There have been numerous fics with Ryouko getting her hands on Tenchi, but has there ever been any of Aeka, obtaining the object of her love, alone? This is in response to a challenge. Aeka "gets" Tenchi; everyone else does not. This is also a challenge for myself, because I'm a strong advocator of "Tenchi ends up with no one". Anyway, enjoy. San by Andrea Paulinski "Tenchi-sama," Aeka whispered, straightening up. The object of her love did not answer, not that he could; he was not there. Tenchi was in the garden hoeing carrots, and Ryouko was probably with him. She sighed, biting her lip. The Juraian princess had actually made acquaintances with the space pirate. A PRINCESS, making friends with a PIRATE? Absurd. As she turned her head toward the general direction of the garden, Aeka thought to herself. Ryouko wasn't all that bad, actually. She could stand her if she was away from Tenchi. Tenchi. And what did she actually see in that Earth boy? An Earth boy who happened to be a heir to the Juraian throne. She shook her head. That did not matter to her. At first, she saw him as only an alternate Yousho, someone to fantasize about in place of her lost fiancee. Even when she discovered her long-lost brother was in fact Tenchi's grandfather, she saw Tenchi as something to take her away from her heartbreak.. But now, it was different. She saw something in the way he worked, the way he walked, the way he talked. Aeka had fallen in love all over again, and it was a much different feeling than what she felt for Yousho. The princess had taken away the idea of the thrill of loving an Earth boy, salt of the Earth, and yet still found the thrill. Aeka never felt she could act on it. She wasn't like Ryouko, who was so blunt with her feelings and actions. Stirring her tea with her spoon, she sighed again, her body shaking. Ryouko wasn't inhibited, while she was taught the rules of etiquette. Aeka could never tell Tenchi her feelings. Never. Too shy, too bashful, and always the poor little rich girl. Now was about the ample time for her to get married, however. Her mother had called her with a frightful message that stung her like several icicles falling from the roof. Juraian girls always get married at the age of twenty-two, and Aeka-chan was turning twenty-two next month, wasn't she? She'd make a darling bride, and that Tenchi-chan an even more darling husband. Aeka always had had brief thoughts that she would turn into an old hag, never finding Yousho and risking her chances for love. But now.. now was her chance to fill that void in her heart. She had played it over and over in her mind. The girl could no longer contain her feelings. It was time to tell Tenchi the way she felt about him; for her family, for her planet, for herself. The time was now. Aeka stood from her chair, and boldly strode to the garden. *********** And Ryouko was there, just as she feared. Tenchi was trying to work, and the oni clinged to him like non-fabricated sheets she washed the first time she tried. Aeka bit her lip again, trying to only allow her growl stay a tiny roar. "Ryouko-san." The oni turned, and smiled at her, baring her fangs. Tenchi turned with her, startled. "A-aeka-san…" "Ojouchan," Ryouko purred, her voice sultry. "You're red." It was a blunt statement. Had Aeka not been so nervous, she would've yelled at her. No; better to keep her patience. She had something to do. "Ryouko-san, I have something to tell Tenchi-sama," Aeka said quietly, looking into her eyes intently. Ryouko raised an eyebrow, and frowned slightly. "I have every right to be here," she answered the Princess, loosening her hold on the boy. "You can't boss me away." Aeka remained silent. She had expected this to happen, somewhat; it wasn't planned that Ryouko was there. The Princess would have rather told Tenchi in private, and not with her friend there, her rival for Tenchi – Her friend….? "I'm not going to b-boss you away, Ryouko-san." Ryouko's frown turned down even deeper. Something was up with the little princess. She completely let go of her captive, and floated lazily off to the side, giving them enough distance while allowing herself full view of the couple. Couple..? Ryouko shuddered as a thought crept into her mind; it disappeared as quickly as it had come. "What is it, Aeka-san?" He leaned on the hoe, waiting for her to say something. Aeka stared out blankly in front of her. Focus.. Her eyes focused on him, her hands grew slick with perspiration, her heart skipped a beat or two, then beat faster. Oh Kami, as she looked him over, she rediscovered why she fell in love with him. But now to say it…. "Please, don't call me 'san'…" "Eh?" He blinked and stared. She followed his example. It had just come out, with no thinking required. But the words.. those words weren't quite what she had in mind… "Please don't call