__________ DISCLAIMER: Tenchi Universe and the characters protrayed in the TV series are the property of AIC and Pioneer. This work of fiction is a form of fan appreciation for the series and was made for the purposes of fan appreciation only. Please take no legal action against me because I am not gaining any money from writing this story. __________ Author's Notes: I've been trying to write this series for some time now. I have one other series that is doing very well, but this one has been a problem. This is the third and final rewrite of it that I am doing on this series. Its inspired by a dream I had after listened to the English version of "New Dimension of Love" which is the song that plays at the very end of "No Need For A Conclusion", Tenchi Universe ep 26. Most of this story cames from that dream and the rest I made up as I went along. Byt the way, the name if the ship I borrowed from the movie Tenchi Forever. Enjoy... __________ TENCHI UNIVERSE II EPISODE TWO: NO NEED FOR SOMETHING SPECIAL BY MICHAEL "THE-ZORCH" HANEY zorch@the-zorch.com http:\\worldotenchi.the-zorch.com ___________ The Jurai Star proved to be a very luxurious vessel. It had been the first Jurai ship that Tenchi had been on since he return home, and when he broke into the Jurai battleship to rescue Aeka and Ryoko. The space tree at the heart of the ship was similar to Ryouhl. Tenchi was amazed at how smooth the ride on the ship was compared to the Yagami. A large garden grew inside the ship and it was here they spent a great deal of time. He sat watching Sasami running around chasing Ryu-Ohki, giggling all the way. It warmed his heart to see her at play. She was technically his girlfriend, as were the rest of the young ladies on the ship, but she held a special place in his heart. Physically she was 8 years old by human standards, and thus was unable to give him the same love the rest could, but Tenchi was not out to get that from them. He spent as much time as he could with her, playing, talking, helping her in the galley, and she loved every minute of it. They were growing very close. Aeka stood at the control podium, her hand hovering above the controls. Ryoko materialized next to her and they watched as the stars raced by. "Funny how we all end up in space together again." she said. "At least we are getting along better." Aeka commented. "You know, you're not that bad of a person now that I come to think about it, Princess." Ryoko admitted. Aeka turned to Ryoko shocked to hear those words come from her. "I have to say that since our new situation you have proved to be a trustworthy person also." Aeka told her. "Its all for the love of Tenchi." Ryoko said. Aeka sighed, not an exasperated one, but a sigh of contentment. "If only this happened earlier all of the heartache, pain, and misery we lived through could have all been avoided." she said. "That's all ancient history as far as I'm concerned." said Ryoko. Washu walked up at that moment wearing her golden swimsuit. Her crimson hair was wet from her swim in the pond that surrounded the space tree in the ship's garden. "Say, who's coming for a swim?" she asked. "The water is nice and warm, and I'd ask Tenchi but he's busy watching Sasami play with Ryu-Ohki and I don't want to disturb him." "Being the girldfriend of a 18 year old man must be very daunting for her." Aeka said. "Excuse me, but aren't we all the ones who are older than Tenchi?" Ryoko asked. "True, but Sasami is still physically and mentally an 8 year old." Washu said. "Does that mean she loves him any less than we do?" Ryoko said, but it was more a statement than a question. "Excellent point." Aeka commented. "I for one would never question Sasami's feelings for Tenchi, because as he sister I know for a fact that she does love and adore him." Washu folded her arms and tapped her petite foot. "Well, if this is settled then lets go and have a swim." she said. "Jurai Star can handle the flight from here, yes, lets go." said Aeka and she put the ship on autopilot letting the space tree take over the rest of the flight. The girls splashing and playful screaming drew Tenchi and Sasami's attention and they soon joined the ladies in the water. They swam around Jurai Star's large roots and dove under the water. Tenchi thought Sasami was so cute in her pink and white bathing suit with her hair done up in a bun. The others were very beautiful too, he thought they looked like angels as they swam through the warm, crystal clear waters of the pond. Eventually they stopped their horseplay and just relaxed among the roots of the space tree. Ryoko had teleported to the galley and got a large bottle of sake and some glasses. "I think we should make a toast to love." Aeka said. "Yes, and to Kiyone." Tenchi said. "Yes." the others agreed and they clicked their glasses together. Even Sasami was allowed to have a small glass. "Remember that time Washu's dimensional what's-its-name went nuts and we got stuck in those parallel worlds?" asked Ryoko. "That what's-its-name was my Dimensional Tuner, and that whole escapade was all your fault if you don't remember." Washu said pointing a finger at her. "I remember my world." Sasami said. "I was Magical Girl Pretty Sammy, and I used my Love Beam to make Aeka and Sasami like each other." "Thank goodness that wasn't real." Aeka said, scratching the back of her head, remembering that she and Ryoko shared a kiss because of that beam. "I remember mine, Tenchi and I were gangsters living a really exciting life." Ryoko said. Aeka giggled. "I was so angry that I was actually going to go out looking for you with a shotgun." she laughed. "Mihoshi had an interesting world, I was her daughter, Tenchi was my dad, you were Tenchi's sister who was really mean, and Ryoko kept trying to seduce Tenchi away." Sasami giggled. "That was where Aeka's royal bitchiness really showed its colors." Ryoko laughed. "What about Kiyone's world, you were no angel in that world either." Aeka told her. She surprised herself at how well she took Ryoko's remark. "Now, now, no fighting you guys promised." Sasami said waving her finger at them. "Kiyone's world was the most peaceful of all of them." Tenchi said, tbey all turned to him and noticed that the line of discussion was bringing up old memories that were getting to him. "We're been thoughtless, we're sorry Tenchi." Aeka said as she swam over to him and put an arm around him. "I never even got to say goodbye to her before I left Jurai." he said, and with that he could not hold back the sadness anymore and tears fell. The girls gathered around him and held him trying to ease his pain. They left the pond and walked him to his quarters. Aeka drew him a warm bath, Ryoko set him out some cloths, and Sasami went to start dinner in the galley. Washu went off on her own and tried to think of some ways to take Tenchi's mind off things. It hurt them all deeply to see him sad, such a show of emotion was not characteristic of the old Tenchi, but now he was free to openly show his feelings for them and it disturbed them to see their beloved in tears. Tenchi was looking better than he did after a bath and a short nap. They gathered for dinner in a large dinning hall further back on the ship. They had a large domed windows here that gave them a beautiful view of space. Sasami and Washu set the table and they all sat down. Tenchi said a Shinto prayer over the meal, and then he stopped and looked at them all. "I want to say that I am blessed to have so many people who love me so much." he said. "We love you Tenchi, and we are here for you." Aeka said. "If we were in a similar situation we known that you would do the same for us." "You've alwasy been nice to us, we need to return the favor more often." Ryoko said. "Yes, you took us into your home, put up with us for three months, and then you risked your life for us." Sasami said. "In the short time that we have known each other we have become so much closer than I could have ever predicted." Washu said. Tenchi closed his eyes and his self-control helped him stifle a tear that threatened to form in his eyes. "I never want what we have together to end, when we get the opportunity I want to marry you, all of you." he said. "I think that would be wonderful." Aeka said and the other girls nodded in agreement. Tenchi took a taste of his dinner and he closed his eyes. The mix of spices and herbs were unlike anything he ever tasted before. "Sasami, this is really good." he said. The little princess blushed. "Its a another Juraian dish, this time made with original ingredients grown on Jurai." she said. "I just had a thought, what if we all get pregnant?" Ryoko asked. Sasami's entire face turned a blood red. "We haven't even, you know what, with him yet." Washu said gesturing to Sasami. She was now almost as red as a candied apple. Tenchi quickly wiped a small trickle of blood from his nose with a napkin. That night Tenchi put a great deal of thought into the subject of being sensual with the girls. He certainly loved them, and he wanted to start a family with them, but were they ready to go that far yet. Was he ready to go that far yet. As he thought about it, lying on his bed in his quarters, Tenchi imagined what it would be like to be with them, not all at once which would have been his Father's style, but one at a time. The more the thought about it, and the more he thought about it the more he thought it would be a good idea to do something nice for all of them. If anything happened during that time, well, it would come natural. It was the way he wanted it to happen. He did not want to have sex with them for the sake of sex, but out of love and affection. Sasami had to be approached a different way, he did love her just as much, but certain things would not be appropriate in her case. He quickly detailed a plan of action in his mind and decided to approach Sasami with it in the morning, since he would need her help on some of it. The daytime cycle on the ship started and Tenchi set out to execute his plan, but first he had to see someone. Sasami was in the galley getting breakfast ready, Tenchi slowly sneaked up behind her and kissed her on the top of her head. She smiled and blushed a little bit. "Good morning, Tenchi." she said cheerfully. "Miya!" Ryu-Ohki meowed from a nearby table, hugging a large carrot. "Sasami, I was wondering if you could do me a favor." he asked. "Sure, anything for you Tenchi." she said. Tenchi did his best to detail his plans for the next few days for each of the three older women in his life without embarasing her with any special details he would handle himself. He did say that she would not be