Tenchi Muyo: No Need for College: Trust

Disclaimer: Tenchi Muyo is copyrighted c 1992-2001 AIC * Pioneer LDC. All 
images, characters, locations, and anything that is directly derived from Tenchi 
Muyo is theirs. All rights reserved. 


Tenchi Muyo: No Need for College: Trust
======================
Tenchi and Brad's Dorm Room
======================

After finding Ryoko naked in the room and Brad coming out of the shower calling 
Ryoko "babe", Tenchi is looking for some answers. And Brad is trying to settle 
him down.

Brad: "Calm down, it isn't what you think. I can explain."

Tenchi: "This had better be good. If it isn't, you'll regret it so help me."

Brad puts on some jeans and a T-shirt. He then walks over to the portal and 
turns it back on.

Tenchi: "What do you think you're doing? You still have some explaining to do."

Brad: "I have to talk to Ryoko first."

Tenchi: "I really don't think she wants to see you right now. To tell you the 
truth I really don't blame her."

Brad: "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Tenchi: "What do you think it means? You just tell me what happened."

Brad: "I can't do that, I'm not saying anything until I talk to Ryoko."

Tenchi was boiling mad by now. He trusted Brad, how could he take advantage of 
Ryoko like that?

Tenchi: "You're not going anywhere until I get some answers."

Brad: "Listen Tenchi, I don't have time for this. I have to see Ryo...."

Brad was cut off by Tenchi's fist. With a familiar *crack* Tenchi connected 
squarely on the jaw. Although he was an experienced boxer, Tenchi had caught him 
off-guard. Brad was rocked back and fell through the portal. Tenchi was right on 
his heels.

===================
Masaki Residence
===================

Ryoko had locked herself in her room as soon as she got back. Ayeka tried to 
apologize, but Ryoko didn't want to speak to anybody. Ayeka was explaining the 
situation to the rest of the girls when Brad and Tenchi came tumbling out of the 
portal. Both were on their feet in an instant.

Brad: "Tenchi, listen man, I'll explain after I see Ryoko."

Tenchi: "You bastard, you're not going near her again."

Tenchi took another swing at Brad and caught him on the side of the head. Brad 
backed off, he was trying not to get angry. Tenchi was just looking out for a 
close friend. Brad knew that with his skill and strength, he could easily hurt 
Tenchi. On the other hand, this had to end quick, Brad didn't want to fight in 
front of Sasami and the rest of the girls. It just wasn't proper.

Brad: "RYOKO! RYOKO, CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE NEED TO TALK!"

Tenchi: "Shut up! I think you've done enough already. You can't even tell me 
what happened. I must have been wrong about you.."

Brad: "Tenchi, I swear if you try to hit me again, I'll end this whole thing 
right now and go find Ryoko myself."

Tenchi: "That's what you think. I'll make you pay for what you did to Ryoko!"

Tenchi's judgment was clouded with emotion. He drew his fist all the way back 
behind his head and put all he had into one punch aimed at Brad's face. This 
time, Brad was ready. With his left hand he blocked Tenchi's strike; with his 
right hand, he socked Tenchi right in the gut. He had knocked the wind out of 
Tenchi, but for safe measure he struck Tenchi across the face with his left hand 
again. Tenchi felt like his eye was about to explode out of its socket. The 
fight was over. "Wow," Tenchi thought, "how could Ryoko just shrug this off?" 
Having heard all the commotion, Ryoko had come out of her room to investigate. 
Her eyes shot open when she saw Tenchi laid out. She teleported to his side to 
assess the damage.

Ryoko: "What happened? Tenchi, how bad are you hurt? How many fingers am I 
holding up?"

Tenchi: "Ry-Ryoko? I tried to keep him away, but....."

Brad: "Ryoko, he wanted to know what happened last night. I had to talk to you 
first, that's when he started all of this."

Normally Ryoko would have killed anyone for hurting Tenchi. This time was 
different, her eyes teared up and Ryoko hung her head. As she held Tenchi's head 
in her lap, she looked up at Brad and with a tear choked voice:

Ryoko: "Well, just tell all of us. I can't even remember what happened."

Ayeka: "Of all the..."

Ryoko: "CAN IT, BITCH!"

Brad: "Enough, fine. Everyone sit down, there's really not much to it or even 
anything to get mad about."

