I don't own the characters and I'm not getting paid for writing this story. The Exploring By Kenzie Kennedy Tenchi blinked his eyes open in the morning. He got dressed still half- awake and walked downstairs to see if Sasami was up making breakfast. She was, as always. And as usual, she asked if he'd go get Washu up. Washu had said yesterday that Ryoko and her would show up at breakfast more often and Sasami meant to hold her to it. Tenchi opened the door to the lab and called, "Little Washu?" "Ye-es?" she caroled back. She was sitting to her computer in her usual tree and sky atmosphere. "Breakfast is ready." He told her. She turned and looked at him. "Oh, I forgot breakfast." Washu looked puzzled. "Now why would I forget breakfast?" she mused. She snapped her fingers. "Oh, that's right. Ryoko wasn't in the house last night." "Where was she?" Tenchi asked a little concerned. "She stayed overnight at the palace. She wanted to make sure the assassins didn't get loose. The way that one was afraid of the Space Pirate Ryoko bit she gave him, I guess she thought the rest of them would be scared if she were there." Washu shrugged. "I'll call the palace and-" "I'm right here." Ryoko waltzed into the lab. "Miss me?" she batted her eyes at Tenchi. Washu rolled her eyes and told her, "You're about to miss breakfast." Ryoko's eyes went wide as she ran for the door. Washu stared after her. "She's either being sarcastic or she's hungry. I can't tell which." Washu and Tenchi walked after Ryoko into the house to eat breakfast. *** Tenchi looked forward to his first day away from sword training with his grandfather for what seemed like years. Ryoko noticed that he seemed to eat slower. "Something wrong with your stomach?" she asked innocently. "Does it have a hole in it?" "No," he grinned. "I can take as much time as I want. I don't have training with grandfather today." "Mm-hmm," Washu said from across the table. "And when you go back in two weeks without keeping in practice at least a little bit, he'll trounce you." Tenchi visibly wilted. "I hadn't thought of that." "I had," Washu told him. "I think that you and Ryoko could spend some quality time together that way." Ryoko and Tenchi looked at each other. "But I'll hurt him," Ryoko objected. "She has real faith in your ability, doesn't she Tenchi?" Washu said with a sigh. "Tenchi can hold his own." Ayeka added firmly. "And what are you going to be doing today, Ayeka?" Ryoko asked. "I am going to be training with Washu and then studying in the library as usual." Ayeka said to her. "That's right. You two have been neglecting your studies." Washu stroked her chin. "I wonder if I should start having tests...." "We'll get right on it today! Won't we, Tenchi?" Ryoko nudged Tenchi in the side. "Sure! Um, chores." Tenchi got up from the table and ran out the door. Ryoko was then fastened with Washu's gaze. "Um, garden." Ryoko phased out and then into the lab. Washu chuckled. "I thought they'd never leave, Sasami. Now I can have the last fish without them gobbling it up." She snatched the fish and gobbled it down. Sasami giggled. *** Just after Tenchi finished his chores in the field, it started to sprinkle rain. He headed back to the house quickly and it was a good thing he did. After his first foot had crossed the threshold into the house, it started to stream down rain, like silver threads reaching to the ground. Seeing that no one was about, he mentally checked off where they could be. Sasami had said something about groceries over breakfast so that was probably where she and Mihoshi were. Ayeka and Balar were probably together either in the library or visiting Ryu-oh. Ayeka hadn't done that lately. Washu was probably working and Ryoko was in her garden. Tenchi smiled and started toward the lab door. *** "Washu?" he called a half hour later into the lab. He was mentally berating himself for forgetting that one of the ladies had to be with him for him to even find the house. "Yes, Tenchi?" she appeared right under his shoulder. "Aah!" he jumped. "Um, where's Ryoko?" "In the house. Come on." Tenchi followed Washu into the house. Washu pointed him in the direction of the garden and winked. "She's working very hard so don't startle her, Tenchi." Tenchi made his way through the living room while Washu stepped quietly out the door. She ran off to hook herself back up to the machine. This project wasn't going to be completed on time if she didn't hurry! *** Tenchi hovered by the ivy covered trellis and watched his love working so diligently in her garden. This was her one true love beside him. Well, her one true love that wasn't human or in a body that resembled human. She attacked the weeds with the ferocity that she had- His thoughts stopped for a moment. She killed. He searched his memory for something that would say he was