left out and she would get her day alone with him too. "A private picnic in the garden for each of us, that's wonderful, Tenchi." She said hugging him. "I thought it was be nice for each of us to spend a day alone." he said. "I'm sure my sister and Ryoko will really enjoy themselves." she said and a smattering of red crossed her face. Although she was young she was not clueless about the birds and bees. "You are so cute when you blush." he said teasing her. "Oh, you!" she said giving him a light punch in the chest. Tenchi just laughed and he gave her a hug. "Ok, I'll make up some things for your picnic. Who is going to be the first lucky lady?" she asked. "I haven't decided that yet, but I'll let you know." he said, and gave her a kiss on the cheek before heading out the door. Tenchi found the ladies gathered around the control podium at the front of the ship. Aeka was checking to make sure they were still on course, Ryoko watched the stars pass by the ship, and Washu was sitting lotus style on her floating cushion typing at her computer. His entrance caught their attention immediately, and even Washu set her research aside to give him attention. "Good morning, Tenchi." they all said at once. "Ladies, I have something to talk to you about." he said. "What is it, Tenchi?" Aeka asked. "Before we arrive at the GP Headquarters, I want to do something special for the three of you and Sasami. I thought about it last night and I decided since we have five days until we arrive, starting today, each one of you will have a single day with me alone and a private picnic in the garden." he said. Ryoko teleported behind him and wrapped her arms around him lovingly. "Sounds very romantic." she said. "That was the idea." he said reaching up to run his fingers through her hair. "That sounds so wonderful. Which one of us is first?" Aeka asked, her eyes almost sparkling. "That is the one thing I had the hardest part deciding, so I decided that I would let you three decide." he told them. "What about Sasami?" Washu asked. "I have something extra special in mind for her, but these three days belong to you ladies." Tenchi said. "Huddle girls!" Washu said and they formed a ring on the other side of the command platform. A few minutes later they returned. "It is unanimous, I will go with you first, Tenchi." Aeka said. Ryoko and Washu stood behind her nodding and smiling happily. Tenchi was surprised that Ryoko did not argue about being first, but he realized she probably wanted time to prepare something special for him. "Good, your day with me starts after breakfast. This means the entire garden section of the ship is off limits until dinnertime, is that OK?" he asked the others and they just smiled and nodded. "Breakfast!" said Sasami's voice echoing through the intercom on the ship. "Well, lets go eat." Ryoko said and she led the way to the dinning room. Breakfast was another one of Sasami's masterpieces once again as usual, and everyone gave her compliments, and Tenchi added to that a kiss on the cheek. They all ate and talked about different things, Washu talked about adding an addition to the house for all of them, Aeka talked about places they could go for their honeymoon, Ryoko talked about what to concerning sleeping arrangements back home, and Sasami talked about making the kitchen bigger. Through all this Tenchi answered their questions and exchanged his own ideas. He turned red when Ryoko suggested they all move into his room, but Aeka pointed out that it would not be proper until after they were married to share the same room. When the meal of done Ryoko and Washu helped Sasami clear the table and Sasami brought Tenchi a basket for his picnic with Aeka. As he took the basket he leaned down to her ear and said, "Thank you, sweetheart. When its your turn I'll have something extra special planned for you." Sasami blushed and kissed him on the cheek. Tenchi and Aeka went into the garden arm in arm and they wandered in the vast area for nearly and hour just enjoying each other's company. They spoke little and just held onto each other as they walked, stopping from time to time to steal away a passionate kiss. They found a secluded place near the edge of a second pond further behind Jurai Star's pond, it was surrounded by tall bushes and had a beautiful view of space over the water. Tenchi laid out two thick blankets over the grass and they sat down together. "This is a beautiful place we found." Aeka said. "Its almost as beautiful as you." he told her. Aeka was unaccustomed to hear such things from Tenchi who was normally very closed mouth about his feelings. She blushed and laid her hand over his. Tenchi looked up at her and with his left hand he drew her close and he kissed her long and passionately. Nearly ten minutes passed by and the two lovers parted breathing heavily. A single tear fell from Aeka's eye. "It is so wonderful to be able to freely feel your touch." she said. "I need to know something Aeka, it's something that has been nagging at me for a long time." Tenchi said. "What is it?" Aeka asked. "Why do you love me, what is it about me that makes you all love me so much?" he asked. Aeka was not shocked by the question. It was one she somehow knew would be asked by him at one point or another. She looked into his eyes and was reminded of the all the reasons why she adored him so. "Because you are so kind, caring, you are so concerned for others, and you give without expecting anything in return." she said. "You show compassion to anyone regardless of who they are, and that kind nature shows through and it drew us to you." "I'd always heard nice guys finished last." he said, quoating an old Earth adage. "In your case the nice guy finished first." she told him and she leaned forward to kiss him softly. "You know, I thought you were really beautiful in the bathing suit competition." he said after their lips parted. Aeka blushed. "You really think so?" she asked. Tenchi turned towards her. "There isn't a super model on Earth that can compare to you, or any of the others." he said. "I learned a great deal of self-control with the help of my grandfather, and believe me being around all of you really tested by willpower." "I have to admit something to you, I was a bit obsessed with you for a long time." she said. Tenchi sighed and smiled at her. "I noticed." he said. "Alright, I was alot obssessed with you. I would throw a hideous fit at the very thought of Ryoko being anywhere near you." she said. "I was too dense to understand how good I had it in those days. But I would never have taken advantage of your feelings like that." he told her. Aeka layed her head on his shoulder and sighed a contented sigh. Tenchi put his arms around her and they just sat there holding each other as they watched the stars race by. "Why don't we go for a swim." Tenchi suggested. "I didn't bring my bathing suit." Aeka said, not moving from her comfortable position. "Why does that matter?" he asked, kissing her hair, and she turned a deep shade of red. "We call it skinnydipping." he continued. "Swim, naked?" she said shyly. She had only been naked once in front of him, but it had been in the presence of the others. Now she would be alone with him, in the water, naked to him. It was what she dreamed of for so long, but now she was suddenly afraid. Tenchi's loving smile and his loving touch made all the fear in her heart fade away. Stripped down to just to a pair of boxers and her panties, the two slipped into the warm water of the pond and swam out into the deeper end. Together they dove beneath the crystal clear water and swam among the lush Juraian aquatic plants that grew there. As they moved through the water the two came closer and closer to one another until Tenchi was able to see her ample womanhood clearly in the water. Aeka blushed when she saw where is eyes were looking, but she made to attempt to cover herself. They moved together, the softness of her breasts against his chest made Tenchi's breathing quicken and he wrapped his arms around her. Aeka looked into his eyes and she saw the hunger there that she had never seen before. Her heart soared at his touch as he leaned forward and kissed her passionately. They held each other for several minutes, but those minutes were like hours, days, months, forever. When they parted by moved to the waters edge and all the world around them fell away until it was just the two of them locked in a loving embrace, their lips meeting in a the most passionate of kisses they ever experienced with each other. In a blur of emotions and sensations they made love by the waterside and when the world fell back into place they lay on the blanked holding each other's naked bodies close, not for warmth, but out of love. "So that is what it is like." Tenchi said, and he kissed Aeka's cheek. "This is such bliss, it is all I dreamed it would be and more." she commented. "I guess this makes things official, huh?" he asked her. "Yes, and I must say you were magnificent." she said before kissing his chest. Tenchi looked at his watch and was amazed that three hours had passed. "Did we do it that long, its been three hours." he said. "It felt like an eternity to me." Aeka sigh contentedly. A strange sound came up from Tenchi's stomach and it made Aeka giggle. "All that exercise seems to have made you hungry." she laughed. Tenchi's smile turned to frown suddenly. "I con't believe what an idiot I was, why didn't I do this sonner?" he asked, the questions was address more to himself than to Aeka. Aeka squeezed his arm and kissed his cheek lightly. "Please don't tear yourself apart over this, its all in the past, forgotten, and forgiven." she told him. "You and Ryoko may be able to forgive me for what I did, but I seem to be having a hard time forgiving myself." he said. he turned to her and softly touched her face. "I still keep remembering your tear filled face on Jurai when I told you I was leaving for Earth, and as I look back from now I can't believe what a fool I was." "Pleas stop hating yourself, its over, we're all together now." she pleaded with him, kissing him softly. He looked into her loving eyes and found they were on the verge of tears. Tenchi didn't want to see such a beautiful face filled with tears ever again, so he pulled her into a tighter embrace and they kissed passionate where they lay together. Later they dressed and had the picnic that Sasami prepared for them. They were sandwiches, some rice cakes with raspberry preserves, and others snacks from the galley. They ended their time together before dinner by walking through the garden hand in hand just enjoying each other's