UPDATE NOTES : Fixed some language probs... that's about it ^^;;.

DEDICATION (25/09/2000)

For Davner

I didn't think I'd lose anything when I went IRCing, but I did.
... Gomen.

Sincerely, Zyraen

Disclaimer :
Most characters in this story are property of AIC and Pioneer.
They are in such a situation solely because of my imagination.
This story was written purely for fun.

I would also like to extend my whole hearted thanks and gratitude to
Patrick "Seion" Stewart, who gave me permission to use his character
Seion in Darkness & Light .

Seion, if you're reading this and you find I screwed him up, please
do inform me, I'll do my utmost to put him right. Thank you ^_^.
                                                               
Seion's work can be found in Gensao's TMFFA, at www.tmffa.com.

DARKNESS & LIGHT - No Need For Kova

By Zyraen

Chapter XIV : No Need for Masquerades

The door closed behind her, and the older princess of Jurai took a
deep breath of the refreshing night air. She managed to smile a bit,
as she stepped out, but her heart was still weighed down by various
matters…

Ryoko… could I have wronged you?

Endless memories from what seemed like lifetimes ago surged into
her mind. The garden of Jurai… the fair on Jurai…the vacation…
She had heard it all, Ryoko and her arguing about their histories in
front of Tenchi and everyone, and now that she had found the
courage to be perfectly honest with herself, she wasn’t even sure…

A distant, harsh tearing sound, as of a tree falling, shattered the
silence of the night, resounding discordantly and ripping apart the
still introspective fabric within the princess’ mind. Aeka spun
around, eyes wide, and saw blazes and dashes of orange and violet
flashing out from under the shadowed, verdant canopy that covered
the hillside leading up to Katsuhito’s temple.

Ryoko! But who is…

Aeka’s eyes widened as the purple blaze registered.

Nagi…!?

As she drew near she could see the line of fallen trees in the wake of
the combatants, though she could have sworn she had not actually
told herself to run over to assist. Urgency lent her wings, and feet
pumping rapidly, she swiftly covered the distance to the base of the
hill across the still somewhat devastated field without stumbling
across the occasional potholes.

Face set in a mixture of determination and anxiety, the first princess
of Jurai forged forward up the slope, racing to reach the battling
duo. As the sounds became louder through the fleeting, changing
shadows within the forested area, she felt her heartbeat quicken as
thrill coursed through her being with an imminent sense of peril,
and she could see Ryoko ahead, trapped within the tendrils of violet
as a prey snared by a tentacled horror, battling valiantly but
nevertheless steadily weakening and on the verge of getting struck
down…

Surges of cerulean energies gathered about her form, as her
forcefield shimmered into existence and she streaked upwards, a
fiery ice blue comet shattering the darkness of the canopy, parting a
line through the foilage like a sword through flesh as the barriers in
her way withered before the imperial might of Juraian power.

Through the dashes and wreaths of incandescent sparks, Ryoko,
her entire form pouring into holding her own, subconsciously noted
as the confident, triumphant grin leering at her like the mask of
death flickered for an instant on her foe’s face, before subsiding into
a puzzled frown, and from a corner of her eye she glimpsed a flicker
of radiant cerulean coursing through the shadows.

Nagi cursed as she felt the air nearby move, and acting quickly,
leaped back, with her whip lashing out to either side of her as the
miniature guardians were scattered from converging around the
spot she had occupied.

"Princess Aeka?" She murmured questioningly as the princess,
wrapped in the blue nimbus of shining power, sped closer, like a
ghostly apparition rushing in for the kill. 

Ryoko, breathing hard, contrived to seize the respite by swiftly
unleashing two beams at Nagi, who, seemingly without looking at
her, cavalierly flicked her whip out. A plasma beam shattered, not
against Ryoko where it would have no effect due to her being its
source, but smashed into a tree that crashed down right before the
space pirate, forcing her to leap slightly back as it cut her off from
Nagi. Aeka glimpsed the other incoming blast before it slammed into
her field, and the impact as the orange energies dissipated into
white motes brought her to a standstill.

Nagi watched both her opponents warily, her face grim. "What are
you doing here?" She demanded of the newcomer.

Aeka brought herself to her full height. "I demand you cease this
combat!"

"I have…" Nagi replied drily. "I thought you and Ryoko were sharing
a man, no?" Her lips curled into a frigid, cold and above all, taunting,
smile.

For a brief instant Ryoko could have sworn she saw Aeka’s face
contort into purple rage a heartbeat before Nagi quit the spot,
cloaked figure darting away as the log guardians Azaka and
Kamadake materialised on either side of her, the black cloth fraying
at the ends as it was snared momentarily by the force field.

"Now, now, princess." Nagi’s soothing voice carried as she spun
around in midair to face Ryoko, who had materialised above her,
and swiftly employed her whip parrying the space pirate’s assault.
"That’s no way to treat someone who is trying to remove your rival,
is it?" 

Aeka cogitated, unsure of herself. 

Ryoko… my rival for so long, in so many ways… or Ryoko… a
friend? 

Azaka’s beam struck the ground before Nagi, then she had spun
behind and around some trees. 

"Let me be done with my prey…" The sibilant voice came,
seemingly disembodied.

Kamadake’s obliterated a tree he perceived was in his way before
they realised Nagi was right beside them. 

"And you can have your Tenchi, all to yourself." 

The purple whip shot out and snared Kamadake’s lower end, before
she pulled and tugged, at the same time winding herself under the
small slack length just in time to avoid the slash from Ryoko’s blade
which struck the surface of the whip she shielded herself behind.

Aeka thought back to the times she and Ryoko had spent together.
They weren’t all pleasant, but they seemed to have spent a rather
great deal of time together. When they had rescued Tenchi from
Nagi on Venus, their adventures in Space, thinking how Tenchi had
told her about Ryoko’s heroism in helping to save her, comforting
each other when Tenchi was hurt, their battles on board the Comet,
and the most recent expedition to the city…

"Ouch." Kamadake muttered as the whip cut through his base
milliseconds before Nagi pulled him forcefully around onto his side,
and Ryoko, who had tried to strike Nagi from behind, was forced to
dematerialise as the huge log crashed into where she had been
standing.

"Call your guardians off and I can forget all about this, Your
Highness." 

Aeka blinked.

Sure you could forget it… but could I? No.

And Tenchi? *Never*…

The whip uncoiled with unbelievable speed as the guardians lost
their potent power due to their separation and temporary
incarceration of one of them, while Ryoko was forced to turn her
darting blade rapidly upon itself to parry the lash from Nagi.

"So what will it be?" Nagi asked casually. "Leave me my prize?"
Sparks flew as she engaged Ryoko once again, who was too
focused on the job at hand to reply.

"*Never*!" Aeka shrieked, and Nagi just managed to glimpse a
cerulean nimbus speeding towards her, before she was forced to
hurl herself away from Ryoko or be consumed by the shimmering
aura that could spell, if not doom, at least a respectable amount of
pain to herself.

"Princess, I am warning you!!" Nagi threatened, anger creeping into
her voice as Aeka settled herself resolutely between her and Ryoko,
a millisecond before the space pirate teleported to stand by her
side. "Don’t make me…"

"We, of the Juraian Royal family, do not deal with the likes of you!"

Ryoko, despite her weariness and her hurt, smiled at the way Nagi
convulsed in anger at being addressed like a criminal herself…

Heh, who would have thought I’d see the day princess Aeka call
you, my dear Nagi, that…

"Ken-oh-ki!" Nagi cried out, and the silver white battleship
descended from the heavens, cannons aimed straight at the Masaki
residence below them…

"Ryo-oh-ki!" Ryoko called desperately, but the cabbit did not
emerge.

"Didn’t I mention she is, well, preoccupied, Ryoko?" Nagi smiled as
Aeka and Ryoko turned pale. "Now princess… back down, or
else…"

Aeka ground her teeth together. "Scumbag…" She turned from Nagi
to Ryoko.

The space pirate started as her counterpart’s eyes gleamed cold
with determination, and Ryoko blinked, as somehow they practically
thought across to each other…

Thank you, Aeka.

Godspeed, Ryoko.

The princess of Jurai stepped away from Ryoko, head bowed in
defeat.

Nagi grinned as her whip flickered back into existence. "Now, we…
what the!?"

Ryoko teleported away.

"How dare she!?" Nagi screamed in frustration, leaping away as
Azaka and Kamadake, having recovered, sped just by her, almost
encapsulating her form. "Ken-oh-ki!"

The cabbit ship pulsed with energy as it prepared to unleash an
obliterating blast… and stoppped.

"WHAT the…!?" 

Guardians were forming in the air around Ken-oh-ki, ceasing the
energy surge. Incredulous, Nagi turned back to see Aeka, eyes
closed in concentration, and sweat beading her brow as she
summoned all her reserve power to hold back the warship. 

"You interfering no good princess!" Nagi pounced upon the
preoccupied Aeka with a vengeance, aiming not to kill but to break
her concentration, before she caught the sign of blue. Purple lash
struck azure energies, and Nagi hurled herself away from the impact
lest she strike the forcefield.

No! She can’t have any energy left to defend herself… except…

Nagi realised Aeka was flanked by her two guardians, their
combined might shielding all three of them in a nimbus of blue.

Drat… I’ll see how long *you* can hold out. She thought, eyes
turning up in the sky.

Already the guardians restraining Ken-oh-ki were beginning to
tremble, and Aeka’s teeth ground hard against each other as she
tried her very best, but she was only one lady… Nagi folded her
hands across her chest and stared at Aeka, bemused.

Not long at all.

====================================

Washu spun around as the door to the lab opened, and the light
over the table where she was working on the gifts snapped out
instantly lest someone should spot it.

"Ryoko?"

"Washu, quick! Ken-oh-ki’s going to blow up the house!!" 

"DAMN!" Washu stood up, and for an instant she was about to race
out of her lab to set up a shielding device when she remembered
something.

The transmitter device for Yagami in the field…

"WASHU!!" Ryoko cried out, shocked that her friend should care
not about the fate of their residence, and most relevantly, the fate of
Tenchi. "You…?" The scientist did not reply, her fingers flying
rapidly over her keyboard, altering the dimensional status and
construct of the device.

In the field outside the house, the small transmitter device suddenly
enlarged by almost five times, and produced what looked like a
metal pole extending skyward…

====================================

Aeka felt the drain within her, sapping away at her pool of energy,
still not fully recovered from the recent exertions on board the
Comet.

I can only pray it has been enough…

A weary groan, and her concentration broke.

Ryoko… 

The guardians in the air around Ken-oh-ki faded into thin air, and a
single beam of scarlet silver emerged from the battleship to scream
down at the house…

Aeka breathed a sigh of joyful relief as the shot struck harmlessly
against an invisible shield around the place, coruscating into pink
light before dissipating into nothingness.

Nagi’s face wrinkled for a moment in puzzled surprise, then her
eyes narrowed to slits. "So, she went to get Washu… My, the two of
you are thick as thieves, aren’t you?" She turned back to Aeka,
resting upright and leaning against the inside of the forcefield
generated by her guardians. "Sharing a man has made you
degenerate into a scum…"

Aeka was too weary to be angry. "Look Nagi, I don’t know what you
want with Ryoko." She breathed, softly. "The bounty on her was
annulled…"

"Perhaps. But certain contacts of mine still want her dead." Nagi
leaned back casually against one of the luckier trees, awaiting
Ryoko’s reappearance, which she knew would be anytime soon.
"Besides… it’s almost a matter of principle." Her eyes became
distant for a moment. "We go waaay back…"

Aeka blinked, as she remembered herself…

Would I have become like that?

Nagi continued. "It has become almost an obsession to get her
head, to prove I can finally snare and overcome the one person that
has continually thwarted me all my life." She blew at her fingernails,
smoothing away some of the dirt that had caught in them during the
battle. "It is just like a game, a game that has to be played for the
end…" Her eyes narrowed and hardened. "And a contest - to show
myself I can pin her down in her prime." She clenched her fists, and
she did not see Aeka’s face sadden.

Would I have come to hate Ryoko for the sake of hating her? To
hate her simply because it was just like me to hate her? Just
because I have hated her all along? And what would Tenchi have
gotten from us? Nothing… but an eternity of sadness and turmoil…

Aeka realised the gnawing thought in her mind.

It wasn’t just Ryoko stopping Tenchi from loving us openly… it was
also me…

"My, quiet like aren’t you?" Nagi murmured, almost charmingly. No
longer in a state of bloodlust, the bounty hunter looked serene and
comfortable. "I’m still waiting…"

"She won’t be coming back, Nagi." Aeka growled. "She’s not
stupid."

"I’m not either." Nagi’s smiled, and suddenly the resemblance to
Ryoko was simply stunning, so much that Aeka would have caught
her breath but for the fact that she was breathing very quickly and
shallowly, too much so to actually do it. "In case you forgot, I still
have Ryo-oh-ki."

Aeka bit her lip, and suddenly asked. "Nagi… what will it take to turn
you off her trail?"

The bounty hunter’s brows knitted together, as she detected the
earnestness in Aeka’s voice.

She’s a princess! She’s in a position to offer me almost anything I
desire…

For a moment a distant, hidden part of Nagi filled her mind with
regrets, with shattered dreams that had once been real, only to be
swept away like smoke upon the wild winds of storms… 

A normal life…

No, it’s over… the dead cannot be brought back, the scars cannot
be removed. 

Nagi sneered derisively at herself, as she banished her buried soul
back into the sepulchral tomb. "I live for the thrill of the hunt, for the
reward that is the kill itself." She laughed hollowly. "The money is
secondary… It only indicates what I am up against, a gauge to see
how far I can reach, to see how high and mighty, tricky and devious,
elusive and cunning prey I can tear from the skies of space with my
talons." Her purple whip flashed out again, cracking against the air
to emphasise her point. "I have come close to snaring Ryoko
countless times, yet all those countless times she has evaded me."

Aeka pressed forth again. "Then when she escaped it must have
been no fault of yours. Like on Venus, and here… she got away
because of me."

"True." Nagi thought about it. "She is soft now, too… no longer that
great of a challenge, but I have yet to prove myself."

"No!" Aeka tried, raising her voice. "You don’t have to anymore."

"Hmm?" Nagi arched an eyebrow. "And why might that be?"

Aeka put as much respect into her voice as she could summon.
"You have, already."

"Indeed?" She gave a ghastly grin of satisfaction, eyes not leaving
her whip. "Perhaps, princess."

"Then leave her alone! Don’t bother us anymore!" Aeka felt her
emotions intensify as she gradually recovered strength.

Why not… Nagi asked herself. Ryoko would certainly have been
dead by now, there is nothing else I can gain by pitting myself
against her further… after all she was only the appetiser…

"Very well then." The whip disappeared from Nagi’s hand. "I will
leave her in peace."

Aeka heaved a sigh of relief.

"But I need something from you, first."

"Huh?" Aeka asked.

"You ask me to give up a bounty." Nagi replied. "I have NEVER
done that before. But this bounty is meaningless to me, now that I
have decisively defeated her once again, and the amount the private
associates are paying is measly compared to the one I have come in
search for." She smiled slyly to herself. "Though I may have
difficulty in finding him, and the prize is only up for a limited time…"

Aeka’s eyebrow arched questioningly. "So?"

"I want a pledge. From you, that you and the rest of your friends,
notably Washu, will help me."

Aeka bit her lip. "I cannot promise for the others, but I can pledge
mine."

Nagi reached over her head to pull her hood up over her head, to
leave only her lips in the open outside the shadow. "Swear it. That
you will do your very best to help me in what I ask."

"You promise to leave drop Ryoko’s bounty and return Ryo-oh-ki?"

She nodded slightly, obscuring all her facial features in the
darkness of the hood.

If Aeka could see in the dark, she would have seen Nagi’s face light
up in amusement, but she couldn’t, and nor was she in the right
frame of mind to consider what she might actually be swearing to.
"I, first Princess Aeka of the Juraian Royal Family, hereby solemnly
pledge myself to assisting the bounty hunter in the capture of a
criminal she seeks, so long as she leaves Ryoko in peace." She was
too tired to think about legally binding terms and words that she
might have considered in dealing with a Jurian council member, and
anyway those warriors of space set more store by honour and
dealings than by the phrasing of words.

"Aeka?" Ryoko materialised, shock written all over her face as she
caught the last verse of Ryoko’s words. "What the…!?" She turned
to stare up at Nagi.

"Thank you, princess." The bounty hunter smiled. "Although for
now, I will not have need of your services."

"Princess, what the *hell* is going on!?" Ryoko cried. "And what did
you do with Ryo-oh-ki, Nagi?" She and Washu had tried a scan for
Ryo-oh-ki, only to find the only signal came from Nagi herself…

"She has agreed to leave you in peace." Aeka murmured, as she got
to her feet, still flanked by Azaka and Kamadake and surrounded
within their forcefield. She might be naïve at times, but she had to be
sure Nagi would keep her word. "Now, swear it, Nagi."

