuka was after 
Ryoko left.  Things had happened so fast then.  All he wanted was for her to adjust.  She 
was so young he did not think she would be affected by any differences.  The clatter of 
porcelain was heard in the kitchen.  Soon Ryoko emerged, carrying several plates in her 
hands.
	"Well are you just going to sit there, or are you going to help with dinner?" 
Ryoko snapped.  Quickly, Tenchi stood up and took two plates from her hands.  
California rolls and vegetable tempura was spread out in an orderly fashion along with 
sliced ginger and strings of cucumber.  Then came the miso soup and fresh tiger shrimp.  
If Tenchi could not believe his eyes, then he would be even more surprised when had a 
taste.  Was this food actually edible? Were his taste buds failing, or was this food really 
delicious.
	"Did you make this Ryoko?" Tenchi asked in disbelief.  Ryoko cocked an 
eyebrow.
	"Tenchi, why don't you make yourself useful and get Katsuhito."  She said, 
ignoring his comment.  Tenchi looked around the table.  Ryoko continued to nibble on 
her rice bowl.  His sight must have been going too, because it actually looked like Ryoko 
was being polite.  Daintily she held her chopsticks between her fingers and picked away 
at the soup and then proceeded to sip it.  She could feel him staring at her and looked up 
in his direction.  "Well."  Tenchi shook his head, feeling foolish for having stared at her 
for so long.
	"Gomen," Tenchi excused himself from the table and walked outside to meet 
Katsuhito who was already strolling up the path.
	"Well there you are Tenchi," Katsuhito smiled, twitching his gray mustache, "I 
was beginning to wonder what happened to you!" He laughed to himself.  "My, my, what 
has our dear Ryoko made us for dinner tonight?" His grandfather said, opening the 
screen.  Our dear Ryoko? Tenchi thought.  This day was becoming weirder and weirder.

	The sun had finally banked behind the mountains and the day was coming to a 
close.  Ryoko was washing the dishes in the sink while Tenchi completed in clearing 
away the table.
	"Don't worry about that, I'll get it.  You've had a rough day, why don't you go sit 
down with the girls.  I'll finish up here."  Ryoko offered, taking the last plate from his 
hand.
	"Are you sure?" Tenchi asked, not really wanting to be left alone with the strange 
child.
	"Of course I'm sure!" She smiled, heading off into the kitchen.  There was 
definitely something different about her, Tenchi thought as he watched her walk away.  
Her whole appearance had changed, personality and all…well maybe not personality.  It 
was as if she was more at ease.  Tenchi sauntered into the living room and sat down on 
the couch before the television.  Finding the remote, he began to flip through the 
channels.
	"Well I know one thing that hasn't changed!" He muttered, seeing only 
commercials flickering on the giant screen.  The pitter-patter of little feet was heard as 
the three-year-old girl made her way into the room and onto the couch.  Tenchi tensed up 
when she nestled into his lap and laid her tiny blue head on his chest.  Without warning, 
she looked up at him with her ostensibly large tawny eyes.  She gave him a tiny crooked 
smile.  She definitely has Ryoko's teeth, Tenchi thought.
	"What have you got there?" Tenchi said, noticing the toy the girl had in her 
hands.
	"Does daddy want to play with Lia?" The girl said, holding up the doll.
	"Is that the name of your friend?" Tenchi asked, motioning towards the toy.
	"No silly, that's Lia's name!" She spoke in third person, and pointed to herself.  
Tenchi felt foolish, but how was he supposed to know anyways.
	"I knew that, I was wondering if you named the doll after yourself?" He said, 
trying to cover up his blunder.
	"No, her name's Hotaru!" Lia said with pride.  Tenchi studied the stuffed doll.  
Her dark golden hair was made of yarn, and she had a pink button nose.  The hair 
reminded him of Ryoko's eyes.  That same rich color, and her dress, it was like Ryoko's 
hair.  Almost a light blue, and it had little white ruffles along the edges.
	"She's very pretty."  Tenchi commented.  Lia's sharp grin grew.
	"Just like mommy!" Lia exclaimed.  Tenchi laughed.
	"Did she teach you to say that?" He said, knowing the old vain Ryoko.
	"No, you always say that.  Anything pretty reminds you of mommy!" Lia said, 
and then hopped down from his lap and ran up stairs, obviously amused with something 
else.  I always say that? Tenchi wondered.  Ryoko broke his train of thought.
	"It's your turn to give the kids a bath."  She said casually.
	"M-my turn?" He stuttered.  
	"Y-y-y-yes," she giggled, mocking him, "Kuyashi, Tenchi! What's with you 
today? Boy, you sure are acting strange." She chuckled to herself as she climbed the 
steps.  Tenchi unwillingly followed her.  "Alright you two munchkins, it's bath time!" 
Ryoko announced when she stepped into what used to be Ayeka and Sasami's old room.
	"No!" Mayuka cried.  
	"Yes," Ryoko said, as she scooped up the other toddler, while taking Mayuka's 
hand.  "You are so filthy! Just look at you!" She said as she dragged the child out of the 
room.  Tenchi could not help but blush when Ryoko took down Lia's clothes, but Lia just 
sat on the sink kicking her tiny legs while giggling.  He relaxed a little; it was not like he 
had never been through this before with Mayuka.  Tenchi helped Ryoko with Mayuka's 
clothes and then placed the two girls in the bath with the running water.  
	"Will you hand me the shampoo?" Ryoko said, concentrating on wetting 
Mayuka's now dark purple hair.  The color made him think of Ayeka.
	"Uh, sure."  He replied, shaking the thought.  Ryoko squirted the transparent 
liquid into her hand and massaged it onto Mayuka's head.  Mayuka gave out a little 
girlish giggle.
	"That tickles!" She said, closing her eyes.  Ryoko lathered her hair, and sculpted 
it into one large cone.  Mayuka felt the top of her head with her little hands and began to 
laugh even more.  Lia was clapping, joining in on the fun.  Tenchi took the shampoo from 
Ryoko and did the same with Lia.  Her dark blue hair was thin and soft as Tenchi ran his 
hands over her small head.  She was a beautiful child, Tenchi thought, even if she is 
Ryoko's…and mine.  That last thought sent a chill down his spine.  It was strange seeing 
Ryoko the space pirate turned mother.  Motherhood definitely has changed her.  There 
was still that edge to her, but she seemed more relaxed, maybe even more confident.  
Tenchi turned away, not wanting to stare at her again.  It made him uncomfortable, and 
he did not want to give her any ideas even if he was her "husband." 
	"Tenchi, grab one of those towels over there, will you?" She said, rinsing both 
Mayuka and Lia with a cup.
	"Sure," He said, standing up.  Tenchi glanced down to find that his pants were 
soaked.  He reached for two light pink towels and handed them to Ryoko who dried each 
of the girls before taking them out of the tub.  Ryoko carried Mayuka to her room with 
Tenchi and Lia following behind them.  Once inside the bedroom, Ryoko set Mayuka on 
the top of the wooden bunk bed.  Tenchi held Lia in his arms while he sat on the bottom 
bunk.  Ryoko rummaged through a beau until she found two little pajamas.  She gave the 
smaller pair to Tenchi.  Without question, Tenchi dressed the tiny girl in what appeared 
to be purple PJ's with miniature white bunnies on them.  Mayuka was wearing a similar 
pair, except hers were pink with little yellow ducklings.  Tenchi smiled at his daughters, 
pleased with a job well done.  He was about to turn off the lights when Mayuka sat up.
	"Where are you going, Daddy?" Mayuka asked, clearly displeased.
	"Yes, where are you going, daddy?" Ryoko glared at him from her place on the 
ladder of the bunk bed. 
	"Uh-I-," Tenchi scratched the back of his neck.  He was supposed to be doing 
something right now, but he did not know what.
	"Aren't you going to sing us to sleep?" Called a little Lia, next to her sister.
	"Daddy's acting a little strange today, honey.  I think it's because he doesn't feel 
well." Ryoko said, covering for him, but not forgiving him for his forgetfulness.  As if he 
even knew in the first place.  "You go on up to the onsen without me, I'll be there in a 
little bit."  Ryoko said, turning away from him.  She'll be there in a little bit? Tenchi 
wondered, feeling nervous.  Without further ado, Tenchi quickly gathered his bathing 
supplies hoping that he might just miss Ryoko all together.  A strange noise stopped him 
as he passed by the girls' room.  Their door was ajar, letting the sound seep out into the 
hall.  Tenchi stood unobserved, listening to Ryoko as she sweetly sang Braham's lullaby 
in Japanese.  Her tone was unlike any other he had ever heard.  Her usual abrasive pitch 
was replaced by a sweet melodic hum that was fairly soothing.  When the song ended, 
Tenchi realized what he was doing, and tried to scurry away before being noticed.  Ryoko 
caught him before he reached the back door.  She teleported down to him and gently 
wrapped her arms around his neck, but not aggressively as Tenchi was used to in the old 
days.
	"Are you going to come to the bath with me tonight?" She asked coyly.  Now this 
was the old Ryoko he was accustomed to.
	"Ahh-," he started, "N-not tonight."  Ryoko let go of him and shrugged.
	"Suit yourself," she said casually, disappearing as fast as she had come.
	"That was strange."  Tenchi said aloud, on his way to the onsen.  Normally she 
would beg and pout until she got her way with him, not that she ever did.  There was 
something strange about her.  It was not totally unfamiliar, but it was different all the 
same.  
The balmy sound of the waterfalls from the onsen set Tenchi's nerves at ease.  It 
was nice to be alone, especially here in this customary place.  It had been so very long 
since he had time to relax in the former men's bath.  Maybe it was a good thing that he 
was stuck in this parallel universe.  Washu said he was already home; nonetheless, he still 
wanted to go back to Juria and Ayeka.  It would have been so easy to explain it to Ryoko, 
but her, as well as the rest of his family, truly believed that this was their life.  There was 
no proof that Washu was behind this, or that this was all a dream.  In order to get out, he 
had to survive this first.  Being with Ryoko was not all that bad, but he did not feel right 
about it.  One day he was marrying Ayeka, and the next morning he wakes up to Ryoko.  
Either this had to be one of Washu's crazy experiments, or it was one God-awful dream.  
Sooner or later, he would wake up.  Next time, hopefully, to Ayeka.
At a leisurely pace Tenchi made his way back to the house.  It was quite cold out 
for an autumn night.  Wrapped in only his towel, Tenchi shivered at the quiet breeze that 
swept through his damp long black hair.  The house was dark when he entered through 
the bamboo screen.  Stealthily Tenchi crept through the caliginous domicile and up the 
stairs to his room.  Tenchi figured that Katsuhito had already gone to bed.  It was 
peculiar; he had not seen his father around all day.  When he stepped into his room, he 
was relieved to find that Ryoko was not there.  Tenchi reached into a dresser and found 
an old pair of sweat pants and a white shirt.  Pulling back the blankets, Tenchi gradually 
climbed into the soft bed.  He let the day's events channel through his mind.  Tenchi was 
just about to drift into sleep when he heard the door crack open and a stream of light 
seeped into the room.  Before he knew it, Ryoko was in the room with him, turning on 
the light.  Tenchi tried to shield his eyes.
"Oh, I'm sorry, lover, did I wake you?" She asked, her hair still wet from the 
onsen.  Tenchi was about to reply when Ryoko began to take off her towel.  Many times 
she had teleported into the men's bath nude, but this time he felt unusually uncomfortable 
as she stripped herself of her towel.  Suddenly Tenchi threw the blanket over his head, 
hoping she would not notice his abashment.  Ryoko looked over her shoulder to find her 
indifferent husband turning away towards the wall.  Am I losing my touch?  She 
wondered, as she reached for one of Tenchi's old shirts to throw over her naked half.  I 
wonder what could be wrong with him? She said to herself as she climbed into the bed 
next to him.  Tenchi's back was facing her and he had left an exceptional amount of 
space between himself and her.
"Would you like me to sleep on the floor?" She asked sarcastically, "That might 
give you the correct amount of space I think you're looking for."
"Um, no, no that's alright," he squeaked, his voice muffled against the wall.
"What's wrong with you today?" She was waiting for him to turn around, but 
there was no avail.
"Nothing's wrong with me today."  He said, hoping she would cease her line of 
questioning.
"Nothing, huh."  She wanted some answers and she wanted them now.  The 
feeling was mutual.
"Nothing, I just wish you'd get off my back!" He snapped.  Finally he turned to 
her, "Gomen nasai.  I didn't mean to get angry.  It's not like it's your fault."  He tried to 
apologize.
"It's okay.  I just want to know what's going on with you.  I mean I come home 
and you disappear for about five hours.  You know we always talk things out." She said 
quietly.
"Listen, I'm really sorry.  You're just gonna have to bear with me for a little 
while, alright?" He smiled.  Ryoko eased up.
"Okay."  She said, and switched off the light.
	Sleep did not come easily for Tenchi.  He half expected to wake up and find 
Ryoko hovering over him, trying to seduce him like she used to do.  There were also a 
million thoughts running through his brain.  He knew that the only way to get through 
this whole ordeal was to play along.  No use in fighting, it would only hurt people and 
create chaos.  And of course there was Mayuka.  There was no way that he was going to 
confuse her.  Especially now when she could actually comprehend what was going on.  
Even grandpa seemed untouched by the parallel universe.  Tenchi alone was the only one 
that felt the change.  Now it was only a matter of time before he could get back to Ayeka.

	Two golden feral eyes stood staring back at him the moment he awoke.  It was the 
last thing Tenchi wanted to wake up to that particular morning.
	"Agh! Ryoko! What do you think you're doing?!" He cried.  Ryoko stood back 
and laughed.
	"Good morning sunshine."  She said in her sly pirate tone.  Tenchi closed his eyes 
again.  It's still not over.  He thought.  "Come on sleepy-head," she said, pulling on his 
arm, "You need to get up and get dressed!" Groggy from his lack of sleep, Tenchi looked 
up at her with incredulity.
	"You're kidding me, right?" He said, not moving his head off his pillow.
	"Kidding you? Why would I be kidding you? Or have you forgotten!" Ryoko 
stood up and crossed her arms.
	"Forgotten what?" This was becoming a usual routine.
	"Today is the day we go to Tokyo to go shopping, you promised, remember?" She 
tugged at his arm.  Tenchi sat up and rubbed his eyes.
	"I did?" Ryoko nodded in confirmation.
	"Now come on, before it gets too crowded!" She said gleefully.  Tenchi watched 
her as she phased out through the door.  Before too long, Tenchi had showered, and 
dressed himself in tan slacks and a black shirt, following with a hide leather jacket.  He 
stared back at his outfit in the mirror.  Now where did I get the money for these clothes? 
He wondered.
	"Ryoko?" He called from the upstairs balcony.
	"I'm right here, lover," she whispered, phasing up behind him.  Tenchi jumped.
	"Whew, don't do that too much, you'll give me a heart attack!" He said, turning 
to find his "wife" standing behind him.  For some strange reason, he could not tear his 
eyes away from her.  He had to just stand there and stare.  How could he have missed it? 
It was right there in front of him.  But he could not put his finger on what it was that 
made her look so different.  Maybe it was her hair, or her face perhaps.  She looked more 
delicate, yet she seemed to be stronger than ever.  Sometimes he thought she might 
actually be easy going, and then she'd turn around and be her old furious self.
	"What in the name of Tsunami are you looking at?" She said finally when her 
eyes were locked with his.  For a moment, he thought she might be blushing.
	"Ah-nothing," he turned away from her and started down the stairs, "Let's get 
going."  He said when he reached the front door.  Ryoko's expression was left in a state 
of ill treatment.  This was not her Tenchi.  What happened to the man that used to take 
her in his arms and make her swoon, caress her with his words and his touch.  Now all 
she saw was a scared little boy, the same one she had tried to persuade to love her for so 
many years.  The one who used to leave her feeling cold and empty.  The one that almost 
left with Ayeka.  

	Tenchi was waiting in the white Honda caravan with the engine running when 
Ryoko emerged from the house with Lia in one arm and Mayuka in the other.
	"Do you need any help?" He asked, turning around to find Ryoko fiddling with 
their car seats.
	"No, I'm fine."  Was her cold reply.  After strapping the girls in, Ryoko 
proceeded to climb into the front seat next to him.  Quickly she turned the radio on to 
break the silence.  Tenchi relaxed a little at the sound of the music.  The drive through the 
countryside almost made him forget where he was for a moment.  He looked over at 
Ryoko, who was staring mindlessly out the window.  She looks so serene and peaceful, 
he thought.  That was when he liked her most; sometimes he would catch himself staring 
at her, when she was still and quiet.  In a way, she was almost lovely, beautiful in fact.  
But his heart would never admit that to himself.  He kept his feelings under taps.  The 
only time he had ever allowed them to escape was when he was alone in Juria with 
Ayeka.  Together they had battled the civil war in Juria.  They had been together so much 
that he had seen sides of her that he never knew existed.  Somehow he was able to learn 
to love her.  That elitist princess turned out to be one of the most caring people he had 
ever met.  Maybe that was why her father had died.  It gave them an opportunity to grow 
closer, and Tenchi to accept his fate as king.  He had never wanted it in the first place.  
All he wanted was to stay on earth at his quiet home and live out his peaceful life.  In the 
back of his mind, still and all, he knew that he wanted more.  Despite all the battles he 
had fought just to keep the peace, he realized that that was what he loved most.  The thrill 
of not knowing what was next, the excitement of the fight.  He needed someone who 
would always keep him on his toes, yet find the time to relax and enjoy life.