me 'san' anymore, Tenchi," she murmured, then turned away and started walking. It was embarrassing, yet it was partly, she discovered as she watched the dirt from underneath her feet turn into grass, that it was what she wanted to say. Aeka no longer wanted formalities between them; she wanted love. *********** Ryouko and Tenchi stared off after her. Nothing was said between them, not even a low spurt of laughter from the oni girl. That girl blankly looked at Tenchi and knew. But yet, there was something she did not know. She didn't want to ask, and yet the feeling was gnawing at her. "Tenchi, why haven't you ever used 'san' with me?" He turned his head toward her, but on his face was blank expression. She asked again. Finally, he answered nervously, "I… I don't…." She knew all right. It hurt her to know. Ryouko watched his sad expression turn into that of desperation. "Yes, you do." Tenchi opened his mouth, but she would not allow any words to come out. "Go to her, Tenchi…..san." He flinched, but said nothing to her as he dropped his hoe and ran after the vanishing Princess. ************ And she watched him go, perched on a tree branch not far from the garden. The Princess had won. That snooty little plaything… which she actually liked and could call a friend. Ryouko snorted; she didn't know she could have someone to call 'friend', and Ryoohki didn't count. She'd take the boy she called her own from her, snatch him away in the middle of the night and make him fall in love with her. Surely he wouldn't mind; a Juraian king was to have two wives, afterall. And Tenchi would get used to the sado-masochism of the bridal training. Or so she'd heard. But her heart told her. She could fight, but he had made up his mind. Ryouko sighed, slouching against the trunk, and closed her eyes. It would be probably be best to leave. She'd be missed, maybe by a few people, and maybe even by Tenchi. A fleeting thought of "that would show them" crept into her mind, but she knew that it was childish. A pirate never gave up, though. Even if one knew one lost, the pirate would fight to the end. That was a Universal law. She could never break such a law. Aeka could have her lover, but not without a fight; even if Tenchi… No, it wasn't right… She had learned somewhere that it was better to love than have lost, than not to love at all. Perhaps it was one of those shoujo mangas she read, or maybe television, or maybe – "Yourself, Ryouko-chan." "Eh?" Ryouko turned her head slightly to see the red-haired scientist who was her 'mother'. "Washuu." "You're planning to leave, aren't you," was the scientist's blunt statement. Ryouko grunted in reply. "You'll be missed, my daughter." "If I can't have Tenchi, then what else could I… possibly have…" Her body quaked, and she choked back a sob. "Ryouko, I know how you feel, but…" "How could YOU know how I feel?!" Ryouko quickly stood up, and violently turned to face her. Washuu did not flinch, or speak, until her daughter's face eased slightly. "I've loved and lost as well." That's right; Washuu had a child. Ryouko averted her angry eyes. "Oh." "Don't end up like me, Ryouko-chan." Washuu turned around and started back toward the house. Ryouko turned her back to her. "Don't make the mistake of running away from your problems like I did." "What makes you say that?" There was no reply. She turned to see Washuu's disappearance over the hill. Mind racing, she slumped back against the tree, and closed her eyes. ********* "Aeka, I…." "No Tenchi, that's all right. Thank you for telling me how you feel. I love you as well." ****** end ****** Notes: I left the conclusion on whether Ryouko leaves the Masaki household or not up to the reader. Ryouko is pretty strong-minded, but also weak and insecure. She knows that trying to convince Tenchi to love her now is ridiculous, but can she really cope with loss? The two dialogues at the end are also up to the reader to decide what Tenchi did. Obviously the two didn't use honorifics with each other as they used to, and obviously he told her how he felt about her. As for the honorifics – for those readers who have no clue what 'san' and 'sama' are, due to being exposed to Tenchi dubs or just not realizing that Aeka calls Tenchi "Tenchi-sama" and Tenchi "Aeka-san", here's the explanation: Tenchi uses 'san' for Aeka out of respect. In this fic, Aeka feels that it's just become a formality, and that he doesn't feel anything else for her. It is like he is calling her "Miss Aeka", and not being familiar with her. Aeka uses 'sama' out of *deep* respect for Tenchi. But once again, she finds it a formality. Ryouko asks why she was never called "Miss Ryouko". She takes it that Tenchi never fully respected her, and so she "bitterly" calls him "Tenchi-san" at the end. I'm much happier with this newer conclusion than the first one. ^_^;;;