"You have my word, princess." Nagi replied coolly. "Without
honour, the warrior is nothing but a barbarian." She reached behind
her, and they heard the snap as she removed some straps from
under her cloak, behind her back. "Here you go, Ryoko." Nagi held
out an unconscious bundle of dark brown fur.

"Ryo-oh-ki!" Ryoko’s eyes opened in surprise. "HEY!!! What if I had
stabbed you from behind!?" She snarled at Nagi.

Nagi gave a light, almost lilting laugh, and her blue eyes glinted a
little in the shadowed hood as she rolled them. "You flatter youself,
my dear Ryoko." As if to make a point she extended the furry bundle
closer.

Ryoko stared uncertainly at Nagi’s outstretched hand. "What did
you do to her?"

Nagi arched an eyebrow at Ryoko. "Need you ask?"

Ryoko glared at the one whom she knew, had just about killed
about her earlier, and nearly took her beloved Tenchi down a mere
minute ago. "All right, I know it’s carrots." Gingerly she took the
cuddly little cabbit, snoozing most comfortably, into her left hand.
"No lasting harm?"

"None. Ken-oh-ki would never forgive me if I actually hurt her." Nagi
replied, her voice subsiding carefully into a soft monotone. "Give
her maybe one or two hours to wake up."

"Kay…" Ryoko murmured, half dazed. This seemed almost like a
dream…, communicating with her loathed rival with a thought, and
now her most fearsome adversary was stepping away from her!?
Why yes, for indeed the hunter had turned her back and was about
to…

"Oh yes… I forgot to tell you something princess." Nagi turned back
around, a wry grin on my face. "If this big fish of mine proves to be
nothing but a soft whale, I won’t *need* your help. Then when I get
bored… it’s all off."

"HEY!" Aeka shrieked. "You promised…!"

"Call it a respite. Besides…" Nagi murmured, as Ryoko snarled at
her, and pointedly ignored her ex-quarry. "… if I don’t call on your
services, your pledge will mean nothing to you. Rest assured, if I
really do need the aid which I trust you will provide, I will abide by
my word, for all time." She grinned. "As for you, Ryoko, I doubt it
would be wise to grow soft." The grin turned into a sardonic leer. "I
hope you will prove more of a challenge next time."

"Oh, believe me Nagi," Ryoko clenched her fist forcefully before her.
"I’ll rip…"

Aeka interposed herself between the two, as her guardians faded
into the background. "If there is a next time." She reminded the two
of them solemnly.

"Indeed." Nagi smirked. "We shall see. For the time being, my
quarrel with you and Ryoko end here, princess." Her blue eyes
gleamed menacingly at Ryoko, even despite their truce their enmity
was yet to be at end. "I take my leave of you, Ryoko. Oh, and from
now till the time we meet again, please do remember to take *good*
care of yourself." Her patronising words ended, the bounty hunter
haughtily turned and walked away, almost deliberately turning her
back to Ryoko.

The space pirate growled and raised an orange, glowing hand at the
receding figure, only to feel the touch of gentle, restraining fingers
on her forearm.

"Huh?" She looked up into amethyst eyes…

"No, Ryoko." Aeka shook her head slowly, her violet tresses cutting
slightly through the dark shadows. "Peace, for now." 

The princess didn’t just speak for Nagi.

Hesitating at first, the space pirate nodded in approval and lowered
her hand. Nagi’s silhouette had long since melted into the shadows,
and above them Ken-oh-ki silently moved off. Aeka and Ryoko
silently stood by each other, accompanied only by the slight
rustling of the leaves in the night wind, and the shadows cast by the
faint light of the moon upon the silent, standing sentinels all about
them.

Nestled within Ryoko’s palm, Ryo-oh-ki shifted in her rest and
cuddled closer to her owner’s side, before giving a soft, almost
inaudible chuckle, like she was in a sweet dream of carrots… or of
Ken-oh-ki.

======= ^_^ Ah well, back to the busy couple ^_^ =======

"Hmm!!" Kiyone smacked her lips. "Nice." She purred.

"Let’s try this out then," Kova murmured with a wry grin, before
reaching forward to taste what she had to offer him. Kiyone smiled
as his lips closed around, then pulled back. "Ahh!" He sighed. "I’ll
say! This has got to be the best I ever tasted!"

"Yeah, me too." She laughed, then she took another helping. "I
wonder why it does…"

"You know, we really should have tried this out earlier," Kova
grinned back as he watched her swallow, their mutual relish of each
other’s presence and proximity expelling the weighty matters from
their minds to recede into unimportance. "Who would have thought
it’d be so nice?"

"True… Maybe because it’s you." She replied, gently.

"Perhaps." Kova opened his mouth wide and his tongue playfully
flicked out to lick the morsel, and Kiyone shivered with joy as she
watched and felt him. "I like the idea of you being on the other end."

"So do I, Kova-chan. My turn." 

"Open your mouth wide and say ‘aaah’!"

Kiyone’s eyes twinkled as she complied, and Kova laughingly
placed it into her mouth, watching in pleasure as her lips curled
around the shaft. 

"Yum!" The green haired detective laughed as she withdrew her
lips.

"I’m sure… pity it’s not warm." Kova passed her the spoon back. (
Oh, were u thinking of something else ^_^ ? ) "Sasami really knows
her stuff, but I’ll say the greatest flavouring would be just your touch
being there."

Kiyone smiled appreciatively as she fed him another mouthful,
before glancing back at the packet. "Oh darned… it’s almost empty
already."

Kova took the utensil from her and prepared to scrape out the
remaining morsels out. "Heh, then I’ll make sure you get every
single bit of them."

"Hold on a second…" The green haired lady reached over for the
spoon and…

Snap.

"Huh?" he managed, as he looked at the broken handle of the
spoon between his fingers. The bit Kiyone was holding was the
bowl of the spoon, plus a very little bit of the handle. "What…?"

"There." She grinned as she returned the bowl to him. 

Looking oddly at her, he filled the spoon, or what remained of it,
with the last bits of food in the packet, his forefinger and thumb
gripping tightly to the tiny length in the plastic that served as the
handle. "Oh well, I guess it’s the last serving, so it should be okay."
He held it out to her.

Kiyone grinned again, and shook her head. "Hold it with your lips,
Kova-chan." Her eyes twinkled cheerily.

Kova blinked once, then, still looking a little stunned, complied, his
lips holding tight to the very small bit of plastic. "Mmm?" He
queried, unable to talk, eyes going from her to the spoon right under
his nose.

His lady shook her head, winked and beckoned to him, before just
opening her mouth just wide enough to admit it. Kova, still gripping
the spoon tightly in his lips, as the handle is so short his teeth could
not touch it, approached her a bit gingerly, and Kiyone had to fight
to keep herself from laughing. Then her lips closed around two
thirds the length of the bowl of the spoon plus the food on it, and
she could feel his breath on her face, see his blue eyes right before
her, wide and staring with an odd mixture of surprise and felicity. 

Emerald eyes twinkling, Kiyone let her lips drag back from the bowl,
and at the last moment,with a mischievous wink, lightly jerked the
spoon out. Kova started in surprise as he realised the thing, with
still about a third of its load, would spill on the ground, and his face
quickly reached out to catch it in his mouth, as at the same time
Kiyone, anticipating his reaction, did the same.

Kova blinked again as his lips met hers, with the whole of the spoon
in their mouths. He opened his mouth slightly as though to say
something, but Kiyone seized the chance and gently tilted her chin
down as she raised her head slightly, and the spoon spilled its
remaining contents back along its broken bit into his mouth. The
detective smiled at the surprised look on his face before turning
away, and spitting the piece of plastic out. "Liked it that way?" She
grinned.

Kova, astonishment finally giving way to the light of joy on his face,
carefully munched his fare, before swallowing. He smiled
uncertainly at her, looking sheepish yet delighted, before managing,
"That was great! God, if there ever was a nice surprise…!"

"Thank you." She replied, pleased. "Just thought it’d be more
interesting to end it that way."

"Interesting?" He chuckled. "That was pleasure, pure and simple."
The flavour in Sasami’s cooking added that much more in texture
anyway, so they didn’t have to actually kiss.

"Glad you liked it." She glanced at him, at the brownish red stains
on his white long sleeved shirt. "How’s your shoulder now?"

"You know your touch and care mend my hurts like nothing else in
this universe possibly can."

"Yeah…" She closed her eyes, heart pleased but mind irked. "But
you still haven’t told me why the hell the blood was all over your
shoulder!" Her green eyes opened and bore into his. "Do you know
how I hate it when you refuse to say if you’re hurt!?" She thought
back to the time when he had left to fight despite his injury, and
when he was in the Shuriken refusing to admit he was injured.

"It’s noth…" his voice died as he looked at her furious gaze. "I had
to do battle, Kiyone-chan. He was good." He thought back to
himself, attacking wildly with lightning speed. "Every stroke, every
flex of my muscles must have made it that little bit worse." He
added, looking almost bemused.

"You are crazy at times, you know." She thought back to a few
minutes ago, when she was tending to him. "Why did you leave it
unattended for so long?"

He stared straight at her, his blue eyes gleaming oddly. "It just didn’t
seem to matter at the time." His voice dropped lower. "Something
else hurt, far more than it had."

"Look, I didn’t…"

"Yeah," his tongue ran over his lips, only this time it was in
nervousness. "I didn’t think you meant it, but as I said it hurt still." 

"You know it’s all a sham, just a…" 

A movement in the shadows, in the alleyway… a glimpse of colour
amidst the darkness…

Kiyone started as she saw his eyes widen and pupils dilate…

His lips barely moved. "Trust me…" His face was tight and tense,
words light as a ghost of a zephyr, mere whispers along the wind.
"…and be yourself…"

Then his warm blue eyes hardened into cold stones, their bright
surfaces muting to liken to the dim night, cold and distant. It was
almost all she could do to stop herself from shaking her head in
muted shock and disbelief as she saw his face turn cruel and cold,
malicious and malevolent like those of countless criminals she had
faced before, the look of a hardened soul weathered by decades of
daring escapades and dangerous experiences, and forged through
the fires from innumerable instances of feral cunning and timely
evasions. Kiyone almost expected to see the scars she had seen on
the profile Washu showed her to materialise on his face…

"Well, *Inspector*," his voice dripped honeyed venom. "Why *have*
you brought along another?" He seemed to be speaking only to
Kiyone, but the words were spoken sibilantly enough to carry.

"I don’t know what you are talking about!" Kiyone replied, her face
uncertain, though she thought she was beginning to suspect
something…

"Lies!" He hissed, finger pointing behind her. "See for yourself…"

Kiyone would have turned around in obedience if it were the Kova
she was so used to, but somehow she sensed she was now facing
a deadly fugitive from the law rather than the man she loved so
much, and the manner he regarded her had already awakened in
her instincts that had saved her life, as well as that of Mihoshi’s, on
many previous occasions.

As Kiyone turned around she sensed a movement from Kova’s
direction and hurled herself onto the ground, her breath catching as
as an arc of silver streaked past where her head should have been.
>From the speed and force, if it had landed, it would have been
incapacitating, if not fatal.

Further down the lane the figure saw the silver projectile streaking
straight towards it from past Kiyone’s head and just managed to
dive aside without getting struck.

Kiyone had no leisure to watch as she let her training take full rein,
rolling over on the ground, GP blaster firing, but already he was
upon her, his body just sliding by the shots as his left hand gripped
her right wrist and slammed it, along with the blaster, hard onto the
ground. 

====================================

A good distance further down the river, the cop saw the golden
blasts shoot from over railings a good distance away to head
skywards.

Oh *shit*!

Eyes stared for a second at the jumble of buildings between here
and that distant alleyway, then at the twisting byways leading
behind back to where he came from.

Shit gotta get there *fast*!

====================================

Kiyone deftly twisted aside to the right and lifted both her knees up
to her chest, as her enemy just missed pinning both her legs onto
the ground with his right, her torque lifting her right wrist off the
ground. An instant later, left hand gripping the collar of the viciously
contorted face, she lashed out with both legs in a kick to his
stomach, only to be blocked as he brought his left leg up before his
form that was being thrown onto hers.

"Kiyone!" She heard someone cry out in the distance behind.

Pulling his head down to hers as she rolled over backwards, both
her legs flipped his body over her in a diagonal stomach throw to
her right. She felt his fringe brush by her face, and blinked in
momentary confusion as his lips gently caressed her cheeks, an
instant before he slammed his right hand on the ground just behind
her head so he would not fall flat over, while his left was still pinning
her weapon wielding hand onto the ground.

The onlooker stared, worried about firing due to Kiyone’s proximity.

Knowing he had arrested her throw, Kiyone rolled further back onto
her shoulders, her lower back leaving the ground as both her legs
aimed for where his chest should be in his hand standing state.
Kova’s right hand and left fist punched out at the ground as he
straightened his elbows, pushing his body up as his hip twisted
clockwise and over his head so he could stand. Kiyone cursed
mentally as his chest disappeared from in front of her feet and he
pulled her right hand off the ground, still holding it so the blaster
muzzle was facing away from him.

Have to get up too, before he can react!

Her feet’s trajectory curled down to touch the ground as she made
to roll completely over to get up just as he was about to land on his
feet, his left hand already pointing her blaster skywards.

The watcher’s weapon rose up to fire as the wielder realised the
criminal was about to stand up, before hearing a slight whizzing
sound from behind…

DANGER! Some instinct cried out.

The figure hurled itself to the left, but it was a little too late, as a
speeding rod of metal slammed forcefully into its right wrist…

Damned that hurts!

The blaster fell to the ground…

Kova’s feet had already touched down and he was almost standing
upright, back to back with Kiyone, while she was still about to
straighten her body. Quickly he stepped forward, away from Kiyone,
while turning left to face behind, left foot stepping anti clockwise to
beside his right as his left hand, still gripping tightly to her right,
pulled her wrist straight up in front of him. Kiyone felt a wrenching
pain shoot through her right arm for as she stood upright her arm
was twisted behind her, and then fell backwards as her captor
pulled her back, her fall arrested by the feel of her blaster muzzle
against her left back. Kova’s left hand slid up her wrist to grip
around her numbed hand, index finger resting against the trigger,
as his right went behind his back and caught the returning rod.

The figure, seeing Kiyone’s distress, quickly dived and caught up
the blaster from the floor, but Kova had already turned so he was
facing the shadowed figure, his back to the river, his right hand
darting out from around his captive’s right shoulder to jab a cold
cylinder of metal under Kiyone’s chin, pointing diagonally inwards
into her head.

"Drop the weapon, cop." Kova announced coldly to the distant
person. "And show yourself." Kiyone, her expression an odd
mixture of despair, hurt, confusion, and anger, tried to struggle but
the blaster pressed harder on her back, the finger added pressure
on hers to pull the trigger, while the rod increased its pressure on
her windpipe. "Quit it." He whispered harshly into her ear. "I’d like to
give you a good lay before I see you off, but if you push your luck it
may not hold out." His voice was low and laced with menace, but it
carried, and there was no trace of the feeling for her in the voice at
all…

Oh no… she thought to herself almost instinctively. The chief was
right, this will be my last mistake… 

NO! Kova-chan would never hurt me… this is just an act… that is all
it is… she reminded herself, trying to fight back the fear.

Reluctantly, the figure walked out into the light of the lamp nearest
to her, blaster held point down directly at the ground. Orange light
touched on fiery auburn hair, cropped neatly around the fair
skinned face of the slightly built lady.

"Drop the weapon." Kiyone felt his hot breath against her left ear.
Feeling his tight grip, the wrenching pain in her arm, and the
pressure of the blaster and rod against her body, Kiyone felt awfully
alone and frightened…

Kova-chan loves me, he loves me… 

All the memories flooded back to her of the times they had spent
together…

Yes he *must* love me… But the grip on her wrist didn’t loosen, nor
did the pressure on her throat let up.

"Okay, okay…" Mitsuki murmured, bending down slowly to place
the blaster on the ground. "Just don’t do anything stupid." 

"Well, look who’s talking." Kova replied from behind Kiyone, slowly
moving so he and Mitsuki were in a straight line perpendicular to the
river’s flow. "Another dumb Galaxy Police hussy." He leaned his
back against a wall, facing Kiyone towards the railings on his right,
with Mitsuki standing a good distance away on his left. "Where’s the
other cop?" He demanded.

"I don’t know I…" Mitsuki’s voice faded away. Kiyone felt her blaster
muzzle leave her back as Kova’s hand directed it aside, to face
Mitsuki’s direction. The brunette felt her heart sink and constrict
with fear as she saw the blaster aiming straight at her from between
the green-haired detective’s back and the criminal’s chest, and her
muscles tensed.

"No no don’t make a move…" Kova murmured, his voice sounding
confident and relaxed, and going in a "Tsk tsk…" fashion. "Or this
friend of yours might have to go see a doctor for a case of collapsed
windpipe…" He grinned, and Mitsuki felt herself caught in the grip of
uncertainty. "Go on, and say where your other green-haired friend
is."

"I… really don’t know…" She murmured weakly, but inside she
made a decision.