	Before they knew it, the little family had arrived in one of the world's most 
populated cities.  Finally, after circling the block about a thousand times, Tenchi parked 
the van.  He was glad to get out of the car.  Ryoko had been screaming orders in his ear 
for the last half an hour.  Tenchi opened the rear of the van and pulled out a double 
stroller.  Ryoko let the girls from their seats for only a second before she put them into 
the contraption.
	"Mommy, I want to walk!" Mayuka cried as she squirmed in her seat in front of 
Lia.
	"I'll let you walk when it's not so dangerous."  Ryoko said soothingly as she 
kissed the top of the child's lavender head.
	"I want to walk too!" Chimed Lia, mimicking her older sister.  
	"Okay, but let's get to the stores first, alright?" She patted the child on the head.  
Lia smiled at her mother's attention.  Ryoko strolled along side Tenchi as he pushed the 
carriage down the street.
	"Well, where do you want to go first?" He asked, looking over at Ryoko.
	"Oh, I don't know, how about we start there," she offered, pointing to a quaint 
little boutique across the street.  
	"Okay," Tenchi agreed, and followed her towards the store.  Once inside, Tenchi 
was beginning to have trouble keeping up with Ryoko.  She was all over the store like a 
mad woman.  I didn't realize she liked to shop so much! He thought to himself.  Tenchi 
found a place to sit down near the dressing rooms.  Ryoko walked into one of the corners 
with her hands full of clothes.
	"You're next," she said to the three.
	"What do you mean, 'we're next?'" he said, as she stepped into the room.
	"I mean you get to shop next," she replied casually.
	"This is going to be a long day," he muttered to himself.  After what seemed like 
hours, Ryoko emerged from the dressing room.  Tenchi was momentarily thrown back by 
her appearance.  The difference was obvious.
	"Do you like it?" she asked, her smile evident on her vibrant face.  Tenchi could 
only nod.  He was more concerned with what he saw than what he said.  He watched her 
as she pranced around in front of him in her new clothes.  Ryoko had found a long black 
evening dress that hugged her body so tight that Tenchi swore he could see right through 
it.  The top swung low into a very wide V shape, exposing her full bosom.  Thin black 
straps ran up and over her long slender shoulders and criss-crossed down her sleek back.  
Her neck appeared rather delicate as placed under her petite sharp face along with her 
feline features.  He noticed now that her cyan hair was more curly than spiky, and she 
had dark black lashes that grew out over her gleaming golden eyes.  Her white smile 
twinkled brightly from her womanly glow.  Ryoko placed an elegant hand on her hip and 
waited for his response.  
"You look pretty!" Mayuka exclaimed.  Lia clapped her tiny pudgy hands.  
Tenchi gulped.
	"Y-you look nice," he managed to say.
	"Thanks," his reply was distinctly not what she was looking for.
	"Well, I'm going to get it.  I want to try on a few more things," she said, stepping 
back behind the wooden door.  For the remainder of the time, Tenchi just sat back and 
witnessed her model an array of outfits, each one leaving him more speechless than the 
first.  
	"So which ones are you going to get?" He asked, eyeing the mountain of clothes 
she held in her arms.
	"Well, since I like all of them…I've decided to get all of them!" She smiled, 
striding up towards the counter.
	"All of them!" He said in astonishment.  "And who's going to pay for this?" He 
looked at her suspiciously as if she might just teleport out of the store with all those 
clothes in hand.
	"Why, you of course!" She half laughed, setting the clothes down.  One by one, 
Tenchi watched as the clerk picked through the outfits, scanning each piece so that the 
price showed up on the screen in front of him.
	"Are you for real?!" He hissed.  Ryoko frowned.
	"What do you mean, 'am I for real?'" Ryoko snapped back.
	"How are you going to pay-how am I going to pay for all this stuff?" He asked in 
a loud whisper.
	"With your credit card."  She replied, baffled by his sudden outburst.
	"Do I always do this?" He said, puzzled as to why he would waste what little 
money he had on clothes.
	"What are you mumbling about, Tenchi? I swear, you're getting weirder by the 
day!"  Ryoko turned towards the sales assistant who was now finished going through all 
the clothes.
	"Will this be all?" She asked politely.
	"Yes," Ryoko nodded, nudging Tenchi.  Unwillingly he pulled out his credit card 
and handed it over to the lady.  Tenchi grimaced as the woman swiped the card.  He 
expected her to tell him that it was already maxed-out, but instead, she handed it back to 
him and smiled.
	"Have a nice day," she said as he turned to walk out the door, pushing the stroller 
in front of him.
	"You might want to put that back in your wallet, chief."  She said, pointing to the 
piece of plastic he still had between his fingers. 
	"Ryoko, tell me…where did I get all this money?" He questioned, surprised by 
his own wealth.
	"You work for it.  Your name is Tenchi…right?" He scowled.
	"Be serious Ryoko!" She giggled.
	"How can I be serious when you ask me stupid questions like that!" She said as 
they walked down the street.
	"Well, what do I do for a living? Do I still work at the shrine with jiichan?" He 
asked with genuine curiosity.
 	"No, you're an architect, like your father.  He got you a job with his firm."  She 
said, furrowing her eyebrows.  He was really serious.  "Are you alright, Tenchi?" She 
stepped over to feel his forehead.  He drew away.
	"Yes I'm alright!" He retorted.
	"Do you want to go in for a drink or something?" Her eyes glistened at the sound 
of it.  Same old Ryoko.
	"Sure, let's go eat.  I'm kind of hungry any ways."  He said, glad to get away 
from the topic of conversation.
	"I know about a real good place," she offered, pulling his arm in the direction of 
the restaurant.   "Since you probably wouldn't remember if I told you!" She teased.  It 
was true.  Ryoko led them down the street until they reached a charming sidewalk cafe 
bustling with business.
	"This used to be our favorite place to eat when we lived in the city, or did you 
forget?" Ryoko looked up at him for a response.
	"Y-yeah," he said, still glancing around.
	"You would take me here on Friday night's after you'd get off of work.  
Remember, you were only a gopher at your dad's office! Now look at you, worked your 
way right to the top!" She smiled, proud of her Tenchi.  "We'd dance and sing, they'd 
have live bands here, it was so…wonderful."  She was clearly caught up in a memory that 
Tenchi had never lived.
	"So what else do you remember about…us?" He was interested in what his life 
had never been like.  Ryoko continued on as a waiter sat them out side next to the 
sidewalk. 
	"Well, we lived together out here, in Tokyo, just you and me," she said simply as 
she placed Lia in a high chair and began to take Mayuka out of the stroller.  "But we were 
only here for about three months before you started to get homesick, I did too," she said, 
reminiscing.
	"Yeah." Tenchi said, as if he actually knew.
	"But then we stayed back at the house and started a family.  I'm glad we did, 
because you know I didn't want to have Lia in the city."  She confirmed, Tenchi looked 
startled.
	"Um, no-, of course not!" He said, caught by surprise.
	"Yeah, you knocked me up right here in the city-I guess it was the thrill and all, 
we had some good times…" her voice trailed off.  Tenchi was still thinking about getting 
her "knocked up."  The sound of it did not come to him as pleasant.  This was the demon, 
the space pirate, Ryoko.  Being alone with her did not strike up his fancy, more or less 
making love to her.  A chill went down his spine.  Ryoko stared at him fondly.  "I loved 
you when you were just a scared little boy, and I love you now that you're a big strong 
man."  She sighed.  Not much has changed, he thought referring to himself.
All through lunch, Ryoko relished him with the stories of their invented past.  
Tenchi listened closely, wanting to hear more about the man that was not quite as 
different as he thought.  In this parallel universe, he had grown up to be quite a success.  
He was happy and livid in his little miniscule life.  In some ways he could relate to this 
older version of himself, but other times he could not even begin to comprehend the 
feelings and emotions of this "other man."

Tenchi kept his hands on the bar of the stroller in fear of Ryoko's affection.  He 
knew she would probably want to hold his hand and he was not quite ready for that, if he 
would ever be.  Instead she looped her arm around his and leaned on his shoulder.  This 
he did not mind for some inexplicit reason, and kept up the pace as they ambled down the 
street in the direction of their next destination.  Ryoko managed to pull him into a men's 
designer shop.  There, she picked out multiple outfits for him to try on.
"Ryoko-this isn't me!" He whined as she held a white polo shirt up next to him.
"Oh hush!" She said, paying no attention to his consistent complaining.
"Where did Mayuka and Lia go?" He asked, looking around the store.
"I let them wander around for a little while, their little legs were getting stiff."  
She said, not taking her eyes off her selection.
"Maybe I should go look for them, I don't see them anywhere!" He said in 
desperation, hoping his concern would also work as an alibi.
"It's okay, don't worry, they're fine.  See, they're over by the dressing room!" 
She smiled, pointing to the girls, giggling on the floor.  Tenchi groaned in defeat.  "Now 
go try those on!" She supervised, shoving him in the direction of Mayuka and Lia.  
Tenchi slumped into the tiny room and proceeded to try on all the clothes Ryoko had 
given him.  Did I always let her dress me? He thought, pulling on a pair of jeans.  Ryoko 
was obviously pleased with her assortment, and in turn decided to buy all of them-which 
Tenchi ended up paying for.
"There goes another thousand dollars," he muttered, Ryoko grinned, carrying her 
usual armload of bags. 
"Don't worry honey, you'll thank me later when you have something to wear for 
work."  She said in a singsong voice.  "Now for Mayuka and Lia," She declared.
"Oh, great!" Tenchi sighed.
"Don't worry, it doesn't take long.  They don't need to try on anything."  She 
assured him.  Tenchi did not argue, but rather followed her wherever she wanted to go.  
She led the quartet into a child's boutique and began her standard routine.  
"Since when did you get into shopping?" Tenchi said, going through clothes with 
her.
"Since you had money!" She laughed, picking out a small pair of light-blue 
corduroy overalls. 
"The space pirate turned honest house-wife! Now there's a story for the Universal 
Times," Tenchi teased.  Ryoko smiled.
"You know, it seems so long ago…" she said with a look of wonder in her eyes, 
"But you made an honest woman out of me!" She gave him a sly grin and without any 
warning phased right up next to him.  "Almost," she whispered seductively in his ear.  
Tenchi felt his face beginning to grow hot.
"Almost," he gulped, his voice quavering.  Ryoko phased back to what she was 
doing with a smirk on her face.
"I love seeing you get all twisted up," she said with her back to him.  I'll bet she 
does! He said to himself, trying to regain control.  "Oh, now look at this, isn't it cute!" 
She held up an Easter-egg yellow summer dress with little straps that came down and 
buttoned on the front.
"Yes, but for which one?"
"Well, it's a little small for Mayuka, but maybe we could find another size and 
her and Lia could be twins! It'll be perfect when we go to the beach one last time before 
winter."  Tenchi looked up at her with a questioning gaze.
"We're going to the beach?" He asked.  Ryoko placed her hands on her hips in 
amazement.
"You've forgotten about that too?" She said.  This was becoming discouraging.
"Uh, no-it's just that I wanted to make sure I could get off of work…when are we 
going again?" He smiled sheepishly and scratched his head.
"Do you have Alzheimer's or something? I told you we were going to go next 
Thursday!"
"Ahm-next-Thursday?" He cleared his throat.  Ryoko turned away from him and 
continued on in what she was doing. 
 "Is that all right with you?" She said, going through another rack of clothes.
	"Ahh-I don't know about that Ryoko…" His voice breaking.  Now was not the 
time or place to experience Ryoko's wrath.
	"And why the hell not!" He was starting to really piss her off.
	"Um-I have work."  He said, cracking her a weak smile.  She did not buy it.
	"Was it not you, who wanted to take the trip down to the coast, and correct me if 
I'm wrong, but you're always the one who says it's family first." She scolded him, 
feeling frustrated with his recent attitude.
	"Okay, listen…you go down there with the kids and I'll be down later in the day.  
We can stay over night, alright?"  Ryoko ceased frowning and stepped over to him.  At 
first he thought she might attack him but when he felt her long fragile arms around his 
neck he stopped wincing.  Nervously Tenchi reached up and held her shoulders.  He 
wanted to step away, but he was not quite sure how she might react.
	"Oh, Tenchi, just as long as you'll be there, everything will be all right," she 
spoke softly.  Tenchi wanted to back away in fear she might kiss him, but the tugging at 
his sleeve saved him.
	"Daddy, can we go now?"  Said a tired Mayuka.  Tenchi turned away from Ryoko 
and picked Mayuka up in his arms.  "Sure, where's your sister?"  He asked, looking 
around for Lia.  Mayuka pointed at the stroller in which Lia was already sleeping.
	"Okay, let's buy these and then we can go home."  Ryoko said, smiling warmly at 
her daughter.
	Tenchi was glad to get out of the store and breathe in the fresh air.  He was 
beginning to feel asphyxiated.  Ryoko pushed the stroller as Tenchi walked by her side on 
the way back to the car.  The sun was high up in the sky and the late afternoon was 
almost over.  It had been another long day for Tenchi and he was not sure if he was 
looking forward to a long drive home.  
	"Oh, look Tenchi! Ice cream! Let's get some before we go home, please!" She 
begged in her girlish tone.  Tenchi shrugged.
	"Alright," The family walked over to a little pink and white pinstripe-vending 
stand.  Tenchi looked over at Ryoko, "What do you want?" He asked.  Ryoko began to 
frown.
	"You don't know what I want?" Ryoko said in disbelief.  Here we go again, 
Tenchi thought to himself.
	"Uh-I just thought you might want to try something new," he offered, hoping to 
make amends.

	The car ride home was an even longer one than he expected.  Ryoko decided not 
to talk to him anymore after he evaluated Rocky Road to be her favorite ice cream instead 
of mint chocolate chip.  These guessing games were getting to be too much for him.  It 
was not like he could tell her that he truly did not know, since this was not really his life 
and he was not her husband and Lia was not his daughter and Ryoko was not Mayuka's 
mother.  Silently Ryoko watched as the scenery blurred by outside her window.  The two 
girls sat napping in the back seat while Tenchi drove into Okayama.  At last the quartet 
arrived back at the Masaki home.  Ryoko unbuckled the girls from their car seats and let 
them run loose into the house.  Tenchi opened the back of the caravan and took out the 
several packages that Ryoko had bought while they were in Tokyo.   Walking around to 
the other end of the car, Ryoko spotted Tenchi trying to carry up an armload of bags.  
Without saying so she took the ones she had purchased for Mayuka and Lia in her hands 
and carried them up to the girls' room.  Tenchi watched her disappear back into the house 
and let out a heavy sigh.  He found Ryoko in Mayuka and Lia's room putting their new 
clothes away.  Silently he observed Ryoko as she gently folded the small material in her 
hands and tucked each one into the beau.  
	"Uh-Ryoko-," he said finally.  She did not look up from what she was doing.  
"Listen, I'm sorry."  He waited for her to respond, but she just kept on with her chore.  
Feeling a bit irritated, he continued on with what seemed like a good explanation.  "It's 
just ice cream for crying out loud!" He started.  This time she looked up at him, but there 
were tears in her eyes.
	"Just ice cream." She said, gripping the small shirt in her thin hands.  Tenchi was 
startled by her reaction.  "Is that all it is to you?"
	"I don't know, is it supposed to mean something more? I don't understand! To 
me, ice cream is ice cream for God's sake!" He said, now frustrated.
	"Would you get off the fucking ice cream!" Ryoko cried, wiping her eyes.  The 
last time Tenchi had seen her cry was when he left for Juria.  "It's not just that."
	"What is it then?" Tenchi asked, hoping for some answers.
	"Ever since you woke up that morning…everything's been different."  She said, 
her expression twisted in pain.  You have no idea.  He thought.  "It's like you're another 
person…I don't-I don't know you anymore."  She said in defeat.  Without warning, 
Tenchi walked up to her and took her hands in his.
	"Ryoko," he said quietly, "I'm sorry.  You don't deserve this."  Ryoko kept her 
head bowed.  Tenchi lifted her chin so that he could see her gleaming golden eyes.  
Taking his thumb, he wiped her tear-streaked face.  Ryoko reached up and touched the 
back of his hand with her delicate fingers.  It must be Zero inside her that's made her this 
way, Tenchi thought, thinking about the time Dr. Clay, Washu's old student, tried to take 
her into captivity.  The two stood there for a long moment looking into each other's eyes.  
	"Mommy?" Asked a small Mayuka from the doorway.  Ryoko looked up.
	"Yes, honey," she said as she let go of Tenchi's hand and wiped away the 
remaining tears.
	"Are you going to make dinner soon?" She said innocently.
	"I'm going to start it right now," she declared, patting Mayuka on her little 
lavender head.  The child watched her mother walk down the stairs and make her way 
into the kitchen, and then turned to her father who was still standing in the dim lit room.
	"Is mommy okay?" She inquired sincerely.  Tenchi nodded and walked over to 
his daughter.  He knelt down and Mayuka climbed on his knee.  "I don't like it when she 
is sad."  Mayuka said.
	"I don't either," Tenchi replied softly, "I don't either."

