She Came, She Saw, She Fell

  By Evil Dragoness (EvilDragoness@mailcity.com)


	Zephyr McKayton sighed and kept her eyes on the 
control panel in front of her.  Her journey to Earth was 
almost over, only a half hour left to go.  Once on Earth, 
she would find her old friend, Lord Yosho of Jurai, and 
arrange to live with him.  After all, the two had been 
childhood friends, it shouldn't be no problem, should it?
	She shrugged it off and relaxed back into her chair 
and let the ship enter the atmosphere as projected, the 
landing coordinates set outside the last position Yosho had 
been detected in, a small island--Honshu--of an Earth 
country called Japan.
	The ship plowed through the wall of flames that 
appeared and plummeted towards the ground, but gravity took 
control of the tiny ship, and the spacepod fell towards a 
large lake.
	Zephyr opened the hatch and leapt out, parachuting 
down to land as her spacepod crashed into the water and 
sank.  As her feet landed on firm earth, she de-attached the 
parachute and tossed it into the water, a house standing 
before her.  A large set of stairs caught her eye, and she 
headed towards them.
	She ran up them with ease, and found herself in the 
area of a large shrine of some sort.  An old man and a 
younger man were out sweeping up cherry blossoms that had 
fallen in preparation for the autumn season of the planet.  
In their task, the younger man looked up and noticed Zephyr.
	"May I help you?" he asked, delaying his chores.  The 
older man's attention sparked, and he too looked up at 
Zephyr.  Upon further inspection of this new stranger, he 
suddenly gasped and dropped his broom.
	"Zephyr!" he cried out.
	"Lord Yosho?" Zephyr said, quirking a brow.  The 
coordinates she was given were more accurate than she had 
suspected.  Within minutes of her arrival upon Earth, she 
had already found Yosho!
	"Zephyr, it's been so long.."
	"Yes, I know it has."
	"Grandpa?" the younger man spoke, looking as confused 
as he possibly could, leaning on his broom in an attempt to 
get some relaxation. "You know her?"
	"Indeed I do, Tenchi," Yosho said, turning to his 
grandson.  "This is Zephyr McKayton, an old childhood friend 
of mine.  I had received a communique from her long back 
that she was coming, but I didn't believe it."
	"Why not, Yosho?" Zephyr asked, startled.
	"Well, I had heard rumours around that you'd died and 
such, and I believed  a lot of them."
	Zephyr nodded, and turned to Tenchi. "And this is the 
young Prince of Jurai I have heard a lot about.  Killed 
Kagato, Kain and the scientist Yakage, I've heard."
	Tenchi blushed. "Yes, well.."
	Yosho chuckled and slapped Tenchi on the back, 
moderately hard.  "Come now, Tenchi, don't be so shy.  I'll 
finish up here while you take Zephyr to the house and get 
her some tea.  Sasami shoud be finishing lunch soon, 
anyhow."
	"Sasami, Yosho-san?  The Second Princess of Jurai?"
	Yosho nodded.  "Now, off with you both.  Zephyr, 
we'll have a lot to discuss later."
	Zephyr nodded in acknowledgement and Tenchi started 
down the stairs, back to the house.  After a quick smile, 
Zephyr followed suit down the stairs, going quicker to catch 
up with Tenchi.
	"So, you planning to stay or anything?" Tenchi said, 
shoving his hands into his pockets.
	"I might. It depends." Zephyr replied, clasping her 
hands together behind her head.  "Besides their Royal 
Highnesses, who else is here?"
	"Oh, you'll see," Tenchi said, and both of them could 
hear faint arguing from beyond the end of the stairs.  As 
they reached the bottom and started back for the house, a 
window in the top floor suddenly shattered and exploded, 
followed by a torrent of flame.  
	Zephyr fell back, startled.  "What was that?!"
	"Ryoko and Ayeka."
	"You have the formerly most-wanted criminal in the 
universe and the First and Second Princesses of Jurai in 
your household?  Together?"
	"Yeah.  Despite what you just saw, they keep their 
fighting to a minimum.  Washu's already had the house remade 
twice."
	"And you house the mad scientist Washu, too!  Quite a 
bunch you've collected, Tenchi."
	Tenchi blushed again, and both approached the door.  
Tenchi slid it open and the first sound to reach his and 
Zephyr's ears was the screeching and bickering of Ayeka and 
Ryoko from upstairs.
	"Just ignore them and keep quiet," Tenchi instructed, 
and both quietly snuck into the house, creeping their way 
towards the kitchen.  From the way they were sneaking, you 
might figure they were secret lovers or something.