All of the girls gave Brad a suspicious look as the sat around Tenchi, ready at 
a moment's notice for trouble. All except Sasami and Mihoshi who had run to look 
for Katsuhito as soon as the fight started. Ryoko couldn't keep from crying as 
she stroked Tenchi's hair. Washu was looking for any other signs of injury while 
Ayeka dabbed at the cut on Tenchi's cheek with a wet washcloth. Brad sat down 
and tried to regain his composure. He was sorry, but Tenchi had lost control. 
Still, he kept a safe distance from Ayeka and Ryoko.

Brad: "Ryoko, are you sure you want all of them to hear? If you don't 
remember..."

Ryoko: "Just get on with it!"

Brad: "Well then, I'm sorry to say that there isn't that much to tell. After 
dinner, Tenchi went off with Ayeka and Sasami; Ryoko and I went to rent a couple 
movies but we never made it."

Ryoko: "Oh God."

Brad: "It isn't what you think. I guess the Tequila was a little more than Ryoko 
is used to. She could barely stand, so I took her back to the room. I didn't 
want to take her home in her condition so I laid her on Tenchi's bed."

Ayeka: "So how did she end up naked? Hmmmm?"

Brad: "Geeze, this is why I wanted to talk to Ryoko first."

Ryoko: "Don't worry about that, I need to know."

Brad: "After I put her down, I noticed that she had a fever. I didn't know if 
the Tequila was having a negative reaction with her system or what. She was 
burning up so I undressed her and put her under a light sheet. That was exactly 
how she was when I got in the shower. I guess her fever had broken and she 
kicked the sheet off because she was getting too warm. That's when you all came 
in and this whole damn mess got started."

Ayeka: "Then what was that "babe" nonsense about?"

Brad: "Exactly that, nonsense. It was a loose term of affection. At one point or 
another, I've called all of my female friends "babe". I didn't know you all 
would react so....rashly."

Ryoko: "So we didn't......"

Brad: "Nope, don't get me wrong, you're a beautiful woman. You're just not my 
type. Besides, undressing you was just a course of action that I took because of 
your fever. I didn't even take the time to notice anything. There was no hidden 
or indecent motive behind my actions. I'm just surprised that all of you were so 
ready to assume the worst, especially you, Tenchi."

Ayeka: "I-I'm sorry. I apologize....to both of you. We were just caught by 
surprise. Ryoko, I shouldn't have...."

Ryoko: "Everyone messes up sometimes princess. It's just going to take me a 
little while to get over this one completely."

Tenchi had finally regained his senses while Brad told his story.

Tenchi: "Hey man, I...."

Brad: "I know, you were just looking out for a friend. After all you haven't 
seen me for ten years and you've barely been with me a week. That's why I didn't 
hit you with everything I could have. Please just don't ever try to hit me 
again."

Tenchi: "You mean you didn't even use all of your strength right now?"

Brad: "Now is not the time Tenchi. Someone needs to talk to you."

Brad had motioned over to Ryoko who was now standing out by the lake. Tenchi 
nodded and walked out to the lake still cupping his hand to his face. He stood 
behind Ryoko and looked out over the water.

Tenchi: "Ryoko..."

Ryoko: (Sounding hurt) "You didn't trust me. You assumed that I had....done 
something with....him."

Tenchi: "It wasn't you that I didn't trust...."

Ryoko: "Bullshit! You thought a couple drinks could win me over. You had no 
right to attack Brad. He's a great guy, he even took it easy on you."

Tenchi: "Yeah, I'd hate to imagine what he could've done. I just.....I just 
couldn't stand the thought of you and him....I guess what I'm trying to say is 
that I love...."

Ryoko: "Listen Tenchi, before you say anymore, just listen. I saw the look in 
your eyes. Brad was right, both you and Ayeka had assumed the worst of me. That 
really hurt. I need some time to think. I'd appreciate it if you didn't come 
looking for me. I'll visit you again when everything in my head is straight. 
Goodbye for now, my Tenchi"

With that, Ryoko flew away into the trees. Tenchi wanted to call out her name 
but no words escaped his mouth. Why had he been so quick to assume that Brad and 
Ryoko could have slept together. He loved her, but why didn't she want to hear 
it. He must have really hurt her this time."