If I go down, I’ll go down fighting. Kiyone’s finished, and she’d want
me to make a break anyway, to hell with what 231 said…

Kiyone’s eyes widened as she saw downwards, to the right of
where she faced the railings, there was a slight movement and a
shadow rose up, silently and soundlessly, from over the edge of the
slope under the railings, observing Kova and herself.

He must have got here by the ledge along the river!

The person winked at her fearful expression from behind a curl of
dark green, almost black, hair, before giving her an OK sign with his
left hand. A cold chill seized her heart as a tiny black handgun was
raised from over the edge of the cement, aimed directly behind her
head straight at Kova’s. The spy was apparently unaware of the
lethal threat, the entirety of his attention focused on savouring
Mitsuki’s unease, and a rapid burst of thoughts exploded within her
mind.

Oh no… no… this can’t be happening!

Kova loves me, he loves me…

He’s hurting me! I can feel his weapon pressing against my throat!

No he loves me I mustn’t let this happen!

He doesn’t, and never did! The old Kiyone shouted at her. He was
just using you! And he is going to kill you now and you are still
believing that nonsense!?

Kiyone felt her heart on the verge of breaking, then her mind burst
through into the dangerous realms bordering on insanity on the
other side. 

Well, let’s find out. Her mind grinned madly at itself.

Besides, if he doesn’t, then we’ll die together… I love him too much
anyway.

Her old faith reasserted itself… But that won’t happen, he *will* let
up, I *know* it…

All these thoughts were processed in barely a fraction of a second.

There was a blur of movement as her left leg swung upwards and
forwards in a halfmoon arc, sending her foot over her shoulder to
smash hard into Kova’s right cheek. Starbursts of pain exploded in
the right side of his face, and as he reeled back hard against the wall
in pain and shock, his movement disrupting Seion’s aim and
composure merely a bare split second before the Operative was
about to open fire.

*!!?!!* Kova and Seion thought simultaneously.

Mitsuki blinked, almost expecting to see the rod disappear upwards
into Kiyone’s head in a scarlet spurt of crimson blood, but no such
thing happened. Kiyone Makibi, 2nd class Chief Inspector, of
Standard Enforcement Unit 37A, rapidly followed up, thrusting
upwards with a backward half scorpion kick in her right leg that
struck his inner thigh, and sent another shock, though this time
more of surprise than of pain, along Kova’s body as her left leg
landed to support her weight again.

Seion’s heart settled down from absolute, almost angered,
incredulity that Kiyone would compromise her safety into surprised,
almost envious, reassurance, seeing that apparently she was not
dead although she should have been the instant she tried to attack
the criminal. His aim was ruined, and also judging that from the look
of astonishment on Kova’s face and the confidence in Kiyone’s
assault it was unlikely that she would be killed anytime soon, so he
bided his time and remained in cover. If Kiyone could not do the job
herself, then he might be able to surprise the fellow. 

Apart from assurance about Kiyone’s wellbeing, Operative 231 was
also immensely relieved that he would not have to commit
something as dishonourable as sniping at a warrior as talented as
this man. He would normally just have aimed for the hands or legs,
but in the earlier circumstance, Kiyone’s safety simply could NOT be
compromised.

Kiyone rapidly bent down, her left hand pushing his thigh back and
up while her right leg’s continued sweep back lifted his other leg up,
as she practically impaled her head on her captor’s silver weapon.
Kova, still in shock, lowered his right hand in a swift, blurred
movement in response to the increased pressure on his rod lest she
crush her own throat, while at the same time relaxing his hold on
her right arm for fear she might dislocate it while moving so quickly
in the burst of speed and power she needed for the throw.

What the hell is she playing at!?

She must have spotted something…

Kiyone nodded to herself in affirmation, trying to stop the tears of
joy and pain from flowing down her cheeks as she hurled the one
closest to her heart over her back and away from her.

He *loves* me…

But her throat hurt painfully from her initial drop-throw dip as did
her arm from the split second Kova had yet to react. As to the side
Mitsuki dived for her blaster Kova rolled over rapidly as he landed
so as to absorb the impact, but nevertheless, contrived to glare
angrily at Kiyone as he swiftly got back to his feet. "You…!" Yet his
eyes were in fact searching in the direction he had faced Kiyone in
…

The Operative! He realised as he spotted the shadow, watching him,
but the operative noted only his glare and anger directed at Kiyone,
for Kova hid his astonishment and fear at his revelation well.…

As one, Kiyone and Mitsuki levelled their blasters at Kova. "Freeze!"

"No problem…" he laughed in amusement as his expression of
anger melted away, leaping backwards as the two ladies opened
fire. Golden beams streaked by his form, still clothed a whirl of black
and white as he cartwheeled over, and his forearms wreathed in
cerulean light as the golden beams bounced off. 

Mustn’t let him get away! Seion thought, rapidly sprinting along the
thin ledge lining the river to close where Kova would land. As Kova
laughingly touched down, the lasers deflecting off his shield, a
shadow vaulted over the railings just behind him…

Seion was about to clear his throat to cordially invite Kova’s
attention, when without even turning around, Kova swung his
scythe behind in a one-handed blazing arc, to the utter
astonishment of the Torabushi clansman.

*HOW* did…!?

He would have been sliced neatly into two halves at his waist if he
had not by sheer reflex brought his Tiger Trident to bear against the
sweep. The sparks had not even leaped up before Kova, his left
hand before him deflecting the shots, let go of his scythe, swivelling
his right forearm up along his elbow to slam his knuckles right into
Seion’s face, then elbowed the bewildered and stunned operative in
the chest. His scythe, after its momentum had impacted it against
Seion’s weapon, had slid down along the length of the Trident’s
handle while Seion staggered back to the railing, but had caught on
Kova’s shoe, which he had turned so his leather shoe tip was facing
Seion. Still not bothering to face the Operative, and wearing a wry
grin on his face, Kova kicked the scythe, sending it spinning into
the Operative’s face in a swirl of lethal cerulean and azure. Only the
raw instinct, sharpened skill, and swift reflexes 231 possessed, all of
which were trained to be unfettered by his mind’s boggled state, got
Seion to bring the Trident up with his right hand before his face as
he threw himself backwards over the railings and used his left hand
to swivel his entire body back over the railing. 

Well that settles that fellow, Kova smirked to himself as he imagined
Seion’s reaction, which he had so far foreseen accurately, while
expecting anytime to hear a sploosh as the fellow flung himself into
the river. Pity I can’t turn to enjoy the scene.

However, the most important phrase in that statement, rather than
being ‘foreseen accurately’, would be more correctly the phrase ‘so
far.’

As the scythe sliced into the top of the railing and collided with the
edge of green metal, Seion’s felt boots slammed with his body’s
momentum into the gap between base of the railing and the ground,
the force squeezing it into the slightly tight aperture and smashing
right into both of Kova’s heels from behind.

Kiyone almost burst out laughing as her seemingly ceaselessly
sanguine companion’s azure eyes popped open in bewildered
chagrin ere his form tumbled unceremoniously backwards into an
unsightly heap.

Kova cursed in anger, realising what happened, even though he
was not exactly hurt very much, and his rod had returned to his
right hand. In that same instant Seion blinked, his triumphant grin
vanishing as rapidly as it had appeared, for he saw the golden
beams looking set to streak over the collapsed criminal and right
into his face. 

Oops…

Quickly his left hand let go of the bar, and his torso swung
backwards down to lie flat on air as Kiyone’s and Mitsuki’s earlier
shots tore apart the upper midsection of the railings and travelled
over his chest and Trident. Kova rolled forward away from Seion
towards Kiyone as he turned to face skywards, both his forearms
flaying about before his face and upper body to fend off the shots
as his feet contacted the base of Seion’s boots. Kicking backwards,
he pushed off from Seion’s feet like a swimmer pushing off a wall,
while his elbows and back both arched downwards impacting
against the ground, resulting a diagonal impulse launching him him
in Kiyone’s, and there was a yelp and a splash as the force threw
Seion back into the river. The spy lightly landed on his hands like an
acrobat, and propelled himself in a spinning jump towards Kiyone
while deflecting their attacks.

Mitsuki, seeing their attacks were ineffective as he prepared to
pounce on Kiyone, raced towards Kiyone towards her left, but had
to dive to avoid two blasts Kova deflected in her direction as he
somersaulted over in mid air. Kiyone hurled herself diagonally back
to her right - otherwise her head would have been caught neatly
between his ankles and quite possibly twisted off. As things were
he turned sideways in midair, his right leg sweeping downwards, to
be prevented from smashing into Kiyone’s left shoulder by her
upraised left arm.

Ouch! Kiyone mentally cried out as Kova’s full weight slammed
down against her arm.

Her temporary lapse gave Kova’s left leg ample time to swing out as
she brought her blaster up to face the man landing before her, and
the weapon was flung out of her hand to skitter just under the
railings and onto the ledge by the river, as Mitsuki’s shots bounced
off his right shield, before lashing out at the brunette on his right as
he faced the wall. The fiery haired detective let her body arch back,
leaving her right hand in front to let him hit her blaster out of her
grip, as her right heel hurtled upwards from behind him, even while
Kiyone launched a high back kick with her right towards the back of
his head. Kova ducked his head down, and as Kiyone’s leg
slammed into the wall Mitsuki’s kick connected the small of his back
and he started up in surprised pain and shock. 

Underestimated them… damned!!

Kiyone smiled sweetly as his face came up just barely an inch
behind her right heel, and Kova just managed to swing both his
own legs up and forward in an attempt to flatten out his body in mid
air between the two cops. This absorbed the impact as Kiyone’s
right backswing struck him moderately hard under the jaw while
just barely circumventing Mitsuki’s low left sweep to his legs. The
red head’s fist lashed out at his right shoulder for the split second
he was lying in mid air, and although struck and in pain, in response
to the torque generated he turned to face Mitsuki in mid air,
swinging his left foot out causing Kiyone to retreat back as he
whirled through ninety degrees to land a crushing blow on Mitsuki’s
right shoulder blade an instant before he fell heavily on his right
shoulder. The brunette staggered back from the pain as he rapidly
leaped up, blue light blazing as his rod formed into his standard
weapon. 

Mitsuki’s eyes widened through the haze of pain as for the first time
she beheld what she had only glimpsed briefly when Kova had tried
to surprise Seion. The spy snarled viciously, sweeping it backwards
to ward Kiyone off from behind him before launching himself at the
somewhat stunned Mitsuki, whose mind reeled in fear from the
sheer size and eerie brightness of the thing that was whistling down
towards her like the scythe of Death himself.

Shink… KRAK!

Kova and Mitsuki stared in surprise at the teal Trident that had
appeared from seemingly nowhere to stick perpendicularly into the
wall, its wooden handle arresting the deadly blow that would
otherwise have carved Mitsuki into two. Kova barely managed to
throw himself backwards on time as a speeding form shot out from
the direction of the river and rammed hard before him into the wall
on his left, leaving two deep dents in the brick, and a fist flashed out,
striking him in the left forearm as the attacker turned to regard him.

Vengeance!

Green eyes shone out menacingly, and Mitsuki had to dodge away
and under the green blade, as the dripping Operative furiously
swung his Trident out from behind him in a blur, fear sweeping over
her like an icy wave as the tips just missed ripping her face open
just as they were ripping chunks of concrete out of the wall. Kova,
trying to ignore the pain in his forearm, narrowed his eyes as he
readied himself for Seion’s assault, but suddenly they widened as
he remembered…. His left arm whirled back, just in time to block
Kiyone’s backhand chop to the nape of his neck, as his scythe
spun around in a blur to counter Seion’s sudden barrage of
assaults. 

Kiyone smiled to herself, undeterred, her hands quickly gripping the
sides of Kova’s waist as he gave ground before Seion’s blows,
before she let herself roll down and back. Kova’s eyes started in
surprise as his lady lifted him up and off the ground, narrowly
maintaining his sense of direction enough to parry and prevent
Seion from running him through as he was hurled backwards and
away. Using the momentum to spin, he just managed to make out
the railing he was hurtling towards and promptly let his scythe
swing over his head, slicing the railing apart before his form
cannoned through the space thus created, then landing with a
resounding splash in the river. As the shimmering jet surface closed
around his form, concentric waves rippled from where he had broke
the surface, and his blue scythe vanished…

Seion’s temper had been by no means assuaged by his recent dip,
but seeing Kova land thus his face broke out into a huge grin,
although he was already leaping through the air after the spy and
into the water. Kova dived into the darkened depths a mere instant
before the sharpened teal tips of metal plunged into the space he
had been, leaving behind something silver…

"AAHH!" as he struck the water 231 screamed out in pain, having
triggered the rod into releasing its reduced payload of electricity
(anything too great would kill both of them). Kova, who was already
two and half metres away, and making for the shore, felt numbing
pain shoot up his legs and the shout behind him died into an
"Arrrbrbb…" as the Operative sank beneath the surface.

Opening his right hand as he paddled, the rod coursed through the
water to nestle back into Kova’s palm, as a while later he reached
the side, using his arms only to paddle as his legs spasmed slightly
in his wake. Mitsuki and Kiyone sprinted over to the railings to stare
at Seion’s sinking figure, while Kova emerged from the water.

"There he is…!" shouted Mitsuki, pointing down, but Kiyone had
already leaped over the railings and dived into the water. Mitsuki
had half raised her arm to fire before she suddenly remembered she
didn’t have her blaster handy. Kova, sitting on the ledge waiting for
feeling to return to his lower limbs, watched her in a bemused
fashion, then leisurely opened a portal in front of him and stepped
through, albeit with trembling legs.

Seion felt his senses return as he gulped in mouthful of river water.
Choking and gasping for breath, he started thrashing outwards and
up, just managing to keep from swallowing another mouthful before
he broke the surface to hungrily gulp in mouthfuls of fresh air. His
vision was lighted up with dots, his whole body ached all over, and
even though he had gulped a mouthful of water his throat still felt
unnaturally dry and parched.

"You all right?" Someone reached over to support him, one hand
under his left armpit holding his torso and another hand over his
shoulder cupped around his chin, holding it up above the water.

For a reply, Seion continued to gulp hungrily at the air, his legs
kicking erratically and in what looked very much like spasms.

Kiyone, almost without thinking, swam back for shore, with the
gulping Seion in tow. Her mind told her he was going to be able to
keep on the surface by himself anyway, but her body did not
seemed to be obeying…

"I’m fine," Seion managed, his hands and legs starting to work
normally.

Kiyone continued regardless, half hauling him out of water to lie
resting on the ledge as Mitsuki vaulted over the railings to stand
over them. The former was about to start pumping his stomach to
force the water out when Seion shook his head. Weakly he got into
a half sitting position, turned to face the water, and quite
unexpectedly, smashed his right fist hard into his stomach. Kiyone
and Mitsuki blinked in astonishment as he doubled up from the
pain, before vomiting the water out.

"Aah, that’s better." Seion blinked once and twice as his vision
finally returned to normal and the queasy feeling left his insides. His
two collegues could do nothing but stare, and he suddenly gave
vent to a huge burp as he dipped his left hand into the river,
seeming searching for something… "Heh, there you are…" Both
ladies’ eyes widened further as he drew from the water his Tiger
Trident, before, still dripping from head to toe, he unsteadily got to
his feet, slid his weapon behind his back, and regarded Kiyone
intently. "About just now… I don’t know what to say, Kiyone…"

The emerald eyes, so like her own, shone brightly with a mixture of
half amazed pleasure, gratefulness, astonishment and delight, and
Kiyone found herself drawn to them, enthralled by their emotions…
she could almost feel how it felt to hold the Operative’s magnificent
physique, which was certainly much better developed than Kova’s
own, and she could feel…

No, not exactly love but… pride!?!?

Kiyone blinked in surprise at her own thoughts, banishing the
image and the emotions. "Well, I’m glad to have been of service…"
for a moment she was going to address him as Seion, but seeing
the look in his eyes, and remembering the one who had just left the
scene, she decided not to risk encouraging this starry eyed person
before her. "… sir."

Seion’s eyes dimmed as he saw the defensive sheen glaze over her
eyes again and what seemed to be a start of a rosy blush faded
back into nothingness. "Yeah, you have been." He nodded,
becoming his usual self again. "I am so grateful to you and…"

"*Excuse* me for interrupting, but what about our quarry?" Mitsuki
grated.

Seion’s face darkened in anger as he recalled Kova. "That stupid
bastard son of a bitch put one over me again!" His fist clenched up. 

Kiyone’s mind riled in a mixture of anger and irritation as she heard
Kova being addressed in that fashion. "Forget it…" she murmured,
veiling her anger well. "At least we’re all right…"

"Easy for you to say," Mitsuki retorted. "You don’t have a black
listed grunt rank back at HQ to go back to…"

Kiyone’s brows knitted in anger at Mitsuki. "Well all this wouldn’t
have happened if you hadn’t showed up! I was doing just fine…" A
brief pang of regret flashed through her as she recalled what she
and Kova had been going on about… then that his wound had been
tended to and they were both feeling rather glad after eating
Sasami’s meal, maybe, just maybe…

"Oh yeah right you were doing just fine…" Mitsuki replied. "If I
remember right, you were all tied up, and with your ass close to him
too, from the way he was threatening you about a lay…"

Kiyone gritted her teeth in anger and was about to retort when…

"Shut up, Mitsuki." Seion ordered tersely.