company. Ryoko, Washu and Sasami were waiting for them when they returned. The two older women immediately started probing Aeka for all the juicy details. They ran off into another part of the ship while Tenchi went to the galley to help Sasami with dinner. "So, what happened?" Ryoko asked with a Cheshire cat grin on her face. "We talked." Aeka said. "And." both Ryoko and Washu said together. "We took a swim." she said. "And." the two said again in a higher pitch. Aeka twirled around and clasped her hands in front of her chest, her eyes gleaming with pure joy. "We made love." she said. "AAAAHHHHH!!!!" they all screamed jumping up and down like schoolgirls. "How was he?" Washu asked. "Magnificent!" Aeka shouted as she plopped backwards onto her bed. She sat up immediately, her mood suddenly changed. "But there is one problem." she told them. "What kind of problem?" Ryoko asked, concern in her voice. "Tenchi is feeling extreme guilt over not telling us his feelings sooner. I think he hates himself for It." she said. "We got to make him see it's alright. He was confused, we dragged him out into space and he risked his life for us and he only knew us for, what, three or four months." Ryoko said. "Our constant fighting over him didn't help things either." "It's just as much our fault he didn't open up to us. He was probably scared to death that you two would kill each other over him if he told us the truth, and knowing him he couldn't live with himself if that happened." Washu said. "Tenchi is the only man I met who likes me for me, and never tried to make a pass at me or anything like that." Ryoko said. "I've met lots of men, and they took one look at me and all they wanted was a one night stand." "As the First Crown Princess of Jurai I must admit that I too was a subject for the whims of men." Aeka said. "I was a pawn in the politics of the Royal Family, and I am afraid that Sasami was fated to a worse existence as a trophy piece on some nobleman's bed." "I had very little time for men in my life, but I have to say if any man can draw me away from my experiments its Tenchi." Washu said. "We need to let him know how much he really means to us." Aeka said. "Tomorrow when one of you spends time with him, you have to do your best to make this all very clear." Aeka said. "So, who's next?" Washu asked. "Rock, Paper, Scissors?" Ryoko asked. The two turned face to face and flicked out their hands three times. Washu's hand ended up in a fist while Ryoke kept hers open. "Haaa! Paper covers rock!" Ryoko shouted. "Damn!" Washu sighed, snapping her fingers. The next day after breakfast Ryoko materialized behind Tenchi and wrapped her arms around him lovingly. Tenchi being Tenchi stiffened slightly, but eased immediately when she started playing with his ponytail. Sasami came out of the galley with their picnic basket and then the rest of them went off into the rest of she leaving the two alone at the edge of the garden. Tenchi really like the secluded location he found with Aeka so he guided Ryoko there and spread their blanket out on the ground. She looked around and noticed something white hanging in one of the bushes. She phased her hand in and pulled out a white, lacey bra that was made with unmistakable Juraian patterns on the cups. "So this is the cozy little place where you deflowered the Princess." she said with a sly smile. Tenchi turned blood red. "Uh, we looked all over for that." he said fetching the lingerie from her and putting it into the picnic basket. "This was a very nice, romantic spot." he said finally. "I knew you weren't hopelessly shy." she purred as she moved closer to him. Where Aeka has exuded grace and beauty, Ryoko on the other hand exuded pure sensuality. Tenchi began to notice a tickle of blood forming in his nose, but he got a grip on himself and moved closer to Ryoko. Eventually they were both sitting so close they could touch one another, and it was Ryoko who broke the silence first. "Tenchi, were you afraid of me?" she asked him. "Is that why you never told me you loved me until now?" Tenchi did not know how to answer that question. At first he had been afraid of this beautiful, aggressive woman who threw herself into his life and barely gave him room to breath at times. "For a little while I was. How could you blame me, I never met an alien before, and especially a beautiful one who has the hots for me." he said. "I guess I poured it on way too thick in those days." she admitted. "We all did, we never imagined we were driving you further away instead of nearer." Tenchi turned to her. "It's not that. I never was very popular with the girls and to have you and Aeka going nuts over me like that, it intimidated me a little." he told her. Ryoko reached up and ran her fingers through his short, black hair and looked at him with a softer expression on her face instead of the feral grin she usually gave him. "I am sorry we came on so hot and heavy like that. We barely gave you any room to breath." Tenchi was surprised by the sudden changed in the space pirate. He had seen her softer side very rarely, once in the alternate reality created by Washu's Dimensional Tuner, before he left Yagami to save Aeka from Kagato, and finally in his bed when he confessed his love for her after she returned to earth. "Aeka told you how I feel, didn't she?" he asked her, smiling slightly. "She's worried about you and so am I, and so is Washu." Ryoko said. She sat up on her knees and moved in front of him to so they were face to face. "You can't blame yourself for what happened, and we can't blame you for how you felt at the time." she told him. Tenchi embraced her for the first time since they arrived at the picnic site and kissed her passionately. When their lips parted he looked into her beautiful golden eyes and he told her, "You are both right, I shouldn't be beating myself over the head form something that's in the past." Tenchi looked into her eyes and thought just how awesomely beautiful she was. "That's better." she purred and kissed him again. In their embrace Tenchi reached up and ran his fingers through Ryoko's hair and was amazed at how soft it was despite its appearance. The touch of her lips was also so soft and warm. "Your hair is so soft, I never knew it was so soft like that." he told her. Tenchi drew Ryoko closer to him and they met in another kiss. They slowly eased down to the blank side by side. Ryoko, without breaking contact, rolled on top of him and ran her hands down his body. Tenchi own hands roved about and he stopped when he realized he was cupping one of her breasts in his hand. He look up at her face and she nodded before continuing their kiss. Suddenly Tenchi realized that they were beginning to drift into the air. Ryoko held onto him as she lifted him above the ground and they began to soar around the mammoth interior of the ship. "We never flew together like this before." she said to him. "I'll go flying with you anytime." he replied. They made a few circles around Jurai Star, the space tree erupted in light as it greeted them, and then they touched down on a small rock outcropping that was made to took natural in the middle of the garden. The view of the green interior of the ship was beautiful and spectacular. "Do you mean it?" she asked him. "Yes, I love you." he told her and they kissed passionately. Ryoko lifted them into the sky again and they drifted slowly back to the picnic spot. Beneath the passing stars they made love, their passions were strong and their breath came in quick puffs. Several months of frustration, anticipation, and fear were released as their two bodies intertwined. Time ceased to exist for them, all they could perceive was one another, the touch of their hands, the caress of their lips, and the pleasure that seemed to radiate from them in a torrent of brilliant energy. Before long they collapsed into each other's arms, spend and exhausted. For Ryoko the wait had been more than worth it, and the experience was more than she had dreamed it would be. They drifted into the sleep that love making sometimes induced and slept in each other's embrace. Tenchi awoke feeling soft lips kissing him on the neck and shoulder. He did not know how long he was gone but he enjoyed the waken up. Ryoko, still in his arms, looked at him and rested her head on his chest. "I never slept more peaceful than when I'm in your arms." she said. "Then I guess this means you'll never have another restless night anymore." he said before kissing her forehead. "Or at least when its my turn." she replied as she playfully twirled his ponytail around with her fingers. Tenchi frowned a bit. "Don't make it sound like that, I love all of you." he said. She looked up into his eyes. "I'm sorry." she said. She snuggled in closer to him and he squeezed her in his arms lightly. The rest of the day they sat enjoying each other's company and enjoying the lunch that Sasami made for them. They sat next to each other so that a part of them was always touching in some way. It was starting to get late and the night cycle on the ship was slowly starting. "Lets take a quick dip before going back." Tenchi suggested. "Ok." Ryoko replied. They slipped out of their clothes and slipped into the warm water. Together they swam side by side. Tenchi marveled at how graceful Ryoko seemed in the water, how the water glisten on her body, and was amazed at just how incredibly beautiful she was in general. For a moment he could not believe that such an awesomely beautiful woman loved him let alone actually wanted to be with him. He swam closer to her, his excitement aroused again, and he stopped her. They floated in the water looking into each other's eyes before they kissed. For the second time that day they made love after moving to a shallow part of the lake. Sasami, Washu, and Aeka waited near the living quarters of the ship when Tenchi and Ryoko returned. The glowing, contented look on Ryoko's face told them all they needed to know why they were late returning. They parted with a kiss, Tenchi want to the galley to stow the picnic basket and the girls pulled Ryoko quickly to the side. "So, spill all the juicy details." Washu said. "It was better than I ever dreamed it would be." Ryoko said, a dreamy look on her face. "What about what I told you?" Aeka asked, some concern on her face. "There is nothing to worry about anymore." Ryoko told her. "He's over it." Aeka sighed with relief, then turned around as Tenchi came back from the galley. The girls all ran to him and he embraced them all. Then enjoyed a late dinner together and talked about old times, their trip through space to clear their names, and of