	Tenchi and Zephyr made it safely into the kitchen, or 
so they thought.
	"Tenchi!  Who've you got there?"  a bright, young 
voice asked.  Sasami, the Second Princess of Jurai, stood 
there, Ryo-Oh-Ki on her head.  Zephyr stared at Ryo-Oh-Ki 
for a minute, deducting the creature to be Ryoko's main 
transportation unit.
	"This is Zephyr, an old friend of Grandpa's." Tenchi 
said, introducting Zephyr to Sasami and vice-versa.  
	"Glad you dropped in, Zephyr!  I'm about finished 
with lunch!" the young girl said brightly.
	Zephyr sniffed the air, picking up all the different 
scents in the room.  "Smells great, but I ate before I 
shipped off, so I'm not really hungry."
	Sasami frowned and sank down a bit.  "I see."
	"But," Zephyr said, smiling. "I should be around for 
dinner."
	Ryoko and Ayeka, by now, had finished their arguing 
and were both looking for Tenchi.  They found him, indeed, 
next to another woman!  From what they could see, she was 
dressed in a tight, cobalt blue tanktop and a pair of gi 
pants, striped like a tiger's fur, the cuffs tucked into a 
pair of dusty, leather, military boots.  Her medium brown 
hair was braided fashionably well, a long, black tail 
wrapped around her waist.
	She looked like one of Washu's crazy experiments, a 
half-cat girl!  But Ryoko and Ayeka were angry nonetheless 
that Tenchi was with her.
	"Tenchi!" They both yelled.  Tenchi jumped and all 
four occupants of the kitchen stared at Ryoko and Ayeka.  
The two girls confronted Zephyr and started blurting out 
questions, which the werepanther couldn't differentiate.
	"Girls, please!  Give our guest some room!"
	The two girls, delaying their questions, turned to 
Tenchi.  Their faces held stern looks, lips pursed into 
frowns as they began to pout.  Tenchi knew exactly what was 
coming and started blurting out words that didn't even go 
together.  However, out of the gibberish, he managed to 
explain that the girl was named Zephyr, and she was a friend 
of Grandpa's coming to visit.
	Ryoko and Ayeka calmed themselves and made peace with 
Zephyr, and Sasami went back to her duties of preparing 
lunch, shooing everyone out of the kitchen.
	"Well," Tenchi said, scratching the back of his head.  
"You're going to need a room if you're staying, and I think 
we only have a spare place.." he said, and paused for a 
moment, staring at Ryoko and Ayeka.  Knowing they wouldn't 
like what was coming next, he blurted out, "We'll just find 
you a spot."
	"I can sleep on just about anything, from rock to 
wool, makes no difference to me." Zephyr said, her tail 
uncurling itself from around her waist and swaying through 
the air.
	Tenchi blinked at the tail, and watching its every 
movement, he said, "We could put you on the couch."
	"Or we could set up an extra spot in our room," Ayeka 
offered.
	Tenchi waited patiently for Zephyr's decision.  The 
werepantheress nodded towards Ayeka and Tenchi took the 
motion for its meaning and nodded back.  "Then that's 
settled."
	"And so is lunch!" Sasami announced, her hands 
clasped behind her back, a bright smile on her face as she 
stood before the group.
	"Great!" they all shouted, except for Zephyr.
	"If you don't mind, I'd like to get some sleep, 
Tenchi-san." Zephyr said with a short yawn.
	"Uh, sure," Tenchi said, nodding.  "Ryoko, would you 
mind taking Zephyr up and getting her a new bed?"
	Ryoko whined.  "But, Tenchi...I'm hungry."
	"Lunch won't get any colder while you're gone, Ryoko!  
Now stop complaining and help out!"
	Ryoko's whining turned into grumbling and she 
levitated off the floor, floating upstairs.  Zephyr followed 
her up the stairs and around the hallways, to Ayeka's room. 
	"Wait here," Ryoko ordered, and disappeared for a 
minute.  Zephyr waited inside for her, examining the room. 
	"Pity I didn't get to salvage my luggage," she 
mumbled under her breath.  Ryoko returned soon with a new 
bed, and with the help of Zephyr, she laid it out between 
Ayeka and Sasami's beds.
	"There ya go," Ryoko said.  "Now, if you'll excuse 
me, I hear lunch calling."
	"Arigatou, Ryoko-san."
	"Yeah, yeah, you're welcome." Ryoko grumbled, and 
teleported out of sight.  Zephyr sighed and sat down on her 
new bed, folding the blanket back.
	"It will take a lot of adjusting before I fit in 
here, I know that for sure.  Earth-life is very different 
from things on my planet.  And that Ryoko, ohh.."
	Zephyr sighed again and laid down on her bed, pulling 
the blanket over her and closing her eyes.  A soft purr 
rumbled from her throat and she began to drift into sleep...