"And what about you?" She asked, turning her attention on him
with some vengeance. "I didn’t see you do anything much, except
get knocked out from behind him to fall into the water…"

"Well, for your information, I was the one who saved your life."
Seion answered, sounding annoyed. "An action I have no doubt I
will and am regretting."

"My thanks for that, but you know as well as I do that was merely a
discharging of responsibility to a fellow team member." Mitsuki
replied. "I didn’t see you doing anything to actually help with the
fellow."

"Well, I…" Seion, remembering something that had been gnawing
on his mind, suddenly turned to face Kiyone, who had walked away
in mild irritation from the two arguing Galaxy Police personnel, and
was in the process of bending down to pick up her blaster.
"Kiyone?"

"Yes, sir?" She replied, straightening. In her other pocket she still
had Kova’s blaster, which she had conscientiously refrained from
using lest it hurt Kova, attracted undue attention or caused too
much damage to the place around.

"You saw me, didn’t you?" He asked, remembering when she was
held hostage, and his voice seemed to become awfully monotonous
and cautiously low, like the calm before a storm…

"Erm… yeah…" Kiyone contrived to look sheepish and confused.

"Then *why…*" His voice rose by several pitches. "the F*** did you
put yourself in that kind of danger!?" He managed to keep the
volume of his voice down, and somehow she knew his anger was
not directed at her. "Do you have *any* idea what might have
happened!? What would I ever *do* if that metal thing had been
stuffed right up your throat!?"

Kiyone felt herself shrink back… the righteous accusation as well
as the obvious agitation Seion was in spoke *volumes* about how
he cared for her, and somehow seemed familiar… "I…"

"… don’t give a damn about why you went and pulled that kind of
stunt." He answered, not exactly expressing anger but something
close to distress and fear. "I *never* want to see you to do
*anything* of the kind or to have *any* contact with that criminal
ever again!" He looked at her unappreciatively reluctant look. "Do
you understand!?"

Kiyone felt her own anger flare up. "I am very sorry, *sir*." She
retorted coldly. "But I will *not* obey those orders." Her emotions
took over, as it had when she was speaking to the Section Chief. "I
did it because I *know* he would never hurt me, and as for contact,
it is part of my *duty* as a Galaxy Police Officer to do my *best* to
resolve a situation peacefully to maintain law and order!"

Seion stared, seeming almost to want to explode in astonishment,
while Mitsuki laughed inwardly to herself.

Kiyone, oh my Kiyone, how quickly you’re losing it…

For a moment she was about to let loose a stinging remark about
how Kova *had* hurt her, but then suddenly… a wild, almost
impossible notion struck her…

No it can’t be! Anyone, but not Kiyone, no…!

She stared at her two dark haired colleagues, locked in a contest of
wills…

Impossible… or is it…?

Suddenly Seion bowed his head, almost as though he had been
wounded. "I… I’m sorry Kiyone. Maybe later, okay?"

Feeling him back down, Kiyone felt her anger subside, and with it
the last of the adrenalin surge that had arisen since Kova hurled the
rod at her back. Her hurts returned in full force, notably the pain in
her right arm from his wrench, as well as the ache in her throat and
from the heavy kick to her left arm. "I guess we had better be going
then…"

Seion nodded.

Mitsuki asked once more. "What about that guy? Now he knows
you’ve got the two of us, won’t he make a break for it?"

"No." Kiyone replied, not looking back as she leaped over the
railing to land on the alleyway. "Washu says he will not leave this
planet." She turned to look back down at the river…

The same river…

She closed her eyes, feeling the cool air about her, willing the
feeling of his form by her, the two of them laughing as they leaped
out from below… but there was another memory, of pulling Seion
towards the shore, of seeing the Operative sink down under…

A wave of a sadness whelmed her momentarily, causing her to
shiver slightly.

A poisoned memory… maybe… she hoped not.

As she started on the way back to her apartment, trailed by Mitsuki
and Seion who were arguing with each other about how much more
the other should have been done, Kiyone’s mind suddenly nailed
down why she had had that feeling of deja vu when Seion had been
ordering her about.

It had been almost exactly the way she had shouted at Kova
before…

====================================

Somewhere within Synerean airspace, in the vicinity of planet
Colrathius…

"Docking completed." 

The Overlord nodded, then quickly pressed the controls, sending
fragments of information along various system pathways to
departments and heads, before stepping into the exit panel that was
glowing.

"Aah, back at last." His form materialised as he was beamed down,
and he waved a hand back to greet the welcoming Committee, who
promptly cheered.

"All right!" This sounded really weird, especially given some of the
Committee looked at least seventy Earth years old. "Welcome back,
Mentora!"

"Thank you," He smiled affably at his staff, and most notably at the
camera, which was telecasting his reception throughout the moon
base that was the SKN-574 Research Labs. "I’m sorry, but we have
to get cracking, so if you people don’t mind we may have to forgo
the customary celebration."

There was a palpable groan of resignation from the Committee.

"Look, I’m very sorry, but we have to do it…" the Overlord seemed
pretty upset. "Anyway, don’t know if it helps, but once we finish with
this project you can all have at least a week off, plus indemnity from
drafting into the military will be guaranteed for any civilian relation of
all of you!"

There was a gasp of surprised joy from the Committee. "*What*!?"
They couldn’t remember the last time there was a one week break,
apart from the monthly vacational shifts.

"Yeah, and if you folks wish to stay here and treat yourselves to a
party, I’ll personally see the wine and bread gets around!"

There was a round of enthusiastic applause from the audience of
the broadcast, and several older members of the Committee smiled
toothlessly at each other.

"If we can wrap this up in a week, its a ten percent raise for all of
you. Make it three days, and it’ll be twenty percent. Plus I will
personally fund *all* of your private research projects!"

Several screams of delight rang out from various places around the
moon.

"Assuming they are reasonable, of course," he added in a lower
voice. "However, this current project will take *all* of your
cooperation, so I would appreciate it if you would all put aside your
private researches and testing for the time being, fine? For Ship
Design, Armament, Construction Engineering, Shielding,
Propulsion Boosters, Energy Core, all the relevant information have
been sent to your department heads who will send them out shortly.
Please see that by then you have made arrangements with the
Suspension Facility to take care of your personal projects. As for
the whole thing, I will be coordinating this myself, understand?"

"Yes, sir!" The faces before him were beaming, ere they hurried off
into various teleportation beams, all save for three members of the
Committee

"What about us?" They asked. The camera on the wall still took
down all the details.

"Cybernetics, the data is in place too, with the specifications. While
your project is technically irrelevant to the other departments’, I’m
afraid you’re expected to keep up with the rest as well."

"Yes, sir!" The decrepit looking bald old man, with a beard reaching
between his knees, quickly lurched off into the nearest teleportation
tube.

"Interface will be the Coordinator who will assist me in coordinating
the projects." The lady, looking in her late forties, nodded her
acquiescence before hurrying off.

There was a single man left, who looked near fifty, and smiled slyly
at Seida. "Mentora?"

For a reply the silver-eyed man looked him straight in the eye.
"Weaponry, why ask when you know?" There was a touch of
amused camaraderie in his gaze.

"Thank you, sir." The man bowed low and, not straightening himself
yet, stepped back to vanish into another beam.

Seida smiled one last time at the camera. "All right, that’s all for now!
Hop to it!" Before quitting the bay himself.

Seating himself down at his desk, he nodded wearily, if a little
happily, to himself.

God I love this capitalistic system, it’s almost too easy…

Then his face darkened.

Gusechard might get a little troublesome. I’ll have to get rid of him
just in case. Too bad, such a promising chap too… Ah well, it’s just
a matter of who gets who first, I just have to make sure he gets the
Weaponry section to work before doing so.

Gingerly, he pressed a code into the panel by the side of his desk,
then watched as the top of desk opened to reveal a screen, and was
not at all surprised to see some green letters on them.

You have done well, Captain. The completed weapon, please, as
soon as you finish building it.

Staring at the message, his white brows compressed tightly
together in annoyance, then he sat back in his chair, his face
looking angered.

Damn you, so you think you’re so smart… ordering me to and fro
like I’m some kind of dog. Things will change soon, I assure you… 

His hands danced over the data pad, and the suspension cells
appeared on the screen. As he had ordered, the bodies from tubes
2159, 5183, 6196 and 8246 had been vacated, and though two of
them were still filled, it was clearly by a different person. Checking
records, he was glad to note that the Cybernetics department had
indeed followed his orders to send out his Delivery…

====================================

Silence, as they had returned to the house, and they naturally made
for where the one place they could relax together, to clean off the
sweat glistening from their encounter with the hunter and not fight
over their common passion…

She was the one to strip first and, for once not bothering with her
towel, slide her fair body gently into the warm waters, feeling
soothing heat strip the fatigue from her earlier exertions, and closed
her eyes as her long tresses floated upon the clear, half steaming
surface of the pool.

Ryoko watched as Aeka heaved a sigh of contentment, before
submerging her entire form under water.

Grr… come on you stupid wound, quit bleeding!

She mentally chided the weal under her right breast, pressing her
her cloth hard to it. Being a space pirate, much as she was cavalier
about orthodox concerns she *did* mind bathing in water gradually
staining red with blood.

Ouch… She winced as she pressed a little too hard. Damn it… damn
Nagi.

Aeka watched from the water, relaxing herself as she watched
Ryoko wait it out. Unlike in the past, when she would have just
asked the question outright, something told her to stay silent, that
this was not the time. Indeed, she could feel acutely the space
pirate’s tension and puzzlement. They were not unlike her own, but
somehow in the bath her own emotions felt less… volatile, less
resurgent and forceful. They did not cloud her mind, nor get in the
way of her will to finally have a good heart-to-heart talk with this
‘monster woman’ she had known for so long now. But as she was
being abnormally perceptive, she was aware that while Ryoko was
at least equally eager to sort things out, there was a frustration and
anger, as well as feeling of helpless vulnerability, about the space
pirate.

Aeka blinked in sudden surprise…

When did I last think so clearly? 

This state of being at once emotionally sensitive while mentally
evaluative had eluded her for such a very long time, it seemed
almost alien now. Only once or twice, when Sasami was very
upset… even in those cases it had been more of an emotional
response rather than a conscious thought.

This is so strange… how could I have known Ryoko for so long,
and never *once* tried to feel for her, tried to know her or
understand why she did what she did?

She shook her head, chastising herself.

How could I have ever had the temerity to think I *am* a great and
intelligent princess…?

Ryoko, finally satisfied her wound, if not completely closed, had at
least stopped bleeding sufficiently, almost impatiently divested
herself of her slightly bloodied dress and threw herself into the pool.

Woohoo! The space pirate thought as she torpedoed in, but for
some reason, she didn’t actually whoop outright. Only the sound of
the splash of the water broke the silence of the ripples Aeka had left
in her wake in the water.

The princess frowned in mild irritation as the water droplets
splashed up about her. Ryoko’s face emerged from near the centre
of the pool, looking awfully delighted as she felt the bath wash away
her cares and wounds, both mental and physical, and her pressing,
almost urgent questions were pushed to the back of her mind as
her body exulted in the pleasant sensations of the lukewarm
waters…

Ah… it *is* good to be alive!

Almost immediately the thought turned her to Nagi and from there to
her current concern, her preoccupation to sort things out with her
rival. Turning back, Ryoko stared right into Aeka’s face.

"You too?" She asked. Aeka didn’t normally encroach on Ryoko’s
space, and the two generally kept a healthy distance from each
other… not to mention that Aeka usually kept a little something
wrapped around herself. 

Aeka nodded. "We have to talk, Ryoko."

"This is not just about Nagi and Tenchi, is it?"

"No, it isn’t." Aeka answered solemnly. "Though that would be a
good place to start."

Ryoko nodded, and took up the issue she felt was most relevant.
"Why did you save me from Nagi?" There was a bitter taste in her
mouth as she acknowledged it.

I owe her…

It was not a feeling Ryoko relished, even more so when the person
concerned was Aeka. 

Well, there could be worse people to be indebted to…

But I’d much rather *not* be indebted to anybody! I am Ryoko! *I*
have ploughed the seas of stars for countless years, plundering the
galactic spaceways, while *she* has probably been stuffed up in
some palace somewhere, complaining over how cold her tea is…

"Ryoko?" Aeka waved a hand in front of the space pirate’s
semi-disgusted and despairing face. "Did you hear me?"

"Huh? Uh no, I don’t think I did."

"To be honest, Ryoko, I’d like to think it was some form of
repayment for you taking Tenchi to Jurai." Her voice sounded odd,
strangely vulnerable, but Ryoko missed it.

"Yeah." She paused for a moment, as the pain came rushing back…
her body torn and dying, her spirit tormented and despairing,
darkness all around, shattered only by the lethal beams the
Juraians were firing… "That hurt…*bad*." There was something
very lost and lonely about Ryoko at that moment, as though she
were surrounded by a great void.

Something stirred in Aeka, something she still was denying, trying
to pin down until she could identify it, but it wriggled out of her
grasp and she blurted out, almost without thinking. "Don’t worry, at
least you’re here with us now." Her purple eyes widened.

That couldn’t have been me saying that, could it!?

Ryoko started, staring in bewilderment at Aeka, who looked no less
surprised. "What was that you said!?" She exclaimed. If she didn’t
know better she’d have sworn it was Sasami speaking, the
statement was the likes of which could only come from the little
princess.

Aeka blinked, the impression sinking into her too.

Sheesh… I guess I am my sister’s sister after all… 

Wait a minute that thought doesn’t make sense! I’m the older one!

Ryoko’s eyebrows knitted together. "I don’t need your *pity*,
princess." She growled suddenly, and Aeka was taken aback by the
sudden change in her disposition. "On the Comet, repayment, fine.
But, this time? What was that for?"

Aeka desperately tried to recover her wits. "I…" then the words
came out in a rushing stream, almost garbled. "…did it for lord
Tenchi!" The defensiveness was very clearly heard.

"Don’t play the saint with me, princess." Ryoko snarled. "You and I
both know better, when it comes to Tenchi, you’re the same pirate I
am."

The princess was stunned for a moment, not knowing what to say.
A year ago she would have shrieked at Ryoko for daring to compare
them and a fight would have ensued, but that was not so now,
where they were trying to communicate. For a moment something
told her that what she had just said was what she’d like to believe
was the entire reason, but it wasn’t, then she managed to shove the
thought away before it left an impression strong enough to be acted
upon.

"Then you, Ryoko, why did you bring Tenchi to Jurai?" She
retorted.

"He… asked me to." Ryoko’s voice sank to a low whisper, the pain
and anger at Tenchi’s plea coming back to hit her hard.

"Well, if anything happened to me now would you try to help me?"
Aeka probed. "Or would you sit back and watch me die?"

"I’d save you, princess." Ryoko answered from between clenched
teeth. "Especially because I *owe* you."

Aeka felt herself buckle in frustration, it was like trying to see
through a brick wall! "Well, then. I think I’ve made my point." She
frowned, her irritation showing through, then dipped her head
under the water, leaving her purple tresses floating on top like some
kind of marker.

Something in Ryoko cried, ‘Hang on, something is missing, it wasn’t
supposed to go this way!’ but she snorted and vanished to appear
under the fountain at the far end of the room, and lay there in the air
above the water to let the warm water cascade over her in all her
bared magnificence.

Several silent minutes passed, and gradually their emotions died
down amidst the soothing caress of lukewarm water. Aeka surfaced
once again, looking back at the naked figure at the other end of the
room, wanting to try again, but then she sighed wearily, and turned
away, closing her eyes wearily.

Well, I tried.

Just as she opened her eyes, Ryoko appeared on the edge of the
pool she was facing.

"Well, princess?" She was slightly more solemn now, serious but at
the same time more serene, it seemed, although there was a touch
of uncertainty about her voice. "Want to try again?"

Aeka pursed her lips, to hide the fact that she was taken aback, and
also to try to take stock of the situation, as Ryoko slid off the edge
and into the pool, golden eyes never leaving her form for an instant.
"Okay. Again."

"Fair enough." The space pirate commented. "After all, *you* were
the one who…" The sentence stopped halfway, and Aeka was
pleasantly surprised to note her expression became one of
self-recrimination.

Smart, congratulations, Ryoko applauded herself sarcastically.
That’s me all right, killing the discussion before it even starts.

So she was rather astonished when Aeka nodded, looking a little
guilty. "You’re right Ryoko. I think I was hiding something." She
admitted, then fell silent.

Ryoko waited, and waited. 

Still silence. 

"*Well*!?" She finally couldn’t stand the curiosity. "What is it?"

"I… I don’t know." Aeka murmured. "But… it’s not just because of
Tenchi."