the future. As they said their good nights they gave Tenchi a soft kiss. Washu was the last to say good night to him, she walked up to him and smiled sweetly. "I am the last one besides Sasami, so I guess its my turn tomorrow." she said. "I've often wondered through all of this, if this whole taking turns thing has been alright with all of you?" he asked her. "Same old Tenchi Masaki, more worried about others than he is of himself." Washu said as she embraced him. "You never saw any of us complaining did you, those two hot heads have cooled down, and I haven't tried to weasel that sample out of you for a while." At the mention of the sample, Tenchi did a Spock Maneuver with his eye brow. "Did I say something interesting?" she asked him, not missing the facial expression for one second. "Funny you should mention the sample, I'd been planning on letting you get it." he told him softly. Washu's eyes gleamed bright and the same wicked, seductive smile she puts on when in her Nurse Washu outfit suddenly etched across her face. "I never considered Hentai thought patterns were possible for you." she said. Tenchi flushed crimson for a second. "To tell you the truth, I am a man after all, and living in a house full of beautiful women has not been very easy." he admitted. "Grandpa gave me an iron will of self control, it was a part of my training, and it help me many times." "Who is the most beautiful of us all?" she asked, putting him on the spot. "I think we covered this before." he said. "I think all of you are more beautiful than all the super models on Earth put together." "Well, we'll see in the morning just how eager you are to give me that sample." she told him with a girlish laugh. Tenchi flushed slightly, kissed her good night, and went off to his room. He closed the door and laid down on his bed. He heard a purring sound next to him and looked over to see Ryu-Ohki laying on his pillow. "Why aren't you with Sasami?" he asked the furry little cabbit. "Miya, miya miya miya miya." she said, but Tenchi had no clue what she was trying to tell him. She did have a rather sad look on her furry face. "Did Sasami get angry at you again?" he asked and reached up to scratch her between the ears. This prompted the little creature to start purring loudly. "Go into her carrot bin again, huh?" "Miya." the cabbit meowed while nodding her head. "Ok, you can stay the night." he told her. The cabbit meowed happily and licked his face. Morning came and Sasami made a delicious breakfast for everyone. When everyone was done Ryoko and Aeka helped her clear the table. Sasami came out with the picnic basket and handed it to Tenchi with a smile. He bent down and kissed the little princess on her forehead which instant resulted in a bright red blush on face. "Tenchi, did you see Ryu-Ohki last night?" she asked. "She stayed in my room, last night." he told her. "Ryu-Ohki was a naughty girl yesterday, she ate all the carrots sticks that I had set out to make dinner with." Sasami said. "And, I really yelled at her, I really shouldn't have yelled at her that loud." "She was pretty sad last night." he told her. "Where is she now?" Sasami asked. "She didn't come to breakfast." "She was still asleep in my room when I got up this morning." Tenchi replied, but just as he did the cabbit appeared out of nowhere and landed on his shoulder. "Ryu-Ohki, please forgive me, I was wrong for yelling at you like that." Sasami pleaded. "Miya!" cried the cabbit as she leapped into the little princess' arms and licked her face. "I got something for you, a gift to attone for the terrible way I acted." Sasami said as she produced a large, plump carrot from her kimono. Ryu-Ohki's eyes went wide and she tackled the carrot with immense zeal. Sasami giggled as she watched the little cabbit roll across the floor with the large orange root, and then stop in a corner where she promptly began to munch away. Sasami handed Tenchi the picnic basket at the entrance to the ship garden. He and Washu walked out hand in hand as the others waved good bye to them and promptly closed the door. Tenchi felt Washu squeeze his hand lightly and he smiled down at her. Before long, they reached the choosen spot. Washu looked around at the scenery and nodded approvingly. The combination of the water, streaking stars, and surrounding foliage to act as a natural partition to the rest of the garden made this place perfect. After Tenchi layed out the blanket for them, she noticed something white laying on the ground next to the water. "That ends that line of speculative research, she said as she looked at the object. It was a pair of white, lacy panties. The elastic band around the edge had the seal of the Jurai royal family on it. "What research?" Tenchi asked. Washu picked up the article of clothing and pocketed it. "Oh, I was researching whether Aeka wore brief style panties or bikini style." she told him. "Your kidding, right?" he asked her with a smile. "I never kid about research, Tenchi dear." she replied. "Which reminds me, I have some research that you might find very interesting." "Oh, what sort of research would that be?" Tenchi asked. Washu summoned her holographic computer and started typing on it rapidly. Seconds later a file appeared on the screen. Tenchi eased himself over so he could see what was on the screen. The title of the file was "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Tenchi Masaki, Second Edition". "You wrote a book about me?" he asked, a little embarased. "This book is a culmination of weeks of scientific study and observation into your phychi." she told him. "I have the first edition finished when you sprang this situation on us and I had to revise all my findings." "What did you write about me in there?" he asked her. "In summary, I wrote that Tenchi Masaki is kind hearted, gentle, caring, is more concerned over others than he is of himself most of the time, he's self- sacreficing, he gives without any thought of reward, and he is the most loving man I have ever had the pleasure of meeting." she said. When she looked at him his face was completely red from embarasement. "All of my research is based on factual data, at first I thought you were too good to be true, but you proved that line of reasoning to be wrong." she continued. "I don't know what to say, thank you." he said to her, and she kissed him softly on the lips. She dispelled her computer and snuggled into his arms. She laid her head on his chest and sighed. "Please hold me tighter, I need you to hold me, Tenchi." she told him. He did just that and without hesitation. "Is there anything wrong?" he asked her. "I have to tell you something Tenchi, and I need you to promise not to say anything until I am ready to tell the others." she answered. "You have a deal." he told her, squeezing her tight. Thsi brought a contented smile to her face. It was some time before she spoke, and when she did she sat up, turned, and looked into his eyes. "I want to be totally honest with you." she said. "I have lived for a very long time, over twenty thousand years, and in that time many things have happened to me in my long life. When I was a professor at the science academy I met a young man who came to my class. He was hansome, charming, and had the most beautiful eyes. We fell in love, married, and we had a son together. He was from a wealthy family on planet Jurai and I was from for more common origins on another backwater planet similar to Earth. My social status did not seem to matter to him, but it did to his family. When my baby was barely old enough to walk messengers from the family came, they told him that he had to come back to Jurair or he would no longer be a part of the family. They did not approve of my common background and considered it beneath him to marry me. They took him back to planet Jurai with the one thing that my pride and joy...my baby boy. I never saw them again, and every attempt I made to find out what happened to my son or my ex-husband I was stopped. It drove me mad, I couldn't take it any longer. I was devestated. How could things such as social status matter in love, and if adults valued such things over true love then I realized that I no longer wanted to live in the world of adults. I artifically altered by DNA and reverse my age several years to that which you see now, and I have remained physically a twelve year old for several millenia since. There is never a day that does not pass that I do not think about my baby boy." Tenchi did not know what to say. Washu was weeping, unable to continued her story, and she put her hands on her face. Tenchi took her into his arms and held her as tight as he could without hurting her. She returned his embrace and she sobbed into his shoulder. As she cried, Tenchi softly stroked her flowing crimson locks. After several minutes she looked up into his eyes. In those eyes she did not see the pity she had expected, but she did see sadness and love in them. "I will never leave you or hurt you like he did." he told her. "I love you, and someday we can talk about having a baby of our own. I know it could never replace the baby you lost, but it would be fresh start--a new beginning." Washu kissed him deeply. When they parted she looked deeply into his eyes and told him, "I love you, it is because of you I have learned to love again." Their lips met again in a deep kiss and they slowly layed down on the blanket. Their hands started to rove around on each other's bodies. Tenchi remembered that he woman in his arms might look like she was physically twelve years old, but she was actually one of the oldest people he had ever met. "Lets take a swim Tenchi." Washu whispered into his ear. Slwoly the child-like genius slipped out of her dress to reveal a jade green one piece bathing suit underneath. She walked to the waters edge and waited for him. Tenchi was stripped down to a pair of black boxers and Washu gave him a catcall whistle when the walked up next to her. "What is it with all of you girls and boxer shorts?" he asked. "Because you look GOOD in them." Washu replied and Tenchi's face turned a deep crimson. Slowly that climbed into the warm waters and pushed off from the edge. They floated out in the middle of the small lake for several minutes just looking at each other. Washu swam up to him, kissed him tenderly and then swam backwards to her original spot. "You want me don't you?" she said. Tenchi nodded, but she could see that something seemed to be holding him back. She immediately realized what that could be when she throught of Sasami. She blinked at him and said before diving under the water, "You want me you gotta