	******************

	"Zephyr! Zephyr, damnit, wake up!"
	"Ngh?" Zephyr mumbled, and opened her eyes, and found 
herself being shaken by Ryoko.
	"'Bout time you woke up!  Dinner's on!"
	"Nnggh.." Zephyr mumbled again, struggling up to her 
feet.  "Mmm, I'm so drowsy.  Been a while since I slept.."
	"Yeah, yeah, let's go.  Downstairs!"
	Ryoko teleported off and Zephyr headed out of Ayeka's 
room, and downstairs into the dining room.  Everyone was 
already seated and eating away, Ryoko and Ayeka more worried 
about fighting over Tenchi than food apparently.  Zephyr 
spotted Yosho and gulped.  There was more than just talk he 
wanted to do.
	"Have a nice sleep?" Yosho asked.  All eyes turned to 
Zephyr, and she felt like a thousand spotlights were on her.  
	"Uh, yeah."
	"Come, sit down and eat." Yosho offered.
	"Not hungry." Zephyr said, and headed for the front 
door without a word.  Yosho smiled to himself as he heard 
the door slide open, then slide shut.
	"It seems I'll have to talk to her earlier than 
expected," Yosho said, and stood up from the table. "Excuse 
me," he said, and went outside.
	He found Zephyr standing at the edge of the lake and 
stood beside her.
	"Something bothering you, Zephyr?" he asked.
	"No."
	"You're lying."
	"It's Ryoko."
	"I see.  Only been here not more than a day, and 
already you've fallen for someone.  You have to control 
that."
	"I-I know, but it's an urge."
	"You'll have to seek out the right time to satisfy 
that urge.  But right now, your top priority is to blend in, 
to fit into our 'family.' Understand, Zephyr?"
	"Perfectly."
	"Good.  Now, stay out here for a while and gather 
your thoughts.  I'll be at the shrine if you need me." Yosho 
said, and left Zephyr's side, headed towards the shrine 
stairs.
	Zephyr remained at the edge of the water, watching 
the moonlight glimmer off of its surface, and all was quiet 
for several minutes.  Sasami, finished with dinner, 
approached Zephyr.
	"Hey, Zephyr.  Bath's up soon if you wanna come!"
	Zephyr chuckled.  "I'll come.  Lead the way, 
Princess."
	"Please," Sasami said, taking Zephyr's hand with her 
own. "call me Sasami." she finished, and the two walked back 
to the house.  The little Princess led the werepanther into 
the ladies' bath, and Sasami stripped down into a towel, 
slipping into the water.  
	Ryoko, Ayeka, Washu, and Sasami all were soaking in 
the bath now, and Zephyr felt nervous about bathing with 
them all.  She had a secret none of them could handle, and 
her feelings for Ryoko didn't help at all.
	Ayeka caught glimpse of Zephyr's stalling and quirked 
a brow.  Afraid to take a bath, not unusual at all, she 
thought.
	"Come on in," Ayeka said.  "We don't bite."
	I would prefer that you would, Zephyr said to 
herself.  Reluctantly, she stripped down to nothing and 
slipped into the water slowly, letting the water envelope 
over her body.  It was hot, but not scalding hot, just the 
right temperature, pleasing.  Too bad her tailfur would mat 
up.	
	"Comfortable?" Sasami asked, smiling.
	"Miyaaa!" Ryo-Oh-Ki chimed in.
	Zephyr nodded briefly and let the water soak up to 
her neck.  Maybe adjusting here wouldn't be so bad, there 
wasn't much to living here so far.

	****************

	The bath lasted longer than it normally did on 
account of the frustration Zephyr had put up to a good 
cleaning, and now she, Sasami, and Ayeka were ready to 
retire in for the night.  Ayeka was already half asleep, and 
Sasami lay facing the ceiling, wide awake.
	Zephyr was dead asleep, the same soft purr as before 
rumbling from her body.  As Ayeka fell asleep, Sasami leaned 
over and shook Zephyr awake.
	"I can't sleep," she whispered.
	Zephyr stretched out and sat up.  "What do you want 
me to do?" she whispered to Sasami.
	"Rock me to sleep, with that purr sound."
	"I can do more than purr."
	"You can?  Show me!" Sasami whispered excitedly.
	"Come 'ere," Zephyr said.  Sasami crawled into 
Zephyr's lap (**Note: This is a non-pedophile fic, so back 
off.**) and nestled close to the older girl.  Zephyr slowly 
shifting into her were form, letting her soft black fur, the 
warmth of her body, and her soft purring "sing" Sasami to 
sleep.
	As the young girl fell asleep, Zephyr placed Sasami 
back in her bed and curled up in her own.  Still in her were 
form, she fell fast asleep, "singing" her own self to sleep!