	Monday morning rolled around quickly.  Tenchi did not realize it at first, but 
Ryoko was shoving him again to wake up.
	"Tenchi," she said soothingly.  "Tenchi…"
	"Uh-what? Ryoko?" He mumbled as he opened his eyes.
	"You need to get ready and take Mayuka to school."  She smiled.
	"What? I do?" He said, rubbing his eyes.
	"Yes, it's Monday."  She reminded him, and then sat up.
	"Where are you going?" He queried when she was about to leave the room.
	"Well, since it's Monday, I'm going down to the market so I can get some fresh 
meats and vegetables.  You know how I like to get down there early before everything 
gets old or taken!" She replied, confused at his questioning.
"Oh." He nodded, waiting for her to leave completely before he undressed and showered.  
When he finished his morning tasks he found the girls sitting around the table.  They 
were anticipating something, but Tenchi had not the slightest clue what it might be.  He 
tilted his head, waiting for Mayuka to give him some directions.  She giggled and pointed 
to the refrigerator.  Tenchi opened it and found several platters of food plastic-wrapped 
and prepared for breakfast.  He opened them up and set them before the girls.  "Now 
what?" He asked.
	"Tea.  You need to make some tea.  And mommy always likes to have some 
waiting for her when she gets back." Mayuka informed.  "You'll get better at it," she 
grinned.  Lia clapped her tiny hands.  Tenchi stepped up to the counter and fiddled with 
the hot water.
	"I'm not too good at this," he admitted.
	"It's okay, mommy still loves you even though you're different now."  Mayuka 
smiled reassuringly.

	Tenchi managed to get Mayuka to school, after prying Lia off his legs before he 
left the house.  He reminded her that Ryo-Ohki and grandpa would take care of her until 
mommy got home.  
	"Does she always do that?" Tenchi asked Mayuka as she stepped down from the 
front seat.
	"Mm-hmm," Mayuka said, "Now you have to pick me up on your way home from 
work so don't forget, okay?" 
	"Check."  Tenchi said before she shut the door.  Now off to work…at least I know 
where that is.  He thought.

	Nobyuki's firm was larger than Tenchi expected.  He had expanded his empire 
when he became president.  How he ever managed to do that was beyond Tenchi, but this 
was a parallel universe where anything could happen. 
	"Can you tell me what floor Nobyuki Masaki's firm is on?" He asked a brunette 
receptionist behind a large black metallic desk.  She looked up at him underneath her thin 
square frames.
	"Oh Tenchi, you're such a tease!" The receptionist giggled.  Tenchi knew this day 
was going to be confusing from the moment he woke up.  Puzzled, he walked away from 
the desk and found a roster.  
	"Floor twelve," he said when he found his father's name.  "Never thought in a 
million years that I'd start working for my father, although I don't think I ever dreamt of 
marrying Ryoko either!" He said to himself as he rode the elevator to the twelfth floor.
	"Tenchi!" His father exclaimed when he walked through the door.  Same old 
Nobyuki, Tenchi thought immediately recognizing his father.  "How are you, my son?" 
Nobyuki stood and patted his son on the shoulder.  "I'm sorry that you did not get to meet 
my fiancé." He said as he led him to his office.  
	"I'm sorry too, dad," Tenchi said.
	"Well, we have a lot of work to do today," Nobyuki continued when they were 
inside the office.
	"We do?" Tenchi gulped, realizing he did not know the first thing about 
architecture.
"Yes, remember we were working on the Onama design?" Tenchi cocked an eyebrow.
"Onama design?" Tenchi repeated, hoping he would explain.
"Yes, the new building for the Onama museum?" Nobyuki reminded him.  "Let me go 
get the blue prints for you so you can get to work on the dimensions." Dimensions? 
Nobyuki left the room, shutting the door behind him.  Tenchi sat behind his desk, sinking 
into the large leather chair.  Great, he thought, this is turning out to be real good.  How 
am I going to get out of this one? Tenchi glanced around the room.  To his left there was 
a large picture window, looking out into the city.  Scattered on his desk were multiple 
pictures of his family.  Tenchi looked at a rather large one of Ryoko placed behind a 
silver frame.  She was leaning against a metal rail with the ocean sweeping the shore in 
the background.  The sun was setting and she was looking off into the distance.  Tenchi 
could see her sharp profile accenting her feline features.  Her white summer dress was 
billowing in the breeze and her red lips were curved in a small smile.  She appeared to be 
rather placid and serene as she stood on the boardwalk holding onto her straw sun hat.    
Tenchi moved his gaze over to another picture in a horizontal wooded frame.  It was the 
whole family, he, Mayuka, Lia, Ryoko, and Ryo-Ohki.  They were sitting on the dock in 
front of the house.  Tenchi had his arm around Ryoko and she was leaning her head up 
against his chest.  Mayuka and Lia were on either side of them with Ryo-Ohki on 
Ryoko's lap.  He also noticed some drawings that Mayuka and Lia had made him lined 
his walls.  There were also photos of buildings, obvious architecture that he probably 
somehow designed.  Nobyuki arrived back in the room with blue prints in hand.
	"Okay Tenchi, I'll leave you be so you can get to work," Nobyuki said, dropping 
the papers on his desk.  Tenchi tried to call for his father, but Nobyuki instantaneously 
left the room before he could object.  Tenchi unrolled the blue prints and tried to study 
them.  Lines and numbers began to swirl in his head.  
	"What is this stuff?" He said, looking down at the sketches.  "I should have paid 
more attention when dad was trying to explain this stuff to me."  He sighed.  Working out 
the dimensions was not too hard for Tenchi, since he had taken plenty of Geometry 
classes when he was enrolled in school.  He was a top honors math student, so he had no 
trouble applying the calculations to the sketches.  The work was tedious and tiring.  It 
took Tenchi all through his lunch hour to complete all of the dimensions for Nobyuki's 
blue prints.  There were several buildings that Nobyuki had in mind for the Onama 
Museum and he had left it all up to his son to complete them.  Tenchi was glad when 
Nobyuki sent him home.
	"Aren't you coming back with me, dad?" Tenchi asked of his father.
	"No, I'm going to stay and work late.  I'll take the bus home." He said, 
concentrating on another project.  Tenchi shrugged and let him be.  Remembering 
Mayuka, Tenchi sped back to Okayama to pick his daughter up from school.  Mayuka 
was waiting patiently outside the school for her father to arrive.
	"Sorry I'm a little late, honey."  He apologized when Mayuka stepped into the 
car.
	"It's okay," she smiled, "You're new at this."  Tenchi gave her a puzzled look.
	"Do you know?" He asked of the five-year old.
	"Yes...I know you're not my real dad."  She replied calmly, continuing to stare 
out the window.  Tenchi frowned.
	"Of course I'm you're real dad!" He said; she was not convinced.
	"No you're not," she shook her head.  "Daddy would never make mommy cry."  

	When Tenchi and Mayuka pulled up in front of the house, Ryoko and Katsuhito 
were on the front porch obviously laughing at something Katsuhito had said.  It was an 
unusual sight for Tenchi to see, although, grandpa always did enjoy Ryoko's company at 
times.  For a moment they almost looked like old friends.  Ryoko was peeling snow peas 
as Katsuhito reminisced about the old days.  Who would of thought these two enemies 
would be laughing together about their old rivalries.
	"Ah, Tenchi my lad," Katsuhito grinned when Tenchi rambled up the walk. 
	"Hi, grandpa," he said when he reached the porch.
	"Grandpa!" Mayuka squealed, running up to him and wrapping her little arms 
around him.
	"Ha, ha, Mayuka.  How was school today?" Katsuhito smiled at the child as she 
sat in his lap.
	"It was so much fun! Today we made these!" Mayuka said as she held up a 
macaroni necklace.  "It's a present, I made it for you."  She handed him her work of art.
	"Oh, Mayuka, it's beautiful."  He said, holding the necklace in his hand.  
	"Put it on!" Mayuka said, unable to control her delight.  She reached for the string 
of noodles and placed it around his neck.
	"Thank you Mayuka, I'll wear it always."  He said as she kissed his wrinkled 
cheek.
	"Speaking of which, I bought something for you at the market this morning."  
Ryoko chimed in, standing up from her peeling.  "I'll go get it," she said as she walked 
into the house.  Soon she emerged with a small brown box in her hands.  "Here," she 
smiled, handing him the gift.  Katsuhito took it and inspected the present.
	"Dates!" He exclaimed when he opened the lid, "Ryoko, you shouldn't have!" He 
said as he popped the fruit into his mouth.  "Delicious!" 
	"I know how much you like them, so when I saw them this morning I just had to 
buy some." She said.
	"Ryoko, you spoil me."  He said slyly.
	"Well, you know I have to keep you happy, old man!" She teased.
	"You most certainly have! So what's for dinner?" He inquired, eyeing her 
jovially.
	"Well, I made some fried noodles with steak and beef balls," she said standing up.  
"I was just going to add these to it," she held up the bowl of peeled snow peas.
	"Go on and get to it woman, I'm hungry!" He grinned.
	"Oh, you're gonna get yours…one of these days!" Ryoko threatened as she 
walked into the house.  Mayuka followed her with Ryo-Ohki trailing at her heels.  Tenchi 
decided now would be a good time to go in and sit down.

	Tenchi was glad for Friday.  After spending so many hours at his father's firm, he 
was happy to get away.  Nobyuki had already assigned him a project over the weekend, 
as if he did not have enough to worry about.   How was he supposed to design an arena in 
two days?  He did not even know where to begin.  How did he get a job like this in the 
first place? He was not creative. 
	Ryoko was finishing up the dishes in the kitchen while Tenchi sat in his office 
brainstorming.  Tapping his pencil against his head, he gazed out at the setting sun.  He 
could not think on a beautiful evening like this.  From his window on the second story he 
could see the orange and yellow leaves swaying on the trees.  An evening breeze was 
sweeping through the fields making the tall grass fluctuate in a uniform rhythm.  The sky 
was painted with clouds of sanguine, saffron and lavender.  Even the mountains were 
tinted with the colors of autumn.  Tenchi's dream-like state was interrupted when Ryoko 
tapped on his door.
	"Come in," he said, not taking his eyes off the window.  When Ryoko entered, he 
was a bit surprised.  Normally she would just teleport in without invitation.
	"I thought you might like some tea," she offered carrying a tray.  Trying not to 
disturb him, she gently placed the serving till next to him on the desk.  Tenchi tasted the 
tea.
	"This is very good, Ryoko, thanks."  He said, overwhelmed by the taste.  
"Where'd you learn to cook?"  She had that same disapproving look on her face 
whenever he asked her questions that he was already supposed to know.      
	 "You know I go to cooking class every Wednesday."  She scowled.  "I wanted to 
be a good wife, so I dedicated my time to learn how to cook for you."  This was even 
more surprising.  Ryoko would do that for him? Just to be a good wife?
	"Yeah, I just did not think you'd be so good at it," he said, covering up his 
blunder.  He was getting better at responding to the guessing games.
	"Tenchi!" She smiled, obviously satisfied with his response.  "What are you 
working on now?" She asked, leaning over to see his failed blueprints.
	"Oh, just some project my father wants me to do," he sighed.  Ryoko looked 
closer at his sketches.  
	"Hmm," she mussed as she scratched her chin, "Well what if you did this," she 
said, taking the pencil from his hand.  Tenchi watched her slightly change the drawing.  
When she moved away, he noticed the difference.
	"That's very good!" He commented.  Her skill with sketching was not bad…not 
bad at all.  Ryoko was all smiles.
	"Really?" She exclaimed. 
	"Yeah, I really like what you did here with the entrance."  He said, pointing to her 
sketch.
	"Well, I figured that it would be more appealing if it was in the shape of an arch, 
rather than a square.  Also, the ticket booths should not be too far a part from the 
entrance, but far enough that it is not too crowded.  What about a veranda?"  She pointed 
to the outline of the ticket booth, "It gets hot waiting in line…maybe give the people 
some shade?" She suggested.  Tenchi was amazed.
	"Why aren't you the architect?" He said, looking up at her.
	"Me? Are you kidding!  Your designs have always surpassed anything I could 
ever dream up!" They did? Tenchi thought, realizing his lack for creativity.
	"Well, I'm kind of having a block right now.  I'd really appreciate it if you'd help 
me."  He said bashfully.
	"Sure I would!" She smiled, glad that Tenchi was finally including her in his life 
again.  Ryoko pulled up another desk chair and sat down next to him as they began to 
discuss the plans for the blue print.
	
Tenchi thought they must have spent hours working on the sketches that night.  It 
wasn't until Lia showed up and knocked on the door did they stop. 
"Are you going to tuck us in?" She asked innocently.
"Oh, jeez, what time is it?"  Ryoko looked at Tenchi.  He checked his watch.
"Uh-oh, it's already nine o'clock," he said, eyeing Lia.  "It's definitely time for 
bed!"  He said, standing up to pick the tiny girl up in his arms.  Lia giggled.  Mayuka was 
already waiting on the top bunk with Ryo-Ohki in cabbit form when Tenchi and Ryoko 
brought Lia back to the bedroom.  Tenchi placed Lia next to her sister and pulled the 
covers up to the girls' chin.
"Comfy?" Ryoko said quietly.  Mayuka and Lia nodded. 
"Are you going to sing us a song?" Lia asked.
"Not tonight, mommy and daddy are tired, okay baby?" Ryoko said, kissing her 
daughters.  Tenchi relaxed.  Each night he had found some way of weaseling out of 
singing the girls to sleep.  Mainly because he could not sing, and he also did not know the 
words.  Ryoko had been doing the job herself for the last four nights.  Silently the couple 
walked back to their room after turning off the lights.  Tenchi was beginning to feel more 
comfortable sleeping next to Ryoko.  He realized that she was not about to pull anything 
unless he wanted her to.  The fact of the matter was she knew that he did not want to be 
touched.  After he had turned her down the first night she wanted to go to the onsen, she 
knew something was wrong with him.  If she wanted her old Tenchi back, then she was 
just going to have to wait it out.

The next morning, Ryoko went out bright and early.  Tenchi realized that this was 
her usual routine.  Ryoko enjoyed getting up before he did to prepare breakfast for her 
family.  Sometimes Tenchi wished she would be little bit quieter about it.
After he had bathed and dressed, Tenchi walked downstairs to eat breakfast.  To 
his surprise, there was no one there.  In fact, the house was completely empty.  Tenchi 
sauntered into the kitchen in search of some sign of life.  All he found was a note.

Tenchi-
	We all went up to the shrine with jiichan.  You were still asleep, I didn't 
want to wake you.  Be back in an hour.  Breakfast is in the fridge.

Love
Ryoko

Well that explains a lot.  He thought as he took a plate of food out from the 
refrigerator.  Tenchi settled down on the couch and turned on the television.
"What is this? National commercial day?" He said, voicing his displeasure.  
Wiping his hands with a napkin, Tenchi set his plate down on the glass table.  "Well, 
since there's nothing good on, I might as well see what kind of movies we have." He said 
walking over to a cabinet filled with videocassettes.  "Mayuka and Lia."  He read aloud, 
slipping the home movie into the slot.  The television flickered for a moment, blurring the 
screen.  Tenchi sat back down on the couch as the picture came into view.  He could hear 
himself talking.  He must have been filming.
"Here we are in the back yard," Tenchi heard himself say.  The camera jerked 
around a bit until it found what it was looking for.  Ryoko, Mayuka, Lia, and Ryo-Ohki 
in her humanoid form came into view.  They were sitting on what appeared to be a picnic 
blanket.  The mountains behind his house were displayed in the setting.  Ryoko smiled 
and waved.  Mayuka stuck out her tongue.  Baby Lia cooed in Ryoko's arms.  Ryo-Ohki 
was sitting on the blanket clapping her hands saying "Miya! Miya!"  Tenchi laughed at 
the cabbit.  "It's a beautiful summer day," Tenchi continues with his narration, "Great 
day for a picnic in the backyard."  The camera is pointing up to the sky.  "Not a cloud 
overhead!" The sounds of locusts were heard in the background.  Then the camera moves 
back to Ryoko.  She stands up and walks towards the lens until her face is blurred 
because she is so close.  Ryoko kisses the glass making an obnoxious smacking noise.  
"Hey!" Tenchi says.  Tenchi could hear Ryoko laughing in the background and then the 
screen went blank.  
"That was short," he said aloud, then suddenly the screen flickered back into 
view.  Dad must be filming; he thought when he heard Nobyuki's voice.
"Ha, ha, and here's dad," Tenchi heard Nobyuki say as the camera moved over to 
Katsuhito who was obviously drunk.  Tenchi noticed they were no longer in the back 
yard.  Some one must have taped over the rest.
"Ah, great party my boy!" Katsuhito lifts his glass of sake up to the camera in 
cheers to Tenchi.  
"Where is our groom any way?" Nobyuki asks nobody in particular.  The camera 
spots Tenchi.  He sees himself in the crowd, smiling at something.  Smiling at Ryoko? 
The band begins to play "When I Fall in Love."  "There he is," Nobyuki sets his sights on 
Tenchi as he walks over to Ryoko.  She looks beautiful, Tenchi thought, watching her 
step towards the Tenchi on the screen.  She was wearing her reception dress made of 
white silk.  The skirt went down to her knees and the top was a sloping U that tied in a 
string behind her neck.  Her cyan hair was twisted in curls on top of her head, which fell 
down around her face.   This must have been our wedding.  Tenchi realized.  Tenchi is 
holding the cordless microphone in his hand; he begins to sing… 
"When I fall in love…" Ryoko takes it from his hand and sings the duet.
 "It will be forever…"  
"When I fall in love with you…" They harmonized.  Tenchi's smile is warm, 
matching Ryoko's lustrous grin.  
"Ah, we're about to witness their first dance together as husband and wife!" 
Nobyuki sighs, evidently intoxicated as well.  Tenchi watched himself in amazement as 
he twirls Ryoko around the dance floor.  Tenchi is elated, looking into Ryoko's glowing 
golden eyes.  Ryoko's radiance fills the air with every step she takes.  Tenchi holds her 
close; as if to tell someone that he will never let her go.  She is a treasure to him, a 
pristine gem to be locked up safe within his heart.  The love he displays to her is 
unconditional.  They are...inseparable.  It was as if Tenchi could feel his imaginary self 
by watching the screen before him.  Was this what the other Tenchi really felt for Ryoko? 
Did she really make him this happy?  They looked like two old-fashioned lovebirds, the 
way they gazed into each other's eyes with that longing look.  The music ends and the 
dancing ceases.  Tenchi could no longer hear Nobyuki's little insights, but only focused 
on what was going on between him and Ryoko.  Tenchi moves in slowly and closes his 
eyes as though to make the moment last forever in his memory.  He leans over, slightly 
dipping her and passionately plants a forever drawn out kiss on his new wife.  