catch me." "Hey, wait!" Tenchi said as Washu disappeared below the surface. Tenchi dove down after her but she was nowhere to be found. He want to the bottom of the pond and touched the Jurai Star's roots before coming back to the surface. He looked around on the shore, took a deep breath, and dove down again. When the surfaced again he started to call out her name. For several minutes there was no response, Washu was nowhere, she wasn't under the water or on shore. He was about to swim to the bank to go get some help to find her. A real fear that she hit her head somewhere and was unconscious underwater was coursing through him. He could not bare lossing two of the people he loved. Next to him he heard bubbles popping on the surface and then Washu sprang up out of the water. Tenchi quickly moved to embrace her but stopped suddenly in total surprise. The Washu that had gone under the water had the likeness of a twelve year old girl, but the Washu that came out of the water now looked more like she was nineteen. "W-W-Washu?" he stammered to say. "As long as we are together I will no longer live as a child." she said in a voice that was now deeper and more sultry. Slowly they met each other in the water and embraced. It was the first time that Washu was able to get her arms all the way around Tenchi's shoulders. Tenchi kissed her deeply not wanting to let her go, the poin in her story was still fresh in his mind and he could not imagine what emotional baggage she had been carrying all this time. They swam to the shore and climbed out of the water. It was then that Tenchi saw first hand the body of the new adult Washu. Even at a young age Washu had been beautiful, but as an adult she was immensely beautiful. He found himself almost hynotized by the soft curves of her body and how her swimsuit clung to ever inch of her and showed off all her attributes. "Like what you see?" she asked him noticing his catatonic state. "I never knew you were so---" he told her, but she finished for him. "So drop dead beautiful." she said making a pose that could have sold more Sports Illustrated swimsuit editions in history. "Am I more beautiful than Ryoko, or Aeka?" she asked him in her most sultry voice. "Uh, um, uh." he wasn't sure how to say it. She just smiled at him and said, "Ok, I won't go there." Tenchi sighed with relief. He put her arm around her supple waist and drew her into his embrace. The feeling of her ample chest pressed against him excited him, and the wonderful smell of her hair reach his nostrals. They started kissing tenderly on each others lips, then Tenchi started to kiss Washu down her neck. Washu sighed contentedly and shivered slightly. She suddenly sobbed and clutched him in her arms. New tears started to fall down her face. "What's wrong?" he asked her. "Its been so long since any man had held me like this." she said. "I've been hurting inside for so long I had almost forgot what it was like to be in the arms of man who loves me." "Seeing this pain in your face fills me with sadness." Tenchi told her. "Lets me take it all away." Slowly he lowerved her to the ground and they started again. This time they didn't stop, the sensation of each othe's body touching, the intense feeling they felt as they gripped each other in the thraws of extacy. Before long they were spent and their bodies screamed for rest even though their hearts told them not to stop. They both stayed awake long enough for then get into position with Tenchi on his side and Washu cradled in his arms. They both awoke at the same time in each other's arms. Washu surmised from the intensity of the lights overhead that it was now midday. She noticed instantly that she was still naked, so she called up her holocomputer. After typing in a few sequences one of her green Science Academy dresses and an all black suit model after the one Brue Lee wore alot appeared out of a black portal. "That is aweful handy to have around." Tenchi said as he dressed, and marveled at the fit of the clothes. "I can manufacture virtually anything to exact specs." she told him. "Clothing is easy, you just need to know the exact dimensions of a person's body." She put some emthesis on the word 'body'. "Don't tell me that what we did was just a part of your research." he said to her. "I would never treat what we just shared together as nothing more than the most wonderful experience in my long life." She told him. "It will be a memory I will cherish forever." "We can make even more memories in the future, all of us can." he said. "Tenchi Masaki, you really are too good to be true." she told him. The rest of their day went by slowly and they like it that way. After lunch thry wandered about the garden arm in arm. Washu pointed out the different species of alien flowers and tiny creatures that scampered about around them. She tried to keep her explanations within the realm of Tenchi's understanding, and explained the symbiotic relationships of plants and animals on Juraian ships. Tenchi was fascinated by all of this, and thought that by the time was twenty-five he'd have the equivolent of a PHD eduations under Washu if she kept this up. Ryoko and Aeka was waiting for them at the entrace to the living quarters. Immediately the Princess and the Space Pirate dragged Washu off to question her about the more juicy details of her day, and Tenchi took the basket to the galley. Sasami was there finishing up dinner, she heard someone enter the room and she smiled when she saw it was Tenchi. "How did it go?" she asked. "Really wonderful." he told her. "I hope our day tomarrow will be just as good." she said, and turned back to her work. Tenchi frowned, he had seen Sasami sad before and she was indeed very good at hiding it but he knew she was crying inside. He also knew why she was crying inside and it tore his heart out. Why, he asked himself, why am I in love with an eight year old girl? I con't give her the same love I can the others, its not fair for her. I love her the way she is and she don't have to do anything special for me to prove she loves me just as much. It was then that Tenchi go an idea. He set out to find Washu, and did just that in her personal quarters where was was working on her book. "Washu, could I talk to you, there is something I need help with?" he asked the adult genius. "I'll do anything for you Tenchi." she replied with a seductive smile. Tenchi smiled back at her. "Maybe later, you tired me out a bit." Washu laughed. "I bet I did." she said. "Tomarrow is Sasami's day and I can't really, well, do the same thing with her that I can do with you and the others." he said. "What did you have in mind Tenchi?" she asked him. "Well, I would like to do something special with her, something that she would like to do." he said. Washu thought for a moment, she called up her holocomputer and started typing. Several minutes went by and Tenchi looked like his eyes were about to glaze over when Washu stopped and proclaimed triumpantly, "I have done it!" Washu-Bots A & B popped up and started chorusing, "Your the best Washu! Your the greatest Washu! Another breakthrough for the great Washu!" A black portal opened up and a small device popped out and fell into her outstretched hands. "Uh, Washu, what is that?" Tenchi asked. He love and adored the beautiful genius very much but he was still leary of her inventions. "Its my Incredible, Fantastic, Fantasy to Reality Converter and Matter Transfigurator!" she proclaimed with all the flair of one of those hosts on the late night infomercials. Tenchi gave her a blank stare for a moment and just blinked. He did not understand a thing she just said. Washu sighed, she stepped forward, got up on tip toes and kissed him. "It lets you turn fantasies you create in your head and turn them ito reality so you can act them out for real." she explained. Tenchi's eyes went wide. "You mean whatever you dream up can become real with this thing?" he asked looked at the small device. It looked like an ordinary black cube. "Anything, think of it as a Holodeck from that Star Trek TV show from America, only a lot better." she said. She handed the device to him and he looked it over. It looked like a black cube, but it had what looked like four buttons on one side. "Uh, how do you use this thing?" he asked. "That my dear Tenchi I designed carefully." she said. "I rmember the last time somebody messed with my inventions so I decided to make the interface very easy to use. Dare I say even Mihoshi could use this thing without screwing it up." "Is it safe to use this thing?" he asked, a slightly suspicious yet amuzed look on his face. Washu put on a mock look of shock. "Do you really believe I'd give a man I love dearly something that isn't safe, really now." she said with her hands on her hips. "I'm sorry." he said. He got the reaction he was hoping to get and the pretty scientist leaped at him, wrapped her arms around him, and kissed him almsot as deeply as Ryoko had most on her day. When they parted Washu stepped back. "Now, it works on the same principle as my Dimensional Tuner, however our little experience with that fiasco taught me a little lesson." she told him. "Instead of manipulating the fundamental time/space substrata of the existing fabric of reality, this device generates an independent pocket of subspace and manipulates the substrata of that astrometric region." Tenchi just looked at her and blinked. It took all of Washu's will to keep form face faultering. She sighed and said, "Instead of changing our universe it creates a pocket of subspace like where my lab is and it changes that into whatever you want, thus leaving the real universe uncahnged." She smiled and sighed in relief and when saw the look of understanding enter Tenchi's face. "You understand now?" sbe asked. "Yes, and I'm sorry I don't understand most of what you explain, but I am not familar at all with alien technology." he told her. "I'll have to teach you someday, yes I think I will." she said as she suddenly got that look on face when she about to start on a new major project. "I think I'd like that." he told her truthfully. Before he left Washu explained how to use the device in great detail. "You need to touch the contacts on the side and then just think about the universe you want to create." she said. "That's all?" he asked in surprise. "Hey, I said I simplified the interface." she told him. "Thank you, Washu." he said before kissing her softly. As their lips met the diminutive scientist seemed to swoon for a moment, but recovered almsot immediately. "You give the best kisses." she said. "Maybe I should do a study of the anatomy of a good