	*****************

	"Zephyrrrr..." a voice purred in Zephyr's mind.  
Zephyr awoke to see Ryoko straddling her waist, buck-naked 
and giggling.  Zephyr stared wide-eyed, and the demoness 
beauty leaned down, kissing Zephyr gently.  Locks of her 
cyan hair fell out of place and onto Zephyr's body, and the 
demoness sucked on her partner's bottom lip playfully, 
moving to her neck.
	She placed gentle kisses up her neck and jawline, and 
nibbled on her earlobe. "You know what you have to do now, 
Zephyr..."
	"Iie, I don't."
	Ryoko giggled and sat straight up.  "Wake up... wake 
up..."
	Zephyr opened her eyes again to see Ayeka shaking 
her, chanting the same things as Dream-Ryoko had.  
	Damn, it was just a dream! Zephyr grumbled to 
herself.  How do I make the dream a reality??
	"Sasami should be finished with breakfast soon, so 
get your lazy butt out of bed and get dressed!"
	"In what, Princess?  My luggage is waterlogged under 
the surface of the lake."
	"No clothes, hm?  Well, today, we'll just have to get 
you some more clothes, ne?"
	Zephyr nodded.  "Hai, of course."
	Ayeka smiled and left Zephyr, headed downstairs.  The 
girl, still in were form, trudged downstairs and outside, 
following Ayeka.  Tenchi and Ryoko were already outside, 
Tenchi cooking over a small fire he had built outside, while 
Ryoko swept up more cherry blossoms, grumbling and 
complaining as she went.
	Ayeka joined Tenchi and Ryoko--as she had finished 
her chore by now--and with a smile, announced her plans.  
"Today, we'll have to go buy Miss Zephyr a whole new 
wardrobe.  It appears hers went 'down with the ship.'"
	Ryoko gave a mock chuckle and sneered, showing off 
the sarcasm that was meant.  Ayeka sneered right back, and 
Tenchi sighed.  "We'll have to wait until Dad gets back 
home, or see if we can get Kiyone to drive us around.  Too 
far to walk, y'know."
	"Oh, that's right," Ayeka said, and gave a short 
sigh.  "Guess we'll have to wait, then."
	"No problem," Tenchi said, "I'll go call Kiyone now."  
And with that, he left the fire to burn, and with no where 
to spread, it would surely die soon.  Ayeka sat down facing 
Ryoko and Zephyr sat off to the side of both of them, 
sitting cross-legged.
	"What is the real reason you came here?"  Ryoko 
suddenly said, giving Zephyr a suspicious look.
	"I came here to see my friend Yosho, nothing more, 
nothing less."
	"You're lying."
	"I am not."
	"You are," Ayeka interrupted.  "until you have proof 
otherwise."
	"Sometimes what the moon cannot see will be the great 
advantage it will have."
	"What?" Ryoko said.
	"It means I have no proof, you'll just have to trust 
me.  I don't care if you can't trust me that's entirely up 
to you."
	"You have deep meaning to your sayings, Zephyr." 
Ayeka said, smiling wryly.
	"I was taught by Yosho when he and I were young."
	"That's your proof." the Princess mumbled, and 
sighed.  "I believe you, but I cannot speak for Ryoko."
	"I'll believe her if I want to, but my decision won't 
be right now.  We'll see at dinner tonight."
	At that moment, Tenchi and Sasami walked back out, 
and gave each his and her own news.
	"Breakfast is ready!"
	"Kiyone can swing by today after she and Mihoshi make 
a routine patrol.  If nothing comes up, she should be by 
around dusk."
	"Better time than none, I suppose," Ayeka said, 
sighing heavily.  "Oh well, let's make the best of the day."
	Ryoko hmphed.  Zephyr chuckled, and stared at the 
sky.  The clouds formed a beautiful pattern, one only she 
would understand, and one other person.....

	Yosho stared up from his meditation position and 
watched the clouds form into their pattern, and smiled.
	"Zephyr...."

	"Yosho...."

	*******************