The next week had gone by smoothly for Tenchi.  His father had been very 
impressed with the blueprints him and Ryoko worked so hard on.  Tenchi was almost 
beginning to enjoy his job as an architect.  So much had gone on in the last few weeks 
that Tenchi had almost forgotten about his appointment with the Empress of Juria herself.  
Thursday rolled around before he knew it.  Tenchi was able to take off work that day, due 
to his father's appreciation of the sketches.  Ryoko still thought he was going to work that 
day, but why he needed Ryo-Ohki to go with him was beyond her.  She wanted to trust 
her Tenchi, but she knew there was something different about him and was not really sure 
what to expect.

The ride through space was a long and quiet one.  Nervously, Tenchi prepared 
himself physically and mentally to meet Ayeka.  What would she say to him?  Would she 
still love him?  What was she like now?  Admissions gave him permission to dock and 
Tenchi walked the familiar route to the front desk.  Ironically, the same man that had 
helped him two weeks ago was working there that day.
"Ohayo."  Tenchi smiled, hoping he might remember him.
"What can I help you with?" Inquired the man of Tenchi in his usual snooty tone.
"Um-," Tenchi suddenly felt silly, "I'm here to see the empress."  The man 
looked down at him cocking one eyebrow.  "I-I have my papers right here," Tenchi said 
quickly, handing him the multiple forms.  The receptionist looked them over and placed 
them down on the desk in front of him.
"You can wait over there."  Said the man.  "I'll speak with the Empress about 
seeing you."  He replied finally.  Tenchi sat in one of the chairs and waited patiently for 
what seemed like forever until a knight approached him.
"The Empress will see you now, prince Tenchi," the knight announced.  Clumsily, 
Tenchi stood up and followed the knight down a long dark corridor.  He noticed that 
there was a small waterway running alongside the wall.  Up above, Tenchi spotted light 
trees growing near the roof.  The knight placed his right hand against a small glowing 
square and the towering doors began to open.  The knight stepped aside and followed 
behind Tenchi while another knight appeared in front of him and led him up to a very 
familiar dais.  There was a ray of light shinning down on the purple-headed empress.  Her 
face was hidden by a shadow and she did not look up until he spoke.
"This man wishes to speak with you, your majesty."  The knight said as he 
kneeled before her.  Ayeka looked up, her pink eyes gleaming.  
"Tenchi-," she gasped, stunned to see him standing before her.
"Aye-Ayeka-," He said taking a step forward.
"What do you wish to speak to me about?" She queried, regaining her royal 
composure. 
"Is there some place where we could maybe speak…alone?" He asked, a bit 
embarrassed by his own request.  Ayeka stood up from her royal throne.  Picking up her 
Jurian robe, she began to step down the dais.
"Let us go out to the balcony."  She declared.  Tenchi followed her to the familiar 
spot where he once stood right after he had married her in his real life.  When they were 
outside, she turned to him.  "What is it that you wish to speak with me about, Tenchi-
san?" Her gaze was cold and in a strange way, unforgiving.  Tenchi swallowed.  
Suddenly he could not remember why he was there.  What would he say to her?  He 
realized that whatever he might say would probably make no sense to her, but all he 
could think about since he arrived in this parallel universe was her.
"What I'm about to say to you is going to sound very weird, but you must trust 
me."  He began.  Ayeka frowned.
"Tenchi! How can you say that?" She said, suddenly angry, looking very hurt.  
Tenchi was puzzled.
"Ae-Chan, have I ever done anything to make you mistrust me?" It was more of a 
question than a demand.  Ayeka's eyes went wide with furry.  Out of nowhere, Tenchi 
felt a hand fall hard across his face.
"How dare you!" She muttered in disbelief.  "How dare you even show your face 
here! Never address me in that way.  You are to address me as Ayeka-sama," Ayeka 
bowed her head.  "Please leave."  She ordered quietly.
"Ae-ch-, Ayeka-sama, please! You have to listen to me!" He started, trying to 
take her hands in his.  Abruptly she drew away from him.
"Don't you touch me," she scowled.
"Ayeka, I don't know what I did to you that's made you so angry-but let me 
finish," he continued before she could get another word in, "This world, right now, and 
our past-what ever it may be- is not real! We're stuck in a parallel universe and I need 
your help to get me out of it, you're the only one I can trust…Ayeka." He pleaded 
looking into her watering pink eyes.
"Tenchi.  Gomen nasai."  She began, tears dripping down her cheeks.  "I should 
not have hit you.  I don't mean to be angry with you.  You made your decision and I 
made mine."  Tenchi was puzzled.  He had no idea what she was talking about.
"No! Ayeka, listen to me! I never wanted to marry Ryoko-or become an architect-
or-," Ayeka put her finger to his lips.
"Hush Tenchi," she said softly, "I am very happy here with Katei, I assure you.  I 
know how much you love Ryoko.  I have decided to…let it all go."  She said, wiping the 
tears from her eyes.
"No! You're not listening to me! Actually, you never listened to me," he said, 
thinking about his real past.  Then it hit him.  Katei?
"Please Tenchi, don't make this any harder than it is.  I wish things could have 
been different between us, but it was never meant to be."  She turned away from him.
"Never meant to be-?" Tenchi stopped.  It was no use.  What ever the Tenchi from 
this world did must have been really bad.  Ayeka's heart had been hurt beyond repair.  
But some way she had learned to fix it.  Is this what the real Ryoko was going through? 
Tenchi did not want to think about it.
"Would you kindly show yourself out?" She said, her back turned to him.
"Ayeka," he wanted to comfort her, tell her it was all right.  He wanted her to 
know that in the real world he chose her to be his wife.  Yes, it was true, he was having 
second thoughts, but now, it was all he wanted.

Tenchi left the palace feeling even more confused than before.  He had never seen 
Ayeka so angry.  What could he have done to her to make her strike out like that? When 
he arrived back on Earth, he suddenly realized that he had promised Ryoko that he would 
meet her at the beach.  Thanks to Ryo-Ohki, Tenchi was able to make it there before 
sundown.  Tenchi arrived at Oarai during the late afternoon.  The sun beat down on the 
roasting sands as Tenchi and Ryo-Ohki walked up and down the boardwalk, searching for 
Ryoko and the rest of the family.  Instantly Tenchi recognized the straw sun hat.  It was 
the same one Ryoko had worn in the picture he had on his desk.  Her back was to him 
and she was facing the shore.  
"Ryoko?" He called, she turned around.
"Tenchi!" She her smile was ecstatic.  "I was wondering when you were going to 
show up!" She said, making room for him on the beach blanket.
"I didn't realize how crowded it was." Ryoko nodded.
"Especially on a Thursday."  She commented.  Tenchi scanned the beach.
"Where's Mayuka and Lia?"  He asked, obviously concerned.
"Oh, they're playing near the water," she said, pointing to the two young girls not 
more than a few yards away.  They were constructing a sandcastle, quite unsuccessfully.
"I think I'll go help them," he said, walking down to the shore.  He had hoped that 
this might take his mind off of Ayeka.  Why should it bother him? It's not like this is real 
anyway, he thought.
"Daddy!" Mayuka stood up and ran to him, full of sand.
"Hey there," he smiled warmly and picked her up.  Mayuka kissed his cheek.
"We're building a sandcastle, daddy," Lia announced as Tenchi set Mayuka 
down. 
"I see."  
"Do you want to help us?" Mayuka asked, handing him a pink plastic pail.  
"Of course," Tenchi said, taking the bucket from her hands.  Tenchi looked at 
what they had done so far.  Then an idea struck him.
"Daddy, what you doing?" Lia looked at him strangely as Tenchi began to dig a 
hole.
"Well, if I dig far enough, then we won't have to keep walking to the shore to get 
wet sand."  Tenchi said.  Lia still did not understand.  "Why don't you and Mayuka go 
and gather some pretty seashells to decorate the castle with?" He suggested.  Lia's face 
brightened.
"Okay!" She said, holding onto Mayuka's hand.  Tenchi watched the girls 
scamper down the beach.
"Don't go too far!" He called.  Tenchi smiled.  This was actually a good idea.  He 
was glad the other Tenchi had thought of it.  
Ryoko viewed her husband from her beach blanket up shore.  It gave her a warm 
feeling to see him so engrossed in helping their daughters.  Tenchi had taken over the 
construction of the sandcastle.  He's beginning to come out of his funk, or what ever it 
was he was going through, she said to herself.  It's about time.  
  

Tenchi stood back and admired his work.  His sandcastle was so magnificent that 
people had stopped by to take pictures.  Tenchi had constructed a moat around it so that 
every time the water washed up against the castle walls, it would fall into the surrounding 
pit.  His castle was about three feet high off the ground, decorated with the shells Mayuka 
and Lia had collected.  There was also a road that ran up around the caste and a little 
bridge built of sticks going across the moat.  Inside, he had made little holes and 
windows, some reaching from one end to the other.  Lia clapped her hands when Tenchi 
stepped away.
"Mommy, are you going to take a picture?" Mayuka said when Ryoko walked 
down to the shore.
"Yes, now everyone crowd around so I can get you all in it!" She said, focusing 
the lens of the camera with her fingers.  Mayuka and Lia were on each side of Tenchi.  
He put his arms around them as Ryo-Ohki scampered in the front.  There was a flash and 
Tenchi was momentarily blinded.  "That will be cute!" Ryoko said, putting the camera 
strap around her neck.  "Good work, dad," she smiled at Tenchi.  He was admiring his 
palace.  
Tenchi followed Ryoko back up to the beach blanket and sat down beside her.  
Mayuka and Lia were playing in the warm sand.  They sat in silence for a long while.  
Ryoko laid back underneath the shade of the large umbrella and closed her eyes.  Tenchi 
was ready to say something when he realized she had fallen asleep.  He sat back and 
decided to relax.  Tenchi looked over at her, not meaning to stare.  I'm not having a bad 
time here, Tenchi thought, I don't know why I went to see Ayeka.  It's not like it did any 
good.  Then it struck him.  What had made Ayeka so angry? He wanted to ask Ryoko, but 
she was fast asleep.  Tenchi watched unobtrusively as Ryoko slept her breathing slow and 
easy.  He noticed how her cyan hair lined her face.  One little piece hung over her 
forehead jutting out of her widow's peak.  Her long lashes rested on her fluttered cheeks;  
her pink lips curved in a small O shape. For a seven hundred-year old demon she did not 
look half-bad.  Actually, this was the first in a long while that he really took the time to 
notice her.  She was wearing a black string bikini, one that covered her full bosom in the 
shape of triangles.  The ends on the bottom piece were tied at each side of her hips.  She 
had a rather flat stomach and long thin legs.
"Tenchi?" She said suddenly.  Tenchi was shaken from his gaze.
"Huh?" He looked up at her, hoping she did not catch him staring.
"Are you ready to go?" Ryoko asked, sitting up.
"Oh-yeah." He said.
"Mayuka, Lia," she called as she began to gather their belongings.  Tenchi started 
to fold up the umbrella.  Mayuka and Lia ran up to their parents.  Tenchi handed Mayuka 
her little pink bunny bag and scooped Lia up in his arms.
"Time to go," he said.  Lia began to pout.  
"We'll be back," Ryoko assured her.
"Not for long time," she frowned.  Maybe in another life, Tenchi thought as they 
walked to the car.  

Tenchi drove the family up to the hotel, not far from the beach.  After checking in 
at the front desk, the quartet, including Ryo-Ohki, arrived at their room.  Tenchi took the 
first shower.  When he was finished Ryoko started a bath for her and the girls.  Tenchi 
stepped out onto the balcony to get a breath of fresh air while he waited.  The building 
faced the ocean, Tenchi was glad for that.  He sat down on a plastic chair and leaned 
against the wall as he watched the sun set over the horizon.  He felt he had not been there 
for more than ten minutes, when Ryoko appeared beside him, dressed and ready to go.
"Wow, that was quick." He said when he saw her.
"Well, I'm hungry," she smiled.
"Where would you like to go?" He asked as the family walked back out to the 
caravan.
"Oh, I don't know.  Where ever you would like to take me," she grinned.  
Tenchi decided on a small seaside restaurant he picked at the last moment; he 
particularly did not know where he was going in the first place.  The waitress seated them 
next to a window facing the bay.  Tenchi looked around at the people sitting next to him.  
Some how he was able to find a comfort in being with this not so real family.  
After a fulfilling meal, the group returned to the hotel.  Ryoko only let Mayuka 
and Lia stay up until eight o'clock and then it was off to bed.
"The girls are asleep," she whispered as she shut the adjoining door.  Tenchi 
tensed up.  "How about a nice walk on the beach?" She suggested.
"What about Mayuka and Lia?" He asked.
"They'll be fine," she said taking his arm as she pulled him out the door.

As they walked along the beach, Tenchi looked down and realized that Ryoko 
was still holding his hand.  The light from the moon cast a saffron line over the horizon 
of the sea.  Sounds of the waves breaking as they hit the shore filled the night air as the 
couple moved over the sands of the beach.  Ryoko's palm was warm against Tenchi's.  
He decided not to object.  It was a comforting feeling and he needed it after the day he 
just had.  She wasn't so bad, Tenchi thought as he glanced over at Ryoko.  Her hair 
lightly whipped around beside her forehead as they walked.  She had a serene expression 
planted on her clear face.  Her eyes were like the moon, as they glimmered in the night's 
gentle radiance.
"Ryoko," he said finally.  She looked up at him with her large golden eyes.
"Yes Tenchi," she said softly.
"What do you think about our life?" He asked in all earnestness.  She tilted her 
head in her usual puzzlement.
"What do I think about our life?" She restated his question, "Well, I don't know.  
I like it, why?" She gazed back up at him for confirmation. 
"I don't know, I was just thinking back to when we all lived together at the 
house." He said, wanting to know more about what had happened between him and 
Ayeka.
"Those were some fun times," she smiled fondly.  Tenchi nodded.
"Why couldn't it have been that way forever?" He said aloud.  Ryoko let go of his 
hand.
"What do you mean?" She asked him suspiciously.
"I mean, why did someone have to get hurt by my choices."  He said, thinking she 
might understand what he was getting at.
"Are you referring to Ayeka?" 
"Yeah."  
"That's too bad that her father died." Ryoko mused, "But then I wouldn't have 
won you over," she said, leaning on him.  So Ayeka's father did die! He thought.  I chose 
Ryoko.  I chose Ryoko! I didn't go back to Juria with Ayeka, and that's when she needed 
me most…when the war broke out.  Tenchi sat down in the sand and looked up at the 
stars.  This must be what my life would have been like if I didn't go to Juria, he 
wondered.  Then he remembered that video.  The one where he was marrying Ryoko, the 
one where he kissed her…that kiss…that kiss so full of beatitude and calenture.
"Ayeka hates me," he deliberated as Ryoko plopped down beside him.
"Well can you blame her? All those years she spent waiting for you, and you 
decide to marry me."  Ryoko declared, taking off her shoes and burying her feet in the 
sand.
"No, I guess I can't," Tenchi said, thinking back to Ayeka slapping him.  I never 
kept in touch with her after she left and then she sees me for the first time in years, 
pleading for her help…for her to trust me, he thought.  This must be how the real Ryoko 
feels.
"But why should she be mad? I mean it was her choice to wait around for you.  
Mine too, and there was no guarantee that you were going to chose either of us.  I guess I 
just got lucky." Ryoko said.  "It was fate."  
Fate.  That was one word Tenchi hated hearing.  It made him feel like he had no 
control over his life.  It was the same thing that dragged him into being king.  In this 
other life, he had actually made a choice for himself.  He chose to stay on Earth because 
he wanted to, not because some one else wanted him to.  He chose to love Ryoko and 
marry her because he did, not because he supposed to.  These new ideas were making 
him uncomfortable.  The parallel universe was suddenly making more sense to him than 
his real life.  
Tenchi glanced at Ryoko.  She was still gazing out at the ocean.  And then it came 
to him.  All at once he realized what it was that was so different about her.  The "other" 
Tenchi, the one that loved her had changed her somehow.  It was not a complete 
difference, but Tenchi now understood her serenity.  There was no more competition.  
She had no one to fight over, or to fight with for that matter.  Ryoko had everything she 
ever wanted in life.  No longer was she searching for someone to love, or someone to 
return her love.  This Tenchi, this man, the one she had mistaken him for, loved her with 
all his heart; took her in as a person and never shied away from her.
Without warning, Tenchi felt Ryoko reach for his hand and within an instant she 
had whisked him away into the sky.  Tenchi looked down underneath his feet, clutching 
to Ryoko for dear life as they flew over the dark ocean.
"Ryoko!" Tenchi cried in disbelief.  Ryoko cackled in delight, grabbing him even 
tighter.
"Things were getting a little too somber down there.  I thought I'd lighten the 
night up!" Tenchi gulped.  The wind whipped at his hair as the two shot through the air at 
an amazing speed.  Everything was a blur to Tenchi's mortal eyes.  Ryoko found a cliff 
and gently set them down.  Tenchi was still holding on tightly to Ryoko.
Suddenly Tenchi wished he could be that man.  He wanted to take her in his arms 
the way he was supposed to.  He wanted to love her and be Mayuka and Lia's real father.  
He wanted this dream to be reality.  There was so much life in this woman, so much 
vibrance.  Why had it taken him so long to discover how beautiful Ryoko was? It had 
taken him so long that now it was too late.
"We get a better view from up here," Ryoko explained, and then decided to re- 
dematerialize them up to the giant branch of a tall cherry tree.  It was quiet up on the 
arms of the blossoming plant.  Tenchi took a deep breath of sea air and exhaled heavily.  
Ryoko peered up at him under her feline expression.  Tenchi watched her fingers crawl 
slowly over the top of his hand.  Her eyes were on his again, this time they were asking 
for confirmation.
"Tenchi, just hold my hand, okay?" She whispered delicately, as if his answer had 
the power to break her.  All he could do was nod in acquiesce.  