"Oh." Ryoko answered lamely, confused and unsure of what to say.
She felt very small suddenly, as though she were a mouse that had
been kissed by a cat. "You… don’t hate me?"

"No, not really, I guess." She raised her eyes to stare back into
Ryoko’s. "You?"

The amber eyes swivelled around as she tried to sort out her
thoughts, like a person searching about a chest of drawers for a
little something he couldn’t quite find and couldn’t quite remember
what it was. It was a while before she replied, softly. "No, I don’t
either."

They sat back, absorbing and chewing on this new fact about each
other.

"When do you think it happened?" Aeka asked, finally.

"I have no idea." 

As one, their minds rove back to the time they had arrived here.
They had met on Earth, had hated one another, and almost
instantaneously hated one another for loving Tenchi. From that it
came to hating because of Tenchi, and because of one’s actions,
then … it was just that. The only reason they hated each other now
was because of Tenchi and because of the others’ actions.

But they in meantime, they had also learnt to respect one another,
and more recently, to fight alongside and cry alongside…

And now that Tenchi had showed that he *could* and *would* love
both of them, as long as they weren’t upset by that…

There was just no need to keep up this masquerade of animosity
anymore.

It seemed only one last barrier remained… could they love
alongside? Without pushing and shoving?

"Aeka?"

The princess turned, hearing the sorrowful, quavering note in the
word. "Yes, Ryoko?"

"I… I’m sorry… about your present…" Her head was bowed.

Aeka felt the hot rage and burning anger forcing up from within
herself. She could see the doves… hear the tinkle of the smashing
crystal… But her intelligence and control overcame the intense
emotions, especially given the soothing nature of the bath, and she
realised it was the *first* time Ryoko had ever apologised to her for
anything… "It’s over." She answered briefly, aching from the pain
as she thought…

"Tenchi would have loved it," Ryoko muttered.

Even through her dampened mind, Aeka felt something rear in
surprise as Ryoko said exactly what she thought. "You… you liked
it too?"

"Not at the time," Ryoko replied softly. "But I think Tenchi would
have, after all looking back I have to admit they *were* rather
pretty…"

The princess didn’t know what to say in reply.

"Although I think it would have been better if you had added some
louder music to it."

Aeka licked her lips, feeling totally lost, then finally thought of
returning the compliment. "Yours was very nice too. The box was
splendid and the smell was nice."

"Thanks, Aeka." She acknowledged the words with a slight nod.
"You were more important to Tenchi though."

Again Aeka was caught off balance. There could be no doubting the
bitterness in the statement, but underlying it there was some kind of
serene acceptance of that fact now, as though Ryoko thought that
she should have known better than to think an object could
outweigh a person in the eyes of someone like Tenchi. Quickly Aeka
tried to recall what Sasami said, but she was getting confused, as
though her mind was in a mist, and Ryoko’s intention and
disposition was getting difficult to perceive through the haze of
conflicting emotions the conversation was drawing out.

"Ryoko…" Aeka reached out, trying to ascertain something she
suspected since the space pirate vocalised her thoughts. "When
did you ever try to understand me?"

"I… don’t really know. That just sort of came out, it should have
been obvious I guess, especially if I thought like Tenchi." She
looked a little chagrined. "I guess I never really bothered with you
before, princess."

Okay, Aeka thought with a certain degree of relief. At least I know
Ryoko is not that much more emphatic than me…

She shuddered at a thought of an empire with a queen that was
more ruthless and heartless than even a space pirate, or even
worse, of being that icy queen.

"Sasami helped me." Aeka mentioned. "She made me not hate
you… by letting me see you."

"Heh," Ryoko grinned toothily, her sobriety giving way for a
moment to her usual self, like a ray of light from a clouded sky.
"That’s Sasami all right. What would we ever do without her?"

"You know," Aeka added as an after thought. "I never did repay
Kova for saving Sasami."

"Princess, I think you needn’t worry. He’s probably having fun with
Kiyone now."

Aeka smiled somewhat at the thought. "You’re a space pirate, what
would he appreciate?"

"Heh," Ryoko grinned. "Having more time Kiyone, especially at
night."

Aeka’s smile suddenly died.

"Hey, did I say something?" Ryoko asked.

Aeka’s face tilted away, and there was a slightly pinkish cast to it,
but the sadness was poignant.

"Oh, it’s about *him*, huh?"

"It’s all very easy to try to sort things out this way, Ryoko." Aeka
said. "But…"

Ryoko seemed to wilt. "Yeah… I don’t think I could live with that."

For many more moments neither spoke, hoping and praying the
other one could come up with a good solution, some compromise,
but there was none.

It was about a treasure neither of them wanted to share.

"Well." Aeka finally muttered, gathering her breath about her. 

"So much for sorting things out, princess." Ryoko murmured. "Let’s
face it, we both agree about what we feel for him and he feels for us.
But actually sharing is a different matter."

"I don’t think I could take the pain, Ryoko." Aeka murmured. "All my
life, there has only been one - Tenchi."

"Nor could I." Ryoko answered, then sighed. "I know you may not
believe this, but it’s the same for me." Her eyes became distant, as
Aeka started in some kind of amazement. "There never has been,
and never will be, another Tenchi."

"You must have been very lonely." There was a pause. "Just like
me."

Ryoko stared at her, almost instinctively about to toss out a vibe
about all the suitors Aeka had met, about having a council and a
palace and everything, while she had only Ryo-oh-ki and the
endless space around her, but then she realised she couldn’t.

She *is* like me. All the royal courtiers and dignitaries and
formalities and shallow suitors… she never really had anyone to
really share herself with, except maybe Sasami in a way.

The understanding that the qualities they felt that made them feel
they deserve Tenchi over the other were in fact shared by both of
them was disquieting, somehow, for both of them.

"I guess that’s all for now, huh?" Ryoko decided she didn’t want to
learn more, at least for now. It was like an entirely new vista for her,
seeing through Aeka’s point of view, as though she had fallen
through desert sands to emerge into an icy arctic waste and trying
to forge ahead towards the distant light that just might be a cabin…

"Yeah, I guess so."

The two ladies continued soaking.

"Do you think it helped?" Aeka asked.

"Maybe. Maybe not." Ryoko pursed her lips in thought. "I don’t
know."

"So how will we know if it helped?"

Their eyes met once again, and like sisters, some kind of
understanding passed between them so they didn’t have to speak.

Tenchi will know.

====================================

She reached forward, pushing open the door to her apartment, and
as she was about to enter, her eyes just managed to discern in the
dim light several glistening drops of water upon the ground…

He’s been here!

Straining her eyes wearily to see try to make out the trail, she was
acutely aware that Seion had stopped for a while at a convenience
store to buy a bottle of beer while Mitsuki was just two steps behind
herself…

Quickly Kiyone stepped into the room, taking care to walk her
dripping self directly over the wet spots, and mentally heave a sigh
of relief that the water marks did not lead from the main door all the
way over to the window, but rather just two steps to the side at the
wall where the door to Tenchi’s house was. 

He must have just appeared inside this room… but what does this
mean? He wouldn’t be stupid enough to leave a trail for us to follow,
would he?

No… the trail is for me alone to take up…

"Taking a bath, Kiyone?" Mitsuki stepped in behind her, not
detecting anything in the least untoward. "Ah well, must remind
myself, shabby-like…" Her eyes took stock of Kiyone’s apartment
once again. "Not that I have that much of a choice."

"You can go first." Kiyone replied, mentally grinning as she thought
what a splendid time she was going to have in the bath in Tenchi’s
place as compared to Mitsuki, especially if the redhead thought all
she had at her disposal was this apartment’s shower… "I have to try
to get to Washu first…" She walked over the phone in her
apartment, knowing full well they had been cut off.

"Well, suit yourself." Mitsuki shrugged, not wanting to question
further as she thought the outcome was to her advantage as she
got to go first. "Too bad I don’t have a spare set of clothing around
but at least I’m all dry… heh 231 will have to have put on his sloppy
suit again… and that will just too bad for him, won’t it?" 

Kiyone watched, half in irritation and half in relief as her annoying
colleague went into the apartment bathroom. Picking for herself a
change of clothes, she quickly rapped on the wall and stepped
through…

On the other side, the wet trail continued along the second level of
the Masaki household.

Yeah I think he meant it for me all right…

She shuddered to think what might have happened if Seion had
came here first, and moved along past the door to women’s bath
and Tenchi’s room to reach Mihoshi’s room where the trail stopped.
Tentatively she pushed it open…

Somehow, framed in the doorway like that, Kiyone wasn’t at all
surprised to see the room was perfectly empty, except for the bed
where Mihoshi lay and the odd furnishings here and there, all more
or less bearing some mark of Mihoshi’s ditziness from spill stains to
a cracked lampshade…

"Come on, come on out, wherever you are." She muttered. There
was no response, and her eyes quickly saw there were no wet
marks anywhere on the floor of the room. Looking about warily, she
had just stepped forward when a droplet of water landed on her
shoulder…

"Gotcha!"

====================================

Seion entered the apartment, and felt his blood run cold for a
moment as he spotted neither Kiyone nor Mihoshi in sight.

Oh no, he must have gotten to them…

Come on, that’s ridiculous…

Shaking his head, Seion tried to think coherently without being
paranoid, and just managed to make out sounds of someone
cursing from behind a door in the room. Almost inadvertantly, he
smiled to himself at Mitsuki’s discomfiture…

So he couldn’t have came here or Mitsuki would have been taken
too. 

The wet trail glistened in the dim light…

They must be at this Tenchi fellow’s place.

Closing the door behind him, and taking another swig from the
bottle he had, he felt the rivulets of beer run down his throat, before
turning his attention to the wall from which the Mihoshi he had
beheld for the first time had emerged.

Let’s see, how do you open this?

His fingers ran along the wall, searching for a mark or something, a
handle, an indication. There was nothing. Frowning in irritation, he
took another swig and searched more carefully… some kind of
control panel, button, hidden ledge… but still nothing.

Oh god… not another blasted miserable night within earshot of that
Mitsuki…

He could almost have screamed in frustration. Now that he was
finally here on Earth, having introduced himself to the girl he had
been dying to meet and to her partner whom he almost died when
he met ( ^_^ ), he was going to be separated from them by a secret
door!?

Hell, no way!

He steeled his energies and focused his mind once more. A careful,
meticulous scrutiny… still nothing…

GAAAH!

Seion let out a series of oaths as Mitsuki from somewhere inside the
apartment let out her own string of expletives. Out of frustration, the
Operative hit the wall with his fist.

And almost fell over in surprise as the door materialised. Blinking to
himself in astonishment, he mentally chided himself before opening
the door and stepping through. It faded out of existence behind him,
as a vehemently cursing Mitsuki emerged from the bathroom of the
apartment, only to look around in surprise.

Hey, where’s everyone?

====================================

Kiyone spun around, her blaster halfway up, but the figure that had
been perched directly above the door was already in midair, having
already launched itself straight at her. She briefly glimpsed a flash of
dark blue hair, a Cheshire grin, and two shining orbs of azure that
twinkled with mischief an instant before his wet form collided into
hers. One arm wrapped around her shoulders, the other behind her
head, as his legs went around and hooked her knees from behind
as the two of them tumbled together onto the ground as the clothes
in her hand were sent flying.

Kiyone managed to keep her head screwed on. "Kova-chan!!" She
cried, although whether in perturbance or in pleasure she wasn’t
really sure herself.

"Did someone call me?" He chuckled from atop her, and she felt her
pulse race as she realised he was straddling her with his legs about
her waist, before bending his head down and then lightly brushing
his lips over her cheeks.

For a moment Kiyone felt a part of herself disappointed…

Not that I would have let him anyway! She reminded herself. She
had been deliberately trying to avoid thinking about it, but at this
moment it all came back to her now, and along with it, the emotions
of fear and apprehension that had so tortured her during the ordeal.

"Look, Kova-chan," she answered, her voice deliberately cold. "We
have to talk."

His brows knitted in consternation. "Why? I thought, between the
two of us, it would be enough…"

"It *wasn’t*." She retorted. "Not to me at least. Now get off me."

Kova sprang backwards and away, but somehow contrived to make
his rapid movements seem reluctant… in the dark room, his face
was an odd mixture of disappointment, sorrow and irritation, as he
watched her get to her feet. "Did I hurt you very much?"

"Yes you did." Kiyone replied tersely.

"Feeling better now?" Somehow he managed to express a bit of
reprove in his concerned statement for her. "Inside?"

"Yeah, you’d know it hurt me worse there…"

"Frankly, Kiyone-chan…" he answered, his voice a little uncertain. "I
didn’t." He rubbed his right cheeks, jaw, and lower back, which
were still hurting. "It’s just that you sounded like it had."

Kiyone sighed. "Look, I know I hit you too, but I’m sure it’s as usual
all right for you, and besides, it was all just staged, right?"

"Of course I know that." He replied, coolly. "What I don’t understand
is, why can’t *you* take it that way?"

"I…"

"I’ll be perfectly honest, I *never* for a moment doubted you. My
pains are solely of the flesh…" Here his voice became a shade sad.
"Up until now…"

Kiyone felt her temper catch for what seemed the hundredth time
that night… "*Easy* for you to say!" She snarled back. "You’re not
the …" As if in direct contrast and opposition to her partner’s
disposition, Mihoshi let out a particularly loud snore at that point. 

Kiyone turned to stare angrily at the slumbering figure in
annoyance, which promptly sneezed once in her sleep. "Uh… bless
you…" Mihoshi murmured to herself, turned around and sighed
contentedly before settling again. 

Kova took one look at Kiyone’s face, which was twitching nervously
as gales of outrage swept across it, somehow seeming at the same
time green with envy and jealousy as well as being close to
despairing, and would have burst out laughing if he hadn’t known it
would be suicidal to do so at this point. 

Kiyone’s face contorted for a split second into a mask of savagery.

God help me Mihoshi I *WILL* kill you!!!

For a moment Kiyone thought she was going to burst from the
pressure of the pent up emotions inside. Emotions from the tiff in
the morning to the report in the late afternoon, from the surprise at
the bar to meeting a commanding officer who seemed to be wanting
to woo her, from the making up with Kova to actually fighting
against him, then all this… there was just too much emotional
stress, and besides she hadn’t slept very much at all for the past
few days and…

The dimly lit room started to spin as Kiyone felt her vertigo
disintegrate, and had barely enough time to put a hand against the
wall to steady herself.

She felt his hands hold her shoulders, helping her stay upright too,
and looked up into worried, concerned azure eyes. For a moment
she and Kova stared at each other, not speaking, then he gently
hugged her, and she closed her eyes in restful bliss as she let his
proximity, his care and touch comfort her, drawing strength from
the knowledge that he would always be there for her.

They were glad then, that there was something more restful and
less raw in the almost platonic relationship they shared, not having
to worry about the rough and tumble that might draw out more of
one’s energy, but generally knowing they needed only each other’s
companionship and presence to bask idly in the light of their love.
There was not the compunction to lose one’s own problems in
love-making, but to just draw strength from being in love and with
one’s love.

Although it seemed too brief, Kiyone was feeling more her normal
self when there was a soft knock on the door.

What the…!?

"Kiyone?" Seion’s voice came from the other side. "May I come in?"

Almost instantly Kova had vanished under Mihoshi’s bed. 

She might feel better now, but she probably has got more to say…

He shuddered at what he’d face if she decided she *didn’t* want to
forgive him.

"Sure…" Kiyone murmured uncertainly.

Slowly, almost reservedly, the door opened. Seion was surprised
with himself, as a part of him that was less inebriated noted his
actions, and he stepped in, taking care to leave the bottle outside
the room. Unlike Kova before he met Kiyone, Seion had been in a
lady’s room before, and generally while he did enter such room with
the certainty of approval, it was usually through less than explicit
asking of permission.

There was something about Kiyone, that demanded more from
him… and in fact if this were Mihoshi’s room, he would be equally
careful about it too…

"Uh, Kiyone, I…" He suddenly stopped in mid sentence and stared,
mouth hanging open.

Kiyone peered curiously at him, before following the path his eyes
took to the figure on the bed, and smiled to herself, the distaste and
anger induced by his interrupting her private moment with Kova
fading away in the light of his comical appearance.

The necessary connections were finally made in Seion’s mind…

Oh man… this really *IS* Mihoshi’s room…

Kiyone chose to keep quiet, grinning inside and mentally wondered
how long it would be before the Operative, slightly over half a foot
taller than her, would take to start gibbering.

Kova, on the other hand was in a state of extreme agitation… surely
Kiyone couldn’t be…!? Slowly and cautiously he extended a hand
out slowly from under the bed, taking care to keep it in the shadow,
using the reflective surface of the silver armlet to see what went on
outside, and was relieved to note Seion was standing where he
was, in the doorway.

"Mihoshi?" The Operative finally managed.

Kiyone nodded, and decided to talk as she realised his eyes were
riveted onto Mihoshi and not noticing in the least at her action.
"Yeah."

"Oh." Seion seemed semi-dazed. "I thought since you were here it
would be your room."