kiss, hmmm." Tenchi just gave her a look and she smiled slyly at him. Before he left she turned around and said, "I included a mortality failsafe, so you can't get hurt or get killed, and also remember that while your inside the fantasy world created by the device IS REAL and not just an illusion." Sasami was up extra early the next morning, she was up and about in the galley before the lights on the ship switched to their daylight cycle. Aeka woke in their room and noticed that Sasami was not in bed. She slowly climbed out of the sheets and walked outside into the vast inner heart of the ship. She heard the sound of pots and pans and headed for the galley. She found Sasami hard at work making a picnic basket, but she hwd tears in her eyes. "Sasami, what is wrong, why are you crying?" Aeka asked when she passed the threshold of the galley entrace. Sasami stopped what she was doing and wiped her eyes. "Its nothing, really." she said. "I surprise at you Sasami." Aeka said in a soft tone. "This is the very first time I have ever heard you lie to me." Sasami dropped a pan and turned to her older sister. "Why does he love me? I love him too but I can't give him what you and the others can....I'm, I'm too young." she stammered as tears started to appear again. "Sasami, do you think that is all that Tenchi loves us for?" Aeka asked her. "No, but..." Sasami said, but Aeka interrupted her. "He loves all of us for who we are and not what we are." Aeka explained. "Of all the suitors I have met in my many marriage meetings I must say that none of them could ever compare to Tenchi." "Tenchi is really sweet." Sasami admitted. "We did have alot of fun at that carnival we all went to." "See what I mean?" Aeka asked her. "Ya, we sure are lucky aren't we Aeka?" Sasami asked her. Aeka nodded her head with a smile o her face. "I wonder what Tenchi has planned for me, he said he was working on something extra special for me." Sasami said. "Whatever it is I am certain you will enjoy it immensely." Aeka told her. A few hours later Tenchi and the others were awake and they all met around the breakfast table. All the women had a satisfied look on their face, but they were also looking at Sasami with what could almost be called envy. She was going to have Tenchi to herself all day, and he had made it clear to them that he had something extra special in store for her. "We arrive at the Galaxy Police HQ tomarrow." Aeka announcement. "Great." Tenchi said with a smile. "I hope Mihoshi has been alright." Sasami said. "I'm sure she is, she has a lot of family in the GP." Washu said. "She probably has guys visiting her everyday, she may be a blonde dimwitt but she is really pretty too." Ryoko added. "I hope not too many guys." Tenchi said softly. Ryoko teleported behind him and wrapped her arms around him. Aeka summoned all of her will to keep from saying something derogitory to her. It had been an unusual adjustment being in their new life with Tenchi. One of those adjustments was no more fighting over him, because they were all equals in Tenchi's heart, and they knew Tenchi enough that he was not pick any favorites. Sasami was the exception to that rule because they all knew she could not be held up to the same standard in the relationship because she was still very young. "I didn't mean it that way." Ryoko said. Adjusting to this new life with Tenchi was hard for her too. She had always wanted to have Tenchi to herself, but now that was impossible. She wanted him to be happy the way he made her happy, the way he stretched out his hand to help her even though she tried to kill him and Mihoshi after they first met. He was the first person to ever show true kindness towards her, and it was for this reason she loved him so. "Its ok." she told him. "I just hope that she is doing alright." "I'm sure she is." Washu said. Her adjustment to this new relationship was easy. When she first met Tenchi Masaki she thought he was really cute, and she had to admit that her early feelings for him were almost pure lust since she was locked up in that crystal for several hundred years. Over time though she began to study the personality of this young man and she had to admit that she really liked the way he was always concern about all of them. It did not take long after some study for Washu to realize that she was starting to think more of him as a sweet and loving man rather than a sex object. It was then that she realized that she too loved him. Tenchi and Sasami walked hand in hand as they went out into the garden at the heart of the ship. The others stood at the entrace to the crew quarters waving goodbye, and then they all retreated inside when the two were out of sight. Tenchi softly caressed Sasami's fingers with his as they walked and marvelled at the softness of her skin. He looked over at her young, freckled face and still found it hard to believe just how cute the little girl was. She could have eaxily entered a Jr. Miss beauty pagent and won hands down anywere on Earth. Her blue colored hair was have been the only thing about her that would be out of the ordinary since humans don't naturally have blue hair. As always, where ever she goes so does Ryu-Ohki. The Cabbit reated on top of her head and just looked around at the scenery curiously. Tenchi had to keep reminding himself that she was more than just a pet, she was just as smart as any of them, but she was also a powerful starship in disguise. Soon they reached the same picnic spot he had taken all the other girls to over the past few days and they laid out a blanket for them to sit on. Tenchi reached into his tunic front and pulled out a carrot. Ryu-Ohki's eyes bulged out large and she meowed as she leaped up onto his chest and licked his face, then she tackle the carrot and began to munch away. "She's such a silly thing." Sasami giggled. Her soft innocent laugh fill Tenchi's heart. He had felt badly for bringing Sasami into this situation, he was not even sure if it was right for him to feel for her as a girl friend at her age, but one look at her bright smiling face and hearing her musical laughter fill his heart with a joy that was almost indescribable. "So, what did you have in mind for us today, Tenchi?" she asked him. Tenchi produced Washu's little black box and held it out to her. "Anything you want to do we cna do it, with this little gift from Washu." he told her. "Wow, what does it do?" she asked, a very cute look of awe on her face. "Its a machine that lets you turn your fantasies into realities and live them out." he said remember what Washu explained to him the day before. "Oh, wow, that sound great, we can have all sorts of fun with a machine like that." she shouted with glee. "So, where do you want to go first?" he asked. She thought for a moment. "How do you use it?" she asked him. "Just hold it, touch these spots here, and imagine where you want to be." he said as he handed the cube over to her. She held onto the device for a moment, touched the contacts, and closed her eyes. For a moment nothing happened, but suddenly everything around Tenchi turned to bright white light. He shielded his eyes and immediately noticed that the air tempature had changed. He looked around and found that they were sitting in the middle of a forest of trees. Apple Blossoms were in bloom all around them, and Tenchi realized that they were back on Earth near his grandfather's shrine. "I wanted to share this place with you, Tenchi." Sasami said softly. "This is my Quiet Spot, the place I go to be alone and think." "It a very pretty spot, Sasami, but I never imagined you'd need a place of solitude to think about your worries." he replied. Sasami sighed. "People back home used to talk opening around me like they didn't even know I was around." she said. "They because I was so young I wouldn't understand what they were saying but I did understand them." "Understnd what, Sasami?" he asked. "What did they say?" "They all had my life planned out for me, Tenchi." she told him as she scooted over next to him. "They even had a bunch of people lined up for me to go and meet in marriage meetings when I came of age." "Aeka explained a little of that too me, it didn't sound like much of a life." he said remembering what Aeka had told him about Sasami's fate before meeting him. "But meeting you changed all that." she said. "You set me free of that life, and I will love you forever." She stood up on her knees, leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. He touched her cheek and caressed her soft skin. A single tear fell from her eyes, and that one tear in the child's face felt like a dagger in Tenchi's heart. He took her into his arms and held her for a long time as she poared out sobs onto his shoulder. After several minutes she lift herself up and looked into Tenchi's eyes and saw love and concern in them. "I'll love you forever, too." he said to her. "Tenchi, just this once would you kiss me like you do my sister and Ryoko, just this once, please." she pleaded. "Well, I..." he stammered, but she inturrpted him. "When I came to Earth your Dad warned me about people who might take advantage of a cute l;ittle girl like me." she told him. "He told me they were very bad people who needed a lot of help, but I know your not one of those people....so please don't be afraid to love me becasue I know you'll never hurt me." Her eyes were filled with love and trust, and it was at that moment that Tenchi realized that she would trust in him no matter what. They leaned towards one another and closed their eyes. Their lips met in a tender kiss and for several minutes the two where in pure bliss. When the euforia subsidded they parted and opened their eyes. Tenchi almost laughed when he saw the bright red blush on Sasami's face. "That was really wonderful." he said. "Let me tell you a secret, Tenchi." Sasami whispered. "Your my first kiss from a boy, ever." Tenchi was surprise at this. "I am." he said. "Yup, your my first kiss, and these lips will never kiss another." she declared. Tenchi smiled. "Let me tell you a secret, Sasami." he said. "Your the cutest little girl that I have kissed, ever." She put her hand to her mouth and giggled in that way he tought made look even cuter. "Lets get a changed of scenery." she said, closed her eyes, and the world abruptly changed around them again. This time they Tenchi found them both standing on the hull of what looked like a berelict space craft. It had no running lights and looked like it had been in space for a very long time. He suddenly remembered where they were, it was the place where they encountered the ghost ship when Sasami disappeared from the