Tenchi trudged along the sands of the beach with Ryoko walking beside him.  
There were so many things that he wanted to go over in his mind, so many questions he 
wanted answers to.  He was happy to get back to the hotel and fall into the nice warm 
bed.  Ryoko laid neighboring him; he could hear her steady timed breathing.  Trying not 
to wake her, he turned over, shifting his weight quietly so that he might face her.  Tenchi 
pictured Ayeka; he remembered the first night they had spent together.  The emptiness he 
had felt when he touched her.  She had loved him so much that he could not bear to hurt 
her, that delicate rose of a princess, so pristine and untouched.  There was something 
sacred about her that made his heart grow cold.  He could see Ayeka's hand smacking 
him hard across the face playing over and over again in his mind.  Tenchi told himself 
that he would learn to love Ayeka, but some how his heart would not let him.  There was 
something in the way.  Now that he was there in the obscurity of the hotel room, he 
realized how much he had longed for that warmth.
With his heart leading his impassioned fingers, he gently began to trace Ryoko's 
sleeping face.  He touched her eyelids, and her nose.  He felt her tender lips and the 
crevice of her chin.  Her cheeks, they were so soft, and her complexion so clear.  This 
woman, this beautiful woman was so composed at that very moment that he almost forgot 
what a monster she could be.  Was this the same space pirate that had attacked the planet 
Juria and battled with his grandfather, Yosho; and was this also the same demon that had 
been locked away in a cave for seven hundred years? Ryoko had been with him when he 
was young as well; she was the spirit, the guardian of the cave, the warmth that had 
always watched over him as he grew.  One moment she could be so overbearingly 
powerful, and the next minute she could be as calm and as shy as a kitten.  The Tenchi of 
this world had tamed the tiger within her.  She was the same Ryoko, but most of what he 
loved about her now shone through the most.  He recalled her hand, grasping his as they 
sat silently in the cherry tree, and in his real life, her soft lips on his as she said goodbye.
In a way, he could not stop feeling for Ayeka.  She was close to him too.  He did 
not want to give up on her, so to speak, but he knew that it would be hard to turn away 
from what he knew.  Now that he had had the opportunity to look at life through a clearer 
perspective, there was, unfortunately, no going back.  

The weekend had already been planned.  Finally, after years of being a recluse, 
Nobyuki had decided to get married.  Tenchi was excited for his father and hoped him to 
find love.  It would not be good for him to be a hentai all his life.  Although he still 
missed his mother, at times, he knew she would be happy for her husband.  
Ryoko appeared, bustling into the bedroom while Tenchi busied himself in the 
bathroom.  She was in a mad rush, and he could tell from her fiery expression that this 
was no time to argue with her.  Darting his eyes back towards the mirror, he tried to hide 
his face from her gaze.  Too late.  She had already made eye contact with him and was 
ready to take out her frenzied furor.  
"You aren't ready yet?" She huffed. 
"No, I'm not," he said casually, fiddling with his tie.
"We're supposed to be there in ten minutes and you're not even in the car!" She 
said, placing her hands on her hips.
"I can't get this darn tie," he mumbled, still trying to make the bow look 
presentable.  Ryoko stepped up to him and reached for the black ribbon.  In one swift 
movement she tied it into a perfect bow.
"How'd you do that?" He looked down in awe.  Ryoko gave him one of her 
award-winning crooked smiles.
"Men." She said, dragging him down the stairs, "Now come on, before we're 
late!" To Tenchi's surprise, she already had the girls waiting in their car seats, strapped in 
and ready to go.
"I'm impressed, Ryoko," Katsuhito said from the back seat.
"Why?" She asked, buckling her seat belt as Tenchi started the car down the road.
"Because, it usually takes you a million years to get ready."  He said.
"Me?" She grinned deviously. 
"Yeah, you!" Tenchi smiled.  
"That's because I'm a woman."  She replied frankly.  That was definitely the 
truth.  Tenchi drove the family out of Okayama and into the neighboring city.  The 
ceremony was to be held at The Disciples of Christ, a church not too far from Nobyuki's 
firm.  His finance being Christian, he had agreed to get married in the Protestant church.  
Later on, they would re-wed at the shrine in Okayama following Japanese customs.
The family rushed in the doors of the flowery cathedral.  Being that Lia and 
Katsuhito were in the wedding, they had arrived just in time to take their places before 
the music began and the precession started to flow down the aisles.  The church had been 
beautifully decorated with silk ribbon steaming along each row of pews.  A cream-
colored rug stretched down the passageway up to the altar where two separate bouquets 
where displayed in large burgundy vases.  Skylights from the high roof of the church let 
the sun light drizzle down above the heads of the guests.  Ryoko watched as the first of 
the bridesmaids began to stroll down the carpet, each crooking their arms in between 
those of their partners.  
"Isn't it just lovely, Tenchi?" She whispered in a hushed tone.
"Mm," was his inaudible reply.  
"This is kind of like our wedding, except I enjoyed ours more," she smiled, 
turning to him.  His eyes were following the nervous Nobyuki down the aisle.
"Yes, it kind of is," said Tenchi, now focusing on Ryoko who had just turned 
away.  The piano in some secluded corner of the church had just struck up a new tune and 
the giant doors to the worship swung open, displaying a woman in her late thirties.  
Nobyuki's soon to be wife had on a traditional American wedding gown.  Tenchi could 
not make out her face behind the veil, but he could tell that she was most likely attractive.  
Like his mother, she had dark black hair, which was all twisted up on top of her head 
around the white lace veil.  Her ivory dress was puffed up around the sleeves and went 
tight around her forearms extending in a V shape over the top of her hands.  The bodes 
fight snuggly around her torso and sprung out underneath near her hips and becoming 
ever larger until it dragged on the ground around her feet.  She carried a motley bouquet 
of flowers so colossal that the buds hung down near her knees.
"Isn't she beautiful, Tenchi?" Ryoko gasped at the splendor of the bride.  Even 
through her magnificence, Tenchi did not notice her.  He was more concerned with the 
woman sitting next to him.  "Oh look, Tenchi!" She said, pulling his arm and shaking 
him from his gaze, "There's Mayuka, isn't she cute!" Ryoko exclaimed of her little 
flower girl.
"Oh, yeah," He said finally when he saw tiny Mayuka following along behind the 
bride with her small basket of pink rose petals in a white ruffled dress.  Ryoko reached 
for her camera and hurriedly took a picture of her prized princess as the minister began to 
read the vows.
Tenchi thought he might fall asleep from boredom.  The pledges seemed to last 
forever.  He must be reading the whole New Testament, Tenchi muttered to himself, as 
the minister declaimed, on and on. 
"Do you, Nobyuki Masaki, take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife?" The 
minister said after what seemed like ages.
"I do," Nobyuki replied gruffly, trying to keep his composure.  Finally! Tenchi 
thought.  Now we're getting somewhere.
"Sit, up honey," Ryoko hissed.  Tenchi straightened up, a bit ashamed for having 
been so apathetic at his father's wedding.
"And do you, Onasaki Tosho, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, 
in sickness and health, till death do you part?"
"I do," sung a sweet rich voice.  
"Then I now pronounce you husband and wife," the minister declared.  "You may 
kiss the bride."  As if in slow motion, Nobyuki turned to his new wife and took her in his 
arms, reaching his quivering lips to hers.  Both persons on either side stood up and 
clapped for the new couple.  Tenchi clapped mainly because it was over.  

"So where is the resort now?" Tenchi asked as he drove in what he expected to be 
the direction of the reception.  
"Turn left, here…here!" Ryoko screeched in his ear.  She had a bad habit about 
yelling when giving directions to him while he was driving.  Abruptly, Tenchi slammed 
on the brakes of the car once he had found a space.
"Well I'm glad that's over," he mumbled, stepping down from the caravan.  
Ryoko loosened the girls from their car seats, taking each hand as they walked into the 
resort.  The little family including Katsuhito rode the glass elevator up to the first floor 
from the ground parking lot.  They walked through a vegetative courtyard until they 
reached what appeared to be the ballroom where the reception was being held.  The 
minute they opened the wooded doors, sounds and smells began to poor out of the room.  
Hundreds of people from both the bride and groom's side were already there, snacking, 
chatting, dancing and what not.
"I guess we're not early," Tenchi said in amazement as they drifted through the 
crowded clubhouse.
"We're never early, dear," Ryoko smiled sardonically as she pulled out a chair.
"I don't think the lovebirds have arrived yet," Katsuhito noted, glancing around 
the overly populated assembly hall.
"Mommy I hungry!" Lia whined, stretching her arms out to her mother.
"Okay, okay, let's get you something to eat," she said, lifting the babe up to her 
chest.
"Me too!" Mayuka cried, not wanting to be left out.
"Do you want anything, Tenchi?" Ryoko asked as she took Mayuka's small hand.
"No, that's alright.  I'll just wait for the main course."  He answered, still 
anticipating his father.  Ryoko shrugged and managed to shove her way through the 
crowd over to a small catering table.  When it was her turn to serve herself, she looked 
down at her daughter for confirmation.
"What do you want, honey?" The little girl put her finger to her lips.
"Mm," she hummed, "Those!" She said, pointing to the strips of watermelon.  
Ryoko picked up the tongs and began to place the squares on to the glass plate. 
"I want some too!" Lia squealed.  
"All right, Ochokan," Ryoko said, wandering along the snacks until she had fully 
loaded her plate.  "We'd better get something to drink, too," she spotted the bar on the 
corner of the patio.
"What can I get you?" Inquired the young bar tender.  
"Two glasses of chardonnay, and a Pepsi."  She replied.  Ryoko handed the Pepsi 
down to Mayuka, who took it gratefully.  Setting Lia down beside her sister, she took the 
two glasses of wine in her hands and started to return to her table.  Ryoko had almost 
made it back to her seat when the doors flew open and the bride and groom strolled into 
the ballroom hand in hand with their precession trailing behind them.  Cameras flashed 
and oh's and ah's filled the air.  When Nobyuki and Onasaki had taken their seats 
amongst the others of their party, the best man stood and began to say a few words before 
they initiated dinner.
"Whew! Never thought I'd make it back!" Ryoko declared after every one was 
settled.  "Here, I brought you a little something."  She said as she handed the wine to 
Tenchi, taking a set next to him.
"Thanks, Ryoko."  He said, sipping the Chardonnay.  Tenchi set his glass down.  
"I think I'll go congratulate my father before the dinner starts coming around."  He 
announced, standing up.
"Okay," Ryoko smiled, watching him stroll over to Nobyuki.
"Dad," Tenchi called, Nobyuki's head shot up.
"Son!" He cried, standing to greet him.  They meet each other in a strong 
embrace.
"I'm so happy for you dad."  Tenchi said warmly.  "Onasaki-San," he bowed his 
head.  Onasaki nodded in return.
"Thank you Tenchi, your blessing means a lot to us."  She replied in her dark rich 
tone.
"You're going to stay for a while, right Tenchi?" His father said, excitedly.
"Of course!" Tenchi laughed, "I wouldn't miss this for the world."
	Dinner was served promptly after all the speeches were made for Nobyuki and 
Onasaki.  
	"Jeez, I wonder how dad managed to pay for all this," Tenchi exclaimed, wide-
eyed as he lifted the lid of the silver-serving dish.  For the menu, Nobyuki had provided 
his guests with filet mignon doused in bordelaise sauce alongside rice pilaf and red 
steamed potatoes.
	"This is quite an American gourmet meal, I guess it's because Onasaki does a lot 
of her work overseas," Ryoko commented, picking up the sterling fork.  
	"Nothing's as good as your cooking, Ryoko," Katsuhito flirted. 
	"Oh, don't be silly," Ryoko blushed.  Tenchi glanced up to catch the 
conversation.  He watched Ryoko's ardent cheeks in interest.  It always gave him a warm 
feeling to see her abashed.
	"Daddy!" Scowled a hungry Mayuka.  Tenchi turned his attention to the four 
year-old.  He gave her a what-do-you-want-now look.  Mayuka pointed her little index 
finger to the meat on the plate.  "Cut it!" She ordered.  Tenchi chuckled, and took the 
knife from her hand and began to slice up the meat.  Mayuka was satisfied. 
	Wedding cake was served thereafter to any of the guests who still had room for 
more, along with champagne, which followed cheers for the bride and groom.  The DJ sat 
up from his booth and spoke into the microphone.
	"I'd like to have the bride and groom start us off with their first dance as husband 
and wife," he announced, starting up the music.  Holding his hand out to his new wife, 
Nobyuki led Onasaki out to the dance floor.  Exuberantly, he swept her across the 
parterre in his arms.  Tenchi watched from afar as his father gazed affectionately into the 
eyes of his new love.  This must have been how my mother and him looked when they 
got married, Tenchi thought fondly.  He turned over to Ryoko who was staring longingly 
out at the couple.  Her feral eyes were locked on the newlyweds as they moved around 
the ballroom.  The music ended and the dancing ceased.  Ryoko, taken from her dream, 
looked back down at her plate and began to pick at a few cake crumbs.  She looks sad! 
Tenchi realized, noting the morose, hopeless expression, painted across her sallow face.  
	"Ryoko," she glanced up at him and gave a weak smile, "Are you okay?" He 
asked with obvious concern.
	"Oh, yeah-," her voice was hoarse for a moment, "I'm fine."  She turned away 
from him and continued looking numbly into the distance.
	"What's wrong?" Ryoko faced down towards the starch cotton napkin on her lap.
	"Nothing, I was just thinking…about our wedding, when we got married."  It was 
more of a question than a reply.  She looked up at the ceiling as if she were trying to hide 
something about her face.  Making eye contact was clearly hard for her.  Tenchi decided 
that that was enough questioning. Without startling her, without hesitation to himself, 
gently he placed his hand on top of hers.  Ryoko wrapped her delicate fingers through his 
powerful hands.  Tenchi squeezed her palm with anticipation and smiled at her warmly so 
that he might reassure her that he would not run away this time.
	"Could I have this dance?" He asked softly.
	"I don't know, you waited so long to ask me…are you sure you still want to?" 
She said coyly.
	"I'm sure." He grinned, leading her out onto the floor.  Nobyuki gave Tenchi a 
thumb's up sign, as it was just him and his father's new wife who were currently dancing.  
Ryoko leaned her cyan head up against his shoulder.  Tenchi's natural reaction was to 
pull away; however, something had stopped him from doing so this time.  Ryoko gently 
wrapped her arms around his neck.
	"You look so cute in your tuxedo," she whispered into his ear.  Tenchi could feel 
his face becoming hot, but he kept himself under control.  Instead, he held her a little bit 
closer. It was one of those moments where nothing seems to be going right, and then as if 
by magic, the whole world itself seems to turn on a different axis; where the air is 
intoxicating and life swirls by in one big sweep.  The band began to hum to a different 
tune, the instruments flowing together into a familiar aria.  At once, the music caught 
Tenchi's ear not to mention his subconscious mind.
	"When I fall in love…" He sang under his breath.  "It will be forever…" Ryoko's 
head jerked up, she was broken from her spell.  "When I fall in love with you…" She 
sung along with him as the chorus began.  Gazing into each other's eyes, they continued 
to sing with the melody, until every head in the ballroom shot up and entered upon their 
little duet.  The couple did not even begin to realize that they were being watched once 
they started singing, nor did they notice when they stopped.  It was just as though the 
world revolved around them and them only.  Opening his eyes wider than he had ever 
before in his life, Tenchi noticed and realized everything about the woman standing 
before him.  The way her body moved with his as they danced, her long slender frame 
swaying to the rhythm of his steps.  Her golden feral eyes, sparkling radiance, and her 
mouth, the way it curved slightly upward into her crooked sly grin.  The way she 
laughed, it was so full and hearty, not a cackle, but a surfacing of joy and delight. Let him 
not forget that hair.  That voluminous cyan hair, wild and vivid, expressing her whole 
being.  
She may be loud and even rude at times.  She was definitely not the politest 
woman he had met either, or the most affluent.  In fact, she was everything a woman was 
taught not to be.  Ryoko was a space pirate, a demon for God's sake.  She did retain her 
feminine qualities, but her vulgar ways were what made her feminism even brighter than 
that of any woman.  When she blushed, he noticed, or when she was calm and serene, 
when she slept quietly, when she stared off into space deep in thought and even when she 
would nag at him because she was worried.  It made so much sense all of a sudden; 
Tenchi felt he had just explained the last two years to himself all in one moment.  She 
was so alive, so gambol, so…beautiful.  Tenchi truly did not want to let this all go, and 
everything inside told him to make this moment last forever.  
Slowly, Ryoko lifted her dazed head from his shoulder, as if she could feel what 
he was thinking.  Tenchi cupped her cheek in one palm and she let her head rest slightly 
in his hand, as if she were dizzy from the feeling of his touch, trying to soak it all in at 
once.  With much care, he languidly brought her face in towards his.  The instant she 
could taste his lips on hers, Ryoko began to cry.  The ecstasy flowing through their 
bodies from that one kiss might have lasted them a lifetime.  In both their minds, each 
and every sensation was recorded, and neither of them would forget it as long as they 
lived.  
Ryoko felt like she was starting all over again, from the first time he had kissed 
her and the knowing that she had waited so long and finally received her wildest dreams 
and more.  To Tenchi, it was so genuine that he could not even describe the tangibility of 
the situation.  There were so many things going through his mind that he thought an 
electric shock might fuse him away the moment their lips touched. 
There was her sweet breath against his hard breathing, and the smell of her 
hair…like wildflowers in the spring or citrus in the summer; the taste of her, and the 
touch of her warm soft skin.  He enveloped her in every way, and clung so tight for fear 
she might disappear.  Tenchi never wanted to let go.  It was too real, yet in the back of his 
mind, he knew it was all a dream.
When Tenchi finally opened his eyes, he was, for the first time, relieved to see 
cyan hair still dangling in front of his face.  Ryoko moved away from their embrace, her 
cheeks flushed from the emotional and physical excitement.
"Tenchi-," she whispered.  A smile moved across his equally glowing face.  To 
Ryoko's surprise, many of the guests that had been sitting were now dancing, with them 
in the center of the ballroom floor.  
"You two put on quite a show!" Katsuhito interrupted, bringing Mayuka in one 
hand and Lia in the other.  Tenchi blushed at his grandfather's comment.  He had not 
realized any one had been watching.
"Thank you," Ryoko grinned, brushing up against Tenchi's chest.  Same old 
Ryoko.
"It's my turn to dance with daddy now!" Mayuka declared, "You've had too 
much time with him.  I want to be with him now that he's back!" The little girl spread her 
arms out to her father in invitation to dance.
"Now that he's back? Did he go any where?" Ryoko said, puzzled.  Tenchi 
covered her mouth before she could answer.
"She's-just-uh-fooling around," Tenchi answered sheepishly.  "Remember, that's 
just between you and me," He reminded her quietly when Ryoko moved away to waltz 
with Yosho.
"Oh, yeah," she nodded.  Mayuka then reached up and held his hands for support 
while she danced on his toes.  Ryoko had been watching and was quick with her camera 
to snap a shot of the father-daughter dance.  Mayuka gave her mother a big grin and when 
the music ended, she let go of Tenchi and ran to Ryoko to give her a kiss on the cheek.  
"He's all yours, mommy." She smirked innocently.  
"Well!" Ryoko scoffed, watching Mayuka scurry off to dance with Yosho.
"She's quite the little charmer, isn't she?" Tenchi added.  
"She sure is…just like her mother," Ryoko winked demurely.  
"I'll say!" Tenchi laughed, taking her hands in his as they began to romp around 
the dance floor.  