wrong. He lowered his eyes. No, it was true. That was the first person she had killed of her own free will. And it had been for him. He made sure to make plenty of noise clacking his sandals on the stone, but she didn't appear to hear him. "Ryoko..." he whispered softly. "Yes?" she answered in a voice that was monotone. He knelt down beside her from where she was weeding one of the beds. Giving her shoulders a slight squeeze, he said from the bottom of his heart, "Thank you." Ryoko looked up into his eyes. "Thank you for what?" "Thank you for saving my life." He said. Ryoko looked at him, then at the patch where she had been weeding. The trowel fell from her hands and she half-flung herself into his arms that were already waiting to hold her. "What's wrong with me!?" she cried. Tenchi just held her and rocked her gently. "What do you mean?" he asked when her sobs were a bit quieter. "I've killed before. Why couldn't I sleep last night envisioning that man?" she asked, turning her tear-streaked face up to his. "Because you never killed anyone before that was you and not Kagato." He told her. She considered that and nodded. "I went through the same thing when Kagato died. Only he didn't die in my mind. He was gone, but there was no blood, no body." Tenchi revealed. "That's because that's the way his species dies." Ryoko informed him. "Yes, Washu told me that. I cried for days." Tenchi confessed. Ryoko took his hand and helped him up. Once they were downstairs, Ryoko rummaged in the cabinet. "I know that they're here," she muttered. She finally pulled a cylinder box out of the cabinet. "Ah-ha!" "What are those?" Tenchi asked. "This is my favorite tea. Mom always kept a box for me and I wanted to know if she still did it." Ryoko told him. She got two glasses of water and sat them down on the counter. Opening the box, she took two tiny pellets from it and plopped them in the glasses. They dissolved and she put the canister back. Sipping the tea, Ryoko closed her eyes and thought of better days. Days of coming home from school and sharing a glass with Chiro, taking a glass to bed at night and being able to sleep in a darkened room. "Hey, Ryoko, this is really good!" Tenchi said, breaking her out of her past. She smiled at him. "It should. It's peppermint tea." She told him, wrapping her hands around the cup. "I never knew you liked tea." He said. She grinned. "You don't know a lot of things." Tenchi leaned forward and whispered, "But I'll enjoy finding out every one of them." *** Ayeka and Balar sat together in the library. Ayeka was curled up reading while Balar was watching a video with headphones on. Balar wasn't watching the video. He was thinking about Ayeka as usual. This time he wasn't thinking about how her hair shone or how her skin was so soft. No, this time he was thinking about what they were going to do. If Tenchi was to become emperor, where did that leave Ayeka? He switched the video off, took off the headphones, and walked over to her. Ayeka looked up at him as he approached. "Yes, Balar?" she said in her quiet voice. "If Tenchi is to be the emperor, then what will you do?" he asked. Ayeka shifted her gaze to her book. "There are cases of this throughout the years. Sasami would have the been the cadet house of this generation. Now both she and I are the cadet houses." "What does that mean, please?" Balar asked her. "It means that I will only rule if Tenchi dies." At his horrified glance, she assured him that she didn't want Tenchi to die. "If he lives, then I shall continue my life as a princess but with more freedom. I have the freedom to go to school, to choose a career, or to become an advisor to Tenchi, if he wishes it." "I understand that this costs money." Balar said his brow wrinkling. Ayeka nodded. "Yes, it does. The Juraian empire will pay for all of it." "So I do not support you?" Balar questioned. Ayeka shook her head. "But all of the books I read say-" "Those are for people who are not princesses." Ayeka reminded him. "We will be fine. Do you think Tenchi will toss us out into the cold once he is emperor?" Balar shook his head. "Then you have nothing to worry about." Ayeka smiled at him. *** Washu monitored this conversation as she had others. The events swirling in her head were almost too much to handle. Blast this machine, she thought. Without something to do with my hands, all I can do is think. She was hooked up to her machine that was devising Ryoko and Tenchi's wedding present. All tied up and nowhere to go, she thought ironically. So Washu's scientific brain had started to think. Ayeka and Balar were coming along in their relationship. Ayeka was feeling adrift because what her whole life had been prepared for was now obsolete. Sasami wouldn't become Tsunami/Sasami for at least ten years so that wasn't anything to worry about at