"No, Mihoshi and I usually sleep in our apartment. She sleeps in this
room when she stays over at Tenchi’s place."

Seion blinked once, then again. "She… stays over Tenchi’s place?"
The disappointment was painfully obvious in his voice.

"Yeah, why not?" Kiyone laughed, amused. "We often drop by here,
especially to enjoy ourselves."

Seion’s face fell even further.

Despite knowing he was quite possibly one of the main
obstructions between her and Kova, at least in this time and place,
as well as the high likelihood of encouraging him if he were trying to
get close to her, the look of pain was so poignantly visible on his
face Kiyone’s heart went out to him and she simply had to alleviate
it in some way. "Don’t worry, we’re just friends here, that’s all."

Seion finally took his eyes off Mihoshi to stare at Kiyone. She
thought he was going to say something like "Are you sure?" or
"Maybe…" But there was no such questioning. His gaze met hers,
and she had a sudden feeling she was reading him just as he was
reading her, and the two of them suddenly had a glimpse of the
other person…

He loves me… There could be no doubting the expression of
tenderness and appreciative happiness he bore her as he realised
her intentions, and the sincerity it reflected from her eyes told her he
would not doubt what she said in the very least…

But then what does he want with Mihoshi!?

The connection broke, as Seion nodded his head in affirmation of
her point, and Kiyone tried desperately to seize again at what she
had just caught a glimpse of…

If he loves me, but looks at Mihoshi that way, can it be that he loves
her too? But he doesn’t look at me that way… so he must *lust* after
her!? And what kind of person does that make him?

Although in general Kiyone would easily accept the verdict that all
men, with the exception of Tenchi, and more recently of Kova, were
steeped in lust, she realised, with a certain amount of chagrin, that
she did *not* want to believe that of Seion…

Could it be…!? Am I falling for him too!? She asked herself, the
thought sending multitudes of chilling fear spiking through her. No
it can’t be… I love Kova-chan…

Vividly the words came back to her…

‘The two of you could make a *perfect* team, unlike us, one in
darkness and the other in light.’

‘I’m *sure* he will take care of you…’

But then her own words came back too, and she heard herself
clearly within her mind.

‘I will walk with you, Kova-chan. Whatever the roads, whether in
darkness or in light, we shall walk them together.’

Then she realised something else… somehow, in some indefinable
way, the love she thought she sensed Seion felt for her was
different from Kova’s, like of a different quality and texture…

"Kiyone?" As Seion took a step forward into the room, Kiyone
snapped out her thoughts, and almost instinctively took a step
back. 

"Yes, sir?" She asked, wrinkling her nose in slight distaste as she
smelled the faint reek of alcohol exuding from him.

"Wanna talk?" He asked, sounding a little uncertain.

"What about?" She let a tinge of suspicion creep into her voice.

Seion winced slightly. "About just now… you know…"

"No I don’t, *sir*."

"Please…" Seion licked his lips, his voice pleading. "Just Seion."
He took a deep breath, his expression downcast. "Please, Kiyone."

Somehow, seeing him in pain and bowed before her, awoke in her a
feeling that there was something wrong, that this was not the way
things were meant to be. The chink in her armour widened as she
gave in. "Very well, Seion."

The Operative looked up, staring at the sudden transformation in
her tone of voice. "Kiyone?" Was it his imagination, or did he really
hear the slight delight in her voice as she spoke?

"What was it you wanted to talk about?" Kiyone smiled slightly to
see his surprise. "Seion?"

For a moment 231 felt himself lost in confusion at the rapid change,
then his face flushed with pleasure. "Oh… nothing much!" He
grinned sheepishly, dismissively waving his hand. "Nothing much,
just about back at the river…"

Kova felt his blood run hot and cold with jealousy and fear, recalling
seeing Kiyone dive into the river… to rescue Seion!?

"What about it?" Kiyone asked, sounding a little curious, and now
there could be no doubt her voice was no longer cold and neutral,
but had a touch of pleasure about it.

Seion breathed in. "You know, about our assignment?"

Kiyone’s brows furrowed and her face fell. "And…?"

"Kiyone, look." Seion’s tone became serious again, losing its
lightheartedness as he felt her withdraw once again. "He’s frigging
dangerous, to try to parley is just stupid…"

"No! He…"

"*Listen* to me." Seion breathed, his emphasis coming out
emotionally. "I’ve fought him. He’s got a warrior’s honour, and I’ll
swear he’s the *best* rat bastard in fighting I’ve ever crossed, but
let’s face it, he’s just one of them crooks, and when it comes down
to crunch, they ain’t gonna want nothing standing in the way of their
survival."

"You don’t seem to understand." Her eyes had narrowed on Seion
already. "For one thing, I have been a detective for at least as long
as you have. For another, I was doing just fine up until the time you
and Mitsuki showed up."

"I’m Seion, not Operative 231 and frankly I’d rather die than see you
hurt or killed. Anyway what terms do you talk to him of?" He asked.
"Do you know he is marked for *death*?

There was stony silence.

"Kiyone?"

"Marked for death… marked for death…" Her words were almost
inaudible, like the descent of an icicle into a pool of frigid water.
"He’s *not* marked for death." Her eyes, glazed over from a moment
ago, lighted up in passion. "I *won’t* accept that, I *won’t* believe
that."

"Let’s face it, he probably knows all this crap as well as I do. We
want to get him to execute him, the Syndicate wants to kill him, his
ass is also branded by Jurai… hell the whole universe is just waiting
to cut his guts out, your terms mean nothing to him…" Seion
pointed out. "He’s just playing you, and when the time comes he’d
slit your throat without a second thought."

"That’s a *lie*." She announced in a flat tone that cracked and
trembled, reverberating softly in the room. Though slightly
inebriated, Seion raised an eyebrow as an uneasy thought occured
to him, and remembering herself, Kiyone quickly banished her
emotions to search desperately in her mind for something to fall
back onto. "Look, we have been taught to try to resolve situations
as peaceably as possible, right?"

"I haven’t. For us ‘close range pacifiers’ in the SpecOps we just get
the job done a-okay like shit quick." Seion added pointedly.
"Kiyone, I *won’t* lose you now, not after finally finding you."

You dare presume just because I called you by your name you
*have* me!?

Yet her wrath was silenced in the light of his strange tone…

No that is not what he meant… he has been searching… for me. He
has found me, that is all…

There was a tense silence, before Kiyone finally replied. "I
appreciate your concern, but I will *not* promise anything, except
that I will think about it."

"But…" Seion seemed to rear in dissatisfaction, and he was about
to try again when he suddenly realised he was up against an iron
will at least as hardened and as steeled as his own. He swallowed
the statement back down his throat, fighting the impulse to try to
ram his message home harder. Just as Kiyone just did, he fought
down his most likely response. "Fine, then. Think about it." His
voice became stoic and hardened. "I can only pray."

"Pray, then." Kiyone replied coldly, deliberately turning to look at
Mihoshi.

Seion stood for a moment, acutely aware that she considered this
conversation concluded, but still watched her carefully. "What’s she
like, Kiyone?"

Kiyone turned around, giving Seion a look that seemed to say
‘What, still here?’

His gaze was steely, but at the same time they pleaded with her… as
though he had a task not yet accomplished, and would desire but a
little more time… "Mihoshi."

She sighed, deciding to relent. "She’s just my partner, and has been
my partner for a long, long time." Sometimes it seemed like an
eternity of goof-ups and botched arrests one after another. "She’s
nice, though." She added, almost to herself.

"More than a partner, I think." Seion murmured. Kiyone knitted her
brows in surprise, as she thought she detected what she sensed
was the slightest tinge of jealousy, but whether directed at herself or
Mihoshi, she couldn’t tell. "She said you took care of her, Kiyone."
He remembered how Mihoshi had obstinately insisted Kiyone would
not like it if Seion and Mitsuki went after her. "Did she take care of
you too?"

For some inexplicable reason, Kiyone suddenly thought of Mitsuki.
"I think so." There was something there, something in the image of
the redhead she couldn’t quite grasp. Then it faded and she
remembered asking Mihoshi whether to give up Kova or her job on
board the Yagami… "Yes." She swallowed slightly, recalling the
blast that had severed Terminus’ wrist. "She certainly did."

Seion nodded, his face lined with regret. "Do you think I…" For a
moment he seemed to want to add something else, but he cut
himself off. "…Mihoshi knows you very well?"

Kiyone turned back to stare queerly at him again. "What ever made
you think that?"

"Before we left your place, Mihoshi said you’d be fine, and you
wouldn’t like us to go." Seion paused, letting the message sink in,
and watched as the lady turned back to look upon the slumbering
figure again, half in respect and half in worry. "Was she right? Did I
do wrong?"

"I… I can’t say." Kiyone quickly shut her feelings off again, not
daring to risk letting something slip as she almost did earlier. The
physical sensations returned to her, of the wet cloth sticking to her
skin, of the cold, and she was suddenly reminded of the person that
was waiting under the bed… "I think I’m going to bathe now, Seion."
She suddenly declared.

The operative opened his mouth to protest, but before she
continued before he did.

"See you back at the apartment." Stepping quickly past him, she
slid the door open and gestured out. "This way, please."

"Wha… what did I say!?" Seion tried, his face full of hurt surprise
like that of a dog that has been kicked for no apparent reason.
"What did I say wrong? Where did I go wrong, what did I do?"

"Nothing wrong," Kiyone replied earnestly. "Except that both you
and I are still dripping. We might talk later, but not now."

"Okay, fine. Later then." He reluctantly stepped out the door, and
Kiyone was about to slide it shut with relief when he suddenly
turned around again. "Good night, Kiyone. For now, at least."

"Good night, Seion." She said a little too hurriedly, as she smelt his
alcoholic breath, before hurriedly sliding the door shut with a sigh
of relief, then leaning on it, eyes closed.

Only after several seconds had passed did she realise he ought to
have said something by now.

"Kova-chan?" She asked, opening her eyes.

"Here." And indeed he was, sitting against the wall opposite the bed
perpendicularly to her direction, his legs stretched lazily before him,
his hair glistening wet in the dim light as he shifted slightly. "Take a
while more to catch your breath."

Kiyone breathed in deeply, sensing the nature of what he was about
to say, that he was keeping silent to let her recollect her composure,
rather than submitting her to yet another successive wave of
turmoil. After several deep inhalations, trying to relieve the tension
and forget his apparent grim displeasure, Kiyone finally decided she
was sufficiently herself. "All right, what do you want to say?"

"He’s right, you know." He whispered. "I *am* marked for death, and
I know it." It seemed a darkness blacker than the shadows about the
room had settled over the man who had so playfully leaped onto her
as she entered the room. "So should you."

Silence once again.

"He’s a way out." Kova whispered again. "All you need to do is say
the word." His heart was burning inside him, eating away at his
insides, he would have shook for the pain but that he wished not to
let Kiyone know his distress. "He loves you, I saw that much."

"Kova-chan. I *told* you already, I will *always* love you…"

"Why do you say that?" His voice sounded chill and cold, this time
the anger seeping back in through it showing more plainly than
ever. "You dived in after him to save him, didn’t you?" His lips
curled up into a derisive sneer. "Just now… you needn’t have
invited him in. Speaking his name made you happy, didn’t it?" He
became almost caustic again. "I could hear it in your words."

"Yes, I did," Kiyone replied, feeling her own anger stir within her, her
words crescendoing. "Yes I did, as I also *lied* to *him* about *you*,
as I nearly lost my temper at *him* over *you*, as I ordered *him* out
because of *you*." The volume was rising gradually with her
temper. "Does that help you *understand* how much I love you!?"

"It might be that…" He acknowledged, his voice still infuriatingly
soft. "Or it might just be a gradual transition. If I were not trying for
the light given my skills I will live on, for a very long time." He spoke
in an unnatural calm, like a man who had gone out beyond the brink
of insanity. "A snowflake on the ground will remain in its form for a
long time, but to try to hold it in your hand means it will melt. What
miracle it takes to preserve it in one’s hand, is what we are hoping
for." He smiled that sad melancholic smile of his again. "He’s your
way out of this dilemma. Just say the word, and we’ll both no longer
have to worry about bringing shadows into light. It will be easier for
me too, and you *know* I won’t grudge you your choice."

"NO." The word was set hard into the air like iron cast of
determination she had placed on her face. "I will *NEVER* do that."

"You know what I want?" Kova growled. "If you will stop loving me
for him, I want, I *demand*, to know *now*. I see you care for him…"
His tone caught in the green light of the jealous fire blazing within
him, as he stood up, like a menacing beast unfolding itself. "How
long more before *I* am cast aside like a dangerous toy? I don’t
even propose to flee from you or Seion, you can take me back to the
GP or the SSS for all I care, all I ask is that I am informed *now*." His
eyes burned chill flames in the darkness. "End it. End this pain and
uncertainty. Tell me the truth that will slay my humanity and release
me from this abhorrent stasis of hope."

Kiyone felt her heart reel from the pain. "Well, the *truth* is that I love
you and *ONLY* you, Kova-chan! What do you want me to do if you
won’t believe it?" She stared at him, her gaze full of fury. "Rip my
heart out and show it to you?"

Kova’s stony expression seem to crack and disintegrate as her
words tore his brave front to shreds. "No… it’s just that maybe you
might already love him and you just don’t know it yet…"

Almost swept away in the tumultuous gale, Kiyone for a moment
nearly *wished* she could rip her own heart out just to show him,
before she just managed to cling back onto rational thoughts.

He’s not really angry with me… he doesn’t know how to handle it…
he wants to try to reason things out…

"You’re frightened." The flatness and emptiness in her monotone
astounded even Kiyone herself. "You’re trying to run from your
fear."

Kova stared at her, too stunned for the moment to even
comprehend the truth of it.

"This thing here…" She tapped her left breast lightly. "…this heart
of ours, is not subject to reason. If it were, I’d never have fallen you,
nor you for me." She gently put her hands on his shoulders. "Don’t
try to reason it out, don’t bother. It doesn’t work that way." Kova felt
himself being drawn towards her face. "It’s not about what is easier,
or which is more sensible." She kissed him lightly on the lips, and
felt the customary closeness she always felt when their lips met.
"There’s just you, and me. We love each other, and that’s how it
works." Her right hand came up to gently caress his face, as she
lost herself in his wide, staring but nevertheless grateful blue eyes,
then her right hand cupped his chin and gently pulled his face
closer, as the voice spoke on almost like it belonged to someone
else. "I can believe you’re insecure." Their lips met again, this time
in a passionate kiss, and Kiyone felt the sweet thrill and fire course
through her body. "This make it feel better?"

Kova nodded, a little dumbly.

"Or do you want more?" Her left hand wandered down, and some
part of her mind finally awoke to a fact…

I am losing *CONTROL*!

But she couldn’t halt her movement. Out of pure luck, however,
Kova stepped back, his face lost in love and awe as he admired the
fabulous treasure that had been bestowed on him, and a part of her
cried out in consternation as her left hand brushed empty air before
her hip, but the other side breathed in relief.

"Kiyone…" His voice trembled as tears blurred his vision. "Thank
you…" 

"It’s okay." She nodded, putting a hand lightly on his arm. "I
understand… maybe next time you shouldn’t think so hard about
it…"

"I’ll try, Kiyone," he murmured. "It’s not easy but I’ll try."

"That’s good enough for me." She smiled, trying to guide their
thoughts off the sober subject. "How about a bath? We’re both wet
still, you know."

He perked up, his eyes shining with glee. "Together?"

"Kova-chan!" She cried, and playfully punched him on his right
shoulder.

====================================

Some while ago…

Mitsuki returned to the apartment, a little upset and confused, two
emotions she didn’t care particularly much for experiencing. Kiyone
and Mihoshi were nowhere to be found, and checking behind them
231 wasn’t at the convenience store either. 

Not that I actually care for any of them, of course.

Her left shoulder blade gave a painful tweak at that point.

Just that there’s no way I can complete, or even survive, this
assignment by myself. 

Her mood was in no way helped by her experience in the bathroom.

"Detective?"

Without even registering astonishment (yet), Mitsuki spun to face
the source, whipping out her blaster as quickly as possible. There
was a violet streak, then burning pain shot through her right wrist,
already bruised from the encounter with Kova, and her weapon fell
to the floor amidst a yelp of pain.

The cool, throaty voice spoke again. "I don’t usually leave both the
hand and the weapon intact, but I’ll make an exception for you."
Mitsuki looked up from the wrist she clutched in her left hand, where
the sleeve had melted away to reveal blistered flesh, only to see…

"Nagi!" Even though she had never met the infamous bounty hunter
before, her reputation was rather encompassing, especially in the
light of last year’s events concerning Jurai.

"So you’ve heard of me," the cloaked figure standing in the middle
of the apartment replied, finally turning to regard her with her icy
blue eyes that seemed to gleam from within the shadowed darkness
of her hood, as Mitsuki bent down to pick up the blaster. "Not a
good idea." Mitsuki froze. "I’d prefer it if you forget about it while I’m
here. I made an exception earlier because I rather suspect you’ll
need both hand and blaster in near future, but I might not be so
generous a second time."