	The whole family had thoroughly enjoyed themselves, staying until the last of the 
guests had left.  Nobyuki and his new wife had taken off in their car for their honeymoon 
long before.  With Ryoko buzzing on champagne, and Mayuka bouncing off the wall 
with caffeine, Tenchi had a bit of trouble getting his intoxicated party into the caravan in 
an effort to get them back to Okayama.  Grandfather was no help either, since he had had 
one too many glasses of Chardonnay.          
	"This was one of the best days of my life!" Ryoko chimed, carrying a piece of 
wedding cake in her hand as they walked up to the door, her arm crooked in Tenchi's.
	"Mine too," he smiled, kissing her on the cheek.
	"Mine too, mine too!" Lia clapped.
	"Mine too!" Mayuka whined.
	"I had a pretty good day as well," Katsuhito added.
	"I'll bet you did, old man," Ryoko teased.
	"I haven't danced in years!" His laugh was a loud and deep.
	"It looks like somebody's gonna need a nice cup of coffee tomorrow," Ryoko said 
of his hangover.
	"You should talk," Katsuhito smiled, disappearing into his room.  Ryoko sighed, 
leaning against the kitchen counter.
	"It's eight o'clock," she mused.
	"Time to put the kids in bed," Tenchi agreed, beginning to scale the stairs, Ryoko 
following him.  When Tenchi turned the knob to the girls' bedroom, he found Mayuka in 
one of her dresses with a sheet over her head, it was evidently being used for a veil, and 
Lia wearing a pair of his work shoes.
	"We're getting married, daddy!" She grinned, since it was obviously her game.
	"I can see that," he chuckled.
	"Well, it's time for bed so you'll have to continue this in the morning," Ryoko 
said to the disappointed child.
	"But we were just about to have our first dance!" Mayuka argued.
	"Nope, it's off to bed for you two munchkins!" Ryoko said, sweeping Mayuka up 
in her arms.
	"Are you going to sing us to sleep tonight?" Mayuka asked childishly.
	"Of course!" Ryoko smiled fondly at her daughter as she tucked her under the 
blanket next to her cooperative sister.  Lia grinned beneath the covers, snuggling against 
her older companion.   Tenchi stepped up beside Ryoko atop the bunk bed ladder as she 
began the melodic verse of Braham's Lullaby, her sweet, yet different song voice filling 
the cool night air.  For once, Tenchi did not scamper out of the room the way he usually 
did, but instead, began to sing along.  He must have learned the words subconsciously 
after listening to Ryoko sing it time and time again.  Never once in his life did he think he 
might actually start singing, more or less be good at it.  His harmonization was perfect 
with Ryoko's melody, accenting the correct tones, and crescendo when necessary.  Their 
third's and fourth's blended matchlessly simple chords to form a lulling duet.  By time 
the last note was dimming, the two small children were fast asleep.  Ryoko gazed 
tenderly at Tenchi through the hazing darkness.  He was brushing a few strands of cobalt 
hair from Lia's tiny face.
	"She's beautiful," he whispered.  Ryoko gently gripped his arm.
	"I know," she said softly, staring down at her Ochokan.  Tenchi turned to her and 
led her from the obscure room, closing the door ever so lightly.  When Tenchi entered 
their room, he started to flick on the light switch.  
"We don't need that," Ryoko grinned deviously, turning the light back off.  
Suddenly, Tenchi felt somewhat nervous.  The only light in the room was that of the 
white moon streaming in through their open window.  This was actually the first time 
Ryoko had really come onto him since he had arrived.  Slowly, she seductively ran her 
long slender hands over his chest, feeling every ripple of his torso through his white polo 
shirt.  When Ryoko reached the collar, she slid the material through her fingers, and back 
down again to the first button.  With much care, she undid the first ivory button, and then 
the next, letting the shirt fall open to reveal his cotton undershirt.  Tenchi stood there 
motionless, unable to move from her taunting grasp.  His mind became fuzzy and he 
could feel the warm pulling in his loins.  This was not the first time he had been intimate 
with a woman…there had been Ayeka but that had been much different.  It was almost a 
bit awkward between them, as if it was an act of duty and not that of love.
Now that he was alone with the demon space pirate, seducing him in the private 
remoteness of their room, he could not pull away.  His only defense was to stand rigid 
and frozen in place, letting the moment run away with all his cares and thoughts.  The 
only thing he could focus on were the emotions inside him, as if her touch were numbing 
his senses.  His breathing became fast and heavy, Ryoko sensed his urgency.  She slid the 
polo shirt over his arms and let it fall on the floor near his feet.  Reaching for his 
undershirt next, Tenchi found her hands and grasped them in his.  He pulled her up close 
to his body and discovered her lips.  Tenchi met her mouth with an impassioned kiss.  He 
let go of her hands and forced her closer, feeling her body for the first time.  Ryoko 
wrapped her arms around his neck as they stumbled back into the bed.
	"I-I love you," he whispered, looking down into her glistening golden eyes.
	"I love you to, my Tenchi," she grinned.  "It's been so long since you've said that 
to me."  Tenchi leaned down and kissed her again, even more fervently than before.
	"I should have said it sooner…a lot sooner."

	Sounds of the night wafted in through the open window of the upstairs bedroom.  
Crickets sang their usual lullaby, easing those that are sleeping, and waking other 
nocturnal creatures to do their nightly biding.  A light breeze flirted with a few strands of 
Ryoko's tousled cyan hair, waving it under Tenchi's nose.  His eyes fluttered open after a 
moment.
	"Ryoko," he muttered hoarsely, "Ryoko," he said again, clearing his throat.
	"Mm," she responded, not moving a muscle, still laying lifelessly against 
Tenchi's perspiring chest.
	"I love you," he said finally.
	"You told me that already, not that I mind."  She giggled quietly.
	"I know, I just wanted to remind you," he said simply.  "Because it's true."
	"I know."  She replied casually.
	"It's just that-you do?"  Ryoko sat up and glared down at him with her 
shimmering feline eyes.
	"Of course I do, silly!" She smiled, her sharp teeth reflecting off the moonlight.  
Usually this would have scared him; worried she might pull some unmoral stunt, but 
instead, he felt a strange fondness for her demon ways.  It was somewhat attractive.  
Reaching up with his hand, Tenchi cupped her smooth cheek in his palm and grinned.  
Ryoko closed her eyes, soaking in his touch as if it meant everything to her.  She felt the 
back of his hand with her fingers, and then turned her head to kiss the inside of his palm.
	"Do you remember the first time we were…together?" Tenchi queried when she 
turned to him.
	"Mm, like it was yesterday," she closed her eyes again, "It was just like tonight."  
Ryoko laid back down against his chest.  Tenchi ran his hands through her hair, feeling 
every individual strand with his fingertips.
	"I really do love you," he whispered.
	"I'm glad to hear that the feeling's mutual," she giggled quietly.  Tenchi smiled, 
letting his eyelids fall, now heavy with sleep.  He could rest easy tonight with the sound 
of his woman breathing softly, and the feel of her bare skin against his own.  There would 
be no more worries for now, just the feeling of love and security. 

	It was no longer unusual to wake up and greet the morning alone.  Ryoko was 
always up before him, ready to prepare breakfast, or busying herself with some 
household chore.  Tenchi dressed himself and hurried down the stairs to meet his family.  
When he arrived in the kitchen, he was surprised to see that the morning had already 
whisked past him and it was now ten o'clock.  I've gotten so used to sleeping in lately, 
Tenchi thought, feeling a bit lazy.  Jiichan would normally have him up and working in 
the carrot fields at the crack of dawn.  Glancing around the empty kitchen, Tenchi 
realized that his family must be outside.  When he stepped out the back door, he saw 
Ryoko turning a spit over the fire.
	"Watcha' doing?" He asked curiously, walking over to his wife.
	"Barbecuing."  She replied cheerfully.  Tenchi sniffed the smoke.
	"Are those ribs?" He said, eyeing the meat, roasting with wild onions and 
scallions.
	"They sure are! Have you forgotten what day it is?" Tenchi looked up, waiting to 
hear what new surprise Ryoko had on the agenda, hopefully it wasn't their anniversary.
	"December twenty-first?" He guessed.
	"Yeah!" She smiled, "It's the last day of November, the leaves are beginning to 
fall, winter is coming."  Tenchi ran it over in his mind.  He had been there for almost two 
months.  Suddenly he felt a knot in his stomach.  Soon, this life that he had come to love 
in the last thirty days was slowly moving to a close.  This dream would be over.  He 
could not think about it, he would not think about.  Tenchi tried to shake the feeling 
away.  
	"Would you get some paper plates from the kitchen, oh, and bring a jug of sake," 
she winked, breaking his train of thought.
	"Uh, sure," he said, turning back towards the house.  He was not going to let this 
life go…not now.  When he returned with the condiments, Mayuka and Lia were waiting 
on the picnic blanket, teasing each other about something childish.  Tenchi smiled 
warmly at the girls.
	"You hungry?" Ryoko asked, walking over with the platters of food.
	"Oh! Oh!" Mayuka said, sitting up on her knees.  Tenchi sat down next to her and 
placed Lia in his lap.  The child clapped her tiny hands in delight.
	"Where is that grandfather of yours?" Ryoko mumbled, placing a hand on her hip.  
Tenchi shrugged, placing a rib on Mayuka's plate.
	"Be careful, that's hot."  He cautioned.  Mayuka just ignored his warning and 
dove into it.  Quickly she dropped the meat on her plate.
	"He told you," Ryoko scolded, and then phased out.
	"Hey-," but she was gone.  "She probably went to go get grandpa," he said to no 
one in particular.  Reaching for a nearby napkin, Tenchi wiped the four-year-olds hands.
	"Eat it more slow.  You're turning out like your mother more and more 
everyday!" Tenchi laughed.
	"Good!" Mayuka smiled, teriyaki all over her lips.  Ryoko phased back with 
Katsuhito.  Rubbing his hands eagerly, Katsuhito sat down cross-legged on the blanket 
with plate in hand.
	"I've smelled this cooking all morning."  He said, grabbing some vegetables and a 
few ribs.
	"You've turned into quite a glutton, old man," Ryoko remarked.
	"Ah, you should talk, woman!" Katsuhito chuckled.
	"I resent that!" Ryoko said, biting into the meat.
	"You should take it as a compliment," Tenchi smirked.
	"Don't you start, you know you'll be sorry!" Ryoko eyed Tenchi sternly.  Tenchi 
laughed.
	"Or what?" He grinned mischievously. 
	"We haven't trained in a long while, and you know I can still whip your ass!" 
Ryoko said confidently.
	"You really think so?"
	"I know so," Katsuhito interjected.
	"Yeah right," Tenchi turned away, still smiling as he picked up an onion slice 
with his chopsticks.  "Where's the rice?" He asked, changing the subject and trying to 
sound annoyed.
	"Right in front of your face," Ryoko replied, not looking up from her plate.  
Tenchi reached for the bowl of brown rice and scooped some up onto his plate.  Mayuka 
held her little dish out to him.  Tenchi placed a small portion on the corner.  Mayuka 
smiled, evidently satisfied.
	"Thank you daddy," she said in her politest voice.
	"You're welcome," Tenchi grinned.  The air was light and playful on that crisp 
December day.  Everyone had dressed warmly in anticipation of the changing weather.  
Although winter was coming, the picnic felt, in some familiar way, like a summer 
barbecue.  When Mayuka had finished picking through the remains of her meal, she 
reached for her pink butterfly kite and grabbed her little sister's hand.  
	"We're going to fly the kite, want to come grandpa?"  Mayuka offered.
	"I think I will enjoy it more to watch," he refused, sitting back as he sipped his 
sake.  "Why don't you go help the girls, Tenchi?" He suggested, eyeing his grandson.
	"Sure," Tenchi replied as he brushed himself off and stood up.
	"Mommy, you come too?" Lia asked, needing someone to carry her in case she 
got tired.
	"Of course," Ryoko said, ready to pick Lia up and take her to her destination.
	"Not now," Lia squirmed away from her mother's grasp, scampering off to her 
sister.
	"Oh, okay, princess, just tell me when!" Ryoko called sarcastically to her.  She 
took Tenchi's hand.  He looked down and smiled back up at her.  "Come on."  Tenchi 
nodded.  They walked in silence out to the shimmering meadow where their daughters 
were impatiently waiting.  Ryoko pulled a few cyan hairs away from her face when the 
crisp breeze began to pick up to a chill wind.
	"Oh-it's getting cold," she shivered in delight.  "I can't wait for the snow! 
Christmas is going to be so fun this year!" Tenchi nodded, although he was not quite sure 
he'd be here long enough for Christmas.  Lia diverted his attention by handing the kite 
string to him.  He was obviously supposed to know what she wanted.  Instead, he gave it 
to Mayuka to run with, to Lia's dismay.  
	"I have an idea," he said, hoping to cover his bad-non-existent memory.  Tenchi 
picked Lia up and placed on top of his shoulders, following after Mayuka who had 
already started running through the meadow.  Lia giggled with sheer rapture as she 
bounced along on Tenchi's shoulders.
	"Hey, I can't see!" He laughed when she covered his eyes, trying to hold on. 
Mayuka had some how managed to get the kite in the sky and it was apparent that she 
was proud of her self from the confident smile she wore on her childish face.
	"Look daddy!" Mayuka said, holding the reel in both hands.
	"Good job," Tenchi congratulated.  Lia clapped her hands in excitement from 
behind Tenchi's head.  
	"Oh, Mayuka, you are the best kite-flyer the universe has ever seen!" Ryoko 
exclaimed, finally catching up to them.
	"I know," Mayuka answered proudly. 
	"I want to fly, I want to fly!" Lia sniveled, holding her tiny hands out.
	"Why don't you give your sister a turn," Tenchi contemplated.
	"Okay," Mayuka agreed, handing the plastic yellow reel to her father, who in turn 
gave it to Lia.
	"Hold on to it tight!" He ordered.  Lia giggled delightfully, gripping the 
contraption in her small hands.  Keeping her balanced on his shoulders with one hand, he 
glanced up at the sun, shielding his eyes with the other.  The rose-colored kite swayed 
about, dancing before the clouds, twinkling down translucent pink rays, as it's shadow.  It 
reminded Tenchi of a dream, and then he remembered that he was already in one.  Lia, 
restless as she was, moved about, ready to climb back down to the solid earth.  Tenchi 
scooped her from his shoulders and gently placed her down beside her sister.  He stepped 
back to bask in the girls' enjoyment.  Ryoko walked up next to him and leaned on his 
shoulder.  Tenchi turned to her and kissed her head.  Everything was perfect now, but he 
knew that in time it would all come to an end.