the moment. Mihoshi was quietly observing everything and staying out of the way. Ryoko and Tenchi, Washu thought. She sighed. Ryoko's upset about the man she killed, though she shouldn't be. Tenchi's worrying about the wedding night and so is she. They haven't even decided where they're going to live. She snorted. Ryoko was still marveling over her room. At least the assassin problem was over. Washu's brain told itself to be quiet and Washu slowly drifted off to sleep, still hooked into the machine. *** Ryoko and Tenchi walked out of the lab to find no one home. Everyone was in the lab or out doing the shopping. Thunder crashed outside and Ryoko's eyes glittered with wildness at the lightning. "So what do you want to do now?" Tenchi asked, standing beside the staircase. Ryoko looked at him. "Can I see your mother's kimono again?" Tenchi only turned and started up the staircase. Ryoko followed him up the stairs and into his room. He solemnly got a box out of the closet and unwrapped his mother's kimono. After he had shaken it out, he handed it to Ryoko. She took it reverently and examined it. "Did Washu fix it?" she asked. Tenchi nodded. "I guess my stitches were a bit big." Tenchi tried to stop his chuckling. "Tenchi." She said with a voice that carried. He looked up. She was looking at him with a wishful look on her face. "Could I try it on again?" Tenchi smiled softly at her. "Sure." He turned around. Ryoko chuckled. Since when did she need a dressing room? She phased out of her old clothes and into the kimono. "You can turn around now." She called. Tenchi turned around and felt tears come to his eyes. She was so peaceful and elegant in the old kimono. "Well? Do I look good?" she said, mimicking herself from that day not too long ago. "Yes, you do, my Ryoko." Tenchi grinned at her startled expression. He stepped forward and grasped her shoulders firmly. He tugged her forward for a kiss. After a long kiss, the two separated. "Oh, it's gotten messed up," Ryoko said angry with herself. The long sash had gotten twisted and the front was gaping a bit. "Uh," Tenchi said, his nose beginning to drip blood. Ryoko pulled her front closed. "Tenchi, if your nose starts bleeding every time you see me not completely covered up, we're going to have a fun night in a couple days." "Uh," Tenchi said again. Ryoko sighed and sat down on his bed, phasing out of the kimono and into her other clothes. Tenchi sat down beside her after getting a handkerchief from one of the drawers. "Okay, let's try something. I'm feeling adventurous today." Ryoko grinned evilly at him. "You get a nosebleed every time you see a female in a revealing situation. But most of those situations are unexpected. Let's see what happens if you know something's going to happen." Ryoko turned to face Tenchi. "Okay, Tenchi. I'm going to take my shirt off." Tenchi's nose started to trickle. Ryoko frowned at him. "I'm going to leave my underclothes on." Tenchi's nose stopped. Ryoko continued. "So I'm going to take my shirt off, leave my underclothes on, and lie down on your bed face down. That's all I'm gonna do. I'm not going to jump on you or tease you or anything. Just lie there and relax." Ryoko phased out of her shirt while facing away from Tenchi and laid down on the bed. Tenchi peeked at her out of the corner of his eye and then shut it again. He sniffed experimentally. No blood. He opened both eyes and looked. Nothing happened. He stared at her for a long time, but nothing happened. No screaming, no Ryoko trying to get him to sleep with her, just her lying there, cyan hair stretching over her bare back.... Tenchi reached out a hand and trailed a finger down the curve of her backbone. Ryoko squirmed. "Hey, that tickles you know." She said sleepily. "Shouldn't I-?" he asked. Ryoko smiled even though he couldn't see her. "Do whatever comes to mind, Tenchi dear." She said. Her thoughts continued let's see if he actually does anything. Tenchi thought about that statement for a while. His right hand trailed over to her shoulder blades. "Mmmm," Ryoko said. "Scratch?" Tenchi lightly scratched the area. "Lower?" Ryoko asked. Soon Tenchi had scratched all of her back and gotten all the itchy spots. He continued to trace her ribs and backbone. Extremely daring, he didn't stop at her waistline while trailing one finger down her backbone. He continued a few inches down.... "Hey, guys!" Mihoshi called from a short way down the hall. "Where are you?" Ryoko quickly phased back into her shirt and Tenchi opened the door. "Yes, Mihoshi?" "Oh, there you are!" she said. "Sasami sent me up to see if you'd help her unpack the groceries." Tenchi and Ryoko both agreed and stepped downstairs. *** The rest of the day went normally. Tenchi and Ryoko helped Sasami and Mihoshi put away the groceries. Ayeka and Balar were still in