Trying to maintain her dignity, Mitsuki stood up, slowly. "What do
you want with me?"

"You have a assignment, I believe?" Nagi smiled. "A Kova Kashiro,
no?"

"Yeah, so what?"

"Well, I’ve had some difficulties locating him. I know he’s on this
planet but I haven’t found him." With a flick of her wrist, Nagi sent
something flying towards Mitsuki, and the detective instinctively
caught it. It was a ring with a blue jewel set into it. "If you meet the
man I’m looking for, just press this gemstone."

Mitsuki stared at the object suspiciously. "Look, this don’t make no
sense. My assignment is to capture and apprehend him. Besides, I
thought you bounty hunters usually act alone."

"True… but this is the first time I’ve ever encountered this kind of
bounty." Nagi mused, half smiling. "The figure goes down by a
million Synereals every three days."

Mitsuki eyes bulged open wider than two plates. "A MILLION
Synereals!?"

"Why yes. Any interest?" The ghostly shine of white teeth from a
grin could be made out from under the shadow of the hood.

"How… how… much is the bounty going for?"

"Why would that interest you?" Nagi asked, her voice a little
amused, as a queen speaking to an unworthy pawn. "Unless of
course…"

"How much is it, and what’s in it for me?" Mitsuki did nothing to
disguise the avarice in her voice. "What percentage?"

"Well, the original bounty was put up for fifteen million Synereals,
and goes down to fourteen come midnight two nights from now."
The bounty hunter smirked. "The hunter gets to send ten percent
commission to anyone he or she deems deserving. Tentatively it’s
your Section Chief for informing me of the prospect." Her voice
became slightly warmer. "But who knows, it just *might* be you."

Mitsuki stared blankly, thinking of the huge amount that might be
hers, and in response to Nagi’s words, she slipped the ring on.

Nagi shook a finger. "Some information too, please, if you don’t
mind. Notably on his capabilities and how to find him."

"Well, I don’t know where to find him, only Kiyone assured me and
231 that he would stay on Earth. I think if anyone knows how to find
him she does."

The hood nodded in assent. "Continue."

"Well and…!!!!"

Mitsuki started as the wall beside her shimmered and a door
materialised upon its surface before sliding open.

Seion’s eyes widened, not seeing anything save the blur of violet
that assaulted him. There was a smashing sound as the bottle of
beer smashed onto the ground, and Nagi nodded approvingly as he
bent down to use the tip of the trident, still on his back, to parry the
lash to his face and neck, before grabbing it and swinging it around
in a defensive arc. "Who in hell…!?" The teal and brown spun in a
blur about Seion as violet sparks shot up.

"And you are…?" Nagi asked, looking impressed at the man’s
instincts and skills, effectively neutralising her four consecutive
blows with his Trident.

"This, Nagi, is GP Operative 231." Mitsuki replied from outside the
door, trying to maintain her composure. If she had stayed at her
position in the doorway a moment longer than what she had, she
would probably have been maimed by either weapon.

"Nagi!?" Seion asked, eyes wide and halting his movements with
the Trident as Nagi had ceased her attack, but he did not lower his
guard.

"So, a SpecOp. Your uniform?" Her eyes rove about Seion’s form,
appraising him. "A Torabushi warrior. I see the standards haven’t
been slipping." She noted the long midnight tattoo along Seion’s
exposed right arm. "My, tenth level already? Could it be that you’re
older than you look, Operative?"

"I’m as old as I look." Seion replied, gritting his teeth. "And I’m into
my fourteenth mastery. Now what the hell are you doing here,
bounty hunter?"

"Just looking for some information and cooperation, nothing
much." Nagi mentioned casually, like she was perfectly at home
where she was, despite facing a probably exceptionally skilled and
belligerent young man, the latter characteristic possibly due to the
fact she had tried to kill him just a moment earlier. 

Seion’s eyes narrowed. From what he had heard of this person, she
was the acme and pinnacle, practically a living legend, who
embodied the traits of bounty hunting, and what he did know was
that most bounty hunters weren’t very open when it came to
revealing their motivations. "Why are you telling me this?"

"We hunt the same man, Operative."

"I’m sorry, but it has always been GP policy never to deal with
bounty hunters."

"You might earn something out of it." Nagi muttered coolly. "It’d be
a pleasure to award one as talented as yourself a true reflection of
your worth."

He snorted disdainfully. "I said I’m *not* interested." 

Nagi’s eyes narrowed from the implied slight, but she masked her
displeasure for now. "Remember, we’re on the same side of the
law."

"Perhaps." Seion muttered. "Except you kill for money, while we
apprehend for order."

"I do it for the challenge, *boy*." Nagi answered. Mitsuki, sensing
the tension between the two, took a step back, as Nagi appraised
the man before her, who had set his jaw pugnaciously out at her in
response to her slight.

A warrior…a Torabushi, honourable… money wouldn’t mean
anything to him. 

Her eyes, invisible in her hood, swivelled to stare at Mitsuki.

Besides, I have her already. As long as they stick to each other she
will be as good as him, although assuredly unworthier… so be it,
then.

"I see I cannot sway you." Nagi replied. "Very well. We shall see
who gets to our man first. Good hunting, detectives." Quite calmly,
the cloaked personage walked to a window of the apartment, leaped
out and vanished. Seion watched her point of exit for a while, hands
still gripping the Trident handle tightly, before walking over to
Mitsuki.

"What did she ask you? What did you tell her?" He muttered, in
suspicion.

"Nothing." Mitsuki replied, sounding her usual self, before smiling.
"I was merely trying to pick up some tips on tracking the criminal,
that’s all."

Seion compressed his lips into a thin line of chagrined suspicion.
"No deals made?"

"You know…" Mitsuki smiled winningly, seeming almost
ingratiatingly superior. "… I wouldn’t do such a thing, *sir*."

Operative 231’s face descended further into a scowl of displeasure,
but he knew nothing more would be forthcoming unless he
threatened Mitsuki outright. "All right, what then?"

Mitsuki looked at Seion, his wet clothes sticking to him, and
remembered her experience in the apartment bath. "Do you happen
to know where I could find another place to wash? The bathroom
here doesn’t seem to be working properly…"

====================================

Kova closed the door to Mihoshi’s room behind him, and walked by
Kiyone’s side, his step customarily quick, light, soundless and
seemingly unfettered by his emotions. He seemed to have
recovered totally from the fit of jealousy and fear that had just
assaulted him, and Kiyone still had to wonder at how quickly he
bounced back from his emotional extremes. 

"Well, how long will you take?" he asked. "And where to meet?"

"I don’t know, maybe about twenty minutes?" Kiyone ventured, as
they walked side by side down the corridor towards the bathroom
door, her holding her change of clothes that he had helped her
gather up from the floor. "How about at the shrine?"

"Fine… though I’ll be a little tight on finding some place to change
up, I think I’ll manage." He shook his head thoughtfully. "Where will
you be sleeping tonight? With…" A touch of apprehension crept
into his word. "…him?"

Kiyone rolled her eyes in exasperation. "No, I’ll probably sleep in
Mihoshi’s room. Mitsuki and Seion can sleep in my apartment." She
smiled. "Unless you have other plans?"

"We’ll see," he nodded. "Depends on how we settle it."

"Humph." She retorted sharply. "So long as *you* know there *is*
something to be settled." Her right arm still hurt, as did her left
forearm.

As they reached in front of the bath, Kiyone’s eyes widened as the
door to her apartment materialised once again and was about to
slide open… in the corridor there was no room to hide, short of
bursting through the door into Tenchi’s room on the other side.

"Ohshit!" Almost without thinking, Kiyone quickly pulled the nearest
door open. Kova’s eyes widened for an instant before she shoved
him in and slid the door shut behind her.

Whew… she thought, as exactly the moment the door slid shut
Seion stepped in from her apartment to stand beside her. 

After all there shouldn’t be anyone in there in this hour, and Seion
can go use the men’s bath and then it’d all be fine…

"Hi Kiyone!" the Operative greeted. "Oh I see you haven’t taken a
turn at the bath yet…"

"Uh, yeah!" Kiyone forced a smile, then her heart skipped a beat as
someone entered from behind Seion.

"Hmm, not a bad place." The person looked around. "I was
wondering how you could ever stand bathing back there…" Mitsuki
thought of the dripping shower head that came apart halfway in her
hands, with a measly trickle of icy water that simply refused to do
anything but drip limply straight down on the ground, even when
the tap was turned up to the max. Shuddering slightly, she turned to
Kiyone. "Any recommendations?"

A huge bead of sweat formed over the back of Kiyone’s head.

====================================

There was a moment of silence as he stared at them, his awe at the
bath’s magnificence giving way almost instantly to something else.

"AAAAAH!!!!!" Three voices, two female one male, rang out in
unison.

Kova just managed to refrain from pulling open the door and
bolting.

He recovered first. "Looooook! I can…!" His eyes widened further,
for as he addressed the two before him he realised he was really
*looking* at them…

Then there was nothing for it but to cover his eyes and pray…

====================================

Having done with Aeka and Ryoko’s gift, Washu had been working
on her own project for only about fifteen minutes when her
computer detected something odd. 

*Sigh.* What now? First Tenchi, then Mihoshi, then Ken-oh-ki…

Her finger lightly pressed a button…

A man in the woman’s bath? Tenchi!?

No… she could have sworn she sent him off to bed already.

She grinned.

Looks like I don’t have to look that far for him, do I? Ah well, just
have to wrap a little bit more up and then…

====================================

"…explain this…" Someone croaked.

Sounds familiar… oh it’s me…I’m alive… he managed. His back was
no longer to the door, but to one of the tiled walls, his body seemed
to be upside down and resting on his neck. He realised he had
probably been hurled against one of the walls before sliding down it
to come to land with his neck and shoulders in contact the floor. He
could feel the ache in his neck and back, while dimly making out
some noises from somewhere ahead.

"Hear him out!"

"Grrrrr…!"

He opened an eye slightly, looking out from between the slits in his
fingers, then quickly shut it tight again, but the damage was already
done.

Aeka had been holding Ryoko back, about two metres from him.
Unfortunately he was not exactly correctly oriented in the vertical
sense…

Oh god… he thought, as he felt his blood overflow from his upside
down nostril down to over the bridge of his nose before wending
over his forehead. "Ah… could Ryoko please…" he struggled. "Put
something on first…?"

"Now, explain yourself." Aeka’s voice was full of anger and
annoyance, as Ryoko, snorting in disdain, teleported away.
Seconds earlier as the space pirate had teleported over to smash
the living daylights out of the spy, Aeka had quite naturally seized
for herself her customary companion to the baths. Normally she
would then have proceeded to emulate Ryoko, except that she
remembered she owed this person a debt for Sasami’s rescue, not
to mention the situation that night was already immensely bizarre
even by her standards.

"This had better be good." Ryoko answered, her voice laced with
menace as she appeared beside Aeka, this time at least covered
somewhat.

To be honest, Kova never remembered feeling less himself, less
composed and less in control of the situation before in his life as
compared to now. Well, there was a close second, of his first
experience of being "approached" in the Science Academy.

Let’s not go back there, please? A plaintive voice told him.

I guess this is where I’m way behind the rest of the good spies. 

"There are Galaxy Police Officers, just outside… Kiyone pushed me
in here to avoid getting spotted and…" He deliberately quashed the
impulse to get on his feet, knowing his sudden movements would
probably invite another wave of physical hostility. "I don’t think she
knew you were in here…" He gulped again, eyes tightly shut with
his hands still over his face. "…and could someone please tell me
where I am? This doesn’t look like *the* bath at all…" He implored
almost inaudibly.

"Well, good enough?" Aeka asked, not noticing his question.

"We’ll see." Ryoko muttered. Teleporting to her clothes, she tossed
them up and phased right into them. "You had better not be lying,
mister."

"Well, we’ve been soaking long enough," Aeka, keeping a wary eye
on Kova, carefully walked over to her own pile and slid them over
herself, towel and all. "True, I suppose only Kiyone could have
opened the door to lead here… but I’m *warning* you," she growled,
as she drew her towel out from under her kimono before securing
her dress. "I had better not see you going anywhere near my room
at night."

Kova, eyes still tightly shut, swallowed audibly. "Yes, ma’am." He
replied for lack of something better to say. "Can I open my eyes
now?"

====================================

"Erm… you go first!" Kiyone tried again. She dared not risk opening
the women’s bath, for even if Kova wasn’t in sight, if Mitsuki caught
a glimpse of it she might invite herself in…

Seion gallantly declined. "No, after all you came first."

Mitsuki stared around for what seemed like the umpteenth time.
"God damn the two of you!" For the second time she tried to get to
the bathroom door, but, Kiyone instinctively interposed herself
between her and the door. "Not again! Come on, 231 said he’s not
going to go in first already, right?"

Kiyone grinned sheepishly and shook her head vigorously, trying
not to let the blood drain out of her face. "Uh no… it’s just that I
*want* Seion to go first…"

The Operative smiled appreciatively, but shook his head. "Nah, go
on ahead, Kiyone. It ain’t as if I were much wetter than you." He
waved his hand dismissively.

Mitsuki gave Kiyone a queer look. "*Seion*!?" She turned to the
Operative. "That’s your name!?" She turned back to glare at Kiyone.
"How come *you* know?"

"I told her, of course," Seion replied, deliberately arching his
eyebrow as if to say ‘and because I don’t want you to know.’

"Seion… Seion…" Mitsuki’s brows came together as she was lost
deep in thought, stepping from Kiyone to lean on the wall. She
could feel it, the ghost of a thought that just danced on the edge of
her conscious mind, eluding her grasp. "How come you never told
me before?"

Kiyone heaved a sigh of relief as Mitsuki apparently forgot for the
time being about going into the bath. She was leaning back on the
door when…

"Whoa!" She cried, as the thing slid open just before her back came
into contact with its surface, and she fell back…

"Hey, watch it!" Ryoko exclaimed, instinctively catching Kiyone as
she and Aeka stepped out of the bath, staring curiously at Mitsuki
and Seion. Kiyone started instinctively as a baaad feeling took her
by the horns…

OH MY GOD! KOVA-CHAN!

"Thank you…" Kiyone just managed to croak, her face turning as
red as a radish as a huge sweatdrop formed on her forehead, and
as she got back to her feet on wobbly knees, quickly slid the door
shut. Fortunately for her, Mitsuki and Seion were looking at each
other when the bath door opened so they didn’t glimpse its odd
insides… hopefully.

Ryoko grinned at the thunderstruck Kiyone, whispering in her ear.
"What’s with looking surprised? Did you have something kinky in
mind?"

"Did you and Aeka…?" she managed to bring herself to whisper.

"Naah, he’ll stay fine now we know he’s telling the truth." She stared
meaningfully at Seion and Mitsuki, both of whom were giving her
and Aeka an uneasy look. "I daresay I don’t have very good
relations with the Galaxy Police either…"

"Oh really?" Was all Kiyone could muster weakly.

"Galaxy Police?" Aeka stared at Mitsuki’s uniform, dry compared to
Kiyone’s.

"Your Highness," Mitsuki saluted smartly.

"Well I’ll be! If it ain’t the the lady Aeka Jurai herself." Seion smiled
winningly. "Care to do an introduction for us, Kiyone?"

Mitsuki’s eyes rove to the lady just diagonally behind Kiyone. "Miss
Ryoko, I presume?"

Ryoko snorted in disdain. "Drop the sweet talk, lady." 

"Erm," Kiyone stepped uncertainly into the middle of the two pairs.
"Hi, I’m sure you’re all glad to meet each other…"

Seion’s brows arched upward. "Hey, didn’t the two of you just come
out of the same bathroom!?" His eyes widened and his mouth
opened up into an ‘O’. "*No* …!!!"

Kiyone shook her head before bowing it in defeat as she felt the
temperature in the room rise, almost feeling the power surge behind
her blistering her back. Mitsuki blinked, and had the sense to edge
away from Seion not a moment too soon.

CRASH!

"What did I do!?" Seion managed, from his decked out position on
the floor, before the furious gaze of amber and amethyst. "Was it
something I said!?" He gasped, as the fingers choked harder on
him.

"*DON’T* you *ever* think that again you *pervert*!" Aeka screamed
in his face, her fingers squeezing his throat harder.

"I should *KILL* you for just daring to *say* that!" Ryoko hollered,
her grip tightening on his neck.

"Fine… now could you please get off me?" Seion managed, his face
seeming to deepen to a darker shade of purple.

How did these people move so fast? He asked himself. It was
reminiscent of Kiyone pouncing on Mihoshi earlier that night…

There was a weary yawn, and the door just diagonally opposite the
bath’s opened up. "What’s going on?" A bleary eyed Tenchi
muttered. He hadn’t exactly got to sleep very much, his big mess up
with Ryoko and Aeka had occupied much of his concern, and just
as he was about to doze off this *had* to happen… "What in the…
huh!?"

His eyes snapped open as he made out Ryoko and Aeka atop what
looked like a half naked man.