Yagami. "I remember this place." he said. "Its where you disappeared and we tried to find you, but we couldn't." "Promise never to reveal this secret, I never told anybody about what happened here." she said. "I promise." he said. "I met a new friend here, her name Mirra, she's a ghost." Sasami said. "We had alot of fun together, and she ever went around the ship playing pranks on you guys when you came looking for me." Tenchi's eyes went wide. "A ghost, a real ghost, so that is what I saw when you went into the mirror in your bedroom." he said. "I remember seeing you there before I left." she said. "I hope I didn't worry you all too much." Tenchi put her arm around her and hugged her. "We were worried, but somehow I felt that you were alright." he admitted. The scene around them changed again and this time they were standing on top of Tenchi's high school. Throngs of students were going in and out of the building as they watched. He noticed two of the students looked like Aeka and Ryoko, and they appeared to arguing over something. "This place is from my fantasy world when we were stuck in Washu's machine." Sasami told him. "Oh, ya, I remember this." he said as he tried to keep from laughing. "You hit Aeka and Ryoko with somekind of beam that made them kiss each other." Sasami tried but she was unable to hold back her giggle. "Ya, that was pretty funny." The little princess stepped behind an air vent exhaust on the roof and returned carrying the same batton she had when she was in her fantasy world. She held it in the air, spoke a series of very silly magic words and began to glow. Tenchi's face turned blood red when he watched her undergo a transformation ito Magical Girl Pretty Sammy, because part way through the transformation she appeared totally naked in front of him. Now that he was up close he could get a closer look at the outfit she was wearing. "The skirt is way too short, the panties are...way too revealing." he said. She giggled. "Ryoko would probably look better in this thing, huh?" She twirled around the he got an eyeful, which made his blush turn ever darker red. "I'm sorry, I'll stop." she giggled and transformed back into her normal self with her Juraian kimono. "Thank you." he said with a sigh of relief. "Tell me the truth, did I look cute in it though?" she asked him. This made his face redden again. "I guess that means yes." she giggled. Tenchi thought of something to say, and then he had the perfect comeback. "Your cute no matter what you wear, Sasami." he told her. She threw her arms around his neck and gave him a mighty hug. "Your so sweet." she said. Tenchi took over the device and took Sasami to different places that he had been throughout his life. They rode the rides at Disneyland in Tokyo, took a hike on Mt. Fuji, and ate their picnic lunch on a terrace of the Jurai royal palace. Aftwards he took her on a romantic moonlight walk on the beach. They walked hand in hand, other young couples, and occasionally an elderly couple passed them. "Today was really a lot of fun." Sasami said. "Everyday can be like this if you want to be." Tenchi told her. "That would be really nice." she said. "Can I take us to the last place?" "Sure." he said handing the cube over to her. "I love you, Tenchi." she said before closer her eyes. "You showed me such a wonderful time, and I will cherish this memory for always, and now I want to give you something." The world fadded away around them, there was a swirling tunnel of multicolored light and strange sounds. When the world manifested ifself again Tenchi found himself in his bedroom. He also noticed that he was alone. "Sasami." he called, but there was no answer. "Where are you?" He slid open the door and walked into the hallway. The first thing he noticed was a strange light shining under the door to Sasami and Aeka's bedroom. It was purple, then blue, and then changed to red. He walked up to the door and heard soft music playing inside. Slowly he opened the door and found the entire room bathed in multicolored lights from a strange looking lamp that sat on a table near the windows. He stepped in and nearly jumped out of his skin when a soft hand touched his shoulder and the door closed behind him. He whirled around and found himself face to face with a very beautiful woman. She looked him with soft pink eyes that were filled with love and long lock of blue hair hung over one shoulder. Se was wearing a white robe that reached all the way to the floor. Blue hair, Tenchi suddenly realized as he looked at this woman. "S-S- Sasami?" he said. The woman nodded her had and wrapped long, slender arms around his neck. She leaned forward and kissed him on the lips. That same blissful feeling he got when he first kissed her came again, but Tenchi forced himself to pull away. "Sasami, I love you and I know where this is going, but its not right." he said. "I'm not afraid." Sasami said. "And this is real, you said yourself that this device makes your fantasies real." "But..." he was about to say but she interrupted him with another kiss. This time Tenchi could hold himself back any longer and he returned her embrace and kiss. Washu's words were echoing in his mind, "...it IS REAL and not just an illusion." As they kissed they slowly made their way towards the only bed in the room, a queen sized canopy bed covered by thin white vale. It was sometime later that Tenchi and Sasami returned to the living quarters well after the night cycle started. The others were waiting and seemed a bit puzzled over a strange look on Sasami's face, and the fact that she blushed fiercely whenever she looked directly into Tenchi's eyes. When the same back into the real world from their fantasy land the two agreed that what they just shared together would be kept just between them. One day they might let the others know, but for now it was their special secret. Sasami had known about how older people showed their affections, but she was not totally prepared for what was involved. When it was over she found it hard to look into Tenchi's loving eyes and not blush. In body she was an adult in her fantasy world, but in mind she was till a little girl. This was a whole new dimension to love and relationships that did not even know even existsted. That night Sasami sat up in her bed, sbe couldn't sleep. Everytime she closed her eyes she could see Tenchi's face, she could remember the feeling of his body against hers, the delicious sensations that she experienced in that room that she was totally ready for mentally, but it was not that she was disturbed by actually partaking in such an act but that she was afraid that might be able to resist wanting to do it again. When they collapsed into each other's arms in that bedroom Tenchi felt very low and upset with himself that he took advantage of a little girl's affections. "I take most of the blame, I'm the one who create this place, who made myself older." she had said to him. Sasami slipped out of the covers, slowly opened the door and flitted out into the dark beyound. In his room Tenchi lay in bed looking up at the ceiling and felt like the world was on the verge of crashing down on him. He felt like he defiled Sasami horribly. He loved her so much and he chided himself for letting his emotions and self-control get out of hand. She may have looked like an adult but she still had the fragile mind of a child, and in the heat of the moment he took that child's innocence away from her forever. Tenchi never thought of himself as a Pediphile, and he hated such people, and now he began to see himself as one of them. Quickly he climbed out of bed and fled his room which was starting to feel like a prison and headed for the galley. He thought that perhaps a cup of tea might sooth his nerves a bit. When he got to the entrance he heard a sound inside and saw a light under the door. Slowly he entered and saw Sasami in a long, flowing pink nightdress making herself a snack. He resisted the thought of going into the room with her knowing what he did to her just hours before, but he felt a need to talk to her so he stepped past the threshold. "Tenchi?" she said as she turned around to see who entered. "Sasami, I have to talk to you." he said. "Me too I guess." she replied. Tenchi sighed, "Sasami, I love you very much, but what I did was unforgivable." "Don't say that, I told you it was mostly my fault." Sasami chided him. "It was more my fault because I didn't stop myself." he told her. "I didn't stop to think that I might be hurting you." Sasami walked up to him and looked into his grief sticken eyes, this time without blushing. "I love you Tenchi, and I will never regret what happened in that room for as long as I live." she said. "I was the one who came up with the idea, after you showed me what that thing of Washu's could do." "Now I wish I didn't have that damn thing." Tenchi said. "Please don't do this to yourself, please!" she pleaded. Tenchi kneeled down and took the child into his arms and hugged her tightly. "I just couldn't live with myself if I hurt you in any way by what I did." he said as tears started to fall down his face. There was a sound behind them and the two turned around to see Washu standing in the doorway. They both blushed furiously under her unwavering glance. Two words rang out in Tenchi's head at that moment, "Oh shit!" Washu, however, took on an expression of guilt rather than one of anger or suspicion. "I suppose I could take some blame too." she said. "H-h-how long ever you standing here?" Tenchi asked her. "Long enough to know that I should have known better than to listen to Aeka and Ryoko." she said, and the sound of two people face faultering outside the room could be heard. Immediately after the two women stormed into the galley and glared at the genius. "I was going to come to you with my little device, but you happened to came to me first." Washu said. "I showed it to them and they said I should give it to you." "But, I don't get it, your not angry for what we, Sasami and I, uh, did?" Tenchi asked. The question was for all three of them and not just Washu. "I know how hard it was for you feeling that Sasami was being left out of things, so when Washu showed us her invention we started thinking." Ryoko said, looking down at the floor. "I did not realize this would hurt you so, Tenchi." Aeka said in an appoligetiic voice. "I should have realized that your sensibilities would have been effected by this." "You mean you intended for this to heppen?" he asked her with shock on his face. "Please do not look at me like that, Tenchi." Aeka said, seeing his expression. "You must understand that there are