the library when Tenchi and Ryoko came into study with them. After the studying was done, Sasami was calling them for dinner. Ayeka politely asked Washu, "Is the wedding planning going well?" Washu nodded. "They've decided on food and the caterer said that it wouldn't be a problem. I'm going to pick it up two hours before the ceremony so it'll still be fresh. The dresses are almost done and she says we can pick them up two days before the wedding. I thought we'd pick them up on the bachelorette's night out. I've already gotten the hairpieces for everyone so now we need jewelry. I thought we'd go to Joy's, where Tenchi bought our presents and Ryoko's engagement ring." She paused. "So what is the plan for the next few days?" Ryoko asked, munching on some fish. "Well, the food and the dresses are done. The rest of today, nothing. Do whatever you want. I have to send out the invitations today." Washu cackled as her laptop popped up. "Oh, goody!" she clapped her hands. "It's done." "What's done?" Mihoshi asked and stepped nearer. "This, Mihoshi, is the invitation list. It's taken five days to prepare." Washu mimicked wiping sweat off her brow. "There are going to be a lot of people coming to this thing." "Is that all?" Mihoshi pointed to the screen. "No, Mihoshi, that's just the first page." Washu tried to continue her statement, but just then Mihoshi tried to find the "page down" button. She stared at the blank screen. Washu's mouth dropped open and she just stared at it for a few seconds. She then turned to Mihoshi. "Mihoshi..." she said in a sweet voice. "Yes, Washu?" she said hesitantly. "You're a menace to society!" Washu screamed. Mihoshi started to cry. "But you make up for it by being Galaxy Police." Washu told her, sighing. Mihoshi stopped crying. Washu cradled her head in her hands. "There's no time to create another list so I'm going to have to hand-deliver these things." "Is there some way we could help?" Ayeka asked. Washu tilted her head up and thought. "Hmmm," she said. "There are three groups. The ones I only I can find, the ones I know I can find, and the ones that anyone can find." "Are there many that anyone can find?" Balar asked. "Sure. There are Mihoshi's Galaxy Police friends, all the Juraian nobles, the royal family," Washu ticked off on her fingers. "The ones I know I can find are the people who are the scientists and teachers that I want to invite. Those are no problem for me to find." "And the other group?" Ryoko asked. Washu looked at her. "That's for me to do. Actually, that one will be less time to do than all of the others. But collecting the scientists is going to take me at least a whole day and I need the rest of the days. I don't have enough time as it is." "Can we deliver the invitations to the specific people?" Tenchi asked. Washu looked at him, as if the idea hadn't occurred to her. "Of course!" she cried. "It's the perfect solution. I'll send Ayeka and Sasami to the Juraian nobles, Mihoshi to her friends, and I'm sure that Ryoko wants to invite Art and Lacey. I am such a genius!" she caroled out. "Tenchi and Balar can stay at home while we do this and go do guy stuff." Guy stuff? Balar mouthed to Tenchi who shrugged. "Ryoko can come with me to the Academy and then I'll go with her to Jurai." Washu said. With a finger on her chin, she scowled. "Now, if tomorrow is absorbed by invitations, then I'll have all of three days to get the wedding in order. Three days that you can do anything you want in," she added to everyone else. "The third night before the wedding, we'll have the bachelorette party. Then the next day we'll practice the walking and ceremony and then I'm going to send Tenchi and Ryoko off and tell them not to come back until that night. They'll need the break by then. The day before the wedding, I'm going to need everyone's help seeing that the clothes fit and getting the flowers stored and the yard cleaned and the other hundred thousand things I'm left doing." "Washu, calm down!" Ryoko pointed her chopsticks at her. "Eat your dinner. You're too skinny!" "Ha-ha. You'd sound like my mother, except I didn't have one." Washu told her tartly and, following orders, sat down and ate her dinner. Ayeka's dress: http://www.marysbridal.com/7167.htm headdress: http://www.4bridalheadpieces.com/rhtiaras/caa144.htm Sasami and Ryo-ohki's dress: http://www.marysbridal.com/f251.htm headdress: http://www.marysbridal.com/H556.htm Mihoshi's dress: http://www.marysbridal.com/7103.htm headdress: http://www.4bridalheadpieces.com/porcelain/porce1.htm the one all the way at the bottom left Ryoko's dress: http://www.marysbridal.com/8250.htm headdress: http://www.4bridalheadpieces.com/rhtiaras/caa148.htm Washu's: the dress: http://www.fairyfashion.de/sjg/starjuweldgown.html headpiece: http://www.4bridalheadpieces.com/rhtiaras/nem119g.htm