Seion just managed to see his face of his two tormentors turn
crimson, before they, as one, leaped to their feet.

"Hello, Tenchi!" They greeted together, looking inordinately
cheered. In response, Tenchi felt his nervousness shoot up by
about ten times…

"Uh… hi…" He looked awfully uncertain, and tried to ignore Seion
who had gotten back to his feet. "Errr… are you two okay already?"

"Yeah!" They answered together, and Tenchi blinked again.

Mitsuki edged over to Kiyone’s side, whispering. "You’ve got to
teach me how to make a princess and a pirate sisters."

Kiyone gave a weak laugh and shook her head. "Well, you need a
Tenchi, at least."

"And who are they?" Tenchi turned his attention to Mitsuki and
Seion.

Well at least she is a Galaxy Police Officer, he thought, relieved at
the prospect of not having to provide for another lady hanging over
him in the household… or at least he hoped so, from what he
gathered of Kiyone and Mihoshi.

Why the hell is that fellow dressed up that way? He thought. And
why are both he and Kiyone wet? Could they be…

His train of thought was interrupted by the addition of yet another
voice. 

"Quite a group here," The cheerful, somewhat self satisfied voice
heralded the arrival the greatest, and cutest, genius scientist in the
whole universe. "And pray tell, what are such a group of young kids
like you all doing here so late at night, hmm?"

Seion blinked, having barely recovered from being set upon by two
admittedly attractive ladies, was now forced to contend with…
"Washu?"

"That’s my name," she nodded, regarding Mitsuki, and noting, like
Tenchi had, that both Kiyone and a half (or quarterly) bare bodied
Seion were both wet…and last of all her gaze swept on to Tenchi,
who was staring nervously from Aeka to Ryoko. "I don’t suppose
the group of you kids were preparing to have a *party*, were you?"

The seemingly innocuous statement, when murmured by one such
as Washu, had a message all present decidedly understood, and
their faces, notably Tenchi’s, Aeka’s, Kiyone’s, and surprisingly
Seion’s, all were covered in a deeper shade of red.

"Shame on you!" She teased. "How could you even *think* of
leaving such a cute little genius scientist like me out of it, hmmm?"

Kiyone’s embarrassment finally gave way to her more rational side.
"Washu! Who ever gave you such a ridiculous idea!?" 

"Oh yeah, I forgot," Washu smiled in reply. "I don’t see your
personal entertainer around anywhere, hmm?"

Seion and Mitsuki’s eyes almost popped out.

"WASHU!!" Kiyone screamed, her veins almost bursting.

How can she let *them* know about me and Kova-chan!?

"Don’t worry about it, Kiyone!" Washu smiled. "If you lost it I have a
spare…"

Everyone blinked, with the exception of Ryoko, who burst out into
raucous peals of laughter, and Aeka joined her a moment later.

"Not one of *those* things, Kiyone!?" Mitsuki asked, something
close to extreme surprise in her voice. "Oh my…" Then she started
laughing too.

Kiyone finally realised, with a sinking sensation, roughly what
Washu was referring to.

"Do you *really* have one?" Mitsuki pressed, in between gasping
for breaths.

The green haired detective wanted to scream "OF COURSE NOT!"
But to do that would give the gag away… All she could do was turn
even redder, a large bead of sweat forming on her forehead, and
stare at Washu with a look that promised painful, tortured death
over at least a year, but the professor shrugged it off as Mitsuki’s
laughter rose in pitch to become almost hysterical.

Seion’s eyes met Tenchi’s. 

Any idea what they’re on about? He seemed to ask.

None whatsoever. The boy replied with a shrug of his shoulders.

"All right, enough fun and games for tonight. Let’s see who these
two are, shall we?" Washu asked. Kiyone heaved a sigh of relief.
"Yeah I know you’re waiting to get this over and collect it. It’s in the
lab if you want it." She grinned, and it was all Kiyone could do to
stop herself from exploding.

Seion, quickly noting that Kiyone was in no condition to do
introductions, decided to volunteer to get the ball rolling. "Hiya
folks, my name is Seion, this is my…" He paused a while as his
mind floundered for a suitable word. "… co-worker Mitsuki, and
we’re here to help Kiyone and Mihoshi out with their assignment."

Mitsuki gave Seion a funny stare, not because he didn’t
acknowledge her as a friend, which she knew he wouldn’t anyway,
but because he didn’t venture to say it was *he* who was in reality
in charge of this mission.

Washu’s gaze met Tenchi’s, as the name clicked right in with the
green hair and the eyes, looking uncannily like Kiyone’s.

Well, what do you know, he *does* seem a little like her… Washu
thought. So this is the chap Mihoshi’s upset over.

"Well, yeah that’s about it for the two of us," Seion replied
cheerfully. "Don’t tell me, let me guess… Lady Washu, lady Aeka,
Tenchi and…" There was a slight darkening of his expression.
"…Ryoko?" The space pirate, though absolved of her past record,
was still remembered as one of the most notorious criminals in the
universe, and for a response she snorted in disdain.

Tenchi looked puzzled. "Hey, how did you know my name?"

"A good guess," the operative grinned. "I’m just bursting with
brilliance, I am."

Mitsuki rolled her eyes once again, something she found she did
way too much since Seion had dragged her on board the Midorishu.
"Yeah right, and I’m the Grand Marshall." 

"Big deal, just read it off the files, didn’t you?" Washu looked
queerly at him and Kiyone. "I don’t suppose you’re going to tell me
why you and Kiyone are so wet, aren’t you?"

Seion licked his lips nervously, the shine of his emerald eyes
twisting about in a certain, almost precise, manner, and Tenchi was
forcibly reminded of this morning, when Kiyone came to the
breakfast table…

Wow, they *are* alike. So Mihoshi wasn’t kidding.

"Well… it was just in the line of duty." Seion managed weakly.
"Yeah, part of the job specs."

Ryoko stared from him to Kiyone, the mirth from earlier not yet
dying off her face. "Hey hey hey, Kiyone! Last night *off* work,
tonight *for* work?" She grinned. "My, trying to make up for lost
time, aren’t we, eh?"

The dark green haired lady didn’t know how she managed, but
somehow the barest fragments of her sanity told her to ignore that
snide comment. "Well, Washu, we were…" She took this
opportunity to impress on the others the nature of the situation.
"…busy tonight…" Quickly she slapped a hand to her mouth and
the other over her eyes as she realised what she had just said.

Oops that didn’t come out right at all… AAUGH! What’s WRONG with
me!?

Ryoko burst out into a fresh gale of laughter as Aeka tried to hide
her giggles.

Seion frowned somewhat, especially at how apparently upset
Kiyone was. "Look, we met a dangerous criminal, all right? We had
a fight and got tossed in the river, fine, okay?"

Washu arched an eyebrow and answered almost immediately.
"Then why don’t you take a bath, mister?"

"Huh?" Seion managed, caught by surprise.

Kiyone, the grateful look flashed at Seion for his earlier comment
now switched to Washu and she quickly stepped behind Seion,
hands pushing him in the direction of the bathroom. "Yeah, why
don’t you?" She asked, just managing to stop herself from pulling
open the door for him.

"Kiyone, you look like you need one too." Washu winked. "How
convenient."

Seion was going to protest when he realised the gallant thing would
be to get in the bath by himself so that the people around would
stop poking fun at Kiyone.

Kiyone and Mitsuki looked in surprise as Seion, without protesting,
abruptly opened the door and stepped in, and the former breathed a
sigh of relief.

Whew now I can get Mitsuki away as Seion’s in the bath, then
Kova-chan can come out while she’s away…

Her eyes widened as the door slid open again, and Seion’s head
poked out around it, looking sheepishly out. "Erm… since there’s a
guy around here, how ‘bout a change of clothes?" His eyes rove
around a while. "Tenchi?"

The young Masaki gave a skyward look that seemed to say ‘Why
me?’, as he realised these two people were likely to hang around for
quite sometime, but he nevertheless went into his room, got a set of
dry clothes and tossed them over.

"Thanks," Seion’s hands caught the bundle neatly. "Hmm, a little
tight and small, but should be better than being wet…" He winked at
Tenchi. "Thanks again, dude." Then his grinning face disappeared
behind the door, which promptly slid shut right before Tenchi’s
dazed stare.

Why does this kind of thing *always* happen to me? These people
will just drop out of the sky and suddenly they’re like swarming all
over me and my house…

He looked down at his hands, the ones that had dumbly acquiesced
to Seion’s request, which seemed to look back guiltily at him.

Well, I guess I’m just too nice…

"Great, just great!" Mitsuki exclaimed in irritation. "Now I don’t
suppose there’s somewhere else to bathe, is there?"

"Well, there’s my place…" Even as she lied, Kiyone felt a nervous
shiver course up her spine…

Oh no, please god no…

"But there’s the women’s bath, isn’t there?" Tenchi asked. Kiyone
groaned softly to herself, Washu’s gaze swivelled away as her lip
curled into what might have just barely been noticeable as a
disapproving grimace, and Aeka turned to stare at Tenchi in horror.

"Huh, what women’s bath?" Mitsuki asked. Fortunately her surprise
made her miss Aeka’s expression, which was promptly dissolved
when Ryoko judiciously gave the princess’ ponytail a quick tug.

"Hey!" Aeka shrieked, but Ryoko quickly whispered something into
her ear.

"Cut it out, she’ll get suspicious."

Aeka’s anger fled almost instantly. "Oh…"

"Besides," Ryoko continued, smiling a little. "It’d be fun…" 

Tenchi looked puzzled. "You mean you didn’t know? Oh yeah I
guess I forgot…" He raised his hand to scratch the back of his head
in embarrassment. "You’re new here, aren’t you?"

If Kiyone could have clamped his mouth shut or done *ANYTHING*
inconspicuous to get him to shut up, she would have, except that
she was in front of the bathroom door while Tenchi was in front of
his bedroom, with Aeka and Ryoko in between. What *did* happen
was that her face turned very red in frantic anger, and a teardrop of
desperation forced itself out from under her eyelids as she closed
her eyes and started praying. 

"Yes, of course I’m new." Mitsuki muttered, irritably. "*Where* is the
bath? I may look dry but I’m sticky, you know."

"Well it’s just there…" Tenchi pointed helpfully, as Ryoko grinned
madly and Aeka looked on in anxiety. "You know, just open the
door."

So much for praying… Kiyone thought, as yet another huge
sweatdrop formed on the back of her head.

"You’ve got to be kidding me!" Mitsuki exclaimed. "231’s inside!
See?"

Before Kiyone could recover from her distress in time to stop her,
Mitsuki’s hand landed on the door, pulled sideways, expecting it to
be locked from the inside…

====================================

He looked irritably at the four walls, misted through the steam, after
having tried to use his dimensional portal to get out of it.
Unfortunately, it seemed that in this dimension nothing else short of
the bath existed, so the furthest he could go was step from one
corner of the bath to the other.

Great, I’m stuck here, in a dimensional pocket created by Washu
exclusively for women to enjoy, with cops outside waiting to get me,
and practically no place to hide.

He kicked at the wall in angry annoyance.

All I need now is for some ladies to join me…

The sound of the door sliding open made his heart skip several
beats.

====================================

"Wha…!?" Mitsuki murmured, as the door slid back…

Kiyone covered her eyes, not daring to look…

There were several moments of silence, as Mitsuki gaped. Kiyone,
realising that if she had seen Kova there would have been trouble
by now, almost fearfully turned to look behind her, her hands just
creeping away from her face.

Kova was nowhere to be seen.

Kiyone almost fainted in relief.

He’s probably in one of the corners… after all the bath was so big
standing from the doorway you could just barely make out the
opposite wall behind the fountain through all that steaming vapour.

The brunette finally caught her breath. "Wow…" She managed.
"This is like… WOW!" She tugged at Kiyone’s arm. "Look, isn’t this
great!?"

The Chief Inspector was too distressed to answer, but then again
Mitsuki wasn’t looking at her face, having eyes only for the
magnificent bath.

"Not bad, huh?" Washu murmured, stepping up beside Mitsuki so
the brunette was flanked by her and Kiyone. "How do you like it?"

"I *can’t* wait to throw myself in!" The redhead had quite forgotten
herself. "Come on, Kiyone, let’s go!" The exhilaration had driven
away the calculating side of her for the time being, and she was
suddenly the friendly and sociable, if a little cocky and impetuous,
lady that had graduated from the Galaxy Police Academy six years
ago. "There’s enough space for both of us!"

Kiyone gritted her teeth, and forcefully jerked her forearm out of
Mitsuki’s hand.

"Huh?" The surprised detective turned to regard her colleague.
"What the…?"

A piercing gaze from Washu, whose pink eyes stared at her from
behind Mitsuki, arrested Kiyone’s impulse to scream incoherently at
Mitsuki, and a sudden thought struck her.

She’ll think I’m mad and she’ll go in and wash anyway… hell she
may even get suspicious, after all I need a bath more than her… and
what if she sees Kova-chan!? If I’m not there things might get pretty
bad… he might even *kill* her if she sees him…

"Uh, nothing." She mustered her will, and the strained fury on her
face lessened significantly. "Yeah sure, why not?" She was
somewhat surprised to note that her bundle of clothes for changing
had remained on her arms all along, although she could have sworn
she hadn’t exactly been in the mood to trouble with holding on to it
for the agonising past several minutes.

"Yeah I need a break too," Washu added, winking at Kiyone.

The green haired detective blinked.

Does she know!?

The brunette turned, enthusiastically grabbing both their arms.
"Come on then let’s…"

There was a soft splash, just barely audible due to the continuous
flow of water from the fountain somewhere within the bath, but
Mitsuki’s ears pricked up nevertheless, and Kiyone’s face turned
ashen.

"What was that?" Mitsuki said as she spun around, staring straight
into the bath.

"What was what?" Washu asked, looking positively puzzled. "I
don’t see anything."

"Probably just your imagination," Kiyone added, mentally
swallowing.

"Yeah, I guess sometimes we just need to unwind," Mitsuki
concluded in a soft chuckle, and then, before Washu or Kiyone
could react, tugged them both through the doorway and the door
slid shut behind them.

Tenchi, Aeka and Ryoko stared for a while, then…

"BWAHAHAHA!" Ryoko rolled over laughing on the ground, side
splitting with laughter.

Aeka looked almost disgusted at the space pirate’s mirth. "I think
that’s just mean!"

"Oh yeah?" Ryoko laughed. "Remember what I said he would like?"

"Ryoko!" Aeka cried in consternation. "You are simply incorrigible!"

Tenchi felt sweat bead on his brow, as it began to dawn on him that
Kiyone’s face was the very epitome of utter horror the barest instant
before the door shut, and he finally began to realise he may have
done something *very* bad, but couldn’t for the life of him tell what it
was…

====================================

In a small light red shuttle somewhere over Earth, a figure got up
from the bridge and walked from the control room to the capsule
area, before settling down on a seat.

"In orbit, awaiting point of release." The computer announced, as
the occupant of the capsule mentally ran over the photos in the
files, especially the two latest ones that had only just reached it.

The face changed slightly, still retaining its handsome features as
the cheekbones shifted down slightly and the sharp chin became
higher as the length of the head shortened a little. Blue eyes turned
emerald, and the double fringe parting of midnight blue hair became
dark green, with a long curl down the left side, and the right fringe
shifted behind even as it changed colour and became tied to flow
down the back of the head. 

Then the hair shortened and turned auburn as the features became
feminine…

"Objective in range. Release."

As the capsule was halfway down, the shuttle disintegrated, not
exploded, with little fuss, into tiny little fragments of galactic dust…

=== End of Chapter ===

PLEASE send COMMENTS & CRITICISMS! (C&C)

IMPORTANT :
I'm seriously worried I may have serious difficulty finishing D&L b4
Jan 2000, so in case that happens I want to set up some kind of mailing
list for D&L. Basically it will tell u when a new chapter comes out.
Please mail your Name & Email to zyraen@yahoo.com, no other data is reqd.
If u like u can provide your age, sex, and readiness to C&C.

SPAM (^_^;;;;) :
Do take a look at HTTP://WWW.DRAGONSANIME.COM/CAVDAV !  
It's a really great review site, with very balanced reviews.
Great place for picking up good fics to read! If u go there
don't forget to check out the character poll !

NOTES:
Kova is in a way, an SIed character. Pls include him in your
comments, whether I have portrayed him as a person, as a friend
or foe, as one of the gang, and most importantly, as a human being.
I have some pictures of him, not too good pencil drawings, if you
wish to take a look pls mail me.

This chapter is long, and was actually suppose to progress further,
but somehow I got caught up in typing... ^^;;; Hope u dun mind.
Please send Comments on it to zyraen@yahoo.com on how to make 
this chapter at least equal to the earlier ones.

I hope you have enjoyed this Fanfic as much as I have typing it.
If there are any more grammar errors, I beg your forgiveness, as
my sole proofreader is myself.

This is my first FF, so go ahead and mail me at zyraen@yahoo.com
with comments, especially on character portrayal, realism.

PLEASE send COMMENTS & CRITICISMS! (C&C)