	Later that evening, after the dishes had been cleared away and the kitchen 
cleaned, Tenchi waited by the stairs for his wife.  They had planned to go to the carnival 
that came into town only twice in the year.  Ryoko hurried down the stairs, and kissed 
him on the cheek for being so patient.
	"Sorry," She said, smiling her pirate-like smile.
	"You're bad," he grinned.
	"Come on now, let's get a move on before the rides start filling up!" She said, 
grabbing his hand.
	"Everyone's waiting for you in the car."  He replied monotonously.
	"Opps," she giggled.  
	The carnival was on the outskirts of Okayama in a vacant field adjacent to a 
quaint market.  Many families had already gathered for the event and Tenchi huffed his 
discouragement when they stood at the end of the line.
	"Impatience is not good for the soul," Katsuhito explained.
	"Grandpa," Tenchi groaned, hoping he was not about to start lecturing.
	"The old man's right," Ryoko agreed.  Katsuhito and her exchanged triumphant 
glances.
	"You two are quite a pair tonight," Tenchi said.
	"We always are, are we not, Yosho?" She gibed.
	"That we are," Katsuhito agreed.
	"Daddy I want a balloon!" Mayuka exclaimed, staring wide-eyed at the entrance 
gates.
	"Me too!" Lia said as always.
	"Okay," Tenchi watched the funny character with a giant panda head deliver a red 
balloon to a small child in a polka-dot dress.  
	"Ticket, please," Said a young brunette at the gate.
	"Oh, yes." He turned his attention to the ticket-taker, "Here you go, this is for all 
of us."  He said, waving to his whole family.
	"What cute daughters you have," she replied, smiling warmly at Lia who was 
sucking her thumb in Tenchi's arms.
	"Thank you," he said, moving through the gates.
	"Don't put that in your mouth," Ryoko scolded Lia of her habit, "That's dirty!" 
Lia frowned.  Ryoko's reprimand was cut short the minute Mayuka entered the gates.  
She was so full of excitement that the moment the stepped inside she began to run from 
the group.  "Mayuka!" She called after the girl.  Any other time she would have just 
phased or flown after her, but Tenchi liked it better when she acted "normal" in pubic.  
Ryoko caught up to her and grabbed her hand.
	"Mommy, mommy, I want to go on the carousel!" She squealed, pointing at the 
revolving pedestal, it's figures glistening in the setting sun.
	"Alright, we can, just wait for everyone else to catch up," she sighed.  The 
moment Tenchi and the rest walked up, Mayuka scrambled onto the platform, waiting for 
Ryoko to lift her up onto an ivory unicorn decorated with a colorful saddle.
	"Mommy, will you ride with me?" She asked innocently.
	"Sure I will," Ryoko answered, climbing up behind her on the saddle.  Tenchi 
moved onto the adjacent yellow mare with Lia in his arms.  Katsuhito rode in the bench 
behind them.  "Why don't you get up here and ride like a man!" Ryoko demanded.
	"All that moving up and down makes me sick," he complained, with the usual 
twinkle of laughter in his wrinkled eyes.
	"This from the man that entombed me for seven-hundred years!" Ryoko 
chuckled; Katsuhito had to smile at that too.  The ride began to start up in it's usual 
rotation, the figures with their passengers, sliding to the rhythm of a cheerful old song.
	"Whee!" Mayuka burst out, holding tightly to the copper pole.  Ryoko closed her 
eyes and relaxed, letting the gentle rocking sooth her from the day's aggravations.  
Tenchi glanced over at his wife.  She looked so picturesque just sitting there like that in a 
state of serenity.  Her long spiky lashes lying against her pink cheeks and her cyan hair 
twisting in curls, bouncing along in the wind.  Suddenly she looked over at him with her 
gleaming feral eyes.  She cocked her eyebrow.  Tenchi smiled warmly at her and she in 
return.  Ryoko reached out to him as they sprung up and down.  Tenchi tried to touch her 
fingers but it was difficult with the ride moving them in opposite syncopation.  Mayuka 
and Lia giggled at their parents, who were laughing as well.  Finally, after missing each 
other time and time again, they grabbed on to one another, holding hands for a moment.  
Tenchi felt her fingers, still clutching on to her while bobbing up and down.  They 
somehow managed to stay that way until the ride ended.    Katsuhito watched the whole 
episode from his position behind them on the wooden bench.
	
"So what do you guys want to do next?" Tenchi asked, looking at Ryoko.
	"Oh, I don't know," she sighed.
	"Daddy, I want that panda bear!" She said, pointing at the cork-shooting range.
	"Well, you have to win it," he observed, "but I guess I could try!" Mayuka 
cheered in satisfaction.  Tenchi walked over to the stand and paid a rather large, over-
weight man ten yen.
	"You have to hit all of them to get a prize, and you can only miss one to get 
another try," he instructed Tenchi.
	"Sounds easy enough," he said, as he pointed the wooden-gun towards the first 
small doll.  He hit the first one easily, but could not manage to shot the last two down.
	"Oh, no!" Lia exclaimed at her father's chagrin.
	"Here, let me try," Ryoko said, taking the gun from Tenchi's hand.  She paid the 
man another ten-yen and aimed at the first target.  "Alright panda, you're going down!" 
She growled.  Pop-pop-pop! Went the cork-gun, as Ryoko shot every single doll off the 
platform with grace.
	"Nice job, lady!" Congratulated the man of Ryoko's shooting ability.
	"Thanks, here's your panda, honey," Ryoko smiled, handing the stuffed toy down 
to her lavender-headed daughter.
	"You were great, mommy!" Mayuka said, wrapping her little arms around 
Ryoko's thighs.  Ryoko patted her small purple head.
	"It was nothing," Ryoko said, looking over at Tenchi who was thoroughly 
depleted of his manliness.
	"Ah, Tenchi, looks like your woman's a better shot than you!" Katsuhito laughed.
	"Why don't we do something else now," he suggested, "like the Ferris-wheel 
maybe?"
	"Whatever you want, my Tenchi," she purred, circling his chest with her index 
finger.  
	"Well, now's a good time because the fireworks are about to start," he said, 
checking his watch which now read eight o'clock.  The family walked up to the entrance 
of the Ferris wheel gate and handed a bald-headed man their tickets.  He opened the 
metal door and they moved onto the platform, squeezing into one of the yellow 
compartments of the ride.  Mayuka, her panda, and Katsuhito sat across from Ryoko and 
Tenchi, who had Lia on his lap.  Mayuka leaned over next to the rail to gaze down at the 
ground below which was beginning to grow smaller and smaller.  Katsuhito closed his 
eyes, finding this a good time to finally relax.  Lia leaned her head against her father's 
chest in an attempt to catch a secret nap, for she was not ready to depart for home quite 
yet.
	Tenchi watched Ryoko stare into the fresh obscure sky, as the stars began to come 
out behind their hiding place under the raven blanket.
	"Not a cloud in sight," she whispered dreamily.  Silently, Tenchi let his fingers 
crawl over Ryoko's hand, and squeezed it gently.  She looked over at him and smiled 
fondly.  That kind-hearted smile was one that was different than any other.  He had only 
known it when she was pleased with him.  Although she did it often, he knew she had not 
given it to him so freely in the past.  The past.  That was the only thing that was really 
real.  This moment he was currently living in was fake.  It was just a dream, possibly a 
concoction set up by Washu.  But some how he wished he could stay here in this time 
and place, living by the second and not the hour.  Living for something, for himself, for 
Ryoko, for his family.  It's too late now, he thought.  Even when I do go back, I'll never 
see Ryoko again, and if I do she'll hate me.  What do I have to offer her? Unexpectedly, 
Tenchi felt a familiar set of soft lips contact his check.  He looked over at the cyan-haired 
space pirate, the demon who had stolen his heart.  Her grin was cocked in it's usual 
crooked smirk, when she had something up her sleeve as she always did.
	"I love you, my Tenchi," she whispered softly into his ear.  Was this the first time 
she had actually said that to him the whole time he had been here? Tenchi could not 
recall.  He was so taken in by her forwardness that he turned to her and kissed her.
	"It's been a long time since I've heard those words," he said finally.
	"Yeah well, I still have to play a little hard to get from time to time," she smiled 
slyly.
	"Not with me, you don't," he said, as he kissed her again, closing his eyes.  
Behind them, bursts of yellow, red, and green began to fill the night sky, with the sounds 
of fire and thunder.  Lia awoke from the abruptness of the noise and rubbed her eyes.
	"Look, Lia! The fireworks!" Mayuka exclaimed, Katsuhito was moved from his 
catnap, and looked over into the blazing sky.
	"Ah, the fireworks have started," he mumbled.  Lia hopped down and exchanged 
laps, snuggling against her great-grandfather's chest, hoping to get a better view.  Tenchi 
leaned against the pole and watched the magnificent display of colorful rockets.  Ryoko 
rubbed up against him, putting her hands on his shoulders.
	"It's very beautiful," she said quietly.
	"Just like you," he replied, still watching the action.  Ryoko giggled.
	"Tenchi," she said, waiting to catch his attention.
	"Hmm," he turned his head slightly towards her.  She wrapped her arms around 
his neck.
	"There's something I want to tell you," she said coyly.
	"Huh," his eyes were still fixed on the kaleidoscope of brilliance.
	"What would you say if I told you…" she trailed off.
	"What?" He turned to face her, his attention caught.
	"That I was…"
	"What?" His eyes widened.
	"Pregnant?" It was more of an answer than a question.  The sound of it hit him all 
at once.  More than anything in the world, he wanted her to have a baby, but the fact that 
it was not real, and that he probably would not be there for it struck him as depressing, 
more sorrowful than he could admit.
	"Tenchi?" She was beginning to worry when he did not answer, but rather stared 
off into deep space with the look of grief on his face.
	"Ryoko," he replied hoarsely, now locking his eyes with his.  "I wish…" Tenchi 
gulped, trying to speak, "I wish…" It was as if his throat had been tied into knots and his 
heart was being squeezed in a vice.
	"Do you-do you not want to have this baby?" She quavered, on the verge of tears.  
Tenchi's eyes were the first to fill.
	"Ryoko, I love you so much," he cried, finally, "I want you to have my baby, our 
baby…" the rest of his sentence was completed in thought.
	"Oh, Tenchi!" She was no longer unsure of his reaction.  Tenchi cupped her face 
in his hands, and brought her lips towards his.  At last, a teardrop drizzled down his cheek 
as their mouths touched in ecstasy.  Tenchi was so overwhelmed by this new information 
that he felt as if his heart might explode.  His joy swept over him like the foaming waves 
of the ocean, but his everlasting anguish tore through the dream ending his excitement 
and placing him back in reality.  Soon enough, he would have to leave this place, this 
picture, this figment of his mind…perhaps his imagination.  Never again would he return 
because he was stuck in another world, another dimension of life.  It was like he had been 
blinded his whole life and for one short day he had been given the chance to see.  Once 
he had had this taste of real life he did not want to let it go no matter what.  His thoughts 
were abruptly ended by the jerk in the ride as it swung to a stop over the platform where 
the same bald-headed man was waiting.  The carnie sauntered over and pulled the small 
metal door open.  Taking Ryoko's hand first, he helped her down from the yellow 
carriage, trying to be as indiscreetly polite as possible.  Tenchi noticed the obviousness of 
the man's attraction for his wife and felt himself becoming jealous, a feeling unfamiliar 
to him.  
	"I think they have had enough," Katsuhito interposed, "And I am not only 
speaking for the girls here." He smiled, Tenchi nodded.
	"Yep, it's pretty late for them."  He agreed, turning his direction to the parking 
lot.  Tenchi gave one last admiring look at the brightly-lit sky.  He would remember this 
night for the rest of his life.  Whether it be a reverie or not.

	It was almost ten o'clock when Tenchi and his family arrived back at the little 
country home in Okayama.  The crickets that usually hummed their summery tune were 
silenced that night by a chill wind sweeping through the crisp winter air.  Katsuhito bid 
them good night, unobtrusively watching, as Tenchi and Ryoko carried their two girls up 
to their room.  Tenchi helped both Lia and Mayuka undress as Ryoko prepared the top 
bunk that they shared.  The two children slowly climbed the ladder and into the bed, 
snuggling against one another and glad to be home.  Tenchi was about to shut their door 
completely when he heard a tiny voice call to him.
	"Daddy no sing to us tonight?" little Lia asked innocently.  Tenchi looked to 
Ryoko who shrugged in return.
	"Sure, I guess we could."  He responded, creeping back into the room.  Peering 
over the miniature bed, he reached down with his left hand and stroked the small girl's 
cheek.  Her light cyan hair was baby soft.  She closed her eyes at her father's touch as he 
began the first line of Braham's Lullaby.  Ryoko joined in on the second line, in perfect 
harmony.  Singing softly, their voices drifting together, in and out of melody until finally, 
dimming into a quiet piano, letting the notes sink in until there was no sound except for 
the gentle breathing of the two children in the caliginous room.  Automatically, Tenchi 
clasped Ryoko's hand in his and led her from the silent chamber to their  dark hideaway.  
	Immediately, Ryoko threw off her blouse and wrapped her long slender arms 
around his neck.  Tenchi reached for her hands and pulled them slowly away.
	"I want this to last…" forever, he thought.
	"Tenchi," Ryoko smiled through the darkness, her sharp teeth shining in 
playfulness.
	"Ryoko," he began, not quite sure how to make what he was about to say come 
out right, "I want you to…remember me." He said finally.
	"Remember you?" She was confused, and dropped her hands from his grasp.  
"Are you going somewhere?"
	"No, well," that was not really the truth, but if he were to explain himself it would 
never make any sense.  Tenchi took her hands again and kissed the tips of her fingers.
	"I just don't want you to forget what this feels like, this life, this feeling…okay?" 
He asked, hoping she would somehow understand.
	"Okay."  She answered, closing her eyes, feeling his lips on her hands.
	Ryoko let him take over her body, her soul, as she always did.  Never once had 
she been in control, not even when she first met him, or especially when she first realized 
that she loved him.  He was the perfect stone in her jaded existence.  Tenchi felt her 
acceptance and realized that she was the same person now that she had been several years 
before.  The only difference was in her open happiness.  No longer did she have to 
struggle with his jilting of her, or her competition with Ayeka and every other girl for his 
love.  She was free to love him, and finally able to feel his love in return.  It was a 
wonderful thing, this moment; Tenchi wondered how he had ever missed this magnificent 
opportunity in the past.  Why had he altered his path so far away from this life? Why had 
he been given the chance now to feel real love? 
	
Tenchi laid restless over Ryoko, soaking in the warmth of her flesh.  Gently, he 
moved up so that he could face her.  She blinked, opening her eyes slowly, like an 
animal, seeing the spring for the first time after a long winter.  Her golden feral eyes were 
gleaming, glistening with beatitude and satisfaction.
	"I love you, my Tenchi," she whispered, as he fell down beside her.
	"I love you, my space pirate, Ryoko," he smiled in return.  Tenchi reached up and 
brushed a strand of loose hair from her forehead.  Ryoko took his hand and kissed his 
fingers, closing her eyes, she then glanced back up again, and placed his hand upon her 
still flat stomach.  Tenchi's eyes stared back at hers.  
	"I hope it's a boy," she said, "That would make everything perfect."  Tenchi laid 
silent for a moment, and then moved in closer to her.
	"Everything is perfect," he said softly… "Almost."
      
