Chapter 3
Ryoko: The matchmaker from Hell

The next morning, Sasami was in the kitchen preparing breakfast.
Tenchi was running late so he only grabbed an apple as he ran out
the door.  Ayeka, Sasami, and Ryoko could barely say bye as he shot
past them.  A few seconds afterward, Kiyone came into the kitchen.
"Good morning, everyone."  As she walked up she closed her eyes
and inhaled the auroma of the cooking food.   "Mummmm.  That
smells good.  What is it, Sasami?"

"I thought I'd try something different today, so I made
scrambled eggs and Canadian bacon"

"It looks like ham to me.  Speaking of which.  Have you seen
Mihoshi this morning."

"Yes, I saw her when I first came into the kitchen this morning.
She was acting weird, and she keep on saying "Soon."  Do you
know what is wrong with her."

"No, but I'm sure that Washu can tell me.  When was the last time
she left her lab?"

"I'm not to sure, she has been really busy in there.  No one has even seen
her in the past few days, but she most come out for food.  So the next time
she does I'll tell her your looking for her.

"Thanks Sasami."

***

Tenchi was on his way to school.  Along the way he saw Meachi.
They greeted each other, and then continued on their way together.

"Meachi about yesterday...."

"Let me guess, you don't want me to spread around information about your
home.  Right..."

"Yeah, how could you tell?"

"If I had your life, I don't think I would want it publicized."

The two stopped and laughed.  After Meachi regained his composure,
he asked; "Tenchi, this is none of my business -- but I was wondering
if you would tell me about your relationship with......"

Before he could finish the sentence he was interrupted by someone
yelling in the distance.

"TENCHI!!!  TENCHI!!!  You forgot your lunch."

It was Ayeka.  She ran up in between the two young men.  When she
got there she was trying to catch her breath, from the long run.

"You...  Left your... Lunch back at... The house... <Whew>

"Ayeka, you didn't have to run all the way out here to give it to me."

"I don't mind.  Actually I wanted to do it.  Nothing could have
keep me from bringing it to you."

"Thank you, Ayeka.  Is there anything that I can do for you?"

She turned her head away from Tenchi and blushed.  In doing so, she was now
facing Meachi's direction.  He had been forgotten
during the entire conversation.

"Oh. Hello Meachi."

He replied, "Hello Ayeka, it is good to see you again."   He was
hiding the disappointment inside of himself.

"We better get going Tenchi, or we're going to be late for class.  Bye
Ayeka."

With that they continued on their way.  When they arrived, they
took their seats.  Unfortunately Meachi's spirit was a little broken now.

***

The day seemed to take forever to end.  When it finally did,
Tenchi and Meachi left together.

"Did you finish the assignment on page 176 Meachi.  Hello....  Meachi..."

"Oh, I'm sorry.  My mind was a little pre-occupied.   What did you say?"

"I just asked about the classwork that we had to do."

"Ahhh.  I haven't started on it yet!  I guess I will have to do
it all for homework tonight."

"When we get to the shrine, I can show you what I have so far."

"Thank you."

When they reached the steps to the Shrine, they were met by Ryoko.  She was
sitting on a limb of a nearby tree.  She floated down
and spoke to the two young men.

"Hi guys."

They both said hi back to her.

"Hey Ryoko, we're heading up to see Grandpa.  You want to come too?"

"Maybe later Tenchi.  I need to ask Meachi something, before you
both go up.  Alone please, if you don't mind?"

Tenchi cut his eyes toward Ryoko, and sarcastically asked, "What
are you up to this time?"

She quickly drew back and replied, "Up to?!  Why would I be up to
anything?  All I want to do is speak with my friend Meachi"

Tenchi did not look moved by what she said.  He looked over at Meachi,
whose body language showed that he didn't know what she wanted either.
Ryoko teleported behind Tenchi and playfully wrapped her arms around him.

"I won't take that long."

Tenchi jerked away from her, and looked back to Meachi with a slightly
embarrassed expression.  He regained his composure and started
up the steps. When he was out of sight Ryoko and Meachi began to talk.

"Ryoko, how come you didn't tell me Ayeka likes Tenchi.  I can't come
between the two of them if they love each other."

"NO!!! I mean, wait.  Ayeka doesn't really love Tenchi.  She just
likes him because he is the only young guy that she knows.  Trust
me, you two would be perfect for each other."

"Do you really mean it?"

"Of course I do.  Now this is how you can win her over.  First of
all you should buy her a big expensive gift.  Something like jewelry or a
fur."

"I can't do that."

"Why not?"

Meachi put his hands in his pocket and pulled out two fist full
of air and lint.  Ryoko looked at this sight and sighed.  She wasn't
sure but she could have sworn she saw a butterfly come out of his pocket.

"I guess you could picks some flowers for free."

Ryoko closed her eyes and started concentrating.  She was trying
to remember what kind of flowers Ayeka liked the most.

"Does it matter what kind I should get?