Back at the house Brad was explaining the situation to Sasami, Mihoshi and 
Katsuhito. The old man listened intently. He thought that Tenchi was more 
disciplined than that. He was about to go have a talk with his grandson when 
Brad stopped him.

Brad: "Katsuhito, don't. I might have done the same thing if I were in Tenchi's 
shoes. I should have brought her home instead of taking the situation into my 
own hands."

Katsuhito: "That isn't the point. Tenchi has been taught to deal with intense 
situations."

Brad: "But not situations in which a dear friend's honor might have been 
tarnished in a moment of weakness."

Katsuhito: (After a moment of thought) "Well, I suppose you have a point. I will 
consider this as a lesson taught."

Brad: "Thank you so much."

Katsuhito: "Hold on. If you wouldn't mind, I would like to see the skills you 
used here tonight sometime. If that would be alright with you."

Brad: "Sure, I'll come by next weekend."

Ayeka was quiet as she wiped a little bit of blood off of the floor where Tenchi 
had fallen. She had never seen Tenchi act like that. He never lost his temper. 
Why did he go so far as to fight for Ryoko? But then again, he might have done 
it for any of them. She was lost in thought when she looked up to see Brad 
standing in front of her.

Brad: "Listen Ayeka, I'm really sorry. Two out of the three times you've met me, 
I've hurt one of your friends. I don't want you to think of me as a violent 
person. I might be coming back here and I just didn't want you to have any 
reason to be uneasy around me. I'm not sure if Sasami will ever look at me the 
same way anymore."

Ayeka: (Looking back to the floorboards) "Sasami's memory is short. She's still 
so innocent. And I understand everything perfectly."

Brad: "Thanks. I guess I'll see you later."

Ayeka: "Fine"

Tenchi and Brad left back through the portal after many farewells and apologies. 
Ryoko watched him go from the rafters. He would be back, and maybe she would be 
ready to look into his eyes again without remembering how they looked on this 
day. It had been another rough day.

==========================
Tenchi and Brad's Dorm Room
==========================

Tenchi just lay on his bed with an ice pack pressed to his face. Brad had 
decided to go to the gym for a workout. He needed to cut loose on a punching bag 
for a while. Maybe it would help him to calm down. He might even find someone to 
spar with. 

=========================
Tony's 24 hr. Gym
=========================
He stretched a little then started pounding way at the bag. The blows almost 
tore the bag from its anchor on the ceiling. Then he felt a hand on his 
shoulder. Without turning around to look, he acknowledged his visitor.

Brad: "You're a long way from home. I didn't see you come through the portal."

Ryoko: "I didn't. Ryo-oki flew me here."

Brad: "What's on your mind?"

Ryoko: "I just needed to get away from everyone for awhile."

Brad: "So you ran away. Why did you come to me?"

Ryoko: "Don't flatter yourself, you're just the only one that can seem to 
understand me. I just need something to help me forget about all of this."

Brad: "Have you considered taking up a hobby?"

Ryoko: "Like what? Stitching? Painting? Sorry, that's just not me."

Brad: "Then how about a sport?"

Ryoko: "Like you? I really don't see a whole lot of skill involved."

Brad: (With a smartass smile on his face) "And pirating does?."

Ryoko: "Then teach me, so I can kick your ass earth-style."

Brad: "I thought you said..."

Ryoko: "I said you were on probation. Then you hit Tenchi, that violated your 
probation. So quit whining and tell me what I need to get started."

Brad:  "Let's forget sports.  Why don't we try.........I got it!  Acting!  This 
is L.A.   You got the looks and you can sure pull of a lot of emotions."

Ryoko:  "You're just saying that to distract me."

Brad:  "No seriously, think about it.  You get to get out of the house, make 
some money, who knows even become famous."

Ryoko:  "I've already been famous, besides, I like the simple life."

Brad:  "Then how about learning an instrument?"

Ryoko: "Instrument?"

Brad:  "Yeah,  I could teach you to play the guitar.  Who knows, you might score 
some points with Tenchi."

Ryoko:  (considers for a moment)"........Fine, you got a second chance.  When do 
we start?"

Brad:  "How about next week, while Tenchi's in class?  You can surprise him."

Ryoko:  "You bet I will."