differences in the cultures from which we were born." "What do you mean?" Tenchi asked her as he stood up and tried his best not to be upset. "On Jurai there are to taboos concerning age and relationships." Aeka explained. "If Sasami had remained on Jurai at her age she would have already been married or affianced to someone by this time. In biological terms, for Juraian women, she is already considered partially a woman." "What do you mean partially a woman, she's eight years old." Tenchi said. "She has started her 'jun-tau' and once that occurs she is of legal concenting age." Aeka told him. "Jun-tau?" Tenchi said and looked at Sasami who was starting to turn a little red faced. "Human women develop different from Juraians, although the two species are relatively similar to one another." Washu said. "The jun-tau is the Juraian equivolent of the a human female menstration cycle." Tenchi blinked, then he looked down at the little girl who stood next to him still with her arms around his waist. "You mean Sasami has started her Periods, already?" he asked. "In a manner of speaking, and shortly the rest of her body is going to start undergoing some dramatic changes." Washu said. "I remember my first jun-tau, I was so happy because I know that my time as a child had ended and from then on I was going to be treated as an adult." Aeka told him. Sasami smiled up at him and deep inside this revelation started to click in. He felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off of his soul. "I wish someone would have explained these things to me before hand." he said. "What's done is done and now Sasami is on equal footing with all of us." Ryoko said. "Well, it won't happen again." Tenchi said, and then looked down at Sasami. "At least until you've had some more time to grow up." "I can live with that." she said truthfully and hugged him tighter. Washu looked at her watch and whistled. "We'd better hit the hey or we'll be zombies when we go to see Mihoshi tomarrow." she said. They parted, giving Tenchi goodnight kisses, and Tenchi headed back to his room. He stopped to open his door when he looked back and saw Ryoko hoving behind him. "I'm ok with it now, at least I know now that I didn't do anything to hurt her." he said. "I'm sorry this hurt you though, and it was mine and Aeka's idea." she said. "Cultural differences aside, if somebody had told me that Sasami was going through Juraian puberty I thknk things might have turned out better." he told her. "We should have told you, but I think it might be a good idea of you learned more about alien cultrues." Ryoko said. "There are societies out there were rape is considered an honorable act." Tenchi gave her a shocked expression and his face turned red. "That one is a female dominated society, and if a man is raped by a women its a mark of high honor on that man." she said. "To be singled out like that means that he has something to be valued." "That makes some sense, in a twisted sort of way." Tenchi said. "Do you know what planet that comes from?" she asked him, a seductive look on her face suddenly appeared and a fire burned in her eyes. Tenchi gulped. "Not really, no." he answered. "Its where I was born." she said as she licked her lips. Tenchi backed up against he door. "You came from that...." he started to ask but the words failed him as he became mesmerized by Ryoko's stare. "I tried several times to Honor you but Aeka kept getting in the way." she said as she reached up and caressed his cheek. This new revelation brought now meaning to those times when Ryoko appeared in his bedroom. She had been there to....and the idea of what she had intended to do made him turn even redder. "Why the sudden shyness, you weren't sky yesterday?" she asked as she moved close enough for her breasts to press against his chest. "If Aeka hadn't stopped you those times, you would have..?" he asked, and she nodded her head without looking away from his eyes. Tenchi gulped hard. "Can I ask you a personal question, Tenchi?" Ryoko asked. "What?" he said in a nervous voice. "If I had succeeded in Honoring you what would have done?" she asked. Tenchi had to think this over. "For a long time I was still afraid of you." he said, and a pained look came over Ryoko's face. "But, I'm not really sure what I would have done." "I was kidding about that whole rape thing, you know that." she said, a looked of mirth filled her eyes. Tenchi's mouth almost dropped to the floor. "What!" he said loudly. Ryoko grinned, showing her fangs. "Got ya!" she laughed. Tenchi lunged at her and caught her before she could fly away. They grappled in the hallway for a moment, she did not put up much of fight even though she could have easily overpowered men ten times his strength. One he wrestled her to the floor, they were face to face, and she leaned her head forward and kissed him tenderly. "That was a really dirty prank, you had me going there for a while." he told her. "True, there is a culture like that, but I'm not from it." she said. "But, the thought of Honoring you did cross my mind a few times." "I'm sure you did." he said before returning her kiss. "We'd better get to bed." A fire in Ryoko's eyes ignited and Tenchi caught on to it almsot immediately. "Don't be sad but I'm really tired right now." he told her. She had a slightly hurt expression on her face, but nodded in understanding and kissed him. "Can I spend tonight with you, anyway?" she asked. "I don't want to be alone tonight." Tenchi smiled and helped her stand up. "I wouldn't mind a little company." he said. They retreated into his room and snuggled into bed with each other. Both took great comfort from the present of the other's body pressed against each other. Tenchi wrapped his arm around Ryoko's waist and Ryoko put her's over his should and they held each other as they drifted off into blissful sleep. Minagi stopped off the transport shuttle at Galaxy Police HQ and looked around at the massive construct. It was a space station nearly the size of a small planet built in modules over the centuries until it was at its massive size it was today. The main concourse inside the headquarters was cavernous, but luckily there was interactive panels showing where each department of the GP was located on the station. Minagi pulled up a map of how to get to the hospital and had a printout made that she could carry with her. It was at times like this that she wished she had her Cabbit with her. Quickly, following the map in her hand, she made her way through the throngs of people who when about their duties on the station. The GP hospital was on deck 327, which was several miles up from the main concourse. A turbo lift took her to the level in only a few minutes. Minagi looked out of the transparent viewports in the turbolift and watched as dozens of different GP ships shuttle about or left on patrol duties. Whent he turbolift stopped she stepped out and went immediately to the main desk of the hospital. A tall woman with green permed hair looked up from her computer console and smiled at her in a cordial sort of way. "May I help you?" she asked. "Yes, I heard that a friend of mine was here in the hospital and I came to see her if she's allowed any guests." Minagi said. "What is it your here to see?" the attendant asked. "First Class Detective Mihoshi." Minagi told her. "Oh, yes I heard she was here." the attendant said. "She is blue wing, room 149." The attendant handed her an identity badge that read "Guest" on the front, and then pulled out an identity scanner from behind the desk. "Could you place your right hand on this please?" she asked. Minagi did not hesitate because she did not want to arouse any suspicions about herself. She had run into her fair share of trouble since ending up in this situation, and she sure did not want to stir up trouble at he Galaxy Police HQ. She did, of course, know what the scanner was going to turn up from her hand print scan. A few seconds later the information from her hand print appeared on a screen beside the attendant. A picture of Ryoko appeared along with several other pieces of information. A flashing red message appeared, "Wanted", but that was immediately covered by a second message that appeared in blue saying, "Pardoned by Galactic Union by Request from Royal Family of the Juraian Empire". The attendant raised an eyebrow in a Spock Maneuver and tapped a key on the console. Details into the pardon appeared which showed Ryoko's involvement in the restoration of the Juraian Empire by a false ruler. "Ah, your Ryoko, Detective Mihoshi must be a pretty close friend of yours." the attendant said. "We went through a lot together." Minagi lied, she didn't really know what actually happened on Jurai but it was pretty serious. "You can go right on up." the attendant said with a smile. "I'm honored to have met such a distinguished heroine such as yourself. Your an inspiration to us that someone can turn their life away from a life of crime and do the right thing." "Thanks, that means a lot to me." Minagi said, this time it was not so much of a lie anymore. Jurai Star dropped out of hyperspace 100,000 miles from the Galaxy Police HQ and immediately several GP fighters began to intercept them. The sleek, heavily arms craft flew on either side of the Juraian treeship until communications to identify the ship could be made. At the command podium Aeka brought the ship to a slow sub-light speed. A crackle came from the communications system which told her that the GP was opening their communications link. Tenchi and the others stood behind her as they watched the HQ facility grow slowly larger in the main viewport. "Unidentified vessel, please transmit your identification and destination." came a crisp male voice. "This is Princess Aeka of the Juraian Empire, requesting permission to dock at the Galaxy Police Hospital." Aeka said. There were a few moments of silence and then the voice said, "We are honored by your visit, your majesty, please set your course to heading 345-346-21 mark 10 at your current speed." "Thank you very much." Aeka replied. "Jurai Star, out." "I hope Mihoshi is still in the hospital." Sasami said. "Finding her could be pretty hard, that place is huge." "Who knows, it depends on how badly hurt she is." said Washu. "Once we dock we can go to the main desk and find out." Aeka said. __________ TO BE CONTINUED!!! Stay Tune for Episode 3: No Need for Mihoshi Tenchi and the gang meet Mihoshi at the GP Hospital, but they discover their friend is not quite the same. What will she say when Tenchi tells her his feelings, and when a stranger who looks sort of like Ryoko shows up sparks fly.