"Who cares, just go out and pick some."

Meachi immediately went to the last place he saw some lotus flowers.
He remembered that there was some at the edge of the lake.  He almost fell
in as he pick six of the long stem flowers.  With the reward of his effort
in his hands, he left to the Masaki house.  When he got there he looked
inside through a window and saw Ayeka.  His heart
began to beat faster.

Meachi choked down the excitement that he was feeling and knocked
on the door.  He then put the hand that held the flowers behind
his back. At that moment a bee climbed into one of the flower bulbs,
just before Ayeka answered the door.

"Hello Meachi."

"Hi Ayeka, I was out today and I got something that I think you
might like.  Close your eyes.

Ayeka smiled at the news and closed her eyes as she was told.  Meachi
put the flowers up to her nose.  She began to inhale the fragrance that they
released.  Then she heard one of them buzz.  She quickly opened her eyes and
saw the large orange and black striped insect.  She turned around and
hurried to get away from it.  Meachi was shocked at what just happened.  He
wanted to go after her, but instead he ran away.  Ryoko appeared in front of
him.

"That didn't go too well."

"THERE WAS A BEE IN THE FLOWERS!!!"

"So you made a mistake.  This really isn't my fault.  You couldn't
find any other flowers to give to her.  Hmm...  I know it might look
bad, but don't worry I can still make everything work out."

"OHHH NOOO!!!  I don't think that I will need your help anymore."

"Hmph.  Do you really think that you can do it by yourself after
what happened just now.  You need me now more than every."

Meachi was still mad, but he knew that she was right.  He knew nothing
about what a young lady liked, and without help he had no chance
what so ever.  He knew he had no choice but to give her another chance.

"Look I will give you a second chance, but there can be no more
mistakes.  I must go to the shrine to see Tenchi's grandfather,
and later I will apologize to Ayeka. I don't want any more
help from you tonight."

"Okay, suit yourself."  said Ryoko.  She then teleported away.

Meachi then went to the shrine.  He was still a little upset about the
flowers.  When he reached the steps he began go up them slowly.  With every
step he took, his thoughts reflected on Ayeka.  When he reached the last
step he focused back on speaking with Tenchi's grandfather.  He saw Tenchi
practicing his swordsmanship in front of the Shrine.  Up and to his left was
an old looking man, who was overseeing Tenchi's sword excersies.  Meachi
thought to himself, this must be his grandfather.  When Tenchi saw Meachi he
put his bokken down.

"Hey Meachi, I was starting to wonder if you would ever get up here.
What did Ryoko want with you?"

"Oh, it was nothing important."

Tenchi waved Meachi over to where he was standing, "Let me introduce
to you, Meachi Rode.  Meachi this is my grandfather, Lord Katsuhito
Masaki."  Meachi walked in front of him and bowed.

"Thank you for meeting with me sir.  I am not sure if Tenchi told
you or not, but I was wondering if you could use some help
maintaining the shrine."

"Hmmm. Do you have any experience with working at a shrine."

"Yes sir.  I used to work with my grandfather at the shrine
that was at my old home."

"What is your grandfather's name?"

"Watura Rode.  We live not to far from your shrine."

"Meachi, let me see your hands."  Meachi presented his hands to
Lord Katsuhito.  He glance at the right hand first.  Then the left.
He took Meachi's left hand and studied it closely.  "Hmmm..."
He let go of his hand and turned away from him.  The old man started
walking toward one of the statues.  There was a bokken leaning up
against it.  He picked it up and tossed it toward Meachi.  The bokken
was traveling directly toward his face, but he managed to catch
it by the handle in his left hand as it sailed toward him.

"Nice catch."

"What am I going to do with this."

"Nothing.  I was testing a theory.  You are trained in the ways
of the sword, I see.  You're left handed too."

"How could you tell that, by just looking at my hands."

"When you get to reach my age and have my experience you know what
to look for to understand a person.  I have to do some thinking
about a helper.  Right now Tenchi does most of the maintenance around
here.  I'll let you know if I need some more help tomorrow.  No
matter what feel free to come here if you need help."

Meachi released the bokken then bowed and thanked Lord Katsuhito.
He then turned around to leave.  Tenchi walked up to him as he
was leaving. Meachi looked at Tenchi with a confused expression on his face.

"Does your grandfather always do that to people that he has just met?"

His expression began to ease up, as Tenchi grinned and began to
scratch his head.

"Don't worry about grandpa, he does that mysterious thing to me
all the time.  Hey, if you'd like to, we can spare together.
I'll promise to go easy on you."

Meachi smirked and replied, "Maybe another time, and I think
I can pretty much hold my own."

He then left to the Masaki house.  While Tenchi and Meachi were
walking away from the Shrine, Lord Katsuhito had picked up the bokken
that he had thrown to the newcomer.  He examined the handle that
Meachi had grasped.  The same lines in Meachi hands were burned
into the wood, just as he expected.