	In the illuminate cerulean sky, lined with its usual array of white cotton clouds, a 
glistening golden sun beat down upon the glittering waters of an elaborate fountain.  
Healthy vegetation grew numerously around the small courtyard in a bustle of leaves and 
vines that seemed to stretch on forever.  The place was almost unfamiliar to Tenchi when 
he blinked his eyes, adjusting them to the sun's powerful rays.  Although he may have 
never left this place, he felt like he had been away for years and years.
	The young man sat in bewilderment for a moment, hoping that suddenly this 
foreign place would some how disappear and he would be back in his old home in 
Okayama; reality ceased to exist.  This was where he was in his real life and he knew 
nothing could change that.  Tenchi was still not ready to come to grips with his current 
physical existence, he was still holding on to the dream, the vision of another life he 
knew he could not have.  He lay silently against the stone fountain, unmoving, listening 
to the water drop down into the cool light-blue pool.  In some ways, it was soothing; 
maybe he would fall back asleep and wake up again next to Ryoko.
	"There you are Tenchi, I've been looking all over for you," a dreaded voice called 
from behind.  He realized there was no escaping this nightmare of his life.  "What 
happened to you?" Tenchi let out a long exasperated sigh.
	"Um," was all he could muster.
	"It's already one o'clock," a haughty Katei continued.
	"That beautiful dream, that life only lasted an hour?" Tenchi said aloud, ignoring 
Katei's badgering.
	"Are you alright, Tenchi-san?" Katei asked, kneeling down next to him.
	"No," Tenchi whispered bluntly, facing Katei, "Do you know where Washu is?" 
He inquired suddenly with an obviously fevered interest.
	"Well, I think she's giving a lecture on nuclear space warfare in the G wing but-," 
	"Thanks," Tenchi turned quickly and hoped to his feet, leaving Katei in a state of 
stupefaction.
	"Where are you going?" He called to him sharply.
	"Home!" Tenchi said, never giving Katei another glance.

With all one's might, Tenchi ran down one of the many halls of the Juria Space 
Academy.  Shoving people mindlessly out of his way, he let his eyes focus on the 
emblems in front of the door.  
"Gotta find Washu, gotta find the G wing," He repeated under his breath, 
savagely moving through the building.  Suddenly he stopped in excitement when he 
caught sight of what he had been looking for.  Without thinking, he pushed the giant 
doors open and stepped into the room.  Everything was dim with exception to Washu 
under the spotlight behind her little wooden podium.  In the background, there was a 
giant video-chart that she was pointing to with a thin stick, obviously explaining the plans 
of her next scientific discovery.  The moment she saw Tenchi, she stopped, frozen in 
place, and glared at Tenchi who was still standing in front of the door.
"Why don't you have a seat, young man."  She said in her casually nasal tone, 
peering down at him over her square frames.  Washu's fiery red-hair was done up over 
her head in her usually wild fashion.  Her bright green eyes flickered with mischief, as 
she turned and continued on in her lecture.  Tenchi took a seat next to a white-haired 
man, very much older than he, who appeared to be very involved with Washu's 
demonstration of scientific violence.  There was no use in arguing with her now; she 
would never stand for it.  He would wait until she was finished to ask his favor of her.
Her droll commentary on something Tenchi could not and would not ever 
understand drug on for a good thirty minutes.  When Washu finally ended her project, 
Tenchi was the first to rise and clap.  Hurriedly he stumbled over to her, thankful to 
finally be able to speak.
"Washu, do you think we could talk, I'm sure you know what I want," he said 
quickly.
"Why don't we talk in my lab."  She said conspicuously.
"Sure! Anything you want!" He replied, as if he could not contain his tumult.  
Washu nodded and led him back down the hall to her dark lab.  Secretively, she let the 
metal door slid shut, and then turned to face Tenchi in response to his impatience.
"Alright, what do you want?"  She eyed him, crossing her arms.
"Please send me back, Washu, I want to go back!" He pleaded like a small child.
"What are you talking about?" She said, as if she had nothing to do with it.
"What-what am I talking about?!" His impatience was growing, along with his 
agitation.  "You know! My life, with Ryoko!"  Washu was silent for a while, watching 
him, studying him like one of her lab experiments like she used to in the old days.  She 
scratched her chin in all thoughtfulness and spoke. 
"You can't go back there Tenchi."  She said solemnly.  "I'm sorry."
"You-you can't do this!" He cried, "How could you? I might have learned to be 
happy here-no-I was happy there-I-," Tenchi suddenly felt defeated by his own words.  
There were so many emotions that he needed to sort out.  So many thoughts that he 
needed to think through.
"What do you want Tenchi?" She asked firmly.
"I don't know."  He replied honestly, staring down at the floor.
"Then how can you come here wanting me to solve your problems."  Tenchi 
looked up at her, disturbed.
"How can you say that, Washu? I didn't have any problems until you started 
using me as another one of your experiments!" He growled.
"Oh really?" A small smile appeared on her cynical face.
"You can't do this to people," he muttered, finally exasperated.
"All I did was give you a chance to see your life in another perspective.  You 
never knew what you wanted when you were a boy, and even after all this you still don't 
know what you want now."  She said.
"No, that's not true.  I know what I want now."  He stared at her, and he knew she 
understood.
"All I can give you is another chance," she sighed, "A chance to start over."
"What do you mean?"
"You'll get to choose what you want, and it's the last time you'll ever get to make 
that choice.  It will be real, I assure you that, but it is your last shot at happiness."
"What do I have to do?" He knew there was some kind of catch whenever he dealt 
with Washu.
"Just trust me," she said, Tenchi cocked an eyebrow.  "It's up to you."
"I'll do it," he said sharply.  Washu nodded.  Silently, she led him over to one of 
the many dark corners of her lab and opened a metal cylinder, she motioned for him to 
get in.  Tenchi hesitated for a moment, and then stepped inside.
"This is an old-fashioned machine," she cackled, patting the compartment, "but it 
works." She said as she shut the door.  Tenchi waited inside the cramped space for only a 
moment when he felt the machine rumble to life.  There was only a white flash before he 
realized there was no turning back now.

It had been in the autumn when Ayeka Juria finally decided to go back to her 
home planet.  Just when the leaves were starting to turn, and the air was becoming a bit 
more brisk. The duties of the first crown princess had not been easy on her, especially 
since it had forced her to make the decision to leave Earth and the man she loved.  It was 
the last day she had at trying to persuade Tenchi-sama into going back to Juria with her to 
rule.  There would be no skirting out of this, she knew she had to leave, if only he would 
agree to go with her.  If he decided for it, that would finally seal the knot she needed to 
win his love.  That demon space-pirate would be out of the running, there would be no 
way she could compete with her there, more or less follow them to Juria.  In a way, she 
would feel sorry for her.  If he decided against it, she would know exactly how Ryoko 
might have felt.
Tenchi found himself standing before Ayeka underneath Funaho's tree with her 
hands in his.  He was staring at a disgruntled Ryoko who had been watching them, 
evidently for some time now.  It was as if he had literally been miles away, spent an 
eternity, a lifetime dreaming about another world in one second and then it was over, and 
he was back in the same place, staring at Ryoko's eyes.  Reading Tenchi's facial 
expressions, she had some how got the impression that it was over.  This scene was very 
familiar to Tenchi, it was one that he would never forget.  The moment before she 
disappeared, he noticed her mouth, and her gleaming golden eyes, along with her tear-
streaked face.  He remembered feeling her heart twisting inside her chest.  The knowing 
that his decision was one not to play around with.  It was de-JA-vu to him.  And then it 
hit him.  All his memories flooded back into his brain.  Suddenly he realized where he 
was, what he was doing…what was going on.  The events seemed to unfold slowly in his 
mind.
"You will come back with me to Juria, Tenchi-sama," Ayeka whispered, as 
another tear rolled down her cheek.  Tenchi looked up at her in surprise, taking in her 
words.  In a parallel universe, he had told her no and in his real life he had told her yes.  
There was a time when she had smacked him hard against his face.  She was so angry 
because he had told her no, married Ryoko in the end, and then had the nerve to go visit 
her.  There was a time in his real life, watching…letting Ryoko leave, vanish right out of 
his life without him saying so much as a goodbye.  It all made sense.  Washu had given 
him another chance to make things right.  He did not know anything before this moment, 
or how he had had the chance to see his life take path from two different choices.  All he 
knew was now, what was happening right before his eyes.  
"No," he said finally.  Ayeka felt as if she had just gotten the wind knocked out of 
her.  This is not the answer she had wanted or expected.
"But-but, Tenchi-sama you know I cannot rule alone! What will I do?" She cried.
"Ayeka," he began, lifting her chin up, "All my life, I have done what's right, I 
have tried to help others and put them before me.  I have to be honest with you.  I am a 
country farm boy from Okayama.  My home is here on Earth."
"Tenchi, you are the last decent from the Jurian royal family besides Yosho, and 
you know that he cannot rule…" Tenchi shook his head.
"I can only tell you this."   He stared into her watering pink eyes; she was hanging 
on to every bit of hope that she had in her.  "You are strong.  There is still so much more 
about yourself that you do not know.  The longer you stay here and wait around 
for…well, me, you will never come to understand your strength.  I will tell you right 
now…I could never be happy in Juria, more or less being the emperor for that matter."  
Ayeka let her hands drop down to her side as she gazed at the ground.  Tenchi spotted a 
small tear crawling down her pale face and watched it drop delicately to the hard ground.
"I understand now, Tenchi-sama."  She said softly, looking back up at him, "If 
those are your wishes.  I would not want you to be unhappy."  Tenchi cracked her a small 
smile.
"Thank you, Ayeka."  He said.
"Just one thing," Ayeka started.  Tenchi stood straight, ready for anything she 
might ask.  "If you don't mind?"
"Anything," he permitted.
"What will you do with your life?" She queried earnestly.  Tenchi cocked his 
head and thought about it.  He glanced down at his hands, studying his palms and fingers.  
It was apparent that he was just a boy again, but a man at heart.
"Wherever my choices may take me."  He replied, grinning innocently again.
"I bid you farewell," she said, trying hard to smile.  Tenchi took her hands in his 
and pulled her close to him.  He let his lips touch her wet cheek.
"No matter what, I want us to stay friends.  Promise?"  Ayeka was thrown back 
momentarily by his gesture.
"Of course," she said, now grinning warmly.  "Will you see me off?" Tenchi 
nodded his reply.  He held her hand, walking her to her ship where Sasami was waiting 
with Mihoshi and Kione.
"Have you decided to go to Juria?" Mihoshi asked curiously.
"No," Tenchi shook his head.  "Earth is my home.  This is where I belong."  
Ayeka smiled, letting go of his hand.
"We have been ordered to escort them back to Juria in Nagami."  Kione said.  She 
stepped up and gave Tenchi a hug, and Mihoshi did the same.  "We're gonna miss this 
place."  She frowned, Mihoshi was already crying hysterically.
"It's going to be awfully quiet around here without you guys," Tenchi said, giving 
them both one last hug.  Chan
"Are you sure you don't want to come back with us, Tenchi-Chan?" Sasami 
asked, tears flooding her bright pink eyes.  Tenchi knelt down and hugged her.
"You know how much I love the Earth.  But we will see each other again."  He 
said reassuringly.  Sasami sniffed, wiping her eyes.
"Can I come visit you some time? Maybe in the summer?"
"Sure!" Tenchi grinned, "You and Ayeka both.  Kione and Mihoshi can even 
come too."  He said.  Sasami nodded, and then turned to follow Kione and Mihoshi, 
waving back at Tenchi as they stepped onto Nagami.  
"Well, I guess this really is the end of my vacation."  Ayeka sighed, bowing her 
head.  "I'm going to miss all of our memories.  I guess life was bound to change 
sometime." 
"That's the way it goes," Tenchi agreed.
"I'm going to miss you!" She said, wrapping her arms around him, something she 
never did.  Tenchi faltered for a moment, and then returned the embrace.
"I'm going to miss you too."  He said.  Ayeka stepped away from him, letting go 
for the last time.
"Please don't forget me," she whispered, turning towards the ship.  "I'll never 
forget you."

Tenchi watched the giant red mass of Nagami rise up over the lake and into the 
cloudless sky until it was just a spec in the atmosphere.  He sat there on the edge of the 
dock for a good long while, staring down into the crystal waters of the lake reflecting the 
sun.  Slowly, Tenchi walked back to the quiet house.
Tenchi climbed the wooden steps up to the attic where he knew a certain someone 
was waiting.  Gradually he twisted the knob on the door, feeling the memory of this 
moment in the back of his mind.  When he opened the door, he found the space pirate 
throwing memorabilia into a handcrafted knapsack.
"Ryoko I-,"
	"I know you're leaving, Tenchi," she cut him off; her voice was low and unstable.  
	"I'm not going to Juria."  Ryoko stared at him for a long time, still clutching the 
bag in her trembling hands.
	"You're-you're not going…to Juria?" She asked in uncertainty.  Tenchi nodded in 
acquiescence.  "You're staying here on Earth?"  She was still unsure that she had heard 
him right.
	"I'm not going," he declared, "I'm staying here on Earth."
	"Oh, Tenchi," she whimpered, trying to hold back her tears.  Without warning, 
she teleported over to him as quickly as she could and wrapped her skinny arms around 
him.  He almost lost his footing, and was somewhat surprised by her, but decided to go 
with the moment, and placed his hands on her waist.
	"Now I'm going to need your help, you know, with Washu at the Academy, and 
Kione and Mihoshi with Ayeka and Sasami," he began, "There's house work and chores, 
and of course Mayuka needs taking care of."  Ryoko stepped away from him and slid her 
hand over her watering feral eyes.
	"I guess I won't be needing this," she sniffed halfheartedly, dropping the 
knapsack on her bed.  Tenchi laughed.
	"I guess not."
	"Why don't we go out to the dock and get some fresh air?" He suggested, taking 
her hand.  Blushing, Ryoko looked down at his gesture in astonishment, and then back up 
at him.  Instantly her lips curved upward, flashing him her feline set of cuspids. 
	"Okay," she agreed coyly.

	Blazing behind the mountains of Okayama, the sun had set the sky afire, painting 
the evening in warm colors.  The sunset matched perfectly with the surrounding 
atmosphere, as it was autumn, and the leaves had changed into their suits of auburn and 
tawny.  Reflecting the blanketed sky, the lake was a shimmering vermilion, silent and 
dormant underneath the burning clouds.  Ryoko let her feet dangle over the water, her 
toes barely touching the surface every now and then.  The two sat in silence for a long 
while, just looking out over the exquisite vista of Tenchi's homeland.  A jovial breeze 
caught a few of Ryoko's cyan tresses, tossing them around her face, and back again.  
Gently she reached up and pulled them behind her ear, closing her eyes for a moment, 
and opening them once more to make sure she was not dreaming.  A lot had changed in 
the last twelve hours, and neither of them was really sure how to react to it.  Although 
both of them had said nothing, there was an unspoken realization that their lives were 
about to change for better or for worse.
	Tenchi sat back on his hands, admiring the scene of life before him.  All of this 
seemed strangely familiar to him, as if he had been there in a dream.  Then again, he felt 
as if he had lived the day in a previous life but it had turned out differently.  There were 
two separate worlds colliding in his mind like a jigsaw puzzle, but there was no way that 
he could piece them together to make any sense.
	"Time flies by so quickly, right before our eyes."  He said finally, after what 
seemed like an eternity of silence. 
	"Yeah," Ryoko mused quietly, leaning back on her forearms.
	"It was only yesterday that we were all living in the house.  It was just one big 
free-for-all."  Ryoko giggled.
	"We did have some fun, didn't we."  She smiled fondly, still watching the sun 
bank in the West.
	"I'm gonna miss everyone."  He said softly.  Ryoko turned to him.
	"Me too," she said, looking down for a moment.  "Tenchi," she said at length, "I 
think that things happen for a reason, even though we don't know what that reason is yet, 
I think that there was a purpose for Azusa's death."  Tenchi let her words sink in.  He 
stared up at the dimming twilight, wondering about the future, about what Ryoko had 
said.  Gradually, he laid down against the wooden planks of the dock and listened 
noiselessly to the wind whispering through the forest.  The golden leaves brushed against 
each other in a lulling rhythm, generated by the evening breeze.  There was no other 
place like this on Earth, no other home that could ever appear so warm and welcoming.  
No other sanctuary to be alone, no other as comforting and peaceful.  Nothing in all his 
years would replace this moment in time; others would come close, but would never quite 
touch the essence of his being.  For some reason, he felt a calming presence in his soul 
despite the events that took place earlier in the day.
	"Tenchi," Ryoko whispered, as not to disturb him deep in thought, "What are you 
thinking about?" Tenchi continued to gaze longingly up into space, and then he turned to 
her, moving up to rest his head on one elbow.
	"That I made the right choice, Ryoko.  That I made the right choice."